After two very solid episodes to begin the season, I'm reminded why I don't like White Collar that much. Behind the intrigue of Neal and Mozzie's quest to sell the U-boat paintings and chemistry of Peter and Neal lies a show which often does not have an adequate plot. This week's episode sheds light on Mozzie's backstory, which is perfectly fine, charming even, but doesn't have much else. Neal and Peter do their con, Mozzie does his thing, Neal and Peter save Mozzie from a mobster and it's over. Without any cool tricks from Neal or anything too exciting, the episode lacked the charm that can make the show good.
Score: 8.0/10
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 2 Grilled / 3 Bit by a Dead Bee
"Grilled"
"Grilled" takes Breaking Bad to new heights with one of the most choking experiences ever. Walt and Jesse are trapped with Tuco and Tio for almost the entire episode and the plot is draining every step of the way. Tuco is such a weird character that his mere presence is frightening--to Walt and Jesse, and also the viewers. We don't know when he'll snap, or even what he wants. But one certainty is that he is crazed and can inflict severe damage to anyone.
As the plot moves ahead, Walt and Jesse are left with fewer and fewer options while Tuco is going crazy about Gonzo. First they contemplate attacking Tuco, but there is nothing to use. Then they try to poison Tuco, but Tio stops them by knocking the plate onto the ground. The scenes with Tio are scary in that their fates lie in the hands of this bell, which also makes it a little funny. And as much as Walt and Jesse try to talk their way out, Tio is still a sharp guy who knows what's going on.
Finally, Tuco takes them outside and begins beating on Jesse before Jesse manages to shoot Tuco. The situation is resolved when Hank, looking for Jesse, arrives and is surprised to find Tuco but kills him nonetheless. I could certain see where one could be miffed by this easy resolution, Hank of all people saving Walt and Jesse from Tuco without actually seeing them, but Tuco was a loose cannon ready to go and he would have to go eventually. And it's not like the story is over right there. Walt still has to explain his whereabouts for the past few days and his other cell phone, and those explanations could drudge up even more questions.
Meanwhile, Skylar, Marie, Walt Jr., and Hank all go out to look for Walt and we see how much of a toll it puts on all of them, especially Skylar. It also doesn't help that Marie is still in denial about the tiara. Again, the secondary characters are used effectively to balance the tension of Walt and Jesse's scenes and it works nicely.
Like the season premiere, "Grilled" begins with an ominous set of images, though no in black and white, depicting Jesse's low-rider, windshield blown out, bouncing up and down. This is explained at the end of the episode, but we don't get any new information about the pool or charred bear.
Score: 9.3/10
"Bit by a Dead Bee"
"Grilled" sets up an exceedingly tense situation for Walt and Jesse to get out of, and "Bit by a Dead Bee" immediately follows up on that with their explanations. Breaking Bad once again proves it shift gears in an instant and set its character on a new path.
Walt's explanation is filled with deception, layers upon layers of lies. He shows up in the middle of a grocery store naked as part of the plan to show how messed up his mind was, backing up his statement that he doesn't remember anything. It all makes for a convenient yet plausible explanation. Here is a guy with cancer, with bills to pay, a pregnant wife, and cerebral palsy. When he lies to the psychiatrist about the actual "truth," it sort of fits together. Only Walt is hiding something much, much darker. Walt proves himself to be a master liar, fooling his wife and doctors, and it's very convincing with Bryan Cranston behind the wheels.
Since Hank was originally looking for Jesse when he found Tuco, Jesse is the focus of Hank who quickly catches Jesse. But Jesse has a tight alibi which the hooker confirms, and Tio refuses to cooperate. Just like that, with Jesse is free, the trailer in a safe place, and Walt itching to cook and earn money, they can go right back into the business.
Left out, of course, is Walt's family. They don't know what's going on with Walt and are disturbed by his indifference. Walt sneaks back home to retrieve the money and spots Skylar and Walt Jr. trying to deal with the situation. Alas, he says nothing and sneaks out to enter the drug world again, leaving them to suffer. It's difficult to put any blame on Walt other than his inattention to his family. He has to lie or else he'll be thrown in prison, and he wants money for his family. At this moment he's still on the path he set out on in the first episode.
Score: 9.4/10
"Grilled" takes Breaking Bad to new heights with one of the most choking experiences ever. Walt and Jesse are trapped with Tuco and Tio for almost the entire episode and the plot is draining every step of the way. Tuco is such a weird character that his mere presence is frightening--to Walt and Jesse, and also the viewers. We don't know when he'll snap, or even what he wants. But one certainty is that he is crazed and can inflict severe damage to anyone.
As the plot moves ahead, Walt and Jesse are left with fewer and fewer options while Tuco is going crazy about Gonzo. First they contemplate attacking Tuco, but there is nothing to use. Then they try to poison Tuco, but Tio stops them by knocking the plate onto the ground. The scenes with Tio are scary in that their fates lie in the hands of this bell, which also makes it a little funny. And as much as Walt and Jesse try to talk their way out, Tio is still a sharp guy who knows what's going on.
Finally, Tuco takes them outside and begins beating on Jesse before Jesse manages to shoot Tuco. The situation is resolved when Hank, looking for Jesse, arrives and is surprised to find Tuco but kills him nonetheless. I could certain see where one could be miffed by this easy resolution, Hank of all people saving Walt and Jesse from Tuco without actually seeing them, but Tuco was a loose cannon ready to go and he would have to go eventually. And it's not like the story is over right there. Walt still has to explain his whereabouts for the past few days and his other cell phone, and those explanations could drudge up even more questions.
Meanwhile, Skylar, Marie, Walt Jr., and Hank all go out to look for Walt and we see how much of a toll it puts on all of them, especially Skylar. It also doesn't help that Marie is still in denial about the tiara. Again, the secondary characters are used effectively to balance the tension of Walt and Jesse's scenes and it works nicely.
Like the season premiere, "Grilled" begins with an ominous set of images, though no in black and white, depicting Jesse's low-rider, windshield blown out, bouncing up and down. This is explained at the end of the episode, but we don't get any new information about the pool or charred bear.
Score: 9.3/10
"Bit by a Dead Bee"
"Grilled" sets up an exceedingly tense situation for Walt and Jesse to get out of, and "Bit by a Dead Bee" immediately follows up on that with their explanations. Breaking Bad once again proves it shift gears in an instant and set its character on a new path.
Walt's explanation is filled with deception, layers upon layers of lies. He shows up in the middle of a grocery store naked as part of the plan to show how messed up his mind was, backing up his statement that he doesn't remember anything. It all makes for a convenient yet plausible explanation. Here is a guy with cancer, with bills to pay, a pregnant wife, and cerebral palsy. When he lies to the psychiatrist about the actual "truth," it sort of fits together. Only Walt is hiding something much, much darker. Walt proves himself to be a master liar, fooling his wife and doctors, and it's very convincing with Bryan Cranston behind the wheels.
Since Hank was originally looking for Jesse when he found Tuco, Jesse is the focus of Hank who quickly catches Jesse. But Jesse has a tight alibi which the hooker confirms, and Tio refuses to cooperate. Just like that, with Jesse is free, the trailer in a safe place, and Walt itching to cook and earn money, they can go right back into the business.
Left out, of course, is Walt's family. They don't know what's going on with Walt and are disturbed by his indifference. Walt sneaks back home to retrieve the money and spots Skylar and Walt Jr. trying to deal with the situation. Alas, he says nothing and sneaks out to enter the drug world again, leaving them to suffer. It's difficult to put any blame on Walt other than his inattention to his family. He has to lie or else he'll be thrown in prison, and he wants money for his family. At this moment he's still on the path he set out on in the first episode.
Score: 9.4/10
Review - Weeds Season 7 Episode 1 Bags
Weeds was once a show respect by everyone--viewers, critics, award shows. It really captured the idea of the suburban mom forced into the weed business, led down a dark, dangerous path with dark humor and a good amount of drama. But then Weeds kept going and going, always playing the same games with the plot and characters and it got old after a few seasons.
After a while I stopped caring, and in its seventh season, I wasn't planning on reviewing episodes unless I liked them. Since I'm reviewing "Bags," it's safe to say that I liked it, not so much for the episode itself but for the direction this season is going in. It feels like a fresh start, after a three-year time skip. Nancy is living in a halfway house, Andy, Shane, Silas, and Doug (he's definitely a problematic character like many characters in previous seasons which should have been done away with long ago) living in Denmark, and Stevie with Nancy's sister Jill. Best of all, Esteban is dead, according to Lipschitz, so there won't be more worrying about him.
With this fresh start, Weeds has a lot to work with. How does Nancy cope with the constraints of the halfway house after being cooped up in prison for three years? What is Jill doing with Stevie? How will she react to Andy and Shane? Will she reconnect with Silas? f course, most are wondering what the hell she's doing with the guns and grenades.
Score: 8.8/10
After a while I stopped caring, and in its seventh season, I wasn't planning on reviewing episodes unless I liked them. Since I'm reviewing "Bags," it's safe to say that I liked it, not so much for the episode itself but for the direction this season is going in. It feels like a fresh start, after a three-year time skip. Nancy is living in a halfway house, Andy, Shane, Silas, and Doug (he's definitely a problematic character like many characters in previous seasons which should have been done away with long ago) living in Denmark, and Stevie with Nancy's sister Jill. Best of all, Esteban is dead, according to Lipschitz, so there won't be more worrying about him.
With this fresh start, Weeds has a lot to work with. How does Nancy cope with the constraints of the halfway house after being cooped up in prison for three years? What is Jill doing with Stevie? How will she react to Andy and Shane? Will she reconnect with Silas? f course, most are wondering what the hell she's doing with the guns and grenades.
Score: 8.8/10
Monday, June 27, 2011
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
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
Review - Treme Season 2 Episode 10 That's What Lovers Do
One thing I never understood is why people hated on Sonny so much in the first season. Sure, he was doped up and leeched off Annie, but in comparison to Davis, he wasn't that bad. Davis, instead of being mellow, was straight-up annoying, being loud and an ass. That's part of the reason why I thought Davis finally got his comeuppance in the episode, when he finally realizes that he may not have what it takes to be a star in the music business. Sonny, in comparison, has a steady job and is acknowledged by Annie to have helped people from the rooftops.
Not much happened in the episode happened to be honest. Perhaps the biggest change was Antoine's band losing Wanda after Antoine's pompousness pisses her off. Sofia finally makes a right decision by rejecting pot and the cute musician. Back in New Orleans, Albert and Delmond's music turns out great and appears to be going ahead well. But other than that, it was mostly the same stuff: more investigating by Toni and Colson, more Nelson buying property, more Ladonna having trouble, more of Antoine's wife getting mad at him, more Janette being a good chef in the wrong city.
With the season finale next week, the table is set for some changes. Every character has had something change these past few weeks, for the better or worse, and now we'll see what happens in the end.
Score: 8.8/10
Not much happened in the episode happened to be honest. Perhaps the biggest change was Antoine's band losing Wanda after Antoine's pompousness pisses her off. Sofia finally makes a right decision by rejecting pot and the cute musician. Back in New Orleans, Albert and Delmond's music turns out great and appears to be going ahead well. But other than that, it was mostly the same stuff: more investigating by Toni and Colson, more Nelson buying property, more Ladonna having trouble, more of Antoine's wife getting mad at him, more Janette being a good chef in the wrong city.
With the season finale next week, the table is set for some changes. Every character has had something change these past few weeks, for the better or worse, and now we'll see what happens in the end.
Score: 8.8/10
Review - Falling Skies Season 1 Episode 3 Prisoner of War
The writers of Falling Skies continue to slather on the pathos as much as possible, always giving us a scene of Tom hugging one of his sons every time after returning from fighting the aliens. In small doses, this sort of thing could work. Instead, each scene goes on too long and with sufficient repetition it just gets tedious. I get that this is a post-apocalyptic situation in which you have to cling to what you have left, but do we really have to see that every time?
That said, alien invasions are awesome no matter the circumstance and Falling Skies has done very well on that front. The skitters remain an enigma, but we're slowly learning more about them. They seem to be rather cruel, allowing Hal to see an execution after Mike retrieves his son. There was also progress on the harness, with the arrival of Dr. Michael Harris whose procedure to inject Mike's son with morphine before cutting the harness off seems to be working so far. But at the end of the episode, the skitter POW wakes up and so does Mike's son.
The dynamic between the survivors is still interesting with several developments as well. Pope is actually a chef and for now proves to be useful in the kitchen. Michael Harris, in a big coincidence, was actually the last person with Tom's wife, and after some cajoling, admits that he ran off. His justification, though, is that him running away was actually good because Ben can be saved. I guess he has a point, but his original intention is far from admirable.
Score: 8.6/10
That said, alien invasions are awesome no matter the circumstance and Falling Skies has done very well on that front. The skitters remain an enigma, but we're slowly learning more about them. They seem to be rather cruel, allowing Hal to see an execution after Mike retrieves his son. There was also progress on the harness, with the arrival of Dr. Michael Harris whose procedure to inject Mike's son with morphine before cutting the harness off seems to be working so far. But at the end of the episode, the skitter POW wakes up and so does Mike's son.
The dynamic between the survivors is still interesting with several developments as well. Pope is actually a chef and for now proves to be useful in the kitchen. Michael Harris, in a big coincidence, was actually the last person with Tom's wife, and after some cajoling, admits that he ran off. His justification, though, is that him running away was actually good because Ben can be saved. I guess he has a point, but his original intention is far from admirable.
Score: 8.6/10
Review - True Blood Season 4 Episode 1 She's Not There
I became disillusioned by True Blood during the third season. The vampire parts of the show were great, as is expected, but the writers kept putting in more, trying to fill in time with the multitude of other characters who are nowhere near as exciting as vampires. The result was as show which fluctuated from one minute to the next, from vampires doing awesome things to characters I don't care about doing usual soap-y things. Whether the writers planned this to reduce the load for the stars or genuinely thought the other characters should have equal standing with Sookie and the vampires, a lot of the previous season didn't click for me.
That's why I'm hesitant to say too much going things about the season premiere, "She's Not There," which I did enjoy. Like the previous season premieres, it's a cool episode because it shifts the show in a substantial way. Characters are in new situations and roles, and there are new enemies and supernatural stuff. With all this new stuff going on set in the mystical world of True Blood, it's hard not to get excited. That said, do the writers have enough material to carry the excitement for an entire season? Their track record says no, but maybe they have something new this time around. Just maybe.
And if the format stays the same, oscillating between the relatively boring residents of Bon Temps and the vampires, I guess that would be okay. The first 15 minutes are probably the tripiest minutes of the show since Maryann's first orgy. Sookie is surrounded by fairies in their glowing splendor, and even finds the bellboy from last season and her granddad. But the illusion is popped, fairies turned into wrinkled hags who want to close the divide to the human world. Sookie returns to the human world where she finds her home being sold and her brother who informs her that she's been gone for a year!
In that year, a lot has changed. The vampires are making outreach to the community, and of course everyone was consumed with finding Sookie, who they presumed to be killed by Bill. There actually isn't too much in the episode, but by the end of the episode, there are some startling new developments. Bill is apparently king of Louisiana now, he's infiltrated the witch group Lafayette and Jesus are in, and sleeping with the lawyer Portia whose last name indicates a relation to Andy and Terry.
One of the most surprising parts of the episode was that Lafayette and Jesus are doing something interesting. The witches can actually do things and the leader even makes contact with Eddie, the vampire from the first season, and it makes for a good shock. But it's outdone by the final ceremony--which has the gravitas Supernatural Latin stuff never has--the group holding hands and momentarily possessing a bird. Out of all the non-vampire plots, this plot was the only one which got a big reaction out of me, so hopefully it pays off in the end.
Now on to the stuff I didn't really like or don't care about. Andy is addicted to V and is out of control, something we've seen time and time again, and has little potential. Tara is off in New Orleans doing MMA hooking up with girls, and trying to create a new identity--probably better than her plot last season and Andy's this season, but I want to see more first. Sam is part of some shape shifter anger management group, which is almost an afterthought. Jason is still trying to help the people at Hotshot, but they toss him in the refrigerator. While Jessica remains as cute as ever, her problems this season, fighting the urge to drink others' blood, is pretty much the same as her problems last season, the only difference being that she's living with Hoyt now. Arlene's baby apparently rips heads off dolls... but who cares other than Arlene?
All in all, "She's Not There" made for an excellent season premiere. Even if the other characters still don't interest me, I still think the episode had enough good parts to make up for it. My philosophy with True Blood is that it is watchable until the vampires are no longer interesting. Each minute wasted on a boring plot about some random person is actually a minute closer to something good. Optimistic, yes, but that's how I get through each episode.
Score: 9.0/10
That's why I'm hesitant to say too much going things about the season premiere, "She's Not There," which I did enjoy. Like the previous season premieres, it's a cool episode because it shifts the show in a substantial way. Characters are in new situations and roles, and there are new enemies and supernatural stuff. With all this new stuff going on set in the mystical world of True Blood, it's hard not to get excited. That said, do the writers have enough material to carry the excitement for an entire season? Their track record says no, but maybe they have something new this time around. Just maybe.
And if the format stays the same, oscillating between the relatively boring residents of Bon Temps and the vampires, I guess that would be okay. The first 15 minutes are probably the tripiest minutes of the show since Maryann's first orgy. Sookie is surrounded by fairies in their glowing splendor, and even finds the bellboy from last season and her granddad. But the illusion is popped, fairies turned into wrinkled hags who want to close the divide to the human world. Sookie returns to the human world where she finds her home being sold and her brother who informs her that she's been gone for a year!
In that year, a lot has changed. The vampires are making outreach to the community, and of course everyone was consumed with finding Sookie, who they presumed to be killed by Bill. There actually isn't too much in the episode, but by the end of the episode, there are some startling new developments. Bill is apparently king of Louisiana now, he's infiltrated the witch group Lafayette and Jesus are in, and sleeping with the lawyer Portia whose last name indicates a relation to Andy and Terry.
One of the most surprising parts of the episode was that Lafayette and Jesus are doing something interesting. The witches can actually do things and the leader even makes contact with Eddie, the vampire from the first season, and it makes for a good shock. But it's outdone by the final ceremony--which has the gravitas Supernatural Latin stuff never has--the group holding hands and momentarily possessing a bird. Out of all the non-vampire plots, this plot was the only one which got a big reaction out of me, so hopefully it pays off in the end.
Now on to the stuff I didn't really like or don't care about. Andy is addicted to V and is out of control, something we've seen time and time again, and has little potential. Tara is off in New Orleans doing MMA hooking up with girls, and trying to create a new identity--probably better than her plot last season and Andy's this season, but I want to see more first. Sam is part of some shape shifter anger management group, which is almost an afterthought. Jason is still trying to help the people at Hotshot, but they toss him in the refrigerator. While Jessica remains as cute as ever, her problems this season, fighting the urge to drink others' blood, is pretty much the same as her problems last season, the only difference being that she's living with Hoyt now. Arlene's baby apparently rips heads off dolls... but who cares other than Arlene?
All in all, "She's Not There" made for an excellent season premiere. Even if the other characters still don't interest me, I still think the episode had enough good parts to make up for it. My philosophy with True Blood is that it is watchable until the vampires are no longer interesting. Each minute wasted on a boring plot about some random person is actually a minute closer to something good. Optimistic, yes, but that's how I get through each episode.
Score: 9.0/10
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Review - Leverage Season 4 Episode 1 The Long Way Down Job
After three seasons, Leverage still remains a very likable show. It will never be touted by all the critics or win many awards, but it has a charming quality that makes it watchable under any circumstance. The characters are as good as it gets, individually and as a group. Whatever plot comes along will work as long as the characters are used correct.
Take "The Long Way Down Job," for example. The pieces of the plot don't matter one bit--not the bad guy, his profession, or the various other people. But there's a big mountain with lots of snow. And put the characters on it, give them the objective of recovering an item, and the episode works. The characters continuing to be awesome is far more of a reward than this new arc of someone bugging Nate, but I'm also hoping the plot has more meat than that of Moreau.
Character development has always been suspect on Leverage and shows of the same type. Often, character development comes in spurts, as necessary changes to the show's dynamic, rather than an organic development out of the plot. It's a glaring problem in "The Long Way Down Job" when Parker decides to break down over their inability to bring the body back, a random act that has no bearing other than the fact that she does this and it presumably will lead to more between her and Hardison. But even if it did come out of nowhere, it is character development, so we'll see what happens from there.
Another thing to watch out for is Nate and Sophie. After there tryst at the end of last season, things are awkward between them. By the end of the episode, they agree to keep things buried, and for now they will continue to do what they've been doing.
Score: 8.8/10
Take "The Long Way Down Job," for example. The pieces of the plot don't matter one bit--not the bad guy, his profession, or the various other people. But there's a big mountain with lots of snow. And put the characters on it, give them the objective of recovering an item, and the episode works. The characters continuing to be awesome is far more of a reward than this new arc of someone bugging Nate, but I'm also hoping the plot has more meat than that of Moreau.
Character development has always been suspect on Leverage and shows of the same type. Often, character development comes in spurts, as necessary changes to the show's dynamic, rather than an organic development out of the plot. It's a glaring problem in "The Long Way Down Job" when Parker decides to break down over their inability to bring the body back, a random act that has no bearing other than the fact that she does this and it presumably will lead to more between her and Hardison. But even if it did come out of nowhere, it is character development, so we'll see what happens from there.
Another thing to watch out for is Nate and Sophie. After there tryst at the end of last season, things are awkward between them. By the end of the episode, they agree to keep things buried, and for now they will continue to do what they've been doing.
Score: 8.8/10
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Review - The X-Files Season 3 Episode 21 Avatar / 22 Quagmire
"Avatar"
Before watching the episode, I honestly didn't remember much about "Avatar" other than that it was a Skinner episode and an average episode. After watching the episode, I think I know why. The episode is a hazy experience, indicating significance of both the supernatural and conspiratorial kinds, but ends up fulfilling neither to a satisfactory extent.
While the episode certainly has merits of its own--Mitch Pileggi finally getting a large role and really doing a fantastic job, introducing Skinner's backstory, Mulder and Scully heavily involved--the episode feels like a start to developing Skinner and not a story that can stand on its own. His wife, the succubus, and CSM messing with him would all be great to expand on since we learn relatively little about them, but they weren't developed in later episodes.
So, at the end of the day, "Avatar" is an episode that could have been part of something great. Instead, it leaves us with some decent Skinner background and a bevy of unfulfilled ideas.
Score: 8.5/10
"Quagmire"
"Quagmire" generally isn't considered a classic X-Files episode. There's nothing too inventive about the episode, nothing too emotional or funny. It's not profound like Darin Morgan episodes or exciting like mythology episodes. We're not left at the end of the episode stunned at anything. The episode is, for all intents and purposes, a typical MOTW episode
But I'm a huge fan of the episode and have watched it bunch of times. (I'm really surprised I didn't put in on my list of top 25 episodes.) There is an innate likability permeating the episode due to Mulder and Scully. Mulder drags Scully to a remote lake where people have been disseminating and where the fabled Big Blue is supposed to live. We see people being killed, so we know something is truly up. At this point, there is nothing out of the ordinary, as the usual local cranks and local police do their thing while Mulder engages the imaginary and Scully sticks to science.
Then, Mulder and Scully go out in the middle of the lake in a boat, get hit by something big, and end up stranded on this small rock. For an entire 10 minutes, they just sit there and talk. This, in my opinion, is a classic X-Files scene. It is the culmination of the episode--after all the complaining about being dragged out there and poor Queequeg getting eaten. Now they're stuck in the middle of a lake with a monster circling them. Scully compares Mulder to Ahab and bemoans how Mulder lives and acts. Mulder, in turn, takes it in stride and isn't bothered too much.
But despite their apparent differences, they are still together after these years. What began as Scully "spying" on Mulder has become a real partnership, with trust and friendship and devotion. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are absolutely dynamite in the scene, their chemistry popping off the screen. There is a closeness between Mulder and Scully not only in the words they say, but also in the way they say them.
Eventually, the monster turns out to be an alligator which is nowhere near as cool as a sea monster but monstrous in its own way. The end threw my for a loop, because I though the final shot was only the lake and something moving underneath. Instead, we actually see the monster come out of the water, lift its head, and go back down.
Score: 9.3/10
Before watching the episode, I honestly didn't remember much about "Avatar" other than that it was a Skinner episode and an average episode. After watching the episode, I think I know why. The episode is a hazy experience, indicating significance of both the supernatural and conspiratorial kinds, but ends up fulfilling neither to a satisfactory extent.
While the episode certainly has merits of its own--Mitch Pileggi finally getting a large role and really doing a fantastic job, introducing Skinner's backstory, Mulder and Scully heavily involved--the episode feels like a start to developing Skinner and not a story that can stand on its own. His wife, the succubus, and CSM messing with him would all be great to expand on since we learn relatively little about them, but they weren't developed in later episodes.
So, at the end of the day, "Avatar" is an episode that could have been part of something great. Instead, it leaves us with some decent Skinner background and a bevy of unfulfilled ideas.
Score: 8.5/10
"Quagmire"
"Quagmire" generally isn't considered a classic X-Files episode. There's nothing too inventive about the episode, nothing too emotional or funny. It's not profound like Darin Morgan episodes or exciting like mythology episodes. We're not left at the end of the episode stunned at anything. The episode is, for all intents and purposes, a typical MOTW episode
But I'm a huge fan of the episode and have watched it bunch of times. (I'm really surprised I didn't put in on my list of top 25 episodes.) There is an innate likability permeating the episode due to Mulder and Scully. Mulder drags Scully to a remote lake where people have been disseminating and where the fabled Big Blue is supposed to live. We see people being killed, so we know something is truly up. At this point, there is nothing out of the ordinary, as the usual local cranks and local police do their thing while Mulder engages the imaginary and Scully sticks to science.
Then, Mulder and Scully go out in the middle of the lake in a boat, get hit by something big, and end up stranded on this small rock. For an entire 10 minutes, they just sit there and talk. This, in my opinion, is a classic X-Files scene. It is the culmination of the episode--after all the complaining about being dragged out there and poor Queequeg getting eaten. Now they're stuck in the middle of a lake with a monster circling them. Scully compares Mulder to Ahab and bemoans how Mulder lives and acts. Mulder, in turn, takes it in stride and isn't bothered too much.
But despite their apparent differences, they are still together after these years. What began as Scully "spying" on Mulder has become a real partnership, with trust and friendship and devotion. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are absolutely dynamite in the scene, their chemistry popping off the screen. There is a closeness between Mulder and Scully not only in the words they say, but also in the way they say them.
Eventually, the monster turns out to be an alligator which is nowhere near as cool as a sea monster but monstrous in its own way. The end threw my for a loop, because I though the final shot was only the lake and something moving underneath. Instead, we actually see the monster come out of the water, lift its head, and go back down.
Score: 9.3/10
Friday, June 24, 2011
Review - Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 1 Seven Thirty-Seven
Perhaps the most memorable part of the second season of Breaking Bad is the opening scene and its later follow-ups. The season begins, quite ominously, in black and white--a hose dripping, wind chime moving, sirens blaring. We have no clue what's going on, but the writers are obviously telling us this is important, even if don't know why. Soon, something more ominous enters the screen, an eyeball floating in a swimming pool, before seeing where it came from--a pink teddy bear that is slowly revealed to be charred on one half. With that, the second season of Breaking Bad begins with a clear message: there will be scary shit going down. As always, there is incredible directing and imagery, using only a minute to convey a very powerful feeling.
"Seven Thirty-Seven" takes no time reintroducing the immediate concerns for Walt and Jesse, first replaying the last scene from the first season and then adding further content, more of Tuco being crazy and his henchman actually dying. The whole time, Walt and Jesse are shocked, staring at this dead guy and Tuco, realizing how fucking insane everything is. But money is money, and Walt needs about $700,000 for his family after his death, only 10 weeks worth of meth.
The rest of the drug plot for the episode doesn't advance too much until the end. Jesse believes that Tuco wants them killed and Walt soon follows. This is confirmed when Hank, in a too-big-to-believe coincidence, sends Walt a photo of some dead bodies--Tuco's dead henchman and Gonzo, the fat henchman. Their is lots of fear going around, but also resolve. Walt concludes that the only course of action is to strike back and hopefully kill Tuco. Before that can happen, though, Jesse pulls up in front of Walt's house--with Tuco in the backseat holding a gun.
The writers have done a good job incorporating the other characters sicne the middle of the first season, and it really shows in "Seven Thirty-Seven." Skylar is a major character in the episode, and all the weight is on her. She has to deal with Walt's increasingly erratic behavior, Walt Jr.'s behavior, Marie's overall bitchiness, and Hank's denial about the extent Marie's problems. By the end of the episode, she's just at her wits end, exhausted by all these things swirling around her.
The first, shortened season of Breaking Bad was a highly successful season of television that was funny (in a dark way, of course), harrowing, and deeply sad. Now with a full 13-episode season ahead, Breaking Bad continues to tap into these elements with great result.
Score: 9.3/10
"Seven Thirty-Seven" takes no time reintroducing the immediate concerns for Walt and Jesse, first replaying the last scene from the first season and then adding further content, more of Tuco being crazy and his henchman actually dying. The whole time, Walt and Jesse are shocked, staring at this dead guy and Tuco, realizing how fucking insane everything is. But money is money, and Walt needs about $700,000 for his family after his death, only 10 weeks worth of meth.
The rest of the drug plot for the episode doesn't advance too much until the end. Jesse believes that Tuco wants them killed and Walt soon follows. This is confirmed when Hank, in a too-big-to-believe coincidence, sends Walt a photo of some dead bodies--Tuco's dead henchman and Gonzo, the fat henchman. Their is lots of fear going around, but also resolve. Walt concludes that the only course of action is to strike back and hopefully kill Tuco. Before that can happen, though, Jesse pulls up in front of Walt's house--with Tuco in the backseat holding a gun.
The writers have done a good job incorporating the other characters sicne the middle of the first season, and it really shows in "Seven Thirty-Seven." Skylar is a major character in the episode, and all the weight is on her. She has to deal with Walt's increasingly erratic behavior, Walt Jr.'s behavior, Marie's overall bitchiness, and Hank's denial about the extent Marie's problems. By the end of the episode, she's just at her wits end, exhausted by all these things swirling around her.
The first, shortened season of Breaking Bad was a highly successful season of television that was funny (in a dark way, of course), harrowing, and deeply sad. Now with a full 13-episode season ahead, Breaking Bad continues to tap into these elements with great result.
Score: 9.3/10
Review - Suits Season 1 Episode 1 Pilot
Suits is pretty much what one expects from USA these days. It's a tad less light than other offerings, but the setup is similar--guy named Mike Ross has a perfect memory and no degree teams up with guy named Harvey Specter who has a Harvard Law degree. Mike's memory is useful at times, but he doesn't know the ins and outs of the legal world, which is where Harvey comes in.
None of the pilot is anything fresh or exciting, and the other characters get put to the side, though Gina Torres is great as always. But what gives Suits an edge is his best friend drug dealer who Mike ditches by the end of the episode. There is a real sense that Mike is leaving a world completely to enter another, a stark change which is nice in comparison to the normal USA stuff.
Score: 8.4/10
None of the pilot is anything fresh or exciting, and the other characters get put to the side, though Gina Torres is great as always. But what gives Suits an edge is his best friend drug dealer who Mike ditches by the end of the episode. There is a real sense that Mike is leaving a world completely to enter another, a stark change which is nice in comparison to the normal USA stuff.
Score: 8.4/10
