Network: CW
Time: Mondays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Cress Williams, Wilson Bethel, Scott Porter, McKaley Miller, Tim Matheson
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Review (from imdb.com): Noticing that Zoe is feeling homesick, Lavon suggests that she host his annual pre-game homecoming party to help her feel more connected to Bluebell. Zoe jumps at the opportunity and decides to enlist the help of her friend Gigi from New York, but as it turns out New York and Bluebell have very different ideas of what makes a good party. Meanwhile, George and Wade hatch a plan to get even with their high school nemesis, Jimmy, but when Lemon catches wind of their scheme she wants in on the action, too.
Review: In just a few short episodes, this series has really grown on me. I didn't have high expectations when I first watched it, but I did sympathize with the concept, having been a transplanted New York-Metropolitan-er in the Deep South. But I was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly not the sharpest or deepest show in the metaphorical tool shed, but it's cute, the characters are engaging, and I enjoy watching each episode.
This episode dealt with the theme of growing up. Again, this is something I can relate to, being just a few years removed from college and still trying to figure out exactly what is acceptable behavior for someone my age. And all the characters had a little something to learn.
The episode was about the homecoming game. Anyone who's spent time in the south knows that high school football is more revered than professional and that homecoming is one of the biggest days of the year. But Zoe is still getting used to this concept, and the homecoming game meant little to her, except it emphasized how much she didn't fit in. To help her (and because he was coaching the high school team and didn't have time), Lavon set her to work organizing the pre-game party. This, naturally, backfired.
In her effort to make it good, Zoe enlisted the help of a party-planner friend of hers from New York. Gigi flew in immediately, but it soon became clear she and Zoe had a lot less in common than they had before Zoe had left. Gigi wanted to throw a New York-style party and, when Zoe balked, she said that the reason the people of Bluebell didn't like Zoe was because they hadn't met the real her yet. It was sweet, in its own way, but definitely not the right message.
So they threw a New York-style party, with purple drinks and food that was foamy (at least, I think that's what he said. My mind is having trouble with this concept though, so please correct me if I'm wrong). And, naturally, the people of Bluebell hated it, especially Lavon, who seemed to regret having put Zoe in charge in the first place. Zoe looked so desolate at the thought of having disappointed the one true friend she has in Bluebell that I really felt for her. So she finally told Gigi that she'd ruined the party, apologized profusely to Lavon, and ended the party.
To add insult to injury, Zoe then walked in on Gigi in bed with Judson, the vet that Zoe was interested in. I wouldn't have been nearly so quick to forgive Gigi after this point, but the next morning she and Zoe made up, and Zoe realized she wasn't the same person as she'd been when she left New York. Maybe she didn't fit in in Bluebell just yet, but she didn't fit in in New York anymore either.
Though I still find it absolutely crazy that this girl who looks and acts like she's 16 is a full-fledged doctor, I do like Zoe, and I like the growth she's shown over the eight episodes so far. Obviously she needs to adjust herself so she can eventually assimilate into Bluebell, and I think the gradual process so far hasn't been jarring or unbelievable. I would like to see her win one once in awhile though. In every episode, she's messing something up (the parade, the party) and making the people like her a little less, while occasionally winning over one or two of them. I'd like to see her get something right soon.
And, while I miss Nancy Travis' Emmeline and the relationship she and Zoe had, I love the friendship between Zoe and Lavon. And I never, ever, ever want them to try to push it to something more. Grey's Anatomy did it with George and Izzy, and while I know there are many people who love that couple, I always felt like the attempted shift to romance ruined that relationship. Some television pairs are just meant to stay friends.
While this was going on in Zoe's world, Wade, George and Lemon were engaged in a game of payback. Along with the crowd of alumni coming back for the homecoming game was Jimmy, a high school tormentor of Wade's and George's. Apparently they owed him payback for a particularly nasty prank he played on George, and they enlisted Lemon's help. She devised a scheme to empty a packet of Fun Sip (our world's Fun Dip) into the shower head of Jimmy's hotel room, so he would be stained blue for several days and be humiliated when he went to toss the coin at the game. This backfired when Jimmy tried to run from the room and slipped, bumping his head and knocking him unconscious. That's when Lemon realized she couldn't act like the wild child she'd been in high school and the mature woman she wanted to be now at the same time. She told this to George, who seemed to understand, and to Lavon, telling him not to talk about his feelings for her anymore. He (sort of) agreed, but he said just because they didn't talk about them didn't mean they wouldn't be there.
I love that they made Lemon more than just the "mean girl" who was Zoe's enemy. Sure, they don't get along, but Lemon is more than just that. Her role in each episode is about more than just trying to drive Zoe out of town (in fact, she hasn't actively tried that in awhile). I find myself rooting for her and George to stick it out (really, it's not that I don't like Lavon...). I even find myself hoping that she'll get the things she wants. It's unusual for me to root for the "bad guy," but I don't feel like the identity Lemon had in the first episode is the same as the woman we see in the later episodes, and I have to admit, I like the change.
The third and final part of the story was that the two quarterbacks on the high school team were sick during the week leading up to the game. It turned out that the chemicals they used to make the field greener were making them so, and the quarterbacks were getting sicker than the rest of the team because they licked their fingers a lot to throw the ball. I felt a little like this story was filler, something to remind us that, yes, Zoe is the doctor. Also, it was something to distract Lavon so Zoe had to all the work.
If there was one thing I was disappointed in, it was that there was no Tim Matheson in this episode, and I always like to see more of him. Brick is a character that may have benefited from the grown up theme. Plus, you can't tell me he'd have been out of town for the homecoming game. I don't believe it.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode (and this show) very much. I like the angle they've taken so far, and I like the evolution of the characters. I'm looking forward to more.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Wade: Lemon, another beer.
Lemon: You snap those fingers at me one more time Wade, and I'll swear to God I will chop them off that dainty little hand of yours.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Showing posts with label network: CW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label network: CW. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Nikita - Rough Trade
Network: CW
Time: Thursdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Lyndsy Fonseca, Shane West, Aaron Stanford, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley
Summary: Nikita tries to right a past wrong when she posed as a nanny for a government official who ended up dead. Michael comes to Nikita's aid during her quest, and also begins to question Percy's motives. Meanwhile, Amanda forces Alex to deal with her claustrophobia after she has a panic attack.
Review: I'm constantly surprised by how much I like this show, and how quickly it became something I anticipate watching. The writers did a wonderful job creating characters that are likable despite the horrible things they sometimes do, and I find that I am sympathetic towards almost all of them (not Percy, but they really haven't done much to expand his character yet).
Every episode provides a little more backstory into characters' lives, and this one was no exception. We finally got to see a little more of Alex's life before she met Nikita, and we got just a small hint of Michael's past as well (did you catch that last line?). We also saw a flashback from when Nikita was first recruited, when she was happy to be working for them, and her hair was messier. I imagine we'll see more of the chemistry between Michael and Nikita as the series goes on.
As much as I liked the backstories, I wasn't as wild about the present day mission Nikita was trying to pull off. It stemmed from her first kill, and she wanted to make amends by taking down the group that hired Division to kill him. But there was a slight twist that I wasn't wild about, since it warped Nikita's reason for doing what she was doing. I don't want to spoil it by giving anything away, but I like when Nikita has the moral upper hand, and this twist brought her down a little. That being said, it did create an interesting moment for Michael, who is starting to realize that he has no idea why Percy does anything he does.
I really enjoyed Alex's present-day story too. She hasn't been doing much but acting as a mole for Nikita in the past few episodes, so it was nice to see her with her own story to carry. In this case, she has claustrophobia due to a traumatic event from her childhood, and Amanda is trying to "help" her get over it. We got to see some real strength of character in Alex, not giving Division a win over her, even if she made it look like they did.
Between this episode and the summary for the next, I'm starting to get little prickly warnings about Alex's sort-of friend Thom. Right now he's pretty gung-ho about Division, and I can't imagine he'd be okay with the things Alex does to help Nikita. Which leads me to believe that Alex should not be getting as close to him as she seems to be. I'm curious to see where that road leads.
Like I said, I never expected to like this show as much as I do. It's ratings are a little shaky though, and I'm hoping the CW doesn't pull it before it really has the chance to develop into a great show.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Thursdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Lyndsy Fonseca, Shane West, Aaron Stanford, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley
Summary: Nikita tries to right a past wrong when she posed as a nanny for a government official who ended up dead. Michael comes to Nikita's aid during her quest, and also begins to question Percy's motives. Meanwhile, Amanda forces Alex to deal with her claustrophobia after she has a panic attack.
Review: I'm constantly surprised by how much I like this show, and how quickly it became something I anticipate watching. The writers did a wonderful job creating characters that are likable despite the horrible things they sometimes do, and I find that I am sympathetic towards almost all of them (not Percy, but they really haven't done much to expand his character yet).
Every episode provides a little more backstory into characters' lives, and this one was no exception. We finally got to see a little more of Alex's life before she met Nikita, and we got just a small hint of Michael's past as well (did you catch that last line?). We also saw a flashback from when Nikita was first recruited, when she was happy to be working for them, and her hair was messier. I imagine we'll see more of the chemistry between Michael and Nikita as the series goes on.
As much as I liked the backstories, I wasn't as wild about the present day mission Nikita was trying to pull off. It stemmed from her first kill, and she wanted to make amends by taking down the group that hired Division to kill him. But there was a slight twist that I wasn't wild about, since it warped Nikita's reason for doing what she was doing. I don't want to spoil it by giving anything away, but I like when Nikita has the moral upper hand, and this twist brought her down a little. That being said, it did create an interesting moment for Michael, who is starting to realize that he has no idea why Percy does anything he does.
I really enjoyed Alex's present-day story too. She hasn't been doing much but acting as a mole for Nikita in the past few episodes, so it was nice to see her with her own story to carry. In this case, she has claustrophobia due to a traumatic event from her childhood, and Amanda is trying to "help" her get over it. We got to see some real strength of character in Alex, not giving Division a win over her, even if she made it look like they did.
Between this episode and the summary for the next, I'm starting to get little prickly warnings about Alex's sort-of friend Thom. Right now he's pretty gung-ho about Division, and I can't imagine he'd be okay with the things Alex does to help Nikita. Which leads me to believe that Alex should not be getting as close to him as she seems to be. I'm curious to see where that road leads.
Like I said, I never expected to like this show as much as I do. It's ratings are a little shaky though, and I'm hoping the CW doesn't pull it before it really has the chance to develop into a great show.
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
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
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