Joe, Emma, Lily, Mark/Luke, Giselle, this episode's chock-full cult, (not to mention all the unnamed followers and those already dead this season and last...) -- since its inception, The Following has fought a losing battle with its own concept.
They've paid so much attention to the followers that they've weakened the power and effectiveness of the leader and main villain, Joe Carroll (James Purefoy).
This season, Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), our hero has made it clear that he has one mission, and one mission only: Kill. Joe.
Beautiful.
A much more concise and intriguing concept than season one in which the followers of Joe the supposed mastermind pretty much did whatever violent act they felt like albeit supposedly in his name.
In fact, all season 1, the action of what should've been a constantly-twisting, anxiety-filled cat-and-mouse game between Joe and Ryan was pretty much non-existent.
As were Ryan's investigative skills.
Just how many times did we have to watch him writhe in anguish over yet another failure to even get close Joe? (Let alone anticipate his next move...)
Thankfully, in season 2, Ryan's mission and his skills are so much sharper.
The storytelling seemed much improved, too. At least for the first few episodes...
Lately the series has lost its way again. With episode 7, "Sacrifice," being the worst offender yet.
Just what made this episode nearly unwatchable? Let me count the ways...
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
WALKING DEAD: "Still" -- Survive vs. Thrive and the Money Metaphor
An entire hour of The Walking Dead devoted to developing the mysterious character of Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus). This is the kind of episode I live for.
Not just because it's a full hour of Reedus (which might be reason enough for some), but because it's a full hour spent on just one storyline. It allows for deeper character exploration and more intricately layered scenes than those episodes that jump between multiple stories.
While this alone would be entertaining enough, what made "Still" so impactful is how the emotional evolution of both Darryl and Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) was written as a commentary on how the outlook of the future has shifted for the entire show.
Up until now, the series and its characters have been focused on survival. However, these episodes after the destruction of their prison sanctuary have shifted into a new kind of hope. One that looks beyond simply surviving amongst the zombie hordes, towards defeating them in order to build a new world.
And no episode better delineates the mental shift each character will need to make in order to accomplish this lofty goal, than "Still."
Not just because it's a full hour of Reedus (which might be reason enough for some), but because it's a full hour spent on just one storyline. It allows for deeper character exploration and more intricately layered scenes than those episodes that jump between multiple stories.
While this alone would be entertaining enough, what made "Still" so impactful is how the emotional evolution of both Darryl and Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) was written as a commentary on how the outlook of the future has shifted for the entire show.
Up until now, the series and its characters have been focused on survival. However, these episodes after the destruction of their prison sanctuary have shifted into a new kind of hope. One that looks beyond simply surviving amongst the zombie hordes, towards defeating them in order to build a new world.
And no episode better delineates the mental shift each character will need to make in order to accomplish this lofty goal, than "Still."
Saturday, March 1, 2014
ELEMENTARY: "The One Percent Solution" and the Symbolic Cocks
It's finally happened. Let it be known that in Season 2, episode 16 entitled "The One Percent Solution," Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) are talking birds and bees together.
Okay, so the bees are just the ones Sherlock keeps on the roof and the birds are a pair of angry roosters he's rescued from a cockfighting ring. But still, all the cock talk was exciting.
Sure, at first glance, the cocks just seem like a comic bit -- as Joan sidesteps saying "the c word" and Sherlock humorously sets one outside Watson's door as a living alarm clock.
But on a deeper level, those cocks are symbolic.
Friday, February 28, 2014
ARROW: "Time of Death" -- Hit and Miss
Just one look... can ruin a relationship.
And that's exactly what happened in the last 30 seconds of Arrow's "Time of Death" episode when, as Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) babbled adorably about being his girl (but not his "girl-girl"), Oliver (Stephen Amell)gave her a pitying look.
With that look, Felicity was transformed from an unsteadily sexy computer wiz with moxie (and a puppy-love crush on her hero boss) into a piteous creature.
Now, before anyone gets all up in arms that I seem to be criticizing the talented Amell (and he is, him and Rickards, and David Ramsey and the rest of the cast, and crew, and writers etc. are why I watch the show -- I'm not normally big on comic-inspired shows), let me assure you that I'm not. That look was right for the scene as written, it's just that the Felicity-Oliver story arc went awry halfway through the episode.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. That moment wasn't the only misfire in the episode.
Defining "Better Television" (And Blanket Spoiler Alert!)
Reality shows, over-the-top comedies, on-the-nose dramas -- there's little subtlety in television today.
Well, except for shows like "Mad Men," "The Walking Dead," "Suits," "Downton Abbey," "Luther," "Game of Thrones," "Orphan Black," "The Americans..."
The list could go on -- possibly endlessly if one chose to include shows recently or long ago off the air, like "Friends," "X-Files," "Gilmore Girls," "All in the Family," "The Shield," "The Sopranos" etc.
That got me thinking -- what makes some television shows so much better than others? The hook? Dynamic characters? Interesting story lines? Yes. Yes. And Yes.
But it's so much more than that.
Well, except for shows like "Mad Men," "The Walking Dead," "Suits," "Downton Abbey," "Luther," "Game of Thrones," "Orphan Black," "The Americans..."
The list could go on -- possibly endlessly if one chose to include shows recently or long ago off the air, like "Friends," "X-Files," "Gilmore Girls," "All in the Family," "The Shield," "The Sopranos" etc.
That got me thinking -- what makes some television shows so much better than others? The hook? Dynamic characters? Interesting story lines? Yes. Yes. And Yes.
But it's so much more than that.