What I’m Watching: Ray Donovan

Ray Donovan: Season 5, Episode 11 “Michael” (B-)

As much as I want to, I don’t think I’m going to get what I want from Ray. His steely, uncommunicative nature is part of what makes him who he is, and therefore he naturally wouldn’t try to have a heart-to-heart with his daughter upon getting her released from jail for threatening someone at gunpoint, nor would he raise his voice at all to try to protest her decision to fly back to New York to be with a man she knows is going to die. The only person that Ray really opened up to was Abby, and now that he’s having dreams about Abby which allow Paula Malcolmson to use her real Northern Irish accent, he’s left with just a bottle of alcohol and few family members by his side. I’m not sure what Mickey thinks he’s going to do from inside prison to make Ray pay, and no one in the family is together at this point. Hopefully Bunchy and Teresa can make amends after her infidelity since he needs someone to be with right now, and I’d say that Maureen coming to Ray even though she and Terry are no longer together is a good sign. I don’t know what all that mime business with Terry was, and I think it’s just another indicator that the Donovan boys are losing their grip on reality. This show just got renewed for a sixth season, something I’m really not feeling like it needs at the moment, and so let’s hope for a fresh reboot that makes this show invigorating and enthralling again.

What I’m Watching: Glee

Glee: Season 3, Episode 11 “Michael” (C)

It’s strange to have these themes of college and marriage couched in an episode that’s supposed to be all about Michael Jackson. I’m not overly familiar with Jackson’s entire repertoire, so this episode was only mildly amusing in that respect for me. What was most concerning, however, is the fact that Blaine had to get eye surgery and no one felt the need to tell a grown-up that Sebastian purposely attacked him with a rock salt-spiked slushie. This goes far beyond any issues of fair competition and winning competitions with musical spirit – Sebastian seriously injured him, and the fact that everyone is treating their not reporting him as “taking the high road” is very much flawed. In terms of characters, Sebastian was always aggressive, flirting with Blaine right in front of Kurt after telling him he’d be fine cheating, but for him to be so physically violent and rude doesn’t quite track. The Warblers were never such a nemesis for New Directions, and despite their impressive skills, I think they’re among the weaker competition that the group has had in terms of storytelling. Santana is definitely good to defend any of her wronged friends, and Artie did a great job of that as well. I enjoyed Puck’s comment that Blaine was like a modern day eggs benedict. Quinn managed to pull herself together and get into Yale, which is a positive development, while Kurt and Rachel are still in the running for NYADA and have more hurdles to overcome later. Hopefully Finn’s impulsive proposal and Rachel’s acceptance won’t lead to their undoing now that she still has her sights set on NYC.