Grey's Anatomy 10.01 and 10.02 Review: Surviving the Storm

For all those that have yet to watch two-hour season ten premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, entitled ‘Seal Our Fate’ and ‘I Want You with Me’, now would be the appropriate time to turn away from this blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

What can I say about these two episodes? It wasn’t the worst series opening, it made me feel along with all these characters lives, but at the same time it wasn’t the strongest this series has produced. We pick right back up shortly after the storm, basically right where last season left off. I get that this series likes to do two-hour season premieres, and I do like that I got more to watch, but there wasn’t that much necessary about these two episodes that couldn’t be thrown into one. If it gets me one more episode this season, that’s all fine, but if I have to lose one week of this show just so we could watch two hours one night, I don’t think I’ll be all that happy.

There wasn’t that much different about these two episodes that this series hasn’t done before. The fact that I made no notes off this episode for the first half hour, whereas with Revolution I was making notes within the first two minutes, was not a great sign. I didn’t really feel that it was necessary to remember a lot of this stuff. This show has basically become a sort of soap opera, where things aren’t done out of necessity towards creativity, they’re done to keep us on our toes. I’ve been watching this show for a fair length of time, and I have grown to love some of these characters, but the way it’s progressed makes me feel like it’s time to put it down. There’s a reason I don’t watch shows like One Life to Live, and other such soaps, I don’t want to feel stuck in a show that never ends, with no feeling of finality, where actors want to leave before the series ends, and where they could’ve left easily before when it would suit creative levels of the show. By now there’s not much progression that hasn’t already come to be.

The fact that this show keeps trying to shove these new interns down our throat doesn’t help. Wilson and Brooks are about the only two I can stand, and now one of them is dead. And can I just say that everyone saw that coming. When I learned Tina Majorino got booked on another series, I knew that she’d end up dead in this series. Why couldn’t they just leave it open for her to return? It’s not like she had a child on this series that would be uncharacteristically abandoned if she left. If she’d just had to leave to recuperate, she could’ve come back at some point, and this far too obvious storyline wouldn’t have had to been used and abused. Now they’re just shoving these other interns into the forefront, and I’m sorry, but I still can’t stand the other three. They have no charisma to them, and no dramatic intrigue that make them necessary to watch like Meredith, Christina, Izzie, George, and Alex had in the beginning. These people are not a family, they are simply terrible characters because Rhimes is starting to produce too many characters that she can’t keep new ones straight and having concrete personalities.

Now, back around to the surviving three of the interns this show began with. I love how their friendship has grown. Yang and Grey have always been each others people, but as these characters have progressed and developed, Alex has been enveloped into the group, no matter how much he didn’t want to be in the beginning. They’ve become this weird little family unit that I love, and will be so sad to see gone when Sandra Oh leaves next year, something that desperately makes me hope they’ll finally decide to end this series, although the way they’re pushing the new interns, I doubt it.

Aside from the new interns, I’m really glad to see these people we follow along in this surgical wing of the hospital have really become apart of each other’s lives, though somewhat unrealistically. The way Callie (who just has terrible luck when it comes to spouses) and Arizona (despite her cheating scandal) are welcomed in by Meredith and Christina is wonderful. Especially how close all of them have become. And despite not liking April, the way she is already developing this season is something I can get behind a great deal more. She’s finally becoming a less annoying, stronger, more harrowing character. Though when it comes to Jackson, who I use to find more interesting before they slept together and were just best friends, I find him a little tedious and boring. I don’t like him having all this power.

Overall this two hour episode was interesting, but not overly so. I did like a few of the music choices spattered throughout the two episodes, but nothing groundbreaking like earlier seasons were a bit. As someone who favours Meredith’s screen time, I would’ve liked to have seen her more active – no not literally – in this episode (okay maybe a little literally). I get that she just gave birth and had an operation, which I’ve already lost details on from last season so maybe there should’ve been a recap, but getting her out of her hospital gown would’ve been a little bit nicer. The way they ended it with Richard’s eyes opening up and the first thing he’s hearing is Meredith basically saying they’re family was nice.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Best Lines:

“Why would he do that?” – Meredith, wondering about why Richard chose her as the person they had to go to about extreme care. Not the most interesting of lines, but it was the way she said it that made it so good.

“Is ‘I told you so’ inappropriate?” – Christina to Meredith.

“I’m the family.” – Meredith, the first thing she says that Richard hears.

Stay tuned for my weekly edition of Best Performances, coming shortly. Then check back in tomorrow night for my review of Haven’s third season four episode.

The Crazy Ones 1.01 Review: Family is at the Heart of it all

Anyone that has yet to watch the series premiere of The Crazy Ones, and want to do so without being spoiled, now would be the time to exit this review. THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

I have to begin this review by saying that I liked this pilot episode. It infused heartwarming family values into the fast-paced city life of a busy ad agency in New York. While it didn’t have a strong opening, it did help represent the struggle these people go through behind the camera.

The way this show intermingled shots of the open office space, and cutting in brief glimpses of the city itself was very well done. I liked the fast-paced element to seeing the New York City skyline, and interspersing it with evocative music to help boost up the setting this series takes place in. While I’m not one that tends to like office set series’, the open outline this show appears to have, gives it a less tightly wound feel to it than other shows with cubicle like backdrops. As long as they keep diverse scenes, and don’t stick strictly to filming in the ad agency floor, it will be easy enough to handle.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Robin Williams must be commended for their obvious familial chemistry. They really feel like a father and daughter team that have been in each other’s lives a long time. This very much helps to make this place they work in feel like a family run business, with crazy antics popping up all the time.

The other supporting characters also help to round out this cast. These people all feel like they’ve worked together, and known each other for many years. They mesh well into the unit and craziness of this workplace, and almost create another kind of family feel. Sure, with family comes chaos, but that only helps to produce large quantities of comedy that we’re sure to feel throughout this series.

After watching this pilot, I understand the reasoning behind it’s title. The reason Sydney got into advertising, aside from her dad running this business, was based on the ad Apple ran in the nineties that merely sold an idea. It was a very appropriate title plug-in that helped to lift this pilot off the ground just a bit. Not only does the title symbolize how crazy these people’s lives are likely to be, it was a very real ad commercial.

No, this show didn’t evoke sidesplitting humour, but it did make me laugh, and I do plan to come back again and watch more episodes. This series is reminiscent of how last years Go On made me feel. I know there aren’t actual similarities between that grief sitcom, and this family ad sitcom, but it was more about how each makes this weird kind of unit that make you want to come back and watch. For that reason, though, this series may not get a second season.

My rating: 3 out of 5.

Best Lines:

“You just got knocked out by a girl.” – Simon yelling at his robot after his daughter punched it (possibly a little nod to her previous run as a slayer).

“You remember that baby hippo in the zoo? Maybe it was a dream… Either way it was in my underwear.” – Simon, giving his daughter the run around.

“What major-minor details?” – Sydney, worried about what her father has planned for the McDonald’s ad.

“I’m nuts, who knew?” – Sydney, after going after Kelly Clarkson when her father’s pivoting fails.

Okay, I’m off to watch the two-hour premier of Grey’s Anatomy, and review that after. Then it’s Best Performances time! 

Nashville 2.01 Review: Anger is a Mask for Guilt

Let’s keep this short and sweet. For all those that have yet to watch last night’s season two premiere of Nashville, entitled ‘I Fall to Pieces’, and wish to do so devoid of spoilers, now would be the time to turn away. As with all my previous reviews, there is always a chance that there are spoilers below. THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

That was definitely a pleasant season two premiere. It wasn’t all that edge-of-your-seat excitement some premieres can have, but overall it was good. I liked that there was real drama I could grasp my fingers around, while still having the taste of music this series is built around.

I particularly liked Charles Esten and Hayden Panettiere’s performances as Deacon and Juliette, respectively. Esten did remarkably well playing Deacon as this angry, and obviously guilt-stricken, man that finally took it upon himself to take the blame for his actions last season. His battle with alcoholism is a sickness, and I hope that he tries to stick to the path of redemption this season. And Panettiere’s representation of Juliette was on the mark this season. Illuminating her need for fame and stardom, while balancing real emotional issues she has from where we left off last season, was quite well done. Her selfish need to do well with her album was this mask that she needed to not deal with her mother’s death. It was all so very well done and put together.

The way Gunnar and Will’s friendship has blossomed into being roommates is so much more interesting than what they had going last season. The two seem much more comfortable with each other than they did after Will tried to kiss Gunnar. I’m glad that they’ve kind of pushed that aside and are more friends, while Will obviously struggles with being gay. He’ll definitely need a friend like Gunnar as he deals with who he is. I do have to say that I miss Scarlett and Gunnar being together, and the transition with Gunnar losing his brother just made that something I didn’t care for last season, but I hope that he doesn’t give up on her. Saying yes to his question was definitely not the right way to go, so I like that they didn’t go there, but I don’t want this to be the end of their relationship. Last season wasn’t good when Gunnar got all dark because it was almost a complete flip of the switch, and we had so little in the way of clues to transition us to where this would be believable, so I hope they begin to redeem his character.

I definitely liked the way the flashback, or memories for Raina as she’s in her coma, sequences were filmed. The bright, sort of surreal texture to these scenes were well thought out, and the quick steps through certain memories of her and Deacon were well executed. I did have issues with the fact that this is supposed to be fifteen years ago, so it’s not all that realistic that these two would look so much the same to the present day. People never look young enough for flashbacks that long ago. I get that there was no way around this, except for casting lookalikes, but that’s always a little more complicated. Perhaps that’s the reason for the brightness in these scenes.

Overall, the episode progressed the series along well, and I look forward to the season ahead. It’s interesting the way they’re going with Teddy, and I’m wondering how Peggy is going to work in her miscarriage. She’ll probably string Teddy along until he comes back to her.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Best Lines:

“It’s hard enough to bust out of this tween demo, now I have to compete with a Saint in a coma?” – Juliette, showing her struggling colours.

“I’m nobodies father!” – Deacon yells at his niece, demonstrating his guilt towards the crash with Raina after he found out he is her firstborn’s biological father.

All right, I’m off to watch The Crazy Ones now, then review that. After that is the two hour season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, then it’s this weeks rendition of Best Performances.

Revolution 2.01 Review: Last Year was Only the Beginning

This is my friendly reminder for all those that have yet to watch the season two premiere of Revolution, titled ‘Born in the U.S.A.’, that now would be a good time to turn away from this blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

Wow, just wow. I have to say this episode was incredibly well down. Last year’s series premiere was good, and this season two premiere just built on that to make this series even better. I’m already increasingly excited about what’s to come in this season, more so than I think I was last year. Kripke has outdone himself with this episode. The characters were amazing, the six-month time jump perfectly chosen, and the writing was wonderful. The way they chose to open this episode too was spectacularly done.

Speaking specifically of the technical parts to this episode, I – for once – thought the use of shaky cinematography actually added to the narrative. Usually I find this technique takes away from the overall feel of a series, but it only seemed to add to the gritty, and desperate nature this series has progressed into, a perfect step up for a second season. I also really loved the use of music in this episode, including it in a lot of the scenes, and then just the instrumentals in the flashback sequences. It helped to elevate what was already proving to be a great episode. One thing I do think could have been improved on, were the scenes at night, away from the bright lights. It was difficult to follow the fighting, because it was so hard to see who was who. I think that part could have been lightened up a little bit, or maybe just slowed down, or give a determining colour for the character I’m supposed to be rooting for.

The acting this season has definitely gotten better, as well as the writing, particularly when it comes to Tracy Spiridakos. Charlie was just so much more amazing than the almost whiny, desperate character she seemed to be last season. The actress, and the writing revolving her character, has greatly improved, and I can see her carrying this show more now than last season. I really like her this season, more so than I did last season (though I may be one of the few that liked her through all her trials and tribulations last year). An off the rails, really sort of wrecked Charlie is something I can definitely get behind. Damaged characters are just so much more intriguing than the simply hopeful, naïve type. I also really liked the choice of Stephen Collin’s as Rachel’s father; he’s done a very good job so far bringing emotion and depth into this character we’ve seen so little of.

From just this episode, I’m already intrigued by how damaged Rachel has gotten, even though she appears to have improved in the six months, she still likely has a ways to go. Miles also seems like he’s been through a great deal, and I’m curious to see where he goes from this point, and who was in that shed that he needed to cover up. I’m really glad Aaron was reintroduced this season in a relationship. It’ll be nice to see where they go with this woman, and how they were brought together. And also to be able to see the repercussions this has all cost him. Did anyone else think Monroe was ten times more attractive in that boxing ring? They need to give David Lyons some more physical acting like they did there.

Where they left off last season with the two nuclear bombs brings interesting storytelling to this season. A nuclear sort of holocaust provides an intriguing predicament for where they can go. The repercussions of not stopping those bombs will likely prove to be vast and unpredictable. I’ll be interested to see how that continues to tie into the series, and what issues we see be brought up in future episodes. As someone who read The Chryssalids, the reach of nuclear power can prove irreparably harrowing. I’m curious to learn why they’d turn the power back off, if they didn’t get to it in time to stop the bombs. The damage is already done, why turn it back off? Things seem to have gotten much worse since then.

I have to say; I was intrigued to see what looked to be a pirate ship, carrying so-called patriots of the U.S. But did the secretary’s eyes catch anyone? They were very interesting to look at, though I don’t think her acting was top notch. Her speech came across a little stilted. I will be interested to see where the Neville’s go, moving forward. This kind of vengeance looks good on Tom; Giancarlo Esposito is a wonderful actor. And I much prefer having JD Pardo play his character Jason off the character’s father, rather than following after Charlie and gaining a little too much screen time. He’s much better this season than last, though I will be excited to see Charlie and him interact with each other when they eventually – and hopefully not too much time until they do – meet up. I also think this Titus character, who will likely prove to be a psychopath, will eventually tie in with these “patriots” in some manner, but for now I’ll call his “family” pirates.

I am so very happy that that death did not prove to last. This may be a Kripke show, but it’s not Supernatural, these characters usually stay dead when they die. I did think it unexpected that they’d kill him off already, because I’d thought he’d have a more active part this season, and that belief proved to be right. Perhaps it has something to do with radioactivity, and those pesky fireflies he and his lady friend (yes, lady friend, I don’t know if she’s his girlfriend or wife yet) have been seeing.

Since last season, I have had the sneaking suspicion that Charlie is actually Miles’ daughter. It could just be he wants to protect her because she’s Rachel, the woman he loves, daughter, but he didn’t appear that way with Danny last season, so I still think I’m right. I, at the very least, would like a definitive answer at some point. I’ll be jumping up and down if I find out I am right, so expect a long ass paragraph of ‘Ha-ha, in your face; I thought it, and my theory was on the freaking ball.’

Overall this was an amazing premiere episode. I am so very excited for next week, particularly to see Charlie and Monroe face-to-face. I’m also really hoping we, at some point this season, find out who his son is, and not just stunt casting like they did at the end of Revenge last season. But I trust Kripke’s creative levels more than that showrunner, so we’ll see how it goes.

I do think this may be the best returning show premiere episode that I’ve seen, at least thus far. It’s excited me to no end, much more than the other shows I’ve already watched. It may prove to be a bit premature, being that there are still a large number of returning shows I have yet to view, but this is shaping up to be the most promising returning show. But more on that later.

If you have yet to watch this show, and are reading this review like a rebel, I implore you to go watch. If you haven’t watched a single episode, definitely go back and watch the first season. With the way this season is looking to shape into, you won’t regret getting into this series. Trust me, Kripke tends to have a plan – until networks think money is more important than good creative storytelling (I’m looking at you CW).

My rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Best Lines:

“You’re going to check out now? Like a little bitch?” – Jason to his father, who holds a gun in his hand, after needlessly searching for his missing wife.

“Try and keep your stupid to a minimum.” – Miles to Charlie, in a flashback where she tells him she’s leaving him and her mom behind for a while.

All right, that’s all for tonight. After that episode, there’s no way I’m going to ruin my mood with Nashville, when I’m not all that excited to watch it. So check back tomorrow for my review of that, before I watch and review at the very least Grey’s Anatomy and The Crazy Ones. I may be pretty much done with The Big Bang Theory and Glee, so don’t expect to look in for reviews of those, they’ll only be here if you’re really lucky, and my mood is just that good. Anyways, that’s all for now.