The Blacklist 1.06 Review: Love Blinds Us

For all those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of The Blacklist, titled ‘Gina Zanetakos (No. 152)’, that are hoping to do so spoiler free, I suggest you divert your gaze from this blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! Proceed at your own discretion.

Not as solid of an episode as this series has debuted the last few weeks, but there were still a number of good things to this episode. It brought to a head the mystery box in Keen’s floorboards, as well as her husband’s possible hand in a Russian defector’s death. For now it appears that the issue may have been settled, but I can’t help but believe Reddington over Keen’s husband and Zanetakos. Why would the man leave clues that point directly at him? Reddington is smarter than that, and I thought Keen was to. But I suppose love blinds even the smartest people, and I expect this to come back around eventually.

The performances this week, I found, were a bit uneven. While I believe Megan Boone has improved her portrayal of Keen this week, James Spader’s take on Reddington this week made me feel like the guy is understated but comes off a little bland. I enjoyed the subtlety between Donald and Keen, but I would have thought Harry Lennix’s character Cooper would have gotten more interesting by now. His role on Dollhouse was still much better than this one. I do have to say that I was glad to see Aram back again this week, although he wasn’t nearly as funny and interesting as he was last time.

Maybe my paranoia is getting the better of me, but I just don’t think Tom is innocent. The writers are better than that to have planted little things in each episode to build to this, only to have had Reddington be the cause, so I can’t believe that this is the end of it. Not only that, but there’s no way Reddington is going to put that much effort into making sure he works with Keen, only to have it foiled by Zanetakos’s word that he was the one that paid for the hit and thus set up Tom, dissolving any trust Keen had in him. The way that was written was well done, so I expect there to be more.

While I am very much a believer in the chemistry between Keen and Donald, certainly over her chemistry with her husband, it was the relationship between Keen and Reddington I found most interesting this week. Struggling with the fact her husband may have committed murder, Keen clings to her relationship with Reddington and seeks comfort in him (not in that way, get your mind out of the gutter) as a fatherly figure. I still say that if he isn’t her dad, there’s too much of that relationship between them that just isn’t realistic to me any other way, even if he feels indebted to her actual father. But anyways, to see the one eighty of her seeking his time and company, to her telling him to go to hell, there was a phenomenal amount of subtlety to the interactions. While she may not trust him now, I am intrigued by where they are, as I hope for many seasons of this mostly brilliant series.

One thing I have to remark on before I go was the brilliance of the music as Donald and Gina fought in the elevator, to the silence of Keen looking through the phone in the hotel room. Just a subtle addition that this series seems to do well in, for the most part, that they are able to work with such subtle nuances and acting and writing, and tie it brilliantly well.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Delivering criminals to you is a hobby.” – Reddington informs Cooper.

“That’s my girl.” – Reddington remarks, referring to Keen’s ability to put things together. (Can I get an ‘awe’ moment right there, before she tells him to go to hell?)

Alright, that’s all for tonight. I’m off to get some sleep; I have a bit of an early morning for me. Check back in tomorrow for reviews of The Originals, Supernatural, and Trophy Wife. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and New Girl will be back with new episodes next week.

Bones 9.06 Review: We've Waited Long Enough

Everyone – and I do mean everyone – that has yet to watch last night’s episode of Bones, rightfully titled ‘The Woman in White’, then please step away from this blog. As always, this is not a spoiler free zone, and I would absolutely hate to spoil the episode this series has built up to for nine years. Again, THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! This is your last chance to leave before I jump in, last warning.

Okay, you’re all going to have to bear with me on this review; it’s going to be a long one. I have been watching this series for two years now, and there is nearly a page and a half of notes related to this episode, half of which are probably my favourite lines of the evening, so here goes.

That, that was the best hour of television this series has had (okay, the Sweets centric episode was great too, but this was a fulfilling episode) in a very long time. This week’s episode has been built up to for nine seasons, and I just have to say how amazingly well done it was. I almost wish this was the series finale, because the amount of hope this episode ended with, and how fulfilling it was to watch Booth and Brennan make it down the aisle, I just don’t know how you do better than that. I suppose everything now really is just the cherry on top.

While not every character was able to make it to the wedding of the decade (I’m looking at you, Zack Addy. You may be locked up in a mental ward, but that’s no excuse.), there were a fair amount of returns this week. Booth’s always-loveable grandpa was in attendance, boy am I glad the actor didn’t die in the intervening years. Booth’s mom, who I don’t quite feel deserved forgiveness quite so easily and quickly, was also there. And even though there’s the easiest way to explain his not being there, Brennan’s dad did make it to the wedding, less Botox-y than the last time he appeared. Booth’s son Parker, who for some reason had to be picked up at the airport (can someone please remind me what happened there?), made his return to the series, about a year and a half from the last episode he appeared in. I have to say, he’s not nearly as adorable as he used to be, but I am glad to have had him around for the wedding. Then there was Cyndi Lauper’s return as the psychic Avalan, and can I just say how beautifully well done she sang that song as Brennan walked down the aisle? Breathtaking.

Now, for the more often recurring and regular characters of the series. We did get to see Caroline tearing up at the wedding, perfectly understated for a character such as she. All of the squints also got to be around each other for once, something I can’t recall happening since Booth’s brain tumour and subsequent hallucination, that ended up mostly happening, just out of order – but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, you know my memory. Their outfits for the wedding were perfect for the wacky but brilliant characters they are. I absolutely adored the way Angela was crying at the rehearsal for the wedding, and then how protective she got of Brennan when everyone was betting the wedding would be cancelled. She very much can be a big sister type to Brennan, teaching her the ways of the world, aside from her vast intelligence for anthropology. It was a very Jack thing to do, to take bets on when the wedding will be cancelled; I’m curious to know who won when the wedding ended up going off with just a few hitches. Was it all given back to everyone? Cam even jumped in on the betting fun. Plus Sweets was hanging around, being his psychologist self. Hey, does anyone think that John Francis Daley just does not seem to age?

Then there’s Booth and Brennan themselves. I adored how Booth was tearing up as Brennan read her vows to him; sometimes David Boreanaz is a fantastic actor (though I’ll always love him more as Angel). Then Brennan, who was her logic-based self, sometimes just stating the obvious. While I would have added a white-jeweled necklace, or a necklace of some sort to accompany that dress, given that her hair was up, she did look beautiful. Her makeup was just spectacularly done. When I get married, can whomever did her makeup do mine? Pretty please, with sprinkles on top? I just loved how Booth and Brennan were thinking they were just looking out for each other, but really the big stuff didn’t matter to either of them, just getting married on that day was what was so important to them, as long as they were together. Such a beautiful sentiment to enter into a marriage with.

This was such a beautifully well-done episode. I literally (well almost) was pausing this episode every half a minute to minute to jot down more notes, more favourite lines, just anything that came to me about the episode. Booth and Brennan get their happy ending (okay, no, not an ending, but that word works best), and I am so unbelievably happy for them. Two characters. On a TV show. This is my life. But anyways, I actually nearly managed to cry as Cyndi Lauper sang the song while Brennan walked down the aisle. For anyone that doesn’t know me, I rarely cry, and I actually teared up at that point. I possibly would have cried, if I hadn’t paused the episode to jot down another favourite line (more on that below). As Booth and Brennan walked down the aisle together, hand in hand, their smiles, their happiness, it just warmed my heart. Pure happiness for them, I wasn’t even envious (okay, now I am, but that happens), I was just so happy for what they were finally able to accomplish.

I still, I just don’t know how you get any better than this. This episode was perfect from beginning to end. The cellphone calls ruining the wedding rehearsal at the church, the business of everyone trying to make sure they make it down the aisle, and how neatly the thirty-plus year old murder fit into the episode – even if the murderer ended up being a little boring. But I don’t know, I think I’d be happy with this being the last season, or at least the second last. No more after ten, that’s enough. Oh, and please bring back Zack Addy before the final swan song.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10. (Yes, I loved the episode, but this series has yet to be as good as the early years… Yes, with Zack Addy. Okay, that’s enough home. Zack Addy… Okay, that really was enough.)

Best Lines (prepare yourself for a lot):

“Can you cry after eleven?” – Booth asks Angela, when she can’t stop crying but they only have the church until then.

“I’ll put $25 on the wedding being cancelled by lunchtime tomorrow.” – Jack says. “Yeah, $50 says it’s cancelled before the sun goes down.” – Sweets retorts. “Worst friends ever.” – Cam mutters.

“I don’t need sleep to be beautiful.” – Brennan states. “No, but it does help you be pleasant.” – Jack retorts.

“I got your text about the wedding pool. I’ll put fifty on it being called off by three.” – Clark tells Jack, who then pulls out a notebook.

“Hodgins, what have you got for me?” – Cam asks. “Brennan’s done with her mani-pedi.” – Jack answers, not in the way Cam had wanted.

“I prefer not to tell you while you’re wearing your tough face.” – Clark tells Angela, after she asks him if he’s in the wedding pool. She does have a mean tough face.

“Yes! Tricking is an excellent coping mechanism when dealing with people like Dr. Brennan.” – Clark states.

“$20 says it’s cancelled by one tomorrow. Oh God, I hate myself.” – Cam adds in her bet to the pool.

“My God Booth, you burned the church down.” – Max remarks.

“And you’re completely unnecessary.” – Oliver goes one sentence too far with Angela.

“So, I’m inviting you. I have to go put on my dress now.” – Brennan says, starting in one place, and ending up in another.

“You’re a lucky man, Booth.” – Aldo tells him. “I know.” – Booth replies, in one of the two sweeter moments in the episode.

“It’s my fatherly duty to tell you if you do anything to hurt my little girl, I’ll kill you.” – Max half-heartedly threatens Booth, before they hug each other.

“Keep it to yourself or get out because this is going to happen.” – Aldo exclaims, forgoing the traditional standing up if anyone should see fit these two should not wed.

“I can be a duck.” – Brennan naturally butting in to Booth’s vows in remembrance of one of their first encounters.

“Now, Temperance, will you be speaking from the heart as well?” – Aldo asks. “Nooo, I will be speaking from my mouth.” – Brennan replies with her usual amount of logic.

“This is that time. This is that place.” – Brennan tells Booth in her vows, after reading the note she wrote to him while Hodgins and her were buried alive.

“As usual, she’s right. Go.” – Aldo tells Booth, referring to Brennan’s stating that Booth should kiss her now.

“What do you think happens now?” – Booth asks. “Everything that happens next.” – Brennan replies. The other sweetest line sequence of the episode, and a fitting end to the episode.

I told you there were a lot.

Alright, I’m off to watch The Blacklist, or possibly just go to sleep, either way I’ll be posting the review of that later today (it is already a new day after all). I’m all wiped out from taking over an hour to watch an episode that is forty-five minutes on my DVR. I really did pause it quite often. Plus, I heated up some food. Anyways, good night to any night owls like me; I’ve been up since noon to go see some two week old kittens (three of them) to try and help decide which one my roommate and I are going to take (to join our three other cats). Then I had an eight and a half hour shift at work, so I’m kind of exhausted. Night all.

Bones 9.04 Review: Down the Rabbit Hole

This is your only warning. All those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Bones, titled ‘The Sense in the Sacrifice’, then now would be a good time to do so. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

So Pelant’s dead now. Not as great an ending to his killing spree as I would’ve liked. Yes, this was a good episode compared to what this series has been putting out for the last few years, but it wasn’t a good enough ending to Pelant’s chapter. It felt like most of the tense parts were thrown in in the last third of the hour, I almost expected them to continue on into next week’s episode, but Bones rarely does two-part episodes. For someone they’d spent a good year and a half, two years hunting, he was taken down pretty easily. And by feelings.

There were some interesting components to the episode. Them finding out the body they’d excellently staged was not in fact the body they themselves had staged, but Flynn the way Pelant had staged him. The very beginning when they’re rolling in the body that had been donated to the Jeffersonian, and then they go about creating a murdered body, almost like we were seeing what the effects people do for the series. I also liked the whole confusion with the toy bomb, and Pelant toying with Brennan.

I’m still really disappointed with the way they went with Flynn. The first time he comes in and Pelant is captured but manages to create a new identity to get out of prison, implied Flynn would have something to do with Pelant. But then he goes and saves Booth’s life, and gets killed by Pelant, and so grieved by the Jeffersonian team. I wasn’t so unhappy about their grief part, but justifying the implication he’s involved in the murders by saying Pelant was using him without his knowledge was disrespectful to the audience. It’s quite disappointing the writers thought they could do that to us.

Both Booth and Brennan did well enough in this episode, and everyone was good at the part where they learn Flynn is the victim on the table. But I didn’t really feel the great acting for Sweets this week, like I did last week. It was all more or less the same as every episode before.

The writing for this episode felt rushed. They bring Sweets back in when he really wasn’t given any time off from viewers’ eyes, and kind of rush this idea he came up with to try and lure Pelant out. It felt very quickly put together, and not at all explained well enough for the audience. For the first five minutes of the episode I was extremely confused by what the hell was actually going on. It almost felt to me like the showrunners were trying to rush getting Brennan and Booth down the altar, and so skimmed through this Pelant story’s ending. But then again, this series has never been great about resolving prolonged storylines with complex but appropriate conclusions. The conclusions for stories like Pelant, and the Gravedigger have always been rushed. Though that could also be because they throw conclusions randomly into seasons, and not at the end of a season like I prefer.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“We can have sex.” – Brennan suggests to Booth, in her logic voice.

“What? I don’t- That’s not a thing.” – Sweets flabbergasted by Booth’s rendition of what he came in to define Pelant’s condition as.

Okay, I’m off to go watch The Blacklist now, and hopefully review that next. But it’s looking like I’m going to be too exhausted to get to Sleepy Hollow tonight, so expect that tomorrow evening.

Bones 9.02 Review: Murder at the Couples Retreat

I’d like to take this time to let anyone that has yet to watch last nights episode of Bones, titled ‘The Cheat in the Retreat’, know that if you plan to watch it spoiler free, now would be the time to turn away from this review. THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

All right, forgoing the recap for the last episode, being that I reviewed it last week, I’ll jump right into the review. I have to say that I substantially enjoyed this undercover episode a great deal more than the last one. Maybe because Tony and Roxy are a tad bit more interesting, with their flavourful accents and such, or maybe because this episode was about going into a couples retreat, rather than that terrible dance competition. Either way, this was much more interesting.

Does anyone get the feeling that this show sometimes likes to talk down to its audience? Well, maybe not so much talk down to, but trying to be educational, in teaching us some of these terms that have to do with forensics and anthropology, that it’s almost like I’m watching Bill Nye the Science Guy (and let me tell you I hated that guy as a kid)? What I’m trying to say is, the way – especially Cam – the characters speak sometimes, it’s like this show is on the discovery kids channel, teaching us about forensics and how to pick things up. I get trying to educate your audience, but I watch Grey’s Anatomy and the way they speak doesn’t come across patronizing. People are smarter than some give them credit for, I’d appreciate just being able to pick up things myself as the show goes on, not be talked down to.

Okay, I get the whole not being able to let racism go, and that identity fraud can be a big issue, but in the beginning of the episode it was almost like it was providing a public service announcement, rather than actually delving into something that could happen to anyone not careful (the not careful part in reference to identity fraud only, not racism). I do think the rest of the episode, and Cam’s deepening emotions about it, provided more depth, but in the beginning it could’ve been handled a little better. Also, when it comes to credit card companies, I’ve known people who’ve found charges that weren’t their own, and when they spoke to the credit card company they weren’t the ones held accountable for it. I don’t see how Cam would need definitive proof that it wasn’t her. And wouldn’t there be proof in the very fact they weren’t her usual charges? And how would it have taken her that long to catch it?

While I love this show a great deal, I do find it has some issues. I do think that things had already seemed to go back to normal way too easily for Booth, aside from Angela. She was the highlight of the episode in bringing this show tied into the last episode. Otherwise it would’ve felt like no big deal. I do still wish they had prolonged resolving the issue in the last episode just one more episode, and then pushed this to episode three.

This show is definitely a lighter noted series. Sure, it deals with gruesome murders at times, but it’s still kept on a light note. I do think it only seems to dip its toes into the deep end spectrum of emotions, and then almost bring it back around to the comedic aspect of the show. Balancing deep, honest emotions, and comedy, and horror, can be a difficult thing to grasp, and I don’t think this show always does that so well, but it doesn’t keep me from enjoying it.

My last issue with this episode was with Sweets. I definitely enjoyed the way the actor played him like he was starting to get a little nutty, but I don’t quite understand why it took until this episode for him to go that way about his profiles being abused by Pelant. I can’t seem to grasp the idea that that wouldn’t have caught up with him at the very least in the last episode, but it seemed to just now to pop up. He’s lost his mojo, and I can understand that happening, but why now?

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Best Lines:

“Feces! It’s your lucky day bugboy.” – Booth to Hodgins, after he’d gotten excited about bobcat excrement being found on their feeding grounds if your lucky, and it ends up falling on his face.

“Wait, those are my noodles.” – Sweets, beginning to lose his way.

“They’re mine now.” – Booth, after taking the noodles.

“I’m not an expert… on everything.” – Hodgins, a bit of a healthy dose of full of himself.

That’s all for now, check back in an hour or so for my review of Sleepy Hollow, and then after that The Blacklist. Later on tonight it’s New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Trophy Wife, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.