Monday, December 7th, 2009
01.00 Friends
05.00 30 Rock
05.30 Law And Order
06.30 Dexter
07.30 Scrubs
12.00 Black Beauty
Friends. Episode 6. "The One With The Butt" Joey is Pacino's butt double, Chandler is dating a woman with many lovers, Monica is trying to story being a tidy freak.
Shades of stuff here that you won't see on any other sitcom. The while Joey storyline is classic Joey, and classic Friends. It's a character-driven tale. It works because of who Joey is.
The same goes for the Monica storyline. It's only a c-story, really, and it only gets a few short scenes but it establishes Monica as an obsessive compulsive tidy freak and Courteney Cox sells it.
30 Rock. Season 4, Episode 7. "Dealbreakers Talk Show No. 0001" Liz makes a pilot.
One of the cleverest, and best, episodes of 30 Rock. It turns Liz into Jenna (with Jenna called in to talk her down), it turns Frank into Liz, it gives Tracy one of his best-ever stories and it features Dr. Spaceman and Will Arnett. Plus Astronaut Mike Dexter.
Law And Order. Season 19, Episode 22. "The Drowned And The Saved" Jack vs. Shalvoy
Law and Order ends the season on a true high note, with Jack and the team going up against Shalvoy (and his devious wife) again. It's a complex tale, superbly told, full of subtlety and tension in equal measure. It's also one of the best Jack McCoy episodes, highlighting him as one of TV's most heroic characters.
Dexter. Season 4, Episode 10. "Lost Boys" Missing child.
The show rolls out a second truly superb episode in a row, with Dexter going into full hero-mode, dashing around Miami on the trail of a missing child, in the clutches of Trinity (the amazing John Lithgow).
Scrubs. Season 9, Episode 2. "Our Drunk Friend" Lucy's alcoholic patient, Denise's love life.
Another strong episode. Kerry Bishé works well as the new lead, and her storyline is predictable but nonetheless successful. It took me a while to warm to Eliza Coupe's Denise, but she's a real favourite now and her love story with Michael Mosley's Drew will keep me hooked, I feel.
Black Beauty. Episode 3. "The Pit Pony" Vicki meets Billy and they try to save a pit pony on the way to be slaughtered.
Weaker than first two episodes. The plot is basically a re-thread of the first episode with a new hero and a new horse to be saved. The scene where Billy first steals the pit pony is simplistic and silly, and so is Amy's ability - later in the story - to know where the children are and send help.
Having said that, there is plenty here to enjoy. The production looks amazing, particularly the night scenes, and Judi Bowker is radiant and charming in every scene. The relationship between Vicki and Billy is well written and it works, even when the story fails to serve it occasionally.
Highlight? Dexter (truly superb)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Friends, 30 Rock, Law And Order, Dexter, Scrubs, Black Beauty
