Friday, October 2nd, 2009
05.00 Michael And Michael Have Issues
05.30 Community
06.00 The Vampire Diaries
07.00 Defying Gravity
08.00 Warehouse 13
09.00 FlashForward
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 7. "Frogbox" Prank war with the hosts of a rival TV show.
The final episode is the weakest. This show is funny because it is about two dicks who fight with one another and make life hell for everyone who depends upon this. But, in this episode, they work together and team up against two other guys who - in response to Michael and Michael's behaviour - are also behaving like jackasses.
Thing is: it's not as funny when there are others behaving just like them. And it's not as funny when Michael and Michael are working together.
I applaud the effort to tweak with the formula. But it didn't make me laugh. Well, I laughed when the guys were trapped by the frogs.
On the plus side, it's great to see H. Jon Benjamin as a guest star, as he was my favourite part of the excellent Home Movies.
Community. Episode 3. "Introduction to Film" Britta funds Abed's desire to make films.
There was only one really great laugh (when the girl fell off the desk) but this was still a very amusing and enjoyable episode (driven, largely, by the performance of John Michael Higgins who has a better tutor-character than Ken Jeong).
Community seems very concerned with the going for the aw-moment every week. It was great last week, but it wasn't quite as special this week. I was impressed that they had found a way to make Abed's film make sense of his behaviour up to that point, but I still felt it was a very emotional storyline, when what I basically wanted was a few laughs.
Ok, I guess I'll just have to adjust since I do like the show and want to keep watching it.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 4. "Family Ties" There's a big dinner party affair to celebrate Founder's Day.
The final scene throws open the show's backstory in all sorts of great ways. I can't wait to see what that develops into.
Speaking of throwing the show's stories wide open, Bonnie's growing powers are getting more interesting every week.
Finally, there's Ian Somerhalder who is a ton of fun to watch as an over-the-top bad guy.
Defying Gravity. Episode 4. "H2IK" The ship loses power.
The best episode so far. The story-of-the-week is the best they have had (the first good one, really) and all the character stuff, and backstory stuff, both of which are always superb, are the best the show has delivered so far.
Donovan's encounter with his dead lover sent chills up and down my spine.
But the coolest thing, by far, was all the stuff with the H2IK and the friendship between Donovan and Ajay. Really, really wonderful.
Warehouse 13. Episode 5. "Elements" Cape that allows wearer to pass through stuff.
Not as strong as last week, but this is a good one. The case-of-the-week is fun, and the guest cast are good. Also, there's lots of continuity with last week and the return of the character who set last week's story in motion. The show seems set to add her as a regular and that works for me, she's a good addition to the group.
FlashForward. Episode 2. "White to Play" Utah.
It opens weak, but gets stronger as it goes on and the final third is really, really good. With lots of developments I didn't expect so soon.
I like the relaxed/fun atmosphere that exists inside the offices of the good guys, and the teamwork in general is appealing. The Courtney B. Vance character is fun.
The revelations, in the final minuets, concerning Agent Noh, and Mark's daughter's flashfoward, were the best things about the episode. Two weeks in a row and the show has managed a creepy cliff-hanger. Nice.
Highlight? Defying Gravity (H2IK)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Michael And Michael Have Issues, Community, The Vampire Diaries, Defying Gravity, Warehouse 13, FlashForward
Michael And Michael Have Issues, Community, The Vampire Diaries, Defying Gravity, Warehouse 13, FlashForward
Friday, September 25th, 2009
05.00 Michael And Michael Have Issues
05.30 Community
06.00 The Vampire Diaries
07.00 Defying Gravity
08.00 Warehouse 13
10.00 FlashForward
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 6. "Sh... Bag House" Michael Ian Black forces Michael Showalter to accept an invitation to stay over at his place, then kicks him out after a minor incident.
Perfect. Everything that happens is typically absurd, but - this time - there is a nugget of truth in the midst of it all. Showalter accepts an invitation he doesn't want to, just to be courteous, and it comes back to bite him on the ass.
As often happens in real life, I find.
This altercation ends with excrement being smeared across someone's house.
That rarely happens in real life, I find.
But it sure is funny here.
The sketches are funny, too. The buying-a-new-bed skit goes on a tiny bit too long, but it is nonetheless great.
Community. Episode 2. "Spanish 101" Jeff and Pierce work together on an assignment.
There's a moment towards the very end of this, where Jeff suddenly realises that Pierce does look up to him, that really got to me in my soft spot. It was wonderful.
Joel McHale is the perfect performer for material like this, and he's well paired with Chevy Chase for the insanity that follows. Community seems like a show that wants to make us feel, as well as laugh, and it could get sickly sweet very fast. But it won't, I feel, because of McHale.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 3. "Friday Night Bites" Football.
The death of the coach seemed a little unnecessary (how many people are going to die, anyway?) but this was a fun episode for exploring the character of Damon (how awesome is Ian Somerhalder?) and the powers of Bonnie (who knew she'd be such an interesting character?).
Meanwhile, the Jeremy/Vicki romance gets more compelling.
Truly, this show is not putting a foot wrong.
Defying Gravity. Episode 3. "Threshold" Ted goes MIA, leaving the Antares without leadership. Paula gets very sick. Ajay adjusts to life as a civilian.
This show started strong and every episode peels back the layers of the onion a bit more.
The scene where Eve and Rollie (on Earth) watched their partners (on the Antares) was haunting and sad. The camera angles did all the storytelling. And it was powerful.
While the stories of the week continue to be mundane, the characters and the mystery make this an A+ TV show every week.
Warehouse 13. Episode 4. "Claudia" Artie is kidnapped, and haunted by his past.
W13 is all over the place. The show lacks consistency, delivering episodes of varying quality. This time out, the episode is nothing short of superb. The performance of Allison Scagliotti does a lot to sell the story, and she gets wonderful support from Saul Rubinek, who never ever puts a foot wrong in anything that he does. The man is amazing.
After all the crazy fighting last week, Myke and Pete are again written/played as a likable team that is fun to watch.
FlashForward. Episode 1. "No More Good Days" Everyone on the planet blacks out, sees a vision of April 29, 2010 and...
Brannon Braga and David S. Goyer deliver a solid premise and an enjoyable hour of TV.
Joseph Fiennes is an earnest, if unspectacular, lead. Indeed all of the cast - thus far - are fine, without being overly exciting.
The central mystery is a good one, and - even better - it promises a pay-off before the end of the season. That's wise.
Highlight? FlashForward (mystery)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Michael And Michael Have Issues, The Vampire Diaries, Defying Gravity, Warehouse 13
Friday, September 18th, 2009
05.00 Michael And Michael Have Issues
05.30 The Vampire Diaries
06.30 Defying Gravity
07.30 Warehouse 13
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 5. "College" Our heroes go on a road trip to perform some stand-up comedy.
Another hilarious episode of Michael And Michael Are Dicks. Their pettiness towards one another is wonderful to behold. And generates many, many laughs.
The climax is particularly funny, with Michael Ian Black sleeping in the bath and overhearing some things that he really shouldn't. It gets even funnier when Michael Showalter challenges him over the damage to his clothes.
Wonderful material in the hands of wonderful performers. A gem worthy of repeated viewings.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 2. "The Night of the Comet" Everyone gathers in the woods to see a comet.
Just as much fun as the premier. And, since the backstory/story arc is getting fleshed out more and more, this is actually a lot more fun to watch.
The only real weak spot in the character of the aunt, who gets a storyline and fails to generate any interest whatsoever.
Elena and Stefan's love story is engaging, and Damon is a compelling evil doer. The climax, with Vicki on the roof, was tense.
Defying Gravity. Episode 2. "Natural Selection" Zoe in the suit. Ted visits Pod #4
The mystery deepens and the characters get more interesting. Once again, the story-of-the-week is predictable: Zoe's Venus suit malfunctions and she gets sucked out into space, and Donner has to rescue her. On it's own it would be lame, but in the context of the larger story it is superb. Because it successfully makes you wonder what is going on, and what exactly is in Pod #4 making all of these things happen.
Great cliff-hanger, too. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Warehouse 13. Episode 3. "Magnetism" Town where people turn crazy.
After a weak pilot and a strong first regular episode the show takes a turn into true mediocrity with this awful yarn. Myka and Pete are written (and played) as bickering morons. It's the lazy way of showing sexual tension, I guess, make the regular fight about everything.
It doesn't help that the case-of-the-week is predictable and lame.
Only saving grace? The scenes, storyline, with the awesome Saul Rubinek.
Highlight? Michael And Michael Have Issues (hilarious)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Michael & Michael Have Issues, Defying Gravity, Warehouse 13, The Vampire Diaries, Royal Pains, Rising Damp, WKRP in Cincinnati, Mary Tyler Moore Show
Friday, September 11th, 2009
06.30 Michael And Michael Have Issues
07.00 Defying Gravity
08.00 Warehouse 13
09.00 The Vampire Diaries
10.00 Royal Pains
11.00 Rising Damp
11.30 WKRP In Cincinnati
12.00 The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 4. "Pulling Your Weight" Black slacks off.
Not as strong as the previous episode. The central idea (one half of the team isn't doing enough work) isn't strong enough to fill the full half-hour. Luckily, some of the sketches are very funny (eg. the zombies).
Defying Gravity. Episode 1. "Pilot" In the year 2052, a space ship leaves Earth to explore the solar system.
And the crew are diverse and interesting. And so are the crew back on Earth. In fact, this pilot introduces about 137 characters and - to it's considerable credit - does it well. We get a flavour for all fo them, and a genuine hook into several of them.
The cast rocks. Ron Livingston, Laura Harris, Christina Cox and Malik Yoba are personal favourites of my own from other projects and many other cast members (some new to me, some not) make great impressions in this first outing.
While the story-of-the-week has a predictable outcome, the backstory (which is hinted at) is very compelling and makes me want to see/know more.
A great pilot.
Warehouse 13. Episode 2. "Resonance" Bank robbers use sound/music to hypnotise people.
A huge step up from the pilot. This is a great case-of-the-week, and the two regulars are (suddenly) interesting and likable and fun to watch.
There are flaws here (guest star Tricia Helfer is completely wasted) but - overall - I really enjoyed this and am glad I didn't write this off after the pilot.
The Vampire Diaries. Episode 1. "Pilot" A vampire starts high school with a girl that resembles someone from his past.
Great fun. It's like having Roswell back, but this time it's about vampires not aliens.
The leads - Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley - have fantastic chemistry and Ian Somerhalder looks to be having a ball as a truly evil vampire. Indeed, it's a strong cast all round and while none of the characters are startlingly original the show seems to know this, and seems to know exactly what it is, without pretensions. It zips along with it's plot and - over the course of the hour - I really came to like the characters.
Nina Dobrev is cute and adorable and it's easy to care about her and worry for her. Paul Wesley nails the show's most difficult part: playing a dark and brooding individual without seeming false or fake.
Royal Pains. Episode 4. "TB or Not TB" Sick chef.
The best episode so far. Lots of running around and a story that you wouldn't see on any other show right now. And it's a fun story, too. Sure, people could die (theoretically) but this is a show like Burn Notice: it's fun to watch.
Evan continues to get great laughs and is probably my favourite character in the show. He's a perfect foil for Hank and the show would be much weaker without him.
But I like Hank. And I like his romance with Jill and how they worked together in this episode.
Also, with this episode, I'm starting to like Divya.
Rising Damp. Season 4, Episode 1. "Hello Young Lovers" Everyone thinks the new couple in the house is married...
Alan is gone, and the show adapts very well with Miss Jones getting a lot of screen time and becoming Rigsby's newest confidant. Which makes sense really.
Many episodes opened with Rigsby and Alan in conversation over some topic. Their different backgrounds/opinions giving rise to much conflict and comedy. In this episode, Miss Jones fills the void and - luckily - she's just as different from Rigsby as Alan was (in a different way, of course).
Phillip, of course, is mainly there to tease Rigsby and - as the only truly normal character in the bunch - he's not as vital to the comedy.
As a story-of-the-week this is one of the show's very best and the mix-up at the end is genuinely funny.
A great start to the final season.
WKRP In Cincinnati. Episode 75. "Three Days of the Condo" Johnny comes into money.
Good. Fun. It's a good episode of Johnny and it serves most of the regular cast, very well, as well.
The climax, where Johnny and Venus pretend to be a gay couple to get out of the condo deal, is very funny and - in common with the best of WKRP - it makes you think, too.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Episode 22. "A Friend in Deed" A childhood friend (that Mary doesn't remember) shows up at WJM-TV.
It's a slim idea, but the show makes it work. And gets laughs. Pat Finley is funny and she plays off everyone to perfection. There's even a pretty story.
One of the highlights of Season One.
Highlight? Defying Gravity
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Arrested Development, Andy Richter Controls The Universe, Harvey Birdman, Michael And Michael Have Issues, In Plain Sight
Friday, August 28th, 2009
07.00 Arrested Development
08.30 Andy Richter Controls The Universe
10.00 Harvey Birdman
10.15 Michael And Michael Have Issues
11.00 In Plain Sight
Arrested Development. Season 2, Episode 13. "Motherboy XXX" Rescuing George Michael.
Another classic. Either side of the Maggie Lizer two-parter are two of the finest, and funniest, episodes of AD. This one is a real gem. It contains some of the best physical comedy of the entire series, and a host of classic moments.
My personal favourite? All the 'burger king' gags, particularly when the narrator echos Tobias' sentiments about the place being "a wonderful restaurant". One of the best moments in the entire series, and a perfect example of what Arrested Development is.
But the episode is full of laughs. I really love the little kid who runs up the Bluths, on more than one occasion, begging to be taken away, but nothing tops the sight of Buster tumbling through the skylight.
Superb.
Andy Richter Controls The Universe. Episode 4. "Grief Counselor"
My bad. I thought they had stopped with the Andy-likes-Wendy stuff. Wrong. Here's an entire (sweet) episode built around it, when Wendy kisses Andy after a night out and he wonders what lies behind it.
All of this is mildly-funny. But very sweet.
Much, much, much better is the stuff with Byron and Jessica: coming to terms with the fact that they may have killed some people, by being mean. Hilarious, wonderful stuff. The scene where Byron arrives in Jessica's office, all upset, and leaves - minutes later - completely cheered up and blaming Jessica for the death of their coworker is a classic.
Harvey Birdman. Episode 12. "Trio's Company" Harvey meets Gigi. Harvey represents Inch High, Private Eye.
Hilarious. Gigi is one of the best recurring characters that the show ever had and the case-of-the-week is priceless. I particularly love the bit where Harvey negociates up to a much more serious crime. For his plaintiff??!!!
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 3. "Matchmakers"
"Michael And Michael Are Dicks" would be an appropriate name for this. Watching them try to play matchmaker it becomes obvious that they aren't trying to be mean. No. They're just dicks. Pure and simple. And some of the one-liners are priceless.
But even the visual comedy is top notch. When Michael and Michael attack the guy who dumped the girl and challenge him to explain himself, the scenes of them trying to back away, and get out of the room, as he poors his heart out are truly, truly funny.
In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 15. "DON'T CRY FOR ME ALBUQUERQUE" Mary is shot.
Seldom have seen a mainstream, light, action show deliver a story where everything is so grey and vague. But still 100% satisfying.
Mary protects a witness who may, or may not, be very nice. And may have over-reacted and created the situation that led to her own shooting. Or maybe not. The show offers no easy answers.
But it sure delivers a great story. Best scene? Stan opens a can of Whup-Ass on the idiot who put Mary in jeopardy.
Highlight? Arrested Development (skylight)
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Michael And Michael Have Issues, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice
Friday, August 21st, 2009
06.30 Michael And Michael Have Issues
07.00 In Plain Sight
08.00 Burn Notice
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 2. "Biederman's Birthday" Buying drugs.
A much stronger plot than episode 1, and a much funnier episode. Michael Ian Black's attempt to buy drugs in the park leads to his arrest and sets up the comedy highlights for later in the episode: Black shows up at the home of Michael Showalter at 4am (Michael Showalter ran out on him during the arrest) for a 'friendly chat', and - even funnier - Black then forces Showalter to attempt a middle-of-the-night drug buy. The buy goes great, but there are other unexpected results...
In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 14. "Once a Ponzi Time" A rich guy joins Witsec and gives all his money away. For this, Mary calls him a 'dumb ass'.
Once again, here's a great story that could only be told on In Plain Sight. James Frain (who was great on 24) plays a formerly wealthy man who tries to live a simple life. His wife vows to stand by him. That, in itself, is the makings of an interesting story. But it doesn't quite work out and the story of how it all plays out instead has several twists, the last of which is a real doozy. Even though the 'clue' was there, I totally didn't predict it. Nice work Alexander Cary and John Mankiewicz.
As much fun as the story is, there is even more fun to be had from watching Mary deal with her partner and her boyfriend. Now that Rafael knows what her job is, it opens up a whole new set of problems. One of them being her partner's unhappiness that she told his secret too... The other one being Rafael's ability to stop anyone else from finding out.
The episode end with a great conversation between Mary and her partner. Everything is painful and vague. Something the show does really well. And something which contrasts really well with their great case-of-the-week stories.
One of the best shows on TV.
Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 9. "Long Way Back" There's a guy in town who wants to kill Fiona.
There are about twenty things in any given episode of BN that are great. And one of the best is the troubled Michael-Fiona relationship. Making her "the client" for an episode is just what the show needed right now (as she prepares to leave town, and walk out of Michael's life).
Two of this season's recurring characters meet their end in this episode (one of them dies by Michael's hand in a very satisfying scene) and it's pretty much one of the strongest episodes the show has delivered. In a season that has been, without doubt, the best one yet.
Episode highlights? Anytime the script (by Craig S. O'Neill) calls for Jeffrey Donovan and Gabrielle Anwar to gaze into one anther's eyes with love and passion and pain and confusion...
Highlight? Burn Notice (Michael and Fiona)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Michael And Michael Have Issues, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Community
Friday, August 14th, 2009
06.30 Michael And Michael Have Issues
07.00 In Plain Sight
08.00 Burn Notice
09.00 Community
Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 1. "Greg The Intern"
A mixture of The Larry Sanders Show and a straight-up sketch comedy. With characters as unsavory as the gangs on Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
I love it.
Original and funny.
Michael & Michael are two huge TV stars with a comedy show who get completely obsessed with an interview from one of their office interns (who wants to interview them for his high school newspaper). Highlight? The 'physical' fight on the lawn outside Michael's house.
In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 13. "Let's Get it Ahn" Sherilyn Fenn and Kelly Hu as lovers. Best! Story! Idea! Ever!
Thank you, In Plain Sight, for giving me the mental image of Sherilyn Fenn and Kelly Hu as lovers. I will be forever grateful.
And thank you, also, for breaking my heart with this episode. For this is the one where Marshall finds out that Mary is engaged to Rafael. That scene alone would cause me to rate this episode as a total A+ all the way. And the whole business with the ring getting stuck on Marshall's finger? Inspired.
Story-wise, this was a strong case-of-the-week. Complex (maybe too complex) but fast-moving and fun to watch.
Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 8. "Friends Like These" Recurring character Barry needs help.
Too often, in an effort to create conflict in the (male) hero's life a show will turn his (female) partner into an unsympathetic bitch. Yes, it creates conflict and drama but it writes the female character into a indefensible position. How many medical shows have had the Doctor-Hero fighting with his wife because she wants him to spend more time with her and stop running off to save lives. Same thing for cops shows. "Your job is coming between us" or some such crap.
One of my very favourite things about Burn Notice is the way the writers have created genuine conflict between Fiona and Michael without turning her into a one-dimensional pain-in-the-ass. In this fight both sides of the argument are easy to understand and the constant fighting this season only demonstrates how much these two really love one another. Fiona wants him to stay because she wants him to be with her, AND she genuinely believes that he is making the wrong choices.
The absolute highlight of this episode came when Michael (while undercover) slapped Fiona on the face when she wasn't expecting it. That moment, and their exchanges afterwards, are a prime example of why Burn Notice is more than just a fun action-adventure show. It's got superb central characters and writers who know how to bring humanity and depth to these people.
Story-wise, this was a fun tale with a predictable twist (involving Callie Thorne's character).
Community. Episode 1. "Community" Fast-talker lies to hot girl that he is forming a study group in community college, but word spreads and... he forms a study group in community college.
A simple idea, perfect for a long-running situation comedy series, and a group of funny characters.
Joel McHale is a great lead and many of the others (particularly Chevy Chase and Danny Pudi) are worthy scene-stealer's.
I laughed and I liked. And I want to see more.
Highlight? In Plain Sight (Mary, Marshall & The Ring)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
