Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Linda Hunt, Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen, Barrett Foa, Renee Felice Smith
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Summary (from imdb.com): A botched assignment forces Hetty to fire Deeks and send him back to the LAPD. Meanwhile, an awkward goodbye between Kensi and Deeks leaves her with unexpected emotions for her old partner.
Review: I have to admit, I was a little worried when I first heard that Deeks was being fired in an episode of NCIS: LA. I always kind of suspected it wouldn't stick, but with this show, you can never quite be certain, since they have a tendency to write off popular characters. Luckily, this was not one of those situations.
In this episode, our favorite NCIS team (in Los Angeles) was investigating stolen explosives alongside the LAPD. They were staking out a deal being brokered by a man named Clarence Fisk, who the LAPD had been trying to put away for a while. While attempting to protect a female civilian, Deeks shot and killed an Aryan thug. As a result, the LAPD dissolved their agreement with NCIS, and Hetty was forced to fire Deeks.
Deeks was then approached by John Quinn, an Internal Affairs agent who said he believed there was a leak who was giving information to Fisk and his organization. They suspected Lieutenant Bates, Deeks' supervisor with the LAPD. The NCIS team was coming to the same conclusion around this time, which is when Kensi found out that the man Deeks had supposedly killed was really an undercover NCIS agent who was alive and well. The whole thing had been a setup so Deeks would be recalled to the LAPD and get close to the investigation.
Bates had originally told Deeks he wanted him nowhere near the Fisk case, but eventually he came around and wanted Deeks' help with a raid, one that was off the books and therefore shouldn't have the opportunity to get leaked. Deeks, along with Kensi, followed Bates, while Callen and Sam followed Fisk and his gang. While Fisk was trying to make a deal to sell the explosives, Callen, Sam and the SWAT team invaded and broke it up, catching Fisk in the act. That's when they discovered three of the explosives were missing.
Deeks realized Bates wasn't the leak, and that Quinn had been playing them off each other. Quinn was the real mole, and he'd wired the car that they were using as a meeting point with explosives. Luckily, Kensi figured it out just in time and they were able to get away safely (and catch Quinn).
As a whole, I liked this episode quite a bit. So often they use Deeks as a fool, but I always appreciate seeing his more serious side. Sure, he still had some of his quippy one-liners, but he was much more the straight man in this episode. It's nice to be reminded every once in awhile that he's both a good cop and a good agent, and that there's obviously a reason why he still has both jobs.
The only thing I didn't understand was why Kensi had to be kept in the dark. They tried to explain it by saying that she needed to truly believe he'd killed an unarmed man so she could sell it to Bates when he called her in, but I don't buy it. Kensi is a trained undercover agent; she's practiced in lying, and especially lying under pressure. If she'd known the whole story, there's no way she wouldn't be able to convince someone else that this was what she truly believed.
That being said, I can't be too upset about the deceit, since it led to some wonderful moments between Kensi and Deeks, as well as between Kensi and Hetty. I'd rather NCIS: LA not go the way of its predecessor and tease the romance so long the opportunity passes (like NCIS did with Tony and Ziva), but I like the fact that they almost addressed their feelings... and that Hetty was quick to point out that it might be a good thing if they were separated for awhile if those feelings existed.
Romance aside, it was nice to see Kensi and Deeks' relationship as partners portrayed in a serious light as well. So much of it is characterized by potshots and jokes, and it's always nice to see the moments where they show just how much they care about each other.
The story was easy to figure out this week, but I don't think it really detracted much from the episode. I was more focused on watching the evolution of Deeks than caring who actually leaked information from the LAPD to Fisk, but I didn't have to work hard to figure it out. Even with this weakness, this episode was still a strong way to end sweeps and begin the coast to the midseason finale.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Kensi (storming in): You kept me in the dark?
Callen: Please tell me you didn't waterboard Nell.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Showing posts with label day: Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label day: Tuesday. Show all posts
Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
NCIS - Engaged, Part II
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary (from imdb.com): As the NCIS team continues its search for a missing Marine, Gibbs and Ziva travel to her last known whereabouts in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Tony reveals his deepest fears and Gibbs is forced to relive events from his past.
Review: I think this was the first NCIS episode I've ever seen where I liked the criminal story more than I liked the character development. This episode was the second in a two-parter. In the last episode, Marine First Lieutenant Gabriela Flores, originally thought dead when the girls' school she taught in was blown up, was kidnapped by terrorists who don't like places where girls think for themselves. Her heartbroken father was pacing the floors of the Navy Yard waiting for news, while Tony and Gibbs each dealt with some personal issues.
This episode began in the middle, with Tony walking into the chapel where Joseph Flores sat with Chaplain Burke, poised to tell them whether or not Gabriela was dead. But before he could get the words out, we flashed back to 48 hour ago, when Gibbs and Ziva landed in Afghanistan. They were barely off the plane when they found out the girls who had fled with Gabriela had been found alive, though both had been tortured. Hot grease had been splashed in one girl's eyes, and the other had cigarette burns all over her.
While questioning a Staff Sergeant, Gibbs found out that the teacher who was pictured with Gabriela hadn't been in school the day of the explosion. Seemed suspicious to Gibbs (and everyone who's ever watched an episode of NCIS), so immediately suspected that the teacher was involved. Luckily, her little brother was in school in DC, so Tony and McGee had something to do.
They chased down the brother, who immediately started running, essentially screaming, "I did something wrong! Arrest me!" Which McGee and Tony promptly did, discovering he had the same tattoo on his finger that his sister had. They took Asa back to the Navy Yard and proceeded to question him, and he tells them they know nothing about his "way of life."
Meanwhile, Gibbs and Ziva meet the girls. They questioned them (in a kid-friendly way, of course) long enough to find out Gabriela was still alive. One girl tells them they were someplace that smelled bad and had a lot of oil. So they take samples from the girls' feet to send back to Abby in the lab. Then Gibbs kissed them adorably on the heads and sent them on their way.
Abby, of course, is able to determine exactly where the oil is from, narrowing down the region to an area near Kabul.
Meanwhile in DC, Tony was doing some soul-searching. He stood in the chapel having a conversation with God, not knowing that the Chaplain was right outside. Did anyone else start to suspect she was somehow involved?
Gibbs and Ziva find Gabriela being held hostage by her fellow teacher, Saroya, who gives her up with surprisingly little fight, and we cut back to the beginning of the episode, where a grim-faced Tony finds Joseph Flores and Chaplain Burke in the chapel. This time the scene continues, and he tells them that they've got Gabriela, and she's alive. Tears all around.
But the story's not over! Turns out, Saroya and Asa have a plan... and an older brother, who is most assuredly not dead, as they believed he was. Instead, about 300 private school girls are taking a well-publicized trip to the capital, and Osman is there, ready to strap a bomb to the bus. At the last second, with one number left, the team shows up to take him down. But instead of shooting him... they jam the signal of his cell phone. No need to traumatize all those schoolgirls.
I thought the terrorism plot was really interesting in this episode. Usually when NCIS does international stories, they tend to be too complex and I find myself not paying attention. Instead, I was engaged and very curious to see what was next, especially since they appeared to catch the bad guy with 15 minutes left to the episode.
I was even intrigued by Gibbs' flashbacks, remembering a girl he'd known in the Marines who'd been killed. I'm not quite sure what the significance of that was however. Were they showing that he loved someone before Shannon? Just that she was a tough, headstrong woman, like Gabriela Flores? Or is she a character who's going to return at some point (which I wouldn't mind in the least, if it means more of Sean Harmon playing young Gibbs)?
The plot that didn't work for me was Tony's, especially at the end. For two episodes, Tony has been thinking about how short life is. He made a bucket list and talked to God. Yet somehow, the whole thing turned into a joke at the end, when Chaplain Burke took him to "confront his worst fear." Apparently, Tony fears children. While this isn't exactly out of line with Tony's characters (he's had some interesting run-ins with kids in the past), it just seemed like such a waste of the story. I guess this might be showing that Tony is maturing enough to want kids of his own, which might lead to a more serious relationship for him, but overall it just seemed so out of place in this episode. It wasn't tied to the story much, except that there was a Chaplain at the Navy Yard, and it didn't even seem to do anything to further Tony's character. Hopefully that's something that will play out more in the future.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Gibbs: People died because of that teacher, marines. What do you think should happen to her?
Flores: Sir, that's not my decision.
Gibbs: Yeah, but you've thought about it, right?
Flores: She should be held accountable for her crimes.
Gibbs: Oh.
Flores: She should watch those girls change the world in positive ways she never imagined.
Gibbs: That a punishment?
Flores: That's a gift, sir. Punishment is knowing she could have done the same.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary (from imdb.com): As the NCIS team continues its search for a missing Marine, Gibbs and Ziva travel to her last known whereabouts in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Tony reveals his deepest fears and Gibbs is forced to relive events from his past.
Review: I think this was the first NCIS episode I've ever seen where I liked the criminal story more than I liked the character development. This episode was the second in a two-parter. In the last episode, Marine First Lieutenant Gabriela Flores, originally thought dead when the girls' school she taught in was blown up, was kidnapped by terrorists who don't like places where girls think for themselves. Her heartbroken father was pacing the floors of the Navy Yard waiting for news, while Tony and Gibbs each dealt with some personal issues.
This episode began in the middle, with Tony walking into the chapel where Joseph Flores sat with Chaplain Burke, poised to tell them whether or not Gabriela was dead. But before he could get the words out, we flashed back to 48 hour ago, when Gibbs and Ziva landed in Afghanistan. They were barely off the plane when they found out the girls who had fled with Gabriela had been found alive, though both had been tortured. Hot grease had been splashed in one girl's eyes, and the other had cigarette burns all over her.
While questioning a Staff Sergeant, Gibbs found out that the teacher who was pictured with Gabriela hadn't been in school the day of the explosion. Seemed suspicious to Gibbs (and everyone who's ever watched an episode of NCIS), so immediately suspected that the teacher was involved. Luckily, her little brother was in school in DC, so Tony and McGee had something to do.
They chased down the brother, who immediately started running, essentially screaming, "I did something wrong! Arrest me!" Which McGee and Tony promptly did, discovering he had the same tattoo on his finger that his sister had. They took Asa back to the Navy Yard and proceeded to question him, and he tells them they know nothing about his "way of life."
Meanwhile, Gibbs and Ziva meet the girls. They questioned them (in a kid-friendly way, of course) long enough to find out Gabriela was still alive. One girl tells them they were someplace that smelled bad and had a lot of oil. So they take samples from the girls' feet to send back to Abby in the lab. Then Gibbs kissed them adorably on the heads and sent them on their way.
Abby, of course, is able to determine exactly where the oil is from, narrowing down the region to an area near Kabul.
Meanwhile in DC, Tony was doing some soul-searching. He stood in the chapel having a conversation with God, not knowing that the Chaplain was right outside. Did anyone else start to suspect she was somehow involved?
Gibbs and Ziva find Gabriela being held hostage by her fellow teacher, Saroya, who gives her up with surprisingly little fight, and we cut back to the beginning of the episode, where a grim-faced Tony finds Joseph Flores and Chaplain Burke in the chapel. This time the scene continues, and he tells them that they've got Gabriela, and she's alive. Tears all around.
But the story's not over! Turns out, Saroya and Asa have a plan... and an older brother, who is most assuredly not dead, as they believed he was. Instead, about 300 private school girls are taking a well-publicized trip to the capital, and Osman is there, ready to strap a bomb to the bus. At the last second, with one number left, the team shows up to take him down. But instead of shooting him... they jam the signal of his cell phone. No need to traumatize all those schoolgirls.
I thought the terrorism plot was really interesting in this episode. Usually when NCIS does international stories, they tend to be too complex and I find myself not paying attention. Instead, I was engaged and very curious to see what was next, especially since they appeared to catch the bad guy with 15 minutes left to the episode.
I was even intrigued by Gibbs' flashbacks, remembering a girl he'd known in the Marines who'd been killed. I'm not quite sure what the significance of that was however. Were they showing that he loved someone before Shannon? Just that she was a tough, headstrong woman, like Gabriela Flores? Or is she a character who's going to return at some point (which I wouldn't mind in the least, if it means more of Sean Harmon playing young Gibbs)?
The plot that didn't work for me was Tony's, especially at the end. For two episodes, Tony has been thinking about how short life is. He made a bucket list and talked to God. Yet somehow, the whole thing turned into a joke at the end, when Chaplain Burke took him to "confront his worst fear." Apparently, Tony fears children. While this isn't exactly out of line with Tony's characters (he's had some interesting run-ins with kids in the past), it just seemed like such a waste of the story. I guess this might be showing that Tony is maturing enough to want kids of his own, which might lead to a more serious relationship for him, but overall it just seemed so out of place in this episode. It wasn't tied to the story much, except that there was a Chaplain at the Navy Yard, and it didn't even seem to do anything to further Tony's character. Hopefully that's something that will play out more in the future.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Gibbs: People died because of that teacher, marines. What do you think should happen to her?
Flores: Sir, that's not my decision.
Gibbs: Yeah, but you've thought about it, right?
Flores: She should be held accountable for her crimes.
Gibbs: Oh.
Flores: She should watch those girls change the world in positive ways she never imagined.
Gibbs: That a punishment?
Flores: That's a gift, sir. Punishment is knowing she could have done the same.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
NCIS: Los Angeles - Greed
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Linda Hunt, Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen, Barrett Foa, Renee Felice Smith
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): When a Navy ID is found on a dead body tied to a hazardous material smuggling case, NCIS is granted permission to investigate in Mexico and asked to help locate the missing materials.
Review: It's been a long time since I've reviewed an episode of NCIS: LA. I love this show; it's one of my most highly anticipated each week. But I rarely have anything to say about each individual episode. This season has been strong so far, particularly as we learned more about Callen's backstory (and Hetty's). This episode didn't stand out much from the others, but it had some wonderful moments.
Both NCIS: LA and its predecessor NCIS are very formulaic shows. In LA, each episode begins with some cute character interaction before diving into the case. This often becomes a recurring joke/theme in the episode, and it's often one of my favorite parts. I love these little moments, where the characters aren't super special agents; they're just normal co-workers. Well, okay, normal co-workers who are wittier and pithier than most. In this case, the episode began with Hetty teaching Deeks and Kensi how to waltz. This scene completely tickled me, and I have to admit I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Sam and Callen's turn.
The main plot of the episode began with a double murder south of the border in Mexico. The NCIS team was dispatched because one of the the bodies had a Navy ID on him. Through a cell phone video, they found out that there was a box missing, one that they believed was smuggled into Mexico from the Sudan.
Kensi and Deeks traced the box back into the U.S., while Sam and Callen met with the dead sailor's wife, who admitted she knew about the box. Her husband had planned to steal it because, as she claimed, it contained $8.5 million in gold.
Meanwhile, Eric traced the tire tracks they found to a truck owned by a Mexican drug cartel in the United States. Sam and Callen went to the garage, got into a shootout (because this is NCIS: LA and therefore there has to be gunfire every 15 minutes or so), and saved the life of one of the less-than-brilliant cartel members who'd gotten himself stuck under a car. He spilled his guts to the men who'd saved him, telling them that there was never any gold in the box. It was brown heroin. Obviously, since they were a drug cartel. Also, Jaime tells them that the guy who has the box wears red cowboy boots and has a wristband with a monkey on it.
Well, that's all Eric and Nell need, and they trace the wristband to its owner in downtown Los Angeles. Unfortunately, when our team arrives, he's already dead and the box is gone. However, they do meet up with Sam's buddy, Michael. Apparently, Sam's been working on an undercover operation for the CIA, and Michael is the CIA operative he's working with. Michael tells them that, nope, it's not brown heroin, it's uranium.
This is where I started to lose the story a bit, and I blame two reasons. For one, it got awfully complicated by this point. Somehow they narrowed it down to three men who were going to use the uranium to attack a convention center. Sam, Callen and Michael rushed in while the center was being evacuated and saved the day, but not before Michael got covered in uranium. He now has only a few months to live, so he returned to the Sudan to continue his work.
The other reason I lost the main story was because I was much more focused on the Eric and Nell subplot. Nell had received mysterious flowers, and Eric was feeling... competitive, so he sent a flower to himself as well (which Nell, not having fallen off the turnip truck yesterday, saw right through). However, it turned out that Nell had sent the flowers to herself as well, since she loves flowers and no one had sent her any in awhile. At some point, between wanting to give Nell a hug and smack Eric in the back of the head, I stopped paying attention to some silly terrorism story and completely lost myself in the geek love plot. Which is because I'm admittedly a 13-year-old girl on the inside. But come on. It was cute!
That aside, I do appreciate that NCIS: LA can tell a compelling, serious story without feeling the need to be too melodramatic. I mean, terrorism in and of itself is a dramatic plot, but the storytelling is simple. The characters move from one theory to another without much fanfare. They rarely break the rules if they can work within them, so when they do go rogue, the situation is made all the more intense for it. This episode set up the next, in which Sam will return to the Sudan to find Michael. I imagine this means eventually Callen (and maybe Kensi and Deeks) will wind up there as well, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the story will hold.
And the 13-year-old girl in me is looking forward to seeing what the Eric and Nell story will hold.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Nell: You took a flower from Hetty's desk?
Eric: She cuts them herself. It's a big bunch. She'll never miss it.
Nell: Hmmm.
Eric: I'm doomed, aren't I?
Nell: You sacrificed yourself to compete with me.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Linda Hunt, Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen, Barrett Foa, Renee Felice Smith
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): When a Navy ID is found on a dead body tied to a hazardous material smuggling case, NCIS is granted permission to investigate in Mexico and asked to help locate the missing materials.
Review: It's been a long time since I've reviewed an episode of NCIS: LA. I love this show; it's one of my most highly anticipated each week. But I rarely have anything to say about each individual episode. This season has been strong so far, particularly as we learned more about Callen's backstory (and Hetty's). This episode didn't stand out much from the others, but it had some wonderful moments.
Both NCIS: LA and its predecessor NCIS are very formulaic shows. In LA, each episode begins with some cute character interaction before diving into the case. This often becomes a recurring joke/theme in the episode, and it's often one of my favorite parts. I love these little moments, where the characters aren't super special agents; they're just normal co-workers. Well, okay, normal co-workers who are wittier and pithier than most. In this case, the episode began with Hetty teaching Deeks and Kensi how to waltz. This scene completely tickled me, and I have to admit I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Sam and Callen's turn.
The main plot of the episode began with a double murder south of the border in Mexico. The NCIS team was dispatched because one of the the bodies had a Navy ID on him. Through a cell phone video, they found out that there was a box missing, one that they believed was smuggled into Mexico from the Sudan.
Kensi and Deeks traced the box back into the U.S., while Sam and Callen met with the dead sailor's wife, who admitted she knew about the box. Her husband had planned to steal it because, as she claimed, it contained $8.5 million in gold.
Meanwhile, Eric traced the tire tracks they found to a truck owned by a Mexican drug cartel in the United States. Sam and Callen went to the garage, got into a shootout (because this is NCIS: LA and therefore there has to be gunfire every 15 minutes or so), and saved the life of one of the less-than-brilliant cartel members who'd gotten himself stuck under a car. He spilled his guts to the men who'd saved him, telling them that there was never any gold in the box. It was brown heroin. Obviously, since they were a drug cartel. Also, Jaime tells them that the guy who has the box wears red cowboy boots and has a wristband with a monkey on it.
Well, that's all Eric and Nell need, and they trace the wristband to its owner in downtown Los Angeles. Unfortunately, when our team arrives, he's already dead and the box is gone. However, they do meet up with Sam's buddy, Michael. Apparently, Sam's been working on an undercover operation for the CIA, and Michael is the CIA operative he's working with. Michael tells them that, nope, it's not brown heroin, it's uranium.
This is where I started to lose the story a bit, and I blame two reasons. For one, it got awfully complicated by this point. Somehow they narrowed it down to three men who were going to use the uranium to attack a convention center. Sam, Callen and Michael rushed in while the center was being evacuated and saved the day, but not before Michael got covered in uranium. He now has only a few months to live, so he returned to the Sudan to continue his work.
The other reason I lost the main story was because I was much more focused on the Eric and Nell subplot. Nell had received mysterious flowers, and Eric was feeling... competitive, so he sent a flower to himself as well (which Nell, not having fallen off the turnip truck yesterday, saw right through). However, it turned out that Nell had sent the flowers to herself as well, since she loves flowers and no one had sent her any in awhile. At some point, between wanting to give Nell a hug and smack Eric in the back of the head, I stopped paying attention to some silly terrorism story and completely lost myself in the geek love plot. Which is because I'm admittedly a 13-year-old girl on the inside. But come on. It was cute!
That aside, I do appreciate that NCIS: LA can tell a compelling, serious story without feeling the need to be too melodramatic. I mean, terrorism in and of itself is a dramatic plot, but the storytelling is simple. The characters move from one theory to another without much fanfare. They rarely break the rules if they can work within them, so when they do go rogue, the situation is made all the more intense for it. This episode set up the next, in which Sam will return to the Sudan to find Michael. I imagine this means eventually Callen (and maybe Kensi and Deeks) will wind up there as well, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the story will hold.
And the 13-year-old girl in me is looking forward to seeing what the Eric and Nell story will hold.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Nell: You took a flower from Hetty's desk?
Eric: She cuts them herself. It's a big bunch. She'll never miss it.
Nell: Hmmm.
Eric: I'm doomed, aren't I?
Nell: You sacrificed yourself to compete with me.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Glee - The First Time
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, Darren Criss, Harry Shum Jr., Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Jayma Mays, Dot Marie Jones
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): Under Artie's directorial leadership, the kids prepare to perform the school musical "West Side Story." Meanwhile, Finn meets with a recruiter and Coach Beiste has an admirer.
Review: It's possible my expectations for this show are too high, but I find myself more and more disappointed by Glee, this episode in particular. I'd heard through the grapevine that this was one of the best episodes of the season, if not the show. Yet to me, everything seemed to fall flat. That's not to say there weren't moments I enjoyed; there were actually a lot of little things I liked. But the biggest parts just left me wanting.
Obviously, the biggest part of this episode was Rachel and Blaine (and Kurt) losing their virginity (virginities?). Ironically, I think this means the only virgins left at McKinley High are both teachers (Emma and Beiste). In typical Glee style, there's been very little up to this point to imply that either of these couples is even considering this step, but the entire episode focused on it anyway. From Artie calling Rachel and Blaine out during rehearsal (hi, teachers, you don't want to step in here?) to both of their failed attempts at seducing their boyfriends to the eventual doing of the deed, nothing about this storyline made me root for either of them. Everything felt awkward. I suppose that's realistic enough, but frankly, Glee has never been known for its realism, so why start there? In fact, the only part I liked was Kurt pushing drunk Blaine away and sticking up for himself.
Side note: The person responsible for dressing Blaine should be fired. And possibly stoned. Seriously, did they run out of material for his pants so they have to stop four inches above his ankles?
Each couple had their own story, which was supposed to somehow tie into the sex. For Kurt and Blaine, it was the introduction of Sebastian the Wonder Warbler (yeah, I giggled over that for a few minutes). Sebastian is essentially Blaine's replacement at Dalton, though they apparently got rid of the soloist angle and are now featuring multiple singers. He's also gay and very interested in Blaine. So much so that Kurt feels threatened. This story, also in typical Glee fashion, is promptly wrapped up by the end. Blaine isn't interested in Sebastian. He loves Kurt. Blaine and Kurt have sex. All is right in the world.
Even the scene in the gay bar did nothing for me, except that it marked the return of the new and improved (I think) Karofsky. While I found it mildly amusing that he was talking about surviving high school while sucking down a beer, I did like the softer side of him. He managed to be vulnerable without being neutered at the same time. And the conversation between him and Kurt showed how both of them have matured since last season nicely.
I did, however, like the Warblers' version of "Uptown Girl." I miss the Warblers.
For Finn and Rachel, they focused much more on the idea that Rachel felt like she couldn't act like a girl experiencing a sexual awakening if she'd never had sex. So first she tried to seduce Finn on her own. And, of course, nothing is sexier than honesty, so she told him the only reason she wanted to do this now was so she could be ready for the play. Finn experienced what I believe to be his first normal emotion of the season: hurt.
Finn also had his own issues. He was trying to get the recruiter from the Ohio State University to notice him on the football field, so he could achieve his own dream of playing quarterback for them. Alas, it was not to be. Then Finn had what I believe was his best moment of the series, where he melted down about his future in front of Rachel. This could have been a wonderful moment. Instead, Rachel decided the best way to deal with his problems and feelings of insecurity were to sleep with him. Sure, in the short term this might work, but I do hope Glee plans to revisit this issue. It'd be nice for Finn to have a story that doesn't revolve around him being a jerk to someone then feeling bad about it for a change.
This ties in nicely with my favorite story of the night: Beiste gets a man. There was absolutely nothing about this arc that I didn't like (except for Artie being involved). Beiste was adorable in her cluelessness. Cooter was wonderfully sweet while trying to win her over. And the look on Beiste's face when he finally got through to her was heartbreaking. Any girl who's ever felt insecure about herself melted just a little there.
Overall, I was not terribly impressed by this episode, despite having heard good things about it in advance. I'm getting tired of the way each episode seems to be disconnected from the others. Characters do one thing in today's episode, then have a completely different personality and friends next week (except, somehow, elections for class president will drag on halfway to Christmas). Even the music was only mediocre this week, with the West Side Story theme, though I did like the cuts between the music and the story that was going on elsewhere. I also loved Mike Chang. I don't know what I want Glee to do to engage me in the episodes again, but they need to do something soon, or they'll be in danger of losing my attention completely.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite Line:
Puck: As for the condoms — no idea, never used ‘em. It’s worked out for me about 99% of the time.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, Darren Criss, Harry Shum Jr., Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Jayma Mays, Dot Marie Jones
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): Under Artie's directorial leadership, the kids prepare to perform the school musical "West Side Story." Meanwhile, Finn meets with a recruiter and Coach Beiste has an admirer.
Review: It's possible my expectations for this show are too high, but I find myself more and more disappointed by Glee, this episode in particular. I'd heard through the grapevine that this was one of the best episodes of the season, if not the show. Yet to me, everything seemed to fall flat. That's not to say there weren't moments I enjoyed; there were actually a lot of little things I liked. But the biggest parts just left me wanting.
Obviously, the biggest part of this episode was Rachel and Blaine (and Kurt) losing their virginity (virginities?). Ironically, I think this means the only virgins left at McKinley High are both teachers (Emma and Beiste). In typical Glee style, there's been very little up to this point to imply that either of these couples is even considering this step, but the entire episode focused on it anyway. From Artie calling Rachel and Blaine out during rehearsal (hi, teachers, you don't want to step in here?) to both of their failed attempts at seducing their boyfriends to the eventual doing of the deed, nothing about this storyline made me root for either of them. Everything felt awkward. I suppose that's realistic enough, but frankly, Glee has never been known for its realism, so why start there? In fact, the only part I liked was Kurt pushing drunk Blaine away and sticking up for himself.
Side note: The person responsible for dressing Blaine should be fired. And possibly stoned. Seriously, did they run out of material for his pants so they have to stop four inches above his ankles?
Each couple had their own story, which was supposed to somehow tie into the sex. For Kurt and Blaine, it was the introduction of Sebastian the Wonder Warbler (yeah, I giggled over that for a few minutes). Sebastian is essentially Blaine's replacement at Dalton, though they apparently got rid of the soloist angle and are now featuring multiple singers. He's also gay and very interested in Blaine. So much so that Kurt feels threatened. This story, also in typical Glee fashion, is promptly wrapped up by the end. Blaine isn't interested in Sebastian. He loves Kurt. Blaine and Kurt have sex. All is right in the world.
Even the scene in the gay bar did nothing for me, except that it marked the return of the new and improved (I think) Karofsky. While I found it mildly amusing that he was talking about surviving high school while sucking down a beer, I did like the softer side of him. He managed to be vulnerable without being neutered at the same time. And the conversation between him and Kurt showed how both of them have matured since last season nicely.
I did, however, like the Warblers' version of "Uptown Girl." I miss the Warblers.
For Finn and Rachel, they focused much more on the idea that Rachel felt like she couldn't act like a girl experiencing a sexual awakening if she'd never had sex. So first she tried to seduce Finn on her own. And, of course, nothing is sexier than honesty, so she told him the only reason she wanted to do this now was so she could be ready for the play. Finn experienced what I believe to be his first normal emotion of the season: hurt.
Finn also had his own issues. He was trying to get the recruiter from the Ohio State University to notice him on the football field, so he could achieve his own dream of playing quarterback for them. Alas, it was not to be. Then Finn had what I believe was his best moment of the series, where he melted down about his future in front of Rachel. This could have been a wonderful moment. Instead, Rachel decided the best way to deal with his problems and feelings of insecurity were to sleep with him. Sure, in the short term this might work, but I do hope Glee plans to revisit this issue. It'd be nice for Finn to have a story that doesn't revolve around him being a jerk to someone then feeling bad about it for a change.
This ties in nicely with my favorite story of the night: Beiste gets a man. There was absolutely nothing about this arc that I didn't like (except for Artie being involved). Beiste was adorable in her cluelessness. Cooter was wonderfully sweet while trying to win her over. And the look on Beiste's face when he finally got through to her was heartbreaking. Any girl who's ever felt insecure about herself melted just a little there.
Overall, I was not terribly impressed by this episode, despite having heard good things about it in advance. I'm getting tired of the way each episode seems to be disconnected from the others. Characters do one thing in today's episode, then have a completely different personality and friends next week (except, somehow, elections for class president will drag on halfway to Christmas). Even the music was only mediocre this week, with the West Side Story theme, though I did like the cuts between the music and the story that was going on elsewhere. I also loved Mike Chang. I don't know what I want Glee to do to engage me in the episodes again, but they need to do something soon, or they'll be in danger of losing my attention completely.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite Line:
Puck: As for the condoms — no idea, never used ‘em. It’s worked out for me about 99% of the time.
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Sunday, October 2, 2011
New Girl - Kryptonite
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris
Summary (from imdb.com): Nick and Schmidt convince Jess to get her stuff out of her ex-boyfriend Spencer's apartment; Jess meets new roommate Winston.
Review: I have to admit, I wasn't overly won over by the premiere episode of New Girl. My love for Zooey Deschanel was tempered by too many awkward moments, her overly annoying quirks, and minimal redeeming characteristics for the guys. But there were a handful of good moments that made me believe this show had potential. Enough so that I was willing to give it a few more episodes before passing any judgment. And I'm glad I did.
The second episode was much more cohesive and much less... annoying than the first. Sure, Jess's quirks are still there, but audiences were treated to the much more human side of her. At her core, she's a heartbroken girl who thought she'd found the love of her life, only to find out he was cheating on her. While the first episode illustrated this by having her sob hysterically while watching Dirty Dancing, the second episode dealt with the much more realistic side of a breakup. After accidentally throwing a basketball into the guys' TV, Jess had to get her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend Spencer. The sincerity in her desire to avoid the issue forever didn't seem overdramatic the way the first episode's crying jags were, but the much more honest response that people have when confronted with uncomfortable situations, which, as a viewer, I appreciated more
I also love the friendship that's forming between Nick and Jess. I was worried they were going to dive too quickly into the will-they-won't-they, but they seem to have fallen into an ordinary friendship, without those awkward romantic moments. Watching them gang up on Schmidt in the beginning was honestly funny and seemed like a very natural exchange. If that relationship continues to develop this way, I think I'll really enjoy it.
That's not to say this show isn't still without its issues. While I like the new roommate Winston, I wasn't crazy about the B story to this episode. Maybe it's because I find Schmidt to be completely unlikable. There's a point where douchebag-ness is tolerable, but I think Schmidt crosses the line a little too often. It's not that he comes across completely as a jerk, but he's so obnoxious at times that I have no desire to listen to him. There needs to be more of a balance between that side of him and the side that explains why someone would want to be friends with him.
I'm looking forward to a time, ironically, when Jess isn't so much the New Girl and has ingrained herself more with the guys. That was starting to show in this episode, especially when they went with her to get her stuff back from Spencer (the goofy headwear really made that scene... or maybe it was Schmidt slapping Spencer while wearing a thumb ring). That scene made the episode for me, and I hope that future episodes have a lot more of whatever it was that made that really great.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Jess: No! I can't call Spencer I haven't talked to him since he cheated on me with that ho! Actually, that's not fair. She might be a really nice ho.
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Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris
Summary (from imdb.com): Nick and Schmidt convince Jess to get her stuff out of her ex-boyfriend Spencer's apartment; Jess meets new roommate Winston.
Review: I have to admit, I wasn't overly won over by the premiere episode of New Girl. My love for Zooey Deschanel was tempered by too many awkward moments, her overly annoying quirks, and minimal redeeming characteristics for the guys. But there were a handful of good moments that made me believe this show had potential. Enough so that I was willing to give it a few more episodes before passing any judgment. And I'm glad I did.
The second episode was much more cohesive and much less... annoying than the first. Sure, Jess's quirks are still there, but audiences were treated to the much more human side of her. At her core, she's a heartbroken girl who thought she'd found the love of her life, only to find out he was cheating on her. While the first episode illustrated this by having her sob hysterically while watching Dirty Dancing, the second episode dealt with the much more realistic side of a breakup. After accidentally throwing a basketball into the guys' TV, Jess had to get her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend Spencer. The sincerity in her desire to avoid the issue forever didn't seem overdramatic the way the first episode's crying jags were, but the much more honest response that people have when confronted with uncomfortable situations, which, as a viewer, I appreciated more
I also love the friendship that's forming between Nick and Jess. I was worried they were going to dive too quickly into the will-they-won't-they, but they seem to have fallen into an ordinary friendship, without those awkward romantic moments. Watching them gang up on Schmidt in the beginning was honestly funny and seemed like a very natural exchange. If that relationship continues to develop this way, I think I'll really enjoy it.
That's not to say this show isn't still without its issues. While I like the new roommate Winston, I wasn't crazy about the B story to this episode. Maybe it's because I find Schmidt to be completely unlikable. There's a point where douchebag-ness is tolerable, but I think Schmidt crosses the line a little too often. It's not that he comes across completely as a jerk, but he's so obnoxious at times that I have no desire to listen to him. There needs to be more of a balance between that side of him and the side that explains why someone would want to be friends with him.
I'm looking forward to a time, ironically, when Jess isn't so much the New Girl and has ingrained herself more with the guys. That was starting to show in this episode, especially when they went with her to get her stuff back from Spencer (the goofy headwear really made that scene... or maybe it was Schmidt slapping Spencer while wearing a thumb ring). That scene made the episode for me, and I hope that future episodes have a lot more of whatever it was that made that really great.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Jess: No! I can't call Spencer I haven't talked to him since he cheated on me with that ho! Actually, that's not fair. She might be a really nice ho.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Glee - The Purple Piano Project
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Heather Morris, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr., Darren Criss, Jayma Mays
Summary: Its fall and that means back to school for the students and faculty at McKinley High. The New Directions clan returns after a devastating loss at Nationals, so Mr. Schuester assigns a project to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester starts her congressional campaign.
Review: Oh, Glee.
I don't understand how a show can be so simultaneously frustrating and wonderful. There were moments in this episode that reminded me of every reason I began watching. And there were moments where I just shook my head at the disaster.
Let's do a pro-con list for this one. Pro: The music. I feel like Glee tried to be so poppy last season that the music began to suffer (Justin Bieber? Come on...). This episode went back to its roots: Broadway and classic pop/rock. There were songs from the Wiz, Anything Goes, Hairspray, Tom Jones and the Go-Go's. Don't get me wrong, I like when they do (some of) the modern stuff too, but this is the stuff that made me first fall in love with this show. Also, unlike in other episodes, I felt like all the songs worked in this episode. They were well-sung, well-choreographed (come on, tell me Rachel and Kurt's broom dance didn't make you smile just a little), and well-produced.
Con: Quinn. Ugh, girl, get it together. While I dig the smoke-raspy voice (which I'm sure won't make her singing voice anymore interesting) and the pink hair, I'm not feeling the Quinn-as-a-bad-girl vibe. She's just too... vanilla. For a girl who got pregnant with the guy she cheated on her boyfriend with, then cheated on a new boyfriend with the old one, she really can't pull off "bad girl" that well (I reread that sentence three times to make sure it was right. This show is a soap opera). I appreciate the direction they're trying to go--and I like focusing on something that isn't the Glee club (ironic) or the Cheerios--but Dianna Agron isn't a strong enough actress to own this story.
And sending Rachel to appeal to her was just silly. "We were friends once." Really? Was this just before she stole Finn from you, or when you stole him back from her?
Pro: Kurt and Rachel. Honestly, if they do make a spin-off where they move to New York and start musical theatre careers, I'm there. I love their new best buddy relationship, I love their voices when they sing together, and I love how they can be totally cheesy when they're supporting each other and it doesn't make me want to punch either of them. The combined scenes where they sang "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!," went to the NYADA mixer, and cried in the car were my favorite parts of this episode. (Side note: I only watched a couple episodes of The Glee Project, so I didn't realize until these scenes that Lindsay Pearce had such an amazing voice.) I like that Rachel has at least one relationship where she's not competing. Even with Finn (who had blissfully little focus this episode), she seems to always be competing against something for his attention. With Kurt, the relationship seems easy. They can both be talented and driven, but not be at odds with each other (anymore). However, Emma did stress how difficult it is to get into NYADA, so I hope they don't go back to making them competitors.
Con: Sue. Sue went from "that's ridiculous" in season 1 to "I can't believe I'm still watching this" in season 3. Running for Congress on the platform of cutting the arts makes for a funny storyline, but watching Sue destroy the purple piano was almost painful to watch (especially because poor Tina never gets to finish a song). At some point you start to wonder how she's never been arrested for the way she abuses those kids. The only redeeming point of this story was that she made Becky a co-captain, which means we'll get to see more of Lauren Potter this season.
Pro, with a side of con: Kurt and Blaine. While I'm happy their relationship is flourishing (and should continue to do so, now that Blaine is a full-fledged New Direction), they're a little too sappy for me. That being said, I guess they get a few episodes, since I'm sure an openly gay couple at McKinley isn't going to see sunshine and roses for long. Plus, I'd rather see them together than not. (Side note: Emma handing Rachel the Hag brochure was comedy gold.)
Con, with a side of pro: Mercedes and Marcus. First of all, woah, that is one big dude. Secondly, I need a little more convincing on this relationship. I'll admit, I was a bit of a Samcedes shipper, but I am glad Mercedes has a man. However, they've been dating for... what, two to three months? And he's talking babies? At seventeen? Give me a break.
Pro, with a side of con: Wemma. I love the idea of Will and Emma as a couple, I really do (OK, I'm secretly a Sue/Will (Swill?) shipper, but that's not realistic just yet). She's better for him than pretty much anybody else on the show, he's patient with her (his breakdown in Figgins' office was fun), and they're all-around adorable. Or maybe a little Stepford. They make each other's lunches. And were those matching superhero lunchboxes? It's just a little creepy is all I'm saying.
Con, with a side of...con: Sugar. Yes, because if there's a group of people Glee still hasn't made fun of that they really should have, it was people with Asperger's. Not only didn't I see any comedy in this story, but I found it downright offensive (and in the world of Glee, it was really hard to find something more offensive than usual). Yes, she was a spoiled rich kid who was a really bad singer (though the "trying not to be smug" look on Rachel's face when she realized that made me laugh). Who cares? She was as annoying as Rachel without any of the (few) redeeming qualities.
All things considered, this episode was better than many of last season's, but it has the potential to head downhill. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised as the season continues on.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Kurt [about the YouTube video of Finn kissing Rachel at Nationals]: The comment section is just full of pithy banter, like “Why is that T-Rex eating the Jew?”
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Heather Morris, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr., Darren Criss, Jayma Mays
Summary: Its fall and that means back to school for the students and faculty at McKinley High. The New Directions clan returns after a devastating loss at Nationals, so Mr. Schuester assigns a project to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester starts her congressional campaign.
Review: Oh, Glee.
I don't understand how a show can be so simultaneously frustrating and wonderful. There were moments in this episode that reminded me of every reason I began watching. And there were moments where I just shook my head at the disaster.
Let's do a pro-con list for this one. Pro: The music. I feel like Glee tried to be so poppy last season that the music began to suffer (Justin Bieber? Come on...). This episode went back to its roots: Broadway and classic pop/rock. There were songs from the Wiz, Anything Goes, Hairspray, Tom Jones and the Go-Go's. Don't get me wrong, I like when they do (some of) the modern stuff too, but this is the stuff that made me first fall in love with this show. Also, unlike in other episodes, I felt like all the songs worked in this episode. They were well-sung, well-choreographed (come on, tell me Rachel and Kurt's broom dance didn't make you smile just a little), and well-produced.
Con: Quinn. Ugh, girl, get it together. While I dig the smoke-raspy voice (which I'm sure won't make her singing voice anymore interesting) and the pink hair, I'm not feeling the Quinn-as-a-bad-girl vibe. She's just too... vanilla. For a girl who got pregnant with the guy she cheated on her boyfriend with, then cheated on a new boyfriend with the old one, she really can't pull off "bad girl" that well (I reread that sentence three times to make sure it was right. This show is a soap opera). I appreciate the direction they're trying to go--and I like focusing on something that isn't the Glee club (ironic) or the Cheerios--but Dianna Agron isn't a strong enough actress to own this story.
And sending Rachel to appeal to her was just silly. "We were friends once." Really? Was this just before she stole Finn from you, or when you stole him back from her?
Pro: Kurt and Rachel. Honestly, if they do make a spin-off where they move to New York and start musical theatre careers, I'm there. I love their new best buddy relationship, I love their voices when they sing together, and I love how they can be totally cheesy when they're supporting each other and it doesn't make me want to punch either of them. The combined scenes where they sang "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!," went to the NYADA mixer, and cried in the car were my favorite parts of this episode. (Side note: I only watched a couple episodes of The Glee Project, so I didn't realize until these scenes that Lindsay Pearce had such an amazing voice.) I like that Rachel has at least one relationship where she's not competing. Even with Finn (who had blissfully little focus this episode), she seems to always be competing against something for his attention. With Kurt, the relationship seems easy. They can both be talented and driven, but not be at odds with each other (anymore). However, Emma did stress how difficult it is to get into NYADA, so I hope they don't go back to making them competitors.
Con: Sue. Sue went from "that's ridiculous" in season 1 to "I can't believe I'm still watching this" in season 3. Running for Congress on the platform of cutting the arts makes for a funny storyline, but watching Sue destroy the purple piano was almost painful to watch (especially because poor Tina never gets to finish a song). At some point you start to wonder how she's never been arrested for the way she abuses those kids. The only redeeming point of this story was that she made Becky a co-captain, which means we'll get to see more of Lauren Potter this season.
Pro, with a side of con: Kurt and Blaine. While I'm happy their relationship is flourishing (and should continue to do so, now that Blaine is a full-fledged New Direction), they're a little too sappy for me. That being said, I guess they get a few episodes, since I'm sure an openly gay couple at McKinley isn't going to see sunshine and roses for long. Plus, I'd rather see them together than not. (Side note: Emma handing Rachel the Hag brochure was comedy gold.)
Con, with a side of pro: Mercedes and Marcus. First of all, woah, that is one big dude. Secondly, I need a little more convincing on this relationship. I'll admit, I was a bit of a Samcedes shipper, but I am glad Mercedes has a man. However, they've been dating for... what, two to three months? And he's talking babies? At seventeen? Give me a break.
Pro, with a side of con: Wemma. I love the idea of Will and Emma as a couple, I really do (OK, I'm secretly a Sue/Will (Swill?) shipper, but that's not realistic just yet). She's better for him than pretty much anybody else on the show, he's patient with her (his breakdown in Figgins' office was fun), and they're all-around adorable. Or maybe a little Stepford. They make each other's lunches. And were those matching superhero lunchboxes? It's just a little creepy is all I'm saying.
Con, with a side of...con: Sugar. Yes, because if there's a group of people Glee still hasn't made fun of that they really should have, it was people with Asperger's. Not only didn't I see any comedy in this story, but I found it downright offensive (and in the world of Glee, it was really hard to find something more offensive than usual). Yes, she was a spoiled rich kid who was a really bad singer (though the "trying not to be smug" look on Rachel's face when she realized that made me laugh). Who cares? She was as annoying as Rachel without any of the (few) redeeming qualities.
All things considered, this episode was better than many of last season's, but it has the potential to head downhill. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised as the season continues on.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Kurt [about the YouTube video of Finn kissing Rachel at Nationals]: The comment section is just full of pithy banter, like “Why is that T-Rex eating the Jew?”
Thursday, January 13, 2011
NCIS - Ships in the Night
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
WARNING: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.
Summary: When a marine is murdered while on a dinner cruise, the team works with the Coast Guard Investigative Service to solve the crime. (from tvguide.com)
Review: Eight seasons in, NCIS has become fairly formulaic. It's a science that clearly works for them, since NCIS is arguably the most-watched scripted show on television, but it means that some episodes will be nothing special.
This was a nothing special episode.
The only thing that made this episode stand out a little from others was the return of CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (aka Other Abbs). Abigail is the Gibbs of the Coast Guard, from the succint statements to the coffee swilling. I've always enjoyed watching Gibbs when he's forced to interact with other agencies, and this was no exception. She's probably the only one he's ever actually seemed to like (since he always pretends to be annoyed when he has to work with Fornell), and I really liked their scenes together. I hope they'll continue to bring her character back.
The rest of the episode was on par for an NCIS episode. They investigated the shooting of a marine who was on a cruise with SA Borin, a marine who also happened to be the prodigal son of a wealthy family. Turns out Junior wanted to take the family business and make it a charitable non-profit. The minute that little tidbit was introduced, I was able to identify the killer, so no surprises there.
Even our regular characters were just average tonight. Coming off a great DiNozzo episode, I was a little disappointed that Tony was back to his usual self, apparently having learned nothing from his joke-free time. McGee was slightly off, two days of overtime turning him into a bit of a slacker (though he still does more in any given episode than everyone else on the team combined). And I can't even remember the scenes in autopsy.
The only character who stood out in this episode was Abby, who seemed to be having a great time with the other Abby. It's rare that Gibbs and Abby like the same woman, but it seems like SA Borin might be the exception. The scenes in the lab were by far my favorite moments, and the dynamic between the three was fun and engaging. Borin's brisk manner complemented Abby's long-windedness well, and Gibbs' brevity fit in well with both.
Were you as apathetic towards this episode as I was? Leave me some comments and let me know.
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Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 3/5
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
WARNING: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.
Summary: When a marine is murdered while on a dinner cruise, the team works with the Coast Guard Investigative Service to solve the crime. (from tvguide.com)
Review: Eight seasons in, NCIS has become fairly formulaic. It's a science that clearly works for them, since NCIS is arguably the most-watched scripted show on television, but it means that some episodes will be nothing special.
This was a nothing special episode.
The only thing that made this episode stand out a little from others was the return of CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (aka Other Abbs). Abigail is the Gibbs of the Coast Guard, from the succint statements to the coffee swilling. I've always enjoyed watching Gibbs when he's forced to interact with other agencies, and this was no exception. She's probably the only one he's ever actually seemed to like (since he always pretends to be annoyed when he has to work with Fornell), and I really liked their scenes together. I hope they'll continue to bring her character back.
The rest of the episode was on par for an NCIS episode. They investigated the shooting of a marine who was on a cruise with SA Borin, a marine who also happened to be the prodigal son of a wealthy family. Turns out Junior wanted to take the family business and make it a charitable non-profit. The minute that little tidbit was introduced, I was able to identify the killer, so no surprises there.
Even our regular characters were just average tonight. Coming off a great DiNozzo episode, I was a little disappointed that Tony was back to his usual self, apparently having learned nothing from his joke-free time. McGee was slightly off, two days of overtime turning him into a bit of a slacker (though he still does more in any given episode than everyone else on the team combined). And I can't even remember the scenes in autopsy.
The only character who stood out in this episode was Abby, who seemed to be having a great time with the other Abby. It's rare that Gibbs and Abby like the same woman, but it seems like SA Borin might be the exception. The scenes in the lab were by far my favorite moments, and the dynamic between the three was fun and engaging. Borin's brisk manner complemented Abby's long-windedness well, and Gibbs' brevity fit in well with both.
Were you as apathetic towards this episode as I was? Leave me some comments and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 3/5
Friday, December 10, 2010
Glee - A Very Glee Christmas
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Monday, October 4, 2010
NCIS: Los Angeles - Borderline
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah, Linda Hunt, Barrett Foa, Peter Cambor, Eric Christian Olsen
Summary: Deeks and Kensi partner on a mission to find three marines who disappeared after their Humvee was ambushed in the desert.
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode. Stop now unless you've seen the episode or you don't care.
Review: NCIS: Los Angeles is a show that really started growing into itself towards the end of season one, culminating in a wonderful season finale and a strong two-part premiere. I was worried when pre-production started that it could never live up to its predecessor, but there are times when I actually think it might be better than the original (not that I don't love NCIS, of course!).
I find this show far more serious than NCIS. The characters manage to have both a sense of humor and a level of professionalism, and they deal with more international terrorism cases than simply missing or murdered Marines. They also don't have the "cowboy" quality that Gibbs' team has. For the most part, they follow the rules. When they do break them, it's because of special circumstances.
This episode centered around a Mexican drug cartel that had kidnapped two Marines and killed another. To find the missing Marines, the team split into two groups. Sam (with Callen as backup) reactivated a dangerous undercover identity to work the drug angle, while Kensi and Deeks tried to track the cartel through the southern California desert. The humor went with Kensi and Deeks; the drama went with Callen and Sam.
Amidst the case was a lingering mystery... where did Hetti send Nate, and how did he learn to shoot?
The drug cartel story was done well. Unlike NCIS, Los Angeles seems to be able to pull off case-based episodes, even when the characters' personal lives aren't in the forefront. This may be because Los Angeles is newer and hasn't had as much time to use lots of different scenarios. Or it could be because they don't look for plot twists; the focus of this story was how they got from the crime to the rescue.
The chemistry between Kensi and Deeks was pretty good as well, though Deeks is clearly struggling to find his place in the show. I liked him when they introduced him, so I'm hoping he eventually settles in.
My biggest problem was the resolution of Nate's storyline. I understand that the writers and producers are trying to show the audience that no character is safe, but did they really need to write Nate out? The team was working, and his character provided something that no other offers: the psychological insight into the criminals (as well as the team). Obviously the show can survive without him, but it's stronger when he's there. I haven't heard whether or not it was Peter Cambor's choice to leave, nor do I know if this is a permanent move, but I'm bothered by the trend in shows to get rid of the side characters whose jobs are not the main focus of the show. I hope he'll be back by the end of the season.
Speaking of side characters, I heard rumors that Eric is in for a story of his own sometime soon, and I'm really looking forward to seeing some more of him, considering I think he had about five lines this episode.
"Borderline" was another in a line of solid episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, but I worry that constantly shaking up the team will turn more people off than the quality writing and acting can keep. It is only the beginning of the second season, so I suppose the show is still suffering from some growing pains, but I hope they don't do any damage to themselves while they continue to develop.
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: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah, Linda Hunt, Barrett Foa, Peter Cambor, Eric Christian Olsen
Summary: Deeks and Kensi partner on a mission to find three marines who disappeared after their Humvee was ambushed in the desert.
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode. Stop now unless you've seen the episode or you don't care.
Review: NCIS: Los Angeles is a show that really started growing into itself towards the end of season one, culminating in a wonderful season finale and a strong two-part premiere. I was worried when pre-production started that it could never live up to its predecessor, but there are times when I actually think it might be better than the original (not that I don't love NCIS, of course!).
I find this show far more serious than NCIS. The characters manage to have both a sense of humor and a level of professionalism, and they deal with more international terrorism cases than simply missing or murdered Marines. They also don't have the "cowboy" quality that Gibbs' team has. For the most part, they follow the rules. When they do break them, it's because of special circumstances.
This episode centered around a Mexican drug cartel that had kidnapped two Marines and killed another. To find the missing Marines, the team split into two groups. Sam (with Callen as backup) reactivated a dangerous undercover identity to work the drug angle, while Kensi and Deeks tried to track the cartel through the southern California desert. The humor went with Kensi and Deeks; the drama went with Callen and Sam.
Amidst the case was a lingering mystery... where did Hetti send Nate, and how did he learn to shoot?
The drug cartel story was done well. Unlike NCIS, Los Angeles seems to be able to pull off case-based episodes, even when the characters' personal lives aren't in the forefront. This may be because Los Angeles is newer and hasn't had as much time to use lots of different scenarios. Or it could be because they don't look for plot twists; the focus of this story was how they got from the crime to the rescue.
The chemistry between Kensi and Deeks was pretty good as well, though Deeks is clearly struggling to find his place in the show. I liked him when they introduced him, so I'm hoping he eventually settles in.
My biggest problem was the resolution of Nate's storyline. I understand that the writers and producers are trying to show the audience that no character is safe, but did they really need to write Nate out? The team was working, and his character provided something that no other offers: the psychological insight into the criminals (as well as the team). Obviously the show can survive without him, but it's stronger when he's there. I haven't heard whether or not it was Peter Cambor's choice to leave, nor do I know if this is a permanent move, but I'm bothered by the trend in shows to get rid of the side characters whose jobs are not the main focus of the show. I hope he'll be back by the end of the season.
Speaking of side characters, I heard rumors that Eric is in for a story of his own sometime soon, and I'm really looking forward to seeing some more of him, considering I think he had about five lines this episode.
"Borderline" was another in a line of solid episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, but I worry that constantly shaking up the team will turn more people off than the quality writing and acting can keep. It is only the beginning of the second season, so I suppose the show is still suffering from some growing pains, but I hope they don't do any damage to themselves while they continue to develop.
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, October 3, 2010
NCIS - Worst Nightmare
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen
Summary: The team searches for a kidnapped girl, whose grandfather complicates the investigation.
Review: I continuously have the same problem with NCIS. I love the show--it's one of my most highly anticipated of the week--but the case-related plot lines have recently started to fall flat. I started noticing this with the introduction of the Michael Rivkin storyline in season 6, but then it started to pick up again in season 7... until the drug cartel. There was no need to delve further into what Gibbs did after Shannon and Kelly were killed, no reason to humanize the man he murdered. I don't know about the rest of you, but I was perfectly fine with him remaining anonymous, and the act simply being a part of Gibbs' past that no one really knows about.
I know that story was (mostly) resolved in the season 8 premiere, but this week's plot wasn't much stronger. This time, a kidnapped little girl's grandfather turns out to be not what the NCIS team expected, and he gets in the way of their investigation into her disappearance. It wasn't that it was overly complex or overly simple or anything like that. It just wasn't that interesting. Is it possible NCIS is running out of interesting cases, or was this one just a little weak?
But then the cases have never been why I tuned in to NCIS each week. I do that because I'm completely in love with the characters, and I love to watch them interact with each other. And, in that respect, this episode was certainly worth the time. It was intern week at NCIS, and each section of the team had a college student to teach. Most of the focus was on McGee and his intern Conrad (played by Greek's Zack Lively), who really didn't want to be there. It was wonderful to see McGee, who's done a considerable amount of growing up since he first appeared on the show, with a probie of his own... even if it was just for now. Not only did it emphasize the changes in McGee, but it was good to get some fresh blood into the bullpen. Whether Lively will start making regular appearances seems unlikely, but it might be good for them to introduce a new cast member to shake things up a little.
The intern in the morgue created an interesting kind of story for Palmer, who didn't appear until midway through the episode to find his place at Ducky's side may have been usurped. The new girl shared Ducky's love for long, rambling stories and Scottish music, and poor Palmer wasn't sure what to do with that. I was mildly amused by his quest to find a new place at NCIS, but I mostly just felt bad for him. For awhile I really thought they were grooming him to take Ducky's place, but now I'm not so sure. Hopefully this episode was an anomaly, and Palmer will go back to being the autospsy gremlin we all know and love next episode.
The final intern was in Abby's lab. Abby, it must be said, has had some bad experiences with people in her lab, and she was not happy about having an intern... especially one with a little crush on her. I do love seeing Abby flustered. She takes her normal level of over-caffeinated and doubles it, and it's always fun to watch the reactions of the people she's talking to, especially Gibbs, who just takes it all in stride and fixes it with a word or two.
The secret to NCIS's success is focusing on personality stories instead of case ones. When the plot is more centered on what the team is doing, they're engaging, humorous and sometimes dramatic. When it's more about solving a murder, they tend to come off as a little dry and sometimes trite. NCIS certainly hasn't lasted for eight seasons by exclusively sticking to one of those methods, but the episodes are definitely more enjoyable when they don't spend a lot of time worrying about creating and solving a complex crime.
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: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen
Summary: The team searches for a kidnapped girl, whose grandfather complicates the investigation.
Review: I continuously have the same problem with NCIS. I love the show--it's one of my most highly anticipated of the week--but the case-related plot lines have recently started to fall flat. I started noticing this with the introduction of the Michael Rivkin storyline in season 6, but then it started to pick up again in season 7... until the drug cartel. There was no need to delve further into what Gibbs did after Shannon and Kelly were killed, no reason to humanize the man he murdered. I don't know about the rest of you, but I was perfectly fine with him remaining anonymous, and the act simply being a part of Gibbs' past that no one really knows about.
I know that story was (mostly) resolved in the season 8 premiere, but this week's plot wasn't much stronger. This time, a kidnapped little girl's grandfather turns out to be not what the NCIS team expected, and he gets in the way of their investigation into her disappearance. It wasn't that it was overly complex or overly simple or anything like that. It just wasn't that interesting. Is it possible NCIS is running out of interesting cases, or was this one just a little weak?
But then the cases have never been why I tuned in to NCIS each week. I do that because I'm completely in love with the characters, and I love to watch them interact with each other. And, in that respect, this episode was certainly worth the time. It was intern week at NCIS, and each section of the team had a college student to teach. Most of the focus was on McGee and his intern Conrad (played by Greek's Zack Lively), who really didn't want to be there. It was wonderful to see McGee, who's done a considerable amount of growing up since he first appeared on the show, with a probie of his own... even if it was just for now. Not only did it emphasize the changes in McGee, but it was good to get some fresh blood into the bullpen. Whether Lively will start making regular appearances seems unlikely, but it might be good for them to introduce a new cast member to shake things up a little.
The intern in the morgue created an interesting kind of story for Palmer, who didn't appear until midway through the episode to find his place at Ducky's side may have been usurped. The new girl shared Ducky's love for long, rambling stories and Scottish music, and poor Palmer wasn't sure what to do with that. I was mildly amused by his quest to find a new place at NCIS, but I mostly just felt bad for him. For awhile I really thought they were grooming him to take Ducky's place, but now I'm not so sure. Hopefully this episode was an anomaly, and Palmer will go back to being the autospsy gremlin we all know and love next episode.
The final intern was in Abby's lab. Abby, it must be said, has had some bad experiences with people in her lab, and she was not happy about having an intern... especially one with a little crush on her. I do love seeing Abby flustered. She takes her normal level of over-caffeinated and doubles it, and it's always fun to watch the reactions of the people she's talking to, especially Gibbs, who just takes it all in stride and fixes it with a word or two.
The secret to NCIS's success is focusing on personality stories instead of case ones. When the plot is more centered on what the team is doing, they're engaging, humorous and sometimes dramatic. When it's more about solving a murder, they tend to come off as a little dry and sometimes trite. NCIS certainly hasn't lasted for eight seasons by exclusively sticking to one of those methods, but the episodes are definitely more enjoyable when they don't spend a lot of time worrying about creating and solving a complex crime.
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
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Parenthood - Perchance to Dream
Network: NBC
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Tyree Brown
Summary: Adam has his hands full taking care of Max and Haddie when Kristina goes out of town. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to get Amber to start thinking about college. Julia tries to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. And Crosby takes Jasmine on a date without Jabbar.
Review: I'm really glad I didn't give up on this show. It's starting to become one of my most highly anticipated shows each week (it helps that it's been one of the few to have new episodes for the last couple weeks).
Part of what I really like about this show is that it's very real, but not in an uncomfortable way. Too often, shows go one of two ways: either they're super-fluid and fast-talking, with characters who always have a quip ready (i.e. The West Wing); or they're really awkward with long pauses that give the illusion of real life (i.e. The Office).
Parenthood is neither of those things. It's realism comes from the fact that almost every time a character reacts to the situation around them, it doesn't surprise me because I know someone (if not my own parents, then a friend's) who would react the same way. They actually act like real people, instead of an idealized version of real people. One of my favorite scenes from this episode was where Sarah, Julia and Kristina were talking about their daughters because it really sounded like the kind of conversation three mothers would have.
Each story allowed us to see the characters in a slightly different way than normal in this episode. For example, normally we see Julia as the sort-of-absent parent (the working mom, who's there less frequently than Daddy). Joel seems to be the one who interacts with Sydney most about the day-to-day stuff, while Julia tends to interrupt the mundane to do things her way. But in this episode, Julia believed Sydney broke a lamp and was lying about what happened to it. So she cordoned off the room and left the lamp there until the person who broke it cleaned it up. It was such a typical lesson that a kid has to learn (who among us didn't lie at the age of four when we thought we were going to get into trouble?) that it was surprising Julia was teaching it. But it was nice to see her take on this role too, while Joel was relegated to the sidelines.
We normally see Crosby as either the ladies' man or the new father, but never both at the same time. In this episode, he wanted to take Jasmine out without Jabbar so he could get to know her better. And while their date is interrupted by their son, we do get a glimpse at a different kind of Crosby, the one who is learning to balance responsibility, commitment, and his desire to sleep with a beautiful woman. While I'm not convinced I like the Crosby/Jasmine relationship (mostly because I'm not convinced I like Jasmine), I don't feel strong dislike towards it either. I'm waiting for it to unfold naturally before I pass judgment.
So far, we've only seen Amber and Sarah at odds with each other. Our very first introduction to them was a fight, and a lot of this episode was as well. But there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough towards the end, where each of them opened up a little and suddenly everyone could see that there was a loving mother-daughter relationship underneath the animosity.
Also, Amber and Drew, despite being siblings, have actually had very little interaction up to now. There was that whole thing with Drew and the shower, and they shared a room for a little while, but there wasn't much conversation between them or anything. We actually got to see Drew go to his sister for advice for a change and, even though the conversation was dominated by Amber and Sarah fighting, Amber seemed to be actually trying to help Drew with his girl problems.
And finally, Adam, Kristina and Haddie. This branch of the Braverman family has been dominated by the Max storyline for the first few episodes, and it's only been recently that they've been giving the others some screen time. Kristina, who is the quintessential housewife/stay-at-home mom, went back to work for the weekend to help her old employer, leaving Adam to stay with the kids. This might have been better if Haddie wasn't in the process of getting closer to her boyfriend. Adam reacts... not well, and he and Haddie fight.
In the first few episodes, Haddie seemed like the perfect daughter. Her parents' world revolved around Max and, while Haddie certainly wasn't thrilled about that, she seemed to understand and tried to make things easier. Now, she's acting out like only 15-year-old girls can, and it's a nice reminder that she's just a teenager, and she's going to be selfish sometimes.
I also liked that this episode brought back the Adam/Drew relationship. Drew needs a father-figure in his life, and he can't turn to his dad and shouldn't turn to his grandfather (Grandpa Zeke scares me), so he goes to his mom's older brother when he needs help with guy stuff. I really like this relationship, and I hope they continue to build on it.
It's kind of amazing how much stuff they cram into each episode, but it's stopped being overwhelming (mostly) and instead is a lot of fun to watch. The season finale is coming up, but that's okay because NBC already renewed it for season 2, so there's plenty for fans to look forward to.
Are you looking forward to the rest of season 1? What was your favorite part of this episode? Leave a comment and let me know.
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Tyree Brown
Summary: Adam has his hands full taking care of Max and Haddie when Kristina goes out of town. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to get Amber to start thinking about college. Julia tries to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. And Crosby takes Jasmine on a date without Jabbar.
Review: I'm really glad I didn't give up on this show. It's starting to become one of my most highly anticipated shows each week (it helps that it's been one of the few to have new episodes for the last couple weeks).
Part of what I really like about this show is that it's very real, but not in an uncomfortable way. Too often, shows go one of two ways: either they're super-fluid and fast-talking, with characters who always have a quip ready (i.e. The West Wing); or they're really awkward with long pauses that give the illusion of real life (i.e. The Office).
Parenthood is neither of those things. It's realism comes from the fact that almost every time a character reacts to the situation around them, it doesn't surprise me because I know someone (if not my own parents, then a friend's) who would react the same way. They actually act like real people, instead of an idealized version of real people. One of my favorite scenes from this episode was where Sarah, Julia and Kristina were talking about their daughters because it really sounded like the kind of conversation three mothers would have.
Each story allowed us to see the characters in a slightly different way than normal in this episode. For example, normally we see Julia as the sort-of-absent parent (the working mom, who's there less frequently than Daddy). Joel seems to be the one who interacts with Sydney most about the day-to-day stuff, while Julia tends to interrupt the mundane to do things her way. But in this episode, Julia believed Sydney broke a lamp and was lying about what happened to it. So she cordoned off the room and left the lamp there until the person who broke it cleaned it up. It was such a typical lesson that a kid has to learn (who among us didn't lie at the age of four when we thought we were going to get into trouble?) that it was surprising Julia was teaching it. But it was nice to see her take on this role too, while Joel was relegated to the sidelines.
We normally see Crosby as either the ladies' man or the new father, but never both at the same time. In this episode, he wanted to take Jasmine out without Jabbar so he could get to know her better. And while their date is interrupted by their son, we do get a glimpse at a different kind of Crosby, the one who is learning to balance responsibility, commitment, and his desire to sleep with a beautiful woman. While I'm not convinced I like the Crosby/Jasmine relationship (mostly because I'm not convinced I like Jasmine), I don't feel strong dislike towards it either. I'm waiting for it to unfold naturally before I pass judgment.
So far, we've only seen Amber and Sarah at odds with each other. Our very first introduction to them was a fight, and a lot of this episode was as well. But there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough towards the end, where each of them opened up a little and suddenly everyone could see that there was a loving mother-daughter relationship underneath the animosity.
Also, Amber and Drew, despite being siblings, have actually had very little interaction up to now. There was that whole thing with Drew and the shower, and they shared a room for a little while, but there wasn't much conversation between them or anything. We actually got to see Drew go to his sister for advice for a change and, even though the conversation was dominated by Amber and Sarah fighting, Amber seemed to be actually trying to help Drew with his girl problems.
And finally, Adam, Kristina and Haddie. This branch of the Braverman family has been dominated by the Max storyline for the first few episodes, and it's only been recently that they've been giving the others some screen time. Kristina, who is the quintessential housewife/stay-at-home mom, went back to work for the weekend to help her old employer, leaving Adam to stay with the kids. This might have been better if Haddie wasn't in the process of getting closer to her boyfriend. Adam reacts... not well, and he and Haddie fight.
In the first few episodes, Haddie seemed like the perfect daughter. Her parents' world revolved around Max and, while Haddie certainly wasn't thrilled about that, she seemed to understand and tried to make things easier. Now, she's acting out like only 15-year-old girls can, and it's a nice reminder that she's just a teenager, and she's going to be selfish sometimes.
I also liked that this episode brought back the Adam/Drew relationship. Drew needs a father-figure in his life, and he can't turn to his dad and shouldn't turn to his grandfather (Grandpa Zeke scares me), so he goes to his mom's older brother when he needs help with guy stuff. I really like this relationship, and I hope they continue to build on it.
It's kind of amazing how much stuff they cram into each episode, but it's stopped being overwhelming (mostly) and instead is a lot of fun to watch. The season finale is coming up, but that's okay because NBC already renewed it for season 2, so there's plenty for fans to look forward to.
Are you looking forward to the rest of season 1? What was your favorite part of this episode? Leave a comment and let me know.
NCIS - Moonlighting
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: Gibbs and Fornell work together when an NCIS polygraph specialist's night job is connected to murder.
Review: This was probably my favorite NCIS episode in a long time, and not just because loyal fans of the McGee and Abby relationship were finally thrown a bone.
It seems like the pieces are finally starting to click back into place for NCIS. I'm not sure what happened between the season premiere (which some may remember I declared to be the best episode of the series) and now, but it's been rough going for awhile. The episodes have felt forced, the cases have been boring and unnecessarily complicated, and everything's just been a little... off.
I remarked that the last new episode felt like NCIS was on an upswing, getting back some of the mojo it had lost, and, after seeing this episode, I think it's back on top. This episode made me remember why I loved this show. The banter was light-hearted and funny, the case was a pleasant sidenote, and Gibbs had his sense of humor back! I don't know about you guys, but I sorely missed the dry wit that it Leroy Jethro Gibbs. And Gibbs bantering with FBI Agent Tobias Fornell is just ten times better.
I used to have a sort of love/hate relationship with Fornell, but somewhere along the way I realized he makes the episodes he's really awesome. His relationship with Gibbs has evolved throughout the seasons, and it's nice to see Gibbs just be someone's friend. I know he and Ducky have been friends forever too, but their relationship is somehow different, in a way I haven't been able to put into words (I know, and they pay me to write?).
This episode also saw the return of McGee-stalker/polygraph technician Susan Grady. If you remember, she's the one who told McGee he had to retake his polygraph test so she could ask him if he had a girlfriend. In this episode, it was her second job that was possibly involved in the murder of a petty officer... which meant Gibbs wanted McGee to interview her.
Susan is... a weird character. She's kind of a mess. She's emotionally all over the map, and she has the people skills of a slightly moldy block of cheese. Yet she's an oddly pathetic character, and I found myself feeling bad for her and growing to (almost) like her by the end.
Also, please let me take a moment to let the fangirl part of me give a squeal about how jealous Abby got over Susan. I liked this episode for a number of reasons, but definitely my favorite scene was the one where Tony, Ziva and Ducky are giving Abby a hard time about McGee and Susan. And then the subsequent scene where she goes back to her lab and finds the two of them there. For those of us who've been waiting for Abby to realize she's been crazy about McGee since season 1, this was a good episode.
OK, I promise that's all about that for now. I anticipate plenty of opportunities to do that again in the next few episodes.
I'm also pleased with the way they've been using Palmer lately. I love the little autopsy gremlin, and I love that he has a hot girlfriend. Of course, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with her, because no one on NCIS ever has a girlfriend (or boyfriend) who's not going to die or trying to kill them. With the exception of Lt. Col. Mann. And that one that Ducky wore different ties for, but we never met her so she doesn't count.
Of course, having Palmer show up more and (especially) interact with Gibbs more, only reinforces my theory that Ducky's on his way out. I've had a gut feeling for about half the season that Ducky was thinking about resigning at the end of it, but I've not proof to back it up. So I guess we'll find out about that in a few weeks.
This episode didn't have a whole lot of negatives, and it made me really anticipate the next few weeks. I think all the episodes are new from now until the season finale (finally), so I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing what happens next.
What'd you guys think? Was it worth wait of all the reruns that have been on lately? Are you as excited about the season finale as I am? Leave a comment and let me know.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: Gibbs and Fornell work together when an NCIS polygraph specialist's night job is connected to murder.
Review: This was probably my favorite NCIS episode in a long time, and not just because loyal fans of the McGee and Abby relationship were finally thrown a bone.
It seems like the pieces are finally starting to click back into place for NCIS. I'm not sure what happened between the season premiere (which some may remember I declared to be the best episode of the series) and now, but it's been rough going for awhile. The episodes have felt forced, the cases have been boring and unnecessarily complicated, and everything's just been a little... off.
I remarked that the last new episode felt like NCIS was on an upswing, getting back some of the mojo it had lost, and, after seeing this episode, I think it's back on top. This episode made me remember why I loved this show. The banter was light-hearted and funny, the case was a pleasant sidenote, and Gibbs had his sense of humor back! I don't know about you guys, but I sorely missed the dry wit that it Leroy Jethro Gibbs. And Gibbs bantering with FBI Agent Tobias Fornell is just ten times better.
I used to have a sort of love/hate relationship with Fornell, but somewhere along the way I realized he makes the episodes he's really awesome. His relationship with Gibbs has evolved throughout the seasons, and it's nice to see Gibbs just be someone's friend. I know he and Ducky have been friends forever too, but their relationship is somehow different, in a way I haven't been able to put into words (I know, and they pay me to write?).
This episode also saw the return of McGee-stalker/polygraph technician Susan Grady. If you remember, she's the one who told McGee he had to retake his polygraph test so she could ask him if he had a girlfriend. In this episode, it was her second job that was possibly involved in the murder of a petty officer... which meant Gibbs wanted McGee to interview her.
Susan is... a weird character. She's kind of a mess. She's emotionally all over the map, and she has the people skills of a slightly moldy block of cheese. Yet she's an oddly pathetic character, and I found myself feeling bad for her and growing to (almost) like her by the end.
Also, please let me take a moment to let the fangirl part of me give a squeal about how jealous Abby got over Susan. I liked this episode for a number of reasons, but definitely my favorite scene was the one where Tony, Ziva and Ducky are giving Abby a hard time about McGee and Susan. And then the subsequent scene where she goes back to her lab and finds the two of them there. For those of us who've been waiting for Abby to realize she's been crazy about McGee since season 1, this was a good episode.
OK, I promise that's all about that for now. I anticipate plenty of opportunities to do that again in the next few episodes.
I'm also pleased with the way they've been using Palmer lately. I love the little autopsy gremlin, and I love that he has a hot girlfriend. Of course, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with her, because no one on NCIS ever has a girlfriend (or boyfriend) who's not going to die or trying to kill them. With the exception of Lt. Col. Mann. And that one that Ducky wore different ties for, but we never met her so she doesn't count.
Of course, having Palmer show up more and (especially) interact with Gibbs more, only reinforces my theory that Ducky's on his way out. I've had a gut feeling for about half the season that Ducky was thinking about resigning at the end of it, but I've not proof to back it up. So I guess we'll find out about that in a few weeks.
This episode didn't have a whole lot of negatives, and it made me really anticipate the next few weeks. I think all the episodes are new from now until the season finale (finally), so I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing what happens next.
What'd you guys think? Was it worth wait of all the reruns that have been on lately? Are you as excited about the season finale as I am? Leave a comment and let me know.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Parenthood - The Big 'O'
Network: NBC
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NCIS - Guilty Pleasure
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The death of a Navy officer is linked to a prostitute, and the team asks for help from a D.C. Madam, Holly Snow. Guest starring Dina Meyer.
Review: Aw, this was a fun episode.
I mean, sure, it started with a guy getting hit by a car after being stabbed multiple times, but it pretty quickly devolved into the character banter it's so good at. From the get-go, McGee and Tony are the middle of a little spat--the "seven year bitch," as Ziva says. It lasts for the whole episode.
It is probably the funniest thing I've seen on this show in a long, long time.
McGee gets jealous because Tony's hanging out with Detective McCadden. And Tony's mad because McGee wouldn't be his wingman and help him pick up a girl at a museum. So they spend the entire episode sniping at each other like teenage girls, while Ziva watches and laughs at them (as well she should).
It was fun to see tension on the show that wasn't between Tony and Ziva. Or Gibbs and Allison Hart. Or Gibbs and a CGIS agent. Or Gibbs and... any woman who walks onto the show (really, how many almost-romances does he need to be in?).
Speaking of almost-romances, this episode marked the return of the DC Madam Holly Snow. Did anyone else completely forget the previous episode she was in until midway through this one? And did anyone else think she was way cooler this time than she was last time? She was kind of a really sweet character. I actually felt pretty bad for her through the whole thing.
I also really appreciated that Tony was more serious in this episode than he's been in awhile, almost on par with the Tony of the first couple seasons. Tony's always been the comic relief of the show, but he used to work hard behind-the-scenes, surprising his co-workers by behind a step ahead of them. Recently, he's been all funny and not enough seriousness. McGee usually does all the real work, and Tony and Ziva go pick up potential suspects. It was nice to see Tony doing some of the work this time.
There were a couple other really funny moments. Like when Tony went undercover as a John to trap a prostitute and was hopelessly out of his element that it was actually kind of surprising. Or Abby realized McGee was jealous of Tony's "man-mance" with McCadden and tried to get Gibbs to give him a hug.
But there were a couple off moments as well. Like when Abby tried to confront Holly about her prostitution, but only managed to stand there awkwardly while Holly did most of the talking. Or Gibbs charged in like a white knight, gun a-blazing at the end of the episode.
It seems like NCIS is on a bit of an upswing again, with this episode and the last being generally pretty good. I still don't feel like I'm anticipating it quite the same way I was at the beginning of the series, but there are still a few episodes left for them to win me back, and the episodes are certainly enjoyable to watch.
Do you feel the same way too, or is it just me? What'd you think of this episode? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Want more NCIS news? Follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The death of a Navy officer is linked to a prostitute, and the team asks for help from a D.C. Madam, Holly Snow. Guest starring Dina Meyer.
Review: Aw, this was a fun episode.
I mean, sure, it started with a guy getting hit by a car after being stabbed multiple times, but it pretty quickly devolved into the character banter it's so good at. From the get-go, McGee and Tony are the middle of a little spat--the "seven year bitch," as Ziva says. It lasts for the whole episode.
It is probably the funniest thing I've seen on this show in a long, long time.
McGee gets jealous because Tony's hanging out with Detective McCadden. And Tony's mad because McGee wouldn't be his wingman and help him pick up a girl at a museum. So they spend the entire episode sniping at each other like teenage girls, while Ziva watches and laughs at them (as well she should).
It was fun to see tension on the show that wasn't between Tony and Ziva. Or Gibbs and Allison Hart. Or Gibbs and a CGIS agent. Or Gibbs and... any woman who walks onto the show (really, how many almost-romances does he need to be in?).
Speaking of almost-romances, this episode marked the return of the DC Madam Holly Snow. Did anyone else completely forget the previous episode she was in until midway through this one? And did anyone else think she was way cooler this time than she was last time? She was kind of a really sweet character. I actually felt pretty bad for her through the whole thing.
I also really appreciated that Tony was more serious in this episode than he's been in awhile, almost on par with the Tony of the first couple seasons. Tony's always been the comic relief of the show, but he used to work hard behind-the-scenes, surprising his co-workers by behind a step ahead of them. Recently, he's been all funny and not enough seriousness. McGee usually does all the real work, and Tony and Ziva go pick up potential suspects. It was nice to see Tony doing some of the work this time.
There were a couple other really funny moments. Like when Tony went undercover as a John to trap a prostitute and was hopelessly out of his element that it was actually kind of surprising. Or Abby realized McGee was jealous of Tony's "man-mance" with McCadden and tried to get Gibbs to give him a hug.
But there were a couple off moments as well. Like when Abby tried to confront Holly about her prostitution, but only managed to stand there awkwardly while Holly did most of the talking. Or Gibbs charged in like a white knight, gun a-blazing at the end of the episode.
It seems like NCIS is on a bit of an upswing again, with this episode and the last being generally pretty good. I still don't feel like I'm anticipating it quite the same way I was at the beginning of the series, but there are still a few episodes left for them to win me back, and the episodes are certainly enjoyable to watch.
Do you feel the same way too, or is it just me? What'd you think of this episode? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Want more NCIS news? Follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
NCIS - Jurisdiction
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The team investigates the murder of a Navy diver, and they work with their Coast Guard equivalent (CGIS), with whom they find some striking similarities.
Review: I have mixed feelings about this episode of NCIS. On the one hand, it was funny and engaging in a way that the last few episodes haven't been. On the other hand, it was an old gag and, overall, not a particularly strong episode.
This season has hit both the highs and lows of NCIS. The first few episodes were amazing, even if they lacked the witty banter that has become a staple of the show. But recently it seems to be struggling a little. The cases, which were never the strongest part of an episode, are lackluster, and even the characters seem to be off just enough to leave me wanting more from each episodes.
On the positive side of this episode, Gibbs' character seemed to settle back a little closer to the way he used to be (pre-season 6 finale). He's still a man of few words, but the wicked sense of humor he had in the first couple seasons was back (throwing the keys into the middle of the bullpen to let the agents fight over them, his little verbal sparring session with Tony, etc.). Even his possibly-romantically-charged interaction with CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (played by Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal) was reminiscent of the Gibbs of old (and could it mean that he's done fooling around with Rena Sofer? Please?).
Other positives: a frustrated Abby = a funny Abby. Abby, for all her eccentricities, is usually confident, capable and completely in control (to be unnecessarily alliterative). When she breaks, it always makes for a good laugh. On the slight negative, however, where was Mortimer? You don't train a seeing eye dog in a week. And he was so cute! I know it's expensive (and troublesome) to have a puppy on the set, but I was kind of hoping he'd be back.
Positive (mostly): Tony and Ziva. Aside from a completely really blatant "oh, we might be in a relationship, but if not, we're just going lay on the sexual tension extra thick" moments, it was fun to watch the two of them together again. The scene where they checked out Lt. Jensen's storage locker was my favorite of the episode, and the last scene had a sweet feeling that's been seriously lacking since Jeanne showed up a few seasons ago.
Negative: Ducky. The bow ties were back, and with them was a melancholy attitude that only serves to reinforce my theory that something big is going to happen to Ducky (like potentially a retirement) by the end of the season. Now, Ducky fans, don't get all excited yet. I have absolutely no proof to back this up, just a Gibbs-style gut feeling. So we'll see.
Positive: Palmer. This little dude has been growing on me since he came on the show, and now he's pretty much cemented a place as one of my favorite characters. Especially now that he's got a hot new girlfriend, he's gained so much confidence. He can hold his own in a verbal battle against Tony. Plus he makes completely inappropriate comments at completely inappropriate times. He's really kind of wonderful.
Slight positive: The case. It was actually pretty good for once, even if it was a little predictable.
Negative: The gag. This is the second NCIS episode in a row that I feel like I've seen before. In this case, there was an episode in season 1 or 2 where they met a local PD that seemed to basically be their clones. In this episode, it's just the CGIS agent in charge who's a Gibbs-clone. It had some funny moments, but it felt tired. (For those who are curious, the other episode was the guy with two wives, which I'm pretty sure they did before, but I can't remember which episode.)
Overall, not a bad episode, but not an amazing one either. I feel like I'm watching so many crime shows that have the same gimmick (the cowboy-ish lead agent and his witty band of absurdly loyal followers) that NCIS needs to do something to stand out from a crowd that includes The Mentalist, White Collar and Lie to Me. The season's starting to wind down now, so I'm eagerly anticipating the next few episode, and I hope they don't disappoint.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The team investigates the murder of a Navy diver, and they work with their Coast Guard equivalent (CGIS), with whom they find some striking similarities.
Review: I have mixed feelings about this episode of NCIS. On the one hand, it was funny and engaging in a way that the last few episodes haven't been. On the other hand, it was an old gag and, overall, not a particularly strong episode.
This season has hit both the highs and lows of NCIS. The first few episodes were amazing, even if they lacked the witty banter that has become a staple of the show. But recently it seems to be struggling a little. The cases, which were never the strongest part of an episode, are lackluster, and even the characters seem to be off just enough to leave me wanting more from each episodes.
On the positive side of this episode, Gibbs' character seemed to settle back a little closer to the way he used to be (pre-season 6 finale). He's still a man of few words, but the wicked sense of humor he had in the first couple seasons was back (throwing the keys into the middle of the bullpen to let the agents fight over them, his little verbal sparring session with Tony, etc.). Even his possibly-romantically-charged interaction with CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (played by Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal) was reminiscent of the Gibbs of old (and could it mean that he's done fooling around with Rena Sofer? Please?).
Other positives: a frustrated Abby = a funny Abby. Abby, for all her eccentricities, is usually confident, capable and completely in control (to be unnecessarily alliterative). When she breaks, it always makes for a good laugh. On the slight negative, however, where was Mortimer? You don't train a seeing eye dog in a week. And he was so cute! I know it's expensive (and troublesome) to have a puppy on the set, but I was kind of hoping he'd be back.
Positive (mostly): Tony and Ziva. Aside from a completely really blatant "oh, we might be in a relationship, but if not, we're just going lay on the sexual tension extra thick" moments, it was fun to watch the two of them together again. The scene where they checked out Lt. Jensen's storage locker was my favorite of the episode, and the last scene had a sweet feeling that's been seriously lacking since Jeanne showed up a few seasons ago.
Negative: Ducky. The bow ties were back, and with them was a melancholy attitude that only serves to reinforce my theory that something big is going to happen to Ducky (like potentially a retirement) by the end of the season. Now, Ducky fans, don't get all excited yet. I have absolutely no proof to back this up, just a Gibbs-style gut feeling. So we'll see.
Positive: Palmer. This little dude has been growing on me since he came on the show, and now he's pretty much cemented a place as one of my favorite characters. Especially now that he's got a hot new girlfriend, he's gained so much confidence. He can hold his own in a verbal battle against Tony. Plus he makes completely inappropriate comments at completely inappropriate times. He's really kind of wonderful.
Slight positive: The case. It was actually pretty good for once, even if it was a little predictable.
Negative: The gag. This is the second NCIS episode in a row that I feel like I've seen before. In this case, there was an episode in season 1 or 2 where they met a local PD that seemed to basically be their clones. In this episode, it's just the CGIS agent in charge who's a Gibbs-clone. It had some funny moments, but it felt tired. (For those who are curious, the other episode was the guy with two wives, which I'm pretty sure they did before, but I can't remember which episode.)
Overall, not a bad episode, but not an amazing one either. I feel like I'm watching so many crime shows that have the same gimmick (the cowboy-ish lead agent and his witty band of absurdly loyal followers) that NCIS needs to do something to stand out from a crowd that includes The Mentalist, White Collar and Lie to Me. The season's starting to wind down now, so I'm eagerly anticipating the next few episode, and I hope they don't disappoint.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
White Collar - Out of the Box
Network: USA
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Natalie Morales, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins
Summary: Neal and Alex pair up to go after the elusive music box at the Italian consulate. Meanwhile, Peter asks Diana to help him get rid of Fowler.
Review: Wow. That's the only word I had left after the first season finale of White Collar. Just wow.
There have been a few rocky episodes since White Collar returned after the winter hiatus. The story has focused so much on Neal finding Kate and rescuing her and, as a result, there's been a ton of tension between Neal and Peter. At no point did the show ever get bad per se, just rocky.
But not anymore.
While this episode obviously focused on Neal and Kate, it no longer creates the same kind of tension between Neal and Peter. Neal clearly trusts Peter again, so much so that he lets him in on his plan to steal the music box. And Peter seems to finally understand why Neal is doing what he's doing. There's a really nice moment where you see the pieces finally click into place for Peter, when he realizes Neal really loves Kate.
Let's talk for a minute about some familiar faces that reappeared in this episode. I, for one, would like to give Marsha Thomason a hearty welcome back to the show. She's changed a bit since she was Peter's underling. For one thing, she has her own identity, which she really hadn't developed in episode one. Also, she's tough as nails and really, really cool. And with the White Collar producers promising that she'll be a full cast member next season, I'm looking forward to seeing how she'll mesh with Jones and Cruz (particularly Cruz, since Natalie Morales basically replaces Thomason in the series).
Also back was Gloria Votsis, reprising her role as Neal's con-artist buddy Alex. She's another character I'd like to see have more screen time next season. She's another spunky, strong female character, and her sometimes-friend-sometimes-adversary relationship with Neal is always fun to watch.
So this whole episode basically centers around Neal and Alex (and Mozzie) plotting and attempting to steal the music box from the Italian consulate. The scheme they come up with is amazing (to those of us who have absolutely no conning abilities whatsoever). It was possibly my favorite scene of the entire season to watch.
Except, perhaps, the scene where Neal is shirtless and forging a statue. But we won't go there.
Everything clicked in this episode. Everyone's timing was good, the bad guys were bad in all the right ways, the plot was well-developed, and the ending was jaw-dropping. Literally.
I cannot wait for next season.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Natalie Morales, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins
Summary: Neal and Alex pair up to go after the elusive music box at the Italian consulate. Meanwhile, Peter asks Diana to help him get rid of Fowler.
Review: Wow. That's the only word I had left after the first season finale of White Collar. Just wow.
There have been a few rocky episodes since White Collar returned after the winter hiatus. The story has focused so much on Neal finding Kate and rescuing her and, as a result, there's been a ton of tension between Neal and Peter. At no point did the show ever get bad per se, just rocky.
But not anymore.
While this episode obviously focused on Neal and Kate, it no longer creates the same kind of tension between Neal and Peter. Neal clearly trusts Peter again, so much so that he lets him in on his plan to steal the music box. And Peter seems to finally understand why Neal is doing what he's doing. There's a really nice moment where you see the pieces finally click into place for Peter, when he realizes Neal really loves Kate.
Let's talk for a minute about some familiar faces that reappeared in this episode. I, for one, would like to give Marsha Thomason a hearty welcome back to the show. She's changed a bit since she was Peter's underling. For one thing, she has her own identity, which she really hadn't developed in episode one. Also, she's tough as nails and really, really cool. And with the White Collar producers promising that she'll be a full cast member next season, I'm looking forward to seeing how she'll mesh with Jones and Cruz (particularly Cruz, since Natalie Morales basically replaces Thomason in the series).
Also back was Gloria Votsis, reprising her role as Neal's con-artist buddy Alex. She's another character I'd like to see have more screen time next season. She's another spunky, strong female character, and her sometimes-friend-sometimes-adversary relationship with Neal is always fun to watch.
So this whole episode basically centers around Neal and Alex (and Mozzie) plotting and attempting to steal the music box from the Italian consulate. The scheme they come up with is amazing (to those of us who have absolutely no conning abilities whatsoever). It was possibly my favorite scene of the entire season to watch.
Except, perhaps, the scene where Neal is shirtless and forging a statue. But we won't go there.
Everything clicked in this episode. Everyone's timing was good, the bad guys were bad in all the right ways, the plot was well-developed, and the ending was jaw-dropping. Literally.
I cannot wait for next season.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Parenthood - Pilot
Network: NBC
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae
Summary: A divorced mother of two moves back in with her parents, while her siblings deal with family issues of their own.
Review: I like pilot episodes. You go in so unprepared. I mean, sure, you've seen commercials, but they never tell you exactly what to expect. In the case of Parenthood, those commercials go in two different ways: the funny and the sweet. So you're a completely blank slate going into the first episode to enthrall or disappoint.
This was a bit of a disappointment. My expectations were high due to the writing/directing team (Ron Howard and Thomas Schlamme) and the wonderful cast (see above), and they didn't exactly fail to live up to them. It's just that I expected the show to be funnier than it was. I'd been watching those commercials all through the Olympics, and a large percentage of them made the show out to be a comedy. In reality, it was a slightly predictable family drama.
And it wasn't bad. Like I said, the acting was wonderful, and the sweet moments really were sweet. It was just too much sometimes. It tried to be a dramatic version of Modern Family. One of the great things about MF is that all the families have their own stories, and they intermingle periodically. Parenthood tried to do the same thing, but it didn't work as well. In a comedy, the stories are light-hearted and simple. In a drama, they're far more complex, and it's harder to work several complex stories into the same episode, which is what Parenthood did. The end result was that I didn't care enough about some of the stories that should have had a bigger impact.
That said, I think this show has a lot of potential, even if I still want it to be funnier (think Gilmore Girls, or even The West Wing). If each episode focused on one or (maybe) two problems at a time, the audience could focus on and care about those issues better. Also, further character development will aid in making the audience empathize with the characters' struggles as well (that obviously can only happen with time).
If I hadn't had any expectations going in, I probably would have enjoyed this pilot more. And I really did enjoy it, even if I'm coming down on it kind of hard. It's just that I expected more from the people who put it together, because they've also been responsible for some of my favorite television throughout the years. But I look forward to watching for awhile and seeing what will come of this highly anticipated show.
Favorite lines:
Kristina: Men feel the need to express their love through hitting balls, slapping butts and discussing meaningless statistics.
Crosby: Let's just play ping pong, so I can lose myself in sport.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae
Summary: A divorced mother of two moves back in with her parents, while her siblings deal with family issues of their own.
Review: I like pilot episodes. You go in so unprepared. I mean, sure, you've seen commercials, but they never tell you exactly what to expect. In the case of Parenthood, those commercials go in two different ways: the funny and the sweet. So you're a completely blank slate going into the first episode to enthrall or disappoint.
This was a bit of a disappointment. My expectations were high due to the writing/directing team (Ron Howard and Thomas Schlamme) and the wonderful cast (see above), and they didn't exactly fail to live up to them. It's just that I expected the show to be funnier than it was. I'd been watching those commercials all through the Olympics, and a large percentage of them made the show out to be a comedy. In reality, it was a slightly predictable family drama.
And it wasn't bad. Like I said, the acting was wonderful, and the sweet moments really were sweet. It was just too much sometimes. It tried to be a dramatic version of Modern Family. One of the great things about MF is that all the families have their own stories, and they intermingle periodically. Parenthood tried to do the same thing, but it didn't work as well. In a comedy, the stories are light-hearted and simple. In a drama, they're far more complex, and it's harder to work several complex stories into the same episode, which is what Parenthood did. The end result was that I didn't care enough about some of the stories that should have had a bigger impact.
That said, I think this show has a lot of potential, even if I still want it to be funnier (think Gilmore Girls, or even The West Wing). If each episode focused on one or (maybe) two problems at a time, the audience could focus on and care about those issues better. Also, further character development will aid in making the audience empathize with the characters' struggles as well (that obviously can only happen with time).
If I hadn't had any expectations going in, I probably would have enjoyed this pilot more. And I really did enjoy it, even if I'm coming down on it kind of hard. It's just that I expected more from the people who put it together, because they've also been responsible for some of my favorite television throughout the years. But I look forward to watching for awhile and seeing what will come of this highly anticipated show.
Favorite lines:
Kristina: Men feel the need to express their love through hitting balls, slapping butts and discussing meaningless statistics.
Crosby: Let's just play ping pong, so I can lose myself in sport.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Past Life - Pilot
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Richard Schiff, Ravi Patel
Summary: Psychologist Kate McGinn and former NYPD detective Price Whatley attempt to help a teenage boy who believes he is the reincarnation of an eight-year-old girl.
Review: It's not often I get to review a crime show from its inception, so this is a bit of a treat for me. It's unfortunate that I wasn't so thrilled with the show, however, but at least I made it all the way through the first episode this time (sorry, Human Target, I just couldn't do it with you).
This show needs a lot of work if it hopes to make it past the seven episodes Fox already ordered. A new premise would probably do wonders, but since that's not possible, let's see what else we can come up with.
To start, I don't think this show is sustainable for more than a season at its best. The concept is that what happened in your past life affects your present life. What it boils down to is that Kate and Price solve what are essentially cold cases by finding the reincarnated souls in living people. My question is: how many cases like this could possibly exist in the whole world, let alone just the New York area, where the show takes place? Even if reincarnation does exist, I can't believe it would be as common as it would need to be to fill all the episodes. If it was so common, wouldn't it be a little less mysterious? Maybe I'm being cynical, but I'm having trouble buying this premise.
My second problem is completely different, but equally as important. Either the acting or the writing is really bad. Or both are. I can't be sure after one episode, but something about it seemed really fake. I mean, Richard Schiff was his usual wonderful self, but he wasn't in nearly enough of the episode to make up for Kelli Giddish. The other characters fluctuated between mildly tolerable (Nicholas Bishop) and absurdly overdramatic (Cayden Boyd). Things were told to the audience through monologues or dialogues instead of shown through the characters' actions. It took drama away from the moments that really deserved an impact and gave it to moments that could have easily been done better. It also made it boring.
I tried hard to stay focused through the whole thing, but I definitely found my attention wandering during long conversations that seemed irrelevant (of which there were many). The problem with a "tell, don't show" episode is that it's not attention-grabbing. In our world of instant gratification, a show simply can't afford to be boring.
I really wanted to like this show. It sounded like it could have been interesting if it was less about reincarnation in such specific terms and more about the general idea. Also, if they used Richard Schiff more, I think it would have been infinitely better. But there just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I'd like to give it another chance to see if they fix some of the problems, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep going if they don't.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Time: Tuesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Richard Schiff, Ravi Patel
Summary: Psychologist Kate McGinn and former NYPD detective Price Whatley attempt to help a teenage boy who believes he is the reincarnation of an eight-year-old girl.
Review: It's not often I get to review a crime show from its inception, so this is a bit of a treat for me. It's unfortunate that I wasn't so thrilled with the show, however, but at least I made it all the way through the first episode this time (sorry, Human Target, I just couldn't do it with you).
This show needs a lot of work if it hopes to make it past the seven episodes Fox already ordered. A new premise would probably do wonders, but since that's not possible, let's see what else we can come up with.
To start, I don't think this show is sustainable for more than a season at its best. The concept is that what happened in your past life affects your present life. What it boils down to is that Kate and Price solve what are essentially cold cases by finding the reincarnated souls in living people. My question is: how many cases like this could possibly exist in the whole world, let alone just the New York area, where the show takes place? Even if reincarnation does exist, I can't believe it would be as common as it would need to be to fill all the episodes. If it was so common, wouldn't it be a little less mysterious? Maybe I'm being cynical, but I'm having trouble buying this premise.
My second problem is completely different, but equally as important. Either the acting or the writing is really bad. Or both are. I can't be sure after one episode, but something about it seemed really fake. I mean, Richard Schiff was his usual wonderful self, but he wasn't in nearly enough of the episode to make up for Kelli Giddish. The other characters fluctuated between mildly tolerable (Nicholas Bishop) and absurdly overdramatic (Cayden Boyd). Things were told to the audience through monologues or dialogues instead of shown through the characters' actions. It took drama away from the moments that really deserved an impact and gave it to moments that could have easily been done better. It also made it boring.
I tried hard to stay focused through the whole thing, but I definitely found my attention wandering during long conversations that seemed irrelevant (of which there were many). The problem with a "tell, don't show" episode is that it's not attention-grabbing. In our world of instant gratification, a show simply can't afford to be boring.
I really wanted to like this show. It sounded like it could have been interesting if it was less about reincarnation in such specific terms and more about the general idea. Also, if they used Richard Schiff more, I think it would have been infinitely better. But there just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I'd like to give it another chance to see if they fix some of the problems, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep going if they don't.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
NCIS - Jack Knife
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: When a Marine is found dead, the team hits the road to bust an illegal trucking operation.
Review: This was an odd episode. Start to finish, it was quite unlike any NCIS episode I've seen before. For one thing, while there was a murder of a Marine, the bulk of this episode had very little to do with murder or Marines. It was about a possibly illegal trucking operation that possibly employed a few Marines.
Remember Corporal Damon Werth? The super-soldier from a couple seasons ago who came back a few episodes ago to save the team's collective butts? The one Ziva had a thing for? Well, he's back. And our favorite FBI agent, Tobias Fornell? He's back too (with facial hair). I have to admit, just having Fornell there made Gibbs a more likable character again. I don't know what's been up with him lately, but he's been even surlier than normal.
Also, McGee has taken to being Gibbs' personal slave. He feels bad about Gibbs getting hurt while saving his life, so he's running around doing anything and everything Gibbs could possibly need. Which means getting very little sleep. Which means a way over-caffeinated McGee. Which was hilarious.
Also also, if Tony and Ziva aren't sleeping together, I'll be shocked. There are just way too many inside jokes and secret looks for them to be teetering on the brink still. The tension is no longer unresolved; it's a different kind of tension now. The kind that TV couples have when they're in a relationship that no one else can know about (see The Mentalist's Rigsby and Van Pelt for a good example).
This was a fun little episode. Not much in the way of substance, but it seemed like the writers were stepping back and making sure all the characters were still likable. For the last few episodes, there's always been at least one character who was acting unnecessarily obnoxious or snarky. It was nice to see everyone get back to where they should be. They've also set up a nice story with Gibbs and McGee that I feel could be leading up to a good moment between the two. Not quite a 5-star episode, but definitely enjoyable to watch.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: When a Marine is found dead, the team hits the road to bust an illegal trucking operation.
Review: This was an odd episode. Start to finish, it was quite unlike any NCIS episode I've seen before. For one thing, while there was a murder of a Marine, the bulk of this episode had very little to do with murder or Marines. It was about a possibly illegal trucking operation that possibly employed a few Marines.
Remember Corporal Damon Werth? The super-soldier from a couple seasons ago who came back a few episodes ago to save the team's collective butts? The one Ziva had a thing for? Well, he's back. And our favorite FBI agent, Tobias Fornell? He's back too (with facial hair). I have to admit, just having Fornell there made Gibbs a more likable character again. I don't know what's been up with him lately, but he's been even surlier than normal.
Also, McGee has taken to being Gibbs' personal slave. He feels bad about Gibbs getting hurt while saving his life, so he's running around doing anything and everything Gibbs could possibly need. Which means getting very little sleep. Which means a way over-caffeinated McGee. Which was hilarious.
Also also, if Tony and Ziva aren't sleeping together, I'll be shocked. There are just way too many inside jokes and secret looks for them to be teetering on the brink still. The tension is no longer unresolved; it's a different kind of tension now. The kind that TV couples have when they're in a relationship that no one else can know about (see The Mentalist's Rigsby and Van Pelt for a good example).
This was a fun little episode. Not much in the way of substance, but it seemed like the writers were stepping back and making sure all the characters were still likable. For the last few episodes, there's always been at least one character who was acting unnecessarily obnoxious or snarky. It was nice to see everyone get back to where they should be. They've also set up a nice story with Gibbs and McGee that I feel could be leading up to a good moment between the two. Not quite a 5-star episode, but definitely enjoyable to watch.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
White Collar - Bad Judgment
Network: USA
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Natalie Morales, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins
Summary: Peter and Neal find a connection between Fowler and a corrupt judge, and they devise a plan to take down both of them.
Review: After being only mildly impressed by White Collar's fall premiere, I watched last week's episode with a bit of trepidation. Fortunately, whatever small kinks were in the first episode were gone by this time, and I have nothing but rave reviews for this most recent episode.
Peter and Neal are back in action, and I'm glad they're not at odds with each other anymore. Oh, sure, there's always going to be a smidgen of distrust between them, but they're back to being as close as an FBI agent and an ex-con can be. And, more importantly, this episode marked the return of the wonderful Elizabeth/Neal relationship.
I need to say this now and have it in writing in case something goes horribly wrong with the future of this show: I love Elizabeth's character. In so many crime shows, the wife of the agent doesn't seem to understand her husband's job. She whines that he's not home enough or that he doesn't pay enough attention to her or that he puts his works first. Elizabeth does none of those things. She takes everything in stride, whether it's waking up to find a minion of FBI agents in her house or finding out her phone is bugged. Instead of getting mad at Peter, she rolls her eyes good-naturedly, gets up, and makes a pot of coffee.
In this episode, Peter thinks that Fowler may have bugged his house... again. So he calls in a Cleaner. And guess who waltzes in the door--Mozzie. Mozzie is a true criminal at heart, and Peter leaves Jones there to make sure nothing gets stolen in his house. He needn't have worried though. By the end of the episode, Elizabeth and Moz are the best of friends (and what is with Elizabeth becoming buddies with all the criminals?).
There was a lot of Mozzie in this episode, actually. Between his new relationship with Peter and Elizabeth (or, as he says, Suit and Mrs. Suit), the chemistry between him and Neal just gets better with each passing show. Mozzie doesn't get that Neal isn't the same criminal he used to be, but he's not mad at the change in his friend, he's amused. Which leads to some really funny conversations.
My only complaint about this episode is the same complaint I always have--the last two minutes. I don't know why, but the last scene of each episode just annoys me. It usually shows Neal learning new information that he plans on dealing with himself. This episode was no different, except my reaction changed. Instead of worry that this would somehow taint the Peter/Neal relationship, I rolled my eyes and said, "Neal, you always wind up telling Peter everything anyway. Why are you bothering to try and hide?" I don't know how much longer the writers think they can use that trick as a cliffhanger, but, by this point, I don't expect Nealto keep any secrets from Peter for longer than half an episode.
So, great episode. I'm glad to see the banter between the characters return to the witty repartee I've come to expect from this show. I'm not quite ready to give this a 5/5 yet, but it's well on its way. I can't wait for more.
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Natalie Morales, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins
Summary: Peter and Neal find a connection between Fowler and a corrupt judge, and they devise a plan to take down both of them.
Review: After being only mildly impressed by White Collar's fall premiere, I watched last week's episode with a bit of trepidation. Fortunately, whatever small kinks were in the first episode were gone by this time, and I have nothing but rave reviews for this most recent episode.
Peter and Neal are back in action, and I'm glad they're not at odds with each other anymore. Oh, sure, there's always going to be a smidgen of distrust between them, but they're back to being as close as an FBI agent and an ex-con can be. And, more importantly, this episode marked the return of the wonderful Elizabeth/Neal relationship.
I need to say this now and have it in writing in case something goes horribly wrong with the future of this show: I love Elizabeth's character. In so many crime shows, the wife of the agent doesn't seem to understand her husband's job. She whines that he's not home enough or that he doesn't pay enough attention to her or that he puts his works first. Elizabeth does none of those things. She takes everything in stride, whether it's waking up to find a minion of FBI agents in her house or finding out her phone is bugged. Instead of getting mad at Peter, she rolls her eyes good-naturedly, gets up, and makes a pot of coffee.
In this episode, Peter thinks that Fowler may have bugged his house... again. So he calls in a Cleaner. And guess who waltzes in the door--Mozzie. Mozzie is a true criminal at heart, and Peter leaves Jones there to make sure nothing gets stolen in his house. He needn't have worried though. By the end of the episode, Elizabeth and Moz are the best of friends (and what is with Elizabeth becoming buddies with all the criminals?).
There was a lot of Mozzie in this episode, actually. Between his new relationship with Peter and Elizabeth (or, as he says, Suit and Mrs. Suit), the chemistry between him and Neal just gets better with each passing show. Mozzie doesn't get that Neal isn't the same criminal he used to be, but he's not mad at the change in his friend, he's amused. Which leads to some really funny conversations.
My only complaint about this episode is the same complaint I always have--the last two minutes. I don't know why, but the last scene of each episode just annoys me. It usually shows Neal learning new information that he plans on dealing with himself. This episode was no different, except my reaction changed. Instead of worry that this would somehow taint the Peter/Neal relationship, I rolled my eyes and said, "Neal, you always wind up telling Peter everything anyway. Why are you bothering to try and hide?" I don't know how much longer the writers think they can use that trick as a cliffhanger, but, by this point, I don't expect Nealto keep any secrets from Peter for longer than half an episode.
So, great episode. I'm glad to see the banter between the characters return to the witty repartee I've come to expect from this show. I'm not quite ready to give this a 5/5 yet, but it's well on its way. I can't wait for more.
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