The New Season
Sep. 24th, 2004 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowGenerally speaking, I'm not going to comment on TV episodes. Premieres and finales, yes, and exceptionally good or exceptionally bad episodes, but otherwise, no... unless I feel like it, which I do, in one case this week.
I'll give "Jack & Bobby" one more chance, but if this Sunday's episode isn't more involving than the first two, I think I'll drop it. Shame, really, but I don't much like any of the characters.
Everwood: I don't have a lot to say about this one, but there were some good bits. The way Harold showed up the new doctor at the end was priceless; this is what Harold wanted to do to Andy, but couldn't pull off. This time he wasn't going to miss the opportunity... It was good to see Rose lighting into Bright for his behavior. She's so much more, well, sensible than her husband. And it was good to see Bright owning up and promising to do better. He really has grown up over the last year. On the other hand, they're being altogether too cute with the pregnancy storyline. (Ephram knows! No he doesn't! Andy's going to admit it! No he isn't! Knock it off, willya, Berlanti?)
Gilmore Girls: Not a bad premiere, and I'm glad they followed up the finale with no lapse of time. The episode seemed crowded and a little bit disjointed, though. There was the deadly serious Rory/Dean plotline (though they played it for a little humor during her talk with Lane); the Emily/Richard story, which was equally or more serious at bottom but which was played as if it were broadly comic (Kelly Bishop was great in this; Richard Herrmann, less so); the simply silly bits with Kirk, Taylor, and Michel (and may I say that I love Paw-Paw?); and the sweet, uncertain developments involving Lorelai and Luke (and I am so glad that they avoided the usual nonsense about does-she-or-doesn't-she; these two are adults, despite their foibles and follies). Each of these was pretty good, but they weren't as well integrated as they could have been. The preview for next week looks devastating, though.
"Lost" looks very good. I found it involving from the very start, trying to figure out exactly what happened, who these people are, and what's going on now. I think I like Kate the best, so far; she's got what it takes, even if she doesn't know it. The bald guy scares me, though. The rest are... intriguing. I'm looking forward to part two of the premiere next week, and I think I'll be archiving this one.
"Veronica Mars" isn't quite as good, I don't think, but I liked it quite a bit. She's taken damage - damage that in a lesser show would have become her defining characteristic - but she'll be damned if she's going to break. Tough, smart, determined kid, with a good heart and the guts to act on it. The ratings were pretty bad, unfortunately, but it's UPN; maybe they'll give the show a chance to find its audience. The print reviews have been good, which gives me some hope.
Joan of Arcadia: I'm reserving judgment. There's potential for some interesting developments, but it's only potential so far. The Luke/Grace business hovers on the edge of being ludicrous; Grace's near-confession in Joan's room is the one thing keeping it from sitcomland. The scene in the bookstore, when Sammy's wife came in, was horrifying; I knew what was in the box almost immediately. I can't help feeling that Joan could have prevented that if she hadn't been pushing the avatars away. Whoo... The lawsuit and Helen's quest both promise much. I liked the attitudes of the priest and the ex-nun; Helen has to realize that this is serious business, not to be entered into lightly. And they were right - she had to tell Will, if no-one else; it just came at the worst possible time for him. We'll see what develops; I will certainly be watching.
I'll give "Jack & Bobby" one more chance, but if this Sunday's episode isn't more involving than the first two, I think I'll drop it. Shame, really, but I don't much like any of the characters.
Everwood: I don't have a lot to say about this one, but there were some good bits. The way Harold showed up the new doctor at the end was priceless; this is what Harold wanted to do to Andy, but couldn't pull off. This time he wasn't going to miss the opportunity... It was good to see Rose lighting into Bright for his behavior. She's so much more, well, sensible than her husband. And it was good to see Bright owning up and promising to do better. He really has grown up over the last year. On the other hand, they're being altogether too cute with the pregnancy storyline. (Ephram knows! No he doesn't! Andy's going to admit it! No he isn't! Knock it off, willya, Berlanti?)
Gilmore Girls: Not a bad premiere, and I'm glad they followed up the finale with no lapse of time. The episode seemed crowded and a little bit disjointed, though. There was the deadly serious Rory/Dean plotline (though they played it for a little humor during her talk with Lane); the Emily/Richard story, which was equally or more serious at bottom but which was played as if it were broadly comic (Kelly Bishop was great in this; Richard Herrmann, less so); the simply silly bits with Kirk, Taylor, and Michel (and may I say that I love Paw-Paw?); and the sweet, uncertain developments involving Lorelai and Luke (and I am so glad that they avoided the usual nonsense about does-she-or-doesn't-she; these two are adults, despite their foibles and follies). Each of these was pretty good, but they weren't as well integrated as they could have been. The preview for next week looks devastating, though.
"Lost" looks very good. I found it involving from the very start, trying to figure out exactly what happened, who these people are, and what's going on now. I think I like Kate the best, so far; she's got what it takes, even if she doesn't know it. The bald guy scares me, though. The rest are... intriguing. I'm looking forward to part two of the premiere next week, and I think I'll be archiving this one.
"Veronica Mars" isn't quite as good, I don't think, but I liked it quite a bit. She's taken damage - damage that in a lesser show would have become her defining characteristic - but she'll be damned if she's going to break. Tough, smart, determined kid, with a good heart and the guts to act on it. The ratings were pretty bad, unfortunately, but it's UPN; maybe they'll give the show a chance to find its audience. The print reviews have been good, which gives me some hope.
Joan of Arcadia: I'm reserving judgment. There's potential for some interesting developments, but it's only potential so far. The Luke/Grace business hovers on the edge of being ludicrous; Grace's near-confession in Joan's room is the one thing keeping it from sitcomland. The scene in the bookstore, when Sammy's wife came in, was horrifying; I knew what was in the box almost immediately. I can't help feeling that Joan could have prevented that if she hadn't been pushing the avatars away. Whoo... The lawsuit and Helen's quest both promise much. I liked the attitudes of the priest and the ex-nun; Helen has to realize that this is serious business, not to be entered into lightly. And they were right - she had to tell Will, if no-one else; it just came at the worst possible time for him. We'll see what develops; I will certainly be watching.
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no subject
Date: 2004-09-25 07:59 am (UTC)Thanks! :-)
Joan...
Date: 2004-09-27 09:59 am (UTC)This season's first show was very compelling. Perhaps because I struggle myself with my connection with God at times. And now is one of those trying times, a valley were I am holding on because I know I have to in my head, but my heart is to broken and my anger to intense to connect directly right now.
But the sermon this sunday was all about why God lets us spend times confused in the woods. So I see a theme going on in my life. If our direct connection is a bit rusty on my end so that he can't break though one-on-one... He seems to go to alternate routes fairly quickly. God is good... even when I am too messed up to happy about it.
Re: Joan...
Date: 2004-09-27 01:58 pm (UTC)I like the fact that they don't duck the hard issues. That a hit TV show would come to the edge of the Dark Night of the Soul (I know, it's not quite that, but it's in that direction) amazes me. And - judging from the first episode this year - they're not going to let her out easily.
I'm glad that the show resonates so for you, if not for the particular form that resonance takes, and I do hope you find your way out of the valley soon.