MagnusHex
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4x13: Final Grades
Ugh, shit is depressing (as expected). That is all. At least NaNa got out of the game (good redemption for Wee-Bey there walking tall like a man), but poor Randy's gonna be tormented the rest of his life, Duquan's probably gonna die in a few years, and as for Michael? I could see him taking Marlo's place tbh.
4.5/5
Season 5 looks great though in spite of the bad things I've heard of it. Of course McNulty's gonna drink again. Once a
junkiealcoholic, as they say..."He does NOT get to win; WE get to win!"
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4x13: Whitecaps
AKA the one that got all the Emmys. West Wing still got "Outstanding Drama" (probably a well-deserved one since it's Sorkin), but at least the writing team for Sopranos took it home in 2003.
I still remember, back in season 1, I would gripe about how wives in drama series like this would put up with all the cheating and the lying because otherwise, there wouldn't be a show. Mad Men would prove me wrong as Betty Draper pretty much just kicked Don out, but I'm glad to see Carmela finally put her foot down after four seasons. As AV Club noted, this one only works because it's been four seasons, with all the history and bullshit Carmela had to put up with. There's a lot of weight behind Carm's breakdown because she had long knew about all the cheating, and if memory serves, she had this conversation with Tony before, about Tony being unfaithful. However, I think Carm just had enough when she had such a confirmation thrown in her face in such a way that had her compared to Tony's one-legged goomah.
No disrespect to Svetlana. Honestly, it's as if she's on the wrong show as it feels like she has too much class to mix around with mafioso (I could picture her appearing in Mad Men for some reason), and not even quality mafioso, because let's face it: Tony is no Michael Corleone. Chrissy there with his stupid Scarface references in the past makes Tony's gang look even more ridiculous. Always with the scenarios.
Speaking of the cokehead, I'm guessing Chrissy's gonna die of overdose somewhere between season 5 and 6, more likely 6. Once a junkie, as they say.
But back to Carmela. Many have said that Carm's not exactly an innocent victim herself. That is true. Carmela does have her hypocritical moments... with justifiable reasons, I think. Maybe not good reasons, but there are some justifications for why Carmela is the way she is. I'm not sure how Carmela got dragged into a marriage with Tony, but I could imagine that she has regrets of her own as the years went on, wondering if she wasted her life away instead of someone better than Tony. That's the reason why I don't really think the argument against Carmela's "greed" really fits that well. I agree with it to a certain extent as Carmela has sabotaged Meadow before out of pride (reminds me of my own mother), but I still think "Carmela is a materialistic snob" is an overused argument against her. She has her moments of avarice, but I think it's just that she's stuck in this life for so long, missing escape hatches like the one Furio offered, that she felt that she deserved to be compensated for being in this prison that's the Sopranos home. There were so many chances for her to be truly happy, but she missed them, so she had to put up with the misery and get the most out of this terrible situation the best she could: with material gains.
But I think after Furio left, her final escape hatch, she just hit the breaking point and just got fed up with it. She was momentarily tempted by Tony's latest emerald ring in Whitecaps, but then she got reminded by the phone call that, wait a minute, you are just another goomah who means nothing. Maybe you get better gifts because you are the mother of his children, but that's it.
Long post short, this was a long time coming. I'm not even that mad that there wasn't much mob-killing (aside from silencing the hitmen) in the season finale because of just how well-written Carmela's split from Tony was, especially with the subtle way Meadow is included in the conversation (with the way she reminisced about all the times she was a brat and took her parents for granted). From the looks of things (and the trailer), season 5 is heating up to be more explosive, so there's always that waiting for me. Carmela in the trailer looks even more dolled up than before though, so there might be some truth to accusations of avarice against her. We'll see.
5/5
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2 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:
I’m guessing that they put the ‘gag’ episode as the finale so that the season wouldn’t have a downer ending.
From what I heard, it's to fill out the 22 episode quota. The fact that it's partially a clip show (and a poorly done one) further supports that theory.
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4x12: Blowing Smoke
All I will say is that I think Don took a big risk that was seemingly a poor business decision... but then again, as far as "business decisions" go, it's a bold move that catches people's attention, especially in 1965, when this kind of move would certainly catch those among the political sphere. When RFK supposedly made that call, I bought it because I genuinely feel that Don's actions could have that kind long term effect on people. That's the whole reason people go to Don Draper in the first place for their ad placement, big bold movements like this that catches people's attention.
Of course, for the short term, who knows? Just one more episode before the season finale and it looks like SCDP (or rather, SDP by this episode) will be having its swan song. Maybe Don could find a job working cars again. Then again, three more seasons, so I'm gonna predict that things will turn around and Don will get to be ad man again for a while, his career on temporary life support. Otherwise, there's no show. What else are we gonna tune into? Betty and her suburban bad mom home life? Christ, Betty makes me miss Skylar White.
Goodbye Faye, hello Megan. Shame. I like Faye. As many have said, she's a great fit for Don, not to mention one of the few living people who knows Don for whom he is.
Honestly, even without SDP, Pete could have survived on his own. The fact that he stayed should be considered a blessing for SDP. Pete's really come into his own over the past two seasons, his loyalty (perhaps a misplaced one) really gaining my respect for him. Despite Don's flaws, I like that he's at least wise enough to share that respect for Pete and recognizing his talents and tenaciousness in getting accounts. At his worst, Don can be a real piece of shit, but at his best, he can be a pragmatist who has a foul mouth but does right by his allies (unless those allies are women that aren't named Peggy maybe because he just can't help himself controlling his libido).
Speaking of the Pegster, I love that she thought she was gonna get fired and then breathed a sigh of relief when she found out she's safe. More so than Pete, SDP should thank their lucky stars for Peggy, kissing her feet for not going elsewhere (granted, Duck's offer was probably a dead end, but still). She's only second to Don in terms of talent.
5/5
A plot-heavy episode that moves at a good clip.
Edit: Right, Faye isn't gone yet, but from next episode's thumbnail, she probably will be soon.
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4x12: That's Got His Own
On 2/2/2023 at 2:40 PM, Zella said:Season 4 is one of the saddest things I've ever watched on TV. Some of the resolutions of those storylines still make me sick to my stomach when I think about them. It's very good, but it's not feel-good TV by any stretch of the imagination.
You weren't kidding. Goddammit, Bubs. I'm not really insightful when it comes to picking up subtle plot points in TV shows, but even I saw it coming, Sherrod's fate.
I read a YouTube comment that said that season 4 was about how the system failed just about everyone, not just the school and the students. Kima legit dumped Bubs on Herc the fuck up despite their history together, and Bubs got burned for it; Carcetti couldn't get shit done once he's on the mayor's seat; Carver failed Randy; Cutty didn't do much to help any of his boxers either this season, especially Michael; and of course, the entire school has a debt of almost 50 million dollars, forced to revert back whatever good will Bunny contributed once again. Everyone has failed on EVERY single level despite a whole lot of good intentions in the beginning.
Well, almost everyone anyway. Maybe Omar could get some payback on Marlo, or maybe Lester could actually pin those bodies on Marlo, but as far as I'm concerned, this season might as well be over, because taking down Marlo (a bandage solution) ain't gonna change much. The game is rigged, yo.
But damn, despite how depressing it is, I love this episode for just how many punches it landed on all the different aspects of Baltimore's broken system in a single episode alone. Things are finally coming to a head as I'm heading towards the season finale, Final Grades.
5/5
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4x21: The Ides of March
This was a very plot-heavy episode, but it's even better character-wise too, especially with Xena and Gabby coming to terms with their roles in life (more so Xena than Gabby since Gabster had accepted it a long time ago, but I think it's this episode where Xena really took the reins of "Way of the Warrior" despite Callisto's temptations).
I could see why it's such a beloved episode. But there's just onnnne little gripe... the next episode, the season finale, looks like a gag episode. For shame. I kinda just skipped ahead to spoil myself a little by looking at season 5's episode promo, and holy shit, the first episode looks amazing. Finally, we get to the Christian Heaven and Hell portion of the Xenaverse which this episode has been foreshadowing heavily with Callisto not mentioning a certain King of Hell. I have heard that people hated season 5, but I say bring on the heaven and hell, man, because I'm ready for Xena to fight Lucifer. It's gotta be more interesting than the letdown on the Hercules side of things where the later seasons were just devoid of Greek mythology gods (Herc didn't even get to fight the Titans by the end of season 5, only speak to one of them briefly). So far, I have enjoyed Xena's trips to the other lands beyond Greece because it just felt like both Hercules and Xena didn't know what else to do with Greek mythologies anymore (with Herc giving us discount Norse mythology at the time of airing of Xena S4), so what the heck, go beyond borders with problematic cultural appropriation that might not have dated all that well for all I care; I'm all for it.
Finally, Caesar has met his end. We all know Xena was never gonna be the one to end the king (because history), but still, I like this ending. It's shot well enough, and I liked the back-to-back parallels with Xena and Gabby being crucified during Caesar's own execution. You can clearly see here long before this point of time where the talents in cinematography went to between Hercules and Xena, but this ending is just yet another example of great editing and camera work in this show.
4.5/5
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On 7/22/2023 at 10:01 AM, Electricmastro said:
The episode “Shotgun” made me realize something. Walt describes the meth-making process as a “two-man operation”, but I never quite figured out why exactly that was.
why exactly is it a two-man operation anyway?
It's just easier with two people, but honestly, at that time, Walt was just talking out of his ass, making an excuse and throwing a tantrum to get Jesse back. Tyrus showed him that it could be done with one person.
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Mad Men: 4x7: The Suitcase
I really like this one. Strong character drama between Don and Peggy, and it feels like Don has really opened up to her. Their relationship dynamic is certainly an interesting one on this show, because Peg's not just one of the secretaries Don's never slept with, but she's probably also one of the few who could butt heads with Don and still come out on top. She stood by her principles and makes no apologies, unlike the others who have argued with Don (like Roger, for example, who tends to give into Don after an argument).
And it's different from Betty too, because Betty might win the argument, but she feels more like a child throwing a tantrum. Peggy's anger feels more relatable (and reasonable too, in the case of this episode, but also in a number of other cases when she got angry in the past; she's usually in the right when she's angry about something). I also like how she could throw her punches but also lends a soft touch to Don in his darkest hour. And the fact that Don has shown her his vulnerable side makes me intrigued how this relationship's gonna grow from here. Feels like an important episode in terms of character growth.
As for Peggy's mother, Christ. I don't blame Peggy for getting angry at all. I would've screamed at my mother. But I've said enough about that in the past. Same about Peggy's reaction to Don. I love Don's "EXCUSE ME?" at Peggy's "You're just going to change it anyway" mumble because that's probably how my boss would have reacted to my grumbles.
5/5
Haven't enjoyed a Mad Men episode this much for a while now.
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4 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:
There's tons of things that happen in the 60s and most of them get passing mentions, because peoples' lives aren't centered on whatever is in the news. The JFK assassination stopped regular life even for these people. Like, how would Malcolm X's assassination come up with the characters on the show at all besides somebody mentioning it? They're not in the civil rights movement or aggressively opposing it.
Yeah, I guess. Like I said, what you said makes sense on a narrative level. I guess I just got a little spoiled by the inclusion of JFK and wanted to see more of the historical events blend together with the story. Narratively speaking, you might be right about how it wouldn't make logical sense for Peggy and the others to talk about Malcolm X, but I guess I had the wrong impression of what the show's gonna be like when tying in historical context of the '60s. Ah well. Maybe this show's not for me.
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43 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:
But really, why would he get any focus? Isn't his name drop even Peggy questioning if Stan even knows who he is? The show doesn't mention things the characters wouldn't mention.
I guess it makes sense when you put it that way why a white person like JFK got multiple episodes of focus (and Malcolm X not). But then again, there's that "Mad Men did MLK assassination justice" I've been hearing about, so there's that. It just stood out to me (and a few other articles too in fact that called out on this missed opportunity) that MLK got a big highlight and the other big name of the civil rights movement... did not.
Then again, I'm probably of the minority who just watch Mad Men for the "Hey, it's the '60s!" moments rather than the soap opera. The soapey stuff about Don's multiple affairs and his struggles to keep his identity hidden is cool and all, but that gets stale after a while. I don't even pay much attention to all the advertisement jargons this show likes to throw around a lot as it escapes me easily.
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4x04: The Rejected
I kinda feel bad for Allison despite a lot of complaints I found online about how annoying she was. I mean, it couldn't be clearer to me that Don was the dick here, and remained a dick to the bitter end when she resigned, even if it was unintentional. For someone so intelligent, Don could be awfully thick when it comes to women. Even if it wasn't clear that Allison just wanted Don to write something nice about her in a testimonial, shoving the responsibility of writing said testimonial onto Allison and only offering to sign it like it wasn't his problem just felt so... insensitive.
And yes, I get why Peggy was mad - Allison's implication that Pegs slept her way up was... yikes - but dang, I think she could've at least let Allison down a little more gently instead of just, "Not my problem." Must've taken sensitivity lessons from Don.
Despite all I've said though, I'm mad at Don not just because of what he did to Allison, but because he was so close to having a character development when he typed that letter, perhaps mellowing out and realizing his dickish ways of '60s playboyism, and then NOPE, he just stopped there. Guess we have like, what? Two more seasons to go? Oh well.
Oh, and Malcolm X barely gets a mention. FOR SHAME! JFK got a whole episode, and even MLK gets a bigger highlight later on according to what I heard, but Malcolm gets a name-drop. lol
I like this episode though, especially with the melancholic scene at the end between Peggy and Peter as they go on their separate paths (both in their lives and their careers), and that cool rave Peggy went to with her newfound artsy friends. More than anything I've enjoyed this episode, I think Don did feel regret for what he did to Allison, and that remorse did get him to almost be human again instead of his Don Draper facade, and I quite enjoyed that emotional struggle Don went through, even if it's starting to get pretty repetitive by the fourth season. AV Club's Noel Murray called it a "creative stagnation" where the character's existential crisis arc repeats from season to season with minor variations like House M.D. (another show I enjoyed for its existential crisis, but Noel has a point about the repetition).
Let's call it 4/5
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Watching "A Tale of Two Muses". It really needs a scene like this, with a track that's just as energetic too. lol
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4x5: A Good Day
Yeah, season 4 definitely has a bumpy road ahead, with comedic fillers in between serious moments ruining the characterization and the tension of it all.
That rather small complaint aside... this was a freaking amazing episode. It's easily one of my top 10 episodes thus far. I love the themes of war, how sacrifices had to be made for peace, and especially how Gabrielle had to struggle with her own pacifism potentially (albeit indirectly) causing not just the death of an innocent, but bloodied the hands of one too when young Temecula killed, possibly out of revenge. On a semi-unrelated note, all this talk of justice and killing just reminds me of that visual novel, Full Metal Daemon: Muramasa that also talked about the difference between justice and murder... even murder in the name of justice. I'm not judging Gabby here, but what I'm saying is it's a tough moral line to walk, and I love the greyness of it all in this episode.
Also, poor Phlanagus just wanted to earn a living, something that's a true motivation for soldiers both past and present (but especially in the past, I'd imagine when job opportunities might be more scarce and a lot more men were sword-for-hire). It's a great way to add yet another meaningful context to a pretty heavy episode. I cried my eyes out not just for Gabby and her having to suffer yet another death on her conscience (Renee killing it as always), but also for Phlanagus and his family (Phlanagus might as well be an allegory for all the soldiers who died in war for the sake of peace). There's just so much to unpack there in that last scene.
Xena didn't get to fight Caesar much this episode, which is a little bit disappointing, but considering how amazing the rest of the episode already is (including Xena's brilliant strategizing that I enjoyed watching), it's a minor nitpick.
4.5/5
Next episode looks like a parody of Footloose. Dear lord...
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1x29: Operation -- Annihilate!
So many good moments here: Scotty being a badass against Spock, Bones and Spock's bromance, and of course, that eerie creature that's reminiscent of the Facehugger from Alien. Plus, we even have a "ruthless calculus" moment when Spock and Bones debated over sacrificing a million to save a billion. Always love discussions like that, even if it's merely briefly touched on rather than it being the main focus of the episode.
And speaking of that lack of focus, this episode does feel a little crowded with the many good ideas they have, like how the sub-plot of Kirk's brother (whose existence and especially his death should have been a bigger deal) just popped in and out abruptly without contributing much to the plot. Like, is Sam even brought up again in the future of the series? Why couldn't they just get Kirk's best friend from highschool or something?
However, the aforementioned highlights were good enough that the episode remained entertaining, especially when we get to see Spock struggling with the human side of him.
A nice end to the season, if not perfect.
4/5
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2x17: Lock-Up
With this season that focused on villain reform and Batman's display of compassion for his rogues, it's little surprise that we would reach a point where the antithesis of this theme appears, with someone finally calling out the appalling rate of repeated offenders. Of course, with Batman, things are rarely so black and white, and this argument of authoritarianism is countered by Batman, whose own methods have also been questioned. The last few episodes have already shown that Bruce is more than happy if his villains become ordinary mundane citizens again, so this episode might be beating a dead horse, but I feel like the lack of subtlety in Lock-Up's point (and his edgy '90s costume) is necessary to further reinforce Batman's true goal of making Gotham a better place for everyone, his villains included.
The only weak point of the episode might be Lock-Up. He's a one-dimensional plot-device serving the singular purpose of debating with Batman on villain reform, but nothing else. His costume looks goofy af too. But honestly, I didn't even notice these flaws till after I finished the episode, so they're obviously not glaring enough.
4/5
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Well, they finally gave Eve a relatable motive. Alas, too little too late, and she's dead anyway. Yet another pretty female villain that got slaughtered quickly without getting any decent substance for her character (plus Anora...). Those who called this show misogynic must've had a field day with this episode.
But you have to admit... that was an epic (and clever) way to kill off whom we had assumed to be the Big Bad. Dean's method of execution of Eve almost makes up for the episode.
Plus, it's just a generally fun episode with some nice jokes (Cas' butt burn joke). I also like how the strength of Dean and Sam's relationship as brothers was subtly (very subtly) put on display here as they brought the kid brothers home. Dean and Sam didn't need to say a word to each other, just an exchange of smiles as they're reminded of their own sibling and how far they've both come.
Speaking of the little monsters... damn. I knew they were gonna meet with some awful fate, but seeing children come into harm just always feels uncomfortable.
Cas becoming more brutal and possibly turning to the dark side. There's been foreshadowing of this, so I was expecting it. And obviously, Crowley couldn't die since he appears in later seasons (I think?). None of this is surprising, but you have to admit, it's been a hodgepodge of ideas thrown in this season, lacking a strong consistent theme or arc. From Samless to Skinner Campbell, then Eve and now Cas and Crowley again. A season with multiple plot/character elements could work, but only if they gel together. Let's hope later episodes would gel them somehow.
3.5/5
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1x33: Mr. Bevis
Gotta admit, I connected more with this episode than with "Trumpet", probably because I can be quite a clumsy screw-up like Mr. Bevis here, but also because I know that feeling of wanting to live your life your own way against social norms. I'm also renting a cheap apartment and at risk of not having a job in another month (currently working a two months contract part-time job), so Bevis' woes are frighteningly familiar to me like a close friend. Also, he's not talented with anything like in "Trumpet" (unless you count his overall amicable and upbeat personality, and maybe his model-crafting). He also doesn't get a girlfriend. Perfectly realistic and perfectly relatable. All in all, I feel like I see myself more in Bevis than Joey, which should be ironic as Joey's written to be an everyday average Joe, whereas Bevis is supposed to be an eccentric goof.
All very relatable... that is, of course, save for the racist clock... What is up with that clock? And it's used as the end credits screenshot too. Guess Serling didn't quite get what "blackface" was yet.
I also like that the Guardian Angel gave Bevis a taste of luxury. If it was me, I'd prefer to just abandon my old self and live in riches, but then again, I don't know if I'd be able to abandon all my friends I've chatted with on the Internet, for example. Or maybe I'd be so busy working I'd have no time for movies and TV shows anymore, like the Twilight Zone. So this episode rings true in that regard as well: leaving your old self behind and sacrifice the simple pleasures in your life for luxury and riches? Perhaps not as ideal as one might think.
4/5 (-1 for racist clock)
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1x26: The Devil In The Dark
Just three episodes away from the season finale. Usually, this is the part where the TV promos go crazy, but this being an episodic kind of series, there's none of that. But I digress.
This was another solid one. My favorite part of the episode was, naturally, how they cleverly made the episode feel like a monster movie. Let's face it - it's Ridley Scott's Alien but on an even cheaper budget. What's clever, however, is how it subverts everything. The monster is just a protective mother, and Spock's Lance Henriksen Weyland-Yutani role as the "We must capture the monster alive!" scientist was quickly subverted when Jim's life was put in danger. If only John Hurt got to communicate with the Xenomorph. Who knows what might happen? The fact is, this is what separates Star Trek from Star Wars: the diplomacy, whereas in Wars, the good guys would just fry the aliens and be granted a medal of honor, hailed as heroes. But I digress.
Another brilliant subversion here is Kirk, the usual shoot-first type like Han Solo, but instead chose diplomacy instead (whereas Spock, who suggested capturing the Horta alive at first, encouraged Kirk to defend his life by killing the alien). This is merely one of many stark displays of Kirk as more than just a mindless brute who goes around shooting everybody. He forces the gun when necessary, but lends a hand when given the choice. Of course, if his crew is threatened, however... you better duck and hide.
And let's not forget McCoy, 'coz I usually do. Him being the skeptic to Spock and then smiling with so much glee when he found a way to heal the Horta was a delight. "Jim, I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!" DeForest Kelley always makes McCoy a pleasant presence to be around. Even Leonard Nimoy's mind-melding with the Horta, which could have easily been campy were it a lesser actor doing it, felt believable and emotional. Great performances all around.
Let's call this one a 5/5.
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On 10/22/2023 at 6:27 AM, Annber03 said:
Yeah, Klugman's another one who was such a regular player on this series, and like Burgess Meredith or any other actors who popped up a few times on this show, is one whose episodes are always worth watching, because he's just that compelling an actor :). I like that there were some actors that this show frequently brought back - it adds an interesting element of continuity of sorts, and it also speaks to how much they must've really liked/respected the actor and their work, to where they wanted to use them as often as possible. And clearly this show was a great step in Klugman's larger career, too, so hey :).
Yeah, but if you use an actor one too many times, it becomes jarring sometimes when they step into another role. I felt that way with another less well-made anthology series, American Horror Story.
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2x16: Harley's Holiday
Despite the fact that we've been getting nothing but villain reform storylines for almost the entirety of this season, it's still an effective storyline that I've been asking for earlier, so I can't complain. 😂And you can see how well it works too this episode, with Batman finally going out of his way to not just cram criminals into Arkham like sardines, but attempt to reform and rehabilitate them as well. Bats and Harley's relationship here is both amusing and compelling, with him trying to bring back the former Harleen Quinzel back.
It's also a pretty fun episode too that moves at a good clip. Tanks! Harley walking the streets with her pet hyenas! Mafia action! Robin slapping thugs silly with fishes! Harley's attempts to be a good person again is also admirable, if painful to watch because of how a simple misunderstanding led her down the usual path again.
Overall, another solid entry.
4.5/5
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Yeah, this episode was kinda a dud for me, mostly because of its squandered potentials. The legendary Sam Colt was underused, the Phoenix doesn't rise from the ashes and is another boring CW-budget humanoid, and I also wish they spent more time pondering on whether the Phoenix's revenge spree was justified and whether he deserves to be spared (which is the kind of theme you'd expect to be explored on a western).
It's still a fun episode in parts. I also like that the plot with the Mother of All Monsters is finally moving with them finding the McGuffin they were searching for (instead of letting Dean's search be in vain and drag the plot on for several episodes). Also, this episode is pretty much Jared Padalecki's Texas Ranger audition tape, so that's neat. Dean geeking out on westerns is fun too, even if a little borrowed from Back to the Future 3.
Let's call it a 3/5.
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1x32: Passage for Trumpet
Often hailed as one of the greatest TZ episodes ever, but all I had was a bitter memory of it. I remember I first watched it when I was in a dark place, existentially speaking. I felt a lack of worth, and the fact that Joey Crown was moping despite having a talent for music really didn't help me feel better, as I didn't have talent for nothing, and I didn't have those "good friends" Joey had in life, or just anything much to appreciate for either.
Fast forward a decade, and the episode still isn't an easy viewing because not much has changed for me. But I think I've gained a better appreciation for it, its beautiful message of appreciating the good things in your life and just keep on pushing through the hardships. The fact that Joey easily got into a relationship at the end still felt a little too easy, but I guess Joey earned it, especially due to Jack Klugman's fine performance (that everyone who praised this episode also praised) as a sympathetic trumpeter just down on his luck. If he didn't sell the character, and if we don't sympathize, the episode wouldn't work.
The pacing of the episode moves at a good clip too, with very little filler content in between. Almost every part of the script serves to move Joey from Point A (his despair and his explanation why he feels that way) to Point B (his journey into enlightenment with Gabriel).
Overall, a solid episode.
4.5/5
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1x25: This Side of Paradise
This was a solid one. The concept laid the foundation well enough for the real appeal of the episode: exploring Spock's love life as a happy hippie. There's not much to say beyond that because the whole entertaining part of the hour is seeing a potential scenario where Spock could actually let his emotions grant him some form of happiness, even if it's, as George Takei put it in the VHS intro, "The crew on LSD."
Of course, happiness is a state of mind, and as evident from Sandoval's horror upon "waking up," the spores merely granted an illusional state of happiness. But that ambiguity is the fascinating part and why I love this show: the question of whether they were truly happy is up in the air. It's not like they were stuck in violent brawls everyday like Return of the Archons; most they suffered from was sloth.
Memorable lines include Kirk and McCoy's exchange when Kirk first found out about Spock's spore-state: "I thought you said you might like him if he mellowed a little," said Kirk to McCoy. Heh.
4.5/5
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2x15: Second Chance
I really dig this one. Aside from just being yet another really excellent episode focusing on the reform of a compelling Batman villain, it's also the episode that puts any Robin critics thus far to silence as he shows his competency to be more than just Batman's "kid sidekick." It's a neat little slice of self-awareness that I appreciate.
Bruce and Harvey's relationship continues to be as tragic as ever. If any one of Batman villains deserve reform the most, it's perhaps Harvey, whose deformed state Batman clearly felt guilty for. In Batman's dark hour, however, a Robin had his back with him peppy cheer, especially when he probably understands how your judgment can be clouded by such a personal stake.
It's just an all around excellent character study for Bruce, Dick and Harvey. Harv's obsession with relying on the coin for answers is on full display here with him being at his most manic state I've seen thus far on the show, practically going into a panic attack when the coin couldn't give him his much needed answer. It's a nice pitiable display of how far gone Harvey is.
For what it's worth, at least Harvey knows ol' reliable Bruce will always have his friend's back.
5/5
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The Wire - General Discussion
in The Wire
Nah, he didn't. I just gave him one out of a whim.