Back Across THE BRIDGE

Article first published as THE BRIDGE Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

It’s a little weird to talk about this week’s episode of FX’s THE BRIDGE, entitled “Yankee,” as a season premiere. The major arc of the first year ends a bit early, and Detectives Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) and Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir) are already on to a new case hours before the season concludes. Thus, “Yankee” is a continuation of the story already in progress, rather than a fresh batch of subplots.

I like that, though. Life is not so segmented as most television shows seem to portray it, and the approach THE BRIDGE takes, keeping the narrative going without tying up all the threads at once, is more realistic. There are a lot of bad things happening near the U.S. / Mexico border, and Sonya and Marco are likely to investigate several of them, sometimes overlapping, as the show continues.

“Yankee” is a pretty typical hour of THE BRIDGE. Sonya is still having trouble understanding Marco (among other people), though she tries. Daniel Frye (Matthew Lillard) is still struggling with his alcoholism. Adriana’s (Emily Rios) sister is still missing. Hank (Ted Levine) still has sage wisdom to share. Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) is still working to come into her own as a criminal queenpin. There are still many missing girls. And something really brutal and bloody happens that viewers may not quite be expecting, not an uncommon occurrence. Basically, it is consistent in quality, tone, and structure with the other installments that have come before it.

Which is not to say that “Yankee” is without any season premiere hallmarks. While maintaining the ensemble from last year, this fresh episode brings a slew of new faces into the mix, each comfortably slipping in within the established framework. There’s: the chilling Eleanor Nacht (Franka Potente, Copper), who doles out harsh punishment for even the smallest slip up; Gary (Brian Baumgartner, The Office), the skeptical sponsor of Daniel Frye; Jack Dobbs (Nathan Phillips, The Saddle Club), the brother of the man who killed Sonya’s sister; DEA Agent Joe McKenzie (Abraham Benrubi, ER); and Sebastian Cerisola (Bruno Bichir, Demian’s brother), to name a few. Other episodes have introduced a new character or two, but it’s the number of arrivals here that make “Yankee” stand out just a bit.

The best part of THE BRIDGE is the gritty authenticity it uses to portray a certain area of the country. This is a place that many viewers will never have been, and there are quite a few differences in culture and action from elsewhere in the U.S. Heck, there are many variations whenever a character crosses from the United States to Mexico or back, two settings for the price of one. What’s most interesting, though, is the way the people who routinely slip back and forth interact with one another and their environment. It more than a culture clash, it’s a complete melding that is anything but consistent in makeup, leading to some personalities that must be quite versatile to cope.

THE BRIDGE can be a little boring from time to time. It’s not my favorite show on FX, and the pacing will often drag when jumping over to some of the less engaging side stories. This hurts the enjoyment factor, even though the inclusion of all of the different aspects are what fill out the world presented and make it seem so complex and layered.

However, it also has an excellent production and style, and is full of terrific performances. Kruger and Bichir stand out, of course, as the leads, but there is nary a weak link among those that surround them. Studying any one of the roles and how it is handled is sure to impress. In this, THE BRIDGE succeeds quite well.

THE BRIDGE airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

Raise an "A.A.R.M." for The Office

Article first published as Raise an "A.A.R.M." for The Office on TheTVKing.

Things have mostly gotten back to normal for The Office in "A.A.R.M.," a fine example of a classic episode, while still allowing those emotional, end-of-the-series plot developments to creep in. Jim (John Krasinski) plays a huge practical joke on Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Pam (Jenna Fischer) questions whether she's going to make Jim resent her, Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) gets jealous when baby Phillip is in the office, Andy (Ed Helms) tries out for a singing competition, and Darryl (Craig Robinson) tries, and fails, to leave without saying goodbye.

I love "A.A.R.M." because it has something for each member of the cast. While the main story sticks with the characters who have been front and center this season, the rest of the supporting players get focus and moments, too, both in the normal plot, and in their interview cut scenes. Yes, they are all sort of lumped together with saying goodbye to Darryl, but doesn't that just feel right, that they don't want to lose one of their own? Watching the culmination of the plot, where Stanley (Leslie David Baker), Phyllis (Phyllis Smith), Creed (Creed Bratton), Meredith (Kate Flannery), Erin (Ellie Kemper), Toby (Paul Lieberstein), Nellie (Catherine Tate), and the others dance with Darryl feels special.

Then, they all go to a bar together to watch the premiere of their documentary. What this episode reveals is that these people are a family. We've known it all along, of course, but the point is driven home now. They could be by themselves, watching the show on their own television sets. Instead, they choose to be together, off the clock, to face this new adventure among people that are their family. And hearing Michael Scott's voice in those final moments brings back the one person missing, making the clan complete. It's a perfect episode ending.

Even Andy attends the viewing party, as no matter what he does, he is one of them. Sure, he's gone all day, trying to be famous (which is a funny little side story with wonderful guest stars), but when all is said and done, he returns to the group.

Jim feels that his family in The Office is enough. Pam questions that she is holding him back, and she should feel bad, but he tells her this is his decision and he won't regret it. In fact, Jim does everything he can in "A.A.R.M." to prove that this is where he wants to be, with Pam, even getting the documentary crew to make a video tribute of the two of them over the years, and giving her a long-held-back card. It's hard to understand how Jim could give up his dreams and be happy, but seeing him with Pam, and with the others at the end of this week's installment, Pam, and I, finally believe it's true.

We don't need to know what's in the note. As not much has been in these people's lives, it's private.

It helps that Jim has his "brother," Dwight, around. Jim teases him mercilessly, tricking Dwight into being the assistant to his own assistant, and mimicking many of the things Dwight did when he was assistant to the regional manager. But there's no cruelty in it, the two seeing each other as comrades. Dwight seems to be in on the game, as, when Dwight really needs Jim, he tells him so, dropping the charade they have been perpetrating the entire hour.

Jim is there for Dwight when Dwight needs him. Dwight isn't sure if he should marry Esther (Nora Kirkpatrick), the woman who is perfect on paper, or Angela (Angela Kinsey), whom he has always carried a torch for. Jim helps Dwight figure out his feelings, and gives him sound advice, which Dwight acts on. To me, this is the culmination of everything there is between them, and it's a very satisfying story.

Angela doesn't make it easy for Dwight, refusing to acknowledge that Phillip is Dwight's son until Dwight proposes. This makes sense, as she doesn't want him with her out of obligation, but instead, out of love. Yes, this plot develops a little quickly, but at the same time, it's been years in the making. And seeing Dwight, Angela, and Phillip end things as a family is almost as satisfying as the final Jim / Dwight story. So thank goodness Dwight's spin-off did not get picked up, or this may not have been possible.

I also really enjoy the dynamic in Accounting when Angela brings in Phillip, with Kevin acting as the insecure big brother, growing jealous of the attention Angela and Oscar (Oscar Nunez) give the baby. For anyone else, this story could come across as dumb, but the three actors involved sell it so well, and the resolution is so perfect, that it is enjoyable, rather than annoying.

That's long been a theme of The Office, taking tales that, in lesser hands, wouldn't be funny, and creating characters that, without such brilliant performances, wouldn't be sympathetic, and making them both. It isn't just a realistic look at life in an office environment, but also a celebration of people that make things work, even when they shouldn't. Despite a recent rocky path, The Office is doing the finale right, and "A.A.R.M." is the perfect penultimate episode to set that up.

The Office concludes next Thursday, with a retrospective at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a one-hour-and-fifteen-minute episode, set six months after this one, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Wilfred makes "Progress"

FX's Wilfred returns next Thursday to officially begin its second season. It's odd, then, that a brand new "preview" episode aired last night. Entitled "Progress," this latest installment finds Ryan (Elijah Wood) in a mental hospital, where he has been getting better under the care of Dr. Eddy (Robin Williams) while waiting for Wilfred (Jason Gann) to recover from his car accident. Ryan is shaken when Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann) brings Wilfred to visit, and Ryan still sees Wilfred as a man in a dog suit, believing that his treatment isn't working. It takes no time at all for Ryan to get caught up in Wilfred's mental games, which disrupts his own path to healing.

There are signs that Ryan isn't mentally stable before Wilfred arrives, though. While in the hospital, Ryan has strange dreams where he is sitting at a conference table with some odd people named Amanda (Allison Mack, Smallville), Kevin (Rob Riggle, NTSF:SD:SUV), and Jeremy (Steven Weber, Wings, Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip), among others. What is going on? Why does Ryan keep dreaming them?

This experience of being a patient seems real enough for Ryan. In fact, it seems a lot like the reality he's been living in. The dreams are kind of new, but the rest of it is natural progress for the characters, considering four months have passed. Jenna has realized she is not pregnant and dumped her boyfriend. Ryan is working on the issues he knows that he has. Wilfred is his same manipulative, sneaky, morality challenged self.

And then, everything shatters. Ryan suddenly sees, in a meta moment, that he is being treated by the Robin Williams character from Good Will Hunting. An orderly (Brian Baumgartner, The Office) helps Ryan escape, only to reveal that he's actually Wilfred, and Bear is driving the getaway car! This makes the mental hospital world fall apart for Ryan as he tries to wake up.

Or does it? Maybe Ryan is in this mental hospital, and by not taking the pills that Dr. Eddy gives him, he loses his grip on what is real and what is not. This is certainly a possibility, and one supported by the notion that Ryan is completely crazy. Though, even before the pills are taken, it seems a given that Ryan is not at the hospital during the events of season one, so not everything can be explained away in this manner. Probably. Who knows? Wilfred is a truly odd show that defies clear definition. Which is what makes it so intriguing.

Ryan does "wake up," we assume, in the conference room with Amanda, Kevin, Jeremy, and the others. He's serving as a lawyer for them as they work on curing cancer. Is this any more realistic than the mental hospital illusion? Maybe Ryan's sister, unseen in this episode, got him this gig in the medical field. But that seems unlikely, given the way that Wilfred leaves things between the siblings at the end of season one. Thus, because of the events of "Progress," there will continue to be a nagging doubt about whether what is shown is real at any given time.

Ryan then goes home to confront the basement. At the end of season one, Ryan discovers a coat closet where he believes a basement door should be. His house certainly looks like it has a basement. Ryan busts through the wall of the closet, and low and behold, stairs to a basement! But the question is, did someone board up the stairs to trick him? Did Ryan himself do it in one of his weird states and just not remember? Is busting through the wall a sign of "Progress," or is it Ryan backsliding? These are questions not answered in "Progress," nor will they likely be with any certainty in season two.

Wilfred is a unique show that makes viewers think. The fact that it is well acted and funny are just frosting on the cake. Not to mention, the quality of guest stars that appear, in this episode alone, should entice you to tune in. If you are missing out on this weird television experience, it's time to correct that. Watch Wilfred Thursdays at 10 PM ET on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

Don't bring your children to The Office

This week's outing of NBC's The Office is called "Jury Duty" because that's what Jim (John Krasinski) says he is doing when he misses a week of work. But Dwight (Rainn Wilson) grows suspicious, and goes on a quest to get his nemesis fired. Knowing he's in trouble, Jim confesses the truth to Andy (Ed Helms), that he was at home with his kids, who only makes things worse by trying to continue the cover up. Luckily, before Dwight can get corporate involved, he stops by the hospital and sees Angela's (Angela Kinsey) baby, who looks an awful lot like a Schrute. Suddenly, Dwight has the much more important thing of fatherhood to worry about than a feud with Jim.

It's long been known to viewers that Angela's husband, The Senator (Jack Coleman), is gay. But until the baby is born a "month early," at over nine pounds, it's unclear whether somehow he impregnated her or not. Why the Senator remains oblivious to the truth of the matter is unknown, but perhaps he is so caught up in his lie that he doesn't question it. Presumably he does have sex with Angela at least once, so it could be his, right?

Angela and Dwight's relationship has been a very slow burn over the years. Never getting too much focus in The Office, there has always been something special between them. Even as Angela tries to push Dwight away, it's hard not to hope that they will be together. They are strange in very different ways, and yet, their pairing works somehow. Both have taken turns being in pursuit of the other. This baby born in "Jury Duty" changes everything, and could possibly set up a happy ending for the two. Which would be ideal. Though, given how The Office has handled things so far, it could be years before Angela even acknowledges publicly that the baby is Dwight's. That would be a shame, because it's likely that The Office will be off the air by then.

Unless Dwight is wrong. However unlikely that possibility seems, it is a possibility. While the timing lines up much better for the child to belong to Dwight, there is always the chance that, in the end, he could be wrong. Dwight surely sees what he wants to see in the child's features, and often thinks he knows things that he doesn't. Mightn't the more unexpected and exciting option be that the baby is not Dwight's?

Nah.

Being a daddy finally gives Dwight a way to connect to Jim. Dwight always has a fondness for Pam (Jenna Fischer), but it's not until he learns he is a father that he shows any respect towards Pam's husband. Now, this stuff in "Jury Duty" will not herald a new dawn between the two; they will always hate each other. Dwight is only kind in a moment of weakness because of his own excitement. But a new understanding could crop up, and that could change their interaction in a way that no one quite knows yet. It would be an interesting cap to a long-standing rivalry.

Lots of laughs this week, too. Some "Jury Duty" comedy highlights: Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) begins calling Angela's baby "Little Kevin." Oscar (Oscar Nunez) once more is shown to be ridiculous in how he "prepares" his co-workers to see the "premature" baby. The staff's anger at Jim for lying turns to distaste for his kids, whom they can't wait to send away. Ryan (B.J. Novack) agrees that Angela having a black baby would be slightly more exciting than a Chinese one. Creed (Creed Bratton) thinks Pam has brought in Angela's baby, or possible that Pam is Angela. Wonderful episode!

     The Office airs Thursdays nights at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To buy The Office DVDs, streaming episodes, and other merchandise, please click here.

The Office faces the battle of "Gettysburg"

     This week, on NBC's The Office, Andy (Ed Helms) takes part of the staff to "Gettysburg," trying to inspire them to approach their job as a battle. Unfortunately for him, while his employees to go, and even wear his stupid hats, they show no enthusiasm for the idea. Jim (John Krasinski) finally tells Andy to give it up and stop trying so hard. Back at the office, Robert (James Spader) presses the staff for bold new ideas to improve sales. He believes Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) may be onto something with metaphors about cookies, until Ryan (B.J. Novak) proves that Kevin is only talking about food.

     This is not the first interaction Robert has with Kevin, who fascinates him. This is funny, because Kevin is the most idiotic simpleton on staff. If someone needs to be fired for downsizing, Kevin's name will be at the top of the list. But Robert is such an outside-of-the-box thinker, he assumes others are the same, and sees a kindred spirit in Kevin. That is, until a jealous Ryan proves the truth of what Kevin is really talking about. A pity, really, as watching Robert be in awe of Kevin is really quite funny.

     The opening of the episode veers too far from the beliveable path. Apparently, Pam (Jenna Fischer) keeps faking going into labor to get out of things she doesn't want to do. In "Gettysburg," she even adds a bottle of water hidden between her legs to make the whole thing seem more authentic when Gabe (Zach Woods) holds a long, boring meaning. This takes away all credibility Pam has with her co-workers, as now they will find it hard to trust anything she says, let alone something important. God forbig she actually go into labor and need help from one of them! Though it is strange the others don't embrace the fake labor in this instance, even if they know it to be a ruse, if not just to get out of Gabe's boring lecture.

     Andy is a different boss than Michael Scott (Steve Carell). He does verge on Michael-like antics while pulling them around an historical site he isn't really respecting, but Michael would have been far more offensive in his actions. Yet, Jim is telling the truth when he tells Andy the staff likes him. Andy lets them do their jobs, for the msot part, instead of pulling them into personal obsessions. Even the Gettysburg trip, while taking them away from their work, has business purpose, in Andy's head anyway, and is not just a flight of fancy. Surely, productivity must be up under his reign.

     The adjustment of Andy not being buddy-buddy with his employees isn't too bad, either. Perhaps this is because Andy is kind of a loser, and never does develop many close friendships within the office. Everyone tolerates him, but no one wants to have him over to their house. Well, except for Erin (Ellie Kemper), of course, but Andy is involved with someone else now, and unavailable. A boss should have authority and respect, and Andy has at least the latter of those things. He makes a serviceable manager.

     There is a funny little side plot where Gabe is mistaken for an Abraham Lincoln impersonator, and must perform a show at Gettysburg. Gabe is kind of a dumb characters, and so it's great that he gets to be humorous, and make people laugh. Meaning the tourists, more than The Office fans, but still...

     Even better is the argument of "facts" between Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Oscar (Oscar Nunez) over the Battle of Schrute Farms. Awesome watching the two go at it. There could not be a test of will between two more know-it-all characters, with fans rooting for neither to be right. In the end, Dwight's humiliation at what really happened is worse than Oscar's for being ignorant of the whole situation, and that's OK.

     The Office airs Thursdays nights at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To buy The Office DVDs, streaming episodes, and other merchandise, please click here.

The Office makes "The List" of favorite shows

     When NBC's The Office returns with "The List," a new boss has finally been named. Andy (Ed Helms), a failure as a salesman, now gets the corner officer overlooking the workers. Next door in the conference room, new CEO Robert California (James Spader, Boston Legal) has also moved in, and been added to the opening credits.  The staff finds a list Robert has made, separating them into two columns. When he invites one side of the list to lunch, they begin panicking that he has sorted them into winners and losers, a fact that he confirms. Andy proves his mettle by standing up for his employees.

     Andy was my second choice for boss, after Pam (Jenna Fischer), but considering she will still get plenty of other plot, he's a good choice. He wasn't really contributing much to the company in his former position. He is educated and has proper qualifications. He cares about the people that work there. His willingness to stand up to Robert is exactly why he deserves this promotion, pointing out the value of (almost) every single employee on the payroll. Helms is a fine comedic actor, and definitely deserves his increased role. He will likely work out very well, bringing a bumbling, yet different, direction. The only downside is this means he probably can't be with Erin (Ellie Kemper), at least for now, as that would just open things up for a sexual harassment lawsuit.

     Spader's addition is also welcome. His character is hilarious in last year's season finale, and works even better as a regular cast member. He shakes things up, but not too much. While he does judge his workers, he also seems like he will keep an open mind if he is wrong. He is certainly having doubts about Andy's promotion until the end of the episode, where he looks impressed by Andy's rant. Robert will allow the series to continue to grow, without ruining everything that makes it best. And if The Office gets canceled at the end of the year, perhaps he will extend his The Practice / Boston Legal trend and headline a spin off.

     How Dwight (Rainn Wilson) will ultimately take being passed over remains to be seen. Wilson has mastered the character in ways unexpected and exciting. He is upset, obviously, but is willing to be Andy's number two man; his enforcer. There is a certain subtle resignation to his lot in life that shows up in Dwight in "The List." It's a little sad, but he is just not temperamentally suited for the position. He has many good qualities, and management in other areas may work for him. But not here, with these people.

    It's a little baffling that Robert doesn't think Pam is a valuable asset, given everything that she does. And Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) made the list?! But Jim's (John Krasinski) incredibly sweet gesture of his own list, and the way he stands by his family, more than makes up for any misjudgments Robert might make about Pam.

     Jim and Pam are expecting again! This time, Pam really looks pregnant. Apparently, many months have passed over the hiatus, as she can't possibly only be three or four months along. It's kind of refreshing that the attention and reaction to this second child is more subdued, as fits with reality. Their lives continue, and their family grows. Might Pam seriously talk Jim into naming the baby after Michael? Distance does make the heart grow fonder.

     The question is, is Angela (Angela Kinsey) also actually with child, considering that her "lover" is gay, or is she faking it? If she isn't faking it, who is the father? Is it too much to hope for it to be Dwight?

     The essential element of The Office is the large, zany ensemble. "The List" does not disappoint with continued antics, as the episode opens with several employees practicing planking, a current internet trend. This is completely in character, and it's little bits like this that make The Office so charming.

     The Office airs Thursdays nights at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To buy The Office DVDs, streaming episodes, and other merchandise, please click here.