Good news for fans of three TNT dramas. Rizzoli & Isles, The Closer and Leverage have all been cleared for another season. Read the story here:
TNT Makes It Three -- 'Rizzoli & Isles,' 'Closer,' 'Leverage' | TheWrap.com
Friday, July 30, 2010
So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 4 Revealed by Kara Howland
I didn't get a chance to watch last night's episode. Well, that's not entirely true. I fast-fowarded through most of it this morning to see who was going home so I could update this blog.
What I'll say now is I'm happy and sad about the results. Unlike Nigel, I do not think Jose mastered every style he was given. He used his charisma and heart to worm his way into our hearts. And it worked for a long time. I do hope he continues to improve in his own style because I think he shines in it. Billy, on the other hand, is a huge loss for the show. I can kind of understand why he didn't connect with voters even though he's an outstanding performer. His consulation will have to be that a lot of choreographers have seen what he can do and will want to work with him.
I promise to watch the entire show in the next few days so I can come back and give you some more of my thoughts. In the meantime, feel free to share yours.
What I'll say now is I'm happy and sad about the results. Unlike Nigel, I do not think Jose mastered every style he was given. He used his charisma and heart to worm his way into our hearts. And it worked for a long time. I do hope he continues to improve in his own style because I think he shines in it. Billy, on the other hand, is a huge loss for the show. I can kind of understand why he didn't connect with voters even though he's an outstanding performer. His consulation will have to be that a lot of choreographers have seen what he can do and will want to work with him.
I promise to watch the entire show in the next few days so I can come back and give you some more of my thoughts. In the meantime, feel free to share yours.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Project Runway Season 8 Preview
This is another fashion show I'm a bit obsessed with. I don't know how I feel about 90-minute episodes this season but I'll withhold judgment until I actually see the show.
In the meantime, here is a preview of tonight's premiere. If you want to hear a little more from Heidi now, click here. Or if you're a big Tim fan, check this out.
In the meantime, here is a preview of tonight's premiere. If you want to hear a little more from Heidi now, click here. Or if you're a big Tim fan, check this out.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Rescue Me: Blackout by Sabrina A. Taylor
Man what an episode!
Tommy spends the episode fighting his demons figuratively and literally. After walking in on Janet and Franco’s almost-but-didn’t-happen indiscretion, we left Tommy last week sitting in his car and drinking that “special” bottle of whisky his Cousin Mickey and Uncle Teddy gave him. He gets a call from Colleen asking to be picked up and Tommy and Colleen decide to go on a bender together. The next thing Tommy remembers is waking up in the wreckage of what used to be his home and the guys from the firehouse calling him to let him know that Colleen is missing.
Everyone gets involved to help find Colleen and we are treated to flashes of Tommy and Colleen’s evening together which included: drinking and driving, picking up a mother and son at a bar, fighting each other on a beach and Colleen ending up missing. This episode is certainly darker than most but still had it’s moments of levity; Sean and Mike provided their usual dumb and dumber routine, Tommy finds himself wearing a woman’s thong and though Tommy remembers the mother and son combo that he and Colleen picked up as ‘hot’ they are definitely ‘not’ when he sees them in the morning light with Sheila and Lou there to witness the hilarity. Sheila was extremely helpful on the search to find Colleen but Tommy is a little bit fuzzy on remembering that her apartment was one of the stops he made during the evening finding Sheila in lingerie and Cousin Mickey in a towel. The darker side of the episode included a heated Franco wanting to rip Tommy to shreds for terrorizing Janet in his drunken stupor, Janet’s emotional breakdown worried about a missing Colleen and a rare dramatic moment from Black Shawn as Tommy losing Colleen was the final straw for him.
As much as Tommy does not deserve to win the Father Of The Year award anytime soon for going on a bender with his daughter, Cousin Mickey and Uncle Teddy reveal that they laced that special bottle of whiskey that he and Colleen shared. This, of course, is a huge factor in why Tommy can’t remember the evening and gives us even more concern for Colleen’s safety.
As evening falls, Tommy gets a flashback of the beach he and Colleen fought on and everyone descends on the beach looking for Colleen. I’m glad that they decided not to leave us with another cliffhanger after such an emotional episode. Tommy discovers Colleen on the beach and we’re left with him carrying her away.
Tommy spends the episode fighting his demons figuratively and literally. After walking in on Janet and Franco’s almost-but-didn’t-happen indiscretion, we left Tommy last week sitting in his car and drinking that “special” bottle of whisky his Cousin Mickey and Uncle Teddy gave him. He gets a call from Colleen asking to be picked up and Tommy and Colleen decide to go on a bender together. The next thing Tommy remembers is waking up in the wreckage of what used to be his home and the guys from the firehouse calling him to let him know that Colleen is missing.
Everyone gets involved to help find Colleen and we are treated to flashes of Tommy and Colleen’s evening together which included: drinking and driving, picking up a mother and son at a bar, fighting each other on a beach and Colleen ending up missing. This episode is certainly darker than most but still had it’s moments of levity; Sean and Mike provided their usual dumb and dumber routine, Tommy finds himself wearing a woman’s thong and though Tommy remembers the mother and son combo that he and Colleen picked up as ‘hot’ they are definitely ‘not’ when he sees them in the morning light with Sheila and Lou there to witness the hilarity. Sheila was extremely helpful on the search to find Colleen but Tommy is a little bit fuzzy on remembering that her apartment was one of the stops he made during the evening finding Sheila in lingerie and Cousin Mickey in a towel. The darker side of the episode included a heated Franco wanting to rip Tommy to shreds for terrorizing Janet in his drunken stupor, Janet’s emotional breakdown worried about a missing Colleen and a rare dramatic moment from Black Shawn as Tommy losing Colleen was the final straw for him.
As much as Tommy does not deserve to win the Father Of The Year award anytime soon for going on a bender with his daughter, Cousin Mickey and Uncle Teddy reveal that they laced that special bottle of whiskey that he and Colleen shared. This, of course, is a huge factor in why Tommy can’t remember the evening and gives us even more concern for Colleen’s safety.
As evening falls, Tommy gets a flashback of the beach he and Colleen fought on and everyone descends on the beach looking for Colleen. I’m glad that they decided not to leave us with another cliffhanger after such an emotional episode. Tommy discovers Colleen on the beach and we’re left with him carrying her away.
So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 6 Perform…Again by Kara Howland
Jose falls behind yet again in a style vastly different from his own, Toni Redpath joins the judge’s panel, and we continue the weekly trend of injuring dancers on this show when Lauren has to see a medic at the end of the show.
And what of Cat? You know I have to mention her. I have such a girl crush. Lovely hair and makeup. I like the black & white graphic one-shouldered dress. Very cool.
As we all remember (and I’d like to forget it) no one was eliminated last week. Instead, the judges will be sending two dancers home tomorrow.
Kent
All-star partner: Anya
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Cha Cha
Rehearsal: This is Kent’s second cha cha. Anya is a schoolteacher and Kent is a bad boy.
My First Kiss / 3OH!3 feat. Kesha
Performance: It’s a fun story. Anya is amazing as always. I’m sure the guys watching this appreciate that she keeps taking things off. Kent is more than holding his own. I’m a little impressed that his face isn’t as out of control. A little, I said. Great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel calls Kent a man. Good, strong base. Toni says it is better this time. He’s more grounded, earthier. He sacrifices his posture though. Mia says the whole piece is crunchy – it doesn’t flow. She says he’s not taking the note about his face. Adam calls it super solid. Kent needs to dance with more length and breathe.
Further comment: I am glad Mia mentioned Kent’s face. Kent claims he can’t help himself but I think he can. Despite that, I agree that it was a strong performance.
Robert
All-star partner: Kathryn
Stacey Tookey / Contemporary
Rehearsal: The piece is about the last moments before a soldier goes off to war and leaves a loved one behind. They’re connected the whole time. Stacey says the most important thing is getting the story told.
Heaven is a Place on Earth / Katie Thompson
Performance: I love that it’s a slow piece. Their connection – both emotional and physical – is pretty amazing. One kinda awkward lift but I’m loving this. Great emotion. Great technique. Beautiful and moving.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel loves the connectivity. Nice twist at the end. Robert has grown enormously. He is growing and maturing to become even better than Nigel thought he’d be. Toni would want to be the woman Robert’s dancing with. Mia says the beginning of the piece is sacred and tender. It’s a mature decision to pull back and allow the story to go first. Mia wants Robert to speak through his soul. Adam is so proud of the way they supported each other out there.
Further comment: I am such a huge fan of Robert when he’s not being a goofball. I don’t want to see that. I want to see his wonderful technique and amazing partnering skills and he showed us those tonight. And let’s talk about Kathryn for a moment. She is amazing this year. I felt like she’s matured and upped her technique and now she’s a beast in the best possible sense of the word.
Jose
Giant Squid / RJD2
He does have a great smile. It looks like he’s throwing some fun new things into his routine. He has gotten better in his own style since the competition started. Loved it.
Adechike
All-star partner: Courtney
Tyce DiOrio / Jazz
Rehearsal: It’s at a jazz club in Spanish Harlem. It’s late at night and there are no inhibitions. Courtney feels sexy doing this dance. The music is timeless; the dancers have to find themselves within it.
Mantega / Dizzy Gillespie
Performance: Adechike is such a great acrobat. Very nice movement. I love me some Courtney. She is such a great partner. I like when they’re dancing with each other. When they’re separated it’s not as sexy. I really liked it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam says it’s so much fun. That was balls-out dancing. Total joy. Adechike is such a tightly wound little muscle, Adam would like to see him loosen up. Mia says the music is everything. It is a great performance but he has to find the balance of style and finesse. Toni says it looked like fun. Great weight in Adechike’s connections. Nigel wants more abandon. He’s got to make it look like it’s not choreographed.
Further critique: I like most of what Tyce did with this piece but he did make a mistake in making Adechike’s part so acrobatic. I think we all know Adechike excels at that so now we’d like to see him dance in the style he’s given. But having said that, I still enjoyed the performance. I also wanted a little more sexy and a little more abandon as well.
Lauren
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman / Aretha Franklin
I see the joy! As usually she’s a great technician. She’s got amazing control, but not perfect – I think we all saw that bobble. But she’s still pretty remarkable.
Jose
All-star partner: Comfort
Marty Kudelka & Dana Wilson / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: Boy meets girl. He’s trying to give her his pickup line, which is his dancing. Cat says Jose is back in his “Comfort” zone.
Try a Little Tenderness / Otis Redding
Performance: Comfort is killing it and by extension, she’s outdancing Jose. She’s matured so much in her own style. Jose isn’t bad but he’s not as precise and meticulous as Comfort is and I’m finding it distracting. Great concept but not so great execution by Jose.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel loves the routine. It’s a cool vibe, a funky feel. It wasn’t quite there. Jose got a bit flappy with his arms. Toni was absorbed in what a schmoozer he is. Mia tells Jose there is no swag in there. Jose didn’t tap into Marty’s gift for him. Adam recommends that Jose dance the intention of his character; the steps are secondary.
Further comment: I agree with everyone except Toni. I’m so ready for Jose to leave the competition. Of course I think he’s got a winning personality but his smile has saved him too many times already.
Billy
Lights Go Down / Telepathe
I like the range he’s showing us. His movements are strange and cool. Will it make people vote for him? I certainly hope so. Maybe it was different enough to make people pick up the phone. When Cat asks about the story behind the piece Billy tells her it’s a hunt with a witty ending.
Kent
A Song For You / Elliott Yamin
A little too manic at the beginning for me. But after that it was really interesting. I feel like we just saw something new from Kent. Great job.
Lauren
All-star partner: Allison
Tyce DiOrio / Broadway
Rehearsal: Two girls are dancing together for the first time this season. The piece is about them being strong as opposed to sexy. They’ve got something the guys don’t: Girl power.
Who’s Got the Pain? / Damn Yankees (1994 original Broadway cast)
Rehearsal: They are so much fun together. Both Allison and Lauren are so strong in this style. Great technique. I’m glad I’m really enjoying this Broadway piece. Very acrobatic. Nice.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam thinks of Lauren as an all-star already. She’s graduated into that further level. He’s got nothing to criticize. Mia says there’s nothing to critique. Lauren’s so solid. She’s forged ahead of everyone else. It shows her strength and ability to dance. Toni says strong is sexy. Lauren hit it just right. Her body is a tornado but her eyes are calm. Nigel says it worked for him. It wasn’t as exciting at the original Fosse piece thought. He feels that Lauren will be in the finale.
Further comment: Lauren is killing it. She’s always been an amazing technician and each week I think she shows us just a little more of her heart. She continues to become better every week. I can’t wait to see her in the finale.
Robert
A Beautiful Mess (From A Raining Jane Sessions) / Jason Mraz
Great quality of movement to go with a smart piece of music. I am a huge fan. Especially since he’s not being weird.
Billy
All-star partner: Ade
Stacey Tookey / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about observing two opposite ends of the spectrum in society: someone with everything and someone with nothing. Billy is playing a homeless man. The beauty is in how opposite they are.
Mad World (Alternate) / Michael Andrews feat. Gary Jules
Performance: I love that Billy starts the piece at the edge of the stage with Ade dancing in the background. This is kind of brilliant. Great quality of movement from both of them. I like their apartness and togetherness. Interesting lifts and partnering work. That was amazing.
Judge’s critiques:
Standing ovations from everyone except Nigel. Nigel is pleased. To have lost Billy last week would have been to lose the privilege of watching him perform that piece. He sees a maturity and emotion in Billy. Toni loved the contrast. She stopped seeing the steps and started hearing the dialogue and heartbeat. Mia says it is sheer perfection. To Stacey Mia says she’s evolving into some artist. This is Mia’s favorite performance of the season for Billy. Win or lose he’s respected as an up-and-comer. Adam says Billy was born on the show; he’s dropped into the zone. Shows great restraint. It was magnificent. That was art.
Further comment: Amazing, amazing, amazing. Billy does feel like he’s finally come into his own. I am such a huge fan of Stacey Tookey and I’d like to see more of her for the rest of the season and in the future.
Adechike
Pretty Wings / Maxwell
Nice levels. Wow. He is much a powerful dancer. Really nice technique. He let his personality come out a bit, which is always great.
Jose and Kent
Spencer Liff / Broadway
Rehearsal: It’s about two guys who work together at a moving company, watching the ladies go by. Who’s gonna get the girl? Kent’s the young eager one. Jose’s the older, more refined one.
From This Moment On / Kiss Me Kate (soundtrack)
Performance: This style is absolutely Kent’s strong suite. This piece has great character work and such a fun feel to it. Kent’s form is so good he’s putting Jose to shame. What a fun story. Highly enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam tells Spencer he’s killing it. Totally in the style of Gene Kelly’s era. Adam is seeing it come down between Kent and Lauren. Kent is born to do this. Jose went on a journey. Mia says it’s amazing. Kent just found his home. He needs to live in this world. Jose isn’t the trained dancer Kent is but he keeps up and he does a good job. Toni doesn’t know if it was smart or lucky but the characters suited them perfectly. Kent’s a contender. Nigel says Kent has done everything brilliantly that they’ve thrown at him. He loves this style of Broadway. For Jose, the worst part is having to do it with Kent. Nigel hopes Jose is very proud of himself despite the fact that this may be his last week in the competition.
Further comment: Kent is really remarkable in this style. His facial expression here aren’t over-the-top and his technique is almost flawless.
Lauren and Adechike
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Foxtrot
Rehearsal: It’s not a traditional feel or vibe. It’s sultry and sexy. They’re gonna have the whole audience sick.
Fever / Beyonce
Performance: I like their chemistry. I’m not a huge fan of Foxtrot so I’m glad this isn’t the usual fare. There are definitely Foxtrot moments but it feels more fun and much more free-flowing. Some nice lifts. I like their connection too. Great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel thinks some of the steps they did better than a ballroom dancer but other steps don’t sit well. Good connectivity and it is certainly sultry. It leaves him a bit under whelmed. Toni says neither of them have the muscle memory of a ballroom dancer. Footwork is off therefore the gliding movement is off. The frame is off. But they got into the character of the dance. Mia says Adechike has great moments as a partner but there’s a disconnect when they separate. Lauren’s grace, sensuality, and presence make it look like she’s done this a million times. Great performance. Adam says Lauren is just dancing. Adechike looked too concerned with making sure Lauren was safe.
Further comment: I totally get where the judges are coming from but I still liked it. I can’t possibly critique form, and anyway Toni did a great job of that, but I will say it was fun to watch. I feel like they relaxed into it and had a great connection.
Robert and Billy
Nakul Dev Mahajan / Bollywood
Rehearsal: Bollywood is a mix of styles from all over the world. Indian forms are fused with western forms. It’s a big melting pot of dance. Two guys fighting for one role in the biggest Bollywood movie ever.
Ganesh / Bobmbay Dreams (soundtrack)
Performance: This is such a fun piece. I love seeing the different Western influences. And it looks like they’re having a blast and really nailing the technique. The only thing missing for me is the really fast part – it seems like every Bollywood piece has that.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel calls is fantastic. It’s the best Bollywood routine he’s seen with two guys. Robert finished everything and his hands are fantastic. He hopes Billy’s knee is ok because he put it through some tough work. Toni says they’re both fantastic. It will come down to personal choice. She feels like Robert nailed it. Mia says that was so hard. No injuries! Everything was right with that and Billy nailed it. Adam says they just split the vote. This has been a huge night for Billy. Adam tells Robert that was brilliant.
Further comment: I really enjoyed the piece because I feel they were both technically strong. I don’t know if I can say either dancer won the role over the other. They both hit it hard and were fun to watch.
So, who do you think is going home? All I know is that one of the departing dancers had better be Jose. No, really.
And what of Cat? You know I have to mention her. I have such a girl crush. Lovely hair and makeup. I like the black & white graphic one-shouldered dress. Very cool.
As we all remember (and I’d like to forget it) no one was eliminated last week. Instead, the judges will be sending two dancers home tomorrow.
Kent
All-star partner: Anya
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Cha Cha
Rehearsal: This is Kent’s second cha cha. Anya is a schoolteacher and Kent is a bad boy.
My First Kiss / 3OH!3 feat. Kesha
Performance: It’s a fun story. Anya is amazing as always. I’m sure the guys watching this appreciate that she keeps taking things off. Kent is more than holding his own. I’m a little impressed that his face isn’t as out of control. A little, I said. Great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel calls Kent a man. Good, strong base. Toni says it is better this time. He’s more grounded, earthier. He sacrifices his posture though. Mia says the whole piece is crunchy – it doesn’t flow. She says he’s not taking the note about his face. Adam calls it super solid. Kent needs to dance with more length and breathe.
Further comment: I am glad Mia mentioned Kent’s face. Kent claims he can’t help himself but I think he can. Despite that, I agree that it was a strong performance.
Robert
All-star partner: Kathryn
Stacey Tookey / Contemporary
Rehearsal: The piece is about the last moments before a soldier goes off to war and leaves a loved one behind. They’re connected the whole time. Stacey says the most important thing is getting the story told.
Heaven is a Place on Earth / Katie Thompson
Performance: I love that it’s a slow piece. Their connection – both emotional and physical – is pretty amazing. One kinda awkward lift but I’m loving this. Great emotion. Great technique. Beautiful and moving.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel loves the connectivity. Nice twist at the end. Robert has grown enormously. He is growing and maturing to become even better than Nigel thought he’d be. Toni would want to be the woman Robert’s dancing with. Mia says the beginning of the piece is sacred and tender. It’s a mature decision to pull back and allow the story to go first. Mia wants Robert to speak through his soul. Adam is so proud of the way they supported each other out there.
Further comment: I am such a huge fan of Robert when he’s not being a goofball. I don’t want to see that. I want to see his wonderful technique and amazing partnering skills and he showed us those tonight. And let’s talk about Kathryn for a moment. She is amazing this year. I felt like she’s matured and upped her technique and now she’s a beast in the best possible sense of the word.
Jose
Giant Squid / RJD2
He does have a great smile. It looks like he’s throwing some fun new things into his routine. He has gotten better in his own style since the competition started. Loved it.
Adechike
All-star partner: Courtney
Tyce DiOrio / Jazz
Rehearsal: It’s at a jazz club in Spanish Harlem. It’s late at night and there are no inhibitions. Courtney feels sexy doing this dance. The music is timeless; the dancers have to find themselves within it.
Mantega / Dizzy Gillespie
Performance: Adechike is such a great acrobat. Very nice movement. I love me some Courtney. She is such a great partner. I like when they’re dancing with each other. When they’re separated it’s not as sexy. I really liked it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam says it’s so much fun. That was balls-out dancing. Total joy. Adechike is such a tightly wound little muscle, Adam would like to see him loosen up. Mia says the music is everything. It is a great performance but he has to find the balance of style and finesse. Toni says it looked like fun. Great weight in Adechike’s connections. Nigel wants more abandon. He’s got to make it look like it’s not choreographed.
Further critique: I like most of what Tyce did with this piece but he did make a mistake in making Adechike’s part so acrobatic. I think we all know Adechike excels at that so now we’d like to see him dance in the style he’s given. But having said that, I still enjoyed the performance. I also wanted a little more sexy and a little more abandon as well.
Lauren
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman / Aretha Franklin
I see the joy! As usually she’s a great technician. She’s got amazing control, but not perfect – I think we all saw that bobble. But she’s still pretty remarkable.
Jose
All-star partner: Comfort
Marty Kudelka & Dana Wilson / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: Boy meets girl. He’s trying to give her his pickup line, which is his dancing. Cat says Jose is back in his “Comfort” zone.
Try a Little Tenderness / Otis Redding
Performance: Comfort is killing it and by extension, she’s outdancing Jose. She’s matured so much in her own style. Jose isn’t bad but he’s not as precise and meticulous as Comfort is and I’m finding it distracting. Great concept but not so great execution by Jose.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel loves the routine. It’s a cool vibe, a funky feel. It wasn’t quite there. Jose got a bit flappy with his arms. Toni was absorbed in what a schmoozer he is. Mia tells Jose there is no swag in there. Jose didn’t tap into Marty’s gift for him. Adam recommends that Jose dance the intention of his character; the steps are secondary.
Further comment: I agree with everyone except Toni. I’m so ready for Jose to leave the competition. Of course I think he’s got a winning personality but his smile has saved him too many times already.
Billy
Lights Go Down / Telepathe
I like the range he’s showing us. His movements are strange and cool. Will it make people vote for him? I certainly hope so. Maybe it was different enough to make people pick up the phone. When Cat asks about the story behind the piece Billy tells her it’s a hunt with a witty ending.
Kent
A Song For You / Elliott Yamin
A little too manic at the beginning for me. But after that it was really interesting. I feel like we just saw something new from Kent. Great job.
Lauren
All-star partner: Allison
Tyce DiOrio / Broadway
Rehearsal: Two girls are dancing together for the first time this season. The piece is about them being strong as opposed to sexy. They’ve got something the guys don’t: Girl power.
Who’s Got the Pain? / Damn Yankees (1994 original Broadway cast)
Rehearsal: They are so much fun together. Both Allison and Lauren are so strong in this style. Great technique. I’m glad I’m really enjoying this Broadway piece. Very acrobatic. Nice.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam thinks of Lauren as an all-star already. She’s graduated into that further level. He’s got nothing to criticize. Mia says there’s nothing to critique. Lauren’s so solid. She’s forged ahead of everyone else. It shows her strength and ability to dance. Toni says strong is sexy. Lauren hit it just right. Her body is a tornado but her eyes are calm. Nigel says it worked for him. It wasn’t as exciting at the original Fosse piece thought. He feels that Lauren will be in the finale.
Further comment: Lauren is killing it. She’s always been an amazing technician and each week I think she shows us just a little more of her heart. She continues to become better every week. I can’t wait to see her in the finale.
Robert
A Beautiful Mess (From A Raining Jane Sessions) / Jason Mraz
Great quality of movement to go with a smart piece of music. I am a huge fan. Especially since he’s not being weird.
Billy
All-star partner: Ade
Stacey Tookey / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about observing two opposite ends of the spectrum in society: someone with everything and someone with nothing. Billy is playing a homeless man. The beauty is in how opposite they are.
Mad World (Alternate) / Michael Andrews feat. Gary Jules
Performance: I love that Billy starts the piece at the edge of the stage with Ade dancing in the background. This is kind of brilliant. Great quality of movement from both of them. I like their apartness and togetherness. Interesting lifts and partnering work. That was amazing.
Judge’s critiques:
Standing ovations from everyone except Nigel. Nigel is pleased. To have lost Billy last week would have been to lose the privilege of watching him perform that piece. He sees a maturity and emotion in Billy. Toni loved the contrast. She stopped seeing the steps and started hearing the dialogue and heartbeat. Mia says it is sheer perfection. To Stacey Mia says she’s evolving into some artist. This is Mia’s favorite performance of the season for Billy. Win or lose he’s respected as an up-and-comer. Adam says Billy was born on the show; he’s dropped into the zone. Shows great restraint. It was magnificent. That was art.
Further comment: Amazing, amazing, amazing. Billy does feel like he’s finally come into his own. I am such a huge fan of Stacey Tookey and I’d like to see more of her for the rest of the season and in the future.
Adechike
Pretty Wings / Maxwell
Nice levels. Wow. He is much a powerful dancer. Really nice technique. He let his personality come out a bit, which is always great.
Jose and Kent
Spencer Liff / Broadway
Rehearsal: It’s about two guys who work together at a moving company, watching the ladies go by. Who’s gonna get the girl? Kent’s the young eager one. Jose’s the older, more refined one.
From This Moment On / Kiss Me Kate (soundtrack)
Performance: This style is absolutely Kent’s strong suite. This piece has great character work and such a fun feel to it. Kent’s form is so good he’s putting Jose to shame. What a fun story. Highly enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam tells Spencer he’s killing it. Totally in the style of Gene Kelly’s era. Adam is seeing it come down between Kent and Lauren. Kent is born to do this. Jose went on a journey. Mia says it’s amazing. Kent just found his home. He needs to live in this world. Jose isn’t the trained dancer Kent is but he keeps up and he does a good job. Toni doesn’t know if it was smart or lucky but the characters suited them perfectly. Kent’s a contender. Nigel says Kent has done everything brilliantly that they’ve thrown at him. He loves this style of Broadway. For Jose, the worst part is having to do it with Kent. Nigel hopes Jose is very proud of himself despite the fact that this may be his last week in the competition.
Further comment: Kent is really remarkable in this style. His facial expression here aren’t over-the-top and his technique is almost flawless.
Lauren and Adechike
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Foxtrot
Rehearsal: It’s not a traditional feel or vibe. It’s sultry and sexy. They’re gonna have the whole audience sick.
Fever / Beyonce
Performance: I like their chemistry. I’m not a huge fan of Foxtrot so I’m glad this isn’t the usual fare. There are definitely Foxtrot moments but it feels more fun and much more free-flowing. Some nice lifts. I like their connection too. Great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel thinks some of the steps they did better than a ballroom dancer but other steps don’t sit well. Good connectivity and it is certainly sultry. It leaves him a bit under whelmed. Toni says neither of them have the muscle memory of a ballroom dancer. Footwork is off therefore the gliding movement is off. The frame is off. But they got into the character of the dance. Mia says Adechike has great moments as a partner but there’s a disconnect when they separate. Lauren’s grace, sensuality, and presence make it look like she’s done this a million times. Great performance. Adam says Lauren is just dancing. Adechike looked too concerned with making sure Lauren was safe.
Further comment: I totally get where the judges are coming from but I still liked it. I can’t possibly critique form, and anyway Toni did a great job of that, but I will say it was fun to watch. I feel like they relaxed into it and had a great connection.
Robert and Billy
Nakul Dev Mahajan / Bollywood
Rehearsal: Bollywood is a mix of styles from all over the world. Indian forms are fused with western forms. It’s a big melting pot of dance. Two guys fighting for one role in the biggest Bollywood movie ever.
Ganesh / Bobmbay Dreams (soundtrack)
Performance: This is such a fun piece. I love seeing the different Western influences. And it looks like they’re having a blast and really nailing the technique. The only thing missing for me is the really fast part – it seems like every Bollywood piece has that.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel calls is fantastic. It’s the best Bollywood routine he’s seen with two guys. Robert finished everything and his hands are fantastic. He hopes Billy’s knee is ok because he put it through some tough work. Toni says they’re both fantastic. It will come down to personal choice. She feels like Robert nailed it. Mia says that was so hard. No injuries! Everything was right with that and Billy nailed it. Adam says they just split the vote. This has been a huge night for Billy. Adam tells Robert that was brilliant.
Further comment: I really enjoyed the piece because I feel they were both technically strong. I don’t know if I can say either dancer won the role over the other. They both hit it hard and were fun to watch.
So, who do you think is going home? All I know is that one of the departing dancers had better be Jose. No, really.
The Rachel Zoe Project Extra
I am dying for the return of this show. Not literally, of course. No one would EVER confuse me for a fashionista but I'd like to think The Rachel Zoe Project has made me a bit more industrious and adventurous in my clothing choices. But back to the show. Not only do I find Rachel Zoe strangely fascinating but I am always interested to see what she's "dying" over from week to week.
Even though I could never imagine doing what she does - although I must admit I think I would love all that travel - I tune in every week to see who she's styling and what's going on with that bratty Taylor and the divine, if not a bit dramatic Brad. If you've been paying attention, you've heard that Taylor was fired in the off season and I say it's about freakin' time. No, there will not be nearly as much drama without her around but I think Rachel, Rodger, and Brad will still put on a great show.
Even though I could never imagine doing what she does - although I must admit I think I would love all that travel - I tune in every week to see who she's styling and what's going on with that bratty Taylor and the divine, if not a bit dramatic Brad. If you've been paying attention, you've heard that Taylor was fired in the off season and I say it's about freakin' time. No, there will not be nearly as much drama without her around but I think Rachel, Rodger, and Brad will still put on a great show.
Burn Notice: Past and Future Tense by BJ
I was very excited to see the previews for Past & Future Tense. Burt Reynolds with the Miami crew? How could that not be inspired casting and great fun? As expected, Burn Notice didn’t disappoint. This was a somewhat lighthearted and very thought-provoking episode that didn’t fail to satisfy.
Fiona, Michael, and Jesse are enjoying a quiet day at the beach, but it soon becomes clear that this is anything but. Jesse is watching his old boss’ wife on the beach. Marv, Jesse’s former boss, is at an international intelligence conference at a nearby hotel, and Jesse intends to make contact with him.
Michael finds Marv in the bar area and enlists Marv’s help regarding Jesse, but Marv isn’t willing to go to bat for Jesse, even though he believes in his ex-employee’s innocence. As Michael, Fiona, and Jesse confer after this discussion, they eye a group of suspicious men, tagging them as a Russian team intending to kill someone. Michael suspects he may be the target, but isn’t sure. They need more intel.
Jesse and Fiona work together to kidnap one of the Russians, who breaks easily in the face of interrogation. He admits that they’re not after Michael, but are targeting a retired spy named Paul Anderson, who works at a bar.
Sam and Michael go to the bar and question a bartender, who quickly disappears, then pulls a gun on the duo. They’ve definitely found Paul! Paul is skeptical until the Russians show up at the bar. With a little fancy footwork, the trio is able to evade the Russians and hole up at Michael’s house.
Paul explains that he has information on congressman Bill Cowley, who is the keynote speaker at the convention. Paul outed himself on the Internet and has drawn very unwanted attention to himself. Paul explains that some files he needs are at his home, and he and Michael make plans to go there.
Meanwhile, Fiona is tasked with connecting with Marv. She flirts with him at the pool, explaining that they’d met at a past conference, and then invites him up to her room to chat about a program she’s created. Of course Marv takes the bait!
Fiona warns Jesse about the search for justice and answers, but Jesse isn’t receptive. He explains that he can’t walk away from this and that he won’t stop until he’s taken down whoever burned him.
Sam approaches the congressman and attempts to make contact, but the elected official brushes Sam off, muttering that he is only one constituent. What a charming individual! Sam calls Maddie and asks her to help out with the congressman.
When Michael and Paul approach his apartment, Michael is aware that the place will be under tight surveillance. But Michael has a plan—the Russian he took from the hotel initially is used as a decoy. Dressed only in briefs, and with an explosive belt around his waist, he could kill them all. Even though the standoff is very tense, the Russians are forced to put their weapons down and attend their comrade.
Paul takes a long time in his apartment and Michael has to go after him. Paul has forgotten the combination to his safe and needs to enlist Michael’s help. This brief pause is all the Russians need, and they go after Michael and Paul. Paul shows Michael documentation his has about a government cover-up of an event where over a dozen American soldiers were killed.
In a tense car chase, both Michael and Paul prove their methods have validity. They work well to evade and elude the kidnappers, first with speed and driving ability, and then by thinking on their feet.
Madeline approaches Congressman Cowley and pretends to be a friend from college who had an affair with him. She lets him know that he has to drive home alone to meet with Paul, and in the face of a PR nightmare, he complies.
Marv meets Fiona at her hotel room and he and Jesse have a confrontation. Marv lets Jesse know that he would like to believe his innocence. Jesse suspects that his burning was done by the people he was investigating, and he asks Marv to procure him some information. Marv reluctantly agrees.
The congressman arrives home to find Michael and Paul in his home. Michael explains that the Russian team is about to take Paul and suggests that the congressman organize protection for Paul. They present the paperwork that implicates the congressman in the cover-up. The congressman explains that he is actually clean, but Paul doesn’t believe it, and their confrontation quickly becomes physical, with Paul knocking the congressman out.
In mere minutes, it becomes clear that the Russians have arrived and the congressman is revived. He quickly comes around when he sees for himself that the Russian team has arrived. Michael uses the typical Russian black ops tactics to predict where they will strike, and gets the upper hand that way. He locks the team inside the house until they surrender.
When the Russians bluster after they’ve surrendered, Paul shoots and kills one of them. The congressman is understandably shocked, but Michael and Sam point out that he has very few options and needs to concoct a story about having killed the Russian. This ensures his compliance and will help Paul’s name to be restored.
Paul and Michael have an interesting chat about the spy business. Michael realizes that Paul’s memory may be failing. It is clear that Michael sees what he could become.
Marv gets the information Jesse needs to Fiona. Marv wants Fiona to understand that he believes Jesse and shows Fiona some evidence that shows that Jesse’s key card may have been duplicated. He suggests that someone with clearance could get some video footage of the person who burned Jesse. Fiona crumples the paper up as Marv leaves, but she is very shaken. The information on the bank is passed to Jesse.
Fiona and Michael have a heated confrontation, and Fiona explains that she destroyed evidence that would have led Jesse to Michael as the man who burned him. Michael tries to tell Fiona that the end result is worth it, but Fiona can’t handle lying to Jesse. Fiona tells Michael that he’s forgotten about the people and is now too focused on the ideals. She walks out, leaving him alone.
We’re reminded throughout the episode that Michael is a legend in spy circles, and this brought forth the old-school spy feel to the episode. The home truths he learns throughout the episode will resonate with him in the future. It took a fairly lighthearted episode and gave it an edge and depth that I hadn’t expected.
My one complaint was that the Jesse storyline appeared and reappeared and seemed a little random. While I did enjoy that thread, the transitions seemed a little jarring. While the casting of Richard Kind was lost in the Burt Reynolds hype, Richard, who played Marv, stole every scene he was in just as aptly as Mr. Reynolds did.
One thing I would have loved and felt that the viewer missed out on was a scene with Paul and Maddie and seeing the way Sharon Gless and Burt Reynolds could have played off each other in these roles.
All in all, I really enjoyed this episode and am intrigued to see how things progress in the future. Will Michael and Fiona be torn apart by the Jesse situation? Will Jesse find the answers he needs? Will Michael change in the face of working with Paul and Jesse? I can't wait to see what Matt Nix and company have in store for us!
True Blood: I Got a Right to Sing the Blues by Tina Charles
I'm kind of exhausted after watching "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" but in a good way. The episode is fast-paced, has a lot of action and while I'm not into everything that happened it entertains from beginning to end. Tara gets to be so badass I practically screamed "it's about time!" Her character has drifted into the unlikable territory so when she manages to escape Franklin's clutches (more on that awesomeness later) and grab Sookie, I'm quickly loving the character again. We finally get to see more of Lafayette & Jesus although things predictably don't go smoothly. "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" isn't only a great episode title, I think it's something every character in Bon Temps has the urge to shout from time to time. And is anyone enjoying the abundance of red-headed females on this show? Jessica, Arlene and a very strawberry-blonde Queen Sophie-Anne give red-heads a good name.
During the full hour of TV goodness, I asked a lot of questions:
What is Sookie?
Sookie's origin is one of this season's biggest questions. She had to get her abilities from somewhere. We learn that her grandfather also had mysterious powers. Once Sookie's dragged back to Russell's manse, Mississippi's Vampire King tries to find out the waitress' story. There's a real nice scene where they're asking each other questions. They're both being kind of bratty about it. Russell dishes some dirt on Sookie's former BF. He tells her Bill has been keeping a secret file on her and her family and he hands it over. Wonder if she'll confront her ex about the file? Sookie's interrogation yields more and more info about vampires. The girl is gaining a lot of knowledge about both the vampire and werewolf cultures. I'm curious to know what Sookie's deal is. Again, I have not read the books so I seriously have no idea what she really is.
How badass is Tara in this episode?
I've already admired the winning ways of badass Tara, but let's break this down. I think Rutina Wesley did an awesome job trying to clumsily seduce Franklin. She works on getting him to if not trust her, at least untie her. Tara's had it bad this season. She hasn't really even had the chance to mourn Eggs properly before she becomes the obsession of an evil vamp who likes to tie her up and wants to marry her. But her attempts at seduction are at first humorous and quickly turn nasty. When Franklin encourages her to drink his blood, she starts gnawing on him big and bad and he's just getting off on it. Such a gross scene! And then when he's asleep she grabs a weapon and bashes his head in over and over. At which point I wanted to scream at Tara that she was going to have to do better than that. But it worked for the time being. Then she scams her way past a werewolf thug played by Don Swayze (Gus) and convinces Sookie to get the hell out of dodge. After she and Sookie take care of Gus in bold fashion, Tara runs out of the house and into Alcide who's there to help. Sookie goes after Bill.
What's up with Sam's family?
Okay, I have a confession. Sam's probably one of my favorite characters on this show but I'm not totally feeling his Season 3 storyline with his horribly dysfunctional clan. We know they have a big secret, something Joe Lee has been exploiting, which could be anything considering mom and son are shapeshifters. Turns out it could be some sort of dog fighting ring. Very Michael Vick, if you will. I'm kind of anxious to find out what this dog fighting business entails. It can't be good. Melinda seems to be showing her true colors. Was it Sam's adopted family that said his biological clan weren't good people? I can't remember. But his parents are not. They're devious and don't seem to care about anything but themselves and their secret. Melinda as much says Sam's only blood, not family. So I'm rooting for Sam to save Tommy for sure. I'm also worried about him tackling the world of dog fighting since the dog he shifts into seems pretty tame.
How is Eric going to make things up to Sookie?
He's a vampire, he doesn't have to make anything up to Sookie, but for a Sookie/Eric shipper like me (to be fair I'm also a Sookie/Alcide shipper and occasionally a Sookie/Bill shipper) I want him to help Sookie, not hurt her. But I get it. Russell killed his family, he needs to work the revenge angle right now. That Eric is good however. He really makes it seem like he's a true blue Russell follower. I love the way Eric flirts with everyone. He knows what he's got and he flaunts it. He's the most flirtatious character on the show, even more than Lafayette. And I for one love it. I also like the fact he turned on Queen Sophie-Anne. In the back of his mind he's also thinking about Pam, who we don't see for the second episode in a row. Poor Pam, she's off being tortured while Russell makes Eric take care of the Queen with him. Russell blackmails the Queen into marrying him. He's gaining more power with Eric on as muscle.
How much do I love Lafayette & Jesus?
These two are a pretty sexy pair but the road isn't going to be easy. They flirt at Merlotte's; they kiss in the car and then again at Lafayette's place. But once those bullies (from a previous episode) arrive and start bashing his car things go wrong. Jesus finds out Lafayette's a drug dealer and specifically that he deals V. Jesus wants to go home. It's cold shower time for all involved. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next for the budding couple.
What's my problem with Jason?
Much like Sam's family, I haven't been feeling Jason this season especially his attempts at blackmailing his way onto the Bon Temps PD and his inability to let go of his golden years (although this is pretty realistic). I will say that his "what am I doing with my life and what purpose do I serve" mentality is definitely something everyone can relate to but the way he's gone about things has almost ruined his character for me a little bit. In "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" he's making out with the mysterious but aggressive Crystal. She definitely has a big secret (I read the spoiler) and it turns out she also has a fiance. But just when I'm about to write off Jason, he says this line that makes him seem extremely vulnerable and then I fall in love with him all over again. He asks her not to break his heart. She ends up getting scared and leaves and then later when he shows up at her place she pretends not to know who he is. I don't blame her since she's standing next to her fiance (is he the guy that was wailing on Lafayette's car?). Jason takes out his frustrations on that stupid high school athelete that's the next big thing. Something's gotta be up with this kid. Wonder when we're going to find out.
Why are we plagued with the being known as Lorena?
I'm trying to love to hate Lorena but I just can't. I'm not buying the character at all. I get it, she made Bill, she's into him. She's insulted he feels nothing for her now. But even though Lorena and Bill are at odds, I'd like to feel that there was once a connection between these two. I'd like to feel like I get why those two were once wreaking havoc on the world together. But I feel nothing when Lorena's on except some contempt. So Bill's maker's told to kill Bill and she starts doing so in such a slow drawn-out manner. She hates that Bill feels nothing towards her. She cries rivers of blood while she's slicing and dicing him. Unfortunately once Sookie finds Bill, Lorena sees the opportunity to get rid of her competition and slams Sookie against the wall and proceeds to bite her and drink her blood. Sookie's in a world of hurt as we see in the previews for next week. If it's even possible, the previews for next week look even more awesome than when I watched the ones for this week.
Random Thoughts
During the full hour of TV goodness, I asked a lot of questions:
What is Sookie?
Sookie's origin is one of this season's biggest questions. She had to get her abilities from somewhere. We learn that her grandfather also had mysterious powers. Once Sookie's dragged back to Russell's manse, Mississippi's Vampire King tries to find out the waitress' story. There's a real nice scene where they're asking each other questions. They're both being kind of bratty about it. Russell dishes some dirt on Sookie's former BF. He tells her Bill has been keeping a secret file on her and her family and he hands it over. Wonder if she'll confront her ex about the file? Sookie's interrogation yields more and more info about vampires. The girl is gaining a lot of knowledge about both the vampire and werewolf cultures. I'm curious to know what Sookie's deal is. Again, I have not read the books so I seriously have no idea what she really is.
How badass is Tara in this episode?
I've already admired the winning ways of badass Tara, but let's break this down. I think Rutina Wesley did an awesome job trying to clumsily seduce Franklin. She works on getting him to if not trust her, at least untie her. Tara's had it bad this season. She hasn't really even had the chance to mourn Eggs properly before she becomes the obsession of an evil vamp who likes to tie her up and wants to marry her. But her attempts at seduction are at first humorous and quickly turn nasty. When Franklin encourages her to drink his blood, she starts gnawing on him big and bad and he's just getting off on it. Such a gross scene! And then when he's asleep she grabs a weapon and bashes his head in over and over. At which point I wanted to scream at Tara that she was going to have to do better than that. But it worked for the time being. Then she scams her way past a werewolf thug played by Don Swayze (Gus) and convinces Sookie to get the hell out of dodge. After she and Sookie take care of Gus in bold fashion, Tara runs out of the house and into Alcide who's there to help. Sookie goes after Bill.
What's up with Sam's family?
Okay, I have a confession. Sam's probably one of my favorite characters on this show but I'm not totally feeling his Season 3 storyline with his horribly dysfunctional clan. We know they have a big secret, something Joe Lee has been exploiting, which could be anything considering mom and son are shapeshifters. Turns out it could be some sort of dog fighting ring. Very Michael Vick, if you will. I'm kind of anxious to find out what this dog fighting business entails. It can't be good. Melinda seems to be showing her true colors. Was it Sam's adopted family that said his biological clan weren't good people? I can't remember. But his parents are not. They're devious and don't seem to care about anything but themselves and their secret. Melinda as much says Sam's only blood, not family. So I'm rooting for Sam to save Tommy for sure. I'm also worried about him tackling the world of dog fighting since the dog he shifts into seems pretty tame.
How is Eric going to make things up to Sookie?
He's a vampire, he doesn't have to make anything up to Sookie, but for a Sookie/Eric shipper like me (to be fair I'm also a Sookie/Alcide shipper and occasionally a Sookie/Bill shipper) I want him to help Sookie, not hurt her. But I get it. Russell killed his family, he needs to work the revenge angle right now. That Eric is good however. He really makes it seem like he's a true blue Russell follower. I love the way Eric flirts with everyone. He knows what he's got and he flaunts it. He's the most flirtatious character on the show, even more than Lafayette. And I for one love it. I also like the fact he turned on Queen Sophie-Anne. In the back of his mind he's also thinking about Pam, who we don't see for the second episode in a row. Poor Pam, she's off being tortured while Russell makes Eric take care of the Queen with him. Russell blackmails the Queen into marrying him. He's gaining more power with Eric on as muscle.
How much do I love Lafayette & Jesus?
These two are a pretty sexy pair but the road isn't going to be easy. They flirt at Merlotte's; they kiss in the car and then again at Lafayette's place. But once those bullies (from a previous episode) arrive and start bashing his car things go wrong. Jesus finds out Lafayette's a drug dealer and specifically that he deals V. Jesus wants to go home. It's cold shower time for all involved. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next for the budding couple.
What's my problem with Jason?
Much like Sam's family, I haven't been feeling Jason this season especially his attempts at blackmailing his way onto the Bon Temps PD and his inability to let go of his golden years (although this is pretty realistic). I will say that his "what am I doing with my life and what purpose do I serve" mentality is definitely something everyone can relate to but the way he's gone about things has almost ruined his character for me a little bit. In "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" he's making out with the mysterious but aggressive Crystal. She definitely has a big secret (I read the spoiler) and it turns out she also has a fiance. But just when I'm about to write off Jason, he says this line that makes him seem extremely vulnerable and then I fall in love with him all over again. He asks her not to break his heart. She ends up getting scared and leaves and then later when he shows up at her place she pretends not to know who he is. I don't blame her since she's standing next to her fiance (is he the guy that was wailing on Lafayette's car?). Jason takes out his frustrations on that stupid high school athelete that's the next big thing. Something's gotta be up with this kid. Wonder when we're going to find out.
Why are we plagued with the being known as Lorena?
I'm trying to love to hate Lorena but I just can't. I'm not buying the character at all. I get it, she made Bill, she's into him. She's insulted he feels nothing for her now. But even though Lorena and Bill are at odds, I'd like to feel that there was once a connection between these two. I'd like to feel like I get why those two were once wreaking havoc on the world together. But I feel nothing when Lorena's on except some contempt. So Bill's maker's told to kill Bill and she starts doing so in such a slow drawn-out manner. She hates that Bill feels nothing towards her. She cries rivers of blood while she's slicing and dicing him. Unfortunately once Sookie finds Bill, Lorena sees the opportunity to get rid of her competition and slams Sookie against the wall and proceeds to bite her and drink her blood. Sookie's in a world of hurt as we see in the previews for next week. If it's even possible, the previews for next week look even more awesome than when I watched the ones for this week.
Random Thoughts
- Russell is seeking world vampire domination. So over-the-top but I'm totally on board with his lofty goals.
- Talbot definitely let us see him sweat when he went off on his VBF (vampire boyfriend) for never taking him anywhere. Together for eons, Talbot is feeling neglected. Go Talbot.
- Where in the world was Alcide? I don't like that we didn't see him the entire episode until the end. But once we do see Alcide, we see a lot of him. I'm not going to complain about that.
- Jessica's continuing to entertain me. Using her bliss to get all the customers to stiff Arlene on tips is genius. And then she got brutal when she drank the blood of the annoying customer. It was creepy and awesome at the same time. Love that Arlene's kind of scared of her too.
- We find out more about Jesus. He tells Lafayette he doesn't know his father. In fact his mom was raped and then he was born. So much like Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, Jesus is the product of rape.
- Love this Russell line: "There's a fine line between feisty and delusional and you're in no place to bargain."
- Does Russell realize he killed Eric's family? Or is that just a fact you forget after killing a lot of people?
- The Queen likes to scratch and win. Love that she plays the lottery.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Covert Affairs: Walter's Walk by BJ
In the second episode of the series
When Annie arrives at work
Annie is assigned a very uninspiring job this time around. She is to debrief the walk ins
When a single mother brings to attention a transmission from a radio transmitter
It soon becomes apparent that this transmission focuses on the IRA
The CIA partners with British intelligence's MI-6 and Annie begins working with James Elliott, a cynical veteran of intelligence. They enter Walter's apartment and discover that he has a huge cache of high tech equipment. Unfortunately, the tapes are not there. And when they remove a hard drive from the house, they discover it was corrupted. While they are searching the apartment, someone breaks in and Elliot takes care of him. There is no ID or anything identifying about the attacker.
It is discovered that Cahill is coming to DC, probably to fix the mess his man created at Walter's house. The CIA picks him up and itnerrogates him and Cahill isnists that he is innocent.
Annie, meanwhile, discovers where Walter and his mother are hiding and goes to them. Walter hands over his tapes and Annie sets up a connection to Auggie at
Before she can flee with mother and son
Elliott offered a nice counterpoint to Annie’s fresh faced enthusiasm. It served to show just how jaded working in intelligence can make a person. The veneer of Elliot was slick and somewhat James Bond
While the idea of the IRA plotting in the
There was a great scene where Auggie teaches Annie some hand to hand combat
Covert Affairs needs to be careful with Annie. She sometimes strays into the too-perfect range and it strains believability. With such a great cast, I'd like to see the others taking a very active role in the cases in the field.
White Collar: Need to Know by Claudia Charles
Let me start off by saying I love, love, love this episode. From start to finish it's a great episode. It’s looking like the writers are becoming more innovative with ways for Neil to go undercover. Bringing in Marsha Thomason this season is a resounding success. Natalie Morales didn’t work for me in terms of chemistry with Matthew Bomer. Tonight’s episode really illustrates what they can accomplish now that Marsha is on the job.
The opening banter between Neil and Peter reveals quite a gem about Mozzie, played oh so well by Willie Garson, that I missed during my first viewing. Apparently Mozzie, a conspiracy theorist as well as quite shady, does vote and vote often. That slipped by me but I find it very amusing. The new case has Neil going undercover portraying an under-the-table media consultant to politicos in trouble. While prepping we learn Neil never graduated from high school, a fact that stuns Peter. This makes me wonder more about how Neil grew up and what turned him into the con-man/thief he became. With all of his charm and sophistication, he may have had some humble beginnings. I wonder if we'll meet any of Neil’s relatives in subsequent seasons.
The villain-du-jour, Gary Jennings (played with perfect smarminess by David Alan Basche), has a straw donor scam going. He's receiving money for his campaign and is cooking the books to hide it. Peter goes in to start their con by being that overconfident, grandstanding FBI agent that usually gets portrayed in most movies. Tim DeKay does an excellent job setting the bait for Jennings so Neil can swoop in as the cocky media consultant, Benjamin Cooper, who's going to get their mark out of this jam.
Once again Peter's holding things back from Neil but this time, it’s more for his own good. I feel like we've already been there/done that from the first season but now Diana's in on the deception.
I have a bone to pick with the director here. I understand that Tiffani Thiessen is on maternity leave and they had to do some creative things to have her in at least one scene each episode but the CGI backdrop in San Francisco seriously?!? Maybe they should have just used her voice on the phone if they did not have good enough special effects to do this scene. I can’t wait for her to actually be physically present on the show again.
The whole sequence with Diana and Neil is fantastic. I love seeing Neil go to Diana’s rescue when he realizes she's going to have to pick up a john. In the scene in the hotel room, we learn more about Diana having grown up as a diplomat’s daughter and traveling the world. Neil and Diana share even more when Diana reveals her bodyguard while she was growing up died in the line of fire for her. This seems like it had a profound effect on her and she tries to work on Neil’s survivor guilt with losing Kate.
Peter and Mozzie together again. I love bringing these two together and how exasperated Peter gets with Mozzie’s paranoia and quirks. I get the feeling Mozzie made the scavenger hunt even more outrageous just to get to Peter more irritable. Loved it!!!
"Need to Know" is a great and very solid episode of White Collar. I especially love them revealing the picture of Peter with a mustache. The show has gotten into a groove and it seems the writers are finding the voices of each character quite well. Can’t wait to see how the season progresses.
Preview for next week: Aidan Quinn is doing television? I know I haven’t seen him in any movies lately but I was surprised to see that he is guest starring on White Collar.
The opening banter between Neil and Peter reveals quite a gem about Mozzie, played oh so well by Willie Garson, that I missed during my first viewing. Apparently Mozzie, a conspiracy theorist as well as quite shady, does vote and vote often. That slipped by me but I find it very amusing. The new case has Neil going undercover portraying an under-the-table media consultant to politicos in trouble. While prepping we learn Neil never graduated from high school, a fact that stuns Peter. This makes me wonder more about how Neil grew up and what turned him into the con-man/thief he became. With all of his charm and sophistication, he may have had some humble beginnings. I wonder if we'll meet any of Neil’s relatives in subsequent seasons.
The villain-du-jour, Gary Jennings (played with perfect smarminess by David Alan Basche), has a straw donor scam going. He's receiving money for his campaign and is cooking the books to hide it. Peter goes in to start their con by being that overconfident, grandstanding FBI agent that usually gets portrayed in most movies. Tim DeKay does an excellent job setting the bait for Jennings so Neil can swoop in as the cocky media consultant, Benjamin Cooper, who's going to get their mark out of this jam.
Once again Peter's holding things back from Neil but this time, it’s more for his own good. I feel like we've already been there/done that from the first season but now Diana's in on the deception.
I have a bone to pick with the director here. I understand that Tiffani Thiessen is on maternity leave and they had to do some creative things to have her in at least one scene each episode but the CGI backdrop in San Francisco seriously?!? Maybe they should have just used her voice on the phone if they did not have good enough special effects to do this scene. I can’t wait for her to actually be physically present on the show again.
The whole sequence with Diana and Neil is fantastic. I love seeing Neil go to Diana’s rescue when he realizes she's going to have to pick up a john. In the scene in the hotel room, we learn more about Diana having grown up as a diplomat’s daughter and traveling the world. Neil and Diana share even more when Diana reveals her bodyguard while she was growing up died in the line of fire for her. This seems like it had a profound effect on her and she tries to work on Neil’s survivor guilt with losing Kate.
Peter and Mozzie together again. I love bringing these two together and how exasperated Peter gets with Mozzie’s paranoia and quirks. I get the feeling Mozzie made the scavenger hunt even more outrageous just to get to Peter more irritable. Loved it!!!
"Need to Know" is a great and very solid episode of White Collar. I especially love them revealing the picture of Peter with a mustache. The show has gotten into a groove and it seems the writers are finding the voices of each character quite well. Can’t wait to see how the season progresses.
Preview for next week: Aidan Quinn is doing television? I know I haven’t seen him in any movies lately but I was surprised to see that he is guest starring on White Collar.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Random Thoughts on Mad Men: Public Relations by Kara Howland
Warning: This isn't really a recap.
I am so happy Mad Men is back on the air. It's a great summer series that has a lot going on. I often feel like a second or third viewing is needed to get all the nuiance of what's going on in this world. But I don't have time for that. Here are my first-viewing impressions:
- I love Don Draper. He's still very much the same person he's always been but now he's also punishing himself. When the hooker showed up, I literally thought, "Don doesn't need to pay for sex. He can find a willing female almost anywhere." But when she started slapping him around, I get it.
- Peggy vocalizes something Don really needs to hear, which is that they all want to please him. And I think she says it at the exact right time. As we all know, if you displease Don he is going to make you pay for it. He can be extremely unpleasant when you've crossed him.
- Apparently, Pete is allowed to expense whores. He can't get the money to pay the actress who are going to particpate in their little stunt - a stunt that gets out of hand when one of the actresses press charges against the other. But a stunt that gets them some ink and gets the client to spend more money.
- Betty was supposed to vacate the house she shared with Don on October 1 but when Thanksgiving rolls around she's still in residence. Henry can't understand why she won't even start looking for a new place. Betty claims the kids have already been through enough change. But I think she's reluctant to separate entirely from Don and her old life. Who really knows what she's thinking? Betty certainly doesn't.
Matthew Weiner is a genius. I will watch this show as long as he's at the helm of this ship.
What did you think about the episode? Do you, like me, want to see a little more of Joan in the next episode? Which characters do you miss from the Sterling Cooper days if any?
I am so happy Mad Men is back on the air. It's a great summer series that has a lot going on. I often feel like a second or third viewing is needed to get all the nuiance of what's going on in this world. But I don't have time for that. Here are my first-viewing impressions:
- I love Don Draper. He's still very much the same person he's always been but now he's also punishing himself. When the hooker showed up, I literally thought, "Don doesn't need to pay for sex. He can find a willing female almost anywhere." But when she started slapping him around, I get it.
- Peggy vocalizes something Don really needs to hear, which is that they all want to please him. And I think she says it at the exact right time. As we all know, if you displease Don he is going to make you pay for it. He can be extremely unpleasant when you've crossed him.
- Apparently, Pete is allowed to expense whores. He can't get the money to pay the actress who are going to particpate in their little stunt - a stunt that gets out of hand when one of the actresses press charges against the other. But a stunt that gets them some ink and gets the client to spend more money.
- Betty was supposed to vacate the house she shared with Don on October 1 but when Thanksgiving rolls around she's still in residence. Henry can't understand why she won't even start looking for a new place. Betty claims the kids have already been through enough change. But I think she's reluctant to separate entirely from Don and her old life. Who really knows what she's thinking? Betty certainly doesn't.
Matthew Weiner is a genius. I will watch this show as long as he's at the helm of this ship.
What did you think about the episode? Do you, like me, want to see a little more of Joan in the next episode? Which characters do you miss from the Sterling Cooper days if any?
Drop Dead Diva: A Mother’s Secret by Kara Howland
Kim discovers that Parker is jealous of Grayson, Jane inadvertently tells Grayson to keep pursuing Vanessa after a disastrous first date, and Deb’s mother Bobbie reveals that she has another daughter, a half-sister Deb never knew about.
Let’s start with Kim first. Sometimes (and I don’t know how) I forget what a b*tch Kim can be. But I think I’ve mentioned before I want my Kim cranky and mean or not at all. Fred handles her so well and gives her a kind of cosmic comeuppance when he steers a case her way. Although it’s not a “partnership material” case, Kim reluctantly takes it. She asks Grayson to second chair as she has no love for Barry, a chimp. Grayson, on the other hand, loves Animal Planet and gets the judge to consider treating Sonny like a human being instead of property. Even though Kim and Grayson give it their all – and Parker gets to talk to a reporter because of the notoriety of this case – they loose in the end. I cried when Mike had to say goodbye to Sonny and cheered when Mike’s ex said Sonny belongs with him. Very heartwarming.
Not so heartwarming is the grenade that lands in Jane’s lap this week. Not only does she have to treat her mother – her real mother – as an acquaintance but she learns Deb had a half-sister she never knew about. And, of course, that half sister is in jail. Not only has she been charged with stealing from the company but she’s got a prior narcotics charge on her record. In addition to all that, Samantha Colby – the half sister, wants no part of them. It’s only after Jane steps in to argue for her in court (when her public defender can’t or won’t) that Sam reluctantly accepts help. Bobbie, perhaps in an effort to make up for lost time, puts her house up for collateral to get the bail money for Sam.
And it looks like Bobbie might be on the road to losing her house when video evidence of Sam stealing the hard drive is presented in court. She hasn’t been telling Jane the entire truth. She did steal the hard drive but it was her idea to begin with. She wanted to use technology to make an everyday product better – in this case nail polish. It’s exciting because Sam has invented a nail polish that will change colors, a nail polish that can go from day to night after a simple flash of light. The CEO of the cosmetics company, who is in partnership with the lab where Sam works, inspired Sam to invent this product. He gave a speech to her class when she was still at school and with his help; Sam proves that it was her idea. The charges are dropped and Sam gets her job back with a big promotion. Afterwards, Sam and Bobbie ask Jane to come out to dinner to celebrate with them. It’s exactly what Jane needed.
The one thing that made my not-so-happy in this episode was the opposing counsel in Kim and Grayson’s case. She was way over-the-top. And I don’t blame the actress. I blame the writing. If she wasn’t written that way the actress wouldn’t have portrayed her that way. And she was beyond obnoxious. And I don’t have to have character like that cramming information down my throat that should or will make me sympathetic to Sonny’s plight. I’m already sympathetic. I was just disgusted with her. It almost ruined the whole storyline for me.
Random
- It was nice to see so many familiar faces in this week’s episode. And by that I mean Sharon Lawrence, Robins Givens, and Leelee Sobieski. I would have liked to see Robin Givens a little more and perhaps not playing such a nasty character but it’s nice to see her back on television.
- Chimps are the only animals besides human beings who make tools. They can also laugh.
- Fred thinks Brangelina is a high fiber cereal. Awesome.
Now that Grayson seems to be off the market again, this time with Vanessa, I’d like to see Jane make an attempt to wade back out into the dating pool. Tony is great but he’s in DC. And I don’t want to see her sitting around pining after Grayson. That’s no fun. I’m trying to think of who would be another great guest star to play her new beau. We’ve had so many great ones lately. What do you think?
Let’s start with Kim first. Sometimes (and I don’t know how) I forget what a b*tch Kim can be. But I think I’ve mentioned before I want my Kim cranky and mean or not at all. Fred handles her so well and gives her a kind of cosmic comeuppance when he steers a case her way. Although it’s not a “partnership material” case, Kim reluctantly takes it. She asks Grayson to second chair as she has no love for Barry, a chimp. Grayson, on the other hand, loves Animal Planet and gets the judge to consider treating Sonny like a human being instead of property. Even though Kim and Grayson give it their all – and Parker gets to talk to a reporter because of the notoriety of this case – they loose in the end. I cried when Mike had to say goodbye to Sonny and cheered when Mike’s ex said Sonny belongs with him. Very heartwarming.
Not so heartwarming is the grenade that lands in Jane’s lap this week. Not only does she have to treat her mother – her real mother – as an acquaintance but she learns Deb had a half-sister she never knew about. And, of course, that half sister is in jail. Not only has she been charged with stealing from the company but she’s got a prior narcotics charge on her record. In addition to all that, Samantha Colby – the half sister, wants no part of them. It’s only after Jane steps in to argue for her in court (when her public defender can’t or won’t) that Sam reluctantly accepts help. Bobbie, perhaps in an effort to make up for lost time, puts her house up for collateral to get the bail money for Sam.
And it looks like Bobbie might be on the road to losing her house when video evidence of Sam stealing the hard drive is presented in court. She hasn’t been telling Jane the entire truth. She did steal the hard drive but it was her idea to begin with. She wanted to use technology to make an everyday product better – in this case nail polish. It’s exciting because Sam has invented a nail polish that will change colors, a nail polish that can go from day to night after a simple flash of light. The CEO of the cosmetics company, who is in partnership with the lab where Sam works, inspired Sam to invent this product. He gave a speech to her class when she was still at school and with his help; Sam proves that it was her idea. The charges are dropped and Sam gets her job back with a big promotion. Afterwards, Sam and Bobbie ask Jane to come out to dinner to celebrate with them. It’s exactly what Jane needed.
The one thing that made my not-so-happy in this episode was the opposing counsel in Kim and Grayson’s case. She was way over-the-top. And I don’t blame the actress. I blame the writing. If she wasn’t written that way the actress wouldn’t have portrayed her that way. And she was beyond obnoxious. And I don’t have to have character like that cramming information down my throat that should or will make me sympathetic to Sonny’s plight. I’m already sympathetic. I was just disgusted with her. It almost ruined the whole storyline for me.
Random
- It was nice to see so many familiar faces in this week’s episode. And by that I mean Sharon Lawrence, Robins Givens, and Leelee Sobieski. I would have liked to see Robin Givens a little more and perhaps not playing such a nasty character but it’s nice to see her back on television.
- Chimps are the only animals besides human beings who make tools. They can also laugh.
- Fred thinks Brangelina is a high fiber cereal. Awesome.
Now that Grayson seems to be off the market again, this time with Vanessa, I’d like to see Jane make an attempt to wade back out into the dating pool. Tony is great but he’s in DC. And I don’t want to see her sitting around pining after Grayson. That’s no fun. I’m trying to think of who would be another great guest star to play her new beau. We’ve had so many great ones lately. What do you think?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 6 Remain by Kara Howland
In protest to tonight’s decision by the judges I’m going to keep this brief. Painfully brief. They had a chance to send Jose home and they didn’t take it. I’m not pleased.
Ok, that’s too brief. We’ll group dance, then talk about Cat’s dress. Seriously, that’s it.
All That Jazz / Lea Delaria
I need to reiterate that I really only want to see the competitors in the group dance. Despite the presence of quite a few all-stars it is very enjoyable. I like this kind of Broadway. Great character. I really love this style. Nice execution. A great way to start tonight’s show.
And now over to Cat. I love the bottom half of the dress and the back. The top is frightening. The tassels are very strangely placed. Hair and makeup are divine. The flower I could do without.
Who are the guest performers? Don’t care. Sorry. I’m feeling awfully cantankerous, if you haven’t noticed.
What do you think about the judge’s decision not to send anyone home? I was happy to see Jose in the bottom but not Robert or Billy. I hope the threat of sending two dancers home next week brings everyone’s game up.
And now I’m done.
Ok, that’s too brief. We’ll group dance, then talk about Cat’s dress. Seriously, that’s it.
All That Jazz / Lea Delaria
I need to reiterate that I really only want to see the competitors in the group dance. Despite the presence of quite a few all-stars it is very enjoyable. I like this kind of Broadway. Great character. I really love this style. Nice execution. A great way to start tonight’s show.
And now over to Cat. I love the bottom half of the dress and the back. The top is frightening. The tassels are very strangely placed. Hair and makeup are divine. The flower I could do without.
Who are the guest performers? Don’t care. Sorry. I’m feeling awfully cantankerous, if you haven’t noticed.
What do you think about the judge’s decision not to send anyone home? I was happy to see Jose in the bottom but not Robert or Billy. I hope the threat of sending two dancers home next week brings everyone’s game up.
And now I’m done.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Rescue Me: Breakout
Last week’s cliffhanger had Lou lying lifeless on the firehouse floor, and in this episode we’re reminded that it would be difficult to lose any of the crazy Rescue Me cast of characters.
Lou is going to be okay after his heart attack but is now aware of the severity of his emotional eating. With Tommy presently making a good run (a week) with no booze (except for wine) and no cigarettes it’s time for Lou’s food addiction to take center stage. Lou reveals to Tommy that he, too, had a glimpse of the afterlife when his heart stopped. Unlike Tommy’s zombie filled flaming hell, Lou’s experience is a heaven filled with a bakery, loving memories of his mother and spoons of chocolate cupcake icing. Lou shares that the feeling was so good the only painful part has been waking up from it and that his hell is living with food addiction.
Learning that the rival firehouse, the West Side Wildmen, has moved it’s cookout up the guys decide to break Lou out of the hospital so that they can move the date up of their cookout. During the breakout we are treated to Franco’s sexiness as he disguised himself as a Doctor. While in this mission Sean learns that his friend and fellow firefighter, Pat Mahoney, has suffered a relapse in his fight with cancer. This really has an affect on Sean who is still cancer free.
Damian actually scored a date with Penny from the West Side Wildmen and while the guys are leery about him “sleeping with the enemy” everyone decides that he should use the date as a recognizance mission. Not sure if a lot of information was gathered on this date but we definitely see a Romeo & Juliet’esque budding romance forming.
We meet the priest again from last episodes burning church. Peter Gallagher is a fun addition this season and his character Father Phil seems to have made a connection with Tommy. With Lou obviously seeing a ‘heaven’ Tommy goes back to the church to talk about the fact that he was definitely in hell. Father Phil tells Tommy a good place to start his good deeds to get to heaven would be with his family.
However back at Tommy’s home Janet has called Franco over to help unclog her…ahem…pipes. Franco and Janet are getting closer …a little too close… and right as Franco stops himself before anything really happens, Tommy comes home. The sexual tension in the house must have been palpable because Tommy picked up on it immediately and hurt and bewildered he storms out.
As a distressed Tommy sits in his car, he remembers the bottle of rare Irish whiskey Uncle Teddy and Cousin Mickey gave him last episode. The episode ends with a great scene as for a full 3 minutes without any dialogue we see Tommy struggle with his sobriety and then give into the Whiskey.
Lou is going to be okay after his heart attack but is now aware of the severity of his emotional eating. With Tommy presently making a good run (a week) with no booze (except for wine) and no cigarettes it’s time for Lou’s food addiction to take center stage. Lou reveals to Tommy that he, too, had a glimpse of the afterlife when his heart stopped. Unlike Tommy’s zombie filled flaming hell, Lou’s experience is a heaven filled with a bakery, loving memories of his mother and spoons of chocolate cupcake icing. Lou shares that the feeling was so good the only painful part has been waking up from it and that his hell is living with food addiction.
Learning that the rival firehouse, the West Side Wildmen, has moved it’s cookout up the guys decide to break Lou out of the hospital so that they can move the date up of their cookout. During the breakout we are treated to Franco’s sexiness as he disguised himself as a Doctor. While in this mission Sean learns that his friend and fellow firefighter, Pat Mahoney, has suffered a relapse in his fight with cancer. This really has an affect on Sean who is still cancer free.
Damian actually scored a date with Penny from the West Side Wildmen and while the guys are leery about him “sleeping with the enemy” everyone decides that he should use the date as a recognizance mission. Not sure if a lot of information was gathered on this date but we definitely see a Romeo & Juliet’esque budding romance forming.
We meet the priest again from last episodes burning church. Peter Gallagher is a fun addition this season and his character Father Phil seems to have made a connection with Tommy. With Lou obviously seeing a ‘heaven’ Tommy goes back to the church to talk about the fact that he was definitely in hell. Father Phil tells Tommy a good place to start his good deeds to get to heaven would be with his family.
However back at Tommy’s home Janet has called Franco over to help unclog her…ahem…pipes. Franco and Janet are getting closer …a little too close… and right as Franco stops himself before anything really happens, Tommy comes home. The sexual tension in the house must have been palpable because Tommy picked up on it immediately and hurt and bewildered he storms out.
As a distressed Tommy sits in his car, he remembers the bottle of rare Irish whiskey Uncle Teddy and Cousin Mickey gave him last episode. The episode ends with a great scene as for a full 3 minutes without any dialogue we see Tommy struggle with his sobriety and then give into the Whiskey.
So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 6 Perform by Kara Howland
Here’s what I don’t want to see this week: Anyone knocked out of the competition due to injury. Here’s what I do want to see: Great technique and joy while dancing. Is that too much to ask? I hope not.
And let’s move on to the lovely, the lively Cat. Her makeup is flawless today. I don’t know what to say about that dress other then I’m not enjoying it. Sorry.
What the hades. Where is Billy? I don’t care that it’s the 150th show (ok, I do). I want to know where Billy is. WHERE IS BILLY? Stop stalling.
For the special 150th episode we have a guest judge. Dancer turned choreographer, turned director and producer. You’ve heard of him. Kenny Ortega. Nice.
Another day, another injury. Bill has injured his knee and he’s not ok to perform this week. Billy will automatically go into the bottom 3. Nigel says there is good news. Their costume designer has won an Emmy. That is nice and I don’t want to take anything away from her but I’m still disappointed about Billy. The remaining contestants will dance three times tonight.
Lauren
All-star partner: Twitch
Tabitha & Napoleon / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: They’re taking hip-hop to the wild, wild west. It’s dirty and grimy. They meet up for a showdown.
My Chick Bad / Ludacris & Nicki Minaj
Performance: Slight prop malfunction. I like that weird rolling thing Lauren’s doing. It’s so slow, which is good because we can see all the moves but I like hip-hop when it’s faster. But don’t get me wrong, Lauren’s totally killing it. Not my favorite but Lauren danced the heck out of it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam asks who Lauren is. She’s not the girl who auditioned in Vegas. She just tore it up. She listens to the music so beautifully. Mia says giddy-up. She goes so hard. Mia loves that she’s aggressive and kept her sexy girl. Kenny is a huge fan of the show. Save a horse ride a cowboy. Lauren has enough energy to power LA. She comes with such courage and conviction. Nigel says Lauren rises to every occasion. She’s grown tremendously. It was a sick routine.
Jose
All-star partner: Allison
Sonja Tayeh / Contemporary
Rehearsal: This piece is about a couple who meets, falls in love, then parts. Dancing on the edge of the stage represents the risks of love for Sonja.
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind Theme / Jon Brion
Performance: I’m seeing some nice fluidity. Great character work. Allison is amazing. Have I mentioned that before? It’s really cool to see most of the performance on the edge of the stage. It’s new and interesting. Very, very Sonja. And that’s a compliment.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam tells Sonja the piece is beautifully conceived. It’s hard to critique. Jose’s commitment is perfect. His character is totally realized. In his partner work he was 100% there for her. Jose isn’t dancing in the conventional sense of the term. Mia feels the same. She loves the piece, it’s conceptually genius. She didn’t see much growth technically but she thinks it’s good. Kenny says Allison is a breathtakingly beautifully dancers. Jose earns her trust. He was exquisite in his partnering. Nigel says it was joyous to see his commitment. Sonja has brilliantly covered up his weaknesses.
Further comment: I totally agree with the judges although, once again, I feel like he’s getting a pass. Jose needs to show improvement – significant improvement – every week to stay in the competition. His commitment is there and he;s a great partner for Allison, who is a wonderful technician.
Robert
All-star partner: Lauren
Tyce Diorio / Jazz
Rehearsal: There’s no story other then they’re seducing each other. They’re speaking with their bodies. Robert says Lauren’s hot so it’s easy to get into.
Wasted Time / My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Performance: Great partnership. They’re selling the sexy for me. It might be partly due to those crazy costumes but I’m buying it. Robert might be working the audience just a little too much for me. It was hot. Great physicality to it. Very enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam says they are smoking. Lauren, ouch. He tells Rob he is so good. Robert commands the stage. He’s a great partner. He’s starting to lose himself a little more but warns him to be conscious of his hands. Mia says it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to see strong dancing, to see what he’s capable of. She can’t wait to see how Robert matures as a dancer. Kenny says Robert really needed this piece. It shows he is grounded. He loved the movement and the turmoil in the piece. They are really engaged. Nigel also loved the smooth Jazz feel to it. An inspiration for guys wanting to dance has got to be Lauren.
Further comment: Robert danced it very well. I also noticed the head thing but I guess it didn’t really bother me. This was a great showcase for his talent.
Adechike’s solo
This Woman’s Work / Maxwell
Great movement. He’s a great aerialist. Nice precision. He made a very wise choice to dance shirtless. Very nice job. I think that’s the best we’ve ever seen him in his own style.
Kent
All-star partner: Kathryn
Sonja Tayeh / Jazz
Rehearsal: The routine is about having fun and accepting who you are. Sonja wants Kent to celebrate himself. The choreography never stops. Sonja’s yelling makes Kent want to fight more.
Tightrope / Janelle Monae
Performance: I’m feeling the fun. Kathryn is proving exactly why Kent was so excited to dance with her. Some great acrobatics. Very nice partner work. What a great partnership. So much fun. They did a great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Apparently the entire studio audience loves Kent. Adam says Kent is making the show more special. He is something else. They’ve never had anyone like him on the show. Mia says Kent is a strong dancer however for her the problem is that his face is so animated it can take the work to a juvenile level. Technique and strength were great. Kenny likes the choreography. Kent is awesome. He’s the guy to beat. Nigel says for the last two weeks, Kent’s almost out danced the all-stars which is the biggest complement he can give him.
Further comment: Kent needs to tone down the awe-shucks persona. I’m tired of it. I think he’s a great dancer and I think he’ll be hard to beat. He’s ready to win a competition like this but all his female fans will vote for him until their hands bleed.
Robert’s solo
Parachutes / Trevor Hall
Nice levels. Great emotion and technique. He is totally throwing himself around the stage, which I like. Happy birthday Robert!
Lauren’s solo
The Waves / Elisa
Great technique. Nice use of the stage. I don’t know why I didn’t love it because she’s usually a dancer I love to watch perform.
Adechike
All-star partner: Comfort
Tabitha and Napoleon / Lyrical Hip Hop
Rehearsal: This dance represents the struggle people experience in a relationship when they know they need to leave but their heart won’t let them.
Fallin’ / Alicia Keys
Performance: Great story that’s very well performed so far. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Comfort this fit or this good. Adechike is totally killing it. Great emotion. I loved it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam feels like he is watching a movie. So intense and beautiful and horrifying. Everything Adechike is feeling right now is what he made Adam feel. Mia says that felt more real than any contemporary piece. That was unbelievable. That is the highest level of dance. He let so much out on that floor. They got a really big taste of who Adechike really is. Kenny has to believe that part of the marvel of what we just witnessed comes from what the choreographers give to the dancers. Adechike has it in him. It was beautifully connected. Nigel thinks it’s difficult to critique because the dancing moved to another level. NappyTabs have the ability to put emotion to their routines. Adechike has just shown American what honesty in dancing is.
Further comment: I watched it twice. Adechike is such a passionate and skilled dancer. It was so nice to see that amazing emotional honesty between him and Comfort.
Jose’s solo
Give It Up or Turnit a Loose / James Brown
Great personality, as always. Fun tricks. He seems like he’s having a lot of fun, which I always love to see.
Kent’s solo
End of the Road (A Capella) / Boyz II Men
He’s an impressive athlete. Nice jumps and emotion. He is a very good dancer. Great job.
Lauren and Robert
Dmitry Chaplin / Samba
Rehearsal: Two people meet at a beach party. They’re flirting with each other. The samba has to be flirtatious from the girl and masculine from the guy. The samba is the hardest Latin American dance.
Drummer Boy (SYTYCD Remix) / Debi Nova
Performance: Great form as far as I can tell. I feel the sexy. I’m having fun watching it but it does look hard. Great partner connection. A bit of a malfunction on the last lift but it was a great effort.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam wants a T-shirt that says “ You shot me with your butt.” Robert’s lines are so crisp. His partner connection is so good. Lauren’s retractions and footwork are unbelievable. Mia is so pleased with that performance. Robert looks like a Samba dancer. Mia thinks the hips and butt were great but she wants to see Lauren “up” more. Kenny says Robert and Lauren did that extremely well. Robert’s partnering is amazing. Nigel says Robert’s upper body reminds him of Dmitry. He’s done himself proud. He tells Lauren to be careful in her turnout. Really enjoyable. She made contact with her partner and us. Very good.
Further comment: I also saw some small technical problems (from what I could tell, and I can’t say I have an eye for it) but I found them engaging and connected. Nice chemistry.
Adechike and Jose
Dmitry Chaplin & Legacy / Paso Doble
Rehearsal: For the first time in SYTYCD history, they’re doing an all-male Paso Doble. They have two matadors who are fighting for glory. The piece is really physical. It’s a battle but they need to work as a team.
The Arrival/Rampage/Continue Existence / James Dooley
Performance: I love the concept. Jose is trying his hardest but Adechike is totally dominating him. Adechike has the presence and commitment. I would have liked to see Adechike dance this with any other guy. It feel unfinished. I wanted more.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam loves how committed they were. They are completely connected in their partnership. Technically this is outside their area. He wants to see Jose stretch his legs and feet. Adechike could have used more abandon. Good effort. Mia thinks they did ok with it. Aesthetically it was nice to look at. It was flailing. The focus was there. Good attempt. Kenny thinks it was a valiant effort for believing in the piece and pouring their hearts into it. Nigel agrees with his diplomatic colleagues. We have a lot to learn from the ballroom guys who attack it. Nigel loves that guys are dancing together but they’re a little lacking. It wasn’t everything he wanted it to be.
Further comment: The judges were way too diplomatic in their critiques. We know that none of the judges ever seem to have harsh words for Jose but tonight they should have laid into him. Adechike deserved some harsh words too but he was much stronger and more committed tonight. He’s just better technically.
Kent and Billy, then Twitch
Chuck Maldonado / Stepping
Rehearsal: Stepping is body percussion. It’s like a marching band without the instruments. The hardest part is the coordination.
Pro Nails (Rusko Remix) / Kid Sister
Performance: I’m surprised Kent looks so good. Twitch is amazing. I would have liked Kent to get more down into it but it was a very good effort. The faces were a bit much but more appropriate here.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam wants to thank the producers of the show for introducing over and over again new and exciting dance styles. Thanks to Chuck for coming in and throwing it down. Thanks to Kent for kicking its ass. Amazing. Mia had no idea Kent has that in him. It’s disgusting and filthy and gross and amazing. She lives for them. Kent and Twitch’s chemistry together is sick. Mia now says Kent’s the one to beat. Kenny tells Kent he pulled it off. Nigel wants to remind everyone that this isn’t the first time we’ve had stepping on the show. Nigel loves stepping. Kent has combated everything that’s been thrown at him. He wants to see Kent krump next.
Further comment: I’m still kind of shocked that Kent didn’t embarrass himself. I thought his facial contortions were appropriate here and I feel like he really “stepped” up. I’m sorry. I had to.
I’m still disappointed that we didn’t see Billy dance tonight but I was impressed by almost all of the dancing. If I had to choose the bottom three I might put Jose in there three times. Harsh, I know, but he’s just not improving enough for me. But back to reality, back to life. I hope Jose joins Billy in the bottoms. And If I had to guess who else might end up there I would say it’s Robert. I think he was so strong tonight but I’m still not sure America loves him as much as I do. I think Kent is safe no matter what and Adechike’s hip-hop routine should keep him out of trouble.
Who would you like to see go home this week?
And let’s move on to the lovely, the lively Cat. Her makeup is flawless today. I don’t know what to say about that dress other then I’m not enjoying it. Sorry.
What the hades. Where is Billy? I don’t care that it’s the 150th show (ok, I do). I want to know where Billy is. WHERE IS BILLY? Stop stalling.
For the special 150th episode we have a guest judge. Dancer turned choreographer, turned director and producer. You’ve heard of him. Kenny Ortega. Nice.
Another day, another injury. Bill has injured his knee and he’s not ok to perform this week. Billy will automatically go into the bottom 3. Nigel says there is good news. Their costume designer has won an Emmy. That is nice and I don’t want to take anything away from her but I’m still disappointed about Billy. The remaining contestants will dance three times tonight.
Lauren
All-star partner: Twitch
Tabitha & Napoleon / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: They’re taking hip-hop to the wild, wild west. It’s dirty and grimy. They meet up for a showdown.
My Chick Bad / Ludacris & Nicki Minaj
Performance: Slight prop malfunction. I like that weird rolling thing Lauren’s doing. It’s so slow, which is good because we can see all the moves but I like hip-hop when it’s faster. But don’t get me wrong, Lauren’s totally killing it. Not my favorite but Lauren danced the heck out of it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam asks who Lauren is. She’s not the girl who auditioned in Vegas. She just tore it up. She listens to the music so beautifully. Mia says giddy-up. She goes so hard. Mia loves that she’s aggressive and kept her sexy girl. Kenny is a huge fan of the show. Save a horse ride a cowboy. Lauren has enough energy to power LA. She comes with such courage and conviction. Nigel says Lauren rises to every occasion. She’s grown tremendously. It was a sick routine.
Jose
All-star partner: Allison
Sonja Tayeh / Contemporary
Rehearsal: This piece is about a couple who meets, falls in love, then parts. Dancing on the edge of the stage represents the risks of love for Sonja.
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind Theme / Jon Brion
Performance: I’m seeing some nice fluidity. Great character work. Allison is amazing. Have I mentioned that before? It’s really cool to see most of the performance on the edge of the stage. It’s new and interesting. Very, very Sonja. And that’s a compliment.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam tells Sonja the piece is beautifully conceived. It’s hard to critique. Jose’s commitment is perfect. His character is totally realized. In his partner work he was 100% there for her. Jose isn’t dancing in the conventional sense of the term. Mia feels the same. She loves the piece, it’s conceptually genius. She didn’t see much growth technically but she thinks it’s good. Kenny says Allison is a breathtakingly beautifully dancers. Jose earns her trust. He was exquisite in his partnering. Nigel says it was joyous to see his commitment. Sonja has brilliantly covered up his weaknesses.
Further comment: I totally agree with the judges although, once again, I feel like he’s getting a pass. Jose needs to show improvement – significant improvement – every week to stay in the competition. His commitment is there and he;s a great partner for Allison, who is a wonderful technician.
Robert
All-star partner: Lauren
Tyce Diorio / Jazz
Rehearsal: There’s no story other then they’re seducing each other. They’re speaking with their bodies. Robert says Lauren’s hot so it’s easy to get into.
Wasted Time / My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Performance: Great partnership. They’re selling the sexy for me. It might be partly due to those crazy costumes but I’m buying it. Robert might be working the audience just a little too much for me. It was hot. Great physicality to it. Very enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam says they are smoking. Lauren, ouch. He tells Rob he is so good. Robert commands the stage. He’s a great partner. He’s starting to lose himself a little more but warns him to be conscious of his hands. Mia says it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to see strong dancing, to see what he’s capable of. She can’t wait to see how Robert matures as a dancer. Kenny says Robert really needed this piece. It shows he is grounded. He loved the movement and the turmoil in the piece. They are really engaged. Nigel also loved the smooth Jazz feel to it. An inspiration for guys wanting to dance has got to be Lauren.
Further comment: Robert danced it very well. I also noticed the head thing but I guess it didn’t really bother me. This was a great showcase for his talent.
Adechike’s solo
This Woman’s Work / Maxwell
Great movement. He’s a great aerialist. Nice precision. He made a very wise choice to dance shirtless. Very nice job. I think that’s the best we’ve ever seen him in his own style.
Kent
All-star partner: Kathryn
Sonja Tayeh / Jazz
Rehearsal: The routine is about having fun and accepting who you are. Sonja wants Kent to celebrate himself. The choreography never stops. Sonja’s yelling makes Kent want to fight more.
Tightrope / Janelle Monae
Performance: I’m feeling the fun. Kathryn is proving exactly why Kent was so excited to dance with her. Some great acrobatics. Very nice partner work. What a great partnership. So much fun. They did a great job.
Judge’s critiques:
Apparently the entire studio audience loves Kent. Adam says Kent is making the show more special. He is something else. They’ve never had anyone like him on the show. Mia says Kent is a strong dancer however for her the problem is that his face is so animated it can take the work to a juvenile level. Technique and strength were great. Kenny likes the choreography. Kent is awesome. He’s the guy to beat. Nigel says for the last two weeks, Kent’s almost out danced the all-stars which is the biggest complement he can give him.
Further comment: Kent needs to tone down the awe-shucks persona. I’m tired of it. I think he’s a great dancer and I think he’ll be hard to beat. He’s ready to win a competition like this but all his female fans will vote for him until their hands bleed.
Robert’s solo
Parachutes / Trevor Hall
Nice levels. Great emotion and technique. He is totally throwing himself around the stage, which I like. Happy birthday Robert!
Lauren’s solo
The Waves / Elisa
Great technique. Nice use of the stage. I don’t know why I didn’t love it because she’s usually a dancer I love to watch perform.
Adechike
All-star partner: Comfort
Tabitha and Napoleon / Lyrical Hip Hop
Rehearsal: This dance represents the struggle people experience in a relationship when they know they need to leave but their heart won’t let them.
Fallin’ / Alicia Keys
Performance: Great story that’s very well performed so far. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Comfort this fit or this good. Adechike is totally killing it. Great emotion. I loved it.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam feels like he is watching a movie. So intense and beautiful and horrifying. Everything Adechike is feeling right now is what he made Adam feel. Mia says that felt more real than any contemporary piece. That was unbelievable. That is the highest level of dance. He let so much out on that floor. They got a really big taste of who Adechike really is. Kenny has to believe that part of the marvel of what we just witnessed comes from what the choreographers give to the dancers. Adechike has it in him. It was beautifully connected. Nigel thinks it’s difficult to critique because the dancing moved to another level. NappyTabs have the ability to put emotion to their routines. Adechike has just shown American what honesty in dancing is.
Further comment: I watched it twice. Adechike is such a passionate and skilled dancer. It was so nice to see that amazing emotional honesty between him and Comfort.
Jose’s solo
Give It Up or Turnit a Loose / James Brown
Great personality, as always. Fun tricks. He seems like he’s having a lot of fun, which I always love to see.
Kent’s solo
End of the Road (A Capella) / Boyz II Men
He’s an impressive athlete. Nice jumps and emotion. He is a very good dancer. Great job.
Lauren and Robert
Dmitry Chaplin / Samba
Rehearsal: Two people meet at a beach party. They’re flirting with each other. The samba has to be flirtatious from the girl and masculine from the guy. The samba is the hardest Latin American dance.
Drummer Boy (SYTYCD Remix) / Debi Nova
Performance: Great form as far as I can tell. I feel the sexy. I’m having fun watching it but it does look hard. Great partner connection. A bit of a malfunction on the last lift but it was a great effort.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam wants a T-shirt that says “ You shot me with your butt.” Robert’s lines are so crisp. His partner connection is so good. Lauren’s retractions and footwork are unbelievable. Mia is so pleased with that performance. Robert looks like a Samba dancer. Mia thinks the hips and butt were great but she wants to see Lauren “up” more. Kenny says Robert and Lauren did that extremely well. Robert’s partnering is amazing. Nigel says Robert’s upper body reminds him of Dmitry. He’s done himself proud. He tells Lauren to be careful in her turnout. Really enjoyable. She made contact with her partner and us. Very good.
Further comment: I also saw some small technical problems (from what I could tell, and I can’t say I have an eye for it) but I found them engaging and connected. Nice chemistry.
Adechike and Jose
Dmitry Chaplin & Legacy / Paso Doble
Rehearsal: For the first time in SYTYCD history, they’re doing an all-male Paso Doble. They have two matadors who are fighting for glory. The piece is really physical. It’s a battle but they need to work as a team.
The Arrival/Rampage/Continue Existence / James Dooley
Performance: I love the concept. Jose is trying his hardest but Adechike is totally dominating him. Adechike has the presence and commitment. I would have liked to see Adechike dance this with any other guy. It feel unfinished. I wanted more.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam loves how committed they were. They are completely connected in their partnership. Technically this is outside their area. He wants to see Jose stretch his legs and feet. Adechike could have used more abandon. Good effort. Mia thinks they did ok with it. Aesthetically it was nice to look at. It was flailing. The focus was there. Good attempt. Kenny thinks it was a valiant effort for believing in the piece and pouring their hearts into it. Nigel agrees with his diplomatic colleagues. We have a lot to learn from the ballroom guys who attack it. Nigel loves that guys are dancing together but they’re a little lacking. It wasn’t everything he wanted it to be.
Further comment: The judges were way too diplomatic in their critiques. We know that none of the judges ever seem to have harsh words for Jose but tonight they should have laid into him. Adechike deserved some harsh words too but he was much stronger and more committed tonight. He’s just better technically.
Kent and Billy, then Twitch
Chuck Maldonado / Stepping
Rehearsal: Stepping is body percussion. It’s like a marching band without the instruments. The hardest part is the coordination.
Pro Nails (Rusko Remix) / Kid Sister
Performance: I’m surprised Kent looks so good. Twitch is amazing. I would have liked Kent to get more down into it but it was a very good effort. The faces were a bit much but more appropriate here.
Judge’s critiques:
Adam wants to thank the producers of the show for introducing over and over again new and exciting dance styles. Thanks to Chuck for coming in and throwing it down. Thanks to Kent for kicking its ass. Amazing. Mia had no idea Kent has that in him. It’s disgusting and filthy and gross and amazing. She lives for them. Kent and Twitch’s chemistry together is sick. Mia now says Kent’s the one to beat. Kenny tells Kent he pulled it off. Nigel wants to remind everyone that this isn’t the first time we’ve had stepping on the show. Nigel loves stepping. Kent has combated everything that’s been thrown at him. He wants to see Kent krump next.
Further comment: I’m still kind of shocked that Kent didn’t embarrass himself. I thought his facial contortions were appropriate here and I feel like he really “stepped” up. I’m sorry. I had to.
I’m still disappointed that we didn’t see Billy dance tonight but I was impressed by almost all of the dancing. If I had to choose the bottom three I might put Jose in there three times. Harsh, I know, but he’s just not improving enough for me. But back to reality, back to life. I hope Jose joins Billy in the bottoms. And If I had to guess who else might end up there I would say it’s Robert. I think he was so strong tonight but I’m still not sure America loves him as much as I do. I think Kent is safe no matter what and Adechike’s hip-hop routine should keep him out of trouble.
Who would you like to see go home this week?
Second Opinion: Covert Affairs Pilot by BJ
Annie Walker is a brand new CIA agent in training when she’s abruptly pulled from the intensive training course at “the Farm” and brought to headquarters. Her language skills are needed in a case. Annie acquired her knowledge of laguages while traveling the world. It appears that she had a wonderful time and even fell in love with a man named Ben in
Annie hasn’t even finished training and is as green as anyone can get, but she is thrust into an intelligence gathering exercise with a Russian who has turned himself into CIA custody. Something doesn’t seem right to Annie, but she can’t quite put her finger on it. She gets no time to analyze before a shooter destroys her meeting place and she flees for her life, leaving the information she came for behind.
With a bit of “outside the box” thinking, Annie retrieves the intel and the CIA dis
While the plot was interesting enough to keep my attention, it focused to introduce the characters. Annie is naive to the workings of the CIA, but possesses a great skill thinking on her feet. Auggie, the blind “tour guide” teaches Annie and the audience the ins and outs of the agency.
As a counterpoint to Annie’s work life, she lives in her sister’s guesthouse and interacts with family who doesn’t have any idea what she does during the day. Her well-meaning sister seems eager to help Annie find a nice guy, but the man she chose for Annie was clearly not a good match.
There were a few times I found myself slightly annoyed at the show. Annie removes a pair of high-heeled shoes from a crime scene and none of the law enforcement officers there think to tell her that she is not allowed to take items from a crime scene. There was a scene where Annie is being interrogated, and the officer immediately guesses she is from the CIA. It seemed a little too easy that other law enforcement agencies just nodded and looked the other way at CIA activities on domestic soil.
Having said that, I was willing and able to suspend belief for the most part. Covert Affairs is not a realistic portrayal of the CIA, and I’m more than willing to accept that most of the time. The cast of characters was lively and interesting. Piper Perabo did a great job bringing forth Annie’s life changes. She especially stood out in the family moments, illustrating the differences in Annie’s life. Christopher Gorham is a standout as Auggie, the character who knows all the good gossip and inner workings of the agency. He and Annie had some very nice chemistry.
A supporting cast featuring Kari Matchett and Peter Gallagher, Emmanuelle Vaugier and Sendhil Ramamurthy has me more than eager to see more. Covert Affairs is great summer escapist fare.
Burn Notice: Entry Point by BJ
The voiceover for this week’s episode promised an intense roller coaster of a ride and Burn Notice delivered that in parts. Unfortunately, it was not the thrill ride from start to finish that I had expected and hoped for.
Michael and Jesse have worked well together thus-far, but they were tested this week as they have differing philosophies about interrogating Kendra. This just proves how different Michael and Jesse are at this juncture in their careers. Jesse has everything to lose and his pace is frenetic and rushed, his need for answers overwhelming patience. And while Michael methodically considers all angles before diving in, Jesse is unwilling to wait. Michael’s calmness is a great counterpoint, his assertion that he is the leader, not with yelled words, but with a tone of command, really shows how this character has benefited from having Jesse around.
Kendra has been an interesting character, her sarcasm and tough as nails exterior adding a layer to the character and story arc. Jesse and Michael’s interrogation of her brings more of the same. Kendra is hardcore, even bashing her head against the table repeatedly. She was both admirable and chilling when she went to such lengths to prove her point. But that shows where Kendra sees Jesse and Michael and the pecking order.
Sam isn’t warming to Jesse and only agrees to work with him when Michael cajoles him into it. This is a very good thing, as Fiona has a line on some work with a high-end forger, Buddy. Buddy has run afoul of a client and believes that he is being killed. He had to make two small items for his last client, a custom job.
When Michael and Fiona go to a warehouse, it explodes and they need to use some fancy footwork to get inside and discover what was so important that it needed to be destroyed rather than discovered. They determine that the client trying to kill Buddy is interested in stealing an antiquity.
They approach Mr. Blocklage, the sword’s owner, and attempt to warn him of the impeding theft, but he doesn’t take them seriously. Michael and Fiona are forced to take some files from the company. They quickly center on a suspect, but it seems too obvious.
When Buddy is set up to a meeting with Fiona that she did not organize, Michael and Fiona know the thief is ready to make a move on buddy—his second. They save the day by injuring Buddy and preventing him from entering a building wired to explode.
Kendra and Jesse spar verbally, with Kendra maintaining more control than she should. Jesse is more easily manipulated by his emotions than a man of his history should, and this could prove to be a weak link in the future.
Buddy is bumbling and wasn’t a character I warmed to or was interested in. This secondary story seemed to mesh less successfully than other episodes this season. As a result, I was much less engaged. Having said that, Alan Dale as Mr. Bocklage is a scene stealer!
While the antiquity angle was new and interesting, it felt a bit like Burn Notice trying to emulate White Collar and was not one of my favorite episodes of the season. I found myself missing the Kendra storyline when we were focusing on the Buddy sub story, and jarred by the intercuts to Kendra and Jesse. I also found myself missing Madeline and her sense of humor. This episode just fell flat to me.
While Burn Notice has grabbed and held my attention for much of the season, only parts of this episode worked for me.
Michael and Jesse have worked well together thus-far, but they were tested this week as they have differing philosophies about interrogating Kendra. This just proves how different Michael and Jesse are at this juncture in their careers. Jesse has everything to lose and his pace is frenetic and rushed, his need for answers overwhelming patience. And while Michael methodically considers all angles before diving in, Jesse is unwilling to wait. Michael’s calmness is a great counterpoint, his assertion that he is the leader, not with yelled words, but with a tone of command, really shows how this character has benefited from having Jesse around.
Kendra has been an interesting character, her sarcasm and tough as nails exterior adding a layer to the character and story arc. Jesse and Michael’s interrogation of her brings more of the same. Kendra is hardcore, even bashing her head against the table repeatedly. She was both admirable and chilling when she went to such lengths to prove her point. But that shows where Kendra sees Jesse and Michael and the pecking order.
Sam isn’t warming to Jesse and only agrees to work with him when Michael cajoles him into it. This is a very good thing, as Fiona has a line on some work with a high-end forger, Buddy. Buddy has run afoul of a client and believes that he is being killed. He had to make two small items for his last client, a custom job.
When Michael and Fiona go to a warehouse, it explodes and they need to use some fancy footwork to get inside and discover what was so important that it needed to be destroyed rather than discovered. They determine that the client trying to kill Buddy is interested in stealing an antiquity.
They approach Mr. Blocklage, the sword’s owner, and attempt to warn him of the impeding theft, but he doesn’t take them seriously. Michael and Fiona are forced to take some files from the company. They quickly center on a suspect, but it seems too obvious.
When Buddy is set up to a meeting with Fiona that she did not organize, Michael and Fiona know the thief is ready to make a move on buddy—his second. They save the day by injuring Buddy and preventing him from entering a building wired to explode.
Kendra and Jesse spar verbally, with Kendra maintaining more control than she should. Jesse is more easily manipulated by his emotions than a man of his history should, and this could prove to be a weak link in the future.
Buddy is bumbling and wasn’t a character I warmed to or was interested in. This secondary story seemed to mesh less successfully than other episodes this season. As a result, I was much less engaged. Having said that, Alan Dale as Mr. Bocklage is a scene stealer!
While the antiquity angle was new and interesting, it felt a bit like Burn Notice trying to emulate White Collar and was not one of my favorite episodes of the season. I found myself missing the Kendra storyline when we were focusing on the Buddy sub story, and jarred by the intercuts to Kendra and Jesse. I also found myself missing Madeline and her sense of humor. This episode just fell flat to me.
While Burn Notice has grabbed and held my attention for much of the season, only parts of this episode worked for me.
White Collar: Withdrawal by Claudia Charles
First off, I want to start by saying I loved the first season of USA Network's White Collar, especially the banter between Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay. They were able to establish a very good groove early in the season that they maintained well. However, there were some elements I found rather lacking and fortunately they remedied that by killing off Kate in the season one finale. I’m hoping that for the most part the Kate storyline is resolved. Neal is focused on finding out who killed her but I hope they don’t go the “Kate is not really dead” route. That part became tedious and bogged the episodes down.
"Withdrawal" opens up with Peter being asked to answer for the events that occurred in the season finale. Peter is being called on the carpet. Meanwhile, consider me beyond happy that Marsha Thomason (Diana) is now part of the cast! I thought she was great in the pilot episode and then she wasn't present for the rest of the first season. I never understood that so I'm glad she's back. The other FBI female agent they used had no chemistry with Neal Caffrey.
I have to say I found the first part of the episode mildly tedious because we were back to having to establish Neal once again working for the FBI. Thankfully the action very quickly moved to Neal breaking into a bank. White Collar star Matthew Bomer continues to spread his charm and is very convincing in his methods of gaining entrance to the bank.
Peter's concerned about how Neal is coping with Kate’s death. I love that Peter is interacting directly with Mozzie, Neal’s slightly shady sidekick from his old life. Willie Garson of Sex and the City fame excels as Neal's buddy – his paranoia and covert actions are hilarious.
Diana and Neal's working relationship is refreshing and thankfully for us they establish a camaraderie very quickly. Particularly interesting is how Peter seems to be feeling left out of their chumminess. They continue to riff on Peter not being that cool but there is a part of him that would like to be.
The introduction of Tim Matheson as the episode villain is quite fascinating. They show him as a powerful businessman at the top of his game who seemingly has the world at his fingers. His character quickly puts Peter and Neal in their place. This definitely establishes the character as the alpha male. Neal seems to have his buttons pushed by the interaction with the architect.
The scene between Peter and Elizabeth seemed rather off to me. The background looked a little fake so I found it rather disconcerting. Tiffiani Thiessen is pregnant so I’m aware that they are going to have be creative with shooting her but I wasn’t sure why this scene seemed a little off. Watching a second time, it seems like they were not shot together. I wish it didn’t seem so obvious.
I have to say it did seem rather obvious that the bank security officer was in on it. The interchange between Peter and the architect was very interesting. I loved that he was rubbing the failure in their faces but you also know that this is not where the episode will end and in the end the good guys prevailed. Overall, this was a solid episode for White Collar. I'm looking forward to see what they'll do with Diana now that she has joined the fun with Peter and Neal.
Random Thoughts:
• I love Marsha Thomason and love, love, love that she's a series regular. I loved her on Lost as Naomi and actually would have liked for them to do more with her character before Locke killed her.
• Tim Matheson continues his directing duties on USA shows with his appearance as the villain-du-jour on White Collar. He recently made an appearance on another show I enjoy Burn Notice.
• Great to see Diahann Carroll. She's awesome as Neal's landlady.
"Withdrawal" opens up with Peter being asked to answer for the events that occurred in the season finale. Peter is being called on the carpet. Meanwhile, consider me beyond happy that Marsha Thomason (Diana) is now part of the cast! I thought she was great in the pilot episode and then she wasn't present for the rest of the first season. I never understood that so I'm glad she's back. The other FBI female agent they used had no chemistry with Neal Caffrey.
I have to say I found the first part of the episode mildly tedious because we were back to having to establish Neal once again working for the FBI. Thankfully the action very quickly moved to Neal breaking into a bank. White Collar star Matthew Bomer continues to spread his charm and is very convincing in his methods of gaining entrance to the bank.
Peter's concerned about how Neal is coping with Kate’s death. I love that Peter is interacting directly with Mozzie, Neal’s slightly shady sidekick from his old life. Willie Garson of Sex and the City fame excels as Neal's buddy – his paranoia and covert actions are hilarious.
Diana and Neal's working relationship is refreshing and thankfully for us they establish a camaraderie very quickly. Particularly interesting is how Peter seems to be feeling left out of their chumminess. They continue to riff on Peter not being that cool but there is a part of him that would like to be.
The introduction of Tim Matheson as the episode villain is quite fascinating. They show him as a powerful businessman at the top of his game who seemingly has the world at his fingers. His character quickly puts Peter and Neal in their place. This definitely establishes the character as the alpha male. Neal seems to have his buttons pushed by the interaction with the architect.
The scene between Peter and Elizabeth seemed rather off to me. The background looked a little fake so I found it rather disconcerting. Tiffiani Thiessen is pregnant so I’m aware that they are going to have be creative with shooting her but I wasn’t sure why this scene seemed a little off. Watching a second time, it seems like they were not shot together. I wish it didn’t seem so obvious.
I have to say it did seem rather obvious that the bank security officer was in on it. The interchange between Peter and the architect was very interesting. I loved that he was rubbing the failure in their faces but you also know that this is not where the episode will end and in the end the good guys prevailed. Overall, this was a solid episode for White Collar. I'm looking forward to see what they'll do with Diana now that she has joined the fun with Peter and Neal.
Random Thoughts:
• I love Marsha Thomason and love, love, love that she's a series regular. I loved her on Lost as Naomi and actually would have liked for them to do more with her character before Locke killed her.
• Tim Matheson continues his directing duties on USA shows with his appearance as the villain-du-jour on White Collar. He recently made an appearance on another show I enjoy Burn Notice.
• Great to see Diahann Carroll. She's awesome as Neal's landlady.
Monday, July 19, 2010
True Blood: Trouble by Kara Howland
So, I may have left my notes at home. Usually I'm much more organized in the morning but I was rushing around like a crazy person today. I'm going to do a microblog and come back this evening with more details.
I need to start with Jason because I was most perplexed with where he's headed. He started his first day as a deputy liason stuck behind a desk. That was pretty funny. What was more funny was when Andy's special assignment involved Jason's washing his car. When Jason sees the girl who made a brief appearance during the meth raid a few days ago (is it days? My sense of time for this show is completey off) he jumps in the car and pulls her over. And of course he's shirtless. He's definitley got the copy swagger down but Crystal won't give him her ID or registration. She reluctantly gives him her name and when Jason tells her he'll wait for her at Merlotte's that night she tells him she won't be there. So imagine his surprise when he leaves Merlotte's to find her outside. Then all of a sudden their by some water (a stream? a river) and he's using words like forever. I'm confused. I'm happy to see Jason take this relationship seriously but he knows nothing about her. And she tells him there are things about her she can't tell him. I can't imagine this will end well.
Speaking of which, Tara is royally screwed. Franklin wants to make her his vampire bride. Not only that, he's so crazy about her that he's willing to kill anyone will gets in his way. The crazy scares me but I like the way James Frain portrays this character. He makes him so unstable and interesting. I mean, I'm really concerned for Tara but I hope and pray that someone saves her. She needs a break.
Sookie and Alcide catch a break when they discover that Russell is the vampire king of Mississippi. Sookie still isn't ready to go home without seeing Bill so she wants to search him out. First Alcide needs to report in to his packmaster. When Col. Flood tells Alcide to do nothing and say nothing, Sookie knows he's scared. They won't get any help from them. And to make matters worse Debbie, Alcide ex wants to rip Sookie from limb to limb. She still consider Alcide hers and she isn't taking kindly to Sookie encroaching on her territory. But Sookie's not worried about that right now. She wants to find Bill but doesn't have to look far when he shows up at Alcide's place. He tells her she has to leave town just before Russell shows up. When Cooter tries to take her she uses her light thing (the same thing she used on Maryanne) to get him away from her. It's so powerfull, it sends Cooter flying acros the room. Russell is delighted.
In other relationship news, Jesus has come to see Lafayette to ask him out. Hoyt brings a date to Merlotte's while Jessica is working, and Joe Lee shows his violent side to Sam.
Is it just me or does the pace of the show seem to be slowing down a bit? I'm not complaining. In the first few weeks back it seemed to be throwing so many new plotlines at us, I could hardly keep up. Now it seems to be slowly down and exploring things a bit more leisurely. I like it.
I need to start with Jason because I was most perplexed with where he's headed. He started his first day as a deputy liason stuck behind a desk. That was pretty funny. What was more funny was when Andy's special assignment involved Jason's washing his car. When Jason sees the girl who made a brief appearance during the meth raid a few days ago (is it days? My sense of time for this show is completey off) he jumps in the car and pulls her over. And of course he's shirtless. He's definitley got the copy swagger down but Crystal won't give him her ID or registration. She reluctantly gives him her name and when Jason tells her he'll wait for her at Merlotte's that night she tells him she won't be there. So imagine his surprise when he leaves Merlotte's to find her outside. Then all of a sudden their by some water (a stream? a river) and he's using words like forever. I'm confused. I'm happy to see Jason take this relationship seriously but he knows nothing about her. And she tells him there are things about her she can't tell him. I can't imagine this will end well.
Speaking of which, Tara is royally screwed. Franklin wants to make her his vampire bride. Not only that, he's so crazy about her that he's willing to kill anyone will gets in his way. The crazy scares me but I like the way James Frain portrays this character. He makes him so unstable and interesting. I mean, I'm really concerned for Tara but I hope and pray that someone saves her. She needs a break.
Sookie and Alcide catch a break when they discover that Russell is the vampire king of Mississippi. Sookie still isn't ready to go home without seeing Bill so she wants to search him out. First Alcide needs to report in to his packmaster. When Col. Flood tells Alcide to do nothing and say nothing, Sookie knows he's scared. They won't get any help from them. And to make matters worse Debbie, Alcide ex wants to rip Sookie from limb to limb. She still consider Alcide hers and she isn't taking kindly to Sookie encroaching on her territory. But Sookie's not worried about that right now. She wants to find Bill but doesn't have to look far when he shows up at Alcide's place. He tells her she has to leave town just before Russell shows up. When Cooter tries to take her she uses her light thing (the same thing she used on Maryanne) to get him away from her. It's so powerfull, it sends Cooter flying acros the room. Russell is delighted.
In other relationship news, Jesus has come to see Lafayette to ask him out. Hoyt brings a date to Merlotte's while Jessica is working, and Joe Lee shows his violent side to Sam.
Is it just me or does the pace of the show seem to be slowing down a bit? I'm not complaining. In the first few weeks back it seemed to be throwing so many new plotlines at us, I could hardly keep up. Now it seems to be slowly down and exploring things a bit more leisurely. I like it.
Drop Dead Diva: Begin Again by Kara Howland
This is very much a case of the dog ate my homework. My notes are at home (and I'm at work) so I'll do a microblog and them come back and flesh it out. Sorry. My mind was not functioning properly this morning...
After Grayson asks Jane to second chair his case she thinks she's finally on the road to getting her soulmate back. But when Grayson shows interest in Vanessa, the attorney they're working the case with, her dreams are dashed. Random question: Since when is the necktie thing Grayson's "tell." Why didn't we see that before he started dating Kim? It was more than obvious by the way Grayson and Vanessa were looking at each other that there was an attraction.
Kim is repping a client who owns a b&b in Santa Barbara that Parker used to take all his conquests too. It's nice to see Kim challenge him into making their relationship something else. She doesn't want to be just another number to him. Oh, and of course she wins her case with Terri's help. Their interaction was great. I like when Terri is more involved in the plot.
Also, Fred's plan to make Stacy jealous completely backfired. I'm just glad Kylie's ex made an appearance and saved Fred from admitting that he was using her. I mean, I don't want to exist in a world where sweet, naive Fred is using people.
Stacy was awesome, as always. I liked that she kind of helped Jane with her case. And it's good that Fred is aware that Stacy isn't waiting around for him. She's currently got a friend with benefits and Fred wasn't happy to hear about it.
After Grayson asks Jane to second chair his case she thinks she's finally on the road to getting her soulmate back. But when Grayson shows interest in Vanessa, the attorney they're working the case with, her dreams are dashed. Random question: Since when is the necktie thing Grayson's "tell." Why didn't we see that before he started dating Kim? It was more than obvious by the way Grayson and Vanessa were looking at each other that there was an attraction.
Kim is repping a client who owns a b&b in Santa Barbara that Parker used to take all his conquests too. It's nice to see Kim challenge him into making their relationship something else. She doesn't want to be just another number to him. Oh, and of course she wins her case with Terri's help. Their interaction was great. I like when Terri is more involved in the plot.
Also, Fred's plan to make Stacy jealous completely backfired. I'm just glad Kylie's ex made an appearance and saved Fred from admitting that he was using her. I mean, I don't want to exist in a world where sweet, naive Fred is using people.
Stacy was awesome, as always. I liked that she kind of helped Jane with her case. And it's good that Fred is aware that Stacy isn't waiting around for him. She's currently got a friend with benefits and Fred wasn't happy to hear about it.
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