Network: NBC
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Kathy Bates, Nate Corddry, Karen Olivo, Christopher McDonald, Mark Valley
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): While Harry is on vacation, her trip takes a frustrating turn when the small town of Langford, Ohio impounds her Mercedes Benz for violating their "Buy American" law. Harry, with Oliver at her side, challenges the town's law and is pit against a young, homespun attorney and the engine behind the law, Langford's mayor, Franklin Chickory. Meanwhile, Adam represents the Chens, a Chinese family whose daughter was stolen because of China's one-child policy and adopted by American parents. With Cassie's help, Adam hopes to win custody for the Chens.
Review: There are still a lot of things wrong with Harry's Law. It's preachy, probably overly so. The characters are all, without fail, long-winded and high-minded. Harry is belligerent and downright unlikeable at times. They got rid of Jenna and Malcolm. It's aimed at an older audience outside the golden demographic, thereby putting its ratings in the toilet.
None of this matters to me.
There were two main plots to this episode. The first was Harry and Oliver's story. Harry, on her way to go quail hunting, was pulled over in Langford, Ohio. They impounded her car because she was in violation of their "Buy American" law. Harry, being Harry, found this law to be ridiculous, and she drafted Ollie to help her fight it.
This is where they tended to get a bit preachy, as both Harry and Mayor Chickory made long speeches from the witness stand extolling the virtues and freedoms of America. I can't imagine this kind of behavior would be permitted in a real court, but no one stopped them here (except for one blundering objection from Doogie Howser, Esq.). Harry believed that part of the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution gave her the right to drive a Mercedes wherever she wanted. Also, that a "Buy American" law would ultimately be catastrophic for the country if other nations decided to retaliate by not buying American-made products. Chickory defended his law by saying that only allowing American cars would create and provide more jobs for Americans. Ultimately, the judge sided with Harry (as well he should, since her name is in the title of the show, and Chickory's name was almost forgotten on IMDb).
Call me a sucker, but I like the preachy stories, especially the deeply political ones that deal as much in ideology as they do practicality. At its most basic level, this story questioned just how deep the right of free expression goes, and whether an individual town or state can infringe upon that right for what they believe to be the common good. There wasn't really a right or wrong answer to the case and, while I was happy with the end result, I was more intrigued by the arguments each side made than what the judge ruled.
The B story began with Adam's ex-girlfriend Chunhua returning with a Chinese couple. Four years ago, their second child had been abducted by the government and sold into adoption. They had finally tracked her down to Ohio, where she was living with a black couple and their other daughter. The Chens wanted to fight for custody of their daughter, and Adam enlisted Cassie's help to try and win her back.
From the moment this story was introduced, I knew it couldn't end well. No matter how you cut it, one set of parents was walking away without their daughter. In this case, the judge--a black woman adopted into a white family when she was a little girl--ruled in favor of the Thomases, under the belief that a six-year-old girl shouldn't be ripped away from the only family she's ever known, though she stipulated detailed visitation instructions.
I had a major problem with this ruling. At one point, early in the episode, we're introduced to the little girl, and we watched as she saw her biological parents for the first time in four years. While they were agonizing that they no longer remembered her or their native language, she turned to them and, in perfect Chinese, told them she remembered who they were. This seems to negate the entire argument (that was made multiple times by multiple people) that the child shouldn't be taken from the only family she's ever known. If she remembers her biological family, then the Thomases aren't the only family she's ever known.
I also feel like this story would have been a little easier for me if the show could possibly have cast some less talented actresses. Even the little girl was great, ranging in emotion from stoic and scared to bubbly and singing at the top of her lungs. The judge was phenomenal, playing just the right mix of heartbroken by her job and professional. And the gut-wrenching sobs from Mrs. Chen when she was told her daughter was to stay with the Thomases made me feel like my insides were being ripped out. If just one of the guest stars had been a little less good, maybe I wouldn't have bawled like a baby at the end of the episode.
I know Harry's Law has struggled to find ratings this season, but I can't help hoping for a miracle. Maybe NBC's anemic line-up will continue to bleed so much that Harry's Law won't look bad in comparison. Maybe ratings will begin to spike. Maybe they'll suddenly decide they care about the over 50 demographic. Because no matter its faults, Harry's Law is a good show that makes us think each week a little harder than we did the week before.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Harry: "I'm white, I'm rich and I'm Republican. That makes it legal for me to mistake you for a quail."
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Showing posts with label day: Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label day: Wednesday. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Criminal Minds - It Takes a Village
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangness, AJ Cook
Summary: In the seventh-season opener, the team's actions in the aftermath of the loss of Prentiss are questioned by a Senate committee, and a familiar person unexpectedly appears to rally them.
Review: So far, I've felt the premieres were only mediocre this season. Apparently this is the one I was waiting for.
This episode jumped back and forth in time. In the present day, the team was on trial (well, on hearing) for actions taken over the last few months, actions that ultimately brought down Ian Doyle, the man responsible for Emily Prentiss's "death." In the flashbacks, we got to see what the team has been up to since we last left our heroes in May. Apparently Hotch has been in Pakistan, but the rest of the team, led by Morgan and aided by Garcia, were hard at work on Doyle's trail. Morgan had made it his mission to get the guy who hurt one of theirs. He followed Doyle's son Declan around until Doyle caught up with them. When he and the team caught Doyle, they found out Declan had been snatched too. Which is when Hotch called Prentiss to return so they could find out who took the boy and save his life.
There was almost nothing I didn't like about this episode. I spontaneously burst into tears three times (once when Emily first walked in, once when she was apologizing to Morgan, and once when she was reciting the FBI oath at the end). I sat on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Doyle was going to get away, or if they were going to save Declan (because Criminal Minds is so not above killing kids if it suits their needs). I sympathized with Morgan's anger and felt like both Prentiss and Reid needed hugs through most of the episode.
In short, this episode had what almost every episode was lacking in season 6: watchability. I had a desire to keep the TV on, a desire to get through commercials as fast as possible to get back to the action.
It also had the full team back.
And maybe I was just so happy to see AJ Cook and Paget Brewster back (and to see them finally using AJ Cook) that I'm glossing over problems with the episode. There were some. I would have liked to see more of the team's reactions besides Morgan's, particularly Reid's, since he and Prentiss were so close by the end of season 6. The episode also felt a little rushed, probably because they crammed so much into one hour in their desire to wrap up this story. They went from finding out that Declan was alive to catching Doyle in the blink of an eye, and I honestly felt that if both Morgan and Doyle could find the kid in less than a month, maybe Prentiss didn't do such a great job hiding him.
But these problems were small in the grand scheme of the premiere. The team is back together, and that seems to have been the missing piece. Season 6 wasn't exactly bad, but not one of those episodes held my attention the way this one did. I was hooked right from the beginning, and I wasn't disappointed by how it all played out. I can't wait to see where the season is going to go.
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Rating: 5/5
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangness, AJ Cook
Summary: In the seventh-season opener, the team's actions in the aftermath of the loss of Prentiss are questioned by a Senate committee, and a familiar person unexpectedly appears to rally them.
Review: So far, I've felt the premieres were only mediocre this season. Apparently this is the one I was waiting for.
This episode jumped back and forth in time. In the present day, the team was on trial (well, on hearing) for actions taken over the last few months, actions that ultimately brought down Ian Doyle, the man responsible for Emily Prentiss's "death." In the flashbacks, we got to see what the team has been up to since we last left our heroes in May. Apparently Hotch has been in Pakistan, but the rest of the team, led by Morgan and aided by Garcia, were hard at work on Doyle's trail. Morgan had made it his mission to get the guy who hurt one of theirs. He followed Doyle's son Declan around until Doyle caught up with them. When he and the team caught Doyle, they found out Declan had been snatched too. Which is when Hotch called Prentiss to return so they could find out who took the boy and save his life.
There was almost nothing I didn't like about this episode. I spontaneously burst into tears three times (once when Emily first walked in, once when she was apologizing to Morgan, and once when she was reciting the FBI oath at the end). I sat on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Doyle was going to get away, or if they were going to save Declan (because Criminal Minds is so not above killing kids if it suits their needs). I sympathized with Morgan's anger and felt like both Prentiss and Reid needed hugs through most of the episode.
In short, this episode had what almost every episode was lacking in season 6: watchability. I had a desire to keep the TV on, a desire to get through commercials as fast as possible to get back to the action.
It also had the full team back.
And maybe I was just so happy to see AJ Cook and Paget Brewster back (and to see them finally using AJ Cook) that I'm glossing over problems with the episode. There were some. I would have liked to see more of the team's reactions besides Morgan's, particularly Reid's, since he and Prentiss were so close by the end of season 6. The episode also felt a little rushed, probably because they crammed so much into one hour in their desire to wrap up this story. They went from finding out that Declan was alive to catching Doyle in the blink of an eye, and I honestly felt that if both Morgan and Doyle could find the kid in less than a month, maybe Prentiss didn't do such a great job hiding him.
But these problems were small in the grand scheme of the premiere. The team is back together, and that seems to have been the missing piece. Season 6 wasn't exactly bad, but not one of those episodes held my attention the way this one did. I was hooked right from the beginning, and I wasn't disappointed by how it all played out. I can't wait to see where the season is going to go.
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Rating: 5/5
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Criminal Minds - What Happens at Home
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: The team profiles a killer targeting women inside of a gated New Mexico community, and Hotch asks for help from an FBI cadet.
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
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Rating: 4/5
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
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Rating: 4/5
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Criminal Minds - Compromising Positions
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: The team profiles a serial killer who targets married couples.
Review: Despite the fact that I'm still mad at Criminal Minds for kicking off JJ, there was a moment at the end of this episode (right about when Hotch was turning both Garcia and me into goo) where I remembered why I first fell in love with this show. As interesting as I find forensic psychology and profiling, that isn't the reason I tune in every week. I don't look forward to seeing how each killer will commit their crimes and why. The fact that I like the subject matter is a nice perk, but the reason I keep coming back is because of the wonderful chemistry between the actors and the stunning moments where they remind you that they're a family.
What I liked most about this episode was that it focused a little bit on every character. It was primarily about Garcia and her desire to fill JJ's shoes, but everyone had their moment in the spotlight. Most CM episodes go one of two ways: they're either completely case-driven and the team works together without anyone being in the spotlight, or they take on a more personal approach where one character is more important than the others. This episode broke the mold a little, where it blended the crime and the personal, but still made everyone significant. Aside from JJ's departure, almost all the episodes since the 100th last season have been very case-driven. It was about time for an episode that made the audience feel good at the end. I don't know about all of you, but I definitely got some warm fuzzies.
Speaking of the characters, Kirsten Vangsness was totally on her game for this episode. Every once in awhile, they do a Garcia-centric episode, and I'm always blown away by the vast array of emotions Vangsness exhibits. Garcia, by nature, is a happy-go-lucky character, despite what she sees everyday. But in this episode, she ranged the spectrum from quirky to super-professional to overeager to overwhelmed and back again. It was weird to see Garcia away from her computers for a change (though not for long, since she was still doing her job on top of JJ's), but it made complete sense for her to try to step up this way, almost as if she wanted to lessen the blow of JJ's departure. And even though Morgan seems to be turning into a Hallmark card, Shemar Moore stepped up wonderfully to create a really touching scene between the two.
I find the cases in CM to be more interesting than most other crime shows, possibly because they don't feel the need to try to trip you up. The point isn't to be a mysterious as possible and keep the audience guessing until the last minute; it's to show how they reach the conclusion that we (usually) already know. There are plenty of things about the UnSub that we don't know, and the real mystery is why he committed the crime, not who he was.
I also liked that, despite this being a more character-driven episode, the case didn't play second fiddle. Most of the episode still revolved around solving it, especially since people kept dying throughout. It used the characters' personal moments (Reid showing off his interrogation skills, Emily trying to seduce the UnSub) to further the plot, not detract from it. Not all shows can find a way to blend the two sides, but CM did a particularly good job in this episode.
It's been a long time since a Criminal Minds episode really stood out in my mind, but I think this is one I'll rewatch a few times so I can really appreciate it. Did you feel the same way? Leave a comment below and let me know.
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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: The team profiles a serial killer who targets married couples.
Review: Despite the fact that I'm still mad at Criminal Minds for kicking off JJ, there was a moment at the end of this episode (right about when Hotch was turning both Garcia and me into goo) where I remembered why I first fell in love with this show. As interesting as I find forensic psychology and profiling, that isn't the reason I tune in every week. I don't look forward to seeing how each killer will commit their crimes and why. The fact that I like the subject matter is a nice perk, but the reason I keep coming back is because of the wonderful chemistry between the actors and the stunning moments where they remind you that they're a family.
What I liked most about this episode was that it focused a little bit on every character. It was primarily about Garcia and her desire to fill JJ's shoes, but everyone had their moment in the spotlight. Most CM episodes go one of two ways: they're either completely case-driven and the team works together without anyone being in the spotlight, or they take on a more personal approach where one character is more important than the others. This episode broke the mold a little, where it blended the crime and the personal, but still made everyone significant. Aside from JJ's departure, almost all the episodes since the 100th last season have been very case-driven. It was about time for an episode that made the audience feel good at the end. I don't know about all of you, but I definitely got some warm fuzzies.
Speaking of the characters, Kirsten Vangsness was totally on her game for this episode. Every once in awhile, they do a Garcia-centric episode, and I'm always blown away by the vast array of emotions Vangsness exhibits. Garcia, by nature, is a happy-go-lucky character, despite what she sees everyday. But in this episode, she ranged the spectrum from quirky to super-professional to overeager to overwhelmed and back again. It was weird to see Garcia away from her computers for a change (though not for long, since she was still doing her job on top of JJ's), but it made complete sense for her to try to step up this way, almost as if she wanted to lessen the blow of JJ's departure. And even though Morgan seems to be turning into a Hallmark card, Shemar Moore stepped up wonderfully to create a really touching scene between the two.
I find the cases in CM to be more interesting than most other crime shows, possibly because they don't feel the need to try to trip you up. The point isn't to be a mysterious as possible and keep the audience guessing until the last minute; it's to show how they reach the conclusion that we (usually) already know. There are plenty of things about the UnSub that we don't know, and the real mystery is why he committed the crime, not who he was.
I also liked that, despite this being a more character-driven episode, the case didn't play second fiddle. Most of the episode still revolved around solving it, especially since people kept dying throughout. It used the characters' personal moments (Reid showing off his interrogation skills, Emily trying to seduce the UnSub) to further the plot, not detract from it. Not all shows can find a way to blend the two sides, but CM did a particularly good job in this episode.
It's been a long time since a Criminal Minds episode really stood out in my mind, but I think this is one I'll rewatch a few times so I can really appreciate it. Did you feel the same way? Leave a comment below and let me know.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Criminal Minds - JJ
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: While JJ attempts to reunite a family whose daughter has mysteriously disappeared, her BAU family braces for the loss of one of their own.
Review: I understand a news reporter is supposed to be objective about the stories she covers, never letting her personal opinion prevent her from telling the facts. That's why I'm extremely glad I'm a reviewer in this case, not a news reporter.
I haven't been quiet about the fact that I'm upset they wrote JJ out of Criminal Minds, and I know there are many, many other fans who feel the same way. And while I appreciate that she went out in a dignified, almost wonderful manner, it doesn't change the fact that she's gone, and my enjoyment of Criminal Minds has gone down just a little. I know I'll get over this eventually because it's just a television show and it doesn't really matter, but right now I'm sad and angry.
Clearly the writers felt this way too. From start to finish, they couldn't have done a better job of making it obvious that they believe JJ (and consequently AJ Cook) to be irreplaceable. The fictional reason for her leaving mirrored the real reason in many ways, with her being forced to leave the position she loves because people with more power and authority made her. Even when Garcia asks who will make the team feel safe with JJ gone, and JJ spits back a sarcastic, "There are plenty of big, strong men around," is a thinly veiled comment on the sexism that many fans feel contributed to the firing of AJ Cook (and Paget Brewster's impending departure next season). The writers obviously felt it was wrong for Cook to leave, and they channeled those feelings into the script.
These same feelings were apparent in the actors' performances as well. Probably to appease angry audiences, we were treated to a touching scene between JJ and Hotch; an angry scene between JJ, Emily, Reid, Morgan and Rossi; and an absolutely heartbreaking scene between JJ and Garcia. All three were perfect in their own way, from Hotch's almost-awkward handshake to Reid's lost little boy voice to the very real tears Garcia cried. I sniffled when Hotch told her he'd miss her. My eyes filled up when Reid insisted they couldn't take her away. And I bawled like a baby when they showed flashbacks from JJ's many episodes over the past five seasons. I'm not ashamed to admit it; this is probably tied for the most emotional Criminal Minds episode ever (with the final Reaper episode, of course).
It's also unfortunate that this was probably one of AJ Cook's best episodes. I've always loved her character, but they rarely let her get any good stories. Not only was she the focus because she was leaving, but they also focused on the part of her job we don't see as much, where she deals with grieving families and somehow gets them to help solve the case. It was wonderful to see her getting so much screen time, even if I didn't like all the reasons.
The sad thing is, I could really have liked this episode. Watching Morgan, Rossi, Emily and Reid take turns trying to crack the two suspects while JJ tried to handle a family about to break was good. It wouldn't have been the most action-packed episode, but it was uplifting in its own way. If the last ten minutes had never happened, I would really have enjoyed it.
I still don't know why someone thought it was a good idea to get rid of an actress who is not only clearly beloved, but important to the show, but I would certainly love to be able to go back in time and stop them from making that move. As is, I'll have to make due with hoping the backlash from this will be bad enough that they'll call and offer Cook her job back. And that she'll accept. For now, I give this episode 4 out of 5 stars because the acting and writing were wonderful, but I just can't see the episode where JJ leaves as excellent.
What did you think? Are you as upset as I am? Sound off below.
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Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: While JJ attempts to reunite a family whose daughter has mysteriously disappeared, her BAU family braces for the loss of one of their own.
Review: I understand a news reporter is supposed to be objective about the stories she covers, never letting her personal opinion prevent her from telling the facts. That's why I'm extremely glad I'm a reviewer in this case, not a news reporter.
I haven't been quiet about the fact that I'm upset they wrote JJ out of Criminal Minds, and I know there are many, many other fans who feel the same way. And while I appreciate that she went out in a dignified, almost wonderful manner, it doesn't change the fact that she's gone, and my enjoyment of Criminal Minds has gone down just a little. I know I'll get over this eventually because it's just a television show and it doesn't really matter, but right now I'm sad and angry.
Clearly the writers felt this way too. From start to finish, they couldn't have done a better job of making it obvious that they believe JJ (and consequently AJ Cook) to be irreplaceable. The fictional reason for her leaving mirrored the real reason in many ways, with her being forced to leave the position she loves because people with more power and authority made her. Even when Garcia asks who will make the team feel safe with JJ gone, and JJ spits back a sarcastic, "There are plenty of big, strong men around," is a thinly veiled comment on the sexism that many fans feel contributed to the firing of AJ Cook (and Paget Brewster's impending departure next season). The writers obviously felt it was wrong for Cook to leave, and they channeled those feelings into the script.
These same feelings were apparent in the actors' performances as well. Probably to appease angry audiences, we were treated to a touching scene between JJ and Hotch; an angry scene between JJ, Emily, Reid, Morgan and Rossi; and an absolutely heartbreaking scene between JJ and Garcia. All three were perfect in their own way, from Hotch's almost-awkward handshake to Reid's lost little boy voice to the very real tears Garcia cried. I sniffled when Hotch told her he'd miss her. My eyes filled up when Reid insisted they couldn't take her away. And I bawled like a baby when they showed flashbacks from JJ's many episodes over the past five seasons. I'm not ashamed to admit it; this is probably tied for the most emotional Criminal Minds episode ever (with the final Reaper episode, of course).
It's also unfortunate that this was probably one of AJ Cook's best episodes. I've always loved her character, but they rarely let her get any good stories. Not only was she the focus because she was leaving, but they also focused on the part of her job we don't see as much, where she deals with grieving families and somehow gets them to help solve the case. It was wonderful to see her getting so much screen time, even if I didn't like all the reasons.
The sad thing is, I could really have liked this episode. Watching Morgan, Rossi, Emily and Reid take turns trying to crack the two suspects while JJ tried to handle a family about to break was good. It wouldn't have been the most action-packed episode, but it was uplifting in its own way. If the last ten minutes had never happened, I would really have enjoyed it.
I still don't know why someone thought it was a good idea to get rid of an actress who is not only clearly beloved, but important to the show, but I would certainly love to be able to go back in time and stop them from making that move. As is, I'll have to make due with hoping the backlash from this will be bad enough that they'll call and offer Cook her job back. And that she'll accept. For now, I give this episode 4 out of 5 stars because the acting and writing were wonderful, but I just can't see the episode where JJ leaves as excellent.
What did you think? Are you as upset as I am? Sound off below.
For more reviews (not just crime TV ones), check out One DV Rebel's Guide to TV and Film.
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Feelings you don't want to share with the class? Questions? Concerns? Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Terriers - Pilot
Network: FX
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Donal Logue, Michael Raymond-James, Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn
Summary: A favor for an old drinking buddy leads Hank and Britt, small time private eyes, down a rabbit-hole of corruption in deceptively sunny Ocean Beach, California.
Review: I'm having a lot of trouble placing what exactly was the problem with this show, but it doesn't seem to be any one thing in particular. The acting was fine, the writing was fine, and the story was okay. Nothing was exceptional, but nothing was horribly bad either. Everything was just... fine.
I really wanted to like Terriers because one of the creators is Shawn Ryan, who is also responsible for Lie to Me and The Unit, among other successful programs. One of the lead actors is Donal Logue, who spent years on Grounded for Life, which was one of my favorite daytime sitcoms when I was in high school. So perhaps my expectations were a little too high going into the first episode.
Terriers disappointed me. Like I said, I can't point at any one thing and say, "That's the reason why." It was a bunch of little things. The story was mildly enjoyable, but it was predictable. I was never surprised by anything the characters did, even though I think parts of it were supposed to surprise me a little. Nothing momentous happened, which is really bad for a pilot, since this should set the tone for the rest of the season, if not the series. I wasn't even really sure what the main characters, Hank and Britt, were supposed to be doing besides running around doing favors for friends and somehow getting money for it. Supposedly they're private investigators, but they don't have any ID or, presumably, an office of any type.
That's not to saw Terriers didn't have any redeeming qualities. The writing was good, despite the predictable storyline. The dialogue between Hank and Britt was, at times, pithy and even funny. I caught myself laughing out loud at a few of the one liners. And I found that I liked both of the main characters, despite their flaws.
It's common in shows to expose something from the main character's history (usually something bad) in the first episode, so that the viewers will understand him better and perhaps even sympathize with him. This is no different in this episode of Terriers, in which we learned much about Hank's messy divorce, the ex-wife he's still in love with, and the fact that she's moving on with her life. I'm not denying that main characters should have a past; I'm questioning the need to reveal so much personal information about him so early, before the audience has really had time to bond with him. I really did like Hank, and I felt bad that he still seemed to be so hung up on a woman who no longer loved him back, but I also didn't really care yet because I haven't decided if I care about him. So instead of being emotional, or even particularly revealing, the personal aspect of this storyline fell flat.
I might come back to this one when things die down over the summer, but I have no plans to continue watching as the new episodes air. There just wasn't enough in this one to hold my interest.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Donal Logue, Michael Raymond-James, Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn
Summary: A favor for an old drinking buddy leads Hank and Britt, small time private eyes, down a rabbit-hole of corruption in deceptively sunny Ocean Beach, California.
Review: I'm having a lot of trouble placing what exactly was the problem with this show, but it doesn't seem to be any one thing in particular. The acting was fine, the writing was fine, and the story was okay. Nothing was exceptional, but nothing was horribly bad either. Everything was just... fine.
I really wanted to like Terriers because one of the creators is Shawn Ryan, who is also responsible for Lie to Me and The Unit, among other successful programs. One of the lead actors is Donal Logue, who spent years on Grounded for Life, which was one of my favorite daytime sitcoms when I was in high school. So perhaps my expectations were a little too high going into the first episode.
Terriers disappointed me. Like I said, I can't point at any one thing and say, "That's the reason why." It was a bunch of little things. The story was mildly enjoyable, but it was predictable. I was never surprised by anything the characters did, even though I think parts of it were supposed to surprise me a little. Nothing momentous happened, which is really bad for a pilot, since this should set the tone for the rest of the season, if not the series. I wasn't even really sure what the main characters, Hank and Britt, were supposed to be doing besides running around doing favors for friends and somehow getting money for it. Supposedly they're private investigators, but they don't have any ID or, presumably, an office of any type.
That's not to saw Terriers didn't have any redeeming qualities. The writing was good, despite the predictable storyline. The dialogue between Hank and Britt was, at times, pithy and even funny. I caught myself laughing out loud at a few of the one liners. And I found that I liked both of the main characters, despite their flaws.
It's common in shows to expose something from the main character's history (usually something bad) in the first episode, so that the viewers will understand him better and perhaps even sympathize with him. This is no different in this episode of Terriers, in which we learned much about Hank's messy divorce, the ex-wife he's still in love with, and the fact that she's moving on with her life. I'm not denying that main characters should have a past; I'm questioning the need to reveal so much personal information about him so early, before the audience has really had time to bond with him. I really did like Hank, and I felt bad that he still seemed to be so hung up on a woman who no longer loved him back, but I also didn't really care yet because I haven't decided if I care about him. So instead of being emotional, or even particularly revealing, the personal aspect of this storyline fell flat.
I might come back to this one when things die down over the summer, but I have no plans to continue watching as the new episodes air. There just wasn't enough in this one to hold my interest.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Nikita - Pilot
Network: CW
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines
Summary: Nikita, an assassin and former recruit seeks revenge on the Division, the secret U.S. agency that once doublecrossed her. Meanwhile, a troubled teenage girl named Alex is newly recruited to the Division and begins her training.
Review: I have to admit, I was conflicted going into this show, and my feelings aren't any clearer now that I've seen the pilot. On the one hand, a show about a renegade assassin has the potential to be excellent if done properly. On the other hand, the CW is best known for putting out shows like Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Not exactly the same kind of drama as Nikita should be.
That being said, the first episode surprised me in many different ways. It centers around two main plots: the story of Nikita, a former assassin whose mission is to destroy the group who made her that way, and the story of Alex, a teenage girl who's recruited by the Division after a robbery gone wrong. Both stories are compelling in their own way, but it's what ties them together in the final minutes of the episode that makes them most interesting.
That's not to say this show isn't without it's problems. The script is weak; there's no way to sugarcoat that. It's not a dialogue-heavy show to begin with, but what little the characters do say is wholly unremarkable. There's a lot of exposition in this first episode. While that's obviously important for a pilot, there are better ways to explain what's going on than to have otherwise inconsequential character sit down and talk about everything. A good show (or book, for that matter) shows the audience what they need to know; it doesn't tell them. Nikita tells.
The effects and the fight scenes fall on the positive side for now. I was surprised how much blood there was for a CW show, but Nikita doesn't get overly messy. There's enough to remind the audience that this is a show about assassins, but not enough that you can't eat a meal while watching it.
The characters are weaker than they should be right now, but they have the potential to grow into something good if they're developed properly. Nikita is obviously the most developed so far, and I found I was sympathetic to her, even if I'm not quite sure I like her yet. Alex and Michael both show signs of being fairly interesting, and I'm even hoping to see more of the computer technician that Nikita kidnapped for information.
If you like a good action series with a halfway decent plot, give this show a try. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will grow as a series in the coming weeks.
Rating:[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines
Summary: Nikita, an assassin and former recruit seeks revenge on the Division, the secret U.S. agency that once doublecrossed her. Meanwhile, a troubled teenage girl named Alex is newly recruited to the Division and begins her training.
Review: I have to admit, I was conflicted going into this show, and my feelings aren't any clearer now that I've seen the pilot. On the one hand, a show about a renegade assassin has the potential to be excellent if done properly. On the other hand, the CW is best known for putting out shows like Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Not exactly the same kind of drama as Nikita should be.
That being said, the first episode surprised me in many different ways. It centers around two main plots: the story of Nikita, a former assassin whose mission is to destroy the group who made her that way, and the story of Alex, a teenage girl who's recruited by the Division after a robbery gone wrong. Both stories are compelling in their own way, but it's what ties them together in the final minutes of the episode that makes them most interesting.
That's not to say this show isn't without it's problems. The script is weak; there's no way to sugarcoat that. It's not a dialogue-heavy show to begin with, but what little the characters do say is wholly unremarkable. There's a lot of exposition in this first episode. While that's obviously important for a pilot, there are better ways to explain what's going on than to have otherwise inconsequential character sit down and talk about everything. A good show (or book, for that matter) shows the audience what they need to know; it doesn't tell them. Nikita tells.
The effects and the fight scenes fall on the positive side for now. I was surprised how much blood there was for a CW show, but Nikita doesn't get overly messy. There's enough to remind the audience that this is a show about assassins, but not enough that you can't eat a meal while watching it.
The characters are weaker than they should be right now, but they have the potential to grow into something good if they're developed properly. Nikita is obviously the most developed so far, and I found I was sympathetic to her, even if I'm not quite sure I like her yet. Alex and Michael both show signs of being fairly interesting, and I'm even hoping to see more of the computer technician that Nikita kidnapped for information.
If you like a good action series with a halfway decent plot, give this show a try. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will grow as a series in the coming weeks.
Rating:[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Criminal Minds - The Fight
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: SSA Aaron Hotchner and his team investigate the murders of several homeless men in San Francisco and coordinate their efforts with another team of BAU agents who are working on a separate case that seems to be connected.
Review: I honestly don't think I've ever finished a Criminal Minds episode and not gone, "Oh, that was a good one." So perhaps my saying that doesn't carry as much weight as it should. But it really was a good one.
This is the episode that many fans were waiting for, the introduction of the second BAU team that will spawn the spin-off affectionately dubbed Minds 2.0 (at least until someone gives it a real title). And they successfully introduced the new team, while still keeping focus on the things that are important--the heart-stopping case and our usual team of superheroes.
The backdoor pilot concept is what NCIS did when introducing NCIS: Los Angeles (and JAG did when introducing NCIS, and all the CSIs did, for the matter). Now, those of you who follow what I write know I'm a huge NCIS fan, but, in this case, CM did it better. NCIS only sent Gibbs and McGee out to LA to work with the new team, leaving all the rest of our favorite characters at home, creating a disjointed feel. There were two storylines to fixate on, the case (and thus the introduction of the new team) and the tension between Tony, Ziva and Michael Rivkin. So while I certainly met the new team and fell a little bit in love with them, I didn't get the same warm feeling from watching the team I already cared about mesh with the team I was supposed to learn to care about.
CM, on the other hand, meshed everyone together right from the beginning. Each person from the new team was paired with one from our team, and it allowed the audience to learn more about them based on the way they interacted with people we already knew. So Cooper (Forest Whitaker) paired up with Hotch, LaSalle (Beau Garrett) with Morgan, Rawson (Matt Ryan) with Prentiss , and Prophet (Michael Kelly) with Rossi. Which left us with a little less Reid and JJ than I normally like to see, but I suppose that was okay for one episode.
The actual plot of the episode was as compelling as they usually are. I love the way everything clicks into place when they finally figure out who the UnSub is, and the profile syncs up perfectly. I even admit to shedding a few tears when the father realized he might never be able to talk to his daughter again and tried to tell her everything he'd wanted to. I'm not sure I completely believed Emily would have been caught off-guard the way she was in the second-to-last scene of the episode, but I know it had to be done to establish a little more about Rawson's character (basically that he's awesome).
And I have to admit that the teenage girl part of me hopes they find some opportunities in the future to put Prentiss and Rawson together. The flirting/banter thing they had going on was just so much fun.
I admit I was kind of iffy about the new team in the beginning, when they were alone. The interactions felt forced, and I wasn't really sure why they were so awkward around each other. But I warmed to them as I continued watching, and I'm definitely intrigued by the spin-off, though I'm still wondering how they're going to distinguish this team and show from the BAU team we already know.
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: SSA Aaron Hotchner and his team investigate the murders of several homeless men in San Francisco and coordinate their efforts with another team of BAU agents who are working on a separate case that seems to be connected.
Review: I honestly don't think I've ever finished a Criminal Minds episode and not gone, "Oh, that was a good one." So perhaps my saying that doesn't carry as much weight as it should. But it really was a good one.
This is the episode that many fans were waiting for, the introduction of the second BAU team that will spawn the spin-off affectionately dubbed Minds 2.0 (at least until someone gives it a real title). And they successfully introduced the new team, while still keeping focus on the things that are important--the heart-stopping case and our usual team of superheroes.
The backdoor pilot concept is what NCIS did when introducing NCIS: Los Angeles (and JAG did when introducing NCIS, and all the CSIs did, for the matter). Now, those of you who follow what I write know I'm a huge NCIS fan, but, in this case, CM did it better. NCIS only sent Gibbs and McGee out to LA to work with the new team, leaving all the rest of our favorite characters at home, creating a disjointed feel. There were two storylines to fixate on, the case (and thus the introduction of the new team) and the tension between Tony, Ziva and Michael Rivkin. So while I certainly met the new team and fell a little bit in love with them, I didn't get the same warm feeling from watching the team I already cared about mesh with the team I was supposed to learn to care about.
CM, on the other hand, meshed everyone together right from the beginning. Each person from the new team was paired with one from our team, and it allowed the audience to learn more about them based on the way they interacted with people we already knew. So Cooper (Forest Whitaker) paired up with Hotch, LaSalle (Beau Garrett) with Morgan, Rawson (Matt Ryan) with Prentiss , and Prophet (Michael Kelly) with Rossi. Which left us with a little less Reid and JJ than I normally like to see, but I suppose that was okay for one episode.
The actual plot of the episode was as compelling as they usually are. I love the way everything clicks into place when they finally figure out who the UnSub is, and the profile syncs up perfectly. I even admit to shedding a few tears when the father realized he might never be able to talk to his daughter again and tried to tell her everything he'd wanted to. I'm not sure I completely believed Emily would have been caught off-guard the way she was in the second-to-last scene of the episode, but I know it had to be done to establish a little more about Rawson's character (basically that he's awesome).
And I have to admit that the teenage girl part of me hopes they find some opportunities in the future to put Prentiss and Rawson together. The flirting/banter thing they had going on was just so much fun.
I admit I was kind of iffy about the new team in the beginning, when they were alone. The interactions felt forced, and I wasn't really sure why they were so awkward around each other. But I warmed to them as I continued watching, and I'm definitely intrigued by the spin-off, though I'm still wondering how they're going to distinguish this team and show from the BAU team we already know.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Modern Family - Fears
Network: ABC
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Ariel Winter
Summary: Each of the families discuss and confront some of their fears.
Review: For a half hour show, Modern Family really packs a lot into each episode, yet does it in a way that makes sense and doesn't overwhelm the viewer (unlike, say, Parenthood's first episode). This episode had stories involving Jay and Manny facing their fears of roller coasters, Haley going for her driver's license test (for the third time), Alex going to a school dance, Luke and Phil exploring under the house, and Mitch and Cam's fear that Lily's first word was "Mommy." All that in 30 minutes, and still enough time to delve into a side story about Lily's pediatrician (played by the awesome Suzy Nakamura, who was Sam's original assistant Cathy on The West Wing).
And each story was not only well-rounded (beginning, middle, end), but coherent, funny and sweet all at the same time. I love the sweet side of Modern Family. Most sitcoms, even the family ones, focus so much on being funny that they don't have the same heart-warming effect Modern Family has. And I'm not sure this kind of sweetness has a place in every sitcom. After all, could you imagine The Big Bang Theory if Sheldon and Leonard sat down and talked out their feelings at the end of each episode? Or Seinfeld if Jerry had a voice over at the end talking about what he'd learned from that episode? It wouldn't work at all.
But Modern Family makes it work, which is why I think it's one of the (if not the) best sitcoms in at least the past two decades.
Plus it's funny. Even the characters that aren't particularly likable (Phil) are still funny to watch. And it manages to encompass several different types of humor. Phil is the master of the awkward humor that I don't particularly enjoy but everyone else seems to like. Mitch and Cam do the gay humor really well, but find the right balance between flamboyant homosexuality and an honest, wholesome couple. And Jay relies more on a dry wit and sarcasm, especially when dealing with his precocious stepson.
This episode was just another in a long line of solid episodes from this show. Ultimately, I don't think this one will stand out in my head the way the one with Luke's birthday party does, but it still deserves a high rating for generally being excellent. This show has been nothing but consistent so far, and I look forward to it every week to see what they'll do this time.
Favorite lines:
Jay: I'm not afraid of anything.
Gloria: What about pigeons?
Jay: Oh, yeah, I don't like them. They're shifty.
Jay: (about Manny) I could have guessed he'd have trouble with roller coasters. That kid gets woozy at barbershops when they spin his chair towards the mirror.
Phil: We're like Ponce de Leon and his son... little Ponce.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Ariel Winter
Summary: Each of the families discuss and confront some of their fears.
Review: For a half hour show, Modern Family really packs a lot into each episode, yet does it in a way that makes sense and doesn't overwhelm the viewer (unlike, say, Parenthood's first episode). This episode had stories involving Jay and Manny facing their fears of roller coasters, Haley going for her driver's license test (for the third time), Alex going to a school dance, Luke and Phil exploring under the house, and Mitch and Cam's fear that Lily's first word was "Mommy." All that in 30 minutes, and still enough time to delve into a side story about Lily's pediatrician (played by the awesome Suzy Nakamura, who was Sam's original assistant Cathy on The West Wing).
And each story was not only well-rounded (beginning, middle, end), but coherent, funny and sweet all at the same time. I love the sweet side of Modern Family. Most sitcoms, even the family ones, focus so much on being funny that they don't have the same heart-warming effect Modern Family has. And I'm not sure this kind of sweetness has a place in every sitcom. After all, could you imagine The Big Bang Theory if Sheldon and Leonard sat down and talked out their feelings at the end of each episode? Or Seinfeld if Jerry had a voice over at the end talking about what he'd learned from that episode? It wouldn't work at all.
But Modern Family makes it work, which is why I think it's one of the (if not the) best sitcoms in at least the past two decades.
Plus it's funny. Even the characters that aren't particularly likable (Phil) are still funny to watch. And it manages to encompass several different types of humor. Phil is the master of the awkward humor that I don't particularly enjoy but everyone else seems to like. Mitch and Cam do the gay humor really well, but find the right balance between flamboyant homosexuality and an honest, wholesome couple. And Jay relies more on a dry wit and sarcasm, especially when dealing with his precocious stepson.
This episode was just another in a long line of solid episodes from this show. Ultimately, I don't think this one will stand out in my head the way the one with Luke's birthday party does, but it still deserves a high rating for generally being excellent. This show has been nothing but consistent so far, and I look forward to it every week to see what they'll do this time.
Favorite lines:
Jay: I'm not afraid of anything.
Gloria: What about pigeons?
Jay: Oh, yeah, I don't like them. They're shifty.
Jay: (about Manny) I could have guessed he'd have trouble with roller coasters. That kid gets woozy at barbershops when they spin his chair towards the mirror.
Phil: We're like Ponce de Leon and his son... little Ponce.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Criminal Minds - Mosley Lane
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: After a child is abducted from a carnival, the BAU determines the case may be related to many child abductions over the past ten years.
Review: I've spent the last month and change catching up on Criminal Minds episodes, so this is the first episode I actually had to wait to watch, and it didn't disappoint. The main draw of a CM episode is a heart-stopping case, and this episode had that and then some.
In the beginning, it's a fairly typical child abduction (if there is a such a thing as a typical one). One kid snatched from a carnival. It's sad, but it's unfortunately something that happens on a too-regular basis.
But then another mother shows up, claiming that her son was abducted by the same person. The catch? She's been saying that for every child abduction in the last ten years. So often, in fact, that JJ recognized the woman based on what she had told Emily, without ever seeing her face. But JJ's changed since the last time this woman showed up. She has a kid of her own now, and maybe that's warping her perception, because now she is starting to believe this mother. And so the hunt begins.
I like any episode that attempts to give JJ a stronger character. Out of all the members of the BAU, she's still the least developed. She has the weakest backstory of any character, though the writers have taken steps to try to fix that this season. And her personality has been confined until recently to the role of a consummate professional at almost all times. This has gradually been changing, but it's still nice to see another episode that focuses on her, to gain another glimpse into her life. They could have done a little more in this situation (I really think the ending practically begged for a scene between her and her son), but it was nice to see her step outside her professionalism for a little while, even if it made the others question her a little bit.
I also really like the episodes with missing children. I know that sounds kind of sick, but, in general, those episodes have at least a slightly happier ending than flat-out serial killer episodes, rapists or arsonists. I know the writers are definitely not squeamish about doing bad things to kids in their episodes, but they seem to appreciate the need for a little bit of hope at the end, so as not to make it all bad. This episode made me cry, but there was enough of a positive at the end to ease the pain of what had happened.
I don't think they could have cast better people to play the UnSubs if they'd had years to do it. Guest star casting has always been a strength of Criminal Minds', and it's nice to see that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. The UnSubs were creepy in a way that just screamed mental disorder, which is exactly how they should have been.
One of my favorite things about this show is that it balances the cases and characters better than any other crime show I've seen. A lot of this season has been dominated by watching bad things happen to Hotch, but the last few episodes have returned to be largely case-based. While character-driven episodes are my preference, there has to be a balance or the show would get soap opera-y. And it's nice to be able to take the things you know about the characters and apply them to the case that's going on (such as apply JJ's relatively new motherhood status to a case where a mother believes her abducted son is still alive).
In just a little over a month, this went from a relatively unknown show to one of my favorites ever on TV, so I may be a little biased towards the episode (though I'm trying to view them objectively). So what did you think? CM has been on hiatus for a couple weeks thanks to the Olympics. Was this episode worth the wait? Are there other things you're hoping to see as the show begins to wind down for the season? Leave a comment and let me know.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: After a child is abducted from a carnival, the BAU determines the case may be related to many child abductions over the past ten years.
Review: I've spent the last month and change catching up on Criminal Minds episodes, so this is the first episode I actually had to wait to watch, and it didn't disappoint. The main draw of a CM episode is a heart-stopping case, and this episode had that and then some.
In the beginning, it's a fairly typical child abduction (if there is a such a thing as a typical one). One kid snatched from a carnival. It's sad, but it's unfortunately something that happens on a too-regular basis.
But then another mother shows up, claiming that her son was abducted by the same person. The catch? She's been saying that for every child abduction in the last ten years. So often, in fact, that JJ recognized the woman based on what she had told Emily, without ever seeing her face. But JJ's changed since the last time this woman showed up. She has a kid of her own now, and maybe that's warping her perception, because now she is starting to believe this mother. And so the hunt begins.
I like any episode that attempts to give JJ a stronger character. Out of all the members of the BAU, she's still the least developed. She has the weakest backstory of any character, though the writers have taken steps to try to fix that this season. And her personality has been confined until recently to the role of a consummate professional at almost all times. This has gradually been changing, but it's still nice to see another episode that focuses on her, to gain another glimpse into her life. They could have done a little more in this situation (I really think the ending practically begged for a scene between her and her son), but it was nice to see her step outside her professionalism for a little while, even if it made the others question her a little bit.
I also really like the episodes with missing children. I know that sounds kind of sick, but, in general, those episodes have at least a slightly happier ending than flat-out serial killer episodes, rapists or arsonists. I know the writers are definitely not squeamish about doing bad things to kids in their episodes, but they seem to appreciate the need for a little bit of hope at the end, so as not to make it all bad. This episode made me cry, but there was enough of a positive at the end to ease the pain of what had happened.
I don't think they could have cast better people to play the UnSubs if they'd had years to do it. Guest star casting has always been a strength of Criminal Minds', and it's nice to see that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. The UnSubs were creepy in a way that just screamed mental disorder, which is exactly how they should have been.
One of my favorite things about this show is that it balances the cases and characters better than any other crime show I've seen. A lot of this season has been dominated by watching bad things happen to Hotch, but the last few episodes have returned to be largely case-based. While character-driven episodes are my preference, there has to be a balance or the show would get soap opera-y. And it's nice to be able to take the things you know about the characters and apply them to the case that's going on (such as apply JJ's relatively new motherhood status to a case where a mother believes her abducted son is still alive).
In just a little over a month, this went from a relatively unknown show to one of my favorites ever on TV, so I may be a little biased towards the episode (though I'm trying to view them objectively). So what did you think? CM has been on hiatus for a couple weeks thanks to the Olympics. Was this episode worth the wait? Are there other things you're hoping to see as the show begins to wind down for the season? Leave a comment and let me know.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Modern Family - Up All Night
Network: ABC
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Nolan Gould, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter
Summary: When Gloria encourages Jay to get along with Javier, Manny's father, he gets a little carried about with his male bonding. Phil has a kidney stone and proceeds to milk it it for all it's worth. Mitchell wants to use the Ferber method to get Lily to sleep, but Cameron has a lot more trouble with it than he expected. Guest starring Benjamin Bratt.
Review: In the last few months, this has easily become one of my favorite shows on television. It's one of the few sitcoms I've ever watched where I've really grown attached to the characters, enough so that I truly care about what happens to them.
I'd like to say this episode was the best so far, or that it wasn't quite up to par, but the truth is, there hasn't been a single episode I haven't loved, and there hasn't been one that I thought really rose above the rest. Modern Family is consistently great, and this episode was no exception.
We've heard talk about Manny's father in several episodes, and I certainly had an impression of him going into this episode. I imagined he was a smooth-talker, deadbeat dad who showed up just enough to keep his son's hopes up. And... I was pretty much right. Benjamin Bratt, who I adore, did an excellent job portraying Javier--and showing Jay exactly how easy it was for Gloria to be seduced by him. The downside to this was that they didn't have time to show much of the relationship between Manny, his father, and his stepfather. I would have liked to see more tension there, maybe a little possessiveness on their parts. Instead, the episode focused on developing the relationship between Jay and Javier. It was probably my least favorite of the three storylines (which makes it sound much more negative than it was).
Next up was the Dunphy family drama. Phil had a kidney stone and, being Phil, acted like he was dying from it, leaving the family no choice but to call in the hot firemen to take him to the hospital. I'm not really sure why firemen came to take him to the hospital, but we can ignore that minor plot hole in favor of the far funnier idea that Claire paused in caring for her ill husband (and a kidney stone is something he could legitimately get worked up about, even if he wasn't Phil) to put on a nice shirt and heels to impress them. The family dynamic was great in this story, from Luke's fear that he would have to be the man of the house, to Phil's overdramatic line, "If I never wake up, I'd hate for the last thing you ever said to me to be a lie," to all the ways Phil thought Claire could pay him back for lying to him.
And then there was my favorite story: the Ferberization of Lily. Mitchell wanted to use the Ferber method to get Lily to get herself to sleep (which basically consists of letting her cry herself out instead of cuddling her every time she fusses, obviously within reason). Cam has... difficulties with this. Most of the episode deals in short spurts with Mitchell trying to stop Cam from picking Lily up every time she cries. But the best part came when Mitchell finally confronts Cam and tells him he's tired of always being the bad cop. There's such a realism to Mitchell and Cam's relationship; it's always funny, but, in the end, it's usually the sweetest part of the show. I appreciate a sitcom that takes a gay relationship and doesn't overdo it. So many shows make the characters overly flamboyant and the relationship really tacky. And Modern Family certainly has its flamboyant moments. But the relationship is always real, and it's much more like you'd expect a committed relationship to be than most sitcoms offer.
The only thing this episode was lacking was the part where the whole family comes together in the end. It wasn't necessary, and it wasn't something I missed until I looked back and thought about it, but it's something I've enjoyed about the other episodes, the big, happy family bit.
What this episode did have that most of the others don't, however, were interviews with the kids. In fact, most of it was dominated by them. The theme of the day was, "What do my parents tell me to do that annoys me the most?" I think we can all, no matter how old, relate to that.
Favorite line:
Cam (after a small scuffle causes Mitch to hurt his ankle): "I'm sorry I hurt you."
Mitch: "No, no, don't be. I could just have easily have hurt you."
Cam: "Well, it's cute that you think that."
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Nolan Gould, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter
Summary: When Gloria encourages Jay to get along with Javier, Manny's father, he gets a little carried about with his male bonding. Phil has a kidney stone and proceeds to milk it it for all it's worth. Mitchell wants to use the Ferber method to get Lily to sleep, but Cameron has a lot more trouble with it than he expected. Guest starring Benjamin Bratt.
Review: In the last few months, this has easily become one of my favorite shows on television. It's one of the few sitcoms I've ever watched where I've really grown attached to the characters, enough so that I truly care about what happens to them.
I'd like to say this episode was the best so far, or that it wasn't quite up to par, but the truth is, there hasn't been a single episode I haven't loved, and there hasn't been one that I thought really rose above the rest. Modern Family is consistently great, and this episode was no exception.
We've heard talk about Manny's father in several episodes, and I certainly had an impression of him going into this episode. I imagined he was a smooth-talker, deadbeat dad who showed up just enough to keep his son's hopes up. And... I was pretty much right. Benjamin Bratt, who I adore, did an excellent job portraying Javier--and showing Jay exactly how easy it was for Gloria to be seduced by him. The downside to this was that they didn't have time to show much of the relationship between Manny, his father, and his stepfather. I would have liked to see more tension there, maybe a little possessiveness on their parts. Instead, the episode focused on developing the relationship between Jay and Javier. It was probably my least favorite of the three storylines (which makes it sound much more negative than it was).
Next up was the Dunphy family drama. Phil had a kidney stone and, being Phil, acted like he was dying from it, leaving the family no choice but to call in the hot firemen to take him to the hospital. I'm not really sure why firemen came to take him to the hospital, but we can ignore that minor plot hole in favor of the far funnier idea that Claire paused in caring for her ill husband (and a kidney stone is something he could legitimately get worked up about, even if he wasn't Phil) to put on a nice shirt and heels to impress them. The family dynamic was great in this story, from Luke's fear that he would have to be the man of the house, to Phil's overdramatic line, "If I never wake up, I'd hate for the last thing you ever said to me to be a lie," to all the ways Phil thought Claire could pay him back for lying to him.
And then there was my favorite story: the Ferberization of Lily. Mitchell wanted to use the Ferber method to get Lily to get herself to sleep (which basically consists of letting her cry herself out instead of cuddling her every time she fusses, obviously within reason). Cam has... difficulties with this. Most of the episode deals in short spurts with Mitchell trying to stop Cam from picking Lily up every time she cries. But the best part came when Mitchell finally confronts Cam and tells him he's tired of always being the bad cop. There's such a realism to Mitchell and Cam's relationship; it's always funny, but, in the end, it's usually the sweetest part of the show. I appreciate a sitcom that takes a gay relationship and doesn't overdo it. So many shows make the characters overly flamboyant and the relationship really tacky. And Modern Family certainly has its flamboyant moments. But the relationship is always real, and it's much more like you'd expect a committed relationship to be than most sitcoms offer.
The only thing this episode was lacking was the part where the whole family comes together in the end. It wasn't necessary, and it wasn't something I missed until I looked back and thought about it, but it's something I've enjoyed about the other episodes, the big, happy family bit.
What this episode did have that most of the others don't, however, were interviews with the kids. In fact, most of it was dominated by them. The theme of the day was, "What do my parents tell me to do that annoys me the most?" I think we can all, no matter how old, relate to that.
Favorite line:
Cam (after a small scuffle causes Mitch to hurt his ankle): "I'm sorry I hurt you."
Mitch: "No, no, don't be. I could just have easily have hurt you."
Cam: "Well, it's cute that you think that."
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Mercy - Can We Get That Drink Now?
Network: NBC
Time: Wednesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Taylor Schilling, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jaime Lee Kirchner, James Tupper, Diego Klattenhoff, Guillermo Diaz, James LeGros
Creator: Liz Heldon
Summary: With the cancellation of ER, NBC has decided that we need another medical show on television, so here it is. Mercy follows three nurses who work at a hospital in Jersey City. Each one of them has their baggage, of course, and the show tries to mix their personal lives with some medical miracles that might even impress Dr. House.
Review: Watching NBC struggle for quality programming is a constant source of amusement for me. I feel like their strategy is to find a show that works and find a similar, but less good, version of it. Mercy is no exception. ABC found TV-ratings success with Grey's Anatomy, a soap opera-esque show about doctors (not to be confused with a medically focused show like ER). NBC found Mercy, a soap opera-esque show about nurses.
If Grey's could spawn a slightly impaired clone, it would be Mercy. Where the characters in Grey's are quirky in amusing ways (or at least they were when it started), the characters in Mercy are quirky in socially retarded ways. The show focuses on three nurses. There's Veronica, who was a nurse in Iraq and occasionally has these post traumatic flashbacks. She's clearly not handling being back in the States too well. Also, she had an affair with a doctor in Iraq who followed her back to New Jersey to be with her, only to have her reject him in favor of the husband she cheated on him with (hmm, shades of Meredith and Derek there). Confused yet? We're only getting started.
If Grey's could spawn a slightly impaired clone, it would be Mercy. Where the characters in Grey's are quirky in amusing ways (or at least they were when it started), the characters in Mercy are quirky in socially retarded ways. The show focuses on three nurses. There's Veronica, who was a nurse in Iraq and occasionally has these post traumatic flashbacks. She's clearly not handling being back in the States too well. Also, she had an affair with a doctor in Iraq who followed her back to New Jersey to be with her, only to have her reject him in favor of the husband she cheated on him with (hmm, shades of Meredith and Derek there). Confused yet? We're only getting started.
There's also Sonia, who has some weeeeeeird view on relationships that I can only liken to Cristina Yang's view of them. Sonia wants to find a man with money. Instead, she falls for the cop who shows up in the ER with a wounded suspect. She's sassy, with an attitude and a chip on her shoulder.
And there's Chloe, who's sweet and naive and really thinks she can make the world a better place, kind of like Izzie in the first season of Grey's (before they took her character, ran her through a blender, smashed her with a hammer and put her back together with the parts all looking funny). She's played by Michelle Trachtenberg, who was my childhood idol as Harriet the Spy, and who was actually my main draw for watching this show. And I have to admit... she doesn't deliver. Out of all the nurses, none of whom I'm particularly wild about, Chloe annoys me the most. She acts like she's never run into a difficult situation in her life before. I know she's supposed to be from East Nowhere, Middle America, but come on. She is just way too unrealistic. At least Veronica and Sonia, for all their faults have a little bit of spunk. Chloe just gets steamrolled by everyone. And then she whines about it.
The guys are, for the moment, pretty unremarkable. There's the pretty doctor who moved from California to New Jersey to be with Veronica. Right now, his role seems to be confined to being the pretty doctor. We'll see if he develops a character somewhere along the road. There's Veronica's husband Mike, who is a struggling architect who's building their house. Also, he and Veronica are trying to make their marriage work when she's, to put it quite simply, not putting in an effort. Veronica has some brothers who I remember laughing at, but not much else. Her parents are alcoholics, and she's not a big step away from it, which is more irritating than amusing. It's one thing to have the characters drinking occasionally, like to unwind after a tough shift (for example, hanging out at the bar in Grey's after work sometimes). It's another thing to go too far and have them just drink all the time, which Mercy was bordering on with Veronica's family.
Even the plot structure is pretty much a rip off of the early seasons of Grey's Anatomy (I only watched Grey's until season 3, so all my knowledge of that show is based on the early years). There are three important medical cases, one for each nurse. Somehow, these cases tie in with their personal life. Like a formula.
I know I'm really ripping into this one, but it actually wasn't all bad. There are certain aspects about Veronica and Sonia that I find intriguing, and I'm hoping to get to know a little more about them as the series goes on. I am really interested in the idea of Veronica as a former military nurse. I think that's an aspect of the show that hasn't been done before, and they could really run with it if they want to.
I also really like that Veronica didn't get back together with the pretty doctor (Chris) when he moved to New Jersey. I like that she's trying to make it work with her husband, and that the problems they're having aren't really related to the relationship she had with Chris. They're more to do with Veronica's own issues after serving in Iraq. I'm so sick of the shows where the main character throws away a perfectly good guy (or girl) for their "one true love." I'm all for romance, but I'm sick of the predictability. I'm glad Mercy is at least acting like they're going to be different. We'll see if they doesn't do the Meredith-and-Derek-hooking-up-in-every-room-even-though-they're-not-together thing.
I'm going to give this one a shot, but I may drop off mid-season. Life is too short to watch shows I don't like just so I can give them bad reviews. For now:
Rating (this episode):
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
Monday, November 2, 2009
Modern Family - Pilot
Network: ABC
Time: Wednesday, 9:00-9:30
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sophia Vergara, Rico Rodriguez II, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter,
Creators: Christopher Lloyd, Steven Levitan
Summary: This show follows three individual families that make up one larger family. There's one nuclear family: husband, wife, and three kids. There's one gay family: two boyfriends and an adopted daughter. And there's one divorcee who's now married to a much younger woman and raising her young son. The story has a documentary feel to it, with all the characters doing confessionals and speaking to the camera either by themselves or with their spouses.
Review: As a general rule, I'm a much tougher critic of a one-hour show than a sitcom. For a sitcom to be good for me, all it has to do is make me laugh a few times and not bore me. I don't have to like the characters. Oh, sure, it's nice when I do, but it's not essential. Generally in a sitcom, characters are fairly static anyway. Look at Friends or Seinfeld as an example. The characters age, sure, but they don't actually *grow*. There's little personality change between Chandler of season 1 and Chandler of season 10. The audience expects their characters to be a certain way every time they watch the show. Whereas the Josh Lyman in season 1 of the West Wing is a much more relaxed, humorous character than the Josh Lyman in season 7 who takes the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The point of that mini-rant is that, unlike dramatic television, a sitcom's greatest weapons and biggest liabilities are snappy dialogue and good jokes. Without both of those, nothing else in the show matters.
Modern Family has the whole package. Right from the start, you are walking into a funny show. It's set up like a mock documentary (read: mockumentary), with The Office-style confessionals to the camera. These confessionals can be solo, but usually each couple is together. It's better that way because it allows them to play off each other.
And, boy, are they good at that. I don't know who was in charge of casting for this show, but they managed to find a set of actors with the kind of chemistry most shows can only dream of (so good, infact, it made me end my sentence with a preposition). From the first episode, we're supposed to believe all these people are related--a father and his two children from one marriage, each of their families (one heterosexual, one homosexual), his new wife (who's roughly his daughter's age) and her son from a previous marriage.
And I buy it. For awhile we only see each individual family and their troubles. There's Claire, who's trying to raise a teenage girl (Haley), a pre-teen girl (Alex), a pre-pre-teen boy (Luke), and a husband (Phil, who, frankly, is the least mature of all of them). The entire family dynamic is real enough that I turned to my viewing partners and said, "If I had had an older sister, I'd have been exactly like Alex." Sure, they're wittier and the comebacks are snappier than most families are, but, at least in the case of my family, it gives us something to aspire to.
The point of that mini-rant is that, unlike dramatic television, a sitcom's greatest weapons and biggest liabilities are snappy dialogue and good jokes. Without both of those, nothing else in the show matters.
Modern Family has the whole package. Right from the start, you are walking into a funny show. It's set up like a mock documentary (read: mockumentary), with The Office-style confessionals to the camera. These confessionals can be solo, but usually each couple is together. It's better that way because it allows them to play off each other.
And, boy, are they good at that. I don't know who was in charge of casting for this show, but they managed to find a set of actors with the kind of chemistry most shows can only dream of (so good, infact, it made me end my sentence with a preposition). From the first episode, we're supposed to believe all these people are related--a father and his two children from one marriage, each of their families (one heterosexual, one homosexual), his new wife (who's roughly his daughter's age) and her son from a previous marriage.
And I buy it. For awhile we only see each individual family and their troubles. There's Claire, who's trying to raise a teenage girl (Haley), a pre-teen girl (Alex), a pre-pre-teen boy (Luke), and a husband (Phil, who, frankly, is the least mature of all of them). The entire family dynamic is real enough that I turned to my viewing partners and said, "If I had had an older sister, I'd have been exactly like Alex." Sure, they're wittier and the comebacks are snappier than most families are, but, at least in the case of my family, it gives us something to aspire to.
Then there's Mitchell, who lives with his boyfriend Cam. In the pilot episode, they just adopted a little girl from Vietnam, and they (read: Mitchell) are worried about how to tell his father, who's just accepted the fact that Mitchell is gay. This is another realistic relationship. They have their stereotypically gay quirks, but it's refreshing to see that even they know when they take it too far. It seems that homosexuality is the new "in thing" to have in a television show. See Glee for an example of what happens when all the gay characters are unashamedly flamboyant, and you'll see, as I do, that's it's refreshing to see a gay couple that acts more like real people.
Finally there's Jay, Mitchell and Claire's father, who lives with his new wife Gloria and her precocious grade-school son Manny. This is a point to consider later, that Mitchell and Claire's stepmother is roughly their age, and their stepbrother is the same age as Claire's son. Ed O'Neill is probably the only name I recognized going into this show, and he delivers spectacularly. His wit is dry, his demeanor is gruff, and his bluntness is balanced with a dash of sweet.
All of this combines to give the first episode a lot of laughs and a heart-warming ending that makes you realize that all families are dysfunctional in their own way. Because, when you get to it, all these related characters make up a pretty normal family. They have their craziness, but, really, what's normal anyway?
Rating (this episode):
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Glee - Pilot
Network: Fox
Time: Wednesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Dianna Agron, and many more...
Creator: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck, Ian Brennan
Summary: To put it quite simply, this is a show about the Glee club in a fairly typical (though slightly insane) high school in America. Will Schuester, a Spanish teacher and former Glee member, is trying to restore Glee to its former glory (his idea, not mine) by coaching them to win Nationals. Meanwhile the high school hierarchy is conspiring against him to try to make him realize that, no matter what Glee does, they're still going to be the geeks of the school.
Review: You know how sometimes a show is just so absurd you can't stand it? The characters seem forced instead of funny, the plot makes you roll your eyes and look away, and the jokes fall completely flat? Well, that's not Glee.
Think about it: they created a show about a high school Glee club. I'm looking forward to its spin-offs, the Marching Band and the Chess Club. But, unlike Drumline--where the marching band was considered the cool thing to be a part of--Glee has much more realistic portrayal of its members. In other words, they're geeks.
That may be what I appreciate most of this new show, this one inch of realism in what is otherwise an absurdly hilarious program. Yes, kids who did Glee in high school were considered dorks. They ranked somewhere above the marching band and somewhere below the soccer team (because, even though soccer is a popular sport everywhere else in the world, Americans scorn it for reasons no one's ever been particularly clear about). Glee understands that. This show doesn't make the Glee club out to be the coolest thing since Justin Timberlake split from N*Sync. And if anyone thinks differently, there are football players and cheerleaders (aptly called the Cheerios) who are more than willing to put them in their place.
Other than this smidgen of reality, however, Glee tries really hard to make everything else... completely implausible. Let's start with Sue Sylvester, the head coach of the Cheerios. Sue is mean. Very, very mean. She likes to win, and she doesn't care who she runs over in the process. She doesn't seem to care thar she's working with children. In fact, she doesn't even seem to LIKE children. No real principal would ever let her stay employed.
Then there's Will Schuester, the main character. Will is probably the only somewhat normal person, and even that's stretching it a little. Will is a Glee-club graduates who's trying to relive his high school glory days--back when Glee was cool. I don't know when exactly Glee was cool, but Will seems to think it was, and he's trying to get it back to that status. Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, his wife--who is probably the most psychotic character on the show (and that's saying something)--is pregnant. And instead of cutting back on expenses in preparation for the really expensive bundle of joy they're expecting, she pressures Will to quit Glee and get a better job to support her in the manner to which she hopes one day to become accustomed.
And then there's Emma, the OCD guidance counselor who's in love with Will. There's not really much more that needs to be said about her. That pretty much sums it up.
As for students, well, they're certainly... diverse. There's Rachel, who believes she's the only good singer in the Glee club. There's Finn, the high school quaterback who Will blackmails into becoming a singer as well. His girlfriend Quinn (yes, Finn and Quinn... say that five times fast), who's the head Cheerio and never (I mean, never) takes her uniform off. She and Finn are also the co-Presidents of McKinley High School's chastity club. And there's effeminate Kurt; tough, gutsy Mercedes; stuttering Tina; crippled Artie; and a ton more. I couldn't list them all if I tried.
Time: Wednesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Dianna Agron, and many more...
Creator: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck, Ian Brennan
Summary: To put it quite simply, this is a show about the Glee club in a fairly typical (though slightly insane) high school in America. Will Schuester, a Spanish teacher and former Glee member, is trying to restore Glee to its former glory (his idea, not mine) by coaching them to win Nationals. Meanwhile the high school hierarchy is conspiring against him to try to make him realize that, no matter what Glee does, they're still going to be the geeks of the school.
Review: You know how sometimes a show is just so absurd you can't stand it? The characters seem forced instead of funny, the plot makes you roll your eyes and look away, and the jokes fall completely flat? Well, that's not Glee.
Think about it: they created a show about a high school Glee club. I'm looking forward to its spin-offs, the Marching Band and the Chess Club. But, unlike Drumline--where the marching band was considered the cool thing to be a part of--Glee has much more realistic portrayal of its members. In other words, they're geeks.
That may be what I appreciate most of this new show, this one inch of realism in what is otherwise an absurdly hilarious program. Yes, kids who did Glee in high school were considered dorks. They ranked somewhere above the marching band and somewhere below the soccer team (because, even though soccer is a popular sport everywhere else in the world, Americans scorn it for reasons no one's ever been particularly clear about). Glee understands that. This show doesn't make the Glee club out to be the coolest thing since Justin Timberlake split from N*Sync. And if anyone thinks differently, there are football players and cheerleaders (aptly called the Cheerios) who are more than willing to put them in their place.
Other than this smidgen of reality, however, Glee tries really hard to make everything else... completely implausible. Let's start with Sue Sylvester, the head coach of the Cheerios. Sue is mean. Very, very mean. She likes to win, and she doesn't care who she runs over in the process. She doesn't seem to care thar she's working with children. In fact, she doesn't even seem to LIKE children. No real principal would ever let her stay employed.
Then there's Will Schuester, the main character. Will is probably the only somewhat normal person, and even that's stretching it a little. Will is a Glee-club graduates who's trying to relive his high school glory days--back when Glee was cool. I don't know when exactly Glee was cool, but Will seems to think it was, and he's trying to get it back to that status. Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, his wife--who is probably the most psychotic character on the show (and that's saying something)--is pregnant. And instead of cutting back on expenses in preparation for the really expensive bundle of joy they're expecting, she pressures Will to quit Glee and get a better job to support her in the manner to which she hopes one day to become accustomed.
And then there's Emma, the OCD guidance counselor who's in love with Will. There's not really much more that needs to be said about her. That pretty much sums it up.
As for students, well, they're certainly... diverse. There's Rachel, who believes she's the only good singer in the Glee club. There's Finn, the high school quaterback who Will blackmails into becoming a singer as well. His girlfriend Quinn (yes, Finn and Quinn... say that five times fast), who's the head Cheerio and never (I mean, never) takes her uniform off. She and Finn are also the co-Presidents of McKinley High School's chastity club. And there's effeminate Kurt; tough, gutsy Mercedes; stuttering Tina; crippled Artie; and a ton more. I couldn't list them all if I tried.
Long (long, long) story short: this is definitely a show to check out. It takes stereotypes and enhances them to the point of hilarity. It is absurd, but in the best way possible. For a change, absurdity actually makes the show funnier. The characters all have their annoying quirks, but there's a little something about (almost) all of them that makes them really lovable despite their faults. Plus, there's singing in every episode (this episode had a really great version of Don't Stop Believing by Journey). And, really, what isn't made better by a musical number?
Rating (this episode):
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
[1] Run in the other direction
[2] Don't bother
[3] Worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do
[4] Definitely try it out
[5] A total keeper
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