Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
11.00 Better Off Ted
12.00 Barney Miller
Better Off Ted. Episode 10. "Trust And Consequences" Lawsuit.
About five minutes into this episode, of Better Off Ted, all of the regular character have to step into a meeting and give a deposition, under oath. This is the best illustration I have thus-far seen, in the show, of what a truly superb cast it has. Not only have all five characters been extremely well-defined, but all five cast members can be hysterically funny when given great material.
This is yet another wonderful episode. Story-wise, it's about a test of the bond of trust between Ted and Linda which is resolved when (as is often turning out to be the case) Veronica does something nice behind-the-scenes to look after her team member. Veronica is easily the show's best character, her deposition scene alone will make you laugh for a half hour. But there is more to her than that. She's funny, yes, but she's also very, very interesting. What makes Veronica tick?
Barney Miller. Episode 9. "Vigilante" Inspector Luger appears for the first time, as Barney's men deal with a well-meaning vigilante.
Another example of why I love this show. It's funny, yes, but the best stories are driven by obvious dramatic concerns. The vigilante in this episode is a sympathetic character, and Barney and his men obviously like the guy and (while wanting him to stop) do not want him severely punished for his 'attacks' on muggers. Yet, the D.A's Office has it's own take on things and the cop's hands are tied.
Luger's appears for the first time, but it's not his best episode. The character takes up a little too much screen time and goes on for a little too long. However, this is a minor complaint about another strong episode.
Highlight? Better Off Ted (deposition scenes)
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