Idlewild Tour Diary 2010 - Part 2 - Idlewild's MySpace Blog |
No sooner have I begun intricately scrutinising the band's setlists over the last two months, and ranting and raving about just how amazing they are as a live band to any poor sucker who'll listen, than Roddy posts this on the band's MySpace page. A little bit disconcerting, it must be said, but let's not jump to any hasty conclusions for the moment. Still, it does make the final two shows that I'm attending on this tour - Carlisle tonight and Newcastle on Monday (appropriately enough) - rather more poignant. Let's make the most of it guys!
Saturday 24 April 2010
Friday 23 April 2010
Somewhat Insane Pursuit of Idlewild 2010: Setlist analysis
It's a little sad I know, but the tracks on every Idlewild album are listed below (plus a few B-sides), and beside each is how many times I've seen them play the respective song on my seven-date tour. It's currently incomplete, as I'm two gigs away from the end, but it does provide a very good demonstration of how dramatically the band are willing to shake up their sets. Here we go...
Captain (and others)
Self-Healer:
Annihilate Now!: 1
Satan Polaroid: 1
Last Night I Missed All The Fireworks:
Captain: 3
You Just Have To Be Who You Are:
Queen of the Troubled Teens:
Chandelier:
A Distant History:
= 3 different tracks, 5 performances
Hope Is Important
You've Lost Your Way:
A Film for the Future: 1
Paint Nothing: 2
When I Argue I See Shapes: 4
4 People Do Good: 1
I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight: 1
Everyone Says You're So Fragile: 4
I'm A Message: 2
You Don't Have The Heart:
Close the Door:
Safe and Sound:
Low Light:
= 7 different tracks, 15 performances
100 Broken Windows
Little Discourage: 5
I Don't Have The Map: 1
These Wooden Ideas:
Roseability: 6
Idea Track: 1
Let Me Sleep (Next to the Mirror): 1
Listen To What You've Got: 2
Actually It's Darkness: 3
Rusty: 2
Mistake Pageant:
Quiet Crown: 1
The Bronze Medal: 1
= 10 different tracks, 23 performances
The Remote Part
You Held The World In Your Arms: 6
A Modern Way of Letting Go: 6
American English: 2
I Never Wanted:
I Am What I Am Not:
Live In A Hiding Place: 4
Out of Routine: 1
Century After Century:
Tell Me Ten Words: 3
Stay the Same:
In Remote Part: 6
= 7 different tracks, 28 performances
Warnings/Promises
Love Steals Us From Loneliness: 4
Welcome Home:
I Want A Warning:
I Understand It: 1
As If I Hadn't Slept:
Too Long Awake: 3
Not Just Sometimes But Always: 1
The Space Between All Things:
El Capitan:
Blame It On The Obvious Ways: 4
Disconnected: 1
Goodnight:
= 6 different tracks, 14 performances
Make Another World
In Competition for the Worst Time: 3
Everything (As It Moves):
No Emotion: 4
Make Another World: 3
If It Takes You Home:
Future Works: 1
You and I Are Both Away:
A Ghost in the Arcade: 1
Once In Your Life: 1
Finished It Remains:
= 6 different tracks, 13 performances
Post-Electric Blues
Younger Than America: 6
Readers and Writers: 6
City Hall: 6
The Night Will Bring You Back To Life: 1
Dreams of Nothing: 1
Take Me Back To The Islands:
Post-Electric: 3
All Over The Town:
To Be Forgotten:
Circles in Stars:
Take Me Back In Time:
No Wiser:
= 6 different tracks, 23 performances
So, out of the 121 songs that I've seen Idlewild perform over five gigs, 45 have been different. That's pretty gosh darn good going, especially when you consider that most bands will alter only one or two songs within their sets. Day to day, Idlewild generally change 40-50% of their setlist. Impressive stuff. There are also only seven songs that they've played at each of the gigs. These are: Younger Than America, Readers and Writers, City Hall, You Held The World In Your Arms, A Modern Way of Letting Go, In Remote Part and Roseability.
I lead a very riveting existence, don't I?
Captain (and others)
Self-Healer:
Annihilate Now!: 1
Satan Polaroid: 1
Last Night I Missed All The Fireworks:
Captain: 3
You Just Have To Be Who You Are:
Queen of the Troubled Teens:
Chandelier:
A Distant History:
= 3 different tracks, 5 performances
Hope Is Important
You've Lost Your Way:
A Film for the Future: 1
Paint Nothing: 2
When I Argue I See Shapes: 4
4 People Do Good: 1
I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight: 1
Everyone Says You're So Fragile: 4
I'm A Message: 2
You Don't Have The Heart:
Close the Door:
Safe and Sound:
Low Light:
= 7 different tracks, 15 performances
100 Broken Windows
Little Discourage: 5
I Don't Have The Map: 1
These Wooden Ideas:
Roseability: 6
Idea Track: 1
Let Me Sleep (Next to the Mirror): 1
Listen To What You've Got: 2
Actually It's Darkness: 3
Rusty: 2
Mistake Pageant:
Quiet Crown: 1
The Bronze Medal: 1
= 10 different tracks, 23 performances
The Remote Part
You Held The World In Your Arms: 6
A Modern Way of Letting Go: 6
American English: 2
I Never Wanted:
I Am What I Am Not:
Live In A Hiding Place: 4
Out of Routine: 1
Century After Century:
Tell Me Ten Words: 3
Stay the Same:
In Remote Part: 6
= 7 different tracks, 28 performances
Warnings/Promises
Love Steals Us From Loneliness: 4
Welcome Home:
I Want A Warning:
I Understand It: 1
As If I Hadn't Slept:
Too Long Awake: 3
Not Just Sometimes But Always: 1
The Space Between All Things:
El Capitan:
Blame It On The Obvious Ways: 4
Disconnected: 1
Goodnight:
= 6 different tracks, 14 performances
Make Another World
In Competition for the Worst Time: 3
Everything (As It Moves):
No Emotion: 4
Make Another World: 3
If It Takes You Home:
Future Works: 1
You and I Are Both Away:
A Ghost in the Arcade: 1
Once In Your Life: 1
Finished It Remains:
= 6 different tracks, 13 performances
Post-Electric Blues
Younger Than America: 6
Readers and Writers: 6
City Hall: 6
The Night Will Bring You Back To Life: 1
Dreams of Nothing: 1
Take Me Back To The Islands:
Post-Electric: 3
All Over The Town:
To Be Forgotten:
Circles in Stars:
Take Me Back In Time:
No Wiser:
= 6 different tracks, 23 performances
So, out of the 121 songs that I've seen Idlewild perform over five gigs, 45 have been different. That's pretty gosh darn good going, especially when you consider that most bands will alter only one or two songs within their sets. Day to day, Idlewild generally change 40-50% of their setlist. Impressive stuff. There are also only seven songs that they've played at each of the gigs. These are: Younger Than America, Readers and Writers, City Hall, You Held The World In Your Arms, A Modern Way of Letting Go, In Remote Part and Roseability.
I lead a very riveting existence, don't I?
Somewhat Insane Pursuit of Idlewild 2010: setlists
Plymouth Hippo, 06/03/10
Younger Than America
Readers and Writers
You Held The World In Your Arms
Listen To What You've Got
Tell Me Ten Words
Roseability
Too Long Awake
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
The Night Will Bring You Back To Life
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Let Me Sleep (Next To The Mirror)
Live In A Hiding Place
City Hall
Post-Electric
The Bronze Medal
----------------------
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
Actually It's Darkness
In Remote Part (with Scottish Fiction at the end!)
Post-Electric Blues: 5
Make Another World: 0
Warnings/Promises: 3
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 5
Hope Is Important: 1
Captain/others: 0
Preston 53 Degrees, 12/03/10
Younger Than America
You Held The World In Your Arms
Roseability
Readers and Writers
Make Another World
Live In A Hiding Place
Post-Electric
Too Long Awake
Tell Me Ten Words
Idea Track
Rusty
Out of Routine
Disconnected
City Hall
In Competition for the Worst Time
Little Discourage
Not Just Sometimes But Always
----
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Paint Nothing
Satan Polaroid
Captain
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 3
The Remote Part: 6
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 1
Captain/others: 2
York, Fibbers, 16/04/10
City Hall
Younger Than America
Roseability
Little Discourage
You Held The World In Your Arms
Live In A Hiding Place
Tell Me Ten Words
Readers and Writers
Actually It's Darkness
Quiet Crown
In Competition for the Worst Time
No Emotion
When I Argue I See Shapes
I'm A Message
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
In Remote Part
-----------------------
Too Long Awake
Captain
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Post-Electric Blues: 3
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 3
Captain/others: 1
Crewe, The Box, 17/04/10
Younger Than America
Readers and Writers
Make Another World
A Film for the Future
Annihilate Now!
Live In A Hiding Place
I Understand It
Actually It's Darkness
Rusty
Little Discourage
American English
Roseability
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
City Hall
When I Argue I See Shapes
You Held The World In Your Arms
Post-Electric
--------------------
A Modern Way of Letting Go
No Emotion
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 2
Captain/others: 1
Manchester, Moho Live, 18/04/10
Readers and Writers
City Hall
In Competition for the Worst Time
Listen To What You've Got
Roseability
I Don't Have The Map
Once In Your Life
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
No Emotion
4 People Do Good
Paint Nothing
Future Works
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Younger Than America
Little Discourage
-----------------------
You Held The World In Your Arms
When I Argue I See Shapes
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 3
Make Another World: 4
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 3
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 4
Captain/others: 0
Carlisle, The Brickyard, 24/04/10
Little Discourage
I'm A Message
Make Another World
No Emotion
Readers and Writers
You Held The World In Your Arms
Younger Than America
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
Dreams of Nothing
When I Argue I See Shapes
I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight
A Ghost in the Arcade
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Roseability
In Remote Part
-----------------------------
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
City Hall
American English
Captain
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 3
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 4
100 Broken Windows: 2
Hope Is Important: 4
Captain/others: 1
Younger Than America
Readers and Writers
You Held The World In Your Arms
Listen To What You've Got
Tell Me Ten Words
Roseability
Too Long Awake
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
The Night Will Bring You Back To Life
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Let Me Sleep (Next To The Mirror)
Live In A Hiding Place
City Hall
Post-Electric
The Bronze Medal
----------------------
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
Actually It's Darkness
In Remote Part (with Scottish Fiction at the end!)
Post-Electric Blues: 5
Make Another World: 0
Warnings/Promises: 3
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 5
Hope Is Important: 1
Captain/others: 0
Preston 53 Degrees, 12/03/10
Younger Than America
You Held The World In Your Arms
Roseability
Readers and Writers
Make Another World
Live In A Hiding Place
Post-Electric
Too Long Awake
Tell Me Ten Words
Idea Track
Rusty
Out of Routine
Disconnected
City Hall
In Competition for the Worst Time
Little Discourage
Not Just Sometimes But Always
----
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Paint Nothing
Satan Polaroid
Captain
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 3
The Remote Part: 6
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 1
Captain/others: 2
York, Fibbers, 16/04/10
City Hall
Younger Than America
Roseability
Little Discourage
You Held The World In Your Arms
Live In A Hiding Place
Tell Me Ten Words
Readers and Writers
Actually It's Darkness
Quiet Crown
In Competition for the Worst Time
No Emotion
When I Argue I See Shapes
I'm A Message
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
In Remote Part
-----------------------
Too Long Awake
Captain
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Post-Electric Blues: 3
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 3
Captain/others: 1
Crewe, The Box, 17/04/10
Younger Than America
Readers and Writers
Make Another World
A Film for the Future
Annihilate Now!
Live In A Hiding Place
I Understand It
Actually It's Darkness
Rusty
Little Discourage
American English
Roseability
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
City Hall
When I Argue I See Shapes
You Held The World In Your Arms
Post-Electric
--------------------
A Modern Way of Letting Go
No Emotion
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 2
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 5
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 2
Captain/others: 1
Manchester, Moho Live, 18/04/10
Readers and Writers
City Hall
In Competition for the Worst Time
Listen To What You've Got
Roseability
I Don't Have The Map
Once In Your Life
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
No Emotion
4 People Do Good
Paint Nothing
Future Works
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
Younger Than America
Little Discourage
-----------------------
You Held The World In Your Arms
When I Argue I See Shapes
In Remote Part
Post-Electric Blues: 3
Make Another World: 4
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 3
100 Broken Windows: 4
Hope Is Important: 4
Captain/others: 0
Carlisle, The Brickyard, 24/04/10
Little Discourage
I'm A Message
Make Another World
No Emotion
Readers and Writers
You Held The World In Your Arms
Younger Than America
Love Steals Us From Loneliness
Dreams of Nothing
When I Argue I See Shapes
I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight
A Ghost in the Arcade
Blame It On The Obvious Ways
A Modern Way of Letting Go
Roseability
In Remote Part
-----------------------------
Everyone Says You're So Fragile
City Hall
American English
Captain
Post-Electric Blues: 4
Make Another World: 3
Warnings/Promises: 2
The Remote Part: 4
100 Broken Windows: 2
Hope Is Important: 4
Captain/others: 1
Sunday 11 April 2010
An apology
Due to the onset of swollen glands, the need to prepare for POKE, work being slightly chaotic and my busyness in general, I have, as yet, been able to find the time to compose the 24 and Lost reviews this week, never mind thinking about watching Fringe or the three episodes of FlashForward that I have stashed away. I'm hoping I'll be able to write bits and pieces here and there but I fear I'm going to be playing catch-up for quite some time, given that gigging gets all crazy again as of this week. So, in an attempt to make up for the inevitable dearth, I'll give a few teasing comments on both shows.
24 shows a major, major improvement in the double bill. In fact, that's the most fun I've had watching the show this entire season, I think. Both episodes are well structured, have a strong dramatic focal point and, crucially, ramp up the tension without really deviating too much. There are still problems, most of which centre around DanaMole (is it truly necessary to basically just repeat the Nina story ad nauseum?) but for the most part, this is decidedly entertaining stuff. And with a neat ending too. Glad they went there.
'Happily Ever After' is a little underwhelming, in truth. This is probably due to the fact that we've been spoiled rotten by prior Desmond episodes; they're usually cutting edge, 'out-of-the-box' mindbenders, whereas this one's somewhat run-of-the-mill. Oh sure, it's his story that sees the sideways flashes used as an actual plot point in themselves but we have to wade through a fairly bog-standard chase narrative with Charlie to get there. It's good to see Dominic again but for the most part, his story is a bit... meh. The essential point of Desmond's alternate storyline is also just a basic retread of the motifs in 'Flashes Before Your Eyes' and 'The Constant': he has to find his way back to Penny. Yeah, they're soulmates. Their lives are intertwined. They're meant to be. We get it! And it's rather frustrating to see Lost teasing us with such glee at this late stage in the game; Ellouise's convenient skirting of the issues just makes you want to tear your hair out in frustration. There's a lot of good in the episode of course, particularly what we see on-Island, but I dunno... I guess I just expected better.
Hope that keeps anyone who's interested ticking over until I can catch myself up. Sorry again!
24 shows a major, major improvement in the double bill. In fact, that's the most fun I've had watching the show this entire season, I think. Both episodes are well structured, have a strong dramatic focal point and, crucially, ramp up the tension without really deviating too much. There are still problems, most of which centre around DanaMole (is it truly necessary to basically just repeat the Nina story ad nauseum?) but for the most part, this is decidedly entertaining stuff. And with a neat ending too. Glad they went there.
'Happily Ever After' is a little underwhelming, in truth. This is probably due to the fact that we've been spoiled rotten by prior Desmond episodes; they're usually cutting edge, 'out-of-the-box' mindbenders, whereas this one's somewhat run-of-the-mill. Oh sure, it's his story that sees the sideways flashes used as an actual plot point in themselves but we have to wade through a fairly bog-standard chase narrative with Charlie to get there. It's good to see Dominic again but for the most part, his story is a bit... meh. The essential point of Desmond's alternate storyline is also just a basic retread of the motifs in 'Flashes Before Your Eyes' and 'The Constant': he has to find his way back to Penny. Yeah, they're soulmates. Their lives are intertwined. They're meant to be. We get it! And it's rather frustrating to see Lost teasing us with such glee at this late stage in the game; Ellouise's convenient skirting of the issues just makes you want to tear your hair out in frustration. There's a lot of good in the episode of course, particularly what we see on-Island, but I dunno... I guess I just expected better.
Hope that keeps anyone who's interested ticking over until I can catch myself up. Sorry again!
Where were you when life got defeated?
Click the delightful little image above for a selection of photos from The Kissaway Trail's performance at The Cluny in Newcastle on Monday 8th March, and also for some from Josh Rouse's show at the Club Academy in Manchester on Thursday March 25th.
Light! It! Up!
Click the rather delightful little image below for a selection of photographs from the Blood Red Shoes gig at Newcastle's 02 Academy 2 on Thursday 11th March.
POKE April setlist (09/04/10)
Lindstrom and Christabelle: Looking for What
Little Dragon: Runabout
Bonobo: Days to Come
Dr John: Qualified
Howling Bells: Low Happening
Martina Topley-Bird: Ragga
Moderat: Rusty Nails
Chew Lips: Slick
Hot Hot Heat: Bandages
The Kissaway Trail: New Lipstick
Grandaddy: AM 180
Idlewild: Younger Than America
fun.: All The Pretty Girls
Frankie and the Heartstrings: Hunger
The Pipettes: Pull Shapes
The Dresden Dolls: Shores of California
Ben Folds: Annie Waits
Death Cab for Cutie: No Sunlight
Tilly and the Wall: Pot Kettle Black
Susan Fassbender: Twilight Cafe
Talking Heads: Psycho Killer
Black Kids: Hit the Heartbreaks
Annie: Heartbeat (Phones Mix)
Devo: Satsifaction
Beck: Cell Phone's Dead (Lidell Remix)
Metronomy: Heartbreaker
Roots Manuva: Witness the Fitness
Jaydiohead: 99 Anthems
Ani DiFranco: Alla This
Eels: Novocaine for the Soul
Peggy Lee: I Enjoy Being A Girl
Everything Everything: Suffragette Suffragette
Wax Audio: Dissolved By the Water All These Years
The Maccabees: Dinosaurs
Elvis Costello: Lipstick Vogue
Los Campesinos!: My Year In Lists
Foals: Two Steps Twice
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart: Young Adult Friction
We Are Scientists: After Hours
Joy Division: She's Lost Control
The Pixies: Monkey Gone To Heaven
The Smiths: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Echo and the Bunnymen: Seven Seas
Bruce Springsteen: Dancing in the Dark
Neneh Cherry: Buffalo Stance
Peaches: Boys Wanna Be Her
Vampire Weekend: Giving Up the Gun
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Zero
ESG: Dance
Headman: Dirt (C90 Remix)
The Cure: Boys Don't Cry
New Young Pony Club: Chaos
David Bowie: Suffragette City
Bloc Party: Banquet
Moloko: Pure Pleasure Seeker
Kate Bush: Sat In Your Lap
Royksopp: This Must Be It
Klaxons: Golden Skans
Yeasayer: Rome
Pulp: Babies
Suede: Trash
The Big Pink: Dominos
The Temper Trap: Sweet Disposition
Florence and the Machine: Dog Days Are Over
Mumford and Sons: Little Lion Man
The Postal Service: Such Great Heights
Maximo Park: Our Velocity
The Futureheads: Area
Interpol: Evil
Yeasayer: One
Passion Pit: Folds In Your Hands
French Horn Rebellion: Up All Night
MIA: Jimmy
Plaza: Dancing Shoes
Baby's Gang: Challenger
New Young Pony Club: Ice Cream
Sally Shapiro: Skating in the Moonshine (Solvent Mix)
Basement Jaxx: Plug It In
The Postal Service: Clark Gable
Blur: Girls and Boys
Goldfrapp: Lovely 2 C U
MGMT: Kids
The Stranglers: No More Heroes
The Young Knives: Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)
The Clash: I Fought The Law
Sex Pistols: Anarchy in the UK
X-Ray Spex: The Day the World Turned Day-Glo
Ramones: The KKK Took My Baby Away
The Jam: Start!
Blondie: Sunday Girl
The Cure: Inbetween Days
Monday 5 April 2010
Television review: Desperate Housewives #618: 'My Two Young Men'
618: 'My Two Young Men'
Wr: Bob Daily
Dr: David Grossman
Synopsis: Susan and Gabrielle go to extreme and shameless lenghts to top each other's kids, whereas Bree invites Sam (guest star Sam Page) over for a family dinner. A party is thrown for Mrs. McCluskey after she beats cancer, and Lynette thinks there is more to Preston's fiancée (guest star Helena Mattsson as Irina) than she's letting on. Meanwhile, Katherine comes out of the closet, though not willingly.
Review: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the most underwhelming Housewives reveal since Psycho Dave first set his sights on Mike Delfino; yes folks, you guessed it, the worst kept secret in Hollywood is finally unveiled in 'My Two Young Men' as ol' fancy-pants himself, John 'I'm gay, you know' Barrowman graces our screens for the first time, playing (you'll never guess) Patrick Logan, Angie Bolan's former nemesis and much-regretted sexual partner. The man who single-handedly transformed the brand spanking incarnation of Doctor Who into a tongue-in-cheek polysexual love fest and made Torchwood the closest thing to a hedonistic queer orgy that you're probably able to get away with at 10pm on BBC3 is well and truly 'in da haus', rocking the boat and sending shivers up and down our spines as he brutally murders Angie's mother's neighbour-cum-treacherous informant for no good reason other than to seem a bit menacing. God love Marc Cherry, eh? He always casts his super-celebs in befitting roles and has never once hired anyone purely out of a desperate desire for ratings and publicity. Nope, definitely. Not.
Such sarcasm is perhaps a little unfair on our Barrowman, mind. He's perfectly passable here, delivering a performance that, while certainly no stranger to hyperbole, is no more ridiculous than anything else we've come to expect from this most amateur dramatic of shows. In fact, this is probably more understated than most of us expected; it's an interesting decision to have him play the villain and it's a challenge to which he seems quite determined to rise. His charming veneer is a good offset to the sinister sociopath underneath, and the calm, concentrated approach through which he channels his dialogue has a somewhat unnerving effect, unsettling the viewer slightly so that his ultimate turn has a greater impact. Barrowman has enough of a solid skill set to make this role work and to provide some genuine menace, so hopefully, Cherry and co. will rein in their penchant for bombast and grafted-on drama and allow the portrayal to work for itself. Currently, the scenario has a considerable degree of promise, given that it remains relatively shrouded in mystery (it is still unclear whether Julie's attempted murder is connected to this, and the Bolen history requires a great deal of fleshing out), so hopefully, we'll see a notable upturn in the amount of screen time devoted to it, and at the very least, a relatively believable delineation of the issues surrounding eco-terrorism. If Cherry and his band of Merry Men (and Women) take enough time and have sufficient patience to research their topic, this could actually be quite entertaining. Unfortunately, if weeks past are any indication, chances are they'll botch the whole thing and Angie and Patrick will just kick a load of bins around Wysteria Lane for a few weeks.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. This particular aspect of the plot is one of the stronger elements of 'All the Young Men', standing neatly alongside Bree's narrative and certain features of the ever-blossoming relationship between Katherine and Robin. Yes, you read that right folks, that's praise for the lesbianism right there. And no, it's not just because we're about to promptly get rid of it for a little while; it's for the sensitivity with which the issue is handled here. There's a strong undercurrent of believability running the course of the plot, allowing both characters to come to life far more than they have since the scissoring began (okay, okay, I'm sorry...) Katherine's reluctance to openly out herself is completely in keeping with her personality, while Robin's determination to show everyone how happy she is fits well with what's been established about her. When Katherine ultimately asks her to leave, it's one of the most human moments that Housewives has provided in quite some time. And even though the moment is qualified by Mayfair deciding to elope with her, this doesn't negate the scene's impact. If anything, it strengthens it; here, finally, we have a sudden same sex relationship that doesn't balk at the first sign of commitment, that isn't subjected to the restoration of heteronormative equilibrium. Hopefully, Cherry won't simply return Katherine to the Lane in a few weeks in a heartbroken state and have her fall straight into the arms of the nearest gym-happy hunk. Fingers crossed.
Equally as surprising is Bree's story, in which there are aspects that actually manage to be relatively engaging. The resurgence of Rex, the restoration of his importance to Mrs. Van Der Kamp, is certainly welcome as not only does it allow for a considerable level of fond nostalgia, but it also gives a better grounding to Bree as a character. Marcia Cross is superb here, perfectly evoking the melancholic joy and pain of a woman who has so potently loved and lost. It's a good reminder of from whence the show has came, and the reasons why we fell in love with Marcia's character in the first place. It also offers Shawn Pyfrom and Joy Lauren a chance to take a trip down memory lane and play the sort of beats that their characters seemed to lose a long, long time ago. There's a thoroughly believable sense of tension permeating every scene involving Sam, and certainly no more so than in the moderately amusing dinner sequence. Sadly, the writers do lapse into their usual hyperbolic selves at times: Andrew's ill-fated attempt to play guitar is one such hideous display, while the lingering, sinister looks that Sam throws to, well, no one in particular since they are a rubbish semiotic attempt to infer that there's more to him than meets the eye, are rather laughable. The jury is certainly out on whether this is a sensible development; when it was revealed that the guy was more than a creepy groupie determined to become Bree's son by proxy, the story seemed salvaged from mediocrity. Now, however, it seems that this may have been the writers' plan all along... and the only thing saving it from proving utterly abhorrent is the suggestion that Orson and Andrew might be working together in the weeks to come, and this could be an interesting coupling. Of course, this is small fry compared to what the story could turn into, so it's probably going to take a lot more to fix the problem if it occurs.
For a great number of these stories, success is predicated on the fact that they have yet to prove problematic; the potential is there for complete and utter disaster but thankfully, Housewives hasn't yet turned those corners. Certainly, this is a less than desirable format; we're essentially just waiting for the programme to disappoint and applauding, apprehensively, when it doesn't. However, this is arguably far more preferable than the considerable amount of dross that fills up the rest of the hour, as first Lynette's and then Gabrielle and Susan's joint narratives threaten to suck the life and soul out of the party and leave the viewer desperate to sew up their own eyelids with a pine needle. Yes, the 'extraneous character whose true intentions are hidden from the one person who should be able to see them' simply refuses to die, offering up a plot that is as predictable as the transformation of night into day. She's bringing the wedding forward and there's nothing Lynette can do about it! Any objections simply... lead to further estrangement from her son! They... manage to successfully manoeuvre around any and every obstacle thrown their way! Well, whaddya know, huh? A plot that stretches itself out for the maximum amount of time without ever proving even the remotest bit challenging or satisfying, and that will unquestionably fizzle out in two weeks time when Lynette finally gets through to Preston. How riveting!
This all just feels so pointless precisely because we know it will have no lasting impact. It is simply more contrived upset for its own sake; there's nothing here that has added or will add anything to the palate of the characters involved. And the less said about that absolute travesty of a plot involving the Solis and Delfino kids the better; seriously, are they really doing this again? Mere weeks after the last ridiculous competition between the two? You know, the one about beavers and monkeys or whatever that just wasn't funny? Well, what do you know... it's equally as banal again, bereft of any semblance of comedy whatsoever. In fact, it even manages to be rather insulting as MJ's mother makes him sit in a wheelchair for crying out loud, and pretend to be a bloody disabled boy in an attempt to sell some cookies! I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that Gabrielle, yet alone Susan, would stoop so low. Honestly, this is all just pointless, humourless filler that wastes a great deal of valuable time and manages to insult the viewer's intelligence simultaneously. For God's sake, do something different for a change, Housewives. Don't rehash plots that were bloody awful to begin with!
'My Two Young Men' is something of a curate's egg. While the episode continues to demonstrate the writing staff's apparent inability to create something wholly fresh and interesting, resorting in at least two of their narratives to ripping themselves off shamelessly and doing a decidedly botched job of it, at the same time, there are certain elements that manage to both engage and provide a semblance of hope for the remainder of the season. In a shocking twist, the show actually deals with its ratings-grabbing same sex romance in a surprisingly sensitive and believable fashion (let's put aside Lee's reference to 'speedo season', shall we?), while the debut appearance of John Barrowman and the development of Bree's storyline are both notably well handled. All of these stories have the potential to go off the deep end but thankfully, Housewives appears to be hedging its bets for the time being and resisting the temptation to descend into complete banality. Hope for the future, then, but with a great deal to improve upon in the present. 6.8
Wr: Bob Daily
Dr: David Grossman
Synopsis: Susan and Gabrielle go to extreme and shameless lenghts to top each other's kids, whereas Bree invites Sam (guest star Sam Page) over for a family dinner. A party is thrown for Mrs. McCluskey after she beats cancer, and Lynette thinks there is more to Preston's fiancée (guest star Helena Mattsson as Irina) than she's letting on. Meanwhile, Katherine comes out of the closet, though not willingly.
Review: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the most underwhelming Housewives reveal since Psycho Dave first set his sights on Mike Delfino; yes folks, you guessed it, the worst kept secret in Hollywood is finally unveiled in 'My Two Young Men' as ol' fancy-pants himself, John 'I'm gay, you know' Barrowman graces our screens for the first time, playing (you'll never guess) Patrick Logan, Angie Bolan's former nemesis and much-regretted sexual partner. The man who single-handedly transformed the brand spanking incarnation of Doctor Who into a tongue-in-cheek polysexual love fest and made Torchwood the closest thing to a hedonistic queer orgy that you're probably able to get away with at 10pm on BBC3 is well and truly 'in da haus', rocking the boat and sending shivers up and down our spines as he brutally murders Angie's mother's neighbour-cum-treacherous informant for no good reason other than to seem a bit menacing. God love Marc Cherry, eh? He always casts his super-celebs in befitting roles and has never once hired anyone purely out of a desperate desire for ratings and publicity. Nope, definitely. Not.
Such sarcasm is perhaps a little unfair on our Barrowman, mind. He's perfectly passable here, delivering a performance that, while certainly no stranger to hyperbole, is no more ridiculous than anything else we've come to expect from this most amateur dramatic of shows. In fact, this is probably more understated than most of us expected; it's an interesting decision to have him play the villain and it's a challenge to which he seems quite determined to rise. His charming veneer is a good offset to the sinister sociopath underneath, and the calm, concentrated approach through which he channels his dialogue has a somewhat unnerving effect, unsettling the viewer slightly so that his ultimate turn has a greater impact. Barrowman has enough of a solid skill set to make this role work and to provide some genuine menace, so hopefully, Cherry and co. will rein in their penchant for bombast and grafted-on drama and allow the portrayal to work for itself. Currently, the scenario has a considerable degree of promise, given that it remains relatively shrouded in mystery (it is still unclear whether Julie's attempted murder is connected to this, and the Bolen history requires a great deal of fleshing out), so hopefully, we'll see a notable upturn in the amount of screen time devoted to it, and at the very least, a relatively believable delineation of the issues surrounding eco-terrorism. If Cherry and his band of Merry Men (and Women) take enough time and have sufficient patience to research their topic, this could actually be quite entertaining. Unfortunately, if weeks past are any indication, chances are they'll botch the whole thing and Angie and Patrick will just kick a load of bins around Wysteria Lane for a few weeks.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. This particular aspect of the plot is one of the stronger elements of 'All the Young Men', standing neatly alongside Bree's narrative and certain features of the ever-blossoming relationship between Katherine and Robin. Yes, you read that right folks, that's praise for the lesbianism right there. And no, it's not just because we're about to promptly get rid of it for a little while; it's for the sensitivity with which the issue is handled here. There's a strong undercurrent of believability running the course of the plot, allowing both characters to come to life far more than they have since the scissoring began (okay, okay, I'm sorry...) Katherine's reluctance to openly out herself is completely in keeping with her personality, while Robin's determination to show everyone how happy she is fits well with what's been established about her. When Katherine ultimately asks her to leave, it's one of the most human moments that Housewives has provided in quite some time. And even though the moment is qualified by Mayfair deciding to elope with her, this doesn't negate the scene's impact. If anything, it strengthens it; here, finally, we have a sudden same sex relationship that doesn't balk at the first sign of commitment, that isn't subjected to the restoration of heteronormative equilibrium. Hopefully, Cherry won't simply return Katherine to the Lane in a few weeks in a heartbroken state and have her fall straight into the arms of the nearest gym-happy hunk. Fingers crossed.
Equally as surprising is Bree's story, in which there are aspects that actually manage to be relatively engaging. The resurgence of Rex, the restoration of his importance to Mrs. Van Der Kamp, is certainly welcome as not only does it allow for a considerable level of fond nostalgia, but it also gives a better grounding to Bree as a character. Marcia Cross is superb here, perfectly evoking the melancholic joy and pain of a woman who has so potently loved and lost. It's a good reminder of from whence the show has came, and the reasons why we fell in love with Marcia's character in the first place. It also offers Shawn Pyfrom and Joy Lauren a chance to take a trip down memory lane and play the sort of beats that their characters seemed to lose a long, long time ago. There's a thoroughly believable sense of tension permeating every scene involving Sam, and certainly no more so than in the moderately amusing dinner sequence. Sadly, the writers do lapse into their usual hyperbolic selves at times: Andrew's ill-fated attempt to play guitar is one such hideous display, while the lingering, sinister looks that Sam throws to, well, no one in particular since they are a rubbish semiotic attempt to infer that there's more to him than meets the eye, are rather laughable. The jury is certainly out on whether this is a sensible development; when it was revealed that the guy was more than a creepy groupie determined to become Bree's son by proxy, the story seemed salvaged from mediocrity. Now, however, it seems that this may have been the writers' plan all along... and the only thing saving it from proving utterly abhorrent is the suggestion that Orson and Andrew might be working together in the weeks to come, and this could be an interesting coupling. Of course, this is small fry compared to what the story could turn into, so it's probably going to take a lot more to fix the problem if it occurs.
For a great number of these stories, success is predicated on the fact that they have yet to prove problematic; the potential is there for complete and utter disaster but thankfully, Housewives hasn't yet turned those corners. Certainly, this is a less than desirable format; we're essentially just waiting for the programme to disappoint and applauding, apprehensively, when it doesn't. However, this is arguably far more preferable than the considerable amount of dross that fills up the rest of the hour, as first Lynette's and then Gabrielle and Susan's joint narratives threaten to suck the life and soul out of the party and leave the viewer desperate to sew up their own eyelids with a pine needle. Yes, the 'extraneous character whose true intentions are hidden from the one person who should be able to see them' simply refuses to die, offering up a plot that is as predictable as the transformation of night into day. She's bringing the wedding forward and there's nothing Lynette can do about it! Any objections simply... lead to further estrangement from her son! They... manage to successfully manoeuvre around any and every obstacle thrown their way! Well, whaddya know, huh? A plot that stretches itself out for the maximum amount of time without ever proving even the remotest bit challenging or satisfying, and that will unquestionably fizzle out in two weeks time when Lynette finally gets through to Preston. How riveting!
This all just feels so pointless precisely because we know it will have no lasting impact. It is simply more contrived upset for its own sake; there's nothing here that has added or will add anything to the palate of the characters involved. And the less said about that absolute travesty of a plot involving the Solis and Delfino kids the better; seriously, are they really doing this again? Mere weeks after the last ridiculous competition between the two? You know, the one about beavers and monkeys or whatever that just wasn't funny? Well, what do you know... it's equally as banal again, bereft of any semblance of comedy whatsoever. In fact, it even manages to be rather insulting as MJ's mother makes him sit in a wheelchair for crying out loud, and pretend to be a bloody disabled boy in an attempt to sell some cookies! I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that Gabrielle, yet alone Susan, would stoop so low. Honestly, this is all just pointless, humourless filler that wastes a great deal of valuable time and manages to insult the viewer's intelligence simultaneously. For God's sake, do something different for a change, Housewives. Don't rehash plots that were bloody awful to begin with!
'My Two Young Men' is something of a curate's egg. While the episode continues to demonstrate the writing staff's apparent inability to create something wholly fresh and interesting, resorting in at least two of their narratives to ripping themselves off shamelessly and doing a decidedly botched job of it, at the same time, there are certain elements that manage to both engage and provide a semblance of hope for the remainder of the season. In a shocking twist, the show actually deals with its ratings-grabbing same sex romance in a surprisingly sensitive and believable fashion (let's put aside Lee's reference to 'speedo season', shall we?), while the debut appearance of John Barrowman and the development of Bree's storyline are both notably well handled. All of these stories have the potential to go off the deep end but thankfully, Housewives appears to be hedging its bets for the time being and resisting the temptation to descend into complete banality. Hope for the future, then, but with a great deal to improve upon in the present. 6.8
Television review: 24 #814: '5am - 6am'
814: '5am - 6am'
Teleplay: Alex Gansa
Story: Evan Katz
Dr: Milan Cheylov
Synopsis: Jack must lead a security detail to get President Hassan and his family to safety as the threat of a dirty bomb detonation intensifies.
Review: Hold the phone. Stop the presses. Cancel absolutely everything. The unthinkable has happened. After weeks of unrelenting prayer, wishing on every star that was even remotely visible in the night sky, someone, somewhere has sat up, took note and granted an entire nation of television viewers their utmost desire. Yes, that's right boys and girls, Nurse Jackie has been renewed. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Another year of nondescript, bog-standard hospital drama is on the horizon! We're positively wet with anticipation and... oh, who am I kidding? I can't keep this charade up any longer. The real reason we're bouncing off the walls like a four year old on Ritalin is that the big-wigs over at FOX have finally come to their senses, seen past the six figure sums that they're regularly raking in, and decided to put 24 out of its misery. For good. Period. Yes folks, you got it, this time it really is over. Except for the possibility of a movie like, a year or so down the line, but let's not dwell on that right now. Fact remains, we got what we wanted (or at least, around 70% of the show's remaining viewers did, at any rate). Watching this once extraordinary and pioneering programme fall so inelegantly from grace has been a frustrating and depressing experience, and so to know that we only have a further eleven lazily written and dramatically redundant hours to go before the curtain is well and truly closed is something of a relief.
It's certainly no surprise to find that '5am - 6am' continues to take a long, protracted slide down the inexorable downward spiral that 24 has embarked upon since the beginning of the year. Following last week's truly abominable howler of a cliffhanger, in which the writing staff effectively lobotomised the show by turning DanaJenny into another in a long line of utterly pointless CTU moles, this episode makes a half-hearted attempt to create something logical and believable out of it... and unsurprisingly, fails miserably. Since the notion that she has actually been in league with the terrorists since hour one is so fraught with plot holes and inconsistencies that there really is no way to salvage it, the writers choose to avoid addressing the problem in any direct way, and instead merely insert a throwaway line of dialogue in which Sackhoff mutters something about 'preserving her cover'. Presumably, this is meant to imply that DanaJenny is more than simply Samir's pawn and that she's been loaned out, or something, by whomever is her boss. And perhaps if this wasn't exactly the same story that Nina Myers was granted all those years ago, it may have been remotely passable. As it is, it's just tiresome, lacking any semblance of originality whatsoever. Things only get worse when we see Duplicitous Dana in action, telephoning Samir in the middle of the main CTU operations room, making barely-hushed comments under her breath that pretty much reveal her activities, darting her eyes every which way but loose and looking horrendously suspicious in the process. Honestly, this is supposed to be covert? Really? Are they trying to imply that she's useless at her job? Or is this simply another example of incredibly poor execution? Given that she actually gets away with talking to her partner in crime in the hallways as people walk by and no one even bats an eyelid, my money's certainly on the latter. The thirty second blackout is even worse: would an undercover operative really initiate a shut down just as the good guys are about to close in on their targets and then magically boot everything up just when they were clear? Would it not strike said operative that such a manoeuvre may, you know, seem a little suspect? Rather too convenient? And why is it so difficult for the writing staff to come up with something that doesn't insult the intelligence of every single individual watching their sorry excuse for a show? God!
As if in response to this mediocrity, Katie Sackhoff well and truly hams it up here too, delivering every line in supposedly sinister and hushed undertones that serve only to signpost her duplicity. Seriously, the way she's going on, there might as well be a neon sign above her head that reads 'I'M DODGY, ME!' Sorry to have to break this to you Kate, but playing a bad guy does not automatically give you license to overact, to break out the thespian in you and start cackling like a mad (wo)man. Someone really should tell that to Mykelti Williamson too, whose portrayal of Hunchback Hastings continues to be about as believable as George Bush's reasons for going to war with Iraq, and quite possibly reaches its ultimate nadir halfway through this episode when he is forced to deliver one of the most horrible lines of dialogue in the history of scripted drama. It's almost tempting to feel sorry for the poor bloke when he struggles and falters over "Madame President, I'm sorry to have to tell you... I can no longer guarantee the safety of Manhattan." Seriously, guys? Is this the best you can come up with? Since when was anyone able to 'guarantee' the safety of an entire city, anyway? Ack! Given that this is truly abysmal in itself, the scene becomes utterly, utterly cringe worthy since it would take an actor of, say, Kiefer Sutherland's calibre to make anything even remotely decent out of such a line. Williamson just cannot cut it, and as a result, the viewer is left face palming in embarrassment.
Unfortunately, the crappiness doesn't end here. Oh no. There's plenty more where that came from, as the writing staff see fit to bring President Taylor and her entourage back into play and in so doing, regurgitate yet another over-used and frustratingly redundant plot line from years past. Not content with having Rob Weiss get all worked up for no good reason at all as Hastings gives everyone a status update (does he really need to voice every possible counter-argument at all times?), Katz and Gansa proceed to siphon a highly complex political debate into a few one-dimensional character husks, the most notable of which is the annoying d**khead from Fringe's first season, seen here playing a military general. Now, admittedly, the scene in which the cabinet is gathered and Taylor makes her grandiose speech is actually quite enjoyable in parts. There is a welcome smattering of verisimilitude to amplify believability and Cherry Jones does a relatively impressive job with what she's given... until the dialogue turns hyperbolic, the music builds to a dodgy crescendo and we get whacked over the head with a highly unsavoury bout of nationalism. Still, we can look past that; hell, we can almost forgive the fact that Rob and Ethan manage to assemble everyone in ten short minutes, and that Samir manages to speak directly to the President, just like virtually every other villain in 24 history. What is unforgivable, however, is the story that plays out in the aftermath of this sequence. The coup launched by the General and Weiss is the same story we have seen season after season after season, as some trumped up right winger disagrees with the stance that the Commander-in-Chief takes and takes it upon his or herself to work behind his or her back to rectify 'the problem'. It happened last year with Olivia, in season six with the officials in Wayne Palmer's cabinet, and it dates all the way back to David Palmer's stint in office when Mike tried to get Alan Dale to oust his beloved friend. Internal plotting against the President is old hat; it's as dated as the presence of a mole in CTU and frankly, it cripples the viewer's investment in the show.
And as this narrative progresses, perhaps inevitably, things only worsen. First, there's the fact that Weiss and the General manage to enter Ethan's office without arousing even the slightest hint of suspicion, despite the fact that there are many people milling around outside, and that they actually go out of their way to shut the blinds. To be fair, this is something of a nitpick and could arguably be forgiven if it weren't for the atrocity that ensues in its wake. When Ethan barges in on their duplicitous plot, Katz and Gansa take perhaps the most ludicrously transparent route imaginable in creating a stall for time and have him suffer a heart attack at the most crucial moment in the entire exchange. Fine, we established in an earlier episode that he is suffering from significant health problems, but come on! Now? Really? This is wholly gratuitous tension, grafted on for its own sake, and as a result, the viewer is set apart from it, laughing at the absurd lengths to which the 24 writers will go in an attempt to stretch out their relatively wafer-thin plot. The idea that the General would propose leaving him in his current state until Hassan is cornered is also preposterous and just reinforces the utterly useless and one-dimensional nature of his character. So far so good, then... but of course, we must not forget about Jack's inclusion in all of this. Yes, Katz and Gansa unleash the most transparent plot device in the history of transparent plot devices this week by having President Taylor personally request that Bauer be taken out of the main action (you know, where he's most useful) and escort Hassan and his family to safety for no good reason whatsoever. Well, other than to manoeuvre the plot so that our central protagonist plays a main role in what ultimately becomes the focal point of the episode. Yup, way to telegraph your entire story there, guys. It is immediately obvious that something significant is going to happen to Hassan as a result, and as soon as the cabinet conference occurs, the viewer is able to accurately predict pretty much everything that happens in the remainder of the hour. Absolutely brilliant, eh? Sigh.
Thankfully for both the credulity of the writing staff and the sanity of everyone watching, things do improve somewhat towards hour's end, as Jack, Renee and the Hassan family get down to business and engage in a superbly choreographed and visually orchestrated gun battle that really amplifies the dramatic tension and conveys a genuine sense of unease and peril. Once again, Milan Cheylov directs the sequence superbly, this time making excellent use of distortion and unusual camera angles to keep the viewer on edge. Unfortunately, the whole thing is tainted somewhat by the manner in which we arrive at this point. Not only is the transparency of the writers' plot manoeuvring a crippling factor, but we also have to endure several patently absurd logic leaps that are evidently supposed to highlight just how wonderful, amazing and all-round superhuman Jack Bauer is (emphasised earlier, actually, when he absurdly brushes off the sound medical advice he's given after being shot in the chest by a sniper rifle) but instead, just prove categorically ridiculous. Remarkably, Jack manages to finger out that 'something's not right' within two seconds of calling the Air Force Base in an attempt to find Kanin. Really, that's the length of time he gives the Presidential staff to find one man in what one imagines must be a rather large building. WTF? And for all the phone call between Bauer and Weiss is actually quite realistic, making good use of a clumsy connection and an almost-expletive, the idea that Jack would be able to deduce what is actually going on from this is just preposterous. Weiss has clearly been established in earlier episodes as a difficult man with a short temper, and the fact that Kanin called him and then isn't answering could mean any number of things. Sure, it doesn't in reality, but would it really hurt to have Bauer be wrong for once? To have him foxed by the bad guys? If anything, it would be an unexpected plot development that would, at the very least, prove moderately entertaining for a few moments. It's little things like this that could so very easily fix the fundamental flaws of the show, and it's frustrating to think that the writing staff simply are not capable of delivering them.
So, another week goes by and another lacklustre episode of 24 is forced down our throats, packing virtually no punches at all and serving only to remind us of how far removed the programme is from its heyday. '5am - 6am' features virtually nothing we haven't seen in the show before, and to make matters worse, the regurgitations are cheap knock-offs of former glories. We're sick of moles in CTU; we've had enough of unnecessary and unsuccessful White House coups against the President; and we're done with Bauer being a superhuman adrenaline machine who can survive being snipered and infer the true status of events from only the most minuscule of data. Yes, there's a few good action sequences in here and sure, Annie Werschung continues to out-act everyone as Renee Walker, but frankly, it just isn't enough. 24 is dying a slow and very painful death right before our eyes... but at least we've only got nine more weeks to endure it. 4.0
Teleplay: Alex Gansa
Story: Evan Katz
Dr: Milan Cheylov
Synopsis: Jack must lead a security detail to get President Hassan and his family to safety as the threat of a dirty bomb detonation intensifies.
Review: Hold the phone. Stop the presses. Cancel absolutely everything. The unthinkable has happened. After weeks of unrelenting prayer, wishing on every star that was even remotely visible in the night sky, someone, somewhere has sat up, took note and granted an entire nation of television viewers their utmost desire. Yes, that's right boys and girls, Nurse Jackie has been renewed. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Another year of nondescript, bog-standard hospital drama is on the horizon! We're positively wet with anticipation and... oh, who am I kidding? I can't keep this charade up any longer. The real reason we're bouncing off the walls like a four year old on Ritalin is that the big-wigs over at FOX have finally come to their senses, seen past the six figure sums that they're regularly raking in, and decided to put 24 out of its misery. For good. Period. Yes folks, you got it, this time it really is over. Except for the possibility of a movie like, a year or so down the line, but let's not dwell on that right now. Fact remains, we got what we wanted (or at least, around 70% of the show's remaining viewers did, at any rate). Watching this once extraordinary and pioneering programme fall so inelegantly from grace has been a frustrating and depressing experience, and so to know that we only have a further eleven lazily written and dramatically redundant hours to go before the curtain is well and truly closed is something of a relief.
It's certainly no surprise to find that '5am - 6am' continues to take a long, protracted slide down the inexorable downward spiral that 24 has embarked upon since the beginning of the year. Following last week's truly abominable howler of a cliffhanger, in which the writing staff effectively lobotomised the show by turning DanaJenny into another in a long line of utterly pointless CTU moles, this episode makes a half-hearted attempt to create something logical and believable out of it... and unsurprisingly, fails miserably. Since the notion that she has actually been in league with the terrorists since hour one is so fraught with plot holes and inconsistencies that there really is no way to salvage it, the writers choose to avoid addressing the problem in any direct way, and instead merely insert a throwaway line of dialogue in which Sackhoff mutters something about 'preserving her cover'. Presumably, this is meant to imply that DanaJenny is more than simply Samir's pawn and that she's been loaned out, or something, by whomever is her boss. And perhaps if this wasn't exactly the same story that Nina Myers was granted all those years ago, it may have been remotely passable. As it is, it's just tiresome, lacking any semblance of originality whatsoever. Things only get worse when we see Duplicitous Dana in action, telephoning Samir in the middle of the main CTU operations room, making barely-hushed comments under her breath that pretty much reveal her activities, darting her eyes every which way but loose and looking horrendously suspicious in the process. Honestly, this is supposed to be covert? Really? Are they trying to imply that she's useless at her job? Or is this simply another example of incredibly poor execution? Given that she actually gets away with talking to her partner in crime in the hallways as people walk by and no one even bats an eyelid, my money's certainly on the latter. The thirty second blackout is even worse: would an undercover operative really initiate a shut down just as the good guys are about to close in on their targets and then magically boot everything up just when they were clear? Would it not strike said operative that such a manoeuvre may, you know, seem a little suspect? Rather too convenient? And why is it so difficult for the writing staff to come up with something that doesn't insult the intelligence of every single individual watching their sorry excuse for a show? God!
As if in response to this mediocrity, Katie Sackhoff well and truly hams it up here too, delivering every line in supposedly sinister and hushed undertones that serve only to signpost her duplicity. Seriously, the way she's going on, there might as well be a neon sign above her head that reads 'I'M DODGY, ME!' Sorry to have to break this to you Kate, but playing a bad guy does not automatically give you license to overact, to break out the thespian in you and start cackling like a mad (wo)man. Someone really should tell that to Mykelti Williamson too, whose portrayal of Hunchback Hastings continues to be about as believable as George Bush's reasons for going to war with Iraq, and quite possibly reaches its ultimate nadir halfway through this episode when he is forced to deliver one of the most horrible lines of dialogue in the history of scripted drama. It's almost tempting to feel sorry for the poor bloke when he struggles and falters over "Madame President, I'm sorry to have to tell you... I can no longer guarantee the safety of Manhattan." Seriously, guys? Is this the best you can come up with? Since when was anyone able to 'guarantee' the safety of an entire city, anyway? Ack! Given that this is truly abysmal in itself, the scene becomes utterly, utterly cringe worthy since it would take an actor of, say, Kiefer Sutherland's calibre to make anything even remotely decent out of such a line. Williamson just cannot cut it, and as a result, the viewer is left face palming in embarrassment.
Unfortunately, the crappiness doesn't end here. Oh no. There's plenty more where that came from, as the writing staff see fit to bring President Taylor and her entourage back into play and in so doing, regurgitate yet another over-used and frustratingly redundant plot line from years past. Not content with having Rob Weiss get all worked up for no good reason at all as Hastings gives everyone a status update (does he really need to voice every possible counter-argument at all times?), Katz and Gansa proceed to siphon a highly complex political debate into a few one-dimensional character husks, the most notable of which is the annoying d**khead from Fringe's first season, seen here playing a military general. Now, admittedly, the scene in which the cabinet is gathered and Taylor makes her grandiose speech is actually quite enjoyable in parts. There is a welcome smattering of verisimilitude to amplify believability and Cherry Jones does a relatively impressive job with what she's given... until the dialogue turns hyperbolic, the music builds to a dodgy crescendo and we get whacked over the head with a highly unsavoury bout of nationalism. Still, we can look past that; hell, we can almost forgive the fact that Rob and Ethan manage to assemble everyone in ten short minutes, and that Samir manages to speak directly to the President, just like virtually every other villain in 24 history. What is unforgivable, however, is the story that plays out in the aftermath of this sequence. The coup launched by the General and Weiss is the same story we have seen season after season after season, as some trumped up right winger disagrees with the stance that the Commander-in-Chief takes and takes it upon his or herself to work behind his or her back to rectify 'the problem'. It happened last year with Olivia, in season six with the officials in Wayne Palmer's cabinet, and it dates all the way back to David Palmer's stint in office when Mike tried to get Alan Dale to oust his beloved friend. Internal plotting against the President is old hat; it's as dated as the presence of a mole in CTU and frankly, it cripples the viewer's investment in the show.
And as this narrative progresses, perhaps inevitably, things only worsen. First, there's the fact that Weiss and the General manage to enter Ethan's office without arousing even the slightest hint of suspicion, despite the fact that there are many people milling around outside, and that they actually go out of their way to shut the blinds. To be fair, this is something of a nitpick and could arguably be forgiven if it weren't for the atrocity that ensues in its wake. When Ethan barges in on their duplicitous plot, Katz and Gansa take perhaps the most ludicrously transparent route imaginable in creating a stall for time and have him suffer a heart attack at the most crucial moment in the entire exchange. Fine, we established in an earlier episode that he is suffering from significant health problems, but come on! Now? Really? This is wholly gratuitous tension, grafted on for its own sake, and as a result, the viewer is set apart from it, laughing at the absurd lengths to which the 24 writers will go in an attempt to stretch out their relatively wafer-thin plot. The idea that the General would propose leaving him in his current state until Hassan is cornered is also preposterous and just reinforces the utterly useless and one-dimensional nature of his character. So far so good, then... but of course, we must not forget about Jack's inclusion in all of this. Yes, Katz and Gansa unleash the most transparent plot device in the history of transparent plot devices this week by having President Taylor personally request that Bauer be taken out of the main action (you know, where he's most useful) and escort Hassan and his family to safety for no good reason whatsoever. Well, other than to manoeuvre the plot so that our central protagonist plays a main role in what ultimately becomes the focal point of the episode. Yup, way to telegraph your entire story there, guys. It is immediately obvious that something significant is going to happen to Hassan as a result, and as soon as the cabinet conference occurs, the viewer is able to accurately predict pretty much everything that happens in the remainder of the hour. Absolutely brilliant, eh? Sigh.
Thankfully for both the credulity of the writing staff and the sanity of everyone watching, things do improve somewhat towards hour's end, as Jack, Renee and the Hassan family get down to business and engage in a superbly choreographed and visually orchestrated gun battle that really amplifies the dramatic tension and conveys a genuine sense of unease and peril. Once again, Milan Cheylov directs the sequence superbly, this time making excellent use of distortion and unusual camera angles to keep the viewer on edge. Unfortunately, the whole thing is tainted somewhat by the manner in which we arrive at this point. Not only is the transparency of the writers' plot manoeuvring a crippling factor, but we also have to endure several patently absurd logic leaps that are evidently supposed to highlight just how wonderful, amazing and all-round superhuman Jack Bauer is (emphasised earlier, actually, when he absurdly brushes off the sound medical advice he's given after being shot in the chest by a sniper rifle) but instead, just prove categorically ridiculous. Remarkably, Jack manages to finger out that 'something's not right' within two seconds of calling the Air Force Base in an attempt to find Kanin. Really, that's the length of time he gives the Presidential staff to find one man in what one imagines must be a rather large building. WTF? And for all the phone call between Bauer and Weiss is actually quite realistic, making good use of a clumsy connection and an almost-expletive, the idea that Jack would be able to deduce what is actually going on from this is just preposterous. Weiss has clearly been established in earlier episodes as a difficult man with a short temper, and the fact that Kanin called him and then isn't answering could mean any number of things. Sure, it doesn't in reality, but would it really hurt to have Bauer be wrong for once? To have him foxed by the bad guys? If anything, it would be an unexpected plot development that would, at the very least, prove moderately entertaining for a few moments. It's little things like this that could so very easily fix the fundamental flaws of the show, and it's frustrating to think that the writing staff simply are not capable of delivering them.
So, another week goes by and another lacklustre episode of 24 is forced down our throats, packing virtually no punches at all and serving only to remind us of how far removed the programme is from its heyday. '5am - 6am' features virtually nothing we haven't seen in the show before, and to make matters worse, the regurgitations are cheap knock-offs of former glories. We're sick of moles in CTU; we've had enough of unnecessary and unsuccessful White House coups against the President; and we're done with Bauer being a superhuman adrenaline machine who can survive being snipered and infer the true status of events from only the most minuscule of data. Yes, there's a few good action sequences in here and sure, Annie Werschung continues to out-act everyone as Renee Walker, but frankly, it just isn't enough. 24 is dying a slow and very painful death right before our eyes... but at least we've only got nine more weeks to endure it. 4.0
Sunday 4 April 2010
Television review: Lost #610: 'The Package'
610: 'The Package'
Wr: Paul Zbyszewski & Graham Roland
Dr: Paul A. Edwards
Synopsis: Sun and Jin desperately continue searching for each other. Meanwhile, Locke confronts his enemy.
Review: After last week's superlative exposition-fest, you'd perhaps be forgiven for feeling a little underwhelmed by 'The Package'. Lost's latest sojourn into the somewhat dysfunctional and perpetually complex romance between our favourite Korean love birds sees a return to the more traditional motifs and paradigms favoured by earlier episodes of the show's final season; once again, we are presented with a 'flash sideways' that concentrates squarely on character beats that have been explored in quite comprehensive detail in years prior, while the counterpointing on-Island story takes a good hard look at the arc plot, but mostly strokes its chin for forty minutes instead of actually doing anything particularly productive about it. Thankfully, however, Zbyszewski and Roland's script is strong enough in other, far more critical, areas to help disguise this problem, and what the viewer ultimately walks away with is a feeling of tempered satisfaction; and while this may not be as preferable as the sort of pant-wetting excitement induced by 'Ab Aeterno', it is nevertheless sufficient to keep the show afloat and maintain an engaging level of momentum as we head into the final furlong.
Sun and Jin's 'what if...?' scenario essentially consists of a series of attempts to navigate the myriad obstacles which impede upon the actualisation of their relationship. The seemingly all-knowing and all-powerful Mr. Paik rears his ugly head once again, making his presence felt ever so strongly despite never physically showing up on screen. We discover that, as before, he quite vehemently disapproves of his daughter's fraternising and has elaborately orchestrated a false 'mission' for his aide to undertake in order to put an end to the affair. There is nothing particularly surprising in this, given that Lost has presented us with a number of episodes in which the characters have had to deal with his wrath, and so these minutiae threaten to stifle the plot, feeling like little more than a regurgitation of past motifs. However, 'The Package' attempts to rectify this by incorporating a few familiar faces into the proceedings, using Keimi and, perhaps more pleasingly, psycho-Russian Mikheil as the primary vehicles for Paik's plan. While it is tempting to read these as little more than playful fan-baiting, throwing old characters into the plot purely for nostalgia's sake, Paik's connections to DHARMA have been well established in episodes past, and so they are at the very least passable, if not entirely logical, developments. Significantly, Zbyszewski and Roland don't spend too much time dwelling on their presence, and instead offer the viewer a number of notable, and at times, rather amusing, differences within their characters; Mikheil's role as a translator (albeit one trained to use a gun) seems a far cry from his purpose on-Island, and his effective subservience is certainly somewhat interesting. Keimi, meanwhile, seems to have a far more considered air about him; for all there are sinister undertones to his actions (as demonstrated in Sayid's flash sideways), his interactions with both Sun and Jin are far calmer than would perhaps be expected from the man who rampaged through Otherton and put a bullet through poor Alex's head. He is an undesirable man, of that there is no doubt, but he is not one without reason and empathy; he cleans Jin's wound, expresses a certain level of regret at having to execute his boss's orders, and seems to sympathise with the dilemma that the lovers are facing. Of course, one could argue that all of this is borne of his unwavering loyalty to Mr. Paik, but nevertheless, there is sufficient ambiguity to suggest that, within the flash sideways universe, Keimi is a less tainted character.
These shifts certainly help to enliven the otherwise rather standard narrative; as with virtually all of Sun and Jin's flashbacks throughout the first three seasons, the beats concentrate on Jin's apprehension of and sense of loyalty to Mr. Paik on one hand, and Sun's desire for self-reliance and freedom from her father's imposing grasp on the other. Importantly, we discover that Jin's apparently archaic and rather controlling moment in the premiere, in which he demands that his wife fasten her top button, is actually a consequence of his fear that their illicit affair will be discovered; something that informs every last decision that he makes, right down to booking separate rooms at their hotel. And for all this is a fulfilling reveal, it is tainted somewhat by the familiarity of the whole scenario; hell, we're actually back to Sun hiding her ability to speak English, and suggesting that they elope in an attempt to escape from Paik's suffocating stranglehold. On a microcosmic level, yes, there are deviations from the prior course of events, but when examining the narrative as a whole, it becomes apparent that there is little fresh for the viewer to sink his or her teeth into. The dramatic irony upon which the story is predicated also seems to have a undesirably negative effect. While the structure of the plot is fairly sound, the viewer is aware of certain aspects of the outcome from the very beginning. Consequently, it is the aftermath that is the most desired plot point, and this doesn't come until very late in the hour. Arguably, interest is supposed to be derived from finding out exactly why Jin is locked in the kitchen, but sadly, this becomes clear from the moment it is revealed that he has to deliver something to someone. The mystery is entirely removed, and the viewer is left twiddling his or her thumbs, waiting for the most important moments to occur.
When they do, of course, they prove to be rather stunning. Yunjin and Daniel Dae Kim are absolutely excellent in the confrontation sequence, as they are throughout the episode, and there are a number of delightfully executed moments: the loss of Mikheil's eye is a nice touch, serving as a knowing wink to the dedicated viewer, while Sun's shooting is a genuinely horrifying development, coming completely out of left field and packing an even greater punch when her inevitable pregnancy is revealed. Crucially, Zbyszewski and Roland don't dwell on this point, removing us from the 'flash sideways' entirely in its wake, and leaving the audience desperate to find out more. It's this sort of powerful, well-written drama that has a lasting impact, and is the sort of thing that the 'what if...?' narratives could do with hell of a lot more of. Well, that and a walloping great dose of Korean; it's great to see this frankly rather pioneering level of multi-culturalism returning to the show, as not only does it magnify the believability manifold, but it also forces the viewer to work on understanding what is before them, to engage with rather than simply respond to. Oh yeah, and more post-coital scenes please; for all the build up to the sex is ridiculously gratuitous and more than a little corny, the aftermath is absolutely spot on, with Daniel and Yunjin both outdoing themselves again. And no, it's not just because they've got very few clothes on. Honest.
Perhaps inevitably, the essential purpose of 'The Package', its central concern, if you will, is to reaffirm the fact that Jin and Sun are soulmates, that they are meant to be together and that their romance will always blossom, no matter the odds. Off-Island, while this is supposedly their most desired state, things are quite distinctly bleak and their lives are fraught with danger, which is perhaps another attempt to illustrate the importance of the crash of Flight 815 to the personal development of the Losties. Still, in spite of all of these problems, they remain together, fighting to preserve their love. In the juxtapositionary narrative, Zbyszewski and Roland explore their quite literal separation, and the manner through which the gulfs of space and time that exist between the two actually serve to strengthen their relationship and their determination to unite once more. In this regard, Sun's frustration is very welcome and frankly, about time too. For the past season, her character has been reduced to asking about the whereabouts of her husband every five minutes, so to see her rage unleashed, to deal with some honest, humane feeling, is certainly a refreshing change. The scene in which she snaps is just brilliant, combining some considerably moving and heart-felt dialogue with a decidedly potent thematic realism to create something truly powerful. Yunjin Kim masterfully conveys this new-found sense of determination, and plays well off both Nestor Carbonell and especially Matthew Fox, whose subtle transformation of Jack from skeptic to dogged believer proves especially fascinating.
For Sun's 'other half', things are equally as fraught. Unrest ensues in the Smokie camp as Widmore and his cronies launch an ambush that cripples their forces and leaves Jin at the mercy of the deadly loudspeakers and subliminal messages of Room 23 (good to see Lost revisiting some of its more fascinating former plot points). Daniel Dae Kim is on fine form here, perfectly capturing the character's movement between perseverance, determination and frustration, and then practically stealing the show when Alan Dale shows him a series of photographs of his wife and daughter. It's a beautifully simple and understated scene, with the bare minimum of dialogue, which only magnifies its emotive impact, reminding the viewer of exactly how tragic their troubled love story really is. Of course, this is more than likely a manipulation on Widmore's part, since his stern cold-heartedness and dogged determination to return to his precious Island have been well established in previous episodes; what better way to convince Jin to do his bidding than to dangle the possibility of a reunion with Sun before his eyes? It's an interesting and beguiling development, this, since 'the Package' that Charles refers to appears to be none other than erstwhile fan favourite Desmond Hume. Exactly how is this former button-pusher and occasional time traveller going to win the proverbial 'war' and oust Smokie? Will he somehow be able to restore equilibrium and 'repair' those tainted by UnLocke's influence? (Sayid, my friend, I'm looking squarely at you... that confession scene is fascinatingly eerie). Might he ultimately affect the timeline and cause the flashes sideways to become reality? Only time, and a moderate level of patience, will tell.
With 'The Package', Lost returns to the standard narrative format favoured by its sixth and final season, marrying a character-centric flash sideways with a thematically related on-Island story. In the wake of an episode as mythology-heavy and downright stunning as 'Ab Aeterno', it was probably always going to struggle to compete and so, inevitably, the tenth hour does feel a little underwhelming at times, treading water rather than upping the ante. Nevertheless, there is a considerable amount to enjoy here, which is a testament to both Zbyszewski and Roland's mutual strengths as script writers and the unwavering skills and talents of Daniel Dae and Yunjin Kim, who once again bring Sun and Jin's relationship to life in the most vivid and engaging manner possible. 'The Package' may not be the most jaw-dropping episode Lost has ever delivered, but it certainly packs enough of a punch to hold its own. 8.3
Wr: Paul Zbyszewski & Graham Roland
Dr: Paul A. Edwards
Synopsis: Sun and Jin desperately continue searching for each other. Meanwhile, Locke confronts his enemy.
Review: After last week's superlative exposition-fest, you'd perhaps be forgiven for feeling a little underwhelmed by 'The Package'. Lost's latest sojourn into the somewhat dysfunctional and perpetually complex romance between our favourite Korean love birds sees a return to the more traditional motifs and paradigms favoured by earlier episodes of the show's final season; once again, we are presented with a 'flash sideways' that concentrates squarely on character beats that have been explored in quite comprehensive detail in years prior, while the counterpointing on-Island story takes a good hard look at the arc plot, but mostly strokes its chin for forty minutes instead of actually doing anything particularly productive about it. Thankfully, however, Zbyszewski and Roland's script is strong enough in other, far more critical, areas to help disguise this problem, and what the viewer ultimately walks away with is a feeling of tempered satisfaction; and while this may not be as preferable as the sort of pant-wetting excitement induced by 'Ab Aeterno', it is nevertheless sufficient to keep the show afloat and maintain an engaging level of momentum as we head into the final furlong.
Sun and Jin's 'what if...?' scenario essentially consists of a series of attempts to navigate the myriad obstacles which impede upon the actualisation of their relationship. The seemingly all-knowing and all-powerful Mr. Paik rears his ugly head once again, making his presence felt ever so strongly despite never physically showing up on screen. We discover that, as before, he quite vehemently disapproves of his daughter's fraternising and has elaborately orchestrated a false 'mission' for his aide to undertake in order to put an end to the affair. There is nothing particularly surprising in this, given that Lost has presented us with a number of episodes in which the characters have had to deal with his wrath, and so these minutiae threaten to stifle the plot, feeling like little more than a regurgitation of past motifs. However, 'The Package' attempts to rectify this by incorporating a few familiar faces into the proceedings, using Keimi and, perhaps more pleasingly, psycho-Russian Mikheil as the primary vehicles for Paik's plan. While it is tempting to read these as little more than playful fan-baiting, throwing old characters into the plot purely for nostalgia's sake, Paik's connections to DHARMA have been well established in episodes past, and so they are at the very least passable, if not entirely logical, developments. Significantly, Zbyszewski and Roland don't spend too much time dwelling on their presence, and instead offer the viewer a number of notable, and at times, rather amusing, differences within their characters; Mikheil's role as a translator (albeit one trained to use a gun) seems a far cry from his purpose on-Island, and his effective subservience is certainly somewhat interesting. Keimi, meanwhile, seems to have a far more considered air about him; for all there are sinister undertones to his actions (as demonstrated in Sayid's flash sideways), his interactions with both Sun and Jin are far calmer than would perhaps be expected from the man who rampaged through Otherton and put a bullet through poor Alex's head. He is an undesirable man, of that there is no doubt, but he is not one without reason and empathy; he cleans Jin's wound, expresses a certain level of regret at having to execute his boss's orders, and seems to sympathise with the dilemma that the lovers are facing. Of course, one could argue that all of this is borne of his unwavering loyalty to Mr. Paik, but nevertheless, there is sufficient ambiguity to suggest that, within the flash sideways universe, Keimi is a less tainted character.
These shifts certainly help to enliven the otherwise rather standard narrative; as with virtually all of Sun and Jin's flashbacks throughout the first three seasons, the beats concentrate on Jin's apprehension of and sense of loyalty to Mr. Paik on one hand, and Sun's desire for self-reliance and freedom from her father's imposing grasp on the other. Importantly, we discover that Jin's apparently archaic and rather controlling moment in the premiere, in which he demands that his wife fasten her top button, is actually a consequence of his fear that their illicit affair will be discovered; something that informs every last decision that he makes, right down to booking separate rooms at their hotel. And for all this is a fulfilling reveal, it is tainted somewhat by the familiarity of the whole scenario; hell, we're actually back to Sun hiding her ability to speak English, and suggesting that they elope in an attempt to escape from Paik's suffocating stranglehold. On a microcosmic level, yes, there are deviations from the prior course of events, but when examining the narrative as a whole, it becomes apparent that there is little fresh for the viewer to sink his or her teeth into. The dramatic irony upon which the story is predicated also seems to have a undesirably negative effect. While the structure of the plot is fairly sound, the viewer is aware of certain aspects of the outcome from the very beginning. Consequently, it is the aftermath that is the most desired plot point, and this doesn't come until very late in the hour. Arguably, interest is supposed to be derived from finding out exactly why Jin is locked in the kitchen, but sadly, this becomes clear from the moment it is revealed that he has to deliver something to someone. The mystery is entirely removed, and the viewer is left twiddling his or her thumbs, waiting for the most important moments to occur.
When they do, of course, they prove to be rather stunning. Yunjin and Daniel Dae Kim are absolutely excellent in the confrontation sequence, as they are throughout the episode, and there are a number of delightfully executed moments: the loss of Mikheil's eye is a nice touch, serving as a knowing wink to the dedicated viewer, while Sun's shooting is a genuinely horrifying development, coming completely out of left field and packing an even greater punch when her inevitable pregnancy is revealed. Crucially, Zbyszewski and Roland don't dwell on this point, removing us from the 'flash sideways' entirely in its wake, and leaving the audience desperate to find out more. It's this sort of powerful, well-written drama that has a lasting impact, and is the sort of thing that the 'what if...?' narratives could do with hell of a lot more of. Well, that and a walloping great dose of Korean; it's great to see this frankly rather pioneering level of multi-culturalism returning to the show, as not only does it magnify the believability manifold, but it also forces the viewer to work on understanding what is before them, to engage with rather than simply respond to. Oh yeah, and more post-coital scenes please; for all the build up to the sex is ridiculously gratuitous and more than a little corny, the aftermath is absolutely spot on, with Daniel and Yunjin both outdoing themselves again. And no, it's not just because they've got very few clothes on. Honest.
Perhaps inevitably, the essential purpose of 'The Package', its central concern, if you will, is to reaffirm the fact that Jin and Sun are soulmates, that they are meant to be together and that their romance will always blossom, no matter the odds. Off-Island, while this is supposedly their most desired state, things are quite distinctly bleak and their lives are fraught with danger, which is perhaps another attempt to illustrate the importance of the crash of Flight 815 to the personal development of the Losties. Still, in spite of all of these problems, they remain together, fighting to preserve their love. In the juxtapositionary narrative, Zbyszewski and Roland explore their quite literal separation, and the manner through which the gulfs of space and time that exist between the two actually serve to strengthen their relationship and their determination to unite once more. In this regard, Sun's frustration is very welcome and frankly, about time too. For the past season, her character has been reduced to asking about the whereabouts of her husband every five minutes, so to see her rage unleashed, to deal with some honest, humane feeling, is certainly a refreshing change. The scene in which she snaps is just brilliant, combining some considerably moving and heart-felt dialogue with a decidedly potent thematic realism to create something truly powerful. Yunjin Kim masterfully conveys this new-found sense of determination, and plays well off both Nestor Carbonell and especially Matthew Fox, whose subtle transformation of Jack from skeptic to dogged believer proves especially fascinating.
For Sun's 'other half', things are equally as fraught. Unrest ensues in the Smokie camp as Widmore and his cronies launch an ambush that cripples their forces and leaves Jin at the mercy of the deadly loudspeakers and subliminal messages of Room 23 (good to see Lost revisiting some of its more fascinating former plot points). Daniel Dae Kim is on fine form here, perfectly capturing the character's movement between perseverance, determination and frustration, and then practically stealing the show when Alan Dale shows him a series of photographs of his wife and daughter. It's a beautifully simple and understated scene, with the bare minimum of dialogue, which only magnifies its emotive impact, reminding the viewer of exactly how tragic their troubled love story really is. Of course, this is more than likely a manipulation on Widmore's part, since his stern cold-heartedness and dogged determination to return to his precious Island have been well established in previous episodes; what better way to convince Jin to do his bidding than to dangle the possibility of a reunion with Sun before his eyes? It's an interesting and beguiling development, this, since 'the Package' that Charles refers to appears to be none other than erstwhile fan favourite Desmond Hume. Exactly how is this former button-pusher and occasional time traveller going to win the proverbial 'war' and oust Smokie? Will he somehow be able to restore equilibrium and 'repair' those tainted by UnLocke's influence? (Sayid, my friend, I'm looking squarely at you... that confession scene is fascinatingly eerie). Might he ultimately affect the timeline and cause the flashes sideways to become reality? Only time, and a moderate level of patience, will tell.
With 'The Package', Lost returns to the standard narrative format favoured by its sixth and final season, marrying a character-centric flash sideways with a thematically related on-Island story. In the wake of an episode as mythology-heavy and downright stunning as 'Ab Aeterno', it was probably always going to struggle to compete and so, inevitably, the tenth hour does feel a little underwhelming at times, treading water rather than upping the ante. Nevertheless, there is a considerable amount to enjoy here, which is a testament to both Zbyszewski and Roland's mutual strengths as script writers and the unwavering skills and talents of Daniel Dae and Yunjin Kim, who once again bring Sun and Jin's relationship to life in the most vivid and engaging manner possible. 'The Package' may not be the most jaw-dropping episode Lost has ever delivered, but it certainly packs enough of a punch to hold its own. 8.3
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