01:00 The Closer
02:00 House
08:00 Columbo
10:00 90210
11:00 Beverly Hills 90210
The Closer. Season 4, Episode 6. "Problem Child" Dark stuff. He might only be 13 but the child at the centre of this story is a disturbed individual. He's the victim. And, as the team investigates, they discover that a lot of people had a lot of very good reasons for wanting him dead. In many ways it's more like a Without A Trace episode than an episode of The Closer, because the story really paints a full picture of the victim and who he was. Superb storytelling.
The final scene, where Brenda and her boyfriend talk about a new house (but are really talking about whether they will have kids or not) is heartbreaking and masterful.
House. Season 5, Episode 1. "Dying Changes Everything" Great opening episode. Thirteen takes the lead with the case-of-the-week and it plays wonderfully into her own life and illness. House and Wilson are on speaking terms and nobody is laying any blame for Ambers death at House's feet. Least of all House. At least that's how it starts: Wilson decides to quit and leave, so House blackmails him into stay by abandoning his own patient and leaving her to die.
Only on House!
I love the way the show was able to deliver the conflict we expected, but not in the way we expected.
Columbo. Episode 11. "The Greenhouse Jungle" Clever and very satisfying. No real game of cat-and-mouse this time out but lots of funny scenes of the great detective doing his thing. It's one of the break-with-forumla episodes as: it's a kidnapping not a murder, the victim is alive for most of the story and - without knowing he will ultimately be killed - he helps the killer plan and execute the whole thing. Also, the twist at the end has nothing much to do with any mistakes made by the killer. It's just a case of Columbo being a very good detective, being willing to do a lot of paperwork on his suspects and - in this case - getting very lucky.
90210. Episode 4. "The Bubble" Really enjoyable. Probably the best episode so far. I adore Naomi. She's so sweet and quaint. A spoiled rich teen in a spoiled rich world who is horrified by the thought of her father's cheating on her mother. I should roll my eyes at this storyline, but the actress sells it and... I care. Meanwhile the flirtation between Dixon and Silver steps up a notch and - for the first time in the series - I really liked Silver. Her confidence (in Dixon's attraction to her) is cute, funny and likable.
And now we know who fathered Kelly's child! Wow. I gasped with shock. In hindsight, it makes sense.
Beverly Hills 90210. Season 7, Episode 3. "A Mate for Life" Kelly gets the best storyline (by far) but all the tales in this outing are worth tuning in for. It's Nat's wedding and his wife's hot daughter (who happens to be an exotic dancer) is in town, and in Brandon's arms/bed. It's a cute and fun storyline. Valerie (my favourite character) is still dealing with that latest bad boy love-interest of hers (he's married, the lying so-and-so) while David and Donna (my favourite couple) are having a tiff, because - suprise, suprise - he's being a jerk to her. Jerk!
It's lightweight fun. And the Kelly storyline really shines: she's working at an AIDS hospice. Nothing dramatic or silly happens, but she befriends one patient and he gives her some good advice about liking yourself and avoiding melancholy. And it's very good indeed. The advice, and the episode.
Highlight? The Closer (dark story)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Sun, Mar 30th, 2008
06:30 Beverly Hills 90210
07:30 Reaper
10:00 New Amsterdam
11:00 Supernatural
Beverly Hills 90210. Season 7, Episode 2. Steve and Kelly take centre-stage in this very enjoyable episode. A Beach Club Reunion Party brings up bad memories and Steve confesses to past crimes against Kelly. Great acting (from both) and strong character work. I love the fact that, for all their conflicts and fights, the characters in this group really do love one another and will always try to do the right thing at all times.
Reaper. Episode 13. The backstory for this show is well evolved at this stage. Once again, the case-of-the-week gets very few scenes and we spend most of our time with the characters and their various problems. The show has introduced two fabulous new characters and it's lots of fun seeing them fit into the mix. This is also the first time Andi has played a part in the action finale and it will be interesting to see where the writer's take her now. Hopefully onto the team. As it stands now, she is just an annoying minor character, but if she was one of the good guys it might make her more interesting. Sorry, but I don't buy the romance storyline at all. I like The Devil's Daughter more (even if she's not actually his daughter). Putting Sam with a dangerous girlfriend is a lot more fun.
New Amsterdam. Episode 4 and the show hits one out of the ball park All aspects of the story are truly excellent this week. The romance storyline is full of twists and very romantic and cool to watch. The case-of-the-week is thoughtful and interesting and full of twists. The flashback storyline is fascinating and very suspenseful (at the very end). The show is finding it's beat very quickly, and establishing itself as an very intelligent fantasy show (that looks a lot like a Law And Order show!).
Supernatural. Episode 14. Wow. Sam's visions lead the boys into one of the show's best stories. A battered child grows up and takes revenge. It's grim stuff, scary in places and full of great twists. Brendan Fletcher is, hands-down, the best guest star the show has delivered thus far and his character's story is genuinely tragic and very affecting. The upsurge in Sam's powers is a great way to open up the show even more. Not that it needed it.
Highlight? New Amsterdam
Sun, Mar 23rd, 08
04:30 Beverly Hills 90210
05:30 Moonlight
06:30 Reaper
07:30 New Amsterdam
Beverly Hills 90210. Season 7, Episode 1. My favourite scenes in this premier episode are the ones with Valerie. Aside from the fact that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was easily the hottest girl they ever had on the show, I was always a huge fan of the Valerie character. This episode shows her at her most vulnerable:her business is having problems and she feels lonely living in the house alone (while Steve and Brandon are driving across the country). My favourite scene is when she realises that Steve is back and she is so genuinely overjoyed. Aside from the Valerie stuff, I enjoyed watching Donna and David squabble while making a video for a rock star. It was well written and well played.
Moonlight. Episode 12. Moonlight is a show of considerable visual style. Part of what has helped it to create such a strong identity for itself. A weak Beth sup-plot (she thinks she's found Josh's mistress) doesn't spoil another great episode. Coraline is back, and with her comes the backstory which finally explains how she was cured of being a vampire. It's a great backstory and introduces a great new bad guy, and lots of story potential.
Reaper. Episode 12 shows that this series has carved out a strong identity for itself, too. Most of the episode is devoted to the characters and their lives/interactions, while very little is devoted to the Escaped Soul. The three boys move in together, Sam's love-life gets more complicated and his efforts to stand up to The Devil start to bear fruit. The show introduces two neighbours (with a cute twist) and teases the audience successfully with regard to The Devil's Daughter (I thought the glasses were going to reveal her demon side in all it's glory). Right now, the show has found it's groove and it's a pleasure to tune in, every week, and watch this group do their thing.
New Amsterdam. Episode 3. The case-of-the-week plays like a story from Law And Order and the chemistry between Alexie Gilmore and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is fantastic. I was so overjoyed that the show had finally brought them together that I was completely floored by the surprise twist at the end. Nice.
Highlight? Moonlight.
