Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, Darren Criss, Harry Shum Jr., Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Jayma Mays, Dot Marie Jones
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary (from imdb.com): Under Artie's directorial leadership, the kids prepare to perform the school musical "West Side Story." Meanwhile, Finn meets with a recruiter and Coach Beiste has an admirer.
Review: It's possible my expectations for this show are too high, but I find myself more and more disappointed by Glee, this episode in particular. I'd heard through the grapevine that this was one of the best episodes of the season, if not the show. Yet to me, everything seemed to fall flat. That's not to say there weren't moments I enjoyed; there were actually a lot of little things I liked. But the biggest parts just left me wanting.
Obviously, the biggest part of this episode was Rachel and Blaine (and Kurt) losing their virginity (virginities?). Ironically, I think this means the only virgins left at McKinley High are both teachers (Emma and Beiste). In typical Glee style, there's been very little up to this point to imply that either of these couples is even considering this step, but the entire episode focused on it anyway. From Artie calling Rachel and Blaine out during rehearsal (hi, teachers, you don't want to step in here?) to both of their failed attempts at seducing their boyfriends to the eventual doing of the deed, nothing about this storyline made me root for either of them. Everything felt awkward. I suppose that's realistic enough, but frankly, Glee has never been known for its realism, so why start there? In fact, the only part I liked was Kurt pushing drunk Blaine away and sticking up for himself.
Side note: The person responsible for dressing Blaine should be fired. And possibly stoned. Seriously, did they run out of material for his pants so they have to stop four inches above his ankles?
Each couple had their own story, which was supposed to somehow tie into the sex. For Kurt and Blaine, it was the introduction of Sebastian the Wonder Warbler (yeah, I giggled over that for a few minutes). Sebastian is essentially Blaine's replacement at Dalton, though they apparently got rid of the soloist angle and are now featuring multiple singers. He's also gay and very interested in Blaine. So much so that Kurt feels threatened. This story, also in typical Glee fashion, is promptly wrapped up by the end. Blaine isn't interested in Sebastian. He loves Kurt. Blaine and Kurt have sex. All is right in the world.
Even the scene in the gay bar did nothing for me, except that it marked the return of the new and improved (I think) Karofsky. While I found it mildly amusing that he was talking about surviving high school while sucking down a beer, I did like the softer side of him. He managed to be vulnerable without being neutered at the same time. And the conversation between him and Kurt showed how both of them have matured since last season nicely.
I did, however, like the Warblers' version of "Uptown Girl." I miss the Warblers.
For Finn and Rachel, they focused much more on the idea that Rachel felt like she couldn't act like a girl experiencing a sexual awakening if she'd never had sex. So first she tried to seduce Finn on her own. And, of course, nothing is sexier than honesty, so she told him the only reason she wanted to do this now was so she could be ready for the play. Finn experienced what I believe to be his first normal emotion of the season: hurt.
Finn also had his own issues. He was trying to get the recruiter from the Ohio State University to notice him on the football field, so he could achieve his own dream of playing quarterback for them. Alas, it was not to be. Then Finn had what I believe was his best moment of the series, where he melted down about his future in front of Rachel. This could have been a wonderful moment. Instead, Rachel decided the best way to deal with his problems and feelings of insecurity were to sleep with him. Sure, in the short term this might work, but I do hope Glee plans to revisit this issue. It'd be nice for Finn to have a story that doesn't revolve around him being a jerk to someone then feeling bad about it for a change.
This ties in nicely with my favorite story of the night: Beiste gets a man. There was absolutely nothing about this arc that I didn't like (except for Artie being involved). Beiste was adorable in her cluelessness. Cooter was wonderfully sweet while trying to win her over. And the look on Beiste's face when he finally got through to her was heartbreaking. Any girl who's ever felt insecure about herself melted just a little there.
Overall, I was not terribly impressed by this episode, despite having heard good things about it in advance. I'm getting tired of the way each episode seems to be disconnected from the others. Characters do one thing in today's episode, then have a completely different personality and friends next week (except, somehow, elections for class president will drag on halfway to Christmas). Even the music was only mediocre this week, with the West Side Story theme, though I did like the cuts between the music and the story that was going on elsewhere. I also loved Mike Chang. I don't know what I want Glee to do to engage me in the episodes again, but they need to do something soon, or they'll be in danger of losing my attention completely.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite Line:
Puck: As for the condoms — no idea, never used ‘em. It’s worked out for me about 99% of the time.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Showing posts with label network: Fox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label network: Fox. Show all posts
Friday, November 11, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
New Girl - Kryptonite
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris
Summary (from imdb.com): Nick and Schmidt convince Jess to get her stuff out of her ex-boyfriend Spencer's apartment; Jess meets new roommate Winston.
Review: I have to admit, I wasn't overly won over by the premiere episode of New Girl. My love for Zooey Deschanel was tempered by too many awkward moments, her overly annoying quirks, and minimal redeeming characteristics for the guys. But there were a handful of good moments that made me believe this show had potential. Enough so that I was willing to give it a few more episodes before passing any judgment. And I'm glad I did.
The second episode was much more cohesive and much less... annoying than the first. Sure, Jess's quirks are still there, but audiences were treated to the much more human side of her. At her core, she's a heartbroken girl who thought she'd found the love of her life, only to find out he was cheating on her. While the first episode illustrated this by having her sob hysterically while watching Dirty Dancing, the second episode dealt with the much more realistic side of a breakup. After accidentally throwing a basketball into the guys' TV, Jess had to get her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend Spencer. The sincerity in her desire to avoid the issue forever didn't seem overdramatic the way the first episode's crying jags were, but the much more honest response that people have when confronted with uncomfortable situations, which, as a viewer, I appreciated more
I also love the friendship that's forming between Nick and Jess. I was worried they were going to dive too quickly into the will-they-won't-they, but they seem to have fallen into an ordinary friendship, without those awkward romantic moments. Watching them gang up on Schmidt in the beginning was honestly funny and seemed like a very natural exchange. If that relationship continues to develop this way, I think I'll really enjoy it.
That's not to say this show isn't still without its issues. While I like the new roommate Winston, I wasn't crazy about the B story to this episode. Maybe it's because I find Schmidt to be completely unlikable. There's a point where douchebag-ness is tolerable, but I think Schmidt crosses the line a little too often. It's not that he comes across completely as a jerk, but he's so obnoxious at times that I have no desire to listen to him. There needs to be more of a balance between that side of him and the side that explains why someone would want to be friends with him.
I'm looking forward to a time, ironically, when Jess isn't so much the New Girl and has ingrained herself more with the guys. That was starting to show in this episode, especially when they went with her to get her stuff back from Spencer (the goofy headwear really made that scene... or maybe it was Schmidt slapping Spencer while wearing a thumb ring). That scene made the episode for me, and I hope that future episodes have a lot more of whatever it was that made that really great.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Jess: No! I can't call Spencer I haven't talked to him since he cheated on me with that ho! Actually, that's not fair. She might be a really nice ho.
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Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris
Summary (from imdb.com): Nick and Schmidt convince Jess to get her stuff out of her ex-boyfriend Spencer's apartment; Jess meets new roommate Winston.
Review: I have to admit, I wasn't overly won over by the premiere episode of New Girl. My love for Zooey Deschanel was tempered by too many awkward moments, her overly annoying quirks, and minimal redeeming characteristics for the guys. But there were a handful of good moments that made me believe this show had potential. Enough so that I was willing to give it a few more episodes before passing any judgment. And I'm glad I did.
The second episode was much more cohesive and much less... annoying than the first. Sure, Jess's quirks are still there, but audiences were treated to the much more human side of her. At her core, she's a heartbroken girl who thought she'd found the love of her life, only to find out he was cheating on her. While the first episode illustrated this by having her sob hysterically while watching Dirty Dancing, the second episode dealt with the much more realistic side of a breakup. After accidentally throwing a basketball into the guys' TV, Jess had to get her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend Spencer. The sincerity in her desire to avoid the issue forever didn't seem overdramatic the way the first episode's crying jags were, but the much more honest response that people have when confronted with uncomfortable situations, which, as a viewer, I appreciated more
I also love the friendship that's forming between Nick and Jess. I was worried they were going to dive too quickly into the will-they-won't-they, but they seem to have fallen into an ordinary friendship, without those awkward romantic moments. Watching them gang up on Schmidt in the beginning was honestly funny and seemed like a very natural exchange. If that relationship continues to develop this way, I think I'll really enjoy it.
That's not to say this show isn't still without its issues. While I like the new roommate Winston, I wasn't crazy about the B story to this episode. Maybe it's because I find Schmidt to be completely unlikable. There's a point where douchebag-ness is tolerable, but I think Schmidt crosses the line a little too often. It's not that he comes across completely as a jerk, but he's so obnoxious at times that I have no desire to listen to him. There needs to be more of a balance between that side of him and the side that explains why someone would want to be friends with him.
I'm looking forward to a time, ironically, when Jess isn't so much the New Girl and has ingrained herself more with the guys. That was starting to show in this episode, especially when they went with her to get her stuff back from Spencer (the goofy headwear really made that scene... or maybe it was Schmidt slapping Spencer while wearing a thumb ring). That scene made the episode for me, and I hope that future episodes have a lot more of whatever it was that made that really great.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite line:
Jess: No! I can't call Spencer I haven't talked to him since he cheated on me with that ho! Actually, that's not fair. She might be a really nice ho.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Glee - The Purple Piano Project
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Heather Morris, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr., Darren Criss, Jayma Mays
Summary: Its fall and that means back to school for the students and faculty at McKinley High. The New Directions clan returns after a devastating loss at Nationals, so Mr. Schuester assigns a project to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester starts her congressional campaign.
Review: Oh, Glee.
I don't understand how a show can be so simultaneously frustrating and wonderful. There were moments in this episode that reminded me of every reason I began watching. And there were moments where I just shook my head at the disaster.
Let's do a pro-con list for this one. Pro: The music. I feel like Glee tried to be so poppy last season that the music began to suffer (Justin Bieber? Come on...). This episode went back to its roots: Broadway and classic pop/rock. There were songs from the Wiz, Anything Goes, Hairspray, Tom Jones and the Go-Go's. Don't get me wrong, I like when they do (some of) the modern stuff too, but this is the stuff that made me first fall in love with this show. Also, unlike in other episodes, I felt like all the songs worked in this episode. They were well-sung, well-choreographed (come on, tell me Rachel and Kurt's broom dance didn't make you smile just a little), and well-produced.
Con: Quinn. Ugh, girl, get it together. While I dig the smoke-raspy voice (which I'm sure won't make her singing voice anymore interesting) and the pink hair, I'm not feeling the Quinn-as-a-bad-girl vibe. She's just too... vanilla. For a girl who got pregnant with the guy she cheated on her boyfriend with, then cheated on a new boyfriend with the old one, she really can't pull off "bad girl" that well (I reread that sentence three times to make sure it was right. This show is a soap opera). I appreciate the direction they're trying to go--and I like focusing on something that isn't the Glee club (ironic) or the Cheerios--but Dianna Agron isn't a strong enough actress to own this story.
And sending Rachel to appeal to her was just silly. "We were friends once." Really? Was this just before she stole Finn from you, or when you stole him back from her?
Pro: Kurt and Rachel. Honestly, if they do make a spin-off where they move to New York and start musical theatre careers, I'm there. I love their new best buddy relationship, I love their voices when they sing together, and I love how they can be totally cheesy when they're supporting each other and it doesn't make me want to punch either of them. The combined scenes where they sang "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!," went to the NYADA mixer, and cried in the car were my favorite parts of this episode. (Side note: I only watched a couple episodes of The Glee Project, so I didn't realize until these scenes that Lindsay Pearce had such an amazing voice.) I like that Rachel has at least one relationship where she's not competing. Even with Finn (who had blissfully little focus this episode), she seems to always be competing against something for his attention. With Kurt, the relationship seems easy. They can both be talented and driven, but not be at odds with each other (anymore). However, Emma did stress how difficult it is to get into NYADA, so I hope they don't go back to making them competitors.
Con: Sue. Sue went from "that's ridiculous" in season 1 to "I can't believe I'm still watching this" in season 3. Running for Congress on the platform of cutting the arts makes for a funny storyline, but watching Sue destroy the purple piano was almost painful to watch (especially because poor Tina never gets to finish a song). At some point you start to wonder how she's never been arrested for the way she abuses those kids. The only redeeming point of this story was that she made Becky a co-captain, which means we'll get to see more of Lauren Potter this season.
Pro, with a side of con: Kurt and Blaine. While I'm happy their relationship is flourishing (and should continue to do so, now that Blaine is a full-fledged New Direction), they're a little too sappy for me. That being said, I guess they get a few episodes, since I'm sure an openly gay couple at McKinley isn't going to see sunshine and roses for long. Plus, I'd rather see them together than not. (Side note: Emma handing Rachel the Hag brochure was comedy gold.)
Con, with a side of pro: Mercedes and Marcus. First of all, woah, that is one big dude. Secondly, I need a little more convincing on this relationship. I'll admit, I was a bit of a Samcedes shipper, but I am glad Mercedes has a man. However, they've been dating for... what, two to three months? And he's talking babies? At seventeen? Give me a break.
Pro, with a side of con: Wemma. I love the idea of Will and Emma as a couple, I really do (OK, I'm secretly a Sue/Will (Swill?) shipper, but that's not realistic just yet). She's better for him than pretty much anybody else on the show, he's patient with her (his breakdown in Figgins' office was fun), and they're all-around adorable. Or maybe a little Stepford. They make each other's lunches. And were those matching superhero lunchboxes? It's just a little creepy is all I'm saying.
Con, with a side of...con: Sugar. Yes, because if there's a group of people Glee still hasn't made fun of that they really should have, it was people with Asperger's. Not only didn't I see any comedy in this story, but I found it downright offensive (and in the world of Glee, it was really hard to find something more offensive than usual). Yes, she was a spoiled rich kid who was a really bad singer (though the "trying not to be smug" look on Rachel's face when she realized that made me laugh). Who cares? She was as annoying as Rachel without any of the (few) redeeming qualities.
All things considered, this episode was better than many of last season's, but it has the potential to head downhill. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised as the season continues on.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Kurt [about the YouTube video of Finn kissing Rachel at Nationals]: The comment section is just full of pithy banter, like “Why is that T-Rex eating the Jew?”
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Heather Morris, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr., Darren Criss, Jayma Mays
Summary: Its fall and that means back to school for the students and faculty at McKinley High. The New Directions clan returns after a devastating loss at Nationals, so Mr. Schuester assigns a project to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester starts her congressional campaign.
Review: Oh, Glee.
I don't understand how a show can be so simultaneously frustrating and wonderful. There were moments in this episode that reminded me of every reason I began watching. And there were moments where I just shook my head at the disaster.
Let's do a pro-con list for this one. Pro: The music. I feel like Glee tried to be so poppy last season that the music began to suffer (Justin Bieber? Come on...). This episode went back to its roots: Broadway and classic pop/rock. There were songs from the Wiz, Anything Goes, Hairspray, Tom Jones and the Go-Go's. Don't get me wrong, I like when they do (some of) the modern stuff too, but this is the stuff that made me first fall in love with this show. Also, unlike in other episodes, I felt like all the songs worked in this episode. They were well-sung, well-choreographed (come on, tell me Rachel and Kurt's broom dance didn't make you smile just a little), and well-produced.
Con: Quinn. Ugh, girl, get it together. While I dig the smoke-raspy voice (which I'm sure won't make her singing voice anymore interesting) and the pink hair, I'm not feeling the Quinn-as-a-bad-girl vibe. She's just too... vanilla. For a girl who got pregnant with the guy she cheated on her boyfriend with, then cheated on a new boyfriend with the old one, she really can't pull off "bad girl" that well (I reread that sentence three times to make sure it was right. This show is a soap opera). I appreciate the direction they're trying to go--and I like focusing on something that isn't the Glee club (ironic) or the Cheerios--but Dianna Agron isn't a strong enough actress to own this story.
And sending Rachel to appeal to her was just silly. "We were friends once." Really? Was this just before she stole Finn from you, or when you stole him back from her?
Pro: Kurt and Rachel. Honestly, if they do make a spin-off where they move to New York and start musical theatre careers, I'm there. I love their new best buddy relationship, I love their voices when they sing together, and I love how they can be totally cheesy when they're supporting each other and it doesn't make me want to punch either of them. The combined scenes where they sang "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!," went to the NYADA mixer, and cried in the car were my favorite parts of this episode. (Side note: I only watched a couple episodes of The Glee Project, so I didn't realize until these scenes that Lindsay Pearce had such an amazing voice.) I like that Rachel has at least one relationship where she's not competing. Even with Finn (who had blissfully little focus this episode), she seems to always be competing against something for his attention. With Kurt, the relationship seems easy. They can both be talented and driven, but not be at odds with each other (anymore). However, Emma did stress how difficult it is to get into NYADA, so I hope they don't go back to making them competitors.
Con: Sue. Sue went from "that's ridiculous" in season 1 to "I can't believe I'm still watching this" in season 3. Running for Congress on the platform of cutting the arts makes for a funny storyline, but watching Sue destroy the purple piano was almost painful to watch (especially because poor Tina never gets to finish a song). At some point you start to wonder how she's never been arrested for the way she abuses those kids. The only redeeming point of this story was that she made Becky a co-captain, which means we'll get to see more of Lauren Potter this season.
Pro, with a side of con: Kurt and Blaine. While I'm happy their relationship is flourishing (and should continue to do so, now that Blaine is a full-fledged New Direction), they're a little too sappy for me. That being said, I guess they get a few episodes, since I'm sure an openly gay couple at McKinley isn't going to see sunshine and roses for long. Plus, I'd rather see them together than not. (Side note: Emma handing Rachel the Hag brochure was comedy gold.)
Con, with a side of pro: Mercedes and Marcus. First of all, woah, that is one big dude. Secondly, I need a little more convincing on this relationship. I'll admit, I was a bit of a Samcedes shipper, but I am glad Mercedes has a man. However, they've been dating for... what, two to three months? And he's talking babies? At seventeen? Give me a break.
Pro, with a side of con: Wemma. I love the idea of Will and Emma as a couple, I really do (OK, I'm secretly a Sue/Will (Swill?) shipper, but that's not realistic just yet). She's better for him than pretty much anybody else on the show, he's patient with her (his breakdown in Figgins' office was fun), and they're all-around adorable. Or maybe a little Stepford. They make each other's lunches. And were those matching superhero lunchboxes? It's just a little creepy is all I'm saying.
Con, with a side of...con: Sugar. Yes, because if there's a group of people Glee still hasn't made fun of that they really should have, it was people with Asperger's. Not only didn't I see any comedy in this story, but I found it downright offensive (and in the world of Glee, it was really hard to find something more offensive than usual). Yes, she was a spoiled rich kid who was a really bad singer (though the "trying not to be smug" look on Rachel's face when she realized that made me laugh). Who cares? She was as annoying as Rachel without any of the (few) redeeming qualities.
All things considered, this episode was better than many of last season's, but it has the potential to head downhill. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised as the season continues on.
Rating: 4/5
Favorite line:
Kurt [about the YouTube video of Finn kissing Rachel at Nationals]: The comment section is just full of pithy banter, like “Why is that T-Rex eating the Jew?”
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Bones - The Doctor in the Photo
Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley
Summary: When the body of a surgeon is found in a tough neighborhood with multiple skull fractures, Brennan is disturbed by how much she has in common with the victim, but her perspective may be just what the team needs to solve the case.
Review: Sorry this review is so late this week; I’ve been having some computer problems that make it impossible to watch anything with sound on my laptop, which means I spent the weekend trying to bully it into submission (it didn’t work).
So this was a very Brennan-centric episode of Bones, and one that finally called into question the entire philosophy by which she lives her life. For those who didn’t see the episode but are still reading this review for some reason, the team investigates the death of a prominent neurosurgeon with whom Brennan over-identifies. It forces her to reexamine her life.
First, I have to say that, while this may not have been Emily Deschanel’s best ever episode (I personally think that goes to the episode where she testifies against the Gravedigger), she definitely nailed it. Brennan’s been bottling everything up all season (well, really her entire life, but especially since she got back to the States this season), and it all have to come out eventually. I thought Deschanel did a good job showing a range of emotions that Brennan doesn’t normally display, namely fear and regret, in a way that was still believable for the character.
The case was the best kind of letdown. Stop here if you don’t want any spoilers. I said in a previous review that Bones (and many other crime shows) tries so hard sometimes to surprise the viewer by making the killer the least obvious person that it’s actually incredibly predictable. This episode was nothing like that. The fact that her death turned out to be essentially an accident was actually a bigger twist than any murder could have been.
Then, of course, there was Brennan’s revelation that letting Booth go was her biggest regret. Having seen the promo for this episode, I was anticipating this moment with trepidation, and I hated it just as much as I expected to. The whole thing just felt… awkward. I should state that I’ve never been a Booth/Brennan shipper, and I don’t see that changing unless one of them does a serious personality makeover. I think they (usually) have the best chemistry of almost any on-screen duo (Castle and Beckett might be the exception), but I don’t think it translates into romance. I know that I’m in the minority with this opinion, and I’ve almost accepted the fact that they’ll wind up together in the end, but this scene didn’t warm me to it. If anything, I’m hoping both of them can get some closure now and work on salvaging their friendship. Go off and be with other people. I know fans will say that they’ve already done that and it’s time for them to be together, but the opportunity was missed. If they’re really going to get together, another opportunity has to present itself, and I don’t believe that can happen until both of them have moved past this failed attempt.
So that’s it in a nutshell. There were a few more smaller things I enjoyed: the dinner Brennan threw in the beginning for Booth, Hannah, Angela and Hodgins; Brennan’s comforter; pretty much every scene with Sweets in it; how genuinely nice Brennan was to Micah (was I the only one who thought he might just be in her head?). In all, I think this was one of the better episodes this season, and I’m looking forward to seeing the consequences it will have.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley
Summary: When the body of a surgeon is found in a tough neighborhood with multiple skull fractures, Brennan is disturbed by how much she has in common with the victim, but her perspective may be just what the team needs to solve the case.
Review: Sorry this review is so late this week; I’ve been having some computer problems that make it impossible to watch anything with sound on my laptop, which means I spent the weekend trying to bully it into submission (it didn’t work).
So this was a very Brennan-centric episode of Bones, and one that finally called into question the entire philosophy by which she lives her life. For those who didn’t see the episode but are still reading this review for some reason, the team investigates the death of a prominent neurosurgeon with whom Brennan over-identifies. It forces her to reexamine her life.
First, I have to say that, while this may not have been Emily Deschanel’s best ever episode (I personally think that goes to the episode where she testifies against the Gravedigger), she definitely nailed it. Brennan’s been bottling everything up all season (well, really her entire life, but especially since she got back to the States this season), and it all have to come out eventually. I thought Deschanel did a good job showing a range of emotions that Brennan doesn’t normally display, namely fear and regret, in a way that was still believable for the character.
The case was the best kind of letdown. Stop here if you don’t want any spoilers. I said in a previous review that Bones (and many other crime shows) tries so hard sometimes to surprise the viewer by making the killer the least obvious person that it’s actually incredibly predictable. This episode was nothing like that. The fact that her death turned out to be essentially an accident was actually a bigger twist than any murder could have been.
Then, of course, there was Brennan’s revelation that letting Booth go was her biggest regret. Having seen the promo for this episode, I was anticipating this moment with trepidation, and I hated it just as much as I expected to. The whole thing just felt… awkward. I should state that I’ve never been a Booth/Brennan shipper, and I don’t see that changing unless one of them does a serious personality makeover. I think they (usually) have the best chemistry of almost any on-screen duo (Castle and Beckett might be the exception), but I don’t think it translates into romance. I know that I’m in the minority with this opinion, and I’ve almost accepted the fact that they’ll wind up together in the end, but this scene didn’t warm me to it. If anything, I’m hoping both of them can get some closure now and work on salvaging their friendship. Go off and be with other people. I know fans will say that they’ve already done that and it’s time for them to be together, but the opportunity was missed. If they’re really going to get together, another opportunity has to present itself, and I don’t believe that can happen until both of them have moved past this failed attempt.
So that’s it in a nutshell. There were a few more smaller things I enjoyed: the dinner Brennan threw in the beginning for Booth, Hannah, Angela and Hodgins; Brennan’s comforter; pretty much every scene with Sweets in it; how genuinely nice Brennan was to Micah (was I the only one who thought he might just be in her head?). In all, I think this was one of the better episodes this season, and I’m looking forward to seeing the consequences it will have.
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Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Friday, December 10, 2010
Glee - A Very Glee Christmas
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr.
Summary: Finn tries to bring a little holiday cheer to McKinley High, and Artie discovers that Brittany still believes in Santa. Meanwhile, the teachers pick their Secret Santas, and one manipulative coach rigs the gift-giving in her favor.
Review: Merry Christmas, Gleeks! And what a lovely way to kick off the holiday season.
This was one of my favorite Glee episodes so far. I should admit that there’s some bias; I love Christmas as much as Finn and Brittany do. But I’m usually able to recognize a bad Christmas episode when I see it, and I didn’t see it here.
Like with my latest Castle review, I’m going to start with the weaker aspects and move to the stronger. There were a few things that really struck me as “off” about this episode. The first is that there was absolutely no mention of Chanukah. Considering how much time they’ve spent building Rachel and Puck up as super-Jews, I can’t believe that they didn’t even say the word once. I can forgive there being no Chanukah carols (though how great would it have been for them to duet “Chanukah O Chanukah”?), but it at least deserved a sentence or two.
NOTE: Since I thought of this while I was writing this review, I’d like to put in a request for a Passover episode of Glee, with a Rugrats-style musical reenactment of the exodus from Egypt. Will can be Moses, and Sue can be the Pharaoh. I smell a classic.
The second problem I had with this episode was Kurt. I know that almost all of the last few episodes have focused on him and so it’s okay that he had a smaller part in this one, but I thought there was a serious disconnect between his story and the rest of the show. Perhaps this was done on purpose to show the rift between him and the New Directions, but I doubt it. More likely, they wanted Kurt in the episode and couldn’t find a better way. That being said, I absolutely loved his duet with Blaine. It was probably my favorite number of the night. Their voices meshed together so well, and the little flirting thing they had going on was adorable.
I’m sick of Rachel and Finn. I understand why Finn is mad at her, I really do. He’s been burned by girlfriends (Quinn) before, and now he’s extra sensitive. Rachel shouldn’t have kissed Puck. Fin shouldn’t have lied about Santana. Understood. Can we move on now? No matter how hard they try, Rachel and Finn will never be Rachel and Ross (though, frankly, I found them annoying too). Either get them together or break them apart for good, but pick a side already.
Though I did like Rachel’s hats.
Thus concludes all the negatives. Moving on to the stronger parts of the episode.
The Grinch story. Everything about it, from Sue’s green face paint and gloves to Becky as the reindog (and, oh man, how adorable was she?) to Brittany’s Cindy Lou Who-hair. The only thing it was missing was the roast beast at the end. It was a great enactment of the classic story while staying completely in character for Glee. Winner for best line may have to go to Becky’s, “Christmas came anyway, Coach.”
Also, I’d like to state it now: if Sue and Will are not together at some point in this series (but probably the end), I’ll be shocked.
Equally as strong was Brittany’s story. She and Artie are quickly becoming my favorite Glee couple, and I love that he convinced everyone to play along when he realized she still believed in Santa. Not just played along, actually, but he went out of his way to make sure Christmas didn’t lose its magic for her, including enlisting Beiste to dress up as Santa. Brittany’s face as she watched the Glee kids sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was priceless (her whispered, “Remember, you have rights,” to the mall elf is also a contender for best line). I’ll even admit to shedding a tear or two when her Christmas wish came true at the end.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and this episode of Glee really got me into the holiday spirit. It’s sad that there won’t be another new episode until February (after the Super Bowl), but at least we don’t have to wait until April this year.
Rating: 4/5
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bones - The Body and the Bounty
Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, TJ Thyne, Tamara Taylor
Summary: Brennan makes a deal with a celebrity professor to be her new intern after he inquires about hosting his children's science show from the Jeffersonian. Meanwhile, a dismembered corpse is identified as a bounty hunter, and the team find they're not the only ones looking for a fugitive who is wanted for murder.
Review: I sat on this episode a few days before writing a review because I'm still not really sure how I felt about it. On the one hand, I was annoyed by the Science Dude, and I found the killer to be predictable. On the other hand, it may have all been worth it for two scenes: the one where Angela and Brennan discuss the baby's name, and the one where Brennan comes out dressed as a skeleton.
Someone commented in a previous review that the characters were becoming "watered-down caricatures" instead of the complex characters from seasons past, and I'm starting to agree. The quirky ticks (i.e. Brennan's inability to hold a normal conversation, Hodgins' childlike enthusiasm for everything, Cam's slightly flighty nature) have amped up significantly since the 100th episode, and not necessarily in a good way. These traits which used to give balance to the characters now seem to dominate, making them more unrealistic. We've always had to suspend disbelief a little when dealing with the science behind Bones, but now I find myself starting to suspend disbelief when dealing with the characters.
People have told me they don't feel Booth and Brennan's chemistry is as good as it once was, and I can see where they're coming from, though I still enjoy the scenes between them (especially where they were planning the perfect murder in the beginning of the episode, although I feel like they could have done more with that bit later in the episode). And I do think they would be a little awkward around each other after Booth's confession of love and Brennan's rejection. That kind of thing changes a relationship, at least for awhile.
I also mentioned last week that the case seemed to be just an excuse to have the characters make jokes, and I feel similarly this week--that the case was just an excuse to set a record for the most "Amazing"s in one hour. I find this to be particularly sad, since the complex cases were one of the things I enjoyed most about Bones, after the wonderful chemistry between the characters. How can anyone compare the cases we've seen in the past few weeks with the Gravedigger or Gormogon? Even before they became arcs, those stories were significantly more intricate and compelling than anything we've seen recently.
I don't want to make it sound like this episode was terrible, because it definitely had its redeeming moments, the best being the scene between Angela and Brennan. I've always loved their relationship, especially because Brennan tries so hard to be a good friend to Angela, even though she's fairly incapable of normal social interaction, and Angela loves Brennan no matter what. This scene was probably the highlight of the whole episode for me because their relationship is one of the few that is uchanged throughout the series. It was the first thing we were introduced to in the pilot episode, and it's something that has always been solid.
Also, the final scene, though incredibly out of character for Brennan, was hysterical. It may have made the whole episode worthwhile. Brennan reciting the "Scientist's Oath" was one of the funniest things I've seen on Bones in awhile.
All in all, I have mixed feelings about this episode, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the path Bones is heading down. It's always had a strong character focus, which is good because forensic anthropology is not most people's cup of tea, but the characters are starting to detract more from the plot than enhance it. I enjoyed it while I was watching it, but it didn't have any kind of lasting impression, to the point where I had to struggle to remember the plot of this episode. Did anyone else have the same problems? Leave me a comment and let me know.
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Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, TJ Thyne, Tamara Taylor
Summary: Brennan makes a deal with a celebrity professor to be her new intern after he inquires about hosting his children's science show from the Jeffersonian. Meanwhile, a dismembered corpse is identified as a bounty hunter, and the team find they're not the only ones looking for a fugitive who is wanted for murder.
Review: I sat on this episode a few days before writing a review because I'm still not really sure how I felt about it. On the one hand, I was annoyed by the Science Dude, and I found the killer to be predictable. On the other hand, it may have all been worth it for two scenes: the one where Angela and Brennan discuss the baby's name, and the one where Brennan comes out dressed as a skeleton.
Someone commented in a previous review that the characters were becoming "watered-down caricatures" instead of the complex characters from seasons past, and I'm starting to agree. The quirky ticks (i.e. Brennan's inability to hold a normal conversation, Hodgins' childlike enthusiasm for everything, Cam's slightly flighty nature) have amped up significantly since the 100th episode, and not necessarily in a good way. These traits which used to give balance to the characters now seem to dominate, making them more unrealistic. We've always had to suspend disbelief a little when dealing with the science behind Bones, but now I find myself starting to suspend disbelief when dealing with the characters.
People have told me they don't feel Booth and Brennan's chemistry is as good as it once was, and I can see where they're coming from, though I still enjoy the scenes between them (especially where they were planning the perfect murder in the beginning of the episode, although I feel like they could have done more with that bit later in the episode). And I do think they would be a little awkward around each other after Booth's confession of love and Brennan's rejection. That kind of thing changes a relationship, at least for awhile.
I also mentioned last week that the case seemed to be just an excuse to have the characters make jokes, and I feel similarly this week--that the case was just an excuse to set a record for the most "Amazing"s in one hour. I find this to be particularly sad, since the complex cases were one of the things I enjoyed most about Bones, after the wonderful chemistry between the characters. How can anyone compare the cases we've seen in the past few weeks with the Gravedigger or Gormogon? Even before they became arcs, those stories were significantly more intricate and compelling than anything we've seen recently.
I don't want to make it sound like this episode was terrible, because it definitely had its redeeming moments, the best being the scene between Angela and Brennan. I've always loved their relationship, especially because Brennan tries so hard to be a good friend to Angela, even though she's fairly incapable of normal social interaction, and Angela loves Brennan no matter what. This scene was probably the highlight of the whole episode for me because their relationship is one of the few that is uchanged throughout the series. It was the first thing we were introduced to in the pilot episode, and it's something that has always been solid.
Also, the final scene, though incredibly out of character for Brennan, was hysterical. It may have made the whole episode worthwhile. Brennan reciting the "Scientist's Oath" was one of the funniest things I've seen on Bones in awhile.
All in all, I have mixed feelings about this episode, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the path Bones is heading down. It's always had a strong character focus, which is good because forensic anthropology is not most people's cup of tea, but the characters are starting to detract more from the plot than enhance it. I enjoyed it while I was watching it, but it didn't have any kind of lasting impression, to the point where I had to struggle to remember the plot of this episode. Did anyone else have the same problems? Leave me a comment and let me know.
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Lie to Me - The Royal We
Network: Fox
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland
Summary: Lightman defends a falsely accused man from an angry mob. In the course of proving his innocence, Lightman unearths a secret that allows a mother and daughter to begin to heal.
Review: I don't know what's been going on with Lie to Me lately, but I don't like it. It's like they've taken all the fun out of the episodes, and we're left with cases that aren't particularly interesting and characters that are either too extreme or too flat. I miss the first season episodes, where Foster and Lightman had a fun banter thing going on, and Loker was brutally honest, and Torres had more than six lines in an episode. I don't know what happened to those characters, but I'd like them back, please.
I really didn't like any part of this episode. I'll start with what's been bothering me the most for the last season or so: Loker. He was so fun in the first season. His honesty may have gotten him in trouble sometimes, but it was charming in its own way, like when he sang to a class of fifth graders about not telling white lies. Now it's like his entire philosophy on life has changed. He lies as much as any of them, and the best part of his personality is missing. Instead, all he does is whine about how Lightman picks on him (which he does, but Loker used to let it roll off his back). The acrimonious relationship between Loker and Lightman is driving me crazy. All I want is for them to sit down like adults and have a conversation to resolve it, and instead they exchange a handful of monosyllabic sentences each episode and talk about each other to Torres and Foster.
That relationship isn't the only one that's being slaughtered. Foster and Lightman used to be partners in crime. Foster used to be fun. Now, all she seems to do is mother Lightman, which he takes badly, and then they sort of fight. And then they sort of make up. I think. Their relationship was never particularly well-defined, but now it just seems to be chaos.
I don't even know where Torres has been lately, besides being a sounding board for Loker when he complains (which is always). They were really turning her into a cool character last season, but now she's almost disappeared completely.
To top it off, now they've brought in three new characters, none of whom seem to actually appear in the episode for more than a few minutes. I understand the logic behind shaking up the cast, especially since Lie to Me was (and still is) in serious danger of being canceled, but there's no point in bringing in new characters if they're not actually going to be part of the show. Right now, it's turning into the Lightman Hour, and all the rest of the characters, even the ones who've been with him since the beginning, are just there to further his plot line.
Even the story in the episode wasn't interesting, especially since Lie to Me has already dealt with the issue of a false rape accusation. The plot was different enough, and I did feel a little bad for all the players involved, but I didn't find that I was emotionally invested in the outcome. Maybe I'm just sick of watching Lightman manipulate everyone around him, including the people who are supposed to be his friends. He's always had this side, but it used to be balanced by Foster, Loker and Torres. Now that they're not using the other cast members as much, Lightman's unethical side is starting to get a bit annoying.
I loved the first season and a half of Lie to Me so much that it disappoints me how it's fallen apart lately. I wish I knew why they were making some of these changes, but I hope they fix things soon because I don't know how much more I can take. Am I the only one feeling this way, or have you been less than impressed by Lie to Me lately? Comment below and let me know.
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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland
Summary: Lightman defends a falsely accused man from an angry mob. In the course of proving his innocence, Lightman unearths a secret that allows a mother and daughter to begin to heal.
Review: I don't know what's been going on with Lie to Me lately, but I don't like it. It's like they've taken all the fun out of the episodes, and we're left with cases that aren't particularly interesting and characters that are either too extreme or too flat. I miss the first season episodes, where Foster and Lightman had a fun banter thing going on, and Loker was brutally honest, and Torres had more than six lines in an episode. I don't know what happened to those characters, but I'd like them back, please.
I really didn't like any part of this episode. I'll start with what's been bothering me the most for the last season or so: Loker. He was so fun in the first season. His honesty may have gotten him in trouble sometimes, but it was charming in its own way, like when he sang to a class of fifth graders about not telling white lies. Now it's like his entire philosophy on life has changed. He lies as much as any of them, and the best part of his personality is missing. Instead, all he does is whine about how Lightman picks on him (which he does, but Loker used to let it roll off his back). The acrimonious relationship between Loker and Lightman is driving me crazy. All I want is for them to sit down like adults and have a conversation to resolve it, and instead they exchange a handful of monosyllabic sentences each episode and talk about each other to Torres and Foster.
That relationship isn't the only one that's being slaughtered. Foster and Lightman used to be partners in crime. Foster used to be fun. Now, all she seems to do is mother Lightman, which he takes badly, and then they sort of fight. And then they sort of make up. I think. Their relationship was never particularly well-defined, but now it just seems to be chaos.
I don't even know where Torres has been lately, besides being a sounding board for Loker when he complains (which is always). They were really turning her into a cool character last season, but now she's almost disappeared completely.
To top it off, now they've brought in three new characters, none of whom seem to actually appear in the episode for more than a few minutes. I understand the logic behind shaking up the cast, especially since Lie to Me was (and still is) in serious danger of being canceled, but there's no point in bringing in new characters if they're not actually going to be part of the show. Right now, it's turning into the Lightman Hour, and all the rest of the characters, even the ones who've been with him since the beginning, are just there to further his plot line.
Even the story in the episode wasn't interesting, especially since Lie to Me has already dealt with the issue of a false rape accusation. The plot was different enough, and I did feel a little bad for all the players involved, but I didn't find that I was emotionally invested in the outcome. Maybe I'm just sick of watching Lightman manipulate everyone around him, including the people who are supposed to be his friends. He's always had this side, but it used to be balanced by Foster, Loker and Torres. Now that they're not using the other cast members as much, Lightman's unethical side is starting to get a bit annoying.
I loved the first season and a half of Lie to Me so much that it disappoints me how it's fallen apart lately. I wish I knew why they were making some of these changes, but I hope they fix things soon because I don't know how much more I can take. Am I the only one feeling this way, or have you been less than impressed by Lie to Me lately? Comment below and let me know.
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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Bones - The Couple in the Cave
Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley
Summary: A surprise visit by Booth's girlfriend, war correspondent Hannah Burley, forces Brennan to take another look at her relationship with Booth. Meanwhile, the team tries to identify a couple whose remains were found in a cave in a national park.
Review: I'm going to come right out and say it: I like Booth's new girlfriend. And I like her and Booth together. Booth is so happy with her, and he's so obviously in love. How can you not like it? I also really like about their relationship is that Booth is clearly not with her as some kind of twisted ploy to make Brennan jealous (which you may scoff at, but is a fairly typical plot device when two characters are engaged in the "will they, won't they" game that Booth and Brennan are). He loves Hannah because he loves her, and it has nothing to do with Brennan at all.
This episode was good for several reasons. First, like I just mentioned, because it introduced Hannah and really showed her relationship with Booth. Also because the team was solving their first case the way they used to, without any of the awkwardness of having been apart for seven months. Even Clark was back as an intern... and he was still troubled by the fact that the team brings their personal lives to work with them all the time. Everything was back to the way it should be.
The case itself was pretty easy to solve, which is a mild detraction from the overall quality of the episode. I know after awhile there are only so many ways a case can pan out, but it's nice when the writers still manage to trip you up a little. In this case, I identified the killer the first time he/she walked into a scene. It loses a little bit after that point, even though it's still enjoyable to watch the team try and come to same conclusion.
It's good to see that a summer off and a new character haven't disrupted the chemistry between our favorite characters. Booth and Sweets had a few wonderful exchanges throughout the episode, Booth and Brennan were spot on, and even Cam and Hodgins had some fun. I'm looking forward to more of Hodgins and Angela and the baby story as the season goes on.
This episode did exactly what it needed to: introduce Booth's new girlfriend, establish what her relationship with Brennan would be, and show the audience that, despite the end of season 5, the team is back and just as good as they were when they left.
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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley
Summary: A surprise visit by Booth's girlfriend, war correspondent Hannah Burley, forces Brennan to take another look at her relationship with Booth. Meanwhile, the team tries to identify a couple whose remains were found in a cave in a national park.
Review: I'm going to come right out and say it: I like Booth's new girlfriend. And I like her and Booth together. Booth is so happy with her, and he's so obviously in love. How can you not like it? I also really like about their relationship is that Booth is clearly not with her as some kind of twisted ploy to make Brennan jealous (which you may scoff at, but is a fairly typical plot device when two characters are engaged in the "will they, won't they" game that Booth and Brennan are). He loves Hannah because he loves her, and it has nothing to do with Brennan at all.
This episode was good for several reasons. First, like I just mentioned, because it introduced Hannah and really showed her relationship with Booth. Also because the team was solving their first case the way they used to, without any of the awkwardness of having been apart for seven months. Even Clark was back as an intern... and he was still troubled by the fact that the team brings their personal lives to work with them all the time. Everything was back to the way it should be.
The case itself was pretty easy to solve, which is a mild detraction from the overall quality of the episode. I know after awhile there are only so many ways a case can pan out, but it's nice when the writers still manage to trip you up a little. In this case, I identified the killer the first time he/she walked into a scene. It loses a little bit after that point, even though it's still enjoyable to watch the team try and come to same conclusion.
It's good to see that a summer off and a new character haven't disrupted the chemistry between our favorite characters. Booth and Sweets had a few wonderful exchanges throughout the episode, Booth and Brennan were spot on, and even Cam and Hodgins had some fun. I'm looking forward to more of Hodgins and Angela and the baby story as the season goes on.
This episode did exactly what it needed to: introduce Booth's new girlfriend, establish what her relationship with Brennan would be, and show the audience that, despite the end of season 5, the team is back and just as good as they were when they left.
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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Lie to Me - Black and White
Network: Fox
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer, Hayley McFarland
Summary: The Lightman Group investigates the murder of a journalist and friend of Lightman’s who was killed while exposing a corrupt politician--a case that tests Lightman’s relationship with Reynolds and the FBI. Meanwhile, Emily’s newfound interest in dating makes her father uncomfortable.
Review: This was a good episode, but a bad season finale. I imagine the producers and writers of Lie to Me weren't sure they'd get a third season when they shot this episode, so they didn't want to leave any cliffhangers in case they didn't have time to wrap them up. Now that they did get the green light for at least half the third season, this episode came up a little short.
Not that it was bad, per se. It was just fairly typical where it should have stood out, especially since it's imperative that Lie to Me gets good ratings next season if it hopes to make it to four.
One of the best parts of "Black and White" is that it added another layer of complexity to the already puzzling character of Cal Lightman. We've seen Cal trying to help his friends, and we've even seen his distrustful of his friends, but we've never seen him when his friend was the victim of a murder. The writers did a great job staying true to his character. Lightman has always marched to his own beat, so it was perfectly reasonable that he would stray from the FBI reservation to do whatever it took to get justice for his friend. And it made perfect sense that Foster, Torres and Loker would follow him right down that path.
It was the personal storyline that seemed a little weak. It was supposed to focus on Cal dealing with Emily growing up, which they've already done several times. While it's kind of fun to watch Cal as a bumbling father (who doesn't, apparently, know everything his daughter does), it seemed like they were just reaching for a storyline for Hayley McFarland. I much preferred the episode where she was writing an article for journalism class and she followed her father and Foster around for a few days. The one good moment I thought they were going to give us with this story--where Foster came over for dinner and they talked about sex--never actually happened, which was a huge disappointed. They've never done as much with the Foster/Hayley story as I wanted.
The other problem I had with this episode (and it's actually something that bothers me about a lot of episodes) is that, despite the fact that Lightman just promoted Loker, he still treats him really badly. Honestly, I can't understand why Loker puts up with it. But instead of challenging him or making him funny, the abuse just makes Loker whiny. Couple that with the fact that he can never win with Torres (and, by the way, them sleeping together last week just seemed like a desperate ploy to rekindle the chemistry they had in the first season), and Loker's character is getting just a bit pathetic.
Lie to Me has seemed to become the Cal Lightman show recently. Even the episodes that have been about the others (Foster's boyfriend, Torres' sister) have wound up being more about Cal than anyone else. It's still fun to watch, and I still love it, but the writers need to step up their game if they hope to get picked up for more episodes after the show's expected finale in early 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer, Hayley McFarland
Summary: The Lightman Group investigates the murder of a journalist and friend of Lightman’s who was killed while exposing a corrupt politician--a case that tests Lightman’s relationship with Reynolds and the FBI. Meanwhile, Emily’s newfound interest in dating makes her father uncomfortable.
Review: This was a good episode, but a bad season finale. I imagine the producers and writers of Lie to Me weren't sure they'd get a third season when they shot this episode, so they didn't want to leave any cliffhangers in case they didn't have time to wrap them up. Now that they did get the green light for at least half the third season, this episode came up a little short.
Not that it was bad, per se. It was just fairly typical where it should have stood out, especially since it's imperative that Lie to Me gets good ratings next season if it hopes to make it to four.
One of the best parts of "Black and White" is that it added another layer of complexity to the already puzzling character of Cal Lightman. We've seen Cal trying to help his friends, and we've even seen his distrustful of his friends, but we've never seen him when his friend was the victim of a murder. The writers did a great job staying true to his character. Lightman has always marched to his own beat, so it was perfectly reasonable that he would stray from the FBI reservation to do whatever it took to get justice for his friend. And it made perfect sense that Foster, Torres and Loker would follow him right down that path.
It was the personal storyline that seemed a little weak. It was supposed to focus on Cal dealing with Emily growing up, which they've already done several times. While it's kind of fun to watch Cal as a bumbling father (who doesn't, apparently, know everything his daughter does), it seemed like they were just reaching for a storyline for Hayley McFarland. I much preferred the episode where she was writing an article for journalism class and she followed her father and Foster around for a few days. The one good moment I thought they were going to give us with this story--where Foster came over for dinner and they talked about sex--never actually happened, which was a huge disappointed. They've never done as much with the Foster/Hayley story as I wanted.
The other problem I had with this episode (and it's actually something that bothers me about a lot of episodes) is that, despite the fact that Lightman just promoted Loker, he still treats him really badly. Honestly, I can't understand why Loker puts up with it. But instead of challenging him or making him funny, the abuse just makes Loker whiny. Couple that with the fact that he can never win with Torres (and, by the way, them sleeping together last week just seemed like a desperate ploy to rekindle the chemistry they had in the first season), and Loker's character is getting just a bit pathetic.
Lie to Me has seemed to become the Cal Lightman show recently. Even the episodes that have been about the others (Foster's boyfriend, Torres' sister) have wound up being more about Cal than anyone else. It's still fun to watch, and I still love it, but the writers need to step up their game if they hope to get picked up for more episodes after the show's expected finale in early 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Past Life - Pilot
Network: Fox
Time: Tuesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Richard Schiff, Ravi Patel
Summary: Psychologist Kate McGinn and former NYPD detective Price Whatley attempt to help a teenage boy who believes he is the reincarnation of an eight-year-old girl.
Review: It's not often I get to review a crime show from its inception, so this is a bit of a treat for me. It's unfortunate that I wasn't so thrilled with the show, however, but at least I made it all the way through the first episode this time (sorry, Human Target, I just couldn't do it with you).
This show needs a lot of work if it hopes to make it past the seven episodes Fox already ordered. A new premise would probably do wonders, but since that's not possible, let's see what else we can come up with.
To start, I don't think this show is sustainable for more than a season at its best. The concept is that what happened in your past life affects your present life. What it boils down to is that Kate and Price solve what are essentially cold cases by finding the reincarnated souls in living people. My question is: how many cases like this could possibly exist in the whole world, let alone just the New York area, where the show takes place? Even if reincarnation does exist, I can't believe it would be as common as it would need to be to fill all the episodes. If it was so common, wouldn't it be a little less mysterious? Maybe I'm being cynical, but I'm having trouble buying this premise.
My second problem is completely different, but equally as important. Either the acting or the writing is really bad. Or both are. I can't be sure after one episode, but something about it seemed really fake. I mean, Richard Schiff was his usual wonderful self, but he wasn't in nearly enough of the episode to make up for Kelli Giddish. The other characters fluctuated between mildly tolerable (Nicholas Bishop) and absurdly overdramatic (Cayden Boyd). Things were told to the audience through monologues or dialogues instead of shown through the characters' actions. It took drama away from the moments that really deserved an impact and gave it to moments that could have easily been done better. It also made it boring.
I tried hard to stay focused through the whole thing, but I definitely found my attention wandering during long conversations that seemed irrelevant (of which there were many). The problem with a "tell, don't show" episode is that it's not attention-grabbing. In our world of instant gratification, a show simply can't afford to be boring.
I really wanted to like this show. It sounded like it could have been interesting if it was less about reincarnation in such specific terms and more about the general idea. Also, if they used Richard Schiff more, I think it would have been infinitely better. But there just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I'd like to give it another chance to see if they fix some of the problems, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep going if they don't.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Time: Tuesday, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Richard Schiff, Ravi Patel
Summary: Psychologist Kate McGinn and former NYPD detective Price Whatley attempt to help a teenage boy who believes he is the reincarnation of an eight-year-old girl.
Review: It's not often I get to review a crime show from its inception, so this is a bit of a treat for me. It's unfortunate that I wasn't so thrilled with the show, however, but at least I made it all the way through the first episode this time (sorry, Human Target, I just couldn't do it with you).
This show needs a lot of work if it hopes to make it past the seven episodes Fox already ordered. A new premise would probably do wonders, but since that's not possible, let's see what else we can come up with.
To start, I don't think this show is sustainable for more than a season at its best. The concept is that what happened in your past life affects your present life. What it boils down to is that Kate and Price solve what are essentially cold cases by finding the reincarnated souls in living people. My question is: how many cases like this could possibly exist in the whole world, let alone just the New York area, where the show takes place? Even if reincarnation does exist, I can't believe it would be as common as it would need to be to fill all the episodes. If it was so common, wouldn't it be a little less mysterious? Maybe I'm being cynical, but I'm having trouble buying this premise.
My second problem is completely different, but equally as important. Either the acting or the writing is really bad. Or both are. I can't be sure after one episode, but something about it seemed really fake. I mean, Richard Schiff was his usual wonderful self, but he wasn't in nearly enough of the episode to make up for Kelli Giddish. The other characters fluctuated between mildly tolerable (Nicholas Bishop) and absurdly overdramatic (Cayden Boyd). Things were told to the audience through monologues or dialogues instead of shown through the characters' actions. It took drama away from the moments that really deserved an impact and gave it to moments that could have easily been done better. It also made it boring.
I tried hard to stay focused through the whole thing, but I definitely found my attention wandering during long conversations that seemed irrelevant (of which there were many). The problem with a "tell, don't show" episode is that it's not attention-grabbing. In our world of instant gratification, a show simply can't afford to be boring.
I really wanted to like this show. It sounded like it could have been interesting if it was less about reincarnation in such specific terms and more about the general idea. Also, if they used Richard Schiff more, I think it would have been infinitely better. But there just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I'd like to give it another chance to see if they fix some of the problems, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep going if they don't.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Comments? Leave them here.
Wednesday, 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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