06.00 Dexter
07.00 Friday Night Lights
08.00 Burn Notice
09.00 The Venture Bros.
09.30 Rising Damp
10.00 The Office
10.30 Corner Gas
Dexter. Season 2, Episode 11. "Left Turn Ahead" A melancholy and unsatisfying episode of Showtime's drama about a likable serial killer.
It's a gloomy ride as Dexter puts his affairs in order and prepares to hand himself over to the police for his crimes. In the end he changes his mind after a conversation with his sister. And it's a pretty unconvincing turn of events. Seems like the writers painted themselves with this story and didn't know how to get out of it. A short, flippant comment from Debra is a weak solution. Had it been Rita and the kids (particularly the kids) I might have bought it. This? Not so much.
Friday Night Lights. Season 2, Episode 10. "There Goes the Neighborhood" Poor Tim Riggins. Guy just can't catch a break, can he? Most of this episode shows how the Taylor household adjusts to having Tim living there full time. And, to my surprise and delight, it adjusts pretty darn well. Eric, in particular, seems happy to have another male in the house.
But it all turns sour over a misunderstanding and, as the episode comes to a close, Tim has to flee the house in the middle of the night. Very unjust.
But great storytelling.
Burn Notice. Season 2, Episode 8. "Double Booked" Burn Notice breaks from formula and delivers one of it's most enjoyable episodes.
A hit-man calls Michael and offers him a hit! So, rather than having a client from the start, Michael is 'working for' the bad guy. So he has to find a way to save the target, without tipping off the hit-man (Tim Matheson, who also directed the episode).
The Venture Bros. Episode 2. "Careers in Science" This isn't as funny as the first episode but it's got a much better story and gives you a much better sense of who these characters are.
Dr. Venture and the gang head to a vast spaceship that his dad built when he was a kid. There's no evil-doer in this episode, but the boys spectacularly mis-interpret almost everything that happens and spend the entire episode cowering from a Space Phantom. All the best laughs come from the H.E.L.P.eR. robot (my favourite character, after Brock) who has a run of incredibly bad luck: he is shot out into space, savagely beaten by the boys and - at the end - completely forgotten as the gang blasts off back to Earth.
Rising Damp. Season 2, Episode 5. "A Perfect Gentlemen" Rigsby's love for Miss Jones is one of the main engines that drives the stories on Rising Damp, but the show doesn't miss a beat now that the character of Miss Jones has moved out of the boarding house. Some episode's rely on Philip playing a prank on Rigsby (to teach him a lesson), but this isn't one of those. Rather, it goes back to another established trait of the landlord: Rigsby is a sycophant. Place him with someone he considers superior/important and he becomes hilariously obsequious. We saw it in Season One with the policeman, and we see it here again (to great effect) when a con-man moves in and convinces everybody that he is 'somebody'.
Except except Philip, that is. Long established as the smartest one of the bunch, this episode shows - once again - that he's nobody's fool. Best bit? Rigsby finding the money that Philip planted, putting his foot on it and being caught by Philip.
The Office. Season 5, Episode 9. "The Surplus" Hilarious. There's a surplus in the budget and Michael doesn't know what to do with it. From that simple idea comes another wonderful half-hour of comedy. Best bits? Pam and Jim on opposite sides. Pam fights dirty. How cute!
Corner Gas. Season 5, Episode 8. "Classical Gas" Jonathan Zinetta, former foster child from Kenya, shows up at the door of the family who sponsored him: the Leroys. He wants to say thanks. It should be simple, but this is Dog River. Lots of very funny lines in this one, and good plots for everyone. I love the way Hank tries to bolster Brent's ego, after the arrival of his 'better' brother. Inept, yes, but very sweet.
Highlight? Burn Notice (nice break from formula)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Sat, Dec 6, 08 - Dexter, FNL, Burn Notice, Venture Bros., Rising Damp, Office, Corner Gas
