PROOF a Bit Flimsy

Article originally published as PROOF Review on Seat42F.

TNT’s newest drama is PROOF. Dr. Carolyn Tyler (Jennifer Beals, The L Word) is a respected surgeon who has had a near-death experience and lost her teenage son. She’s found a way to go on, putting thoughts of an afterlife out of her head, until she is approached to study what comes after living from a scientific perspective. She’s fundamentally opposed to what she considers a waste of time, but for the right reasons, can be persuaded to try to find PROOF of what happens to us.

The thing that gets a grounded person like Carolyn to look into this is a little girl. Well, that and her own experiences. When billionaire Ivan Turing (Matthew Modine, Weeds, Full Metal Jacket) proposes the idea, Carolyn is quick to shoot it down. But appearances aside, she’s not a heartless person, and she softens when confronted with a kid who has recently visited the “other place.” It’s a bit too cheesy and done-before an event, and it doesn’t exactly start the show off on the right foot.

Carolyn is not alone in her quest, of course. She has an assistant, young intern Dr. Zed (Edi Gathegi, House M.D.), who brings a more open mind, and Janel Ramey (Caroline Rose Kaplan), who works for Turing and so is probably a spy in her midst. That’s it for now, Carolyn embarrassed for anyone to know what she’s doing, but swayed by the extraordinary amount of money Turing is offering (which of course will be used for charity because television archetype heroes cannot be the least bit selfish).

But she has other things pulling her attention, too. Her boss, Dr. Oliver Stanton (Joe Morton, Scandal, Eureka), doesn’t know about her extra-curricular activity, nor does Carolyn want him to, though I doubt she’ll be able to hide it since she’s doing her research at the hospital. At home, she has a daughter, Sophie (Annie Thurman, Dark Skies), and spanning the two worlds, an ex-husband, Dr. Len Barliss (David Sutcliffe, Gilmore Girls). There’s also a man who claims to be in touch with the other side, Peter Van Owen (Callum Blue, Dead Like Me, Smallville), whom Carolyn (no surprise!) distrusts.

PROOF is an odd bird. It starts off with a very serial concept, the main character being tasked to find proof of life after death. The characters are decently well developed with some driving forces that would lend themselves well to an ongoing story. Yet, the way the first hour deals with a single patient indicates that it will be a repetitive procedural, Carolyn finding one person each week through which to continue her research, and the whole set up is rote. Doing this makes the program far less compelling.

If Carolyn ever solves the essential question at the heart of the series, it would be over. But I don’t think she will, which is disappointing, PROOF setting itself up for failure right from the beginning. No one knows what comes after death, and it’s unlikely that anyone ever will. Those who are spiritual enough to believe there is something don’t have a way to test that theory and report back on it, and anyone who thinks they do is considered to be on the fringe, possessing no concrete evidence. Yet, the pilot of PROOF, from the start, tells us there is more than life. So how can Carolyn’s project possibly end?

The idea at the heart of PROOF is an intriguing one and I like the pilot OK, I just have little confidence in this series going forward. The central premise is too flimsy and closed-ended, the procedural element is heavy, and the cast is just a bit too much structured like practically every other show in the genre, with no real surprises in the makeup. As such, I just don’t see this as a series to get excited about

PROOF premieres Tuesday, June 16^th at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

"The Price" of Great SCANDAL

Article first published as TV Review: 'Scandal' - 'The Price of Free and Fair Elections' on Blogcritics.

ABC’s Scandal is a fast-paced thrill ride in the political world, but even compared to itself, its recent season finale, “The Price of Free and Fair Elections,” is bonkers. Perhaps the writers are rushed, ending the season earlier due to their leading lady’s pregnancy, or maybe they are just obsessed with topping December’s excellent mid-season ender. Whatever the reason, this hour is one to remember.

The framework of the story is set around election week. There are only days to go before the public votes on whether to keep Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) in the Oval Office. At the start of this episode, he’s ahead in the race. Then tragedy strikes and Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) surges in the polls. Then another tragedy his and Grant wins. Viewers are left guessing right up until the end if there’s another twist around the corner. Scandal might have a tough time continuing as it is without a Grant presidency, but it seems like the type of series that might take that chance.

One wonders if Scandal is so cynical to believe that this is how politics work, or if it’s just trying to be the most soapy, angsty-filled drama on television. Surely creator Shonda Rhimes isn’t accusing our sitting leaders of election stealing and murder at their own hands. But there’s a point made here that this is how the system is set up. This is a dreary world, indeed, if what Scandal portrays is the only way national government can function.

Most shocking in this mess, is the action (or rather the inaction) of Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry). He’s been through a lot, his husband having been recently murdered and all, but even so, it’s surprising to watch him willing to let innocents die. It’s one thing (albeit one terrible thing) to allow a political rival and betrayer like Sally stay in harm’s way to ensure Grant will win the election. It’s quite another when there are bystanders in the line of fire. Cyrus knows this, but he doesn’t warn anyone. This is a harder, colder Cyrus then we’ve seen before. Without his love for James, is there nothing likeable left in the man?

Grant, on the other hand, has never been more sympathetic. Learning about his wife, Mellie’s (Bellamy Young), rape at the hands of his father, Grant stands by Mellie instead of following his heart to Olivia (Kerry Washington). Then, we watch as Grant loses his son, Jerry (Dylan Minnette), to poison. Finally, at his lowest point, Grant reaches out to the woman he loves for comfort, and Olivia ignores his call. Grant may still be president, but he is broken, and through no fault of his own. Grant isn’t perfect, far from it, but especially in “The Price of Free and Fair Elections,” he is a victim of circumstance.

Olivia, for her part, is justified in leaving. Her life sucks, serving Grant professionally, but unable to be with him. She’s right that so many bad things have happened in the past few years, even if blaming herself as the common factor doesn’t quite hold up. Of course she wants to get away from it all. And when a handsome man whom she’s slept with, Jake (Scott Foley), who has also done bad things but wants to start fresh and doesn’t care about Olivia’s baggage, why not let him come along? The two fly off into what could be a happy ending.

It won’t last, because Olivia, despite her best intentions, will never be happy to sit idly by on a beach. Nor will Jake, I imagine, given his most recent position as the head of the secret government organization that Olivia’s father, Rowan (Joe Morton), has been reinstated to and will likely kill Jake should the man come back to town, daughter’s happiness at stake or not. Not only will the couple soon be zooming home, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll stay together, Olivia never being able to get over Grant.

Did anyone else not see the turn coming that Rowan is the one who murdered Jerry? We know Rowan is evil; it’s necessary to do his job, and he’s never really pretended otherwise, though he has motivations for certain actions. But to kill a child just to get what he wants? A child who has done nothing to him? Ruining a family forever? That’s a whole new low, and it definitely begs for a schism in the repaired relationship between Olivia and Rowan. Olivia has to come back and dismantle B-613 all over again because it cannot be allowed to stand, with Rowan at the head or otherwise, as leadership for this organization is corrupting, as seen in Jake this year.

I’m sure Olivia’s organization will be glad to have Olivia back. Abby (Darby Stanchfield) can’t run things herself, and that’s the position she’s in. Harrison (Columbus Short) may very well be dead, at worst, and in B-613′s clutches, at best. Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Huck (Guillermo Diaz) are in the middle of their kinky, sick romance, so they won’t be of much use. That just leaves the redhead to handle things on her own, and she doesn’t seem quite up to the task.

What could happen, is that Abby puts her resources in the hands of boyfriend David Rosen (Joshua Malina) to help take down B-613, as Jake leaves Rosen some tools with which to do so. Again, I don’t think the two of them could accomplish this without Olivia’s brain- and will-power, but at least they could start. This is a hero’s journey, the knights off to slay the dragon, so it will be something to root for them on.

Rowan didn’t kill the mother of his daughter, Maya (Khandi Alexander), though he says he does. This is a good thing because she’s a terrific character and door remains open for her to return. But why does Rowan choose to let her live? She’s a terrorist and a woman that broke his heart. There’s definitely no going back for the couple, and she isn’t of much value alive. She doesn’t have lots of useful information, being out of the game for so long. She has murdered many. Rowan’s reasons for keeping her are unclear and puzzling.

“The Price of Freedom and Fair Elections” is a heck of a wild ride and that’s a good thing. A lot happens in the installment, but that’s how Scandal works best, rocketing along at top speed. Somehow, it manages to keep story and characters balanced while doing so, rarely knocking off anything and leaving it behind, and always going just slow enough to avoid missing its stops. I greatly look forward to see what Rhimes and company cook up for season four.

Scandal will return next fall on ABC.

SCANDAL Makes a Heck of an "Exit"

Article first published as SCANDAL Makes a Heck of an "Exit" on TheTVKing.

I am ashamed to say I fell behind on ABC's excellent Scandal this fall. But marathoning through the recent installments, culminating in "A Door Marked Exit" this past Thursday, I was very impressed. The entire run has been built expertly, stringing along various bits that mesh together in the most exciting and unexpected of ways, and ending with a number of absolutely stellar performances by several cast members.

The biggest shocker going into the finale is when Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) kills her husband, Daniel Douglas Langston (Jack Coleman). Daniel has been cheating on Sally with James (Dan Bucatinsky) and is intent on leaving her, destroying her political career, but I think it's more Sally's personal pain that causes her to snap and lash out. She's been played for a fool by a man she loves and trusts, and she isn't the type to let him get away with it.

Sally calls Cyrus (Jeff Perry) to clean up the mess. Since James is Cyrus' husband and Cyrus is aware of the cheating, something he and Mellie (Bellamy Young) set up, though Cyrus hadn't expected James to go through with it, this may not be the best situation for Cyrus to go into. Cyrus keeps things together enough to get rid of the body in a non-suspicious way, using his power and influence. But he is also deeply affected, vomiting in a moment of weakness.

The performances by Burton and Perry are both amazing. Burton's shock and Cyrus's grief, both knowing that they bear direct responsibility for the circumstances and not being sure how to handle it, comes through. Both manage to capture all of the layers of the event, making them sympathetic, in spite of the despicable things they have done. Wow, they've come a long way since their days as Meredith Grey's parents!

The full weight of Douglas' death had not yet settled. Mellie Grant, at least, thinks she has Sally right where she wants her, blackmailed into not running against President Fitzgerald "Fitz" Grant (Tony Goldwyn) in the upcoming election. But once Sally starts thinking clearly again, she may decide revenge is the best strategy, as she has every reason to blame Mellie and Cyrus for pushing her into the deed. With the deliciously calculating Leo Bergen (Paul Adelstein, Private Practice) figuring out the truth and wanting to help Sally win, she might have a shot.

The more interesting question is, will Cyrus and James' marriage survive? They've been pushed to their limits before by one another, but unlike in the past, Cyrus is utterly broken when James leaves this time, a man who has lost the most precious thing in the world to him, and he's too upset to try to manipulate James back home. Instead, he offers James his dream job, something that could lead to professional trouble for Cyrus, and that only brings James back to the house, not doing anything towards repairing their emotional bond.

This raises the debate of when is a relationship dead? James has always used Cyrus for his own gain, but now it appears that's all that's left between them. Can Cyrus really be happy if James never forgives him, James only sticking around because he would have to give up the lifestyle to which he is accustomed if he left? I really hope they can move past this because, despite what Cyrus has done, he definitely cares about his partner.

Other relationships also remain broken. Huck (Guillermo Diaz) has no intention of welcoming Quinn (Katie Lowes) back into the fold, even though she can forgive him for torturing her, pushing her into the arms of Charlie (George Newbern), who would turn on her if ordered to do so. Jake (Scott Foley) has given up on having a relationship with Olivia (Kerry Washington), since Olivia is back to sleeping with Fitz. And Olivia isn't on good terms with either of her parents.

Olivia's mother, Marie (Khandi Alexander, Treme), is an escaped con who returns to D.C. with unknown motives. She may want to get even with her husband, Rowan (Joe Morton), for locking her up all of these years. She'll definitely want to get to know Olivia, and probably won't like it when Olivia turns less than receptive, now that Olivia knows how bad a person Marie is.

Rowan also can't be happy with his daughter, knowing Olivia's boyfriend has him removed from his post, with Jake taking over the shady organization.  Rowan surely has connections that can help him retake his position. And Jake's seat gives Fitz new powers no president should have. Time will tell if Jake can be a better leader than Rowan, with or without POTUS consent. It's all kind of a mess.

Not to mention, David Rosen (Joshua Malina) will now be on Sally and Cyrus' scent for the coverup of Daniel's death, even if lead James recants, now that a second person, Shelby Moss (Julia Cho, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries), has come forward with solid evidence.

Scandal delights at keeping every character off balance, each always scheming, forming alliances when it suits them, and working to take others down. It's not like Dallas, in which everyone vies for their own power, as some actually have noble intentions. But it is a well-written, well-performed Shakespearean drama of screwed up people, ripe with constant betrayals, murders, and secrets, making for a fast-paced, compelling series.

Scandal will return for its uninterrupted spring run on ABC in a couple of months.

The SCANDAL? "It's Handled"

Article first published as The SCANDAL? "It's Handled" on TheTVKing.

ABC's Scandal's season three premiere, "It's Handled," ranks among the top five episodes of this series so far, and that's saying something. It's an intense, twisty piece of drama, with some surprises, at least one big revelation that absolutely makes sense, and some wonderful extended, character-driven scenes. In short, it's everything you want from the show.

"It's Handled" picks up right where last spring's finale left off, with Olivia (Kerry Washington) on her way out of town, courtesy her estranged father, Rowan (Joe Morton, Eureka). Rowan has a plan: have Olivia lie low for eight months, then he'll set her up a new life anywhere in the world, other than D.C. Shocked and speechless, Olivia allows him to put her on a plane.

We know Olivia cannot leave, but it's Cyrus (Jeff Perry) of all people that talks her into staying with a quick phone call. These two have a strong, strange friendship. Sometimes, their purposes are at odds with one another, and that creates major conflict. But it's clear Cyrus still wants her around, even when she causes him a headache. He hasn't figured out how to deal with the fallout of Olivia being outed as Fitz's (Tony Goldwyn) mistress yet, but he insists that she remain in town, and then he'll formulate a plan.

It's very surprising that the help Cyrus gets to make said plan comes not only from Mellie (Bellamy Young), who has her reasons for not wanting the real story out there, but also from Olivia's own team. Harrison (Columbus Short), Abby (Darby Stanchfield), Huck (Guillermo Diaz), and Quinn (Katie Lowes) go into damage mode, considering Olivia as they would any client. Their solution is to throw the press onto some poor, innocent girl, leading them away from Olivia's scent, and Cyrus helps them put it in place.

The team isn't trying to act against Olivia's wishes. But her wishes are that they just stay out of it, as she says "It's Handled," and that is not in their nature. They can't sit idly by and let things happen, no more than can Cyrus, who first puts together a kill file on Olivia before embarking on this path. All of these people care about Olivia and are trying to protect her. Inadvertently, they do the opposite, screwing everything up. From her perspective, anyway, as her reputation and business may be the better for it.

You see, Olivia has a plan, and that's to come clean about her affair. She gets Fitz and Mellie in a room to talk about how to control the story, and plan on going with the truth. This is Mellie's nightmare, but she goes along with it to stall for time. Mellie worries that this story breaking is the first step towards Fitz and Olivia having a real, public relationship, and her being shoved out of the picture, which is exactly why Fitz is the one that leaks the affair in the first place; he wants to be with Olivia, not Mellie. Olivia's people sabotage this.

Is there a chance for Olivia and Fitz to ever be a full-fledged couple? Everyone around them seems to think that idea is crazy, as does Olivia. Yet, it's something that Fitz really, really wants, and I think she does, too, though she tries not to let herself. It could happen after he leaves office, but with a re-election campaign looming, that could be awhile and he's impatient. No one can have it all, though, not even the president, and this mess does not have a clear path through it.

I love Scandal because it creates these very complex situations with lots of moving parts, each affecting the others. Every character is operating through their own motivations and values, and those bump up against everyone else's, sometimes working together, and sometimes destroying. Somehow, the writers keep these all wonderfully balanced and juggled, providing a great big picture when one steps back.

Despite all this chaos, things will settle down soon enough, and the characters can move onto the next crisis. The only real fall-out I see caused by the events in "It's Handled" will come from V.P. Sally Langston (Kate Burton). Fitz and Sally have never gotten along, but they have a real, mostly honest conversation in this episode. Fitz apologizes for screwing up, and pledges to do the right thing. Sally believes him. Through it's not Fitz's fault that Cyrus, Mellie, and the gladiators screw up his plan, if he goes along with it, Sally will feel betrayed. And he has to go along with it to maintain his office.

What can Sally do? Might she campaign on the truth, using what Fitz tells her to try to beat him in the primary elections? That would make sense, and it seems like it would take a miracle to be able to combat that platform. Or, she could force Fitz to her will with the threat of such exposure, which she might do if she feels her goals are justified, even though that doesn't seem to be her style.

The scene between Sally and Fitz is a real, raw moment, a powerful bit for the series. As is the three-way meeting between Fitz, Mellie, and Olivia. And the moment in which David Rosen (Joshua Malina) comes to Olivia "as a friend" and seems to sincerely offer to help. It's all of these combined that ranks "It's Handled" among the best hours of television this week. Where will the story go next?

Scandal airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

SCANDAL Puts Its "White Hats Back On"

Article first published as SCANDAL Puts Its "White Hats Back On" on TheTVKing.

ABC's Scandal begins season two last fall with "White Hats Off" and ends it this week with "White Hats Back On." In between, we get a dark, twisted game of manipulation, struggles for power, torture, murder, and intrigue. The characters go to places lower than they consider possible before, and do things they will live to regret. It's a hell of a ride.

It's nice to see the "White Hats Back On" for Olivia (Kerry Washington) and crew. They've done enough, suffered more than their share. They need to refocus on a mission of helping people and making the world better, not participating in the kind of stuff they've been doing. Not if they want to hold their heads high and be proud of their work. Olivia's literal donning of a white hat late in the episode symbolizes this shift.

Olivia's turning point is motivated by selfish reasons. Going into the hour, she believes she can finally be with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), coming up with a plan that will allow him to both stay in the White House and have her on his arm. It's smart, it's fairly simple, and it should be possible to enact it.

However, Cyrus (Jeff Perry) sabotages everything, not by ruining the plan directly but by poisoning the romance between Olivia and Fitz. Both have secrets to hide: Fitz murders Verna (Debra Mooney) and Olivia sleeps with Jake (Scott Foley). They, as a couple, could get past these latest setbacks when Cyrus tells each the hidden truth. But Olivia decides their relationship shouldn't be so hard, and calls it off.

Stepping back from the mess she's been embroiled in all season, stemming from the Defiance election rigging scandal, helps Olivia better live with herself. I do think she's sincere when she talks about how she's been bringing her team down, and wants to improve their situation. However, she wouldn't have the courage to do this just for their sake. It takes an epiphany, brought on by continued manipulation and rule-breaking, to change her mind.

The one person who may have a problem with Olivia's about-face is Harrison (Columbus Short). In her absence, he has often had to step up to fill the void. He isn't necessarily the de facto leader, and hasn't really served as replacement. But it's likely he thinks he has, based on the ego we've seen from him, and he may bristle against going back to being second banana.

Olivia's decision comes not a moment too soon for Quinn (Katie Lowes). The delight she takes in torturing Billy (Matt Letscher) is disturbing. Huck (Guillermo Diaz) is very worried about Quinn, but still dealing with his own failings and struggles, is not in a very good position to lend her a hand. Thus, Olivia coming back into the fold, concentrating on her own people, whom she has mostly stood apart from this season, could be just what Quinn needs. Maybe Olivia can salvage Quinn's soul, restore Huck, and do what she has done for her team before.

Which isn't to say that Scandal is now going to be "White Hate Backs On" all the time. That isn't the way this series works, and before this season finale comes to an end, a new problem rears its head: Olivia's affair with Fitz is outed. This takes her, and those connected with her, right back into the muck, and should provide an interesting conflict to begin season three on.

Who is responsible for outing Olivia? It's doubtful that Cyrus is behind it. He is so stressed with the White House politics that he has a heart attack, surprising only in that it doesn't happen before now. Cyrus fights to stop Olivia and Fitz's coupling, and telling the press about them will only drag the issue out, hurting Fitz's chances of  re-election. So he's likely innocent of this.

It could be James (Dan Bucatinsky), Cyrus's "better" half. The concern in James's eyes when he comes to Cyrus in the hospital bed is genuine, but he also still asks about Fitz's marriage, furthering his career as a reporter. James and Cyrus's marriage is rocky and fraught with complications, but there is love in there, which is why it's my favorite element of the series, tied with Cyrus and Olivia's friendship.

It would not be above James to hurt Cyrus's career for the sake of his own, as a journalist, but considering we don't see James finding out above Olivia yet, the exposure will probably come as a shock to him, too, throwing more flame to the fire fight in his union. Cyrus doesn't keep James in the loop, and James is just as likely to tell Cyrus before the rest of the press, to rub his snooping abilities in his husband's face, which is something that doesn't happen. It's probably not James.

Jake, who could be jealous of Olivia and Fitz, most likely isn't responsible, tossed in a pit and left to rot. I hope Olivia learns about Jake's fate, maybe through Huck, even though Huck wants to get away from that world, and saves him. With Fitz and Olivia on the outs, Olivia could use a new, steady love interested, and Jake has that potential.

It could be Mellie (Bellamy Young). Earlier in "White Hates Back On," Fitz makes it clear their marriage is over. This is before Olivia sends him right back to Mellie's arms. Mellie can be self-destructive, and thinking everything is ruined, she may have taken the nuclear option and leaked Olivia's name. Though that would work against her own professional goals, so while she is a serious possibility, I wouldn't rank her at the top of the list.

David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is also a suspect. He plays Olivia and the group to get back into his old position, with even more power. In doing so, it proves he is susceptible to the same game playing everyone else in the cast engages in, even though it's something he despises in them before. This could be a parting shot as David leaves the group, looking for some justice against Olivia. Though, David doesn't seem super vindictive, and may still harbor feelings for one of the gang, Abby (Darby Stanchfield), so like Mellie, while it could be him, he isn't my first choice.

No, the most likely culprit is Rowan (Joe Morton, Eureka). He is introduced recently, has tendrils in many places, is behind the locking up of Jake, and is shown to be plotting against Olivia. At first, it seems his scheme could be to kill her, as someone tries to shoot Olivia this week. However, now that we know, because of the shocking ending, that Rowan is Olivia's father, it is likely his techniques against her would be less lethal.

What is Rowan's goal? Why is he after Olivia? What does he want her to do? Would outing her help him accomplish this? There is still so much mystery surrounding who Rowan is and what his mission is that Scandal could go in any number of directions from here. This is a rich vein to tap.

Or it could be someone else, someone we may not even have met. Maybe it's a secret service agent with a beef against the president, or who considers themselves well versed in morality. Maybe it's a political rival. Maybe it's an old foe. Who knows?

This is a wonderful, exciting season finale, concluding some arcs, but also leaving the door wide open for any number of new stories. Scandal doesn't operate on a week-by-week basis, and in keeping with its serial nature, much is not wrapped up. Life goes on, and the past will continue to haunt the present.

Scandal, thankfully, has been renewed and will return to ABC next fall.