I am pleasantly surprised by “Into the Wild.” It showcases the fundamental elements for a great hour of television.
Tag: Review
Feb 07 2013
Doing What Needs to Be Done. Retrospective: The Americans – “The Clock”
I am invested in The Americans despite knowing how the Cold War turns out in real life. To say that after only two episodes is huge, but the acting, directing, cinematography, and choreography are all spot on. So you tell me, what’s not to like? Add in Emmy® winner Margo Martindale who enters the picture next week as Claudia, the Jennings’ handler. To say I am excited is putting it mildly.
Feb 06 2013
Mozzie’s Yellow Girlfriend. Retrospective: White Collar – “Empire City”
Airdate: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 10/9c on USA Rating: [rating=4] Mozzie (Willie Garson) has always seemed to have an ear to the ground. In “Empire City,” we learn he sometimes moonlights as a cabbie using the pseudonym “Hal Hoover” in order to gather information and conspiracy theories from all over New York City. Mozzie puts …
Feb 06 2013
Can You Whistle The Theme Song to “Deliverance” Too? Review: Justified – “Kin”
The hunt for Drew Thompson goes deep into the country where we find there’s kin where you’d least expect it—and rifles.
Feb 05 2013
The Human vs. The Big Bad Wolf. Retrospective: Lost Girl, S3 Ep 4 – “Fae-de to Black”
Monogamy is not in Bo’s (Anna Silk) vocabulary but she’s willing to make a go of it with Lauren (Zoie Palmer). Like Kenzi (Ksenia Solo), Lauren’s humanness will be her undoing—she’s in for a world of hurt if she thinks she can set down a ground rule like “No Dyson.” No DICE, lady.
Feb 01 2013
Father vs. Daughter: Review: Suits – “Zane vs. Zane”
Pearson Hardman has survived a civil war, leaving other law firms wondering if it has left them weak. This gets tested when an opposing lawyer dies, opening up the opportunity for the new legal counsel to try to rework an agreed-upon settlement deal in their favor. Making things even more difficult, the new attorney happens to be Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce), father to Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), a paralegal at Pearson Hardman.
Jan 30 2013
Just What Will Raylan Do With Those Chickens? Review: Justified “This Bird Has Flown”
“This Bird Has Flown” is enjoyable, but not the best Justified has to offer. I’m waiting for the time Raylan will draw on someone and shoot them down like he used to. What happened to the modern-day gunslinger? I’d like him back about now.
Jan 29 2013
My Superhero BFF. Review: Lost Girl, S3 Ep 3 – “ConFaegion”
Kenzi (Ksenia Solo) is proving herself to be an even better sidekick (albeit with the aid of a Fae weapon). Too bad it takes the gang—Bo (Anna Silk), Dyson (Kris Holden-Ried), Tamsin (Rachel Skarsten)—being out of commission for her to step up and solve the mystery of why the team has been reduced to a group of horny teenagers.
Jan 27 2013
Spoiler Free Advance Review: The Americans – Pilot
The Americans is compelling, intriguing, captivating, and exciting, with a bit of humor thrown in. If that’s not a recipe for success, I don’t know what is. The storylines are believable, the dialogue spot on, and the acting, for the most part, is impeccable. You would be wise to add this to your must-watch TV list.
Jan 27 2013
Sex Offenders and Crazy Wives. Retrospective: Shameless – May I Trim Your Hedges?
Almost everyone in and around the Gallagher household is faced with problems this week, ranging from sexual predators (two!) to crazy wives (two!). Not only must solutions be found, but Frank (William H. Macy) stoops to yet another all-time low. Each week, I am astounded at what the writers have in store for him, and each week, I love it. We finally learn how Kev (Steve Howey) broke his leg, and his estranged wife Cheryl (Cameron Richardson) wreaks havoc at his house.
Jan 25 2013
Where Kol Seems Unstoppable… Review: The Vampire Diaries “Catch Me If You Can”
The chase is on for the cure to immortality and yet another player has entered the game. Is this new seeker someone we’ve seen before or a new character to be added to the show?
Jan 24 2013
Lana Banana. Review: Season Finale, American Horror Story: Asylum, S2 Ep 13 – “Madness Ends”
“Madness Ends” is an extremely satisfying end to a horrific season that saw various gruesome abuses and deaths at the Catholic Church-run Briarcliff Manor, the insane asylum handily shut down by the intrepid Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson).
Jan 23 2013
From Rehab to Rivals. Retrospective, Necessary Roughness, Mid-Season Premiere – “Frozen Fish Sticks”
Mid-Season Premiere, S2 E12 – “Frozen Fish Sticks” Air Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 10 pm ET/PT on USA Network Rating: [rating=5] We pick up the season 28 days after the death of the Hawks’ team owner, Marshall Pittman (Evan Handler). Much to her dismay, Pittman has left the team to his daughter Juliette …
Jan 22 2013
Looking for a New Love. Review: Lost Girl, S3 Ep 2 – “Subterrfaenean”
Lauren (Zoie Palmer) and Bo (Anna Silk) are officially together. They muster plenty of steam, but the prolonged lovemaking between the two is sullied by Lauren’s insecurity: “The last two nights you’ve woken up screaming. Is committing to me that terrible?” Her insecurity is perplexing.
Jan 20 2013
Frank Stoops to New Lows. Retrospective: Shameless – “The American Dream”
While I found “El Gran Canon,” the season three premiere a bit slow, “The American Dream” certainly picks up the pace. So much happens in this one hour, I was absolutely glued to the screen. All of the characters had interesting storylines, and I’m anxious to see where they will go.
Jan 18 2013
A Woman Scorned and All That Jazz… Review: The Vampire Diaries “After School Special”
Overall, “After School Special” is enjoyable. Moral of the episode: don’t mess with Original vampires. Having Rebekah around spices things up a bit and that’s never a bad thing. And I can’t forget the awesomeness that is Klaus.
Jan 17 2013
Candy Land. Review: American Horror Story: Asylum, S2 Ep 12 – “Continuum”
Grace, however, can’t forget what she’s gone through, drawing picture after picture of the aliens, while Alma would rather leave what happened in the past. The two women’s coping mechanisms couldn’t be more different. But the relative calm of their lives is shattered when their house is set on fire. Alma has flashbacks of her abduction, rendering her inconsolable.
Jan 16 2013
Review: Justified, S4 “Where’s Waldo?” (U.S. Marshals stands for “perverts” in Harlan)
If you thought living in a small southern town was boring, you ain’t been to Harlan, KY yet. It’s a veritable cornucopia of sex, drugs, booze, and danger. Will Preacher Billy (Joe Mazello) be the town’s salvation or will he be another obstacle in the way of Boyd’s (Walton Goggins) grand vision for Harlan?
Jan 15 2013
Operation Chained Chooch. Retrospective: Lost Girl, S3 Ep 1 – “Caged Fae”
Now, for the past three weeks, she’s been indulging in a new-found life as a nihilist, blithely throwing around her Succubus powers and smashing every Fae law to the ground.
Jan 14 2013
Review: House of Lies “Stochasticity” (And I Still Don’t Know What That Means)
The season two opener of House of Lies was good. It wasn’t great; wasn’t horrible either, but it lacked that special something. Season one emerged with a bang, hooking me instantly. The show was fresh, new and hilarious. This time around, eh… not so much.
Jan 13 2013
Next Stop on the TWCS Blog Tour… Book Review: Eire’s Captive Moon by Sandi Layne
I expected Eire’s Captive Moon to go out with a bang considering this is the first in a trilogy. It left me wanting and not interested in reading the next installment.
Jan 10 2013
Mommy Dearest. Review: American Horror Story: Asylum, S2 Ep 11 – “Spilt Milk”
When Lana returns to take the Sister from Briarcliff, he tells her Sister Jude hanged herself, and shows the death certificate as proof. What a little sh*t! He’s become emboldened now that Dr. Arden is dead and there’s no threat of anyone finding out about the doctor’s monstrous experiments on the patients. The measly little monsignor should’ve died on that cross.
Jan 03 2013
Patient G2573. Review: American Horror Story: Asylum, S2 Ep 10 – “The Name Game”
Her duty as Grace’s (Lizzie Brocheré) protector feels a little out of place. I mean, why Pepper and not one of the other patients? We do learn why she ended up at Briarcliff but a deeper exploration of her background would’ve fleshed out her character more. I suspect, though, the writers have placed more import on the main characters now that American Horror Story: Asylum is drawing to a close.
Jan 03 2013
Not Another One! Book Review: “Bettie Page Presents: the Librarian” by Logan Belle
While The Librarian is not the greatest literary fiction I’ve ever read, beyond its faults it is still readable without too many eye rolls.
Dec 20 2012
It’s Saints vs. Scientists at Paddy’s. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense”
Retrospective, Season Finale Air Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012, 10:00 pm ET/PT on FX Rating: [rating=5] When Frank (Danny DeVito) rear ends Dennis’ (Glenn Howerton) car, the Gang holds a mock trial to decide who’s at fault. But what starts out as a matter of “credibility” soon turns into an argument about “evolution.” With Charlie …