Masters of Sex - "Manhigh" Review

by Lee Padrick, December 16, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E12

Smoking in the boy's room

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

Masters of Sex finishes up a great first season.

Going into the season finale, there were lots of loose ends to address, as well as the need to pave the road for the upcoming second season.  A lot of expectations to meet.  Fortunately, "Manhigh" met most of them and gave us some resolution to most of the situations that have developed over the second half of the season.

Masters of Sex - "Phallic Victories"

by Lee Padrick, December 13, 2013
Masters of Sex S1E11

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

As Masters of Sex hurtles toward the end of the first season, Virginia shows us just how important she is to this world.

Masters of Sex has spent the past ten episodes showing us how vital Bill Masters is to this show.  And Virginia, because of Masters being front and center, has suffered, as her character has slowly developed.  But all of this changed in this penultimate episode.  What we have suspected all along is now universally accepted; Virginia is the glue that holds this show together.

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.

Boardwalk Empire - "Havre de Grace" Review

by Lee Padrick, November 18, 2013
Boardwalk Empire S4E11

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.

A great penultimate episode, as Chalky finds shelter with his mentor.

About this time every year, a war in brewing in Atlantic City.  And its usually resolved by the end of the penultimate episode.  But not this year.

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.