09.00 House
11.30 Prison Break
12.30 The Office
House. Season 5, Episode 19. "Locked In" We get to see things from a patient's point of view.
Ken Levine thinks they ripped off a MASH episode, but I was reminded of "Le scaphandre et le papillon" when I watched this above-average episode of House. Sure, at first, I found the voice-over to be gimmicky and annoying and the very last shot (which suggests that House, himself is 'locked in') was a tad OTT and obvious for my liking, but I really liked this episode.
Because of Taub.
Taub's story is great. It continues from last week and it builds on everything that the character has gone through since first appearing on the show. The ending, too, was wonderful. The script allowed Kutner to come up with all the cool answers and Taub lies to take the credit. Which House is pleased about.
And it makes perfect sense that he would be pleased.
The House/Wilson stuff was kinda tiresome. I don't care anymore about their odd dance of friendship.
And the gimmick of the Point Of View stuff was... okay. But I was glad they - mostly - dropped it during the episode.
Also very cool to see Cameron coming in to give some good ideas.
Prison Break. Season 4, Episode 20. "Cowboys and Indians" Linc and Michael are trapped in the hotel (following the assassination) and must find a way to escape.
Superb. One of the very best episodes of the show and - in my mind - a microcosm of/tribute to the entire first season of the show. Linc has been framed for a murder and Michael goes in to get him out and they are trapped together and must break out. That's the first season in a nutshell and they did it here in one episode. And I loved it.
In general, apart from a couple of weak episodes, I have loved this fourth season. I am annoyed by all the people/reviews who say that they show has gotten more contrived this season, and I'm annoyed by the people who say it isn't as good any more.
The facts are these: It was always a bit contrived and over the top, and it's every bit as good now as it always was. The problem is: the show had to reinvent itself to keep going and people do not like the reinvention. That's fine. But bloody say that! Don't accuse the show of being rubbish because you don't like the direction it took. Those a separate things.
A classic example of perceived fan ownership of a long-running show. When Doctor Who changed direction in the 1980s fans were up in arms because it wasn't what they wanted. That period of Doctor Who has it's own fans (I'm not one of them) and it's more than capable of standing on it's own merits. It was very different to what went before, but it's wasn't necessarily bad. Just different.
This season, the gang on Prison Break became a Mission: Impossible team of sorts. You might not like that very much (I love it) but you should be able to admit, if you stayed with the show, that the scripts have mostly been excellent this season.
Michael's mother isn't the best baddie the show has had, and I'm not sure I like the twist that the two men aren't really brothers, but the show is really entertaining me on a weekly basis. Entertaining me as much as it ever did, and I will miss it next season.
This was a good episode for Don Self. He got to murder an agent on their tail, his own wife was murdered (which made sense, storywise, as we've never met her and aren't invested in her) and he got to survive an attempt to murder him. Good dramatic episode for Mr. Self.
The Office. Season 5, Episode 25. "Cafe Disco" Michael turn his old office into... Cafe Disco!
What a quirky idea. I'd love to sit on Office Writers meetings. How do they come up with this stuff? Michael turns his old office into a disco bar? Crazy. But fun. And sweet.
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Sat, May 9, 09 - House, Prison Break, The Office
