2014 Disney Movie Gift Guide

Article first published as 2014 Disney Movie Gift Guide on Blogcritics.

Every December holiday season, there are numerous Blu-ray titles from which to select gifts for your loved ones. Although I mainly watch television shows, I’m far from immune to the draw of a good film, and Disney had a pretty solid lineup of choices this year among its offerings. This guide serves as a short summary of some of the best choices from “The Mouse.”

Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Combo) ~ I already had Sleeping Beauty on DVD, but this new edition is pretty sweet anyway. One of the old Disney classics, the story is timeless, if not quite as relatable as some of the studio’s other films. There’s a magic to it, enhanced by Tchaikovsky’s score. Older viewers will love the nostalgia, while the young should appreciate a movie that isn’t as dated as they might think. There’s a reason Sleeping Beauty got a new, fancy release, packed full of extras, and it’s deserved.

The picture and sound quality on this thing are remarkable! If you already bought the Platinum Edition Blu-ray from a few years ago, this is the same presentation, so there’s no need to shell out again. But if you’ve only watched this film on DVD or (shudder) VHS, I recommend taking the opportunity to upgrade. It’s well worth it, as clearly much time and effort has been spent making a remastered version to be proud of. This is also the first edition offering a digital copy, so that’s worth noting if you want to protect your physical discs from the kids.

Maleficent (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Combo) ~ You’ve seen Sleeping Beauty, so now check out the other side of the story. This live-action movie stars Angelina Jolie, spectacularly playing the titular “villain.” I recently did a full review of the movie, but suffice it to say, despite some issues with the story, the effects are mostly terrific, and the core performance makes this picture worth checking out. Plus, if you’ve already viewed the original, why not go a little deeper into what make Maleficent tick? It’s an interesting take on motivations and back story. And yes, Sleeping Beauty put in an appearance!

Frozen Sing-Along Edition (DVD / Digital Combo) ~ Frozen has swept the country, if not the world, by storm. If you’re around kids at all, you’ve heard lots about it, as well as its famous song, “Let It Go.” The best Disney animated feature in years, it is the story of two sisters, one with a power she doesn’t know how to control. It’s sweet, full of positive female role models, and amusing to boot. Even some of my peers, in their twenties and thirties, enthusiastically count themselves among the fan base.

This edition, sadly, has no Blu-ray disc. That’s OK, though, because it’s really for the kids, who will love it, and probably won’t notice the quality difference as much as the older folks would. It offers two options: play the full film, with lyrics appearing on screen during the musical bits, or play just the songs from the movie, which is equally popular with the young crowd. Even if that child you’re shopping for already has the regular release, this is something to consider, given that latter feature.
 
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / Digital Combo) ~ In my opinion, this is the best of the recent Marvel slate of movies. Besides being action-packed, it’s also a political thriller co-starring Robert Redford, which might raise the opinion of anyone who has unjustly dismissed it as a simple popcorn flick. Follow Captain America (Chris Evans), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as they take on a figure from the Cap’s past in a battle that forever completely changes the franchise. It’s really, really good stuff.

As with other Marvel titles, the best way to experience this is in 3D. If you have a 3D television available, I recommend taking full advantage of it to get the most out of the visuals, which are finely detailed and quite impressive. If not, the regular Blu-ray is included in the box, which pack quite a punch all on its own.

Guardians of the Galaxy (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / Digital Combo) ~ While Captain America is dramatic and serious, Guardians of the Galaxy is loads of fun while being a little dramatic and serious. The movie introduces a whole crop of new superheroes, set away from the Earth. It has an excellent retro soundtrack that helps lock the tone and style of the piece. August theatrical releases aren’t usually as big as those earlier in the summer, but because this one is so well-crafted, Guardians succeeded in the box office and as a quality film.

Like Captain America, I do recommend watching this in 3D if you can. It has even more impressive effects, with the often-present CGI necessary for a space-setting rendered naturally. Not once did I question the believability of the piece, grounded with authentic characters and a moving climax, and  I look forward to Marvel’s continued expansion if this is the type of direction they will be going in.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Time of the Doctor’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Time of the Doctor’ on Blogcritics.

This past December’s Doctor Who Christmas special featured Matt Smith’s very last appearance (as the lead, anyway) as the Eleventh Doctor. Called “The Time of the Doctor,” it brought him to Trenzalore, the planet of his death, and included a war with his greatest enemies, such as The Angels, The Silence, The Daleks, and The Cybermen. Now, that special is available on Blu-ray and DVD.

At the beginning of the hour, The Doctor (Matt Smith) travels to a busy planet that he is told is Gallifrey, though it clearly isn’t. There, all of his enemies have gathered, and the Papal Mainframe, led by old (though never seen before on screen) friend Tasha Lem (a terrific Orla Brady, Fringe, Jo). Gallifrey is present, trying to break through the cracks in space time, but only if The Doctor tells The Time Lords his name, confirming they have reached the proper universe.

This seems like a good thing, but it’s not because the return of The Time Lords to the universe would reignite The Time War, meaning a LOT of death would follow. Tasha wants to prevent this, even if it means killing The Doctor, which makes her a tad bit dangerous. The Doctor realizes the predicament, and decides to stay at the planet, not making a decision about his people or not, while his enemies attack.

Like last year’s holiday outing, “The Time of the Doctor” is not a fluff, stand-alone installment. Instead, it’s a huge adventure, a culmination of many things. We’d long heard that “silence must fall when the question is asked,” and the unanswered question is “Doctor who?” Now, those things come together, along with a dozen other minor plot threads, all culminating in The Doctor’s last battle.

“The Time of the Doctor” does an excellent job tying up all of the continuity bits, really feeling like a satisfying capper on The Eleventh’s run. Perhaps the battles could have been bigger, but this is also a very personal tale, and on that end, it completely satisfies, not just for The Doctor, but also for Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), who has taken awhile to grow on me, but proves her mettle here. It presents The Doctor himself as we’ve never seen him before – settled and aging – and as the tale spans centuries, it really gives us a full view of the incarnation that has now lived at least a third of The Doctor’s total existence thus far.

In this episode, Smith shows us just how great his skill as a performer is. He gets to run the gamut of emotion and experience in his final installment. He plays old and young, he plays brave and desperate, he plays friend and betrayer, he plays hero and the man who has given up. This is a tour de force performance, the kind that makes a career. To get this kind of material for his last hour, and to execute it so well, is incredible.

The very end of “The Time of the Doctor” is the perfect tie back to the beginning of The Eleventh’s story. I won’t reveal the details of it here, but it gives The Eleventh a touching, meta send-off, sure to resonate for both the character and the actor.

There are a scant three bonus features in this release, sadly. The “Farewell to Matt Smith” TV special that aired is included, as is “Behind the Lens” and “Tales from the TARDIS.” The first felt a little light to me, not quite giving the substance I desired. “Behind the Lens” is enjoyable because it’s a behind-the-scenes of this one episode, but at only twelve minutes running time, is a bit too short. I don’t know that “Tales of the TARDIS” really needed to be included here, since it isn’t Matt Smith-specific, but I guess Doctor Who fans in general will like it.

Blu-ray is the format to get this in because “The Time of the Doctor” is so effects-heavy. It’s a beautiful special, with swirling snow and a detailed setting. As usual, there are some dark, shadowy scenes, with crisp definition and layered shading. Plus, a sweeping score enhances without overpowering. A science fiction adventure like this begs for high definition.

In short, this is a visually impressive, powerfully told story that’s weak on bonus features but still worth your time. “The Time of the Doctor” is available now.

TV Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Time of the Doctor’

Article first published as TV Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Time of the Doctor’ on Blogcritics.

Anticipation was high for this week’s Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC and BBC America, “The Time of the Doctor.” We knew it would be Matt Smith’s last appearance as the Eleventh Doctor. We knew it would be holiday-themed. We knew it would involve Trenzalore and many of the Doctor’s greatest enemies, including The Daleks, The Cyberman, The Angels, and The Silence. But we didn’t know how it would play out, or how The Doctor would die.

Like last year’s Christmas outing, “The Time of the Doctor” is not a fluff, stand-alone installment. Instead, it’s a huge adventure, a culmination of many things. We’d long heard that “silence must fall when the question is asked,” and the unanswered question is “Doctor who?” Now, those things come together, along with a dozen other minor plot threads, all culminating in The Doctor’s last battle.

Last spring’s “The Name of the Doctor” reveals what happens on Trenzalore: The Eleventh Doctor, the thirteenth and final incarnation because of the Tenth’s waste of a life and The War Doctor’s inclusion, will finally die in an epic battle, turning an entire planet into a graveyard. But like the fall anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor,” this history is not set in stone and can be changed. And so it is.

I’m getting a little ahead of myself. At the beginning, The Doctor (Matt Smith) travels to a busy planet that he is told is Gallifrey, though it clearly isn’t. There, all of his enemies have gathered, and the Papal Mainframe, led by old (though never seen before on screen) friend Tasha Lem (a terrific Orla Brady, Fringe, Jo). Gallifrey is present, trying to break through the cracks in space time, but only if The Doctor tells The Time Lords his name, confirming they have reached the proper universe.

This seems like a good thing, but it’s not because the return of The Time Lords to the universe would reignite The Time War, meaning a LOT of death would follow. Tasha wants to prevent this, even if it means killing The Doctor, which makes her a tad bit dangerous. The Doctor realizes the predicament, and decides to stay at the planet, not making a decision about his people or not, while his enemies attack.

I am a little disappointed that the battles on Trenzalore are not bigger. This is a place where many, many people bite the big one in a possible timeline, but it doesn’t seem that way in “The Time of the Doctor.” Much of the church is slaughtered, but we don’t see them so much as we see those who can overcome their Dalek programming. Perhaps all the budget for the special went into effects, rather than in hiring extras, but it still just doesn’t seem like the gargantuan war one would expect.

Other than that, the story is really good. Besides the aforementioned arcs, this episode also reveals how the Daleks come to remember The Doctor again, the origin of The Silence, and the ultimate fate of Handles, the Cyberman head that The Doctor befriends. It does an excellent job tying up all of the continuity bits, really feeling like a satisfying capper on The Eleventh’s run.

Perhaps the main mystery going in is, how will The Doctor regenerate again? He’s out of lives, but a new actor has already been cast, so surely this must play a part. It does, in a huge way, with Gallifrey gifting their savior twelve more regenerations.

One may wonder why Gallifrey would give The Doctor such a present, and knowing that he’s on the other side, why do they not come through? The Doctor has never been loved or admired by his countrymen, who consider him (with reason) a bit of an unhinged outlaw. Yet, he did save the entire race, so maybe there are some who trust him now. Maybe even enough to think The Doctor has a good reason for not bringing them back to the universe.

What I want to see now is a special or episode told entirely from Gallifrey’s point of view. This part of “The Time of the Doctor” doesn’t quite make sense, given what we’ve seen of The Time Lords previously. But it could under the right circumstances. It seems like too many leaps must be made to just take this for granted, so how about a story that fully explains things? Since Steven Moffat is good at tying up loose ends, this might be a possibility.

At the same time as “The Time of the Doctor” is a big tale, it’s also a deeply personal story. We see The Doctor as we’ve never seen him before – settled, and aging. This hour takes place over many hundreds of years, meaning that The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation that lasts at least a third, maybe more than half, of The Doctor’s total existence thus far. He’s gone from being depressed to happy, serving himself and serving everyone else, and this brings his growth around again.

The Eleventh Doctor must have companions. He lies to Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) and sends her away multiple times, but he has Handles and the people of the planet to ground him. He is someone who can get into his own head too much, but with much here to care about and protect, he resists that urge. He can be dark and deadly, but on Trenzalore, he only kills when necessary. And he has always been the old man in the young body. Now we see what he looks like at the end of his natural life.

Somehow, all of this is communicated without needing to lay it out explicitly. The Doctor’s emotional journey shines through in fits and starts, but there’s enough to allow the viewer to connect the dots. The writing is so sharp, we even care about Handles, a bodiless head that should be thought of as a machine or monster. All of this is done effortlessly, proving Moffat’s talent to anyone who still doubted him.

Equally skilled is Smith. He gets to run the gamut of emotion and experience in his final installment. He plays old and young, he plays brave and desperate, he plays friend and betrayer, he plays hero and the man who has given up. This is a tour de force performance, the kind that makes a career. To get this kind of material for his last hour, and to execute it so well, is incredible.

The regeneration feels different. This can be chalked up to the fact that The Doctor is receiving a whole new set of regenerations, rather than just making one change. In the past, The Doctor hasn’t used regenerative energy as a weapon, and his face changes in one moment, with the viewer witnessing the morph. It’s kind of neat that they do it different this time.

The very end of “The Time of the Doctor” is the perfect tie back to the beginning of The Eleventh’s story. He gets to return to his young form and eat fish sticks and custard. Then, he hallucinates Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), the companion he most closely connected with. Even though Amy spent a scant few years with this Doctor, who ended up living centuries, she is the first and (practically) last face he sees. She occupies a very special place in his heart, and her cameo seems very appropriate. All while giving The Eleventh a meta send-off sure to resonate for both the character and the actor.

I do wish a few more familiar faces were present, too, but in the end, this is about The Doctor, not about anyone else. As with other incarnations of The Doctor, individuals have frequently come and gone from his life. Others were not necessary, and so not included.

Tasha Lem is a fascinating addition. She’s clearly very powerful and very long-lived. She has the strength to resist her own death after the Daleks kill her and take over her body. She does the right thing for the greater good, even if it hurts someone she loves. And she’s perfectly cast. I definitely want to see more of her again, whether she’s part-Dalek or not. Much, much more.

Clara is the official companion in “The Time of the Doctor,” and though her tenure with The Doctor has been short so far, she steps up here. I haven’t really connected with her yet, but in this special, she’s bold and selfless, coming back to The Doctor repeatedly, even when he doesn’t deserve her forgiveness. She understands something important is happening with him, and is there for him when he needs her. Her actions deserve respect.

I do wonder if next fall’s season will resume on the same day, with Clara trying to explain The Doctor’s new appearance (Peter Capaldi, The Thick Of It) to her family, who just keep trying to have a nice Christmas dinner. That could be interesting! Though it’s doubtful this will happen.

The only thing that left me feeling dissatisfied was the fact that The Doctor’s name still has not been revealed. There has been so much build up, fans want resolution. If not handled perfectly, it could very well ruin the series, though, and perhaps that’s why the show shies away from it now. The fanfare around the word is so great that it seems unfair not to let The Doctor speak it. Will Moffat redeem himself for this next year?

And did we really need the village that The Doctor settles down in to be named Christmas, with a holiday theme? Just because this episode aired on December 25th, doesn’t mean that the connection to the date needs to be so blatant. On the other hand, it’s just the sort of weird place The Doctor would fall in love with, so this is a minor gripe, not a major one.

Throughout the war and the drama and all of the heavy stuff that makes up “The Time of the Doctor,” humor still shines through. Comedy is a vital element in Doctor Who, and it is present this week as much as in practically any other. From a drawn out nudity premise, to The Twelfth Doctor’s comments about the color of his kidneys, there are enough one-liners to make any viewer smile. This is appreciated in such an emotionally-draining special.

At the close, one is left with a supreme satisfaction. “The Time of the Doctor” gives us an emotionally fulfilling ending in a heck of a package. Until next time…

MR. STINK A Bit Too Stinky

Article first published as MR. STINK A Bit Too Stinky on TheTVKing.

PBS aired the British holiday special Mr. Stink this week, based on a children's book. Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) plays Mr. Stink, a smelly homeless tramp who is ignored or scorned by the neighborhood, other than his adorable dog, Duchess. Then, one day, a young girl named Chloe (Nell Tiger Free), who feels neglected by her busy family and is bullied at school so she has not friends, takes an interest in him, and soon everyone in England knows Mr. Stink's name.

First, let me say that Bonneville is a terrific actor. I've seen him in a few roles, and he never fails to impress. Mr. Stink is quite a bit different that other recent parts, and he definitely shows some range in the almost unrecognizable costume. He is easily the best part of the production, even if the character is not written in a way to make him particularly memorable.

Part of my problem with the titular Stink is that it's hard to tell exactly what he is. For awhile, one suspects he might be Santa in disguise, looking for kind-hearted children. This is supported by the fact that he has magical powers, albeit the kind a boy would make up, as he can waft stench into a physical punch.

But then, late in Mr. Stink, the plot actually explains away his background. We learn that Mr. Stink is a wealthy duke who lost his wife and home in a fire. Unable to cope, he begins wandering from place to place, no longer caring enough to keep himself clean. I guess his dog's name is supposed to be the clue about this. This doesn't really add up, though, even though we see that Chloe can freshen his appearance by showing him love again, and doesn't gel with the magic stuff at all.

Chloe is a well-past-realistic level of kind. She doesn't shy away in the slightest from Mr. Stink, although we know from everyone else's reactions that his odor is extremely powerful. She even hugs him at one point, burying her face in his coat. There is no way that any kid could stand to be that close and really ignore the foulness so easily unless she has no sense of smell, which is not a mentioned characteristic in the movie.

Mr. Stink is a heartwarming tale, but of a predictable, mediocre variety. The story of a girl who shows compassion to someone everyone else ignores, and in the process, finds the love of her family is a nice one, but it's one we've heard many times before.

What doesn't quite fit is the popularity Mr. Stink gains on television, even meeting the Prime Minister. It seems like a completely different message than Chloe's bits are working towards, combining two separate threads that do not satisfactorily weave together.

Not to mention, most of the characters in Mr. Stink are flat and cartoonish, and not in a clever or authentic manner. Chloe's mum (Sheridan Smith, Mrs Biggs) is an ultra-conservative politician who will make as many empty promises as she must to win an election. Chloe's dad (Johnny Vegas, Ideal) is a whipped, washed-up musician who hides his lack of job and handles the cooking and cleaning for the household. Then, they both easily change in the end, somehow finding their former, decent personalities again that they'd moved far away from. I wonder how much of this comes from the simple source material, and is just not well-executed for an hour-long program.

I want to like Mr. Stink, I really do, because I feel like a grinch to tear down a family-friendly holiday special. But its wholly forgettable and isn't likely to get much replay in future Christmas seasons. Oh, well.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Rocks the Halls Once More

Article first published as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Rocks the Halls Once More on TheTVKing.

Coming back to host another Christmas outing, the Jimmy Fallon-led installment of Saturday Night Live this past weekend is the best of the fall run. In fact, the whole show is on a bit of an upswing, at the good end of the cycle for a series that ebbs and flows over the years. Buoyed by a plethora of wonderful cameos, and joined by musical guest Justin Timberlake, who appeared in plenty of bits, as well, Fallon shows us what SNL should be.

It begins right off the bat with an opening that brings back Timberlake in a rapping (this time, wrapping) costume, with Jimmy and Aidy Bryant joining him. This isn't the only recurring sketch in the episode (Barry Gibbs himself shows up for Jimmy and Justin's "Barry Gibbs Talk Show"), and it's definitely a crowd pleaser.

There is some debate as to whether Saturday Night Live should rest on its laurels, reusing the same roles over and over again. However, the most memorable characters in the series have been ones who have returned many times. It's hard to come up with an hour and a half of new material every week, and as long as the performers and writers can do something new with the material, as they do for both of those follow ups this week, why not let them continue? They usually just build upon the past as a starting block, anyway.

A well-used surprise guest spot is always effective. Besides Gibbs, Paul McCartney pops in for the monologue, and Mayor Bloomberg and Madonna appear. I'm disappointed Chris Rock, seen in the closing, stays off stage, but overall, these are some big names that are not wasted, and that's appreciated.

Fallon is a veteran of SNL, which means he already knows what he's doing coming in (yes, losing it on stage counts as knowing what he's doing, as he did it back in the day, too). Hosts are not created equal, and sometimes it's hard to predict how a new one will act during the show. Going with Fallon, there's a known quantity that works, especially in the impressions department, and the episode plays to his strengths.

Timberlake has been a very frequent guest, and has hosted with success in his own right before. Combined with the already-wonderful chemistry he has with Fallon, he's a strong addition. From playing a Gibbs brother, to his spot-on mocking of Jimmy himself in the all-around funny Celebrity Family Feud bit, which has several hilarious moments, Timberlake adds much to the proceedings.

One of the most memorable sketches of the night, though, barely involves Jimmy or any other person who is not a regular cast member. The girls in the cast, including Bryant, Cecily Strong, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Nasim Pedrad, and Noel Wells, make a music video about having sex in their childhood bedroom. The tune is catchy, the lyrics are smart, and these women can carry a tune. It reminds me both of the highly successful Digital Shorts SNL used to have and the strong female ensemble during the time of Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Tina Fey. Might we poised for a second coming?

There actually was not a single dud in the whole installment. A couple of scenes were weaker than others, but still would have been great on any other week, when the bar wasn't set quite so high. After a couple of years of much mediocrity, it's great to see SNL get things together again, whether it lasts through the winter and spring or not.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET, returning in mid-January to NBC.

GLEE Should Have Skipped Christmas

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - 'Previously Unaired Christmas' on Blogcritics.

Seven episodes into season five, Glee is still telling a story set last spring, which makes it difficult to do a Christmas episode. The solution? Have Sue (Jane Lynch) record an introduction in which she says the latest installment, “Previously Unaired Christmas,” was the first holiday special made last year, but considered “too controversial” to air (while putting coal in stockings for Lynch’s award-show competition). Now, though, it’s been edited so it can finally be broadcast.

This does adequately explain how there was still a Christmas special last year and another this year set at roughly the same time. But it also takes us out of the story and reminds us that Glee is just a television show. It would be one thing for a variety series to this; it’s quite another when a serial dramedy does so, interrupting flow and feeling very fake.

Yes, Sue’s statement is a total lie, “Previously Unaired Christmas” being freshly filmed only months ago. The most obvious tell is that Heather Morris and Cory Monteith do not appear as Brittany and Finn, respectively, the former actress no longer being on the show, and the latter having passed away. Their unmentioned absences make the premise impossible to accept. Add a very staged way to get Santana (Naya Rivera) in the New York scenes, as her character had not moved there yet, and no mention of Brody (Dean Geyer), whom Rachel (Lea Michele) is serious with at this point of the story, and it just doesn’t hold up.

Now, Glee has always been a little bit cheesy, and some might say that’s part of its charm. The tongue-in-cheek reference when Rachel tells Santana she should drop out of college and come live with them is a fun little poke. And the matter of having religious displays at a public school is brought up and dropped, acknowledging that ridiculousness of the premise, kind of works. But Glee can do better than this, and it leaves one with a sour taste after viewing.

The story begins in New York when Santana brings gifts for Rachel and Kurt (Chris Colfer). She stays a few days in their apartment, and the three get temp jobs working as elves at the mall for an alcoholic Santa. Santana ends up filling in for the red suit, which is both antastic and a terrible idea. They try to salvage the situation with the help of a new “friend” (Bryce Johnson, Popular, Pretty Little Liars), but he just gets them drunk and robs them, leaving Kurt in a naughty, pretty wrong state.

The songs in this thread are good, if thin. “Here Comes Santa Claus” is a pretty straight-forward take, and “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” is mostly lip-synched, but at least the staging for both is fun. It’s less thrilling that this trio sings “Away in a Manger” with the McKinley crew, a trope that is already feeling tired, but overall, the NYC plot is enjoyable fluff.

In Ohio, the New Directions compete for the best Christmas tree in the school and to participate in a living nativity scene. The former of those stories just gives the show an excuse to tug the heart strings, as driven winner Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) finds compassion and hands over the prize to poor Becky (Lauren Potter), who really wanted to win but didn’t understand the assignment of a “green” tree. This also gives us a tame “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The latter is where the offensiveness that Sue referenced at the start finally becomes apparent.

See, Unique (Alex Newell), Marley (Melissa Benoist), and Tina all want to play the Virgin Mary. That’s weird, because they choose to audition with a mostly-out-of-character, scandalous, vaguely Jamaican rendition of “Mary’s Boy Child.” Marley wins, but she realizes Kitty (Becca Tobin) holds the role in high regard, and so the girls get even worse with “Love Child,” a hilarious and very wrong number, to force Kitty to step in and save the day.

As far as making one feel the Christmas spirit, “Previously Unaired Christmas” does that in the most basic sense, with the annual softening of Sue and the generous acts by others. But the quality of the musical numbers is definitely down, and the tale feels unnecessary and not quite in keeping with continuity. As such, perhaps it would have been better for Glee to take a year off, as much as the format of the series lends itself to holiday cheer more than most shows on TV.

Glee will return February 25th on FOX.

Blu-ray Review: 'Doctor Who: The Snowmen'

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Doctor Who: The Snowmen' on Blogcritics.

This year’s Doctor Who Christmas special was called The Snowmen, and is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Set in Victorian England, the Doctor (Matt Smith) matches wits with the Great Intelligence, who is trying to use smart snow and ice to take over the world. Luckily, our hero has some help in the form of a very familiar face.

Normally, Doctor Who Christmas specials are nice, sweet, fluff pieces, not adding to major story arcs, just standing alone as a heart-warming story. The Snowmen chooses a different tack, picking up where “The Angels Take Manhattan,” the last regular episode that aired prior to this special, left off, and ties together plot threads, both old and new, adding to the series’ major arcs.

As the hour begins, the Doctor is moping, dressed as Scrooge, around the streets of Victorian England. His outlandish personality has swung to a negative light, making his depression a deep one, indeed, robbed of any want to help others. This is a sad Doctor, an isolated Doctor, who isn’t what the Doctor is supposed to be.

More than other recent actors, Smith lends an unstable and cartoonish quality to the role. While one may have a hard time imagining Tennant scouring the alleys quite so grumpily, it holds true to what Smith has built into the character. Amy always told him that he shouldn’t be alone, and now we get a small taste of what he is like when he is, cold and uncaring, apart from the world, literally, as he lives in the TARDIS atop a cloud. Yet, he has chosen Earth to brood on, which means he can’t possibly want to be alone as much as he claims to.

Not that the Doctor is completely left to himself. His travels have earned him some loyalties, and he is protected by some familiar faces – Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), her wife, Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey). This is an interesting trio, and it’s not quite clear why they’re the ones who have taken up this mission. But it’s nice to see that the Doctor can’t just hide away. He has made some friends who are going to make sure that he’s OK. And they aren’t the only ones.

The Snowmen also introduces the Doctor’s new companion, Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman, Emmerdale). At first, one may be confused as to why Coleman is playing the part, as she recently guest starred as Oswin earlier this series in “Asylum of the Daleks.” That person could be forgiven for thinking she is someone new, since this would not be the first time an actress appeared in a one-shot before coming back to play a different, more central character, though I can’t recall it happening quite so quickly before. But as The Snowmen unfolds, it is pretty obvious, based on personality and dialogue, that Clara is Oswin, a fact confirmed late in the adventure.

As for more of the mystery of who Clara is and what she is doing in this time and place, I’ll leave that to later episodes. Suffice it to say, Clara’s mystery is only just beginning in The Snowmen, even after some very big, startling revelations.

Clara is a very interesting companion. Just the fact that she has a different perspective from everyone else, declaring the TARDIS “smaller on the outside,” rather than “bigger on the inside,” as is what other people say, proves that she has something new to bring to the table. Coleman doesn’t grab me immediately, but the character is well written with more than enough to hook the view.

Aside from all the fantastic big picture stuff, which plays more to the continuing tale of Doctor Who, The Snowmen is still a cool story in of itself. With Ian McKellen (The Hobbit, X-Men) lending his voice to the Great Intelligence, the villain is impressive. There are enough twists to keep us on our toes, the snowmen themselves are terrifying, and there’s a family at risk at the center of it, the sympathetic heart that a Christmas special needs. And The Snowmen is actually a prequel story to an old-school Doctor Who serial from the original run, in which the Great Intelligence attacks through the London Underground. So we get to see something that references a story many modern Who fans may not be familiar with.

There are a ton of fun moments, from the Doctor doing a poor Sherlock Holmes impression, to Strax’s encounter with a memory worm, to Clara continuously ignoring the Doctor’s instructions. Even in an hour that’s so dark, Doctor Who finds ways to keep its trademark humor.

Plus, the new TARDIS is stunning! It’s a little confusing that the Doctor would switch designs mid-incarnation, however, given all that he’s been through, I think a fresh start isn’t out of the question. This new set will definitely help to convey that. I greatly appreciate that the series gives us a moment to admire it, rather than just glimpsing it while in use.

The picture quality on The Snowmen is middling. Part of this is because the special effects are so-so. There are some really great bits to praise, such as the opening title sequence, with snowflakes falling over Old London. But the streets and costumes have that slightly-cheesy fake look that is a hallmark of the series. Combined with the particular hyper-real image quality often found in British HD shows, this release looks fantastic for a television broadcast, but certainly doesn’t come across nearly as sharp as most big-budget theatrical films.

That being said, colors are rich and blacks and bold and layered. The details, both visual and auditory, and well defined. The soundtrack is very well mixed, and with 5.1 DTS surround, viewers will enjoy every bit of the score, every tiny sound effect, and the crisp dialogue. Overall, the look is extremely smooth and professional, especially when compared to other British series.

The special features are disappointingly sparse. The Children In Need Special, entitled “The Great Detective,” is the best inclusion, but it’s very short. “Vastra Investigates” is another three minute prequel. But the behind-the-scenes featurette, “Clara’s White Christmas,” is equally brief, and there is nothing else included. This may be a single special release, but fans deserve a few more bonus features than what’s included here, especially given how full most Doctor Who releases are.

Doctor Who: The Snowmen is available now.

TV Neglects Independence Day

Article first published as TV Neglects Independence Day on Blogcritics.

Think of all of the best television holiday specials of your favorite shows. Christmas will spring to mind, for sure, as will Christmas and Halloween. Possibly, a little Valentine’s Day thrown in for good measure. But who celebrates the 4th of July?

Despite being a major national holiday, the 4th of July falls in the summer months, when network television is taking a break, and so is rarely, if ever, covered on scripted television. True, series in the United States don’t actually air fresh episodes on Christmas or New Year’s, either, but they get close enough to make it work. Besides a few weirdos like this past season of Community, though, most of television tends to keep the action in the appropriate season that the story airs.

Why? A year doesn’t equal a year in many series, and Christmas episodes get the rerun treatment all year ’round. Why is 4th of July so off limits? It’s a celebration of our nation’s birth, and deserves recognition along with the others.

Next year, broadcast television is making inroads into the warm months by airing new episodes of Glee and 24 past the end of May. Combined with the growing popularity of summer cable shows, there is plenty of opportunity to celebrate our country’s independence. Here are some possible ideas on what could be done. Television writers, feel free to run with them, royalty free. Readers, feel free to toss in your own ideas in the comments below.

24 – Jack Bauer is an American hero fighting the terrorists who seek to harm America. What better day for the bad guys to strike to ruin our spirit and morale than the 4th of July? Perhaps next season, which will unfold over the course of a day, could be set on July 4th. Jack is being honored for his deeds, which have come to light after a media hacking scandal, but the party is cut short when a bomb is found on the Washington Mall. And then bio weapons are released in the Capital. And then a mole is found inside CTU. And then the president’s daughter is kidnapped. And then…

Community – In the January season premiere, Greendale is invaded by City College and conquered in an episode set in June, shortly after most of the students (save all of our favorite starring and recurring players) have left town. Then, in February sweeps, it’s the 4th of July, and the study group leads the fight for independence. The Dean dresses as Rosie the Riveter to support the suppliers, and Chang goes undercover as a spy for both sides. In the end, though, it’s Jeff’s big speech that saves the day, evoking much swooning from Nurse Annie.

The Daily Show / The Colbert Report – Have the week off.

Falling Skies – Aliens are attacking on July 4th, which coincidentally is also the New United States’ birthday, honoring the formation of an official rebel army. President Tom Mason tries to enjoy the day with his family, but not only can’t sit still when the perimeter is breached, but leads the attack personally, in which one of his sons is injured, but survives. A couple of supporting characters are killed, then laid to rest in a public funeral, complete with a new style of American flag.

Glee – The New Directions have won Nationals and come home to celebrate with a patriotic theme. Alumni return, mashing up the traditional tunes with modern pop. For some reason, the cast is still hanging out in the school building. Unfortunately, Sue, fed up with our government and authority in general, joins the Tea Party and tries to bring her own values to McKinley, unless they kids warm her heart with some Woodie Guthrie.

The Newsroom – Tired of the way the political parties are bickering and causing strife, Will broadcasts an emotionally moving monologue that laments the way things used to be and encourages everyone to get back into the patriotic spirit. Leona is furious because Will slams a couple of major sponsors during his tirade, the Republicans are furious because he trivializes their positions, and the Democrats are furious because he isn’t hard enough on the Republicans. Sloan is asked in an interview about the treatment of Asian Americans during World War II, and when she complains it hasn’t gotten much better, there’s serious blow back that could cost her her job. Jim and Maggie slip away and have a romantic time watching the fireworks on the roof, until Don shows up and ruins the mood.

True Blood – Arlene and Terry take the kids to a 4th of July parade, and Terry notices something strange that he doesn’t mention to anyone. And that’s the only part of the hour that even vaguely touches on the holiday, as the rest of the episode is spent on the season’s eight large arcs, spread out among the thirty main characters.

Doctor Who isn't afraid of "The Snowmen"

On Christmas Day, the BBC (and BBC America) released the latest Doctor Who holiday special, "The Snowmen." Set in Victorian England, the Doctor (Matt Smith) matches wits with the Great Intelligence, who is trying to use smart snow and ice to take over the world. Luckily, our hero has some help in the form of a very familiar voice who should not be there.

Normally, Doctor Who Christmas specials are nice, sweet, fluff pieces, not adding to major story arcs, just standing alone as a heart-warming story. "The Snowmen" chooses a different tack, picking up where "The Angels Take Manhattan" left off, and tying together plot threads, both old and new, to add to the series' major arcs.

As the hour begins, the Doctor is moping, dressed as Scrooge, around the streets of Victorian England. His outlandish personality has swung to a negative light, making his depression a deep one, indeed, robbed of any want to help others. This is a sad Doctor, an isolated Doctor, who isn't what the Doctor is supposed to be.

More than other recent actors, Smith lends an unstable and cartoonish quality to the role. While one may have a hard time imagining Tennant scouring the alleys quite so grumpily, it holds true to what Smith has built into the character. Amy always told him that he shouldn't be alone, and now we get a small taste of what he is like when he is, cold and uncaring, apart from the world, literally, as he lives in the TARDIS atop a cloud.

Yet, he has chosen Earth to brood on, which means he can't possibly want to be alone as much as he claims to.


Not that the Doctor is completely left to himself. His travels have earned him some loyalties, and he is protected by some familiar faces - Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), her wife, Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey). This is an interesting trio, and it's not quite clear why they're the ones who have taken up this mission. But it's nice to see that the Doctor can't just hide away. He has made some friends who are going to make sure that he's OK. And they aren't the only ones.

"The Snowmen" introduces the Doctor's new companion, Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman, Emmerdale). At first, one may be confused as to why Coleman is playing the part, as she recently guest starred as Oswin earlier this series in "Asylum of the Daleks." That person could be forgiven for thinking she is someone new, since this would not be the first time an actress appeared in a one-shot before coming back to play a different, more central character, though I can't recall it happening quite so quickly before. But as "The Snowmen" unfolds, it is pretty obvious, based on personality and dialogue, that Clara is Oswin, a fact confirmed late in the adventure.

This revelation is confusing, but then, River Song (Alex Kingston) is introduced at the time of her death first, and we see her many times prior to that, so now the thinking turns to this being an earlier version of Oswin. Viewers and the Doctor alike assume Clara will easily survive any dangers in "The Snowmen" because she eventually must crash on the Dalek prison planet and encounter the Doctor again.

The explanation as to why the Doctor doesn't recognize her immediately should be obvious, but I don't feel it is, until the dialogue points out that the Doctor only heard Oswin in "Asylum of the Daleks;" he never saw her. It's easy to overlook that fact, since we, the viewers, saw her so much in the episode, which resulted in her sad fate.


And then Clara dies. Again.

This is where "The Snowmen" jumps from good episode to great episode. It's such an unexpected twist, which packs a heck of a wallop, that it catches everyone off guard. The Doctor's assertions that she died twice, so he must go look for her, because she has to still be out there somewhere seem insane, and yet, fans will know that he is right. There are few clues to what exactly Clara is, or what is happening to her, but it's the set up for an enticing new adventure.

Personally, I feel like Clara could be an earlier incarnation of River. She calls the Doctor clever boy, something River does, and kisses him. The problem is, we know that the Kingston incarnation of River is the one that marries the Doctor, and she is the last body River will have. So it doesn't make sense for Clara to exist as another version of her.

Another clue is that Clara knows "pond" will be a word that catches the Doctor's attention. While she doesn't seem to have all the memories of her previous encounter with him, she definitely knows things about the Doctor, even if it's subconsciously. The Doctor doesn't believe in coincidences, and neither do the writers of this show, so that has to mean something.

Might River have somehow have escaped the library computer? Or could her love be so strong that something else is afoot? Maybe the Doctor is right, and the universe owes him one? It's all very confusing, but like the best of Doctor Who, it will most likely work itself out in a surprising and exciting way.

Should Clara prove NOT to be River, she better get her stinkin' lips off of the Doctor! He is spoken for!

Either way, though, Clara will be an interesting companion. Just the fact that she has a different perspective from everyone else, declaring the TARDIS "smaller on the outside," rather than "bigger on the inside," as is what other people say, proves that she has something new to bring to the table. Coleman hasn't grabbed me immediately, but given the way the character has been set up, there is little doubt she will leave her mark as a very memorable companion.

This Clara story will likely be a major part of the rest of series seven, but something that has been teased for awhile is the question "Doctor Who?" It's an innocent query in earlier episodes, becoming more common and important during Smith's tenure. "The Snowman" uses the joke often enough that is ceases to be just a laugh. This is obviously part of a bigger trend that will come to a head, and in case anyone missed it before, this special, with its frequent repetition, leaves no doubt that one should notice the question.


Aside from all this fantastic big picture stuff, "The Snowmen" is still a cool story in of itself. With Ian McKellen (The Hobbit, X-Men) lending his voice to the Great Intelligence, the villain is impressive. There are enough twists to keep us on our toes, the snowmen themselves are terrifying, and there's a family at risk at the center of it, the sympathetic heart that a Christmas special needs.

There are a ton of fun moments, from the Doctor doing a poor Sherlock Holmes impression, to Strax's encounter with a memory worm, to Clara continuously ignoring the Doctor's instructions. Even in an hour that's so dark, Doctor Who finds ways to keep its trademark humor.

Plus, the new TARDIS is stunning! It's a little confusing that the Doctor would switch designs mid-incarnation, however, given all that he's been through, I think a fresh start isn't out of the question. This new set will definitely help to convey that. I greatly appreciate that the series gives us a moment to admire it, rather than just glimpsing it while in use.

One thing some fans may have missed is that Clara works at a pub called "Rose and the Crown." During the Bad Wolf arc of the Doctor Who reboot, Rose and the Doctor meet Queen Victoria in 19th century England. This has to be connected to that.

"The Snowmen" is actually a prequel story to an old-school Doctor Who serial from the original run, in which the Great Intelligence attacks through the London Underground. So we get to see something that references a story many modern Who fans may not be familiar with. If the writers are lucky, this could open the door to new fans picking up the old serials.

Or it may just be the first of the many callbacks that will surely be referenced in the upcoming 50th Anniversary year.

All of which makes "The Snowmen" my favorite Doctor Who Christmas special thus far. Stellar job. Now I cannot wait for series seven to resume in the spring, a glimpse of the coming plot making anticipation soar so much higher than it already has, a considerable feat.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as TV Review: Doctor Who - "The Snowmen" on Blogcritics.

Glee, Actually not that great an episode

Doing five separate vignettes that come together at the end, reminiscent of Love, Actually, is a solid idea for an hour-long television Christmas episode. Sadly, Glee's attempt, "Glee, Actually," falls short, not just because of the lack of a serious romance (other than for our favorite gays, on which we don't get any real movement anyway), but because things don't tie together in the end. Not that "Glee, Actually," is a bad episode; it just doesn't fulfill the mission statement given for the hour.

The first section goes to Artie (Kevin McHale). In what has pretty much become a Christmas tradition, Artie wishes he could walk. I don't know why this comes up mainly around the holidays, but once more, it does. So what we get is a dream sequence in which Artie has always had the use of his legs.

I could spend much time picking apart the plot in this part of episode, especially concerning the status of certain other characters, but there's no point, because the entire thing happens in Artie's head. This isn't what life would really been like had Artie not been in a wheelchair; it's what Artie imagines it might be like. Of course, he is more important in his fictional version of the world than he is in reality, and his friends stay close by, instead of moving on with their lives.

Stylistically, it works pretty well. A segment called "Feliz Navidad" is a fun, if not overly exciting, piece, and the black and white It's A Wonderful Life play looks good. Artie is still a somewhat annoying character, but the echoes of previous seasons, like Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) stuttering again and Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) popping in, make it worth it. I love, love, love that Rory (Damian McGinty) is Artie's guide, and wish that he would return to the series. Overall, I would rank the quality of this sequence right in the middle of the five presented.

Moving on, Burt (Mike O'Malley) pays a surprise visit to Kurt (Chris Colfer) in New York. At first, it just seems like a nice gift for his son, but Burt's real motives are soon revealed; he has cancer. He thinks it's been caught early, and he'll be fine, but given the sappiness of the plot, and Burt's past medical ailments, "Glee, Actually" kind of feels like a goodbye for the character. Not that he dies during the hour; that would ruin Christmas. But it would not be surprising if this plays out tragically in the near future.

Not only does Burt bring along his fun family traditions, but he also invites Blaine (Darren Criss) to join him. It seems that Burt, like most Glee fans, know that the two boys are meant to be together. He happily watches while they ice skate and sing "White Christmas," providing a sweet winter portrait, and hope for the kids' future after he's gone. One gets the impression that Burt's passing, and Blaine caring for him in the end, might actually be what pulls Kurt pack into Blaine's arms. Though this remains to be seen.

Next come the two weakest parts of the episode. Don't get me wrong; I am glad that Jake (Jacob Artist) and Noah (Mark Salling) have found real brothers in each other, even if the elder Puck looks every bit the actor's 30 years, spoiling the close-in-age factor. The Breaksticks scene with their mothers (Hung's Gina Hecht and Aisha Tyler from Archer, Friends, 24, etc.) is satisfying, and the siblings perform "Oh Chanukah" from my favorite band, the Barenaked Ladies.  Yet, the entire thing still leaves a little something to be desired, possibly because Salling's acting is only so-so, more glaringly obvious now that he is placed side by side with Artist.

Then we get Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Brittany (Heather Morris) getting married because they think the world is going to end, per the Mayan calendar. Not only are we supposed to believe that these bimbos are already this much in love, but that they both fully think life is about to cease as we know it. And Sam chooses to celebrate that end with "Jingle Bell Rock." Very cheesy.

Thankfully, Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) intervenes and saves them from a legally binding union, thought not from days of teenage sex that they clearly have. This point actually isn't too bad, since Sam is a former stripper, and Brittany is named the school slut early in the show's run. But their arc stretches believability far too much, and should we suspend reality enough to buy them together, the two will still never be able to function in society, whether living in the TV universe or not. It just goes beyond the realm of what most people can accept. Things between the couple need to end right away, and Brittany can go back to being protected by a loving Santana (Naya Rivera). Until then, I'm glad that Beiste has her back.

Finally, there's Sue (Jane Lynch) playing Santa Claus once more, this time to Marley (Melissa Benoist) and her mother, Millie (Trisha Rae Stahl). The Roses are quickly becoming favorite characters, and deserving of any help that they are given. Marley's sweet rendition of "The First Noël" for her mother is emotionally moving, for viewers and for the cheerleading coach.
It may be expected for Sue's heart to melt in late December, as this is far from a first-time occurrence, but it's nice to see Marley and Millie be on the receiving end this year, benefiting from the thaw. Predictable story, yes, but done well enough to avoid feeling old and done to death.

The ending, with Marley getting some of her glee club friends to perform "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for Sue, is mixed with characters at Breadsticks and in New York, which is supposed to be the unifying piece of "Glee, Actually." Aside from the weirdness of Blaine singing at the dinner table while being ignored by Kurt and Burt, it comes across pretty well as a stand-alone number. It just doesn't necessarily feel like a culmination of the different stories, but instead, a fairly standard number that could have been placed anywhere within the hour. Or in any other episode, for that matter.

The good news is, if "Glee, Actually" is as low as season four of Glee is destined to fall, this could still be the best season of the show since the first one. The bad news is, the weaknesses of this episode are also parts of larger arcs, which are taking this year's stories in unwelcome directions.

Should you decide to buy the soundtrack for this episode, Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3, you will get four additional tracks not included in the television program. I have no idea what they are for, if there is story behind them, or if they are just randomly recorded.

Glee will return in 2013, airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as TV Review: Glee - "Glee, Actually" on Blogcritics.

Christmas Episodes

 With Christmas upon us, everyone's thoughts turn towards the holiday. It's hard even for those not celebrating Christmas to be immune to the season, with stores bustling, selling huge amounts of merchandise, and decked out with various festive decorations.

This extends to our favorite television programs, with a great many of them, especially on the broadcast networks, going for a Christmas-themed episode. Hollywood may be full of Jews, but even (some) Jewish characters put up a tree these days. Or maybe not just these days, since the very Jewish Irving Berlin wrote the classic song "White Christmas."

There are a lot of ways to do a Christmas episode, though some have become cliche. Here are some of the most obvious scenarios, and if you're writing for a television show, please try not to do them any more. Unless you have a new, fresh twist on an old idea. Which, admittedly, maybe be hard to judge when writing it.

Movie Tributes
These come in quite a few different forms. Some are parodies, others copy the film's story, and some barely touch on more than a couple of themes. Often, episode titles make the connection obvious.

The most commonly used one, of course, is It's a Wonderful Life, in which a character falls into a coma or has a dream, and imagines what life would be like were a different choice made, or circumstances varied. Glee did it this year, albeit for only one act. But many, many other series have done it in the past.

It's a nice idea, getting to see familiar characters in a different light, acting ways they normally would not. And yet, it has been done to death. Some shows have tried moving this bit away from Christmas, but is still obvious what is being done. Unless there is a good reason, plot-wise, to show this, or one hundred percent effort is put into making it the best it can be for pretty much the entire length of the installment enough is enough.

A close second is A Christmas Carol, in which a grumpy puss decides to be nice. Everyone hates a Scrooge, but they love a tale of redemption. The change won't last, of course, so it's merely comfort food, rather than serious development. The story is classic for a reason, and these episodes do resonate with us. But they've been done. Move on.

Magic Endings
How many times have you been watching a holiday episode when the plot takes the characters to a dire place? Maybe their gifts have been stolen, maybe someone is missing, or maybe there's just a grinch in their midst who is ruining everyone else's good time. Whatever the setup, things are bad, and the characters cannot do anything to help themselves or others.

And then Santa Claus, or a man who looks very much like our stereotypical portrait of the jolly old elf, swoops in and saves the day. There is a happy ending, but not one that really makes sense to the story, or even has been hinted at all prior til that moment. He'll bring the presents or warm a heart, and basically make everything better. It's the Christmas version of dues-ex-machina.

This trope sucks because it's weak storytelling. Can our favorite characters not solve things themselves? Do they really need some supernatural being to fix their problems for them? If it's a sci-fi/fantasy genre series, and people with abnormal powers already exist in the universe, it almost sort of works. But most of the time, Santa pops up in sitcoms, not among the superheroes.

Yes, I admit, being grouchy about Santa is a humbug thing to be. It feels cruel to pick on this device too much. However, I know there are plenty of television writers out there who can come up with something original and brilliant, so the dissatisfaction is merely disappointment at an easy out, rather than a condemnation of the season.

Family Gatherings
For some reason, families on television are always dysfunctional. Although many viewers enjoy warm exchanges with beloved relations, that premise doesn't make for interesting television, so drama is tossed into the mix,  arguments ensue and lead to huge, blown-up exchanges, until a central character finds a way to bring everyone back together for a peaceful meal in the end. Unless it's funnier not to.

This one, I am not going to pick on too much. I prefer seeing parents and siblings to friends hanging out during the holidays because it seems more realistic. Some people don't see their families all that much outside of these special occasions, and so it makes sense for family, not friends, to be the holiday focus.

I just wish, however, there would be more lead-up to the family gatherings. Can't they spend at least one episode talking about, or preparing for, the celebration before the actual episode? Family Christmases are a marathon, not a sprint. They deserve more than 20 minutes.

Friend Gatherings
When families are not available, or travel is prohibitive, so all the main series characters find a way to celebrate together, even though they are not related. I'm sure this does happen sometimes in real life. And yet, it's far from the norm, which you would not get if your total understanding of the holiday experience stems from television.

Now there are exceptions to the rule. If the characters are working in a hospital, for instance, they may not be able to get Christmas off. Should they find the time to gather at work or late at night, that actually works pretty well, and can be sweet. But it is easy to forget the times this device works because of all the times it doesn't.

Normal Episodes That Just Happen to Take Place at Christmas
I am a fan of these, mostly because they keep the momentum of the show going. A lot of serial shows might ditch their larger arcs in favor of a one-off Christmas celebration, but those that don't do themselves a favor. Life doesn't stop from late November through early January. Nor should the stories of these characters.


Of course, we could go into what makes a brilliant Christmas special, as some shows have achieved (Community!), but that could be a topic for a whole other column. Plenty of series deliver good Christmas episodes, even among the others that fail.

Here's the dirty little secret though, that the television industry totally gets: we don't care if Christmas episodes are bad. Make them schmaltzy, ridiculous, and over the top. We're so occupied with our own good will and holiday feelings, that we'll overlook a weak script, or maybe even praise it because it piles on what we're already feeling.

This means that no matter what fans of good television everywhere think, the trend won't stop anytime soon. Even few critics care to complain, falling victim to the same good will as everyone else. I can sit at my computer today and pick things apart to my heart's content, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to smile and watch more of this same stuff later today, enjoying every minute of it. Thank goodness, in the name of quality, that Christmas only comes once a year.

And also, thank goodness that there is a time of year where we can embrace pure, unadulterated happiness, and forget to be so cynical. That's why the Christmas episodes work, because they remind us of that childhood joy, before we had the stress and wisdom of age. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, and this is never truer than at Christmas. Should we complain about the simple-mindedness of such special, or rejoice that they take us back to innocent experience of being a kid? Obviously, most people think that latter, and who am I to argue?

So I wish you and yours plenty of cheer, and will join you in continuing to watch these Christmas episodes. Why not? It's called finding the holiday spirit. Otherwise, you're just a grinch, and no one likes a grinch.


Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as Christmas episodes on Blogcritics.

The Big Bang Theory: Naughty or nice?

CBS's The Big Bang Theory has gotten away a bit from its roots of four guys sitting around, being nerdy, dreaming about girls they could never have. Six seasons in, one is married, two are in serious relationships, and the fourth is feeling more and more isolated and lonely.

This week's episode, "The Santa Simulation," brings a reminder of the old, but without forgetting the new. Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Howard (Simon Helberg), and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) plan a Dungeons & Dragons night, much to the disappointment of their lady friends. It's a little sad, because everyone needs their own outlets, and couples don't have to spend every evening glued at the hip. However, since we do see the guys together a lot, just not geeking out quite this much anymore, it doesn't feel as cruel as it might that the girls object to being left out.

To get even, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), and Amy (Mayim Bialik) get dolled up (or, rather, two of them do), parade in front of their men, and then head out to a bar to get drinks. No one is going to cheat on anyone, but they will be eye candy, not for their boyfriends and husband, but for strange dudes. If their guys won't pay attention to them, they'll get it somewhere else. Or at least, that's what they'll let the boys think is happening.

It's a testament to how much the characters have grown that Leonard and Howard don't jump off the couch and following Bernadette and Penny to the bar in "The Santa Simulation." Earlier in the series, the chance at being with a girl would prompt them to give up just about anything. This isn't the type of personality that can really exist for long in a loving, adult relationship, so while the men appreciate the looks and charms of their female companions, they are no longer owned by then. At least, not all of the time.

Does this hurt the premise of the series, which began with Leonard and friends ogling the neighbor? Not really. People do grow, change, and mature over time. The affection among friends has remained strong, geek cred is still high, and six years in, The Big Bang Theory is still pretty much just as consistently funny as ever.

For instance, Raj quickly looses the game, and so joins the girls. He stupidly tells Penny and Bernadette about his previous crushes on them, but refuses to even pretend he was ever interested in Amy, no matter how much the other women try to drive home that he should, because he hurts Amy's feelings. It's an amusing scene, and Bialik sells the ending of what could almost have been a stand-alone sketch.

Back in the apartment, Leonard puts a Christmas twist on their play, which evokes emotional history of Sheldon's young life. It's a fascinating, new glimpse at the most popular character, revealing a little more about what makes him who he is, and dwelling on it no more than it deserves to be dwelled on. It's poignant and humorous, a good blend. Sheldon's strategy in the episode is not unpredictable, but entertaining, and his dream sequence at the end stays just shy of going too hokey.

Stuart (Kevin Sussman) also joins in game night. He's still not a full member of the group, but after being upgraded to main character this season, he's been appearing more and more. Interestingly, he doesn't feel forced into "The Santa Simulation," but neither does he add much to it. The character works best in small subplots with Raj, and yet blends well enough with everyone else that he doesn't detract from the whole. What remains to be seen is whether the writers can find his perfect niche to make him soar, not just melt into the scenery, and headline his own story. Otherwise, he may not be long for the cast, as unfortunate as that may be. It's happened before (see: Sara Gilbert's Leslie Winkle).

In all, "The Santa Simulation" is not a spectacularly memorable holiday event, but a fine standard episode of a great series. The Big Bang Theory will return Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET to CBS in January.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on TheTVKing

Doctor Who's latest Christmas special on Blu-ray and DVD

Christmas specials are an honored tradition in the rebooted Doctor Who franchise, and the holiday season of 2011 was no exception. Now, on Valentine's Day, comes the DVD and Blu-ray debut of that episode, "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe."

The special starts with the good Doctor (Matt Smith) fumbling around in 1938. A kindly woman named Madge (Claire Skinner, Outnumbered) helps him out. Three years later, the Doctor returns to repay that kindness.

In 1941, Madge receives word that her husband, Reg (Alexander Armstrong, The Sarah Jane Adventures), has gone missing in the war. Fearing the worst, she keeps the news from her children, Lily (Holly Earl, Casualty) and Cyril (Maurice Cole), as they travel to a relative's house, outside of threatened London, for Christmas.

The house that they stay in has a strange and very festive caretaker, who is actually, though unrecognized by them, the Doctor. Cyril goes into a glowing Christmas present, and the Doctor and Lily follow him. The trio are in a snow covered world inhabited by wooden creatures. These beings wish to escape their world, but deem the visitors too weak to help them.

In the meantime, Madge goes after her missing kids, and learns that this alien planet is about be pulverized by a mining company. She finds her children and rescues them and the wooden race. But to escape, she must think of memories of home, including the bad news about Reg, which the kids witness through her. Luckily, when they do return home, Reg is there, too, safe and sound! The Doctor leaves them their happy Christmas, and makes a visit to loved ones of his own, Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill).

Honestly, the story in "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" is a little hokey. Many of the performers hired to join this adventure have comedic backgrounds, and while Doctor Who does often incorporate humor, that is not the focus of the show. Also, there are a few things, plot-wise, that don't quite add up, and the villains don't build that much suspense.

However, those things are minor, and pale in comparison to the joy that this special brings. It is stuffed to the gills with Christmas cheer. The Doctor has always exhibited a fondness for the December holiday, and it's readily apparent that this emotion is firmly in place here. His enthusiasm is infectious, and the adventure has a magical quality often associated with this time of year. The spirit and the tone are such that the episode seems to rise above the sum of its parts, and is thoroughly enjoyable.

One reason for this is the childlike wonder present. The Doctor goes off with the kids, not with the mom, and he fits right in, personality-wise. The adventure isn't too dangerous, and safety and happy endings are almost guaranteed right from the beginning, a strength in this kind of story, rather than a weakness. The special effects and sets add to this feel-good tone, and what is left is something that tastes very good going down.
There are references to other works in this special. The most obvious, of course, is C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, from which the episode title takes its name. Both involve children traveling through portals onto winter worlds. However, Doctor Who does not get overly religious, and the focus is certainly not preachy.

There's also the joy fans of Doctor Who will get in seeing Amy and Rory again. For them, it has been two years since the Doctor faked his death and left them, though those episodes aired only a few months ago in reality. Thus, it answers the question of, will their characters ever know the truth about the Doctor's fate? It's a heartwarming reunion many will be glad to see.

The extras are quite nice, actually taking up much more time on the disc than the special itself. A prequel to the special shows just how the Doctor ends up where Madge finds him. It's short and sweet. Plus, included are three "The Best of Doctor Who" specials that aired recently: "The Best of the Doctor," "The Best of the Companions," and "The Best of the Monsters." None are particularly impressive, but will satisfy those just wishing to relive Doctor Who moments. Plus, since each is almost as long as "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" itself, it makes the price a little easier to swallow.

Also cool is a teaser for the online video game, Doctor Who Worlds in Time. It looks like a really neat way to waste some time! There are stickers and a code to unlock a reward inside the packaging, which is a good bonus.

Buying the Blu-ray over the DVD is highly recommended. After all, like any Doctor Who special, there are lots of special effects. Those sorts of things are always more enjoyable with a crystal clear picture and wonderful surround sound. It's well worth the extra couple of bucks.

Buy "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe," on sale now.