SERIES PREMIERE RECAP AND REVIEW: The Mysteries of Laura “Pilot” S1 E1

It’s hard to believe the new season has kicked off.   And I’m not going to lie, I don’t like when networks do these “special previews” and premiere shows outside of premiere week.    One, I’m not ready for it yet.   Two, I usually forget the show is premiering because my mind has not kicked into that gear yet.   And three, it loses some of the pomp and circumstance (at least in my household) of premiere week.   It’s like the start of the NFL season.   To me, the season starts the first Sunday of the season.   10-12 games are on the docket for the day (usually my Eagles are one of those teams.)   I make my traditional chili, I get the beer chilled, my house is decorated in Eagles green, I have my Eagles jersey on, the phone is shut off, and I watch football for 10-11 straight hours.   It’s awesome.   The season doesn’t start on Thursday.   I hate Thursday games.   It’s one thing during holidays when nothing else is on but not every Thursday.   So I can’t get excited about that Thursday game because that’s not the start of the season for me.   Sunday is.   The TV Fall Season is the same way.   This isn’t premiere week.   Next week is.    I have nothing to do at night next week.  I will have all my DVRs set up, I will have my schedule of what I’m watching live and what I’ll watch on the DVR later.   It’s amazing!!    So I don’t know if it hurts or helps shows like The Mysteries of Laura (TMOL) to premiere early.  In one regard, there is very little competition so you have a better chance of getting a solid audience.    But that can also hurt you if your pilot isn’t the greatest but you build into your momentum and get better as more episodes come around.   If the pilot is bad or iffy, you may have already lost people after one episode.    It’s also a good thing because it’s been 4-5 months (if you’re Sleepy Hollow 7 months) since we’ve seen our favorite shows so people are itching for something new to watch.   And don’t give me the summer season has new shows now because there’s a reason those shows air in the summer (network shows I mean.)  It’s because TV viewing goes down significantly in the summer time and therefore not as much pressure for ratings for advertisers.    Bottom line, if you’re going to break the premiere week mold, you better have something people will jump on or else you’ve shot yourself in the foot.   TMOL might have just shot themselves in the foot.   If they get 10 million people to watch again next week, I will quit my real job.

TMOL stars Debra Messing as Det. Laura Diamond.  She is one of the top detectives in her precinct struggling to juggle her job, her marriage, and her kids.   Certainly not a new premise but one you hope due to casting, will have a new twist or new life breathing into it.   And as much as I love Messing, this character is as cliché as they come.   Her desk is a mess, her car is a mess, she’s late, she’s disheveled, and she’s unconventional.    The problem is, none of this resonates with me.  I don’t buy her as a detective let alone the best detective.   Seriously, what detective goes to a home to investigate death threats and sits down with the guests and has cake and wine?   Even her captain when he is offered wine says “oh I really shouldn’t.”  YOU THINK?   You are on duty aren’t you?    Isn’t there a rule about drinking and being on the job?   And this all happens after she shoots a perp in the ear while he’s holding a man hostage in the middle of a busy park.   And she picks the ear that closest to the hostage instead of the outside ear.    That’s great police work.    Then there are her parenting skills.    For an interview for a Pre-K school (because her kids were kicked out of the other one) she feeds her kids enough cough syrup so they are calm and almost asleep.   She must have overdone it though considering her one son pukes it up.   Then when her children are urinating on each other in public, instead of punishing them or freaking out OVER THE FACT HER KIDS ARE PEEING ON EACH OTHER FOR FUN, she asks politely asks them to stop.  No wonder her kids are monsters.    It also doesn’t help that her husband (soon to be ex) Jake (Josh Lucas) is just a big kid himself…but not in a good way.    He’s not Jack Tripper in Three’s Company where he’s funny and goofy and slightly frustrating because he’s just a big kid but he’s so lovable you can’t be mad at him.   Plus when he needs to buck up, he does.  Jake isn’t close to that.   He seems to shirk his parenting duties and when he is around his kids, he’s bringing them pizza and wrestling with them on the couch and then leaves.   When his kids are peeing on each other in the park, he thinks it’s funny and it doesn’t seem to phase him at all.    You’re probably reading this thinking what’s wrong with a dad bringing his kids pizza and wrestling around with them?  Nothing at all….as long as he steps up and is their father when it counts, not just their buddy.    I don’t get the impression Jake has time for the serious stuff…only the fun stuff.   So from a home life perspective, there isn’t one likable person in the Diamond household.

There was a case that I really didn’t care about.   This phone mogul was receiving death threats and everyone (except Laura) thought it was the wife.   Turns out it was Laura’s Captain (Elias from Person of Interest) who was the person who killed him because he was having an affair with his wife.   Ok I’ll admit I didn’t see that twist coming but it fell flat because the rest of the case was so uninteresting.    Because Captain Elias was obviously removed of his duties as captain of the squad.   Guess who just so happens to be put in his place?     That’s right…Laura’s husband Jake.    Which again, isn’t there something against spouses working in the same precinct let alone one reporting to the other?

I really wanted to like this show but I just didn’t.   I like a lot of the cast, independent of this show, but they all deserve better than this.   The writing is bad, the premise is worse, and there isn’t a likable character on the show.   Not to mention this show doesn’t seem to know what they want to be.    Is this a comedy?   Is this a dramatic cop show with some comedic elements?   Is it a family show?   And shows don’t have to be channeled into one vain or another…they can cross multiple angles (which Castle does brilliantly.)  But this show doesn’t seem to have a direction.    On top of that, I just can’t buy that Laura is so good at her job yet so awful a parent.  Mostly because I don’t believe she’s as good a detective as we’re being told she is.    Kate Beckett, Olivia Benson, Brenda Leigh Johnson….those are good cops.   Laura?   I guess shooting a perp with precision in the middle of Battery Park is supposed to indicate she’s the best of the best.   Or really dumb and really lucky.   I’m not sure.   But she didn’t come across as a confident, seasoned vet who commands respect in her squad.      Add in the husband being forgettable and the kids being beyond disastrous, I have no interest in seeing where Laura goes from here and what her mysteries actually are.

DVRs: 1

 

RECAP & REVIEW: Parenthood “The Enchanting Mr. Knight” S5 E16

There are very few episodes of Parenthood that I can say annoy the crap out of me.   In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever thought that about Parenthood.   But last night’s episode had me spitting nails.   Decisions that were made, conversations that were had…..UGH.   So much bad in 42 minutes.    Let’s start with what got my blood boiling the most shall we?

Crosby and Camille

Words cannot describe how much I wanted to punch Crosby in the face between last week’s episode and this week’s episode.    At one point, I was listening to his incessant rambling with my mouth agape.     I couldn’t believe the things he was saying.   Who the hell do you think you are Crosby?   Yes you grew up there but it’s not your home, it’s your parent’s home.   I mean of course your childhood home is your home when you’re a kid and you live there.   But guess what?   When you’re married and have a family and have your own home, it’s not your home anymore.   And unless you’ve paid a penny towards the mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc on the home, IT”S NOT YOUR PLACE TO SAY ANYTHING!!!   How DARE he get in the middle of this.   This is the Crosby I thought we sort of grew away from…the selfish, nosy, screwed up, self-centered jerk that thought the world revolved around him and every decision made in the world needs to be made in a way that makes him happy and his life easier.    Well he is back.

First he goes to Zeek to tell him that he knows he doesn’t want to sell the house and asks why he’s letting mom push him into something he doesn’t want.    And after Zeek very directly and beautifully tells him that it’s because after all his mother has done for this family, she deserves to have something she wants.   She wants to travel and if that means selling house to make her happy, Zeek is going to do it because she means more to him that anything else.    Then, since apparently that wasn’t good enough for Crosby, he goes to his mother and whines like a 7-year-old about selling his childhood home.  Notice he never talks about his siblings….it’s HIS home and HIS room.   By the way, since when do grown children say to their parents “when were you going to paint my room without telling me?”  I’m sorry Crosby, did you leave your wife and children and move back with your mom and dad and become 12 again?  As Camille reminded him, it hasn’t been his room in years.    And then the granddaddy asshole comment of all, he tells Camille she is selfish for selling the house.    SELFISH!!   He told his mother she was selfish for wanting to sell HER house.   Is he for real?    He actually made that comment with a straight face?    Well after losing my voice screaming at my TV, Camille responded better than I ever could:

Selfish.   Ok let me put this into some perspective for you.  I spent over 30 years of my life taking care of four kids.  Some of whom are still living in my house and coming home for lunch.  And I spent most of my adult life, compromising myself and what I want for your father.  I’ve always put myself second.  Or third.  Or fourth.  Or fifth or sixth.   I have cooked your dinners.  I have packed your school lunches.  I have driven you to play dates and practice and done your laundry well past when I should have.   And now when I assert one thing that I want, one thing, you and your dad and everyone else can’t take it.   So.  If that’s selfish, excuse me.

ROUND OF APPLAUSE CAMILLE!!!!  I seriously stood up (actually I was already up screaming at Crosby through my TV) and starting clapping and crying.    Good for you Camille.   You put your ungrateful, inconsiderate, rude, SELFISH, son in his place.   The worst part about it, it didn’t sink in with Crosby at all.  I don’t think he really listened to Camille and he got a little too much joy out of listening to his parents fight about this when he’s the cause of their fighting and pain.   And for all the times over the years Jasmine has scolded Crosby and given him a hard time, NOW all she has to say is “I told you not to get involved.”  Really Jasmine?   That’s all you can muster up?   Unbelievable.

I sincerely hope this storyline does not go down the path of Crosby getting what he wants and the house doesn’t sell.   Or if it doesn’t sell, I hope Camille leaves Zeek and her ungrateful son behind and goes on an adventure of a lifetime and do something just for her….because she deserves it

Sarah, Carl, and Hank

I used to like Hank.  He was weird and quirky, but I liked him.  Which surprised me because I HATED Everybody Love Raymond.   I found the show and Ray Romano, very unfunny.   But on Parenthood, I really liked his character and how Romano brought this character to life.    But this season, since they seem to be going down the “Hank Has Asberger’s” story line , it seems as thought Hank’s behavior has reached a new level of annoying.   Sure he was odd before but it was charming and sweet.   Now, he’s just a dick.   And I’m not sure if the Aspie suggested diagnosis is supposed to make us accept his rude/bad behavior or if his behavior is getting worse and we’re going to use an Aspie diagnosis to hopefully make people more understanding of Hank.  I know I’m saying the same thing but I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m not sure which came first….the new ugly Hank or the Aspie story line.   And with all due respect, I’m great with one Asberger’s story line because I find it fascinating, I don’t need another.

This was another story that had me screaming at my TV.   Sarah was going to go away with AMAZING Carl to Zimbabwe, a once in a lifetime trip, and decided not to go after a nasty confrontation with Hank.   Her reason for not going….it’s the year of Sarah.   Really?   Year of Sarah huh?    So if it’s the year of Sarah, why did you let a man make your decision for you?    Isn’t the reason you’re now staying the exact reason Hank yelled at you for going in the first place….a man was distracting you and dictating your decisions?    Because when she decided to go to Africa, that was HER decision.  But her decision to stay was based off of being bullied by a man.   How exactly does that conform with her idea that it’s the year of Sarah?    Also it’s the YEAR of Sarah.  Not one week in the year if Sarah.    What is going to Africa with an amazing, smart, philanthropic, sweet stud  have to do with it not being the year of Sarah?  Is Sarah not allowed to go away during that year?   Can she not have fun?  Can she not have an outstanding experience both personally and professionally?   Because those seem to be the types of things you’d want to do in a year for yourself.   Am I wrong?    So instead, she’s going to let Hank bully and berate her into feeling bad about herself to stay because he’s jealous she’s going away with Carl.    Because let’s be honest.  Hank doesn’t care about Sarah being true to herself.    He cares that Sarah is going away with another man other than him.    Because if Sarah was going to Africa with Hank, I’m sure there would not have been a problem.   While Carl has always seemed to have Sarah’s best interests at heart, Hank only cares about himself.  Which is why I hope we haven’t seen the last of Carl because he’s a really good guy and I think he’s great for Sarah and I hope Hank goes back to wherever his daughter is and leaves the show.   Jason Katims, DO NOT put Sarah and Hank back together.    Carl was good for her.   For someone who always struggled to find herself and make her way in the world, Carl not only gave her support but self confidence, strength, and belief.  I don’t think you could have found a better guy for Sarah.   But what do I know.

Julia, Joel, and Ed

Oh Julia.  What are you doing girlfriend?   I know this is a brutal time for you.   But why, WHY would you go to Ed’s house…wait back up.  Why would you make Ed dinner, THEN bring it to his house, then decide that it’s an even better idea to stay and have dinner with him!    Seriously woman?   What are you thinking!   I have no problem with what Julia said to Ed at the sustainability garden (which was basically back off because you’re no good for me.)   And I can understand her back being up when Ed shows up at her home unannounced and uninvited to want to talk.   Ok Ed, what do you want to talk about with the woman you kissed and assisted in putting her marriage on the hot seat?   What made him think that was a good idea?    Just because Joel moved out, doesn’t mean he might not be at the house because of the kids.   Wow, talk about really dumb or really inconsiderate.

But in fairness to Ed, Julia was out of line in her verbal beat down.   Granted, she was probably pretty peeved he just showed up without warning, but that doesn’t mean her comments were accurate.   Her tone, however, was completely understandable.   While Ed kissing Julia (and Julia kissing him back) certainly didn’t make Joel more secure about his marriage, it was far from being solely his fault the marriage is on the rocks.   Ed was right to tell Julia to dig deeper to find the real reason her marriage is in trouble.   Eventually, our little Julia does realize he’s correct.   But you know what?   THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU MAKE HIM CHICKEN MARSALA AND BRING IT TO HIS HOUSE AND EAT IT WITH HIM!!    I mean was Katims just handing out stupid pills this week?   Sheesh.

I want my J&J back together.   They are both at fault and they both need to suck it up and work it out.  I know Julia wants to try but Joel needs to pipe down already, move back in, and work on his damn marriage.

Drew and Natalie

First things first.  Drew.  We need an intervention.  For your hair.  Have you never heard of scissors?   A barber?   A flowbee?   Get that mess under control.   You are an attractive young man but we wouldn’t know it because we can’t see your face behind your out of control Beiber.

Now, it’s time you kick Natalie to the curb.   You almost did last night.   You did put her in her place and tell her what I have been yelling about for weeks….you can’t have it both ways!   A little history.   Natalie and Drew connect at first and they’re hooking up and hanging out so obviously (because Drew’s adorable) Drew wants to give her his pin and go steady.   But Natalie, being a current woman of the 2010s, tells Drew to go pound sand.   They can be friends with benefits but nothing more.  After Drew tells her the benefit part has to come with something more, she says they can only be the friend part.   Ok, no problem.   So then why is Natalie going all Glenn Close/Alex Forrest on Drew?  As he reminded her last night, you’re the one who wanted to be just friends and now that Drew is trying to be just that, she disses him.     What is with people in this episode?

Like with Ed, I have to be fair to Natalie.  I didn’t like the way she treated Amy.   She has no right to be bitchy and dismissive when you’re the one who told Drew you’re just friends.   So because he’s not pining away for you, he’s the jerk?    Whatever.  But where Natalie was right was in telling Drew that when Amy’s stay was getting to Jennifer Jason Leigh levels, it was time to do something.   Drew wasn’t living his college life.  He wasn’t doing anything and experiencing things, both socially and scholastically.   He was missing out because Amy was going through a hard time.   And while it’s noble of Drew to want to be there for her and help her, he’s hurting himself and Amy by letting it go on as long as he had.    Time to cut the apron strings.   Couldn’t agree with Natalie more.   But where Natalie is wrong is making Drew feel bad for being exactly what she told him to be…a friend.  If you like him, speak up woman!   If you don’t, then shut your pie hole.   Either way, make a decision and stick with it because right now, you bug the crap out of me.

Adam and Kristina

I really have nothing to say on this front other than, I love them.   Best couple on the show.   Love the school they are trying to build and I hope it works out for them.   Oh and SUCK IT CANCER!!   You’re not going near my girl again!

That was a lot of anger for a Parenthood post wasn’t it?    Wow.  That’s so not like me.  Except for Crosby.  He usually brings out the worst in me even though he hasn’t lately.   So I guess he was due for a whopper.   And I get so frustrated because I’m an idiot and have a tendency to forget these aren’t real people.   But that’s why I love the show.  Katims, the writers, the actors…amazing.  I feel like I’m watching a real life family so when things happen I tend to react, strongly.   I’m uber attached to this family the way Max is attached to bugs and photography.   But I need everyone to wake up and get back on track.  No more calling your mom selfish or not going on sex trips with hot guys or having dinner with men you shouldn’t.   Let’s pick up the pace Bravermans.   I have big expectations as the season comes to an end!!!

 

Mid Season Premiere Dates – UPDATED

Make sure you check out the main page for an update on the 2014 Mid Season Premiere Dates.  Game of Thrones, Mad Men, About A Boy, Believe, Survivor, the Amazing Race, and more have all been added.

 

Catching Up With…Parenthood

It’s dumb to say that Parenthood is having a good season.  It ALWAYS has a good season.  But there are a few story lines that really hit home with me so I’m going to touch on the big ones.

Joel and Julia

This was the couple that historically was kind of on the back burner in regards to the Braverman crew.  There is always Sarah’s drama (and Amber and Drew have had lots of story lines.)  Crosby and Adam are always front and center.  Then there was Julia.  Granted last year they got more juicy material with them adopting Victor after trying to have another baby, Julia losing her job, Joel going back to work.   They were getting more into the Braverman story line flow.  But no matter what was going on with Joel and Julia, like Adam and Kristina, they were solid.   Then this season hit.   What was once the second strongest relationship on the show (behind Adam and Kristina) is now disintegrating before our eyes.

In the last two episodes, Joel has become more suspicious of Julia’s relationship with Ed.  It got ugly last week when Joel punched Ed at a school function because Julia was trying to calmly ask a very drunk Ed to leave her alone and he wouldn’t.  So Joel stepped in and not so calmly took care of it.  It led to a painful exchange where Joel asked Julia if they were having an affair and she said no.  Let’s discuss that for a minute.  Do you guys think what she had with Ed constituted as an affair?  I don’t and here’s why.  While I do believe you can have an affair that doesn’t have any physical component whatsoever, I don’t think that totally happened here.  Julia and Ed really started as just friends.  That’s all.  And becoming a good friend with someone of the opposite sex (or same-sex if you’re gay) does not automatically mean you are having an emotional affair.  Let’s clear that up.  But I do think that it was starting to cross a line and may have crossed (I’m taking before the kiss) that line but I think as soon as Julia started to realize what was going on, she stopped it.  Granted I wouldn’t have done it the way she did, going over to his house I think sends a confusing message, which resulted in a kiss, but I think her intention was to cut it off.  See to me, an affair is something you choose to do over a period of time even knowing what you are doing is wrong.  Whether it’s physical or not, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum and it doesn’t happen over night.  It’s a long process with two willing participants.  Are there jerks who cheat for no reason?  Sure there are.  But I think there is a difference between cheating and an affair.  Cheating is solely physical.  An affair is emotional, physical, spiritual…it’s a complex issue signifying a greater problem in an established relationship.  I know it may sound like semantics and for some people whether you call it cheating or an affair it’s the same thing and I understand that.  But for me, I think it’s two different things.  In this case the Julia/Ed thing hasn’t been going on that long.  They were just friends at first.  I don’t think it was until the last month that Julia felt something more.  And while she liked being around someone she could talk to and someone who understood exactly what she was going through, once it started to become more and that Joel was making an effort at home, she decided this had to stop.  I also think she was confused and alone and made some very bad judgement calls that I’m sure she’d like to take back.  But I don’t think I’d call it a full-blown affair.  I think it was a friendship that started to turn deeper because of her lack of connection at home as when it did, she ended it.   She should have ended it without a kiss but once that happened, she completely blocked Ed from her life.  And to be fair, she wasn’t completely honest with Joel when she said Ed kissed her and there was nothing back from her.  I don’t think so girlfriend!  You kissed Ed right back for a little while so don’t pretend it was all him.  But hey, at least she told Joel the truth in that the kiss happened.

Joel and Julia have had many gut wrenching scenes this year but her telling Joel about how unhappy she’s been and what happened between her and Ed and how the friendship evolved, was so sad.  But the worst was when she told him about the kiss.  You can tell this was killing her because she knew she was going to break her husband’s heart.  She looked like she was going to vomit all over the table and I was right with her because I knew what was coming.  It was awful.  And then to see Joel and how crushed he was and then how angry he was…it was devastating.  And I don’t blame him.  For the hurt he’s feeling, for the anger he has towards Julia, if I were in his shoes, I’d be the same way.  I can only imagine that nothing can prepare you for hearing your spouse tell you they kissed another person.   So what happens now?  Julia wants to go to counseling and Joel has said he’s done and that their marriage isn’t worth saving.   Ouch.  I really believe at this point he’s just so hurt and angry (and rightfully so) that he doesn’t want any part of Julia or their life together, except for the kids. I have to believe (or maybe it’s my wishful thinking) that they will work this out.  It won’t be this season for sure.  But maybe next season by the end, they are working their way back to one another and they’ll be stronger for it.  Fingers crossed!

I have to say, the way the writers have handled this is brilliant.  It’s not your typical cheating, soap opera story line.   This is how it goes down in the real world.  And in the real world, good couples and good people make bad choices and then have to deal with the consequences.  Some work through it with a lot of hard work and dedication and find a way to rebuild their marriage.  Others, it’s too painful and too hard because the trust is broken and they just can’t get it back.  So they have to move on.  And that happens.  I just hope in the case of J&J, the former happens instead of the latter.  But I’m scared because Katims seems to be the kind of guy that wants to take a hard road in a story line if it makes sense.  He hasn’t yet.  When Crosby and Jasmine had their issues and broke up, they got back together (ugh.)   When Kristina had cancer, she beat it and survived.  When Amber spiraled out of control, an accident happened but not too bad she couldn’t recover.  Nothing catastrophic has happened…yet.   So why do I have a bad feeling and J&J might be the first big casualty of Parenthood?  I hope I’m wrong but I just have a bad feeling.

Max

The story lines that focus on Max’s Aspberger’s Syndrome (AS) are so hard for me because I don’t have a family member or friend with that condition and the last thing I want to do is to come off ignorant or insensitive.   But I do want to discuss the handling of Max from Adam and Kristina’s standpoint.   But it’s hard because I can’t figure out if how Adam and Kristina are handling the situation with Max, is the correct way or not.  I understand that when Max does something awful (like he did with Micah) it’s because he doesn’t understand the emotional impact of his actions.  But his parents do.  Is trying to fix it with tickets to basketball game really the answer?  Isn’t it better (although harder) to explain to Max that when he is so honest, he can then hurt someone’s feelings or offend them greatly because not everyone sees things the way Max does.  And as a result, he could lose friends.  I mean I don’t want the boy to be afraid to try to make a friend again, but can he intelligently understand that point?  I don’t know.   I’ve tried to find some forums and blogs of parents with Aspie kids who may watch Parenthood to see what their take is.   Mostly I find that these parents hate the show and think that what Adam and Kristina are doing with Max is wrong.  That wasn’t always the case, there were some sites where people were very positive on the show and EVERYONE raves about Max Burkholder’s portrayal.  The big issue is Adam and Kristina and quite frankly, that’s always been my question.  Not being a parent I can only assume that parenting a child with AS is much different from parenting a neurotypical (NT) child (a child without a form of autism.)   But, if you’ve read any of my other posts on Max, Adam, and Kristina, I always question just how forgiving parents of Aspie’s should be when it comes to behavior.  Because I don’t know.  I watch the things Max does and says and I wonder how Adam and Kristina allow him to behave that way.   Some I understand he can’t control but does that give Max the right to behave however he chooses?   According to some of these sites I’ve read, it doesn’t.

In the case of last week with Micah, Max told him basketball was stupid and that Micah was an idiot for wanting to play because he’s in a wheelchair so he can’t play.  Adam’s resolution was ok then apologize and invite him to a basketball game and it will all be ok.  What?   Is he kidding?   I understand he wants to protect his son.  I understand he doesn’t want to see Max lose his only friend.  I get that.  But like Kristina told him, they can’t always clean up his problems for him.  At some point he has to realize there are consequences to his behavior and I don’t think Adam and Kristina have always taught him that.   Adam has to realize that Micah, who is a NT, isn’t going to be willing to forgive someone who was so rude and offensive to him and that bribing him with tickets to a Warriors game, isn’t going to cut it.   But instead of teaching Max this lesson, he tries to just make it go away.   How is this good for Max?   How is this going to set him up in the future to be able to cope with more challenging circumstances…like if he has as job and says the wrong thing and gets fired.  Then what?  He won’t have the coping skills to work through it.

It’s also why I think this relationship with Hank has to stop.  I used to think it was good for Max and now I don’t think it is.   When Max was telling Hank about the situation with Micah, Hank agreed with Max.   That is not what Max needs to hear right now, especially not from an adult.  Max needs to understand that you cannot speak to people who way.  But Hank is basically telling him that he’s right and Micah’s wrong.  NOOOOOO!!   Not the message that should be sent!  But we’re starting to see Hank tangle with his own inner demons wondering if he’s a long-lost Aspie himself.   And with all due respect, while I think it would be fascinating to see an undiagnosed adult learn about having AS 40+ years later, I just don’t want to see it.  I don’t.  I don’t mind Hank as a fringe character but not as a character with his own story line.  I just don’t need that right now.  And Max doesn’t need Hank right now.   I think Adam and Kristina need to get Max back with a one on one counselor (like they had with Minka Kelly’s character) and get him back on the right track.    Because if things keep going this way, Max is going to be a very lonely person one day.  If Adam thinks his heart is breaking now, try watching your adult AS son that you didn’t help, that you didn’t give coping skills to, struggle in his adult life because you didn’t handle him in the way that was best for him because it was too hard for you.   That will be a tough pill to swallow.

Other Stories

In other news, Amber initially wants nothing to do with Ryan anymore and coldly (but understandably) shows him the door and asks him to go as fast as he can.  After Ryan and Zeek talk, Zeek goes to Amber and tells her that while she’s hurt, she does love him and should at least say good-bye to him.  Eventually Amber does just that and we have a very tearful good-bye to a character I liked very much.  He isn’t ready to be with Amber right now and this whole wedding thing was happening too fast.  But it sucks it had to end like that.  I guess it could have been worse.   Just please, please, PLEASE…don’t kill him over there.  I don’t think Amber could survive that.

Sarah got a job as a photographer with Surf Shop, or something like that, with a little help from hottie Dr. Carl and from the fact that Hank was so obnoxious in his interview that the contact for Surf Shop didn’t want to work with him.  Problem is, she has no equipment, studio, or experience.  So she goes to Hank for help and he’s a real douchbag about it.  He makes her admits she’s in over her head and makes her pay him 50/50 of the job.  I understand he doesn’t do charity work but you know what, you lost the job because of your attitude.   At least the person who got the job has a connection with you and has asked that you work together so you’ll be getting something instead of nothing for the gig.  Sarah hasn’t always been my favorite character because of her choices and the way she handles things drive me crazy, but she’s been much better this season and I think she’s really trying to make a career for herself.  So what that it’s a bigger job than she’s ready for and who cares how she got it.  She has a chance to prove herself and make a name for herself.   And Hank made her feel bad about it.  Screw you Hank.   If I were Sarah, I would have gone to another photographer and worked with them instead.  Or, spent some money and got the equipment and started studying hard to get as prepared as possible for the job.  Nothing beats experience but she doesn’t need Hank.

That’s pretty much the big stuff.  What are you thinking of Parenthood?  What do you think about this whole J&J story line?    What do you think about the way Adam and Kristina are handling Max?  Are you sad about Amber and Ryan?  Are you hoping Sarah succeeds?   Sound off below!

 

RECAP & REVIEW: 2014 Golden Globe Awards

I say this every year…I love the Golden Globes!  It’s one of three award shows I look forward to every year with the GG being my favorite (the other two are the Tony’s and the Emmy’s.)   I love watching everyone get all boozed up and either presenting or accepting awards.  It’s fabulous.  Plus, as Amy Poehler put last year, it’s where the beauty of movie stars rubs elbows with the rat faces of TV.  Love her.  AND SHE WON!!!!  Ok I’m jumping ahead.  But I’m starting with her and Tina Fey.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted again this year.  Just when I was nervous they couldn’t top last year’s brilliance, they did.  I honestly believe it has something to do with their friendship.  You’ve seen other pairs over the years host award shows and they are so stiff and uncomfortable with one another because they don’t know each other as well.  This doesn’t happen all the time.  But recently, it seems to be the case.  As with James Franco and Anne Hathaway and Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.  And don’t even get me started on the year the reality hosts “hosted.”  What a disaster.   But Fey and Poehler know each other so well, they work seamlessly together.  They just fit.  They are the female Turk and J.D.  You can’t imaging Chris Turk without John Dorian right?   Just like I can’t imagine with Tina without Amy.  They are perfection and they were again last night.  From the fantastic opening monologue to Tina introducing her “son” Mr Golden Globe Randy, to Poehler making out with Bono once winning her award, they didn’t have a bad spot all night.  My two favorite jokes had to be these two zingers:

• “Gravity is nominated for Best Film.  It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die then spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”
• “And now, like a supermodel’s vagina, let’s all give a warm welcome to Leonardo DiCaprio”

The only thing you could say that was bad, was that they weren’t on stage enough.  There was probably a good hour to hour and 15 minutes where you didn’t see them at all.  But there are a lot of awards to get through so I can understand that.  I just wish the spacing was better so we didn’t go so long without seeing the dynamic duo on stage.

Favorite Moments

• Emma Thompson’s Presentation.  She strolled right up on stage with a martini in one hand and her Christian Louboutin’s in the other.   Brilliant!  She was obvious feeling good but was still completely together and absolutely charming on stage.  A+ Ms. Thompson!
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Big Night.  There has been a ton of controversy over this.  I don’t get it.  I think B99 is damn good show.  It’s funny, well written, well acted.  This was a show that right from the pilot was cruising like this show has been on for 3 seasons.  The cast chemistry is fantastic.  They all play off one another so well.  It’s very natural how the dialogue and reactions flow.  B99 didn’t have the yips early on like some comedies do and then hit their stride.  They hit their stride in the pilot and haven’t looked back.  They just aren’t getting the big ratings.  I don’t think Dads as a lead in helps.  But this is a solid show that against that competition deserved the win.  As did Andy Samberg.  Great writer, great delivery, excellent comedic timing, his chemistry with Andre Braugher is perfection.   Absolutely well deserved honors on both fronts.  Season 2 here they come!!!!
• Diane Keaton.  When I’m 68 years old, I hope to look 10% as good as Diane Keaton.  She.  Is.  Gorgeous!  She gave a beautiful speech last night honoring the disgusting Woody Allen and was gracious, classy, and elegant as always.  I’ve heard a few people are upset with honoring of Woody Allen and by extension, Diane Keaton’s speech accepting the award on his behalf.  I’ll talk about Woody Allen below but I think people need to revisit their hostility towards Keaton.   She was asked to accept an award on his behalf.  What is she supposed to do?  Get up there and talk about what a vile person he is?  Of course not!  And she has a much different relationship with him than many other people do so if she wants to salute her friend, so be it.  Not to mention, it wouldn’t have been appropriate for her to rip him to shreds….and who knows if she would want to.  I don’t know what she feels about him personally.  But professionally, he helped launch her to stardom.  So I can understand if she wants to be very benevolent in her speech.  Plus, this was an award honoring his career, not his personal life choices.  I think she did a wonderful job and looked spectacular in doing so.
• Breaking Bad and Bryan Cranston.  The final year of Breaking Bad and the show and Cranston got much deserved props (from what I understand.)  I’m one of the few idiots in the world who have not watched one second of Breaking Bad.  However, it is on my Netflix and the husband and I are planning a major marathon this summer because we don’t have one friend who watches this show who has ever said a bad thing about it.  And of course all the national press it receives is off the charts.  And I already know I’m going to love it so I already know how happy I am that BB and Cranston won last night!
• Matthew McConaughey.  All right, all right, all right!  Love him!  I was really happy for his win last night because he was so good in “Dallas Buyers Club.”   He’s on fire lately with tons of movie and a hot new TV show, True Detective, to boot.  He’s come a long way from Dazed and Confused!!  But man, please put those 45 pounds back on….waaaaaay too skinny still.
• Speeches: Amy Adams, Amy Poehler, Alex Ebert, Alfonso Cuaron, Andy Samberg, and Elizabeth Moss.  I love heartfelt speeches and each one of these people gave a touching, emotional, real speech that I just wanted to mention them.  Other speeches were good as well but these really stood out to me.  Moss gushing about her talented brother and thanking her mom and hoping she’ll be 1 tenth the woman that she is…wow did I need some Kleenex.  Adams honestly saying she’s was hoping she’d just get a commercial someday….look at her now.  Cuaron explaining that he told Sandra Bullock not that “he was going to give her herpes” but that “he was going to give her an earpiece.”  LOL, classic.  Ebert thanking the production team for “letting him try all over their movie.”  Poehler for just being Poehler.  And Samberg for being so completely surprised and having no speech just winging it and “thanking everybody” including his “team.”   Oh and I also loved Dan Goor, one of the co-creator’s of B99 who said in regards to him not going to med school “that this was way better than saving a human life.”
• Taylor Swift not winning.  Enough said.

Not So Favorite Moments

• Jacqueline Bisset’s Speech.  What.  Was.  That?  Seriously, has she stopped talking yet?   You want to talk about being CRAZY uncomfortable watching someone on stage and that was me watching Bisset.  What the hell was she talking about…when she was talking.  It took her 30 seconds just to start talking then when she did, she never stopped blabbering some sort of gibberish.  Wow.  I was happy for her to win but I don’t ever need to see a speech like that again.
• P Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs, whatever he’s called this week, hitting the Ciroc a little too much.   Diddy, stop.  Just stop.  Not everything is about you.  You were presenting but the night is about the nominees and the winners.  NOT YOU.  So back off and let these people have their moment.   On a side note, U2 totally blowing him off when he came in for a handshake was hilarious!!
• Melissa McCarthy and Jimmy Fallon’s presentation.  I love both of these comedians but this just fell very flat.   And it went on too long.  It’s disappointing too because these two are talented and funny but last night was bad.
• Woody Allen getting the Cecil B DeMile Award.  I don’t like Woody Allen as a person.  I think he’s disgusting.  But that’s besides the point.  Woody Allen is one of those directors and film makers that either people love or hate.  You either get him or you don’t.  I don’t like his films and I don’t get him.  I never did.  Maybe I’m not sophisticated enough to appreciate his work (although I can appreciate the longevity of his career) and that’s why I’ve never been able to understand the gushing praise over his films.  But that’s my opinion.  Many others will disagree and that’s fine.

What did you think of the GGs?   What were your favorite or head scratching moments of the night?  Let me know!

 

REVIEW of NBC’s The Sound of Music LIVE!

Since Nov 30th 2012 when NBC announced that they would be doing a live show of the Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood as Maria, I have been waiting with anticipation to see how it would unfold.   You see, the Sound of Music is my FAVORITE musical of all time.  I love it.  I’m also a HUGE live theater and Broadway fan.  It’s one of the musicals I adored growing up that I’ve never seen a professional production (along with The King and I and Oliver.)   So I was really curious to see how NBC was going to pull this off.  I don’t think it was the bomb most people on Twitter last night were claiming it to be but I also don’t think it was as sensational as others claimed.   It was an ambitious risk that I think if cast a little better and maybe staged a little better, could have been spectacular.   Instead, it was a nice 3 hours of entertainment where some parts were fabulous and others were, well, not so fabulous.

As soon as I hear Underwood was cast as Maria, my heart stopped, and not in a good way.   No I was not one of those people comparing her to Julie Andrews.   NO ONE CAN BE JULIE ANDREWS.   To try to compare Underwood to Andrews is like comparing Joe Montana to A.J. McCarron.  It just isn’t fair.  My concern was, could she act the part?  I was pretty sure she could sing it but is she any sort of actress?  And if she isn’t, that’s a pretty big role to thrust her in, LIVE, for her first acting gig.   So I was skeptical.  Also, with a million brilliant Broadway actresses out there, why not showcase one of them?   Simple, NBC felt they needed a “name” to get young viewers to tune in.   I think who would have been perfect is Laura Osnes.   She a big Broadway star right now, she’s been nominated for Tony’s and it’s all due to a little reality show on NBC a few years back called “You’re The One That I Want.”   She was the girl who won the reality show and landed the role of Sandy in Grease on Broadway.  How cool would it have been for NBC to bring her back on the network that gave her her big break and have her star in this show and showcase how well she has done since the reality show.   Win-Win.   But I guess they felt they needed a really big name to sell it.   Unfortunately, my fears were confirmed last night.

Underwood did a great job with the songs.  I still feel she’s a bit nasally for me but she pretty much nailed every song and note.   And those are not easy songs…especially The Lonely Goatherd.  Singing is about breathing and there are some points in that song that it’s hard to find a place to take a breath to hit a note, especially when you’re jumping around on a bed and running around a room.  Add in the fact that your adrenaline is pumping and it’s a lot more difficult than it appears.   I was worried for her with Do-Re-Mi because when she skipped into the courtyard, you could hear she was out of breath and couldn’t sing so much as she needed to speak some of the song.  And this is right before the money notes at the end of the song where she really has to hit a few high notes and you need your breath to do that.  But she was able to compose herself and smartly toned it down while everyone else was singing so she could catch her breath and hit those notes.  But that’s where her experience with concerts and events helps her because she’s used to singing a couple of hours a night and she knows how to take care of her voice.  So I would give her thumbs up for a pretty great job vocally.

But the acting, wow, that just, wow.  It wasn’t good.  It was pretty bad.  The line deliveries were so flat and you could tell it was very unnatural for her.  Maria is a sweet and loving but feisty and fun young woman desperate to find her place in the world.  I got none of that last night.  What I got was a singer who can’t act desperately trying not to screw up on live TV by trying to remember all of her lines and blocking to the point where the acting part had to go out the window.  And to be fair to Underwood, I don’t blame her.   Acting is not her forte.  It isn’t.   But she was given the chance to do the role of a lifetime so of course she’s going to do it.   At first I wanted to blame the director for this partially because it’s her job to work her and teach her who this character is and how she needs to bring that to life.  Maybe in rehearsals she was better but when the live show came, she got really nervous and went into a shell.  It happens.  But you could see it was very staged…”this is when I need slam my hands on the desk, this is when I should kick my feet, this is when I should put my hand on Liesl’s shoulder.”    It just didn’t work.  I also didn’t sense any chemistry with her and Steven Moyer (Captain Georg von Trapp.)  He had more with Laura Benanti (Baroness Elsa Schrader.)  In fact people were actually rooting for the Baroness to win Georg’s heart this time.  I’m serious.  On Twitter there were #TeamBaroness hashtags everywhere!   You know it’s bad when the audience wants Georg to choose Elsa instead of Maria.  I felt bad for Underwood because when she was in scenes with Benanti, Christian Borle (Max Detweiler), and Audra McDonald (Mother Abbess) she was blown away.  She couldn’t come close to their abilities and skills to command a stage and a scene and it was painfully obvious.  I mean for the love of God McDonald has 5 Tony awards.   FIVE!!   I could spend all day talking about Underwood’s lack of acting chops but I think you get the point.   So overall I give Underwood a lot of credit for taking a role she shouldn’t have been given in the first place and for singing the hell out of it and giving it her best shot.  She did the best she could and I applaud her for that.

Moyer was serviceable as the Captain.  He certainly looked the part and he could sing but he seemed uncomfortable on the set at times.  Moyer has been a theater actor in London so being on a stage is nothing new to him.   But I think what people don’t understand is how much theater actors feed off the audience in their performances.  Because you act very differently in front of a live audience vs. cameras on a set.  Blocking is different, the projection of your voice is different, deliveries are different.   So here is a stage production happening with no audience on a TV set with cameras.  So you have to act as though you’re on stage in front of an audience yet there isn’t either and there are cameras everywhere.   So I can see how that takes getting used to and Moyer took a while to feel comfortable with it.  And since Moyer has been doing TV for a while now, I think he forgot at times that projecting your voice doesn’t mean you have to shout at people.  But he was fine as the Captain.  And it’s hard when your leading lady isn’t really giving you much to work which is also why he came across better in scenes with Benanti and Borle than he did with Underwood.

As I think everyone would agree, the highlights and standouts from the show were McDonald, Benanti, and Borle.  When they were front and center, it was like everything went to a new level.  My jaw is still on the floor from McDonald’s rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and I knew it would be.  That was the one song, I couldn’t wait to hear and a box of tissues later, I wasn’t disappointed.  Even Underwood couldn’t keep herself from crying at the glorious sound that emanated from McDonald’s vocal chords.   She is just genius.  And leave it to Benanti and Borle to make two characters I never cared about, my favorites in this rendition.  I’ve been fortunate to see both of them on stage.  I even got to see Benanti’s Tony winning performance in Gypsy.  So when my husband turned to me a said “hey isn’t that the chick from Go On?”  I said, wait until you hear her sing.   Then he says to me “oh wait, she was in The Playboy Club too…I heard her sing there.”  I just shook my head.  Then she started her number.  By the end, my husband’s iPad was down and his mouth was agape. “Holy Shit.  She can really sing.”   It made me chuckle.  But when Benanti and Borle were performing you could tell they were at a different level.  Even when Benanti went to speak to Moyer in another room, someone was stepping on her dress and it halted her movement.  She gracefully and without skipping a beat, asked the gentleman to excuse her, grabbed her dress, and spoke her line again.   Total pro.  Borle, as usual, had great comedic timing and worked well off everyone he was around.   He was great.

Finally, we have the kids.  I loved them.  From Liesl to Gretl, they were all wonderful and did a fantastic job!  The only one who seemed slightly nervous and awkward was Michael Nigro who played Fredrich but nothing that took away from anything and really I’m nitpicking.  He was fine and had a very good voice.  Michael Campayno  (Rolf) was also a nice standout.   I believe he’s a senior at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and showed very well.  Plus, what a voice.  I hope to see him on a Broadway stage someday!  Same with Ariane Rinehart (Liesl.)  She had a very pretty voice and was a beautiful dancer.  That young lady might have a future on the stage!

As for the show itself I think the big problem the audience had was that people were expecting a live version of the movie.  All throughout Twitter last night people were ranting and raving that My Favorite Things should be in the bedroom and that there was no puppet show and what are these random songs that Max and Elsa sing, why were they put in the show, and why did they take out I Have Confidence?   It’s because this wasn’t the movie!  This was a reproduction of the original stage production from 1959 starring Mary Martin.  The only addition was Something Good which was written for the movie and added to stage productions later on (it replaced at song called No Ordinary Couple.)  Although I will say the 1998 Broadway revival (which marked Benanti’s Broadway debut at 19 years old and eventually took over the role of Maria from Rebecca Luker) did add I Have Confidence to the show and some stage productions will do that.  But last night, they chose not to. But all the song placements and staging were based off the original stage production.  So I think that was hard for people.  I also saw a lot of comments on “no one is better than Julie Andrews so why try.”   That’s ridiculous to me.  While in my opinion, Julie Andrews has the best voice I ever heard and is one of the best leading ladies of stage and screen, to say no one should ever do a show again because someone was that good is absurd to me.   I applaud NBC for doing something different and trying something new.   I loved the idea.  I think we all agree the casting of Maria could have been better but besides that, I thought it was a great idea.   Have an issue with the casting but not with the idea.   I think another issue that while the sets were beautiful, some were very busy and dark and hard to see the actors.  I’m thinking mainly about the mountain/hillside scenes where it was dark and way too many trees and the angles the camera had to go at times blocked the vision of the actors.    And can someone please tell me what the white noise sound was in the background?   Was it a fan to keep the actors cool?   It was really prominent at times and very distracting so maybe next time NBC can get fans that are a little quieter.

After having said all that, what did I think?   I think it’s the Sound of Music and therefore I enjoyed it.  Does casting the wrong Maria really throw a monkey wrench into the performance, yes.  But does the casting of others and their performances make up for that a little, yes.  And is it still The Sound of Music?   Yes.  Would I buy the DVD, no.  But you better believe I’m downloading Audra’s “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from iTunes today!

What did you think?  Did you love it?  Hate it?  Find a middle ground like I did?   I’m curious to hear what other people thought.

 

RECAP & REVIEW: Parenthood “Let’s Be Mad Together” S5 E5

Parenthood is having another great season.  This is the type of show that can go for 10+ seasons because there is always something new and real going on with each of these families and I’m invested in all of them…even Zeke and Camille’s storyline is great.  So let’s jump in.

Kristina/Adam/Max

Max has really been flourishing working with Hank and learning how to become a photographer.  And as it turns out, he’s really good.   As it also turns out, not surprisingly, he’s not always appropriate when snapping photos of people.  Max is now on the yearbook staff and he’s role is to take pictures for the yearbook.   The problem is, Max doesn’t want to take traditional yearbook photos.  He wants to get real moments with real people.  And I can’t disagree with him.  And you can do that for the yearbook but maybe he could be a little more subtle.  And maybe he can pick better moments.  While the picture of the crying girl was a beautiful picture, it wasn’t appropriate because of the way he did it.   And she asked him not to do it and he kept doing it anyway.  This resulted in the parents calling the school and the head of the yearbook having to bring in Kristina and tell her that Max is being moved to layout.  It results in lots of back and forth over what’s right and wrong, feelings are hurt and it ends with Kristina telling Max he’s being moved to layout and that it sucks.

It’s always hard to comment on stories about Max and his behavior because I’ve never been around a kid with Asperger’s and it’s slightly unfair to make judgments and assessments without that knowledge.  And I certainly don’t want to be ignorant or disrespectful but I will try to comment without sounding like a jackass!   You all know how much I love Kristina and specifically Monica Potter.   But the one time Kristina gets under my skin is when it comes to Max, she thinks he should be able to do whatever he wants because of his condition regardless of how it impacts other people.   I think, she thinks, Max deserves exceptions and I take an exception with that.  Again, this comes down to me not understanding Asperger’s very well and as such, I don’t know what Max can and can’t control.  I don’t know how much leeway he should be afforded.   I know that Asperger’s kids have a hard time with social connections.  But from the little I do understand, they can read clues that can reveal how people around them are feeling.  Max knew this girl was crying and upset but that didn’t stop him from taking her picture even though she asked him not to.  So when he was moved to layout from photographer Kristina wasn’t happy and thought that because Max was so good he should get to be the photographer.  She even called in the principal to back her up regarding how good Max was on student council.   Unfortunately that backfired on her as well because the principal confirmed that Max was very hard to deal with and made the experience not as fun for the other students.  So he backed the yearbook supervisor and Max got demoted.

It has to be tough for the parents.  And I love Kristina for wanting to fight for her kid.   And she should.  But that doesn’t always make it right.  And I think part of it comes back on her.   She always fights so hard for Max to get to do what he wants to do, I’m not sure if he’s learning that whether he likes it or not or whether he thinks it’s fair or not, his actions have consequences.  He has to use what he’s been taught to assess situations to make better decisions.  It’s can’t always be that he gets to do what he wants when he wants.  Kristina was trying to explain this to him when Hank started butting in.  Hey Hank, mind your own business!  Let Kristina handle her son.  I think he gave her horrible advice because he told her how good he was and that’s what he should be doing.  All that did was fire up Kristina to keep pushing for Max and I don’t think this is a fight they should win…and they didn’t.  How about, no one said Max could stop taking pictures.  He just can’t take them for the yearbook any more.  Ok Hank, then you hire Max and you have him take pictures.   Find another way.   But Kristina likes to push the square peg in the round hole when it comes to Max, regardless of how it impacts everyone else.   Remember the vending machine?  Ugh.   But you can tell how hard this is on her.  You can tell that she hates if Max is negatively impacting other children’s experiences.   But I think it also kills her that Max can’t have those experiences the way other kids can.   So what’s the right answer?   I have no idea.  But in this instance, I think the school was right and Max will have to find another way to channel his new-found talent.

Joel/Julia

When did the second strongest couple on the show become the most fragile?  I know, I know it’s been happening for a little while now when they adopted Victor, Julia lost her job, Joel went back to work, Sydney and Victor aren’t always getting along, Victor is struggling in school, Julia is struggling to find her place again, Joel’s trying to re-enter the work force again.   Yep, it’s all building up.  And I think you see each person judging how the other person is handling their former role and it isn’t going over very well.

Joel does comment on the way Julia is handling the kids or he says nothing but has a tone and exasperated look on his face.  Julia meanwhile is trying to tell Joel how to stand up for himself and he’s not being strong enough with Pete and how she would see people like him get taken advantage of.    So neither one is really appearing to be there for the other.  And the thing I hate most about this, is that it’s all leading to either Joel or Julia cheating with Penny from Lost or Roy from The Office.  Or maybe they both cheat.  Although it would be an interesting story.  Not that I’m rooting for one or both of them to be unfaithful, but it would be fascinating to see how it all plays out.

I think they biggest problem is, they aren’t taking care of each other.  They are so worried about Victor and Sydney, about Joel getting this business off the ground, that neither of them is taking the time to talk about how all this is impacting them.  I think Julia is being so driven about helping Joel because she feels like she isn’t contributing anymore.  She had a major career at a law practice, on the partner track, and now she’s packing lunches and settling Windex fights, and it isn’t enough for her.   There are many people where being at a stay at home mom is completely rewarding and fulfilling…it’s one of the hardest jobs out there.   But for Julia, she needs more, and she isn’t wrong for feeling that way.    With Joel, he has the stress of this start-up company and being the only person bringing in a salary right now, I think he’s putting a lot of pressure on himself to make sure this works.  But instead of each of them putting the kids to bed, grabbing a glass of wine, and talking about this, they are keeping it bottled up and everyone once in a while, like last night, sometimes it spills over and out.  Eventually, it will just explode.   Explode meaning affair.   It’s coming people.  It’s just who’s it going to be and when.

Zeke/Camille

You all know I’ve never liked Zeke’s character.   But this season I’ve felt a little better about him (he’s been so great with Victor), except when it comes to Camille.   I think this is such a great storyline.  You have two people who have been together for a really long (I’m guessing at least 40 years) and now they are looking for their “Act 3.”   Actually Camille is looking at that and Zeke is perfectly happy living out his life doing what he’s doing in their home.   But that’s not enough for her.

I think the part that’s most upsetting to me is how disrespectful Zeke is to Camille.  Camille has brought up the idea that it might be a good idea to sell their huge house and downside and maybe take some trips together.  Zeke basically said no and walked away and wouldn’t talk about it.   Then he goes out and buys a car, without speaking with Camille, and the car needs to be completely rebuilt, it’s a year-long project, and it’s a complete slap in Camille’s face.   How can he do that to her?   How could he be so disrespectful of his wife’s feelings and so dismissive of her feelings?   My heart broke for her.   When she opened up to Julia about how she feels like she lost her voice in their marriage and she doesn’t know how to get it back…that was awful to me.

I’ve heard of people who have been married, 25, 30, 40 years getting divorced after all that time and I never understood why.   After seeing these last few weeks, now I get it.   Camille is still young and there is a lot she wants to see and do.  She should go do it.  If Zeke is going to be like this, then if I were her, I would plan a trip, pack a bag, and go without him.   Maybe take Sarah or Julia with you.   But I would go and leave him behind with his damn car.    I just don’t understand how he can hurt her like that.  And I’m sure it’s tough.  That’s his home and there are so many memories there.  I can understand not wanting to leave that.  But it will happen at some point.  Don’t you want it to be on your terms?   Maybe he doesn’t.  Maybe he wants to spend the rest of his life in the home where he and his wife built their family.  I completely understand that.  What I don’t understand is not telling your wife how you feel and not having a conversation with her about it and then slapping her in the face buying that car so it forces her hand.  Especially since it’s such a great project for Victor.  She’ll look like the bad guy and that’s not fair.   But I wonder if she leaves him.  Again, I think that would be another great storyline.

Sarah/Amber/Ryan

Not a whole lot going on here except that Amber is still mad at Sarah for not supporting her.  Ryan is mad with Amber for not cluing him in.  And Sarah is still walking around looking miserable.   Seriously, this woman needs some happy in her life.

I see both sides to this.  I can see Sarah being concerned for Amber.  And instead of being pissed at her, Amber should understand that her mom is only looking out for her.  Amber, historically, has not made the best decisions in her.  In some cases, they’ve almost been catastrophic decisions.  So for her to be so angry at her mother for wanting her to take a step back and really make sure this is what she wants to do, seems ridiculous to me.

On the flip side, one of Sarah’s concerns is Ryan’s lack of family and his zero desire to have any of them there.  How is that any of her business?  She can ask the question, but if Ryan says no and he has his reasons why, then respect that.  It doesn’t make him a bad guy.  It just makes him someone not close to his family.    Although the one thing I will say, I think Ryan should be more open with Amber about his family.  She is going to be his wife so I think she does have a right to know what’s going on.   So he should at least clue her in.   The fact that she didn’t know his father passed away, is a bit strange to me.   Sarah doesn’t need to know that, but Amber does.

Eventually, Ryan goes to see Sarah and gives her a brief history on his background….father is dead, mother remarried a guy 6 months later that beat the tar our of him while still grieving over the death of his father.   So he said good-bye to that abusive situation and started his life anew.  And he tells Sarah “not everyone has a family like yours.”  He’s right.  And I think that’s one thing the Bravermans don’t get is that they think they have this great family and either everyone wants to be a part of it or everyone else has the same type of family life.   No and no.  But I think this is the wake up call Sarah needed.  Although it appears next week she is still pushing Amber to cancel the wedding.

The Lunchonette

They are starting their new label with the douchbag lead singer of the band whose former label dropped them.   They were having creative differences but Crosby worked it all out and now they are good to go.   And that’s really it for that story.  Oh and Jasmine and Crosby are still crazy tired and worn out keeping up with their new baby girl.

What did you think of Parenthood this week?   What did you think about Max?   Was it completely unfair or justified?  What do you think will happen with Joel and Julia?   Camille and Zeke?   Let me know!

 

RECAP & REVIEW: The Blacklist “The Courier” S1 E5

It’s a toss-up for me for favorite new show of the season with Sleepy Hollow and The Blacklist.    Both shows are very different and both fabulous in their own right.   Overall there isn’t a lot I don’t like about Sleepy Hollow. However, there are some parts of The Blacklist that make me raise my eyebrows.   Such as, don’t you find it interesting that all this elusive, dangerous, highly sought after criminal just make it so easy for the FBI by always having business in DC?   They never have to go anywhere!  Also, why is everyone so angry all the time?   I get why Lizzy might be on edge, what with her husband being, whatever dangerous entity he is.   But why is Ressler and Malik always in a bad mood?   Seriously these people always look like they are ready to rip each other’s heads off.   But finally we got a smidge more insight into Ressler that might explain that a bit.

Every single episode has been really interesting and I love the different types of madmen and women they have been coming up with.   That must be a fun time in the writers’ room….sitting around thinking “what can we have this person be that’s just really sick and twisted.  I KNOW!   Let’s have this middleman be the human version of a woman’s handbag!!  He’ll feel no pain and have everything from keys to flash drives to Burt’s Bees lip gloss in there!”   Seriously though coming up with these criminals has to be awesome.   And so far, they have been doing a tremendous job.    Between last week’s The Stewmaker (and knowing what he did, that name is beyond disturbing) and this week’s The Courier, these criminals have been down right creepy, scary, and very dangerous.

The Case revolved around The Courier who is a middleman hired by two parties to complete high-end or dangerous transactions.   The Courier’s insurance, if anything goes wrong, on either end, he kills both parties.  So you take a huge risk using him but you know the job will be completed to 100% satisfaction with no worries of him coming back later.   Since Red knows he’s in town to do another job (kidnap a NSA agent for an ex-French intelligence agent) you know the exchange won’t go smoothly.  And it doesn’t.  Now it’s a race to find Seth (the NSA agent buried alive by The Courier) before he dies.  Since the one party is dead and The Courier isn’t talking, their only option is the French agent turned club owner.  Ressler goes undercover as The Courier to get the location of Seth’s body.  She wants proof he’s who he says he is so he slashes his arm with cut glass (which looked really painful) with wincing once.  But it’s not enough.   She knows the deal with the Courier and if he was really him, she would be dead already.  His cover is blown and a shoot out ensues with Ressler getting away.   Eventually, Superman, I mean Red, goes to the club and gets the info Ressler couldn’t in exchange for saving her life and getting her away.  In the end, they are able to save Seth’s life, the Courier is killed, and another name is checked off the list.

Let’s talk about Tom.  I have no idea where this is going…and I love that.   I see this thing with Tom going one of two ways, which means I’ll completely wrong about both.   Option 1: Tom is being set up.   All evidence points to Tom being a bad guy or at the very least a big fat liar.  Lizzy found the box containing the gun used in the murder in Boston, money, and about 10 different Passport IDs.   The more she uncovers about the case, the more she turns skeptical of Tom and who he really is.  The last thing we see “linking” Tom to the crime is a surveillance picture of him leaving the scene of the crime and him being listed as the potential killer in the report Red was able to get for her.  Usually when things are that obvious they scream that it’s too obvious therefore it can’t be true.  Plus, when he found the box, his first call was a panicked phone call to Lizzy wanting to talk to her.  He called her over and over again and then waited for her at home with the box laid out.  Why do that if you’re guilty?   Wouldn’t you run?   Or kill her?   He appeared freaked out by what he saw so that indicates he didn’t know anything about this.   How does this relate to the surveillance team, who could be the people setting Tom up.  Who they are and why they are doing it is still a massive mystery.  Could they be part of Red’s team?  Could they have something to do with Lizzy’s father?   Could they be government agents?   I have no idea at this point.  Option 2: Tom is a deadly bad guy.  Sometimes we have a tendency to over think what is clearly right in front of us.   And right in front of us is a lot of evidence showing that Tom isn’t who he says he is and might be a little bit scary.  I think this could be all part of his act to make Lizzy think he has no idea what the box is and to put her mind at rest that he isn’t this double agent she might be starting to think he is.  Why would he do that and not run?   Maybe because his assignment is not complete.   Maybe he’s being blackmailed into doing whatever he’s doing.  It make sense why the surveillance team is there.  They are watching him to make sure he holds up his end of the bargain or to make sure he’s doing his job.   The flip side of that argument though is that they just put the equipment up recently.  Wouldn’t it have been up the whole time?   Unless something changes recently causing the surveillance to be necessary.   I’m hoping it’s option 2 because I think it would be a lot more interesting if he’s duplicitous vs. the good husband being set up.   And if he is a double agent or something else entirely, who is he?   Who is he working for?  How does Red know so much about him?   Remember when he asked Lizzy what she knew about her husband in exchange for more information about the Courier?  He thanked her for telling him the truth.  How would he know that?   He would know because he already knows who her husband is and the whole story behind him.   Could he be #1 on Red’s Blacklist?  Is that why he’s so obsessed with Lizzy?   So many questions!!!   And I’m ready for them to be answered slowly.  I like that each week we get more and more layers of the onion peeled back.  I just hope it doesn’t go too quickly.  Quite frankly, I’m surprised the box reveal happened this soon.

One crazy projection I have and I’m just going to go out on a limb and say it….Keane and Ressler will fall in love.  They hate each other right now.  They don’t trust each other right now.  She’s married to someone who could be on Red’s list.  It’s a perfect romantic story!!!   I’m telling you, you heard it here first.  At someone point in the series, those two will get it on and be in love.

How are you enjoying The Blacklist?  The ratings are strong, the writing is strong.  The acting could be a teeny bit better but with James Spader stealing every scene he’s in every week, it really doesn’t matter.

 

RECAP & REVIEW: The Blacklist “The Freelancer” S1 E2

I didn’t get a chance to blog about the premiere yet and unfortunately, episode was here before I had a chance to talk about it.  There are three shows so far this season that I have fallen in love with…Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, Sleepy Hollow, and this show, The Blacklist.    I’ve never been the biggest James Spader fan but this show looks right up his alley and mine.   But how would the rest of the cast be able to hold up to Spader.   Time would tell but so far most people are holding their own.  Some could use some work but I’m not sure if that’s acting related or writing related, yet.   But overall, I love the premise of this show and the mysteries surrounding its top cast members.

Last week we were introduced to Raymond “Redd” Reddington.  A former government agent turned traitor, criminal, and FBI most wanted.  So right off the bat I want to know what happened their.   Redd is a genius and doesn’t seem to hate the USA….just maybe some of the bureaucrats in Washington…so what is his side of the story?  He has turned himself in to help the FBI bring down some of the worlds biggest criminals that the US Government isn’t even aware they exist.  His catch, he will only speak to rookie profiler Elizabeth “Lizzy” Keene.  The easy assumption…she’s his daughter.  But I don’t think the show will go quite that simple.  There has to be a bigger story here.  Keene is married to Tom who is attacked by one of the men she is hunting and is almost killed.   While in the hospital she goes to Redd furious about how her husband was attacked and Redd tells her that her husband isn’t what/who he appears to be.   Later she finds a box hidden in their floor boards that contains money, guns, and more passports than the entire House of Representatives.   So who is Tom Keene?

Last night’s episode revolved around an assassin called The Freelancer, whose crimes are set up to look like accidents.  The assassin’s next target was a humanitarian, Floriana Campo (guest star Isabella Rossalini), and the FBI is working with Redd to save her life.   This is the part that drives me crazy about casting departments.   As soon as you cast a guest star that big and everyone else is no names, you know that person ends up being the Big Bad.  Otherwise, why cast them?  So as soon as I see Rossalini on-screen, I knew she was the baddie.  I wasn’t sure how because she couldn’t be the Freelancer but I knew she couldn’t be good.  Especially once Lizzy started talking about how she was so inspired by her and wrote her thesis on her works….yep, baddie.   So while Redd made the FBI think this was all about getting the Freelancer who, in his own right, is also a pretty dangerous criminal, this was about getting Campo.  Campo hides her criminal activities in plain sight.  She is a human trafficker who’s charitable works involve freeing enslaved children.  The same children she brutalizes….nice lady.   Redd hates Campo and sets her up to admit to her involvement in the sex trafficking of young girls and she proceeds to die from a poison Redd gave her, however it’s set up to look like a suicide in the press.

So right now, here are the overall questions I have:

1. Who is Raymond Reddington?   What’s his history?
2. Why is Redd doing all this?   Sheer revenge?  Trying to make amends?   Does he have a terminal illness and this is his swan song?
3. What is Redd’s connection with Elizabeth Keene?   Why is he so “obsessed” with her?  Is this more about his past with Tom than with her?   Is there a family/friend connection?
4. What is the deal with Tom?   Bad guy?    Good guy?   Does he have any ties with Redd?  Is he Redd’s end game?
5. What is Lizzy’s history?   What happened with her family?   The fire?

So many questions!!!  I love it.   I am so enjoying this show right now.   I think Spader is spectacular at being sinister and creepy yet warm and engaging.  He’s not scary in the way that someone like Hannibal Lecter or Jigsaw would scare me.  I don’t think he’s going to eat someone’s face or lock me in a room with someone who I either have to kill or will kill me.   But his intelligence his scary.  He’s very hard to read and it’s hard to get inside his mind to see what make him tick.  He’s always 10 steps ahead of everyone else and you have no idea what his motive or end game is.   But because he’s charming and slightly aloof, he can be very disarming which can be one of the scariest things about him because you can let your guard down.  Characters like his fascinate me.

What are your thoughts on The Blacklist?  Do you love it?   Hate it?   What are some of your questions and what do you think is Redd’s end game?   I’d love to hear what you think!

 

SERIES PREMIERES: THE COMEDIES

With me being away most of last week and just now getting caught up, I’m doing all the new comedies that I watched in one recap.

Mom

This was probably my favorite comedy of the week.   This was one I actually forgot about until I was going through the grid and saw it on there.  I’m so glad I taped it because I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Anna Faris was delightful as Christy, the single mom and recovering alcoholic who is struggling with her relationship with mother (Allison Janney) and her daughter (Sadie Calvano.)  As hard as Christy is trying not to be her mother, she can’t help but fall into the same patterns.  Faris and Janney had fabulous chemistry as mother and daughter.   I haven’t seen Faris in a lot but when I have I’ve always enjoyed her.   But the one thing I noticed was how great her delivery was.  It was so natural and effortless.   Even the simplest lines had me laughing.  French Stewart was terrific as the owner of the restaurant Christy works at and stole many scenes he was in.  Nate Corddry rounds out the main crew as Christy’s love interest who is the GM of the restaurant and is also still married.

The one knock on this show, it’s a big cast.  Between Faris, Janney, Corddry, Steward, and Calvano, you also have Matt Jones (ex-husband), Spencer Daniels (Calvano’s boyfriend), and Blake Garrett Rosenthal (Christy’s son.)   There are a ton of people on this show and I worry it might be overkill.   Also, let’s keep the Christy crying to a minimum.    But the show was funny, the cast was strong, and I’ll be watching each week.

DVRs: 4

Back In The Game

Starring Maggie Lawson, James Caan, and Griffen Gluck, BITG follows the Gannon family.   Terry (Lawson) has moved back home with her son (Gluck) after a nasty divorce and moves in with her dad (Caan.)   Terry and the Cannon have a pretty salty relationship with their only real connection being a love of baseball.  Terry’s son tries out for the local team and doesn’t make it so Terry decides to coach a team of rejected kids and turn them into ball players.

I liked this show probably more than other people did.  It did make me laugh at times (Ben Koldyke and Leona Crichlow were great as Terry’s antagonist and new BFF) but I’d like to see Caan’s character toned down a bit more.  I mean really, who beats on someone’s car because their kid/grandkid is being bullied?   Really, a conversation with the parents would have been too much to ask?  That type of stuff drives me crazy because it doesn’t work.   Just give me some funny moments, some heartfelt moments (the scene where Terry sees all her college softball games on tape in Cannon’s basement made me tear up because my parents have the same thing) and let the show and the cast do it’s thing.   There isn’t a need for that type of over the top craziness.

DVRs: 3

The Goldberg’s 

This was another show I didn’t hate.  I guess not the best way to start a review, but it’s true.  I enjoyed parts of The Goldberg’s.  I’m a sucker for 80’s themed TV shows because there is so much nostalgia for me.   And overall, there were parts I really laughed at.   This show is loosely based on creator Adam Goldberg’s real family which includes mom Beverly (Wendi McLendon Covey), dad Murray (Jeff Garlin), pops (George Segal), sister Erica (Hayley Orrantia), brother Barry (Troy Gentile), and himself (Sean Gamrbione.)   There is a lot of yelling, a lot of name calling, and some nice warm moments.  Was it a bit goofy and silly, yep.  Were some of the characters a bit annoying, sure.   But it was an enjoyable 30 minutes.   I don’t think I’ll make a point of seeing it each week, but if it’s on, I’ll watch.

DVRs: 2

Trophy Wife

I love Malin Akerman.  All the props to her about this show were dead on because she is absolutely charming and delightful.  Akerman stars as Kate who meets Pete (Bradley Whitford) after breaking his nose at a karaoke bar with her BFF Meg (Natalie Morales.)  In the hospital she meets his ex-wife Diane (Marcia Gay Harden) and their kids Hillary (Bailee Madison) and Warren (Ryan Scott Lee.)  But then it gets better, she then meets ex-wife #2, Jackie (Michaela Watkins) and their son Bert (Albert Tsai.)  Instead of getting scared off, she marries him!  Hilarity ensues.

This could be one of the best ensembles on TV.  Between Akerman, Whitford, Watkins, and Harden, it’s hard to go wrong.  Luckily, they all work very well together.   Sometimes you throw a bunch of big names together and it doesn’t work at all.  But that’s not the case here.  You can see how Pete would have fallen for each one of these women but how he would have broken up with Diane and Jackie.  And as a result, you can see how he would have also remained friends with them.

The thing I like most about this show is the fact that this is not too far away from the norm for many people.  Many couples have to deal with ex spouses and kids from previous relationships.  So how does the new couple deal with all of that?   I have so many friends in that some boat and believe me, there are TONS of funny stories that come out.  So I have no doubt this show will work and will probably be of my favorites of the season.

DVRs: 4

The Michael J Fox Show

I was so looking forward to seeing MJF back on TV in a starring role and on a sitcom.  I couldn’t wait to see it because the early previews weren’t bad.  Plus, I have loved MJF since his Alex P. Keaton days on Family Ties.  How could I not love this show?  It pains me to say it, but I didn’t like this show at all.  The cast didn’t seem to work very well off of each other (except for Fox and Wendell Pierce.)  I love Fox and I love Betsy Brandt but I didn’t buy them as husband and wife at all.  Katie Finneran as Aunt Leigh was over the top, as usual.  I have yet to like that woman in anything yet.  And the kids were blah.  Although I did warm up to Eve (Juliette Goglia) towards the end of the pilot.  And don’t get me started on the crying, puking producer Kay (Ana Nogueria)…ugh, she’s awful.

Fox stars as Mike Henry, a former local NYC news anchor who is now a stay at home dad who is annoying the hell out of his family and in turn, they are bugging him.   He has a “chance” meeting with his old Boss Harris (Pierce) who begs him to come back.  Henry eventually decides to go back to work and both he and the family are thrilled.

My biggest worry going into the show was that the Parkinson jokes would be a little too much.  I was wrong.  The biggest problem with the show is the writing and the casting.  Not that the actors are bad….let me make that clear….they aren’t.   But, they don’t work well together.  All their scenes feel forced and unnatural like they are trying too hard to be this quirky family.  I doesn’t work.  I’ll watch a few more to make sure it wasn’t just a bad pilot, but I don’t see myself making it through the mid-season break with this show.

DVRs: 1

The Crazy Ones

Here’s another one I had high hopes for because of the cast and here’s another show I didn’t like at all.   Again, my worry was Robin Williams being too much.   Not the problem (at least not in the pilot.)  It’s the material and the fact that this cast is a bit stiff.  Although James Wolk and Williams played very well off one another.  I love Wolk and Hamish Linklater but this show doesn’t work for them.   Then we have Sarah Michelle Gellar.  I’ve heard before that SMG is a product of her material….if the material is good, she’s fine.  If it’s bad, she’s not.  She can’t transcend bad writing because she isn’t very strong.  I always thought that was a bit harsh because she was so good on Buffy.  But when Kelly Clarkson (who isn’t an actress at all) can put you to shame in a scene, it does make me raise a few eye brows.  SMG didn’t come across well in this pilot at all.  It was almost as if she shrunk back into landscape being around the powerhouse of Williams instead of trying to command the scene and hold her own.  The material wasn’t very funny and I was pretty bored halfway through the pilot.  I don’t know if I can follow this ad agency and their “clients of the week” each week because I’m not sure I care and I think the entire cast deserves better.

DVRs: 1