Dowel Jones

I remember news articles from the 80s, I think, of a young couple, Sandra and Arne (?) Kurtzig (yes, I had to look it up), who started ASK, a software and program company. The only reason I remember them, aside from the possible inspiration for Donna and Gordon, is that they eventually divorced, with the stated reason that one was interested in programming and the other in retail sales. Even then, it was a WTF moment for me. Unfortunately, their company failed in the turbulent computer world and no longer exists.

Oh, God, if they tie her to a railroad track in some future episode, I'm done.

It doesn't really matter because, as we all saw in The Last Ship, all it takes is one badass to divvy up the country into semi-manageable chunks, appoint a few henchfolk, and kill anyone who gets in his/her way.

I read somewhere that the networks do it that way specifically to circumvent the use of DVRs, and get people to watch live instead. The ratings, you understand. So, dcalley, hopefully they'll get double points deducted.

Tied in with the testimonials from various friends and family, I thought it would have meant more than just the testimonials alone. This was a deportation court, not a jury trial, and all they had to do was convince the judge that he should be allowed to remain. In any case, it couldn't have been any worse than that last minute "I lied to protect my daughter" excuse for a guilty plea. They blew it. When Annalise's spy tells her on the phone that he found Frank, and he's looking at him from the second floor, how did Frank so suddenly creep up and get into his room? I missed something there.

Which was magically fixed when Red drove up behind the car at the estate. I know the Cubans have made an entire industry out of keeping their old cars afloat, but I want those repair guys. A bandaid strong enough to hold a metal door lock open, and you're going to use that on your infant daughter? Strongest henchpeople ever. Girl takes a beating on her head from a log, but just jumps right back up. Liz could have grabbed the knife and killed her right there, but that would have robbed Mr. Kaplan of her chance at redemption. And Tom? The henchdude who pulled you out of the trunk fired one shot from his shotgun, and then fired another during the fight scene. It was a side-by-side piece, which meant it was empty when he put it up to your head as the car was leaving. Just a thought. Not to mention letting the suspects walk up close to you. Put everybody on the ground, face down. Unlock the trunk yourself. So, even admitting that Kirk is one screwed up guy, what is his purpose in running away with Liz? It's not like he can regress back 20 years and try to raise her as his own. In fact, if he would just watch the first two seasons, he'd be running away from her right now.

So Columbus went to hell, as did the Portland Trailblazers. Tough break, guys. I'm liking Janet and her various metamorphoses. "I get lost on an escalator." I will have to remember that one. Tahini's diary had a foreword by Kylie Minogue? Parks&Rec. shot quite a few scenes around the Huntington Library back in the day, so I would guess that the producers have an in with them.

Then again, sometimes a comedy is just a comedy.

Wait, people did hallucinogenics back in the 80's? Who knew? Just kidding. Since Macmillian Utilities is a software company, is Joe really competing if he begins to develop an ISP? I'm aghast that anyone would agree to a FOUR YEAR non-compete clause. In any case, the BOD is not going to be happy. Not at all. Gives me pause to wonder again about his health diagnosis. $20,000,000 for a buyout? Yeah, I'd find something else to do in a hurry. I had a ham license in 1970 (novice class). Even though I was mostly limited to code, I still remember hearing people talk on the airwaves and it was a lot clearer than Gordon and Cam. Buy a good transceiver, Gordon. Even if you are talking to the air. That wasn't a flat screen tv, was it? Just a big monitor, perhaps? Gordon should have taken Donna aside and explained the truth about the old tv. He's doing his best to hide an affliction that is going to crush him sooner than later. I like Donna's negotiating skills. You talk, I talk, we're both dead. Deal?

It's too bad neither George Carlin nor Sam Kinnison are around to do some guest shots. They could send this show into orbit. I remember a long ago Twilight Zone episode wherein an inveterate gambler dies, and is ushered into a casino where he never loses, and every woman is at his beck and call. He thinks it's heaven, but by the end of the week (and the episode), he realizes that he is sorely mistaken. Apropos of what, I'm not sure. I hope they decide to introduce some more characters beyond the core group in the first episodes. Tahani's act will smother the comedy if it continues unabated. I'm surprised they went with the dog abuse gag, as in real life Kirsten Bell is a strong animal rescue advocate. Maybe they went with the "dog is God spelled backwards" explanation.

That's what they WANT you to think...

And why were there two motorcycles there, if there was only one occupant in the house? Besides setting up the pretense of a chase, of course.

I wonder if the producers are planning on bringing in a new, volatile type partner for the next season? Or perhaps resurrecting a previous one? Or will they merge with Daddy Zane?

You mean like not noticing the presence of two motorcycles in the front yard, and failing to secure them? I found it funny that after all that m/c chase, the SUV arrives at the scene at the same time. It's okay, this show excels at bringing the crazy when it wants to. I wonder if Archie's outfit was a thumb flick at her exit from TGW. And how does she manage to keep the shock of hair hanging precisely in front of her ear without ever moving. Sorry, it was just so obvious to me in every one of her scenes. Now that they are positing a much wider conspiracy, will there still be a tattoo of the week?

The little retort to Louis between Harvey and StockBroker guy made this episode for me. A new drink category? One drink for every cliffhanger ending. Too late? Rats. Mike telling Rachel that she kicked ass in the courtroom was laughably ridiculous. A man is on trial for his life and you (the defense lawyer) allow a scared-in-her-pants paralegal to take his testimony? And then she hinges on his missing daughter instead of any evidence. Which, apparently, consists solely of blood on his clothes and the lack of an alibi. He says the police arrived and the next thing he knows, he's in prison for murder, and Rachel doesn't follow up on the interim proceedings. But everything's okay because after visiting an opposing witness out of court, she convinces Jessica to put the father on the stand, knowing he would cave just like Colonel Jessup. Right. Louis, please. They need to find an attorney with a name that starts with O so next season they can be SOL all season long. Jessica's backstory was the most interesting part of the episode, at least the way it was presented. I could have watched and entire episode of her. So she's moving to Chicago, eh? This wouldn't be the start of yet another Dick Wolf franchise, Chicago Law, I hope.

Maybe they were inadvertently referring to the plotline. What, don't you watch action movies? An automatic weapon is always an acceptable substitute for an arrest warrant, especially when handled by a lantern-jawed, tough talking, 5 o'clock shadow kind of guy (preferably white). The details can be worked out later. /sarcasm.

I took it to mean that Boz was an absentee father, always flying somewhere and putting his job first. Who knows? Because they had the temerity to actually defend their code, as Cameron is the Coder de tutti Coders, and no one better step on her toes. It looked that way to me, too. He might even welcome the chance (in his own mind) to transcend the earthly domain and become one with the ethernet, blah, blah, blah. Until he discovers the pain of getting there.

I so love those phone calls where one party just drops the anvil right on the other one's head. So, is it Cameron's company with Donna being an executive, or is the ownership split? I have forgotten since Mutiny actually formed. In any case, the whole enchilada won't be worth the beans once someone hacks their database and steals either the credit card info or the bank account numbers. Donna and Cameron can scream at each other to their hearts' content as everyone is leaving and everything is being picked up. As I understood it, Cameron's plan would have the buyer write a check to Mutiny, and they would forward the money to the seller. Her plan looks good on paper, but the 1% admin fee that she touts is just as dependent of dollar volume as Donna's credit card scheme. The big problem is that Mutiny/SwapMeet is on the hook for any bounced checks after the transactions are completed. They have to spend time and money dealing with the bank and chasing down the deadbeat buyer, whereas a credit card transaction falls on the credit card company (the reason they charge their own admin fee). This "Sometimes I have to crawl into a hole" line illustrates that Cameron is still operating at an employee level in her company. She wants the glories and the benefits of any successes, but still wants to be carried along through all the troubled waters. That's a recipe for disaster when you are the head of the company.

Well, at least there's plenty of greenhouses available for the states with legal marijuana.

I was thinking Blues Brothers for some inane reason at that point. The tired old trope of incompetent bad guys has been around so long it's almost obligatory now. They lead by intimidation but when the firefight starts it's always obvious that the recruiter got his staff from the day labor corner of Home Depot.

Those Senate offices must be soundproof. Is there a write-in category for Emmy Awards for best episode intros? This show took it. I love how they worked him into the plot, too. And he got rather pointed about the political process in the final scenes, too. Judging from the pile of aliants in the Wheatus office, a whole lot of DC was infected.

I'm sure they thought of that, but The Penultimate Ship just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Since at least one of the pilots was Asian, I was speculating that they were sent by Peng and their destination was China, as it is the only ally that Shaw had now. Hope it was a rented plane. I had to rewind and watch again the scene on the deck where Chandler muses about the future of the USA, as I first heard his statement as "I can be that man". Oh, no, you didn't, says I. Fortunately, I was proved wrong. I also laughed at his "It's Slattery's ship now." Now??? Yeah, I was a bit mystified by the travel sequences too. I guess Chandler flew from San Diego to St. Louis by fast jet, and then grabbed an SUV from the by now vacant Hertz lot. Overall, a very good stand alone action plot if you didn't have to think about the overall story behind it. I would have like to know how the regional governors so rapidly moved to the top of the dung heaps, and a backstory on Shaw's rise and ability to bully the others around. What was the point in killing Ms. Texas? On top of all that, Oliver scanning at the "football" with a look of puzzlement did not leave me with a feeling of relief. He's still a mayor.

Thanks. I thought I had read some reference to Beausoleil's murder but I have never really took to investigating the story. Maybe I'll read Bugliosi's book after this is done.

Second best laugh (behind the intro song, of course) of the night was when they mentioned Lemon Cove as a site for the internment camp. That town is about 10 miles away from me and "rural" barely comes close to describing it. Then again, Tulare County would probably welcome the camp for the construction jobs. Okay, are one of you posters in real life the guy who writes those intro ditties? I mean, one week there's complaints that the show is meandering and losing its way, and the next week the guy drops the show and watches Gunsmoke. Just sayin'...