Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
05:30 Battlestar Galactica
11:00 Seinfeld
11:30 The Sentinel
12:30 Prison Break
01:30 Californication
Battlestar Galactica. Razor. A needlessly muddled - and somewhat confusing - narrative is helped by strong leading performances from Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen and Michelle Forbes. The story, such as it is, is told on three fronts: the framing sequences take place in the past of the regular TV series, some of it takes place ten months before that, and a large chunk takes place a few decades before that again. Sheesh! Tricia Helfer is at her duplicitious best, and Edward James Olmos steals his few scenes (especially the last one). A few blanks are filled in, a few hints are made about the end of the whole story, and there is a good bit of doing-what-has-to-be-done-no-matter-what-the-cost. It is these sequences that lift the story and allow the series to do what it does best: hold a mirror up to the world that we live in, here at the dawn of the 21st Century. Because of this, I know that while this is not one of the best episodes, I'm still watching one of the best shows on TV.
Seinfeld. Season 8, Episode 4. How do you possibly choose a favourite bit, when - on one hand - you have George playing the bad boy, and - on the other hand - you have Elaine doing her famous dance of "the little kicks"?
The Sentinel. Season 3, Episode 7. A mediocre story is not helped by lots of guest actors with annoying accents. The story is that reliable old action-adventure-show chestnut: "the under-threat visiting dignatory who will not accept police protection". Luckily, she's romantically tied to one of the regulars. Yawnsville.
Prison Break. Season 3, Episode 6. PB has totally hit it's stride by this stage in the third season, and there is much to savour in this fantastic episode. It's fun to see Michael's plan finally go into action, and it's a total blast to see Michael and Alex working side by side for a common goal.
Californication. Episode 10. If the last one felt like a season finale, then this feels like a whole new season. Charlie is living with Hank, Mia is showing Hank's stolen book to agents (specifically Dani) and Hank himself seems to be genuinely over Karen. While not as strong as recent episodes (all the Hank/Charlie stuff is boring) there is still a lot to like here: it's cool see Mia and Dani spend so much time together and their conversations are fascinating.
Highlight? Prison Break.
Battlestar Galactica II, Californication, Prison Break, Seinfeld, The Sentinel
