5 posts tagged “tv”

Heroes

I want to talk about TV tonight.  So be forewarned.  This is the first.  Spoiler alerts.

HEROES

• Mohinder: Is this guy the most clueless guy on Earth?  As a scientist, I would expect him to be a bit smarter and more logical.  Instead, he just amazes me week after week with his naivete.  He goes to NY and decides to stay in the apartment where his father was murdered, AFTER some strange dude showed up carrying a gun and finding out the apartment was tapped.  He doesn't trust Mr. Bennett, who says he knows about the heroes and can help them, but decides calling the FBI with this information was the smartest thing to do.  Hasn't he watched movies or TV? Doesn't he understand that trying to make normal law enforcement agencies understand that people have special powers probably isn't going to work.  And he knows some psycho named Sylar is out there killing people for their powers, including Eden, the girl next door that he took at face value almost up until the day she died.  Yet he just randomly starts getting in touch with people on the list and just shows up with no back up, completely trusting whoever it is that answers the door.  And now, he's wandering around with weirdo Sylar who, surprise, surprise, has killed another hero right under Mohinder's nose and the idiot doesn't even consider the fact that maybe "Zane" is that psycho.
• Peter:  He's surprising me.  Initially, I was bored with him.  It was like, fly already!  Tell someone!  Do something except wander around and try to convince your brother you can fly and then keep dreaming about it.  I'm still not sure how I feel about him.  I don't think he's all that hot and I personally think he's bit of a whiner.  Okay, the sensitive type, I guess.  Whatever.  I'm liking him a bit more now that Claude is helping him learn to control his powers and he's getting a handle on them.  But maybe that's because I like Claude.  But last night, when Peter stop the tasers and then flew away.  Awesome!  I can't quite figure out if he's stronger than Sylar because he's absorbed all of his powers but they seem pretty evenly matched.  Eventually, you know there's going to be a face off between the two of them.  Should make for awesome TV.
• Issac: I love the fact that he finally learned to do his paintings without shooting up.  But I think he got the short end of the stick.  You know he genuinely loved Simone and yes, she did what she had to do because it didn't look like he was going to get better.  But he finally cleaned things up and she was still not all about him.  She had suddenly fallen deep in love with Peter and frankly, I don't believe it.  The chemistry between Peter and Simone is no where near the chemistry between her and Issac.  And I'm interested to see where things will go between Peter and Issac now that he accidentally shot and killed Simone.  Frankly, Peter could whop Issac's ass, as we saw he almost did last night.  He's got a crap load of active powers and Issac just paints.  But I don't want this to turn into a whole Cyclops/Jean Grey/Wolverine thing.  So Simone's dead, but there's still going to be all of that tension between the two.  It doesn't bode well for the future.
• Nathan:  I thought Nathan was an ass from the beginning.  But he's grown on me over the past few weeks.  I still wish he would embrace his kick ass power but that will come in time.  I think they've shown a nice soft side of him that makes him more likeable and human.  He's motivated by his career and by power.  Can't blame him.  We've all been there - where we want something so bad we'd do anything to get it.  I wasn't too surprised that he was Claire's father.  I figured it would be him or Linderman.  There had to be a tie there somewhere.  And he seemed like he really wanted to see her but knew better, for the sake of his family and his career.  Had he known about her, I can imagine he would have supported her, if even monetarily.  And I know all he wants to do is to protect Peter.  I'm just interested to see what his role in this whole "end of the world" storyline is going to turn into.
• Claire: Poor, poor Claire.  What a time she is going through.  While most girls are worrying about boys and makeup and stuff, she's worrying about the fact that she can't be hurt, that her mom is pretty much brain dead because her dad kept erasing her memory and whether or not she should be trusting her father.  Plus, there's the whole finding out that her real mother is a human lighter and her real father doesn't want to see her.  And there's the fact that the one good friend she had in the world had his memory erased.  Oh, and now the three "crazies" (Matt, Ted and Wireless) have showed up in their house pointing guns at them.  She still has the most kick ass power though.
• Matt: I really feel for Matt too.  All he wants to do is to make something of himself and support his family.  Between his bad run of luck with the police force and his newfound powers, he's just not having any luck.  And to be honest, it's changing him.  We see him take the diamonds last week because he knows he just going to get in trouble if he gives it to the cops.  They're not going to believe him.  He's stronger.  He's not letting people walk all over him.  He looks like he's going to kick some ass this season.  The fact that people are treating him like crap just got the best of him and now he's looking out for just himself and his family.  No more Mr. Nice Guy!  And while deep down he wants to do what's best for everyone and find out the truth, I think it's going to be interesting to see the unconventional methods he takes in finding out this information.
• Nikki/Jessica & family: First off, Micah was a brat when his mom was in jail.  He bitched at her before about how his dad was a good person and she needed to be nice to him.  Then, when his dad was taking care of him, he bitched at him about he wasn't as good as his mom.  Aside from that, Micah and DL's powers are pretty cool.  Nikki/Jessica is getting kind of old.  The whole Jessica as an assasin thing - not so much.  Particularly when she was hunting that guy Matt was protecting in a tight fitting suit and high heeled boots.  Because that's practical assasin clothing.  Anyway, I'm interested to see where the whole thing with Nathan as the mark is going.  And I'm interested to see how they tie Nikki/Jessica and her family into the whole end of the world thing.  They are the only ones to have yet to be more completely integrated with the rest of the heroes.  How they play into the scenario should be interesting. And I'm also interested to see who finally takes over: Nikki or Jessica.
• Hiro:  I love Hiro!  Love, love him.  He is the only one who seems to fully embrace his destiny and understands that he needs to develop his powers.  I just wish he could get his sword.  And I want to see him be less naive.  Because between him and Ando they sure do get themselves in trouble.
  
  Final Thoughts: Every week I want more and that's, of course, what the shows wants from you.  I want to see all the heroes come together.  I want to see the end of the world storyline come to a close.  I want to see how all the connections play out and see if Sylar eventually self-destructs.  I want more!
  
  Oh, and I love the whole alliance of Matt, Ted ("Radioactive Man") and Wireless.  What a cool power Wireless has!

Am I the only one bummed about the fact that most of the major TV shows take a break.  That they actually have "fall finales" now.  I mean, granted, yes, it was a relief to be able to get things done over the holiday season without having to fight the need to watch my favorite shows.  But do they have to be month long breaks.  Because now that Christmas is over, what I am going to do on Monday nights for the next three weeks?  And that's just when Heroes and Prison Break come back on.  They're coming back earlier than any others.  Seriously, not fair.  I don't ever remember TV shows taking this big of a break when I was young.  This is a new trend that I definitely don't like because it forces me to watch other boring crap on TV and have to redo my whole TV schedule once January comes around. 

Booo!

I know I'm behind on my recaps, updates and reviews but I've been amazingly busy at work, which is where I've been doing them lately.  To be completely honest, I never intended to recap them every week nor did I intend them to be as detailed as possible.  However, I found them to be completely enjoyable and would like to continue trying to get them done.  So I apologize if they're not coming as quickly as they were but I sort of fell behind here and am trying to play catch up. 

In other TV news, they moved Seventh Heaven to Sunday nights at 8 and put the Sunday night block of comedies on Monday (Girlfriends, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, etc.)  I guess Seventh Heaven wasn't good enough to go up against the Monday night shows.  I know I didn't give up Prison Break to watch it.

I knew it would die a slow death.  And either Sunday is going to raise it up or bring it down.  I vote the latter.

Week Two

CBS, Thursdays, 9pm

Life isn't so simple in Vegas anymore and this season is proving it with the first three episodes weaved together in an enexpected series of turns and twists.  While I've always been a fan of the show's tactic of solving all the mysteries before the end but carrying a few details over through out the season, I'm really liking how everything is so interconnected.  All the cases they've worked on so far have had some kind of connection or affect on another and it's real fun to watch and anticipate what's to come.

The murder of Izzy Delancey, played by Danny Bonaduce, is one of the two cases in this episode.  Izzy is the person we saw last week slouched over a table in a pool of his own blood.  In the crime scene, is an exact replica of the scene, down to Izzy's blood on the tiny table.  There's numerous suspects - a chatty nanny, Annie, who was sleeping with Izzy (in his son's bed, naturally) and using that advantage to sell personal family photos and souveniers she stole from a safe to an online tabloid magazine.  There was his current wife, Madeline, who seemed unaffected by Izzy's death.  His ex-wife, Dusty, who didn't have a strong alibi (and was none other Lois Einhorn/Ray Finckel of Ace Ventura fame all slutted out).  And his, Sven, whom Madeline said had problems and didn't really seem to like his dad that much, particularly because they named him Sven.

Izzy had been approached by a record company for the rights to use his music in a show at a local casino.  He had yet to sign the contract but with him dead, all rights would go to his son and his ex-wife, who had to act on his son's behalf seeing as he was a minor.  But since criminals can't profit from a victim's death, the money would actually go to Madeline, his current wife, who seemed to want the money more than Izzy, Sven or Dusty.  Greg also found out that the marriage between Dusty and Izzy had never been legal and Dusty apparently knew this.  When they went to question her, they noticed expertly rendered drawings of skyscrapers.  Apparently, Sven wanted to be an architect so who better to build a 3-D replica than him?

All were still viable suspects.  Until Dusty admitted that she couldn't have done it because she had a secret meeting with Madeline at a coffee shop.  Madeline was hoping Dusty could convince Izzy to sign the contract.  This virtually cleared the both of them when a security camera shot was obtained of the two of them leaving the shop.  Then Sven was brought in for questioning and ended up fainting when Sophia showed him a picture of the crime scene.  Just to be sure he wasn't faking, Grissom had him tested, something with blood pressure and adrenaline, and sure enough, the boy fainted again. 

Now the show claims they were at a dead end but what about the Nanny.  If I remember clearly, I don't think she had a viable alibi?  Maybe I'm wrong but she seems the most suspect.  I guess we'll see as this case wasn't solved.  The only thing they have to go on is a tiny picture of what looks like a doll face on the back of one of the pictures of Izzy from the replica.  Grissom found it as he was mulling over the case and the replica after they reached a dead end.  So I guess we'll see where they go with this one - I think the Nanny did it, but I could be completely out in left field here.

The big case that I was waiting for was Catherine, who had woken up naked in a hotel room last week after apparently being drugged at a bar.  She thought she had been raped but all the lab results from her self-exam came back negative.  At first, it looked like it had everything to do with her, but as we find out, she was just a pawn in someone else's game.  Instead of going to the police or her co-workers, she decides to find out who did it herself. She asks the hotel clerk and the bartender but of course, none of them remember any pertinent details.  She get so wrapped up in the case that she is late picking her daughter, Lindsay, up from dance practice and judging by Lindsay's attitude, it's not the first tiime Catherine's done this.  But hey, Lindsay should be grateful her mom's late from legitimate CSI work and not stripping because homegirl could be left at home all night while her mom shakes her milkshake to support them.

Regardless, Catherine apologizes and her and Lindsay share a heartwarming moment where Catherine congratulates Lindsay on her solo and tells her she's proud of her.  Just as these two are back to getting along, an SUV comes flying at the driver's side and T-bones their car.  This scene was reminiscent of those damn Jetta commercials and let me tell you - as someone who has been in a bad accident where someone has hit me, those commercials really fuck with my head.  So you can imagine how this scene affected me too!  Anyway, Catherine is bleeding, struggling for her seatbelt and calling for Lindsay as another SUV pulls up.  A guy hops out and takes an unconscious Lindsay from the car and drives off.

It was now time for Catherine to tell her co-workers.  Grissom didn't understand why she didn't come to them in the first place.  Warrick helps her figure out that the kidnappers were waiting for her at the scene.  Nick feels bad that he left her.  But all are focused on finding Lindsay.  And the one person who can help is actually Catherine's dad, Sam, a local casino owner and "thug in a thousand dollar shoes" who apparently, is the whole reason for this happening.  He had received pictures both of Lindsay tied up and Catherine passed out on the bed demanding $20 million dollars.  Catherine, of course, was pissed and went on a rampage.

They eventually found Lindsay by linking a fingerprint from Catherine's car to one of Warrick's old burglary cases (she was being held at the house that was burglarized).  Warrick, Catherine, Brass and SWAT busted through the door of the house and shot one of the kidnappers while Warrick untied Lindsay so as not to contaminate any evidence and Catherine tearfully hugged her daugher.

And here's where it all ties together.  The man who kidnapped Lindsay is none other than the brother of Robert O'Brien, the man who committed suicide at Sam's casino demolition party last week.  There's also DNA evidence in the house where Lindsay was found that points to Joe Hirschoff, O'Briens partner.  Catherine meets Sam outside the casino and explains that when he made the Eclipse deal fall through, O'Brien and Hirschoff lost everything they had which equaled $20 million dollars, the same amount that the kidnapper wanted from Sam.  O'Brien dealt with it by committing suicide - Hirschoff tried to get the money back.  Sam explains that it's part of business and Catherine asks if he had Hirschoff killed because of what he did to her and Lindsay.  Sam doesn't have time to answer because Hirschoff walks up behind and shoots Sam in the chest.  Sam's bodyguards mow him down in the street while he falls to the ground and Catherine screams for help while she cradles his dying body.

So is Sam going to die?  He hadn't quite made it there at the end.  I don't know how it's going to affect Catherine, as she was never close with him.  Maybe she'll have regret for not being so close to him.  Regardless, if he does die, she should get all his assets which will make her a very rich woman.  But I don't know if that's the route the show would take because it's so obvious.  I think we're going to see reprucussions from this and I'm interested to find out where it will go.

Another thing I like about this episode was Catherine and Sara's brief interaction outside of the hotel.  Catherine had called Sara to print the place while she went to the bar to find evidence.  Sara mentioned to Catherine that the rape kit she collected would be inadmissable in court and you could see she did more because of their friendship and not just because it was her job.  I think the show needs more scenes like this because I'd like to see a bit of a stronger bond between the female characters.  They work together on a daily basis and they don't even act like they're friends sometimes.  It would be nice to see more of a friendship develop there, partly because Sara needs some kind of interaction with people.

And Greg is back so I'm happy!  I like Greg alot, as I said in the last post, and I'm glad they made him a full-fledged CSI because he really brings a lot of lightheartedness and humor to the episodes.

Still no mention about Warrick's wife but I have a sneaking suspicion that will come back to haunt him this season.  And you know, I'd like to see a little more about both Nick and Sara's personal lives.  We all know about Brass' daughter, Catherine's daughter and ex-husband, Warrick's wife and gambling problem, Grissom loner tendencies and passion for bugs.  All we know about Sara is that she doesn't do people and she's with Grissom now.  Nick is kind of a slut but there's nothing too personal that we know about him.  Even in the episode where he was buried alive, they kind of stayed away from that.

Or perhaps that my excuse to see more of Nick ... LOL

And finally, on the whole GSR (oh, and for those who don't know, GSR = Grissom Sara Romance) thing, still nothing much.  There was an interaction where Ecklie wanted to publish the diorama to the public but Grissom disagreed saying he didn't want to give the killer attention and glorify his tactics.  Ecklie looked to Sara for support and she agreed with Grissom.  Perturbed, he walked out saying "Of course you do".  Someone else picking up on the romance?  I guess we'll see but I need more than just these spattering of scenes.  We've waited so long and you're going to dangle last season then just snatch it away?  So not fair.

So I guess next week will be wrapping up the Izzy case and perhaps seeing the reprucussions from Sam's death.  I'm sure there will be at least one more case too so that should make for a pretty full episode, which always makes for a fun Thursday night.

I like answering Vox's QotD but I also think I'm going to use this place to rant and post about entertainment and pop culture, rather than do it on my normal blog.

So here's my first entertainment post.  I'm very excited about the fall TV season.  Like I need anything more to watch.  I know, it's a bad habit, but I can't help it.

Prison Break is starting again, TOMORROW!  Laguna Beach, my guilty pleasure, is back on.  New Sunday night episodes of The Simpsons and Family Guy will be back on.  Dane Cook has a special on HBO the first weekend of September.  ER is coming back on and I can wait because of the cliffhanger from the finale.  The Shield will be back on early next year.  CSI and Grey's Anatomy are coming back.  Gilmore Girls and America's Next Top Model is back too.  Plus, I'm really interested in that new show called Heroes, where normal people discover they have "extraordinary powers".

But I have TWO gripes:

1.  The fact that they moved Grey's Anatomy to Thursday nights at 9pm.  Now, not only do I have nothing to watch at 10pm on Sunday, when I'm pretty much guaranteed to be home, but it also goes side by side, with CSI.  And Thursday nights were THE night I waited for ALL week.  Nine o'clock was CSI and ten o'clock was ER.  And now, I have to choose.  Or get a VCR.  Or a TV Tuner card.  Or TiVo.  Or SOMETHING, because I cannot miss episodes of either.  And I have to figure it out soon.  Any suggestions?

2.  The CW.  I'm all for this network.  There were very few good shows on either UPN or The WB.  The rest of the stuff they had on there was just crap filler.  And the idea of combining their best shows into one network: BRILLIANT!  Here's my gripe though - from what I have heard, Charleston area subscribers will only get The CW if they have digital cable.  Philadelphia is just turning it's old UPN channel into The CW, which you can get without digital.  But now, I have to upgrade to get ANTM and Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars?  Right now, I have basic and standard cable and that's ALL.I.NEED.  Can I justify paying for digital cable for just one channel?  It hasn't been confirmed yet so maybe I'll get lucky but if that's the case I'm either upgrading or going to have to search on the Internet each week for new episodes.

*Sigh* What a dilemma!