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TV Slut Strikes Again - Television Finale Round-up
Well, the Fall - Spring TV season is winding to a close...so here's a quick round-up of the shows that worked for me and the one's that didn't.
Best of the bunch?
1. Revenge - this series just kept packing on the twists and surprises. And unlike other series, it was tightly written and made sense. Each twist actually worked and did not come out of nowhere (yes, I'm looking at you Ringer). The writing remained crisp with several powerhouse female performances - Madeline Stowe as the icy yet oddly broken Victoria Grayson, who at the end is desperately seeking to redeem herself in her daughter's eyes, Emily Van Camp as her nemesis, and the lead protagonist, Emily Thorne, seeking revenge for the transgressions against her father. We also have Gabriel Mann as the insanely sexy and fascinating Nolan, Emily's often reluctant helper and confidante. I admit it, I'm an Emily/Nolan shipper. By the end of the series - even bratty Charlotte and whiny Declane became interesting, Daniel and Ashely got a bit of depth...but alas, what to do with poor Jack, who remains dull as toast. Pretty, but dull. The best bit about Revenge? Is the ending, where it tied up various loose ends, seemingly ending the series, only to throw a curve ball into the mix which up-ended everything and this viewer didn't see coming. Rare. Most of these shows just drag out the main plot arc or central conflict forever, but this one, seemed to resolve it, only to start a brand new and far more interesting conflict at season's end.
2. Once Upon a Time - the twisty fairy tale series from various writers of Lost and one of the best writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer....this series packed surprises. It also broke barriers in how narratives can be told. Much of the story was told out-of-sequence, through the points of view of various fairy tale characters. And each tale was often an innovative twist on an old fairy tale trope - for example, Little Red Riding Hood turns out to be...gasp! The big bad wolf that ends up eating her boyfriend. Haven't seen a twist like that since well Buffy's Welcome to the Hellmouth. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Rarely have we seen anyone play with an established trope as OUAT has. Much like Revenge - the leads are two women, pitted against each other, the skeptical town sheriff and former bounty hunter, Emma Swan - who was brought to Storybrook by her long-lost son, to save a bunch of cursed fairy tale characters who just happen include her own lost parents, and Regina, the evil queen who cursed them to punish Emma's mother, Snow White. The son, Regina's salvation and potential redemption, is also to a degree Emma's. And the prize for which they fight. Much like Revenge, OUAT surprises us by resolving the main seasonal arc, and throwing a curve ball from left field as the cliffhanger. Against all odds - the curse on Storybrook was broken, characters we thought would never reunite, reunited, and then suddenly...the whole series was upended with a last-minute twist that made perfect sense, but I didn't see coming, and changes the entire narrative, flipping it inside out. Yet at the same time making it possible for new viewers to start watching next year.
Weaknesses? Mary Margret and David's relationship, while riveting as Snow and PC, these two were beyond annoying in the real world of storybrook, whiny and insipid. As well as a bit self-righteous. With any luck the twist at season's end...will correct that problem next year. And of course Henry, Emma's kid...who also grated at times. And the bwahhahha evil of Regina - which oddly paid off in the end.
Breakout performances: Robert Carlyle's Rumplestilskin - perhaps the best villain to land on the genre tv screen since BSG's Gaius Baltar and Terry O'Quinn's Locke and of course Lost's Ben.
3. The Good Wife - continues to work on all levels, exploring each and every character in its ensemble cast in great depth. This show, I watch live. And it's the only procedural I tend to watch, although its not really a procedural. More of an ensemble piece. At it's core are the performances of three great female actresses : Christine Baranski, Julianna Marguiles, and the gal who plays Kalinda. But the supporting male performances are equally strong and textured, Cary Argos, Peter, Will, and Eli.
The show focuses on politics in all forms - gender, office, legal, business, government,
and family. Each season delving deeper into the ethical conundrums faced by the various characters in their struggle to achieve their aims. The writing for the most part is the crispest and tightest I've seen on TV and it contains by far the most interesting female characters, next to possibly Game of Thrones. The season finale...ended with a quiet cliff-hanger...this round involving Kalinda, her mysterious husband, her past and possibly Alicia. Would Alicia rejoin Peter, who had taken back their family home? Or continue on her own? The parallel structure of Kalinda and Alicia's choices at the end, rivals Alicia and Diane's...Diane who is strongly independent, just as Kalinda is - both surviving without a man. While Alicia struggles for that same independence. Gender power plays was never this much fun. It should also be mentioned that Good Wife lacks the violence that most shows within this genre display.
4. Game of Thrones - two episodes away from the finish line...and this show continues to surprise me with its ambitious writing and scope. It most likely helps that I have a vague memory of the books upon which it is based and am not at all invested in the series sticking closely to the novels in it's adaptation. It most likely will stick closer than most people expect, since the writers are fans of the novels and have enlisted the creator in the project, to the extent that the original creator has written a pivotal episode each season, is hands on in the casting, and often consulted. Granted he doesn't agree with all their choices...but that doesn't bother that much, since I'm not invested in the books. In many ways, I prefer the series. It's tighter than the novels, more focused, and in some respects less violent. There are a few changes that don't quite work, and I'm not sure I understand the point of - examples include Baelish's monologues to his whores (which seems a bit out of character for someone so secretive), and Jamie's murder of his cousin to escape...Jamie doesn't attempt to escape in the books, of course he can't since he's in a cell in the bottom of a castle, here it is much easier, and when he is released, his cousin is sent with him. That said? The series itself has done a deft job of juggling eight separate storylines, with eight separate casts of characters. I've never seen a tv series handle this before. People have unfairly compared it to far simpler series like The Wire, Sopranoes, Six Feet Under, or Breaking Bad - who have central core characters, smaller casts, and a more centralized focus not to mention operate in the real world not a medieval fantasy world with zombies, direwolves, and dragons. Game has a much broader scope than those shows, is based on an actual group of novels with an detail oriented and devoted pre-existing fandom, and has a female cast of characters that none of the above shows ever came close to depicting or equaling in scope. It's a lot easier to write a show like the Wire than Game, I know having tried both types of writing myself.
Noir is easier than fantasy, there's less moving parts. Also The Wire is told in psuedo journalistic style - which makes sense since the writers are mainly former journalists.
So..in some respects, as much as I loved The Wire (it did have its flaws), I find I admire Game more. It takes the fantasy genre and turns it on its ear. It does for fantasy what the Wire did for cop shows, it changes the dynamic and structure. Also it takes a series of epic books that Martin wrote because he was fed up with the limitations of tv, and manages to somehow fit them inside the television format.
In regards to last season? In some respects this one is better. There's less gratutitious sex scenes and nudity than last season, although also less male nudity, which is annoying considering I'd rather see Robb naked than Theon. And the additional bits...which weren't in the books are better. Stand-out's include scenes between Ayra and Tywin, Tyrion and Cersei, and Jamie and Robb. I'll definitely be getting it on DVD. It's a keeper.
5. Vamp Diaries aka TVD - possibly the best gothic soap opera on tv. I don't really consider Revenge a soap opera. It rivals Dark Shadows for its twists and turns.
Deftly plotted, with one-liner's that come at a rapid fire pace, Vamp Diaries will make you gasp and laugh often within minutes or at the same time. Not since the Scream movies of the 1990s, has Kevin Williamson spearheaded a more entertaining and dryly witty story. It is unpredictable, romantic, sexy, charming, and witty...not to mention disarmingly silly all at the same time. Stand-outs include Joseph Morgan's NikKlaus, Ian Sommerhandler's Damon, Caroline, Bonnie - who is becoming more interesting each year, and
Nina Dobrev's Elena...who is oddly growing on me. She actually managed to act underwater.
This is amongst the few serials that I love all the characters. The season finale, much like Revenge and Once, was an insane left turn by way of Alburgue, it made sense, but I didn't see it coming. And it, like those shows, changes the dynamic of the series.
6. Mad Men is also slowly winding down...two - three episodes left, I believe.
And it has not had many stronger seasons than this. At times funny, others tragic and painful...it continues to depict the pain of changing times. Few shows depict the rages and humor of mid-life crisis better. At the same time, it stylishly depicts an era, the 1960s, in pitch perfect shades of grey. Pushing past the nostalgia, to show the cracks, the chauvinism, the racism, and the struggle to overcome and deal with both...which linger today. Watching Mad Men the viewer is painfully aware that no matter where you go, there you are...still. We've not advanced as far as we hoped. Our ills are remarkably similar to theirs. And that...makes us a wee bit uncomfortable. In some respects Mad Men is AMC's most honest serial...because it shows the mundane flow...of everyday life.
7. Big Bang Theory - continues to work, delving deeper each season in the geeky lives of its characters. This season the ladies were given a chance to shine and had more air-time. Becoming less and less "girl-friends" and more characters in their own right.
Community - possibly the most innovative of the sitcoms, at times I wonder if Community exists primarily as a self-aware parody of pop culture, specifically television and film. The two comedies are an odd pair - both depict pop culture geeks, outsiders,
one group is an insanely intelligent yet socially awkward group of scientists, while the other group is a group of struggling adults attempting to get an education, and equally socially awkward. I'm not sure which group would win at a game of Paint-ball, I'm guessing Community would kick Big Bang's butt, but at Trivia Pursuit..Sheldon vs. Adeb...hmmm.
8. Subrogatory and The B*** in Apt 23 - two bitchy comedies about fish out of water. In one, a snarky NY teen moves to the suburbs, in the other, a naive wall street wannabee moves to NYC. Both feel like satires. Sub...is a bit more on target than B...But both charm me at times with the innovative takes on the format. Unlike New Girl, B doesn't try to be charming or adorable, and goes straight for the jugglar. Bitchy. It makes fun of pop culture and societal image. Just as Sub does... and pokes fun at women are seen in society, what is expected of us by men...and sort of flips society the finger.
9. In Plain Sight - the series final season did a good job of wrapping various characters arcs, moving each character forward in a satisfying way or about as satisfying as can be expected from a USA procedural series. Mary finally puts her Daddy issues at rest, frees Marshall - her devoted partner - to advance and move on with his pending marriage, and reunites with her crazy and messed up sis, Squish.
10. Doctor Who wrapped up it's 6th Season, and arc with The Wedding Song of River Song, becoming my favorite of the long-running Doctor Who series. While far from perfect,
the River/Doctor relationship changed the series and played with the trope in new ways, paving the way for a female doctor or at least the possibility of one. River may well be the closest we'll come to. Unlike his companions or the spunky Rose Tyler, River Song was The Doctor's equal in every way, including his somewhat twisted morality, developed as a weapon against him, she in the end becomes his ultimate savior...changing the course of his journey in more ways than one.
* Note - I have not seen Sherlock yet. So cannot comment on it.
Smash - neither the worst nor the best...it was okay. With various flaws. The good news is that the producers figured them out and appear to be correcting them. Not hard to do since every television critic on the planet pointed them out repeatedly. Smash like Glee was at its best when it focused on the musical numbers and the process of creating them, putting on the show, it is at its worst focusing on the interpersonal lives of the characters. The romantic entanglements and family upheavals. The only relationships that worked in SMASH were closely associated with the development of the musical - Tom's with the dancer, Ivy and Derek's. Karen and Dev didn't work at all, Dev often felt like he was in another show entirely and a badly written one at that. His best performance was the Bollywood dream number - which was amongst the highlights of the season. His worst was hanging around the press office looking bored. When didn't Dev look bored or exasperated? Julia played by Debra Messing, story didn't work at all. Saddled with a sad-sack hubby, a grating and self-involved ex-lover, and a whiny 17 year old son who acted like he was 10, Julia's tale almost killed the show, dragging everything to a halt whenever it popped on screen. Oh well, at least they dropped the adoption plot-line right off the bat. The other problem was the back-stabbing, social climbing, Ellis - who appeared to be homage to Eve in All About Eve, but lacked Eve's chutzpah or cleverness. The only thing Ellis added to the plot - was providing Angelica Huston's Ellen with something productive to do - such as firing his ass, or putting him in his place on various occasions.
What worked? Derek, the actor who played Steve on BBC's Coupling, as the mercurial and manipulative director, not to mention fiendishly sexy, Tom - the composer - who was also a great song and dance man in his own right, and a great foil for Derek, Ivy - the scheming and deserving chorus girl who desires to be a star and loses out to the fresh-faced ingenue from Nebraska...from a scene taken out of 42nd Street. Bernadette Peter's inspired guest appearance as Ivy's self-involved and critical Mom, and various musical numbers that blew me away. Making me wish I could see Bombshell on Broadway.
What didn't? Angelica Huston's painfully stiff performance as Ellen (someone has had too many face-lifts. People if you decide to have a face-lift, ask Meryl Streep who her surgeon is or Susan Lucci.) Ellis and Dev who walked through their roles. And Kathryn McPhee's woefully wooden Karen, who looked bewildered all the time. Great voice, not a good actress. And of course the aforementioned Julia storyline that drug the whole story down. Every time her family or personal issues popped up, the proceedings ground to a halt.
Michael Swift had a great voice, but 0 chemistry with Julia, and their romance made little to no sense.
The show-runners have dumped the Julia storyline, Ellis, and Dev. We can only hope they'll do more. We shall see. The head-writer has changed from Theresa Rebeck to Josh Safran of Gossip Girl, so it may become more fun next season.
The Walking Dead - like Smash, the Walking Dead had good moments and bad ones.
Deathly slow at times, it rewarded the viewer in the final installments. In the first half of the season - we get the brilliant and shocking showdown at the barn, in the second half, the even more twisty and traumatic showdown at the farm-house, with various characters meeting their end, the twist that everyone in the show is the Walking Dead and infected with the virus. If you die, you become a zombie. If you get bitten, you will die and become one faster. The trick not to die. And if you do...have someone burn your remains fast. The Walking Dead in this series are an apt metaphor for the human fear of plagues and disease. The other great twist? The introduction of a new character...in the final reel. Dead continues to be one of the more interesting horror series on, with an ensemble cast and a dystopian vibe...dark and edgy, and out there. That said, it also has its weak points...the large cast, which finally got down to size, and the plodding love triangle which has finally gotten resolved.
The Worst....
1. Glee - While the last three episodes of Glee (the two parter and the finale) were quite good and had marvelous performances, most of the season was regrettably unwatchable, with the possible exception of the West Side Story episodes, which were also disappointing. Glee is at its best when it focuses on the Glee club's quest for nationals, teacher/school issues, and the outsider status in the school. When it delves into the at times soap operaish, and over-the-top, heterosexual romantic relationships...it is cringe-inducing. Also the special episode of the week bit...is not the writer's strong-suit.
Quinn's paralysis, the suicide episode, the domestic violence episode, and the various episodes centering on Mr. Shuester's romantic issues, along with Rachel Berry's...were unwatchable. The musical performances a mixed bag. When it does Broadway mixes or showtunes..it shines, when it does 1970s and 1980s pop tunes...we want to run for the exits. Highlights? Including the Michael Jackson tribute. Lowlights? The Whitney Huston one. Breakouts? Becky and Sue's relationship, Rachel and Kurt, Kurt's performance of the song from Boy from OZ, the West Side Story numbers...particularly the America number and the Anita/Maria number - a Boy Like That.
It's unlikely I'll stick with Glee. By the end of the year, I realized I'd lost interest in these characters ages ago.
2. The Secret Circle - painfully dumb in places and disappointing in others. The only characters that stood out...were underused and fell into cliche - Faye, Melissa,
the drug-dealers, Nick (killed off early on - what a waste), Ethan, and the parents. It was not a good sign from the start - that the parents back story was more interesting then what the kids were doing. As were the parents relationships. Unlike Vamp Diaries, TSC was predictable and cliche. John Blackwater turns out to be the main villain and the audience yawns...deservedly cancelled.
3. Ringer - not quite sure how this one lasted as long as it did. It was pretty much dead on arrival, taking forever to resolve plot-points, dragging out the story, and throwing in twists out of nowhere. The central villain...the teen brat's Mother, never quite made sense and popped in at the last minute. The main problem was the core characters, Siobhan and Bridget, which never quite worked. It took too long for Bridget to figure out Siobhan was alive (she finds out in the finale episode), and it made no sense that no one caught on to the fact that Bridget wasn't Siobhan, even after they found out Siobhan had a twin sister. Bridget's ability to take over Siobhan's life with no preparation or interaction with her sister for years, defied belief. Andrew - her clueless husband and the gothic hero of the piece, wins the contest for most clueless character, in a dead heat with the FBI agent, who never figures out that Siobhan is really Bridget and pulling a fast one. And let's not forget the horrific cry-rape scam...where Julie's mom convinces Julie, her teacher, and another student to pretend the teacher raped them, drop the charges, and convince Daddy to pay the teacher off. Convoluted, silly, and illogical with phone-them-in acting...Ringer was perhaps the worst series to air this year.
Best of the bunch?
1. Revenge - this series just kept packing on the twists and surprises. And unlike other series, it was tightly written and made sense. Each twist actually worked and did not come out of nowhere (yes, I'm looking at you Ringer). The writing remained crisp with several powerhouse female performances - Madeline Stowe as the icy yet oddly broken Victoria Grayson, who at the end is desperately seeking to redeem herself in her daughter's eyes, Emily Van Camp as her nemesis, and the lead protagonist, Emily Thorne, seeking revenge for the transgressions against her father. We also have Gabriel Mann as the insanely sexy and fascinating Nolan, Emily's often reluctant helper and confidante. I admit it, I'm an Emily/Nolan shipper. By the end of the series - even bratty Charlotte and whiny Declane became interesting, Daniel and Ashely got a bit of depth...but alas, what to do with poor Jack, who remains dull as toast. Pretty, but dull. The best bit about Revenge? Is the ending, where it tied up various loose ends, seemingly ending the series, only to throw a curve ball into the mix which up-ended everything and this viewer didn't see coming. Rare. Most of these shows just drag out the main plot arc or central conflict forever, but this one, seemed to resolve it, only to start a brand new and far more interesting conflict at season's end.
2. Once Upon a Time - the twisty fairy tale series from various writers of Lost and one of the best writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer....this series packed surprises. It also broke barriers in how narratives can be told. Much of the story was told out-of-sequence, through the points of view of various fairy tale characters. And each tale was often an innovative twist on an old fairy tale trope - for example, Little Red Riding Hood turns out to be...gasp! The big bad wolf that ends up eating her boyfriend. Haven't seen a twist like that since well Buffy's Welcome to the Hellmouth. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Rarely have we seen anyone play with an established trope as OUAT has. Much like Revenge - the leads are two women, pitted against each other, the skeptical town sheriff and former bounty hunter, Emma Swan - who was brought to Storybrook by her long-lost son, to save a bunch of cursed fairy tale characters who just happen include her own lost parents, and Regina, the evil queen who cursed them to punish Emma's mother, Snow White. The son, Regina's salvation and potential redemption, is also to a degree Emma's. And the prize for which they fight. Much like Revenge, OUAT surprises us by resolving the main seasonal arc, and throwing a curve ball from left field as the cliffhanger. Against all odds - the curse on Storybrook was broken, characters we thought would never reunite, reunited, and then suddenly...the whole series was upended with a last-minute twist that made perfect sense, but I didn't see coming, and changes the entire narrative, flipping it inside out. Yet at the same time making it possible for new viewers to start watching next year.
Weaknesses? Mary Margret and David's relationship, while riveting as Snow and PC, these two were beyond annoying in the real world of storybrook, whiny and insipid. As well as a bit self-righteous. With any luck the twist at season's end...will correct that problem next year. And of course Henry, Emma's kid...who also grated at times. And the bwahhahha evil of Regina - which oddly paid off in the end.
Breakout performances: Robert Carlyle's Rumplestilskin - perhaps the best villain to land on the genre tv screen since BSG's Gaius Baltar and Terry O'Quinn's Locke and of course Lost's Ben.
3. The Good Wife - continues to work on all levels, exploring each and every character in its ensemble cast in great depth. This show, I watch live. And it's the only procedural I tend to watch, although its not really a procedural. More of an ensemble piece. At it's core are the performances of three great female actresses : Christine Baranski, Julianna Marguiles, and the gal who plays Kalinda. But the supporting male performances are equally strong and textured, Cary Argos, Peter, Will, and Eli.
The show focuses on politics in all forms - gender, office, legal, business, government,
and family. Each season delving deeper into the ethical conundrums faced by the various characters in their struggle to achieve their aims. The writing for the most part is the crispest and tightest I've seen on TV and it contains by far the most interesting female characters, next to possibly Game of Thrones. The season finale...ended with a quiet cliff-hanger...this round involving Kalinda, her mysterious husband, her past and possibly Alicia. Would Alicia rejoin Peter, who had taken back their family home? Or continue on her own? The parallel structure of Kalinda and Alicia's choices at the end, rivals Alicia and Diane's...Diane who is strongly independent, just as Kalinda is - both surviving without a man. While Alicia struggles for that same independence. Gender power plays was never this much fun. It should also be mentioned that Good Wife lacks the violence that most shows within this genre display.
4. Game of Thrones - two episodes away from the finish line...and this show continues to surprise me with its ambitious writing and scope. It most likely helps that I have a vague memory of the books upon which it is based and am not at all invested in the series sticking closely to the novels in it's adaptation. It most likely will stick closer than most people expect, since the writers are fans of the novels and have enlisted the creator in the project, to the extent that the original creator has written a pivotal episode each season, is hands on in the casting, and often consulted. Granted he doesn't agree with all their choices...but that doesn't bother that much, since I'm not invested in the books. In many ways, I prefer the series. It's tighter than the novels, more focused, and in some respects less violent. There are a few changes that don't quite work, and I'm not sure I understand the point of - examples include Baelish's monologues to his whores (which seems a bit out of character for someone so secretive), and Jamie's murder of his cousin to escape...Jamie doesn't attempt to escape in the books, of course he can't since he's in a cell in the bottom of a castle, here it is much easier, and when he is released, his cousin is sent with him. That said? The series itself has done a deft job of juggling eight separate storylines, with eight separate casts of characters. I've never seen a tv series handle this before. People have unfairly compared it to far simpler series like The Wire, Sopranoes, Six Feet Under, or Breaking Bad - who have central core characters, smaller casts, and a more centralized focus not to mention operate in the real world not a medieval fantasy world with zombies, direwolves, and dragons. Game has a much broader scope than those shows, is based on an actual group of novels with an detail oriented and devoted pre-existing fandom, and has a female cast of characters that none of the above shows ever came close to depicting or equaling in scope. It's a lot easier to write a show like the Wire than Game, I know having tried both types of writing myself.
Noir is easier than fantasy, there's less moving parts. Also The Wire is told in psuedo journalistic style - which makes sense since the writers are mainly former journalists.
So..in some respects, as much as I loved The Wire (it did have its flaws), I find I admire Game more. It takes the fantasy genre and turns it on its ear. It does for fantasy what the Wire did for cop shows, it changes the dynamic and structure. Also it takes a series of epic books that Martin wrote because he was fed up with the limitations of tv, and manages to somehow fit them inside the television format.
In regards to last season? In some respects this one is better. There's less gratutitious sex scenes and nudity than last season, although also less male nudity, which is annoying considering I'd rather see Robb naked than Theon. And the additional bits...which weren't in the books are better. Stand-out's include scenes between Ayra and Tywin, Tyrion and Cersei, and Jamie and Robb. I'll definitely be getting it on DVD. It's a keeper.
5. Vamp Diaries aka TVD - possibly the best gothic soap opera on tv. I don't really consider Revenge a soap opera. It rivals Dark Shadows for its twists and turns.
Deftly plotted, with one-liner's that come at a rapid fire pace, Vamp Diaries will make you gasp and laugh often within minutes or at the same time. Not since the Scream movies of the 1990s, has Kevin Williamson spearheaded a more entertaining and dryly witty story. It is unpredictable, romantic, sexy, charming, and witty...not to mention disarmingly silly all at the same time. Stand-outs include Joseph Morgan's NikKlaus, Ian Sommerhandler's Damon, Caroline, Bonnie - who is becoming more interesting each year, and
Nina Dobrev's Elena...who is oddly growing on me. She actually managed to act underwater.
This is amongst the few serials that I love all the characters. The season finale, much like Revenge and Once, was an insane left turn by way of Alburgue, it made sense, but I didn't see it coming. And it, like those shows, changes the dynamic of the series.
6. Mad Men is also slowly winding down...two - three episodes left, I believe.
And it has not had many stronger seasons than this. At times funny, others tragic and painful...it continues to depict the pain of changing times. Few shows depict the rages and humor of mid-life crisis better. At the same time, it stylishly depicts an era, the 1960s, in pitch perfect shades of grey. Pushing past the nostalgia, to show the cracks, the chauvinism, the racism, and the struggle to overcome and deal with both...which linger today. Watching Mad Men the viewer is painfully aware that no matter where you go, there you are...still. We've not advanced as far as we hoped. Our ills are remarkably similar to theirs. And that...makes us a wee bit uncomfortable. In some respects Mad Men is AMC's most honest serial...because it shows the mundane flow...of everyday life.
7. Big Bang Theory - continues to work, delving deeper each season in the geeky lives of its characters. This season the ladies were given a chance to shine and had more air-time. Becoming less and less "girl-friends" and more characters in their own right.
Community - possibly the most innovative of the sitcoms, at times I wonder if Community exists primarily as a self-aware parody of pop culture, specifically television and film. The two comedies are an odd pair - both depict pop culture geeks, outsiders,
one group is an insanely intelligent yet socially awkward group of scientists, while the other group is a group of struggling adults attempting to get an education, and equally socially awkward. I'm not sure which group would win at a game of Paint-ball, I'm guessing Community would kick Big Bang's butt, but at Trivia Pursuit..Sheldon vs. Adeb...hmmm.
8. Subrogatory and The B*** in Apt 23 - two bitchy comedies about fish out of water. In one, a snarky NY teen moves to the suburbs, in the other, a naive wall street wannabee moves to NYC. Both feel like satires. Sub...is a bit more on target than B...But both charm me at times with the innovative takes on the format. Unlike New Girl, B doesn't try to be charming or adorable, and goes straight for the jugglar. Bitchy. It makes fun of pop culture and societal image. Just as Sub does... and pokes fun at women are seen in society, what is expected of us by men...and sort of flips society the finger.
9. In Plain Sight - the series final season did a good job of wrapping various characters arcs, moving each character forward in a satisfying way or about as satisfying as can be expected from a USA procedural series. Mary finally puts her Daddy issues at rest, frees Marshall - her devoted partner - to advance and move on with his pending marriage, and reunites with her crazy and messed up sis, Squish.
10. Doctor Who wrapped up it's 6th Season, and arc with The Wedding Song of River Song, becoming my favorite of the long-running Doctor Who series. While far from perfect,
the River/Doctor relationship changed the series and played with the trope in new ways, paving the way for a female doctor or at least the possibility of one. River may well be the closest we'll come to. Unlike his companions or the spunky Rose Tyler, River Song was The Doctor's equal in every way, including his somewhat twisted morality, developed as a weapon against him, she in the end becomes his ultimate savior...changing the course of his journey in more ways than one.
* Note - I have not seen Sherlock yet. So cannot comment on it.
Smash - neither the worst nor the best...it was okay. With various flaws. The good news is that the producers figured them out and appear to be correcting them. Not hard to do since every television critic on the planet pointed them out repeatedly. Smash like Glee was at its best when it focused on the musical numbers and the process of creating them, putting on the show, it is at its worst focusing on the interpersonal lives of the characters. The romantic entanglements and family upheavals. The only relationships that worked in SMASH were closely associated with the development of the musical - Tom's with the dancer, Ivy and Derek's. Karen and Dev didn't work at all, Dev often felt like he was in another show entirely and a badly written one at that. His best performance was the Bollywood dream number - which was amongst the highlights of the season. His worst was hanging around the press office looking bored. When didn't Dev look bored or exasperated? Julia played by Debra Messing, story didn't work at all. Saddled with a sad-sack hubby, a grating and self-involved ex-lover, and a whiny 17 year old son who acted like he was 10, Julia's tale almost killed the show, dragging everything to a halt whenever it popped on screen. Oh well, at least they dropped the adoption plot-line right off the bat. The other problem was the back-stabbing, social climbing, Ellis - who appeared to be homage to Eve in All About Eve, but lacked Eve's chutzpah or cleverness. The only thing Ellis added to the plot - was providing Angelica Huston's Ellen with something productive to do - such as firing his ass, or putting him in his place on various occasions.
What worked? Derek, the actor who played Steve on BBC's Coupling, as the mercurial and manipulative director, not to mention fiendishly sexy, Tom - the composer - who was also a great song and dance man in his own right, and a great foil for Derek, Ivy - the scheming and deserving chorus girl who desires to be a star and loses out to the fresh-faced ingenue from Nebraska...from a scene taken out of 42nd Street. Bernadette Peter's inspired guest appearance as Ivy's self-involved and critical Mom, and various musical numbers that blew me away. Making me wish I could see Bombshell on Broadway.
What didn't? Angelica Huston's painfully stiff performance as Ellen (someone has had too many face-lifts. People if you decide to have a face-lift, ask Meryl Streep who her surgeon is or Susan Lucci.) Ellis and Dev who walked through their roles. And Kathryn McPhee's woefully wooden Karen, who looked bewildered all the time. Great voice, not a good actress. And of course the aforementioned Julia storyline that drug the whole story down. Every time her family or personal issues popped up, the proceedings ground to a halt.
Michael Swift had a great voice, but 0 chemistry with Julia, and their romance made little to no sense.
The show-runners have dumped the Julia storyline, Ellis, and Dev. We can only hope they'll do more. We shall see. The head-writer has changed from Theresa Rebeck to Josh Safran of Gossip Girl, so it may become more fun next season.
The Walking Dead - like Smash, the Walking Dead had good moments and bad ones.
Deathly slow at times, it rewarded the viewer in the final installments. In the first half of the season - we get the brilliant and shocking showdown at the barn, in the second half, the even more twisty and traumatic showdown at the farm-house, with various characters meeting their end, the twist that everyone in the show is the Walking Dead and infected with the virus. If you die, you become a zombie. If you get bitten, you will die and become one faster. The trick not to die. And if you do...have someone burn your remains fast. The Walking Dead in this series are an apt metaphor for the human fear of plagues and disease. The other great twist? The introduction of a new character...in the final reel. Dead continues to be one of the more interesting horror series on, with an ensemble cast and a dystopian vibe...dark and edgy, and out there. That said, it also has its weak points...the large cast, which finally got down to size, and the plodding love triangle which has finally gotten resolved.
The Worst....
1. Glee - While the last three episodes of Glee (the two parter and the finale) were quite good and had marvelous performances, most of the season was regrettably unwatchable, with the possible exception of the West Side Story episodes, which were also disappointing. Glee is at its best when it focuses on the Glee club's quest for nationals, teacher/school issues, and the outsider status in the school. When it delves into the at times soap operaish, and over-the-top, heterosexual romantic relationships...it is cringe-inducing. Also the special episode of the week bit...is not the writer's strong-suit.
Quinn's paralysis, the suicide episode, the domestic violence episode, and the various episodes centering on Mr. Shuester's romantic issues, along with Rachel Berry's...were unwatchable. The musical performances a mixed bag. When it does Broadway mixes or showtunes..it shines, when it does 1970s and 1980s pop tunes...we want to run for the exits. Highlights? Including the Michael Jackson tribute. Lowlights? The Whitney Huston one. Breakouts? Becky and Sue's relationship, Rachel and Kurt, Kurt's performance of the song from Boy from OZ, the West Side Story numbers...particularly the America number and the Anita/Maria number - a Boy Like That.
It's unlikely I'll stick with Glee. By the end of the year, I realized I'd lost interest in these characters ages ago.
2. The Secret Circle - painfully dumb in places and disappointing in others. The only characters that stood out...were underused and fell into cliche - Faye, Melissa,
the drug-dealers, Nick (killed off early on - what a waste), Ethan, and the parents. It was not a good sign from the start - that the parents back story was more interesting then what the kids were doing. As were the parents relationships. Unlike Vamp Diaries, TSC was predictable and cliche. John Blackwater turns out to be the main villain and the audience yawns...deservedly cancelled.
3. Ringer - not quite sure how this one lasted as long as it did. It was pretty much dead on arrival, taking forever to resolve plot-points, dragging out the story, and throwing in twists out of nowhere. The central villain...the teen brat's Mother, never quite made sense and popped in at the last minute. The main problem was the core characters, Siobhan and Bridget, which never quite worked. It took too long for Bridget to figure out Siobhan was alive (she finds out in the finale episode), and it made no sense that no one caught on to the fact that Bridget wasn't Siobhan, even after they found out Siobhan had a twin sister. Bridget's ability to take over Siobhan's life with no preparation or interaction with her sister for years, defied belief. Andrew - her clueless husband and the gothic hero of the piece, wins the contest for most clueless character, in a dead heat with the FBI agent, who never figures out that Siobhan is really Bridget and pulling a fast one. And let's not forget the horrific cry-rape scam...where Julie's mom convinces Julie, her teacher, and another student to pretend the teacher raped them, drop the charges, and convince Daddy to pay the teacher off. Convoluted, silly, and illogical with phone-them-in acting...Ringer was perhaps the worst series to air this year.
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7. Big, Bang, Theory-Hubby and I love this show. He got his Masters from MIT, so it is hilarious seeing people on a show that pretty accurately portray science nerds.
8. The B...This show is fun, particularly after a couple of cocktails.;-)
We have been watching Sherlock (2 of 3) and it is good, but IMO, not as good as the first series.
I know you do not like Breaking Bad, but we just finished season 3 and I cannot wait for season 4 on dvd. We lived in ABQ for some years, so that is part of the attraction, plus I feel sorry for Jesse, alternately despise; feel bad for Walt, and intensely dislike the wife.
Do you watch Dexter? I love that show, although the best season (so far) was number 4 with John Lithgow.
True Blood we watch for the eye candy...
Worst:
3. Ringer-I tried to support SMG. I wanted it to be decent, but it was just awful and I could not get past the 3rd or 4th episode.
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While I intensely disliked everyone but possibly the son with MS and the cop. ;-)
Do you watch Dexter? I love that show, although the best season (so far) was number 4 with John Lithgow.
Yes, loved S4, s5 was sort of silly, haven't seen S6.