Danielg342

Two words: "Tru Wuv". I'm sorry to hear about The Wild Boar. *hugs* My only memory of him was that you told me he fell asleep during the same Criminal Minds episode that I also fell asleep trying to watch. Anyway, I can't promise I'll be as fiery and as compelling a debater as the Boar was, but at least I'll try to be as engaging as I can be. :) As for my mistakes- one, I think I'm too used to hearing and knowing about the Medic Alert jewelry as "bracelets" that I never seemed to register that in this episode, it was a necklace. I used to see Medic Alert ads all the time as a kid, and they were- to my knowledge- always portrayed as bracelets. I also had no idea what an Airstream was before it was pointed out to me here on the forum, and it was a throwaway line that I half listened to so I must have used my intuition to fill in the gaps from what I heard with what I didn't hear. I should have realized Vince buying a trailer makes more sense than a log cabin.

I understand that part and I'm not personally agreeing with Polanski's decision to flee. However, my point was simply that I can understand why Polanski felt this was a betrayal, since judges rarely disregard plea deals. Like Tate, since Judge Rittenbrand is also dead, all we have left are Polanski's words about the judge. I understand that there are conflicting reports about what Rittenbrand would have done- some say Rittenbrand might have figuratively thrown the book at Polanski while others think he may have still honoured the plea deal in spirit but tack-on a small amount of extra time so Rittenbrand could personally save face. For sure, Polanski complicated his own legal issues by fleeing instead of reacting to what Rittenbrand would have done and I would agree that he should have faced what was coming instead of trying to duck it. That said, I at least understand why he felt he needed flee even if I don't agree with it.

My high school did a production of Woody Allen's God in 1997 that I was a part of. My teachers concluded that even though Allen wasn't a great person he had an undeniable talent for comedy. That's my view too- God (which my school watered down) is one of the funniest things I've ever read. It doesn't excuse what Allen has done, though, not in the least. As for Michael Jackson… I know my perspective might not align with many others, but I genuinely believe he was more misunderstood and naïve than criminal. Despite multiple investigations that ultimately cleared him, there’s no actual evidence that he was anything more than an overgrown child at heart. I think he believed that what he did with the children he befriended was just friendly and innocent, something any child would experience with any close friend. That said, Jackson should have known better about certain behaviors, like offering alcohol or sharing a bed with kids. His eccentricity, pomposity, and flamboyance also didn’t do him any favors in the public eye. Still, I’m cautious about calling him a criminal. I see him as a person who was unusual, perhaps naïve, and certainly not entirely innocent in his actions, but I do believe he’s one of the few people who got a raw deal in life. I know many will disagree, and while I’m open to different views, I think we’ll likely have to agree to disagree. This is where I stand, though.

I'm not complaining about the bare arms and skin. I just think these days Hollywood tries too hard to have its women avoid showing skin at all even when it would make sense for them to do so. Skin doesn't have to mean "sexy" and "sexy" doesn't have to be bad either. I would also agree that Sharon looked particularly good in this episode too.

I would agree. To be clear, I'm not using his trauma as any kind of excuse for his behaviour. I just think of it as a matter of interest, because we wonder what makes a monster. In Polanski's case, it's likely his childhood trauma fed the vileness he succumbed to. What I understand is that Polanski's lawyer assured him that the judge was going to sentence Polanski to the terms agreed to in the plea bargain- a psych evaluation and time served- but then the judge, Laurence J. Rittenbrand (who died in 1993 at the age of 88), changed his mind at the last second. So Polanski fled, not wanting to serve the prison sentence. Now, I don't know if Polanski had the option to fight the sentence or not, but I find it understandable that Polanski may have felt betrayed by Rittenbrand. For what it's worth, the victim in that case, Samantha Geimer (nee Gailey) has stated she feels that Polanski suffered enough from the case and that Rittenbrand did more harm than good with his actions. Make of that what you will.

Just when you thought things might actually get better... ...we get another edition of "Characters Being Stupid to Move the Plot!" I had thought, after S1's ridiculous ending, the writers had learned their lesson...but there was Bode, stealing the fallen firefighter's Medic Alert bracelet. I suppose we don't actually know if Jake discovering the bracelet was an accident or intentional on Bode's part. ...but the whole thing, on Bode's and Gabriella's part, was just absolutely stupid. Who writes this stuff? What paramedic worth her salt misses a Medic Alert bracelet? The only answer I have is "one that needs to move a plot on a badly written TV show". I suppose Bode's act is an act of "noble sacrifice", akin to taking the fall for Freddy, but Bode didn't have to actually steal the bracelet- he could have just admitted that it came off in the explosion and he later found it on the ground. Of course, that's before we get to the fact that Bode wouldn't be put in that situation if Gabriella wasn't stupid in the first place. Which underscores this episode's real problem. I hate episodes like this, where the storyline has only one direction for it to go or else the show's writers look stupid. I mean, what else is Bode going to do if he doesn't get into the Cadet program? Building an entire episode on the question of whether or not he gets in is false drama at its purest and makes the episode a slog because you're just sitting there watching the episode hoping the writer just does the right thing. The episode would have been far better if the story started with Bode starting the Cadet program at the beginning, and we see Bode going through the rigours of the program. We may still get that, because apparently the first stage was boring written assignment and the second stage are actual physical drills. ...but still... This was supposed to be the episode where I presume Bode meets a false love interest in Audrey and we could have used Stage One to build on their potential relationship. Instead, Audrey is simply there to bizarrely ask the "tough" questions and we have- what I hope, because who knows- fake drama surrounding the Medic Alert bracelet. Yawn. The episode's only other real takeaway was that I was right in that Manny's punch would lead to a stint at Three Rock. That storyline was a bit better crafted because the District Attorney's decision was supposed to come out as a shock and it was played like one. Plus, seeing Vince, Sharon and Eve- among many others- come to bat for Manny was a nice, touching moment. Oh, well...I guess there was another takeaway, a small one, in that Vince bought a log cabin and Sharon bought Smokie's and Vince made a great quip about their future being in bottomless debt. ...and Vince also made a good quip about Eve, Jake and Bode singing off-key, which I'm sure is a callback to Billy Burke's actual musical career. If anyone would know about singing off-key, it would be Burke. Anyhow... I guess I should also say Rick is now demanding to see Genevieve and reveal the truth to her. I mean, it happened...but there's not much to say here other than "we'll need to see where this goes". One last point before I close this off- was it just me or were Sharon and Gabriella showing more skin off than they usually do? I'm not complaining about it in the least- it's just seems odd because it's not a common visual.

I want to say that Gamble's story is getting some legs and that this was a bit of an innovative approach to the "obstructive bureaucrat" storyline that police procedurals often use. ...but... Something's a bit off. First, the case. About the only real highlight was Deputy Doubs (Emerson Brooks) reconnecting with Deacon and working through their baggage, although Doubs' appearance was very plot convenient. Still, Brooks and Jay Harrington actually came off as former partners and old buddies that had a lot of baggage between them, so I'll give them credit for that. I had the Sheriff's Gang Unit as obstructive bureaucrats right from the start. I didn't think they'd actually be the criminals in this episode, so that's a bit of an innovative twist. It's not really novel because a lot of police procedurals do the "dirty cop" storylines, and the Sheriff's unit didn't exactly come across as very likeable. So even if the show thought it was clever with its twist, they still bungled things by telegraphing how bad the Sheriff's deputies were. I'll give the storyline this much- it did give us a chance to see Hicks in action again, which is always great to see. It also helped move the Gamble storyline along. Which...I guess has potential. To be fair, Annie Illonzeh performed her role very well and her acting performance was so strong that i think she's earned a spot as a regular on this show. ...but I worry about what Gamble will do once her introductory storyline concludes, because I'm not sure it has a lot of legs. I mean, once Gamble proves herself that she's a real cop and that she's not a criminal like her other family members are, where does she go? I also have to question the wisdom of the show deciding to ramp up Gamble's story in episode 2. Illonzeh may be a recurring character who is only being considered for a regular's role but I still figured Gamble's storyline could take up the whole season, and maybe it should. There's no reason to ramp things up in Episode 2 when we have a full season order of 22 episodes to work with. I feel like this should have been a midseason finale kind of episode with all the tension it brought to the fore. Then the Sheriff's deputies could have been made into more formidable opponents and the sense of Gamble's "point of no return" would have had more impact. It could have also opened more narrative possibilities with perhaps a mistake by Gamble making the operation go sideways and make everyone really question where her loyalties lie...and give the Sheriff's deputies a bit more depth since they could at least say to SWAT, "we were right". Still, I'm intrigued where this could go, despite my reservations. Illonzeh did her job and I think she's earned a spot full-time, which I think may be more important down the road. Hopefully the writers craft more storylines for her that are worthy of her performance.

When a spree of brutal stash house robberies spills into Los Angeles, the team joins with the sheriff's department's gang unit to unmask a violent crew who leaves no witness alive.

Not that I am excusing Roman Polanski's behaviour, but I would imagine he's very depressed and has been for the past 60 or so years of his life. He described his marriage to Sharon Tate as the happiest years of his life, and he probably agonizes how he was away from her and couldn't protect her- or, perhaps, die with her at the hands of Charlie Manson's cronies. Further, the 1960s and 1970s were the time when Polanski's career took off, meaning you have a man who's depressed suddenly having to deal with the immense trappings of fame. That's a disaster waiting to happen, and it's no surprise that it did. When you factor in the fact that depression supports in the '60s and '70s are likely not what they are today and that Polanski likely grew up with the "boys don't cry mentality" and you have the perfect storm for all kinds of terrible things. Even further, Polanski didn't remarry until 1989. There are likely plenty more skeletons in his closet that we do not know about. I reiterate, there is no excusing what Polanski did. He may have been very depressed and found fame difficult to cope with, but he chose to manifest his depression by engaging with underage women and he did not have to do that. Millions of men from the same period have gone through similar struggles that he did and they didn't become rapists. I'm certainly not making any apologies for Polanski's many transgressions- the ones we know and don't know about. Still, I think when you examine Polanski's story, it's important to remember the context. He's like the Hollywood archetype villain in a way- you still don't like him, you still want to see him go down, but you can at least understand where he's coming from and why he's been so vile in the first place. So...yeah, I'd say Roman Polanski truly is suffering. It's just that he chose to respond to that suffering in all the wrong ways.

To my understanding, Manny wasn't on the run right after he punched Luke. The decision to charge him was merely delayed until after Manny was finished with that megafire, only after which Manny was on the run and we had that whole drama of "would he be at Gabriella's wedding or not?" I'm not sure that would have been accurate- assuming the police were called to the gala, they would have arrested Manny in the aftermath of the punch and he'd at least spend the night in jail, after which he'd be out on bail. For some reason, the show went a different track even though I'm not sure it would have been necessary. There might have been. I seem to recall something in Manny's locker, now that you mention it. Manny could also face fallout from the drug ring that Bode was accused of running and foolishly admitted to doing just to save Freddy. It's a bit of a mess but my hope is that we'll get some clarity in the coming weeks.

The California Penal Code says that the penalty is six months in jail or a fine, or both. So, in theory, Manny should escape major punishment. However, I'm sure this will all be a ploy to put Manny in Three Rock as an inmate so they can have a "role reversal" where Bode volunteers at Three Rock and overseas Manny, in contrast to Season One. In which case maybe something else will stick to Manny too.

Punching Luke at the "save Three Rock" fundraising gala from last season. Despite the fact Luke was not interested in pressing charges, the District Attorney decided to file charges anyway, so Manny got arrested for it. It might sound odd, but this is one of those cases where the show actually got the legal technicalities right. In decisions concerning the different kinds of criminal assault, the decision to charge rests solely with the prosecutor. Now, in many cases, if the prosecutor doesn't get the victim's co-operation (which sadly happens a lot in these instances) the prosecutor may decide not to file charges since the prosecutor may feel without the victim's involvement and testimony the charges won't stick. However, there is no ironclad rule that says the prosecutor cannot pursue charges without the victim's consent. In Manny's and Luke's case, Manny's punch occurred at a party with lots of other witnesses and it may have even been recorded too (since the Governor was at that gala as were the Three Rock inmates). I suppose, since this is going to be a pretty big story going forward, we're going to get more details and likely a trial too for Manny, so we'll see exactly why the prosecutor pursued charges despite Luke not wanting to do so.

"You have to keep Bode and Gabriella apart...they will ruin each other!" Yawn. Sure Manny...they'll ruin each other...until it's time for the final scene of this entire series where Gabriella walks down the aisle and marries Bodie and everyone lives happily ever after. Because that's how these things work. Somewhere, I'm sure, in the FC writers' room there is at least one writer- maybe more than one- that thinks "Bodella" is one of the greatest love stories of all time. You know what, maybe they're right, even though "bad guy falls for the good girl" is an overdone story and a well-worn trope. However, "Bodella" isn't a story...it's just a series of incidents that the writers are awkwardly putting together and claiming it's some kind of narrative. All while insulting our intelligence because this show's unspoken- and sometimes spoken- endgame is Bode+Gabriella in some form or another. Which is why all this drama really falls flat...because it's really just window dressing for a love story the writers have no idea what to tell. The only thing it accomplishes is that it takes away from the strengths of this show and that's the show's obvious camaraderie that the characters have built amongst each other. Fire Country is also capable of being able to tell good stories because their writers at least understand that the characters need meaningful depth to have any kind of resonance. ...and when they don't force those characters into awkward situations, they can tell those beautiful stories. I mean, the look on Jake's face when he realizes the potential reality of his situation with Genevieve says everything. He's not her real father but he's practically her father...so he should keep custody of Genevieve...but how can he stand in the way of her bio father, who's cleaned up his life and is worthy of fatherhood? I was worried the show would use the helicopter crash as an excuse to kill of Genevieve and/or Rick, but thanfully the show didn't go there. Now we'll see where this story goes, and this is one that I'm actually intrigued in. Unlike the one storyline the show is trying too hard for me to get behind.

The "Miko" business was pretty funny. I knew at some point we'd pull into Niko Pepaj's actual roots (he is Serbian) at some point. It was also a nice way for us to learn how "Deacon" really started. Maybe Miko will learn to get used to it too. The case...well, there are some good marks for the relationship between Hondo and his old football coach but otherwise it was dull. I appreciate the attempt by the writers to do something a bit "different" with the usual "save-the-kids" storyline, but this one made not a lick of sense. For supposedly really smart and really trained terrorists, you'd think they'd have a better plan than to kidnap a bunch of kids- ensuring that all of the state's resources are out after them before anyone knows who the terrorists really are- as a diversion to robbing a bank one of the terrorists used to work for. I mean, with hacking the way it is, they don't even need to kidnap the kid or the mother of the bank's security expert- they can just get that information themselves. Now, maybe I've missed a few points because the story didn't engage me enough for me to really pay attention to it, but that appeared to be their (nonsensical) plan. Worse, really, the story balance was just...off. The writer placed so much emphasis on the kids while the main part of the robbers' narrative was the bank. The kids were really incidental to the whole plot. It would have made for a far better episode and a far stronger story if the writer picked one plot- the bank heist or the abducted kids- and leaved it at that. Heck, a story wrapped around homeless protesters kidnapping kids of barely-getting-by parents just to further their agenda would make a great story and should be the kinds of stories that this show should pursue. There's no need to reinvent the wheel, even in Season 8. Lastly, there's the new girl. Devin Gamble, played by Annie Ilonzeh. Annie did well enough and she seems to have some nice chemistry with Miko, but the character needs some work. I'm just not buying her supposed "flaw"- the fact her family are criminals- as one that will make her character really interesting. It just feels like a character detail the writers lazily put on her thinking it gives her depth when it adds nothing to her character because it will hardly show up in stories. Unless Gamble starts to use criminal instincts in episodes- and they're shown to both be positive and negative at times- there's not much there to make Gamble truly interesting. Of course, it's still early, so we'll see if things get better. Especially for Miko. :P

Via SpoilerTV:

Via SpoilerTV:

I don't know how many have been following the saga of Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia (FKA Nikki Bella) but their story has taken a new twist: Artem Chigvintsev Scores Legal Wins in Nikki Garcia (Bella) Divorce Case (tmz.com) In August, Artem was arrested for domestic violence. The two filed for divorce. Nikki filed a restraining order. Artem fired back and said Nikki was really the abuser. Nikki wanted full custody of their only kid, four year old Matteo, along with Artem getting supervised visitation rights. Today, a judge quashed the restraining order, ordered joint custody and said Artem does not need supervision when he sees Matteo. The divorce trial is set for December.

My childhood takes a hit...I used to love Nori's band, Treble Charger. I just hope Deryck Whibley is doing better now, because he was in a rough spot for quite some time.

I think the Garth Brooks situation highlights and emphasizes the need to "wait and see" and not rush to conclusions. There are plenty of reasons why Brooks and his accuser are acting the way they are, and the reasons for both need not be nefarious or malicious in intent. I always believed in never taking a side and having the philosophy of "trust but verify". You trust what both parties are saying is their honest representation of the truth but you look into what was said and see what sticks and what doesn't. It's also important to remember that in cases like these, where it's essentially "he said-she said", we rarely ever do find out the actual truth. If a settlement stops the details from coming out in court, then we need to remember that a court doesn't adjudicate "the truth". The court just adjudicates the validity of the claim brought before it. Since court cases are hardly ever cut and dry, often we're left with a decision that still leaves a lot left to interpretation.

There are are always exceptions, and a lot depends on one's perception, I'll grant. As for Johnny Depp, I think public opinion was initially against him until the trial came around and we heard the details. In any case, I can't blame Garth Brooks for at least fearing that, if he didn't fight to clear his name, his reputation would get tarnished beyond repair. Whether or not his fears have a realistic chance of happening is immaterial- it's reasonable fear for him to have, especially being a celebrity whose career depends on his reputation.

Just for the record, a man like Garth Brooks would need makeup because it would help maintain a "clean" look. It's less about making Brooks as beautiful as possible and more about making sure that, when he's on stage or in front of the camera, he doesn't look like he just rolled out of bed and came to the studio (even if that may be what he actually did that day). Since Brooks makes a lot of media appearances, it makes sense for him to have a makeup artist on his payroll. Maybe this MUA has been spreading rumours about Brooks and he's fed up with it. Maybe the MUA secretly had a crush on Brooks and retaliated when Brooks refused her advances. Maybe the MUA hates Trisha Yearwood. Who knows. There is likely a lot more to this story than what we've been told. At the very least, I can understand why Brooks may have moved to quash the lawsuit without the reasons being nefarious. Sure, he could settle, and part of those terms could include a statement where Brooks "admits to no wrongdoing", but you know what the public is like. People will see that Brooks got sued for sexual assault and automatically assume that he did it, and skip the details. I'm sure there already are people who are doing that right now, and will continue to do so even if Brooks emphatically wins his lawsuit. I suppose on the scary end, it can highlight the stark differences between celebrities and commoners. Someone like Brooks can afford high end lawyers and can litigate the trial to its conclusion. Someone like John Doe probably can't afford a lengthy court case so he settles just to get the matter over with, even if he might have gotten more favourable terms had he brought the matter to court. Not that I fault Brooks for using his resources to his advantage, because the problem isn't Brooks- it's with a system that allows Brooks to fight on to the end and not John Doe.

I feel like this week has been a study in contrasts. While I think there's a lot of shock over the extent of the accusations, I doubt many are surprised that Diddy is facing the accusations he's facing. Garth Brooks? Now that's way out of left field. Of course a lot can change and anything can happen, but for now the differences couldn't be more stark.

I think this is one of those cases where you have to remind yourself, "the allegations have not been tested in court". While I grant that anyone can commit sexual misconduct, the allegations against Garth Brooks seem, honestly, out of character for him. It's not like the accusations stem from actions where they could be interpreted as misunderstandings. Everyone can get carried away sometimes. No, what Brooks is accused of doing is planning this elaborate scheme where he deliberately committed the act of rape. While, again, I grant that this scenario isn't impossible and that I don't know Brooks personally, based on what I know about him, he just doesn't seem like the kind of guy where even the thought of something like he's being accused of would ever cross his mind. Plus he's been married to Trisha Yearwood for almost twenty years. He's only been divorced once. Yearwood has also said she and Brooks spend only five days apart from each other each year because they made a commitment to being together, and they seem dedicated to the role. That article came out in 2019. Yeah, make all that of what you will. Of course, I'm willing to change my mind on all this and see where the process goes and before 500 people jump on me, I'm fully aware that it's not impossible for people like Brooks to commit the crimes he's been accused of. For now, it just doesn't seem like something he'd do, but we'll see where it goes.

I could also understand why, perhaps, Matthew Gray Gubler himself wouldn't want to do "Criminal Minds: Reid". Very few actors want to play the same role forever. Though I really feel that Gubler's going down the same path that his former castmate, Shemar Moore, did with S.W.A.T. Einstein feels like CM:Reid anyway, just like S.W.A.T. is pretty much "Derek Morgan with his own TV series". Don't get me wrong- this is not a criticism. A lot will depend on the execution, but as much as I felt that Morgan had a lot left unexplored that is now being realized on S.W.A.T., Reid too left a lot unexplored from CM that could be similarly mined on a show centred around him. Einstein has the opportunity to shine interesting new lights on Reid as a character and explore that character in ways that CM either wouldn't or couldn't explore themselves. The "playboy" part might be the most interesting new angle on Reid, though it's something that fits the character more than I think people may realize. Yeah, CM loved to portray Reid as an awkward geek who had trouble with the ladies, but, aside from that "fish out of water" sequence in "52 Pickup", Reid's supposed failings with women seemed more an informed trait than one that was really established. It was also contradictory from what we saw on screen. Outside of the nightclub, Reid seemed to have no problems at all meeting women, and, once he got his confidence, he met the nightclub bartender too. Really, more women seemed to throw themselves at Reid on CM than any other character on the show, even the more "manly" men like Morgan and Rossi. So it doesn't seem to be a stretch at all for Reid to be a partier, especially if we're talking about a more mature Reid who is now more comfortable in his own skin. We'll see how it goes. We'll also see who they cast as Reid's love interest the detective that Einstein helps out on cases. I don't think there are any shortage of options- the obvious ones with star power would be Aubrey Plaza and Rachel Leigh Cook, with Amber Heard perhaps having an outside chance if she wants to use the role to revive her career and if CBS believes she's earned that chance. Then there's Beth Riesgraf, who probably had the best romantic chemistry of anyone with Reid on CM. Lastly you have actresses like Courtney Ford (Austin) and Emily Churchill (Dorian Loker), lower profile choices who were also Reid's love interests. Then there's Candace Burr Scholz, who played a character on CM named Einstein and also shared screen time with Reid and Morgan. I remember CBS trying to position Dylan Einstein as a potential romantic partner for Reid but I'm not sure it really had any legs. Of course, CBS could also hire someone completely new, and there's a good chance they'd do that because it would allow them to get someone younger (and you know how Hollywood likes its women to be young) and perhaps maximize the star power and/or the chemistry. If CBS does go with someone Reid was paired with before, my preference would be Riesgraf, since Maeve/Reid should have been explored far more than it was on CM. It'd also follow in Shemar's footsteps, since Shemar also brought the woman who played his girlfriend on CM- Rochelle Aytes- to S.W.A.T. to play his girlfriend (and eventually wife and mother to his kid) on that show. Though if I really had my way...I've said it before and I'll say it again. Zoe Hawkes had so much missed potential and unexplored depth that the character deserves to come back in some way, and Einstein seems up her alley. I don't know if Amy Davidson and Gubler have any chemistry together but Hawkes and Reid as characters would appear to fit. I know, I'm probably going against the popular choice here, but that's what I hope for. We'll see how it all shakes out. I'm looking forward to it.

You know...there are people who let the power get to their heads. ...and then there's Diddy.