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)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Fri, Jun 5, 09 - My Boys, In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Party Down
