Cinerant

TV for the week

As finales start popping up and shows are winding down, good TV comes on fast and furious. At least in theory. Unfortunately, in a rush to get everything tied up for a show and sent off in a different direction, some shows put too much on their plates.

Here's highlights of the week's most memorable episodes:


Veronica Mars--Do I really buy that Beaver was capable of doing all those things and there was nothing in his past that even hinted at it? And when does being a mousy, molested child result in being a mass murderer? It doesn't really all make sense. This season, the show just become overly difficult and complex. So much so that when the final denouement started, there was so much exposition, my head started to swirl. And not for a second did I think Keith was on the plane that blew up. Killing him off would be as impossible as killing off Veronica. Everybody else is dispensable. Not these two. That's part of why the cliffhanger felt so--underwhelming.

On the flip side, the hour was a tour-de-force for Kristin Bell. If by some miracle she were to get the Emmy nomination she deserves, this would be the episode to submit. Getting Logan and Veronica back together--under these circumstances--was a stroke of genius. The stuff between Jackie and Wallace was nice. She's run her arc, but it was great to give them a moment together. "A pony?!"--perfect dialogue. The CW joke was so great, I literally had to pause the TIVO and laugh for a minute. Best inside joke of the year. Charisma Carpenter just continued to show during this episode why she's so good on this program.

Gilmore Girls--I didn't object to the ending like a lot of people did. I mean, granted, I personally don't want to think Lorelai would do that, but the show's proven she's flawed--and the bookends were great to see her depressed, facing the camera, just in different beds. Overall though, this episode lacked. The troubadour bit got old once Chloe (Mary-Lyn Rasjkub) finished her bit in the first act. Mitch made complete sense about why Logan needs to go, though he's grown on me to the point where I think he's a good fit for Rory. Unlike Luke is for Lorelai. I think this is a great stroke to break the two of them up, since they have zero chemistry to begin with. Not the best season finale they've ever done, but still worth watching for Lauren Graham's performance.

The Office--A really well done episode with some big forward momentum. At times Carrell's performance went just a tad too over the top for me, but still, the levitation thing was worth the entire bit.

What About Brian?--Great proactive stuff going on here. Just not from Brian. (I told you that the friends are the stars of this show.) It was also great to hear all their varied reactions to the news that Deena was having an open marriage. Or as Brian's sister nailed it--"an affair." But the final shot of Marjorie and Brian having it out as Adam watched outside--a perfect callback to earlier in the episode and a beautiful cliffhanger that wasn't out to try and be overly dramatic. Just natural.

I'm still not sure whether I think this show should get a second season or not. I like it. It's actually better structured than Love Monkey which didn't get very far this year, but it still doesn't completely work. However, I do think that if Grey's Anatomy gets moved to Monday nights, this could be a nice companion piece to go with it. Unfortunately, I don't think that's very likely. But we'll see.

Even though it wasn't a season finale, I have to give a shout out to Viola Davis and Marin Mazzie's performances on last night's Without a Trace. Davis is one of those great African-American actresses that's too good for so many roles, but Hollywood doesn't have a real place for her. Mazzie's primarily a stage actress (Kiss Me, Kate, Ragtime, Passion). They both did a really nice job and are deserving of Emmy nominations. (By the way, if you want to feel some power, check out Mazzie's cover of "Not a Day Goes By" she does on the album she recently released with her husband, Jason Danieley. Really good stuff.

Lost--Maybe the most disappointing episode of the season. Did anything happen? Did we learn something about any of the characters and I missed it?

Alias--If the show could get nominated for daytime Emmys, this would be a great episode for Garner to submit. She got to play good and bad versions of herself. Such fun! And she was so hot doing it too!

And though I haven't bought all the twists and turns, this week's episode of Prison Break was really energetic. And it leaves me actually wanting to watch the season finale.

(Is it horrible that this isn't a comprehensive list of everything I watched this week?)

posted by cinegod @ 12:35 PM