Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley
Summary: When the body of a surgeon is found in a tough neighborhood with multiple skull fractures, Brennan is disturbed by how much she has in common with the victim, but her perspective may be just what the team needs to solve the case.
Review: Sorry this review is so late this week; I’ve been having some computer problems that make it impossible to watch anything with sound on my laptop, which means I spent the weekend trying to bully it into submission (it didn’t work).
So this was a very Brennan-centric episode of Bones, and one that finally called into question the entire philosophy by which she lives her life. For those who didn’t see the episode but are still reading this review for some reason, the team investigates the death of a prominent neurosurgeon with whom Brennan over-identifies. It forces her to reexamine her life.
First, I have to say that, while this may not have been Emily Deschanel’s best ever episode (I personally think that goes to the episode where she testifies against the Gravedigger), she definitely nailed it. Brennan’s been bottling everything up all season (well, really her entire life, but especially since she got back to the States this season), and it all have to come out eventually. I thought Deschanel did a good job showing a range of emotions that Brennan doesn’t normally display, namely fear and regret, in a way that was still believable for the character.
The case was the best kind of letdown. Stop here if you don’t want any spoilers. I said in a previous review that Bones (and many other crime shows) tries so hard sometimes to surprise the viewer by making the killer the least obvious person that it’s actually incredibly predictable. This episode was nothing like that. The fact that her death turned out to be essentially an accident was actually a bigger twist than any murder could have been.
Then, of course, there was Brennan’s revelation that letting Booth go was her biggest regret. Having seen the promo for this episode, I was anticipating this moment with trepidation, and I hated it just as much as I expected to. The whole thing just felt… awkward. I should state that I’ve never been a Booth/Brennan shipper, and I don’t see that changing unless one of them does a serious personality makeover. I think they (usually) have the best chemistry of almost any on-screen duo (Castle and Beckett might be the exception), but I don’t think it translates into romance. I know that I’m in the minority with this opinion, and I’ve almost accepted the fact that they’ll wind up together in the end, but this scene didn’t warm me to it. If anything, I’m hoping both of them can get some closure now and work on salvaging their friendship. Go off and be with other people. I know fans will say that they’ve already done that and it’s time for them to be together, but the opportunity was missed. If they’re really going to get together, another opportunity has to present itself, and I don’t believe that can happen until both of them have moved past this failed attempt.
So that’s it in a nutshell. There were a few more smaller things I enjoyed: the dinner Brennan threw in the beginning for Booth, Hannah, Angela and Hodgins; Brennan’s comforter; pretty much every scene with Sweets in it; how genuinely nice Brennan was to Micah (was I the only one who thought he might just be in her head?). In all, I think this was one of the better episodes this season, and I’m looking forward to seeing the consequences it will have.
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Rating: 4/5
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Big Bang Theory - The Alien Parasite Hypothesis
Network: CBS
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: Amy finds she has sexual feelings for Penny's ex, while Koothrappali and Wolowitz try to prove who would be the better superhero. (from imdb.com)
Review: As with much this season, I liked exactly half of this episode of Big Bang Theory.
I’ll start with the good. I know there are a lot of critics who dislike Amy but I loved her in this episode, and I think it did a lot to separate her from being “a female Sheldon.” To begin, I think the odd little friendship that’s forming between Amy, Penny and Bernadette is wonderful. Bernadette seems to genuinely like Amy, and Penny is easy-going enough to roll with it. The scene in the restaurant had a comfortable feel to it, like they actually were three friends going out to eat (a significant change from the slumber party which felt like two women forced to hang out with a friend’s weird girlfriend). The change was that Penny and Bernadette didn’t make a big deal out of Amy’s quirks in this episode; they accepted them like they’d accepted her.
It also makes me happy that they’re able to add a female component to Big Bang without changing the concept of the show. At its core, Big Bang is about geeks who hang out together. Penny has always been the exception to that rule. I was worried that a friendship ring that centered around her would lose the geek aspect (since she is not), but Bernadette and Amy are as nerdy as the guys, which is what makes this new thread work. It also takes some of the focus off the guys, whose stories have gotten a little stale this season.
Now that I’ve spent more time talking about the Big Bang women than they actually spent together in the episode, we come to the main story: Amy has needs (cue laugh track from any latent That 70s Show fans). Turns out, she’s not an automaton, which is a concept that troubles Sheldon so much that he almost walks out of Amy’s lab with the human brain she’s dissecting instead of his lunch (and can I just say ew?).
It was nice to see the writers finally making a distinction between Amy and Sheldon, more than just the gender thing. Yes, they’re still freakily similar, from the science brains to the general distaste for being touched to their complete inability to spot sarcasm. But just as we’ve occasionally seen Sheldon’s human side show (usually when his mother’s involved), we’re now getting a glimpse of Amy’s.
Also, I loved the modified version of “Who’s on First?”
Will this open the door for more touching in the future? Sheldon didn’t pull away when Amy held his hand at the end. I haven’t decided which side I’m on yet—the “Sheldon only loves science” team or the “Sheldon and Amy should do it” team—but I’m curious to see how this story moves along. My only request is that they take their time with it. Instead of forcing their relationship down our throats, insert Amy into the everyday activities, like they did with Penny at the beginning. Now that Amy’s starting to exhibit some unique characteristics, she can bring a different perspective to the group.
And now we’re going to move away from happy land and enter the most painful plotline to date. Howard and Raj were arguing about which one of them would be a superhero and which would be the sidekick. I liked absolutely nothing about this. First of all, I wanted to shake both of them and say, “You’re both sidekicks in this show.” Second of all, this felt more like a bit that would occur at the beginning or end of an episode, or be a running gag throughout, not the supporting plot. It sounded like something they’d snipe and tease each other about in between things that were important. Howard and Raj have always been silly, but this was ridiculous.
I didn’t even find the sight gags very funny. I know many people thought they were hysterical in the wrestling outfits at the end, but it did nothing for me. And I actually would have preferred if they’d actually fought, instead of just dancing around each other, wasting their time and mine. The only thing that evoked even a slight smile was the spider crawling up Howard’s arm, and him trying to blow it off his back.
My biggest problem, however, was the complete waste of Johnny Galecki in this episode. I know a lot of the previous seasons have centered around Leonard (and his relationship with Penny), but he’s done nothing but whine or look depressed in weeks. It might be time for Sheldon to step back and let Leonard have some of the spotlight again. The show is best when it’s balanced.
What did you think? Did the Raj/Howard superhero challenge work for you? Are you warming to Shamy? Leave a comment and let me know.
Rating: 3/5
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: Amy finds she has sexual feelings for Penny's ex, while Koothrappali and Wolowitz try to prove who would be the better superhero. (from imdb.com)
Review: As with much this season, I liked exactly half of this episode of Big Bang Theory.
I’ll start with the good. I know there are a lot of critics who dislike Amy but I loved her in this episode, and I think it did a lot to separate her from being “a female Sheldon.” To begin, I think the odd little friendship that’s forming between Amy, Penny and Bernadette is wonderful. Bernadette seems to genuinely like Amy, and Penny is easy-going enough to roll with it. The scene in the restaurant had a comfortable feel to it, like they actually were three friends going out to eat (a significant change from the slumber party which felt like two women forced to hang out with a friend’s weird girlfriend). The change was that Penny and Bernadette didn’t make a big deal out of Amy’s quirks in this episode; they accepted them like they’d accepted her.
It also makes me happy that they’re able to add a female component to Big Bang without changing the concept of the show. At its core, Big Bang is about geeks who hang out together. Penny has always been the exception to that rule. I was worried that a friendship ring that centered around her would lose the geek aspect (since she is not), but Bernadette and Amy are as nerdy as the guys, which is what makes this new thread work. It also takes some of the focus off the guys, whose stories have gotten a little stale this season.
Now that I’ve spent more time talking about the Big Bang women than they actually spent together in the episode, we come to the main story: Amy has needs (cue laugh track from any latent That 70s Show fans). Turns out, she’s not an automaton, which is a concept that troubles Sheldon so much that he almost walks out of Amy’s lab with the human brain she’s dissecting instead of his lunch (and can I just say ew?).
It was nice to see the writers finally making a distinction between Amy and Sheldon, more than just the gender thing. Yes, they’re still freakily similar, from the science brains to the general distaste for being touched to their complete inability to spot sarcasm. But just as we’ve occasionally seen Sheldon’s human side show (usually when his mother’s involved), we’re now getting a glimpse of Amy’s.
Also, I loved the modified version of “Who’s on First?”
Will this open the door for more touching in the future? Sheldon didn’t pull away when Amy held his hand at the end. I haven’t decided which side I’m on yet—the “Sheldon only loves science” team or the “Sheldon and Amy should do it” team—but I’m curious to see how this story moves along. My only request is that they take their time with it. Instead of forcing their relationship down our throats, insert Amy into the everyday activities, like they did with Penny at the beginning. Now that Amy’s starting to exhibit some unique characteristics, she can bring a different perspective to the group.
And now we’re going to move away from happy land and enter the most painful plotline to date. Howard and Raj were arguing about which one of them would be a superhero and which would be the sidekick. I liked absolutely nothing about this. First of all, I wanted to shake both of them and say, “You’re both sidekicks in this show.” Second of all, this felt more like a bit that would occur at the beginning or end of an episode, or be a running gag throughout, not the supporting plot. It sounded like something they’d snipe and tease each other about in between things that were important. Howard and Raj have always been silly, but this was ridiculous.
I didn’t even find the sight gags very funny. I know many people thought they were hysterical in the wrestling outfits at the end, but it did nothing for me. And I actually would have preferred if they’d actually fought, instead of just dancing around each other, wasting their time and mine. The only thing that evoked even a slight smile was the spider crawling up Howard’s arm, and him trying to blow it off his back.
My biggest problem, however, was the complete waste of Johnny Galecki in this episode. I know a lot of the previous seasons have centered around Leonard (and his relationship with Penny), but he’s done nothing but whine or look depressed in weeks. It might be time for Sheldon to step back and let Leonard have some of the spotlight again. The show is best when it’s balanced.
What did you think? Did the Raj/Howard superhero challenge work for you? Are you warming to Shamy? Leave a comment and let me know.
Rating: 3/5
Glee - A Very Glee Christmas
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Criminal Minds - What Happens at Home
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: The team profiles a killer targeting women inside of a gated New Mexico community, and Hotch asks for help from an FBI cadet.
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Castle - Last Call
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
While this may not go down in the record books as one of my favorite Castle episodes ever, it was definitely a good one. Frankly, anything that ends with a sing-along is good in my books.
I’ll start with what I thought were the weaker points and go from there. The weakest bit for me was the Alexis storyline. The story seemed more like it was there to fill time rather than develop any of the characters further. It was essentially three scenes long: Alexis sees her old friend again and realizes she’s very different now than when they were in fifth grade; Alexis bemoans this fact to Grams and Dad, which is abruptly cut short when Dad has an epiphany, though not before they make some good points that help Alexis sort everything out; Alexis and her old friend reconnect, and they all live happily ever after. Unless this friend comes back in a future episode, I didn’t really see the point in having this in at all (except it gave Alexis something to do).
Moving on. I had mixed, but mostly positive, feelings about the case. I found the killer to be predictable by nature of being the person least likely to have done it, which is a complaint I had for the most recent episode of Bones as well. It might be nice sometimes for them to suspect the killer early in the episode, think they’re wrong, and then go back to him later, instead of always saving the actual murderer for the final suspect. In real life, the most obvious answer is usually the right one, but it never is in crime procedurals. I understand that the plot twists are there to keep a viewer interested, but that backfires if the answer is obvious by nature of being not obvious (if that makes any sense).
However, the predictability of the killer was outweighed significantly by the awesomeness of the murder. Old-time taverns, corrupt politicians, and Prohibition? It was like I was watching Boardwalk Empire, but with more one-liners. The fact that Castle looked like a little boy every time someone mentioned Jimmy Walker’s scotch, and then bought the bar, was just wonderful. I hope they don’t drop that story, because Castle as a barkeep sounds like it has amazing potential.
Castle himself was easily the strongest part of this episode. He’s really been in his element for the last few weeks, when the episodes have been even more farfetched than they usually are (and therefore closer to the fictional world in which he thrives). Nathan Fillion is a wonderful comedic actor, especially physically. He has good timing, and he and Beckett (and Ryan and Esposito) have such wonderful chemistry that it makes the show that much more fun to watch.
It saddens me that this is the last Castle episode until January (anyone know when it starts up again?), especially because I’ve heard some wonderful things about next year’s episodes (look up “Castle leaked picture” on Google news if you want to know… but it’s a very big spoiler, so proceed with caution). If you don’t watch this show (but read my reviews for some reason anyway), spend the rest of the month catching up. It’s worth it.
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Rating: 4/5
I’ll start with what I thought were the weaker points and go from there. The weakest bit for me was the Alexis storyline. The story seemed more like it was there to fill time rather than develop any of the characters further. It was essentially three scenes long: Alexis sees her old friend again and realizes she’s very different now than when they were in fifth grade; Alexis bemoans this fact to Grams and Dad, which is abruptly cut short when Dad has an epiphany, though not before they make some good points that help Alexis sort everything out; Alexis and her old friend reconnect, and they all live happily ever after. Unless this friend comes back in a future episode, I didn’t really see the point in having this in at all (except it gave Alexis something to do).
Moving on. I had mixed, but mostly positive, feelings about the case. I found the killer to be predictable by nature of being the person least likely to have done it, which is a complaint I had for the most recent episode of Bones as well. It might be nice sometimes for them to suspect the killer early in the episode, think they’re wrong, and then go back to him later, instead of always saving the actual murderer for the final suspect. In real life, the most obvious answer is usually the right one, but it never is in crime procedurals. I understand that the plot twists are there to keep a viewer interested, but that backfires if the answer is obvious by nature of being not obvious (if that makes any sense).
However, the predictability of the killer was outweighed significantly by the awesomeness of the murder. Old-time taverns, corrupt politicians, and Prohibition? It was like I was watching Boardwalk Empire, but with more one-liners. The fact that Castle looked like a little boy every time someone mentioned Jimmy Walker’s scotch, and then bought the bar, was just wonderful. I hope they don’t drop that story, because Castle as a barkeep sounds like it has amazing potential.
Castle himself was easily the strongest part of this episode. He’s really been in his element for the last few weeks, when the episodes have been even more farfetched than they usually are (and therefore closer to the fictional world in which he thrives). Nathan Fillion is a wonderful comedic actor, especially physically. He has good timing, and he and Beckett (and Ryan and Esposito) have such wonderful chemistry that it makes the show that much more fun to watch.
It saddens me that this is the last Castle episode until January (anyone know when it starts up again?), especially because I’ve heard some wonderful things about next year’s episodes (look up “Castle leaked picture” on Google news if you want to know… but it’s a very big spoiler, so proceed with caution). If you don’t watch this show (but read my reviews for some reason anyway), spend the rest of the month catching up. It’s worth it.
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Rating: 4/5
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