What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Premiere)

Trying: Season 3, Episode 1 “Home” (B+)

I really love this show, and I’m so happy that it’s back for its third season in just about three years, a rare feat for series these days and especially during the pandemic. Things started on such a high with the two kids present and ready for the perfect day, something both Jason and Nikki put a lot of pressure on given that they thought this was going to be it. Jason putting on a vest to feed the penguins made for one of the funniest scenes when he tried to answer questions from onlookers with the most basic and incorrect of facts, assisted by some light heckling from Nikki. The advice that both parents gave to their kids was both sweet and humorous, and I love that Tyler ended up repeating some of it back to the social worker who came to take him away. Wrapping up everything in the kitchen to make sure it was childproof and safe was an entertaining exercise that definitely felt excessive, and I like that Nikki’s parents were already outside when she called them to ask them to make food since she didn’t have any in the house. Vic rallying the entire family to come show their support was a wondrous and unexpected gesture, and I like that they just marched from house to house to do it. I also enjoyed that Vic reported having found Scott’s fedora in the bushes, something she was not happy to have revealed since she was evidently trying to get rid of it without him finding out.

What I’m Watching: The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4, Episode 7 “Home” (B+)

The idea of June getting out of Gilead always seemed so unlikely, and there were three times where it almost happened – at the end of season one, the end of season two, and the time in between when she was on a plane that wasn’t able to take off – but she was never quite this close, or so out of it to not realize what was happening. I’m sure there is a part of her that feels as if she’s betrayed the people she left behind, not just Hannah but Janine and all the other handmaids who might be made to suffer because of her actions, but it’s likely that she can do more good from the outside as a living witness to all the horrors that continue to transpire in Gilead. Her readjustment to being with Luke and even just in a supermarket where she could pick her own bag of chips was stark and difficult, and the sight of a hijab was enough to make her believe for a moment that she was looking at a handmaid. She was able to laugh as Moira declared a “Lydia-free zone” before she found out about Serena, something that was bound to come up eventually. That confrontation was harsh and unforgiving, and wishing a miscarriage on her was even worse than the punishment I thought she would propose – that her child be taken from her and raised by someone else. She’s determined and now she’s working directly with Mark, and I’m eager to see what change she’s able to accomplish now that she once again has resources and power.

What I’m Watching: The Punisher

The Punisher: Season 1, Episode 12 “Home” (B+)

Well, this was certainly a penultimate installment. I’m starting to see casting announcements about the second season of this show and making sure not to read anything since I’ve gotten this far without having anything spoiled for me about what happens. I thought it was so devastating when Sarah and Zach finally saw that David was alive only to see him get killed as the prisoner exchange was happening, but fortunately that was just a stunt on Dinah’s part that he had himself arranged to make sure that no one would come after him. Having the cameras on in his hideout so that everything that Billy and Rawlins did would be recorded was brilliant, but it probably would have helped if they had tuned in a bit earlier so that they wouldn’t have to show up to save the day at exactly the right moment after Billy cut Frank loose so that he could kill Rawlins right before Billy took care of him. It was intense to watch Frank go in and out of consciousness, remembering romance with his wife while Rawlins was beating him to a bloody pulp. The conversation between Billy and Frank about what Billy knew about his family was a good, sincere one, and now he’s going to be the last piece of the puzzle for Frank to track down in the finale. Having Frank admit on camera what happened and that he and not Billy was the executioner makes it clear that even releasing these videos publicly won’t make for an easy transition to normal life, not that we would ever expect that for someone like Frank, who isn’t exactly cut out (bad pun for the cringeworthy scene towards the end of this episode) for a normal day job with a dress code.

What I’m Watching: Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 2 “Home” (B+)

It wasn’t enough that I had to hear it from other people and read it on the dependably spoiler-heavy TVGuide.com home page, but Entertainment Weekly made sure that I had the end of this episode ruined for me by boasting Jon Snow’s continued life on its cover. It’s not much of a surprise, of course, given how broadly the rumors have been circulating, and I actually think that the way it came about was creative and satisfying. I thought he’d return as some sort of sentient White Walker, but instead Melisandre magically compelled the life back into him. I knew there was some productive reason for the great Liam Cunningham to be on this show, and bringing Jon Snow back to life is definitely an immortal badge of honor. We got to spend some time in this episode with characters we haven’t seen in a while, namely with Tyrion’s visit to the dragons and Tommen apologizing to his mother for not protecting her honor. Bran’s flashback vision was a reminder of happier, simpler times, and we’re so far beyond that at this point. It’s a shame to see an atoning Theon abandon Sansa so that he won’t slow her down, and he’s been through so much that he’s really redeemed himself. Ramsay, on the other hand, has proven himself to be truly evil, directly leading a woman and her newborn baby to be torn apart by vicious dogs. Only on this show would that rank as the second most brutal killing of a child.

What I’m Watching: Casual

Casual: Season 1, Episode 7 “Home” (B+)

It’s so interesting to see Alex in his current predicament since I’d imagine that, in any other case, he would be beyond thrilled to go hunting for another woman to partake in a threesome with him and his very attractive girlfriend. The problem is that he wants Emmy all to himself, and she’s not budging at all on her connection to Jake even though she knows how much it bothers him. I do love that Alex brought Emmy and their new friend to Leo’s house, giving him the night of his life while Alex found himself feeling useless as a fourth wheel. Valerie’s date with Michael actually went pretty well, though the news that Laura was the star of a sex tape sent her gunning for the clueless Emil, who was ultimately smart enough to figure out that Laura was the one who recorded it. Laura was so hung up on Michael and the fact that he wasn’t responding to her text that she couldn’t do anything else with her friends, and that was the unfortunate development that led to her ill-advised decision to go to Michael’s house and then walk in when he didn’t answer the door. Shouting at Michael that he was supposed to sleep with her instead was intense, and he responded exactly as he should have, though there were definitely indicators that he was behaving as he knew he probably shouldn’t be. It’s going to be very tough for Valerie and Laura to get back to a good place, and I suspect that Valerie is going to be more apologetic even though she couldn’t have known that Laura was interested in her teacher and wouldn’t have approved of it even if she had.

What I’m Watching: Revolution

Revolution: Season 1, Episode 15 “Home” (F)

I have enough trouble getting on board with most of the plot developments on this show, and I found the actions of almost all the characters in this episode wholly inconsistent and unbelievable. After nearly crying after his old friend Miles rebuked their friendship during the mid-season finale, Monroe is now a hardhearted tyrant, preparing to wipe out his entire hometown just so that he can get Miles to show up for an extermination. I noted about the season finale of another Monday night show that you should never sentence your villain – or your hero in this case – to perish in a fire, since he’s obviously going to survive. Preparing to harm Emma was also quite extreme considering how he felt about her, and finding out that he has a son was a shock that will ultimately prove inconsequential thanks to her untimely death. The web of “24” players guest-starring on this show continues with Annie Wersching, who portrayed Renee Walker and never shared the screen with either Billy Burke or Leslie Hope, appearing as Emma. Priscilla’s reaction to seeing Aaron, however staged, was far too casual, and I can’t believe that he would just let her go after finding out that she has a family. It’s way too easy to run into long-lost lovers and family members on this show. The idea of Tom betraying the Monroe Republic to help Georgia doesn’t track, and I’m only slightly curious to see what exactly he’s up to and where his allegiances truly lie.

What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: Season 3, Episodes 9 and 10 “The Suicide King” and “Home” (A-/B+)

This show is better than it’s ever been, weaving an extraordinarily compelling and fearsome narrative. Though the fight to the death between Merle and Daryl didn’t end up happening, events were still enormously dramatic, and Daryl’s decision to stick with his brother led to extreme anger on Glenn’s part and resentment from Carol. That woman just hasn’t had any luck in love, as she started to bond with Axel right before he took a bullet to the head, and Daryl’s return to save the day with Merle likely will likely come too late to win back Carol’s heart. Daryl truly is a good soul, stopping to help defenseless humans when his brother expressed no interest in assisting. That’s one brotherly relationship that’s truly interesting to see. It’s fascinating to watch the Governor, now turned into an infinitely more evil villain due to his eye patch, detaching himself completely from life in Woodbury and cutting off contact with the outside world. It’s astonishing that he continues to lie through his teeth to Andrea, telling her that he’s abdicating and that she should take over and assuring her that he won’t attack the prison unless Rick and crew make the first move. That look in his eye at the end of the episode when he and his men are firing on the prison was immensely disturbing, and it’s clear that he has it out for his enemies. Rick spiraling down the deep end comes at an especially bad time, but it looks like Hershel managed to talk him back to reality just in time for the deadly walker-aided attack by the Governor. It’s hard to deny the awesomeness of Michonne, running with her swinging swords to Rick’s rescue, and I can’t wait to see the pieces get picked up in the coming episodes.

What I'm Watching: Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire: Season 1, Episode 7 “Home” (B+)

Even though he's the star of the show, we really don't know all that much about Nucky Thompson. This episode was interesting on so many levels, particularly for the insight it offered into the past of Nucky and his relationship with his father. What struck me, besides his violent torching of his history, was the relatively forthcoming nature with which he shared details of his relationship with his father with Margaret. His admissions seem all the more selfish and insensitive when Margaret reminds us that she's very familiar with abuse. Their romance is truly interesting, and it's fascinating to watch Margaret continue to get closer to Nucky as she learns more about his lifestyle and, more importantly, her own. Jimmy's newfound friendship with his fellow patient was very compelling, and it seems that their common interests have led to them engaging in business of sorts together. The prize for the scariest speech is a draw this week between Jimmy and Chalky, with the former scaring the hell out of the man who cut Pearl up before having him taken out by a bullet through the window and the latter refusing to be bullied by someone who is clearly very determined to catch him off-guard. I thought that it was cool that the bullet's trajectory was traced back through the hole to Richard thanks to some speedy camera work; it made the show feel like more of a thriller than it usually is, since gangster fare can often teeter on the brink of drama and spy intrigue.

What I'm Watching: Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy: Season 3, Episode 4 “Home” (B+)

So much for keeping the big secret. Make that two secrets, as Gemma just happens to receive an important call about Abel's whereabouts just as she arrives home and panics when she can't find him. This really is a volatile family, and it's hard to decide who gets angrier when they find out their partners have been keeping secrets, the boys or the girls. As Jax so lovingly and calmly puts it, “our old ladies whacked the caretaker!” Gemma saying goodbye to her father is a sad, moving event, and unfortunately Tara, intent on proving just how immersed in the club lifestyle she is, still isn't capable of keeping a close enough eye on the unpredictable Gemma. I'm getting pretty worried about the likelihood of Abel being safely returned to the custody of his family, especially after seeing that shot of him with the other babies at the very end of the episode. Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I just realized that Maureen is played by Paula Malcomson, the same actress who plays Amanda Graystone on “Caprica.” The native Irish actress is infinitely better on this show, I must say. I doubt she'll be sticking around much longer, however, considering the latest turn of events. The members of SAMCRO always manage to get themselves stuck right in the middle of violent situations, like the one in this episode where they win by the factor of sheer numbers. Piney's line at the end of the episode is fantastically delivered: “We're the good guys.”

What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy: Season 3, Episode 3 “Home” (B+)

The most important development is this episode is the fact that Tara, however inadvertently, has now crossed the line from being influenced by the violence of SAMCRO to dishing it out herself. Tragically and ironically enough, it’s her compassion that provokes the act, as she seems horrified by the treatment of their captive by Gemma, and it’s purely an accident that serves as the fatal deed. Yet just like that, Tara is now officially a killer, and she seems woefully unprepared to deal with the repercussions of her actions, as evidenced by her questions to the cleaner after he did his job. For all the discussion of being open and honest with old ladies, there’s an awful lot of secret-keeping on all sides of the Teller-Morrow family, as Jax and Clay will never learn of the caretaker’s death and Gemma is still in the dark about Abel having gone missing. It’s continually distressed that the club still knows so little about Abel’s whereabouts, and Jax doesn’t seem to be the only member of the club who is acting unhinged (following Opie’s costly outburst). The threat of incarceration for the majority of the members of SAMCRO ensures that Zobelle’s influence in Charming is still felt even after his departure. It would definitely be much better for the club to have Elliott in charge of thee town that Hale’s older brother, and it’s just another problem that the club didn’t see coming and most certainly doesn’t need to have in this coming season.

What I’m Watching: The Pacific (Miniseries Finale)

The Pacific: Season 1, Episode 10 “Home” (B+)

The conclusion of this ten-part trip back in time to World War II proves fitting as a sendoff for and final tribute to these characters. Having surrender announced abruptly and skipping directly to all of the marines heading home makes for great drama and an insightful immersion into their lives back home. Leckie’s initial return seems like itw on’t work out too well since he’s told that he should have called first and there’s barely a place for him to sleep. His initiative, however, ends up helping him considerably and he’s able to go back and demand his job as a sports reporter at the newspaper back. Asking Vera out in front of her date was another bold move that paid off as well and enabled him to score a dinner date with her that very night (and a life spent together, as it turns out). It’s also very interesting to learn that Leckie never sent any of his letters because he wasn’t sure he’d make it back. Basilone’s widow coming to visit his family was a particularly moving scene. Her desire to simply give his family a piece of him rather than ask for money was also quite touching. Sledge’s conversation regarding his employment was powerful: “isn’t there anything the Marine Corps taught you?” / “they taught me how to kill Japs – I got pretty damn good at it.” The portrait of the ensuing times of Sledge’s life was an intriguing way to see how he broke down, but I think the way the episode ended was a wise move. Bringing these characters to life by finishing their stories make it an even more intimate experience. Expect this one to collect a bunch of Emmys at the end of August.

Miniseries grade: A-

What I’m Watching: Glee

Glee: Season 1, Episode 16 “Home” (B+)

For the most part, I’m on board with the plotlines here, and I think that the one that probably stretches it a bit too much works okay because it’s quite entertaining, as well as somewhat dramatic to boot. To start with the least impressive element, Kurt’s fervor about setting up his dad with Finn’s mom in order to get them to be able to move in together is a bit over-the-top, and also that crush came up a long time ago and hasn’t been addressed since. Kurt does seem very comfortable in his Cheerios track suit, and I think that the jock bonding with his father over sports is something that he probably could have foreseen. Those I was watching with laughed when they saw Kurt watching the two of them together at the end of the episode probably just because it was a bit odd to show him standing so creepily in the shadows, but I also think it’s just a bit of an overdone plotline. Otherwise, everything’s in good shape, and the surprise return of Kristin Chenoweth is a welcome and wonderful one. It’s also a great way of providing closure to her storyline but still banking her for the future in case she ever wants to come back. Sue’s drive to push the cheerleaders to lose weight and stay in unhealthy shape is a bit unsettling, but fortunately, it led to another show of power in terms of belting out a song by Mercedes, and that’s something this show can always use.