06:00 Wings
06:30 The Closer
Wings. Season 3, Episode 16. "Planes, Trains and Visiting Cranes" The classic episode in which Frasier Crane visits Nantucket and meets the gang. This is the way crossovers should be: the visiting character is well served by the script and the regulars aren't overlooked. The plot for this episode is great: Helen has met Frasier before and she is annoyed because his advice didn't help her. She wants her money back, and she is angry. Some of their scenes together are hilarious, as is the climax where Frasier's seminar falls apart because of Helen, Joe and Brian.
The Closer. Season 4, Episode 3. "Cherry Bomb" Serious contender for best ever episode. A recently-raped girl commits suicide and Commander Taylor turns to Brenda to bring the case home. There's no homicide so Brenda breaks every rule in the book to get the rapist for what he did. And only Taylor knows why she's doing it. And she's doing it because her frequence nemesis feels guilty over his handling of the case. What's not to love here? The case-of-the-week is a real heartbreaker: great guest performances from Andrea Bowen and Marcella Lentz-Pope really sell the heartbreak and shame of the crime, while Daniel Baldwin and Michael William Freeman give us two slimy bad-guys to hiss at. It's great. The scenes between Brenda and Taylor are all superb. They have been enemies so many times on this show, and so much of that came from the fact that Taylor had no respect for Brenda. The fact that he can reach out now, when he needs help, is a measure of how much his opinion of Brenda has changed over the years. And the fact that Brenda can take that hand grasping for her help and do everything in her power for him speaks volumes about her character and why the fans (and her team) love her so much. Yes, she is deeply flawed but aside from that she is magnificent. And never more so than when breaking the rules to do what is right. A great story, with many great moments and clever touches.
Highlight? The Closer. Clever.
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Tue, Jul 29, 08 - Wings, The Closer
