Wilfred is one weird, weird show. It begins, normally enough, with a guy trying to kill himself and failing. But then the meat of the premise is introduced: Ryan meets his neighbor Jenna and her dog Wilfred--who looks like man in a dog costume to Ryan, only he's actually a dog. People see Wilfred as a normal dog, but Ryan sees Wilfred as a guy in a dog suit and hears Wilfred speaking to him. It's kind of like Calvin and Hobbes in live-action form with much cruder jokes.
The weirdness is what carries the show, at least initially. I was entranced by the bizarre nature of this whole thing, how Ryan reacts to Wilfred and Wilfred's outrageous behavior which is normalized by the fact that he is a dog. Elijah Wood and Jason Gann are terrific together and it makes for an all-around good time.
I'm not quite sure about the plot, though. There's Ryan's sister Kristen who spends the episode yelling at him for being a loser, Wilfred and Ryan breaking into Spencer's house and stealing pot plants, and Wilfred pinning it on Ryan, and finally Jenna and her belief that Wilfred really likes Ryan. But we don't get much indication exactly how the plot will work through the course of the season aside from the general idea that both Wilfred and Ryan are messed up in their own ways which will drive each episode.
Score: 8.9/10
Friday, June 24, 2011
Review - Burn Notice Season 5 Episode 1 Company Man
After four seasons, Burn Notice doesn't have the spunk or allure it used to have. The overarching plot of Michael's burn notice has become a labyrinthine mess of spies, spy agencies, and whatever else in an impossibly complex system created to stretch the show out a few more seasons. Meanwhile, the action scenes no longer have the coolness to them. Explosions, car chases, gun battles, spy tricks--we've all seen it.
These problems become very evident in "Company Man," one of the weakest season premieres of the show to date. Following the seemingly huge shift at the end of the fourth season, Burn Notice had the chance to switch things up for once, which may or may not have been a good choice. Still, the alternative, what the writers choose, is lacking--a several minute long montage of how Michael and the CIA took down a bunch of people until only one called Kessler remains. Convenient, isn't it?
Well, rest of the episode is a listless procedure through the normal steps leading up the Michael finally cornering Kessler and seeing that he shot himself. There are good moments in there--Michael's Russian character and the Venezuela, some of Fi and Sam--but the plot is lacking, even in comparison to average midseason episodes. There isn't an identifiable villain (when the writers are great at creating them) and none of the spy stuff is particularly inventive.
At the end of the episode, it's unclear where the show is going. Michael is back in Miami with his friends and family, but he also has his CIA buddies. There will again be the struggle between the spy life and personal life, and it seems like Michael might be leaning on the personal side, uncovering his car after a discussion of his mother.
I want to be optimistic about this season, but given the show's progression over the years, it's hard to stay positive. Kessler appears to be the final bad guy in a long, convoluted stream of them, and there is no indication there is more. But there always seems to be more, and the CIA guys could probably be in on this also as part of something bigger. And why is Jesse staying around?
Score: 8.0/10
These problems become very evident in "Company Man," one of the weakest season premieres of the show to date. Following the seemingly huge shift at the end of the fourth season, Burn Notice had the chance to switch things up for once, which may or may not have been a good choice. Still, the alternative, what the writers choose, is lacking--a several minute long montage of how Michael and the CIA took down a bunch of people until only one called Kessler remains. Convenient, isn't it?
Well, rest of the episode is a listless procedure through the normal steps leading up the Michael finally cornering Kessler and seeing that he shot himself. There are good moments in there--Michael's Russian character and the Venezuela, some of Fi and Sam--but the plot is lacking, even in comparison to average midseason episodes. There isn't an identifiable villain (when the writers are great at creating them) and none of the spy stuff is particularly inventive.
At the end of the episode, it's unclear where the show is going. Michael is back in Miami with his friends and family, but he also has his CIA buddies. There will again be the struggle between the spy life and personal life, and it seems like Michael might be leaning on the personal side, uncovering his car after a discussion of his mother.
I want to be optimistic about this season, but given the show's progression over the years, it's hard to stay positive. Kessler appears to be the final bad guy in a long, convoluted stream of them, and there is no indication there is more. But there always seems to be more, and the CIA guys could probably be in on this also as part of something bigger. And why is Jesse staying around?
Score: 8.0/10
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Review - Combat Hospital Season 1 Episode 1 Welcome to Kandahar
Combat Hospital is a show suited for summer. It has a generic premise, doctors in a war zone, which lends itself to decent plots in the framework of a procedural. The characters and acting are nothing special, but in Kandahar, they'll always have something unique to do compared to medical dramas set in other places.
I wouldn't mind watching another episode or two if I had to, and there are probably plenty of people who can watch the show while doing something more important. But if Combat Hospital were to go up against the regular season shows, it would certainly fall behind. There's nothing about the show that really stands out or is worth caring about, and that's not enough.
Score: 7.7/10
I wouldn't mind watching another episode or two if I had to, and there are probably plenty of people who can watch the show while doing something more important. But if Combat Hospital were to go up against the regular season shows, it would certainly fall behind. There's nothing about the show that really stands out or is worth caring about, and that's not enough.
Score: 7.7/10
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
Review - White Collar Season 3 Episode 3 Deadline
After brilliant episode and another strong episode, White Collar more or less returned to its standard with "Deadline." The main plot of protecting a journalist is, unsurprisingly, not very compelling and is mostly filler for the background schemes of Neal and Mozzie trying to retrieve the list of stolen artwork, following from the end of last week's episode. This week's episode ends with similar panic, Mozzie crying out in desperation that the list is already headed to Washington D.C.
Chiefly, the thing that holds White Collar up is Peter and Neal. With Peter on the sidelines, though, the episode lacked the chemistry that makes the show watchable. Diana is good, but she just doesn't have the extra spark of Peter and Neal. And Sara... well, let's just say I could do without her.
Score: 8.3/10
Chiefly, the thing that holds White Collar up is Peter and Neal. With Peter on the sidelines, though, the episode lacked the chemistry that makes the show watchable. Diana is good, but she just doesn't have the extra spark of Peter and Neal. And Sara... well, let's just say I could do without her.
Score: 8.3/10
Review - Treme Season 2 Episode 9 What Is New Orleans?
When things seemed to be going relatively well for most characters, "What Is New Orleans?" shocks us back into reality with a series of downers before the gruesome ending. Annie and Harley are walking after a gig and are robbed at gunpoint, and Harley, unfortunately, speaks up. He receives a close-range shot to the face, The Wire-style, and is likely dead.
Harley's shooting represents the balance of New Orleans, which is excellently defined in the brief exchange between Sonny and Antoine. A raucous group runs past them and Sonny states that that's what New Orleans is. As soon as they pass, however, a group of police cars, with sirens blaring and lights flashing, pass them, and Antoine notes that that's New Orleans as well. We're instantly reminded, soon afterwards, that the crime can strike at anyone, anywhere.
For all the great music and culture of the city, there is a dark underbelly to it. The police department did not suddenly turn bad after Katrina, but its problems were brought to the top and exposed in this time of need. The corruption of city officials and greed of people like Nelson is not a new phenomenon, but something exacerbated by the glut of post-Katrina rebuilding money. While Katrina is a large force which influenced everything, it is not the defining factor of New Orleans. There was New Orleans before the storm, New Orleans after the storm, and everything still exists, the good and the bad.
This is illustrated by the exchange between Delmond and his father, who apparently is so obstinate that he believes that Africans learned to use feathers from the Indians. We begin to wonder, was he like this before Katrina? Was he changed by Katrina, perhaps in a depression? Or, like New Orleans's problems, was he already this stubborn before the storm?
Davis's musical aspirations hit a big roadblock after Lil Calliope decides to promote his own thing, a catchy dance song which upstages Davis's own song. Antoine's battle with Kermit was awesome, even if it won't have long-term ramifications. Larry finally confronts Ladonna about her apathy and ownership of the bar. At the end of the episode, he prepares to sell it, but there are still many hurdles ahead. And it's possible they may not be able to get over them.
The one thing that continues to bother me is Janette's plot. She's cooking at a new restaurant, Chang is really cool, but she's going back to New Orleans eventually, and her development this season seems stunted. It just seems like the same stuff again and again.
Score: 9.2/10
Harley's shooting represents the balance of New Orleans, which is excellently defined in the brief exchange between Sonny and Antoine. A raucous group runs past them and Sonny states that that's what New Orleans is. As soon as they pass, however, a group of police cars, with sirens blaring and lights flashing, pass them, and Antoine notes that that's New Orleans as well. We're instantly reminded, soon afterwards, that the crime can strike at anyone, anywhere.
For all the great music and culture of the city, there is a dark underbelly to it. The police department did not suddenly turn bad after Katrina, but its problems were brought to the top and exposed in this time of need. The corruption of city officials and greed of people like Nelson is not a new phenomenon, but something exacerbated by the glut of post-Katrina rebuilding money. While Katrina is a large force which influenced everything, it is not the defining factor of New Orleans. There was New Orleans before the storm, New Orleans after the storm, and everything still exists, the good and the bad.
This is illustrated by the exchange between Delmond and his father, who apparently is so obstinate that he believes that Africans learned to use feathers from the Indians. We begin to wonder, was he like this before Katrina? Was he changed by Katrina, perhaps in a depression? Or, like New Orleans's problems, was he already this stubborn before the storm?
Davis's musical aspirations hit a big roadblock after Lil Calliope decides to promote his own thing, a catchy dance song which upstages Davis's own song. Antoine's battle with Kermit was awesome, even if it won't have long-term ramifications. Larry finally confronts Ladonna about her apathy and ownership of the bar. At the end of the episode, he prepares to sell it, but there are still many hurdles ahead. And it's possible they may not be able to get over them.
The one thing that continues to bother me is Janette's plot. She's cooking at a new restaurant, Chang is really cool, but she's going back to New Orleans eventually, and her development this season seems stunted. It just seems like the same stuff again and again.
Score: 9.2/10
Review - Sanctuary Season 3 Episode 20 Into the Black
At first glance, "Into the Black" looks like an awesome episode that leads into an exciting fourth season. The episode ends on two cliffhangers which leave all the characters in difficult situations. But we also have to consider the way in which the writers handle cliffhangers. Every season ends on a cliffhanger, and there was even a cliffhanger in the middle of this season. Always, the cliffhanger suggested that the world was on the brink, and always, everything returned to normal after a while. Will this time be the same?
That said, I'm going to hold judgment on this arc until the fourth season. "Into the Black" ends in a manner that should be sufficiently thrilling for anyone. Worth's machine has destroyed Praxis, and, in turn, abnormals are coming out of Hollow Earth at an alarming rate. As Will and Henry find out at the end of the episode, there are several invasion forces with thousands of abnormals. Meanwhile, Magnus and John head into Hollow Earth to find Worth, kept alive by John for a second time. He's created a rift and is trying to go back in time to the year his daughter died. At the end of the episode, Worth succeeds, but Magnus follows him and ends up in the past.
I have problems with the episode, though, specifically the use of Edge. From the promos, it seemed like Syfy really wanted him to get exposure so more people would watch. It also meant that he had a lot to do in the episode, antagonizing people and almost killing Will. However, his character is badly developed and hardly critical to the episode, other than providing a distraction, that a large part of the episode is wasted on him.
Score: 8.7/10
That said, I'm going to hold judgment on this arc until the fourth season. "Into the Black" ends in a manner that should be sufficiently thrilling for anyone. Worth's machine has destroyed Praxis, and, in turn, abnormals are coming out of Hollow Earth at an alarming rate. As Will and Henry find out at the end of the episode, there are several invasion forces with thousands of abnormals. Meanwhile, Magnus and John head into Hollow Earth to find Worth, kept alive by John for a second time. He's created a rift and is trying to go back in time to the year his daughter died. At the end of the episode, Worth succeeds, but Magnus follows him and ends up in the past.
I have problems with the episode, though, specifically the use of Edge. From the promos, it seemed like Syfy really wanted him to get exposure so more people would watch. It also meant that he had a lot to do in the episode, antagonizing people and almost killing Will. However, his character is badly developed and hardly critical to the episode, other than providing a distraction, that a large part of the episode is wasted on him.
Score: 8.7/10
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Review - Falling Skies Season 1 Episode 1 Live and Learn / 2 The Armory
For what it's worth, the strongest thing about Falling Skies is its premise. The aliens have arrived, attacked, and the world is in shambles. Unlike recent alien invasion dramas, V and The Event, there is no turning back. The characters are in a shit hole and don't have numerous tools are their disposal to bypass plot holes. Compared to the languorous plots of the recent alien invasions, Falling Skies is already on great footing.
That said, a lot of the first two episodes doesn't land. Between the action and discussion of the dire situation--which is very good--is a melodrama, one which lacks any draw. Tom and his son Hal try to get through their problems while taking care of Matt and looking for Ben, Tom's third son who is missing. Meanwhile, Tom is getting closer to the doctor Anne. None of this is particularly inventive or emotional, what with the flat acting. Worst of all is Hal's personal problems, juggling Karen and the obvious attempts by Lourdes to woo him. None of this would be too much of a problem if it were only a small part of the show--except it isn't. These parts of the show take up lots of time and divert attention from the fighting alien parts.
The writers preemptive deny any criticism of the Mech's design by having a character ask why they have two legs while the Skitters have six. I have a bunch of ideas, but it's impossible to narrow anything down without further knowledge of the Skitters. Hopefully the writers have a better idea than I do.
Score: 8.5/10
That said, a lot of the first two episodes doesn't land. Between the action and discussion of the dire situation--which is very good--is a melodrama, one which lacks any draw. Tom and his son Hal try to get through their problems while taking care of Matt and looking for Ben, Tom's third son who is missing. Meanwhile, Tom is getting closer to the doctor Anne. None of this is particularly inventive or emotional, what with the flat acting. Worst of all is Hal's personal problems, juggling Karen and the obvious attempts by Lourdes to woo him. None of this would be too much of a problem if it were only a small part of the show--except it isn't. These parts of the show take up lots of time and divert attention from the fighting alien parts.
The writers preemptive deny any criticism of the Mech's design by having a character ask why they have two legs while the Skitters have six. I have a bunch of ideas, but it's impossible to narrow anything down without further knowledge of the Skitters. Hopefully the writers have a better idea than I do.
Score: 8.5/10
Review - United States of Tara Season 3 Episode 12 The Good Parts
Although "The Good Parts" was only intended to be a season finale, not the series finale, I thought the episode gave proper closure to the show in its own way. Like Tara herself, the finale is not a nice thing you get fit in a box. It has rough edges, maybe is too sprawling, but comes together at the end to remind us what the show is about, even if it ends without a resolution. After three wonderful seasons, I'm sad to see the show go, but also glad that it ended the way it did.
After a season of being driven to the brink, Max got his time to shine and go berserk. It's actually quite clever what the writers did, giving us two separate instances when Max imagines himself going crazy but acts normal. The last time, however, Max does go crazy, ranting, grabbing the bird, and hurling it against the wall. The first two times act as a buffer, leading us to believe that the third is the same thing and that things will return to normal. But it slowly sets in, just as the family has come to terms with Tara. Max is really doing this and things can't be normal.
Marshall and Kate have gotten a lot to do in the past few seasons (relative to the first), and they got to wrap things up with Tara is well. Marshall and Tara finally connect when Tara brings him to Lionel's memorial. For all the things we can say about Tara as a person (jumping off the bridge was pretty dumb), this moment exemplifies her character, a woman who loves her kids and tries to do the right things, even when it's not possible. Kate decides to stay home and take care of Marshall, but also gets to keep Evan. Charmaine and Neil agree to move to Houston, and Charmaine, in the cutest way, proposes to Neil. It's mostly good news for the more axillary characters.
And so, at the end, Max and Tara drive to Boston, awaiting what may come next. It's not a conclusion which answers questions or even tells us what happens next. Instead, after a season of misery, it ends on a hopeful note. Tara may not get better, but if one thing is for certain, it's that her family will be behind her. Tara was hardly a perfect person, with or without her alters, and neither is United States of Tara. But with both, there was also something to draw on and enjoy.
United States of Tara, in the last two season, was not primarily about the scientific details of DID or how Tara became the way she is. The show, like many others, turned towards the various characters and the Gregson family. We got to know them much better, learn the consequences Tara had on them. As all the characters became human so too did Tara and her condition. What started as a wacky show about a person with wacky personalities became much more. Bravo to everyone involved with the show.
Score: 9.4/10
After a season of being driven to the brink, Max got his time to shine and go berserk. It's actually quite clever what the writers did, giving us two separate instances when Max imagines himself going crazy but acts normal. The last time, however, Max does go crazy, ranting, grabbing the bird, and hurling it against the wall. The first two times act as a buffer, leading us to believe that the third is the same thing and that things will return to normal. But it slowly sets in, just as the family has come to terms with Tara. Max is really doing this and things can't be normal.
Marshall and Kate have gotten a lot to do in the past few seasons (relative to the first), and they got to wrap things up with Tara is well. Marshall and Tara finally connect when Tara brings him to Lionel's memorial. For all the things we can say about Tara as a person (jumping off the bridge was pretty dumb), this moment exemplifies her character, a woman who loves her kids and tries to do the right things, even when it's not possible. Kate decides to stay home and take care of Marshall, but also gets to keep Evan. Charmaine and Neil agree to move to Houston, and Charmaine, in the cutest way, proposes to Neil. It's mostly good news for the more axillary characters.
And so, at the end, Max and Tara drive to Boston, awaiting what may come next. It's not a conclusion which answers questions or even tells us what happens next. Instead, after a season of misery, it ends on a hopeful note. Tara may not get better, but if one thing is for certain, it's that her family will be behind her. Tara was hardly a perfect person, with or without her alters, and neither is United States of Tara. But with both, there was also something to draw on and enjoy.
United States of Tara, in the last two season, was not primarily about the scientific details of DID or how Tara became the way she is. The show, like many others, turned towards the various characters and the Gregson family. We got to know them much better, learn the consequences Tara had on them. As all the characters became human so too did Tara and her condition. What started as a wacky show about a person with wacky personalities became much more. Bravo to everyone involved with the show.
Score: 9.4/10
Monday, June 20, 2011
Review - Game of Thrones Season 1 Episode 10 Fire and Blood
I finished reading A Game of Thrones last week and made good progress on A Clash of Kings, so I believe I have a better perspective on Game of Thrones than before. While reading, I wondered how the producers would incorporate certain parts of the book which had big roles for certain characters who weren't prominent in the show. David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, as always, dealt with it effectively, shifting the dialogue from one character to another, and it was perfectly fine. While the book provides far, far more backstory and information about Westeros, the show has condensed the major plot points and backstory into a crisp 10-episode season which stayed very faithful to the book.
As far as "Fire and Blood" goes, I already knew that not much happens after Ned's death, so I wasn't too disappointed about the lack of major plot developments. Interestingly, the episode dips a little into the second book in order to provide more content for certain characters. Largely, "Fire and Blood" was intended to show us the aftermath of Ned's execution at the end of last week's episode and provide us with an idea of where the next season is heading.
In a stirring scene, Robb is declared King of the North by Greatjon and everyone else follows in suit. After reading the chapter--the second to last in the book--I thought it would be a great way to end the season, but David Benioff and D. B. Weiss apparently thought differently. We get a good sense of where the plot is heading, both Robb and Catelyn very angry and ready for war.
At King's Landing, Joffrey is being Joffrey yet again and if it wasn't chilling already to see his callous disregard for others' well-being, we see him order Sansa to be slapped around. Because Sansa was intended to be an annoying character, the dumb, naive girl who wants to be princess, it was hard to like her before. But Sophie Turner really sold the scene, as Sansa is slapped into reality, faced with the cruel world stretching ahead of her.
For the first time, we get the sense that the Lannisters are not invincible. Their wealth and fighting prowess may have reputation, but the simple fact is that Robb has beaten them several times. And Tywin knows this and needs to keep things under control. He sends Tyrion to King's Landing to be King's Hand in his stead, declaring that Tyrion is his son. It may be a backhanded complement, seeing as Tywin hardly cared about Tyrion before, but he did put Tyrion in a place of power and acknowledge his son.
At the Wall, Jon runs off, prepared to join his brother in battle, before being surrounded by his other brothers, the ones he swore an oath with. They bring him back and no harm is done. The larger story is that Commander Mormont decides to move out beyond the Wall, to confront whatever may be beyond. There is plenty looming ahead, especially Jon's decision to honor his oath and going into the unknown.
The episode ends on quite a spectacular note--Daenerys rising from the ashes with three baby dragons crawling on her. It stands in stark contrast to his despair earlier in the episode brought upon by Drogo's vegetative state and the death of his baby. Now, after burning Drogo and the witch on the pyre, she is renewed, with a sense of hope and forward vision, and ready to take on any challenge.
Score: 9.0/10
As far as "Fire and Blood" goes, I already knew that not much happens after Ned's death, so I wasn't too disappointed about the lack of major plot developments. Interestingly, the episode dips a little into the second book in order to provide more content for certain characters. Largely, "Fire and Blood" was intended to show us the aftermath of Ned's execution at the end of last week's episode and provide us with an idea of where the next season is heading.
In a stirring scene, Robb is declared King of the North by Greatjon and everyone else follows in suit. After reading the chapter--the second to last in the book--I thought it would be a great way to end the season, but David Benioff and D. B. Weiss apparently thought differently. We get a good sense of where the plot is heading, both Robb and Catelyn very angry and ready for war.
At King's Landing, Joffrey is being Joffrey yet again and if it wasn't chilling already to see his callous disregard for others' well-being, we see him order Sansa to be slapped around. Because Sansa was intended to be an annoying character, the dumb, naive girl who wants to be princess, it was hard to like her before. But Sophie Turner really sold the scene, as Sansa is slapped into reality, faced with the cruel world stretching ahead of her.
For the first time, we get the sense that the Lannisters are not invincible. Their wealth and fighting prowess may have reputation, but the simple fact is that Robb has beaten them several times. And Tywin knows this and needs to keep things under control. He sends Tyrion to King's Landing to be King's Hand in his stead, declaring that Tyrion is his son. It may be a backhanded complement, seeing as Tywin hardly cared about Tyrion before, but he did put Tyrion in a place of power and acknowledge his son.
At the Wall, Jon runs off, prepared to join his brother in battle, before being surrounded by his other brothers, the ones he swore an oath with. They bring him back and no harm is done. The larger story is that Commander Mormont decides to move out beyond the Wall, to confront whatever may be beyond. There is plenty looming ahead, especially Jon's decision to honor his oath and going into the unknown.
The episode ends on quite a spectacular note--Daenerys rising from the ashes with three baby dragons crawling on her. It stands in stark contrast to his despair earlier in the episode brought upon by Drogo's vegetative state and the death of his baby. Now, after burning Drogo and the witch on the pyre, she is renewed, with a sense of hope and forward vision, and ready to take on any challenge.
Score: 9.0/10
Review - The Killing Season 1 Episode 13 Orpheus Descending
I'm still out of town, but I did have some time to watch TV, so I'll have a few reviews soon.
In the middle of "Orpheus Descending," with every shred of evidence pointing to Richmond as the killer, I told myself: "If the writers pull another fast one on us, I'll call the show trash." So, without further ado, The Killing is trash.
It was supposed to be a serious show, AMC's foray into the realm of crime solving, humanizing the elements of single murder into a 13-episode season. Instead, it turned into a big joke, a season long pursuit of red herrings which ultimately resulted in nothing. The episode gives us twenty different reasons why Richmond is the killer, but just as everything seemed over, the writers did it again--albeit later in the episode--showing us that Richmond was actually the fall guy for something bigger. And, oh yeah, Holder is dirty and unafraid to let Linden find out. Now The Killing is in mediocre 24 territory, wacky plot twists with none of the action. I would be fine with Richmond taking the fall, despite the cliche of the dirty politician with lots of secrets. But this, the writers yanking us down another wrong path for the nth time, is just too much.
The most telling quote from showrunner Veena Sud shows how doomed the show was from the beginning:
Even though The Killing largely turned into something not worth watching, I'm curious to see the second season. After an entire season of uselessly burning through suspects, how will the writers proceed? Will they continue to go through a new list of suspects, oblivious to the obvious formula? I really want to know what Veena Sud is thinking.
Score: 7.0/10
In the middle of "Orpheus Descending," with every shred of evidence pointing to Richmond as the killer, I told myself: "If the writers pull another fast one on us, I'll call the show trash." So, without further ado, The Killing is trash.
It was supposed to be a serious show, AMC's foray into the realm of crime solving, humanizing the elements of single murder into a 13-episode season. Instead, it turned into a big joke, a season long pursuit of red herrings which ultimately resulted in nothing. The episode gives us twenty different reasons why Richmond is the killer, but just as everything seemed over, the writers did it again--albeit later in the episode--showing us that Richmond was actually the fall guy for something bigger. And, oh yeah, Holder is dirty and unafraid to let Linden find out. Now The Killing is in mediocre 24 territory, wacky plot twists with none of the action. I would be fine with Richmond taking the fall, despite the cliche of the dirty politician with lots of secrets. But this, the writers yanking us down another wrong path for the nth time, is just too much.
The most telling quote from showrunner Veena Sud shows how doomed the show was from the beginning:
So there were a lot of discussions about, “We’re definitely not going to do the 45-minute procedural.” Then we stepped back and said, “Should we do a murder a season? But is that not creating yet another formula, and yet another expectation, and yet another way to put a bow on a gift and wrap it up really easily?” So then we very organically [concluded that] the [Rosie murder] story still had other possibilities after 13 hours, after 13 days, so that’s where we went. It was risky, it was brave, it was bold – that’s what AMC is known for.Excuse me, but isn't The Killing formulaic in its own way? Linden and Holder find a clue, do further investigation, narrow down a suspect, believe this suspect is the murderer, bring him/her in for questioning, and the episode ends. It looks like a slam dunk, but the suspect is soon found to be innocent. Is that not an "expectation", that every suspect isn't actually the murderer? This red herring formula has now been extended to the entire season and nothing has changed.
Even though The Killing largely turned into something not worth watching, I'm curious to see the second season. After an entire season of uselessly burning through suspects, how will the writers proceed? Will they continue to go through a new list of suspects, oblivious to the obvious formula? I really want to know what Veena Sud is thinking.
Score: 7.0/10
