Catching up on my TV shows...

Lately all I’ve been writing about is Lost. Now, I do love to write about Lost, but I felt like catching up on some shows that I have been ignoring.

Gonna start with the most difficult one to write about, Battlestar Galactica.

BSG just had its series finale last Friday. I really had been annoyed by the episodes leading up to the finale, feeling like they were spinning their wheels, holding everything for the last episode. I didn’t hate the last few weeks, but I did find myself bored at times, and I actually fell asleep on one of the episodes, which is really unheard of in my history with the show.

So let’s start with the stuff I liked before I nitpick:

I generally enjoyed the flashbacks, Roslin’s especially. Nothing really special, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I really like how they dealt with Baltar. At one point, he was my favorite character. Lately, he’s been a bit too much as a prophet/evangelical leader/whatever, but I really like where his story went in the finale.

I didn’t really have a problem with the 2nd Earth, but I called them being our ancestors around the middle of season three.

The Opera House stuff was a nice payoff, though I have a feeling that they put that together just to suit their needs.

The assault on the Cylons was wonderfully done. Really intense, had my on the edge of my seat the whole time. Really, really good. One of the best battles they’ve ever done.

Doc Cottle’s goodbye to Laura – that was perfect.

Adama joking at Baltar’s expense on 2nd Earth.

I left the episode feeling very satisfied, yet really disappointed, which seems an odd statement, but I still stand by it, four days later.

So, on to my nitpicking:

I love Helo. Always been one of my favorite characters. Did not want him to die. However, when it seemed like he was dead, I was sad and shocked, but ok with it. So why did they have to let him live? He was a casualty of the battle that saved his daughter. I think that’s a good way to go. After a series filled with death, destruction and general unhappiness, did everyone really have to get a happy ending?

I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hated the coda ‘150,000 Years Later.’ Hated it so much. Seeing Ron Moore was awful and distracting enough, but then they have to bang us over the head with their message. Give your audience a little credit please. Ugh. Left a terrible taste in my mouth.

Starbuck. An angel? A messenger of God? Who knows? This just felt so lazy to me. Moore has said that Kara’s what you want her to be and to explain her too much makes her less interesting. I 100% disagree. Not explaining her makes it easier for the writers because it seems like they couldn’t explain her and that’s never what BSG has been about. I might not have liked it if they came out and said she’s an angel sent from the one true God to guide the fleet to its home, but at least they could have said it and tried to explain it. After killing her, bringing her back and having everyone and their brother ask what she is, I expected some kind of answer. (Not to mention all of her backstory with the paintings of the Eye of Jupiter and her father and the notes that became the coordinates.) But no, no explanation, instead she’s the very definition of a Deus Ex Machina.

It wasn’t a bad episode of TV at all. It was just a frustrating finale.


Big Love

I’m gonna miss old Roman. Harry Dean Stanton was the main reason I stayed with Big Love in its first season. I’ll miss having him around, but I’m certainly glad I stuck with the show.

The third season of Big Love was the very definition of tight storytelling. Always enjoyable, sometimes shocking and surprising, I left the finale of Big Love satisfied and looking forward to next year.

Chloe Sevingy did her best work ever this year, especially in the last few weeks. And I am very curious how Zeljko Ivanek will fit into the show next season.

I loved Margene standing up for herself to Bill and hope that she does find some success on her own.

Not sure how I feel about Sarah and Scott, but I love Amanda Seyfried and Aaron Paul, so I’m willing to give them a shot.

The Greenes continue to freak me out, so I hope they are around next year too.

And I know it happened a few weeks ago, but I’m still very saddened by the abrupt death of Kathy. I do hope that Mirielle Enos sticks around as Jodene next season, but I’ll still miss sweet Kathy. At least Joey got his revenge, though I can’t imagine murdering Roman will really make him feel better.

So A+ to Big Love for providing a near perfect third season and ending their season very well.


Friday Night Lights

I had seen the first 7 episodes of season three of Friday Night Lights and I was watching as they aired on NBC, waiting for new eps.

Jason Street’s last episode was fantastic. Jason and Tim in NYC was both hilarious and touching, and the look on Taylor Kitsch’s face as Tim said goodbye for the last time is etched in my mind.

This past week’s was another strong outing too. Jesse Plemons did some really great work when Landry told off Tyra. And Zach Gilford and Kyle Chandler’s scene in the backyard was also very well done. From Coach walking out of Matt’s house after walking in on Julie and Matt to the scene in his bedroom when he told Tami what had happened, Chandler is just a master at the non-verbal. Not just his facial expressions, but his posture and movements all are just perfect.

But THE best scene in the ep was between Tami and Julie. It just felt so authentic and real, like Connie Britton was trying to discuss sex with Aimee Teegarden. I don’t even really have the right words to describe how great it was. You just have to see it and see how beautiful and moving and perfect those few minutes were.

Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I’m enjoying J.D. and his family. I really like his whole storyline, and, this week, his mom especially.

Can’t wait for next week!


Dollhouse

I was worried about Dollhouse. So worried that I don’t think I have ever written about it here. I was worried before it began, and I continued to be worried as the series moved on.

To be honest, I didn’t think the premiere was as bad as everyone seemed to think. Not great, for sure, but the potential was certainly there. I was encouraged by the second ep (the one like ‘The Most Dangerous Game’) and I think episode 2 was the series’ highpoint for me.

That was until last Friday.

“Man on the Street” was what I was hoping I would get from Dollhouse. Interesting, smart, witty, funny, just all around fantastic.

I loved Patton Oswalt’s story. I thought it was a relatable use of the Dollhouse. People can identify with that need and Oswalt did a great job in his role.

I saw the twist with Millie coming, but it’s a twist that I wanted to happen and an intriguing and thrilling twist at that. (As opposed to a twist I don’t want to happen like Ballard being Alpha. I may change my mind on this, but, please, don’t do it!)

And I really didn’t predict the culprit in the abuse of Sierra coming. I really did think that it was Victor.

I hope that the show continues in the vein of last week’s ep, because it had me thinking, theorizing and anxious, something that Dollhouse had not done for me until that episode.


ER

Don’t really have that much to say about ER, but I have loved the nostalgia that the show has thrown at us this season. Was worried when they brought back Carter that they were going to kill him and I was going to be mad at ER forever. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

Anyway, I added this section because I wanted to mention how happy the episode that featured the return of Doug, Carol and Peter made me. It was exactly what the show should be doing in their final season and made me glad that I still watch the show. Everything with Benton and Carter was perfect and while the stuff with Doug and Carol related to Carter was a bit contrived, it was easily ignored because it made me happy. The best ep ER has put out there in a few seasons, and almost makes up for them cavalierly killing Dr. Pratt earlier this year.


Will be back tomorrow to write about…Lost!