Friday, October 16th, 2009
05.00 Community
05.30 The Vampire Diaries
06.30 Defying Gravity
07.30 FlashForward
11.00 Arrested Development
Community. Episode 5. "Advanced Criminal Law" Cheater.
The practical joke plotline was awful (hard to watch, in fact) and the main plot (mock trial) was character-driven and nice, but not exactly funny.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 6. "Lost Girls" Flashback origin episode.
Wow. This one really packed a punch. Which is superb. And, looking back, it's all really obvious now and I should have guessed. That, too, is superb.
This show is a prime example of confident storytelling. In that respect, it reminds me of Lost. Carefully, slowly, handing out bits of information but never boring us while keeping us waiting (like FlashForward).
Defying Gravity. Episode 6. "Bacon" Paula loses a thumb.
Another superb episode. I'm enjoying this show more now that I know the characters better. I really feel like going back and watching the early episodes again, now that I appreciate better who these people are.
FlashForward. Episode 4. "Black Swan"
When I read that Dominic Monaghan was joining this dumb show I decided to give it another chance. Result? Another hour of pointless padding and a quick snippet of Monaghan at the very end.
Hmm. The snippet was good. And interesting. And served to make one of the regular characters interesting for the first time, but...
it was a long boring hour in the lead up to it.
Arrested Development. Season 3, Episode 9. "S.O.B.s" The party to Save Our Bluths.
One of the best things I have ever seen on television occurs at the end of this episode when Michael gives a short speech about his family, that has many parallels with the situation surrounding Arrested Development, the tv show. I can't think of a time I have, more clearly, seen a tv show address it's audience/fans in this way and comment on it's own impending cancellation.
It blew me away the first night I saw it (I'll never forget that) and it still blows me away, all these years later.
As does the episode. Very, very funny and full of references to it's own plight as a low-rated TV show.
Highlight? The Vampire Diaries (flashback origin episode)
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Community, The Vampire Diaries, Defying Gravity, FlashForward, Arrested Development
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, NCIS, Arrested Development
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
05.00 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
05.30 NCIS
11.30 Arrested Development
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Season 4, Episode 7. "Who Pooped the Bed?"
There are some good ideas in here, but - for me - it somehow doesn't gel. Part of the problem - for me - is the way much of the latter part of the episode is handed over to Artemis Pebdani. When I tune in I don't want to watch a guest star, I want to see the regulars.
NCIS. Season 5, Episode 18. "Judgment Day" Death of a regular.
A superb two-hour movie in which the show kills off a regular character (although not one I will miss very much, unlike the last time they did this).
It's a great episode. Upbeat and funny for the first hour, it becomes sad and serious without missing a beat or becoming jarring. Quite a trick.
The action stuff is great and the characters are really like real people in this one, losing one of their own.
Arrested Development. Season 3, Episode 8. "Making a Stand" George Sr. sets Michael and Gob competing/fighting until they pull a con on him. Or do they?
The main part of this one is an elaborate con that the brother pull on their father (very much in the vein of what you would see on Mission: Impossible.), except that he knows.
It's a funny episode. Once again, driven by the characters themselves and the way they interaction with one another. Nothing more is needed on Arrested Development.
Highlight? NCIS (death of a regular)
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Brothers, Melrose Place
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
05.00 Brothers
05.30 Melrose Place
06.30 Melrose Place
Brothers. Episode 2. "Anniversary" The boys try and have girlfriends, while their dad forgets something very important.
Old fashioned comedy show. It's like it fell in from a timewarp or something.
But it sure makes me laugh.
Melrose Place. Episode 5. "Canon" Ella vs. cops.
This episode is a hoot from start to finish. It's a lot of fun watching these characters. Ella is running around trying to throw the cops off her trail, Lauren is trying to balance her friendships with her (new) life as a prostitute, Jonah is confronting David about his tendency to steal expensive necklaces, and Violet (rapidly becoming a close second favourite with me, after Ella) is busy framing a rival - at work - for theft.
All the stories are fun, and they move fast. And I like all the characters (except Riley).
Melrose Place. Episode 6. "Shoreline"
Riley annoys me, and this storyline is an example of why. She gets a big break and doesn't want to take it. I'm annoyed on two levels: within the show, she's just an annoying character and when you step outside the show to think about what you are watching this is annoying because we know that it is padding. We know she's eventually do the 'right' thing and become a jeans model. Otherwise there's no story.
That one flaw aside, this was another fast and funny episode: Lauren and David being on the same boat at the same party, both with secrets to protect, while (crazy) Violet runs off to fake seduce Michael... Hilarious and Hilarious.
Great, fun show.
Highlight? Melrose Place (fun show)
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Cougar Town, The Closer, House, Castle
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
05.30 Cougar Town
06.00 The Closer
07.00 House
08.00 Castle
Cougar Town. Episode 3. "Don't Do Me Like That" 10th date jitters.
The first episode to write Jules as more than just an older lady trying to reclaim her youth. This one is more about her tendency to help everyone in her life and put herself last.
It's fine. Not funny, but fine.
The Closer. Season 5, Episode 9. "Identity Theft" Brenda suspects that a murderer's confession is false, and she finds herself playing 'mother' for the first time.
Nice to see Bruce Davison in a good show again. And with a good part, too. A father apparently lying (and willing to go to prison) to protect his son.
Sosie Bacon joins the cast and makes a great first impression as a 'daughter' for Brenda. I immediately liked the character and feel that this will be good for the show.
House. Season 6, Episode 4. "Instant Karma" Rich guy, with sick kid.
Lee Tergesen is awesome (as always) as the father who decides to throw all his wealth away to save his sick kid. It's a karma thing.
Another strong episode. This season seems off to be much stronger start than last year. Partly because the old team is back together and partly because they are running with this great story arc featuring Chase.
Castle. Season 2, Episode 4. "Fool Me Once" Con man.
The best episode so far this season. It's didn't feel like a typical cop-show plot with the character (and one-liners) of Rick Castle added to the mix, this felt like a story that could only be done on Castle. Not your typical police story, this one. This was a blast, even when Castle wasn't on-screen.
More, please!!
Highlight? Castle (a blast)
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The Big Bang Theory
Monday, October 12th, 2009
01.00 The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory. Season 3, Episode 3. "The Gothowitz Deviation" Sheldon trains Penny, Raj and Howard become goths.
Two storylines that generate many laughs in another A+ episode of BBT. I worry that the show will feel the need to make Penny the object of the story more often, now that she and Leonard are (finally) dating, but this - at least - was a great story idea: Sheldon adjusts to have her around more, by attempting to train her. Wonderful.
In general, however, I hope the show has the good sense to mostly ignore Penny as 'Leonard's girlfriend' and keep using her the way they always did.
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Parks And Recreation
Sunday, October 11th, 2009
12.30 Parks And Recreation
Parks And Recreation. Season 2, Episode 4. "The Practice Date" Leslie is nervous about an upcoming date, and the gang tries to dig up dirt on one another.
Another winner. The Leslie storyline yields some good laugh out loud moments (like when she reveals her catalogue of past dating disasters) and the other storyline is even funnier, with Jerry (Jim O'Heir) coming off worst every single time. Nice.
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Scrubs, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Flashpoint, The Office
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
05.30 Scrubs
06.00 Dexter
07.00 Breaking Bad
08.00 Flashpoint
09.00 The Office
Scrubs. Season 8, Episode 11. "My Nah Nah Nah" Is The Janitor about to be dumped? Is Turk giving false hope to a patient?
The relationship between Jordan and Dr. Cox is one of the more unusual on TV, and this episode highlights it when Cox starts wearing his wedding ring and his wife objects.
They're an odd couple, to say the least, and one of the strengths of Scrubs.
Dexter. Season 4, Episode 2. "Remains to Be Seen" Dexter (with mild amnesia from his car accident) tries to retrace his own steps and find the body he hid previously.
Awesome. One of the best-ever episodes of Dexter. It's got a great premise (a serial killer who forgets where he stashed the body) and it's fast-paced tale is packed full of one-liners. I don't remember Dexter (the show) ever being this funny before.
I also love the way they are finding lots to do for the (large) regular cast.
Breaking Bad. Episode 6. "Crazy Handful of Nothin'" Walt and Jesse decide to contact a distributor named Tuco and enter the big leagues.
Best episode so far. The ending to this one was beyond cool, as Walt went into the lair of the bad guy and proceeded to bring the whole place down around him (with a small explosion and the threat of more). Thrilling stuff.
Flashpoint. Episode 21. "Last Dance" A couple leaves a trail of chaos as they cross the city together.
Like no other show currently on the air, Flashpoint is able to push the buttons of the viewer and delivering tear-jerking stories on a weekly basis. The tale here is predictable, but none-the-less wonderful. The viewer can see early on that these two aren't criminals and (though the script tries to keep the mystery going) we can predict that the woman is dying and these are here last hours with her lover.
The ending, when it comes, is unbearable sad.
Sometimes I like to have my buttons pushed.
The Office. Season 6, Episode 4. "Niagara" Wedding.
Not only was it hilarious and joyful, but this double-length episode of The Office was fast-paced and full of key scenes for all the regular cast. Quite an achievement.
Highlight? The Office (hilarious and joyful)
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Community, The Vampire Diaries, Defying Gravity, Warehouse 13, FlashForward
Friday, October 9th, 2009
05.00 Community
05.30 The Vampire Diaries
06.30 Defying Gravity
07.30 Warehouse 13
09.00 FlashForward
Community. Episode 4. "Social Psychology" Shirley and Jeff bond (over gossip), while Annie uses her friends as test subjects.
Some good laughs and some nice observations (friendship formed using gossip about others to full the awkward silences in chit-chat). It's not exactly fresh observations, but they are honest and (carried by this cast) the show is likable.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 5. "You're Undead to Me" Car-wash episode.
Lots happens in this episode and all of it is good. Very good, in fact.
It's very cool that Bonnie's powers are growing, but the show (wisely) makes it cooler by letting Stefan see the event.
This is also the episode where Elena starts putting the clues together. A sign that she's no fool, and a sign that the show isn't afraid to move this forward at a brisk pace.
Defying Gravity. Episode 5. "Rubicon" The mission reaches the point of no return.
Another slow-moving and deep episode. Man, for anyone willing to think about they stuff they are seeing this is a rewarding show. For the second week in a row, the case-of-the-week is actually quite good.
But this show is about the characters and the over-arc mystery. And, let's face it, both are superb.
Warehouse 13. Episode 6. "Burnout" Learning the fates of two former agents.
Another pretty solid case of the week, with the added bonus of a former agent adding her experience into the mix. Although the pilot would never indicate it, this show has quite a talent for good self-contained stories every week.
FlashForward. Episode 3. "137 Sekunden" Mark and Janis go to Germany.
This is dreadful. Horrible rubbish.
Mark and Janis must make a deal with a Nazi war criminal, which leads to scenes of discussion about the morality of it all. Like you've seen on a hundred other movies and TV shows. It can be an example weak, obvious storytelling on a poor show, but it shows up here as particularly bad when you consider that these particular heroes are investigating a world-wide crisis. At least that what the viewers at home are thinking. The characters in the show, based on this plot and others, seems to have lost sight of that fact.
This particular viewer at home (when it came time for the bit about the crows) was also thinking: well, here's one show I won't be watching ever again.
Highlight? The Vampire Diaries (lots happens in this episode)
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It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
08.30 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Season 4, Episode 6. "Mac & Charlie Die, Part Two" Mac & Charlie are seen by Sweet Dee, while Dennis gains a new 'European' roommate...
Picking a favourite cast-member is impossible, but there are times when I really admire Kaitlin Olson. She never gets a writing credit (unlike the others) and sometimes the comedy of a scene just relies on her. Nobody else.
Witness the scene here where Sweet Dee takes the bus. Surrounded by nameless extras (who are all very good) Kaitlin Olson delivers the comedy performance of the episode. Yeah, sometimes the guys deliver great comedic performances, too, but they also write the show so it stands to reason they can take their own material and run with it.
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
