[Equal Access: The Media Thread]

The Equalizer has shown up on the Roku Channel so I've been accidentally binge watching it.

I don't even remember most of these S4 episodes. I'm like a goldfish. It all feels brand new to me. 😀

[Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage]

On 8/4/2024 at 12:10 PM, Prevailing Wind said:

Y'know, those Dr. Rick "Becoming Your Parents" ads are a super-fail.  Mainly because they're for Progressive, not GEICO.  If potential customers mis-identify the product, you, as an advertiser, have failed miserably.

LOL! I didn't even realize I did that.

[Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage]

I've noticed a glut of commercials for whole body deodorants from a lot of different companies. Secret, Dove, Native, etc... and they're geared at men and women. They're all obnoxious. My suspicion is that COVID messed with a lot of people's sense of smell and has folks paranoid. These companies are capitalizing on that.

[Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage]

On 7/29/2024 at 2:40 PM, Bastet said:

I just looked it up, and the actors are all of the quality you get on a Life Alert commercial budget, but from :20 to :30 I think the actor playing the husband may be trying to convey an "Oh, I'm fucked" element among his reactions.

Maybe she doesn't want to hand him his ass in front of their kid, but it would have played a lot more natural if she reassured the kid, then stared daggers at the husband when she turned.

 

I've never seen this one before. Ugh. This looks more like an ad for a divorce attorney than Life Alert.

I've said this about the Geico "Don't Become Your Parents" ads but I really feel like so many of the people writing these ads really don't understand normal human relationships.

[Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage]

On 7/20/2024 at 5:35 AM, dleighg said:

my husband loves that Poppi stuff. I should never have bought it for him because it's expensive LOL.

I picked up a couple of cans and even the cashier stopped and said "I think this price is wrong." It's funny because the commercial says we'll stop thinking of soda as a dirty word. But I'm in Ohio where we call "soda" pop so I never think of soda at all and the fact they called it "Poppi" made me feel seen. 😁

[S07.E10: All Fall Down (2)]

I agree with a lot of what's already been said but I do have one question: what was the point of the neighbor Athena found lurking about the property? I thought we were going to find out that she started the fire for some reason, like she was cooking meth. That would've made more sense than what we got.

I'm okay with Christopher leaving. He's at that age where he isn't "cute" anymore and there are plenty of younger, cuter kids on the show: Denny, Jee, now Mara. Eddie can go too.

I don't know who the Buck and Tommy daddy joke was for but I hope they enjoyed it because it just reminded me of why I don't like this couple. Tommy can do better.

[Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage]

19 hours ago, KWalkerInc said:

Tonight I kept seeing Target ads featuring people singing almost as badly as the guy in the Burger King commercials, putting stupid and random lyrics to the tune of Michelle Branch's 2001 song "Everywhere."  If it weren't so annoying, I would have put it in the thread about confusing commercials, because I have no idea why they are doing this.

I'm seeing that too. I can't imagine someone paying an ad agency for that. I was wondering what the song was.

[S02.E10: Do You See The Vision?]

18 hours ago, tessabq said:

I never meant to imply they did not deserve punishment, but while Angie's cover-up was filled with good intentions it did more harm for Crystal than good. My heart breaks for both of them.

Yeah, that's what's so sad about this. Angie's trauma overwhelmed her perspicacity and she ended up making everything worse. She turned Crystal into a serial killer. Crystal even said "I tried pretending like it never happened just like you told me!" Crystal needed better than that.

Gotta give Angie credit for playing Blondie's Rapture while working on the table.

[S07.E09: Ashes, Ashes]

If Bobby dies I want him welcomed into the afterlife by Milo Ventimiglia and/or Mandy Moore because this is exactly how Jack Pearson went out in This Is Us. A widowmaker heart attack after escaping a fire.

[S07.E09: Ashes, Ashes]

13 minutes ago, januaryman said:

This is the first episode I've ever watched - it wasn't nearly as bad as I always thought it would be, thanks to competent actors. Still, there was too much talk and hardly any action. It took forever to get to the CGI fire scene that I've been seeing in the promos all week.

 

This was your first episode ever? There was so much backstory/exposition. I can't imagine how that would land with a first time viewer. 🤔

[S07.E09: Ashes, Ashes]

26 minutes ago, eel2178 said:

I'm not that optimistic. With the network switch, it may have been decided that it is too expensive to keep both of them, or maybe there was something involved with the process that made Peter Krause want to leave the show.

RIP Robert Warren Nash, Sr.

I remember an interview Krause did after the cruise ship episode where he mentioned that he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to do the physical stunts. I don't think he's leaving the show. If he is, they've done a great job of keeping that under wraps. But maybe they're setting the stage for him to do less stunt-y stuff.

[S07.E09: Ashes, Ashes]

I agree with everyone on how this episode felt different to me. I assume the move to ABC has meant changes in the writers room. 

For me the problem is that any one of these dramatic stories would've been fine if they took place among the usual rescues but all in the same episode, they don't work. 

Both Bobby and Eddie are acting in ways that would make anyone suggest they need intense counseling. Meanwhile the story with the councilwoman going after Hen & Karen was so heavy-handed and cruel. I predict that the councilwoman will end up in a situation where she needs help from 911, Hen will save her, and the councilwoman will change her mind.

I also don't understand the previous captain showing up at the celebration. I assume we'll see more of him later. They made too big a point of showing what a jerk he is.

 

16 hours ago, preeya said:

Is anyone else thinking MJW's Amir became an arsonist to get revenge on Bobby?

I hadn't thought of that but it makes perfect sense.

ETA: Athena inviting Amir to their home made no sense and was very out of character.

[S02.E10: Do You See The Vision?]

I actually liked this episode. Everybody had something to do and we got to get some fun scenes with some of our side players like Pete and Caroline. The threads from earlier in the season came together (a bit clunkily but I blame that on the shortened season).

This was a perfect example of why Will and Angie are so bad for each other. They're trauma bonded and that doesn't make for a healthy relationship.

[S04.E10: Shattered]

Does the Army have a height requirement? Because the sight of Mel playing soldier was ridiculous. I handwave a lot about her military service. I ignore the idea that she can carry the weight of a sniper rifle but watching that flashback of her in "Bangladesh" just made me laugh.

So now we have yet another shadowy government task force. The oh-so-originally named Federal Task Force or FTF. A shadowy off-the-books organization that everybody seems to know about, including an NYPD police captain. When Dante got offered the job, I kept waiting for him to mention his kids but since he's not the custodial parent I guess that doesn't matter but isn't his dad also in the hospital?

 

17 hours ago, possibilities said:

I have to admit that it makes me very uncomfortable seeing Queen Latifah trying to act like she's in love. I love her, but that really seemed so fake. It just doesn't fit her energy at all. She was more convincing in the kitchen with Vi and talking abouut it, than she was with Dante in the scene with her.

Same. I love her but she's out of her depth.

[S07.E08: Step Nine]

6 hours ago, MrsDixon2U said:

Aw, Athena in bed reaching out for her man wanting to cuddle. I had to chuckle at her making a crack about secret 4am Google searches.

 I love how she knew he was doing google searches and not, say, watching porn. 😀 

I know Bobby and Athena get on some folks nerves and I completely understand why that is but this what I really love about them. They've got this mature, honest love. I was nervous when Bobby came home from his meeting and just sat down to dinner so I was really glad that he was honest with her. (BTW, hi May! Nice of you to drop in!)

 

[S07.E08: Step Nine]

I remember seeing a comment on another site after the cruise episodes where someone said "Bobby & Athena: Danger is their kink." That's how I see them now, whether they're together or apart. 

I usually find flashback episodes tiresome but as an adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA) this episode got the dynamic absolutely right. One kid tells the truth and gets ostracized. Another becomes the problem solver. Once Pops started wandering around the house I knew he was going to fall. I used to call that "pulling a William Holden." 

Malcolm Jamal Warner is moving into James Earl Jones territory when it comes to vocal gravitas. I hope he gets lots of voice work, especially now that the Cosby Show residuals have probably dried up.

 

[S03.E13: Smith Playground]

6 hours ago, DearEvette said:

Legit question -- I missed the misogyny what points to that for you?

I think the OP is referring to his comment that his ex-wife wanted the grill and he responded with "What does a woman need with a grill anyway?" As a woman who grills I was ready to pop him for that one myself.

[S03.E13: Smith Playground]

9 hours ago, Black Knight said:

Since when does Gregory think about consequences of relationships failing? He's already dated a parent of a student (yes, I know the student wasn't in his class) and the daughter of a coworker.

When you put it like that, it really does sound like he has a problem. I guess part of why I've gone so cold on Gregory and Janine is because of the way he treated that ER nurse he was on the date with. The moment he saw Janine across the bar he turned into the worst version of himself. Meanwhile Janine seems to have regressed since leaving her job at the district. I think that whatever moment they might have had has passed.

[S03.E13: Smith Playground]

3 hours ago, Enigma X said:

I enjoyed this episode, but I am with others who are over the Janine and Gregory will they/won't they. It has officially entered the "I don't care" stage for me.

Same. I don't tune in for romantic drama. I outgrew this mess after Jim & Pam on The Office. That said, as someone who dated a coworker when I was Janine's age, Morton spoke the truth.

BTW, this whole dilemma would be irrelevant if Janine was still working at the district. She and Gregory could date with no problem.

 

[S04.E09: The Big Take]

I have another question. What was with Mel talking about getting locked out of her Tesla? She mentioned it twice. I remember thinking how Harry's supposed to be the super tech genius but his wife is driving a Tesla? I can't imagine how that product placement deal came about.

[S04.E09: The Big Take]

20 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Does this mean you have no intention of watching episode 10, the Season Finale next week?

I honestly thought this was the finale. Which is probably a good indication of how disconnected I am from this show. 😀

[S04.E09: The Big Take]

I'll be honest, I'm kind of relieved that the season is over. It felt choppy and off. I'mma be kind and chalk some that up to the strikes.

I need Dee and Vi to get another arc besides finding a new lost cause to save every week. And I really don't want to get into the idea that Monique throwing out her pills was a good thing. Withdrawal is a real thing. 

I don't even want to discuss the idea that a professional killer would've shot Dante in his chest two times thereby hitting the vest instead of just aiming for his temple.

Mel's reaction to Harry's confession made no sense to me. "Why didn't you tell me what you're about to do?" He just did and everything we know about Harry tells us what it would take for him to keep a secret from Mel. 

I feel like this is the cloudiest show I've ever seen. In every outdoor scene the sky is just flat white. When have we seen an ep with blue sky or sunshine? 

Like I said, I'm kind of relieved that the season is over.

[S07.E07: Ghost Of A Second Chance]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

This might actually be an interesting plot twist - if Eddie introduces Kim to someone, and suddenly she looks like a completely different person to that character, played by a different actress.

That would save this story. It's not like having one of our characters hallucinating is an unusual thing. Chimney spent most of the last episode hallucinating. 

I said last week that if there was an Emmy for "Best Crier" JLH would rule that category. I want to call out something I really appreciated in this episode. Maddie's call with the victim was an excellent demonstration of how to get information from someone in a DV situation who can't speak openly on the phone. We've seen that before on this show and Lone Star but it's always good to see and, who knows, maybe it will help someone who needs it.

[S07.E07: Ghost Of A Second Chance]

This episode made me sorry that Eddie survived being shot by that sniper. I don't understand this character anymore. I have the same problem with him that I have with Buck: they both suck at relationships.

Eddie's doing the same thing to Marisol that Buck did to Taylor. Buck waited until Taylor had given up everything then confessed about kissing Lucy. Eddie invited Marisol to move in with him then freaked out about her being a former nun, she moved out and now he's cheating. I don't want him to die - I mean I do but I don't want that for Christopher - but this character has run its course and needs to go.

[S20.E06: The Marathon Continues]

It's interesting that with Bailey's focus on mental health, there's no reference to her own OCD which she apparently no longer has. Is OCD like that? Is it like depression where it can come and go?

Helm and Yasuda are a bad match. Honestly, Yasuda's all over the place emotionally and even though I know dating subordinates is standard practice at this place but they just have "bad idea" written all over them.