Danny Franks

Jemma Simmons is definitely the best thing about this show. By a country mile. Despite my initial positive outlook and hopes for the show, I worry that she might be the only good thing about it. Elizabeth Henstridge just oozes charisma and charm, in the role, and always comes off as someone I want to root for. She makes the most of everything she's given to do, and I would definitely describe her as the heart of the bus. She seems to have great chemistry with everyone she interacts with, hence the popular Simmons/Skye and Simmons/Ward 'ships, to go alongside Simmons/Fitz (which I hope never, ever happens). It's a gift to find an actress that has this sort of impact, and yet this seems to be the year for them. Elizabeth Henstridge here, then there's Nicole Beharie, Emily Bett Rickards and Melissa Fumero, all forcing themselves into the spotlight with their performances. A good time for anyone who likes intelligent, strong and attractive women, I'd say.

Almost word for word what I was going to say. Abbie Mills feels like the most fully formed TV character I've seen in a long time. She just feels completely real and awesome and like someone I'd love to spend time with. I adore that scene in the finale where Abbie is leaving a voicemail for Ichabod, where she just seems so playful and light-hearted and chats along with herself, laughing about Ichabod's attempts to text. It's a nothing moment, just a way of getting from the opening to the reveal of Andy, yet it encapsulates everything I love about Nicole Beharie's performance. And yes, she is stunning. One of those women who is so beautiful I find myself stopping in the middle of watching a scene to acknowledge the fact. Not only that, but she has this wonderfully expressive, mobile face. And, as io9's recaps ably showed, she uses it to great effect, offering some memorable facial expressions.

Gerald Jimes is a badass. I'd hate to be that man in a yellow sweater when he finally catches up to him. Him going from yelling about his wife's murder to the casual "sign this?" was masterful comedic work by Andre Braugher. My favourite part of the episode though, was this exchange: "I have to practice my toast." "God, how long is that?" "Eight pages." "Single spaced?" "Double sided." "Santiago style." Really, because it's a scene that I'd normally expect to play out as teasing and making fun of the girl for being anally retentive and overly prepared, but instead, Jake just points out that it's completely her to have written a toast that long, and Amy smiles at the truth of it, and at Jake for pointing it out. One of countless great moments they had in the season. Terry going crazy of the lack of food was hilarious. Turning Scully upside down, pouring bar snacks into his mouth, searching for secret food stashes. I have no clue how he managed even a day on that extreme diet he started in Fancy Brugdom. Terry needs his nutrients! ETA: beaten to the Jake/Amy exchange by thuganomics85. Never mind, it's still a great moment.

I do too. Little moments like that sell their friendship so well. Unlike so many potentially romantic couples, we're not seeing them get to know one another after an initial meet-cute. We're seeing two people who have an established professional relationship and a friendship that has slowly unfolded as deep and genuine.

I watched the first four seasons, but really started to flag when I found out Rob Lowe was leaving. Once he did, and then Sorkin left at the end of season 4, I took a step back. And then never got around to watching any more episodes. I think something that really bugged me was Bartlett's haranguing of Zoey back in season 1 about the dangers of being daughter to POTUS were acted out, almost exactly as he predicted. There was just something so schlocky about that. Characters disappearing? That was a trait of the show as a whole. Mandy (who I didn't like), Ainsley (who I did), Mallory, Lily and others. Sorkin just seemed to forget about them, and it was quite frustrating. Seasons 1 and 2 are still a high point in the history of television though, as far as I'm concerned.

"The key is volume!" Amy Santiago at her most adorable, if you ask me. I love that she was just happily practising catching the nuts in her mouth (that sounds filthy... I'm sorry) while Jake was on the phone. And he returns to her claiming she's cracked it, and really she's just having fun with him. Great little moment in a great scene. In a great episode. A really strong one for Jake/Amy, as friends, as partners and as a potential romantic pairing. They just work together so well, and they have that nice, unforced chemistry that makes me believe these two have known one another for a long while, and are familiar with their respective quirks and qualities. Boyle's truth talking was amusing, and the aching sincerity with which he said everything really sold it. I thought I wasn't going to like his character when the show started, but Joe Lo Truglio has really done a great job of making him likeable, even while making him something of an beta male sadsack.

I do like Sara, and one of the things I've enjoyed most about her is seeing those flashes of darkness in the flashback scenes. She played Lady MacBeth for Oliver in the whole 'Shado's death' cover-up. Encouraging him to lie to Slade, and then convincing him to kill Ivo before Slade could get to him. Not that Oliver managed to follow through on that, sadly. If he had, then so many things would be so different. Anyway, I'm pleased that they've been willing to give Sara that darkness and that moral ambiguity, even before she became an assassin. It adds layers to her character that aren't immediately evident when you see her being so agreeable and supportive with Oliver, Felicity, Diggle and even Laurel, in present day Starling City. Also, Caity Lotz looks amazing, and every inch the hardened crimefighter. Replacing her as Black Canary would be an utterly insane, stupid move. One I'm still convinced is going to happen.

I think they probably are just trying to give some attention to other storylines, but that doesn't really console me when Felicity only gets two or three lines an episode. We've talked about this on TWoP, but I do really think she brings a light and energy to the show that no other character does. She did with Oliver himself, starting in that scene that thuganomics85 outlined, when she made him smile, and she made me smile as well. Without her presence, the show becomes a dour, joyless place. And while that's fun in measured amounts, too much of it just kills my interest. Yeah. So, so much credit has to go to Emily Bett Rickards for making such an impact in that initial scene, and for instantly becoming a character who "pops", to use TV network jargon. I remember that people were talking about her after that episode as someone they wanted to see again, and then when she reappeared, as someone they wanted to be a regular. Of course, by the time her first appearance aired, the writers already knew what they had in her, and had put her into a couple more episodes, with a view to establishing her. All of this is why The Odyssey is one of my favourite episodes, despite my lack of interest in the island flashbacks. Seeing Felicity brought into the Vigilante's world was so much fun. Seeing her take everything in, banter with Diggle, worry about Oliver, and do it all with the charm I'd come to expect from her, really was a highpoint of the show.

She's been sorely underused in recent episodes, if you ask me. Not coincidentally, this has been since Sara became a member of Team Arrow, and also not coincidentally, less Felicity Smoak has had a significant impact on my enthusiasm for the show. She's been the best thing about it since her first scene, if you ask me. And the best thing they ever did on the show was make her a regular. But right now, she feels tangential to everything that's happening, and little more than an afterthought.

That was a great moment. I love that Holt is completely self aware about his image and his personality, and that he will happily use that to his advantage. He was absolutely right too; no one would believe Jake if he'd claimed that the Captain had injured himself hula-hooping. I enjoyed the theme for Jake in this episode. That he was trying to dive into work to avoid thinking about Amy was quite well done, and I think the character we've seen over the course of the season really would do that. Being a cop is something he loves, even if he's able to be irreverent about it a lot of the time. I buy that he would think a big win there would make him forget about the girl. And I buy that it didn't make him forget about the girl. Meanwhile, Amy lying to Holt for the first time, and the horrible domino effect of it, was genius. That poor girl. She does everything by the book, she behaves, she obeys orders, she works her cute little butt off, and the first time she lies, she ends up in a dentist's chair, about to have her wisdom teeth pulled out. Only to then discover that her rigorous, methodical brushing technique has done her more harm than good anyway.

Three favourites (not necessarily in this order): 1. "The Vulture" - Loved Dean Winters, and he seems to be having the time of his life in the role. He's a great antagonist for Jake, in that he loves to throw his weight around and there's really not much Jake can do to stop it. Even when he wins, he has to give the win to the Vulture. The flashback sequence of him vulturing cases (and coffee) were brilliant. But also, we got some really fun interactions between the team. Jake and Amy had a sweet moment where she calls him on his need to do things alone, Charles had Jake's back all the way through, but never tried to steal his thunder. After all, he'd "be afraid to borrow it". A good subplot with Holt getting Terry to renew his firearm certification, and Terry Crews bringing the ludicrous procrastinating, like forgetting how to breathe and recapping the plot of Top Gun. 2. "The Bet" - Jake and Amy really were sweet in this one. First, we saw how competitive they are, and that they're both damned good cops. I didn't think Jake's win lessened Amy at all, which it would have on a lot of shows. Then we saw the efforts (and expenses) Jake will go to to razz Amy. He spent so much time planning the worst date ever, but never went out to actually humiliate Amy. Because he likes her, even if he didn't know he 'likes her' likes her at that point. But then we had the rooftop scene, and the two of them just having so much fun together. Amy being her adorable self ("the key is volume!") and Jake turning down the relief team because he's having a blast with her. They work so well as friends, and as potential romantic partners. Plus, Sgt. Peanut Butter and Boyle's drugged out confessions. 3. "Operation: Broken Feather" - The Vulture returns! And he's having even more fun. That scene of him just striding through all the B99's attempts to stop him was pure gold, and again Dean Winters just killed it. There was more good stuff with Jake/Amy, and him being so upset over the idea of her leaving, then setting himself the task of convincing her to stay by reminding her how much fun they had together. The climax of which was the two of them realising that they'd really rather work together than apart, and it was genuinely sweet. Joe Theismann can't act, but the dark humour of him breaking his other leg amused me. I don't care for Adam Sandler, but I didn't mind him sending himself up. The Holt/Terry subplot of precinct social engineering was fun, if a little undercooked. Least favourites: 1. "The Apartment" - Too much Gina, and I didn't buy the Jake/Gina childhood friendship backstory. It felt like it came out of nowhere, and was included to reflect Samberg and Peretti's real life friendship. I also didn't buy that Gina is smart with her money and invests in sensible things like property. Beyond that, I just didn't find the storyline very funny. I liked Matt Walsh making an appearance, but that storyline felt unfinished. I did enjoy the staff self evaluations, though. 2. "The Tagger" - An odd, relatively serious episode, at least, as far as the A plot went. The idea of the commissioner's son being a petty criminal and them having to decide between arresting him and keeping the commissioner happy felt like one for a drama rather than a sitcom. Or perhaps it was just the execution of it that did. Anyway, I wasn't crazy about any of that storyline. And the B plot, with Charles and the psychic? No thanks. 3. "Sal's Pizza" - While I thought the portrayal of firemen as overgrown fratboys was amusing, and the lack of reverence for the FDNY was actually a little edgy, I just didn't really get a whole lot out of the episode. It did make me hungry for pizza, though. Oh, and I didn't think the storyline with Gina asking inappropriate questions in those IT worker interviews achieved what the writers think it achieved.

It was definitely a nice way for his confession to play out. No overblown angst or drama, just a guy telling a girl he likes her, without any expectation of it being reciprocated. And yes, the vulnerability was great. We haven't seen that from Jake all that often. He's all about jokes and goofing around, to hide his emotions (like all TV goofballs), but he's capable of dropping the act when he needs to. This though, this was a real moment where he was opening himself up, and I think Andy Samberg absolutely nailed the scene. Vulnerable, sheepish, a little awkward, but also confident that he was right to say what he felt. Cool moment. And Melissa Fumero did nice work with her reaction. She didn't play it completely stunned or smitten or horrified. It was a little muted, and I think it matched Jake's confession well. That would be pretty cool. The Jake in peril plot would be good for drama and for laughs, and I think Samberg could have a lot of fun with Jake trying to get himself out of a jam. Seeing Terry, Amy, Rosa and Charles ride to the rescue would be a Big Damn Hero moment, for sure.

To expand a little on what I said in the TWoP thread: I want to see Amy's brothers and parents, and see the dynamic between them. I kind of want to see Amy be more assertive and knock-about with her brothers, to show how she grew up in a house surrounded by guys. To see a tougher edge that we don't really see on the show, but that she must have to have made it as a cop. I want to see Jake's mother, who he doesn't really talk about, and find out more about him growing up with only her as an influence. But also, it would be interesting (if potentially predictable) for his father to make an appearance. Boyle's ex-wife, and a glimpse at what their marriage was like. I wonder at what she must be like, to have married Charles but then to have left him for a guy named Hercules. Terry in a fatsuit in flashbacks. The comedic potential of that is too much for them to pass up on, surely? More of Holt with Boyle and Rosa, taking a more active interest in the two of them. Especially if Jake is still undercover. I'd like to see Amy and Boyle bonding over missing Jake, because they surely will both miss him. I definitely want to see Dean Winters return, and just be more and more obnoxious. Maybe even expand the Serious Crimes Squad (or whatever they're called) and give him his own set of douchy colleagues, mirroring the B99 crew. And I like that the Commissioner who hates Jake reappeared, and hope he can be a long term nemesis, popping up now and again to thwart plans. The guy is such a great, pompous asshat.

Gordon did it in Batman: Year One as well. He clearly saw Batman unmasked, but claimed to be so blind without his glasses that he couldn't recognise the face that was about a yard away from him. I'd really only be happy if it turns out that this is what Quentin has been doing. That he knows that Oliver is the Arrow, but just wants to maintain plausible deniability... and also, perhaps there's a lingering worry over what Oliver might do to anyone who discovers his identity. It's too dumb for him to genuinely not know. I understand that the writers apparently hate writing secret identity stuff, but if that's the case, then maybe they shouldn't be working on a show that has a masked vigilante with a secret identity as its central concept. Just a thought.

I'm torn on the idea of them coming back in the middle of Jake's op. Because while it would be fun to see him living the Serpico dream, there would also be the issue of him not being able to interact with the rest of the cast. He might end up seeming really isolated, and the split narratives could cause some issues for the show. If they could bring in a couple of fun guest stars to play Jake's new mafia buddies, and give him some likeable foils, then it could work well. But I think I'd only want to see it sustained for three or four episodes, before they got him back in the precinct. And I would like to see Amy missing him, because it's always been clear that, for all Jake's minor irritations, there's no one she'd rather be partnered with. As to the romantic stylez of things, it'll be interesting to see what's going on in Amy's head. Because it did seem pretty evident that she liked Jake in those same stylez, once or twice during the season. Just subtle little moments that could be interpreted as her just appreciating his friendship, but I think were played a little bit stronger than that by Melissa. The other thing is, how will Charles fare without Jake? Especially when dealing with whatever nonsense he has in store with Gina?

That would work for me. Hopefully all the fans of the show who posted on TWoP will make it over here. That's a fun little thread, we've got going.

That would be a lot of fun, I think. If they did it subtly, with her being just a bit more of a rebel to compensate for Jake's absence. And they even set it up a bit with her behaviour in the finale, and Holt asking, "what is going on with you?" in that hilarious, 'disappointed dad' way. Maybe even have her try to come up with the occasional cover story, only for it to be kind of rubbish and simplistic, where she can't think of a backstory for the character she's just created.

I only became aware of Terry Crews from his small, but fun, role in The Newsroom. He was funny in that, in a more cynical way, but I felt he'd be a good comedic performer. And boy, is he! I love the inversion of the stereotype, with him being a big, tough, badass cop, yet he's also a doting father and husband, and a complete softy when it comes to the cops who work for him. An artist trapped in the body of a football player. Which is, I think, something Mr. Crews himself could identify with.

Andre Braugher can get a laugh out of any line at all. I'm almost sure of it. Like that Hitflix interview stated, it's all about the timbre of his voice and the way he paces his lines. There will always be something funny about a serious man saying or doing something ridiculous, and that's exactly the spot Holt hits, every time. He's the perfect straight man for anyone else on the show. And it works well because it means that everyone else has a chance to be the goofy one. Amy is Jake's straight (wo)man, a lot of the time, but she gets to be crazy around Holt. Terry is the mother hen of the precinct, but he gets to act more like a child with Holt as well. So I think those measured, limited opportunities he gets to be a bit more out there, like the "wassup" moment, work even better. Because they're surprising.

She's perfection. All the things you say she is, and more. I don't know if the writers knew how funny Melissa Fumero was when they cast her, but they certainly figured it out quickly. Amy could so easily be the girl everyone dislikes. On the show and in the audience, she could be considered tiresome and dour and no fun, thanks to the fact that she's the prim, buttoned-up partner to a goofball. But I think they've always done so well to keep her from drifting into a place where she seems truly disapproving of Jake. She doesn't spoil Jake's fun. Amy is fun, she's just fun on a more controlled, appropriate scale. After all, she was voted "most appropriate" in her high school yearbook. And yes, Melissa's facial expressions are a delight. Whether she's pretending to be a vulture or whether she's stuffing her face with cheeseburgers, she looks completely adorable.

Nothing will ever beat "Jolly green jizz-face" for blunt crudity. Selina really does have a way with words. And Dan, talking about Selina walking through the glass door, that they could find her if they "just follow[ed] the trail of her blood and Gary's tears".

Here's what I said on TWoP about this episode. Might as well paste it over here: Holt's breakup flashback? Amazing. I actually wish I was as emotionally bottled up as he is, if that's how easy it was to end an 8 year relationship. And also: "I got you your favourite breakfast. A plain bagel and water." "Don't try to soften me up." Andre Braugher killed it in this episode. And this was all before he even flirted with the judge. And before she showed how great he was at dancing. I absolutely cracked up at him saying, "guys, we're running out of time, what's the plan?" while boogying away. Braugher is amazing at that sort of restrained, physical comedy. And he's amazing at line deliveries and facial expressions. How is this the first sitcom he's ever done? Jake and Amy were great fun, as usual. I do feel the chemistry between them, and while I agree with a previous poster that it's not sexual, I think the potential for that is there. Loved how Amy was prepared to break a few rules, and even stand up to Captain Holt for Jake. And I loved the thrift store moment, because it showed again just how well she knows him. The sex tape titles made a return appearance, Amy gets into the play-acting a little (that's not a sextape title, by the way). Melissa Fumero is my absolute favourite. I thought they played Jake revealing his feelings really well. He was sheepish about it, and wasn't expecting her to fall into his arms or profess her own feelings. He just wanted to say it while he had a chance, and did so. Refreshing, when most shows have their leads just bottle everything up for years, leading to miscommunication, angst and misery. No clue where they'll pick up when Jake gets back (six months, huh? Handy that season 2 should be starting right around then), but it's certainly something that moves their relationship along. And it moves it along like they're two real people who are capable of communicating. This show is breaking new ground, right in front of us! I said all along that I thought Jake/Amy could be a less frustrating JD/Elliot, and I think the show is set up well for that, now. Their friendship is established, attraction is established (Amy might not have said anything, but I think Melissa Fumero is playing her as clearly attracted to Jake), and one of them has admitted it to the other. I hope they continue to avoid the obvious, and don't go down the route of, 'Amy likes Jake... and now he's suddenly got a girlfriend and has forgotten what he said to Amy'. "Eyes closed, head first, can't lose". Perfect. And I will always love it when Friday Night Lights is referenced in mainstream media. I didn't care for the flashes of Rosa/Boyle, and I really don't want that 'ship resurrected, because I don't see how any relationship between the two could be anything but a 'Boyle fixes Rosa's flaws', Pygmalion style tale. No thanks, on that one. Get Rosa a nice guy who's also as tough and badass as she is. And Boyle deserves someone who gets him, and can share his interests. I don't think the two of them could ever be compatible. And not in an 'opposites attract' kind of way, but in a 'they're going to really mess each other up because they're so different' kind of way. I don't mind that Vivian is gone, because I felt like she was a bit of an anchor on Boyle, in terms of narrative opportunities. I think there's plenty to explore with him dating and living his life, though I hope that doesn't involve Gina. That would be awful for Boyle. Best euphemism of the episode? "Sorry to hear about your hand." "Thanks. It makes it hard to manipulate my egg sack."