GRIMM Makes Me "Cry"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This year’s season finale of GRIMM is called “Cry Havoc.” Picking up from lack week’s cliffhanger, Nick (David Giuntoli) still reeling by the box containing its mother’s head, the hour features the showdown between our heroes and the royals who have plagued them this season. It also features the death of a main character.

“Cry Havoc” finally fully eliminates my frequent complaint that the show has become too procedural. Nothing about this installment is case-of-the-week. With Nick going after Kenneth (Nico Evers-Swindell) and Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch), and Renard (Sasha Roiz) dealing with the fall-out of his Jack the Ripper possession, the show only has time for serial arcs, not anything new.

Unfortunately, that’s not enough to save this season finale from being completely terrible, doing nothing to redeem a once-good series.

The opening of “Cry Havoc” is absolutely awful. The house is a “trap,” and yet a henchmen calls in to Kenneth to get permission to attack Nick, several minutes after Nick enters? Permission is given freely and without hesitation, so why wasn’t it pre-granted? Then, the bad guys all come across the street very obviously to the front door, leaving the back completely unguarded. If this is a trap, it is the worst trap ever. And Kenneth is surprised when it doesn’t work? Really? This from the scary group that policies the Wesen world. Guess they aren’t so scary, huh?

And why does Juliette look slightly concerned with hearing Nick’s death ordered but doesn’t say anything? Does she want him to do die or not? This isn’t clear even when she declines to flee Portland and returns for a final confrontation. First, she asks him to kill her, then she tries to kill him. Is she just drawn to him for some reason? I’m not saying the writers should hand us everything on a silver platter, but when a character is as back-and-forth as Juliette, we need some clue as to what her motivations are.

I hope Nick doesn’t hold it against Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) that she kills Juliette. Juliette seems irredeemable at this point, and while Nick can’t bring himself to snuff the life out of the woman he once loved, which seems a little weird given how final he is when he says he’s done with her, the world is better off without Juliette. At least, without this version of her.

Juliette’s fall is a tragic tale, and I hope GRIMM follows up with this next season. Her being dead doesn’t erase the trauma Nick goes through. While he shouldn’t send Trubel away, he needs to struggle with his grief and pain. These last couple of weeks see Nick go through the worst things that could happen to him. One does not just bounce back from that.

Might GRIMM put Nick and Adalind (Claire Coffee) together, a silver lining in the dark cloud? Nick doesn’t want her in his house in “Cry Havoc,” even after the danger seems to be past, but everyone is much nicer to Adalind than they’ve ever been. She’s almost a friend to the group. This change has come too quickly, though, without enough consideration of the bad things Adalind has done in the past.

“Cry Havoc” leaves fans with plenty of unanswered questions. Renard looks to be ready to move past the Jack the Ripper stuff, but his involvement with the royals can’t be over. When his father is murdered by the rebels to steal back Adalind’s child, doesn’t that leave Renard in line for the throne? How might that affect the show next year, if Renard is offered the position?

While the possibilities raised above, Renard ascending and Nick dealing with stuff and Nick and Adalind’s new dynamic, there are strong paths that can be used to build a more serial fifth season. Unfortunately, after the (at best) mediocre fourth year, it makes me wonder if GRIMM will pursue such things, or give them only short snippets in episodes mostly involving yet another stupid murder case. Probably the latter.

GRIMM will return next fall to NBC.

Disaster strikes on "The Big Day" in the Hart of Dixie

Deciding to stay in Bluebell, as Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) does in the penultimate episode of the season, proves harder than expected as "The Big Day" arrives on Hart of Dixie. She stays because of all the bonds she has formed. But one of those bonds, George Tucker (Scott Porter), who she cares a little more than she should for, is about to marry Lemon Breeland (Jaime King). And this is not a day for Zoe to hang around the town, which is totally devoted to the nuptials.

So she borrows Lavon's (Cress Williams) vehicle and heads off. Circumstances force her to take Wade (Wilson Bethel) with her. This is good, because they have some unresolved issues to work out anyway. Wade is jealous over Zoe's feelings for George, and Zoe hasn't told Wade that she knows about his own romantic notions. Of course, the pair is soon trapped in the rain together, seeking shelter in a barn, where they have it out, once and for all.

Zoe and Wade's hookup has been a long time coming. From the onset of Hart of Dixie, there is little doubt that the two will spend some time in a relationship together. And while the way it goes down may be a little cliche, Hart of Dixie uses its Southern charm to make it every bit as enjoyable as the rest of the show. Even Bilson's sometimes outlandish acting style and barely expressive features can't help but be caught up in the moment. In fact, one would be hard pressed not to root for these two. But we'll return to that in a moment.

For those following along at home, you might realize that both a wedding and a storm have been mentioned. To make matters worse, this wedding, Lemon's dream ceremony, is supposed to be outside. George does everything he can to salvage the day, accepting his neighbors' help, while moving the ceremony into an old firehouse. In fact, he even seems to make peace with Lavon, who goes out of his way to assist, trying to make up for his tryst with Lemon.

But it's to no avail. George's efforts begin to seem more and more desperate, and while a storybook wedding looks like it could eek out at some point, the day actually gets worse as it goes on. George is forced to confront the real reason why he is pushing this wedding forward so hard, determined to get it over with. This is first hinted at in the silly dream sequence at the beginning of "The Big Day," which hangs over the rest of the hour. And once he does admit these doubts to himself, there is simply no way that he can go through with marrying Lemon.

It's actually a bit disappointing when George breaks it off with Lemon to go be with Zoe, who is in the midst of carnal relations with Wade. George kisses Zoe without realizing what is going on, and Wade also stays in the dark.Which leaves Zoe with a big decision to make. She has pined for George for a long time, but kicking Wade to the curb now would be nearly unforgivable. I'd like to say I know which man Zoe will choose, but I don't.

George walking out on the wedding seems dumb, a forced move merely to keep the romantic triangles alive. This sucks because, over this first season of Hart of Dixie, Lemon has become a sympathetic character who deserves to get the man she loves. It would have been mighty brave of the writers to marry the pair off one season in.

On the other hand, Wade seems good for Zoe, and after sleeping with him, it's doubtful that Zoe will end things so quickly, even to be with George. She's not that shallow, and doing this would make her completely unlikable. However, shows have done worse things and the characters have recovered. Eventually. So we'll see.

While all of the shipper drama is fun, and reason enough to watch Hart of Dixie, there is another great element. "The Big Day" sees the entire population lending a hand to George and Lemon. The side characters, especially Tom (Ross Philips), have become pretty developed and occur more regularly, with more being added as the season goes on. The draw of this town is a Gilmore Girls-esque gallery of these interesting individuals, and the sleepy village that brings them together. It's small town life in a way that probably doesn't exist very many places anymore in reality, but it makes for wonderful television. This is the real heart of Hart of Dixie, and what sets it apart from other shows.

Hart of Dixie has been renewed for a second season, and will return to the CW next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up on streaming episodes of Hart of Dixie. Article first published as Disaster strikes on "The Big Day" in the Hart of Dixie on TheTVKing.com

Terra Nova responds to "Occupation" with "Resistance"

     To end the freshman run of Terra Nova, FOX presents "Occupation" and "Resistance" last night. Lucas Taylor (Ashley Zukerman) leads some greedy miners into the past, and they take control of Terra Nova. When Jim (Jason O'Mara), who is injured in the initial confrontation, wakes up, he seeks a way to communicate with Commander Taylor (Stephen Lang), who is outside the walls of the settlement with a handful of soldiers. Together, they plot to stop their conquerers. Jim travels back to the future, and gets home just before destroying the portal. Then, mysteriously, the bad guys pack up and go, heading into the Badlands where the bow of an old sailing ship is discovered.

     "Occupation" and "Resistance" call to mind other TV shows and movies pretty heavily. There's an Avatar-esque battle with a company who just wants to make a profit (though Lang is now on the right side). When the characters gaze at pretty dinosaurs, who Lucas casually murders, the parallel is even stronger. There's also an aspect of Lost, in the mystery of the sailing ship, and some of the musical score plays up this well. It's a smart move for Terra Nova, given that Avatar did well in theaters, and Lost is one of the greatest series ever made.

     But execution falls short, as it has continuously done over the season. Things are too easy, and leaps are made without explanation. Jim can run faster than the explosion destroying the Hub? Really? It's understandable that Terra Nova, being in part a family drama, doesn't want to lose its patriarch, but his mission is a suicide one. It would have been far more interesting to have Jim trapped in the future next season, seeking a way home. Or anyone in Jim's place, for that matter. Also, Jim just pretends he is confused wandering outside of the compound's walls, and the soldiers take him home? And he travels to a packed bar after curfew, where occupiers and colonists alike are drinking, and no one gets in trouble?

     The thing is, though, Terra Nova does know how to deliver a killer action sequence. And it also can tug a few heart strings. Credit should be given to Washington's (Simone Kessell) heroic sacrifice, made all the more moving as she struggles with the guilt of surrending Terra Nova to save innocent lives. In "Occupation" and "Resistance," she is a complex character with good motivations and a compelling story. Which saves the season finale from being a total bust. It's also hard not to get excited when the various members of the colony, who don't always get along, come together to fight back, even as the scenes lean a bit towards the cheesy.

     In a similar vein, Lang delivers a fantastic performance, even as the story between Taylor father and soon veers between unrealistic and ridiculous. Lucas is single-minded and evil, rather than layered, making their confrontation silly. But Lang still manages to evoke some strong emotion at his son's betrayal and death, and that says much about his acting skills.

     Dinosaur sightings are light, especially in the first half, but then, that's not really what Terra Nova is about. More disappointing is not seeing the colony fall, only hearing about it from Jim's perspective, as he slept through the whole thing. However, this is likely because of budget concerns, and because "Resistance" later gives a massive explosion and dinosaur chase, that kind of makes up for the skimping earlier.

     Does Terra Nova deserve a second season? Well, people will be upset if the ship's bow isn't explained. But it's hard to argue for more installments when, despite some wonderful moments and great special effects, the stories and dialogue just are not up to snuff. There are plenty of better shows that have been cancelled quicker. The deciding factor will likely be ratings, which have been good, but not great, given the massive budget of the series. Word may not be handed down for months, and there's nothing to do but wait and see.

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     Catch up with streaming episodes of Terra Nova.

Season Finales Are Here!!!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 ~ Series Finale of Dollhouse (Fox)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8 ~ Heroes (NBC)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 ~ Scrubs (ABC)

MONDAY, APRIL 12 ~ Life Unexpected (CW)

MONDAY, APRIL 19 ~ Damages (FX)

WENESDAY, MAY 12 ~ Mercy (NBC) and The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)

THURSDAY, MAY 13 ~ Private Practice (ABC) and The Vampire Diaries (CW)

FRIDAY, MAY 14 ~ Smallville (CW)

SATURDAY, MAY 15 ~ Saturday Night Live (NBC)

SUNDAY, MAY 16 ~ American Dad (Fox), Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters (ABC), The Pacific (HBO)

MONDAY, MAY 17 ~ House (Fox), Castle (ABC), and Gossip Girl (CW)

TUESDAY, MAY 18 ~ V (ABC)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19 ~ Modern Family and Cougar Town (ABC)

THURSDAY, MAY 20 ~ Parks and Recreation, The Office, and 30 Rock (NBC), Bones and Fringe (Fox), and Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

FRIDAY, MAY 21 ~ The Ricky Gervais Show (HBO)

SUNDAY, MAY 23 ~ The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, and Family Guy (Fox), Series Finale of Lost (ABC)

MONDAY, MAY 24 ~ Series Finale of 24 (Fox), Chuck (NBC), How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

TUESDAY,  MAY 25 ~ Parenthood (NBC)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 ~ American Idol (Fox)

THURSDAY, MAY 27 ~ Series Finale of FlashForward (ABC)

MONDAY, JUNE 7 ~ Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara (Showtime)

TUESDAY, JUNE 8 ~ Glee (Fox) and Justified (FX)

SUNDAY, JUNE 13 ~ Breaking Bad (AMC)

SUNDAY, JUNE 20 ~ Treme (HBO) and Series Finale of The Tudors (Showtime)

FRIDAY, JUNE 25 ~ Party Down (Starz)

Down in the Treme

     Ah, Treme.  HBO's series, set in New Orleans six months after Hurricane Katrina devastated it, is a breath of fresh air.  It's unique and original.  The characters are believable, and have so many layers.  Last night's hour and a half season finale, "I'll Fly Away", was moving.  It wasn't an extraordinary episode, measured against any other.  It was like real life, continuing in it's twists and turns.  The only really stand out part was the ten minute or so sequence where we got to see all of the characters just before the storm.  But the fact that no part of Treme does stand out as especially more dramatic as any other is why the series works so well.  Sure, there are ups and downs, but everything flows along like a Second Line parade.

     The most heart breaking plot involved the suicide of Creighton Bernette (John Goodman, an actual resident of the city).  It was so nice to see him in the before the storm segment, acting normally with his family.  Damn imdb.com teases us, listing him as full time for the upcoming second season, but surely that is not to be.  His writer / activist was certainly one of the most fascinating characters, and while it was obvious from the beginning of the penultimate episode that he intended to take his life, suddenly cheery after all his frustrations  Yet, it made no sense, in that he had plenty to live for.  His family certainly didn't see it coming, and while I did, I still don't know why he did it.  My heart goes out to his wife Toni (Melissa Leo) and daughter Sofia (India Ennenga).  That's a testament to how un-fictional the family seemed.

     Elswhere, it appears that Davis (Steve Zahn) failed to stop Janette (Kim Dickens) from leaving town.  If her character doesn't return for the second season, she will be sorely missed, but I suspect she may soon be back in the south.  She just doesn't seem like a New York City gal.  However, the hints of a love interest for Davis in Annie (Lucia Micarelli, a real musician) make much more sense, and I would like to see that blossom.  It was clear that Davis and Janette weren't meant for each other, even to the characters themselves, but Annie seems a perfect match.  And Davis for her, much more so than her jerk of an ex-boyfriend, Sonny (Michiel Huisman).  I was gratified that she left him, and hope she never does back.

     Antoine (Wendell Pierce) needs to clean up his act.  Gambling away most of the money he made at his latest gig won't support his family.  How many kids does he have, anyhow?  I kept thinking he could find someone more attractive than the woman he is currently with, but he certainly doesn't deserve better.  I kind of root for him to get back with ex Ladonna (Khandi Alexander) because he actually seems to care about her, but she certainly deserves a good man, and seems to have found one.  I hope that she doesn't let past chemistry screw up what she has any more than it already has.

     Finally, is Delmond (Rob Brown) ever going to listen to his father, Indian Chief Albert (Clarke Peters) and return to his home?  He should.  He's the character that seems most disposable to me, so much more than John Goodman was.  In contrast, his father is part of the heart of New Orleans.  Between his civil disobedience and gathering back his tribute, Albert is a pillar of the community.  I hope things start going better for him soon.

Big Bang makes a big bang

     CBS ended the latest season of The Big Bang Theory last night with the episode, "The Lunar Excitation".  It was exactly as funny as you'd expect from the show, which, while starting out strong, has only gotten more entertaining with age.

     One of last night's major plots concerned Leonard (Johnny Galecki) learning that there is a definite double standard for drunken sex with your ex.  It appears that her time with Leonard has changed Penny (Kaley Cuoco) for the better, in that she can no longer put with stupid boyfriends.  This is good, it shows her growth.  Unfortunately, a little alcohol sent her right back into her former geek's arms.  But it was a one night mistake, and she hurt Leonard a little bit bit all over again.  The two of them make a great couple, and the show did not suffer one bit from their relationship, as other series have.  I think the breakup is delivering good plot, too, but enough already!  Get them back together!  Don't make this a Ross / Rachel thing!

     Of even bigger implications, though, was when Raj (Kunal Nayyar) and Howard (Simon Helberg) secretly signed up Sheldon (Jim Parsons) for an online dating service.  The result was the discovery of a female version (Mayim Bialik, who was sadly only in one memorable scene) of their neurotic friend.  One Sheldon even seemed to warm up to within second of meeting her.  What this will mean for the afore-assumed asexual scientist is anyone's guess, but it seems certain that Bialik will be returning to reprise the role next season.  Perhaps her eminent arrival was why the writer's split up Leonard and Penny.  I don't think Sheldon's roommate would handle being the single one in their apartment very well.

     The next season of The Big Bang Theory promises to be a good one.  Make sure you watch for it on CBS next fall.

Grey's Anatomy delivers best episode of the series, best finale of the year

     I waited to watch the season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy until I could watch it in one sitting, uninterrupted, since I heard it was going to be fantastic.  None of the hype did it any justice.  The two-parter, entitled "Sanctuary" and "Death and All His Friends" was arguably the best episode of the entire series thus far, and definitely the best season finale that I've seen this year.  It was adrenaline-packed, incredibly suspenseful, and emotionally draining.  The darkest moments were spread out over the episode, so viewers barely got a breather before being hit hard again.  Dr. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) delivered one of her finest acting moments, and that's saying quite a lot.

     The main plot centered on a character we've seen a couple of times before, Gary Clark (Michael O'Neill, The West Wing).  Previously, Gary's wife had died at Seattle Grace Hospital, and he is out for revenge on the surgeons who he blames for her passing.  Namely Drs. Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), Webber (James Pickens Jr.), and Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh).  When he doesn't see them soon upon entering the building, he begins by shooting at others.  Before the first commercial, two major characters are lying in pools of their own blood.  Remarkably, O'Neill played Clark sympathetic, even after he had done his worst.

     The group hardest hit were this season's recurring interlopers, the Mercy West transfers.  Reed (Nora Zehetner) was the first one shot, right between the eyes.  She was probably dead before hitting the ground.  Percy (Robert Baker) bled out a lot more slowly, making his death mean so much more.  By the time he had finally died, I wished he had been a part of the show longer.  April (Sarah Drew) should have been shot, since she was directly to blame for Shepherd almost losing his life, and hopefully she will soon resign following these traumatic events.  The fourth, Dr. Avery (Jesse Williams) showed coolness under pressure, and helped save Shepherd from Gary.  For those heroic deeds, his name should soon join the opening credits.  Unfortunately, Shonda Rhimes, the show's creator, wants to keep both surviving doctors.

     Unfortunately, those weren't the only people hurt by the tragedy.  Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) was one of the first to fall, but fortunately was kept alive by Sloan (Eric Dane) until they could get him out.  This complicated the Alex - Lexie - Sloan love triangle terribly, even more so when Alex called for Izzy (departed cast member Katherine Heigl).  As mentioned before, Derek Shepherd was badly injured, and only Christina (Sandra Oh) and Avery kept him from joining Reed and Percy.  Also tragic, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek's unborn child didn't survive the stress of the situation.

     Should you take from the above article that it was nothing by tragedy, there were a few bright moments, particularly at the end.  Richard Webber showed his true character, resisted turning back to alcohol after being sober for six months, and talked the shooter into ending his own life, sparing any further bloodshed.  Might he take his old job back as Derek recovers?  Hunt (Kevin McKidd) declared his love for Christina, and Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) reunited.

     Bravo to all involved for an amazing two hours of television those who watch it will not soon forget.

The Office snitch

     What can I say about the season finale of NBC's The Office, "Whistleblower"?  It certainly wasn't as big a deal as The Office's usual season finales.  Instead, it was a mostly understated story about how leaked to the press the problems with their new printers.  Answer?  Pretty much everybody.  Even former boss David Wallace (Andy Buckley in a hilarious cameo).  Though it mostly hurt Andy (Ed Helms).  But since Michael (Steve Carell) decided to take the fall and make the apology to the media, it appears that their boss is going to let it slide.

     And that was what was really going on.  There were some big developments, they just weren't as shocking or dramatically revealed as they had been in the past.  Sabre, the company that bought Dunder-Mifflin a few months ago and added printers to their paper stock, is clearly not going to be around long-term.  Kathy Bates, who plays Sabre owner Jo, has already lined up another television gig.  The printers are catching on fire and ruining the company's reputation.  It all clearly is a set up for a quick Sabre exit.  But whether that will mean a new corporate boss, or a return to the status quo of last year, is up in the air.

     Another big development slipped by, too.  Michael asked Jo to bring back the love of his life, Holly (Amy Ryan), to the Scranton branch, and my guess is that will be one of her last acts as their owner.  The show has long longed to return Holly to Michael's awkward arms, in some fashion.  Whether they will be lucky enough to get Ryan to sign on for a large number of episodes, or whether she just makes a quick appearance, surely the boat will be rocked.  Michael and Holly will have to end up together.

     Other news reports point to Carell planning on making next season his last.  I do believe the show can go on without him, though I doubt it will for long.  In the British version, Michael's counter-part David (Ricky Gervais) was fired about three quarters of the way through, yet continued to hang around the office pretty much every day.  It was sad and pathetic and I don't think that fans will stand for a similar ending to Michael, but he could, and his character likely would, still pop in from time to time, especially when he first leaves.  Does that mean Michael Scott may be making an exit by mid-year?  Perhaps to run off with Holly?

     Looks like we'll just have to wait and see.  Though something tells me that, unlike the British version, should Michael leave, it will be Jim (John Krasinski) left in charge instead of Dwight (Rainn Wilson).  They really are two different shows.