Archive | October, 2013

Strike Back “Shadow Warfare, Episode 9” Review (3×09/4×09)

12 Oct

Strike-Back-Season-3-Episode-9-Preview

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MY SEASON FINALE (EPISODE 10) REVIEW, HERE IT IS: https://polarbearstv.com/2013/10/19/strike-back-shadow-warfare-episode-10-review-3x104x10/

“So they all just kill each other, huh? Makes you wonder why we even need to be there!”

The penultimate episode of this season ramps up the intensity and the action, delivering shocks and thrills at every turn. It’s hard to believe that we’re already nearly finished with the season, but here we are.

Let’s talk about Ester. As Kamali’s daughter, she imbues a sense of reality into the proceedings; she’s just an innocent girl caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and violence. Scott recognizes this, and she serves as his “other side”, a side that wants to escape from this web. Amidst all the action in this episode, he sits down to have a revealing conversation with her after informing her of her dad’s death. It’s a quietly heartbreaking moment, as Scott opens up about his lack of connection to his child. He’s the kind of guy that’s always needed someone to connect with, and that’s why he turns so often to sex. Stonebridge fills his professional and brotherly needs, but Ester inspires his paternal instincts.

As for Kamali, who’s outed as Al-Zuhari at episode’s end, I’m not sure about this decision. On the one hand, it sets up for an explosive season finale in which Scott and Stonebridge come face to face with a supposed ally; on the other hand, it’s much more powerful to have Kamali go out with his motives ambiguous. He was just a regular person in a tight spot before now. Now, however, he’s a criminal mastermind that’s outsmarted everyone, and it winds up being Dalton that was right the whole time. We don’t see much of him here, so I’ll wait till next week to pass judgment on the decision.

Still, even with the uncertainty over that final reveal, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It’s pretty much nonstop action, the location moving from a carnival to a building to a train and improving each time. One thing that never goes bad is the action, and it’s good to know the show’s still got it.

GRADE: A-

OTHER THOUGHTS:

-The Section 20 folks can’t seem to catch a break in this episode. When you think about it, they’ve actually been outsmarted at every turn; they haven’t been very successful: Dalton went off the rails, Scott and Stonebridge can’t keep anyone alive in this episode, and Kamali’s Al-Zuhari. It’s smart of the show to parallel this with Scott and Stonebridge’s slivers of hope at leaving.

-The train scene is awesome. It reminds me of the opening sequence of “Skyfall”, which is impressive considering this show has very little money compared to that movie.

-What’s up with Richmond and Stonebridge?

-I want to see Scott fight in a vat of cotton candy.

-Locke has had his ups and downs, but I’m warming up to his character more.

-Stonebridge slicing that guy’s artery…I shudder to think about it. Looks like he’s all right now.

-Season finale next week, followed by the six episode “Chris Ryan’s Strike Back” starting October 18th

Credit to Cinemax and Strike Back for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Thursday TV Round Up 10/10/13: Parks and Recreation, The Vampire Diaries, Parenthood

11 Oct

Due to my lack of time to write 3 separate reviews, I’ve decided to introduce TV Round-ups to provide abbreviated thoughts on shows I’ve watched.

DATE: October 10, 2013

SHOWS COVERED: Parks and Recreation, The Vampire Diaries, Parenthood

627-4PARKS AND RECREATION, “DOPPELGANGERS” (6×04)

Now here’s a much better way to handle Leslie Knope. Last week, she bordered on insufferable because 1) No one called her out on her actions, and 2) Her relationship with Eagleton isn’t as deeply personal as her relationship with Ann. While at times she may seem childish, her actions here are understandable. She’s acting out because her best friend has told her she’s leaving (the scene where Ann goes to Leslie with waffles and a picture of Joe Biden is sweet and hilarious).

We also have a bunch of Eagleton Doppelgangers joining the proceedings, and it’s absolutely fantastic. I like that all of them aren’t really straight up “rivals”; there’s a spin on each that subverts my expectations of what the show would do with the character. Billy Eichner and Sam Elliott are wonderful here.

GRADE: B+

627THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, “TRUE LIES” (5×02)

This is a slower episode than last week’s, seemingly more of a “move the pieces into place” episode. It’s not bad, but there seems to be a bit of wheel-spinning going on. It’s always entertaining to see Silas-Stefan, especially when he’s battling it out with Jeremy, and I think Bonnie’s storyline is better handled this week. Her scenes with Matt are touching, and she doesn’t feel as superfluous here. In addition, Katherine is becoming increasingly entertaining; I could watch her complain about her sinus infection all day.

However, I’m finding that the Damon-Elena scenes don’t work for me. Elena’s made her choice, and bringing up the Stefan drama again is tiring.

GRADE: B

627-2PARENTHOOD, “Nipple Confusion” (5×03)

The episode has its ups and downs. I love the Crosby storyline; it really details the difficulties of parenthood in a moving, realistic way. In addition, the Zeek and Camille storyline shines; they never get enough to do, and this episode shows exactly why they’re great. It’s a very relatable and realistic conversation to have, and I’m looking forward to where this goes.

As for Sarah, I hope that she can settle down and focus on photography. I love that Hank calls her out on her “flightiness”, and I like that he doesn’t sugarcoat things too much when she visits him later with the photos. She has a need for validation from others, and I like that Hank just compliments her on her photography, not her person.

The Drew college adventures are pretty inconsequential, mainly used as an excuse to have Matt Lauria act all badass. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to watch. Joel and Julia’s spat seems a little excessive, but it’s still rooted in reality. I hope that Julia’s relationship with Ed doesn’t turn romantic, as I think it’s an extremely interesting premise to explore an emotional connection, not a physical one.

Now, on to Kristina. She acts childish in this episode; I’m having a hard time believing that she wouldn’t worry about their finances. Also, it’s unrealistic that she would get going this quickly. I love Monica Potter, but this storyline’s dragging a bit.

GRADE: B

Credit to NBC, The CW, Parenthood, The Vampire Diaries, and Parks and Recreation for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Scandal “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” Review (3×03)

11 Oct

627-1

Huck and Olivia. Olivia and Eli. There’s an interesting dynamic going on here that’s based upon trust: Eli’s the person who Olivia should be able to trust; he’s a dad, and dads are supposed to care for their children. Now, I have no doubt that he cares about Olivia, but his way of caring for her is pretty much emotionally abusing her and using her career as a justification. He probably has some kind of endgame here, and he’s definitely her biggest enemy because he knows how to hurt her: hurt those around her. He’s the kind of guy that always gets what he wants. On the other side, we have Huck, someone who someone like Olivia shouldn’t need to trust. Yet, she’s able to relate with him more so than anyone else, and she needs him as much as he needs her.

Huck finding out about Liv’s father blows up this whole situation. Not only is it detrimental to Olivia, but it’s sure to leave deep and painful marks on Huck’s psyche. What else, really, is keeping him going aside from Olivia and his job? He’s lost his wife. He’s lost his son. He’s now lost Olivia. You can see the pain in his eyes in that parking garage, and it’s heartbreaking because we know what this will do to him.

That sense of loss is contrasted with the events surrounding Jeannine. In a sense, everyone wins here: Jeannine’s going to make a ton of money, Olivia gets Jake back, Fitz gets to be the hero, and Cyrus and Mellie are successful in pinning the affair on Jeannine. In a sense, everyone loses here. Olivia has to endure so much and agree to so much, all just for Jake, Fitz doesn’t get to reveal to the world his love for Olivia, and Fitz and Cyrus are set to be under Eli’s manipulative net.

Speaking of Fitz, he’s now starting to take back the power a bit. Cyrus has held off because he knows that he’s on thin ice, and Mellie isn’t really adapting to Fitz’s slight personality change. As Fitz continues to feed his delusions, he’s gaining power. Yet, we know that he could come tumbling down any second, presidential balls or not.

The episode as a whole seems quieter, but it really moves the plot forward while filling in the blanks of the past. Everyone’s losing something and gaining something, and this constant cycle doesn’t bode well for our characters in the future. Maybe that suicide bomber will blow everything up next week, and Harrison will be left standing there, not knowing what to do with himself. Maybe he’ll eventually find some farm animal somewhere to become completely devoted to.

Other thoughts:

-Joe Morton’s killing it as Eli; his interactions with Washington are thing of beauty. Even if the plot and the character shifts are a bit too fast at times, the actors make it work. Also, I’d watch a whole episode of him giving intense speeches.

-David Rosen’s flashback goatee.

-The show should get Toby Ziegler to rant and point out everyone’s flaws.

Credit to ABC and Scandal for all pictures. I own nothing.

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American Horror Story: Coven “Bitchcraft” Review (3×01)

10 Oct

627-3Just a couple quick bullets coming up…

-It’s always great to have this show back; it’s truly an insanely entertaining hour each week. This year, it feels as if the tone is back to Season 1 lighthearted fare. Yes, there are several dark scenes (more on that later), but it seems like the camp has been turned up a notch. While last year, the prison contributed to an all-encompassing feeling, we’re now back to throwing whatever craziness on screen we can and hoping it’ll fit.

-I really loved Taissa Farmiga back in season 1, and I’m glad she’s back. She has great chemistry with Evan Peters, and she portrays her characters’ vulnerability and reactions to her increasing powers very well. Also, she kills people by having sex with them. That’s interesting. Death by snu snu, right?

-The rest of the younger cast is fantastic as well; Emma Roberts has fun with her role, but she’s also able to convey her feelings over the rape (again, more on that later) in a nuanced way. Or, at least as nuanced as AHS can get.

-Kathy Bates and Jessica Lange are compelling to watch; they’re accomplished actresses, and I look forward to seeing them two in the same scene as Paulson and Bassett. It’s sure to be exciting. Speaking of Bassett, she’s fantastic as Marie Laveau.

-The season seems to be exploring the themes of oppression and injustice in the feminine world, and there are also racial undertones thrown in there. I’m not sure how exactly I feel about Ryan Murphy commenting on society, but it’s an angle that makes sense from a horror perspective. We’ll see.

-The opening sequence and the rape sequence are sure to be the more controversial scenes in the episode. There’s always a question to be asked here: should we dismiss these scenes as just another component of the insanity of the show, or is a line crossed? I think it’is a little bit of both. The show seems to revel in its horrific treatment of its characters (there’s not as much focus on Madison’s revenge as there is the actual rape) , but at a certain point, it becomes overly gratuitous. Personally, it doesn’t bother me, but I can see why it would do so for others.

-Lily Rabe, Francis Conroy, and Denis O’Hare are all back. I need to see more of what they’re up to.

-I didn’t even recognize O’Hare. This should be awesome.

-“Don’t make me drop a house on you.”

-“When are you gonna die and stop ruining my life?”

-“I don’t feel nuthin’. I’m a human voodoo doll, bitch!”

-“My cousin Amanda, she’s just bulimic.”

GRADE: B

Credit to FX and American Horror Story for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Boardwalk Empire “Erlkönig” Review (4×05)

7 Oct

627-2This is going to be very brief, but I wanted to say a few things about this episode.

-Eddie Kessler’s death is one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the year, which is really impressive for a character that has only come into his own in the last few episodes. Just as Nucky has finally started to take notice of him, so do we. It’s understandable, though, why Eddie jumps off that balcony. He’s been shunned his whole life, forgotten, ashamed. He spends his final days in an interrogation room, truly alone, and it’s better for him to end it all. Devastating.

-Van Alden, Al Capone, and Frank Capone is a powerhouse trio that I never would’ve become tired of seeing. However, Frank is gunned down here in a powerful scene; Nelson’s about to try and distance himself from his current puppet-like role, but this happens, causing Al to turn him into an ally in his quest for revenge.

-Nucky essentially interrogates William in an episode in which Eddie is being interrogated. Although I’m not a big fan of William’s storyline, his scene with Nucky is extremely well done. It also shows that he’s a Thompson at heart.

-It’s hard not to feel sorry for Gillian, who’s trapped by her own addiction. Gretchen Mol is fantastic in this role.

-Fantastic camera work by Tim Van Patten. The riot scenes are beautifully filmed.

-Now we’re getting going. The first part of the season was a little slow, but it’s now kicking into high gear.

Credit to HBO and Boardwalk Empire for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Homeland “Uh… Oh… Ah…” Review (3×02)

7 Oct

homelanddThe writers have written themselves into a corner with Carrie Mathison, but what an intriguing corner it is. She’s deluded herself into thinking she needs to save everyone, yet also is wary of anyone that shows one inkling of kindness toward her. It’s truly a fascinating look into a case of paranoia, and like I said last week, it’s not an imitation of what she’s been through before. I’m interested in seeing how Brody factors into all of this next week.

The episode closes with a devastating shot of Carrie, mumbling a simple epithet at Saul before turning away and squeezing her eyes shut. It’s a quiet moment, unlike the previous 45 minutes of her going bonkers. It’s clever what the show is doing here, making it seem more and more deserving of our main character to receive the accusations that have been piled upon her. There are no villains in this season; there may be assholes, but what’s interesting is that they’re justified. There’s a tug-of-war battle going on between Saul and Carrie, as well as the CIA and Carrie, and it’s hard to fully sympathize with her because what she did really is unforgivable.

These effects continue to reverberate throughout the show, starting with Saul and his always magnificent beard. I feel like the show goes too far this week, as he berates a Muslim aide in his office. The xenophobia is understandable, but Saul’s never been the kind of person who gets angry over these kinds of things. Not to mention, it all makes him look like a complete jerk.

On the homefront, we devote tons of time to Dana and her boyfriend. Now, I think I appreciate the Brody family more than I enjoy it. The family was always more compelling when it was a foil for Brody, and now that he’s gone, I appreciate the show exploring the fallout. However, Dana’s boyfriend is annoying, and the fact will always remain that they were all more interesting when Brody was around. Still, an extremely powerful moment comes when Dana lays it all out in the bathroom to Jess. Dana’s turning elsewhere because she feels like she can’t trust the people around her, especially those she used to be close to. Jess is extremely frustrated because Dana’s boyfriend is becoming the very thing she wants to be: Dana’s emotional savior*. That’s expected, of course.

Dana’s storyline ties into Carrie’s really well, although the two characters haven’t crossed paths much. They’re both lost and emotionally drained, and there’s no way out.

GRADE: B-

Other thoughts:

-*That does only work for Jess’s side, though. I’d say Dana’s boyfriend is more of a crutch; he’s holding her up, but it’s pretty flimsy. Dana’s afraid that if he leaves, she’ll have to go through what she went through all over again. She fancies the idea of him more than she does the actual person.

-The episode is once again pretty slow, although it’s too slow for me. I get what they’re trying to do, but Season 1 proved that the show could deliver high quality intensity without falling into the thriller/action tropes.

-Quinn’s the moral center of the show now. I don’t know how to feel about that.

-Chris is just all “Hey, what’s up. Dana not eating? Chill, Mom. Loss of appetite sure has nothing to do with suicide; let her go sulk in her room. Dana disappearing? Chill, Mom. She just attempted suicide a few weeks back, let her run away into the rain at night.”

If there’s anyone that needs therapy, it’s Chris. Hopefully Brody’s first action back is to rid us of this kid.

-Nice title.

Credit to Showtime and Homeland for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Saturday Night Live “Miley Cyrus” Live Blog/Review (39×02)

6 Oct

saturday-night-live-promo-miley-cyrus-02Here we go! Check in every 10 minutes or so for live updates.

VMA COLD OPEN: Alright, hopefully now we can put the whole necessary VMA nonsense behind us, as well as the expected Bayer Cyrus-regular Cyrus interaction. Also, this whole cold open isn’t all that funny. Pharoah is fantastic as Smith, but Killam’s Thicke and Monyihan’s Bear don’t really work; the two Cyruses are amusing, but not funny at all. GRADE: C+

MONOLOGUE: Well, that was short and sweet. I’m not sure what to think about it, but Cyrus did just fine there with what she had. Also, Hannah Montana is dead. GRADE: B-

50 SHADES OF GREY SCREEN TESTS: There’s not much to this sketch, but it’s always amusing to see a lineup of impressions. Taran Killam absolutely nails his Christoph Waltz, Pharoah nails Shaquille O’Neal, and McKinnon nails Lynch. Noel Wells is great as Deschanel, too. Of course, there are also some misfires: Pedrad as Ansari and Bryant’s Rebel Wilson not getting lines, to name a few. GRADE: B

GIRLFRIENDS TALK SHOW: Oh, jeez. I’ve always loved Bryant in this sketch, but I’ve always hated the sketch. There are some great lines (“I like a guy who’s in love with my confidence, and is gentleman enough to treat me to a hearty steak salad”), but most of the jokes don’t land. Also, the twerking…kill me now, please. GRADE: C-

WE DID STOP: Yeah, here’s our government shutdown sketch, and it’s terrible. It just relies on visual gags to keep itself going, but even that doesn’t work. The only good thing to come out of this sketch is Pharoah’s Obama’s terrified look through the window. Also, stop the twerking. Please. GRADE: C-

PIERS MORGAN: Yet another sketch that doesn’t work. None of the documentary titles are particularly funny, and the MTV doc is the absolute worst. Huffington’s great on Weekend Update, but that’s due to the dynamic between Pedrad and Meyers. Here, she’s annoying. I do like “Running Rodham”, though; McKinnon’s great in that, and the hashtag on the bottom of the screen is great. GRADE: C

WEEKEND UPDATE: Now this is great. It gets off to a shaky start with “Winners/Losers”, but every single guest is brilliant. Kate McKinnon is perfect as a mother who played GTA, and this role showcases exactly why I love her (“Then go to the grocery store and get it yourself, you whore!”….”I shot a stripper in the boob for sport.”….”My new motto is suck it or get shot dead but it doesn’t matter cause you’ll got shot dead anyway!”). Pharoah is perfect as Shannon Sharpe, and Bayer’s Jacob has always been great. Strong feels much more integrated into the Update this week. GRADE: B+

CHEERLEADERS: What the hell? The entire premise of the sketch revolves around aliens abducting cheerleaders, yet it’s dull and boring. I don’t even… GRADE: D

MORNIN’ MIAMI: This is funny. It’s random and insane, which is exactly what I like. The lines are fantastic, and the in-between take boredom shots are priceless (also, Cyrus is the best she’s been all night in this sketch) Bitch Fantastic, indeed. GRADE: B+

MILEY CYRUS MUSICAL PERFORMANCES: Now, these are perfectly fine pop songs. In fact, her musical performances are much better than her general awfulness as a host, and it’s a shame that the rest of the show portrays her as the idiot she’s become recently. She’s perfectly capable of being an adult. GRADE: B-

POETRY CLASS: Bayer is certainly fun to watch as the bumbling school teacher, and having Cyrus come on to her is interesting. Still, once again, a few great lines (“Haikus were the first tweets”), but pretty average as a whole. GRADE: B-

LAST NIGHT: Eh. I didn’t laugh much, and the sketch leads nowhere. Kyle Mooney is good here, and Cyrus is a bit more tolerable, but the promising premise doesn’t add up to anything particularly funny. I don’t know, maybe I’m just expecting more from pre-taped sketches. GRADE: C+

EPISODE GRADE: C-

Best sketch: Weekend Update Guests/Mornin’ Miami

Worst Sketch: Cheerleaders

Final thoughts: I guess Cyrus wants us to think of her as we’ve been doing the past few weeks. She doesn’t do much here except take off her clothes, and she twerks because everyone loves that, right? Her musical performances are much better. As for the rest of the cast, Bayer shines tonight, as well as the Weekend Update sans beginning. Strong fits in better this week, but I feel like the show suffers from having a way too large cast. Oh well, this is what I was expecting anyway.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

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“Gravity” Review

6 Oct

627-1 Gravity does not ask us why. Gravity does not ask us who. Gravity asks us what.

Throughout our lives, we face myriad everyday problems, so many that our primal drive to survive gets lost in a sea of relationships, jobs, and uncertainty. Gravity strips all that away, leaving only the rudimentary essence of human life: survival. Space is a place of isolation, one in which nothing surrounds you but deep, dark space, and director Alfonso Cuarón throws you right in.

The setting isn’t only used for spectacle, as I’ve mentioned, but what a spectacle it is. Cuarón is a visionary, delivering a breathtaking drawn-out opening sequence that sets the tone for the rest of the film. His camera work is magnificent, and he throws gorgeous shot after gorgeous shot onto the screen. Yet, each of these shots don’t seem repetitious; in fact, each subsequent one seems to outdo the rest. The situation may not be realistic, but the direction makes it seem that way, and that’s what counts.

(Spoilers may follow) Speaking of realism, the two characters of the film, Ryan (Bullock) and Matt (Clooney), are fantastic. Yes, there are moments of cliche, and yes, sometimes they seem to stand for bigger themes rather than for themselves, as regular human beings. However, I do not believe either of the actors falter one bit. Bullock nails what is possibly the best role of her career, portraying a truly terrified woman that’s going through the most harrowing experience of her life. The contrast between her and Matt is nicely drawn, and the moment in which Ryan hallucinates her partner is one of my favorites of the year. Bullock brings forth that manic energy, and Clooney that smooth reassurance, and it’s simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Ryan survives at the end, but Cuarón isn’t trying to create a fairy tale here. This film is essentially an appeal to our inner natures, asking us not to just watch it unfold, but to be fully immersed in the experience. It asks us to imagine ourselves out there in space. It asks us whether we’re really living.

Gravity is easily one of the best, if not the best, film of the year. It’s a cathartic, terrifying, and thrilling ride that is pleading to us to let go and survive, while at the same time, is hypnotizing us, drawing us in to this breathtaking experience.

GRADE: A-

Other thoughts:

-If you haven’t seen this in IMAX 3D, do it now. What a difference it makes. I normally hate 3D, but everything works here.

-The shot that sticks most with me, probably because it’s at the end of the movie, is the overhead shot of all the flaming pieces hurtling toward Earth. Absolutely beautiful.

-I would be surprised if Bullock, and the film itself, doesn’t get a nomination here.

-Ed Harris as the radio guy down on the ground is a perfect choice.

-Bullock is fantastic in that climactic scene in which she listens to the person with the dogs and the baby. It feels so raw and beautiful.

-I like the humor in the movie. It gets a bit talky at times, but everything else makes up for it.

-This film is emotionally draining. I’m not sure if I can see it again.

Credit to Regency Enterprises, Heyday Films, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and Gravity for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Strike Back “Shadow Warfare, Episode 8” Review (3×08/4×08)

5 Oct

Strike-Back-Season-3-Episode-8-Preview-Scene

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MY SEASON FINALE (EPISODE 10) REVIEW, HERE IT IS: https://polarbearstv.com/2013/10/19/strike-back-shadow-warfare-episode-10-review-3x104x10/

Let’s talk about Leo Kamali. Is he a traitor? Is he a hero? The answer is no.

What Kamali is is a man that just wants to survive. Yes, he’s working with Section 20, but he sells Scott and Stonebridge out to save himself. Yes, he sells them out, but it’s out of necessity. He isn’t exactly loyal to anyone but his daughter, and while he does have a set of morals, what ultimately trumps all is his need to live. It’s completely understandable, and it’s what makes his character more interesting, more human, amidst all the chaotic action and cartoonish villains. Don’t get me wrong, Scott and Stonebridge are two of the most entertaining characters on television, but Leo Kamali portrays what it is to be human in an inhumane world.

This inhumanity is in full force tonight. Kamali is shot in the head at episode’s close as a necessary, yet tragic, end for his character. Stonebridge finds out that his captors are weaponizing a Smallpox variant for Al-Zuhari. Richmond and Martinez grapple with the inhumanity of allowing a woman get murdered in front of them. All contribute to the theme, one that lends itself to the bigger idea of escape: escape from Section 20, escape from our moral blinders, escape from our lives.

Stonebridge talks about this when he remarks that he wished it would all just end. Yes, there’s no doubt that he’ll make it out alive, but the poison really allows him to reflect on his life, allowing us more insight into his character. Last week, the prison lent itself to the constricting situation, and this week, the mysterious lab does the same. It really brings him to the breaking point.

A breaking point is where we’re at this season. Locke makes an impassioned speech about avenging Kamali’s death, one that is an exciting lead in to the final two episodes of the season. It’s hard to believe we’re already here, but here’s hoping to an exciting finish.

GRADE: B+

OTHER THOUGHTS:

-“I feel better already.” “Really?” “No.”

-That shot of the guard falling off the guard tower is strangely beautiful.

-Stonebridge’s ass makes an appearance.

-Scott gets it on with Nina.

-I’ll miss Zubin Varla as Kamali. That final conversation with the daughter is, although cliched, heartbreaking in retrospect. I fully expect Scott to remedy the situation.

-I wonder what the chances are that the show would kill off one of its leads. It’d be a gutsy move, but I’m not sure it would work.

Credit to Cinemax and Strike Back for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Scandal “It’s Handled” Review (3×01)

4 Oct

627In just one season, Scandal managed to transform itself into one of television’s biggest shows, delivering the twists, the juicy characters, and the ratings that have also transformed it into one of television’s best shows.

The premiere picks up right after last season’s finale, immediately throwing us into a conflict between Olivia and her dad, Eli Pope. The two are very similar in mannerisms, and it seems as if her own father is her greatest adversary. Yet, he’s also her greatest ally. He doesn’t back down, he doesn’t take BS, and he truly cares about his daughter. In a moment of brutal honesty, he remarks that she’s “twice as good, and half as far.” It’s a surprising and insightful comment on race relations, and it has a profound effect on Olivia; she’s always been brilliant, but the fact is, she’s still a black woman in a white world.

Everything is closing in around her; her clients have all fired her, Cyrus is putting together a kill file, and the press is hounding her everywhere she goes. This is an Olivia that’s been backed into a corner, trapped, much like Fitz and Mellie. She decides to call both of them into a bunker to discuss strategy. That scene is absolutely phenomenal, really showcasing these actors’ talents and bringing that tension through the roof. Everything is on the table here, and it is just cold and brutal all the way through, clearly reflecting the toll this has all taken on everyone. The negotiation over the number of times Fitz and Olivia had sex is hard to watch. It is classic Scandal.

The members of Olivia’s team recognize that she’s losing hold of who she is, so they decide to shift attention to an intern. It’s a move that reminds us, and Olivia, what this is all about: saving others’ lives. She takes this intern on as a client because that’s who she is. She’s Olivia Pope, and the white hat’s on even when it’s off.

GRADE: B+

Other thoughts:

-I didn’t talk much about Fitz in the main part of the review, so here goes. He’s a frustrating character to root for, because although his love for Olivia is genuine, he’s a guy that’s had everything his whole life. He’s used to getting his way, and he expects everything to turn out just the way he wants it to turn out. Fitz, for this reason, comes across as manipulative; take, for example, his hug with Olivia in the bunker following that secret meeting. It’s a genuine hug with underlying emotion, but you can tell he enjoys being that savior.

-Fitz and Sally’s scene is well done. I like the mutual respect there, and it’s a moment of vulnerability for the president. Yet, once again, there may be some hidden motivations there.

-Bellamy Young deserves an Emmy. Fitz vs. Mellie should be awesome to watch.

-“I am the hell AND the high water!”

-“Are we Gladiators or are we bitches?”sss

Credit to ABC and Scandal for all pictures. I own nothing.

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