What I’m Watching: The Pacific

The Pacific: Season 1, Episode 4 “Gloucester/Pavuvu/Banika” (B+)

As this miniseries progresses, its scope is becoming even broader as it looks as the psychological implications of war on its participants as well as the people back at home. Robert Leckie is a strong lead character because he refuses to let anything bring him down, and he has an impressive ability to perceive how people see the world. His breakdown, therefore, is all the more meaningful and tragic. The most consistently staggering thing on this program is how people discuss what they believe happened “over there.” After seeing the battle scenes and the devastating violence that occurs, it’s clear that it’s not the work of one man who ends up with a medal, as one marine sarcastically remarks to the others. The time Leckie spends at the naval hospital is particularly telling of the effects of war, and it’s fascinating to see Leckie fully aware of what is going on with everyone else. Dr. Grant’s conversation with him about how most marines would jump at the opportunity to get some time off at a facility that serves pumpkin pie whereas Leckie is itching to get back to the front lines was very powerful. The notion that this war is never-ending continues to be emphasized as the marines are transplanted from one treacherous jungle to another without any sense of where it will lead and when an end might come is increasingly clear now as faces become blended and the dead count only gets higher. This trip to the Pacific is quite a heartening experience.

Pilot Review: Miami Medical

Miami Medical (CBS)
Premiered April 2 at 10pm

Does the world of television really need another medical drama? More importantly, does CBS, which debuted “Three Rivers” last October, a medical show that aired a grand total of eight episodes. This one is more like NBC’s similarly unsuccessful “Trauma,” which was seemingly cancelled at the end of last year and then mysteriously resurrected. Like that show, this pilot starts with a big bang, a catastrophic event that means mass casualties and plenty of stress on the operating table. That’s not all though, because there’s a new guy who pops up from out of nowhere and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the team. The team, of course, can’t quite function without the aid of their leader, who is out of commission after only one scene when he undergoes a mental breakdown in front of his subordinates. All of the parts are typecast, with Lana Parilla as a wise and surprisingly hardened physician (see “Boomtown” as her reference) and Andre Braugher, guesting only momentarily, as an experienced and brilliant mentor dealing with other troubles. Braugher’s appearance is a breath of fresh air after his unworthy role on “Men of a Certain Age,” but he can only do so much for thee show in the part usually played by Hector Elizondo. One of the other senior doctors is played by Mike Vogel, an actor whose sole major film credit is a starring spot in the film “Cloverfield.” Discussions about ambidextrous masturbation hardly seem necessary, and stick out as extra efforts to make the show seem cool and much more individualized than it really is. Exchanges of dialogue like “is it okay if I kiss her” followed by “if you don’t, I will” just serve to make this show more groan-worthy than anywhere near monumentally dramatic. The power struggle that isn’t really much of a power struggle at all just isn’t able to be interesting, and the charismatic Brit newcomer played by Jeremy Northam easily blows the entire cast away with a single accented utterance of any line of dialogue. Plainly, neither the meds nor the medics here have much of anything to offer.

How will it work as a series? Maybe the cases will be intriguing, but if the team behind them isn’t, then how can this show hope to sustain itself? The team dynamic isn’t remotely engaging, and the show strives too much to be hokey instead of wringing true dramatic moments from the trauma and pain its guest characters endure. Trying to make it into a soap opera only works if it’s actually a soap opera, and this show is a medical drama, or at least it’s supposed to be.
How long will it last? Ratings for the pilot were very strong, which is definitely good news. Taking over the time slot from “Numb3rs” is a tough act to follow, and inheriting it as the show presumably gets cancelled would be a major boon for the show. I honestly don’t think that this show has what it takes to make it though, and I imagine the numbers will drop considerably once other original programming returns soon. A second season could be in the cards, but I doubt it.

Pilot grade: D

What I’m Watching: Smallville

Smallville: Season 9, Episode 15 “Escape” (F)

After not having aired a new installment since February, this is hardly an episode that serves to reinforce the logic behind the tenth season renewal granted to this show a few weeks ago. This is one of those episodes that’s obviously a waste of time from the outset, and exactly the wrong type of episode to air after a long hiatus. There’s hardly ever been anything as bad as a murderous painting. Possession is my least favorite device used on this show, and, time after time, it’s unbelievably stupid. This is no exception. We really don’t need this relationship drama on this show, especially considering that all of these characters, including those introduced later on like Lois and Oliver, have been combed over so many times that none of this stuff should come as a surprise. The coincidence that they both go away on a terrific unromantic weekend to the same creepy bed and breakfast with a “last room on the left” is a setup asking for nothing but awkwardness, and it’s not entertaining awkwardness. I’m also uninterested that Clark can now safely have sex with humans. By far the most pitiful and regrettable aspect of this episode is when we actually see the man-killer in her true form. I actually laughed out loud when she showed up, and that’s definitely bad. In case there wasn’t enough romantic tension going on at the inn, it’s necessary to emphasize that absolutely everyone on this show is now part of a couple. Tess and Zod meeting in Clark’s barn is more than a bit silly, but hey, is there anything on this show that isn’t preposterous right now? This episode certainly doesn’t suggest otherwise.

What I’m Watching: Flash Forward

Flash Forward: Season 1, Episode 14 “Better Angels” (C+)

While I know that Simon did say that going into Somalia without a gun was crazy, doesn’t it seem a bit suspicious and unlikely that the team literally came across an executioner without mere minutes of landing in Somalia? Couldn’t they have picked a less volatile place to land? Why so much of the screen time in the episode is spent in Somalia is also a mystery, almost as big as the reason for the flash-forwards (alright, not quite as big). But all of the focus on Somalia makes everything else seem much less important, even the major revelation that Vogel was reporting that Mark had been killed in the future. There’s not even one mention of Aaron and his whole plotline, further fueling this show’s mimicry of “Lost” in its complete avoidance of a major arc or two in each episode, returning to each only every couple of episodes. Demetri’s joke of “I will make you gayer” and his entire discussion with Janis about her baby references a number of dormant plot points, and even though that scene cut pretty quick at the end, it’s possible that there was some impregnating going on there, which would be interesting. Demetri does have much more pressing things to worry about, however, namely D Gibbons talking to him from a message recorded in 1991. The big shocker is a cool twist but I doubt they can back it up with any kind of logic. It would appear that D Gibbons can see the entire future or something to that effect, since his ability to start a conversation via pre-recorded footage would depend on him knowing what Demetri’s response would be. We’ll have to wait until next week to find out, although something tells me that, the way things are going, we may have to wait two weeks if next week takes place fully out of Somalia.

What I’m Watching: Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty: Season 4, Episode 18 “London Calling” (B+)

Now this is exactly the kind of episode that should be airing in the final weeks of this show’s run. Betty is finally trying to become a person able to live life on the edge every once in a while, and it’s absolutely an enjoyable ride. I was convinced that she was going to flash her boss-to-be instead of a random stranger by mistake, and having it by Gio was a pleasant surprise. It’s also good that it was him since he isn’t actually a very nice guy, unlike Egg Salad, a.k.a. Henry. As soon as Christina (welcome back!) said that they called all of their exes, I knew that Henry had to be next, and I’m looking forward to his hopeful return next week. It’s too bad that Bobby had to go through thinking that Justin didn’t want to be around him, and I’m sure that the secret will come out soon enough. I just hope it won’t tear this new family-to-be apart. Wilhelmina really does sink very low to try and steal the throne of the Meade empire, and encouraging an alcoholic to slip and take a drink is pretty indecent, even for her. And the worst part of it is that it’s working brilliantly, and there’s definitely going to be a showdown next time those people get together. I hadn’t really thought about Mark’s mating happiness, and I wonder what will happen with that. Amanda leaving Mode likely won’t be permanent, but I’m wholly in favor of any storyline that has her at its center.

What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 1, Episode 19 “Game Changer” (B+)

I really enjoy Phil’s love of technology, and having him be super-excited about the iPad coming out on his birthday makes sense. Claire falling asleep when she was supposed to get on line early in the morning to wait for it isn’t much of a surprise, and the ensuing continuous run of disappointment that Phil experiences is entertaining. His new negative outlook on the world at episode’s end was depressing but also enjoyable, and it was nice how the sight of the iPad changed his mood completely around. Mitchell trying to fight was fun, and his attempt to put the guy in the iPad line in a sleeper hold was amusing, almost as fun as Jay accidentally knocking Mitchell out with a sleeper hold. Jay always tends to think more of himself than others do, and it was funny seeing him and Gloria duke it out for the prize of sorest loser. Cameron’s delight at listening in to the soap opera of his neighbor’s conversation led to a hilariously stealthy operation conducted with the help of a less-than-amused mailman. It’s a good thing that we never saw the neighbors since it’s better to simply imagine how they must have responded to Cameron going over and talking to them. Mitchell’s desire to listen in just when it was getting interesting after their conversation about how Cameron was an angel turned into speculation about him being a potential creep was fun. Oh, the families on this show and the relations between them.

What I’m Watching: Human Target

Human Target: Season 1, Episode 10 “Tanarak” (B+)

As if Winston wasn’t nervous enough on a regular basis, sending Chance deep into a place where he and Guerrero don’t have countless connections is definitely something that would elevate his stress levels. The strong casting continues with this week’s guest star who I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see here, Moon Bloodgood, recently of “Burn Notice” fame and “Daybreak” infamy. She’s nothing extra special here, but she gets the job done well enough, especially in the way that she reacts to Chance’s repeated desire to jump off cliffs. The need for naked body heat is a device that often gets unnecessarily overused, but it was well-played here with a brief discussion and then no more dwelling on it. I enjoyed how Chance started a friendly discussion with the guy escorting him to discover exactly how much self-defense he knew, and then promptly took him out after he uttered a threatening “you don’t want to find out.” Guerrero taking a cubicle for himself and then just telling an employee that he doesn’t actually work there when he asks him directly. To boil it down, I like the way these guys work. It’s an extremely fun dynamic, and it never seems to get old. We’re ten episodes into the season now, and even though chances of renewal may be slim, I’m very confident that it could keep on going for a good long time, though it certainly wouldn’t be quite as easy to keep up the impressive casting slate produced thus far.

What I’m Watching: V (Spring Premiere)

V: Season 1, Episode 5 “Welcome to the War” (B+)

After being off the air for a number of months, the return of this show is just as exciting as, if not more than, the spring premiere of ABC series “Flash Forward” two weeks ago. I’m still not completely wowed by the dialogue on this show, but the plot certainly is heating up, and I’m definitely pumped to see where it all goes. Inserting the agent played by Rekha Sharma (Tory from “Battlestar Galactica”) into the center of the case is great, and gives me hope that there is a future for sci-fi stars after their signature roles are over. The idea of Erica and crew actually approaching a terrorist because he got framed by the Visitors is really cool, and also reminds me of a terrific underseen 2006 film starring Tim Robbins and Derek Luke called “Catch a Fire” where a man falsely accused of being a terrorist is driven to join the resistance after he is framed. That isn’t quite the scenario here, but it’s definitely great stuff. Father Jack getting injected with the R6 is intense, as is Chad’s decision to have the procedure done to prevent his future disease. I would of course be happy to see Chad gone from the show, whereas Father Jack clearly has a big role to play in the shape of things to come. That hybrid baby is definitely growing much faster than it should be, but at least the father doesn’t get devoured after the bizarre mating ritual is complete by the hungry mother-to-be. Yes, I am absolutely intrigued and ready to see where this show goes in the coming weeks.

Take Three: Justified

Justified: Season 1, Episode 3 “Fixer” (B+)

I’m loving the assortment of criminals who prowl around Kentucky wreaking havoc. They’re so vile and so depraved, yet they think so much of themselves. It’s great that Raylan’s reputation precedes him and that he can be so easily identified by what happened in Miami. But back to the criminals, we first have a seedy informant who I was sure was going to be played by Richard Kind, who fits that bill perfectly after playing the medical equivalent of a frequent flyer on “Scrubs.” Instead, we get a nice surprise in the form of David Eigenberg, famous for playing Miranda’s main squeeze Steve on “Sex and the City.” As a far more villainous double-crosser, we also have Page Kennedy who played U-Turn on “Weeds,” playing a very different character who’s less crazy but still as intimidating. I like all of the comparisons to Westerns and Raylan as a cowboy, and the show makes excellent use of them. The conversation between Raylan and Ava about how Raylan first met Winona was wonderful, particularly Ava questioning Raylan after he said that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he corrected it with “up until that point.” I was certain that he was knocking on Winona’s door at the end of episode, but it’s so glorious to see him giving it to his feelings and finally deciding to see what happens with Ava. I hope it goes somewhere good, because I absolutely adore seeing actress Joelle Carter and her character Ava around.

What I’m Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 1, Episode 5 “The Situation” (B+)

I’m really liking all of the titles of the episodes on this show. It’s almost as exciting as any of the conversations that occur between all of the adults which end up being much more childish than anything that happens involving the real kids. Julia’s sadness about not having hooked up on the merry-go-round like everyone else was entertaining, but I enjoyed Adam’s attempt to deny the accusation when Kristina perked up and looked at him suspiciously. Julia’s efforts to help her daughter stand up for herself and be the princess are just as frustrating as they are gratifying, and it’s good to see her finally try and relax with the help of her wonderfully doting husband. I liked the way he boiled down their situation: “does telling me exactly what I’m supposed to say make you feel like less of a control freak?” Crosby’s interaction with all of his siblings is great, and I especially enjoyed Sarah’s reaction to finding out about his son and that Julia knew before her. Crosby did finally tell his girlfriend about his son, and it’s likely she won’t be back anytime soon, though I certainly hope that’s not the case. Jason Ritter seems like a good choice to play the 1983-born teacher who is developing a less than professional relationship with Sarah. I’m sure that Amber won’t be happy about that one bit, but doesn’t Sarah deserve some happiness? The interactions that I’m finding to be the most meaningful are definitely those between Sarah and Adam, but they’re all pretty terrific.

What I’m Watching: Lost

Lost: Season 6, Episode 10 “The Package” (B+)

I’ve never been overly fond of Jin-Sun episodes because they tend to be less than germane to the overarching story and relatively disconnected from everyone else. This one was great though because it moved the story forward on the island quite a bit and gave us some real fun and revealing happenings via the flash-sideways segments. We knew that Jin ended up in the refrigerator at Keamy’s restaurant, but we didn’t know how, and this episode cleared that all up. In this universe, Jin and Sun aren’t married, but they’re still having an affair and Sun is still pregnant. Mikhail still works for Dharma in some capacity, as the “Russian guy who speaks nine languages” working for Keamy. I love how Jin shot him through the eye so that his state at the end of this episode mirrors that of his demise on the island with his eye patch. It’s nice to see Sun standing up for herself since she hasn’t been doing much lately except strolling through the jungle with Lapidus. It’s also good that they’ve overcome this language barrier quickly since that had the possibility to get annoying really fast. Ben having to defend himself because everyone thought that he was the one who knocked Sun out was appropriately amusing. As soon as they started talking about the package, I knew it was a person and the fact that Widmore stated it so definitively made it even more exciting. The revelation that it’s Desmond is great, though I can’t figure out why he’s needed back, unless he’s a candidate. The main thing that’s great about this episode is that it does what this show has had trouble doing in the past: staying focused on keeping the story on the island going along while the alternate universe version of things is being revealed character by character.

What I’m Watching: Damages

Damages: Season 3, Episode 10 “Tell Me I’m Not Racist” (B+)

This is the second episode this season not to feature any flash-forwards, and unsurprisingly, it’s also a very strong one. The dream sequences on this show are scary as hell, even if there’s no big gory reveal with ingredients like those used in the stew on “True Blood” popping up here. Ellen’s sudden interest in pursuing this potential birth mother of hers is an interesting avenue, and it’s good to give Ellen something to do because she hasn’t had that much to do this season and she’ll likely be out of a job soon. It’s a pity that people can’t just trust each other and get along. The angry response to Ellen’s boss discovering her side activity with Patty is sure to signal a ferocious rivalry between the D.A. and Patty in the future. It’s unclear where Ellen will end up in all this, but she’s definitely growing a backbone as she tells her sister that she’s done this to herself and that she can but won’t help him. Leonard’s father threatening him is very ominous, and hopefully that won’t distract him too much from the many other things he has to do. Marilyn being denied permission to go on the trip to Tanzania was one thing, but the look on Leonard’s face when Marilyn mentioned Zedeck’s name was priceless. Ellen’s intervention in the path of the case was exciting because Tessa was about to come in to talk to Patty, but this new route just means things are heating up, and with only three episodes to go this season, they’re definitely going to explode soon.

What I’m Watching: 24

24: Season 8, Episode 14 “5:00AM-6:00AM” (F)

How stupid can this show get? As this episode proves, there’s no limit to the inanity as it gets more foolish and repetitive as the episode goes on. I was rolling my eyes when Dana was actually whispering and looking down while talking to the terrorists in front of the rest of her CTU coworkers. That’s a really smart idea, sure. And why does no one bother to work for the dead parole officer? This show really tries to have it both ways with the traitors, consistently making them seem like they’re actually good and having Dana and Tarin seem like they’re truly contemplating what they’re about to do when their loyalties have been made explicitly clear. Another brilliant idea was to have the president’s top advisors go behind her back to figure out a way to circumvent her authority while still getting the job done. Because that’s never been done before. Every single season. I’m especially impressed with the ability of the soldier to resist Jack’s torture. He confesses everything without even being threatened one bit. In case there aren’t enough recycled plotlines, how about a convenient heart attack to kill off a troublesome character and plague another’s conscience? At least this time there’s a slight difference, which is that Rob actually does give him his medication, even though it’s hopelessly ineffective. With the good guys after all the other good guys, who needs bad guys? Guest star Christina Cox, recently seen on “Dexter,” doesn’t even get anything to do, and the only semi-decent part of the episode is Hassan getting to use a weapon and take out some bad guys. I suppose one positive moment in the whole episode is something.

What I’m Watching: Chuck

Chuck: Season 3, Episode 12 “Chuck Versus the American Hero” (B+)

For a few episodes now, things on this show have been in a constant state of flux, but there’s nothing remotely disappointing about the uncertainty of the future of the team. I love this idea of a new team made up of people like Morgan, Casey, and Awesome, and them all talking about it is a lot of fun. The dual stakeouts were brilliant, especially Morgan posing as a Ring operative when the Ring was actually there watching! Morgan’s categorization of Awesome as being in a bubble was quite entertaining. I adore any usage of Morse Code, and therefore Sarah’s successful attempt to get Casey’s attention was terrific. I also like how Sarah hasn’t used it since basic training but Casey uses it all the time to talk to his marine baddies. Roger Cross from “24” as the Ring spy was a nice choice, and casting Mark Sheppard of “Firefly” and “Battlestar Galactica” fame as the head of the Ring is fabulous. It’s no surprise that he was actually speaking with Shaw in hologram form. The biggest and best reveal of the episode was the fact that Sarah was the one who killed Shaw’s wife as her red test. This is news that Shaw definitely doesn’t take well, and Sarah is in terrible danger now that a furious and vengeful Shaw has abducted her. I have a sneaking suspicion that Chuck may in fact commit his first kill soon, and that Shaw will be the victim. The best lie of the episode award goes to Casey: “tell her whatever you want, just don’t tell her the truth.”

What I’m Watching: Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad: Season 3, Episode 2 “Caballo Sin Nombre” (A-)

Wow, what a show. This episode featured an incredible opening scene that wasn’t a mysterious mass crawl through the desert but instead one involving Walt and a powerhouse performance by Bryan Cranston. Walt trying to exploit the tragedy of the plane crash was extremely interesting, and it’s clear that this guy has a lot on his mind that’s troubling him. I noticed that both Giancarlo Esposito (Gus) and Bob Odenkirk (Saul) are now in the opening credits. I’m not sure if they were there before, but having them now ensures that they’ll be present more in the future, which is a very good thing. Saul did a great job of reinserting himself back into this show after being absent for a few episodes, and he’s really such a sleaze ball. His work with Jesse’s parents was particularly low and impressive at the same time. Jesse’s first interaction with his father was very cold, and his move to buy his parents’ house was a nice opportunity for him to show that he’s trying to get back on his own two feet and make a life for himself. It’s equally satisfying to see Walter Jr. stand up for himself since we never really get to hear from him. Skyler asking her boss why he skims off the top made for a really interesting scene, and the look on her face the whole time says so much. The discussion between Hank and Marie when they left the house was amusing, and she’s so ridiculous. Walt’s anger really is growing, and him throwing the pizza on the roof proved to be hilarious. Walt does end up back in his underwear just like he started on the show, and his furious uttering of “restrain this” was extremely funny. Tuco’s uncle ringing that bell like crazy when he saw Walter White’s name shown was intense, as was those two guys showing up at Walt’s house. It was great timing having the fixer there when they two guys showed up, and even more insane that they got a call to leave the house. Who are those guys, I wonder, but more importantly, is Walt protected? Gus seems to be connected to everyone. This is going to be a great season.