AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN Far From "Dead"

Article first published as TV Review: 'American Horror Story: Coven' - 'The Dead' on Blogcritics.

***Note: This series is rated TV-MA for good reason, and viewer discretion is advised due to mature content. It is impossible to discuss the latest episode without referencing said content, so while I will keep things as light and profanity-free as possible, some of the subject matter will definitely be offensive to some readers. Please let this serve as your warning.

FX’s American Horror Story: Coven has been hitting it out of the park by delivering a more character-driven story than in years past, and providing the material and actresses to back it up. This week’s installment, “The Dead,” which serves as the mid-point of the season, reveals a lot about several of the players, and, through death and sex, some peace is found, as temporary as it might be.
“The Dead” starts with Kyle (Evan Peters) before his death. He’s joking with his frat pals and talking of his dreams in a tattoo parlor. There is little doubt that he has the drive and talent to back up his goals, and his future will be bright, indeed. Except, he’s now dead, reanimated bits of those friends sewn to him, as demonstrated by the glimpses of their tattoos on his patchwork body.

It’s no wonder Kyle is having trouble adjusting to the circumstances. Besides not being able to speak the words in his brain, which has not been dulled, he’s frustrated at his predicament. He didn’t ask to become the monster he’s been made into, and every thing he had hoped for has been flushed down the toilet. As far as he’s concerned, his life is (literally) over, but he has the added torture of being conscious of the wasted potential.

Peters captures all of this internal monologue brilliantly, eyes dancing with un-vocalized emotions. We feel his pain, and find a way to sympathize with him despite the horrible things he’s done, like slaughtering his mother. Clearly, anger and confusion is driving his actions, and he can’t be blamed for everything. By the end of “The Dead,” he is starting to find himself again, and surely he can heal. Maybe.

Madison (Emma Roberts) is going through the exact opposite problem. Instead of having feelings she can’t understand or express, she’s plagued by a lack of feeling, which Roberts plays with such effect as to impress any who watch. She’s going to be an actress to watch. Her numbness starts before she’s killed and brought back, by the way, citing her utter lack of caring about being gang-raped in an earlier episode. Burning herself doesn’t work, in fact, nothing does. Until she finds Kyle’s penis. Inside of her.

Since Madison has only murdered those who deservd it (except Kyle, accidentally), it’s easier to get behind her. She’s not a nice person, to be sure, but that can be chalked up to a young girl who found fame at an early age and is putting on a brave face to hide fear. She is more talk than action, and she did not deserve to die, or to feel this helpless and broken.
There’s something kind of sweet about Madison and Kyle finding one another in this situation. They have the death thing in common, something no one else would understand. It seems to give them both pleasure and helps them stay centered. They’re technically consenting adults, or close enough to it. What harm would their relations cause anyone?

Besides Zoe (Taissa Farmiga, this season’s MVP in an intensely crowded field), I mean. She’s used to not being the prettiest girl in the room, so she is disappointed, but not surprised, when she catches Kyle with Madison. I feel bad for Zoe here, I really do, but she has to understand why and how her two sort-of friends ended up together right? Plus, they are nice enough to invite her to join in.

Now, anytime a threesome crops up in movies or television, it’s a recipe for disaster, probably much like in the real world (I assume). There is bound to be jealousy and hurt feelings and doubts about the depth of attachment. That’s unfortunate, because American Horror Story: Coven has worked so hard to make us like all three of these individuals that the viewer will be loathe to side against one or more of them. But I guess that’s life, and since Kyle is dead, Zoe probably can’t snuff him out with her fatal nether regions, which makes their pairing ideal.

The beauty about this crazy sex hookup is that Zoe needs love and support right now, so getting it doubly should boost her confidence. See, Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) has warned Zoe that Fiona (Jessica Lange) might have it out for her since Fiona killed Madison just because the elder witch suspected Madison might be her replacement. With Spalding’s (Denis O’Hare) tongue restored long enough to confirm Fiona’s misdeeds and Zoe’s own power growing, the teenage witch needs to watch her back.

On a side note, does anyone really think Spalding will stay dead? He’s like the fifth major character to die this season in only seven episodes. It kind of takes the bite out of death when everyone keeps coming back, though, admittedly, I haven’t been ready to lose anyone that is killed off, and it would sure be novel of an American Horror Story run to still have all of its main players intact for the finale.

Fiona does have other things on her mind, which might give Zoe some breathing room. Throughout “The Dead,” Fiona is hooking up with The Axeman (Danny Huston, Magic City). Like Zoe, Fiona is having a crisis of faith in herself, feeling her abilities waning and her age creeping up on her. The Axeman provides Fiona with a similar injection of, um, bravado, which is even enough to override the creepy confession by The Axeman that he has been watching Fiona since she was eight.
“The Dead” seems to equate sex with a source of comfort and strength. I feel like this is a just and apt statement to make. While sex does require the baring of one’s soul, it also gets the blood coursing, sure to pump up the energy level of those effected. It’s an obvious and blatant metaphor, but it works.

Let’s hope it’s enough to get both Zoe and Fiona back in fighting form. With Hank (Josh Hamilton) packing as much firepower as he is, the house of witches is in deep trouble. This is an especially bad time for him to attack as the coven is missing two of its own.

Yep, there’s yet another subplot unfolding this hour. Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and Madame Delphine (Kathy Bates) seem to be bonding quite swimmingly, sharing some super-sized fast food in the middle of the night, even getting over Delphine’s racism just a bit. But after Delphine confides a dark secret to Queenie, thinking her friend, who is helping her turn a new leaf, will be able to look past this latest darkness, Queenie gives Delphine to her sworn enemy, Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), earning Queenie a place in Marie’s group.

This is a very sad twist. The women really did seem like pals and were finding some legitimate common ground. Queenie’s disgust is understandable, of course, but Delphine really is making an effort to change. And Delphine’s comments about Queenie’s skin color are not completely off the mark, an observation that Marie seconds. I want Queenie to fit in back under Fiona’s roof, but maybe she just doesn’t.
Is American Horror Story telling us that some people don’t deserve second chances? Had Delphine continued her life style these past centuries, I would absolutely be in favor of flaying her, as Marie and Queenie do. However, Delphine served a long prison sentence buried in a box and seems to have learned her lesson. She deserves better.

Viewers deserve exactly what we’re getting: a sharp, witty, well-written, phenomenally-acted, highly engrossing tale. American Horror Story: Coven has surpassed the second go-round of the anthology series and is vying with year one for the best run of this fantastic show. If every season is this good, I hope it runs for many years to come.

American Horror Story: Coven returns in two weeks, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

ALMOST HUMAN But Definitely Good

Article first published as ALMOST HUMAN Review on Seat42F.

FOX’s J.J. Abrams-produced ALMOST HUMAN, which premieres soon, is one of my favorite new shows this fall, right up there with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and American Horror Story: Coven. It has great, well-developed characters, exciting stories, fantastic special effects, and presents a fully-realized dystopian future based on current trends. What else could one ask for?

As the “Pilot” begins, we are introduced to Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban, Star Trek: Into Darkness). Kennex lost his partner and his entire team in a raid gone wrong against the evil Syndicate, leaving Kennex himself in a coma for nearly a year and a half. Kennex is back to work now, his boss, Captain Maldonado (Lili Taylor, Six Feet Under), convincing him that he is needed to take down the Syndicate once and for all.

But Kennex’s transition back into his career isn’t easy. Cops are now required to work with an android partner, whom Kennex offensively dubs ‘synthetics.’ The MX series androids are logic-based, and one of them coldly calculated that Kennex and his partner’s chances to survive weren’t good during that fateful raid and leaves them, and so Kennex hates and doesn’t trust these machines. Maldonado’s solution is to give Kennex a less stable, older model of android named Dorian (Michael Ealy, The Good Wife), whom shows emotion.

So as we start out buddy cop drama we have an unusual, but pleasing, pairing. There’s Kennex, who has cut himself off from everyone in a very inhuman way, making him only part of a man, even though he’s still very good at his job. And then there’s Dorian, who seems more human than Kennex at the start, but we know others look down on him because of the emotional element, fully expected to be exhibited by people, but making many uncomfortable when it’s coming from an android.

The two have great chemistry, but there’s also a little more than the typical relationship present. It could be because of the science fiction aspect of the show. We might always be waiting for another shoe to drop concerning Dorian, as his line was retired for a reason. Or it could be because we’re never sure if Kennex might snap at any given moment, as his behavior is very irrational in the “Pilot,” destroying an MX that annoys him and visiting The Recollectionist (Hiro Kanagawa, Caprica) to relive memories that might help his work, even though it hurts his health. Both could be considered the loose cannon of the partnership.

What happens when you’ve got two wild card cops paired together? I guess we’ll find out!

The rest of the cast includes Valerie Stahl (Minka Kelly, Friday Night Lights) and Richard Paul (Michael Irby, The Unit) as fellow detectives, the latter of which doesn’t think Kennex is fit for duty, and the former of whom defends Kennex, as well as Rudy Lom (Mackenzie Crook, Pirate of the Caribbean) as the tech guy. These seems a pretty predictable lineup from a crime procedural.

The way the roles are played, though, is anything about standard. One is not used to seeing Lili Taylor in such a take-charge position, but she handles it well. Ealy is known for playing hotheads, and now he’s the calm one. Urban’s Kennex is nothing like the sometimes-bumbling Bones McCoy, other than his phobia of tech. This is a group of talented actors taking on something different, and clearly enjoying the chance to show us their range, of which they universally have plenty.

Hopefully, ALMOST HUMAN will avoid the pratfalls of a crime procedural. Admittedly, the “Pilot” has a lot of set up by necessity, and so doesn’t really have a case-of-the-week. But the beginning also points to many larger arcs, with plenty of fodder to do a more serial story telling. If it can stick to those guns, at least as much as Fringe, which had a similar tone, did, then it should be a pretty good series, indeed.

In fact, the “Pilot” only scratches the surface of what ALMOST HUMAN could be. We are introduced to players and the situation, and then a lot happens, not closing the story, nor even a chapter in it. It’s very much a hit-the-ground running show with a quick pace. Hopefully by the time they conclude the initial premise, either in a few months or a couple of years, tops, they keep going into something else, as the possibilities in this world are nearly endless.

ALMOST HUMAN premieres this Sunday and Monday on FOX.

BURNING LOVE Burns Again

Article first published as BURNING LOVE Burns Again on TheTVKing.com

E! presents the second season of Burning Love beginning this week. Initially a web series, Burning Love is a parody of reality dating competitions, like a comedy version of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, with what is a likely a similar scripted to improv ratio. Contestants of one gender compete for the love of a single person of the opposite sex.

Watching seasons one and two, a viewer would be forgiven for thinking there have been at least four cycles of Burning Love. Season one began by profiling the winner of the previous year (which wasn't actually filmed), and in the continuity of the show, another season takes place between one and two, subtitled Hot for Teacher, which again, was never made. This confuses things a little bit, and sent me running to the internet to make sure I hadn't missed anything. But it's hard to blame the writers for extending the mythology without wasting our time with filler.

In season two, the main woman whose affection men are competing for is Julie Gristlewhite (June Diane Raphael, NTSF:SD:SUV), a dental hygienist who was in season one, and was last seen in a lesbian relationship. Ditching her partner, Carly (Janet Varney, The Legend of Korra), Julie is ready to try the penis again, and the producers are happy to oblige.

Host Bill Tundle (Michael Ian Black, Ed) is back, as is the house and set up. While season two definitely has some differences in the way the initial premiere unfolds, there is also consistency in the structure of the show and some of the players. This provides a satisfying through-line for the series.

Many of the faces are familiar, too. Damien (Adam Scott) was a therapist in the first cycle and is now competing, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about. Basically, most of the actors are either stars or major guest stars in projects such as Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV, two Cartoon Network shows that also trace their roots to the web. Raphael, Ken Marino, Rob Huebel, Martin Starr, Nick Kroll, Malin Akerman, Michael Cera, and others have that connection. Various other cast members have worked with this group in other projects, too, such as The League, Party Down, and The Greatest Event in Television History.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but seeing all these people pop up alongside one another over and over again makes me think they're an extremely talented troupe who weren't getting enough work and so starting creating some of their own, inviting friends they made along the way to participate, constantly expanding their call sheet. Honestly, I think of them as doing their own, both more and less cohesive, multi-platform version of Saturday Night Live, and I'm loving it.

Burning Love, like all of those I've mentioned in the past couple of episodes is hilarious! From Bill mispronouncing Julie's name and the word 'gentlemen,' to Julie throwing herself all over a disinterested Blaze (Ryan Hansen, Veronica Mars), to Teddy (Nick Thune, Knocked Up) repeating the same song lyrics, to Khris (Nick Kroll) getting tossed out for being drunk, to Allison (Colin Hanks, The Good Guys) defending his name, there is a constant string of laughs packed into the half hour. The best bit may have even been the show-within-a-show's last minute minimal effort to add diversity to the cast. I can't wait to see more.

Burning Love airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. ET on E!, and more webisodes are available through Yahoo.

RAISING HOPE Raises My Hope Again

Article first published as RAISING HOPE Raises My Hope Again on TheTVKing.

FOX's Raising Hope got a late start this week with a pair of new episodes, "Deja Vu Man" and "Burt Bucks," that made it worth the wait. This series is goofy in the best of ways, and isn't shy about poking fun at itself or its subject matter before ending up in a warm, love-filled place. Season four gets started right.

"Deja Vu Man" begins with a scene unrelated to the rest of the story in which Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman) forgets Hope's (Baylie and Rylie Cregut) name, as well as many other things. To refresh Maw Maw's noggin, the family and a few friends sing songs about what's happened in the first few seasons, reminding us Maw Maw who the characters are and certain events in their lives. Yes, it's a cheap excuse to recap for the audience, but by building it believably into the fabric of the show in an original way, it really, really works. Especially as Maw Maw hopes that Hope is named Edgar.

In "Deja Vu Man," Virginia (Martha Plimpton) finds out that the guy that hangs around every so often snapping pictures of the Chance family is none other than her father (Jeffrey Tambor, Arrested Development). See, Maw Maw lied about Virgina's dad being dead because he abandoned his family. Now, Virginia has a chance to reconnect with her parent, who claims to have left because Natesville was unaccepting of homosexuals and he is gay.

Of course, it's a line of bull. Tambor's character is charming enough to fool people for a little while, but viewers and Virginia alike soon come to see just how selfish and terrible a person he is. (Burt sees it right away, a credit to how smart he is, even if it's not book smart.) It wouldn't really make sense for a father who loves his child to stay away from them, no matter how hostile neighbors might be, so at the end of the day, we need to see he's a scoundrel, which we do.

That doesn't mean he shouldn't return to guest star in other episodes, though. And no tears for Virginia, who had a great man to take care of her in Paw-Paw (Terrence Beasor, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story).

In the second installment, "Burt Bucks," Virginia and Burt (Garret Dillahunt) find they can barter their services for the finer things in life, then try to get their friends to barter with one another, too, ultimately creating a new currency, which Virginia and Burt keep printing more of so that they can live the high life. As Burt insists, probably necessarily given the IQ level of the town, despite the label not really making sense, this is not a pyramid scheme. Of course, it all collapses.

I love this commentary on our economic system and our government. It doesn't necessarily take a Republican or a Democratic viewpoint, instead, zeroing in on the system itself. This keeps the episode from being controversial, but also illustrates large economic issues in a way that's simple to understand.

I did keep thinking that the new system would catch up with Virginia and Burt, and they would no longer have U.S. currency to get things they need outside of their barter system, but that didn't happen. I guess there's only so much that can be gotten through in half an hour, and the focus was on satire, not keeping the zany characters stuck in the laws of reality.

An interesting thing happens in "Deja Vu Man" and "Burt Bucks" - Sabrina (Shannon Woodward) and Jimmy (Lucas Neff) make a conscious effort to stay out of Burt and Virginia's schemes. I can't say I'm not disappointed, as I love seeing the whole family together. Yet, Sabrina and Jimmy are newlyweds who live apart from Burt and Virginia, so they should have their own things. I'm sure they won't stay divided every week, and I guess the characters have to show growth, but it's a turning point that is still a little sad.

This doesn't mean Sabrina and Jimmy aren't in the installments. They have their own comedic situations, often involving Barney (Gregg Binkley) and the store. And I don't want less of the recurring cast, which has many talented players like Kate Micucci and Todd Giebenhain. I just love it when both groups mix, as they do in the opening of "Deja Vu Man."

Either way, these are still sharp, witty, welcome episodes. Clearly, Raising Hope has lost nothing during its break, and I'm glad to see it back on the air. Raising Hope now airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Getting In On the GROUND FLOOR

Article first published as Getting In On the GROUND FLOOR at TheTVKing.

Bill Lawrence's (Spin City, Scrubs) newest comedy, created along with Greg Malins (Better With You, 2 Broke Girls, Friends), is Ground Floor, which premiered on TBS this week. A step above other TBS original sitcoms, like Sullivan & Son, because of more layered characters and stories, but a step below other Lawrence work, like Cougar Town, mostly because of an annoying laugh track, Ground Floor is not bad.

The series stars Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect) as Brody, an ambitious, talented young money manager who is on the ground floor of his life, early in both career and the romance department. The latter kicks off as the "Pilot" begins when Brody meets Jennifer (Briga Heelan, Cougar Town), a girl who works on the first floor of his building. Both of them are given grief by their friends for dating each other.

See, in Ground Floor, the business world is segmented into two classes. The upper crust makes the cash and works themselves to death, while the lower level are uneducated slackers. No one in either world supports crossing the boundary. Never mind that the building has many more floors than two, and should employ many more people than the scant few we see, at many different levels.

This is the problem with the series, which seems to be a trait of this particular network - simplifying things to go for quick laughs without having to earn them with depth. It's the reason why I don't watch many TBS sitcoms (Cougar Town excepted, since it wasn't originally created for the cable channel). And given the weaknesses, tossing in the laughter, whether it be a live studio audience or just recorded additions, actually makes it seem more inane and surface-level.

Yet, Ground Floor has a little more than these surface traits, likely owing to its clever creator. Brody and Jennifer don't start their relationship in a predictable way, actually giving us a portrait of two people that are more than a stereotype or a category. The co-workers are forced to mix right away, blurring the lines between tow two groups right off the bad. And supporting players seem to have a little more going on than their counterparts in Sullivan & Son's bar, even if it's only a little bit.

Part of the credit can go to John C. McGinley, who plays Brody's boss, Mr. Mansfield. Mansfield is sort of like Dr. Cox, McGinley's character on Scrubs, because he's a demanding hard ass. But Mansfield is a little more willing to admit he cares, and reveals something of himself to his underlings. He tries to mold them into himself because he's found success and he wants that for them, too.

In the second episode, "Off to the Races," which aired just after the first, Mansfield meets Jennifer, whom he's been counseling Brody to ditch, leaving more time for his career. Mansfield takes an instant shine to the girl, and admits to Brody that he knew he would, given Brody has good judgment. This is something we'd never see from Dr. Cox, and makes the whole situation, with Body torn between love and his profession, more complex.

The three main actors aside, though, I haven't found any way to connect with the rest of the cast, co-workers to Jennifer and Brody. Played by Rory Scovel (Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous) Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect), James Earl (Glee), and Rene Gube (a writer on TBS's Men at Work), none of these stand out as someone to watch. At least not yet.

I can't say that Ground Floor has truly won me over yet, but it's earned a few more episodes. Given the extremely poor way in which Cougar Town began, before growing into a beloved favorite, there's every chance that Ground Floor can do the same, as it did have a better initial two installments. The premise is a little flimsy, but the actors and the writing give us a bit more than might be expected, so there's definitely hope to be found.

Ground Floor airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on TBS.

DVD Review: ‘Keeping Up Appearances: Collector’s Edition’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Keeping Up Appearances: Collector’s Edition’ on Blogcritics.

As one might expect from the title, the BBC’s Keeping Up Appearances is a sitcom about a woman trying to promote an image to which her reality doesn’t quite measure up. That woman is Hyacinth Bucket (which she insists is pronounced ‘Bouquet’), who comes from a modest background, but rubs elbows with the rich and elite. The show is now available, remastered, in a ten-disc DVD set.

Hyacinth (Patricia Routledge, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates) is a snob, pure and simple. She thinks she is better than those with moderate means, and actively seeks out only the companionship of the most wealthy, even showing up at their houses unannounced to try to make friends. She hosts elaborate dinner parties, and is basically the most annoying woman around, as well as being a major hypocrite.

The “lady of the house” makes things very difficult for her put-upon family. Brother-in-law Onslow (Geoffrey Hughes, Heartbeat), sisters Daisy (Judy Cornwell) and Rose (Shirley Stelfox originally, then Mary Millar), and father Daddy (George Webb) aren’t made of the same stuff as Hyacinth, and don’t think anything of their own behavior, of which Hyacinth is not approving. She often complains of them, among other things, to her husband, Richard (Clive Swift, Born and Bred).

Luckily for Hyacinth, her entire family isn’t so dreary. Her sister Violet (Anna Dawson, The Benny Hill Show) is wealthy, and so rates Hyacinth’s attention and advice, providing fodder for bragging. Violet is not without her troubles (a cross dressing husband hurts her social standing), but is better than the others. Violet also has a son named Sheridan, who is never seen, but judging by the comments about him, is probably gay, something Hyacinth, who talks up her relationship with her nephew, is oblivious to.

Rounding out the cast are friends and neighbors. Elizabeth Warden (Josephine Tewson, Last of the Summer Wine) is clumsy and destructive whenever inside Hyacinth’s house, though fine outside of it. Elizabeth’s brother, Emmet (David Griffin, Hi-de-Hi!), lives with Elizabeth, but avoids Hyacinth because of her mistaken belief that he is in love with her, and the fact that she sings when he’s around and she has an awful voice. Michael (Jeremy Gittins), the Vicar, loves to embarrass Hyacinth and but her in her place, not exactly Christian of him, but amusing.

As you might be able to tell with this cast of characters, Keeping Up Appearances is very funny. The situations Hyacinth gets into are usually quite humorous, and she’s unlikeable enough that viewers will delight whenever she is knocked down a peg, which is often, but no so terrible that she detracts from the viewing experience.

Keeping Up Appearances ran for five series and included four Christmas specials, all of which are included in this release. The picture and sound have been cleaned up, making for a nice set.

There are a wealth of bonus features, as well. Rare for a British release, there are a number of outtakes. Some interviews in this set are newly recorded, giving perspective gained with time, but there are also earlier conversations included for context. There’s a featurette called “The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket,” looking back at when this show was made, and we get “Life Lessons with Onslow.” Plus a few other extras.

The packaging is fantastic. The characters in Hyacinth’s family have flower names, and that theme is carried out both in the artwork and the exterior container. The plastic DVD case slides into a seed bag, which has front pockets with daisy, rose, and violet seeds. Also included are planting tags with the other characters.

In all, this is a great release with everything a fan could ask for. Keeping Up Appearances: Collector’s Edition is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It!’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It!’ on Blogcritics.

Absolutely Fabulous is an iconic British sitcom. The series centers on two hilarious ladies. Edina “Eddy” Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) is a PR agent who wants desperately to keep up with the latest trends and seem young, which she does while abusing drugs and alcohol. Her best friend, magazine editor Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley, Corpse Bride), is just as bad, not only enabling, but participating in Monsoon’s crazy schemes. Toss in Edina’s daughter, Saffron (Julia Sawalha, Lark Rise to Candleford), who provides balance as the sane one of the trio, acting more the parent than child, Edina’s own Mother (June Whitfield, Last of the Summer Wine), and Jane Horrocks (Fifi and the Flowertots) as Bubble, Eddy’s idiotic personal assistant, and you have Ab Fab.

The previously released “complete” set, called Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything collected all the episodes and specials up to that date, with some great bonus material thrown in. This was the ultimate way to package the entire series run into a nice neat package. Then, in 2013, the 20th anniversary of the show, Absolutely Fabulous came back with all new installments. This new, 10-disc, Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It! combines that old set with the new episodes, providing fans an updated complete collection.

In case you already possess the original set, the new DVD release, packaged in a stylish pink pocketbook and sturdy casing, has even more extras. There are fresh interviews with producer Jon Plowman, actress June Whitfield, a new Comic Relief special, introductions to the recent additions, and footage of the stars carrying the Olympic torch. So even for those that own earlier releases, there’s more to be had.

If you aren’t familiar with Absolutely Fabulous, here’s a little teaser to let you know what kind of stuff to expect from the legendary comedy.

Created in the early 1990s by Saunders and Dawn French, Absolutely Fabulous originally ran for three seasons. Series one finds Eddy drinking heavily and trying to lose weight without putting in any effort. She also adopts a baby, holidays in France, and “celebrates” her 40th birthday. In series two, Eddy faces being a tabloid sensation, the death of her father, and a trip to Morocco, as well as dealing with Patsy burning her kitchen and her husbands cutting off her alimony. The final series sees Saffron leave for college, and Patsy lose her magazine. Depressingly, the two friends must deal with serious change in their lives, which they aren’t thrilled about, and end up turning on each other, before reuniting in New York City.

After cancellation, the gang returned the following year in “The Last Shout,” in which Saffron heads for the altar, much to Eddy’s chagrin. When Eddy learns the would-be husband is rich, though, she changes her tune. That is, until God intervenes.

Five years later, Eddy and Patsy returned for a fourth series. They bemoan the loss of their rock idols and wish they were in Sex and the City. Edwina convinces Saffron to do a fashion show with her in Paris, and Saffron writes a play about her mother, which isn’t too flattering. Also, the ladies face menopause. This series is followed by another special, where Edina seeks her son in New York, and considers what it means to be gay.

In 2003, a fifth run begins with a pregnant Saffron returning from Africa. Eddy builds a panic room and runs into Minnie Driver (playing herself). Patsy and Edina go hunting, and Edina erases lost Beatles recordings and loses Saffron’s baby. This series is followed by three specials, which find Edina celebrating a family Christmas and remodeling her kitchen.

Then, in 2013, the latest three specials aired. “Identity” begins with Edina picking Saffy up from a two year stint in prison, an accidental circumstance that finally earns Saffy a bit of Patsy’s respect. Edina soon discovers that bringing Saffy home means getting involved in drug deals and deep debt (not Saffy’s). “Job” finds Saffy accusing Edina of not having done a hard day’s work in a very long time, despite her PR job. Edina and Patsy decide the solution to that is to impress Saffy with arranging a singing performance of her favorite actress, Jeanne Durand, at Royal Albert Hall. “Olympics” sees London hosting the 2012 sporting event. Edina decides she should be hospitable, opening her doors to a Hollywood star, Michael Douglas, to come visit and attend the games.

This is just a brief overview of the long-running show. Each episode is full of laughs, and occasionally heart, with the stories and characters staying relevant and entertaining. Perhaps it’s good so much time was taken off between batches, allowing the production time to rest up and think of something brilliant to return with. Perhaps more shows should follow the pattern.

Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It! is available now.

GLEE's "Twerk" is Oh So Right and Oh So Wrong

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - "The End of Twerk" on Blogcritics.

Glee somehow manages to deliver some of its best stuff and its worst in this week’s episode, “The End of Twerk” this week. Much of the hour was a very inane statement about freedom of speech and “twerking,” while the rest was about rebelling in a good way, the best of ways, really, standing up for yourself and fighting back when things aren’t fair.

Since when did a particular obscene dance move count as free speech? And assuming that it does for a moment, as that’s really neither here nor there, when did public schools have to hold freedom of speech over decency standards? Most K-12 institutions would never be considered on the cutting edge of what’s acceptable, taking a much more conservative approach. It feels like a strange battle and an even stranger battleground.

Will (Matthew Morrison) comes out of the gate strong which his argument that the kids should be allowed to twerk, leading what seems like the whole school in a rendition of “Blurred Lines.” The number is highly inappropriate, not to mention, where did all these other students who are joining in the dance come from? It feels staged, false, and is bound to make some, this reviewer included, terribly uncomfortable, based on the setting.

I actually respect Sue (Jane Lynch) for dressing down Schue afterwards. Firing him is going too far, though it’s very strange how the rest of “The End of Twerk” acts like Will still has his job. Even the school board meeting scene is Will fighting against a twerking ban, with nary a mention of his career. So as much as I enjoyed both the point Will makes about different dance styles and his mocking the principal with a Sue-style tantrum, Sue is in the right here, and story is mostly poorly concocted.

I could also complain about the reference to “Western Ohio,” but I feel like I’ve got nothing new to say about how no writer on Glee apparently has heard of Google, and how disappointing it is to see a series get just about everything about the Buckeye state wrong, so I won’t.

The other bit that sucks this week is Marley (Melissa Benoist) finding out from Bree (Erinn Westbrook) that Jake (Jacob Artist) is cheating with the Cheeri-o. As mentioned in last week’s review, this seems out of character and comes from nowhere. Not to mention, it just isn’t entertaining story. We get a decent performance of a terrible song as Marley croons “Wrecking Ball,” but other than that, this plot is irredeemable.

Thank goodness the other major McKinley story, this one involving Wade “Unique” Adams (Alex Newell), is fantastic! Bullied by his classmates, Unique seeks a bathroom he can use in peace, and instead finds himself in the middle of a battle that results in Sue bolting down a purple porta-potty in the choir room. The New Directions come together to support Unique, and by the end of the episode, I dare anyone to not be moved by this student’s story.

I can’t imagine any other series giving viewers as real a portrayal of a transgendered teenager in the modern era. Glee broke new ground a few years back with its depiction of homosexuals, but Unique is even bolder territory. It’s easy to see how and why stupid adolescents would pick on Unique, but the brave way the character is used makes Unique feel fully realized and sympathetic.

The climax of this thread happens when Unique laments “If I Were A Boy.” The most moving number in quite some time, we feel the pain. Newell is very much like Unique in real life, as those who watched The Glee Project will attest, and I think that brings a level of rawness an actor separated from the part would struggle with achieving. Unique’s tears are the tears of many a kid out there, and should be required viewing for all high school students. Who could still pick on a person like Unique after watching this and feeling her frustration and hurt?

Kudos to Glee for standing up for what is right and humanizing an issue that is far too often reduced to political or religious squabbling.

In New York, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) feel stuck in their lives, still lamenting Finn’s (Cory Monteith) passing, and decide they need to make some bold changes in order to feel like they are alive again. To do this, first Rachel fakes a new hair style without checking with her director, Rupert (Peter Facinelli), which doesn’t go over so well until she proves she’s still sexy in a charged performance of “You Are Woman, I Am Man” with Paolo (Ioan Gruffudd). Then, Rachel and Kurt get drunk and get tattoos, which doesn’t quite go how either expects.

I like both that Rachel’s “haircut,” which actually fits the part she’s playing very well, causes a problem, but also that it does not become a big, lasting thing. Her attitude that she is untouchable is a little too diva-ish for a young actress getting her first break, but I can see what she is going for, and by donning a wig, not actually trimming the locks, she shows she is smart enough to leave an escape hatch. Rupert has every right to be mad at her, but when he decides he likes the change, that’s a satisfying pay-off, too.

Also, while not a big fan of the side tattoo, Rachel having the name Finn scrolled on her is a sweet tribute. It’s not like she got the tattoo of a boyfriend while he was still alive; it’s a memorial to a loved one who died too soon, making it all right, even as she will eventually move on with someone else. Keeping it a secret may seem a little strange. but it’s really no one else’s business, anyway, a mark done truly only for her own benefit. Very nice.

Kurt’s tale with the tattoo place is actually even more unexpected and cool. At first, Kurt lashes out at the artist (Bradford Tatum, Magic City) for a misspelling that is actually Kurt’s own fault. While some tough guys would kick Kurt’s butt, this particular man sympathizes, offers wise advice, and even helps Kurt out. It’s a surprising pairing, surely a single episode guest stint, but it’s also a really neat one that gives Kurt just what he needs. Well done.
Oh, and then there’s the big finish number of “On Our Way.” Not particularly stand-out, but a feel-good ending in the series’ own style, so it works.

When Glee sticks with its more mature stories, the ones in New York, it does right by its fans. When it continues the original mission of promoting tolerance, diversity, and acceptance of others, as it does in a fresh way with Unique, it soars. There are some things Glee does wrong, and much of the criticism it gets is justified. But there are also things it does exceedingly well, and those should be acknowledged, too. “The End of Twerk” has both, and as much as I might wish for more of the latter, at least it’s true to form.

Glee airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Blu-ray Review: ‘The Paradise’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘The Paradise’ on Blogcritics.

It seems there are always competing projects in the works, with multiple versions of Snow White hitting theaters at nearly the same time, and various Wizard of Oz television programs being developed for next fall’s TV season. Just as folks are discovering Mr. Selfridge, along comes The Paradise, which also is set around the opening of the first big department store in England. The Paradise’s first eight episode series is now available in a two-disc Blu-ray set.

Unlike Mr. Selfridge, which centers on the proprietor of the establishment, The Paradise chooses to unfold through the eyes of young Denise Lovett (Joanna Vanderham, Dancing on the Edge), one of the peons in this world. Denise works for her Uncle Edmund’s (Peter Wight, Babel, Atonement) small business as a shop girl in 1875. But when The Paradise opens nearby, the little store suffers. Undaunted, Denise lands a job for their competitor, and soon catches the eye of the boss, John Moray (Emun Elliott, Prometheus).

Now, Moray is a handsome widower, and Denise isn’t the only one vying for his attention. Her quick rise through the ranks, at least partially due to Moray’s attention, sparks jealousy in her co-worker, Clara (Sonya Cassidy, Vera), who has slept with Moray, but failed to win his heart, as well as the head of the ladies’ fashion department, Miss Audrey (Sarah Lancashire, Lark Rise to Cranford). But Denise is anything but fragile, so she can handle a little competition.

Moray isn’t perfect. Lacking financial resources himself, having come from a very modest background, he counts on the generosity of Lord Glendenning (Patrick Malahide, Hunted) to see his dreams realized. Glendenning has a daughter named Katherine (Elaine Cassidy, Harper’s Island) who also has designs on Moray, so, needless to say, Denise has her work cut out for her to win the man, as well as the successful career she wants.

The Paradise has many of the staples of classic British drama: the various economic classes mixing, messy romance with multiple suitors, the plucky hero who works to better themselves, a sprawling cast, a concentrated story, and gorgeous costumes. Plus, with the staff living above the store, it even gets a little bit of a Downtown Abbey feel sometimes, at the least the parts of that show that focus on the servants. In short, if you’re a fan of the genre, this series should satisfy you quite well.

The plots are scandalous, sort of a period piece version of soapy primetime shows. Some of the stories in this set include: a man whose termination is demanded because of immoral behavior, a baby abandoned in the store being used as a sales tool, mysterious and / or unexpected illnesses, secrets about a past death dredged up, comical misunderstandings, a stubborn shop keep (Doctor Who‘s Arthur Darvill) serving as a barrier to progress, and a lavish wedding plagued by complications. So it’s full and entertaining, even if it delves a little bit into a hyper-reality.

This release is Blu-ray, so no review would be complete without a discussion of production quality. The Paradise has many vibrant colors, which come across very well in high definition, and the detail is welcome. Sometimes, in the darker scenes, a little graininess creeps in, and occasionally, the sharp picture reveals the falseness of the setting. However, overall, it’s a pretty good visual presentation for a British drama, which typically has a little lower budget than its American counterparts.

As for audio, the dialogue is front and center, super clean. There aren’t a lot of effects and the track doesn’t really make use of the surround sound available to the 5.1 mix tin this set. However, you shouldn’t miss a word the characters say, and for a series like this, that’s what viewers are looking for, anyway.

There are also a quartet of bonus features, much more than the other most recent BBC series releases. Interviews with with the cast are present, as well as a set tour, a featurette on the glamorous costumes (of course), and a behind the scenes extra. There are not any commentaries or deleted scenes, as most American audiences look for, but compared to its peers, The Paradise doesn’t do bad with inclusions.

The Paradise is available now on Blu-ray.

"Dark Hollow" Dark Spot for ONCE UPON A TIME

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 7 Dark Hollow on Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME finally returns to Storybrooke this week in “Dark Hollow.” Ariel (Joanna Garcia Swisher) fulfills her mission of getting a message to Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and together they find the object Rumple (Robert Carlyle) needs to defeat Peter Pan, literally Pandora’s Box (how cool is it going to be when that opens!). But getting the box back to Neverland proves not so easy when a couple of guys from the Home Office seek to destroy it.

It’s pretty predictable that the two boys who have broken into Storybrooke are John (Matt Kane, Switched at Birth) and Michael (James Immekus, Boxboarders!), especially once you see one is taller and wears glasses. But that doesn’t stop one from wondering what they are doing there, and what control Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) has over them. He’s evil, and we’ve seen that the Darlings are sweet, or at least they were as children. Plus, Michael and John have grown up, so they clearly didn’t stay in Neverland as Lost Boys all these years, making one assume they aren’t totally loyal to the Big Bad.

Of course, Pan has something to hold over them. It turns out to be Wendy (Freya Tingley), still a child after a century, who Pan then uses to manipulate Henry (Jared Gilmore). One definitely feels sorry for the Darling family, just more pawns in Pan’s twisted games. If anything, the revelation that Pan has abducted Wendy and kept her for so long, controlling her brothers with threats, only makes him seem more evil.

Unfortunately, the plot to stop Pan is growing stale. The parts of “Dark Hollow” that are set in Neverland break down into petty squabbling, losing the focus of the story. It’s a good thing Belle and Ariel’s little adventure is such fun, and the dwarves get some great, humorous lines, or else this installment would have little to no redeeming qualities.

Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) is still upset with Charming (Josh Dallas) at keeping his poisoning and inability to leave Neverland a secret from her. This is understandable, it really is, but three seasons in, tension between Snow and Charming feels so old, not that it was ever any good in the first place. They have had enough issues, and unlike some couple’s bickering, which can be entertaining, theirs just seems whiny and dumb. They’re both noble and heroic, so even when they enact misdeeds, they’re for the right reasons. Just move past it already!

The Emma (Jennifer Morrison) / Neal (Michael Raymond-James) / Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) love triangle is no better. Hook accidentally lets it slip to Neal that he kissed Emma, assuming Emma has already told Neal, and then Neal and Hook argue, leaving them vulnerable to attack by Pan’s shadow and friends. Emma is done with both of them for the present because her focus is her son, not her love life, exactly as it should be. The guys eventually agree, but it’s too little, too late.

Look, there’s a way to do this triangle right that could be really cool. Hook is someone who seems worthy of love, at least right now, and obviously Neal and Emma still have some unresolved feelings from their sordid past. Plus, Neal and Hook have a past relationship that could come into play. However, a boy has been captured by a really, really bad dude. This drama needs to wait, and by not doing so, it drags the episode down.

ONCE UPON A TIME has always been a bit uneven. I guess it’s understandable that, after a string of terrific installments, there’s bound to be a dud. It’s still disappointing, though, because they were doing so well lately that I’d forgotten about many of their flaws, which come barreling back in “Dark Hollow.”

I would never argue that the series should ditch character stuff in favor of action. That’s what should have happened in this hour, but overall, I really love when the players change and wrestle with quandaries. Seeing Regina (Lana Parrilla) keep her bargain with Ariel is a wonderful moment for “Dark Hollow,” something Regina would not have done only a short time ago. But there’s a time and a place for everything, and by giving us the worst of the personal stuff at the worst possible time, “Dark Hollow” is largely a failure.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.