“You are a very good liar, Nina Sergeevna.”
The Cold War resulted from a clash of ideals, but it was also very much a war of technological advancements; that idea is prevalent in “Arpanet”, an intriguing and thrilling episode about the relationships between humans and technology.
“You’ll never leave Harlan alive.”
With that, so ends the penultimate season of Justified. It’s been a shaky one, but at the end of it all, it served its purpose as a set-up to what should be an explosive final season. “Restitution”, like the rest of the current season, is not without its bumps, but it’s a satisfying way to close off various storylines and introduce intriguing new ones.
It may seem like hope is rare, but when you experience it, it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world.
Hope is something that’s eluded a number of Gallaghers this year on Shameless, a year that’s been dark and relentless and, for the most part, unforgiving; this isn’t the same show we saw in the pilot, but it recognizes that even amidst the pain, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
GENERAL MOTORS IGNITION SWITCH RECALL: There really isn’t much to this sketch, but Kate McKinnon does her best to make it entertaining. The premise seems half-baked, though, and the laughs are sparse. GRADE: C+
MONOLOGUE: Man, I love Anna Kendrick so much. I usually am not fond of musical monologues, but her energy and excitement is off the charts. The whole segment is exciting, visually appealing (Anna Kendrick is the focal point, of course), and catchy. This should be a good show…I hope. GRADE: A-
My, what a show.
I’m impressed by how we can go completely, next level bananas, and yet it still feels like the writers aren’t doing it just to do it. Certain things are still being reined in for what will ultimately result in an amazing payoff, and the layers and the mind games and the beautiful imagery and the character work are just seamlessly blending together. The show manages to ratchet up the tension each week without giving in to silly plot twists or contrivances. Truly excellent stuff right here, and we’re not even halfway through the season.
Humans feel emotion.
Even the most cold-hearted, calculating, and intelligent spy will feel emotions; it’s all a matter of how much they let those emotions affect their jobs. The better you are at understanding and manipulating them, the better you’ll be at carrying yourself when you’re sent out into the real world. What happens, though, when those emotions take over?
To what extent can Raylan Givens play loose with the law?
This has been the biggest question about this character thus far, and it’s certainly an intriguing one; we’ve seen him make decisions that have led to heartbreak and danger and death, but his badge has always protected him. What’s going to happen next week, though?
Kids, let me tell you the story of a little show called How I Met Your Mother, a show that I’ve spent a good amount of my life with, a show that I’ve loved and hated and stuck with and almost quit. It began in the fall of 2005, and the journey that it took us on was entertaining, emotional, and downright beautiful. And that, kids, is why I’m disappointed by this finale.
Shameless has always been excellent when it comes to juggling comedic and dramatic storylines, and this episode proves it; simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, it manages to provide our characters with some much-needed resolutions while setting up for the finale.
“They’re screwing with the wrong people.”
With that line (which admittedly, fell flat), another season of The Walking Dead has come to a close. This was certainly the most structurally ambitious season yet, and Scott Gimple’s first year as showrunner was dedicated to character development, to shading in relationships and interactions that were sorely lacking beforehand. The finale is no different, and although it’s deeply flawed, it’s fairly effective as a transition into season 5.
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