What I’m Watching: Ringer

Ringer: Season 1, Episode 17 “What We Have Is Worth the Pain” (C+)

Imagine how much easier things on this show would be if any character actually knew the whole truth. There’s so much deception going on that it’s surprising that so few people have actually put together the pieces. I’m most impressed by Solomon, who displayed awesomeness in his defense of Bridget and then revealed that he knew that she wasn’t her sister. He’s a good person to have on her side, even if he didn’t manage to save Andrew’s life when a mysterious gunman fired on Bridget, prompting the Brit to jump in front of the bullet to perform the ultimate noble act. That doesn’t track with all we were trained in this hour to believe about Andrew, and so I guess we have to presume that it was Olivia who ordered the hit. That still doesn’t explain Siobhan’s expressed fear, confirmed in flashback, that Andrew was going to kill her. She’s still not telling Henry the full truth, even when she opened up about Dylan, and sooner or later, that’s going to come back to haunt her. Going to talk to Andrew as Bridget was cruel, and if he’s dead, it’s going to be all for naught. I’m not quite sure why we’re still focused on Juliet and Katherine, since now all that can really happen is that Cash would try to harm Juliet, though it’s all moot now since Andrew is dead or at best incapacitated. Somehow Machado has found himself at the center of this whole mess, and he doesn’t even have the first clue about what’s actually happening.

What I’m Watching: New Girl

New Girl: Season 1, Episode 16 “Control” (B+)

It’s a risk when shows turn their familiar, established characters into bizarro versions of themselves, but sometimes it pays off. In this case, the first few minutes were fun, if only to see Jess try to express herself messily and Schmidt demonstrate himself to be utterly incapable of tolerating a mess. It was quite entertaining to see what Schmidt became after plenty of complaining by the water, and this is definitely going to becoming an iconic role for actor Max Greenfield, who may never find another part at which he excels quite as much as he does here. Zooey Deschanel, though hardly the main character these days, is also superb, and I love watching her reactions to the ways things are and then the way they transform to be. In the past, we’ve had fun watching Nick and Schmidt bicker about personality differences, and therefore it was hilarious to see Nick and Winston argue about money, with Winston upset that Nick never paid him back and Nick determined to negotiate down what he owed by being stingy about every little thing. These four roommates have such a fantastic working dynamic that this show really could milk plenty of superb plotlines out of the relationships. Cece’s continued tryst with Schmidt is entirely amusing, and it’s always fun to hear her voice her reactions to Schmidt’s ridiculousness, namely his defense of the fact that he was sleeping in dress pants, something for which there is really no explanation, though Schmidt would be the person to try.

What I’m Watching: Smash

Smash: Season 1, Episode 6 “Chemistry” (C+)

This show is becoming awfully transparent, and its developments are highly predictable. Having Karen in the company is a constant problem, and she’s becoming increasingly less likeable as time goes on. Taking the Bar Mitzvah job that Ivy originally had demonstrated just how lazy she can be, using her Iowan heritage as a crutch, claiming not to know much about anything because of where she comes from and managing to perform quite poorly at the Bar Mitzvah. Somehow, however, she continues to get opportunities as a result of her less-than-professional approach, and she may now have landed herself something big. Ivy, on the other hand, after some unnecessary hallucinations and dramatic bedside numbers, is finally standing up herself, lashing out at Derek in front of the whole cast after he cruelly picks apart her performance. His inquiries about her voice rather than her health didn’t much help his case. I’m still annoyed by Ellis’ presence, and his budding friendship with a laidback Eileen is causing to burn more bridges than it builds. Julia’s having a tough enough time doing damage control at home following her kiss with Michael, and her latest indiscretion isn’t helping matters one bit. Tom’s relationship, oddly enough, seems to be the most stable at the moment. Production on the show is certainly not going smoothly, and it’s going to take a lot to get this show ready to go when they want it to, and that’s assuming that all those involved can play nice long enough to make it work.

What I’m Watching: Californication

Californication: Season 5, Episode 9 “At the Movies” (B+)

It really sucks to be Hank sometimes. Laziness aside, Hank does work hard and is brilliant, and to see him lose a job to his daughter’s boyfriend, now represented by Charlie, is a shame. Allowing the film’s lead actress to entertain him was probably a bad idea, and there’s nothing quite like being dangled off a railing to make you think twice about an encounter of their sort. We can only hope that Samurai Apocalypse never learns of his indiscretion with Kali. Charlie, as usual, is completely not in control of his life, letting other people tell him to do stupid things and then eating out of their hands. He did manage to stick up for himself after Tyler, now officially a jerk again, told him he wasn’t going to hire him as his agent after he forced him to get shamed by the intimidating man in the bar. Charlie is also being manipulated and used by Lizzie, who wants a role in “Santa Monica Cop.” Silly man as he may be, he doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment. Despite the episode’s events, Hank appears to have fallen back into favor with the main women in his life, which is a silver lining for the now-unemployed writer. Being on Becca and Karen’s good sides is worth a trip to the movies, an industry Hank could really do without at this point. It would be interesting – and fantastic – if things worked out and Hank managed, against all odds, to reestablish his little family.

What I’m Watching: Life’s Too Short

Life’s Too Short: Season 1, Episode 4 (B+)

Warwick is continuing to simply make a fool of himself in so many situations, and therefore it’s almost a relief to see Ricky be the one that steps in it for a change. Sadly, Ricky’s string of negative comments about Steve Carell, uttered while he was still on Skype, were hardly the most awkward and embarrassing moments of the episode. Warwick was initially clueless but seems to have caught on to the fact that his soon-to-be-ex-wife is sleeping with her lawyer, and the display of height was not a positive experience for Warwick. Hiring his accountant, who is terrible enough at his actual job, to be his lawyer was not smart either, and that look of horror on Warwick’s face when he leads with them splitting everything fifty-fifty said it all. Warwick has to start realizing that Cheryl is an awful assistant, and though she didn’t directly contradict him and mess everything up in this installment, she did misinterpret most of his cleverly-plotted phrases. Mangling the “small arms and deep pockets” line and asking if the microwave was radioactive were among the high points, and trapping Warwick in the bathroom with a handle he couldn’t reach was particularly unfortunate. Warwick’s quest for power within the Society of People of Small Stature didn’t go well, and bringing in performers to rally votes was not a good idea. It’s no wonder a random woman is stopping Warwick on the street because she thinks it’s funny that he’s carrying a box instead of being a fan.

Round Two: GCB

GCB: Season 1, Episode 2 “Hell Hath No Fury” (C+)

I’m not sure that I had high expectations for this show, but it’s proving to be highly soapy and not all that exciting. It’s clear that Amanda wants to be a different person than she was in high school, but the attitudes presented to her by Charlene and everyone else is going to make that nearly impossible. Carlene bringing Amanda out into the middle of nowhere and then leaving her there because she has to drive her pig back was cruel, and Amanda isn’t showing any signs of backing down, getting rid of the Amish outfits picked out by Carlene by rallying all her fellow Boobylicious employees to have Ripp make the obvious choice. Carlene’s selection of “Jesus, Take the Wheel” as an invocation of Amanda’s husband who died at the wheel was rather biting as well, but so was Amanda having “My cup runneth over” inscribed on the back of the uniforms. Punishment does seem to be visited upon the descendants, though Laura miraculously got labeled a fox rather than a javelina by the other girls, and it was Alexandra who got horribly embarrassed when last year’s uniform couldn’t contain this year’s breasts. Sharon isn’t having an easy time wrangling her clueless husband Zach, who isn’t doing much to hide his affection for Amanda, while Cricket seems to have accepted her situation with the kindly but clearly not straight Blake, who nearly misses his daughter’s big wardrobe malfunction to celebrate a milestone of another kind with his boyfriend on the ranch.

What I’m Watching: Eastbound & Down

Eastbound & Down: Season 3, Episode 4 “Chapter 17” (B+)

Though he was only around for three episodes, it’s worthwhile to have an entire episode essentially devoted to Shane’s memory. Though he was much like Kenny, his family certainly isn’t, and having Jason Sudeikis appear again as the buttoned-up, much more serious Cole was fun. Kenny and Stevie taking photos of the casket at the funeral and Stevie slapping the dead Shane were particularly inappropriate, and it wasn’t the right foot to get off on with Shane’s family. After asking Cole to channel his dead twin brother, bringing him along to freak out Shane’s college student girlfriend was rather cruel. His music-accompanied speech hit its high point when he declared himself Tom Cruise because Shane died, just like Goose. Pissing off Shane’s family ultimately backfired, however, since Kenny missed a call from April after his phone was tossed out the window by an angry Cole. Ironically enough, Kenny is starting to be a decent father, taking time to read to his cursed son, even if his choice of a story isn’t ideal. The fact that he’s bothering to censor it does mean something, and against all odds, Kenny is growing as a person. Stevie seems to be maturing as well, having sex with the crying woman at the funeral and then realizing that all he really wants is to be with Maria and to strange, untoward things with her. Because these seasons are so short, we’re already halfway done, so I can only imagine what’s on the way for Kenny, Toby, and all the rest.

What I’m Watching: House of Lies

House of Lies: Season 1, Episode 9 “Ouroboros” (B+)

Having characters sit and talk to the camera, or in this case an unseen audience, can produce iffy results. Yet in this case, it’s an effective tool, allowing each one of the primary four characters to air their strengths and weaknesses, and to show how they handle themselves under pressure. Perhaps the most fascinating was Doug, who stumbled all over himself explaining his family name and lineage but emphasized how good he is with numbers, making a surprisingly strong case for his worth. Clyde was predictably casual, while Jeannie was quick to anger and Marty had no patience from the very start. The episode’s most interesting moment came when Jeannie rushed outside to stop Wes from coming into her office, but she couldn’t stop him from introducing himself to Marty. That moment was intense, as Jeannie told Marty the full truth, hoping he wouldn’t ruin things for her. To his credit, he played along, though he did murmur quite a bit about a “Westery” while he was high with Greg Norbert out on the town. Greg seems like he may not be much of a threat to Marty after all, and Monica and her new protégé James are much more fearsome enemies for him. That subtle scene in which Marty discovered his father’s condition just before watching a performance by Roscoe and April was extremely strong, and as always, this show does a formidable job with its more serious material while continuing to bring the funny on a weekly basis.

What I’m Watching: Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives: Season 8, Episode 16 “You Take for Granted” (C+)

Whenever an episode pulls the “someone will be dead by the end” card, there are bound to be plenty of false positives that turn out to be nothing but a distraction from what’s actually about to happen. Karen’s suicide attempts, Bree’s pie ingestion, Juanita’s rooftop climb, and Jane’s choking spell were all fake-outs designed to throw viewers off from the fact that, without much warning at all, a character that has been part of the show since its very beginning would be breathing his last. Throughout this hour, Mike was actually able to express himself, and he and Susan got to a good place because of how protective he is. In untraditional fashion, the show paid immense tribute to him with a decently heartbreaking and dramatic montage in the slowed-down moment before he got hit with a fatal bullet. In many ways, Mike hasn’t been a truly compelling character since year one, but I suspect that his death will resonate with everyone on Wisteria Lane, and Ben’s construction site hasn’t even been dug up yet. Carlos’ change of heart and desire to start a new lifestyle won’t be easy, but I presume that he and Gaby will be able to find some happy medium between living to excess and living without earthly possessions. It seems that Jane’s role in Tom’s life won’t be so temporary, and Lynette almost not saving her when she was choking won’t help matters. We’re nearing the end at this point, so sooner or later, people are going to have to start settling down and figuring out just what it is that will make them the happiest.

What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 12 “Better Angels” (B+)

No one is safe on this show, not even after they’re dead. In the wake of Dale’s unfortunate demise, there was plenty to worry about from the very start as Rick’s eulogy was interspersed with shots of Daryl, T-Dog, Andrea and Shane going around and butchering walkers. After Carl told Shane what happened with the walker that killed Dale and Shane in turn told Rick, it seemed like everything might be all resolved. Lori telling Shane that he might be the father of her unborn baby, however, was just about the dumbest thing that she could have done, and it led to him going all crazy and taking poor Randall out into the woods to meet his fate. Rick surrendering to a delusional, bloodthirsty Shane was unexpected, but not quite as much as his stabbing of his former best friend. Carl’s presence with loaded gun was mighty worrisome, but fortunately he took Shane’s advice and shot the now-walker in the head. Shane’s death is a monumental event, sure to reverberate in future installments as Rick has now killed a living, breathing human, not to mention such a close friend, in cold blood. Never one to have dull moments, however, this show doesn’t allow time for mourning, instead creating a much bigger problem on which to close out the season next week: dead people, it seems, are now becoming walkers without even being bitten. The episode’s final moments were marvelously scored and entirely chilling, and I can’t wait for next week.

What I’m Watching: Shameless

Shameless: Season 2, Episode 9 “Hurricane Monica” (B+)

There’s something eerily calming about having Monica around and seeing just how well she’s able to peg her children’s interests. Most of it is highly disturbing, of course, particularly given the fact that she and Frank don’t stop having sex when their daughter walks in and that she wears her slutty cheerleader outfit around her kids, but that’s nothing new for the Gallagher family. Unlike last time Monica appeared, Bob doesn’t seem bent out of shape by her departure, and instead seems almost pleased to be rid of her. It’s about time that Jody and Sheila got it on, mainly as revenge from both parties to their respective partners that abandoned and cheated on them. It’s a far more productive use of their time than trying to speak to Eddie’s spirit (actually Frank sneaking into the house via ladder) and planning to open a hospice, often pronounced ho-spice. Lip’s search for a place to stay was pretty bleak, as both Karen and Kevin kicked him out. Staying with Steve makes sense, though I think he’ll get everyone into trouble once he inevitably sleeps with Estefania. Monica taking Ian to a gay club was fun, and it looked like he might just be happy until Mickey’s dad burst in and starting beating up on him, though ironically not for sleeping with his son but instead for impregnating his daughter, something we know to be impossible. In other news, I enjoyed seeing Kevin’s reaction to the news that circle doesn’t start with an S.

What I’m Watching: Luck

Luck: Season 1, Episode 7 (B+)

This show has definitely achieved that HBO feel, in which an hour feels like an eternity (in a good way) and much more like a mini-movie than just a mere installment of a weekly series. Gus having the webcam put into the stables so that Ace could keep an eye on the horse sure irked Escalante, but there’s nothing quite like the look on Ace’s face as he watched the live stream of the horse as he was about to go to bed. He sure seemed much spryer throughout the hour, and not just in his time with Claire checking out his investment. Lonnie’s dream went from soaring to shattered as he bet on his own horse who promptly got injured mid-run and was told would never run again. Jerry’s having much better luck making it to the World Series of Poker, so long as his new female friend that he beat out doesn’t distract him too much. Jo’s befriending of Eduardo seems to have benefited her relationship with Escalante, however unexpectedly, as he appears to be mildly receptive to the notion of her being pregnant. Rosie going to Joey for help on where she stands with the old man was bold, and I’m hopeful that Kerry Condon will stick around. The old man’s other option appears to be regressing, so he won’t likely be in that position for long. Nathan performed superbly in his business meeting despite some nervousness, but quoting Ace’s “answers a question with a question” trademark looks to have gotten him killed, something which Ace is not likely to let go without exacting some revenge.

Shocking update: after reports of a third horse being injured and having to be euthanized during filming, HBO has pulled the plug on this show and will no longer be filming new episodes! More on that in the review of next week's episode.

What I’m Watching: The Good Wife

The Good Wife: Season 3, Episode 17 “Long Way Home” (B+)

I’m so glad that this show knows full well which guest stars to bring back for return appearances, and Emmy-nominated Dylan Baker, who was back in another episode earlier this season, is the perfect choice. Colin Sweeney is such a slimy character, and it’s fascinating to see his lawyers fight so hard to ethically cross-examine him in a way that won’t force them to go against their legal responsibilities. Their subtle handlings of his perjury were amusing, as was Kate Burton’s similar action when Morena Baccarin’s baby mama purposely stated something untrue when she wasn’t even asked to do so. Will’s legal tiptoeing was entertaining as well, and Caitlin did do an impressive job of asking him questions in front of Lionel Deerfield. The news that Caitlin is pregnant and getting married feels random, and I suspect that she’ll be back to cause Alicia some grief after the stern speech Alicia gave her about not betraying her mentor. When Kalinda warns you about someone, it’s best to heed that advice. The route to Alicia’s return to her home is sure to be paved with difficulties, and I like how Eli perked up at the sound of Alicia and Peter getting along. The scandal on the couch in Peter’s office was mostly humorous, but Geneva’s prodding of Cary resulted in a much more dramatic confession by the formerly cutthroat Cary. His character has truly come a long way, and seeing him so upset over the lack of consequences given to him by Peter demonstrates that he has changed and is now one of the show’s most intriguing characters.

What I’m Watching: Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time: Season 1, Episode 15 “Red-Handed” (C)

Talk about spicing up fairy tales! This grim rendition of the Red Riding Hood story is rather bleak and deadly, and this episode didn’t offer up much of a positive spin on things even by its end, as a real world character was mimicking traits of an entirely unconnected fairy tale personality featured only in this hour. Ruby is a decent character in both universes, full of spunk and energy, and quite a bit of bite as the seemingly innocent Red. She makes for a great receptionist for the sheriff’s station, and it would be good for Emma to have a few allies around. Granny was also rather memorable, serving as an intense storyteller and an angry citizen determined not to let her friends and family be massacred. Snow White’s definitely edgier than Mary Margaret, and it would be nice to see the schoolteacher put up more of a fight for herself. It’s hard to believe that she would be complicit in Katherine’s murder and that anyone would be able to make that stick given that the only evidence is a random human heart in a box with no body or blood to be found anywhere. Regina seems set to get her revenge on Snow White in her new life, and David being lost in his own mind isn’t exactly an ideal fate either. I suppose this provides a grander sense of where the show is headed, but it would be good to see some more of our token characters, like Regina and Mr. Gold, on a more regular basis.

Round Two: Awake

Awake: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Little Guy” (C+)

Watching this episode, I found myself almost entirely uninterested in its events. The problem with a show like this is that the premise is the hook, not the week-to-week plot developments. The links between Michael’s cases in both universes seem random at best, and his partners aren’t going to be able to deal with his antics much longer. The introduction of Laura Innes’ Captain Tricia Harper once again puts her at the forefront of an evil movement with unclear malicious aims after her role on a former NBC show, “The Event.” What that means for this show is that there’s something afoot that defies explanation, yet it’s man-made rather than supernatural in nature, and the explicit mention of the accident being caused is but the first clue in what’s sure to be a lengthy and sparse journey towards clarity and satisfaction. At this point, watching Michael solve conflicting cases isn’t going to keep the interest up, and it would help if either his wife or his son was slightly more interesting. His secret motorcycle habit isn’t exactly groundbreaking, and having him watch his wife ride the bike in one universe and his son ride it in the other universe verges on being forced. Neither of his therapists are helping the situation much by being entirely unsupportive of his other reality as anything other than a dream. Though she was optimistic in episode one, even Cherry Jones’ Dr. Evans doesn’t seem to buy Michael’s situation as anything other than a fantasy.