Saturday, December 1st, 2007
07:00 Man From Atlantis
09:00 The Office
09:30 The Knights Of Prosperity
10:00 October Road
11:00 Corner Gas
11:30 Taxi
Man From Atlantis. Episode 3 is the least enjoyable of the movies that started the series. The first third details what happens when a small space probe crashes to the sea-bed with a colony of alien spores attached. Mark Harris is sent to investigate and is soon posessed by the aliens. However, since Duffy plays Harris with emotionless monotone, it can be hard to tell when the character is possessed and when he is just being his usual boring self.
The middle third is the best part of the movie. The aliens take Mark out into the desert (for no reason explained adequately in the script). Thing is, since Mark is from the sea he needs to go back to the water every few hours or he will die. The car chase that starts this segment, the chase through the desert and the rescue by helicopter are all very exciting.
The final third, however, is awful. The alien spores escape out into the world and start 'testing' random humans so that they can 'understand' the human condiditon. Or something. What we get are lots and lots of scenes of lots and lots of extras laughing, crying, whistling, throwing stuff around and other embarrassing nonsense. Very hard to watch.
The Office. Season 4, Episode 8. One of the best-ever episodes. Michael takes the stand to help (?) Jan in her case against the company. Lots of what happens is funny and lots of what happens is quite sad and touching. Skillful, wonderful television.
The Knights Of Prosperity. Episode 12. A change of tone episode is the inept group of thieves get involved with a career-criminal in an effort to open the safe they have stolen. The characters are in over their heads and you feel - once lots of gun-play takes centre-stage - that the show is in over it's head, too. There are still moments to make you laugh, but this is definitely a darker show. Consequently the regulars are less sympathetic than before. Now they just seem stupid and selfish.
October Road. Episode 3. If not for the existance of Cavemen, this would be the most hated show on TV. Quite why critics have reacted so harshly is beyond me. Sure it's derivative but it's fun to watch and I always want to know what happens next. Lindy Booth is so adorable in this outing as the Pizza Delivery Girl that captures Phil's heart. Phil doesn't leave his house. Ever. So he invites her "in" instead of "out".
Corner Gas. Season 4, Episode 5. Brent, Hank and Oscar team-up to tear down a barn. Those three together never fail to generate a lot of laughs. Adding dynamite to the mix only helps.
Taxi. Episode 29. Bobby and Tony both date the same woman (the stunning Constance Forslund) and - in the end - ask her to choose between them. As well as all the good gags, this being Taxi, there is a nice character-based ending to the story. The boys ultimately that their friendship is more important.
Highlight? The Office.
Corner Gas, Man From Atlantis, October Road, Taxi, The Knights Of Prosperity, The Office
