06.00 Reaper
08.00 House
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 13. "The Devil & Sam Oliver" Sam challenges The Devil to a contest, Nina agrees to an exorcism.
The final episode of the season brings the simmering plotlines to a conclusion: Sam figures out how to beat The Devil, Andi comes to terms with his evil lineage and Ben and Nina's relationship faces a major crisis. While Sam, Ben and Sock are the main characters of the show it is their lady friends (Nina and Andi) who come best in this episode. Both are written as heroic, selfless and very much in love with the men in their lives.
The character of Andi has been very well written this season. I thought they were making a mistake when she broke up with Sam, but I was wrong. They kept her on the show and kept her as an asset to the team. Her sacrifice in this final episode was an excellent twist. You could see it coming, but it was still a dramatic turning point for the character. Nina, likewise, prepares to make a sacrifice for the man she loves. And, for a light hearted show, her exorcism was successfully scary/thrilling.
Ray Wise and Bret Harrison make a great team in every episode, but seeing them do their thing when their characters are duelling was fantastic. Some of the best moments in Reaper have been when Sam 'steps up' and acts like a hero, and this is no exception. Seeing him go head to head with his foe was thrilling.
Not that it worked.
But the final scene was a wonderful example of why this is such a wonderful and unique show. The team sits side by side, utterly defeated, yet they are happy. Happy in themselves and happy to keep trying.
Matters of evil and evil-doers are not as weighty on this show as they are on shows like Buffy. In this world, the hero always has time to for a beer with his friends and he holds down a mundane job and... he's pretty okay with his lot in life. Yes, there are few things he would fix (and, to his credit, tries to fix) but he just gets up and gets on with his life no matter what.
I loved the ending, and I love Andi for her reaction. Supportive and... likable.
And, if that has to be the last time we see these characters, I feel that (for all their problems) they are in a pretty good place and they will go on just fine.
Reaper has been cancelled, but it's chances of it returning in syndication look very good.
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House. Season 4, Episode 24. "Both Sides Now" Feeling pretty darn good about the sex he recently had with Cuddy, House tries to cure a man who has to deal with a left arm that has a mind of it's own.
A case-of-the-week that's straight from the comic books and a very predictable twist doesn't stop this one from being a very enjoyable episode. The case-of-the-week has a very touching scenes (where the arm is suddenly nice to the girlfriend) and the twist is fun to watch, fun to watch how they pull it off and explain it in the final minutes.
It's clever and it's fun. I'd be more impressed if they had done it over a few weeks. NCIS did a season-long twist that totally worked. They showed us snippets of something (Tony's relationship) and the audience filled in the rest. Incorrectly, as it turned out. House could have done that, I feel, and really pulled off something special. Instead they did it over the course of a few episodes. A few very enjoyable episodes, yes, but - surely - they could have reached a bit higher?
Highlight? Reaper (thrilling)
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Thu, May 28, 09 - Reaper, House
Wed, May 27, 09 - House, 30 Rock, Reaper
07.30 House
08.30 30 Rock
09.00 Reaper
House. Season 5, Episode 23. "Under My Skin" A ballerina is sick, House is still seeing 'Amber'.
This story arc is great. Knowing that 'Amber' is really House's own thoughts makes for fascinating viewing and Anne Dudek is superb in the part. And crazy hot. (I have a thing for evil women. In real life. No, really. I do.)
Anyway.
The case-of-the-week is boring and pushed to b-plot status this week, as House tells Wilson, and later Cuddy, about his hallucinations. Watching him self-diagnose is fascinating. And the things 'Amber' said to him while he was crawling along the floor towards the pill were fascinating also. Why? Because we know that a part of him is thinking this stuff.
It's a great storyline and I have no idea where/how they will resolve it.
Away from House's personal problems and the case-of-the-week, Chase got some quality screentime and a strong story. Only a few scenes. But, still, a strong story.
30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 20. "The Natural Order" Tracy acts responsible and professional, while Liz (to counteract this) becomes more 'one of the guys'. Jack confronts his mother's boyfriend with a speech he wrote to say to his father.
A weak, strained and mostly-unfunny episode of 30 Rock. It's way cool to see Tracy Morgan playing Tracy as dull, hard-working professional but the attempt to make it into a war of equality with Liz falls flat. It's about as funny as any half-developed idea.
Jack's sub-plot was funnier, with the episodes one true laugh out loud moment being the moment were Jack gave his short speech.
But when the total number of laugh out loud moments in an episode of 30 Rock is 1, you know you are watching a weak episode.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 12. "Business Casualty" Sam goes corporate, and sends Nina to rescue his Dad from Hell. Meanwhile Sock has a chance to build the 'perfect' woman.
Another winner. There's no case-of-the-week at all. Rare for Reaper, but not unheard of. Instead, The Devil sends Sam into the world of Big Business and the show puts the sort of crazy twist on things that this show manages so well. Sam's disgruntled rival (Matt Champagne) is responsible for many big laughs. I especially loved the moment where (in the background) we see him take out his anger on a nearby bin.)
Sock, meanwhile, has a shot at dating a demon (Catherine Reitman) and asks her to morph her appearance into his 'ideal woman'. She agrees and he proceeds to amass data and images for her to work with/off.
The scene with Serinda Swan is particularly hilarious. Sock produces a measuring tape and starts taking notes on her face after he meets her in a bar. One of the funniest things I have ever seen.
Likewise, the exchange between Ben and Nina as she prepared to leave for Hell. Simply hilarious.
Reaper is pretty darn close to being the funniest show on TV.
Reaper has been cancelled, but it's chances of it returning in syndication look very good.
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Highlight? House (Anne Dudek)
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Tue, May 26, 09 - House, Reaper, 30 Rock
07.00 House
08.00 Reaper
09.00 30 Rock
House. Season 5, Episode 22. "House Divided" House treats a deaf kid, while being taunted by his own sub-conscious (in the form of Amber).
For the first ten minutes of this episode I was completely distracted by the joy of having Anne Dudek back on the show. Then, once I realised she as playing a part of House sub-conscious that knew things he did not know he knew... I was completely un-distracted and knee deep in the episode.
Since it had a pretty good case-of-the-week and a real humdinger of a gimmick this ranks as one of the best ever episodes of house. That was before the final minutes, when the story took a very dark twist...
House trying to kill Chase? WTF?!
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 11. "To Sprong, With Love" Sam and the gang must protect a former teacher they all hate from vengeful student recently returned from Hell. Ben prepares to fight a Demon who has an interest in Nina, and Sock becomes the store mascot.
This episode is more driven by the case-of-the-week than recent ones, but the COTW doesn't dominate the episode. Ben and Sock get strong storylines to themselves. The Ben storyline is funny but sweet and romantic, while the Sock tale is pure, unadulterated comedy gold. It ends with him in a brutal fist-fight with a sweet little ol' lady for frak sake. What's not to love?
The ending of this episode is wonderful. The gang sits in a bar together and Andi wonders if they are a bunch of losers. Sock gives a totally cool speech. A speech celebrating the ordinary-ness of these characters. Let's face it, despite being surrounded by Demons and super-powered evil foes on a weekly basis this is an average group of people. They are not like Buffy and her Scooby Gang. Or the sisters on Charmed. Or a million other heroes on a million other similar shows. The heroes on this show spend a lot of time in the local bar, drinking beer and talking about stuff that's going on in their lives. And the show's strength is it's ability to given equal weight to the ordinary/funny stuff of their daily lives while giving equal balance to the crazy stuff that happens in the a-plot every week.
Bret Harrison is a wonderful leading man. He's heroic and dashing like a TV hero, but he carries himself (in this show) like an ordinary schmuck. So it's easy to relate to him and - consequently - the crazy predicament he finds himself in.
Reaper has been cancelled, but it's chances of it returning in syndication look very good.
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30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 19. "The Ones" Salma Hayek returns to the show and we learn that Elisa is a notorious murderer. Of course.
The show finds another way to end a relationship between Jack and his high-profile guest star lover. Turning her into a famous killer is a novel way of doing this. Perfectly 30 Rock. And, I suppose, having the character not appear for several episodes made it easier for the audience to become detached from her, and from them as a couple.
Salma Hayek wearing a Battlestar Galactica t-shirt blew me away, by the way.
Highlight? House (Anne Dudek)
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Mon, May 25, 09 - House, 30 Rock, Reaper
06.00 House
07.00 30 Rock
07.30 Reaper
House. Season 5, Episode 21. "Saviors" Cameron comes back to single-handedly run a case for House. Why?
It's got a good case-of-the-week and a genuinely compelling mystery, with regard to why Cameron is back. Having her back is great. Not because I'm a huge fan of the character, although I do like her a lot, but because House is the kind of show that needs to change the status quo to keep it interesting and fresh.
The resolution was satisfying.
Maybe.
It makes sense.
Unless you think about it too much.
Cameron's actions are a bit silly and TV cliché female behaviour. And there's a mystery surrounding her actions simply because she chooses not to confide in anyone. So, while I liked it, I have to say that after years and years of watching House, there is a part of me that wonders why she didn't just tell someone...
Also, this episode marks the surprise return of Anne Dudek. That made me very happy. Anne Dudek rocks. Killing her character off was a huge mistake for the show. Nice to see them bending over backwards to bring her back...
30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 18. "Jackie Jormp-Jomp" Liz adapts to life away from TGS (she was suspended in the previous episode) while Jack urges Jenna to fake her death to gain publicity for her new movie about Janis Jopl- I mean, Jackie Jormp-Jomp.
Lots of goofy gags pinned onto a fairly standard sit-com plot: hero takes a break from regular situation/job and everything falls apart in their absense causing everyone to learn a lesson.
The 30 Rock version of this is wonderful because they make it all their own. For a start, Liz absolutely loves her job and the script has to send her 180 degrees in the other direction in order to make the middle part of the story work. Not many shows could pull this off. 30 Rock does. By the halfway mark, we are ready to believe that Liz doesn't want to go back to TGS. That's remarkable. If they failed to pull that off, the episode would have failed.
Jenna and Tracy continue to be a wonderful team: working together to cause chaos and destruction in Liz's absense. The final scene with all three of them was a hoot.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 10. "My Brother's Reaper" Morgan moves in, and makes moves on Nina. The Devil gives Sam a job outside his job description, and Tony appears.
Two ongoing storylines reach completion in this episode. Morgan is killed. But is sure to reappear. And Ted gets Andi fired. I wasn't expecting either one. One had me shocked and the other had me in stitches.
This show is hilarious. Tyler Labine might well be the funniest guy on TV and the writers come up with fantastic material for him, week after week. The stripper clowns... OMG. Genius idea. Perfect Sock.
Ken Marino returns. Always good. But the show finds a wonderful way to bring the equally awesome Michael Ian Black back for a few scenes. How? Well, he communicates through Karaoke machine. Of course. Watching Michael Ian Black sing it up was a hoot. I kept hoping for more scenes of him singing. They really, really should make this a recurring feature on the show.
Then there was Michael Weaver. Seriously, this show is awesome. So, so funny. With great stories, too.
Reaper has been cancelled, but it's chances of it returning in syndication look very good.
Click here to find out more. Or here. Help if you can. Please!
Highlight? House (Anne Dudek!)
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Sun, May 10, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Kyle XY, Supernatural
05.00 The Big Bang Theory
05.30 Reaper
06.30 Kyle XY
07.30 Supernatural
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 14. "The Financial Permeability" Sheldon lends Penny money, but she can't handle the guilt. So Leonard tries to get her ex-boyfriend to give her back some money that he owes her.
Every line is hilarious and the plot involves Penny, Sheldon and Leonard in clever ways. It advances the friendship between Penny and Sheldon, while being driven (towards the end) by the romantic feelings Leonard has for her. Poor guy. He inadvertently sends the ex-boyfriend back into her life. Great ending. Things taking a turn for the worst, like this, make me really keen to see the next episode.
Kaley Cuoco had a great scene when she was taking the money from Sheldon. She never spoke, but flexed her comedy muscle with her constant taking, putting back and re-taking of the cash. Very, very funny. A stand-out moment in a great episode.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 9. "No Reaper Left Behind" The Devil sends Sam to a teacher, to teach him to be more evil. Sock tries to keep Nina away from Ben. Sam's Dad tries to make his life worth living...
Funny, with several great stories and lots of cool character stuff. Particularly for Andi. I thought they had ruined the character of Andi by making her break-up with Sam. I was wrong. She's continued to be in his corner, even though they broke up, and they've managed to give her lots of quality screentime.
The Alan story arc takes a great turn in this episode. Now that The Devil has gotten Alan back to Hell I assumed the story was over. Not so. The show comes up with a quirky twist: Sam's Dad goes to Hell to find Alan. Goofy or what? I mean, Hell has mobile phone coverage and everything. Great stuff.
Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 8. "Tell-Tale Heart" Kyle and Jessi take a journey inside her memory of the night Sarah left/vanished, Declan tries to fix the friendship between Lori and Hillary, while Josh tries extreme measures to keep his girlfriend from leaving town for good...
A truly superb episode. Anytime Kyle goes into his own holographic memories, it's cool. But Kyle and Jessi wandering around inside her memories together? That's supremely cool. The idea of it is cool, and the execution of it is cool. Plus, it was powerful and dramatic when they figured out the blood was there and - at the end - when they started to hear the heartbeat. That's great television, right there. Innovative storytelling. Two people standing inside a vivid memory, listening to a heartbeat fading all around them... Where else are you gonna see that?
Jaimie Alexander and Matt Dallas were amazing in this episode. And, I must admit, they do make a great couple. It still seems strange to me that Kyle is 'over' Amanda, but his falling for Jessi has turned out to be rather sweet and affecting. The opening and closing scenes, here, were especially sweet.
The other storylines were softer. The sort of stories that I only see on Kyle XY. Soft stories about friendship and family and young love. Well-told stories. Not everyone's cup of tea, of course, but I'm open to any good story well-told.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 6. "Yellow Fever" Dean turns coward!
Another funny episode? Are we getting to the stage where there's too much comedy in Supernatural?
Having said that... I must say that this is a good episode. The opening is great (with Dean being chased by... a cute poodle) and there are several comedy highlights: Dean's scream/squeal when the cat jumps out is a classic. And so is the moment when he runs away and out through the swinging doors. The director (Philip Sgriccia) made great use of the swing doors and knew exactly how to pace/film/edit the gag to make it as funny as possible.
Wonderful stuff.
Comedy aside, this was a good case-of-the-week story. Steph DuVall was particularly noteworthy as the brother of the ghost/murdered man. Great scene, great performance.
All in all, I liked it. But I hope the next one isn't a comedy, too.
Highlight? Kyle XY (innovative storytelling)
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Sun, May 3, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Pushing Daisies, Supernatural
06.00 The Big Bang Theory
06.30 Reaper
07.30 Pushing Daisies
08.30 Supernatural
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 13. "The Friendship Algorithm" Sheldon works out a formula for friendship.
A delightful Sheldon-centric episode. For once, the Sheldon jokes are not driven by the engine of him being annoying to all of the others. Instead, it is a case of "Sheldon Vs. Friendship" and there are many laugh-out-loud moments.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 8. "The Home Stretch" The gang find Alan (who tells them how Sam can beat The Devil), Ben's grandmother doesn't like his new girlfriend (who is, let's face it, a demon), Morgan competes with Sam in his efforts to track an escaped soul and Sock crashes a funeral/memorial to chase a hot blonde (Collette Wolfe, from Observe And Report).
So, all in all, another superb episode of Reaper. The show is now officially an ensemble show, with an abundance of good stories for all the regulars and - more important - a high quota of very funny moments. Sam continues to be a likable hero, Andi has not morphed into an unsympathetic character (like I thought she would) and Sock is... hilarious, like he always was.
The show is completely driven by the characters, their stories and the jokes, and the case-of-the-week aspect takes a total backseat. In this episode, the escapted soul only appears twice in the whole episode.
Comedy Highlight? Anything involving Sock, basically. I loved his pursuit of the adorable Collette Wolfe and the scene where he and Ben pitched the self-sucking straw is one of the funniest things I have seen all week. A self-sucking straw! I love it.
Highlight? Reaper always manages to deliver amazing fight scenes, and the battle with the three escaped souls was no exception. Maybe the fight scenes on Reaper have more impact on me than the fights on other slicker shows because the rest of Reaper is so grounded in reality, that it comes as a big shock to the system to see Sam having to fight for his life, when ten minutes earlier he was having a beer and goofing off.
Pushing Daisies. Season 2, Episode 13. "Kerplunk" Murder in the world of synchronised swimming.
Lily and Vivian return to the show, and return to the water, in the last-ever episode of this adorable series. The Ned/Chuck romance gets several solid scenes, and the Cod/Snook partnership yields many hilarious moments. The guest cast are terrific, too. Wendie Malick and Wilson Cruz are two of my favourites and both are completely on-form here, but the real revelation is Josh Hopkins, who is unrecognisable (and wonderful) as a himbo.
The final two minutes are remarkable. With nothing more than heartfelt narration (kudos to Jim Dale) and a long FX shot, the producers are able to bring the saga to an almost satisfying conclusion. I thought I would be gutted by the abrupt ending of Pushing Daisies (and I am) but the ending was sweet and upbeat and hopeful and... it helped me cope.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 5. "Monster Movie" A black and white episode finds Dean and Sam facing a vampire, a werewolf and a mummy. All in the style of old-time Universal Monster movies.
An enjoyable change-of-pace episode, after the heavy duty stories that opened the season. Back in Season One, Supernatural stumbled when it tried to do comedy episodes, but at this stage in the game the show has no problem flipping between comedy and drama without damaging the integrity of the backstory, or the integrity of the characters.
Highlight? Out of all the good stuff in this episode, my favourite bit of business was the lipstick clue that led Sam to Dean and Jamie. Nice bit of invention, that.
In an unusual moment, it was the guest stars (Todd Stashwick and Melinda Sward) who handled the Big Confrontation at the end, while Dean and Sam were off camera in another room. It's not normally how SN ends it's stories, but it worked just fine here.
Highlight? Pushing Daisies (the final two minutes were wonderful)
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Sun, Apr 26, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Pushing Daisies, Sarah Connor, Supernatural, Parks And Recreation, Phil Silvers
05.00 The Big Bang Theory
05.30 Reaper
06.30 Pushing Daisies
07.30 The Sarah Connor Chronicles
08.30 Supernatural
12.00 Parks And Recreation
12.30 The Phil Silvers Show
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 12. "The Killer Robot Instability" Penny tries to apologise to Howard, after hurting his feelings, while the guys prepare to enter their fighting robot in a contest to the death!
Nice balance of a-plot and b-plot, and a good way to pair up two characters who don't normally share exclusive screentime.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 7. "The Good Soil" The escaped soul, this week, isn't evil. Just a virgin who wants to have sex with a woman he coveted back in the 90s.
Another good case-of-the-week story and a lots of great scenes for the regulars. Even the Andi scenes were good, after last week's misjudged break-up.
I was surprised/disappointed to see Sock's step-sister being written out of the show. Surely there was lots more to do with that character/story?
Pushing Daisies. Season 2, Episode 12. "Water and Power" Cod's ex is a suspect in a murder.
David Arquette continues to be a worthwhile addition to the regular cast, as Gina Torres proves (as ever) to be a great guest star. And a perfect match for Christine Adams. Cod has great taste in women, it must be said.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Season 2, Episode 21. "Adam Raised a Cain" A regular dies a quick, cold death, while John Henry tries to save Savannah, even going so far as to tell lies to Catherine Weaver.
An amazing episode. There is no clear place to begin heaping praise.
The Death of Derek happens fast and without fanfare at the very start of the episode. He is shot down in battle, so fast that you barely have time to register it. And the battle continues around his his dead body. Back in Season One I was terrified that they would kill off this character, but - despite the fact that I am sorry to see Derek/Brian Austin Green go - this was a great resolution to the character's story arc. In fact, it felt like the natural ending to everything that the character has done since he arrived from the future, and another component in make-up of the man that John Connor will become.
The Pre-Titles Sequence was mesmerising, as we realised that the child Savannah was under attack and that AI John Henry was concerned and trying to help save her life. That sequence highlighted a stunning development in the evolution of this great character.
The final scene (after Sarah's brutal arrest) was haunting and wonderful and a perfect example of the style of storytelling that is unique to this show. You watch this scene, you cannot mistake it for a scene from any other show. TSCC has it's own voice and style and makes bold choices. "Donald, Where's Yer Troosers?" sung by a child and an Artificial Intelligence in the body of a killer robot is one of the most haunting things I have ever seen...
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 4. "Metamorphosis" An ordinary married man is changing into something evil. The boys are not sure how to handle this one...
A superb case-of-the-week to take a break (kinda) from the bleak story arc the show is developing. Except that, of course, Sam sees parallels between himself and the poor guy at the heart of the story.
It's a good story, and the show wisely allows the tale to dominate the episode. Jack and his wife take up a lot of screentime and the writers manage to make us invest in them, particularly. Being Supernatural, of course, there is a bleak ending on the horizon and the nature of how Jack's final transformation comes about is tragic.
A shining example of what a great show Supernatural is.
Parks And Recreation. Episode 3. "The Reporter" The adorable Alison Becker (from Z Rock) guests a reporter who asks a lot of awkward questions. Well, not really. Leslie just finds them awkward to answer...
Hard to know to rate this episode. It made me laugh, and I'm liking Leslie more and more but I'm not sure it was wise to do such a serious episode so early on. Namely, the idea of Mark (who's more of an idiot than I first realised) sleeping with someone else, and Leslie being hurt by it.
I suppose the show has to dip it's toes in the waters of serious stories, and this is only the third episode so I should cut them some slack.
Bottom line: lots of funny lines. I'm really like the idea of a running gag based around the inappropriate paintings in the halls of the building where Leslie works.
The Phil Silvers Show. Episode 4. "The Horse" Bilko uses the platoon's money to buy a horse.
A wonderful get-rich-quick-scheme that proves more complicated than Bilko was ready for. There are two absolutely superb gags in this episode. Gags that never fail to make you laugh no matter how many times you see them.
First, there is the sequence where Colonel Hall keeps waking in the night to the sound of a horse running around Fort Baxter. It's very funny the first time it happens, but later (when one of Bilko's men has added headlights to the horse so the rider/trainer can see better) the gag gets truly wonderful. Hall wakes to the sound of horse hooves and - when he goes to check - he keeps getting blinding by the lights, which adds to his considerable confusion. Poor guy. I've been laughing that sequence for the past thirty years and it only gets funnier every time I see it.
This is also the episode where Bilko cons four of his men into taking part in an experiment where they have to eat oats. The fast-talking Sergeant is at his very here. This scene highlights the manipulative genius of Sgt. Bilko the character, and the performing genius of Phil Silvers the man. The scene is more than just funny, it is beautiful. Comedy perfection.
Highlight? The Sarah Connor Chronicles ("Donald, Where's Yer Troosers?")
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Sun, Apr 19, 09 - Reaper, Pushing Daisies, Supernatural, The Office
06.00 The Big Bang Theory
06.30 Reaper
07.30 Pushing Daisies
08.30 Supernatural
01.00 The Office
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 11. "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" Penny dates Michael Trucco, while Sheldon searches for a Christmas gift for her.
Wonderful on every level. It was funny, it advanced the Penny/Leonard love story and it had solid character moments amid the laughter. The ending, too, was wonderful.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 6. "Underbelly" is a lovely change-of-pace episode which finds the gang visiting a small town on the trail of a soul who inhabits the local mine. They encounter a very odd town Sheriff (always superb Stephen McHattie) and have lots of hilarious mis-adventures.
I've really been enjoying the character of Andi this season and her being part of the team. Until this episode, that is. At this point she gets very serious and turns majorly bitchy over the fact that Sam is the Son Of Satan and all that jazz. The episode ends with her breaking up with Sam. Meaning, of course, that she stops being a fun and interesting character and starts being exactly like the hundreds of unsupportive wife/girlfriend characters that TV loves to throw at us in the name of faux conflict.
Sigh.
It's boring and it's not real conflict. The guy is a frakkin' hero, and there is nobody at home who will agree with her. So, a boring story development and a guaranteed way to make viewers dislike Andi. Or in my case: dislike Andi again.
Sigh.
Pusing Daisies. Season 2, Episode 11. "Window Dressed to Kill" Two of Olive's friends escape prison and she helps them, while pretending to be engaged to Ned.
Wonderful Olive-centric episode. Kristin Chenoweth sings again and I love her just a little bit more than I already did. They need to have her sing in every episode.
It's another goofy story of murders in odd professions, and it pairs Chuck with Emerson very successfully, but what makes this episode/show wonderful is all the dead-on things it has to say about love, lonliness, heartache and longing. It's crazy, way-out there fantasy but the emotions are real.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 3. "In the Beginning" Castiel sends Dean back to April, 1973, where he meets his parents in one of the show's best-ever episodes.
An absolute series high this one. Not only because time-travel is cool and it's even cooler than they found a way to make it part of the Supernatural storytelling arsenal but because the story is ultra-dark and the final 15 minutes are packed with shock after shock. I was really blown away by everything in that last third. Once Dean told his grandfather who he really was the episode went from being an A+ ten out of ten story and raised itself up to become something every more magnificent. It really explains much of the backstory of the show in a new light (no mean feat after four seasons) and it builts to a cliff-hanger to makes you desperately want to come back and see what happens next.
Awesome.
The Office. Season 5, Episode 22. "Heavy Competition" Michael vs. Dwight.
How long did it take them to get those gags with the cheese puffs just right? Who knows? It was worth it.
Again, this episode is a series high. A major story-arc late in Season 5? Genius idea. Every show (particularly House) should do stuff like this to keep things from getting stale.
Highlight? Supernatural (one of the best-ever episodes)
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Sun, Apr 5, 09 - Reaper, Kyle XY, Supernatural
06.00 Reaper
07.00 Kyle XY
08.00 Supernatural
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 5. "I Want My Baby Back" Can Sam save a baby from the clutches of the Devil?
Another winner. With solid (and mostly funny) storylines for all of the characters this show is a real treat. Every story is fresh and unique to this show and the series has created a very distinct voice for itself in the television landscape.
Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 7. "Chemistry 101" Kyle organises a Latnok party, with a view towards winning Amanda back.
One of the best episodes. After several episodes of standing still and going back over old story ideas, the show has leapt forward with these Latnok episodes. Now, suddenly, Kyle has a new set of people in his life and whole new set of problems. Jessi is very much my favourite character in the show - who could resist all those one-liners? - but I hope the show doesn't opt to make her and Kyle a couple. I still want him to be with Amanda. And it's the show's great credit that it gets me involved, and caring so much, in this storyline.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 2. "Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester" Several ghost of previously seen characters come back to get the boys.
Superb. It's always great when shows bring back favourite characters from seasons gone by. It's even better when - as is the case here - the characters are dead and we never expected them to come back. Nicki Aycox - the best star the show has ever had - is amazing here as the real Meg.
Also worth noting: this episode is an action fest from start to finish. It's not structured like normal case-of-the-week episodes. The boys (and Bobby) are attacked near the start and spend the rest of the episode defending themselves from relentless attacks. Nice.
Highlight? Supernatural (Nicki Aycox)
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Sun, Mar 29, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Buck Rogers, Reaper, Kyle XY, Supernatural
04.00 The Big Bang Theory
04.30 Buck Rogers
06.30 Reaper
07.30 Kyle XY
08.30 Supernatural
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 9. "The White Asparagus Triangulation" Sheldon tries to 'help' Leonard in his new relationship.
Very funny. Sheldon is paired with Penny for several scenes, all hilarious, and spends the rest of the episode annoying Leonard and his new girlfriend. The other two are sidelined a bit, and Leslie is completely left out. Again. I thought she was being added to the cast full time. What gives?
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Episode 1. "Awakening" An astronaut is frozen for 504 years and awakes to find Earth at war with an evil Empire.
The story is silly, but Gil Gerard is good fun and Pamela Hensley and Erin Gray are two of the sexiest women to ever appear on TV. Princess Ardala is a surprisingly well crafted character. She's out to enslave the Earth, but her motives make her rather sympathetic and - just like Buck - we end up liking her and being glad she gets away in the end.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 4. "The Favorite" Sam has to work with another son of The Devil.
Donavon Stinson gets several funny scenes and the show seems more like an ensemble show than ever before. Everyone has something important to do and it's usually very funny. Sam is still the main character, but he's not in every scene now and the cast are strong enough to carry the show even when Sam (and the show's premise) are no onscreen. Armie Hammer makes a great impression in his first episode.
Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 6. "Welcome to Latnok" Kyle joins Latnok.
Superb. This should have been the season premier. For the first time this season, it feels as if the show is actually moving forward (not standing still) as Kyle joins the team at Latnok and - in the closing seconds - finally finds out about Jesse's feelings for him. They wasted too much time this season going nowhere. Finally, it feels as if the story is progressing again.
Supernatural. Season 4, Episode 1. "Lazarus Rising" Dean is back, but nobody understands how?
Clever, enjoyable season opener. With Dean dead I was expecting the show to focus on Sam and how he was coping. Wrong! We open with Dean rising from the grave and follow his journey of confusion until he is face to face with his brother again. Didn't expect that. Really pleased that they wrong footed me.
The ending was superb. I did not think they could come up with a strong, compelling reason for Dean's return. I was wrong there, too. Misha Collins made a fantastic debut and the new story arc (if that is, in fact, what it is) appears to be very interesting indeed.
Highlight? Kyle XY (Jesse tells Kyle she likes him)
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Sun, Mar 22, 09 - Reaper, Battlestar Galactica
05.30 Reaper
06.30 Battlestar Galactica
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 3. "The Sweet Science" Boxer.
Usually, the case-of-the-week isn't very strong - or, indeed, very important - on Reaper. The show has settled into a groove where the characters, the comedy, the ongoing stories are the most important thing. But this week is an exception: the story of the boxer who escaped hell to win a title honestly was very good. Unlike all the other escapees on the show he wasn't out to kill people and he was basically a nice guy who, in his previous life, had given in to temptation.
I thought the dilemma that Sam faced with this case was great and I really enjoyed the ending (corny though it may have been).
Aside from the boxer storyline, this was one of the funniest every episodes of Reaper. Jenny Wade was hilarious as Ben's new girlfriend, and The Devil at the AA meeting was priceless.
Best bit? The sub-plot where Sock created a fictional employee called Les Nessman. Wow. Les Nessman, huh? Reaper is the coolest show on TV.
Battlestar Galactica. Season 4, Episode 20. "Daybreak, Part 2" The end of the journey.
The final episode of BSG is wonderful and overwhelming. No review I would write at this point would do it justice, so I'm going to pick out a few points and leave it at that.
The Action. The first half (or middle third of the entire 'Daybreak' movie) is truly action-packed and thrilling. Every major character gets their moment of glory (with Baltar's scenes being my favourite) and the sight of the Galactica physically smashing into the colony is one of the coolest things they have ever shown on the series.
Baltar. I spent various scenes of the movie in tears and it started very early, when Baltar made the right choice and opted - finally - to go with fleet and try and save Hera. That moment was wonderful.
Baltar and Six. They worked together to bring humanity to her downfall (in the pilot) and they worked together to kick-start a whole new life for humanity (in the finale). Epic symmetry.
Starbuck. I went into this movie wanting more than anything to know what the frak Starbuck was. And... they never told us. They actually made a point of deliberately not telling us. And I loved it better that way than any answer they could have given us.
The Various Goodbyes. The final hour of the movie was a series of goodbyes, as the surviving characters said good-bye to one another and - of course - to us. The most poignant, for me, was the final scene with Tyrol and his final fate. In much the same way that the final fate/destiny of Lennier is the one that has haunted me the most from Babylon 5, I suspect it is the destiny of Tyrol that will stay with me most vividly in the years ahead. It was/is epic and lonely in a way that television storytelling rarely manages.
Highlight? Battlestar Galactica (good-bye)
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Sun, Mar 15, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Kyle XY, Supernatural
05.00 The Big Bang Theory
05.30 Reaper
06.30 Kyle XY
07.30 Supernatural
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 7. "The Panty Piñata Polarization" Penny and Sheldon go to war, while the other guys try to find the Next Top Model house.
Wonderful. Hilarious. Driven by the character traits of Sheldon and Penny. Since Leonard secretly helps Penny in the end, this cleverly keeps the possibility of romance between them going without actually boring us by writing about it.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 2. "Dirty Sexy Mongol" There's a mongol on the loose, and Ben meets a demon...
They've got a good story arc going (Andy) and they start up another good one (Ben). They have a solid case-of-the-week (which takes up very little screen time) and they have (wisely) made Andi a productive member of the team.
But Tyler Labine and the 'love story' between Sock and his 'sister' completely steals the episode. Eriko Tamura is a perfect match for him and their scenes are hilarious.
Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 5. "Life Support" Nicole might die.
The first half is awful, and the second half is very good.
Kyle is trapped with a pregnant woman and must deliver her baby. This sort of nonsense happens to TV heroes all the time and I'm at a loss to figure out why. It doesn't ever happen in real life, yet hundreds of main characters in various shows have stumbled into situations where they must deliver babies. Isn't it about time it stopped?
An event like this kinda makes sense within a show like Kyle XY, but they fail to do anything with it and the pregnant woman in question is seriously obnoxious and annoying. One of the least sympathetic TV characters I have ever seen. I wish this had been 24, because Jack Bauer would probably have shot her.
Anyway, the second half (with Kyle doing a deal with the latest mysterious organisation to plague him, in order to save Nicole's life) was much better.
It's also worth noting that the show has killed Adam Baylin. Again. What's with that? Is the show running out of ideas, or what? Why re-do that storyline from last season?
Supernatural. Season 3, Episode 16. "No Rest for the Wicked" Dean is ripped apart by hell hounds and dragged off to Hell.
While Season 2 was the best season so far, Season 3 had a much better story arc and the writers did more with it on a week to week basis. Using it as a means to do great things with the regular characters and their relationship.
Even if this wasn't the end of the season and the end of the story arc, it's an episode with a superb case-of-the-week (creepy little girl holds her family hostage). But, in an episode this good, the little girl story fades into the background somewhat.
Best bit? In an episode full of strong scenes, the final shot of Dean trapped and suffering stands out.
Highlight? Supernatural (great ending)
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Sun, Mar 8, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Supernatural, Kyle XY, Lost
05.00 The Big Bang Theory
05.30 Reaper
06.30 Supernatural
07.30 Kyle XY
12.30 Lost
The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 6. "The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem" I've often wondered if they would/could give Sheldon a love interest/girlfriend. Even for one episode. Guess what? They found a way to do it. And it's spectacular. Jokes work here that would never work on any other show.
Riki Lindhome is wonderful, I hope we see her again.
Reaper. Season 2, Episode 1. "A New Hope" Sam must capture 40 bad guys at once.
Great to see the show back. But this doesn't feel like a season premier. Or anything special. This could be any episode, really. Except for the fact that the boys have been away for four weeks, there is nothing to distinguish this from any other episode.
But that's not a flaw. Any normal episode of Reaper is a treat and this one sure is. The case-of-the-week has a nice twist and all of the scenes with the three guys are very funny.
Supernatural. Season 3, Episode 15. "Time Is On My Side" Billy Drago guests as killer who has found eternal life.
Pretty good case-of-the-week is made even better by tying it into two ongoing story arcs. Clever.
This would appear to be the end of the Bela storyline. I'm not bothered. She started off okay, but - by her second episode - became boring and unsympathetic. I'm not sure about the flashbacks. She certainly had a sad past. Are we meant to feel sorry for her? I didn't. She had her parents killed and she was willing to kill Sam and Dean.
Highlight? Guest turns from Billy Drago and Steven Williams.
Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 4. "In the Company of Men" Kyle gets drunk while out on the town.
The strongest episode of the season so far. Flawless. For once, Jessi doesn't steal the episode out out from everyone. She's still very funny, but Matt Dallas plays a blinder as a drunken Kyle. He really manages to make a drunken Kyle funny without every turning him into a clichéd TV drunk.
Lost. Season 3, Episode 20. "The Man Behind the Curtain" Ben takes Locke to meet Jacob and flashbacks show us Ben early life on the island: 1977-1992.
I watched this to see more about Horace Goodspeed and life in the DHARMA Initiative in the 1970s. I'd forgotten that this was the episode where Ben takes Locke to the cabin and I'd totally forgotten how creepy it was.
It's a great episode. The Ben backstory was tragic. I forget how I felt about the character back then, but I'm a huge fan now so it's sad to see such a painful upbringing.
Highlight? Lost (the cabin scenes scared me)
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Sun, May 25th, 2008 - New Amsterdam, Reaper, Supernatural
06:30 New Amsterdam
07:30 Reaper
08:30 Supernatural
New Amsterdam. Episode 8. "Love Hurts" For once, the case-of-the-week wasn't bad and (except for a really stupid idea at the end when John pretends to leave the force to con a suspect) it was an above average episode of New Amsterdam. Also unusual for this show, the flashback wasn't all that interesting. What I really liked, however, was all the relationship stuff. Now that he's been shot and come back from the dead again John has started to lose interest in his romance with Sara. Of course, in keeping with his character, he doesn't say anything about it but we can see it happening in countless, wonderful scenes. Wonderful in the sense that they are well observed, well played and very honest. Even though we have only known these characters a short while, it was a sad to see them come to an ending like this. Yes, the show had flaws but if FOX had stayed with it, I would have stayed with it.
Reaper. Episode 18. "Cancun" end the first season of Reaper in fine style. The critical apathy towards this show puzzles me. It's so much fun, how come the critics aren't in love with it? Ben storyline has run it's course, so the writers give Sock a crazy storyline. At least, I hope we see Cindy Sampson again next season (Those horns were hot. Freaky, but hot.). Michael Ian Black returns to the show and it was great to see Steve again and see where he has ended up. Ken Marino gets better every week and he was awesome in this episode in all of Tony's scenes with Sam. It was a great episode, full of laughs and revelations. Can't wait for Season 2!
Supernatural. Episode 21. "Salvation" is a wonderful change of style for this show. We get to see here what the show would be like if it was about the brothers and their dad. And, guess what, it would still be fantastic!! Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays it like he really is the star of the show, and his scenes on his own are the absolute highlight of the episode. His trick with the holy water to stop the bad guys was one of the cleverest things I've ever seen. Awesome. Nicki Aycox is better than ever as Meg. She brings some serious menace to the role while saying everything with a big smile. Awesome.
Highlight? Reaper
Sun, May 18th, 2008 - Scrubs, Moonlight, Reaper, Supernatural, New Amsterdam, Blood Ties
04:30 Scrubs
05:30 Moonlight
06:30 Reaper
07:30 Supernatural
08:30 New Amsterdam
11:30 Blood Ties
Scrubs. Season 6, Episodes 21 & 22. "My Rabbit" & "My Point Of No Return" There's a lot of wacky comedy (at one point a pot plant gets up and walks away!) but the core of these two episodes is very serious: JD is trying to decide whether to make a go of things with Kim (who is carrying his child). Meanwhile, Elliot has to decide about her marriage.
Moonlight. Episode 16. "Sonata" A great finish to a great series. Sure, they left a lot of things up in the air, but they really went out with a great episode. The story gives us another view inside Vampire Society and introduces us to a tragic couple. The couple are used to make Mick and Beth (and us!) think about their future together. And it works. Superbly. The vampire couple reach a sad end and it prompts our favourite couple to do some hard-thinking. The ending won't leave a dry eye in the house, but - at least - you do feel that you've seen a story to it's ending.
Reaper. Episode 17. "The Leak" Another hoot. This is easily the best of the case-of-the-week stories so far. This guy isn't scary at all, in fact he's charming. A bit of a rogue. It makes a refreshing change to have the bad guy calling round to Sam's place and inviting him out for a night on the town! Ben's ongoing story-arc reaching a funny conclusion, too. I love this show!
Supernatural. Episode 20. "Dead Man's Blood" Since vampires are quite an ordiary foe (for this show), the writers (wisely) bury them in an episode that is really about something else: the boys' father shows up and leads them into battle. At this stage in the series the characters are so well-crafted that it is easy to predict how this will pan out. And it goes as expected. With one or two surprises (Dean standing up to his dad) and some very emotional scenes (Sam hearing about his college tuition) along the way. This ranks as one of the best episodes so far.
New Amsterdam. Episode 7. "Reclassified" is adequate. Which isn't good enough, I suppose. The cop story isn't actually bad, but it is painfully predictable. John is asked by his dying partner to find out who shot him many years ago. The identity of the killer is obvious from early on, so there's nothing left to watch far except a few flashbacks showing us John's early days on the police force. The flashbacks are pretty good (he was quite an angry guy back then) but there are very few of them this week. It's a passable enough episode, I suppose, but sadly nothing to get excited about.
Blood Ties. Episode 7. "Heart of Ice" Excellent. Vicki's case-of-the-week finds her (and Henry) going up against a windigo. The story moves fast and has a couple of great, fast moving fight scenes. Mike, meanwhile, is contacted by a mysterious stranger who knows everything about Henry and confirms Mike's suspicions the smooth-talking vampire is a deadly killer and not to be trusted. Hoping to protect Vicki Mike makes some very stupid choices. The three-way love story between Vicki and the two men in her life is the best aspect of this cool show, so it's interesting to see matters coming to a head this fast. Can't wait to see what happens next after than stunning cliffhanger...
Highlight? Moonlight
Wed, May 14th, 2008 - Moonlight, Reaper, Flight Of The Conchords
08:00 Moonlight
09:00 Reaper
12:30 Flight Of The Conchords
Moonlight. Episode 15. "What's Left Behind" is a bit of mixed bag. It has a great story, the promise of great developments for the show's future (ha!) and a major advancement for the character of Beth. It's great. But it also has a really lame bad-guy (lots of false tension at the climax: why would he bother to go after Beth? That makes no sense.) and it totally backs away from the idea of giving Mick a family. Shame. One of the strengths of (the very similar) New Amsterdam is that he has offspring. In fact, they did a very similar episode on NA. And they handled this aspect much better, it must be said.
The story here, however, is great. Mick investigates the kidnapping of a child, a child that may - in fact - be his grandson. We get some great flashbacks to his pre-vampire life and it fits in wonderfully with what we know about him. It's also interesting to see him falling in love with a woman who so closely resembles the woman he would eventually marry. By doing this, the writers show us that Mick has a specific type and show us how much of a departure Beth is for him. It's great.
He's always gone for femme fatales (bad girls). Beth is so the opposite of them. She's consequently perfect for him. Her self-sacrifice is astonishing. Giving up her job so that she can stay close to him? Wow. But, it's so frustrating that they are taking it so slow in this relationship. The scenes between Mick and Beth are electric. He pours his heart out, and she gazes at him her eyes full of tears of understanding and empathy. Why couldn't we get one kiss in the middle of all this? Just one kiss?
With regard to Beth on her own, this episode does wonders for her. Without the crutch of Buzz Wire to get her involved in stories, the writers use her own abilities. She comes across as a clever and resourceful detective in this one, and it make sense that she would be offered a job at the end. Great stuff. Can't wait to see how this plays out in the second season (ha!).
One lame villain aside, this is still a fun episode of Moonlight.
Reaper. Episode 16. "Greg, Schmeg" I've been looking forward to this episode so much. Looking forward to seeing Andi function as part of the team. And, to my surprise and delight, the show does something it never did before: Sam has no case-of-the-week to solve and the show tells a completely original story. Wow. And a great one it is, too. Something is coming after the team. And - whatever it is - it definitely didn't come from Hell. What the frak is going on? Clever, funny and exciting. Typical of Reaper.
Now that they are giving Missy Peregrym something to do, she is great. Her performance as the mildly brainwashed Andi was delightful. Delightful is also the word to use to describe Ben's storyline. Married to Lucy Davis? How awesome is that? And how awesome is she? The episode's funniest scene came at the very end when Ben, his wife and his girlfriend explained their "lifestyle choice" to Ted. Hilarious. Donavon Stinson needs to be given more to do on this show.
Flight Of The Conchords. Episode 8. "Girlfriends" Once again, the show delivers it's best-ever episode. Bret and Jemaine enter the dating scene at the same time, with predicably un-predicable results (and two great new songs). It's hard to pick out a comedy highlight. Eliza Coupe (soon to star on Scrubs) is hilarious as Bret's sex-mad girlfriend. Bret, like most men, is reticent to enter into sexual relations. Understandable. But there's just no stopping her. She uses him, abuses him and then lies to him to ditch him (she says she's shipping out to the war as a sniper!!). June Raphael is just as awesome as Jemaine's lady. Jemaine envies the active sex life that Bret is leading but is somewhat inept when it comes to starting one for himself and his girlfriend. His best attempt is surely his "I don't want to have sex with you" line. Raphael is priceless in this scene. Bewildered and annoyed and impatient in equal measure.
Murray, meanwhile, meets the brother of Quincy Jones and does some major band business: He buys a stereo system.
Every scene is superb. Worthy of instant rewatching. And the songs are fantastic, too. One is entirely made up of random, but popular, French phrases. Genius.
Highlight? Flight Of The Conchords.
Sun, May 4th, 2008 - Moonlight, Reaper, Supernatural
06:30 Moonlight
07:30 Reaper
08:30 Supernatural
Moonlight. Episode 14. Click. My reviews of this show are repeditive. I always end up saying the same stuff: It looks cool and stylish, it tells good stories, it has superb action sequences and it has a sweet romance at it's core. Yet, this case-of-the-week driven episode is nothing like the last few episodes. In a ripped-from-the-headlines storyline an A-list actress dies and Mick and Beth investigage. The episode opened with a slick car chase, which was a lot of fun to watch. The story gave both Mick and Beth a reason to be jealous of someone their partner was with, yet it avoided making either character behave in a juvenile or predictable way. When Mick left Beth and ran off to talk to the girl of the week, Beth didn't pout or act like a child. She was like a real person. And the episode was littered with simply adorable moments of them as a couple. Beth has won me over. She's nothing like Coraline, so I can see why Mick would go for her.
The episode's best scenes were the ones devoted to Josef. First, a cool scene with Mick which reflects how their relationship has changed. Second, a chilling scene with Beth where she goes to him in a time of need to do something horrible... to protect Mick. A great twist. I love it!
Reaper. Episode 15. Coming to Grips. Best! Episode! Yet! Making Andi a part of the team makes her more interesting and makes the show more interesting. As usual the case-of-the-week is kept in the background and is only used to prop up the goodness that is Reaper. And what goodness! Sock in a relationship? Ben married? And, best of all, all of the stuff with Andi. So funny. Even the case-of-the-week was hilarious. And the twist at the end? Man, this show is so awesome right now.
Supernatural. Episode 19. Provenance. Flawless. This show continues to illustrate the relationship between the brothers in a new light and I never tire of seeing that. Dean urging Sam to date was both funny and sweet. In equal measure. And, for the second time in a row, we see Dean playing mentor/protector to Sam. Taylor Cole is wonderful as the girl who Sam is interested in and the show makes a wise choice is making her part of the team for one episode. It shakes up the formula, gives us someone to worry about during the climax and... she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. On TV. This week. I think.
Highlight? Reaper: Kandyse McClure was in it!!
Moonlight, Reaper, Supernatural, Blood Ties, Taxi
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
06:30 Moonlight
07:30 Reaper
08:30 Supernatural
11:30 Blood Ties
12:30 Taxi
Moonlight. Episode 13. Fated To Pretend. I think I was more exited by the return of Moonlight, than I was by the return of Lost. Crazy, huh? Well, not really. Moonlight left it's characters in lots of bother. Mick is no longer a vampire and he and Beth are no longer on great terms. Plus, Coraline (my favourite character) is in a lot of danger. No wonder I was eager to see the show return! Did it disappoint?
Well, I was disappointed to see Coraline left out, but it was still a fantastic episode. The show still looks cool and stylish, it tells good stories, has superb action sequences and has a sweet romance at it's core. A regular character that I found annoying is killed off (yay!) and the resulting case-of-the-week is one of the best the show has done. Since it spirals off into three different directons. The episode made more use of Josef than normal and that is always a good thing. Seeing him kick ass at the end was awesome. The end of the episode was predictable, but no less effective for it. Sad. But that was a great kiss.
Reaper. Episode 14. Rebellion. This cool show returns with one of it's best episodes. The case-of-the-week is only given a few scenes and is totally resolved by the mid-point of the episode. Josie, Ted and Andi get screentime and the show is better for it. I've never liked Andi, but I will admit that the scenes between her and the show's hero were fantastic. Romantic and sweet. What about, um, his girlfriend? If the show gives Andi more screen time like this, and lets her in on the secret, then I will warm to the character very fast.
Anyway, the meat and potatoes of this show was the story of the Demon's living next door and their plans to overthrow The Devil. Half hilarious and half scary, it was an inspired storyline. This show has great dialogue. Some of the stuff coming out of the mouths of demons and The Devil is hilarious. Plus there is the incredible sense of menace that Ray Wise brings to the role. I was quite nervous for Sam as the Demons put their plans into action. A great episode, a great twist and lots of laughs. How could this be on the verge of cancellation?
Supernatural. Episode 18. Something Wicked. A solid outing. The case-of-the-week is strong, and it fits nicely into the backstory for the brothers and their relationship. There's a great quote at the end, where Dean wishes Sam didn't have to see the crap that he does, and the ep contains some nice flashbacks to the early 90s showing their Dad on the road on a job.
Blood Ties. Episode 6. Love Hurts. Back on form for this outing. Vicki is hired by a suspicious husband and - of course - his wife turns up dead before long. And everything is happening a place a lot like Wisteria Lane. The strengths of this show are good stories (and this one has a nice twist where the demon isn't the killer) and great chemistry between the characters. It's fine when Vicki and Henry are on-screen and doing their PI thing, but the show really gets good when Coreen and Mike are on-screen, too, and all four characters are working together. Vicki is cool (she's also hot, it must be said) and there's a lot of fun to be had from watching her trying to control her little group and stop them from squabbling.
Taxi. Episode 33. Elaine's Secret Admirer is one of the most beautiful scripts I've seen them use on the show. Elaine is feeling down, so Jim sends her love poems to cheer her up. Eloquent, beautiful love poems. But he keeps it a secret, because he knows how disappointed she would be to know who is sending them. And, of course, he's right. There are no happy endings in Taxi, but a lot of sweet genuine people. And lots of laughs, too. That final scene, where Jim builds a castle in Elaine's living room before walking out into the night, is a real classic. Wonderful and beautiful.
Highlight? Moonlight
Beverly Hills 90210, Reaper, New Amsterdam, Supernatural
Sun, Mar 30th, 2008
06:30 Beverly Hills 90210
07:30 Reaper
10:00 New Amsterdam
11:00 Supernatural
Beverly Hills 90210. Season 7, Episode 2. Steve and Kelly take centre-stage in this very enjoyable episode. A Beach Club Reunion Party brings up bad memories and Steve confesses to past crimes against Kelly. Great acting (from both) and strong character work. I love the fact that, for all their conflicts and fights, the characters in this group really do love one another and will always try to do the right thing at all times.
Reaper. Episode 13. The backstory for this show is well evolved at this stage. Once again, the case-of-the-week gets very few scenes and we spend most of our time with the characters and their various problems. The show has introduced two fabulous new characters and it's lots of fun seeing them fit into the mix. This is also the first time Andi has played a part in the action finale and it will be interesting to see where the writer's take her now. Hopefully onto the team. As it stands now, she is just an annoying minor character, but if she was one of the good guys it might make her more interesting. Sorry, but I don't buy the romance storyline at all. I like The Devil's Daughter more (even if she's not actually his daughter). Putting Sam with a dangerous girlfriend is a lot more fun.
New Amsterdam. Episode 4 and the show hits one out of the ball park All aspects of the story are truly excellent this week. The romance storyline is full of twists and very romantic and cool to watch. The case-of-the-week is thoughtful and interesting and full of twists. The flashback storyline is fascinating and very suspenseful (at the very end). The show is finding it's beat very quickly, and establishing itself as an very intelligent fantasy show (that looks a lot like a Law And Order show!).
Supernatural. Episode 14. Wow. Sam's visions lead the boys into one of the show's best stories. A battered child grows up and takes revenge. It's grim stuff, scary in places and full of great twists. Brendan Fletcher is, hands-down, the best guest star the show has delivered thus far and his character's story is genuinely tragic and very affecting. The upsurge in Sam's powers is a great way to open up the show even more. Not that it needed it.
Highlight? New Amsterdam
Beverly Hills 90210, Moonlight, Reaper, New Amsterdam
Sun, Mar 23rd, 08
04:30 Beverly Hills 90210
05:30 Moonlight
06:30 Reaper
07:30 New Amsterdam
Beverly Hills 90210. Season 7, Episode 1. My favourite scenes in this premier episode are the ones with Valerie. Aside from the fact that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was easily the hottest girl they ever had on the show, I was always a huge fan of the Valerie character. This episode shows her at her most vulnerable:her business is having problems and she feels lonely living in the house alone (while Steve and Brandon are driving across the country). My favourite scene is when she realises that Steve is back and she is so genuinely overjoyed. Aside from the Valerie stuff, I enjoyed watching Donna and David squabble while making a video for a rock star. It was well written and well played.
Moonlight. Episode 12. Moonlight is a show of considerable visual style. Part of what has helped it to create such a strong identity for itself. A weak Beth sup-plot (she thinks she's found Josh's mistress) doesn't spoil another great episode. Coraline is back, and with her comes the backstory which finally explains how she was cured of being a vampire. It's a great backstory and introduces a great new bad guy, and lots of story potential.
Reaper. Episode 12 shows that this series has carved out a strong identity for itself, too. Most of the episode is devoted to the characters and their lives/interactions, while very little is devoted to the Escaped Soul. The three boys move in together, Sam's love-life gets more complicated and his efforts to stand up to The Devil start to bear fruit. The show introduces two neighbours (with a cute twist) and teases the audience successfully with regard to The Devil's Daughter (I thought the glasses were going to reveal her demon side in all it's glory). Right now, the show has found it's groove and it's a pleasure to tune in, every week, and watch this group do their thing.
New Amsterdam. Episode 3. The case-of-the-week plays like a story from Law And Order and the chemistry between Alexie Gilmore and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is fantastic. I was so overjoyed that the show had finally brought them together that I was completely floored by the surprise twist at the end. Nice.
Highlight? Moonlight.
