Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Cobie Smulders, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Summary (from imdb.com): Ted and Barney discuss making a life-changing decision together, and Robin tries to discourage Marshall and Lily from moving to Long Island.
Review: HIMYM is really throwing viewers for a loop with the whole Barney/Robin saga this season. As someone who started watching the show right around the time they started dating (then went back and watched the rest), I love the idea of them as a couple, and this season really seems to be pushing it. But the road there is apparently paved with potholes.
This episode focused on two main stories, aside from the Barney/Robin plot. In one, Marshall and Lily, who were given a house in a previous episode by Lily's grandparents, are having second thoughts about selling the place. After spending a day there and seeing how big it is, they realize just how tiny their apartment is. But when she sees just how seriously they're thinking about moving, Robin has a minor meltdown and tries to dissuade them.
In the second story, Barney and Ted decide, while drunk, to adopt a baby together. When the idea still seems like a good one in the morning, they begin to talk more, until Ted realizes adopting a baby with Barney is a terrible idea. Which is, of course, when Barney shows up with a baby that he may or may not have kidnapped. It turns out she's his niece, whom he was babysitting. This served to highlight both that Barney wasn't ready to take of a child and that his seemingly newfound desire to have one was earnest and sincere.
There were so many things to like about this episode. Let's start with Barney and Ted's drunken proclamation that everything would be easier if they didn't like girls and that they should be in a gay relationship with each other, which was promptly foiled when they both checked out the waitress. Or perhaps when they're holding the baby (whom they named Hurricane Mosby-Stinson) and a gaggle of women surround them. Or maybe Marshall giving Robin food through the bathroom window.
I have to admit, a part of me was ticked by the idea of Barney and Ted as "bro-parents." I know it would ultimately be a terrible idea, but there's a small part of me that would love to see it. At least it would be funny for awhile.
The part of the story I've neglected so far is the very end, when Barney climbed through the bathroom window and explained to Robin what had happened. When he asked if she could see him as a parent, she blurted out, "I'm pregnant." Cut to black.
This part of the story got spoiled for me before I watched the episode, but I might have figured it out anyway. Looking back, it made Barney's desire to have a child seem sudden and a little jarring. To my memory, he's never expressed any interest in a family, and I can't remember him having any positive interactions with kids. But obviously it was no coincidence that the episode where he finally expressed this longing was the same one in which Robin told him she was pregnant. It may not be his child, but you can bet Barney's going to spend at least the next episode getting excited to be a father, and this episode set it up perfectly. It almost makes you wonder if Ted's jokes throughout the episode that things happened at certain times for the sake of the story weren't tongue-in-cheek comments about this impeccable timing as well.
The other issue they left unresolved was whether or not Lily and Marshall are going to move to the suburbs. I can't imagine how they'll manage that and still have them be an integral part of the show, but I trust the writers to find a way if that's the path they choose. It does seem like a logical step for expectant parents, and I like that it's something they're addressing. I don't necessarily think the show would be lacking without this story, but it's a nice addition.
Obviously I'm looking forward to seeing how the pregnant Robin arc resolves itself, but I'm also looking forward to seeing Ted's reaction to this news. He's been in such a bad place in the romance department lately that this latest blow can't possibly help. Hopefully things will turn around for him soon (though with HIMYM's ratings where they are, it'll still be several seasons before we ever get to meet the mother).
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Marshall: Baby, your grandparents gave you this house outright. The way I see it, we have five options: number one, sell it. Number two, year-round haunted house. Three, giant fence around the perimeter. Chimp sanctuary, there's a swing around the backyard. Four, we destroy it with sledgehammers. I like four.
Lily: Or five, we move in, raise our children, make this our family home.
Marshall: 'Till they graduate, and we destroy it with sledgehammers. As a family.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Showing posts with label day: Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label day: Monday. Show all posts
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Hart of Dixie - Homecoming and Coming Home
Network: CW
Time: Mondays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams, Wilson Bethel, Scott Porter, McKaley Miller, Tim Matheson
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Review (from imdb.com): Noticing that Zoe is feeling homesick, Lavon suggests that she host his annual pre-game homecoming party to help her feel more connected to Bluebell. Zoe jumps at the opportunity and decides to enlist the help of her friend Gigi from New York, but as it turns out New York and Bluebell have very different ideas of what makes a good party. Meanwhile, George and Wade hatch a plan to get even with their high school nemesis, Jimmy, but when Lemon catches wind of their scheme she wants in on the action, too.
Review: In just a few short episodes, this series has really grown on me. I didn't have high expectations when I first watched it, but I did sympathize with the concept, having been a transplanted New York-Metropolitan-er in the Deep South. But I was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly not the sharpest or deepest show in the metaphorical tool shed, but it's cute, the characters are engaging, and I enjoy watching each episode.
This episode dealt with the theme of growing up. Again, this is something I can relate to, being just a few years removed from college and still trying to figure out exactly what is acceptable behavior for someone my age. And all the characters had a little something to learn.
The episode was about the homecoming game. Anyone who's spent time in the south knows that high school football is more revered than professional and that homecoming is one of the biggest days of the year. But Zoe is still getting used to this concept, and the homecoming game meant little to her, except it emphasized how much she didn't fit in. To help her (and because he was coaching the high school team and didn't have time), Lavon set her to work organizing the pre-game party. This, naturally, backfired.
In her effort to make it good, Zoe enlisted the help of a party-planner friend of hers from New York. Gigi flew in immediately, but it soon became clear she and Zoe had a lot less in common than they had before Zoe had left. Gigi wanted to throw a New York-style party and, when Zoe balked, she said that the reason the people of Bluebell didn't like Zoe was because they hadn't met the real her yet. It was sweet, in its own way, but definitely not the right message.
So they threw a New York-style party, with purple drinks and food that was foamy (at least, I think that's what he said. My mind is having trouble with this concept though, so please correct me if I'm wrong). And, naturally, the people of Bluebell hated it, especially Lavon, who seemed to regret having put Zoe in charge in the first place. Zoe looked so desolate at the thought of having disappointed the one true friend she has in Bluebell that I really felt for her. So she finally told Gigi that she'd ruined the party, apologized profusely to Lavon, and ended the party.
To add insult to injury, Zoe then walked in on Gigi in bed with Judson, the vet that Zoe was interested in. I wouldn't have been nearly so quick to forgive Gigi after this point, but the next morning she and Zoe made up, and Zoe realized she wasn't the same person as she'd been when she left New York. Maybe she didn't fit in in Bluebell just yet, but she didn't fit in in New York anymore either.
Though I still find it absolutely crazy that this girl who looks and acts like she's 16 is a full-fledged doctor, I do like Zoe, and I like the growth she's shown over the eight episodes so far. Obviously she needs to adjust herself so she can eventually assimilate into Bluebell, and I think the gradual process so far hasn't been jarring or unbelievable. I would like to see her win one once in awhile though. In every episode, she's messing something up (the parade, the party) and making the people like her a little less, while occasionally winning over one or two of them. I'd like to see her get something right soon.
And, while I miss Nancy Travis' Emmeline and the relationship she and Zoe had, I love the friendship between Zoe and Lavon. And I never, ever, ever want them to try to push it to something more. Grey's Anatomy did it with George and Izzy, and while I know there are many people who love that couple, I always felt like the attempted shift to romance ruined that relationship. Some television pairs are just meant to stay friends.
While this was going on in Zoe's world, Wade, George and Lemon were engaged in a game of payback. Along with the crowd of alumni coming back for the homecoming game was Jimmy, a high school tormentor of Wade's and George's. Apparently they owed him payback for a particularly nasty prank he played on George, and they enlisted Lemon's help. She devised a scheme to empty a packet of Fun Sip (our world's Fun Dip) into the shower head of Jimmy's hotel room, so he would be stained blue for several days and be humiliated when he went to toss the coin at the game. This backfired when Jimmy tried to run from the room and slipped, bumping his head and knocking him unconscious. That's when Lemon realized she couldn't act like the wild child she'd been in high school and the mature woman she wanted to be now at the same time. She told this to George, who seemed to understand, and to Lavon, telling him not to talk about his feelings for her anymore. He (sort of) agreed, but he said just because they didn't talk about them didn't mean they wouldn't be there.
I love that they made Lemon more than just the "mean girl" who was Zoe's enemy. Sure, they don't get along, but Lemon is more than just that. Her role in each episode is about more than just trying to drive Zoe out of town (in fact, she hasn't actively tried that in awhile). I find myself rooting for her and George to stick it out (really, it's not that I don't like Lavon...). I even find myself hoping that she'll get the things she wants. It's unusual for me to root for the "bad guy," but I don't feel like the identity Lemon had in the first episode is the same as the woman we see in the later episodes, and I have to admit, I like the change.
The third and final part of the story was that the two quarterbacks on the high school team were sick during the week leading up to the game. It turned out that the chemicals they used to make the field greener were making them so, and the quarterbacks were getting sicker than the rest of the team because they licked their fingers a lot to throw the ball. I felt a little like this story was filler, something to remind us that, yes, Zoe is the doctor. Also, it was something to distract Lavon so Zoe had to all the work.
If there was one thing I was disappointed in, it was that there was no Tim Matheson in this episode, and I always like to see more of him. Brick is a character that may have benefited from the grown up theme. Plus, you can't tell me he'd have been out of town for the homecoming game. I don't believe it.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode (and this show) very much. I like the angle they've taken so far, and I like the evolution of the characters. I'm looking forward to more.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Wade: Lemon, another beer.
Lemon: You snap those fingers at me one more time Wade, and I'll swear to God I will chop them off that dainty little hand of yours.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Time: Mondays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams, Wilson Bethel, Scott Porter, McKaley Miller, Tim Matheson
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Review (from imdb.com): Noticing that Zoe is feeling homesick, Lavon suggests that she host his annual pre-game homecoming party to help her feel more connected to Bluebell. Zoe jumps at the opportunity and decides to enlist the help of her friend Gigi from New York, but as it turns out New York and Bluebell have very different ideas of what makes a good party. Meanwhile, George and Wade hatch a plan to get even with their high school nemesis, Jimmy, but when Lemon catches wind of their scheme she wants in on the action, too.
Review: In just a few short episodes, this series has really grown on me. I didn't have high expectations when I first watched it, but I did sympathize with the concept, having been a transplanted New York-Metropolitan-er in the Deep South. But I was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly not the sharpest or deepest show in the metaphorical tool shed, but it's cute, the characters are engaging, and I enjoy watching each episode.
This episode dealt with the theme of growing up. Again, this is something I can relate to, being just a few years removed from college and still trying to figure out exactly what is acceptable behavior for someone my age. And all the characters had a little something to learn.
The episode was about the homecoming game. Anyone who's spent time in the south knows that high school football is more revered than professional and that homecoming is one of the biggest days of the year. But Zoe is still getting used to this concept, and the homecoming game meant little to her, except it emphasized how much she didn't fit in. To help her (and because he was coaching the high school team and didn't have time), Lavon set her to work organizing the pre-game party. This, naturally, backfired.
In her effort to make it good, Zoe enlisted the help of a party-planner friend of hers from New York. Gigi flew in immediately, but it soon became clear she and Zoe had a lot less in common than they had before Zoe had left. Gigi wanted to throw a New York-style party and, when Zoe balked, she said that the reason the people of Bluebell didn't like Zoe was because they hadn't met the real her yet. It was sweet, in its own way, but definitely not the right message.
So they threw a New York-style party, with purple drinks and food that was foamy (at least, I think that's what he said. My mind is having trouble with this concept though, so please correct me if I'm wrong). And, naturally, the people of Bluebell hated it, especially Lavon, who seemed to regret having put Zoe in charge in the first place. Zoe looked so desolate at the thought of having disappointed the one true friend she has in Bluebell that I really felt for her. So she finally told Gigi that she'd ruined the party, apologized profusely to Lavon, and ended the party.
To add insult to injury, Zoe then walked in on Gigi in bed with Judson, the vet that Zoe was interested in. I wouldn't have been nearly so quick to forgive Gigi after this point, but the next morning she and Zoe made up, and Zoe realized she wasn't the same person as she'd been when she left New York. Maybe she didn't fit in in Bluebell just yet, but she didn't fit in in New York anymore either.
Though I still find it absolutely crazy that this girl who looks and acts like she's 16 is a full-fledged doctor, I do like Zoe, and I like the growth she's shown over the eight episodes so far. Obviously she needs to adjust herself so she can eventually assimilate into Bluebell, and I think the gradual process so far hasn't been jarring or unbelievable. I would like to see her win one once in awhile though. In every episode, she's messing something up (the parade, the party) and making the people like her a little less, while occasionally winning over one or two of them. I'd like to see her get something right soon.
And, while I miss Nancy Travis' Emmeline and the relationship she and Zoe had, I love the friendship between Zoe and Lavon. And I never, ever, ever want them to try to push it to something more. Grey's Anatomy did it with George and Izzy, and while I know there are many people who love that couple, I always felt like the attempted shift to romance ruined that relationship. Some television pairs are just meant to stay friends.
While this was going on in Zoe's world, Wade, George and Lemon were engaged in a game of payback. Along with the crowd of alumni coming back for the homecoming game was Jimmy, a high school tormentor of Wade's and George's. Apparently they owed him payback for a particularly nasty prank he played on George, and they enlisted Lemon's help. She devised a scheme to empty a packet of Fun Sip (our world's Fun Dip) into the shower head of Jimmy's hotel room, so he would be stained blue for several days and be humiliated when he went to toss the coin at the game. This backfired when Jimmy tried to run from the room and slipped, bumping his head and knocking him unconscious. That's when Lemon realized she couldn't act like the wild child she'd been in high school and the mature woman she wanted to be now at the same time. She told this to George, who seemed to understand, and to Lavon, telling him not to talk about his feelings for her anymore. He (sort of) agreed, but he said just because they didn't talk about them didn't mean they wouldn't be there.
I love that they made Lemon more than just the "mean girl" who was Zoe's enemy. Sure, they don't get along, but Lemon is more than just that. Her role in each episode is about more than just trying to drive Zoe out of town (in fact, she hasn't actively tried that in awhile). I find myself rooting for her and George to stick it out (really, it's not that I don't like Lavon...). I even find myself hoping that she'll get the things she wants. It's unusual for me to root for the "bad guy," but I don't feel like the identity Lemon had in the first episode is the same as the woman we see in the later episodes, and I have to admit, I like the change.
The third and final part of the story was that the two quarterbacks on the high school team were sick during the week leading up to the game. It turned out that the chemicals they used to make the field greener were making them so, and the quarterbacks were getting sicker than the rest of the team because they licked their fingers a lot to throw the ball. I felt a little like this story was filler, something to remind us that, yes, Zoe is the doctor. Also, it was something to distract Lavon so Zoe had to all the work.
If there was one thing I was disappointed in, it was that there was no Tim Matheson in this episode, and I always like to see more of him. Brick is a character that may have benefited from the grown up theme. Plus, you can't tell me he'd have been out of town for the homecoming game. I don't believe it.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode (and this show) very much. I like the angle they've taken so far, and I like the evolution of the characters. I'm looking forward to more.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Wade: Lemon, another beer.
Lemon: You snap those fingers at me one more time Wade, and I'll swear to God I will chop them off that dainty little hand of yours.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Castle - Demons
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Penny Jerald Johnson, Tamala Jones
Summary (from imdb.com): Castle & Beckett confront the possibility of paranormal foul play when a world renown ghost hunter is mysteriously murdered while investigating a haunting at a legendary New York mansion.
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE
Review: I really have enjoyed this season of Castle. I don't hate the new captain as much as I expected to, and I'm fairly amused by the love/hate (Okay, mostly hate) relationship she has with Castle. Sure, I'd like to give Beckett a stern shake and force her to tell Castle she remembers everything and she loves him too, but the waiting only occasionally makes me nuts (like when they try to draw parallels between whatever case they're working on and Castle and Beckett's relationship). Even Alexis' new, semi-bratty stage hasn't annoyed me as much as I thought it would.
But this episode was far and away the best episode of the season to date.
I don't normally like Halloween episodes, especially in dramas. I don't really like scary stuff (shh, I only write about crime television). And I know Castle has done a Halloween episode at least once before, but I couldn't really call up the plot.
I needn't have worried though. Sure, the whole episode was about ghosts and demons, but it was also Castle, the way this show was meant to be written. I'd had an inkling that something was off in the beginning of the season, but I couldn't really put a finger on it until now. While there has been some decent banter between Castle and Beckett (and Ryan and Esposito), it wasn't really clicking until this week. I didn't realize that until I saw how much smoother they were in this episode. Every line, every facial tick, every movement was perfectly in sync, and that made all the difference.
If I had to pick one thing that didn't quite work, it was the Ryan/Esposito B story. The guys took their women (Ryan's fiancee Jenny (played by his real-life wife Juliana Dever) and Esposito's girlfriend Lanie) out to dinner for a double-date. I'd heard about this story, and I was looking forward to it. Ryan and Esposito's bromance is one of the greatest currently on television, and I've liked the small snippets we've been given between Ryan and Jenny and Esposito and Lanie. Combining the couples into an awesome foursome seemed inevitable.
But apparently the Powers That Be didn't agree with my idea. Instead of fun, light-hearted affair, we were treated to an incredibly cheesy and awkward toast by Ryan (sorry, man, I love you, but that can't be explained away with, "Well, I'm me") and then the World's Worst Question by Jenny. "So when are you two getting married?" she asks Esposito and Lanie. Okay, first of all, who asks that to a woman she's just met? That's something your blue-haired great-aunt asks you because she's hoping she'll live to see it or your mean-spirited older brother asks because he wants to make trouble. Am I crazy, or do you not ask that if you're trying to make someone your friend? Or keep someone as your friend, for that matter?
After that, obviously Esposito and Lanie decided they needed to break up, since Esposito's not ready to get married and Lanie... isn't either. Hmmm. I can only think of two reasons for the abrupt ending given to this relationship that we never really got to see much anyway: 1) the writers realized they didn't have much they wanted to do with Esposito and Lanie (and the chemistry, while present, was weak at best), or 2) the writers have something planned for Esposito and Lanie in the future. Either way, nothing about that story really worked for me.
But that was a very tiny fly in the ointment for this episode. The ghost story was perfect. I actually didn't identify the killer from the first minute he walked on-screen, which is unusual for Castle. I loved the intricate setup of the "haunted house," and that, while the demon was explained away, it doesn't completely remove the idea that there might supernatural forces. But most of all, I loved that Castle and Beckett seemed to be back on equal footing. Maybe we're starting to move away from the shooting aftermath, and we can get back to the Castle of previous seasons that we all loved so much.
Rating: 5/5
Favorite line:
Castle: So... if Barry's not our guy, I think it's time we revisit the possibility that our killer's a...
Beckett: If you say ghost, I'm sending you home.
Castle: Apparition-American.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Penny Jerald Johnson, Tamala Jones
Summary (from imdb.com): Castle & Beckett confront the possibility of paranormal foul play when a world renown ghost hunter is mysteriously murdered while investigating a haunting at a legendary New York mansion.
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE
Review: I really have enjoyed this season of Castle. I don't hate the new captain as much as I expected to, and I'm fairly amused by the love/hate (Okay, mostly hate) relationship she has with Castle. Sure, I'd like to give Beckett a stern shake and force her to tell Castle she remembers everything and she loves him too, but the waiting only occasionally makes me nuts (like when they try to draw parallels between whatever case they're working on and Castle and Beckett's relationship). Even Alexis' new, semi-bratty stage hasn't annoyed me as much as I thought it would.
But this episode was far and away the best episode of the season to date.
I don't normally like Halloween episodes, especially in dramas. I don't really like scary stuff (shh, I only write about crime television). And I know Castle has done a Halloween episode at least once before, but I couldn't really call up the plot.
I needn't have worried though. Sure, the whole episode was about ghosts and demons, but it was also Castle, the way this show was meant to be written. I'd had an inkling that something was off in the beginning of the season, but I couldn't really put a finger on it until now. While there has been some decent banter between Castle and Beckett (and Ryan and Esposito), it wasn't really clicking until this week. I didn't realize that until I saw how much smoother they were in this episode. Every line, every facial tick, every movement was perfectly in sync, and that made all the difference.
If I had to pick one thing that didn't quite work, it was the Ryan/Esposito B story. The guys took their women (Ryan's fiancee Jenny (played by his real-life wife Juliana Dever) and Esposito's girlfriend Lanie) out to dinner for a double-date. I'd heard about this story, and I was looking forward to it. Ryan and Esposito's bromance is one of the greatest currently on television, and I've liked the small snippets we've been given between Ryan and Jenny and Esposito and Lanie. Combining the couples into an awesome foursome seemed inevitable.
But apparently the Powers That Be didn't agree with my idea. Instead of fun, light-hearted affair, we were treated to an incredibly cheesy and awkward toast by Ryan (sorry, man, I love you, but that can't be explained away with, "Well, I'm me") and then the World's Worst Question by Jenny. "So when are you two getting married?" she asks Esposito and Lanie. Okay, first of all, who asks that to a woman she's just met? That's something your blue-haired great-aunt asks you because she's hoping she'll live to see it or your mean-spirited older brother asks because he wants to make trouble. Am I crazy, or do you not ask that if you're trying to make someone your friend? Or keep someone as your friend, for that matter?
After that, obviously Esposito and Lanie decided they needed to break up, since Esposito's not ready to get married and Lanie... isn't either. Hmmm. I can only think of two reasons for the abrupt ending given to this relationship that we never really got to see much anyway: 1) the writers realized they didn't have much they wanted to do with Esposito and Lanie (and the chemistry, while present, was weak at best), or 2) the writers have something planned for Esposito and Lanie in the future. Either way, nothing about that story really worked for me.
But that was a very tiny fly in the ointment for this episode. The ghost story was perfect. I actually didn't identify the killer from the first minute he walked on-screen, which is unusual for Castle. I loved the intricate setup of the "haunted house," and that, while the demon was explained away, it doesn't completely remove the idea that there might supernatural forces. But most of all, I loved that Castle and Beckett seemed to be back on equal footing. Maybe we're starting to move away from the shooting aftermath, and we can get back to the Castle of previous seasons that we all loved so much.
Rating: 5/5
Favorite line:
Castle: So... if Barry's not our guy, I think it's time we revisit the possibility that our killer's a...
Beckett: If you say ghost, I'm sending you home.
Castle: Apparition-American.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Castle - Rise
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Penny Jerald Johnson, Tamala Jones
Summary: In the fourth-season opener, a wounded Beckett fights to stay alive as Castle investigates her shooting. Meanwhile, Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald) takes charge as the precinct's tough new captain.
Review: Castle was one of my three most highly anticipated premieres (the other two being Criminal Minds and The Mentalist, in case you were interested), and it really never could have lived up to my expectations. This certainly wasn't a bad way to kick off the season, but it also left a lot of room for growth as we go on.
The episode focused on three things: the aftermath of Beckett's shooting, the introduction of the new captain, and the investigation of a celebutante's murder in a hotel room. After beginning the premiere just minutes after last season's finale ended, we jumped forward three months in time to Beckett's return to the precinct, where things aren't exactly as she left them. Captain Montgomery's been replaced by Victoria "Iron" Gates, a former Internal Affairs investigator who was made detective just six weeks after Beckett. Gates plays by the rules, as she's quick to prove by refusing to let Beckett have her gun back until she re-qualified (which, needless to say, thrilled Beckett). Gates also closed the investigation into Beckett's shooting after three months and no leads. Plus, she clearly terrifies Ryan and Esposito, who speak in hushed tones and hide around corners when she's near.
While Ryan and Esposito are sent to a crime scene, Beckett and Castle continue to investigate her shooting and her mother's murder, right up until the point where Castle receives a phone call from the mysterious man who received the package Montgomery mailed at the end of last season (who else thought that package was going to Castle?). In a conversation we don't get to see, the man tells Castle that he has compromising documents that he can use to protect Beckett... as long as she stops investigating. Castle, who is surprisingly confident for a man who went three months without talking to Beckett, is sure he can convince her to stop. And, sure enough, he has a short conversation with her and keeps her from falling down the rabbit hole again. No problem. All in a day's work for Super Castle.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Esposito (and eventually Castle and Beckett) are tasked with solving the high profile murder of a celebutante (which is a word my dictionary doesn't recognize). This case was such a low priority, it was almost a joke. And the fact that the killer was literally hiding under the bed the whole time? That was a bit ridiculous, even for Castle reality. But, as with most Castle episodes, the case wasn't really the main focus of the episode. It seemed like this one was mostly here to a) give Ryan and Esposito something to do, and b) give Beckett something to do after Castle convinces her to stop investigating her mother's murder.
The one thing this episode was really lacking was the humor that makes Castle such a fun show. Obviously, the episode after a shooting isn't going to be all laughs and smiles, but the solemnity was almost overwhelming. Castle is a better show when it doesn't take itself too seriously, so hopefully next week will get back to the lightheartedness we all love.
There were still a lot of bright moments in this episode. The look on Beckett's face while she listened to the mayor order Gates to keep Castle was priceless (was that the only time we saw Beckett smile this episode?). I liked how neatly Josh was disposed of in the first fifteen minutes of the episode, and I was really hoping Alexis would take a swing at him when they were fighting in the hospital. I think Gates has the potential to turn into a decent character if she can learn to loosen up, though she also has the potential to be a real witch (we're trusting you, Andrew Marlowe!). I loved that Alexis was so worried about her dad, even if she showed it by acting a little bratty.
And I really, really liked the honesty in Castle and Beckett's relationship so far. Aside from the one big, whopping lie she tells him--did anybody really believe she didn't remember anything about the shooting?--there's a sincerity between them that just shows how far their relationship has come since season one. Castle may not have told her he loved her in words again, but he said it a million times in his actions in this episode. And Beckett's revelation about the walls she's put up made my heart break just a little. Of course Castle is able to talk her into tabling her mother's case; anyone with eyes could see how he was only telling her those things because he cares about her. I challenge anyone to watch this episode and not root for these two people at least a little.
So it was a bit of a slow start for the season, but I think there's a lot of potential here. Obviously the big storyline is still open, but more important in the next few episodes will be getting back to the familiar rhythm of Castle, with the banter and the chemistry that's made this show a hit. I'm looking forward to seeing where the season leads.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Ryan (during interrogation): "So what are you saying, Dale? You sleep-shot her?"
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Penny Jerald Johnson, Tamala Jones
Summary: In the fourth-season opener, a wounded Beckett fights to stay alive as Castle investigates her shooting. Meanwhile, Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald) takes charge as the precinct's tough new captain.
Review: Castle was one of my three most highly anticipated premieres (the other two being Criminal Minds and The Mentalist, in case you were interested), and it really never could have lived up to my expectations. This certainly wasn't a bad way to kick off the season, but it also left a lot of room for growth as we go on.
The episode focused on three things: the aftermath of Beckett's shooting, the introduction of the new captain, and the investigation of a celebutante's murder in a hotel room. After beginning the premiere just minutes after last season's finale ended, we jumped forward three months in time to Beckett's return to the precinct, where things aren't exactly as she left them. Captain Montgomery's been replaced by Victoria "Iron" Gates, a former Internal Affairs investigator who was made detective just six weeks after Beckett. Gates plays by the rules, as she's quick to prove by refusing to let Beckett have her gun back until she re-qualified (which, needless to say, thrilled Beckett). Gates also closed the investigation into Beckett's shooting after three months and no leads. Plus, she clearly terrifies Ryan and Esposito, who speak in hushed tones and hide around corners when she's near.
While Ryan and Esposito are sent to a crime scene, Beckett and Castle continue to investigate her shooting and her mother's murder, right up until the point where Castle receives a phone call from the mysterious man who received the package Montgomery mailed at the end of last season (who else thought that package was going to Castle?). In a conversation we don't get to see, the man tells Castle that he has compromising documents that he can use to protect Beckett... as long as she stops investigating. Castle, who is surprisingly confident for a man who went three months without talking to Beckett, is sure he can convince her to stop. And, sure enough, he has a short conversation with her and keeps her from falling down the rabbit hole again. No problem. All in a day's work for Super Castle.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Esposito (and eventually Castle and Beckett) are tasked with solving the high profile murder of a celebutante (which is a word my dictionary doesn't recognize). This case was such a low priority, it was almost a joke. And the fact that the killer was literally hiding under the bed the whole time? That was a bit ridiculous, even for Castle reality. But, as with most Castle episodes, the case wasn't really the main focus of the episode. It seemed like this one was mostly here to a) give Ryan and Esposito something to do, and b) give Beckett something to do after Castle convinces her to stop investigating her mother's murder.
The one thing this episode was really lacking was the humor that makes Castle such a fun show. Obviously, the episode after a shooting isn't going to be all laughs and smiles, but the solemnity was almost overwhelming. Castle is a better show when it doesn't take itself too seriously, so hopefully next week will get back to the lightheartedness we all love.
There were still a lot of bright moments in this episode. The look on Beckett's face while she listened to the mayor order Gates to keep Castle was priceless (was that the only time we saw Beckett smile this episode?). I liked how neatly Josh was disposed of in the first fifteen minutes of the episode, and I was really hoping Alexis would take a swing at him when they were fighting in the hospital. I think Gates has the potential to turn into a decent character if she can learn to loosen up, though she also has the potential to be a real witch (we're trusting you, Andrew Marlowe!). I loved that Alexis was so worried about her dad, even if she showed it by acting a little bratty.
And I really, really liked the honesty in Castle and Beckett's relationship so far. Aside from the one big, whopping lie she tells him--did anybody really believe she didn't remember anything about the shooting?--there's a sincerity between them that just shows how far their relationship has come since season one. Castle may not have told her he loved her in words again, but he said it a million times in his actions in this episode. And Beckett's revelation about the walls she's put up made my heart break just a little. Of course Castle is able to talk her into tabling her mother's case; anyone with eyes could see how he was only telling her those things because he cares about her. I challenge anyone to watch this episode and not root for these two people at least a little.
So it was a bit of a slow start for the season, but I think there's a lot of potential here. Obviously the big storyline is still open, but more important in the next few episodes will be getting back to the familiar rhythm of Castle, with the banter and the chemistry that's made this show a hit. I'm looking forward to seeing where the season leads.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Ryan (during interrogation): "So what are you saying, Dale? You sleep-shot her?"
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
2 Broke Girls - Pilot
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Matthew Moy, Jonathan Kite, Garrett Morris, Noah Mills
Summary: Max and Caroline, two struggling waitresses at a Brooklyn diner, try to save money to open their own cupcake shop. In the opener, Max is disgusted when once-wealthy Caroline starts working at the diner, but the two soon hit it off and become roommates.
Review: Well, this was a pleasant surprise.
I put 2 Broke Girls on my schedule reluctantly. After hearing both EW.com and TVLine.com rave about it, I figured it couldn’t hurt to watch the first episode. Worst case scenario, all I’ve wasted is a half hour.
Instead (and a little unfortunately, considering how many shows are on said schedule), I found myself sucked in right from the first moments. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for a show with a smart, sarcastic female lead (yes, I still miss Gilmore Girls). Maybe it’s because Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs have oddly fantastic chemistry. Maybe it’s because the cast of characters featured in this show is wonderfully eclectic. Or maybe just because it’s a good show.
The premise is this: Max (Dennings) is a waitress/nanny, living with her boyfriend in Brooklyn and baking fantastic cupcakes. Caroline (Behrs) is a trust fund baby from Manhattan who lost everything when her daddy’s ponzi scheme was discovered and now has to support herself somehow. When Caroline gets a job at the diner, Max is… less than impressed. But Caroline’s earnestness wins her over (somewhat), and Max lets her spend the night, during which time Max’s boyfriend hits on Caroline, has sex with another woman after Caroline turns him down, and gets kicked out by Max. Max, looking for a new roommate, offers to let Caroline stay with her.
There were a lot of bits that made this series premiere enjoyable. Dennings’ Max is tough, responsible and confident, though she let some vulnerability show. Behrs’ Caroline looks like Trust Fund Barbie, but it can’t be forgotten that she went to the Wharton School of Business (it really can’t be forgotten… they said it four or five times), and she clearly has quite of bit of her conman father in her. The supporting characters are quirky, with the potential to turn into downright funny, especially when combined with their obvious chemistry with Max. And there’s a horse in the backyard of a Brooklyn apartment.
Sure, the episode was a little stiff at times, and some of Behrs’ lines felt forced, but it did everything it needed to do as a pilot episode: it hooked me. I’ll be back next week to see how much more money they earn towards their cupcake shop.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Caroline (after tasing Max): "Sorry, I didn't think it'd hurt so much, it's pink!"
Max: "It didn't feel pink!"
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Matthew Moy, Jonathan Kite, Garrett Morris, Noah Mills
Summary: Max and Caroline, two struggling waitresses at a Brooklyn diner, try to save money to open their own cupcake shop. In the opener, Max is disgusted when once-wealthy Caroline starts working at the diner, but the two soon hit it off and become roommates.
Review: Well, this was a pleasant surprise.
I put 2 Broke Girls on my schedule reluctantly. After hearing both EW.com and TVLine.com rave about it, I figured it couldn’t hurt to watch the first episode. Worst case scenario, all I’ve wasted is a half hour.
Instead (and a little unfortunately, considering how many shows are on said schedule), I found myself sucked in right from the first moments. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for a show with a smart, sarcastic female lead (yes, I still miss Gilmore Girls). Maybe it’s because Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs have oddly fantastic chemistry. Maybe it’s because the cast of characters featured in this show is wonderfully eclectic. Or maybe just because it’s a good show.
The premise is this: Max (Dennings) is a waitress/nanny, living with her boyfriend in Brooklyn and baking fantastic cupcakes. Caroline (Behrs) is a trust fund baby from Manhattan who lost everything when her daddy’s ponzi scheme was discovered and now has to support herself somehow. When Caroline gets a job at the diner, Max is… less than impressed. But Caroline’s earnestness wins her over (somewhat), and Max lets her spend the night, during which time Max’s boyfriend hits on Caroline, has sex with another woman after Caroline turns him down, and gets kicked out by Max. Max, looking for a new roommate, offers to let Caroline stay with her.
There were a lot of bits that made this series premiere enjoyable. Dennings’ Max is tough, responsible and confident, though she let some vulnerability show. Behrs’ Caroline looks like Trust Fund Barbie, but it can’t be forgotten that she went to the Wharton School of Business (it really can’t be forgotten… they said it four or five times), and she clearly has quite of bit of her conman father in her. The supporting characters are quirky, with the potential to turn into downright funny, especially when combined with their obvious chemistry with Max. And there’s a horse in the backyard of a Brooklyn apartment.
Sure, the episode was a little stiff at times, and some of Behrs’ lines felt forced, but it did everything it needed to do as a pilot episode: it hooked me. I’ll be back next week to see how much more money they earn towards their cupcake shop.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Caroline (after tasing Max): "Sorry, I didn't think it'd hurt so much, it's pink!"
Max: "It didn't feel pink!"
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Castle - Poof, You're Dead
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Molly C. Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Tamala Jones
WARNING: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.
Summary: Castle and Beckett interview a top magician after the owner of a magic store drowns in Houdini's legendary water torture tank. Elsewhere, romance is in the air for Esposito and Lanie. (from tvguide.com)
Review: While not quite as good as last week's episode, Castle certainly continued to prove it's worthy of the full-season pick up it received. This episode had a little bit of everything: murder, relationship drama, murder, and even magic.
"Poof, You're Dead" focused on the investigation into the death of a magician who supposedly killed himself using a magic trick. Obviously, this being a crime show and all, the suicide turned out to be a murder, which then turned out to be the first step of what may be Castle's most complex storyline ever.
If I have one complaint about this episode, it was how convoluted it was. They introduced more red herrings than usual, and they were (almost) all men, so by the time the full story came out, I was having trouble remembering which name belonged to which character, and what that character's relationship was with the dead guy. To top it off, the dead magician had an identical twin with a similar name, which added another layer of complexity.
That being said, I think it's the first time all season I haven't guessed the killer from the moment he or she entered the room. I was completely surprised by twist (perhaps because I was still trying to figure out how they leapt from magicians to philanthropist billionaires), and I enjoyed the element of surprise. Most of the time, the case is not Castle's strong suit, and the show is mostly focused on the characters' interactions as they solve it. It seemed that was on the back burner, and a significant portion of this episode was focused on actually solving the crime, instead of bantering. It was a refreshing change made better by the fact that they didn't completely abandon Castle and Beckett's repartee as other shows are wont to do.
That's not to say this episode was completely without a humorous dive into the characters' lives. In fact, for the first time ever, Lanie was given a prominent place in the plot. Seems our favorite medical examiner has a new man in her life--Detective Javier Esposito. Was I the only one who giggled like a schoolgirl at that? TVGuide.com had it included in their preview, so I wasn't surprised it happened, but I was surprised by how much I like the idea. I hope they continue to give us glimpses into their relationship, though I would request that they only try to hide it from the team for another episode or so. Any more than that, and I think it would get boring, especially since we already know the team knows.
Lanie and Esposito weren't the only couple the episode focused on. Many moments were devoted to the (apparently) increasingly tumultuous relationship between Castle and his girlfriend/publicist Gina, culminating in a breakup that was neither surprising nor (for me) important. Considering Gina essentially disappeared after she and Castle began dating--only resurfacing that one time to bond with Alexis--I'm completely not invested in her, and I completely don't care that she's gone. Now Beckett just needs to lose the doctor guy, and they can all live happily ever after.
My only other comment is that I missed Castle's mother and daughter again. I feel like they used to be in more of the episode, instead of the one or two scenes they had this week and last. And while I did love the scene where Castle and his mom talked about Gina, just once I'd like to see them actually finish a conversation without the case interrupting.
What did you think, Castle fans? Did the case seem unusually complex to you? Are you excited about Lanie/Esposito? Do you also think Ryan deserves the award for Best Dressed Detective this week? Leave me some comments and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Molly C. Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Tamala Jones
WARNING: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.
Summary: Castle and Beckett interview a top magician after the owner of a magic store drowns in Houdini's legendary water torture tank. Elsewhere, romance is in the air for Esposito and Lanie. (from tvguide.com)
Review: While not quite as good as last week's episode, Castle certainly continued to prove it's worthy of the full-season pick up it received. This episode had a little bit of everything: murder, relationship drama, murder, and even magic.
"Poof, You're Dead" focused on the investigation into the death of a magician who supposedly killed himself using a magic trick. Obviously, this being a crime show and all, the suicide turned out to be a murder, which then turned out to be the first step of what may be Castle's most complex storyline ever.
If I have one complaint about this episode, it was how convoluted it was. They introduced more red herrings than usual, and they were (almost) all men, so by the time the full story came out, I was having trouble remembering which name belonged to which character, and what that character's relationship was with the dead guy. To top it off, the dead magician had an identical twin with a similar name, which added another layer of complexity.
That being said, I think it's the first time all season I haven't guessed the killer from the moment he or she entered the room. I was completely surprised by twist (perhaps because I was still trying to figure out how they leapt from magicians to philanthropist billionaires), and I enjoyed the element of surprise. Most of the time, the case is not Castle's strong suit, and the show is mostly focused on the characters' interactions as they solve it. It seemed that was on the back burner, and a significant portion of this episode was focused on actually solving the crime, instead of bantering. It was a refreshing change made better by the fact that they didn't completely abandon Castle and Beckett's repartee as other shows are wont to do.
That's not to say this episode was completely without a humorous dive into the characters' lives. In fact, for the first time ever, Lanie was given a prominent place in the plot. Seems our favorite medical examiner has a new man in her life--Detective Javier Esposito. Was I the only one who giggled like a schoolgirl at that? TVGuide.com had it included in their preview, so I wasn't surprised it happened, but I was surprised by how much I like the idea. I hope they continue to give us glimpses into their relationship, though I would request that they only try to hide it from the team for another episode or so. Any more than that, and I think it would get boring, especially since we already know the team knows.
Lanie and Esposito weren't the only couple the episode focused on. Many moments were devoted to the (apparently) increasingly tumultuous relationship between Castle and his girlfriend/publicist Gina, culminating in a breakup that was neither surprising nor (for me) important. Considering Gina essentially disappeared after she and Castle began dating--only resurfacing that one time to bond with Alexis--I'm completely not invested in her, and I completely don't care that she's gone. Now Beckett just needs to lose the doctor guy, and they can all live happily ever after.
My only other comment is that I missed Castle's mother and daughter again. I feel like they used to be in more of the episode, instead of the one or two scenes they had this week and last. And while I did love the scene where Castle and his mom talked about Gina, just once I'd like to see them actually finish a conversation without the case interrupting.
What did you think, Castle fans? Did the case seem unusually complex to you? Are you excited about Lanie/Esposito? Do you also think Ryan deserves the award for Best Dressed Detective this week? Leave me some comments and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Castle - Nikki Heat
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
Summary: Beckett and Castle tackle an upscale matchmaker's murder case, and they have company: the actress cast as Nikki Heat, who wants a deeper grasp of her character. Her copycat image soon becomes too much for Beckett, but Castle likes it. (from tvguide.com)
Review: Just when I think I can't possibly enjoy Castle anymore than I already do, something like this happens.
Maybe it's because it was the first episode after a too-long break or because Laura Prepon was guest starring, but everything about this episode seemed to click. Castle and Beckett's banter was seamless and exceptional, and the addition of a new character didn't put a damper on it. If anything, Prepon only added to the chemistry. She really showed her acting ability in this episode. She did Beckett almost as well as Stana Katic does, but with a hilarious, sometimes creepy edge to it. She toed the line between ditzy Hollywood starlet and serious method actor well, adding just enough insightfulness to avoid being labeled an idiot. And she played so well off Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic that I could have sworn she'd been acting with them for years.
Prepon's oft-creepy imitations allowed for some great moments between Castle and Beckett as well. I've said before that Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are both wonderful physical actors, and it really showed in this episode. The wide array of facial expressions that both actors demonstrated were spot-on for whatever situation they were in, from Castle's wounded pride look to Beckett's half-terrified, half-bewildered expression when Natalie Rhodes steals her coffee. There was never a moment where I felt they were over-the-top or off in any way, and I laughed harder at those moments than almost anything else in the episode.
But as much as I found myself laughing, "Nikki Heat" also brought me to tears. I'm not too proud to admit I cried a bit at the end, like any sappy, over-emotional girl would. This is the first episode that Ryan has had his own story (aside from a few minutes where they first introduced his girlfriend), and even though it was just used as filler for the main arc, it was still wonderful to see Seamus Dever getting some love. Ryan is one of my favorite supporting characters, and I loved every minute he was on the screen.
If I had any negatives, there were two small things. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Grams and Alexis. I'm not really sure where they would have fit in this episode, but I always love their scenes, so I was a little disappointed that they just had one in the beginning.
The second thing is that I had very little emotional investment in the case. For me, it was just a reason for all these characters to be interacting. It took half the episode for me to remember the victim's name was Stacey. I didn't even try to guess the killer because I wasn't paying enough attention to what was going on to know which character was which. That being said, I don't feel I lost anything by not following it. This was still, without a doubt, one of my favorite Castle episodes of all time. With February sweeps lurking just around the corner (alright, they're four weeks away), I can't wait to see what future episodes will hold.
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Rating: 5/5
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Beckett and Castle tackle an upscale matchmaker's murder case, and they have company: the actress cast as Nikki Heat, who wants a deeper grasp of her character. Her copycat image soon becomes too much for Beckett, but Castle likes it. (from tvguide.com)
Review: Just when I think I can't possibly enjoy Castle anymore than I already do, something like this happens.
Maybe it's because it was the first episode after a too-long break or because Laura Prepon was guest starring, but everything about this episode seemed to click. Castle and Beckett's banter was seamless and exceptional, and the addition of a new character didn't put a damper on it. If anything, Prepon only added to the chemistry. She really showed her acting ability in this episode. She did Beckett almost as well as Stana Katic does, but with a hilarious, sometimes creepy edge to it. She toed the line between ditzy Hollywood starlet and serious method actor well, adding just enough insightfulness to avoid being labeled an idiot. And she played so well off Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic that I could have sworn she'd been acting with them for years.
Prepon's oft-creepy imitations allowed for some great moments between Castle and Beckett as well. I've said before that Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are both wonderful physical actors, and it really showed in this episode. The wide array of facial expressions that both actors demonstrated were spot-on for whatever situation they were in, from Castle's wounded pride look to Beckett's half-terrified, half-bewildered expression when Natalie Rhodes steals her coffee. There was never a moment where I felt they were over-the-top or off in any way, and I laughed harder at those moments than almost anything else in the episode.
But as much as I found myself laughing, "Nikki Heat" also brought me to tears. I'm not too proud to admit I cried a bit at the end, like any sappy, over-emotional girl would. This is the first episode that Ryan has had his own story (aside from a few minutes where they first introduced his girlfriend), and even though it was just used as filler for the main arc, it was still wonderful to see Seamus Dever getting some love. Ryan is one of my favorite supporting characters, and I loved every minute he was on the screen.
If I had any negatives, there were two small things. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Grams and Alexis. I'm not really sure where they would have fit in this episode, but I always love their scenes, so I was a little disappointed that they just had one in the beginning.
The second thing is that I had very little emotional investment in the case. For me, it was just a reason for all these characters to be interacting. It took half the episode for me to remember the victim's name was Stacey. I didn't even try to guess the killer because I wasn't paying enough attention to what was going on to know which character was which. That being said, I don't feel I lost anything by not following it. This was still, without a doubt, one of my favorite Castle episodes of all time. With February sweeps lurking just around the corner (alright, they're four weeks away), I can't wait to see what future episodes will hold.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
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Rating: 5/5
Thursday, December 9, 2010
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.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Lie to Me - The Royal We
Network: Fox
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland
Summary: Lightman defends a falsely accused man from an angry mob. In the course of proving his innocence, Lightman unearths a secret that allows a mother and daughter to begin to heal.
Review: I don't know what's been going on with Lie to Me lately, but I don't like it. It's like they've taken all the fun out of the episodes, and we're left with cases that aren't particularly interesting and characters that are either too extreme or too flat. I miss the first season episodes, where Foster and Lightman had a fun banter thing going on, and Loker was brutally honest, and Torres had more than six lines in an episode. I don't know what happened to those characters, but I'd like them back, please.
I really didn't like any part of this episode. I'll start with what's been bothering me the most for the last season or so: Loker. He was so fun in the first season. His honesty may have gotten him in trouble sometimes, but it was charming in its own way, like when he sang to a class of fifth graders about not telling white lies. Now it's like his entire philosophy on life has changed. He lies as much as any of them, and the best part of his personality is missing. Instead, all he does is whine about how Lightman picks on him (which he does, but Loker used to let it roll off his back). The acrimonious relationship between Loker and Lightman is driving me crazy. All I want is for them to sit down like adults and have a conversation to resolve it, and instead they exchange a handful of monosyllabic sentences each episode and talk about each other to Torres and Foster.
That relationship isn't the only one that's being slaughtered. Foster and Lightman used to be partners in crime. Foster used to be fun. Now, all she seems to do is mother Lightman, which he takes badly, and then they sort of fight. And then they sort of make up. I think. Their relationship was never particularly well-defined, but now it just seems to be chaos.
I don't even know where Torres has been lately, besides being a sounding board for Loker when he complains (which is always). They were really turning her into a cool character last season, but now she's almost disappeared completely.
To top it off, now they've brought in three new characters, none of whom seem to actually appear in the episode for more than a few minutes. I understand the logic behind shaking up the cast, especially since Lie to Me was (and still is) in serious danger of being canceled, but there's no point in bringing in new characters if they're not actually going to be part of the show. Right now, it's turning into the Lightman Hour, and all the rest of the characters, even the ones who've been with him since the beginning, are just there to further his plot line.
Even the story in the episode wasn't interesting, especially since Lie to Me has already dealt with the issue of a false rape accusation. The plot was different enough, and I did feel a little bad for all the players involved, but I didn't find that I was emotionally invested in the outcome. Maybe I'm just sick of watching Lightman manipulate everyone around him, including the people who are supposed to be his friends. He's always had this side, but it used to be balanced by Foster, Loker and Torres. Now that they're not using the other cast members as much, Lightman's unethical side is starting to get a bit annoying.
I loved the first season and a half of Lie to Me so much that it disappoints me how it's fallen apart lately. I wish I knew why they were making some of these changes, but I hope they fix things soon because I don't know how much more I can take. Am I the only one feeling this way, or have you been less than impressed by Lie to Me lately? Comment below and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland
Summary: Lightman defends a falsely accused man from an angry mob. In the course of proving his innocence, Lightman unearths a secret that allows a mother and daughter to begin to heal.
Review: I don't know what's been going on with Lie to Me lately, but I don't like it. It's like they've taken all the fun out of the episodes, and we're left with cases that aren't particularly interesting and characters that are either too extreme or too flat. I miss the first season episodes, where Foster and Lightman had a fun banter thing going on, and Loker was brutally honest, and Torres had more than six lines in an episode. I don't know what happened to those characters, but I'd like them back, please.
I really didn't like any part of this episode. I'll start with what's been bothering me the most for the last season or so: Loker. He was so fun in the first season. His honesty may have gotten him in trouble sometimes, but it was charming in its own way, like when he sang to a class of fifth graders about not telling white lies. Now it's like his entire philosophy on life has changed. He lies as much as any of them, and the best part of his personality is missing. Instead, all he does is whine about how Lightman picks on him (which he does, but Loker used to let it roll off his back). The acrimonious relationship between Loker and Lightman is driving me crazy. All I want is for them to sit down like adults and have a conversation to resolve it, and instead they exchange a handful of monosyllabic sentences each episode and talk about each other to Torres and Foster.
That relationship isn't the only one that's being slaughtered. Foster and Lightman used to be partners in crime. Foster used to be fun. Now, all she seems to do is mother Lightman, which he takes badly, and then they sort of fight. And then they sort of make up. I think. Their relationship was never particularly well-defined, but now it just seems to be chaos.
I don't even know where Torres has been lately, besides being a sounding board for Loker when he complains (which is always). They were really turning her into a cool character last season, but now she's almost disappeared completely.
To top it off, now they've brought in three new characters, none of whom seem to actually appear in the episode for more than a few minutes. I understand the logic behind shaking up the cast, especially since Lie to Me was (and still is) in serious danger of being canceled, but there's no point in bringing in new characters if they're not actually going to be part of the show. Right now, it's turning into the Lightman Hour, and all the rest of the characters, even the ones who've been with him since the beginning, are just there to further his plot line.
Even the story in the episode wasn't interesting, especially since Lie to Me has already dealt with the issue of a false rape accusation. The plot was different enough, and I did feel a little bad for all the players involved, but I didn't find that I was emotionally invested in the outcome. Maybe I'm just sick of watching Lightman manipulate everyone around him, including the people who are supposed to be his friends. He's always had this side, but it used to be balanced by Foster, Loker and Torres. Now that they're not using the other cast members as much, Lightman's unethical side is starting to get a bit annoying.
I loved the first season and a half of Lie to Me so much that it disappoints me how it's fallen apart lately. I wish I knew why they were making some of these changes, but I hope they fix things soon because I don't know how much more I can take. Am I the only one feeling this way, or have you been less than impressed by Lie to Me lately? Comment below and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Castle - Under the Gun
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Encoded evidence sparks Castle's imagination during the investigation into a bail bondsman's murder, but Beckett dismisses his wild theories. Meanwhile, Beckett's reunion with her ex-partner turns romantic, much to Castle's chagrin.
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode. Please don't read if you don't want to know.
Review: How have I not been watching Castle since the beginning? Seriously, why did it take me two seasons to discover how wonderful this show is?
The brilliance of Castle comes across in a few ways. The first is the writing. It's witty, it's silly and sometimes it's serious, and it always works. I can't think of a moment when one of the characters said something that made me wince because it was too goofy or too cheesy. There's a wonderful give and take between all the actors that makes the writing come to life, and it flows so easily that I can't help but wish people really spoke like that.
Even the best script can be ruined by bad acting though. Fortunately, Castle doesn't have that problem. No, they won't all win Emmys, but they're a solid group of actors, and, most importantly, they're all believable in their parts. The concept behind Castle is farfetched to begin with (face it, the NYPD would never let a writer tag along, no matter how famous he was), but it's easy to buy the premise when the acting and writing creates a world where it all makes sense. Even cliched lines seem funnier than normal (like Nathan Fillion's spectacularly delivered, "Beckett, you were a girl once," that elicited a very loud and inappropriate laugh).
But there's more that creates great moments than meets the eye, things we don't necessarily notice but affect our subconscious. This is the first episode where I really noticed how the show is directed, but, upon reflection, it's not the first time the direction has made a good (or sometimes mediocre) moment that much better. Knowing when to focus on the character who's speaking and when to turn to the reacting character is more of an art than most people realize, and Castle does it better than most, especially since both Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are such expressive actors. In particular, I'm thinking of the scene where Beckett was on the phone with Royce after he betrayed her, and they cut to the shocked and horrified expression on Castle's face. A picture really does say a thousand words.
The only flaw I can find is that the cases are always predictable, sometimes to the point of detracting from the episode. I know it's hard to have a twist when every character you introduced winds up playing a part in the crime, but it was obvious from the start that they were all involved. It actually made me kind of angry when Royce betrayed Beckett. This isn't just something that happens in Castle (in fact, NCIS is the worst culprit), but why is it that when a character who has some kind of history with one of the stars shows up, they always wind up being a bad guy? For once, couldn't he have just been a guy? It creates unnecessary drama in a show that doesn't need to be too dramatic.
On the other hand, it did give Stana Katic an opportunity for a beautifully done monologue.
If you don't watch Castle already (and are, for some reason, reading this review), go find the old episodes and catch up. It's only two seasons deep, and it's definitely worth the watch. New episodes air on Monday nights at 10pm on ABC.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Encoded evidence sparks Castle's imagination during the investigation into a bail bondsman's murder, but Beckett dismisses his wild theories. Meanwhile, Beckett's reunion with her ex-partner turns romantic, much to Castle's chagrin.
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode. Please don't read if you don't want to know.
Review: How have I not been watching Castle since the beginning? Seriously, why did it take me two seasons to discover how wonderful this show is?
The brilliance of Castle comes across in a few ways. The first is the writing. It's witty, it's silly and sometimes it's serious, and it always works. I can't think of a moment when one of the characters said something that made me wince because it was too goofy or too cheesy. There's a wonderful give and take between all the actors that makes the writing come to life, and it flows so easily that I can't help but wish people really spoke like that.
Even the best script can be ruined by bad acting though. Fortunately, Castle doesn't have that problem. No, they won't all win Emmys, but they're a solid group of actors, and, most importantly, they're all believable in their parts. The concept behind Castle is farfetched to begin with (face it, the NYPD would never let a writer tag along, no matter how famous he was), but it's easy to buy the premise when the acting and writing creates a world where it all makes sense. Even cliched lines seem funnier than normal (like Nathan Fillion's spectacularly delivered, "Beckett, you were a girl once," that elicited a very loud and inappropriate laugh).
But there's more that creates great moments than meets the eye, things we don't necessarily notice but affect our subconscious. This is the first episode where I really noticed how the show is directed, but, upon reflection, it's not the first time the direction has made a good (or sometimes mediocre) moment that much better. Knowing when to focus on the character who's speaking and when to turn to the reacting character is more of an art than most people realize, and Castle does it better than most, especially since both Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are such expressive actors. In particular, I'm thinking of the scene where Beckett was on the phone with Royce after he betrayed her, and they cut to the shocked and horrified expression on Castle's face. A picture really does say a thousand words.
The only flaw I can find is that the cases are always predictable, sometimes to the point of detracting from the episode. I know it's hard to have a twist when every character you introduced winds up playing a part in the crime, but it was obvious from the start that they were all involved. It actually made me kind of angry when Royce betrayed Beckett. This isn't just something that happens in Castle (in fact, NCIS is the worst culprit), but why is it that when a character who has some kind of history with one of the stars shows up, they always wind up being a bad guy? For once, couldn't he have just been a guy? It creates unnecessary drama in a show that doesn't need to be too dramatic.
On the other hand, it did give Stana Katic an opportunity for a beautifully done monologue.
If you don't watch Castle already (and are, for some reason, reading this review), go find the old episodes and catch up. It's only two seasons deep, and it's definitely worth the watch. New episodes air on Monday nights at 10pm on ABC.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Castle - A Deadly Affair
Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Beckett finds Castle at a murder scene holding a gun and is forced to arrest him despite his claims of innocence.
Review: Castle's ratings weren't so hot last season, when ABC was debating whether or not to renew it. Ultimately, they decided to give it a chance to continue growing... and I imagine this season premiere made them glad they did.
When we last left our heroes, Beckett was finally coming to terms with her feelings for Castle, right before he skipped town with his ex-wife to finish writing his book. In the season 3 premiere, no one at the NYPD has heard from him since he left. Ironically, it's not Beckett who's most upset, but Esposito and Ryan, who provide comic relief to Beckett's almost-pining.
While the scene where Beckett finds Castle holding a gun over a dead body (and Ryan almost shoots him) is good, the show really picks up when Castle is released from custody and joins the investigation, against Beckett's wishes. A summer apart certainyl hasn't dampened the chemistry between them, and Castle is the perfect mix of his normal obnoxious self pushing Beckett's buttons and suitably contrite for not calling all summer. Yes, he's still with his ex-wife, but she doesn't make an appearance and, frankly, she doesn't seem particularly important in the grand scheme of Castle and Beckett's relationship.
Ultimately, this episode probably won't stand out against other episodes of Castle, but it did what a good season premiere should--it resolved the cliffhangers from the finale and opened the door to a good season to come. The most important thing is that it should make the audience want to continue watching, to see what will happen next. They can either do that by adding a cliffhanger at the end, or, in the case of Castle, by creating such engaging characters that you can't wait to see what situations they'll wind up in as the season continues.
The only downside to this episode was that there really wasn't enough of Castle's mother and daughter, just a little taste to remind the viewers that they still exist. This is an issue I imagine will easily be resolved in the coming months.
Aside from my perpetual disappointment that they chose to move away from the Beckett/Castle coupling, there was much to enjoy about this episode. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season will play out.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
For more reviews like this, check out One DV Rebel's Guide to TV and Film.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Questions or concerns? Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Beckett finds Castle at a murder scene holding a gun and is forced to arrest him despite his claims of innocence.
Review: Castle's ratings weren't so hot last season, when ABC was debating whether or not to renew it. Ultimately, they decided to give it a chance to continue growing... and I imagine this season premiere made them glad they did.
When we last left our heroes, Beckett was finally coming to terms with her feelings for Castle, right before he skipped town with his ex-wife to finish writing his book. In the season 3 premiere, no one at the NYPD has heard from him since he left. Ironically, it's not Beckett who's most upset, but Esposito and Ryan, who provide comic relief to Beckett's almost-pining.
While the scene where Beckett finds Castle holding a gun over a dead body (and Ryan almost shoots him) is good, the show really picks up when Castle is released from custody and joins the investigation, against Beckett's wishes. A summer apart certainyl hasn't dampened the chemistry between them, and Castle is the perfect mix of his normal obnoxious self pushing Beckett's buttons and suitably contrite for not calling all summer. Yes, he's still with his ex-wife, but she doesn't make an appearance and, frankly, she doesn't seem particularly important in the grand scheme of Castle and Beckett's relationship.
Ultimately, this episode probably won't stand out against other episodes of Castle, but it did what a good season premiere should--it resolved the cliffhangers from the finale and opened the door to a good season to come. The most important thing is that it should make the audience want to continue watching, to see what will happen next. They can either do that by adding a cliffhanger at the end, or, in the case of Castle, by creating such engaging characters that you can't wait to see what situations they'll wind up in as the season continues.
The only downside to this episode was that there really wasn't enough of Castle's mother and daughter, just a little taste to remind the viewers that they still exist. This is an issue I imagine will easily be resolved in the coming months.
Aside from my perpetual disappointment that they chose to move away from the Beckett/Castle coupling, there was much to enjoy about this episode. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season will play out.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
For more reviews like this, check out One DV Rebel's Guide to TV and Film.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Questions or concerns? Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Rizzoli & Isles - When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang
Network: TNT
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Angie Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Jordan Bridges, Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Chazz Palminteri, Lorraine Bracco
Summary: A savage gang that killed an undercover officer now targets Boston homicide headquarters for an attack, with Jane, Maura and Frankie Jr. trapped and fighting for survival.
Review: Wow. This season ended with a bang. Literally.
It took awhile to collect my thoughts after this episode's cliffhanger ending. It's not the most compelling cliffhanger I've ever seen, but the episode as a whole does a pretty good job of making you wish the next season would start today.
There have already been a lot of ups and downs in the ten episodes of season one. From the creepy Surgeon who almost killed Jane (twice) to Maura finding out who her real father is, the writers jam-packed the season with as many plot twists as they could fit into the approximately 7.5 hours of air time. This is a fairly common occurrence for new shows, since the cast and crew are never sure if they're going to get a second season.
This finale was a great ending to a great season. Not only was there a considerable amount of action and suspense to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, but there was also another foray into Rizzoli family politics. Turns out Jane and Frankie have a brother. I've read the first book in the series this was based on, so I remember hearing mention of him, but I didn't remember the full story (or the book never went into it). Without going into many details for those who haven't seen the episode yet, Jane and Frankie aren't happy that Tommy's coming home. For some reason, I really enjoyed the scene where they made that clear to their parents. It's the first time we've seen a "kids vs. parents" situation, and it added a layer of realism to their familial relationship.
Then there was the actual plot of the episode, the shooter who killed an undercover cop attacks headquarters. It's hard to talk about this without giving anything away, but Maura was awesome. She really stole the show for me, but she wouldn't have been half as good without Jane there too. The whole series has been building up this sometimes-awkward friendship between Rizzoli and Isles, and there are times when I was left wondering how they could possibly be so close, but this made it obvious. When Maura was doubting herself, Jane was right there to pick her, and when Jane needed her help, Maura literally saved a life for her. The chemistry has been good between them since the beginning, but this really cemented it for me.
There were only two sticking points for me. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Frost and Korsak. They did have one or two scenes (and they do seem to be getting along much better than they did in the first episode), but they were so far on the outskirts of this episode that I actually started to miss them a little.
The other thing was Maura's tortoise. She brings it to work because it's not eating and she's worried about it (which, by the way, was kind of adorable), but it doesn't ever do anything. Normally a random prop or animal that appearance once or twice will be involved in the climax of the story somehow, but I think this was just a desire by the writers to have the tortoise come back for another episode. Which is fine, but it seemed like a loose end to me.
TNT renewed Rizzoli & Isles for a second season after only the third episode, so look for new episodes to begin again in 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Angie Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Jordan Bridges, Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Chazz Palminteri, Lorraine Bracco
Summary: A savage gang that killed an undercover officer now targets Boston homicide headquarters for an attack, with Jane, Maura and Frankie Jr. trapped and fighting for survival.
Review: Wow. This season ended with a bang. Literally.
It took awhile to collect my thoughts after this episode's cliffhanger ending. It's not the most compelling cliffhanger I've ever seen, but the episode as a whole does a pretty good job of making you wish the next season would start today.
There have already been a lot of ups and downs in the ten episodes of season one. From the creepy Surgeon who almost killed Jane (twice) to Maura finding out who her real father is, the writers jam-packed the season with as many plot twists as they could fit into the approximately 7.5 hours of air time. This is a fairly common occurrence for new shows, since the cast and crew are never sure if they're going to get a second season.
This finale was a great ending to a great season. Not only was there a considerable amount of action and suspense to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, but there was also another foray into Rizzoli family politics. Turns out Jane and Frankie have a brother. I've read the first book in the series this was based on, so I remember hearing mention of him, but I didn't remember the full story (or the book never went into it). Without going into many details for those who haven't seen the episode yet, Jane and Frankie aren't happy that Tommy's coming home. For some reason, I really enjoyed the scene where they made that clear to their parents. It's the first time we've seen a "kids vs. parents" situation, and it added a layer of realism to their familial relationship.
Then there was the actual plot of the episode, the shooter who killed an undercover cop attacks headquarters. It's hard to talk about this without giving anything away, but Maura was awesome. She really stole the show for me, but she wouldn't have been half as good without Jane there too. The whole series has been building up this sometimes-awkward friendship between Rizzoli and Isles, and there are times when I was left wondering how they could possibly be so close, but this made it obvious. When Maura was doubting herself, Jane was right there to pick her, and when Jane needed her help, Maura literally saved a life for her. The chemistry has been good between them since the beginning, but this really cemented it for me.
There were only two sticking points for me. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Frost and Korsak. They did have one or two scenes (and they do seem to be getting along much better than they did in the first episode), but they were so far on the outskirts of this episode that I actually started to miss them a little.
The other thing was Maura's tortoise. She brings it to work because it's not eating and she's worried about it (which, by the way, was kind of adorable), but it doesn't ever do anything. Normally a random prop or animal that appearance once or twice will be involved in the climax of the story somehow, but I think this was just a desire by the writers to have the tortoise come back for another episode. Which is fine, but it seemed like a loose end to me.
TNT renewed Rizzoli & Isles for a second season after only the third episode, so look for new episodes to begin again in 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Lie to Me - Black and White
Network: Fox
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer, Hayley McFarland
Summary: The Lightman Group investigates the murder of a journalist and friend of Lightman’s who was killed while exposing a corrupt politician--a case that tests Lightman’s relationship with Reynolds and the FBI. Meanwhile, Emily’s newfound interest in dating makes her father uncomfortable.
Review: This was a good episode, but a bad season finale. I imagine the producers and writers of Lie to Me weren't sure they'd get a third season when they shot this episode, so they didn't want to leave any cliffhangers in case they didn't have time to wrap them up. Now that they did get the green light for at least half the third season, this episode came up a little short.
Not that it was bad, per se. It was just fairly typical where it should have stood out, especially since it's imperative that Lie to Me gets good ratings next season if it hopes to make it to four.
One of the best parts of "Black and White" is that it added another layer of complexity to the already puzzling character of Cal Lightman. We've seen Cal trying to help his friends, and we've even seen his distrustful of his friends, but we've never seen him when his friend was the victim of a murder. The writers did a great job staying true to his character. Lightman has always marched to his own beat, so it was perfectly reasonable that he would stray from the FBI reservation to do whatever it took to get justice for his friend. And it made perfect sense that Foster, Torres and Loker would follow him right down that path.
It was the personal storyline that seemed a little weak. It was supposed to focus on Cal dealing with Emily growing up, which they've already done several times. While it's kind of fun to watch Cal as a bumbling father (who doesn't, apparently, know everything his daughter does), it seemed like they were just reaching for a storyline for Hayley McFarland. I much preferred the episode where she was writing an article for journalism class and she followed her father and Foster around for a few days. The one good moment I thought they were going to give us with this story--where Foster came over for dinner and they talked about sex--never actually happened, which was a huge disappointed. They've never done as much with the Foster/Hayley story as I wanted.
The other problem I had with this episode (and it's actually something that bothers me about a lot of episodes) is that, despite the fact that Lightman just promoted Loker, he still treats him really badly. Honestly, I can't understand why Loker puts up with it. But instead of challenging him or making him funny, the abuse just makes Loker whiny. Couple that with the fact that he can never win with Torres (and, by the way, them sleeping together last week just seemed like a desperate ploy to rekindle the chemistry they had in the first season), and Loker's character is getting just a bit pathetic.
Lie to Me has seemed to become the Cal Lightman show recently. Even the episodes that have been about the others (Foster's boyfriend, Torres' sister) have wound up being more about Cal than anyone else. It's still fun to watch, and I still love it, but the writers need to step up their game if they hope to get picked up for more episodes after the show's expected finale in early 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer, Hayley McFarland
Summary: The Lightman Group investigates the murder of a journalist and friend of Lightman’s who was killed while exposing a corrupt politician--a case that tests Lightman’s relationship with Reynolds and the FBI. Meanwhile, Emily’s newfound interest in dating makes her father uncomfortable.
Review: This was a good episode, but a bad season finale. I imagine the producers and writers of Lie to Me weren't sure they'd get a third season when they shot this episode, so they didn't want to leave any cliffhangers in case they didn't have time to wrap them up. Now that they did get the green light for at least half the third season, this episode came up a little short.
Not that it was bad, per se. It was just fairly typical where it should have stood out, especially since it's imperative that Lie to Me gets good ratings next season if it hopes to make it to four.
One of the best parts of "Black and White" is that it added another layer of complexity to the already puzzling character of Cal Lightman. We've seen Cal trying to help his friends, and we've even seen his distrustful of his friends, but we've never seen him when his friend was the victim of a murder. The writers did a great job staying true to his character. Lightman has always marched to his own beat, so it was perfectly reasonable that he would stray from the FBI reservation to do whatever it took to get justice for his friend. And it made perfect sense that Foster, Torres and Loker would follow him right down that path.
It was the personal storyline that seemed a little weak. It was supposed to focus on Cal dealing with Emily growing up, which they've already done several times. While it's kind of fun to watch Cal as a bumbling father (who doesn't, apparently, know everything his daughter does), it seemed like they were just reaching for a storyline for Hayley McFarland. I much preferred the episode where she was writing an article for journalism class and she followed her father and Foster around for a few days. The one good moment I thought they were going to give us with this story--where Foster came over for dinner and they talked about sex--never actually happened, which was a huge disappointed. They've never done as much with the Foster/Hayley story as I wanted.
The other problem I had with this episode (and it's actually something that bothers me about a lot of episodes) is that, despite the fact that Lightman just promoted Loker, he still treats him really badly. Honestly, I can't understand why Loker puts up with it. But instead of challenging him or making him funny, the abuse just makes Loker whiny. Couple that with the fact that he can never win with Torres (and, by the way, them sleeping together last week just seemed like a desperate ploy to rekindle the chemistry they had in the first season), and Loker's character is getting just a bit pathetic.
Lie to Me has seemed to become the Cal Lightman show recently. Even the episodes that have been about the others (Foster's boyfriend, Torres' sister) have wound up being more about Cal than anyone else. It's still fun to watch, and I still love it, but the writers need to step up their game if they hope to get picked up for more episodes after the show's expected finale in early 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Big Bang Theory - The Large Hadron Collision
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: When Leonard gets invited to see the CERN laboratory in Switzerland on Valentine's Day, Sheldon gets mad because he decides to take Penny with him.
Review: My affinity for Big Bang knows few bounds, but they're starting to do a few things that annoy me. First and most importantly, the Sheldon/Leonard relationship. When the show first started, Leonard regarded Sheldon with tolerant amusement. He accepted Sheldon's antics with good humor and patience. Now, he gets annoyed and lashes out and, more often than not, resembles a four-year-old have a tantrum because his little brother is getting his mother's attention. Out of all the things that I've noticed with Big Bang this season, this is the most troublesome. Where Leonard's comments to and about Sheldon were once light-hearted, they now seem barbed and aimed to hurt (though Sheldon often remains oblivious).
And Sheldon doesn't make it any better. He's always been a selfish character, but it seems like he's gotten worse as the seasons went on (and the writers realized that his selfishness is part of the amusement for the audience). He thinks nothing of bullying, annoying, and guilting his friends into doing what he wants. His selfishness before used to be due to a lack of awareness about his friends' feelings; now it seems to be driven by a lack of concern for them.
Another thing that's started to annoy me is the Howard/Raj relationship. Since Leonard's mother's first episode (and maybe before), there's always been a hint of homosexuality in Howard and Raj's relationship. It seems lately, however, that the writers are building that up so much that it's damaging the other aspects of their interaction. Howard has a girlfriend now, which leaves him with less time to spend with Raj. But he's started to rub that in Raj's face, which I think is both cruel and out of character for Howard. We've had no evidence to suggest that he would ever deliberately hurt his friend, so why is he starting to now?
Raj himself has become a rather pathetic character. Perhaps he always was, but he's doubly so now that his (more normal) friends have girlfriends, and he's left alone more often than not. I miss the days when the boys used to hang around playing geek games and horrifying Penny. Now Howard and Leonard are with Bernadette and Penny, Raj is noticeably absent, and Sheldon is in his own world unless it suits him to come out. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm almost sorry Leonard and Penny got together in the first place.
This episode had some funny moments, but it's far from the hilarious episodes of last season or even the beginning of this one. Sheldon's antics are always funny, and I really like the Leonard/Penny interaction, which was appropriately sweet for Valentine's Day. I wasn't crazy about the end, as well as the things I mentioned before, but I can only hope that some of these things will resolve themselves with time.
Favorite line:
Sheldon: I believe you know why I'm here.
Penny: I always figured it was to study us, discover our weaknesses, and report back to your alien overlords.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: When Leonard gets invited to see the CERN laboratory in Switzerland on Valentine's Day, Sheldon gets mad because he decides to take Penny with him.
Review: My affinity for Big Bang knows few bounds, but they're starting to do a few things that annoy me. First and most importantly, the Sheldon/Leonard relationship. When the show first started, Leonard regarded Sheldon with tolerant amusement. He accepted Sheldon's antics with good humor and patience. Now, he gets annoyed and lashes out and, more often than not, resembles a four-year-old have a tantrum because his little brother is getting his mother's attention. Out of all the things that I've noticed with Big Bang this season, this is the most troublesome. Where Leonard's comments to and about Sheldon were once light-hearted, they now seem barbed and aimed to hurt (though Sheldon often remains oblivious).
And Sheldon doesn't make it any better. He's always been a selfish character, but it seems like he's gotten worse as the seasons went on (and the writers realized that his selfishness is part of the amusement for the audience). He thinks nothing of bullying, annoying, and guilting his friends into doing what he wants. His selfishness before used to be due to a lack of awareness about his friends' feelings; now it seems to be driven by a lack of concern for them.
Another thing that's started to annoy me is the Howard/Raj relationship. Since Leonard's mother's first episode (and maybe before), there's always been a hint of homosexuality in Howard and Raj's relationship. It seems lately, however, that the writers are building that up so much that it's damaging the other aspects of their interaction. Howard has a girlfriend now, which leaves him with less time to spend with Raj. But he's started to rub that in Raj's face, which I think is both cruel and out of character for Howard. We've had no evidence to suggest that he would ever deliberately hurt his friend, so why is he starting to now?
Raj himself has become a rather pathetic character. Perhaps he always was, but he's doubly so now that his (more normal) friends have girlfriends, and he's left alone more often than not. I miss the days when the boys used to hang around playing geek games and horrifying Penny. Now Howard and Leonard are with Bernadette and Penny, Raj is noticeably absent, and Sheldon is in his own world unless it suits him to come out. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm almost sorry Leonard and Penny got together in the first place.
This episode had some funny moments, but it's far from the hilarious episodes of last season or even the beginning of this one. Sheldon's antics are always funny, and I really like the Leonard/Penny interaction, which was appropriately sweet for Valentine's Day. I wasn't crazy about the end, as well as the things I mentioned before, but I can only hope that some of these things will resolve themselves with time.
Favorite line:
Sheldon: I believe you know why I'm here.
Penny: I always figured it was to study us, discover our weaknesses, and report back to your alien overlords.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Accidentally on Purpose - Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Jon Foster, Ashley Jensen, Lennon Parham, Nicolas Wright
Summary: Billie manipulates Zack into setting up the nursery. Meanwhile, Davis gets a job working at a gay bar.
Review: Dear CBS Network Executives, please please please please please don't cancel Accidentally on Purpose. It's a really funny show, and I think you'd be doing it a disservice if you don't give it more time to develop.
As a said in my very first review of AoP, I went into this show expecting the worst and was more than pleasantly surprised. And with every episode I fall a little more in love with this show and it's wonderful characters.
While this episode's main focus was the fledgling Billie/Zack relationship, it was Davis who stole the show. Davis got a job at a gay bar after lying to them and telling them he was gay (being, as Davis is, quite unaware that you don't actually have to be gay to work at a gay bar). And he really got into his new job, listening and offering relationship advice as a good bartender does... right up until the point when one of the men asked him out. And, of course, instead of being honest, Davis said he had a boyfriend---Zack.
Everyone knows a Zack and Davis. They're completely realistic 22-year-olds. Sometimes they obsessed with getting the right girl (and often, Davis, failing), and sometimes they're just two guys hanging around doing guy stuff that us girls don't even understand. So when Davis asks Zack for help getting out of his pants, Zack barely bats an eye, even if the ensuing scene is hysterical for the audience. Showing Zack behaving like a normal 22-year-old guy with Davis is great, because he tends to act fairly mature when he's with Billie. Sure, he has his goofy moments with her, moments where he's clueless or stupid, but he's stepped up pretty well in light of this whole baby thing. But seeing him with Davis reminds everyone that he's still just a kid sometimes.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the episode, Billie is getting relationship advice from her sister (who is probably more than a little insane, but that's okay). Abby's suggestions? Manipulate Zack into fixing up the nursery so the box with the crib in it won't be sitting in the living room anymore.
And it works. She does manage to get Zack to put the crib together. But it backfires a little. I'm going to leave the details out for those who haven't seen it. This entire story is telling though. Billie and Zack fell into a very serious relationship. They've been having fun together, and they're both serious about taking care of the baby, but they never muddled through the weird parts of an early relationship, like how to take two separate lives and merge them together under one roof. There are bound to be growing pains, and I'm glad this show gave us some of them. If everything's too perfect in a television relationship, we complain. If it's too awkward, we complain. Accidentally on Purpose is one of the few shows with just the right amount of awkwardness that's balanced by the right amount of sweetness and genuine love between them.
There was a third story in this episode. Abby was looking for a gay man to help her go from "drabby" to "fabby." It had worked for Olivia, and now she was hoping it would help her. There's not much to say about this one, except that Lennon Parham is awesome, and she makes me laugh every single time she opens her mouth.
CBS is moving this to Wednesdays soon (in March, I believe), and I hope that's not the first movement toward the door because I really think this show has the potential to be as highly rated as HIMYM or Big Bang Theory (which, by the way, was not a ratings-winner for its first several seasons either). I hope CBS gives it that shot.
Favorite lines:
Abby: It's like killing someone with carbon monoxide. Smile, smile, smile, dead.
Abby: Manipulation is one of the greatest tools in a woman's toolbox. That and the vagina.
Davis (comforting a gay bar patron): There isn't a man here who would want a piece of that.
Jerome: There isn't?
Davis: No.
Jerome: So... what time do you get off?
Davis: 2am
[beat]
Davis: Ohhhh....
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Jon Foster, Ashley Jensen, Lennon Parham, Nicolas Wright
Summary: Billie manipulates Zack into setting up the nursery. Meanwhile, Davis gets a job working at a gay bar.
Review: Dear CBS Network Executives, please please please please please don't cancel Accidentally on Purpose. It's a really funny show, and I think you'd be doing it a disservice if you don't give it more time to develop.
As a said in my very first review of AoP, I went into this show expecting the worst and was more than pleasantly surprised. And with every episode I fall a little more in love with this show and it's wonderful characters.
While this episode's main focus was the fledgling Billie/Zack relationship, it was Davis who stole the show. Davis got a job at a gay bar after lying to them and telling them he was gay (being, as Davis is, quite unaware that you don't actually have to be gay to work at a gay bar). And he really got into his new job, listening and offering relationship advice as a good bartender does... right up until the point when one of the men asked him out. And, of course, instead of being honest, Davis said he had a boyfriend---Zack.
Everyone knows a Zack and Davis. They're completely realistic 22-year-olds. Sometimes they obsessed with getting the right girl (and often, Davis, failing), and sometimes they're just two guys hanging around doing guy stuff that us girls don't even understand. So when Davis asks Zack for help getting out of his pants, Zack barely bats an eye, even if the ensuing scene is hysterical for the audience. Showing Zack behaving like a normal 22-year-old guy with Davis is great, because he tends to act fairly mature when he's with Billie. Sure, he has his goofy moments with her, moments where he's clueless or stupid, but he's stepped up pretty well in light of this whole baby thing. But seeing him with Davis reminds everyone that he's still just a kid sometimes.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the episode, Billie is getting relationship advice from her sister (who is probably more than a little insane, but that's okay). Abby's suggestions? Manipulate Zack into fixing up the nursery so the box with the crib in it won't be sitting in the living room anymore.
And it works. She does manage to get Zack to put the crib together. But it backfires a little. I'm going to leave the details out for those who haven't seen it. This entire story is telling though. Billie and Zack fell into a very serious relationship. They've been having fun together, and they're both serious about taking care of the baby, but they never muddled through the weird parts of an early relationship, like how to take two separate lives and merge them together under one roof. There are bound to be growing pains, and I'm glad this show gave us some of them. If everything's too perfect in a television relationship, we complain. If it's too awkward, we complain. Accidentally on Purpose is one of the few shows with just the right amount of awkwardness that's balanced by the right amount of sweetness and genuine love between them.
There was a third story in this episode. Abby was looking for a gay man to help her go from "drabby" to "fabby." It had worked for Olivia, and now she was hoping it would help her. There's not much to say about this one, except that Lennon Parham is awesome, and she makes me laugh every single time she opens her mouth.
CBS is moving this to Wednesdays soon (in March, I believe), and I hope that's not the first movement toward the door because I really think this show has the potential to be as highly rated as HIMYM or Big Bang Theory (which, by the way, was not a ratings-winner for its first several seasons either). I hope CBS gives it that shot.
Favorite lines:
Abby: It's like killing someone with carbon monoxide. Smile, smile, smile, dead.
Abby: Manipulation is one of the greatest tools in a woman's toolbox. That and the vagina.
Davis (comforting a gay bar patron): There isn't a man here who would want a piece of that.
Jerome: There isn't?
Davis: No.
Jerome: So... what time do you get off?
Davis: 2am
[beat]
Davis: Ohhhh....
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How I Met Your Mother - Jenkins
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders
Summary: When Marshall finds out he's the "reacher" and Lily's the "settler" in their relationship, he sets out to make her jealous. Meanwhile, Ted finds out his students have a drinking game about Robin.
Review: Usually in a HIMYM episode, there's something that stands out as the best part of the episode for me. Everything else was good, but there's usually one part I can point to and say, "Oh, I really loved blahblahblah."
In this case, it was Amanda Peet. I've loved her since her starring role on the short-lived but totally awesome Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (go check it out if you've never seen it). She's a great comedic actress, and her chemistry with Jason Segel was spectacular in this episode. From the first introduction to the moment she plants one on him (that's not a spoiler; it was in the promo), it was easy to imagine her as a co-worker who Marshall didn't know was probably flirting with him.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in that episode, the group explains to Marshall that he's the reacher in his relationship with Lily, and she's the settler. In other words, she's too good for him, but she's settling for him. After much (much much much) prodding, Lily agrees with that, and Marshall decides he has to make Lily jealous. But, of course, she doesn't get jealous, because Lily's too cool to get jealous. Mostly. Which just makes Marshall try harder.
That entire storyline was heartwarming on top of being funny. I always enjoy watching Marshall and Lily interact, because there's just so much love between them. It takes Lily forever to admit she even might be settling for Marshall, and, even then, it isn't a big deal in her eyes. Meanwhile, even while Marshall's trying to make Lily jealous, he never wants to hurt her. The writers and actors have really done a great job creating such a lovely couple that you're constantly rooting for.
Then there's the second story, where Ted, who is forever desperate to be liked by his students, discovers that his students all watch Robin's show... and have a drinking game about it. This was yet another opportunity to throw Robin and Ted into an adversarial relationship, with Robin rubbing it in Ted's face and Ted trying not to let it bother him, even though it so obviously does. It's a trick the HIMYM writers do a lot, but it's so much fun every time.
There's no way this episode could have competed against the 100th episode, which was the last new one, but it was definitely fun to watch and it kept me laughing through the whole thing.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders
Summary: When Marshall finds out he's the "reacher" and Lily's the "settler" in their relationship, he sets out to make her jealous. Meanwhile, Ted finds out his students have a drinking game about Robin.
Review: Usually in a HIMYM episode, there's something that stands out as the best part of the episode for me. Everything else was good, but there's usually one part I can point to and say, "Oh, I really loved blahblahblah."
In this case, it was Amanda Peet. I've loved her since her starring role on the short-lived but totally awesome Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (go check it out if you've never seen it). She's a great comedic actress, and her chemistry with Jason Segel was spectacular in this episode. From the first introduction to the moment she plants one on him (that's not a spoiler; it was in the promo), it was easy to imagine her as a co-worker who Marshall didn't know was probably flirting with him.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in that episode, the group explains to Marshall that he's the reacher in his relationship with Lily, and she's the settler. In other words, she's too good for him, but she's settling for him. After much (much much much) prodding, Lily agrees with that, and Marshall decides he has to make Lily jealous. But, of course, she doesn't get jealous, because Lily's too cool to get jealous. Mostly. Which just makes Marshall try harder.
That entire storyline was heartwarming on top of being funny. I always enjoy watching Marshall and Lily interact, because there's just so much love between them. It takes Lily forever to admit she even might be settling for Marshall, and, even then, it isn't a big deal in her eyes. Meanwhile, even while Marshall's trying to make Lily jealous, he never wants to hurt her. The writers and actors have really done a great job creating such a lovely couple that you're constantly rooting for.
Then there's the second story, where Ted, who is forever desperate to be liked by his students, discovers that his students all watch Robin's show... and have a drinking game about it. This was yet another opportunity to throw Robin and Ted into an adversarial relationship, with Robin rubbing it in Ted's face and Ted trying not to let it bother him, even though it so obviously does. It's a trick the HIMYM writers do a lot, but it's so much fun every time.
There's no way this episode could have competed against the 100th episode, which was the last new one, but it was definitely fun to watch and it kept me laughing through the whole thing.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Big Bang Theory - The Psychic Vortex
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: When Leonard and Howard go on a double date with Penny and Bernadette, Leonard is troubled to learn that Penny believes in psychics. Meanwhile, Raj and Sheldon go to a university mixer.
Review: I loved exactly half of this episode. The Raj/Sheldon storyline was great, from Raj's desperate pleas to get Sheldon to do something with him to the bribes that finally worked to the girls they eventually met (Danica McKellar!). Pairing Raj and Sheldon together has been a comedic victory in past episodes (let us never forget when Raj started working for Sheldon), and it doesn't fail this time either. Pegging them as the two "girlfriend-less" members of the group sets them up for future moments together too, which is something I await with eagerness.
I always enjoy Sheldon in episodes of Big Bang Theory, but I do feel he can get over-the-top sometimes. This wasn't one of those cases, though. I thought Jim Parsons played his part perfectly in this episode. Sheldon actually put in some effort to help Raj find a girl at the mixer, even if he wasn't good at it, and he didn't treat the women (or Raj, actually) as inferior to him in intellect, which was a somewhat refreshing change. He actually managed to participate in a group activity without being excessively weird or freaking out, which was really fun to see.
Meanwhile, the double date could have been... better. I think it's the Leonard/Penny relationship that's bothering me. Since the previous season finale, they went from "just friends" to "established, practically married couple" with no middle ground. I mean, there was that one episode where they were really awkward, but they never seemed to have that cute, honeymoon period that most couples (at least fictional couples) have. Maybe it's because they were friends for so long before they dated, but it just seems like there's nowhere for the relationship to go now except down... or into marriage, but I hope the writers agree with me when I say it's far too early for that.
In this episode, Leonard and Penny fight publicly about psychics (Penny believes, Leonard doesn't... in case you weren't sure). Meanwhile, Howard and Bernadette are just kind of hanging out. Actually, this was the first time I was really amused by Bernadette, and her honest answers to basically rhetorical questions (an example of which is in my favorite lines at the bottom). While this aspect of the story had a lot of funny lines, I didn't enjoy the premise. I thought Leonard was very clearly a jerk, mocking what Penny believes. It's not like he didn't know that she believed in things like that before he started dating her, so why does it come as a surprise to him now?
For someone who waited so long for the Leonard/Penny relationship to pan out, I've been very disappointed with how they've been handling it over the course of the season. I don't really know what I want from them, but it's not what they've been doing. I'm afraid that they're setting them up on a path to implode by the end of the season, and that would be terribly sad, especially since Big Bang's high ratings have pretty much guaranteed it as many future episodes as it would like. I would like them to revisit the idea of Howard and Leonard double dating again, though, because I think it raises some interesting potentials. Plus, the idea of them dating together just amuses me.
Favorite lines:
Leonard: Look at us, getting ready for a double date with actual women who publicly acknowledge they're our girlfriends.
Leonard: Howard, Bernadette, you're both scientists. Help me out here.
Howard: What do you think? Want to jump right into the middle of another couple's argument?
Bernadette: No, thank you.
Howard: Sorry.
Waiter: How is everything tonight?
Bernadette: Really uncomfortable.
Penny: That's all you've got after you were the most obnoxious person on a double date that included Howard Wolowitz?
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Summary: When Leonard and Howard go on a double date with Penny and Bernadette, Leonard is troubled to learn that Penny believes in psychics. Meanwhile, Raj and Sheldon go to a university mixer.
Review: I loved exactly half of this episode. The Raj/Sheldon storyline was great, from Raj's desperate pleas to get Sheldon to do something with him to the bribes that finally worked to the girls they eventually met (Danica McKellar!). Pairing Raj and Sheldon together has been a comedic victory in past episodes (let us never forget when Raj started working for Sheldon), and it doesn't fail this time either. Pegging them as the two "girlfriend-less" members of the group sets them up for future moments together too, which is something I await with eagerness.
I always enjoy Sheldon in episodes of Big Bang Theory, but I do feel he can get over-the-top sometimes. This wasn't one of those cases, though. I thought Jim Parsons played his part perfectly in this episode. Sheldon actually put in some effort to help Raj find a girl at the mixer, even if he wasn't good at it, and he didn't treat the women (or Raj, actually) as inferior to him in intellect, which was a somewhat refreshing change. He actually managed to participate in a group activity without being excessively weird or freaking out, which was really fun to see.
Meanwhile, the double date could have been... better. I think it's the Leonard/Penny relationship that's bothering me. Since the previous season finale, they went from "just friends" to "established, practically married couple" with no middle ground. I mean, there was that one episode where they were really awkward, but they never seemed to have that cute, honeymoon period that most couples (at least fictional couples) have. Maybe it's because they were friends for so long before they dated, but it just seems like there's nowhere for the relationship to go now except down... or into marriage, but I hope the writers agree with me when I say it's far too early for that.
In this episode, Leonard and Penny fight publicly about psychics (Penny believes, Leonard doesn't... in case you weren't sure). Meanwhile, Howard and Bernadette are just kind of hanging out. Actually, this was the first time I was really amused by Bernadette, and her honest answers to basically rhetorical questions (an example of which is in my favorite lines at the bottom). While this aspect of the story had a lot of funny lines, I didn't enjoy the premise. I thought Leonard was very clearly a jerk, mocking what Penny believes. It's not like he didn't know that she believed in things like that before he started dating her, so why does it come as a surprise to him now?
For someone who waited so long for the Leonard/Penny relationship to pan out, I've been very disappointed with how they've been handling it over the course of the season. I don't really know what I want from them, but it's not what they've been doing. I'm afraid that they're setting them up on a path to implode by the end of the season, and that would be terribly sad, especially since Big Bang's high ratings have pretty much guaranteed it as many future episodes as it would like. I would like them to revisit the idea of Howard and Leonard double dating again, though, because I think it raises some interesting potentials. Plus, the idea of them dating together just amuses me.
Favorite lines:
Leonard: Look at us, getting ready for a double date with actual women who publicly acknowledge they're our girlfriends.
Leonard: Howard, Bernadette, you're both scientists. Help me out here.
Howard: What do you think? Want to jump right into the middle of another couple's argument?
Bernadette: No, thank you.
Howard: Sorry.
Waiter: How is everything tonight?
Bernadette: Really uncomfortable.
Penny: That's all you've got after you were the most obnoxious person on a double date that included Howard Wolowitz?
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Accidentally on Purpose - The Odd Couples
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Jon Foster, Ashley Jensen, Lennon Parham, Nicolas Wright, Grant Show
Summary: In an effort to find out how they are as a couple, Billie and Zack go out on double dates with first Abby and Nick, then Davis and his new girlfriend. But both dates backfire and leave everyone mad at them.
Review: To my embarrassment, I'd completely forgotten that we ended before the break with a marriage proposal from Zack and a declaration of mutual love between them. So I definitely had a shocked moment when the first scene in the episode was Zack walking in and making out with Billie.
Once I had my bearings, my thoughts went from, "WHAT?!?" to "Aww..." Zack and Billie have always have had a fun relationship, and they managed to become a couple without losing the back-and-forth that I've enjoyed so far this season.
Billie has decided that, before she will accept Zack's marriage proposal, they should first see how they are as a couple when dealing with other people. Which means Zack has to bond with Abby's weird husband Nick. Nick, who likes hospitals and engineering and finding out all the different ways he can get sick doing something, is a little odd for Zack, who likes to surf, drive a van and be spontaneous. But the interaction between them is funny, and it leads to a very sweet moment between Abby and Nick, where he admits that he knows he's weird and that he loves that she loves him for it. It's the first time I've had any real positive emotions directed at Nick, but that scene really endeared me to him. And to Abby, who I've really only liked because she's Billie's sister.
Then Billie and Zack try their hand with Davis and his new girlfriend. Did I mention that Davis has been lying to her and telling her he's Dave Grohl's younger brother? And that the only reason she likes Davis at all is because she thinks he'll help her meet Dave Grohl? Yeah, Billie doesn't do so well with that part.
The Davis/girlfriend storyline does give us another wonderful Abby and Davis moment, however. Abby, it turns out, is way cooler than Billie is when it comes to lying to a woman to get her into bed, and she definitely steps up and has Davis's back on this one. The Abby/Davis relationship is something that the writers have only just played with a little, but the unlikely combination is always good for a laugh. I like a show that's not afraid to play all its characters off each other. So often, a show sticks to the pairings it establishes early on (Billie and her friends, Zack and his friends, Billie and Zack). I like that this show is not only willing to mingle the groups, but seemingly eager to do it.
My favorite thing about Accidentally on Purpose however, is that it never ceases to surprise me. Just when I expect them to go for one joke, they turn around and smack you with something else. Billie is established early on as a self-confident woman who isn't afraid to tell people how she feels, and that trait is often called on for its comedic value. Zack is more mature than most guys his age, but sometimes he's just a 22-year-old. I love that this show doesn't take the easy route with its comedy. It's rarely physical, relying on wit and character interaction to be the humor.
The only downside to this episode was the conspicuous absence of Olivia. I know this episode was focused on the relationship between the sisters, but it was also about friendship, and Olivia should have been there (I'm sure her absence had nothing to do with the show and was probably the result of a conflict with the shooting schedule or another project she was working on). Plus, I enjoy watching Olivia's interaction with Abby.
All in all, another winner for Accidentally on Purpose, which is moving to Wednesday nights sometime in March. I know CBS is worrying about its ratings, but I hope they decide to keep it on, because I think this show could only be made better by the addition of a baby.
Favorite line:
Davis: Yes, people, my new girlfriend has a credit card.
Billie: Girlfriend?
Zack: Credit card? When did this happen?
Davis: While you two were shacked up grossing out your baby. Yeah, I stumbled upon a new method to pick up chicks. [flashes back to lying to this girl about being Dave Grohl's little brother]
Zack: You dog. That's awesome.
Billie: If your new method is lying to chicks in bars, I hate to tell you, but every man in history has beat you to it.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 8:30-9:00pm
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Jon Foster, Ashley Jensen, Lennon Parham, Nicolas Wright, Grant Show
Summary: In an effort to find out how they are as a couple, Billie and Zack go out on double dates with first Abby and Nick, then Davis and his new girlfriend. But both dates backfire and leave everyone mad at them.
Review: To my embarrassment, I'd completely forgotten that we ended before the break with a marriage proposal from Zack and a declaration of mutual love between them. So I definitely had a shocked moment when the first scene in the episode was Zack walking in and making out with Billie.
Once I had my bearings, my thoughts went from, "WHAT?!?" to "Aww..." Zack and Billie have always have had a fun relationship, and they managed to become a couple without losing the back-and-forth that I've enjoyed so far this season.
Billie has decided that, before she will accept Zack's marriage proposal, they should first see how they are as a couple when dealing with other people. Which means Zack has to bond with Abby's weird husband Nick. Nick, who likes hospitals and engineering and finding out all the different ways he can get sick doing something, is a little odd for Zack, who likes to surf, drive a van and be spontaneous. But the interaction between them is funny, and it leads to a very sweet moment between Abby and Nick, where he admits that he knows he's weird and that he loves that she loves him for it. It's the first time I've had any real positive emotions directed at Nick, but that scene really endeared me to him. And to Abby, who I've really only liked because she's Billie's sister.
Then Billie and Zack try their hand with Davis and his new girlfriend. Did I mention that Davis has been lying to her and telling her he's Dave Grohl's younger brother? And that the only reason she likes Davis at all is because she thinks he'll help her meet Dave Grohl? Yeah, Billie doesn't do so well with that part.
The Davis/girlfriend storyline does give us another wonderful Abby and Davis moment, however. Abby, it turns out, is way cooler than Billie is when it comes to lying to a woman to get her into bed, and she definitely steps up and has Davis's back on this one. The Abby/Davis relationship is something that the writers have only just played with a little, but the unlikely combination is always good for a laugh. I like a show that's not afraid to play all its characters off each other. So often, a show sticks to the pairings it establishes early on (Billie and her friends, Zack and his friends, Billie and Zack). I like that this show is not only willing to mingle the groups, but seemingly eager to do it.
My favorite thing about Accidentally on Purpose however, is that it never ceases to surprise me. Just when I expect them to go for one joke, they turn around and smack you with something else. Billie is established early on as a self-confident woman who isn't afraid to tell people how she feels, and that trait is often called on for its comedic value. Zack is more mature than most guys his age, but sometimes he's just a 22-year-old. I love that this show doesn't take the easy route with its comedy. It's rarely physical, relying on wit and character interaction to be the humor.
The only downside to this episode was the conspicuous absence of Olivia. I know this episode was focused on the relationship between the sisters, but it was also about friendship, and Olivia should have been there (I'm sure her absence had nothing to do with the show and was probably the result of a conflict with the shooting schedule or another project she was working on). Plus, I enjoy watching Olivia's interaction with Abby.
All in all, another winner for Accidentally on Purpose, which is moving to Wednesday nights sometime in March. I know CBS is worrying about its ratings, but I hope they decide to keep it on, because I think this show could only be made better by the addition of a baby.
Favorite line:
Davis: Yes, people, my new girlfriend has a credit card.
Billie: Girlfriend?
Zack: Credit card? When did this happen?
Davis: While you two were shacked up grossing out your baby. Yeah, I stumbled upon a new method to pick up chicks. [flashes back to lying to this girl about being Dave Grohl's little brother]
Zack: You dog. That's awesome.
Billie: If your new method is lying to chicks in bars, I hate to tell you, but every man in history has beat you to it.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
How I Met Your Mother - Girls vs. Suits
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris
Summary: Barney must choose between his suits or a hot new bartender. Ted gets closer to meeting "the mother."
Review: Now, I admit I came a little late to the How I Met Your Mother game. So when I say this is the best episode I've seen, you have to take it with a grain of salt. It'd be more accurate to say this is the best episode I've seen this season, I suppose.
So I'll say it: this is the best episode I've seen this season.
That said, I think HIMYM is on its way to winding down. We're so close to meeting the mother now that I can't imagine how many more ways they can tease the audience. I'll be sad to see it go, and I certainly think it can last at least another year or two, but the hard truth is that they're going to run out of ways to drag it out soon enough.
OK, on to this episode. So many things to love about it, and they don't all center around Neil Patrick Harris and his awesomeness. Though he is awesome. And I guess I have to start by saying any episode where he sings and dances automatically ranks higher than an episode without it.
The episode focused on two things: Barney's obsession with a hot bartender who won't date a guy who wears a suit, and Ted's date with his future wife's roommate. Both stories were strong, funny, and ultimately very sweet. I'll start with the Barney story, since I've already been talking about it.
Seeing Barney dress in something other than a suit was worth watching the episode for, even if nothing else had been good about it, but watching Marshall and Lily argue about the bartender was actually sweeter than it was funny. Marshall refuses to say that the bartender is hotter than Lily, no matter how much she tries to convince him. You can tell in the way he says it that he truly believes Lily is the hotter one, and something about that was so sweet that even I fell a little in love with Marshall.
Of course, the nice moment is ruined by Barney's escapades. He is so devastated by not wearing his precious suits that he runs into the bathroom to wear one for just a few minutes and accidentally rips it. In horror, he runs to his personal tailor (whose identity I refuse to reveal because every show deserves some secrets). The scene that follows is so hysterical that it is easily in my top three favorite scenes of the episode.
Of course, the bartender ultimately finds out that Barney's really a suit-whore, and she tells him he has to make a decision. Which he does. With song. And dance.
Then there's Ted's story. He goes out on a date with a PhD student he meets on campus, Cindy, who turns out to be the roommate of the future mother of his children (which young Ted obviously doesn't know, but older Bob-Saget-acted Ted makes abundantly clear). Cindy clearly has roommate issues, and she spends most of the date trying to keep Ted from liking her roommate, though older Ted keeps pointing out that everything she mentions is something he loves about his wife. As much as Ted tries to convince her that he doesn't want to date her roommate, he ruins the effect later, when he tries to tell Cindy how much they have in common and instead points out the only things in her room that are really her roommate's.
Like Modern Family, I find the real draw of HIMYM to be the interaction between the characters, not the jokes, despite its sitcom status. This episode had the perfect combination of funny moments and sweet moments. I feel like they got rid of some of the awkwardness that always seemed to be around when Barney and Robin were dating (sorry, 'shippers, but that relationship never really worked for me... not in the canon sense, at least), and the characters have settled into a fun, relaxed state. Like I said before, my fear is that, as Ted draws nearer to finally meeting the mother, the show is going to run out of places to go.
But for the time being, the show seems to be thriving, and I look forward to seeing what antics the group will get up to every week.
Favorite line:
Ted (to Cindy): "I promise I will not fall in love with your roommate."
Older Ted (VO): "Oops."
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 8:00-8:30pm
Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris
Summary: Barney must choose between his suits or a hot new bartender. Ted gets closer to meeting "the mother."
Review: Now, I admit I came a little late to the How I Met Your Mother game. So when I say this is the best episode I've seen, you have to take it with a grain of salt. It'd be more accurate to say this is the best episode I've seen this season, I suppose.
So I'll say it: this is the best episode I've seen this season.
That said, I think HIMYM is on its way to winding down. We're so close to meeting the mother now that I can't imagine how many more ways they can tease the audience. I'll be sad to see it go, and I certainly think it can last at least another year or two, but the hard truth is that they're going to run out of ways to drag it out soon enough.
OK, on to this episode. So many things to love about it, and they don't all center around Neil Patrick Harris and his awesomeness. Though he is awesome. And I guess I have to start by saying any episode where he sings and dances automatically ranks higher than an episode without it.
The episode focused on two things: Barney's obsession with a hot bartender who won't date a guy who wears a suit, and Ted's date with his future wife's roommate. Both stories were strong, funny, and ultimately very sweet. I'll start with the Barney story, since I've already been talking about it.
Seeing Barney dress in something other than a suit was worth watching the episode for, even if nothing else had been good about it, but watching Marshall and Lily argue about the bartender was actually sweeter than it was funny. Marshall refuses to say that the bartender is hotter than Lily, no matter how much she tries to convince him. You can tell in the way he says it that he truly believes Lily is the hotter one, and something about that was so sweet that even I fell a little in love with Marshall.
Of course, the nice moment is ruined by Barney's escapades. He is so devastated by not wearing his precious suits that he runs into the bathroom to wear one for just a few minutes and accidentally rips it. In horror, he runs to his personal tailor (whose identity I refuse to reveal because every show deserves some secrets). The scene that follows is so hysterical that it is easily in my top three favorite scenes of the episode.
Of course, the bartender ultimately finds out that Barney's really a suit-whore, and she tells him he has to make a decision. Which he does. With song. And dance.
Then there's Ted's story. He goes out on a date with a PhD student he meets on campus, Cindy, who turns out to be the roommate of the future mother of his children (which young Ted obviously doesn't know, but older Bob-Saget-acted Ted makes abundantly clear). Cindy clearly has roommate issues, and she spends most of the date trying to keep Ted from liking her roommate, though older Ted keeps pointing out that everything she mentions is something he loves about his wife. As much as Ted tries to convince her that he doesn't want to date her roommate, he ruins the effect later, when he tries to tell Cindy how much they have in common and instead points out the only things in her room that are really her roommate's.
Like Modern Family, I find the real draw of HIMYM to be the interaction between the characters, not the jokes, despite its sitcom status. This episode had the perfect combination of funny moments and sweet moments. I feel like they got rid of some of the awkwardness that always seemed to be around when Barney and Robin were dating (sorry, 'shippers, but that relationship never really worked for me... not in the canon sense, at least), and the characters have settled into a fun, relaxed state. Like I said before, my fear is that, as Ted draws nearer to finally meeting the mother, the show is going to run out of places to go.
But for the time being, the show seems to be thriving, and I look forward to seeing what antics the group will get up to every week.
Favorite line:
Ted (to Cindy): "I promise I will not fall in love with your roommate."
Older Ted (VO): "Oops."
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Big Bang Theory - The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation
Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar
Creator: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
Review: Season 3 of Big Bang is off to a, well, bang. The guys are back from the Arctic, and they're finding their own ways to keep warm. There are some mild spoilers ahead, but nothing you don't find out in the first five minutes of the episode.
Spoiler/Major Plot Device #1 - Sheldon. Turns out, the guys lied to him about the results they were finding on his study. In other words, he had squat. Too bad he'd already told everyone about his miraculous findings. Oops. Well, after he finds out his friends had destroyed his dreams of a Nobel Prize, he takes off running all the way to the opposite of the Arctic. That's right, Sheldon goes home to Mama Cooper.
Spoiler/Major Plot Device #2 - Leonard and Penny. That's right, 'shippers, it's finally happened. Leonard comes back from the frozen tundra of the Arctic circle to see that Penny's clearly missed him... a lot.
Now, I'm as big a fan of Leonard and Penny as anyone, and I've certainly been rooting for their relationship since episode 1, but I had some problems with that aspect of this episode. When the boys left, there was a moment. You remember, Penny shut the door to her apartment and said, "Don't go," to the air? And then they've probably had no contact for three or four months while Leonard was in his own personal frozen hell? Then... they're making out? It seemed a little fast to me, despite the fact that we've been waiting for this for two years. And then, to make matters worse, it's awkward. For a fan who's been anticipating this relationship, the actual situation was a bit of a let down.
However, there were certainly more positives than negatives about this episode. The writing, as always, was stellar. The timing between the actors was great, and Sheldon, as usual, could not be matched. Jim Parsons has a way of taking already-good dialogue and pushing it up a notch with his spectacular grasp of Sheldon's character. In this episode, he alternated between the affronted, superior scientist who looked down on his friends, and the teenage boy he must have once been when dealing with his mother. Parsons played both parts brilliantly.
All things considered, Big Bang is clearly making a move to become a top-rated CBS sitcom. Up until now, Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother have been the Monday night draws. Big Bang Theory was something you watched because it was in between (well, not me, but, you know, other people). But with the new time change came a new attitude, and Big Bang clearly wants to be a ratings frontrunner now. Personally, I think they've got a good chance. For a program about really smart people (which, let's face it, is rarely a selling point for a sitcom), there is something about this show that appeals to people of all intellects... whether you understand the geek-speak or not.
Rating (for this episode):
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
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