Monsters of Television

“It’s getting to her.”

At least the kids came out of their rooms this time.

“Mock” is an interesting case of letting the dust settle a bit after a fairly explosive episode the previous week. In the comments for last week, I mentioned how I didn’t feel they’d be able to keep up the excitement across their 4 remaining hours,, and I was right. This week’s episode isn’t terribly exciting in terms of the serialized elements in the show, but is a solid procedural episode.

Also, we find out that Kalinda can’t speak Hindi. Finally. Something she can’t do. Take note slippery characters of Chicago! Do all your business in Hindi! Read more »

“Because it’s going to be you, Jack.”

Dammit, Lost.

I knew an episode like this had to be in the pipeline, and I wasn’t totally looking forward to it from a reviewer/critic perspective. Maintaining a level of analysis while still getting wildly emotional about what occurs in an episode is not an easy thing to do, so I apologize in advance if this piece veers back and forth between sobs and discussion.

I’ll start with some general thoughts about the episode, and then dive into the nitty-gritty of the character movements (at which point, if I were reading this aloud, I’d probably start cry-talking like they do in Community). It’s going to be a long-ish piece, so settle in. Read more »

“How you get to sleep at night, man?”
“I drink.”

A star is born.

Three episodes and I don’t think I’ve even mentioned my favorite character on the show yet: Jacques. He’s the sous-chef in the restaurant of my least favorite character, Janette. He is certainly that voice of reason character, the grounded, quiet tranquility behind Janette’s whirlwind disaster. Never has enough lines, never has enough screen time, but always wins the scenes he’s in, especially when it’s a competition between him and Kim Dickens. It’s not that I really don’t like Janette. But she’s like everyone else on the show: a little abrasive. And her storyline of “my bustling restaurant is failing” gets lost in the “I lost my brother in the Storm” and “struggling to survive” storylines. The only bit of drama she’s really had, other than missing bills and screwing around with Davis, is hitting her parents up for cash. She is the character that, if they had to drop for money, no one would miss her. She is what the Lizard Man was to Carnivàle except she’ll probably make it out of the first season.

Her spot as filler on this show really stood out to me in an episode that lacked the power the previous three have had. If this had some build behind it, I’d say this was a breather episode but, really, it’s just a “shuffling” episode. People do things, go on road trips, see who they are in different situations, show a different shade of themselves. And, for once, they didn’t put the episode’s theme in Davis’s mouth.

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“I just want my city back.”

Wake. Ruined.

Note: This post is for last week’s episode of Treme. The post for “At the Foot of Canal Street” is also available.

It took me a while to get into Mad Men. I was well behind (I’m still not totally current) when I someone finally gave me a copy of season 1 for Christmas. I watched an episode here and there, remarking to my friends that the show is very pretty but I was having a hard time getting into it. But then came “Babylon,” episode 6 of the first season. There is an extreme long shot at the end where Joan and Sterling are standing on the same street, waiting for different cabs, she with bird cage in hand and he with a fedora tipped forward to cover his face. It was that moment that I fell for the show. I’ve been hooked since then, even if I only get to watch it between all the other obligations in my life.

I had a moment like that with the end of this episode of Treme. Maybe not as strong as to convince me as that one moment in Mad Men since I still have trouble seeing how this show will sustain itself for a long period of time. But they do have something in common: character is why the audience keeps coming back. While Treme has storylines that may become repetitive and stale when played by ordinary archetypes, these characters are becoming developed enough to keep a viewer returning, especially if they catch the complexity of the writing.

I don’t want you to think I’m writing a love-letter to a show that’s barely started, one that has already garnered so much praise based on its producers and writers, but I am more impressed with the show, that feeling increasing with every week.

This particular episode dealt with the concept of the Other and the constant dance of repulsion and attraction. It isn’t as obvious at first, but stick with me and maybe I’ll make a convincing case for you.

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“Judge away. Shame turns me on.”

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (May 9th. Don’t forget!), but Gossip Girl decides to give us an episode focusing on the struggles of paternal relationships. Father figures on the show fall in many different areas of the support spectrum and the effects of their actions have been the catalysts for many of the shows plot points, especially in this current season.

William van der Woodsen has been on the show for two episodes and has already brought a shit storm down on the Upper East Side. It’s now wide out in the open that he’s gunning for his rightful place as Daddy Dearest in the van der Woodsen home and he’ll get it anyway he can. And Serena’s going to help him do it. Of course she is, she’s daddy’s little girl. She finally has the opportunity to forge a real relationship with her father, something she’s wanted forever, and she’s gonna make the best of it. She even admits: “I love Rufus, but you’re my dad. He’s not.” So Serena invites William to family brunch. And for late night hot chocolate. And uninvited Rufus to the gala. Subtly, thy name sure as hell ain’t Serena van der Woodsen. Read more »

“Stimulus money has gone to stimulust.”

Last time on Law & Order, I wrote about comedic guest stars on the show and why they may come to the franchise. It’s an idea I still really like, and would develop further given the time and money to pour through the various appearances such actors have made. This week I want to keep going with the guest star, but I want to talk about another facet of the guest star: the “Hey! I know that actor! And they’re not playing a defense attorney?  They did it.” mentality.

Yes, it’s true. The guest star can be a problem for the procedural. They suck all the narrative mystery out of a procedural because why would any show pay a fairly familiar face to just hang out and look cool in the background? They can pay someone scale (or slightly better) to do that! Instead, you pay that familiar face to draw audiences and/or have a powerful scene near the end of the show (to earn that Emmy). Read more »

“I am not letting you shoot a tiger. They are endangered and majestic.”

This has nothing to do with the plot.

Better.

After an episode where Chuck and Sarah act like foolish children, it’s a relief to find them as just regular old romantic idealists. After three years of repression, the compression of their relationship makes sense and their reaction to being unburdened feels right. Last week, they were such idiots that not even a new relationship compounded by the romantic intoxication of Europe could explain how experienced spies could be such rubes. But, in Burbank, Sarah seems much more grounded and Chuck — well, Chuck has been waiting for this not only for the past three years but his enitre life so he’s footloose and fancy-free. Even if last week had some moments where the couple worked in-synch with each other to demonstrate how close they were, it seemed almost surreal, like some saccharine dream Chuck was having. Here, they work as a team and it doesn’t feel cheesy. It’s the coupling as I’d hoped it would be: a continuation of their previous relationship just more comfortable.

Maybe one day they can be as cool a couple as Morgan and Casey.

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“A dirty dirty sex bed.”

Oh, hey, it’s that show I haven’t written about in two episodes. Is it still on? I could’ve sworn that shows stopped airing when I stopped writing about them (as a result, I have no idea how Nick has managed to just magically create episodes of White Collar or Parenthood to review).

Tonight’s HIMYM is odd in a couple of ways. First is my realization that the show has essentially become Scrubs and second is that I’m not entirely sure that the show earns its ending. It’s certainly sentimental, and it should have some emotional heft to it, but I feel like the show has veered too far away from where it once was to really make it work (plus it’s directed at the wrong character). Read more »

“Second base is reading Tennyson.”

This is the shot that’s going in all of Peter Krause’s future press materials.

Daughters are nothing but trouble. If you have one, you’d better lock her up in a tower because all they do is lie, cheat, and break vases. Sons, on the other hand, are honest and endearing. They may be a little troublesome but, as you know, boys will be boys.

At least that is the general sentiment of this episode. “Perchance to Dream” focuses almost exclusively on relationships with the daughter: mother vs daughter (Julia/Sydney), father vs daughter (Adam/Haddie), mother and daughter vs The World (Sarah/Amber), and, the happiest couple of the group, the couple without a daughter (Crosby/Jasmine).

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“What does hate look like?”

As I’ve said, I’m not the biggest Dalek fan. I couldn’t totally explain why if prompted. Maybe it has something to do with their near-invulnerability. In any case, I was pleased that the Dalek episode was taken care of sooner rather than later.

“Victory of the Daleks” isn’t a great episode (which is fine since next week’s episode is superb). It essentially serves as the pilot episode for the new Daleks that will plague this Doctor during his tenure. The upside is that the episode affords us some more insight into the Doctor ever developing personality.

And, you know, Amy in a denim mini-skirt and cowboy boots. During the London Blitz.

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