When Good Shows Go Bad

Article first published as When Good Shows Go Bad on Blogcritics.


NBC's The Office was once one of the most praised, funniest sitcoms on network television. Community, on the same channel, was a brilliant, creative, original show that broke all the traditional bounds of what sitcoms were capable of. FOX's House was an intelligent character study wrapped in a medical procedural. What do these all have in common? They were great shows that fell apart in the end.

Although I list House, which I still enjoyed through to the end, even if I admit I see the point many make about the creative sagging of the final couple of years, this is usually more of a sitcom problem. A show that is funny and beloved will frequently age and tarnish. I think it's something about a certain type of comedy that just begins to wear thin over time. Jokes are only good for so long, and then they stop getting a laugh out of us. If a comedy series doesn't adapt and grow with its audience, rather than deliver the same thing over and over again, it begins to wither and die.

This isn't a new phenomenon. Many criticized Friends as it approached its end, frustrated with an unrealistic Joey / Rachel romance. The Seinfeld series finale is renowned for how much it disappointed fans. But it's also not going away, as The Office and Community prove. A show that once delighted can go sour.

Perhaps it's a lack of passion. A new show runner may feel edgy and their creative juices may flow, but they can get tired after awhile of working with the same characters and premises. Or new writing staffs may come in and just not understand what makes the characters tick.

The latter is definitely true for Community. Abed used to be the linchpin that made the series work. Even in the installments that could be considered filler, his keen eye and specific viewpoint always made things rise above what seemed to be happening on the surface. Now in its fourth year, with series creator Dan Harmon ousted from the project, Abed is easily the worst character in the ensemble, and the show suffers mightily for it. It may go off the air for good this week, with no fanfare and a very unsatisfying ending.


The Office, on the other hand, is taking its victory lap. It struggled to find its way after losing the star of the show, Steve Carell, and his wonderful Michael Scott. After over a year of floundering, the team threw in the towel and began gearing up to send the characters grandly off into the sunset. It's made the show seem a little better, with the players having some direction and the plot getting movement. But it's curtain call, which, while well deserved, should have come much earlier.

A series can pull itself out of a creative rut. After several strong initial seasons, CBS's How I Met Your Mother spiraled into unfunny drivel for a few years. It clawed its way back to being good by adding emotional heft. This was present in the beginning of the show, of course, before disappearing, but now it's the bread and butter of every installment, with the drama being of a far better quality than the comedy. Even as the final push begins, as next season will be its last, all the major stories are based on pathos, not gags.

But reinvention isn't always possible. Sometimes it's better just to end things, whether the show's story gets tied up or not. NBC pulled Heroes after a fourth season cliffhanger, and ABC didn't give Brothers & Sisters its due five years in. But neither of these series were worth watching anymore, and the networks decided to cut their losses and move on. This outraged fans, but most soon forgot about it.

Maybe we'll never know exactly why our favorite shows can't remain our favorite shows forever. For every Lost and Battlestar Galactica, which maintained quality through the finish line, even with polarizing swan songs, there are plenty like The X-Files or Veronica Mars, which just never recaptured what once made them so special. I'm sorry Veronica Mars fans, I've donated to the Kickstarted campaign and am greatly looking forward to the film, but it's true that each of the three seasons was weaker than the one before it. Storytelling is a tricky thing.


I do think series tend to be better if they maintain one creative vision. Gilmore Girls and The West Wing faltered after losing their guiding person (though the latter eventually found its stride again). A single voice having control allows better consistency than a production team; ask George R.R. Martin. However, if The Walking Dead can continue to thrive, even though it is now on its fourth show runner, this can't adequately explain away the phenomenon.

Taste is not only varied, it is fickle. Catching lightening in the bottle takes a high degree of skill and luck, but to cultivate that lightening and to not let it burn out for one hundred and fifty or two hundred episodes is a very rare feat. Maybe this could be solved with shorter seasons, like the cable channels tend to do, as you'll notice I've mainly talked about programs on the broadcast networks. But systems are slow to change, and there doesn't seem to be movement on that front.

Awesome television that doesn't age well will always be a part of life, sadly. For now, I guess we just enjoy what's good while it lasts.

Brothers & Sisters "Walker Down the Aisle" in season finale

ABC's Brothers & Sisters ended its fifth season with an eventful episode. Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) marries Luc (Gilles Marini). Kitty (Calista Flockhart) learns she is pregnant, and wants to keep the baby, despite the health risks. Saul (Ron Rifkin) accepts a proposal from Jonathan (Richard Chamberlain). Tommy (Balthazar Getty) puts in an appearance. And Sarah makes peace with her father, Brody (Beau Bridges).


     While season five has certainly been a weak season overall, there are some really great elements in this episode to remind viewers of how good the show used to be. The drama in "Walker Down the Aisle" is realistic, and none of it comes out of left field. The wedding actually goes off without any major hiccups. The characters mature and relate to each other in ways they haven't in awhile. And there is some real closure, as well as setup for new story, should the show get an abbreviated sixth and final season, which looks likely at this point.

     Sarah dealing with Brody is the biggest development in the episode. While she has only known for a short time who her biological father is, Sarah has been in denial, wanting to pretend Brody doesn't exist. Yet, like a real father, he stays near, not pushing, but giving her plenty of opportunities to open up to him. She finally does, just before the wedding, and he confesses to always keeping tabs on her over the years, having suspected the truth.

     While the Brody story did come out of nowhere, William Walker is established as a not-very-good husband early in the show. As such, it isn't totally out of line for this whole mess to pop up years later. While Sarah, especially, has trouble letting Brody in, her reactions are authentic and in character, as is her final acceptance of him. Now that Sarah is letting Brody in, he is free to finally be with Nora (Sally Field), his true love. Brody's story is sweet all around, and he's a wonderful addition to the cast. If anyone is promoted to series regular for season six, it should be him.

     Even when Brody's daughter, Lori Lynn (Trieste Kelly Dunn) crashes the wedding, she doesn't make too many waves. She doesn't ruin the day. While it has not been discussed that Sarah has new brothers and sisters, it makes sense, since after Nora married William, Brody would have been free to move on. Now that it has been revealed there are four more siblings out there, hopefully Sarah will get a chance to meet and bond with each of them before the show comes to an end.

     Which opens the door for an even larger family. The Walkers have welcomed in others before. They will accept these new brothers and sisters of Sarah's. Which would swell the cast too large to continue the series, if they are going to be in it in a large role, which is a good thing Brothers & Sisters is likely to end soon.

     It's fascinating that the show is choosing to bring back Tyler (Marika Dominczyk), Justin's (Dave Annable) season one girlfriend at this point. Yet, there is a sort of symmetry to it. Justin used to be a very different man, and clearly, Tyler was a different woman. They couldn't help each other get better, but now that they both have stabilized, they deserve love. While I miss Justin's wife greatly, it's nice he is heading towards a happy ending. He deserves one.

     Speaking of happy endings, it is thrilling that Saul and Jonathan are now engaged. Saul often doesn't get enough screen time, so hopefully this will provide a meaty story for him in the final season. Will Chamberlain join the cast full-time so close to the end, or just do a lot of episodes? It's possible their relationship won't last, but at this point in their lives, hopefully they have found what they want in each other, and the bond will not be broken.

    The wedding itself is great fun. Luc is the most consistently well written character, despite this year's rough patches, and he kills singing to his bride, backed up by the male Walker relations. He has become an integral part of the show, and it's nice to see it formalized. While other new additions didn't take (cough, Ryan Lafferty), it's hard to imagine Brothers & Sisters without Luc at this point.

     The weakest part of the episode is Kitty's story. Once more, back to the baby drama. It's been done. Kitty already went through all the trouble, and ended up adopting a perfectly wonderful boy. It is not necessary to bring up the same bad stuff over and over again. Poor Seth (Ryan Devlin) is trapped in it this time. Devlin should escape back to Cougar Town! Flockhart's order of episodes next season, like this one, will likely be reduced, so thankfully every week won't be about Kitty.

     Considering the at times painfully bad fifth season, Brothers & Sisters ends on a high note. Let's hope they can keep that great spirit going that used to make the show so fantastic as they approach the end.

UPDATE: Brothers & Sisters has been canceled, and this episode serves as a series finale.

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Article first published as TV Review: Brothers & Sisters - "Walker Down the Aisle" on Blogcritics.

Brothers & Sisters Two Hour Return Mostly Weak, Signs of Life

     Last night, ABC's Brothers & Sisters returned for a two hour special broadcast. Like much of this uneven season, there were good scenes and bad scenes, with the second hour definitely being much stronger than the first. Still, both were better than a lot of other episodes, and hopefully they continue to improve. Especially if this is their last season, which is a possibility, as the show has not been renewed for next year yet.

 

      First, the weak points, since most of them happened first. Just as Olivia (Isabella Rae Thomas) is getting settled into her new home, her biological brother Brian (Douglas Spain, Band of Brothers) shows up and wants custody of her. She hasn't seen him in years and barely remembers him, but he is determined to have her in his home. This elicits a groan, and a thought of, is this really necessary? Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) and Kevin (Matthew Rhys) have been struggling to get a child for what seems like a very long time at this point, and now she'll be taken away? After all, the court will likely rule for the blood relative over the adopted parents, right? It is easy to assume this is the end of the Olivia story.

 

     Happily, because we don't need more Scotty and Kevin pining over a child drama, it is not. Unhappily, this is accomplished by introduing Brian as a homophobic bigot.

     The second this fact came to light, soon after we meet him, all tension goes away. Brothers & Sisters has been honored by gay rights organizations for good reason, and they cannot possibly slap their fans in the face by allowing a sweet little girl, who has had such a rough life, to end up in this idiot's home. Once Brian tells Olivia he wants her to have no further contact with Kevin and Scotty, even though the Walkers are willing to include him in their family, despite his obvious flaws, for Olivia's sake, Olivia's decision is an easy one. She tells the judge, and Kevin and Scott get to keep their child.

     Yes, this is a drama program, and so, by definition, there must be constant drama. But the show didn't have to resort to such ugly, corny, unrealistic measures to keep things interesting before. The best dramas don't let things seemed forced, as much of this season of Brothers & Sisters has. Making Olivia choose when things are almost finalized for her dads, and making the choice such an easy one, is an example of just how far the show has fallen.

     Almost equally ridiculous is Sarah's (Rachel Griffiths) attempts to get Seth (Ryan Devlin) back with Kitty (Calista Flockhart). Presumably, the characters on this show are smart. Sarah has run a business, and Kitty has been a pundit and a writer. They also have had to show great social skills in their jobs, so it's more than just book smarts. Yet, neither seems to realize that Kitty should just come clean to Ryan, apologize, and see if he's still interested in her. Instead, Sarah makes Kitty go to outrageous lengths to discredit Ryan's new girlfriend, Berklee (Stephanie Lemelin, Young Justice, The Whole Truth), which makes as much a fool out of Kitty as it does Berklee.

     An essential element of the show has always been that the Walkers get involved in each other's lives, so that is not the complaint. It just seems like the writers are more willing to make the adults in the family childish in ways they didn't used to be. It rings hollow, and makes them less likable and relatable. Instead of enjoying the story, it's rough to get through. To save this series, take the characters back to who they used to be.

     Berklee, herself, is ridiculous. The name, and its spelling, tell you everything you need to know about her. Considering that Seth was so recently with a woman like Kitty, it doesn't seem at all in line with who he is that he would even waste time with Berklee. She is completely wrong for him, and Seth should have lost patience with her pretty quickly. True, he comes around by the end of the episode, but there, again, isn't any tension that that's what will happen. It would have been better to put Seth with a girl that he actually would have dated, and then there would be some threat to Kitty.

     It's worth wondering if the second hour is much better because of the absence of Olivia's brother and Kitty, both weak primary stories in the first hour. Flockhart is on a reduced schedule this year, so she only does a certain number of episodes, and apparently the second part is one of her weeks to sit out. Olivia appears, but with no mention of her brother.

     What is really frustrating is seeing Patricia Wettig's name in the opening credits, and then not seeing her. It's not hard to be a fan of Holly Harper, and she left the series recently. When her name ran across the screen, I hoped she'd returned, at least temporarily, but sadly, she has not. Just cleanup not yet done on the credits.

     Now, the good story. It's really nice to see Nora (Sally Field) have a love interest again. She's had a number of great actors come in and out of her life, but none end up staying very long. Hopefully, that will not be the case with her latest, Brody (Beau Bridges). A high school sweetheart, he is the one that drifted away when her life went down another path. Brody really showed his feelings, sticking around to try to find ways to help Nora through the death of her mother.

     The whole plot involving Ida's (Marion Ross, not seen in this episode) death is handled very well. Each member of the family has different reactions owing to who they are and their relationship with the deceased. Appropriately, Nora and Saul (Ron Rifkin), Ida's children, are affectected more stongly than her grandchildren. Both have major issues with their critical mother, yet, losing a parent is never easy. Nora copes by throwing herself into planning an event, the way she always does. Saul pulls away, regretting never telling his mother he is gay.

     It seems like Saul has been held back by this secret for some time. Perhaps he cannot fully accept who he is until everyone in his life knows. While he never told Ida, a note she leaves him reveals she knew his secret, and accepted him. Soon after, Saul is able to more fully embrace his relationship with Jonathan (Richard Chamberlain), even talking about buying a house together. Saul's acknowledgement of who he is has been a gradual process, but it seems like now that he is fully out, even his dead mother knowing, he can move forward a bit faster.

     Justin (Dave Annable) is the lone grandchild that takes Ida's death hard, but that is because he is in a retrospective mood about his own life. About to turn thirty, divorced, Justin is seeking direction. While his career is going well, he feels lacking. As Ida never remarried, despite long out living her husband, Justin worries he won't be able to move on either. It's easy to overread into things in such a situation, and Justin does. Luckily, Justin has siblings to get him back on track. In this instance, their involvement is a good thing.

     The show also stars Gilles Marini as Luc, who is consistently the best written character currently on the show. He feels real, and doesn't manufacture drama where there shouldn't be any.

     Brothers & Sisters continues, through at least the rest of this year, and airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

 

 

Article first published as TV Review: Brothers & Sisters - "Olivia's Choice; Never Say Never" on Blogcritics.

 

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Brothers & Sisters Season 5 So Far

     This season of ABC's Brothers & Sisters began rough, with the loss of cast member Rob Lowe, and the reduction of some of the others' parts, including the departure of Emily VanCamp. I am most upset about VanCamp, as I took her breakup personally, and am most unhappy about it. Happily, Ryan (Luke Grimes) was finally booted as well, having been rarely seen last spring. I figured the necessary shakeup due to actors wanting to leave created the uneasiness I felt, and eventually things would settle down into the show I've loved for years.

     Sadly, that has not been the case. The last two episodes of the fall run in particular demonstrated just how downhill this series has rolled. In "Get a Room", all of the Walkers (who appeared in the episode) ended up in the same hotel and ran into each other in a comedy of errors. The show has done similar things before, but apparently they're running out of ideas on how to make this massive collision of their lives happen. I can tell you, sending them all coincidentally to the same hotel was not it. It lost all believability, even as I tried to tell myself, as they said in the episodes, "well, the rooms were half off".

     Even worse was the fall finale, "Cold Turkey". Nora (Sally Field) decided to go away for Christmas with her new boyfriend, Karl (John Terry, Lost). First of all, the Nora Walker we all know would never, and I mean never, abandon her family on Christmas. I don't care how they tried to explain it away, and gave her a huge guilt trip for going. She would not have left in the first place. Second of all, the dream sequence she had, where her kids had grown up evil and colluded with stepmother Holly (Patricia Wettig) to kill Nora was ridiculous. I don't care where Nora's brain was, it was way too bizarre. I sat very uncomfortably through the entire scene.

     Speaking of Holly, she has been MIA for most of the season. Yes, she suffered serious amnesia from the car wreck, forgetting a lot of her life. Her arc where Justin (Dave Annable) helped her was sweet. But I was very disappointed when Holly asked Justin to move on, and he did. Why is Holly even still in the cast? That dream scene was the most we'd seen of her in weeks. She's a wonderful character, developed so beautifully over four seasons, and now she's being completely wasted. Please, writers, get her back into the story fast.

     On the other hand, the one character having a good year is Saul (Ron Rifkin). Dealing with HIV is not 'good', of course, but Saul has already had more story this fall than all of last season. As a fan of Rifkin from his days on Alias I'm delighted to see the better treatment.

     I also have been fairly satisfied with Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke Macfarlane). Although I was heartbroken and sickened to see Scotty do the unthinkable and cheat on Kevin, that flashback actually justified it, showing the bad place the two had grown to, and what motivated him to do it. Scotty's intense regret helped, and they came out of it without going overboard. If the couple ever split up, proving definitively that no Walker can have a good relationship, I would likely be done with the show. Kudos for the one plot that is working among many.
 
     The relationship merry-go-round of the Walkers this season has been horrendous. Kitty (Calista Flockhart) is by far the worst offender, who, after just unplugging her husband, has bounced to a couple of different guys, none of which really clicked with her. Sure, the writers 'dealt' with her feelings on that issue, but they still went ahead with these dumb stories. Her latest is twenty-seven year old Seth (Ryan Devlin), who happens to be her boss's son. The whole thing is just wrong. The way-younger guy thing for a conservative republican mourning her husband? No, not in character at all. I love Devlin, but he needs to get off the sinking ship and back over to Cougar Town, where he was fantastic. And just where was Kitty's young son last week while she was in the hotel?
 

     Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) has fared little better. Sure, she's in a very stable relationship with Luc (Gilles Marini), whose addition to the cast I celebrated. But from the underwear modeling to the zany mishaps in the hotel, they have not been in a good place. And I don't mean their love hasn't been solid, it has, but crappy story telling has led them to some bizarre twists that were as unappealing as they were unnecessary.

     Honestly, if this is how it's going to be, the series needs to end. Not as many episodes were ordered this year, so plenty of people think it's a sign of the writing on the wall. I have adored this series since it's premiere, and never missed an episode, but the beloved characters are just being ruined at this point. I don't think I've ever seen a show I loved so much go to such a bad place. Please, please, just do a series finale this year and put the Walkers out of their misery. Unless they can fix the show, and then at least one more year is needed to wash the bad taste of fall '05 out of our mouths.

     It's been an entire week since Brothers & Sisters aired their last new episodes, but they will return to their Sunday night slot on January 2nd.

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Article first published as TV Review: Brothers & Sisters Season 5 So Far on Blogcritics.

TV Reviews: Brothers & Sisters

     I put off watching ABC's Brothers & Sisters when it first returned to the air this fall. I didn't do that because I don't like the show. On the contrary, I love it. But the events that unfolded at the end of last season, combined with known casting changes, made the thought of what the new episodes would be tough to stomach. I finally watched the first four hours, and it was as hard as I thought it would be.

     I was fully invested in Rebecca (Emily VanCamp) and Justin (Dave Annable) as a couple. They thought they were siblings for awhile, but ever since then, I didn't understand why their romantic plot had to be so rocky. They were perfect for each other, the attraction was obvious, and it took far too long for them to walk down the aisle. I was mad as hell that VanCamp decided to quit the show then, effectively forcing the writers to end something that had been so long in building. Rebecca's recent two-episode return helped with some closure, and certainly, her leaving for a job in New York to help her grow that way that Justin had makes sense. It was tied up as nicely as possible. However, I would feel much better about the whole thing if VanCamp remained in the cast, with a promise that she would return and they would end up together. I won't rule it out, especially if the show ends in the next season or two, but it is far from a sure thing.

     Similarly, I loved Kitty (Calista Flockhart) and Robert (Rob Lowe) as a couple. Between his heart attack, her cancer, and her emotional affair, I was livid with all of the troubles their marriage kept going through. Yes, I know to keep TV interesting, things have to happen. But for the McCallisters, it just seemed so much more than necessary. Lowe's decision to leave the series, coming after Flockhart's desire for a limited number of episodes this year, pushed them apart permanently. In this case, the writers chose death. Why, I do not know, as if Kitty would only appear every so often anyway, Robert could appear even less. He could leave the show, but still be her husband. I'm happy that Lowe has already signed on full-time for the upcoming season of Parks and Recreation, but he couldn't even come back and lie in the bed for the first episode, until Kitty pulled the plug? It left his death a much-less emotionally moving thing than it should have been. Not to mention, with both of their prior health problems, death felt like a huge cheat.

     Also, Tommy Walker (Balthazar Getty), who had appeared so infrequently, was dropped from the cast. I wish I could say that his gradual fading out made it easier, but it didn't. It's not the same to have the Walker family down a sibling. Sure, plenty of families have their black sheep, but the Walkers would want to keep theirs close, not let him leave.

 

     Can the show recover from such monumental shifts? I'm sure it can, if these past weeks are any indication. I found it physically painful to watch, especially the season premiere. My gut ached. However, the characters that remain still shine. I remember how furious I was that Sarah's (Rachel Griffiths) husband Joe (John Pyper-Ferguson) was gone after season one, but I'm glad that she is now in a long-term relationship with Luc (Gilles Marini, the only new full-time cast member). It will be an adjustment, and I can't remember a show that dropped such a heavy burden on the viewer all at once before. That may have been why a shortened season was ordered this year. But additional episodes have already been picked up, as the Walkers slowly go back to normal, so will the show.

 

     As I mentioned, Luc is now a main character. I wish they would do the same for David (Ken Olin). Obviously he is going to be in the picture for awhile to come with his position as Holly's (Patricia Wettig) condition. I hoped awfully hard all summer that Holly would return full-time, and I am gratified to see that it is so, though she's worse for the wear. I understand why Rebecca leaving might help her, but hopefully Justin will maintain what he is building with his now ex-mother-in-law, as it's such a moving story. I think that he will, based on the characters.
 

     The silver lining I see in all of this is perhaps Saul (Ron Rifkin) will finally get more screen time. As the uncle, he was always pushed into the background, and for four years hasn't had a great deal to do. He'd get expanded plot for a few weeks, and then fade into the background again. His dating life has been front and center lately, though I'm still just waiting for that to be it from him for awhile. I sincerely hope it is not, and his opening a restaurant with Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) may be a sign that the producers are also leaning in that direction.

     Brothers & Sisters airs Sunday nights on ABC at 10pm.
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Article first published as TV Review: Brothers & Sisters on Blogcritics.

Blue Bloods is a cop drama with a twist

    CBS is known for its crime and legal procedurals. What makes Blue Bloods different is that it is also a family show. Three generations of one family serve the New York City Police Department in different capacities. Each has his (or her) own unique opinions and tasks, but they work as part of a very large team to serve the greater good. Perhaps in part because of the amazing cast assembled, it works.

     Len Cariou (Damages) is Henry Reagan, the eldest, and though we didn't find out much about him in the pilot, it seems he made some mistakes that made his retirement necessary.  But Henry still dons the uniform to watch the newest member of the family, his grandson Jamie (Will Estes, Reunion, American Dreams), get sworn in on the force. Jamie, once on the path to becoming a lawyer, has chosen instead to pursue the family occupation.

     Jamie is coming into things in a very different time from his grandfather's era. The corruption supposedly has been cleaned up, and crime rates are down across the city. Yet, Jamie's brother Joe, who died on the job before the series begins, had been investigating a secret society within the NYPD known as the Blue Templar. Jamie is quickly recruited to help finish the work his brother started, but we are given the impression that he's getting mixed up into something pretty dangerous. I'm not sure he understands that, as his biggest qualm seems to be keeping the investigation secret from his father, Police Chief Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck, the Jesse Stone TV movies, Friends, Magnum P.I.).

     Frank is running into some difficulty, as he has always placed the public ahead of the political game. It has made him popular with the people, but not with his bosses. It may be a similar situation to what Henry encountered, though I can't be sure of that. It is so great to see Selleck back on a series that his presence alone is enough to warrant watching the show. He plays the reigning patriarch (Henry seems retired from that as well) as warm and supporting, but also strong. He loves his family and wants everyone in it to be happy, and sees the city as an extension of that. It's a great role for Selleck, who can convey emotion effectively without a lot of words.

     The star of the first episode was clearly Detective Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg, Band of Brothers). The former New Kids on the Block member can handle the serious drama required for the police work. His character has a lot of heart, but also a lot of heat. When questioning a suspected child abductor, he had no problem shoving the suspect's head in the toilet, which led to the confession being thrown out of evidence. Given the choice between saving the young victim's life (she needed an insulin shot urgently), or playing by the rules, he chose the former, and clearly would again.

     Which makes Danny a headache for sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan, Six Degrees, Sex and the City), who rejected the cop career to work for the District Attorney. It was her responsibility to bring the kidnapper to justice, but she couldn't because of her brother's actions.

     The family dynamic makes this show good. Their dinner table reminded me of the Walkers (Brothers & Sisters).  Blue Bloods airs Friday nights at 10pm on CBS, and I strongly suggest you check it out.

Article first published as TV Review: Blue Bloods is a Cop Drama With a Twist on Blogcritics.

Haven a respite for bad television

    This past Friday SyFy premiered a new series called Haven.  Inspired by the Stephen King novel "The Colorado Kid", the book concerns two old reporters telling and investigating an old mystery with a new young woman.  The two reporters were represented in the series, but the woman is now an F.B.I. agent with a different name.  The pilot, "Welcome to Haven", did not concern itself with the Colorado Kid mystery, but dropped a few hints that it would be a season-long plot thread.  Instead, they focused on an escaped convict killed by a local woman, Marion (Nicole de Boer, Star Trek: Deep Space 9, The Dead Zone), who could control the weather, but didn't know it.

     Normally, any film concept based on a Stephen King story is decent, if not fantastic.  However, Haven stands out as an absolute dud.  I try not to judge shows based on pilots, but this one was so bad that I will, because I don't think I could stomach another episode.  I do not object to the cast.  On the contrary.  The main woman, Audrey, is played by Emily Rose (Brothers & Sisters).  Also starring is Eric Balfour (24) as Duke Crocker, an obnoxious man who owns a boat, reads newspapers from the Far East, and is a thorn in the side for local law enforcement.  Both are wonderful actors, given better material.  Unfortunately, Haven doesn't give them much to work with.

     Besides the corny, disjointed writing, and bad special effects, the who just doesn't set up a believable world.  de Boer was terrible as Marion, her crying as disingenuous as I've ever seen, and I loved her on DS9.  The special effects were cheap.  A thick fog quickly descends over the town, but cars and trucks keep speeding along, instead of immediately slamming their brakes?  The roads routinely collapse because they're built on something too soft?  Why would anyone ever drive or go out in this town?  Neither of those plot devices worked at all.  Don't even get me started on Nathan (Lucas Bryant), the police office who can't feel pain and has daddy issues.  He is a flat, pat character, and I cannot see me rooting for him as a partner and love interest for Audrey.

     I wish I could say I found some glimmer of hope that future episodes might be better, but I didn't.  Thirteen episodes have been ordered, but the pilot is the only one I plan on watching.  Haven airs Friday nights at 10pm on SyFy.

Parenthood ties it all up

     Perhaps when the writers of NBC's new show Parenthood began working on the season finale, "Lost and Found", they weren't sure they were going to get a second season.  Or maybe they just don't believe in summer cliffhangers.  For whatever reason, though the entire Braverman clan will be back next fall, things wrapped up nice and neat by the end of this year.

     A big plot twist that has been playing out is the separation of grandparents Zeke (Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia).  It's kind of like if William Walker hadn't died in the pilot of Brothers & Sisters, but his secrets had come out anyway.  Zeke hid financial issues and adultery from his wife, who finally got fed up and left him.  But though he had trouble expressing his emotions, Zeke still showed up in front of the rest of the family to serenade her.  And while that was the end of the episode, so viewers didn't get to see a true reconciliation, it left things in a good place between the two eldest members of the family.  I certainly understand Camille feeling invisible; I barely noticed her when the series began.  However, they both delivered great performances.

     Also wonderful, and the biggest departure from the movie of the same name, is the arc had by Crosby (Dax Shepard).  As the season wound down, the mother of his son, Jasmine (Joy Bryant) got a job in New York.  Even though they have begun dating and become like a family, she decided to pack up her kid take the opportunity across the country.  Though Crosby has known of Jabbar (Tyree Brown) for only a short time, the two of them have bonded instantly and solidly, best evidence when Jabbar asked if he could call him Dad this week.  Instead of trying to convince Jasmine to give up her dream, or risk loosing any momentum with Jabbar, Crosby decides to leave the rest of his family behind and go with them.  He is proving himself an excellent father.

     Perhaps the best thing to come out of a show with so many great aspects is steady work for two people already well established as television stars, Peter Krause (Six Feet Under, Sports Night) and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls).  Now rumored to be dating in real life, they play brother and sister Adam and Sarah on the show.  Their families were in conflict during the last couple of episodes, due to their daughters Haddie (Sarah Ramos) and Amber (Mae Whitman) fighting over a boy.  On a side note, the two girls making up will make you cry if you have emotions at all.  Anyway, amid all the conflict, the two of them really shine.  Though it's still hard to separate them from past characters they've played, as their are plenty of similarities to be found, it's an absolute joy to see them every week.

     I apologize if this review just seems like a love fest.  That's because it is.  A talented cast, smart writing, and heartwarming relationships leave little to complain about.  There's nothing exactly like it on television right now.  If you haven't yet, please check it out when it returns next fall.

Parks and Recreation and changes

        NBC's sitcom, Parks and Recreation, came to the end of this season last night with "Freddy Spaghetti".  It was sort of a tumultuous episode for the series, with a lot of changes going on in characters and jobs and relationships.  After a rough, short spring premiere a year ago, the show is arguably the most improved on the air this year.  This technically second season was hilarious, and while it's sad to see the end of a few thing, it's nice to know it's already been picked up for next season, even if it's not coming back in the fall with the rest of the Thursday night comedy lineup.

     Trouble began brewing last week when bad cop Ben (Adam Scott, Party Down) and way-too-happy good cop, Chris (Rob Lowe, Brothers & Sisters), state auditors, arrived to help the town's budget, and promptly shut down the government.  This week, Ben, despite an attraction to Leslie (Amy Poehler), decided that she was unnecessary and must be cut.  Her boss, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), who had delighted to the slashing up til then, went to bat for Leslie.  While all this was going down, Leslie was staging a concert in the former hole that she had gotten filled in, even though she wasn't actually working the job at that point.  It shows just how dedicated she is to Pawnee's parks and, well, recreation.  But somehow, the department will have to lose something, and we just don't know yet what it will be.

     The two interlopers are just the start of the casting shakeup.  Ben will be sticking around full-time next year, while Chris will be returning for at least six more episodes.  Also, Mark (Paul Schneider), as revealed last night, has taken a buy out, and the actor is said to not be coming park next season.  Other changes include Tom (Aziz Ansari) finally getting an awesome girlfriend, played by the lovely and funny Natalie Morales, and April (Aubrey Plaza) and Andy (Chris Pratt) kissing, only to have her walk out on him seconds later.  Not to mention who Ron is sleeping with, and who just found out.

     The series has also been thrown into slight tumult by the second pregnancy of star Poehler, and so is already filming while other shows are taking a break.  It's a fantastic little series that could about a parks department that could in a government that could not.  Please check it out when it returns to NBC next year.

Brothers & Sisters was riding smoothly until the crash

     I have some complaints about ABC's Brothers & Sisters finale, "On the Road Again", but first, let's start with the good stuff.  The Walker family mostly worked out their issues.  Justin (Dave Annable) and Rebecca (Emily VanCamp) seemed to be in a good place.  They have decided to spend a year apart, but, based on interviews I've read with the people that make the show, they'll be all right.  Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) was taking the dissolution of the family business pretty hard, but I'm sure that she'll recover.  Though are her kids ever on the show anymore?  Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) and Saul's (Ron Rifkin) restaurant looks to be the new business venture for the family, and I'm hopeful.

     Sadly, though, Saul has HIV.  I understand the explanation that he could have had it for decades without symptoms, but it seems to be stretching some already stretched believability.  When the series began, there was no hint of Saul's homosexuality, and it seemed to come from nowhere.  I am glad to see plot for Saul, when he is often left out, so I will forgive those mistakes.  I will also forgive the finding of water at Narrow Lake, though again, it seems very convenient, and a little cheap.

     Killing off Robert (Rob Lowe) was the best way to go, if he had to leave the show, though I'm still bitter about his departure.  It was also nice that it was done in an unexpected way.  However, the multi-car pileup, with so much of the family involved, was not handled all that way, and I am unsatisfied with it.  If Holly (Patricia Wettig) dies, I will be furious.  She is easily one of the most interesting characters on the show, and sorely needed.  I was sad to see her get so little screen time this week, but the series has been fairly good to her lately, so it can have a pass, for now.

     I am being this tough on Brothers & Sisters because it is usually such a good show, and I was not happy with the finale.  I don't feel it lived up to the show's usual standards.  I am not sure about how the reduced role next season of Kitty (Calista Flockhart) will bode, nor is it a good sign that only eighteen episodes have been ordered.  By contrast, this year saw twenty-four hours, and most drama series deliver twenty-two currently.  Next year will also pick a year after the events of this season, so perhaps that may give it a new injection of life.  I am simply concerned, and really hope that I one of my favorite shows bounces back soon.

Brothers & Sisters does the time warp

     ABC's Brothers & Sisters returned from a short hiatus for a two hour episode this week, and there were plenty of surprises.  The episode was called "Time After Time", and for the first hour and twenty minutes or so, we got flashes of the siblings in their younger days.  Specifically, when most were in their teens, on a night that rocked the family and changed their lives.  The thing is, none of the kids knew what really happened that night until this episode, and the really big twist was not obvious.  Unfortunately, most of the casting of their younger selves felt false and pretty off base, the one exception being Sarah (usually played by Rachel Griffiths).  And those long ago scenes were far from the best ones in the episode, though some of them were slightly fun.

     The story changed Kevin (Matthew Rhys), as he was the one that did the very bad thing.  Accidentally, he pushed a guy, and paralyzed him for life.  Nora (Sally Field) covered up the entire thing, providing for the boy, but lying to her children.  Now we know what the mysterious Dennis York (Peter Gerety) was holding over Nora to try to force her family to sell their shares in the family business, though we still don't know why he wanted them so badly.

     On the topic of this season's mystery, much was developed in that, as well.  The budding friendship between Nora and Holly (Patricia Wettig) is fun and sweet, and was taken to whole new levels as they teamed up to break the law and figure out what their deceased mutual lover was up to back in 1973.  Instead, they did discover what their two children were up to.

     The show's couple who has faced the most obstacles also found time in the jam-packed two hours to take a huge leap forward themselves.  Poor Justin (Dave Annable) and Rebecca (Emily VanCamp), after having their beach wedding interrupted months earlier, eloped, only to find their mothers bust in on their secret honeymoon.  To make matters worst, moments later other family, and then the police, showed up, and the aforementioned women were carted to jail.  That has to go down as one of the worst honeymoon's ever.  And they took it in such good humor.

     It was a wonderful episode, with all the best elements of Brothers & Sisters, a fast pace, and plenty of story development.  Brothers & Sisters regularly airs Sunday nights at 10pm on ABC.

NBC Comedy Thursday adding more great characters

     On the heels of the news that both Rob Lowe (Brothers & Sisters) and Adam Scott (Party Down) would be appearing in multiple episodes each on NBC's Parks and Recreation, comes more casting scoop.  P&R will also soon have Natalie Morales (pictured below).  Morales starred in the summer series The Middleman, as well as the first season of the new USA drama White Collar.  Apparently she was only contracted for one season with USA, unfortunately, as though her name appeared in the opening credits, she didn't get that much screen time.  Fans of hers, however, and I count myself among them, will be happy to see her bussing tables at a bar in Pawnee.  The role is for more than one episode.

     The big question in my mind is, will one of these three hilarious actors be chosen to join the cast fall time replace the departing Paul Schneider, who played Mark Brendanawicz, the city planner who had both Anne and Leslie fall head over heels for him.  Schneider was the straight man, but I guess Anne (Rashida Jones) will still be the straight woman in the cast, so it doesn't seem to be a huge loss at this point.  I may feel differently once we get into next season.
     That isn't the only story, however.  The Office will also be welcoming Amy Pietz.  Last seen as the mother in the short lived Aliens in America, but perhaps best known for her role in Caroline in the City, Pietz is a superb comic actress, and will make a fine addition to the workplace mockumentary.  She will begin her stint in April, but how long she will stick around is not being released, though word is it will be for at least a few episodes.  Could she be the new lady from corporate?  A love interest for Michael?  A temp replacing Pam?  Who knows?  Well, some people know, but I am not among them.
     Bottom line, NBC Comedy Thursday, already laugh out loud funny, looks to add even more chuckles in upcoming shows.  The Office airs at 9pm, and Parks & Recreation can be seen at 8:30pm.

Geek Out With Jimmy hits HotZoneRadio

Jerome Wetzel, er, me, is currently a contributing writer for HotZoneOnline.com, but I began my public foray into publicly covering entertainment news and reviews as a podcast host.  I co-created a podcast called The Good, The Bad, & The Geeky, and hosted it for nearly 100 episodes, most of which are still available on iTunes, though I don’t recommend any new episodes, as the podcast was continued, albeit differently, after I left, and unfortunately, retained the name, despite my request that it not.  Almost a year ago, having had a fall out with my co-creator, I launched my own podcast, Geek Out With Jimmy, as Jimmy is the name I was called by my former co-host.  Then I got married and moved from Columbus, Ohio to Lexington, Kentucky, and dropped the podcast in all the confusion.  When the dust settled, I began writing as the Lexington TV Examiner, and then for HotZone.  When HotZoneOnline announced they were creating a radio station, I was thrilled to bring back the hourly cast Geek Out With Jimmy for a new audience.
Though the episode running this week is listed as Episode 16: Why Did He Come Back?, you can jump in with no prior knowledge of me.  (I will try to put the first 15 back on iTunes in the very near future).  This week I discuss which shows have been picked up for next season and which are still up in the air.  I also cover other television news, such as upcoming guest stars and stars of new shows being made.  I talk about the shows 24, Lost, American Idol, Brothers & Sisters, Undercover Boss, The Colbert Report, Ugly Betty, and the Olympics.  There is also a song tucked in about Jack Bauer.
In the future, I plan on bringing GOWJ to HotZoneRadio every week, and hope to find a co-host for my newly revived show.  I will discuss current television news and reviews, and every once in awhile, stick in a parody song or (hopefully) funny skit.  I welcome all e-mails and suggestions for the show.  Send to me@actorsnightmare.com
Geek Out With Jimmy is currently slated to run tonight (Friday) at 7pm, Saturday at 1pm, and Sunday at 1pm.  Please tune in and tell me what you think.

Parenthood chooses heart over laughter

    Last night was the premiere of NBC's newest hour dramedy, Parenthood.  Loosely based on the 1989 movie of the same name, it is about a large family of still connected adult siblings, their parents, and their offspring (think Brothers & Sisters, if the show focused on the young children more).  It works because it drops the goofiness of the movie and focuses on the family relationships.  The character names and plots have changed from the movie, and it provides a welcome intelligence from the network's other programming.      The series features four grownup siblings: Adam, Sarah, Julia, and Crosby.  Adam (Peter Krause, Dirty Sexy Money), the most well adjusted of the group, is a hardworking father who wants what is best for his children, but is having a difficult time dealing with his son Max's (Max Burkholder) recently diagnosed Asperbeger's Syndrome.  Luckily, he has the help of a supportive spouse, Kristina (Monica Potter, Boston Legal).  Crosby (Dax Shepard) is the slacker, who works in a music studio, but is afraid of commitment.  Looks like he'll have to grow fast, though, he has just been told by a stripper that they have a son.  Julia (Erika Christensen, Six Degrees) works hard - too hard, as her daughter clearly prefers her father, Joel (Sam Jaeger, Eli Stone) in all things parental.  Lastly, but far from least, is Sarah (Gilmore Girl herself, Lauren Graham, who replaced a sick Maura Tierney in the role at the last minute), who married a deadbeat and has just moved her two teenagers back into her parent's house.
     The patriarch of the family is Zeek (Craig T. Nelson, Coach).  He was hard on his kids, and he continues to be on his grand kids, or at least on Max.  Zeek is trying his hardest to toughen Max up, thinking the boy's problems are a result of weak parenting or not enough motivation.  It will be extremely interesting to see how Adam deals with Zeek as the Asperger's story unfolds, as Adam clearly has plenty of issues with his own father.  Not much was seen of Zeek's wife, Camille (Bonnie Bedelia) in the pilot, but her comment about her husband being a jerk may foreshadow an ally for Adam.
      All in all, it was a great attempt for NBC at a serious drama, and if it does anything like similar shows on other networks, they may have a hit on their hands.  It's still too early to tell how the ratings will do, but I found the characters easy to relate to, and while a bit slow moving, the plot was interesting enough to set a season pass for on my TiVo.  If nothing else, watching this cast is enough of a reason to watch.
     Parenthood will rerun the pilot this Saturday at 8pm, and air new episodes Tuesday nights at 10pm on NBC.

Parenthood: fresh or stale?

NBC has something new.  Ok, so not so new.  Like many, many television shows and movies nowadays, it is a remake.  We steal shows from other countries (The Office, American Idol, Ugly Betty), remake old ones (The Rockford Files, 90210), or do spinoffs (Private Practice, Joey, Law & Order: SVU).  We hire the same show runners to make the same type of show they’ve done before (Bryan Fuller’s Pushing Daisies or Bill Lawrence’s CougarTown), either to give them a second chance, or capitalize on their success.  Modern Family and Parks and Recreation use the mockumentary style that is popular with The Office.  And now, in Parenthood, NBC was not only taken from a 1989 movie starring Steve Martin, Diane Wiest, Keanu Reeves, Rick Moranis, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mary Steenburgen, but it was also a short lived television show in 1990 with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jayne Atkinson (24).  Can’t our culture do anything new?  Is it even worth our time to watch it?
Yes.  The new shows works, but not because of it’s similarities to the old movie.  In fact, while some plots did sort of line up, it’s the differences that make the modern version worth tuning in for.  It has lost the goofy comedy, although there are still funny moments, and added not just a time frame update, but a healthy does of realism.  Yes, the young son still has problems, but now it’s Asperger’s Syndrome, instead of vague ‘emotional disturbances’.  The youngest adult sibling is a slacker, but he holds a job, not gambling and floating around the country on the money he (didn’t) win.  A single mom, struggling with two children, can’t afford her nice home, so moves back in with her parents, instead on inexplicably keeping it.  The two things missing that were great in the movie was the senile but wise grandmother and the parent pushing his child to be a genius.  However, those were done fairly campy in 1989, and so it didn’t gel with the new version.  In fact, I’d say this show is more like ABC’s Brother & Sisters, with a bigger focus on the kids, than the old movie Parenthood.
The other thing that really helps this new show is the cast.  Like the movie, it is packed with names.  While the characters names are different, Peter Krause (Dirty Sexy Money, Sport Night, Cybil, Six Feet Under) fills in for Steve Martin.  Monica Potter (Boston Legal, Trust Me) is his wife.  Dax Shepard (When in Rome, Baby Mama), Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard, The Division), Craig T. Nelson (Coach, The District), Erika Christensen (Swimfan, Six Degrees), Sarah Ramos (American Dreams), Mae Whitman (Arrested Development, State of Grace, In Treatment) and Sam Jaeger (Eli Stone, Catch and Release) are all also part of the cast.  Again, reminds me of the stars aligned for Brothers & Sisters.  One of the two best parts of the cast, though, are the fantastic young Max Burkholder (Family Guy, Brothers & Sisters) as Max, the child with Asperger’s, and does it well.  The other is the triumphant return of Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) to weekly television.  She has been sorely missed, and although she isn’t exactly playing a clone of Lorelai Gilmore, in a way she has returned to us.
Check out Parenthood on NBC Tuesdays at 10pm, and if you missed the pilot, it will rerun Saturday at 8pm on NBC, 5pm on Bravo, and Sunday morning at 11am on USA.

Another sister leaves the nest (sort of)

     Last week I pretty much ranted on Rob Lowe (The West Wing) leaving Brothers & Sisters, and fans, hanging with his planned abrupt departure.  News broke today that only deepened the upcoming pain, although it shed a little more light onto Lowe's decision.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not forgiving Lowe, and am still extremely disappointed he is choosing to leave the ABC series, but now I kind of get it, and I'm kind of angry at a second cast member, though I promise not to get too angry in my writing this time.

     Lowe's TV wife, Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) is downgrading next season to a limited involvement.  Sources close to the network say she is staying on officially as a main character, but she won't be in every episode (13 of the 22, as one popular rumor goes).  Does that bode well for a possible run for office for Kitty Walker, her character?  It may, but apparently Lowe was worried about being cut out even more himself, which seems silly, considering he was still going to stay Kevin's (Matthew Rhys) boss, or so the story seemed to be unfolding.  Other comparisons, however, remind us of Sarah Jane Morris's (Felicity) Julia, who was axed completely when her husband, Tommy, (Balthazar Getty, Alias) was also kicked out.

     But Getty has negotiated a return this year that kept his name in the opening credits, even though he is only doing a limited number of episodes, and so may put him on par with Flockhart next year.  Or not.  If Getty has his way, he'll swap her and be back in the cast full time.  But is more Tommy and less Kitty really what the show needs?  The problem with expanding the cast at this stage in the game, though, is it would be hard for audiences to buy another secret sibling, so unless Sarah (Rachel Griffiths, Six Feet Under) gets married, the cast is likely to remain stagnant after the latest shakeup.

     A return of Tommy may end up being surprisingly good, but with Flockhart appearing in less episodes, and Lowe making the third Brothers & Sisters spouse to be gone from the cast (Sarah was married to Joe, played by Caprica's John Pyper-Ferguson, when the show started), it's appearing the nest is getting quite empty indeed.  Brothers & Sisters airs Sundays at 10pm on ABC.