Castle 3.9

(Lance Henriksen, Lyle Lovett) By-the-numbers example of how a lighthearted cop show does a UFO episode. 5/10

Castle, White Collar, Columbo

Monday, April 5th, 2010

05.00 Castle
06.00 White Collar
09.00 Columbo

Castle. Season 2, Episode 14. "The Third Man"

An episode highlighting the two best things about the show.

1. The chemistry between the two lead characters is fun. In this episode there's a blurb in a newspaper that suggests they are romantically linked so he spends many of the early scene trying to stop her from seeing the story. And... it's very funny. A big part of the charm. Yes, we know they like one another and we have seen this kind of thing many times before but that doesn't take away from the fact that when it's well done, it's very, very entertaining.

2. A good story. A good mystery. This episode is positively brimming over with good story/mystery. The first half of the hour is devoted to a man who sneaks into people's empty homes and lives there while they are on holiday. Nicely mystifying. The second half of the hour switches over to an equally compelling mystery: the secret of what he accidentally saw on one of his sleep overs and why it nearly got him killed.

Sometimes the endings on these shows are a little too clever, when there is no real need. Often on NCIS they return in the closing minutes to a minor character seen earlier and reveal that they are the Big Bad behind everything. You can almost predict it, really. In fact, you could use this pattern to impress somebody watching with you. In the closing ten minutes think back to a minor character from the first ten minutes and boldly declare that they are the culprit. If it's NCIS, then three times out of five you will be proven right. This Castle episode does that, by returning to the brother-in-law of the first victim. And it's a nice twist. But hardly necessary in an already superior hour of TV.

White Collar. Episode 11. "Home Invasion" Five Elephants

In order to enjoy White Collar you have to buy into a couple of things.

First, it's seems like everybody in this world (especially crooks) are forever communicating in elaborate codes. A couple of episodes back Erik Palladino played a cop who left a clue for our heroes in the amount of spare change he deposited as a tip (!!), in this episode Sarah Carter creates a complex code to record five names for herself. This list, of course, falls into the hands of our heroes and they are able to spend hours toiling over it until they track her down. And it's all a lot of fun to watch. But, at the back of your mind, you do have to wonder why she bothered to create the list in the first place.

Second, it seems like Peter and Neal are always going to be doing this same dance of trust over and back, no matter what has happened between them in previous episodes. You would think, by now, they would have a pretty strong bond. But, no... they do seem ready to lose (and regain) their mutual trust on a semi-weekly basis.

These two elements detract slightly from my enjoyment and serve to keep White Collar on a lower tier (quality wise) than the other USA shows that I watch and enjoy.

Columbo. Episode 15. "A Stitch in Crime" Leonard Nimoy

Sometimes the ending to a Columbo episode is so good, so vivid, that you just can't forget it.

I like to leave years between my Columbo re-watches (and it's been over a decade since I last saw this story) and one of the benefits of the time lag is a tendency to forget various details of what happens. Sometimes I'll forget the chronology of events, sometimes I'll forget major scenes and story beats, sometimes I'll even forget the mechanics of how our hero traps the killer at the end. That's always wonderful. It's like seeing it for the first time. Precious, like gold.

But some endings are too strong, make too much of an impact to ever forget, and this is one of those.

Leonard Nimoy is one of my favourite actors and this is one of his best roles. His character is calculating and truly cold-blooded, and his arrogance towards Columbo makes it easy to resent him, and cheer his downfall.

There are two parts to that downfall. First there is the piece of evidence, displayed with a wonderful flourish by the good Lieutenant in the movie's final seconds and freeze-frame, something that lingers long after viewing. In my case, it has lingered - literally - for years.

Second, there is 'the mistake'. Columbo killers always make a mistake somewhere along the way. Sometimes it is at the very beginning of the tale (and it's fun to try and spot it), and sometimes it happens later on in the story, while they are being harassed by the persistent cop. The sweetest, however, can often be in the closing seconds when they do something stupid right there in front of Columbo and he immediately pounces. This type of mistake can fall into two further sub-categories: the mistake of detail, and the mistake of character. And whole both are sweet and rewarding, the second one is the sweeter and more satisfying.

And that's what happens here. Mayfield (Nimoy) does something completely out of character. Something subtle, guaranteed to go unnoticed by the first-time viewer. So subtle that Columbo almost lets it slip by.

But then he remembers. And that final five seconds are amazing.

Unforgettable.

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Community, The Vampire Diaries, Castle, Burn Notice

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

07.00 Community
07.30 The Vampire Diaries
08.30 Castle
09.30 Burn Notice

Community. Episode 14. "Interpretive Dance"

The Vampire Diaries. Episode 11. "Bloodlines"

Castle. Season 2, Episode 12. "A Rose for Everafter"

Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 10. "A Dark Road"

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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago

Friends, The Closer, House, Castle, NewsRadio, Taxi

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

05.00 Friends
05.30 The Closer
06.30 House
07.30 Castle
02.00 NewsRadio
02.30 Taxi

Friends. Episode 12. "The One with the Dozen Lasagnas" Paulo makes a pass at Phoebe, Ross tries to avoid finding out the sex of his unborn baby, Joey and Chandler buy a foosball table.

Very-much driven by the ongoing storylines, the show is - by this stage - very different to other sitcoms on the air. David Schwimmer continues to get the biggest laughs in the episodes and our sympathy is with him all the way.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 15. "Dead Man's Hand" Brenda investigates when it appears that a fellow officer is being beaten by her husband.

A change-of-pace episode that completely fails to work. The idea of Raydor would come to Brenda to investigate this seems crazy. Everything about the early part of the story is strained and impossible to swallow. And, then, when the murder takes place the viewer at home instantly knows what has happened and has to wait ages for the cops on screen to catch up. I hate when that happens.

Mary McDonnell and Brooke Langton make great guest stars, but the material is weak.

House. Season 6, Episode 9. "Wilson" Has cancer returned in Wilson's friend, and former patient?

A change-of-pace episodes that is a real treat to watch. The focus is on Wilson most of the time, so we get to see House's crazy patient roster from an outsider's perspective. And it's funny. And it does wonders to make the entire world of this TV show all a bit more real. In this episode we can see a more normal hospital, and a more a normal doctor at work, and House is just this eccentric guy running around all the time breaking the rules. It's a great new perspective on things.

And that's only for a few scenes. Most of the episode follows Wilson and his patient (Joshua Malina) as they grapple with the mysterious illness, and the ramifications of the treatment. There's lots and lots to watch here. Is Wilson too nice? Is House right about the Joshua Malina guy? And will that guy get back with his (gorgeous) wife? (Katherine LaNasa)

It's a great episode, on many levels, and the final scenes are terrific.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 11. "The Fifth Bullet" Guy with amnesia.

Wow! A great story. Marc Blucas plays the guy with amnesia, who is carrying a book with a bullet from a murder scene around with him, and has Anne Dudek as his wife. Lucky bastard.

Blucas is superb in the central role and the story keeps you constantly wondering. For ages I didn't trust him. Thought he was some super-cool hitman with ice in his veins playing a con on the cops for some reason. As soon as Dudek showed up I was rooting for him to be innocent and for them to get together.

Castle did some great detective work in this one (the plastic bag leading to the dog was genius) and he and Beckett were quite adorable on several occasions.

NewsRadio. Season 3, Episode 10. "Christmas" Dave lets everyone go home early. Bill enlists Beth to help him with a radio advert.

Good episode, with plenty for everyone to do. Even Catherine, the weak link in the cast.

Dave and Lisa's arrival at his parents empty house is a bit odd. It comes from nowhere and there's really nothing that Dave did to deserve this. Or am I missing something? Surely, for it to have meaning (even comic meaning) he should have brought it down upon himself?

Taxi. Episode 10. "A Full House for Christmas" Poker game with Louis' brother Nick.

Very dramatic episode. It's also funny, of course, but the a-story here is deadly serious: two brothers fighting and one trying to get the other one to do something for their mother.

The fact that Louis isn't the nicest person you'd ever meet keeps this from being schmaltz. And the poker game is very tense.

Highlight? Castle (great story)
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30 Rock, The Closer, House, Castle, The Incredible Hulk

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

05.00 30 Rock
05.30 The Closer
06.30 House
07.30 Castle
02.00 The Incredible Hulk

30 Rock. Season 4, Episode 5. "The Problem Solvers" New cast member arrives, and causes Jenna and Tracy to panic. Jack and Liz battle over the idea of a DealBreakers TV show.

Very funny. Liz takes (bad) advice from Jenna and ends up dealing with the agent from hell. And, of course, part of the solution comes from the fact that Jack and Liz have a solid friendship and he wants good things for her.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 12. "Waivers of Extradition" Serial Killer.

Superb episode, with a great guest turn by Xander Berkeley, whose character here would make a great lead in a TV series.

Mostly though, this is an episode all about Brenda under pressure and it's a terrific episode. It also brings Charlie's story to a conclusion.

House. Season 6, Episode 8. "Ignorance is Bliss" Genius wants to be dumb.

House has been on a roll this season, so much so that I ended up really enjoying this episode, even though it is similar (in themes) to stories they have done before. Here's a guy who thinks his wife is too dumb for him when he's smart, so he sets about dumbing himself down to 'fit in' with her world. It's certainly thought-provoking stuff, but we've seen similar before on the show.

Never mind: there is lots of other stuff to savour. Cuddy's cruel trick on House will make you feel sad. Taub's hilarious lie to his wife (about hitting House) will make you chuckle.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 10. "One Man's Treasure" Dead guy, two women show up to claim the body.

Except for the fact that they give the daughter a really strong storyline in the police station, this is a perfect example of a typical (and good) episode of Castle. The story is a little bit quirky, but the ending is terrific and it's a hoot to watch Castle and the gang do their thing. The fact that (adorable) Alexis got a lot to do only served to make a good thing even better.

The Incredible Hulk. Episode 11. "Earthquakes Happen" Underground lab.

Yet another Season One episode that isn't confined by the formula that dominated the stories in later seasons (David has a job, he befriends someone, Hulks Out twice before moving on, having helped them).

This one opens with David Banner doing some very un-David Banner type things. In a quest for a cure, he's found some equipment at a research facility that could help him so he phones up an external advisor (due to make a visit to the facility) and postponed an intended inspection so he can take that person's place. Rare to find our hero posing a real person and lying to so many people in such a deliberate way (he even procures some fake ID in a great scene, showing that Banner is nobody's fool, no matter how desperate his situation has become) but that is how the episode opens, with David undercover as it were. This, of course, adds a whole new level of tension to the episode that we don't normally have right away. In episodes that feature Jack McGee we often have an element of "Will David Get Caught?" but this time out it's a major part of the story from the get go, as a scientist (Sherry Jackson) quickly grows suspicious and immediately starts checking into this new visitor.

The story is called "Earthquakes Happen" and that's what happens. Just as David is using the equipment that might help with his quest for a cure. The equipment is destroyed, and - thanks to a chain reaction - David and a few other people are trapped underground in the power plant facility. Even worse, it appears that the bad timing of David using the equipment at the time of the earthquake makes a nuclear accident almost unavoidable.

And there you have it. A group of people scrambling through smoke and debris, while alarms go off everywhere and they squabble about the fact that David might have caused a major nuclear event. Which is another unusual touch. David being held responsible by everybody for what might be about to happen. (Jeez, as if the guy hasn't enough to feel guilty about!) David's always the good guy. This time, by total accident, he's the bad guy of the piece! So, for maybe the only time in the whole series, the viewer could be almost critical of Banner. He's lying more than usual and pretend to be somebody he's not and behaving in an irresponsible way. Yes, it's a huge coincidence that there was an earthquake but the fact remains that he was the one who had the equipment up and running. Bad luck or not, it's his responsibility. And there are no lines in the script where he tries to shirk that responsibility. When other characters challenge him on this, David simply lets it go unchallenged. He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and he knows it. He takes it on board, and he accepts it.

So, it's a very unusual episode. Banner's being treated like a bad guy by everybody, they are all trapped and facing death and - via hilariously outdated footage - we can see the nearby town being evacuated. ("Everyone in town, take your 1950s cars and drive on the motorway... Now!")

All told, the first season is all over the place, quality-wise. There are superb episodes and real stinkers. This one falls squarely in the middle. It's very novel and I'd gladly watch it again, but it's not an example of the show at it's best.

Highlight? Castle (Alexis)
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House, Castle, Jack Of All Trades

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

06.00 House
07.00 Castle
08.00 Jack Of All Trades

House. Season 6, Episode 7. "Teamwork" Porn Star.

Cameron gets her best ever scene, and Jennifer Morrison does some of her best ever work, as the young doctor says her final farewell to House, getting a few things off her chest in the process. A stunning, wonderful scene that will leave you speechless.

Apart from that, it's a pretty good episode. The parallels between Cameron and Chase and the happily married porn couple are a little too forced to work, but it's a brave attempt.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 9. "Love Me Dead" Dead ADA and high class escort agency.

A great case-of-the-week and solid character work on the regulars make for another superb episode. I love Castle. The stories are all so good, and interesting. It's easy to believe that a writer would want to work in this world. Richard Castle, thanks to his time with Beckett, gets to see all these 'real life' stories in action. 'Real life' stories with all their quirks. And this is one of the quirkiest, with a highly respected man having a very unusual side-business.

Jack Of All Trades. Episode 1. "Return of the Dragoon" 1801: American Spy Jack Stiles arrives in Pilau Pilau and creates the Daring Dragoon.

The amazing Bruce Campbell and an abundance of juvenile jokes make for a fun-filled half-hour. Nothing here is meant to be taken seriously, and the viewer is best advised to sit back and let all the jokes (corny or otherwise) wash over them.

Highlight? House (Cameron)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago

Castle, House

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

10.00 Castle
11.00 House

Castle. Season 2, Episode 8. "Kill the Messenger" Murder of a bike messenger leads to a wealthy, powerful family.

Another winner. They put a little spin on it by involving the captain, and then it plays out in typical Castle-style: a few twists, a few laughs and a great ending.

Always great to see Gregg Henry and he doesn't disappoint here.

House. Season 6, Episode 6. "Known Unknowns" Chase debates telling Cameron what he did, while House follows Wilson to a conference and learns that Cuddy is dating someone.

Wow. Lots happened in this episode! In the end Chase finally broke down and told Cameron what he did. It's a huge mistake. But he has to do it, because their marriage can't survive the tension/suspicion. Will it survive the truth?

House seems ready to have a serious go at a relationship with Cuddy. Except she's now dating someone. Great to see Michael Weston back on the show, but I'm not sure I want to see him in this capacity. He was a great friend for House. Now, he's his foe...

Finally, the highlight of the episode for me: Wilson's Paper on euthanasia, delivered by House. A brilliant storyline with a point to make and a lot to say about the friendship between House and Wilson.

Oh, and there was a case-of-the-week, too...

Highlight? House (Wilson's Paper)
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Modern Family, The Closer, Castle

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

05.30 Modern Family
06.00 The Closer
07.00 Castle

Modern Family. Episode 3. "Come Fly with Me" Jay hits Phil in the face with a plane. Cameron & Mitchell go shopping.

The first episode where I liked Mitchell and Cameron, and the first time they seemed like a couple who actually liked one another (as opposed to Mitchell always being embarrassed by Cameron.)

The ending was probably a bit too sickly sweet, but it was still a good solid episode. Made me laugh.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 11. "Maternal Instincts" A shot boy in hospital.

Absolutely superb episode. The show cleverly finds a logical way to integrate Charlie into the story (again) and, in the process, highlights another side to the character of Brenda.

This is a show at the peak of it's creativity. Messing with it's established formula every week and constantly finding new ways to tell it's stories, but also finding new ways to look at it's lead character. From time to time the show reminds us that Brenda isn't always very nice. It's a shame, but it makes her all the more interesting.

Sosie Bacon is superb. I really like Charlie, and what she has brought to the show.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 7. "Famous Last Words" Pop star.

There were some things about this that I loved, and some that I hated.

Great to see the show tackling another special/unusual case, unfortunately the 'murdered pop star' story has been done on a hundred cop shows. I also didn't like the too sweet ending.

But...

There were many, many great elements here. Castle's daughter was involved in the story properly and her interest in the case helped us see a new side to Castle. I particularly enjoyed the scene where he decided to go back out and find the homeless girl.

Highlight? The Closer (Brenda isn't always very nice)
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Community, The Vampire Diaries, Castle, FlashForward

Friday, October 30th, 2009

05.30 Community
06.00 The Vampire Diaries
07.00 Castle
08.00 FlashForward

Community. Episode 7. "Introduction to Statistics" Halloween party.

Very funny episode (the funniest in a while) that gives all of the cast something good to do.

The drug-switch gag is pretty old, but it works here and makes me laugh, so who cares?

The Vampire Diaries. Episode 7. "Haunted" Halloween. And death.

Another one that packs a punch. It features the death of a regular character. A character that has dies multiple times, but - this time - it will probably stick and they will stay dead.

The best scene was probably the final one, as Damon steps up and does something nice for Elena. Sure, he's still the bad guy (for now) but in moments like these the writers lay the foundations of his salvation.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 6. "Vampire Weekend" Halloween.

Another winner. Once again (due to Halloween) the case-of-the-week is larger than life. Which is fine. These kind of crimes work well on this show.

FlashForward. Episode 6. "Scary Monsters and Super Creeps" Halloween.

Pretty weak carry-on from last week's (good) cliffhanger.

Mark's running after the kids in costumes was stupid on different levels: stupid storytelling, stupid character decision from Mark and stupid writers to think that we (at home) are going to get excited about this, and believe that anything significant is coming from it.

Lloyd finally arrives in Mark's house, and... it's quite a boring meeting. The aftermath is worse: Mark and his wife have 'a talk'. Painful stuff. Some of the most overwrought, badly written and badly acted television I've seen in quite a while.

Highlight? The Vampire Diaries (packs a punch)
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Modern Family, The Closer, House, Arrested Development, Castle

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

05.00 Modern Family
05.30 The Closer
06.30 House
11.30 Arrested Development
12.00 Castle

Modern Family. Episode 2. "The Bicycle Thief"

Ty Burrell shines even more in this second episode, which - overall - is much funnier and more enjoyable than the patchy pilot. I'm still not warming to Mitchell and his boyfriend, who seem to be stuck in the same one-joke rut (Mitchell is embarrassed by Cameron).

No matter. Everything that happens in the plot with Ty Burrell and (the insanely gorgeous) Brandy Ledford is hilarious.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 10. "Smells Like Murder" Body in cooler.

It's always interesting when a show breaks with formula. The Closer has a particular way of starting out each episode: a long, slow look at the police at the crime scene. From time to time they deviate from this, and it always serves to heighten the action that follows. Case in point: a body is delivered to Brenda's office.

Her niece, meanwhile, who I adore, pulls a prank and gets into lots of trouble. After five seasons, the show has found a new way to show Brenda and Fritz on the homefront. Amazing.

House. Season 6, Episode 5. "Brave Heart" A cop who predicts that he will die at 40.

House has a very, very rigid formula for it's stories and the show's genius lies in it's ability to hide that formula successfully, or - at least - make you forget that you are watching the same story every week. This is one of the best. The patient dies mid-way through the episode. Which is a hell of a jolt (as they successfully make you believe that the focus will switch to saving his son instead). However, this is sleight of hand and... the patient is still alive. But, by the time they reveal this, you are now 100% committed to the story.

Clever.

Arrested Development. Season 3, Episode 13. "Development Arrested" The final episode.

As well as bringing the story of the Bluth family to a conclusion, this episode is full of parallels with the pilot episode and goes some way towards explaining how the Bluth's wound up on TV in the first place.

More important: after 3 seasons on tv, the show goes out with an episode that is every bit as funny as the one they began with. Quite an achievement. In fact, it's probably funnier and more impressive given that it accomplishes more than just making us laugh.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 5. "When the Bough Breaks" Rick gets an offer to write something other than Nikki Heat books.

Which would mean leaving the police, and leaving Beckett.

In many ways this felt like a more logical season ender than the one they actually left us with last season, which I loved but which felt really abrupt. In fact, last season I wasn't really sure if there was more episodes or not.

This, however, felt final. Even though it had no cliff-hanger. Go figure.

Castle is an unusual show. The comedy is large and obvious, while the romance and emotions are painfully subtle and slow-moving.

Not that I mind. In fact, despite the fact that it's crimes and comedy are more and more over the top, it's relationships are firmly grounded in reality. The two main characters in this story behaved more like real people and less like TV people than I would ever have imagined possible on a show in this genre.

Superb stuff.

Highlight? Arrested Development (the final episode)
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Cougar Town, The Closer, House, Castle

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

05.30 Cougar Town
06.00 The Closer
07.00 House
08.00 Castle

Cougar Town. Episode 3. "Don't Do Me Like That" 10th date jitters.

The first episode to write Jules as more than just an older lady trying to reclaim her youth. This one is more about her tendency to help everyone in her life and put herself last.

It's fine. Not funny, but fine.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 9. "Identity Theft" Brenda suspects that a murderer's confession is false, and she finds herself playing 'mother' for the first time.

Nice to see Bruce Davison in a good show again. And with a good part, too. A father apparently lying (and willing to go to prison) to protect his son.

Sosie Bacon joins the cast and makes a great first impression as a 'daughter' for Brenda. I immediately liked the character and feel that this will be good for the show.

House. Season 6, Episode 4. "Instant Karma" Rich guy, with sick kid.

Lee Tergesen is awesome (as always) as the father who decides to throw all his wealth away to save his sick kid. It's a karma thing.

Another strong episode. This season seems off to be much stronger start than last year. Partly because the old team is back together and partly because they are running with this great story arc featuring Chase.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 4. "Fool Me Once" Con man.

The best episode so far this season. It's didn't feel like a typical cop-show plot with the character (and one-liners) of Rick Castle added to the mix, this felt like a story that could only be done on Castle. Not your typical police story, this one. This was a blast, even when Castle wasn't on-screen.

More, please!!

Highlight? Castle (a blast)
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Cougar Town, The Closer, House, Arrested Development, Castle

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

06.30 Cougar Town
07.00 The Closer
08.00 House
12.30 Arrested Development
01.00 Castle

Cougar Town. Episode 2. "Into the Great Wide Open"

Yes, I'm still laughing. But I'm wondering where can they go with this idea? Does it have legs? Much of this felt like a remake of the pilot, sans the romance plot.

I'm not complaining. I'm just wondering whether it's always going to be about this lady clinging to her lost youth. Can they pull that off? 22 times a year for 4/5 years?

Right now, though, what matters most is that the cast (every one of them) is on top form and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 8. "Elysian Fields" Cold case.

For the second time in a row, the show allows us to sympathise with Brenda while at the same time feel empathy for the viewpoint of the person she's in conflict with.

Tom Skerritt guests as an ex-cop breaking rules to try and solve an old case that haunts him. Brenda must repeatedly cross swords with him, however (thanks to flashbacks to an episode from last season) we can see that Brenda is, herself, haunted by an unresolved case from her past. It's a nice contrast and the script (by Michael Alaimo) doesn't beat it to death. It's there. We can see it. But it has no other bearing on the story.

Flynn, for the third time this season, gets some great scenes. Funny scenes, and scenes that highlight his imperfect, but very real, character. Anthony John Denison rocks.

Provenza steals the episode, though, with his surly attitude towards the Skerritt character and his eagerness to tell him about his 29-year-old girlfriend.

House. Season 6, Episode 3. "The Tyrant" House returns to work.

House changed it's status quo at just the right time. To keep the show vital and interesting they ditched most of the House Team. Now, after two seasons, this episode finds the same four characters that started the series back in the same room again working on a case. And it feels great. It feels like a completely new show again. Even though it's just the old show back.

Is this change? Or the illusion of change? Who knows? Who cares? It was great.

Also, the episode delivered two fantastic plots, with two fantastic guest stars (David Marciano and James Earl Jones) and downbeat, surprising ending.

A+ House at it's absolute best.

Arrested Development. Season 3, Episode 7. "Prison Break-In"

Coming off a classic (and hilarious) episode, the show doesn't miss a beat. It's a fast-paced, deliberately chaotic installment where every character gets major story beats. There are several references to Prison Break and some (rare) nice scenes between the Bluth parents.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 3. "Inventing the Girl" Model.

Castle worries me. It flirts with mediocrity every week. And - every week - just as they have me worrying, they rein it in and deliver another good episode.

Take this week: it's about a murdered model and it sends our heroes into the crazy world of fashion modelling. Exactly the same way one hundred other cop shows have done over the years.

And to make it worse, the plot pin-balls from suspect to suspect in a manner that emulates all those other generic cop shows we've seen over the years.

But...

Castle is different.

Nathan Fillion is a true star. He's got presence. It allows the writers to stay true to the premise and keep Castle as - mostly - an observer. Fillion owns every scene, whether he has dialogue or not.

Rather than go the obvious route of making Rick Castle a rogue that learns the error of his ways through his association with Kate Beckett the show has opted to make him a overly decent individual. His only flaw, really, is being a bit of a goofball. And we'll allow him that. He's a millionaire, for frak sake, he's allowed not worry about responsibilities. So, rather than being a TV cliché, he's fun to watch and easy to like.

The stories are tweaked enough to make them good. Even the murder-in-the-world-of-fashion episode ended up with a good revelation and an enjoyable confrontation scene where the killer broke down and confessed. As the story played out I didn't expect them to make me care about the outcome, but when we got there... I found that I was involved. That happened a couple of times in Season One also. Castle has developed the art of the good ending to average stories.

Then there's Kate Beckett and the Castle/Kate relationship. The premise depends upon him being able to learn from her, on each case, or the show has no raison d'etre. And that had to be a challenge going in. How do you create a male hero who is subservient to his female co-worker but who isn't disempowered in the eyes of the audience. Casting Nathan Fillion was a big coup (that guy could project manliness while wearing a pink tutu) and the show is wise enough to make his character as smart, too, and capable of spotting stuff in his own right. More important the writers make Beckett smarter, still, and that makes her worthy of Rick's respect. And ours. So, since we can believe her as a smart cop we like to see Rick wearing his respect for her on his sleeve. Which he does. All the time. Which him seem all the more secure and... cool.

But there's more to her than smarts. The producers have made her real in other ways, too. This week she got jealous when Rick didn't give her the book to read. Other shows could easily have ruined that idea in the treatment, but Castle nailed it by keeping it low-key and human. That scene at the end was adorable. Both of them being very honest. It was my favourite moment from the whole episode, and it was pretty special.

And the last scene of all, with Castle and the young model, was also pretty special.

Great show all round. I wonder will they flirt with mediocrity next week?

Highlight? Castle (special)
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Cougar Town, The Closer, House, Castle

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

05.00 Cougar Town
05.30 The Closer
01.00 House
02.00 Castle

Cougar Town. Episode 1. "Pilot" Jules must track down a kid who has been stealing sexy posters of her (and her amazing cleavage).

Hilarious opening episode with a whole bunch in instantly likable characters. Courteney Cox is a hoot. Funny and likable from the moment she appears on-screen.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 7. "Strike Three" Brenda and Raydor clash while investigating cop deaths involving the shooting of a civillian.

Mary McDonnell is superb (that's a given) and in the character of Sharon Raydor the writers/producers have given her a character worthy of her considerable talents. Raydor is in constant conflict with Brenda and her team, but for reasons that make sense and allow the viewer to sympathise with Raydor, while simultaneously feeling the (justified) frustration of the regulars. It's a balancing act. And the show completely succeeds in pulling it off.

The final conversation between Raydor and Brenda is worth the price of admission.

House. Season 6, Episode 2. "Epic Fail" Foreman takes charge, and must deal with a patient constantly posting his symptoms on the Internet.

A big come down from last week's good premiere. Whereas the previous week's change-of-pace departure-from-formula felt fresh and different, this week's attempt to do exactly the same thing feels like threading water. A time-wasting exercise to keep the viewer waiting for the (eventual) return to the formula/team we know is coming.

The delaying tactic this week is that House has resigned and is turning his skills to cooking instead. He's leaving medicine behind. It's logical (and fun) that he would turn out to be a genius chef. But little else about this detour is enjoyable.

Foreman makes all the mistakes that we would expect. Yawn. And when the script created a patient that was posting his case on the Internet I knew we'd learn (in a 'big twist' at the end) that House had solved the case.

And we did.

He did.

I yawned.

Maybe week #3 will be better.

Castle. Season 2, Episode 2. "The Double Down" Castle makes a bet with two other detectives, as to who can solves their respective case first.

Much more fun that week #1 and a prime example of why Castle is such a good show. Sure, there's nothing here particularly groundbreaking or novel. And the case-of-the-week, while complex and full of twists and turns, isn't exactly original either. But the show just zips along and you are always sure to be chuckling at the antics of the regulars (particular Nathan Fillion). The show has stayed true to it's central idea and you really get a light comedy-drama where a have a very un-coplike central character working side-by-side with a bunch of typical TV cops. And it's a dynamic that proves entertaining. Particular when he gets them all betting on the eventual outcomes of their cases.

There's very little Castle/Beckett romance material this week, either. I guess she's still pissed off at him, darn it. The show need nice scenes between them.

Highlight? The Closer (Mary McDonnell)
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Accidentally On Purpose, The Closer, House, Castle

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

06.00 Accidentally On Purpose
06.30 The Closer
09.00 House
11.00 Castle

Accidentally On Purpose. Episode 1. "Pilot" Billie gets pregnant from a one-night stand.

The opening scene, with the star and her slutty best friend, was truly unfunny and awful. Indeed whenever the lead character hung out with her friend and her sister the show was borderline unwatchable.

At least, when her boyfriend was on-screen they had chemistry and I could almost like them.

Almost.

But not enough to go back and watch a second episode.

The Closer. Season 5, Episode 6. "Tapped Out" Fake cop.

Another comedy episode? Really? I wish this had been one of the gritty, serious episodes. But it wasn't. Never mind. I still loved it. Very, very funny. A cartoon episode really. Wildly implausible, but I was laughing out loud so how could I possibly complain?

House. Season 6, Episode 1. "Broken"

The show returns with a great movie that really doesn't feel anything like any episode of the show. Ever. But is all the better for it.

It felt 'special' and was very, very enjoyable. I mean, you had Hugh Laurie and Andre Braugher in the same scene. On multiple occasions. What's not to love?

Castle. Season 2, Episode 1. "Deep in Death"

Great to have the show back. Story-wise, this particular case-of-the-week was not one of the better ones (and some of the season one stories were good), and the show was lacking the usual chemistry we love so much (with very good reason). But, still, great to have the show back.

Highlight? The final scene was superb. I've watched it more than once. When they do stuff like that, I feel that the writers have a wonderful handle on these characters and are intent on delivering a realistic and mature couple.

And that is one of my most favourite aspects of the show.

Highlight? House (Hugh Laurie and Andre Braugher)
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Tue, May 12, 09 - Rules Of Engagement, Castle

08.30 Rules Of Engagement
01.00 Castle



Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 10. "Family Style" Jeff overreacts when someone takes some food off his plate, and Russell sends Timmy to a psychiatrist... posing as Russell.

Adhir Kalyan is the best thing that ever happened to this show. He gets all the big laughs in this episode and his character's presence has opened up the character of Russell. And made him more believably/accessible. This is one of the scripts that tries to give Russell some depth and heart, and those are my favourite Russell stories.

Castle. Episode 10. "A Death in the Family" A plastic surgeon is killed in a mob hit. Why?

For it's season finale, Castle delivers another good case-of-the-week, several funny Nathan Fillion moments, a tiny bit of romantic sparkle and a loads of solid character development for the major characters.

Castle's mother and daughter get some of the very best scenes of the episode. In a lesser show, the mother would just exist for lame jokes and the daughter would just exist for soft and fuzzy father/daughter moments but on this show they round out the cast in an intelligent and complimentary fashion.

Castle's speech about his vision of his future with his daughter is one of the sweetest and saddest speeches I've heard on TV in a long time. Both performers nailed it, too. I'd expect no less of Nathan Fillion, to be honest, but where did they find Molly Quinn? It was a lovely moment. Two lesser performers would have mangled the material. These two found the truth in the moment and ran with it.

Then there was Susan Sullivan. As the series has gone on, her character has been written better and better. It's amusing to think of her as a lush that Castle has to look out for, but I like it better when she's written as a mother who can give good advise. Her impact on Rick here was one of the best part of the script. Urging him to tell Beckett about his investigation into her mother's murder was great for her character, was great for his character (showing that he's not all that wise, really, when it comes to women) and it added great tension to the story. Now suddenly we have more than our own suspicions (that Beckett will take his interference badly) to make us worry. We have another character telling Rick to back off. Great stuff.

The episode also made great use of Beckett's ex-boyfriend and the scenes using the doughnuts were wonderful. Wonderful. What a great way for the character to communicate her feelings! Seems so, so right for her.

Robert Picardo was underused but, hopefully, we'll see more of him in Season Two... (Please let there be a Season Two...)

The case-of-the-week was strong and interesting. Castle's telling Kate that she was extraordinary was heart-stoppingly good and the cliffhanger was... infuriating and annoying. And, let's face it, a perfect cliff-hanger. Because, more than anything else, I want to know what he said next.

And what she said back to him...

Highlight? Castle (cliff-hanger)
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Tue, May 5, 09 - Rules Of Engagement, Castle, Listener, Forever Knight

06.00 Rules Of Engagement
06.30 Castle
02.00 The Listener
03.00 Forever Knight

Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 9. "The Challenge" The guys compete to see who can get sex first.

Hilarious. Great to see an episode which ties all the regulars into one storyline, and one which is very much driven by the premise of the series (single vs. married vs. engaged). Keeping true to it's concept keeps RoE different from all the similar sitcoms that have gone before. The show is funny, it has a vision of what it is (three seasons in) and it's not afraid (like Seinfeld) to write the characters as less-than-nice.

Castle. Episode 9. "Little Girl Lost" Kidnapped little girl.

It's a rule of these romantic dramas. You have to build episodes around your lead's ex-partners. It heightens the conflict, you see. Indeed, I'm sure that if Castle gets a second season (Please!) then one of them will have a story arc where they are dating someone else entirely. Why? Cos show's like to frak with us in this way. And we love it.

This episode introduces us to Beckett's ex-boyfriend, and it's a much more successful effort than the one which introduced Castle's ex-wife. Mainly because he's tied in to the case-of-the-week and there was plenty of opportunity for Castle and the ex to square off. Castle's ex-wife, when she appeared, was kept in the b-plot and away from Beckett. Which, let's face it, is less interesting.

One of the great things about Castle is that, for a show that is mainly about the leads and their romantic tension, it also manages to deliver really good stories ever couple of weeks. This one is a cracker. Nothing very fancy, or complicated, or flashy. Quite a simple story, really. A really good story. Guest star Judy Reyes is superb in her role. And, at the story's climax, they completely leave her to it. The script gives her pages of great material, leaves everyone else standing back in silence, and - boy - did Reyes ever run with the ball. Her performance, and that final scene, make this a serious contender for best ever episode of Castle.

Given the chance, this romantic drama (that I originally assumed was just going to be a vehicle for the fantastic Nathan Fillion) could turn into a superb detective series.

Maybe it already has...



The Listener. Episode 10. "Missing" Toby and Oz try to help a man imprisoned for killing his wife.

Mid-way through the season, The Listener completely hit it's stride and started to deliver superb episodes. This is yet another superb episode. It doesn't feature Lisa Marcos very much but I love this show so much at this stage that I don't even mind. Much.

There are many reason to love this episode.

1. Toby's powers. The show has totally figured out how to use Toby's powers in a way that is totally cool, and totally serves the stories and makes them far more interesting. The guest actors in this episode play their parts with conviction, so we get that rarity in shows of this ilk: bad guys who can tell lies really well. Most liars on TV shows are really crap at telling lies, so much so that the hero doesn't need super powers to tell they are lying. Most of the suspects in this tale were telling lies and none of the actors played their part as if they were lying. This made Toby's powers all the more cool and interesting.

I also love the way the show has decided to manifest his powers: visions that might be memory or fantasy or intent or random nonsense. And it's up to Toby to interpret. Wonderful. Early episodes didn't make this clear. But it's the way it works now, and I love it.

2. Oz. Without making it a stated aim of the script, the show has found a way to show us how Toby's friends 'use' him and his power. He wanted to help Marks last week, so it was okay. But Oz was totally forcing him into using his power this week, and it was great to see how their friendship rides the rough waters of these moments without any self-conscious moments of discussion. Kinda like a real friendship. The Toby-Oz friendship has always been one of my favourite elements of the series, and it continues to be.

3. The story. It's a cracker of a tale from start to finish. Oz's parents are suffering the effects of the current financial crisis and Oz wants to use Toby to make some money fast. Their attempts to win money from cheating at poker were both funny and interesting and made perfect sense. A great answer to the question of why he doesn't use his power to make himself rich.

4. The twist. I love stories with a twist, and I love shows that opt to end their episodes on a downbeat note. The resolution of this episode was superb. Stephen McHattie is one of my favourite performers and he was a perfect choice for this role. All his scenes were great, but that last one was chilling. Craig Olejnik really sold the shock, too. Great work all round. Maybe the best 'moment' so far in the whole series.

5. Mylene Robic/Olivia. She didn't have as much screentime in this episode, as in the previous two, but I really love her and Toby as a couple. It's about time they brought her into the loop, to, with regard to his powers. Bringing Oz and Marks in on the secret opened the stories up in a major way and it would be cool if they tried to write a TV relationship where one of the characters was a mind reader. (I bet he still gets everything wrong!)



Forever Knight. Episode 11. "Hunters" Schanke goes into hiding when someone targets him for death.

Why is Forever Knight such a cool show? This episode provides many of the answers.

1. John Kapelos as Schanke. This man rules!! Kapelos was sometimes asked to play his role as broad comedy (which he did with consummate ease) but, left to his own devices, he plays Schanke as if this was an episode of Homicide: Life On The Street. In other words, he played it totally real. Yet, Schanke is very cool. Obnoxious and rude and a little bit stupid, but - let's face it - the guy is cool. And this is a Schanke-centric episode. Placing him in The Raven is a stroke of genius. The comedy is perfect and the conversation with Janette (about Nick's past) is gripping.

2. The Night Shooting. Since Nick is a vampire, he works the night shift and the show is filmed/set at night. Toronto looks awesome at night (I've been there and it looks awesome at any time, to be honest) and it has never looked better than in Forever Knight. If I could work the nightshift anywhere (as a cop) I would ride along with Nick and Schanke in Toronto. This episode looks great. I love the pre-credits scene (as the guys walk the night streets) and anything and everything that happens outdoors at night. Which is a lot of stuff on this show. Superboy was cool in a similar way. The last two seasons were filmed at night (in Florida) and it added something to the show.

3. Nick at the piano. Many episodes were 'padded out' with wonderful character moments for Nick, as he sat as his piano and pondered his lot in life. I say 'padded out' because I think these scenes were filmed so they could be edited out in certain markets (to allow for more ads, sigh) without harming the actual plot of the episode (as if they cared about that kind of thing). However these scenes are not padding in the classic sense. They are genuine character moments. This episode has one. Nick sits at the piano, plays with the flame of a candle and - later - drives around the city at night with some cool music playing on the soundtrack. Forever Knight has awesome music. Many songs were specially written for the series, and the actual score of the show is distinctive and wonderful, too.

4. The Flashbacks. Forever Knight was one of three shows to hit the air at the same time, which had heroes who were special in some way, and whose adventures were punctuated by flashbacks to their earlier lives. Highlander and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues were the other two. The Highlander flashbacks were lavish affairs which underscored the main plot or, in some cases, told a different story. On Kung Fu: The Legend Continues we were treated to little moments that added depth and meaning to the life of Caine. And on Forever Knight we tended to get bleak, sad views of past deeds which were used to explain the sadness that followed Nick Knight wherever he went. This one is a doozy. It shows Nick being hunted and - in a moment of frenzy - turning on, and taking the lives of his hunters. In a clever touch, we see Janette telling Schanke a toned-down version of the same event and the script clever uses the incident to provoke a discussion between the characters and, indeed, provoke Schanke into action.

It's also very cool. Geraint Wyn Davies knows exactly how to sell the pain that Nick feels without every making it self-conscious or false. Something it would have become on a lesser show.

The Nick/Natalie relationship is another example of why FK is cooler than Angel, Blood Ties or Moonlight, but since it's not featured heavily here, I'll leave my views on it until another time.

Bottom line: Forever Knight rocks!

Highlight? The Listener (the twist at the very end is a killer)
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Tue, Apr 28, 09 - Rules Of Engagement, Castle, Listener, House

05.30 Rules Of Engagement
06.00 Castle
11.30 The Listener
12.30 House

Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 8. "Twice" Audrey pretends to be pregnant! Russell guides an Amish man through the sleazy side of life in the big city.

Another wonderful, hilarious Megan-centric episode. This show is on fire, basically. And they are not afraid to cast their regulars in a less-than-flattering light. Megan pretending to be pregnant is very funny, and they totally make it work. The mix-up (where Jeff thinks everyone is congratulating him for having sex twice in a row) is also inspired.

Talking of 'inspired' ideas: Russell takes an Amish man to various strip clubs.

Castle. Episode 8. "Ghosts" Woman drowned in a bath full of motor oil.

The one duff episode was a total anomaly and Castle has settled into a routine of superb episodes.

The one flaw in this one concerned the dead woman who was mentioned at the very start of the episode and dismissed as a suspect because she was, um, dead and all. And, you know, her body was never found...

Who, at home, didn't know from the very start that that woman was - of course - mad alive? I wasn't sure she would turn out to be the murderer (I kinda liked the husband for it) but I totally knew she was alive and it bugged me that the characters never said "Maybe she's not dead?". They could have said it from the very start. They could have thrown it out there. Thus proving that they are as smart as the viewers as home.

Anyway...

They didn't.

Apart from that flaw (which bugged me, as you can see) it was another superb episode. A great story, with lots of interesting and fun twists. Castle was his usual fun self, and there were many great scenes between Castle and Beckett. Most of them involving poker.

I love the way Beckett is very much a part of Castle's family now. There seems to be a whole lot of warm-hearted mutual acceptance going on with that little group. And I love it.

The Listener. Episode 8. "One Way or Another" Charlie tracks a serial rapist.

Flawless. The first episode to nail the show's formula to perfection, and the first superb episode.

What did they get right?



Toby's powers were useful and without them there would have been no story. The show often makes the mistake of (a) Toby only hearing part of the truth and jumping to the wrong conclusion, or (b) Toby totally picks up nothing from the real bad guy and you wonder afterwards why the show didn't take that direction instead. This time out, the writer makes brilliant use of Toby's powers. Each use of the power (a) advanced the story, (b) was funny, (c) led to a character moment, (d) was genuinely cool/interesting.

This last one is significant. Being able to read minds would be a very cool power. But the show has never captured this. Until now.



They created a strong/excellent b-story for the underused Mylene Robic. The b-story was every bit as strong as the a-story. It had a great patient-of-the-week, it gave us great character insight into Olivia, it had loads of comic moments and a solid resolution. It had nothing to do with Toby, but it still managed to involve Osman in a meaningful way. In short, it was extremely well written.



Charlie was well-written and dynamic and heroic. Lisa Marcos was sexier than ever (my god, but she is crazy hot and I'm borderline obsessed) and she showed considerable acting chops, too. The scene where she revealed the story of her own rape was perfectly underplayed, and did nothing to dimish the character's considerable strength.



The climax was perfect on many, many levels. Toby's mind-reading powers were used in a very clever way, as Detective Marks was able to 'think' instructions to Toby and his following of these instructions was enough to distract her captor and allow Marks to escape and beat the living crap out of the creep.

It was a great climax on many levels. Toby and Marks were equally responsible for beating the bad guy. Which makes sense. Toby is a paramedic, not a cop and not a fighter. Marks is both a cop and a fighter. So, the writers made the absolute right choice by allowing her to rescue herself, by using Toby as a distraction.

Very, very good writing. And much more interesting than a clichéd Toby comes to the rescue ending.

It was also cool.



Indeed, all of the uses of Toby's powers were cool and fun. For the first time. My favourite bit? Toby chuckles at Olivia's thoughts and - when questioned about it - credits a passing Osman with being very funny. Osman, of course, takes the credit and keeps walking. This was a wonderful scene on many levels. It was cool. It was very funny. It showed that the writer has a great take on these characters and their dynamic.

I also love the way the show doesn't go for cliché "How could he know that?" moments. The Olivia storyline (a) was good, (b) had nothing to do with Toby or his powers, (c) took up loads of screentime. I feared that Toby would appear, read something and - in some way - affect the resolution of the story. No. The show wisely kept him peripherial to events in Olivia's story and let it find it's own resolution. In this way, they make the show a rewarding enemble show to watch.

But Lisa Marcos is my favourite.

House. Season 5, Episode 18. "Here Kitty" Judy Greer thinks a cat has predicted her death, while Taub makes a bit for freedom.

A very funny episode, with lots of dark, sad moments. In short, a superb episode of House.

Hmmm.

Maybe, I've given up on House a bit too soon. Season Five might well be the weakest season so far, but they can still deliver quality episodes. In fact, there has been a run of quality episodes.

Hmmm.

Highlight? The Listener (first superb episode)
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Tue, Apr 21, 09 - Rules Of Engagement, Castle, The Listener

06.30 Rules Of Engagement
12.30 Castle
01.30 The Listener

Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 7. "Old Timer's Day" Jeff hurts his back.

Rules is having it's best season. It's funnier than ever and - unlike earlier episodes - none of the episodes are driven by Jeff being an ass/idiot. Even the Jeff-centric episodes (such as this one) are grounded in reality.

The show has also added semi-regulars. Funny ones, at that. They took a good show and made it better. How often does that happen, huh?

Castle. Episode 7. "Home Is Where the Heart Stops" Home invasions turn to murder.

After last week's dreadful mis-step the show bounces back to almost being as good as it was before. The case is fairly uninvolving, and the scenes with the victim's daughter's angst were seriously yawn-worthy but the episode had a lot of cool and funny Castle moments and - even more important - the episode had many significant moments between Castle and Beckett. They had a 'date' and - at the very end - she showed up and was part of his family gathering.

Best Castle moment? The part at the end where he's alone in the police car, singing his own action theme song and pretending to be in a car chase. The suspect happens by (of course) and Castle gets into a fight with him, while the soundtrack plays his very own action theme song. I love it! Not just the idea/gag, I actually love the theme, too.

The Listener. Episode 6. "Foggy Notion" Murder in Chinatown.

It may have fairly pedestrian case-of-the-week tales but I can't escape the fact that I really like this show.

There are two main reasons for this.

I like the angle of the hero who cares about people he meets and wants to butt into their lives and help/save them. It's the whole Pretender/Early Edition thing, I suppose. Toby keeps running around getting involved in stuff that has nothing to do with him. He's a goodie-goodie. Like Tru on Tru Calling he knows stuff that he shouldn't and he uses that knowledge to try and save lives and stuff. I dig that stuff. It makes him a very old fashioned TV hero.



I also like Lisa Marcos a lot. A whole lot. I really like to watch her body move as she, you know, walks around and stuff. Sure, it's a pretty lame reason for liking a TV show but - Hey! - I'm being honest. Don't mark me down as being hopelessly shallow. I'm not: I also like her hair!

The show always writes to write the scenes between her and Toby really badly (which I'm starting to find charming, not annoying) but it does manage to write her as a smart character in her own right. She gets a lot of screentime and she's very much a lead character in the show. Also, as of this episode, they bring her in on 'the secret'. Very cool. Makes me very, very keen to see the next episode.

Highlight? Castle (cool, funny, romantic)
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Tue, Apr 14, 09 - Rules Of Engagement, Castle

08.30 Rules Of Engagement
09.00 Castle

Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 6. "Poaching Timmy" Adam wants to go camping, Jeff wants to help the Giants win, and Audrey wants a new assistant.

Wow. Priceless. The funniest episode so far this season and, possibly, the funniest episode the show has done. Every storyline is funny, none of them is silly and two of them collide at the very end in true-Seinfeld style. Yummy.

This is Audrey's best season as a character, and Megyn Price is showing her star material. She totally, totally carries this episode (with great help from new regular Adhir Kalyan) and the story of Audrey's attempt to steal Russell's assistant is cleverly written/played as an affair between the two characters.

I used to love this show because I love Patrick Warburton. Now I love the show because it's totally hit it's stride and all the ideas are killer.

Castle. Episode 6. "Always Buy Retail" Voodoo/Vudon episode.

Disappointing. This is a generic voodoo episode that could be from any cop show. There are no cool Castle moments and no romantic Castle/Beckett moments.

Even worse, the episode is mostly about Castle's relationship with his ex-wife!!

I do not give a frak about Castle's ex-wife (and I don't want him to be sleeping with her, either) I want to see him flirting with Beckett, wooing her and eventually getting her. That's what I want.

So this, to me, is/was a waste of time.

Highlight? Rules Of Engagement (clever and funny)
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Tue, Apr 7, 09 - Big Bang Theory, Castle, Listener

07.00 The Big Bang Theory
07.30 Castle
08.30 The Listener

The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 10. "The Vartabedian Conundrum" Leonard thinks things may be moving too fast with Stephanie.

The Sheldon plotline (he thinks he is sick) is very ordinary, but there are many laughs to be had over in the ongoing Leonard/Stephanie story arc. They make a great couple, but since the viewers are interested in seeing Leonard and Penny get together the show cleverly casts her as his advisor in matters of the heart. So we still get to see them 'together' for much of the episode.

Castle. Episode 5. "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" A woman's dead (and frozen) body is found many years after she disappeared.

An absolutely superb case-of-the-week dominates this episode. For once the charm of Castle and Beckett is pushed aside and we are treated to a brilliant cop story, easily the best one since the show started.

The Castle/Beckett scenes are more serious and character-driven than usual. They, too, are the best ones since the show started and the final scenes (where she talks about her mother's murder and he sets out to solve it) are nothing short of magnificent.

I'm so in love with watching these two fall in love.

The Listener. Episode 5. "Lisa Says" Toby tries to help a street kid with an unusual past/problem.

The best case-of-the-week for Toby so far. The twist at the midpoint really surprised me, and made the episode more interesting. Toby's powers are, when you think about it, pretty useless to him. They never tell him anything useful.

The show's real strength are the scenes between Toby and his best friend. Great writing and acting/chemistry make for some hilarious and believable scenes of a friendship.

The show's worst weakness are the scenes with the lady cop. The script tries so hard to create romantic tension between them that much of what they say to each other is nonsense and she can come across as a heartless bitch. In this episode he asks for her help with the missing kid and she is really horrible to him, for no logical reason.

Highlight? Castle (great story)
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