Dexter, Lost, Corner Gas, Taxi

Sat, Feb 2nd, 2008

10:30 Dexter
11:30 Lost
12:30 Corner Gas
01:00 Taxi

Dexter. Episode 4. Dexter is a lot like Kyle XY. Both shows feature an outsider who doesn't understand - and thus allows the writers to comment on - the human condition. And it's a great device. It helps that both characters are very cool. This is the episode where we find that all is not right with Angel's private life. He spends the episode talking about his annivarsary gift for his wife, (and some of those scenes are very funny) but - in the end - we discover that she is not exactly glad to see him call for a visit. The plotline for Doakes, meanwhile, is much more predictable. It looks like he is about to be shot by gangsters, but it was always obvious that Detective McNamara would show up in time to save him. Yawn.

Lost. Season 4, Episode 1. Unlke previous premiers, which tended to focus on a few characters, this outing gives everyone something to say/do. Sure, it's primarily a Hurley/Jack episode, but everyone else gets screentime. And it's wonderful. After a long break, it's like welcoming back a group of old friends.

Corner Gas. Season 4, Episode 7. The big laughs in this episode come from a succession of Point-Of-View gags. At various times when one character is giving a long-winded explanation of something we pop into the view of the other character and hear what they are hearing. Great stuff. I also loved the pre-credits gag. And I mean "loved". Hank, bless his cotton socks, has - what he describes as - a near-death experience. And, because of this, his whole life flashes before his eyes. And we get to see it. Quick flashes of Hank standing around drinking milk from the carton, standing around reading a magazine in Corner Gas, and - best of all - just standing around, in the general vicinity of Corner Gas, doing nothing at all, just looking around him aimlessly. Genius.

Taxi. Episode 31. One of my favourite Taxi episodes. Alex and Louie have a race to see who can raise the most money in one night from fares. It's fun to see Louis trying to take advantage of people and just as much fun to see Alex fight with his own conscience over the temptation to do likewise. A classic.

Highlight? Lost.