Justified - "Kill The Messenger" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 24, 2014
Justified S5E6

Can I buy you a beer?

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

A man walks into a bar.

After the last episode, everyone is sitting on the edge of their seats.  Raylan has confessed, sorta, that he was involved in the Nicky Augustine murder.  What is Art to do?

Raylan visits Art, post-sorta-confession, at a bar during a rainstorm.  He walks up to his boss, and says "Art."  Art punches Raylan in the face and walks out. 

Ava is now in prison, and the protection Boyd offers her, in the face of an Aryan crime boss, is not providing her the sanctuary she needs.  Boyd's Aryan buddy views Boyd as a traitor to the cause, and his sister roughs Ava up instead of providing protection.

Boyd, incensed by his former friend's actions, decides to collaborate with the Crowe family, and pays back the transgression with a fit of violence.  Don't expect the Crowder/Crowe business arrangement to hold for long.  Also, Boyd is trying to establish a Mexican cartel connection to supply the heroin trade in Harlan County.  But Cousin Johnny, under the guise of Hot Rod Dunham, is planning to cross Boyd and take over this apparently lucrative vice. 

Tim is suspicious of the fact that Raylan has a black eye and Art has injured his knuckles, but neither the protagonist or his boss will talk about a personnel matter.  Rachael sides up to Raylan, but Raylan will not confide in her what precipitated the conflict.  But he does offer some nice platitudes to solidify his respect for his co-worker.

This episode falls a little flat, especially coming off "Shot All To Hell."  But the last episode will likely be remembered as one of the best of the series, so it is likely not a fair comparison.  And the writers have earned trust over the years, so this episode will probably be looked at as an essential bridge in Season 5.  

There are lots of scores still to settle in Harlan County.

Random Thoughts:

- Darryl is really growing on me.

- Danny's psychopathy was toned down this episode.

- Tim needs to shoot someone.

What did you think?

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True Detective - "Haunted Houses" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 24, 2014
True Detective S1E6

Cohle plays shadow puppets

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

After two back-to-back action-oriented episodes, True Detective slows down with some character development.  But a needed change of pace to show why Hart and Cohle split up in 2002.

A lot of stuff that has happened as this miniseries heads toward the penultimate episode.  The internet has been abuzz with wild theories about what the show's two main protagonists have been up to for the past 10 years.  And a lot of those theories were squashed with this episode's revelations.  There is no supernatural (as of yet) stuff going on; this is a character-driven drama about the price that homicide detectives pay as they investigate some of the most horrifying crimes that humans commit.  

Maggie, Hart's wife, has taken the philandering Hart back.  And everything is peaceful in the Hart household.  But Marty, on a maxipad run for the women in his life, stops in to the T-Mobile retailer for a new cellphone.  A pretty young girl helps him find his new device.  And as he's walking back to his vehicle, he spots the Fox and Hound bar.  Holding a bag of maxipads, he gives in to temptation and has a drink.  As he is sipping a beer, the young lady who sold him the cellphone comes in, and approaches Marty.  Turns out its the young prostitute from the Hillbilly Bunny Ranch that Marty gave money and advice to back in 1995 when he and Cohle were investigating the Lang murder.  A few drinks later, and the young salesperson is flirting with Marty.  Marty gives in to his weaknesses, and ends up bedding the young lady.  But he makes the mistake of washing his clothes when he gets home, arousing the suspicion of Maggie, who searches his cellphone and finds a selfie of the younger woman.  This girl was apparently on the cutting edge of sexting.

Maggie decides to explore her value on the singles market.  She visits a local bar and flirts with another patron.  But she does not close the deal, instead showing up at the apartment of a hammered-drunk Cohle, where she seduces him and they have quick, rough sex.  Cohle, in a moment of clarity, figures out what just happened and throws Maggie out of his apartment.  Maggie, mission accomplished, promptly returns home and waits for Marty to arrive, so that she can tell him that she just cheated with his partner.  Marty does not take this news well, and briefly chokes his wife before regaining control of himself.

Cohle is warned by his new boss to back off of the Dora Lang investigation.  But Cohle decides his best career move is to confront Billy Lee Tuttle, after tracking down Theriot and finding out that some hinky stuff was happening years earlier with children at the Tuttle Ministry.  Cohle interviews Tuttle, and a tense scene ensues where Cohle lays down a veiled challenge to the Governor's cousin.  Cohle's boss, after getting a complaint from Tuttle, suspends Cohle. Cohle comes back to the office a few days later, and a fight breaks out between the two partners.

Flash forward to 2012, and Maggie is being interviewed.  Paponia and Gilbough ask a lot of questions about Cohle, but Maggie maintains that Cohle is an honorable man, and she does not understand how her interview can help their case.

Meanwhile, Hart has had enough of his interview with the 2012 detectives, as he figures out that Cohle is their prime suspect.  He leaves the interview, and is flagged down by Cohle, still driving his old F-150.  Cohle invites Marty to have a beer with him, and the episode ends on this cliffhanger.   

The penultimate episode is coming up, and we only have 120 minutes left with McConaughey and Harrelson.  We are now caught up to 2012.  Looking forward to how this show concludes.  I am just enjoying the ride.

Random Thoughts:

- Cohle looked like he let Marty beat him pretty bad before he defended himself.

- Still don't know who the man with the scars is.

- Tuttle makes a "Its hard to trust a man who can't trust himself with a beer" remark.  The Police Commissioner was there when they found the kids and killed the LeDouxs, and I remember as scene where they pour whiskey for Hart and Cohle, and Cohle declines.  And Marty is seen out drinking with his co-workers.  So its common knowledge on the state police force that Cohle doesn't drink.  Is the Police Commissioner the eyes and ears for Tuttle?

What did you think?

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Walking Dead - "Inmates" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 18, 2014
Walking Dead S4E10

Beth has writer's block, so she and Darryl take a break

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Dear Diary:  Today I killed some zombies.

After last episode's "After," this week we find out what happened to the other folks after the prison battle.  And our favorite characters are a splintered group of survivors.

Darryl and Beth made their escape together, and they are wandering through the woods, looking for shelter and the others.  Beth's voiceover about what she wrote in her diary when they first settled in the prison is in sharp contrast to the contemporary state of affairs.  She is trying to remain optimistic, while Darryl is reverting back to his former self, the grunting, unfeeling shell he was at the start of the series.  They come across some fresh #zombiechow, but they can't figure out whether the remains are their former cellmates.

Tyrese is looking out for Lizzy, Mika, and yes, baby Judith.  So the "a dingo ate the baby" jokes will stop.  Tyrese strangely decides that leaving Judith in the incapable hands of Lizzie while he investigates a far cry for help is a good idea.  Lizzy, the baby rabbit killer, is annoyed that Judith is crying, and in an awkward scene, covers Judith's mouth to muffle her cries.  Luckily, Carol shows up out of nowhere to save the day, and the baby.  There is a budding sociopath, and we will have to see how the Lizzie storyline progresses.

Maggie, Sasha, and Bob are grouped together, and they come across the prison bus (that Glenn was supposed to be on).  They kill all the #zombs on the bus, but no Glenn.  How all the folks on the bus, who are not main characters, became zombies is a mystery.  But Bob said it best, "they were good people."  Yeah, if you say so, Bob.  Glad someone knew who they were.  But since no one even knows any of these redshirts, they are not a loss to the main story arc.  

Glenn awakens on the second floor of the prison, with lots of zombies crawling around below.  And he collects and scavenges the second floor for supplies, including the orange backpack that the #zombiechow guy was wearing when Rick, Carl, and Michonne met up with Morgan in "Clear."  He finds the riot gear and offers a great POV shot as he wades through the sea of zombs, while avoiding bites, thanks to the riot gear.  Obviously, zombies can't grab you when you're wearing the magic riot gear suit.  Good to know. Glenn finds Tara huddled inside a fence.  He rescues her, and they make their escape.  But Glenn, still suffering the aftereffects of his bout with the mysterious virus that ravaged the prison earlier this season, passes out.  And a military truck with three new characters emerges.  These new guys (actually, two guys and a girl wearing some tight-fitting military fatigues) will likely become regulars as this season moves forward.

Everyone is accounted for, and Carol, Tyrese, and the kids are on their way to the source of the radio transmission that Darryl heard earlier, so there will be a sanctuary for the survivors, once they regroup.

Glad to see the survivors are out of the prison, and on to new adventures.  

Random Thoughts:

- No Rick Carl, or Michonne this week.

- Lizzy is a little lunatic.  Carol should be proud.

- Tyrese, not sure what you were thinking leaving those kids alone.

- Glenn's opening scene looked like something out of XBox's "State of Decay," but maybe I play too many zombie video games.  

- Two dudes (one had a gun) were eaten by zombs when Tyrese tried to save them.  How do you survive this long and you can't take down four zombies?  I mean, one of you has a freakin' gun! 

What did you think?

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True Detective - "The Secret Fate Of All Life" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 17, 2014
True Detective S1E5

Life is like a box of chocolates.  And sometimes, chocolate sucks, brother.

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

As Pink Floyd once said, "Hey Reggie, leave those kids alone!"

This episode of True Detective offers us some character development on Mr. Reginald LeDoux.  And then, LeDoux is LeDone.  Offed by an irate Marty Hart after finding two children in the shed, one of whom is dead.  Reggie LeDoux and his partner DeWall are two twisted individuals, and Cohle's snatch of Ginger last episode yields a meet-decline-follow meeting with DeWall, who obviously is the business manager for the chemical genius that is LeDoux.  Hart and Cohle follow DeWall back to the meth lab and take down LeDoux and DeWall.  And that story that Hart and Cohle have been feeding the 2012 cops (Papania and Gilbough, they finally have names) about the epic shootout at the 1995 meth lab?  Well, that's all bullshit to cover up for an enraged Hart's murder of LeDoux after seeing what sick stuff LeDoux was up to with the kids.  And DeWall decides to run away and ends up blowing himself up on one of the perimeter booby traps.  So a little cover story later, and Hart and Cohle are celebrated as heroes.

And everything would have been fine.  If only Guy Leonard Francis had decided not to rob a drug store in 2002.  A time shift from 1995 to 2002, and Hart has been promoted and Cohle is the most sought-after interrogator in the state.  So Cohle gets called in to interrogate Francis about a PCP-influenced drug store robbery/murder, and Francis confesses.  Except he mentions at the end that he knows who Cohle is, mentions the Yellow King, and tells Cohle that the 1995 killer is still out there.  Cohle tries to beat more information out of Francis, but is stopped by the cops.

Meanwhile, the older 2002 version of Marty's eldest daughter is caught playing FingerCuffs with a couple of boys in a car.  Hart does not handle the situation well, and he ends up striking his daughter in the face.  There is some dark secret that will unfold concerning his daughter, who has been acting out since her first introduction, but Hart has yet to put the puzzle pieces together.  But he keeps telling the 2012 detectives, "It was right under my nose and I didn't see it."  

Cohle revisits the abandoned school after his visit with Francis, and he finds another of those wicker devil's trap constructions.  And a revisit to the original Dora Lange murder scene yields a circular wicker wreath.  Not sure what the significance of these wicker things are.

Back in 2012, Papania and Gilbrough finally show their hand, and as expected, they suspect Cohle of being the killer.  They even have Hart beginning to doubt his old partner.  But that is too cliche.  We will have to wait to find out the "who" in whodunnit, but I suspect that Cohle is still pursuing this case and using these detectives to gain additional information.

This show is the best thing I have witnessed on television.  I want to rewatch it immediately following an episode, and I find myself thinking about it for hours afterward.  A show that can stimulate that kind of interest is rare.  Looking forward to our upcoming last three hours with Hart and Cohle.

Random Thoughts:

- Hart and Maggie are back together, but the 2012 interviews suggest not for long.

- Speaking of 2002, its about time we found out why Hart and Cohle went splitsville.

- Lawnmower Man at the abandoned school is due to show up again soon.

- Something bad is going to happen to Hart's oldest daughter.

- My money is on Maggie's father as a ringleader in the Satanic cult.  It would explain the doll-gangbang scenario we saw earlier in the season with Hart's daughter (plus the pee pee drawings).

What did you think?

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True Detective - "Who Goes There" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 10, 2014
True Detective S1E4

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

After teasing the audience with a tighty-whitey-clad freak in a gas mask and holding a machete, True Detective comes back after a two-week break.  And does not pick up back where you would expect.  Before we confront the underwear-attired nutjob, we must find out how we found the underwear-attired nutjob.  And that is what "Who Goes There" brings to the table.  At a faster pace that we have seen thus far.  

This episode offers us a quick look at how Hart met his mistress, who turns out to be a court reporter assigned to cases where Hart occasionally is called to testify.  After his previous drunken escapades, Hart is trying to ratchet down their relationship, but his spurned mistress does not fade away.  Instead, she (off-camera) tells Hart's wife Maggie about the affair.  Maggie in turn packs up the kids and goes to stay with her parents.  After reading a "I'm outta here" note from Maggie, Hart tries vainly to convince his wife to come home.  He tries over the phone, and when that avenue does not work, he decides that a drunken visit to her workplace is a good idea.  Luckily, Cohle is called to come get Hart before he gets arrested.  So Hart and Cohle are now crashing over at Cohle's unfurnished apartment.  The same apartment that Hart chided Cohle about previously.  

In the meantime, the two detectives have a lead on an associate of Reggie LeDoux, and Hart gets information that LeDoux is exclusively cooking meth for a biker gang called Iron Crusaders.  Cohle happens to have a contact from his old undercover days, so he and Hart formulate an off-the-books takedown operation of Cohle's contact, in hopes of locating LeDoux.

Cohle has to descend back into the underworld, taking drugs, drinking, and generally breaking laws in order to establish bonafides with his old contact and mark, Ginger.  Ginger insists that Cohle help him with a drug heist, and Cohle finds himself in a housing project where the only certainty is that the heist will not success, thanks to the lack of planning by Ginger and his associates.  A 6 minute tracking shot of Cohle making an escape with Ginger as everything around him crumbles ensues, and offers the viewer likely the best scene that anyone will see on television this year.

In just four episodes, True Detective has delivered the most compelling show currently on television, and may well end up as one of the most exciting seasons of any show in recent history.  This is not a television show, but more of an eight-hour film.  And its good.  Very, very good.


Random Thoughts:

- Cohle, after four episodes, has become more likable, and Hart has become more unlikable.  A significant role reversal for these two characters.

- Checking his pulse before the shit hits the fan, Cohle's actions offer great foreshadowing for what's coming.

- As Hart's world collapses, he seems more willing to bend rules and break laws.  Interesting to see where this will lead in the second half of the season.

What did you think?

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Walking Dead - "After" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 10, 2014
Walking Dead S4E9

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

The Walking Dead is back after a mid-season hiatus, and the survivors have all been uprooted from the prison.  Much like last season's "Clear," this episode is focused on three people:  Rick, Carl, and Michonne.

Rick and Carl are on the move after the prison battle.  And Carl is experiencing typical teenager angst.  Except the Zombie Apocalypse is a bad time to have your pubescent meltdown.  Because while you are confused, hating your parents, and having a hormone imbalance, dead things are trying to eat your face off.

Rick is seriously injured from his fight with the Governor.  He needs a place to rest and recuperate, so he and Carl hole up in a nice suburban home that has some Cornflakes in the cupboard.  Rick is also trying to get Carl to make smart decisions, like conserving ammunition and not being a stoic douchebag.  And trying to wean his son from his psychopathic ways.  But its the Zombie Apocalypse, so psychopathy is kinda the "in" thing right now.  

Carl is angry at his father's failings as a leader, and blames Rick for the deaths of his baby sister and others that Carl had grown to like.  While Rick rests, Carl goes out exploring the suburban neighborhood.  He almost gets turned into #zombiechow, but he dispatches of the threats with some well-placed gunshots.  But this is the South, so there's likely little chance that Carl can't find more .38 ammunition.  While exploring, Carl comes upon a stack of video games, a big television, and an XBox.  But the only thing of value to Carl, in this world, is the HDMI cord, which can be used as rope.  So Carl decides to play his own video game, and puts himself into harrowing situations where he must defend himself against the undead.  After losing a shoe in a narrow scrape, he returns homewhere his resting father is.  Only Rick is not waking up, and Carl begins to think that Rick has died.  But he can't shoot his father in the head, and waits for the inevitable munching to come his way once his father turns.  Thankfully, Rick wakes up and mutters "Coorrlll!!"  So Carl understands that he is not quite a man yet, and he needs his old, boring, and lame father.  

Meanwhile, Michonne is also displaced and leashing armless, jawless zombies as camouflage, a throwback to our earliest introduction to Michonne.  She dreams/hallucinates about her life prior to the world going to hell, and the viewer gathers that the two #zombs she used to protect herself during her introduction were her boyfriend and her brother.  We also get a glimpse at the baby son she had, and get the idea that her boyfriend possibly killed the baby in a murder-suicide.  Hey, some folks have a hard time coping with the end of the modern world.

But Michonne perseveres, takes out some aggression on a rather passive zombie horde, and follows muddy footprints and empty pudding cans to the home where Rick and Carl are holed up.  So at least there's something good happening in a world gone to hell.

This episode was on the slow-paced side, but it serves as a good, calm break in the story as the survivors try to finding their footing again (pun intended) after the prison ouster.  Hopefully, a few upcoming new characters can add a spark to the show. 


Random Thoughts:

- Why doesn't anyone shut the door whenever they enter a building?  Zombies seem to have a hard time opening doors.

- Carl trying to knock the door open, and instead knocking himself down was the highlight of the show.

- OK, here's a Public Service Announcement:  During the Zombie Apocalypse, never, ever walk backwards.

- Why is Rick Grimes the dirtiest person in the entire world?  Why can't he clean himself up?

- Watching this show immediately after watching HBO's True Detective is not even remotely fair.  

What did you think?

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Justified - "Shot All To Hell" Review

by Lee Padrick, February 6, 2014
Justified S5E5

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Holy cowboy hats!  That was an excellent episode of Justified!

After a couple of slower-paced episodes, Justified roars into the Season Five plotline with blood, violence, and supreme badassery.  This is Art Mullen's time to shine, and our favorite Chief Marshal notches a few accomplishments on his gunbelt as he prepares for his impending retirement.

Raylan is busy running around and trying to cover his own ass.  First, he jogs down to the Social Services office, just in time to see Wendy Crowe picking up the younger Crowe and chiding Raylan for his harassment of her family.  And his new girlfriend piles on as well.  But scolding is the least of Raylan's worries; there is a certain Mr. Picker who is talking with Art about the night that Nicky Augustine was killed.  Raylan somehow gets a few minutes alone with Picker and threatens the career criminal.  Which is not an easy feat, considering that the only reason Picker is talking to the Feds is so he can get some protection from Theo Tonin's hitman, Marcos.  

Speaking of Marcos, an encounter with Art leads to the best scene of the episode.  Marcos, after executing one of the Canadian drug runners, goes to Kentucky to hunt down Picker, who is having breakfast with Wynn Duffy and Mike.  Only Art is there, too, and confronts Marcos.  Marcos wisely decides that Art will likely shoot him if he continues his mission against Picker, and backs down.  Only to reappear later at a warehouse when Art and Raylan go looking for Marcos and Tonin.  Marcos takes a few shots at the Marshals with an automatic shotgun (yep, even Art is impressed with this weapon!) before succumbing to a Raylan bullet.  But a search of the warehouse yields a sickly Theo Tonin, and Art arrests one of the nation's most notorious fugitives.  So Art is having a good day.

Meanwhile, Boyd is out killing people, making deals, and righting his own ship as he tries to spring Ava from jail.  And his plan is working, as he eliminates Paxton, Mrs. Paxton, Mooney, and even makes a deal with Hot Rod Dunham to get access to Johnny AND a supply of heroin.  A good day at the Crowder household.  Except that short prison guard has not gotten over his humiliation, and decides to fake an attack on himself and blame Ava.  So Ava is not coming home any time soon.  

Cousin Johnny is showing off his own smarts, too.  While Hot Rod was out negotiating with Boyd, Johnny has been busy paying off the Harris brothers, who decide to turn on Hot Rod and back Johnny.  So Hot Rod may not be long for this world.

And over at the Crowe's, Dewey is exploring existentialism with a couple of his employees, while Darryl Jr. is out threatening Boyd.  As expected, neither Crowe is successful in his endeavors.  And we get to know more about the psychopathic Danny Crowe, who shoots Jean-Baptiste after a slight regarding Danny's work ethic.  

Finally, Vasquez informs Art and Raylan that Picker fingered missing (and deceased) FBI Agent Barkely for the Nicky Augustine killing.  But Raylan suddenly develops a conscience and confesses (well, sort of) to involvement in the Augustine killing.

Whew!  An action-packed episode of Justified, and likely one of the best of the entire series.  I can't wait to see how Art processes this new information regarding Raylan.

Random Thoughts:

- A brief Tim/Rachael sighting at the end of the episode.

- I can't decide where we are going with the Big Bad this season.  Is it Darryl, Jr.?  Danny?  Or Cousin Johnny?

- I have concerns whenever a supporting cast member gets an episode to shine.  That usually means that character is short for this world.  Please, writers, don't be predictable!

What did you think?

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