Ahhh the chess piece episode. Every show has at least one a season. The episode all about moving characters into certain places (either externally or internally) for the larger season plot. They can be artfully done or they can be a little boring and mechanical, and while "Widening Gyre" wasn't a bad episode per se, you could definitely feel the writers pushing the characters into their places before they head to Ireland.
We begin with the fallout from Jax bedding Ima, the porn star, when Tara walks in on them in the morning. I don't know about you but I'm getting a little sick of Jax's attempts to push Tara away. I understand why he's doing it but I think it's become pretty obvious that it's not going to work and it's starting to feel a bit redundant. He keeps trying and then relenting a bit, rinse and repeat. It's just not revealing anything new about the characters and it's getting tedious. Still, the conversation between Jax and Opie served as a reminder of what happens to SAMCRO's old ladies, and how you can't really push them away no matter how hard you try.
We move on to some trouble between The Grim Bastards and Calaveras, where the latter brutally murdered one of the former's memebrs. The Sons, naturally, want to patch this over as quickly as possible, given the truce between them and the Mayans is a day old. This was largely a throwaway story, as it was pretty clear the only reason for it was to strip Salazar of his power and piss him off enough to get some sort of revenge on the Sons. It did seem to sort of underline the Mayan/Sons truce, as the scene ended with hugs all around (something that is almost too dramatic of a change), but I'm sure the payoff for this will be appropriately horrifying and dramatic later on.
And so we get to Gemma, who remains the most interesting part of this season thus far. Her conversation with Maureen was certainly revealing but also a bit clunky. They talk about their children not knowing what happened with John Teller in Belfast and Maureen reveals John is the father of her daughter, Trinity. It just seemed like a tease and not a very well-handled one at that.
Tara later helps Gemma with an impromptu hospital breakout that gave us the most affecting moment of the episode when they say goodbye. Tara's relationship with the MC, and Gemma in particular, consistently provide the show with some of its most rewarding material. A lesser show would have had the two still at odds in season 3, but the writers have given the show something far more interesting and emotional with the MC's acceptance of Tara and vice-versa. So even a quick moment of them saying goodbye feels like so much because we know how far they've come to get to that point.
And so the episode ends with the Sons (minus Tig) leaving for Belfast and the Belfast Sons chapter warning Jimmy of their arrival. Like I've said throughout, I'm sure that once the season is laid out, this episode will prove to be vital in terms of moving the plot along, but it just was not a particularly involving episode of television. But next week we get a 90-minute episode of the Sons in Belfast, which looks to be chock full of the things we love from this show.
Grade: C+
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
- I don't really know what's going on with Chibs' wife and kid in this episode, and, like most of the Irish plot this season, I'm a little confused and find it hard to care about. Hopefully this next episode clarifies and deepens that plotline.
- "You do realize that pretty much every Latina you bone ends up dead, right?" Beautiful, just beautiful.
- Poor Unser, he can't do anything right. No matter which way he goes, he's betraying someone. I'm sure that death would be welcomed at this point.
- Tara's boss got some redemption this week, but I don't really buy it. Tara's really that good of a surgeon that Margaret's willing to break the law?
- I really don't care about Opie's porn star girlfriend. Their rift and reconciliation took all of half a day and didn't add anything to the episode.
- Salazar and his girl watch Tara leave Jax's... there's no way this ends well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
MAD MEN - "Tomorrowland"
The 4th season of MAD MEN has really been a season of change, with all the characters being in some state of flux. They've all had moments of trying to define who they are in the agency and outside of it. They've changed in ways both big and small, both deep and superficial. So it's only natural that the season (and an episode titled "Tomorrowland") ends with some giant steps forward, and the characters looking into the future, instead of the past.
As soon as Don asked Megan to go with him and the children to California, I think we all knew what we were in for. But that doesn't mean that the storyline didn't offer up surprises and rewards along the way. Sure, we could tell Megan was good with kids in "The Beautiful Girls" and she was smart enough not to expect too much in "The Chinese Wall" but there was a warmth and intelligence to her character here that was only hinted at before. She knows what Don wants the second he knocks on her door after she returns from a night out (in fact, it was the first thought that went through her head when he asked her to go in the first place), she teaches the kids a French song and reacts calmly when Sally spills a milkshake, and, most importantly to Don, she's dismissive of his past and tells him she knows who he is now. I expected Don to ask her to marry him by season's end but I didn't expect it to seem like a pretty good idea. Sure, there's something cowardly in giving Faye the boot. She knows Don's past and has seen him at his most vulnerable. She basically tells Don to "get over it and move on" in the beginning of the episode, only I don't think she expected it to be away from her. But Megan makes sense for his family, something I think Don probably tells himself is a big reason why he chose her.
Peggy's season arc was nicely completed with her acquisition of the Topaz account. It showed her fulfilling Don's expectations of her, she took control of the situation and nailed the pitch almost completely on her own. She's autonomous and confident in that meeting, which is what Don has been looking for from her this season.
The last 20 minutes of the episode were so cheery and positive I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I almost thought Matthew Weiner and co. had stooped to a dream sequence until Peggy and Joan had their glorious tete-a-tete, giving voice to the audience's own doubts. Don's announcement almost perfectly undercuts Peggy's moment, not only does his news trump hers but Joan plants the seed of Megan becoming a copywriter. As if that's all Peggy had to do to begin with.
Unfortunately for Betty, the future is not looking too bright for her. I actually think her role this season was the perfect size, there's only so many times Weiner can show what miserable person she is before it gets redundant (aka Season 3). However, what little screen time she did have managed to slightly deepen her character, if not make her more likable. And her manipulative attempt to reconstruct her relationship with Don was both infuriating and heartbreaking. It's interesting to see their roles reversed, Don is the one looking foward, unafraid, and Betty is the one regretting her past.
And so ends one of, if not THE, best seasons of MAD MEN. This is now two seasons in a row that the show has ended on a positive, hopeful note, which is both shocking and a relief. There's enough dark that the light feels justified, and after a season with Don seeing rock bottom it's nice to see him bounce back and be happy. For now.
Grade: A-
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
- As per usual, any scene where Don is complimentary and warm towards Peggy makes me want to cry a little bit. I'm a softy.
- "Did you get cancer?"
- Speaking of, Roger is left in a weird position. How much longer can his place be justified without Lucky Strike?
- SCDP is far from solid, and the Topaz account surely helps, but we didn't really get much of an idea of where they'll be when we pick up. I assume functional, but how functional?
- Joan DIDN'T get the abortion, as I suspected. I wonder how Roger reacts when she starts showing, hope we get to see that.
- "Well I learned a long time ago to not get all my satisfaction from this job." "That's bullshit!"
- Pete didn't end up with a whole lot to do this season. He had a kid, had some financial troubles and Don saved him. Interesting moments but not really a big arc.
- Ken, also, didn't have much to do except refuse to use his soon to be father-in-law to the agency's advantage. And where was Ray Wise?
- Poor Glenn, can't catch a break.
- When's season 5 start?
As soon as Don asked Megan to go with him and the children to California, I think we all knew what we were in for. But that doesn't mean that the storyline didn't offer up surprises and rewards along the way. Sure, we could tell Megan was good with kids in "The Beautiful Girls" and she was smart enough not to expect too much in "The Chinese Wall" but there was a warmth and intelligence to her character here that was only hinted at before. She knows what Don wants the second he knocks on her door after she returns from a night out (in fact, it was the first thought that went through her head when he asked her to go in the first place), she teaches the kids a French song and reacts calmly when Sally spills a milkshake, and, most importantly to Don, she's dismissive of his past and tells him she knows who he is now. I expected Don to ask her to marry him by season's end but I didn't expect it to seem like a pretty good idea. Sure, there's something cowardly in giving Faye the boot. She knows Don's past and has seen him at his most vulnerable. She basically tells Don to "get over it and move on" in the beginning of the episode, only I don't think she expected it to be away from her. But Megan makes sense for his family, something I think Don probably tells himself is a big reason why he chose her.
Peggy's season arc was nicely completed with her acquisition of the Topaz account. It showed her fulfilling Don's expectations of her, she took control of the situation and nailed the pitch almost completely on her own. She's autonomous and confident in that meeting, which is what Don has been looking for from her this season.
The last 20 minutes of the episode were so cheery and positive I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I almost thought Matthew Weiner and co. had stooped to a dream sequence until Peggy and Joan had their glorious tete-a-tete, giving voice to the audience's own doubts. Don's announcement almost perfectly undercuts Peggy's moment, not only does his news trump hers but Joan plants the seed of Megan becoming a copywriter. As if that's all Peggy had to do to begin with.
Unfortunately for Betty, the future is not looking too bright for her. I actually think her role this season was the perfect size, there's only so many times Weiner can show what miserable person she is before it gets redundant (aka Season 3). However, what little screen time she did have managed to slightly deepen her character, if not make her more likable. And her manipulative attempt to reconstruct her relationship with Don was both infuriating and heartbreaking. It's interesting to see their roles reversed, Don is the one looking foward, unafraid, and Betty is the one regretting her past.
And so ends one of, if not THE, best seasons of MAD MEN. This is now two seasons in a row that the show has ended on a positive, hopeful note, which is both shocking and a relief. There's enough dark that the light feels justified, and after a season with Don seeing rock bottom it's nice to see him bounce back and be happy. For now.
Grade: A-
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
- As per usual, any scene where Don is complimentary and warm towards Peggy makes me want to cry a little bit. I'm a softy.
- "Did you get cancer?"
- Speaking of, Roger is left in a weird position. How much longer can his place be justified without Lucky Strike?
- SCDP is far from solid, and the Topaz account surely helps, but we didn't really get much of an idea of where they'll be when we pick up. I assume functional, but how functional?
- Joan DIDN'T get the abortion, as I suspected. I wonder how Roger reacts when she starts showing, hope we get to see that.
- "Well I learned a long time ago to not get all my satisfaction from this job." "That's bullshit!"
- Pete didn't end up with a whole lot to do this season. He had a kid, had some financial troubles and Don saved him. Interesting moments but not really a big arc.
- Ken, also, didn't have much to do except refuse to use his soon to be father-in-law to the agency's advantage. And where was Ray Wise?
- Poor Glenn, can't catch a break.
- When's season 5 start?
RUBICON - "You Never Can Win"
I'm generally a fan of the season finale that takes place after the big event the season has been building towards. When a season ends with the big event (be it a break-up, a confrontation between two adversaries, or an oil tanker blowing up) it tends to feel somewhat anti-climactic, the fallout is always where the real drama lies. So I was very much looking forward to RUBICON's season (series?) finale, which takes place after the bombing in Galveston Bay. And while it was a very good episode, a few lackluster elements kept it from being a great finale.
Before we get to the finale though, let's chat a bit about the show in general. The pilot was intriguing, if far from perfect, but the two episodes that followed it caused me to think I would never be able to truly get into the show. The conspiracy surrounding David's death was front and center, while the rest of API remained in the background. The pacing was slow, sure, but that's not something that's usually an issue for me. It wasn't until the series fourth (excellent) episode that I believe the show and its problems really came into focus. Dealing with the lives of the people that work at API and what it really means to work in the intelligence community immediately gave the show the depth of character it had been so sorely lacking by focusing mostly on Will. From there on out, the characters only deepened more and more and the conspiracy aspect, while still very important, wasn't the only thing the show had going for it. The characters became their own entities, instead of just pieces on a chess board. So when the bombing in Galveston Bay actually happens, we feel the characters sense of failure. It's something that seems easy but most conspiracy shows don't come anywhere close to achieving.
Anyway, onto the finale. The episode was at its strongest when it focused on Spangler and the consequences he faces. Surprisingly, those consequences come from his other conspirators and not Will. They ask him to stop the operation since they've been exposed too much, but he refuses, unwilling to stop what's already been set in motion. Even when Will confronts him at the end he refuses to take any sort of responsibility, blaming what they've done and who've they killed on the nature of humans in general and the tough decisions everyone faces. Only most people's decisions don't kill innocent people, Will reminds him.
Another strong aspect of the finale was Will's decision to pull Miles into the conspiracy at large. It served as a helpful reminder of how horrifying it must be to realize the work you've been doing is being perverted and twisted for others personal gain. His scene with Julia really punctuated what that must feel like and how nothing can really erase that horror. Tanya's quitting API was also good, if not entirely surprising, and Lauren Hodges weary, teary-eyed delivery made me realize how much I'll miss her character if the show does return.
Unfortunately, not everything was handled so deftly. Andy's taped confession to Katherine felt a little broad for the show and didn't fit with the tone. Same goes for the shadowy room where the other heads of Atlas McDowell rendered their verdicts on Spangler's fate. The reveal that Andy has been a part of the conspiracy was a nice twist, but really only raised more questions (and made me wonder about her behavior in past episodes). Katherine's death was also shocking in the swiftness and ease with which it took place, but made me wonder what purpose that character ever ended up serving, besides putting Will on the right track. And while the confrontation between Will and Spangler was something I was dying to see, it didn't serve as a very good end to the season. Will sees the portentous four-leaf clover and that's the end? Since the audience had already seen it, it didn't provide much of an impact for a season-ending moment.
Still, nitpicks aside, I sincerely hope that AMC picks up the series for another season. There's really no other show I can think of that's been able to imbue a conspiracy-type show with so much character while still delivering an engaging plot. There's still a lot to explore in a season 2.
Grade: B+
QUESTIONS FOR SEASON 2
- I have a feeling Spangler does not go gentle into that good night. Will he help Will bring down the others? Is that why he was so dismissive of Will writing his report?
- What happens when Will finds out Andy is involved? Does that bring them together? I know some were annoyed by her character, but I thought their moments together provided more insight into Will's character than most other interactions.
- Did Will get the DVD from Katherine before she died? I don't think so.
- Does Kale become head of API if Spangler dies or goes into hiding? That'd be cool but maybe not provide much drama for the agency.
- Does API even continue to exist? The powers that be may decide to cut ties with the agency.
- God, I hope this show gets a 2nd season.
Before we get to the finale though, let's chat a bit about the show in general. The pilot was intriguing, if far from perfect, but the two episodes that followed it caused me to think I would never be able to truly get into the show. The conspiracy surrounding David's death was front and center, while the rest of API remained in the background. The pacing was slow, sure, but that's not something that's usually an issue for me. It wasn't until the series fourth (excellent) episode that I believe the show and its problems really came into focus. Dealing with the lives of the people that work at API and what it really means to work in the intelligence community immediately gave the show the depth of character it had been so sorely lacking by focusing mostly on Will. From there on out, the characters only deepened more and more and the conspiracy aspect, while still very important, wasn't the only thing the show had going for it. The characters became their own entities, instead of just pieces on a chess board. So when the bombing in Galveston Bay actually happens, we feel the characters sense of failure. It's something that seems easy but most conspiracy shows don't come anywhere close to achieving.
Anyway, onto the finale. The episode was at its strongest when it focused on Spangler and the consequences he faces. Surprisingly, those consequences come from his other conspirators and not Will. They ask him to stop the operation since they've been exposed too much, but he refuses, unwilling to stop what's already been set in motion. Even when Will confronts him at the end he refuses to take any sort of responsibility, blaming what they've done and who've they killed on the nature of humans in general and the tough decisions everyone faces. Only most people's decisions don't kill innocent people, Will reminds him.
Another strong aspect of the finale was Will's decision to pull Miles into the conspiracy at large. It served as a helpful reminder of how horrifying it must be to realize the work you've been doing is being perverted and twisted for others personal gain. His scene with Julia really punctuated what that must feel like and how nothing can really erase that horror. Tanya's quitting API was also good, if not entirely surprising, and Lauren Hodges weary, teary-eyed delivery made me realize how much I'll miss her character if the show does return.
Unfortunately, not everything was handled so deftly. Andy's taped confession to Katherine felt a little broad for the show and didn't fit with the tone. Same goes for the shadowy room where the other heads of Atlas McDowell rendered their verdicts on Spangler's fate. The reveal that Andy has been a part of the conspiracy was a nice twist, but really only raised more questions (and made me wonder about her behavior in past episodes). Katherine's death was also shocking in the swiftness and ease with which it took place, but made me wonder what purpose that character ever ended up serving, besides putting Will on the right track. And while the confrontation between Will and Spangler was something I was dying to see, it didn't serve as a very good end to the season. Will sees the portentous four-leaf clover and that's the end? Since the audience had already seen it, it didn't provide much of an impact for a season-ending moment.
Still, nitpicks aside, I sincerely hope that AMC picks up the series for another season. There's really no other show I can think of that's been able to imbue a conspiracy-type show with so much character while still delivering an engaging plot. There's still a lot to explore in a season 2.
Grade: B+
QUESTIONS FOR SEASON 2
- I have a feeling Spangler does not go gentle into that good night. Will he help Will bring down the others? Is that why he was so dismissive of Will writing his report?
- What happens when Will finds out Andy is involved? Does that bring them together? I know some were annoyed by her character, but I thought their moments together provided more insight into Will's character than most other interactions.
- Did Will get the DVD from Katherine before she died? I don't think so.
- Does Kale become head of API if Spangler dies or goes into hiding? That'd be cool but maybe not provide much drama for the agency.
- Does API even continue to exist? The powers that be may decide to cut ties with the agency.
- God, I hope this show gets a 2nd season.
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