- Annual exposition dump! Sookie's part fairy! (As she so succinctly put it, "fucking lame." Hopefully, the inclusion of this plot point so early on in the series relative to the books means that the writers want to bring in those storylines where *spoiler alert!* fairies are less "fucking lame" and more "psychotically violent" and "doing terrible things to everyone, but especially Crystal.") Crystal's a were-panther! Hoyt loves Jessica and Jessica loves Hoyt!
- I like that the show has used past series regulars this season in sparing cameos - Michael Raymond-James (Rene) in a dream sequence two weeks ago, and then Michael McMillan this week. It was a perfect brief scene - Reverend Steve taking the opportunity to offer a televised "told you so" in the aftermath of Russell's on-air meltdown.
Mad Men
- Last week saw the return of Ken Cosgrove, this week Smitty. It's interesting that we're getting little hints that the splintering of Sterling Cooper set into motion by the events of "Shut the Door. Have a Seat." was followed by an exodus of personnel. Where did everyone else end up? I'd love to get an update on Paul Kinsey, just because you know his pompous ass had to seek out some new place to be as smug a hipster as he wanted to be.
- Lesli Linka Glatter is becoming the Queen of the Machine among Mad Men's directors, adding to the classic "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" with this episode's Honda subplot, including the hilarious shot of Peggy riding the motorcycle in circles around an empty soundstage.
- I didn't mention it previously, but I love that Deborah Lacey (Carla) has been bumped up to recognition in the opening credits. She frequently makes Carla seem like the most responsible, competent and professional adult among Mad Men's overgrown children and functional alcoholics. Her role remains small but vital; for all of Betty's hyperbolic whining about Don, it's striking that she didn't care to find the time to accompany Sally to her first session with the psychiatrist.
Rubicon
I think I'm going to let this one move to the background until its season wraps up - I'm liking it so far, but the conspiracy feels so dense right now that I don't feel like I can offer a coherent opinion from week to week. Hopefully the remaining weeks will give me time to start to distinguish between all the different conspiracy-mongering old white men - they might as well be called Shadowy Cabal Member A, B, and C for all I can tell them apart.
Degrassi: The Boiling Point
The end of this daily summer run was a little anti-climactic - there's only so much you can do when you've been teasing a lockdown for the past two months. I think the set-up for the upcoming fall season worked well, though. Making the demand for change Snake's idea - putting it in the hands of the franchise's longest-running character - optimized the dramatic potential of it as a cliffhanger. I'm intrigued to see how the show shifts once it returns, and that renewed sense of excitement in a show is rare.
Also Watched: Huge, Top Chef
Ongoing:
Sons of Anarchy, Season 1
I've mentioned this before, that I started watching SoA when it first aired, but it fell by the wayside with the start of the school year and the rest of the tv season. Also, as an Undeclared fan from back in the day, I couldn't stop hearing this every time Charlie Hunnam does an American accent:
But I've so enjoyed the other shows I've crossed off the list in the past couple of months that I wanted to tackle another one, and with only two thirteen-episode seasons, I figured I'd have just enough time to catch up before the new season starts. And I'm glad I did, because it's my new most favorite thing ever. This season was a bit of a slow starter out of the gate, but once the insane ATF agents came into play, then everything just started clicking. One marker of a really great show for me is still enjoying it even after I've been spoiled on major plot points. (I read too many TV writers, it happens.) I was still riveted by the season's final episodes, even though I already knew about Donna's tragic fate.
- Gemma Teller Morrow may be one of my new favorite television characters. That scene with Cherry and the skateboard was amazing. Move over Cat Deeley - Katey Sagal is the new face of Things that are Wrong with the Emmys.
- I could rave about all the actors, so I'll just try to limit myself to a few: The Now-Obligatory Deadwood-related Excitement! Dayton Callie! Remains Awesome!; having grown up in Northern Virginia means that I've seen Remember the Titans approximately 50 times, and it always seemed like Ryan Hurst should've been way bigger after that movie, so it's exciting to see his work as Opie; did someone say "Inappropriate Crushes on Men Old Enough to be My Father"? Because, hellooo Kim Coates.
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