Archive | May, 2014

Battlestar Galactica “Flesh and Bone”/ “Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down” Review (1×08/1×09)

31 May

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EPISODE 8–“FLESH AND BONE”

What exactly are the Cylons? “Flesh and Bone” goes in depth with this question, modeling the episode around the excellent Starbuck-Leoben interrogation scenes, all played brilliantly by Katee Sackhoff and Callum Keith Rennie. The interrogation begins due to Roslin’s request and desire to glean more information about the Cylons, but it escalates into a psychological battle that takes religious and philosophical turns; eventually, though, it all boils down to that one premise: who, or what, the Cylons are.

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Battlestar Galactica “Litmus”/ “Six Degrees of Separation” Review (1×06/1×07)

30 May

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“LITMUS”–Season 1, Episode 6

This is probably the weakest episode thus far, as the show hammers home its point at the expense of a compelling story. I don’t find the atmosphere surrounding the investigation–or the idea behind starting an investigation, for that matter–to be unrealistic, considering the circumstances and the way the show loves to draw parallels to our post-9/11 fears. Continue reading

Battlestar Galactica “Act of Contrition”/ “You Can’t Go Home Again” Review (1×04/1×05)

29 May

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Kara Thrace, for all her cigar-smoking, wise-cracking, badass ways, is still human. These episodes remind us of that fact, and “Act of Contrition” in particular is a heart-wrenching study of the show’s most fascinating character.

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Louie “Elevator Part 4″/ “Elevator Part 5” Review (4×07/4×08)

27 May

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“A small bird died today from sadness. It was six years old.”

At first, it comes across as a funny one-liner to end the episode with, but we slowly realize that it’s Louie–and this elevator arc as a whole–in a nutshell: it’s the story of a sad man, a small man, someone who seems to be losing himself in a surreal environment.

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24: Live Another Day “Day 9: 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.” Review (9×05)

26 May

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Well, 24 is on quite a roll right now, isn’t it?

One of the most aggravating things about the show in the past has been its penchant for dragging out storylines beyond any semblance of common sense, wringing character situations past the point the audience has any interest. Here, though, Live Another Day is using its 12-episode season to cut down on much of the unnecessary business, and it’s better off for it.

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Mad Men “Waterloo” Review (7×07)

26 May

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“The best things in life are free.”

This is the song that closes out the first half of Mad Men‘s final season, one filled with pain and growth and realization, a seven-episode showcase for some of the best actors and writers on television. “Waterloo” is a moving finale that sets up what should be a very intriguing final run of episodes.

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“I am enchanted…and terrified”: A Hannibal Season 2 Retrospective

25 May

Hannibal-Season-2-Teaser-Image PolarBears: Season 2 of Hannibal is coming to an end, and Louis O’Carroll and I have decided to take a look back on the season as a whole. It’s been quite a ride, consisting of brilliant acting and tasty meals and sexy people, and it’s been a truly excellent 13 episode run. Let’s start off with Will Graham, who we saw behind bars in the final scene of the season 1 finale. OC, what do you think about how the show handled him in that situation? Continue reading

Orphan Black “To Hound Nature in Her Wanderings” Review (2×06)

25 May

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It’s a Helena-Sarah road trip! They have a very twisted and dark relationship, but it’s also hilarious and affectionate and enjoyable to watch. Whether it’s Helena singing “Sugar Sugar” or Sarah breaking down laughing, we’re reminded of the bond these two share, the bond that endures even amidst all the shit that’s occurring around them.

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Hannibal “Mizumono” Review (2×13)

24 May

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“This is the clearest moment of our friendship.”

There’s no more hiding. There are no more facades. We see Hannibal Lecter for who he truly is, and we see a brutal sequence of violence that’s terrifying in its reality. “Mizumono” is, quite simply, one of the best television episodes I’ve seen, and it’s a horrifying and shocking end to a stellar sophomore season of Hannibal.

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Battlestar Galactica “Water”/ “Bastille Day” Review (1×02/1×03)

23 May

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WATER–Season 1, Episode 2

This is Grace Park’s episode right from the opening shot, one of water dripping from her hands that effectively sets the mood for the rest of the episode. There’s an ominous, unsettling feeling throughout, and what makes this episode so impressive is the fact the the tension is derived not from the idea of a ticking bomb, but rather the idea of a ticking person: Boomer.

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