Month: January 2011

January 25, 2011

Chuck Versus the Gobbler

Chuck
Episode 4.12
Aired 01/24/11

NBC

Well that didn’t take very long. One episode later and not only has Sarah infiltrated Volkoff Industries (acting as a rogue agent), but she and Mrs. Bartowski have already devised a plan to bring down Volkoff and his organization for good. Meanwhile, Chuck is having a hard time adjusting to life without Sarah, and Morgan might be ready to take his relationship with Alex to the next level.

There was quite a lot to like in this week’s episode, but it suffers from some poor plotting, a rushed feel, and it opens with a flash forward, an overused device that I absolutely hate. It also happens to be following one of the best episodes of the season, which makes its faults stick out a little more. Continue Reading

January 22, 2011

The Firefly

Fringe
Episode 3.10
Aired 01/21/11

FOX

Fringe debuted in its new timeslot Friday night. The move was considered by many to be a death sentence, based on FOX’s history of airing many a sci-fi series on that night and eventually canceling them. According to the ratings, however, it seems Olivia and company are poised to reverse that trend, as total viewership remained steady in the all-important 18-49 demographic (I don’t know anything about US TV ratings, I’m just repeating what I’ve read elsewhere). It seems the show’s loyal fanbase had no problem tuning in on a different night. Of course, it helps that the first episode aired was a consistently compelling one. Continue Reading

January 20, 2011

Don’t Go

Friday Night Lights
Episode 5.10
Aired 01/19/11

NBC

We’re on the home stretch, now. Three more episodes and then Friday Night Lights will be over. “Don’t Go,” the strongest episode of what has been a good but not great season, is hopefully a sign of what to expect from the final hours. With rumors of Coach Taylor’s possible departure for another job on everyone’s minds, the show has begun to set its sights on the future, on where we will be leaving these beloved characters as we prepare to say goodbye to them. Continue Reading

January 18, 2011

Chuck Versus the Balcony

Chuck
Episode 4.11
Aired 01/17/11

NBC

Things were looking really good for Chuck and Sarah, weren’t they? I had no idea the brief, seemingly throwaway exchange Sarah shares with General Beckman early in the episode would turn out to be the inception of a very cool idea: Sarah is chosen to go into deep cover in order to bring down Volkoff’s organization from the inside, and save Mary Bartowski in the process. She told Beckman she’d do anything to save Chuck’s mom and defeat Volkoff, and the CIA, thoughtful and caring organization they are, take her up on the offer, effectively ripping Chuck and Sarah apart the second before he asks her to marry him. Chuck’s determination to find the perfect way to propose and this new twist in his and Sarah’s relationship make for a very good episode and a solid return in the new year. Continue Reading

January 18, 2011

Last Words

How I Met Your Mother
Episode 6.14
Aired 01/17/11

CBS

Last week’s episode, “Bad News,” had some good laughs, some not-so-good laughs, and one hell of an ending. I chose not to write up a review after seeing it because it’s the kind of episode that will be viewed differently based on the next episode(s). Some of the jokes fell flat but I liked the many callbacks to previous episodes (from Robin slipping on the horse crap to Barney wearing the Sensory Deprivator 5000). The reveal of Marshall’s dad’s death and Marshall’s reaction was terrific, but where the story goes from there is the determining factor in whether or not this was the right move for Craig Thomas and Carter Bays to make. So did “Last Words,” which deals primarily with Marshall’s obsession over the final words his father said to him, make killing off Marvin Eriksen worth it? For the most part, I think it did. Continue Reading

January 17, 2011

The Cape

Pilot
Aired 01/09/11

NBC

I was on vacation recently and spent most of last week catching up on shows returning from hiatus and taking a look at a few new mid-season shows. The Cape, a new superhero series that premiered on NBC, is the first one I chose to check out.

When talking about most comic book film franchises, there’s a reason the sequel is usually the better film. While it can make for an entertaining movie, the origin story is boring and predictable. There are some notable exceptions (Iron Man is a superior film to Iron Man 2), but for the most part, the story of how a superhero came to be is rarely compelling because most people already know that story. The Cape had a chance to do something different. Because it wasn’t based on any pre-existing material the origin was a blank slate on which to tell a more original tale, but the creators decided instead to make it’s hero a second-rate Batman, one that’s unintentionally a little more Adam West than Christian Bale. Continue Reading