Sunday, August 16th, 2009
07.30 Legend Of The Seeker
08.30 Supernatural
12.00 Good Morning Miami
01.00 Flying Blind
Legend Of The Seeker. Episode 8. "Denna" The BDSM episode.
Despite using the same engine to drive the story as many other episodes this tale is the strongest episode so far, with strong elements of continuity and character development.
Too many episodes of LOTS involve the capture (and eventual rescue) of one of the three main characters. The show needs to stop doing this to completely win me over.
However...
This was still a superb episode. Sure, it was just another episode where Richard was captured but, this time, his captors were very interesting and so was everything that happened to Richard.
Jessica Marais plays Denna, a member of the Mord'Sith, who not only captures our hero but sets out to torture him, dominate him and break his will. (And, yes, she dresses in very sexy red leather gear!). Marais and Craig Horner are fantastic in their roles, playing everything as real and bringing all the pain and sexuality that they can to their roles. By the mid-point of the episode, it's all become rather mesmerising.
Kahlan, meanwhile, gets a superb subplot in which she finds another Confessor who has used her powers to enslave an entire community of people. Her motives are pure, but... her methods upset our heroine and leads to a great dilemma at the end of the episode, as Kahlan is tempted to use the enslaved people to go into battle to rescue Richard.
Continuity has started to make it's presence felt on LOTS. Recent episodes have mentioned a city, followed our heroes to that location in a later episode and - in this story - we watch as they react to something that was said to them in that place. This continuity has most of it's focus on the relationship between Kahlan and Richard, and by the end of this tale both of them have fully declared their feelings and - more importantly - the reasons why they can not (must not) act on those feelings.
The fact that this episode is directed by Michael Hurst reminds me to compare/contrast this series with Hercules and Xena, two very similar shows from the same producers/writers. LOTS differs from it's 'parents' by avoiding the use of tongue-in-cheek comedy. They take everything seriously. They never wink at the camera say: Isn't this funny? And, while I am a huge fan of Xena and Hercules, I feel that LOTS is all the better for keeping things serious.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 15. "Death Takes a Holiday" A town where nobody can die.
A great case-of-the-week, thrilling action, familiar faces, compelling character development and an over-abundance of 'cool' make this one of the all-time greatest episodes of Supernatural.
Again.
A town where nobody can die, huh? What a great story idea. It turns out that Bad Guys of this season's story arc, as part of their Master Plan, have abducted a reaper and (as a consequence) there's a town where nobody can die. No matter what happens to them. Sam and Dean arrive to fix things, and engage in some compelling discussions about the rights and wrongs of what they are doing. Here. And in general.
Their first confrontation with Alastair (now being played, and superbly so, by Christopher Heyerdahl) takes places in a graveyard in the middle of the night. Sam kicks his ass. In style. And it's simply awesome to watch it happen. This is as bad ass as it gets, folks. Later on in the episode, when Sam and Dean become ghosts (their astral projections) we get some more action that will make you cheer at the screen. As cool as Sam and Dean are, they are even cooler when they have superpowers (as it were).
Christopher Heyerdahl is the best thing about this episode (his performance will chill you) but Alastair is not the only familiar face. Tessa (Lindsey McKeon), the reaper from Season Two, is back and - this time - being portrayed in a much better light. Pamela (Traci Dinwiddie) returns to sexually harass Sam (always fun) and Misha Collins pretty almost steals the episode out from everybody with his cameo as Castiel.
But not quite...
This episode belongs to the brothers. While their characters are deeper and more layered than ever before, it's obvious that they have swapped places from their roles in the pilot. Sam is now the dark, agressive one while Dean wants nothing more than to live the life of a normal person. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are doing their best ever work as we watch the boys talk about these issues and in any of the scenes where we see Sam's gradual seduction over to the dark side, and it's impact on their relationship.
Jeremy Carver's script highlight's all that is truly great about Supernatural. And makes for a fitting tribute to Kim Manners (who's untimely passing is referred to at the close of the episode). Here is a show with great weekly stories, that are profound and moving, heart-stopping action, that will make you cheer at the television screen, a rich collection of recurring characters, who you come to care about, and an overall attitude and disposition that makes it, quite simply, the coolest show on TV.
Good Morning Miami. Episode 20. "Someone To Watch Over Gavin" Gavin wants Jake to help him get over his break-up with Dylan (the woman that Jake secretly loves).
A perfect example of how the show's backstory makes for enjoyable stories.
Jake is in love with Dylan, but he's willing to risk a future with her because he's decent enough to want help Gavin cope with his pain (even though Gavin can be a jerk). Even better, Jake asks Penny to help. Penny, who he previously dated...
Complex stuff. The stuff of soap operas, really, but stuff like that does happen in real life, too, and the cast maks it work. Even better, they make it funny. Particularly Constance Zimmer (my favourite cast member).
The subplot is forgettable, but Jere Burns gets some great laughs. Story-wise, it's driven by the fact that Suzanne Pleshette's character doesn't like getting old. Again. Sigh. They obviously haven't a clue how to write Claire.
Luckily, the b-plot only appears in two/three scenes and the rest of this (very good) episode is devoted to the advancing love story.
Flying Blind. Episode 11. "A Woman Under the Influence" Alicia gets jealous when another woman shows an interest in Neil.
Once again the writers have concocted an external element/character to create conflict in the romance between Neil and Alicia, but - this time out - they really have something worthwhile to say and the resulting episode is more than just hilariously funny.
Melissa Christopher plays a hot girl who flirts with Neil at a party. He flirts back. Innocently. Alicia doesn't like it very much, despite the fact that (as Neil points) she is always surrounded by flirting men. It's not a matter of who is right, it's just very interesting to watch them debate it, and deal with it.
Neil flirtatious new friend continues to makes moves on him and the competition between her and Alicia heats up until they end up arguing over him, one night at his parent's house. Neil is so enraptured by this that he grabs a dictaphone to record them. This is truly hilarious, and is easily my favourite scene of the entire series.
From start to finish it's funny stuff and - without doubt - this is a mature take on a very complex issue.
If only all sitcoms were as good...
Highlight? Supernatural (the coolest show on TV)
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