CliqueClack TV » The Virgin Diaries

The Practice virgin’s diary – Richard and Helen are quite the pair

Aryeh S. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:57 +0000

(Season 4, Episodes 7-10)

Some weird black and white recreations/flashbacks were going on in these episodes, as well as in episode 4.6, and I hope it’s not a new thing. It felt very Cold Case, only that’s not what this show is about. If no one in the courtroom gets to see these things during trial, what do we need them for?

Six episodes with Richard Bay (Jason Kravits) down; only 25 more to go!

4.7 “Victimless Crimes”

Interesting episode title, considering the two cases of the week were Jimmy defending a woman accused of murdering her rapist, and Bobby defending his cousin, a dentist who bit Lucy on the breast while she was anesthetized.

Jimmy’s court-ordered client was interesting, a woman not seeking sympathy or empathy from anyone. I’m sorry for her that she was made to feel alone and defenseless, and I’m even sorrier that there isn’t just a card stamped “Not Guilty” handed out to everyone who murders their rapist. Most of all, I’m sorry that she got a guilty verdict. Some guy decides to violently rape her, and she’s the one going to prison?

If that’s not strange enough (albeit too common), Bobby actually went to bat for his cousin, a pervert who took advantage of his patients while they were in his office seeking treatment. I was happy when Lucy resigned (sad when she came back), but also found myself proud of her for standing up to Bobby — an employee should never be put in that type of a position by her boss. Nice try asking for partner on your return.

4.8 “Committed”

This episode continued the back-and-forth between Lindsay still recovering from her stabbing and being all of the way back. A court-ordered client, a serial killer who’d been a patient at a mental hospital for twenty years, caused Lindsay to relive some of her experience with George Vogelman. But I really dislike the forced nature of these emotions. There’s a total lack of fluidity to something that should either be there or not be there. It’s almost as if the writers throw it at Lindsay when they can’t think of anything else for her to do.

A strange secondary case involving a dead man in Eugene’s ex-wife Sharon’s bed, their son Kendall the prime suspect. Can you really say she’s stepping out on Eugene when they are no longer married? At the same time, what ever happened to the seeming reconciliation that was going on between them a few episodes back?

And this Richard Bay guy is a real piece of work. He has a huge chip on his shoulder, for God knows what reason because he came onto the series with it, and all he can do is bark at the attorneys from Donnell and Associates. Someone should kill him and leave him in Sharon’s bed … the way he acts, Eugene wouldn’t even be near the top of the list of suspects (although Ellenor might be).

4.9 “Bay of Pigs”

I really think Richard is a serial killer in the making. I’m not sure why he carries around all of the anger that he does, or where it stems from, but he’s going to blow with a serrated knife at the necks of a bunch of old ladies.

And yet Helen agreed, albeit reluctantly, to go out on a date with him. And she kissed him. And then gave him a kissing tutorial the following day. I suppose she really will sleep with anything. Please tell me things aren’t heading towards a real relationship between these two.

Jimmy’s case of the ex-girlfriend who sold her eggs to pay the rent and was suing a customer for failure to pay was … well, how that resulted in his breaking up with Judge Kittleson I’m not quite sure. But she did see Jimmy and his old flame/client together. Are all the clues we’ve gotten that point to Kittleson being a crazy stalker ever going to pay off?

4.10 “Day in Court”

Eddie Wicks (Mark Sheppard), a drug dealer who was one of Bobby’s first clients, stands trial for murder. I wasn’t sure what was better: his claiming self-defense after stabbing someone seven times, or his calling Eugene “Genie” (I’m leaning toward the latter). I’m getting tired of Bobby and his partners looking down on everyone they defend these days. Why not move into white collar crime if you can’t stomach the riffraff?

It was about time for Helen to completely lose it during a case, which came sometime after Eddie physically attacked her in open court. She’s so bad as a lawyer, it’s just surprising that her breakdown didn’t come sooner. At least it’s nice to know that if Donnell and Associates is up against Helen, they’re going to win.

Still want to bring her on as a partner, Lindsay?

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Who’s creepier: Brother Justin or hillbillies?

Bob Degon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:03:39 +0000

(Season 2, Episodes 2-3)

Season two continues to march on, and Carnivale continues to be interesting and compelling. The relationship drama that had me a little bored toward the end of season one seems to have cooled off, but the character development remains, which is nice.

I’m really enjoying the play between Brother Justin and Tommy Dolan. Dolan is an interesting character. It’s clear that he knows that Justin is somewhat dangerous and that he probably shouldn’t be getting involved with him. At the same time, however, the overly ambitious reporter just can’t help himself. As I watch this show and Heroes, I’m amazed at how different Robert Knepper looks and sounds in the two roles.

“Alamogordo, NM”

I mentioned in my previous entry that it seemed like, perhaps, Ben’s vision of a nuclear explosion could be somehow tied to the Manhattan Project. Is it just a coincidence that the title of this episode is also a town that housed a research facility for the nuclear research program that oversaw the first test explosion? I think not.

Why does Brother Justin get a creepy underling to do all his dirty work and Ben has to do it all by himself? That hardly seems fair, but it’s been fun watching Varlyn Stroud wandering free. Brother Justin was busy in this episode breaking ground on his new temple.

There more visions of the tatooed man, or “the usher” in this episode, with one of them ending up being Sophie. Is she somehow tied into all of this good vs. evil stuff? Management certainly seemed rattled when Ben informed him that he had seen the usher in visions.

“Ingram, TX”

It’s certainly been an interesting start of the season for Sofie. After losing her mom, she’s trying to find where she fits into the carnival. I don’t quite understand why she can’t read the cards without her mother. Certainly the readings wouldn’t be as accurate without her mother’s visions of the future, but doesn’t she still know how to read the cards? I guess it’s just too painful for her.

I think my favorite moment in this episode came during Brother Justin’s radio address. His “notes” for the sermon actually consisted of twisted and dirty doodles. It was a disturbing reminder that Justin seems to be sinking deeper into madness. Iris caught sight of this and closed the notebook to protect her freaky brother.

Poor Balthus is now being “cared” for by Brother Justin. That must be absolutely terrifying for the poor, crippled old man. I’m guessing that he wishes he had the courage to bash in Justin’s head when he had the chance.

It seems like a lot of interesting things were happening at the end of the episode, too. Ben was captured by hillbillies (which remains a completely terrifying scenario. See: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. See: Deliverance. See: The Hills Have Eyes. Hillbillies are freaky), Ruthie is being haunted by Lodz, and Sofie is hearing Brother Justin’s message. That can’t be good.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – The penis never lies … unless it’s been enlarged

Aryeh S. — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:17 +0000

(Season 4, Episodes 4-6)

Three types of clients appear on The Practice: the one-off jokesters, the multiple-episode-arc accused, and the repeat customers. A lot of the first group are lightweights, though I suppose that makes sense. The middle category has yielded some interesting television, and I’m sure it will continue to do so — those trials are generally the sensational ones. But for some reason, this show has the most love for the third group of clients. Shows definitely should not live in a bubble, but just how realistic is it that so many people keep on walking back into the offices of Donnell and Associates?

4.4 “Legacy”

This time it was Ray Oz (James Whitmore), fighting his wife Joanne (Bonnie Bartlett) over her plight to be named his conservator. Clearly Ray was worse than he was when first on the show, and clearly Bobby was going to ignore all of the signs.

Unfortunately, everybody but Bobby and Ray were right. Ray’s dementia was only getting worse, and it culminated in his murdering Joanne after winning the competency hearing. But Bobby to the rescue!

Eugene got corralled onto a case with sad-sack attorney Harland Bassett (Ernie Sabella), instantly recognizable to me as Leon Carosi. Great to see him! The only notable thing about the case was the penis viewing in Judge Hiller’s chambers — if you negate the fact that this guy is Jimmy in 20 years. Who gets a penile enlargement to avoid flashing charges?

And Ellenor fell apart over her failure to see that George Vogelman was a psycho. Except only in the last five minutes of the episode, when they found some time for her. Otherwise she was doing okay … glad to hear.

4.5 “Oz”

It’s Walter Powell! James T. Callahan made an appearance as Trevor Wayne, a friend of Ray Oz’s testifying for the prosecution in his murder trial. Bobby seemed like Lindsay when her professor was up on murder charges — totally irrational and dangerous. Going to Judge Kittleson and trying to get her to recuse herself on the grounds that she has a conflict with their firm because of Jimmy? After he went up against Helen countless times WHILE they were dating? Back it up, Bobby.

I’ve never understood the go-to of many of these legal series, that angering a testifying witness proves that they’re prone to violence because they can’t control themselves. Ray couldn’t get justifiably angry at Helen when she embarrassed him in open court without it looking like he’d murdered his wife in a fit of rage? Where’s the connection between the two?

They got the NG (not guilty) anyway, because Donnell and Associates always seems to win, and Helen’s a bad lawyer, but it still gets to me … I know how to cut vegetables, so I must be a serial murderer who slices his victims up with precision, right? Because “A” always gets you “T”….

4.6 “Marooned”

It looks like this wedding may still be on track. Lindsay bought a dress, only to discover that Bobby wanted her to wear his mother’s dress. I actually thought they’d go somewhere else with this — according to Bobby, they discussed the issue while Lindsay was in the hospital. I thought this was going to turn into a concern that she had lingering health issues following her stabbing. Instead that part was glossed over, and it became more about Bobby being too much of a bossy guy (which he is). Lindsay wants a partner in a marriage, as well she should … though I think she, or someone, needs to insist on that at the office, too. Bobby is not good at sharing.

While I don’t understand how the firm can afford to double up on any cases, I like Rebecca and Eugene together. I think they complement one another nicely, and they’re also friends, but don’t have a nauseating relationship. It’s a shame they got their client off on claims of PTSD following the abuse she suffered as a child by her father, only to have her kill her sister. The mother was one thing, but I think the sister was a little more revenge than it was as a result of visions of their dead father walking down the street. These things are going to haunt Rebecca.

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Season two starts with a bang

Bob Degon — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:28 +0000

(Season 2, Episode 1)

I’m on to the second (and final!?!) season of Carnivale now, somehow finding time to squeeze episodes in even though we’re in the middle of the November sweeps. So far, it seems like things are going to be kicking into high gear if the first episode is any indication. I certainly hope that’s the case because there are only twelve episodes left, and there is a whole lot of story left to tell.

“Los Moscos”

So…. is this show really all about nuclear proliferation? It was a little unclear to me what the nuclear blast that Management showed Ben meant. Is their goal to stop the creation of nuclear weapons? It certainly seemed like the explosion in the desert (with the corresponding warning horns) was a test run during the Manhattan Project. Was that it, or was it a different nuclear blast? Perhaps part of a nuclear holocaust? Or maybe it was just a metaphor and I’m over thinking it.

In any case, it was good to learn about the nature of Management. I wasn’t shocked to learn that he was, at one time, like Ben. I wasn’t expecting him to be one of the “good” guys, though. I figured that since Scudder was Ben’s father, Management would have been on the bad side, and Scudder good like Hawkins. I’m still confused as to why a woman (Linda Hunt) is voicing Management. Perhaps there’s a reason for that which will be revealed later. Perhaps not.

Things were ratcheting up for Brother Justin in this episode too. His twisted sermons began reaching a wider audience as he began preaching over the radio. In a very creepy moment, his sermons touched an inmate, Varlyn Stroud, who heard things that weren’t there, whispers from Justin himself. It seems like both Justin and Ben are going to be searching for Henry Scudder now. Justin searching him out to kill him and become the true “usher” and Ben finding him for Management. It’s going to set up an interesting wild goose chase.

Photo Credit: HBO

Diary of a Weeds Virgin – When I finish season 5, I’ll no longer be a virgin!

Kona Gallagher — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:26 +0000

(Season 5, Episodes 1-3)

(Season 5, Episode 1 “Wonderful Wonderful”)

The only thing I found surprising about this episode was that it’s taken her family this long to abandon Nancy. I would have assumed they would have just cut their losses a while ago. Even Shane, whose voice is just now changing, would probably be healthier, happier, and safer taking care of himself instead of being under Nancy’s “supervision.” Wait, I’m sorry. There was one other thing that surprised me: the fact that Nancy actually seems to own a pair of pants.

Nancy’s life is like the world’s worst Choose Your Own Adventure book, where every time she has a choice, she chooses the one you know is going to get you eaten by a giant squid or whatever. Yes, showing her Mexican Gangster boyfriend the ultrasound image of his baby was probably a good way to avoid getting killed that night, but come on. Like Andy said, she’s really just delaying the inevitable. Especially because she won’t listen to reason. Denmark is supposed to be lovely. Oprah said so. The Mexican mob isn’t going to follow her there, because ultimately, it’s just not that important. Instead, she just goes to the mall.

It was kind of fun watching Celia’s kidnappers calling everyone she knows trying to get a ransom for her, and constantly being laughed at and hung up on. It was a nice diversion from Nancy’s storyline, but ultimately, what was the point? Other than showing that Celia’s daughter has a good reason for not being on the show — besides being sent to “boarding school” after the pilot, that is.

(Season 5, Episode 2 “Machetes Up Top”)

It looks like Celia is staying in Mexico with her daughter’s boyfriend because everyone in California hates her. This doesn’t seem like something that will end well, but on the other hand, the further away from Nancy she is, the better off she’ll be at this point.

Speaking of Nancy, let’s talk about Oprah some more. You know how Oprah talks about “A-ha moments?” Now, granted, I doubt any of us have been in Nancy’s, uh, position, but don’t you think that if you found yourself pregnant, bent over a table, and naked from the waist down after just being violated, and your Mexican Gangster boyfriend’s hired goon came in and told you it’s time to go, don’t you think that would be an “A-ha moment?” “Why, yes. Perhaps it is time for me to go. To DENMARK.”

In lighter news, Jennifer Jason Leigh is guest-starring as Nancy’s sister, and she and Andy immediately sleep with each other. It’s really funny how they work out all of their anger toward Nancy with each other. Right now, this is the only bright spot in a show that is looking increasingly bleak.

(Season 5, Episode 3 “Su-Su-Sucio”)

It looks as though there may be a bright spot in all of the unrelenting bleakness that has been making up this show lately. Andy and Silas are going to open a medical marijuana store. If this works out, it could get Weeds back to where it was in the first few seasons, you know, before all of the raping and murdering. I miss that show; the one about the suburban family just trying to get by, and all of their hilariously damaged friends.

Now it’s all blood and running, and the constant threat of death. My only hope is that Nancy can, in fact, find some way out of her situation so that we see more of characters like her sister, and fewer characters like Sucio and Esteban. When it comes to watching a show that is just bad news, death, and drugs, I’m really kind of set with Breaking Bad. I don’t need another series in that category.

Nancy’s sister could also help move the series back in its original direction, as could Celia’s return. The benefit of having Nancy’s sister around, other than providing a romantic interest for Andy, is that she acts as proof that Nancy has always been this awful.

Photo Credit: Sonja Fleming/Showtime

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Season one ends in a blaze

Bob Degon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:51 +0000

(Season 1, Episode 12)

I’ve finished the first season of Carnivale. It was a great set of twelve episodes, but mostly, I’m excited to get into season two to find out what is going to happen, and learn a little bit more about the nature of Management, Ben, Brother Justin, and Henry Scudder. Hopefully the relationship merry-go-round will slow down a bit, too. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I felt it was getting a little tiresome.

“The Day That Was The Day”

I’m not sure if Ben’s killing of Lodz was supposed to be a big shock or not, but I saw it coming. It was still a great moment, and clearly what Management was planning all along. I find it a little hard to believe that Lodz didn’t figure out that it was going to happen. Perhaps it was his own hubris, feeling like the boss since he was working for Management. In any case, I don’t think I’ll miss the blind professor that much. He had served his purpose and he was never one of my favorite characters. I think I would have missed Ruthie a whole lot more.

It’s going to be interesting to see what season two has in store now that Ben appears on his destined track. He fell into Management’s plan, but I think it will probably be for the best.

The other big events in the carnival centered around Sophie, Apollonia, and Jonesy. Apollonia has seemingly been dropping deeper and deeper into madness, and I’m not quite sure why. Is it the presence of Ben? Her fighting with Sophie? In any case, she finally snapped in the finale, after Sophie planned on leaving the carnival. Apollonia set fire to the trailer, with her and Sophie inside. The season ended with Jonesy rushing into the blaze. I find it hard to believe that either Sophie or Jonesy will wind up dead because of it. When it was first happening, I thought that maybe Ben was going to have to heal Sophie instead of Ruthie, but that wasn’t the case. I can’t imagine that Apollonia will make it out of the fire alive. She started it, after all, and she is catatonic. It seems like there is a lot more that she knows though — it would be a shame to lose all of that.

There was some great drama with Brother Justin to close out the season too. He seemed to be fighting against his dark side for the last time, begging Balthus to kill him. I’m not sure if he really did want to destroy the darkness within him, or if he was just toying with Balthus, knowing that the old man would never be able to smash his head in. I’m looking forward to seeing how his story is going to progress in season two, particularly with his new partnership with Tommy Dolan in play.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – George Vogelman, in a nun’s habit, with a butcher’s knife

Aryeh S. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:26 +0000

(Season 4, Episodes 1-3)

I’m still trying to figure out the timeline of the beginning of this season versus the end of the last. It’s long enough that Lindsay’s out of the hospital, but short enough that she’s still feeling the physical scars of her attack. Considering that the perpetrator is still out there, and that this was a crime that involved an ADA’s best friend, the arrest of a judge, and the death of a known criminal, hopefully they didn’t just wait the four month summer hiatus to pick things up again. Can we trust that the criminal justice system in Boston is more efficient than that?

4.1 “Free Dental”

Only Fonzie (Henry Winkler) could be sympathetic as a dentist with a bug fetish, accused of murdering a patient. Well, maybe not sympathetic, but less than cringe-worthy, so at least a step in the right direction that no one else could have managed. The entire case was a bit odd for a season premiere (and what was with the grape jelly angle?), and I wasn’t quite sure why Bobby AND Lindsay had to be there to help Jimmy. Do they just always come as a pair now?

New ADA addition Richard Bay (Jason Kravits) seems to be the latest in a long line of ADAs who are looking to “make Donnell and Associates pay” for winning so many cases against the district attorney’s office. Maybe it’s time to cast a new role….

George Vogelman returned yet again, newly evicted from his co-op. I don’t like the guy, but how could he be evicted when he’s an innocent man? A jury only delivers a verdict, not public opinion, but shouldn’t we have law upon law in place to protect the innocent, including those once suspected to be guilty but found to be not by a jury of their peers? Don’t get me wrong … he definitely murdered Susan Robin, and likely stabbed Lindsay, but he’s been found guilty of no crime; how can he be treated like a pariah?

4.2 “Boston Confidential”

Jimmy remained embroiled in the Olson (Winkler) trial, or rather the sentence that Winkler’s character received. His scheming brought Judge Kittleson back into things, a situation that’s just getting weirder. Can’t Jimmy be in a relationship that isn’t with a judge who was once dreaming of Bobby, and is a little crazy?

Anyway, Jimmy decided to break privilege, which led Olson’s son, the real guilty party, to commit suicide. It’s nice when you meddle, right Jimmy? The episode highlights the weakest link in the series: no matter how devastated Jimmy was about the situation, no matter how committed he was to getting his friend out of prison, and no matter how mad Olson was about Jimmy’s breaking privilege, it’ll all be forgotten by next week, like 85% of these things on The Practice. I love how many things are recognized as not being simple, but then why do they get left by the wayside once the main plot point (the son’s suicide, in this case) is over with?

Interesting Fourth Amendment violation case for Helen and Bobby (and of course, tag-along Lindsay). It was a great setup by the husband, and if only he’d left town to deal with his “grief,” and had his girlfriend/the cop meet him after quitting the force “in shame,” it would have been a happy ending for them. But I’m not so sure I agree that Bobby called and left that message for Lindsay knowing that Helen would get it. It’s another instance of our being told that something is true without seeing it happen on screen.

Did anyone else think that Helen and Ellenor living together was a good idea? Or that Lindsay moving in with Bobby was a better one?

4.3 “Loser’s Keepers”

I knew it! George is sick, the killer, and Ellenor is an idiot for not seeing it. It literally took him appearing at Ellenor’s door in a nun’s habit for her to see it. It was, however, a little too spick-and-span for Helen to just kill him. Maybe this will scar her, but I expected more of a prolonged captive situation, and then maybe a battle in court — you know, this being a legal drama and all. Like, the firm being forced to watch a defense attorney get him off, as they themselves do for criminals every week, and maybe then, when he came for Ellenor six episodes from now, have Helen kill him.

I’m not surprised that Lindsay’s still scarred from her attack, but for it to only come up three episodes into the season? It’s one of these convenient revelations that generally mean it just slipped everyone’s minds beforehand. I think it’s a bit sloppy, and reads as being a little too convenient when it does finally come into play.

Rebecca’s case was billed as a return to the courtroom of biased and hard-nosed Judge Swackheim (Paul Dooley), but instead I saw it as an interesting case of what people struggling to get by will do for money. And how hard some will fight to make sure that those people don’t throw their lives away for an easy buck. But what happens to Ronnie (Steven Kozlowski) now? Will this be another case of “we’ll never know?”

Who had Judge Kittleson naked in Jimmy’s bedroom when he and six cops burst in, guns drawn? Not I.

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – The relationship merry-go-round

Bob Degon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:49 +0000

(Season 1, Episodes 10-11)

I’m just about through with the first season of Carnivale, and I’m finding it hard to believe that that means I’m nearly halfway through the entire series. How did this show only get two seasons? I’ve admitted that it may not be quite as good as some of the classic HBO shows that were on around the same time, but it is still a great show.

That’s just the way things go sometimes, I suppose. I can’t really make any judgement calls on the cancellation until I finish up the series. Maybe it fell apart during the second season.

“Hot and Bothered”

It wasn’t hard to see coming, but I figured that Ben and Ruthie were going to end up in bed with each other sooner or later. It’s an odd match to be sure, but seems to fit on this show. Their relationship is only one of many that seem to be overlapping as season one comes to an end. Sophie and Ben continue to flirt, but at this point she’s flirting with just about everyone, including Jonesy and Libby. Meanwhile, Jonesy is pining after Sophie, while carrying on an affair with Rita Sue. It’s bordering on too much, especially when we could be spending more time with the always interesting Brother Justin.

Speaking of Justin, this episode featured his incredibly creepy return to Mintern, culminating in his “baptism” in the church, complete with the transformation of holy water into blood. I’m curious to see how Balthus will react, as he clearly saw the blood on Justin’s face.

“Day of the Dead”

So, is HBO the official network for awkward incest? First it was Six Feet Under, and now it’s Justin and Iris making out on Carnivale. With all the darkness in brother Justin, this episode showed that Iris has just as much inside her too. Indeed, it was she who burned down the church, killing the children inside. Justin seemed to forgive her when she proclaimed, with zealotry, that she did it for him. Early in the season I definitely didn’t think that she had it in her, but she really is as crazy as Justin.

The season finale was definitely set up in this episode as Lodz sent a poisonous snake to Ruthie, presumably killing her. Clearly this is Management’s work, trying to get Ben to embrace his powers. To what end, I’m not exactly sure, but I know I’ll find out.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – So just how many people like themselves a good nun’s habit?

Aryeh S. — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:50 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 21-23)

Season three ended strongly, with some big cases drawing to a close, and some other major issues being left open to be resolved at a later date. And it really is amazing just how many of these clients keep on coming back for more.

3.21 “Infected”

There’s no way that the Rider Strong murder trial was really what had Helen all worked up. On a macro level, it had to be because her ineptitude has allowed countless killers to walk free. From a micro perspective, this was clearly about the nun killer case, and she proved it when she started ranting about the nun in little Gary’s (Strong) closet. And what kind of a judge hands out 20 years for perjury? This case better come back around again.

While Bobby and Eugene were bogged down with a man suing a hospital after the death of his wife following plastic surgery, Rebecca took on the pro bono defense of an attempted murderer. The bias in that courtroom was overwhelming, and it was impressive that Rebecca was able to wade through that and get the jury to see what we’re to imagine was the truth. Her client was found not guilty, but could their relationship really end with him walking out of court without thanking her? There’s another one that needs to be revisited.

3.22 “Do Unto Others”

This was a Eugene special, in which he defended a rabbi accused of rape. Whatever the explanation behind it, I think everyone agreed that the sex was forcible, even if it might have been consensual in theory on some level. I’m not really sure how he was found not guilty.

But the heart of the episode was that it appeared to be a precipice for Eugene, with him visibly shaken after the jury announced its verdict. I liked that ex Sharon (Aunjanue Ellis) was back, and that they were spending time together, but where’s her turnaround coming from? And are we to believe that this really is meant to be some pivotal moment for Eugene? Why can’t he just take pride in his work, both the good and the ugly?

3.23 “Happily Ever After”

Life or death situations on a legal drama, huh? Interesting choice. I suppose it’s not enough to have cases be the cliffhangers. Lindsay got stabbed, and called out “nun” to Bobby as she passed out, which kicked off a great sequence of events. But before we get to that, do they really have an audible answering machine in their office? Really?

First all of the nuns from the murdered nun’s convent were brought in for questioning — I loved Father Patrick’s (Robert Prosky) line to Helen after all was said and done: “With Catholics like you, who needs Protestants?”

Then, when Jimmy spotted the surveillance picture of Bobby and Lindsay in Judge Kittleson’s (Holland Taylor) office, with Lindsay’s face scratched out, she was arrested. Then Lindsay woke up, and reported that it was a man in a nun’s habit — so the nun killer got paid a visit by the police, and died in a shootout. Only it wasn’t him, as he had a new kidnap victim sitting in his apartment, snatched that same night. Then a videotape from Joey Heric (John Larroquette) arrived … could he also be Susan Robin’s killer?

It was really interesting watching all of that unfold, and seeing George Vogelman (Michael Monks) in a nun’s habit at the end of the episode was fantastic. I always knew he was guilty, and sick. Does he have some relationship with Joey Heric? And is there a reason that the same few clients continue to resurface for this firm?

There was one circle closed on the episode. Bobby defended a man accused of carjacking and murder. Yes, his snapping was of note, but even more so was Judge Hiller (Linda Hunt) feeling the need to make amends for her part in the nun killer Fourth Amendment issue — she ruled against a Sixth Amendment violation claim cited by Bobby and refused to throw out the charges. Did that balance the scales of justice?

The big news, however, was Bobby’s proposal to Lindsay, and her acceptance. The event, combined with Helen being there — I hate her as a third wheel, but the scene was really funny — was the real question mark going into the break. I don’t imagine that they get married, or that Bobby and Helen are done, so where does this leave everybody?

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Management speaks, and Samson doesn’t like it

Bob Degon — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:44 +0000

(Season 1, Episodes 8-9)

After taking some time to really dive into to some of the characters of Carnivale, including the Dreifuss family and Brother Justin, some of the mystery and intrigue of the series returned to the forefront in these two episodes.

I’m still really enjoying Carnivale. The mood and setting are definitely very interesting, and the production value is very good. Some of the acting is still a bit subpar, in my opinion, but the supernatural intrigue and strong characters definitely make up for any trivial shortcomings on the show.

“Lonnigan, Texas”

The big story from this episode was that we finally got a little hint about Management. At the end of the episode, the audience was treated to a scene of Lodz speaking with the mysterious figure and we actually heard Management’s voice. Not a huge reveal, but at least we know that Management is now an actual entity, insofar as much as he can speak. Beyond that, I really don’t have a clue. Not yet, anyway.

Samson was clearly pissed that Management was having a discussion with Lodz. I was surprised to see it myself, as I had assumed that Samson was the only person who had contact with Management (kind of like Ben and Jacob, from Lost).

There were other interesting things going on in this episode, including more visions for Ben. In this episode he was a vision of a bunch of knights, surrounded by a whole lot of blood, gore, and body parts. Ben also saw himself as a soldier in world war one, missing his limbs. I’m assuming that these are visions of people who came before him with the same powers that he now has.

I can’t leave out brother Justin, who wound up in a mental institution after his incident at the river. He seemed to be embracing his powers, messing around with many of the inmates and doctors at the hospital. I’m curious to see if he continues to reject God and become even more dark as the series moves forward.

“Insomnia”

There was a lot of relationship craziness happening in this installment. In the last episode Jonesy and Rita Sue had a true moment of intimacy and clearly made a deep connection. Things got a little more complicated when Jonesy finally got some attention from Sophie, who he clearly had his eye on for a while. Rita Sue also reconnected with Stumpy and it looked like things were going to end for Jonesy and Rita Sue before they really began. They just couldn’t deny chemistry, though, and ended up back in each other’s arms. To be honest, these relationship stories are not really capturing my interest like some of the other events happening, but they aren’t bothering me either.

Samson pushed Ben pretty hard in this episode, trying to get the young man to open up to him with his secrets. It seemed like nothing but a power play on Samson’s part — a way to beat Lodz and get back into Management’s good graces. Regardless of the motivations, there were some interesting revelations, including Samson telling Ben that Henry Scudder was most likely his father.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – It’s Shawn Hunter!

Aryeh S. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:49 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 17-20)

Eugene battles his ex-wife for custody of their son, Helen floats further and further away from sanity (and legal acumen), Jimmy finds a gal, and Donnell and Associates gets hustled onto cases that are too big to be limited to just one episode. And my guess is too big for just one arc, as well. A lot should be coming back to haunt them sometime soon.

3.17 “Target Practice”

I guess it makes sense … after suing big tobacco, dancing with asbestos class action suits, and going after cancer-causing utilities companies, Donnell and Associates represented a plaintiff suing a gun manufacturer because one of their guns was used in the murder of the plaintiff’s daughter. Sympathy should really be barred from the courtroom, at least in a trial where it outweighs fact, legal precedent, or legal superiority. Negligence for manufacturing a product that could potentially be used to perpetrate a crime? Come on.

While Jimmy and Lindsay were busy angering the NRA, Eugene’s son Kendall (Billee Thomas) was being arrested for intent to deal drugs. I realize it couldn’t have been easy to hear that not only was a client of Eugene’s supplying Kendall, but Kendall was also quoting Eugene to rationalize how he was above prosecution. However, it’s not clear what Eugene was suddenly struggling with — if someone’s perverting what you do, does that mean what you do is somehow perverted?

Eugene’s ex Sharon (Aunjanue Ellis) certainly thought so. She filed for a change to their custody agreement, citing Eugene as a bad influence on Kendall.

3.18 “Crossfire”

Who was Bob Russell (Gary Cole) before he was accidental vice president to Jed Bartlet? Why, he was Sharon Young’s attorney in her custody battle with Eugene. That was a dirty fight, but I do see where Sharon was concerned for Eugene as well. The thing is, since when does being a defense attorney necessarily sink you into a pit from which you can never climb out of? Plus, Eugene plays a man bearing too heavy a burden from time to time, but that’s not him in general. Why isn’t it okay for him to enjoy his work?

Helen prosecuted a man accused of sexual assault and stealing a car. It was a little bit of a strange case, considering the woman didn’t seem to have feared for her safety while in the car with her alleged attacker, and his story — at least the sexual encounter part — sounded a lot more plausible than hers. But Helen needed a win, so she got one. Only she also thinks the girl was lying. Swinging and missing on the guilty and the innocent alike, huh Helen?

3.19 “Closet Justice”

Okay, this is really what being a defense attorney is all about. A man is arrested after the police find the hacked-up body of a nun in his closet. They arrived at his apartment after receiving a call from a woman who thought he was holding her captive, and they searched his closet after she told them that he had claimed to have guns in there. Enter the Fourth Amendment violation.

Now let’s take a step back. Lindsay actually got hijacked onto the case when Judge Hiller (Linda Hunt) determined that the public defender wasn’t up to task. Suddenly Lindsay was citing conflict because Helen was representing the DA’s office. Isn’t that convenient? I loved Hiller’s reply to Bobby, after he cited his prior relationship with Helen as cause for conflict: “Bobby, if I was to recuse you every time you slept with the other side….” True story.

Lindsay determined the illegality in the search of the closet, and Hiller sought advice from her buddy Judge Kittleson (Holland Taylor); I loved how Zoe and Roberta were pals! It was a nice side to the show that we’d yet to see, even on Boston Legal, but it makes sense, right? They also make for a good pair.

And Kittleson played another role, as Jimmy appealed to her sensibilities on a case he was defending before another judge: prostitution entrapment. Are Jimmy and Roberta about to start dating?

3.20 “Home Invasions”

Superstar alert! At least as far as I’m concerned … Rider Strong guested as a kid testifying against his father in the murder of his mother. I loved Boy Meets World, and Shawn was one of my favorites from beginning to end. And his father’s defense counsel was Saul Rubinek, or Donny Douglas from Frasier (he’s not the superstar, just Rider). It was very mid- to late-nineties sitcoms in the courtroom.

When Rider recanted his testimony, Ellenor got dragged in by Helen to be his lawyer, only to watch as Helen charged him with murder after his father was found not guilty. I’m thinking the nun killer case is hanging over Helen’s head a bit on this one.

Back in the office, Jimmy discovered that Lucy was the victim of a hidden camera in her bathroom. More than almost anything else on the series thus far, this story upset me to no end. That she could be violated so, and the law prevents her super, the perpetrator, from being properly punished because there was no audio on the videos? How is Lucy supposed to feel safe in her own home ever again?

But the discovery led Lindsay to find that photos of Jimmy and Judge Kittleson were online, too. Kittleson blew her top, and wouldn’t you know it, but Lucy’s pervert super got none other than Judge Kittleson as his trial judge. I wonder how he felt having to stand in court sans his pants (while going commando). He deserved it.

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Carnie justice

Bob Degon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:19 +0000

(Season 1, Episodes 6-7)

I’m halfway through the first season of Carnivale, and the show is still going strong. In my last entry, I mentioned that I was curious how the carnival was going to retaliate after losing one of their own. All my questions were answered in this block of episodes. Well, all my questions related to carnie justice, anyway. There was also a lot more exploration of the supernatural universe that these characters inhabit, and it just keeps getting more interesting.

“Pick a Number”

This episode was creepy in so many ways. Firstly, it was interesting to see how the carnies dispatched justice. It was an illogical, and seemingly over-simplified method of judgement. By having the defendant pick a number and play Russian roulette, it seemed like an archaic method of dispensing punishment. I wonder if they figure that Management, who seems to be somewhat omniscient, will make sure that any truly deserving villains get a bullet to the head. In this case, however, the lone living Babylon resident was spared … for a while, anyway.

That’s where the episode got really disturbing; it turns out that all those men who went to the carnival and caused all the trouble in the first place weren’t exactly … alive. The whole town seemed to be under some sort of curse, all the dead souls trapped there, including Dora Mae. It was just downright spine chilling when Samson was walking through the deserted town at the end of the episode and saw the vision of Dora Mae through a window, being dragged back to the crowd of men. I’m curious if Scudder had something to do with the curse, or if his presence there was just coincidental.

“The River”

This episode focused a good amount of time on Brother Justin and his struggles on the road. It was a well crafted episode, with a bit of a twist ending. Through the bulk of the episode, the audience watched Justin struggle after having thrown himself off of a bridge and into a river, ending up severely injured on the riverbank. Two children find him, but don’t help him. He begs and pleads, and it is eventually revealed to be a vision. The two children were really a young Justin and Iris, and Justin was reliving his memories from his first victim’s point of view. There was another great, and creepy, moment when the young Justin twists the man’s head around almost completely, killing him.

Back at the carnival things were a little more low key, with Stumpy, Libby, and Rita Sue still trying to come to terms with the murder of Dora Mae. Libby and Stumpy just wanted to run away to Hollywood, but Rita Sue was a little more realistic. In the end, Stumpy just couldn’t leave the carnival, and more importantly, his wife.

Through the first few episodes it seemed like Ben and Sophie were destined to end up together, so I’m a little glad that they are both exploring other relationships at this point. The growing bond between Sophie and Libby seems to be a little more than friendship, and I think it’s only a matter of time before Ben and Ruthie hook up. He certainly got very jealous when Lodz told him that Ruthie had laid down with Scudder.

It’s still early in the show, but there are a ton of remaining questions, and I can’t wait to get the answers.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – The more clients they get off, the more crimes those same clients get charged for

Aryeh S. — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:22 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 13-16)

I’m still no Ellenor fan, but she’s at the core of several stories that are beginning to shape The Practice into less of a one-off law procedural, and more of a serial drama. She’s crazy, don’t get me wrong, but she drives a lot of interesting plot. And she adds the unexpectedness of fighting on a show about attorneys, so there’s that.

3.13 “Judge and Jury”

I was looking up the “Judge” in question in this episode on IMDb, and discovered something that put this entire story into perspective: Judge Roberta Kittleson is played by Holland Taylor, better known as Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men. I’ve never seen the sitcom, but I can only assume that this revelation supports the under-sexed older woman character that she plays here.

Judge Kittleson has an erotic dream about Bobby, tells him, and when she learns that he doesn’t feel the same she decides against recusing herself from his case, forging ahead with a negative bias towards Bobby. This might just be a woman scorned, until we see that she’s been having Bobby tailed, and that she’s drawing over Lindsay’s face in a surveillance photo … a bad judge in court they can deal with. But a psycho out of it? Is that a little too cheesy?

I seem to recall from the first season that one of Helen’s cases reared up memories of her grandmother’s decision to have her plug pulled, and Helen’s involvement in that incident. It was weakly done at the time, but Helen was also less significant back then. This episode she charged a news show with murder, for a segment they produced about a doctor who performs assisted suicides.

Besides the complete absurdity in her winning (yay, Helen won a case! But I mean absurd based on the law), she was clearly seeking some vengeance, or venting some personal feelings in all of this. And yet, I didn’t really feel it. I think it just needs a little more support behind it.

An observation, if I may: now that Lindsay and Bobby are back together, we never see them together. Was the drama only in the prior pent-up tension?

3.14 “Of Human Bondage”

A little courtroom diversion when Jimmy and Rebecca land a nasty divorce. A really nasty divorce. Sad that two people who were presumably once in love…. Anyway, the description of this episode says that Jimmy teaches Rebecca how to deal with irrational clients — she ended up being pissed at him after discovering that he and opposing council were play-acting! This isn’t the show’s fault, but what lesson?

Bobby got hit up by yet another friend to step in at the last second on a murder trial. Well, the friend wasn’t so much on trial as the friend’s major corporate client’s CEO had been with an underage hooker who was being tried for murder — they were together at the time, but he was unwilling to step forward as her alibi lest it ruin his reputation. Class act, even more so that it was clearly the lawyer friend who was really the spineless John.

Ellenor sure has a lot of clients who’ve endeared themselves to her. She has a soft-spot for a thick-headed, dopey drug dealer. Why is it that just because his pager went off in court we were meant to assume that he was guilty? Doesn’t anyone remember that the late ‘90s were the height of beepers for everyone? Still, how he was acquitted is beyond me. It would probably be really great to see these attorneys struggling with their loses, being haunted by the clients, innocent or guilty, who they couldn’t save. Yeah, I’d love to see that explored at some point.

3.15 “Lawyers, Reporters and Cockroaches”

Another spa day blown for Helen, this time on account of a cat. I’m not sure what the title of this episode had me expecting, but the cases were a little lacking this time around. Helen pushed for jail time for a kid who killed a cat (how did he end up having to serve three months?) — did she just feel badly for the lady, or did she worry that that could be her one day?

Lindsay and Bobby teamed up yet again to represent a family restaurant suing a news program for slander. Sure, they had cockroaches, but the reporter never told them he was changing the angle of the story … that won them $18 million in punitive damages? Pretty funny that the judge cursed out the jury and reduced the damages.

The real drama was in-house, as Ellenor’s discovery of a pay imbalance launched her into a war against Lindsay, and Bobby. I’ve got to say, though it’s barely that much: these people don’t look like most singles making six figures normally would. What are they doing with their money?

Also, I’m not claiming to understand the unique balance of partner share versus commission on business brought in that they use to weight salaries, but Rebecca, even as a partner who likely brought in no business in the last year, should still be making more than what appears to be straight salary. The scheming — Ellenor lining up Eugene on her side, and trying to bring Jimmy into the partner fold — was nothing compared with the brawl that erupted in the conference room and burst out into the open. It’s going to be awkward in the office tomorrow….

3.16 “End Game”

Horny Judge Kittleson returned as the defendant in a sexual harassment suit … shocking. Equally not a surprise was the fact that Bobby took on the case. What did manage to astonish me was that Lindsay did NOT implode from anger. I’m not sure who’s right here, but I’m glad not to be in the middle of their relationship.

Eugene’s been a lot like Jimmy lately, taking a backseat, rarely emerging from the background long enough to offer an intelligent opinion (unlike Jimmy) before receding into the night. Feeling okay, buddy?

And that actually takes care of all the minor stuff in the episode. The major stuff was just that: Ellenor’s drug dealer client Leonard (Clay Wilcox) opened things by running into the firm’s offices being chased by the police, and depositing drugs on Ellenor’s desk before being arrested. Her subsequent arrest for possession led to the discovery of the murder weapon from the Susan Robin murder trial in her drawer, tiding her over for another charge. George Vogelman (Michael Monks) was the intended target, and Ellenor was being used to get to him. The fact that Leonard set her up, at the behest of the police, was some interesting (hopefully) closure for the two clients with one circle.

What surprised me was how taken aback Ellenor seemed that Lindsay would defend her — just because they’re fighting about power and share within the partnership doesn’t mean that they’re not still partners. The fact that Ellenor seems to have missed that means she has no concept of how people interact with one another, either on a personal level or in business. The fact that this incident may alter the issues within the office means that no one else understands the separation between the two, either. I doubt it will wholly carry over, though, because money is money. But we’ll see what effect it has on things next time.

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – Character development and a dark turn

Bob Degon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:00:22 +0000

(Season 1, episodes 4-5)

These two episodes of Carnivale had a nice mix of character development and mythology. The show certainly started to explore the characters of the carnival in much greater depth, which I really appreciated. It looks like the show will take some time to develop rich and full characters, which can only make a show great.

If I had any complaint about this block of episodes, it’s that there was barely any brother Justin in them. I hope that he won’t take a backseat for much longer. Even though I haven’t watched that much of the show, I’m already enamored with his character.

“Black Blizzard”

Perhaps I was a little hasty when I was accusing the show of having bad special effects because I thought they did a pretty nice job with the dust storm that was the center of this episode. This installment certainly had a different feel to it, as many of the characters were split up into small groups due to the black blizzard.

Lodz and Ben wound up together out in the middle of the storm, with Lodz confronting the young man about his powers. Lodz seems to be more intrigued with Ben than anyone else in the carnival. I’m not really sure what his intentions are, but I’m curious to find out. It seems that he knows a lot more about Ben than even Ben knows. I’m wondering if the whole Carnivale knows that there is a connection between Ben and Scudder.

There was some great character development with Samson in this episode too, with him getting all dressed up to spend some time with a hooker. There was some genuine insight gained in watching the way that he humiliated and shamed the woman after she clearly wasn’t interested in him or his games. Up to this point, Samson had come across as a really friendly type of person, but there is clearly some darkness beneath the surface.

The other big event in this episode was Jonesy entering Management’s trailer to “check up on him,” after the storm. I find it very interesting that Management is not referred to as “The Management,” and that he definitely has a gender. This would seem to indicate that Management is a person, or at least some sort of entity, and that he does actually exist, even though Jonesy didn’t see anything in the trailer.

“Babylon”

Things took a decidedly darker turn in this episode, but it was nice to dig a little deeper into the characters in the carnival and put some of the supernatural stuff aside. The entire town of Babylon was very creepy from the moment they arrived there. It was clear that there was something not quite right about the town, which at first look seemed deserted. When I first saw the miners approaching the carnival carrying lit torches, I was afraid they were just going to burn the tents down.

As it turned out, there were even more sinister motives at work. After Samson warned the cooch crew not to do a “blow off,” they did anyways, and it pretty much incited a riot. At the end of the night, Dora Mae was hanged by the randy men, with “HARLOT” carved on her forehead. I’m very curious to see how the carnies will react, and presumably retaliate for this injustice.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – Enough with the dead babies!

Aryeh S. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:00:03 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 9-12)

Seriously, The Practice uses dead babies as their tiny violin. As well they should play like that, don’t get me wrong, but how much more can I take? Why not give us a good, mutilated, absolutely horrifying, fully grown adult murder victim for a change? Please? But hey … at least no Anderson Pearson this time!

3.9 “State of Mind”

Newly sworn into the Bar, Rebecca gets to make her official bones by defending her kid bike-thief again, in his attempt to get reinstated to his school. He was bounced for sexual harassment, i.e. passing a note to a girl that her mother found too explicit. I’m not clear on where the law was in rejecting the motion, but as long as it teaches kids about respecting one another…. That’s me being facetious. These types of weird, one-off cases abounded on Boston Legal, but usually with some better story to them. Maybe David E. Kelley is just getting his feet wet?

Bobby and Lindsay took their baby shaker case to court … their client is a real nut job. God won’t let her be convicted? Huh? So what does it say that the jury came back guilty on murder 2?

And, what’s this nonsense about Lindsay and Bobby getting back together? First of all, I actually liked him with Helen, and Lindsay knows that Helen still has feelings for him, and vice versa. Second, they weren’t a good idea the first time around. Why go for round two?

3.10 “Love & Honor”

The firm goes to trial on their defamation suit (or whatever exactly all of the charges were). Jimmy could not possibly be a worse lawyer; I suppose I can understand where he was coming from in saying that Eugene came off poorly in his testimony (although I don’t agree), but attacking him did what? And why couldn’t he defend Ellenor while she was being crossed?

Yes, obviously, they were found innocent on all charges — there couldn’t be a show otherwise — but that doesn’t make Jimmy good. It just means the outcome was predictable, even if a monkey tried the case. Besides, he’s way too sensitive a person … how many times does he need everyone to coddle him and make him feel better? Whatever. Don’t be a stranger, Tony Danza!

It was funny seeing old clients return for the firm’s Christmas party. George Vogelman hitting on Rebecca’s kid client’s mom was amusing, as was Helen making a joke about his carrying around heads in his bag. The mom could not have run away faster.

Is Lucy really still around?

3.11 “Split Decisions”

It was inevitable that a case like an asbestos class action would come knocking on the firm’s door. Although not, as Ellenor assumes, because she and Jimmy are their kind of people … what, bad lawyers? The idea of building out a litigation department is an interesting one, but I’m guessing this is not meant to be like Boston Legal, where much of the firm is vast and unheard from. The Practice is just what that implies, small and familiar. It is, however, rather ridiculous that Bobby in essence gets three votes (two to everyone else’s one, plus a tie-breaker) — where’s the partnership?

Am I crazy, or is Lindsay holding a grudge against Ellenor on Helen’s behalf, for the stunt that Ellenor pulled on Helen in the Vogelman trial? She may be righteous in her anger, but firm should come before friend (and foe) in firm business.

Eugene defends an old friend who was arrested while cross-dressing, for prostituting himself. The John? The DA’s opponent in the upcoming election. So of course Helen gets pressed into doing some dirty work for her boss. Seriously, with how often she betrays her office, refuses orders, and crosses the line, she really should no longer have a job. Everyone talks about how good a lawyer she is, but we generally see her losing. Am I missing something?

In a weird twist, Lucy asks Rebecca if she’s a lesbian. Now, the thought never occurred to me, and it still appears to have no merit, but it did make me realize that we’ve never seen her so much as show interest in, or have interest shown in her by, a man. Not a woman, either, but it is puzzling. Her bad haircut aside, Lisa Gay Hamilton is a beautiful woman. She doesn’t need a love life to exist on the show, but it made me think, nonetheless. Oddly, it appears to have made Rebecca think, as well. They better not try to convince us that her sexual orientation is something Rebecca overlooked about herself.

3.12 “A Day in the Life”

It’s amazing how many old friends of television lawyers get themselves into jams. This time Bobby was at bat when a friend’s daughter gave birth to a baby that no one knew about in her room, and it subsequently died. Did she kill it when she stuffed it in her closet under some clothing so that her father wouldn’t hear it? Turns out Mom did it, because she thought that Dad had molested and impregnated their daughter…. Not a family I want to spend the holidays with. At least Eugene was repulsed.

Sadly, Rebecca has already joined the ranks of the criminal defense attorneys who lament their work. So what if her client was actually guilty, and had turned himself in, in order to use the absurdity of the situation in his favor? Suck it up and cash those checks!

Helen and Lindsay butted heads a little, as Lindsay’s stepping in during Jimmy’s probable cause hearing against Helen caused the case to get kicked, and the two to miss their spa date. I very much think we were meant to get something from this episode regarding the two roommates and friends, but I still can’t figure out what. That Lindsay holds some grudge because of Bobby? That they’re starting to drift apart? I’m not trying to denigrate; I really think there was something happening there that I missed. Anyone?… On second thought, I’d rather be surprised!

Photo Credit: ABC

Diary of a Carnivale virgin – The series opens with a whole lot of intrigue

Bob Degon — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:00:51 +0000

Lot’s of people have told me that I would love Carnivale. I think a lot of folks know about my Twin Peaks obsession and felt that Carnivale had the same type of bizarre supernatural feeling that the classic cult soap had. Also, Michael J. Anderson was in both shows, though in very different capacities. He was a major character in Carnivale, and just a backwards talking vision in Twin Peaks.

After hearing lots of things about Carnivale, I’m pretty sure that it is the type of show I’m going to love. I’ve watched the first three episodes and so far I’m really digging it. There’s a lot of bizarre stuff going on, great characters, and some amazing set design. Not everything is perfect though, as I get the sense that the overall quality of the show isn’t quite up to the standards of the HBO shows that I have previously loved (The Wire, Deadwood, and Six Feet Under). To be fair, though, those three show are some of the best to ever grace the television screen.

“Milfay”

The first thing that struck me about the show is what an interesting premise it has. I think the setting is one that is not explored often, in either television or film. Add to that a crazy carnival with a bunch of mystical and bizarre people and you’ve got yourself one fascinating show.

It was nice to see that Carnivale was intriguing right from the get-go. There was so much going on in the first episode, much more than just the establishment of characters and plot. Already, big questions are being asked: Exactly who or what is Management? What is the nature of Ben’s dream visions? Exactly what sort of powers do Ben and Brother Justin have? Why do so many members of the carnival seem to have mystical powers? And what the heck is the deal with Sophie’s mom?

As interesting as the things in the carnival appear to be, I think I may be more fascinated with Brother Justin. There certainly seems to be a real sinister streak in the man, but I’m not sure he even realizes it. I’m assuming that it was he who caused the coins to come bursting out of the thieving church-goer’s mouth, but did he know he was doing it?

“After the Ball is Over”

I loved the beginning of this episode, with the shared dream between Ben and Brother Justin. Dare I say that it reminded me of Twin Peaks? I’m curious about the two other men that showed up in the diner. Are they the previous two agents of good and evil? That’s my best guess at the moment. I’m figuring one of them was in the first world war, which appears to be a major motif in Ben’s troubled dreams. I’m eager to learn more.

There seems to be a very Lost and Jacob-like feel surrounding the carnival. In this episode, Ben cleaned out the baggage trailer only to learn later that it doesn’t exist. I’m pegging Management for some supernatural entity that is toying with Ben now, or at the very least guiding him. The scene in the trailer was very reminiscent of the scene in Jacob’s cabin. And the creepy fetus in a jar? Was that Management?

Brother Justin’s evil power came into more light in this episode, as he used the sins of one of the members of his church to get what he wanted: the building in town that was currently being used as a brothel. Unfortunately, this also led the man to kill himself when he was faced with his own sins. Justin didn’t seem too broken up about it, though.

“Tipton”

The third episode showed even more of Justin’s power, as he killed one of the town councilmen — whether he meant to or not — over the matter of his new church. I’m very curious to know how much Brother Justin knows about his powers. Does he realize that he is doing these things? This episode also made it clear that Ben’s healing powers are pretty much a mystery to him, so I’m figuring Justin is in the dark too.

The rest of this episode focused on Carnivale using Ben as a fake (or so they thought) evangelical healer. I think it was probably the slowest of the first three episodes, but I’m pretty much sold on the show at this point, so I didn’t really mind. The characters are all engaging, especially Samson, who really stood out in this episode.

Photo Credit: HBO

The Practice virgin’s diary – Tony Danza looks to bring Donnell and Co. to its knees

Aryeh S. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:00:16 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 5-8)

Did you know that Lindsay was a woman? Or that Eugene and Rebecca were black? Okay, I did too, but this was the first time I got to watch The Practice on my TV, instead of off of Hulu on my computer. Thanks, FX, for airing them at 7AM on the weekends!

Interesting cases, and interesting drama. David E. Kelley’s bringing the goods!

3.5 “The Battlefield”

Lindsay just can’t let go of the fact that her mentor and professor, Anderson Pearson (Edward Herrmann), is going to jail for murder. Her attempt at an appeal, based on the argument that Judge Hiller (Linda Hunt) hadn’t let them use self defense, was like a crazy person swatting at invisible attackers. And not in the funny way, like Ross on Friends after his maple syrup candy high. I think I’m done liking Lindsay; I don’t get what’s wrong with her.

Ellenor and Eugene continued preparing their defense in the Vogelman (Michael Monks) trial. I’m shocked they were able to get his porn deemed inadmissible at trial. I actually found myself enjoying Ellenor, although that could now be relative to Lindsay.

Jimmy, meanwhile, defended his cousin in a wrongful termination suit: he fired a fast-rising Iranian woman in his employ after learning that she was Iranian. Jimmy’s argument that he had to help out family was questionable, but why didn’t he simply argue ineffectual management, since her subordinates would no longer follow her instructions? Then it becomes a question of their discrimination, not his cousin’s.

Mind you, this was all pre-September 11th, so it was interesting listening to Jimmy discuss a world paralyzed by fear — he had no idea what was to come. Can a verdict be illegal? Because the jury found his cousin innocent … luckily, the judge overturned the finding. At least the show doesn’t intend for things to become completely unrealistic. Although the plaintiff did refer to Jimmy as “a little too good” … uh, no?

This isn’t the first time it’s made an appearance, but what’s with the cheesy mood-setting dramatic music?

3.6 “One of Those Days”

With no chance of winning, Eugene and Ellenor go with “Plan B” in their defense of George Vogelman, casting suspicion on, amongst others, the victim’s brother. Good for George (how was he found not guilty?), bad for Eugene — the victim’s father hit him in the face with his metal cane for what he did to his son. Ouch. And the prosecution wanted to bring the head to the trial? Holy hell!

Not much of the rest of the firm in this episode, but we did get a nice look at Helen. Ellenor sandbagged her by calling her as a witness in George’s defense — there’s something to be said for long-term thinking, you know. Helen’s bound to be pissed. Plus, when the hell is the DA going to fire her? How many strikes can one person get?

3.7 “Trench Work”

It would be easy to forget that Tony Danza is actually a good actor, but he is, and he proves it here. Looking very good, Danza comes in as attorney Tommy Silva, serving notice to Donnell, et al, that he represents the father and brother of Susan Robin, the murdered woman in the Vogelman trial. The suit alleges that Eugene, and the firm, slandered the brother when they accused him of murder, and that his life is now ruined. Interesting twist, though I’m not sure I see how any of that doesn’t fall under qualified immunity. But I guess that’s the question at hand.

Lindsay continued her ill-advised pursuit of (in)justice for Anderson Pearson, by looking to get the charge reduced to manslaughter. Seriously, what’s wrong with her? Is she demented? Whoever he is to her, he shot a guy five times. It’s over … let it go. It even lands her in jail for the first time on the series (or, more accurately, throwing her brief at the judge did that), and it’s not long before Bobby joins her there. The fact that they won the motion, and got Pearson’s prison term reduced to two years, is an example of how TV shows skew to warm feelings for their characters, instead of realism.

Helen got blindsided by the father of the girl who was murdered a few weeks back, a murder witnessed by a 4 year-old boy. Feeling as if she’d failed the parents, she pursued the case fervently, somehow managing to convince a judge on probable cause. Then she drew on another chestnut, dealing with Eugene on his “wrongly convicted” client, also from a recent episode, in order to get a jailhouse confession. She operates like them … she might as well just join the criminal defense side.

3.8 “Swearing In”

Rebecca’s due to be sworn into the Bar, but not before she has to defend a man on trial for breaking and entering … or is he a serial killer? Is Rebecca a bit too dramatic to be a lawyer? I just hope her personality, and everything else that I really like about her, doesn’t slip away now that she can practice law.

Jimmy is first chair in defending the firm in the Robin lawsuit.… No! Bad choice, Bobby. Of course it will work out for the best in the end, and Jimmy will be a hero, but that goes back to what I said earlier about warm feelings versus realism. Jimmy sucks.

Bobby and Lindsay defend a woman accused of being a baby shaker, in a case with the hardest of heart-tugs: the baby died. Strange case, with a lot of religion and psychiatric questions mixed in. While it’s a headline topic, I’m not sure the plot has the makings of a headliner for the show. We shall see.

Lindsay is still off her rocker, losing it with Eugene about the “Plan B” defense decision. She gets so defensive whenever Pearson is thrown in her face, but everyone else is right: what’s with her puppy-dog allegiance to a man who denigrated her and her firm at every turn?

Now that his story is behind us, can she turn it around?

Photo Credit: ABC

The X-Files Virgin’s Diary – Everybody wants what Mulder has

Jason Hughes — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:00:35 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 21-24)

Less on the aliens and more on the government cover-up side of things as the third season winds to a close. Weirdly, the finale didn’t leave me as much on the edge of my seat as I expected, though I’m glad that I only have to wait a week to find out what happens.

Can you believe it’s been three years already? It feels like we just started this project over the summer. Oh how far our little agents have come, as well as the technology they use. It’s still beepers and giant cell phones, but they’re getting there.

3.21 – “Avatar”
(Original Air Date: April 26, 1996) It was nice to finally get inside the man we know as Skinner. I’m not surprised that he failed at marriage, considering how secretive he is, as well as being prone to bursts of anger. Kind of the way he treated Mulder and Scully, despite the fact that they were trying to keep him from going down for a murder he didn’t commit.

I’m a little disappointed that this episode left as many questions as it did. Was the succubus anything more than Skinner’s imagination? Who was the man who tried to kill his wife? Was the plot just a scheme to get Skinner fired so that who ever is behind everything has a better shot of dismantling the x-files?

As a stand-alone exploration of Walter Skinner, this was a very good episode. As a chapter in the larger conspiracy storylines, I was left a little disappointed. It did seem like it was trying to be a bit of both.

3.22 – “Quagmire”
(Original Air Date: May 3, 1996) Tyler Labine repeats his amazing performance as “Stoner,” again being all stoned and stuff. This time about a Loch Ness Monster kind of creature that may or may not be in the lake our story brings Agents Mulder and Scully to.

There were some genuinely funny moments in this episode. The fake dinosaur footprints, never fully explored what he was up to though we can imagine it was to perpetuate the hoax of “Big Blue.” Even more so, though, was Scully and Mulder being “trapped” on that rock on the middle of the night, despite shore being only several feet away.

Ultimately, I think the point of this episode was to cruelly kill Scully’s dog Queequeg. And the dog was only there so Scully could realize Mulder was Captain Ahab from Moby-Dick. And yet it was just an alligator all along. Except, there’s Big Blue. Look, everyone! Look!

You’re too late. As always.

3.23 – “Wetwired” [MythArc]
(Original Air Date: May 10, 1996) I remember when television violence begetting real violence was all the rage and paranoia in the ’90s, so it’s fun to think that this episode came out around that time making fun of the whole thing.

It’s not the television shows themselves, it’s the subliminal messages someone is intentionally feeding you. Only the color blind will be spared! That saved Mulder, but Scully succumbed to her own paranoia and blamed Mulder for everything that’s happened to her over the course of the series.

We also started to gain a greater distrust for the mysterious X. He set Mulder on this trail so that he would kill the men responsible, because X didn’t want to. But he had to anyway. And now he’s meeting with the Smoking Man?

3.20 – “Talitha Cumi” [MythArc] – SEASON FINALE!
(Original Air Date: May 17, 1996) Man, there was a lot going on in this episode. We had the Smoking Man screaming at Mulder’s mother, only later to be screamed at by the dead face of Deep Throat. This Jeremiah Smith, however many of him there are, is an interesting fellow.

So’s the shapeshifter pretending to be him, or are they all shapeshifters? One is the Bounty Hunter characters. That makes a nice connection to the weapon Mulder’s mother was protecting that he found. Why does Smoking Man want it so badly? And who all is the Bounty Hunter here to kill?

Cliffhanger!?

Loved the knock-down throwdown between Mulder and X. Mulder seemed to be getting his ass handed to him pretty thoroughly until they pulled their guns on one another. Does this mean they won’t be sending one another letters over the summer from camp?

Photo Credit: FOX

The Practice virgin’s diary – Anderson Pearson, snooty professor at law, goes to trial for murder

Aryeh S. — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:00:33 +0000

(Season 3, Episodes 1-4)

Thanks to everyone who voted, and who shared their opinions last time; your voices have been heard. I think I’m going to try continuing this on a weekly basis, but I will see how my new TV load holds up; presumably, if I begin to crumble under the weight, you are too, in which case I’ll likely go the twice-monthly route.

3.1 “Passing Go”

Weird season premiere, this one. I think the show is still floundering a little bit at trying to get everyone involved in every episode. With this number of characters, they have too few to give some a week off, but too many to shoehorn them all in, so some have to double up. This week saw Bobby getting hit by a car, the hitter being a client of Ellenor’s. Neither one of them was really playing much of a role on a weak story. And what was up with Ellenor’s attitude and demeanor?

Eugene battled Helen in court, defending one of two young men accused of rape and murder. The question of who to deal with was an interesting one, but I think the story was a little too muddied for me to figure out whether Helen really did get that one wrong.

What happened to the kid who shot his mother in last season’s finale? I figured it was a no-brainer that it would be the central trial in the first few episodes of this season. The Practice seems to be more about the emotion of a trial than the drama of the courtroom, at times. Even the courtroom scenes sometimes ignore the law for the heart; Eugene’s and Bobby’s righteousness can often overlook the plight of the victims themselves.

I really liked Charles Durning as Bobby’s father. Great casting there; I wish we’d see more of him. And look at Rebecca, passing the bar after attending law school at night! Only Jimmy would say, “You passed first try.” Good for her, and good luck to her on her stolen bike case — she’s gonna need it with Jimmy supervising.

3.2 “Reasons to Believe”

I didn’t so much get this, other than the fact that it was inevitable; why in the world would Anderson Pearson (Edward Herrmann) hire Bobby to defend him in a murder case, and why would Bobby accept? This guy’s been bad-mouthing the firm since we’ve first seen him … a little self-respect, no? On both sides.

I hope this trial sees Pearson get his comeuppance, because I really don’t like how he treats Lindsay, or how she gets around him. And, Lindsay, I think it’s okay to stop calling him “professor” as he’s being led to a police cruiser in handcuffs.

With Rebecca’s move to attorney, the office manager/secretary role is filled by Lucy (Marla Sokoloff). And it looks like she’s here to stay. It will be hard to find something positive to say, so for now I’ll skip it.

Is it not a total conflict of interest for everyone in Bobby’s firm and the district attorney’s office for Helen and Lindsay to now be living together? Sure, it’ll be easier for Bobby to go from one bedroom to the other, but for everyone else?

The kid eyewitness case was really terrible, from every angle. The little boy having to take the stand would have been traumatizing; the guy having his rights violated to spare the kid was equally wrong. Nevertheless, Helen resting and letting the murder walk free? Is she sure she wants to be an attorney?

And I can’t believe that Rebecca won her stolen bike case; just totally farfetched. She needs to take a deep breath and calm down a bit, though, even with the win. She’ll be awesome … just take it slow.

3.3 “Body Count”

The Pearson case prepares for trial. Why did the writers decide that, in no other aspect but this one, Lindsay should be weak? For her, the trial is a “chance to ratify what we are” as a firm. She still has to prove something to this disgusting person? Lindsay’s one of my favorites, but this side of her is ugly.

George Vogelman (Michael Monks) returned with a head in a bag. I know he’s scared and angry, but yelling at Ellenor is probably not the smartest of moves. Then again, Ellenor played the old “when I put on a serious voice and yell, the client will tell me the truth.” Sure, it’s a real breakthrough in legal skills, but maybe it’s not for every situation. Or any.

There is a flip-side to trying to shoehorn everyone in: when there’s something to occupy multiple people’s time (Pearson), it also occupies a lot of the episode. So we get a doozy like Rebecca and Jimmy defending a guy being accused of thinking about attempting to attempt murder. Next!

3.4 “The Defenders”

I really think Lindsay ought to be sued for malpractice following her conduct on the Pearson trial. She wasn’t being his lawyer, she was being the student looking to impress her professor. Is Bobby blind to this, or just choosing to turn a blind eye?

I notice that the firm views an awful lot of porn in their office. They’re not a vice squad; what the hell? Speaking of, that George is not only crazy, but he’s also a bit of pervert. Definitely forgot to mention that on his online dating profile.

There are a tremendous amount of inappropriately close relationships on this show. Was it like that on Boston Legal? I think only for Alan, and his many sexual partners.

Glad Pearson got the guilty verdict. Will this wake Lindsay up to the fact that he’s not a saint, or forever haunt her for having let him down and sending him to jail? Stay tuned.

Photo Credit: ABC

Future entry into the Diary of a House Virgin (Or: Oops, I kinda watched the premiere last night)

Ivey West — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:00:15 +0000

If you’ve been following along with with the Virgin Diaries series that we’ve been running this season, you’ll know that I’ve never watched House, MD before, but that I have just recently given the first two seasons a try. I wasn’t able to knock out all five before the start of the fall season, so I was left with a bit of a crossroads: Do I watch now, and pretty much “spoil” the intermediate seasons, or do I hold off until I can finish?

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I have no intestinal fortitude when it comes to these things. I broke down and watched the premiere. Well, not only did I watch the premiere, but I also went back and watched the finale from last season. Both were great, and I was excited to see that, at least for these two episodes, they really focused on character and less on procedure.

I would disagree with the assessment, that I’ve seen in several places, that House didn’t have a patient to cure in the premiere. The patient of the week was House himself. While he may have not been at Princeton-Plainsboro, and he may have not had his team (either the original team or the next generation), there was a patient (actually several) who started the show in bad shape and was on the road to recovery by the time the credits rolled. He had to figure out what treatment would work, through unfortunate trial and error.

I liked Franka Potente, who looked positively stunning. Andre Braugher proved again that he is an amazing actor, and the character was such an interesting contrast to House that I hope he recurs throughout the season.

In her review linked above, Jen asked some great questions on how his experiences will change House going forward, and more importantly how those changes will affect how the show develops. I don’t think I’m as worried as she is. I think House can continue to be caustic without being mean. He clearly stepped across a line when he made his proclamation about his night with Cuddy (despite the fact it didn’t happen), a line well traveled by the good doctor. However, I don’t think that’s what defines him, nor is it what draws us to him. The sarcasm won’t go away … the biting humor won’t go away…. He’s still going to be the same guy. There’s a way to be a dick without being an asshole, and I suspect we’re about to see how.

Photo Credit: FOX

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