With the semi-glitz and glamour of the Olympics over and the actual glitz and semi-relevancy of the Oscars complete it’s time to contemplate television again. Sweet, sweet television, that never runs long or forces you to interact with Ben Stiller. So happy you exist.
Here’s what we thought about last week’s TV–tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Ellen
The 82nd Academy Awards
Somehow, James Cameron became his own greedy occupying US military. A largely dull Oscar ceremony ended up warming arthouse moviegoers’ hearts everywhere as the once-studio-snubbed The Hurt Locker walked away with the double blasts of Best Director and Best Picture. Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman ever to walk away with a directing award, and judging by her shock when Tom Hanks mumblingly opened the final envelope she, too, bought into the prevailing wisdom that “Space Smurf Pocahontas”‘ mighty box-office clout would translate into little gold men.
It was good to have Avatar to kick around for one more night, if only because so many other jokes during the telecast fell flat: Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as hosts had great chemistry but terrible writing rife with slightly homophobic jokes about manly affection (including a Paranormal Activity skit); it’s telling when presenter Tyler Perry comes off with the best line of the night in a throwaway joke about The Blind Side. The Best Actor honoring speeches became something of a roast and a John Hughes tribute was unexpectedly moving, but the dances were puzzling and the conductor too heavy on his baton in several of the speeches. That twist ending, though!
ALSO: here’s the explanation for that woman in purple who crashed that speech.
Robert
Caprica: “There Is Another Sky” & “Know Thy Enemy”
One thing that Caprica has required so far is patience—and lots of it. Unlike Battlestar Galactica, there isn’t much action in the world of the Graystones and Adamas, but true to Ronald D. Moore form, Caprica really shines when it hits a nerve. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that bigger things were coming, and “There Is Another Sky” is the first episode to really give this solid-but-languishing series a much-needed kick in the pants.
Tamara Adama—who we’d last seen in the pilot episode—wanders through the holoband as a now-bodiless avatar like some ghost in the machine. She finds her way into a pretty nasty situation and what happens next (and the way it’s handled) is pretty ingenious, as if watching the plot of The Matrix somehow unfold in reverse. We also see how Joseph Adama is finally coming to grips with the loss of his wife and daughter, and how it manifests itself in young William Adama. The resentment, the frustration and the unspoken things that chip away at them finally come to a close when Joseph finds solace in his Tauron heritage.
Meanwhile, Daniel Graystone decides to play his Cylon ace card when his company’s future is at risk. The pitch he makes to the board plays magnificently, at first seeming like a parallel of our entertainment industry’s struggle with trying to maneuver through a changing market, but then ever-so-subtly shows a darker side as Daniel’s definition of a “new race” that can work without rest or pay or rights is a chilling hint of everything we know will eventually come.
CSI: Miami: “LA”
It’s been at least a couple of seasons since I stopped watching CSI: Miami. It supplied guaranteed laughs every Monday night but I’d finally gotten tired of watching it in MST3K mode. However, the idea of this much-hyped episode directed by Rob Zombie was just puzzling enough to pull me back for a return visit. I was expecting something similar to when Quentin Tarantino and William Friedkin guest-directed CSI, but for all the touting, there was almost no sign of Rob Zombie present. Guest stars included Michael Madsen, Zombie alums William Forsythe and Malcolm McDowell and the obligatory Sheri Moon appearance, but I was really hoping for some of Zombie’s horror roots to show through. Ultimately, it was another ho-hum episode in an otherwise ho-hum show, to the point where even David Caruso’s sunglasses looked uninterested.
LOST: “Sundown”
For a while now we’ve been wondering when Sayid was going to get off his ass and get to the killin’ again. This week’s episode was no disappointment. Check out more with this week’s Getting LOST.
Armando
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains: “Tonight, We Make Our Move”
I’ve watched every Survivor season since day 1. It and American Idol are the two shows I can sit and watch with the family and just have a fun time with. Definitely manufactured reality at it best, and at least with Survivor the location is fun, the schoolyard popularity type antics are in full swing, and of course, what my kids enjoy the most, the challenges. Last season was one of it’s best ever because of a guy named Russell who, in my opinion, has played the game better than anyone else. He should have won.
Well, he’s back in what is the greatest assembly of former players yet. Better than All-Stars which seemed a bit forced. I am definitely enjoying the Heroes vs Villains concept and the “drama” it has created.
Another cool thing is it not only are the best players on the show, but the best and most challenging challenges are being brought back to show as well.
Good Stuff. Go Russell!
Parenthood: “Pilot”
When I first saw the promos for this, I was worried that Modern Family my have struck the chord this show might be going for. I was wrong.
Modern Family is the more funny, quick snapshot of today’s family and the not so always “normal” events that happen in our day to day family activities.
Parenthood is the broad strokes of the more dramatic wall painting of an extended families lives.
Plus, anything with Lorelai Gilmore–err Lauren Graham, instantly becomes a favorite of mine. I could watch her eat oatmeal and make faces to the camera and I’d be happy.
It’s a huge plus that at least the pilot of Parenthood was a pleasant surprise. It’s a definite new edition to my DVR series recordings.
LOST: “Sundown”
Still my favorite show right now, and definitely one of all time faves. (Buffy, Gilmore Girls, LOST, The Wire, Glee, yes I said Glee, and The Sopranos ) No other show has me counting down the days until it’s next episode. See Getting LOST for more details of this love affair.
Zoe
Community: “Physical Education”
I’m going to admit something here: Abed is my least favorite character on Community. I mean, I like Danny Pudi and he definitely has wonderful moments, but overall he does seem to play into the whole “Community is only about pop culture references!” thing more than any other cast member. (For the record, I disagree with that thesis as I get almost none of the references and still enjoy the hell out of the show).
So, given that, it was pretty awesome when this week’s Abed-themed episode made me laugh harder than any one in a while. Abed’s plot was a great showcase for Pudi and the Gang and Jeff’s pool plot served as a bizarre, yet grounding, backdrop. Add on the Bert and Ernie scene at the end and yea, I’m pretty damn glad this show is back.
But could they find a reason for Pierce to be there?
Dennis
Parenthood: “Pilot”
Parenthood has already been a Steve Martin-starring movie and a short-lived Leonardo DiCaprio-starring TV series, but being that I have seen neither, I spent an hour instead comparing this show to ABC’s still-running (albeit, barely functionally) family drama Brothers & Sisters. And these certainly shows have more in common than just Six Feet Under alumni as regulars. Peter Krause and Monica Potter are slightly less boring than B&S’s Tommy and Julia, due to a possibly Asperger’s-afflicted child. On the other hand, Dax Shepherd’s Crosby (I’m not sure what’s more ridiculous, his real name or his character name?) is way less interesting as a screwup here, than Dave Annabale on his ABC show. Plus, not confusing at all, Shepherd’s love interest is Marguerite Moreau (who is also appearing on–wait for it–Brothers & Sisters), And Erika Christensen, you are no Sarah Walker, as a mom trying to juggle successful career and child (does anyone else find this apparent storyline “trend” offensive?), but at least you have Eli Stone’s Sam Jaeger as your husband. May he fare better than John Pyper-Ferguson! Also, title FAIL. Why is Brothers & Sisters’ most compelling character its matriarch, while Parenthood’s grandparents (Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie “More Blythe Danner in Meet the Parents, Less Sally Field” Bedelia) are far from grand? Can’t they make this show about Lauren Graham, Mike O’Malley (between this and Glee he’s making up for years of Yes, Dear), and Mae Whitman (Arrested Development’s um, her) just retitle it More Original Than Every Family Show Or Movie This Show Used to Sort of Resemble?