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
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
My Boys - My Men
Network: TBS
Time: Sundays, 10:00-10:30pm
Cast: Jordana Spiro, Kyle Howard, Reid Scott, Jamie Kaler, Michael Bunin, Kellee Stewart
Summary: Brendan must make a decision that could affect everybody. Stephanie receives an offer to work in London, and P.J. can't help Mike plan a birthday party for Marcia.
Review: Summer is no longer the season when networks burn out their crappiest episodes and show countless reruns of Law & Order and CSI. The new shows this summer were edgy, clever, dramatic and funny, and My Boys was no different.
My Boys has always been a summer show, and each of its four seasons is fewer than ten episodes long, which is sad considering what a great show it is. I spent the beginning of the summer catching up on seasons two and three, so most of the series is fresh in my mind following Sunday night's season four finale.
The finale left me feeling massively disappointed... disappointed because it turned out to be the series finale (TBS canceled My Boys on Tuesday) and now I don't get to see what happens next. I'll try to be careful to word this in a way that doesn't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it yet.
There are two major twists in this episode; one is predictable, the other is not. The unpredictable one was very easy to mess up. It could have been over the top or too rushed, but it wasn't. In fact, I'd argue that it was done perfectly because never, at any point in the episode, did I believe anything was out of character or unbelievable. The more predictable twist, which was revealed only in the last moments of the episode, just gave me a good, warm feeling that next season will be a lot of fun.
The episode as a whole dealt with priorities. PJ was trying to sort hers out when she was offered the possibility of a new "dream" job. Mike wanted to plan a birthday party for his girlfriend Marcia, and he enlisted the entire gang's help (which led to some wonderfully funny Bobby moments). And Stephanie got a job offer in London for a few months, leaving Kenny to decide whether or not he was going to go with her.
There's something about the chemistry between the characters that takes a theme that could be trite and keeps it fresh. Sure, there's nothing new and shocking going on in this show, but great writing coupled with perfect timing keeps you laughing, even if you knew the joke was coming. It's what I've always liked about My Boys, and it's just as true in this episode as any other.
The finale had an added bonus of getting to see a new side of Mike--the side that's in a serious relationship where he honestly cares about making his girlfriend happy. The title of the episode, "My Men," is fitting because PJ's boys really are growing up. This episode did actually feel like a series finale for me (particularly the title), but there were still loose ends that could have been tied up next season, had TBS renewed it. I guess now we'll be left to imagine what happens next.
Rating:
[5] Excellent[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Sundays, 10:00-10:30pm
Cast: Jordana Spiro, Kyle Howard, Reid Scott, Jamie Kaler, Michael Bunin, Kellee Stewart
Summary: Brendan must make a decision that could affect everybody. Stephanie receives an offer to work in London, and P.J. can't help Mike plan a birthday party for Marcia.
Review: Summer is no longer the season when networks burn out their crappiest episodes and show countless reruns of Law & Order and CSI. The new shows this summer were edgy, clever, dramatic and funny, and My Boys was no different.
My Boys has always been a summer show, and each of its four seasons is fewer than ten episodes long, which is sad considering what a great show it is. I spent the beginning of the summer catching up on seasons two and three, so most of the series is fresh in my mind following Sunday night's season four finale.
The finale left me feeling massively disappointed... disappointed because it turned out to be the series finale (TBS canceled My Boys on Tuesday) and now I don't get to see what happens next. I'll try to be careful to word this in a way that doesn't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it yet.
There are two major twists in this episode; one is predictable, the other is not. The unpredictable one was very easy to mess up. It could have been over the top or too rushed, but it wasn't. In fact, I'd argue that it was done perfectly because never, at any point in the episode, did I believe anything was out of character or unbelievable. The more predictable twist, which was revealed only in the last moments of the episode, just gave me a good, warm feeling that next season will be a lot of fun.
The episode as a whole dealt with priorities. PJ was trying to sort hers out when she was offered the possibility of a new "dream" job. Mike wanted to plan a birthday party for his girlfriend Marcia, and he enlisted the entire gang's help (which led to some wonderfully funny Bobby moments). And Stephanie got a job offer in London for a few months, leaving Kenny to decide whether or not he was going to go with her.
There's something about the chemistry between the characters that takes a theme that could be trite and keeps it fresh. Sure, there's nothing new and shocking going on in this show, but great writing coupled with perfect timing keeps you laughing, even if you knew the joke was coming. It's what I've always liked about My Boys, and it's just as true in this episode as any other.
The finale had an added bonus of getting to see a new side of Mike--the side that's in a serious relationship where he honestly cares about making his girlfriend happy. The title of the episode, "My Men," is fitting because PJ's boys really are growing up. This episode did actually feel like a series finale for me (particularly the title), but there were still loose ends that could have been tied up next season, had TBS renewed it. I guess now we'll be left to imagine what happens next.
Rating:
[5] Excellent[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Parenthood - Perchance to Dream
Network: NBC
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Tyree Brown
Summary: Adam has his hands full taking care of Max and Haddie when Kristina goes out of town. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to get Amber to start thinking about college. Julia tries to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. And Crosby takes Jasmine on a date without Jabbar.
Review: I'm really glad I didn't give up on this show. It's starting to become one of my most highly anticipated shows each week (it helps that it's been one of the few to have new episodes for the last couple weeks).
Part of what I really like about this show is that it's very real, but not in an uncomfortable way. Too often, shows go one of two ways: either they're super-fluid and fast-talking, with characters who always have a quip ready (i.e. The West Wing); or they're really awkward with long pauses that give the illusion of real life (i.e. The Office).
Parenthood is neither of those things. It's realism comes from the fact that almost every time a character reacts to the situation around them, it doesn't surprise me because I know someone (if not my own parents, then a friend's) who would react the same way. They actually act like real people, instead of an idealized version of real people. One of my favorite scenes from this episode was where Sarah, Julia and Kristina were talking about their daughters because it really sounded like the kind of conversation three mothers would have.
Each story allowed us to see the characters in a slightly different way than normal in this episode. For example, normally we see Julia as the sort-of-absent parent (the working mom, who's there less frequently than Daddy). Joel seems to be the one who interacts with Sydney most about the day-to-day stuff, while Julia tends to interrupt the mundane to do things her way. But in this episode, Julia believed Sydney broke a lamp and was lying about what happened to it. So she cordoned off the room and left the lamp there until the person who broke it cleaned it up. It was such a typical lesson that a kid has to learn (who among us didn't lie at the age of four when we thought we were going to get into trouble?) that it was surprising Julia was teaching it. But it was nice to see her take on this role too, while Joel was relegated to the sidelines.
We normally see Crosby as either the ladies' man or the new father, but never both at the same time. In this episode, he wanted to take Jasmine out without Jabbar so he could get to know her better. And while their date is interrupted by their son, we do get a glimpse at a different kind of Crosby, the one who is learning to balance responsibility, commitment, and his desire to sleep with a beautiful woman. While I'm not convinced I like the Crosby/Jasmine relationship (mostly because I'm not convinced I like Jasmine), I don't feel strong dislike towards it either. I'm waiting for it to unfold naturally before I pass judgment.
So far, we've only seen Amber and Sarah at odds with each other. Our very first introduction to them was a fight, and a lot of this episode was as well. But there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough towards the end, where each of them opened up a little and suddenly everyone could see that there was a loving mother-daughter relationship underneath the animosity.
Also, Amber and Drew, despite being siblings, have actually had very little interaction up to now. There was that whole thing with Drew and the shower, and they shared a room for a little while, but there wasn't much conversation between them or anything. We actually got to see Drew go to his sister for advice for a change and, even though the conversation was dominated by Amber and Sarah fighting, Amber seemed to be actually trying to help Drew with his girl problems.
And finally, Adam, Kristina and Haddie. This branch of the Braverman family has been dominated by the Max storyline for the first few episodes, and it's only been recently that they've been giving the others some screen time. Kristina, who is the quintessential housewife/stay-at-home mom, went back to work for the weekend to help her old employer, leaving Adam to stay with the kids. This might have been better if Haddie wasn't in the process of getting closer to her boyfriend. Adam reacts... not well, and he and Haddie fight.
In the first few episodes, Haddie seemed like the perfect daughter. Her parents' world revolved around Max and, while Haddie certainly wasn't thrilled about that, she seemed to understand and tried to make things easier. Now, she's acting out like only 15-year-old girls can, and it's a nice reminder that she's just a teenager, and she's going to be selfish sometimes.
I also liked that this episode brought back the Adam/Drew relationship. Drew needs a father-figure in his life, and he can't turn to his dad and shouldn't turn to his grandfather (Grandpa Zeke scares me), so he goes to his mom's older brother when he needs help with guy stuff. I really like this relationship, and I hope they continue to build on it.
It's kind of amazing how much stuff they cram into each episode, but it's stopped being overwhelming (mostly) and instead is a lot of fun to watch. The season finale is coming up, but that's okay because NBC already renewed it for season 2, so there's plenty for fans to look forward to.
Are you looking forward to the rest of season 1? What was your favorite part of this episode? Leave a comment and let me know.
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Tyree Brown
Summary: Adam has his hands full taking care of Max and Haddie when Kristina goes out of town. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to get Amber to start thinking about college. Julia tries to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. And Crosby takes Jasmine on a date without Jabbar.
Review: I'm really glad I didn't give up on this show. It's starting to become one of my most highly anticipated shows each week (it helps that it's been one of the few to have new episodes for the last couple weeks).
Part of what I really like about this show is that it's very real, but not in an uncomfortable way. Too often, shows go one of two ways: either they're super-fluid and fast-talking, with characters who always have a quip ready (i.e. The West Wing); or they're really awkward with long pauses that give the illusion of real life (i.e. The Office).
Parenthood is neither of those things. It's realism comes from the fact that almost every time a character reacts to the situation around them, it doesn't surprise me because I know someone (if not my own parents, then a friend's) who would react the same way. They actually act like real people, instead of an idealized version of real people. One of my favorite scenes from this episode was where Sarah, Julia and Kristina were talking about their daughters because it really sounded like the kind of conversation three mothers would have.
Each story allowed us to see the characters in a slightly different way than normal in this episode. For example, normally we see Julia as the sort-of-absent parent (the working mom, who's there less frequently than Daddy). Joel seems to be the one who interacts with Sydney most about the day-to-day stuff, while Julia tends to interrupt the mundane to do things her way. But in this episode, Julia believed Sydney broke a lamp and was lying about what happened to it. So she cordoned off the room and left the lamp there until the person who broke it cleaned it up. It was such a typical lesson that a kid has to learn (who among us didn't lie at the age of four when we thought we were going to get into trouble?) that it was surprising Julia was teaching it. But it was nice to see her take on this role too, while Joel was relegated to the sidelines.
We normally see Crosby as either the ladies' man or the new father, but never both at the same time. In this episode, he wanted to take Jasmine out without Jabbar so he could get to know her better. And while their date is interrupted by their son, we do get a glimpse at a different kind of Crosby, the one who is learning to balance responsibility, commitment, and his desire to sleep with a beautiful woman. While I'm not convinced I like the Crosby/Jasmine relationship (mostly because I'm not convinced I like Jasmine), I don't feel strong dislike towards it either. I'm waiting for it to unfold naturally before I pass judgment.
So far, we've only seen Amber and Sarah at odds with each other. Our very first introduction to them was a fight, and a lot of this episode was as well. But there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough towards the end, where each of them opened up a little and suddenly everyone could see that there was a loving mother-daughter relationship underneath the animosity.
Also, Amber and Drew, despite being siblings, have actually had very little interaction up to now. There was that whole thing with Drew and the shower, and they shared a room for a little while, but there wasn't much conversation between them or anything. We actually got to see Drew go to his sister for advice for a change and, even though the conversation was dominated by Amber and Sarah fighting, Amber seemed to be actually trying to help Drew with his girl problems.
And finally, Adam, Kristina and Haddie. This branch of the Braverman family has been dominated by the Max storyline for the first few episodes, and it's only been recently that they've been giving the others some screen time. Kristina, who is the quintessential housewife/stay-at-home mom, went back to work for the weekend to help her old employer, leaving Adam to stay with the kids. This might have been better if Haddie wasn't in the process of getting closer to her boyfriend. Adam reacts... not well, and he and Haddie fight.
In the first few episodes, Haddie seemed like the perfect daughter. Her parents' world revolved around Max and, while Haddie certainly wasn't thrilled about that, she seemed to understand and tried to make things easier. Now, she's acting out like only 15-year-old girls can, and it's a nice reminder that she's just a teenager, and she's going to be selfish sometimes.
I also liked that this episode brought back the Adam/Drew relationship. Drew needs a father-figure in his life, and he can't turn to his dad and shouldn't turn to his grandfather (Grandpa Zeke scares me), so he goes to his mom's older brother when he needs help with guy stuff. I really like this relationship, and I hope they continue to build on it.
It's kind of amazing how much stuff they cram into each episode, but it's stopped being overwhelming (mostly) and instead is a lot of fun to watch. The season finale is coming up, but that's okay because NBC already renewed it for season 2, so there's plenty for fans to look forward to.
Are you looking forward to the rest of season 1? What was your favorite part of this episode? Leave a comment and let me know.
NCIS - Moonlighting
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: Gibbs and Fornell work together when an NCIS polygraph specialist's night job is connected to murder.
Review: This was probably my favorite NCIS episode in a long time, and not just because loyal fans of the McGee and Abby relationship were finally thrown a bone.
It seems like the pieces are finally starting to click back into place for NCIS. I'm not sure what happened between the season premiere (which some may remember I declared to be the best episode of the series) and now, but it's been rough going for awhile. The episodes have felt forced, the cases have been boring and unnecessarily complicated, and everything's just been a little... off.
I remarked that the last new episode felt like NCIS was on an upswing, getting back some of the mojo it had lost, and, after seeing this episode, I think it's back on top. This episode made me remember why I loved this show. The banter was light-hearted and funny, the case was a pleasant sidenote, and Gibbs had his sense of humor back! I don't know about you guys, but I sorely missed the dry wit that it Leroy Jethro Gibbs. And Gibbs bantering with FBI Agent Tobias Fornell is just ten times better.
I used to have a sort of love/hate relationship with Fornell, but somewhere along the way I realized he makes the episodes he's really awesome. His relationship with Gibbs has evolved throughout the seasons, and it's nice to see Gibbs just be someone's friend. I know he and Ducky have been friends forever too, but their relationship is somehow different, in a way I haven't been able to put into words (I know, and they pay me to write?).
This episode also saw the return of McGee-stalker/polygraph technician Susan Grady. If you remember, she's the one who told McGee he had to retake his polygraph test so she could ask him if he had a girlfriend. In this episode, it was her second job that was possibly involved in the murder of a petty officer... which meant Gibbs wanted McGee to interview her.
Susan is... a weird character. She's kind of a mess. She's emotionally all over the map, and she has the people skills of a slightly moldy block of cheese. Yet she's an oddly pathetic character, and I found myself feeling bad for her and growing to (almost) like her by the end.
Also, please let me take a moment to let the fangirl part of me give a squeal about how jealous Abby got over Susan. I liked this episode for a number of reasons, but definitely my favorite scene was the one where Tony, Ziva and Ducky are giving Abby a hard time about McGee and Susan. And then the subsequent scene where she goes back to her lab and finds the two of them there. For those of us who've been waiting for Abby to realize she's been crazy about McGee since season 1, this was a good episode.
OK, I promise that's all about that for now. I anticipate plenty of opportunities to do that again in the next few episodes.
I'm also pleased with the way they've been using Palmer lately. I love the little autopsy gremlin, and I love that he has a hot girlfriend. Of course, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with her, because no one on NCIS ever has a girlfriend (or boyfriend) who's not going to die or trying to kill them. With the exception of Lt. Col. Mann. And that one that Ducky wore different ties for, but we never met her so she doesn't count.
Of course, having Palmer show up more and (especially) interact with Gibbs more, only reinforces my theory that Ducky's on his way out. I've had a gut feeling for about half the season that Ducky was thinking about resigning at the end of it, but I've not proof to back it up. So I guess we'll find out about that in a few weeks.
This episode didn't have a whole lot of negatives, and it made me really anticipate the next few weeks. I think all the episodes are new from now until the season finale (finally), so I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing what happens next.
What'd you guys think? Was it worth wait of all the reruns that have been on lately? Are you as excited about the season finale as I am? Leave a comment and let me know.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: Gibbs and Fornell work together when an NCIS polygraph specialist's night job is connected to murder.
Review: This was probably my favorite NCIS episode in a long time, and not just because loyal fans of the McGee and Abby relationship were finally thrown a bone.
It seems like the pieces are finally starting to click back into place for NCIS. I'm not sure what happened between the season premiere (which some may remember I declared to be the best episode of the series) and now, but it's been rough going for awhile. The episodes have felt forced, the cases have been boring and unnecessarily complicated, and everything's just been a little... off.
I remarked that the last new episode felt like NCIS was on an upswing, getting back some of the mojo it had lost, and, after seeing this episode, I think it's back on top. This episode made me remember why I loved this show. The banter was light-hearted and funny, the case was a pleasant sidenote, and Gibbs had his sense of humor back! I don't know about you guys, but I sorely missed the dry wit that it Leroy Jethro Gibbs. And Gibbs bantering with FBI Agent Tobias Fornell is just ten times better.
I used to have a sort of love/hate relationship with Fornell, but somewhere along the way I realized he makes the episodes he's really awesome. His relationship with Gibbs has evolved throughout the seasons, and it's nice to see Gibbs just be someone's friend. I know he and Ducky have been friends forever too, but their relationship is somehow different, in a way I haven't been able to put into words (I know, and they pay me to write?).
This episode also saw the return of McGee-stalker/polygraph technician Susan Grady. If you remember, she's the one who told McGee he had to retake his polygraph test so she could ask him if he had a girlfriend. In this episode, it was her second job that was possibly involved in the murder of a petty officer... which meant Gibbs wanted McGee to interview her.
Susan is... a weird character. She's kind of a mess. She's emotionally all over the map, and she has the people skills of a slightly moldy block of cheese. Yet she's an oddly pathetic character, and I found myself feeling bad for her and growing to (almost) like her by the end.
Also, please let me take a moment to let the fangirl part of me give a squeal about how jealous Abby got over Susan. I liked this episode for a number of reasons, but definitely my favorite scene was the one where Tony, Ziva and Ducky are giving Abby a hard time about McGee and Susan. And then the subsequent scene where she goes back to her lab and finds the two of them there. For those of us who've been waiting for Abby to realize she's been crazy about McGee since season 1, this was a good episode.
OK, I promise that's all about that for now. I anticipate plenty of opportunities to do that again in the next few episodes.
I'm also pleased with the way they've been using Palmer lately. I love the little autopsy gremlin, and I love that he has a hot girlfriend. Of course, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with her, because no one on NCIS ever has a girlfriend (or boyfriend) who's not going to die or trying to kill them. With the exception of Lt. Col. Mann. And that one that Ducky wore different ties for, but we never met her so she doesn't count.
Of course, having Palmer show up more and (especially) interact with Gibbs more, only reinforces my theory that Ducky's on his way out. I've had a gut feeling for about half the season that Ducky was thinking about resigning at the end of it, but I've not proof to back it up. So I guess we'll find out about that in a few weeks.
This episode didn't have a whole lot of negatives, and it made me really anticipate the next few weeks. I think all the episodes are new from now until the season finale (finally), so I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing what happens next.
What'd you guys think? Was it worth wait of all the reruns that have been on lately? Are you as excited about the season finale as I am? Leave a comment and let me know.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Parenthood - The Big 'O'
Network: NBC
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Criminal Minds - The Fight
Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: SSA Aaron Hotchner and his team investigate the murders of several homeless men in San Francisco and coordinate their efforts with another team of BAU agents who are working on a separate case that seems to be connected.
Review: I honestly don't think I've ever finished a Criminal Minds episode and not gone, "Oh, that was a good one." So perhaps my saying that doesn't carry as much weight as it should. But it really was a good one.
This is the episode that many fans were waiting for, the introduction of the second BAU team that will spawn the spin-off affectionately dubbed Minds 2.0 (at least until someone gives it a real title). And they successfully introduced the new team, while still keeping focus on the things that are important--the heart-stopping case and our usual team of superheroes.
The backdoor pilot concept is what NCIS did when introducing NCIS: Los Angeles (and JAG did when introducing NCIS, and all the CSIs did, for the matter). Now, those of you who follow what I write know I'm a huge NCIS fan, but, in this case, CM did it better. NCIS only sent Gibbs and McGee out to LA to work with the new team, leaving all the rest of our favorite characters at home, creating a disjointed feel. There were two storylines to fixate on, the case (and thus the introduction of the new team) and the tension between Tony, Ziva and Michael Rivkin. So while I certainly met the new team and fell a little bit in love with them, I didn't get the same warm feeling from watching the team I already cared about mesh with the team I was supposed to learn to care about.
CM, on the other hand, meshed everyone together right from the beginning. Each person from the new team was paired with one from our team, and it allowed the audience to learn more about them based on the way they interacted with people we already knew. So Cooper (Forest Whitaker) paired up with Hotch, LaSalle (Beau Garrett) with Morgan, Rawson (Matt Ryan) with Prentiss , and Prophet (Michael Kelly) with Rossi. Which left us with a little less Reid and JJ than I normally like to see, but I suppose that was okay for one episode.
The actual plot of the episode was as compelling as they usually are. I love the way everything clicks into place when they finally figure out who the UnSub is, and the profile syncs up perfectly. I even admit to shedding a few tears when the father realized he might never be able to talk to his daughter again and tried to tell her everything he'd wanted to. I'm not sure I completely believed Emily would have been caught off-guard the way she was in the second-to-last scene of the episode, but I know it had to be done to establish a little more about Rawson's character (basically that he's awesome).
And I have to admit that the teenage girl part of me hopes they find some opportunities in the future to put Prentiss and Rawson together. The flirting/banter thing they had going on was just so much fun.
I admit I was kind of iffy about the new team in the beginning, when they were alone. The interactions felt forced, and I wasn't really sure why they were so awkward around each other. But I warmed to them as I continued watching, and I'm definitely intrigued by the spin-off, though I'm still wondering how they're going to distinguish this team and show from the BAU team we already know.
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: SSA Aaron Hotchner and his team investigate the murders of several homeless men in San Francisco and coordinate their efforts with another team of BAU agents who are working on a separate case that seems to be connected.
Review: I honestly don't think I've ever finished a Criminal Minds episode and not gone, "Oh, that was a good one." So perhaps my saying that doesn't carry as much weight as it should. But it really was a good one.
This is the episode that many fans were waiting for, the introduction of the second BAU team that will spawn the spin-off affectionately dubbed Minds 2.0 (at least until someone gives it a real title). And they successfully introduced the new team, while still keeping focus on the things that are important--the heart-stopping case and our usual team of superheroes.
The backdoor pilot concept is what NCIS did when introducing NCIS: Los Angeles (and JAG did when introducing NCIS, and all the CSIs did, for the matter). Now, those of you who follow what I write know I'm a huge NCIS fan, but, in this case, CM did it better. NCIS only sent Gibbs and McGee out to LA to work with the new team, leaving all the rest of our favorite characters at home, creating a disjointed feel. There were two storylines to fixate on, the case (and thus the introduction of the new team) and the tension between Tony, Ziva and Michael Rivkin. So while I certainly met the new team and fell a little bit in love with them, I didn't get the same warm feeling from watching the team I already cared about mesh with the team I was supposed to learn to care about.
CM, on the other hand, meshed everyone together right from the beginning. Each person from the new team was paired with one from our team, and it allowed the audience to learn more about them based on the way they interacted with people we already knew. So Cooper (Forest Whitaker) paired up with Hotch, LaSalle (Beau Garrett) with Morgan, Rawson (Matt Ryan) with Prentiss , and Prophet (Michael Kelly) with Rossi. Which left us with a little less Reid and JJ than I normally like to see, but I suppose that was okay for one episode.
The actual plot of the episode was as compelling as they usually are. I love the way everything clicks into place when they finally figure out who the UnSub is, and the profile syncs up perfectly. I even admit to shedding a few tears when the father realized he might never be able to talk to his daughter again and tried to tell her everything he'd wanted to. I'm not sure I completely believed Emily would have been caught off-guard the way she was in the second-to-last scene of the episode, but I know it had to be done to establish a little more about Rawson's character (basically that he's awesome).
And I have to admit that the teenage girl part of me hopes they find some opportunities in the future to put Prentiss and Rawson together. The flirting/banter thing they had going on was just so much fun.
I admit I was kind of iffy about the new team in the beginning, when they were alone. The interactions felt forced, and I wasn't really sure why they were so awkward around each other. But I warmed to them as I continued watching, and I'm definitely intrigued by the spin-off, though I'm still wondering how they're going to distinguish this team and show from the BAU team we already know.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NCIS - Guilty Pleasure
Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The death of a Navy officer is linked to a prostitute, and the team asks for help from a D.C. Madam, Holly Snow. Guest starring Dina Meyer.
Review: Aw, this was a fun episode.
I mean, sure, it started with a guy getting hit by a car after being stabbed multiple times, but it pretty quickly devolved into the character banter it's so good at. From the get-go, McGee and Tony are the middle of a little spat--the "seven year bitch," as Ziva says. It lasts for the whole episode.
It is probably the funniest thing I've seen on this show in a long, long time.
McGee gets jealous because Tony's hanging out with Detective McCadden. And Tony's mad because McGee wouldn't be his wingman and help him pick up a girl at a museum. So they spend the entire episode sniping at each other like teenage girls, while Ziva watches and laughs at them (as well she should).
It was fun to see tension on the show that wasn't between Tony and Ziva. Or Gibbs and Allison Hart. Or Gibbs and a CGIS agent. Or Gibbs and... any woman who walks onto the show (really, how many almost-romances does he need to be in?).
Speaking of almost-romances, this episode marked the return of the DC Madam Holly Snow. Did anyone else completely forget the previous episode she was in until midway through this one? And did anyone else think she was way cooler this time than she was last time? She was kind of a really sweet character. I actually felt pretty bad for her through the whole thing.
I also really appreciated that Tony was more serious in this episode than he's been in awhile, almost on par with the Tony of the first couple seasons. Tony's always been the comic relief of the show, but he used to work hard behind-the-scenes, surprising his co-workers by behind a step ahead of them. Recently, he's been all funny and not enough seriousness. McGee usually does all the real work, and Tony and Ziva go pick up potential suspects. It was nice to see Tony doing some of the work this time.
There were a couple other really funny moments. Like when Tony went undercover as a John to trap a prostitute and was hopelessly out of his element that it was actually kind of surprising. Or Abby realized McGee was jealous of Tony's "man-mance" with McCadden and tried to get Gibbs to give him a hug.
But there were a couple off moments as well. Like when Abby tried to confront Holly about her prostitution, but only managed to stand there awkwardly while Holly did most of the talking. Or Gibbs charged in like a white knight, gun a-blazing at the end of the episode.
It seems like NCIS is on a bit of an upswing again, with this episode and the last being generally pretty good. I still don't feel like I'm anticipating it quite the same way I was at the beginning of the series, but there are still a few episodes left for them to win me back, and the episodes are certainly enjoyable to watch.
Do you feel the same way too, or is it just me? What'd you think of this episode? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Want more NCIS news? Follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll
Summary: The death of a Navy officer is linked to a prostitute, and the team asks for help from a D.C. Madam, Holly Snow. Guest starring Dina Meyer.
Review: Aw, this was a fun episode.
I mean, sure, it started with a guy getting hit by a car after being stabbed multiple times, but it pretty quickly devolved into the character banter it's so good at. From the get-go, McGee and Tony are the middle of a little spat--the "seven year bitch," as Ziva says. It lasts for the whole episode.
It is probably the funniest thing I've seen on this show in a long, long time.
McGee gets jealous because Tony's hanging out with Detective McCadden. And Tony's mad because McGee wouldn't be his wingman and help him pick up a girl at a museum. So they spend the entire episode sniping at each other like teenage girls, while Ziva watches and laughs at them (as well she should).
It was fun to see tension on the show that wasn't between Tony and Ziva. Or Gibbs and Allison Hart. Or Gibbs and a CGIS agent. Or Gibbs and... any woman who walks onto the show (really, how many almost-romances does he need to be in?).
Speaking of almost-romances, this episode marked the return of the DC Madam Holly Snow. Did anyone else completely forget the previous episode she was in until midway through this one? And did anyone else think she was way cooler this time than she was last time? She was kind of a really sweet character. I actually felt pretty bad for her through the whole thing.
I also really appreciated that Tony was more serious in this episode than he's been in awhile, almost on par with the Tony of the first couple seasons. Tony's always been the comic relief of the show, but he used to work hard behind-the-scenes, surprising his co-workers by behind a step ahead of them. Recently, he's been all funny and not enough seriousness. McGee usually does all the real work, and Tony and Ziva go pick up potential suspects. It was nice to see Tony doing some of the work this time.
There were a couple other really funny moments. Like when Tony went undercover as a John to trap a prostitute and was hopelessly out of his element that it was actually kind of surprising. Or Abby realized McGee was jealous of Tony's "man-mance" with McCadden and tried to get Gibbs to give him a hug.
But there were a couple off moments as well. Like when Abby tried to confront Holly about her prostitution, but only managed to stand there awkwardly while Holly did most of the talking. Or Gibbs charged in like a white knight, gun a-blazing at the end of the episode.
It seems like NCIS is on a bit of an upswing again, with this episode and the last being generally pretty good. I still don't feel like I'm anticipating it quite the same way I was at the beginning of the series, but there are still a few episodes left for them to win me back, and the episodes are certainly enjoyable to watch.
Do you feel the same way too, or is it just me? What'd you think of this episode? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Want more NCIS news? Follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
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