Elementary Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot 

There is no doubt that Elementary will be successful. It has everything going for it: a great time, a different twist on Sherlock Holmes / Watson relationship, and on CBS. The show deserves the success that is to come, but it doesn’t break free of the procedural mold that CBS has built over the years. 

The main selling point of the show is that Sherlock is sent Watson (played by Lucy Liu) as someone to make sure that Holmes has kicked his drug habit. Their relationship is all consuming, fascinating, the crown jewel of the show. These two bring a level of depth to their characters in such a short amount of time. Elementary has claimed that the two of them will never get together, but that is just pre-show talk to dismiss any outlandish blowback by Sherlock fans. It will happen, in 3 or 4 seasons. 

The murder that they solve isn’t anything new. Slightly creative, but nothing spectacular. By CBS procedural standards it was above average, but innovated it was not. This is what will keep the show from becoming something amazing, the inability of the network to do something bold and risky. CBS is the network known for not taking risk. And by their own standards Elementary is risky, only because it is one degree off from the ridged master plan. 

My all means, Elementary is a well acted, written and shot show that people should watch. And guess what, you will enjoy it too. Everything is crafted to make sure that a wide audience will enjoy the program, but that net needs to be refined so it can become something more than just another good CBS procedural. 

Rating: Watch

Original Air Date: 9/27/12 

On CBS, Thursdays 10/9 central  

Revolution Season 1 Episode 2

Chained Heat 

Revolution has one major problem, why should anyone watching this show care about what is happening? Aside from a few outstanding characters (one who only appears in flashbacks for now), the show falls completely flat and stagnate. WIth a show that tries so hard in making the audience believe that the power is off and will never come on again, the major flaw in the show’s thinking is that people went absolutely insane 15 years after the blackout. There are millions of people still alive who lived while the power was on, America was a country, and the symbol of the country stood for something. Yet now everything went out the window for seemingly no real reason. This might come out later in the show, but it is a hard pill to swallow. 

Back to the lack of interesting characters. There aren’t enough of them. Period. The audience is suppose to like Charlie because her life has taken a turn for the worst, but she is so bland and she has a terrible glare that she gives people. It just comes off cheesy. Plus she holds back Miles, the most interesting kick-ass person on this show. In fact, Revolution would be better if Miles went off on his own and focused just on him. Kill Charlie off and make the show better. She is holding some of the show’s potential back. 

Also there still isn’t a clear objective (next to finding Danny and saving him from the Militia) that is worth anything. The interesting story about some strange pendant, that is one in a series, that has the potential of turning the lights back on plus a cryptic computer message in the first episode begs to have this story told. This is what Revolution should be about, not some boring rescue story that is cliche. 

The main saving grace are the great sword fights that scatter throughout the episode. Crank up the action and turn down the melodramatic main characters. They have a small window of becoming interesting, but that window is closing fast. 

Rating: Fans Only 

Original Air Date: 9/24/12

On NBC, Mondays 10/9 central 

Last Resort Season 1 Episode 1

Captain 

Last Resort is full of tension, and that is the best part of the pilot episode. The mood, atmosphere and mistrust that the first episode is able to create is outstanding and separates them from the rest of the pack.

The show is about a submarine crew that disobeys orders to fire nukes on Pakistan then they are fired on by the U.S. for disobeying orders. But not everyone in the government knows this truth and instead think that the sub was fired on by Pakistan and retaliate by attacking Pakistan. 

Andre Braugher as Captain Chaplin steals the show. His speeches suck you in and don’t let, especially his last one of the episode. He is such a well built character. The rest of the crew works well in the show, each getting their little moments in this episode and sets up some story lines down the road for them to explore. 

This show is the most like LOST out there. By that I mean that the show goes for it. Money was spent making this feel as real as possible and that really shows the commitment of the show. The sub looks great, both the interior but even the CGI outside of the sub is done well. The mystery of why they were attacked or what was the Navy Seals doing in Pakistan in the first place can drive the show long enough for Last Resort  to find itself and know where it is going down the road. 

Rating: Watch

Original Air Date: 9/27/12 
On ABC, Thursdays 8/7 central 

The New Normal Season 1 Episode 3

Baby Clothes 

Baby clothes will be known as the episode where the issue of gay couples is brought up for The New Normal. It wouldn’t be a Ryan Murphy show if he didn’t bring up the issue of gay couples and ignorant people who are unwilling to accept others. The show handles the issue well, but it was coming down the pipeline sooner than later. Then the issue of someone gets angry at a man with down-syndrome. David doesn’t act the first time but at the prospect of his future child having down-syndrome, he clocks the second guy later that day. 

How to raise a ‘new’ family is at the heart of The New Normal, but the show shows its hand to early in the episode. Comedy’s should be funny first and tell their message second. 10 (or so) minutes into an episode the weight of the world is dropped on David and Bryan and then they talk about their reactions and feelings. Fine and all, but it becomes more serious right away, with the humor thrown in with an attempt to remind the audience they are suppose to be funny. 

The B story however is hilarious: with Shania trying to dress like teenagers leading her to get hit on by a boy in her class, them making out, being caught by Jane and down the rabbit hole before some preachy message is said. Much better at being funny while meaningful at the same time. 

The C story with David and the guy he punched, and the down-syndrome guy (who hates gays) is also handled well, since it made a story out of nothing. An actual surprise in this episode. 

Rating: Watch

Original Air Date: 9/18/12 

On NBC, Tuesdays 9:30/8:30 central 

Go On Season 1 Episode 3

"There's No "Ryan" In Team"

Go On desperately needs to slow down scene changes and let actions play out. The community center (and group time) is the most interesting aspect of the show, where the real comedy of Go On happens yet is overly ignored. Go On should embrace this community center and make it the cornerstone of Go On rather than shove it into the abyss of Ryan’s dark soul. 

The group dynamic needs to be flushed out more, an issue that the show addresses when Ryan keeps ignoring them outside the confines of group time. Ryan is isolating the people who want to help the most while feeling sad for him at the same time because of his crippling depression that the show forces on the audience at every turn. Bowling with the group is one of the funniest things this show has shown but instead Ryan is out hanging with his boss in some abandoned lot doing something that is pointless. 

Go On has added too many characters too fast. The group itself hasn’t been clearly defined, which should be the primary goal of the show this early. So far, this semi-ensemble show is just focusing on Ryan and his pathetic life. At least the other group members have things going on in their lives, which helps them become more than window dressing, but their individual personalities are still hazy. Cut everything but the group, possibly keeping as little as possible of Ryan at work and the show would work better. I want to see more of the group. With or without Ryan, I could care less, but just more of the group and their quirky personalities. 

Rating: Watch 

Original Air Date: 9/18/12 

On NBC, Tuesday's 9:00/8:00 central 

Revolution Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot 

When creating a fictional world, having the people act as if it is their reality is a key part in becoming immersed in that reality. This is the weakness of the pilot episode of Revolution, some of these characters seem to exist only to give band exposition an stand around. The subtle details of characters backstories seem to be gone in favor of tying to get the audience to understand that this is a world without electricity. From the heavy handed voiceover to the dying breath of [Spoiler] Ben, and then some the show tells the audience an abundant amount of times that the lights aren’t coming back on anytime soon.

Ben is killed by a group of militia (by accident). They are at Ben’s sleepy little town to take him and find his brother Miles because they might know something about the blackout. The tense standoff is a joke, but the bloodbath that follows is worth the anticlimactic moment. 

Charlie, Maggie and Aaron take off to find Danny, Charlie’s brother, after he is taken by Tom, the leader of the militia group. And we get out most interesting character so far, Tom (played by Giancarlo Esposito). He plays his character with depth and emotion. He is also a cold blooded killer (he kills most of the people in the fire fight himself). 

The gang of three find their way to an airplane and sleep for the night only to be awaken at knifepoint by bandits, who are killed off my poisoned whiskey. Maggie finds her moments in this episode, but she mostly falls flat, only stating the obvious for a majority of her on screen time. Aaron is just interesting, playing the likable fat, nerdy guy. 

Moving at light speed, they make it to Chicago with another guy who happens to find their group (totally not a bad guy) and find Miles, Charlie’s uncle. Miles is the second interesting, well written character that we meet. Miles is funny, witty and steadfast all while still remaining believable at the same time. The stranger turns out to be a bad guy, who knew, and Miles kicks everyone out to fight the good fight. This fight scene makes the entire episode worth slogging through blatant exposition. Miles kicks so much ass in a few minutes, with the help of Charlie, Maggie and Aaron. The twist at the end is that [Spoiler] Miles knew the leader of the militia who is hunting him all along. Miles and Monroe where old army buddies. 

And there was some b story line with Danny, where he meets a nice woman who gives him back to the militia. But she has one of the devices which allows the power to come back on, interesting twist including a seemingly third rung character into the fray. Didn’t see that one coming. 

The episode got better over the hour, with the first half beating the audience over the head with the basics of the show and the second half filled with great action set pieces and an ending that wasn’t obvious. Hopefully the show will build off the momentum the pilot ended with. 

Rating: Watch

Original Air Date: 9/17/12 
NBC, Monday's at 9/8 central 

The New Normal Season 1 Episode 2

Sofa’s Choice 

With this second episode of the show, we get a real look at what The New Normal has in store for us. Pilot episodes are worked over and over, for weeks trying to iron out the issues the show may have (doesn’t always work) but they don’t fall under the same working schedule of the show. That schedule is a key factor in what makes a good show work so well. 

This show needs to be about Rocky and Jane, with everyone else as background characters living this pregnancy story. This isn’t to say that David, Bryan, and Goldie aren’t likable funny people. They are all those things, but they don’t steal the scene. The leads need to step it up and take the comedic reins of this show. Shania (the daughter) had a great comedic bit in the background masquerading as a Kennedy from Gray Gardens, priceless. 

David and Bryan do have a steady relationship, which is at the heart of the show. Their flashback of how they met was cute, but not that funny. It really wasn’t meant to be funny though, but more of a way to quickly show the spark the two of the have lost in their relationship. But wouldn’t wanting a kid be a spark in their relationship? *Another Gray Gardens joke, Andrew could only go as a cat from Gray Gardens for Halloween. See, its these random side jokes about a 70s documentary that people forget about.

The New Normal needs to define itself outside of the basic plot of the show. So far, it is just moving through the paces with bits of humor thrown in so the show can be called a comedy. Everyone on this show can hold a joke (when they are given one) but again, the leads are just pushing the basic “let’s have this baby” plot forward. This plot should be the excuse for following these people around. Define their world more than just a wealthy couple who lives in L.A. This is why Jane and Rocky steal the show and need to be the starts if this formula stays the same. Everyone can hold their own, but no one is really being given the opportunity to shine, expect for Rock and Jane. And the real comedic star of this episode, Shania. 

Rating: Pass 

Original Air Date: 9/11/12 

On NBC, 9:30/8:30 central 

Go On Season 1 Episode 2

He Got Game, She Got Cats 

The second episode of any show sets the baseline for the rest of the season, if not the series. This is the first real week of the show, which consists of finding the right balance of jokes, writing and filming schedules. Knowing how the show can deal with the stress behinds the scenes is evident on the other side of the screen. 

Ryan is a sad dog, who gets kicked from house to house, trying to find someone who wants to play fetch with him. This might seem harsh, but Ryan all but comes out and says it half way through the episode. His life is in shambles, with the death of his wife and all so he doesn't want to be left alone. And because he gets kicked around so much, he is abrasive to people to make it seem as if he is really interested in their lives. 

The Pilot had the same basic construct as the episode, but this time around the show isn’t as dark as the pilot, and in comedy thats a good thing. The loom and gloom of Ryan and those in his support group aren’t outright seen as being horrible alone, or dad but rather slightly seen as melancholy people trying to deal with their lives. 

Sonya buys lots of cats to deal with breaking up with her boyfriend, which Ryan told her to do, also because of the death of a former pet. Sonya says exactly why other people think she uses cats (to avoid human contact) then quickly dismisses the idea. Other characters comment on how crazy Sonya is (which goes on too long) but only shows how sad and empty Sonya has become. 

The sadness of the show is being held at bay by the humor, but the bluntness of the characters in this comedy isn't working well with the entire comedy aspect of the show. Every laugh is just at the expense of a likely sad person who is teetering on the edge of sanity. It can be hard to laugh at these people knowing that they are really hurting on the inside. 

Also the show needs to slow down on locations. They rarely spend anytime in any one location, bouncing back and forth too fast to get any real sense of where the characters are. Spend more time in the office, or at the community center or at George’s apartment and his missing basketball B plot of the episode. 

Rating: Fans Only 

Original Air Date: 9/11/12 

On NBC, 9:00/8:00 central 

The New Normal Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot 

Ryan Murphy’s new comedy on NBC still has his signature flair for the off the cuff comments, speeches and character types. If anyone has ever watched Glee before, you will know the basis of The New Normal. In fact, this show feels like Glee 2.0, but minus all the singing, dancing and adults masquerading as teens. Even the shooting aesthetic of the show feels like it ripped from the Glee handbook. 

We have the following: Jane is the grandmother of Goldie, who in turn is the mother to Shania. The mother daughter combo drive out to California to escape her horrible life. Goldie becomes the surrogate to David and Bryan. Jane follows her granddaughter out to the west coast. And there is the plot and conflict all wrapped up in a nice bow. 

The New Normal will draw comparisons to Modern Family, but in reality the shows don’t have that much in common. Modern Family is a high end family sitcom while The New Normal is more about taking the edgy approach to the genera. The show does have its funny moments (insert Gwyneth Paltrow joke here), but I can’t stop thinking about the constant Glee like hard handedness. This show isn’t timid about anything, just like Glee. Both show even share NeNe Leakes. Jane is Sue, but even more crazy, which isn’t a bad thing. 

The New Normal is enjoyable, but isn’t groundbreaking in the least. Ryan Murphy has gone back to the Glee trough and found this show there, waiting to be made. This show is Glee with a pinch of Modern Family. 

Rating: Watch

Starts on: Tuesday, September 11 at 9:30 / 8:30 central 

Go On Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot

Matthew Perry is back on NBC, once again surrounded by an ensemble cast. But this time Perry is the focus of the show, stepping out of the Friends equal shadow into the stardom for himself. The Pilot episode starts with breakneck speed, quickly glazing over primary reason for why Ryan (Perry) has gone to therapy in the first place. Oh, by the way he is also a sports commentator, but Go On pushes past that so fast you might have forgotten. 

Ryan’s wife has died a few weeks prior to the start of the show and his job forces him to go to ten rounds of therapy before he can return to work. The first interaction with his new therapy group was all seen in the promos for the show, aka “March Sadness”. After subjecting people to a round by round tell all bout why their lives are horrible, we meet Lauren, the group leader who slaps Ryan on the hand for his horrible mockery of the treatment process and starts the real group meeting this week. Then follows one of the saddest montages ever in a comedy, each member of the group is shown living their lives, somehow effected by their loss. Then Ryan cons his way out going to any more sessions at the next meeting, has a breakdown, returns to group and chases a Google Street View car with his therapy members. This show moves fast. 

Behind the jokes, the best being how the therapy leader is qualified to run group, the show is very dark and depressing. Humor is the only way for Ryan to deal with his loss, that and random outbursts of aggression, and too is this the only way for the show to deal with the dark subject matter of these people’s lives. 

There are similarities to the quirky band of characters that Go On has and those who live on Community, but Go On hasn’t really established any of the supporting casts yet, aside from what hellish events have brought them to group in the first place. There is potential for the show, but the underlying darkness that Go On may ultimately bring the show down if it is aloud to permeate the walls of the comedic chops the show is working from. 

Air Date: During the Olympics 

Starts on: Tuesday, September 11 at 9/8 Central on NBC

Rating: Watch 

Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode Eight

To say that Breaking Bad is lazy is absurd. Breaking Bad is one of the hardest working shows on TV, from the acting, pacing, story telling, cinematography and serious tone of the show. But the last few episodes have left me feeling like the show is just treading water. 

Tonight’s end of the first eight episodes is just an example of this stagnate feeling the show is emitting. By all means, it wasn’t bad. Breaking Bad is never flat out bad. Every episode is filled with visual brilliance but when an element of the show doesn’t match the same perfection that the rest of the show attains it is a let down. 

Now to talk about the ending. Spoilers below. 

Yes, Hank finding the Walt Whitman book on the back of the toilet fits in with the show’s world that has been carefully created. But in all the ways for Walter to be caught by Hank, this seems to be the laziest way for the show to set up the finale chase. Attentive fans (most of the viewers) will know that Gale gave Walter the book in season 3 and in season 4 Hank asked Walter about Gale’s notebook that gave thanks to a W.W. I’m all in favor of the show going back and pulling small details and using them again at a later date, but this is not the dream way of Hank finding out Walter’s dirty little secret. Again, it works but it is the least gratifying way for Hank to discover that Walter is behind “Sky Blue” Meth.