The curated portfolio of film journalist Joe Lipsett
Courtesy of ABC
We watch a lot of TV – some of it good and some of it…not so good. For the 2013 pilot season, we’re checking out a few series we won’t be writing on regularly, but may check back on throughout the season. Next on the docket: the much troubled premiere of ABC’s Super Fun Night.
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of FX
It’s the end of the road for the first season of The Bridge. After a bit of a mixed bag run, does the FX drama end on a high note?
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of ABC
If last week‘s pilot was a little underwhelming in its general perfunctoriness, what does the second episode of ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. look like? Apparently it’s “Disney with an edge”
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of FOX
Our demon of the week is The Sandman, but unlike a children’s story, this Sandman will come to you in your dreams, turn your eyes milky white until they explode with sand, and make you kill yourself. It’s pretty extreme.
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of Showtime
We watch a lot of TV – some of it good and some of it…not so good. For the 2013 pilot season, we’re checking out a few series we won’t be writing on regularly, but may check back on throughout the season. Next on the docket: the third season premiere of Showtime’s Homeland.
Let’s bitch it out…
It was a real struggle to decide which Sunday night show to cover and I’ll admit that I may come to regret my decision to prioritize the campy/sudsy night-time soap Revenge over Homeland. I’d be lying, however, if I said that my decision wasn’t partially informed by how badly I felt burned by the second season. Is it petty to “punish” the show (and potential readers) because I was less than happy with the narrative decisions of S2? Perhaps…
Either way, S3 is here and we’re back to the Homeland of old. The emotional intensity is front and centre as the CIA recovers from the worst terrorism attack since 9/11 – the explosion that claimed 219 lives and sent Brody into hiding. The fall-out is steep: Carrie (Claire Danes) is the CIA’s scapegoat and she’s doing herself no favours by loudly proclaiming Brody innocent in front of Congressional committees by day and self-medicating with Tequila and strange men by night. Her mentor, Saul (Mandy Patinkin) is in a compromised position as the Acting Director of the CIA: on one hand he has to manage damage control, which means listening to the evil angel on his shoulder, Dar Adal (F. Abraham Murray, bumped up to series regular) while on the other hand he wants to support his fallen protegé.
There’s a recurring theme of indecision and impotence throughout this opening hour. Everyone tries to settle back into their lives, uncertain or unable to move forward because of what happened last season. This extends (in what is sure to be the most frustrating subplot for viewers) to Morgan Saylor’s Dana, who we are reintroduced to in the hospital following a suicide attempt. Although thematically it makes sense to touch base with the Brody family to see how they’re coping as Brody remains public enemy #1, it can’t help but feel frustrating when we cut away from the simultaneous six target strikes or Carrie crashing a CIA lunch to hear Jess (Morena Baccarin) moan about her lack of work experience at a Brody family dinner. Whether these characters ever feel truly relevant again is but one of the issues this third season will need to address as it, like its characters, makes steps towards recovering the public’s trust.
As first hours go, this is a good start. It will be interesting to see how Carrie reacts to Saul’s betrayal, whether the agency gains any traction with the latest “victory” (thanks in part to Rupert Friend’s Quinn’s efforts) and who the damn mole is (three seasons and counting!). We’ll have to see how things play out.
Other Observations:
What did you think of Homeland‘s return: did it win you back? Are you interested to see what happens between Saul and Carrie? Did you miss Brody? Do you care about the Brody family, or more specifically Dana (aka the Kim Bauer of Homeland)? Sound off below
Homeland airs Sundays at 9pm EST on Showtime. As with our other Quick Takes, we’ll touch base on occasion throughout the season should particular episodes merit attention
Courtesy of ABC
After a rocky (ie: hot mess) S2 and a change of showrunners, ABC’s sudsy Sunday drama Revenge is back for a brand new season. So how does the show handle all of these changes?
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of AMC
After five seasons and 62 episodes, the amazing drug saga of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) / Heisenberg has come to an end. It’s the series finale people – so we knew we needed to bring back the infamous He Said/She Said to really delve into things. Does the AMC phenomenon go out on a high?
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of STARZ
Death and witchcraft take center stage in this week’s The White Queen as we lose two main characters.
Let’s bitch it out… [Read more…]
Courtesy of CBS
Last night on The Crazy Ones we had the triumphant return of Robin Williams to network television after over 30 years, or at least that’s what CBS wants you to believe (and with those ratings they’re kind of on the money…and in the money). Staring in a David E. Kelley scripted show about a father and daughter advertising team, Williams does voices and gets manic (aka his usual schtick), but does it all add up to a success?
Let’s bitch… [Read more…]
Courtesy of CBS
We watch a lot of TV – some of it good and some of it…not so good. For the 2013 pilot season, we’re checking out a few series we won’t be writing on regularly, but may check back on throughout the season. Next on the docket: the second season premiere of CBS’ Elementary.
Let’s bitch it out…
I’ve always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Elementary. Comparisons to the far superior BBC version were inevitable when the CBS semi-procedural clone debuted last year, and it’s hard not to admit that the American version didn’t pale in comparison, despite engaging performances by leads Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. If we’re being honest, the biggest issues had nothing to do with either protagonist. It was the show beyond these two Holmes mainstays that suffered: the police bordered on inept, the secondary cast were little more than cardboard cut-outs and many of the cases were far too obvious.
The season picked up dramatically in its final episodes, however, as the show again complicated the Holmes mythology by making Moriarty and Irene Sadler the same person (see TVAngie’s take here and here). With that move, and a great turn by guest star Natalie Dormer, things looked rosy as the series headed into the summer hiatus. So I was interested to see if Elementary would fall back on its early structure/pitfalls.
Unfortunately it appears that the answer is yes.
Both “new” characters that are introduced in this London-set adventure – Detective Lestrade (Sean Pertwee) and Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans) – are given far too little screen time in favour of an open and shut generic case that fails to engage (3D printing guns! How very last year!). Considering how much could have been done to flesh out Sherlock’s past, and reiterate how significant with Watson is, this should have played out as a much more significant chapter for the series. Instead it feels flat, as though this was just another week of the show. I mean, you’re going to take the time to shoot in London and instead of using it, you focus on a stupid spousal murder?! It boggles my mind.
If something does succeed, it’s that change of scenery. There’s an authenticity to actually shooting in the UK at a variety of famous and not-so-famous locations that gives even some of the more exposition heavy (read: boring) scenes a little extra kick (I was partial to the demolished opera house Lestrade is hiding out in). Now if only the narrative that was crafted around these landmarks were are interesting to watch. Instead it just seems as though Elementary thought a destination episode would merit attention simply because the action has been moved out of NY. Alas this not the case.
At the end of the day Elementary is a very confident show – it knows what it is and who its audience is. I’ve never been able to forgive it for resting on its laurels, but I accept that those who like it, like it quite a bit. That doesn’t make TVAngie or I want to cover it on a weekly basis, however, so for now it’s on to greener pastures and should Lestrade, Mycroft or Moriarty/Irene turn back up, we’ll be sure to check back in.
Best Lines:
What are your thoughts on this second season return? Did you enjoy the London setting?Were you hoping for more from Mycroft and/or Lestrade? Are you impressed with how far Joan’s deductive reasoning has come? And how long before any of these recurring Holmes characters return? Sound off below
Elementary airs Thursdays at 10pm EST on CBS