503: 'Jughead'
Wr: Elizabeth Sarnoff & Paul Zbyszewski
Dr: Rod Holcomb
Synopsis: Desmond searches for a mysterious woman that can help them stop the island's movements in time. Locke uncovers the person responsible for the attacks on the victims.
Review: Oh Lost, let me count the ways in which I love you. First, you give us a Desmond-centric episode, complete with ultra-chilling cameo from Alan Dale and a wee bairn to boot (plenty opportunity for Des and Pen to fawn over each other; for Des to coo "I love ya Pen!" in that delightful Scottish twang of his), then you proceed to help us piece together some of the Island's less well-illuminated past and firmly demonstrate the impenetrable logicistics of time travel as a character in this show's world, and finally, holiest of holies, you omit Jack and Kate from the episode entirely. Granted, this comes at the price of not seeing any of the Oceanic Six but, frankly, I'm willing to pay. That's nothing against Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly, of course: it's just that, honestly, their respective characters' narratives are the most likely to have me impatiently biting my nails, while simultaneously shouting Michael Emerson's name at the screen over and over and over. The ballad of Jack and Kate: I'm tired of it, you're tired of it, even Aaron's tired of it and he's a bloody fictional character. Thank the Lost Gods we go another week elsewhere (although from the 'sneek peek', it looks like this may be the next instalment's focus. Oh well).
So, what's so awesome about 'Jughead'? Well, the writing for one. Zbyszewski and Sarnoff strike a delectable balance between the more methodical character beats that typify Desmond's story and the intriguing unwrapping of the Island's history that characterises developments with Locke, Farraday and the rest of the gang. While the episode is told from Hume's perspective, it is very much Daniel's story: Des essentially spends the better part of his time hunting for the man's family and comes across some head-scratchingly fascinating 'facts' along the way. His mother's in LA: any chance it's 'temporal agent' crazy-lady-in-hood (a.k.a. Ms Hawking from the final moments of last week's madball ep, and 'Flashes Before Your Eyes'?) Now that would be interesting... On Island, all attention is fixed firmly on the scientist too as he tries his hardest to keep it all together, indicating that he seems to know rather more about the history of the place than his immediate companions and, most troublesome of all, he tries to deactivate a freaking hydrogen bomb. Holy smokes, that thing's scary. The key question here is what happened to the ruddy thing: since Daniel is unable to disarm it before time shifts again (we presume), where does it go? Is it buried underground? Did someone twist the 'frozen donkey wheel' and send it to the Bahamas? What?!
Maddeningly, and brilliantly, we only catch glimpses of revelation, rather than complete answers to continuing conundrums. We now know that the American military was performing experiments on the Island before DHARMA arrived and that the Others' 'uniforms' are stolen from these delightful individuals. It is highly likely, therefore, that the Others' status as 'hostiles' is borne of their need to defend themselves against this perceived threat to their home, and that they have become still more territorial over the years as 'invasion' (if you will) after 'invasion' has hit the Island. Then there's two absolutely key reveals: first, Locke's conversation with Richard which, despite being interrupte dmid-flow and only containing his name and place of birth, is absolutely crucial to an understanding of Lost's deeper machinations. Remember last year's 'Cabin Fever' when Richard showed up at a young Locke's door, apparently out of nowhere? Well, this explains why. He had been effectively persuaded to do so by Locke himself! he cycle, if you like, is complete. Future Locke appears in 1954, tells Richard when and where he will be born and that he is the Others' future leader, Richard remembers and visits him a few years later to test the idea. Beautiful temporailty and the perfect example of how time travel should work on a conceptual level.
The second reveal is the appearance of Charles Widmore as an Other. This is huge and helps explain the man's rabid desire to return to the Island: he was there before. Probably, he was born there. His connection is therefore extremely strong. What happened to make him fall from grace? Was he ex-communicated? Banished? Doubtless this will be addressed in a future episode; however, there's another subtle connection to ponder here. If young Widmore has been told Daniel's name and he knows the story about him being a scientist from the future, this would explain how current Widmore (future Widmore) knew to call up Farraday and fund his experiments in time travel: young Widmore knew of Dan's existence before the scientist knew of his. Phew. So, complex time travel intricacies, compelling narratives, mythological revelations and - shock of shocks - Charlotte potentially dead at episode's end? Another absolutely cracking installment. Oh Lost, there just aren't the words. 9.3
Saturday 31 January 2009
Review: 24 #706
706: '1pm - 2pm'
Wr: Manny Coto & Brannon Braga
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: President Taylor is faced with an angry cabinet after an unpopular decision results in the loss of many American lives in a terrorist attack. Jack and Tony convince Prime Minister Matobo to go along with their plan when their undercover mission is revealed in a showdown with Emerson. Meanwhile, Henry is stuck in an unthinkable situation, paralyzed and unable to help Samantha Roth when she returns home to find Agent Gedge in her apartment.
Review: You'll have to forgive me if this review is, shall we say, a little patchy but I watched '1pm - 2pm' through bleary, sleep-deprived eyes, in two parts no less, over the course of one interrupted evening; an evening in which I intended to lay my weary head down to rest at 9pm but ended up prising my eyelids open until 12.30 in the morning (I had, after all, had the 'out late, up early' experience two days in a row). So if this is a little disjointed, please... show a little understanding. Actually, that's rather appropriate segue into the show itself: 'disjointed' could be the perfect encapsulating term for Coto and Braga's script. The hour feels like it's jostling endlessly between a desire to move the narrative forward and a realisation that there isn't enough plot to go around and so stalling is the only option. Thus, Bauer's thread begins to take on water as we spend a large proportion of our time with he and his cohorts sitting on our hands, waiting patiently for someone to show up and take Matobo. It ultimately happens at the end of the hour, and it's a nicely executed sequence, but does it really need to be dragged out this long, just so that we can get an amusing anecdote from (an admittedly top notch) Chloe about how she's 'a stay at home mom'? Or so that Renee can gleer madly at Jack, or stubbornly insist that she should have the right to bring Moss up to speed on the operation, even though any FBI agent worth her salt would be well aware that 'tell no one' MEANS 'tell no one'? To be fair to the writers, there's some good character beats amongst this viewer-baiting: Tony's escape from CTU in season five is well explained and is a treat for continuity freaks, and the killing of Emerson is both unexpected and well woven into the psychological machinations of the characters' motivations. Carlos Bernard has the chance to prove his flexibility, yet again, and he does so admirably.
Things are similar elsewhere: there is an infuriatingly small proportion of narrative time given to Dubaku, whose on-screen presence alone is enough to have you biting the ends off your fingernails; by episode's end, he's still moaning on about Taylor's refusal to remove American troops from Sengala and, while he actually gets to do something bad ass for once, it's quashed somewhat by the promise that there's something bigger coming... the closing seconds almost made me hurl my toast at the screen in frustration: can we not have the revelation as cliffhanger please?! By far the worst offende,r however, is the First Gentleman's story. This one drags out (quite literally) for the whole hour; we don't see much of it between 1.15 and 1.50 because, apparently, it takes that long to get someone's fingerprints on a knife. And naturally, by this point, the drugs have begun to wear off and the guy is able to defend himself. Well, what a stroke of luck! Come on... is there a single member of the viewing audience who believed our Colm was ever in danger? Did anyone honestly believe Gedge (poor, poor, beautiful Gedge) would make it out of there in one piece? It just smacks of laziness: writing the obvious, least challenging scenario rather than putting some bleeding thought into it. At least they brutally killed Samantha Roth though...
It's not all disappointing, however: the President's scenes are stunning and it's all thanks to the considerable talents of Cherry Jones. She makes the scene in which the aeroplanes collide outside the White House window, perfectly capturing the desolate horror of the moment with simply her body language and facial expression. The sequence with the Cabinet is also spot on: what could have been a rather stifled scene, bogged down by political ennui, is actually a thoroughly engaging ten minutes of debate and considerably difficult decision making. Mind you, if Ethan and that other guy are going to work against the President to try to push through a withdrawal (or ultimately remove her from office), I'm bloody well jumping ship. A tired episode on the whole, biding time before the larger plot developments occur, and relying on familiar narrative trajectories from seasons past for its drive. There are a number of good moments but the complete package feels a little... disappointing. 7.0
Wr: Manny Coto & Brannon Braga
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: President Taylor is faced with an angry cabinet after an unpopular decision results in the loss of many American lives in a terrorist attack. Jack and Tony convince Prime Minister Matobo to go along with their plan when their undercover mission is revealed in a showdown with Emerson. Meanwhile, Henry is stuck in an unthinkable situation, paralyzed and unable to help Samantha Roth when she returns home to find Agent Gedge in her apartment.
Review: You'll have to forgive me if this review is, shall we say, a little patchy but I watched '1pm - 2pm' through bleary, sleep-deprived eyes, in two parts no less, over the course of one interrupted evening; an evening in which I intended to lay my weary head down to rest at 9pm but ended up prising my eyelids open until 12.30 in the morning (I had, after all, had the 'out late, up early' experience two days in a row). So if this is a little disjointed, please... show a little understanding. Actually, that's rather appropriate segue into the show itself: 'disjointed' could be the perfect encapsulating term for Coto and Braga's script. The hour feels like it's jostling endlessly between a desire to move the narrative forward and a realisation that there isn't enough plot to go around and so stalling is the only option. Thus, Bauer's thread begins to take on water as we spend a large proportion of our time with he and his cohorts sitting on our hands, waiting patiently for someone to show up and take Matobo. It ultimately happens at the end of the hour, and it's a nicely executed sequence, but does it really need to be dragged out this long, just so that we can get an amusing anecdote from (an admittedly top notch) Chloe about how she's 'a stay at home mom'? Or so that Renee can gleer madly at Jack, or stubbornly insist that she should have the right to bring Moss up to speed on the operation, even though any FBI agent worth her salt would be well aware that 'tell no one' MEANS 'tell no one'? To be fair to the writers, there's some good character beats amongst this viewer-baiting: Tony's escape from CTU in season five is well explained and is a treat for continuity freaks, and the killing of Emerson is both unexpected and well woven into the psychological machinations of the characters' motivations. Carlos Bernard has the chance to prove his flexibility, yet again, and he does so admirably.
Things are similar elsewhere: there is an infuriatingly small proportion of narrative time given to Dubaku, whose on-screen presence alone is enough to have you biting the ends off your fingernails; by episode's end, he's still moaning on about Taylor's refusal to remove American troops from Sengala and, while he actually gets to do something bad ass for once, it's quashed somewhat by the promise that there's something bigger coming... the closing seconds almost made me hurl my toast at the screen in frustration: can we not have the revelation as cliffhanger please?! By far the worst offende,r however, is the First Gentleman's story. This one drags out (quite literally) for the whole hour; we don't see much of it between 1.15 and 1.50 because, apparently, it takes that long to get someone's fingerprints on a knife. And naturally, by this point, the drugs have begun to wear off and the guy is able to defend himself. Well, what a stroke of luck! Come on... is there a single member of the viewing audience who believed our Colm was ever in danger? Did anyone honestly believe Gedge (poor, poor, beautiful Gedge) would make it out of there in one piece? It just smacks of laziness: writing the obvious, least challenging scenario rather than putting some bleeding thought into it. At least they brutally killed Samantha Roth though...
It's not all disappointing, however: the President's scenes are stunning and it's all thanks to the considerable talents of Cherry Jones. She makes the scene in which the aeroplanes collide outside the White House window, perfectly capturing the desolate horror of the moment with simply her body language and facial expression. The sequence with the Cabinet is also spot on: what could have been a rather stifled scene, bogged down by political ennui, is actually a thoroughly engaging ten minutes of debate and considerably difficult decision making. Mind you, if Ethan and that other guy are going to work against the President to try to push through a withdrawal (or ultimately remove her from office), I'm bloody well jumping ship. A tired episode on the whole, biding time before the larger plot developments occur, and relying on familiar narrative trajectories from seasons past for its drive. There are a number of good moments but the complete package feels a little... disappointing. 7.0
Sunday 25 January 2009
Review catch up: Supernatural
401: 'Lazarus Rising'
Wr: Eric Kripke
Dr: Kim Manners
Synopsis: Bobby, Sam, and Dean visit an old friend of Bobby's, a psychic, to help them get some answers as to how and why Dean has returned from Hell.
Review: Supernatural kicks its fourth season into gear in pant-wettingly grandiose fashion with this absolute gem of an episode. Eric Kripke's script is a masterpiece of viewer manipulation, taking us on a roller coaster ride of emotive response that stops off at 'how did that happen?', 'what the f*!k?', 'oh my God!', 'is that really?', 'I don't believe it!', 'please, no!' and 'oh my sweet Lord yes!!!' for roughly equal amounts of time but never once allows us to catch our breath before wrenching on to the next big 'moment'. Kim Manners' direction is equally formidable; his careful manipulation of pace and tone in the earlier stages of the episode, when we find ourselves questioning Dean's reappearance and, indeed, Sam's apparent changes, is absolutely magnificent as it manages to simultaneously convey an overwhelming sense of mystery and establish a suitably eerie undercurrent of dramatic tension. Kudos also to Jensen Ackles for perhaps his greatest (and notably, most subtle) performance in the show to date and also to the production staff as a whole for the wonderfully unsettling cinematography, lighting, framing and editing. Hands down, one of the show's best ever episodes. Easy. Even the new title sequence is bloody magnificent. 9.6
402: 'Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester'
Wr: Sera Gamble
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Ghosts of children Bobby couldn't save cripple him with guilt and Sam and Dean must save him. However, they must also ignore the spirits of Meg and Agent Hendricksen, who have come back to accuse the brothers of failing them.
Review: Well, now that we know Supernatural is about to go all epic on our asses (you don't get much more gargantuan than Heaven vs. Hell, angels vs. demons and that), it's good to see the production staff getting down to business and actually, you know, delivering. And who better to get the ball rolling than Sera Gamble, eh? His A* track record on the show is certainly well documented and he doesn't disappoint here; 'Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester', as well as being one of the most pleasingly ludicrous titles in the show's four year history, is also a cracking episode, perfectly marrying some deft, and important, character beats (Dean questioning his new found destiny, Sam's issues with his brother's return) with an obligatory 'supernatural occurrence' narrative that, pleasingly, is well woven into the season-long mythology and, just to sweeten the pot even more, is a continuity fest for fangeeks to die for. Agent Henriksen? Meg? Larry, for Chrisssakes? Wonderful, well-missed characters all and a delight to have back in a role that doesn't seem contrived and works to bolster the on-going plot. Keep going like this Supernatural and you may just be the best damn thing on TV right now. 9.4
403: 'In the Beginning'
Wr: Jeremy Carver
Dr: Steve Boyum
Synopsis: Dean gets transported back in time and ends up in Lawrence, Kansas, where he crosses paths with a young version of his parents, who have just fallen in love.
Review: What was I saying about 'best damn thing on TV?' We're three weeks into the new season and still Eric Kripke's love-spawn refuses to step even a quarter of an inch out of line. Instead, it sets about writing some of the most cohesive, enjoyable and rewarding scripts in its entire run and then transforms them from page to screen in devastatingly terrifying, and yet beautiful, fashion. 'In the Beginning' is no exception; in fact, it's perhaps the perfect example, given that it locates itself so firmly in the show's over-arching mythology. This is a story that fandom has wanted to see played out for eons and the episode doesn't disappoint: Ackles excels yet again, and arguably even more so than in previous weeks, bringing a crushing believability to the part of a man who is given the chance to uncover the secrets of his parents' past. You feel every morsel of his joy, pain and sorrow as he realises how wrong he was about his mother and father's roles, and how he simply cannot prevent the inevitable. The scene he has with his future mother, in which he begs her not to go in Sam's room on that fateful day ten years on, is absolutely harrowing and it's virtually all down to Jensen's thoroughly convincing portrayal. Let's spare a moment to acknowledge the genius of the script too: the dialogue is superb, the pace is absolutely spot on and the characterisation of the figures in the Winchester past is strong enough to make you care about all the players instantly. And hell, let's not forget that we get Castiel (best recurring Supernatural character since Bobby), the Yellow Eyed Demon AND the legendary Mitch Pileggi all in one episode. They don't come much better than this. 9.5
404: 'Metamorphosis'
Wr: Cathryn Humphris
Dr: Kim Manners
Synopsis: Sam and Dean find Jack, who is changing into a Rugaru, a flesh-eating demon that preys on humans. Sam and Dean have a disagreement on how to deal with Jack.
Review: I'll be honest with you... I half expected 'Metamorphosis' to be something of a let down after the giddy highs of the past three weeks. I surveyed the synopsis with minor trepidation: not, you understand, because I expected the episode to be bad, but simply because it seemed to lack the extra ingredient of over-arching narrative significance that the others had. In other words, it looked to be more of a 'stand alone'. Of course, I'm sitting here trying my damnedest to eat my words now (literally, they're on a plate and I'm reaching for them, I really am) because Cathryn Humphries' script (I should've known! It's her!) is bloody marvellous. Sure, this is more a 'supernatural event of the week' instalment and it is not seemingly tied to the '66 seals' that Lilith seems dead set on breaking, but we've all learned by now (or, well, since mid-season two anyway) that Supernatural can do 'fantasy metaphor for character conflict' as well as the best of 'em... well, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer at any rate. It's the only one I can think of. Sue me. Anyway, the gentleman unable to control the previously dormant creature inside of him works well as a counterpoint to Sam's current condition and, leading straight in from the cliffhanger ending of last week's episode, 'Metamorphosis' actually explicitly addresses this particular plot point and moves forward with it... which can only be a good thing. The 'supernatural' narrative has its relative merits too: the concept is enjoyably sickening and the sequence in which the poor guy gets his first full human meal is one of the most gruesome, and hence, most freaking awesome, moments in Supernatural history. Not quite the lofty highs of the last three episodes but excellent all the same. 9.0
405: 'Monster Movie'
Wr: Ben Edlund
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: Sam and Dean face off against a shapeshifter with a serious liking for classic black-and-white horror movies.
Review: Ben Edlund and comedy go together like peaches and cream and his latest effort, a pastiche of American science fiction B-movies from the 1950s, filmed entirely in black and white for added effect, is no exception. The Supernatural production crew excel at this kind of intertextual tomfoolery: from the opening music to the particular typefaces and positioning used in the introductory credits to the intermission during the ad break, this is a homage executed with the noblest of intentions and the most finite attention to detail. It pays dividends too, lending the overall production a cohesion that would perhaps have been lacking had the episode simply been filmed and presented in the usual manner. In essence, 'Monster Movie' is a simple tale about shape shifter wackiness that has a number of very fine points to make about the nature of identity and the importance of the Self (particularly in relation to masking it) and it does so without ever seeming too heavy-handed. This is largely thanks to Edlund's satirical brush strokes, which lend a gentle sheen to the more allegorical aspects of the narrative and allow the viewer to swallow the 'moral' and have a good chuckle at the same time. The episode is not without fault, however - the pace is perhaps a little slow and it takes a while for the essential narrative drive to get going. Still, this is by no means a weak instalment; quite the opposite, in fact, as it makes for a refreshingly different Supernatural viewing experience. 8.5
406: 'Yellow Fever'
Wr: Daniel Loflin & Andrew Dabb
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Sam and Dean investigate the mysterious deaths of several men who seemingly died of fright. Dean becomes infected with it starting as anxiety then leading to a full-blown terror which ends in death. Sam and Bobby race against time to save Dean.
Review: TWO comedy episodes in a row? What are you playing at, Supernatural? 'Yellow Fever' is more of a traditional giggleathon than 'Monster Movie' however, and this sets it apart from its predecessor. Where Edlund's script relied on subtle nuances and nods to narrative convention to generate the occasional wry smirk, Loflin and Dabb's sprinkles a dash of slapstick here and a dollop of hyperbole there to create a veritable bucket load of belly-laughs that ride the crest of a decidedly ludicrous narratalogical wave. Once again, Jensen Ackles steals the show, proving he can do clumsy, scared and awkward just as well as he can convince us all of Dean Winchester's bravado. Jared Padalecki plays well off him too: a simple glance in his general direction is enough to induce a healthy dose of the funnies. There's also some fantastic set pieces: the pre-credits sequence is a joy to behold (the teeny tiny dog is priceless), the overly clean Sheriff is wonderfully portrayed and the scene in which Dean hallucinates Lillith is spooky enough to virtually eradicate all of the good feeling generated by the episode's earlier dalliances with humour. A highly entertaining ride and one that's worth sticking around 'til the end for for Jensen Ackles' 'performance' of 'Eye of the Tiger'. Yes, you read that right. 8.8
407: 'It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester'
Wr: Julie Siege
Dr: Charles Beeson
Synopsis: Sam and Dean meet Castiel and his fellow angel Uriel, who warn the brothers to avoid intervening in a town where a witch is attempting to summon the demon Samhain, opening one of the Seals.
Review: Hallowe'en is Supernatural's very own Christmas celebration and this episode's narratalogical gravitas does not disappoint. The 66 seals rear their appetising little heads again as Sam and Dean are tested in their efforts to prevent the resurrection of the demon responsible for the very tradition of All Hallows Eve. There are twists and turns galore here as first the obvious suspects are laid to waste, then the culprit is executed by his victim, who turns out to be an accomplice, and then Castiel and new-found angel friend Uriel (who is, brilliantly, a complete ass) show up and threaten to obliterate the entire town. Every step of this roller-coaster ride is as riveting as the next and it never lets up thanks to a corker of a script and some damn fine acting from all involved. It takes a great deal of talent to make something as fantastical as a skirmish between angels and demons convincing, so kudos to all involved for making it seem like the most believable, and life threatening, scenario imaginable. I'm starting to sound like a broken record but the facts don't lie: this is another home run from a show at the very top of its game. 9.4
408: 'Wishful Thinking'
Teleplay: Ben Edlund
Story: Ben Edlund & Lou Bello
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: The Winchesters investigate a town wishing well that really grants wishes... at a terrible cost.
Review: The third comedy instalment of the season and it's certainly the best: this is laugh-a-minute stuff with a veritable treasure trove of wonderful set pieces that recur in the most creatively ingenious ways possible. The central premise, that a wishing well is activated and begins granting wishes with consequences, is fairly simplistic but it's the execution that shines. Choosing to weave the story around a number of individual narratives that are only glimpsed in passing is a fantastic, and original, technique and one that proves eminently rewarding for the viewer as we gradually get to see the complete picture of their somewhat selfish, and dangerous, dalliances with desire. So we have the young boy desperate to fend off a group of bullies, who wishes for super strength, leading to the hilarious sequence in which he single-handedly overturns a truck ("kneel before Todd!"), the young man walking barefoot (scratch that, just bare) in the women's showers and best of all, the young girl who wishes her teddy bear to life to keep her company and gets more than she bargained for... Incredibly, the production actually carries off the anthropomorphic stuffed animal with suitable aplomb; the sequence is utterly, utterly bizarre but all the more comedic because of it. The script keeps the tone exactly right, balancing the surreal with the banal and injecting sufficient dumb-founded human reaction to mire it in a sense of 'believability' (Sam and Dean's expressions and dialogue are fantastic here). All this and a cameo from Ted Raimi to boot. A definite treat for your funny bone. 9.1
409: 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'
Wr: Sera Gamble
Dr: Charles Beeson
Synopsis: Sam, Dean, and Ruby look for Anna who hears the voices of angels. When Ruby seemingly betrays the brothers and leaves with Anna, Sam enlightens Dean on how Ruby saved Sam's life while Dean was in Hell.
Review: I really, really, really want to stop gushing about this show. It's becoming embarrassing; really, it is. I mean, how many times can you heap reams of hyperbolic praise on a television serial's scripting, production and casting before it starts getting a little tiresome? Before it starts looking like you're secretly blowing the production designer? Which I'm not. Honest. I just can't criticise it though. I can't bring myself to lie. The truth, you see, is that Supernatural is the most consistently well made and entertaining series on TV right now and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' is the perfect example of why. We've got significant character development, a fresh narratalogical approach, acres of action, violence and sex, damn fine performances from all involved and, crucially, a plot so hot and juicy it'll make you do a special dance in your pants. Sera Gamble's script is densely packed, taking the explanation of Sam's current status as its central aim but weaving a whole host of other exciting revelations around it (Dean knows a lovely bloke called Allister, played to eerie perfection by the brilliant Mark Rolston), while also predicating the whole thing on the uncovering of the importance of a fantastic new character - Julie McNiven's beautifully fragile Anna, who hears angels and demons talking in her sweet little head. This episode feels exactly as it should: like a forebodingly important piece of a gargantuanly terrifying whole. And what about that cliffhanger, eh? Jaw, say hi to the floor for me. 9.3
410: 'Heaven and Hell'
Teleplay: Eric Kripke
Story: Eric Kripke & Trevor Sands
Dr: J. Miller Tobin
Synopsis: Dean and Sam figure out why Castiel and Uriel want Anna dead. Alastair and his minions try to track down Sam, Dean and Anna
Review: This is an absolute beast of an episode, and with a title like 'Heaven and Hell', would you expect anything less? Kripke's script thrusts our protagonists squarely in the middle of an epic tug of war between the forces of 'good' and 'evil' and cleverly predicates the whole thing not on the survival of the character they're both jostling over, but on which faction gets to slaughter her first. It's this kind of complex blurring of binaries, the deliberate rejection of categorical oppositions, that sets the Supernatural we now know and love apart from the one The WB gave birth to four short years ago. There is no black and white here: Allister and his cohorts may be 'evil', but Ruby, one of his kind, helps our heroes as much as she can and hell, Sam has demon blood pumping through his veins. Castiel and Uriel, angelic as they may proport to be, are firmly on the side of murdering poor Anna, all because she rejected the cold, emotionless, obedient existence of the angels and fell to Earth to experience that beautiful thing called life. They would rather kill her than have her return to Heaven - and that may be because their master ordains it, but then, what does that say about the forces of 'good', about God himself? Sam and Dean are caught amongst all of this, forced to make the tough decisions and call for themselevs exactly what is right and wrong and it is this conflict that enriches every scene, every line, of this episode. It's an impossibly overwhelming situation and one that forces the viewer to ask themselves questions about faith, morality and all of that other good, juicy stuff. And it certainly helps that the action sequences are massive, Julie McNiven is an absolute star and, magnificently, Jensen Ackles has us all shedding tears at episode's end. What would've turned into a corny schmaltzfest in the hands of a lesser actor is a harrowingly poignant tour de force thanks to his general, all round genius. God damn terrific. Again. 9.4
411: 'Family Remains'
Wr: Jeremy Carver
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Sam and Dean investigate a house occupied by a female ghost, but when a new family moves in things take a turn for the worse.
Review: 'Family Remains' has the unenviable task of following show creator Eric Kripke's epic pre-New Year plot fest 'Heaven and Hell' and being the first new episode of Supernatural in around a month... the weight of expectation, as you may be able to guess, is almost unmanageable. The fact that the production crew chose to place a stand-alone 'supernatural element of the week' instalment in the episode eleven slot certainly doesn't help matters; after all that to-ing and fro-ing with the forces of Heaven and Hell, and the gravitas of the hoo-hah with Lillith and the 66 seals, we get a story about a family being terrorised by Joseph Fritzl's long-lost relatives? This could arguably seem a little lightweight and is bound to disappoint, especially given that, apart from a few comedy episodes and perhaps 'Metamorphosis', season four hasn't really given us this scenario so far. All the 'cases' that Sam and Dean have investigated, bar the ones listed above, have been tied to the over-arching mythology. Still, there's no reason why we can't enjoy a break from all the monumental madness and explore what made Supernatural a hit in the first place. Jeremy Carver's script is well paced and keeps the viewer on his or her toes: removing the supernatural element a third of the way through is a deft touch as it both unsettles the viewing experience and makes the entire narrative about ten times more disturbing... and then there's the inclusion of the brother which comes completely out of nowhere and is all the more enjoyable for it. Phil Sgriccia's direction is superb too, wonderfully methodical and meaning, and as is the score and cinematography which just delight in scaring the bejesus out of you with misplaced dissonant sounds and scatter shod lighting. The decision to film the kidnapped son's encounter with the somewhat psychopathic daughter in night vision is just sublime and the direction of this sequence in particular just knocks your socks off. The only drawback, unfortunately, is some of the casting. The father and daughter in particular are somewhat patchy in their performances - their delivery of certain lines of dialogue comes across a little clunky. The son's damn good though. In all, a good stand alone with only a couple of fairly minor quibbles. 8.4
412: 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag'
Wr: Julie Siege
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: Sam and Dean are faced with magicians delving in black magic. They investigate after several people wind up dead in ways similar to the illusions the magicians perform on stage.
Review: 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag' is effectively a vehicle designed to get Sam from reluctance to do whatever it takes to harness his psychic abilities, to fully compliant participant in Ruby's conspicuous machinations and while, from a character perspective, it works beautifully, it is somewhat maddening that by episode's end, we still have no clue as to what exactly it is that Sam is so wary of taking part in. Could it be that he needs to off a few humans? Reduce their lifespan? Suck Ruby's blood for twenty four hours straight? Or maybe even pay a visit to The Chief like his brother? (A delightfully humorous moment that: believe me, these places are real, just as disturbing as depicted and often go by the name The Eagle *ahem*) Quite deliberately, the production staff hold the answer back, teasing us for yet another week and ensuring that we'll continue to tune in in the coming weeks in hopes of finding out. We're currently in the midst of Supernatural's 'stand alone' run; typically, following the Christmas break, it takes a good three or four episodes before we get back to the juicy mythology stuff, but that just makes their ultimate arrival all the more pant-wettingly exciting. In the meantime, cast and crew work their little socks off to create slices of thoroughly enjoyable independent entertainment and Julie Beige's episode is no exception. This is a lovingly written script, dripping with sadness, melancholy and regret. The dialogue given to the three elderly magicians is absolutely stunning, perfectly capturing the world-weariness of those whose best days are (supposedly) behind them. The actors playing these parts are absolutely superb too: within less than five minutes, you about their plight, you want them to prove time, fate and the current generation wrong. It's a beautifully sad piece, the kind of story that leaves you with a significant weight on your shoulders, but one that you're quite comfortable carrying. Amongst all of the macrocosmic bluster and gargantuan set pieces that we've been treated to this season, it's easy to forget that, at its core, Supernatural has a great deal to say about the human condition: about birth, death and all that stuff in between. 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag' is a wonderful reminder of that fact. 8.8
Wr: Eric Kripke
Dr: Kim Manners
Synopsis: Bobby, Sam, and Dean visit an old friend of Bobby's, a psychic, to help them get some answers as to how and why Dean has returned from Hell.
Review: Supernatural kicks its fourth season into gear in pant-wettingly grandiose fashion with this absolute gem of an episode. Eric Kripke's script is a masterpiece of viewer manipulation, taking us on a roller coaster ride of emotive response that stops off at 'how did that happen?', 'what the f*!k?', 'oh my God!', 'is that really?', 'I don't believe it!', 'please, no!' and 'oh my sweet Lord yes!!!' for roughly equal amounts of time but never once allows us to catch our breath before wrenching on to the next big 'moment'. Kim Manners' direction is equally formidable; his careful manipulation of pace and tone in the earlier stages of the episode, when we find ourselves questioning Dean's reappearance and, indeed, Sam's apparent changes, is absolutely magnificent as it manages to simultaneously convey an overwhelming sense of mystery and establish a suitably eerie undercurrent of dramatic tension. Kudos also to Jensen Ackles for perhaps his greatest (and notably, most subtle) performance in the show to date and also to the production staff as a whole for the wonderfully unsettling cinematography, lighting, framing and editing. Hands down, one of the show's best ever episodes. Easy. Even the new title sequence is bloody magnificent. 9.6
402: 'Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester'
Wr: Sera Gamble
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Ghosts of children Bobby couldn't save cripple him with guilt and Sam and Dean must save him. However, they must also ignore the spirits of Meg and Agent Hendricksen, who have come back to accuse the brothers of failing them.
Review: Well, now that we know Supernatural is about to go all epic on our asses (you don't get much more gargantuan than Heaven vs. Hell, angels vs. demons and that), it's good to see the production staff getting down to business and actually, you know, delivering. And who better to get the ball rolling than Sera Gamble, eh? His A* track record on the show is certainly well documented and he doesn't disappoint here; 'Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester', as well as being one of the most pleasingly ludicrous titles in the show's four year history, is also a cracking episode, perfectly marrying some deft, and important, character beats (Dean questioning his new found destiny, Sam's issues with his brother's return) with an obligatory 'supernatural occurrence' narrative that, pleasingly, is well woven into the season-long mythology and, just to sweeten the pot even more, is a continuity fest for fangeeks to die for. Agent Henriksen? Meg? Larry, for Chrisssakes? Wonderful, well-missed characters all and a delight to have back in a role that doesn't seem contrived and works to bolster the on-going plot. Keep going like this Supernatural and you may just be the best damn thing on TV right now. 9.4
403: 'In the Beginning'
Wr: Jeremy Carver
Dr: Steve Boyum
Synopsis: Dean gets transported back in time and ends up in Lawrence, Kansas, where he crosses paths with a young version of his parents, who have just fallen in love.
Review: What was I saying about 'best damn thing on TV?' We're three weeks into the new season and still Eric Kripke's love-spawn refuses to step even a quarter of an inch out of line. Instead, it sets about writing some of the most cohesive, enjoyable and rewarding scripts in its entire run and then transforms them from page to screen in devastatingly terrifying, and yet beautiful, fashion. 'In the Beginning' is no exception; in fact, it's perhaps the perfect example, given that it locates itself so firmly in the show's over-arching mythology. This is a story that fandom has wanted to see played out for eons and the episode doesn't disappoint: Ackles excels yet again, and arguably even more so than in previous weeks, bringing a crushing believability to the part of a man who is given the chance to uncover the secrets of his parents' past. You feel every morsel of his joy, pain and sorrow as he realises how wrong he was about his mother and father's roles, and how he simply cannot prevent the inevitable. The scene he has with his future mother, in which he begs her not to go in Sam's room on that fateful day ten years on, is absolutely harrowing and it's virtually all down to Jensen's thoroughly convincing portrayal. Let's spare a moment to acknowledge the genius of the script too: the dialogue is superb, the pace is absolutely spot on and the characterisation of the figures in the Winchester past is strong enough to make you care about all the players instantly. And hell, let's not forget that we get Castiel (best recurring Supernatural character since Bobby), the Yellow Eyed Demon AND the legendary Mitch Pileggi all in one episode. They don't come much better than this. 9.5
404: 'Metamorphosis'
Wr: Cathryn Humphris
Dr: Kim Manners
Synopsis: Sam and Dean find Jack, who is changing into a Rugaru, a flesh-eating demon that preys on humans. Sam and Dean have a disagreement on how to deal with Jack.
Review: I'll be honest with you... I half expected 'Metamorphosis' to be something of a let down after the giddy highs of the past three weeks. I surveyed the synopsis with minor trepidation: not, you understand, because I expected the episode to be bad, but simply because it seemed to lack the extra ingredient of over-arching narrative significance that the others had. In other words, it looked to be more of a 'stand alone'. Of course, I'm sitting here trying my damnedest to eat my words now (literally, they're on a plate and I'm reaching for them, I really am) because Cathryn Humphries' script (I should've known! It's her!) is bloody marvellous. Sure, this is more a 'supernatural event of the week' instalment and it is not seemingly tied to the '66 seals' that Lilith seems dead set on breaking, but we've all learned by now (or, well, since mid-season two anyway) that Supernatural can do 'fantasy metaphor for character conflict' as well as the best of 'em... well, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer at any rate. It's the only one I can think of. Sue me. Anyway, the gentleman unable to control the previously dormant creature inside of him works well as a counterpoint to Sam's current condition and, leading straight in from the cliffhanger ending of last week's episode, 'Metamorphosis' actually explicitly addresses this particular plot point and moves forward with it... which can only be a good thing. The 'supernatural' narrative has its relative merits too: the concept is enjoyably sickening and the sequence in which the poor guy gets his first full human meal is one of the most gruesome, and hence, most freaking awesome, moments in Supernatural history. Not quite the lofty highs of the last three episodes but excellent all the same. 9.0
405: 'Monster Movie'
Wr: Ben Edlund
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: Sam and Dean face off against a shapeshifter with a serious liking for classic black-and-white horror movies.
Review: Ben Edlund and comedy go together like peaches and cream and his latest effort, a pastiche of American science fiction B-movies from the 1950s, filmed entirely in black and white for added effect, is no exception. The Supernatural production crew excel at this kind of intertextual tomfoolery: from the opening music to the particular typefaces and positioning used in the introductory credits to the intermission during the ad break, this is a homage executed with the noblest of intentions and the most finite attention to detail. It pays dividends too, lending the overall production a cohesion that would perhaps have been lacking had the episode simply been filmed and presented in the usual manner. In essence, 'Monster Movie' is a simple tale about shape shifter wackiness that has a number of very fine points to make about the nature of identity and the importance of the Self (particularly in relation to masking it) and it does so without ever seeming too heavy-handed. This is largely thanks to Edlund's satirical brush strokes, which lend a gentle sheen to the more allegorical aspects of the narrative and allow the viewer to swallow the 'moral' and have a good chuckle at the same time. The episode is not without fault, however - the pace is perhaps a little slow and it takes a while for the essential narrative drive to get going. Still, this is by no means a weak instalment; quite the opposite, in fact, as it makes for a refreshingly different Supernatural viewing experience. 8.5
406: 'Yellow Fever'
Wr: Daniel Loflin & Andrew Dabb
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Sam and Dean investigate the mysterious deaths of several men who seemingly died of fright. Dean becomes infected with it starting as anxiety then leading to a full-blown terror which ends in death. Sam and Bobby race against time to save Dean.
Review: TWO comedy episodes in a row? What are you playing at, Supernatural? 'Yellow Fever' is more of a traditional giggleathon than 'Monster Movie' however, and this sets it apart from its predecessor. Where Edlund's script relied on subtle nuances and nods to narrative convention to generate the occasional wry smirk, Loflin and Dabb's sprinkles a dash of slapstick here and a dollop of hyperbole there to create a veritable bucket load of belly-laughs that ride the crest of a decidedly ludicrous narratalogical wave. Once again, Jensen Ackles steals the show, proving he can do clumsy, scared and awkward just as well as he can convince us all of Dean Winchester's bravado. Jared Padalecki plays well off him too: a simple glance in his general direction is enough to induce a healthy dose of the funnies. There's also some fantastic set pieces: the pre-credits sequence is a joy to behold (the teeny tiny dog is priceless), the overly clean Sheriff is wonderfully portrayed and the scene in which Dean hallucinates Lillith is spooky enough to virtually eradicate all of the good feeling generated by the episode's earlier dalliances with humour. A highly entertaining ride and one that's worth sticking around 'til the end for for Jensen Ackles' 'performance' of 'Eye of the Tiger'. Yes, you read that right. 8.8
407: 'It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester'
Wr: Julie Siege
Dr: Charles Beeson
Synopsis: Sam and Dean meet Castiel and his fellow angel Uriel, who warn the brothers to avoid intervening in a town where a witch is attempting to summon the demon Samhain, opening one of the Seals.
Review: Hallowe'en is Supernatural's very own Christmas celebration and this episode's narratalogical gravitas does not disappoint. The 66 seals rear their appetising little heads again as Sam and Dean are tested in their efforts to prevent the resurrection of the demon responsible for the very tradition of All Hallows Eve. There are twists and turns galore here as first the obvious suspects are laid to waste, then the culprit is executed by his victim, who turns out to be an accomplice, and then Castiel and new-found angel friend Uriel (who is, brilliantly, a complete ass) show up and threaten to obliterate the entire town. Every step of this roller-coaster ride is as riveting as the next and it never lets up thanks to a corker of a script and some damn fine acting from all involved. It takes a great deal of talent to make something as fantastical as a skirmish between angels and demons convincing, so kudos to all involved for making it seem like the most believable, and life threatening, scenario imaginable. I'm starting to sound like a broken record but the facts don't lie: this is another home run from a show at the very top of its game. 9.4
408: 'Wishful Thinking'
Teleplay: Ben Edlund
Story: Ben Edlund & Lou Bello
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: The Winchesters investigate a town wishing well that really grants wishes... at a terrible cost.
Review: The third comedy instalment of the season and it's certainly the best: this is laugh-a-minute stuff with a veritable treasure trove of wonderful set pieces that recur in the most creatively ingenious ways possible. The central premise, that a wishing well is activated and begins granting wishes with consequences, is fairly simplistic but it's the execution that shines. Choosing to weave the story around a number of individual narratives that are only glimpsed in passing is a fantastic, and original, technique and one that proves eminently rewarding for the viewer as we gradually get to see the complete picture of their somewhat selfish, and dangerous, dalliances with desire. So we have the young boy desperate to fend off a group of bullies, who wishes for super strength, leading to the hilarious sequence in which he single-handedly overturns a truck ("kneel before Todd!"), the young man walking barefoot (scratch that, just bare) in the women's showers and best of all, the young girl who wishes her teddy bear to life to keep her company and gets more than she bargained for... Incredibly, the production actually carries off the anthropomorphic stuffed animal with suitable aplomb; the sequence is utterly, utterly bizarre but all the more comedic because of it. The script keeps the tone exactly right, balancing the surreal with the banal and injecting sufficient dumb-founded human reaction to mire it in a sense of 'believability' (Sam and Dean's expressions and dialogue are fantastic here). All this and a cameo from Ted Raimi to boot. A definite treat for your funny bone. 9.1
409: 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'
Wr: Sera Gamble
Dr: Charles Beeson
Synopsis: Sam, Dean, and Ruby look for Anna who hears the voices of angels. When Ruby seemingly betrays the brothers and leaves with Anna, Sam enlightens Dean on how Ruby saved Sam's life while Dean was in Hell.
Review: I really, really, really want to stop gushing about this show. It's becoming embarrassing; really, it is. I mean, how many times can you heap reams of hyperbolic praise on a television serial's scripting, production and casting before it starts getting a little tiresome? Before it starts looking like you're secretly blowing the production designer? Which I'm not. Honest. I just can't criticise it though. I can't bring myself to lie. The truth, you see, is that Supernatural is the most consistently well made and entertaining series on TV right now and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' is the perfect example of why. We've got significant character development, a fresh narratalogical approach, acres of action, violence and sex, damn fine performances from all involved and, crucially, a plot so hot and juicy it'll make you do a special dance in your pants. Sera Gamble's script is densely packed, taking the explanation of Sam's current status as its central aim but weaving a whole host of other exciting revelations around it (Dean knows a lovely bloke called Allister, played to eerie perfection by the brilliant Mark Rolston), while also predicating the whole thing on the uncovering of the importance of a fantastic new character - Julie McNiven's beautifully fragile Anna, who hears angels and demons talking in her sweet little head. This episode feels exactly as it should: like a forebodingly important piece of a gargantuanly terrifying whole. And what about that cliffhanger, eh? Jaw, say hi to the floor for me. 9.3
410: 'Heaven and Hell'
Teleplay: Eric Kripke
Story: Eric Kripke & Trevor Sands
Dr: J. Miller Tobin
Synopsis: Dean and Sam figure out why Castiel and Uriel want Anna dead. Alastair and his minions try to track down Sam, Dean and Anna
Review: This is an absolute beast of an episode, and with a title like 'Heaven and Hell', would you expect anything less? Kripke's script thrusts our protagonists squarely in the middle of an epic tug of war between the forces of 'good' and 'evil' and cleverly predicates the whole thing not on the survival of the character they're both jostling over, but on which faction gets to slaughter her first. It's this kind of complex blurring of binaries, the deliberate rejection of categorical oppositions, that sets the Supernatural we now know and love apart from the one The WB gave birth to four short years ago. There is no black and white here: Allister and his cohorts may be 'evil', but Ruby, one of his kind, helps our heroes as much as she can and hell, Sam has demon blood pumping through his veins. Castiel and Uriel, angelic as they may proport to be, are firmly on the side of murdering poor Anna, all because she rejected the cold, emotionless, obedient existence of the angels and fell to Earth to experience that beautiful thing called life. They would rather kill her than have her return to Heaven - and that may be because their master ordains it, but then, what does that say about the forces of 'good', about God himself? Sam and Dean are caught amongst all of this, forced to make the tough decisions and call for themselevs exactly what is right and wrong and it is this conflict that enriches every scene, every line, of this episode. It's an impossibly overwhelming situation and one that forces the viewer to ask themselves questions about faith, morality and all of that other good, juicy stuff. And it certainly helps that the action sequences are massive, Julie McNiven is an absolute star and, magnificently, Jensen Ackles has us all shedding tears at episode's end. What would've turned into a corny schmaltzfest in the hands of a lesser actor is a harrowingly poignant tour de force thanks to his general, all round genius. God damn terrific. Again. 9.4
411: 'Family Remains'
Wr: Jeremy Carver
Dr: Philip Sgriccia
Synopsis: Sam and Dean investigate a house occupied by a female ghost, but when a new family moves in things take a turn for the worse.
Review: 'Family Remains' has the unenviable task of following show creator Eric Kripke's epic pre-New Year plot fest 'Heaven and Hell' and being the first new episode of Supernatural in around a month... the weight of expectation, as you may be able to guess, is almost unmanageable. The fact that the production crew chose to place a stand-alone 'supernatural element of the week' instalment in the episode eleven slot certainly doesn't help matters; after all that to-ing and fro-ing with the forces of Heaven and Hell, and the gravitas of the hoo-hah with Lillith and the 66 seals, we get a story about a family being terrorised by Joseph Fritzl's long-lost relatives? This could arguably seem a little lightweight and is bound to disappoint, especially given that, apart from a few comedy episodes and perhaps 'Metamorphosis', season four hasn't really given us this scenario so far. All the 'cases' that Sam and Dean have investigated, bar the ones listed above, have been tied to the over-arching mythology. Still, there's no reason why we can't enjoy a break from all the monumental madness and explore what made Supernatural a hit in the first place. Jeremy Carver's script is well paced and keeps the viewer on his or her toes: removing the supernatural element a third of the way through is a deft touch as it both unsettles the viewing experience and makes the entire narrative about ten times more disturbing... and then there's the inclusion of the brother which comes completely out of nowhere and is all the more enjoyable for it. Phil Sgriccia's direction is superb too, wonderfully methodical and meaning, and as is the score and cinematography which just delight in scaring the bejesus out of you with misplaced dissonant sounds and scatter shod lighting. The decision to film the kidnapped son's encounter with the somewhat psychopathic daughter in night vision is just sublime and the direction of this sequence in particular just knocks your socks off. The only drawback, unfortunately, is some of the casting. The father and daughter in particular are somewhat patchy in their performances - their delivery of certain lines of dialogue comes across a little clunky. The son's damn good though. In all, a good stand alone with only a couple of fairly minor quibbles. 8.4
412: 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag'
Wr: Julie Siege
Dr: Robert Singer (II)
Synopsis: Sam and Dean are faced with magicians delving in black magic. They investigate after several people wind up dead in ways similar to the illusions the magicians perform on stage.
Review: 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag' is effectively a vehicle designed to get Sam from reluctance to do whatever it takes to harness his psychic abilities, to fully compliant participant in Ruby's conspicuous machinations and while, from a character perspective, it works beautifully, it is somewhat maddening that by episode's end, we still have no clue as to what exactly it is that Sam is so wary of taking part in. Could it be that he needs to off a few humans? Reduce their lifespan? Suck Ruby's blood for twenty four hours straight? Or maybe even pay a visit to The Chief like his brother? (A delightfully humorous moment that: believe me, these places are real, just as disturbing as depicted and often go by the name The Eagle *ahem*) Quite deliberately, the production staff hold the answer back, teasing us for yet another week and ensuring that we'll continue to tune in in the coming weeks in hopes of finding out. We're currently in the midst of Supernatural's 'stand alone' run; typically, following the Christmas break, it takes a good three or four episodes before we get back to the juicy mythology stuff, but that just makes their ultimate arrival all the more pant-wettingly exciting. In the meantime, cast and crew work their little socks off to create slices of thoroughly enjoyable independent entertainment and Julie Beige's episode is no exception. This is a lovingly written script, dripping with sadness, melancholy and regret. The dialogue given to the three elderly magicians is absolutely stunning, perfectly capturing the world-weariness of those whose best days are (supposedly) behind them. The actors playing these parts are absolutely superb too: within less than five minutes, you about their plight, you want them to prove time, fate and the current generation wrong. It's a beautifully sad piece, the kind of story that leaves you with a significant weight on your shoulders, but one that you're quite comfortable carrying. Amongst all of the macrocosmic bluster and gargantuan set pieces that we've been treated to this season, it's easy to forget that, at its core, Supernatural has a great deal to say about the human condition: about birth, death and all that stuff in between. 'Criss Angel is a Douchebag' is a wonderful reminder of that fact. 8.8
Reviews: Desperate Housewives 511/512/513
511: 'Home Is The Place'
Wr: Jamie Gorenberg
Dr: David Grossman
Synopsis: Bree clashes with Alex's mother (guest star Joanna Cassidy) for their sons' affections. Gabrielle urges Carlos to take a six-figure job, even though it means spending more time away from home. Susan turns to Lee for company while Jackson is away. Lynette catches Preston talking to Porter on the phone. Mrs. McCluskey and her sister, Roberta (guest star Lily Tomlin), arrive at Dr. Heller's office in Boston to talk with him unaware that he's recently deceased. Meanwhile, Edie grows weary of Dave, whose strange behavior hasn't abated.
Review: Welcome to the single gayest episode of Desperate Housewives ever. Seriously, those homosexuals are everywhere this week; look, there's one having dinner with a Christian cookbook author! And there's another by his side! Of course, they don't actually do anything (I mean, ew, who'd want them, I can barely bring myself to write it, getting close?!) but still, there they are, out and proud. But wait... there's more! One of them's a lawyer! Ack! Quick, get the Governor on the phone... these people can't have normal jobs! Shouldn't he be working in a brothel or something? And as for that other one, the spoiled brat in the kimono who takes Susan to a gays bar, well, just look at him prancing about the place, stealing our women. These people are a threat to the fabric of our society and this programme is their propaganda tool! Get it off the air this instant!
Oh, sorry, I'd mistakenly tuned this blog to Evangelist Daily for a moment there (sponsored by the Family Research Council, 'providing you with all the bigotry and hatred you need to get you through your day'). I do apologise. 'Home is the Place' is, of course, a delightfully fun episode: while Susan's narrative is effectively just an exercise in padding, it's done with such comedic panache that you can't help but be roped in. Gabrielle's reaction to the possibility of Lee and Susan getting it on is absolutely hysterical. The other gay element is also rather inviting: Andrew and Alex's relationship is carefully and faithfully handled and the narrative into which it is entrenched is well constructed. Lynette's story, meanwhile, is as compelling as always and it's only really Gabrielle's, yet again, that disappoints: with Carlos returning to work, it feels rather like we're back at square one, rehashing stories of years past. A solid episode on the whole, however, with a great deal going for it. 8.5
512: 'Connect! Connect!'
Wr: Jordan Nardino
Dr: Ken Whittingham
Synopsis: Connections lead to surprising resolutions, as Susan and Edie are forced to spend time alone together when they accidentally lock themselves in a basement. Bree doesn't like it when Alex (guest star Todd Grinnell) indicates that she is emasculating her husband. Gabrielle loses control of her children and turns to Carlos for help. The ongoing search for Porter leads Lynette to her mother, Stella (guest star Polly Bergen). Katherine and Mike define their relationship. Meanwhile, Dave gets a step closer to exacting revenge.
Review: Still gay? Oh yes; well, considerably gay, thank the Lord. Andrew and Alex are at front and centre once again, albeit at the service of Bree's narrative, but at least it gives the characters something other to do than sit around looking pretty or addressing their sexuality. Choosing to have Alex be Bree's foil is a stroke of genius and one that assures the character's (relative) longevity... here's hoping Cherry chooses to go all out and gives us a delightfully subdued wedding for these two crazy cats in the forseeable future. There's much else to enjoy in 'Connect! Connect!' too: having Polly Vergen return as Lynette's embittered mother lifts the entire production. She's absolutely wonderful, perfectly pitching her performance to convey the depth of her resentment and sorrow. While Lynette's decision to fake either a serious injury or even death is a somewhat questionable decision and one that doesn't seem to fit entirely with her character, Bergen salvages the entire thread by giving a painfully believable reaction that is guaranteed to at least put a knot or two in your stomach. The characters' subsequent reconciliation over a whiskey or two is also a nice touch, even if it is tainted a little by the ludicrous 'end' to the 'Porter is accused of arson' story (seriously, they just drop the charges?! That's it?!) Elsewhere, Dave's story continues to be thoroughly contrived... I mean come on, Mike just so happens to see him cast out of his home and invites him to stay with him? Ack. I'm still reeling from the revelation that it's bloody Delfino who Dave's after anyway so perhaps I am a little biased toward picking at this narrative's scabs. It just smacks of lazy writing and would have been far more interesting with a completely unexpected different character. Still, at least we get the revelation that Mike might just be in love with Katherine which, provided the writers don't screw it up by throwing Susan back into the mix, could actually make for an engaging, refreshing storyline. And speaking of Myer, her half an hour of soul searching with Edie is nicely played by all involved, veering pleasingly from comedy to fulfilling insight and back again with each scene. These two have such great sparring chemistry; shove them in a closet and throw away the key more often! Susan is now enjoying being alone 'for the first time in her life', apparently. I give it four weeks before she's part of a love triangle. Still, cynicism aside, a successful episode. Let's hope my fears about future narrative trajectories are assuaged in the coming weeks. 8.2
513: 'The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened'
Wr: Bob Daily & Marc Cherry
Dr: Larry Shaw
Synopsis: When neighborhood handyman, Eli Scruggs (guest star Beau Bridges), passes away, the residents of Wisteria Lane come to realize just how much he affected their lives. Gaby recalls how Eli helped her make new friends when she moved in. Lynette remembers how he came to her aide when she was overwhelmed and neglected Penny. Susan reflects on how he was always there for her as a shoulder to cry on each time a man walked out of her life. Edie looks back on their special friendship. And Bree thinks fondly of how a small gesture he once made helped get her to where she is today.
Review: Desperate Housewives reaches its 100th episode and, frankly, the jury's out. Perhaps wisely, Marc Cherry chooses to reject conventional expectation and eschews the action-packed in favour of a quiet, reflective piece that studies the personalities of our central cast through the eyes of an outsider. Beau Bridges is instantly loveable as the utterly selfless Eli Scruggs; he brings an understated intelligence to the part that prevents his 'role' as mechanic for the housewives' hearts from becoming overly clichéd or hokum. It is certainly fun to watch his rather overly successful attempt to reassure Edie that she hasn't lost her 'touch' (the moment that she pushes him onto the bed is priceless), and the sequence in which he comforts Susan in the aftermath of her break-up with Mike is one of the highlights of the season. The dialogue is pitched perfectly and contains a great deal that has needed to be said for quite some time: finally, Susan gets the recognition she deserves for being brave enough to open up her heart, time and time and time again. All too often, the show either berates her (usually through Edie) for not wanting to be single, or makes comedy out of her poor track record with men. It is good to see her strengths being highlighted here; it certainly makes a refreshing change. Eli's other contributions to the housewives' lives are also relatively interesting - particularly Lynette's, as Felicity Huffman proves she's the best damn actress on the show, yet again - but therein, perhaps, is the problem. The stories may be of interest but they don't truly grip: sure, it's nice to see how Gaby becomes accepted by the group but is there really anything in this to be truly excited about? Eli rescues Bree's first attempt at writing a cook book from the trash and gives it back to her following Rex's death. Again, a nice morsel of a plot point but nothing truly engaging. And the final sequence, in which the housewives gather for Eli's funeral, takes the episode into truly corny territory; Bree's 'I wanted to fix something for Eli' is a completely unnecessary vocalisation of activity. The scene would arguably have had a far greater level of poignancy without it. Clearly, this is the emotion Cherry was aiming for and, for a significant proportion of the episode, he achieves it. It's just a shame the things he had to say about our housewives couldn't have had a little more substance. Still, nice to see Mrs Huber, Yao Lin, Rex Van De Kamp and Mary Alice again. 7.7
Wr: Jamie Gorenberg
Dr: David Grossman
Synopsis: Bree clashes with Alex's mother (guest star Joanna Cassidy) for their sons' affections. Gabrielle urges Carlos to take a six-figure job, even though it means spending more time away from home. Susan turns to Lee for company while Jackson is away. Lynette catches Preston talking to Porter on the phone. Mrs. McCluskey and her sister, Roberta (guest star Lily Tomlin), arrive at Dr. Heller's office in Boston to talk with him unaware that he's recently deceased. Meanwhile, Edie grows weary of Dave, whose strange behavior hasn't abated.
Review: Welcome to the single gayest episode of Desperate Housewives ever. Seriously, those homosexuals are everywhere this week; look, there's one having dinner with a Christian cookbook author! And there's another by his side! Of course, they don't actually do anything (I mean, ew, who'd want them, I can barely bring myself to write it, getting close?!) but still, there they are, out and proud. But wait... there's more! One of them's a lawyer! Ack! Quick, get the Governor on the phone... these people can't have normal jobs! Shouldn't he be working in a brothel or something? And as for that other one, the spoiled brat in the kimono who takes Susan to a gays bar, well, just look at him prancing about the place, stealing our women. These people are a threat to the fabric of our society and this programme is their propaganda tool! Get it off the air this instant!
Oh, sorry, I'd mistakenly tuned this blog to Evangelist Daily for a moment there (sponsored by the Family Research Council, 'providing you with all the bigotry and hatred you need to get you through your day'). I do apologise. 'Home is the Place' is, of course, a delightfully fun episode: while Susan's narrative is effectively just an exercise in padding, it's done with such comedic panache that you can't help but be roped in. Gabrielle's reaction to the possibility of Lee and Susan getting it on is absolutely hysterical. The other gay element is also rather inviting: Andrew and Alex's relationship is carefully and faithfully handled and the narrative into which it is entrenched is well constructed. Lynette's story, meanwhile, is as compelling as always and it's only really Gabrielle's, yet again, that disappoints: with Carlos returning to work, it feels rather like we're back at square one, rehashing stories of years past. A solid episode on the whole, however, with a great deal going for it. 8.5
512: 'Connect! Connect!'
Wr: Jordan Nardino
Dr: Ken Whittingham
Synopsis: Connections lead to surprising resolutions, as Susan and Edie are forced to spend time alone together when they accidentally lock themselves in a basement. Bree doesn't like it when Alex (guest star Todd Grinnell) indicates that she is emasculating her husband. Gabrielle loses control of her children and turns to Carlos for help. The ongoing search for Porter leads Lynette to her mother, Stella (guest star Polly Bergen). Katherine and Mike define their relationship. Meanwhile, Dave gets a step closer to exacting revenge.
Review: Still gay? Oh yes; well, considerably gay, thank the Lord. Andrew and Alex are at front and centre once again, albeit at the service of Bree's narrative, but at least it gives the characters something other to do than sit around looking pretty or addressing their sexuality. Choosing to have Alex be Bree's foil is a stroke of genius and one that assures the character's (relative) longevity... here's hoping Cherry chooses to go all out and gives us a delightfully subdued wedding for these two crazy cats in the forseeable future. There's much else to enjoy in 'Connect! Connect!' too: having Polly Vergen return as Lynette's embittered mother lifts the entire production. She's absolutely wonderful, perfectly pitching her performance to convey the depth of her resentment and sorrow. While Lynette's decision to fake either a serious injury or even death is a somewhat questionable decision and one that doesn't seem to fit entirely with her character, Bergen salvages the entire thread by giving a painfully believable reaction that is guaranteed to at least put a knot or two in your stomach. The characters' subsequent reconciliation over a whiskey or two is also a nice touch, even if it is tainted a little by the ludicrous 'end' to the 'Porter is accused of arson' story (seriously, they just drop the charges?! That's it?!) Elsewhere, Dave's story continues to be thoroughly contrived... I mean come on, Mike just so happens to see him cast out of his home and invites him to stay with him? Ack. I'm still reeling from the revelation that it's bloody Delfino who Dave's after anyway so perhaps I am a little biased toward picking at this narrative's scabs. It just smacks of lazy writing and would have been far more interesting with a completely unexpected different character. Still, at least we get the revelation that Mike might just be in love with Katherine which, provided the writers don't screw it up by throwing Susan back into the mix, could actually make for an engaging, refreshing storyline. And speaking of Myer, her half an hour of soul searching with Edie is nicely played by all involved, veering pleasingly from comedy to fulfilling insight and back again with each scene. These two have such great sparring chemistry; shove them in a closet and throw away the key more often! Susan is now enjoying being alone 'for the first time in her life', apparently. I give it four weeks before she's part of a love triangle. Still, cynicism aside, a successful episode. Let's hope my fears about future narrative trajectories are assuaged in the coming weeks. 8.2
513: 'The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened'
Wr: Bob Daily & Marc Cherry
Dr: Larry Shaw
Synopsis: When neighborhood handyman, Eli Scruggs (guest star Beau Bridges), passes away, the residents of Wisteria Lane come to realize just how much he affected their lives. Gaby recalls how Eli helped her make new friends when she moved in. Lynette remembers how he came to her aide when she was overwhelmed and neglected Penny. Susan reflects on how he was always there for her as a shoulder to cry on each time a man walked out of her life. Edie looks back on their special friendship. And Bree thinks fondly of how a small gesture he once made helped get her to where she is today.
Review: Desperate Housewives reaches its 100th episode and, frankly, the jury's out. Perhaps wisely, Marc Cherry chooses to reject conventional expectation and eschews the action-packed in favour of a quiet, reflective piece that studies the personalities of our central cast through the eyes of an outsider. Beau Bridges is instantly loveable as the utterly selfless Eli Scruggs; he brings an understated intelligence to the part that prevents his 'role' as mechanic for the housewives' hearts from becoming overly clichéd or hokum. It is certainly fun to watch his rather overly successful attempt to reassure Edie that she hasn't lost her 'touch' (the moment that she pushes him onto the bed is priceless), and the sequence in which he comforts Susan in the aftermath of her break-up with Mike is one of the highlights of the season. The dialogue is pitched perfectly and contains a great deal that has needed to be said for quite some time: finally, Susan gets the recognition she deserves for being brave enough to open up her heart, time and time and time again. All too often, the show either berates her (usually through Edie) for not wanting to be single, or makes comedy out of her poor track record with men. It is good to see her strengths being highlighted here; it certainly makes a refreshing change. Eli's other contributions to the housewives' lives are also relatively interesting - particularly Lynette's, as Felicity Huffman proves she's the best damn actress on the show, yet again - but therein, perhaps, is the problem. The stories may be of interest but they don't truly grip: sure, it's nice to see how Gaby becomes accepted by the group but is there really anything in this to be truly excited about? Eli rescues Bree's first attempt at writing a cook book from the trash and gives it back to her following Rex's death. Again, a nice morsel of a plot point but nothing truly engaging. And the final sequence, in which the housewives gather for Eli's funeral, takes the episode into truly corny territory; Bree's 'I wanted to fix something for Eli' is a completely unnecessary vocalisation of activity. The scene would arguably have had a far greater level of poignancy without it. Clearly, this is the emotion Cherry was aiming for and, for a significant proportion of the episode, he achieves it. It's just a shame the things he had to say about our housewives couldn't have had a little more substance. Still, nice to see Mrs Huber, Yao Lin, Rex Van De Kamp and Mary Alice again. 7.7
Saturday 24 January 2009
Reviews: Battlestar Galactica 411/412
411: 'Sometimes A Great Notion'
Wrs: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Dr: Michael Nankin
Synopsis: Both the humans of the Colonial fleet and their Cylon allies fight against the emotion of overwhelming despair as they try to understand what happened to the 13th Tribe. Dee reconciles with her husband Lee Adama despite being devastated about the discovery of Earth. Kara finds a puzzling and disturbing clue regarding her identity.
Review: And so finally, the Sci-Fi Channel quits playing ceaseless, self-obsessed ratings games with their most ardent viewers and delivers the second half of Battlestar Galactica's final season, a year since it was actually made. The wait has been absolutely perilous: between the end of the third season and the start of part one of the fourth, there was an agonising ten month gap and then, ten episodes in, the bastards cut our viewing enjoyment short for another ten months. The wait has been so great that, arguably, the weight of expectation on these final instalments is too much to bear. Can the production staff deliver the goods? Will they answer all the outstanding questions they've left dangling for the past four years? Will we get a regrettable happy ever after or a more satisfying, and realistic, emotional and physical bloodbath? From the trajectory that the narrative begins to take in 'Sometimes A Great Notion', it looks like the latter is far likelier. No question about it folks, this is damn tough viewing. If you like your characters to be one dimensional black and white ciphers, turn away now. If you want to see everyone picking up the pieces, holding hands and 'getting on', I really don't think the remainder of this season is going to be for you. You see, things have gone completely and utterly tits up. The Universe is fracked. There's no hope. We're all going to Hell in a hand basket and the best we can do to blot out the pain is give in to the illnesses already ravaging us (Roslin), drink ourselves into oblivion (Adama) or shoot ourselves in the head and have done with it (Dee). Jesus Christ, this is depressing stuff. The rock that the Galactica crew's hopes have been pinned on since she first uttered the word 'Earth' in the pilot is now burning the prophecies that formed the backbone of her beliefs and ain't taking anyone's calls. When your President's given up the ghost, you know you're in trouble. Kudos to Mary McDonnell for giving a superb performance throughtout: she's particularly excellent when she confronts the Galactica crew (and the fleet) immediately upon her return from the nuked Earth. All it takes is a stuttered sigh and a whispered 'get me out of here' and the emotional effect is magnified twentyfold. Then there's the other major authority figure, the Old Man, who goes completely off the rails after one of his crew tops herself and has an alcohol-fuelled 'heart to heart' with Sol, which ends with him getting the XO to point a gun to his head, goading him on to pulling the trigger. Not easy stuff to watch but it's effortlessly brilliant all the same. You feel every nuance of these characters' pain and that's no small feat. The successful combination of superb dialogue and out-of-this-world performance really cannot be understated: someone give Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Edward James Almos and Michael Hogan all the awards the world can muster. Now. And spare a thought for Kandyse McClure who manages to pull the wool over the eyes of every single one of us in depicting Dee's final moments. Granted, this is as much to do with the scripting as anything else but she's magnificent anyway. The fateful moment where she pulls the trigger is among the best, and most shocking, in the show's history. I'm still not sure I've quite recovered.
Some have accused 'Sometimes A Great Notion' of being slow to start; I couldn't disagree more. The narrative movement certainly isn't fast paced but that's hardly the point. This episode is about the repercussions of having all of your hopes and beliefs completely and utterly obliterated in an instant. Time is therefore needed to take stock of the situation (the opening ten minutes), work through the pain (the next thirty) and come to some form of conclusion (last five). The considered narratalogical structure, to this writer, is exactly what is needed. And in any case, amongst all of the emotional trauma, we discover that the 13th tribe were all Cylons (didn't see that one coming), that the final five lived on Earth in its last days, that Starbuck's Viper is on Earth with Starbuck's body in it (how is THAT one possible?) and, possibly, the identity of the final Cylon. If it is Tiegh's ex-wife, I'm happy. It could be a red herring, of course, but time will tell. So yeah, a pretty darn packed hour, all things considered. And when you combine these revelations with the unquestionable strength of the character-led material, you have an absolute corker of an episode. As if any further evidence were needed that Battlestar Galactica is the best science fiction show on TV, here it is in one bitter, twisted, difficult package. Watch and weep. 9.6
412: 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul'
Wr: Ronald D. Moore
Dr: Ronald D. Moore
Synopsis: Admiral Adama wants to outfit Colonial ships with superior Cylon jump drives to help the fleet find a new permanent home. As part of the deal, the Cylons ask for complete acceptance by the humans. Not everyone agrees with the plan. Tyrol uncovers some family secrets when he brings his ailing son to Doc Cottle for medical treatment. Meanwhile, Baltar rails against his God and stirs up his followers in the wake of their tragic disappointment over Earth.
Review: Curiously, there seems to be rather a substantial amount of negative feeling towards this episode in the immediate aftermath of its initial airing. The general consensus of these criticisms is that 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' is a 'filler' episode, barely moving the narrative forward in any 'satisfying' way and sidestepping the myriad questions that are still dangling, as well as the new developments that occurred in 'Sometimes A Great Notion'. To be fair, the absence of any reference to Ellen being the final Cylon (aside from Lee Adama's slip up when he addresses the Quorum) does rankle a little, given the gravitas of the repercussions of this discovery. However, this bitter, cynical, twisted critic loved this episode. Yes, the big action sequences are put to bed. Yes, the show's mythology is fairly unaffected by its events... but give it time. In order for the big dramatic developments to be satisfying and believable, we need build, establishment, background. Major events always have a context and, in case you hadn't noticed, Battlestar Galactica is giving you exactly that, right now, right before your eyes. Emotionally, the mood hasn't improved much since the cast collectively banged their knuckles off the airlock doors in last week's episode; everyone's still very much on edge, although Roslin's had a disturbing 360 and is now ludicrously chipper, doing her exercises and running the length of the ship. Not healthy. Adama's battle-torn and war-weary, tired of the knocks his people continue to receive and, really, just wants to get down to the dirty with the President. And then there's the Quorum. The fleet. This is an absolutely crucial piece of plot development as it begins to sow the seeds of anarchic discontent... and you just know it's going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. The resentment against the Cylons and, through this, against the Adama/Roslin administration is superbly handled as, really, it's all down to the subtle nuances in the dialogue. Ronald D. Moore does an absolutely stellar job of depicting exactly how that horrible worm in human nature begins to twist and turn when it is filled with fear... and that's exactly how the fleet is, and it's what Tom Zarek and, later, Gaeta are feeding off. As the lines between good and evil, friend and enemy begin to blur, so the 'understanding, compassionate' human race abandons its moral code and listens to its most base instincts: resentment, bigotry, hatred. It is these ugly creatures that we see being born in 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' and, like last week's instalment, it's hard to watch as a result of how damn believable it is. This is largely a result of Moore's superlative writing and direction but credit must also go to Alessandro Juliani for a thoroughly believable portrayal of the embittered Felix; he almost outshines Katee Sackhoff in his confrontation scene with Starbuck. Almost. (By the way, in case you didn't realise, the events of 'The Face of the Enemy' take place between 'Sometimes A Great Notion' and this episode). Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the current trajectory of Battlestar Galactica's narrative; in fact, I'm savouring every deliciously complex, harrowing moment of it. If there's one single compliment I can give 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' it would be the following (paraphrased) quote by J.G. Ballard: '[the episode] rub[s] the human face in its own vomit... and forces it to look in the mirror.' 9.2
Wrs: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Dr: Michael Nankin
Synopsis: Both the humans of the Colonial fleet and their Cylon allies fight against the emotion of overwhelming despair as they try to understand what happened to the 13th Tribe. Dee reconciles with her husband Lee Adama despite being devastated about the discovery of Earth. Kara finds a puzzling and disturbing clue regarding her identity.
Review: And so finally, the Sci-Fi Channel quits playing ceaseless, self-obsessed ratings games with their most ardent viewers and delivers the second half of Battlestar Galactica's final season, a year since it was actually made. The wait has been absolutely perilous: between the end of the third season and the start of part one of the fourth, there was an agonising ten month gap and then, ten episodes in, the bastards cut our viewing enjoyment short for another ten months. The wait has been so great that, arguably, the weight of expectation on these final instalments is too much to bear. Can the production staff deliver the goods? Will they answer all the outstanding questions they've left dangling for the past four years? Will we get a regrettable happy ever after or a more satisfying, and realistic, emotional and physical bloodbath? From the trajectory that the narrative begins to take in 'Sometimes A Great Notion', it looks like the latter is far likelier. No question about it folks, this is damn tough viewing. If you like your characters to be one dimensional black and white ciphers, turn away now. If you want to see everyone picking up the pieces, holding hands and 'getting on', I really don't think the remainder of this season is going to be for you. You see, things have gone completely and utterly tits up. The Universe is fracked. There's no hope. We're all going to Hell in a hand basket and the best we can do to blot out the pain is give in to the illnesses already ravaging us (Roslin), drink ourselves into oblivion (Adama) or shoot ourselves in the head and have done with it (Dee). Jesus Christ, this is depressing stuff. The rock that the Galactica crew's hopes have been pinned on since she first uttered the word 'Earth' in the pilot is now burning the prophecies that formed the backbone of her beliefs and ain't taking anyone's calls. When your President's given up the ghost, you know you're in trouble. Kudos to Mary McDonnell for giving a superb performance throughtout: she's particularly excellent when she confronts the Galactica crew (and the fleet) immediately upon her return from the nuked Earth. All it takes is a stuttered sigh and a whispered 'get me out of here' and the emotional effect is magnified twentyfold. Then there's the other major authority figure, the Old Man, who goes completely off the rails after one of his crew tops herself and has an alcohol-fuelled 'heart to heart' with Sol, which ends with him getting the XO to point a gun to his head, goading him on to pulling the trigger. Not easy stuff to watch but it's effortlessly brilliant all the same. You feel every nuance of these characters' pain and that's no small feat. The successful combination of superb dialogue and out-of-this-world performance really cannot be understated: someone give Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Edward James Almos and Michael Hogan all the awards the world can muster. Now. And spare a thought for Kandyse McClure who manages to pull the wool over the eyes of every single one of us in depicting Dee's final moments. Granted, this is as much to do with the scripting as anything else but she's magnificent anyway. The fateful moment where she pulls the trigger is among the best, and most shocking, in the show's history. I'm still not sure I've quite recovered.
Some have accused 'Sometimes A Great Notion' of being slow to start; I couldn't disagree more. The narrative movement certainly isn't fast paced but that's hardly the point. This episode is about the repercussions of having all of your hopes and beliefs completely and utterly obliterated in an instant. Time is therefore needed to take stock of the situation (the opening ten minutes), work through the pain (the next thirty) and come to some form of conclusion (last five). The considered narratalogical structure, to this writer, is exactly what is needed. And in any case, amongst all of the emotional trauma, we discover that the 13th tribe were all Cylons (didn't see that one coming), that the final five lived on Earth in its last days, that Starbuck's Viper is on Earth with Starbuck's body in it (how is THAT one possible?) and, possibly, the identity of the final Cylon. If it is Tiegh's ex-wife, I'm happy. It could be a red herring, of course, but time will tell. So yeah, a pretty darn packed hour, all things considered. And when you combine these revelations with the unquestionable strength of the character-led material, you have an absolute corker of an episode. As if any further evidence were needed that Battlestar Galactica is the best science fiction show on TV, here it is in one bitter, twisted, difficult package. Watch and weep. 9.6
412: 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul'
Wr: Ronald D. Moore
Dr: Ronald D. Moore
Synopsis: Admiral Adama wants to outfit Colonial ships with superior Cylon jump drives to help the fleet find a new permanent home. As part of the deal, the Cylons ask for complete acceptance by the humans. Not everyone agrees with the plan. Tyrol uncovers some family secrets when he brings his ailing son to Doc Cottle for medical treatment. Meanwhile, Baltar rails against his God and stirs up his followers in the wake of their tragic disappointment over Earth.
Review: Curiously, there seems to be rather a substantial amount of negative feeling towards this episode in the immediate aftermath of its initial airing. The general consensus of these criticisms is that 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' is a 'filler' episode, barely moving the narrative forward in any 'satisfying' way and sidestepping the myriad questions that are still dangling, as well as the new developments that occurred in 'Sometimes A Great Notion'. To be fair, the absence of any reference to Ellen being the final Cylon (aside from Lee Adama's slip up when he addresses the Quorum) does rankle a little, given the gravitas of the repercussions of this discovery. However, this bitter, cynical, twisted critic loved this episode. Yes, the big action sequences are put to bed. Yes, the show's mythology is fairly unaffected by its events... but give it time. In order for the big dramatic developments to be satisfying and believable, we need build, establishment, background. Major events always have a context and, in case you hadn't noticed, Battlestar Galactica is giving you exactly that, right now, right before your eyes. Emotionally, the mood hasn't improved much since the cast collectively banged their knuckles off the airlock doors in last week's episode; everyone's still very much on edge, although Roslin's had a disturbing 360 and is now ludicrously chipper, doing her exercises and running the length of the ship. Not healthy. Adama's battle-torn and war-weary, tired of the knocks his people continue to receive and, really, just wants to get down to the dirty with the President. And then there's the Quorum. The fleet. This is an absolutely crucial piece of plot development as it begins to sow the seeds of anarchic discontent... and you just know it's going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. The resentment against the Cylons and, through this, against the Adama/Roslin administration is superbly handled as, really, it's all down to the subtle nuances in the dialogue. Ronald D. Moore does an absolutely stellar job of depicting exactly how that horrible worm in human nature begins to twist and turn when it is filled with fear... and that's exactly how the fleet is, and it's what Tom Zarek and, later, Gaeta are feeding off. As the lines between good and evil, friend and enemy begin to blur, so the 'understanding, compassionate' human race abandons its moral code and listens to its most base instincts: resentment, bigotry, hatred. It is these ugly creatures that we see being born in 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' and, like last week's instalment, it's hard to watch as a result of how damn believable it is. This is largely a result of Moore's superlative writing and direction but credit must also go to Alessandro Juliani for a thoroughly believable portrayal of the embittered Felix; he almost outshines Katee Sackhoff in his confrontation scene with Starbuck. Almost. (By the way, in case you didn't realise, the events of 'The Face of the Enemy' take place between 'Sometimes A Great Notion' and this episode). Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the current trajectory of Battlestar Galactica's narrative; in fact, I'm savouring every deliciously complex, harrowing moment of it. If there's one single compliment I can give 'A Disquiet Follows My Soul' it would be the following (paraphrased) quote by J.G. Ballard: '[the episode] rub[s] the human face in its own vomit... and forces it to look in the mirror.' 9.2
Review: Lost season five premiere
501: 'Because You Left'
Wr: Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof
Dr: Stephen Williams
Synopsis: Several of the Oceanic Six survivors come to grips with their need to return to the island... on their own terms; the fate of those left on the Island is revealed.
Review: Good evening television viewer, and welcome to one of the most mentally exhausting exercises in goggle watching since the day your remote stuck you on BBC Astrophysics. If you've never before dipped your toes in the river of ABC's finest madball kookathon of a show, I suggest you turn over now. Really. Put Celebrity Big Brother back on. Don't even bother. You won't get anywhere. Lost has reached the point where it is absolutely impossible for the casual viewer to tune in and understand a single thing that's going on. The narrative relies far too much on established mythology, past events and, most importantly, the kind of completely bonkers science fiction that will only frustrate those without an interest in the machinations of the fantastical. So I'll say it again: switch over. Now. You'll be a darn sight happier. And less confused.
Done that? Good. Now to the rest of you hardened Lost fanatics. Welcome back to the greatest television series currently airing on our all too small screens. Lindelof and Cuse's show was undoubtedly the best thing about TV in 2008 and from the evidence provided by this season opener, it looks set to be the the best thing about 2009 as well. From the off, the show pulls no punches, dumbs nothing down and holds nothing back. The playful opening sequence fools you into thinking you're watching Ben (slightly podgy guy, short black hair) when, actually, we're being treated to Marvin Candle/Edgar Halliwax/Mark Wickmund/Pierre Chang (whichever you prefer), filming the orientation film for The Arrow (score! no. 1 for Lost fanatics: we finally find out what that station that Ana Lucia and her cohorts discovered in season two is actually for). The significance of this sequence will arguably be lost on those who haven't been paying close attention for the last four years but no matter, we're into the more complex and mature chapters of our story now and if you haven't been keeping up, that's your problem. Then Farraday turns up as they're tapping into the 'energy' where that crazy old wheel is and we're all left scratching our heads in bemusement: could this have something to do with the remark in his book that we saw at the end of 'The Constant' last year? Was Daniel with the DHARMA Initative before? Or is this a time travelled Daniel from after? Who the frack knows?
After you've digested that juicy morsel, Cuse and Lindelof get straight down to showing us exactly what happened to the Islanders after Ben 'moved' the thing and, lo and behold, it suckerpunches everybody. Oh, you mean move through time, right, yeah, of course. A brilliant twist that and the 'gimmick' works absolute wonders for the narrative. It's an ingenious way of treating us to some answers regarding the history of the Island. What's the betting that this is how we discover who the natives are? Rousseau's past? The four toed statue? Seen through flashes of bonkers characterial time travel in which our protagonists swing backwards and forwards along the Island's 'time-string' (to paraphrase Farraday), unable to affect anything that has gone before. It's a completely unique approach to storytelling and, consequently, it's a thoroughly engaging, and rewarding, experience. Seeing the Nigerian plane crashing into the trees and the Virgin Mary statues falling out of it is a delightful nod to all of those who've been with the show since the beginning and it really gives you a satisfying (for want of a better description) 'tingling' feeling... like you're finally getting to the good stuff.
It certainly helps that the remainder of the narrative's construction is utterly haphazard too. We begin when the DHARMA Initiative is first active on the Island, move to the Oceanic Six off-Island, flit to three years prior to this when the Island moves and then skip and jump through the Island's history while also returning to the O6 for brief periods. There is no chronology to the story whatsoever but it works better for it: the uncertainty of the Islanders' situation is heightened as the viewer's narrative-reading experiences are our equivalent. And, of course, there's the added bonus of a fantastic Bond-esque fight sequence involving Sayid, Hurley and some really bad men, which ends in the most delightfully disgusting way imaginable, and Alan Dale pops up later on and scares the bejesus out of everyone again. Marvellous stuff; one hell of a kickstart to the season. Lost is on absolute top form and has been for a solid year now. Let's hope they can keep this kind of oddball, addictive momentum going right until the very end. 9.5
502: 'The Lie'
Wrs: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
Dr: Jack Bender
Synopsis: Hurley and Sayid are hunted down by the cops. Jack and Ben try to bring everyone together as a team. Kate recieves help from an old friend to hide the truth.
Review: Okay... eh? Just... what the hell? What in the name of Alvor Hanso was that? Well, a church with a big underground pendulum swinging backwards and forwards across a floor and making indents in it, I suppose. With the added bonus of a cloaked Ms Hawking writing some complex looking equations and calculations onto a chalkboard and entering figures into an old school Apple computer. Yeah, that'll be it. I'll say it again... what the hell? For those of you who don't pay attention to every single detail of every single episode, Ms Hawking is a vaguely familiar face: she's the woman from the season three Desmond-centric spazout 'Flashes Before Your Eyes'... you know, the one that told him he couldn't buy the wedding ring from her because he wasn't ordained to do so and then proceeded to accurately relate the minutiae of future events. We haven't seen the batty old 'temporal agent' (as show creators Cuse and Lindelof refer to her) in two whole seasons and now she crops up at the very end of the episode, warning Ben that he only has 70 hours to gather the Oceanic Six (why?!) and get them back to the Island or, and I quote, 'God help us all'. Well... there's something of a pickle, right there. Goodness only knows quite why the timeframe is so short or, indeed, exactly what it is Hawking is doing down in that basement with a bloody Star Wars/Lord of the Rings-esque cloak over her head while she does her maths, but one thing's for sure: it looks damn cool. And the air of off-kilter, sinister mystery that the whole thing is imbued with provides a stark contrast to the somewhat lightweight nature of the remainder of the episode. It's an unequivocally fantastic cliffhanger because it comes out of nowhere and, therefore, completely derails you from your 'comfort zone'. And as an aside, before we go on to pick apart the rest of 'The Lie', I will offer a logical theory, just for kicks: if Ms Hawking is a 'temporal agent' and it is her job to ensure that the 'timeline' of the Island (and those whose destiny is tied up with it) remains on the correct course, then if Locke is correct and the Six should never have left, it would be her duty to assist in getting them back. And given that she seems to have a rather special relationship with time, it would seem that the best way she can achieve that is to map out its minutiae and, perhaps, determine when there is a moment (or, possibly more accurately, an alignment) that will allow for the Six's return without disturbing the Island's fluctuating timeline. The words 'event window determined' flash across the computer screen, which would seem to give weight to this interpretation. Although, there again, I could be barking up completely the wrong pine tree; unpredictability and Lost come hand in hand and really, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Aside from a brief dalliance with temporal physics then (and a rather nifty scene in a butcher's shop in which Ben talks with a woman called Jill about the Oceanic Six, seemingly hinting that she is an Other of some sort and that there's something deeper going on here), 'The Lie' is a far more traditional episode of Lost than 'Because You Left'. Kitsis and Horowitz's episode is effectively a character piece for misunderstood old Hugo Reyes, whose continual, unfortunate position as a (rather large) fish out of water makes for compelling, and often rather amusing, entertainment. Take his haphazard, amateur attempts at covering his tracks and remaining 'off the radar' as an example: he returns home for God's sake, which is the first place any self-respecting law enforcement officer would think to look. And then there's the pulling over when he hears a cop car's siren - which, thankfully, is all in his head and is accompanied by a neat little visit from a very much dead Ana Lucia - and, of course, the completely inconspicuous T-shirt that he buys in the store. Priceless. The script contains a significant amount of wry humour and it's a testament to the calibre of the cast involved that it comes across so successfully. Watch Jorge Garcia showing up at his father's door with Naveen Andrews slumped across his back and tell me you didn't at least raise a smirk. Witness Hurley's mother exclaim "why is there a dead Pakistani on my couch?" and I challenge you not to laugh. The episode doesn't let the comedic elements obscure its point, however: as we reach the climax, there are some wonderful, introspective emotive sequences that open the viewer's eyes somewhat as to the extent of Hurley's plight. The scene in which he confesses to his mother that the O6 have been lying for three years is of particular note, as Garcia is unquestionably wonderful throughout. He exudes defeatism: his bodily position, broken delivery and tears successfully convey a man worn down by the need to do something he so vehemently disagrees with. And then there's his confrontation with Ben, which has an entirely different outcome to what the narrative appears to telegraph and is all the better for it. Michael Emerson is predictably amazing in this scene, conniving and manipulating Hugo with his words and demeanour in order to achieve his end.
There is much else to savour in 'The Lie' too; Kate and Sun's scene turns from mild-mannered friendly pleasantries to dark, introspective soul-searching with the click of a finger, which makes the trajectory that the two characters are on all the more disturbing (although it's arguably Ms Quon we should all be worried about). The Islanders get a fair slice of the action as well, although this episode is arguably the counterpoint to 'Because You Left', flipping the balance between the two narrative 'parties' almost completely. The flaming arrow ambush is excellently realised; the horror of the situation is starkly conveyed by the relentless nature of the assault and the constant cutaways to unfortunate souls being pierced, and then set alight, by the oncoming weaponry. The DHARMA (I think) people's abduction of Sawyer and Juliet is nicely sadistic too: for a brief second there, I actually believed we were going to have a handless Elizabeth Mitchell for the next 46 episodes. And then there's poor Charlotte who seems to be being rather affected by their jolts through time. Curious that she is the only one thus far: could this have something to do with the hints in season four that she was born on the Island? This doesn't necessarily run counter to the theory that the reason why Richard and co. are not 'skipping' through time is because they are natives (i.e. they were born there). It has been suggested that she has been separated from the place from a long time; perhaps the bond she once held with it has been severed. I dunno, I'm merely conjecturing... but it's fun to think about, nonetheless. And that's a good way to summarise the episode, really: it's damn fun. Comedy, action, psychological ennui and kooky temporal agents in Sith hoods. Perhaps not as mind-bendingly engaging as 'Because You Left' but another fine, fine episode all the same. 9.0
Wr: Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof
Dr: Stephen Williams
Synopsis: Several of the Oceanic Six survivors come to grips with their need to return to the island... on their own terms; the fate of those left on the Island is revealed.
Review: Good evening television viewer, and welcome to one of the most mentally exhausting exercises in goggle watching since the day your remote stuck you on BBC Astrophysics. If you've never before dipped your toes in the river of ABC's finest madball kookathon of a show, I suggest you turn over now. Really. Put Celebrity Big Brother back on. Don't even bother. You won't get anywhere. Lost has reached the point where it is absolutely impossible for the casual viewer to tune in and understand a single thing that's going on. The narrative relies far too much on established mythology, past events and, most importantly, the kind of completely bonkers science fiction that will only frustrate those without an interest in the machinations of the fantastical. So I'll say it again: switch over. Now. You'll be a darn sight happier. And less confused.
Done that? Good. Now to the rest of you hardened Lost fanatics. Welcome back to the greatest television series currently airing on our all too small screens. Lindelof and Cuse's show was undoubtedly the best thing about TV in 2008 and from the evidence provided by this season opener, it looks set to be the the best thing about 2009 as well. From the off, the show pulls no punches, dumbs nothing down and holds nothing back. The playful opening sequence fools you into thinking you're watching Ben (slightly podgy guy, short black hair) when, actually, we're being treated to Marvin Candle/Edgar Halliwax/Mark Wickmund/Pierre Chang (whichever you prefer), filming the orientation film for The Arrow (score! no. 1 for Lost fanatics: we finally find out what that station that Ana Lucia and her cohorts discovered in season two is actually for). The significance of this sequence will arguably be lost on those who haven't been paying close attention for the last four years but no matter, we're into the more complex and mature chapters of our story now and if you haven't been keeping up, that's your problem. Then Farraday turns up as they're tapping into the 'energy' where that crazy old wheel is and we're all left scratching our heads in bemusement: could this have something to do with the remark in his book that we saw at the end of 'The Constant' last year? Was Daniel with the DHARMA Initative before? Or is this a time travelled Daniel from after? Who the frack knows?
After you've digested that juicy morsel, Cuse and Lindelof get straight down to showing us exactly what happened to the Islanders after Ben 'moved' the thing and, lo and behold, it suckerpunches everybody. Oh, you mean move through time, right, yeah, of course. A brilliant twist that and the 'gimmick' works absolute wonders for the narrative. It's an ingenious way of treating us to some answers regarding the history of the Island. What's the betting that this is how we discover who the natives are? Rousseau's past? The four toed statue? Seen through flashes of bonkers characterial time travel in which our protagonists swing backwards and forwards along the Island's 'time-string' (to paraphrase Farraday), unable to affect anything that has gone before. It's a completely unique approach to storytelling and, consequently, it's a thoroughly engaging, and rewarding, experience. Seeing the Nigerian plane crashing into the trees and the Virgin Mary statues falling out of it is a delightful nod to all of those who've been with the show since the beginning and it really gives you a satisfying (for want of a better description) 'tingling' feeling... like you're finally getting to the good stuff.
It certainly helps that the remainder of the narrative's construction is utterly haphazard too. We begin when the DHARMA Initiative is first active on the Island, move to the Oceanic Six off-Island, flit to three years prior to this when the Island moves and then skip and jump through the Island's history while also returning to the O6 for brief periods. There is no chronology to the story whatsoever but it works better for it: the uncertainty of the Islanders' situation is heightened as the viewer's narrative-reading experiences are our equivalent. And, of course, there's the added bonus of a fantastic Bond-esque fight sequence involving Sayid, Hurley and some really bad men, which ends in the most delightfully disgusting way imaginable, and Alan Dale pops up later on and scares the bejesus out of everyone again. Marvellous stuff; one hell of a kickstart to the season. Lost is on absolute top form and has been for a solid year now. Let's hope they can keep this kind of oddball, addictive momentum going right until the very end. 9.5
502: 'The Lie'
Wrs: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz
Dr: Jack Bender
Synopsis: Hurley and Sayid are hunted down by the cops. Jack and Ben try to bring everyone together as a team. Kate recieves help from an old friend to hide the truth.
Review: Okay... eh? Just... what the hell? What in the name of Alvor Hanso was that? Well, a church with a big underground pendulum swinging backwards and forwards across a floor and making indents in it, I suppose. With the added bonus of a cloaked Ms Hawking writing some complex looking equations and calculations onto a chalkboard and entering figures into an old school Apple computer. Yeah, that'll be it. I'll say it again... what the hell? For those of you who don't pay attention to every single detail of every single episode, Ms Hawking is a vaguely familiar face: she's the woman from the season three Desmond-centric spazout 'Flashes Before Your Eyes'... you know, the one that told him he couldn't buy the wedding ring from her because he wasn't ordained to do so and then proceeded to accurately relate the minutiae of future events. We haven't seen the batty old 'temporal agent' (as show creators Cuse and Lindelof refer to her) in two whole seasons and now she crops up at the very end of the episode, warning Ben that he only has 70 hours to gather the Oceanic Six (why?!) and get them back to the Island or, and I quote, 'God help us all'. Well... there's something of a pickle, right there. Goodness only knows quite why the timeframe is so short or, indeed, exactly what it is Hawking is doing down in that basement with a bloody Star Wars/Lord of the Rings-esque cloak over her head while she does her maths, but one thing's for sure: it looks damn cool. And the air of off-kilter, sinister mystery that the whole thing is imbued with provides a stark contrast to the somewhat lightweight nature of the remainder of the episode. It's an unequivocally fantastic cliffhanger because it comes out of nowhere and, therefore, completely derails you from your 'comfort zone'. And as an aside, before we go on to pick apart the rest of 'The Lie', I will offer a logical theory, just for kicks: if Ms Hawking is a 'temporal agent' and it is her job to ensure that the 'timeline' of the Island (and those whose destiny is tied up with it) remains on the correct course, then if Locke is correct and the Six should never have left, it would be her duty to assist in getting them back. And given that she seems to have a rather special relationship with time, it would seem that the best way she can achieve that is to map out its minutiae and, perhaps, determine when there is a moment (or, possibly more accurately, an alignment) that will allow for the Six's return without disturbing the Island's fluctuating timeline. The words 'event window determined' flash across the computer screen, which would seem to give weight to this interpretation. Although, there again, I could be barking up completely the wrong pine tree; unpredictability and Lost come hand in hand and really, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Aside from a brief dalliance with temporal physics then (and a rather nifty scene in a butcher's shop in which Ben talks with a woman called Jill about the Oceanic Six, seemingly hinting that she is an Other of some sort and that there's something deeper going on here), 'The Lie' is a far more traditional episode of Lost than 'Because You Left'. Kitsis and Horowitz's episode is effectively a character piece for misunderstood old Hugo Reyes, whose continual, unfortunate position as a (rather large) fish out of water makes for compelling, and often rather amusing, entertainment. Take his haphazard, amateur attempts at covering his tracks and remaining 'off the radar' as an example: he returns home for God's sake, which is the first place any self-respecting law enforcement officer would think to look. And then there's the pulling over when he hears a cop car's siren - which, thankfully, is all in his head and is accompanied by a neat little visit from a very much dead Ana Lucia - and, of course, the completely inconspicuous T-shirt that he buys in the store. Priceless. The script contains a significant amount of wry humour and it's a testament to the calibre of the cast involved that it comes across so successfully. Watch Jorge Garcia showing up at his father's door with Naveen Andrews slumped across his back and tell me you didn't at least raise a smirk. Witness Hurley's mother exclaim "why is there a dead Pakistani on my couch?" and I challenge you not to laugh. The episode doesn't let the comedic elements obscure its point, however: as we reach the climax, there are some wonderful, introspective emotive sequences that open the viewer's eyes somewhat as to the extent of Hurley's plight. The scene in which he confesses to his mother that the O6 have been lying for three years is of particular note, as Garcia is unquestionably wonderful throughout. He exudes defeatism: his bodily position, broken delivery and tears successfully convey a man worn down by the need to do something he so vehemently disagrees with. And then there's his confrontation with Ben, which has an entirely different outcome to what the narrative appears to telegraph and is all the better for it. Michael Emerson is predictably amazing in this scene, conniving and manipulating Hugo with his words and demeanour in order to achieve his end.
There is much else to savour in 'The Lie' too; Kate and Sun's scene turns from mild-mannered friendly pleasantries to dark, introspective soul-searching with the click of a finger, which makes the trajectory that the two characters are on all the more disturbing (although it's arguably Ms Quon we should all be worried about). The Islanders get a fair slice of the action as well, although this episode is arguably the counterpoint to 'Because You Left', flipping the balance between the two narrative 'parties' almost completely. The flaming arrow ambush is excellently realised; the horror of the situation is starkly conveyed by the relentless nature of the assault and the constant cutaways to unfortunate souls being pierced, and then set alight, by the oncoming weaponry. The DHARMA (I think) people's abduction of Sawyer and Juliet is nicely sadistic too: for a brief second there, I actually believed we were going to have a handless Elizabeth Mitchell for the next 46 episodes. And then there's poor Charlotte who seems to be being rather affected by their jolts through time. Curious that she is the only one thus far: could this have something to do with the hints in season four that she was born on the Island? This doesn't necessarily run counter to the theory that the reason why Richard and co. are not 'skipping' through time is because they are natives (i.e. they were born there). It has been suggested that she has been separated from the place from a long time; perhaps the bond she once held with it has been severed. I dunno, I'm merely conjecturing... but it's fun to think about, nonetheless. And that's a good way to summarise the episode, really: it's damn fun. Comedy, action, psychological ennui and kooky temporal agents in Sith hoods. Perhaps not as mind-bendingly engaging as 'Because You Left' but another fine, fine episode all the same. 9.0
Thursday 22 January 2009
Review catch up: 24
Redemption
Wr: Howard Gordon
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Set and shot on location in Africa, Bauer and mentor Carl Benton battle an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, U.S. State Department officer Frank Tramell and Jonah Hodges are pulling the strings that will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven.
Review: Well this is a curious beast. The two hour, sorry, scratch that, 90 minute special prequel to season seven of 24 actually turns out to be more of a 'feature' than a standard two episodes of the programme; to borrow writer Howard Gordon's analogy, to be 'more of a Western than a conventional thriller'. And he's right: while there is action galore during the space of one harrowing day's 3pm til 5pm, Redemption is really about character... specifically, Jack's character. The narrative establishes Bauer's current mental state and situates it within the narratalogical geography of the show and then sets about taking him from this mental and physical space to that which he will inevitably be in in season seven. Over the course of the 'movie', he takes a journey from hiding from his past to confronting it head on, and it takes the catastrophic macrocosmic events that are going on around him in Sengala to allow him to make the change. Redemption makes no qualms about the fact that this is, first and foremost, Jack's psychological piece: the first half an hour (at least) is dedicated to establishing the relationship between he and his mentor, the wonderful, exemplary Robert Carlyle, and the actual terrorist threat doesn't really swing into gear until around 15:40 (except for that lovely, disturbing pre-title sequence: "kill the cock-a-roach!" is now a personal favourite quote). For the most part, this works well, giving the special an altogether different feel to the show on which it's based. This is also true of the cinematography: the contrast between Sengala and Washington simply couldn't be sharper. Visually, the African sequences are stunning, thanks to both a combination of the highly picturesque climate and the attention to detail by the production crew: even small things like hiring a lorry load of extras (mostly people off the street) to press up against the walls of the Embassy contribute significantly to the creation of a strong level of authenticity. The US scenes, of course, are far more drab: all whites, blacks and greys, but they have their charm too, in large part thanks to the brilliance of the actor playing the ex-drug addict who met a sad end far too soon, and the presence of Jon Voight. Jon Voight! Let's hope he shows up in season seven. Oh, and lest I forget, Peter MacNicol's back! And Powers Boothe! And... it looks like they won't be in the next season. Oh well. At least we got some astonishing performances out of both; Boothe, in particular, makes every scene he's in. Just look at how tired and weary he manages to appear without uttering a single breath when new President Alison Taylor is talking to him. It's astonishing. Cherry Jones is pretty damn good herself actually, coming across very stoic and strong-willed, and standing up well to the might of current President Daniels. Their scenes together are perhaps the most well written of the entire piece and are definitely to be savoured. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come in the White House and that season six's shaky start (thanks to the ill-informed placement of Wayne Palmer) has been firmly put to bed. Overall, this is a refreshingly different kind of 24 'episode', one that takes its time, lets its characters have room to breathe (and even, have a lie on the doctor's couch) and sets up some tantalising plot points for the future, while also delivering very well on the action, drama and suspense front in the later stages of its narrative. The cast is a dream - Robert Carlyle, Jon Voight, Tony Todd! - the visuals are stunning and Jack gets to brandish an AK-47. Honestly, what more could you possibly want? 9.0
701: '8am - 9am'
Wrs: Howard Gordon, Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Season seven opens with Jack Bauer before the US Senate, defending his actions throughout his career with CTU, mostly involving human rights crimes and torture of suspects. He is pulled away by FBI agents Renee Walker and Larry Moss, who need his help to quickly locate Tony Almeida, once thought dead, who appears to be masterminding a terrorist plot to override the government's CIP firewall and cause massive damage. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor struggles with how to best deal with the genocide unfolding in the African nation of Sangala under the command of General Juma. The First Gentleman, Henry Taylor, is distracted by a desire to prove that his son's recent suicide was in fact a murder.
Review: So it's all change in the high-adrenalin, hyper-tense world of television's greatest superhuman: CTU's gone kaput, the White House staff has had a complete overhaul including, shock, the culling of Peter MacNicol (hah! You thought I was going to mention the President of the female variety, didn't you? Well clearly, you didn't read the Redemption review. Get to it!), Tony Almeida's turned into a facial-hair sporting, overly stern gazing terrorist badass and poor Jack Bauer's caught up in a ludicrously right wing perception of a human rights violation trial. Which, well, despite my distaste at the completely one-sided depiction of it all, does give Kiefer Sutherland some rather nifty dialogue and is a somewhat refreshing change for the show. What a shame the FBI wander in and subpoena him, eh? I could watch 24 hours of Kiefer's soliloquies. Still, it all goes a bit pear-shaped once Bauer is, in his words, 'activated' (do you suppose someone presses a big red button on his back?!) and he has to set about thwarting Almeida's dastardly plans to tkae hold of the US' essential systems including, it seems, air traffic control. This particular threat is far more effective at raising the horror levels than the suitcase nukes and gas cannisters of seasons past as, really, it couldn't get much worse than planes falling out of the skies, heating, lighting and electricity being shut down and the water supply getting all contaminated.
The build-up of the threat to the plane is executed especially well - kudos to the writers and, notably, to Sean Callery whose thumping underscore keeps a fast pulse rate certain. This is actually true of the episode as a whole: everything moves along at just the right pace, taking time to set up new characters and scenarios but simultaneously ensuring that there is sufficient tense dramatic weight to stoke the viewer's interest. It's nice to see the crew thinking outside of the box and delivering some genuine surprises: while I'm sure there are thousands of Almeida fans up in arms about his 'turn', at least the move feels fresh and is actually convincingly depicted by the ever dependable Carlos Bernard. The female President, Alison Taylor, is also a welcome change of pace and it's good to see that the events of Redemption tie directly into the thread of the season-long narrative... but they killed the son! My God! I was sure that handsome young model was set to break female, and gay, hearts worldwide for a good 24 episodes. A solid, enjoyable start then and certainly a massive improvement from where we were at the end of year six. And it's got John Billingsley in it! It must be good! 9.0
702: '9am - 10am'
Teleplay: Evan Katz & Howard Gordon
Story: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Tony and his crew put their CIP override device to the test as they divert two planes in mid-air, nearly causing a collision and hundreds of casualties. With the successful test of the device, Tony's boss, Emerson, delivers it to General Juma who is planning to use it to blackmail the US. Jack follows up a lead with Renee but is convinced there is a leak inside the FBI when their suspect is shot dead by a sniper before he can give up any useful information. He is proven right when the fleeing shooter leads them to Tony's boat. Meanwhile, Taylor meets with former Sangalan president Matobo to convince him to hold Juma accountable for his crime in a proper court, not trial by angry mob. Henry continues his quest to find out the truth about his son by visiting his girlfriend, Samantha.
Review: With Renee and Bauer locked together like a well-oiled machine, it's time for the CTU veteran to teach the naive FBI stalwart a thing or two about how to get things done. After having shown her how a real agent does things by threatening that weird-looking Scottish dude with a pen at the end of '8am - 9am', now Jack really hits the high road (quite literally) by persuading her to deviate from Agent Moss' rather strict orders and follow him down the long, slippery road towards Senate hearings and prosecution. Yup, Renee's chasing Tanner (as it turns out is his name) in order to get to Almeida and co. and, crucially, no one knows. It's all rather thrilling really... if you put the fact that we've seen it all before to one side. Seriously, a mole? AGAIN? ALREADY? Oh sure, I know it was well established in Redemption that there's some significant corruption going on within the government but it all just feels a little too familiar for this embittered writer. And yeah, they've went with some faceless guy as the one responsible for getting Tanner out of there but I'd put money on him not being the only one in the office who's tipping off the terrorists. Who's your money on? Sean - the obvious, snivelling choice? Moss? RENEE? Mine's currently squarely on Janis, the new Chloe O'Brien... you're telling me she's really that naive? Come on! She's hiding something behind those spectacles and you know it... What else do we have to lap up? Oh yes, a fantastic opening fifteen minutes in which the dramatic tension is upped to breaking point as the bad guys almost crash a couple of planes into each other. I dunno about you, but I was squinting through almost fully closed eyes at that one. The Presidential and Bauer-led narratives are connected (as everyone knew they would be) with the introduction of Emerson, played to perfection by Peter Wingfield, and we get to see Matobo again (yay!) as Alison tries to her very hardest to ensure the polite removal of Juma from office, while juggling a national crisis at the same time. All very well written stuff, giving the impression of a well-rounded whole and, most importantly, that the writers know what they are doing. The show feels more cohesive than it has done in a long, long time and that is most definitely something to celebrate. 8.8
703: '10.00am - 11.00am'
Wrs: Manny Coto & Brannon Braga
Dr: Brad Turner
Synopsis: With Tony in custody, Jack leads his interrogation, but is shocked when a code word Tony whispers in his ear leads to old friends and a plot much deeper than anyone in the FBI anticipated. Jack once again takes the law into his own hands when he breaks Tony out of the FBI's custody to deliver him back to the terrorist faction. Renee asks FBI technician Janis Gold to try to uncover a possible leak in the agency, but Janis is terrified when her discoveries point to fellow analyst Sean Hillinger. Colonel Dubaku sends a message to Taylor, insisting that the US withdraw its forces from Sangala, or risk a terrible attack on their soil.
Review: Let's just take a moment to appreciate the unquestionable brilliance of Brad Turner's direction, shall we? Jon Cassar's good and all that but Mr. Turner, he knows how to push my 'squee like a fan boy on heat' buttons, and it's all in the presentation. The boxes. Yes, that may sound pedantic but they are one of 24's key features and something that sets the programme apart from every other two-bit terror fantasy on our screens. And sure, Cassar uses in 'em in his episodes but their appearance is sporadic, usually confined to telephone conversations or the post-break act openers. Turner, on the other hand, harks back to the 24 of old and throws split-screen everywhere: in the middle of scenes, during chases etc. etc., to give you either two simultaneous views of the same sequence of events or reveal what others are doing while the main action is occurring. It's wonderfully off-putting stuff, forcing the viewer to really pay attention and making your eyes look like they're dancing the world's most erratic jig. This used to be a particular favourite of season one executive producer Stephen Hopkins' and it works a treat: it is, after all, a completely unique viewing experience. *sigh* I suppose I should put aside production technicalities and talk about the episode. Bloody good, methinks. Jack and Renee get Tony back to FBI HQ and into an interrogation room and sparks bounce off the walls and straight through your television set. Seriously, how utterly excellent is this scene? Just put Keifer and Carlos in a room together for 24 hours... I'd happily watch the carnage that ensued. The dialogue crackles with venom and resentment and is fantastically written: kudos especially to Coto and Braga for including lines that take us way, way back through the mists of time to season one. And then, of course, it turns out he's not a terrorist after all. I'd normally be pounding my fists off the table about something like this but, well, we didn't really want Tony to have gone 'dark side' (to quote another favourite show of mine) did we? And this does mean we now get to see the fabulous James Morrison and Mary Lynn Rajskub again which is alright by me. Elsewhere, Sean turns out not to be the mole (probably), bringing the count of surprised viewers to a nice round zero and Dubaku makes a more than welcome return to our screens, threatening the poor President and everything. Another strong episode then, with the minimum of distractions to the central narrative. Things are looking good. Especially that Agent Gedge, he looks yummy......... 9.1
704: '11.00am - 12.00pm'
Wrs: David Fury & Alex Gansa
Dr: Brad Turner
Synopsis: Buchanan takes Jack to "CTU", a secret hideout where he and Chloe had been working with Tony to uncover the conspiracy within the US government. Tony had been undercover with the terrorists aiding Juma to discover the moles. Jack agrees to help get Tony back in play by joining Emerson's crew himself. Taylor is forced to meet with Matobo to inform him that she may be required to withdraw her forces from Sangala to protect American lives. Her Chief of Staff, Ethan Kanin, agrees with this decision, but Taylor is not yet convinced. Henry meets with Samantha, Roger's former girlfriend, who tells him that Roger was indeed murdered and provides him with proof.
Review: So the four hour treat for the eyes comes to a close with perhaps its weakest instalment. '11.00am - 12.00pm' feels like it's treading water a little, biding time before the big narrative tropes are hauled out. This is especially true of the Dubaku scenario which is hindered somewhat by the longevity of the time allowed for President Taylor to withdraw her troops from Sengala. Effectively, we're waiting around until the 1pm mark for a decision to be made or for any catastrophic action to take place. Yeah, that's right, all I wanna see is bloodshed baby... lots and lots of American bloodshed. Crash those planes now! Contaminate that water supply! Yeah! *ahem* There's much to enjoy here though: James Morrison and Mary Lynn Rajskub fall straight back into their respective roles as if they've never been away. While the 'mini CTU' is a little contrived, the actors pull it off with enough panache for us to forgive it... let's face it, why would we not want these wonderful characters back on our screens? Carlos Bernard continues to be at the top of his game and credit to the writers for not back-tracking entirely on Tony's 'wayward' status. This sort of nuance is exactly what is needed to make the players in 24 less like ciphers functioning to aid the plot, and more like believable human beings caught up in impossible situations. While Jack's infiltration of Emerson's group has been done countless times on the show before too (come on... undercover Jack? In what season have they not pulled that one out of the bag?!), Keifer does it so well that it still seems fresh. Henry's pursuit of the truth regarding his son's death also moves forward a few significant steps and it's continuing to intrigue, largely thanks to the talents of Colm Ferore, but what's the betting that the incredibly hunky Secret Service Agent Gedge is in on the whole thing? Ya boo hiss if he is. That man is TEH HOTNESS. 8.6
705: '12.00pm - 1.00pm'
Wrs: Howard Gordon & Evan Katz
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Jack and Tony use creative means to force Matobo out of his saferoom and prepare to leave with their captor when Agent Walker arrives on the scene, prompting Emerson to make some quick decisions. Agents Moss and Gold are sidetracked from their mission to find Walker when a representative from the Attorney General's office arrives to question them regarding the interrogation of Tanner. Henry receives new information about the death of his son when he follows a lead from Samantha Roth.
Review: A slightly slower episode than the opening two-day, four-hour salvo but an eminently enjoyable one nevertheless. The decision to concentrate the first twenty five minutes squarely on the 'flushing out' (if you'll pardon the expression) of Matobo is a stroke of genius, as it gives the narrative a headlong focus that strengthens the dramatic gravitas of the situation. It's a curious beast from a viewing perspective too, as one's allegiances are thrown completely out of alignment. Technically, we should be rooting for our protagonist(s) - the erstwhile dysfunctional dynamic duo of Tony and Jack - and willing them on to achieve their goal, but when their goal is to kidnap the peace-loving Prime Minister of a foreign country, regardless of whether or not their intentions are ultimately honourable, one inevitably finds oneself pulled in opposite directions; feeling ambivalence, if you will. You just can't help but secretly hope that Matobo and his wife find the secret trap door that lets them out of the panic room... it's only natural! And as if that wasn't enough, our sympathies are abused still further with the abduction of poor, sweet Renee who's currently on a 'Bauer = bad' kick... a problem only exaserbated by his assignment to, you know, kill her. These sequences play considerably well, in large part thanks to the considerable acting talents of all involved. Granted, the plot is all a bit season one (remember Nina beside all those wind turbine things? Ah, those were the days), and you just know Bauer'll find a way to save her, but it's all good, sincere fun and at least the production staff do a damn good job of representing the situation: the closing moments, juxtaposing shots from above and below of the dirt covering her face, and the clock counting down with the 'tick tocks' replaced by Renee's breathing, are just plain wonderful. This particular plot strand is certainly the best thing about the episode and thankfully, it makes up about three quarters of the whole.
Elsewhere, things are a little less appetising as things heat up at FBI HQ when we find out that Moss has the hots for Renee and Sean is having his way with Erika (a.k.a. 'some random') and no one actually cares (sorry, but romance is the last thing on any of our minds in the midst of a roller coaster ride of an international crisis... it's just distracting), then some idiotic beureaucrat from the Attorney General's office comes along and actively tries to hinder the resolution of a serious terrorist threat to the stability of the nation by asking to interview blatant mole sweet and innocent Janice about Renee's unsavoury 'interrogation' of Tanner. Which happened about fifteen minutes ago. Sorry guys, but come on... you're telling me that's enough time for the guy to file a complaint, for it to be registered and for it to be pursued IN PERSON? Gimme a break. These narrative strands are just frustrating for the viewer anyway and never prove to be enjoyable: they act as deviations, putting obstacles in the way of progressing the plot. And let's face it, 24 is about plot. No question about it. That's all we want. Really. Plot like Henry being poisoned by gorgeous, gorgeous Brian Gedge. Oh yeah, that wasn't telegraphed at all, was it? Shame really; every fibre of my being was screaming, "No! Not Gedge! Not that pretty face! Don't do this to us!", until I realised just how pathetic I was. I actually didn't mind this development, mostly as it allowed Colm Feore to do one of the most spectacular collapses in recent memory, but it was a bit bloody predictable, wasn't it?
Wow. That was a bit long. A good episode on the whole, mostly due to the A storyline being strong enough to propel the narrative forward in a satisfying manner. Cut down on the soap opera elements (which, to be fair, have been few and far between so far), get rid of buerecratic interference and give us more Dubaku, then I'd be a happy man. See, I don't even need Chloe and Bill... (but it would've been nice). 8.5
Wr: Howard Gordon
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Set and shot on location in Africa, Bauer and mentor Carl Benton battle an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, U.S. State Department officer Frank Tramell and Jonah Hodges are pulling the strings that will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven.
Review: Well this is a curious beast. The two hour, sorry, scratch that, 90 minute special prequel to season seven of 24 actually turns out to be more of a 'feature' than a standard two episodes of the programme; to borrow writer Howard Gordon's analogy, to be 'more of a Western than a conventional thriller'. And he's right: while there is action galore during the space of one harrowing day's 3pm til 5pm, Redemption is really about character... specifically, Jack's character. The narrative establishes Bauer's current mental state and situates it within the narratalogical geography of the show and then sets about taking him from this mental and physical space to that which he will inevitably be in in season seven. Over the course of the 'movie', he takes a journey from hiding from his past to confronting it head on, and it takes the catastrophic macrocosmic events that are going on around him in Sengala to allow him to make the change. Redemption makes no qualms about the fact that this is, first and foremost, Jack's psychological piece: the first half an hour (at least) is dedicated to establishing the relationship between he and his mentor, the wonderful, exemplary Robert Carlyle, and the actual terrorist threat doesn't really swing into gear until around 15:40 (except for that lovely, disturbing pre-title sequence: "kill the cock-a-roach!" is now a personal favourite quote). For the most part, this works well, giving the special an altogether different feel to the show on which it's based. This is also true of the cinematography: the contrast between Sengala and Washington simply couldn't be sharper. Visually, the African sequences are stunning, thanks to both a combination of the highly picturesque climate and the attention to detail by the production crew: even small things like hiring a lorry load of extras (mostly people off the street) to press up against the walls of the Embassy contribute significantly to the creation of a strong level of authenticity. The US scenes, of course, are far more drab: all whites, blacks and greys, but they have their charm too, in large part thanks to the brilliance of the actor playing the ex-drug addict who met a sad end far too soon, and the presence of Jon Voight. Jon Voight! Let's hope he shows up in season seven. Oh, and lest I forget, Peter MacNicol's back! And Powers Boothe! And... it looks like they won't be in the next season. Oh well. At least we got some astonishing performances out of both; Boothe, in particular, makes every scene he's in. Just look at how tired and weary he manages to appear without uttering a single breath when new President Alison Taylor is talking to him. It's astonishing. Cherry Jones is pretty damn good herself actually, coming across very stoic and strong-willed, and standing up well to the might of current President Daniels. Their scenes together are perhaps the most well written of the entire piece and are definitely to be savoured. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come in the White House and that season six's shaky start (thanks to the ill-informed placement of Wayne Palmer) has been firmly put to bed. Overall, this is a refreshingly different kind of 24 'episode', one that takes its time, lets its characters have room to breathe (and even, have a lie on the doctor's couch) and sets up some tantalising plot points for the future, while also delivering very well on the action, drama and suspense front in the later stages of its narrative. The cast is a dream - Robert Carlyle, Jon Voight, Tony Todd! - the visuals are stunning and Jack gets to brandish an AK-47. Honestly, what more could you possibly want? 9.0
701: '8am - 9am'
Wrs: Howard Gordon, Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Season seven opens with Jack Bauer before the US Senate, defending his actions throughout his career with CTU, mostly involving human rights crimes and torture of suspects. He is pulled away by FBI agents Renee Walker and Larry Moss, who need his help to quickly locate Tony Almeida, once thought dead, who appears to be masterminding a terrorist plot to override the government's CIP firewall and cause massive damage. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor struggles with how to best deal with the genocide unfolding in the African nation of Sangala under the command of General Juma. The First Gentleman, Henry Taylor, is distracted by a desire to prove that his son's recent suicide was in fact a murder.
Review: So it's all change in the high-adrenalin, hyper-tense world of television's greatest superhuman: CTU's gone kaput, the White House staff has had a complete overhaul including, shock, the culling of Peter MacNicol (hah! You thought I was going to mention the President of the female variety, didn't you? Well clearly, you didn't read the Redemption review. Get to it!), Tony Almeida's turned into a facial-hair sporting, overly stern gazing terrorist badass and poor Jack Bauer's caught up in a ludicrously right wing perception of a human rights violation trial. Which, well, despite my distaste at the completely one-sided depiction of it all, does give Kiefer Sutherland some rather nifty dialogue and is a somewhat refreshing change for the show. What a shame the FBI wander in and subpoena him, eh? I could watch 24 hours of Kiefer's soliloquies. Still, it all goes a bit pear-shaped once Bauer is, in his words, 'activated' (do you suppose someone presses a big red button on his back?!) and he has to set about thwarting Almeida's dastardly plans to tkae hold of the US' essential systems including, it seems, air traffic control. This particular threat is far more effective at raising the horror levels than the suitcase nukes and gas cannisters of seasons past as, really, it couldn't get much worse than planes falling out of the skies, heating, lighting and electricity being shut down and the water supply getting all contaminated.
The build-up of the threat to the plane is executed especially well - kudos to the writers and, notably, to Sean Callery whose thumping underscore keeps a fast pulse rate certain. This is actually true of the episode as a whole: everything moves along at just the right pace, taking time to set up new characters and scenarios but simultaneously ensuring that there is sufficient tense dramatic weight to stoke the viewer's interest. It's nice to see the crew thinking outside of the box and delivering some genuine surprises: while I'm sure there are thousands of Almeida fans up in arms about his 'turn', at least the move feels fresh and is actually convincingly depicted by the ever dependable Carlos Bernard. The female President, Alison Taylor, is also a welcome change of pace and it's good to see that the events of Redemption tie directly into the thread of the season-long narrative... but they killed the son! My God! I was sure that handsome young model was set to break female, and gay, hearts worldwide for a good 24 episodes. A solid, enjoyable start then and certainly a massive improvement from where we were at the end of year six. And it's got John Billingsley in it! It must be good! 9.0
702: '9am - 10am'
Teleplay: Evan Katz & Howard Gordon
Story: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Tony and his crew put their CIP override device to the test as they divert two planes in mid-air, nearly causing a collision and hundreds of casualties. With the successful test of the device, Tony's boss, Emerson, delivers it to General Juma who is planning to use it to blackmail the US. Jack follows up a lead with Renee but is convinced there is a leak inside the FBI when their suspect is shot dead by a sniper before he can give up any useful information. He is proven right when the fleeing shooter leads them to Tony's boat. Meanwhile, Taylor meets with former Sangalan president Matobo to convince him to hold Juma accountable for his crime in a proper court, not trial by angry mob. Henry continues his quest to find out the truth about his son by visiting his girlfriend, Samantha.
Review: With Renee and Bauer locked together like a well-oiled machine, it's time for the CTU veteran to teach the naive FBI stalwart a thing or two about how to get things done. After having shown her how a real agent does things by threatening that weird-looking Scottish dude with a pen at the end of '8am - 9am', now Jack really hits the high road (quite literally) by persuading her to deviate from Agent Moss' rather strict orders and follow him down the long, slippery road towards Senate hearings and prosecution. Yup, Renee's chasing Tanner (as it turns out is his name) in order to get to Almeida and co. and, crucially, no one knows. It's all rather thrilling really... if you put the fact that we've seen it all before to one side. Seriously, a mole? AGAIN? ALREADY? Oh sure, I know it was well established in Redemption that there's some significant corruption going on within the government but it all just feels a little too familiar for this embittered writer. And yeah, they've went with some faceless guy as the one responsible for getting Tanner out of there but I'd put money on him not being the only one in the office who's tipping off the terrorists. Who's your money on? Sean - the obvious, snivelling choice? Moss? RENEE? Mine's currently squarely on Janis, the new Chloe O'Brien... you're telling me she's really that naive? Come on! She's hiding something behind those spectacles and you know it... What else do we have to lap up? Oh yes, a fantastic opening fifteen minutes in which the dramatic tension is upped to breaking point as the bad guys almost crash a couple of planes into each other. I dunno about you, but I was squinting through almost fully closed eyes at that one. The Presidential and Bauer-led narratives are connected (as everyone knew they would be) with the introduction of Emerson, played to perfection by Peter Wingfield, and we get to see Matobo again (yay!) as Alison tries to her very hardest to ensure the polite removal of Juma from office, while juggling a national crisis at the same time. All very well written stuff, giving the impression of a well-rounded whole and, most importantly, that the writers know what they are doing. The show feels more cohesive than it has done in a long, long time and that is most definitely something to celebrate. 8.8
703: '10.00am - 11.00am'
Wrs: Manny Coto & Brannon Braga
Dr: Brad Turner
Synopsis: With Tony in custody, Jack leads his interrogation, but is shocked when a code word Tony whispers in his ear leads to old friends and a plot much deeper than anyone in the FBI anticipated. Jack once again takes the law into his own hands when he breaks Tony out of the FBI's custody to deliver him back to the terrorist faction. Renee asks FBI technician Janis Gold to try to uncover a possible leak in the agency, but Janis is terrified when her discoveries point to fellow analyst Sean Hillinger. Colonel Dubaku sends a message to Taylor, insisting that the US withdraw its forces from Sangala, or risk a terrible attack on their soil.
Review: Let's just take a moment to appreciate the unquestionable brilliance of Brad Turner's direction, shall we? Jon Cassar's good and all that but Mr. Turner, he knows how to push my 'squee like a fan boy on heat' buttons, and it's all in the presentation. The boxes. Yes, that may sound pedantic but they are one of 24's key features and something that sets the programme apart from every other two-bit terror fantasy on our screens. And sure, Cassar uses in 'em in his episodes but their appearance is sporadic, usually confined to telephone conversations or the post-break act openers. Turner, on the other hand, harks back to the 24 of old and throws split-screen everywhere: in the middle of scenes, during chases etc. etc., to give you either two simultaneous views of the same sequence of events or reveal what others are doing while the main action is occurring. It's wonderfully off-putting stuff, forcing the viewer to really pay attention and making your eyes look like they're dancing the world's most erratic jig. This used to be a particular favourite of season one executive producer Stephen Hopkins' and it works a treat: it is, after all, a completely unique viewing experience. *sigh* I suppose I should put aside production technicalities and talk about the episode. Bloody good, methinks. Jack and Renee get Tony back to FBI HQ and into an interrogation room and sparks bounce off the walls and straight through your television set. Seriously, how utterly excellent is this scene? Just put Keifer and Carlos in a room together for 24 hours... I'd happily watch the carnage that ensued. The dialogue crackles with venom and resentment and is fantastically written: kudos especially to Coto and Braga for including lines that take us way, way back through the mists of time to season one. And then, of course, it turns out he's not a terrorist after all. I'd normally be pounding my fists off the table about something like this but, well, we didn't really want Tony to have gone 'dark side' (to quote another favourite show of mine) did we? And this does mean we now get to see the fabulous James Morrison and Mary Lynn Rajskub again which is alright by me. Elsewhere, Sean turns out not to be the mole (probably), bringing the count of surprised viewers to a nice round zero and Dubaku makes a more than welcome return to our screens, threatening the poor President and everything. Another strong episode then, with the minimum of distractions to the central narrative. Things are looking good. Especially that Agent Gedge, he looks yummy......... 9.1
704: '11.00am - 12.00pm'
Wrs: David Fury & Alex Gansa
Dr: Brad Turner
Synopsis: Buchanan takes Jack to "CTU", a secret hideout where he and Chloe had been working with Tony to uncover the conspiracy within the US government. Tony had been undercover with the terrorists aiding Juma to discover the moles. Jack agrees to help get Tony back in play by joining Emerson's crew himself. Taylor is forced to meet with Matobo to inform him that she may be required to withdraw her forces from Sangala to protect American lives. Her Chief of Staff, Ethan Kanin, agrees with this decision, but Taylor is not yet convinced. Henry meets with Samantha, Roger's former girlfriend, who tells him that Roger was indeed murdered and provides him with proof.
Review: So the four hour treat for the eyes comes to a close with perhaps its weakest instalment. '11.00am - 12.00pm' feels like it's treading water a little, biding time before the big narrative tropes are hauled out. This is especially true of the Dubaku scenario which is hindered somewhat by the longevity of the time allowed for President Taylor to withdraw her troops from Sengala. Effectively, we're waiting around until the 1pm mark for a decision to be made or for any catastrophic action to take place. Yeah, that's right, all I wanna see is bloodshed baby... lots and lots of American bloodshed. Crash those planes now! Contaminate that water supply! Yeah! *ahem* There's much to enjoy here though: James Morrison and Mary Lynn Rajskub fall straight back into their respective roles as if they've never been away. While the 'mini CTU' is a little contrived, the actors pull it off with enough panache for us to forgive it... let's face it, why would we not want these wonderful characters back on our screens? Carlos Bernard continues to be at the top of his game and credit to the writers for not back-tracking entirely on Tony's 'wayward' status. This sort of nuance is exactly what is needed to make the players in 24 less like ciphers functioning to aid the plot, and more like believable human beings caught up in impossible situations. While Jack's infiltration of Emerson's group has been done countless times on the show before too (come on... undercover Jack? In what season have they not pulled that one out of the bag?!), Keifer does it so well that it still seems fresh. Henry's pursuit of the truth regarding his son's death also moves forward a few significant steps and it's continuing to intrigue, largely thanks to the talents of Colm Ferore, but what's the betting that the incredibly hunky Secret Service Agent Gedge is in on the whole thing? Ya boo hiss if he is. That man is TEH HOTNESS. 8.6
705: '12.00pm - 1.00pm'
Wrs: Howard Gordon & Evan Katz
Dr: Jon Cassar
Synopsis: Jack and Tony use creative means to force Matobo out of his saferoom and prepare to leave with their captor when Agent Walker arrives on the scene, prompting Emerson to make some quick decisions. Agents Moss and Gold are sidetracked from their mission to find Walker when a representative from the Attorney General's office arrives to question them regarding the interrogation of Tanner. Henry receives new information about the death of his son when he follows a lead from Samantha Roth.
Review: A slightly slower episode than the opening two-day, four-hour salvo but an eminently enjoyable one nevertheless. The decision to concentrate the first twenty five minutes squarely on the 'flushing out' (if you'll pardon the expression) of Matobo is a stroke of genius, as it gives the narrative a headlong focus that strengthens the dramatic gravitas of the situation. It's a curious beast from a viewing perspective too, as one's allegiances are thrown completely out of alignment. Technically, we should be rooting for our protagonist(s) - the erstwhile dysfunctional dynamic duo of Tony and Jack - and willing them on to achieve their goal, but when their goal is to kidnap the peace-loving Prime Minister of a foreign country, regardless of whether or not their intentions are ultimately honourable, one inevitably finds oneself pulled in opposite directions; feeling ambivalence, if you will. You just can't help but secretly hope that Matobo and his wife find the secret trap door that lets them out of the panic room... it's only natural! And as if that wasn't enough, our sympathies are abused still further with the abduction of poor, sweet Renee who's currently on a 'Bauer = bad' kick... a problem only exaserbated by his assignment to, you know, kill her. These sequences play considerably well, in large part thanks to the considerable acting talents of all involved. Granted, the plot is all a bit season one (remember Nina beside all those wind turbine things? Ah, those were the days), and you just know Bauer'll find a way to save her, but it's all good, sincere fun and at least the production staff do a damn good job of representing the situation: the closing moments, juxtaposing shots from above and below of the dirt covering her face, and the clock counting down with the 'tick tocks' replaced by Renee's breathing, are just plain wonderful. This particular plot strand is certainly the best thing about the episode and thankfully, it makes up about three quarters of the whole.
Elsewhere, things are a little less appetising as things heat up at FBI HQ when we find out that Moss has the hots for Renee and Sean is having his way with Erika (a.k.a. 'some random') and no one actually cares (sorry, but romance is the last thing on any of our minds in the midst of a roller coaster ride of an international crisis... it's just distracting), then some idiotic beureaucrat from the Attorney General's office comes along and actively tries to hinder the resolution of a serious terrorist threat to the stability of the nation by asking to interview blatant mole sweet and innocent Janice about Renee's unsavoury 'interrogation' of Tanner. Which happened about fifteen minutes ago. Sorry guys, but come on... you're telling me that's enough time for the guy to file a complaint, for it to be registered and for it to be pursued IN PERSON? Gimme a break. These narrative strands are just frustrating for the viewer anyway and never prove to be enjoyable: they act as deviations, putting obstacles in the way of progressing the plot. And let's face it, 24 is about plot. No question about it. That's all we want. Really. Plot like Henry being poisoned by gorgeous, gorgeous Brian Gedge. Oh yeah, that wasn't telegraphed at all, was it? Shame really; every fibre of my being was screaming, "No! Not Gedge! Not that pretty face! Don't do this to us!", until I realised just how pathetic I was. I actually didn't mind this development, mostly as it allowed Colm Feore to do one of the most spectacular collapses in recent memory, but it was a bit bloody predictable, wasn't it?
Wow. That was a bit long. A good episode on the whole, mostly due to the A storyline being strong enough to propel the narrative forward in a satisfying manner. Cut down on the soap opera elements (which, to be fair, have been few and far between so far), get rid of buerecratic interference and give us more Dubaku, then I'd be a happy man. See, I don't even need Chloe and Bill... (but it would've been nice). 8.5
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