The Omnibox: all things television

[patrick jane]

My hit list of late:

The Mentalist closed out nicely with a Job like restoration for the central character.

Castle had a great two parter that left last year's dangling serial killer frustration settled definitively.

The Big Bang Theory found an appropriately sentimental gesture for the passing of the unseen, but oft heard mother figure of the show. Sudden, understated and tastefully done.

The New Girl continues to lose relevance while The Mindy Project may have the best comedic ensemble and writing since 40 Rock...okay, outside of Nine Nine, which is also a very well crafted show.

Justified is nearly done and much of the humor that set the violence at angle has left with the passing of the founder of the feast, yet the acting and plot arc can't help but hold interest as we feel the whole of it gaining speed toward the inevitable end game for Boyd Crowder and Raylan Givens.

MTF...

Raylan. Boyd. good stuff - when does it start up again ? i keep forgetting to 'search' it

[Town Heretic]

The first episode of 'The Walking Dead V' after the season break was very deftly done IMO and had a lot of depth to it and undercurrent. Surprising in more ways than one...

Never watched it. Heard about it after the first season or so was wrapped. I hate coming in late so I'll probably binge it at some point. Did that with Lost. Came in on the last season and by the time I'd caught up it dove tailed nicely.

Raylan. Boyd. good stuff - when does it start up again ? i keep forgetting to 'search' it

It's been going a while. Episode six is upcoming, so you might want to binge it too.


Off those topics, I've been watching the new crime show, Bacstrom. Good show and a rare one because it has a minister as a regular character. Of course the hero of the show is an atheist with a grim view of humanity, at least on the surface (a la House) but the minister/policeman who helps him surprised me. He's handled well enough and his faith has been a part of the show. Even that sort of balance amazes me...as does the fact that while most people watching declare the Christian faith you almost never see a show or character who exhibits any connection to that at all.

[rainee]

... I've been watching the new crime show, Bacstrom. Good show and a rare one because it has a minister as a regular character. Of course the hero of the show is an atheist with a grim view of humanity, at least on the surface (a la House) but the minister/policeman who helps him surprised me. He's handled well enough and his faith has been a part of the show. Even that sort of balance amazes me...as does the fact that while most people watching declare the Christian faith you almost never see a show or character who exhibits any connection to that at all.

Yes, agreed! Made me kind of uncomfortable it took me by such surprise to see him preach!
We are watching it too.
They speak fast so you gotta pay attention, no chopping onion and such while it is on - and i have to hold my breath sometimes wondering how low the humor may go but so far - it is very good, isn't it?!

And can provoke you to thought - I refer to the minister taking a position one may not be sure one would take and indeed was not taken. Was the move taken the right one?

Will it work out or in another show come back and bite?

[Town Heretic]

Yes, agreed! Made me kind of uncomfortable it took me by such surprise to see him preach!
We are watching it too.
They speak fast so you gotta pay attention, no chopping onion and such while it is on - and i have to hold my breath sometimes wondering how low the humor may go but so far - it is very good, isn't it?!

And can provoke you to thought - I refer to the minister taking a position one may not be sure one would take and indeed was not taken. Was the move taken the right one?

Will it work out or in another show come back and bite?

I thought last night's episode was well done. Backstrom seems more like a tortured and flawed soul hiding from a greater hope. I wonder if the minister isn't there to push that angle, especially in light of the ending narration (and on the heels of Backstrom's near breakdown in the discovery scene).

[rainee]

...Backstrom ... a tortured and flawed soul hiding from a greater hope. ...

Oh, love that. And yet he is also practically magic with his uncanny ability to pierce through to someone's motives and actions yes? Great and confusing combo

I wonder if the minister isn't there to push that angle, especially in light of the ending narration (and on the heels of Backstrom's near breakdown in the discovery scene).

Hmm, maybe so.
You know, all the characters now that you mention it are kinda rich in what they have and can bring.

Glad you brought it up, others may want to catch this show before it goes too far!

[Town Heretic]

Oh, love that. And yet he is also practically magic with his uncanny ability to pierce through to someone's motives and actions yes? Great and confusing combo


Hmm, maybe so.
You know, all the characters now that you mention it are kinda rich in what they have and can bring.

Glad you brought it up, others may want to catch this show before it goes too far!

It's been a pleasant surprise so far. I had worried it would be another "look upon the noble and tortured and superior an atheist" bit, like House became at seemingly every possible moment. At least the writers appear to be open to another narrative.

[Town Heretic]

Gotham...I have to admit when I heard about this one my first thought was, "Who wants an entire series of back story, before anyone becomes anyone worth watching? Like watching the weather channel on a calm day. But it's stylish and compelling and a good bit of fun.

[Town Heretic]

Dig: with all the hoopla and with decent casting under its belt it appears the less than subtle subtext is the show's title in relation to religion, Christianity in particular.


Blacklist: after a meandering opening it's settled back into form and the latest arc, involving the conflict between power and responsibility, paid off nicely, as the show has managed what I thought would have been impossible once, making secondary characters (all not named Reddington) compelling.


Last Man on Earth: if it was the last show on earth...

[Town Heretic]

One Big Happy: mix a heterosexual doofus who marries a Brit bombshell (with a penchant for random acts of nudity) after an overnight romance, add a lesbian about to have his baby and you've got the premise for the latest "comedy" on NBC...the theatricality of the presentation and the groan worthy laugh track usage manages to, oddly enough, take out most of the raunchy feel that's a staple of shows like Two Broke Girls, but nothing can repair the writing, which is dreadful enough that you don't really have to object to the premise to find it worth omitting from your viewing schedule.

[Ask Mr. Religion]

One Big Happy: mix a heterosexual doofus who marries a Brit bombshell (with a penchant for random acts of nudity) after an overnight romance, add a lesbian about to have his baby...

Which is what happens when Ellen DeGeneres is in the mix. Sigh.

AMR

[Mocking You]

My latest "must see" TV show is The Americans on FX. The story is about a deep undercover KGB operation consisting of a husband/wife spy team. They live in suburban Washington DC. For their cover they run a travel agency. They have feelings for each other, but since it was an arranged marriage for service in the KGB they don't really love each other. They were inserted into the United States in 1963 as newlyweds and they now have two kids, aged 14 and 9 years old. They look like the prototypical American family, except the parents are deadly spies. The kids don't know about their secret lives but are suspicious.

The stories are set in the early 1980's, starting in 1981. It's a fascinating account of the political/social climate of the time. The plots veer from hard spycraft to soap opera marriage and child rearing problems. There are double and triple crosses. Well written and acted, the show is a winner. If you are going to get into it you must start at the beginning. The show is in the middle of Season 3 right now.

[Lighthouse]

My latest "must see" TV show is The Americans on FX. The story is about a deep undercover KGB operation consisting of a husband/wife spy team. They live in suburban Washington DC. For their cover they run a travel agency. They have feelings for each other, but since it was an arranged marriage for service in the KGB they don't really love each other. They were inserted into the United States in 1963 as newlyweds and they now have two kids, aged 14 and 9 years old. They look like the prototypical American family, except the parents are deadly spies. The kids don't know about their secret lives but are suspicious.

The stories are set in the early 1980's, starting in 1981. It's a fascinating account of the political/social climate of the time. The plots veer from hard spycraft to soap opera marriage and child rearing problems. There are double and triple crosses. Well written and acted, the show is a winner. If you are going to get into it you must start at the beginning. The show is in the middle of Season 3 right now.

I am so behind right now. I love this show! But, alas, I do not have cable/satellite at the moment.

[Town Heretic]

I'm currently recording a show called Fortitude. Haven't watched any of it yet, but it has Stanley Tucci, Christopher Eccleston and Michael Gambon in it.

From Imbd: Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.

A few reviews in advance of my watching (waiting on episode 2 to fill in).

"A hot-blooded murder mystery set in the cold of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude has an impressive cast headed up by Stanley Tucci and Michael Gambon, and an atmosphere that draws you in immediately." Ken Tucker, YahooTV

"Push Fortitude to the top of your winter watch list." Joanne Ostrow, Denver Post

[rainee]

I'm currently recording a show called Fortitude. Haven't watched any of it yet, but it has Stanley Tucci, Christopher Eccleston and Michael Gambon in it...

Well, I could say you are slow to come to the party on this one but we started and after the third episode went back and watched the pilot again just for grounding.

But anyway if you can stay with it then please do cuz we don't want to feel all alone with this show ...
We haven't done any further exploration of the shows topic and may not though there will be invites for you to go to their web site during commercials.

We are doing "Dig" when I can get the others to watch it...
I just have to know where it is going and ultimately what it is going to say... Will it make my head want to twirl on my shoulders? Or will it make me feel hope for script writers... Can you ever tell? I agree w/you totally on The Mentalist. It was a very good ending to a show that started with a very sad premise, yes?
And it brings to remembrance the end of Red John which I feel was very good as well - really satisfying - but it couldn't or shouldn't be the end of a man's goals in life, so, well done there I say too.

[Town Heretic]

Well, I could say you are slow to come to the party on this one but we started and after the third episode went back and watched the pilot again just for grounding.

Hadn't heard of it and I had Pivot turned off because I only enable HD programming. I know that it's in HD on On Demand for at least a few episodes. Not sure if Dish will have all of them. I have everything but episode 2 and 6 through the first ten episodes. For some strange reason Pivot has omitted them so far in rebroadcast. I'll probably suffer through a non HD presentation of the pilot to see what I think about it and go from there.

But anyway if you can stay with it then please do cuz we don't want to feel all alone with this show ...

I'm cautious with new shows. I've had too many axed that I was enjoying (see: Lie to Me).

We haven't done any further exploration of the shows topic and may not though there will be invites for you to go to their web site during commercials.

Saw that. Good way to become familiar with the players.

We are doing "Dig" when I can get the others to watch it...

It's recording and I've watched the first two, but I have a feeling it's going to lean heavily into the "nutter religious fanatics attempt to bring about the end of the world" with the heroic characters being outside the faith. Maybe they'll surprise me. So far...

I've kept the Mentalist finale.