Saturday, November 30, 2013

Take Three: Almost Human


Almost Human: Season 1, Episode 3 “Are You Receiving?” (B+)

I’m continually impressed by what I’m seeing here, and I’m glad to see the premise and concept playing out so well. This episode’s plot could have been found on any cop show, but it’s the futuristic technology that really makes it interesting. This had “Die Hard” written all over it, with thieves pretending to be terrorists so that people wouldn’t realize what they were really up to, but with the advanced capability of projecting someone else’s faces onto theirs to firm up the charade. The casting of Damon Herriman, most recently seen as the completely creepy Jones on “Vegas,” as the ringleader of this particular operation was brilliant, and he played the role perfectly. I like the way that Dorian was incorporated into the situation, receiving all of the calls coming from inside the building and able to answer them as part of his interface. Catching a flesh wound in the head was a definitely low point for him, and I love that Kennex figured out the appropriate improvised fix, which prompted the infinitely corny and memorable argument from Kennex about why Dorian shouldn’t go in alone: “You’ve got bubble gum in your head.” Kennex and Dorian do make a spectacular duo, running headfirst into danger and both demonstrating equally reckless bouts of bravery. The action in this episode didn’t let up, and I think that’s a fantastic sign for the future of the series, especially as the enemies get even fiercer and more threatening than a group of murderous thieves.

Friday, November 29, 2013

What I’m Watching: Masters of Sex


Masters of Sex: Season 1, Episode 9 “Involuntary” (B+)

Who knew that two things as simple as making videos and tasting cake could lead to the unraveling of some major relationships on this show? Bill’s desire to film other parts of the body to analyze involuntary reactions during sex was bound to create some drama, and Jane’s admittedly conditional enthusiasm for the project quickly turned sour after she saw the finished product, which had to be developed at a pornography lab, probably the first sign that this wasn’t a great idea. Bill telling his mother what he was actually doing late at work proved to be especially blunt, but it was her reaction that was far more shocking. Feeding the entire research team, including Jane and Lester, was bold, and being there to hear Virginia read aloud Bill’s evaluation of her, which he implored her not to do, was the most damaging. Telling Bill that he shouldn’t be the person he wants to be when he’s not at home was a brutal wake-up call, and giving Virginia money as payment for her participation in the study was a cruel way of separating the work from the passion. Ending with Bill watching the video of Virginia experiencing pleasure was a contemplative and lonely way to close the episode. Virginia scoring a 99 on her test only to be kicked out of the study group and asked only for her notes was unfortunate, but at least it gave her a way to connect with the icy Dr. DePaul. Ethan casually revealing that he was Jewish created a firestorm, and he seems ready to throw his entire engagement under the bus after realizing that he didn’t want to convert, despite it being his idea. We’ve still got three episodes left in this season, and they’re sure to be rocky for all involved.

What I’m Watching: Boardwalk Empire (Season Finale)

Boardwalk Empire: Season 4, Episode 12 “Farewell Daddy Blues” (B+)

I’m always compelled to compare the state of things right now to how they were at this point last season. Narcisse was never the same villain that Gyp was, yet his fate is considerably worse. Instead of being stabbed by his own people while blubbering like a madman on the beach, he got apprehended by Hoover after Nucky hired Harrow to take him out and was forced back into a position of servitude completely against the position he advocated for the whole of this season. Despite the tragic loss of his daughter while he was protecting another Daughter, Chalky did survive, and knowing that Nucky was always on his side means something. Nucky’s confrontation with Eli was inevitable, and it was as harsh as might have been expected, though Willie’s presence made things go differently. Eli killing Knox was brutal but unsurprising given the disregard for Eli’s wellbeing or personal stake in things that he had exhibited, and Eli meeting up with Nelson was an intriguing resolution that should make things next season plenty interesting. Torrio getting shot but not killed was a fateful event, since he now officially appointed Al his successor. I’m not sure what happens now that Gillian is in jail and if he story continues, but her fate is far more important for another person who was connected to her: the ever-loyal Richard Harrow. Seeing him arrive in Wisconsin to find his family waiting for him was wonderful, but as soon as his uninjured face appeared, it was clear that it was but a dream, and he was this season’s ultimate casualty. He’ll be missed. Though this season couldn’t possibly have topped season three, it was still good, and I look forward to season five next year.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Michael Shannon as Nelson Van Alden/George Mueller

What I’m Watching: The Good Wife

The Good Wife: Season 5, Episode 9 “Whack-a-mole” (B+)

This episode’s title was wholly appropriate, as said multiple times by Cary, Alicia, and Jeffrey Tambor’s eternally sarcastic judge. Haaz Sleiman, recently seen on “Covert Affairs” and memorable to me for one of his debut roles, in “The Visitor,” was Zayeed, the author suspected of being a terrorist bomber by the FBI whose life and career were continuously being ruined by new threads on the website that Will found it too irresistible not to represent. There’s been a lot of scrambling lately on the part of this new firm, but they’re doing quite commendably given that the odds really are stacked against them. There’s no denying that Damian Boyle is an intriguing new character who is going to shake things up, brought in by Will and able to win David over quickly, but set on alienating both Diane, however unintentionally, and Kalinda, through directed efforts at making her job more difficult. After having major roles on three different shows on three different networks in the past five years, Jason O’Mara, using his native Irish accent for once, is opting to stick with his previous affiliate, CBS, and he’s sure to leave quite an impression in what I imagine will be an arc of decent length. There never seems to be a shortage of things for Jackie and Eli to fight about, and this one was a rare opportunity for her to make it personal and to come out ahead of Eli, ready to use truly subversive tactics to make sure she got her way.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead


The Walking Dead: Season 4, Episode 7 “Dead Weight” (B)

This was an intriguing episode, but I do take issue with the fact that this show really is being filmed and put together in such a segmented way, where we forget completely about Rick and everyone else at the prison to focus on the Governor’s path to that same moment for two episodes. Seeing the Governor fall back into old habits and always resort to violence when things are perfectly peaceful makes sense given what we know about him, but he was a fascinating character to begin with when he was in charge, and I’m not sure we need to see him in full-on self-destructive mode, killing everyone around him to make sure no one gets in the way of his new family’s survival. I’m not sure which was more brutal: dragging Caesar into the walker pit or chaining Pete to the bottom of the lake. Both are signs that the Governor truly can’t exist unless he’s making someone suffer, and it’s extremely troubling. This episode had two major guest stars familiar from other TV roles: Enver Gjokaj from “Dollhouse” as Pete and Kirk Acevedo, seen recently on “Person of Interest” and “Prime Suspect,” among others, as Mitch. Ending the episode with the Governor pulling out his gun and aiming it at Michonne was certainly a good cliffhanger, but I do hope that the eventual merging of the two groups ends up being complex and layered, with the Governor attempting to spin the situation to his advantage and not let his former tendencies be revealed to his new family.

What I’m Watching: Homeland


Homeland: Season 3, Episode 9 “Horse and Wagon” (B+)

Now it finally seems that this season is going somewhere exciting, though that’s mostly because of things achieved solely in this hour. Segmenting an episode with an intertitle like “sixteen months later” indicates just how much development occurred, even if it was mainly surrounding one core plotline. Starting with both Carrie and Brody lying destitute in beds with no friends in the world was an excellent way to allow them to be transformed over the course of the episode, with Carrie reclaiming her handler role and Brody getting closer and closer to redemption. Showing Brody fall and then running confidently moments later after the fast-forward to two weeks later was very effective, and he definitely seems ready for his extremely intense mission. Dana’s reaction to seeing him was definitely harsh, but it looks like all it’s done is to motivate Brody to come back and have the chance to see her – and Carrie – again as a better person. Saul’s plan is undeniably brilliant, but it’s just as risky, and I have to assume that something won’t go right along the way. Utilizing Virgil and Max to deduce the fact that his wife’s new boyfriend is actually an Israeli intelligence officer working directly for Senator Lockhart was smart, and buying himself some time to make sure his operation can have a chance to play out was just as smart. We have three episodes to go this season, and let’s hope they’re all as energetic and compelling in both pacing and plot as this one.

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a TV Series


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Hayden Panettiere (Nashville)
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
Sarah Paulson (Game Change)
Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Interestingly, last year’s crop is all eligible to come back this year. I think that Hayden Panettiere (Nashville) is the least likely to return, and I’m not sure that Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) will be back either if Golden Globe voters follow suit with the Emmys, which dismissed her from their lineup this past year. Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) will probably be back for a different role, most likely joined by new costar Kathy Bates (American Horror Story), and predicting a snub for Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) is just not smart. Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) should be back too. Veteran actresses Allison Janney (Mom) and Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black) might join the category for their new roles, as could Holly Hunter (Top of the Lake) and Kate Mara (House of Cards).

Current predictions:
Kate Mara (House of Cards)
Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story)
Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a TV Series


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Max Greenfield (New Girl)
Ed Harris (Game Change)
Danny Huston (Magic City)
Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)

This category, which lops together supporting men from drama series, comedy series, miniseries, and TV movies, tends to draw from all four media relatively equally. Repeat nominees are rare, with only comedy series stars earning that distinction lately – Jeremy Piven, Neil Patrick Harris, and, the past three years, Stonestreet. Of last year’s eligible nominees, I wouldn’t count on Danny Huston (Magic City) coming back since his show was cancelled. Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) and Max Greenfield (New Girl) are vulnerable because Emmy voters snubbed them this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re out. Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) is probably in again, and he’ll have competition in the form of three standout season-long roles: Peter Sarsgaard (The Killing), Corey Stoll (House of Cards), and Jon Voight (Ray Donovan). Emmy nominees from this past year like Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Adam Driver (Girls), Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake), and winner Tony Hale (Veep) might also score a spot.

Current predictions:
Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)
Peter Sarsgaard (The Killing)
Corey Stoll (House of Cards)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy/Musical


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)
Lena Dunham (Girls)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Past nominees:
Laura Dern (Enlightened)

New contenders:
Anna Faris (Mom)
Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones)

This category had three new nominees last year, but I think this lineup won’t change much this time around. Fey is out, but Dern could easily be back in for the second season of her now-cancelled show. Faris is really the only new face I think might make the cut, unless her costar Allison Janney gets bumped up to this race. Otherwise, these nominees seem like they’re still popular enough to continue being recognized.

Current predictions:
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)
Laura Dern (Enlightened)
Lena Dunham (Girls)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy/Musical


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
Louis C.K. (Louie)
Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

Returning nominees:
Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)

New contenders:
Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Robin Williams (The Crazy Ones)

Potential first-time nominees:
Jake Johnson (New Girl)

Count three of these men out – LeBlanc, whose show didn’t air in 2013 but will be premiering again in 2014, Baldwin, whose show ended early this year for good, and C.K., whose show also skipped the 2013 calendar year. Parsons is all but guaranteed to return, and Cheadle’s repeat Emmy nomination suggests that he’ll be back too. Jason Bateman was the only aspect of “Arrested Development” to reap any Emmy love, and given that he won a Golden Globe back in 2004 for the role, he’s a good bet to earn a place. That leaves the new contenders, and I think Fox and Williams are out front, but Samberg and Braugher are possible too.

Current predictions:
Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)
Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Robin Williams (The Crazy Ones)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Connie Britton (Nashville)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Claire Danes (Homeland)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)

Past nominees:
Mireille Enos (The Killing)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

New contenders:
Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex)
Toni Collette (Hostages)
Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Keri Russell (The Americans)
Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)

Potential first-time nominees:
Kerry Washington (Scandal)

This category has undergone a lot of change in recent years. The number of nominees kept from 2010 to 2011 was just one, and only two survived from 2011 to 2012. Only Close isn’t eligible this year, and there are a bunch of people vying for her spot. Washington is probably the likeliest, though she also has new Emmy nominees Farmiga and Wright to fight off, as well as Emmy-eligible snubees Maslany and Russell, plus new contenders Caplan and Collette. I think that Schilling would have fared better in comedy, but she might be able to make it in here too. Margulies is vulnerable because Emmy voters snubbed her, and Globe voters sometimes follow suit. This category often includes random selections, so don’t be surprised if some truly crazy choices get in here, or if this race includes all new nominees and no returning favorites.

Current predictions:
Claire Danes (Homeland)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black)
Kerry Washington (Scandal)

Golden Globe Musings: Best Actor in a TV Series – Drama


Golden Globe nominations for this year will be soon, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anyone important. A reminder that last year’s nominees mean zilch at the Globes and that the race is almost entirely unpredictable.

Last year’s nominees:
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Damian Lewis (Homeland)

New contenders:
Matthew Rhys (The Americans) Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)
Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
James Spader (The Blacklist

Past nominees:
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)

There’s not much reason to suggest this list won’t be the same this year as it was last year, but there are a few vulnerable nominees. To date, Lewis hasn’t really appeared in his show, which makes the idea of him as a lead actor seem hard to take seriously. Buscemi was snubbed by Emmy voters along with his show, so Globe voters might follow suit. The likeliest new nominee is Spacey, though Spader could give him a run for his money.

Current predictions:
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
James Spader (The Blacklist)

What I’m Watching: Elementary

Elementary: Season 2, Episode 9 “On the Line” (B+)

This episode was structured in a much different way than most of its predecessors, showing certain aspects of the crime, namely the faked suicide, to us before Sherlock, Watson, and the rest of the NYPD had the chance to figure them out. I liked that device, and I hope that it’s used in the future, though not all cases will be nearly as dramatic as this one. It was great to see two familiar TV faces in very different roles in this episode. Troy Garity, who was a rabble-rousing newspaperman on “Boss,” was the established serial killer who Sherlock figured out was lying right away and never did much to try to hide his creepiness, and Chris Bauer, who plays zany Southern cop Andy Bellefleur on “True Blood,” was a far more put-together but equal irritable detective here, who wasn’t subtle about his distaste for Sherlock. A criminal stopping by Sherlock and Watson’s residence is certainly something we don’t see on a regular basis, and this episode was full of moments like that, particularly the prank he pulled that involved Sherlock and Watson showing up to find that the woman they thought they had spoken to didn’t actually have a daughter and was never in any danger. Ending the episode with one husband being unexpectedly reunited with his presumed-dead wife, who had been held captive for two years, was moving, and a testament to the damage caused by this episode’s bad guy. Gregson affirming his support for Sherlock and Watson was great, and it was also good to see Sherlock emphasizing his inability to be changed while at the same time complimenting Watson for working well with him.

Monday, November 25, 2013

What I’m Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 5, Episode 9 “Election Day” (B+)

This episode’s central storyline, the election, served as a good focal point for the rest of the episode’s minor plotlines involving all of the other characters. The fact that Kristina lost and that we only found out from her confirmation of her concession speech to her supporters is disappointing, but I think this show is much more about its characters’ journeys than their new roles, meaning that it wouldn’t have actually been fulfilling to see Kristina in her new daily role as mayor. Getting thanked by the deaf child whose mother she had hugged at the debate was much more meaningful, as was Adam’s admission about his initial feelings and gradually transformed position. Crosby revealing that he had never actually voted was a fun and not too detrimental story, and it was great to see Jabar get so excited after Crosby’s act of public voting. Joel and Julia’s situation, however, was far worse, and seeing Joel storm out in his suit to go fix problems and home and leave Julia behind was heartbreaking. Julia coming to him at work and yelling at Pete was bad, as was Ed saying hello when Victor was being taken to his new class. I’m very worried about their relationship. I did enjoy Sarah and Hank’s latest interaction, spurred on by Max’s decision to ask Hank’s unfriendly daughter to be his girlfriend. Ryan may have had reason to be upset with Amber after she ditched him two nights in a row, but repeatedly punching one of the band members was definitely an overreaction, and Amber’s tears at the police station when Zeek arrived were indicative of just how serious his actions were.

What I’m Watching: Parks and Recreation

Parks and Recreation: Season 6, Episodes 8 and 9 “Fluoride” and “The Cones of Dunshire” (B+)

This was another fabulous set of episodes from this show, and sadly the last we’ll see for a while, which is something we’ve come to expect from NBC at this point. Seeing Leslie try her best to get something accomplished in her latest thirty days in office is enjoyable, especially since she’s starting to embrace new tactics. T-Dazzle was pretty brilliant, but listing off the actual scientific ingredients then having Tom interrupt her with H2Flow was even more fantastic. Ben’s excitement over winning the plain blue t-shirt was the best part. Cozying up to Jamm in episode nine was just as fun, and it’s so funny to think of who makes up this council. Seeing Kyle as the actor in Tom’s video was great too. Chris taking metaphors away from the very literal woodwork Ron was doing was highly enjoyable, and Chris’ final act of loyalty to Leslie was nice (and highly uncharacteristic, since it involves lying and deception). April and Donna had a wonderful chance to bond in the first episode, and April and Ron were able to find a fitting solution to a situation created by the dream real estate team of Donna and Tom neither of them found acceptable that served to strengthen their friendship. Ben taking his accounting job once again for a short period of time was funny, and I think he made up for his speedy departure by giving his brief colleagues the ultimate gift that only they would appreciate: the horrific but awesome pet project he created called the Cones of Dunshire.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 5, Episode 8 “ClosetCon ‘13” (B)

This episode was perfectly enjoyable, but all of its moving parts relied heavily on their content being taken either too literally or mimicking something very closely. Phil’s reconstruction of the model was a perfect example of the latter, since it was timed carefully and then metered out as a play-by-play parody of the actual launch when Phil was finally ready to test it to see if his efforts had worked. It was better than the spill on the shirt last week, but not by much. Meanwhile, Jay’s adventures at Comic-Con with his non-mistress were mildly amusing, and Claire’s reaction to the news that Jay had tried to get rid of Phil were well-matched by Jay bringing up the fact that Gloria had gotten a call from immigration. It’s no shocker that Mitchell doesn’t like the farm, and that he doesn’t fit in so well in that environment. But in this episode, he had the rare opportunity to be the one who wanted to have more public displays of affection, and, Southern accent and all, shame Cam for not being proud of their relationship. I liked that Cam was proud of the fact that his grandmother was going to attend the wedding, even though she planned to stand outside with a sign. Though it was relatively overdone, I think this was one of the more positive plotlines involving Cam and his farm life, since he’s a character who we see out of context most of the time, and spotlighting him in his natural habitat can be jarring.

What I’m Watching: Person of Interest

Person of Interest: Season 3, Episode 9 “The Crossing” (A-)

This was undeniably an awesome episode, and it gave all of the characters important roles, most of which they haven’t previously held. Fusco’s part was the unexpected, since he’s always been the show’s punching bag and never had the opportunity to play the hero. Bragging about breaking his own thumb after his executioner made the classic mistake of taunting his victim and giving him enough time to devise a way out was uncharacteristic, and the fury in his eyes while he was choking him out was frightening. But it’s good to see that Fusco made it out okay and that Shaw, who obviously wouldn’t mesh well with the once-corrupt cop, opted to save his son and apologized to him for the way things were going to play out. Unfortunately, after all of her hard work and a memorable scene in which she and Reese shared their first passionate moment ever together, Carter didn’t make it out alive. It’s pretty shocking that she’s gone after being such an integral part of this show since its inception, and it’s hard to believe how far she’s come since hunting for the mysterious man in the suit. Piecing together the way that the machine worked was impressive, and earning a brief promotion back to detective was a fitting honor. Though Quinn is in custody, it was Simmons who signed his own death warrant by cowardly shooting Carter and incurring Reese’s wrath. Finch is going to beat himself up for not letting Root out since she could have saved Carter’s life, and things are certainly going to be very serious next episode.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy


Sons of Anarchy: Season 6, Episode 11 “Aon Rud Persanta” (B+)

It’s astonishing to think just how impermanent and fleeting life is on this show. Jax calmly shooting Galen in the head just as he complimented him on a job well done was yet another example of the unreliability of a steady gig on this show. It was obvious that Galen had to go somehow, and framing Clay as his murderer was a smart tactic. I’ve been paranoid since the start about Patterson reneging on their deal because of another FX CCH Pounder character trying to manipulate another deal, but now this is real. There’s no way that Jax and the club get away clean, and Tara even mentioning the bullet she pulled out of Bobby puts them all in jeopardy. Tara holding Jax’s hand for a moment while she was getting into the car and his acknowledgment of her actions being understandable contrast sharply with the seeming likelihood that she can get a deal that protects both her and her children. Executing Clay, especially in such a non-instant fashion, was a long-awaited and final act, and it’s hard to believe that someone who was such a staple of this show is gone. His acceptance of his fate was perhaps the most haunting part of his demise, though the fact that Gemma, Nero, and Tara were there when it happened was also pretty shocking. Getting out of guns has been just about the most violent thing this show has experienced, and with two installments to go, I have a feeling it’s not over just yet.

Friday, November 22, 2013

What I’m Watching: New Girl


New Girl: Season 3, Episode 9 “Longest Night Ever” (B+)

This episode provided unlikely hookups for Coach and for Winston, but what was best about it was its focus on the relationship between Nick, Schmidt, and Jess. It seems like Schmidt will never be able to get over Cece, but his endless devotion and need to interfere in her life is quite useful for creating entertaining plotlines. Nick trying to convince Schmidt that he was crazy was fun, but it got all the more enjoyable when Nick ditched Schmidt to help Winston find his cat, and Jess was left to try to stop Schmidt from going to ruin the date. Their car ride together was a blast, and I just love when they spend time together. Coach isn’t a great character all around, and his ill-fated attempts to seem cool to win Cece over were unmemorable. Cece’s resistance to his treatment and subsequent acceptance of the fact that they might actually have something in common was far more compelling. Winston’s hook-up with Bertie was all kinds of weird, and the best part about it was Nick’s presence. His reaction to Winston being into her, to the bologna, and to their bizarre subtext-stuffed conversation was priceless. It’s rare that Winston gets to take the lead in his own plotline, especially with Coach present, but this was a shining example of what can be done with him. It’s also good to separate Nick and Jess every once in a while, and it’s refreshing to note that seeing them together and seeing them apart are equally satisfying.

What I’m Watching: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 1, Episode 8 “The Well” (B+)

This is just the kind of episode that this show needs to have. Its best asset is its choice of guest star: Erin Way, one of the best things about Syfy’s prematurely cancelled sci-fi series “Alphas.” Though she didn’t get to say much as the rage-possessed Petra, she was still an instance of smart casting and a great nod to a dearly departed genre show. The incorporation of Asgardian mythology, of the Marvel variety, into this episode, was fun, and I liked the multiple references to Thor and his agreed-upon dreaminess. This show isn’t going to be able to lean on its “Avengers” roots permanently, and I’m glad that it’s choosing what to include and what not to include wisely. Drawing out the rage once experienced by Ward and then May through the power of the staff was cool, and it helped to humanize two usually stoic characters. Seeing them bond at the end of the episode in a very emotionless but likely physical fashion was unexpected though not too surprising when you really think about it, and it’s going to devastate Skye when she inevitably finds out. Seeing the transformation that Ward and May underwent through the eyes of Skye, Fitz, and Simmons made it all the more impactful, and I am liking the dynamics of this team more and more as time goes on. Coulson’s continued probing into what happened to him while he was in Tahiti is proving to be involving, especially when presented in such a haunting way as it was at the end of this hour.

Round Two: Almost Human


Almost Human: Season 1, Episode 2 “Skin” (B+)

I’m pleased to see that episode two of this show lived up to the high expectations set by hour one of this show, and I’m confident that this will continue to be a compelling and enthralling show. While there are some parts of Dorian’s makeup that just don’t track for him as a robotic being, it’s made up for by the fact that he and Kennex have such a great chemistry. The fact that Dorian created a dating profile from his new partner is quite amusing, and I like that much of what Dorian does, in contrast to Kennex, is motivated by emotion and the desire to be thoughtful and empathetic. There’s also a marvelous simplicity to Dorian, who asked Kennex how people deal with death and then used the same tactic he suggested when dealing with the deactivation of another android being, one far less sentient and self-aware than he. Kennex and Dorian make a good pair because they both get looked at strangely because of their histories, and they operate differently both together and apart. The concept of face shields for scanning devices is intriguing, and I think that all of this show’s technology is quite impressive thus far. The similarly-patterned abductions and presence of human DNA on the android’s fingerprints were very interesting, and it seems that this show has a good handle on how make its storylines lively and engaging. I’m hooked for the moment, and eager to see more of this show. I’m hopeful that its ratings will remain relatively consistent and that we’ll see it on the air for a while.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

What I’m Watching: Hello Ladies (Season Finale)

Hello Ladies: Season 1, Episode 8 “The Drive” (B+)

I’m still convinced that this show is destined to fade into obscurity and that is the last we’ll see of it, and therefore I’m quite satisfied with a fitting ending such as this. Stuart showing off pictures of his hot date meant that it couldn’t possibly go well, yet, after an evening of dragging his friends around to place after place in search of her, she was actually happy to see him and suggested that they go skinny-dipping together. What I like about this show is that Stuart still wanted to leave his friends to their own devices to get home when he drove off without them, and that, upon finding out that Glen is a real jerk, he didn’t punch him in the face or even leave right away to see Jessica, but instead was inspired later when he saw the mints to go home to comfort Jessica. A non-romantic ending is exactly what this duo needed, and I like that Jessica wanted to watch an Ingmar Bergman film instead of “Con Air,” which ultimately excited Stuart because there was nudity in it. Jessica not getting the role was unfortunate, especially after she rubbed her success in Amelia’s face. Wade cropping his wife out of the picture with their daughter was another melancholy sign of acceptance, and I think it’s fitting since, Kives excluded, this group is meant to be alone, and their friendship is what will drive them forward. Let’s hope that HBO opts to give this very enjoyable series another shot.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Christine Woods as Jessica

What I’m Watching: Eastbound and Down (Series Finale)

Eastbound and Down: Season 4, Episode 8 “Chapter 29”

This is déjà vu in many ways since I reviewed what I thought was the series finale of this show over a year and a half ago. Fortunately, this episode manages to succeed wondrously while featuring some of its token over-the-top gross-out humor and some celebrity guest stars. Sacha Baron Cohen was well-used as the vile plane passenger who turned out to be the head of the network, and I enjoyed recognizing Alexander Skarsgard in the episode’s final moments as Kenny’s grown-up son. Kenny firing all of his lawyers and declaring that April should call off the divorce wasn’t a great start, but that quickly turned around once he got his own show. Taking responsibility for and apologizing for all he did to everyone in his life in his rise to power was a bold step, and it was nice to see all the different people he wronged smile while watching him on TV. Ditching his own show was great, and it was sweet to see him be selfless, going on about the benefits of Southwest Airlines in New Mexico when he accepted that his family was leaving. Luckily, his “turns out I was a success the whole time” speech won April over, and we got treated to a happy ending after all. Watching the future play out only to discover that it was just Kenny’s screenplay. It was a great way to go out, and a fantastic, highly memorable way to end this truly unique and undeniably awesome show.

Series finale: B+
Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Danny McBride
Series grade: A-
Series MVP: Danny McBride
Best Season: Season 1
Best Episode: TBD

What I’m Watching: Masters of Sex


Masters of Sex: Season 1, Episode 8 “Love and Marriage” (B+)

It’s hard to get a read on the men on this show, since sometimes it seems like they’re very devoted to their female companions, while it becomes abundantly clear at others that they’re just thinking about themselves. Bill encouraging Virginia to take classes with Dr. DePaul in pursuit of her degree and then going behind her back to Dr. DePaul to ask her to discourage her from doing so is a perfect example, and unfortunately Dr. DePaul thinks more about business transactions than emotional ones. The fact that she is professionally impressed by Virginia despite her personal hatred for her makes her decision all the more impactful. Margaret and Scully meeting while Margaret was trying to pick up Dale, who was actually waiting for her husband, led to some harsh truths being uttered. Scully lying to his wife about the nature of his extramarital affairs demonstrated his shame, and Dale’s objections to the aversion therapy he is looking to start underline just how much Scully wants to change himself, if only for the sake of his best friend who wants to be more than just that to him. Ethan and Austin going jewelry-shopping together was amusing, and it’s fitting that Ethan’s quick proposal didn’t even happen, and that Vivian accepted before he even got the chance to pop the question because he gave her too many clues. Libby’s dalliance with her handyman was understandable and sweet, but, as usual, the times prove tough, and, once again, it looks like this show’s number one optimistic punching bag is going to be going through the rigors of pregnancy and all that it entails once again.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

What I’m Watching: Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire: Season 4, Episode 11 “Havre De Grace” (B+)

This episode moved at a relatively slow pace, but there was plenty happening, which sets the stage for an eventful season finale. Chalky sure knows how to talk, and simple conversation is one of the show’s best assets. His host was particularly compelling, though his behavior towards Daughter was especially deplorable. Chalky definitely thought that he was crazy at the end of the episode, and the presentation of a very real threat clearly shook Chalky, who might survive past the finale but likely at a high personal cost. Means calling Nucky and offering him information for a wild price was a worrisome moment, and it’s another sign that the walls are closing in on Nucky, who caught on quickly to the fact that Eli was trying to cover up his off-the-books meeting with Knox. Getting out is a smart idea, but I think he’s not going to be able to do it fast enough. Nothing could be quite as devastating, however, as Gillian’s fate. Going to see Tommy only to have Harrow tell her to leave him alone seemed to provide her some closure, and her evening out with Roy was nothing short of serene. Happiness like that rarely goes unpunished, and Roy shooting someone and not being able to forgive himself for it would have been nothing compared to what he actually had in store for her. “You can make yourself live with anything” was a great line with horrible consequences, and Gillian’s arrest is sure to be the final thing to unravel her and something from which she surely won’t be able to recover.

What I’m Watching: The Good Wife

The Good Wife: Season 5, Episode 8 “The Next Month” (B+)

There’s always so much going on on this show, and I’m enjoying seeing a few plotlines that haven’t recently been emphasized proceed with some interesting developments. It’s wonderful to see America Ferrera as Natalie Flores again, and to see how she, like so many others, wants to talk to Alicia rather than just some partner at Lockhart Gardner, now known as LG. Howard offering to meet with her while David ignored her was an entertaining chain of events, and it’s great to see that, through lots of hard work, Alicia, Cary, and especially Robin were able to save Tomas’ life. As always, the steps in the legal process are many, but this show manages to be thoroughly entertaining and well-constructed. I’m glad to see that Kalinda inspired Robin to be proactive and to show that she deserves to keep her job. I like that Melissa George’s pregnant ethics watchdog is no longer a threat to Peter’s marriage, for the time being at least, but her quirks, like eating pumpkin Pop-Tarts during business meetings, are quite amusing. I’m so glad that Eli revised his earlier lie to come meet Natalie and plant a memorable kiss on her, which she warmly returned. Will is towing a dangerous line by having his new bedroom playmate at work, and it’s no surprise that David took the opportunity to poison her against him by tipping her off to Will’s affection for Alicia. He may be on fire at work, but he needs to realize that she’s going to bring him down if she won’t stop letting him focus.

What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead


The Walking Dead: Season 4, Episode 6 “Live Bait” (B+)

This show has established a tendency of featuring highly focused episodes, ones that likely make for more gratifying watching during a season marathon than each week. Still, this episode is crucial because it completely transforms the perception of the Governor. This is a very solitary episode for the once-powerful tyrant in which he barely speaks, but where he develops a strong bond with this family that knows nothing about the real him. Teaching the young daughter how to play chess, during which she drew an eye patch onto one of the pieces to look like her new friend was perhaps the episode’s sweetest moment. After risking his life to get oxygen tanks for the ailing father, the Governor quickly revealed his darker side in the service of protecting his new surrogate family. The violence with which he made certain that the walkers were not a threat was appalling, and it was the only reminder we got that this is still the person who mowed down his own unarmed people when they tried to turn against him. Running into one of his own men was probably the best thing that could have happened, and I am curious to see how the Governor manages to get his friends to become welcomed citizens at the prison without revealing to them who he really is. We’re almost to the halfway point of the season, and I’m intrigued to see the show pick up its pace and bring its threads together, creating more problems than just the spread of disease at the prison.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

What I’m Watching: Homeland


Homeland: Season 3, Episode 8 “A Red Wheelbarrow” (B+)

There’s a lot going on in this episode, and I’m not entirely sure where it’s all going to lead, but this show is managing to retain my attention, which it wasn’t doing when Carrie was spending time in mental hospitals. Saul doing his best to assert his authority over his new senatorial enemy during the last few weeks of his position is proving more mature than in last week’s episode, and though he is sharing information much later than he should be, it’s at least good to see that he’s opting to get some approval for his actions rather than risk uncountable consequences later. Sadly, he thinks that his marriage is in much better shape than it is, and Mira’s efforts to support him in that seem to have inspired some spying that hopefully doesn’t relate to terrorist activities at all but it is no way good. Involving Dar in operations with Bennett was a good way to accelerate things and flesh out another piece of the puzzle, even if it was quickly terminated. Maybe a gunshot wound will convince Carrie that she can’t run in and ruin every single mission, even if it means that her targets will be shot rather than interrogated. The big reveal of the episode, of course, is that Saul knows where Brody is, and he’s the next part of his plan. Brody definitely doesn’t look like he’s in good shape, and let’s hope that Saul decides he can trust him and start working on clearing his name rather than just transferring him to another hole in the ground somewhere else.

Pilot Review: Almost Human


Almost Human (FOX)
Premiered November 17 at 8pm

With the possible exception of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” I was most excited about this new entry for the fall. A late premiere date and then subsequent pushback a few more weeks wasn’t a good sign, but I’m relieved to say that, at least so far, this show has lived up to my expectations. Though by now the second episode has already aired as part of the show’s two-night premiere, I’m choosing to postpone my review of that installment in order to be able to focus solely on the pilot hour. It could have been that this show relied too much on its visual effects or on its futuristic concept and didn’t bother to actually showcase interesting plotlines, as has been the misstep of so many similar shows in recent years, but, fortunately, that’s not the case. There does still exist some slightly wooden dialogue, particularly on the part of the human in our featured duo, Karl Urban’s John Kennex, but it’s just part of his gruff exterior. Kennex is an energetic and strong lead, not one to play the rules or care that he’s breaking them. In contrast, Michael Ealy’s Dorian is a much more sympathetic protagonist who manages to display much more humanity than his more advanced android counterparts while utilizing the same technological abilities and processing his decisions based both on logic and emotion. A much more mature Minka Kelly than the one seen in her previous roles and a similarly stoic Lili Taylor help to create a decent ensemble, along with the very recognizable Mackenzie Crook of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the British version of “The Office” as the go-to tech expert. It’s just like a show like this to involve the romantic interest of the main character as a sworn enemy of the state, and I think that this show is edgy and gritty enough to sustain its dystopian universe. For now, I’m very excited to see what episode two brings.

How will it work as a series? Kennex and Dorian seem to get along well, and ending the episode with Dorian smiling because Kennex actually extended a surprising degree of kindness to him was telling of an equal commitment to drama as to action. Their enemy is certainly formidable, and the apparent presence of another Synthetic on the other side is definitely appealing.
How long will it last? This isn’t its regular timeslot, and it’s unlikely that all viewers will come back for more, but based on the ratings for the Sunday night debut, this show is looking very good. Though “Terra Nova” and “Alcatraz” fizzled quickly, I think this one is a better investment for FOX, and they’re likely to seize on that success with a renewal soon.

Pilot grade: A-

Pilot Review: Ground Floor


Ground Floor (TBS)
Premiered November 14 at 10pm

After seeing “Sullivan and Son” and “Men at Work,” the idea of a new TBS sitcom doesn’t particularly appeal to me. The network, which has long syndicated comedy series that have had successful first runs on other networks, hasn’t exactly developed compelling original shows. The fact that this show comes from creator Bill Lawrence makes it somewhat appealing, although I found “Cougar Town,” which has now found its home on TBS after starting its run on ABC, far less involving and engaging than “Scrubs,” another show that bounced around between networks, landing on ABC for its final two seasons after being cancelled by NBC. The number one reason, and possibly the only one, to watch this show is the involvement of one John C. McGinley, who was incredible as the eternally condescending Dr. Cox on “Scrubs,” as Brody’s boss Mr. Mansfield. His role is understandably much less sophisticated and developed, but at least he makes the most of it with his deep voice and over-delivery of all of his lines, and he’s having some fun with it. I’m less impressed with the two casual leads, Skylar Astin and Briga Heelan, who play Brody and Jennifer, the couple that seems intent to persist existing even though Brody is going to have his relationship assaulted by his boss and his work life, and Jennifer isn’t interested in actually starting a relationship, content with the regular sex that they’re having instead. The show’s laugh track is predictably irritating, issuing cued laughter after most of Harvard and Derrick’s lines. Life on both the ground floor and the executive level isn’t terribly interesting, and this show isn’t destined to be well-remembered.

How will it work as a series? We already got a glimpse of what the show might look like in its regular form thanks to the second episode airing right behind the pilot. It didn’t take long for Mansfield to meet Jennifer, and now it’s just up to Brody to keep convincing Jennifer that they’re destined for more while she resists and Harvard plots to kill Brody. It’s far from complex, but it might fill a few episodes worth of work and sex jokes.
How long will it last? It’s hard to predict what TBS audiences will want. This show’s debut wasn’t too far off from the start of those two unimpressive TBS shows I named at the start of this review, so it might well stick around for another season or two (or more). I can’t say that I’m particularly interested either way.

Pilot grade: D+

Monday, November 18, 2013

What I’m Watching: Elementary

Elementary: Season 2, Episode 8 “Blood Is Thicker” (B+)

I like the way this episode started, with a furiously exciting score and the sight of the two Holmes brothers engaged in playful duel on the roof. It’s a relief that Sherlock avoiding a visit to Mycroft’s restaurant didn’t have anything to do with a personal vendetta, rather with the prioritization of work over play, and that he was actually quite impressed with the cuisine he experienced once he finally made his way there. Unfortunately, it seems that Sherlock had reason to be worried, and Mycroft’s intentions were in fact duplicitous. I’m hopeful that Watson will be able to help Sherlock realize that Mycroft has something up his sleeve, and that it won’t prove as devastating as, say, the return of one Irene Adler. The introduction of this week’s case was once again done in stylish fashion, with the truck being driven away with a body on top of it after a distant crashing sound was heard. As usual, the case was full of surprising developments, namely the declining health of one Ian Gale, played by William Sadler of “Die Hard 2” and “Wonderfalls,” among other things, his relationship to the victim, and the very impactful news that his surgery should have gone extremely well had it not been for foul play. Once again, Watson is asserting her helpful nature, and she and Sherlock do make a truly terrific team. It was good to see Sherlock stick up for their partnership and make sure that something like a move to London didn’t risk pulling them apart.

What I’m Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 5, Episode 8 “The Ring” (B+)

It’s about time that Kristina’s campaign started getting aggressive, and it’s a shame that Bob is the one who quite figuratively threw the first punch. It’s not a surprise that Kristina didn’t want to fight back in kind when Bob leaked a story that was told to him in confidence when he and Kristina were friends and working on his campaign together, but Bob’s defense for his actions was more unexpected. Amber’s willingness to have Kristina take her story public was more enthusiastic than I might have thought, and I’m worried about what the eventual reveal will do to her already strained relationship with Ryan, who was noticeably upset about being asked to take back the ring. The news that Victor is definitely going to be held back seems like it’s going to destroy Joel and Julia, and Joel’s comment that Julia is making bad decisions that make it so that they, for instance, cannot afford private school on just one person’s salary, was cruel and unhelpful. At least Julia was sensible enough not to do more than give Ed a hug when he was there while she was find out, but that doesn’t mean something might not still happen. Crosby worrying about Jabar enjoying ballet is his least serious plotline ever, though I do hope that he doesn’t let Jabar connecting with what used to be Jasmine’s true passion inspire him to make a big deal out of something that shouldn’t bother him as much as it does. Zeek may be lonely, but he is having some fun at home by himself, even if a very single Sarah isn’t impressed.

What I’m Watching: Parks and Recreation

Parks and Recreation: Season 6, Episode 6 and 7 “Filibuster” and “Recall Vote” (B+)

I can’t comprehend why anyone felt the need to preempt this show for three weeks in a row, but that does mean that we get two weeks of double episodes, which is never a bad thing. Leslie getting recalled is a big shock, but there’s always a silver lining, mainly that she delivered a fantastic filibuster performance and now still has thirty days to do as much as possible before she is officially removed from office. I absolutely loved Tatiana Maslany as Nadia, who gelled completely with Tom after a less warm first appearance in episode five. Her banter with him is perfect, and hugging Ann just so that Tom could steal the bear was fantastic. I wish she didn’t have to go to Africa, and I hope she’ll be back soon. Tom getting the offer for his business was an interesting twist, and the best part was the lawyer’s stipulation that they would be interested in purchasing his thinking pajamas. Ron being recognized for his chairs by a ridiculous trendsetter was hardly surprising, and it’s nice to see him sticking by Tom even if he was never going to let other people make his chairs anyway. Andy’s return was fun, mainly for what it provoked in April, and I like that she actually said something nice to both Chris and Ann after realizing that they were both trying to help her. Drunk Leslie and Ben is perhaps one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen, and I think that, while Leslie doesn’t necessarily need to be taken down a professional peg again anytime soon, I wouldn’t mind seeing them drown their sorrows on a regular basis.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 5, Episode 7 “A Fair to Remember” (B+)

This show tends to do episodes like this that involve all or most of the family at an event together, and their shenanigans tend to be inconsistent but overall funny. In this case, Alex and Luke vying for the affection, platonic and romantic, respectively, of Sienna, was the most amusing, since Alex didn’t have any concept that Luke was into her new best friend because she was too busy trying to make sure that Sienna didn’t catch on to the fact that she wasn’t actually one of the cool kids. Sienna, by the way, was played by Madison McLaughlin, also known as Rusty’s semi-romantic friend Chris on “Major Crimes.” Haley clashing with Andy the Manny (a constant confusion, it seems) was great, and it’s a terrific way of using the trouble-making eldest Dunphy daughter. I hope they have more opportunities to interact. Jay’s forced fake cop job was mildly entertaining, as was his first interaction with his partner, but the spill on the white man-blouse was a bit overdone and too dramatic. Cam having a temper tantrum about his football team not doing well was a rather boring but harmless plotline. Phil trying to surprise Claire with an arrest and a musical performance for their anniversary was cute even if it was a failure, and Claire being outsmarted by a six-year-old was funny. Claire, for once, won the prize for the better gift this time, for getting Phil the most perfect present possible, which was also quite clever: Chinese acrobats.

What I’m Watching: Person of Interest

Person of Interest: Season 3, Episode 8 “Endgame” (B+)

It’s about time Carter figured out who was in charge of HR and started to do something about it, but the way she’s choosing to deal with it is awfully reckless, and, as Reese noted, there’s going to be a lot of collateral damage. I love that Carter can use Elias to help her send a message, and pitting the Russians and HR against each other was a brilliant idea. Keeping Finch and Reese in the dark may not have been as smart a plan, and Finch definitely seemed concerned about getting 38 numbers all at once, most of whom were members of HR. Carter walking in to the judge’s home only to find Quinn and Simmons waiting for her was worrisome, but, fortunately, she opted to turn to her friends for help at just the right moment. Shaw supplying her with Reese’s guns was helpful, and it’s a shame that she didn’t choose to trust Fusco even though he’s been nothing but loyal, even more impressive considering his history with HR. Blasting pictures of our friends shooting at a cop car is going to have very negative implications for our team in coming episodes, but something tells me they’ll manage to survive, especially if Finch allows Root to use her distinctive talents to help. Learning about Carter’s child and his father was helpful in illustrating the person she used to be and the person she has become, a much more developed character than was originally the case when this show started.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy


Sons of Anarchy: Season 6, Episode 10 “Huang Wu” (A-)

It’s jarring to see just how little Galen values human life. Gunning down the Chinese at their meeting just to make a point was reckless and irreversible, and it’s now caused the Chinese to take action against SAMCRO, which is definitely going to get in the way of their deal with Patterson. It’s a relief that Patterson didn’t agree to sell out the club to give Tara the deal she had offered her a while ago, but it is crazy to think that Tara has been pushed so far that she’d have no trouble going in and giving her husband up. Her plan has gotten so far out of hand, hurting so many people in the process, and the only reason she still has some validity in her claims is that Jax truly is surrounded by violence that he can’t escape. Assigning Juice to tail Tara may not be the best idea considering his recent mental state, but I suppose anyone would react badly if their bike got backed over. Gemma delivered a terrific verbal takedown to Tara, which wasn’t undeserved after the fury and hatred Tara manipulated Jax into feeling towards Gemma. Unser and Nero driving together proved to be hilarious, and it was great to see Nero respond in kind to Unser’s unexpected rudeness. Clay’s accelerated situation is definitely problematic, and let’s hope that Jax’s big plan doesn’t implode and that, even if delivering Galen to Patterson does work, his deal doesn’t get negated by some simultaneous illegal actions on the part of SAMCRO.

Friday, November 15, 2013

What I’m Watching: New Girl


New Girl: Season 3, Episode 8 “Menus” (B+)

This episode was overall quite entertaining, but I’m not sure that I like the idea of having Coach around for good. I believe that Damon Wayans, Jr. is slated for a six-episode stint, but that may be too long, since having him around demonstrates that Nick and Schmidt are loud enough for the whole loft. For all the mockery that Winston has endured for his lack of plotlines, it’s actually productive to have someone in the background who isn’t too prominent or showy. I am intrigued by the notion of him dating Cece, although I of course was far more excited about one of my favorite things in television: when two characters who rarely interact spend time together. Nick tricking Cece into bringing him takeout and then tipping her was fantastic, and her reaction to the whole thing made it even better. Schmidt dancing unwillingly to the music playing during Coach’s workout session with Nick and trying to install a camera in the loft so that he wouldn’t miss out on anything was amusing, and I hope that Coach’s inevitable departure will mean that Schmidt can move back in to his old room. Jess not getting approval for her beach field trip was a terrific impetus for her to launch a war against the Chinese place and its many menus. Driving away all the customers only to find out that Charles would be fired was funny, but the episode’s best moment was Jess’ endlessly awkward reaction to Brian telling her that she was pretty.

What I’m Watching: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 1, Episode 7 “The Hub” (B+)

So it seems that this show wants to be a comedy more than anything, and I guess that’s fine given that this was probably the show’s most productive and enjoyable installment yet. While Fitz and Simmons make an undeniably good team, and Skye and Ward actually do well together in the field, it’s actually just as fun for the genders to be paired up together rather than mixed. Simmons worried about Fitz going on the mission and preparing him a prosciutto sandwich was very sweet, and I love that Fitz said it was delicious despite the fact that Ward ended up throwing it away because there were dogs tracking him and they weren’t going on a picnic. Their partnership got off to a deceptive start, as Ward casually asked Fitz how long he could hold his breath underwater and how attached he was to his pinky, and then Fitz turned out to be the one to save the day, frying the TV so that he could use his technical knowledge to get them safe passage. Skye proved to be a decent handler to Simmons, who had a fantastic moment of panic in which she thought it would be wise to tase a superior officer. Both Skye and Simmons’ reactions were priceless. Coulson had a terrific one-way conversation with his partner for the episode, May, and showed just how deep his loyalty runs when he heard that there was no extraction team in place and decided to act as the much-needed cavalry.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

What I’m Watching: Hello Ladies

Hello Ladies: Season 1, Episode 7 “The Wedding” (B+)

Since this show started, there hasn’t really been any sexual tension between Stuart and Jessica. In fact, it was specifically not there, which made their relationship entirely platonic. What this installment did, in a great way, was to subtly create an unexpectedly intimate moment between the two of them, in which they started dancing together and actually connected in a real romantic way. Jessica getting the part at just that moment inspired such a look of confused responses on Stuart’s face, especially since she opted to kiss Glenn before she hugged Stuart, who adorably picked her up. Stuart’s horrifically awkward but very typical behavior at the wedding with his botched attempts to switch tables actually paid off in a surprising way, and it was sweet to see him having a wonderful conversation with Kimberly. Getting kicked out of his own room so that she could spend time with Paul was definitely a miserable development, but, against all odds, being a nice guy paid off, and the joy he experienced when he got her text made it all worth it. Jessica managed to one-up the horror of Stuart’s wedding shenanigans with her forced web series screening. We barely saw any of Wade in this episode and none of Kives, but this show has turned out to function sufficiently with its two leads, who are hopelessly awkward but ultimately endearing. I presume that this show’s season finale this weekend will be its final episode, but I’d be happy to see it renewed for more.

What I’m Watching: Eastbound and Down (Penultimate Episode)

Eastbound and Down: Season 4, Episode 7 “Chapter 28” (B)

It seems set in stone that, despite all the mistakes Kenny is going to make along the way, of which there are and will continue to be many, he’s going to have a happy ending. Showing up to go join Dustin and Cassie in caroling covered in blood was this episode’s silver lining, a positive act which triggered uncharacteristically kind gestures on his part for his family, Dustin’s, and Stevie’s. Having sex with random women and doing coke while preparing for his own show was a far cry from the Kenny we saw at the beginning of this season, and bringing in a whole parade of lawyers to intimidate April in their divorce proceedings was a cheap but literally expensive stunt. Planning his XXX-mas Sports Sesh show was a doomed plan from the start, and it didn’t take long for the remaining cohosts to quit. It’s surprising just how many people still care enough about Kenny to come try to talk him out of self-destructing his life, and it’s a rarer thing to see them unload on him, like Stevie finally did, calling him the Grinch. Maria showing up at Kenny’s door to ask him for help in locating a devastated Stevie was a good turning point, though I could have done without the very predictable but still difficult to watch shooting-off of Stevie’s chin implant. Let’s hope that Kenny can get his act together in the show’s series finale this weekend, and finally redeem himself after an eventful twenty-eight chapters.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

What I’m Watching: Masters of Sex


Masters of Sex: Season 1, Episode 7 “All Together Now” (B+)

It’s so interesting to see the relationships between all these characters, all built on intimacy and involving a lot of lying to other people. I’ll start by addressing the opening credits, which I saw for the first time because I had watched the first six episodes on a preview DVD sent to me by Showtime that didn’t include them. They’re even more peculiar than the introduction for “Homeland,” and it’s somewhat odd considering the show’s very sterile look. Seeing Virginia and Bill having sex and tracking the progress of their orgasms was predictably awkward, and I love that Virginia established some important guidelines for their work in the study, which prompted Bill to go home and actually tend to the needs of his wife, preparing to do something romantic which ultimately didn’t happen because they had sex instead. That’s in stark contrast to the Scully family, where Margaret got mad at her husband because he didn’t even react to the fact that she had a man in her bed. Scully getting beaten up was violent, and the most stirring part of it was Bill’s reaction to him trying to spin a story about where he was when he was attacked. It’s entertaining to see Austin vent to his therapist about being with Margaret. I’m glad to see that a productive use has been found for Jane, who is an excellent secretary but will never hear a compliment from Bill because she’s not Virginia. Libby having Ethan try to impregnate her again is rather devious, but hopefully Bill pretending to be in love with his wife again might lead to him unexpectedly being happy about the possibility of having a baby.

What I’m Watching: Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire: Season 4, Episode 10 “White Horse Pike” (B+)

It’s interesting to see where this season is currently at, considering it was at a similar junction at this point last year, but those events involved Nucky in a much more direct fashion. Now, he’s caught in between Chalky and Narcisse, and because the latter, who is much better at being a team player than Gyp was, threatened to cut him out of the business entirely, he’s content to throw his business partner Chalky under the bus. Fortunately, Chalky is more with it than he seems, realizing that he was headed for certain death and fighting back to save his life. I like the rapport he has with Harrow, and it’s good to see two people who don’t get along with most working together well. I’m more than a little concerned about Narcisse chatting up Maybelle, and I don’t want to be know what nefarious plan he’s soon going to hatch to get revenge on the man who gunned down most of his entourage. Another big shooting nearly claimed the life of Al, who always seems to survive while his friends die around him. Nelson saving his life is sure to earn him some much-needed points. Knox shooting one of Lansky’s men in the head was brutal, and it’s a sign of just how little patience he has for the behavior of those he is secretly hunting. Margaret is proving herself to be quite creative, making the best of an unwanted alliance with a man who seems very intrigued by her. The final scene was immensely powerful thanks to Willie’s quote and Eli’s reaction: “Isn’t this what we do?”

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

What I’m Watching: The Good Wife

The Good Wife: Season 5, Episode 7 “The Next Week” (B+)

The new firms are proving to be quite interesting, and I’m glad this show isn’t content just to have the rivalry guide the plotline, adding considerable intrigue with a major case each episode. Hunter Parrish’s Jeffrey getting pulled over without knowing why was reminiscent of Zack being pulled over, though this was much more serious, as evidenced by Geneva revealing that the DUI stop was merely a ruse to take his DNA so that he could be charged with murder. Will’s drive to succeed is formidable, and realizing that his client may have lied to him was a harsh wake-up call that he can’t control everything. Alicia strolling back into Lockhart Gardner was an intense moment, compounded considerably by the brief looks exchanged between her and Will. Owen running into Will was unexpected and fantastic, and Owen telling him that Alicia left because she didn’t want to fall in love with him was ballsy but not too surprising given how we’ve seen him behave before. David’s back and forth with Alicia about who was the responsible partner was entertaining, and it’s worrisome that Anthony lied to get hired back at Lockhart Gardner and threw Alicia under the bus in the process. Fortunately, the struggling firm of Florrick Agos has just earned itself the best free help possible, in the form of Clarke, who really is very likeable. It’s a good thing that the webcam spying turned out to be unrelated to legal matters, but it still got Zack pretty riled up and solidified the bond between the Florrick siblings.

What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead


The Walking Dead: Season 4, Episode 5 “Internment” (B+)

This was a rather insular episode, focusing only on the events at the prison after last week spent the whole time outside the prison walls. Things in quarantine got especially bad, and Hershel was our resident hero, working as hard as possible to keep the few who weren’t infected alive, with some help from Lizzie. This flu has been quite the epidemic, and has managed to take out a good number of people, while of course sparing our favorite characters like Glenn. It’s incredible to see how Hershel has been transformed from the man who didn’t want violence on his farm to someone who would risk his life and wellbeing to save those around him and put a bullet in the head of a newly-reawakened walker if necessary. Let’s hope that Glenn recovers alright and can go back to being part of a terrific team with Maggie. Carl telling Rick that he can’t always keep him from what always happens was probably the best moment he’s had in a while, though the sight of the two of them firing for their lives at the walkers when the fence was breached was definitely a good contender as well, very triumphant with a booming score making it all the more dramatic. We’ve all been waiting a long time for that final fantastic shot of the Governor looking at the prison from a distance, and it was definitely satisfying to see that trouble lurks just around the corner, although it’s hard to know what his move will be, and whether he’ll actually appear in the next episode or might wait a few hours before making his big comeback.

Monday, November 11, 2013

What I’m Watching: Homeland


Homeland: Season 3, Episode 7 “Gerontion” (C)

I’m not buying this season’s plotline. For one thing, we’ve seen Brody now in one out of seven episodes, and that hardly seems fitting given that he was one of the show’s main characters for its first two seasons. Secondly, there’s far too much deception and immediate forgiveness. Quinn wasn’t read in right away and had to put together that Saul was up to something on his own, and now Adal confronted Saul about not letting him in on everything but then had no problem backing him up just because it was a good way to piss off Senator Lockhart. Watching Saul and Adal literally walk the Senator in a room and lock him in there felt like a joke, and seeing them enjoy a celebratory drink after drove home the point that this show isn’t taking itself seriously. Previous plotlines with Estes and Walden were far more sophisticated, and there was plenty of intrigue to go around without having to resort to cheap childlike tricks. There was altogether too much conversation in this hour, and Javadi feels much more like an American than an Iranian, prodding Carrie to get her rattled up about the CIA bombing and reminiscing about the good old days with Saul. I’m not sure why Mira’s infidelity is a shock and a major thing now since their marriage has long been over, and Saul should be much more in tune with that than he is given what we’ve been show. Quinn getting caught on camera was an interesting development, but that went nowhere quickly with his false confession, which will presumably serve to help him unravel later but does little now to satisfy those watching at home.

What I’m Watching: Elementary

Elementary: Season 2, Episode 7 “The Marchioness” (B+)

Like two other above-average CBS shows, “The Good Wife” and “Person of Interest,” this show seems to be attracting big-name guest stars who want to return for another appearance because they enjoyed it so much the first time around. In this case, it’s Rhys Ifans as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft, who in this hour gets to come to his brother for help for a rather unexpected friend: his former fiancée, who Sherlock slept with to prove to his brother that she wasn’t right for him. I like that Mycroft showed up at an AA meeting where Sherlock was finally starting to make some progress, and threw his resistant brother for a loop by asking for his help. The revelation that Watson and Mycroft slept together in England is a bit of a surprise, given that, as Sherlock noted, she rarely engages in such behavior. It does help to complicate matters, but all three parties involved seemed to have reached a solid understanding by the end of the episode. At some point, Watson is likely to find someone more permanent, and though it was fun while it lasted, it shouldn’t be Mycroft. The case involving Nigella involved a good number of stages and twists, which was great, and its resolution was productive for the fostering of the relationship between the two brothers that it did. Also on the guest list this week was Phyllis Somerville, who played Marlene on “The Big C,” as the grieving mother of one of the hitman’s victims.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

What I’m Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 5, Episode 7 “Speaking of Baggage” (B+)

This episode was all about family, with some of the usually spotlighted children left out in favor of the ever-endearing Max and the rarely-featured Drew. Max finding the picture of Sarah opened up a big can of worms that Hank definitely didn’t want to deal with, and I loved just how entertained Crosby was to be talking about how Sarah has package at the family dinner table. Natalie coming into Drew’s room and hooking up with him while she was drunk seemed like an unfortunate inflation of Drew’s perception of the relationship, but after they talked, it looks like she’s actually more into him than she first indicated, which should make him happy. I’m hopeful that Ryan’s purchase of a ring means that some of Amber’s doubts about the longevity of their relationship will be quashed, though he might be just as concerned about her flirtatious, touchy-feely behavior with the band. Her idea was pretty smart, and it’s good to see something work out, especially when it solved a major work issue for Crosby and Adam. Julia listening to Ed’s voicemail and then showing up at Joel’s work for a booty call was intense, and it concerns me that she’s turning to him so much for comfort while he’s away, since their divorce would surely be an ugly one if it got to that, and Joel wouldn’t hesitate to sleep with Pete at that point, which would be decidedly bad for business. The family reacted poorly to the news of Camille’s solo trip, but it seems that it really did hit Zeek the hardest, and let’s hope it doesn’t send him too deep into depression.

What I’m Watching: Person of Interest

Person of Interest: Season 3, Episode 7 “The Perfect Mark” (B+)

I might say that having Reese come face-to-face with Carter for the third time in three weeks when their cases unexpectedly intersected was getting tiring, but that’s far from the case, especially since Reese didn’t seem the least bit surprised at the connection. Collier and his anti-Machine group are this season’s recurring threat, but HR continues to be a major villain, and this episode got much closer to taking them down, even if it cost a few players in the process. Ken Cosgrove, who plays Ken on “Mad Men,” got the chance to be considerably more mean-spirited than usual as con man slash hypnotherapist Hayden, who tricked his Swedish patient into selling a signed baseball worth $4.4 million to a random kid for $5. Unfortunately, his girlfriend Natalie, portrayed by dependable TV guest star Jennifer Ferrin, one-upped him and left him with a fake, getting the baseball all for herself, unconcerned with what might have happened to Hayden had Reese and company not intervened. She nearly lost her life after getting kidnapped by HR, but presumably that brush will danger will only make her more of a compelling character, and I do hope she’ll be back at some point as so many guests on this show tend to be. It did seem that Laskey was getting to be too likeable, and so it’s only reasonable that he’d have to die at just the point when Carter was starting to trust him. While Terney killed Laskey, at least his death wasn’t in vain, since Terney’s last act was to point Carter in a very helpful direction and to tip her off to the fact that the man she’s been talking to about her theories about HR is exactly the man she’s been looking for all along.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy


Sons of Anarchy: Season 6, Episode 9 “John 8:32” (A-)

This was definitely the show’s strongest and most powerful outing this season, but I do have to take issue with just one thing. I understand that SAMCRO lives in a violent world, but showing people biting off crucial body parts is not necessary. Clay getting some time for his own purposes and then to get beat up by his victim could have happened just as compellingly without the sight of the guard’s nose being ripped off. Clay did make quite a scene, and it’s the loudest and most forceful we’ve seen him be in a while. On the outside, things are certainly unraveling, and they started to border on the dangerous in this hour as Jax finally started to comprehend what was going on. Nero going to talk to both Jax and Tara took guts, and he paid for his helpful interference with that short but brutal fight with Jax. Confronting Robin Weigert’s lawyer was an extreme but crucial move on Jax’s part, and it’s jarring to see just how frightened she is when faced with the threat of violence given the line of work she’s in. I haven’t noted this before, but if you want the change to see Weigert and Siff together onscreen in vastly different roles, check out the terrific film “Concussion.” The introduction of this troubled girl character helps to cast more sympathy on Jax as he prepares for what’s sure to be a heated and furious battle for custody with Tara. What was most memorable and intense about this episode was Jax going in to see Patterson, and offering up a surprising amount of truth in exchange for a deal that might, but probably won’t, leave the club intact and unscathed.

Friday, November 8, 2013

What I’m Watching: New Girl


New Girl: Season 3, Episode 7 “Coach” (B+)

What we got here was a tiny taste of what might have happened if Damon Wayans, Jr. hadn’t ducked out after the pilot because “Happy Endings” got renewed. Now that the ABC comedy has been cancelled, Wayans is free to return, and though this isn’t exactly what his character would have been like had stayed as a regular player, it’s still not entirely exciting. Though Winston rarely gets his own plotlines, having him be a quieter fourth character is part of what makes the show work. Nonetheless, this was a very funny half-hour, thanks mainly to the dynamic of those characters we do see every week. Jess’ reaction to Nick saying that they hadn’t had the “girlfriend/boyfriend” talk yet was priceless, and it led to entertaining attempts on both their parts to explore life without the other. Nick’s inability to comprehend which end of the phone was which was great, and Cece calling Taye Diggs’ suave coffee shop owner definitely spiced things up. Him getting naked and taking about threesomes in Brazil was a game changer, and I loved that Nick managed to knock him out with one blow while he was still preparing for what could have been an embarrassing showing by Nick. Winston losing his basketball nickname and trading it for his new “Bunny Money” nickname was fun, and this was a nice opportunity for Schmidt and Nick to restart their friendship while both purporting to still be mad at each other. The best moment of the episode was undoubtedly Schmidt’s assertion that “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is pro-Nazi propaganda, a fact highly disputed by one Nick Miller.

What I’m Watching: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 1, Episode 6 “F.Z.Z.T” (B)

The stakes were definitely high in this episode, and it was a much more internal hour than anything else, since we got to see the three doomed firemen but otherwise no one outside of our regular team. There’s an immense amount of flirtation going on within the confines of their traveling base, and though Fitz is doing his very best to impress Skye at every turn, it’s clear that his real relationship is with Simmons. Their back-and-forth banter is both entertaining and ultimately productive, and even though it was Ward who jumped out of the plane to go save her, Fitz was ready to take the dive and go rescue his partner. After revealing her true reasons for trying to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D, Skye has softened up considerably and doesn’t seem to have much of a purpose anymore, other than to impress Ward with her know-how in the field and to give hugs all around when others on the team find themselves less than able to be sentimental. The opposite is true for Coulson, who is determined to find out just what happened to him when he died and why he’s so different now that he’s been brought back. He’s definitely getting bolder, and hopefully his steadfast loyalty to his team won’t end up putting them in harm’s way. His boss, portrayed by the dependable Titus Welliver, doesn’t seem too happy with him, and he isn’t the least bit phased by the idea of butting heads with authority for the sake of being able to call the shots himself.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

What I’m Watching: Hello Ladies

Hello Ladies: Season 1, Episode 6 “Long Beach” (B+)

It looks like Stuart is capable of getting into trouble even when he doesn’t have the chance to embarrass himself in front of women. Stuart was actually doing pretty well with the ladies in this hour, and even managed to sleep in the same bed as one of them, though that was limited to jokes about how sleeping with her actually made him wake up not aroused for a change. Trying too hard to befriend his construction workers was never going to end well, but there were a few fun false positives that looked like they’d be a problem before the actual offending incident occurred. Accompanying the guys to go beat someone up resulted in some food on his shirt and nothing more, and he didn’t even have to do the gram of coke he committed to because they got interrupted in the bathroom. Coming up with a quick excuse was his downfall, and, in addition to a frightening night, it cost him an extra $3,000 on his construction job and got him an unproductive message left for him and everyone else to see. Quoting the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song was definitely the highlight of his evening with his new friends. Wade’s plan to win back his wife was miserable, and I do hope he gets over her and starts moving on with his life. Jessica babysitting Cassidy for Wade was fun, mainly for the feelings it prompted in Jessica, which encouraged her to have a conversation with her non-boyfriend in which he definitely tried to avoid committing to anything.

What I’m Watching: Eastbound and Down

Eastbound and Down: Season 4, Episode 6 “Chapter 27” (B+)

When Kenny pulls his typical stunts, it’s always a little bit unbearable to watch, but when he thinks he’s doing something noble and it couldn’t be further from the case, it’s especially difficult to take. Throwing a surprise party for April and announcing that they were going to renew their vows was absolutely the wrong thing to do, and, understandably, April took it poorly. Kenny consulting with Dixie of all people was interesting, though that proved to be predictably selfish, as evidenced by Kenny’s unwillingness to listen to any of her problems. I’m worried about Kenny and April’s relationship, and though Kenny did realize in the end that he had in fact done something wrong, he still doesn’t know what it is, and can’t comprehend that agreeing to go to therapy might solve all their problems. Going hat in hand to Guy seemed humiliating, and it looked like things might just work out until Guy threw everything back in his face and berated him with demeaning insults. Leave it to Kenny to have the last word, however, and the look on Guy’s face when he went out on stage only to be booed by his audience was priceless. Using Guy’s own cruel trick to get revenge on him was brilliant, and though he doesn’t exactly deserve sympathy because of his deplorable behavior in this episode, it is good to see Kenny on top. This may just be exactly what he needed to earn back some faith in him, and let’s hope it means a happy ending for him in the show’s upcoming final two episodes.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

What I’m Watching: Masters of Sex


Masters of Sex: Season 1, Episode 6 “Brave New World” (B+)

It didn’t seem like she’d have much of a part at the start of this show, but Libby is quickly becoming this show’s most fascinating character, and that’s saying something. Her giddy amusement at the sexual proclivity displayed by their older neighbors at the hotel was endearing, and, unlike her husband, she really is trying to get their marriage back on track by getting them away from everything. Bill’s inability to detach himself from his work and from science, however, was his downfall, and kudos to Libby for standing up for herself and staying after sending him home. She managed to make friends quickly, but it all went downhill when she made up a family that she couldn’t keep straight once she got drunk, and then all too serious when her new friend tried to put a move on her while his wife was sleeping in the next room. Another female character who got a superb spotlight in this hour was Margaret Scully, played by the always excellent Allison Janney, whose reaction to the superb six-and-a-half shoe size story was simply terrific. It’s a shame that Bill and Virginia didn’t let her into the study, and I hope nothing bad comes of it. Her tryst with Austin was awfully scandalous, and I suppose it’s a good thing for him to get his mind off Jane while helping a very repressed and unfulfilled woman discover something new about herself. All the Freud talk led to Virginia taking some productive initiative, and I love that Bill’s response to Dr. DePaul complaining about Virginia not correcting people who called her doctor was to promote her to research assistant. There was nothing better in this whole hour than that final scene, where Virginia dutifully took off her shirt and prepared to do endeavor further in the name of science.