Lack of Imports

 Article first published as Lack of Imports on Blogcritics.

The United States severely lacks the importation of television programs from other countries. We only like our own fare. Why?

It's extremely common for us to remake shows in the American style. Ugly Betty and Homeland are two examples of successful series from lands far away we've remade in our own studios with our own actors. But how many series can you think of that you watch that do not come from America? I expect that is an extremely short list, if you can think of any at all. Why?

One obstacle may be our country's resistance to subtitles. Sure, there is a certain segment that enjoys an occasional foreign film, and occasionally bad reality TV provides words on the screen for those with thick accents or who mumble a lot. But for the most part, we avoid such things.

Dubbing over the shows with American voice actors is worse. Thankfully, that is trend that never took off here.

It could be because people here are lazy. Books, while still popular among some, are shunned by others. Many people sadly do not equate reading with relaxation, and at the end of a long day, don't want to have to think about their television programming. Even if the content is simple, reading subtitles means some thinking is involved.

For others, television still holds that idiot-box reputation, and subtitles are seen as an uppity thing for the elite or over-educated. They assume they won't like anything with words on the screen because they watch TV for mindless entertainment, and think that anything with subtitles won't appeal to their demographic.

However, I do think that the issue goes much deeper than subtitles. Our entertainment industry has an arrogance that, because the rest of the world gobbles up our content, we are the best. They think they can do it better than anyone else, and so decide they want to do their own version, rather than serve us up a foreign package.

This mindset is not completely unjustified. We do have a thriving entertainment industry which is syndicated around the world, and sometimes we do remake things better than the original. Other times, though, we do not. In this case, I really wish there was more importation.

Another reason for remakes, rather than straight airing of other countries' shows, is social disconnect. This is especially relevant in the arena of humor, which often relies on commentary of a certain society or population.

This occurs even with the country we are arguably most closely related to, England. Some people like the British version of The Office, while others don't get it and prefer the American one because they can relate to it. For every Monty Python's Flying Circus, there are dozens of comedies that foreign audiences will just not understand. We love Ricky Gervais and Simon Pegg, but there are many others who experience obscurity here.

This isn't just an American problem. Shows like Everybody Loves Raymond are recast and remade so that viewers in other countries will get the joke, as illustrated in the excellent documentary, Exporting Raymond.

But they are also offered some American fare, as well, as that's where we suffer, because we get the choice for very little of anyone else's content.

While humor is subjective, one would think drama would translate much better. After all, stories of the heart are universal, right, and don't require a certain frame of reference? It's why Shakespeare remains so relevant, more so for his serious plays, rather than his whimsical ones. Then how come we won't sit for the original version of The Killing? Why won't we expend that little bit of effort, or why do studios think we won't?

There are inroads in the world of sci-fi. I think this is because this is the one genre where we expect to look past the surface to relate to characters who aren't like us. Any well-done alien will seem foreign, so who cares which country developed the creature? From Doctor Who to SyFy's broadcast of Canadian hits like Lost Girl, this is the type of show that gets here and finds a home and viewership in the U.S., even if it's not made here.

However, even if the vast majority of people won't watch programs from other countries, there are plenty of niche channels, so why don't we get import networks, too? IFC has a very narrow viewing audience, as I'm sure does Oprah's network. Yet, they have subscribers and still broadcast their thing. Where are the French and German stations?

One could argue that BBC American is the exception. However, BBC America airs very little British programming. Instead, it reruns American shows with British actors, like The X-Files or Star Trek: The Next Generation incessantly. Sure, it gives us lots of Top Gear, but other than that, the list of fresh programs we get every year is pretty short.

Now, BBC America is even getting into the original content game, making shows just for the U.S. With Copper and Ripper Street, they are stepping away from the BBC series American fans may want to see, and giving us things they think we'll like, based on a certain style. Can't they air the second seasons of Friday Night Dinners or Outnumbered instead? Isn't it cheaper to just show the stuff the BBC already makes, and that some American audiences really want to see? I am increasingly more disappointed with that network.

I can't say for certain if satellite TV offers more opportunity; perhaps it does. And Netflix and Hulu have offered a handful of imported shows, such as Skins and Misfits. But for those of us still using cable (which is all TiVo works with, though it does allow Netflix and some of Hulu), we get very little opportunity to expand our horizons.

Considering how much I've enjoyed the handful of foreign shows I have seen, and given the expanding reach of globalization in arenas outside of the entertainment world, it's a trend that should change, even though there have not yet been signs that it will. At least, I hope so.

Who Would Want to Know How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)?

Article first published as Who Would Want to Know How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)? on TheTVKing.com

ABC begins a new sitcom late this season as it premieres How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) this week. Polly (Sarah Chalke, Scrubs) leaves her irresponsible husband, Julian (Jon Dore, The Jon Dore Show), and, with her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston, Summer Snow), in tow, moves back in with her mother, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds), and step-father, Max (Brad Garrett, Everybody Loves Raymond).

If the premise seems simple enough, it is. There isn't much groundbreaking about the concept, or how the episodes play out. Skipping the first six months of the living arrangement, the series has Polly already adjusted to the situation, and having no intention of leaving her haven. In the first episode, she even uses her reluctant parents as babysitters while she goes on a date, which of course goes wrong, in a skrewball type of way.

This is a little like the beginning of The New Normal, as the main character of that show also flees her joke of a husband, but at least that series has some direction and driven, with the protagonist wanting to better herself. We don't get that much from Polly, who doesn't seem very independent.

Yet, there is a certain level of charm here. Perkins is wonderfully hilarious as the free-spirited mother who never settled down, and she has great chemistry with Garrett, who is sort of the stabilizing factor in the household. Chalke's Polly is also zany, so we can see how her mom has rubbed off on her, but it grounded enough to show Max's influence, too, since he helped raise her. Although it's hard to see how Polly could have turned out as well as she did in the household, it's the dynamic between these three that sell the show. Since they are all very gifted comedic performers, it ends up being pretty funny.

It certainly isn't the situations that provide the draw. Polly works in a grocery store, and her co-workers are interchangeable line-deliverers in the pilot. The date that she goes on in the first half hour is definitely predictable and formulaic. Her ex-husband, who can't stop making up excuses to hang around, is a very rote character, and there doesn't seem to be much reason to include him at this juncture, and certainly not as a main character.

The tone is sort of Better Off Ted-ish, which is kind of a modern style that works when executed well, but the story being as pedestrian as it is stretches one's patience. Because Better Off Ted had a laboratory and goofy experiments, it was brilliant, even if under-watched and short-lived. But the same type of behavior doesn't connect as solidly in a family environment.

Because ABC has launched the series in April, it doesn't bode well for the network's confidence in their offering. And yet, with Chalke, Perkins, and Garrett on board, it definitely deserves to see the light of day, at least for a little bit.

Basically, How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) is a somewhat entertaining, but not particularly smart show, that could rise above its humble beginnings solely on the shoulders of the terrific trio of actors hired. We'll wait and see if they can salvage things, or if this will quickly be a forgotten footnote.

How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Hannibal Bites Into NBC

Article first posted as HANNIBAL Series Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 85%

NBC jumps on the serial killer bandwagon with its new drama series, HANNIBAL. The first episode, premiering tonight at 10 p.m., is called “Apetrif,” which, for those not familiar with the term, is an alcoholic drink served before a meal, sort of the liquid version of an appetizer. It’s appropriate in a series about cannibalism that we’ll get to see a little bit of the characters and story before the gory stuff starts. And there is gory stuff, even though this is a basic broadcast network, in the first hour.

HANNIBAL, surprisingly, is not about the infamous killer from Silence of the Lambs. He’s there, and we’ll get to him in a minute, but the main character is Special Agent Will Graham (Hugh Dancy, The Big C), a brilliant but unstable investigator and professor. Will is tasked by the FBI with figuring out who commits murders, and he’s brilliant at it, being able to envision himself at the scene at the time of the crime.

Bryan Fuller, creator of Pushing Daisies and Wonderfalls, has a lot of fun with Will’s character. Fuller doesn’t take things into the cartoonish or fantasy world settings here, like he done in his previous shows. Instead, he focuses on the artistry, with Will’s visions beautifully illustrated in creative and intriguing ways. Bodies will float and blood will spatter, but this definitely has a darker tone, more grounded in reality, than his other work.

Will gets to have such vibrant musings because he’s mentally unstable, sort of like the main character in TNT’s Perception. The reason the FBI can’t use him full-time is because he can’t handle the full-time work. His boss, Agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne, CSI, The Matrix), knows this, but decides to risk Will’s sanity in order to make use of his brilliance.

Does this make Jack a monster? In a series about bad people, one has to wonder if the good guys also deserve some of the blame. After all, if Jack never puts Will in the field, Will won’t suffer as he does. Jack is playing a dangerous game.

Jack first approaches Dr. Alana Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas, Off the Map, Wonderfalls) to be Will’s partner and handler, but after she refuses, likely of the same opinion I just expressed in the previous paragraph, he approaches Alana’s mentor, the genius profiler Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen, Unit 1, Casino Royale). Lecter is an odd duck, but seems to have it much more together than Will, and so is an appropriate balance. Seems being the operative word.

We all know who Hannibal really is, and while no one in authority yet suspects the good doctor of any wrong doing, Hannibal tempts fate right out of the gate by secretly impeding the investigation, giving their query warning that they are coming. It may be professional courtesy between serial killers, but it certainly doesn’t make Hannibal good at his new job.

Dancy is amazing. He plays the part with such nuance and detail! Granted, this is a role any actor would kill (pun intended) to play, with such a rich, vibrant patchwork of elements. It’s the type of part the Emmys were created for, and Dancy masterfully unfurls the layers of the damaged psyche. He will surely be on the short list come award season.

Mikkelsen, on the other hand, plays his cards very close to his vest, so we’re slow to get the full picture of who he is. If one can put what one already knows about the character from other sources out of their mind, it’s easy to agree with Will when he says Hannibal is not interesting. But Hannibal immediately promises that he will be, and by the end of the first episode, we get the early hints that he is right. Plus, one does have to wonder what kind of sausage Hannibal serves Will for breakfast…

Obviously, HANNIBAL will have elements of a standard crime drama, but the focus is much more character-driven than other shows. Like Dexter or Bates Motel, HANNIBAL promises to get inside the mind of what makes a psychopath, and explore paths both taken and avoided. Will and Hannibal are two sides of the same coin, and watching them interact and face off will be quite entertaining.

I do wonder how long HANNIBAL can realistically stretch out the two of them working together, though. Right off the bat, Hannibal is mucking things up for Will. Will is not stupid, and the two have plenty of FBI agents keeping tabs on them. Hannibal may be highly intelligent, but sooner or later he’s bound to get caught. If he doesn’t, it’s going to start making the other characters look like dolts, incapable of doing the jobs they’re supposedly great at, especially where Will is concerned.

Making Hannibal fully go to the other side would be the right move for the series to make eventually, not necessarily at the end of the run, even as it would completely change the show. Because of this, I doubt NBC will rush into anything. In the short-term, that means we are going to have to deal with plot holes and leaps of logic to make it work.

I really like the execution of HANNIBAL. It’s production looks fantastic, and the cast is terrific. I just worry that the scenario is not quite as well thought out as it needs to be. The show walks a very fine line of believability, and if it’s not careful, it will slip off too often.

At least it can’t be accused of being a copycat. Despite being one of only several serial killer dramas out right now, HANNIBAL does its own thing, and doesn’t feel like any of the others. That is a credit to its creator.

The rest of the cast includes Lara Jean Chorostecki (Camelot) as a blogger who will be on Hannibal’s scent, and Aaron Abrams (The LA. Complex, Rookie Blue), Hettienne Park (Young Adult), and Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall) as FBI agents. None of them gets any development to speak of in ” Apetrif,” though hopefully they will as the series goes on.

Overall, HANNIBAL is not a bad effort, and definitely worth checking out. There are just some things that need fixing if its going to be a long-running drama with the big fan base it seeks.

The New Normal Slightly Too Normal in Season Finale

Article first published as The New Normal Slightly Too Normal in Season Finale on TheTVKing.

NBC's freshman sitcom The New Normal completed its freshman run with a pair of episodes this week, "Finding Name-O" and "The Big Day." While not exactly a two-part story, these installments do flow well together, as Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) talk about baby names and prepare for their wedding, and then see the birth of their son and say their vows.

My issue with the episode, especially "The Big Day," is that The New Normal follows the traditional sitcom tropes. Right as Bryan and David are getting ready to say "I do," Goldie (Georgia King) goes into labor. Not only is this not the first show ever to have such an occurrence happen, it's not even the first series in the past month to use the scenario. As such, it feels completely stale and rote.

But maybe that's a good thing. The New Normal wants to show that an extended family, including two gay men raising a child, is just as typical as any other clan. By using such a familiar, played-to-death scenario for their year's final half hour, they seem even more like other programs on television.

However, I like to think they can do a little better, and they often do. There is plenty of sweetness and originality present throughout the first year of the series, including in these two chapters.

For instance, I love that Goldie decides not to go back to Clay (Jayson Blair) before the end, avoiding a predictable summer cliffhanger or a retread of a romance we've been shown is dead. Clay really is trying to change and be there for Goldie and Shania (Bebe Wood), but he has a lot to make up for. Someday, he may earn his place back at Goldie's side, but for now, it would be foolish of her to reconcile with a lazy, irresponsible ex, and she wisely chooses not to.

What's more, she is encouraged not to by those around her, who love and care about her. Sitcoms are the breeding ground for families made up of friends, which is sort of an artificial concept. The New Normal makes it feel authentic, though, and by reminding us how much Goldie has touched everyone's lives, and how much growth has happened for the characters this year, we see that this show will allow change and development much more so than many of its peers.

I also think it's important to have such a wonderful example of a steady gay couple on television. Bryan and David love each other, and even when the bicker, they both compromise to go out of their way and keep their relationship strong. This not only sets a great example for young gay viewers, but also may help the more closed-minded members of our society dispel some ugly and untrue myths about homosexuals, which linger mostly among the older generation.

The character that speaks to that the most is Jane (Ellen Barkin), of course. Jane arrives on the West Coast with some stubborn, Mid-Western opinions. (Disclaimer: I live in the Mid-West, and these are far from universally shared). After a little exposure to people outside of her small community, she sees that she is wrong, and she now understands a different point of view. She'll continue to be grump and coarse and have great one-liners, but she's a different person than in the first episode, and has become sort a role model.

The New Normal is hilarious, and there are plenty of funny moments in "Finding Name-O" and "The Big Day." Most of them involve the grooms' mothers (Jackie Hoffman and Mary Kay Place), who are both hilarious in their own right, and in totally different ways. We also get the return of Michael Hitchcock and John Benjamin Hickey.

The show is serious and touching, too. Among the best scenes in these episode are when Bryan and David agree on a name, Jane thanks Goldie for bringing her out to California, Jane and Rocky (NeNe Leakes) party together at the wedding, and when "Beautiful Boy" plays during the rush to the hospital for the baby's birth.

It does such a bit that Jane is not included in the beach wedding. I wonder why that was done.

I do wonder if there will be any objection from the Catholic community that a priest ends up performing the gay wedding ceremony. The Catholic Church is definitely an institution that is well behind the times on such issues (another disclaimer: I was raised to be Catholic), and it's fantastic to see someone playing a priest push for change in his own small way, but I could see some being upset about this. However, those are probably also the same people who wouldn't watch this show in the first place, so hopefully bad nothing comes of it.

The first year of The New Normal is relatively strong over all, with wonderful characters and heart-warming stories, and I look forward very much to a second batch of episodes next fall. If the show gets picked up, that is, which it deserves to be, but that is very much up in the air at this point. If you've enjoyed it, as I have, feel free to encourage NBC to renew The New Normal.

Doctor Who Hears "The Bells of Saint John"

Article first published as TV Review: Doctor Who - "The Bells of Saint John" on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who begins the back half of its seventh season on BBC American with "The Bells of Saint John." The Doctor (Matt Smith), hiding away as a monk in the early 13th Century, gets a phone call from Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), who thinks he's tech support. But when he rushes to her side in modern day England, he discovers her Wi-Fi problems are only just beginning.

It's interesting that The Doctor is living in seclusion among monks. Recently, we see he's spent a long time alone before he encounters Clara for the second time, and when she dies again, he sets off to find her. One would think that he would still be out looking for her, not locking himself away.

The web-released prequel, in which the Doctor talks to a child in a park, explains this. He has been looking, but unable to locate her, decides to see if she'll bump into him, as she has in the past. This idea makes sense, and perhaps the Doctor isolates himself because that is how she found him before. It's a bit of a stretch, but given the eccentric way his mind works, this makes sense.

It also makes for a great opening, to see monks confused by a ringing police box in an era well before phones are invented. The Doctor is often in odd locales, and while this isn't the first scene of "The Bells of Saint John," it is certainly the first that makes me sit up and pay attention.

Clara doesn't remember the Doctor, but why should she? They knew each other in a different lifetime. She is hesitant around the Doctor at first, but quickly warms up. This demonstrates the instant and deep connection they have with one another, as the Doctor does with every companion, and proves she belongs traveling by his side.

That's not the only thing interesting about her, though. We still don't know how she can exist in different places and times, definitely with different memories, not just the same person traveling from place to place. Whether it is souffles or minding children, there are connecting threads, and while "The Bells of Saint John" doesn't get around to exploring who Clara is yet, that surely will be part of the story going forward.

At first, I was disappointed that this arc is mostly set aside this week, having been waiting since Christmas for some piece of the Clara puzzle. However, though we've seen her with the Doctor before, this is the first time this Clara meets him. As such, they need time to get acquainted, at least on her end, before the mystery of what she is can be explored.

There are plenty of magical moments between the Doctor and Clara, which set up a wonderful pairing of the two. We see the Doctor tenderly set up flowers and cookies by her beside, she jokingly refers to the TARDIS as a "snogging booth," and they seem to have fun both on a crashing plane and while sitting around drinking coffee. Right away, Clara is established as a worthy character, and she jumps into the series, immediately establishing her role better than some have before her.

I do wonder if there is some connection between Clara and Amy, the Doctor's previous fellow journeyer. In "The Snowmen," Clara somehow knows that the word 'Pond,' Amy's last name, will get the Doctor's attention. In this episode, Clara's charge is reading a book by Amelia Williams, Amy's full first name and her husband's last name. Have we not seen the last of Amy and Rory, lost in New York City after being touched by an Angel? Are they using Clara to call out for help? Because that would be really cool!

The foe that Clara and the Doctor go up against is Miss Kizlet (Celia Imrie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), who is enslaving mankind through their Wi-Fi networks and capturing souls. She tries for Clara's, but, in the end, the Doctor traps Miss Kizlet, as well, and convinces her to release her prisoners.

This is a sort-of interesting villain, playing on something so prevalent in modern society. The best of the recent Doctor Who monsters are things that seem real and could attack us now. From the Angel status to this internet-based group, these are creepy because they're all around us.

However, "The Bells of Saint John" kicks it up a notch by showing viewers, but not the Doctor or Clara, that the Great Intelligence (Richard E. Grant) is actually behind this latest invasion. We just saw him in the Christmas special, and Who aficionados will know that the powerful mind attacked Earth in the interim, as portrayed back in the 1960s' fifth season. So apparently we have a new Big Bad, who will plague our hero throughout this year, at minimum.

"The Bells of Saint John" may not be a huge, splashy episode of Doctor Who, as at least half of this season's entries so far have been, but it's a nice, solid adventure that showcases well the chemistry between our two new leads. I look forward to the next installment.

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Justified Haunted by Ghosts

Article first published as TV Review: Justified - "Ghosts" on Blogcritics.

"Ghosts" is the fourth season finale of FX's Justified, which aired this week. Does the title refer to the ghost of Raylan's father, Arlo (Raymond J. Barry), recently deceased, whom Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) has always had a complicated relationship with? Or does it refer to the friendship between Raylan and Boyd (Walton Goggins), the men they once were, and the very different men they have become?

Justified works primarily because of the complex characters in the story. Raylan is a lawman, and only shoots the bad guys when he has a reason. His career is in stark contrast to his criminal father, and sometimes he struggles with the worry that he will turn into Arlo. This isn't helped when Boyd compares the two, something Boyd may be doing just to get under Raylan's skin, knowing him as well as he does.

But Raylan makes a huge decision in "Ghosts," and it threatens his good reputation. He sets up Nicky (Mike O'Malley) to be whacked by Sammy (Max Perlich), his rival in the Detroit mob. Raylan may not pull the trigger himself, but he is complicit in the act. It will weigh on his conscience, drawing him closer to the man Arlo was, and that's a huge sacrifice for Raylan to make.

Raylan does have a good reason for his actions. Nicky sends armed men into Winona's (Natalie Zea) home; Winona who is pregnant with Raylan's child, and whom Raylan still loves. Nicky vows to keep coming after them. Raylan does what he must to protect the mother of his child and his unborn daughter. However, in doing so, he gives away a piece of his soul.

This sort of no-win situation, the kind the tests a hero's mettle, is what makes defines a man. Raylan may be a flawed hero, but he is a hero. He rarely acts out of any selfish impulse. Even the foolish choices he makes are to protect others. He's stubborn and won't quit, even when suspended, but that just proves his dedication to justice and serving others. It's a complicated situation when a good guy disobeys the rules for the right reasons.

Obviously, murder is the greatest extension of that, and it's a good thing that no one knows about Raylan's actions. It may still come out eventually; Justified is the type of series to bring back something years later, when it's least expected. If this comes to light, it will ruin Raylan's career. It doesn't matter that Nicky deserves to die, or that if Nikky doesn't die, Winona very well could. It's the fact that Raylan took matters into his own hands and allowed the killing to take place that is unacceptable to the government.

This will jeopardize his chances for promotion, which Raylan is up for as Art (Nick Searcy) considers retirement, even while under suspension. This proves just how good Raylan's track record is. If the breach stays hidden long enough, Raylan may even get Art's job, at least for awhile. Though I hate to lose Art, it would be interesting to see Raylan in charge, even if Tim (Jacob Pitts) or Rachel (Erica Tazel) may have the better disposition for it.

One wonders how the Detroit men will hold this wrongdoing over Raylan's head. Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns) is their man in Kentucky now, hiring Boyd to distribute heroin for them. Wynn may or may not know what Raylan does, but if he finds out, he will definitely use it to curry favor with Raylan. Will Raylan have to kill others to protect his secret, or will that be a line he can't cross, willing only to do bad to protect others, not himself?

Either way, as Raylan sips a beer and looks at his own grave stone, next to his father's recently buried body and marker, there is a lot going on, both for Raylan the character, and for the viewer. Olyphant plays such a sympathetic, layered man, you can see the various emotions roiling behind his eyes. And having witnessed everything Raylan has done, there's a lot for the fans to think about in that moment, too.

On Boyd's side of the story, things go as far south as they can in "Ghosts." He is at the brink of happiness with Ava (Joelle Carter), making money, keeping his enemies in check, and then world is ripped out from under him. He is betrayed by those he thinks he can control, and while Boyd escapes harm, Ava is put in jail for murder.

Even though Boyd is a scoundrel, the opposite of Raylan, fans still root for him. He is charming, and he has his own code, even if the moral compass is skewed compared to most. Boyd is more than just a troublemaker, trying to better his situation, and he really does love Ava. These things make him relatable on some level.

Sadly, Boyd's decisions mean that he will never have a happy ending. Sure, one can make all the right choices and still not get what they want. However, Raylan is the main character of Justified, and he is sworn to prevent some of the things that Boyd engages in. Either Boyd will eventually have to change his ways, or Raylan will have to stop him.

That day will be a sad one. In "Ghosts," Raylan forces Boyd to take him to Nicky. It's a unwilling partnership, but the interaction between the two is always magical. They have a long history, and even when they disapprove of one another, there is still a connection there that cannot be broken. I think Raylan arresting or killing Boyd would be the hardest thing Raylan would ever have to do. Hopefully, Boyd will choose to team up with Raylan instead.

Boyd certainly doesn't take the right path in this finale. Despite Ava being locked away, and getting her out will definitely be Boyd's main focus next year, he agrees to work with Wynn, a new criminal enterprise for Boyd. He clearly doesn't learn his lesson, since doing wrong is what gets Ava in trouble in the first place.

Then again, with the people Boyd previously blackmailed now having something to hang over his head, getting the better of Boyd. It could serve him well to be backed up by a partnership with the Detroit mob, giving him the clout he needs to be back in the local game, after losing his self-earned cred in this installment.

The fourth year has been a typically stellar one for Justified. It may not have given us a new batch of guest stars to be impressed by, as previous seasons have done, but it made excellent use of its talented recurring cast, and added a few new, wonderful players to that lineup, such as Bob (Patton Oswalt). The mystery arc is a departure from previous outings, keeping the show changing and interesting, and the character development is, as usual, awesome.

Justified will return next year for a fifth season on FX.

The Walking Dead Ventures Into the Tombs

Article first published as THE WALKING DEAD Recap Season 3 Episode 16 Welcome To The Tombs on Seat42F.

Grade: 91%

AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD completes its third season with “Welcome to the Tombs.” The Governor (David Morrissey) takes most of his people out to slaughter the prison group. Upon arriving, they find a seemingly empty prison, and then Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the others emerge from hiding and drive them off. The Governor is furious at the retreat, and when his army refuses to go back, he kills his own people.

This is the darkest we have ever seen the Governor get. We know that he has no problem murdering and torturing individuals, and he full intends to massacre Rick’s people now. Yet, there is something extra chilling about the callous way he mows down an entire squadron under his command, walking around and delivering extra bullets into their heads, just to make sure they are dead. Then, he jumps into his truck nonchalantly. It’s an all new level for character that is already very dark.

The Governor doesn’t quite kill everyone, though. He leaves Martinez (Jose Pablo Cantillo) and Shupert (Travis Love) alive, and they get into the truck with him, although they are both clearly very shaken by what they witness him do. Assumedly, they get to live because the Governor still needs some assistance, and they seem to be the most loyal of his followers. At this point, their allegiance may stem more from fear than a commitment to the man, but hey, loyalty is loyalty, right?

Unfortunately, we don’t see this trio again for the rest of the hour. Many people expect “Welcome to the Tombs” to be a huge battle between the Governor and Rick’s respective camps, with high body counts on both sides. This is probably because that is how THE WALKING DEAD comics ended the story, and season two’s climax last spring was huge, from an action standpoint. Yet, the Governor drives off, not to be seen again, for now.

Is this a misstep for the show? On one hand, I completely respect that the series’ writers did the unexpected and went down a surprising path, one that is quite a bit more understated than most thought it would be. Martinez and Shupert don’t seem in any shape to continue, and Rick’s people would still be ready for them if they struck again right away. Three men against the prison group wouldn’t likely do so well, even with their superior firepower.

On the other hand, there are sure to be many unhappy fans after viewing the episode. The Governor seems so bent on revenge, it doesn’t quite make sense to see his character give up, even if only temporarily. He’s a smart man, though, so I guess he’s right to bide his time. But by doing so, it means that the hour fails to deliver the adrenaline-pumping finale viewers are looking for. I really hope it doesn’t create a backlash that the show didn’t deliver, a la The Killing.

The Governor’s initial attack on the prison, blowing up the guard towers, and plunging into the dark depths of the facility, is cool. This is what we are looking for. It just ends far too early for some tastes.

Honestly, as someone who absolutely loves this series, I’m still not sure if I’m satisfied or not with this installment yet. But considering how seriously good THE WALKING DEAD has been for so long, I’m willing to try to give them the benefit of the doubt that a neat plan is in place, even if that means waiting six months for the next part of it.

It has already been announced that Morrissey will return full-time next season, so the Governor’s arc isn’t over yet; there may still be a large-scale showdown. The Governor has been such a deliciously layered character, a truly remarkable villain, that it is gratifying to know he won’t just disappear into the night, or be killed off too quickly. This isn’t really the ending, so in that regard, it’s OK that it’s smaller.

When the Governor’s people retreat, Rick and the group to decide to go after them. They’re ready to be done with the conflict, and so they decide to attack the bad guys on the road or in Woodbury. It’s a little weird that only Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurari), and Daryl (Norman Reedus) go, as three people against the big gang that just fled doesn’t seem like enough. Yet, if any three could accomplish such a feat, it would be these.

Is it a mistake that Glenn (SteveN Yeun) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) decide to stay behind? Are they sending their friends to certain death, since they won’t provide support? Or are they too happy as a couple, having recently gotten engaged, to risk losing one another? Their motivations aren’t discussed, and Rick accepts their decision without argument. Yet, at the same time, it’s a bit of a disappointment that these two don’t appear to be willing to play their part anymore, and one could argue that their refusal constitutes betrayal, even if it isn’t treated as such by Rick.

This is a great scene to parallel the Governor’s plot. As the Governor gets ready to leave Woodbury for the prison, Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) also decide to stay behind. At that point, readying the troops, the Governor can’t deny them in front of everyone. Instead, he says “thank you,” but it’s the angriest thanks I’ve ever heard, in stark contrast to Rick’s understanding tone. This illustrates the difference between the two leadership styles, and who the men are, perfectly.

It also allows Tyreese and Sasha to be the only ones at Woodbury, besides the very young or old, who can’t fight, when Rick, Michonne, and Daryl arrive. After a nice showdown at the gate, the remaining Woodbury residents decide to return to the prison and join Rick’s group.

Tyreese seems to have a good read of people, and while he is originally scared off by Rick, he is willing to forgive now, especially given the options. After all, Rick approaches with no aggression at all, weapon down. It helps that there is one survivor of the Governor’s killing spree, Karen (Melissa Ponzio, Teen Wolf), who can vouch for the Governor’s instability. Given the choice of staying in Woodbury, waiting for a crazy man to come back, or going to the relative safety of the prison, where there will be armed protection, Tyreese and the remaining Woodbury innocents make the right choice.

I do wonder if this doesn’t hurt the prison group, though. Many of their exterior defenses are destroyed, and although they have added a lot of people to protect and a lot of mouths to feed, they aren’t likely to find much help among the Woodbury denizens for defending or providing for the group, other than Tyreese, Sasha, and Karen. Everyone else isn’t fit enough to carry a gun, or the Governor would have forced them into servitude for his purposes. This may end up leaving the prison in a dire circumstance, and the Governor will likely be pleased by the burden Rick has agreed to, as it weakens Rick’s people.

At least Rick’s group doesn’t have any non-fighters left in it before the newbies come, which will help. Glenn and Maggie may not want to go to Woodbury, but they handle themselves well in conflict, Glenn no longer being the nervous nerd he is introduced as. Carl (Chandler Riggs) is practically an adult in the clan now, and even Beth (Emily Kinney) finally gets a Walker kill in this episode! They are as prepared as they can be.

While in Woodbury, Rick and the others find Andrea (Laurie Holden). At the beginning of “Welcome to the Tombs,” the Governor tortures Milton (Dallas Roberts), then leaves him dying in the room with Andrea when Milton refuses to kill her, Milton finally growing the backbone we’ve been waiting for. This effectively means he turns into a Walker and will attack her anyway, a very cruel move for the Governor to make, though certainly in keeping with his past behavior.

By the time Rick, et al arrive, Andrea has killed Walker Milton, but has been bitten, and will soon be turning herself. Michonne stays with her, and they Rick gives Andrea a gun so that she can end her life on her own terms. This is an incredibly moving scene, not only showing the affection between the characters, but even issuing a callback to a line of dialogue between Andrea and Rick early in the series’ run. It’s one of the better deaths in THE WALKING DEAD, since Andrea gets time to say goodbye.

It’s a little disappointing that Andrea dies so soon. She has been a wonderful character, one who survives much longer in the books, and it’s sad to see her go. However, “Welcome to the Tombs” effectively ends her current arc, where she does her best to save everyone and keeping blood from being shed. Some have found her recent plot to be annoying, but it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t end appropriately. Her heart is in the right place, and she goes out with dignity. Plus, she gets to explain some of her actions to Milton before he passes, which should ally some fan complaints.

Lastly, Carl shoots point blank a young member of the Woodbury offensive who tries to surrender. This, like Andrea’s recent story, is an action worth arguing over. Hershel (Scott Wilson) is disturbed to see Carl’s callousness, and reports it to Rick, who also disagrees with what Carl did. However, Carl points out that Rick has left other people alive, and it is has often come back to bite him in the butt. Carl, by killing the guy, is making sure he can’t hurt them later.

This is an interesting dilemma. Carl is justified in his opinion, and killing the boy is something Shane would have done, or even maybe Rick, a few episodes ago. Yet, the hard lesson Rick has been learning this season is to hang onto his humanity, and killing those they don’t have to is not in line with good judgment. Rick seems to have figured out that he still has to be a good person and try to help others, evidenced when he sees smiling Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) in the prison this week, smiling as if approving of what Rick is doing. Sometimes, hard choices must be made, but sometimes that means taking a risk to do right by others, even if it costs you something later.

This is a debate that has gone on for some time on the show, with different characters taking up the two positions. How far should one go to survive and protect one’s friends and family? At this point, it looks like Rick is going to have to try to back Carl down from the stance he’s taken, making Carl remember the values Carl’s mother taught him. But will Rick come to regret that if softening Carl puts his son in danger? This will be interesting to see play out next year.

Season three has been a fantastic year for THE WALKING DEAD. The storytelling has shifted even more towards exploring character development and moral issues, while still keeping enough action and surprises to stay engaging. Even without the huge, expected war, this finale is a great episode by any measure. And, after the shock of not getting exactly what we were looking forward so much to wears off, I think most fans will appreciate it more.

THE WALKING DEAD will return in October on AMC.

Orphan Black Finds a Home

Article first published as Orphan Black Finds a Home on TheTVKing.

BBC America's latest venture, partnered with a Canadian production, is Orphan Black, a dark, twisty, genre series. As the pilot, "Natural Selection," begins, Sarah (Tatiana Maslany, World Without End) is returning to town, on the run from her drug-dealing boyfriend, Vic (Michael Mando, Les Bleus de Ramville), from whom she has stolen a stash. Sarah's intention is to get her daughter, Kira (Skyler Wexler, Alphas), whom she abandoned, back, and run away again with kid and money from the stolen drugs.

But it doesn't work out quite that way. It isn't that Sarah's plan is flawed; it is, of course, but that's not the issue. Instead, Sarah completely throws out her old play book when a new opportunity arises, but going into the second scheme blind, she flails and can't make the clean escape she hopes to.

See, while Sarah is standing on a subway platform, she sees someone that looks just like her jump in front of a train and die. Sarah finds the woman's purse, and, after realizing the mysterious Beth has a large bank account, decides to assume her identity. The intention is to only take over the persona for the time it takes to make a withdrawal, but circumstances conspire against her, and she is soon trapped in the new role.

I don't think Sarah is just being greedy and foolish when she decides to become Beth, although given her less than stellar background, it's likely that both of those play into it. Instead, we get the extra layer of Sarah having grown up in the foster system, not knowing her family or where she comes from. Seeing Beth is a tantalizing lure, a chance to discover her origin, and maybe even find the parents she never knew. Most anyone in Sarah's situation would be drawn into Beth's world.

Unfortunately, Sarah acts rashly. Knowing that she doesn't have time to get Beth's money before the woman is declared dead, Sarah asks her foster brother, Felix (Jordan Gavaris, Unnatural History), to go to the morgue and identify the corpse as being Sarah. This is effective, of course, but Sarah realizes too late the implications of being considered dead, not only trapping her in Beth's swiftly unraveling world, but also making her daughter that much harder to get back.

Sarah is a very sympathetic character. She may have made a lot of mistakes, and the "Pilot" shows she isn't done making them, but she also has a heart, evidenced by her love of her daughter, and she's put in a situation where we feel for her. Confused and curious, intelligent and resourceful, Sarah's emotional center is easy to understand, whether one can relate or not, and her rocky upbringing excuses some of the criminal behavior.

Beth isn't so lucky. She is under investigation after having shot someone, and she's a cop. She has a live-in boyfriend named Paul (Dylan Bruce, As the World Turns), and a partner named Art (Kevin Hanchard, Savage Planet), who wants her to resolve the shooting issue, something Sarah will have trouble doing, since she didn't actually shoot anyone.

We're quite a bit into this review, and I haven't even gotten to the sci-fi hook yet. Sarah is a clone. I think. The promos for Orphan Black point to this situation, and not only do we meet Beth in the "Natural Selection," we also meet a Russian doppelganger, too, who is soon murdered. So on top of everything I've just mentioned, which makes for quite a bit going on in Sarah and Beth's lives, there's a whole conspiracy that will need to be explored.

Orphan Black is dense and fast paced, but don't let that scare you off. Somehow, it lays out each piece of the puzzle in a way that one can grasp, even when tossed down into chaos. We certainly don't know what's going on by the end of the "Natural Selection," but despite the brisk movement of the story, it's not difficult to keep the individual elements straight. It's a masterfully written story, surely developed into a fully-formed world that will be shown to us bit by bit.

By necessity, the series rests mainly on Maslany's shoulders. Those who have seen the commercials know that she will be playing several characters on a regular basis, but even just with the two short-lived ones in the "Natural Selection," she does an amazing job of differentiating them from Sarah. They may look alike, but they don't feel like they're the same person, with completely different facial expressions, moods, and body language. She has a firm grasp of who is who, and balances them brilliantly.

I did feel the weak spot is that Paul is taken in by her so easily. He notices that her hair is longer, but he still falls into bed with her. Of course, perhaps Paul already knows about the clones, realizes this isn't his Beth, and decides to sleep with her anyway. This would make him a pretty messed up guy, but since Beth certainly doesn't it have things together, either, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that she'd end up with a sleazeball.

Besides Sarah, I really like the characters of Felix and Vic. Felix is Sarah's flamboyant foster brother, and while he cares about her, he is also a scoundrel who looks out for his own neck and wallet. Vic comes in as a total jerk, but learning that "Sarah" has died, falls apart in a way that shows he really does care, even if he didn't know how to show it to her. And by putting Felix and Vic together in this first hour as sort of an odd couple, the series get some entertaining moments. I hope their plots stay intertwined for awhile.

Obviously, crap will hit the fan, and Sarah's scheme will blow up in her face. However, as it does, we have this roller coaster thrill ride of very well-made television, a sort of deeper Ringer with better character development and more complex interactions. Well done, indeed.

Orphan Black airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Unpaused Game of Thrones

Article first published as GAME OF THRONES Review Season 1 Episode 1 Valar Dohaeris on Seat42F.

Grade: 96%

There are many fans of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES out there, eagerly awaiting the start of the series’ third season this weekend. Having viewed the premiere, “Valar Dohaeris, I can report that it is back in the fine form we are accustomed to seeing, and those holding their breaths can finally let them out. Without spoiling anything important, here are my thoughts on the latest installment.

“Valar Dohaeris” is very accessible. I really wanted to refresh my memory with a reviewing of season two’s finale, remembering how dense season one was, and having re-watched the entire first season to prepare for the second, but didn’t have time. However, this episode, without quite recapping, doesn’t take long to get you back up to speed. There are enough references and callbacks to last year’s finale to connect the threads, yet not so much that they slow down the pacing of the return. This is much appreciated.

There isn’t a sense of urgency in this week’s episode. It takes its time, showing us one or two characters at a time, and very few get a second glimpse. In this way, we get to check in, be reminded of the trajectories, delight in a few extended dialogue exchanges, and don’t have to struggle to keep up. There’s a whole season ahead of us, and “Valar Dohaeris” doesn’t push anything too big forward, letting fans get back into the swing of things before trying to drop a huge shocker.

Among those mentioned exchanges, one of the best is between Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Tywin (Charles Dance). The relationship between these two is definitely one of my favorite parts of GAME OF THRONES. We’re familiar with their past beef, and Tywin’s ongoing disappointment in his halfling son. The scene between them this week is not exactly a rehash of their previous conflict, but it definitely lets us know where they stand now, and how things may or may not move forward between them.

Dinklage and Dance slay this bit. Dinklage’s awards for the role are well deserved, and I would argue that he comes across as the most intelligent and compassionate character on the series. This shines through here, in stark contrast to Dance’s icy father, likely a deliberate choice on Dance’s part that serves the chemistry well. I do think, at some point, things will come to a head between the two. But it’s interesting to see Dinklage mix a need to win his father’s approval with a strong spirit that is willing to stand up to Dad, played with masterful nuance.

Tyrion also gets a tense scene with Cersei (Lena Headey). The siblings have a complicated relationship, to say the least, and the events of last year’s finale have left them on shaky ground with one another. “Valar Dohaeris” addresses this, and reminds me that Headey may be one of the more underrated performers on GAME OF THRONES.

The MVP of this episode, for once, may not be Dinklage, though, instead going to Natalie Dormer. Margaery Tyrell has little to do in the second season, but that will definitely not be the case in the near future. She immediately establishes herself as a very familiar political sort, and her public persona is deliciously crafted. I cannot wait for a true power struggle between her and Cersei, as Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) now has two women who seek to manipulate him for their own purposes and gains.

I also like the introduction of Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds, Political Animals, Munich), the King Behind the Wall. We don’t know a lot about him yet, but his early interaction with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is layered and intriguing, setting up yet another ruler in a land already crowded with them. The casting choice here is inspired.

Among the other treats of the episode, we see more of the aftermath of the loss in Stannis’s (Stephen Dillane) camp, Robb’s (Richard Madden) anger at his mother, Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), is unabated, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) has at least three tantalizing bits, Ghost saves a life, and Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) makes an uncharacteristic generous offer (or does he?).

Sadly, the slower pace and lingering conversations means that not every fan favorite character shows up in “Valar Dohaeris.” Several of the most central players are completely absent, which leaves one very much wanting more at the end of the hour. However, this is understandable with such a large cast, not unprecedented in past entries, and it’s not like any minute within the episode is wasted, so it’s more a testament to how beloved these people have become, and how much we want to see them, rather than a complaint about the storytelling.

The effects are also quite excellent this week. From a creepy little girl who is more than she appears, to the fast-growing dragons, there are quite a few CGI elements present, all seamlessly incorporated into the fabric of the show. Clearly, much care and expense has gone into making these feel like everything else in this world, and they are remarkable for how well they blend with the actors and scenery, rather than stick out like a sore thumb.

Overall, I am left incredibly satisfied with the premiere, and stoked to watch more episodes. GAME OF THRONES’ third season airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO beginning this week.

Moving Out of 1600 Penn

Article first published as Moving Out of 1600 Penn on TheTVKing.

NBC's 1600 Penn is considered a long shot for renewal, and after viewing this week's season finale, I can see why. "Marry Me, Baby" finds President Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman) making a disparaging comment about marriage. The cable news frenzy and his political opponents latch one, and one of them discovers that Dale and Emily (Jenna Elfman) may not be legally married. Since the blunder is Skip's (Josh Gad) fault, of course, he helps Winslow (Rene Auberjonois) throw them a White House wedding.

How could a president possible get elected without someone discovering this before now? It's well established that some disapprove of his marriage to the much younger Emily. Surely, someone who doesn't like Dale would have dug up this nugget during the primaries or general election, which stretch for years, and twenty-four hour news cycles will report anything to fill the airwaves. Why does it only come out now?

Worse, all will be forgiven if they just have a ceremony now. Would Dale's detractors really just accept this? For reasonable people, a paperwork mix-up is understandable, and they would look past this. But in the modern age, those in the political arena and the pundits that report on them are often anything but reasonable. This "simple fix" in "Marry Me, Baby" feels completely inauthentic and hollow.

As if that isn't bad enough, Becca (Martha MacIsaac) goes into labor in the middle of the nuptials when Skip sings her birthing song. Dale and Emily still take a second to say "I do" before rushing her to the hospital, because every bad sitcom cliche must be touched upon before the half hour can be over. But one disaster piles on top of another to build to zany and unfunny antics.

That's the problem with 1600 Penn. Despite a charming cast, it plays way too much to convention. It has the chance to be something special, given its unique setting for a half hour comedy, and yet blows it to fit into the standard sitcom mold. It's a lot like the short-lived, hilarious That's My Bush, except that That's My Bush played to such stereotypes for effect, while 1600 Penn seems to think that's what it should be doing, rather than poking fun at itself. It needs the tongue in cheekness to work.

There are a couple of moments where it feels like this might happen. It's fantastic that Dale asks if he always hoses up traffic this much after trying to make it through the snarl caused by Becca's car. This is the sort of observational stuff that really works, and the spark of something that has kept me watching, even when I often don't want to. Unfortunately, such brilliant bits are few and far between.

The horribleness continues when Skip's long-time crush, Stacey (Susan Park), confesses to liking him in "Marry Me, Baby." Where does this come from? Stacey has been a poorly developed character since day one, willingly putting herself in situations that she doesn't want to be, with no depth given to explain the contradiction. This last minute connection between her and Skip feels tacked on and ridiculous.

That being said, there are a couple of good moments in the episode. I love when Emily and Becca connect, and admit their feelings for one another. They have been dancing around this issue for longer than the series has been on, and in such an emotionally-charged situation, it's nice to see them come together, rather than keep battling one another. They probably won't be best friends, but there is understanding and affection present.

I also like the surprise that Becca's baby is born black, meaning that Marshall (Andre Holland) is the father. I admit, I did not see this coming, since Becca never even considers the possibility that the infant could be Marshall's, which makes this twist even less believable. Shouldn't she have wrestled with the possibility at some point?

However, I like it because of the implication that D.B. (Robbie Amell) has no place in the cast going forward, his only connection to the family being that he's Becca's baby daddy, and dropping D.B. is a completely unexpected move. I applaud a twist that one doesn't see coming. Of course, in the unlikely event 1600 Penn does get renewed, they will probably stretch and find a way to accommodate him, no matter how dumb the plot gets to accomplish this, and so ruin any cred they've built now.

I watched this entire season because I adore most of the cast, and they seem to be doing their best at selling the crappy material they are given, which does make the series marginally entertaining. But 1600 Penn is not a show I would recommend watching to anyone else, and also not one I will miss. I hope the talent involved, and there definitely is some serious talent here, soon bounce back in projects that make better use of them.

News of a cancellation of renewal for 1600 Penn is expected soon.