THE GOOD WIFE Good "Source" For Drama

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s episode of THE GOOD WIFE on CBS, “Open Source,” raises a timely debate in a very intriguing case-of-the-week, reminding us why this show alone has the talent to make formulaic stories feel like they’re not so. It also has one of the worst things a person has ever done on the series, and a rocky go for two couples. Needless to say, it is immensely enjoyable.

Let’s start with the case. Diane (Christine Baranski) and Finn (Matthew Goode) take on Nancy (Mamie Gummer) in a battle of wits over a tragic accident that occurred because of a 3-D printed gun. The courtroom battle in front of liberal Judge Abernathy (Denis O’Hare) goes back and forth, with the first and second amendment rights debated. THE GOOD WIFE doesn’t seek to answer whether such a gun’s designs should be freely available online, even though I believe it leans towards no, but instead lets both sides play out in an intriguing manner. When this show is at its best, it makes the audience think, and I hope last night’s episode did that for more viewers than just me.

Because this is about guns, Diane’s seldom-seen husband, McVeigh (Gary Cole), enters the picture. The two disagree vehemently on the politics of the issue, and there’s also the ghost of Will, who saved Finn’s life from a courtroom shooter, hanging over “Open Source.” Diane and McVeigh’s marriage is tense as she oversteps her role as a wife in order to do her job as an attorney and honor a friend’s memory. But again, rather than tell us exactly what each character is motivated by, the writers let the show speak for itself, presenting issues, then stepping back.

Diane and McVeigh are a terrifically delicious pairing. Their spark is strong, and even when Diane wrongs McVeigh, he understands why. As long as she is willing to apologize and promise not to do it again, which she does without prompting, he is willing to forgive and forget. Besides making for good drama, this is an inspirational look at how to make an on-paper mistake of a marriage work beautifully, both expanding their worldview for the other.

Alicia (Julianna Margulies) also has a romance with a man that is threatened by a tough decision. When Johnny (Steven Pasquale) urges Alicia to attack Peter (Chris Noth) alongside Prady (David Hyde Pierce), Eli (Alan Cumming) threatens to take away a promising next campaign from Johnny. At first, he caves, but once Alicia brings up their personal connection and Marissa (Sarah Steele – promote her to the main cast already!) scolds him, he rallies, sacrificing possible professional advancement for the woman he has feelings for. He is rewarded at her apartment later, so I guess his actions pay off, but it will be anything but smooth sailing for them. Though, this might open the door for Alicia to finally leave Peter, especially if she wins the election and they are both in the offices they want.

Sadly, on the other end of the spectrum, Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) acts in the most despicable of manners. On his possible death bed, which ends up not being so, he plays on Alicia’s sympathies to hurt her reputation. That David Lee (Zach Grenier) is complicit is even worse, making me think this wolf in the firm will have to be dealt with sooner, rather than later. Still, Canning is the main instigator, and after Alicia rushes to his bedside, I can’t believe he’d be so callous as to do this to her. Hopefully, the results won’t be too big a deal.

“Open Source” is yet another example of an excellent episode of THE GOOD WIFE, of which there are many. Most of its arcs are fairly self-contained, other than some relationship stuff, and yet it never feels that way. The show has done such a great job of building this world that even stand-alone cases seem like part of a larger fabric, rather than procedural. If the show relied too much on them, it would suffer, but the writers never do, making it much more about the characters than any short-sighted stories. THE GOOD WIFE deserves its high esteem as the best regular-season show currently airing on the broadcast networks (Hannibal may arguably beat it, but it’s a summer series).

THE GOOD WIFE airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Check out Emily Owens

Don't let the goofy poster fool you. The CW's new drama Emily Owens M.D. is good. It's very good. In fact, it's so good, that it feels like it belongs on another network. No offense to the CW, as I do enjoy much of their programming, but it's target viewing audience skews young, and Emily Owens could easily be enjoyed by people of all ages.

I understand why it's on the CW. The concept is that a hospital is just like high school, with the various cliques filling in various departments, and peers treating one another just as meanly as teenagers. This is definitely a pitch that belongs on this network, and would feel right at home among their other shows.

But the fact of the matter is, this idea plays very little into what Emily Owens M.D. actually is, and it would not be surprising if it's pushed to the back burner or abandoned as the series plays out. Instead, we get a Grey's Anatomy style series, with a main narrator, story for all of the doctors closest around her, and a focus on their interactions and relationships. Patients pass through quick enough to avoid being a procedural, and instead, it is a mature series, overall.

It also helps that Emily Owens M.D. stars Mamie Gummer (Off the Map) in the title role. Gummer channels her mother, Meryl Streep, beautifully in so many scenes. She is clearly a very good, very experienced actress who could be doing roles far more demanding than this. By bringing her serious gravitas, incredibly impressive to see in one so young, she raises the level of the entire project. Can you imagine if Meryl Street had starred in a medical drama a couple of decades ago? That's what you're getting in Emily Owens M.D.

If this seems to clash with what I laid out as the main idea of the series, that's because it does. Gummer's internal monologue is sometimes great, but at other times, usually when she feels awkward, it becomes out of place. Scenes at the high school across from the hospital aren't great. Emily should be confident and brave, like Gummer. The opposite of most shows, I think the character will have to grow into the actress.

And the thing is, the rest of the cast is also really good. Justin Hartley plays Will, Emily's best friend whom she has an unrequited crush on. But he does so while proving that he can do better than running around in a hood and tights, as he formerly did on Smallville. Emily's new pal Tyra (Kelly McCreary, White Collar), who happens to be the chief's (Harry Lennix, Dollhouse) closeted lesbian daughter, is a complex character of the type that you might see on a network series. And even the villain, Cassandra (Aja Naomi King) already has depth after only one episode! This is done with making Emily look foolish in a moment where she actually deserves to look foolish.

With a solid cast, which also includes Michael Rady (The Mentalist) as a superior and real love interest for Emily and Necar Zadegan (24) as a gruff boss, and well developed characters, it's up to the writing to sell it. If the patients in the first episode are indication, challenging Emily and the other characters, and teaching them lessons, this will work out, too.

There isn't much to complain about in the "Pilot" of Emily Owens M.D. It's a great hour of television, highly enjoyable and engaging. Gummer is meant to be a star, and while this may not be the absolute best showcase for her to shine in, being a standard medical drama, it's a not a bad package, and she is definitely going to make the best of it.

 Emily Owens M.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Off the Map: The Complete Series now on DVD!

     ABC's Off the Map had a lot going for it when it premiered in January. For one thing, Jenna Bans, who worked on Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives, created it. Shonda Rhimes, the brain trust behind Grey's, produced it. The cast was excellent. Set in a South American jungle, it was a unique medical show about some very strange cases, and American doctors trying to escape their past having, while to adapt to the local culture. Think Grey's meets Star Trek: Deep Space 9 in a setting that looks like Lost. Yes, those are all intended to be serious compliments.

     The series begins as Lily Brenner (Caroline Dhavernas, Wonderfalls) comes to the clinic, haunted by the memory of her dead fiance. She is accompanied by two other new, young doctors, Tommy Fuller (Zach Gilford, Friday Night Lights) and Mina Minard (Mamie Gummer, The Good Wife). Fuller is a plastic surgeon who has a family who doesn't like or respect him, as he spent his college days drinking. Minard let a patient die while exhausted, thinking he simply had a case of the flu, instead of the zebra of a case that it actually was. So she was kicked out of her residency program. All three hope this will be a nice change of pace, allowing them to re-evaluate their lives. Of course, they soon realize they are biting off more than they can chew.

     Then there's the older doctors, who have been there long enough to know the lay of the land. Dr. Ben Keeton (Martin Henderson, Big Sky) is the strong, male lead. Mentor to all, he is the subject of Lily's initial crush, but he already has someone. Kind of. That's Ryan Clark (Rachelle Lefevre, Twilight), who is struggling with her own severe medical problems. Otis Cole (Jason George, Grey's Anatomy) is said to be a jerk, but he's pretty likeable, and has a thing for Zita Alvarez (Valerie Cruz, True Blood). Zita is actually from the region, so unlike the others, she isn't trying to forget anything.

     It's a motley crew, to be sure, but one that's good in a crisis, and can get things done effectively. Which they do, over and over again, for the thirteen episodes of Off the Map's too-short run. Each character actually shows not only some depth in personality and back story, but growth. For instance, Lily only really drools over Keeton for a short time before switching to a guy that is actually available. Otis figures out his feelings for Zita, instead of continuing to stew over them. New relationships bloom where they may not be exactly expected. And there isn't a weak actor in the cast.

     There are such drastic improvements on most of the characters' outlooks, it's with bittersweetness that one begins to wonder where the series would have gone, had it continued. Surely, new, fresh faces would have joined the ranks, and life would have gone on. Not everyone can stay in the jungle long-term, but Off the Map already established a core group that could brave the dangers of the jungle and come through with flying colors.

     The principal cast is not the only reason to watch. A slew of fantastic guest stars, from Michael McKean to Aimee Garcia to Cheech Marin to Judy Reyes cross the threshold of the small, poor clinic. Each brings their own intriguing twist with them. Plus, the staff often deals with strange medical conditions and has to rescue patients from dangerous conditions. Tourists aren't easily prepared for such a risky environment, and many end up in the make shift hospital. As such, there is a lot going on in each and every episode. Plus, no subtitles for when the locals speak Spanish, making viewers feel as lost as the doctors!

     The DVD release's special features reflect the strange setting in which the story takes place. Clocking in at around five minutes, "Jungle Medicine" examines some of the strange medical mysteries the characters encounter, and promises that each is based on a real-life story. The eight-minute "On Set At Off the Map" interviews cast members and producers about what it was like to film in Hawaii, as well as how they made things look like South America. There are also eleven deleted scenes and a standard two-minute blooper reel. Not too shabby for a series that only last thirteen episodes!

     In short, it's a real shame Off the Map won't be back this fall, and despite the cliffhanger of an ending, I do recommend purchasing this three disc set. It's a wonderful adventure with rich characters in interesting scenarios, and not at all a waste of time to watch. It's a unique show with some brave choices that set it apart from standard fare.

     Off the Map: The Complete Series boasts Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, Spanish and French subtitles, and 1.78:1 Widescreen picture. Which means it looks and sounds fantastic.

     Buy Off the Map: The Complete Series today.

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

Article first published as DVD Review: Off the Map: The Complete Series on Blogcritics.

Off the Map - "Saved By the Great White Hope"

Click here for all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

     With Shonda Rhimes on board as producer, and the main characters mostly doctors by profession, you can be forgiven for thinking that ABC's new Off the Map is just another Grey's Anatomy clone. Forgiven, because it sounds likely, but you would be mistaken. The show is not created by Rhimes, but rather by Jenna Bans. Bans has worked on Grey's and Desperate Housewives, so she's part of the ABC family, but also brings something slightly different to the table. That's what Off the Map is: different, but not so much so that it feels out of place among the network's popular series.

     When Lily Brenner (Caroline Dhavernas, Wonderfalls) first appeared on screen, I immediately pegged her as Meredith Grey type. Then I started thinking Christina Yang. Soon, it became apparent that she was neither, and both, with a dose of House's Cameron mixed in, as she did lose her fiance. But Brenner is more than that. She's that idealistic hero, brave and smart, that can rise to the circumstance, that every great show needs. After saving a man (the great Michael McKean guest starring) who trapped his arm in a zip line, and then making sure he got to dump his wife's ashes before he took off in a helicopter, Brenner has already made herself TV's newest leading lady. She owned the show.

      Brenner may have stood out to me, but she is not alone. Two other young docs arrived with her in the form of Tommy Fuller (Zach Gilford, Friday Night Lights) and Mina Minard (Mamie Gummer, The Good Wife). Each of the three has something in their past that has driven them far away into the wilderness, as we're told each person that comes to the clinic from the U.S. has. Brenner's is the dead fiance, which caused her to take an extended leave of absence. Fuller has a family who doesn't like or respect him, as he spent his college days drinking. He has already earned the nickname 'Plastics' because his idea of a great surgery is implanting fake breasts. Minard let a patient die while exhausted, thinking he simply had a case of the flu, instead of the zebra of a case that it actually was. You know, when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras? We're told she was kicked out of her residency program for the mistake, though that seems a little harsh to me. Perhaps there is more to the story?

     Not only the young ones, but the elder doctors must have issues, too. Something has to make Otis Cole (Jason George, Grey's Anatomy, Eli Stone) the jerk that he is. At least, he's called a jerk. I found him very likable, as George's characters always are. In fact, I liked him best of the elder docs on staff. He has spirit, a sense of fun, and he doesn't put up with anything that he shouldn't, especially from snotty new arrivals.

 

     Cole isn't the only one displeased with the newbies before he even gets to know them. Zita Alvarez (Valerie Cruz, True Blood, Dexter) had an even better reaction. The barb she gave that stuck with me was about the new doctors not even bothering to learn Spanish, though clearly that's what most of the locals speak. I like this, because it reinforces the idea that this clinic is someplace to run to, not someplace anyone really wants to be. As such, it sets a different tone from other medical dramas immediately, and tells us something vital about each of the characters, even though its not an obvious characteristic of everyone... yet. Not only that, the culture barrier is emphasized nicely to the audience by not subtitling the Spanish speak. I'm as clueless as those new doctors as to what the residents are saying. Very neat.

 

     Though George is certainly a hunk to many, as a show with Rhimes involved, there has to be a Mc-someone, and he is there in the form of Dr. Ben Keeton (Martin Henderson, Big Sky. From the moment Brenner and Minard ogle his abs as he takes off his shirt, you know he's going to have a Mc-nickname soon. Plus, he has an accent, so double points. Honestly, I found Keeton a little bland, the only character I thought that of. I'm sure it's simply because he didn't get enough development. We got only the barest glimpse into his issues at the end of the episode, and there will surely be more to come.

     Speaking of the end of the episode, I was incredibly disappointed that Ryan Clark (Rachelle Lefevre, Twilight, What About Brian?) had so little screen time in the pilot. She is one of my favorite TV actresses, and we still know nothing about her character. As she is listed as a principal cast member, it can't be long before more of her is revealed, but I'm impatient in that regard.

     I won't say that this show changed my world, or that it belongs at the top of the ratings. But I will say there's something pretty cool here, and it's not just another procedural clone. As such, I urge you to check out Off the Map, which airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Article first published as TV Review: Off the Map - "Saved By the Great White Hope" on Blogcritics.