Justified - "The Kids Aren't All Right" Review

by Lee Padrick, January 15, 2014
Justified S5E2

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Manuela cooks a mean iguana, its very tender.

Raylan has to spend this episode bailing Loretta out of a jam, because she has gotten caught up in a drug deal with Hot Rod Dunham (remember him from Season 2?), and things have gone south.  And Boyd is trying to evade imprisionment as he works on springing Ava from her incarceration.  

This episode of Justified hits just about all the marks that we have come to expect of a good episode of this show.  Great writing, pacing, and dialogue.  And fun characters.  I firmly believe 10 years from now this show will be in writing textbooks as an example of how to do things right on television.  This episode was just so much fun to watch.

Loretta, as mentioned earlier, has gotten sideways with Hot Rod Dunham, and she and her boyfriend are on the run from Hot Rod's enforcers, played by Steve and Wood Harris (real-life brothers playing TV brothers).  Yep, Eugene Young and Avon Barksdale are on this episode of Justified.

Raylan comes to the rescue and settles Loretta's debt to Hot Rod, without firing a shot.  Or at least a shot from a firearm.  He does get to whack Steve Harris in the head with a shovel and fire off an awesome threat to Hot Rod.  

Raylan:  "I'll kill four of you before you even clear your weapons, and I'll take my chances with the other two.  And you see this star?  That's gonna make it legal.  Now, do we have an understanding here?"

That is classic Raylan and this kind of dialogue is what makes this show so great.  Because you know he means it, and can do it.  Luckily, Hot Rod (who, if I remember correctly, has never been on the wrong end of Raylan) understands Raylan's threat and makes a good decision to forgive Loretta's debt.  Then, as Raylan is taking Loretta home, he realizes that Loretta has gamed him and everyone she has come in contact with.  He shakes his head and grins like a proud adoptive father.  Oh, and Raylan develops an attraction to Loretta's social worker, the lovely Amy Smart.  

Meanwhile, Boyd is being extorted by Mara, the mail-order bride of Paxton, who Boyd beat severely last week.  She wants $300,000 to disappear, or she can implicate Boyd in Paxton's beating.  And Officer Asshole (is he the Sheriff now, since Shelby stepped down last season?) is hot on Boyd's trail, trying to get Mara to identify Boyd as the man responsible for Paxton's beating.  Boyd is also trying to get Ava out of jail, but I noticed a spark between him and Mara.  We'll see where that goes this season.

And the Florida Crowe's are now in Harlan County to visit Dewey.  And to serve as this season's Big Bad.

Lastly, Art is looking into the murder of Nicky Augustine.  Seems the death of Sammy Tonin has piqued Art's interest, so Raylan will likely have to answer for his orchestration of Augustine's demise last season.

The chess pieces are moving into place, and with the announcement this week that next season will be Justified's last, the writers have an endgame in sight.  This season will play a major role as the bridge into the final season, so it will be interesting to see where all of our favorite characters are at this season's end.  

Random Thoughts:

- Nice throwback to Arlo and Hot Rod's history.

- Is this love interest/social worker on the up-and-up?  I dunno, I sense something hinky going on with her.

- Will Art cover for Raylan when he finds out the truth about the death of Nicky Augustine?

- Paxton's out of his coma.  More trouble ahead for Boyd?

What did you think?

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'Broadchurch' Review

by Lee Padrick, December 19, 2013

Do you really know your family and friends?

Produced by Kudos, and aired on ITV and BBC America, Broadchurch offers a fresh take on the typical whodunit.  Led by incredible performances from David Tennant and Olivia Coleman, this 8-episode series relies on great writing and solid acting to deliver a compelling thriller that takes a familiar genre and offers a fresh, satisfying experience.  This is good television done well.

Masters of Sex - "Fallout" Review

by Lee Padrick, December 9, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E10

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Nuclear annihilation is at hand.

This week's episode of Masters of Sex continues the season's arc toward ... something, but it stumbles more so than other recent episodes.  This is not the show's finest moment, but the further development of the secondary cast renders it watchable, and at times, enjoyable.

Masters of Sex - "Involuntary" Review

by Lee Padrick, December 9, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E9

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Performance evaluations are due this week.

Masters of Sex delivers a great episode, as the characters continue to develop into real people, with real successes and failures.  Michael Sheen continues to shine (see what I did there?) as the titular lead and Masters, no matter his past or station in life, still comes across as an asshole.  Sheen plays Master's peculiar nature perfectly, and it is a testament to his portrayal that the viewer, after nine episodes, still does not like him.  This is not a guy you want to have a beer with or take fishing.

'Vikings' Review

by Lee Padrick, December 8, 2013
Vikings

Roaring out of the gate is the History Channel's Vikings, a look at life in early Medieval Scandinavia.  

'Rectify' Review

by Lee Padrick, December 8, 2013
Rectify

What would the world look like if you had missed the past twenty years?  How would you react to all the changes that have happened since 1990?  That is the premise of Sundance Channel's "Rectify."

'Top of the Lake' Review

by Lee Padrick, December 7, 2013
Top of the Lake

Looking for an interesting drama to binge-watch?  Try Top of the Lake, co-produced by BBC Two and Sundance Channel.

Walking Dead - "Too Far Gone" Review

by Lee Padrick, December 2, 2013
Walking Dead S4E8

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Spaghetti Tuesdays on Wednesdays will be cancelled until further notice.

The mid-season finale has come and gone, and fans around the world are all asking the same question today:  "Did a dingo eat the baby?"  This episode both stumbled and shined, and we have to wait a couple of months to see where it all goes from here.  

Walking Dead - "Dead Weight" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 25, 2013
Walking Dead S4E7

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

The results are in, and it appears the Governor has been re-elected to a second term.

Scott Gimple, how could you?  You inherited the most popular drama in cable TV history.  A popular drama that, mind you, has faced criticism and accusations of, well, ... just being boring.  You turned the franchise around in the first five episodes, by introducing new characters and developing existing characters into real people, not cartoon characters.  This fantastic fourth season was firing on all cylinders.  So what did you do?  You brought back Cotton-Eyed Joe, made him almost human, then turned him back into a cartoon character.  Within a two hour span.  Two hours that I could have spent watching a rerun of Roadhouse.

Boardwalk Empire - "Farewell Daddy Blues" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 25, 2013
Boardwalk Empire S4E12

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Witness the ebb and flow of organized crime.

Going into the season finale of Boardwalk Empire's fourth season, the viewer knows that someone that is germane to the series is going to die.  The second double-cross of Nucky by his brother Eli suggests that Eli is not long for this world, set in the 1920s.  And Eli does everything in his power to earn a bullet between the eyes.  He has turned on his brother, not once, but twice.  One more time, and we have a Roaring 20's Peter on our hands.

Masters of Sex - "Love and Marriage" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 23, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E8

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Lots of unhappiness in relationships as Masters of Sex finds its raison d'etre.

Boardwalk Empire - "White Horse Pike" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 14, 2013
Boardwalk Empire S4E10

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

The endgame of Season 4 is in sight, and all of the various storylines are coalescing.  There is going to be a war in Atlantic City (as there is this time every year).

Narcisse and Chalky want each other dead.  Chalky tries to take out Narcisse at the Universal Negro Improvement Association office, but Narcisse escapes.  Mainly because Chalky did not see the job through, and he gets a shot in the shoulder for his failure.  And Narcisse wants Nucky to trade Chalky for a third of the proceeds of the heroin that Masseria is shipping alongside Nucky's Florida booze.  Nucky plays along with Masseria and Narcisse in an effort to give Chalky some time to get out of town.  But Mayor Bader is no longer on Team Nucky, and sends two police officers to "help Chalky get out of town," which turns into an attempt on Chalky's life.  An attempt that goes badly for the police officers, as Chalky takes them both out, while Daughter gets the car stopped.  

Masters of Sex - "All Together Now" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 13, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E7

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

I think Masters of Sex is entering the plateau stage.

This episode of Masters of Sex is possibly the best hour of the young series thus far.  The slow, meandering plot seems to find its course as most of the storylines of the series intersect this episode.  The characters' development is reaching a critical mass where the direction of the show is becoming more clear.

Masters and Virginia have now moved into the study themselves, WITH EACH OTHER!  But its not the romantically-tinged scene you would expect; instead, they are hooked up to wires as they awkwardly perform, as Masters narrates each of the four stages of arousal.  Kinda icky to watch.  Virginia does not orgasm during this first experience, so Masters takes this as license to continue "researching" with Virginia from different positions, so that she can achieve a clitoral orgasm.  

Dr. Haas (Nicholas D'Agosto), the slap-happy protege of Masters, is continuing his relationship with Vivian Scully (Rose McIver), the daughter of closeted Provost Scully (Beau Bridges).  Whose neglected wife Margaret (Allison Janney) is busy boning Dr. Langham (Teddy Sears).  Provost Scully is planning an "out of town" trip, which turns out to be an encounter with the male homosexual prostitute that outed him to Masters a few episodes ago.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Margaret is giving Dr. Langham free tickets to ride her Ferris wheel.  Provost Scully ends up the victim of some gay-bashing and gets a knife wound for his indiscretion.  When he returns home from his "business trip," Margaret tells him to go to his room (Provost and Margaret have separate bedrooms, that's just plain weird), implying that she has some company in her bedroom.  Provost does as requested, and never inquires about Margaret's activities the next day.  

Meanwhile, Virginia has hired Jane (Helene Yorke) as Masters' new secretary.  And she is very good at the job.  Jane's addition of working in close proximity to Masters and Virginia should prove to be fun over the upcoming episodes.

Libby wants to get pregnant again, and she begins working with Dr. Haas without Masters' knowledge, using his frozen sperm.  Ethan gets her to engage Masters in regular sex, so that Masters will not know that any pregnancy likely resulted from insemination.  But Masters is busy servicing Virginia for the sake of science at work, so he and Libby's sexy time at home is suffering (more than usual).  Virginia encourages Masters to engage his wife in some alligator dancing, after a worried Libby asks Virginia to help get Masters home earlier each night so that he will have energy (and desire) to jump rope.

This episode focuses not on sex itself, but the aftermath and effects that sex can have on peoples' lives.  And the show is better for it.  Looking forward to seeing where we go now that Masters and Virginia are spinning the dials together.  

Random Thoughts:

- Jane as Masters' secretary should prove to be awesome!

- Dr. Langham did not seem as excited about his older plaything once she started expressing some feelings for him.

- Langham's therapist is none other than Alan Ruck of Ferris Bueller's Day Off!


What did you think?

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Masters of Sex - "Brave New World" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 13, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E6

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers!

We're going to Florida!  Is this Boardwalk Empire or Masters of Sex?  

Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald) and Masters decide to take a vacation to Miami, to clear their minds after the loss of their unborn.  Libby is game for some fun in the sun; Masters is more interested in the old couple having sex on the other side of the thin-walled hotel room.  He even gets caught glancing at the clock as Libby tries to get him in the mood for sexy time.  She finally gives up on Masters, and sends him home, so she can enjoy the rest of the week without her uptight husband serving as a buzz kill.

Walking Dead - "Indifference" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 4, 2013
Walking Dead S4E4

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

He may be a farmer and hunter/gatherer now, but the Ricktator still holds unilateral authority over the band of survivors.  

"Indifference" takes a different tact than the previous episodes this season on the Walking Dead.   While the main party of Prison-ers is back at "home" suffering from disease, caring for the inflicted, or just holding watch, this episode focuses on two groups:  1) Darryl, Michonne, Tyrese, and Bob; and 2) Rick and Carol.

Boardwalk Empire - "The Old Ship of Zion" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 2, 2013
Boardwalk Empire S4E8

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Lots of danger comes to Atlantic City.  And not everyone will survive.

This episode delivers that slow burn tension that is the hallmark of Boardwalk Empire.  There are many dangers in this gangster life, and not all of them involve an underling with a gun and a contract.  

The Blacklist - "Gina Zanetakos" Review

by Lee Padrick, October 30, 2013
The Blacklist - S1E6

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

After a strong episode last week, The Blacklist delivers "Gina Zanetakos," an episode as hard to follow as the title is to pronounce.  A lot of stuff happens within the show's 44 minutes and a fair amount of it does not make much sense.

As I've said previously, for me to enjoy The Blacklist, I have to suspend logic and just come along for the entertainment of Spader's acting and the big-budget action scenes.  But this week requires more than a suspension of logic.  It requires thought.  And thought during The Blacklist can make the show much less enjoyable, because most of the plot of The Blacklist does not make sense.  

Walking Dead - "Isolation" Review

by Lee Padrick, October 28, 2013
Walking Dead, S4E3

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Carol is the new Carl.  

The one character that has never been given a compelling story arc is Carol (Melissa McBride).  In Season Four, Carol has not only been developed further as a character, but she has exhibited some good old-fashioned badassery.  Last episode, she was teaching children how to use knives and having two young girls help her put their flu-ridden father down before he turned, even remarking that the inability to put people down after death, in order to prevent expanding the zombie population, is a sign of weakness.

Masters of Sex - "Standard Deviation" Review

by Lee Padrick, October 24, 2013
Masters of Sex, S1E3

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Bill Masters is interested in sex research because he does not understand it.  The flashback with Masters and Scully gave us insight into how and why he is driven to research a taboo subject in the 1950's.  

Lots of stuff happening, leading to a scattered episode.  We see an idealistic Bill Masters in the flashbacks, excited about his work and future research opportunities, contrasted with the present-day Masters, who is cynical, burned-out, and frumpy.  The opening scene where a young bride-to-be comes into the office for some discrete advice about birth control reminds us that the 1950's was a stuffy place.  This young woman is embarrassed talking about sex with her betrothed, and the look on her face when Masters shows her to apply a condom is priceless.  Masters explains her alternatives, including a cervical cap, and the young woman asks, "Where's my cervix?"  That's good stuff.

The Blacklist - "The Stewmaker" Review

by Lee Padrick, October 23, 2013
The Blacklist - S1E4

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

OK, by the fourth episode of a new network show, its fate has usually been sealed.  Future episodes are ordered, or the ones already in the can will likely be burned off at 8 PM on fall Saturday nights.

The fourth episode of The Blacklist worked for me, as it moved back to the promise offered by the pilot.  Not coincidentally, this episode (along with the pilot) was directed by Joe Carnahan, and it showed.  Carnahan may not be able to do much about the writing, but he put the "creep" in "creepy" as our latest Villian of the Week was an odd bird indeed.