That's A Wrap!

Rocket Man

2009-11-06T14:08:00.008-05:00

Fringe: Earthling
Season 2, Episode 6

Not to reverse my position on how this show needed to step away from the main Bell/Bishop experiments mythology, but this week's stand alone was easily the weakest episode of the show's sophomore season. What's worse is that it finally shown a bit of the spotlight on my favorite actor in the cast. Perhaps I haven't adequately detailed how much I love every actor associated with The Wire. Because it's a lot! Besides a decent opening sequence (but that gimmick is wearing thin lately - more on that later) and the terrific performance by Lance Reddick, even a glimpse of the Observer and Stargate SG-1 cameo can't redeem a rather dull adventure. And it was even directed by Mr. 24 himself, Jon Cassar.

So with so much going right, how did it all go so wrong?

Well for starters, Cassar doesn't really bring much to the table that's very unique. I've watched every episode of 24 enough to learn Cassar doesn't bring much more than functionality to the table. He's the dishes and silverware, but he isn't the meal, at least not as a director. But he doesn't make this a weak episode.

The script by J.H. Wyman and Jeff Vlaming takes care of that little chore. The decision to become less of a version of Planetary (the seminal comic book by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday - thanks for pointing out the great comparison Billy) and more a ripoff of The X-Files. You can get away with doing the former because it wasn't a television show. But don't blatantly rip off the villain from "Space" with your own incorporeal force and pretend it's anything more than redundant.

Their biggest mistake is in limiting Walter's involvement and abilities. Wyman and Vlaming decided to emphasize the theme of contrasting the solid with the ethereal by having Walter unable to comprehend the formula behind this week's villain until he visually constructs it out of toys. It's the kind of heavy-handed writing that even Noble can't redeem. And unfortunately, PEter seems shoved into the background to accomodate Broyles, which is twice as much of a shame since A) Peter's the second best character in the show and B) when he and Broyles worked off each other in the pilot while Olivia was out of the picture, there was some strong chemistry between the two of them. Nothing like the Walter-Peter stuff, but it had the potential to be more interesting and engaging than the Peter-Olivia interactions. But that might just be the effect of the numerous problems I have with Olivia (i.e. not exploring her powers and all of her painful bowling/therapy scenes).

But I've come to enjoy this show enough that when I can't get interested in a plot heavily involving Reddick and guest starring JR Bourne (Martouf from Stargate: SG-1) something bad is up. In the end, the problem is how futile all the efforts of the main characters are. I still don't understand how Broyles really got any sense of resolution since the villain isn't destroyed at the end. Beyond that Walter spends the entire episode solving a formula that is in fact, unable to be fixed. Way to neuter the efforts of your characters. Being able to effect no significant change or resolution leaves the characters cuckolded and ranks just slightly lower on the Plot Developments That Piss Me Off List than discovering the problem will solve itself.

Higher Expectations

2009-10-24T13:02:00.017-04:00

Dollhouse: Belonging
Season 2, Episode 4

Whenever we talk about Dollhouse, there's the continuous debate between the show's potential and the generally poor execution on several levels. Unlike previously hyped episodes that are supposed to reinvent the series, this episode was the first I've entered with incredibly high expectations. Even if I was able to temper my hopes in the past (I just wanted a decent episode out of "Man on the Street"), after watching "Epitaph One", I circled the next episode by the same writers, "Belonging", on my calendar. If I could have higher hopes than an episode written by the team of Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon, adding Bill Riker himself as the director sufficiently did me in. I mean, Jonathan Frakes did direct First Contact, the most impressive Star Trek movie of all time. That's right. I went there Wrath of Khan fans.

Going back to the third episode of the series, when Echo played an unconvincing struggling singer and Sierra absolutely killed as the starstruck fangirl, I became convinced that Dichen Lachman could act circles around the often-struggling Eliza Dushku. And by the time we learned a bit of their back stories - that Caroline chose this life and Sierra/Priya was kidnapped into it against her will - that she was the far more interesting character.

In this episode, which had some nicely handled use of jumping backward and forward in time, we learned that Priya wasn't actually kidnapped by the Dollhouse or the Rossum Corporation, as we were led to believe during last season's "Needs". Instead she turned down the affections of Dr. Nolan Kinnard (played by a creepy without having to try Vincent Ventresca) works with the corporation. After drugging her into madness, he calls in the Dollhouse to help her. It's an incomplete way to excuse Adelle and Topher and other employees of the Dollhouse - that she was kidnapped, but it was the higher forces that are the bad guys, like the Rossum executive Matthew Hardin played by Keith Carradine (Dexter, Deadwood) who excuses Nolan's behavior and demands Adelle hand over Priya permanently.

While the episode makes Topher (generally one of the two creepiest characters on the show) a bit more sympathetic, I don't understand why he couldn't just heal this mentally disturbed girl instead of making her a Doll for five years. The mentally ill can't really consent to the standard Dollhouse contract. And again its not especially understandable why afterwards he doesn't just erase her one bad day and let Priya go back to her life. Besides those two substantive plot holes however, its a great episode. The character development of Victor and Topher is even more interesting than Priya's story and that's saying something.

Between his passion to discover the truth and his remorse in this episode, his breakdown in "Epitaph One" and his scenes with Saunders in the season premiere, Topher has made huge strides this season in becoming a more empatheticcharacter and not just an amoral mad scientist. Previously just the morally empty version of Xander Harris designed to provide cute jokes (that almost never hit as well as the writers planned), Topher has become an almost tragic figure that could figure out any problem, but couldn't see the bigger picture to accept how the work he was doing was utterly wrong. The scene where he and Boyd dismember the body of Dr. Kinnard is handled expertly by Frakes

Despite the early positioning of Echo as the lead and her relationship with Ballard as the somewhat obvious routes for the series to take, the emotional heart of this episode and the series altogether is Victor and Sierra/Priya. When they first meet, Priya is still herself and Victor is one of many Dolls at a party specifically designed by Priya's stalker, with Echo and Victor extolling his many imagined virtues. It's humorous to watch her flirt with him while he mindlessly pimps out Nolan. It's actually moving to see how these characters love each other on such a basic level that it goes beyond who they are and what they know. Victor removing the black paint that haunts her and waiting without explanation or reason for her return after being sent to Nolan are some of the most emotionally moving moments in the series. When confronting Nolan and eventually taking her revenge, Priya has absolutely no memory of him, but know Victor exists and that she loves and will fight for.

For the most part Echo sits in the background, only pushing Topher off on his investigation of Sierra's past. I tend to think that the best episode of each of the first two seasons thus far has used Echo only sparingly. So often, little about her makes sense. We don't know specifically how she is able to remember things throughout various wipes. We don't know why she is queen of the glitches. And for the life of me, I have know idea how she convinced Boyd that she was trustworthy enough to entrust with an access key to the entire Dollhouse. Such a level of trust would be much more in line with the plot so far this year if Ballard (who for no reason besides they needed to avoid paying Tahmoh Penikett this week, is absent) provided the access card. Boyd has been onscreen far too infrequently this year (especially in scenes with Echo) for this development to feel authentic.

Blue is Blue, Honey

2009-10-19T15:12:00.014-04:00

Mad Men: The Color Blue
Season 3, Episode 10

First off, apologies for not reviewing episode nine individually last week. I planned on doing a split review this week, but it turned out there was so much happening this week in what has been the best episode of the season (possibly excluding "Guy Walks in to an Advertising Agency") and one so full of such significant moments in the history of the show... I decided unilaterally it would be unfair to each to try and cram them together.

I always comment about how so much is going on in every episode of Mad Men that my reviews never cover everything I could talk about, but this week seems to crank that feeling up to 11.

In the biggest development of the night, thanks to Don being distracted by baby Gene, he got careless with the key to his office drawer. Betty leaps at the opportunity (with joyous zeal, no less) to find out what her ultra-secretive husband has hidden from the world. Uncovering the dogtags for Don Draper and Dick Whitman, in addition to Dick's childhood photographs, isn't that interesting for her. She isn't able to put things together on his identity and is only left with more questions from these discoveries. The epic discovery that sets her off is the copy of Don's divorce decree. While I should re-watch his west coast trip from season two, I seem to remember Don returned to ask the original Mrs. Draper for a divorce just before he married Betty. So not only did her husband never tell her that he was married before, but he was still married when he met and courted Betty.

In one of the biggest audience let downs in the history of the show, we never get the confrontation between Don and Betty because he never comes home that night. Poor Betty never gets to tear into him like she wants to so bad while waiting in the kitchen with that box of evidence. I'm not sure if after returning the box and going to the Sterling Cooper 40th anniversary dinner that she will use this as her excuse to sleep with Henry Francis or if she is accepting her utter defeat in her marriage and will return to being Don's doormat. I lean towards thinking it will be the former.

One of this week's main themes seems to be perception, the title derived from a question between Don and his latest paramour (and Sally's teacher), Suzanne Farrell. "How do I know that what you see as the color blue is the same thing that I see?" Between this and catching Don on the train (and possibly calling his house), Suzanne is probably more into Don than any woman he's been with. The way she looks at him with such utter devotion or how she wants Don to meet her brother, the character is definitely giving me flashes of Gloria Trillo from the third season of The Sopranos and I expect this will end as well. I'm looking forward to the carnage when Don tries to break it off with the woman who said she didn't care about his wife or job "as long as you're with me." That's the type of line that has me fearing she goes Fatal Attraction on Sally someday... this will not end well.

And of course Don and Suzanne think of their relationship differently. She practically considers him part of the family while the idea of meeting the family (or going anywhere in public together) was not part of his plan. But besides being a possible psycho, Suzanne's attitude with her brother serves as a completely opposite reflection of the relationship Don had with Adam back in season one. Both Don and Danny end up with different perceptions of each other. Danny thought Don was a bastard using his sister when really he just was nervous and caught off guard. Don looks at Danny and sees the kids that rolled him over the summer, the junkie friends of Midge and most of all, his loser brother, Adam, and everything about life he loathes. Danny really has a bit in common with Dick Whitman. Both hated their place in life and how others viewed them, but Danny's epilepsy isn't something he can fix by taking another man's dog tags. In the end, Don does his lover's brother a far better turn than he did his own. In addition to some cash, he gives Danny his business card and an offer to help if its needed. Instead of buying off an inconvenience that olive branch leaves Don looking much better to the audience, especially given the knowledge about how Adam turned out.

Going back to the phone call that Suzanne may or may not have made. I absolutely loved the scene where Don is worried Suzanne is cold calling him and Betty is just as worried its Henry calling for her. I'm hoping for an affair for Betty to put things on a little more equal footing and finding out about Don's divorce might turn into her excuse. And of course, the best moment is Sally's "Geez, Louise."

We have two substantive plots at Sterling Cooper this week. With Paul and Peggy competing more actively in creative, he burns the midnight oil coming up with a campaign for Western Union telegraph. After meeting a janitor named Achilles, he finds his inspiration, only to fail to jot it down and forget it the next day. While its great humor at the expense of the office blowhard, the writers perhaps laid it on a little thick with Peggy and Don both showing such a viceral reaction to the story for fear of when they forget their own ideas (hence why Don will turn any scrap of paper into a notepad). But they were being a bit cute with the overreactions, like they had this exchange when scripting the episode:

"Let's have everyone devastated over this lost idea. I f-cking hate it when that happens."

"Yeah, every writer and critic out there will identify with it."

Paul's perception that Peggy is succeeding because she is a woman or because she remains Don's favorite is blown out of the water, when after on the spur of the moment she turns some philosophical quote of Paul's into a great campaign. "Wow." He just gets it in that moment and its funny how he can't even contain his surprise at how wrong he was.

Lane Pryce was never really on my good side early on, especially when he brought in the news that PPC was going to kill the Madison Square Garden deal. He seemed to be a penny-pincher out to destroy the great American creative power. But without a word, two supremely well-performed moments made this character one I empathize with the most. The first came in "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" with the reaction to being relocated to Bombay and the realization his bosses don't think of his as anything more than an efficient stopgap. He was so destroyed in that moment. In this episode, he learns PPC plans to turn over Sterling Cooper, selling it to the highest bidder and that goal is their only operating strategy at this time.

Between how well he interacts with Cooper and his non-verbalized dissent to his wife's enthusiasm to returning to England, Jared Harris does a spectacular job as Lane this week. Without ever saying a word, he makes sure we all know that not only does he prefer New York and Sterling Cooper to exile in India, but he actually would rather stay in place than return home. I hope that he risks it all to align himself with Bert Cooper and the Americans and keep the company safely intact.

Lastly, a farewell for Sal Romano, who was fired for not having sex with a client. We might see him again (and I hope we do, a show without him OR Joan would be a far weaker experience), but Bryan Batt was given a character that should have been a joke and turned it into something very moving on more than one occasion. Watching the premiere, every member of the audience figured out the truth about Sal and figured it would be a running joke that nobody else notices what we considered obvious. But his ongoing tragedy was really moving. He had to never talk to anyone at work about his personal life. He had to enter into a sham marriage that nobody could be happy in (even putting the Drapers to shame) to stop people from asking questions. And now he can't tell his wife he was fired because he can't admit why. Also, his farewell reminded us what a vile person Don can be when he is struggling in one area of his life. Like when lashing out at Peggy earlier in season one, Don can't really compartmentalize his anger well when the shit hits the fan.

Enter Sandman

2009-10-16T08:05:00.009-04:00

Fringe: Dream Logic
Season 2, Episode 5

For a few weeks now, I've been mentioning my favorite parts of the second season so far. The third favorite, Kirk Acevedo's terrific work seamlessly moving from playing Agent Charlie Francis to Fake Face Charlie, is all over now, but like Olivia I mourn his loss to the show. The other two highlights are both on prime display this week. Walter, who carried the show significantly in season one and still does a bit more than his share to this day, continues to be a fabulous man-child when confronted with things he doesn't understand. And I always like a bit more of the depth the storyline behind Peter's past provides.

It's safe to say this episode delivered on everything I enjoy about the show in spades. Walter is in full mad scientist mode. Peter continues to lend a hand in ever more involved ways while hinting at his tragic past. And Olivia... um... is there as well.

I was bound to dislike Olivia's storyline from the very beginning when she went to visit her bowling instructor/life coach Sam Weiss. Kevin Corrigan's performance as Weiss continues to grate on me. It's not just a case of not liking Corrigan (eventhough I really, really don't). His character is so shrouded in quirkiness, it doesn't even fit for this show. He's a zen guru who runs a bowling alley and has acted as a therapist for the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in this world and FBI agents. So there's obviously more to him than just being an average schmo. But that's how he's played for now until his larger purpose and place in the grand scheme of things is revealed. He's no substance and all showy-ness; basically everything I hated about the early days of this show. It's the same story we've seen a hundred times. Teacher roles acts crazy and makes student do stupid and pointless things. Student gets mad and wants to give up. Student realizes they've learned something. It doesn't change the fact that Mr. Miyagi was a dick that got thousands of dollars of free labor to remodel his home. At least Yoda settled for a piggyback ride and a flashlight.

John Noble on the other hand, him I love to death. His unique and humorous role was one of the first things that started reattaching Fringe for me on the DVDs. But this year continues to be a big step forward. He isn't just the convenient source for the writers to provide answers through like their own private deus ex machina. This week, he displays both his frailty (being unable to work long term outside his lab at Harvard) and sense of wonderment. Almost as fun as him experimenting on the FBI agent that escorted him back from Seattle is watching him talk Astrid into doing it. He just loves discovering answers to impossible questions. And now that he doesn't no everything, Peter gets to help out more. I loved the look of pride on Walter's face when Peter suggests the idea of mind control. Noble and Joshua Jackson have by far and away the best chemistry on the show (definitely more than Broyles and Sharp...uuggghh).

It is disappointing the show hasn't been able to prove more successful about improving their third lead. Olivia spends the episode following the nonsensical advice of Weiss (cringe-worthy), being depressed that Charlie is gone and being there when we need to shoot something. I hope now with her getting to that "You're Gonna Be Fine" message that she can leave Angst-land and have some fun with the rest of the gang. It seemed to ring false that after Walter and Peter do all the heavy lifting to solve the mystery (finding the device in their minds, making the leaps toward mind control and ultimately solving the mystery that someone is receiving the dreams of the victims and absorbing them like a drug), that Olivia gets to just throw the random connection of her father's Jekyl and Hyde approach to alcoholism to decide it must be the doctor. Considering she was along for the ride asking people for business cards to discover Weiss' message, I loathed that she got to just randomly come up with the answer. Yes, she confirmed it with good old-fashioned police work by comparing the writing samples, but once again - that was just a confirmation about her utterly wild assumption. It would have worked so much better if she was just studying the note (you know, like an FBI agent would) and found the evidence, using her personal history to back up the evidence. It's a bass-ackwards approach to presenting a resolution. This episode seems to nail the Dreams, but for the resolution at least doesn't have much Logic.

But all my complaints go away when Peter talks about his past. The fact that Walter taught him not to remember his nightmares reminds us all that Walter had a good reason to try and make Peter forget everything before he was abducted from his reality. That's the double-sided tragedy of that story because Walter needs him to forget and be like his dead son. If Peter is his son, than he is a hero in a loving father. If Peter is not his son and remembers his life before coming to Earth-1, than Walter is a sick monster that stole a child from his bed at night.

The main thing to love about this plot is how this season, we as the audience know more than a main character (in this case Peter). So much of science fiction on television today (Lost, Flashforward) is about the audience discovering something at the slower pace the main characters do. Some character knows the truth, but we can't view the situation from their perspective most of the time. So we identify with the people discovering the truth (Locke and his hatch, Jack and how to get off the island, Joseph Feinnes and why the world blacked out). It's this carrot that the creators of the show dangle in front of us for months or years at a time. And in that time we stop caring because we're tired of reaching for some truth only to have it pulled away time and time again.

In this case, we already have the carrot - the truth about Peter's early life. And now we get to enjoy how that truth is hidden or revealed a bit every week. When Peter talks about being conditioned to forget his nightmares, we don't have to wonder about the backstory. We can figure it out easily with the information we already have. His nightmare at the end isn't a clue. We know what is happening when he is snatched out of bed. And we're in a unique place that because we like Walter, we don't want him to remember and are kind of glad when he says he doesn't. Of course, if Peter does remember, it will make his eventual confrontation with Walter all the more interesting.

Walter did something we can understand, but is utterly indefensible. He couldn't accept his son's death and would bridge the gaps between realities to get him back even at the cost of his life and sanity. But you can't excuse it from Peter's perspective. He was kidnapped from his home and taken away by a man who pretended to be his father and did a poor job of it due to his mental illness. It's a lot easier to wait for the confrontation than the mystery. There are enough mysteries on this show.

Back and Forth

2009-10-15T07:21:00.008-04:00

Just to keep things fresh here at That's a Wrap!, we'll be mixing things up to add some content besides our standard reviews. First up, Jim and Billy banter about one of their new favorite shows, Supernatural, and discuss the state of its latest and likely final season. The conversation ran over the course of Monday morning through Wednesday night.

-- BILLY

So, while I'm working on my extremely late Supernatural review, I thought we could do the email discussion thing you were talking about before. I'm not sure what you want to discuss first so we may as well begin with Supernatural. What's been your favorite thing about this season so far?

-- JIM

If it helps, my review for Mad Men is running late too. I still need to watch the episode. The Red Sox just destroyed me Sunday and I was no use to man nor beast. Start with our favorite things? What are you trying to do, write a puff piece? Let's talk about our biggest problem. Besides crowding up my already busy Thursday nights, I've been worried that we might miss out on all the fun. By that I mean breaking up the main season story with isolated and lighter fair like "Criss Angel is a Douchbag", "Ghostfacers" and "Hollywood Babylon". As far as season long arcs go, the apocalypse is kind of heavy on the doom and gloom and I'm worried that amidst all that they might loose the feel for the fun episodes. And it really isn't a good sign for cutting back the angst every now and then considering the Winchester brothers are (as mentioned in your reviews) the most important people on the planet and being hunted by the forces of heaven and hell. That's heavy, Doc.

Humor is always in the background, but some of my favorite episodes ever are the concise stand-alones where I don't have to think about all the other episode plots and backstory to enjoy things. Occasionally, you want to shut your mind off a little and watch Dean die a couple hundred times in "Mystery Spot". The episode you are probably working on the review for even now, "Fallen Idols" sort of solves that problem with the idea that they should stop fighting and arguing about who is responsible for starting the end of the world. But it guest stars Paris Hilton. They nail some of the humor, I mean ever since I saw Fight Club, I wanted to see somebody fight Ghandi. But it guest stars Paris Hilton. It's creepy and funny and I loved the James Dean stuff. But it guest stars Paris Hilton. And how cool is it when they kill Paris Hilton? But it guest stars Paris Hilton. I guess I'm not too worried, but want to see a humorous episode that doesn't involve stunt casting one of the most annoying pop culture icons ever know. Ya know?

-- BILLY

In Hilton's defense, she was LIGHT YEARS better than Britney Spears was as a guest on How I Met Your Mother. '"Fallen Idol" was a step in a humorous direction, but honestly as funny as the Ghandi stuff was I just wanted to get back to the apocalypse storyline. I feel like the stakes have been raised too high and now I want to ride this high tension roller coaster to what is inevitably going to be an awesome finale.

I love the funny episodes. I just rewatched "Mystery Spot" and hearing "Heat of the Moment" kills me every time but the fact is the humor needs to spring from the characters and in this show it does -- often. We don't exactly need a gimmick episode to deliver the laughs. It's nice every so often to have these episodes but when the fate of the world is on the line I think it would be disingenuous to jump into a comedy episode.

For me, I think the big mistake this season is twofold. First, I'd like to see more of the apocalypse, prove to me (aside from a few characters mentioning that they've noticed signs and omens) that the world is close to ending. Second, and admittedly this is a problem the series has had the entire time, I want to see the hunter culture at large. I want to see what the other hunters are doing to prevent the Earth's destruction. We've gotten small, tantalizing glimpses at this with the return of Jo, Ellen and Rufus, but they disappeared just as soon as they returned.

-- JIM

First off, they did dedicate some screen time to the hunters that Bobby sent to help a temporarily inactive Sam. I think it's likely now that the other hunters know what Sam did, that plot will be revisited in a future confrontation. But it seems we have our first substantive divide here between us when it comes to the show. You're worried about keeping enough attention on the apocalypse part, while I worry about the non-apocalypse episodes maintaining their quality. But this show isn't like Lost where I'm fearing every episode that doesn't deal with the mythology of the show. There's no Jack's tattoo episode here. And don't you think it's a little daunting to have 22 consecutive episodes without diverging from the main mythology? I mean those stand-alone episodes might expose us to other hunters like you seem to want so much (and I agree, more Jo, Ellen and Rufus is worth seeing).

While I hope we see other hunters, it isn't necessary to contain to the apocalypse plot. We know Lucifer's endgame has two main plots: Streamline the Croatoan virus and get his permanent meat-suit, Sam. Given this I can understand how most of the action involving the Big-A directly revolves around Dean-Sam-Cas and few others. And is it me or is the wheelchair thing going to severely limit Bobby's involvement this year. I understand they wanted significant characters to experience permanent consequences for all they go through, but were they just making room for Cas at the expense of our third favorite hunter?

-- BILLY

I have a strong feeling that Bobby's wheelchair problem will be solved before the end. I don't read spoilers so this is a pure hunch, but I don't think he'll be wheeling around for long. As for "22 consecutive episodes without diverging from the main mythology," I put forth "Good God Y'all" as proof that you can have an episode that is part of the bigger story but doesn't reveal itself as such until the end. "Fallen Idol" had a TINY bit of that with the Paris-Demi God explaining that she's only revealing herself because the Earth is doomed.

With the other hunters, you are right, we did get to see those hunters Bobby sent to Sam. And I loved what we got. It's always interesting to me when we find out what drives a hunter. Most of the time it's some personal tragedy but it's always compelling. We just need more faces in the hunter community so that the inevitable showdown near the end will have some recognizable people for us to see.

The lack of Bobby is a sticking point for me. I love Castiel and Misha Collins performance (anyone who played a Drazen brother in 24 is cool in my book), but Jim Beaver deserved to become a regular cast member before the new guy. It does strike me as odd that this happened AND they crippled Bobby. I understand they probably don't want to have Bobby in every episode because then he becomes the answer to every problem and question. It's like having John Winchester around -- why solve the problem when you can defer to the older and wiser hunter. So, I get that, but making an angel a regular? That's even worse. We've been shown just how powerful angels are, so we know Cas is strong and smart. He's a regular cast member and the writers have had to come up with ways to gimp Cas such as the sigils he carved in the boys ribs, meant to "keep other angels away" when in reality it's meant as a quick fix to keep Cas less powerful and helpful. It's very obvious that the sigils weren't dictated by plot, but rather the writers realized that they had to de-power Cas in some way. Everything gets a bit too convenient when an angel can pop in and save the day.

-- JIM

You're dead on about the sigils being a plot device. They've been in place only a few episodes and already Lucifer contacted Sam in a dream and Zachariah actually found Dean. It seems the only character that it does fully insulate the boys from is Cas. And yes, while taking NOTHING away from Misha Collins, I'd have a problem with that if I was Beaver and starred in a substantive amount of episodes for three plus years and hadn't been given the bump. I would speculate it might be financial. A non-regular is obviously cheaper, but perhaps they had to lock Misha up to prevent him from going somewhere else. All talking out my ass on that, just guessing. I've been pretty diligent about avoiding spoilers as well. I even stopped watching the "Next Week On" stuff, which I watch on just about every show out there. What makes this show so special to take those steps?

-- BILLY

Making regular cast members reoccurring is something that's done for financial purposes all the time in television. Even if the actor is still listed in the credits they might not appear in very many episodes. Veronica Mars did this in season three to save money and Dollhouse is doing it right now for the same reason (Harry Lennix's Boyd seems to disappear randomly). So it's a little weird that a show like Supernatural would go about promoting someone to regular in this economy when it's lived as a two person cast for four years. Maybe you are on to something with your theory about locking Misha in for the duration.

I can't explain why this show would be the one that you stopped watching previews for. I know I was a spoiler-addict for many, many years. I remember trolling the AOL boards for The X-Files for spoilers. But I've seen cleaned up my act. The difference between then and now is the serial nature of television. Watch a preview for 24 or Lost and you might ruin the whole season. I don't suspect Supernatural would be as ruinable as those two shows, but part of what draws me to this show is the possibility of being surprised. It's always had the capability of surprising me.

-- JIM

Well it's easier for a show to surprise you when you're watching four seasons over the course of one or two months on DVD without the end bumpers (which yes, nowadays excluding Mad Men give away at least a substantive portion of the next episode). I'm sure if we watched the show from the beginning four years ago, we'd give each episode a bit more thought, but that's kind of besides the point. I suppose I avoid the spoilers here because I wasn't spoiled on the first four and would like to continue that if there is only one year left. And I can't imagine given the ratings that the show gets renewed again. It doesn't seem like a cheap project and it bottomed out as the lowest rated network show for the fourth consecutive Thursday last week. When you can't beat the disaster that is Jay Leno, you've got some serious problems.

But on a more optimistic note, I think this will let them end on a creative highpoint - completing Kripke's five year plan. I know a few other creators that would kill for a five year run nowadays and that it fits his original plan is a nice bit of synergy. Plus this isn't Buffy or Angel and when you are set in a less fantastic world where your main villain is Lucifer, aka Satan, aka the Morningstar, etc. you only get to do the apocalypse once. It's literally the worst fight Earth will ever see. What would you even do in season six? Aliens? Hmm.....

-- BILLY

I do hate sounding like a doomsayer, but even on The CW the ratings are abysmal. I Really can't see this show getting picked up. On one hand I feel completely devastated by this thought, but on the other hand (and I know I make this comparison a lot), Babylon 5 had a finite story to tell and it worked WONDERFULLY. Once that show finished it's story and got another bonus year it lost all of it's momentum. Kripke should be proud of his five years that (God willing) tell one complete story.

I know that if The X-Files had been canceled after year five I would have been devastated. I followed that show from day one. I'm sure that many of the fans of this show have followed it since day one and will be devastated when/if the cancellation happens, and maybe I don't have the same perspective since I just caught up over the summer but some of my favorite shows like Battlestar Galactica and Lost have ended their runs or announced their end dates and that has only made them stronger. Famed comic book writer Brian K. Vaughan said once that endings are what give stories meaning and he's right. Five solid years with a spectacular ending...that's all I want.

Let The Healing Sorta Kinda Begin

2009-10-12T10:54:00.007-04:00

Supernatural: Fallen Idol
Season 5, Episode 5

Well, we're about a quarter of the way through this season and we finally got an episode that doesn't quite stack up. Not that 'Fallen Idols' was a BAD episode but it just wasn't up to the standards set by the previous four episodes. Its never a good sign when the boys mention (and try to explain!) that they are doing something unrelated to the oncoming apocalypse. It's tantamount to the producers straight up telling us that we're going to be seeing a standalone episode. Standalone episodes are fine, but with the show's mythology drilling the importance of the apocalypse into our brains it seems out of place to go on a random hunt. I know that Sam and Dean bicker over this detail and Dean insists that they need to get some training in as duo before tackling the devil head on but I don't buy it.

There's been a lot of dread on the internet regarding this episode because of a certain "celebrity" guest starring and yes, Paris Hilton does have a relatively large role as the baddie in this episode but doesn't derail the episode much. Wait! What? Yes, that's right. I'm going to say it right now, in terms of stunt casting Paris Hilton doesn't do a terrible job. She's not a good actor by any stretch of the imagination, but I've seen Britney Spears guest star on How I Met Your Mother and barely survived. Compared to Ms. Spears, Paris Hilton is fabulous.

So the boys are in Canton, Ohio investigating murders that seem to be committed by famous dead people. It's pretty cool to have the episode set in a town that I lived fairly close to at one point (not as awesome as the episode that took place in my hometown of Erie, Pa however).

This episode easily could suffice as our "comedy" episode this season as we get to see homicidal versions of Abe Lincoln and Ghandi. Plus we got to see Dean's impersonation of Honest Abe--comic gold. The silliness of the killers and the always funny quips from Dean made this episode fairly funny without being out and out goofy like 'Monster Movie Special.'

Without any movement on the main story line the only thing keeping this episode from feeling like a complete waste is the movement in the Winchester boys drama. It seems as if the problems between the boys aren't completely ironed out. Sam feels like Dean is treating him with kid gloves and Dean... well, Dean knows he's treating Sam with kid gloves and just doesn't care. Okay, maybe that's not exactly true, Dean is too proud to admit that he's treating Sam any differently. Dean is treating Sam like an older brother treats his younger sibling, like he's older, wiser and knows what's best. Ultimately most of the problems that the boys are having boils down to this.

In the end it's interesting to note that you can track Dean's feelings towards Sam by his car. When Dean offers to let Sam drive the Impala you know he's trying to smooth things over with his brother. It's the best gesture that Dean can make to Sam and he's been making the same sort of gesture since before their falling out. Still, it's nice to see the boys get some of these issues ironed out and start making amends.

All in all this episode was not one of my favorites, the stunt casting (while not deadly) was distracting, the story was rather bland and honestly I want more arc based storytelling.

Good Gracious

2009-10-10T13:40:00.024-04:00

Dollhouse: Belle Chose
Season 2, Episode 3

"Topher has ethical problems......... Topher." - Boyd

I have ethical problems myself. Since this show's ratings are.. um.. corpse-like (and THAT is being kind), the show has apparently spent nearly a year of my life getting to the point I wanted to be reach only a month or two in, only to have the plug pulled when we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I think a lot of people have a reasonable excuse for having given up on this show back in season one. After all, there's only so many times you can talk about a show's potential and little else positive before giving up completely. Sounds logical right? But then someone needs to explain Heroes fans to my Earth logic.

Entering this year, a second chance I gave the show, I mostly just wanted to move things towards the reality of "Epitaph One." That's all I'm asking for here. Just a little apocalypse, people. Work with me. And while I've complained about things moving too slow, Echo retaining her imprint information has been a significant step towards making Caroline a character again. We need the technology and plot to catch up just a wee bit more. We are SO close. But I worried. They don't call it the Friday Night Death Slot because people are dying to watch some television.

And wow, I've never heard Michael Hogan when he wasn't being Saul Tigh. Good to know he can be creepy when not pounding off the last whiskey in the Twelve Colonies. His role this week as the uncle of a raging sociopath is yet another one of our fun ethical dilemmas of the Dollhouse. The sociopath, Terry, coincidentally likes to make girls dress up to set up his imaginary still-life fantasies - drugging them into a mannequin-like state. So it's funny because he's like a one-man Dollhouse.

Since Terry is hit by a car and off in Coma-land, Terry's Uncle Brad wants the Dollhouse to save him. Barring that he wants to try and find the women Terry has kidnapped to buy them off (since you can't buy off a corpse as he mentions) - nice guy. Ballard's investigative skills make him a bit of a star this week. And what do we think happens when we put a sociopath incapable of empathy into the body of highly trained soldier? A good piece of advice might have been to dump him into someone a little less threatening.

One of the worst scenes is the girls Terry left behind waking up in a cage. Normally, I have nothing but good things to say about Tim Minear (or as I like to call him, The Man - Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Wonderfalls, The Inside, Drive - Jimmy like). But in this scene he lays it on too thick. We know Terry's game is a metaphor for the Dollhouse itself, but we don't need lines like, "We're human beings. Remember that."

Uncle Brad breaks Terry/Victor out... which I love, this is what happens when he doesn't have Adama making decisions for him. And I don't love it for the letting a killer out on the streets alone (of course he escapes Uncle Brad), but because we're finally introducing some of the larger concepts of the future that I want to see more of.

First, we have Brad who views an imprinted Victor as Terry because of the wipe this IS TERRY. What if he got away for five years? When is he not Victor? When is he Terry?

And then we have the idea of the remote wipe, which Alpha pulled off back in season one and Adelle wants Topher to use to stop Terry. And since we know the idea of remotely wiping effectively causes the world of "Epitaph One" - Jimmy like. Watching Topher actually pull it off is genuinely exciting. Then the lights go out... so it's kind of funny.

And where's Echo in all this? Being a hooker, of course. As party girl Kiki Turner, she's helping a college professor live out... well, I don't really need to go further, do I? But when the remote wipe somehow dumps Terry over into Echo and Kiki into Victor. One is creepy and the other is... creepy in another way. Enver Gjokaj slips into a crazy rave girl really easily.

And then there's:

"Paul, why did you ever leave me?" - Victor/Kiki
"You got a problem?" - Paul to the rest of the club

Watching Terry/Echo terrorize the escaping girls is of course, substantively less funny. Being aware of imprints makes Echo an inconvenient place for a killer to jump in, so we get a fight for control. Echo wants the girls to kill him/her and Terry wants to kill them. Paul and a Dollhouse swat crew show up just before Echo can talk them into it. And while the Paul-Echo dynamic isn't the Paul-Caroline one we're looking for, its nice to see the recognition between them. A little glimpse at the end is Echo saying Terry's catchphrase, "Good gracious." And it is curious how this imprint will change her. Is she really just a mix of all her imprints? Could she be evil if enough monsters were imprinted? Or is there some Caroline-esque core holding her together? There are some interesting questions. I just hope we get answers before the end of it all.

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

2009-10-10T10:51:00.017-04:00

Fringe: Momentum Deferred
Season 2, Episode 4

As we learned in the season one finale of Lost and into the second, the biggest disadvantage to dragging a mystery out for more than half of a season is that expectations get too big for anything to live up to them. The hatch was never going to be as cool as it was meant to be for John Locke. I've been telling Billy that The Wire is one of the three best shows ever for years... well, I remain confident that one will live up to the billing when he finally watches it. Hear that, Billy?! Watch It!

Back to the main point, its especially frustrating that characters obsess over something so much that its revelation outweighs anything else. Sure, I love them getting Walter out of his comfort zone so John Noble can shine and anything relating to Peter being from Earth-2 has me downright giddy. But for the vast majority of us, the questions all revolve around William Bell and what happened when Olivia finally met him in (of course) the last shot of the season. And once again we get delayed satisfaction. In Lost, it was spending MULTIPLE episodes getting INTO the hatch from MULTIPLE perspectives. In the case of Fringe, we had Olivia's unexplained car accident and convenient amnesia.... ahh, amnesia, the lazy writer's filler (see Teri in season one of 24 for further examples). Fringe has at least handled it better, giving us exciting new science to chase while keeping the conspiracy simmering in the background. But as they say, it's time to "nut up or shut up."

For starters, any episode of any show that starts with Curtis from 24 (the always great Roger Cross) blasting some guys apart and acting all conspiratorially with a mercury-bleeding shape-shifting so-called super soldier has got a quick thumbs up from me. Apparently, he really needs him some frozen human heads. Actually, he needs one specific human head... the rest get tossed after inspection. Basically, we have the best episode of this show in a long time, one that starts off with a bang, gets us some of what we've been waiting for (NIMOY!!!!) and peals back some of the ongoing mysteries.

Curtis sharing screen-time with Fake Face Charlie continues to outline a conspiracy of these shape-shifters attempting to get to Bell through Olivia and while they have been a bit heavy handed with it this week, I was sad to hear FFC would die if he didn't get into another body soon. Because really, how many mercury thermometer's can you chug down as a quick fix while Walter and company are closing in on you?

I was hoping they would have a episode that focused on him helping them with an unrelated case, simultaneously having him hide the fact that he isn't Charlie while performing Charlie's job. But it seems that will remain a lost opportunity.

But jumping from there, we're back in the old "I remembered this experiment Bell-y and I did." grindhouse of season one. But it was fun seeing Olivia just downing a glass of crushed up flatworms while Peter and Walter argue about it. I enjoy the Let's Just Go With It approach to fringe science investigation.

When Peter once again gets to flex his "jack of all trades" status by examining the shape-shifting control device, I loved the line about him not sleeping after seeing Invasion of the Body Snatchers because he is a pod person. Earth-1 Peter fell asleep (i.e. died) and he was brought from another world to take the boy's place. Between that and his trip with Walter to visit the latter's former experiment subject/crush, it's a funny and quirky week for the Bishop boys - as it should be. Peter giving Walter some money to help him get a girl... hilarious.

But that's not what you want to talk about really. So let's get to the Nimoy Action. He shows up (of course, in the last shot before a commercial break - good old predictable television) in one of Olivia's flatworm-induced flashbacks. Apparently, Bell (call me William, or Willem) briefly catches up with Olivia and sort-of, not-really apologizes for what his experiments did to people before explain that his and Walter's goal was to create a GateKeeper (does that make one of them the KeyMaster? Must consult Bill Murray on this ASAP) to guard between the two realities. Apparently this is Olivia, which is fitting since she isn't as interesting a character as Walter or Peter so they can keep her on par with the others by making her this show's Most Important Person in the World. And no complaints from people who watch a show that made two brothers the first and second most important people in the history of the world.

Also, Bell mentions may never be able to return to ours (yeah, right). He confirm the shape-shifters as soldiers of Earth-2. I would be mad that Bell promises that the "truth" will come out, rather than telling her more of the story. But what were you expecting? It isn't like Mulder was hanging out with aliens and discussing their long term goals in season two. But now the main characters know a war is coming and they are the front line of defense. We do get the sweet story of how she came flying through that car in the premiere and altogether it was enough to intrigue the audience and as long as we get that every so often and we never have an episode explaining how Peter got a tattoo, I can live with it for now. We even have Nina Sharp to explain Bell's words of "a storm coming" meaning one of the world's won't survive the doorway opening.

My only true complaint is how shocked and surprised everyone is to not suspect Charlie, the man who was first on the scene with the body that they prove this week wasn't the shapeshifter. Shouldn't he have been one of the first suspects? Instead of Olivia's flashback of the shape-shifter's leader's symbol or Massive Dynamic rendering the last copy from the changing device, you would think simple police work would have solved that mystery. Even if they had a great showdown between Olivia and FFC, it still could have been reached through a simpler plot. It was only really done the way it was to justify Curtis from 24 recovering his leader's head. But it gave us a great final shot with his eyes opening. And Curtis likes apples too... good to know.

Finally, just a bit of a scheduling update. I know this came a day later than usual and hopefully I'll get to Dollhouse review tonight or tomorrow morning before the Red Sox once again try their worst to get me back on a regular television watching schedule (stupid untimely hitting slump... but that's neither here nor there for our purposes). Even if it takes me until next Tuesday or Wednesday, I feel obligated to posting something about this week's The Office. It's really too big a moment to skip, even if thanks to Fringe, Supernatural and baseball postseason, it's been relegated to Check Out On Hulu Friday or Saturday Status... it's still one of my three favorite comedies on today. So hopefully, you'll hear more from me soon on all of this fun stuff.

O Captain! My Captain!

2009-10-08T12:15:00.007-04:00

How I Met Your Mother: Robin 101
Season 5, Episode 3

One of the dominating concerns that I had coming into this season of HIMYM was how the writers would handle the Barney/Robin relationship. I feel a bit like Robin and Barney from the end of last season, part of me loves the idea of the two of them together and then when I admit that another part of me realizes that I just Mosbied the other part and now I don't like the idea very much. On paper, the two of them are made for each other. Going all the way back to the first season when Robin played Wingman for Barney and they enjoyed whiskey and cigars with each other, you could see this relationship as potentially happening in the future. But half of the jokes about Barney revolve around him being a misogynistic player, we know he wasn't always like this but for better or worse THIS is the Barney we know and (begrudgingly) love.

Putting Barney into a committed relationship (with any woman) would seem a bit like neutering his character. Episodes like last week's "Double Date" didn't exactly make me feel any better about this situation. Barney got to act like himself for the most part but Robin just played the catty jealous girlfriend who was unhappy about her boyfriend going to a strip club. The problem here is that back in season one she was A-OK with going to a strip club with Barney and Ted in "Belly Full of Turkey." So her annoyance at the situation seems hypocritical. "Double Date" ended with absolutely no resolution of Robin's issues. Nope, instead, Barney stayed just as oblivious and Robin stayed just as mad. In short, it did nothing to make me feel any better about the new status quo.

"Robin 101" doesn't right all the wrongs that "Double Date" created but it does work to fix a couple issues and we get our first glimpse of Professor Mosby albeit not teaching students.

Let's get the gripes out of the way. Though Marshall's love of his college barrel and Lily's sad case of "barrel resin allergy" were funny (especially Lily's, "Damn baby, be cool" to Robin) the whole plot was just another one note misuse of Jason Segal. I'm still waiting for something meatier for him and Marshall and while the "Bermuda Triangle" in front of the apartment steps was funny, it just wasn't anything to write home about.

What was great was the Barney/Ted interaction. I suspect that this is the closest that we'll come to seeing Professor Mosby for a while and it didn't let me down. Barney acting like the typical ADHD addled college student and begging Ted to have class outside was just one of a number of hilarious moments in these scenes (Robin is a typical cover hog? Who knew).

Meanwhile, Robin and Lily obsessing over the notebook found in Barney's briefcase played out just as obnoxiously as you might imagine. It's not that I don't empathize with Robin, I mean she is dating Barney after all. That's got to be nerve wracking. But for all of Robin's going on about how she isn't a typical girl she sure acts like a stereotype. Even going so far as to become downright insulted when she confronts Barney and Ted.

Of course Barney and Robin talk it out in the end and everything is presumably going to be fine between the two of them. During all this I realized two things. 1. Barney and Robin as a couple are inevitably going to neuter Barney's character and 2. This isn't a bad thing. Some of the funniest Barney moments have nothing to do with him as a sexual miscreant. As I was going through season four on Blu Ray this weekend I was reminded of the episode where Barney and Ted keep McClaren's open during the snowstorm. That whole sequence is framed around the two trying to get with some girls but the jokes are all about Ted and Barney being goofy. Or how about Barney and the marathon or Barney and Bob Barker; the list goes on. Barney can still be slimy, but Barney can still be Barney without sleeping around New York.

What's In a Name?

2009-10-05T17:16:00.012-04:00

Mad Men: Souvenir
Season 3, Episode 8

I like the meanings behind episode titles (needless to say its one of the things I enjoy about shows written by Joss Whedon), but I'm especially fond of it this week. We can have a great trip, but all that's left in the end are memories and trinkets. The timing, placing the episode in August, gives everyone an excuse to take a break from the daily working grind at Sterling Cooper. In fact, the office is barely seen at all before Pete spends a weekend home along and Don and Betty jet off to visit a hotel in Rome for Connie Hilton.

In a way, this isn't an episode I'd expect to enjoy too much. Pete and Betty have always been two of my least favorite characters and numerous character I enjoy Peggy, Paul, Harry and Cooper are unseen or only seen briefly there to say adios to Pete. But at this point I know even an episode of "Mad Men" that's not sitting in my wheelhouse is at least going to be well executed.

The big theme this week is pretending and slipping identities is the norm. I don't think I've ever found January Jones as attractive as when Betty was flirting with two men at an outdoor restaurant, running along in perfect Italian and then pretending not to know Don. It's an incredible change of scenery for them, both literally and figuratively. As someone who has been bashing this sham of a marriage almost nonstop since the pilot, its been easy to forget how well this couple can look together. To borrow Betty's idea of every kiss being a shadow of a couple's first, I think this is what she and Don were like when they first met. Both can not only look attractive, but be flirty and adventurous and sensual with one another. Don obviously finds it especially endearing, since he's the show's resident expert on dropping one life for another. While Betty is turned on by something exotic and new, I think Don is much more attracted to seeing how well Betty can fulfill the deception. Either way, this is a rare highpoint for the Drapers.

But don't get too happy. Back in their suburban reality/nightmare, things are as rough as ever. Don still considers his wife as little more than scenery. I loved how Don used Betty's call list as just another piece of scrap paper. It sums up how he treats her often - she's handy, like a napkin when he has a new idea to jot down.

And if nothing else, this Betty-centric episode reminds us that for all his whining and near escape attempts, Don isn't the only person trapped in this marriage. Betty might act like a shrew more than a little, but she's still this beautiful, intelligent woman that her daughter idolizes (even if they don't understand one another like Sally and Don do) and more than a few men find attractive. But just as she responded to the near collapse of her marriage last season with a one night stand before letting Don come back, Betty once again flirts with something more (kissing Henry after the council meeting) before reverting to her depressing marriage. She certainly possesses a lack of self-deception when they return and Betty is the one to admit it was nothing more than a trip and everything that is wrong is still there. Morbidly depressing words from an annoying downer killing Don's high? Yes. The truth? Also yes.

In the other main story, Pete spends the weekend home alone with Trudy out of town. Either he's playing at being a kid (I literally laughed out loud seeing him eating cereal and giggling at a kid's show) or playing the hero (helping a neighbor's nanny replace a damaged dress), Pete continues to falter every time he is denied utter acceptance. From Don at work or Trudy at home, Pete has never been able to differentiate his own self-worth from the opinions of others. The most painful part of the episode was watching him force himself on the nanny, Gudrun. Just a week after defending him to Billy as someone who had matured so much since the first season, it was disappointing to watch. And we know its coming, from the moment we see Pete's disappointed face when her thanks over the replacement dress isn't as special and glowing as he wanted. Sure enough, a bit of booze later and he's back at her door, being the juvenile prick he was back in the first episode.

In another one of our Life sure was different back then Moments, the neighbor comes by and reprimands Pete - Not because Pete sexually assaulted the woman, but because of the trouble he'd have finding a new nanny that his wife would get along with. The stand out scene of the week where I think how different it would go a generation or two later.

These episodes are so thick I normally leave a bit of discussion out, but I'd kick myself if I didn't mention the cheer I let out when seeing the manager assisting Pete at the department store turned out to be Joan. Keeping with the theme of the week, she plays and pretends to be a happy housewife just filling her time while her lovely husband starts on a new career path. We remember how desperate and sad her fallen expectations and loser husband have left her. But even now she's the consummate professional at any task and hardly dropping a hint of anything being out of sorts until after Pete leaves. And of course Joan solved his problem in no time flat... she is Joan after all.

Finally, I wanted to apologize for this review being a couple days late. I'd say it will never happen again, but that would be foolish on my part as we enter the playoffs.

SAT Time! Night of the Living Dead:Shaun of the Dead::28 Days Later:___________

2009-10-04T23:17:00.013-04:00

There are quite a few rules to survival in Zombieland or so we're told by Jesse Eisenberg's Columbus a neurotic survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Rule number one: cardio, rule number 3: seatbelts and so on, it's clear that Columbus has thought a lot about how to survive in a world dominated by the walking dead. And, I imagine most of the audience for Zombieland will have as well considering how popular and prominent zombie horror movies have become in the forty-one years since George Romero created the modern take on the monster with Night of the Living Dead.

Romero's zombie is a slow, shambling reanimated corpse, the Romero style zombie was lampooned in 2004's zombie romantic comedy Shaun of the Dead. Romero has publicly stated that he doesn't like the idea of quick running zombies, but with the box office hit 28 Days Later audiences proved that they don't agree. And so we have Zombieland a horror movie that openly lampoons it's own subject matter. But the big question is, does it succeed?

Zombieland follows several survivors after the world is decimated by an outbreak of zombie. Columbus(Jesse Eisenberg) is on his way to his parents house in Columbus, Ohio when he meets Tallahassee(Woody Harrelson). Tallahassee insists that the two don't use real names so that they don't get too attached to one another. Along the way the duo meet with Wichita(Emma Stone) and Little Rock(Abigail Breslin), sisters on their way to Los Angeles to visit an amusement park they once went to before the world went to hell.

The cast is small, but the performances are not. Harrelson in particular wows as the gruff Tallahassee who takes glee in killing every zombie he sees and yearns for a twinkie. Tallahassee at first seems like a one note joke, and honestly he's the funniest character in the picture, but his character has the strongest emotional arc of the film. It's this arc that elevates Zombieland from being a somewhat forgettable comedy to something stronger. Harrelson may be the crown jewel of this picture, but the other cast members don't slack. It's kinda weird to see Abigail Breslin in a zombie movie since the predominate vision in my head of her is as the little girl in Signs, she does a fine job here and when she and Harrelson share the screen it's a joy to see.

If there is a defining fault to Zombieland it would be it's lack of zombies! For a movie that insists that the world is dead and filled with the walking dead, I could literally count on two hands the number of zombies the group encounter between Texas and Los Angeles. I'm not sure if the director was saving money for the big finale or what, but it's a glaring oversight. When the group casually drives into the center of Los Angeles without seeing a single zombie--it's a problem. With a population between the city and the surrounding areas in excess of 17 million I expect to see more than six zombies in downtown L.A. When there ARE zombies in the movie it does work as a horror movie, with quite a few scares, some of them are generic jump scares, but overall the movie doesn't slight on the horror aspect.

One of the greatest aspects of this film is the narration coupled with the "survival rules." Columbus narrates the film and his survival rules accompany the narration on the screen as the happen. It's a beautiful twist that looks wonderful and results in quite a few laughs. It's like we're viewing a movie version of Max Brooks "Zombie Survival Handbook." These parts coupled with the tremendous opening title sequence make this film a visual joy to watch

Whether or not you enjoy Zombieland largely depends on how you like your comedy. Zombieland is an American comedy through and through. There is less subtlety to the humor and it plays less like an homage to it's source material than Shaun did. That's not a slight against the film, but if you liked Shaun and are expecting more of the same you'll be disappointed. The funniest portion of the movie comes during the last third of the film when the group looks for suitable lodging in L.A. I'm loathe to reveal much about it, but it's the highlight of the film and you'll recognize it when you see it.

Maybe I'm not the most partial person to review a zombie movie, I've grown up watching the Living Dead films, one of my favorite video games is Left 4 Dead, hell, my parent's first date was to see Dawn of the Dead, I can basically credit my existence to the the genre. I tell you this as full disclosure, I'm a big zombie whore. I'll pretty much watch anything with zombies in them. But I don't enjoy everything with zombies in it, the Resident Evil films have zombies in them and they are still steaming piles of shit. So, trust me when I say that Zombieland is a great film certainly worth a look during this spooky month.

Its funny, it's scary and really what else is there to look forward to in the genre this month? Saw 6? Now, THAT is funny!

Back to the Beginning

2009-10-02T17:56:00.007-04:00

Dollhouse: Instinct
Season 2, Episode 2

While I could tolerate the premiere wasting a great deal of time trying to catch readers up with the status quo (who everyone is and how they are involved in the Dollhouse organization) at least it was well executed. Whedon's script and direction at the least were a form of well-done monotony. But this week's episode is written (Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters) and directed (Marita Grabiak) are new to the show, so perhaps there's some learning curve benefit of the doubt I can give them. I wouldn't classify this as a poorly executed episode, just one that was rotten from the point of conception. Don't misunderstand me that there are some big problems throughout the episode, but the actors all do a very strong job. Dushku does well enough, but really what could any actress do with lines like, "Mommy's here." while holding a newborn and a butcher's knife?

The latest leap forward in imprinting technology of course occurs in Echo. It's funny how all of the other Dolls work so well, especially Sierra (who works with Echo this week and manages not to turn into a lunatic when the assignment is closed). Topher remarks that he imprinted Echo's mind so thoroughly she had a biological reaction. Meaning she's breast-feeding up a storm, as the mother to a newborn who lost his mother at birth. Since dad is blaming the poor kid, he brings in a replacement mother who glitches out (surprised? maybe that there's only one glitch this week) and gets attached in a way beyond memory.

In a way, Fazekas and Butters were a source of hope I had in this season. The creators of Reaper were being added to the writing staff in place of the departing show runners Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, a pair I had little trust in after the first year bounced around so much between a show with potential and an underwhelming mess.

The reason I put a great deal of the blame on the writers is that they kept going back to the glitching well with too much frequency. And they can't adequately get over the easy solution. In the case of this episode its getting Ballard and Echo together. Because once they are in the picture together, their under-explained mutual understanding will take over. First, Echo miraculously climbs out a second story window while holding a baby only to be caught when she goes to the police for help. Nevermind ignoring the questionable ability to scurry out the window (good thing the ladder was there) while holding a baby!, but the only reason they do it is so Ballard can't ask Echo if she would like a treatment. Then the have the supposedly momentous bit involving Echo refusing a treatment and freaking out take place off-screen, only seeing the final bit before she is put in the chair.

Then Ballard gets distracted by Mellie/November/Madeline so echo can knock out Topher after her wipe. Then (again off-screen) she gets out of her handcuffs and wanders past all of the Dollhouse's security forces. She then bounces from asking a car to drive (that's a cheap throwaway joke that the writers probably thought was much funnier than it really was)to driving the car back to the baby's house. Good thing they don't take the keys out of the cars. Anytime a climax needs four or five outstanding lucky coincidences to be achieved that probably means it wasn't earned.

Do I even need to describe the problems with the finale which includes Echo taking a page from Michael Myers (cutting the power before breaking in), turning into another unfunny and blatantly obvious joke ("Mommy's home." Seriously?!?!?! No, I mean it seriously???) and ultimately being convinced to give up the child by the repentant father.

The character of the father is portrayed fine, another take on the grieving widow played by Patton Oswald in "Man on the Street" and this one doesn't even sleep with her. The lack of quasi-consensual rape we get on a weekly basis and his somewhat moving journey to forgive and form a bond with his son is all handled just fine. But even this character is tainted by the unending coincidences that plague this episode. Of course, Echo overhears him calling Adelle to return Echo to sender.

And at the end of everything, we finally get to Ballard and Echo sitting together to commit themselves to taking the Dollhouse. Which would have been great if the previous episode didn't end on The. Exact. Same. Scene. I just wish we weren't sitting around and spinning our wheels with this show.

One of the most enjoyable sequences is the scenes involving Alexis Denisof's performance as Senator Perrin stalling on his investigation of Rossum before getting a mysterious package. There isn't much substance here, we're really just setting the table for this plot. I would hope things would pick up if or when he goes looking for the FBI agent that was assigned to investigate the Dollhouse. I'm anxiously awaiting the guy who played my favorite character in the Buffyverse getting a chance to stretch his legs a bit more.

Gettin' The Band Back Together

2009-10-02T10:03:00.005-04:00

Supernatural:The End
Season 5, Episode 4

One thing that I absolutely love is the idea of a "What if..." story. I adore Marvel Comics What If... books(though I have not read one in about a decade. Do they still exist?) because they are always interesting at the very least. These types of stories allow the reader/viewer to see something that could have or might happen. Supernatural fans are particularly used to this form of storytelling from episodes like "What Is And What Should Never Be"(wherein Dean is drugged by a Djinn to believe his mother never died).

These stories seem to crop up quite a bit in genre television with your mirror universes, vengeance demons and quantum mirrors allowing characters to visit a different reality to see what might have been or what might occur. These stories are always interesting to me when a character from the show gets a chance to see this altered reality and learn something important that can possibly benefit them. Stargate SG-1 did this wonderfully in the first season where Daniel Jackson visited an alternate reality through a quantum mirror wherein he learned that the Goa'uld were headed towards Earth. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer did this horrendously in the episode 'The Wish' where a vengeance demon sends Cordelia to an alternate reality where Buffy never came to Sunnydale. In that episode Cordelia is killed and when the world reverts back to the status quo NO ONE remembered that any of it happened. It was a wasted event.

I'm happy to say that Supernatural follows the SG-1 model and doesn't make this episode worthless. Plus, ya know, semi-sequel to two of my favorite episodes: 'Croatoan' and 'In The Beginning.'

I think I can safely say that this episode of Supernatural will go down as a classic. If for nothing else than the spectacular acting of Jensen Ackles. Dean speaks to Sam after last week's reveal that he is the vessel of Lucifer and, well, let's just say that the phone call didn't go the way that Sam exactly wanted it to. Sam is at a point where he needs his brother to strengthen his resolve and keep him from submitting to Lucifer. Dean tells Sam that the two of them need to stay away from each other because staying together might be worse--might cause the catastrophe they are trying to prevent. The emotion in Dean's voice and on his face betray his true feelings to us. This separation is killing Dean just as much as it's hurting Sam. Dean is just too proud to admit this to Sam or Castiel.

Dean ends his call and goes to sleep but when he wakes he finds that he is in the near future of 2014 where most of the world has been decimated by the Croatoan virus. It's a spectacular reveal, after the season two episode where the boys first encountered Croatoan. My only gripe, and this is a small one considering how awesome the resulting action sequence was, is that the infected people act more like 28 Days Later zombies than the demon infected people from the first 'Croatoan' episode. Dean escapes the infection zone and heads off to find Bobby.

Zachariah appears to Dean and reveals a couple things about this nightmare vision of the future. Yes, Sarah Palin is president. The end of the world is indeed nigh. Also, Dean has to stay in the future for three days. Supposedly this all happens because Dean doesn't agree to be host to Michael. So Dean gets to play Ebenzer Scrooge and visit his and his friends futures.

Let's see where everyone stands
Future Dean: Kind of a Dick
Future Castiel: De-Angeled and leading a harem in orgies
Future Impala: Busted and rusted
Future Sam: Dead to Dean

Of course, WE can tell that Future Dean is lying. In fact Future Sam isn't dead, or at least his body isn't. Apparently in the future at some point Sam will say yes to Lucifer and become his host. Think back to 'Croatoan.' Remember when the infected guy left town and told(presumably) Yellow Eyes that Sam was immune to the virus? Well, we've got our answer as to why that was important. I had assumed that the Croatoan virus was never going to be brought back into play since Yellow Eyes was killed so the fact that it was made a large part of this episode was invigorating, but getting an answer to why Sam being immune was important was downright amazing. It's part of why I love this show. It truly is the Babylon 5 of horror and if it turns out that all of this wasn't the result of planning, but just happy coincidence...well, then these writers are the luckiest people in Hollywood.

Future Dean has succeeded in finding the Colt and intends to use it to kill Lucifer once and for all. I've got to question whether this would work or not. When Dean first met Castiel, he tried using the demon killing knife on him and it didn't work. Lucifer is a fallen angel, it stand to reason that the demon killing knife would not work and if the knife doesn't work who is to say that the Colt will work. Regardless Dean and Dean head out to attempt anyway. Dean is knocked out by Future Dean(who isn't a very nice guy and intended to use his friends as a diversion while he faced Lucifer) and when he awakes he finds Future Dean dead at the feet of Lucifer/Sam.

Now, my praise of Ackles stands as the best acting in this episode, but Jared Padalecki's portrayal of the devil was spectacular as well. His Lucifer isn't as great as Mark Pellegrino's but it's so off-putting to watch Sam as the devil. Lucifer continues his attempt to win the hearts and minds of the people by explaining that he's a good guy who's only crime was loving God too much. That the angels were better than humans who only kill and make war. Hello! Mr. Lucifer! It's the pot calling, he says the kettle is black. Dean pleads with Lucifer to kill him, because if he doesn't then Dean is going to find and kill him.

Zachariah ends this trip to the future and again asks Dean to be Michael's sword. Zachariah is appalled when Dean again refuses. Dean's a smart guy, there is one thing that he can change that may prevent this future: he can bring his brother back into the cool kids club to help stop Lucifer. And so the Winchester brothers are back together. Though they only spent two episodes away from each other, the return is much appreciated.

So in the end, can we believe any of what Dean saw in the future? Did Zachariah really send Dean into the future or is this another one of his games. Last season he did make the boys forget who they were. None of that was real, why should we believe this is any more real? Plus, President Palin? Preposterous!

So, we got our "What if..." story and we got the boys back together. Dean remembers everything from the future and is determined not to have it happen. Now more than ever I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next on this series.

As a fan of the show, I must caution everyone to be prepared for the worst. The ratings this season have been abysmal. Thursday is a very competitive night of television. The Winchesters may be facing an apocalypse in more than one way.

Drink Up

2009-10-01T21:17:00.014-04:00

Fringe: Fracture
Season 2, Episode 3

"To all that's weird." - Peter Bishop

While I can't agree with Peter's choice of drink (I still prefer my Russians White, not Red), I easily embrace his toast. The second season has gotten off to a much better start than the first's early stumbling. It's been good to relegate Olivia remembering her time on Earth-2 to the B-plot each week. It isn't ignored and will probably be the lead story sooner rather than later, its just nice to let things take a slower pace and develop more layers to this Weird World. The bulk of the episode revolves around a single monster/villain seemingly unrelated to the multi-verse wandering experiments of Walter and Bell.

As far as creepy villains go, Man Bombs is sufficiently high on the list. It's nice for scifi shows to have those stock episode plots to fall back on - in this case military science experiment continued by crazy commander. It's a formula that works well enough, especially in this episode where the main bad guy, Colonel Raymond Gordon is played by Stephen McHattie, a television veteran I remember best as the bad guy in The X-Files two-part story in "Nisei" and "731." Casting 24 and The X-Files veterans are generally both solid moves in my book.

At least we don't think its part of the main series mystery until the final reveal that Colonel Gordon's bombs are meant to destroy agents reporting to the Observer. And here I never even knew he had minions. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. The mysterious opening involves a police officer abandoning his partner and searching for a man with a black briefcase as the man on his phone, Gordon, has instructed. Promptly after finding the man, the policeman crystallizes and goes Ka-Boom. And a good time was had by all. It's a decent effect and the resulting carnarge looks great. Generally everything this week involving discovering the Colonel's identity and plans and the science behind it is golden. From Peter and Olivia's evening trip to Baghdad to Walter blowing up a watermelon like some science fair version of Mount Vesuvius - all good stuff. Fun, humorous and gives us a few tiny, but interesting peeks into Peter's back story.

The mystery that Peter does as much to solve as Walter, gives them both a chance to shine separately. Pairing Walter, Astrid and an exploding watermelon works. I mean we see it coming from the first shot of the scene, but it's still fun. John Noble always has his little quirks (licking the ear brings a special smile to my face), but in the few times he is really experimenting in the unknown and being surprised works the best. Above anything else, Noble can sell this great sense of wonderment for things and its important since this quirky character would be torturously bad if he couldn't sell those jokes at least a little. But letting Walter not have all the answers right away also gives Peter a way to step up in mentally helping solve problems (discovering the radio-wave trigger) in addition to helping carry the load of physical action with Olivia hobbling around like the female Dr. House.

Speaking of Olivia's injuries, while I'm fine with dragging out the mystery for a couple more weeks, it unfortunately only took two episodes for Kevin Corrigan's stint as Olivia's... um... bowling alley owning therapist, Sam Weiss... to wear thin. I realize he might tie more into the mystery and frankly, I'm dreading it. He just happens to be one of those That Guys that seems to always be playing themselves. And not like Dennis Quaid is always playing Quaid or Denzel Washington is usually playing Denzel, but a bad way. I've seen him in seven or eight things since, but he's still the annoying, detached guy from Grounded For Life. And his tactic of annoy Olivia until she stops relying on her cane is just... nope, nevermind, annoying is the perfect word to describe it. I can only hope he either disappears quickly or is killed off... painfully.

While talking about limiting the cast, splitting time between the mystery and Olivia's drama is helped by trimming the cast for the week. Nina Sharp, our new agent Amy Jessup and Fake Face Charlie are all unseen this week, which is a bit unusual since a major FBI operation goes down to capture the Colonel and his final (Wo)Man Bomb. It stinks to miss Kurt Acevedo as Fake Face Charlie, given how well he's performed in the first two episodes this year. Jessup is still a non-entity for me, so no problem there and the less tonsil-hockey I see between Sharp and Broyles the better.

To end things, let's mention that the ending scenes are too rushed. Perhaps some of the writers and directors have to get used to allowing for more commercial breaks this season, but there is almost no time after Gordon is taken down by Peter and Olivia to explain his motivation. They obviously wanted to tie it back to end on the Observer getting a bunch of surveillance photos of Walter and company, but it meant Gordon explaining his crazy plan of detonating his own soldiers and accepting massive civilian casualties without actually being seen by the audience while talking. And that's a hard sell, my friends, especially since the bit we do see has him sharing face time with a surprised Broyles. McHattie's best assets are his grim expression and kind of creepy face and it hurts losing these tools during his big moment of the episode. I guarantee he probably nailed the scene, but it was ruined in favor or either poor directing or saving a few extra seconds from the running time.

And come to think of it, why does the Observer need to have other people photograph the Bishops? Isn't observing people already kind of his thing?

That's A Wrap! Podcast Wincest Edition

2009-09-28T09:59:00.007-04:00

There's no actual wincest in this episode of the podcast! I assure you! Though we do explain what it is at one point!

This week's podcast is chalk full of Supernatural discussion. We chat a bit about how we came to the show and some of the highs and lows of the first two seasons as well as some discussion about the portrayal of Lucifer in the current season.

We try to keep spoilers to a minimum for those of you who have not seen Supernatural, but beware, some made it through. Don't blame us for not warning you!

So, go ahead and take a listen. We'll be your best friend!

That's A Wrap! Podcast Wincest Edition 1:01:32

Don't Stare at an Eclipse

2009-09-27T22:48:00.012-04:00

Mad Men: Seven Twenty Three
Season 3, Episode 7

After last week seemed to throw so much upheaval into the world of Sterling Cooper with multiple characters coming, going, glad to be there, sad to leave and some who were coming going and some who were going staying... whew. Things this week are much more about settling down a new status quo at Sterling Cooper and could we really imagine that the episode where Connie Hilton started giving business to Don and Sterling Cooper be one that ended with so many characters so colossally disappointed. Or that Don would be the most destroyed?

But this show has always been more about the reality that exists behind our fantasies. The nonlinear bit at the beginning let us know things wouldn't be ending well for anybody this week, showing Don bloodied, Peggy depressed in bed with someone and Betty laying on a couch seemingly lost in another dream world. But Don could take a bloody nose much easier than he'll accept a contact with Sterling Cooper. His roving eye refuses to commit to three years, even with the promise of thousands of dollars and the enormous Hilton account. At least he won't commit easily. All things considered, he'd rather be free to look at the sun.

For starters, in case you missed it, the title is the date Don signs his three year contract with Sterling Cooper, complete with standard non-compete clause (i.e., no agency of your own until 1966, pal). For weeks now, I've been imagining Conrad backing Don at his own ad agency and dreaming of the staff members he would take with him. It was similar to the conversation the boys around the office have had since early in season one, but Don's always remained. But if Don always had the world on a string, the one thing he could NEVER get over was the wanderlust that he's served since he was young Dick Whitman. In the end, Don can't flirt professionally anymore. It's interesting that he's so concerned about being free to flirt or even leave his job at the drop of a hat, while in the same episode he gets shot down by Sally's teacher and rolled by a pair of thieving hitchhikers. And I wasn't even sure if he was flirting with the teacher when she went off on him. So basically, Don takes three huge hits this week and I think the one that left a physical scar hurt the least.

Don flirted with leaving in season one before a pile of money was dropped in his lap. He was talking about running off with Midge at one point. But he remembered how much he didn't want to be Dick Whitman anymore and he stayed. Then he did it again, in an enormous misjudgment suggesting to Rachel Menken that they run away together. He flirted with leaving last year during his extended trip to the west coast (again with shades of the man he was before Korea - his inner-Dick) and one more time rather than working under Duck in the finale. And from the time he used the fact that he didn't have a contract to beat Duck, it began a ticking clock until that card was going to be taken from him. You can't play a hand that big and pull your big bargaining chip back into your pocket again. It only can really be done once, and that is a lesson Bert Cooper knows.

This time felt so close to pushing Don out of Sterling Cooper, especially since Roger made his latest bad moves. If there was a worse move than trying to be buddy-buddy with Don again (that ship had some holes when he flirted with Betty and sailed for good when he married Don's secretary), it was calling Betty behind Don's back and expecting her not to rat him out.

But it's been an interesting change of fortune that Roger, the jovial and personable guy we liked so much early on, has become a utter fool and bumbles this enormously. Meanwhile, the one note joke of Bert Cooper, the eccentric old man who was rarely seen, insisted everyone remove their shoes in his office and decorated his wall with tentacle porn, is (when he needs to be) the sharpest assassin in the group. He always knew what would be sacrificed in bringing the British in. He rarely misses the flaws in others. And he wisely sat on his knowledge of Don not being Don, but actually a criminal named Dick Whitman. After letting Roger goof around and Don roam a bit (to the point of trying to hang out with the hicks headed to Niagra Falls), brings out the card that he knew would win any argument with Don. And he isn't a smug prick about it like Roger would be, just explaining the cold reality of the situation. "After all, when it comes down to it, who's really signing the contract, anyway?"

Of course, this scene recalled an earlier one where Connie, like Bert, sat in Don's chair and forced the man who likes to be a master of his universe into a position of weakness. It was spectacularly dis-jarring to see someone else sitting in Don's chair, let alone see it twice in the same episode. The shows ultimate hustler, the man who has almost never let a client put him in a position of weakness, was beaten and hustled not once or twice or thrice, but pretty much four times this week. If Betty had actually had sex with Henry Francis, an adviser for the governor who she met at Roger's party, instead of just flirting and buying the over-sized fainting couch, it might have been the worst weekend of Don's life.

I have to comment on that couch. As they established early in the episode, people should be standing and gathering in front of the fireplace. Even Don realized the one problem in the room was moving the end table away from the fireplace (man, he was on fire at the start of the day, but his life went off the rails quick). So rather than cheating on her husband or just continuing to be a bad mother, she buys the biggest, ugliest and most ridiculous-looking fainting couch because the gentleman she has an eye for told her a story about it.

Poor Peggy has had some rotten luck this year, just as when she asked for a raise, she is unlucky enough to come visit for no reason besides subtly asking for the Hilton account right after Don has a terrible meeting. Considering how much I care about this relationship more than any other in the artist, I've rarely felt as bad watching this show as I did when he absolutely tore into Peggy. While he had a reasonable complaint, he went about six angry levels too far because of his anger about having to sign an exclusive contract. We can only hope she doesn't bolt to Grey with Duck. If it was a bad idea before, it became a horrific one after having sex with him. We can only hope Don relaxes a bit and doesn't make the mistake of driving away his best writer.

The situation now might stinks for Don, and really as Betty pointed out it was pretty nonsensical not to sign it. Where else would he want to be in three years? But the pipe-dream of Don forming his own company was just that. There are too many great characters at the agency that Matt Weiner and company can tell so many stories with. Just imagine more stories with Roger being a buffoon, Pete maybe become a bit closer to how cool Don is, Joan's inevitable return... and let's not forget about Bert Cooper. After that last showdown, Don sure won't.

Looking Ahead

2009-09-25T20:19:00.016-04:00

Dollhouse: Vows
Season 2, Episode 1

I've mentioned it a couple of other places, most notably our lonely little podcast, I've mentioned the Year of Second Chances. I stopped watching Dollhouse two-thirds of the way through the first season after numerous reviews that bounced between adequate and disappointing. But I wasn't counting on one thing, my friends. I wasn't counting on "Epitaph One," the spectacular unaired 13th episode of the first season. After watching that, purchasing the BluRay and actually enjoying the last couple episodes (dominated by the hilarity that is Alan Tudyk) and the unaired pilot... I'm actually excited for Dollhouse. Who'd have believed it?! That doesn't even factor in my geeking out over the casting of Jamie "Apollo" Bamber and Alexis "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce" Denisof.

I honestly can't imagine higher expectations for a second season premiere of a show I stopped watching before the first season finale. These are strange times indeed. But could Dollhouse, which has never been as good when I've watched it on TV as opposed to later, actually deliver when it never had before? Yeah, I'm even one of those Whedon is My Master Now guys that couldn't get over the problems with "Man on the Street." So far this show has always fallen into the Heroes Hole (though not as deep) where a show has all the possibilities in the world (in this case the wonderful themes involving identity and self-discovery), but never came through with living up to its own potential.

I'm not too hesitant to label "Vows" the best episode of Dollhouse ever aired, trailing only "Epitaph One" and perhaps the unaired pilot, "Echo." This still isn't Whedon in his prime, but while one storyline takes on the larger themes of the show that were rarely fully addressed last year, the other is perhaps one of the better Engagement-oriented plots yet. Are there still issues? Hell yeah, but the future is looking quite a bit brighter right now.

One of the continuing issues with the series is that the Engagements are rarely as interesting as other things going on. The Dollhouse missions were never as interesting as the far too thinly addressed pursuit of the organization by Ballard. But this week I can't say how much Amy Acker rules from inside the Dollhouse. Unlike the psycho that Alpha became, or the altruistic Echo that remained wholly devoted to Caroline owning her body, Whiskey/Dr. Saunders has become pretty much her own person. She goes to so many places emotionally and thematically this week. From justifiable rage to depression and fear, her interactions with Topher, steal the show. The scene where in her confusion she unsuccessfully attempts to seduce him is actually somewhat haunting. Saunders would be able to handle things so much easier if Topher had made this all one of his games like so much else. In the end, admitting she has thoughts of her own and, unlike Echo, her fear of the death that giving her body back to the original owner would entail, is the first time we've really felt empathy for an Active character instead of the body's true owner. I give some credit making her disappearance mean something besides Acker has another show and can only be in three episodes.

As much as I complain about this show, they manage to pull an idea from the original pilot that I loved. I'm a big fan of roles within roles, and people playing characters playing at being someone else. One of my favorite examples is the final scene of Boogie Nights when Mark Wahlberg is playing Eddie Adams playing Dirk Diggler playing Brock Landers. So when Echo walking back in to Ballard's room and revealed she was an FBI agent pretending to be a blushing bride, I got a kick out of that. But even an Apollo-Helo grudge match couldn't make this plot much more than it was... filler. They continue to hint at Echo's glitching to other personalities, but I'm too anxious to see Ballard and Echo working to take down the Dollhouse (as glimpsed in the future in "Epitaph One") to put up with much more of this. As always the show manages to frustrate by taking so long to get where we want it to be and the adventures they use to fill time are uneven at best.

I have to say that I'm a little disappointing how thin the explanation of DeWitt allowing Ballard to be "the client" and let him use Echo as an undercover agent to go after an arms dealer that he failed to bring down while with the FBI. The idea that she's curious about the glitch-factory that is Echo isn't just paper thin. It isn't even toilet paper thin... well, certainly not two-ply. Not the best week for DeWitt or Boyd. The two were only really utilized to set-up the threat of Buffy/Angel vet Alexis Denisof's new character Senator Daniel Perrin. And then Boyd makes a play for Dr. Saunders (did he become an insensitive dick over the summer or is that just inherent in the Head of Security position?) that blows up in his face. Like much else, Perrin is barely introduced, just sceen giving a speech in Washington. His real level of information and motivations have yet to be hinted at or examined.

I've raged against Eliza Dushku's limited range as much as anybody, but give her credit for really selling the movements between the various personalities near the climactic showdown between Bamber's arms dealer and Echo and Paul. It might not have been the step forward I wanted, but I will admit it was handled quite well. And if the ending, which hints at her Echo becoming a more unified and consistent personality perhaps she'll be able to sell her "role" better. The end goal being her getting to the point where she is Caroline consistently and can play that character just accessing other abilities or skill sets.

The execution of the episode is above what we normally expect from the series, but it is frustrating that after an entire season was devoted to setting the scene that we have to endure another episode along those lines. I brought up Heroes earlier. Where that show is three levels past dead to me, Dollhouse at least looks like it is moving in the other direction. That Echo will evolve into Caroline and she and Ballard will take on this global conspiracy. That the larger dangers of the Dollhouse will be exploited. That the show will become what it could be. But for now we still have chess pieces moving slowly and we're still waiting.

Let Me Ask You An Important Question

2009-09-25T19:49:00.005-04:00

Supernatural: Free To Be You And Me
Season 5, Episode 3

Have you ever stopped and thought, "why are the Winchesters so damn important?" If you're reading this, then the answer for you will be fairly obvious: they are the main characters on one of your favorite television shows. And that's cool, but think about that question within the context of the show. Dean is the vessel for the archangel Michael and Sam is the last child standing after the Yellow-Eyed Demon's child battle royal ended. He was the focus of the demon world's plot to release Lucifer by breaking the final seal. Hell, Chuck is off somewhere writing the "gospel" of the Winchester brothers. That's a lot of emphasis on two twenty-something hunters. Clearly both Heaven and Hell have big things in mind for these boys.

I don't have an answer to this question, but I desperately hope the the writers eventually do. We were given some tantalizing tips as to the significance of one of the Winchesters as well as the return of a very old friend, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Great Winchester Break-Up of 2009 continues in this episode with Sam working at a bar with the MOST nosy waitress of all time. Sam's in the area of some serious Book of Revelation events and so he calls Bobby to dispatch some hunters to clean up the demon activity. It's good to see Bobby back home and doing his thing. Surely Bobby isn't going to be in that wheelchair forever and I cannot wait to see some more stories focusing on him.

Dean gets to team up with Castiel in an attempt to find God by trapping an interrogating the archangel Raphael. This is pretty much the funniest portion of the night with Dean dropping a ton of one-liners ranging from calling Raphael a "Teenage Mutant Ninjangel" to telling Cas that the last time he teleported him somewhere Dean didn't "poop for a week." Clearly the writers love this pairing since Misha Collins is a series regular now. I do love these scenes, Castiel and Dean trolling for girls in a strip club is surprisingly funny. But there is a greater importance to these events.

Raphael tells Cas that God is dead and Lucifer is who resurrected him. The demoralizing thing about this is that it is very much a possibility. Everything that Raphael tells Cas could be the truth, Lucifer would want to make the angels fight themselves to make the apocalypse easier to achieve. And as Dean points out, this situation is very much like the same one that he and Sam faced back in season one. Does Cas believe that his father is still out there somewhere? Cas has hope, he still believes God is out there. But what about Dean, Cas asks how he is doing being away from his brother. Dean says he's doing great. But the look on his face betrays his his true feelings. It would be smart to remember that Dean also said he was doing great after he made his deal with the crossroads demon.

Speaking of the other Winchester brother, Sam's vacation from the supernatural wasn't going to last long as the hunters dispatched by Bobby run afoul of a multitude of demons and return to confront Sam. The surviving hunters get Sam to admit the demon blood addiction and the raising of Lucifer. Sam successfully denies the demon blood that the hunters pour in his mouth but the damage is already done. Sam, who is trying to prove to himself and his brother that anyone can change, is at a crossroads. When he gets a visit from an old friend: Jessica. Yes, THAT Jessica, the one who died in the pilot episode.

Turns out it's not Jess at all, instead it's our best good friend Lucifer. He tells Sam that contrary to what he believes, there are no second chances and that life sucks. Lucifer is apparently looking for Sam but can't find him(Lucifer is an angel after all, so Cas's sigils are doing their job). What isn't explained is how Lucifer is speaking to Sam at all. But that's not as important as what Lucifer tells Sam. Sam is the intended vessel for Lucifer. Just as Dean is Michael's vessel, Sam is intended as the meat-suit for Lucifer. Lucifer tells Sam that he will never lie to him and that he wants to give Sam a gift. It's incredibly creepy and Mark Pellegrino is spectacular as the devil. I love the direction that they are going with Lucifer. Is he all evil? Is he lying? He seems like an okay guy, which is what makes him so dangerous.

This leads me back to my first question: why are the Winchester brothers so important? It's an important question, one I hope is resolved. I can't help but think that this season is going to inevitably end with a Dean-Michael/Sam-Lucifer throwdown. I feel like Sam and Dean are going to be reunited soon, their separation doesn't seem tenable and with Lucifer's revelation to Sam, he needs the support of his family more than ever. But how is Dean going to react to this news? Probably not well. One thing is for sure, I can't wait to find out where it all goes from here.

And don't forget to check out the Supernatural themed That's A Wrap Podcast going up Sunday/Monday this week!

Spooky, With a Side of Icky

2009-09-25T13:46:00.009-04:00

Fringe: Night of Desirable Objects
Season 2, Episode 2

This is actually more of what the series needs. The biggest problem with a lot of mythology-heavy programs is finding the right balance between carrying on with your "Big Plan" and taking adequate breaks to just explore the world your characters inhabit. To bring The X-Files into it yet again, you need to pace out your conspiracy with some cool Monsters of the Week. And where this show struggled through most of the first season was having a "monster" that didn't tie back to Walter or Bell's research. If this is supposed to be a world where the impossible happens, it can't all tie back to these two guys working in a Harvard basement. But at the same time you can't ignore the audience's burning questions (see Lost - The Hatch for all necessary examples) particularity after a summer-long hiatus.

This week's episode tries to break away from the Bishop/Bell brand of fringe science, but at the same time move the story along in the mystery of what happened to Olivia on her summer vacation on Earth-2. So how does all of this story-telling balance out?

Fairly well, actually. As far as monsters go, the Super-Mutant-Baby that looks more Grant Morrison Mutant than Jack Kirby Mutuant is executed well enough. In general they keep him hidden underground, following the Jaws approach that everything is scarier when it's out of sight if your director is executing the scenes well enough. But when they do finally show this week's monster, it holds up under visual inspection. I'd say its a great job by the effects department, certainly a big step above the alligator-ish monster from late last season.

More than anything else I was just so jazzed to have all the characters discover what was going on along with me. The loop of scenes last year where everybody was freaked out until Walter popped up and tremembered the base experiment that he and/or Bell did wore out pretty thoroughly. But to have him in a situation where he is confused and uncovering something he didn't imagine (Peter telling him the woman with Lupus did give birth) is kind of a rare treat. His enthusiasm is generally enjoyable and given that he can separate the idea of it murdering people it lacks the dark reality that Peter or Olivia would approach the situation with. He's just amazed someone did it.

Speaking of Peter and Olivia, the highlight of the episode by far is their final exploration of the house and confrontation with the Super-Mutant-Baby. Where the story dragged noticeably until the coffins of the woman and S-M-B were pulled up, this sequence near the end stole the show. The entire scene is directed by Brad Anderson (the man behind the camera for "The Cost" one of my favorite episodes of The Wire), who manages to overcome the rather forced setting of the S-M-B's tunnels. At times he pulls out a little too much so we can see things, which isn't as impressive as the claustrophobic approach I would have expected.

The big problem this week is keeping all those stories moving at the same time. As nice as it is that they are having Olivia suffer side-effects/super-powers from her trip and using that to further her resolve to remember things, I found myself missing the heavy dose of Walter and Peter interactions we got in the premiere. A lot of it is that they are both just far more interesting characters than the rather straight-laced Olivia.

Her questioning of her recent history is far more enjoyable when Fake Face Charlie is around and doing his sneaky act. So far, in a real limited amount of screen time, Acevedo's done a great job playing a completely different person impersonating the role he played last year. And his vague and discomforting instructions from the magic typewriter instantly make every scene with Olivia more interesting given the added information that we as the audience have about FFC. The one ball that kind off falls to the ground in all of this week's juggling is our latest addition, Agent Jessup, who has virtually nothing to do and shares hardly any screen time with anyone else of consequence. As much as I enjoy Acevedo's performance, until he is revealed, we're going to keep seeing Jessup pushed into the background. At this point I'm wishing they hadn't even bothered to introduce her until later in the year. Everything she brought to the table structurally so far could have been done by Charlie or FFC. Bringing her out early is doing FAR more harm than good.

FLUGELHORN!

2009-09-22T09:55:00.005-04:00

How I Met Your Mother: Definitions
Season 5, Episode 1

Barney: "Lily, can't you just let us be happy?"
Lily: "You're not happy! You Just think you're happy because you feel happy."

Yes, How I Met Your Mother is back for it's fifth season and though many things have changed through the course of the series, Definitions felt like a proper return.

First of all I do have to get something off of my chest, we mistakenly forgot to delete the series recording on our DVR for Heroes and it recorded instead of HIMYM. Apologies to show creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for getting my hands on HIMYM in a shady way, I promise it won't happen again. Trust me, I'm NEVER watching Heroes again. There might be people who still like that show, I like to think these people's parents are related.

Right, back to the topic at hand! When we last saw the gang Marshall and Lily had already moved out to their Dowisetrepla apartment, Ted was offered a position as a college professor and Robin and Barney had finally sort of become an item. Interestingly enough, Ted's story here has less of an impact than the supposed 'B' plot of Robin and Barney.

Don't get me wrong, Ted's story is great. It's wonderful to get that tantalizing little clue to the mothers identity and the moment with Ted questioning himself over the correct spelling of 'professor' while standing at the front of the lecture hall was probably the biggest laugh-out-loud moment for me. Hey Ted, it's okay, we've all had trouble remembering if professor has one 'f' or two, it's cool. The problem with Ted's story is that he is...kind of a douche. Which is to say that he acts like ninety-eight percent of all college professors I've had the displeasure to attend class with.

The parts of the episode with Ted spastically jumping from cool-guy-"call me Ted" professor to authoritative dictator professor all felt true to the character of Ted Mosby, but didn't hold much laughter because it's exactly where I expected Ted to go. Though we are creeping towards the eventual culmination of the series with Ted finding his future special-lady-friend, it's hard not to feel like Ted and Marshall are being slightly marginalized.

Ted at least has the new job driving him, Marshall, who hasn't really had much to do since the wedding in season two, continues to be trivialized here as he mostly just acts as a sidekick to both Ted and Lily. Jason Segal can handle more than he's being given here and some of Marshall's best stuff was the drama at the end of season one and beginning of season two. Marshall is my favorite character, so it's hard not to feel slighted when we see him used mostly as a punchline.

At the end of last year we lost Alyson Hannigan when she went out on maternity leave and I can't really say that the show hurt from the loss of her Lily. We don't really gain much from her return (aside from a smaller role for Marshall to play) except for some classic 'Aldrin Justice' as Lily locks Robin and Barney in the bedroom until they define their relationship. As much as Lily annoys me, it's good to see that her characterization has been kept fairly consistent. I like the fact that Lily is a kindergarten teacher who essentially acts like a 5-year-old around her friends.

And of course we have the the supposed 'B' plot - Robin and Barney's relationship. Going into this season I was worried about how these two being a couple would neuter the Barnacle. I can say with confidence that after tonight I don't have that worry. Essentially to placate Lily, Robin and Barney decide to "lie" about their relationship to escape the room. I loved the fact that to these two the lie is the relationship. They may not even realize it at a conscious level, thinking instead that they are perpetrating an elaborate lie (which they indicate earlier turns the two of them on) but when Barney suggests brunch... yeah, they're a couple. But it works, Robin won't get angry if Barney says some disgusting thing about a woman and Robin can hold her own with Barney in drinking and smoking. It was actually sort of sweet in a twisted and disgusting way, which is to say just like Barney and Robin.

Stop Me If You've Heard This One

2009-09-21T08:29:00.009-04:00

Mad Men: Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency
Season 3, Episode 6

First, a moment to bask in a well-deserved Emmy win for Best Drama... yep, that hit the spot. And while neither Jon Hamm or Elisabeth Moss walked away with their own statue (a shame since Season Two might have been Moss' best chance given her excellent story last year), the entire cast and crew can share the honor of crafting one of the best dramas on television. And if last week signaled the season kicking off the ground, then last night we officially reached cruising altitude.

This week, Sterling Cooper had to deal with their own version of a British Invasion as their recent corporate overlords paid the company a visit, led by the eponymous Guy. By a strong margin the best episode of the season thus far, "Guy" had me (over just one part of a storyline) laugh out loud, get significantly grossed out, chuckle a bit, nearly fall out of my chair laughing and ultimately feel really bad about. I'd say more, but that would be telling, so we'll get into it after the jump.

After last week's episode spent so much time outside the walls of Sterling Cooper, it was nice to get back in the swing of things. That isn't mentioned to bash the story lines that take place in the Draper home (which are almost always more enjoyable than some of the family life struggles of later seasons of The Sopranos), especially the final scene with Don holding baby Gene and talking to Sally. That might be one of my favorite scenes of the series for reasons I'll get into later. But there is such a wealth of characters in the office that even days when most of them are ignored or sidelined, there's still too many compelling stories to get through. And I'm not just saying that because it means some screen time for the lovely Julie McNiven (Hildy and Supernatural's Anna Milton), who I always get overjoyed just seeing... in a non-stalker-ish way.

We'll get into Don and Joan's specific story lines in a moment, but obviously we need to talk about poor Guy. His arrival is likened to the coming of the Lord from on high. Ready to bestow great riches (given Don a job overseeing creative for London AND New York) and meat out firm justice (pulling the noose tighter around Roger's neck and making a call between Pete and Ken for Head of Accounts), it in reality is as a replacement for Lane Pryce, just shifting out on Brit for another. After we realize he isn't handing out a golden goose for Don, there's absolutely nothing to like about this guy. Sure, he's personable and friendly and magnanimous for the moment at least, but generally you can't go looking for leadership from a man who uses the same phrases over and over again as Guy seems to love. Since he brings so little to the table, it's perfectly alright that we laughed when the living mistake that is Lois mows over his foot, covering Pete and the guys in a blood spraying worthy of Dexter.

When a single bit means so many different things together, it's generally a great sign of quality. Doing tragedy or comedy alone is tough enough. But to hit them simultaneously and then bounce back and forth between the two the rest of the way, that's a step above my friends. At first we laugh, but that's only for an instant as the shock kicks in. Then we see Joan kneeling next to this man's mangled foot and fashioning a field dressing to try and stop him from bleeding to death, and that's when we realize it wasn't that funny. But a bit later Roger is making jokes ("Just when he got it in the door") while the janitor is squeegeeing the blood from Pete's office window. And let me tell you that gore is always funny when a squeegee is involved. Just say squeegee... it's comedy gold, I'm serious. But then we realize in the hospital that he really is losing that foot, which his co-workers assume means he lost his entire life... at least as far as his career is concerned ("He'll never golf again.").

This week might have signaled the end of the fall of Roger Sterling. I mean how can it get any lower than being left out of Guy's new organizational flow chart for the company... followed immediately by being hand written in underneath Burt Cooper while Guy has already moved on to the next subject. His cruel (but still funny) jokes about the ultimate fate of Guy's foot hopefully will signal him beginning to climb back into the swing of things and take an active hand in account management. If he gets back on his a-game and Pryce starts lining up his thinking with Don's view of the future, Sterling Cooper might actually have dodged a huge bullet.

So much depends on how Pryce handles the mother of all accounts Don's drinking buddy from a few weeks back, Connie (now revealed as Conrad Hilton played by Mr. Hey, It's That Guy - Chelcie Ross). This will either take them all to another level like Don's Madison Square Garden deal would have before Pryce and the Brits pulled the plug on it, or give Don the financial flexibility to branch out on his own. Because there's no way Don fails to get the promotion that he and everyone else saw coming and loses TWO once in a lifetime deals in the span of a month to corporate small-mindedness.

In a twist of his usual fortunes, Don gets let down at the office, but steps up substantially at home. While Betty is still telling Sally stories about fairies working for her new baby brother (who was already Rosemary's baby as far as Sally was concerned), Don diffusing the situation by talking to her about the unknown and the unexpected as good things, not necessarily frightening. In other words, (to use the perfect parallel they do with the nightlight) that you don't have to be afraid of the dark. It's wonderful in bringing up the idea of perception that we touch on in the office and in Joan's story. Don's speech to close out the show really was a great example of how much Matthew Weiner and company deserved the second consecutive Writing Emmy they received earlier in the night.

But getting back to perception, poor Joan is the star of this episode. Her perceptions of the life with her doctor husband have now completely fallen apart. Again, it's telling about the time that the part of her life that effected her openly the most wasn't when he raped her last season on Don's office floor. Instead it was when he revealed that not only did he fail to win the chief residency they had accepted as a given for so long, but that his career as a surgeon is effectively over in New York. And I don't think ANY of us want to see Ms. Manhattan herself shuffled off to Mississippi. It would be like a bad version of Doc Hollywood.

For a lot of the time, we consider Joan a bit of a joke. Not in her capabilities, as she showed handling the accident with Guy and the lawnmower or managing the way the entire office acts on any given day, Joan could be put anywhere at anytime and would deal with anything better than most. But its a joke that she couldn't imagine more for herself since she had more inherent potential that even Peggy. She could run an ad agency, but instead she can't even muster the courage to ask to keep the job she excels spectacularly at (even after saving the boss' life) because her loser husband let her down yet again. She doesn't look for more than the grocery bag of gist and dry cleaning bill she is offered.

As things are as uncertain as ever at Sterling Cooper, I couldn't help but imagine an ad agency with a signature client like Hilton with Don running things, Peggy in creative, Pete managing accounts and Joan running the office. It would be a force to be reckoned with, but is far too sunny an dream for this world.

One last note, Billy mentioned how long my last review is and this one is a beast too, but that just goes to show us that there's more to this show than most. I mean I could have written more about poor Pryce being shipped off to Bombay to solve another problem with no thanks or the inferiority of Mr. John Hooker running things in place of Joan, but then I'd be even more annoying. Hopefully, some people might discuss the things I've missed in the comments below... one can always dream.

War, What Is It Good For? Episode Titles, Apparently.

2009-09-18T09:49:00.005-04:00

Supernatural: Good God, Y'all
Season 5, Episode 2

One of the things that oftentimes annoys me in television is overuse of character angst. My wife would tell you that main character angst is the reason she refuses to watch Alias and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (though she has no problem with angsty Winchester brothers, hmmm). Yes, angsty characters can be annoying, but when the drama is EARNED, when it makes sense for the characters to be "whiny," as my wife would say, then I will accept it. That's part of the reason why I could readily accept watching the two aforementioned television shows. Sydney Bristow was obnoxious but her fiance had just been killed by the man she thought of as a surrogate father and her boss. And Buffy? Well, she did die a couple of times and there was that whole "having sex with Angel turns him into an evil dude" thing. So, it makes sense for those characters.

At the end of last week's episode we had a dramatic quasi-"breakup" between Dean and Sam. They were going to hunt together still but Dean admitted that he doesn't trust Sam anymore. In my last review I admitted that I didn't buy Dean's seeming to forgive and then reject his brother; I'm happy to say that after tonight's episode the producers have sold me on the Winchester rift in an organic way. Although I fear some fans will be upset by the outcome of tonight's episode, I'm getting ahead of myself here.

First things first, it appears as if Bobby's confidence that he would walk again from last episode was not because of determination on his behalf. No, the first thing he says upon seeing Castiel is a demand for angelic healing. I'm not sure I like this turn at all. Bobby is a determined motherfrakker. Everything we've seen of his character for the last five seasons tells me that he wouldn't rely on an angel (or anyone else, for that matter) for assistance in getting back on his feet. Of course Bobby likely knows that no other power will get him walking again and this is his form of despair, but it's depressing to see him like this. Bobby is usually a rock. I'd expect Bobby to man-up and prepare in any way that he can for the oncoming apocalypse. It's hard to watch Bobby in this state, as one of my favorite characters and a proxy father figure for the boys you want him to be back to full health, if not for himself then for Dean and Sam.

On the surface this episode seems like a diversion from the main plot line of the season. In some respects is absolutely is, Lucifer is not seen and though Castiel is positive God is responsible for his revival (and Dean and Sam's teleportation away from Lucifer) he has not met him yet. But, there are just so many things that are set up in this episode that it cannot truly be considered a standalone.

Cas indicates that the only prudent way to stop Lucifer is to find God. Apparently the only way to find God is use an amulet that burns when in His presence. Just where is this amulet that Cas needs? Right around Dean Winchester's neck. That's right, the amulet that Sammy gave to Dean. Ok, ok, what?! Look, I know during the flashback where Sam gives Dean the amulet it's said that the amulet was special, but what? This reveal just came completely out of nowhere. There was literally no buildup to it in the least. I don't recall during season four anyone even looking at that damn amulet, let alone a reference to it by any of the myriad angels in the season. Maybe I'm missing something, but this really felt like deus ex machina, a way to artificially make Dean even more important than he already is.

One thing I did like about this whole scene was Cas calling Dean on cell phone. Because of the sigils that Cas carved on the boys' ribcages not even he can find them. It's a funny scene but it speaks volumes, the writers realized that having an angel on the boys side was too big of a "get out of jail free" card. So now Cas can't magically find and save Dean and Sam. Which of course leads us to the main plot of the episode.

Rufus (Badass Laureate Steven Williams, beloved by me for his turn as 'X' on The X-Files) calls Bobby on a satellite phone with a cry for help. The phone disconnects before Bobby can get the whole story, but we get to hear some important stuff. A town in Colorado is overrun with demons and Rufus desperately needs help. You can surely see where this is going.

So this town is out in the middle of nowhere, there is no cell phone reception and it looks like the entire town is caught in the middle of this demon showdown. No cell phones means that Castiel isn't going to save the boys at the last minute. Between Rufus showing up in the pre-title sequence and the re-introduction of long gone guest stars, this episode felt like a veritable reunion episode. Yes, tonight marks the return of Ellen and Jo Harvelle, both of whom haven't been seen since season two. Personally, I was excited to see Jo back. And she's hunting with her mother! It's like the anti-Winchesters! I sincerely hope that we get to see more of these two during this season. I loved the arc with the Roadhouse in season two and I always enjoy stories where the boys meet up with other hunters.

It turns out that there are no demons in town, just one sadistic horseman: War (Titus Welliver, who just so happened to guest star as an eco-terrorist in my favorite standalone X-Files episode). War's coming is straight out of the Book of Revelation. Of course, like any modern horseman should, War rides a sweet-ass red Ford Mustang. War has been using a ring to make the townsfolk believe that demons are among them so that they will begin to...well...war with each other.

After figuring this all out the boys stop War by cutting his ring (fingers and all) right off.

For those playing along at home, the correct answer to "when should we have known there were no demons in town," was when Sam used the demon killing knife on a couple of "demons" in the convenience store and there wasn't a light show. I noticed that something was up, but Sammy didn't because he was too busy being a demon blood junkie. Yes, God may have given Sam "demon blood methadone" in the last episode but he's clearly not past the cravings. Dean and Sam have a sit down at the end where Sam admits that he's not doing any better, he doesn't trust himself anymore than Dean trusts him and he needs to find his own way. Dean agrees without a fight, which takes Sam aback. But Dean offers Sam the Impala. That act alone speaks volumes. Dean is protective of two things: his brother and his car. By offering his car to Sam he is telling Sam that he does still sort of trust him and he expects to see him again. Sam denying the car is a way of signaling to Dean he won't be around for a while.

Last week I complained about the Sam/Dean rift. But with Sam admitting that he needs help and he's endangering Dean there is a reason for the angst and drama. It makes the final scene in last week's premiere infinitely better in retrospect. These boys have been through hell (literally, in Deans case) and this was bound to happen. The only question is how long? The Winchesters always seem to have these break-up spats, so how long will this one last?

Better the Second Time Around?

2009-09-18T07:28:00.020-04:00

Fringe: A New Day in the Old Town
Season 2, Episode 1

I suppose I've been down this road more than most. Give something a shot, feel it comes up short and move on. But on rare occasions sometimes a show can sneak back into my schedule. And if this year is the year of anything, its the Year of Second Chances. Two shows I had completely written off and one I never wanted to give the time of day are anchoring the second half of my television week. But more than my disappointment in most of the first season of Dollhouse and my (until recently) ignorance of the fun that is the Winchester brothers, Fringe was a show I wasn't going to get into. I watched three of the first four episodes, found its vain attempt to be the next X-Files insulting and changed the channel. It just wasn't going to happen. Only then it did.

I gave the full first season a whirl on BluRay and like the second time I watched Dollhouse, the lowered expectations helped. This wasn't the next X-Files and was never going to be. The conspiracies are too limited. The direction cares more about looking pretty than setting a mood. It's X-Files Lite, or Diet X-Files and you know what? I really like Diet Pepsi. You can have some fun with Diet X-Files. The scripts get better and the actors really come into their own as the season goes on. And a pair of twists in last year's finale had me ready and raring to go for last night's premiere. And if you didn't watch the season one finale, don't read another sentence unless you like things being spoiled for you.

Putting aside my love and respect for Mr. Leonard Nimoy, the most important reveal of the finale was the idea hinted at mid-season that Joshua "Quack! Quack!" Jackson's character Peter is actually from the primary alternate reality that our characters have been interacting with (which the DC fanboy in me refers to as Earth-2), stolen as a child by his "father" because his son died. This might very well be the move that saved the show long term for me. John Noble (The Return of the King) is a fine actor and there were few performers who could have elevated Dr. Walter Bishop above the level of a joke. The trouble is his illness often comes off as shtick. He's stuck acting goofy for the most part as comic relief. The storytelling has now given him a way to add depth to his work because his interactions with Peter and possibly the cause of his advanced mental illness are the result of a moving tragedy.

This first episode since the reveal uses the wonderful device of Peter's approaching birthday (see party hat wearing cow above) to have Walter fretting over making him a custard that this Peter hates, but the late Earth-1 Peter loved as a small child. And of course at some point Walter effectively became Earth-2 Peter's father, so the son goes along with it as he does so many of Walter's eccentricities. And that's something else that made the show enjoyable. One of my very few gripes about The X-Files was that over time Scully saw far too much to remain a skeptic for so long. Once this show got past the Doubting Thomas Syndrome things picked up quite a bit, which has mostly involved Peter going with the flow as opposed to positing "That's impossible." every fifteen minutes like a commercial break alert.

The biggest problem this week is pulling a Lost-Season-Two-Premiere on us. They teased us with William Bell (Nimoy) for the entirety of season one only to reveal his swank location in the World Trade Center on Earth-2 in the last scene. Of course, why reveal anything when you can have Olivia show up with amnesia and drag it out some more. That's just plain annoying television.

Hopefully, they can get back in the swing of things in short order and don't drag that out too long. Olivia's usually the primary lead, so its unusual to see her so sidelined (in the hospital and scatter-brained). But it does give Peter and Walter a little more time to shine then they normally get. But even Olivia's best scene with Charlie is mostly about Kurt Acevedo telling a moving story and saying farewell to his character.

One of the biggest concerns was answered very quickly this year. After successfully taking down the first big bad last season, who was going to be a threat to the main team? Surely not Bell, he's Nimoy-tastic! Enter our Earth-2 Super Soldier disguised as our good friend Agent Charlie Francis, who will be a nice insidious force even without his changing identity device (I dub him Fake Face Francis). It was fairly easy to call that he was going bye-bye. When a new character shows up, like Agent Jessup, someone was on their way out (we call that one MI-5-itis) and it wasn't going to be any of the three leads. We can all just be glad it wasn't The Wire veteran Lance Reddick's Special Agent Broyles. The man has been a terrific contributor (this show's version of Skinner) once he stopped calling Olivia, "Le-A-Sun." Of course that was before he made the icky moment with Nina Sharp. That was just not fun.

But for the most part the show is fun. I mean this isn't Heroes seasons two and three level problems, just a few imperfections and limitations. Don't expect too much high drama and you can get a kick out of it most weeks. At least I hope we can... whether the show flows well week-to-week as opposed to a complete season at once on BD remains to be seen.

And Off We Go

2009-09-14T10:31:00.001-04:00

Mad Men: The Fog
Season 3, Episode 5

One of the more universal complaints or concerns about the third season of Mad Men has been the slow burn approach to the first four episodes compared to the last two years. I've never really understood that complaint since the first season mystery about Dick Whitman didn't really develop until the fifth episode "5G", when we meet Adam. Honestly, I have found this season's slow approach a nice chance to highlight the punchline that Roger Sterling has become (How will it get worse than singing in black face in "Old Kentucky Home"? Because you know it will.) and the expectation of the birth of Betty and Don's third child.

But the waiting game is officially over as Don and Betty's story leaps forward and the continued difficulties in integrating the new British management at Sterling Cooper highlight the largest episode of the year in turns of scope.

The real gift of Mad Men is the gift of hindsight.. of knowing where things are heading. And it isn't just dates like Roger's daughter having a wedding the day after Kennedy will be assassinated. The conversation between Pete and Hollis (one of many Yankees fans I find I am able to like without reserve) about televisions is a humorous stand-out given the perspective of the 21st century. The actor who plays the largely thankless role of elevator operator Hollis, La Monde Byrd, is always terrific in what he can say without speaking. How he feels excluded from the idea of the Pete's typical American Dream (outside of watching baseball) and how from our perspective we know that can change, that's one of the little moments that make the show for me. Scenes like that, which in the course of the overall episode (with far bigger scenes involving Peggy and Don, Duck's return and the long sequences involving Don and Peggy at the hospital for the birth of Gene Ver. 2.0) are really rather small and insignificant still bring so much to the table. It's a credit to Matthew Weiner and his writing staff. This tiny scene in the elevator is probably my favorite moment and I couldn't call it one of the five most substantive sequences in the episode.

The majority of the episode is spent at the hospital. Right away we get another of the little cultural quirks the show is so good at pointing out. The idea that the father's job is done when he gets the mother into the building is cute given every birth scene we've watching in every television show and movie over the course of my lifetime. Heck, John Travolta was there for Mickey's birth and he was just the cab driver. But it kind of works here, letting Don share the waiting room with a prison guard and first time dad and Betty going through the birth alone. Don's scenes highlight how, despite recent efforts, he can't make this life mean as much to him as it did before he had achieved it. The idea he had when he was Dick Whitman of this life has worked out so superbly for him professionally, but so hollowly from a personal standpoint. He just isn't the man who can be that involved in his family as the prison guard is. He can't honestly believe in rededicating himself to his family because of this child's birth as the guard does. But for now he continues to make his half-hearted efforts. If the show does last until 1970 as producers have mentioned, I can't imagine Don and Betty still together. But perhaps that is another truth of the time period we'll see. They will both allow themselves to be trapped and miserable for the sake of a mental image of family life.

Back in the advertising world, I have to credit Duck in his little talent poaching mission (even if he makes the enormous misjudgment of having the meeting with both and slighting Pete in the process). Besides Don, there's no one in creative more worth having than Peggy, both in terms of current talent level and in how her forward thinking attitude will make her even more valuable as the rest of the world catches up throughout the 1960s and 70s. And while Pete has his numerous flaws and is often more antiquated than Peggy (see the hilarious Charleston dance sequence from two weeks ago), his pursuit of directing ads towards African Americans is well ahead of the rest of his peers. Of course, as his conversation with Hollis highlights, he isn't invested in social change (like Paul would be), it's just a matter of money to be made. But still, it's a progressive leap of thought that we don't see often at Sterling Cooper from anyone besides Don and Peggy.

Speaking of Peggy, her conversation with Don, while well-written and excellently performed by both Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss, isn't as excellent as Don's hospital bedside visit to Peggy that we viewed in flashback last season. For now, it's tough watching my two favorite characters at odds. Their mentor-student relationship was always special, both in terms of mutual respect (including how Don never gave her an inch that she didn't earn) and the fact that it was valuable enough for Don to never make it anything beyond platonic. But this conversation, with Peggy requesting a well-deserved raise that Don cannot get her due to the penny-pinching British overlords, does more for Don in a thematic sense. Peggy so values achieving what Don has (and not in the malicious way Pete had in previous seasons), while he finds his life so unfulfilled. Structurally, it is all a bit more important to Peggy, considering she is getting offers from outside of Sterling Cooper.

And that has been the cruel realization for Don this season. His trip to California last year and Betty throwing him out has spurned him to try and make a better go of it with his family. So he has thus far avoided the clear mutual interest between himself and Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell. And the real tragedy of it is that Don and Betty can't be happy together without one of them massively changing. Women like Rachel Menken, Suzanne and (in a professional sense) Peggy all relate to him in a way that Betty or (in a professional sense) Joan never could. Part of the appeal of Don isn't how well he fits in the current setting, but how open and progressive he comes off (be it his views of raising children, the abilities of women in the workforce or relative indifference to race). He accepts the world he has to work in, but we know through hindsight that people like Don and Peggy and their worldview will last long after the Bettys and Rogers are left in the rear-view mirror in the coming decade.

While I've ignored her thus far and just inferred she doesn't deserve her husband, I really don't have anything against Betty... honest. Especially not January Jones' wonderful performance, which is once again stellar in her ability to convey such sadness in almost all things. But she is ultimately the weak girl that her parent's raised her to become. She has her husband and children and too much of her life has always been about maintaining that dream and lifestyle. Don isn't as much her partner as a means to an end. And the great tragedy of her situation is how trapped and dependent it has made her. Despite the big kick out last year, Don's coming and going in the family is almost entirely his own decision. When he wants to leave, he can. When he wants to return, Betty will eventually let him. While Bobby and Gene have been significantly non-entities beyond their figurative value, I honestly think half the time Don is staying for Sally, not Betty.

A random note before wrapping things up, it was nice to see Yeardley "Lisa Simpson" Smith as a nurse at the hospital and she never came off as being nearly as annoying as Lisa is. Well done!

Final score: B+

The Good, The Bland, And The Ugly

2009-09-14T09:25:00.004-04:00

Back by ~~popular~~ absolutely no-one's demand, it's the That's a Wrap! Podcast! This week we take a look back at the summer movie season to find out which movies we loved and which ones we wish would fall into a well and die. We also get a chance to preview the fall television slate to discuss what we're going to be watching this season.

I'm not going to lie, this week's Cast is NSFH. What is NSFH? Well, you've heard of NSFW, not safe for work, NSFH is not safe for humanity. We, uh, we might have gone a bit overboard with the swearing. Seriously folks, if you think this week's podcast is bad--just imagine the stuff we cut.

Marvel: as Billy gets his hate on Up.

Behold: as Garrett talks about a movie he's never seen(try to guess which one!).

Astonish: as Jim becomes the angriest G.I. Joe fan ever.

The Good, The Bland, And The Ugly(58:05)

Return of the TAWp!

2009-09-11T18:25:00.002-04:00

Welcome back to the That's A Wrap! TAWp Nine in its latest form with yet another deviation of the total number of posts. As always, your faithful That's a Wrap! Editors pick individual favorites in a particular category. Together the picks combine to create VOLTRON! Well, ok, not quite as cool as robotic kitties of doom, but it's close.

As we reboot the website for the new Fall TV season, we're mixing it up with a list featuring highlights from the big screen. This week we chronicle SIX big Oscar and box office heavyweights of the Fall and Winter seasons.

3. Jim - Invictus (12/11/2009)

I've been on an Eastwood tear this summer. I've long been a vocal supporter of how great Mystic River was, been in awe of Unforgiven and Letters From Iwo Jimo and recently really enjoyed Gran Torino. Excluding the hick-up that was Million Dollar Baby (and I blame that on Hilary Swank, she's been nothing but bad news since she ruined the Karate Kid series for me), he's generally aces. And a political/social drama starring his Unforgiven buddy, Morgan Freeman... You had me at hello, Clint. And it's a sports movie, too! Eastwood-political/social drama/Freeman/sports - That's like a parallelogram of awesome right there.

This Oscar front-runner stars Freeman as South African President Nelson Mandela attempting to unify his country in the aftermath of apartheid around hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Jason Bourne himself, Matt Damon, plays South African team captain Francois Pienaar.

3. Billy - Zombieland (10/2/09)

Ok, ok, so this one is not going to be on anyone's Oscar list this year, but I just cannot pass up the allure of a good zombie movie. And by "good" I mean...well, I'll watch just about any zombie movie at least once. I have absolutely no illusions that this is going to be anywhere near as funny or enchanting as the zombie-comedy standard bearer Shaun of the Dead but I just don't care. I love horror movies and this October seems to have a lack of anything that looks remotely interesting (Saw 12 is coming out, right?), so Zombieland is at least filling that niche for me.

If zombies don't do it for you (and if not, what the hell is wrong with you?) then how about Woody Harrelson? Remember when he was awesome? He was totally in White Men Can't Jump! He was the titular "white man!" Seriously though, the cast looks totally bonkers: Bill Murray, Jesse Eisenberg, Mike White, Abigail Breslin. I just can't pass this one up.

2. Jim - Brothers (12/4/2009)

Like all my picks on today's list, this remake of a 2004 Danish drama peaks my interest with a stellar director in Jim Sheridan. Between My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, The Boxer and In America, he's got one of my favorite imdb pages. And his cast in this one certainly has a lot of potential with Tobey Maguire as a soldier believed to be KIA, Natalie Portman as his wife and mother of two young girls and Jake Gyllenhaal as Maguire's drifter brother.

Like most Sheridan films, this appears to be a tough emotional journey for characters we'll care about with great tragedy and in the end something hopeful and life-affirming. It's a tried and true formula that works for me like killer robots works for Billy. And really, we plan the summer for the fun movies. The highlights from this time of year are meant to be meaningful and emotionally challenging. And that my friends is right up Sheridan's alley.

2. Billy - Where The Wild Things Are (10/16/09)

I'm in for this one because of two words: Spike. Jonze. After being absolutely bowled over by Jonze's previous films Being John Malkovich and Adaptation I would sit through anything that he directs. Seriously, do you think those movies were great because of the Charlie Kaufman scripts? Synecdoche, New York and Being Human say hello. Add Jonze's keen direction to a movie based on Maurice Sendak's classic children's book and you have a match made in heaven.

Want another reason to see this movie? Watch the trailer, it's full of CGI Wild Things and they look fabulous! My usual feeling is this: Special effects aren't. I've got to a place where I look at most every big budget special effect blockbuster and just don't believe anything on the screen could be real. It's rare when I see something truly otherworldly and think that it looks like it could exist within our space, but by God those wild things fit that bill. I still have some misgivings with the voice cast(Tony Soprano? Really?) but am willing to forgive them because it just looks so damn fun.

1. Jim - The Lovely Bones (12/11/2009)

(Note: I am not stealing this phrase from Billy. I wrote mine first. So there, bitches.) Two words - Peter. Jackson. Even after the um... let's call it... uneven job with the remake of King Kong, this is a guy who has built up such an enormous credit of trust with me between The Frighteners, Dead Alive and that little project from a few years ago.

Based on Alice Sebold's 2002 novel, this is one of two projects coming out this year I'm so jazzed for I plan on reading the book first (the other being Cormac McCarthy's The Road). The story of a child's death and how her family go on while she observes from heaven stars Mark Wahlberg, who recently built up a new reservoir of credit with The Departed just as he was running out of love for Boogie Nights, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci and Atonement's Saoirse Ronan as the murdered child.

1. Billy - The Road (11/25/09)

Part of the reason why I want to see this movie so badly is just because after reading the phenomenal Cormac McCarthy novel this movie is based on I cannot fathom how someone could make it into a compelling film. It's not Watchmen-level unfilmable, but the prose-like narrative is half of what made The Road an impressive read, without that I'm not sure the story will have the same kind of impact. I want to see director John Hillcoat succeed because I do love the book, but I have my worries.

The other reason I want desperately to see this flick? Purely selfish, the bombed out post-apocalyptic southern coast depicted in this movie was filmed in my hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. Yeah, it's a silly reason, but I'm itching to see places that I've been substituting for a devastated countryside.

Oh yeah, the cast is wicked awesome too: Viggo Mortensen, Garret Dillahunt, Robert Duvall, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce. Can't wait to see this flick.

Can We Start A Twitter Trending Topic Called #DeanWinchesterKicksAss?

2009-09-11T10:38:00.015-04:00

Supernatural: Sympathy For the Devil
Season 5, Episode 1

It's difficult to get excited for a television premiere when it doesn't feel like the show went anywhere during the summer break. Longtime Supernatural fans will cry out that the show, in fact, has been gone for the entire summer. Ok, ok, for you longtime Supernatural fans the summer must have been GRUELING but for us Johnny-come-lately fans the summer was an excuse to watch the entire series for the first time.

I'll fully admit that I initially wrote this show off as average CW teeny bopper drama until I heard that some of my favorite The X-Files producers we working on this series. So I gave it a shot. Damn. Am I glad I did. Without going into too much gushing fanboy-ism, I'm hooked. Explaining the series to friends as being like if The X-Files and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer made sweet, sweet love and the culmination of that fateful night was offspring that wasn't as whiny as Mommy Buffy and just as kick-ass as Daddy Mulder is a good indication of how seriously I take this series.

So, the Winchester boys haven't been gone this summer. No, they've been playing consistently in my DVD and Blu-Ray player for the entire summer. When we last saw the Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, it was the end of the divisive fourth season. Sam decided to harness his demon powers to stop Lilith with Ruby at his side, unwittingly breaking the final lock holding Satan. With Ruby (and her awful acting) and Lilith dead, the boys are now facing the Prince of Evil himself, Lucifer.

Many fans didn't seem to enjoy the fourth season of the series, and maybe I have a different perspective since I watched the entire season over the course of a week, but I quite enjoyed the demon/angel war presented last year. This year seems to be pushing in much the same direction with the Winchesters at odds with both the demon world and the angels who apparently pushed for war in an attempt to finally defeat Lucifer once and for all.

One of the reasons I loved the fourth season was the way that it made the ongoing story of the previous seasons congeal into a compelling mythology that wasn't entirely visible previously. It gives the older seasons' arcs more gravitas in retrospect and truly feels like this year is the final chapter of a pre-planned story. Regardless of whether the show continues into a sixth season (and all indications are that it will) this five season arc will go down as being very well done and compelling. Maybe not as well thought out as say Babylon 5's arc, but close enough for me to make the connection.

Without going into too many plot specifics(if you haven't watched yet, go!) I will say that this episode was simultaneously satisfying and aggravating. The boys are rescued from the monastery and Castiel is brought back to life by some mysterious third party. It makes me think that the Twitter trending topic #Godishere was more than Twitter Christians reacting to the Supernatural fans trending #luciferiscoming. Viral marketing on behalf of the show, perhaps? Hmm, methinks so.) which is by far the most compelling thing to happen in the episode.

Meg Manning's demon makes her return as our first "face" demon that the boys must go up against. Bobby is possessed and breaks free from control long enough to use the demon killing knife on himself. Bobby doesn't die (Thank God!) but is told by doctors that he will never walk again.

The biggest news that is ACTUALLY spoken (not just implied like Castiel's resurrection by mystery person) is that the Archangel Michael is just itching to get into a brawl with Lucifer but needs a willing person to serve as his host. Not just any person, someone deemed to be Michael's Sword: Dean Winchester. Of course, after Zachariah showed his true colors last season, the last thing Dean wants to agree to is being a meat-suit for an angel throw down.

Lucifer, however, finds a host by convincing a depressed widow (Mark Pellegrino of Lost and Dexter)that God abandoned him and could have saved his late wife and child. It's an interesting dynamic that I cannot wait to see play out over the season. But seriously, if Lucifer shows up at your doorstep and says, "Bro, God's totally a dick, he totally lied about me being the prince of lies," don't believe him!

The big problem I have with the episode is that Dean seemingly forgives Sam early in the episode only to tell Sam later that he will never trust him again. I'm all for a rift between the boys - season four focused on that quite a bit and it turned Dean into my favorite character. Here it seems silly and contrived. The world is ending. Lucifer is rising. Shit is going down. The Winchesters need to man up and save the world. The rift itself wasn't even the big problem, it's just that it occurred at the very end of the episode. We didn't get a cliffhanger of any sort and this Dean/Sam fight seems to happen so frequently that I kind of felt like we'd been down this road before.

In the end the good outweighs the bland. I'm still on board for the rest of this season.

BTW anyone hear those rumors that Jensen "Dean Winchester" Ackles might be playing Captain America? I'm behind anyone who's previously uttered the words, "Criss Angel is a douche," playing Cap.

Let's Dawn of the Dead this Mother.

2009-09-11T01:47:00.003-04:00

Like the aforementioned zombie classic, That's a Wrap!'s decaying corpse has risen to once again wreak havoc. After an inexcusable summer layoff filled with pointless things like Billy working full time, Garrett umpiring and me being the insane Red Sox freak that I am... well it's Finally Fall, which for TV and movie fanboys is like Spring... all rebirth and new life. Movie studios begin the Oscar push with some of their highest quality efforts and a whole new season of television shows debut. And not even the fear of five nights of Jay Leno in primetime can stop me from being excited about that.

So expect us back up and running for the indefinite future. Today you'll see Billy's review of the fifth season premiere of our new obsession of the moment, Supernatural, and hopefully a TAWp! six Fall Films coming out between now and the end of the year. Sunday, we'll have a Summer Movie Review/Fall TV Preview Podcast. And Monday morning I'll blast onto the scene with a review of the first eight episodes of this season of AMC's Mad Men. So let's kick the tires and light the fires.

Two Thumbs Way...

2009-06-03T09:34:00.007-04:00

Did the pun almost kill you too? Given Pixar's stellar record on films not relating to living race cars, I didn't have too many doubts that this movie would be six kinds of awesomeness. And even if I am saying this about a movie involving a house flying via the awesome power of balloons and tablecloths, it's such a mature piece (from an emotional standpoint at least) to significantly defy the idea of being a movie for kids. Click below for the full review and another stop on our summer movie ride.

When I talk about the maturity of this film, a great deal of that stems from the fact that despite the youthful "recognize life as an adventure and keep on living it" message, the main driving point of the movie revolves around a death. Even if they've repeatedly been praised for making movies for both adults and children, all of their films carry the same Capra-esque vibe. Woody and Buzz will always be reunited with Andy. The bugs will always defeat the grasshoppers. Monsters will power their city with children's laughter. The Incredibles will always end up as the Pixar equivalent of the Fantastic Four. And nothing utterly devastating will ever happen to anybody... unless you still haven't gotten over the fact that Buzz Lightyear can't fly.

But rather than just making a cute movie about a grumpy old man and a cute, silly kid, the first significant 10-15 minutes of the movie is working a character deeply into our hearts and killing her off. I don't think I've seen a handful of movie characters I loved as much so instantly as Ellie. Off the top of my head, the list is limited to Crash Davis, Rick Blaine, Sabrina Fairchild, Red from Shawshank and any member of the Magnificent Seven. Seeing her life with Carl absolutely makes the movie something more important. If we just started out with grumpy Ed Asner, we'd have to slowly uncover his history and it still wouldn't fully resonate. But this opening, scored absolutely perfectly by Michael Giacchino, has let me empathize completely with Carl's character. Ellie was that bright shining center to EVERYthing and now it's gone. Maybe this is because I'm a 60-year-old curmudgeon stuffed into a 28-year-old body, but I was actually in a sour mood for the next twenty or so minutes right along with Carl. And while I'm not the biggest fan of going to movies to feel shitty about life (if I was, I would probably watch Aronofsky films more often), it's impressive to get so sucked into a character's attitude.

The majority of the rest of the film is standard issue Pixar. It's at time funny for the kids (though substantively less often than previously) and there is of course a message worn proudly on it's sleeve. A clear bad-guy and dogs being silly and all the parts of the movie that kids will love and I'll surely enjoy on repeat viewings. In particular everything involving Dug and Alpha's voice box is pure gold. All that is fine and I'm proudly on the bandwagon proclaiming The Incredibles , WALL-E and the like as some of the very best and most under-appreciated films every year. But those first 15 minutes absolutely make the movie for me. I absolutely didn't cry (Field of Dreams remains the lone film that can utterly devastate and enthrall me consistently), but it got dusty.

I don't want to be too harsh on the bulk of the movie. By the end, like Carl, even I began to appreciate the idea that while we're alive there are still adventures to be had and sometimes you have to let go of the past to a degree. Even as I'm writing this two days later I feel bad leaving Ellie behind. Given how little dialogue she has it, like much of the emotional resonance throughout the movie, her impact is sold through Asner's evocative performance, the animator's ability to really break ground in displaying emotion on humans and Giacchino's score which honestly might be the best I've heard in four or five years.

Despite all this, I'm probably selling short the journey of young Russell. He could have just been the cute kid along for the ride to give the younger audience someone to relate to. But his relationship with an absent father, while at times involving and something I can personally relate to, never hits home in the same manner. His mom died, but he has a step-mom. His dad is away all the time, but he has Carl. But nothing will ever replace Ellie for Carl because nothing can replace the entirety of his life. Sometimes moving on has to be enough.

Final score: A

We've Been Targeted For Termination...

2009-05-25T01:07:00.005-04:00

That's right, we've been targeted for termination and only YOU can save us. This could quite possibly be the final episode of the That's a Wrap! podcast. I know, I know, it's pretty sad. Thankfully there is an easy way to save us, download the show and pass it along to a friend!

Join us for quite possibly the final show as Jim and Billy discuss the Terminator franchise past present and future. We promise that there are no spoilers for Terminator Salvation, so no worries if you have not seen the new movie.

So click away and join us as That's a Wrap is Talkin' Terminators this week! (1:38:24)

Intro: The Terminator theme -Brad Fiedel
Outro: Todd the T-1000 - Jonathan Coulton

Thanks to our few dedicated listeners, we really do appreciate your support...just pass it along, please!

No Fate

2009-05-24T11:38:00.002-04:00

The Terminator has always been a compelling series for me. I'll admit that I didn't see the first film until after I'd seen Terminator 2: Judgment Day but the ideas, the concepts and drama that drive this series were extremely exciting from the moment I'd first seen the trailers for T2. Even my parents were excited by the trailers. People who to this day probably can't name a single film as their "favorite." But here they were hyped for a film about killer robots from the future and consequently I became excited as well.

It's a pretty common joke around That's a Wrap! that I will like anything with killer robots in it and while that is a little broad of a generalization--I do adore stories about robots...oh and time travel too.

I had quite the love/hate affair with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles(which I'm sad to say was canceled way before its time) and it's willy-nilly timeline and age changes(not to mention the blatant canon broken in the first episode with the T-800 head going through the time portal) before I gave in and enjoyed the series for what it was, warts and all.

The Terminator franchise for me has always been sort of like a horror story. Honestly the first movie is the only one that can really even be likened to a horror film, but the basic story is somewhat endemic to horror movies: Evil thing hunts an innocent and cannot be stopped. Without all the sci-fi trappings that plot description could fit any number of horror movies. The Terminator could be a proxy for The Mummy. They share the same basic conceit Not to mention the Terminator Endoskeleton--fucking frightening.

Now, of course, the Terminator films have always been about action(T2 and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines more so than The Terminator but the idea of an unstoppable metallic horror from the future hunting someone is just a frightening proposition. One of the things that worried me about Terminator Salvation was that it was set in the future.

Yes, it's set in the time period that we've all wanted to see since the first time we viewed The Terminator and saw those tantalizing glimpses of the future war. But can Terminator stay frightening if it's about a war with hundreds of thousands of endoskeletons? Thankfully, the answer is yes--at least when it needs to be.

Everyone worried when McG was announced as the director of this film. Truth be told, I've never seen one of his films. I know that his take on Charlie's Angels was well received if not well reviewed and I knew that he was an action focused director. I tried to give the man the benefit of the doubt and I'm glad I did, because aside from a very few nitpicks Terminator Salvation is a very fun and exciting summer movie.

It is the year 2019(a good ten years before John Connor "smashed SkyNet's defense grid," won the war and sent his father back in time) and things aren't looking good for the human race. SkyNet is ramping up to something big--the T-800, and the human resistance(not yet lead by John Connor) is looking to find a way to end the war for good.

Marcus Wright(Sam Worthington) a death row inmate from 2003 wakes up in the aftermath of a Connor-led infiltration of a SkyNet facility. Though nearly fifteen years have passed since his "death." The big question is, who is Marcus and is he what he seems to be?

The big difference between the past Terminator films and this movie is that this isn't a road/chase picture. The past Terminator movies have all had the main characters running from a terminator until the inevitable showdown at the end. Salvation shirks this format and is truly a different film. Look, I'll admit it doesn't have the heart or mind of The Terminator or T2, but what it does have is a competent story with some great set-pieces that never overstay their welcome.

The main problem with this film is that McG splits the time between Marcus and Connor. We never really get to spend enough time with either of them and the film never seems to know who the main character is. Is it John Connor(Christian Bale), the most important person in the Terminator franchise or Marcus Wright, the random dude we've never heard of before and truth be told--is kind of a dick. Because we split our time between the two stories there are things that get left by the wayside such as the relationship between Kate Connor(Bryce Dallas Howard) and John. Ideally this should be the emotional core of the film but it never really goes anywhere.

In addition to this, some of the acting is shoddy at best. Christian Bale...well, he's Christian Bale. This guy could read the phone book and make it at least worth paying attention. Howard is serviceable in what is sadly a marginal role. Worthington as Marcus is downright awful. The guy can't say a line without waffling between his American and native Australian accents. Worthington's character is also a total ass making me want to follow Connor again whenever he's on the screen. Thankfully most of Marcus's screen time is shared with Anton Yelchin's Kyle Reese. Now, I had major issues with Yelchin in Star Trek but here he's an absolute joy(aside from his attempt to replicate Michael Biehn's voice) to watch.

The special effects are fairly well done, though there are a few places where they look incomplete or just lame(wait till you see Marcus hanging out at the Hollywood sign). Though the Hunter/Killer effects look nice enough, they don't have the same impact as the model work from the earlier films. Computer graphics are an incredible tool for filmmakers but they seem to have become a crutch in recent years. Model work doesn't always look convincing but combined with convincing CG it can look amazing. More directors should look to Peter Jackson's work in The Lord of the Rings for an idea of how to make models and CG work together. McG does have some excellent traditional effects peppered throughout with some of the T-600 endoskeletons and again, most of the CG looks impressive enough(the giant terminator Harvester immediately comes to mind).

Where this movie bests T3 is in the humor department. One of the only complaints I really had with T3 was the pathetic attempts at humor. Salvation(written by the same people who wrote T3) thankfully does not have this problem. There are humorous portions written into the script, but they are mostly understated and will probably only be noticed by Terminator die-hards. The requisite "I'll be back" moment is probably handled the best since the original film and doesn't come off as cheesy like it did in T3.

And finally, the terminators are still scary. The first time we meet a T-600 endoskeleton it is gripping and frightening. There are moments later that continue this tension. I am glad that McG was able to keep these moments scary while still portraying the future war with the machines.

All in all Terminator Salvation is a worthy addition to the Terminator franchise. Though not nearly as gripping as the first two films it is a compelling action movie and the first summer movie that I've genuinely loved. You can't and shouldn't compare it to the first two Terminator films. If you can do that then you will probably love this flawed but fun film.

Plus it's got killer robots IN the future. Can't go wrong there!

3.5 Polymemetic alloys out of 5!

Killin' Time With 24

2009-05-19T10:00:00.002-04:00

24: 6:00A.M.-7:00A.M.,7:00A.M.-8:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 23&24

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

(22:03:21) Jim: hey
(22:03:22) Billy: Wow. Uh. Wow.
(22:03:51) Billy: The first wow was for the good, and the second wow was for the awful
(22:04:39) Jim: Nick and I were warring down to the final seconds if Jack was going to live or die.
(22:04:55) Jim: I was the correct one, obviously
(22:05:02) Jim: because I rule.
(22:05:06) Billy: It certainly wasn't on par with Jack walking Incredible Hulk-style into the sunset, but it was...well, pretty dramatically moving. And yeah, I was questioning whether Jack would pull through.
(22:05:13) Jim: As did Renee's final scene
(22:05:36) Billy: I KNEW he would, but credit goes to the producers for making me question it.
(22:06:09) Billy: Let's get one thing straight first: Kim Bauer OWNED the 23rd episode.
(22:06:47) Billy: That episode was almost a complete wash except for damned near everything with Kim...I was frankly stunned.
(22:07:10) Billy: I especially loved the look Renee gave Kim when she started talking computers.
(22:07:45) Jim: Indeed, Elisha Cuthbert rose to the occassion like never before. Well, the key was not having Kim waiting there waiting with the cure when Jack arrived at the hospital - and the scene with the... what's the name for a Muslim priest?
(22:08:02) Billy: I don't know his name.
(22:08:12) Billy: But I fucking LOVED that scene
(22:08:34) Jim: Indeed... considering how many members of his faith Jack has aced over the years
(22:09:02) Billy: It was so goddamn moving, especially when taken in conjunction with Jack's earlier scene with Renee when he explained his motivation.
(22:09:33) Jim: the Jack-Renee "What should I do?" scene was Jack's highlight of all the pre-hospital scenes
(22:10:02) Billy: For the first time in almost a decade I believed that the Jack Bauer from season One was the same guy we were watching this season
(22:10:07) Jim: Keifer actually went to a place at the end there... he's been doing this so long, I just didn't think he could surprise me anymore.
(22:11:06) Billy: If you stop and think about it for a moment, how DOES the most straight-laced dude in CTU end up where Jack is now.
(22:11:32) Jim: the Presidential stuff and Olivia stuff was just painful to get through and distracting us from a pretty impressive conclusion.
(22:11:33) Billy: He only got pick by Walsh to head the Palmer case because he was the cleanest CTU agent.
(22:11:46) Jim: Excluding those scenes we were golden with everything post-Tony.
(22:12:03) Billy: The white house shit was deadly painful
(22:12:17) Billy: Thankfully Pierce didn't go down.
(22:12:55) Billy: But that last scene with Canin and the Prez just went on TOO long...I kept looking at the clock hoping to get back to Jack and the Imam.
(22:13:11) Jim: Tony on the other hand... just utterly bad. His motivations were so tacked on and unbelievable (in revisiting the Logan affair). And its like Bernard agreed and went the Voight-scene chewing rout.
(22:13:49) Billy: I dunno...I bought it more this way than him just going evil because of Michelle being dyed.
(22:14:45) Jim: ?Michelle being dyed? - that's the point I think the whole text conversation adventure went too far down the gramatical sliding scale. I suppose we're lucky this is our last episode.
(22:14:52) Billy: I particularly loved how the scene where Jack and Renee stop Tony from killing whatshisface bad guy completely paralleled the final moments of season one.
(22:15:26) Billy: It's sort of an inside joke from the 24 fox message boards
(22:15:58) Billy: back in season one after Teri died some illiterate motherfucker asked if "Teri was dyed"
(22:16:54) Billy: It lived in infamy for years, and yes, I am (or was, rather, since I have not been to the boards since I swore off spoilers a few years back) a huge 24 geek...
(22:17:08) Jim: indeed.
(22:17:57) Jim: I know we mentioned it before, but I can't get over Elisha Cuthbert practically stealing the show... only Renee might have been more consistently impressive
(22:19:16) Billy: I know, I totally threw that up on my twitter in the middle of the show: What kind of topsy turvy world do we live in where Kim Bauer is the best part of a 24 season finale??
(22:20:07) Jim: At least we're in the alternate reality without the zombies
(22:20:25) Jim: I suppose that's a plus... although I can't promise we aren't... haven't been outside yet
(22:20:40) Billy: So, I guess the big question now is: Good enough to buy on Blu-Ray?
(22:21:16) Jim: I think it's possible... especially when considering only $10 more than DVD... (22:21:35) Jim: your thoughts on releasing a season dvd set the day after the finale?
(22:21:37) Billy: I know, right. Can't beat the price.
(22:21:42) Billy: I don't like it.
(22:22:06) Billy: It's giving me enough distance to really want to spend the dough on it. (22:22:15) Billy: even though I liked the finale
(22:22:45) Jim: Yeah... hardcore fans have to justify buying something they JUST saw. And by not releasing it leading up the new season, you're pretty much conceding that your audience will never grow again.
(22:23:43) Billy: Right...or it'll be heavily discounted by xmas.
(22:24:09) Billy: Though I've gotta admit $45 for a BD is quite the impressive pricetag
(22:24:48) Jim: yeah, just a year ago it would have been $55 or $60 on sale.
(22:24:54) Jim: It's a brave new world
(22:25:39) Jim: hopes for next year?
(22:25:49) Billy: Fuck man, I remember picking up season one on DVD for $50 brand new.
(22:25:55) Jim: obviously Jack is back in the lead. where is he? what is he doing?
(22:25:58) Billy: Oh jeez...next year?
(22:26:07) Jim: what better time to speculate?
(22:26:14) Billy: Jack is obviously back.
(22:26:54) Billy: He'll take Tony's "You ran away, Teri would be ashamed" shit to heart and dedicate himself to the Govt again.
(22:27:26) Billy: I hope to see Renee and Jack together....their scenes were just breathtaking. (22:27:49) Billy: And God help me, I'll probably regret this later...but...more Kim.
(22:28:01) Jim: I see Jack-Renee-Kim back... in some kind of recreated CTU. Maybe Garafalo over Chloe back. As the voice of liberal reason.
(22:28:39) Billy: Being set in NYC, I've gotta hope the crazy terrorist attack angle will be softened.
(22:29:17) Billy: I always hope for a smaller story and keep getting disappointed. If it sucks, the series is done at eight anyways...
(22:30:01) Jim: yeah, still too soon... I'd honestly prefer more of a mystery investigation than a violent action fest. The action scenes stood out so much better when there were only four or five each year... instead of something huge every hour... or 18 out of 24 hours.
(22:31:02) Billy: I'll go out on a limb and say Tony will be back in some capacity.
(22:31:15) Jim: But for all the problems we've ragged on endlessly on these posts... it's been a substantive step back towards decency from last season. Agreed?
(22:31:40) Billy: Oh, for sure. Compared to season six....well, anything is gold.
(22:32:00) Billy: But I've got a question for you. Big question.
(22:32:13) Billy: Do you actually really like 24 anymore?
(22:32:23) Billy: Like, really, really like 24.
(22:32:34) Jim: or do I watch it out of habit as much as anything else?
(22:32:41) Billy: RIGHT!
(22:33:09) Billy: Like, it's not bad, but it's not even the same show I fell in love with back in 2001.
(22:33:32) Jim: It's really sad how close to a "yes" I am. Especially since I still buy every season and the REdemption movie and devote an hour of my life to it every week without interruption. It's one of the VERY few shows I NEVER wait a day to watch.
(22:34:48) Jim: I will go for a very close "No" Season Six crossed into "Yes" but the Redemption and this year at least pulled it back to "Like" I don't see any circumstance where I'll love it again. To quote the man... "I've come too far... too fucking far."
(22:35:39) Billy: I think it got so much good will from me for the spectacular first season and great season two. But it's not the same show anymore.
(22:35:57) Jim: At this point it's like asking me if I don't like my brother anymore.
(22:36:56) Jim: Sometimes I downright loathe the show/my brother, but at the end of every day you still can't distinguish fully the early years.
(22:37:09) Jim: Or in the case of Nick that he gives me money.
(22:37:13) Billy: But I just realized the other day that I don't really love the show anymore. It's not bad, it's not like me watching Heroes out of stubbornness...
(22:37:24) Jim: It's the Ties That Bind to bring Springsteen into the mix
(22:38:01) Jim: no, no, no... it's still worlds better than Heroes... But the days its even my favorite show of the night are long gone
(22:38:28) Billy: there was a time when I considered 24 my favorite show
(22:38:36) Jim: Speaking of which... I gots to get me some HIMYM before bed... any last thoughts on 24 Season 7?
(22:39:14) Billy: Not if it's going to delay me watching How I Met Your Mother!
(22:39:38) Billy: Just a quick one...have we really done 20 of these??
(22:39:41) Billy: Jesus.
(22:39:52) Jim: To wrap up - Better than six, but you made some good points there at the end. In the end I stick by my Midnight Run quote to describe me and this season.
(22:40:20) Billy: Oh and Dr. Becket from Stargate Atlantis gave Jack Bauer a spinal tap...
(22:40:33) Jim: See you again next year... or when we talk tomorrow... whichever comes first.

An Ode To Giant Feet and H-Bombs

2009-05-17T17:47:00.005-04:00

Lost: The Incident
Season 5, Episode 16&17

Wow. Well, there you go. The fifth season of Lost, arguably the series' most consistent outing, goes out literally with a bang. But enough with potential spoilers...for now at least. I know I've been slacking my duties as the That's a Wrap! Lost reviewer, but I've just been too enamored with this season to want to really dissect it for criticism. So what I'd like to do today is not really break down everything that happened in the finale, but rather just mull over where Lost is, has been and seems to be going.

I've given the producers of the show a lot of shit in the past for being obnoxious about getting to the Goddamn point. It's not that I have a problem with a show being full of mysteries. Of course, I don't have a problem with a show being all mysterious-like. I was an avid fan of The X-Files for ALL nine years, so trust me I can handle cock-tease television. What I can't handle is BORING cock-tease television. I loathed the season one Lost finale because it pretty much boiled down to "people launch and sail a boat/other people blow up the hatch that we've been dicking around with for TWELVE Goddamn episodes." Sure, Waaaaaaaaalt got kidnapped, but that wasn't even the season cliffhanger! No, instead we get to see people looking down the hatch.

Seriously? Yeah. It's a HATCH! We could reasonably assume that there was a DUDE inside the damned thing...why leave THAT for the season opener? Now, I still contend that the best that Lost has EVER been was the first eight episodes. Back before JJ Abrams left to pursue other endeavors(like ruining Star Trek), the show was good on both "freaky shit" and "jungle surviving" accounts. It had so much potential that it was electric watching the show weekly. But then it just started to lose it. Part of that is just my fault. I was thinking about Lost constantly. I lurked on Lost message boards. Hell, I dreamed about the show(Let's just say my "Alien ship on the island" dream thankfully hasn't come true just yet)! I was obsessed with the show. Understandably it would be hard to come up with something that I, and all the other fans, would appreciate and no be disappointed with.

In some ways, the series has never, and can never overcome the sheer expectations that the fans have.

I say this(and mention the first season finale) because in a lot of ways it felt like the first season finale. Let's be honest, most of the finale was people trying to get to the Swan Station site. Shit, they were trying to blow up the fucking hatch...AGAIN...only thirty years earlier. Yeah...so, why wasn't I disappointed? Well, part of me was. I had two major gripes with the finale and I'd like to get them out of the way right now:

1. Juliet's flip-flop back and forth over Jack's plan. It payed off in the end with Juliet and Sawyer sharing a final scene together that literally had me on the verge of tears(those two were so good with each other that I feel like punching Cuse and Lindelof for "killing" Juliet), but every time Juliet changed her mind on whether or not they should blow up the island or not, I cringed.

2. Just as I suspected(I attempted to temper my co-worker's excitement over the finale by telling them to expect this) the episode ended with the bomb going off and presumably the time-traveling castaways causing the incident.

That's it. Those are my only two genuine gripes. So how come I liked this finale when it so closely mirrors the season one finale? Well, things happened...that's one reason. In this case, Cuse and Lindelof were able to balance the mythological happenings with the dramatic character moments and in some cases tie them into one another. See: Hurley's introduction to Jacob.

A lot of things happened in this episode, and I feel that just listing them out would be a disservice to the great season. I want to say that I am overall elated with the season, it was the first season that felt like it knew where it was going from start to finish. This was the strongest group of episodes that Lost has produced back to back. Maybe not the greatest episodes, but in tandem the strongest.

I was upset to see Sayid(easily one of the best and under-utilized characters on the show) gut shot in a Dharma bus and I hated seeing Juliet laying at the bottom of the hatch banging on an H-bomb. Both of their fates seem written, but I'm holding out hope at least for Juliet. It stands to reason that exploding the bomb is what causes "the incident." And if the incident sends the Lostaways back to 2007, I don't see why Juliet can't go back as well. Sure, she was right next to the bomb when it exploded, but Sawyer, Jack, Kate and the rest were only a good hundred yards above ground when the Jughead detonated. If THEY don't die(and there wouldn't be much of a sixth season without our cast) can we really assume that Juliet died? I suspect that she will be missing for most of the final season, but I do feel strongly that she will return.

I hesitate to speculate too much on the 2007 shenanigans, but I was elated to finally get a clear villain for the show. Nameless-guy-posing-as-Locke-who-may-or-may-not-be-the-smoke-monster certainly does seem like a total prick(not many people can totally CON BEN LINUS like he/it did), kicking poor defenseless tapestry-weaving Jacob into a fire pit was a downright despicable thing to do, even if I don't know if Jacob is a good guy or not...

Of course, the first time we meet Jacob he's wearing white and his angry possibly-fake-Locke buddy is wearing black. Possibly-fake-Locke says something about the cycle repeating itself on the island that sounded just a BIT too much like Battlestar Galactica's, "This has all happened before..." mantra. I swear to Christ, I'll scream if Jacob and fake-Locke end up being angels or God and the devil.

I was worried that the final season of this show wouldn't have any surprises for us, aside from tying up loose myth threads. I am not worried about that now. Hell, I'm even glad that they waiting almost four years to show us the significance of the four-toed statue. Can we assume that Jacob and the real Locke are dead? What does this mean for the island? Many questions. The most pressing question among them:

Is it January yet?

It's Comic Time (5/14/09)!

2009-05-14T12:22:00.022-04:00

After a week layoff, it is once again the eponymous "comic" time. Hopefully, I can renew my efforts to get these issues turned around quicker in the future. In that effort, our reviews will take a little less time. It generally gets boring after month upon month of saying the same artists suck and the some storylines continue to impress. So we need to kick it up a notch fellas! Read on for two weeks of reviews.

Comics Reviews for the Weeks of 05/06 and 13/2009

ACTION COMICS #877 - "The Sleepers: Part 3"
Written by Greg Rucka, Art by Sidney Teles

Besides the cover art which doesn't relate to the actual issue content, it's another strong week, if a far less eventful one that last month's near pornographic levels of blood lust and violence. Rucka's latest story involves Conner getting medical attention for his partner, Thara. The subtle development of General Lane's mission to observe and build up forces against the Kryptonians continues to threaten to hurt and expose Nightwing and Flamebird. The great attitude of the book is how all the ancillary character's actions are meant to directly effect the main characters. Given the limited amount of time for this arc, it seems a better approach than James Robinson's scattergun approach in Superman.

The artwork's still strong with one unique exception. The embrace between Lois and Chris is just way awkward. Her expression seems halfway between relief and pleasure. And it's honestly a little too much pleasure with her comic-standard mini-skirt riding way too high on her thigh. This is supposed to be her son, not a younger version of Clark. The ambiguous nature of the scene is a little more discomforting than the bloody battle between Thara and Ursa last issue. Of course, that's probably due to my near complete desensitization to violence in almost any medium. Thanks, Jack Bauer!

Final score: B-

BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 - "Living Doll"
Written by Doug Petrie, Art by Georges Jeanty

The latest of the Buffy one-shots ends the constant state of flux Dawn has found herself in throughout the eighth season's run. And while her transformation from giant to centaur to Pinocchio hasn't exactly been seemless... in fact her stint battling a giant mecha version of herself in Tokyo was just plain painful... this issue's resolution is deftly handled. Most of the writing is standard fare for the title, but Petrie takes the trademark witticism of the title a little too far. Every other line of the book doesn't have to be some weak attempt at a joke or pop culture reference. In the books as well as on the show, this trick only worked in measured quantities. Too much takes us out of the reality of the book. And yes, I do exercise a limit to the suspension of disbelief even in a book featuring a jelly-fish man's magical revenge on his college sweetheart.

Rereading this series, Jeanty continues to improve and the panels where he rushes and practically draws block figures have severely decreased in their frequency. Since I was going to read this title regardless, I like the decision to place a more unproven quantity that had the talent to mature his work over time. It certainly beats a veteran superstar name that might plague the title with delays or even worse one that tried to draw the actors every time out, a fault Jeanty has avoided significantly the last four or five issues he's drawn.

Final score: B

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #2 (of 5) - "Dead Run"
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Ethan Van Sciver

At what point do we move into the realm of calling this a disappointing title? The return of Hal Jordan was a grand slam of a series that got off to a great running start. This latest rebirth is coming across as DC's worst attempt to reintegrate a character in more than a decade. And since there are only three issues left, we're officially running out of time for a rebound. And amazingly enough, it's veteran Flash writer and my own personal hero Johns that has seemingly dropped the ball. There is no great sense of urgency to the action and most painful, nothing has really been done to develop Barry Allen as the reality-changing and definitive hero that he is.

Even with other Lanterns around, every moment of GL: Rebirth reinforced the idea that Hal was the greatest and that something has been missing since his fall. Perhaps Johns doesn't want to take any shots at Wally West, who he wrote for several years, but Barry hasn't been be doing anything special. If there isn't anything wrong or limiting with Wally, then why is Barry's return crucial. His flashback sequences are nearly on the same level of Hal's, but everything set in present time seems entirely unspectacular. This seems to be more a simple reintroduction of a character that a revitalization of a major portion of the DCU. Perhaps this is kharma at work. Barry got the greatest send-off in the history of comics and has been remembered for decades as the standard to which all other speedsters should aspire. Hal was ruined and turned into a villain, a storyline demanding a proper reintegration and redemption. Given how masterfully they motivated the latter, why can't they make the former seem like anything special? It's Barry freaking Allen!!

Final score: C-

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 - "Some King of the World"
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Salvador Larroca

Six issues after the hierarchy of the Marvel Universe was thrown into complete upheaval, Fraction has seemingly utterly redeemed Tony Stark. By putting him on his own against the world with a clear and completely emphatic mission (keep the identities revealed to the Initiative out of Osborne's hand), Stark has made a 180 degree change. And yeah, maybe it does feel perversely nice when he suffers. I mean this guy turned America against Cap, sided with a totalitarian government movement over the cause of individual liberty... yeah, he's been a dick for a long time now.

With Larocca continuing to do a serviceable effort, Fraction has improved here month after month. It seems like while his Iron Fist book is losing steam, he's been redirecting it over here. But by this point as long as Tony keeps taking his lumps, the Golden Avenger is worth following again.

Final score: B

X-FACTOR #43 - "Timely Events"
Written by Peter David, Art by Marco Santucci and Valentine De Landro

Can I trade in my Joss Whedon fan-boy love for some of the Peter David variety? At least when it comes to comics, David suffered through months caught up in the Messiah Complex cross-over and then months of atrocious art and had every reason to quit on this book. Instead he carefully saved his A-game and for five issues and counting has written some of the best issues of a superhero book in a couple of years. And the greatest part of it is excluding a Sentinel or two that met its end Cyclops-style, there's been almost no action sequence or big bad to defeat.

I'm still not entirely sure how he's done it. Our lead detective is only now getting a mystery to solve, but has still already been through a super heroic, noir-laced ringer for the ages.

On one last note, it's kind of a nice change of pace to follow months of hidden revelations by throwing the biggest moment of the issue on the cover. The seeds have already been laid for the entire crew eventually getting back together and I honestly can't see anything on the immediate horizon (excluding another, god forbid it, artistic change) that could knock this title down a place or two.

Final score: A-

Killin' Time With 24

2009-05-12T09:32:00.003-04:00

24: 5:00A.M.-4:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 22

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

And don't forget to check out the latest episode of the TaW Podcast:The Ongoing Mission

(22:07:01) Jim: so we're back to ripping off episode 2 of season 1
(22:07:09) Billy: I swear to CHRIST...if what happened at the end of this episode had happened six hours earlier I would be fucking DONE
(22:07:29) Billy: They are lucky by virtue of the fact that there is just the finale left.
(22:07:45) Jim: I like that Kim was at least smart enough to notice herself being followed
(22:07:50) Jim: the 2-hour finale
(22:08:08) Billy: Right, except I knew the couple was evil...why couldn't Kim?
(22:08:31) Jim: just out of curiosity, what would they have had to have done to make you not watch the finale?
(22:08:45) Jim: is it even possible?
(22:08:58) Billy: At this point?
(22:09:11) Billy: There is little incentive for me NOT to watch
(22:09:17) Jim: I mean once upon a time I might say snuff Jack... but now that would probably just get me way more into the show.
(22:09:40) Billy: I'm just...tired...
(22:09:56) Billy: It's all the same shit over and over and over again
(22:10:15) Billy: Patsy terrorist playing season 1 rogue Jack
(22:10:18) Jim: yeah, at this point unless the previews specifically mentioned the finale would include 2girls1cup I'd tune in… have to finish it at this point.
(22:10:43) Billy: Jack shoving virus inside an enclosure, just like the fridge in 3.
(22:11:11) Billy: Hell, if the previews mentioned 2girls1cup I
(22:11:20) Billy: I'd HAVE to watch!
(22:11:36) Billy: Just to see how THAT fit in to the plot
(22:11:50) Jim: About as unnaturally as everything else???
(22:12:22) Billy: Zing!
(22:12:45) Jim: Hi-O!
(22:13:10) Billy: BTW, am I the only one who see's Aaron going down in flames?
(22:13:54) Jim: all the White House stuff has been painful for a few hours now... and it ain't getting any better
(22:14:41) Billy: Nope, not by a long shot. At least Aaron knows his shit...
(22:14:59) Billy: Plus references to Mike Novick are always appreciated
(22:15:15) Jim: But he'll be the writer’s sacrificial lamb to excuse saving Jack
(22:15:31) Jim: Tony will probably turn back to the good guys and die saving Jack-O
(22:16:32) Billy: I REALLY doubt that
(22:17:14) Billy: The look on Tony's face at the end implied that he knew Jack was going to fuck things up AGAIN....for, like, the dozen-th time!
(22:18:41) Billy: It's so goddamn infuriating. My God...Brannon Braga! You killed Trek, practically handing it on a silver platter to WORSE writers!
(22:18:47) Billy: And now 24....
(22:19:16) Billy: Oh my God, I just had a terrible vision of the future....where Orci and Kurtzman reboot 24
(22:19:44) Billy: with Hayley Joel Osment playing a hipper, younger Jack Bauer
(22:19:45) Jim: It's bad... but maybe just "ugh bad", not "fuck this shit"
(22:20:09) Billy: and Bauer gets sick with a virus that makes his hands huge!
(22:22:41) Jim: as long as his tongue doesn't swell up
(22:23:27) Billy: Goddamn...I hate you jimmy...
(22:23:40) Billy: Says I in my best Cartman voice.
(22:24:10) Jim: well that's how I address Nick... so you're just stealing my stolen material there...
(22:24:13) Jim: double-thief
(22:24:46) Billy: Screw you, fool, I was watching South Park way before you happened upon it's rotted carcass
(22:25:10) Jim: I watched it back when it was first on... I don't know anybody who could go through college back then and avoid it
(22:25:23) Billy: Oh Jesus, look at us going off-topic. We need Garrett here too!
(22:25:41) Jim: but back on topic... the first half hour of this episode of 24 was action24-super-ninja-cool and the second half was...
(22:25:43) Jim: not so much
(22:26:55) Billy: I agree. The Chloe-Janice throwdown we've been expecting since like episode four is beginning to brew. And is VERY entertaining.
(22:28:15) Jim: yep, those two crazy kids are finally throwing down.... and Janice holds her own
(22:28:26) Jim: much more enjoyable when not making crappy 1984 jokes
(22:29:12) Billy: Oh yes, still don't want her around next year.
(22:29:30) Jim: nope... one Chloe is plenty enough
(22:29:53) Billy: Renee totally hugged Jack...the Jack-Renee shipper in me is elated.
(22:30:18) Jim: I was praying for a little kiss or something there, but....
(22:30:26) Billy: JaNee? Reack? You can't really Filliam H. Muffman those names....
(22:30:32) Jim: okay I'm going to stop talking like a 15-year-old girl at this point
(22:30:38) Jim: we both should
(22:31:57) Billy: Fuck that noise! Their "relationship" is the ONLY...and I mean ONLY, thing keeping me invested in this show right now!
(22:33:16) Jim: yeah, I suppose you're right... sad and pathetic (us both), but right
(22:33:38) Jim: I can at least say, "See what 24 has driven me to?!?"
(22:34:02) Billy: I'm ok with admitting it.
(22:34:05) Jim: And I vote for Jacnee
(22:34:26) Billy: We're in the era of hope! We have a black president!
(22:34:41) Jim: or Walkauer
(22:34:57) Billy: Sound like a German car...
(22:35:10) Billy: that could totally torture the fuck out of you!!!

That's A Wrap! Podcast - Star Trek Edition

2009-05-10T20:39:00.003-04:00

We're back, sorta. Down one member on this fine mother's day, Jim and Billy do their best to soldier on and not completely screw the pooch in the latest episode of the That's a Wrap! podcast. Witness the true levels of geekiness that exist inside Billy and Jim.

We promise that this episode is mostly spoiler free. Jim totally tried to give away something huge but got bleeped out. Dedication to our reader, that's what we're all about here at TaW!

Please download and enjoy The Ongoing Mission (1:05:53)

We'll be back for another podcast featuring Terminator Salvation in just a few weeks. We can all hope that Garrett is returned safely to TaW! headquarters to keep our shit in line.

Back to the Future's Past or Something...

2009-05-09T11:20:00.017-04:00

I've been a fan of science fiction for as long as I can remember. Although my tendencies always leaned more towards the Star Wars side of the equation, it's hard to say that I'm a Johnny-come-lately Star Trek fan when I've been watching some form of the series since I was ten. I don't consider myself a trekkie, but somehow through the course of my life I've picked up a considerable amount of trek-trivia and...well, I did MARRY a trekkie (seriously, once as a complete slip of the tongue I referred to Data as Da-tuh instead of Day-tuh and got reamed out pretty hard for it).

So, while I'm too young to have seen the original crew in their glory days, I have seen a good portion of The Original Series and I've seen damned near all of the Next Generation-era Trek as well as all of the movies.

Star Trek: Nemesis may have sucked, but I still liked it. So, yeah, I was apprehensive about director JJ Abrams' plan to return to the unseen early days of Spock and Kirk. I mean, I like the Next Gen universe and isn't Star Trek supposed to be about looking forward? Didn't everyone bitch about this very thing happening in Enterprise? Yes, yes they did. With all that being said, I am a JJ Abrams whore. Joss Whedon may be Jim's master, but I will forever be loyal to Abrams. I don't care for Fringe and he wrote the screenplay for Armageddon...so maybe I should rethink my adulation for the man.

So, was my dislike of continuity futzing overcome by my (sometimes misguided) love of JJ Abrams? Find out after the jump.

Short answer: No. Long answer: Yes, but...

If anyone had actually listened to our summer movie preview podcast, they would have heard me bitch about several things done in this movie, one of the chief concerns I had was the casting. Notably, Karl Urban as Doctor "Bones" McCoy. Everything I saw coming out in the previews did nothing to assuage my fears, and although I LIKED the castmembers in other things, I didn't like who they were cast as. Thankfully, I was dead wrong about the cast on most accounts.

First of all, Karl Urban as Bones was the goddamn highlight of this film. I can't believe that I was ever against this casting. Where other cast members don't really try to catch the body language and ticks of the people they are emulating, you can tell that Urban did his homework. Simply put, Bones works. Chris Pine's James Kirk isn't as close an homage as Urban's work, but every once in a while he'll say something or give a look that just screams "JAMES TIBERIUS KIRK!" Pine has an easier job thanks to Urban. Since Urban won me over so quickly I was more apt to accept Pine as Kirk merely by his association with Bones.

Zachary Quinto as Spock on the other hand didn't do much for me. Sure, it's a huge step up from the horse-shit he is involved with on Heroes, but he never really captured Spock for me. Maybe it's because I've seen him on my television for the last three years but I couldn't really disassociate Quinto from Sylar. That's my fault, but I really do wish the producers had picked someone a little less known. In the end Quinto is serviceable but nothing to write home about especially since we get to see the real Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, later in the film.

The rest of the cast is a mixed bag of jewels and turds. Bruce Greenwood's Captain Pike made me giddy for the second Captain of the Enterprise like I've never been before but Anton Yelchin's Checkov made me wish the producers kept to continuity and didn't introduce the character until later. Yelchin's faux Russian accent is so ridiculous that it borders on racist. I know, I know, Walter Koening's accent wasn't all that accurate to begin with, but at least I could UNDERSTAND HIM. Simon Pegg is Simon Pegg, I find it hard to hate him in anything but his Scotty as written and performed is like a manic child. It's so over-the-top that I couldn't stand the character at all.

Finally Zoe Saldana's Lt. Uhura is a marginal non-entity. Saldana has not impressed me in anything I've seen her in. She was so horrible in Pirates of the Carribean that she was THE ONLY THING TO NOT RETURN in those misguided sequels. Here she does her best to just look sexy and that's about it. She's got a half-assed love story with Spock which just comes out of fucking nowhere. As my wife pointed out, it's probably only there because someone thought there HAD to be a love story in a summer blockbuster.

For his part in this all, JJ Abrams does an admirable job. Star Trek is an exciting and kinetic movie full of color and motion. I'll admit that I liked some of the new additions to the Trek science like the awesome new "warp jump" animation and sound effect. It looks pretty spectacular and sounds even better. Contrary to how I feel while watching most Hollywood pictures (and perhaps this is just because I saw X-Men Origins Wolverine last weekend), I found almost all of the special effects and CGI work to be impeccable. There's a sequence later in the movie that involves a monster-alien thing that looks less impressive, but otherwise Abrams has overseen an incredible looking film. The retro-future look of all the technology is fairly cool if not terribly accurate to Trek-lore.

So, yeah, it's a pretty movie with some great performances and you'll probably have a good time with it IF you:

A.) Aren't a continuity obsessed Trek fan.

or

B.) Don't mind leaving your fucking brain at the door.

WAIT! Didn't I just say that Star Trek is a good movie? Yes, I did, but it is fucking STUPID. Full of Goddamn plot holes and retarded contrivances. Keep in mind that the guys who wrote the screenplay are the two fucking winners who wrote Transformers. Remember when a giant robot pissed coolant all over John Turturro in Transformers? Yeah, you can thank Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman for that and you can thank them for this stupid plot that shits all over Trek Continuity.

Here's where I'm going to go all spastic nerd, so if you want to skip my nervous breakdown--fine, I'm giving it a 3 out of 5.

Still with me? Good. It takes some mighty fucking kumquats, brass balls, huge fucking stones to write a screenplay that COMPLETELY wipes out forty odd years of continuity, but that is exactly what Orci and Kurtzman have done. Now, as Jim pointed out to me after my showing of the movie, there was no way I was going to love anything that erased Star Trek: Deep Space Nine out of continuity. He's right, but it goes deeper than that. This movie was specifically created to appeal to a broader audience. In some ways I can appreciate that (though the dying Nintendo fanboy in me looks at the dusty Wii sitting across the room and sees the horrible end result of appealing to the mainstream). But by wiping out continuity and introducing newer and hipper versions of characters we fans already love they are, to use a line from Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade, "selling our heritage to the same fucking guys who beat us up in P.E."

Want a small example? Orci and Kurtzman actually give us a stupid explanation of why McCoy is nicknamed "Bones." When Kirk and Bones meet for the first time Bones mentions his ex-wife only leaving him with his bones. Ha ha! Clever. Except if Orci and Kurtzman took two fucking seconds to think the goddamn nickname through or check out some BASIC Trek continuity they would have realized that he is nicknamed Bones because he is a DOCTOR...as in old sawbones? Hello, McFly?!

And please don't get me started on the fact that during the time period this film is set NO ONE knew what the Romulans looked like! Yet somehow everyone knows what they look like and that Nero's future Romulan ship was in fact Romulan. Even I know what Romulan ships look like from Nero's timeline and I DIDN'T FUCKING RECOGNIZE IT AS ROMULAN! And that's just the tip of the Trek-anachronism fest that permeates this movie. Seriously? Cardassian beer? Nuh-uh, even if the Federation had met the Cardassians at this point I really doubt we'd be trading fucking beer with evil aliens occupying and enslaving those poor Bajorans.

Want some more stupidity? Ok, I'll back off the crazy Trek minutia for a bit. How about our introduction to James Kirk as a precocious car thief. Never mind for a minute that the whole fucking scene is pointless and could(and SHOULD) have been entirely excised from the film, it's full of stupid moments that will make your head swim if you think about them for a second. So twelve-year-old Kirk steals his step father's car. The step father calls Kirk in an attempt to get his car back. What do we hear? We hear that obnoxious Nokia cell phone ring tone. You know the one, remember Jurassic Park 3? Remember William H. Macy's phone with the ring tone that was supposed to be the jingle for his company? Yeah, everyone knew that was a pre-loaded ring tone back then...am I really supposed to believe that THREE HUNDRED YEARS in the future that annoying ring tone will still exist!? Not to mention the fact that we actually SEE the Nokia phone in the car. Nokia advertising. In a Star Trek movie. Jesus. So young Kirk jams out to some Beastie Boys and wrecks a car, breaks the laws of physics by jumping clear of a moving vehicle and then tells a cop his name. Awesome. Wouldn't the bar-brawl scene have been a better introduction to Kirk? Considering it is the very next scene in the film...yes, yes it would.

How about the scene where Spock has Kirk ejected from the ship for disobeying orders and punching a security guard. Yes, Spock goes the HIGHLY illogical route, ignores the fucking ship brig and sends Kirk to a dangerous ice planet. Oh, but it gets better...this planet just so happens to be the planet that Nero sends Old Spock! It's the worst case of Deus-ex-Spockina! And to make matters worse, not only is Old Spock on this planet, but so is SCOTTY! There's a great big universe out there...too bad Orci and Kurtzman don't fucking realize it.

Then there is the humor. Some of it works...most of it does not. When you see Kirk with elephant man hands and a swollen tongue running around the Enterprise you'll understand. Or how about Scotty beaming into a maze of water tubes and being shot around the ship's innards like a balding-Scottish Augustus Gloop. Seriously, everyone who saw Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and bitched about the misplaced humor (for the record, love T3 but hate the humor in it) has no right to NOT complain about most of the humor in this movie because it's the same tone changing bullshit.

And of course there is the villain. Nero (Eric "I ruined Hulk" Bana)'s motivation is so terribly misguided it's laughable. First of all, unless you have read the awful comic book tie-in, Star Trek: Countdown, you won't have any real inkling of what Nero's intentions are. You see, the comic book explains that Nero is a pretty nice guy. A miner with a wife on Romulus and a kid on the way. One day while out mining Nero's ship comes upon a star about to go nova or something. He returns to the Romulan high council to warn the planet. Spock is there doing the same thing and of course, the entire council doesn't believe Spock or Nero. Spock convinces Nero that the scientists of Vulcan can stop the Nova from destroying Romulus and the ENTIRE GALAXY!!!!! How one nova is threatening the entire galaxy is never explained. So, of course the Vulcans won't help and Romulus is destroyed. SOMEHOW Nero blames Spock and the Federation. It makes absolutely no fucking sense! One book earlier Spock and Nero are friends, enjoying a drink and mind-melding with each other. Romulus explodes and suddenly it's a conspiracy planned by Spock to wipe out the Romulans. Seriously, people, Nemesis sucked, but at least the villain in that movie had motivation that made some Goddamned sense.

In the course of the film, Orci and Kurtzman make it a priority to point out through the characters that the time-line has changed and everything will be different now. Great, thanks for erasing forty years of continuity, guys. Everyone bitched about Rick Berman and Brannon Braga ruining Trek. And, yeah, I'd agree they were beating a dead horse. But what Orci and Kurtzman did was tantamount to skull-fucking that very same dead horse.

The sad part is, that the rest of the movie is pretty good. The stuff that doesn't piss all over continuity is fun and and exciting. The cast is pretty good, good enough that I wouldn't mind seeing another movie with them in it. Everyone keeps telling me that this is just another universe and the time-line I know and love still exists. Of course I know that. But this movie is going to be huge because of the "I don't even like Star Trek but this looks awesome" crowd. More than likely(unless Terminator Salvation actually becomes MY salvation and dethrones Trek) this is going to be fucking huge and Paramount is never going to be able to see the original time-line through the mountains of cash it will be making.

So, yeah. Despite all my griping, I liked it. It's good, not great. But you'll like it. Yes, you. The guy who has never even seen Star Trek before. Just know that you're getting a new franchise at the cost of my fandom. Because, while I'll still go see the new movies and may enjoy them to a certain extent, Star Trek just isn't Star Trek anymore and that makes me very sad.

3 griping fanboys out 5.

Skip to the bottom for VERY spoilerish ending gripe.

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

Ok, so in the end Nero is caught in the same temporal black hole thingy that sent him and Spock back in time to begin with only now it begins to destroy his ship. Why this time it is going to kill him is never explained. Chalk that one up to Orci and Kurtzman's shitty script. Kirk, in the spirit of old-school Trek, offers the hand of assistance in an effort to save relations between the Federation and Romulus. Nero, in typical scenery chewing villain behavior, says he would rather die than be saved. Ok, great, the black hole thingy will take care of his death. But then Kirk opens fire on Nero, destroying the ship. Really? That is totally not Star Trek. I mean, sure, it's something that I might have occasionally bitched about in Trek. But when it happens on screen it feels like a complete betrayal of the entire franchise. I was hoping for something along the lines of Batman Begins, "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you." Instead, Kirk looks like an ass, kicking a retarded kid after he falls on the playground. Are you proud of yourself Kirk?

Ok, enough bitching. Go see this fucker, you know you want to.

Ok, one more fanboyish gripe. Where the fuck were the Temporal Federation guys at to prevent Nero's time fucking? Seriously guys, coffee break or something? You've got a time-line to protect...

Killin' Time With 24

2009-05-05T09:26:00.003-04:00

24: 4:00A.M.-5:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 21

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

(22:09:49) Jim: so... have you ever set up an assassination outside FBI headquarters in 13 minutes at 4 in the morning?
(22:10:09) Billy: So, how does 24 go from complete shit to mildly interesting to awfully boring over the course of like three episodes
(22:10:22) Jim: mad skillz
(22:10:41) Billy: Cause, speedy assassination aside...this was a yawner.
(22:11:06) Jim: honestly i zoned out two or three times this week... but I thought it might just have been the Celtics second round game or the sox-yanks that I was following online
(22:11:16) Jim: glad to know it wasn't just me
(22:11:35) Jim: I'd like to think 24 at its best... or its adequate even... would still command my attention
(22:12:35) Billy: Well, ninety percent of the episode was watching terrorist edit a video
(22:13:28) Jim: the police stop was so uneventful... if you're trying to kill time, couldn't you have tony kill them?
(22:13:34) Billy: BTW, have you noticed that all the good guys use Macs and the bad guys use PCs? Total flip from the early years where you could pinpoint moles by their choice of Apple products.
(22:13:40) Jim: instead they stop by ask if everything is fine, get a yes and leave...
(22:13:50) Jim: that's five minutes of life I'll never get back
(22:14:38) Jim: for the Mac/PC war, obviously 24 didn't want to be predictable, so pulled a complete 180 and now are perfectly predictable the other way around
(22:15:05) Billy: Right
(22:15:35) Billy: So, am I the only one wondering when the hell they are going to give Jack the cure...
(22:15:45) Billy: Times a wastin'
(22:15:47) Jim: I bet the last hour
(22:15:55) Jim: after the terrorist plot is resolved
(22:15:57) Jim: to fill time
(22:17:10) Billy: Leaving us hanging till next season to see what Jack's fate is...predictable.
(22:17:49) Billy: Oh, by the way, the president's daughter is on CSI Miami right now...I'm pretty sure she's the killer.
(22:18:05) Billy: Goddamn, I hate CSI...
(22:18:08) Jim: even though it will be blatantly obvious since everyone will know if sutherland is returning before the premiere airs
(22:18:49) Billy: Exactly.
(22:20:00) Billy: So, I don't watch the teasers, but caught the ass end of one while skipping ads during House...I'm pretty sure the announcer said something about this episode having one of the biggest 24 twists ever. Uh...?
(22:20:36) Jim: there wasn't even a bad twist this week
(22:20:40) Jim: there was no twist
(22:20:46) Jim: unless i missed something
(22:21:25) Billy: None. Maybe it was a zen thing, like the lack of twist coupled with the twist hyperbole equaled a twist.
(22:21:44) Jim: a meta-twist
(22:23:36) Billy: We've clearly put more thought into explaining their unearned hype than they have!
(22:24:06) Billy: Ugh, when is this season over? And is it Wednesday yet?
(22:24:13) Jim: well, it's the duty of any good 24 apologist
(22:24:26) Billy: Cause I needs some Lost...24 ain't cutting it this year...
(22:25:08) Jim: It's better than last year... but too many hours that do nothing to advance the main plot and the filler EXPLOSIONS and Excitement... just aren't
(22:26:23) Billy: Agreed, it's light years ahead of last year, I'd say right now it's shaping up to be on par with Season Four...though the senseless Tony twist might kick it down below four for me.
(22:26:41) Jim: unless Jack kills him in some awesome way
(22:26:50) Jim: that could redeem it to a degree for me
(22:27:34) Billy: Nope. Not me.
(22:27:53) Billy: Tony was in PRISON for saving the woman he loved...and didn't turn to crime...
(22:28:12) Billy: But a TERRORIST kills his lady and he decides to become one himself?
(22:28:17) Billy: Nuh-uh.
(22:28:23) Jim: but her getting cooked like a KFC chicken apparently was enough to push him over
(22:29:09) Billy: Kentucky Grilled Chicken?
(22:30:21) Billy: Mmmm....
(22:30:24) Jim: TFM - Terrorist Fried Michelle
(22:30:32) Billy: Ha ha.
(22:31:03) Billy: Well, regardless, I don't buy his turn, and as such I don't buy the entire conceit of the season. The writers have failed.
(22:31:23) Billy: Ironically, had they done this twist in four I could have bought it.
(22:31:37) Jim: they failed on that... but overall they just took a step toward watchable from the TAINT that was last season
(22:32:30) Billy: Bluetooth Bauer reveal aside, last season is something I would like to completely ignore.
(22:32:56) Jim: well in that spirit....
(22:32:59) Jim: ignore what?????
(22:33:52) Billy: Was there a season six? one, two, three, four, five, seven? Am I missing something?
(22:34:03) Jim: this season in the end looks serviceable, but unimpressive
(22:34:27) Jim: i don't see this show surprising me in the last couple hours after seven...er... six years
(22:35:11) Billy: It's seen better days. But now I'm sounding like 24, repeating everything.
(22:36:13) Jim: I know... like I said, the days of 24 wow-ing us hour after hour are long gone
(22:36:58) Jim: the change of setting has helped... but I think changing out a few more writers would helped even more. Like the ones they have are just about out of ideas.
(22:37:05) Billy: I remember calling my wife after work on Mondays and just asking if the episode ended with a big twist.
(22:37:41) Jim: So we have more and more episodes like tonight. Where nothing happens that grabs your attention, just getting pieces in place for a future plot development.
(22:38:15) Jim: we used to have three, maybe four of those a year. Now I feel like we have ten.
(22:39:39) Billy: Well, at least it's watchable unlike Heroes.

Say It Ain't So, Joe (Quesada)

2009-05-05T07:55:00.011-04:00

Given the gargantuan haul over the weekend, we can assume most of the people who read a site like this have seen and formed some opinion on Marvel's latest film adaptation, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The friends and family of That's A Wrap! went into Friday's premiere with differing levels of expectation. My brother, a Wolverine fan-boy of the highest order, planned on being blown away. Billy, I'm sure, had some hope of a decent experience, having actually enjoyed the previous films in the series and never bashing the third installment as hard as most. I couldn't have come in with much lower hopes. A significant fan of the comics, I have fallen more and more out of love with this series over the years. But let's jump on below, where we can also discuss our good friend, Mr. Spoiler.

I remember seeing and falling more than a little in love with Bryan Singer's 2000 effort even remarking what a great find they had in that guy I only knew from Snowy River: The McGregor Saga... the one that wasn't Guy Pearce. But it was easier to like and enjoy a comic movie back then. Remember how shitty things were back in 2000? We were only three years removed from Batman and Robin, TaW! was nearly a decade away from existing, the Red Sox hadn't won a title in almost 82 years and if someone asked me what my favorite Marvel Comics-based movie ever was... well, it would be a toss up between Blade and the 1990 direct-to-video Captain America with an Italian Red Skull.

And while the first one led to the current comic book/film explosion, it doesn't look so good in the mirror especially to a continuity whore like me that wonders why they changed Kitty to Rogue, where they put the other original members of the team and why they cast James "Where's the Box I Have to Fail to Act My Way Out Of" Marsden as my favorite character. By the time Singer was replaced with the auteur behind Red Dragon and they pulled a snuff film on the team leader and my favorite X-Man, Cyclops... let's just say I officially checked out on the series as a fan.

My already low expectation were about in line with the Rotten Tomatoes score in the mid-thirties. And when I finally made it home after work and my brother informed me he had to promise not to tell me what Billy thought of it... at that point I was mostly just hoping for a new G.I. Joe trailer.

The latest director in the franchise, Gavin Hood, ranges from lazy (computers in the mid-1970s, not explaining how a character named James Howlett got the handle Logan) to painfully bad (casting a chump like Danny Huston in the Brian Cox role of Stryker and wasting the sure-fire comedy home run that Deadpool should have been) to laughably bad (most every action scene).

The high point of the humor and low point for my soul was a close tie. The first was the "humorous" attempt at Wolverine trying out his claws in the bathroom, which was so Three Stooges-esque and slapstick I groaned and with CGI effects straight out of 1991. The other was the scene in Vietnam where Wolverine and Sabertooth fight back-to-back and Logan actually says, "Back-to-Back." At that exact moment, somewhere an angel died and the writer of Blankman filed a copyright infringement lawsuit. What took that moment to a whole other level was turning to my brother and commenting that I knew without a sliver of doubt they would say that line again in the final fight. I had to resist the urge to throw up a high-five request in the middle of the climax... I almost didn't.

While the movie was just terrible, I might actually look back fondly on the experience. I mean, who doesn't enjoy ripping a movie to shreds for weeks after its release? If I ever stop making Back-to-Back jokes or pulling apart the plot holes just shoot me in the head with adamantium and show me the movie again.

On that note, I have to have my say on the conclusion.... What fucking moron came up with that exactly? I mean the only absolutely necessary plot elements that MUST be in the movie are that he gets an adamantium enema and has no memory at the end. So they devalue the first because they never intended to use Wolverine... they just wanted to see if it could be done... really you spend $500 million on the demo version? How you know the last scene of your movie and can do ANYTHING to get to that point and still mess it up that badly is insane.

First off, what medical degree does Stryker use to decide that the brain will heal, but the memory won't. That's just stupid. Nevermind that they are raping their own continuity! Because Stryker is surprised Logan doesn't remember him in X2! And why didn't Stryker use that handy code word to shut Logan down in this film, since they mysteriously had one in X2? And why doesn't Sabretooth remember Logan for that matter? But the trick to the adamantium bullet is that it's the only thing that wil penetrate his skull. Okay, so just out of curiosity in the half dozen wars he fought in over 120 years, did Logan loose his memory every time he was shot in the head? Did Creed have to pull him aside and say, "Hey, it's cool. We're brothers. We heal from every wound. Let's go kill somebody." every time it happened? If so can I get those deleted scenes please? It all would have worked so much better if Stryker didn't try to explain to the audience what would happen. If it was just a happy accident, or if they tried something intelligent and have Logan's head messed up ever since the procedure and generally evolving to this naturally, either would have worked better. Instead it reads like a BAD comic script. "I will shoot Wolverine in the head. He will loose his memory because... ... ... I am evil! Mwa-ha-ha!"

Final score: D-

Unintentional Comedy Factor: Pure Gold... seriously, this might be the geek bad movie equivalent of what Showgirls is for homosexual men. We should have parties revolving around tearing this movie apart like Mystery Science Theater.

It's Comic Time (4/29/09)!

2009-05-02T08:04:00.022-04:00

After a big week for Marvel, the boys at DC get in their shots with new issues for two of their Big Three and a huge contribution from Geoff Johns. He tries to rebound for his final issue on the title that helped him become a mainstream writer after recent struggles. The much-delayed Legion of 3 Worlds continues to build towards its conclusion and his Green Lantern continues to march toward Blackest Night.

Comic Reviews for the Week of 04/29/2009

FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF 3 WORLDS #4 (of 5)
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by George Perez

Do you still remember Final Crisis? I'm sure you do and almost nobody looks back on it as fondly as I do. And one of the most universally praised elements of the miniseries continues (and will not wrap up until June), but as much as Johns nails every large member of his main continuity Legion, the other versions of the team are substantively more in the background. With two big reveals this week (another resurrection and the identity of the Time Trapper) the story does take a step back from the natural and smooth vibe of the first two plus issues. Instead the plot this month is more a bit of filler to stuff in the shocking moments.

At this point in his career, is there anything else to say about Perez? The master of the large cast has never failed to impress me. The pure amount of detail and action he crams in this title ranks among his very best efforts. Perez is one of the few men who can use the artwork of a comic to make a title almost literary - the artistic equivalent of the wordiest BKV titles.

The main issue of the title is the continuing of the revolving door of death bringing back the recently deceased Bart Allen (Kid Flash version) last month and another significant member of the DCU. Whereas we've already seen Bart in current continuity in Flash: Rebirth, I honestly hope this current ressurection doesn't return to current continuity. Unlike Bart, this character's death was one of the most important emotional beats in DC comics over the last several years. Mostly it concerns me that death has such a revolving door even before the dead rise in Blackest Night. Although, speaking of Blackest Night...

Final score: B+

GREEN LANTERN #40 - "Agent Orange: Part 2"
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Philip Tan

Well, as Johns introduces his sixth color I have to say he's come up with the most interesting recruiting technique of any Corp so far. The Orange Corp, seemingly led by one creature is powered by Avarice (greed for the less tea-toddling members of our readership), consumes other ring bearers and their rings only to repossess them as Orange Lanterns. And I have to credit Johns for making the first casualty of this process someone we care about in very little time. His showdown with John Stewart next week will hopefully show us more of what the post-possession life of the Orange Lanterns is like.

As long as the series doesn't fall apart (coughRedLanternscough) Johns has gotten off to his best start with a new color since introducing the Sinestro Corp a while back. And his advancements to put the Guardians on the offensive and continually rewriting the Laws of Oa pushes the universe substantively towards all-out war, certainly accomplishing their goal of building excitement for the big event. It's just disappointing that DC decided to expand the series beyond the main GL and GLC books, given how masterfully the last War went down.

Final score: B

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #26 - "Black Adam Ruined My Birthday"
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Dale Eaglesham

After a terrible Marvel Family devoted arc, this final issue from Johns (who has been writer or co-writer of this series for nine years now) and Eaglesham (who joined at the post-Infinite Crisis reboot) is a perfect example of both a farewell issue and a stand-alone actionless issue. Highlighting Stargirl, Courtney Whitmore (a Johns creation), this now veteran member gets to celebrate a belated birthday party. And if you can't buy nearly two-dozen superheros showing up for a birthday party in full costume... well this just ain't the book for you. But I love it. Almost always one of the best written characters in the DCU, Stargirl has evolved from the new kid to a teacher of the new generation of superheros. And in a book that more than any other values legacy more than most others, recognizing her evolution and importance to the team is probably the best ending note Johns could have come up with.

Eaglesham's return to the artwork is like a change from night to day from the last several issues. His masterful work at handling crowds and developing unique and expressive facial features on this title turned him from an unknown to one of the premier artists in superhero comics. And even if he doesn't get a big action scene to bow out on, there is a distinct grace to all his work this month.

While the future doesn't seem as bright with any other creative team, this issue carries even more significance, like one more good day before an uncertain future. While it might seem I'm waxing poetical rather than reviewing, that's what happens at the end of a run of such a history and legacy intensive book for a DC fanboy like myself. We can only hope the letdown from these two stars isn't too significant. Time will tell, my friends.

Final score: A-

RUNAWAYS #9 - "Rock Zombies"
Written by Terry Moore, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa

What?! A book not written by Geoff Johns this week? Yep, and despite a steady decline in quality from the days of series creator Brian K. Vaughn to the (Yeah, I'll say it!) unexpectedly overrated contributions of Joss Whedon to substantively disappointing Moore, despite all this, he too manage to wrap it up with at least one appropriate closing scene. After a wildly disappointing opening to this third volume due mostly to the work of artist Humberto "Big Neck" Ramos, the book settled down a bit with Miyazawa taking over. Still the rather silly plastic surgery zombie controlling DJ villain... do I really need to offer more of an explanation on why this has been an underwhelming story?

The highlight is the final two pages, just a quiet scene between Chase and the two youngest team members, Molly and Klara. A nice combination of snappy dialogue reminiscent of BKV or maybe Bendis (at his better moments) and one final sweet sentiment. If only they had a better opponent to fight or if only the majority of this run hasn't been uninteresting to say the least. If the future doesn't improve really quickly, Marvel will have wasted the best original characters to come along in more than 25-30 years.

Final score: C-

SUPERMAN #687 - "Power and Weakness"
Written by James Robinson, Art by Renato Guedes

If someone had asked me which of the three Superman books I would be the least impressed with a few months ago it would have taken about 2.3 seconds to rattle off either Rucka's adventures with a thoroughly uninteresting Nightwing and Flamebird of Superman's adventures on New Krypton. But here it is two issues in and the great James Robinson still hasn't gotten his story off the ground. It's almost as if he wants to cram four years of plot into 12 issues. Bouncing back and forth between eight or nine different stories, none of them have the room to engage the reader.

Mon-El and Guardian are the supposed stars of the book, but how are they able to develop when we spend a page with an unknown monster, one with General Lane and his conspiracy, a couple with Black Lightning and the Trickster, a couple with John Henry Irons in the sewers of Metropolis, three with Zatara and Jimmy Olson with a guest appearance by Parasite (who has been teased as perhaps Mon-El's first big opponent, but far too slowly) and another with Guardian reintroducing the lead members of the Science Police. Whew!

Yeah, to call the first few issues scatter-shot would be a massive understatement. A part of me wants to think the writer of my favorite superhero comic ever (Starman) will pull it out, while another wants to admit even the great ones stumble sometimes. But for now, I'm stuck hoping.

Final score: C+

UNCANNY X-MEN #509
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Greg Land

With every issue this title slips further and further away from being the top flight X-Men title that it should be. I personally think Land's porn-tastic artwork (see Emma Frost on the fourth from the last page for the best of many, many, many examples) has infected one of Marvel's better writers.

The only very interesting plot lines are the team Beast has assembled to solve the X-gene problem and Scott and Emma's incredibly underdeveloped relationship problems. Given what a strong place they were left in after Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men, it's discomforting to see them slipping apart with so little attention or explanation. Apparently Fraction will be setting that up for discussion after the current storyline. I suppose its a necessary development if Jean Grey will be returning in the next few years, but I hoped for it to be handled a bit more deftly than this.

Beast's team on the other hand is moving much more slowly now that they're assembled and not battling giant monsters and such. We can only hope a forthcoming trip to the distant past will spice things up again. The potential wasted here is just staggering for the one book that has all the big name X-Men. I never thought we'd have a book so unexciting that featured Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Colossus, Beast and many others. The return of a re-British-ed Psylocke doesn't signal a great return since she's controlled by the Goblin Queen and her army of super-hot super-villains.

Final score: D+

WONDER WOMAN #31 - "Uprising"
Written by Gail Simone, Art by Bernard Chang

Simone's storytelling has become more and more grating. Unlike Birds of Prey, where all her female characters were just deeply developed and unique personalities. This title has been bogged down with a message overshadowing every single scene. Diana is emotional, Diana is a great warrior, Diana has a deep faith. Diana has become so separated from humanity in this title.

There are only two types of men in Simone's universe. The one in a positive light are all deferential to a subservient degree to Diana. In a Green Lantern or Batman comic, the treatment of a romantic interest would inspire the most vehement blogging of sexism and saber-rattling to tear the internet down. The men that oppose Diana are never drawn out. Achilles especially is around as a name and nothing more. And the repeated pronouncements of Wonder Woman villains that women are so inferior to her come off far too heavy-handed. And the identity of Genocide... well, its worth spoiling given how terrible it is. A future version of Diana... that's right the only force that can beat Diana is... her. The word I think I'm looking for is "ugh."

The unexpected change in artists from Aaron Lopresti to Chang has been universally disappointing. At least the first could carry an action scene. The latter cannot carry a fight scene and the climatic battle between Diana and Achilles is one of the more disappointing fight scenes in a good long while.

Final score: D

Killin' Time With 24

2009-04-28T16:40:00.005-04:00

24: 3:00A.M.-4:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 20

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

Also, don't forget to check out the latest episode of the That's a Wrap! Podcast: Sorry, Joel Edition!

It's totally cool and filled with summer movie talk as well as plenty of Harry Potter vitriol. Check it out!

(14:56:56) Jim: I suppose they needed another time-killer, set-the-table episode, but man it was boring last night
(14:57:18) Billy: So, I'm here in Cali, apparently living 24 season 3...dodging Pig Flu...
(14:57:29) Jim: I mean, I spent half the episode arguing what utter bullshit it was that people are getting up at 3:30am in the morning to cook breakfast
(14:57:38) Billy: And it's been more exciting that last nights episode.
(14:58:09) Billy: Apparently we're got two separate gay characters now.
(14:58:17) Billy: Not that there's anything wrong with that!
(14:58:38) Billy: But I got the feeling that the 3am breakfast patsy was gay.
(14:58:58) Jim: I have it bad enough with a job where I have to get up at six the morning, even I can't get up an extra half hour to make breakfast.
(14:59:13) Jim: No fucking way these people should be awake
(14:59:20) Billy: Hah
(15:00:00) Billy: I agree, and if I can jump the gun just a bit, I must say that I was uber excited to see the CTU servers and the classic theme playing along with it.
(15:00:08) Jim: That's what I loved about other years, they are trying to make the ultimate drama at a time when there is no fucking reason that anybody should be awake
(15:00:43) Jim: Indeed, the return of Chloe was excellently handled as well, especially her scene with Morris
(15:00:47) Billy: It kinda feels like this entire season is a prequel to the eventual season 8.
(15:00:58) Jim: AKA the most under-utilized star of a previous season since Kate Warner
(15:01:32) Billy: Because they sure as shit aren't going to catch all those consortium guys and gals in four hours.
(15:01:46) Jim: I hope not.
(15:02:34) Jim: I know they want things to be more self contained, but at this point it would be nice to have holdover villains... besides Nina and the Chinese guy.
(15:03:08) Billy: I suspect Tony will be killed, but I almost hope he comes back as a villain
(15:03:13) Jim: We've reached the point a few years ago where its just impossible to believe this many Americans want to attack America without setting a half of a season in Montana
(15:03:32) Jim: Yes, no redemption for Tony until his death... Jack needs a Moriarty
(15:03:34) Billy: Well, I play a ton of video games
(15:03:47) Jim: Yes you do.
(15:03:47) Billy: and Private Military Corporations are the new boogeyman
(15:03:54) Billy: in gaming.
(15:04:31) Billy: and so, I can sorta buy the PMC explanation. and they totally flat out said that Hodges is batshit insane.
(15:04:51) Jim: Yeah, I appreciated that.
(15:05:40) Jim: It was nice to cover their implausible plot shifts by making a character mentally unbalanced instead of leaving it hanging back there... for further examples see Jack's Dad.
(15:05:51) Billy: Agreed
(15:06:00) Billy: I'm still loving Jack-Renee
(15:06:18) Jim: Yeah, I'm just getting pissed they haven't had ENOUGH development there
(15:06:19) Billy: I cannot wait to see season 8 just because of them.
(15:06:38) Jim: I really don't want to have them tease it all day just to have them hold hands in the last 5 minutes (RE: Season 2)
(15:06:54) Billy: I suspect that's all we'll get
(15:07:06) Billy: and I also suspect that season 8 will begin with them together
(15:07:09) Jim: Renee would be the first romantic interest that I'd actaully anxiously await the return of
(15:07:11) Billy: as the heads of CTU
(15:07:20) Billy: which would hearken back to season 1
(15:08:02) Jim: She would be a nice, rule-bending, but less psychotic version of Jack... He could use that sense of balance
(15:08:57) Billy: Yeah, and it's honestly the only thing I have to look forward to on this show these days
(15:09:18) Jim: I realize this is a bit off topic, but who besides Jack, Renee and Chloe would you want working for CTU next year to take down Tony's Cabal?
(15:09:46) Billy: I don't want Janeane Garafalo back
(15:09:50) Jim: Agreed.
(15:09:57) Billy: Ideally I'd like a new cast
(15:10:00) Billy: totally
(15:10:16) Billy: aside from the Jack, Renee and Chloe
(15:10:41) Jim: I wouldn't mind Doyle... just about the only character I liked from last season.
(15:10:41) Billy: Morris (carlos Rota) was cast on Stargate Universe, so he's out.
(15:10:53) Billy: I actually think Chase could come back
(15:11:05) Jim: I was pissed for the longest time that they blinded him for absolutely no reason.
(15:11:14) Billy: but if they didn't bring him back yet, it will never happen.
(15:11:33) Jim: Has James Badge Dale done anything since the Departed?
(15:11:40) Jim: He'd probably be up for it
(15:11:57) Billy: It would be easy to bring him back
(15:12:06) Billy: and he technically didn't let Jack down.
(15:12:17) Billy: It could provide some tension with Kim
(15:12:26) Billy: and I've heard she'll be back next season.
(15:12:34) Billy: In some capacity.
(15:13:13) Jim: One thing I'd absolutely fucking love is if they had Kim and Chase work together like mature adults without bringing their past into it to angst things up
(15:13:30) Jim: I realize that goes against the core of Kim's character, but it'd be a nice change of pace
(15:13:39) Billy: Fact is, Jack's action days are mostly gone.
(15:13:52) Jim: Make me think she's actually grown up a bit... how old is her character supposed to be?
(15:14:07) Billy: they need a Doyle, Chase, or Curtis, who people like to go out and do the heavy lifting.
(15:14:16) Billy: while Jack works from the inside.
(15:14:24) Jim: Yeah, Jack needs to be more Season One Jack.
(15:14:36) Billy: With some action, but plausibly done.
(15:14:53) Billy: As to the question of Kim's age, she was 16 in season 1
(15:15:12) Billy: and I believe that something like 14 years have passed since season 1.
(15:15:15) Jim: How about a cool limitation, like he has to walk with a cane, spinning out of his illness currently? He could hate it for a few hours but then fuck somebody up with it.
(15:15:50) Billy: He's going to have some long lasting problems from this illness
(15:15:54) Jim: No the cane is too House... but something
(15:16:16) Billy: part of me thinks that he's going to bite it and the "cure" is total macguffin.
(15:16:56) Jim: I disagree... with Tony going evil there is officially NOBODY besides Jack that can carry the show.
(15:17:14) Jim: And if tony is somehow redeemed in the next two hours and Jack dies I'm done watching the show forever.
(15:17:19) Jim: AND I AM NOT FUCKING KIDDING.
(15:17:24) Jim: you can hold me to that.
(15:17:45) Billy: Whoa, whoa, this isn't fucking Heroes...Tony's NOT going to become a good guy again.
(15:18:01) Billy: He's not Nathan fucking Petrelli...
(15:19:43) Jim: I'm just saying... that would kill the show for me... and to avoid being a hypocrite I've given up on Heroes and finally took it off my DVR list last night so I could watch the Sox-Tribe game while 24 was recording
(15:20:08) Jim: Right after deleting the last couple episode unwatched.
(15:20:31) Billy: Well, not to go off topic but after last night's Heroes finale...I won't be coming back for season 4
(15:20:52) Jim: Heroes is over???? I thought the world seemed a little brighter!
(15:21:28) Jim: Once 24 wraps, we've got to have a wicked cool TV season wrap-up podcast
(15:21:41) Billy: Well, over for the year, over for me but sadly not OVER over...
(15:21:57) Billy: Wicked cool for our four listeners?
(15:22:07) Billy: Three of which were us...
(15:22:11) Jim: Yep! God bless them, everyone.

It's Comic Time (4/22/09)!

2009-04-22T19:07:00.030-04:00

Holy big comic week, Batman! At long, long last we learn "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader." And while Marvel throws everything and the kitchen sink and two Avengers books at us, our good buddy BKV takes a few minutes from working on Lost to let loose another issue of the greatest comic on the shelves.

Also, don't forget to check out the latest episode of the That's a Wrap! Podcast: Sorry, Joel Edition!

Comics for the Week of 04/22/2009

DAREDEVIL #118 - "Return of the King, Part 3"
Written by Ed Brubaker, Art by Michael Lark

Well, since the return of Wilson Fisk seemed doomed to fall apart, at least Brubaker has made things more interesting and complicated than him betraying Murdock to return to power. Fisk seems to be deteriorating mentally, or he gained the power to converse with the dead. But either way the alliance falls apart, the book certainly seems to have even more life to it with the return of the main antagonist of the series. Even the rather unimpressive Lady Bullseye character becomes far more engaging once pulled into the situation when Murdock and Fisk are also both in the mix. Rather silly characters like Turk and Owlsley become more urgent and credible when they can share the page with the Kingpin. Unlike the various crime lords of a series like Batman, Marvel seemed to create such an overwhelming personality in Wilson Fisk that nothing else has managed to live up.

It seems this entire story will be set in a tremendous snow storm, if for no other reason than to let Lark continue to raise his already impressive game to a new level. Much like predecessor Alex Maleev, this style would never work in a main-line team book like the New Avengers, but for a gritty crime-noir like Daredevil its a wonderful match of artist and theme.

If anything, this book might be in danger of becoming too gritty. I mean for Murdock to have his first girlfriend become a villain, get murdered, rising from the dead and become a villain again, his greatest love dragged into a world of pornography and drugs and later murdered, his wife assaulted and driven insane, institutionalized and taken away by her parents...... when is enough, enough? On top of everything else, even Foggy, the one supportive constant in Matt's life fire's his partner (how does that work exactly?) and leaves due to his involvement with Fisk. Once we get through this arc can the poor bastard get a break for a while? Despite how well-done his pain is handled, we're pushing the barrier of "too much."

Final Score: B-

DETECTIVE COMICS #853 - "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader, Part 2 of 2"
Written by Neil Gaiman, Art by Andy Kubert

Step 1: Get complaints about Kubert delaying this final Bruce Wayne story through two-thirds of the miniseries establishing his replacement as Batman.

Step 2: Reread chapter one to remember all we'd forgotten about the arc over the many, many weeks.

Step 3: Read this issue.

Step 4: Try and contain review to something more objective than a love letter... (that was Billy's big hook with Collateral, so must strive for originality)

After all that, I'm left absolutely floored by each of these two issues, but of course the second volume will have a much more visceral and immediate impact with readers. Whereas the first set-up the concept of a viewing of Batman's body with various friends and enemies telling the story of his life and death, this issue continues the concept, but quickly reveals the meaning behind all this. It turns out that the mysterious woman isn't Gaiman's Death (ah, nuts).

For all my griping about his delays both here and earlier at the start of Morrison's run of the main title, I have to concede that Kubert did so far beyond a phenominal job here, referencing multiple eras of the art of the Dark Knight from Golden Age to present day and its something a more iconic name like Jim Lee or John Cassaday might not have been able to achieve while still having all the same delays.

Three pages in the middle are the highlight of highlights here, with the image of Batman cast against his city, battles and enemies. Wonderfully rendered, but with Gaiman brilliantly burning down this history to the most basic elements. And like what Morrison tried to do in Final Crisis, examines the cyclical nature of storytelling in comics... the utter lack of endings. At the same time mature and innocent, the grand conclusion to the Bruce Wayne character is far more than I hoped for and a far more meaningful conclusion than his death in Final Crisis or any in-continuity battle could have been.

I know I'm being pretty unspecific, but the idea of ruining anything in this series seems too abhorrent to attempt. Perhaps on par with his work on The Sandman, Gaiman is reaching a rare pinnacle for comics that doesn't come along too often. Read this story. Read it now. Seriously, these are just come reviews, go find both issues and tear into them ASAP. The internet will be here when you get back.

Final Score: A

EX MACHINA #41 - "Ring Out the Old, Chapter One"
Written by Brian K. Vaughn, Art by Tony Harris

After too long a wait (again), Vaughn continues on his final year of this comic which due to lasting longer than Y: The Last Man and maintaining its quality far better than Fables or any mainstream book with its constantly revolving creative teams, has secured the honor of best comic in the world. A near impossibly high standard of expectations come every month.

It's those kind of expectations that make stand alone issues like number 40, where Vaughn and Harris inserted themselves into the story, a little harder to accept. And then issues like this seem to be more about set-up of what's coming. The forces plotting Hundred's downfall are still in the planning stages, reporters are circling with some vague references to hidden secrets in his past and of course we've known from the first issue that everything end in tragedy. Let's just say his dream of becoming President of the United States isn't destined for success.

This issue's flashback again highlights a battle between the Great Machine and Pherson, who given his more recent prominence in these makes me think he'll be around in the main story before everything is said and done and feature prominently. Vaughn continues to show that Hundred did manage to sometime do some good in the GM days while never becoming as competent as a more mainstream "super-hero."

Final Score: A

THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST #25 - "Escape From the Eighth City, Chapter Three"
Written by Duane Swierczynski, Art by Travel Foreman

As cool as the concept of the Iron Fist is, the book is easier to take one arc at a time, as when I caught up on the book after Fraction left the title. But lately this story has seen much more impressive in concept than in execution. The idea of the many Immortal Weapons teaming up to rescue the prisoners of the Eighth City of Hell has never seemed as grand as we thought. With the grand escape winding down, we've yet to really see the grand scope of the city or found one person worth saving in the entire story.

A big part of my problem is the art, we've never really stood back and looked at this city, robbing the story of its scope. This is supposed to be the mystical equivalent of HELL, not just a collection of rooms and an arena that could be anywhere in the world. Too often is a wide shot nothing but two characters in the foreground with a white background. And that's supposed to be impressive how?

And nothing has been done to personalize any of the people suffering in hell besides the first Iron Fist, who is revealed to be the King of Hell... not too much sympathy there. And besides three or four people looking malnourished in the background, the poor oppressed innocents that are the purpose for this entire grand adventure have been entirely absent. We can only hope that the conclusion of this story, which thus far has them being let escape so the demons can come along for the ride, will raise the stakes a little. But so far, it's been a disappointment.

Final Score: C+

MIGHTY AVENGERS #24 - "Chasing Ghosts"
Written by Dan Slott, Art by Rafa Sandoval

Ugh. The artwork in this title has officially hit a brick wall. For every one panel that Sandoval handles adequately, there's a dozen pages that are absolutely disgusting. The only character with a consistent look seems to be Jocasta, a robot. Besides that its an absolute crap shoot if a character's face will be decently handled or a borderline-abstract mess. And because of that we all roll a snake-eyes... and not the good kind that's also a ninja.

Slott has at least done a decent job (though yes, one of his biggest problems is moving things along a little too quickly). By making the main source of their information, the astral projection of the Scarlett Witch, actually be a trick of Loki's, he tied it the larger Marvel Universe (Osborne's Cabal)and let them continue to move from one big fight to another and establish a significant first opponent.

They've also managed to bring one of the Maximoff kids back into the hero's fold with an excuse so ridiculous that the writer really has to make fun of it a bit himself. Quite possibly the most tongue-in-cheek reboot since Bob Newhart made the entire run of his show a dream of a previous television show.

Final Score: C

NEW AVENGERS #52
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Billy Tan, Chris Bachalo and Various

How much can you really appreciate a book where the main artist is one of your least favorite in the industry? Tan's normally weak work has actually devolved a bit since his days on Uncanny X-Men. But this arc has at least has been redeemed by the addition of Bachalo. His work on the battle and the Hood's battle with the demon giving him powers is damn impressive. In fact almost everything about the villain has been more interesting in this story so far.

The Hood being tortured by a demon driving him after Dr. Strange and having hot bad guy sex with some old Iron Man foe is vastly more interesting than Spider-Man's karmic dilemma of flying in a stolen Quinjet. It just comes off as a very forced version of Spider-Man banter that he usually handles so deftly. I mean he couldn't think of anything for Spidey to complain about for the flight to New Orleans than the fact that they stole their Quinjet back from Norman Osborne. Since when does Spider-Man have a problem messing around with the Green Goblin???? C'Mon!

Hopefully, this might all pay off with a very interesting bad guy taking on the title of Sorcerer Supreme... and no I'm not talking about the son of the devil. If all this shoving of the Hood into the role is all a diversion, I'm going to punch a wall. The last few years, he's managed to outshine virtually every other bad guy that Marvel's premiere team has come up against. This is actually an excellent book if you only pay attention to the pages that he's on.

Final Score: B

THOR #601 - "Defining Moments"
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Art by Marko Djurdjevic

Things generally aren't meant to be so interesting and engaging in one of these transition issues. With the big jump to issue 600 tearing down the status quo that JMS had developed over the last couple of years, this issue spend most of the time setting everyone on a new path. While Loki continues to distract Thor with a mission to find Sif before her imminent death, Little Bill and Kelda continue their star-crossed romance despite the Asgardians moving to Latveria because... um... Balder's stupid? And the Warriors Three forsake Asgard to join up with their buddy Thor.

With the exclusion of the last few pages, which definitely have a sense of being rushed to get a book out on time, Djurdjevic's art is it's standard fabulous. In the scene with the Warriors Three, I have to say he draws one of the better goats you'll ever see in a comic. Things start to become a little less fantastic in the scene where Loki visits Blake, an honestly frightening sequence given the unestablished abilities of the busted ass walking stick/Mjolnir. Marko's lines become less sharp, but still human-looking.

One thing that previous incarnations of Thor has always lacked until now is a consistent human voice to balance out the Asgardians. Excluding the brief time Eric Masterson held the hammer in the 1990s, the book has always tended to come off a bit... foreign, for lack of a better word. But JMS has consistently endeavored to blend this fantastic world into ours, separating them from their standard mythology than included the destruction in Ragnarok. From day one, Don Blake has been set-up as a unique human voice to balance Thor and his opening scene yet another great one between the two with more of their wonderful chemistry. Not bad considering the two
exist on different planes of existence at any given moment.

Final Score: A-

Killin' Time With 24

2009-04-21T09:10:00.003-04:00

24: 2:00A.M.-3:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 19

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

Also, don't forget to check out the latest episode of the That's a Wrap! Podcast: Sorry, Joel Edition!

It's totally cool and filled with summer movie talk as well as plenty of Harry Potter vitriol. Check it out!

(22:04:15) Billy: So, did you notice that the Tony's informant was actually Executive Producer Jon Cassar?
(22:04:48) Jim: and it's all being run by Denzel Washington's assistant coach
(22:04:59) Billy: Buh?
(22:05:07) Jim: will patton
(22:05:17) Jim: from Remember the Titans/Gone in 60 Seconds
(22:05:23) Jim: and shtuff
(22:05:42) Billy: Uh, yeah, don't know him...see, I like GOOD movies...
(22:06:00) Jim: yeah, I’ll watch just about anything with sports in it once...
(22:06:06) Jim: or fifteen times
(22:06:19) Billy: You sad, sad bastard....
(22:06:26) Jim: he was in Armageddon too
(22:06:36) Billy: Moving right along!
(22:07:10) Billy: Was I the only one who got choked up upon finding out that baby Bauer was named Teri?
(22:07:26) Jim: [Jack's] so old.... they should really kill him off
(22:07:36) Jim: who wants an action show with Grandpa Jack in the lead
(22:07:39) Jim: ?
(22:08:23) Billy: Plus, Kim certainly finds her way around town...she's had more guys that 24's had presidents
(22:08:50) Jim: fyi, Will Patton was also in Entrapment and The Postman... should we be concerned that our big bad is the Olivier of crappy movies?
(22:09:02) Billy: I was kinda hoping they would throw us old timers a bone and have her guy be Chase. But, at least it wasn't C. Thomas Howell.
(22:09:16) Jim: indeed, the less Howell the better
(22:10:41) Jim: But James Badge Dale probably thinks he's too good for 24 since he got wasted in a Scorsese movie
(22:11:57) Billy: Well, I'm inclined to agree after watching the shitty acting in this episode...namely Sutherland's ill acting.
(22:12:20) Jim: he can't even flail around convincingly
(22:12:35) Billy: Plus, Tony (the character) is an awful actor, I'm surprised no one caught on to him sooner.
(22:13:03) Billy: I reckon Jack is going to get the miracle cure now so he can stop Tony....
(22:13:28) Jim: I'm just getting tired about the evidence convicting a character coming 5 minutes too late as always, just to keep the bad guys going
(22:14:12) Billy: Well, I'm just tired of 6 bad guys.
(22:14:27) Jim: I mean, this sloppy villain stuff never would have gone down back in the day of Ira Gaines
(22:14:32) Billy: I miss season one so very much.
(22:15:58) Billy: One thing I did like was the Jack/Renee stuff. I was almost waiting for Jack to go in for the kiss when she was found alive. Like "What the hell, I'm almost dead, anyway."
(22:16:03) Jim: A shame her kid wasn't in town though, Kim should have brought Teri _______ to see grandpa
(22:16:45) Jim: it’s an honest shame that they continue to hold off on the most convincing chemistry on the show in a long time
(22:17:25) Billy: I know, right, it'll happen eventually. Then next season when SPOILER ALERT
(22:17:37) Billy: CTU comes back in NYC
(22:17:50) Billy: Those crazy kids will be together.
(22:19:27) Jim: well, they deserve an honest shot... I'm damn tired of Jack not being able to be with his ladies
(22:19:56) Billy: He just needs a woman who knows how to be out in the field.
(22:20:11) Billy: Hell, she's already tortured a dude already.
(22:20:15) Jim: and doesn't murder his wife
(22:20:37) Billy: Teri Bauer used to torture people all the time, but mostly with her nagging...
(22:21:11) Jim: no just imagine if they made her a supersoldier when she had amnesia
(22:21:21) Jim: how good would that plot diversion have been then?
(22:21:45) Billy: A SO CALLED Supersoldier?
(22:22:07) Jim: John [Doggett]?
(22:22:10) Jim: Is that you?
(22:22:26) Billy: Obscure X-files references for the win!
(22:22:32) Jim: zing
(22:23:01) Billy: So, Hodges had his last bit of insanity and then death...
(22:23:22) Jim: he ain't dead yet
(22:23:36) Jim: They wouldn't have shown him going to the hospital if he was dead
(22:23:51) Jim: they can get a little more milage out of Angelina's dad
(22:24:27) Jim: seriously, it fakesd a heart attack, hasn't jack survived like 11 of those?
(22:24:41) Billy: I like how they mentioned the fact that he's certifiable; like they know how much scenery he's chewing and had to justify it.
(22:25:29) Jim: I'll take washed up semi-name actors for 100 Alex
(22:25:42) Jim: it's the 24 villain blueprint
(22:25:54) Jim: dating back to the star of Flashback, the one that wasn't Keifer
(22:27:32) Billy: Remember that year the villian was Stephen Sommers BFF and resident Mummy: Arnold Vosloo?
(22:28:41) Jim: you mean star of G.I. Joe Arnold Vosloo?
(22:30:02) Billy: Holy Hannah! He's Zartan? Jesus, it's like some sick nightmare...he's not australian.
(22:31:08) Billy: I think it's telling that we've barely talked about the episode....
(22:31:30) Jim: yeah, this has been the imdb take on 24
(22:31:46) Jim: right now, I've entered the countdown to season's end.
(22:32:06) Billy: It's not as bad as six. And it's not as bland as four.
(22:32:29) Jim: No, the Jack-Renee stuff has me keeping an eye open if nothing else
(22:32:36) Billy: And if Renee and Jack end up together then this hopeless romantic will be satisfied.
(22:33:22) Jim: damn... us and 24 have devolved into the equivalent of Hugh Grant fans... with torture
(22:33:41) Billy: ...
(22:33:47) Billy: I feel dirty now.
(22:33:57) Jim: it'll be okay, Billy.
(22:34:03) Jim: It'll be ok.

That's a Wrap! Podcast!

2009-04-19T21:29:00.005-04:00

After a lengthy break, the That's a Wrap! Podcast returns. Yes, we were very broken up over the loss of Battlestar Galactica, though judging by the massive THREE downloads our BSG retrospective received most of our followers were not.

But fear not, because this week your intrepid TAW! editors take a look into this summer in movies!

We promise that there is very little speak of killer robots.

Click the link to download the summer movie special:Sorry, Joel Edition! (1:18:29)

It's Comic Time (4/15/09)!

2009-04-17T19:38:00.000-04:00

The world without Supes keeps rolling along with nary a hick-up, Captain America takes a break before hitting the big number Five-Oh, followed immediately by Six-Oh-Oh and while one X-book continues to stall out another looks to cement itself as the best team book on the shelves each month. Hit the jump for our take on a few of this week's titles.

Comic Reviews for Week of 04/15/2009

ACTION COMICS #876 - "The Sleepers: Part 2"
Written by Greg Rucka, Art by Eddy Barrows and Sidney Teles

The year without Superman continues to roll along nicely in Rucka's run here. The plot doesn't advance too much, consisting almost entirely of a fight between Ursa and the new Nightwing and Flamebird. The full background of the characters will most likely be explored next month with a bit of exposition as Chris Kent goes from one mom to another with a visit with Lois Lane. While there's sure to be some excuse to Chris' rapid aging and I hate giving up the potential of the Superman-With-a-Kid plots, making him the focus of the book very nicely ties this title into the Superman-mythos and provides them a way to keep Lois involved in the action, researching her family's connection to the anti-Superman government forces and meeting her slightly aged briefly adopted son.

The artwork's a cut above average and though the action scenes (which of course makes up the vast majority of the issue) aren't as clear as they could be, it just a bit of a diversion to how bloody and extremely violent the fight is. Everything still makes sense, but crams an M-rated fight into a T-rated book. I'm always in favor of that. The facial expressions might be uneven at best and there's a vague sexual undertone to the battle that's a little discomforting, but that isn't exactly an unexplored area in comic artwork.

Final score: C+

CAPTAIN AMERICA #49 - "The Daughter of Time"
Written by Ed Brubaker, Art by Luke Ross

I wasn't a page in before muttering, "It's one of those issues." Heading into any major issue there's two standard approaches and neither ever impressed me that much. It's either set-up for the big issue or a time-killer. How hard is it to plan ahead and just have the previous arc conclude here? Instead this issue abandons our current crew (mainly Bucky and the Black Widow)to check up with Steve Rogers' old girlfriend Sharon Carter.

While I never had a problem with the character (she was always a more enjoyable girlfriend than Diamondback), Carter's appearance here just seems to be holding the series in the past. Brubaker has done such a spectacular job inserting a new man behind one of the most iconic masks in the Marvel Universe, but it's a step back to spend an entire issue away from that character just before the two most important issues in his brief history.

Ross' artwork actually looks worse in the light of day. Whereas his previous arc was covered in shadows that obscured his most of his shortcomings.

The story itself is just annoying. First, getting past the idea that Sharon has not noticed the incision scar where she lost her child for six months... yeah, not quite buying that to any degree. And watching her have a romantic dinner with Grandpa Bob, complete with creepy beard, is not exactly a worthy rebound guy for Steve Rogers one true love. Nuts to that.

Final score: C+

UNCANNY X-MEN #508
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Greg Land

After a decent start that looked to return this title to it's status as the definitive X-title, things have downshifted into another excuse for Greg Land to copy poses from pornography. The team made entirely female villains seems to be crafted right into the artist's rather questionable wheelhouse. More importantly their showdown with Domino seems like an excuse to through another female in there and unfortunately distances the main team from the action far too much. Even the goal of the villains seems to be to return even more hot females to life.

The intriguing subplot of Beast's team of mad-ish scientists even manages to stall out. Joined by Joss Whedon's creation, Dr. Kavita Roa, the assembled scientists do nothing but sit around and try to sound interesting while doing little more than recapping the plot we've known for a couple years regarding the depowering of the mutants.

Fraction, usually a top-tier writer stumbles considerably. Besides allowing his book to begin devolving into a Land photoshop effort, even the order of the plot seems unusual. Wolverine goes from being enraged about the violation of a friend's tomb in Japan to recruiting Northstar onto the team and making cute little Canadian jokes. There doesn't seem to be a reason for Wolverine to be in the second scene besides enraging me for leaving Cyclops completely out of the issue. I can't avoid the ominous feeling that this book might not improve in the immediate future.

Final score: C-

X-FACTOR #42
Writtin by Peter David, Art by Valentine de Landro and Marco Santucci

Well, we're done with the mind-blowing revelations at the end of every issue at this point and onto simply impressive reveals. But this book is now officially rolling along. Madrox, now 80 years in the future with an adult Layla Miller, is simultaneously becoming involved in a rebellion against Sentinels and finding his first reason in months to live. While Layla's future crew each manages to have a distinct sound established in sometimes little more than one or two panels, David takes things to another level with as great a leader as the team could ask for. Considering that until the dark days of Messiah Complex, Layla and Madrox were by far the two best characters on the book, there's no problem reintroducing their well-handled and darkly comic banter into the writing.

Meanwhile the other members of XF Investigations aren't just spinning their heels. While Siryn and Monet keep the house in order, Guido and Rictor are playing catch-up, going after Madrox's pastor Dup. Newer member Longshot gets his first very cool sequence, playing the more standard private eye hired as a bodyguard and all the expected female entanglements these plots usually have. And given how rarely writers and artists have demonstrated his power in the past, his action scene perfectly illustrated the change between what should happen and what Longshot's power makes happen.

Final score: B+

Killin' Time With 24

2009-04-14T09:12:00.002-04:00

24: 1:00A.M.-2:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 18

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

(22:00:00) Billy: What perfectly shitty ending to an otherwise wonderful episode.
(22:00:08) Jim: yep
(22:00:26) Jim: but there was no silent countdown, so maybe Head FBI Guy will survive
(22:00:35) Billy: I really doubt it
(22:00:43) Jim: even if its three years from now as a villain/hero/villain
(22:00:50) Billy: The Law Of Television Dicks says that he is dead.
(22:01:16) Jim: yep, he went cool guy for no reason, "Heck yeah, let's raid the place without orders."
(22:01:19) Jim: Good as dead.
(22:01:24) Billy: You see, The Law Of Television Dicks states that when an otherwise dickish character does something awesome, they will die.
(22:01:55) Jim: Is it me or did Kim get like 12% less attractive?
(22:02:16) Billy: I was thinking roughly the same thing, she's gotten old.
(22:02:30) Billy: And had too much plastic surgery.
(22:03:25) Billy: I'm sure we'll see her again, it's telling that Kim Bauer was not the worst part of the episode.
(22:03:51) Jim: She was still bad
(22:04:09) Billy: I totally turned to Melissa at the beginning of the episode and called Tony's evil turn.
(22:04:12) Jim: It's just that the overall quality has slipped enough that she gained ground by default
(22:04:33) Billy: He was doing the Mike Novick "shifty eye" routine.
(22:05:10) Jim: yeah, it was painfully obvious by the point that he didn't have a gun to hold off the final bad guy
(22:06:08) Jim: and this just reeks of the very worst, we didn't have this planned for the first half of the season, but ran out of time. So ignore most of what this character has done for the last 13 hours.
(22:06:48) Billy: It just pisses me off so much because it betrays every thing before it. So he pretended to be a good guy, killed his buddy (the Goa'uld Tanneth) just to get to this virus? Which by the way he could have gotten to like five hours earlier by shooting Jack in the back of the skull...
(22:07:28) Jim: Yeah, what exactly was his reason for wanting it, but not wanting Jonas Hodges to get it.
(22:07:59) Jim: and if that was part of his goal, why not tell Jack about the bioweapon like three or four hours earlier
(22:09:21) Billy: So, great, now Jack "Alzheimers" Bauer has to kill Tony...again.
(22:11:02) Jim: at what point do we break out the "jump the shark" comments. I'd call this a moment, but it feels like there have been like 27 JTS moments the last two seasons
(22:12:28) Billy: It's much more frustrating than usual because I REALLY liked the episode. I totally dug the Tony action scenes. It was like Metal Gear Solid: Tony, Renee was fine, Moss was awesome, Jeanne Garafolo had like one line, Kim wasn't awful
(22:13:18) Billy: Hell, even the president and Hodges was interesting. There was actual tension in this episode.
(22:13:32) Jim: I know, it's like everything was rolling along just fine and then someone let one rip... metaphorically speaking.
(22:14:45) Billy: Well, it did smell faintly of shit...
(22:15:10) Jim: But even though the episodes seem better, I consistently find myself wishing at the end that we were like three hours closer to the end of the season
(22:15:19) Jim: and I've felt that way for a solid month now
(22:15:34) Billy: Wait, how many episodes do we have left?
(22:15:39) Billy: It's not three?
(22:15:44) Billy: Oh jesus.
(22:16:30) Jim: I was dreading it the moment the missles blew up... the "Oh Crap What Shit Are They Going To Pull to Keep The Year Going"
(22:17:11) Billy: They totally could have kept Tony infiltrating that base for four more episodes and I would be just goddamn fine with it...
(22:17:20) Jim: Yep
(22:17:45) Jim: C'mon guys, how about we end this year after 20 hours just to be different?
(22:18:40) Billy: That would be one HELL of a cliffhanger.

A Double Dragon Take on Dollhouse

2009-04-12T08:21:00.012-04:00

Dollhouse: Needs/Spy in the House of Love
Season 1, Episodes 8/9

Rather than jumping out immediately for the third "Well, it's not great but it convinced me to stick around another week" of the short season after last week's episode, "Needs," I held off in hopes off not being let down yet again. So after having raised the bar, I was slightly more impressed to find a second consecutive episode in "Spy in the House of Love" that not only failed to disappoint, but maybe raised the bar even a little further. So hit the jump and will analyze a nice little turn towards decent-level television.

On its own, "Needs" was a strong episode with a terrible ending. The four main dolls (Echo, Victor, Sierra and November) recover their original personalities and attempt an escape. And besides Echo's moronic decision to stay behind (although given what we saw of her past, it's probably just stupid enough to be in character), things work out for them alright. The revelations that November probably retreated into it after the death of her daughter and Sierra was kidnapped into it by a client paint two strong opposing pictures of how people end up there.

More than anything, the theme last week was developing what an evil organization the Dollhouse really is. It's also the big problem since even Boyd is compromised by association, the Dolls are wiped again at the end of the things and Ballard's only big appearance is to discover the bug and have an utterly unnecessary sex dream. At least we can say they aren't shying away from exploring his somewhat obsessive attitude, even if the reasons why are still unexplored.

My biggest problem with "Needs" was that besides once again showing how significantly more interesting Sierra and Victor are than Echo, is that the entire escape is something the Dollhouse knew about and allowed in order to get the Dolls that are rebelling a sense of resolution, which is meant to stop their glitching... yeah, cause whenever my internet is running slow I have my computer visit Dr. Melfi, fixes things right up. But the development just immediately devalues everything the audience had been rooting for the entire hour.

Ballard's quest, mostly stalled out in "Needs" with the aforementioned crappy little dream sequence, but takes a huge leap forward as he reveals a growing obsession and a second message delivered through November/Mellie that manages to flip his little relationship upside-down in an instant. A very quick improvement to a pain-in-the-butt storyline, I have to say.

In the second hour, Topher discovers the technology the spy has been using to alter the programming. With DeWitt called away, rage-o-holic Dominic loads Sierra with the program of a spy to infiltrate the NSA and uncover evidence on the traitor.

Her break-in is well done and one of the more engaging sequences in the show so far, coming off like a prime years Alias sequence. Yet again, I argue that Sierra is a much more interesting doll than Echo, just as Dichen Lachman has much more range as an actress than Eliza Dushku.

In a neat little trick to reliving the day, another storyline reveals a few of the things we missed earlier in the day in the discovery process and flips it to show another side to Victor's Ms. Lonely Hearts Engagement with an elderly lady. After being dropped off he quickly leaves on his own for a weekend of fun with DeWitt. I'd like to say that were I in a similar situation, I wouldn't... um... dip my pen in the company ink, but to be in the same situation I'd be evil. So who am I to judge?

On the Echo front, besides the rather creepy sequence where she suggest Topher "change" her so she can help, attempts to trace down the spy herself. As a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Tim Roth's character from Lie to Me. Her interviews give us a little more depth on the members of the organizations and her fight with Dominic is the most exciting sequence in the show, raising the stakes on even Sierra's infiltration.

I have to hand it to writer David Solomon for pulling the wool over our eyes with the possibility of different spies with multiple perspectives and loyalties. And even more impressive is the deft way they rewind the day from multiple perspectives without telling the entire story in any one of them, but with each making the others better.

The show managed for a bit to make some other characters, especially DeWitt, interesting. But mostly it seems temporary and the criminal lack of Ballard's development continues to haunt things. But the possibility of Echo developing into more to the organization than just a Doll (did the same thing perhaps once happen to Saunders or Topher or Ivy?) gives the show more than the two themes of Echo discovering her personality and Ballard finding her. The subtle handling of all of this, including Boyd graduating from handler to head of security, makes the show seem more mature than the show has been this far. Now if only they can keep it up......

Final score: C/B+

Like Meeting Old Friends...Drunken, Angry Old Friends

2009-04-10T00:36:00.004-04:00

Rescue Me: Baptism
Season 5, Episode 1

When last we saw firefighter Tommy Gavin he was enjoying an uncharacteristically quiet baseball game with his alcoholic father. The game was quiet because Tommy's dad passed away during the game and as the camera moved away and faded to black the audience was left just as dumbfounded as Tommy. Season four was a complete wash, a boring mess that frustrated viewers.

Does the new season continue the trend? Hit the Jump to find out!

The answer is thankfully, no, at least not so far. Season five is set to be the longest season of the series so far with 22 episodes and it remains to be seen if Leary and Tolan can keep the pace up beyond this first episode, but thankfully for right now it appears that they've solved their problems.

One of the complaints garnered last season was the lack of fire sequences, consider this complaint rectified, the first episode contains not one but two fire scenes. Which is great becuase, the series...is...about...firefighters.

In the end, it's business as usual. Tommy is a big bundle of anger, but he's still sober unlike his cousin Mickey who falls off the wagon in the episode.

All in all I have little to say about this episode, it's a big step forward compared to last season but it's not the most explosive episode. This is purely set up and I'm very interested in seeing how things shape up. Especially some of the side stories like Black Shawn and Tommy's daughter and Garrity/Mike's bar. That says nothing of Michael J. Fox's return to TV as Janet's new beau. It's a solid beginning to be sure, and after almost two years without the show, I guess that's all I can ask for for now.

It's Comic Time (4/8/09)!

2009-04-08T18:00:00.018-04:00

It's a short week with DC continuing the legacy of Batman and Superman getting his first full issue on New Krypton. The only non-limited series just happens to be a sweet rebound issue for Green Lantern. It's a real case of quality over quantity though, as two-thirds of this weeks reviews are fantastic and this third still strong. Hit the jump to enter the land of spoilers.

Comic Reviews for the Week of 04/08/2009

Batman: Battle For the Cowl #2 (of 3) - "Army of One"
Written and Art by Tony Daniels

Not to sound too petty, but it's now two issues of Battle For the Cowl that have been released before Andy Kubert managed to get us the second issue of "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader" and I am just mad as hell about it. Artists whose delays ruin what otherwise should be definitive works should be banned to the independents. We don't need them screwing things up in the big leagues.

But let's focus on Daniel's absolutely fantastic arc to reveal the new Batman. Considering the universal opinion is that Richard Grayson is only substantive choice, the journey getting there has been pretty impressive. The main villain of the series is revealed as a even more demented than usual Jason Todd. I stand in favor of that considering the recurring attempts by DC to put him on the side of the angels have never come close to working or sticking. Dressed in his own version of the Batsuit, Jason tears through most of the other contenders for the name and setting up an showdown with Bruce's Son #1 in the finale.

Despite Tim Drake wearing the titular cowl this month, it isn't exactly a note in his favor that while not mocking him, nobody really takes it seriously and he ends up in a place that doesn't exactly scream for an eleventh hour comeback. So being the only one seemingly not to wear the costume yet, Grayson remains the favorite. Since we can assume DC won't turn Batman into a murdering sociopath.

Daniel's artwork is just more of the same that we saw during the majority of Grant Morrison's run on the main title. And you can never really have enough greatness. He manages to keep selling exciting and bloody battle scenes that never become confusing or unrealistic (for a Batman comic). Todd especially looks fabulous with glowing red eyes and numerous weapons.

Only the rather predictable nature of the entire effort drags the score down slightly. At this point though, a change in the finale would probably devalue the effort. Too much time has been spent preparing Nightwing to take the leap, including a fantastic speech this week from Alfred, the elder-statesman of the Bat-Family.

Final score: A-

Green Lantern #39 - "Agent Orange: Part One"
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Philip Tan

After the extremely disappointing conclusion to the previous arc, which introduced both the Blue and Red Lantern Corps, this new arc got off to a fabulous start. Supposedly the Orange (Avarice, i.e. Greed) Lanterns as yet another destructive force in the universe while Ganthet's Blue Lanterns search out the source of the Indigo (Compassion) Lanterns. And yes, I probably should continue reminding everyone which portion of the emotional spectrum powers each Corp. Johns is certainly kind enough to work it into the dialogue enough to keep things straight. But you'll have to remember the Green Corp yourself. If you can't keep that straight reading this book, then I can't do anything for you.

Tan's art actually jumps right on par with series regulars Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Schiver. And that's quite a statement, my friends. He even handles the mixture of colors on Jordan, temporarily sporting a pair of rings, much better. As Ganthet reassures him that his place is meant to be on the Green side, reaffirming his identity (a crucial improvement over the various colors that have tried to dominate the title character last issue) the green in his uniform dominates his appearance much more than before. It's a nice little case of the art reinforcing the storytelling.

Johns has done a good and quick job introducing a much more unique and enjoyable villain than we had with the rather simplistic Red Lantern leader, Atrocitus. Even if Larfleeze isn't much an improvement in the name department. Neither can live up to the more explored history of Parallax and Sinestro at this time, however. But even better is the continuing evolution of the Guardians into a more complex and struggling organization. Of course the reveal throughout the "Origins and Omens" backup stories throughout the DCU that the scarred Guardian is in fact looking to bring about the Darkest Night clouds over ever scene they are involved in. We still don't know how much the Guardians are being manipulated and how much they are just flawed in recent years. It's one case of us knowing a bit more than the characters and one of the truth being hidden. But each way, Johns adds a bit to the enjoyment of the story in its own way.

Final score: A-

Superman: World of New Krypton #2 (of 12)
Written by Greg Rucka and James Robinson, Art by Pete Woods

Well, besides Robinson replacing Johns as Rucka's writing partner on this title, we get a big leap forward in the quality of storytelling this month. Whereas last month was yet more of the long and mostly inadequate set-up for the series, this issue gets into the meat of things. Now a member of Zod's army in the military guild, Superman's interactions with a domineering, but not maniacal (at least yet) General Zod are just one of the efforts to humanize the Kryptonians. Well not humanize... personalize. They really don't like humans still.

But the development of infighting between the various Guilds of Kryptonese society and meeting the soldiers serving under Kal-El (specifically his second-in-command Nar-As) all serves well to give Superman a more realistic and layered world to spend the year inhabiting. The writers do a fine job of pulling Zod back from his more villainous extremes to the level of a probably evil monster. But even if he reverts to form, which is more than probable, he still improves as a antagonist smart enough to conceal his master plan from the forgiving Kryptonian leadership of Alura.

And Woods artwork struggles with more awkward, pixelated shadows and some clunky facial expressions. For a good example, check out Kal-El's face at the top of page three... that's a little too Bruce Campbell-ish for my tastes. And in general I don't care for a slightly more muscular Superman than last week, especially with the more human and wonderful version on Gary Frank's cover. I've long been of the opinion that Superman doesn't need to be huge and muscular to explain his power. He's freaking Kryptonian!

But at the end of the day, the much improved story bumps this month's grade up slightly. Every little distraction to Superman's day just helps develop a more complete world and realistic characters. Even the easily resolved distraction of the month is a nice comparison of Superman and the other soldiers differing perspectives, which makes it all seem more real... as real as a world full of Kryptonians floating on the opposite side of the Earth's sun can be.

Final score: B-

Killin' Time With 24

2009-04-07T09:24:00.003-04:00

24: 12:00P.M.-1:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 17

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

(22:27:52) Jim: so i figured out a way for this all to be believable - if voight actually plays the role as legitimately insane
(22:28:13) Jim: like certifiably institutionalize-level crazy
(22:28:41) Billy: That is the only way. Considering how much scenery that mofo is chewing.
(22:29:33) Jim: and his crazy requests like, hey release my mid-level flunky who one of your men WITNESSED commiting murder... if i lose him, there's only like three or four other people I can have make calls for me
(22:30:51) Billy: Oh my lord, he's making a ton of requests that NO ONE should be giving in to. Why the hell isn't the president telling this douchebag to fuck off. Drop the missile, sacrifice the people to kill this guy.
(22:31:19) Billy: If she gives in now then she'll be taking it in the ass from him forever.
(22:31:42) Jim: seriously, at this point I'm ready for him demand an office next to the president's to make all the decisions he wants indefinitely - and her to allow it
(22:32:23) Jim: what ever happened to the "we don't negotiate with terrorists" ideal? guess it went the way of ryan chappelle's brain
(22:32:39) Billy: "Corner office, nice view, big ass tv...oh and a turkey sandwich on rye with mayo. Tut tut, madam president, I've got bioweapons."
(22:33:49) Jim: seriously why not just address the nation in the morning and say he has the weapons, show the country the evidence and say he needs to turn them over? WTF could he do - use them and hope millions of people aren't demanding his blood for commiting genocide on american soil?
(22:34:38) Jim: It's not like osama could say, get the hell out of the middle east or I'll have some dude crash a plane into you and get anything
(22:35:26) Billy: Or just drop the damned missiles now! those planes were over their targets. I really doubt he could have launched those rockets before those bunker busters turned him into a pile of ash.
(22:35:56) Billy: Plus, those missiles looked hella fake, I think the president just got Photoshop fooled.
(22:36:17) Jim: I just know he'll come up with a bunch of demands that includes the one: "and nobody can know about it." I repeat - just fucking tell people and he is toothless
(22:37:04) Billy: Well, maybe crazy first daughter will redeem herself by allowing creepy reporter to run the story?
(22:38:03) Jim: would you really want aaron back if i told you beforehand it was to stand outside a hotel room while the FD boinks her way through the press corp?
(22:38:10) Jim: it's such a waste
(22:38:40) Jim: unless he's the voice of reason that convinces her to give up her evil ways
(22:38:57) Billy: Well, aside from the crazy first daughter and the wimpy president, it was an ok episode.
(22:39:28) Jim: when she showed him the video I kept thinking back to the words of Barney - "It just takes a really long time to shut down."
(22:40:02) Billy: ha ha
(22:40:19) Jim: but yeah, at least they set up the reintroduction of kim
(22:40:53) Jim: although where was the "So there is a cure! You could't have fucking mentioned it when you said I was dying and there's no cure?! WTF is wrong with you people?!"
(22:41:48) Billy: Right. And can I just say I am fairly tired of Sutherland's basic "I'm hurt/sick/being tortured" acting.
(22:42:07) Billy: Oh, forgot "being tased"
(22:42:28) Billy: He always does that eyes rolled back seizure motion.
(22:42:36) Jim: I know you can excuse it as she researched it a bit, but you really should make sure there isn't a cure that storytelling-wise there's a 99.99999% chance of working before you tell him its hopeless. freaking cockteasing death
(22:42:50) Jim: yeah, jack's hurt acting is just funny at this point
(22:43:05) Billy: It's 24. Cockteasing death is it's business.
(22:43:42) Billy: I'm just glad that they found a way to make reintroducing Kim...gasp!...useful!
(22:44:02) Jim: it's just about a first
(22:44:31) Billy: Though I am kinda sad that there is a possibility of a cure.
(22:44:40) Jim: i know, i know
(22:45:02) Billy: Not that I want Jack to die, it's just...I don't know, interesting to see Jack mortal.
(22:46:00) Jim: yeah, it's like we know we'll be back to Invincible Jack by season's end and until then we have to suffer through In Pain (Eventhough Keifer Only Has That One Annoying Face) Jack
(22:47:05) Billy: But enough with the bitching. Tony was awesome. Playing Solid Snake with the soldiers was pretty cool.
(22:47:25) Jim: Totally cool
(22:47:35) Billy: And, I actually like seeing Jack as the office work guy.
(22:47:54) Billy: Nice change of pace, harkens back to season one.
(22:47:55) Jim: excellent takedown, worthy of comparison to some of Jack's best moments and love his acting skills
(22:48:22) Jim: very nice change of pace to have someone else carry the "in the field" workload
(22:49:29) Billy: Yes. I gotta wonder though, is Chloe done for the day? I know it's still pretty far from the finale, but...
(22:49:50) Jim: I thought they might pull her in to decode the security system, but garafalo was all over that
(22:50:07) Jim: even if it cost yet another helpful person's life
(22:50:33) Billy: Which brings us back to Crazy Voight
(22:50:35) Jim: i kinda understand the perspective of the villains, look at the death rate of people that cooperate with the government
(22:50:58) Jim: he did take it to honest to god crazy with killing that guy
(22:51:23) Jim: sending him crashing into the map of the world was something out of a stallone movie
(22:51:28) Billy: I was thinking insane when he started screaming at Moss.
(22:51:30) Jim: or at least rainer wolfcastle
(22:52:35) Jim: yeah, his "I know I commiting crimes against humanity and treason. But I'm Jon FUCKING Voight!"
(22:53:06) Billy: I especially liked how the search warrant only covered one building...
(22:53:28) Jim: well in all honesty it's not like there was a search warrant
(22:53:59) Jim: there was a executive order, which 24 always uses when convenient
(22:54:03) Jim: saves us some time
(22:54:23) Billy: Damn executive loop holes.

Well, That Was Unpleasant

2009-04-06T19:59:00.004-04:00

Terminator:TSCC: Adam Raised A Cain
Season 2, Episode 21

Josh Friedman, are you asking viewers(of which you have few) to abandon this show?

They killed Derek Reese and I can only assume killed the interest of many, many viewers. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brian Austin Green was one of the most compelling reasons to watch this show. Losing his character is a blow that this show may never recover from. Of course, since next week is likely the last episode of the series, it may never have to recover from it.

Derek's death was shocking, quick, and done at the fifteen minute mark. It's a testament to the character that his death rocked me and stuck in my mind for days after.

Aside from the death of it's best character, this episode was damned fine. One of the best hours of television I've seen recently. The interaction between John Henry and...well...between John Henry and everyone who shares a scene with Garrett Dillahunt is exceptional. Of special note is the interaction between Weaver's daughter Savannah and the presumed brother of SkyNet.

I think it's fairly obvious that Weaver is working towards keeping humanity alive for some reason. Her line to Ellison about his and Savannah's future depending on John Henry was very telling. It's a tough place to be in, we know more about John Henry than the Connors, so when Sarah speaks of razing ZeiraCorp to destroy John Henry it is very chilling.

The ending was interesting, Sarah Connor arrested(Presumably on a tip from Weaver. Another clue that she doesn't want humanity destroyed, why have Sarah arrested when she could have met with the Connor clan and killed them all easily) and John on his own would be a great twist, but I'm not sure a show called The Sarah Connor Chronicles has the kumquats to do that...

Then again, I didn't think they'd have the stones to kill Derek...

Bastards.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...

2009-04-05T11:27:00.015-04:00

Friday Night Lights: Underdogs
Season 3, Episode 12

If anything could immediately improve my week, it was the news of DirecTV and NBC renewing their commitment for another TWO years for Friday Night Lights. All is right in the world. But we'll save the conversation about next season's expectations for the finale airing this coming Friday night. For now, there's a state title on the line for Dillon and a lot to live up to comparing it to season one's finale, "State." There's spoilers below the jump, where we'll see how the episode stacks up on the believability scale with the original lateral that was literally beyond belief.

"Last game, Seven." - Riggins

Man, 13 episodes just isn't that much time. The hurried trip through the playoffs ends here with the Dillon Panthers playing for their second state title in three years against the heavily favored South Texas. And much like last time, the first half is defined by a struggle between Coach and his QB1. It was more than a little jarring to see JD go from never wanting to see the father that was smacking him around five minutes ago to not understanding why Child Protective Services was called in. How is this even a surprise? He freaking smacked you, repeatedly, into the side of a truck!

I suppose you can write it off to the limited amount of time this year and the rather confusing ways of adolescents. But still... Tim or Matt could have played it much better. But as JD, Jeremy Sumpter falls short, since his reaction to Coach (who along with Tami reported the incident as they were legally obligated to do) and blowing up throughout the first half seems so wildly out of character. It just doesn't come off effectively, it's too grating and under-explained. But it does set up the return of the real QB1 for our improbably second half comeback.

Saracen and Tim are the stars of the hour both on and off the field. Coach and Tami bring their A-game like they do every week, but the enormity of the last three seasons bearing down on them, the departing seniors bring their best on the field and on camera. Taylor Kitsch and Zach Gilford know this is their last chance to shine on the field and they sell the hell out of it. Without a doubt the best scene in the episode is the two of them up late the night before the game, playing Frisbee on the lawn in front of the capital building in Austin. Kitsch has evolved to the point where he can make a scene with a smirk.

The two of them combined are such opposite ends of the spectrum with Matt having so many opportunities, but his perspectives so limited by always thinking about the future and Riggins having far less chances, but everything rolling off him never caring about more than the six inches in front of his face (to borrow a line from Pacino). And they are the only two remaining players from episode one giving the scene even more weight that the actors use wonderfully. And as a fan of The Wire, I love when all the pieces fit together like that.

Jeffrey Reiner, the most significant director of the series (first two episodes after the pilot, "State," the first couple of this year, "New York, New York" and next week's finale), knows how to make the football scenes crisp and exciting like nobody else. They do manage to finally make JD seem like the inexperienced freshman he really is, as opposed to the golden boy, throwing two picks and getting sacked en route to a 27-0 halftime score.

The only problem is from the writers... not knowing anyone on defense makes the second half comeback a bit less believable. Obviously the substitution of a calm and collected Matt for the volatile JD changes things on the offense, but when did Ray Lewis join at linebacker? Given how absolutely critical the defense is on the final series, its just awful we don't know any of the characters. It separates the final result (losing at the last second) from the team, almost like they watched it happen to someone else.

Regardless, I like this ending better than "State" because they fail when all is said and done. We have one more episode for them to tie up the characters as something beyond pieces caught up in the machine of Dillon football, so here its all about the game at the end. The agony of the first half, Matt's gritty comeback effort that makes us believe again and the terror of that nameless defense giving up a last second field goal... that really got to me. And how about Riggins staying behind the rest, arm in a sling, just to leave his cleats on the field - the guy who always left everything he had out on the field. Who defined themselves by being a Dillon Panther as much as he did?

"You played great football tonight. This is the game that people are going to talk about for years to come. This is the game you are going to talk about.... You be proud of yourself. Because, gentlemen, you are champions." - Coach Taylor

Matt's continued family troubles and desire for college is once again a ever-shifting subplot with Lorraine's dementia pushing her opinion back and forth on the subject. It's one of the stories I'm anxious to see come to final conclusion next week. Honestly, for a guy playing in a state championship game and with a chance to go to a prestigious art institute in Chicago, his life would be pretty shitty without Julie and his mom in his life. Both developments have really been blessings for him and an audience not anxious to see his life devolve into a Darren Aronofsky movie.

Back in the swing of things, Tyra manages to nail the most dramatic non-game related moment of the show. Her efforts early on to prepare an essay for college admittance with an assist to Landry go from a cliche filled Applebee's metaphor to unbelieving puff piece to something that sells us on the entire concept of the show leading into the big game. It's poetic that in the end it ties everything back to Street being paralyzed. As I mentioned earlier in the year, this inciting incident changed the lives of pretty much every character on this show.

Of course, no Landry moment is as funny as Coach once again calling him "Lance." That little running joke will never get old. Maybe he'll get it right next season when Landry is the only returning senior we've met thus far. And after he nails a heck of a block coming out of the half.

And if it was fun seeing Lila playing video games at the Riggins Mansion, this week the ante is upped to the point that I actually like her scenes. The hilarity of her using coffee filters on the toilet seat is nice, but the star of the sequence is Billy, walking in on her then taking his business to the kitchen sink. Good times.

I do hope that Billy's latest plan to open Riggins' Rigs isn't used as an excuse to derail Tim's plans for college. Even if the show will miss him, more than anyone else, he's grown the last few years and I've become attached enough to want good things for his life. And yes, I realize it is a fictional one, but when it's well done, you still care.

Final score: B+

Killing Hitler? Nah.

2009-04-04T18:28:00.000-04:00

Lost: Whatever Happened Happened
Season 5, Episode 11

Did Lost do the impossible? Did a Kate-centric episode NOT suck? I'm almost in shock over the events of last night's episode, not the least of which was the fact that Kate's story was--gasp!--interesting! That's not to say it was perfect.

Hit the jump for the my full thoughts.

Throughout the history of Lost, the episodes that I've always dreaded the most were the Kate-based ones. The reason for this is simple. Kate is an obnoxious and childish idiot. Plain and simple. In the first few seasons of the show half of the tribulations that the lostaways got into were because Kate wouldn't mind her own damn business and stay out of the frickin' jungle. That says nothing of the pathetic "love triangle" between Jack, Sawyer and herself.

So when I say that as of now, Kate is the only member of the Oceanic 6 who I feel legitimately has a purpose and a reason for being on the island(keeping in mind that we've yet to see Hurley's story prior to boarding Ajira Airlines Flight 316) and is now the character whose story I am most interested on the island, please feel free to express great shock.

I know, I know, Kate's flashbacks in this episode were still somewhat obnoxious and we had to see Aaron again but this time there was a purpose to them. Kate realizes that taking Aaron and lying about the rest of the lostaways still on the island was wrong. She decides to go back--not because she is forced to, not because she's depressed, not because she's afraid of curses--No, Kate decides to return because she can and must find Claire and the others. She decides that she must find them and bring them all home. No more lies, no more happy fake homes, Kate finally takes responsibility for everything and is attempting to fix it.

All of our characters have changed this season and last. Most for the worst, but Kate and Sawyer--two characters that I've roundly loathed for years--have grown and morphed into two of the most rounded characters in the cast.

Speaking of Sawyer, I couldn't help but cheer when he informed Kate that he wasn't helping her save Little Ben for any reason other than Juliet. He loves Juliet and although he's somewhat confused by Kate's return, he's still dedicated to Juliet. The pairing works, Sawyer and Juliet are a joy to watch, not quite Penny and Des but still fantastic.

So we know why Kate came back to the island, what else did we learn? Well, we know how Little Ben becomes Horrible-No Good-Very Bad Ben. Apparently Richard (who, we learn, does sorta have to answer to Chuckles Widmore, confirming that Widmore was at some point a major Other player. Opening up major questions about when Penny was conceived.) can take Ben to the Temple to be healed but it will taint him forever. So, when Sawyer and Kate deliver young Ben to Richard fully knowing that what they are doing right there is going to lead to so much of their suffering, it's a powerful moment.

Now, as impressed as I was with the episode, I did have one gripe. And it's something that I suspect I will be standing opposite of most Lost-fanboys on. Miles and Hurley's ridiculous "who's on first"-esque explanation of time travel was not only unfunny, but a terrible waste of time. Seriously, am I to believe that someone who reads as many comic books as Hurley cannot grasp the details of their time travel? No, it was a scene written SOLELY for the dullards in the audience who still don't get what has happened. You know the type, the same kind of people who didn't understand The X-Files despite the entire mythology being wrapped up in season six.

Aside from that niggling point, Lost is poised to finish with it's strongest season yet. I've every confidence that the producers have something epic in store for all of us.