Creative Direction

Over the last week, two series have had episodes that touted a change / return to better storytelling.

Dollhouse had it's "Fox threw up it's hands and gave up trying / Told Joss Whedon to do whatever he wanted" episode in "Man on the Street" and it made me want to forget the first five episodes of the series and just consider "MotS" the new pilot.

Heroes, which I haven't really been watching, had it's "Bryan Fuller is back, ya'll!" episode last night called "Cold Snap." Now, again, I haven't really been watching a ton of this fourth volume, so I don't know what's really happened in the interim between the suck of the volume's premiere and this. Not a ton, it seems. Though the cheerleader was blissfully absent. Anyway, Fuller's return did seem to help, from what I could tell. The characters were pretty much acting with some degree of intelligence... at least enough to prove they had a brain on their shoulders. And, sadly, that's a big change from when I stopped caring. Unfortunately, Bryan Fuller rejoined the show in the middle of a failed, heavy-serialized plotline. I didn't expect MAGIC from him. And he didn't turn in another "Company Man." The episode was almost entirely watchable (curious what Masi Oka did to the producers to have them saddle him with this weird Super Powered Baby storyline), though, and there were moments of very cool special effects (Tracey telling Micah to put the sprinklers on so she could freeze the parking lot) as well as actual emotion (Daphne's death... even if the Parkman-as-Superman dream he put her in to ease her passing was utterly derivative). Don't know why they killed Daphne. She was actually an enjoyable character.

I may just bring myself to watch to the conclusion of the season to see if Heroes can keep this level up (it's still nothing compared to the first season, but, hey, enjoyable TV is better than unenjoyable TV so I have to wish for it and support it when it comes along). I do hope the brass at NBC see fit to get rid of Tim Kring, who obviously was the real problem at Heroes, not the scapegoats Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb, and make Bryan Fuller the actual showrunner next season.

Also, go figure, Bryan cast Swoosie Kurtz in a bit part in the episode (nice to have her on TV, even if she isn't kissing Teri Hatcher). I'm so very looking forward to the Paley Festival Pushing Daisies event where I'll get to see the last three episodes of the series (that, despite its considerable flaws, I do find myself missing the longer I've been without it).

Chuck 3D / Heroes Vol. 4

Chuck - The most "meh" episode of the season as far as, well, comedy and drama goes, but the visual gimmick was fun... but count me happy to take those damn glasses off!  This was as good a "restatement of the show's premise in a fun, easy to get into way" as possible given the day-after-Super-Bowl airing.  Still... disappointed in the episode (compared to the rest of this season, which has been awesome).

Heroes - Shut up, I know.  I, too, was suckered in by promise of a reboot even though we all knew that Bryan Fuller doesn't have anything to do with the first five episodes of this arc.  Not that I expect his presence behind the scenes to make much of a difference.  Let's just say this entire episode was straight from Joseph Campbell's monomyth with countless characters denying their, er, heroic nature.  But I have to ask... if Nathan's plans are, in fact, insidious, WHY abduct Peter and put him in the same place with a bunch of other "extraordinaries"?  And, Peter, if you're on a plane that's crashing and you previously had the power of flight and just absorbed Mohinder's super-strength (he still had this?) shouldn't you fly out of the plane and stop it from crashing?  Just saying, Superman would totally do it.  Also, Peter, WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IDIOT?  In short, boring.  The only real fun to be had in the episode was Sylar taking down Nathan's goons.  Someone wake me up if/when this series gets better or is cancelled.

Kthxbi.

Sigh, going to have to wait until tomorrow to watch BBT/HIMYM/House.  Damn you, DVR only being able to record two things at once!

Villains, and other Monday Television

I'm still not watching the next chapter (given the oh-so-been-there-done-that of the glimpse at the "Fugitives" volume... really, another X-Men plot rip... although knowing me I'm sure I'm going to watch the first episode just as I'm watching the 24 premiere against all logic) but is it possible that from the series' worst season, the best volume finale was made? I mean, they did kill off a LOT of characters, which at the very least helps the series concentrate-ish on the few characters the few viewers may still have an affinity for.

Perhaps it's all relative.

I wasn't vastly entertained during the first half of the episode, but I think it built to several decent, if separate, climaxes.

Ironic that Ando gained a power and it's AMPLIFYING OTHER PEOPLE'S POWERS. Meaning he's still got nothing on his own. Also Hiro is now powerless? My guess is that's undone during the next premiere, although NOT having a time traveler (er, except Peter? or does he need to reacquire all the powers he previously absorbed so now only has the power to fly like Nathan?) will help avoid the time travel plot device the show always falls into (and they have brought back the African version of Isaac Mendez meaning the show will continue to rely on paintings that show the future).

Sigh.

Anyway.

How I Met Your Mother - hilarious Christmas episode (Barney's sexually charged parody carols!) capped off by one of the best/most unexpected tags the show has ever had (Marshall in a Canadian bar with Robin karaoke-ing Robin Sparkles' "Let's Go to the Mall")! Ted is a dick and I'm glad Barney and Ted's sister showed him, using Lily's new inability to keep a secret.

Big Bang Theory - the show's first Christmas episode, and of course Sheldon has his own special holiday. So glad I was (easily) convinced to not remove this from my DVR series recording list. Also Michael Trucco! That reminds me, BSG in one month! Have you been watching the webisodes?

Dear God, It's me. Barney Stinson. What up?

I only realized what was happening on HIMYM 20 minutes into the episode when Ted and Robin walked into the bar and were fighting so Robin is going to stay somewhere else for the night.

BARNEY AND ROBIN ARE ON (maybe).

Why did I wait to watch this until 9am.

Oh, right, I fell asleep in the middle of Heroes (yeah... I decided I was going to keep watching until the end of this arc... OMG that was the most retcon episode of television I HAVE EVERY SEEN).

Dammit, Ted and Robin made up and Barney and Robin aren't on. This makes me sad.

Marshall better get ready to have a kid fast... Alyson Hannigan is preggers.

Previously On Heroes

Previously on Heroes: stupid people did stupid things for no reasons other than their own stupidity.

Also, the show now considers Sylar a "hero". And the previously on keeps referring to bad guys as "the Villains" like they were a gang or League of Evil or some such thing.

And now, Heroes continues.

Zzzzz.

I swear to god, if this weren't the episode that supposedly Papa Petrelli showed up and did shiz, I wouldn't even bother sarcastiblogging about it.

Eh, I actually don't care enough to keep typing.

The Fall TV Season... We Has It

Gossip Girl: Um... how awesome!? I hate Vanessa. With an unequaled passion only approached by my distaste for Dan Humphrey. Self-righteous idiot. Can't wait to see next week.

How I Met Your Mother: Ted/Stella/Marshall plot: eh. Very predictable and not incredibly hilarious in that I'm sure we all saw each "twist" coming (although that opening montage of the things going through Ted's head as he waited for Stella's answer... hilarious ending with the football jock meathead... what's up, turd?). However... that wasn't the point. The point was the "awwww" at the end. And we love Sarah Chalke (both here and as Elliot Reed on Scrubs). Barney/Lily/Robin plot: de-wait-for-it-lightful. I'm glad they found a way to keep the Barney we know/adore and progress (ish) the Barney/Robin romance. Quite enjoyable.

Big Bang Theory: Jim Parsons makes his case once again for an Emmy nomination... will he be heard this season?

Terminator: I'll watch tomorrow... or over the weekend. Definitely before next Monday. Probably.

Heroes: Starting it... now. This is sure to elicit some form of reaction... anything is better than apathy, no?

Hey, at least there's no long, drawn out mystery as to Nathan's shooter. And, yay, Heroes is "borrowing" from classic X-Men storylines again! This show is always much more entertaining when it's repeating plotlines I already know instead of failing to create decent plotlines of its own. Anyway... Nathan is interestingly not dead. Although he was dead, according to Dr. Emergency Surgeon. And yet it's not because of Claire's blood (again, apparently). Which means the series has created yet another way to cheat death and render death inconsequential, and thus merely a cheap, narrative ploy. Bravo, show. Bravo.

Act Two... Hiro has mastery over his powers. Finally. Although for all you aspiring time-benders out there... please be more wary about how you treat space-time. Holes happen! If Hiro is bored, he should visit the Upper East Side and hang with the Gossip Girl crew. He has the necessary net worth! Oh, and, yes, Hiro is back to using the word "unmei" in every sentence. A good sign!

Dear Peter... I know you're all cliffhanger-y in Texas, but maybe call Claire to tell her that Nathan is alive (?). K thx. Sylar's "I bet you've been wondering where I've been since you saw me last" smacks of meta... but I'm less interested in where he's been and the long-winded monologue-y explanation it surely will be and more interested in him finally slicing the cheerleader's head open. That is all. Wait a second. It was only sort of long-winded. And it skimmed over most of the details of season two (thank god) including calling Maya of the Wonder Twins a "bad taco". Oh, Sylar, you win. You win. Excluding when you got whacked in the face by a trophy and when you lamely use your telekinesis to make Claire's house into some sort of even more boring haunted mansion. Apparently his bitch mother never told Gabriel not to play with his food.

OH GOD, IT'S MAYA. WITH MOHINDER. I COULD NOT BE MORE BORED. Dammit, why didn't she just kill him... um, if Mohinder now thinks the abilities are produced by adrenaline and not blood, then why did Claire's blood work as an instant resurrection tool? Hm? Oh, I suppose her adrenaline might be in it... whatever.

Please tell me he's going to bottle the endocrine system and sell it on the black market. That would be so 4400 of him.

Hiro's father obviously never read the Art of Rhetoric or he'd have known that when he said "never open the safe" all Hiro heard was "open the safe". Kaito also must've never heard the phrase "curiosity killed the cat". Unless this whole thing is a reverse psychology ploy, which it must be if a button on a thing on the desk by the safe opens said safe. Hahah, at least the video will of Kaito calls Hiro out for being an impudent brat. And, oh my, someone stole that thing lickity split. Hiro, you have your mission.

Although, I'm concerned about the conversation Hiro has with Lady Flash. And she's moving at, say, the speed of sound (okay, let's call her Lady Quicksilver... though the VFX implication certainly is reminiscent of light speedbands), and Hiro has now stopped time (or slowed it down considerably). How do they TALK TO EACH OTHER.

Yes, yes, I'm not supposed to notice that.

If the bullets went straight through Nathan, and he healed inside... why did Dr. Emergency Surgeon imply Nathan was dead? Oh, the plot holes... they begin...

... where did Parkman go just now?

... if I'm ever going to get to sleep tonight, I'm going to have to stop the play-by-play commentary because I've been "watching" Heroes for 50 minutes but am only 23 minutes in... including two commercial breaks. Of a 2 hour premiere. To the couch, and away from the keyboard...

... okay, I tried. But come on, Heroes. "His condition has been upgraded to stable"... from, what? Dead? ZOMG. Okay. I'm really just going to watch now. Seriously.

... hey. Me again. I couldn't stay away (though am having no problems staying awake). Linderman works as an explanation for Nathan's recovery... but I'm afraid it just means a roundabout explanation for why Linderman isn't dead (y'know, after Leonard Roberts put his character's fist through his head). And given the odd camera angles and ensuing lack of recognition by other people in the room with Nathan... imaginary figment?

Also... Niki/Jessica/whatever is alive. Cue zzz (especially if we get a lot of Micah and Monica...)

... dipping back into the "Hiro sees a cataclysmic future" well again, are we? Well, at least it was just Tokyo... not like that city doesn't get trampled by every mecha/demon/Godzilla attack ever recorded...

... and an answer on the WTF is Angela Petrelli's ability!

... Weevil got faaaaaaaaaaaat...

... jeez, quote Yeats much, Mohinder? I liked your thematic VOs better. They were somehow less pretentious!

... okay, really going to step away from the computer. Probz won't give detailed thoughts on part two. Because, obvs that takes a while from me, what will all the hole poking...