Review - The Big C Season 2 Episode 1 Losing Patients

I didn't feel like reviewing the season premiere of The Big C because I had so many misgivings about the first season, which was plagued by numerous problems. The biggest was that Cathy never told anyone about her cancer until the end of the season, so for the majority of the season, she'd act out of character, the other characters wouldn't know how to react, and everything would be awkward. And that's pretty much what first season was, someone hiding the truth for no good reason, leading to a lot of misunderstanding.

But since that silliness is over, The Big C is on much stronger ground now. Paul knows about her cancer and tries to help Cathy instead of doing whatever he was doing in the first season. It's a huge plus that Cathy can be open to someone. Even if the other parts of the show remain the same--Sean being a weirdo and Adam being lame--the show has still improved.

Score: 8.6/10

Preview of Week 11/14/10 - 11/20/10

Chuck - NBC, Monday, October 15, 8:00pm ET

The reunification of Jayne Cobb and River Tam! Do we care about anything else?

Weeds - Showtime, Monday, October 15, 10:00pm ET

The end of the awful season of Weeds is here, and with it probably the last time I watch the show. Sorry, but all the pointless running around is too much.

The Big C - Showtime, Monday, October 15, 10:30pm ET

While Weeds has gone downhill at a constant rate, The Big C has had a resurgence as of late and the season finale is actually shaping up to

NCIS - CBS, Tuesday, October 16, 8:00pm ET

Ziva's daddy is back... I don't think he'll be too happy about his daughter's current position as NCIS agent and US citizen.

Human Target - Fox, Wednesday, October 17, 8:00pm ET

Human Target hasn't aired since April (yeah, the length between seasons surprised me too). If you remember back to the season finale, Winston had been kidnapped, so we'll get a conclusion to that--most likely through a cliched rescue attempt.

Terriers - FX, Wednesday, October 17, 10:00pm ET

With only three episodes left and the ratings in the toilet, I though I'd give some promotion to Terriers. Watch it--you'll like it.

Review - The Big C Season 1 Episode 3 There's No C in Team

Please, Cathy, tell someone who cares about you! "There's No C in Team" was a rehash of the most annoying parts--Cathy radically changing her behavior while no one can figure her out--and new characters for cheap jokes--the cancer support group and Sean's girlfriend.

I want to like The Big C and the scenes where Cathy is by herself are fantastic, but the clutter surrounding her simply doesn't match up to make me want to watch intently in the future.

Score: 7.7/10

Review - The Big C Season 1 Episode 2 Summer Time

The Big C is wonderful at bringing a wide range of emotions, and Laura Linney is just incredible. However, it's hard for me to swallow the initial premise of the show. Cathy doesn't want to tell anyone about her cancer because their behavior towards will completely change. She wants to live her life to the fullest with the people acting as they usually would. But does she really expect them to hop on her drastic personality change? I don't see how she thought she didn't have to tell her family of her cancer, radically alter her lifestyle, and still expect them to be the same.

But we have to accept that she doesn't think that far ahead, and the show becomes a learning process for Cathy in dealing no only with her cancer, but also those around her.

Score: 8.5/10

Review - The Big C Season 1 Episode 1 Pilot

It's hard to judge a show like The Big C from the pilot episode. The writers have a limited time to establish a strong main character and what drives him/her. Other elements may be introduced but fall by the wayside in the large shuffle to build a narrative from the ground up in half an hour. The Big C encounters this problem and does not overcome the challenge.

Laura Linney is a force of nature in the pilot. She shows a broad spectrum of emotions and it's hard not to fall in love with her in the first 10 minutes. We see her character, Cathy, splurge on a swimming pool, give her adolescent husband Paul (Oliver Platt) and irritable son Adam (Gabriel Basso), a piece of her mind, let loose on Andrea (Gabourey Sidibe AKA Precious), telling her she can be fat and jolly or a skinny bitch (great line), before finally breaking down in the unfilled hole in her backyard along with her dog. Knowing her life is short, she spends more money than she's used to and that may be fine for the present, but the harsh reality is with her in the end.

The rest of the episode, however, doesn't come close to matching her depth The main plot point in the pilot is that though Cathy is coming to terms with her diagnosis, no one knows other than her doctor. She veils her innermost feelings--as she always has--so her behavioral changes are odd to those who know her. The other characters are nothing more than virtual sounding boards for Cathy. They talk, they interact with her differently, but in the end, it's hard to find the humanity behind them. What does Cathy see in them? What do they see in Cathy?

I watch a couple more episodes to see if more plots develop, but the pilot didn't leave me on the edge of my seat waiting for next week's episode.

Score: 8.4/10

Preview of Week 8/15/10 - 8/21/10

Mad Men - AMC, Sunday, August 15, 10:00pm ET

After last week's episode stayed stagnant on the advertising front, it looks like Lee Garner Jr. is back with more trouble.

Weeds - Showtime, Monday, August 16, 10:00pm ET

A little preview of my season premiere review.

In my estimation, Weeds has decreased in quality about 10% each season, more in the later two. The show has become a mere shell of what it once was, an incomplete, soulless arena where detestable characters have their fun amidst the ruin of society. Even Nancy, once a very likable character, has become but another hideous aberration, clawing at those around her until there is nothing left. Left behind are Silas and Shane who bear the brunt of their mother's recklessness and Andy, whose chauvinism precludes any good intentions he may have. As the plot continues to spiral out of control, Weeds hangs on a thin thread which feels like it'll snap at any moment. Continuing from last season's finale, this season's premiere ties up several threads and the Botwins move on, once again heading to a location where their past will inevitably come back to haunt them.

The Big C - Showtime, Monday, August 16, 10:30pm ET

Laura Linney's character, Cathy, has Cancer and her behavior changes radically as one would expect. The catch--which isn't fully explained--is that she hasn't told anyone yet, not her childish husband, annoying son, homeless brother, or fat, mean student. Looking at Showtime's newest addition, I'm still baffled why people think Showtime has overtaken HBO.