Sat, Mar 29th, 2008
09:00 Dexter
10:00 Columbo
02:00 Corner Gas
Dexter. Episode 9. Now that the audience knows who the Ice Truck Killer is, it adds a whole new level of tension to what is happening on screen. This is the episode where Dexter finds out about his natural father, and it's a great story. I love the relationship between Dexter and his adopted father (shown in flashbacks every week) but the strong bond between them is thrown into a different light in this episode. Dexter believed that there were no secrets and no lies between them, but that is not the case it seems. However, the fact that Dexter's Thank You Card was passed on by Harry is wonderful, I think. And keeps the bond strong, in my eyes.
Over in the sub-plot: Doakes shoots someone is cold blood, and Angel is forced to cover up for him. It's a good story for Angel's character, but the story itself doesn't make a lot of sense when you think about it. It only exists as a story because Doakes is a jackass, and won't tell anyone why he did what he did. That's weak storytelling. A lazy way to create conflict. Which could have been avoided. Doakes could have shot the guy, and told Angel why. Then we would have had a story of Angel trying to keep his secret for him. That would have been a much better story.
Columbo. Episode 69. Flawless outing for the rumpled detective. A great guest cast (including Matthew Rhys and the impossibly beautiful Jennifer Sky), a strong story, an excellent soundtrack and lots of solid detective work combine to make one of the best ever episodes. It moves fast. And takes some unexpected turns. The second death takes up a lot of screen time and is quite brutal. Columbo's detective work at the crime scene is superb and his reasoning is logical. Indeed the path he follows to take him to the killer is very convoluted, but - to the considerable credit of the writer - makes perfect sense. You also feel, watching this, that only Columbo could figure it out. You really do feel that you are watching a master detective. And that's the way it should be. All the scenes between our hero and his nemesis are charged with the underlying tension we get from all the best Columbo episodes, and the revelation at the ending is supremely clever and very satisfying.
Jorge Garcia has a blink-and-you-miss-him cameo.
Corner Gas. Season 4, Episode 11. All the plots seem to be links by childen and childhood. Hank gets all of Brent's childhood toys, Davis isn't allowed to order from the Kid's Menu and Oscar starts selling cookies to supplement his allowance. It's a superb episode. Very funny. Marred only by an unfunny Wanda storyline. Highlights - for me - include references to Micronauts and Six Million Dollar Man. In one scene Brent is dressed like Steve Austin and we get to hear the bionic sound effect. Nice.
Highlight? Columbo.
Dexter, Columbo, Corner Gas
