07.00 House
08.00 Reaper
09.00 30 Rock
House. Season 5, Episode 22. "House Divided" House treats a deaf kid, while being taunted by his own sub-conscious (in the form of Amber).
For the first ten minutes of this episode I was completely distracted by the joy of having Anne Dudek back on the show. Then, once I realised she as playing a part of House sub-conscious that knew things he did not know he knew... I was completely un-distracted and knee deep in the episode.
Since it had a pretty good case-of-the-week and a real humdinger of a gimmick this ranks as one of the best ever episodes of house. That was before the final minutes, when the story took a very dark twist...
House trying to kill Chase? WTF?!
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 11. "To Sprong, With Love" Sam and the gang must protect a former teacher they all hate from vengeful student recently returned from Hell. Ben prepares to fight a Demon who has an interest in Nina, and Sock becomes the store mascot.
This episode is more driven by the case-of-the-week than recent ones, but the COTW doesn't dominate the episode. Ben and Sock get strong storylines to themselves. The Ben storyline is funny but sweet and romantic, while the Sock tale is pure, unadulterated comedy gold. It ends with him in a brutal fist-fight with a sweet little ol' lady for frak sake. What's not to love?
The ending of this episode is wonderful. The gang sits in a bar together and Andi wonders if they are a bunch of losers. Sock gives a totally cool speech. A speech celebrating the ordinary-ness of these characters. Let's face it, despite being surrounded by Demons and super-powered evil foes on a weekly basis this is an average group of people. They are not like Buffy and her Scooby Gang. Or the sisters on Charmed. Or a million other heroes on a million other similar shows. The heroes on this show spend a lot of time in the local bar, drinking beer and talking about stuff that's going on in their lives. And the show's strength is it's ability to given equal weight to the ordinary/funny stuff of their daily lives while giving equal balance to the crazy stuff that happens in the a-plot every week.
Bret Harrison is a wonderful leading man. He's heroic and dashing like a TV hero, but he carries himself (in this show) like an ordinary schmuck. So it's easy to relate to him and - consequently - the crazy predicament he finds himself in.
Reaper has been cancelled, but it's chances of it returning in syndication look very good.
Click here to find out more. Or here. Help if you can. Please!
30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 19. "The Ones" Salma Hayek returns to the show and we learn that Elisa is a notorious murderer. Of course.
The show finds another way to end a relationship between Jack and his high-profile guest star lover. Turning her into a famous killer is a novel way of doing this. Perfectly 30 Rock. And, I suppose, having the character not appear for several episodes made it easier for the audience to become detached from her, and from them as a couple.
Salma Hayek wearing a Battlestar Galactica t-shirt blew me away, by the way.
Highlight? House (Anne Dudek)
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Tue, May 26, 09 - House, Reaper, 30 Rock
