Hava

Did anyone else think that, despite being in their early 30s, the Oxford 5 felt like they were starring in a teen or YA drama? Their part of the story didn't feel sophisticated or adult at all. I wish the series had instead focused on Clarence investigating the scientists' suicides, which was the most intriguing plot point in the first episode that quickly dissipated with the reveal of the aliens.

I completely agree with this. Susan and Mike's relationship really lost its charm after season 1. I started to prefer Susan with her other boyfriends--Dr. Ron, Ian, and, especially, Jackson. I didn't care for Mike and Susan, so I never got into the whole "they were meant to be" thing the show kept pushing.

And why is that? Raylan is a fictional character. His type is basically whoever the writers decide is his type. Raylan never came out and said that he is only attracted to a certain type of woman. Even if you were to say that he only hooked up with skinny, white, blondes during Justified, you still don't know his history of the types of women he hooked up with previously. Also, people change--there are 10 years between the end of Justified and this. Sorry, I just think the fixation that some viewers have on Raylan's type and how Carolyn doesn't fit it is beyond weird and questionable.

I just finished watching The Shield for the first time after hearing such rave reviews, and I didn't really like it as a whole. It started off strong, but, by season 4, it really started to drag for me. I didn't care about any of the characters, other than Claudette.

It seems to be unpopular among fans, but I loved season 5. I really liked how Michael and Fiona moving in together was not a throwaway shipper moment, but something that actually had plot significance because it upped the stakes for Michael. I also actually enjoyed watching Michael being selfish and willing to cross moral lines to save Fiona--I think it was an interesting development because, up to that point, he was such a Boy Scout that it became kind of boring for me. I also really enjoyed how Jesse was finally fully integrated into the cast, and he became one of my favorites this season.

I was mistaken. They didn't cite "creative differences" but "creative reasons" for letting Donovan go. Meaning, Donovan wasn't the one who had a disagreement about something, but the producers had a reason (creative or otherwise) for letting him go. I think that may be a small but important difference.

I know Donovan was making like $150-200k per episode of Burn Notice, so maybe they weren't able to match or exceed that.

What does "creative differences" normally mean? Like, Donovan was unhappy with the way his character was written or something?

I would love to interview the writers to ask them what the hell they were thinking in the writing of Fiona in season 7. It makes absolutely no sense, and I've tried really hard to make sense of it!

Burn Notice A lot of the criticism of the final season focuses on the season's darker tone and more serialized storytelling. For me, that wasn't the issue. I actually welcomed the change because, while I very much enjoyed the more lighthearted fare and fun in the earlier seasons, I wanted to see a more serious version of the show. My problem with the final season was with the story and the execution of it. My understanding is that the writers wanted the final season to be more about Michael vs. Michael instead of Michael and the gang vs. [insert enemy here]. So, in order to achieve that, Michael needed to be physically and emotionally isolated from his friends and family. The problem is, the show couldn't fully commit to this conceit because the other characters/actors still needed to be a part of the season and, due to budgetary reasons, the show had to be filmed in Miami. So, while the show is telling us that Michael is all alone, we're watching something completely opposite to that--not only is he back home, but he has Sam, Jesse, and his mom there for him. Another consequence of this conceit was breaking up Michael and Fiona since, I guess, the audience wouldn't buy Michael "losing himself" if he had Fiona to go home to every night. Fine. But in order to achieve this, the show ruined its lead female character by making her irrational and angry, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Then, after a season of grittiness and angst and darkness, the show tried to go back somewhat to its roots in the final episode. But it just felt rushed and unearned.

To be fair, in that episode where Fiona breaks it off, Michael has a voiceover where he basically states that he misses her scent when she leaves the room. And when they hook up in season 2 (after Michael thinks she may have died in the fire), he's the one who wants something more and Fiona is giving him the cold shoulder. Although I was a huge fan of Michael and Fiona, I will agree that Michael was a terrible boyfriend. I kept waiting for Fiona to break up with him in season 5 when it became clear that he wouldn't put the work in to spend quality time with her outside of jobs and life/death situations. But she just kept sticking around. Also, season 7 pretty much wrecked their relationship and the final episode couldn't really salvage it.

I just binged Burn Notice, and I am now obsessed. What a fantastic show. I wonder why they haven't had any follow-up movies like Monk or Psych. While there were a few episodes I enjoyed in the final season and while I appreciated the show's ambition in going for a darker and more serialized final season, on the whole, I don't think it was successful. For one thing, the pacing was off for the story they were trying to tell--Michael's turn and then sudden reversal were too rushed to be believable. For another thing, this season ruined Fiona's character. I know that Fiona is not too popular of a character, but since she was one of my favorites in the first 5 seasons, the writing for her in the final season was really disappointing. Her actions made absolutely no sense. Why was she angry with Michael--he didn't choose to work with the CIA again, he had to do it as part of a deal to keep everyone out of prison? How the heck did she move on so quickly from Michael--you're telling me that the woman who was willing to die by Michael's side in the season 4 finale is now able to fall in love and move in with somebody else after only 9 months? Even if she was able to inexplicably move on, why was she acting like an unsympathetic asshole to Michael, who it was clear to anyone was really struggling with this mission and needed support?

With a few exceptions, I thought this episode was pretty terrible :(

I just watched the series for a second time, and I am in a puddle of tears. I rarely (if ever) cry at TV shows. I don't know why this series has affected me so deeply.

I don't understand why this show isn't get more promotion and/or recognition.

I wonder why Cornelia didn't live out the rest of her life with Eli? Even if they couldn't be intimate, why not just be with him? HIs character didn't seem to be the type to abandon her at her worst.

Same here. I was devastated and heartbroken by their ending. I found their romance so beautiful and so magical that it seemed unfair to end it there. Despite some flaws pointed out here (like the scenery-chewing of Melmont), the story between Cornelia and Eli was enough to elevate these show to one of my favorite ever. I was thoroughly captivated and enthralled. Can someone tell me if syphillis can be contracted through kissing?

I'm disappointed that they turned Valentina's character into a repressed, predatory lesbian who is also a misandrist. It was much more interesting when she was a no-nonsense boss who has little time for street harassment by men (not because she actually hates men (ugh) but because street harassment is actually annoying and sometimes scary), but who is genuinely moved by one of her employees giving her a compliment.

I don't know why I'm hoping for a happy ending for Lucia and Albie. It's The White Lotus--no one ends up happy.

I'm rewatching season 1, and Duncan says to Jimmy, "I'm glad you came back here." I don't understand. What's Jimmy's history? Did he live in Shetland and then leave? If so, why?

Oh man! You're right. I totally forgot about them! Wasn't there going to be a big reveal about who the guy was working for?? I thought it was going to lead to the big bad. I am so glad you said this because it is something I have noticed with British shows, as well, and it is so baffling to me. Suspects being interrogated while their attorney doesn't say one word. Suspects never asking to leave or stop the questioning. Luckily, it's easier to suspend my belief since I'm not familiar with British criminal law, so I just chalk it up to differences between the US and the UK.

This episode cemented for me why I dislike the storyline involving the Traveling Symphony--its members don't feel like real people. I don't know if it's the acting or the writing, but something about them seems off (more off than would be expected from people who survived an extinction event, I mean). They all seem overly spacey and detached from the world, if that makes sense. Especially in the scene where they "leave" for the Museum of Civilization. I genuinely could not tell in that scene if they were only going because there was a gun pointed at them or because they genuinely needed a new place to stay. It was so, so weird. I don't get them at all.

At this point, the only satisfying conclusion would be Ted accomplishing what he sought to accomplish with Richmond FC and returning to the US to be with his son. Anything else would feel out of character.

I watched this series after watching Keep Sweet. Surprisingly, I am less interested in the extremist factions of Mormonism, and more interested in learning more about mainstream Mormonism. I think I get what the extremists believe (as much as someone can get things like that), but I am having a really hard time wrapping my head around the mainstream beliefs. Like, I really don't get it. It seems like they are a part of mainstream American society, but also not. And they are a part of mainstream Christianity, but also not.

The problem with Nate wasn't that he liked Alex and asked her out, it's that he continued to ask her out after she declined the first time.