So I was going through my upcoming "scheduled to record" listing on my DVR, and the next two weeks look to have some great moments. I often keep some shows scheduled-- even though I've seen them before-- just to check them out again. Or, to remind myself to remind someone else to watch them.
Here we go:
Venture Brothers Sunday night 8/28; 9:30-10 pm CST (repeats 1:30- 2 am) on Cartoon Network's [adult swim]. Episode "Assassinanny 911".
I can't remember too many particulars about this episode-- other than I laughed like a mo-fo. Brock gets called away on a secret mission, so he asks deadly mercenary Molotov Cocktease to watch the boys. Hank, of course, falls in love.
Moral Orel Sunday night/ Monday morning 8/28; 12:15-12:30 am CST (repeats 4:15-4:30 am) on Cartoon Network's [adult swim]. The episode is "Waste".
This insane 10-minute episode follows Orel's decision to drink his own urine because at Scout Camp, he was told that, in a pinch, urine could help hydrate the body; and, in church, he was told that God thinks to waste is a sin. He decides to mix both pieces of advice-- and hilarity ensues. Best line came when Orel was asked if what he was drinking had Vitamin C in it, and he answers, "I don't know. But there is Vitamin P."
***Please note: Moral Orel does hit on some of the more fervent messages of the Christian Fundamentalists. I would not recommend this show to anyone who does not have a sense of humor about their religion. Seriously, you will be offended. I also wouldn't recommend this show to anyone that absolutely cannot find the humor in a ten year old that doesn't realize that drinking his own urine regularly probably isn't a good thing.
Everyone else: go nuts and check it out...
Green Wing Sunday night/Monday morning 9/4; 2-5 am CST on BBC America. The first three episodes of the first season.
Green Wing is one of the funniest shows I watched last year, hands down. Scrubs has nothing on this racy show. The show opens with new surgical registrar Caroline Todd locked out of her house and has to go to her first day of work with bed head (or "car head" since she slept in her car). After meeting her colleagues, she probably wishes she stayed in her car.
We've got anesthesiologist Guy Secretan, who hits on her immediately. Surgeon (with the "girl hair") Mac McCartney tries not to notice her, but he does try to thwart Guy's attempts at getting close to her. Horny HR Director Joanna Clore both accepts and rejects radiologist Alan Statham's advances. Staff Liason Officer Sue White goes to enormous lengths to keep the residents at a distance. Intern Martin Dear is a subject of constant belittlement. And Junior Intern Boyce does whatever he can to humiliate Statham.
This show is way insane-- and way hilarious. It's not a "typical" U.K. show; its comedy works very well for an American sensibility. It's very surreal until you get acclimated to the "world" the show inhabits. And it is much racier than any American Network would allow.
The only thing I'm afraid of is BBC America won't follow through with the remaining six episodes right away. It did the same thing this summer when it reaired the first three episodes of the brilliant Bodies and haven't reaired the remaining three episodes. I'm sure the remaining eps will air eventually, but it's been a long time...
Well, I hope I pointed you in the right direction for some of the standout episodes of some great shows I had the privilege of watching the past year.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Premieres (and others eps) for 8/28 - 9/3
When I was double-checking the credits for the Prison Break premiere after Snoop's comments from yesterday's post (yes, Stormare is listed as a "guest star"-- a little too obvious for me to believe Abruzzi takes a dirt nap), I also double checked if my eyes were playing tricks on me about Schofield's origami message to Sara. On the DVD screener I watched, there was just the written message. In the episode that aired on FOX, there was a written message AND the dots below it.
Don't know what that means, but I'm thinking it means something. (I hope it isn't something the producers threw out there as an experiment to see just how insane some of us are...)
Aaaaaaanyway, here are next week's premieres and shows I am pointing out for whatever reason-- according to TV GUIDE.
Monday, 8/28
Prison Break, FOX. 7-8 pm CST. Duh.
Tuesday, 8/29
Celebrity Duets, FOX 7-9 pm CST. Normally, I'd avoid this claptrap like the plague, but it does have Chris Jericho as a contestant. Sure, he's a pro wrestler (which will be pounded in our heads, I'm sure), but he's all about '80s metal (he's got a whole band-- Fozzy-- that's in the '80s vein). Plus, the dude's funny. It doesn't hurt that one of my Hollywood crushes growing up-- Lea Thompson-- is also a contestant. Or the always-fun Lucy Lawless...
The Rescue Me season finale is also airing at 9 pm on FX. I haven't watched the show since the pilot (I've got every episode on tape; just waiting for the perfect weekend to watch it), but I hear it's good.
Wednesday, 8/30.
Bones, FOX, 7-8 pm CST. Season Premiere. I haven't watched the tapes yet, but how can you go wrong with David Boreanez?
Justice, FOX, 8-9 pm. Series Premiere. I dug Victor Garber on Alias, but I don't have high hopes for this show. I'm going to try to catch the screener DVD this weekend to give a little preview.
30 Days, FX, 9-10 pm. Morgan himself lives in prison for 30 days.It should be eye opening.
Thursday, 8/31.
Who Wants to be Superhero? Sci Fi Channel, 8-9 pm. Season finale. I haven't watched the show yet, but it's gotten some good buzz (even if it is cheesy).
Windfall, NBC, 9-10. SEASON finale. I cannot imagine for a second that this show is coming back, but I guess the ratings were decent, so who knows? It's not as if NBC is just swimming in hits right now (ask again in October, and maybe that comment will have to be changed).
Friday, 9/1
FOX reairs this week's Prison Break and Vanished episodes. This is subject to change, so don't take a chance and miss Monday's airings.
Saturday, 9/2
Icons: The Onion, G4, 6:30 pm. The kick-*ss weekly satirical newspaper/website gets the Icon treatment.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, HBO, 7-8:30 pm. One of the best movies in recent history. Funny, smart, brilliantly acted and directed. Gromit is one of the best sidekicks in history, bar none. Won the 2005 Oscar for Best Animated Film-- deservedly so.
A Day in the Life of Television/ CBS Fall Preview, CBS, 7-9 pm. The first 1-1/2 hrs gives us a behind the scenes look at 12 shows (not all are CBS shows). The last half hour is the Fall Preview. Both shows are bound to be fluff, but there could be a gem in the middle of it all.
Mad TV, FOX, 10-11 pm. A repeat from last year where Kurt Busch takes Ike Berinholtz and Bobby Lee around the track. Dude just abuses Bobby Lee.
Sunday, 9/2.
Family Guy, FOX 7:30-9 pm. If you didn't pony up the money for the "exclusive" Uncensored Stewie movie when it came out on DVD last Fall, catch it here for free (you'll miss maybe a half-dozen bad words). When I watched the DVD (yeah I bought it-- I'm sooo naive), I kept thinking "this just feels like three Family Guy episodes strung together." Imagine my surprise when the last three episodes of last season were these fricking episodes from the DVD. If it ends up on the Family Guy Volume 4 DVD set, I'm gonna be p*ssed.
Don't know what that means, but I'm thinking it means something. (I hope it isn't something the producers threw out there as an experiment to see just how insane some of us are...)
Aaaaaaanyway, here are next week's premieres and shows I am pointing out for whatever reason-- according to TV GUIDE.
Monday, 8/28
Prison Break, FOX. 7-8 pm CST. Duh.
Tuesday, 8/29
Celebrity Duets, FOX 7-9 pm CST. Normally, I'd avoid this claptrap like the plague, but it does have Chris Jericho as a contestant. Sure, he's a pro wrestler (which will be pounded in our heads, I'm sure), but he's all about '80s metal (he's got a whole band-- Fozzy-- that's in the '80s vein). Plus, the dude's funny. It doesn't hurt that one of my Hollywood crushes growing up-- Lea Thompson-- is also a contestant. Or the always-fun Lucy Lawless...
The Rescue Me season finale is also airing at 9 pm on FX. I haven't watched the show since the pilot (I've got every episode on tape; just waiting for the perfect weekend to watch it), but I hear it's good.
Wednesday, 8/30.
Bones, FOX, 7-8 pm CST. Season Premiere. I haven't watched the tapes yet, but how can you go wrong with David Boreanez?
Justice, FOX, 8-9 pm. Series Premiere. I dug Victor Garber on Alias, but I don't have high hopes for this show. I'm going to try to catch the screener DVD this weekend to give a little preview.
30 Days, FX, 9-10 pm. Morgan himself lives in prison for 30 days.It should be eye opening.
Thursday, 8/31.
Who Wants to be Superhero? Sci Fi Channel, 8-9 pm. Season finale. I haven't watched the show yet, but it's gotten some good buzz (even if it is cheesy).
Windfall, NBC, 9-10. SEASON finale. I cannot imagine for a second that this show is coming back, but I guess the ratings were decent, so who knows? It's not as if NBC is just swimming in hits right now (ask again in October, and maybe that comment will have to be changed).
Friday, 9/1
FOX reairs this week's Prison Break and Vanished episodes. This is subject to change, so don't take a chance and miss Monday's airings.
Saturday, 9/2
Icons: The Onion, G4, 6:30 pm. The kick-*ss weekly satirical newspaper/website gets the Icon treatment.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, HBO, 7-8:30 pm. One of the best movies in recent history. Funny, smart, brilliantly acted and directed. Gromit is one of the best sidekicks in history, bar none. Won the 2005 Oscar for Best Animated Film-- deservedly so.
A Day in the Life of Television/ CBS Fall Preview, CBS, 7-9 pm. The first 1-1/2 hrs gives us a behind the scenes look at 12 shows (not all are CBS shows). The last half hour is the Fall Preview. Both shows are bound to be fluff, but there could be a gem in the middle of it all.
Mad TV, FOX, 10-11 pm. A repeat from last year where Kurt Busch takes Ike Berinholtz and Bobby Lee around the track. Dude just abuses Bobby Lee.
Sunday, 9/2.
Family Guy, FOX 7:30-9 pm. If you didn't pony up the money for the "exclusive" Uncensored Stewie movie when it came out on DVD last Fall, catch it here for free (you'll miss maybe a half-dozen bad words). When I watched the DVD (yeah I bought it-- I'm sooo naive), I kept thinking "this just feels like three Family Guy episodes strung together." Imagine my surprise when the last three episodes of last season were these fricking episodes from the DVD. If it ends up on the Family Guy Volume 4 DVD set, I'm gonna be p*ssed.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
More Tidbits
Lots of interesting things in the news today:
Stargate SG-1 exec producer Brad Wright said he has plans to keep the show going as a motion picture, a series of TV movies, or a miniseries. I don't watch the show, but I gotta like the guy's commitment to the fans.
Paramount decided not to renew their contract with Tom Cruise (a 14 year relationship). Or did Cruise decide not to accept a (greatly reduced monetary) renewal? Depend on who you ask. Paramount got the upper hand when Sumner Redstone made a public acknowledgement that they were no longer interested in working with the outspoken (and borderline nutjob) actor.
Huge Survivor: Cook Islands rumor from yesterday about splitting the contestants into ethnic groups is confirmed. Oh, the media frenzy this is bound to create...
Prison Break's season premiere won its timeslot with 9.37 million viewers (about a million less than the series debut and season this spring, but still strong). Its follow-up, Vanished, won its timeslot 8.65 million viewers.
Details on these bits-- and lots more-- can be found at:
http://community.tvguide.com/forum.jspa?forumID=700000044
TV Guide's Michael Ausiello's latest "Ask Ausiello" has LOADS of teasers about dozens of shows. One thing he said about his reaction to Veronica getting killed on Prison Break, was that he was surprised, and that we should "prepare yourself for more bloodshed."
I'm almost afraid to think about who it'll be, but a clue could lie in the credits. Peter Stormare was listed in the episode credits, not during the show opening (where season regulars like Miller, Purcell, et al have their names). I hope not. Sure, the twists and turns got me into this show, but Stormare's work really got me to appreciate it.
If you want to hear tidbits about darn near every show, check out Ask Ausiello every Wednesday at tvguide.com.
Here's today's link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Ausiello/AskAusiello/
I also read a rumor while I surfed the web last night that claimed that Prison Break's Dominic Purcell may play Bruce Banner in the upcoming Hulk movie. BTW: the movie is rumored to be a complete overhaul of the concept and may go as far as redoing the origin of the monster in the attempt to distance itself as much as possible from the failed theatrical movie directed by Ang Lee.
Finally, http://www.newsarama.com/ had an interview with cover artist god, Adam Hughes on his work writing AND doing the art for the upcoming All-Star Wonder Woman (due next summer). Hughes is one of the three comics creators that I will buy ANYTHING (with about a $10 cover price limit-- anything more will usually break the bank) he works on.
I can't wait. The best "good girl" artist on the planet (and his work has grown by leaps and bounds since he last worked on interiors). This is good news. Hopefully, I'll figure out how to get pics on this thing and include some of his recent work (no luck so far).
Stargate SG-1 exec producer Brad Wright said he has plans to keep the show going as a motion picture, a series of TV movies, or a miniseries. I don't watch the show, but I gotta like the guy's commitment to the fans.
Paramount decided not to renew their contract with Tom Cruise (a 14 year relationship). Or did Cruise decide not to accept a (greatly reduced monetary) renewal? Depend on who you ask. Paramount got the upper hand when Sumner Redstone made a public acknowledgement that they were no longer interested in working with the outspoken (and borderline nutjob) actor.
Huge Survivor: Cook Islands rumor from yesterday about splitting the contestants into ethnic groups is confirmed. Oh, the media frenzy this is bound to create...
Prison Break's season premiere won its timeslot with 9.37 million viewers (about a million less than the series debut and season this spring, but still strong). Its follow-up, Vanished, won its timeslot 8.65 million viewers.
Details on these bits-- and lots more-- can be found at:
http://community.tvguide.com/forum.jspa?forumID=700000044
TV Guide's Michael Ausiello's latest "Ask Ausiello" has LOADS of teasers about dozens of shows. One thing he said about his reaction to Veronica getting killed on Prison Break, was that he was surprised, and that we should "prepare yourself for more bloodshed."
I'm almost afraid to think about who it'll be, but a clue could lie in the credits. Peter Stormare was listed in the episode credits, not during the show opening (where season regulars like Miller, Purcell, et al have their names). I hope not. Sure, the twists and turns got me into this show, but Stormare's work really got me to appreciate it.
If you want to hear tidbits about darn near every show, check out Ask Ausiello every Wednesday at tvguide.com.
Here's today's link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Ausiello/AskAusiello/
I also read a rumor while I surfed the web last night that claimed that Prison Break's Dominic Purcell may play Bruce Banner in the upcoming Hulk movie. BTW: the movie is rumored to be a complete overhaul of the concept and may go as far as redoing the origin of the monster in the attempt to distance itself as much as possible from the failed theatrical movie directed by Ang Lee.
Finally, http://www.newsarama.com/ had an interview with cover artist god, Adam Hughes on his work writing AND doing the art for the upcoming All-Star Wonder Woman (due next summer). Hughes is one of the three comics creators that I will buy ANYTHING (with about a $10 cover price limit-- anything more will usually break the bank) he works on.
I can't wait. The best "good girl" artist on the planet (and his work has grown by leaps and bounds since he last worked on interiors). This is good news. Hopefully, I'll figure out how to get pics on this thing and include some of his recent work (no luck so far).
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Little Bits
Just random thoughts today. My head still hurts from yesterday.
So, do you think the SciFi Channel could have timed the non-renewal of Stargate SG1 any better? Friday, the show aired it's 200th episode with much hoopla and fanfare, and on Monday, it's announced the current tenth year will be it's last. As I mentioned in a previous post, I was never able to get into the show, but the fact is it ran ten years (longer than any science fiction show in history-- and longer than most any other show of any genre), so it needs to be applauded for that. The folks at SciFi could have let them celebrate the historic achievement for at least a week before making its announcement. Jerks...
Every year a show lasts adds to the expense of producing it, but Igotta say I feel bad for Ben Browder and Claudia Black, who've had a second show pulled out from under them (the cancellation of Farscape still stings-- how do you take one of the best shows ever, one of the highest rated shows SciFi had at the time, and cancel it?).
Oh well, at least SciFi is cleaning up in the ratings with ECW...
-----------------
I tried figuring out what the dots meant on Schofield's note to Sara on Prison Break, but I couldn't. Morse code seems too obvious, and there are only four distinct series of dots, which means only 4 letters are used in the whole message. I'm sure I'll play with it when I'm bored sometime.
This must be what a Lost fan feels like. (No, I haven't watched Lost yet-- I've got the DVD of Season One and all of Season Two taped, I just haven't gotten to it).
---------------------
Is it wrong to be so happy that Brooke Burke still wears skimpy clothes on Rock Star: Supernova even though I know she's got a bun in the oven?
----------------------
USA Network renewed The 4400 for a fourth season of 13 episodes. That's another series I've been taping from the beginning but haven't watched yet.
----------------------
Huge rumor that this fall's Survivor will split the contestants up via ethnicity: whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans. Stunt to get press (I'm guessing mostly negative)-- or an honest attempt to see the differences-- and commonalities-- between races?
----------------------
And, finally, I watched the first episode of this season's 30 Days, and it continues to be an essential television series to watch. It's a shame that FX doesn't repeat this show throughout the year after the finale airs because I firmly believe that if each American watched it, this would be a much better country to live in.
A friend of mine complained about the show last year because it skewed "too left", but the fact of the matter is, these kind of issues are what The Right tries to ignore. If trying to gain an understanding of what a gay person, or a Muslim, or an illegal immigrant goes through in this country is a Left or Right issue, then my current belief to permanently dismantle the Two Party system is only reinforced.
What Morgan Spurlock tries to accomplish in this series about bringing together opposing viewpoints for 30 days can go a long way toward helping everyone have an understanding of their neighbors. These issues are what the people who lead this country should be trying to address as opposed to the stupid sh*t they usually discuss on Capitol Hill.
I'm sorry I was slow on recommending this show. The six episode first season is on DVD, and I would hope that your local library carries it for loaning out. It's well worth it (even if you buy the set). And there's still one or two new episodes left to air on FX. It airs Wednesdays at 9pm CST and usually repeats around four times during the next week.
So, do you think the SciFi Channel could have timed the non-renewal of Stargate SG1 any better? Friday, the show aired it's 200th episode with much hoopla and fanfare, and on Monday, it's announced the current tenth year will be it's last. As I mentioned in a previous post, I was never able to get into the show, but the fact is it ran ten years (longer than any science fiction show in history-- and longer than most any other show of any genre), so it needs to be applauded for that. The folks at SciFi could have let them celebrate the historic achievement for at least a week before making its announcement. Jerks...
Every year a show lasts adds to the expense of producing it, but Igotta say I feel bad for Ben Browder and Claudia Black, who've had a second show pulled out from under them (the cancellation of Farscape still stings-- how do you take one of the best shows ever, one of the highest rated shows SciFi had at the time, and cancel it?).
Oh well, at least SciFi is cleaning up in the ratings with ECW...
-----------------
I tried figuring out what the dots meant on Schofield's note to Sara on Prison Break, but I couldn't. Morse code seems too obvious, and there are only four distinct series of dots, which means only 4 letters are used in the whole message. I'm sure I'll play with it when I'm bored sometime.
This must be what a Lost fan feels like. (No, I haven't watched Lost yet-- I've got the DVD of Season One and all of Season Two taped, I just haven't gotten to it).
---------------------
Is it wrong to be so happy that Brooke Burke still wears skimpy clothes on Rock Star: Supernova even though I know she's got a bun in the oven?
----------------------
USA Network renewed The 4400 for a fourth season of 13 episodes. That's another series I've been taping from the beginning but haven't watched yet.
----------------------
Huge rumor that this fall's Survivor will split the contestants up via ethnicity: whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans. Stunt to get press (I'm guessing mostly negative)-- or an honest attempt to see the differences-- and commonalities-- between races?
----------------------
And, finally, I watched the first episode of this season's 30 Days, and it continues to be an essential television series to watch. It's a shame that FX doesn't repeat this show throughout the year after the finale airs because I firmly believe that if each American watched it, this would be a much better country to live in.
A friend of mine complained about the show last year because it skewed "too left", but the fact of the matter is, these kind of issues are what The Right tries to ignore. If trying to gain an understanding of what a gay person, or a Muslim, or an illegal immigrant goes through in this country is a Left or Right issue, then my current belief to permanently dismantle the Two Party system is only reinforced.
What Morgan Spurlock tries to accomplish in this series about bringing together opposing viewpoints for 30 days can go a long way toward helping everyone have an understanding of their neighbors. These issues are what the people who lead this country should be trying to address as opposed to the stupid sh*t they usually discuss on Capitol Hill.
I'm sorry I was slow on recommending this show. The six episode first season is on DVD, and I would hope that your local library carries it for loaning out. It's well worth it (even if you buy the set). And there's still one or two new episodes left to air on FX. It airs Wednesdays at 9pm CST and usually repeats around four times during the next week.
Monday, August 21, 2006
PRISON BREAK Season Two Episode One "Manhunt"
Spoilers abound in this blow-by-blow of the season premiere. Proceed only if you've seen it-- or just can't wait to find out.
Passages in italics are my thoughts. If you don't want to read the whole recap, scroll down to my end of episode thoughts. If you have a thought yourself, go ahead and post it. This could be a fun exercise (and ease up on the burden I put Brian and Neal through every Tuesday when I dissect the previous night's episode).
Please excuse any mispellings or whatnot, my fingers were flying on the keyboard trying to keep up-- and I know a post this long would cause Hell on the spellcheck...
I have to admit: even though I've already seen the season premiere, I was still shaking like a six-year old who just ate a box of Captain Crunch. I've waited all summer for this...
The episode opens the day after the daring prison escape.
We are introduced to Federal Agent Mahone. He asks his assistant who the escapees are. The assistant rattles off everyone's names and their crimes. A nice background and a primer for new viewers and a refresher for those who haven't seen the show since May.
Mahone asks if Schofield is the ringleader. When it is confirmed, he asks for all the information pertaining to him.
Next we see The Five (Michael Schofield, Lincoln Burrows, Benjamin "C-Note" Franklin, John Abruzzi, and Fernando Sucre) still together. They're still being closely chased by the prison guards and the dogs. They run to a train track where a train is just starting to go past. They end up getting around the train and losing their pursuers. Bellick almost hits Schofield hit a shotgun blast. He's got the wild look in his eye.
Mahone gives a press conference where he opens with passages from John Wilkes Booth's journal he kept while on the run. He mentions that while on the run, all the fears and paranoias a man would have from the original crime are heightened while being chased. Good foreshadowing as the escapees are showing signs that they are getting desperate. Mahone finishes by saying that things will be even tougher now that TV has become a part of the manhunt.
Cut to the escapees, as they argue with each other. C-Note blames Abruzzi's pilots for leaving early; Abruzzi informs him that he wasn't going to be a passenger anyway. C-Note calls out Schofield about Westmoreland's money, and Sucre is shocked to find out that there is a plan to nab money that Schofield never mentioned to him.
Mahone asks Pope to combine resources, and that includes interviewing prison staff, specifically Dr. Tancredi (and mentions that he knows Sara may have left the door unlocked on purpose). Pope refuses, and says, "She isn't going to be speaking to anyone."
Cut to Sara in a coma, hooked to a respirator. We overhear hospital staff saying she's stable but will have to fight to live. Clips from the previous season containing Michael and Sara are shown, and suddenly she wakes up.
T-Bag is rummaging through a campground, grabbing a cooler and all the ice he can fit in there. He threatens the campers with a screwdriver, and in typical T-Bag fashion, gives an almost honest "thank you" before he leaves.
Mahone looks at pictures of Schofield's tattoos and asks an assistant how long it would take a person to undergo that much ink. The answer is "100 hours... 200." The order is given to find the tatoo artist.
Next, Mahone mentions to Bellick the cooperation agreement he has with Pope, and Bellick's having none of it. Looks like Bellick will have to contend with the escapees and the Feds this season.
Next we find out what happened with Veronica and Steadman (who looks a little different than last year due to a necessary recasting-- note to producers: try to secure contracts with your minor characters who play major roles on the show; let's just call it the Patricia Wettig Clause since our new President will now be unseen since she was cast on another series). Veronica finds out she is locked inside the house with Steadman and has no way out.
Privately, Linc tells Schofield to ditch the others, but Michael tells him he can't because they all know about Utah, and the money buried there is paramount to their plans. He tells Lincoln they need to stick together to make sure they succeed (nice touch I think). Michael tells Lincoln that even though the jet is gone, he still has a plan.
Mahone interviews Michael's tattoo artist. She tells him that he was a "detail Nazi"; everything had to be perfect. He begins to piece together the meaning of the English, Fitz, Percy tattoo (remember, they are roads that intersect the prison, tattooed on Michael's wrist).
The five escapees run across a young girl. They almost talk their way out of a confrontation, but her dad arrives and aims his hunting rifle at them when he sees the men in prison garb talking to his daughter. Abruzzi grabs the girl and holds a gun of his own to her head until the father drops his gun. They take the father's gun and car.
Sara is interviewed by an agent and denies leaving the door open. She is told that not only Schofield escaped, but seven other men did, too. She looks genuinely shocked, and manages to ask "Who?" Side note: Sarah Wayne Callies said in an interview I saw that Sara thought she was saving Lincoln's life by helping Michael and had no idea others were escaping as well. Yet another of Michael's lies she will pay for...
T-Bag finds himself at a veterinary clinic. Even though it is closed, he sees a doctor in there and breaks in. He insists that he be helped and threatens the doctor until he agrees to attempt to reattach his hand.
The Five in the stolen car discuss Abruzzi's actions, and say he went too far. Abruzzi justifies his actions by saying they got away. C-Note finds out they're headed west, and says they need to go east to hook up with his family. Abruzzi remnds him that's the first place the police will be looking.
Bellick gets a hold of Schofield's credit card records and finds that he spent $8000 in just over a month in the immediate area before he was arrested.
Mahone visits Schofield's apartment and notices all the pin holes on the wall. He pieces together that Schofield planned the escape methodically and then destroyed the plans by throwing them out the window and into the river. He orders divers to search the river.
Veronica won't give up her efforts to escape from the Steadman house. She tries to get a cell phone signal. He says he is a victim-- and even though he is alive, no one else knows it, so he can't save Lincoln.
Bellick sees from the credit card records that Schofield rented a unit at a storage facility, so he heads off to check it out.
Sara's nurse friend visits her to apologize for letting the police and Feds know that Sara probably left the door to the infirmary unlocked. Sara tells her she has nothing to apologize for. She also tells her friend that her dad's office called, but not her dad as of yet. Her friend reminds her that she isn't the first person that fell for a con, and Sara replies with regret that "He never cared".
In the car, Sucre asks Michael what he is thinking about, and Michael answers: "Mistakes". Sucre knows immediately that he is talking about Sara and reminds Michael that he had to do it. Michaels answers that he didn't have to do it like he did and that he ruined her life. Sucre tells him there's nothing he can do about it now. Michael says, "That's not true."
Steadman pulls a gun on Veronica, but she calls the cops anyway. Steadman does not fire.
T-Bag's doctor tells him he is not qualified to perform the reattachment. T-Bag doesn't care and tells him to try and threatens his family. The doctor tells T-Bag that he has to put him under, but T-Bag refuses any pain killer. The doctor insists that no one can undergo a procedure like that without an anesthetic, but T-Bag replies, "I... ain't... nobody..." Daaaaaamn!
Mahone figures out more of the tattoo's meaning, and then hears that the cops are checking out a storage facility.
Bellick and his men arrive at the storage facility and he tells Mahone (who also just showed up) to stay out of the way. The cops close in, and we see The Five in a storage room grabbing shovels. Bellick opens the unit Schofield rented and finds it empty. "Schofield set us up."
The Five walk through a cemetary, carrying shovels. We are about to see what Schofield was digging up last season in a flashback.
Mahone figures out another tattoo; one that explains where he is headed: the cemetary.
The Five dig up a grave and grab the clothes Schofield had buried before his arrest. They change into the civilian outfits (Abruzzi, being a larger guy, has to wear pants two inches too short). Lincoln and Schofield are about to make a break from the others to a parked car Schofield has the keys to when Mahone shows up. Schofield looks worried that Mahone figured it out so quickly.
Mahone catches a glimpse of The Five as they run away. He chases them into a nearby city and loses them in the crowd.
Veronica gets a call from Lincoln. She tells him to stop running because she found Steadman. The police arrive and shoot Veronica point blank in the head and chest. Lincoln hears everything and is crushed. Another important person in his life is dead.
The "cops" in Steadman's house remind him that he doesn't need a gun in the house as he has them to protect him (and intercept any police calls to check out the house).
Back in the hospital, Sara sees the origami swan Schofield gave her. She opens it up and sees a note from him: "There's a plan to make this all right" with what looks like Morse Code below it. I'm not a hardcore fan of the Michael/Sara romance, but I thought this was the coolest surprise of the episode.
Mahone tells his assistant what the tattoos mean-- that they contain the plans for the prison break as well as the plans for outside of the walls.
The episode ends with Michael dropping the handcuffs he finally got off his wrist into the dirt. Poetic...
Scenes from next week's episode include some faces we didn't see tonight:
Tweener buying a ticket-- to Utah. L.J. (wow, where's he been?) is interrogated by Mahone, and Linc & Michael attempt to break him out of lockup while they have a chance.
The only question marks are "Haywire" and Agent Kellerman. I know Kellerman plays a role this season as Paul Adelstein's been interviewed on the subject and he confirms, but I've heard nothing about Silas Weir Mitchell's "Haywire"...
All in all, a great episode. Things were tied up a little: Veronica, the only one beside L.J. to know a conspiracy exists, gets killed; Pope is being phased out (Stacy Keach is only supposed to be in the first two episodes of the season... for now). And while we didn't see Tweener, Haywire, or L.J., at least two of three will show up next week. Also, threads are being thrown out for this season: Lincoln taking a more active role, The Five beginning to unravel-- even without T-Bag around, Sucre realizing he wasn't told some big parts of the post-escape plans.
And the biggest question of all (although it really shouldn't be a surprise): how will Michael fix the problems he got Sara got into by allowing them to escape? I'm not sure why I'm fixated on that-- maybe because it was a complete surprise-- and gives just a little hope that someone will have a happy ending. Think about it: what are Sucre, Abruzzi, Tweener, T-Bag, Haywire, C-Note and Schofield himself gonna do? Lincoln could get pardoned, but the others still have to pay for their crimes. Heck, Linc escaped from jail, so he's not off the hook even if the murder rap goes away (although, again, he could get pardoned for the escape; maybe even Michael could).
Creator Paul Scheuing and Wentworth Miller have both said that there will be deaths this season, and I don't think they'll stop at Veronica. I'm scared to imagine who'll else will die. Sucre seems the most obvious, but he's a fan favorite (and has a great story yet to be told). C-Note has a great story to tell as well. Stormare and Knepper are too great of actors to lose. Stormare's Abruzzi was brought back from "death" already, and T-Bag, I think, will play a huge part as monkey wrench for the others. I doubt Schofield, Lincoln and Sucre, at least, would allow T-Bag to run wild in public-- their consciences wouldn't allow it.
As I said earlier, Agent Kellerman has a role this year as well, but I'm not sure in what capacity. Tweener is supposed to find love on the outside and is also supposed to play a little comic relief for the show. And President Reynolds will "disappear" for a bit until the ratings for ABC's Brothers and Sisters come in (I think the producers of Prison Break have all the voodoo dolls, prayer beads, and rain dances they can handle hoping Patricia Wetting's new show doesn't take off and she can return to the show-- okay that's pretty harsh, and I don't want to imply anything).
JESUS! Did I just spend two hours analyzing an hour-long show? Oh man, I think I have a problem...
And as if Prison Break wasn't enough, I also watched the other two great scripted shows airing new eps this summer tonight.
Last night's Entourage was fantastic. Drama got busted rubbing one out in his trailer while the director and crew waited for him to show on set. Vince and Turtle were on a quest for limited edition Nikes. And f-ing Jeremy Piven and Martin Landau on the same screen most of the episode. Incredible work. It's a young man's show, but Landau owned his scenes. Piven, of course, took it up a notch to meet Landau head-on. Great work-- there better be Emmy noms for both next summer. And how lucky was Kevin Connolly to be able to have scenes with both of those greats? Connolly held his own, by the way-- muy impressive.
And, finally, last night's Venture Brothers was also a classic. The usual great lines, and the added bonus of the main characters being in costumes. Dr. Venture was Obi Wan Kenobi, Brock was Chewbacca, 12-year old Dean was Princess Leia as Jabba's slave, and Hank was... Batman. Classic lines as Dr. Venture disparaged Hank for ruining yet another attempt at best costumed family. Hank's only response? "I am The Bat!"
Well, I've got some more TV to watch... Catch ya later!
***And if you've got something to say about anything I wrote, post it. If you just want to bask in my genius, that's okay, too... :) ***
Passages in italics are my thoughts. If you don't want to read the whole recap, scroll down to my end of episode thoughts. If you have a thought yourself, go ahead and post it. This could be a fun exercise (and ease up on the burden I put Brian and Neal through every Tuesday when I dissect the previous night's episode).
Please excuse any mispellings or whatnot, my fingers were flying on the keyboard trying to keep up-- and I know a post this long would cause Hell on the spellcheck...
I have to admit: even though I've already seen the season premiere, I was still shaking like a six-year old who just ate a box of Captain Crunch. I've waited all summer for this...
The episode opens the day after the daring prison escape.
We are introduced to Federal Agent Mahone. He asks his assistant who the escapees are. The assistant rattles off everyone's names and their crimes. A nice background and a primer for new viewers and a refresher for those who haven't seen the show since May.
Mahone asks if Schofield is the ringleader. When it is confirmed, he asks for all the information pertaining to him.
Next we see The Five (Michael Schofield, Lincoln Burrows, Benjamin "C-Note" Franklin, John Abruzzi, and Fernando Sucre) still together. They're still being closely chased by the prison guards and the dogs. They run to a train track where a train is just starting to go past. They end up getting around the train and losing their pursuers. Bellick almost hits Schofield hit a shotgun blast. He's got the wild look in his eye.
Mahone gives a press conference where he opens with passages from John Wilkes Booth's journal he kept while on the run. He mentions that while on the run, all the fears and paranoias a man would have from the original crime are heightened while being chased. Good foreshadowing as the escapees are showing signs that they are getting desperate. Mahone finishes by saying that things will be even tougher now that TV has become a part of the manhunt.
Cut to the escapees, as they argue with each other. C-Note blames Abruzzi's pilots for leaving early; Abruzzi informs him that he wasn't going to be a passenger anyway. C-Note calls out Schofield about Westmoreland's money, and Sucre is shocked to find out that there is a plan to nab money that Schofield never mentioned to him.
Mahone asks Pope to combine resources, and that includes interviewing prison staff, specifically Dr. Tancredi (and mentions that he knows Sara may have left the door unlocked on purpose). Pope refuses, and says, "She isn't going to be speaking to anyone."
Cut to Sara in a coma, hooked to a respirator. We overhear hospital staff saying she's stable but will have to fight to live. Clips from the previous season containing Michael and Sara are shown, and suddenly she wakes up.
T-Bag is rummaging through a campground, grabbing a cooler and all the ice he can fit in there. He threatens the campers with a screwdriver, and in typical T-Bag fashion, gives an almost honest "thank you" before he leaves.
Mahone looks at pictures of Schofield's tattoos and asks an assistant how long it would take a person to undergo that much ink. The answer is "100 hours... 200." The order is given to find the tatoo artist.
Next, Mahone mentions to Bellick the cooperation agreement he has with Pope, and Bellick's having none of it. Looks like Bellick will have to contend with the escapees and the Feds this season.
Next we find out what happened with Veronica and Steadman (who looks a little different than last year due to a necessary recasting-- note to producers: try to secure contracts with your minor characters who play major roles on the show; let's just call it the Patricia Wettig Clause since our new President will now be unseen since she was cast on another series). Veronica finds out she is locked inside the house with Steadman and has no way out.
Privately, Linc tells Schofield to ditch the others, but Michael tells him he can't because they all know about Utah, and the money buried there is paramount to their plans. He tells Lincoln they need to stick together to make sure they succeed (nice touch I think). Michael tells Lincoln that even though the jet is gone, he still has a plan.
Mahone interviews Michael's tattoo artist. She tells him that he was a "detail Nazi"; everything had to be perfect. He begins to piece together the meaning of the English, Fitz, Percy tattoo (remember, they are roads that intersect the prison, tattooed on Michael's wrist).
The five escapees run across a young girl. They almost talk their way out of a confrontation, but her dad arrives and aims his hunting rifle at them when he sees the men in prison garb talking to his daughter. Abruzzi grabs the girl and holds a gun of his own to her head until the father drops his gun. They take the father's gun and car.
Sara is interviewed by an agent and denies leaving the door open. She is told that not only Schofield escaped, but seven other men did, too. She looks genuinely shocked, and manages to ask "Who?" Side note: Sarah Wayne Callies said in an interview I saw that Sara thought she was saving Lincoln's life by helping Michael and had no idea others were escaping as well. Yet another of Michael's lies she will pay for...
T-Bag finds himself at a veterinary clinic. Even though it is closed, he sees a doctor in there and breaks in. He insists that he be helped and threatens the doctor until he agrees to attempt to reattach his hand.
The Five in the stolen car discuss Abruzzi's actions, and say he went too far. Abruzzi justifies his actions by saying they got away. C-Note finds out they're headed west, and says they need to go east to hook up with his family. Abruzzi remnds him that's the first place the police will be looking.
Bellick gets a hold of Schofield's credit card records and finds that he spent $8000 in just over a month in the immediate area before he was arrested.
Mahone visits Schofield's apartment and notices all the pin holes on the wall. He pieces together that Schofield planned the escape methodically and then destroyed the plans by throwing them out the window and into the river. He orders divers to search the river.
Veronica won't give up her efforts to escape from the Steadman house. She tries to get a cell phone signal. He says he is a victim-- and even though he is alive, no one else knows it, so he can't save Lincoln.
Bellick sees from the credit card records that Schofield rented a unit at a storage facility, so he heads off to check it out.
Sara's nurse friend visits her to apologize for letting the police and Feds know that Sara probably left the door to the infirmary unlocked. Sara tells her she has nothing to apologize for. She also tells her friend that her dad's office called, but not her dad as of yet. Her friend reminds her that she isn't the first person that fell for a con, and Sara replies with regret that "He never cared".
In the car, Sucre asks Michael what he is thinking about, and Michael answers: "Mistakes". Sucre knows immediately that he is talking about Sara and reminds Michael that he had to do it. Michaels answers that he didn't have to do it like he did and that he ruined her life. Sucre tells him there's nothing he can do about it now. Michael says, "That's not true."
Steadman pulls a gun on Veronica, but she calls the cops anyway. Steadman does not fire.
T-Bag's doctor tells him he is not qualified to perform the reattachment. T-Bag doesn't care and tells him to try and threatens his family. The doctor tells T-Bag that he has to put him under, but T-Bag refuses any pain killer. The doctor insists that no one can undergo a procedure like that without an anesthetic, but T-Bag replies, "I... ain't... nobody..." Daaaaaamn!
Mahone figures out more of the tattoo's meaning, and then hears that the cops are checking out a storage facility.
Bellick and his men arrive at the storage facility and he tells Mahone (who also just showed up) to stay out of the way. The cops close in, and we see The Five in a storage room grabbing shovels. Bellick opens the unit Schofield rented and finds it empty. "Schofield set us up."
The Five walk through a cemetary, carrying shovels. We are about to see what Schofield was digging up last season in a flashback.
Mahone figures out another tattoo; one that explains where he is headed: the cemetary.
The Five dig up a grave and grab the clothes Schofield had buried before his arrest. They change into the civilian outfits (Abruzzi, being a larger guy, has to wear pants two inches too short). Lincoln and Schofield are about to make a break from the others to a parked car Schofield has the keys to when Mahone shows up. Schofield looks worried that Mahone figured it out so quickly.
Mahone catches a glimpse of The Five as they run away. He chases them into a nearby city and loses them in the crowd.
Veronica gets a call from Lincoln. She tells him to stop running because she found Steadman. The police arrive and shoot Veronica point blank in the head and chest. Lincoln hears everything and is crushed. Another important person in his life is dead.
The "cops" in Steadman's house remind him that he doesn't need a gun in the house as he has them to protect him (and intercept any police calls to check out the house).
Back in the hospital, Sara sees the origami swan Schofield gave her. She opens it up and sees a note from him: "There's a plan to make this all right" with what looks like Morse Code below it. I'm not a hardcore fan of the Michael/Sara romance, but I thought this was the coolest surprise of the episode.
Mahone tells his assistant what the tattoos mean-- that they contain the plans for the prison break as well as the plans for outside of the walls.
The episode ends with Michael dropping the handcuffs he finally got off his wrist into the dirt. Poetic...
Scenes from next week's episode include some faces we didn't see tonight:
Tweener buying a ticket-- to Utah. L.J. (wow, where's he been?) is interrogated by Mahone, and Linc & Michael attempt to break him out of lockup while they have a chance.
The only question marks are "Haywire" and Agent Kellerman. I know Kellerman plays a role this season as Paul Adelstein's been interviewed on the subject and he confirms, but I've heard nothing about Silas Weir Mitchell's "Haywire"...
All in all, a great episode. Things were tied up a little: Veronica, the only one beside L.J. to know a conspiracy exists, gets killed; Pope is being phased out (Stacy Keach is only supposed to be in the first two episodes of the season... for now). And while we didn't see Tweener, Haywire, or L.J., at least two of three will show up next week. Also, threads are being thrown out for this season: Lincoln taking a more active role, The Five beginning to unravel-- even without T-Bag around, Sucre realizing he wasn't told some big parts of the post-escape plans.
And the biggest question of all (although it really shouldn't be a surprise): how will Michael fix the problems he got Sara got into by allowing them to escape? I'm not sure why I'm fixated on that-- maybe because it was a complete surprise-- and gives just a little hope that someone will have a happy ending. Think about it: what are Sucre, Abruzzi, Tweener, T-Bag, Haywire, C-Note and Schofield himself gonna do? Lincoln could get pardoned, but the others still have to pay for their crimes. Heck, Linc escaped from jail, so he's not off the hook even if the murder rap goes away (although, again, he could get pardoned for the escape; maybe even Michael could).
Creator Paul Scheuing and Wentworth Miller have both said that there will be deaths this season, and I don't think they'll stop at Veronica. I'm scared to imagine who'll else will die. Sucre seems the most obvious, but he's a fan favorite (and has a great story yet to be told). C-Note has a great story to tell as well. Stormare and Knepper are too great of actors to lose. Stormare's Abruzzi was brought back from "death" already, and T-Bag, I think, will play a huge part as monkey wrench for the others. I doubt Schofield, Lincoln and Sucre, at least, would allow T-Bag to run wild in public-- their consciences wouldn't allow it.
As I said earlier, Agent Kellerman has a role this year as well, but I'm not sure in what capacity. Tweener is supposed to find love on the outside and is also supposed to play a little comic relief for the show. And President Reynolds will "disappear" for a bit until the ratings for ABC's Brothers and Sisters come in (I think the producers of Prison Break have all the voodoo dolls, prayer beads, and rain dances they can handle hoping Patricia Wetting's new show doesn't take off and she can return to the show-- okay that's pretty harsh, and I don't want to imply anything).
JESUS! Did I just spend two hours analyzing an hour-long show? Oh man, I think I have a problem...
And as if Prison Break wasn't enough, I also watched the other two great scripted shows airing new eps this summer tonight.
Last night's Entourage was fantastic. Drama got busted rubbing one out in his trailer while the director and crew waited for him to show on set. Vince and Turtle were on a quest for limited edition Nikes. And f-ing Jeremy Piven and Martin Landau on the same screen most of the episode. Incredible work. It's a young man's show, but Landau owned his scenes. Piven, of course, took it up a notch to meet Landau head-on. Great work-- there better be Emmy noms for both next summer. And how lucky was Kevin Connolly to be able to have scenes with both of those greats? Connolly held his own, by the way-- muy impressive.
And, finally, last night's Venture Brothers was also a classic. The usual great lines, and the added bonus of the main characters being in costumes. Dr. Venture was Obi Wan Kenobi, Brock was Chewbacca, 12-year old Dean was Princess Leia as Jabba's slave, and Hank was... Batman. Classic lines as Dr. Venture disparaged Hank for ruining yet another attempt at best costumed family. Hank's only response? "I am The Bat!"
Well, I've got some more TV to watch... Catch ya later!
***And if you've got something to say about anything I wrote, post it. If you just want to bask in my genius, that's okay, too... :) ***
This week's premieres, 8/21-8/27
Here's what I hope will be a weekly feature for a while. Includes network premieres as well as notable cable ones (I'm more apt to include them if I intend on watching them). This is by no means all-inclusive, even if I do try...
Monday, 8/21:
Prison Break, FOX. 7 pm CST. Reairs Wed @ 8 pm
Vanished, FOX. 8 pm CST. Reairs Tues @ 8 pm
Wedmesday, 8/23
The Hill, Sundance. 8-8:30 pm CST. Reality series that follows Florida Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler on Capitol Hill. A little dated (at least the opener is) as he drums up support for John Kerry in the fiasco that is "2004: The Year the Putz Actually Got Elected."
Two-a-Days, MTV. 9:30- 10:30 pm CST. I'm guessing it'll re-air a whole lot the next week. An Alabama high school football team tries for a fourth consecutive state title. Friday Night Lights, but with real kids.
Friday, 8/25:
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO. 10-11 pm CST. Will re-air throughout the week. Yeah, yeah, The Right complains about him (boo hoo-- turn the channel to FOX News and have O'Rilley cup your balls, then), but Maher actually makes sense. He hates Bush, but mainly because he's such a tool. He also despises much of the Democratic Party for laying down the last four years and letting the Republicans have their way with the country and the Constitution. Maher will be out of a job once people use common sense-- so he should stay employed until he keels over dead. He has a bonus on other truth tellers/pundits: he's funny. You may not agree with him, but you should laugh (unless you're on The Right-- they usually don't have a sense of humor). If you get HBO, open your head, cut through the bullsh**, and get reminded of what's really important in the world.
Sunday, 8/27:
The Emmys, NBC. 7:00 -God knows when pm CST. Yes, there were horrible exclusions this year-- but they happen every year. At least the voters tried to get some right, so watch it for them.
Unfortunately, the Emmys will never be perfect until the people who actually watch lots of TV make up the nomination/voting process.
I'm talking critics, not the public. Quality shows finally are getting decent ratings, but I still wouldn't trust the masses to determine what is great art. Hell, we've got f-ing Charlie Sheen and Kevin James nominated for lead actor in a comedy series (along with the actually worthy Steve Carell, Larry David, and Tony Shalhoub)-- and that was by people who are supposed to know a little something. What, afraid Jason Lee wouldn't show up for the awards or something?
Monday, 8/21:
Prison Break, FOX. 7 pm CST. Reairs Wed @ 8 pm
Vanished, FOX. 8 pm CST. Reairs Tues @ 8 pm
Wedmesday, 8/23
The Hill, Sundance. 8-8:30 pm CST. Reality series that follows Florida Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler on Capitol Hill. A little dated (at least the opener is) as he drums up support for John Kerry in the fiasco that is "2004: The Year the Putz Actually Got Elected."
Two-a-Days, MTV. 9:30- 10:30 pm CST. I'm guessing it'll re-air a whole lot the next week. An Alabama high school football team tries for a fourth consecutive state title. Friday Night Lights, but with real kids.
Friday, 8/25:
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO. 10-11 pm CST. Will re-air throughout the week. Yeah, yeah, The Right complains about him (boo hoo-- turn the channel to FOX News and have O'Rilley cup your balls, then), but Maher actually makes sense. He hates Bush, but mainly because he's such a tool. He also despises much of the Democratic Party for laying down the last four years and letting the Republicans have their way with the country and the Constitution. Maher will be out of a job once people use common sense-- so he should stay employed until he keels over dead. He has a bonus on other truth tellers/pundits: he's funny. You may not agree with him, but you should laugh (unless you're on The Right-- they usually don't have a sense of humor). If you get HBO, open your head, cut through the bullsh**, and get reminded of what's really important in the world.
Sunday, 8/27:
The Emmys, NBC. 7:00 -God knows when pm CST. Yes, there were horrible exclusions this year-- but they happen every year. At least the voters tried to get some right, so watch it for them.
Unfortunately, the Emmys will never be perfect until the people who actually watch lots of TV make up the nomination/voting process.
I'm talking critics, not the public. Quality shows finally are getting decent ratings, but I still wouldn't trust the masses to determine what is great art. Hell, we've got f-ing Charlie Sheen and Kevin James nominated for lead actor in a comedy series (along with the actually worthy Steve Carell, Larry David, and Tony Shalhoub)-- and that was by people who are supposed to know a little something. What, afraid Jason Lee wouldn't show up for the awards or something?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
FOX has VANISHED
My latest screening of a FOX pilot was for Vanished (premieres Monday, Aug 21 @ 8 pm CST-- after Prison Break). The premise is: a U.S. senator's wife disappears at a public function, and the FBI are brought in to figure out what happened-- and find the wife.
This show is a cross between a political thriller and a crime procedural, and while it suffers from the cliches of both genres, I'm still intrigued enough to catch the second episode.
Joanne Kelly plays Sara Collins, the disappeared wife of John Allen Nelson's senator Jeffrey Collins. As can be expected of any politician marriage from Hollywood, there is more than meets the eye and there are many skeletons in the closet (check-- although huge props for Nelson actually playing the role of wounded husband; don't know if it's an act for the Feds-- or if he really does love her). Their children fall into the cliched roles of this type of show: rebel (check-- Margarita Levieva) and supporter to a fault (check-- John Patrick Amedori). Both children are biological offspring of Jeffrey, but adopted by Sara (check-- easier to make the cliches work this way).
The FBI is called in, and damaged Senior Agent Graham Kelton (Gale Harold) is put on the case. He had a bad resolution to his last case, so he has a lot to prove (check). The case isn't helped by Senator Collins' previous criticisms of the FBI, so Kelton is repeatedly reminded to handle this matter delicately. Kelton's partner is played by always-great supporting actor Ming-Na, whose job is to keep him in check (calm partner to determined "lead"-- check).
And, finally, Rebecca Gayheart plays the reporter on the case (hot chick who first appears onscreen wearing underwear-- check). [For equal opportunity, Gayheart's boyfriend is seen in only his underwear later in the episode.]
Even though I joke and say "check" after every cliche, this show still has potential. Every lead the agents followed revealed yet another clue-- and more questions. There is much, much more to the disappearance than what we could see from one episode (and if the really obvious scene before the disappearance explains it all in the end, I just may fly to Hollywood and smack around the producers). If this show follows true to the format, I expect a twist and turn at least every episode. In fact, the ending of the pilot had a very intriguing question posed.
It certainly doesn't live up to it's Prison Break lead-in, but it could be a good companion until 24 comes back in January. I just hope this serialized drama actually makes it through the whole season, so we can have some sort of resolution. But the acting and script is much better than last year's Reunion, which also attempted a season-long storyline-- and was cancelled six-eight episodes in, so maybe people will follow along. FOX, smartly, is airing this after the hottest show they've got in the fall-- and well before the other networks start airing new episodes of their shows.
Oh yeah-- in case I don't post before tomorrow: Prison Break Season Two premiere is Monday at 7 pm CST. You'll hate yourself if you miss it. Trust me on that.
This show is a cross between a political thriller and a crime procedural, and while it suffers from the cliches of both genres, I'm still intrigued enough to catch the second episode.
Joanne Kelly plays Sara Collins, the disappeared wife of John Allen Nelson's senator Jeffrey Collins. As can be expected of any politician marriage from Hollywood, there is more than meets the eye and there are many skeletons in the closet (check-- although huge props for Nelson actually playing the role of wounded husband; don't know if it's an act for the Feds-- or if he really does love her). Their children fall into the cliched roles of this type of show: rebel (check-- Margarita Levieva) and supporter to a fault (check-- John Patrick Amedori). Both children are biological offspring of Jeffrey, but adopted by Sara (check-- easier to make the cliches work this way).
The FBI is called in, and damaged Senior Agent Graham Kelton (Gale Harold) is put on the case. He had a bad resolution to his last case, so he has a lot to prove (check). The case isn't helped by Senator Collins' previous criticisms of the FBI, so Kelton is repeatedly reminded to handle this matter delicately. Kelton's partner is played by always-great supporting actor Ming-Na, whose job is to keep him in check (calm partner to determined "lead"-- check).
And, finally, Rebecca Gayheart plays the reporter on the case (hot chick who first appears onscreen wearing underwear-- check). [For equal opportunity, Gayheart's boyfriend is seen in only his underwear later in the episode.]
Even though I joke and say "check" after every cliche, this show still has potential. Every lead the agents followed revealed yet another clue-- and more questions. There is much, much more to the disappearance than what we could see from one episode (and if the really obvious scene before the disappearance explains it all in the end, I just may fly to Hollywood and smack around the producers). If this show follows true to the format, I expect a twist and turn at least every episode. In fact, the ending of the pilot had a very intriguing question posed.
It certainly doesn't live up to it's Prison Break lead-in, but it could be a good companion until 24 comes back in January. I just hope this serialized drama actually makes it through the whole season, so we can have some sort of resolution. But the acting and script is much better than last year's Reunion, which also attempted a season-long storyline-- and was cancelled six-eight episodes in, so maybe people will follow along. FOX, smartly, is airing this after the hottest show they've got in the fall-- and well before the other networks start airing new episodes of their shows.
Oh yeah-- in case I don't post before tomorrow: Prison Break Season Two premiere is Monday at 7 pm CST. You'll hate yourself if you miss it. Trust me on that.
One final thing: the beginning of this week's Venture Brothers just came on while I typed this. " I am The Bat." Funny...
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