Saturday, April 5th, 2008
08:00 Dexter
09:00 Battlestar Galactica
10:00 Columbo
12:00 Corner Gas
Dexter. Episode 10. Lots of surprises in this episode. Dexter freaks out at a crime scene, Angel makes a break-through in the Ice Truck Killer case, Dexter finally takes care of his girlfriend's dangerous ex-boyrfriend (Yay!) and Angel is attacked for his efforts on the ITK case. Some of the scenes are very emotional and powerful. The confrontation between Dexter and his sister is very sad. He completely shuts her out of his life. It's all too easy to relate to, and very sad to watch. Great television.
Battlestar Galactica. Season 4, Episode 1. This show hasn't missed a beat and hits the ground running with this fantastic season opener. Edward James Olmos is the best actor on deck, and the fact that he completely doesn't blow Katee Sackhoff off screen during their head-to-heads only serves to emphasise what a truly great actress she is. How she was born for this role. And how great it is to watch her in a well-written show again (and not that hideous mistake Bionic Woman). It's great to have Starbuck back in the show, and dominating an episode. However, with the long break between seasons, it's hard to remember that she was out of the show for a while. The fun of watching Starbuck goes hand in hand with the fun of watching Baltar (apparently) starting out on a new chapter in his life. Is the little weasle about to redeem himself? What the frak? No matter. James Callis can make it work. That guy can do anything. He's been stealing scenes since the show began. We are so so spoiled with this cast, it's ridiculous. But, yeah, if anyone can make Baltar's redemption work, it's Callis. And Tricia Helfer, of course. When she looks at Baltar as if her heart is about to break, it makes the viewer's heart want to break, too. Wow.
So, lots of fun to be had watching Starbuck and Baltar in their respective storylines.
And, then, there are the four revealed Cylons. Four popular characters (two of them beloved) wrestling with the shock revelation (to themselves) that they are Cylons and have been from the very beginning. That storyline produces some of the best drama that the show has thus far delivered, and - also - some of the best irony ever seen in televison fiction. Scene after scene is littered with double-edged dialogue. Delivered without a hint of self-consciousness by one of the best casts ever assembled for a TV series. At one point Adama ponders whether Starbuck is a Cylon while he and the humans by his side are cheerfully outnumbered by Cylons. It's delicious.
And even better.
There is still one to be revealed...
Columbo. Episode 2. Most of the best elements of the best Columbo episodes are on display here: a clever killer, an elaborate scheme, and people who underestimate our hero. Several of the scenes between Columbo and the killer are tense and layered with double meaning. It's great fun. The only possible weakness is the ending, where Columbo contrives to push the criminal into doing something stupid. Of course, it works. But it makes for an ending liable to be debated. Namely: why would such a clever killer make such a stupid mistake? (Spoiler: She uses marked money to pay off the victim's daughter).
Corner Gas. Season 4, Episode 12. One of the all-time funniest episodes. Laugh out loud funny, and then some. Brent forgets to get his mother Emma something for Mother's Day. Emma is furious. What makes it worst is that Brent's dopey friend, Hank, shows up with a bunch of flowers for her at the exact same time. In the middle of Brent doing something so wrong, and Hank doing something so right, Emma's clumsy husband Oscar suddenly finds himself "flying under the radar". And therein lies the genius of this wonderful episode. Oscar doing everything wrong and getting away with it, while conspiring to make things worst for Brent and better for Hank at every turn. I don't know what made me laugh more. The musical montage of Oscar's Happiest Days Of His Life (spilling glasses of wine, wearing mucky boots into the house, smashing a flower vase, etc. etc.) or the sight of Oscar framing Hank for Sundry Good Deeds ("C'mere Jackass! Stand here!"). By the end of the episode Emma's prized family photographs have been destroyed (covered in mud) and Brent is trying to get Hank to spread garbage all over Emma's lawn. I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. Then, I rewound and watched the best bits again.
Highlight? Corner Gas
Dexter, Battlestar Galactica, Columbo, Corner Gas
