TV Watcher: 03/01/15 - 03/07/15

03.01.15 - 03.07.15

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH 101/102. "Alive in Tuscon/The Elephant in the Room". Now THIS is how you open a series. For months, FOX has advertised THE LAST MAN ON EARTH sporadically, with each new blurb and TV spot heightening my excitement for this project more and more. Add in the involvement of Phil Lord and Chris Miller (the duo behind LEGO MOVIE and 21 JUMP STREET), who also directed the two-part premiere, and there was zero chance I was skipping this series. Turns out, within the opening fifteen minutes of lunacy and isolation Phil Miller undergoes as he realizes, for some unexplained reason, he's the only man left alive after a virus outbreak, the show already hooked me. It managed to balance the somberness of Phil's realization with the comedy of Phil horsing around, with the world as his playground. 

The big question inherent in THE LAST MAN ON EARTH is, could this be sustainable as a series? Thanks to a clever secret revealed in the premiere episode and the direction episode two sets the series towards, yes, there's so much that can be mined from this premise. Will Forte easily sheds my distaste for him after the dismal MACGRUBER and creates a hilarious, empathetic character who's just given up, and as episode two rolls around and he's faced with a different but familiar living situation, his frustration and charm are beautifully leveled. And major props to the series for adding Alexandra Daddario in a hilarious and tempting cameo. Poor Phil Lord. 

In 43 minutes, this series has won me over, and the prospect of spending the next couple weeks watching Phil Lord mess everything up and acclimate to his new situation is irresistible. Excellent series, excellent work. Grade: A+

EPISODES 409. "Episode Nine". Well, that went by quickly. Season 4 feels like it just began, and here we are, already at the end. Was the ride worth it? EPISODES the series has always enjoyed a rather gradual pace that eventually culminates in a finale that twists things towards another direction, like last year's PUCKS is cancelled-but-now-resurrected-cos-of-higher-ups-bitch-fights, and this season ends on a note that doesn't inspire the most enthusiasm. The whole season has been rather light on comedic moments and a plot interesting enough to keep my attention, becoming more or less a show that I can rely on airing this time of year instead of a show I need to be steadfast and watch like some addiction. Real good story and comedic material could have been mined with everyone and the writers begrudgingly brought back to work on PUCKS, the show everyone in the cast and crew hate, but instead it's glossed over relatively quickly so the characters can concentrate on their new show in development. There's a fun Carol falling for people of power subplot that works extremely well for several episodes only to turn sour in a jealous-rivalry storyline. Even Matt gets two cool chances to stand out - a quasi-reunion with his ex-wife and a reluctant partnership with Lapedius. But, sadly, all these storylines end on a bit of a whimper.

Overall, the weakest season of EPISODES yet, but still a somewhat satisfying adventure. With a season five renewal (as far as I understand it) still up in the air, regardless of what direction the wind blows, it's been a great run, and a fun series to watch. Season Grade: B-


SHAMELESS 507. "Tell Me You Fucking Need Me". After the amazeballs season 4 mid-credits surprise of Jimmy/Steve's apparent resurrection, the Fiona/Jimmy reunion was the storyline I was looking forward to the most this season, and it didn't disappoint. Initially, I suppose I was in the camper van of folks who would like to see their relationship rekindled, but as these three episodes pointed out, y'know, Jimmy isn't exactly a good guy. He's a thief, a liar, and a manipulator who uses situations to his advantage. How their relationship concludes with this episode is sublime. After dealing with her "unfinished business", Fiona realizes it's time to move on, as difficult as it may be, and Jimmy rides away, motorcyclin' into the night. It was a fine line the writers walked with these two characters this season, and the end result was immensely satisfying. Although, sadly, I do now have to recognize this is the last of Dichen Lachman we'll see on the show. She's a terrific actress (see: DOLLHOUSE), and it would have been preferable to see her get an expanded role, but even a tiny bit of Dichen is better than no Dichen. 

Watching Ian's reluctance to acknowledge his bipolar disorder is heartbreaking, as if Mickey being shaken up after seeing his boyfriend's aloofness. Debbie finally winning the boy was a wonderfully light and heartwarming moment in a series of grim storybeats, and the Frank and Sammi's dynamic reaches a threatening crescendo (not the best subplot, but they have to give these characters something to do, I suppose). As it stands, Lip and Fiona's storylines are the most compelling, and although the likelihood of either Gallagher getting it easy for the remaining season 5 episodes is unlikely, I can't wait to see what happens next. Although, I can, sorta, cos I don't want this season to end . . . Grade: B+

JUSTIFIED 607. "The Hunt". It's all coming to an end. There are two standout sequences this episode: (1) Art and Markham having a face-to-face. If there's been only one strength this sixth season has mastered, it's these amazingly gripping dialogue bits with Markham and another character, be it Raylan, Boyd, Ava, or Art. It's a testament to the strength of Sam Elliot's delivery and piercing stare, but also to the extraordinary writing. This episode delivers a Art/Markham scene that will probably pay off later, but for now, it was just marvelous watching two pro speakers and actors playing off one another. (2) The Boyd/Ava scene out in the woods, where all gets revealed, and Boyd is faced with a terrifying thought about his sorta-fiance. It was inevitable that Boyd would find out, but I was, I suppose, hoping for more. As of yet, the Ava working for the Marshals has yielded no helpful results. There's been so much emphasis on her emotional state - and understandably so - but she has yet to really help the Marshals in any major way, and now the likelihood is Boyd will ask for Ava's help to steer and manipulate the Marshals to his will. For as strong as Joelle Carter has been this season, her character has less impressive. 

It's been too long, but Winona is back on our screens! It's a pleasure to see the beautiful Natalie Zea back in the JUSTIFIED universe, and I am all too pleased at the understanding she and Raylan arrive at near episodes end. That being said, it pretty much spells doom for these characters - the likelihood of a happy ending for these two is, shall we say, fairly slim. Another great element of this episode - and this season overall - has been Garrett Dillahunt as Ty Walker, who's now on the run from the Marshals and Markham, making him a dangerous beast. Each scene he's in with another character always has this edge to it, this sense that he could strike a lethal blow at any second, or that he's always in control of the situation no matter how dire. After the highly depressing departure of Choo-Choo last week, Ty is still strong enough a character to keep me glued, and now as a dangerous man with no allegiances, it'll be interesting to see where this goes. Mere episodes left . . . not ready for this to end. Grade: A-

The Watcher: July 2013

Welcome back to The Watcher! Now, there's nine gajillion blogs writing about movies, but very few who tackle television shows, which I think is weird. Television shows are becoming more and more sufficient and even more compelling than cinematic adventures. Naturally, there are examples to the contrary and arguments to the opposition, but for my money, my weekly TV appointments are just as thrilling and worthwhile as my theater outings.

After a year hiatus, The Watcher returns to review Awkward, Doctor Who, Episodes, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, and Orphan Black. Enjoy!

Previously on . . .

Jenna (Ashley Rickards) prepares to give a personal story to a crowd of friends and family.

Awkward: Season 3, Part 1 [Episodes 301-310]
This MTV series hit a sophomore slump last year with scripts that felt like people trying to imitate the excellent first season, if that makes sense. The voice over narration was hollow, the performances less enthusiastic, and the stories lacking the original flare as the freshman season. But with these first ten of the 16-episode third season, Awkward. seems to be back on tip-top form, reminding me exactly why I fell in love with these characters in the first place. Now happily in a relationship with Matty, Jenna has everything she has been pining for the last two years. Naturally, of course, this being a teen show, problems arise in the relationship, such as Jenna spending too much time with Matty, or Matty being a little too clingy, etc., but the series tackles these subjects in a fun and refreshing way. These characters are smart, and their quick wit does an enormous credit to making these redundant teen cliches interesting again. And even though this set of ten is heavy on the Jenna/Matty/Colin triangle, it never feels overbearing or forced. It's this year more than the others that feel very Jenna-based, very, who am I and who do I want to be? As an writer, Jenna also faces the question of what type of writer she wants to be, and how to write honestly and deeply. Moments like those, where Jenna is faced to confront her inner character and wants, like sharing her loss of virginity or making the choice to kiss someone she shouldn't, those are the beats that are beautifully played and portrayed - and also makes this series so damn awesome.

To the shows credit, Jenna's best friends Tamara and Ming have their own highly entertaining arcs. Ming's rivalry with the high school Asian mafia has some surprising and hilarious results, and Tamra's relationship with Jenna's ex Jake is a match made in heaven as the two compliment each other extremely well, and thus boast the second most interesting dynamic on the show. One of the great things is that these feel like flesh and blood characters now, and with the exception of the now-irritable voice over from Jenna, the series doesn't feel scripted. It's one of the more intelligent teen shows on the air right now, and for it being on MTV, that's saying something.

Season 3.1 ended on a note of Jenna emotionally moving on from Matty, with Matty being none the wiser. For the first two years Matty was seen through the perspective of Jenna, as this object of yearning that doesn't feel the same back, or refuses to take the chance of making a move. This year has had more Matty than ever before, and he's so well written that instead of taking Jenna's side on the whole front, we're kinda rooting for Matty, even though we understand high school romance and the inevitability of people changing and moving on. That said, this new person Jenna's interested in - a wee bit too much like a walking, talking cliche, thank you very much. Still, Awkward. is on a roll, and I can't wait to see how this all blows up and gets resolved. Half-Season Score: B

The Doctor (Matt Smith) addresses the Old God in "The Rings of Akhatan"

Doctor Who: Series 7, Part 2 [Episodes 6-13]
Back in September, the Ponds left the TARDIS, and in December, viewers were given their second glimpse of what would eventually be the new companion. Finally, at the end of March, Series 7 resumed, and we were introduced to the new companion proper. Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) is the mystery The Doctor can't solve, the woman twice dead, his Impossible Girl, and he can't stay away without knowing the answer. Ultimately, despite a strong and impressive performance from Coleman, Clara lacks enough of a personality to label her a true character; instead, the mystery surrounding Clara becomes much more important than who she is and what she represents. And despite how wonderful it was to have Doctor Who back after what felt like short bursts of happiness spread across two galaxies worth of waiting, the unfortunate thing is that these episodes are pretty mediocre.

"The Rings of Akahtan", "Hide", "Nightmare in Silver", and "The Name of The Doctor" are clear highlights from an eight-episode half season that boasted many very interesting ideas that were slave to a running time that simply couldn't do the stories justice. And because these episodes were brimming with setup and ideas, the key component of storytelling and the main strength of the Russell T. Davies era - the emphasis on character - is pushed to the back in favor of spiffy special effects and overly complex storytelling. Alright, perhaps not complex, but 'misguided'. Sure, it's great to be ambitious in scope, but if the time allotted can't contain it, I vote it's better to include character beats moreso than epic notions, and that's what's so great with "Rings of Akahtan" and "Hide", two stories that are pretty simple in nature and let The Doctor experience and feel something that he doesn't normally, and therefore, we get just a tiny bit more insight into the character. "Nightmare in Silver" was a mixed bag of good and bad, but it's undeniable that Matt Smith gives one hell of a performance playing against himself. And we come to "The Name of The Doctor", an episode so hyped that the end result was kinda so-so. Of course, the episode title refers to something else, and of course, the episode doesn't go anywhere you'd expect it. Mostly, though, it was a rousing success. The opening bits with Clara and the shocking conclusion that leads directly into the 50th - quite amazing.

Then there are the clunkers, like "Cold War", which was just a brilliant idea but so horrendously written and executed, or "The Crimson Horror" (both by Mark Gatiss) that feels odd and kind of worthless. It doesn't help that my interest in Strax, Jenny and Madame Vastra has diminished completely, and I'd rather enjoy them all being thrown into a black hole. "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS" was also one of those brilliant ideas, but just couldn't be given adequate justice in the time span given to it, and there's just a general feeling of mediocrity with the whole preceding. The Series 7B opener "The Bells of St. John" is just as equally 'meh', having scattered moments of interest, but overall lacking in being something worthwhile. Still, nice new outfit, Doctor.

I hate feeling such negativity for a show I enormously love, but Series 7 is definitely not the best Doctor Who has to offer, although it is a step up for the so-so Series 6. Was the wait between Series 6 to Series 7, and the wait between Series 7A and 7B worth it? Erm, no. I fall into the camp where I'd rather enjoy more content. Yes, it takes nine months to film a season, and a couple more for post. Yes, it's a grueling schedule. But more episodes means I can wash away the taste of the less good-y ones much easier. And we get more Doctor Who. It's a double edged sword, really. More episodes and faster production could mean more lackluster episodes, but the selfish side of me is sick of all this silly waiting. Anyway, enough complaining, Series 7 as a whole wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, either. I thought the whole notion of having slutty Hollywood titles worked quite well, and having a different theme or genre each episode also helped keep things fresh week after week. So, overall Season Grade: B-

Game of Thrones: Season 3
I'll probably be regarded as a heretic for saying this, but the first two seasons of Game of Thrones failed to really capture my interest. It felt like the other HBO series Rome, but just with dragon eggs and Sean Bean. There didn't seem to be anything particularly noteworthy, magical, or all that interesting going on with the series for two years. Sure, Tyrion was always funny and a highlight in every episode he was in, and Daenerys Targaryen's ascent to a role of power was highly riveting thanks to Emilia Clarke being pretty much awesome, but there was something missing in those first twenty episodes that were suddenly found in this third year. Finally, I felt like these were characters. Finally, I felt like these were characters worth involving oneself in. Finally, I felt like this was a living, breathing world of fantastical elements, not just the Rome set redressed. Finally, I felt like everyone had a voice, a motive, a plot, a reason. Finally, the series knew how to balance the storylines and even have them compliment each other. And finally, stories were unraveling that gave me a reason to give a damn. This is an unpopular opinion, and I'm sure to get some grub about disliking seasons 1 and 2 of Game of Thrones, but alas, it is what it is.

What this season did is that it made everything matter. It gave weight to characters, their arcs, their dialogue, their emotional spectrum, the whole damn thing, and I can't give the show enough props for it. Even in this world of magic and dragons giant mute armies and people killing each other for a throne, the showrunners never forgot about character, and that's the big strength of this year. Jamie Lannister was given more depth to him than I could ever have predicted, throwing him in the darkest recesses of shit; the Star family continues to get screwed over more and more; Tyrion is still navigating what to do and what not to do in front of father; Joffrey's manipulative and deadly abilities further devilishly grows; Dany's quest for the throne leads her to a power stance of 'no slaves', and she's willing to bring down whole cities to prove her point, and I'm sure there's loads more, but the point is is that these ten episodes completely and utterly worked.

The writing was top notch. The transitions were well thought out. The performances were spectacular. The visuals have never looked more gorgeous and cinematic (last seasons Blackwater episode included). The characters are real. Sure, there were problems with this whole Theon/Ramsey torture crap that seemed to go nowhere, and I'm still fuzzy on the Red Witch and the Lord of Light rubbish, but with such wonderful character beats like Arya's descent into darkness, Tyrion's forced marriage and his highly suitable reaction to it, and Jamie's wake up call to reality - all that is just so damn amazing and so damn impressive that any and all faults of the season just seem like immaterial. And season 3 also boasts some truly 'wow' highlights, like the brilliant moment in 3.04 where Dany subverts the ruler of Astapor and the Unsullied pledge their allegiance to her, and 3.09, the much-talked about Red Wedding. I'm curious to see how and what season 4 can deliver that will be anywhere near as exciting. Overall, a damn good 10-episode run. Only problem is that 10 episodes are just too damn short. Season Grade: B+

Hannibal: Season 1
I binged on all 13 episodes in two days. I would never have guessed that this tale of Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Hannibal Lecter's (Mads Mikkelsen) friendship would be so engrossing, visually stunning, and intricately plotted. Hell, I wouldn't have guessed that it would be one of the more impressive shows of the year. Yet there it is. A full season arc so beautifully paced, with so many zig-zagy turns and a malevolent man  disguised as a friend in need, Hannibal is more like a series of forty-three minute movies than a television series. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the blood and gore on display here seems more extreme than even Dexter (albeit less than Walking Dead, marginally). This is clever storytelling at its height. And thanks to some absolutely stunning performances, this has become one of my Must See television shows, and I'm ancy as all hell for season 2 to start up again.

The less said about the series, the better for you to sit and experience, but it's interesting in its depiction of this rather odd friendship between Will and Hannibal, and also immensely interesting in the mental toll Will's gifts are having on his psyche. This gift, which makes him an invaluable member of the FBI, is simultaneously destroying him, and to watch that mental erosion is thrilling and enormously tense. But none of this tightly-written story beats would be even remotely worthwhile if it wasn't for the nuanced work by Hugh Dancy, a man who I admittedly failed to see as Will Graham [Edward Norton is my ideal Will Graham], but within the span of a handful of episodes, Dancy owns this role so completely, making it entirely his own, and all the better for it. As Hannibal Lecter, Mads Mikkelsen had the impossible task of following in the footsteps of Anthony Hopkins, but he, likewise, chose to reimagine the role as something far different, creating a new, methodical, nearly robotic monster waiting patiently for the moment to reveal its ugliness. Hannibal defied my (admittedly low) expectations, delivering episode after episode of riveting drama, brutal murders, and intense psychological warfare in the mind of Will Graham. If you had the slightest interest in this series, watch it at your earliest convenience. Season Grade: A -

Orphan Black: Season 1
I can tell you this right now, there isn't a single show that premiered in 2013 that has as much originality as Orphan Black or possesses as fine of actress as Tatiana Maslany. From the very first episode, the series locks you in with intrigue. Why are there women who are identical to this woman, Sarah Manning? Who are they, and how are they connected? The writing is spectacular, a blend of Joss Whedon's witticisms and Howard Gordon's relentless pace (24, Homeland), this series never allows a viewer to even entertain the notion of being bored. A strong, highly intelligent and resourceful female protagonist, so beautifully full of complexity not seen since Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Geller), Maslany effortlessly embodies not only the main character, Sarah, but no less than five other versions of herself - all with their own distinct personality and traits. There is no way to stress enough how impressive Tatiana Maslany is in this role. And the mythology is a wide web of possibilities full of seedy organizations and deceptive friends.

Ingenious, really, is a great way to describe the series. How many times are we thrown stories with cloning involved? A frak ton, and I wasn't entirely sold on the notion of watching another clone show that recycled the same old questions and the same old stories for some feign sense of deeper meaning. And holy miscalculation, I was wrong. For at least this first season, this series isn't interested in those deep questions just yet, it instead wants to throw you straight into the action, straight into the seedy organizations and double crossings and family drama - and it's amazing for it. I'm not going to get into too many specifics for the show, since I want you all to watch it (whoever is reading this), but I can guarantee that if you do decide to watch it, you won't be disappointed. You'll be intrigued. And maybe, just maybe, like me, you'll binge through all ten episodes in one day. Frankly, season two can't come soon enough . . . Season Grade: A

Onto our Regularly Scheduled Program . . .

It's going to be a sad summer, honestly. Right now, we're in the midst of the final run of Dexter, enjoying its eighth and final season. Sure, it's creatively for the best that the show bows out while it still (arguably) has stories worth telling and the show maintains a ratings hit for Showtime, but Dexter has fit comfortably into a routine, that one series I can always count on coming back and being enjoyable (one way or another). And now it's coming to an end. Yikes. And at the halfway point of Dexter's final days comes the last eight episodes of AMC's Breaking Bad, like, ever. Likewise, I'm glad the series is still on top creatively, and it continues to receive seemingly endless accolades, but I don't want it to end. More than that, I don't have a freaking clue how it will end, and that's both petrifying and electrifying. But before that, I can still enjoy Dexter, so that brings me to . . .

Dexter: Season 8, Episodes 1-5
Last year, Dexter was enjoying a creative resurgence. Finally, the formula had been tweaked. Finally, Jennifer Carpenter and Michael C. Hall were given material worthy of the kind of caliber of actors they are. And finally, the series was ready and willing to take chances again. Well, now season 8 is here to show us the repercussions of those chances on the characters, and although it hasn't been firing at the breakneck speed of last season, there's still enough juggling plot-threads to keep one interested.

First order of business is the presence of Dr. Evelyn Vogel, who was instrumental in shaping Dexter Morgan from a young age, assisting Harry in creating The Code. It's not uncommon for a series reaching its endpoint to bring in some mechanism from the characters past, either as a way of reminding the audience, bringing the character full circle, or, in this instance (although there's undoubtedly more) shed new light on something we thought we already knew all the details on. Vogel has been better used as a device to heal the rift between Deb and Dexter, which I'll get to more in a moment, but her actual function on the show remains a bit sketchy. She's quite smitten with what she's accomplished with Dexter, crafting the Perfect Monster, but what effect does it have on Dex? And, more to the point, what's her purpose? So at this juncture, I care for Vogel neither here nor there, but am merely interested to see where this character ends up.

Dexter is in a kind of holding pattern. He wants his sister back, she can't stand him. He's recruited by Vogel to find a former patient who is harassing her. And he continues to just do what he does. I was expecting this final year to more or less have a noose tightening around Dexter Morgan, in much the same way Vic Mackey was getting closer and closer to shit hitting the fan in The Shield. Instead, five episodes in, Dex seems to have quite the easy ride, almost like a side character instead of the main attraction.

Who the real star of season 8 is none other than Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan, a woman so fractured, broken, and traumatized by the events of the season 7 finale that she has completely lost herself. In the last seventeen episodes since she found out Dexter's secret, Jennifer Carpenter has been the Girl on Fire with her work, absolutely nothing less than stellar. The fact the writers are giving her such meaty story to work on is fantastic, and she's doing wonders with it. Now, it appears that the bridge between brother and sister is starting to slowly mend, and I'm excited to see where Dex and Deb go from here. This is the final year, after all, so the writers need to pull out something rather amazing and clever, don't they?

Season 8 thus far, overall, have been just so-so, but I guess that's expected when most of the story has to deal with the fallout from the finale. Quinn and Jamie are put together in a relationship to give them something to do, Batista still has nothing to do, and Masuka now had a daughter, just to give him something to do. I want to have faith that everything is going to unravel in majestic fashion, thanks to the stellar season 7, but these five episodes haven't given me much to be excited over. And since I see a lot of people making predictions about how the series will end, I'll offer my vague two cents: whatever goes down, it's going to be Dexter making a sacrifice of some sort for Debra. A sacrifice of his own life, or his own freedom, but the finale needs to be Deb and Dexter, it has to be about that relationship. Until then, these episodes have a Grade: B-

True Blood: Season 6, Episodes 1-7
Honestly, so much of True Blood right now rests at the "meh"-o-meter. Despite popular opinion, seasons four and five had some good ideas to them, they were worthwhile and were actually engaging here and there. Essentially, they had the least problems. And now we're back to the status quo with season six, which thus far has more wandering storylines than ever before, and is veering off in so many bizarre directions that what the series once was is nearly unrecognizable. There are some pluses, to be sure - for one thing, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) is very much her own woman, very independent, strong minded, and willful, and that's nice to see. But then there are also the negatives - like Lafayete and Tara having barely ten minutes of screentime over these seven episodes, or the endless, mindless, directionless subplot with the wolf pack. So often these subplots don't seem like they're going anywhere, and the writers are writing for characters that they don't know what to do with, so everything keeps going in circles.

That's my automatic anger at True Blood, this sense that has lingered for years that no one in the writers room has any notion what to do with this massive cast of characters, and this year hasn't dramatically done anything to quench that notion. But, and there is a but in all this, I will give props where props is due. Some of the side characters are getting some interesting stuff to do: Andy's newfound parenthood of the four faerie girls was excellent, allowing both the character and the actor to display skills the show doesn't normally allow him. [Note: Ultimately, this also leads into the sense of storytelling aimlessness; back a season or two ago, Andy shags a faerie, she gives him these four faerie children, and tells him to protect them, (and why? is there a bigger purpose to them? And why did faerie lady pick Andy?) and he fails at that, so what will the consequences be?] Terry's big story last year of the demon-spirit thingy that wanted to kill him and Felicity's old boyfriend ended on an anticlimatic thud, but the events of that arc led to a tragic note for Terry's sendoff that was surprisingly emotional and well done for True Blood standards. What this show seriously lacked for years and years is that they forgot there were actual characters on this show. It was so interested in the Big Bad Villain of the Season, and Nudity, Nudity, Nudity!, and Surprise Twist! that very often they failed to remember that shows are first and foremost character dramas. And season six, under new direction with Alan Ball having vacated the showrunner seat, seems to point to at least a conscious recognition of this rather large storytelling error.

And as far as the story being told in season six, it's both interesting and also batshitcrazy 'We've-Jumped-the-Shark' material. Episode one and two were absolutely cringe-worthy in their awfulness, thanks to this ridiculous leftover of this Authority/Lilith plot that was big last season [or the last week, according to True Blood timeline]. Having something like Lilith being resurrected and walking the earth would have been cool, but instead, Bill gets exploded, then receives his own kinda nifty resurrection to become Super Bill thanks to consuming Lilith's blood. He can control objects in mid-air, fly, and receive visions! What the hell? And then there's this Warlow plot that has been a year in the making, and the big reveal of that what kind of a big, WEIRD letdown. Things are getting crazier and crazier, and making less and less sense. Very 'everything but the kitchen sink' in its idea tossing. And so now it's Billith using Warlow to fight the government, which has issued a full-on assault on vampires everywhere - kinda cool, right?

At least the execution hasn't been terribly terrible. There has been some good stuff milked out of this, like the whole Eric/Willa thing, which has been a fun addition, and Jessica's descent into darkness, guilt, and desire for redemption, and the exciting and hilarious return of Sarah Newlin was an inspired choice. I feel like I'm ragging on the show much too harshly. Like I hope I made clear, there's some good to be mined from this season, but, honestly, there's still too much excess bullshit, unnecessary subplots, lack of focus, lack of sense, and general craziness for this show to be anything near a success right now. With only three episodes left of True Blood season 6, I am genuinely curious how it's all gonna get wrapped up with Billith, and Warlow, and Sookie, and . . . Andy and the faerie. But really, let's just cut all this junk down and concentrate on character again, can we? Grade: C -

How about the rest of you? Watching these shows? Care to chime in with your two cents?

The Watcher: July 2012

Awkward, Season 2. Episodes 2-5
I fell in love with Awkward. back with the very first episode, and as I said before, it's absolutely fantastic seeing it back on my screen. Well, computer screen. Don't have cable. It sucks. But even though I'm over the moon with its return, five episodes in, I'm just not loving it nearly as much as I have. And I can't pinpoint the culprit. The writing is just as strong and full of zingers and new words describing human genitalia, the actors are just as funny and angsty as before, and Ashley Rickards is hotter than ever. So where's the problem? Right now, the one thing making rounds in my head is the Jenna/Jake dynamic, that is so full of Jenna second-guessing herself and her feelings that the pair never seem to really 'click' for us. In season one, he was that fantastic, special Prince Charming that genuinely cared for Jenna, and this year, he's still the guy who cares for her - perhaps a overbearing too much - but the fireworks just ain't blastin' and blowin' as they have before. Amazingly, despite how nice of a person Jake is - and I can't believe I'm thinking this - I'm becoming more and more a fan of Matty. Blimey! And I would like for Jenna to assert her independence more, show that the letter her mom wrote has made a substantial, life-altering impact, that she's a better person because of that letter. She's no longer the awkward girl who wouldn't stand up for herself, but she's not as strong as I would like her to be, either.

Luckily, Ming and Tamara are given substantially more time to develop as characters, and they've been a blast. Tamara is still boy obsessed and fast-talking, but she's coming into her own. Ming was the most underdeveloped of the friendly trio, and this year she's maturing into a gal who is very forthright in what she wants and what she says. It's much appreciated.

Season two doesn't have the beat-by-beat comedic and dramatic brilliance of its freshman year, but it's still fantastic to have Awkward. back, and with its recently renewed 22-episode third season, the show isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So for now I'll sit back and enjoy the ride, because we have more of Jenna Hamilton and her voice overs to look forward to, and I'm absolutely giddy bout that. Grade: B

Breaking Bad, Season 5. Episodes 1-3
With season four ending with a literal bang, a jaw-dropping collection of episodes that became increasingly more and more intricate and compelling, Breaking Bad's final season was one of my most eagerly anticipated shows of the summer. Three episodes in (four as of the time of this writing, but three in July), that same intense speed of the previous arc has been expunged for what is, understandably, a slow build. The season begins with a year jump ahead, as a bearded and disheveled Walt purchases a machine gun from Jim Beaver at a Denny's, apparently running from something, or perhaps towards something. As for the present, Walt is soaring on a ego-trip from his dispensing of Gus Fring and, with the assistance of Jesse and Gus' previous right hand man Mike, slowly starts up the methylamine business again. Estranged wife Skyler silently accepts the reality of her situation, but the mute exterior is slowly eroding as she's reaching a breaking point. There's a inevitability of badness coming, but right now creator Vince Gilligan and the writers are content with building this new arc of Walt rising to the top and the family complications that come out of his status.

Only eight episodes make up this half of the shows final season in 2012, and with that knowledge, I'm holding out hope that that same intensity of the previous year and promised villainy of Walter White comes into play. Many commentators have said that Walt has already passed the Point of No Return, and although I do agree with them, I don't exactly feel Walt's darkness or the Heisenberg persona coming through too powerfully. We see Walt as a intelligent man who thinks every action through several steps ahead, but as far as a man who could convincingly take over a drug empire, just don't see that yet. But as for what we do have here, there's three exquisitely written and performed episodes. Bryan Cranston no longer has the strut of a man who displays nervousness or fear, he walks like he owns the ground he walks on and is in complete control of every situation and word. Aaron Paul is obviously relishing going back to the calm and easy going Jesse from the earlier seasons, though in episode two his acting chops are on full display as he breaks down in front of Walt over 'locating' the cigarette full of ricen that resulted in a sticky situation last season.

Walt and Jesse are currently buddy buddies, and with Mike in the mix - a excellent addition, I must add - these are the Three Amigo's who are keeping the meth business alive and lucrative. Already, however, we can see the cracks in Walt's readiness to part with a substantial amount of money, hungry for more. Equally as engaging is Hank's vindication in his search into Gus Fring and his newfound celebrity status at his department. I am so very eager for the time when Hank faces off against Heisenberg, only for the face under the black hat to be revealed as his brother-in-law. At least, here's hoping. And finally, the looks and movements of Skyler and all the unspoken feelings beautifully portrayed by Anna Gunn. Now, with the addition of a new female co-star with Lydia, a tightly wound, paranoid gal, the series is expanding its universe to what will either be Walt's impending partners or adversaries.

It's exciting times being a Breaking Bad fan. We're still in setup mode, with the best yet to come, but these amazingly talented writers and actors who never settle for anything less than a perfect note continue to create some of the most compelling television ever made. So here's me not complaining. Breaking Bad is back - for a truncated period, but still - and I couldn't be happier. Excited to see where this all leads... Grade: A-

Bunheads, Season 1. Episodes 4-7
Three fantastic introduction episodes, and a handful of so-so episodes, I'm still at the 'I like it, but it has its problems' phase with Bunheads. Naturally, as a Gilmore Girls fan and overall digging this series, I want it to succeed creativity and with its ratings, but there's less and less appealing elements of the series to make it appointment television. With the first three episodes, a lot was accomplished - there was a wedding, a death, a inheritance, and a introduction to several supporting characters. Now that the world is, for the most part, established, it would be expected that Michelle would begin to gel and assert herself in that world. Seven episodes in, after some rather directionless installments with her revising the past and uncertain about the future, I think it's time for Michelle to make a decision and start a new chapter in her life. Of course I'm rooting for the series to be picked up for a second season, but if that's not the case, I want Michelle's arc to be as developed as it possibly could be in these circumstances.

Michelle's growth is getting there, but the most rewarding part of the series has been the cast of teenage characters at Fanny's dance school. Boo, Ginny, Sasha, Melaine - these four teenagers have their typical teen angst and problems, fantastically executed by these tremendously talented actresses and great scripts. I love these characters, and if the show doesn't move past season one, the real shame will not be seeing these girls grow as individuals and actresses. Kelly Bishop's Fanny is slowly coming to terms with the death of her son and moving on with her life. She's still not the biggest fan of Michelle - the two of them bicker constantly, and not in the fun, entertaining way.

Overall, I still quite enjoy Bunheads, it just seems to be in a holding pattern right now. Well worth the time of any interested viewer, I believe in the show and hope it hits a second season. Just right now - I want more. Grade: B+

Parks & Recreation, Season 4
This will be, perhaps, a sort of cop-out review of Parks & Recreation, a claim I won't entirely refute, but this series doesn't need reviewing. What I will say is this: I have avoided this series over and over, never one to be all that interested in that sort of Office-documentary style sitcom. Through happenstance, I saw a episode. This lead to renting the first three seasons from the library. In one week, I watched every episode. I laughed and laughed and, most importantly, I fell in love with this show. With 22 or 24 episodes each season, there were maybe only one or two that didn't hit all the right notes, and for a sitcom, that's fantastic (by comparison, 24 episodes of The Big Bang Theory, I loved maybe no more than 5, mildly enjoyed 12, and strongly disliked the rest). I immediately downloaded all of season four, and just a hour ago I finished my obsession.

This is comedy gold. If anyone is unsure of pursuing this show, I present to you the above screencap. Ron Swanson (standing) and Chris Traeger (meditating) are the two single most funniest characters in a sitcom I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Rob Lowe has literally had me laughing at his speech patterns and obsessive behaviors, and Nick Offerman has forever redefined my ideal boss. Lovely, lovely show. Watch it. Now. You'll literally love it. Grade: A+

True Blood, Season 5. Episodes 4-8
Getting weirder and weirder and more interesting and interesting. Sure, there are still those subplots that simply annoy me with their idiocy or irrelevance to everything else in the narrative, but that's small potatoes compared to the multitude of very interesting ideas that I hope pay off big by the finale. In succession, I'll just quickly say the stories I dig: (1) Sooki's arc this year has nothing to do with men and romance, it's her confronting her inner faerie abilities and that really weird world which opens one gigantic question, what really happened to my parents? They didn't die as reported, instead, the culprit is a vampire who latched onto the scent of Sooki's faerie blood. Cool. Now, where does this lead? (2) Tara as a vampire working for Pam and adjusting to her new station in life has been fantastic, especially when Pam captures a woman that ridiculed Tara for far too long, allowing the newly turned vamp to exact her revenge. For four years Tara has been hit and hit and hit with nothing but tragedy, and now, through tragic circumstances, she's for the first time strong and in charge of herself. It sucks what happened to her, but I've never liked Tara more. And that's not just because of the pole dancing. (3) Jason Stackhouse is all over the place this year, but his digging up the murder of his parents and really messed up dynamic with Jessica has been well worth watching. (4) The Authority, run by several old vampires who worship the old vampire god Lilith of whom all vampires originate. Their politics and religion has been quite interesting, and with Russel back in a prominent way leading the Authority, it's really compelling drama.

(5) Eric is beginning to suspect something's up, thanks to a visitation from ghostly Godric, and I can't wait to see where this leads, while Bill allows himself to fall deeper and deeper off the wagon, into this belief of Lilith. At one point, Bill, Eric and all members of the Authority look up as a bloody, naked figure rises from carnage - Lilith, the original God reborn on earth. Ultimately, it's revealed to be nothing more than a hallucination, but imagine how utterly fantastic and interesting having Lilith, a God, walk on this earth again. Now that would be a season-long arc worth exploring alone. (6) It has its ups and downs, but Terry's thing with the vengeful spirit has promise.

Now, for the shit: (1) Lafayete. Just leave the show already. You suck and have overstayed your welcome. (2) Hoyt, grow up. You suck and have overstayed your welcome. (3) The Obama Patrol, these group of thugs who hunt and kill vamps as a political statement. Ties into the Authority storyline (barely), but not worth it. (4) Everything Alcide and werewolf and shapeshifter. Pointless.

Overall, though, the positives outweigh the negatives. This fifth year has by far been the most intriguing, with the fourth right behind. I like where most of these characters are going, and showrunner Alan Ball has concocted quite the story to leave the show with. Honestly, it sucks that there's only a few episodes left and then we have to wait a whole 'nother summer for more, but until that unfortunate hiatus, I am genuinely enjoying the ride. Grade: B

The Watcher: June 2012

It's been a long time. I know. My bad. But the summer is upon us, and it's time to sum up some shows now passed and to write up about current addictions. And since June is pretty much with the nearly being over, I've cobbled everything June-y television-y into this post. Anyone watching with me? Thoughts?

Awkward., Season 2, Episode 1 - Resolutions (Airdate: 28 June 2012)

The one great show on MTV the channel hasn't canceled yet is back! [Note: I'm still bitter about the Skins cancellation, and also bitter that folks didn't seem to have a liking for it, what gives?] At the end of last season, Jenna just found out the individual who wrote The Letter (pretty much saying, 'Buck up, stand out, stop being a whimp') was none other than her very own mom! Additionally, in that wonderful category of ones love life, Jenna and Jake smooched, while Matty was regulated to the sidelines. If you're not watching Awkward., you're missing out. It's amazingly clever, from the way these tired teen show tropes come across as brand spankin' new to the hilarious dialogue and variety of brilliant wordplay (check out how many ways a character can talk about a penis without outright callin' it out). And it doesn't hurt that the cast is so darn cute and charismatic, playing off each other fantastically, making these 21 minutes fly by faster than Superman's blurryness.

"Resolutions" returns on top form: Jenna and Jake are having a blast with the making out, fun physical stuff, but have yet to really hammer out the details: is this a relationship? Matty knows he screwed up, but he's willing to do anything for a second chance with Jenna, and ends up making a dumb, impulse decision in the end. And Jenna finally decides to take charge of her life, she makes her decision about Jake and she lets her mum know that...dun, dun, dun (!)...she knows. All in all, a really solid twenty minutes, made - as per usual - in large part from the fantastic Ashley Rickards. New crush. Wonderful lady. But speaking of true awkwardness, the penultimate scene of the episode with Jenna, Jake and the condoms and their discussion afterward, not particularly a huge fan of how that played, specifically Jake's reaction. Felt a tad forced. Otherwise, great episode, and I'm over the moon Awkward. is back. Just wish it was for a longer period than 13 episodes. Ladies and gents, check out the show, you (most likely) won't be disappointed.

Bunheads, Season 1 - The First 3 Episodes (Airdate: 11 June 2012 - Present)
As a fan of Amy Sherman-Palladino's Gilmore Girls run, there was not a scenario where I wouldn't be checking out her latest series, Bunheads. And I'm sincerely glad I did. The setup is that a Las Vegas showgirl, Michelle, leaves behind her unsatisfactory life and, via a evening of champagne and unwise decision making, wakes up married and on her way to the very small town of Paradise. Michelle's trying to find where she belongs, and her path leads her to Paradise and, inevitably, a dance studio. Concerning the specifics of the series, I'll leave that shadowed, because I went into Bunheads not knowing a single thing about it outside the Palladino Stamp and by premiere's end, was flabbergasted by the turn of events. And the episode after that ends on a crazy note, as well.

For three episodes, Palladino and her crew have set about building the world and characters that inhabit Paradise and establishing Michelle's place in town - and it's been fantastic. Two really excellent, fun episodes and one solid piece (the latest ep). There's just enough similarities to Gilmore Girls to raise a few eyebrows, but in truth, there is plenty of originality to separate the two, even if the voice and tone is very much the same. Not going to get into specifics, because I want folks to be intrigued enough to check it out for themselves, but overall, Bunheads has been quite satisfying in dialogue and content.

I know that the series hasn't been a ratings success for ABC Family, and the consequence of that fact sets its future in inevitable stone, but I don't want this party too end too early. Bunheads boasts a terrific lead embarking on familiar territory, it's watching how Michelle deals with this new environment that is so damn compelling. At the very leastest of hope, the show deserves a second season pickup, the story demands some satisfaction. So, folks, give it a whirl. Grade: A

Game of Thrones, Season 2 - The Complete Season (Airdate: 1 April - 3 June 2012)
Nudity, blood, politics, dragons, nudity, dwarfs, sarcasm, kingdoms, mist, monsters, betrayals, and lots and lots of characters; that about sums up Game of Thrones. Somehow, as the first season aired and ended, the series became a juggernaut, critically and in the ratings, appealing to both the fantasy gurus and the general public. Folks have been eating up Game of Thrones, and two years and twenty episodes in, I feel the writing and production team haven't quite done enough to deserve the faithful followers they've inspired.

Season 1 was pretty damn good, I'll give it that. Some areas moved at a pace that was altogether too slow for my liking, but season one and season two reflect the same amount of pace as, for comparisons sake, the two years of The Walking Dead: one quick, the other slow and, at times, frustratingly boring. With the exception of one of the ten episodes that compose GoT season two, there was very little that impressed me this year, or let alone was deserving of the accolades and ferocious fanbase. And instead of going on lengthy, obnoxious rants, I'm going to attempt to concentrate on something pacific: characters.

There is what feels like nine million characters inhabiting the world of the series, and the writers were unsuccessful in giving each character something to do, and making their actions and arcs make complete beginning, middle and end sense. Failing to come up with an example off the top of my noggin', there are instances where things are brought up and then dropped entirely. In the first year, it was those freaky creatures that began the series, and this year, the Smoke Monster that was birthed from crazy Red Head Girl. It's never spoken about or alluded to, as far as I'm aware of, again.

In the end, I'm going to chalk season two's odd pacing and lack of true movement as a necessary evil for placing all the characters in the right place for when the narrative really starts to heat up. Besides, this was the year that gave us a truly demented Joffrey on the throne, and that rat bastard was delicious entertainment. My feelings are about this series is best summarized by saying that people who don't have a clue as to what happens in the books, who only know of the information given by the series - the writers need to work more towards those people. I understand there's a ton of shit in the books that may or may not make their way into the televised series. This is irrelevant. What does matter is making sure what they decided to include makes sense, has an arc, and actually matters.

Episode nine gave viewers the first real look of a Helm's Deep-esque battle on a HBO television budget, and it was glorious. With a heavy concentration on character - which, in turn, made the battle all the more emotional and important - the limitations of the budget didn't end up hurting it at all, because it wasn't about the scale and spectacle anymore. By giving us real, frank moments with the characters, they sold those 55 minutes entirely. If the series can somehow find a way to channel the magic they conjured in that episode, Game of Thrones will be in for a marvelous third season.

Perhaps I'm just very giddy that a series of my genre is getting global recognition, and I really hope the content merits the attention, so that everyone will look at the fantasy (and sci-fi, argh) genre and give it the same respect as, say, Mad Men. For me, the show has yet to reach the level it deserves. Grade: C+

Girls, Season 1 - The Complete Season
A unique show with a unique voice that makes it fairly difficult to give something resembling a proper review, so a good amount of this might just come across as rambling. Created, written/co-written, and starring Lena Dunham, Girls features four gals in New York and depicts their individual journeys in a very frank, unconventional manner. Actually, 'unconventional' is a fantabulous way of describing the series. It's not the modern Sex and the City, nor is it some soap opera thing you'd find on The CW, but this time with the added layer of nudity and swear words. It's a difficult show to describe, and that, I think, is why I find myself so damn fascinated by it.

Dunham's character isn't an immensley likable character. Hell, none of the characters really are. And there's something worth complimenting on its own: boasting flawed characters that are real and messed up, who make dumb choices and aren't CW-level pretty. One lady is having a friends with benefits fling with a tall, skeletal dude who has some genuinely odd turn ons, while another sexes around town and doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on what to do next, and Girl #3 is trying to figure out her relationships and life. Oh, and there's a younger gal, the hilarious virgin, who is written so brilliantly that she more than makes up the show.

In ten episodes, Dunham crafts a arc for each of these characters, and because of the manner it's written, the show is thus unpredictable, and that's something commendable. There's no large battles, no obnoxious soap opera elements or cat fights; Girls is just a grounded, realistic, harsh look at three/four girls and the decisions they make. Absolutely worth your time. Grade: A

True Blood, Season 5 - The First 3 Episodes
Coming off the wildly successful fourth season (at least for me), I've had high hopes for True Blood's return, and thus far, I'm not disappointed. Two things have kept me the most interested: Bill and Eric's dynamic and where they fit into this new Sookie-free paradigm, and The Authority, what constitutes their religion and ethics and series of rules (and, of course, Christopher Meloni's tremendous acting chops). The scenes with the Authority and our protagonists are absolutely riveting, and continue to pump blood into this aging series. On the opposite spectrum of interesting, Hoyt's descent into becoming a Devil May Care gothic dick, Arlene's husband's war/fire thing with Scott Foley, and Lafayete's continued existence prevent the show from becoming really damn good. Tara's newfound predicament lends itself to multiple dramatic possibilities, but its execution to this point hasn't impressed - although I have no doubt the actress portraying Tara is having a field day, and quite happy to no longer be bound by the angry, bitchy, whiny Tara that chewed up scenery for four years.

Jason finally seems to be developing into what can best be described as a real character, Jessica just wants to have fun, Alcide's angry and huffs and buffs and does stuff, Sam ain't all that bad this time 'round but really ain't doin' anything, and Sheriff Andy's had his ass crack exposed to all manner of species in Bon Temps. This is the current state of True Blood. Oh! And I've neglected to mention Sookie a paragraph in already - my bad. Truth is, Sookie's one and only problem right now is dealing with Tara, which is both understandable (when considering that only, what, two days have passed, counting the day of the season 4 finale?) and nice, in that she's not neck-deep in some stupid vampire romance/killing spree/whatever shit - although with the return of Russell right around the corner, things are probably going to start getting ugly for dear ol' Sookie. What more, this year has shed light on Pam's past, and her rebirth as a vampire, highlighting the actress' amazing emotive abilities and talent for deadpan comedy.

Three episodes is hard to truly judge the series completely, but with less than 10 episodes to go now, I feel confident with the story this year, and that the characters are heading into interesting places. Yes, I would prefer to have each and every character to have important, captivating, enlightening arcs year after year, and this has truly not been the case, but preliminary signs indicate...season 5 just might be a winner. At the very least, Bill and Eric's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid journey (as it's been described by showrunner Alan Ball) will be fun to watch, as will be The Authority's impact in the series universe. Grade: B+

The Watcher: Closing the 2011-2012 TV Season (Part 1)

Hello! And welcome to the first fresh post on the blog in over a month! Before I venture into the land of cinema and tackle them with a fresh perspective [more on this at a later time], let's take a gander at a few of the shows I followed during the 2011-2012 television season. In case anyone hasn't been following the blog, I've been a tad overcome with TV shows - alright, ya got me, it's more like an addiction. So for this edition of The Watcher, which won't have too much to talk about in the coming weeks with the exception of True Blood and the return of Awkward., let's review some full season shows!

The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon (left) and Kripke (right) play basketball to win the office of a retired coworker in 517 "The Rothman Disintegration"

I want to love The Big Bang Theory. More specifically, I want to love each and every one of its jokes, and each and every one of its episodes. But the unfortunate, sad truth is - it manages to make me laugh not that often. In its early years (seasons 1-3), nearly each episode had some sort of gut-busting joke of sheer brilliance, where each episode was something splendid and hilarious. Season 4, things started to waver - which is entirely understandable. Plenty of shows sort of lose their way in their fourth season, it seems to be the 'do-or-die' year for many a series. So that season was rather rubbish, with very few laughs or interesting plots. And this brings us to season 5, boasting 24 episodes where only, say, four or five are truly worth watching. 

Interestingly, my favorite episodes of season 5 seem to deal primarily with Leonard, and the episodes I detest usually focus on the really-needs-to-grow-up Howard Walowitz and his sexually ambiguous friend Raj, two roles that function more as easy objects to make fun of instead of appearing as real, dimensional characters; they're the butt of jokes, not the thing stories are made of. And the once brilliantly comical Jim Parsons can't even seem to breathe life into Sheldon anymore, a character that is more and more losing his touch. That said, Sheldon's interactions with newly christened official 'girlfriend' Amy usually are seasonal highlights. When Sheldon and Amy are together, that's comedy gold - Amy's willingness to experience life and its many physical offerings, and by contrast, Sheldon who has no desire from the relationship outside of the meeting of two genius minds. But it's Leonard and his horrible luck with women and decision to forgo all premeditation and just take a chance with an old flame that make his character the more engaging of the year.

In regards to Howard and his relationship with Bernadette, here's hoping that the two of them together will help propel Howard into the neighborhood of becoming a character instead of comic fodder. Still, Howard is leaps and bounds a superior role in every way to Raj, who has less of a presence this year than ever before. I understand that the writers can't allow the characters to change too much or do something too extreme for the sake of plot generating and the necessity of jokes, but Raj being Raj has overstayed his welcome - time to evolve, dude, or get off the show.

The series has already been renewed through the ends of its seventh season (must be nice to have that sense of comfortability few shows seldom know), so I sincerely hope the writers can craft some funnier episodes with loads more character development. Amongst the season's highlights, "The Russian Rocket Reaction" [505], "The Good Guy Fluctuation" [507], "The Ornithophobia Diffusion" [509], "The Recombination Hypothesis" [513], and "The Rothman Disintegration" [517]. If the show can find it's groove again, The Big Bang Theory will be marvelous in its sixth season. Until then, I'm cautiously optimistic. Also, surprisingly, the series works best when watched in quick succession, with no week hiatus - makes the bad episodes less bad and the good episodes really shine. Overall Season 5 Grade: C

Community

Jeff and Britta infiltrate Greendale to bring an end to Chang's imperialism in 321 "The First Chang Dynasty"

When I discovered Community, I devoured it (season two review here). The series was witty in its dialogue, smart in its story and structure, hilarious in its quick jokes, jabs, and characters, geeky fun in all its cultural references and homages [e.g., Inspector Spacetime], and complex in every single one of its characters. Frankly, there's nothing quite like Community, and that holds especially true in its third season. Sure, in the last two years each of the characters were put in weird situations and soap opera storylines here and there, but this year pushes everyone in diverse, dark directions - Abed's personality goes into some dark places, going so far as to form his very own Dark Timeline; Chang establishes an evil empire at Greendale, holding the dean captive for over a month (!); Annie must come to a realization of her actions and feelings; Troy and Abed's friendship is tested by animosity; while Troy is being pushed towards a destiny he's refused since the first season finale. All the characters - save probably Pierce, although he does have a arc-friendly story near the season end - experience some kind of change, including Jeff. And all of this is happening, surrounded by "event" conceits. A mega blanket/pillow fort, a Law & Order homage, a Ocean's Eleven super heist, a Doctor Who homage, a anime rendition of Community and a 8-bit iteration of the gang battling the evil Gus Frig [look it up], and a Good Will Hunting storybeat turned upside down. Creator Dan Harmon and the rest of the writers are maniacal, hilarious geniuses.

Not every episode is a rousing success, unfortunately, but every episode honors character, and that's something rare in this breed of comedy television. And the most important thing of all, each episode is absolutely worth watching. There's not one atrocious, mind-numbingly bad bit in this batch. There's not a lot to say that extends beyond "OMG! OMG! Love love love brilliant funny love love haha!" But here I go: as a Doctor Who fan, every instance of Inspector Spacetime was a warm welcome. Analyzing Abed's personality dominates quite a few episodes in the backhalf of the season, which were very enlightening and entertaining - and helped Annie come to a realization of her own concerning Jeff. There seemed to be a heavy emphasis on real life vs. movies/television this year - Abed's part in documenting crazy Greendale shenanigans, or Abed's escapism in the Dreamatorium affecting how he perceives the world and acts in it. Reality is further tested in 319 "Curriculum Unavailable", where the study group is presented with the notion that all their experiences in the last two years have been a result of their psychosis. Community continues to be funny, dark, complex, and daring, and I love it for that. Season highlights include "Remedial Chaos Theory" [304], "Foosball and Nocturnal Vandalism" [309], "Virtual Systems Analysis" [316], "Basic Lupine Urology" [317], and "The First Chang Dynasty" [321]. But really, every episode is great fun. Overall Season 3 Grade: B+

Fringe

Peter learns more about the mysterious Observers from September in 414 "The End of All Things"

CAUTION: I'm writing this with the assumption you've seen all of season 4. Continue. Unlike many others I know, I was quite in love with Fringe's third year. I was all for the Peter/Olivia relationship, and more than that, I absolutely love the switching back between worlds, the whole Olivia switch-a-roo, and the fallout of the first eight episodes affecting where the rest of the year went. And with the cliffhanger finale last year ended with, season four had a lot to live up to. Ultimately, Fringe didn't live up to those expectations, and it all boils down to this - those 22 episodes were not spent wisely, and there was a frustrating lack of explanations for things that deserved good explanations. First, Peter's reappearance in this new timeline demanded a better explanation than what was lazily given, as is where he was during the period of time between season 3 and 4, and how he was able to crossover. Secondly, the resurrection of a certain villain from season 1 is riveting and intense, but a indestructibility is visualized halfway across the season, making him a frightening endeavor to face, yet in the penultimate episode, the villain is dispensed with rather easily. Perhaps I missed some important plot-point, but how did getting tossed into some electrical thingy have the desired dying effect that getting shot through the throat did not achieve? Third, Olivia and her arc - now I'm happy things went the way they did with Peter and Olivia, but how the writers got there, that's where I have a problem. It's her Cortexiphan abilities that enabled her to channel the Other Olivia's memories? And, speaking of the other timeline, that whole subplot of last year with Fauxlivia and Peter's son Henry is now null and void with the evisceration of that timeline?

In the end, I feel, with 22 episodes, much more could have been done than what was presented to us. There felt like an alarming amount of filler, so much so that when we arrived to the two-parter finale, I was freaked out a little - there was still so much unexplained that how could two hours possibly do it justice? Amazingly, prophecies were fulfilled and the endgame reached, leaving the tale open for the fifth and final season. Having Lincoln included in the mix in this new timeline was refreshing, it added a new dynamic to the team that was greatly needed. It's a shame that around the halfway mark, Lincoln's importance in events began to dwiddle exponentially. And this brings us to the ultimate flaw of season 4: there just is not enough. Not enough Lincoln, not enough explanations, not enough smart usage of episodes, and not enough difference [this is a brand spankin' new timeline, yet by episode 15, it felt like a simple amalgamation of the prior two].

But there was a lot done right. John Noble continues to impress over and over as Walter Bishop, a man tormented by the atrocities he's committed in the past, and a desire to remedy that in the here and now, and a man with absolutely no social skills, providing some of the best comedy bits of the year. Lincoln is, as mentioned, a season highpoint as well. Learning a tiny bit more about the Observers than previously was also very interesting. Above all, even though the year was advertised as Peter's year, I was most impressed with Olivia Dunham and her arc - at least, hers was the most engaging. With Peter, they had this tremendous opportunity to explore new things - after all, this is a man in a whole new world - but he quickly fell back into the mix of things. Olivia was a brand new person for a dozen episodes, with a different emotional state, different memories and trajectories and relationships, and the Olivia that emerged after her memories began to resurface was a stronger, more confidant Olivia than we have ever seen on Fringe. Actually, here's another nice way to summarize the fourth year of Fringe: tremendously successful on the character front, sadly lacking on the plot and forward momentum.

Season highlights include "Neither Here Nor There" [401], "Enemy of My Enemy" [409], "Welcome to Westfield" [412], "The End of All Things" [414], "Letters of Transit" [419], "Brave New World" [421/422]. As it has been confirmed that next year's fifth season will be its last, the Fringe team appear to be facing off against the enigmatic Observers (as referenced in the superb future episode 419), and I can't think of a better way to send the series off in the sunset. The series will be greatly missed, but I will always be thankful with how exceptionally brilliant Fringe has been year after year. Overall Season 4 Grade: B

Justified

Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) refuses to lend a hand in 313 "Slaughterhouse"

Coming out of a critically acclaimed second season, Justified had a lot to live up to. Being one of the few who weren't nearly as consumed by the Bennett storyline of season two, I was eagerly looking forward to where the characters were heading for year three. Boyd seemed to not know what the fuck he was doing but gave the impression that he did to anyone who would listen, Raylan talked a lot about getting out of Harlem but really didn't want to, and one chilling baddie was introduced to stir things up in Harlem while a businessman stands at the sidelines to see how things turn out and when to butt in. Well, by the end of season three, Boyd still doesn't seem to know what the hell he's doing. He has succeeded in having a fantastic relationship with Ava Crowder, murdered a friend who betrayed him, and has a crew of wacky, off-kilter folk who have their own agendas. By 313 "Slaughterhouse", Boyd doesn't really seem any better or worse off than where we left him in the season two premiere. Raylan gets a lot of shit thrown at him - Winona leaves him (which is mighty sad, taking me crush for Natalie Zea into consideration), and the Big Bad in Town once again targets him for termination.

Here's some random, general thoughts on season three: Dickie Bennett can leave the series at any time, he has overstayed his welcome for me. Every scene with Wynn Duffy is golden. Need a example? Look at the season finale, and tell me if there's ever been a better yelling of "Jesus Christ!" ever filmed. In the category of bad guys, Quarles (Neal McDonough) is magnificent, and that's saying something huge, because I initially was not looking forward to this character. But his brilliant introduction in the premiere set the tone - Quarles is a threat, a maniac, a crazy dude with a pistol in his sleeve and one hell of a rage issue. Every second with that man was intense, and how it culminates in the finale is surprisingly completely satisfying. In fact, how this year plays out is very much satisfying. McDonough, though, just creeped me out. Reminded me of Heath Ledger's The Joker, honestly. It's there. Overall, the season was firing on all cylinders. The only huge problem I have with the series is how each episode barely scratches the 40 minute mark. I'm used to shows on FX lasting in the (minimum) 44 minute range, and with a lot more content thrown in. Thing is, I love Justified, but at only 13 episodes, 40 minutes a piece, it's simply not hugely fulfilling. I want more, damnit. So if they can increase the runtime by just two more minutes, that would make me a happy camper. So, in conclusion, Quarles was amazing. Frightening to the core, magnificently played by McDonough. Raylan's situations were constantly interesting and humorous [e.g., "You shot me. I can't believe you shot me." "Neither can I."]. Storylines more often than not were engaging and unique. Characters weren't used the best they could be, but were fine overall. And Boyd - my god, give that character some direction, and give Walton Goggins something juicy to work with. And give me season four, like, nowish. Overall Season 3 Grade: B

New Girl

Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and the gang celebrate their last day as a group in 124 'See Ya"

A huge surprise, frankly. It's difficult for me to really get into a comedy show [see: my harsh words concerning Big Bang Theory], but somehow, as if through magic, FOX's freshman show New Girl seemed to hit all the right notes. Even during that period of time nearly all new shows undergo - the finding of its 'voice' and understanding its characters - the series featured a multitude of laughs. In fact, there hasn't been one outrageously bad, facepalm-worthy episode of New Girl to date. The strength is in the diverse characters, and the tremendously talented cast - and, of course let's not forget to give kudos to these guys, the writers. Jake Johnson has shot up the list of Favorite Comedy Actors with this series; this man is never not funny. His real talent is yelling unrelated words in succession and yet finding meaning in them. Max Greenfield has proven himself a master of taking unrelated things and forming a new word, or combining words, or just saying jibberish. Johnson and Greenfield are masters of improv, and although each actor brings their A-game to the series, I can honestly say that I tune in each week with a emphasis on seeing those two be ridiculous more than any of the other core characters. Out of all the actors, the one I was the least keen on was its star, Zooey Deschanel. Sure, she's pretty and occasionally funny, but that dork element to engrained in her character style could sustain my interest for so long. Luckily, the writers know when best to use it, and how to make Jess something more than just, well, a dork.

The first eight episodes is the obvious period of adjustment and creative understanding of the show, and by around episode thirteen, the series hit comedy gold. Near perfect runs all around, leading to a fun (albeit rushed) season finale. New Girl also has the distinction of being one of my few Destination Programming that I refuse to miss. That's a testament to how damn well the show is. I'm not going to spend a lot of time regaling you all with my affection towards New Girl, so I'll summarize: one of the finest first seasons of a show I have ever seen, with each episode offering the laughs without fail, and a diverse, hilarious cast that works tremendously well. It's a series with heart and intelligence and yet also boasts the balls to be super crazy. Season highlights: every episode. Overall Season 1 Grade: A

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Tune in next week, as I review two freshman shows Once Upon a Time and Revenge, and give my thoughts on returning favorites Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, and The Walking Dead.