Monday, December 24th, 2007
08:30 Doctor Who
09:30 Stacked
10:00 Batman
10:30 Wiseguy
Doctor Who. Season 27, Episode 13. Being a fantasy show using a bigger and broader canvas than most, some of what happens on Doctor Who is blatently absurd. While shows like Star Trek and Stargate spend time and effort on making everything plausable to some degree, Doctor Who has always been happy to have the entire planet Earth destroyed or have the Doctor save everything by waving some wires about telling us that it's something amazing. And, to be honest, that is a huge part of the charm of the show. That and the heart that it has always had, in it's various incarnations.
Episode 13 is a stunning season finale. Episode 12 ended with a huge cliff-hanger. One you expect them to take ages to resolve. Not the case. In a brillaint turn of events, the cliff-hanger is resolved with the opening scenes in heroic fashion. Real isn't-the-Doctor-awesome televsion. I love it.
After that it's full tint on to (a) Destruction of Planet Earth and (b) the Doctor waving some wires about and telling us how this is going to save the day. There is also, of course, the Heart that lies at the centre of the the show's best episodes. Billie Piper has never been better than when The Doctor sends her back in time (to safety) and she tries to come to terms with the fact that she will never see him again, and that she must live out an ordinary life. It's an exceptional performance. Surpassed only by Christopher Eccleston's final moments as The Doctor. He played it to perfection and, yeah, it did choke me up.
Stacked. Episode 19. Pamela Anderson's funny but underrated sit-com produced a few dud episodes towards the end of the run, but I must say that the final two episodes were crackers. 19 continues the storyline from 18 and gives the unbelievably funny, incredibly sexy Paget Brewster a chance to shine. And shine she does. As does everyone. All the cast get funny lines and lots of stuff to do and it's a great laugh from start from finish. I'll miss this show.
Batman. Episode 2. It's Christmas Eve and (despite Robin's objections) Batman insists they go on patrol as normal. Welcome to the bleak world of Bruce Wayne. And, of course, he's right. A full-on battle with The Joker soon follows, and there's lots of nice character work on both main characters. Joker is fascinating. Batman is dark and bleak. And while the ending isn't exactly cheerful, it's as good as it gets in the bleak world of BW.
Wiseguy. 1996 Movie. The original 80s television series is a classic. It found a new way to tell crime stories on TV and pioneered the idea of story arcs. I had never seen anything like it. Particularly in that first season. It was the first time I had seen the bad guy written as the hero of a TV show, while still being a cold-blooded murdered. It was the first time I had seen such a moral hero. He was trying so so hard to be honest and honourable at all times. And he loved and respected his mother so much. That was new, too. And every few weeks someting would happen that would leave my jaw on the floor with shock. It was great.
The 1996 movie is great, too. And there were two occasions where my jaw hit the floor with shock. Can't ask for more than that from the return of your favour show of the 80s. Ken Wahl is still a perfect lead. He's still tortured and troubled and (in the movie's over the top opening sequence) still as heroic and noble as ever. Jonathan Banks doesn't get enough to do, as his boss, but what he does get is rivetting. Obviously, had this thing gone to a full series, there was a plot line in development for him. Brian McNamara joins the cast as the newest Idiot Boss that the heroes have to deal with. McNamara's performance, as well as the writing, makes the guy into a fascinating character.
But, as always with Wiseguy, the real stars are the bad guys. Before Wiseguy there was Crime Story which was almost as good as Wiseguy. Ted Levine was one of the bad guys on that. Seeing him appear on Wiseguy as the villain is a dream come true. And it's one of his best performances. The brillaint John Kapelos (from the original and best Vampire Detective series: Forever Knight) gets a lot of great scenes in the movie but, in general, the whole thing is stolen from all of them by the incredibly sexy, incredibly dangerous Debrah Farentino. After Wiseguy there was EZ Streets and it was almost as good as Wiseguy. Farentino was one of the leads on that. Seeing her on Wiseguy is another dream come true.
As for jaw-dropping moments. One occurs when a main character dies. One occurs when Vinnie's cover is blown. Both ample proof that writer Joel Surnow (24) while able to recreate all that made the 80s show so great was more than willing to take the show in bold new directions had it been picked up.
Highlight? Wiseguy.
Batman, Doctor Who, Stacked, Wiseguy
Damages, Extras, Journeyman, K-Ville, Stacked
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
06:00 K-Ville
07:00 Journeyman
08:00 Stacked
09:30 Damages
10:30 Extras
K-Ville. Episode 7. An absurd and overly-convoluted storyline ruins some otherwise good elements. It's great to see Cobb and Boulet working an ordinary case (one that has nothing to do with the background of either one) - and they have a great chemistry as a cop duo - but why does the case have to be so darn silly? David Denman gives a great performance as a father searching for the daughter he lost two years earlier, but the web of implausible happenings surrounding her location makes my eyes roll rather than well up with tears.
Journeyman. Episode 11. Once again, the storytelling strikes a superb balance between what is happening to Dan in the past (Christmas, 1979) and what is happening to his wife and brother in the present (Christmas, 2007). The heart to heart conversations between Dan's wife and Dan's mother is the standout moment for me, in an episode of excellent moments.
Stacked. Episode 18. The first funny episode in ages. Two plots work side by side. Harold (the regular customer played by Christopher Lloyd) has his usual seat taken by a stranger to the bookstore and obsesses about it for the whole episode, while in the other plotline Gavin (the owner of the bookstore) is caught between a major online poker game and a previous obligation to his son and ex-wife. Pretty much all the cast shines and there are a ton of winning one-liners.
Damages. Episode 13. A stunning season finale. The location of the video tape is the single cleverest thing I have seen on TV all year. That alone is worth the price of admission, but factor in all the twists and turns that this final chapter delivers and you have one of the finest hours ever shown on TV. It's as good as Veronica Mars or 24.
Extras. The final episode is equal parts sad and funny. Andy is at the top and he starts his spiral downwards. Maggie, however, is at the bottom and even she goes into a downward spiral. Some of it is very funny indeed (even if we are now used to the formula and have a fair idea how Andy's inept lies will come unstuck) and some of it is unrelentingly bleak. It never easy watching character we love suffer. Andy deserves his fate, but Maggie is sweet and it's hard to see her fall. However, the ending is terrific and this series will be missed.
Highlight? Damages.
Futurama, Harvey Birdman, Stacked, The Tick
Monday, December 10th, 2007
10:00 Harvey Birdman
10:15 Harvey Birdman
10:30 The Tick
11:00 Stacked
11:30 Futurama
Harvey Birdman. Episode 3. "Shaggy Busted" is my favourite of the early HB installents and it's probably the first one I saw. I've seen it so many times now, over the years, that I no longer know if I still find it funny or not. I just love watching it. There are many things to love here: First and foremost the inclusion of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy Rogers, Fred Jones (who?), Velma Dinkley and (the very sexy) Daphne Blake. Secondly, this is the episode that introduces the character of Peanut (Harvey's clerk at the law firm of Sebben & Sebben) and their scenes together at the start of the episode are some of the funniest ever given the two characters. Harvey's "you'll never use that" attitude to the law, and Peanut's links to murder (?) and sexual perversion (!) are given an ample airing. His full-on advances towards Daphne later in the episode are equally hilarious. But this is Harvey's show. His arrival at prision (to be greeted by a chorus of disgruntled former clients) and his willingness to get hammered the night before trial all server to generate a lot of laughs.
Apart from that, neither the judge (Hiram Mightor) nor the prosecutor (Spyro) are among my favourites. Neither are very funny, but this is still my favourite early episode of the this wonderful series.
Harvey Birdman. Episode 2. Maybe because I haven't watched "Very Personal Injury" quite as many times as "Shaggy Busted" but it proves to be much funnier this time around. Apache Chief, the Native American former Superfriend who has the power to grow very large, saves the city once again. Afterwards, he heads into Javalux for a cup of coffee and accidentally spills the hot coffee on his lap. Ouch! Myron Reducto (one of my fave characters) sits in the prosecutors chair and is hilarious from start to finish. He even gets to win the case, and help Apache Chief find happiness and true love in the process. Yay! Even better than this, this episode introduces the silent Bear who goes on to appear in many, many episodes.
The Tick. Episode 1. I've finally got around to watching The Tick on DVD. My Tick collection - up to now - has consisted of video tapes with Voice Overs on the closing credits. Very annoying in Season 3 when The Tick was reading out letters from fans and you couldn't hear the jokes. Thank goodness for DVDs. Yay!
Anyway.
The first episode opens with The Tick and Arthur talking about their time together as superheros. We flash back to see how The Tick first came to The City and met Arthur for the first time. His arrival is typically hilarious, and Arthur is a wonderfully sweet and likable character from the get-go. This first story gives us a great view of The City, with it's scores of superheroes running around bumping into one another (literally at one point). Die Fledermaus and American Maid get little more than cameos and if this episode has a weakness it is the Villians: the Idea Men (the very definition of a one note joke). They wear masks. We can't hear what they are saying. That's it. Funny once, yes. After that? Not so much.
But this is the story of the Tick all the way. "You don't eat crackers in the bed of your future!" he yells at one point. He's crazy. He's idealistic. And he's one of the best superheroes they've ever put on TV.
Stacked. Episode 17. Stranger and stranger. "Stacked" started life as one of the funniest shows on TV. Yet, curiously, all these later episodes are somewhat devoid of laughs. Strange. Gavin, Stuart and Skyler try to reason with a noisy neighbour for most of the the episode. Brian Scolaro and Steve Valentine get laughs, but everyone else falls flat.
Futurama. Season 2, Episode 10. A very funny episode with focus firmly on Professor Farnsworth who - depressed at his advancing years - unveils his clone for the first time. Cubert is a jerk, however, and seems to prove that Farnsworth has created another failure. There are a lot of great gags, as always, but - as with the best Futurama episodes - there is some honest sentiment at the core of the episode, and it makes for a very rewarding outing.
Highlight? Futurama.
Stacked
Monday, December 3rd, 2007
11:30 Stacked
Stacked. Episode 16. Harold's daughter is still on the scene. Gavin is dating her but he feels under pressure to like her because of his friendship with Harold. Not much laughs to be had in this standard sit-com plot. The b-story is likewise lacklustre: John Francis Daley guests as a socially inept new employee at the bookstore. One of the weakest episodes.
Aliens In America, Stacked, Two Guys And A Girl
Monday, November 26th, 2007
07:00 Stacked
07:30 Two Guys And A Girl
08:00 Aliens In America
Stacked. Episode 15. Harold's daughter shows up for a visit, with sleazy new boyfriend in tow. Lots of laughs in this one as the writers weave several plots around the visiting boyfriend: He hypnotises Katrina (a hilarious Marissa Jaret Winokur) into thinking Stuart in really Jude Law in disguise, hits on Skyler and annoys the heck out of Harold (who holds back his opinions for fear of driving his daugher further into the creeps arms).
Two Guys And A Girl. Season 3, Episode 5. A serious contender for Best Ever Episode. Pete tries to treat everyone to a football game but fights about clothes, weddings, food, etc. mean that nobody ever gets out of the apartment for the whole day. All six regulars (including the adorable Jillian Bach) are constantly on-screen and the laughs never stop. Not for a second. Best bits? Sharon doing the Money Dance; Pete repeatedly ditching poor Irene; Sharon and Ashley competing over outfits; and on and on. I've seen this many times and I still laugh like a first time viewer.
Aliens In America. Episode 6 is yet another episode where Justin and Raja have a fight, and make up at the end. Hmm...
Outside of that tedium, the storylines/characters are good. The boys are on a float committee and all the other kids are funny. Meanwhile, on the home front, the Mum is having a panic attack about her advancing years and the Dad is having his very own panic attack about his daughter's advancing years (i.e. her blossoming into womanhood, something no TV Dad is ever ready for. Especially in sitcoms.
Highlight? Two Guys And A Girl.
