DVR Purge: 12/16 Dexter and Homeland

Time to work through the rest of the season of Dexter in binge fashion. Might as well throw in Homeland too. I can't promise that I'll have much to say. So much to process...so much.

I just want to say, these are reactions to each individual episode, not after watching them all. I did change it from scattered thoughts to complete sentences afterwards though.
 
Dexter "Helter Skelter"
-I have to say, I am completely shocked they killed off Isaac so soon. I didn't see him as the typical "big bad" but even still, then normally last until the last episode or two.
-Does all Deb's disappointment in Dexter mean they are going to drop the "she's in love with him" stuff? I sure hope so.
-Raise your hand if you thought Hannah being help hostage would last longer than an episode. They are burning through some plot here. Reminds me of Homeland.

Dexter "The Dark...Whatever"
-They sure trivialized the "dark passenger" pretty quick and effectively. Doesn't that make Dexter more of a villain? Are they aware of that? If so, this is a fun, new direction.
-OK, with Isaac gone, I really expected this arsonist would last a little longer. What the hell will they have left by the finale?
-I am really surprised that LaGuerta is getting so far in her investigation. This is a little too close to Dexter for comfort.
-There was no way the dad was going to the end. A week after the pond-drowning story. Yeah, he was a sure goner.

Dexter "Do You See  What I See?"
-Logically, I knew Yvonne Strahovski wasn't going to last past this season. I really like her though and I wish there was a way she could work with the rest of the show, long-term. I was surprised how engaging the scene was when Dexter was interrogating her. She's a better actress than I give her credit for.

-So, Hannah's gone. Arsonist is gone. Isaac is gone. The only thing left is to have him duke it out with LaGuerta, right?

Dexter "Surprise, Motherfucker"
The only two words that come to mind are "holy" and "shit". That was one tense as hell hour. The scene when LaGuerta plays the gas station video for Deb is Dexter at it's finest. I was physically uncomfortable watching that. I didn't know a scene without Dexter could be that good. Michael C. Hall is so often asked to carry the show that I forget that there is other talent in the cast.
Had I been given more time to stew on it, I would've accepted the inevitability of LaGuerta dying and maybe I would've entertained the idea that Deb would no about it, but I never would've guessed they'd go as far as to have Deb pulling the trigger. That was a visceral, emotional moment that I'm still trying to process. I can't believe the show went there. After the handling of season 2, I was on the edge of my seat, fearing they would contrive a way out (especially with Hannah unaccounted for).
In truth, I feel pretty stupid to not see that this is where the season was going. Hannah was a great reexamination of Dexter's psyche. Isaac was an interesting villain. The minotaur-man and arsonist were both clever and inventive. But, they were all distractions. This season was about Deb knowing about Dexter and how she handles that. Could she come to terms with what he is? Does she accept it or, better yet, would she exploit it? When is it too much? How deep is her bond with him? We've seen time and time again that Deb is the only person Dexter genuinely cares about without question. What this season showed us is the reverse of that: where does Deb stand? As it turns out, she doesn't need blood to tie them together. They are family and that trumps everything else.
In the matter of a season, Dexter has gone from a complete joke to a show that I am honestly counting the days until it returns. While it wasn't a perfect season, the fact that it changed my opinion of it so drastically is pretty damn impressive.

Homeland "The Choice"
Something had to happen. Ignoring the long run-time of the episode and any previews I may have seen leading up to it. Something had to happen. This is Homeland after all: a show that could never be confused as subtle or quiet. Something had to happen. The only question was, "how big?"
As I should've expected, the answer was "really fucking big".
It was all too quiet. Too neat. Saul is in the clear. Estes was neutered. Carrie and Brody were free. Jess and Mike had Brody's blessing. Dana knew the truth about her father and Chris was never going to be late to karate practice ever again. Something had to happen. Then it did.
I will wait until the season 3 premiere before I start worrying about the logistics of Abu Nazir's masterplan. I'm certain there are holes to be found in it. That's as much a staple of Homeland as the superb acting. The fallout from the bomb was a cluster-fuck of epiphanies and great moments. Carrie immediately assuming Brody was behind the attack, then falling apart as she realizes she's committed to him. Jess almost embracing the "truth" about who Brody really is when his tape is revealed. Dana limply trying to defend her father after confirming what she already knew all along. Saul...oh boy. Let's just say, the image of him at the end of the episode, the pain and the joy, wordlessly expressed was something to behold.
No, this episode doesn't forgive the missteps throughout the season. Homeland is still the television equivalent of that girlfriend who drives you crazy, but the sex is the best you've ever had. At the end of the day, the moments are what stick with you, not the whole story. I will happily put up with all the inconsistent stories as long as it produces such wonderful and moving moments with the character.
Dammit, Homeland. You win!

The Point of the Purge
Past Purges:
12/9-12/15 (Dexter and Homeland)
12/6-12/8
12/1-12/5
11/29-11/30
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28

Movie Reaction: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Formula: The Fellowship of the Ring for kids, but not really

Cast: So many people! That's always been an understood hurdle to The Hobbit as a movie. The Fellowship had fewer people and they were more varied, not a bunch of dwarfs. Ian McKellen is a stable presence as always. Martin Freeman is really comfortable as a hobbit. They do a serviceable job with the dwarfs. By the end, they all have some form of a personality, but that will be an uphill battle for the next two movies.

Plot: They use every page of the book (the part that this covers, that is). That isn't a complaint, but it is true. The stakes are a lot different in this one and audiences have to accept that. Otherwise, they will find themselves pretty underwhelmed. Also, remember how Fellowship sort of ended and didn't feel all that complete in it's own right? Well...

Elephant in the Room: Part 1 of 3? Personally, two sounds like plenty to me as well. I'm taking this one on trust. Peter Jackson isn't making the decision as some studio directive to milk this for what it's worth. He says there's three movie here. I'll believe him until I have reason not to.

To Sum Things Up:
It's nice to be back in Middle-Earth. That alone puts this movie in the upper-echelon of what I've seen this year. Sadly, the overall product lacks the "out of the gate" polish of the first trilogy. Ultimately, this will be judged as a trilogy, not a single movie, so enjoy what you can with this one and stay excited for what's to come.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend

DVR Purge 12/9-12/15

And I thought this was going to be a light week. Stupid me.

Homeland "In Memoriam"
I was totally ready to pan this episode until Brody and Jessica's talk. Absolutely everything about finding Abu Nazir is not worth even mentioning (but I will). It was kind of tense but at the expense of both character growth and common sense. Brody and Jessica talking in the car was a major "oh yeah, that's why I watch this" moment. Leading into the finale isn't a matter of sticking the landing. Currently, it's Denzel Washington on a plane in free fall. Let's see if they can minimize the casualties.
-Free Saul!!!

How I Met Your Mother "The Over-Correction"
Since I've made it clear the show isn't winning me over on plots anymore, I won't bother dissecting what I didn't like about the setup (Hint: It's not positive). How were the jokes? In truth, mixed bag. As a man who takes inventory of all my things, I rather liked Ted's story, even if it was a little much. Basically, anything with Lily's dad and Marshall's mom I found painfully thin. The deciding factor of this episode was Robin. Be it yelling at Patrice (funny only for her excellent delivery) and the "please say this is about my drinking" at the intervention, I thought Colbie Smulders was quite solid throughout this.

New Girl "Santa"
-Enough laughs here to forgive any problems I had, of which, there really weren't any. My only issue is with the implausability of cranberry deafness, but it was a funny enough gag, I guess.
-The "I feel like a bird" scene had me cracking up. I don't entirely know why.
-I've always liked Olivia Munn and I think she was really good here with her Perfect Couples costar, David Walton also making his return. So, Munn  and Walton have done New Girl. Christine Woods and Hayes MacArthur are doing guest spots on Go On. Kyle Bornheimer and MacArthur are in Bachelorette. What show or movie is going to finally put together three people from that failed show?

Happy Endings "To Serb, With Love"
I wish I could find more to say about this show. I consistently like it, but it doesn't require a bunch of processing. Penny and Max were good together. We get to see another dynamic of their friendship. Everything at the party was solid. Just once I'd like to here more than the punchline to one of these "world's greatest joke" stories. I get that it'll never happen. It sure would be nice though.

The Mindy Project "Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party"
This show is still young. There's obvious signs of growth but there will always be fumbles...like this one. We're down to five regulars now so maybe it can start feeling more like an ensemble. I think back to where New Girl was as this point last year. The Mindy Project is in a much better place this early. That gives me hope.

The Middle "Twenty Years"
This was a little too dark, I think. Axl was an outright dick to Brick. Both brothers were asses to SUe for not helping with the party. Mike was rather thoughtless (Let's be clear, the ring he got her was a band-aid, not a fix). The fact that NO ONE would show up to the anniversary party speaks exceptionally poorly for every recurring cast member. There simply wasn't enough positive at the end to make up for the negatives.
Still, props on the call backs this week (like Brick owning the guitar). A show like this does need to keep a timeline. The fact that it does says a lot.

Modern Family "Diamond in Rough"
-I find myself asking this about a lot of things, but am I missing something? How are so many people still loving this? I want to know. I used to like it a lot. I want to still like it a lot.
-Manny's character is more of a cartoon than Cam now. That's saying something.-They are determined to ruin my Fizbo goodwill. Each time he comes back, my fond memories of his debut episode are tarnished a little more.
-What's the point of keeping Haley around if they only use her briefly for an opening tag? I get why Alex is limited since she's underage (although it doesn't stop Manny or Luke from showing up). Sarah Hyland doesn't have that problem. What's the deal?
-Do any of the three main couples even get along? All this sniping at one another is bumming me out.

The Big Bang Theory "The Santa Simulation"
-Is it just me or do the episodes always feel slightly too short? Not in a "I'm yearning for more" way. Rather, the stories don't get the sort of completion I expect.
-This show is admittedly broad, which is why it's successful. I can't knock that, but it does limit the maximum potential of my enjoyment of it.
-I am so tired of Raj and how they use him. I'm even more tired of the new trope in which the socially awkward guy must be covertly gay.

Burn Notice "Odd Man Out"
See. This is what happens when you let a USA show off its leash. It is getting way too serial and, fun fact, it gets complicated when you do that. This show works best as something you can jump right in to. The fact that I need the recap at the beginning to not be lost goes against the grain of the show.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia "The Gang Dines Out"
Bottle episode alert! I got the feeling this was a burner episode they've had the idea for floating around for a while and finally wrote it. The concept even stepped on the toes of Seinfeld more than they normally do. It wasn't the most inventive episode, but it did have something I like to see from time to time. That is, seeing them all come together instead of shit on one another. It reminds me that they're all friends and members of their own tribe. I sort of reminded me of the end of Thunder Gun Express in that way.

The League "Our Dinner with Andre"
These double-episodes sure are making it hard to distinguish what happened. Brooklyn Decker being in both helped make them feel like a set though.

The League "12/12/12"
-I think this was the best use of Rafi in a while (See: Limited).
-It's good that they had this episode following the last one. The last one had a lot of shitting on Andre and this one , while still shitting on him, showed some actual concern for him. It was nice. Similar to my feelings of Dee in It's Always Sunny this week.
-They are really good at getting guest stars. Seth Rogen, Jayma Mays, Deion Sanders, and Brooklyn Decker this week.

The Point of the Purge
Past Purges:
12/6-12/8
12/1-12/5
11/29-11/30
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28

Movie Reaction: Anna Karenina

Formula: Moulin Rouge! + Chicago - the singing + snow

Note: The movie strictly observed the one strap-rule. Each dress 

of Anna's ending up with one or more exposed shoulder.

Cast: You know how in high school, there's always those people who aren't in any classes with you, who you maybe see once or twice, but really, you have no idea who they are? A lot of that going on in this one. There were a couple I knew. Obviously Keira Knightly. While I'm not her biggest fan, I'll admit that if she wasn't in this I never would've considered seeing it. And, she was solid as a woman frustrating both for her stupidity and the way society pigeon-holes her. Jude Law is very reserved but effective. Aaron Taylor-Johnson had a great, albeit diminutive mustache (and acted fine). After that, the cast is pretty new to me. I spent half the movie convincing myself that Matthew Macfadyen was related to Kevin Kline. Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander both worked well as the optimistic heart of it all.

Plot: I have not read the book before, nor did I know anything about it before seeing the movie, but I can safely say the movie was a re-imagining of it, taking the "All the world's a stage" saying literally. It's a little distracting at first, but it ends up being really cool. This screenplay has Tom Stoppard's finger-prints all over it. If you don't know what that means, see anything of his and it will make sense. The story itself is a pretty standard: three love stories, one happy, one sad, one bittersweet. It does drag at times as well. The interesting thing about the movie is really in how they do it all since it has such a unique look and method to it.

Elephant in the Room: Isn't Russian literature kind of long...and dense...and covered in snow? It sure is. There were several times I couldn't help but think back to Love and Death. The movie has the feel of a long book too. There are times when important character moments happen, that in a mini-series would be heart-breaking and, in a two hour movie, come across as pretty minor, which I think is why the movie doesn't work as well as you wish classic literature would. Believe it or not, what works in a book is not always what works in a movie, no matter what studio adaptations try to tell you.

To Sum Things Up:
I like this and am certainly glad I saw it. This sure felt like an experiment in a style than a fully realized movie though; the kind of project that a film-maker needs to get out of his system before taking on another job. I'm not sure I see any awards players in this beyond some technical awards. Then again, I'd've told you the same thing about The Artist last year, so what do I know. 

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend

DVR Purge: 12/6-12/8

It took a couple days longer than I expected (because I'm lazy), but here's Thursday night's purge. The next couple weeks will probably be moving back to a weekly affair because, I haven't checked, but I'm assuming, due to the number of Christmas episodes this week, a lot of shows have gone into hiatus.

The Big Bang Theory "The Fish Guts Displacement"
-Second week in a row of some rather risque jokes. Like, what was all that spanking stuff about?
-I kind of think Amy and Sheldon should finally have sex if only to see how kinky and weird it would be, especially if Sheldon really likes it.
-Thinking back about the episode two days later, I don't remember enough happening to fill a half hour show. That's either a skill or a weakness of the show...potentially both.

30 Rock "My Whole Life if Thunder"
For any show that has been on this long, there is going to be the feeling of working through a checklist leading up to the finale. The wedding last week was one and this episode was even more so. How could Colleen dying not be for how much they've joked about it. I, for one, was sad to see her go, but it was all worth it being able to hear the world's greatest eulogy. Does anyone else find it odd that they have treated Jack as an only child pretty much from season 2 on?
-I could've done without the Jenna storyline simply because they've done the "Jenna is jealous of Liz" angle so often. I'm also a little bummed that we don't get a full Jenna wedding episode to use as a contrast to Liz's.

The Office "Dwight Christmas"
Being the final Christmas episode is an exception burden. That's always been one of the most consistent setups for The Office, normally best combining the comedic pathos and the human element. Could this year's episode be anything but a disappointment when thought of like that? In all honest, I liked a lot of pieces in it, but there was no breathing room. Jim was barely gone at all before he returned. Darryl jumped from sad to drunk pretty quick. Erin...ugh. I'll get back to that. It would've been nice if this was an hour long episode. It would've dragged some, but I'd actually prefer that over messily trying to fit everyone's story in this.
-Okay, Erin and new Jim. What. The. Fuck!? I'm pretty angry about this story right now. They spent a long time getting Erin and Andy together. They busted their ass recreated Andy to be someone likeable to the point that I was even happy he was getting his happy ending with Erin. Another fucking speed-bump in the form of a carbon-copy Jim/Pam/Roy triangle with Andy playing the part of Roy is the lowest of all things on my list of stories I want to see.
-Who else is getting a Scrubs: Interns vibe from new Jim?

Parks & Recreation "Ron and Diane"
-Yay! Giddy Ron! One of my favorite things!
-I love that the P&R crew realize when they are being too mean and dial it back. Gary wouldn't be any fun if he was a punchline and nothing more. Having the characters feel bad about that is nice to see. Also, the fact that his life is so perfect is a rather great role-reversal.
-The gag about April being so weak was so perfectly played. Probably the joke I've been going back to the most since watching it.
-Was anyone else a little disappointed that we didn't get to see the actual Gary Dinner? I mean, that group of characters burning through money at a fancy restaurant. That's about as good a setup as you will find in this world.

Burn Notice "Best Laid Plans"
I watched this Friday and am writing about it Sunday. That is too long for this show. The fact that Patton Oswalt was in both is not helping to remember the differences of the episode. It was fine by all accounts. I'm having a hard time getting into this current story since Michael is arguably the bad guy (he did kill a guy after all). It's inevitable that a show called Burn Notice that hasn't been about the burn notice for several hiatuses (I have no sense of seasons anymore) is going to lack guidance. I'd gladly keep watching if they opened up a private-eye firm and took on cases of the week as a sort of Psych with more explosions.

It's Always Sunny in Philadephia "Charlie Rules the World"
-Knowing the methodology for coming up with episode titles, I really thought this one would be called "Dennis Blows Himself". And, while they didn't call it that, they certainly followed through.
-Sociopath Dennis is a version of him that I really like, but I like it more when he is playing off someone else. This week he was largely a lone wolf. A lot of the fun of the show is the characters interacting with one another, so any of them alone is always a drag.
-Of course Charlie would be exceptionally good at this game. Can anyone tell me why that makes so much sense though? I can't.
-So Mac is gay? Is that where we are going? It all does make sense in hindsight (remember the Tranny?). They seem to be going at it a lot harder these days.

The League "Anchor Baby"
-Definitely the better of the two episodes this week. Every gag with Taco as a psychiatrist was well handled and mined for as many jokes as possible.
-Unlike some weeks, I thought this episode did a great job of having as many elements as possible come together for a bigger laugh at the end. That's not to say it was perfect though. The friend-dump story sure went nowhere. I'd love to see what the original scripts or extended cuts look like, because I constantly get the feeling that a lot gets left out due to time restraints.


The League "Bro-lo El Cordero"
These two episodes are a great example of my issue with Rafi episodes. Both episodes hinged on an absurd story: Taco being a psychiatrist and Rafi with the Mexican wrestling. The former relies on a pseudo-plausible setup and is really just the characters interacting and arguing while the latter goes way out there and has a lot more physical comedy. I've said before that the show is way more effective when it puts the characters in a room and says "Go", but they always feel the need to create these huge set-pieces. I suppose the perfect version of this show involves both so neither gets stale, but currently, there is a canyon between how well they do both things.

The Point of the Purge
Past Purges:
12/1-12/5
11/29-11/30
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28

DVR Purge: 12/1-12/5

It looks like I will once again leave the Thursday shows to their own post. Ideally, I'd do a purge for each night. Thursday's going to keep getting it's on post mainly because I only have time to get caught up on Wednesday and the weekend and the full week posts are intimidating in length.

I think I'm going to start including this soft of Mission Statement for the purge at the beginning because it helps to remind me why I am spending so much time doing this.

The Walking Dead "Made to Suffer"
-I almost get the feeling that they introduced "Cutty" from The Wire and the rest of his group in order to even the numbers between the prison crew and the Governor's crew.
-I really have no sense of how big this prison is. How can there be this many unexplored areas and new ways in?
-Based on the way they treated it, I'm guessing that in the comics the Governor has an eye patch. I haven't seen this much attention given to a specific injury since Anakin lost his arm in Episode III.
The first half of this season has been way more solid than I expected (especially when compared to the first half of season 2). It's weird though. I' d actually really like to see a wheel-spinning episode. Part of me would like to see a montage of growing crops and clearing out the rest of the jail, so I could get a new sense of the status quo. Oh darn, I have to deal with action, fighting, and treason instead.

Homeland "Broken Hearts"
Simply put, this episode went completely off the rails. I'm supposed to accept that Abu Nazir has enough of a presence to send an assault force into a small town, then a few weeks later, after one bust, it's him alone in a warehouse? Unless there is one hell of a secret plan in the works no part of this settles with me. It also feels like there'd be a much better fallback plan than hacking pacemaker wi-fi. This episode felt so small (as opposed to focused a la "Q&A") in all the wrong ways after last week's episode. I'll accept that this week struck me a more of a through-line than a destination, so the next two episodes could take care of a lot of what seems like a mess right now, but from where I stand having only watched this, I'm on high alert.


How I Met Your Mother "Lobster Crawl"
A funny thing happened this week. I watch some episodes from season 7, which I largely found disappointing. While rewatching the episodes didn't make me do a 180, it did help me remember that, while the show isn't great these days, it is good. Even better, this week's episode wasn't half bad, so I'm going to accentuate the positive. I quite liked this episode. I like it most these days when it feels like they are burning some jokes that they've not had a chance to use yet ("The Magician's Code: Part 1" comes to mind), so all the Robin plotting to get Barney stuff I quite liked. In addition, I found this to be the most humanizing Ted story in some time. The tag at the end too was one of my favorite uses of the flash-forward in a while, both using the timeline for a joke and reminding us what we are building to with Ted.

Ben & Kate "The Trip"
-Pretty good use of Maddie.
-I like that they aren't dropping the BJ and Ben being married story.
-Yay! Brittany Snow. Considering that the returns Tommy being in love with Kate have been diminishing, it's great to see this new direction with him. The fact that it came with a laugh out loud scene with a dog is all the better.

Happy Endings "P & P Romance Factory"
-So many good individual jokes this week. I especially loved Alex in the bike shop.
-Who knew that a piglet could be used for so many laughs? Apparently, the writers did.
-Generally a story like Penny's would bother me, since a human being would've just explained that she needs the helmet because of a concussion. As always, I forgive contrivance for a good enough laugh (See: Any episode of Coupling) and that gave plenty, especially because it fits her character well enough.

New Girl "Bathtub"
-Holy shit, a Winston-driven story! It didn't even feel forced. This is the first time in a while that him and Jess felt like friends, not just two people in a group of friends (which is sort of how I imagine his relationship with Schmidt). I liked the meth voice and a hated the robbery farce, so we'll call that a draw. However, can anybody tell me how a roof strong enough to, you know, how people, I assume safely, can get a hole so easily? I get the tub was full of water, but it's not like it had more than a foot to gain momentum when the legs broke.
-Olivia Munn alert! I've always liked her, so I say this has potential. My one concern is that I've not seen a lot of range out of her, so I hope they keep this character as close to her personality as possible if this arc is going to last a while.

Go On "The World Ain't Over 'til It's Over"
-One can look at the Jimmy V. setup one of two ways. It's either a contrivance that sets up predictable beats to play out over the next 20 minutes or it's a clever way to use Ryan's sports analogies to hit a broader truth that plays out. I choose to see it as the latter but admit I have nothing to rebuke someone calling it the former. I admire that they are still trying to go through just about every pairing imaginable of the cumbersome cast and resisting the urge to just make cliques and have Ryan move between them. They are all one big, messed up group of friends.

The Mindy Project "Two to One"
-I don't know the last time I saw a show that is so obviously figuring it's cast out. I don't say that as a complaint. Normally the cast is set for a while before they start recalibrating. I'm sort of glad they are not wasting any time when they see things are not working how they want.
-While I realize that can't get the Duplass brothers too often since they are busy doing their own thing, I hope the midwives will come back from time to time.
-It's nice seeing all three of the leads (or lead and two most prominent supporting actors) all sharing a few scenes. Maybe my memory is failing me, but I don't recall many scenes with just them. It was nice and summed up their usefulness to one another (more or less).
-God help me, I really like Morgan. He is way too much, but there's some much earnestness, I can't help but eat it up.

Don't Trust the Bitch in Apt. 23 "Whatever It Takes..."
Oh, they finally burned one of the episodes from last season. I can see why they waited. Unless I see something to change my mind, I think I'm dropping this when the winter/spring semester starts up. I got virtually no joy from this, as much as I like "the Beek" in this and want to like Chloe and June.

The Middle "Christmas Help"
-The matter-of-factness of their financial situation is always a nice change of pace no matter if they oversell it some.
-I am always so impressed by all the running gags this show has. How many shows would be this vigilant about something as small as the comforter in the over?
-Axl's bachelor pad was a nice touch. Each beat was exactly what I expected, but if I can enjoy listening to a song I've heard before, then I can certainly like a joke I've heard before, right?

Suburgatory "Krampus"
I'm a sucker for anything that uses Christmas as a cheap ploy to bring people together, so I feel warm and fuzzy about this episode. Not for a second will I pretend that anything with Ryan Shay was something other than a completely over-the-top mess. Now that I've said that, they refused to take any part of the Ryan Shay mess seriously and even milked a few jokes out of it, and dammit, I was moved when he said "she used tongue." Call me a hopeless romantic, I guess. Alex, so far, has been used very judiciously and I've like both times she's shown up.Unrelated to any of that though, is Dalia's music video...Why was that so funny? When did I start to like Dalia? Why were they dancing on a plane? I have so many questions and I don't want to know the answer to any of them.

Nashville "Where He Leads Me"
I can look at this show as it goes into hiatus in one of three ways:
1) This is act one. We have seen how all the characters are by themselves. We know what makes them tick, what their motivations are, where they came from, and who they naturally associate with. From here, they are all thrown together and we get to see what happens when you mix this many volatile chemicals together. I'm imagining, for the end of the season closing shot Rayna and Juliette singing a duet written by Gunner and Scarlett with Deacon playing lead guitar at a concert with Avery as the opening act, part of a mayoral victory celebration for Coleman as Teddy and Lamar watch on the TV is a smoke-filled back room, stewing and plotting.
2) They continue thinking that the fun of the show is telling all this separate stories, only occasionally crossing paths, as a sort of larger universe assuming people will naturally assume they are painting this into a rich tapestry and saying "this is Nashville".
3) About every three episodes, they have one of the three main storylines (Rayna, Juliette, Scarlett) intersect, just to give us hope that something will finally happen, then spend all the episodes in between distancing them from each other as much as possible...and then throw in some more stuff about an astoundingly off-season mayoral race.
 (Hint: One option is what will make me not regret hanging on this long, one will make me delete my series recording on my DVR, and one will keep me watching it and hating every second that I continue watching it. Any guesses about which is which?)

Past Purges:
11/29-11/30
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28

What's the Point of the Purge

Recently, as I've been going through my weekly(ish) DVR purges, I keep being struck with the same two questions (in my head, not from others): "Why am I doing this?" and "Am I being too negative?". I figure that I owe it to myself to look into these.

"Why am I doing this?"


Simple answer: Because I want to.

I'm keeping a blog, so it's fairly understood that I'm doing this to get my thoughts out. It's like a public journal. I can't pretend that I don't think my opinion is special and should be heard. Everyone feels this way. For me, I figured it would be more fun to type them up for others to read on the off chance that it provokes a discussion. It doesn't happen often, but it's still fun.

By the blog reasoning, I have to fill it with something. I do the Movie Reactions which has actually worked to start a lot of conversations about the movies I've seen in my small circle which didn't happen much before I started. I spend way more of my free time watching TV, so it seemed like an obvious source of content if I jot some thoughts down about what I watch and post it. A small part of me also hopes seeing the list of what I've watched gets at least one person to be mildly impressed how much I get through in a week or to at least understand what I mean when I say "I watch a lot of TV".

However, I'm not stupid. I get maybe a handful of hits daily and most probably come for the same few people who probably don't go through this all that closely (which I'm cool with. If I wanted more hits, I think I'd try a lot harder and do things like proofread). If I'm going to do this, I need to be getting something out of it. That's really what I'm looking for. After all, what's the point of watching something if I don't know why?

Some shows are simple joys (Burn Notice being a good example). Others are experiences (Breaking Bad, Mad Men). Then there are those I build my week around (Parks & Rec., Louie). Regardless of the reason, I picked this group of shows. Even a quick 50 words (who am I kidding, when have I ever kept a single thought that short?) gets me thinking about it in a new way. I like writing in any capacity and this keeps me fresh, helps me refine my thoughts, and I can make a realization like "Ben and Kate is so much fun to watch because the cast plays off each other so well, even when the story is lacking" or "I'm only watching Up All Night because I'm stubborn and feel like I have to".

My one concern with doing this is my second question.

"Am I being too negative?"

Look, TV is art, regardless of how you define it. Occasionally, it's damn near perfect, and even still it has its detractors and its flaws. If there's a blotch of paint in the middle of a beautiful portrait though, no matter how good 99% of the painting is, you are going to comment on the 1% that's botched, often at the expense of what is done right. It's human nature. It would be foolish to ignore the blotch, but too much focus on it gets old quickly. What if the blotch was put in there by the artist and he didn't even notice it or didn't care that it was there or thought it was going to be seen as one thing but no one saw it that way? How frustrating would that be. This painting that you would really, truly, adore and buy and hang on a wall, has a big glaring flaw that easily could not be there. This isn't a perfect metaphor, but I think it works well enough.

I don't always know the "big picture" plans for a show and it is very easy to get defensive when they change something I love, so I can fixate on that and forget to look at what I do like about it still.
I'm trying really hard to remember that I like the shows. Apathy is a greater expression of distaste in this context. I need to make sure I give equal time to the good and the bad though or else every one of this purges is going to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Why I Watch It: How I Met Your Mother

Why I'm Watching It:
The Cast
Look, Jason Segel is one of my favorite people in TV or Movies these days. Neil Patrick Harris is like the opposite of a walking punch-line. The mere mention of his name is showered with rightful adoration. Alysson Hannigan is an impossible to hate actress who brings a charm to everything she does. Colbie Smulders is a gem of a Canadian export who I would watch (and could seen) in just about any comedy once this finally ends. Josh Radnor is too tied to Ted Mosby in my mind (more on that in a bit), but I've got no beef with him. Basically everyone is someone I would love to see in the credits of anything.

Barney Stinson
He's almost a charicature of his former self, but there are still enough shades to Barney that something he always has the potential to make me laugh. It's an iconic role that NPH has obviously loved every second of. Would anyone else object to a Frasier-style spin-off in which he goes to live with his brother and his family? He's the only character I'd still care to follow.

Seasons 1-4
I came back into the show around the fourth season after dropping it during the first for some reason and loved it. The first few seasons were experimental and really funny. They had a bunch of really great characters, telling stories in ways I hadn't seen before. It reveled in its own mythology which made it unique for a comedy, especially for CBS. I want to believe that the show can jump right back into the strengths which made it so good when it started.

The Mother
It's been - what - seven seasons. I've put in my time. I'll be damned if I give up now. I don't care if it is pure stubborness, but I'm going down with this ship even if I hate every second of it (which, I should note, I don't. There's still at least one thing a week that I like about an episode).

Why I Wish I Wasn't:
Ted
No one likes Ted. Even the people who sort-of defended him early on have given up. The show even tried playing on how awful Ted is for a while. Unfortunately, that just made people dislike him more. It's odd, because, as an integral part of the title, he's the only character that we need to still like by the end of the series and he's the only one that people hate. I kind of actively hope he doesn't meet the mother by the end and dies a sad, old man, talking to his imaginary children.

Season 5-Present
You know all those fresh, clever new things the show did in the first few seasons? Well, five seasons in, it starts to get old. And that mythology they were building, it kind of collapsed on itself with hype they couldn't live up to (See: The goat) and it is now constantly hampered by what they've already revealed (i.e. Marshall can't do this when they've already told us he'll do that). The freedom the show worked with in its early days in now suffocating it.

The Mother
Almost everything that's wrong with the show can be traced  back to the infamous mother. I still don't know why they decided they can't introduce the mother until the end of show. A lot of shows add a new regular midways through. Why can't they? Wouldn't introducing the mother make Ted more likeable? I'm just saying, I wish they'd introduce her just so I can put a face to the hate.

Verdict:
What? Like I'm gonna get this far and stop? Besides, if they can still have episodes even as good as last night's ("Lobster Crawl"), then it's worth watching.


Past Justifications:
Modern Family

Movie Reaction: Killing Them Softly

Formula: Drive - driving + Boston

Cast: Brad Pitt rather loves playing a self-righteous hit man. He's not as front and center in the movie as the previews might make you expect. He doesn't even demand attention in the scenes he's in, except at the end. I've never heard of Scoot Mcnairy or Ben Mendelson before. They were effective at their skeevy roles. That's all I can really say about them. Ray Liotta doesn't look so good in this, but his character is meant to be pretty pathetic so we'll call that good acting. James Gandolfini is probably the one who impressed me the most, even if "washed up hitman"is a well-traveled character type. Lastly, Richard Jenkins is a nebbish crony for the mob. Sort of a Bob Newhart with more malice.

Plot: This is actually a pretty small movie: a couple small time crooks get their comeupance for a crime. To fill in the rest of the time, the movie really lets a lot of scenes breath. Especially Gandolfini is given a couple scenes to meander a speech, and I'll admit, I completely zoned out during one of them. A couple of scenes even strike me as the director wanting to try a cool new trick he learned on the camera or in editing. It definitely has the feel of an indie movie.

Elephant in the Room: Apparently there's a political angle to it? No really, but soft of. It's set sometime in '08 and uses a bunch of clips from the election and clips about the economic collapse. Perhaps it's me, but these clips often feel forced in. I think the end sort of gives them all context, but it still felt a little unnecessary.

To Sum Things Up:
I'm having that feeling again. You know, the one where I feel like I'm missing something. I think I liked it well enough but the whole thing felt pretty unremarkable. I don't know what the point was, or maybe I get it and don't think it was enough to justify a movie. I'm not sure. Part of me wishes I hadn't seen it alone if only so I had someone to bounce my first impression off. Perhaps I'll see it again on DVD and it will make more sense then.


Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend

DVR Purge 11/29-11/30

It's time for a special Thursday only purge. Of course, it is Saturday, so it's obvious I didn't rush on this. And, no, that also doesn't mean that my thoughts on the episodes are more polished. Be thankful I even spell check.

30 Rock "Mazel Tov, Dummies"
That was pretty much the way Liz's wedding had to be. Who else is super excited they didn't save this for the finale? Dennis Duffy, the Leia outfit, the return of Saul Rosenbear, Dr. Spaceman. It really had everything. It wasn't a perfect episode, but I have no desire to focus on the things that didn't work as well for me.

The Big Bang Theory "The Parking Spot Escalation"
Sheldon was shifting around naked in a car. That's about all I needed to know. Ugh. This was a surprisingly dirty episode. Who knew they'd make so much of a bikini wax? Not my favorite episode.

The Office "The Target"
It's like the writers are challenging themselves. Take away Michael Scott. Can they still make a good episode? Take away Andy. Can they still make a good episode? They are even prepping us for less Jim. Has any show ever gone through this much cast turnover? ...Ok, a bunch have (E.R. comes to mind), but it's kind of fun to watch an episode from season 1, season 5, and now to see how much it's changed. Mabye this show really is more about the office than the characters.

Parks & Recreation "Pawnee Commons"
I'm not sure there's any other show that could make something as over the top as the city of Eagleton work. And, that's what's great about Parks and Rec. Every completely absurd joke works since they've built this world so well. For my money though, the final mission of Burt Macklin was the most endearing part for me. I could watch entire episodes of April and Andy together. Those two work so well together.

Burn Notice "Down & Out"
Yay! Patton Oswalt. Is it just me or was he enjoying that way too much. This struck me as a fan of either the show or the actors getting a role. He was a pretty standard client, but if you are looking for someone to reinvent the wheel, you are watching the wrong show.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia "Frank's Back in Business"
I forget how well they build an episode sometimes. This was a great two story structure. I liked seeing Frank in his element. He's much better as a sadistic mastermind than when he's simply the most disgusting man in the world. I don't think it gets as much mileage from other people but sociopath serial-killer-y Dennis works every time for me. This wasn't the most laugh out loud funny entry of the season, but the non-comedy elements were vintage and great.

The League "The Vapora Sport"
-That was a very small universe episode. It felt like a Seinfeld episode, which isn't to say it's derivative. This was very much their own comedic voice, but it felt like equal parts "writing to get to the joke at the end" and "letting this happen as they would".
-I really wish I like JB Smooth more. He's a little much for my taste.
-When they introduced the sex dog, I didn't realize they had so many good uses for it.
-I kind of thought that was all building toward a bigger laugh at the end. Perhaps they opened up too many plot points (Example, shouldn't the treads have come into play more? or did they, and I just missed it).

Past Purges:
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28