Monsters of Television

“This is your lucky day kid. The big break most people only dream about. You get to write a story with Perry White.”

Smallville decided to get all philosophical on us this episode and talk a lot about purpose. We all know the Clark’s purpose is to protect the Earth, one day (although we’ll never see it on the show) as Superman. But what of our other characters? What drives them? What gives their lives meaning? “Hostage” broke down and had Lois, Chloe, and a few guest surprises reflecting on their lives and looking for direction.

Lois Lane is more than just the love of Clark Kent’s life. She is a strong, witty, inquisitive, award-winning journalist. Or at least she will be. Right now she’s unemployed and trying to figure her life out. She believes the only way to do this is to find her own way. No Clark. No Blur. So when Perry White comes back into town (last seen in “Perry”) Lois jumps at the chance to help him with his latest scoop. Perry’s hunting down Checkmate and the Red Queen. The chemistry between Durance and McKean is amazing. I definitely want to see more of this duo in the future. The two catch a glimpse of the Red Queen and track her down. During a chase Perry slips and finds himself hanging from a dangling fire escape. “Great Caesar’s ghost!” he exclaims, music to any Perry White fans ears. Lois helps Perry up and even though the Red Queen escapes, she counts it as a victory. Perry wants Lois to accompany him to Nairobi on another Checkmate lead but she says she’s fine now. She just needed to find the hero in herself, to see that she could do good on her own. Read more »

“Who you gonna believe? Some bitter wannabe who’s pissed from working a shitty, dehumanizing job or me?”

So here is what Party Down is really about. The previous two episodes have been a bit all over the place, but with the orgy night everything just slides into place (couldn’t be helped). The show was at its best last season when the crew of Party Down Catering ended up getting roped into the party in some way and/or called upon to save it.

It’s that bitter irony that these folks, with grand dreams and ambitious goals have to help those who have already achieved their dreams and goals continue enjoying them. There’s something noble in that, but they can’t just get past the cruelness of it all. And thank goodness for that. Read more »

“He can’t tell his fiancee he’s gay … how is he going to tell her he’s pregnant?”

Men of Team House singing karaoke. Taub doesn’t count.

After giving Taub such a hard time last week, several of my friends told me I should probably take it easy on the poor guy. It’s not his fault that he’s weak and tiny, desperate to validate his achievements through some coworker strange. My friend Ian reminded me he’s the only human left on the show. That’s a good point. Everyone else on the show has vaulted to a point where their once human quirks are now tragic flaws. I mean, Chase killed a dude and possibly saved a country in one episode. There is a legacy around the development of Foreman, Thirteen, and Chase, putting them on tall pedestals from which they can judge and orchestrate things below. Between them, there is almost a mythology. Taub, on the other hand, is human. His flaws are petty, almost pedestrian, by comparison to Thirteen’s self-destructive streak or Foreman’s denial of his past. Taub’s biggest trouble is keeping it in his pants and coping with being a bad liar. He also has to stand against the Greek gods and goddess aesthetically and there’s not much the poor guy can do. Which, of course, makes him a target.

It’s been a while since House took his “relentless torture” game on the road. He’s mostly kept it domestic this season what with his preoccupation in Wilson and Sam. Taub gets flustered easily and, despite his prediliction to this behavior, is not very good at it. So House rides the easy target like he rode everyone in the old days, with a mastery and cunning that almost seems sleepy when compared to his larger triumphs. It’s good to see House returning to the days when was addic– oh no.

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“Everyone’s playing.”

I wanted Community to start finding something new to say or new ways to say it. However, the last few episodes, including tonight’s “Modern Warfare,” have pushed the show in a direction it danced with, but never fully committed to until recently: pop culture homages. Yes, the show has done extended references and tips of the hat prior to the last few episodes, but those episodes will still ultimately defined by the “We’re a family” message that the show was starting to wear to the bone.

I wouldn’t say that the message has gone away — it really hasn’t — but that it’s no longer the driving force behind episodes any longer. Instead the show plays pop culture roulette, a dangerous little game that can backfire if not done properly. Thankfully, Community is streets ahead of any other sitcom on television, and “Modern Warfare” proves that. Read more »

“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 »