Hello and welcome back to Last Week in TV. Overall it was a good week for me and I am finally caught up. Woo hoo! I do expect to be way behind next week (and the column will likely be delayed by a day since I will be out of town for part of it) so I'll celebrate the now. How was your TV week? So sorry that I did not include the nomination form last week. It's in this one if you would like to nominate an episode for me to watch. Next week the nominated episode will be the Westworld pilot. I have to say that I am nervous about this one because premium cable nudity, profanity, and graphic violence are not for me. Neither are westerns. I do think the concept is intriguing though so we'll see. Until next week, leave your comments below and happy TV viewing.
Episode of the Week
Perhaps it is because I watched this after HTGAWM or perhaps it's because Ginny got on my nerves last time, but I really, really liked this episode. Normally character breakdowns lead to emoangsting and thrown socks, but they did this celebrity meltdown very well. First off, Ginny is less obnoxious than most, except to Amelia and Mike. She doesn't brat out to wait staff. She isn't full of herself. She doesn't even blame a bum arm or others for a bad day of pitching. She's just stressed out and overwhelmed and wanted a break. Everyone can relate to that. Second, Ginny's "wild" night out was more goofy than destructive. Yes, she ruined a dress but this was no TMZ celebrity train wreck. Plus it was good to see Ginny just having a blast with people her own age. Mostly though, it brought in 2 characters that I really want back - Cara and Barton. Evelyn is a great friend and I love that she's there for Ginny, but it might be nice for her to have at least one friend in which baseball is not a way of life. As for Barton, it's Rita Wilson. More Rita is a good thing and more background on Ginny is a must.
Grade: A-
Best Reason to Watch - Ginny
Best Scene / Most Powerful - Ginny's breakdown in the tub
Best Teaser - the opening montage
Best Speech - Eliot stands up for himself with Amelia
Best New Addition - Cara
Worst Metaphor - Barton describes herself as Tylenol
Most Fun - Ginny taking a break from her life to be just a normal 20-something
Most Awkward Conversation - Blip congratulating Mike on his relationship with Amelia just a few seconds after they broke up
Most Appealing Character - Ginny, because she doesn't make excuses and fully accepts her part in things
Most Sympathetic - actually Al, who looks at Ginny like she's his daughter
Most Tame - Ginny's "wild" night out
Biggest Moron - Ginny jumps into the water with a $10,000 dress on
Biggest Oops - Mike makes the motion detectors go off at his ex-wife's house
The "Welcome Back" Award (character) - Rachel
The "Welcome Back" Award (actor) - Rita Wilson from The Good Wife and Sleepless in Seattle / Lyndsy Fonesca from Nikita
Best Quotes -
1. Ginny: "My achievements are modest." Barton: "Your stats are modest, but make no mistake. Getting to the Majors is historic." Ginny: "But I don't deserve to be in that company. I don't feel like I deserve any of this. There, I said it. Did I have my breakthrough?" Barton: "Anyone who thinks that they belong in that group would be having a different conversation with me."
2. Ginny: "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Ginny. It's been awhile since I had to introduce myself to anyone. Seems like everyone I meet already knows me." Cara (pointing to a poster of Ginny): "Oh, they don't know you. They think you're that person."
3. Evelyn: "Really? A baseball flying at you at 100 miles an hour, you breathe steady but mascara makes you shake?"
4. Ginny: "She put this on the internet?" Amelia: "No, she gave it to us because she was concerned about you. I watched her delete it, even off the cloud. Not every person you meet is out there to hurt you."
5. Amelia: "I probably should've invited you." Mike: "Probably, but I don't bruise easy." Amelia: "That's a lie."
Nominated Episode
I think I would have understood this episode better if I had known the characters better. As it is, I've seen enough of this show to know that these were bizarro versions of the characters, especially Danny, but not enough to fully get the joke. My lack of prior knowledge also made some of the conversation with Wo Fat confusing as well. I think they were telling me that Steve's mom faked her death to raise Wo Fat and that his mom was some kind of super spy but that seems more like an Alias storyline so I'm not sure if I got that right. What wasn't hard to understand was how much of a team spirit there is on this show. That was evident in the ending montage, which is why I liked it best. I wasn't sure what sorrows they faced but I could see that they faced them together and that made the team even stronger. I also really loved the bromance when Danny found Steve but had to break it to him again that his father had long since passed away. Ouch! That hurt my heart. Thankfully, there was all that lovely action keep the pace flowing too.
Grade: B- with the second half bringing up the grade for the confusing first half
Ranking: 4, I want to watch this show but I haven't had time yet
Audience - those who like procedurals with a strong bromance component
Best Reason to Watch - the montage at the end
Best Scene - Danny tells Steve that he's alright after telling him that his father died a long time ago
Best Action - Steve takes down the kidnapper / Steve vs. Wo Fat
Best Plan - Steve tricks Wo Fat and electrocutes him
Biggest Surprise - all the back story on Wo Fat and Steve's mom
Biggest What the Heck? - I watched the opening and I swore I had seen it before. I did. It was the pilot. I think.
Most Insane - this bizarro version of Danny
Best Song - All for One by Five for Fighting
The "I Think I'm Missing Something" Award - I thought it was Danny who was the newcomer, not Steve, and that he wasn't really excited about Hawaii
The "Welcome Back" Award - Norman Reedus from The Walking Dead / James Marsters from Buffy / William Sadler from Roswell / Alex O'Loughlin from Moonlight / Scott Caan from Entourage / Daniel Dae Kim from LOST / Grace Park from Battlestar Galactica / Masi Oka from Heroes / Jorge Garcia from LOST / Chi McBride from Pushing Daisies / Will Yun Lee from Falling Water / Larisa Olynik from The Secret World of Alex Mack
Best Quotes -
1. Danny: "Look, I personally love it when a guy with a foreign accent tells me to beat it. It just sounds so much nicer, you know?"
2. Steve: "Well, Detective Williams here told me you might know where we can find a man named Wo Fat." Kamekona: "Try hell." Steve: "Yeah? Any stops along the way?"
3. Wo Fat: "You're not going to kill me. Are you, brother?" Steve: "You're not my brother."
4. Chin: "You were hiding in a hole in Ka'a'awa that made Saddam's ditch look like a palace." Min: "It's called communing with nature." Kono: "No, it's called poison ivy on your a** for lack of TP."
5. Grover: "What the hell is that thing on his head?" Danny: "Oh, that's…that's his hair." Grover: "Looks like one of them Daniel Boone raccoon things."
6. Danny: "Call me Danno. All my friends do, alright?"
Featured Reviews
BY Swanpride
This week's episode felt like a mid-season finale, or at least like the conclusion of the first act, culminating into a truly evil cliffhanger and the reveal of what I assume will be the big bad of the season. I have to give the show credit: Even though I was pretty much onto them, I was still surprised how evil Eli truly was. I had assumed that Lucy and her Ghost brigade fell victim to an experiment gone wrong. Learning what really happened was chilling. Though I am still trying to figure out the chain of events...did Joe order the hit on Eli before or after Lucy and the others were vaporized? And then there is the whole story of how Robbie became the Ghostrider. I hope that there is some sort of connection to the Darkhold, otherwise it would be too much of a coincidence for my taste that he got the powers which can destroy the ghostly people his uncle created. Anyway, in an episode which was very exposition-heavy, poor Fitz constantly ranting about Jemma being gone, the spectrum of security and his mistrust for the new director was a much needed distraction from all the drama. I just hope Fitzsimmons are both okay...and that Jemma will get the opportunity to rescue Fitz for a change.
Grade: A-
Best Reason to Watch - Ghostrider galore!
Best Scene - The accident
Best Character - I loved Gabe calling Robbie out on not putting his decisions on him.
Most Missed - Jemma, who vanishes at the start of the episode. Hope she is okay.
Best Fight - Ghostrider vs the Patriot even though it was a very one-sided event.
Best Team-up - Coulson and Mace are not exactly a team currently, but they play off each other so well.
Best Effect - The second Ghostrider, because there are subtle differences in the scull design.
Biggest Overkill - Was it really necessary to show and tell the accident at least three times from two different perspectives?
Biggest Nitpick - At least one Inhuman did manage to escape from the module last season. Granted, he managed to wedge something into the door, but still.
Meanest Twist - Fitz, Coulson and Robbie just vanishing.
Best Reference - Always happy when Agent Carter impacts the show.
Most Random Observation - I guess Fitz will soon have to reconsider his disbelief in magic
Prediction of the week - For all the talk of Mace about trust, there really isn't much of it in the current version of SHIELD, which has to lead to problems down the line. Also, Doctor Strange Tie-in!
Best Quote:
1. Random Scientist: "Thanks, I feel so much better knowing that if I die in a fiery explosion my eyeballs will survive."
2. Coulson: "Geese? We have zero Geese. We are Goose-free."
3. Fitz: "Oh, oh, I am sorry, in this case you should be checking under the microscope and in the fridge because those Inhumans can be tricky bastards. Yeah, you can tell the director that this is just a giant snark hunt. That is British for a bloody waste of time."
4. Mack: "Who names these? Are there focus groups for evil things?"
BY Emma
Any episode that involves Roxy is going to be a good one but this week’s case had a great twist to it. An obviously mentally unstable man is seen throwing body parts along a well-travelled trail. It’s not long before the BAU catches up to him but it’s not until much later that they realize his brother is the serial killer and he’s just been cleaning up after him in an effort to protect him. This was a great example of how the sibling bond forged in an abusive home can end terribly even after they’ve been removed from the primary abuser. On a personal note, Reid got some bad news about his mom but some great advice from Rossi and Garcia seems to be coming around to Luke, thanks to Roxy of course. Unfortunately, no mention of Hotch, not even a throw-away line about his progress on the assignment or foreshadowing his eventual departure. I really hope they wrap up his permanent absence before the winter break.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch – Roxy / interesting twist on the COTW
Best Scene – Garcia meets Roxy
Best Character Interaction – Rossi and Reid / Garcia and Roxy
Best Awww Moment – Roxy senses the UnSub's agitation and tries to comfort him
Best Plan – Luke using a cadaver dog to find the UnSub since he’s been living with human remains
Most Heartbreaking – Reid’s mom was cut from the study at John’s Hopkins
Best Advice – Rossi reminding Reid that he has a finite time left with his mom and he shouldn’t squander it looking for fixes that may never materialize
The “Well Played” Award – Luke allowing Garcia to think Roxy was a girlfriend
Best Quotes:
1. Luke (voiceover): “Cheyenne proverb says ‘Beware the man who does not talk and the dog that does not bark.”
2. Garcia: “Oh my gosh, she’s adorable! I thought you were talking about your girlfriend. I thought you were being all fat headed and macho.” Luke: “I know.” Garcia: “You know?” Luke: “I know. I know you didn’t want to like me at first so I figured I’d make it easier on you.” Garcia: “So you profiled me?”
BY Emma
So many plot lines, so little time! This week we juggled some pretty important issues – Xo’s abortion, Jane and Rafael’s new co-parenting dynamic, and Michael coming to terms with almost dying yet unable to give up the job that almost cost him his life. First and foremost, I give huge kudos to the writers for handling Xo’s abortion in a respectful way that is not oft seen on TV. Both sides of the issue are equally represented without either one seeming selfish or petty but my favorite part is that Xo is not feeling guilty about her decision. Most abortion storylines I’ve seen have always revolved around the woman being indecisive and then if she does have it, she feels immensely guilty and is full of regret for the rest of her life. As a 40-year-old woman who has never wanted kids, the portrayal of Xo’s decision (who is also 40 years old) as well as her resulting feelings about it (worried that her family would hate her, not that she didn’t do the right thing) really hit home for me as I am certain that if faced with the same situation as Xo, my choices and resulting feelings about that choice would be the same as hers. I also love the way Alba eventually realizes that this was Xo’s choice not hers and even if she doesn’t agree with it, they are different people with different goals at their respective stages of life. Again, round of applause to the writers for a job well done. But wait, that’s not all that happened this episode! Jane and Rafael have hit a major turning point in their relationship. Seeing Jane marry Michael was the catalyst Raphael needed to move on and while he was still supportive of Jane during Michael’s recovery, he was finally able to let go and I can’t wait to see how this new co-parenting dynamic plays out. I do believe this is going to be much more fun to watch than the love triangle ever was – especially when Rafael starts dating and Jane has to come to terms with a potential step-mom in the picture. Last but not least, it finally hit home for Michael that he almost died and even though Jane is terrified of him returning to such a dangerous profession, not to mention the case that was the cause of so much chaos in their lives, she eventually realizes that this is what he loves and is supportive of his return to work. I have officers in my extended family and every time they leave for work, their wives are afraid it’s the last time they will see them but they still smile and wish them a good, safe day as they head out the door. I can’t imagine living with that fear and anxiety and I’m glad the writers opted to include this subplot instead of just having Michael go back to work without any fuss from anyone.
Grade: A
Best Reason to Watch – Xo and Alba have a real, constructive discussion about Xo’s abortion
Best Scenes – Xo and Alba argue over Xo’s abortion and then later reconcile
Best Character Interaction – Xo and Alba / Jane and Michael
Best Reference – Rogelio paid the crew for their help
Best News – Michael gets early clearance from the doctor to have sex
Most Romantic – crew of Rogelio’s telenovela helping Michael create an island retreat at home since they couldn’t go on their honeymoon
Most Improved – Rafael, who's much more fun now that he’s not in love with Jane
Worst Plan – using Daniel Day-Lewis as one’s American accent role model
Worst Surprise – Mateo has started biting
Biggest Laugh – Jane finds out that Mateo is biting when he bites her. Really. Hard.
The “I’m With You” Award – Xo’s right, the cherry wallpaper is hideous
Best Quotes:
1. Nurse: “Whoa. Hey, hey, hey. I hate to break the honeymoon up but you’re going to need to keep that heart rate down for the next six weeks, remember?” Michael: “So, no sex?” Nurse: “You can hardly move.” Michael: “She can.”
2. Xo: “How can you be so self-righteous about this? You told me get an abortion when I was a teenager.” Alba: “And I’ve regretted it every day since. This is my fault for putting it in your head that it was ever okay.” Xo: “Stop. I’m glad you told me that. It helped me choose to have Jane and I’ve never regretted that mom but at this stage of my life, I don’t want to be pregnant and I don’t want a baby.” Alba: “Then you shouldn’t have gotten knocked up.”
3. Xo: “It’s my mom. She’s making me feel guilty. Not for the abortion, she’s making me feel guilty about not feeling guilty.” Rogelio (in his best Daniel Day-Lewis impersonation): “Well, get your mother out of your head. If you’re sure about your choice, that’s all that matters.”
4. Alba: “I was stubborn and I didn’t want to admit that I hate this wallpaper but I do so I’m taking it down and moving on. Which is what I want us to do. Move on. I don’t agree with your decision but it’s your decision. We’re different. The end.” Xo: “Can I help you with the wallpaper?” Alba: “I would love that.”
BY Emma
Whelp, Jane’s no longer a virgin! Is it weird that the first thing I thought of was what are they going to do about the name of the show? According to some interviews I’ve seen, it sounds like the name of the show won’t actually change but the title card will have “Virgin” crossed out and something relevant to the episode written over it. I’m interested to see how creative they can get with this. So now that the deed is done and everything was perfect, they can get on with the honeymoon phase, right? Not so much – poor Jane was not impressed with her first time and after all the hype, feels like she lost a part of her identity for something that ending up being so anticlimactic (pun intended). I’m very glad that the writers chose to go down this road. Speaking from the female perspective, I’ve never heard a “it was the best ever” story about the first time and I’m glad that even though this is a telenovela where anything is possible, the writers chose to keep it real here. It takes time for someone new to sex to figure out what they do and don’t like and even experienced couples need time to learn a new partner’s quirks. I absolutely love that Xo was the one to help Jane through this and finally get out of her head and properly enjoy the honeymoon phase. The writers have always been great at properly handling sensitive issues but this season they are really outdoing themselves. The only thing that brings down the grade on this episode a bit was Rose and Luisa’s storyline. I adore both of them and their relationship so I wish they would’ve moved their material to the next episode where it wouldn’t have been overshadowed by the big event for Jane and Michael. Rogelio is continuing his quest to bring telenovelas to America and meets with The CW executives in some of the best meta of the season so far. Fingers crossed Rogelio and Dina can land an American adaptation deal that doesn’t involve stealing Rob Lowe from Code Black!
Grade: A-
Best Reason to Watch – Jane and Michael finally consummate their marriage
Best Scene – Xo and Jane talk about her first time and how she feels about it
Best Character Interaction – Xo and Jane / Jane and Michael / Rose and Luisa
Best Solution – watch the accidental sex tape you made to find out why it wasn’t earth-shattering sex
Most Missed – Petra/Anezka
Best Reference – Quantum Leap
Most Surprising – Rose killed Rafael’s mother in prison
Most Awkward – blurting out to your advisor that the sex tape she just saw was of your first time
Worst Confession – Jane telling Michael she faked her orgasm the first time they were together
Least Surprising – Michael promptly falls asleep after having sex with Jane the first time
Biggest “Oops” – accidentally turning on the webcam during your first sexual encounter and inadvertently creating a sex tape which was accidentally attached to a document sent to Jane’s advisor
Biggest Revelation – Professor Donaldson finally realizes the reason Jane’s romance writing has been off is because she was a virgin
Best Hashtag – #docblocked / #feeltheburn
Best Meta – the CW might be interested in picking up Rogelio’s telenovela / Meeting at the CW offices, Rogelio calls the execs scheduling masterminds for putting a superhero show on each night
Best Celebrity Cameo – Gloria and Emilio Estefan
Favorite Fact – this episode was directed by Eva Longoria
The “Welcome Back” Award (character) – Lina, Jane’s BFF / Professor Donaldson, Jane’s advisor
The “It’s About Time” Award – Jane finally loses her virginity
Best Quotes:
1. Professor: “If you want to know if I got your email asking me not to read your file in time, the answer, unfortunately, is no.”
2. Jane: “It was my first time.” Professor: “It was? Oh, that explains things.”
3. Jane: “It burns.” Michael: “Like a good burn?” Jane: “No! It feels like wasabi down there!”
BY Jessica VanWinkle
I’m so happy that Quantico was better this week. Last week’s episode was my least favorite of the season by far. I’m glad the show was able to bounce back. The art of illusion was the theme at The Farm this week, and Alex, Harry, and Ryan all have to work together. The three recruits find a body in a hotel room and they have to figure out how to get out of the situation without the police finding them. Harry is on to Alex and Ryan and knows that they are in the FBI. Alex and Ryan turn on Harry and he gets attested, but the police let him go because he’s a MI6 agent. Harry is part of a pilot program where one MI6 trains with the CIA, and one CIA member trains with the MI6 in London- kind of like an exchange program. So I guess Harry isn’t who Alex and Ryan are looking for. Leigh was the main suspect this week, but at the end of the episode she opens up to Ryan and talks about her kids. It was a softer side that we haven’t seen before. We also learned that Harry is seeing Will, and Shelby and Leon are very attracted to each other. In the present, Alex avoids being shot and is able to escape the terrorists. The episode ends with Alex running into Lydia. The present showed us that Will is helping Miranda look into Shelby. Honestly I’m so confused. I still have trouble believing Miranda is the bad guy here, but why else would she be looking into Shelby? Who is she working for?
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - Trying to find out which recruit is the terrorist
Best Scene - Alex is saved from being killed by an unknown person
Most Random Couple - Shelby and Leon
Character I Like Most - Leon. I have no idea why, but I like him. I don’t think he’s the bad guy here.
Character I Don’t Trust - Will. And Owen. And Lydia. I guess I can’t trust a lot of these people.
New Shows
As a comedy, People of Earth doesn't cut it. I only laughed a couple of times and there is no joke format, just a bunch of eccentrics being kooky. It's like having a show where everyone is the goofy sidekick. However, it does work more on a sci-fi level. There's an alien conspiracy and an outsider comes to town to try to crack it. Think more of The X-Files in The Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow if The X-Files were never scary and the conspiracy was more goofy than life threatening. The first 2 episodes were about setting up the characters more than anything else, which means that I am not really sure where this is heading. I'm also unclear why the aliens would abduct the guy they sent to cover an alien support group. That just doesn't make any sense. Better to have him think they are all kooks and write it like that. Of course, these aliens are idiots so maybe it's that simple. Bottom line - I am willing to give this show a few more episodes to see how it falls out.
Grade: C+
Ranking: 4
Audience - those who like all things sci-fi but also need a lighter touch than typical
Best Reason to Watch - Ozzie as the straight man and only person with any sense
Best Scene - Ozzie picks his sponsor
Worst Plan - hit and run
Biggest Laugh - Ozzie's crazy list
Biggest Demotion - Ozzie goes from The New York Times to the Beacon Daily Gazette
Most Controlling - Gina
Most Ingenious - The Segway desk. I want one. It'll bring us one step closer to Wall-E.
Least Techy - for a guy in a tech company, that's one very old computer
Least Surprising - Ozzie's boss is an alien
Least Competent - you'd think it would be any of these abductees, er experiencers, but it's actually the aliens
Slowest News Day - the big story is someone shot at a squirrel
The "Not Again" Award - the word "totes" needs to be banned from TV and life just like "feels" used as a noun
Best Music - Roses are Red by Bobby Vinton
The "Welcome Back" Award - Ana Gasteyer from Saturday Night Live / Michael Cassidy from The Night Shift and The Magicians / Brian Huskey from Selfie / Drew Nelson from The Strain / Oscar Nunez from Benched
Best Quotes -
1. Walsh: "Hey, in all fairness, you did call these people weirdoes." Ozzie: "So? That's no reason to ruin somebody's life! Everybody's a weirdo. I'm a weirdo. You're a weirdo." Walsh: "No, I'm not." Ozzie: "Yes, you are. You work in an airplane hangar and you drive a desk."
2. Chelsea: "And my mother says that she's a Buddhist, but she really just believes in Richard Gere."
3. Ozzie: "But you had second thoughts?" Kelly: "I'm on my seventh and eighth thoughts, honestly. But then I think who would I rather tell about the time I met an alien? A bunch of reasonable people or a bunch of crazies and question marks."
4. Ozzie: "All right, this has been a fascinating journey into alternate realities, but I need to get back to the real world."
5. Ozzie: "You published my unfinished article with everybody's names and the name of the church!" Walsh: "Okay, clearly mistakes were made." Ozzie: "How do you mistakenly turn a human-interest piece into some kind of a hatchet job?"
Ha! That was a ton of fun. Basically, this show is Ash vs. Evil Dead with slightly less gore and slightly less language. It packs all the same laughs though. Taking place in Willard's Mill, New Hampshire, the current police sheriff is forced to resign after he flips out on a guest attending his wife's funeral. Granted, that guest is a demon. The sheriff is a hilarious mix of Archie Bunker and Doctor Cox from Scrubs, perfectly portrayed by John C. McGinley, who attracted me to this project in the first place. His replacement is the first female sheriff the town has ever had and the two are polar opposites. What works is that the whole thing is so absurd that you can't help but laugh along. Plus, if you have ever watched Supernatural, you'll die laughing at the salt packets. If you like farces or ever thought of trying Ash vs. Evil Dead but were turned off by the massive amount of fake blood and the hardcore cursing every few minutes, then this is your show. I promise you'll laugh. No lie. If Pitch didn't have such an exceptional episode, this would have been my favorite episode of the week.
Grade: B+
Ranking - 5
Audience - anyone who likes offbeat humor or supernatural farce and prefers basic cable to premium cable content
Best Reason to Watch - it's simply fun
Best Scene - salt circle
Biggest Kudos - the casting director
Biggest Surprise - Sheriff's wife was a demon hunter
Biggest Laugh - they make a salt circle from restaurant salt packets
The "Poor Baby" Award - Sheriff Miller, who lost his wife and is being haunted by demons
The "Poor History" Award - No witch was ever burned in Salem. None.
Worst First Day in the History of First Days - Barret
The "Welcome Back" Award - John C. McGinley from Scrubs / Deborah Baker, Jr. from The Great Indoors / Nate Mooney from Son of Zorn
Best Quotes -
1. Miller: "Now what? All I want to do is nothing, and I can't even do that."
2. Miller: "You're gonna judge me because I steal condiments?"
3. Barret: "Sheriff Miller, if you don't tell me why you weren't killed in office, I might kill you now that you're out."
4. Miller: "Who the hell are you?" Barret: "I could ask you the same question." Miller: "Of course you could. That's what women do. You ask them a question, and then they answer your question with a question but do they ever answer your question? No, no, no, no, no. Because that would be a sign of weakness. Am I right?"
Weekly Shows
Grade: B-
Best Reason to Watch - Sheldon keeps growing as a character
Best Scene - Sheldon tries to choose which apartment to go into
Best Jingle - Fun with Flags
Biggest Hmmm - that bedroom doesn't look like Penny's style at all to me
Biggest Worrywart - Sheldon for coming up with a hundred moving problems before they even decide to move
Most Fun - surprisingly Fun with Flags, which is usually more of a drag
Most Well Matched - Sheldon and Amy, who trade obscure science anecdotes
Most Obtuse - Sheldon for not realizing that if he moves into Penny's apartment for good, his old bedroom is up for grabs
Most Punny - Sheldon about flags
Best Quotes -
1. Howard: "I'm serious. JPL's actually developing a robot arm that could grab an asteroid before it hits us." Leonard: "So their plan for saving the Earth from Armageddon is hoping a bunch of scientists can catch a ball?" Raj: "If we're all gonna die, why am I eating so much kale?"
2. Penny: "Great, and just so you know, I'm not getting rid of all your stuff." Leonard: "Yeah? What are you keeping?" Penny: "That candle and you." Leonard: "What about my robot poster?" Penny: "Buh, buh, buh, buh, buh. I can make do with just the candle."
3. Sheldon: "Why would she keep something from me, you know? I shared my body with that woman and my Netflix password. They recommended Stella Got Her Groove Back because of her."
4. Amy: "Why are you speaking Klingon?" Sheldon: "Why are you speaking English?"
5. Sheldon: "Thank you for your services, gentlemen. Now, I'm hoping to broaden our audience with your youthful rock and roll music." Howard: "Aw, you think you have an audience. That's funny."
These 2 episodes were fairly typical for Code Black this season in that they were incredibly frustrating in some parts but also packed full with heartwarming stories that are emotional in the best way. I am a little concerned with this apparent need to go big every episode. They already have 2 murders of main characters in less than a year and then they killed off Mario's dad (good riddance). This show doesn't need to be a soap opera or go for the big hijinks like Grey's Anatomy. To be honest, I liked the cab driver's storyline better than the big rescue or dramatic deaths. It was so very…human and that's what this show excels at. We don't need a helicopter to crash into the hospital or whatever "big event" they dream up next. Just tell your stories. And for sanity's sake, GET RID OF CAMPBELL (and Heather)!!!
Grade: C / B-
Best Reason to Watch - the little stories and the big speeches
Best Reason to Quit the Show Altogether - Campbell. Not kidding. He's starting to become a deal breaker.
Best Scene - Rorish explains to Tyler that he is not to blame for his grandpa's death
Best Awww Scene - Jesse tells Rorish that Charlotte's death is not her fault / Angus refuses to leave Mario alone and comforts him after Mario's dad dies
Best Pointed Pep Talk - Mario to Angus
Best Back Story - Ethan
Best Speech - Rorish to Angus
Worst Speech - Guthrie going after Malaya because he's having health issues
Worst Way to Get Medical Advice - internet chat rooms and WebQuest
Worst Mother - the one who blames her son for her father having a heart attack
Worst Sign (Plot) - This show is starting to get very soap opera-ish. First Charlotte dies and now Mario's dad. When a plane/bus/other vehicle crashes into the hospital, I'm giving up.
Worst Sign (Show) - Code Black is the only CBS show to air an original episode opposite the World Series finale. That doesn't look good for a season 3.
Worst Plan - They keep on killing/sending off the best main characters. Noa and Charlotte were awesome new interns. That other guy whose name I haven't even bothered learning is not. So who do they kill off? Charlotte instead of No Name or The Irksome Duo, aka Campbell and Heather. Ugh! Well, at least they killed off Douche Dad Senior.
Most Heroic - the kid who drives her grandpa to the hospital
Most Improved Relationship - Mario and Angus, who have grown so much since the pilot
Least Surprising - Drew McAdoo is alive
Least Logic / Biggest Question - Don't firefighters have Jaws of Life-type equipment that would be more effective in getting to Ian? Why hasn't Ethan called for some type of background?
Least Competent - No Name, the Intern
Biggest Mess - Halloween, anywhere but especially a hospital
Biggest Concern - Guthrie's hand tremor
Biggest Brats - all these screaming kids who are running around the hospital because there are no parents disciplining them
Strangest Product Placement - It feels like every show I have watched in the last month or so has mentioned Uber. Every single one. Is Uber blitz campaigning all of TV?
The "Not You Again" Award - Mario's dad, who may possibly out-douche Campbell
The "Poor Baby" Award - anyone could have gotten this award but for that heart-clinching speech about having nothing but his passengers, Oscar wins
The "Wash, Rinse, Repeat" Award - Ethan and Campbell arguing every single episode
The "About Time" Award - Mike is breathing on his own and there is a little bit of hope in this episode
The "Welcome Back" Award - Meredith Baxter from Family Ties / Leisha Hailey from Supernatural / Stan Shaw from Fried Green Tomatoes / Brian Hallisay from Revenge
Best Quotes -
1. Jesse: "It's not your fault." Rorish: "Don't say that. That's not true." Jesse: "You knew it the moment you saw where the bullet hit. How many patients have we saved with that injury? Zero." Rorish: "But I'm the one that sent her out there to the waiting room." Jesse: "You didn't send her out there to get killed. You sent her out there to treat patients."
2. Malaya: "You're a cab driver?" Oscar: "Oh, yeah. 36 years now. Living the dream." Malaya: "It sounds like a great job." Oscar: "It was 'til some kid almost ruined me." Malaya: "Lawsuit?" Oscar: "Uber."
3. Rorish: "That's why he died, a lifetime of hard living." Tyler: "That's not why he died tonight. He died 'cause I wasn't there with him." Rorish: "Tyler, he could've just as easily died yesterday or tomorrow. He was a ticking time bomb." Tyler: "I was supposed to be taking care of him. She's always gonna think this is my fault and hate me for it." Rorish: "Tyler, she thinks it's her fault and she hates herself for it."
4. Malaya: "Look at it this way. Everyone here has had their night ruined. But you? You're the lucky one who gets to make it right."
5. EMT: "You know this guy?" Mario: "No. He's my father."
This episode had some great scenes, especially between Watson and Sherlock. The ending speech by Gregson was great too. I especially liked that Sherlock showed up for the certificate even though he did not want it, but likely because Joan made a great point about it being more about the teamwork than the accolades. Sherlock has come so far in 5 seasons and I will miss these character interactions when the show is gone. I also liked that Bell and Sherlock were working together in the beginning. They have a fantastic dynamic that again has been nurtured throughout the years. While the case was weird and it was fairly obvious who the murderer was pretty early on, it was interesting. I didn't know anything about asteroid mining so I felt like I learned a little in it. Well, the part that didn't seem farfetched.
Grade: B-
Best Reason to Watch - character interactions
Best Scene - Sherlock and Watson explain what a certificate means to them, both making valid points
Best Speech - Gregson to the squad
Best Reference - Armageddon
Best Reaction - Sherlock not knowing the movie Armageddon
Best Plan - Bell decides it's best to butt out of whatever brought his boss' boss' boss to the station
Most Interesting Fight - Watson and Sherlock over the certificate
Most Obnoxious - Bill Nye the Douchey Guy and his equally terrible vest
The "Ignorance is Bliss" Award - I disagree, Captain. If we are going to be hit by an asteroid, I think I'd rather not know.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Richard Thomas from The Waltons and It / Gordon Clapp from NYPD Blue / Owain Yeoman from TURN and The Mentalist
Best Quotes -
1. Watson: "You're right. It's out there but it makes sense, as long as whoever it is doesn't mind rolling the dice. If we're all wiped out by an asteroid in the next few years, they're gonna feel pretty silly." Sherlock: "I'm certain that they're certain the odds are in their favor."
2. Sherlock: "Are we in hot water again? Has Internal Affairs turned its Orwellian eye on us once more?" Watson: "So what if they have? We've weathered the storm before. It's not like we've broken any rules lately. Well, any more than usual."
3. Sherlock to the murderer: "I'm not sure of the odds, but I think they're better than an asteroid showing up to put you out of your misery."
4. Sherlock: "I think I could have done a better job explaining why it's important. At least explaining why it's important to me. When you and I first started, I quickly recognized your merits, both as a detective in your own right and in that you facilitated my own process. I'm better at the work I do because of you. But over the years, the relative importance of those two values has flipped. I now value the work that we do, first and foremost, because I do it with you. So if at times I seem overprotective of the system that we've built, if I worry that the resentments of others might disrupt it...I have good reason." Watson: "Those chips you showed me last night, you don't accept them for yourself. You accept them because you're part of a group. You accept them because the work you did to stand up at a meeting inspires others. It's bigger than you or us so you show up."
5. Bell: "Technically, he's the captain's boss' boss, which means he's my boss' boss' boss, which means I'm gonna mind my own business, but thanks. Now that I know you think something's wrong, I'm gonna be worrying too."
I liked this episode of The Flash better than most this season because while it was still heavy on melodrama and relationship angst, this one at least focused on something other than romance. I really enjoyed meeting Caitlin's mom (and not just because I love the actress). It was about time that we got some background on Caitlin that doesn't revolve around Ronnie. I'm not sure I am ready for Evil Caitlin and I HATE when characters keep secrets from each other, but I am glad that Caitlin is finally getting a real storyline. I'm the first to be against main characters all becoming super-powered. It's important to keep a human element but I've given up on any other kind of real development of the character so I will take what I can get. I still don't believe this HR character one iota and I'll be disappointed if he really is as stupid as he seems, mostly because I find him irksome. Julian though had some much needed character development here. Although I still don't know if I trust him either, I am glad that he had those moments with Barry. It's just odd to see anyone not like Barry and Julian is way too old to be a tattletale. It's not grade school.
Grade: B-
The "Welcome Back" Award - Susan Walters from Teen Wolf
Even when I agree with the politics of a show, I do not want politics shoved into my shows unless it is specifically a show about politics. To be honest, I don't like extended PSA's there either.
Grade: C-
Best Reason to Watch - the politics of it IF you want to watch an extended PSA
Best Meta - Hector takes financial advice from Wesley Snipes, who ended up in jail for tax evasion
Best Nostalgia - Rock the Vote
Worst Nostalgia - rap wars and conspiracy theories
Worst Plan - zombie Uncle Sam
Worst Polling Place - the restaurant, which is violating all kinds of election rules
Biggest Trash Talk - the realtors trying to dis each other
Biggest Huh? - Was that an actual clip from Taiwanese government? I see some research in my future.
Biggest Hmm - Why is he sitting on the floor when there are chairs stacked right next to him?
Most Political - the whole immigrant storyline
Most Disappointing in Real Life - voter apathy
Smartest Cookie - grandma
The "I'm with You" Award - Voting is extremely important and anyone who doesn't vote doesn't get to complain.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Mey-Mey and Gus
Best Quotes -
1. Emory: "Please drive the speed limit. You don't want to hit someone." Jessica: "You're right. Then I would really be late."
2. Jessica: "We are even now. Please don't embarrass me by thanking me, and I won't embarrass you by apologizing."
While the case was more on point and watchable this time around, they are still focusing way too much on the characters' sex lives for me. I truly do not care about who Laurel sleeps with or whether or not Connor and Oliver hook up. Michaela and Asher are a train wreck for me. Frank and Bonnie screwing was a colossal mistake in the first place. Add to that the Keating 5 having their biggest brat-out yet and there was a lot for me to not like. Good thing the rest somewhat balanced things out. Probably the greatest strength of the writing came with the underlying theme of mothers and children and the tenuous relationship sometimes between them. This really played out well with what mine82 was saying in the "Is Somebody Really Dead?" favorite scene poll. There are 2 different points of view on display, running throughout the episode. There are the mothers who feel their kids are ungrateful brats to them. Then there are the kids who blame their mothers for all of their woes. In all the cases, the truth is in the middle. No lie, the mother of the case was an awful person but the kids outright admitted that they stayed in an emotionally abusive relationship because they wanted the money. Hargrove was dead wrong to pick up her kids when she was drunk, but they don't seem to see that she is trying to make it right because they are still hurt from the past. As for the Keating 5, except Wes, they continue to deny their own part in the mess their lives have become and take zero personal responsibility, but Annalise is not exactly innocent in the situation either. To be honest, I do not get the rush to blame Annalise for everything from either the characters or part of the fandom, but I'm wondering if it breaks down upon generational lines. Do younger viewers empathize more with the students and therefore also blame Annalise for everyone's failings? Do older generations empathize more with Annalise and downplay her part in the whole mess? Personally, I think they are all equally guilty and they all should be in prison but blame-shifting annoys me to no end so I'm always more sympathetic to the characters that take the blame, whether they deserve it or not.
Grade: C+
Best Reason to Watch - the theme
Best Reason to Fast Forward - every time anyone screws each other
Best Scene - Hargrove's break down
Best Twist - Wes at the police station, which for the record, I don't buy
Best Incentive - the best new suspect gets an automatic A on the midterm
Best Back Story - Hargrove
Worst Person - the mother of their clients
Most Obnoxious - Asher, although it's close this time with everyone vying for an A
Most Improved Character - Wes, who is very interesting this season after being so annoying in season 2
Least Surprising - the mother poisoned herself
Biggest Jerk Move - Oliver should not go to Connor just because he feels bad about Thomas
Biggest Babies / The "You Guys Suck" Award - The Keating 5, minus Wes, with special notice going to Michaela's "you made me have bad taste in men" diatribe. I'm sure that when she and Asher break up it will be Annalise's fault that they got together too.
The "Say What?" Award - Excuse me, AA meeting lady. Hargrove's ex did exactly what he should have done. She was endangering the lives of their kids so of course he should have sued for custody.
Best Quotes -
1. Wes: "I wanted to tell Nate it's you who should be protected from me." Annalise: "Ah, stop feeling sorry for yourself." Wes: "I'm just saying what everyone thinks." Annalise: "They're wrong. You don't have the luxury to feel guilty right now. It's not fair to your mother. She sacrificed for you to have a good life so that's your job, to live as good as you can. We both owe her that."
2. Asher: "Wait. If there's no deposition, then there can be no first chair." Annalise: "You need a prize in order to do your job?"
3. Annalise: "So, you have things to get off your chest...let's do this. I don't want to end up poisoned so you tell me all the ways you think I've ruined your life."
4. Bonnie: "I'm not mad. I'm just bored."
5. Laurel: "Okay, that. Sexualizing me without my permission is creating a hostile work condition." Michaela: "She's right." Laurel: "Thank you." Michaela: "Shut up. We're still not friends."
MacGyver continues to be a fun palate cleanser. I often watch it after shows that are frustrating me because I don't have to put much thought into it and there are plenty of distractions to be had. Plus the characters have a great teamwork thing going. The bromance between Jack and Mac alone can cover over a multitude of any story writing sins like the often unbelievable stunts. Admittedly though, some of the acting still could use a bit of work.
Grade: B / B-
Best Reason to Watch - making the Can Opener episode also about Riley was an inspired way to let us know more about her and to make her better rounded
Best Scene - Mac rescues Jack from the bomb
Best Character Interaction - Jack and Mac
Best Reference - Three's Company / Forrest Gump
Best Product Placement - M & M's and Kit Kats
Best Team Work - Mac and Charlie
Best Gesture - Mac gets the inmate who helped him a lifetime supply of inhalers that actually work
Worst Plan - when even your character says that this plan will not work, it's a good chance that it's a Writer Get Out of Jail Free card
Worst "Hacker" - Jack
Worst Assignment - Mac goes undercover in a maximum security prison, similar to Sylvester in Scorpion
Least Surprising - The Ghost is not dead. No way.
Most Stupid - Why are Thornton and Riley standing around watching Jack and Mac try to defuse the bomb? They should be well beyond the blast perimeter in case it goes off. They can't do a thing to help and getting blown up themselves is beyond stupid. Both Mac and Jack should have already had this conversation with them.
Most Supportive - still Jack
Biggest Baby Face - Mac in the EOD unit
Biggest Awww Moment - Mac talks about his dead CO with Jack / Mac fixes the doll's wings
Biggest Huh? - I know Jack is supposed to be the idiot in this show, but I would bet he could figure out cut and paste on a computer
The "Welcome Back" Award - Emerson Brooks from The Last Ship / Thomas Kopache from The West Wing
Best Quotes -
1. Jack: "Hey, hey. If you're gonna do something stupid, you wait for me. We'll do it together, alright?"
2. Mac: "Don't worry. I'm coming back for you. I'm gonna get you out of this." Jack: "Hey, Mac. Whatever happens here...it's not your fault. Okay? It was never your fault." Mac: "I got this."
3. Riley: "Listen to me. It's just like the first day of school, except some of the other kids in there have actually killed people."
4. Riley: "Is now the best time for a science lesson?"
5. Thornton: "Unfortunately, combat isn't cute. Being in the field isn't cute. Getting one of your teammates killed because you're not ready is definitely not cute. I know you're tough and smart, but you're not a trained operator. This has to be second nature or else it could cost lives, maybe even your own. Now, again."
Hey, at least it wasn't spiders. I can handle bats. They aren't my favorite but I'm not as bad as Sylvester. His paranoia, horror movie references, and general hysteria make him the baby of the night but it was also hilarious most of the time. Otherwise, this episode was designed to make Walter and Paige shippers happy and thus it was a bust for me. Their will they-won't they just makes me yawn and/or eye roll.
Grade: C
Best Reason to Watch - Sylvester
Best Reference - Animal House
Best Plan - Sylvester: "Instead of asking the rabid man, how about we check the film on his harness cam?"
Best Back Story - Paige's family memories
Best Parenting - Happy just says no to Ralph and a blow torch, a huge knife, and explosive chemicals
Best MacGyver - bat poop, candy, and a lighter makes an explosion
Biggest Baby - Sylvester
Biggest Brat - Ralph
The "Way to Make Me Feel Old" Award - My friends and I used to sing "Sunglasses at Night" by Corey Hart
The "I'm with You" Award - Sylvester has zero interest in going spelunking to save the bats
The "I Don't Know about This" Award - Their science for why this is a life or death mission seems a whole lot of Butterfly Effect and not necessarily life or death. Not that I'm saying it isn't important. It is. It's just not as vital as some of their other missions.
Best Quotes -
1. Sylvester: "So, just to clarify, we are surrounded by psychotic flying killers that will go off at the slightest provocation."
2. Cabe: "It's just like The Birds. Probably didn't see that film." Sylvester: "Oh, I did. I thought it was about ornithology, and I was unpleasantly surprised."
3. Walter: "Grab his hand!" Sylvester: "No! Push him back into hell!"
4. Paige: "What was that?" Happy: "Just the TV, watching scary movies." Paige: "Well, I need to make sure it's okay for Ralph. What are you guys watching?" Happy: "I think it's the one with that kid, Damien."
5. Sylvester: "I am not spelunking to save a disease-ridden flying rodent."
6. Cabe: "It's not an oldie. It's from the '80s." Toby: "Aw, you know what year it is?"
Supernatural needs to put a moratorium on religion. It always sucks it up.
Grade: D
Best Reason to Watch - the brothers are doing better than I expected after Mary leaves
Best Scene - Mary texts Dean back, which is a relief after John
Best Plan - Sam says they need proof before they shoot someone
Biggest Flashback - the psychic kids in the opening
Biggest Laugh - Dean struggles to get over the gate while Sam just walks around it
The "Well That Explains Everything" - It was the 80's.
Best Quotes -
1. Dean: "What? She took some cash, she took a cell phone she doesn't answer, and she bailed on us." Sam: "I mean, think about what she's going through. After everything, she probably just needs some space. We've been there. We've both had times where we needed time apart." Dean: "And we both came back." Sam: "You don't think she's going to?" Dean: "I don't know. She hates the way that we were raised. She hates the fact that we are hunters. Maybe she starts walking and she doesn't stop. You know, she obviously has zero interest in keeping this family together." Sam: "Well you know, sometimes families do better after a little time apart." Dean: "Yeah who? The Mansons."
2. Sam: "Anyway, he's the Devil now?" Dean: "Well I mean, he was always kind of the Devil, but, yeah, now it's official."
3. Dean: "Sorry I missed all the psycho." Sam: "Yeah, you thought our family was crazy."
4. Dean: "Weird, creepy, off the grid, Children of the Corn people? Yeah, I'm in."
5. Dean: "I'm a 13-year-old girl."
For the first time, I felt more sympathetic towards Kevin than the other characters. Watching him break down to a stranger over his dad's death was heartbreaking but necessary. I may not like Olivia's motives but it did create a powerful scene. Randall's midlife crisis was a bit more stale but I like that he ends by knowing he's in the place where he finds fulfillment and that's more than most people can say about their jobs, including Jack. I am sorry that he probably never got to create his own company but I do like that he realized that they don't have to treat all of their kids the same way. They are all loved and taken care of but they don't all have the same needs. Still, the Fist Pump Scene of the Week was definitely Kate kicking the brat out of her car. Tell me you weren't mentally kicking out your biggest annoyance too. Very cathartic.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - the relationships
Best Scene / Best Speech - Kevin cries over his dad
Best Wife - tie - Rebecca and Beth
Best Sacrifice - Jack takes a job he doesn't want to finance Randall's private school
Worst Place to Make Out - at a memorial service
Worst Timing - Randall has to give his Career Day talk after a firefighter. No one is going to win in that spot.
Most Well-Played - they don't give an exact year when Jack dies
Most Moronic - Jack says that all his kids would do well at a gifted school
Most Cathartic - Kate kicks the brat out of her car and makes her walk to her friend's house
Most Embarrassing - Randall singing and playing piano very badly
Most Committed - Apparently Olivia had sex with Kevin just to get him to be a better actor. Say what?
Biggest Brat - Jemma
Smartest Cookie - Olivia, who takes Kevin to a memorial service
The "Welcome Back" Award - John Rubinstein from Angel / Jami Gertz from Entourage / Molly Hagan from iZombie
Best Quotes -
1. Rebecca: "Jack, please stop making me say, 'Jack.' "
2. Jack: "I tell you it starts with a briefcase. Then, you put on a tie. You sit at a desk. Next thing you know, you are so conditioned to the florescent lights that when you step outside, the sun actually burns your eyes." Rebecca: "Wow." Jack: "Yeah." Rebecca: "Wow. Really?" Jack: "This isn't about me." Rebecca: "Well, it certainly isn't about Randall."
3. Kate: "Get out of the damn car, Jemma, before I toss you out of it! Oh, and you know what? You can walk to Ashley's and fat girl to fat girl, if you keep up the pace, you can burn 417 calories an hour walking."
4. Olivia: "What happened to you?" Kevin: "What happened is my dad died. That's what and I hated him for it and I couldn't eat for a month, and I used to wake myself up crying, so I could cry myself back to sleep again. That's what happened."
5. Jack: "Can I be honest with you, man to man? You know, your mom and me, we always try to treat you kids the same, always have. Hasn't always worked, because well, you're not all the same. You're adopted and we don't talk about that enough 'cause to me, you are every part my son. Maybe I.. I don't want you to feel like you stand out, but I need you to know something. I want you to stand out. I want all of you to be as different as you can possibly be in all the best ways. I love you as much as a human heart can, kiddo. You are an exceptional young man, so don't let your dad's poor choices make you feel afraid to be different. Okay? Okay."
I can definitely see where your Flynn as father theory comes from, JuTereno. He was weirdly worried about the lives of the women and children he was about to kill and that's very suspicious. Thinking about it though, he really hasn't been trying for a big death count. In the pilot, it was about saving lives. He could have blown up the theater in the Lincoln episode, but chose only to assassinate the main players. Atomic City was about getting the bomb, not killing people in that era. The Nazi one was about kidnapping. Hmm, for the bloodthirsty, cold-hearted killer they make him out to be, he has a pretty low death count. Maybe even lower than the team's. Again, we need back story on Flynn more than anything. I did enjoy the back story on Wyatt though. I wonder if it is the threat of being fired or the setting of the Alamo that most triggered his PTSD. Either way, I like that he chose to reveal his future/former mission to Bowie instead of his teammates even if Lucy did overhear. It feels more true to his character. Even better though was Lucy and Rufus standing up for him. Everyone knew it was coming but it was still a nice rallying point.
Grade: B
Best Reason to Watch - the historical characters
Best Scene - Rufus and Lucy refuse to time travel without Wyatt
Best Storyteller - Davy Crockett
Best Scenery - the Alamo, which looked amazing
Best Back Story - Wyatt and his medal
Best Character Interaction - Rufus and Crockett
Worst Time for PSTD - during an attack
Biggest Schmuck - Mason
The "Welcome Back" Award - David Chisum from Black Box / Alex Fernandez from Killer Women / Chris Browning from The 100 / Jeff Kober from Buffy and lots of guest stints / Victor Zinck, Jr. from Motive
Best Quotes -
1. Lucy: "We're the ones out there risking our lives. I trust him...he makes the right choice every time. I won't do it without him." Rufus: "We won't do it without him."
2. Wyatt: "So what does Flynn want?" Lucy: "I don't know. To make it worse, I guess." Rufus: "How the hell do you make the Alamo worse?"
3. Crockett: "When I got myself up, I couldn't believe the shot took her down. I was scared out of my mind." Rufus: "Then what did you do?" Crockett: "Well, I went back and told my men that I wrestled a bear one-handed…because sometimes folks need a leader who can wrestle a bear. Now don't you go telling everybody and ruin my reputation."
4. Wyatt: "That's days before the Alamo. I'm from Texas. We all know that one."
5. Rufus: "How'd you get fired? How do I get fired?"
Ding, dong, the dweeb is dead - at least in the publishing world. While Bryce started off as an amusing take on old vs. new media ideology, he quickly turned into this season's Thad. You know, that obnoxious douche that only thinks of himself and constantly wants his way. Therefore it is with great resounding applause that I cheered when Charles basically told him to go stuff himself. You don't rewrite the ending to Gatsby, you heathen. Other than that, it was a mixture of people I was glad to see back and people I never wanted to meet in the first place. While I get the Games of Thrones rip-off, the character is just so unappealing. I know that is supposed to be funny but it comes off as merely disgusting. Redmond, though, was a winner. I'm reserving judgment on Maggie's new girlfriend, who is definitely more down-to-earth than Lauren is but may end up coming with some melodramatic romantic baggage that will get old fast.
Grade: B+ (for getting rid of Bryce) / B-
Best Reason to Watch / Best Scene / Best Plan / Biggest Gamble - Charles tells Bryce to get out
Most Needing to Buy a Clue / Still Most Irksome - Bryce
Most Cute if Obnoxious -hand hugs
Biggest Threat - Charles' new girlfriend who wants to know everything about Liza
Biggest Snob - Kelsey and Laurel for judging someone by where he lives
Biggest Product Placement - Orbit gum
The "Perhaps You're Trying Too Hard" Award - Diana goes to work in ripped jeans
The "Not You Again" Award - Edward L. L. Moore
Best Quotes -
1. Charles: "Rewriting Fitzgerald is not a disruption. It's a desecration."
2. Diana: "He's abrasive. He looks like he just came from the Shire. He is completely dismissive of all of our traditions, and I don't care if he's on the spectrum. If he refers to me as that older lady in marketing one more time, I will smother him in his own hoodie."
3. Charles: "My grandfather always said the true joy of publishing is taking pleasure in each project. It wasn't about making money for him. It was like collecting art." Liza: "But at least in this business there's a chance you'll come across a piece of art while trying to make money, right?"
4. Bryce: "When people read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they want to actually enter Narnia, not just read about it." Diana: "Isn't that what your imagination is for?"
5. Liza: "She's an old soul, if you know what I mean, and kind of mannish. Okay, um, she has a very large personality and a really, scary laugh." Charles: "Chelsea Handler?"
Dropped Shows
After rising up from the drek that was the pilot, episodes 2 and 3 were actually funny. This episode sinks back into drek again. When I eye roll more than I laugh, I'm done. Dropped.
Grade: D
Best Spouse - Greg by a lot
Best Reference - Hamilton
Worst Statement - Katie calls Anna-Kat her favorite child
Biggest Jerk - Katie
Most Disturbing - Doris
Best Quotes -
1. Katie: "You do not need to do anything to be beautiful except this. Be proud of your own body and never, ever care what anybody else thinks. Don't give in to the vanity of this town, and you, my lovely daughters, will always be perfect."
2. Taylor: "Honestly, I don't think of you as fat. You're just...Mom. You're really not even a person." Katie: "This disturbs and pleases me all at the same time."
3. Doris: "All right, children. Welcome to Koreatown...the sketchy part."
4. Doris: "This is sealed, and sealed meat is good for 11 years like a Twinkie." Angela: "You know what I love about you? You say nonsense with such authority."
5. Campbell: "But tell your husband in my experience, children always draw the truth, so he should learn to accept what he looks like." Katie: "So...that kid has a dragon at home? I don't think so."
Episode 4.06 was supposed to take care of 2 main problems I have with this season. Instead we still have Alexander Kirk around. Urrgghhh!!! Every week they promise closure. Every week I am left unsatisfied. I am tired of the bait and switch. It is time for the writers to shove off this storyline….or me to shove off this show. Since I no longer believe in the first, I choose the latter. The Blacklist officially goes back to marathon status. All was not lost though. Navabi is staying and that at least solves one main issue. She's too good a character to go and while I am not excited at all about the will they-won't they office romance junk, I am glad that she's sticking around.
Grade: C-
Best Reason to Watch - Navabi chooses to stay
Best Reason to Fast Forward - the plot drags on and on and on
Best Scene - Aram vs. his phony girlfriend
Best Memory - the Coroner who can tell the name of an alias on cue
Best Twist - Aram's girlfriend is a spy for the Thrushes
Best Reference - Stranger Things
Worst Father - the drug dealer who sold his daughter to a rival drug dealer when she was 14-years-old
Worst Plan - at this point, any of them having a lover is risky because half turn up evil and half turn up dead
Worst Character Backsliding - Liz, who improved so much last year and is now back to snapping at everyone all the time. It's annoying and stale. I wish that she had really died.
Most Insane - the person who is holding Kaplan hostage
Most Well-Played - the pretend spat between Liz and Reddington, which I completely believed
Most Humble - Aram
Least Surprising - Liz may not be Kirk's daughter, although at this point I don't know who's manipulating what and I don't care
Biggest Laugh - The kid that tells Ressler that they are not supposed to have guns in school. I like him.
Biggest Butt Kicking - Aram's girlfriend
Biggest Huh? - If they are trying to make Kirk think that Liz is done with Reddington, then why is Liz traveling with him to the place Kirk stored a burner phone for her? If he's got computer hackers on the payroll, why wouldn't he have surveillance at the drop site?
Smartest Cookie - Odette, who doesn't trust Liz
Not Smartest Cookie - Aram, who should have said, "banana" instead of "quack, quack"
The "Welcome Back" Award - Rosa Arredondo from one of my favorite White Collar episodes / James Hong from Rush Hour / Jodi Long from Falling Water
Best Quotes -
1. Panabaker: "Okay, Harold. Let them run out some line, but you best keep your thumb tight on the drag, or you're like to find a bird's nest on your reel. Understand?" Harold: "Not a word. Absolute gibberish." Panabaker: "Well, let me translate. Don't screw up."
2. Navabi: "If anything goes wrong, the safety word is banana." Aram: "Banana?" Navabi: "Use it, and in come the Marines, but they better get there before I do because I will mess that b** up." Aram: "Really?" Navabi: "Oh, yeah. Really."
3. Liz: "Don't say it." Tom: "What is there to say? I gave you my opinion. You ignored it." Liz: "I didn't ignore it. I just didn't agree."
4. Navabi: "She's not your girlfriend. She's a hostile operative, and you are a trained federal agent. I'm not sending you in there without a piece. Do you understand me?" Aram: "I'm not like you. I'm really scared." Navabi: "I know, but I promise you'll be fine. I'll have your back."
5. Aram: "What part of banana did you not understand?"
Probably Soon to Be Dropped - The Great Indoors, Falling Water, and either Timeless or TBBT
Priority Shows Next Week - Stan Against Evil and either Channel Zero or Aftermath
Priority Shows This Month - Teen Wolf and The Librarians
