LIFE IN PIECES Holds Together Well

Article originally published as LIFE IN PIECES Review on Seat42F.

Every once in awhile, a family sitcom comes along that just feels fantastic. The most recent was Modern Family, the first such program to do the mockumentary style, and now comes LIFE IN PIECES, a single-camera show that feels a bit more poignant than its peers, at least at the start, with a truly terrific ensemble, bridging the gap between dramas like Parenthood and comedy.

LIFE IN PIECES revolves around a couple in their 70s, their three children, and the families of those children, all undergoing major transitions in their lives. The half hour is split into four pieces, one for each couple, and through the short vignettes, reminds us of what life is about. It’s hard to tell a moving story in roughly five minutes, but this show manages to do so four times over, and by keeping them so short, leaves material for future, fresh episodes on the same topics.

In the pilot, John (James Brolin, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Catch Me If You Can) decides to stage a mock funeral for his seventieth birthday. His loved ones have varied reactions to the event, but it’s his wife, Joan (Dianne Wiest, In Treatment, I Am Sam), who is the most affected, as one might expect, as while the couple isn’t near death, it’s something they’ll have to think about sooner rather than later.

Son Matt (Thomas Sadoski, The Newsroom) is at the opposite end of the spectrum, just beginning to date Colleen (Angelique Cabral, Enlisted), who is still living with her ex (Jordan Peele, Key & Peele), so they haven’t yet begun their lives together. Other son Greg (Colin Hanks, Fargo) has just become a father for the first time with wife Jen (Zoe Lister Jones, Whitney). Daughter Heather (Betsy Brandt, Breaking Bad) is sad about her kids growing up, as her son, Tyler (Niall Cunningham), looks at colleges, daughter, Samantha (Holly J. Barrett), has her first period, and daughter, Sophia (Giselle Eisenberg, The Wolf of Wall Street), becomes disillusioned about Santa Claus. Too bad her husband, Tim (Dan Bakkedahl, Legit), isn’t much help.

As you can see, LIFE IN PIECES is not just a Modern Family retread. For one thing, only one of the four couples has kids that can be a part of the plot. For another, the topics they are tackling are a little more mature and complex. That makes the show a little less frivolous, and a bit more mature, than its peer.

(For the record, I’m not knocking Modern Family; I still love that show. I’m just illustrating the differences.)

The material is genuinely funny, and the performances are what you would expect from such a strong cast. In twenty-minutes, I was moved numerous times by the trials and frustrations of life. It’s relatable because LIFE IN PIECES shows us things most people go through, but it’s also emotional, as life is just a series of pieces, and these are the important ones to hang onto, or that will be remembered. It’s this insight, not novel, but still vital, that makes the show so good.

Obviously, one episode is not enough to judge a show on, and it would be hard to deliver four pivotal bits every single week, twenty-two weeks a year, for seasons on end. But the way LIFE IN PIECES approaches its topics, big moments, but just a part of lives constantly moving, sets up a repeatable format and a way to keep things going. The immediate aftermath of Jen coming home from the hospital, for one, is important, but there will be many other important bits in that first year, and new things the couple must go through. It gets a little gross, like life, but remains relevant and compelling.

I’m excited about LIFE IN PIECES and am already setting a season pass on my TiVo. I’m usually terrible at predicting which shows will do well and which ones won’t, so I’ll just say that I hope this one catches on. I want to still be watching it five years from now.

LIFE IN PIECES premieres Monday, September 21^st at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

FARGO Miniseries Finale Review

Article first published as TV Review: 'Fargo' - Finale on Blogcritics.

FX’s Fargo has sadly come to an end. Ten episodes of brilliant, thrilling, suspenseful storytelling ends tonight with “Morton’s Fork.” The tale concludes with finality, tying up the loose ends from this excellent freshman run, leaving a possible (probable) season two to seek out new characters and new cases. It’s both satisfying and regrettable to see it go.

An important element of “Morton’s Fork” is that both Lester (Martin Freeman) and Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) get what they deserve. The airwaves are full of dark, gritty crime shows these days, and those do not always leave the viewers with a good taste in one’s mouth. Bad guys get away to kill another day, and heroes question their moral compass. Fargo is lighter fare, though, mixing lots of off-beat humor and quirky charm in, so those who deserve to go down have to for it to be an ending that fans feel good about.

Equally crucial is that Molly (Allison Tolman), Gus (Colin Hanks), Greta (Joey King), and Lou (Keith Carradine) survive. They are a sweet family unit, and because of, not despite, their coming together late in the season, they have to have a happy ending. We cannot bear to see these characters who are so good at heart suffer more misfortune and pain. They need to win the day and come out the other side intact, and they do.

Gus has an interesting arc. He leaves law enforcement for good reason, being bumbling and inept. He runs into Malvo early, but backs off because he can’t handle that type of villain himself. Yet, with his family on the line, Gus steps up as a man, protecting those he cares about, killing someone his family will never be safe having in the world.. I’m not sure he should go back to being a cop again, but he certainly gets a chance to redeem himself here, which I think he deserves.

One might wish that Molly is the one who takes down Malvo, since she is really the main heroine of the miniseries, but she doesn’t get the short shift in “Morton’s Fork,” either. She still gets pay off for the detective work she’s completed, and she finally earns the respect and admiration of her boss, Bill (Bob Odenkirk), as he steps aside and recommends her for promotion. There is major triumph in this, even if she isn’t the one to bring in Lester or Malvo, which she is still instrumental in getting to a place where they are taken down.

Fargo proves that good and evil battles can still be thoroughly engrossing and entertaining without the grey areas that pervade a lot of modern fare. I have nothing against its peers, loving many of them dearly and intrigued by shifty players, but its also nice to get a whiff of Fargo‘s scent, unique for the time in its lightness when dealing with such heavy subject matter, and almost miraculously staying as well-developed as those darker programs.

Part of the reason for this is because at many points during “Morton’s Fork,” the audience thinks Molly, Gus, and / or Lou may not make it out alive. Whether it’s Molly rushing off to Lester’s house alone, not realizing the FBI agents there are dead and no back up is on the way, or Gus sneaking into Malvo’s hideout, then confronting the scary man mano-a-mano, or even Lou sitting on the porch with his shotgun, there are moments where things could turn dire.

Fargo does a terrific job with presenting danger, but knowing who it can and cannot spare. Agents Pepper (Keegan-Michael Key) and Burdge (Jordan Peele), lonely men with no real lives? Sure, they can die. Gus, who has a teenage daughter and is expecting a baby? No way. The sense that Fargo just might let Gus perish anyway keeps the action intriguing, but when the writers don’t go through with it, it’s a relief, not a cop out.

There’s a feeling of authenticity that is in the proceedings. The not-actually-based-on-truth story, even as the opening proclaims otherwise, is tongue in cheek, but always keeps itself grounded. There isn’t anything in the show that couldn’t actually happen, and Molly won’t be solving more major crimes like this week after week or even year after year. In this, Fargo is mostly unique.

There’s also an extremely high level of consistency in the miniseries. All ten episodes are written by the same guy, Noah Hawley (Bones), and that provides solid through-lines. There aren’t weak points or people acting out of character because no other voices go into writing dialogue for the players. Mix in an unusually talented cast with no weak links, handling the material like pros, and Fargo is very successful in what it sets out to do.

I could pick apart “Morton’s Fork” in a 10-page review and praise every scene for something special; it’s that good. But I won’t because I feel works of art on this level are meant to be appreciated and re-watched for new meaning frequently, not analyzed to death by any single perspective. For me, Fargo is right up there with The Walking Dead in that I couldn’t wait to watch it each week, growing excited at the prospect of each new installment, and rarely waiting until it actually aired to view it. (Thanks to FX for being more generous with early screeners than any series on any network in recent memory.) I rank it one of Top Five shows of the year, easily, and cannot wait to see what Hawley comes up with for Fargo next season, assuming its renewed, which it likely will be.

Whether to Watch FARGO is Not a "Dilemma"

Article first published as FARGO Review on Seat42F.

FX’s new FARGO is the story of a pregnant police chief (Frances McDormand) tracking a pair of hit man (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) near the town of Fargo. The guys have been hired by a local failure (William H. Macy) to kidnap his wife in order to extort money from the woman’s father. But during the abduction, she is accidentally killed, setting off a series of dangerous, somehow funny, events. And bodies get put into a wood chipper.

No, wait a second. That’s the excellent 1996 film of the same name. Remarkably, pretty much none of what I said in the preceding paragraph applies to the story of the series, which goes in its own direction. I’m not saying that FX’s FARGO abandons the premise entirely. Although none of the character names have been changed, there are some very familiar character types.

Wimpy Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman, Sherlock, The Hobbit) encounters by chance a hit man named Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton, Armageddon), who encourages Lester to find his inner man. The local police chief (Shawn Doyle, Big Love), who has a pregnant wife (Julie Ann Emery, Hitch), and his deputies, Molly (Allison Tolman, Sordid Lives: The Series) and Bill (Bob Odenkirk, Breaking Bad), are looking for Lorne, though they don’t yet know who he is.

By taking some characters that seem a lot like the ones in the movie and keeping the setting and the accents, FARGO ties itself to the earlier work enough to bring the fans of it in. Yet, in making some very different choices with the story from the first scene onward, it makes the action unpredictable, keeping viewers guessing what might happen and who could die next.

This FARGO expertly maintains the balance between blood and laughs that one might expect. Characters (yes, plural) that might be considered important die in the very first installment. At the same time, the dialogue and bumbling happenstances, especially when Lester is around, make the proceedings enjoyable and lighter than one may expect from a program with a high body count. There are numerous occasions when I could not help but laugh out loud, a distinction most sitcoms fails to reach on a weekly basis.

The pilot is titled “The Crocodile’s Dilemma.” For those unfamiliar with the logic paradox, this refers to a crocodile kidnapping a child. The croc promises the father that he can have the kid back if and only if the father is able to accurately predict whether the crocodile will give him back the boy. If the father states that the crocodile will not give back the son, then he has correctly predicted and the croc must hand over the boy, though then that means the father didn’t correctly predict because the crocodile didn’t keep him.

If that makes your brain hurt, I understand. FARGO isn’t quite as complex as all that. What it is, though, is a well-crafted series of events, some from cause and effect, others arising by chance, that intermix in such a way that there doesn’t seem to be an easy, logical way out for the main players. Since the show has ten episodes to tell their story, it isn’t obvious yet how unwinnable the scenario will be, but it does feel like this is the type of situation set up in “The Crocodile’s Dilemma.”

The cast is truly fantastic. Freeman and Thornton, of course, have a body of work that implies they can handle themselves, and they do, beautifully. But so do the rest of those named above, along with Kate Walsh (Private Practice), Colin Hanks (The Good Guys), Keith Carradine (Dexter), and numerous other guest and recurring roles, with a heck of a lot more famous folks signed to appear in later hours. Whoever put together this crew deserves major credit, as FARGO would not work without its cast.

Strangely, there are also a couple of parts that are left wanting, mostly because they are not played by big names, but seem like big names should have been obtained, meaning it feels like FARGO failed to get its first choice and settled for a replacement. The bully introduced in the first hour is definitely a “Tom Wilson type,” but is not portrayed by Tom Wilson. We also meet a “Stephen Merchant type” later on. I could be wrong about the second-choice standings, but these parts feel just too close to those performers to be played by anyone else.

Other than that, though, I have no complaints. FARGO is a compelling, highly entertaining masterpieces, crafted so intelligently, and executed in the best of methods. The tiny touches, such as a message spelled out on Lester’s refrigerator, kick the quality up yet another notch. I am already a firm fan of this miniseries. FARGO airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

BURNING LOVE Burns Again

Article first published as BURNING LOVE Burns Again on TheTVKing.com

E! presents the second season of Burning Love beginning this week. Initially a web series, Burning Love is a parody of reality dating competitions, like a comedy version of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, with what is a likely a similar scripted to improv ratio. Contestants of one gender compete for the love of a single person of the opposite sex.

Watching seasons one and two, a viewer would be forgiven for thinking there have been at least four cycles of Burning Love. Season one began by profiling the winner of the previous year (which wasn't actually filmed), and in the continuity of the show, another season takes place between one and two, subtitled Hot for Teacher, which again, was never made. This confuses things a little bit, and sent me running to the internet to make sure I hadn't missed anything. But it's hard to blame the writers for extending the mythology without wasting our time with filler.

In season two, the main woman whose affection men are competing for is Julie Gristlewhite (June Diane Raphael, NTSF:SD:SUV), a dental hygienist who was in season one, and was last seen in a lesbian relationship. Ditching her partner, Carly (Janet Varney, The Legend of Korra), Julie is ready to try the penis again, and the producers are happy to oblige.

Host Bill Tundle (Michael Ian Black, Ed) is back, as is the house and set up. While season two definitely has some differences in the way the initial premiere unfolds, there is also consistency in the structure of the show and some of the players. This provides a satisfying through-line for the series.

Many of the faces are familiar, too. Damien (Adam Scott) was a therapist in the first cycle and is now competing, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about. Basically, most of the actors are either stars or major guest stars in projects such as Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV, two Cartoon Network shows that also trace their roots to the web. Raphael, Ken Marino, Rob Huebel, Martin Starr, Nick Kroll, Malin Akerman, Michael Cera, and others have that connection. Various other cast members have worked with this group in other projects, too, such as The League, Party Down, and The Greatest Event in Television History.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but seeing all these people pop up alongside one another over and over again makes me think they're an extremely talented troupe who weren't getting enough work and so starting creating some of their own, inviting friends they made along the way to participate, constantly expanding their call sheet. Honestly, I think of them as doing their own, both more and less cohesive, multi-platform version of Saturday Night Live, and I'm loving it.

Burning Love, like all of those I've mentioned in the past couple of episodes is hilarious! From Bill mispronouncing Julie's name and the word 'gentlemen,' to Julie throwing herself all over a disinterested Blaze (Ryan Hansen, Veronica Mars), to Teddy (Nick Thune, Knocked Up) repeating the same song lyrics, to Khris (Nick Kroll) getting tossed out for being drunk, to Allison (Colin Hanks, The Good Guys) defending his name, there is a constant string of laughs packed into the half hour. The best bit may have even been the show-within-a-show's last minute minimal effort to add diversity to the cast. I can't wait to see more.

Burning Love airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. ET on E!, and more webisodes are available through Yahoo.

Dexter travels to "Nebraska"

     In "Nebraska," this week's entry on Showtime's Dexter, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) tells Dexter (Michael C. Hall) that the Trinity Killer has returned, murdering his own wife and daughter. Knowing that Trinity is actually dead, and egged on by the ghost of his brother, Brian (Christian Camargo), Dexter travels to Nebraska to dispatch the likely killer, Trinity's son Jonah (Brando Eaton, The Secret Life of the American Teenager). But the truth is more complicated, and Jonah admits only to hurting his mother during a fight, after his sister kills herself. Determining that Jonah feels guilt, and is not a monster, Dexter refuses to do the deed, leaving Jonah pleading in the rearview mirror for Dexter to end things.

     It is neat that Dexter revisits a former recurring character, which stems from a very dark period in Dexter's life. And while Trinity is one of Dexter's best foes, the current story applies very centrally to Dexter's life as it is now, rather than just dredging up the past for nostalgia's sake. Following his murder of Brother Sam's (Mos) killer, Dexter is poised on a precipice. Should he follow in his brother's footsteps, embracing his inner psycho, and killing anyone that he wants? Or should he remember the teachings of Brother Sam, a better Brother than Dexter's real brother, finding mercy for those who have done wrong, and searching for inner light?

     At first, Dexter goes fully over to Brian's side on his trip to "Nebraska." He steals a gun and screws a convenience store worker. Confronted by a potential blackmailer (Scott Michael Campbell, The Event), Dexter takes him out, breaking his own code, as the blackmailer has not killed anyone. Dexter is also very tempted to take out Jonah without satisfying his need for proof that Jonah deserves it. This is Dexter on the edge, rebelling against the kinder, gentler man he is these past few weeks with Sam's friendship. A backlash is natural and expected. Brian is the perfect manifestation of such feelings.

     But then, Dexter is a very complicated guy, and Sam has touched something inside of him that cannot be ignored. Dexter tries to deny having any light to combat his darkness, but seeing Jonah, and thinking of his own son, he realizes that is simply not true. Without light, there can be no darkness. Dexter isn't going to stop killing all together, as Sam surely would prefer. But he will remember the code that Harry (James Remar) taught him. And he compares Jonah to Harrison, both kids of serial killers, and can't help but feel sorry for the lad. Fittingly, as Dexter returns home, his mission reavowed, it is Harry that climbs into Dexter's car, replacing Brian, whom Dexter has run over. Wonderful ending to a really cool plot.

     Too bad Dexter spends four days in "Nebraska," though, especially right now, because Deb could really use him. Throughout Dexter's road trip, excused to babysitter Jamie (Aimee Garcia) and Deb as dealing with the grief that Trinity's "reemergence" triggers, Deb can't afford to allow him the break that he seeks. Not that Dexter gives her a choice. Maria (Lauren Velez) is coming down hard on Deb to find the Doomsday Killer, or DDK. This is make it or break it time for Deb as the new Lieutenant, a position she is struggling with, and without Dexter's expertise, her job becomes much harder. It may not be completely out of character for Dexter to not be there for Deb when she needs him, despite their "closeness," but it's unfortunate under these circumstances.

     Maria goes back and forth between being a good or a bad character. Fans will have trouble finding much to like about her this season, though. With her promotion to an office not situated in the department's main area, she becomes much of what she despises in her boss. She turns her back on now ex-husband, Angel (David Zayas), and worries more about politics and public image than actually catching bad guys. It's deeply regrettable, and while Maria is never the most likeable character to begin with, it seems as if she will not recover from the latest changes.

     Quinn (Desmond Harrington), on the other hand, is trying very much to divert from the bad path he is on. Sleeping with random women and making a fool of himself at a party, Quinn goes to Deb in "Nebraska" to apologize for his recent behavior. Unlike Maria, Quinn has a good excuse: he is suffering over the loss of his relationship with Debra. Now that Debra is his boss, she cannot go back to being with him. But they do seem to find some sort of peace and balance in the closure-filled conversation, leading to the impression that Quinn will clean up his behavior, and go back to being a pretty good guy.

     The key to catching DDK may just lie in a new character, Louis (Josh Cooke). Vince's (C.S. Lee) third intern this season so far, Louis shows Jamie, whom he is dating, a video game he is creating based on the homicide department. He also writes some code to help Debra narrow down the list of suspects for the DDK's student. With DDK himself known, but seemingly vanished, Deb turns her attention to finding his assistant. Louis is valuable in that effort. Viewers know, though, that he has other motivations, given his video game career. Will he remain helpful, or end up causing more trouble than he is worth?

     This plan only works if DDK, a.k.a. Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos), can lure the student, Travis (Colin Hanks), back to his side. Travis releases their potential sacrifice, and tells Gellar he is done with their dark deeds. But Gellar shows up outside Travis's sister's (Molly Parker, The Firm, Swingtown) house, and leaves a picture of himself and Travis in the kitchen. Travis appears wavering, returning Gellar's things in person in "Nebraska," bringing him back to the lair. How strong is his vow to resist "God's will?" Can Dexter take out Gellar and Travis before Deb catches them? A race to the finish is brewing, and will break out soon.


     Dexter's latest season starts slow, but is now quite excellent, raising some interesting philosophical questions. Don't miss any more episodes, airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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

     Please click here to watch streaming episodes or buy DVDs and Blu-rays of Dexter.

Article first published as TV Review: Dexter - "Nebraska" on Blogcritics.

Dexter doesn't worry about "Those Kinds of Things"

     Showtime's Dexter begins season six last night with "Those Kinds of Things." Dexter (Michael C. Hall) attempts to get Harrison (Evan George Kruntchev and Luke Andrew Kruntchev) into a great pre-school. The one he chooses happens to be religious, so Dexter finds himself wondering about faith, something he's never really thought about before, and something he has a very hard time comprehending. Dexter also attends his 20th high school reunion, finding his new-found popularity makes it harder for him to accomplish his real mission: a kill. 

     Dexter and Dexter tackle many things over the years, a great number of them issues of morality. It seems appropriate, after six years, to finally get around to faith and religion. After all, the way that many people live their lives by often has something to do with their religious beliefs. Dexter has Harry's (James Remar) code, carefully taught to him so that he will only murder the right people. Sure, the crucifix symbol may appeal to Dexter's dark side, but for Dexter to start to consider sin, that would open him up to guilt and reflection upon what he is done. Thankfully, it does not appear the series will be going down that road, as it could ruin the character.

     Instead, Dexter explores religion from the standpoint of a father. He worries that Harrison will not have a normal childhood without some religious base, and hopes that this pre-school might fill that need. Dexter is honest about his need for help in this area with the admissions director (Michael Hyatt, The Wire), and the truth, combined with a sincere desire to do right by Harrison, is likely what leads the program to accept Harrison. Go Dexter!

     Dexter's other main story, attending his reunion, is more fun than deep, a welcome relief from the great, but dreary, storytelling of last season. Dexter has a great job, is in wonderful physical shape, and has a sad story involving the death of his wife. As such, he finds himself the center of attention, an unusual situation for him. It's hard to tell if Dexter enjoys it all, though he doesn't seem to be too annoyed by it, even though it means delaying the kill. An old classmate, Trisha (Kristen Miller, She Spies, That's My Bush), gives Dexter an extra special present, and as unrealistic and out of place as that scene comes across, it's nice to see Dexter get some female-induced pleasure.

     Dexter attends the reunion in order to take out Joe (John Brotherton, One Life to Live), an abuser who killed his wife, a girl who was nice to Dexter in high school. Joe pleads with Dexter to spare him, arguing that God will get even. It's a silly claim to make, considering that if God does take vengeance for the murder of innocents, Joe would already have suffered such retribution. Unless one considers that perhaps Dexter is an instrument of God, a stretch to be sure, and thus his selective killings are the universe's way of balancing the scales. Harry could even serve as the way that God speaks to Dexter. If nothing else, this is something to ponder, and heads into controversial and murky moral areas.

     Of course, Dexter is never the only one out taking lives. This season's new killer duo, Travis (Colin Hanks, The Good Guys, Roswell) and Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos), are introduced in "Those Kinds of Things." For unknown reasons, they slaughter a fruit vendor, leave his intestines on his scale, sew snakes into his stomach, and leave a Greek Alpha / Omega pattern on the victim's chest. There are religious undertones to what they are doing, which allows viewers a brief glimpse of another new character, Brother Sam (Mos, formerly Mos Def, The Italian Job), but what they are up to is unclear. Gellar is clearly teaching Travis, but to what end? Future episodes will have to reveal that. What they contribute to the premiere is to leave Dexter a tasty mystery to begin to unravel.

     There is some shake up in the police department in "Those Kings of Things." Maria (Lauren Velez) blackmails Tom (Geoff Pierson) into promoting her, making her future on the show unclear, since she will no longer work in Dexter's department. She recommends Angel (David Zayas) to replace her, which he does, at least on a temporary basis. Why not go ahead and make Angel's position permanent? Does that mean Maria will soon be demoted? Blackmail can have consequences, and it's regrettable that she resorts to such tactics to get ahead, no matter how much Tom deserves it for treating her so poorly.

     Also strange is Angel's whole demeanor. He is growing comfortable again working with Maria, now his ex-wife. But he is also on edge around young women. All of the sudden, he is very nervous that people will think he is dating a much younger girl. He even freaks out when his sister, Jamie (Aimee Garcia, Off the Map, Trauma), Dexter's new babysitter, looks too sexy in a restaurant. What are we to make of this? Surely he isn't just worried about appearances costing him a promotion. Something else must be going on here.

     Masuka (C.S. Lee) is now a teacher, and is tasked with picking an intern from among his motley class. Perhaps surprisingly, he chooses based on academic standards, rather than hotness, a sign of maturity from the somewhat sleazy forensics guy. But when his first pick, Peter (Christopher Frontiero), faints at a crime scene, Masuka is only too excited to tap the next in line, hottie Ryan (Brea Grant, Heroes). At least Masuka can say he tries, right?

     Finally, the biggest shake up on the horizon is Quinn's (Desmond Harrington) forthcoming proposal to Deb (Jennifer Carpenter). He is acting nervous, tipping off Deb that there is something going on, though she likely doesn't suspect him to pop the question. He is prevented from doing so this week when a gunman comes into the restaurant where they are eating. This is the second unrealistic, out of place event in an otherwise solid episode. But the delay will only be temporary, and he will try again.

     The question is, how will Deb take it? She deserves happiness, and Quinn seems like a good guy. However, the last time she gets engaged, back in season one, the man turns out to be Dexter's half brother, a serial killer with less scruples. The experience badly scars Deb emotionally, and will probably make her resistant to attempting such a union again, if the previews for next week are any indication. Can Deb defeat her biggest obstacle, herself, to find a happy ever after?


     Watch Dexter, already starting season six fantastically, Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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

     Please click here to watch streaming episodes or buy DVDs and Blu-rays of Dexter.

Article first published as TV Review: Dexter - "Those Kinds of Things" on Blogcritics.

The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season

    FOX's The Good Guys was a summer show that got a rare treat when seven additional episodes were ordered for this fall. Sadly, the series looks poised for cancellation, although no official word has been handed down. Certainly the show will not have any other new episodes this television season, as none have been ordered at this time, and they've already aired twenty in the last six months. Still, as much as I enjoy The Good Guys, I can't decide if I'm hoping for its survival.

     The problem with The Good Guys is its silliness, which is also the best reason to watch. Pretty much every episode, Detectives Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks) investigate some petty crime, in the case of this week, a dine and dash. Inevitably, events snowball, and without even realizing it, they are soon taking down murderers, dirty cops, jewel thieves, and the like. Entertaining? Absolutely. As I said in an earlier review, Whitford appears to be having the most fun he's ever had in his acting career and that enthusiasm is infectious. But even suspending normal disbelief, as has to be done for any TV show, this one stretches the bounds of believability. How can that same bumbling scenario play out over and over again and still feel fresh?

     Not the show is not devoid of hope. There are glimmers that the people that make it realize their premise is limited, and have tried to add other distracting elements. Great guest casting, such as Joshua Malina (The West Wing) as an Internal Affairs agent bent on bringing down Stark, Chris Klein (American Pie) as Bailey's former partner turned deputy chief who is on the take, and especially Gary Cole (Entourage, The West Wing) as Stark's former partner Frank Savage, has helped. But how long can stunt casting really keep a show afloat before it becomes an obvious ploy?

     I think the main issue if that there are truly only two interesting characters: Jack and Dan. Early on they clashed, providing some good human drama. Now they've settled into a firm, loyal partnership, so that tension is gone. They're still fun, but their actions and decisions have become obvious, taking away suspense. For most of the series, Jack pined for assistant district attorney Liz (Reaper's wonderful Jenny Wade), but now that they're together, that is gone, too, and Liz often feels unnecessary and cumbersome to the rest of the plot. I also adore Diana Maria Riva, who plays Jack and Dan's boss, Lieutenant Ruiz. Unfortunately, she rarely gets to do anything much, with the recent exception being in the peeping tom episode. Using her more could go a long way towards salvaging things.

     Because of the stagnant four main characters, others have been added to spice things up. Early fan favorite snitch Julius (RonReaco Lee) returned for a total of eleven episodes, and originally always brought something new to the table, though even he was becoming stale near the end of the season. In the second half, Samantha (Angela Sarafyn) showed up, who was a police ally / assistant and a possible love interest for Jack. Perhaps the gun was jumped when Sam waited until after Jack and Liz got together to kiss him. However, should the show get a second season, it would not be surprising at all to see Jack and Samantha as an item, for awhile at least.

     I'm not a hater of this show, far from it. But I began getting bored after twenty episodes, and perhaps this is one show that would have benefited from a nice, long hiatus in the middle of the season, though they only got six weeks. If it does return next summer or fall, I will probably get excited again, as I will definitely miss The Good Guys after awhile. But unless something is done to seriously shake things up and change the rules of the game, it will grow old much faster in the second batch. Not only that, a shake up may kill the series, because it relies on a formula, and abandoning the formula is a serious risk.

     Perhaps this would have worked better as a miniseries or a set of TV movies. The talent level is high, but the magic is just not there in a sustainable way over the long term. Awesome concept that didn't work so well when drawn out. As a twenty episode series, it will be fondly remembered. If it becomes a forty episode run, fans may not stay so enamored. The good news is, should The Good Guys get the ax, the actors should not stay unemployed too long.


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Article first published as TV Review: The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season on Blogcritics.

The Good Guys is doing pretty good

Not in the ratings, sadly.  But creatively, summer's funnest show, FOX's The Good Guys, has gotten even better this fall.  Following the buddy cop formula, Bradley Whitford plays Dan Stark and Colin Hanks is Jack Bailey.  I've said it before, but I think Whitford, a fabulous actor, as proven by his long stint on The West Wing, is just plain having fun in this show.  That makes it enjoyable for the audience, when you see a guy clearly loving what he is doing.  Stark is obnoxious, backwards, sports a 70's 'stache, and goes on about the good old days.  Bailey is straight-laced, mostly by the book, though Stark has been rubbing off on him.  Hanks plays it wonderfully, too, finally a role that really suits him.

     The plot the last few weeks has gone a little further into character development.  Two weeks ago, we finally met Stark's old partner, Frank Savage (Gary Cole, Entourage, Office Space), who has long been retired, and given up his antics.  He lives a quiet life with wife, Cynthia (Rachael Harris, The Hangover, My Boys, Notes From the Underbelly), who does not approve of Dan coming back and upsetting their balance.  Also in that episode was Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl, Chasing Amy) as Andy, the now-grown little boy that Stark and Savage saved back in the day, and a TV movie was made about it.  As the plot unfolded, one could see that Savage and Bailey are two quiet different partners for Stark.  Bailey tries to reign him in, while Savage lets the crazy fly.  They both clearly care about Dan though, with Bailey's affection grown into unwavering loyalty in just the short time they've worked together.  Do you blame him though?  Dan is nothing if not loyal, and while he can be a screwup, he is sincere and honest.  Obviously, while Stark and Savage have fun, with Bailey's influence, Stark can be a better cop than ever.

     This past week the guest talent kept coming, with Ed Begley Jr. (Gary Unmarried, Veronica Mars) as Jack's crooked but charming Uncle Nate, and Method Man (The Wire, How High) as an arson-happy villain.  Nate brought some needed background and depth to Jack, as usually the past we hear about it Dan's.  Dan also managed to drag his favorite snitch, Julius (RonReaco Lee, Worst Week, The Shield) into the fray, though Julius wasn't too happy about it.  It's always a pleasure to see Julius, and hopefully the series will keep him coming back.

     The show isn't all great guest casting, though the past two weeks have been among the best in the series.  It's about the characters that star every week.  There are two women in the opening credits, too, and though they don't often get much plot, they are wonderful actors.  Diana Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, The West Wing) plays the boss, Lt. Ruiz, while Jenny Wade (Reaper) is Jack's ex-girlfriend, whom he is still smitten with, A.D.A. Liz Traynor.  The two girls were featured a few weeks ago, as they attempted to bring down a Senator (Wade's former Reaper co-star Ray Wise) on their own.  It was nice to see the two out of an office, and while Bailey and Stark and definitely the heart of the show, hopefully the women will get more to play with, as they can certainly handle it.

     I highly recommend you check out The Good Guys, as they can really use a ratings boost.  The show is way better than many other shows with higher numbers, and one of the most laugh-out-loud cop dramas ever made.  It's not high quality television, but it's loads of fun.  The Good Guys airs Friday nights at 9pm on FOX.

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The Good Guys' summer is over

    The Good Guys have packed it up.  After a mere nine episodes, the final airing last night, the Fox summer series has come to an end.  This is regretful, as I think it has been hands down the best show of the summer.  Happily, however, it will return this fall.  Unhappily, the return date is two months away, and that's a long time to go without my weekly dose of Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks).

     Although it is not the standard crime procedural, on paper the series does not have a lot going for it.  Every episode goes through a lot of the same plot points: Stark and Bailey are assigned a minor crime, they want to work a larger crime, somehow the minor crime ties itself into the larger crime.  Stark screws up and angers their boss, Lt. Ruiz (Diana Maria Riva).  Bailey makes subtle passes at his ex-girlfriend, Liz (Jenny Wade).  Through a series of lucky happenstances, the two take down whatever big villain exists, usually with the help of a small villain, who barely qualifies as such, and earns the audience's sympathy, and gets away with whatever he or she did, or gets a very slight punishment.  Time jumps around in whatever way to best please the audience.  Because of the shear number of coincidences, one episode is unrealistic.  But it happens again and again, every week.

     However, something about The Good Guys rises above the ingredients.  It doesn't matter that the episodes don't change much, or that they aren't believable.  It is still miles of fun to watch.  Creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) has got something on his hands that is light-hearted and action packed.  Tons of bullets fly, things blow up, and somehow, rarely is anyone scratched.  Bradley Whitford seems to be having the most fun of career, overacting the washed-up, former legend with the '70's look.  Hanks, despite his obvious similarities to his father, Tom, has never had his career take off.  But in playing the straight man against Whitford, he's found a home.  Wade is sweet, and Ruiz is more than someone for the audience to get mad at for chastising the heroes.  Usually, you can easily understand why she gets so upset.

     It may not be the smartest thing on television, or the best written, but it has a charm that transcends it, and makes it better than summer fare.  Deservedly, it will return Friday nights beginning September 24th.  A Friday time slot is not usually a good sign, but as the show escaped summer, it can probably escape the death knell of Fridays, too.  Watch The Good Guys on Fox.

The Good Guys is bad a**

    Fox has a new buddy-cop show this summer, called The Good Guys.  Two episodes have already run; the first ran many times over a two week period.  It's odd for a summer series to get so much attention and air time, but this is no ordinary summer series.  In fact, if they just cleaned up the writing a little bit, it could be a good contender at any time of year.  In fact, with twenty episodes now ordered, it will be running in the fall on Friday nights, which could spell doom.  However, it seems it's being given a fair shake, on Monday nights this summer.

     The show is from creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and stars two cops.  The new-ish partners are washed up legend Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing), and abrasive, going-nowhere Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks, Roswell).  Though, Dan seems to be anything but ineffective and Jack can solve cases with the best of them.  So how they became the no-go duo is kind of anyone's guess.  In the first two episodes they turned routine cases into big take downs.  For reality's sake, the cases are either going to have to get more minor, or they are going to need to get promoted.  Hopefully it'll be the latter, because what's happening on screen is great fun, the primary component being the wonderful chemistry between the two leads.

     The series also stars the lovely and talented Jenny Wade (Reaper) as Jack's ex, Liz, and the tough and feisty Diana-Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip) as their boss, Lt. Ruiz.  It's a shame they weren't given a larger group to work with, because I wish Julius (RonReaco Lee, In the Motherhood), their snitch, was sticking around.  He brought much levity to the first two episodes.  But from the cast, to the colorful setting of Dallas, the show has plenty going for it.

     An annoyingly too-often used device in recent television is showing the ending of the episode first.  The Good Guys often does this, but many of the other scenes also air non-chronologically.  It's always done for good reason, and actually adds another fun element, rather than falling into the cliche trap.  I hope they keep it up.

     If you want to watch The Good Guys, and I certainly hope you do, please tune into Fox Monday nights at 9pm.