After deciding not to continue with La Femme Nikita, my programme schedule is now:
1. Lost Season 3
2. The New Adventures Of Superman Season 2
3. Sports Night Season 2
4. Jericho Season 1
5. Rome Season 1
6. Dark Angel Season 2
7. Spooks Season 2
8. Peep Show Season 6
9. Pushing Daisies Season 2
10. Futurama Season 5
Sunday, 28 June 2009
[LFN] Mother
TV Programme: La Femme Nikita
Season: 1
Episode: 5
Date I watched this episode: 28/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 8 days.
Once again this was a fairly good, average episode. It showed how far Section One are willing to go and how their loyalties toward Nikita are only very gradually forming. The plan organised by the group was a bit out of the ordinary so it kept you on your toes. But there's no way I could describe this episode as brilliant.
I'm trying to think of what else to say about this episode, and the fact is I can't because there really isn't much to say. I really don't think this programme is going to find a place on my schedule, at least not now. Maybe in a few years (or decades at this rate) when I've finished some of my favourite shows, maybe then I'll come back. It has a small amount of potential for a good episodic show, but I'd rather watch The Avengers any day of the week. I've "read ahead" just before writing this review and found that there is some small element of a story arc but it doesn't appear until season 3 and even then sparsely.
Balanced against the backlog of amazing programmes I still have to watch, I've taken the decision to stop watching this programme. It will be replaced by Pushing Daisies Season 2, the final season of that programme, which I think I'll enjoy much more.
Season: 1
Episode: 5
Date I watched this episode: 28/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 8 days.
Once again this was a fairly good, average episode. It showed how far Section One are willing to go and how their loyalties toward Nikita are only very gradually forming. The plan organised by the group was a bit out of the ordinary so it kept you on your toes. But there's no way I could describe this episode as brilliant.
I'm trying to think of what else to say about this episode, and the fact is I can't because there really isn't much to say. I really don't think this programme is going to find a place on my schedule, at least not now. Maybe in a few years (or decades at this rate) when I've finished some of my favourite shows, maybe then I'll come back. It has a small amount of potential for a good episodic show, but I'd rather watch The Avengers any day of the week. I've "read ahead" just before writing this review and found that there is some small element of a story arc but it doesn't appear until season 3 and even then sparsely.
Balanced against the backlog of amazing programmes I still have to watch, I've taken the decision to stop watching this programme. It will be replaced by Pushing Daisies Season 2, the final season of that programme, which I think I'll enjoy much more.
[LFN] Charity
TV Programme: La Femme Nikita
Season: 1
Episode: 4
Date I watched this episode: 20/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 1 year, 11 days.
The recent finale day gave me the chance to catch up on some programmes that I'm supposedly watching at the moment, but haven't actually watched for quite a long time. It has got a bit ridiculous to be honest, and I wonder if my maximum limit of ten programmes at once is too high for my current situation, where the fact that I've got a job means that I don't get as much time for watching TV as I always used to. Despite this, some of my friends think my limit is too low!!
Generally when a new series is recommended to me, I'll watch the first 5 or 6 episodes before making a decision as to whether to continue with it (and then buy the DVDs for myself so that I can finish watching the season). La Femme Nikita was one such programme, and I've got to admit: I wasn't overly impressed with the first three episodes I watched before this one. In "Nikita", Nikita was pulled off the street and inducted into the mysterious "Section One" organisation. In "Friend", Nikita met with an old friend from her past life, who turned out to be a terrorist. In "Simone", Nikita and Michael set out to rescue Michael's wife, Simone, but Simone got killed in the end.
However, on the other hand, some programmes that I've come to love have been ones that didn't really grab me in the first instance. Most notably Farscape, now my favourite programme of all time, but also Carnivàle and The Sopranos. So I like to give shows a chance. One of the added complications of La Femme Nikita is that I tend to compare it to Alias, my third favourite programme of all time, which was set in a similar situation but started with a real bang (Alias, in turn, I used to compare against 24 in the beginning, until I realised they were just completely different kinds of show). I was initially attracted to La Femme Nikita by the fact that it was created by Joel Surnow though (who later co-created 24) and so I feel like it deserves a bit of a chance.
This episode involved Nikita (using that name rather than Josephine for some reason) trying to work her way into the inner circle of a frankly chilling villain. Yes, it really did scare me a bit when he talked about the evilness of his work; and I'm sure that things like this really do go on in the world (in fact it's not too dissimilar from the events of [24H] Redemption, though ironically Joel Surnow has now left the staff of that show). I must hand it to Peta Wilson that the way she handled her character in this episode was outstanding. I know a lot of people say that they watch this show because they find her "hot" but she is just a bit too rough for me; nevertheless the way she came across in this episode was pretty cool.
Perhaps reflected in the name of the show though, it often feels like a one-person show. While there are other characters (Operations, Madeliene, Birkoff, Walter, and even Michael) who play a major role within the Section One organisation, they often play a minor role within the storylines. And Nikita just doesn't quite have the weight to carry this show all on her own. Michael seems to be whining a lot inside, Madeliene is so two-faced but hardly shown, Operations has a cool name but seems a bit two-dimensional (get things done at any cost), Birkoff is just a poor-man's Marshall Flinkman, and Walter is, well, a bit of a nobody.
I also miss the serial storyline structure of Alias. Which is quite a harsh thing to say, as that show postdates this one, but I can't ignore that the majority of the shows I watch have a serial story structure, that's pretty key for me. If shows have an episodic structure but I know they're going to move into a more serialised format later in their runs (as is the case with most science fiction shows, but also Smallville, Spooks and so on) then I can pretty much tolerate that. But I haven't found any real evidence to suggest that La Femme Nikita is going to do that. It can't blame its age either; even some older series I watch (e.g. Blake's 7) manage to have the serial format, though not many.
I'm uncomfortable that I really don't know what Section One is. It's a counterterrorist organisation with unethical means to critical ends. But I don't know what their goals are, who they work for, how their people came to be involved with them. I can't see them as a force for good when they basically force Nikita to work for them on pain of death. I know that's why a lot of people love this show, because it is so dark, but it's just difficult to turn that off and enjoy the episode.
"Charity" was in my eyes a lot better than the first three episodes of the programme. It had a certain special feel about it, the way it was shot and put together. Also, the twist of what Chandler was really involved in was admittedly unexpected, though most of the episode was quite predictable. Even with these things, it's still not enough. I have been known in the past to discontinue watching programmes (Teachers and Firefly come to mind, though this isn't quite as unenjoyable as those two). Especially with my now limited time for TV watching, I have to make sure that I'm not wasting time on programmes I don't really like.
Season: 1
Episode: 4
Date I watched this episode: 20/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 1 year, 11 days.
The recent finale day gave me the chance to catch up on some programmes that I'm supposedly watching at the moment, but haven't actually watched for quite a long time. It has got a bit ridiculous to be honest, and I wonder if my maximum limit of ten programmes at once is too high for my current situation, where the fact that I've got a job means that I don't get as much time for watching TV as I always used to. Despite this, some of my friends think my limit is too low!!
Generally when a new series is recommended to me, I'll watch the first 5 or 6 episodes before making a decision as to whether to continue with it (and then buy the DVDs for myself so that I can finish watching the season). La Femme Nikita was one such programme, and I've got to admit: I wasn't overly impressed with the first three episodes I watched before this one. In "Nikita", Nikita was pulled off the street and inducted into the mysterious "Section One" organisation. In "Friend", Nikita met with an old friend from her past life, who turned out to be a terrorist. In "Simone", Nikita and Michael set out to rescue Michael's wife, Simone, but Simone got killed in the end.
However, on the other hand, some programmes that I've come to love have been ones that didn't really grab me in the first instance. Most notably Farscape, now my favourite programme of all time, but also Carnivàle and The Sopranos. So I like to give shows a chance. One of the added complications of La Femme Nikita is that I tend to compare it to Alias, my third favourite programme of all time, which was set in a similar situation but started with a real bang (Alias, in turn, I used to compare against 24 in the beginning, until I realised they were just completely different kinds of show). I was initially attracted to La Femme Nikita by the fact that it was created by Joel Surnow though (who later co-created 24) and so I feel like it deserves a bit of a chance.
This episode involved Nikita (using that name rather than Josephine for some reason) trying to work her way into the inner circle of a frankly chilling villain. Yes, it really did scare me a bit when he talked about the evilness of his work; and I'm sure that things like this really do go on in the world (in fact it's not too dissimilar from the events of [24H] Redemption, though ironically Joel Surnow has now left the staff of that show). I must hand it to Peta Wilson that the way she handled her character in this episode was outstanding. I know a lot of people say that they watch this show because they find her "hot" but she is just a bit too rough for me; nevertheless the way she came across in this episode was pretty cool.
Perhaps reflected in the name of the show though, it often feels like a one-person show. While there are other characters (Operations, Madeliene, Birkoff, Walter, and even Michael) who play a major role within the Section One organisation, they often play a minor role within the storylines. And Nikita just doesn't quite have the weight to carry this show all on her own. Michael seems to be whining a lot inside, Madeliene is so two-faced but hardly shown, Operations has a cool name but seems a bit two-dimensional (get things done at any cost), Birkoff is just a poor-man's Marshall Flinkman, and Walter is, well, a bit of a nobody.
I also miss the serial storyline structure of Alias. Which is quite a harsh thing to say, as that show postdates this one, but I can't ignore that the majority of the shows I watch have a serial story structure, that's pretty key for me. If shows have an episodic structure but I know they're going to move into a more serialised format later in their runs (as is the case with most science fiction shows, but also Smallville, Spooks and so on) then I can pretty much tolerate that. But I haven't found any real evidence to suggest that La Femme Nikita is going to do that. It can't blame its age either; even some older series I watch (e.g. Blake's 7) manage to have the serial format, though not many.
I'm uncomfortable that I really don't know what Section One is. It's a counterterrorist organisation with unethical means to critical ends. But I don't know what their goals are, who they work for, how their people came to be involved with them. I can't see them as a force for good when they basically force Nikita to work for them on pain of death. I know that's why a lot of people love this show, because it is so dark, but it's just difficult to turn that off and enjoy the episode.
"Charity" was in my eyes a lot better than the first three episodes of the programme. It had a certain special feel about it, the way it was shot and put together. Also, the twist of what Chandler was really involved in was admittedly unexpected, though most of the episode was quite predictable. Even with these things, it's still not enough. I have been known in the past to discontinue watching programmes (Teachers and Firefly come to mind, though this isn't quite as unenjoyable as those two). Especially with my now limited time for TV watching, I have to make sure that I'm not wasting time on programmes I don't really like.
Saturday, 20 June 2009
What I'm watching at the moment (version 3)
After finale day 6 my programme schedule is now:
1. {Lost Season 3 - pending start}
2. The New Adventures Of Superman Season 2
3. {Sports Night Season 2 - pending start}
4. Jericho Season 1
5. Dark Angel Season 2
6. {Spooks Season 2 - pending start}
7. {Peep Show Season 6 - pending release}
8. La Femme Nikita Season 1
9. {Futurama Season 5 - pending slot cleanup}
10. {Hold for Rome Season 1 - pending start}
1. {Lost Season 3 - pending start}
2. The New Adventures Of Superman Season 2
3. {Sports Night Season 2 - pending start}
4. Jericho Season 1
5. Dark Angel Season 2
6. {Spooks Season 2 - pending start}
7. {Peep Show Season 6 - pending release}
8. La Femme Nikita Season 1
9. {Futurama Season 5 - pending slot cleanup}
10. {Hold for Rome Season 1 - pending start}
[AUK] The Final (Season 5)
(Note: The season finale of this show has been called "The Final" before and so the brackets are to avoid ambiguity).
TV Programme: The Apprentice (UK)
Season: 5
Episode: 12
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 3 days.
Hired: Yasmina
Well, we're at the end of another year. And the season finale of The Apprentice is always quite gripping, in its own way. This time, we had the same format as ever before (and incidentally Yasmina seemed overly surprised at this - how fake) which was kind of fun, but not very interesting. I've got to say though that this season has been mostly enjoyable. I'd say it's the worst season so far, but it hasn't been awful.
The task: to make a new brand of chocolate. Actually this wasn't particularly exciting, and I think last year's perfume extravaganza was better. Well, maybe they needed to cut costs. Anyway, it feels strange to see only two left, especially when they leave the house in the morning. But, gotta get on with the job at hand.
5 candidates did not return for the final: they are Anita, Maj, Paula, Noorul and Mona. I'm most surprised about Paula actually since I thought she had more to offer. Rocky, on the other hand, who was pretty weak and fired earlier on than Paula, was in the show. He certainly was disheartened when he was last to be picked. Most of the candidates who didn't return, did appear on "You're Hired".
The selection process seemed a bit strange. Kate's first two picks were clearly good choices - namely Ben and Debra. In fact, Debra turned out to be Kate's star player (having come up with the theme, pointed out how rubbish the original name was, and chosen the ingredients for the chocolates). Yasmina, on the other hand, picked Howard (not the exciting personality she seemed to be pushing for on this task) and Lorraine (whom she knows is hard to work with).
In general I felt that Yasmina ran a fairly bad task (admittedly not entirely her fault) which slipped into accuracy. The original idea of chocolates for men (which incidentally was championed by Lorraine "Amazing Instinct" Tighe) was rubbish. They stuck with it for too long, needing two focus groups before relenting. Phil was banging on about it, comparing it to Pants Man (not the best idea), and was generally being a bit of a nutter in this episode (see the choreography scenes). Secondly, the taste of the chocolates was altogether described as being awful, and it was perhaps quite funny that the actors were looking shocked during the advert; generally shocked at how disgusting they were.
Kate ran a very good task and I think, based on this task alone, she deserved to win. She really bred creativity in the brainstorms, and managed to keep Ben under control (easier said than done). She came up with much tastier chocolates than Yasmina, and in general a much more cohesive theme. I wonder whether she was let down by the fact that Yasmina knew her figures off-by-heart whereas she hadn't given them quite so much thought.
I think though there was one key thing which stood out for me and that was the presentation. Yasmina went for the lighting, the dancers, the whole experience which worked really well whereas Kate went for a fairly un-passionate experience with just a presentation. This lack of passion is what's caused me to favour Yasmina over Kate in the past, and from that point of view I think Sir Alan made the right decision.
There isn't much criticism in the final, not so much "fighting their corners", and I think they both came up with very good boxes and adverts to say the least. Alan is careful not to have a go at them too much as he hasn't made the final decision at time of filming. You can see this when they play the clip of Yasmina being hired; she looks a bit fake and not genuinely overwhelmed with joy.
Sir Alan said that this was "the most difficult decision [he has] ever had to make in this boardroom". I think he says something similar every year, and I wonder whether it was quite as hard as the choice between Michelle Dewberry and Ruth Badger. However, I think he made the right choice overall, the right choice for his business.
As for his business, he has hired Yasmina into his AMScreen division, run by his son I think. Lee McQueen also works in this area. It seems a little bit of a letdown, and Yasmina certainly seemed a bit disappointed on the "You're Hired" show. I can't see there being much scope there, but that's for Sir Alan and Yasmina to sort out now.
Overall this has been an okay season but I wonder when looking back whether we will really see the real characters (Paul Torrisi, Tre Azam, Lucinda Ledgerwood, Michael Sophocles, Lee "That's what I'm talking about" McQueen or Ruth Badger). Then again, I felt the same at the time of watching season 4, and I just named three people from that season who stick in my mind, so you never know.
TV Programme: The Apprentice (UK)
Season: 5
Episode: 12
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 3 days.
Hired: Yasmina
Well, we're at the end of another year. And the season finale of The Apprentice is always quite gripping, in its own way. This time, we had the same format as ever before (and incidentally Yasmina seemed overly surprised at this - how fake) which was kind of fun, but not very interesting. I've got to say though that this season has been mostly enjoyable. I'd say it's the worst season so far, but it hasn't been awful.
The task: to make a new brand of chocolate. Actually this wasn't particularly exciting, and I think last year's perfume extravaganza was better. Well, maybe they needed to cut costs. Anyway, it feels strange to see only two left, especially when they leave the house in the morning. But, gotta get on with the job at hand.
5 candidates did not return for the final: they are Anita, Maj, Paula, Noorul and Mona. I'm most surprised about Paula actually since I thought she had more to offer. Rocky, on the other hand, who was pretty weak and fired earlier on than Paula, was in the show. He certainly was disheartened when he was last to be picked. Most of the candidates who didn't return, did appear on "You're Hired".
The selection process seemed a bit strange. Kate's first two picks were clearly good choices - namely Ben and Debra. In fact, Debra turned out to be Kate's star player (having come up with the theme, pointed out how rubbish the original name was, and chosen the ingredients for the chocolates). Yasmina, on the other hand, picked Howard (not the exciting personality she seemed to be pushing for on this task) and Lorraine (whom she knows is hard to work with).
In general I felt that Yasmina ran a fairly bad task (admittedly not entirely her fault) which slipped into accuracy. The original idea of chocolates for men (which incidentally was championed by Lorraine "Amazing Instinct" Tighe) was rubbish. They stuck with it for too long, needing two focus groups before relenting. Phil was banging on about it, comparing it to Pants Man (not the best idea), and was generally being a bit of a nutter in this episode (see the choreography scenes). Secondly, the taste of the chocolates was altogether described as being awful, and it was perhaps quite funny that the actors were looking shocked during the advert; generally shocked at how disgusting they were.
Kate ran a very good task and I think, based on this task alone, she deserved to win. She really bred creativity in the brainstorms, and managed to keep Ben under control (easier said than done). She came up with much tastier chocolates than Yasmina, and in general a much more cohesive theme. I wonder whether she was let down by the fact that Yasmina knew her figures off-by-heart whereas she hadn't given them quite so much thought.
I think though there was one key thing which stood out for me and that was the presentation. Yasmina went for the lighting, the dancers, the whole experience which worked really well whereas Kate went for a fairly un-passionate experience with just a presentation. This lack of passion is what's caused me to favour Yasmina over Kate in the past, and from that point of view I think Sir Alan made the right decision.
There isn't much criticism in the final, not so much "fighting their corners", and I think they both came up with very good boxes and adverts to say the least. Alan is careful not to have a go at them too much as he hasn't made the final decision at time of filming. You can see this when they play the clip of Yasmina being hired; she looks a bit fake and not genuinely overwhelmed with joy.
Sir Alan said that this was "the most difficult decision [he has] ever had to make in this boardroom". I think he says something similar every year, and I wonder whether it was quite as hard as the choice between Michelle Dewberry and Ruth Badger. However, I think he made the right choice overall, the right choice for his business.
As for his business, he has hired Yasmina into his AMScreen division, run by his son I think. Lee McQueen also works in this area. It seems a little bit of a letdown, and Yasmina certainly seemed a bit disappointed on the "You're Hired" show. I can't see there being much scope there, but that's for Sir Alan and Yasmina to sort out now.
Overall this has been an okay season but I wonder when looking back whether we will really see the real characters (Paul Torrisi, Tre Azam, Lucinda Ledgerwood, Michael Sophocles, Lee "That's what I'm talking about" McQueen or Ruth Badger). Then again, I felt the same at the time of watching season 4, and I just named three people from that season who stick in my mind, so you never know.
[PRB] Sona
TV Programme: Prison Break
Season: 2
Episode: 22
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 2 days.
This was a pretty satisfying end to a very good season. This season of Prison Break, while not quite up to the standard of season 1 (in terms of general structure) has worked very well, with many different threads, each with its own personality and general coolness.
One of the best threads was the story of Scofield meeting his intellectual equal in Alexander Mahone. This story really did continue right into this episode, with the opening scene of "no games, no bluffin', just two guys doing each other a favour". We'd reached the stage where these two men have really a great deal of respect for each other. However the amount of bluffing in this episode really surpassed all previous standards. Michael, Alex, and Bill Kim all have a "doublecross" plan in mind, and it's just a question of how these different bluffs meld together that made this such an enjoyable episode to watch. We really started to feel sorry for Mahone and Pam, and how it ended with "forget I ever existed".
This story then seamlessly merged with yet another story; that of Michael and Sara becoming reunited. Michael's plan to kill two birds with one stone (something he often likes to do) and get Sara back whilst also framing Mahone, was great. In the end, it was Sara who really was the one who pushed Michael over the edge, completely against her will. She has given up so much for him, and now she is getting some payback with his self-sacrifice. This also fulfilled the old things as mentioned earlier of The Company not being interested in Lincoln anymore, and "only one is needed" (said by Pad Man)/"only one will survive" (said by Bill Kim). It seems that Paul Scheuring has been weaving these threads together like some kind of giant tapestry.
There were a couple of other great side-stories in this episode too, which didn't feel out of place. Firstly Paul Kellerman's testimony; Paul Adelstein really showed what an amazing actor he is here, and it was believable that he knew he was living out the final hours of his life. It's a shame to see Kellerman go, but it was totally necessary from a storyline perspective.
The other main side-story was Sucre looking for Maricruz. It's heartbreaking that he's lost her, and I can't see how he will find her again now, in the next few days, with Bellick locked up in Sona.
We got a bit more of an insight into Pad Man in this episode; it seems he is a general and there were people saluting him, meaning that this organisation may be more closely tied in with the military than we previously thought. In addition, Paul Kellerman was saying "this was meant to be about country, about loyalty, about what's right", so there may be more to The Company than we know; as there is not much "right" about multinationals trying to protect their own interests. So we may find out in future that The Company is more good than they have been portrayed to be.
I won't be watching season 3 for quite some time, but we got a pretty good idea about what it's going to be like. First of all, the actual place of Sona prison looks to be a much darker and different environment from Fox River. I'd guess that within the prison system of Panama, it's not as well regulated and so on. Secondly, we know that Scofield, Mahone and Bellick are now locked up together - these three were previously enemies and so their interaction, especially Scofield and Mahone, will be interesting. Also, T-Bag looks soon to be in Sona, as he is currently being held on charges after Michael stabbed his arm. Thirdly, Lincoln is looking for Sara, and there seems to be some weird guy pursuing them too; I guess they will have to find something to keep those two occupied during season 3. Finally, the "General" (Pad Man) says that The Company actually wants Michael to break out, meaning we will see yet another prison break, but this time sponsored by The Company (their motives for this, however, are not yet clear).
In the final analysis, this season has been a brilliant season, and a shining example of one that I will remember for a long time. It really has been great to intersperse between shockingly bad episodes of 24 and Damages I've been watching recently. However it's also great to open the door to new things, which I'm looking forward to. I'll miss these characters, but I am comforted by the fact that I still have two seasons to go, and I'll look forward to those in the meantime.
Season: 2
Episode: 22
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 2 days.
This was a pretty satisfying end to a very good season. This season of Prison Break, while not quite up to the standard of season 1 (in terms of general structure) has worked very well, with many different threads, each with its own personality and general coolness.
One of the best threads was the story of Scofield meeting his intellectual equal in Alexander Mahone. This story really did continue right into this episode, with the opening scene of "no games, no bluffin', just two guys doing each other a favour". We'd reached the stage where these two men have really a great deal of respect for each other. However the amount of bluffing in this episode really surpassed all previous standards. Michael, Alex, and Bill Kim all have a "doublecross" plan in mind, and it's just a question of how these different bluffs meld together that made this such an enjoyable episode to watch. We really started to feel sorry for Mahone and Pam, and how it ended with "forget I ever existed".
This story then seamlessly merged with yet another story; that of Michael and Sara becoming reunited. Michael's plan to kill two birds with one stone (something he often likes to do) and get Sara back whilst also framing Mahone, was great. In the end, it was Sara who really was the one who pushed Michael over the edge, completely against her will. She has given up so much for him, and now she is getting some payback with his self-sacrifice. This also fulfilled the old things as mentioned earlier of The Company not being interested in Lincoln anymore, and "only one is needed" (said by Pad Man)/"only one will survive" (said by Bill Kim). It seems that Paul Scheuring has been weaving these threads together like some kind of giant tapestry.
There were a couple of other great side-stories in this episode too, which didn't feel out of place. Firstly Paul Kellerman's testimony; Paul Adelstein really showed what an amazing actor he is here, and it was believable that he knew he was living out the final hours of his life. It's a shame to see Kellerman go, but it was totally necessary from a storyline perspective.
The other main side-story was Sucre looking for Maricruz. It's heartbreaking that he's lost her, and I can't see how he will find her again now, in the next few days, with Bellick locked up in Sona.
We got a bit more of an insight into Pad Man in this episode; it seems he is a general and there were people saluting him, meaning that this organisation may be more closely tied in with the military than we previously thought. In addition, Paul Kellerman was saying "this was meant to be about country, about loyalty, about what's right", so there may be more to The Company than we know; as there is not much "right" about multinationals trying to protect their own interests. So we may find out in future that The Company is more good than they have been portrayed to be.
I won't be watching season 3 for quite some time, but we got a pretty good idea about what it's going to be like. First of all, the actual place of Sona prison looks to be a much darker and different environment from Fox River. I'd guess that within the prison system of Panama, it's not as well regulated and so on. Secondly, we know that Scofield, Mahone and Bellick are now locked up together - these three were previously enemies and so their interaction, especially Scofield and Mahone, will be interesting. Also, T-Bag looks soon to be in Sona, as he is currently being held on charges after Michael stabbed his arm. Thirdly, Lincoln is looking for Sara, and there seems to be some weird guy pursuing them too; I guess they will have to find something to keep those two occupied during season 3. Finally, the "General" (Pad Man) says that The Company actually wants Michael to break out, meaning we will see yet another prison break, but this time sponsored by The Company (their motives for this, however, are not yet clear).
In the final analysis, this season has been a brilliant season, and a shining example of one that I will remember for a long time. It really has been great to intersperse between shockingly bad episodes of 24 and Damages I've been watching recently. However it's also great to open the door to new things, which I'm looking forward to. I'll miss these characters, but I am comforted by the fact that I still have two seasons to go, and I'll look forward to those in the meantime.
[DMG] Trust Me
TV Programme: Damages
Season: 2
Episode: 13
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 2 months, 11 days.
Don't get me wrong - "Trust Me" was the best episode of season 2 by a mile. But there was something which felt not quite right about it. Rarely have I seen a season finale with such moments of amazing brilliance, but which can also be so patchy all over the place. In fact I can't think of another finale like it: finales are either good or they are bad. This season finale wasn't truly bad (like [ALS] "All The Time In The World", [DS9] "In The Hands Of The Prophets", [FAR] "Dog With Two Bones" or [MMN] "The Wheel") because it did have some really great, unexpected and well-executed plot twists, which none of the aforementioned did have. But it fell short of the mark due to several things: notably that it followed a very mediocre season, it left several things hanging in the balance with no hope of a real explanation, and it contained at least a couple of scenes/segments which seemed to be totally irrelevant (no surprises there though for Damages Season 2).
Let's start off with the good, the really good. I think Ellen's choice not to kill Patty was believable, unexpected and dramatic. The moment when you see the sheet stating "THE FEDS ARE WATCHING US" is a classic moment of serial television, one of those "WTF" moments that I have referred to before (e.g. in my review of "Burn It, Shred It, I Don't Care"). So Ellen had realised Patty's true nature and the fact that the world does actually need people like her. She knew that Patty had grown to care for her very much, and that she could cause Patty a great deal of pain by forcing her to admit to her crimes face-to-face. So this was her new strategy - no surveillance, no FBI. It's really very believable.
I'll move on to discussing the acting in this episode. In general I thought the acting was pretty average; no real surprises. But Dave Pell and Walter Kendrick were typically brilliant. Cool and collected to the last, these two really carried us through some less good parts of the episode, and I hope to see them again in future.
There were also a couple of moments where some questions were answered from earlier in the season. Rick Messer was the one Wes shot in the car - I could have seen that coming, but to be honest I'd totally forgotten that happened. In fact many parts of this episode were shown a lot earlier in this series and then not mentioned again; seems hardly worth it really. However the blood being caused by Finn Garrity was a great red herring that was completely unprecedented. This whole device didn't really feel like it was just done to keep Glenn Close in the series, though that was inevitably one of the motivations behind it.
Katie Connor and Arthur Frobisher only appeared in one scene each in this episode. Arthur hasn't been seen around much recently, and I'm struggling how they're going to make a storyline seem original with him, when he is going to be in the same situation as before. As for Katie, she hasn't been around much this season at all. Her presence was necessary for the "baiting" that Rick Messer had organised, but it still seems hardly worth Anastacia having to come to the shoot.
Patty had a dream during this episode that was seemingly irrelevant. In the dream, several men, some of whom were dead (Pete McKee and Ray Fiske) were smoking cigars and laughing at her, while Ellen told her that everyone hated her. I presumed this dream to be a pre-cursor to something later in the episode, but it seemed completely irrelevant.
Talking of irrelevance, there were several storylines from earlier episodes which now seem to be irrelevant. The main one is Michael and his "girlfriend". I expected this one to come to a head here but it didn't. Michael hasn't really explained himself as to what he is actually up to, and why he is bringing this lady home who he clearly isn't in a relationship with (as seen in "Uh Oh. Out Come The Skeletons.") Patty's charity from "I Lied, Too" has seemingly completely disappeared. The remote control, which formed a large part of the story of "Look What He Dug Up This Time", was not even mentioned.
I think perhaps the most heartbreaking part about this whole thing though is that there are things that don't make sense. First of all, Tom Shayes came to Patty's office to try to warn her about Ellen, ranting about the unlawful dismissal. Why would he do this if Cynthia was working to take down the corrupt FBI investigation? Ellen wasn't there to see him and be fooled. More importantly though, why did Patty arrange to save Ellen when she knew Ellen was working against her? How did Patty find this out? When did she find out? I have a sneaking suspicion that these questions will be brushed under the carpet in season 3.
As for that third season (which was confirmed at the same time season 2 was confirmed), well we hardly know anything about it. Season 1's "Because I Know Patty" gave us loads of details about season 2: we knew Ellen would be working for the FBI, undercover for Patty, we knew that Rick Messer was still about, and so on. But here, Ellen tells David's grave that she has got a new job. What new job? It could be just about anything. And she talks about meeting Wes, who has now proved himself to be loyal and capable of protecting her, although he had bad intentions to start with (which Ellen may or may not be bothered about). Arthur is very likely to make a comeback, and hopefully Ellen will start on her rampage against him again, aided by Wes. But in general, I think the third season has even less hope for it than the second one did.
The name thing: I kind of got it both right and wrong. I think the main quote was said by Patty to Tom, and so in that sense I got it wrong. But Patty did tell Ellen to trust her when she asked her to bribe the judge. Maybe I would award myself "half a point".
And that's it for this season. One of the worst seasons I have watched recently, I have to say, but not as bad as the second half of 24 season 7, and I will inevitably be back for more next year. All in all, this season finale was well above average, but not enough to redeem this season. Then again, I don't see how it could have been.
Season: 2
Episode: 13
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 2 months, 11 days.
Don't get me wrong - "Trust Me" was the best episode of season 2 by a mile. But there was something which felt not quite right about it. Rarely have I seen a season finale with such moments of amazing brilliance, but which can also be so patchy all over the place. In fact I can't think of another finale like it: finales are either good or they are bad. This season finale wasn't truly bad (like [ALS] "All The Time In The World", [DS9] "In The Hands Of The Prophets", [FAR] "Dog With Two Bones" or [MMN] "The Wheel") because it did have some really great, unexpected and well-executed plot twists, which none of the aforementioned did have. But it fell short of the mark due to several things: notably that it followed a very mediocre season, it left several things hanging in the balance with no hope of a real explanation, and it contained at least a couple of scenes/segments which seemed to be totally irrelevant (no surprises there though for Damages Season 2).
Let's start off with the good, the really good. I think Ellen's choice not to kill Patty was believable, unexpected and dramatic. The moment when you see the sheet stating "THE FEDS ARE WATCHING US" is a classic moment of serial television, one of those "WTF" moments that I have referred to before (e.g. in my review of "Burn It, Shred It, I Don't Care"). So Ellen had realised Patty's true nature and the fact that the world does actually need people like her. She knew that Patty had grown to care for her very much, and that she could cause Patty a great deal of pain by forcing her to admit to her crimes face-to-face. So this was her new strategy - no surveillance, no FBI. It's really very believable.
I'll move on to discussing the acting in this episode. In general I thought the acting was pretty average; no real surprises. But Dave Pell and Walter Kendrick were typically brilliant. Cool and collected to the last, these two really carried us through some less good parts of the episode, and I hope to see them again in future.
There were also a couple of moments where some questions were answered from earlier in the season. Rick Messer was the one Wes shot in the car - I could have seen that coming, but to be honest I'd totally forgotten that happened. In fact many parts of this episode were shown a lot earlier in this series and then not mentioned again; seems hardly worth it really. However the blood being caused by Finn Garrity was a great red herring that was completely unprecedented. This whole device didn't really feel like it was just done to keep Glenn Close in the series, though that was inevitably one of the motivations behind it.
Katie Connor and Arthur Frobisher only appeared in one scene each in this episode. Arthur hasn't been seen around much recently, and I'm struggling how they're going to make a storyline seem original with him, when he is going to be in the same situation as before. As for Katie, she hasn't been around much this season at all. Her presence was necessary for the "baiting" that Rick Messer had organised, but it still seems hardly worth Anastacia having to come to the shoot.
Patty had a dream during this episode that was seemingly irrelevant. In the dream, several men, some of whom were dead (Pete McKee and Ray Fiske) were smoking cigars and laughing at her, while Ellen told her that everyone hated her. I presumed this dream to be a pre-cursor to something later in the episode, but it seemed completely irrelevant.
Talking of irrelevance, there were several storylines from earlier episodes which now seem to be irrelevant. The main one is Michael and his "girlfriend". I expected this one to come to a head here but it didn't. Michael hasn't really explained himself as to what he is actually up to, and why he is bringing this lady home who he clearly isn't in a relationship with (as seen in "Uh Oh. Out Come The Skeletons.") Patty's charity from "I Lied, Too" has seemingly completely disappeared. The remote control, which formed a large part of the story of "Look What He Dug Up This Time", was not even mentioned.
I think perhaps the most heartbreaking part about this whole thing though is that there are things that don't make sense. First of all, Tom Shayes came to Patty's office to try to warn her about Ellen, ranting about the unlawful dismissal. Why would he do this if Cynthia was working to take down the corrupt FBI investigation? Ellen wasn't there to see him and be fooled. More importantly though, why did Patty arrange to save Ellen when she knew Ellen was working against her? How did Patty find this out? When did she find out? I have a sneaking suspicion that these questions will be brushed under the carpet in season 3.
As for that third season (which was confirmed at the same time season 2 was confirmed), well we hardly know anything about it. Season 1's "Because I Know Patty" gave us loads of details about season 2: we knew Ellen would be working for the FBI, undercover for Patty, we knew that Rick Messer was still about, and so on. But here, Ellen tells David's grave that she has got a new job. What new job? It could be just about anything. And she talks about meeting Wes, who has now proved himself to be loyal and capable of protecting her, although he had bad intentions to start with (which Ellen may or may not be bothered about). Arthur is very likely to make a comeback, and hopefully Ellen will start on her rampage against him again, aided by Wes. But in general, I think the third season has even less hope for it than the second one did.
The name thing: I kind of got it both right and wrong. I think the main quote was said by Patty to Tom, and so in that sense I got it wrong. But Patty did tell Ellen to trust her when she asked her to bribe the judge. Maybe I would award myself "half a point".
And that's it for this season. One of the worst seasons I have watched recently, I have to say, but not as bad as the second half of 24 season 7, and I will inevitably be back for more next year. All in all, this season finale was well above average, but not enough to redeem this season. Then again, I don't see how it could have been.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
[24H] Day 7: 7:00am-8:00am
TV Programme: 24
Season: 7
Episode: 24
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 9 days.
What a disappointing end to a very disappointing season. This has been the worst season of 24 so far and this was definitely the worst 24 season finale so far, by a long way. Most season finales contain some shocking event or revelation, but all they could manage here was that supposedly "Alan Wilson was the man behind Charles Logan" well it just doesn't wash. They've already explained all of what happened on Day 5 by Phillip Bauer's conspiracy as revealed during season 6. So Wilson has no place there. In addition to that, I don't think he is a very well or interestingly written or acted character.
This season loosely fell into 4 sections. First of all we had the "reign of Dubaku". This covered roughly the first 10 episodes of the season and, I have to admit, this was the best part of the season. Dubaku was quite a good three-dimensional villain and these episodes also contained the initial meetings with Bill and Chloe, the mole at CTU, Prime Minister Matobo, and so on. Next we had the "reign of Juma". This covered roughly episodes 11-13 and mainly involved the attack on the White House. This attack was good but Juma was really not a good villain and the attack sequence didn't last for long enough, although it paid a tragic price - the death of Bill Buchanan.
The third section was the "reign of Hodges". This covered episodes 14-18 and involved Jonas Hodges and his bioweapon. This was really not compelling television; I didn't like Hodges as a villain and it all seemed a bit boring. Finally we have the "reign of Wilson" covering the last 6 episodes of the season. Once again, Alan Wilson is a rubbish antagonist, as are his associates, and they were really clutching at straws; they proved for good that they have no balls.
The finale didn't start well. We had Jack's supposed "escape", but he was soon recaptured and so that entire thing was rendered pointless. Then Tony revealed he was actually not a terrorist. So let's get this straight: first he wasn't a terrorist, then he was dead, then he was alive again, then he was a terrorist, then he wasn't a terrorist, then he was a terrorist, and now he isn't a terrorist again. At least with Arvin Sloane ([ALS] "The Two", [ALS] "The Descent", [ALS] "Before The Flood", et al) they made up interesting reasons why he had switched between being good and evil. It's good to see that Jack was as incredulous as us the audience about the revelation. I mean, why DID Tony go ahead with the attack on DC station which could have killed hundreds if not thousands of people? Also, why did Tony wait until this moment to reveal his motives to Jack?
The side-story of Olivia Taylor was okay I suppose but not worthy of a season finale. Allison's reaction to effectively destroying her own family was far too controlled; we need to see something quite dramatic in a finale; at least David and Wayne "had" personalities. The one redeeming feature here though was that Colm Feore's acting as Henry Taylor was excellent in these sequences; and well written too: his portrayal of the character earlier in the season makes it completely believable he would react this way.
I think above all, it just didn't feel like a season finale. The torturing scene between Renee and Alan Wilson seemed to cut off prematurely (although I suppose it did establish the closure on the "rules versus results" storyline). The final scene between Kim and Jack was both predictable and, well, it just didn't feel like a final scene to a season of 24. I'm not sure if Jack's earlier visit by the Imam was supposed to be dramatic; it really wasn't as we all know that Jack is going to survive this.
I'm really glad that this was the first finale I watched during Finale Day 6, as things could only get better from here.
Season: 7
Episode: 24
Date I watched this episode: 07/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 9 days.
What a disappointing end to a very disappointing season. This has been the worst season of 24 so far and this was definitely the worst 24 season finale so far, by a long way. Most season finales contain some shocking event or revelation, but all they could manage here was that supposedly "Alan Wilson was the man behind Charles Logan" well it just doesn't wash. They've already explained all of what happened on Day 5 by Phillip Bauer's conspiracy as revealed during season 6. So Wilson has no place there. In addition to that, I don't think he is a very well or interestingly written or acted character.
This season loosely fell into 4 sections. First of all we had the "reign of Dubaku". This covered roughly the first 10 episodes of the season and, I have to admit, this was the best part of the season. Dubaku was quite a good three-dimensional villain and these episodes also contained the initial meetings with Bill and Chloe, the mole at CTU, Prime Minister Matobo, and so on. Next we had the "reign of Juma". This covered roughly episodes 11-13 and mainly involved the attack on the White House. This attack was good but Juma was really not a good villain and the attack sequence didn't last for long enough, although it paid a tragic price - the death of Bill Buchanan.
The third section was the "reign of Hodges". This covered episodes 14-18 and involved Jonas Hodges and his bioweapon. This was really not compelling television; I didn't like Hodges as a villain and it all seemed a bit boring. Finally we have the "reign of Wilson" covering the last 6 episodes of the season. Once again, Alan Wilson is a rubbish antagonist, as are his associates, and they were really clutching at straws; they proved for good that they have no balls.
The finale didn't start well. We had Jack's supposed "escape", but he was soon recaptured and so that entire thing was rendered pointless. Then Tony revealed he was actually not a terrorist. So let's get this straight: first he wasn't a terrorist, then he was dead, then he was alive again, then he was a terrorist, then he wasn't a terrorist, then he was a terrorist, and now he isn't a terrorist again. At least with Arvin Sloane ([ALS] "The Two", [ALS] "The Descent", [ALS] "Before The Flood", et al) they made up interesting reasons why he had switched between being good and evil. It's good to see that Jack was as incredulous as us the audience about the revelation. I mean, why DID Tony go ahead with the attack on DC station which could have killed hundreds if not thousands of people? Also, why did Tony wait until this moment to reveal his motives to Jack?
The side-story of Olivia Taylor was okay I suppose but not worthy of a season finale. Allison's reaction to effectively destroying her own family was far too controlled; we need to see something quite dramatic in a finale; at least David and Wayne "had" personalities. The one redeeming feature here though was that Colm Feore's acting as Henry Taylor was excellent in these sequences; and well written too: his portrayal of the character earlier in the season makes it completely believable he would react this way.
I think above all, it just didn't feel like a season finale. The torturing scene between Renee and Alan Wilson seemed to cut off prematurely (although I suppose it did establish the closure on the "rules versus results" storyline). The final scene between Kim and Jack was both predictable and, well, it just didn't feel like a final scene to a season of 24. I'm not sure if Jack's earlier visit by the Imam was supposed to be dramatic; it really wasn't as we all know that Jack is going to survive this.
I'm really glad that this was the first finale I watched during Finale Day 6, as things could only get better from here.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
NOTIFICATION: [DMG] "Trust Me" Quote Prediction
When I wrote my review of the penultimate episode of Damages Season 2 (namely, "Look What He Dug Up This Time"), the title of Damages's season 2 finale had not been announced yet. Well now it has aired (a long time ago; I did rewatch "Look What He Dug Up This Time" today to make sure I remembered everything) and the title has been revealed as "Trust Me". As I have done with most Damages reviews so far, I want to make a prediction of who this quote was attributed to before watching the episode. I'm guessing that the quote comes from Patty and is said to Ellen. It could be the other way around, but I'm guessing it is one of those two.
NOTIFICATION: Finale Day 6
Finale Day 6 will be held on 07/06/2009. The episodes comprising this session will be:
24: "Day 7: 7:00am-8:00am"
Damages: "Trust Me"
Prison Break: "Sona"
The Apprentice (UK): {Season 5, Episode 12} (live)
The replacement seasons will be:
[24H] 24 -> [LST] Lost Season 3
[DMG] Damages -> [ROM] Rome Season 1
[PRB] Prison Break -> [SPK] Spooks Season 2
[AUK] The Apprentice (UK) -> [SPN] Sports Night Season 2
24: "Day 7: 7:00am-8:00am"
Damages: "Trust Me"
Prison Break: "Sona"
The Apprentice (UK): {Season 5, Episode 12} (live)
The replacement seasons will be:
[24H] 24 -> [LST] Lost Season 3
[DMG] Damages -> [ROM] Rome Season 1
[PRB] Prison Break -> [SPK] Spooks Season 2
[AUK] The Apprentice (UK) -> [SPN] Sports Night Season 2
[PRB] Fin Del Camino
TV Programme: Prison Break
Season: 2
Episode: 21
Date I watched this episode: 05/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: Less than 1 day.
Well the season finale is almost upon us, and I think we have enough information to start making theories about what is really going on here. In actual fact, I think most of the reason I enjoyed this episode was that I didn't really know what was going on until I'd finished the episode and had a chance to really think about it.
So on closer inspection of the previous episode "Panama", we see that one minute T-Bag is running from the authorities, and the next he is hanging out on a street in Panama City trying to pick up hookers. So I guess in that period, he must have been captured and then made some kind of deal with The Company; his freedom for the setup of Michael Scofield. This setup was the framing for the murder of the prostitute, and obviously it failed during this episode.
Bill Kim from The Company had previously hired Mahone to help with this operation; Mahone's role being to lure Michael to the Fin Del Camino. It's unclear whether Mahone even knew that Sucre was going to be there: I would think not, as clearly then Michael was going to realise that it was a trap when Sucre told Michael that he hadn't sent the email (although this was cancelled out by the fact that Bellick has captured Maricruz, which Mahone presumably doesn't know about yet). I'm also not really sure why Mahone was required to actually be in Panama City at the time, although maybe it was just to oversee the operation. Mahone on the other hand seems to want to double-cross The Company by getting the money and the boat and sailing off into the sunset.
There are a couple of interesting points here. First of all, it seems that The Company are no longer interested in Lincoln Burrows. For the entire programme up to this point, Lincoln has been their focus of primary concern, and Michael has just been an obstacle. However their current project does not involve Lincoln at all. In fact the only reason Lincoln is in any danger at all is because of Mahone's double-cross.
Secondly, they seem to no longer care about killing members of the Fox River Eight. This was mentioned in "Panama" already, but it really is a "change of strategy" (in Pad Man's words) as getting Michael put in jail is going to make it harder for them to kill him. It's unclear what the virtue of getting Michael locked up would be for The Company.
Michael has been faced with his quarry T-Bag a couple of times recently but has let his strong morals get in the way of doing anything. T-Bag clearly has information about who is "pulling his strings". But Michael can't allow himself to let T-Bag go in the negotiations they have outside, or force him to tell under threat of death when they are inside. Perhaps if he had then he could bring down The Company for good, but his own conscience is eating away at him.
Michael and Sucre are back together for the first time since this season's 12th episode "Disconnect". Their friendship works very well and the "chemistry" there is much better than it was back in "Dead Fall", etc. Particularly Michael shows his ethical strength again when he persuades Sucre not to try to kill Bellick ("if we lose ourselves we lose everything") despite the fact that Bellick has committed many wrongs against Michael himself.
Alexander Mahone truly has made a very dangerous choice in abandoning both the FBI and The Company, and is perhaps a bit naïve about the life him and Pamela would lead while on the run from both these powerful organisations. However the conversation he had with Pamela was touching, not really cliché and well-written.
Paul Kellerman had a brilliant redemptive storyline in this episode. Good to see his sister back again and their relationship sends a tingle down my spine, it's so believable. He really has hit rock-bottom now and after the weapon jam, realised his destiny and is the only really credible person who can take down The Company. I'll be very much looking forward to seeing Paul Adelstein's performance during the season finale "Sona".
I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but Wade Williams was actually quite good in this episode too. A couple of months ago I was hoping that Bellick would be written out of the show, but his presence in this episode did actually add something. He'll never fulfil the intelligent role of Mahone, but he isn't meant to. I just think his roaming around the country with Geary went a bit too far.
As great as this episode was, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. Usually the setup for a season finale is something a bit more momentous than what we have here, which is Mahone in custody of Michael/Lincoln, which we've had countless times before. Despite this, the way that the storyline has been woven together so far is amazing and I think at the end of the day I rate this season almost as highly as season one.
Season: 2
Episode: 21
Date I watched this episode: 05/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: Less than 1 day.
Well the season finale is almost upon us, and I think we have enough information to start making theories about what is really going on here. In actual fact, I think most of the reason I enjoyed this episode was that I didn't really know what was going on until I'd finished the episode and had a chance to really think about it.
So on closer inspection of the previous episode "Panama", we see that one minute T-Bag is running from the authorities, and the next he is hanging out on a street in Panama City trying to pick up hookers. So I guess in that period, he must have been captured and then made some kind of deal with The Company; his freedom for the setup of Michael Scofield. This setup was the framing for the murder of the prostitute, and obviously it failed during this episode.
Bill Kim from The Company had previously hired Mahone to help with this operation; Mahone's role being to lure Michael to the Fin Del Camino. It's unclear whether Mahone even knew that Sucre was going to be there: I would think not, as clearly then Michael was going to realise that it was a trap when Sucre told Michael that he hadn't sent the email (although this was cancelled out by the fact that Bellick has captured Maricruz, which Mahone presumably doesn't know about yet). I'm also not really sure why Mahone was required to actually be in Panama City at the time, although maybe it was just to oversee the operation. Mahone on the other hand seems to want to double-cross The Company by getting the money and the boat and sailing off into the sunset.
There are a couple of interesting points here. First of all, it seems that The Company are no longer interested in Lincoln Burrows. For the entire programme up to this point, Lincoln has been their focus of primary concern, and Michael has just been an obstacle. However their current project does not involve Lincoln at all. In fact the only reason Lincoln is in any danger at all is because of Mahone's double-cross.
Secondly, they seem to no longer care about killing members of the Fox River Eight. This was mentioned in "Panama" already, but it really is a "change of strategy" (in Pad Man's words) as getting Michael put in jail is going to make it harder for them to kill him. It's unclear what the virtue of getting Michael locked up would be for The Company.
Michael has been faced with his quarry T-Bag a couple of times recently but has let his strong morals get in the way of doing anything. T-Bag clearly has information about who is "pulling his strings". But Michael can't allow himself to let T-Bag go in the negotiations they have outside, or force him to tell under threat of death when they are inside. Perhaps if he had then he could bring down The Company for good, but his own conscience is eating away at him.
Michael and Sucre are back together for the first time since this season's 12th episode "Disconnect". Their friendship works very well and the "chemistry" there is much better than it was back in "Dead Fall", etc. Particularly Michael shows his ethical strength again when he persuades Sucre not to try to kill Bellick ("if we lose ourselves we lose everything") despite the fact that Bellick has committed many wrongs against Michael himself.
Alexander Mahone truly has made a very dangerous choice in abandoning both the FBI and The Company, and is perhaps a bit naïve about the life him and Pamela would lead while on the run from both these powerful organisations. However the conversation he had with Pamela was touching, not really cliché and well-written.
Paul Kellerman had a brilliant redemptive storyline in this episode. Good to see his sister back again and their relationship sends a tingle down my spine, it's so believable. He really has hit rock-bottom now and after the weapon jam, realised his destiny and is the only really credible person who can take down The Company. I'll be very much looking forward to seeing Paul Adelstein's performance during the season finale "Sona".
I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but Wade Williams was actually quite good in this episode too. A couple of months ago I was hoping that Bellick would be written out of the show, but his presence in this episode did actually add something. He'll never fulfil the intelligent role of Mahone, but he isn't meant to. I just think his roaming around the country with Geary went a bit too far.
As great as this episode was, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. Usually the setup for a season finale is something a bit more momentous than what we have here, which is Mahone in custody of Michael/Lincoln, which we've had countless times before. Despite this, the way that the storyline has been woven together so far is amazing and I think at the end of the day I rate this season almost as highly as season one.
[PRB] Panama
TV Programme: Prison Break
Season: 2
Episode: 20
Date I watched this episode: 05/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 3 days.
With the exception of C-Note (whose luck seems to have turned around - from suicide to freedom) all the remaining convicts (and Bellick/Mahone) are descending on Panama City, so it seems likely that the season finale will take place there. Michael's had a tough time of it recently though - his conscience has really caught up to him (we saw elements of this previously in "Bolshoi Booze") and he has lost touch with Sara. So although he got to his endgame, his "Omega", he still feels he has more work to do, and this will presumably make up the rest of this programme. However, Sara has really shown her passion for Michael in this episode by sacrificing her love to save him. She will not be impressed that he's forsaken that to go chasing after T-Bag.
T-Bag seemed to have dragged himself away from Susan Hollander a few episodes ago ("Bad Blood") but now it seems he is not over her; instead choosing to dress prostitutes up as her. His anger is really apparent in this episode and he will probably reach breaking point (again) in the not too distant future.
The cracks are starting to show between Michael and Lincoln. I've always thought that they seemed very different people and I think it's unlikely they'll survive each other much longer without having a massive fight and hitting rock bottom. However they do seem to have something in common in tragic love stories: Lincoln/Veronica and Michael/Sara.
The rest of this season will likely be taken up with the "Sona" project. It still remains to be seen what this actually is, but The Company is revealing itself more and more here, with a scene in which "Pad Man" actually speaks!! I'm pretty confident that this season will give me the climactic ending it has been building up to.
Season: 2
Episode: 20
Date I watched this episode: 05/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 3 days.
With the exception of C-Note (whose luck seems to have turned around - from suicide to freedom) all the remaining convicts (and Bellick/Mahone) are descending on Panama City, so it seems likely that the season finale will take place there. Michael's had a tough time of it recently though - his conscience has really caught up to him (we saw elements of this previously in "Bolshoi Booze") and he has lost touch with Sara. So although he got to his endgame, his "Omega", he still feels he has more work to do, and this will presumably make up the rest of this programme. However, Sara has really shown her passion for Michael in this episode by sacrificing her love to save him. She will not be impressed that he's forsaken that to go chasing after T-Bag.
T-Bag seemed to have dragged himself away from Susan Hollander a few episodes ago ("Bad Blood") but now it seems he is not over her; instead choosing to dress prostitutes up as her. His anger is really apparent in this episode and he will probably reach breaking point (again) in the not too distant future.
The cracks are starting to show between Michael and Lincoln. I've always thought that they seemed very different people and I think it's unlikely they'll survive each other much longer without having a massive fight and hitting rock bottom. However they do seem to have something in common in tragic love stories: Lincoln/Veronica and Michael/Sara.
The rest of this season will likely be taken up with the "Sona" project. It still remains to be seen what this actually is, but The Company is revealing itself more and more here, with a scene in which "Pad Man" actually speaks!! I'm pretty confident that this season will give me the climactic ending it has been building up to.
[AUK] The Interview Round
TV Programme: The Apprentice (UK)
Season: 5
Episode: 11
Date I watched this episode: 04/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 8 days.
Fired: James, Lorraine, Debra
Season: 5
Episode: 11
Date I watched this episode: 04/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 8 days.
Fired: James, Lorraine, Debra
- This episode was the annual interview stage, where the candidates face some very tough interrogations. I was disappointed to see that Paul Kemsley, often the hardest of interviewers, was not present this time around (The Times reports that this is because his company is on the brink of collapse). However in general the format of the interview stage was pretty much the same as ever, which I think is a shame, because they should try to spice it up a bit. At least last year they had the thing with asking Lee to sell the pen back to them which was a clever idea.
- At the start when they were leaving the house, for the first time it struck me that it seems quite empty there, there aren't many people left. It must feel strange for the candidates.
- From the start to the end of the episode, Lorraine looked completely unstable, like she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. It's weird how she seems to slip in and out of different accents when she is in different moods too.
- James just looked gormless and seemed to miss the point of this entire stage. He is very funny but he doesn't know when to stop joking.
- I think the right decision was made in the end. Debra was portrayed in quite a good light, but she is just trying to push herself too hard at a young age, and hasn't developed the right experience in communication. Yasmina on the other hand is a very credible candidate, and it was good that she didn't get penalised too much for not knowing the exact figures of her company.
- I think Yasmina will win. Although Kate has been the favourite for quite some time, she does come across as too controlled, and I think "Car Crash TV" showed that she was just not able go all-out and retain her dignity.
- It was really nice to see that there was so much positive emotion between Kate and Yasmina at the end of this episode. There is no particular hostility, they are both pleased for each other.
Friday, 5 June 2009
[PRB] Sweet Caroline
TV Programme: Prison Break
Season: 2
Episode: 19
Date I watched this episode: 02/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 4 days.
I must admit I’ve missed Caroline Reynolds as she hasn’t been in many episodes this season. Patricia Wettig’s performance this episode was brilliant, as we find that even she can’t escape the web of lies that is tied up with The Company. Her discussion with Michael, and defiance of Company officials, leading up to her final decision to leave office, was so dramatic and unexpected as to make this episode great on its own.
Anyone who’s looked at a DVD cover will know that this season’s finale is titled “Sona”, and we had our first reference to it in this episode. Clearly it is some sort of plan advocated by Pad Man, and the resignation of Reynolds is not a problem for it. However it will be interesting to see who the President is next. It’s a fair assumption that Caroline will have been forced to nominate a VP who was already in The Company’s pocket. I do hope we see Caroline again though; it would make sense to see Paul pursue her now as a private citizen.
Alexander Mahone can’t last much longer either. His blunt exchange with Sara this episode showed how close to the breaking point he really is. And the Wheeler/Franklin partnership is a very interesting development. I’m glad that C-Note isn’t dead, although I still don’t think he will be around that long.
Fernando Sucre is clutching at straws now. He can’t think he will get away from Bellick. I think things with Maricruz must be ruined now. It’s sad because he still looks like he can get away with it.
Now Michael and Lincoln say they are going to “disappear forever”. Somehow this is a bit optimistic given how widespread The Company is now – spreading like a cancer. However the next episode is titled “Panama”, meaning that it’s likely the often-mentioned country will finally be visited in the next episode.
Season: 2
Episode: 19
Date I watched this episode: 02/06/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 4 days.
I must admit I’ve missed Caroline Reynolds as she hasn’t been in many episodes this season. Patricia Wettig’s performance this episode was brilliant, as we find that even she can’t escape the web of lies that is tied up with The Company. Her discussion with Michael, and defiance of Company officials, leading up to her final decision to leave office, was so dramatic and unexpected as to make this episode great on its own.
Anyone who’s looked at a DVD cover will know that this season’s finale is titled “Sona”, and we had our first reference to it in this episode. Clearly it is some sort of plan advocated by Pad Man, and the resignation of Reynolds is not a problem for it. However it will be interesting to see who the President is next. It’s a fair assumption that Caroline will have been forced to nominate a VP who was already in The Company’s pocket. I do hope we see Caroline again though; it would make sense to see Paul pursue her now as a private citizen.
Alexander Mahone can’t last much longer either. His blunt exchange with Sara this episode showed how close to the breaking point he really is. And the Wheeler/Franklin partnership is a very interesting development. I’m glad that C-Note isn’t dead, although I still don’t think he will be around that long.
Fernando Sucre is clutching at straws now. He can’t think he will get away from Bellick. I think things with Maricruz must be ruined now. It’s sad because he still looks like he can get away with it.
Now Michael and Lincoln say they are going to “disappear forever”. Somehow this is a bit optimistic given how widespread The Company is now – spreading like a cancer. However the next episode is titled “Panama”, meaning that it’s likely the often-mentioned country will finally be visited in the next episode.
[NAS] Metallo
TV Programme: The New Adventures Of Superman
Season: 2
Episode: 10
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 5 months, 3 days.
Metallo isn’t a mythology character I’m particularly familiar with, and so I can’t really comment from that standpoint. However, Lucy Lane was also portrayed in this episode; a character I have previously seen in other adaptations ([SMV] “Lucy”). Lucy’s portrayal here was actually quite good; it was believable that she was Lois’s sister, both the chemistry that existed with Teri Hatcher but also the character itself which was just someone who had taken very different choices in life, and Lois resented her for it.
As for Metallo himself, he was also quite a believable villain, who was almost three-dimensional. It was a cool character in general, and a formidable opponent for Superman, though their battles were not drawn out enough. The interplay between John/Metallo and his creators was suitably comical, as it was intended to be.
Clark perhaps overstepped his bounds a little bit with Lois in this episode; her family situation is something he was quite brave to try to interfere with. But he also used the character of Superman to “matchmake” Clark and Lois at the end. This is perhaps a good strategy for him to win Lois’s heart “as Clark”, and something believable for the writers to put in.
All in all, there didn’t seem like there was much to this episode, but it was fun all the same. It’s been so long since I last watched this show that it was just good for me to see the old faces again.
Season: 2
Episode: 10
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 5 months, 3 days.
Metallo isn’t a mythology character I’m particularly familiar with, and so I can’t really comment from that standpoint. However, Lucy Lane was also portrayed in this episode; a character I have previously seen in other adaptations ([SMV] “Lucy”). Lucy’s portrayal here was actually quite good; it was believable that she was Lois’s sister, both the chemistry that existed with Teri Hatcher but also the character itself which was just someone who had taken very different choices in life, and Lois resented her for it.
As for Metallo himself, he was also quite a believable villain, who was almost three-dimensional. It was a cool character in general, and a formidable opponent for Superman, though their battles were not drawn out enough. The interplay between John/Metallo and his creators was suitably comical, as it was intended to be.
Clark perhaps overstepped his bounds a little bit with Lois in this episode; her family situation is something he was quite brave to try to interfere with. But he also used the character of Superman to “matchmake” Clark and Lois at the end. This is perhaps a good strategy for him to win Lois’s heart “as Clark”, and something believable for the writers to put in.
All in all, there didn’t seem like there was much to this episode, but it was fun all the same. It’s been so long since I last watched this show that it was just good for me to see the old faces again.
[PRB] Wash
TV Programme: Prison Break
Season: 2
Episode: 18
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 19 days.
I watched this episode on a plane from London to Tenerife. It feels like ages since I last watched an episode of Prison Break, but I really am quite near the end of season 2 and so am progressing forwards to the finale. Almost every episode so far this season has been great, and so I don’t feel like I am in any rush to get them out of the way.
The start to the episode was very well done; it would have been a real anticlimax to just play the recording. Instead, the silent reactions on the convicts’ faces was all we as the viewer needed to know. The way the recording was eventually rendered inadmissible though was a bit tacky – a computer timestamp, not particularly original.
Sara Tancredi really has been more prominent in the last episode or two, and her resolve to end all of this has really shined through. She and Michael haven’t really had much time to talk since their declaration of love a few episodes ago, but there is a job to be done and they are getting on and doing it. Still, I think it was a little bit reckless of her to visit Frank’s grave – Mahone could well have had people watching that.
I find it difficult to believe that Cooper Green’s secretary was in the bag with The Company. Jane, Aldo’s former employee, gave Michael the number, and so it seems much more likely that Jane is a rogue agent. I’m sure it will become clear one way or the other in time.
In other news, I am very sad to see Franklin go. All of the best characters always die. Outside of Scofield and Sucre, Abruzzi was my favourite, Tweener second, and Franklin third, and now all three are dead and we are left with the likes of Burrows and Bagwell. Hopefully some new characters will be introduced soon to replace all these lot.
T-Bag’s redemptive sequence from the last episode looked like it was going to continue with his attendance at therapy, but unfortunately this was not to be, and he is back to his old ways. I don’t think I will ever believe he can change his spots again.
Fernando is admittedly fairly stupid for returning to that ranch – he is bound to be discovered there, as shown by Bellick’s interview in this episode. It’s heartbreaking to see him and Maricruz looking so happy when it isn’t going to last.
Paul Kellerman was great in this episode; the scene with his sister was touching and he has reached a place where he feels he is very low on options. I know he isn’t thinking logically but it’s hard to know what he is thinking right now – the murder of the President is going to make The Company very reclusive and harder to track down than ever before.
This episode covered various story threads and as this season draws to a close, it will be interesting to see them inevitably coming together and coming to an end. In particular I look forward to Michael’s blackmail of Caroline (which I think will be interrupted by Paul firing that deadly bullet), the escape from Mahone which will likely be at the start of the next episode, and finding out what is really on that recording...
Season: 2
Episode: 18
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 19 days.
I watched this episode on a plane from London to Tenerife. It feels like ages since I last watched an episode of Prison Break, but I really am quite near the end of season 2 and so am progressing forwards to the finale. Almost every episode so far this season has been great, and so I don’t feel like I am in any rush to get them out of the way.
The start to the episode was very well done; it would have been a real anticlimax to just play the recording. Instead, the silent reactions on the convicts’ faces was all we as the viewer needed to know. The way the recording was eventually rendered inadmissible though was a bit tacky – a computer timestamp, not particularly original.
Sara Tancredi really has been more prominent in the last episode or two, and her resolve to end all of this has really shined through. She and Michael haven’t really had much time to talk since their declaration of love a few episodes ago, but there is a job to be done and they are getting on and doing it. Still, I think it was a little bit reckless of her to visit Frank’s grave – Mahone could well have had people watching that.
I find it difficult to believe that Cooper Green’s secretary was in the bag with The Company. Jane, Aldo’s former employee, gave Michael the number, and so it seems much more likely that Jane is a rogue agent. I’m sure it will become clear one way or the other in time.
In other news, I am very sad to see Franklin go. All of the best characters always die. Outside of Scofield and Sucre, Abruzzi was my favourite, Tweener second, and Franklin third, and now all three are dead and we are left with the likes of Burrows and Bagwell. Hopefully some new characters will be introduced soon to replace all these lot.
T-Bag’s redemptive sequence from the last episode looked like it was going to continue with his attendance at therapy, but unfortunately this was not to be, and he is back to his old ways. I don’t think I will ever believe he can change his spots again.
Fernando is admittedly fairly stupid for returning to that ranch – he is bound to be discovered there, as shown by Bellick’s interview in this episode. It’s heartbreaking to see him and Maricruz looking so happy when it isn’t going to last.
Paul Kellerman was great in this episode; the scene with his sister was touching and he has reached a place where he feels he is very low on options. I know he isn’t thinking logically but it’s hard to know what he is thinking right now – the murder of the President is going to make The Company very reclusive and harder to track down than ever before.
This episode covered various story threads and as this season draws to a close, it will be interesting to see them inevitably coming together and coming to an end. In particular I look forward to Michael’s blackmail of Caroline (which I think will be interrupted by Paul firing that deadly bullet), the escape from Mahone which will likely be at the start of the next episode, and finding out what is really on that recording...
[24H] Day 7: 6:00am-7:00am
TV Programme: 24
Season: 7
Episode: 23
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 17 days.
Season: 7
Episode: 23
Date I watched this episode: 29/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 17 days.
- This episode was actually rather simply cut together. There were not really any major new storylines, but existing ones were wrapped up. However, the situation with Tony does open yet another chapter in this season, which has taken so many turns that it is wearing me down.
- Tony’s desire to be promoted in the organisation was just a simple story device to get Alan Wilson out for the season finale next episode, and wasn’t really a particularly interesting storyline in its own right.
- The shootout at the airport was completely textbook and didn’t really have anything interesting to grab you or make it different from any of the countless other gunfights in this programme.
- Olivia Taylor surely knows she has been found out, as Ethan Kanin now knows something is afoot – and can’t seriously think she will get away with it?!
- Allison Taylor showed really good leadership in this episode and how a president should cope with a crisis against all odds – although she still doesn’t stack up with David or Wayne Palmer.
- The ending was not much of a cliff-hanger – Jack’s escape is actually a good thing for the protagonists. It seems incredible that Tony should be so careless though, so I think there must be something more going on here.
[AUK] Car Crash TV
TV Programme: The Apprentice (UK)
Season: 5
Episode: 10
Date I watched this episode: 27/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 7 days.
Team Leaders: Yasmina (Em-5) and Howard (Ig-5)
Winner: Empire
Ignite Boardroom: Howard, Lorraine, Kate
Fired: Howard
The One That Got Away: Lorraine
(No review exists for this episode at this time.)
Season: 5
Episode: 10
Date I watched this episode: 27/05/2009
Time since I last watched this programme: 7 days.
Team Leaders: Yasmina (Em-5) and Howard (Ig-5)
Winner: Empire
Ignite Boardroom: Howard, Lorraine, Kate
Fired: Howard
The One That Got Away: Lorraine
(No review exists for this episode at this time.)
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