Childrens Hospital 3.13

Even without the cameos from the Party Down characters, this is a typically sharp and funny episode. But once those five characters appear (in the final seconds) it make the episode into something really special. 10/10

Party Down. Season 2, Episode 8. "Joel Munt's Big Deal Party"

Party Down. Season 2, Episode 8. "Joel Munt's Big Deal Party" Paul Scheer

Two changes to the status quo, but - otherwise - it's business as usual at Party Down.

Henry is back with Casey and, for this episode at least, they are both very happy. Happy and playful. And cute. And I love it, but I fear for it's lasting success. Especially as there are two episodes left in the season and this is a not a show where anyone gets a happy ending.

Ron is back in charge. This is a very welcome change in the status quo. Actually, it's a return to the (original) status was Ron was also the boss back in Season One. And it's a good fit for him. He's a natural (bad) boss (tv character). This season two story arc has done wonders to expand and deepen the character, but - at heart - he works best as the one in charge.

Aside from all these changes, it's a typical episode. Lydia gets high (Megan Mullally) while Kyle & Roman work together to get revenge on an enemy of Roman's who is hosting the party. This storyline leads to many comic moments and great lines: "I never would have come to Hollywood if I'd know I would be lied to."

Follow Me on Twitter
Follow Me on Facebook

Party Down. Season 2, Episode 7. "Party Down Company Picnic"

Party Down. Season 2, Episode 7. "Party Down Company Picnic"

There's a fine line between comedy and tragedy. And this is very clear about seven minutes into this (wonderful) episode of Party Down.

Ron is quite a tragic figure. In the recent past we've seen his business and his love life fail. And we've seen him pretty much fall apart as a consequence. Luckily (since this is a comedy) Ron is a pompous character in the mould of Ollie (Oliver Hardy). Horribly things happen to him, but his manner prevents him from being pathetic to us. Instead, we perversely enjoy it as he sets himself up to be knocked down.

The opening scenes of this episode are a perfect example of this. Once again, Ron is trying to make something of himself. He's setting out to earn a promotion at work. Of course, being Ron, he's acting like a jerk about it. And we are only to happy to laugh when Kyle (Ryan Hansen) drives over his briefcase.

Later on, after Ron (squashed briefcase under his arm) has failed to get the promotion, there's a wonderful sequence where he's pondering on the meaning of it all. He grabs a drink from a disinterested waiter, while standing near some outdoor games, and begins a short speech about why some people - no matter how hard they try, no matter how hard they deserve it - always fail at everything. It's a wonderfully touching and heartfelt moment. And then a horseshoe comes flying through the air and whacks him very hard on the shoulder.

As Ron lay on the ground, crying "Why?" over and over, I laughed so hard that I had to pause the episode and take a break to compose myself.

Now, in all respects, this was a(nother) wonderful episode of Party Down. All of the character had great scenes, and Henry reached a major character moment. Plus Kristen Bell returned to (almost) steal the show out from under the stars.

But the Ron stuff was the highlight. In that moment, you can see the genius of Party Down captured. Comedy and Tragedy as opposites of the same coin. All of the characters are broken in some way, and most of the comedy comes from their failings.

But the horseshoe moment, coming as Ron ponders on the cruelty of life, is particularly wonderful.

Follow Me on Twitter
Follow Me on Facebook

24, Party Down, Police Squad

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

04.00 24
05.30 24
07.00 The Big Bang Theory
07.30 Party Down
12.15 Police Squad!

24. Season 8, Episode 12. "Day 8: 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m."

Simply superb.

The episode opens with Kayla and Tarin running from the good guys and right into the arms of the bad guys (just as he wanted). The episode ends with Kayla and Tarin running from the bad guys and right into the arms of the good guys (just as he wanted).

In the order to make this 180 degree change work, the script has to accomplish remarkable character writing. And it works. And the twists are nothing short of superb.

The only thing more tense, exciting and action packed than the opening ten minutes is the closing ten minutes. Both sequences are some of the best stuff 24 has ever put on screen. We open with a team of cops storming the hotel while Jack is en route and trying to call the shots, we end with Kayla arriving at CTU HQ and causing all sorts of chaos while is still on the road but managing to be the only one talking sense and trying to save lives.

24. Season 8, Episode 13. "4:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m." Chloe goes badass.

This is the episode where Chloe pulls a gun on some NSA idiot and ends up saving the day. And it, of course, is totally awesome. And is some of the best Chloe action we have ever seen in 24. Which is saying a lot. Chloe doesn't get a lot of big scenes, but when she does get them they tend to be awesome beyond belief.

Jack spends this episode trapped (with three others) by snipers. Sadly, two of the others are written as stupid/clueless and they make mistakes, get themselves killed and drag the whole thing out longer than it needs to be. And I'm a guy would generally like a full hour of gunfire on a TV show. Sometimes, not every often, the show will introduce a clueless character to create conflict/tension and it doesn't engage me all that much. Mostly, 24 has a talent for placing two characters with different agendas in opposition and watching them duke it out. In this episode, for instance, we have Dana refusing to back Chloe up. That's more compelling/interesting than when some one-episode-guest-star does it, because we know that Dana has her own agenda. The Chloe storyline (which was awesome) would probably have been better if it had been Chloe pulling a gun on Dana or other regular characters. And the Jack-trapped-by-snipers storyline would have been more tense if they had - for example - started a fire behind Jack which gave all of his team a compelling reason to move too soon, rather than stupidity.

This is also the episode which reveals that Dana is working with the terrorists. I have mixed feelings about this. On one level, I love this idea. Introduce a character and hide her deadly secret behind another less deadly secret. As we, the audience, watch her deal with her less deadly secret we will probably trust her and fail to suspect that she has another other secrets in her closet. And it's pretty much worked. I, for one, didn't think there was another more to the character of Dana. Well done, 24! However... is this a step too far? And isn't it a bit silly? Her strangling this guy right there in the middle of CTU! Sure, at this state, I suppose she doesn't have to maintain her cover for much longer, but c'mon... she strangled him right there in the middle of CTU??!

Party Down. Season 2, Episode 1. "Jackal Onassis Backstage Party"

The perfect balance of melancholy and slapstick. Such an amazing, wonderful show. One minute you are pondering the meaning/meaningless of life, and the next you are watching Ken Marino being tasered. How can you go wrong?

The show works because it is very, very funny. But it also makes us care about the characters: particularly Henry. Adam Scott is superb at making us think there's a hell of depth to the character of Henry. Depth and awareness.

I miss Jane Lynch (curse you, Glee!) but having Megan Mullally eases the pain. I laughed a lot every time she was on screen. Can't complain about that.

Biggest laugh? Roman still loses out to Kyle when it comes to chatting up the girls at the party, even when he's dresses as a celebrity. Awesome. So, so funny.

Police Squad! Episode 2. "Ring of Fear (A Dangerous Assignment)" Boxing

Even more than the first episode this is a story that you would expect to see on a 60s/70s cop show: our hero tries to help a boxer being forced to throw a fight because a loved one has been kidnapped (There's a Gemini Man episode, in particular, that springs to mind.)

Apart from being a dead-on parody of cop show conventions, this is a very funny half-hour of TV. The gags seem more relentless than in in the first episode and many of them are completely absurd, with - at one point - Rudy Solari pulling a succession of odd objects out of his pocket (thin air?) to prove that his henchman has the boxer's lady held hostage.

Best bit? The poker game that ends with the players having an earnest debate as to which hand beats which hand.

Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
Follow Me on Facebook

In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Raven, Party Down

Friday, August 8th, 2009

08.00 In Plain Sight
10.00 Burn Notice
11.00 Kolchak: The Night Stalker
12.00 Raven
01.00 Party Down

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 12. "Training Video" Mary helps make a Training Video, and Marshall helps an old man find his family again.

A great episode. Very much a departure from formula.

Andy Comeau was also a great choice for his role. But Martin Landau stole the show (as usual, when has he ever given a less-than-superb performance in anything?). The scene where he returned home to his family had me in tears.

And it wasn't even the best scene in the episode. That honour fell to the very last scene, when Mary had a very serious conversation with her sister's boyfriend. Joshua Malina and Mary McCormack were absolutely superb in the scene and the dialogue (by Brynn Malone) was amazing. It was a great scene, in terms of character, and it was very thought-provoking in general terms also.

As for the main story (Marshall takes a man back to be at the funeral of his son), it was a story that could only work on In Plain Sight and - in general - these are the stories I prefer: the ones no other show could do.

But the strength of the show is the central character. Mary is fascinating and that final scene goes to the core of who she is. Great stuff.

Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 7. "Shot in the Dark" Michael targets an abusive dad.

Burn Notice is a hoot to watch! I love the fact that the show can pull off the hero-comes-to-the-rescue-of-little-kid storylines. In this way, the show taps into all that was great about shows like The A-Team and The Equalizer.

Plus, Michael and his team find clever/amusing ways to defeat the bad guys. Seldom has it been as funny as this one, however. This week, as with many of the stories, the sweet ending depends on the bad guy not falling for the plan earlier on. Burn Notice is a lot like House. Michael concocts a plan that will definitely work. A plan that is moderately clever. And, by the half-way stage of the episode, he has executed that plan and found that it has failed to work as intended. So, Michael adds to the plan. And the episode gets better as the plan gets more convoluted. This is one of those episodes. And, because of this clever story structure, we get to an ending that Michael could never have planned from the onset (a bad guy who is a babbling idiot). But the writer (Ben Watkins) obviously did.

Guest-Star wise, this episode is blessed. Nicholas Lea is underused but brilliant (sadly typical of this great actor, who had little more than recurring cameoes in Kyle XY), while Jay Harrington of Better Off Ted is a revelation as the sleazy, abusive dad who goes gradually off the rails. Or so it appears. Lovely stuff.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Episode 11. "Horror in the Heights" Some old people are dying, apparently devoured by rats.. What is going on?

Considered by many to be the single best episode of Kolchak. The usual elements are in place.

The Logic. There's a great, gradual evolution from normal murders to supernatural crimes in this one. Carl has every reason to be curious as to what is going on. He even contacts someone who can tell him how long it would take for rats to devour a human body. Carl is using critial thinking here: just trying to get to grips with the facts.

The Authority Figure/Conspiracy angle is missing from this episode. Instead of a cop, or single powerful person to fight with, this episode allows Carl to make observations on the attitudes of society. On more than one occasion the episode draws attention to the situation of the elderly in society. None of these moments/scenes are obvious or self-conscious, and some are funny. All are thought-provoking. A true example of how powerful the KTNS formula is.

The Regular Cast. Tony has more than one superb scene here. Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny stuff. Ron and Emily get great screentime, too. Ron's observations on 1066 are a series highlight. And Emily, of course, plays a pivotal roles in the episode's superb climax.

The Experts. Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a show that says: Don't trust anyone that works for The Status Quo (whatever that may be), instead find your own experts. There are two in this episode: an exterminator and an antiques dealer. The scene with the former takes a shot a the modern world's use of pesticides, etc.. while the scene with the latter is very funny (thanks to guest star Murray Matheson) and pivotal in driving the story.

Comedy. There is comedy all over the place in this one. All of Tony's scenes are laugh-out-loud funny (thanks to Simon Oakland), and Phil Silvers never fails to get a laugh, even in a drama. Even in the closing moments when Carl is face to face with the heroic old man, and being told about the nature of the evil creature that he must face, the show pauses to make a great joke ("Go home!" says the old man, to the scruffy reporter.)

Scare Factor. There's nothing especially scary in this outing, but the shooting of the creature is very, very clever and unnerving. Each victim sees a trusted friend walking towards them, but the camera angle switches for a second and we can see the strange creepy shame lumbering towards them. Then before we can see exactly what it is, the camera angel switches back again. Great stuff.

The Ally. This is one of the episodes where Carl has a partner in crime. Briefly. Harry enlists the reporter, and aids his investigation, before falling prey to the creature. One of the deaths in KTNS that really pains me. I liked Harry a lot.

The Epilogue. This the type of ending I like best. Carl sits alone in his office, his tape recorder is in hand, but he is looking into the camera and really addressing us directly as he issues his warning. And as Kolchak warnings go, this is truly one of the very best. On a dark, deserted, country lane if you suddenly meet a friend... be careful. Now, try and sleep after that one!!

Raven. Episode 4. "Prey" Raven and an assassin fight to the death on a deserted island.

Despite flaws, this is an example of Raven at it's best.

It starts off with Jonathon explaining to his friends the purpose for his upcoming retreat to a deserted island. They don't get it, and the scenes are light-hearted, but they are supportive and the show does a great job of capturing friendship in the face of diversity.

The story has aspirations towards depth. And, despite some clunky dialogue at the very end, it does a great job of making you think about the futility of revenge. The best example of this comes in the middle third, when there is no dialogue and the visuals cleverly allow us to see how similar the two men are.

The action scenes are among the best the show ever delivered. The climax is thrilling, and I also love the ambush at the deserted hut. Great camera angles and editing. Lots of split-screen images.

On the downside, the episode is saddled with an annoying, and unsympathetic, female character. Dana (well played by Rebecca Staab however) complains about everything and, in the final minutes, inexplicably starts to hit on Jonathon like a cat in heat. What a strange character. Hard to like. Rebecca Staab is good, though. But she deserves better material than this. And the story would have worked much better without her.

Party Down. Episode 10. "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception" Gay wedding.

Not very funny, but probably the show's best episode. There are moments of great comedy, but the show has found a way to illustrate pain and suffering in palatable ways. And that is quite remarkable.

Henry, Casey and Ron take center-stage here, and all three of them are very sad and broken as the season comes to an end. Henry's story is fully of incredible irony, too. I love it.

Kristen Bell brought her A-game to the table in this outing. Her one-note character (a total bitch) takes a stunning 180 degree turn in the shows final minute. After being, pretty much, the episode highlight, as a fast-taking task-master, the character suddenly drops her guard completely and bares her softer side to Henry. Bell is stunning (of course) and the material given to her is superb. The scripts on this show are of the highest calibre. Line after line, in this episode, are true gems. Yet, it's truly not a laugh-fest. Yes, you will laugh watching it, but it's mostly about sad, lonely people clutching at the straws that are other sad, lonely people.

I can't wait for Season Two!

Highlight? In Plain Sight (final scene)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago

Arrested Development, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down, Dark Skies, Harvey Birdman

Friday, July 31st, 2009

07.30 Arrested Development
08.00 In Plain Sight
09.00 Burn Notice
10.00 Party Down
11.00 Dark Skies
01.00 Harvey Birdman
01.15 Harvey Birdman

Arrested Development. Season 2, Episode 7. "Switch Hitter" Baseball game.

Lots to love here. Several guest stars whose work I am a huge fan of: Ed Begley Jr., J.K. Simmons and Andy Richter. What an amazing guest cast.

Begley's character is used to make fun of alopecia. Only on Arrested Development. To be fair, some of the jokes are at the expense of the Bluth family's understanding of alopecia (particularly Gob) but the rest are flat out alopecia-is-funny gags. I love it.

I also love the whole Maeby-becomes-a-studio-executive storyline (which starts here). For two reasons: it is flat out hilarious and it takes pot shots at the stupidity of studio executives. I love stuff like that.

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 11. "Jailbait" Father and daughter fighting, where dad is a crook in Witsec.

Weak. There are two twists in the story. The first is predictable (the daughter has fallen in love with the son of the man who killed her mother) and the second is unexpected (the death of the mother was deliberate, not accidental) but the whole story is uninvolving. It's 'too TV' for IPS. Neither the father nor the daughter are particularly likable/interesting so it's hard to invest/care.

Mary, meanwhile, finally says 'Yes' to her boyfriend's marriage proposal. I wasn't expecting that. Back when he made the proposal I was shocked that she said 'No'. But now that I understand Mary a bit better, I really want her to be with Marshall instead. I presume that that is where the show is heading?

Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 6. "The Hunter" Kidnapped and hunted through the Everglades.

Another change-of-pace episode. In departure from formula Michael is tracked down by an old foe, abducted and - having made an escape - is chased through the Everglades by a team of mercenaries.

There's no client this week, but there is a character written in to fill the void: An arms dealer who has been kidnapped also and must run with Michael, though he and Michael have no sympathy for one another. It's an old dynamic, but it works well here.

As is always the case, the fun here is in watching Michael - a very smart good guy - outwit the bad guys using his brains not his brawn.

Party Down. Episode 9. "James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion" Ron works his own high school reunion.

I prefer Jane Lynch, but if you are going to 'replace' her with someone, then Jennifer Coolidge is a good way to go. She gets a few good laughs, but this is Ron's episode. It's also another story-driven, and character-driven - episode. Ron's blind optimism, with regard to scoring with the hot lady from his high school, is dreadfully sad and incredibly hilarious in equal measure.

Kyle Bornheimer is underused in a brief cameo. Want to see more of this very funny guy!



Dark Skies. Episode 1. "The Awakening" John Loengard begins to discover that 20th century history as he knows it is a lie...

And aliens are behind it all. I was a huge fan of Dark Skies back in 1997 and was one of the people who campaigned to keep it alive for a second season. Watching it again, for the very first time in 12 years, I can see that it is fast moving and entertaining. I just can't decided - yet - if it's very good or not.

The story opens in the early 1960s with the arrival, in Washington D.C., of John Loengard and his girlfriend Kim Sayers as they each start out on their respective careers. Kim is sidelined for most of the movie as we follow John's investigations into Project Blue Book, the official government group that investigates UFO sightings.

John is threatened to back off. An action that makes no great sense but which, of course, only serves to make him dig all the harder. Luckily, one of the guys that ran him off the road and threatened him was the actual head of Majestic 12 - the Black Ops version of Project Blue Book. John tracks this man down... very easily. And is allowed entry into Majestic 12... very easily.

All of this is quite simplistic and conflict-free, but it does make for a fast pace. By the mid-way stage of the tale, John is working inside M12 as an agent and embroiled in all sorts of alien-related hijinks. As this wasn't enough, his girlfriend Kim now enters the story again and is promptly taken over by an alien.

In the final quarter of the movie, John has to risk all to save his lady, and - having done that - he and Kim go on the run. From Majestic 12, and the aliens.

Yes, things happen way too easily, but the pace is fast, Eric Close makes a great leading man and it's action-packed and very entertaining. The sixties-setting is nice and fresh, too. Plus the idea that the show will show us what really happened behind the news stories is a major hook for wanting to see more.

Harvey Birdman. Episode 6. "The Dabba Don" Fred Flintstone.

Fred, Barney and the gang appear... as mobsters. Only on Harvey Birdman...

This is a fast moving and very funny episode. It uses (a version of) The Sopranos theme to open the episode, showing Fred on his way to work. And things get even funnier from there. Harvey keeps missing the significance of threats, Thundarr appears as a leg-breaker and Judge Mightor meets a sad end. No great loss, I prefer Mentok.

Harvey Birdman. Episode 9. "X, The Exterminator" A hitman comes after Harvey.

With this episode, I feel, more than any other, the show emerges from under the gimmick of just being a show that uses old Hanna Barbera characters in an 'adult', irreverent way, and starts to flesh out it's own world and it's own characters. X is one of the best of these. A pathetic hitman who has never gotten over his decades-old vendetta.

Highlight? Burn Notice (another change-of-pace episode)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter

Fri, Jun 19, 09 - Arrested Development, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down

07.00 Arrested Development
08.00 In Plain Sight
09.00 Burn Notice
10.00 Party Down

Arrested Development. Episode 3. "Bringing Up Buster" Buster comes to work with Michael. George Michael tries out for the school play.

Tony Hale takes center stage for the first time and Buster starts to emerge as a very funny character.

The show, meanwhile, finds two innovative ways to make comedy.

The first involves the bleeping out of swear words. Other shows have done this, but AD takes it to the next level, in terms of context and duration. Some of Buster's rants (concerning his mother, or a bicycle race, for example) are bleeped out for for several seconds before the camera pans to Jason Bateman for his (wonderful) reaction shots.

While this is happening, more than once, the show introduces another trick to it's repetoire. At the end of a scene the camera will suddenly pull back and reveal the presence of other people in the room. This delightful little trick (which pops up more than once) changes the context of everything that went before and is very, very funny.

As well as being supremely funny, this is a rather sweet episode. The core of it revolves around Michael's relationship with his son, and the ending contains dialogue that is genuinely sweet and moving. And a little cornball.

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 8. "A Frond in Need" Mary's friend is stabbed. Did her new witness do it? Meanwhile, a sister none of them knew existed shows up.

The A-story is good. It's a whodunnit and - right up until the final moments - it is impossible to predict who the cultprit is. You don't need multiple suspects to tell a good whodunnit. This episode of In Plain Sight only has one suspect, really, and it manages to entertain by making us think (a) he did it, and (b) he did not do it. So, by the end, we really have no idea whether he did or didn't.

It's an unusual story for the show because, unlike every other tale else this season, it could be told on any cop show. The WitSec angle helps set up the story but it's really - at heart - a generic tale of a stabbing of a cop's friend and the cop's attempts to find out who did it.

As good as the A-story was, the B-story is much, much better. Laura Prepon guests as Mary's half-sister! She shows up, meets Jinx and Brandi, and drops the bombshell that James (who ran off on them when Mary was still a child) married again and had a new family. One of them is her.

I adore Prepon and this is a great role for her. Her two scenes with Mary McCormack are electric. The two actresses have a fantastic chemistry. And they look like sisters. When the characters meet, Mary isn't told that this is her sister but - thanks to a fantastic script by Brynn Malone - they instantly notice each other's similar traits. It's rivetting and heartbreaking in equal measure. The final scene, in particular, had me glued to the screen hoping Mary would figure it out, or Lauren would tell her.

This could be the start of the best story arc on In Plain Sight.



Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 3. "End Run" Brennen (Jay Karnes) returns, holds Michael's brother hostage and forces Michael to do some dirty work for him.

Jay Karnes returns and cements his status as the show's best-ever bad guy. Hands down, this is the cleverest villain Michael has ever crossed swords with.

And this might well be the cleverest, most enjoyable episode of Burn Notice to date. There's no case-of-the-week, Michael is being forced to work for Brennan and he has to use his wits to come up with something, against the clock, that will save him and his brother.

This is one of the things that makes Michael stand out from the crowd: he is smart, and he wins by being smarter than the bad guy.

Party Down. Episode 8. "Celebrate Ricky Sargulesh" The wonderful Steven Weber guests as an Eastern European Mobster who has just gotten out of prison.

Steven Weber is very funny and this episode turns the concept of the show upside down. This is a show about a bunch of unsuccessful actors/performers who make a living as caterers. In this story, every one of them is recognised and revered for their past roles. So much so that they can get no work done and end up basking in the glory of being surrounded by fans.

Clever stuff.

The b-plot (the gang think they know a murder is about to be committed, from clues they read in a script) is much more standard sit-com fare, but they still make it funny.

Highlights? Burn Notice (Jay Karnes) & In Plain Sight (Laura Prepon)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago

Fri, Jun 12, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down

06.30 My Boys
07.00 In Plain Sight
08.00 Burn Notice
09.30 Party Down

My Boys. Season 3, Episode 9. "Spring Training" Arizona.

Another of those complete-departure-from-formula episode that the show likes to do. This time out the whole gang (except Andy) head to Arizona for Cubs spring training.

Most of the episode is devoted to PJ trying to find suitable subject matter for her next column. She finds it by the end of the episode and learns a lesson. And - to be honest - it's a sweet enjoyable journey and it makes for a good episode.

The episode's cliff-hanger ending is wonderful. But frustrating. The show teased us with a potential romance between two of the regular characters in the last moments of Season Two. They ignored this development all season and, now, in the closing seconds of Season Three they unveil the next stage in the romance!!

Huh?

The show only gets 9 episodes a season. Why don't they hurry it up a bit, huh? Dragging something like this (which promises to be a lot of fun to watch) out for two years before showing it is very frustrating to the fans.

Just sayin'...

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 7. "Duplicate Bridge" Bridge Engineer.

Last week they broke formula by devoting an episode to Mary's boss. This week they break formula by devoting an episode to Mary's partner. This is a much better episode. Partly because Marshall is a much more interesting character, partly because the story is better and partly because the ending brought me very, very close to tears.

Fred Weller is wonderful in the part of the witty, quirky sidekick. But, in this story, we get to see how Marshall deals with one of his own witnesses. And we see the bond he feels for Norman. A mutual bond.

The story is great. As is ever the case on IPS they tell a story that no other cop show could tell. Not just the mechanics of the tale (WitSec and all) but also the content of the story: a man haunted by a mistake that he may, or may not, have made...

And then there's the ending. This episode has a killer ending. As Mary and Marshall stood on the bridge, trying to talk Norman out of setting off the bomb I honestly had no idea which way the story was going to end. Not a clue. Because, much as I loved the episode up until that point, I had no idea what the story was going to be about. The story is in the ending, they say. So it is not until this episode is in it's final minute that you know what they are doing. Where they are going. When Marshall told Mary that he knew his witness, it went through me...

In the epilogue, Marshall spoke on the phone with Mary's sister and - at this point - I thought I was going to cry. Great, great storytelling.

Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 2. "Question and Answer" Kidnapped child.

The engine that drives this story is a sting operation run by Michael and Sam, in which Michael plays the part of prisoner being questioned by Sam and the bad-guy-of-the-week.

It's an elaborate little scam and it's great fun to watch it play out.

But what I love most about it is this: Michael and Sam never plan the details of it, nor do they discuss it. They just do it. Early in the episode Michael makes an obscure reference to Sam (implying that this is a standard operation of theirs from their full-on spy days) and Sam immediately leaves the room and sets it all up.

That kind of short-hand communication between the regulars is one of the reasons I love Burn Notice so much. It's a fast-moving show with oodles of pizazz. It picks you up and brings you along for the ride and the stuff that happens on it, happens really, really fast.

Also worth noting: the wonderful Moon Bloodgood joins the cast in this one, and she gets more to do here than she did in the first six episodes of (the also very wonderful) Journeyman.

Finally: Matt Winston, who I normally expect to be funny, gives a great performance here as the father of the kidnapped child.

Oh!

Nearly forgot! I have to add that I simply adore Gabrielle Anwar. Not because, thanks to her, Fiona is sexy and hot and stuff but because, thanks to her, Fiona is so cute and so sweet. Her pointed-remarks at Michael - with regard to them being a couple again, etc. - are both funny and genuinely charming.

The characters have great chemistry and, thanks to Matt Nix, have a logical reason for not getting together as a couple. Yet the evidently love one another very, very much.

Clever dynamic.

Party Down. Episode 7. "Brandix Corporate Retreat" Henry and Roman are jealous when Casey flirts with a celebrity.

Not the best episode, but still a funny enjoyable one. Roman's jealousy was a bit too sad and pathetic to be fully funny, and Henry's seemed OTT and out of character. As did the idea that Casey could be off sleeping with Rick Fox in his hotel room.

Highlight? In Plain Sight (great ending)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter

Fri, Jun 5, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down

06.30 My Boys
07.00 In Plain Sight
08.00 Burn Notice
09.00 Party Down

My Boys. Season 3, Episode 8. "Friends of Friends" PJ makes friends with a friend of Stephanie's. Mike and Kenny invite a friend to the gang. Brendan wants Bobby to speak to his friend (Brendan's boss) on his behalf.

The show effortlessly takes on a topic and makes it funny. Having Martin Mull as a guest helps.

It doesn't matter that it's predictable. It's funny and the cast shines.

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 6. "One Night Stan" What happened in 1988?

Paul Ben-Victor is one of my favourite performers. He's superb in anything, but he's somewhat wasted in this show. They really don't use him, or exploit his talents. And there's isn't enough known about Stan to make him interesting.

This episode tries to fix that. It's a Stan episode. Which is one way it deviates from the status quo.

It's also an episode where most of the story takes place back in 1988. That's another departure for the show.

And, while it's a good episode, there is a feeling that you've 'missed' and episode, or something. Because we don't get to see Mary (the star) very much.

As for the story, it's okay. The ending, however, is great. Not just the way the story ended, but also the haunting final scene.

Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 1. "Friends and Family" Michael adjusts to being out in the open (his name is now appearing on databases everywhere) and tries to help an old 'friend' kidnap a bad guy.

Burn Notice is a machine. And I always marvel at it's efficiency. Three seasons in and the show has a wealth of backstory and story arc to deal with, and this episode opens up with a cliff-hanger and a (mild) change in the status quo to deal with. Yet, barely ten minutes into the episode they story has moved over to the case-of-the-week.

Wow. That's a show that knows how to deliver the goods. And they do this all the time. Every episode is adept at advancing the backstory/story arc while delivering an entertaining case-of-the-week that dominates the episode and entertains fully.

As for the change in the show's status quo, it might be one of the best that I have ever seen on an ongoing television series. Why? Well, for all the talk of Michael being out in the open and his old enemies being able to get to him now, etc., the show is - I predict - not actually going to change at all. It's still going to be Michael going up against a succession of clever, nasty bad guys and outwitting them in unexpected/delightful ways.

So, this big change isn't about change at all (why mess with a terrific formula?) it's all about the illusion of change. And I admire that, too. Because it has me psyched to see the new season. I want to see what new foes come into Michael's life, even though - deep down - I know the actual episodes coming up will the same as last year.

It's a clever show. Extremely well executed.

Party Down. Episode 6. "Taylor Stiltskin's Sweet Sixteen Party" A spoiled rich kid.

J.K. Simmons steals the episode. Pretty much. If anything outshines him in this episode it's the amazing, funny ending to the story (where the girl's horrible, pretty fake friends show up and she ditches the nerds to run off).

Talking of stealing the show, there's fantastic turns by Jane Lynch and Ken Marino.

I rate every episode as Grade: A, but the show is edging closer and closer to being in the A+ territory beside The Office, if it keeps this up.

Highlight? Burn Notice (a machine)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago

Fri, May 29, 09 - My Boys, The Listener, Party Down

06.30 My Boys
12.30 The Listener
01.30 Party Down

My Boys. Season 3, Episode 7. "Facebook the Past" PJ meets an ex, and encourages Bobby to keep in touch with his ex's. Kenny's obsession with Facebook spreads to the gang.

The strongest episode this season and possibly the best episode of the show so far. It's really, really funny and it captures the feeling one gets from being with a group of friends, while - and this is why I love it - reflecting the changes that affect us all in this age of online social network sites (like Facebook).

Lots of what happened had me chuckling and nodding in agreement.

But more important than that: lots of what happened had me laughing hysterically.

The Listener. Episode 13. "The Journey" Toby finally has a lead on his mother's location.

The first episode without a case-of-the-week. The first half of the episode is slow going and boring (maybe because the stuff that should have happened there was moved forward as a b-plot in the previous episode?) but when it picks up steam, it gets really good before fizzling out in an ending that is probably meant to be intriguing, but is - in fact - very annoying and vague.

The Listener is an usual series. All episodes were case-of-the-week driven, but the first seven episodes were flawed and uneven. From episode eight onwards, while still being case-of-the-week driven, the show became superb and flawless. The show figured out how to make Toby's powers cool and interesting, and the show also figured out how to use the powers to enhance the story in unusual ways

There's a great example of that in the middle of this episode. There's a stalemate outside a motel. The guy we've been thinking is a bad guy suddenly appears to be a good guy and we suddenly realise we at home have been making assumptions about him that may not be the case. Even Toby's powers don't immediately help him decide what to do, and the show knows exactly how do put this across in a way that makes the story even more enjoyable. Good writing and good acting and the added bonus of an intelligent way of using Toby's powers.

Yes, they have learned how to do this. So, since this is the first non case-of-the-week episode I will forgive them for messing it up and I will assume that next time (if there is a next time) they will figure out how to pace it better. The start of this one was just too much Toby asking the old man all the same questions over and over and over again.

This is also the episode that finally lets Olivia in on the secret of Toby's powers. This show has a great regular cast, and great actors in the parts. I loved all the scenes between Toby and Olivia and I can't wait to see how the show writes their relationship now that she knows.

Lisa Marcos was underused. She hardly appeared.

The episode looked fantastic, with all the snow and the ending looks amazing. Even if I was very, very frustrated by the lack of... anything much happening in that final minute.

I desperately want a second season. But not for the backstory, they haven't made me care enough about the backstory and there are more than enough shows out there about lone heroes up against mysterious conspiracies. No, I want a second season because this show has turned into something that delivers A+ stories every single week and the hero, his powers and the cast are very cool.



And Lisa Marcos is the most beautiful woman on television right now.

Party Down. Episode 5. "Sin Shay Sun Awards After Party" The gang cater a Porn Awards function and Ron gets a chance to be in movies. Porn movies.

Just when I come to the conclusion that Jane Lynch is the absolute highlight of this wonderful show, they write her out?! Well, not really. But this wonderful funny lady is relegated to one line in the whole episode.

Damn.

And it was a brilliant episode, too.

I don't know where to begin.

Martin Starr had the single best scene in the episode. Funniest and cleverest. Pure character comedy. At it's best. I mean genius level stuff. Roman is about to score with a depressed pornstar (Beth Dover). It's a sure thing. She's drunk and unhappy and they've made a strong connection. He's finally listened to Kyle and - it appears - learned that they only way to win a woman over (even a very sexy pornstar) is to listen to her, and have a conversation. They are talking sci-fi and it's going well. Until she makes a mistake... And mentions dragons.

Starr has this magical moment where Roman stops and considers what he is about to do. It's all there. On his face. The indecision, the resolve, the contemplation, the pros and the cons. Everything is there. In one split second. He nails it. It's funny, true-to-life and horrible all at the same time. That moment of temptation, that moment where you must choose whether or not to be true to yourself and your beliefs.

Roman chooses the high ground. Sorta. He rubbishes her mistaken belief that dragons are scifi and she's runs off. Offended.

Roman is the source of much great comedy in the episode. Kyle and he are contrasted in many scenes. I'm really starting to like Kyle. And Ryan Hansen is simply superb in the part. I loved him on Veronica Mars, but I had no idea he was this good of an actor.



Ron also has a great storyline. Being scouted into porn, almost getting a blowjob from Stormy Daniels and having himself badly injured in the process. Hilarious wonderful stuff.

This show has become a highlight of the week, every week.

Highlight? The Listener (Toby tells Olivia)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Twitter

Fri, May 22, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Listener, Party Down

07.30 My Boys
08.00 In Plain Sight
09.00 The Listener
10.00 Party Down

My Boys. Season 3, Episode 6. "Madder of Degrees" Spring weather makes everyone do something crazy.

I'm not sure if this is a total oddball episode, or a very clever way of dealing with PJ and Bobby's attempt to move in together.

The idea that the change of seasons would make everyone go complete crazy is a tad silly for this show, but the results are funny...

And it does lead easily into a wonderful tale about PJ and Bobby's relationship.

Oddball or clever?

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 5. "Aguna Matatala" Man in the Witness Protection Program gets a message from his wife... she wants a divorce.

When I sit down to watch this show I know I will always get a good story. And this is no exception. They have their own stories on this show, stories that won't work on any other cop show.

Even better: you don't know how they will resolve. The guy at the start of this episode is coming to terms with the fact that his wife hates him (for being a criminal) and wants a divorce. On this show, from an opening like that, the story could go in any direction and you are not assured a happy ending. In fact, more than likely, it'll be a bittersweet ending where the man stays alone and Mary is able to find some silver lining somewhere to give him cause to go on.

For the ability to deliver fresh (and good) stories every week, if for nothing else, this is a good show.

The Listener. Episode 12. "The 13th Juror" Toby is a witness in a court case, but he's picking up thoughts for everyone in the room. And another version of the crime arises...

Another great episode. Why?

It's a novel way of telling the story. There are multiple new ways to use Toby's power shown in the episode (a woman appears behind him, at one point). The actual identity of the killer is impossible to guess. All four regular characters are getting quality screentime. There's a great subplot with the great Gordon Pinsent playing a guy who knows about Toby's past.

The final scene/shot is great, too.

Party Down. Episode 4. "Investor's Dinner" The guy asking for everyone to invest is a crook and it's all a scam.

More Veronica Mars guest stars and many laugh-out-loud moments. Mostly involving Jane Lynch. This was her best episode. She had me laughing out loud everytime she appeared on screen. But, across the board, it's a funny cast. And the characters are great, too. Lots of cool insights come across in every episode. This time out, we learn that Kyle likes Constance and isn't impressed when a new friend of his makes fun of her. Wonderful sweet moment of friendship, well-written and wonderfully underplayed.

Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Twitter

Fri, May 15, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Listener, Party Down, Office

06.30 My Boys
07.00 In Plain Sight
08.30 The Listener
09.30 Party Down
10.00 The Office

My Boys. Season 3, Episode 5. "Carpe Burritoem" Kenny and Andy in a band, PJ advising Brendan on everything, Mike and Bobby acting as dummies at Stephie's seminar on dumping guys.

Much better than last week, with strong stories for everyone and many very funny moments. While the Kenny/Andy stuff could be from any sit-com the show still manages to make it fresh and fun. The other stories were more unique to this show, playing up one of the strengths of the show: PJ is a girl among guys and knows more than they do about some stuff.

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 4. "Rubble With A Cause" Mary's protected witness is trapped in a collapsed building.

IPS has a great way of telling cop stories that you can't see on any other show. This is one of those.

Mary's witness gets his face all of the TV news when he is trapped under some rubble. It's too unstable for anyone to approach him, but he's in plain view of any nearby sniper. Great story idea. With superb execution.

Rarely do I watch an episode of anything and wonder how the heck they filmed that. But this is one of those time. I mean, really how the heck did they film that?! That looked amazing. Mary climbing around on that huge pile of rubble while, many floors below her, we could see the passing traffic and stuff. That looked awesome.

Matthew Davis and David Zayas were great as witness and hitman respectively. Except, of course, that wasn't the full story. These guys were best friends and partners so their face to face meeting at the end took a surprising twist. Matthew Davis is long overdue to headline his own show. Preferably an action-adventure thing of some sort.

Finally, the Joshua Malina/Nichole Hiltz plotline advanced as I hoped it would. I'm back to liking Brandi.



The Listener. Episode 11. "Starting To See The Light" Toby thinks the man who just died was a hitman on his way to a kill...

Another strong case-of-the-week, with lots of cool touches involving Toby's powers and the regular characters. The show has nailed it. They know how to tell stories and use Toby's powers in an intelligent way. All uses of Toby's powers are cool, now. And they either advance the plot in some tangible way or they provide nice moments of insight into the characters in the stories. Class.

To throw Detective Mark's superior off the trail (of Toby's constant interference), Toby is forced to pretend that he and the sexy detective are dating. All scenes driven by this were hilarious. I laughed and laughed. Then rewound and laughed some more.

Party Down. Episode 3. "Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar" Marilu Henner hosts a night for senior singles and Ed Begley Jr. keeps hitting on Jane Lynch.

I'm now loving this show and it's ensemble. Adam Scott is a great lead. He endows Henry with weight and sadness that underscores every joke. Especially when he just stands there and watches the others in disbelieve. This is Jim from The Office, but carrying years of failure and sadness around with him.

The Office. Season 5, Episode 26. "Company Picnic" Michael meets Holly again.

Superb episode. Anyone who has ever been in love with an ex will root for Michael for the duration of this episode, and marvel at his attitude at the very end. Dignity and grace. From Michael Scott?! This guy might get the girl yet...

Amy Ryan and Steve Carell are amazing together. Not knowing her other work I have no idea if this is her normal style of comedy or she is just incredibly good at being a female Michael Scott. But whatever it is, it works. Carell makes us laugh when Michael is being seriously unfunny. That a rare talent. How rare to find two performers who can do the same thing. And make it work, without it ever being self-conscious or awkward.

The Michael/Holly comedy sketch was inspired. I never laughed so much at something so 'unfunny'.

Dwight pretty much stole the episode for me, however. From the moment he utters that awful Horse Doctor joke pre-credits I was under his spell. Every utterance had me in stitches. This was Dwight as his devilish best.

Highlight? The Office (Michael and Holly. And Dwight.)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Twitter

Fri, May 8, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down

05.30 My Boys
06.00 In Plain Sight
07.00 Burn Notice
08.00 Party Down



My Boys. Season 3, Episode 4. "Decathlon: Part Deux" The gang competes in a board game decathlon, while Stephanie wants to write about the guys for a Cosmo article and PJ tries to cope with criticism from Bobby.

A so-so episode. Many, many scenes are devoted to watching the gang goof off. Fans will find this amusing. New viewers? Not so much.

The show is doing a great job, I feel, of writing PJ and Bobby as a couple. Adjusting to one another as partners, instead of friends. By keeping these moments are b-plot stuff in the episodes it seems more natural somehow.

I liked the Stephanie storyline. The scene with Andy at home was hilarious and the ending (where she had something good to say about men) was unexpected and clever.

So, a so-so episode. With the season being so short, I kinda feel like this was a waste of an episode somehow.

In Plain Sight. Season 2, Episode 3. "A Stand-Up Triple" Mary tries to help a teenage boy who - like her - is dealing with a bad mother. Jinx, meanwhile, sends Brandi to an AA to pretend to be her, to help her avoid jailtime.

Another great episode. In Plain Sight seems to have perfected the art of "The Moment" this season. Last week, everything in the episode build towards one cool moment in the courtroom when the camera revealed the sticker on the microphone and we realised how Mary was going to get the guy to talk, and we realised how clever and wonderful she can be when she chooses. This week, the whole dilemma facing Mary is whether to break up the family of her witness. The woman in question is selfish and oblivious to the harm she is doing to her kids, so Mary wants to take them away. It's up to the eldest kid to decide what to do. And, in the last minute of the episode, when he and Mary are having yet another argument about his situation and his decision to stay the camera goes for a close up and he points out that his situation is better than hers because he has Mary to talk to...

And it works.

It packs exactly the sort of punch the writers wanted it to, and it makes a great ending to the story. Downbeat, yes, but great.

Lots of praise here for Lost's likable Cynthia Watros who is cast against type as a mean, selfish mother and does a fantastic charm. Because Watros is so likable and charming, we tend to almost believe all the lies that she tells Mary. Clever casting, great actress.

Finally, I loved the Brandi subplot. It was wonderful. Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. I really hope the show allows her to make amends with the Joshua Malina character. I want to see him in the show again.



Burn Notice. Season 2, Episode 16. "Lesser Evil" Michael teams with Victor and goes after Carla. Who comes after them, with all guns blazing.

A full hour of action. Car chases, explosions, gun battles, etc. Recurring bad guy Victor is given a backstory/origin and Michael opts to trust him, just as Carla's people arrive and chase them all over Miami.

Action highlights? The hand-to-hand combat between Michael and Victor was cool, the escape from the parking garage was clever and exciting, the street of exploding cars was stunning (I'm so in love with Fiona right now) and the shoot-out at the boat was a fitting conclusion.

But, all told, this was an action-packed episode from start to finish. Amid the action we got many superb character-driven moments for Michael, Sam and Michael's mother. Even Victor got his character fleshed out in this, his final episode.

Carla met her demise in this episode. It was, I felt, a bit too low-key. It was satisfying to see her brought down by a sniper shot from Fiona (I'm so in love with Fiona right now) but it was over a bit too soon. Shouldn't we get to see Carla suffer a bit, register her defeat for a while before the kill shot?

Anyway, that's a minor complaint. Loved the episode. Great season finale.

Party Down. Episode 2. "California College Conservatives Union Caucus" Ron burns the American Flag outside a political dinner.

Much better than Episode 1. There are more laughs to be had and Ken Marino is less of a Steve Carell-lite and more like himself. The script didn't push the idea of him being a bad boss, this time out, and was more about his fawning nature. Marino is very funny. This is not his best role, but he's certainly making me like watching the character.

With Alona Tal and Jason Dohring in the guest cast, this is another episode full of Veronica Mars goodness.

Bottom line, however, is that this is a very funny episode. The Ryan Hansen gay joke scene is worth watching over and over, as is the Jane Lynch outburst. "Since when is Toronto not part of the United States?!!"

Highlight? Burn Notice (full hour of action)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Twitter

Fri, Apr 3, 09 - Party Down, The Beast, The Cleaner

06.30 Party Down
07.00 The Beast
08.00 The Cleaner

Party Down. Episode 1. "Willow Canyon Homeowner's Party" Henry Pollard returns to his old job.

Ken Marino is normally terrific, but I thought he was trying too hard to be Steve Carell/Michael Scott in this opening episode. I hope he tones that down in future episodes, cos the guy has a lot more to offer than that.

Adam Scott is a great leading man. I instantly warmed to his character and his cloud of thinly-disguised despair. This is a guy I could follow for a few weeks.

Ryan Hansen was the real revelation of this opening episode. He was much better, much funnier than I remembered.

Enrico Colantoni was only a guest star, I realise, but he totally stole the episode out from under the rest of them. His character was much like Adam Scott's. Full of despair. And, consequently, very interesting.

Jane Lynch got funnier and funnier as the episode wore on. As time passed I got more and more amused by her character constantly popping up in all the video footage. I hope this turns into a running gag.

The Beast. Episode 1. "Pilot" Undercover FBI agents target a weapons seller.

The first half was messy and annoying, but the second half was more coherent and more enjoyable. I enjoyed the twist at the very end and I'm tempted to watch more and see what happens next.

Some of the undercover stuff was really, really silly. The sort of scenes you'd never see on 24 or Burn Notice. But, I suppose, we can't expect every show to be as good as 24 or Burn Notice.

The Cleaner. Episode 1. "Pilot" Banks and his team try to help a boy who is addicted to drugs.

Awful. Truly awful. This is on a par with crap like Bionic Woman and Knight Rider.

And none of makes much sense. It's just a lot of random scenes designed to make us think Banks is a nice guy who helps lots of people. I'm not sure what his team does. Early on in the pilot we see them kidnapping a woman who has a gambling addiction. But, we never see her again, so it's not exactly clear what they have done with/to her and how they have helped her.

Later on, they stage an assault on the lair of a major bad guy in order to rescue a teenage boy. A teenage boy who, in the previous scene, was shown to be at home fighting with his mother and bother. So what was the purpose of the 'assault'? And how does it help the boy? Won't he still be addicted to drugs when the story is over.

Fuzzy thinking in the extreme.

Highlight? Party Down (thinly-disguised despair)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago