Wow, another impressive episode of Homeland. While The Walking Dead hasn't exactly lived up to be a worthy replacement for Breaking Bad on Sunday nights, Homeland has filled the role nicely. The show has also been renewed for a second season, so we'll be seeing a lot more episodes before it's all over.
"Blind Spot" takes a great focus on the intelligence world than the previous episodes, which maintained healthy splits between the Brody family and the intelligence, and it's thrilling from beginning to end. A prisoner, one of Brody's guards, arrives from Pakistan, and Carrie and Saul are given the opportunity to investigate themselves. Once again, it's fascinating to stare at the characters' faces, trying to see their reactions, trying to figure out what's going on behind the stoic faces.
Eventually, the shit hits the fan, and it's a wonderful moment. The prisoner is dead from suicide by razor and professor, whose email is the one provided by the prisoner, is nowhere to be found. The viewer--and Carrie--instantly realizes it was Brody.
But there's little Saul and Carrie can do about it. Brody was so meticulous that he transfered the razor in the blind spot of the camera. So Saul doesn't want to do anything and lets Carrie go on her own and make her wild claims. In the final act, Saul is dealt two devastating blows as firsthis wife tells him she wants to put down her own roots--go back to India to run her parents' slums project--and then Carrie shows up and after he tells her he doesn't want to make the Brody thing official, she berates him, calling him a pussy to his face.
While Saul and Carrie have proven to be competent with their jobs, David Estes has been mediocre and drops the ball in this episode. David plays the befuddled CIA superior, representative of those at the CIA who missed 9/11. He's not actively trying to hurt anyone, but he's just has other priorities--like appeasing a hero like Brody.
Score: 9.5/10
There seems to be some opinions floating around on the internet that Saul is the mole, opinions partially motivated by Saul "speaking in Arabic" while he was actually speaking Hebrew. And Saul hasn't shown any signs of being a mole yet. The writers haven't followed the 24 format at all and I don't think they'll do it in the future.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Review - The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 3 Save the Last One
I'm glad Carl is better, because this opening arc of the second season hasn't exactly been exciting. Between Carl getting shot and Sophia still missing, the characters, with the exception of Shane, pretty much stayed in the same locations and talked to each other. Talk is fine, it never felt like the conversations were going anywhere. Luckily, "Save the Last One" is the strongest episode of the first three episodes.
The dialogue and actions in the episode are more specific than the "we're screwed" dialogue of the first two episodes. Lori expresses a troubling sentiment that it would be better for Carl if he died. We know Carl won't die, but Lori thinking these ideas is enough. Then, there's the big reveal of how Otis died. Shane shoots him and leaves him for the zombies as decoy! Now that's scary shit.
Score: 8.8/10
The dialogue and actions in the episode are more specific than the "we're screwed" dialogue of the first two episodes. Lori expresses a troubling sentiment that it would be better for Carl if he died. We know Carl won't die, but Lori thinking these ideas is enough. Then, there's the big reveal of how Otis died. Shane shoots him and leaves him for the zombies as decoy! Now that's scary shit.
Score: 8.8/10
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 6 Affairs of State
While Eli is great as the funny, charming lawyer, it's nice to see his serious side as well. It rounds out his character and gives him the depth often times hidden behind his hilarious outbursts. This side is in full display when his ex-wife, played by Parker Posey, wants to run for state senate. Her scenes bring up lots of old wounds when it's revealed that she slept with a bin Laden relative while married to Eli--during their two happy years--and Alan Cummings rocks the scenes as expected
The whole diplomatic angle of the episode and the case at large didn't work so well. There are references to the One China policy as appeasement to the Chinese government, but the episode doesn't go much beyond that. Also, the case is hardly complicated and ends with the easy conclusion of the Taiwanese guy running around, for presumably being guilty, and caught at the airport. I didn't like we got to see lots of Caitlin, though. Despite the initial way she arrived, she's certainly not stupid
Will meets Zach in the office and it's a little more than awkward. I'd reckon this is the most flustered we've ever seen Will. He's fine in front of a courtroom when thousands or even millions of dollars are on the line, but when it comes to personal issues, he's quite inadequate.
Score: 8.6/10
The whole diplomatic angle of the episode and the case at large didn't work so well. There are references to the One China policy as appeasement to the Chinese government, but the episode doesn't go much beyond that. Also, the case is hardly complicated and ends with the easy conclusion of the Taiwanese guy running around, for presumably being guilty, and caught at the airport. I didn't like we got to see lots of Caitlin, though. Despite the initial way she arrived, she's certainly not stupid
Will meets Zach in the office and it's a little more than awkward. I'd reckon this is the most flustered we've ever seen Will. He's fine in front of a courtroom when thousands or even millions of dollars are on the line, but when it comes to personal issues, he's quite inadequate.
Score: 8.6/10
Review - Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode 2 The Thing You Love the Most
The pilot set the stage of Once Upon a Time, introducing the two separate worlds and the character counterparts, all in a very broad sense. "The Thing You Love the Most," though, focuses on Regina/the Evil Queen, and gives the audience a real enemy to root against. It's firmly established that the Queen, in both the fairy tale and the present, is heartless and there is little question who the bad guy is at the end of the episode.
By the end of the episode Henry and Emma are on board with "Operation Cobra" and have their targets set. Emma, motivated by Regina's duplicity, is now much more invested than she was last week. What remains to be seen, however, is whether she really believes Henry's stories or is just going along so he doesn't think she thinks he's crazy.
Score: 8.6/10
By the end of the episode Henry and Emma are on board with "Operation Cobra" and have their targets set. Emma, motivated by Regina's duplicity, is now much more invested than she was last week. What remains to be seen, however, is whether she really believes Henry's stories or is just going along so he doesn't think she thinks he's crazy.
Score: 8.6/10
Preview of Week 10/30/11 - 11/6/11
Covert Affairs - USA, Tuesday, November 1, 10:00pm ET
Covert Affairs return for the last half of its second season. As one would expect, it's the same show as always.
Bones - FOX, Thursday, November 3, 9:00pm ET
Bones is finally back!!!! After the bombshell baby revelation last season, I've been eagerly awaiting to see what's going on.
Burn Notice - USA, Thursday, November 3, 10:00pm ET
I believe I said in my last review of Burn Notice that I wasn't going to review the show anymore. If time permits, I'll watch the new episodes, stare at the explosions, and keep my mouth shut about the plot.
Covert Affairs return for the last half of its second season. As one would expect, it's the same show as always.
Bones - FOX, Thursday, November 3, 9:00pm ET
Bones is finally back!!!! After the bombshell baby revelation last season, I've been eagerly awaiting to see what's going on.
Burn Notice - USA, Thursday, November 3, 10:00pm ET
I believe I said in my last review of Burn Notice that I wasn't going to review the show anymore. If time permits, I'll watch the new episodes, stare at the explosions, and keep my mouth shut about the plot.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Review - Sanctuary Season 4 Episode 4 Monsoon
"Monsoon" has a pretty cool plot, with a set of bad guys and Magnus battling them on her own, but that's not what the audience will remember the episode for. What they'll remember, of course, is Magnus's kiss with Charlotte at the end of the episode.
I guess it actually makes sense given the theme of the show--a set of different people/beings who should be treated like everyone else--but it really caught me by surprise, and I'm not exactly sure whether the gender made a difference. Yes, television kisses are almost always heterosexual, so that's one aspect of that. But there's also the fact that Magnus has rarely, if ever, been shown in a sexual situation. She's thrown errant pieces of dialogue about her love life, but I can't remember the last time we actually got to see her with someone. So that's another component to my surprise. I probably would have been surprised if she kissed a guy, and that she kissed a woman added to that.
Seeing as Kate is gone (for now) and Abbey is hunting abnormals for the FBI, I have a good feeling she'll be working at the Sanctuary by the end of the season. I'm sure Will will be very happy about that.
Score: 8.7/10
I guess it actually makes sense given the theme of the show--a set of different people/beings who should be treated like everyone else--but it really caught me by surprise, and I'm not exactly sure whether the gender made a difference. Yes, television kisses are almost always heterosexual, so that's one aspect of that. But there's also the fact that Magnus has rarely, if ever, been shown in a sexual situation. She's thrown errant pieces of dialogue about her love life, but I can't remember the last time we actually got to see her with someone. So that's another component to my surprise. I probably would have been surprised if she kissed a guy, and that she kissed a woman added to that.
Seeing as Kate is gone (for now) and Abbey is hunting abnormals for the FBI, I have a good feeling she'll be working at the Sanctuary by the end of the season. I'm sure Will will be very happy about that.
Score: 8.7/10
Review - Boss Season 1 Episode 2 Reflex
The second episode of Boss reinforces the strong points of the pilot, that Tom Kane is powerful and capable, all while watching his own demise. Meanwhile, within Kane's orbits are the other characters with their own things. None of it is too interesting at this point--and Emma drug plot seems very detached from the rest of the show--but there's potential.
Kitty once again has sex with Zajac, in an even more public place than last week's stairwell. I'm curious to see how much Starz will up the ante with the sex. I mean, they did it in partial view of Zajac's wife and kids, and this was only the second time. Spartacus level by the end of the season? About the actual plot, their activities obviously spell trouble whether or not they becomes public knowledge.
Score: 8.8/10
Kitty once again has sex with Zajac, in an even more public place than last week's stairwell. I'm curious to see how much Starz will up the ante with the sex. I mean, they did it in partial view of Zajac's wife and kids, and this was only the second time. Spartacus level by the end of the season? About the actual plot, their activities obviously spell trouble whether or not they becomes public knowledge.
Score: 8.8/10
Friday, October 28, 2011
Review - Supernatural Season 7 Episode 6 Slash Fiction
Okay, now I'm worried. The major, season long villains of Supernatural always had a greater agenda than what they were doing week to week. Whether implied or explicitly stated, the various demons and enemies we've seen through the years had something up their sleeves. This drove the seasons forward as the Winchesters dealt with their internal problems.
This season, however, there's little of that. The Leviathans are formidable enemies, to be sure, but they lack the deviousness of the demons, the long-term planning that leads to great arcs towards the end of the season. While they've proven themselves very capable of causing havoc, the consequences of what they do don't seem to be adding up. Who's to say the Winchesters would be fighting less if the Leviathans weren't around?
The problem with "Slash Fiction" is that it begins with events so shocking the writers had to hit reset at the end of the episode. The Leviathans pose as Sam and Dean and start slaughtering people on camera. This leads to a nationwide manhunt, which puts the brothers in crisis mode. This leads to a sticky situation where the brothers are arrested at the police station. However, the writers decide not to have Sam and Dean chased by police for the whole season, so they create an easy solution involving Bobby's sheriff friend who stumbles upon a way to combat Leviathans with borax. So Sam and Dean are declared dead, the actual brothers escape, and they're fine except for Sam knowing about Dean killing Amy. All too convenient if you ask me.
Score: 8.3/10
This season, however, there's little of that. The Leviathans are formidable enemies, to be sure, but they lack the deviousness of the demons, the long-term planning that leads to great arcs towards the end of the season. While they've proven themselves very capable of causing havoc, the consequences of what they do don't seem to be adding up. Who's to say the Winchesters would be fighting less if the Leviathans weren't around?
The problem with "Slash Fiction" is that it begins with events so shocking the writers had to hit reset at the end of the episode. The Leviathans pose as Sam and Dean and start slaughtering people on camera. This leads to a nationwide manhunt, which puts the brothers in crisis mode. This leads to a sticky situation where the brothers are arrested at the police station. However, the writers decide not to have Sam and Dean chased by police for the whole season, so they create an easy solution involving Bobby's sheriff friend who stumbles upon a way to combat Leviathans with borax. So Sam and Dean are declared dead, the actual brothers escape, and they're fine except for Sam knowing about Dean killing Amy. All too convenient if you ask me.
Score: 8.3/10
Review - Chuck Season 5 Episode 1 Chuck Versus the Zoom
Somehow, Chuck has reached its fifth season. Through all of NBC's recent and continuing tribulations, it was able to survive due to not-awful ratings and a small but fervent fan base. I can't say the show is nearly as good as it was in the second season, but it remains a fun show.
"Chuck Versus the Zoom" represents a new start to the show and the features both the old and the new. Chuck and company are still spies so main plot is a mission. The specifics for missions have never been strong and it seems like the writers have gotten lazier over the years. What's great about the missions is all the fun that can be packed in it and the season premiere has a fair amount of it.
The most obvious change is Chuck not having the Intersect anymore and Morgan having it. Compared to the season one Chuck, the season five Chuck is much different, more mature and sure of himself, able to do spy tasks without special powers. In fact, Chuck without the Intersect is about on equal footing with Morgan, who doesn't have a good grasp of his powers yet. But the writers make sure that Chuck does feel something about losing the Intersect. After all, he had it for years and without it, it makes him feel inadequate.
On the character side of things, lots of good stuff with Chuck trying to buy a house for Sarah. She eventually tells him what she wants--a cozy home with a white picket fence--and unfortunately, the CIA freezes their money. The show that sets off in a new direction: Chuck still has the spy company and the Buy More and he endeavors to earn enough money through both. With this, the show now has a goal and the Buy More will be relevant once more.
Chuck's mythology has never been its strong suit and it's a glaring problem in the episode. Decker and the CIA in the background are basic plot devices. Decker takes away the Intersect from Chuck and then takes his money, both game changing twists. But why? It's all shrouded in mystery, so we have no clue why Chuck is in the position he's in now.
Score: 8.7/10
"Chuck Versus the Zoom" represents a new start to the show and the features both the old and the new. Chuck and company are still spies so main plot is a mission. The specifics for missions have never been strong and it seems like the writers have gotten lazier over the years. What's great about the missions is all the fun that can be packed in it and the season premiere has a fair amount of it.
The most obvious change is Chuck not having the Intersect anymore and Morgan having it. Compared to the season one Chuck, the season five Chuck is much different, more mature and sure of himself, able to do spy tasks without special powers. In fact, Chuck without the Intersect is about on equal footing with Morgan, who doesn't have a good grasp of his powers yet. But the writers make sure that Chuck does feel something about losing the Intersect. After all, he had it for years and without it, it makes him feel inadequate.
On the character side of things, lots of good stuff with Chuck trying to buy a house for Sarah. She eventually tells him what she wants--a cozy home with a white picket fence--and unfortunately, the CIA freezes their money. The show that sets off in a new direction: Chuck still has the spy company and the Buy More and he endeavors to earn enough money through both. With this, the show now has a goal and the Buy More will be relevant once more.
Chuck's mythology has never been its strong suit and it's a glaring problem in the episode. Decker and the CIA in the background are basic plot devices. Decker takes away the Intersect from Chuck and then takes his money, both game changing twists. But why? It's all shrouded in mystery, so we have no clue why Chuck is in the position he's in now.
Score: 8.7/10
Review - Grimm Season 1 Episode 1 Pilot
Grimm is a procedural with supernatural elements, not a fantasy show with procedural elements. This distinction is actually pretty large, as the majority of the pilot is spent on stuff you'd see on numerous other procedurals through the week--CSI, Criminal Minds, NCIS, etc. And even then the procedural aspect of the show isn't that strong, mainly generic strings of clues leading to the ending.
What sets the show apart from other is the fantasy elements that show up from time to time. They aren't seamlessly molded into the show as they should be, but they're there, if that counts for anything. The main character Nick is in the lineage of Grimms, who hunt down storybook characters like big bad wolves. It's a concept that will get the writers lots of mileage within the procedural format. Beyond that, though, the show doesn't have much else in terms of characters or writer.
Score: 8.2/10
What sets the show apart from other is the fantasy elements that show up from time to time. They aren't seamlessly molded into the show as they should be, but they're there, if that counts for anything. The main character Nick is in the lineage of Grimms, who hunt down storybook characters like big bad wolves. It's a concept that will get the writers lots of mileage within the procedural format. Beyond that, though, the show doesn't have much else in terms of characters or writer.
Score: 8.2/10
Review - The Big Bang Theory Season 5 Episode 7 The Good Guy Fluctuation
The most generic Halloween plot is when a character gets scared and spends the rest of the episode getting back, and that's exactly what half of "The Good Guy Fluctuation" consists of. Sheldon is turned into a stock "Halloween character," who makes himself into a fool trying to scare others.
The other plot was a bit better since it dealt with a serious matter and was funny in its own right. Still, it didn't negate how useless and dumb the other plot was. Hopefully Priya and Leonard are done for good. Leonard made out with a girl and Priya slept with her ex. The story has gone on far too long already and needs to be over. I'm not confident it is over, though.
Score: 8.0/10
The other plot was a bit better since it dealt with a serious matter and was funny in its own right. Still, it didn't negate how useless and dumb the other plot was. Hopefully Priya and Leonard are done for good. Leonard made out with a girl and Priya slept with her ex. The story has gone on far too long already and needs to be over. I'm not confident it is over, though.
Score: 8.0/10
