Last Week in TV #38

While the 2012-2013 network TV season has been finished for a few weeks now, we finally reach the end of our coverage of it here, as I wrap up discussion of the final episodes of Glee and Community for the season. There's plenty of great TV to watch this summer (including Wilfred, Falling Skies, the end of Futurama, and The Newsroom, not to mention all the stuff I'm still behind on, like Revenge), but I won't be back writing about it until the fall, when this column will return in a likely-altered form, as I continue to search for a way to engage critically and write about TV in a manner that doesn't also leave me burnt out on those two things by Christmas.

Game of Thrones 3x10: Mhysa

The Twins
The episode opens at the site of the Red Wedding, making it clear that the majority of the Stark host is being slaughtered alongside its leader, his wife, and his mother. Arya also regains consciousness at just the wrong time, as she sees her brother's body, his dire wolf's head stitched on in place of his (creepy), paraded about while mockingly referred to as the King of the North.

Props to the Hound for grabbing that Frey banner, ensuring his safety as he and Arya pass through the crowd. I'm curious what his plan is now - with Robb and Catelyn dead, does he plan to take Arya to Kings Landing after all (assuming the Lannisters would pay for her, even if it would be less than he'd have gotten from the Starks), or is his aversion to that world great enough to keep him away? Are we lined up for a season where Arya continues her tutelage in killing under his supervision (because that would be the best buddy cop story of all time)?

Last Week in TV #37

Wrap-Up Weeks continue, as Revolution ends its first season and we finish our coverage of Parks and Recreation. Look for one final post before I take a break for the summer next week, finishing up Community and Glee.

Revolution: The Dark Tower

I'm not terribly surprised this show turned the power back on (though I will admit I was a little worried that the episode was going to end after Aaron clicked the enter key, leaving the reveal of whether the power turned on or everyone was killed by exploding nanobots for the second season premiere); there are plenty of stories to tell about a world where the power was off, and now is suddenly back on, just as there were many stories that could have been told about a world without power. After a relatively slow-building first half of the season, this show decided that breakneck plotting was the way to go, thus making it clear it wasn't all that interested in telling those smaller stories about a world without power. So yeah, let's move things forward. Characterization certainly isn't this show's strong suit, so at least it keeps the plot moving.

Game of Thrones 3x09: The Rains of Castamere

So, not a great time to be a Stark, amiright?

It's not often that a show surprises and shocks me to the extent this episode did. When it happens, it's usually just based on the sheer quality of an episode, or because a show did something I wanted it to do but feared it never actually would (like killing off a certain character on a certain zombie show). But the ending of this episode, particularly the death of Catelyn, was probably the most shocked I've ever been on this show (Ned's death I knew about long before this series was even a gleam in HBO's eye. Work in a bookstore with people who read fantasy long enough and you pick up on a few things, like "Ned dies unexpectedly early" and "Tyrion is awesome").

Anyways, let's get to it.

Last Week in TV #36

 

With Revolution running out its string for the season, we've got a chance to catch up on some shows on which I've fallen behind. 

Revolution: Clue/Children of Men

Once again things are moving at a breakneck pace, and while that works for a penultimate episode like "Children of Men", the speed at which events move undermines "Clue". A locked-room mystery could be interesting, if done well, especially since so many of the characters in question have legitimate, non-forced reasons to be suspects, but it's clear this show has no interest in slowing down enough to do it justice nor a deft enough hand when it comes to characterization. And so Hudson gets killed off for fairly arbitrary reasons, and the entire cast goes from "not at the Tower" to "banging on its door" within an episode.

Last Week in TV #35

The 2012-2013 network TV season officially ended this week (as of Wednesday night, I believe), but thanks to Revolution continuing to run out its thread, my usual backlog of shows (as well as a few more weeks of Game of Thrones), I've got at least a few more "Last Week in TV" posts coming your way before I take a much needed summer break.  

The Simpsons: The Saga of Carl/Dangers on a Train (season finale)

As far as latter day Simpsons episodes go, "The Saga of Carl" is one of the more original episodes we've seen in a long time. Carl as a character isn't someone who's received a lot of attention, and the concept of male friendship is something the show hasn't really examined much before. There was also some really strong animation in the Iceland scenes, giving the whole thing a look that was different than Springfield but still very much in the show's aesthetic.

Game of Thrones 3x08: Second Sons

On the Road
So the Hound professes to be taking Arya to her family after all (for the money), which probably means the Hound is about to meet a grisly end, since I continue to doubt Arya will ever be reunited with her family. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the dig at the Brotherhood Without Banners, as the murderous Clegane is actually trying to do what the Brotherhood promised but ultimately failed to do.

Last Week in TV #34

It's finale time, but unfortunately, due to Mothers Day and SpringCon setup (if you're in the neighborhood, swing by the Grandstand on the State Fair grounds this weekend and say hello), I didn't have as much time to watch TV as I'd have liked. But we soldier on nonetheless!  

The Simpsons: The Fabulous Faker Boy

This almost the perfect example of a cromulent episode: neither good nor bad enough to get too worked up over. It shows up, does its thing, and leaves, with little lasting impression. I honestly don't have much to say about it. It's always nice when Bart goes nuts for a girl (though such stories would work better if he was a scootch older). The tie-in to Mothers Day was nice, I suppose, though nothing we haven't seen before. That's about it. Oh, there was the Justin Bieber cameo, which like much of the episode, was hard to get too worked up over either way.

Game of Thrones 3x07: The Bear and the Maiden Fair

Harrenhal
He still tried to murder a kid, but Jamie continues to be a far more nuanced and interesting character than I ever imagined he'd be. Granted, he had a pretty good idea the guy that was tasked with delivering him to Kings Landing wouldn't let the bear eat him, but it was still pretty ballsy to leap into that pit unarmed (pun intended), and to do so entirely for Brienne's benefit.

Also, while getting mauled to death by a bear for the entertainment of others is pretty rough, I was expecting Jamie to walk-in on something far worse (ie sexually depraved) at the end there.

I'm curious just how far Jamie will be willing to go in keeping his word to deliver the Stark girls to their mother. Assuming he ever does make it back to Kings Landing (and the way most people on this show rarely make it where they're heading, that's a pretty big assumption), will he go so far as to defy his father and send Sansa home? Would he venture out to track down Arya?

Last Week in TV #33

We are now well into May sweeps, and shows are starting to wind down. To that end, I held off on some Glee, Parks and Rec and Community coverage (three shows that have already bowed but which I'm behind on) from this post in order to maximize my time and not fall behind on others, so expect some multi-episode coverage of those shows in the remaining last few weeks of the season. 

The Simpsons: Whiskey Business

I probably would have enjoyed this episode more if Moe's misanthropy and self-loathing hadn't, through the years, become quite so broad. Before he was a complete and utter sad sack whose suicide attempts were so commonplace they went uncommented on by other characters, there was something interesting and occasionally funny about a constantly-down-on-his-luck Moe. But that character trait has been so beaten into the ground over the years that it's lost all meaning and impact (I mean, how many times now has Moe almost achieved success only to have it snatched away because of his ugliness, be it physical or emotional?), thus undercutting some of the more interesting things in this episode.

Game of Thrones 3x06: The Climb

The Fiery Batcave
I'm a little bit ashamed that when Melisandre left Stannis two episode ago, saying she was off to find more royal blood, I didn't immediately suspect that she was going after Gendry, one of the last of Robert Baratheon's copious amount of bastards (instead I was thinking, "wait, does Stannis have another brother out there?).

Nevertheless, here she is, buying Gendry from the Brotherhood, affirming for Arya that they're not as good a group of guys as they like to pretend. The most interesting thing here (aside from Melisandre's predictions concerning Arya; lots of eyes?) was the theological discussion between Melisandre and Thoros, as they compared notes about the Lord of Light. Apparently, this is a religion in its relative infancy, as much of it hasn't been codified or even shared with all parties (Melisandre, for all her cryptic knowledge, seemed genuinely surprised to learn the extent and frequency to which Beric has been resurrected). 

While Gendry certainly has a right to feel betrayed, at least he's (presumably) in for a better fate than the last time he was taken somewhere against his will. I mean, I have to think sex with Melisandre is better than that rat torturer guy at Harrenhal.

Last Week in TV #32

Still behind on Revolution, as Dr. Bitz says the one I missed is worth watching. So I'll check that out online, but in the meantime, here's some thoughts on stuff on I did watch. 

The Simpsons: Pulpit Friction

I don't like to play this card too often, because New Simpsons is what it is and if you're still watching it you know what to expect, but man, did this episode feel like it had more recycled plot elements than usual. The destruction and replacement of the couch, a plague shipped in via mail order, a crisis of faith for Reverend Lovejoy, etc. It wasn't a bad episode, necessarily, but it felt especially unoriginal.

Game of Thrones 3x05: Kissed by Fire

Riverrrun 
Oh, Robb, you are your father's son, adhering strictly to the honorable course even to your detriment. I worry that the end result will be the same...

Nevertheless, seeing Robb back in military strategy mode and the suggestion of some payoff to his deal-breaking wedding last season made this one of the more enjoyable Robb outings all season.

North of the Wall
Just a quick check-in here, as the detachment of Wildlings continues on towards the Wall, and Jon takes a break to explore some caves.

I'm fairly certain he's lying about the number of men at Castle Black (a thousand seems like too large a number even before their recent decimation, which of course Jon doesn't know about), but I'm not sure what his endgame is. He's obviously not going to scare the Wildlings away before they reach the wall, and it will become pretty clear once they arrive how understaffed the place is.

Realizing it's a big deal for Jon to break his celibacy oath (especially since he too is a son of Ned Stark), it makes him more fun to watch when he's willing to cut loose a little bit.

Last Week in TV #31

So after it was preempted last week, my DVR failed to record the most recent episode of Revolution, presumably thanks to approximately the third unseasonable snowstorm of the month. I didn't see available on demand, but I'm sure I'll find it online at some point. In the meantime, we'll have to soldier on without it. 

Bob's Burgers: The Kids Run the Restaurant

Perhaps I'm just as squeamish as Bob, but I could have done without some of the blood in this episode. Otherwise, this was another great episodes, particularly the last five minutes, as the family, in a panic, attempts to convince Bob to play Fischoder to win back their money, which was a great showcase for each character and the manic energy that builds whenever the family comes together. I also appreciated that Louise ran her casino exactly like a real casino, despite the fact they were gambling on games like an Operation! knockoff and Rock-Paper-Scissors.

Game of Thrones 3x04: And Now His Watch Is Ended

I'll say this for the episode: shit is going down. Both Dany's big move and the virtual destruction of the Night's Watch felt like things that could have ended each of their storylines for a season (that is, I could have seen a season unfolding in which those two events were the culmination of both threads' season long arcs, and the last thing we saw of those threads before going into a break). Yet we're only in the fourth episode, which makes me even more excited for what's coming.

North of the Wall
Well, I suppose that's what happens when you're forced to stock your under-funded monastic order with criminals, degenerates, and unwanted sons of lords. And here I was just starting to think "all this Night's Watch stuff is starting to get terribly boring", moments before all hell broke loose. Of all the places I was expecting this storyline to go, this wasn't it.

Last Week in TV #30

 
Hey, we've got a decent slate of things to cover this week. And it's not even May yet! 

Also, Monday's Revolution was pre-empted by the President's speech, and as far as I know, didn't re-air at any other point this week (I'm assuming they're just pushing everything back a week and will eventually double up some night), but if you know it did, let me know. 

The Simpsons: What Animated Women Want

This episode was trying to say something, what with it's narration and thematically similar A and B plots, but for the most part, I just found myself thinking "the last thing we need is yet another 'Homer has to repair his marriage' story." The Milhouse/Lisa material was much stronger, what with its examination of the bewildering trend of women inexplicably falling for bad boys who treat them poorly and its callbacks (both subtle and overt) to the classic "A Streetcar Named Marge" episode, but it was all second fiddle to what was really just another Homer/Marge plot (something of which this episode was clearly aware).

Game of Thrones 3x03: Walk of Punishment

On the Road
It's a testament to how far Jamie has come (especially with such limited amount of screen time) that him getting his hand chopped off wasn't more of a cheer-worthy moment. It certainly helps that it followed him using the one asset left available (his quick tongue) to save Brienne from being raped, presumably for no personal gain, but considering his first significant act on the show was casually pushing Bran to his intended death, it's a crafty (and effective) bit of storytelling that Jamie losing a hand (and thus, the one thing he genuinely earned on his own, his sword fighting skills) felt more like a tragedy for the character than a necessary comeuppance.

My thought process throughout that sequence, after Jamie was laid out on the rock: They're going to cut off his hand, aren't they? No, maybe they're going to cut out his eye instead. Nope, guess they aren't going to do any - HOLY CRAP THEY JUST CUT OFF HIS HAND!

Whether Jamie deserved it or not, that was a pretty great moment on which to end an episode.

Last Week in TV #29

Another light week as the reruns keep running, so we'll do some more catch-up. Also, I finally got around to finishing Last Resort, which, all things considered, wrapped up about as satisfyingly as we could have hoped for (the wrap-up was more rushed than I would have liked, and some of the smaller details pertaining to the overall plot got brushed past, but at least it wrapped up).

As a series, it definitely started to pick up towards the middle (right around the time word of the cancellation came out), and where I once wondered how it could possibly last more than thirteen episodes, it started to show potential for being a long running series. I'd have liked to see where it went had it continued (and how drawn out the overarching plot would have been had the show stuck around), but at least the episodes we got (especially after some of the early time-killers) managed to tell a finite, largely compelling and consistently entertaining story.

Anyways, on to shows still on the air!

Game of Thrones 3x02: Dark Wings, Dark Words

On the Road
Lots of people on one road or another this week, trying to get from one place to another without being discovered, as the show catches us up with Arya and Jamie. The former, along with Gendry and Hot Pie, run into the Brotherhood Without Banners which, if I'm piecing it all together, is the rebellious group the Mountain (brother of the recently-captured Hound) and the Lannisters were trying to defeat last season using Harrenhal as their base of operations (the rat torturer guy was trying to find out information about the Brotherhood), and it consists of remnants of the force which Ned dispatched in the first season to stop the Hound from pillaging villages.

I assume the book goes into more detail concerning what happened to the Hound between last season and getting captured, but hopefully the show might touch on a few things itself.

Last Week in TV #28

Well, it's a good thing I was lazy the last couple of weeks and held some reviews back, because with Walking Dead and Game of Thrones getting their own posts and most everything else taking a break on account of Easter/April, this would be an even shorter post without a few of the hangers-on. 

Once Upon a Time: Selfless, Brave and True

In terms of episodes involving a flashback featuring a ruggedly handsome character going on a vague and quasi-mystical journey in an Asian country, this one exceeds "Stranger in a Strange Land", the "Origin of Jack's Tattoos" episode of Lost, though that is admittedly a pretty low bar to hurdle. Compared to the previous two episodes of this series, this was a step down, largely let down by some more dodgy CGI and laughably-convenient plotting (see below). Most of it was setup for the villains and arc that will, presumably, carry us through to the end of the season, and I can't deny there isn't something intriguing about a group of people who are after the magic in Storybrooke despite not hailing from Fairy Tale Land, even though Tamara herself is still pretty one-dimensional and hard to care about.