Archive | 2014

Friday Night Lights Season 1, Episodes 11-16 Review

6 Feb

Nevermind

EPISODE 11, “Nevermind”

Matt Saracen: Here’s a kid with a father who, by physically distancing himself from his family, emotionally distances himself from their problems. It’s something I’ve seen before, and I understand the situation Matt’s in. He’s shouldering all these responsibilities, having to be the man of the house when in reality, he’s missing an essential part of childhood…having a father. He’s also smart enough to see what’s going on here, and although a small part ofhim will always want to forgive his dad–this ties in interestingly with Jason’s feelings about Lyla in this episode–he’s been pushed to the edge.

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Friday Night Lights Season 1, Episodes 8-10 Review

6 Feb

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EPISODE 8, CROSSING THE LINE

The episode does a nice job of bringing Billy and Tim’s relationship to the forefront, shading in some more backstory and giving us a brawl at the end. What this is is a relationship that’s been simultaneously torn apart and strengthened by their parents, and Tim has been able to avoid coping with the reality of his parents leaving; it’s really emblematic of his character, the guy who avoids his problems and isn’t exactly appreciative of everything he does have. The entire episode consists of Billy and Tim trying to convince themselves that they have a beef with the other person, and it’s tough to watch the brawl. However, we also get a nice moment at the end, showing us that even amidst all the problems and the conflict, the two will be there for each other.

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Person of Interest “Provenance” Review (3×14)

5 Feb

72f38f3a4ae848afc8601254752b5e8eWell, the team’s really back together again.

Understandably, this episode is fairly inconsequential, and I expect a few of these before we get into the final arc of the season. Of course, as with all Person of Interest episodes, “Provenance” is still consistently entertaining.

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Justified “Shot All To Hell” Review (5×05)

5 Feb

4dfd5eeb742f4cdbcc876dc76a8b92f5Damn, what an episode.

“Shot All to Hell” is this show firing on all cylinders: hilarious, intense, and downright entertaining. The body count is as high as its ever been, and I have to say, this is easily in the top 5 of my favorite episodes of Justified.

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How I Met Your Mother “Sunrise” Review (9×17)

3 Feb

7f428f90a3da4b68cbee524d94ef453eWhat exactly does “letting go” imply?

Is it simply forgetting about someone? Is it something that can be reversed? Or, is it letting go of a fantasy? That’s what Ted has to deal with in this episode; in fact, I’d like to see him not merely let go of the person, but rather the idea of a relationship with Robin.

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New Girl “Prince” Review (3×14)

2 Feb

adf3fb50a6094258c2fd299aff524292Hey, it’s the show after the Super Bowl! Man, how many of you were just wishing the game would end so we could get to some fun TV? I sure was.

Obviously, New Girl is playing to a broader audience here, so understandably, some of the characterizations and scenarios themselves have to be broadened. Ultimately, it all does feel a bit contrived, but I do think the Nick-Jess “I love you” scenario works in the context of this being a post-Super Bowl episode. I get the feeling that the words have been said before, but they apparently haven’t been, so whatever.

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Shameless “Strangers On A Train” Review (4×04)

2 Feb

408_4_3386683_01_444x250This is going to be a quick review, but I wanted to talk about this great episode.

Shameless has always been a feel good show, one that portrays the Gallaghers as a fantastic team of weirdos who all love each other. Yet, as fun as that is, this season has taken a turn for darker storylines; it seems as if each person is having to deal with increasingly difficult situations.

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RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. You were one of the greats.

2 Feb

gty_philip_seymour_hoffman_nt_130531_wgThe world has taken from us the best actor of his generation.

When I first saw this news, it took me a while to believe it wasn’t a hoax. It took a while for the cold, hard truth to set in; yet, it was confirmed that he was found dead in his apartment from an apparent drug overdose. I am at a loss right now, and this has cast a shadow over the rest of the day, if not the rest of my journey through film.

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Girls “Only Child” Review (3×05)

2 Feb

Girls-Season-3-Episode-5-Only-Child-600x400Hannah Horvath is really a wrecking ball, isn’t she?

In this episode, she asks a grieving widow about other publishers at David’s funeral, ignores her dad when he talks about his health, and is generally an all around douche. Yet, this is a Hannah who doesn’t seem so far removed from who she was in the pilot, and it’s a Hannah who’s surprisingly sympathetic.

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