Hello and welcome to Last Week in TV. Because of the holidays, I was able to review most of the shows I decided to drop until summer marathon. However once I made that decision it also meant that this column is a day late again. Sorry about that. I did not review The Slap, partly because it is a miniseries which is not in line with this column and partly because I watched the first 15 minutes and was bored already. 40 year old men leering over 20 somethings does nothing for me. I've decided to not even put The Slap on my summer list so let me know what you thought of it when the whole thing's over. If it improves drastically, I might change my mind. This week's nominated episode was Nikita, a show I really liked but never finished so it was nice to revisit the characters. If you have a show you would like to nominate, please fill out the short nomination form below. One nominated show is chosen by random number generator each week. Next week will be Brooklyn 99, a show I did not like at all in the pilot. It will be interesting to see if my opinion changes now that the show has found its footing. I know it is fairly popular on SpoilerTV. Until next week, don't forget to share about your TV week and happy viewing.
Show of the Week:
By far the most touching episode of the week, Forever had me on the edge of sniffling with happiness. Without a doubt, the character interaction between Henry and Abe has been the best of the TV season. They are the show. In this episode, Abe is happily trying to find his long-lost relatives, now that he finally knows his birth name and that of his parents. He tracks them down through the phone book and reaches out on Skype. All this has a curious effect on Henry, who is launched back to memories of his honeymoon with Abigail in which they saved the life of a prince. When said prince becomes his latest homicide victim, Henry ponders the value of blood relations. He doesn't begrudge Abe's joy at finding a new part of himself, but it does make him more wistful and reflective than usual. Abe on the other hand takes time from his gleeful search to make sure that Henry knows that no matter who he finds, he always knows that Henry is his dad and that will never change. It's a sweet reminder of exactly why this relationship works. Even wrapped up in their own worlds, they recognize what the other is feeling and are considerate of each other's needs. It is a delightful change from most father-son dynamics on TV over the last few decades. It's also what makes the ending so special. When Henry, weary from the case, comes home to an ecstatic Abe, he expects to find tales of another relative Abe has found. The overwhelming joy in both of them when he finds out that he is actually related to Abe, even distantly, is a scene of pure, unadulterated pleasure. The viewer can't help but get swept up in their delight. Add to this a case of the week that also tugged at the heartstrings and a happy ending for the surviving royal family and this is the best episode of the week.
Grade: A-
Best Reason to Watch - Henry and Abe as always
Best Scene - Henry and Abe find out they are distantly related
Best Aww Moment - Henry covers Abe up with a blanket and kisses his forehead
Biggest Non-Henry and Abe Awww Moment - the Queen meets her grandson for the first time and her husband's illegitimate daughter suddenly has a family
Biggest Evil - I don't care what psychological scars you have. If you even think about shooting a baby, you are evil. Pure evil.
Best Reaction - Henry to getting bear hugged by the King of Urkesh
Biggest Buzz Kill - Jo tells Henry they called the guy's doctor after Henry compliments Hanson on his medical detective work
Best Synchronized Eating - Henry and Abe are Olympic caliber
Biggest Hmm - Are Jo, Hanson, Reece, and Henry the only people on the police force? Why not call for the closest police officers to race to Lydia's instead of only being you? Especially when you know someone is attacking her.
Biggest Stock Villain - King's guard threatens Henry to save the prince
Best Reaction - Henry says everyone on the elevator was being irradiated and Lucas eats a chip
The "Of Course He Did" Award - Henry saved the life of the crown prince
Most Disgusting - Lucas hands Hanson a Ziploc of stomach contents
Most Surprising - Jo is going to look after the crown prince until Lydia is ready
Best Quotes -
1. Henry: "Don't beat yourself up. I'm used to be ignored at the breakfast table." Abe: "No, no. What I mean is I don't need a family tree to tell me who my real Pops is." Henry: "Nor I, my real son."
2. Henry: "So what, you've discovered some intriguing long lost ancestor." Abe: "Yes. Guess who?" Henry: "Please, I'm not in the mood for any guessing games." Abe: "You." Henry: "What do you mean?" Abe: "You, Henry. I'm related to you." Henry: "But how's that possible?" Abe: "We have a common ancestor, which means we have our same blood in our veins. Well at least a drop or two." Henry: "Are you certain?" Abe: "According to my research, 200 years ago a child was born out of wedlock to a gentleman by the name of Dennis Longberth. There." Henry: "My Uncle Dennis." Abe: "What? You knew him?" Henry: "I would hardly call him a gentleman. The man was a cad and a scoundrel and died in a duel shot in the groin, not coincidentally. But who cares. We're related." Abe: "Isn't that the greatest news you've ever heard in your whole life?" Henry: "It's truly wonderful."
3. Abe: "Henry, what's wrong?" Henry: "I just worry that your mother and I deprived you." Abe: "Of what?" Henry: "That. Family. All the aunts and uncles and cousins on the Morgan side, whom you never met." Abe: "Well I never met them because my dad was immortal. Would have made family reunions a bit awkward, don't you think?"
4. Henry: "Your father was a king. The last King of Urkesh." Lydia: "But that would make me…" Jo: "A princess." Lydia: "And an orphan. All over again." Manager: "Yo Lydia, break's over." Lydia: "Sorry, looks like this princess is back on the clock."
5. Lucas: "So what are we looking for, huh? Lipstick on the collar. Hickey on the neck."
Nominated Show:
Nikita is an awesome show to marathon because it is highly action-oriented. In fact, that's the #1 reason I watched the first couple of seasons. It wasn't for Nikita's easygoing personality that's for sure. It's nice to see that in season 3, while still prickly, Nikita has strong relationships that have developed over the last two years. I will say that it is as odd for me as it is for Nikita to see the young'un at the helm of Division instead of the malicious Percy and manipulative Amanda. Not that I am not thrilled Percy is dead because I am. That man annoyed me to no end. Guess we aren't rid of Amanda though, which means she'll rise like the snake she is and come back to bite everyone. I'll be applauding when she inevitably shuffles off this mortal coil too. Overall I thought this was a decent season opener after a complete series reboot. It combined the key characters and let them all shine. I particularly loved how useful Alexandra Udinov can be and how much fun she must be to play for Lyndsy Fonseca. That's full-on entourage style. However the main event of the episode has to be the Nikita and Michael engagement, which I am ambivalent about. It matters neither way to me as long as we don't get sucked into relationship drama and Nikita remains as kick butt action-oriented as ever. The final two seasons of Nikita remain as always near the top of my to-watch list and one day I'll actually get there. This episode reminded me of exactly why I want to finish it.
Grade: B+
Ranking - 4
Audience - anyone who loves action or spy shows
Best Reason to Watch - lots of lovely action
Best Character Interaction - Nikita and Alex
Most Flexible - Nikita makes me cringe in pain just watching her do yoga
Least Romantic - shouting out about an engagement ring in middle of a gun battle
Most Suspicious - Fletcher definitely knows something Birkhoff doesn't if that look meant anything
The "Well That Turned Quickly" Award - Nikita pounces after Michael but then stops mid-kiss to talk mission
Biggest Awww - Michael gets arrested so that Nikita can chase after the bad guy / Michael proposes
The "Well That's Just Cold" Award - the assassin murders his longtime girlfriend just so he can escape
The "Doesn't Play Well with Others" Award - Nikita, who really isn't into following directions
The "Welcome Back?" Award - Lyndie Greenwood, my current favorite female kicking supernatural butt as Sleepy Hollow's Jenny / Maggie Q, currently kicking stalker butt on Stalker / Shane West, possibly kicking witch butt on Salem / Aaron Stanford and Noah Bean, half of which is currently kicking crazy, time traveling butt on 12 Monkeys / Lyndsy Fonseca, currently serving food and friendship to Agent Carter who is kicking 1940's Nazi and traitor butt
Best Quotes -
1. Birkhoff: "Lucky for you I already hacked most of these fashion rags." Nikita: "We're all lucky…that you're a perv."
2. Nikita: "You had me at 'Give me the damn Glock.' "
3. Michael: "By check, he means hack." Birkhoff: "Lightly peek." Michael: "Gently penetrate." Fletcher: "Hey, no hacking the CIA, okay? We do not do stuff like that anymore. This is the new Division, alright, and it's our job to clean up after the old one."
4. Birkhoff: "Alright I'm going to give you a little piece of advice that I realize you don't hear very often in black ops. Chill. The world's still going to be here tomorrow…unless there's something you're not telling me."
5. Nikita: "I hate waiting."
New Show:
This is another show destined for many kudos by the SpoilerTV community. It can't help but be popular given its pedigree. However, I was bored and that's the greatest TV sin in my book. It took around 8 minutes for any dialogue. Scenes are looped over and over again to show us the monotony of the job when I got that the first time. There are long lengths of time when nothing is happening at all so we can all contemplate the character together. Let's just say each 46 minute episode felt like 100 and I repeatedly got up to do other things in the second one to keep from falling asleep. If this is what Breaking Bad is like, then it's probably a good thing I haven't seen it. Oh and despite what I heard, this is NOT a comedy. It's more like a reflection in how mind-numbingly tedious our mundane lives can be. With the exception of Saul in the desert scenes, there wasn't anything in this pilot to recommend it to me.
Grade: D / C
Ranking - 1
Audience - those who like pedigreed shows that often win awards or people into character studies
Best Reason to Watch - all the Easter eggs for Breaking Bad fans
Best Character - Nacho
Most Intriguing Character - Chuck
Fastest Talker – Jimmy when trying to persuade the gangster not to kill him
Biggest Frauds – the “brothers” who got hit by a car
Biggest Twist – grandma hits and runs
The “Welcome Back” Award – Jonathan Banks, aka Hickey on Community / Raymond Cruz from Major Crimes
Best Logic – Gangster realizes no FBI guy would ever use those two fools as part of the plan
Best Reason to Mute - the gang guy stomping on the 2 idiots' legs to break them
The "Little Warning Please" Award - Jimmy vomits right as I'm taking a bite for dinner
Best Quotes -
1. Kid: "You are the worst lawyer ever." Jimmy: "Hey, I just talked you down from a death sentence to 6 months probation. I'm the best lawyer ever."
2. Craig: “I just think I’d look guilty if I hired a lawyer.” Jimmy: “Actually it’s getting arrested that make people look guilty, even the innocent ones.”
3. Jimmy: “Listen Starlight Express, I’m going to give you a 9.6 for technique. 0.0 for choice of victim. I’m a lawyer. Furthermore, does this steaming pile of cr** scream payday to you, huh? The only way that entire car is worth $500 is if there’s a $300 hooker sitting in it.”
4. Nacho: "I like ripping off thieves 'cause they can't got to the cops. They have no recourse."
5. Jimmy: “Lawyers, we’re like health insurance. You hope you never need it but man oh man, not having it? No.”
6. Jimmy: “I’m #1 on your speed dial right next to your weed dealer.”
Weekly Shows:
I wasn't laughing as much in these two episodes and I really didn't care for the sibling rivalry/one-upping in episode 4, but Fresh Off the Boat always ends with a lot of heart. I like how Jessica and Louis are a team, even if they approach things in completely different ways. Eddie sadly does not come off as well. He was more obnoxious in these, especially the first one. Watching someone fawn over someone that much older makes me uncomfortable. I do like the addition of Honey though and I hope she will continue to be a part of the show. Jessica needs someone she can really relate to. Honey's stepdaughter need not come back though because that's the kind of attitude I inevitably start throwing socks at. Overall, the two youngest are my favorite characters with Jessica in a close third right now. I look forward to seeing what this show becomes when I marathon it this summer.
Grade: B- / C
Best Reason to Watch - Jessica makes a friend
Best Characters - Evan and Emery, whose social networking skills are amazing
Most Accurate - Deidre gives an aptly describes NASCAR and Jessica and I are both stunned that it's popular
Most Uncomfortable - Eddie fawning over the neighbor's wife and them hugging
Best Performance - Jessica, who has an amazing voice
Biggest Laugh - Eddie gets nailed in the back with a lawn dart and Jessica asks him what he did to deserve it
Biggest Oops - Louis mistakes the neighbor's wife for his daughter
Worst Plan - Louis and a perm, yikes!
Saddest Dream - Eddie's dream was bad enough but when his parents showed up in it, yikes
Worst Nostalgia - dial-up internet service
Best Reference - Stephen King
Worst Reference - OJ Simpson trial / Nirvana and the grunge era
Best Quotes -
1. Jessica: "So Melrose Place is about prostitutes who are mad at each other."
2. Jessica: "You know what gives me nightmares? Our bank account. Stephen King should publish my checkbook."
3. Jessica: "Thank you for not repo-ing my children."
4. Louis: "You realize we're swimming in debt too." Jessica: "Yes, but we're swimming together."
5. Eddie: "Why is this so hard?" Emery: "Because real life isn't a rap video, Eddie."
I saw a lot of comments on Twitter about this being Scorpion's best episode ever. (Most of those tweets also had #waige in them.) It wasn't. Not even close. Dominoes, where they rescued the kid trapped in the sinkhole, is still the very best of Scorpion even with its logic fails. This episode was decent but more middle of the pack for me. It's hampered by 2 major flaws. First, it contains hands-down the most atrocious dialogue of the series so far. It was like someone Netflixed an 80's action/cop movie marathon complete with badly accented villains. This was actually said in the episode: "I will put a bullet in her ponytail…" What? I couldn't decide whether to cringe or bust out laughing so I did both. Just terrible. I can't believe it made the final cut. Second, it's not rewatchable. Normally I don't have trouble with a second or third helping of a Scorpion episode. This one was difficult to get through. The Captain as villain was a given as soon as he was cast. A kid hacks into a foreign defense system and hijacks a missile in 30 seconds. Oooo-kay. Paige wastes precious seconds taking a full glance at the gigantic off lever before pulling it to save Sylvester's life. Plus double helpings of the aforementioned horrid dialogue. The only reason this episode isn't a solid C for me (and it's my favorite show right now) is because Sylvester channeling his inner Chaz was awesome to watch, a real thing of beauty. I hope Chaz becomes his superhero alter-ego because Chaz rocks!
Grade: B-
Best Reason to Watch - Chaz
Best Scene - Sylvester jumps on the life raft to save Walter even though he can't swim
Best Alter-Ego - Sylvester channels his inner Chaz and he's instantly a superhero
Most Likely to Get Expelled - Ralph for bringing explosives to school
The "Thank You Captain Obvious" Award - Yes Sylvester, he is a bad man. A bad, bad man.
Best Unique Pairing - Sylvester and Paige get some real screen time together, which is awesome
Least Surprising - Captain is the head honcho bad guy
Best Reaction - everyone to Cabe pulling out a missile launcher / Sylvester's look at eating frog legs
Biggest Surprise - Walter was with someone long enough to have an ex
Biggest Faker - Ralph
Best Motto: "Come on, Bonesteele."
Most Complicated - using one missile to take out another
Most Disgusting - bad guy propeller chum
Biggest Step Forward - Happy holds Toby's hand
Best Mulan Performance - the freaking Captain pops out of the water like daisies
Biggest Hmm - no idea why Paige interrupted Walter's conversation with his ex but it seemed way off
Best Gymnastics - Walter when he takes out the bad guy holding Cabe, although he didn't stick the landing
Worst Dialogue - Everything that comes out of Fake Christoph's mouth. Shooting ponytails? Really? Shut up. You sound like a C-level Die Hard villain.
Most Subtext - Happy and Toby presumably talking about Ralph's love life
The "Just Call Him Ender" Award - Ralph hacks the bomb? Really? Sigh.
Best Quotes -
1. Sylvester: "Chaz Bonesteele ain't going out like this."
2. Toby: "I've seen you hack a thermometer, Ralph. This is amateur hour." Ralph: "I had limited resources."
3. Toby: "Well this is highly illegal." Walter: "I'm simply expediting things through technological intervention." Toby: "You're hacking into a site that charges for reservations to save the $20 bucks."
4. Toby: "I want to be rich just once." Happy: "Stop gambling." Toby: "Stop judging."
5. Sylvester: "Would Chaz be worried that everything's going to hell?"
I dislike when a show drags out something just to build the drama. This entire episode could have taken 5 minutes and been added to last week's and it would have been better. I don't need a suddenly emoangsty Charlie, who hesitates to kill the CIA's Most Wanted in order to save her man. That's not the Charlie I've come to root for. She's the queen of hard decisions and she doesn't need to spend the entire episode wallowing. I don't care about her relationship with Nick, even though I really liked his character. I'm here for the political spy thriller and not some tragic love story. Only two things good came from this episode and they both happened in the last 5 minutes. Fatah was unmasked and Kurt was confirmed as a double agent, spying on the shady corporation. Oh and Syd showed up. Other than that, I could leave this whole thing.
Grade: D+
Best Reason to Watch - the twist at the end
Best Reason to Fast Forward - Charlie and Nick (past and present)
Best Twist - Fatah is the one in charge and Hakam is just a legend / Kurt really is playing double agent. Thank goodness.
Most Annoying - Charlie's relentless pursuit of getting Nick out at risk of the mission
Worst Decision - to have the Charlie vs. PotUS showdown in front of all her military advisors instead of meeting in private
Biggest Hmm - Why is the news in Afghanistan being spoken in English instead of Afghani?
Best Quotes -
1. Syd: "Call me if you need me to dump him somewhere."
2. Nick: "The game changes as you play it, Charlie. The only way you can keep from going crazy is to find something you can count on."
3. PotUS: "Oh I'm fine. I have waited a damn long time for this moment."
There was lots to love in this episode. I like how they expanded to another crazy genius killing people. Things can get a little stale with only one serial killer on the loose. Even more interesting is that Lindy is connected to both of them. Nice going there, Linds. You may want to work on your people reading skills. The premise of what people will do for money was cleverly done as well, especially since the bomb was triggered by their greed. There's something poetic about this plan that makes Bubonic quite frankly more interesting than Flirtual Slayer. Plus his name's better. I hope he lives up to his promise and we do see him again. While it is highly unlikely that this show will get a season 2, I would love to wrap up Flirtual this season and have Bubonic the big bad of the next one.
Grade: B+
Best Reason to Watch - One more person is down. By the time this show ends, there will be 3 people left in NYC at the rate this serial killer is going.
Best Scene - Lindy and Bubonic chat
Biggest Aww Moment - Sophia bear hugs Connor
Best Moment - Connor clocks the guy who punches Oliver
Biggest WTH - Why don't they just tell everyone what's going on and wait out the time? No one does it and no more money goes out.
Best Twist - a different mass murdering hacker is joining the fun
Biggest Genius - George, as always
The "Nope, That's Not the Least Bit Creepy" Award - going into the boiler room with a serial killer on the loose sounds like a bang up plan
Most Insane - Bubonic is rivaling the Flirtual stalker and surprisingly he's winning
Most Disgusting - fingers being cut off
Biggest Douche - Hamish, by a gazillion universes
Most Surprising - Hamish set the whole thing up with Bubonic
Least Surprising - Cyber Crimes is NOT in control during the serial killer party. Color me shocked since they never seem to be in control of anything. They are starting to feel The Following incompetent.
Most Interesting Date - A restaurant in the dark is an interesting premise but how do you know if something disgusting is on your food? Pass.
Worst Plan - serial killer party ALWAYS / beating up a cop
Best Plan - bankrolling the insanity with $1 million from Hamish's account
Least Promising for Humanity's Future - what these people are willing to do for money
Best Quotes -
1. Oliver: "Well a serial killer's already tried to serve me dinner. I figured he owed me a cocktail."
2. Connor: "I think I have the right to be the slightest bit riled up. My date turned into a three-way with a madman."
3. Lindy: "If he wanted to kill me, I'd be dead already." Tommy: "That's my girl, ever the optimist."
4. Oliver: "Should I take a hint that our second date is in the dark?"
5. Connor: "Newsflash, it's called being from New Jersey but that doesn't merit a death sentence."
There were many good things in this episode but there were an equal number of things that slowed the episode down or took me out of it. The brother bond was of course the best thing as it usually is this season. However we got back into emoangst mode, which is never my favorite. I'm also creeped out by Dean leering so much at the college girls. It was funny in the early years, but Dean is now pushing 40 and your typical sorority girl runs from late teens to 22. Vlech! He's too old for that. I'm not sure I buy Dean as completely computer illiterate either given the job they do, however there is precedent for it so I can't complain much with it. My Space, anyone? I know the premise is to make Dean feel old around these college kids but it made me feel old too. Thanks Carver. This episode also brought back some old time Supernatural, complete with my favorite - the salt and burn. I've missed it and the twist on the typical ghost story was interesting. I've missed the basics, just not the extra gore and Dean's horrific table manners.
Grade: B-
Best Reason to Watch - the brother bond
Best Scene - Dean tells Delilah that she can't just bury the bad things
Best Moment - Dean hands Delilah a Kleenex and then tosses the box behind him
Best Surprise - ghost in the wi-fi
Least Surprising - stupid kids hit and run and now we're back to I Know What You Did Last Summer
The "Are You Kidding Me?" Award - Why would anyone trust a GPS when they are driving in their own town? What college kid doesn't know how to get to the local taco joint?
Biggest Yum - I've never heard of a croissookie before but it sounds phenomenal
The "Welcome Back" Award (actress) - Barbara Kottmeier, who was in the episode Wishful Thinking as well / Jacqueline Samuda from Stargate
The "Welcome Back" Award (staple) - the salt and burn
The "Not Welcome Back" Award (Staple) - the emoangsty ending Impala chat
Most Expensive Ghost Case Ever - this ghost is getting its revenge in the high credit card debt Delilah is going to be in after replacing all those electronics
Best Reincarnation - In 1.09 it was the Lampcord of Death. Now it's the Laptop Charger of Death.
Best Transition - the kids' vehicle flying off the bridge transitions right into the title card
The "Boy I Feel Old" Award - I have no idea what Janet is talking about either, Dean. But yes, I do know who Christine is.
Worst Recurring Gag - Dean staring at hot chicks on campus.
Best ID Covers - Grohl and Cobain
Best Nostalgia - I can't be the only one who thought of The Lost Boys when his stereo killed that guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xukCxZHtma0
Best PSA - don't electronics and drive
Best Quotes -
1. Dean: "So even ghosts are online."
2. Dean: "You know the truck thing. You honor the deceased by driving the truck. Sam, they wrote a whole country song about it. Why don't you Google it?"
3. Dean: "Oh yeah sure Sammy. We'll just kill the internet….wait. Can we?" Sam: "Uh no. No, not really."
4. Dean: "I've made more mistakes than I can count. Ones that haunt me day and night." Delilah: "So how do you deal?" Dean: "Whiskey. Denial. I do my best to make things right, whatever that may be. For you maybe it's…maybe it's coming clean. You know finding a way to ask for forgiveness, but not breaking the bank at your local florist. I mean real forgiveness. You can't just bury stuff like this. You've gotta deal with it."
5. Delilah: "Yeah, time flies when you're drunk."
Time travel? We're really going there, show. Really? Urgh. I can feel my headache forming already. I have no idea where this is leading but I guarantee it's going to be confusing because….well, time travel. On a happier note Barry got a girlfriend and Ronnie…um, yeah that's not so happy. I choose to believe that he survived but he may have disintegrated in a nuclear bomb. Good times. Thankfully we had Cisco and Joe interaction to hoist the grade. I hope these two continue working together. Cisco is always a delight and I love when he can play his snarktastic wit off new people. Joe continues to be my favorite so the bonus is they both get more screen time when they're working together too. I also like the random interjection of humor in this episode, which lightened the mood. Barry eating the hot pepper made me giggle but his first date getting interrupted so he could keep saving people had me rolling. As long as The Flash doesn't lose its sense of fun, I guess I can roll with time travel.
Grade: B-
Best Reason to Watch - the humor
Best Reason to Fast Forward - Barry and Linda making out / Iris and Barry talking about their relationship
The "Oh Yeah Right" Award - 1. There's no way they simply wallpapered over blood. They would have cleaned it up beforehand. 2. Joe is not a crummy cop. I don't care if you have a suspect in custody, you always take blood samples especially when they are spurted all over the walls. 3. Wallpaper doesn't come off that easily. I am NOT buying any of this. Not at all.
Best New Addition - Linda Park
Best Character Interaction - Cisco and Joe
Biggest Awww Moment - Stein kisses Caitlin for Ronnie
Biggest Downside to Being a Superhero - everyone wants something from you all the time
Least Subtle - Sherry, the single divorcee
Biggest Geek Out - Cisco over the holographic mirror images
Best Flashback - Barry meets Stein
Best Music - Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson
Best Answer to the Favorite Color Question - striped
Strangest Threat - If Linda doesn't give Barry another chance he's going to eat the world's hottest pepper. Okay then?
Worst Plan - Ask someone to help you and then proceed to burst into flame in front of them. That's not creepy at all. Even worse when you end up burning them and putting them in the hospital.
The "Welcome Back" Award- Victor Garber, best known as Jack Bristow on Alias / Clancy Brown, my much missed Corbin on Sleepy Hollow
Best Quotes -
1. Joe: "You change one more time, I'm gonna shoot you."
2. Barry: "Come on. Kind of on a date. Can't the cops get this one?" Cisco: "Fine, but when you read in the paper tomorrow about that poor little old lady getting robbed…" Barry: "How do you know it's a little old lady?" Cisco: "Please. It's always a little old lady."
3. Jumper: "Are you going to let me go back up there?" Eddie: "No."
4. Stein: "This body's taste buds would obviously be different from my own. Perhaps I'm now a light beer man." Barry: "There are worst things to be." Stein: "You mean like a living nuclear bomb." Barry: "You know." Stein: "Unstable nuclear fission was always a danger in the transmutation process. Plus you all argue very loudly."
5. Stein: "I thought people your age didn't read actual books anymore." Barry: "Oh, I'm the only one."
The most shocking thing about this episode was also the best reason to watch - they actually had the SSR catch Carter for conspiring with Howard Stark. I didn't think that would happen in season 1 so the show took a huge leap forward here. I also thought that they would draw out the Dottie reveal. It's interesting that they made our main heroine vulnerable twice in one night. Of course, she was completely kick butt in that diner, which became my favorite scene. Jarvis wasn't too bad himself. I love that they are back to working as a team and I wonder if they will find a way to save each other from the predicament they're in. I am not sure Carter can talk her way out of this one, and I'm not sure I want her to. I'd rather she keep some secrets from her colleagues and it would be awesome if Howard somehow helped her escape. The idea of Agent Carter on the run trying to prove both Stark's and her own innocence appeals to me. Plus we'd be bound to get less Thompson that way and I am all in favor of that. My biggest problem with this episode was the way Dottie and Carter found out about each other. I wish it had been a real fight and taken a lot longer. I trust that we will get that scene sometime in the near future or else it is a waste of such a good villain.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - Carter is busted for her involvement with Stark
Best Scene / Best Action - Carter and Jarvis take out the SSR in the diner
Worst Job Non-Perk - Poor Jarvis has to end Howard's relationships for him. That's about as much fun as being a repo man.
The "I'm with You" Award - Jarvis, I find Dottie handcuffing herself to the bed each night "immensely disturbing" too
Best Performance - Angie starts crying to get the SSR to leave
The "Please Shut Up" Award - Carter, it is far easier to get answers if you would, you know, let him answer. By interrupting him every 10 seconds, no one gets any info.
Best Twist - the psychologist is working with Dottie
Worst Plot Twist - hypnotism
Best Friend - Angie, who helps Carter without questioning her
Most Heart Pounding - Carter on the ledge
Most Surprising - Dottie takes out Carter with her own lipstick
Best Music - It's a Good Day by Peggy Lee
Best Quotes -
1. Jarvis: "Mr. Stark would seem to have an unfortunate attraction to violent women." Carter: "I imagine they were far less violent before they met him."
2. Jarvis: "Well I wouldn't dismiss her." Carter: "You think Ginger Rogers is a Russian assassin." Jarvis: "Well you should have seen her eyes when I escorted her from Mr. Stark's villa."
3. Sheldon: "She's a cute broad…when she's not punching me in the face. Who is she?" Sousa: "Not who I thought she was."
4. Carter: "I need you to get me a list of all the women that Howard has entertained in the last year." Jarvis: "I'm not sure there's enough ink in the whole of New York to complete that request."
5. Carter: "Remember the Russian girls were handcuffed to the beds from a very young age." Jarvis: "Are you suggesting she's still doing it?" Carter: "That must be a very hard habit to break." Jarvis: "That is immensely disturbing."
I haven't read the Great Clarke Debate on SpoilerTV yet, so I haven't been swayed by what I'm sure are great arguments either way. For me, I think Clarke made the decision way too hastily. She had the whole ride over there to think of alternatives but in the end she only gave herself two. Tell the others and risk Bellamy's position or not tell the others and be responsible for their deaths. A far better plan would have been to look for the Mount Weather soldier spying on them, the one she already knew was there. If she had regular guards looking for him, once they found him they had a plausible reason to flee without Mount Weather suspecting they have a mole in their midst. For me, that would have been the best solution. Also, wasn't Raven close to figuring out how to shut down the power? That should have been priority #1. This was also a very hasty decision on Cage's part. It's not like they have an unlimited amount of missiles to go around and they have an enemy with a very fluid leadership system so it doesn't take much time at all for the new leader to be in place. Besides Lexa was right that this would be just the motivation the grounders need to straight up attack and make the alliance even stronger. Trying to take out Lexa was a smart plan since she managed to rally allegiances from all over, but they could have easily taken out both Lexa and Clarke in that camp without a missile strike. I'm just saying that Cage might have wanted to back off until the army was on the move to use his missile defense system. Add to these logic fails the idea that Dr. Tsing is killing the 100 to extract their bone marrow. This makes zero sense to me because if my very limited medical knowledge is correct (and please let me know if it isn't), then when bone marrow is extracted our bodies create more. This is why people can donate bone marrow in the first place. If the bodies of the 100 are going to make more of what they need naturally, then why kill them at all. I'm not sure how much bone marrow is needed for them to go up to ground, but there are a lot more Mount Weather residents than there are of the 100 left. They are likely to run out and not be able to cure all of them. Also, what happens if the "cure" only works for awhile and their blood stops producing the natural immunity needed. What if that natural immunity is not passed on to their children? There are far too many questions here for a scientist so ruthlessly exploiting human beings to not have a backup plan. Speaking of Dr. Tsing, I have a hard time believing that she didn't inject herself once she was sure the treatment worked. She seems like a "me first" character. Furthermore, why in the world are any of the 100 locked up in the mountain looking to Jasper for leadership? He messes up everything all the time. By this time, Miller should have staged a coup. Other than these and a few other logic issues, I found this episode to be intense and well-paced. Another win for The 100. Now if only more people watched it.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - the choices get harder and the consequences greater every episode
Best Scene - Cage confronts Dante for helping the 100
Best Reason to Fast Forward - search for the City of Light and everything Jaha
Most Intense - Abby confronts Clarke on knowing about the bomb but not warning the people
Biggest Awww Moment - Raven hugs Clarke goodbye and tells her to be safe
Best Reaction - Octavia, Lincoln, and Clarke look out over the damage to Tondc
Least Plausible - There are a lot of logic fails and things out of character in this episode, but I find it completely suspicious that the Mountain Men are not monitoring what is happening inside where the remaining 100 are locked up. They seem to have video everywhere else or at least audio surveillance to hear what they are up to.
Most in Need of Dying - Dr. Tsing. I cheered when that evil psycho died.
Shortest Lived Rebellion - the remaining 100 vs. the Mountain Men
Biggest Disappointment - we don't get any more background on the other clans at the meeting
Biggest Plot Device - Bellamy overhears the plot to take out the council in a missile strike
Best Reunion - Octavia tough loves Lincoln
Least Able to Keep a Secret - Raven lets it slip that Octavia is in Tondc
Least Effective - Jasper, all the time in every way with every decision
Most Improved - Indra
Most in Need of a Chill Pill - Clarke, in the beginning when she's yelling at Raven, who is doing her best
The "Yep, I Still Don't Care" Award - You get no sympathy from me, Murphy. I don't care what your reasons for killing people are. You suck.
Least Surprising - Emori is a plant to steal their stuff
Best Quotes -
1. Murphy: "Touch me again and I'll end you…in a non-criminal way."
2. Octavia: "Grounders don't give up. We fight. Either you get up and we fight this or you crawl away and die alone like a coward. It's your choice."
3. Jasper (to a dying Dr. Tsing): "I hope you know that you're incredibly special to us."
4. Abby: "You knew. You knew and you let this happen." Clarke: "We had no choice." Abby: "So many people, our people." Clarke: "We had to protect Bellamy. Without him…" Abby: "No, stop it. I don't want to hear it." Clarke: "Mom…" Abby: "Tell me this was Lexa. Please Clarke. Please tell me this wasn't you."
Clarke: "I wish I could. You can't tell anyone about this. If anyone finds out that we knew, the alliance of the 12 clans will break. We'll lose the war." Abby: "You crossed a line." Clarke: "Mom…" Abby: "Their blood is on your hands and even if we win, I'm afraid you won't be able to wash it off this time. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." Clarke: "Mom, wait. Mom…"
5. Indra: "Lincoln is no longer your concern." Octavia: "Look I've done everything you've asked me to do and I'll continue to do so, but what you're asking now is impossible." Indra: "I'm not asking. We're at war and a warrior does not mourn those she's lost until after the battle's won."
It feels so good to have my favorite comedy back and hopefully without any more breaks. I hate this weird scheduling. As always, Murray steals my heart with his bumbling but loving dad ways. His scenes with Barry are phenomenal although it was the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry with Lainey's dad that made me crack up. I completely understand his passion because my family roots for anyone but Texas and Yankees too. I was a Steelers fan in the 80's and man did I hate the Cowboys. The idea that Murray would swallow his team pride for Barry's love life makes me awwwww. I thought Erica was pretty awesome in this episode as well. Sure she folds too fast in the wake of Beverly's pressure, but I love how she was there to give Adam advice. I also love how Dana is the voice of those of us who matured too early. That sucked just as much as those whose growth spurt was delayed. Dana is refreshingly level-headed, something that doesn't describe any of the Goldberg family. She's a nice change from their chaos.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - Murray and Barry
Best Scene - Dana tells Adam that growing up too fast sucks too
Funniest Character Interaction - Murray and Lainey's dad
Biggest Awww Moment - Barry sticks up for Murray
Best Non-Murray Character - Dana
Best Moment - Dana makes Adam stop walking on his tiptoes with her
The "Terrible Parenting" Award - oh Murray, I am disappointed that you gave into Barry's temper tantrum
Most Obnoxious - Beverly as always
Best Tough Love - Pops tells Adam that giving a girl your Green Lantern ring is nerdy
Worst Family Moment - everyone making a big deal about Adam trying to shave
Best One-Sided Conversation - Erica says nothing and yet Beverly still has an argument by herself
The "I've Gotta Agree" Award - I'm no fan of the Cowboys either, Murray
Most Embarrassing - everything that happened to Adam
Biggest Moral - Never graffiti without at least 2 cans of spray paint and nerves of steel
Worst Nostalgia - Jane Fonda workouts
Best Nostalgia - the stealing highway signs trend
Best Quotes -
1. Barry: "You're living in the past. I don't see teams. I see people." Murray: "Everyone sees teams." Barry: "Well as much as I care about the Eagles, I care about Laney more." Murray: "That's a damn big thing to say." Barry: "I know it is." Murray: "You better mean it." Barry: "I do." Murray: "Well let's get in the damn car. And bring the stop sign. We've got to put it back. It's a serious crime."
2. Barry: "Do you even listen when I talk?" Murray: "I get the gist of it, say no a lot. I make it work." Barry: "I'm cool with that."
3. Adam: "My mom said one day I'd give it to the woman of my dreams. Surely she was thinking middle school, right?"
4. Murray: "Okay, maybe I like you a little bit more than the Eagles. Don't tell the Eagles."
5. Anthony: "You know that guy, Dan?" Dan: "Not that well."
This episode was all about the music and Vernon. The music is always good on Empire but 1.06 took it to a higher level. I found myself dancing in my seat while watching. (It wasn't a pretty sight.) Still music can only take you so far as Glee attests, making Vernon the MVP of the night. Every scene he is in crackles and it was nice to see him fleshed out more as a character. I like the idea that he's in a 12-step program but watching him manipulate the strings behind the scenes showed exactly how deep he's in. I foresee a coup d'état and that's going to be fascinating to watch especially since Andre and Vernon both think they are playing each other. Personally, I am betting on Andre's wife, who might be playing both of them herself. On the Hakeem and Jamal front, they both did better singing than talking so I'd suggest more studio time for both. I don't particularly care about either's love life, but Hakeem is the clear winner in this one. He's going to ride his misogynistic hit to the top while Jamal has a whole lot of explaining to do when he gets home. I was shocked that after all that standing up to his father, he didn't come out when he had the chance. As for Cookie, I love her in mentor mode. In everything else, she needs to take about 12 steps back.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - all the music this week was topnotch
MVP - Vernon
Best Character Interaction - Lucious and Vernon
Most Intense - Vernon gets Lucious to confess to killing Bunky / Vernon chokes Andre for giving a false alibi
Most Surprising - Jamal does NOT come out as gay
Worst Plan - inviting Cookie to the engagement announcement party
Most in Need of Reading the Fine Print - Lucious is way too eager to jump on the Moscow trials without doing any research on his own. That's bound to bite him.
Biggest Miscarriage of Justice - Vernon buys off a guy already about to go down to confess to Bunky's murder
Biggest Bomb - Olivia tells Jamal he's a father
The "Thank You, Andre" Award - I was about to get all bothered about shaking hands before someone washes theirs in the bathroom. I appreciate Andre not going there until the essentials are taken care of first.
Most Obnoxious / Best Bet - Cookie, who is simultaneously the most annoying person on the show and the best person to pull a drowning person out
The "Welcome Back" Award - Courtney Love, most recently seen on Sons of Anarchy / Raven-Symone from way back in the day of That's So Raven and The Cosby Show
Best Quotes -
1. Cookie: "I do know what this song needs. It needs for you to stop pretending to be who you used to be and be who you are now. This tantrum you're throwing, put it in the song." Elle: "That's what I've been doing." Cookie: "No, you're hiding. You're hiding behind the mix, behind those fake a** samples and reverb, behind that fur and all that makeup. Take it off."
2. Cookie: "It's amazing what good music will have these young girls doing nowadays." Portia: "What? Touching on each other. That's nasty."
3. Elle: "Oh wait, Cookie. You're the wife." Cookie: "Ex-wife." Elle: "Darling, don't be shy. We're all somebody's ex-wife."
4. Jamal: "Y'all forgetting one thing though. You write a song about how much you hate women, it makes you look like a little b**." Hakeem: "I don't hate no woman who ain't did me wrong first."
5. Anika: "You're not answering my question." Doctor: "I can't give you the answer that you want. It's an experimental drug, but the…the reality is…" Lucious: "I am dead without it."
I really liked this episode. The biggest plus was of course Ray stepping up the suspense. Let's face it. If even Perry is concerned you'll go too far, you're living in your own version of Crazy Town which makes you unpredictable. Once the end song played, I knew he was going to assault Amanda and story wise that's a good choice. She's far enough from Beth for them not to suspect him. Stealing her purse makes it look like a mugging, which should throw doubt at first too. What I'm not sure of is how this will affect Jack and his relationship with his son. Will Amanda be more cautious and want to cut Jack out a little? How she reacts should give us more context to a character we still don't know much about. On the case front, I found the idea of group stalking very interesting and even more creepy. It's bad enough when one person is after you. When it's a whole group, how do you stop that? Besides Jack punching the leader in the nose and everyone else getting arrested, of course. While I never suspected the boyfriend at all and I've learned to suspect the best friend always, there were enough twists in this episode to keep my attention and pretty good pacing. Now if only Ray can kill Perry in the remaining 6 episodes and everything ends well, I will be exceedingly happy that I ignored the critic's trash talk and stuck with this show. It's developed into quite the procedural drama.
Grade: B+
Best Reason to Watch - Ray is stepping up the psycho to a level even Perry isn't comfortable with
Best Scene - Abraham tells Isabelle that he made himself new for her and then he holds her underwater
Most Intense - the cold open
Best Twist - group stalking
Best Plan - Perry getting further clarification about Ray's plan before agreeing to it
Most Awkward - Jack gives Beth a present in front of the rest of the group
Most improved - Jack and Amanda trying to work things out
Best Fake Out - it's Ben behind Janice not Perry or Ray
The "Welcome Back" Award - Samaire Armstrong, formerly of Resurrection / JD Pardo, formerly of Revolution / Tiffany Hines of Nikita and Bones
Least Surprising - it's ALWAYS the friend on Stalker
Biggest Oxymoron - "a blend of New Age mysticism and astronomy combined with hard reality"
The "Way over Your Head" Award - Oh Perry, I do not feel one whit of sympathy for you but this is not going to end well. You might as well leave now before Ray kills you.
Biggest Mind Warp - Creepy cult leader is played by the actor who was Jimmy Olsen on Lois & Clark. A piece of my youth just died.
Most Cathartic - Jack punches out Abraham
Best Quotes -
1. Janice: "I almost drank the Kool-Aid." Jack: "What happened?" Janice: "Turns out I like bourbon."
2. Perry: "There's Detective Janice Lawrence, the one who arrested me." Ray: "She's pretty." Perry: "I'm not a fan."
3. Ben: "There is just no shortage of crazy in this town. Cults freak me out."
4. Jack: "We can make trouble for you and by make trouble we mean make it up."
5. Jack: "I'm not flirting." Ben: "So you're sucking up to the boss." Jack: "I was replacing her nuts." Ben: "It's one or the other, Jack."
I liked this episode of Allegiance better than the pilot, mostly because of the intense pacing. I didn't even mind the viewer fake out because it lead to some great scenes. Normally I would be ticked that Alex is not in the know, but as soon as he started rattling off dates I knew Katya was going to cop to an affair. (I hope there is no element of truth in her story though because the strength of Mark and Katya's bond is the only thing that makes them sympathetic.) It was a smart move and Alex's reaction was fantastic. I was also a big fan of the spy techniques and especially the shootout at the docks. When Katya appeared and killed the sniper who was about to take out her son, I cheered. Literally. She may be prickly and a little standoffish, but nobody messes with her son. I almost feel sorry for the SSR because she's going to take them out.
Grade: B+
Best Reason to Watch - the pacing
Best Action - standoff at the docks
Best Performance - Katya in trying to prove she had an affair to Alex
Biggest Idiots - The Russian cleanup crew have their guns out in the middle of the street where anyone could see them and call the police. Nice job on stealth there, guys.
Biggest WTH - Isakof kills a henchman to make a point
Least Surprising - Katya says she was having an affair to throw her son off about being a Russian spy
Worst Side Effect to Having a Special Son - Alex throws back lies she told from decades ago
Best Curse - Katya: "I hope you die slowly."
Best Reaction - Alex to hearing that his mom had an affair
The "Well This Should be Fun" Award - already conflicts between the FBI and CIA and they're 5 minutes into working together
The "Mama to the Rescue" Award - Katya takes out the sniper about to take out Alex
Newest Tagline - The family that spies together lies together. (And let's hope doesn't die together.)
Autism Alert - Alex freaks out over vinyl
Best Quotes -
1. Katya: "I think if I find a strange man in my house, he may end up with a bullet in his head. My home is off-limits."
2. Alex: "I really don't like these seats." Michelle: "It's a government car. You're not supposed to like anything about it."
3. Katya: "You could have let me turn myself in." Mark: "And destroy our family? That's not a choice you get to make."
4. Michelle: "We've got to hold them off for 3-4 minutes tops until NYPD gets here. You know how to use that?" Alex: "Not really." Michelle: "Well get it and don't point it at me."
5. Mark: "She had to play it that way, Katya." Katya: "She didn't have to enjoy it."
I really enjoyed having Bell and Sherlock working together. I think they make a great team and we never have enough of their interaction. We never have enough Bell period. Still the best thing about this episode was the hint of Moriarty. Personally I think everything is better when she's in it and I hope we get a face-to-face meeting between Sherlock and her soon. If I can't have Kitty on a regular basis, I want Moriarty as recurring. I like how protective she is of Joan as well these days. Speaking of, I think that it is a positive move to bring Joan back to the brownstone, but I find it tremendously sad that she thinks she cannot have a life outside of working with Sherlock. I hope that's the grief talking and we see Watson take a more balanced approach in season 4. It would be a shame to keep her character from growing.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - Bell and Sherlock interaction
Best Moment / Best Turnaround - Watson wakes Sherlock up for a change
Best Scene - Moriarty sends Watson a letter to say that she's having Elana killed
Best Aww Moment - Sherlock calls Bell, "Marcus"
Biggest Kudos - Lucy Liu for directing this episode
Best Twist - Instead of baby zebra it is a baby quagga, which went extinct in the 1883. De-extinction is a thing now I guess, and not just in the Jurassic Park novels
Most Dedicated - the cast and crew of Elementary who every year have to shoot in blizzard conditions at least an episode or two
Most Fun - Sherlock holds his services hostage until the guy publishes his theory about gamma rays stopping colony collapse in bees
Most Unusual - Sherlock is being very conciliatory towards Watson, even timid in his approach
Best Deduction - Bell realizes Sherlock needs a sounding board and Watson isn't available
The "Welcome Back" Award - Moriarty, even if it is only by voice / Gina Gershon's Elana
Most Surprising - Prohibition tunnels let the bad guy escape
Things That Make Me Snicker - how Sherlock pronounces zebras
Best History - etymology of the phrase "to 86 something"
Best Advice - Bell tells Sherlock that sometimes you need to insist on talking when people are hurting
Most Forward Progress - Watson moves back into the brownstone
Best Quotes -
1. Sherlock: "Well I do owe you a debt. You recall the unfortunate business with you and a bullet." Bell: "I remember when you got me shot. Look I get it. You want somebody to talk at but you don't want to bother Joan right now."
2. Bell: "How'd you know I didn't have plans for the day?" Sherlock: "People who are forced by their employers to take time off usually don't generally have thriving social lives."
3. Bell: "You say that like it explains why you're weighing a toaster."
4. Watson: "It means that it's ridiculous for me to think that I can have a normal life. I'm not going to do that anymore. Just like I'm not going to pretend that this isn't the best place for us to do our work." Sherlock: "You're always welcome to come here. You know that." Watson: "You don't understand. I'm saying that what I need to do is commit myself to this work completely. The best place for me to do that is here. I want to come back to the brownstone."
5. Bell: "It's not a bad place to raise stolen zebra foals even if it is straight out of a scary movie."
This show constantly throws curveballs I never see coming. I figured Annalise had a plan. I didn't figure that plan would include throwing Nate under the bus. Like Michaela I don't think she would incriminate him without having a plan to set him free but still that's cold. Whether found innocent or not, his reputation as a killer will follow him from now on. You don't recover from that. It amazes me how much I want to see this whole thing unravel. I know Annalise is brilliant so there's got to be more to what she had Frank do than just frame Nate. Speaking of, I really hope we get some back story on how Frank became employed by Annalise. They have a much tighter bond than normal employer-employees have, so I'm thinking he was a client at some point or someone he loves was. I am also curious what Bonnie is going to do with her knowledge. I hope it helps re-establish her bond with Annalise because I hate them being on the outs. I also want Bonnie to stop crying and dish out what Annalise serves her right back. You can't be in the Keating business without a stronger backbone.
Grade: A-
Best Reason to Watch - the ending
Best Scene - Annalise demolishes the prosecutor and links him to entrapment
Best Acting - Marcia Gay Harding by a "She did it" shriek
Most Suspenseful - the police searching the house for evidence
The "Better Watch It" Award - Keating's client needs to stop talking like she killed her husband before someone shuts him up
Best Detective - It was going to go to Laurel for finding the dock worker. However, in the last 10 minutes Bonnie snatched the trophy away from her by figuring out that the students killed Sam, not Annalise.
Most Distracted - Wes, whose side project of Rudy Walters is interesting but it's really not the time for it
Best Liar - Frank and his mafia tales
The "Please Shut Up" Award - I know Connor is a fan favorite, but all his grousing is getting old. He's even worse than Michaela about not being able to keep his trap shut. He's going to get them all caught.
The "Say What?" Award - The mafia boss is hitting on Keating the day news about her husband's body comes out. Classy.
Least Surprising - Annalise's house is clean
Most Surprising - Annalise framed Nate for Sam's death
Best Quotes -
1. Annalise: "You're not going to trust me. That's just not in your nature, but you can stop worrying because - and you might have forgotten this - but I'm your only option here. Without me, you go to prison." Connor: "That doesn't mean we won't end up there." Annalise: "No, it doesn't. But the odds are better with me."
2. Annalise: "Whatever you say to the police can and will be misconstrued to support the prosecution. So when in doubt, shut your mouth."
3. Hobbs: "Good luck with that murder charge about to be thrown at you." Annalise: "Is that an actual threat this time?" Hobbs: "No one's threatening anyone. I just figured you knew better, given the precarious position you're in." Annalise: "Me? What about you? You’re the one dumb enough to mess with the mob."
4. Asher: "What did you think they would find? A bloody knife Annalise hid under her mattress. Our boss would be a better killer than that, y'all."
5. Connor: "She did this." Laurel: "How? How did she do this?" Michaela: "Does it matter? She's doing what she said she'd do. She's taking care of us."
Backstrom continues to walk the fine line between humor and crass, stepping over at least once per episode. In this one, several times. Still I laugh more in this show than in most comedies these days. I also find the character interactions to be intriguing, especially this week. The whole conundrum of whether Moto should tell the truth to the oversight committee or do as Backstrom wanted gave more insight into the characters than the 3 episodes previously. I find it sad that only one person rallied for the truth but in a cynical world, that doesn't seem to be a stretch. It does make me like Almond even more though. I also find Valentine growing on me. The interactions between Backstrom and him were my favorite thing about the whole episode.
Grade: C+
Best Reason to Watch - the character interactions
Best Scene - Deb tells Backstrom to be honest and be free from his panic attacks
Best Character - Almond
Best Character Interaction - Backstrom and Valentine
Most Annoying Character Interaction - Backstorm and Amy
Most Interesting Subplot - Moto trying to decide what to do about the oversight board
Best Rescue - Gravely getting the drag queen off of Backstrom
The "Welcome Back" Award - Amy Pietz from Aliens in America and the Burn Notice episode I just reviewed
Sweetest Ride - that '64 Cadillac Eldorado
Best Step Forward - Backstrom actually looked like he was going to tell the truth
Best Reaction - Almond to Backstrom's stereotypes about Asians
Worst Moral - lying is great for career advancement
Best Tandem - Backstrom and Valentine eating and drinking together
Best Quotes -
1. Almond: "This is not a chance, Moto. This is temptation. Big difference."
2. Backstrom: "Everybody hates it when a penis pops out of nowhere."
3. Kettering: "I'm from Idaho. Everybody hunts, even men in dresses."
4. Backstrom: "How much artistic license are you taking here, Spielberg?"
5. Backstrom: "You know anything about it?" Valentine: "Well I'm familiar for free. If you give me $100 bucks I'm a fount of information."
6. Backstrom: "You look like you dye your hair from a bottle of Soccer Mom #45."
This episode really benefits from the rewatch. That's what happens when you are all psyched out about one scene that ends up disappointing. I already knew in the rewatch that the biestfight was oversold, so I could concentrate on the rest of the show in a way I didn't the first time. Not saying that I still didn't want more biestfight and less case of the week. I'm also disappointed that Adalind is still alive. That being said the best thing in this episode is that Juliette finally told Nick the truth so we can deal with the fall out and move on. I also liked the guest stars, especially bringing back the arson investigator. I loved how they acknowledged that Nick is not the same black and white cop now that he was back then. I've no doubt things would have gone differently if the case had happened in season 3 or beyond. It was also good to see Rosalee confront Monroe on his own prejudices even though it felt like they were going for contrived drama. I am glad it was resolved so quickly and not allowed to fester. Overall, while the shortened hexenbiest fight was disappointing, enough else happened in the episode to make it overall enjoyable and the Juliette reveal to Nick puts us in a good place for the next episode.
Grade: B+ in the rewatch
Best Reason to Watch - Juliette tells Nick about her hexenbiest side
Best Scene - hexenbiest fight
Biggest Tease / Biggest Disappointment - Hexenbiest fight, which was highly anticipated but took less than 2 minutes. Not fair.
Biggest Idiot - Barso is surrounded by people with water guns and doesn't even ask what's going on
Best Reaction - Orson to learning Hank and Renard know about Wesen / Nick to seeing HexenJuliette
Weirdest Fire Starter - Schnapps. Just add some Dr. Pepper and drink it. Don't start fires with it.
Best Surprise - Renard's assassin spy is double crossing him / Juliette actually told Nick about hexenbiesting
Most Surprising - the whole case rests on the arson guy Nick arrested in season 1
Least Surprising - Andy contracted the arsonist
Best Visual - Nick puts the Super Soaker in with his medieval weapons in the trailer
The "Welcome Back" Award - Gideon Emery, formerly making eyes roll via villain speeches on Teen Wolf
Best Wesen - Excandesco (burns with rage or raging, burning thing)
Best Twist on a False Historical Rumor - the great Rome fire really was commissioned by Nero except for Christian genocide and not to raise a new city in his honor
Most Naïve - Andy thinks he can just avoid a suicidal arsonist and things will all be well
Best Baby Face - Gideon Emery was such a young'un in that picture
Best Quotes -
1. Hank: "You're talking a human match." Orson: "Yeah, basically." Hank: "Hnh, just when you think the world can't get any weirder."
2. Monroe: "I feel like a total idiot. You were so right. It's about two dead kids." Rosalee: "You're not an idiot." Monroe: "What if I hadn't come back?" Rosalee: "Then you might have been a little bit of an idiot."
3. Wu: "So he exploded." Nick: "Spontaneously combusted." Wu: "Is it possible the victim had some sort of homemade bomb strapped to him?" Hank: "Yeah sure, anything's possible." Wu: "It'll look better on the report than…" Nick: "Yeah, we like bomb."
4. Nick: "Rosalee, I'm sorry." Rosalee: "This feud goes way too far back for you to take any responsibility." Nick: "Well I know, but I shouldn't have…" Rosalee: "No, you need help Nick. You should be able to get help, feud or no feud."
5. Viktor: "It's called back channel diplomacy and it cannot be done truly effectively when done so loudly."
6. Hank: "Is that what's supposed to happen?" Monroe: "Well it's not an exact, you know, science."
This is why I hate time travel stories. Anything and everything ends up happening. Here I thought along with Cole that by destroying the virus, the world would be better. It isn't if the glimpse we saw at the end is any measure. Maybe the world is just supposed to suck in Cole's time. Did they ever consider that? I am hopelessly confused by this skeleton virus. Is it someone Jones sent back in time? If that's the case, then how did the virus effect them all anyway? Time travel is circular logic run amok. Is it from an earlier time? If so then why the subplot about earlier experiments? I have no idea what's going on here. All I know is that Reilly and Ramse hold the same function but in different times. They are the moral center. Usually that's who I root for. In this case, I side more towards Cole and Jones' "the ends justify the means" thinking. However, it is Jennifer who steals the show. Her kind of crazy is hilarious.
Grade: C+
Best Reason to Watch - Cole and Reilly find the Night Room and Jennifer
Best Scene - Ramse confronts Jones on her time travel experiments of the past
Best Character - Jennifer
Biggest Idiot - Scientist Dude, they are already going to kill you. Why didn't you attempt to get to the kill switch button down there? You could have saved the day.
Most Fun - the pre-jump celebration
Worst Plan - Did Cole really think these guys were just leaving? Come on. They wouldn't give up just like that.
Best Plan - Cole pulls Jennifer into the vault with him so they don't burn up
Best Back Story - Jones was married
Most Nosy - Ramse, who really has no right to pry through Jones' things
The "Little Warning Please" Award - Pale Guy pops off Cole's nail with a bamboo shoot
Biggest Headache - time travel
Best Quotes -
1. Jones: "Now I know why our calculations are off. It's the alcohol in your blood stream."
2. Cole: "Let him go. You can't save everyone." Reilly: "I thought that was the point."
3. Jones: "Sarcasm, I like it."
4. Ramse: "You kept going." Jones: "Because in a thousand generations, we could not rebuild what was lost. What is the lives of a few people compared to the whole of human history? Without it, there's nothing. Nothing, no future. Just…just drifting in the ocean of time, no shore in sight."
5. Ramse: "Could be our last night here if Big Boy here doesn't screw up and he actually changes history. Best hangover cure ever."
This episode of The Musketeers was high on social consciousness and high on action. The latter is the best reason to watch. As is the continued back story of Athos. I really like the addition of Catherine. She is a woman scorned and unable to get over the wrongs done to her, but she's also smart, competent, and flexible enough to change as the situation needs. I like the idea of Milady having an enemy who can be as cold-hearted as she is and one that is as deadly. I hope we get a Catherine vs. Milady showdown, but only if they are both shown as equals and have to fight for their lives. I don't want Catherine to simply disappear or be killed off easily when she is such an intriguing character. I also like that Porthos is not giving up on finding the truth about his family. Treville needs to come clean and let us all in on the secret before it drags on too much longer though. As for the action, it was at its best. I love the plucky villagers standing their ground no matter the odds stacked against them. In real life, they would all be dead but the magic of television is that we get our happy, if anachronistic, ending. Good luck Mayor of Pinon. You're going to need it.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - Athos gets plenty of screen time / lots of action
Best Scene - Catherine reveals herself and she and Athos talk
Best Aww Moment - D'Artagnan claps Athos on the shoulder in solidarity
Best Character Interaction - Catherine and Athos
Best Action - the fight for the Pinon
Best Continuing Plot - Porthos' search for the truth about his family
Best Addition - Catherine
Best Speech - Treville in rallying the villagers to fight
Best Offer - Athos says if they fight for the land, they can keep it
Best Humor - the villagers learning to shoot
Most in Need of Dying - both the Renards
The "Not So Sure about That" Award - History is filled with noble causes that were defeated by superior forces. Just because you have a just cause doesn't mean you can't be defeated, Treville.
The "Are You Kidding Me?" Award - No way people in the 17th century don't have guns. No way. They would have used them to hunt and protect themselves. I'm not buying this at all. Plus they would be used to shooting them to hunt their food. While funny, none of this makes any sense.
Best Plan - secret armory
Best Reason to Avoid the 17th Century - douches have legal rights to kill or rape you
Best Quotes -
1. Porthos: "I didn't think that would work." Aramis: "Centuries of inbreeding is making the aristocracy (click click) stupid."
2. Athos: "A little battered but just about serviceable." D'Artagnan: "Talking about yourself or that pistol."
3. Treville: "Listen to me, all of you. In any war, you have two choices. You can sue for peace and the best terms you can get or you can fight. If you choose to fight, we will stand with you but ask yourselves if your cause is worth dying for." Bertrand: "We're dying already."
4. D'Artagnan: "Well you'd all be dead by now but don't let that bother you."
5. Catherine: "I hunt and trap my own food. It's amazing what you can learn when you've run out of choices."
