Pilot Review: HouseBroken

Check out my one-minute take on every new pilot, which is embedded below and you can also watch by subscribing to movieswithabe on YouTube.

What I’m Watching: In Treatment

In Treatment: Season 4, Episode 8 “Brooke – Week 2” (B+)

I’m wondering whether Gabriel Byrne is indeed going to return to play Paul again since he’s being mentioned so frequently and is directly calling Brooke, but that wouldn’t be all that crazy given that he’s likely still available and wouldn’t have had any reason not to want to be involved in this series continuation (not that I know his schedule or priorities, of course). Brooke doesn’t need to see her own therapist given the way that she lets things that come up in the sessions that she’s facilitating with her patients spill over into her personal life, and Rita is more than capable of pushing her to open up and deal with what’s actually going on. Brooke is just as combative as her patients, fighting every notion brought up by Rita and pushing back against the idea of being pigeonholed into any particular category. Revealing to Laila the fact that she had a baby at age fifteen that she was forced to give up has clearly stuck with her, and now she seems ready to contact her son after years of not knowing anything about him. The relationship that she had with her late father is particularly interesting, and she’s expressing such resentment towards him as she discovers more about what he knew that he didn’t share with her. I also find it fascinating how little we’ve seen of Adam and how much his reputation, particularly as perceived by Rita, has dominated their conversations and the influence he apparently has on Brooke’s behavior.

What I’m Watching: In Treatment

In Treatment: Season 4, Episode 7 “Laila – Week 2” (B+)

It seems that Brooke isn’t great at setting boundaries with any of her patients, though this one isn’t exactly her fault. Having her reputation be part of some public record is unfortunate, and Brooke leaned right into it and didn’t try to avoid the situation at well. Being so open and honest with Laila is probably a good strategy, though I saw the look on her face when she heard that Brooke got pregnant at age fifteen, almost doubting whether that claim was true and if she was just saying it so that she could just serve as a cautionary tale. Laila, with her impressive knowledge of word roots in Latin, is doing a remarkable job of being evasive, redirecting the conversation every time Brooke comes back to the concerning fact that Laila is eighteen and the person she’s in love with is fifteen, which, in addition to being potentially illegal, is also of note because they’re in such different stages of life. Bringing up the rapport that she has with her grandmother was just as important since it’s the very reason that Laila finds herself in therapy, something she’d like to pretend is just an opportunity to gain more followers on her social media channels by livestreaming from outside her house but is clearly a way for her to get to talk openly and bluntly about what it is that she feels. Having more sessions to return to all of this is helpful since Laila will inevitably dwell on what she’s heard over the course of the time between this and her next session, and return with a new and surely just as combative attitude.

What I’m Watching: Black Monday

Black Monday: Season 3, Episode 2 “Nine!” (B)

I love the rhythm of the dialogue on this show, particularly between Don Cheadle and Regina Hall. Mo’s continued attempts to go back to a picnic and propose were repeatedly thwarted by the clueless Dawn, who interrupted his suggestion that they were destined to be a couple, forcing him to correct it to a “couple of friends.” In a way, he’s being more honest and selfless than he’s ever been, but he’s also just up to his latest scheme, which in this case happens to be noble in nature since he wants to genuinely win her over. Keith was not at all subtle when it came to gloating about his newfound position of power in Tiff’s company, and that was not received well by anyone, especially given the bad timing of Blair being shot. I wasn’t sure why it was that Blair was suddenly able to travel back to any moment in history with Roger there as his tour guide, but this show has never been all that grounded in reality. His determination to be a better person and resign from his position was short-lived when the Republicans showed up with the promise of money, sex, and power. The arguments for no gun control were absolutely ludicrous but an unfortunately perfect send-up of what some people really think. I recognized Thomas Barbusca from “Chad” and “The Mick” as Werner, the seemingly youngest of the Republicans who were very happy to find just the right person to champion their soulless cause.

What I’m Watching: Mare of Easttown (Series Finale)

Mare of Easttown: Season 1, Episode 7 “Sacrament” (B+)

It seemed a bit too easy for everything to get sewn up so neatly early on in this episode, with Mare able to successfully bring John and Billy in after the photo Jess showed Chief Carter confirmed that John was indeed sleeping with Erin and was the true father of her baby. The interconnected nature of this town makes things exponentially more complicated, but it also brought with it positive developments, like an unexpectedly bright future for Katie and a reconciliation between her mother and Mare. Frank and Mare were also in a much better place, able to get along well enough that Mare could attend his second wedding with a date of her own, the affable and no-longer-suspicious Richard. Carrie owned up to the fact that she was back on drugs and wouldn’t be able to take care of Dylan, and the way in which Mare responded to her indicated that, perhaps in the future there might be a chance for them to build a relationship once she managed to get and stay clean. And then, of course, we got the devastating twist that, thanks to a claim Glen made that Mare initially wanted to dismiss, it was Ryan and not his father who actually killed Erin, and Lori knew about it and covered it up. I’m glad that this show didn’t underuse Julianne Nicholson, saving her formidable talent for this final episode, and I do hope that she’ll earn her first-ever Emmy nomination for this performance. Having Deacon Mark deliver a sermon acknowledging people’s likely discomfort with him being reinstated was an emphatic representation of the impossibly complex nature of the characters on this show. Ultimately, I think it was strong, and though it wasn’t my number one limited series of the season, I’ll be happy to see it collect a handful of prizes.

Series grade: B+
Series MVP: Evan Peters as Colin Zabel

What I’m Watching: Pose (Penultimate Episode)

Pose: Season 3, Episode 6 “Something Old, Something New” (B+)

This was a wonderful episode, one that drafted a happy ending for so many of the characters at least in its portrayal of this uplifting chapter of their lives that enabled them to stop and truly appreciate the value of the friendships that they have formed that much more closely resemble family. I’m glad that Angel was able to come around to Papi having a child and to be so visibly touched by the way he was educating Beto about moving through the world as a man. Getting the marriage license without any trouble was a relief given the nightmares that Angel was having and the very real possibility that it could be denied, and seeing how Angel’s father, played by David Zayas from “Dexter,” acknowledged her existence in a positive way but refused to affirm her transition, was informative about who she is and how she receives love from others. It’s hard to decide which was more heartwarming, Papi praising all of his gay groomsmen for being so strong or Angel getting the typical gifts from her very lovely bridesmaids. Cubby and Candy showing up for Papi and Angel to properly appreciate what they had and make peace with their absence was also very moving. The sight of all of those women in the wedding dresses was really fantastic, and the whole ceremony was absolutely wonderful. Papi singing and everyone in the crowd reacting was a tremendous highlight. Pray losing his eyesight will likely be the focus of a finale that I have no doubt will be incredibly emotional.

What I’m Watching: In Treatment

In Treatment: Season 4, Episode 6 “Colin – Week 2” (B+)

There’s a very interesting power dynamic occurring here between Brooke and Colin, with the therapist offering up a few opportunities to cede control, perhaps unwillingly but I suspect purposely. The back pain that she experienced which required her to switch sweats with Colin may have indeed just been something that hasn’t happened in the past and is all the more inconvenient in her makeshift home office, but it did enable Colin to open up much more and to feel as if he was suddenly compelled to make more decisive statements in the seat that was slightly higher than the one he had just been in moments earlier. As they dug into his time in prison, he repeated a number of the same kind of statements that he made in their first session, representing himself as the ultimate charitable white man who doesn’t like being accused of not being a good enough person because of societal realizations about systemic issues that he naturally contributes to, regardless of his philanthropic actions. Brooke is selective and deliberate about which issues she chooses to challenges him on since he gets very defensive, and she made a choice not to press him too far on the female journalist who got him so upset with what she wrote about him. If Brooke has boundary issues with Eladio, she has them with Colin too, but of a different sort. I knew to expect great things from John Benjamin Hickey, and I haven’t been disappointed yet since it’s as if he was made for this part.

What I’m Watching: In Treatment

In Treatment: Season 4, Episode 5 “Eladio – Week 2” (B)

After three episodes of seeing Brooke interact with people in person, it’s a bit lackluster to see a return to Zoom screens, something that does in reality constitute a good deal of the therapy going on in the world right now. I found myself distracted by the contraption Brooke had set up for her computer that I wanted to research and the excessive amount of headroom present on both of their screens. Eladio talking to her from his bed was also an indicator of what tends to happen with a lack of separation between personal and professional space, something that we’ve already seen become an issue for Brooke with the sessions that happen in her home. Eladio is smart and knows what he thinks Brooke wants to accomplish, and she really doesn’t have to say much for him to open up and explain what it is that he thinks she wants him to say. His connection to a man he admits he would hate if he wasn’t in a wheelchair is most interesting, and the way in which he reacted to her realizing that they had gone over and wanting to check in with him later about his emotional state was also stark and telling. After meeting Adam at the end of the previous episode, we saw him again at the start here, briefly addressing Brooke’s status as an addict when he presented himself as supportive of whatever she needed rather than discouraging of bad habits and other problematic behavior.

What I’m Watching: Master of None

Master of None: Season 3, Episode 2 “Moments in Love, Chapter 2” (B+)

This episode was considerably shorter than the season premiere, and it’s hard to know how streaming shows like this will function since they can vary tremendously from installment to installment. We saw a good deal of the honeymoon phase of the relationship in the opener, and now we got a harsh return to reality, one that shows how Denise and Alicia have drifted so far apart that they’re not even aware that they’re both cheating on each other. Heather’s visit felt very intimate from the start, and their conversation about cookies without milk, Denise’s second book, and Alicia’s trip to Baltimore were second to their unspoken dynamic. Denise offering to drive her home took us immediately to the dark, winding road, and that car crash was so sudden. Alicia’s arrival to the hospital was dramatic and appropriately emotional, but they didn’t have much time to celebrate Denise being okay. There’s a real honesty to the way they speak to each other, even if Denise was reticent to answer at first, but it’s clear that they’ve both drifted apart and that neither of them is fulfilling the ideal of a partner. Alicia expressing that her “thing” wasn’t a fling but possibly something much more serious felt almost weaponized to describe how unenthused she was about what Denise was putting into the relationship. That parting shot of the coat hooks was appropriately melancholy, and it’s hard to know what positivity lies ahead after this solemn conclusion to a quiet and mostly somber episode.

Pilot Review: Panic

Check out my one-minute take on every new pilot, which is embedded below and you can also watch by subscribing to movieswithabe on YouTube.

Take Three: Halston

Halston: Season 1, Episode 3 “The Sweet Smell of Success” (B+)

This series isn’t always subtle, and it’s when it makes a particularly moving jump from the unserious to the far more contemplative and meaningful that it really shines. Introducing the perfume bottle as phallic, in David’s words, felt over-the-top and ridiculous, and then Halston threw a tantrum in the meeting when he kept repeating “no” over and over and knocking all of the design concepts onto the floor, which was particularly juvenile. His first meeting with Vera Farmiga’s Adele didn’t seem to go well for her when he refused to put out his cigarette, but he did his homework and brought her exactly what she needed, which included Victor’s jockstrap, a smell she was more than happy to try given that it enabled her to discover what she was looking for all along – a sense of who Halston really was and what mattered to him. Liza’s marriage meant that he lost a true companion, and Elsa wanted to be that and more for him in a way that he wasn’t able to reciprocate. Victor was determined to be seen in public, and Halston didn’t even hesitate for a moment when Ed demanded that he choose between the two of them. Seeing Halston in a commercial felt strange given that he doesn’t usually milk his personality in that way, and it quickly became dizzying to see so many of the exact same version of him hawking items and uttering his name again and again. This is certainly a formidable performance by Ewan McGregor.

Round Two: Solos

Solos: Season 1, Episode 2 “Tom” (B)

I’m still not sure at all what to make of this show, but it is definitely intriguing and features a formidable opportunity for all of its actors to hone their monologue talents while in dialogue with themselves. Anthony Mackie is an actor I first remember seeing in “The Hurt Locker,” and his profile has risen considerably since then. He was also good in “The Banker,” an underappreciated film from Apple TV Plus last year that had a muted release due to controversy with the family of the real-life figure he portrayed. But most know him, of course, as Sam Wilson, or the Falcon, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and his recently-wrapped Disney Plus series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” As Tom, he did a marvelous job of creating two different characters, one who was able to recognize his flaws and another who was able to recount his personality traits but not comprehend how it was that they affected other people. As he continued to open up and gradually started to cry, it became even more compelling, and a large part of that is because Mackie is a skilled actor who often seems energetic and casual but is capable of revealing deeper layers to the characters he portrays. Understanding the specifics of the arrangement he made with his condition and the money almost isn’t important since he’s there in that moment with no other choice and facing a future that he knows that he, in some way, won’t be a part of, and in another way that he absolutely well. I’m still interested and will be back for episode three.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 3 “Big Heads” (B+)

This show always launches its drama with a bit of comedy, like Jason getting a text from his mom that “Gran is a dude” before she managed to turn off the autocorrect and clarify that she was dead. There wasn’t much sentiment for the woman who was no longer among the living, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t grief and awkwardness to be found in that house. Nikki’s bubbliness – and her milk mustache from her ice cream – weren’t all too welcome, but she isn’t one to just be ignored and let things happen if she doesn’t think they’re happening in the right way. Taking out her frustration with Princess and her brother having to be separated on the shed was a helpful way for everyone to be able to open up and vent their anger through some physical smashing of an unnecessary structure. On a lighter note, it was very entertaining to see Jason work up stories in his mind about how he might be the father to his ex-girlfriend’s son with a very big head, a possibility that was quickly put to rest when she revealed that she cheated on him very often. Nikki scratching out Sky’s initials and carving her own in was a nice way to bid farewell to this little vacation. Back at home, Karen does not seem to be happy with Scott, and the mutual interest she and a student’s father are expressing in each other is likely to derail that impending wedding, which may ultimately be the best thing if they’re not meant to be together.

What I’m Watching: The Mosquito Coast

The Mosquito Coast: Season 1, Episode 6 “Calaca” (B)

I now realize that the point of this season has been to get to the Mosquito Coast, a place where this family might be able to live freely and function in the way Allie intended, but I hadn’t expected when it started that all seven episodes would be exposition. Given that it hasn’t been granted a season two renewal and the reviews aren’t great, I don’t think we’re ever going to get to see them in their new habitat and how they can live there. This episode at least got us somewhat closer, and brought in a familiar face who I always like, Paterson Joseph, who starred in “Timeless,” “Babylon,” “Avenue 5,” and a number of other projects. He enjoyed talking about torture and then threatening Margot’s life just to find out how well Allie was able to protect information, a test he passed but which got Margot rightfully angry that he was willingly to potentially sacrifice her life without being worried about it. Dina and Charlie didn’t get in much more trouble than they were in before, and Estelle and Don showed up just in time to fight the cartel rather than be able to arrest Allie and Margot. They didn’t get far and both paid for their intervention efforts with their lives, while the family once again managed to get away. Allie realizing that Bill couldn’t shoot him triggered an excitement and cleverness in him that really drives this show, and I’m hopeful that the season finale will include more of that in a way that feels satisfying even if it’s the last we’ll see of this show.

What I’m Watching: The Kominsky Method (Series Finale)

The Kominsky Method: Season 3, Episode 6 “Chapter 22. The fundamental things apply”

This show has had a perfectly decent run, but over the course of three seasons, it’s produced only twenty-two episodes, which most half-hour comedy series traditionally made in just one season. But I think that this was a great and fitting way to wrap things up, and while I would have happily watched much more of it, this will do just fine. I didn’t mind the time-jumping that occurred over the course of this finale which wasn’t super-sized but did a fine job of bringing its plotlines to a close. Estelle’s apology to Mindy didn’t go over very well at all since it was mainly about how the younger generation needed to be able to take humor better, and, despite Roz’s thinly-veiled messages during the wedding, Estelle did end up sticking around to make Mindy miserable after they got married. The ceremony was sweet, and I enjoyed Martin poking fun at how Mindy first introduced herself by telling him that he looked like a Pez dispenser. This is definitely an Emmy-worthy episode for Kathleen Turner, and my favorite line was her hope to be “drunk enough to vomit all over his mother.” Seeing how close they got as her health declined was heartwarming, and it’s nice to see that Sandy managed to repair some of the relationships in his life. Robbie hiring a hitman to kill Martin but paying the wrong guy was pretty hilarious, and I enjoyed his subplot with Phoebe this season. What I appreciated most was the very sentimental ending, with Sandy appropriately winning an Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series and getting to acknowledge Norman, Roz, Mindy, and his students before sharing his excitement with fellow winner Margaret. I like that it wasn’t him winning an Oscar but instead something arguably much less significant that was still a formidable recognition of his accomplishment at such an age. I was worried that Alan Arkin’s departure would make this season weaker, but it’s been a great goodbye.

Series finale: B+
Series grade: B+
Season MVP: Michael Douglas
Season grade: B+
Series MVP: Alan Arkin
Best Season: Season 1
Best Episode: “Chapter 1: An Actor Avoids”