Veep: Season 4, Episode 10 “Election Night” (B+)
Ending the season with the election was a great idea, and I love that it’s not the solid, satisfying finish that any other comedy might deliver but instead an agonizing half-hour of back-and-forths that make it hard to latch onto any certainty in this world. The reporting of news within the Baltimore hotel room was pretty funny, and Mike was particularly incapable of delivering anything the way he should have, always giving those around him the wrong impression. Bill lamenting the fact that he’s going to prison and no one caring at all was exemplary of this show’s dark humor and lack of compassion, and I’m glad that he stuck around in this episode to crack melancholy jokes about his future. Jonah’s certainly ridden his troubles to success, and though he should never be allowed to emcee anything, he’s doing pretty well considering everything. It was nice to see Amy come back to be with the President during her big moment, and to see Sue realize that she might actually like her job too. Karen’s presence was hilariously useless, and when even Tom James thinks you have no purpose, you know something’s wrong. Having the election be a tie is infinitely better than its potential outcome, which is that an apparently unwitting James might actually become the president, which would drive Selina crazy. I’m eager to see how things play out, and watching Tom ask Selina to be his veep was priceless. A great season all around, and it’s a shame it always has to be so short!
Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Hugh Laurie as Tom and Sam Richardson as Richard
Showing posts with label Election Night. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election Night. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
What I’m Watching: The Newsroom (Season Finale)
The Newsroom: Season 2, Episode 9 “Election Night, Part 2” (B+)
This certainly was a formidable finale with a number of major developments, but it’s difficult to acknowledge that the season is already over, especially since Jeff Daniels has been the only one to report that the show has indeed been renewed for a third season. I did like the Genoa storyline, but starting out by framing the episode in that future eventuality meant that the first few episodes were wasted in part trying to discern exactly what our news crew had done wrong. Once revealed, the only place it really went was to have everyone argue over who might be resigning, and I’m not sure that was worth a whole season. The first season, on the other hand, wasn’t bound by any endpoint, and anything can happen at any moment. In this finale, it was great to see Will pushed to a point of trying to hurt Mackenzie by telling her he had returned the ring but then proposing to her in a fashion very much unlike him. That bit of romance was a long time coming but perhaps a bit overdone, and I preferred the much shorter but equally memorable kiss that Sloan planted on Don after she signed the copy of her book that she realized he had bid on and won. Hallie helping Neal help Mac and Jim talking to Lisa and Maggie to encourage them to talk to each other were more typical developments on this show, and I enjoyed those, as well as Reese’s too-late attempt to be noble. I liked seeing Constance Zimmer as Taylor Warren, and I’d love to see her come back as a regular character. This season still has been fun, and I look forward to what will hopefully be a less focused and more overarching third season.
Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Olivia Munn as Sloan
This certainly was a formidable finale with a number of major developments, but it’s difficult to acknowledge that the season is already over, especially since Jeff Daniels has been the only one to report that the show has indeed been renewed for a third season. I did like the Genoa storyline, but starting out by framing the episode in that future eventuality meant that the first few episodes were wasted in part trying to discern exactly what our news crew had done wrong. Once revealed, the only place it really went was to have everyone argue over who might be resigning, and I’m not sure that was worth a whole season. The first season, on the other hand, wasn’t bound by any endpoint, and anything can happen at any moment. In this finale, it was great to see Will pushed to a point of trying to hurt Mackenzie by telling her he had returned the ring but then proposing to her in a fashion very much unlike him. That bit of romance was a long time coming but perhaps a bit overdone, and I preferred the much shorter but equally memorable kiss that Sloan planted on Don after she signed the copy of her book that she realized he had bid on and won. Hallie helping Neal help Mac and Jim talking to Lisa and Maggie to encourage them to talk to each other were more typical developments on this show, and I enjoyed those, as well as Reese’s too-late attempt to be noble. I liked seeing Constance Zimmer as Taylor Warren, and I’d love to see her come back as a regular character. This season still has been fun, and I look forward to what will hopefully be a less focused and more overarching third season.
Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Olivia Munn as Sloan
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
What I’m Watching: The Newsroom
The Newsroom: Season 2, Episode 8 “Election Night, Part 1” (B+)
This episode’s title gives away its primary plotline, but this episode is about so much more than that. Seeing Charlie advocate so strongly for the right to resign is fascinating because he’s clearly so torn up about the mistake that he made by clearing the Genoa story, and it’s transferring a sense of comic fatality to everyone around him except for the deathly serious and depressed Mackenzie. Will appointing himself a conveyor of positivity was especially entertaining, and his pre-air comments made me laugh out loud. The same was true for Don’s reflection on calling Jerry a sociopath when asked for a job reference, which hopefully won’t cost him his career. The passionate conversations between Will and Mackenzie were very engaging, but, to me, this episode was all about the lighter content, which proved to be very funny. Sloan deputizing Neal to look for the new owner of her falsely-signed book with the incorrect German phrase penned by Gary was terrific, as was Mackenzie refocusing him to try to edit her Wikipedia page. Jim making the gaffe of abbreviating Minnesota to MI was equally fantastic, and it was fun to have Jim and Maggie on the same side of something for the first time in a while. Having recurring players Constance Zimmer (Taylor Warren) and Chris Messina (Reese Lansing) around for some of the hour was a treat as well. Next week’s season finale is sure to be great, and though Jeff Daniels has been the only one to confirm it, it looks like this show will be returning for season three, which is superb news.
This episode’s title gives away its primary plotline, but this episode is about so much more than that. Seeing Charlie advocate so strongly for the right to resign is fascinating because he’s clearly so torn up about the mistake that he made by clearing the Genoa story, and it’s transferring a sense of comic fatality to everyone around him except for the deathly serious and depressed Mackenzie. Will appointing himself a conveyor of positivity was especially entertaining, and his pre-air comments made me laugh out loud. The same was true for Don’s reflection on calling Jerry a sociopath when asked for a job reference, which hopefully won’t cost him his career. The passionate conversations between Will and Mackenzie were very engaging, but, to me, this episode was all about the lighter content, which proved to be very funny. Sloan deputizing Neal to look for the new owner of her falsely-signed book with the incorrect German phrase penned by Gary was terrific, as was Mackenzie refocusing him to try to edit her Wikipedia page. Jim making the gaffe of abbreviating Minnesota to MI was equally fantastic, and it was fun to have Jim and Maggie on the same side of something for the first time in a while. Having recurring players Constance Zimmer (Taylor Warren) and Chris Messina (Reese Lansing) around for some of the hour was a treat as well. Next week’s season finale is sure to be great, and though Jeff Daniels has been the only one to confirm it, it looks like this show will be returning for season three, which is superb news.
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