Film School Rejects » TV Reviews

V Review: A Bright New Day

Brian Salisbury — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:43:21 +0000

Synopsis: Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the 1st, but not everyone agrees with the decision. Meanwhile Erica has started tracking a death threat while paired with a V officer, as she actually has to protect the V’s, and Ryan starts reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight-off the V’s.

Review: First and foremost I must apologize for the tardiness of this review. Apparently ABC hacked their way into my DVR and erased this week’s episode of V because I had been bad-mouthing their new show. Either that, or I just didn’t set the timer correctly…it’s one of those two things. I was expecting the episode to be up on the ABC website the next day but as of this afternoon it still was not available. I eventually had to download it from XBOX’s Marketplace feature. Hooray! After going to all the trouble of tracking down the episode, spending coveted points to purchase said episode and watching it on a night when there 100 other things I wanted to watch I estimated my review of the third installment of the V miniseries would be especially harsh. What I found surprised me quite a bit.

Oh snap kids, the third episode is pretty damn good. I don’t mean to sound completely shocked but we are talking about the miniseries that has so far been bland at best and abysmal at its worst. The problems that have been so evident in the first two episodes were issues of hokey story elements, stuttering pacing, and horrid acting. In a turn of good fortune, the third installment fixes almost every single one of those problems. I’m not saying that suddenly V is a flawless show, but it shows tremendous improvement at long last.

The second episode, while not quite as terrible as the pilot, suffered from the overwhelming lack of surprise. Nothing major was revealed, no villains unmasked, and there existed a general stagnation of plot. I can tell you with no small measure of sincerity, this is a problem rectified by episode three. This is the chapter that offers intrigue at every turn. Suddenly no one is who they say they are and the story focuses on the impending conflict between the two species. It became a sort of Sci-Fi spy thriller with double, and yes even triple, agents doing more backstabbing than a truckload of Survivor castaways. I was genuinely impressed with the tension and very pleased with the progression of plot. After a while, I began to suspect an over-zealousness on my part spurred by the overall lacking of the show. In other words, I was worried I was being generous just because this episode was NOT a travesty. I started to notice that the double-crossing/traitors everywhere storyline was getting a little repetitive. But as if the show itself were cognizant of my concerns, it dealt even more surprises outside the twisty framework it had established. Well done!

I am enjoying the fact that V is starting to carry philosophical weight with more competence. The visitors seem to be facing a more legitimate resistance from both violent factions of humanity and organized political interests. I really like the more believable elements of public relations manipulation that they are exhibiting. I still think Scott Wolf is a hack and his character is way too easily duped, but they appear to now be working outside his influence as well. I also really enjoyed the concept of fostering understanding through deception and the practical implications inherent in that. Wow, I am shocked by the paragraphs I am able to write about the the third episode considering where this show started.

A quick warning, this paragraph may contain spoilers not only for the episodes prior but for this particular episode as well so if you haven’t seen it, skip to the next. I really enjoyed the angle they took with Alan Tudyk’s character. I guess the only marginally surprising thing about the second episode was the fact that he was not in fact dead, but that wasn’t exactly Earth-shattering. However the amnesia he suffers upon waking allows for some clever story devices and interesting special effects. I really enjoyed his slow realizations and I think he delivers on the performance end so that we buy his quiet, mounting rage. The conclusion of that whole exchange is one of the better moments of the whole show so far.

The only problems I really had with this particular episode were very minor. For example, Elizabeth Mitchell is still the dumbest FBI agent on television. At this point I don’t even think it’s a problem with her performance but with really shotty direction. There is a scene where she is standing in a room full of view-screens feeding from cameras on the lapels of the jackets of the peace ambassadors. Now, I figured out they were mounted on those jackets, but the fact that she didn’t is not what bothered me. When she noticed that one of the feeds was an image of her standing in front of all those screens, she turns around to see who is filming her. Behind her is a blank wall, a closed door, and a hanging jacket. The only object behind her is the jacket, but she makes a production out of waving her hands up and down trying to gage the source of the image. Really? Takes her that long to figure out it’s the freaking jacket?! Is this why she is in “special” investigations? (I know it’s really anti-terror, just a joke)

By all accounts, this third chapter of the V miniseries is by far the best. I can only cross all of my digits and hope that the remainder of the show will follow suit. There are not only major improvements to the mechanics of the series made in this episode, but it also effectively lays the groundwork for what should be a compelling conclusion.

30 Rock Review: The Problem Solvers

Jim Rohner — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:28:31 +0000

Episode: “The Problem Solvers” (Season Four, Episode 5)

Synopsis: The humble attitude of new TGS cast member Jack “Danny” Baker (Cheyenne Jackson) causes Jenna and Tracy to re-think their whip-cracking treatment of Kenneth as they team up to form a duo – aptly named “The Problem Solvers” – to help people solve problems rather than cause them. Meanwhile, Jack and Liz begin a business war when Liz decides to shop herself around to agents when Jack announces that he’s created a Dealbreaker talk show based on Liz’s book and wants her to host.

Review: The motley crew of 30 Rock has become a family to us dedicated fans. We’ve enjoyed the guest spots by Jon Hamm, Salma Hayek and Alan Alda, but since they all came from different worlds they never truly felt like they belong – Jon Hamm belongs on Mad Men, Salma Hayek belongs in the sexual fantasies of men and Alan Alda belongs…wherever. Ultimately, our allegiances always belonged and returned to Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, Tracy Jordan, et al. Tonight a new cast member joined the 30 Rock family; a cast member with no previous ties (in factual and fictional life) to any other sitcoms or films. Whether he sticks around on the show or not (chances are he won’t), it’s safe to say that his debut was worth remembering.

As soon as Danny (so called by Jack so there will only be one Jack around the studio) shows up he sets himself apart from the other cast members – he’s got a cheery disposition, eager blue eyes, and humble Canadian sensibilities, which sets up a delightful running gag about his inability to pronounce the word about instead of “aboot.” For Liz and for viewers, it’s refreshing to see the introduction of some new, ego-less blood onto the show especially considering Cheyenne Jackson has some acting chops, good comedic timing and – let’s be honest – is easy on the eyes.

His fish out of water predicament disarms Kenneth, who’s unsure how to react when his page services are not required and worries Tracy and Jenna when he says that someone like Kenneth, who has been ritually underappreciate, could one day be in charge of the company. Tracy and Jenna seem to get their best material from when they’re one in the same (small) mind and their creation of The Problem Solvers is no exception. With some good jokes, just enough sprinkling of their respective egoes, and another great running gag about how they can’t even fix their own minor problem, both Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski are possibly at their strongest they’ve been so far this season. For instance, when Jenna, donned in a t-shirt labelled “Solvers,” and Tracy, sporting a “The Problem” t-shirt to her left, notice their group name doesn’t read correctly from left to right, they come up with this gem:

Jenna: Hang on – our t-shirts are wrong. Do you want to switch where we’re standing or switch our t-shirts?
Tracy: Just to be safe, let’s do both.

That’s funny enough, but it gets even better when the scene then quickly cuts to show them standing in Liz’s office with Tracy’s shirt entirely too small and tight while Jenna’s is much too large and baggy. Just another fine example of Emmy-winning writing married to Emmy-winning editing.

Additionally, Danny’s turning of Kenneth’s world upside down ends up not only culminating in one of the show’s many characteristic industry pokes (”Mr Baker, you’ve just made me feel terrible and said the word ‘about’ correctly. Congratulations, you’re an actor!”), but also possibly one of the finer performances from Jack McBrayer. As Kenneth stands there instigating Danny to give into his anger ala Emperor Palpatine, McBrayer’s face and diction convey a quiet menace that’s really funny, kind of creepy, and overall, very impressive. It’s a great way to bring the episode back full circle as Tracy and Jenna learn to appreciate Kenneth, Kenneth finds joy in taking care of others, and Danny acclamates himself to the nuthouse that is TGS.

However, it’s Jack and Liz that once again steal the show. After taking some advice from Jenna (is there any other kind?) to seek outside representation for the Dealbreaker talk show, Liz finds herself on Jack’s bad side. Before Liz announces her seeking outside representation, it’s a little off-putting to see Jack so warm and friendly towards her, but afterward he switches right back to the good old Jack we know and love – the Jack that made Josh’s agent do the crab walk in season one’s “Hard Ball.” Liz first seeks the representation of a junior agent that must’ve seen funny on paper, but didn’t seem to be executed that well as his nerdy glasses and oversized suits make him seem like an out of place caricature. Still, Liz and Jack’s squabbles lead to an emotional ground that 30 Rock infrequently treads, but as shown in last season’s “The One,” can do quite effectively. The realization that Liz wants to do business with Jack and Jack wants to do business with Liz is touching and made no less effective by the fact that we knew they were going to reconcile the whole time. Their reunion at Rockefeller Center cutely and humorously pokes fun of the countless romance scenes filmed in New York City (complete with sappy strings and nauseating camera spins) and shows that theirs is a rapport unmatched by an television couple today. In the meantime, we also get to laugh at crappy reality programs with the mentioning of “Prison Breakdance,” “Are You Stronger Than a Dog?” and “I’m a Celebrity Dog, Get Me Arf of Here!”

Grade: A. I don’t know who the janitor is, but I hope we see him in more episodes. Having said that…

Favorite Quote: [Janitor] – “He looks like all the guys in my magazines.”

V Review: There is No Normal Anymore

Brian Salisbury — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:47:52 +0000

Synopsis: Erica and Father Jack, having quickly determined they’re both against the arrival of the Visitors, suddenly find themselves being tracked by a “Seeker” from the V’s. Meanwhile Chad, thinking he blew it for 80 million viewers with his exclusive first interview with Anna, looks to pick himself up and becomes more investigative in his next newscast.

Review: Let me start by commending our rejects who regularly review television shows; not easy work. Personally I find reviewing television shows week to week like trying to review a film after watching only twenty minutes of it. Sure, ideally it’s compartmentalized enough that the task is not terribly different. Too bad nobody told V not to make this process seem so alien. Puns! If you hearken back into the annals of FSR history, a week ago, you’ll remember that I was none too fond of the pilot episode. It was a forty-eight minute train wreck with a strangely encouraging finale. Will episode two mark the beginning of a tremendous comeback? Or is this miniseries headed into new frontiers of ineptitude?

Turns out, neither. Episode two of V is a marvel of mediocrity. While it it never achieves the levels of drek found in the pilot, it also makes no visible improvements whatsoever. V is still dry and tepid with little to no understanding of suspense or drama. It pretends to, it wears the skin of an exciting, compelling series, but we are not fooled. Let me break this down like a fraction.

The biggest problem that stands out to me with episode two, and honestly a big problem with the pilot, is the balance. In the first episode, the issue was striking a balance between inciting action and exposition. The aliens arrive and the emphasis becomes how these characters’ lives have changed before the audience has any concept of what that life used to be. In this episode, the balance problems have to do with the pre-commercial “punches”. These are the moments typically reserved for either startling revelations or moments of foreboding intrigue, but episode two offers very little revelation at all. For all the things we learned right at the end of the pilot, you would imagine some startling truth would surface in episode two, right? Well, the aliens can hack 911. That’s…something. This episode tragically misuses the big buildup to break and the stingers are frustratingly bland. The lead-in for the title graphic is a conversation about Japanese fashion portraying the “allure of submission”. While I get the metaphor here, it makes for a very weak kickoff for the episode and illustrates the balance issues that plague the whole episode.

The acting is still fairly sub-par. Elizabeth Mitchell is slightly improved, but still seems distant from everything going on in the world of the show, even when she should be most involved. And, apologies to die hard Party of Five fans, but Scott Wolf is a hack and a half. His newscaster character is hokey, contrived, and flat. Most of that is directly related to the way Wolf smirks his way through scenes with no real chops. It reminds me of the Michael J. Fox character from Mars Attacks except that we are actually expected to take him seriously. Logan Huffman and Jesse Wheeler, who play the son and his best friend respectively, display a charmless stupidity that perfectly suit them for the next American Pie installment. I will say that Morris Chestnut has been solid throughout and I hope there are more episodes centered around his character.

I desperately want this show to hit its stride, but at this point I would settle for an upgrade to average. The sophomore episode of V offers very little in the way of new information and the biggest conflict of the episode is largely fought offscreen: the visitors trying to obtain diplomatic relations with the United States and getting issued visas. There is actually a totally predictable twist at the end of this one, but I wouldn’t want to spoil what you will all figure out from minute five. The acting is still piss poor and the imbalance of surprises makes for clunky story progression. Here’s hoping episode three gives us something to sing about.

Mad Men Finale Review: Shut the Door. Have a Seat.

Josh Radde — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:50:28 +0000

Synopsis: The season finale begins with Don ending his business partnership with Conrad Hilton and ends with him starting a new job somewhere else; Betty wants to go forward with divorce proceedings.

Review: Season 3 of Mad Men is now in the books. First let me discuss the season as a whole before going into the finale. There were lots of great moments in this year’s season. I loved “My Old Kentucky Home” and how much fun it was seeing Pete and Trudy dancing, Peggy getting high, and Joan playing the accordion. “Guy Walks Into an Ad Agency” was another homerun. Hilarious, well-written, and some juicy character tidbits from Joan, Don and others — essentially, what Mad Men should always be about. Though some portions of the season were without much in the way of conflict, we still took in the lives of Don Draper, his family, and his co-workers. Peggy’s independence was displayed a little more each week and was never taken to a cliche level. Although her relationship with Duck was something I don’t think anybody saw coming (or wanted). Not much happened with Pete Campbell other than the fact that he and Trudy seemed to be on the same page for much of the season. There was a little exploration into Campbell that showed us how much of a child he is inside, and he also impressed Don with his ability to find new demographics and markets. Roger came on late in the season and had some redeemable episodes. His scuffle with Don was not very well executed, but scenes where the two of them were getting along were some of my favorites. Joan showed us that she has way more potential than she’s been allowed to show. She spent most of the season sidelined by her mopey, whiny husband who she finally belted in the head with a vase after 10+ episodes of being annoying. I think what I learned most from this season is how much Joan means to the show. She’s not just the best secretary in the world and a sight for sore eyes, she’s also developed into more or less the heart of the series.

I used to think Betty was the heart of the show, but that was only because she was playing a “part” for so long. After the second season finale where she had sex with a nameless stranger, she’s been pretty much a vengeance machine this whole season. Her relationship with Henry Francis, forcing Don to take in her father, naming the new baby after her father once he died to spite Don — she’s been more of a villainous this season than a loving mother and wife. And once she found out her husband was not the man he claimed to be, all bets were off. I don’t know what happens now with Betty and Don, but I am intrigued. I think I can speak for most of the viewers when I say that her relationship with Francis has been one of the sore spots of the season. It was interesting when they were flirting, but I don’t think I ever could’ve seen him proposing marriage to her coming. Betty is a complicated woman, who wants to be treated like a princess, and she found a man who wants to cater to all her desires. This will most likely end badly. I also really loved last week’s JFK assassination episode. It really pushed our characters forward and seemed like a logical place in time for them to try and find new beginnings.

That brings us to Don and the review of tonight’s episode. Say what you will about the adultery committed on this show. Pete and Peggy, Roger and Joan, Don and (insert brunette) — they always seem to have great chemistry when they’re together. Take Don and Miss Farrell. As far as affairs go, that was about as uncomplicated as it got. I know some friends of mine that watch the show were bored by Miss Farrell, however I loved how uncomplicated their arrangement was. It seemed more realistic, at least moreso than Henry Francis proposing to another man’s wife. Even if you go beyond the out-of-wedlock coupling that happens on Mad Men, it’s still a series built around chemistry. This lives and dies with Don Draper. I think that’s why season 4 of Mad Men will see our favorite characters teaming with Don to get back to what they do best: advertising. There was very little actual work in Season 3. It seemed like Don was out of good ideas because he was pissed all the time, Pete was spread too thin with far too many accounts, and most of Peggy’s best scenes happened away from Sterling/Cooper. I feel like Sterling/Cooper/Draper/Price can be a really good thing for this show going forward. No more bitching and bickering and Don trying to make people constantly work harder for his approval. Don had to tell everyone working at the new business why he needs them, and that was a really great thing to see. This entire season all we did was watch Don Draper be pissed off and shun people. It’s better when he’s working with his co-workers and not trying to hover above them.

I think you have to say that 1963 was a bad year for Don Draper. However, I think this is where we want to see him. After they packed up their offices at Sterling/Cooper for good, Roger turns to Don and asks “How long do you think it will take us to get into an office like this again,” to which Don replies “I never saw myself working in an office like this.” What we need from this series is to see Don coming to grips with his dual life, see him being a good father and the best ad man there is, as well as inspiring the people around him. Next season will hopefully get back to what we loved about Seasons 1 and 2, and will integrate some of the sheer fun that we had with the better parts of Season 3.

You can read more of Josh Radde’s Mad Men Season 3 reviews here.

V Review: Pilot

Brian Salisbury — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:12:48 +0000

Synopsis: An image of Anna, the leader of the V’s, is projected worldwide as she speaks about everyone joining together and no longer being divided by country or separated by fear. She wants us all to unite, and is counting on a very important component of human nature — devotion. At first considered a threat, the V’s quickly become a fascination and a link to things that lay just beyond our reach. When FBI Counter Terrorist Agent Erica Evans discovers, while investigating a terrorist cell, what lurks beneath the alarmingly human exterior of the Visitors, she realizes resisting the Visitors has never been more important.

Review: When the miniseries…es of the early 1980’s start getting remade, you can kind of understand the overall creative bankruptcy of American television. Don’t misunderstand me; I am fully cognizant of the exceptions. But one need only tabulate the number of series that are promoted ad nauseam as commercials with the fervor of carnival barking flood the airwaves for months prior to their releases. Then merely compare the breadth of those promotions against the laughably brief run of the shows themselves and the sad truth slowly surfaces. Not to be outdone by its own dismal batting average, ABC has decided to rehash the campy, classic sci-fi opus V. Despite all the consternation I felt, I was still highly anticipating the pilot episode.

My unflappable optimism was not rewarded. The pilot episode of V serves as a herald for everything that is wrong with modern television. The characters are so one dimensional that they are practically cardboard and there are lines of dialogue that will have you sighing angrily. Ultimately what it all boils down to is bland, lazy writing that fails to establish the world of the show and thus we have no reason to feel connected to anyone or anything that unfolds in front of us. For example the opening arrival scene, which completely rips off Independence Day despite the horridly contrived dialogue that exists solely to make excuses for it, is a complete failure. The writer makes no effort to give us a sense of the lives these people are leading prior to the arrival and then expects us to be affected by the upheaval of that world. It obliterates any semblance of tension while still obviously shooting for that Abrams sense of shock and surprise.

The writing is insultingly stupid for much of the episode. There are moments wherein I wonder whether the brains behind V assume we have no brains ourselves. What the hell am I babbling about you ask? What I am about to describe to you is literally a scene from the episode and I wish it weren’t because it sounds fabricated. The FBI agent main character, played with icy insincerity by Elizabeth Mitchell, is looking at graphs of terror cell chatter. She comments about how all the chatter stopped when the visitors arrived except for in one cell that spiked, and as she says this we see the graphs and the corresponding, descending lines. When we see the graph of the cell to which she is referring, the bar is obviously elevated and there is no doubt as to what it means. But that doesn’t stop a little text box from appearing on the screen displaying the words, “significant increase.” Yup, these writers think we are all dumb.

If you’ve never seen the original series, the premise is simple: aliens come to Earth promising peace and offering a better life, but their true motives are far more sinister. I need not remind anyone that since the airing of the original series, the political landscape of our planet has shifted immensely. Therefore the political undertones and implications of this story have evolved and are considerably more significant…or at least that is how they should have been handled. The problem, as I see it, is that by now we have had plenty of quality science-fiction competently and artfully tackle these ideas, not the least of which would be District 9, and V’s attempt feels completely uninspired. In fact, for the better part of fifty minutes this felt like an Asylum approach to District 9 (or the original V I suppose). It all feels terribly forced and specifically the religious angle is flat and a desperate reach for controversy.

But then the show turned a corner with mere moments remaining. Suddenly there was an iota of actual tension and at least one honest-to-goodness surprise. It continued to build on this turnabout right until the final credits rolled and I found myself unable to completely write off this miniseries. I have to admit that I am interested to see how this show evolves and what the next episodes may bring. The pilot is an overall failure, but the ending gives us a spark of hope that maybe things will turn around for V. The good news for V is that we no longer live in a time when pilots make or break a series. With the advent of Hulu and other legitimate downloadable content sites there are scores of people who come into a show at the end of the first season and, out of a formidable impatience, would rather run through an entire series all at once online than watch week to week. With a miniseries like this, that impatience will lead to the ability to digest the entire scope of the project in a day. If, as I predict, V makes staggering improvements as it continues, there will be an audience willing to forgive the monumental missteps and embrace the miniseries as a whole.

Mad Men Review: The Grown Ups

Josh Radde — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:46:27 +0000

Synopsis: The Kennedy Assassination affects everyone at Sterling/Cooper and in the Draper household; Ken and Pete’s competition for Head of Accounts comes to an end; Roger’s daughter gets married.

Review: This will be pretty brief since I’ll be doing a more full “whole season” retrospective next week after the finale. The Kennedy Assassination certainly put some things into perspective for the characters. For Don, it seemed to make him feel that he needed his family in times like this. For Betty, the assassination made her question her place in life, added with the bombshell she learned about Don a couple episodes back. For Pete, it made him see just how fake everyone around him is. Roger was obviously affected because his daughter’s wedding was the next day, and it seemed to make him remember what he left behind, namely his ex-wife. It seemed to make Roger and Don come to a non-verbal understanding, which was nice.

In another way, it also helped those of us with our asses in couches. There are a couple camps of Mad Men fans — Those who watch it for the characters and the writing and those who watch waiting for “something” to “happen.” Last night’s episode seemed to cater to both, and most importantly, it worked. I was not alive back in 1963 but watching last night’s episode reminded me of 9/11 and how everyone’s perspective changed after that. This should help our characters realize that they live in a scary, unsure time. Pete may quit S/C, Betty may marry another man because her marriage to Don, she believes, is a sham. Over the last couple episodes we’ve been seeing Roger deal with the women in his life and the choices he’s made which could lead him back to Joan, whose military-bound husband could very shortly be shipping off to Vietnam. Needless to say, this was about as good a penultimate episode you could ask for. Characters have decisions to make, squabbles need closure, jobs could be gained or lost, and relationships must be salvage or not. It’s exactly where we want to be, and it makes for what’s sure to be a memorable finale.

The days of men-in-suits calling the shots are coming to an end, yet for the characters in Mad Men, there’s no way they could possibly know that yet. This should be exciting to watch.

Mad Men 3.11 Review: The Gypsy and the Hobo

Josh Radde — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:39:28 +0000

Mad Men Airs Sunday at 10/9c on AMC

Synopsis: Betty confronts Don about his past life; Roger runs into an old flame; Don plans a getaway with Suzanne; Joan reaches out to Roger for occupational help.

Review: I suppose this week’s episode and last week’s were a solid response to my open letter to Matthew Weiner and the writer’s of Mad Men, because I’ve been absolutely captivated by the latest episodes. Last week’s episode had what we had been waiting for, Betty stumbling upon Don’s secret. This week was no letdown either. The confrontation between Don and Betty was one of the best moments in series history. Betty was hurt and powerful and for the first time, we see Don scared in front of her. It was also nice to see that he didn’t lie to her, because Lord knows he could’ve, but the audience would know better. Just a great back-and-forth which made you forget that Don’s girlfriend was waiting outside in his car the whole time. Then to see the whole family go out for trick-or-treating with the kids and having a neighbor man ask Don and Betty “Who are you supposed to be?” — good stuff. This reminded me of the finale to Sopranos Season 4 where everyone thought that someone was going to get whacked or something ludicrous would happen, and instead the writer’s gave us a realistic, scary argument between and husband and wife who have hidden so much from each other. Though Mad Men wasn’t nearly as loud or intense, it was just as suspenseful watching the two of them go at it. January Jones and Jon Hamm connected, as actors, on a level that they never have before. They weren’t just playing “house” and being passive aggressive anymore…this was real.

On the other note, it was good to have a Roger episode for once. The treatment of Roger this season has been a letdown, he’s been a peripheral character that gets a few funny lines for the most part. I believe the writer’s are distancing us from Roger so that we miss him, and next season (I think) will be more Roger-centric. It was nice to see him interacting with Annabelle, a former lover of his, and to see Roger’s dedication to the woman everyone assumes is just a trophy wife. That’s been a really underrated theme in this season, that Roger actually does care for his 20-year old wife. We got to see a little vulnerability in Roger, which is rare, and we even got a nice Roger-Joan moment which will hopefully lead to her coming back to Sterling-Cooper before the season is over.

Also, one more thing that made this episode terrific — Suzanne. I kept waiting for her to show signs of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, especially since her brother isn’t all that stable, but it was just heart-breaking to see her realize that she can’t be with Don anymore. She asked “Do I have to worry about my job?” with such sadness, it just hurt, and you can tell it affected Don as well. I’ve been in that situation before, where for one reason or another you get carried away in something and eventually remember that you have made commitments to people. One of the most painful things a person can ever do is stop the potential for greatness with another human being, and though that may be a bit of a stretch with regards to Don and Suzanne’s relationship, you can’t tell me that them having a phone conversation in which their relationship abruptly ends isn’t more dramatic and lasting than having her go ballistic and stalk Don’s kids or turn his pet into a stew. If Suzanne went bat-shit insane, that would be an easy way to write her out, but instead they took the route of realism, which is much more fulfilling, and really speaks volumes about what Don and Betty must overcome to be happy with each other. It has to be real; it can’t just be thrown together by writer’s for the sake of a happy ending.

Again, this was a really superb episode and showed us why Mad Men is the best show on TV. It took some time to get to the meat of the season and I, for one, can’t wait to relish in the last couple of episodes. Expect the Kennedy Assassination to really shake things up with these characters.

Mad Men 3.9 Review: Wee Small Hours

Josh Radde — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:40:38 +0000

Mad Men Airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC

Synopsis: Betty starts writing letters to Henry Francis; Don starts to see Conrad Hilton as a father figure; a Sterling/Cooper account makes advances towards Sal.

Review: I need to air some grievances toward Matthew Weiner and the rest of the Mad Men writing staff. I spent the first 5-6 episodes on this web site blabbering on and on about how great the writing is — how even though much isn’t “happening” it’s all a part of some larger plan and we’ll start to see some conflict rising up any moment now. I’m sad to report that I think I’ve seen the hand you’re playing this season. Essentially, Don is unhappy, Betty is unhappy, Roger is unhappy, Joan is unhappy, Pete is unhappy, and Peggy is embracing her independence after so long of being unhappy. The new British owners have made Don mad but they haven’t really done anything unreasonable. Roger has been pretty much MIA the entire season (and his feud with Don doesn’t really make sense, anyway). I miss Joan. Pete has gotten more screen time this season than last season, but at least last season his limited screen time was more packed with character-study (all he did in last night’s episode was cough, pretty much). BAH!

But what made me more angry with last night’s episode was the direction and the writing. The writer’s really dropped the ball on a few moments. When Conrad Hilton says to Don that he’s “maybe more than a son” since he doesn’t have the wealth that was bestowed upon his old children, it was the first time we saw something child-like come out of Don. He looked like a kid, glowing, in that moment (which is what made Conrad’s disappointment later in the episode so eye-opening for Don), and something about just didn’t feel right. They’ve been trying to give Don a father figure this whole season, they even had him imagining his father sitting there in a motel room at one point. It was just sloppy to have that scene in there, mixed in with Jon Hamm’s reaction shot, that for the first time I felt like this show belonged on Lifetime (but again, I will give credit to the writer’s for striking Don down because he didn’t give Conrad “the moon” — but even that was a little too silly as well).

Two people said to Don that it must be nice to get whatever you want, whenever you want it and THEN he goes out and beds the school teacher, doing what he wanted when he wanted. Come on, writers: Where’s the subtlety that I loved so much?! In the next episode, is someone going to say “it must be nice to be so independent” to Peggy and then we’ll see her at the end of the episode being lonely, pining for something more? I just wish they’d dig deeper, because that’s what we’ve come to expect. If they can’t do that, and we have to settle for this “we’re going to tease you with conflict, and then pull back” like an idiotic show like Smalliville relies on every week, then they might want to start wrapping this series up before it gets Season 3 and 4 of Six Feet Under forced.

One more thing: We know Sal is gay, but why do all of his sub-plots have to be about being gay? We understand that back in the 60’s, concealed sexuality was a big thing; I just refuse to believe that it entirely defined someone’s life. Give Sal something to do on this show other than not go all the way with another dude. We’ve seen him be confronted by 3 or 4 men, have a crush on another, and be unamused by his own wife because he can’t satisfy her heterosexual needs. There has to be more to Sal than just how distractingly gay he is!

Alright. Grievances aired. Hopefully next week Weiner will show us why he’s the best writer in television right now. Plus, don’t get me wrong, even with the setbacks we’ve seen with Season 3, Mad Men is still one of the best shows on television. It kind of reminds me of the fourth Sopranos season, lots of people were put off by it, but it was still one hell of an entertaining show.

Gossip Girl 3.4 Review: Dan de Fleurette

Michelle Graham — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:47 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 9/8c

Episode: “Dan de Fleurette” (Season 3, Episode 4)

Synopsis: Dan falls for Vanessa’s new roommate, who’s more than she appears. Blair, at her wit’s end over her lack of progress in NYU social circles, receives a report that Jenny is attempting to dismantle the hierarchy at Constance, prompting her to rush back to her old fiefdom in its defense. However, after a carefully planned series of events coordinated by Chuck, she realises that NYU is hers to conquer, she just needs to find the right method. When Lily arrives home and discovers Serena’s deferral of Brown, she’s not best pleased, leaving Serena feeling as though she’s never good enough, even when she finds a job she’s good at.

Review: It’s getting harder and harder to review “Gossip Girl”, as there’s been very little to talk about. At this point, 3 seasons into the show, there’s not much point in discussing how well or badly the current episodes are holding up to the first season. It’s no longer relevant. So therefore, from this week onwards casting the eye backwards won’t be a constant aspect of the review. It’s a serialized drama with an overall story arc and many many episode-length mini-dramas. Should there be more mini-drama than story/character progress, then that’s something we just have to deal with.

With all that said, it’s time to move on to reviewing “Dan de Fleurette”, and as episodes go, this was a pretty entertaining one. The guest stars may have been a tad distracting, particularly Tyra as she looked slightly ill much of the time, but Hilary Duff seems to have formed a decent connection with Penn Badgley. Since it looks like they’ll be spending a good deal of time together over the next few weeks, that’s a good thing.

Serena’s dramas with her mother seem to be somewhat ridiculous. For a woman that wants her daughter to be happy (and doesn’t every mother?), she’s behaving atrociously. Serena has said she’ll go to college after a year’s deferral, and as far as I can tell, that’s perfectly reasonable. So why is Lily acting so irrationally and insisting that Serena charge straight off to Brown? Congratulations to Kelly Rutherford for successfully portraying the utter frustration Lily feels about Serena’s decision, along with doling out the blame to Rufus (who deserving nothing but thanks for his behaviour, but it’s not like that matters) for his “part” in things. Serena’s job-hunting was a little dull, but her eventual role seems to suit her and hopefully she’ll keep her job for a few episodes so that we can see the princess dealing with divas. Of course, it’d be funnier witnessing Blair running after them, but we can’t have everything.

Speaking of Blair, her downward spiral of self-doubt and longing for the familiarity of the old finally hit bottom, and it’s about time. I have no patience for a whiny Blair, this is the Queen of Bitch-town and it’s about time she got her ass in gear. Georgina Sparks may have made Blair’s quest to conquer NYU more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Now Blair is off the mat (thanks to the wonderful Chuck, who is far more of a sweetheart than he’d ever let on), she’ll prove to everyone that it takes more than a little public humiliation to keep Blair Waldorf down. While Leighton Meester isn’t bad at the whiny act, she excels at the Queen Bitch persona, so I’m looking forward to seeing that back in action in the next episode.

Up Next Week: “Rufus Getting Married” – Georgina’s back, but will her arrival have a ripple effect? Rufus and Lily move up their wedding plans, but someone or something threatens to ruin the event. Carter’s not being completely honest with Serena, but if the news comes from an enemy will it be believed?

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Californication 3.3 Review – Verities & Balderdash

Robert Fure — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:55:26 +0000

Californication airs Sunday night at 10pm on Showtime.

3.3 Verities & Balderdash

Synopsis: Professor Moody and daughter Becca head out to the annual English Department Fall Mixer at Dean Koons’s house and things go marginally better than one would expect. Consummate lady-consumer Hank attempts to set himself up for the triple play by making advances on student Jackie, sharing a moment with boss Felicia Koons, and teaching teacher’s aide Jill how to cope with relationships the Moody way.

Review: Bravo. Bravo. No, not the network. The accolade. This most recent episode of the show was fantastic. It’s absolutely everything you want from Hank Moody. He is at times brash and at times sensitive, or at least putting on airs to make some headway with a lady. We’re treated to a most excellent sequence of stripper-student Jackie shaking her money makers, a most welcome site that Hank provides delightful color commentary for. At the party, Hank manages to not ruin anything or totally offend anyone, which is surprising. He also, unsurprisingly, manages to score some poontang, which is what we expect of that dastardly fellow.

One strange tidbit though – at the end of last weeks episode Hank and Becca shared some most unloving remarks to each other and absolutely nothing was made of it this episode. It’s strange that there was no aftershock, though I can’t say I’m sad to see it missing. My preferred Californication is all about Hank and the latter part of the title (fornication, duh), as well as some snappy, witty remarks and banter. I’m not turning in for lovey-dovey family shit. Karen was again mostly absent and again I’m not missing it. The Runkle situation has improved somewhat as he signs singer-actor Rick Springfield, makes a questionable dip into the employee pool, and still sets his sights on Marcy, who’s anti-Charlie resolve seems to be dwindling.

This was a good episode with some quintessential Moody moments. Wisely this season the show has managed to figure out a direction they could take for several seasons – Hank as a professor. Season one was all about catching Karen, while season two was all about trying to keep her. There is only so much you can do with that type of plotting and thankfully it’s been ejected and we’re on a path that I would love to see play out for several seasons.

Coming Up: Hank and Becca go shopping where Becca tries to upgrade her look and Hank looks like he wants a crack at the triple-play of Jill-Jackie-Felicia. Sexy times!

Recaps: Dollhouse Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2

Michelle Graham — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:24:14 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Just like on the Gossip Girl beat, due to college work kicking my ass over the last month, I’m rolling this week’s and last week’s “Dollhouse” reviews into one big (late) bundle of joy for your reading pleasure. Things should return to their regularly scheduled review roll out times this week.

Episode: “Vows” (Season 2, Episode 1)

Synopsis: It’s six months after Alpha’s attack and Echo’s continuing glitches place her and her mission in danger when trauma triggers a semi-wipe. Saunders continues to struggle with the realization that her personality is not her own, with Topher suffering the consequences. Ballard attempts to adjust to working within the Dollhouse after so long trying to take it down, but just as he accepts DeWitt’s offer to act as Echo’s handler, a new enemy rises against the Dollhouse on a much more public stage.

Review: Poor Topher, Saunders/Whiskey is messing with his head, he sleeps in a server room and he’s so unable to deal with work that he’s offloading it onto Ivy, the girl he barely trusted to manage getting snacks for him properly last season. It seems that everything Saunders said about hating Topher, about him building her to hate him, it wasn’t the case. She made that decision all on her own. So what is it about him that’s so awful and why does her hatred of him upset him so much?

Speaking of Saunders, it’s a pity that she won’t be around much this season, what with Amy Acker getting a regular slot over on ABC’s new drama, “Happy Town”, because her storyline already has me hooked. How does a person deal with the fact they’re not who they think they are? How does a doll deal with the concept of its body being reclaimed by its original owner, even if it results in the end of their own persona’s existence? Saunders is right, if she goes back to the person she was before Whisky, she’s killing the person she’s become. There’s a wealth of material within that storyline alone, but based on what happened at the end of this episode, coupled with Acker’s unavailability, it doesn’t seem like Whedon will get a chance to really delve into it.

Happily, there are signs of reasonably strong threads running within “Vows”, other than just Saunders’ struggles. Echo’s struggle to deal with her memories, coupled with her vulnerability to glitches means that imprints might start blending soon. I have to admit, Dushku’s performance definitely improved, as she carried off the happy clappy newlywed, the tough-talking FBI(?) agent and the battered wife lying through her teeth to save her ass. If only she could work on her doll-performance then we’d really be getting somewhere.

Of lesser interest (though it’s sure to increase in importance as we progress through the season) is the appearance of a public threat to the Rossum Corperation, the parent company controlling Dollhouses all over the world. Senator Perrin (played by another Whedon alum, Alexis Denisof, with a very distracting non-British accent) is a very public figure, he can’t be brushed off the way Ballard was, and he may be able to swing focus onto the darker parts of the company. It seems that he doesn’t even know what he’s looking at, but surely it won’t be long before he becomes more informed.

Overall, the persona of the week (potw, for future reference!) storyline was, as usual, not what we watch the show for. The character development, particularly the Saunders-related storylines, were very strong. Watching Echo flip into a new persona to protect herself from the situation shows great promise, and if we could continue to have that sort of content with less focus on the potw, Dollhouse will definitely make good on all the potential it holds. So why, after a great finale and a solid enough season opener (hell it was far better than Gossip Girl’s!), did it yet again fail to improve, ratings wise? If the fans aren’t careful, Dollhouse will fall under Fox’s axe.

Episode: “Instinct” (Season 2, Episode 2)

Synopsis: When Topher takes his imprinting process to the next level, he accidentally causes too deep a bond between Echo and her pseudo-son. When the engagement is cut short, the call of motherhood proves too strong for a regular wipe and Echo’s willing to do anything to get “her” son back. Mellie is called back for a diagnostic, providing Ballard with a chance to see what a recovered doll is like. Senator Perrin receives an anonymous tip regarding the Rossum corporation and its lower-profile activities.

Review: After a promising start to the season, some great character development and plenty of unresolved issues, slightly let down by a shoddy potw, “Instinct” manages to do quite the opposite. Instead, we’re treated to quite a compelling potw, but the character development aspect was fairly neglected, with one character magically healing his issues somewhere between “Vows” and “Instinct”. Topher’s struggle and confusion seems to have been just my imagination, with the self-satisfied genius from early season one firmly back in the saddle. However, the potw aspect, with his reprogramming both Echo’s brain and body leaves many questions open, such as exactly where the limits of this technology lie. All this on top of the effects of such a deep bond on an doll such as Echo, one that already retains bits of everything. As she said herself, they make it so real for the dolls, so for all intents and purposes, Echo has just lost her son. Will that impact later decisions and interactions?

Sadly, not all of the episode was as interesting as Echo’s newest addition to her persona collection. We got to catch up with Mellie/Madeline/November, but honestly, who cares? Unless they’re setting up a storyline which demonstrates how becoming a doll can cause permanent damage, just let the character go. Even tormenting Ballard by dangling her in front of him is boring. Also, while it’s great to learn more about the Senator and his reasons for shedding light on Rossum’s under the table dealings, the segment didn’t fit into the episode, just like Mellie’s little snippets. There must be a reason for including these scenes, if only to continue building the storylines, but this sort of progress needs to be a logical part of the episode, not just part of the overall series arc. Dollhouse has already made this mistake, with early season one shoving scenes of Ballard’s investigation into random episodes without really integrating them into the stories cohesively. The writers really need to take a careful look at their current approach, because it really doesn’t pay to make the same mistake twice.

So, although there was a strong potw, something almost unheard of, the rest of the episode really lets the overall production down. Add to that a slip in the ratings (TVByTheNumbers puts Dollhouse’s ratings at 2.09 million and 0.8/3) to bring the numbers to an all-series low and it’s not exactly a recipe for success. Fingers crossed that something improves and does it very very fast.

Up Next: “Belle Chose” – Topher slips up on the job, mixing Echo and Victor’s imprints. Meanwhile, DeWitt is approached by a family in crisis.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. Catch up on Dollhouse here.

Have you been watching Dollhouse? What’d you think? Is it living up to the concept? Does it deserve the ever decreasing audience numbers? Did Fox make the right choice by booting Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles over Dollhouse? Show off your opinions down below:

Recaps: Californication Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2

Robert Fure — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:00:35 +0000

Californication airs Sunday Nights at 10pm on Showtime.

3.1 Wish You Were Here

Synopsis: Season 3 picks up shortly after Season 2 has ended. Hank Moody is still living in Los Angeles with his daughter, Becca while on-again off-again wife Karen has moved to New York on business. While Hank still loves Karen, within the first few minutes we’re reminded that Hank is still Hank following a run in with a young lady. The crux of the episode is Hank meeting the mother of Becca’s friend, a teacher at the local university. Through situations only Hank can engineer around him, involving drugs (of course), alcohol (of course), and the tucked penis vagina dance (what?), Mr. Moody soon finds himself on the verge of becoming Professor Moody.

Review: It’s good to have this show back, how I’ve missed it. Hank Moody is perhaps the reason why, secretly, all of us remain writers. His life, while certainly fucked here and there, also is filled with sex, drugs, and literature. Not quite rock and roll, but close enough. Season three starts by showing us the status quo – Hank is a single dad, Becca is starting to rebel, Karen is out of the picture for the most part, and poor Charlie Runkle is an agent working on commission for Sue Collini (Kathleen Turner).

Californication really depends on Hank being free to be Hank and that’s what we get now. Last season was a bit stuffy at times with all the Karen stuff – really, does anyone want them to be together? If the series ended at season one, sure that’s a good ending, but Hank is an unapologetic womanizing drunk. He doesn’t want to be tied down and the audience would hate to see that. The writing here is as sharp as ever – Moody is convincing and charming and a total ass. Several ill-fated romances/flings are set up as they establish how Hank comes to work as a professor this coming season. While not all that much happens in the first 30 minutes of this season, it’s a strong enough taste to keep us coming back for more of that bastard Moody.

3.2 The Land of Rape and Honey

Synopsis: Hank Moody, slacker writer, is now Hank Moody, college professor, already in the sights of Dean Stacy Koons (Peter Gallagher) and already finding himself wanting some of that sweet, luscious college girl pie – which I’m sure will end well. After Hank gives an emo-vampire wannabe writer (Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick) a brutally honest critique, he finds himself in a spot of trouble. Meanwhile, Charlie Runkle is trying to get on his feet professionally while his bull of a boss (Kathleen Turner) wants to grind his bones to dust under her gyrating hips. On the home front, both men are screwed as Moody has a confrontation with Becca and Runkle fumbles the ball twice with Marcy.

Review: Karen is completely absent from this episode and not missed one bit. I’m looking forward to more Hank doing his thing, surrounded by plenty of ladies he shouldn’t be banging but most likely will. In this episode we got a glimpse of Hank in the classroom where he is decidedly absent though manages to give some words of wisdom to the students and to any aspiring writers who may be watching. Ed Westwick’s role is funny, but short, as his homoerotic vampire tale gets laughs on its own but also provides Moody some room to poo-poo on Twilight-esque vampire stories.

If there is a flaw with this season so far, to me, it’s Kathleen Turner as Runkle’s boss. She is just so over the top as this big bulldog sexual cougar that I find her laughable in the wrong way. Like she’s trying too hard. I’m not certain what will come of her storyline, but as of now I’m not totally on board. I was glad to see a little bit more of Marcy. I’m not sure what it is about actress Pamela Adlon, but she does it for me. I always did like ‘em short.

Moody also comes into contact with the college student who will either become a prodigy beneath him or a sexual mistake, Jackie, who is one of those smart girls working her way through college via large, natural breasts. The emotional climax of the scene involves a fight between Becca and Hank which to me came out of nowhere and was out of character for Hank, though it will undoubtedly provide plenty of drama in the future. All in all another good episode.

Coming Up: Moody shares a kiss with a married woman in a powerful position, Becca wants to experiment more with mind altering substances, and Runkle finds himself hip deep in some trouble.

Recaps: Gossip Girl 3.2 & 3.3 – The Freshman/The Lost Boy

Michelle Graham — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:00:05 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 9/8c

Due to college work kicking my ass over the last month, I’m rolling this week’s and last week’s “Gossip Girl” reviews into one big (late) bundle of joy for your reading pleasure. Things should return to their regularly scheduled review roll out times this week!

Episode: “The Freshman” (Season 3, Episode 2)

Synopsis:

Blair attempts to rule the incoming freshman class at NYU, but finds that college isn’t quite the same as high school. Dan discovers the exact same thing, as he turns from zero to hero in the space of a few days. Georgina appears at NYU and quickly steals the pseudo-throne, only to lose it when her past comes back to haunt her. Consolation comes in the form of a dark and handsome familiar face that should know better. Meanwhile, Serena decides not to go to Brown, but hides at Chuck’s instead of admitting this to her mother, accidentally ruining his big business presentation in the process.

Review:

Despite a low quality start to the season, this episode certainly went a long way towards redeeming that slip. Blair and Chuck’s move from unstable pair playing games to stay fresh to a couple that support each other through the rough patches was very plausible, showing a strength to the relationship that we’ve seen flashes of up til now. Georgina’s scheming brought some humour and extra life to the forty minutes, even moreso when Blair’s retaliation showed up (one of her finer moves I must admit). Unfortunately, Serena’s storyline with Chuck didn’t quite reach the levels the rest of the episode did. Instead of being interesting and surprising, it was predictable and dull. From the moment Serena heard about Chuck’s super secret plan, it was destined to fail. A secondary dud appeared in the (mercifully) small amount of screen time we were forced to sit through with Nate and Bree. Happily, Dan’s meteoric rise to the top of the college social food chain was unexpected and had some enjoyable results, not to mention shockingly stupid. Apparently Dan had some form of lobotomy between the book shop and the party. But sticking to a character’s regular behaviour is so restrictive for writers, it’s obviously better to go with insanely unlikely stuff instead. At least it guarantees some watchable tv for the next while.

Episode: “The Lost Boy” (Season 3, Episode 3)

Synopsis:

Blair and Chuck wind up in a bidding war over what they both perceive to be the key to their respective successes. Dan and Georgina continue their romantic flirtation, but her penchant for naughty deeds costs her her new man. Vanessa learns the truth about Scott, but just when she thinks the others will follow, events take a strange turn. Nate & Bree take their relationship public, while Serena learns to trust her knight.

Review:

Notice how Scott wasn’t mentioned in the review for last week’s episode? That’s because his parts are just that forgettable. Heck, if his storyline this week wasn’t so fundamental to the progression of the rest of the season, I’d probably have forgotten him again. The actor (Chris Riggi) seems to only do two moods, bland and irate bland. Thankfully he’s going to be gone for a while, though how long remains to be seen, especially with Georgina hot on his heels. It’s a pity we lose her flair along with his sour puss, but since she’s got a regular spot over on the new medical drama on NBC (”Mercy“) we’re lucky to have her at all. The bickering and pushing between Blair and Chuck over the photo seemed forced, though at least the cause of both was interesting. At least it’s understandable for Blair to automatically assume that she’s been selected for a secret society, as she believes it to be her right. It’s a pity that the episode felt somewhat mid-season-esque, rather than improving on the previous episode’s progress up the interest scale. However, the plot is thickening between Carter and Serena, Blair and Chuck are toddling along with nothing but childish squabbles mucking them around and Georgina has a plan, which is usually worth the price of admission. It looks like Gossip Girl, while not exactly setting the world on fire, continues to give us just enough to keep us interested. Oh, and then there’s the cryptic exchange between Bree and Carter, maybe that character will actually gain a dimension. After all, Dan ended up making out with Georgina, proof positive that stranger things have happened..

Up Next: “Dan de Fleurette” – Jenny’s first day back means time to assume the reigns as Queen, but the old one may not be quite done with her title just yet. Meanwhile, the stars come out as Vanessa gets a new roommate, one that’s not quite your average college gal.

Mad Men 3.8 Review: Souvenir

Josh Radde — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:28:00 +0000

Mad Men Airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC

Synopsis: Don takes Betty out to Rome for a Conrad Hilton-related business trip; Pete gets involved with a nanny in his building.

Review: To be a kid again. Last night’s Mad Men seemed to be focused on the three characters that are most childlike: Sally, the actual child discovering boys after seeing how her Mommy gets dolled up; Pete Campbell, the man-child who giggles at cartoons while eating cereal on his couch; Betty, the Princess who never has to wait for a man to light her cigarrette for her. We also saw these three characters be unfulfilled in some way as well.

Betty, who lets Mr. Francis kiss her in her father’s car, has always been a Daddy’s girl — she demands to be catered to and relies on the attention of older men (her father, Francis, hell, even Don is older than Betty knows). She needs to be done up properly in an Italian beauty salon and have strangers and multi-millionaires fawn over her, and still feels inadequate. Her husband and her have to play fantasy roles in a foreign land to re-ignite things between them (on that note, it was entertaining to see them flirt with each other and wake up in a hotel bed, as if they had affairs with each other — this also made me think about what Don’s reaction would be if he found out about Betty’s other interests — would he freak out?), but that can only be momentary. The only time Betty’s let us in to her actual thoughts and feelings is when a little boy who ran away from home was able to see the sadness inside her.

Pete Campbell has always struggled to be a man’s man. He has copied Tony Curtis’ voice inflection, walks with a strut, and gazes at women because it’s what he has been trained to believe these are the things men do. Yet, we’ve only ever seen Pete comfortable when he can be by himself, giggling at the television (which was also alluded to in the first episode in season two, when everyone was watching the Jackie Kennedy tour of the White House, except for Pete, who I imagine was watching something about Cowboys and Indians). He can’t seduce a woman like a man, can’t face his wife like a man, and becomes sheepish and sunk when caught in a lie — just like a little boy whose Mother caught him holding a broken vase. He whines and pouts, but it’s not his fault, like it’s not Betty’s either.

This brings us to poor little Sally, who’s bound to have a rocky upbringing with a Princess for a Mother and a man with one foot constantly out the door as a Father. I will say that little Kiernan Shipka has really been a bright spot of season three. The writers have called for Sally to do more this season than any one person in Sterling Cooper, and the little actress has been a treat. Her consistently honest and sweet performance has helped us flesh out more of what damage Betty and Don have done to their children (although Don is better at “playing” parent than Betty is, but that may change as Sally gets older) and she has served as a small lighthouse of hope amid the blanketed ocean of crushed dreams and bad tempers that have littered this season.

It was also nice to see Joan, a woman who’s perhaps dealing with a man-child husband of her own, even if it was brief.

Mad Men 3.7 Review – Seven Twenty Three

Josh Radde — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:43:58 +0000

Mad Men Airs Sunday Nights at 10/9c on AMC

Synopsis: Don, Betty, and Peggy all wake up in different places and their stories are told non-linearly: Don gets frustrated with Sterling Cooper’s offer of a three-year contract; Betty gets to meet with the government advisor she met at Roger’s yard party; Peggy has to contemplate the offer she got from Duck Philips.

Review: Don Draper hates everyone. Season 3 of Mad Men has been revealing Don’s bitter contempt for his place in life. Look back to the season 1 finale and we see a Don who’s almost willing to drop everything to be with Sally Menken; season 2 saw Don traipse of to California and almost never come back; season 3 seems to be Don realizing that maybe he should’ve made either of those decisions. He’s a man that has found so much unease lately that nothing comforts him. His wife is nagging him, his friend at work has taken to butting in so Don wants to sever ties, his daughter’s school teacher has a really bizarre conversation with him at an eclipse viewing, his new business arrangement with Conrad Hilton won’t go the way he wants it and the only people that made him smile in the entire episode were a vision of his father and two hitchhikers that beat the hell out of him and steal his money.

As for the ladies’ stories there seemed to be a common thread. Romantic altercations with older men. And both kinda creeped me out. When Betty first met Henry Francis and he put his hand on her stomach it gave me chills and their meeting in a coffee shop and afterward when Betty somehow stupidly looked directly into the sun didn’t change things. There’s something very strange about Francis and he seems to know Betty’s weakness for odd men.

The whole Duck-Peggy thing is just strange. Not only did it come out of left field but it seems like it was purely strategic. I’m not sure if Peggy was aware of that or not, but it seems that Duck has seduced her to get back at Sterling Cooper. Plus, I found that plotline to be pretty poorly written — Duck says sweet things to her and offers her a great job at the same moment that Don is a major dickhead to her. A little sloppy, even though it’s consistent with the type of harsh criticism Don has been doling out all season.

As far as the story-telling, I’m not sure if I was sold on the non-linear beginning. It all involved main characters waking up in strange environments and had been the result of a choice they had made — Don leaving his home in frustration, Betty purchasing a fainting couch because she’s fascinated by another man, and Peggy waking up in a hotel suite bed with a man we don’t see at first — I’m just not entirely sure that this type of editing was required. Either way, I give the Mad Men team credit for trying something new.

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