06:30 Rules Of Engagement
07:00 The Big Bang Theory
09:00 Hunter
10:00 The Guns Of Will Sonnett
10:30 Keen Eddie
12:30 Joey
Rules Of Engagement. Season 2, Episode 15. "Pimp My Bride" raises a few good laughs with one of the standard sit-com plots: two characters who normally never spend much time alone are forced to do so. At first things are awkward, but - in a 'surprise' twist - they find common ground and become great friends. In this story, it is Jeff and Jennifer who are forced to spend a day together. It works because Patrick Warburton is very funny as Jeff and the extremes of his character allow for some pretty silly comedy (like not knowing Jennifer's last name).
The other storyline pairing Audrey and Russell is less successful because I still don't 'get' why any of them would be friends with Russell. When the laughs flow freely it never bothers me, but when the comedy is thin on the ground I find it harder to swallow. Never mind, most of this episode is about the other plot and the way the show causes the two plots to crash into eash other at the end is inspired. And very, very funny.
The Big Bang Theory. Episode 11. "The Pancake Batter Anomaly" Another simple idea, another great script: Sheldon has the flu and everyone avoids him. It's very funny and - what I love most about this show - the whole thing is driven by the characters and how they behave. You could drop any story idea into the middle of these characters (not matter how slight) and they will be able to carry it and make it funny. A great sit-com.
Hunter. Season 3, Episode 5. "High Noon in LA" Average episode with above-average touches. Although this is a direct sequel to the "Rape And Revenge" two-parter from the previous season the link is tenuous and it works just fine as a stand-alone story.
A man (whose brother was killed by Hunter) shows up wanting revenge. The twist? He has diplomatic immunity and - despite numerous threats to kill Hunter - there is nothing the cops that do to get him arrested or out of the country. The story is as old as the first western (hence the title, I suppose) and it only works because (a) the diplomatic immunity factor is a good twist, and (b) it serves as a prolonged treatise on the character of Rick Hunter and his views on killing. Fred Dryer does a great job keeping Hunter macho and tough, yet wearied and disinterested by the thought of more killing.
The final third of the episode is the best: with both men alone in the woods, talking through the night. And while the shoot-the-gun-out-of-his-hands ending is too cliché for my liking, I still found myself liking the episode, just not loving it. B+
The Guns Of Will Sonnett. Season 2, Episode 9. "Guilt" Nice simple morality play with a great guest cast: Robert Donner, Bo Hopkins and Larry D. Mann. When the Sonnett's arrive in town, looking for nothing more than a night's rest and break from their search for Jim, they inadvertantly cause panic in one local household. Three brothers live there and one of them admits to the other two that he robbed and killed Jim Sonnett and he figures that the Sonnett's have arrived in town for revenge. We know that this is untrue which makes everything that follows all the more tragic. The cowardly brothers loses his life to the fast guns of Will Sonnett and his remaining kin (though disgusted by his cowardice) feel compelled to ride into town and avenge their brother. It's a good story. At the middle of it all, Will and Jeff Sonnett have no idea why any of this is happening. Tragic.
Keen Eddie. Episode 4. "Citizen Cecil" Delightful. Only four episodes into the run and the show is already breaking with expected conventions. First off, it is well established at this stage that Eddie and Fiona share a house and hate one another. In this episode, a misunderstanding causes them to start being nice to one another. The way this totally throws both of them off their game is hilarious to see.
A running gag on the show involves Eddie hearing sexual comments from his bosses secretary that nobody else can hear. It always starts the same way, Eddie asks her a simple question ("How are you today?") and her reply is X-Rated. Except in this episode. He speaks, the camera takes time for a long slow zoom-in and she... says something very ordinary. Genius.
Finally, there is the case-of-the-week. After a bunch of crooks are robbed by five youths in Duran Duran masks ("That explains what they've been up to since the 80's") one of their number takes the law into his own hands, and sets out to retrive part of the loot (two tickets to a very important football match) inflicting a lot of Grievous Bodily Harm in the process. His attacks involve a swift kick between the legs, and he is leaving a trail of injured men and very unhappy girlfriends in his wake. But Eddie and Monty are on his trail...
Everything is quirky: the visuals, the story, the humour and the music.
Joey. Season 2, Episode 21. "Joey and the Holding Hands" Lot of laughs in this one. Although there is a feeling that we've seen it before, it's nice to see Joey trying hard to make his relationship with Alex amount to more than just sex. It's funny that Alex is suddenly sex obsessed, even if it is a tad silly and a bit too easy. Michael - sadly ignored for much of the recent episodes - gets a nice funny storyline and Howard gets some of the biggest laughs with his ill-timed attempts to woo Gina and - later - Alex.
Highlight? Keen Eddie
Thu, Jul 10, 08 - Rules Of Engagement, Big Bang Theory, Hunter, Guns Of Will Sonnett, Keen Eddie, Joey
