Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
05.00 Friends
05.30 The Closer
06.30 House
07.30 Castle
02.00 NewsRadio
02.30 Taxi
Friends. Episode 12. "The One with the Dozen Lasagnas" Paulo makes a pass at Phoebe, Ross tries to avoid finding out the sex of his unborn baby, Joey and Chandler buy a foosball table.
Very-much driven by the ongoing storylines, the show is - by this stage - very different to other sitcoms on the air. David Schwimmer continues to get the biggest laughs in the episodes and our sympathy is with him all the way.
The Closer. Season 5, Episode 15. "Dead Man's Hand" Brenda investigates when it appears that a fellow officer is being beaten by her husband.
A change-of-pace episode that completely fails to work. The idea of Raydor would come to Brenda to investigate this seems crazy. Everything about the early part of the story is strained and impossible to swallow. And, then, when the murder takes place the viewer at home instantly knows what has happened and has to wait ages for the cops on screen to catch up. I hate when that happens.
Mary McDonnell and Brooke Langton make great guest stars, but the material is weak.
House. Season 6, Episode 9. "Wilson" Has cancer returned in Wilson's friend, and former patient?
A change-of-pace episodes that is a real treat to watch. The focus is on Wilson most of the time, so we get to see House's crazy patient roster from an outsider's perspective. And it's funny. And it does wonders to make the entire world of this TV show all a bit more real. In this episode we can see a more normal hospital, and a more a normal doctor at work, and House is just this eccentric guy running around all the time breaking the rules. It's a great new perspective on things.
And that's only for a few scenes. Most of the episode follows Wilson and his patient (Joshua Malina) as they grapple with the mysterious illness, and the ramifications of the treatment. There's lots and lots to watch here. Is Wilson too nice? Is House right about the Joshua Malina guy? And will that guy get back with his (gorgeous) wife? (Katherine LaNasa)
It's a great episode, on many levels, and the final scenes are terrific.
Castle. Season 2, Episode 11. "The Fifth Bullet" Guy with amnesia.
Wow! A great story. Marc Blucas plays the guy with amnesia, who is carrying a book with a bullet from a murder scene around with him, and has Anne Dudek as his wife. Lucky bastard.
Blucas is superb in the central role and the story keeps you constantly wondering. For ages I didn't trust him. Thought he was some super-cool hitman with ice in his veins playing a con on the cops for some reason. As soon as Dudek showed up I was rooting for him to be innocent and for them to get together.
Castle did some great detective work in this one (the plastic bag leading to the dog was genius) and he and Beckett were quite adorable on several occasions.
NewsRadio. Season 3, Episode 10. "Christmas" Dave lets everyone go home early. Bill enlists Beth to help him with a radio advert.
Good episode, with plenty for everyone to do. Even Catherine, the weak link in the cast.
Dave and Lisa's arrival at his parents empty house is a bit odd. It comes from nowhere and there's really nothing that Dave did to deserve this. Or am I missing something? Surely, for it to have meaning (even comic meaning) he should have brought it down upon himself?
Taxi. Episode 10. "A Full House for Christmas" Poker game with Louis' brother Nick.
Very dramatic episode. It's also funny, of course, but the a-story here is deadly serious: two brothers fighting and one trying to get the other one to do something for their mother.
The fact that Louis isn't the nicest person you'd ever meet keeps this from being schmaltz. And the poker game is very tense.
Highlight? Castle (great story)
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Friends, The Closer, House, Castle, NewsRadio, Taxi
