07.00 Z Rock
07.30 It's Your Move
08.00 Law And Order
Z Rock. "Episode 4" Another moderately amusing episode with the likable guys of ZO2. Because the show is driven by events that carry from episode to episode it tends to get a bit funnier as things get more complicated every week. This works both in the show's favour and against it. On the plus side, it's fun to see events pile up week after week, but on the negative side it means that new viewers won't be as amused by this episode as people who have been with the show all along. Also when you start a TV show and know that you are going to drag the one story out over many episodes, it's a risk (in a comedy) because your first episode may not be all that funny on it's own. Whereas your tenth episode might be hilarious. The risk is that your first outing may not hook people enough for them to stay around for all ten.
David, Paul and Joey continue to interchangeable. One of them (who knows which one??) is now having an ongoing affair with the record producer's wife who first appeared in episode one. This time out, the producer has hired a private investigator to track her down. Dina (the hilarious band manager) is right by his side for all of this, while (in some clever writing) she is also able to hear (via phone) the man's wife in bed with one of the band members!
I watch this show for Dina.
It's Your Move. Episode 1. "Pilot" Before he found critical acclaim on Arrested Development, Jason Bateman spent a season starring in this absolute gem of a series back in 1984. It died a death in the ratings opposite Dynasty (as the lead-in to St. Elsewhere) but it was bloody wonderful and still stands as one of my favourite comedy series of all time. Batemen excels as Matthew, a teenage conman (in the mould of Sgt. Bilko) who must watch mits on a daily basis with his mother's new boyfriend Norman: the only adult within miles who can see that Matthew is not to be trusted.
The show is great because Bateman is wonderful, because the scripts are clever & funny, and because most of the characters are fleshed out and real. At one point we see Matt stuffing money (from his scams) into his Mom's purse. No schmaltz or false sentimentality in this show, just a blink-and-you-miss-it acknowledgement that Matthew isn't all bad and his efforts to drive Norman away are more about helping his mother find someone who can provide for her than anything else.
The guys behind this show went on to make Married With Children.
Law And Order. Season 18, Episode 9. "Executioner" Death Sentence Gone Wrong! Another one of those great episodes were there are no clear bad guys, just a lot of moral ambiguity. Except for Cutter, who sees the world in black and white. Connie proves her value to the team (yet again) by reining him in at the end of the episode and helping bring about a milder sentence. Michael Rooker and James Rebhorn give great performances in this one. And it's a satisfying, if typical, episode of Law And Order.
Highlight? It's Your Move (clever)
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Mon, Oct 13, 08 - Z Rock, It's Your Move, Law And Order
