The second season of Hannibal was a fantastic season of television, bereft of any major stinkers and containing a few episodes that would qualify as some of the best this year. With that said, I will end up giving this a slightly lower grade than season one - which feels kind of wrong - but only because it hit a small and slight rough patch that the first season did not.
With that said, I'll just say there's a few episodes in this season that are better than anything Hannibal did in the first season. For example, that finale is one of the best final episodes of any season ever. All I have to say is that I'm grateful the series did not end on that episode - and it would have if the third season wasn't picked up. Hannibal walking away and four major characters presumably about to die. Not sure how I'm going to wait 10 months for that to be resolved, but I'll try to find a way.
Hannibal takes an even more dream-like quality than the first season did, especially at the end. The first season depicted the gradual mental loss of Will Graham, but this season confirms that's just what this show does. All the actions are amplified. It's not so much meant to be realistic as it's meant to evoke feeling.
And this show certainly achieves that with a top-notch list of directors who are able to satisfy Bryan Fuller's demands. I'll be looking at some of their past work - some are experienced vets on TV and some are more known for acclaimed indie hits - but all of them consistent with the show's image. It shows in the direction of this show. Some examples of the directors who were hired for this show are Tim Hunter (Twin Peaks), Michael Rymer (Battlestar Galactica), Vincenzo Natali (Splice) and David Slade (who directed the most well reviewed Twilight movie...)
The music is also very successful at making you feel uncomfortable when you're supposed to feel uncomfortable. I wish I had a name to praise for this wonderfully spooky, dreamy sound that the show creates consistently each episode, but alas I don't know where to find it.
Then there's the performances. Man, the performances are good. Mads Mikkelson is absolutely incredible. He has Hannibal down as a very polite, measured man. And when Hannibal is annoyed or excited, Mads has the uncanny ability to make a very subtle, small movement that says all you need to know. Nearly matching is Hugh Dancy, who was stuck in a cell, motionless for half of the season, and yet Dancy is just as good as he was in the first season.
That's how you make a good show I guess. Have a creative creator who is heavily involved (Bryan Fuller), bring in talented directors, and have two amazing lead performances. It's hard to fail really if you have those three things going for it. (And that's not even mentioning the art direction, whoever is in charge of making you feel guilty for wanting to eat people, and cinematography)
Also, it's time to stop saying this show is disturbing or gross for a network show. It's gross and disturbing for any show on television. I have no idea how they get away with some of the stuff they show. Seriously, there's few things more fucked up than how television censorship works. Gore, gutting, blood, mutilation - cool. Oh but don't say fuck or show nudity. It's... weird. Either way, the point is that being on a network show has not prohibited Hannibal from doing anything - I don't actually think they would do anything different on HBO except maybe more nudity, but that's really not the type of show this is anyway.
Here's your mandatory paragraph detailing my complaints. This show has a female problem. Dr. Alana Bloom momentarily becomes a different person than we've seen all series by sleeping with Hannibal, losing the ability to use her brain, and functioning as a viable character. She seems to be more of a plot point than a character in this season, which is a shame. (On the other side, I really like Katherine Isabelle as Margot Verger who somehow portrayed her as both strong and powerless effectively) And after that, there's really not many females. Beverly Katz became interesting and then died. Dr. Bedelia was interesting and then she didn't appear for 10 episodes. I mean it's basically just Alana Bloom and more than half the season she wasn't doing anything.
Hannibal is still one of the best shows on television if you can accept the fact that it's not trying to be realistic and accept that this is almost a nightmarish dream world. Once you can accept that, just sit in amazement at talented people do their thing. As Mason Verger so eloquently put it, I'm both enchanted and terrified at this show. (Other positive: Michael Pitts as Mason)
Grade - A-
Playlist
"The Modern Age" - The Strokes
"Wasted" - Tiesto
"Falling" - Iration
"Escapee" - Architecture in Helsinki
"RIP Kevin Miller" - Isaiah Rashad
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
A Tribute to 30 Rock
"So you want me to watch this show? What's it about?"
"Well, it's a parody of the behind-the-scenes machinations that go behind Saturday Night Live."
"Ooh sounds interesting. Can you describe it a bit?"
"Sure. It has one relatable character, the titular character Liz Lemon. Everybody else is absolutely insane. Well, Jack Donaghy is also a good character, but he's definitely insane. Their relationship forms the heart of the show. Anyway, the rest of the characters function as joke machines. It's rapid fire jokes and the episodes depend on the jokes. It's also features more cameos than all of the shows you've ever watched combined."
If someone gave me that completely accurate description of 30 Rock, I probably would not be interested in this show. Forget the people involved, forget the critical acclaim, forget everything. Re-read that paragraph and try and tell me that sounds like a good show. It doesn't really. And yet, seven seasons and 139 episodes later, the show had more good episodes than bad and arguably only one or two seasons that were below the show's standard.
This show, more than anything, demonstrates to me that a show's quality is completely dependent on the people involved. That show is a disaster in the wrong hands. I can't even imagine how good of writers you have to have in order to write 139 episodes that -for the most part - completely depend on the jokes. There's no fallback. If the jokes are less than stellar, the episode doesn't work. If Parks and Recreation makes you laugh less than normal, it's still great because the show relies less on laughs. With 30 Rock, the jokes ARE the episode.
The show's exception to this rule is the relationship between Jack and Liz. What little heart this show had for most of its run was that relationship. It never faltered. It was always the emotional center, which was much needed on a show where nobody else is rational. I mean Frank is maybe the third most stable person on the entire show. (Or Toofer, but not Lutz) Think about that.
Helped are the performances by Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. Fey basically plays a crazier version of herself, but it's definitely underrating her performance to just say she's playing herself. She's good in the role and is a character everybody identifies with - male or female. Baldwin, on the other hand, is like a gift from God. I can't believe on 30 Rock, we get blessed with one of the best performances of one of the best characters of all time. Seriously, I think Baldwin is as good here - over seven seasons - as in anything he's ever been in. I can't remember a false note or a poor performance from him over all 139 episodes.
The other characters who function as joke machines are at least consistent and well-written crazy people. Tracy Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan based off Tracy Morgan, is a funny character for most of the show's run. While he was never dragging the show down, I do think his character got progressively less and less funny as the show went on. Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski in a role meant for Fey's friend Rachel Dratch, is the opposite. This is one of the few (or many?) times when a network interference helps a show (I'm guessing). I just can't imagine Dratch in this role at all. It's pretty much a national tragedy that Krakowski wasn't even ever nominated for an Emmy.
Then there's Pete, played by Scott Adsit. He's a character who is sparsely used, but when he's used it's magical. There's Kenneth, played by Jack McBrayer, who was inexplicably used way more than he had any right to be. McBrayer's good in this role, but there were not seven seasons worth of material out of his character and he was prominent in nearly every episode it seemed. (My one complaint that I will make in this review). Then there's the writers and Cerie who are also used expertly in that they disappear for large periods of time and never overstay their welcome.
Besides the main characters, 30 Rock also created quite a list of recurring characters who were funny nearly every time they were on the screen. Dr. Leo Spaceman (Chris Parnell), Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters), Devon Banks (Will Arnett), and Colleen Donaghy (Elaine Strictch) all appeared from the first season to last. Arguably, they were always hilarious (the only one I would accept was not ALWAYS hilarious is Devon Banks)
Oh yeah and how could I forget the famous guest stars. Let's just go through the list of famous people that 30 Rock starred for an episode or more: Oprah Winfrey, Jon Hamm, Matt Damon, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Keaton, Bryan Cranston, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, James Franco, Peter Dinklage, Will Ferrell, Paul Giammati, Susan Surandon, Salma Hayek, John Slattery, Matthew Broderick, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Sheen, Alan Alda, James Mardsen, Steve Buscemi, and David Schwimmer. I left some names out too. And the majority of these guest appearances were used expertly (For example, Broderick's actually good in this, Schwimmer is hilarious as Greenzo, and Buscemi is a national treasure in everything he's in.)
30 Rock is unique in one remarkable aspect: the show was actually really good at the end. I don't think there are that many comedies that end on as high of a note as 30 Rock did - without their end being brought upon by cancellation. They got to finish the way they wanted to finish and they went out about as good as they were in their prime. I've never personally seen either The Office, Scrubs, or How I Met Your Mother final seasons, but... I'm pretty sure they did not finish well. (And That 70's Show didn't even have two of its stars for most of its last season) The evidence is overwhelming that most comedic shows in their final run tend to.. well underwhelm.
I've mentioned this show's relative lack of heart, but I'm not going to lie: the final season surprised me. I think I had tears in my eye for one of the scenes (uh I mean the room was really dusty for some reason). And more than a few scenes pulled at my heartstrings. I can honestly say that I did not expect that and I didn't know 30 Rock had it in them.
Was 30 Rock ever my favorite show? If I'm being honest, there wasn't even a period where it was in contention. But it was a reliable, funny 22 minutes of television (30 if you managed to watch it when it aired... and if the ratings are any indication, you probably didn't)! Thanks for improbably lasting seven seasons. Thanks for giving us the comic brilliance of Tina Fey. Thanks for giving us the amazingness that is Alec Baldwin. Thanks for making famous people do stupid stuff for our entertainment. And thank you for going out in style, in your own way without losing any quality.
Besides the main characters, 30 Rock also created quite a list of recurring characters who were funny nearly every time they were on the screen. Dr. Leo Spaceman (Chris Parnell), Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters), Devon Banks (Will Arnett), and Colleen Donaghy (Elaine Strictch) all appeared from the first season to last. Arguably, they were always hilarious (the only one I would accept was not ALWAYS hilarious is Devon Banks)
Oh yeah and how could I forget the famous guest stars. Let's just go through the list of famous people that 30 Rock starred for an episode or more: Oprah Winfrey, Jon Hamm, Matt Damon, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Keaton, Bryan Cranston, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, James Franco, Peter Dinklage, Will Ferrell, Paul Giammati, Susan Surandon, Salma Hayek, John Slattery, Matthew Broderick, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Sheen, Alan Alda, James Mardsen, Steve Buscemi, and David Schwimmer. I left some names out too. And the majority of these guest appearances were used expertly (For example, Broderick's actually good in this, Schwimmer is hilarious as Greenzo, and Buscemi is a national treasure in everything he's in.)
30 Rock is unique in one remarkable aspect: the show was actually really good at the end. I don't think there are that many comedies that end on as high of a note as 30 Rock did - without their end being brought upon by cancellation. They got to finish the way they wanted to finish and they went out about as good as they were in their prime. I've never personally seen either The Office, Scrubs, or How I Met Your Mother final seasons, but... I'm pretty sure they did not finish well. (And That 70's Show didn't even have two of its stars for most of its last season) The evidence is overwhelming that most comedic shows in their final run tend to.. well underwhelm.
I've mentioned this show's relative lack of heart, but I'm not going to lie: the final season surprised me. I think I had tears in my eye for one of the scenes (uh I mean the room was really dusty for some reason). And more than a few scenes pulled at my heartstrings. I can honestly say that I did not expect that and I didn't know 30 Rock had it in them.
Was 30 Rock ever my favorite show? If I'm being honest, there wasn't even a period where it was in contention. But it was a reliable, funny 22 minutes of television (30 if you managed to watch it when it aired... and if the ratings are any indication, you probably didn't)! Thanks for improbably lasting seven seasons. Thanks for giving us the comic brilliance of Tina Fey. Thanks for giving us the amazingness that is Alec Baldwin. Thanks for making famous people do stupid stuff for our entertainment. And thank you for going out in style, in your own way without losing any quality.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Categories: FX Shows
A side effect of being the greatest channel on television is that it will have a lot of really great shows. Sorry HBO, FX has taken over your place and it's not close. The FX category is tied for the largest category with Classic Comedy with 14 shows and that doesn't include The Shield (which is under Shows That Changed Television). It's a tiny bit unfair: HBO's heyday was in its past which is reflected in my list (four shows in STCT) and it's a lot easier to catch up on and watch FX shows than HBO. But still, 14 shows is a lot of shows, and most of them are still on the air.
Before starting, there are two shows on this list that I have completed: Terriers and Rescue Me. I plan to revisit Terriers and write about it here at some point. And Rescue Me is counted down as finished, but I stopped watching after five seasons, because the quality had dropped tremendously from its first season. (But man that first season was pretty great) I may or may not finish Rescue Me, but as you can see, it's not really a big concern for me to finish it. (Other shows counted as "Finished" despite the fact that I haven't finished them: The Walking Dead, House of Cards, and Downton Abbey)
Comedies
Archer
Duh. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm not fully caught up on Archer. It has nothing to do with the show and everything to do with me. I'm making more of an effort to watch comedy shows - and Archer is not far down the list of shows I will catch up to. It also has the distinct honor of being one of the few shows I actually want to re-watch. But first obviously I need to watch it once!
Where I'm at: Season 3, Episode 6
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
This show is in a weird place. I was way late to watching this show, for some reason decided to watch the first season, and then stopped. I remember liking and being impressed by the show and yet I never watched more. (It's pretty much identical to How I Met Your Mother, except I liked this show better) As it stands, It's Always Sunny will be watched after every other comedy that I've started, but I won't start any new comedies until this one is finished. (Unless it's a situation like B99 where I can start from the beginning and watch while it airs. But that's different)
Where I'm at: Season 2, Episode 2 (Yeah for some reason I stopped after one episode)
The League
Here's a show I am caught up to, at least I'm caught up to its latest episode on Netflix. I'm not sure this show qualifies as a guilty pleasure - it's characters are pretty despicable It's kind of about fantasy sports, but not really, but the comedic style of this show is one of my favorites. It's sort of an improvisation/scripted show that just goes for broke a lot and is unapologetic about its shameless guest-star whoring. Also, Rafi.
Where I'm at: Season 5, Episode 1
Wilfred
Yeah I don't know how this show works. But it does. Somehow. The first season is mostly hit-or-miss, but the last episode was the best and I've heard positive things about the second season. It's a drastically different comedy than any others on this list, a type of comedy I can appreciate. And Jason Gann is tremendous as the dog.
Where I'm at: Season 2, Episode 1
Not really a Comedy, but Funny as Hell
Louie
Louis CK is probably my favorite comedian, but it feels wrong to call his show a comedy. It's not really a drama either. Either way, it's fantastic and this is one of the few shows I'm completely caught up to, thanks to that two-year break that Louie took. Not sure what else to say about this. You've probably either seen it or have actively decided to not watch it.
Where I'm at: Season 4 (Current Season)
Dramas
The Americans
If you've followed me on twitter for a while, you know that I regularly promote this show as if I was getting paid by them. Well, I'm not and I will take this opportunity to yet again promote this show: go watch it as soon as you can. The first season is on Amazon Prime and I'm guessing the second will be on there a good amount of time before the third season begins. The reason I promote this show is because its ratings are not very good and I would very much like to not see this get cancelled. And as a bonus, the third season has been picked up already so you at least won't have to worry about starting a doomed show. (While FX seems very much committed to the show, just to be safe, watch it.)
Where I'm at: Season 2 (Current Season)
Justified
I was very late to the game on Justified: I watched my first episode of it probably six months ago. And guess what? I'm completely caught up. The show is that good. Few shows are just purely as enjoyable as this one even when the quality drops off a bit. The dialogue is maybe the best on television and it's a treat to watch two world class actors in Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins.
Where I'm at: Season 6 (Which will air next year)
Sons of Anarchy
I have run the gamut of opinions about Sons of Anarchy. The first season was promising and I was optimistic. The second season was even better and I thought it could be one of my favorite shows. The third season sucked, but it had goodwill left over and the last few episodes were pretty great. The fourth season was better, but severely soured me on the show as I realized I had overrated it because of the second season. And then the fifth season got me back into a mood where I liked the show. And I haven't seen the sixth season because I have watched it on Netflix and am waiting for it to add episodes there. (Hopefully, it adds the season before the new season airs, but I'm not optimistic as it did not do that with its recent season. I WANT to watch your show on live television, help me do that!)
Where I'm at: Season 6, Episode 1
Damages
I have not seen this show. I do not know if it is good, although I'm reasonably confident it is. I kind of have a thing for Rose Byrne though so you know any potential doubt I have going into this show is immediately squashed. You know the show that you're kind of wary about starting and then you realize an actor/actress you like is in it? Well that's what is happening here. Either way, there's only 59 episodes so it's not like a huge commitment.
Where I'm at: Not started
Fargo
I missed the boat on this show. I don't remember why I missed the first episode, but I missed it. And then I never managed to catch the first episode when FX aired it at a later date. And then I refused to watch the second episode without having first seen the first episode. And thus, I have yet to see this show. I hope it goes on Amazon Prime or Netflix. Or I'll just record every episode that I see as it comes along (hopefully FX holds a marathon later). Either way, I really want to see this show.
Where I'm at: Not Started
Nip Tuck
So this is a show that will be watched when I run out of shows. So if you're a huge Nip Tuck fan - I'm not aware of any that I know - it's going to be a while. I have no rational reason for choosing to watch this show. And I may never get to it. But like I said if I ever run out of shows to watch, then this will be watched.
Where I'm at: Not Started
Not Really a Drama, but Funny as Hell
American Horror Story
Yeah here's a show that's not really a traditional drama, but just an excuse for Ryan Murphy to do a bunch of crazy shit. It's definitely not supposed to be a comedy, but's pretty funny at times. And it's not scary, which is good for me because I hate scary movies. Yeah here's a show that I find I have to watch if I'm interested in TV because it does things no other show does, even if it is objectively not that great of a show. (For instance, it has one of the worst pilots I have ever seen)
Where I'm at: Season 3, Episode 1
And that's the list of shows that air on FX that I want to watch.
Before starting, there are two shows on this list that I have completed: Terriers and Rescue Me. I plan to revisit Terriers and write about it here at some point. And Rescue Me is counted down as finished, but I stopped watching after five seasons, because the quality had dropped tremendously from its first season. (But man that first season was pretty great) I may or may not finish Rescue Me, but as you can see, it's not really a big concern for me to finish it. (Other shows counted as "Finished" despite the fact that I haven't finished them: The Walking Dead, House of Cards, and Downton Abbey)
Comedies
Archer
Duh. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm not fully caught up on Archer. It has nothing to do with the show and everything to do with me. I'm making more of an effort to watch comedy shows - and Archer is not far down the list of shows I will catch up to. It also has the distinct honor of being one of the few shows I actually want to re-watch. But first obviously I need to watch it once!
Where I'm at: Season 3, Episode 6
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
This show is in a weird place. I was way late to watching this show, for some reason decided to watch the first season, and then stopped. I remember liking and being impressed by the show and yet I never watched more. (It's pretty much identical to How I Met Your Mother, except I liked this show better) As it stands, It's Always Sunny will be watched after every other comedy that I've started, but I won't start any new comedies until this one is finished. (Unless it's a situation like B99 where I can start from the beginning and watch while it airs. But that's different)
Where I'm at: Season 2, Episode 2 (Yeah for some reason I stopped after one episode)
The League
Here's a show I am caught up to, at least I'm caught up to its latest episode on Netflix. I'm not sure this show qualifies as a guilty pleasure - it's characters are pretty despicable It's kind of about fantasy sports, but not really, but the comedic style of this show is one of my favorites. It's sort of an improvisation/scripted show that just goes for broke a lot and is unapologetic about its shameless guest-star whoring. Also, Rafi.
Where I'm at: Season 5, Episode 1
Wilfred
Yeah I don't know how this show works. But it does. Somehow. The first season is mostly hit-or-miss, but the last episode was the best and I've heard positive things about the second season. It's a drastically different comedy than any others on this list, a type of comedy I can appreciate. And Jason Gann is tremendous as the dog.
Where I'm at: Season 2, Episode 1
Not really a Comedy, but Funny as Hell
Louie
Louis CK is probably my favorite comedian, but it feels wrong to call his show a comedy. It's not really a drama either. Either way, it's fantastic and this is one of the few shows I'm completely caught up to, thanks to that two-year break that Louie took. Not sure what else to say about this. You've probably either seen it or have actively decided to not watch it.
Where I'm at: Season 4 (Current Season)
Dramas
The Americans
If you've followed me on twitter for a while, you know that I regularly promote this show as if I was getting paid by them. Well, I'm not and I will take this opportunity to yet again promote this show: go watch it as soon as you can. The first season is on Amazon Prime and I'm guessing the second will be on there a good amount of time before the third season begins. The reason I promote this show is because its ratings are not very good and I would very much like to not see this get cancelled. And as a bonus, the third season has been picked up already so you at least won't have to worry about starting a doomed show. (While FX seems very much committed to the show, just to be safe, watch it.)
Where I'm at: Season 2 (Current Season)
Justified
I was very late to the game on Justified: I watched my first episode of it probably six months ago. And guess what? I'm completely caught up. The show is that good. Few shows are just purely as enjoyable as this one even when the quality drops off a bit. The dialogue is maybe the best on television and it's a treat to watch two world class actors in Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins.
Where I'm at: Season 6 (Which will air next year)
Sons of Anarchy
I have run the gamut of opinions about Sons of Anarchy. The first season was promising and I was optimistic. The second season was even better and I thought it could be one of my favorite shows. The third season sucked, but it had goodwill left over and the last few episodes were pretty great. The fourth season was better, but severely soured me on the show as I realized I had overrated it because of the second season. And then the fifth season got me back into a mood where I liked the show. And I haven't seen the sixth season because I have watched it on Netflix and am waiting for it to add episodes there. (Hopefully, it adds the season before the new season airs, but I'm not optimistic as it did not do that with its recent season. I WANT to watch your show on live television, help me do that!)
Where I'm at: Season 6, Episode 1
Damages
I have not seen this show. I do not know if it is good, although I'm reasonably confident it is. I kind of have a thing for Rose Byrne though so you know any potential doubt I have going into this show is immediately squashed. You know the show that you're kind of wary about starting and then you realize an actor/actress you like is in it? Well that's what is happening here. Either way, there's only 59 episodes so it's not like a huge commitment.
Where I'm at: Not started
Fargo
I missed the boat on this show. I don't remember why I missed the first episode, but I missed it. And then I never managed to catch the first episode when FX aired it at a later date. And then I refused to watch the second episode without having first seen the first episode. And thus, I have yet to see this show. I hope it goes on Amazon Prime or Netflix. Or I'll just record every episode that I see as it comes along (hopefully FX holds a marathon later). Either way, I really want to see this show.
Where I'm at: Not Started
Nip Tuck
So this is a show that will be watched when I run out of shows. So if you're a huge Nip Tuck fan - I'm not aware of any that I know - it's going to be a while. I have no rational reason for choosing to watch this show. And I may never get to it. But like I said if I ever run out of shows to watch, then this will be watched.
Where I'm at: Not Started
Not Really a Drama, but Funny as Hell
American Horror Story
Yeah here's a show that's not really a traditional drama, but just an excuse for Ryan Murphy to do a bunch of crazy shit. It's definitely not supposed to be a comedy, but's pretty funny at times. And it's not scary, which is good for me because I hate scary movies. Yeah here's a show that I find I have to watch if I'm interested in TV because it does things no other show does, even if it is objectively not that great of a show. (For instance, it has one of the worst pilots I have ever seen)
Where I'm at: Season 3, Episode 1
And that's the list of shows that air on FX that I want to watch.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Vikings S2 Review
The second season of Vikings was much the same as the first season of Vikings. If there's any credit to this show, it's that it's remarkably consistent. Of course, that does present a downside: if I found the first season had flaws, then the second season has the same flaws. Most great television shows see a marked improvement from their first to second seasons. I'm not sure I would consider this a great show, but it's certainly a lot of fun and way different than anything else on TV.
Vikings is masterful at certain things. If there's a better show for depicting mood on camera, I have not seen it. And really that's important because you get the sense that the gods played a large role in how the vikings lived their life. That a certain mood was depicted over all the events they had. Vikings displays that sense of whatever emotion it wants us to feel really well.
Also, Ragnar Lothbrook is a fantastic lead upon which to base a show. He's quite different than other characters on television, thanks largely to the work of Travis Fimmel. His sly grins, sideway glances, and mischievous movements depict how he functions better than any dialogue can. (Which is pretty good because the dialogue tends to be pretty straightforward and blunt) You hear a lot about how special Ragnar is in this show, and that is quite a bit of expectation, but the show and Fimmel create a character to where we understand and actually believe just how special he is.
The show is also very beautiful. I mean the images that appear on the screen are just breathtaking. It's amazing how they are able to capture some of the most striking images of a river, a mountain, or a camp. It's certainly one of the best looking shows on television. Then there's of course the very well done battle scenes, which plays a part in its imagery. I personally liked the first season battle scenes better (I was not a fan of the first one of the season - too chaotic), but overall they are one of the more well done battle scenes. And you can expect one nearly every episode.
One kind of major problem I had with this season was Aslaug. Aslaug is inferior to Lagertha in pretty much every way except maybe making babies. That, by effect, makes Ragnar appear worse as a character. He chose Aslaug over Lagertha. I'm sorry, the ability to make babies is not a very valid reason for me. Aslaug is spoiled, entitled, whiny, and not a very nice person. She's somewhat of a problematic character since she makes Ragnar's decision-making look bad.
Also, the show made it seem like Floki had betrayed Ragnar. Well not so much made us think as tried to fool us into thinking it. It wasn't well done. Either the twist was predictable or Floki was acting wildly out-of-character. And since that last part would be a death knell for the character of Floki, there's really only one answer. And before the "surprising" reveal at the end, the show makes it really obvious.
And I like Bjorn, and the actor who plays him, but I don't think I could give less of a shit about his potential romance with the freed slave. It just doesn't matter and I'm not sure if there's a way to make it more interesting, but whatever they are doing isn't working.
Lastly, despite having the great Donal Logue, King Horik becomes a bit of a drag. He's clearly not a good counter villain to Ragnar. There's never any sense that he's on the same level of Ragnar in smarts, strategy, or fighting. And well, there needs to be a good villain usually, and he just doesn't provide. King Ecbert was much more compelling, although I said the same thing about King Horik last season - this show just might have a villain problem.
Vikings is a good show that has a few flaws that keep it from being great. To the show's credit, Rollo vastly improves in this season. I'd say that's really the only weakness they fixed. And I didn't even mention Athlestan in this review, but really there's nothing new to say that I didn't say in my first season review. (I would recommend reading that if you haven't to get my opinion on this show - exact same opinion as then.) Despite that, I am knocking it down a little because some of the mystique has worn off and Athelstan's journey with King Ecbert was underwhelming. (Since Athelstan/Ragnar provide a lot of the best moments, they took away like four episodes of their best material in my opinion)
Grade - B
Playlist
1. "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games." - Of Montreal
2. "Leeway" - We Were Evergreen
3. "Apply Some Pressure" - Maximo Park
4. "X Gone Give it to Ya" - DMX
5. "Tabletops" - Murs x Mayday
Vikings is masterful at certain things. If there's a better show for depicting mood on camera, I have not seen it. And really that's important because you get the sense that the gods played a large role in how the vikings lived their life. That a certain mood was depicted over all the events they had. Vikings displays that sense of whatever emotion it wants us to feel really well.
Also, Ragnar Lothbrook is a fantastic lead upon which to base a show. He's quite different than other characters on television, thanks largely to the work of Travis Fimmel. His sly grins, sideway glances, and mischievous movements depict how he functions better than any dialogue can. (Which is pretty good because the dialogue tends to be pretty straightforward and blunt) You hear a lot about how special Ragnar is in this show, and that is quite a bit of expectation, but the show and Fimmel create a character to where we understand and actually believe just how special he is.
The show is also very beautiful. I mean the images that appear on the screen are just breathtaking. It's amazing how they are able to capture some of the most striking images of a river, a mountain, or a camp. It's certainly one of the best looking shows on television. Then there's of course the very well done battle scenes, which plays a part in its imagery. I personally liked the first season battle scenes better (I was not a fan of the first one of the season - too chaotic), but overall they are one of the more well done battle scenes. And you can expect one nearly every episode.
One kind of major problem I had with this season was Aslaug. Aslaug is inferior to Lagertha in pretty much every way except maybe making babies. That, by effect, makes Ragnar appear worse as a character. He chose Aslaug over Lagertha. I'm sorry, the ability to make babies is not a very valid reason for me. Aslaug is spoiled, entitled, whiny, and not a very nice person. She's somewhat of a problematic character since she makes Ragnar's decision-making look bad.
Also, the show made it seem like Floki had betrayed Ragnar. Well not so much made us think as tried to fool us into thinking it. It wasn't well done. Either the twist was predictable or Floki was acting wildly out-of-character. And since that last part would be a death knell for the character of Floki, there's really only one answer. And before the "surprising" reveal at the end, the show makes it really obvious.
And I like Bjorn, and the actor who plays him, but I don't think I could give less of a shit about his potential romance with the freed slave. It just doesn't matter and I'm not sure if there's a way to make it more interesting, but whatever they are doing isn't working.
Lastly, despite having the great Donal Logue, King Horik becomes a bit of a drag. He's clearly not a good counter villain to Ragnar. There's never any sense that he's on the same level of Ragnar in smarts, strategy, or fighting. And well, there needs to be a good villain usually, and he just doesn't provide. King Ecbert was much more compelling, although I said the same thing about King Horik last season - this show just might have a villain problem.
Vikings is a good show that has a few flaws that keep it from being great. To the show's credit, Rollo vastly improves in this season. I'd say that's really the only weakness they fixed. And I didn't even mention Athlestan in this review, but really there's nothing new to say that I didn't say in my first season review. (I would recommend reading that if you haven't to get my opinion on this show - exact same opinion as then.) Despite that, I am knocking it down a little because some of the mystique has worn off and Athelstan's journey with King Ecbert was underwhelming. (Since Athelstan/Ragnar provide a lot of the best moments, they took away like four episodes of their best material in my opinion)
Grade - B
Playlist
1. "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games." - Of Montreal
2. "Leeway" - We Were Evergreen
3. "Apply Some Pressure" - Maximo Park
4. "X Gone Give it to Ya" - DMX
5. "Tabletops" - Murs x Mayday
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
The Americans: Operation Chronicle
What exactly is Andrew Larrick up to? Why did Kate tell Jared about his parents unbeknownst to the Jennings (and possibly the Center)? Hopefully these questions will be answered in the following episode, because this episode didn't really answer either question. Sure, Andrew is following Jared - which means he probably killed his parents - but it's not really clear what his ulterior motive is at this point.
At this point it seems clear that Jared will not make it to Australia or Switzerland or wherever he is intended to go. Larrick will find him. He could kill him, he could use him to help find the Jennings, or he could overturn them to the US government to destroy the Russians. But we don't really know Larrick's plan so it's hard to guess what he plans to do with Jared.
Jared is way more prominent than I ever expected. It's pretty sad that he is going to have to go to a foreign country on his own. Granted, I'm pretty sure he's not making it there, but that's not the point. It reflects a very possible future for Paige and/or Henry. Phillip is confident Paige could survive - and frankly so am I - and Henry's still too young to tell. But smart or not, upending your life like that is definitely not ideal.
Paige meanwhile is getting dangerously close to finding the truth. The show was able to bring about an impossible amount of tension from her listening in on her parents' conversation. Excellent directing during that scene with the camera slowly moving in a way that indicates Paige could possibly be sneaking downstairs. I fully expected her to be in the background at some point. And Elizabeth on the phone was also sort of filmed like she was being watched. She's too clever for her own good right now. She doesn't believe anything her parents tell her. (Speaking of which, the priest is straddling the line between really nice and kind of creepy for me)
And really who can blame Paige? Not only are her parents not giving her explanations for why they are doing certain things, but they are somewhat unpredictable and secretive. On top of that, Elizabeth can't help her pack and that type of thing can spur levels of disappointment and anger that leads to distrust. The beautiful thing about this - for me - is that her skepticism and doubt can really also be interpreted as normal teenage actions. I know I sometimes had times where I was always questioning any time my parents tried to keep something from me.
Speaking of children, it looks like Martha is having a maternal need. Thanks, The Americans for prefacing that with Phillip taking off the used condom! Could have gone without that... But wow when Phillip shut her down, I don't think I've ever felt worse for Martha - which is kind of saying something since every. single. episode she's in involves me thinking "poor Martha." I was just kind of begging that scene to end and it seemed to go on forever. Clark you are a bastard.
This came after Martha looked awesome for a few minutes too! Apparently, she just stole files that people have left laying around, which shocks Clark/Phillip. Better yet, she knows that Clark's hair is a toupee. I was mentally cheering for Martha, and then she asked for kids. And then the soul-crushing response from Phillip sucked all of that victory away from Martha.
Lastly, nobody's favorite couple Stan and Nina are going through some TOUGH issues. Like Stan buying Nina a car and trying to bolt. I don't think that salesman bought that Stan was buying it for his niece, but I also don't think he cared. Anyway, his plan quickly comes crashing down when he comes to the "safehouse" with Nina beat up by the Arkady and goons.
So it looks like Stan's going to betray his country. And I can't really tell if the Arkady cares about Nina or not. I mean every scene where he displays his cards is in front of Oleg and its in his best interests for Oleg to think of Nina as a co-worker and not a lover. So it would make sense that he's telling Oleg that he doesn't trust Nina, but I can't really tell if he actually is as harsh to Nina as his words would indicate because he's saying them to Oleg.
Other Notes
- Henry doesn't think Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan will be good. Haha that's funny because it's the best one.
- I also can't tell how "real" Oleg and Nina's relationship is. Everyone's playing everyone at least a little bit.
- Sandra is moving in with her boyfriend - I'm sorry I'm all out of shits to give for Stan right now
- "The Maverick's a piece of shit. If I sold it to you, I'd have to go to confession." - What a great line
- Tag for next week? Phillip and Elizabeth are done being secret agents. Probably not, but still interesting
Grade - B+
At this point it seems clear that Jared will not make it to Australia or Switzerland or wherever he is intended to go. Larrick will find him. He could kill him, he could use him to help find the Jennings, or he could overturn them to the US government to destroy the Russians. But we don't really know Larrick's plan so it's hard to guess what he plans to do with Jared.
Jared is way more prominent than I ever expected. It's pretty sad that he is going to have to go to a foreign country on his own. Granted, I'm pretty sure he's not making it there, but that's not the point. It reflects a very possible future for Paige and/or Henry. Phillip is confident Paige could survive - and frankly so am I - and Henry's still too young to tell. But smart or not, upending your life like that is definitely not ideal.
Paige meanwhile is getting dangerously close to finding the truth. The show was able to bring about an impossible amount of tension from her listening in on her parents' conversation. Excellent directing during that scene with the camera slowly moving in a way that indicates Paige could possibly be sneaking downstairs. I fully expected her to be in the background at some point. And Elizabeth on the phone was also sort of filmed like she was being watched. She's too clever for her own good right now. She doesn't believe anything her parents tell her. (Speaking of which, the priest is straddling the line between really nice and kind of creepy for me)
And really who can blame Paige? Not only are her parents not giving her explanations for why they are doing certain things, but they are somewhat unpredictable and secretive. On top of that, Elizabeth can't help her pack and that type of thing can spur levels of disappointment and anger that leads to distrust. The beautiful thing about this - for me - is that her skepticism and doubt can really also be interpreted as normal teenage actions. I know I sometimes had times where I was always questioning any time my parents tried to keep something from me.
Speaking of children, it looks like Martha is having a maternal need. Thanks, The Americans for prefacing that with Phillip taking off the used condom! Could have gone without that... But wow when Phillip shut her down, I don't think I've ever felt worse for Martha - which is kind of saying something since every. single. episode she's in involves me thinking "poor Martha." I was just kind of begging that scene to end and it seemed to go on forever. Clark you are a bastard.
This came after Martha looked awesome for a few minutes too! Apparently, she just stole files that people have left laying around, which shocks Clark/Phillip. Better yet, she knows that Clark's hair is a toupee. I was mentally cheering for Martha, and then she asked for kids. And then the soul-crushing response from Phillip sucked all of that victory away from Martha.
Lastly, nobody's favorite couple Stan and Nina are going through some TOUGH issues. Like Stan buying Nina a car and trying to bolt. I don't think that salesman bought that Stan was buying it for his niece, but I also don't think he cared. Anyway, his plan quickly comes crashing down when he comes to the "safehouse" with Nina beat up by the Arkady and goons.
So it looks like Stan's going to betray his country. And I can't really tell if the Arkady cares about Nina or not. I mean every scene where he displays his cards is in front of Oleg and its in his best interests for Oleg to think of Nina as a co-worker and not a lover. So it would make sense that he's telling Oleg that he doesn't trust Nina, but I can't really tell if he actually is as harsh to Nina as his words would indicate because he's saying them to Oleg.
Other Notes
- Henry doesn't think Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan will be good. Haha that's funny because it's the best one.
- I also can't tell how "real" Oleg and Nina's relationship is. Everyone's playing everyone at least a little bit.
- Sandra is moving in with her boyfriend - I'm sorry I'm all out of shits to give for Stan right now
- "The Maverick's a piece of shit. If I sold it to you, I'd have to go to confession." - What a great line
- Tag for next week? Phillip and Elizabeth are done being secret agents. Probably not, but still interesting
Grade - B+
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Rewind: The Simpsons S5
Whenever I begin a review of The Simpsons, I feel this enormous weight on my shoulders. There's the simple fact that a lot of people consider this show as one of the best of all time. Based on the views I get for each of these posts, it's safe to say there's quite a few people who basically only tune into these Simpsons reviews. I tend to feel guilty that I am not worthy of writing about this show.
If I thought I felt pressure writing about previous seasons, well triple it here for the vaunted fifth season. The season where, let's face it, the plots are ridiculously insane, even for The Simpsons. They get a pet elephant, Bart AND Homer both become famous, and Homer goes to fucking space. Needless to say, the show didn't seem to feel the need to restrain itself. Virtually any parody or wacky plot could conceivably happen, which is a welcome change from the usual repeated storylines even the best sitcoms tend to have. (In theory, having the plots be virtually anything shouldn't work. In theory, communism works. In theory.)
This may sound like sacrilege to some, but honestly this is the first season where I get it. I understand its love, its admiration, and its obsessive fans. This is the first season of The Simpsons that worked for me like I expected it to. Now, I'm not saying the previous seasons disappointed me by any means, I just felt like my expectations had been built so high that I was holding the show to an impossible standard. Those standards haven't been lowered so much as the fifth season reached them.
I realized something else to help me reach this conclusion. The Simpsons do two things that are common nowadays, but back then was rare. The first is the cutaway gag. It's not exactly accurate to say it's overused now, because if it's done well it will always work, but between all of Seth McFarlane's shows, 30 Rock and New Girl (and others), the cutaway gag is all over the place.
The other thing is meta humor and meta sitcom humor (I don't know what else to call it). The show makes fun of itself frequently and comments on its place in pop culture. It also makes fun of the structure of the show itself and how sitcoms usually work. Other shows do meta humor - hell other shows did meta humor around the same time (I am scared to put this show here because of the hate it gets now, but Friends is a good example). But no other shows make fun of how exposition works and say things about how the episode is wrapping up much quicker than usual. (Although, if there's a weakness in this season, it's that they went to that well too many times. It felt like every episode had a meta joke in it)
Those two things helped me appreciate The Simpsons more, but what also helped it was that I found it much funnier. The "insect overlords" scene makes me laugh every time I think about it and is one of the funniest scenes of any comedy show ever for me. For some reason, watching Sideshow Bob get constantly pummeled is also endlessly hilarious including walking into a rake a ridiculous number of times. Then there's the innumerable amount of times The Simpsons generates laughs by doing the opposite of what would be expected.
Adding to the laughs is an almost insanely amazing ability to deploy famous guest stars in the best way possible. I can't think of any better use than what they do with James Woods, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ernest Borgnine, and Albert Brooks. And not necessarily due to their voice work like the actors, they tend to make comedy gold out of their musical guest stars such as George Harrison, the Ramones, and James Taylor.
Despite these laughs, I don't think The Simpsons sacrificed any humanity for its characters. There's a shocking character consistency that I expected to falter. If Homer needs to find something out, every single time they make sure he only finds out because it's blatantly obvious. Bart is mischievous, but he's not downright evil by rejecting Burns and confessing that he witnessed an apparent assault. This aspect of The Simpsons is evidently missing from newer episodes from what I've read (well that and being funny).
If there's one thing that I miss the most in Simpsons episodes, it's the not insignificant amount of its pop culture references. One of the weaknesses to being young (humble brag) is that my cultural cache is much, much smaller than most people. Sure, I most likely have a considerably bigger reach than most people my age, and I'm trying hard to expand it, but I have nowhere near what The Simpsons writers had. I mean four of the first seven episodes are elaborate parodies of things I have little knowledge of. The history of The Beatles? I'm probably the farthest thing from an expert on The Beatles. Also, I've never seen Cape Fear, Citizen Kane (gasp!), or Thelma & Louise. You could say I feel a little bit left out.
If anything though, the impressive reach of movies/shows that it would inspire me to watch is an enormous positive for the show. And to revisit these episodes after having seen things that the show mocks, lovingly parodies, or comments upon will be a joy. I've said it before and it never has been truer than now for me: I will enjoy these episodes more on re-watch than my first viewing.
Lastly, because I think it deserves merit, is the show's title sequence. It says something about what a run they had reached that the chalkboard and couch gags became must-see television. Between "I will never win an Emmy," "I will not celebrate meaningless milestones," and every single, unique couch gag, the show was clearly firing on all cylinders.
It feels good that I finally get it. I'm really interested to see how I view previous seasons now that I feel I understand its love. I don't know what it says about me that it took until the fifth season, but an important thing to understand is that I have always expected to laugh more at these episodes. And this is the first season where that expectation was met. (Last note: It's amazing how many quotes I am well aware of that I didn't know came from The Simpsons)
Playlist
1. "No Rest for the Wicked" - Lykki Li
2. "High" - Freddie Gibbs feat. Danny Brown & Madlib
3. "Gooey" - Glass Animals
4. "Do it Again" - Robyn, Röyksopp
5. "Comes and Goes" - Greg Laswell
If I thought I felt pressure writing about previous seasons, well triple it here for the vaunted fifth season. The season where, let's face it, the plots are ridiculously insane, even for The Simpsons. They get a pet elephant, Bart AND Homer both become famous, and Homer goes to fucking space. Needless to say, the show didn't seem to feel the need to restrain itself. Virtually any parody or wacky plot could conceivably happen, which is a welcome change from the usual repeated storylines even the best sitcoms tend to have. (In theory, having the plots be virtually anything shouldn't work. In theory, communism works. In theory.)
This may sound like sacrilege to some, but honestly this is the first season where I get it. I understand its love, its admiration, and its obsessive fans. This is the first season of The Simpsons that worked for me like I expected it to. Now, I'm not saying the previous seasons disappointed me by any means, I just felt like my expectations had been built so high that I was holding the show to an impossible standard. Those standards haven't been lowered so much as the fifth season reached them.
I realized something else to help me reach this conclusion. The Simpsons do two things that are common nowadays, but back then was rare. The first is the cutaway gag. It's not exactly accurate to say it's overused now, because if it's done well it will always work, but between all of Seth McFarlane's shows, 30 Rock and New Girl (and others), the cutaway gag is all over the place.
The other thing is meta humor and meta sitcom humor (I don't know what else to call it). The show makes fun of itself frequently and comments on its place in pop culture. It also makes fun of the structure of the show itself and how sitcoms usually work. Other shows do meta humor - hell other shows did meta humor around the same time (I am scared to put this show here because of the hate it gets now, but Friends is a good example). But no other shows make fun of how exposition works and say things about how the episode is wrapping up much quicker than usual. (Although, if there's a weakness in this season, it's that they went to that well too many times. It felt like every episode had a meta joke in it)
Those two things helped me appreciate The Simpsons more, but what also helped it was that I found it much funnier. The "insect overlords" scene makes me laugh every time I think about it and is one of the funniest scenes of any comedy show ever for me. For some reason, watching Sideshow Bob get constantly pummeled is also endlessly hilarious including walking into a rake a ridiculous number of times. Then there's the innumerable amount of times The Simpsons generates laughs by doing the opposite of what would be expected.
Adding to the laughs is an almost insanely amazing ability to deploy famous guest stars in the best way possible. I can't think of any better use than what they do with James Woods, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ernest Borgnine, and Albert Brooks. And not necessarily due to their voice work like the actors, they tend to make comedy gold out of their musical guest stars such as George Harrison, the Ramones, and James Taylor.
Despite these laughs, I don't think The Simpsons sacrificed any humanity for its characters. There's a shocking character consistency that I expected to falter. If Homer needs to find something out, every single time they make sure he only finds out because it's blatantly obvious. Bart is mischievous, but he's not downright evil by rejecting Burns and confessing that he witnessed an apparent assault. This aspect of The Simpsons is evidently missing from newer episodes from what I've read (well that and being funny).
If there's one thing that I miss the most in Simpsons episodes, it's the not insignificant amount of its pop culture references. One of the weaknesses to being young (humble brag) is that my cultural cache is much, much smaller than most people. Sure, I most likely have a considerably bigger reach than most people my age, and I'm trying hard to expand it, but I have nowhere near what The Simpsons writers had. I mean four of the first seven episodes are elaborate parodies of things I have little knowledge of. The history of The Beatles? I'm probably the farthest thing from an expert on The Beatles. Also, I've never seen Cape Fear, Citizen Kane (gasp!), or Thelma & Louise. You could say I feel a little bit left out.
If anything though, the impressive reach of movies/shows that it would inspire me to watch is an enormous positive for the show. And to revisit these episodes after having seen things that the show mocks, lovingly parodies, or comments upon will be a joy. I've said it before and it never has been truer than now for me: I will enjoy these episodes more on re-watch than my first viewing.
Lastly, because I think it deserves merit, is the show's title sequence. It says something about what a run they had reached that the chalkboard and couch gags became must-see television. Between "I will never win an Emmy," "I will not celebrate meaningless milestones," and every single, unique couch gag, the show was clearly firing on all cylinders.
It feels good that I finally get it. I'm really interested to see how I view previous seasons now that I feel I understand its love. I don't know what it says about me that it took until the fifth season, but an important thing to understand is that I have always expected to laugh more at these episodes. And this is the first season where that expectation was met. (Last note: It's amazing how many quotes I am well aware of that I didn't know came from The Simpsons)
Playlist
1. "No Rest for the Wicked" - Lykki Li
2. "High" - Freddie Gibbs feat. Danny Brown & Madlib
3. "Gooey" - Glass Animals
4. "Do it Again" - Robyn, Röyksopp
5. "Comes and Goes" - Greg Laswell
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