I didn't review last week's fall premiere because the episode contained the worst parts of the show, basically anything to do with Jai. Normally, a show might retool things that didn't work in the first season, cutting them out entirely or radically changing them. Covert Affairs, however, doubles down: more Jai, this time with a different job within the CIA.
"Uberlin" places Jai off to the side and instead focus on Arthur's past. He and Joan have been underdeveloped, so it was good that we got lots of backstory on him as well as seeing him doing spy world. While this will certainly not be a normal occurrence, Arthur was a lot cooler than he's been and worked well with Annie.
For the second week in a row, Covert Affairs was partially shot on location. There's really a marked difference seeing the real Venice and real Berlin compared to the lame green screen we usually have to see. Unfortunately, the show doesn't have the budget to fly all around the world, so we probably won't get another episode like this for a while.
Score: 8.8/10
Showing posts with label Covert Affairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Covert Affairs. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 10 World Leader Pretend
"World Leader Pretend" is the summer finale, and if there is one thing that's clear, it's that the writers are struggling to juggle the characters outside of Annie and Auggie. The main plot could easily stand on its own and it's quite good, considering the general staleness of the plots this season. While Annie attempts to open up to her sister about her real profession, she gets a Chinese scientist into US custody, only to find out that his friend betrayed him. It doesn't exactly parallel Annie's situation, but it highlights the precariousness of the profession and the danger of trusting people.
Then there's everything else in the episode. Annie's generic, boring boyfriend we know little about. Well, he's gone. Jai's upset about his role yet again and Joan ships him off. Arthur puts a random State Department tool in his place. All these things barely factor into the plot for starters, and they aren't interesting either. But the scenes keep coming and detract from what actually matters, and they leave me scratching my head every time. Hopefully the writers can get it together when the show returns.
Score: 8.4/10
Then there's everything else in the episode. Annie's generic, boring boyfriend we know little about. Well, he's gone. Jai's upset about his role yet again and Joan ships him off. Arthur puts a random State Department tool in his place. All these things barely factor into the plot for starters, and they aren't interesting either. But the scenes keep coming and detract from what actually matters, and they leave me scratching my head every time. Hopefully the writers can get it together when the show returns.
Score: 8.4/10
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 9 Sad Professor
Danielle is one part of Covert Affairs which never fit. Her character is primarily used to be extra stress on Annie every once in a while, but nothing she's ever done is crucial. I reckon the show, and people's reaction to it, would largely be the same if Annie were living by herself and Danielle was never around. But Danielle is used effectively, as the theme of the episode was how CIA operatives deal with lying to their loved ones. Across all levels--with Annie, with the widow, and with Auggie--we get a good sense just how hard is for everyone involved.
On the other hands, Jai remains a useless character who definitely could have been excised from the show long ago. The stuff with Liza Hearn and his father was a start, but it went back to the norm this week, with Jai hooking up with a girl to copy her cell phone data. After one and a half seasons, the writers are still putting Jai into episodes and then giving him nothing or little to do. At least Danielle isn't in every episode. Still, the episode was very solid despite the hiccups, the episode ends with Annie debating whether to tell her sister truth!
Score: 8.7/10
On the other hands, Jai remains a useless character who definitely could have been excised from the show long ago. The stuff with Liza Hearn and his father was a start, but it went back to the norm this week, with Jai hooking up with a girl to copy her cell phone data. After one and a half seasons, the writers are still putting Jai into episodes and then giving him nothing or little to do. At least Danielle isn't in every episode. Still, the episode was very solid despite the hiccups, the episode ends with Annie debating whether to tell her sister truth!
Score: 8.7/10
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 8 Welcome to the Occupation
"Welcome to the Occupation" has a solid plot, both Joan and Ben tagging along with Annie. This makes for some more meaningful scenes, as we're usually treated to Annie and a random person who never shows up again. The hostage situation was tense and far more enjoyable than the usual running around plot.
However, Covert Affairs remains inept at things beyond the A-plot, with two subplots that either shouldn't have been there or should have been buffed. Annie's doctor boyfriend better turn out to be an undercover agent or something, because his scenes were beyond terrible. So generic and bland. And Henry Wilcox is revealed to be Liza Hearn's mole. Maybe Jai will have more to do now?
Score: 8.7/10
However, Covert Affairs remains inept at things beyond the A-plot, with two subplots that either shouldn't have been there or should have been buffed. Annie's doctor boyfriend better turn out to be an undercover agent or something, because his scenes were beyond terrible. So generic and bland. And Henry Wilcox is revealed to be Liza Hearn's mole. Maybe Jai will have more to do now?
Score: 8.7/10
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 7 Half a World Away
For all the lame attempts to recreate exotic locales with green screen, Covert Affairs came through in a big way, shooting on location in Istanbul. Director Félix Alcalá makes full use of the scenery, and really immersed the viewer in the setting. It's clear the episode cost a lot of money to make, and it turned out great.
Also helping is that "Half a World Away" is an Auggie episode, with Annie off to the side for the first time. Auggie is the most charming character on the show, so more of him is always good and the episode filled in the blanks of his past.
The plot is muddled, and after thinking about this for a while it barely makes any sense. Here are the facts. While in Iraq, Auggie and his team were sent to kill a man named Khani. The operation hits a snag (what did they expect, driving a single Humvee and parking it right in front of the safehouse?), but Auggie manages to kill the man who is supposedly Khani, confirmed by a photo. But then the translator, Nasir, radios about a trap and throws an explosive under the Humvee. It blows up, blinding Auggie.
In the present time, Auggie hears a voice on the recording--Khani's voice--implying that Nasir was actually Khani. Indeed, the person Auggie is tracking in Istanbul is Nasir, not the supposed Khani from the photo. Annie also visits Khani's sister, implying that the government somehow knew afterwards that Nasir was Khani after all. Basically, the intelligence before the raid was all wrong--that the man in the photo was either a random person or a decoy, and the real Khani was their translator Nasir. After the raid, the government somehow pieced together the information and Nasir became Khani and found Nasir/Khani's sister.
Here's where things fall apart: Auggie recognizes Nasir/Khani by his voice, implying that he believed that Nasir/Khani died in the blast, or else why would he have Annie check to see if Khani was dead? At that point, did Auggie believe the Khani in the photo--the one he shot dead--was the right Khani? Was Auggie briefed about Nasir/Khani after the raid?
We have a semblance of what happened--betrayal, the loss of a team, loss of eyesight--which fuels the pain and vengeance in the episode, but the plot really needed more explaining. Although I'm usually not a stickler for plot holes, this one got to me because it made no sense and the writers didn't even try to rectify the problems by throwing in a few lines of dialogue at the end that could have clarified the situation. Still, very strong episode minus the plot holes and of course Rebecca Mader. :)
Score: 8.8/10
Also helping is that "Half a World Away" is an Auggie episode, with Annie off to the side for the first time. Auggie is the most charming character on the show, so more of him is always good and the episode filled in the blanks of his past.
The plot is muddled, and after thinking about this for a while it barely makes any sense. Here are the facts. While in Iraq, Auggie and his team were sent to kill a man named Khani. The operation hits a snag (what did they expect, driving a single Humvee and parking it right in front of the safehouse?), but Auggie manages to kill the man who is supposedly Khani, confirmed by a photo. But then the translator, Nasir, radios about a trap and throws an explosive under the Humvee. It blows up, blinding Auggie.
In the present time, Auggie hears a voice on the recording--Khani's voice--implying that Nasir was actually Khani. Indeed, the person Auggie is tracking in Istanbul is Nasir, not the supposed Khani from the photo. Annie also visits Khani's sister, implying that the government somehow knew afterwards that Nasir was Khani after all. Basically, the intelligence before the raid was all wrong--that the man in the photo was either a random person or a decoy, and the real Khani was their translator Nasir. After the raid, the government somehow pieced together the information and Nasir became Khani and found Nasir/Khani's sister.
Here's where things fall apart: Auggie recognizes Nasir/Khani by his voice, implying that he believed that Nasir/Khani died in the blast, or else why would he have Annie check to see if Khani was dead? At that point, did Auggie believe the Khani in the photo--the one he shot dead--was the right Khani? Was Auggie briefed about Nasir/Khani after the raid?
We have a semblance of what happened--betrayal, the loss of a team, loss of eyesight--which fuels the pain and vengeance in the episode, but the plot really needed more explaining. Although I'm usually not a stickler for plot holes, this one got to me because it made no sense and the writers didn't even try to rectify the problems by throwing in a few lines of dialogue at the end that could have clarified the situation. Still, very strong episode minus the plot holes and of course Rebecca Mader. :)
Score: 8.8/10
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 6 The Outsiders
I'm glad that Reva stuck around longer since she actually got to know Annie fairly well in last week's episode. That's the only thing notable about "The Outsiders," an episode featuring a standard capture by a foreign country before an escape. Annie and Reva argue a bit, but Annie comes out on top like she always does and her plan works.
Score: 8.1/10
Score: 8.1/10
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 5 Around the Sun
Covert Affairs showed off its inability to construct a satisfying arc, ending the two new developments from last week's episode quickly and without anything dramatic. After one episode on his new job, Auggie returns to the DPD, Reva is displaced, and nothing changes. Other than some brief moments when Annie wants him back, this plot development was completely pointless. Similarly, after more than a season of mounting pressures against Arthur, the lawyer he gets turns a miracle and gets the hearing called off. So much for that... I don't understand why the writers would included these seemingly significant events if there's not any payoff or forward momentum with them.
The case for "Around the Sun" was fairly enjoyable with a larger than normal bag of cliches. There's Reva, the techie who hyper-rationalizes everything, the silly part about FARC getting to a teenager, but the main plot isn't too bad in the end. Annie befriends Reva who isn't as tedious as her first few lines indicated, and Jai even got to do something active for once.
Score: 8.3/10
The case for "Around the Sun" was fairly enjoyable with a larger than normal bag of cliches. There's Reva, the techie who hyper-rationalizes everything, the silly part about FARC getting to a teenager, but the main plot isn't too bad in the end. Annie befriends Reva who isn't as tedious as her first few lines indicated, and Jai even got to do something active for once.
Score: 8.3/10
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Epiode 4 All the Right Friends
"All the Right Friends" could have been a good episode given the premise. Annie is trapped in Argentina with an asset she needs to protect and an assassin chasing them. It works for a while until you realize the episode has actually become Annie and the super-annoying Italian guy who constantly talks nonsense. But in the end, the Italian guy is safe and out of Annie's life.
Back at the CIA, Auggie is offered a job by Arthur to become one of the public faces of the CIA. Obviously, this is a PR ploy since the blind guy would get lots of sympathy, but it is also a big advancement. We'll see what happens next week and whether Auggie takes the job. My guess is that he will be back where he is right now at the end of the season, but may take the job offer and spend a few episodes there.
Score: 7.4/10
Back at the CIA, Auggie is offered a job by Arthur to become one of the public faces of the CIA. Obviously, this is a PR ploy since the blind guy would get lots of sympathy, but it is also a big advancement. We'll see what happens next week and whether Auggie takes the job. My guess is that he will be back where he is right now at the end of the season, but may take the job offer and spend a few episodes there.
Score: 7.4/10
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 3 Bang and Blame
Last week, I talked about how the first two episodes of the second season didn't have the fish out of water feeling of the first season and how that was a big reason why I enjoyed the first season. "Bang and Blame" partially regains this by sending Annie back to the Farm to complete her gun training (finally!) and catch whomever is leaking names of recruits. The plot is perfunctory as always, culminating in Annie catching a line of dialogue one of the recruits says and having a lame midair fight. But it does give us some reflection on her time on the Farm and the life there. Best of all, Auggie shows up and is awesome as always.
The writers haphazardly throw in a new love interest for Annie, a doctor Annie meets while bringing her niece to the hospital. Annie decides to follow the instructors advice and go ahead with her personal life. It's all very random, framing the episode at the beginning and the end, without any chance to learn anything about him. I thought there was something fishy about the doctor, but we'll learn soon enough.
Score: 8.5/10
The writers haphazardly throw in a new love interest for Annie, a doctor Annie meets while bringing her niece to the hospital. Annie decides to follow the instructors advice and go ahead with her personal life. It's all very random, framing the episode at the beginning and the end, without any chance to learn anything about him. I thought there was something fishy about the doctor, but we'll learn soon enough.
Score: 8.5/10
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 2 Good Advices
A big reason why I liked the first season of Covert Affairs is that it had the sheen of newness. Annie Walker just joined the CIA and didn't have a good grasp on the whole place. She grew through the season, but was still flustered at times and trying to figure out who she was.
"Good Advices," however, is about as straightforward as an episode gets. She goes to Paris, competes with the Eyal, the Mossad agent from last season, for information from a woman, plays spy games with him, and they eventually save each other from harm. The interaction is cute enough, but there's really not enough meat on the episode to say anything more. I guess you can say that Eyal taught her to open herself up, which see does in telling her sister she actually went to Paris, but it seemed more throwaway than anything else.
The other plot is Joan forced into jury duty and Auggie being left in the charge, over Jai's objections. Nothing much comes of it. Joan angers the judge by using her cell phone and is about to become a jury member before making a simple text and getting out. Auggie holds the fort and nothing bad happens, and there is little tension with Jai either.
One last thing, give Annie a gun already!
Score: 8.0/10
"Good Advices," however, is about as straightforward as an episode gets. She goes to Paris, competes with the Eyal, the Mossad agent from last season, for information from a woman, plays spy games with him, and they eventually save each other from harm. The interaction is cute enough, but there's really not enough meat on the episode to say anything more. I guess you can say that Eyal taught her to open herself up, which see does in telling her sister she actually went to Paris, but it seemed more throwaway than anything else.
The other plot is Joan forced into jury duty and Auggie being left in the charge, over Jai's objections. Nothing much comes of it. Joan angers the judge by using her cell phone and is about to become a jury member before making a simple text and getting out. Auggie holds the fort and nothing bad happens, and there is little tension with Jai either.
One last thing, give Annie a gun already!
Score: 8.0/10
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Review - Covert Affairs Season 2 Episode 1 Begin the Begin
When "Begin the Begin" started, I wracked my brain to remember what had happened at the end of the last season. I know I watched every episode, knew generally who Ben was, but I couldn't remember any specifics about the last episode or what precipitated the dramatic opening scene. After reading my review of the first season finale, I vaguely remember what happened. The point being, the serialized parts of Covert Affairs don't really work, and the rest of the episode backs this up.
While the episode tries its hardest to play up Annie's personal life with Ben being safe, the whole package doesn't quite work. Ben is still in two modes, either in love with Annie or super-cryptic, making him seem very inhuman. That portion of the show is completely detached from Annie and Auggie, which is by far the more enjoyable part of the episode. But with all the Ben, Joan, and Arthur stuff, the plot is paper thin, explained in a flurry of activity before culminating in a car chase.
At the end of the episode, Ben goes missing again and Annie is left to pine for him. But does anyone care?
Score: 8.0/10
While the episode tries its hardest to play up Annie's personal life with Ben being safe, the whole package doesn't quite work. Ben is still in two modes, either in love with Annie or super-cryptic, making him seem very inhuman. That portion of the show is completely detached from Annie and Auggie, which is by far the more enjoyable part of the episode. But with all the Ben, Joan, and Arthur stuff, the plot is paper thin, explained in a flurry of activity before culminating in a car chase.
At the end of the episode, Ben goes missing again and Annie is left to pine for him. But does anyone care?
Score: 8.0/10
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 11 When the Levee Breaks
The first season of Covert Affairs ends with Ben Mercer, the thorn in the CIA's side and Annie's Sri Lanka hook-up, coming in the open to save a professor whom he saved years earlier which prompted his quick departure from Annie. "When the Levee Breaks" was entertaining, and had a really cool fight at the top of a building, but it seemed like the episode was more devoted to setting up for the second season than providing a solid plot and character development.
Annie and Ben return to the location of their first encounter in Sri Lanka, and rekindle their relationship before their lead doesn't pan out. Before Annie leaves, however, see realizes that Ben actually knows where the professor is, and she sees him taking a wad of cash and the professor. There's a big fight and before Ben boards the helicopter, he's shot several times. My first thought is that he's dead, but we'll see.
The most frustrating part about Ben is that he never tells anyone anything, using generic statements about the greater good or that it's complicated to explain everything, even when in a dangerous situation. Why doesn't he come clean and spill the entire story? How about just telling Annie? And the fact that we know next to nothing about him, other than that he occasionally works contrary to the CIA, lifts the burden from the writers to explain Ben's behavior. They don't have to explain anything to cover up the plot holes, because we know nothing in the first place.
We also learn that Liza Hearn's source is Henry Wilcox, and that she has a devastating article which was destroy Arthur. Already Joan is a frontunner for Arthur's position, so what may come out into the open must be pretty bad. But I have a hard time imagining what would be harmful to Arthur. The CIA has done plenty of crazy things in the past without so much as a blink of an eye.
Score: 8.6/10
Annie and Ben return to the location of their first encounter in Sri Lanka, and rekindle their relationship before their lead doesn't pan out. Before Annie leaves, however, see realizes that Ben actually knows where the professor is, and she sees him taking a wad of cash and the professor. There's a big fight and before Ben boards the helicopter, he's shot several times. My first thought is that he's dead, but we'll see.
The most frustrating part about Ben is that he never tells anyone anything, using generic statements about the greater good or that it's complicated to explain everything, even when in a dangerous situation. Why doesn't he come clean and spill the entire story? How about just telling Annie? And the fact that we know next to nothing about him, other than that he occasionally works contrary to the CIA, lifts the burden from the writers to explain Ben's behavior. They don't have to explain anything to cover up the plot holes, because we know nothing in the first place.
We also learn that Liza Hearn's source is Henry Wilcox, and that she has a devastating article which was destroy Arthur. Already Joan is a frontunner for Arthur's position, so what may come out into the open must be pretty bad. But I have a hard time imagining what would be harmful to Arthur. The CIA has done plenty of crazy things in the past without so much as a blink of an eye.
Score: 8.6/10
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 10 I Can't Quit You Baby
Coming right before the season finale, "I Can't Quit You Baby" is a low-key episode that is presentable, but ultimately a waste of time. Instead of a cliffhanger to tease the finale, we get an predictable plot which could have gone anywhere in the season. Annie infiltrates a smuggling ring, befriends her target, learns the target is a good person, and the CIA swoops in to save the day. And the equally banal subplot: Auggie saves the day for Annie's niece and classmates at the Smithsonian.
The only thing learned is that Henry Wilcox plays loose with people's lives, and that Henry dislikes Arthur much more than Arthur dislikes him, neither of which are compelling developments.
Score: 7.9/10
The only thing learned is that Henry Wilcox plays loose with people's lives, and that Henry dislikes Arthur much more than Arthur dislikes him, neither of which are compelling developments.
Score: 7.9/10
Friday, September 10, 2010
Preview of Week 9/12/10 - 9/18/10
I'll be gone from Saturday to Tuesday, so I'm posting this early. That also means I probably won't be able to review the finales of True Blood, The Closer, Lie to Me, and every other show airing in the four days. I'll try my hardest to watch a few episodes and write a few reviews, but don't count on it.
True Blood - HBO, Sunday, September 12, 9:00pm ET
The third season of True Blood has largely been a disappointment to me. Sure Denis O'Hare has been electric, but the Bon Temps stories, which take up good part of each episode, have been a train wreck since the beginning. Without the action centered around the townsfolk, I have no desire to see what boring thing they're up to each week.
Lie to Me - Fox, Monday, September 13, 9:00pm ET
It's weird that the 22-episode season ends in September, right before all the other shows come back and then Lie to Me returns in November with another 13 episodes, but that's the way Fox wants to play it given their lack of 10pm programming. From the description of the season finale, it doesn't look like the episode was be anything special, but we'll see.
The Closer - TNT, Monday, September 13, 9:00pm ET
Will Brenda become Chief of Police? Will she withdraw? Honestly, I don't care and she won't get the position for creative purposes. Without Brenda in the interrogation room, there's hardly any show left, meaning she can't be Chief.
Covert Affairs - USA, Tuesday, September 14, 9:00pm ET
The first season of Covert Affairs ends with two episodes, filling the slot usually occupied by White Collar. As is expected of all USA shows, the last episode will be the culmination of the ongoing thread, in this case, the mystery behind Ben. I'm very interesting in seeing how the writers explain Ben's decisions and how if they are willing to make some key characters like Arhur and Jai look like bad guys.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - FX, Wednesday, September 15, 10:00pm ET
Wild, reckless, and somehow funny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia returns for its sixth season.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Cartoon Network, Friday, September 17, 9:00pm ET
Yeah, I like a cartoon for kids. It's actually not a bad show to watch if you're doing something else since the plots are absurdly simple.
True Blood - HBO, Sunday, September 12, 9:00pm ET
The third season of True Blood has largely been a disappointment to me. Sure Denis O'Hare has been electric, but the Bon Temps stories, which take up good part of each episode, have been a train wreck since the beginning. Without the action centered around the townsfolk, I have no desire to see what boring thing they're up to each week.
Lie to Me - Fox, Monday, September 13, 9:00pm ET
It's weird that the 22-episode season ends in September, right before all the other shows come back and then Lie to Me returns in November with another 13 episodes, but that's the way Fox wants to play it given their lack of 10pm programming. From the description of the season finale, it doesn't look like the episode was be anything special, but we'll see.
The Closer - TNT, Monday, September 13, 9:00pm ET
Will Brenda become Chief of Police? Will she withdraw? Honestly, I don't care and she won't get the position for creative purposes. Without Brenda in the interrogation room, there's hardly any show left, meaning she can't be Chief.
Covert Affairs - USA, Tuesday, September 14, 9:00pm ET
The first season of Covert Affairs ends with two episodes, filling the slot usually occupied by White Collar. As is expected of all USA shows, the last episode will be the culmination of the ongoing thread, in this case, the mystery behind Ben. I'm very interesting in seeing how the writers explain Ben's decisions and how if they are willing to make some key characters like Arhur and Jai look like bad guys.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - FX, Wednesday, September 15, 10:00pm ET
Wild, reckless, and somehow funny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia returns for its sixth season.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Cartoon Network, Friday, September 17, 9:00pm ET
Yeah, I like a cartoon for kids. It's actually not a bad show to watch if you're doing something else since the plots are absurdly simple.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 9 Fool in the Rain
Covert Affairs is becoming a rival to Chuck for the title as most ludicrous portrayal of the CIA on television. Annie never has a gun when she needs one and her fighting skills need a big improvement, and she continues to go up against better armed, better trained attackers. And somehow, the CIA lets her find an Iranian dissident while she's on vacation with her sister. What's wrong with these people!
Anne Dudek doesn't have significant role on the show, and she's unlikely to until Danielle becomes a spy, which will never happen. She is featured much more this week than in previous episodes, but Danielle looks like a total fool in "Fool in the Rain," believing Annie's story about meeting Johnny for the Smithsonian and never questioning anything.
Despite all these flaws, Covert Affairs is the USA show I look forward to the most each week. Maybe it's because the show only has nine episodes, but the feel of the show is fresh and enjoyable. Piper Perabo is good in all areas, and has remarkable chemistry with all the guests, including Mousa Kraish who played Johnny.
There was a bit of overall plot advancement as well, coming a week before next week's two-hour season finale. Through a series of flashbacks, Annie realizes that Ben was meeting Jai while they were in Sri Lanka, a revelation sure to change things up at the office. Auggie's relationship with Liza, meanwhile, is uncovered by Arthur, but Auggie isn't reprimanded. In fact, he's tasked by Arthur to draw her source out, but either the source doesn't take the bait, Liza is hiding the truth, or her source truly isn't one of the 17, and she knows Auggie is playing her.
Score: 8.7/10
Anne Dudek doesn't have significant role on the show, and she's unlikely to until Danielle becomes a spy, which will never happen. She is featured much more this week than in previous episodes, but Danielle looks like a total fool in "Fool in the Rain," believing Annie's story about meeting Johnny for the Smithsonian and never questioning anything.
Despite all these flaws, Covert Affairs is the USA show I look forward to the most each week. Maybe it's because the show only has nine episodes, but the feel of the show is fresh and enjoyable. Piper Perabo is good in all areas, and has remarkable chemistry with all the guests, including Mousa Kraish who played Johnny.
There was a bit of overall plot advancement as well, coming a week before next week's two-hour season finale. Through a series of flashbacks, Annie realizes that Ben was meeting Jai while they were in Sri Lanka, a revelation sure to change things up at the office. Auggie's relationship with Liza, meanwhile, is uncovered by Arthur, but Auggie isn't reprimanded. In fact, he's tasked by Arthur to draw her source out, but either the source doesn't take the bait, Liza is hiding the truth, or her source truly isn't one of the 17, and she knows Auggie is playing her.
Score: 8.7/10
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 9 What Is and What Should Never Be
Despite the clever structure in the first half of the episode and the cool action scenes, Ben's return in "What Is and What Should Never Be" proved to be very troublesome to the overall mythology and undercut the possibility of it becoming a great episode. For a while, I was thinking that "Fool in the Rain" would be a game-breaker both in quality and direction of the show.
The balance between standalone and mythology plots has been adequate so far, as Ben has had about 5 seconds of screen time. His re-entrance into Annie's life, however, is riddled with plot holes and questions which are unlikely to be answered.
Why does Ben pop in and then leave for the rest of the episode? Why is he so cryptic? Is there anything wrong with telling Annie everything? How did he get into Annie's house without the CIA noticing? Why is the CIA so inept? To catch Ben, all they had to do is put 24/7 surveillance on Annie.
"What Is and What Should Never Be" also featured more of Joan and Jai than usual, and reinforced what I already thought of them--they're boring. Joan wants to protect her agents, but has to go with the Agency and her husband's agenda. Jai is a pretty sleazy guy who Annie likes, but is under orders to get close to her.
Score: 8.9/10
The balance between standalone and mythology plots has been adequate so far, as Ben has had about 5 seconds of screen time. His re-entrance into Annie's life, however, is riddled with plot holes and questions which are unlikely to be answered.
Why does Ben pop in and then leave for the rest of the episode? Why is he so cryptic? Is there anything wrong with telling Annie everything? How did he get into Annie's house without the CIA noticing? Why is the CIA so inept? To catch Ben, all they had to do is put 24/7 surveillance on Annie.
"What Is and What Should Never Be" also featured more of Joan and Jai than usual, and reinforced what I already thought of them--they're boring. Joan wants to protect her agents, but has to go with the Agency and her husband's agenda. Jai is a pretty sleazy guy who Annie likes, but is under orders to get close to her.
Score: 8.9/10
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Preview of Week 8/29/10 - 9/04/10
True Blood - HBO, Sunday, August 29, 9:00pm ET
The second to last episode of the season is here and hopefully it's a lot more interesting than last week's episode. The description of the episode, however, doesn't indicate anything exciting will happen, but we'll see.
Mad Men - AMC, Sunday, August 29, 10:00pm ET
The episode description is a bare, "Peggy clashes with her new creative partner; Don pitches under unusual circumstances." Hopefully, that means Betty doesn't show up.
Covert Affairs - USA, Tuesday, September 1, 10:00pm ET
It looks like Ben returns and Annie finally meets up with him again. Will we learn what Ben's up to? How will Annie react?
The second to last episode of the season is here and hopefully it's a lot more interesting than last week's episode. The description of the episode, however, doesn't indicate anything exciting will happen, but we'll see.
Mad Men - AMC, Sunday, August 29, 10:00pm ET
The episode description is a bare, "Peggy clashes with her new creative partner; Don pitches under unusual circumstances." Hopefully, that means Betty doesn't show up.
Covert Affairs - USA, Tuesday, September 1, 10:00pm ET
It looks like Ben returns and Annie finally meets up with him again. Will we learn what Ben's up to? How will Annie react?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 7 Communication Breakdown
Covert Affairs tries to toe the line between having pristine, infallible characters, as all USA shows do, and having morally ambiguous characters, as other respected dramas. So it's hard for an episode to dig deep into a moral quandary when the writers need to maintain a sunny sheen to the show.
With "Communication Breakdown," an Auggie-centric episode, the writers tried to put some mystery into Auggie's character by having him run off with a Russian hacker ex-girlfriend while Annie and Jai give chase. Annie acts like the instigator for every inquiry into CIA practices, almost to the point where you wonder if she's been living under a rock her whole life. For all her foreign language skills, it's hard to buy that Annie has little or no knowledge of 20th century American foreign policy.
Still, Christopher Gorham was great at giving Auggie additional character depth, despite us knowing he wouldn't do anything wrong, which made the episode work to a certain extent. It was a less plot-intensive episode, so we really got the focus needed on Augie (though I didn't mind for Natasha).
Annie's home life, the weak link in the show, is the one sore spot in the show that sticks out every week. The issues between her and her sister are nonexistent, so something has to be manufactured artificially and then resolved artificially.
Score: 8.5/10
With "Communication Breakdown," an Auggie-centric episode, the writers tried to put some mystery into Auggie's character by having him run off with a Russian hacker ex-girlfriend while Annie and Jai give chase. Annie acts like the instigator for every inquiry into CIA practices, almost to the point where you wonder if she's been living under a rock her whole life. For all her foreign language skills, it's hard to buy that Annie has little or no knowledge of 20th century American foreign policy.
Still, Christopher Gorham was great at giving Auggie additional character depth, despite us knowing he wouldn't do anything wrong, which made the episode work to a certain extent. It was a less plot-intensive episode, so we really got the focus needed on Augie (though I didn't mind for Natasha).
Annie's home life, the weak link in the show, is the one sore spot in the show that sticks out every week. The issues between her and her sister are nonexistent, so something has to be manufactured artificially and then resolved artificially.
Score: 8.5/10
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 6 Houses of the Holy
If Covert Affairs can come up with episodes like "Houses of the Holy," a bottom to middle level episode in comparison to the others, it should be fine in the long run. It was filled with cliches of a cheating Senator, traitorous wife, and Chief of Staff caught in the crossfire, but the essentials of what makes the show good were still there.
Annie's family life is the weakest part of the show and I'm not sure if it's even necessary. This week, Annie finds her brother-in-law not at work where his is supposed to be, and suspects cheating, as the Senator cheating got her mind churning. In the end, he tells Annie that he lost his Job and later tells Danielle. I'm still not caring much, but we'll see if it gets better.
Score: 8.5/10
Annie's family life is the weakest part of the show and I'm not sure if it's even necessary. This week, Annie finds her brother-in-law not at work where his is supposed to be, and suspects cheating, as the Senator cheating got her mind churning. In the end, he tells Annie that he lost his Job and later tells Danielle. I'm still not caring much, but we'll see if it gets better.
Score: 8.5/10
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Review - Covert Affairs Season 1 Episode 5 In the Light
For the sake of a narrative, Annie is not only a newbie in the CIA, but also terribly naive. She really had no idea the CIA does dirty things all the time. But it goes in part with her bright-eyed, fresh-faced approach to everything, so we have to accept that she'll learn the truth as the series progresses.
Annie learned the hard way this week when she is sent to bring Christopher Mcauley (Eriq La Salle) back to help find an arms dealer named Hassan heading for the US, discovering that Hassan was once funded by the CIA before turning on them. And the final kicker for Annie is that the CIA is getting Hassan themselves, not the FBI to put in prison.
Ben Mercer reentered the picture to kill Hassan and catches a brief glimpse of Annie, who doesn't see him, before dashing off. What's his game? It seems like his just a thorn in the side of the CIA. Jai finally served a purpose, playing his biggest role in the show thus far. He's not a bad guy, but knows the dark side of the CIA intimately and has the task to seduce Annie.
"In the Light" was another very solid episode and I'm looking forward to see what happens.
Score: 8.9/10
Annie learned the hard way this week when she is sent to bring Christopher Mcauley (Eriq La Salle) back to help find an arms dealer named Hassan heading for the US, discovering that Hassan was once funded by the CIA before turning on them. And the final kicker for Annie is that the CIA is getting Hassan themselves, not the FBI to put in prison.
Ben Mercer reentered the picture to kill Hassan and catches a brief glimpse of Annie, who doesn't see him, before dashing off. What's his game? It seems like his just a thorn in the side of the CIA. Jai finally served a purpose, playing his biggest role in the show thus far. He's not a bad guy, but knows the dark side of the CIA intimately and has the task to seduce Annie.
"In the Light" was another very solid episode and I'm looking forward to see what happens.
Score: 8.9/10
