ARROW "Haunted" By Canceled Hero

Article originally written for Seat42F. 

 
It seems like Oliver (Stephen Amell) is no longer “Haunted” by his past on this week’s ARROW, as he finds a way to get along with everyone. This is a great example of how he’s changed, and how being in a relationship with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) has made him softer, in a good way. But not everyone is so lucky, as two dead characters destined for a 2016 spin-off deal with the aftereffects of their deaths in various ways, and a canceled DC television character crosses over.

Let’s start with Sara (Caity Lotz), who is on the loose and murdering people. Her bloodlust has her targeting Thea (Willa Holland), which makes sense because Thea killed her, even if Thea wasn’t in control of herself at the time. A run-in between the two leaves Thea hospitalized and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) feeling bad. But in the end, Oliver (with help) is able to catch Sara, and has a plan to restore her soul.

Enter John Constantine (Matt Ryan, Constantine). Having met Oliver in yet another pointless flashback, Oliver gets the hero who communes with the supernatural to come to Star City and help him rescue Sara’s soul. Constantine is a fun character who effortlessly slides into “Haunted,” serving an actual purpose, his appearance anything but gratuitous. Given ARROW’s penchant for touching the other side from time to time, I think Oliver should keep Constantine’s number handy, even though it seems a little weird he hasn’t been called or mentioned before. I feel like he needs an arc, not just a guest spot.

In the Constantine sequence, we see Oliver getting along with the abrasive man, giving him warm thanks for his help, even though Constantine isn’t exactly behaving in a manner that would trigger warmth. We also see fuzzy moments between Oliver and Thea, and while Oliver and Laurel have it out regarding Laurel secretly bringing her sister back, Oliver brokers peace between them. Oliver even shoots down a political strategist’s (Parker Young, Suburgatory) advice to stand by Laurel. So “Haunted” proves Oliver’s transformation from cold dictator into understanding team player is complete.

Laurel and Thea also have a little moment when Laurel says losing Thea would make bringing Sara back not worth it. Thea and Laurel have been acting like sisters, and it’s satisfying to see Laurel does have a limit as to what she will do for her soulless sister.

Now the question is, how will restored-soul Sara and Thea deal with their bloodlusts, and is this something that can be cured? Obviously, Oliver won’t let them kill people to work out their feelings. How can he help them stop it once and for all? Maybe Constantine can help? But if so, why isn’t he asked in “Haunted”?

Speaking of people back from the dead, Curtis (Echo Kellum) decodes Ray’s (Brandon Routh) message and it turns out the former CEO is alive! He doesn’t give Felicity clear instructions on how to find him yet, but it’s nice to know another favorite character will be coming back, if only briefly before heading to the Legends of Tomorrow spin-off with Sara. How Felicity can save him is put off for another day, but as I said last week, I’m digging her solo plots this season. And I love her speaker voice.

The final subplot of the week involves Captain Lance (Paul Blackthorne) obtaining Diggle’s brother’s file from Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough). The file says Dig’s bro wasn’t as noble as Diggle (David Ramsey) believes. Is Darhk possibly lying and forging evidence? It doesn’t seem so. But I do wonder why Darhk handed over this paperwork. Is he just trying to get Diggle to stay away, one less distraction for Darhk?

“Haunted” is a decently solid episode of ARROW. As usual, the flashbacks are wasted screen time, but it’s cool to see Constantine survive beyond his short-lived series, and I’m very happy with the
interactions between the core characters of late. It’s about time they have some happiness and harmony, even if I’m sure it’ll be short-lived.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Happy To Be ENLISTED

Article first published as ENLISTED Review on Seat42F.

From the mind of Kevin Biegel, co-creator of Cougar Town, comes the new FOX comedy ENLISTED. Set at an army base in Florida, super soldier Sgt. Pete Hill (Geoff Stults, The Finder) is demoted after punching out a senior officer and assigned to head a band of rejects. Among those he now commands are his younger brothers, Randy (Parker Young, Suburgatory) and Derrick (Chris Lowell, Private Practice).

ENLISTED is a little like The Bad News Bears and any other sports film in which a reluctant coach with personal problems of his own has no choice but to reluctantly turn a team of misfits into a superior force. Which means the premise is a pretty familiar formula.

But it’s been awhile since we’ve had a war comedy on television. In the old days, Hogan’s Heroes, among others, portrayed the more amusing side of the armed forces in zany situations, and for a long time, M*A*S*H ruled the airwaves, albeit with a more serious take as the years went on.

ENLISTED does not appear to be something that will get serious. By setting it safely in the United States, there is no life-threatening danger; no bad guys must be stopped, no live grenades are being flung at them. And in a half hour sitcom format, it seems unlikely it will examine the heavy issues soldiers face after returning from overseas.

In this last point, I draw your attention to the way Pete is portrayed. His first scene is set in Afghanistan during a firefight. Yet, he’s too busy showing off pictures of his brothers to realize that he could be shot at any moment. This scene is informed by a later conversation in the “Pilot,” which makes it less silly, but still, there isn’t any sense that harm could come to him. Upon returning to the U.S., Pete is not plagued by night terrors or overwhelmed by a sense of relief at being away from the action, actually wanting to get back. Even the anger Pete exhibits when striking a senior officer doesn’t seem like a serious problem because Pete is just defending his men, not battling internal conflict.

Pete’s brothers are even less complex. Derrick is a jerk who doesn’t care about his job, but that’s just because he feels neglected by Pete. And Randy is an incompetent imbecile with too much enthusiasm, blind to even the slightest hint of reality.

Of course, this “Pilot” is only a starting point. Over time, the stories and characters could grow and deepen, and that’s what I’d hope for from it. I could even see a point where Pete’s crew is competent enough to be shipped to the Middle East, but that’s many years in the future, if it ever comes at all.

From the start, ENLISTED is much more concerned about being funny than being complex. It works. The writing is sharp and the situations are humorous. From Pete’s sexually-charged interchange with rival squad leader Jill (Angelique Cabral, Friends With Benefits), to an obsession with Bradley Cooper, to misunderstandings because Ryan doesn’t understand, well, anything, there are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments.

There’s also heart. It’s easy to feel the affection between the brothers. They may not always get along, but they care about one another, and their father having died during his own military service, they also look out for each other. Keith David (Platoon) plays Cody Wallace, their boss at the base and a friend of the Hill father’s. He oversees the boys and makes sure they stay on the right path, providing guidance and advice. And the characters get the opportunity to return a dog to its happy owners.

The charm oozes out of every pore of ENLISTED, and it looks to also boast a recurring cast of vaguely familiar, but not yet famous, faces that should add to the proceedings. It may not be the best show, or that realistic, but it’s warm and sweet and humorous, and for a sitcom, that’s a good place to start.

ENLISTED airs Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Suburgatory delivers "The Motherload"

It's Mother's Day in Chatwin on the season finale of ABC's Suburgatory, entitled "The Motherload."  As the neighborhood tries to outdo each other in honoring the moms, Eden (Alicia Silverstone, Clueless, Miss Match) wonders if perhaps Tessa (Jane Levy) isn't dealing with her feelings of abandonment, not having her mom in the picture. George (Jeremy Sisto) insists that he knows his daughter and Tessa is fine, but is she?

Yes and no. Tessa is a fully developed person, who does just fine without a mother up til now. Then she and her dad move out of the city, and into a place where mothers are no longer an abstract concept, but an ever-present dominating force. Perhaps subconsciously, Tessa looks to fill that void, bonding with Dallas (Cheryl Hines). Soon enough, Tessa is reminded that Dallas already has a daughter.

It's a shame that Dallas cares more about Dalia's (Carly Chaikin) absence than Tessa's presence in "The Motherload." Then again, Dalia is actually Dallas's daughter. Tessa may be sweet and more loving that Dallas's actual-born child, but there is a special bond between a woman and the girl that she gives birth to. Even if, from an outsider's perspective, the relationship appears flawed. In this, there is no blaming Dallas for accidentally shunning Tessa.

So who can Tessa turn to in Suburgatory to fill that mother void? Or does she even need to fill it? Tessa seems to think that, if she escapes back to the city, these emotions will stop. What she doesn't realize is, once brought into the open, this sort of thing can't be packed away again. Not only that, but George has been a heck of a parent to her, and if she leaves him to return to the Big Apple, she will likely miss him far more than she currently misses her absentee mommy. So this cliffhanger will obviously have to work itself out, with Tessa staying put in her suburban, somewhat hell-ish, community.

George is also seeking affection outside of their two-member family in "The Motherload." He invites Eden to live with them, but now that she's there, he's finding it a struggle to make her an included part of the clan. He wants Eden to feel welcome, but he doesn't want her to make decisions regarding Tessa. It's a real struggle for him to open up to someone and share all of the things that one has become accustomed to handling on one's own. George will probably fail in this first attempt, as he continues to figure out his path. But there will be other girls after Eden leaves. Maybe even Dallas, when George is ready.

Noah (Alan Tudyk) and Jill (Gillian Vigman, New Girl, The Hangover) don't make things any easier for Eden in "The Motherload," as she freaks out when she sees their big game hunting-themed nursery. True, the baby Eden is carrying is theirs, not hers, and she has no say in how the child is raised. But the decor does clash against some strongly held personal beliefs. Especially the baby seal and the club. It's no wonder, after her issues with George and these birth parents, that Eden can't wait to get the hell out of town!

Back to the Suburgatory's Mother's Day celebration, Fred (Chris Parnell) and Ryan (Parker Young) go all out to make Sheila's (Ana Gasteyer) day as special as possible. They fail, as Fred hires James Ingram (himself) to sing to her, only to learn that Sheila and James used to date. It's not Fred's fault, since Sheila never mentioned it, but it does lead to a pretty funny flop. And Fred was poised so well to win as a husband after the Cinderella stunt!

Sheila is so distracted by Fred's characteristic ineptitude that she doesn't even notice Lisa's (Allie Grant) lack of participation. Lisa mainly sits out because she is hoping that she is adopted, and waiting for the DNA test results to prove it.

Lisa often feels overshadowed by brother Ryan, so it's no surprise she isn't enthusiastic about family events. However, she also makes the startling discovery in "The Motherload" that it's not she who is adopted, but Ryan! Clearly, the story behind Fred and Sheila taking Ryan in might explain why they shower him with extra attention. But fans will have to wait until next season to find out!

Suburgatory is smart and funny; charming and goofy. It plays with stereotypes, but also presents fully fleshed out characters. Suburgatory is many things, and somehow makes opposite extremes blend together nicely, while serving larger stories. It packs a lot in, but doesn't feel rushed. Look at how much is going on in this review, and it's only a twenty-two minute episode! It's a really great show, and I can't wait for it to end its summer hiatus!

Suburgatory has been renewed for a second season and will return to ABC next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! First published as Suburgatory delivers "The Motherload" on TheTVKing.com

Suburgatory hosts "The Barbecue"

     ABC's new sitcom Suburgatory, in its second week, finds George (Jeremy Sisto, Law & Order, Six Feet Under) forced to host "The Barbeque," lest he be ostracized by his neighbors. Luckily, Noah (Alan Tudyk, Firefly, Dollhouse) is there to lend him a hand. As is Dallas (Cheryl Hines, Curb Your Enthusiasm), though her advice more concerns George's daughter, Tessa (Jane Levy, Shameless). Tessa makes out with neighbor Ryan (Parker Young), who is all abs, and no brains. But Tessa doesn't need George's help to know that she should not be fooling around with Ryan, and she breaks it off.

     Many people really enjoyed the "Pilot" of Suburgatory, but I was not one of them. Since my opinion seemed so far off of others, I decided to give the series a second week to win me over before writing my review of it. I enjoyed the second episode a lot more, not because "The Barbeque" was all that much better, but because it became possible to see past the things that bothered me in week one, and embrace those elements that appealed to the masses.

     The biggest issue I have with Suburgatory is its cartoonish cast. George and Tessa are layered, complete characters, but are surrounded by a bunch of plastic stereotypes. This does not make an interesting, long-running series. And yet, the very unrealistic nature of them is what gives Suburgatory its humorous, offbeat tone. This means this major characteristic of the sitcom is, at the same time, both a turn off and a turn on. What will sway the scales one way or the other is how development is handled, meaning there needs to be some, and also if the fresh jokes can keep coming out of the neighbors' mouths. Because, for now, they are still novel enough to be very entertaining.

     The second detriment is, I am currently in the middle of watching Six Feet Under. It is an excellent series, but features a crazy, creepy Sisto that sticks with you long after the episode ends. This means it is very hard to digest the actor as George, not thinking he is just hiding some psychotic tendencies. By episode two, this gets much easier because Sisto brings heart and ease to his father figure, proving his talent range.

     And Sisto is not the only one. Levy is both adorable and sympathetic. She is attractive far beyond average, and yet has a relatable quality where she doesn't seem completely unattainable, a hard balance to strike. She really gets a chance to shine in "The Barbeque," allowing her vulnerability as a girl to shine through the commonsense, smart exterior. Thus, she captures the teenage spirit. Everyone can be a slave to hormones at one time or another.

     Hines takes what she did in Curb, and ratchets it up twenty notches for an amusing, lonely housewife. Tudyk plays the almost-straight man to the jokes, providing viewers with a way to "get" what is really going on. Saturday Night Live alumni Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell work as the good-hearted, trend-following couple across the street. Allie Grant does a character that is much departed from her Weeds role, defining all new levels of weird, in a totally cool way. Finally, Rex Lee (Entourage) plays the gudiance counselor, apparently now a staple in family series that venture into high schools (see: Awkward., The Secret Life of the American Teenager, etc.). All in all, a solid ensemble.

     Watch Suburgatory Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

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