What I’m Watching: Dark Matter

Dark Matter: Season 1, Episode 7 “Episode Seven” (B+)

This is exactly the kind of episode that I’ve been waiting for, once that inserts just a few new faces into the mix to shake up the regular dynamic. I’m never sure just what to make of this show’s tone, which is often jarringly comical in a way that doesn’t feel right, but it overall does make it sufficiently entertaining. I was surprised to recognize Ruby Rose, who at the point I’m at in season three of “Orange is the New Black” almost has a background part as Stella, as Wendy, the entertainment model android who really livened things up for most of the crew. Interestingly, Three was preoccupied with a woman of his own, someone who actually thought he was a good person and made him care more than we’ve ever seen before. That made One that one that got attracted to Wendy and had no qualms about using her for some uncomplicated sexual recreation when Two rejected him, which was quite awkward, and unfortunately triggered her revenge setting that resulted in her getting decapitated and still working hard to kill the crew as they hurtled towards the center of a star. Some solid teamwork helped to prevent that, and I like that everyone is managing to get along in the middle of a crisis. Wendy helped to show some smiles from people we didn’t know possessed emotions like happiness, namely Four, and the way that they enjoyed their food was a delight. It was amusing and uncomfortable to watch the Android get jealous of Wendy and then impressive to see her take the high road, only to be shot for her kindness. I like that the episode ended with Two stopping by One’s room to revisit their earlier conversation with an immensely different outcome.

What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 5, Episode 7 (B+)

It’s strange to think that the member of the extended Crawley-Grantham family with the least significant romantic or family development in this hour is Mary, though even she managed to get rid of one suitor thanks to another’s aggressive actions. Violet hit it on the head when she told Mary that a lack of compassion can be as unattractive as an excess of tears, and Mary truly is turning back into her bratty cruel old self. It’s endearing to see Cora learn the truth and move past being kept in the dark to encourage Edith to bring home the baby and officially adopt her so that she can be part of the family. Let’s hope that Anna has enough sense not to breathe a word of what she saw to Mary since that will just ruin everything. It’s lovely to see Rose and Atticus so happy together, and let’s just hope that nothing ruins that, especially since they seem to be have made it over the religious hurdle. It’s impressive to find someone who can elicit the same rage from both Tom and Robert, and it’s a shame that Isobel had to be his main victim given that she’s never had an improper or selfish thought in her life. Mosley and Baxter traveling with Daisy to William’s father’s home to encourage her to continue her studies was sweet, and it’s nice to see most of the help functioning pretty well to help each other and focus on their homeowning futures in these changing times.

What I’m Watching: Episodes

Episodes: Season 3, Episode 7 (B+)

There’s something about watching Sean navigate Hollywood that has a real train wreck quality to it. Every time he is given an idea that he knows isn’t right, he starts to mull it over, and somehow talks himself into the idea that maybe lying to Beverly isn’t a problem if she doesn’t know about it. He was able to be on the right side of things for a while after Beverly slept with Matt and then when they got back together since he had only slept with one other person, but now he’s putting himself squarely in the wrong. I’m not sure either Sean or Beverly truly wants to stay in America, but of the two of them, Sean has definitely enjoyed the allure more (Jay Leno gift baskets notwithstanding). It may be fun to see this show change gears to have them and Matt both working on different new shows, and it could help to shake up the dynamics. Carol’s relationship with Castor seems to have taken a dark turn, one that bothers even her, which is hard to do, not that Beverly sharing her opinion on the subject helps. Matt running into Labia while he was out with his kids definitely threw him for a loop since she actually seemed normal and over him, but he did get some good news when he found out that temporary paralysis had knocked out his number one competition for that new pilot. There’s so much brewing for these characters that it’s hard to know which of their dreams will implode first.

What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 4, Episode 7 (B+)

These end-of-season parties are always full of rich developments, and it’s always enjoyable to see them play out in a more relaxed context. I am heartily enjoying the fact that Mary’s suitors have now started carpooling, coming to Downton on numerous occasions with the intention of courting the former ice queen and then leaving after being rejected despite fond memories of pigs and offers to call off engagements. If only poor Edith was in a better situation, with her aunt’s plan to take her to Switzerland to learn French being so quickly revealed as a sham to Violet, who wasn’t as disapproving or lecture-oriented as one might expect, but still counseled against her plan to give her baby to a local farmer so that she could still have a relationship with her child. It was nice to see Alfred return and share a wonderful moment with Daisy thanks to William’s father’s gift basket and the fact that they could be friends since the whole love triangle with Ivy just never worked out. The news of Mr. Green’s death is deeply disconcerting given Bates’ highly publicized field trip, and let’s hope that Mary doesn’t go spilling the beans and that Anna doesn’t press her husband for too much incriminating information. Rose continues to try to buck societal trends, and having Mary counsel her about the error of her actions isn’t exactly a treat, though it probably is for the best. The best new semi-romance of the episode is undoubtedly that between Molesley and Baxter, a genuinely kindhearted couple who haven’t always had the best luck.

What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 3, Episodes 6, 7, and 8 (B+/B+/B)

I’m tackling nearly four hours of this show that have aired over the past two weeks. Starting with the aftermath of Sybil’s passing, this show had a distinctly melancholy tone that was extremely different from the more joyous note on which the season ended in the middle of a cricket match. It was interesting to see Thomas’ sexuality take center stage in such a negative way, as his decision to make a move on Jimmy revealed what everyone at Downton apparently already suspected. It’s great to see Bates go to bat – cricket pun not intended – for Thomas and use the information Thomas gave him to get O’Brien to back down, and he fits right in back now that he’s finally been freed. The presence of Cousin Rose added some light-hearted dramatics to the finale, which were helpful mostly in paralleling Edith’s situation, which, as always, is somewhat romantic but tinged by something less than acceptable in society. Matthew’s efforts to make Downton a viable institution going forward have worked to alienate Robert in a major way, and when Tom has to be the one to step in and make the case for Matthew, things have clearly come very far. It was entertaining to hear Robert mention Charles Ponzi as a reputable moneyman, and it was fun too to see Tom’s even more extreme brother. Violet’s aggressive attempts to get Ethel a new job to avoid scandal actually worked out well in the end, which is a relief considering how upset it got Isobel. This season, away from the focus of the war, wasn’t quite as strong as the second season, but it was still a competent and entertaining series of installments. I realized in my watching of this show that my recordings were somehow off and so I'll be reviewing the finale special if it were airing this coming Sunday night.

What I’m Watching: Episodes

Episodes: Season 2, Episode 7 (B+)

I’m so impressed to see that this show has a dark side. The initial introduction of Matt’s weight gain was extremely comic, with Merc and Carol awkwardly explaining the situation to Sean and Beverly, and watching him take a whole lot of candy out of his pockets before the scene was sort of sad. Watching Matt read the news about “Matt LeBlob,” on the other hand, was wholly serious, and calling Labia is definitely not a good sign. Being comforted by Jamie wasn’t satisfactory, and Matt’s likely going to spiral downwards with only his stalker to turn to for comfort. Beverly didn’t have an easy night either, as she had what had to be the worst date in history, yammering on to Morning’s brother about Sean and then taking a call from him on speaker phone during her date. He seems patient enough, so she may have a shot, and though Sean may not like the idea of her dating someone else, he’s made it clear that things are not going to work out between them because of her indiscretion with Matt. This show has come a long way since it first started, still exceptionally entertaining but also surprisingly dramatic when it wants to be. There are only two more episodes to go this season, and I’d love to see a third season since these characters are just so terrific and the show is a real blast. It’s hard to find something quite as clever and consistently entertaining as this show.

What I’m Watching: Luck

Luck: Season 1, Episode 7 (B+)

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

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

What I’m Watching: Outcasts

Outcasts: Season 1, Episode 7 (A-)

I’m dumbfounded by how good this show is, and it’s so upsetting that there’s only one episode to go. This episode had a really detached, dreamlike feel, which helped it work even more incredibly than usual. Tate waking up to find another Tate in his quarters was fascinating, and the way this show just simply acknowledges the existence of something unexplained and moves on is astounding. Tate going into the mountains by himself to ask Rudi for help is another reason this show is so awesome, because how often does the president just trudge off to a desert where he knows every person there hates him without telling anyone in order to help his people? I love how Cass finally asked Fleur out and she invited him over, and it’s a shame that he got spooked by that very “Desperate Housewives”-like note telling him that someone knows his true identity. His experience with Carla was just the kind of horror story that you have to hope never happens, and it was sad to see Fleur look so betrayed by Cass’ deception. His discovery about the husband’s handwriting was astute, and I’m glad he was able to save her. He’s going to feel mighty betrayed by Fleur going home with Jack, though it appears that Fleur has an even bigger role to play in all of this. Berger’s efforts to take charge while Tate is away, complete with a video of the hanging AC, are more intensive than ever, and I presume that the invasion is going to get underway in the series finale next week. I can’t wait.

What I’m Watching: Secret Diary of a Call Girl

Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Season 4, Episode 7 (C)

It’s not often that a character sleeps in a coffin on a show that isn’t “True Blood” or another vampire-related drama. Why ruin that chance for creativity by having said character die during the act? This show used to be unpredictable, and even if some of it was predictable, it was more impressive than this. Such an event just serves to make everything else seem trivial, and the happenstance presence of Belle’s new civil servant suitor is too much. He does seem to be an overly understanding and sympathetic figure who still wants to give Belle a run for her money, yet somehow I’d imagine that, if there were more time, he’d turn into just the latest Alex or Duncan, albeit too cocky and sure of himself from the start. I’m continually baffled by Ben’s stupidity, agreeing to go meet Poppy when he knows that she’s interested in him. Also, a point of contention: when Belle said that she’d never lied to Ben, was that supposed to include only this season? He certainly didn’t know about what she did for a living for a while, and he hasn’t gotten all that much more perceptive. Additionally, she’s not overly honest with him, and for her to say something like that is just preposterous. Next week is this show’s series finale, and eight episodes too late, it’s definitely fine. Here’s hoping to some refreshing closure that will make this season half-worthwhile. I’ll definitely have to go back and watch some of the earlier seasons since this used to be one of my favorite shows.

What I’m Watching: Episodes (Season Finale)

Episodes: Season 1, Episode 7 “Episode Seven” (B+)

It’s hard to believe that this show’s first season has already come to an end, but this is a season finale if I’ve ever seen one. Not only does it bring the show-within-a-show plotline to a major turning point, it also addresses the relationship between Beverly and Sean which has taken a shocking turn of its own. While it didn’t take a detective, as Matt purported, to figure out that Matt and Beverly had slept together, it was still rather fascinating to see the usually oblivious and often outright dumb Sean deduce that they had “shagged.” I did enjoy how Matt chose to deflect the accusation by mocking his British terminology, and their fight was quite entertaining as well. The relationships between Matt and Sean and between Matt and Beverly have been truly terrific this season, and I look forward to see more of them working together in the future. The show’s title makes it virtually impossible to comb the Web for articles about the possibility of a second season, though I’m hopeful that it will be seen as a success and return for a second year. I’d love to see more of some of the more minor characters like the wonderfully hilarious Carol, and Morning, and I think there’s plenty more to do with this bunch. It’s certainly a hell of a lot better than “Pucks,” and if the network picked up that show, then let’s hope Showtime has the good sense to renew this one for many more episodes to come.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Kathleen Rose Perkins as Carol

What I’m Watching: Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Season Finale)

Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Season 3, Episodes 7 & 8 (B+)

If this season has to end so quickly, at least we get a double dose of it as a parting gift. The first of the two episodes was alternately amusing and shocking. The male escort was very funny, and it was entertaining to see Belle in the other role and how she tried to act differently in order to get the full experience. His reaction to her confession that she was doing research was equally enjoyable. The big surprise is that Duncan isn’t actually a good guy, and even though his duplicity was revealed at the same time that Belle was stepping out on her beau, so to speak, the important thing to remember is that he did it with no prior knowledge of any of her activities. The look on Bambi’s face when she recognizes Duncan contrasted with the blissful ignorant happiness on Belle’s is just heartbreaking. Fortunately, Bambi’s wedding wasn’t at all ruined by her having to tell Belle about Duncan’s true color. Playing the song “Wonderwall” softly in the background while Bambi was breaking the news to Belle was also quite effective. Belle had some great quotes in this episode, including “everyone’s got something; it’s just a case of finding out what it is” and “you don’t have to be a prince to marry a princess.” Belle continues to prove that she is excellent at her job, helping her regular client to do something he’s never done before by encouraging him to dress up as a woman, something it seems he’s always secretly wanted to do. The way she said “I love my job” at the end of the episode was just spectacular. It’s great that Ben is around to be a good friend for everyone, and I enjoyed what he said to Byron: “who needs family when you have friends?” His reaction to Belle’s use of the non-expression “nervous as a kitten” was hilarious, and it was really nice that he forced Belle to finish the chapter, and I love how she disseminated it to Duncan’s entire office. Ben asking Belle out was insanely cute, and I love all of his drawings. We’ll have to see where that goes, and I’m truly hoping that this show gets renewed for a fourth season. Basically, Belle going public could have been a failure for this show, but instead it was a roaring success and probably the best season of this show yet.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Billie Piper