Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn
Summary: Beckett finds Castle at a murder scene holding a gun and is forced to arrest him despite his claims of innocence.
Review: Castle's ratings weren't so hot last season, when ABC was debating whether or not to renew it. Ultimately, they decided to give it a chance to continue growing... and I imagine this season premiere made them glad they did.
When we last left our heroes, Beckett was finally coming to terms with her feelings for Castle, right before he skipped town with his ex-wife to finish writing his book. In the season 3 premiere, no one at the NYPD has heard from him since he left. Ironically, it's not Beckett who's most upset, but Esposito and Ryan, who provide comic relief to Beckett's almost-pining.
While the scene where Beckett finds Castle holding a gun over a dead body (and Ryan almost shoots him) is good, the show really picks up when Castle is released from custody and joins the investigation, against Beckett's wishes. A summer apart certainyl hasn't dampened the chemistry between them, and Castle is the perfect mix of his normal obnoxious self pushing Beckett's buttons and suitably contrite for not calling all summer. Yes, he's still with his ex-wife, but she doesn't make an appearance and, frankly, she doesn't seem particularly important in the grand scheme of Castle and Beckett's relationship.
Ultimately, this episode probably won't stand out against other episodes of Castle, but it did what a good season premiere should--it resolved the cliffhangers from the finale and opened the door to a good season to come. The most important thing is that it should make the audience want to continue watching, to see what will happen next. They can either do that by adding a cliffhanger at the end, or, in the case of Castle, by creating such engaging characters that you can't wait to see what situations they'll wind up in as the season continues.
The only downside to this episode was that there really wasn't enough of Castle's mother and daughter, just a little taste to remind the viewers that they still exist. This is an issue I imagine will easily be resolved in the coming months.
Aside from my perpetual disappointment that they chose to move away from the Beckett/Castle coupling, there was much to enjoy about this episode. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season will play out.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
For more reviews like this, check out One DV Rebel's Guide to TV and Film.
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Questions or concerns? Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Terriers - Pilot
Network: FX
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Donal Logue, Michael Raymond-James, Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn
Summary: A favor for an old drinking buddy leads Hank and Britt, small time private eyes, down a rabbit-hole of corruption in deceptively sunny Ocean Beach, California.
Review: I'm having a lot of trouble placing what exactly was the problem with this show, but it doesn't seem to be any one thing in particular. The acting was fine, the writing was fine, and the story was okay. Nothing was exceptional, but nothing was horribly bad either. Everything was just... fine.
I really wanted to like Terriers because one of the creators is Shawn Ryan, who is also responsible for Lie to Me and The Unit, among other successful programs. One of the lead actors is Donal Logue, who spent years on Grounded for Life, which was one of my favorite daytime sitcoms when I was in high school. So perhaps my expectations were a little too high going into the first episode.
Terriers disappointed me. Like I said, I can't point at any one thing and say, "That's the reason why." It was a bunch of little things. The story was mildly enjoyable, but it was predictable. I was never surprised by anything the characters did, even though I think parts of it were supposed to surprise me a little. Nothing momentous happened, which is really bad for a pilot, since this should set the tone for the rest of the season, if not the series. I wasn't even really sure what the main characters, Hank and Britt, were supposed to be doing besides running around doing favors for friends and somehow getting money for it. Supposedly they're private investigators, but they don't have any ID or, presumably, an office of any type.
That's not to saw Terriers didn't have any redeeming qualities. The writing was good, despite the predictable storyline. The dialogue between Hank and Britt was, at times, pithy and even funny. I caught myself laughing out loud at a few of the one liners. And I found that I liked both of the main characters, despite their flaws.
It's common in shows to expose something from the main character's history (usually something bad) in the first episode, so that the viewers will understand him better and perhaps even sympathize with him. This is no different in this episode of Terriers, in which we learned much about Hank's messy divorce, the ex-wife he's still in love with, and the fact that she's moving on with her life. I'm not denying that main characters should have a past; I'm questioning the need to reveal so much personal information about him so early, before the audience has really had time to bond with him. I really did like Hank, and I felt bad that he still seemed to be so hung up on a woman who no longer loved him back, but I also didn't really care yet because I haven't decided if I care about him. So instead of being emotional, or even particularly revealing, the personal aspect of this storyline fell flat.
I might come back to this one when things die down over the summer, but I have no plans to continue watching as the new episodes air. There just wasn't enough in this one to hold my interest.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Donal Logue, Michael Raymond-James, Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn
Summary: A favor for an old drinking buddy leads Hank and Britt, small time private eyes, down a rabbit-hole of corruption in deceptively sunny Ocean Beach, California.
Review: I'm having a lot of trouble placing what exactly was the problem with this show, but it doesn't seem to be any one thing in particular. The acting was fine, the writing was fine, and the story was okay. Nothing was exceptional, but nothing was horribly bad either. Everything was just... fine.
I really wanted to like Terriers because one of the creators is Shawn Ryan, who is also responsible for Lie to Me and The Unit, among other successful programs. One of the lead actors is Donal Logue, who spent years on Grounded for Life, which was one of my favorite daytime sitcoms when I was in high school. So perhaps my expectations were a little too high going into the first episode.
Terriers disappointed me. Like I said, I can't point at any one thing and say, "That's the reason why." It was a bunch of little things. The story was mildly enjoyable, but it was predictable. I was never surprised by anything the characters did, even though I think parts of it were supposed to surprise me a little. Nothing momentous happened, which is really bad for a pilot, since this should set the tone for the rest of the season, if not the series. I wasn't even really sure what the main characters, Hank and Britt, were supposed to be doing besides running around doing favors for friends and somehow getting money for it. Supposedly they're private investigators, but they don't have any ID or, presumably, an office of any type.
That's not to saw Terriers didn't have any redeeming qualities. The writing was good, despite the predictable storyline. The dialogue between Hank and Britt was, at times, pithy and even funny. I caught myself laughing out loud at a few of the one liners. And I found that I liked both of the main characters, despite their flaws.
It's common in shows to expose something from the main character's history (usually something bad) in the first episode, so that the viewers will understand him better and perhaps even sympathize with him. This is no different in this episode of Terriers, in which we learned much about Hank's messy divorce, the ex-wife he's still in love with, and the fact that she's moving on with her life. I'm not denying that main characters should have a past; I'm questioning the need to reveal so much personal information about him so early, before the audience has really had time to bond with him. I really did like Hank, and I felt bad that he still seemed to be so hung up on a woman who no longer loved him back, but I also didn't really care yet because I haven't decided if I care about him. So instead of being emotional, or even particularly revealing, the personal aspect of this storyline fell flat.
I might come back to this one when things die down over the summer, but I have no plans to continue watching as the new episodes air. There just wasn't enough in this one to hold my interest.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Rizzoli & Isles - When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang
Network: TNT
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Angie Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Jordan Bridges, Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Chazz Palminteri, Lorraine Bracco
Summary: A savage gang that killed an undercover officer now targets Boston homicide headquarters for an attack, with Jane, Maura and Frankie Jr. trapped and fighting for survival.
Review: Wow. This season ended with a bang. Literally.
It took awhile to collect my thoughts after this episode's cliffhanger ending. It's not the most compelling cliffhanger I've ever seen, but the episode as a whole does a pretty good job of making you wish the next season would start today.
There have already been a lot of ups and downs in the ten episodes of season one. From the creepy Surgeon who almost killed Jane (twice) to Maura finding out who her real father is, the writers jam-packed the season with as many plot twists as they could fit into the approximately 7.5 hours of air time. This is a fairly common occurrence for new shows, since the cast and crew are never sure if they're going to get a second season.
This finale was a great ending to a great season. Not only was there a considerable amount of action and suspense to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, but there was also another foray into Rizzoli family politics. Turns out Jane and Frankie have a brother. I've read the first book in the series this was based on, so I remember hearing mention of him, but I didn't remember the full story (or the book never went into it). Without going into many details for those who haven't seen the episode yet, Jane and Frankie aren't happy that Tommy's coming home. For some reason, I really enjoyed the scene where they made that clear to their parents. It's the first time we've seen a "kids vs. parents" situation, and it added a layer of realism to their familial relationship.
Then there was the actual plot of the episode, the shooter who killed an undercover cop attacks headquarters. It's hard to talk about this without giving anything away, but Maura was awesome. She really stole the show for me, but she wouldn't have been half as good without Jane there too. The whole series has been building up this sometimes-awkward friendship between Rizzoli and Isles, and there are times when I was left wondering how they could possibly be so close, but this made it obvious. When Maura was doubting herself, Jane was right there to pick her, and when Jane needed her help, Maura literally saved a life for her. The chemistry has been good between them since the beginning, but this really cemented it for me.
There were only two sticking points for me. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Frost and Korsak. They did have one or two scenes (and they do seem to be getting along much better than they did in the first episode), but they were so far on the outskirts of this episode that I actually started to miss them a little.
The other thing was Maura's tortoise. She brings it to work because it's not eating and she's worried about it (which, by the way, was kind of adorable), but it doesn't ever do anything. Normally a random prop or animal that appearance once or twice will be involved in the climax of the story somehow, but I think this was just a desire by the writers to have the tortoise come back for another episode. Which is fine, but it seemed like a loose end to me.
TNT renewed Rizzoli & Isles for a second season after only the third episode, so look for new episodes to begin again in 2011.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Angie Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Jordan Bridges, Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Chazz Palminteri, Lorraine Bracco
Summary: A savage gang that killed an undercover officer now targets Boston homicide headquarters for an attack, with Jane, Maura and Frankie Jr. trapped and fighting for survival.
Review: Wow. This season ended with a bang. Literally.
It took awhile to collect my thoughts after this episode's cliffhanger ending. It's not the most compelling cliffhanger I've ever seen, but the episode as a whole does a pretty good job of making you wish the next season would start today.
There have already been a lot of ups and downs in the ten episodes of season one. From the creepy Surgeon who almost killed Jane (twice) to Maura finding out who her real father is, the writers jam-packed the season with as many plot twists as they could fit into the approximately 7.5 hours of air time. This is a fairly common occurrence for new shows, since the cast and crew are never sure if they're going to get a second season.
This finale was a great ending to a great season. Not only was there a considerable amount of action and suspense to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, but there was also another foray into Rizzoli family politics. Turns out Jane and Frankie have a brother. I've read the first book in the series this was based on, so I remember hearing mention of him, but I didn't remember the full story (or the book never went into it). Without going into many details for those who haven't seen the episode yet, Jane and Frankie aren't happy that Tommy's coming home. For some reason, I really enjoyed the scene where they made that clear to their parents. It's the first time we've seen a "kids vs. parents" situation, and it added a layer of realism to their familial relationship.
Then there was the actual plot of the episode, the shooter who killed an undercover cop attacks headquarters. It's hard to talk about this without giving anything away, but Maura was awesome. She really stole the show for me, but she wouldn't have been half as good without Jane there too. The whole series has been building up this sometimes-awkward friendship between Rizzoli and Isles, and there are times when I was left wondering how they could possibly be so close, but this made it obvious. When Maura was doubting herself, Jane was right there to pick her, and when Jane needed her help, Maura literally saved a life for her. The chemistry has been good between them since the beginning, but this really cemented it for me.
There were only two sticking points for me. The first is that there wasn't nearly enough of Frost and Korsak. They did have one or two scenes (and they do seem to be getting along much better than they did in the first episode), but they were so far on the outskirts of this episode that I actually started to miss them a little.
The other thing was Maura's tortoise. She brings it to work because it's not eating and she's worried about it (which, by the way, was kind of adorable), but it doesn't ever do anything. Normally a random prop or animal that appearance once or twice will be involved in the climax of the story somehow, but I think this was just a desire by the writers to have the tortoise come back for another episode. Which is fine, but it seemed like a loose end to me.
TNT renewed Rizzoli & Isles for a second season after only the third episode, so look for new episodes to begin again in 2011.
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
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Nikita - Pilot
Network: CW
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines
Summary: Nikita, an assassin and former recruit seeks revenge on the Division, the secret U.S. agency that once doublecrossed her. Meanwhile, a troubled teenage girl named Alex is newly recruited to the Division and begins her training.
Review: I have to admit, I was conflicted going into this show, and my feelings aren't any clearer now that I've seen the pilot. On the one hand, a show about a renegade assassin has the potential to be excellent if done properly. On the other hand, the CW is best known for putting out shows like Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Not exactly the same kind of drama as Nikita should be.
That being said, the first episode surprised me in many different ways. It centers around two main plots: the story of Nikita, a former assassin whose mission is to destroy the group who made her that way, and the story of Alex, a teenage girl who's recruited by the Division after a robbery gone wrong. Both stories are compelling in their own way, but it's what ties them together in the final minutes of the episode that makes them most interesting.
That's not to say this show isn't without it's problems. The script is weak; there's no way to sugarcoat that. It's not a dialogue-heavy show to begin with, but what little the characters do say is wholly unremarkable. There's a lot of exposition in this first episode. While that's obviously important for a pilot, there are better ways to explain what's going on than to have otherwise inconsequential character sit down and talk about everything. A good show (or book, for that matter) shows the audience what they need to know; it doesn't tell them. Nikita tells.
The effects and the fight scenes fall on the positive side for now. I was surprised how much blood there was for a CW show, but Nikita doesn't get overly messy. There's enough to remind the audience that this is a show about assassins, but not enough that you can't eat a meal while watching it.
The characters are weaker than they should be right now, but they have the potential to grow into something good if they're developed properly. Nikita is obviously the most developed so far, and I found I was sympathetic to her, even if I'm not quite sure I like her yet. Alex and Michael both show signs of being fairly interesting, and I'm even hoping to see more of the computer technician that Nikita kidnapped for information.
If you like a good action series with a halfway decent plot, give this show a try. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will grow as a series in the coming weeks.
Rating:[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines
Summary: Nikita, an assassin and former recruit seeks revenge on the Division, the secret U.S. agency that once doublecrossed her. Meanwhile, a troubled teenage girl named Alex is newly recruited to the Division and begins her training.
Review: I have to admit, I was conflicted going into this show, and my feelings aren't any clearer now that I've seen the pilot. On the one hand, a show about a renegade assassin has the potential to be excellent if done properly. On the other hand, the CW is best known for putting out shows like Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Not exactly the same kind of drama as Nikita should be.
That being said, the first episode surprised me in many different ways. It centers around two main plots: the story of Nikita, a former assassin whose mission is to destroy the group who made her that way, and the story of Alex, a teenage girl who's recruited by the Division after a robbery gone wrong. Both stories are compelling in their own way, but it's what ties them together in the final minutes of the episode that makes them most interesting.
That's not to say this show isn't without it's problems. The script is weak; there's no way to sugarcoat that. It's not a dialogue-heavy show to begin with, but what little the characters do say is wholly unremarkable. There's a lot of exposition in this first episode. While that's obviously important for a pilot, there are better ways to explain what's going on than to have otherwise inconsequential character sit down and talk about everything. A good show (or book, for that matter) shows the audience what they need to know; it doesn't tell them. Nikita tells.
The effects and the fight scenes fall on the positive side for now. I was surprised how much blood there was for a CW show, but Nikita doesn't get overly messy. There's enough to remind the audience that this is a show about assassins, but not enough that you can't eat a meal while watching it.
The characters are weaker than they should be right now, but they have the potential to grow into something good if they're developed properly. Nikita is obviously the most developed so far, and I found I was sympathetic to her, even if I'm not quite sure I like her yet. Alex and Michael both show signs of being fairly interesting, and I'm even hoping to see more of the computer technician that Nikita kidnapped for information.
If you like a good action series with a halfway decent plot, give this show a try. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will grow as a series in the coming weeks.
Rating:[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
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.
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