Veronica Mars “Silence of the Lamb”/ “Clash of the Tritons” Review (1×11/1×12)

20 Sep

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“Silence of the Lamb” (1×11)

Hi, Aaron Paul! Hi, Max Greenfield! These two play Eddie Laroche and Leo D’Amato, respectively, the former a suspect in the E-String Strangler case and the latter a Deputy working on the case. It’s a storyline that’s a bit more cop-esque than usual, but it’s interesting watching Veronica start to actually fall for Leo as the case progresses. Here’s a guy who stands in direct contrast with the general dickish behavior that Sheriff Lamb’s so great at; he actually listens to Weevil’s “complaints” and seems to have a great rapport with Veronica, but alas, it’s not meant to be at the end. And here, we see that Veronica’s way of doing things certainly has its consequences along with its perks.

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Friday Night Lights Season 5, Episodes 6-9 Review

19 Sep

Friday Night Lights

EPISODE 6–“SWERVE”

Julie’s storyline this season has been pretty disappointing, and the route the show takes to get to this episode is full of swerves (heh); as we see here, it finally comes crashing (I’ll be here all week) down, forcing her parents to face the reality of the situation: their daughter made some bad decisions and is now attempting to run away from her problems by literally running into some bricks.

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The Bridge “Beholder” Review (2×11)

18 Sep

The Bridge - Episode 2.11 - Beholder - Promotional Photo

“To be free.”

This is the answer that Eleanor Nacht provides when asked why she does what she does, and it’s fitting because this is, in essence, a show in which every single character is attempting to break free from his or her past. Whether it’s through violence or physical distance or a rigid moral code, the desire to move forward and start a new life is what connects them, and we begin to see links between their various histories as a result.

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New Girl “The Last Wedding” Review (4×01)

16 Sep

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The ensemble’s always been the greatest strength of New Girl. These actors play off each other so well week to week, and when you put them all in a room together, it’s almost guaranteed that they’ll make you laugh. This is exactly what the season 4 premiere does, and what results is a hilarious half hour that kicks off the season in fine form.

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Boardwalk Empire “The Good Listener” Review (5×02)

14 Sep

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“Live long enough to cash out.”

Nucky Thompson, like Johnny Torrio, is nearing the end of his run, and he’s reminded of that fact at every turn. However, Nucky being the person he is, he won’t get out without finding some way to satisfy the burning greed that resides within his heart, the craving for power that drives people in this environment to kill and retaliate and kill some more. He realizes that if he dies, he’ll open up routes for others to build their own empires, and he’s not having any of that because his legacy needs to be under his own control, not under the mercy of the young up-and-comers.

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Friday Night Lights “Kingdom” Review (5×05)

13 Sep

Friday Night Lights

“We’re getting there.”

This is why I love this show so much. “Kingdom” is an episode ripe with entertainment, laughs, thrills, and small, beautiful moments, and it’s an example of Friday Night Lights‘s ability to not only portray the heartbreak and disappointment ever present in our lives, but also the pure joy that can result from connection and doing something we love.

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Veronica Mars “An Echolls Family Christmas” Review (1×10)

11 Sep

Echolls-Family-Christmas“I’d be the best rich person.”

The various sides of Veronica Mars–comedy, drama, mysteryare on their best displays in this episode, and so are the various looks at what it means to be rich, especially in a society that idolizes those who have a boatload of money. In Neptune’s 09er-land, rich is the norm, but the way certain people react to their statuses highlights the loss of familial connection, the loss of a genuine foundation upon which to live their lives free of unwanted intrusion.

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The Bridge “Eidolon” Review (2×10)

11 Sep

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The world is chaotic at times. It’s messy, full of conflicting ideas and clashing goals, and these multiple sides simply can’t function in tandem when everyone has his or her agenda. So, you can either acquiesce or remain steadfast on achieving your goals before anyone else does; whichever decision you choose has its own set of consequences, its own set of moral dilemmas awash with uncertainty.

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Sons of Anarchy “Black Widower” Review (7×01)

10 Sep

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“I already lost the woman I love. I’m not going to lose my club.”

Going into the final season of the show, Jax Teller is no longer attempting a reinvention of any kind, no longer moving toward legitimacy or structuring a future around his wife or distancing himself from JT’s and Clay’s ideals. It’s all about vengeance now, and Charlie Hunnam portrays Jax as a hollowed-out individual, a perpetual blank stare in his eyes as he does anything from listen to a business deal go down to torture and kill one of Lin’s men.

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The Leftovers “The Prodigal Son Returns” Review (1×10)

8 Sep

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“We made them remember.”

The Leftovers paints a picture of a broken world. It’s broken because its people are broken, and its people are broken because of their search for concrete answers in a post-Departure world. As humans, we tend to want to think in terms of black and white, of good and bad, of us and them, and it simply winds up being detrimental to the people who lost their loved ones on October 14th.  “There’s a reason for everything,” we think, and we crumble when we can’t pinpoint that reason in the sea of darkness.

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