2014 Honorable Mentions

Since we are living in an era of so much superb television, I decided to once again make a companion post to my Best Of list. Some of the following shows didn't make the Best Of cut for various reasons, but if you ask me, they are all worth checking out:

Boardwalk Empire- A shortened final season of this show brought most of the characters' stories to a satisfying close without sacrificing quality or craft. The use of flashbacks could be tiresome, but were also powerful and crucial to the show's thematic finale. The quality of Boardwalk Empire got much better towards the end of its run and I for one will miss its impeccably tailored costumes and send up to Prohibition Era accents and culture.

The Comeback- Oh my goodness this season of The Comeback was so darn good that if I hadn't made my Best Of list before the final episode aired, it certainly would have been included. I loved everything about this nine-years-later second season. Like its first season, The Comeback manages to capture the television landscape of its time while commenting on the price of fame and the treatment of women in Hollywood in often poignant and distressing ways. The meta-ness of the show never ceases to surprise me and Lisa Kudrow is doing amazing work. Lisa Kudrow for all the awards!

Fargo- Fargo was all at once an homage to the Coen Brothers' filmography and something of its own entirely, toeing that line expertly with craft and quirk. And it did it all with a smirk on its face. I think what held it back was it's pacing as it took me a few episodes to actually get into the story. But once I did, I enjoyed it as much as the best shows on TV. A time-jump mid way through the season helped on every level. And the characters kept you guessing as they embraced the sometimes heightened reality of the world they lived in. I need someone to give Allison Tolman a new role ASAP.

Homeland- Oh, what to say about the see-saw that is Showtime's Homeland? It will never live up to its zany first season, but the reset of this most recent season was the best the show has been in a very long time (since the second season episode, "Q & A" if you ask me). Yes the show remains uneven: One second I'm thrilled to the edge of my seat and the next rolling my eyes at the improbability and 24-tinted plot points. But I very much enjoyed these most recent episodes, finger-guns and all.

The Mindy Project- The Mindy Project tends to get a lot of hate, especially from the males of the world (which I guess I can understand, although I do believe there's humor for everyone). The first season and a half of the show was okay, yet always comedic. But the later half of its second season and the first half of its third have been firing on all cylinders. The ensemble work is spot on while the one-liners and wordplay keep me laughing for days.

Orange is the New Black- I didn't love OITNB's second season as much as its first and I think it came down to the season's villain. Vee was just such a cartoon villain with no real motivation behind her lust for power/control and her subsequent manipulation over the entire social system. I guess later episodes made her out to simply be a psychopathic egomaniac, but that felt like a disservice to a show that normally has fantastic character work. Aside from Vee, I have no complaints about the season (except for Larry continuing to be The Worst).

Orphan Black- Orphan Black keeps so many balls in the air and while it could be more successful at it, its impressive all the same. But I'm just waiting for it all to fall apart. Tatiana Maslany carries the show on her shoulders by playing all the major characters with such nuance that you can always tell who she is (even when she's one character pretending to be another character). The science of the show can be wonky, but that is what sci-fi is all about. And the end of one episode in particular was so beautifully thrilling that I think I stopped breathing.

Parks and Recreation- Parks and Rec is a forever favorite of mine. The show hasn't gotten stale per say, but it has definitely plateaued in its humor, momentum, and general story. However, the final minutes of this year's season finale was a much needed shot of adrenaline and humor. Jumping ahead three years avoids bogging the show down with pregnancy (again) and other story lines the show has already explored. For the first time in a while, I'm very much looking forward to next season. Filling in the gaps between timelines will hopefully be hilariously fruitful.

Silicon Valley- I found the pilot of this new HBO comedy lukewarm, but as the show found its characters and general story, the show gained a lot of comedic momentum. It all lead to a season finale that happened to be one of the funniest episodes of television I've seen in a while. The show is smart, silly, and cutting. One character in particular, Peter Gregory, was a standout of amusing eccentricity, which only makes the passing of actor Christopher Evan Welch, that more tragic.

Veep- I simply love Veep. I think Julia Louis Dreyfus, Matt Walsh, Tony Hale, and Timothy Simons are all hilarious people. I'm a fan of politics. I'm a big fan of creative cursing. As long as this show is on, I'll be watching it. And like Parks and Rec, I suspect it will be a forever favorite.

Homeland: Twist and Shout

As previously stated, Homeland has a few problems. One of which, The Brody Problem, I briefly explored in a previous post. Below I'm going to detail yet another issue I have with the current season of Homeland. For the record, this all comes out of a place of love and admiration. SPOILERS to follow.

Season three's big reveal may have been the cheapest thrill this side of a drawer full of positive pregnancy tests. In real time, here's how I felt about the "twist" that Saul and Carrie intentionally had Carrie committed to a mental institution: relief that Saul wasn't actually throwing Carrie under the bus, annoyed that my emotions for the past three episodes were so blatantly manipulated, critical of the moments we saw Carrie alone, skeptical of the actual timeline, and confused as to why that twist was even necessary. It was clearly a twist for the sake of a twist and it was a poor one at that. It cheapened nearly everything that happened before. The main problem is that Homeland has never used Carrie like this. The only time we knew something Carrie didn't know was in regards to Brody and that reveal was a slow burn that drove the entire first season. Its very nature was entirely different. From the get go, we went into the first season wondering about Brody as we studied his circumstances and tried making sense of his behavior. With Carrie in the mental institution, there was no inherent suspicion that what we were seeing was anything but genuine. It wasn't a fun speculation game in which moments were picked apart and theories formulated. We took this season at face value because we had no reason not to. When the twist happened it actually felt more like a betrayal than a thrill. In the moment my reaction went something like, "Oh, interesting! ...wait, what?" And honestly, thats a disappointing anti-climactic reaction to a show that used to have me holding my breath in suspenseful anticipation.

I simply don't understand why any of Carrie and Saul's plot had to be kept secret from the audience. I actually think if we were in on it the whole time, it would have been a fantastic storyline. We didn't necessarily need every detail, but just enough to keep us aware that something was afoot. Imagine seeing Carrie allow herself to be committed and drugged and subdued and terrified in that hospital knowing all along that she willingly put herself there. Imagine how much richer Claire Danes' acting would have read as she watched Saul's committee hearing on national television. Imagine seeing her break down alone in a hospital bathroom, and not because she's personally struggling with mental illness, but because she's sacrificed every single part of herself to the CIA including her mental illness. We could have had three fantastic episodes rather than one anticlimactic moment of a cheap twist being revealed.

I just keep thinking back to Carrie's slurred, pathetic, heartbreaking, "Fuck you, Saul" and how sorry I felt for her in that moment. And then how angry I felt about that very same moment after the twist set in. That could have been such an incredible scene if the writers simply chose to let the audience in on the plan. Carrie's "fuck you" would have been sad but for entirely different reasons. We would be worried she'd gotten in over her head. Knowing she willingly put herself in that situation--that she's drugged and slurring her words, that she's pissed at Saul for even asking this of her all while looking so pathetic that Saul is compelled to embrace her--is such an incredible moment that we were essentially robbed of for the sake of a twisty plot. Because the show was busy playing a trick on its audience rather than telling a layered story with nuanced character work. Yes you can go back and rewatch the scene and still feel some sense of that, but really the whole moment has been cheapened. It's not going to be nearly as strong as if we knew all this the first time around. You don't get a second chance at making a first impression. And just because you call something a "twist"--and imply that if you go back and rewatch the episodes, your experience will be enriched--simply doesn't make it so. Thats not how a successful twist works.

That being said, all of this was only a third of the current season. We've quickly moved past it and entered into some very interesting storytelling on Homeland. (So quickly that I suspect the writers realize they made a dumb decision). I'm enjoying where we are at this moment and what the show is trying to say about clandestine strategy, national security, and the sacrifices agents make for intelligence. Obviously there are other problems I'm trying not to get into at the moment*, but compared to the cheap twist a few weeks ago, these drawbacks pale in comparison.

Through all this mess, the remainder of this season is still compelling. The acting is superb, the characters are interesting, and this show was at one time pretty awesome. I believe it has some awesome left in it. But perhaps I'm in just as much denial as Carrie. Maybe I have a drawer filling up with evidence to the contrary. And maybe I'm refusing to accept the truth just yet. But I can't help but think if I give it some time, if I check back in again tomorrow, I'll finally get the results I want.


*Like the pregnancy...which...seriously? We're supposed to believe that Carrie was committed to a HOSPITAL without them discovering she's pregnant?! And if it's Brody's she would be showing by now. If not, then why would Carrie even hesitate to do something about it? This bitch is on lithium! That can't be good for a fetus!
*And Senator Lockhart? More like Senator Blowhardt.

Homeland: The Brody Problem

[My apologies for the four month hiatus. I'm not exactly sure how updating got away from me as I was definitely still watching plenty of television and forming all sorts of opinions. I actually drafted a few posts, but never got around to finalizing them. I felt like they weren't good enough and the longer I hesitated the less timely the posts became. And it ultimately kept me from writing. So in the future I'm going to have to let perfectionism slide just a tad. Otherwise I'll never get around to posting anything.

But until then, I have here for you Part I of a post concerning the current season of Homeland. Beware, SPOILERS abound.]

Homeland has a Brody problem. Actually, Homeland has a few problems, but I'm going to start with the Brody problem. Because for some reason the show can't get away from him. The first season of Homeland is amazing television. One of the best seasons of anything I've ever seen. Watching it live week-to-week and having no idea where it was headed or who Nicholas Brody really was elevated the show to an incredibly suspenseful level that it will likely never achieve again. At the time I believed--and still believe--that the first season of Homeland should have been its only season. Clearly that didn't happen. Either way I still can't help but think that the first season should have ended with Brody successfully detonating a bomb. Because not only would it have been an explosive ending of an incredible season of television, but Homeland wouldn't be tempted to constantly bring everything back to Sergeant Nicholas Brody.

Yes keeping Brody alive led to some pretty great episodes in the second season. The Emmy award winning episode "Q&A" in particular was a GREAT episode (all caps, which is greater than great). But was that episode, and the few quality ones before it, worth keeping Brody alive for? Perhaps. I still think the potential strength of an alternate season one finale far outweighs the actual suspense of the early second season. Regardless, the second season, as implausible as it was, exists and played out as it did. And while I took issue with many things, I didn't hate the season by any means. Mostly because the first half was so strong. But when quality notably took a turn midway through I quickly realized what the problem was: Brody had overstayed his welcome. Don't get me wrong, I think Brody is a fantastic character, but the show was doing cartwheels trying to top itself while keep him involved with the story and involved with Carrie. So when the second season ended with Brody sneaking out of the country, I was ready to say goodbye to the character. And I was left hoping the show would refocus and re-inject some much needed Washington intrigue into its next season. To get back to basics. To reign it in and tone it down a little. To pace itself...

But nope. Brody still looms large. We are getting plotlines involving the family he left behind. Which, for the record, I don't hate. They're just given way too much importance and story time. I actually think there's something intriguing about the Brody family in the wake of last season (minus Dana's stupid and completely pointless boyfriend, of course), but spending too much time with them has led to some wheel-spinning and really pointless plot points (unless Leo turns out to be Majid Javadi's gay lover or something). The only Brody family story that really worked for me this season was Dana changing her name and Jessica's tearful goodbye. Other than that this was all some over the top orchestration to get Jessica and Carrie face-to-face for the flashest of flashes which led to The Yoga Play which led to Saul accusing Carrie of putting the whole operation in jeopardy which we ultimately find out she didn't (by "ultimately" I mean we found out five minutes later), so really the whole thing was cheap and completely pointless.

The Brody family aside we also got an entire episode checking in on Brody himself. It opens when he arrives in Caracas riddled with bullets and ends with him strung out on heroin. Which was not only overkill but one of the most ridiculous things on a show chock full of ridiculous things. So the writers expect us to accept that in the stretch of this series (AKA within 27 episodes AKA a little over one season of network television) Brody goes from returned POW with PTSD, to a Muslim terrorist, to a Congressman, to a viable candidate for Vice President, to a double agent, to an assassin, to a framed terrorist, to a fugitive, to an imprisoned heroin addict in Venezuela?!!? Are you fucking kidding me. I'm not asking. Because seriously, you have got to be fucking kidding me. It's in these moments of realization that I can't help but think back to what this show was in its first season. To how GOOD it was (all caps, which is gooder than good) mostly because Brody was such a compelling enigma. Now he's a parody, an almost fan-fictionlized version of himself. Remember when all it took to get an intense moment was Carrie offering Brody his favorite tea? Now the guy is shooting himself up with heroin. How did we get here? Why did we get here? It's so unnecessary and over the top I'm getting steamed just thinking about it.

Caracas aside, we're still getting some decent storytelling out of the Brody well, but nothing that warrants physically keeping him around or hijacking the plot for. This season has its own story going on that only vaguely involves Brody's name being mentioned. But of course the latest episode, which made great strides in moving this season's plot forward, couldn't help but bring Brody back into the picture. I appreciate the show for trying to tie everything together. And I have to admit I leaned in a little closer to the television when Carrie and Javadi were discussing the bomb in Brody's car. Admittedly there's some intrigue there, but that has less to do with Brody and more to do with the terrorist attack driving this current season (and Carrie's emotional stake in it all). But come on. We all know where this is headed. It's as if the writers are strong-arming the story and steering it back towards Brody. Everything on this show seems to orbit around him. We were on the dark side of the moon there for a second, but never fear, I see Brody's freshly shaved melon looming over the horizon. It's as if the show doesn't know how to exist without Brody. As if Brody is the bottom of the pool and the writers are toeing it, terrified of wandering too far into the deep end. As if this show has no other identity or capability to be anything different. If Brody can be a half-dozen things in a dozen episodes, I think Homeland can be a show without Brody looming so large. But maybe I'm expecting too much from this show. I would half expect the writers to stow Brody away, keep him off-screen and keep his name unmentioned for as long as possible before letting a figurative (or literal) bomb drop. But thats assuming Homeland knows how a successful twist works. Which, for the record, it doesn't.

Homeland: Season 2 Finale

NOTE: Sorry for the lack of updates. Sandy happened, recovery is still happening, I was behind on TV shows, and then I sailed away on SS Coachella for a few days so I'm only now getting to write about it. Without further ado, my SPOILER heavy thoughts on Homeland's second season finale, "The Choice."

Like many others I have been having some small irksome plausibility problems with Homeland lately. But when it comes to an amazing show like this, it is the ultimate nitpick to point out how a show written by former writers of 24 is similar to 24. Now ever since the first season I was waiting for the inevitable moment for Homeland to go over the edge and become a zany high-end 24. And I am still waiting for that moment. It hasn't happened yet. And the longer it takes the better. The small weak moments of implausibility are little scratches in a glass that's been around for two years. They are by no means cracks and the show is no where near shattering.

That all being said, I think we can agree that Homeland's second season is not as good as its first. But then again, how could it ever be? After last year's finale I knew they'd never be able to sustain themselves and do it again. So lets disregard the comparison. The first half of the second season they were still riding high. That was still incredible television. It was moving and emotional and shocking and brave. Outing Brodie, breaking him down, turning him, and ultimately fixing him was simply amazing character work and something Homeland does so well it almost looks easy. Giving Carrie her redemption and ultimately her life and swagger back was also incredibly satisfying. And Clare Danes and Damien Lewis did it flawlessly in compelling and moving turns in front of the camera. The trajectory drops off slightly in the second half of the season, but among all the kidnapping and complete disregard for national security and protocol, there were nuggets of pure gold to be found.

As for the finale itself, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved that the show returned to the cabin and what that meant to the characters. I loved that I knew SOMETHING was going to happen because Brodie and Carrie seemed too damn happy (and I'm glad it wasn't as simple as Carrie choosing the CIA over him). The cabin made their later goodbye at the border poignant and moving. 

I also thought Saul and Carrie's argument was great, as well as Saul's despair after the bombing (especially regarding Carrie), and that stupid grin on his face in the final shot of the episode. Because as much as this show is about Carrie and Brodie, its also about Carrie and Saul. That relationship is also something worth exploring as its wrought with incredible performances, chemistry, and history. I'm so looking forward to that next season. These two in charge of the CIA is absolutely something I'd watch. 

Speaking of which, I really like it when shows set off creative bombs like this. Just kill off everyone, fill the nation/government with terror, create a vacuum, fill it with new problems, give everyone a new role, and lets do this thing. Its brave and its ballsy and I respect it. I just always love a blank slate or when a show flips everything upside down because it makes the next season so interesting. Lost did it, Alias did it, Mad Men did it, Battlestar Galactica did it, and even Friday Night Lights did it. I can't wait to see what the writers do next. It sucks that we lost great characters and compelling subplots, but thats just a testement to how good/confident the writers are. 

A couple of other little things I thought were great:

• Quinn growing a heart and threatening Estes. The threat means nothing now, but at the time Quinn's, "Because I'm the guy that kills bad guys," was a pretty badass moment of character definition. I love the enigma of Quinn and I'm definitely looking forward to his role next season.
• Dana's conversation with her father and later defending him. She can't say why she knows he didn't do it, but I like that she still remains intuitive and honest enough to speak up. Just all the subtext and implication in the scene in the bedroom and later in front of the TV was very moving. I hope she remains convinced of his innocence next season. 
• The scene in Estes office, after the bomb went off, when Carrie has her gun on Brodie. Still not sure what it was about that scene that I found great, but probably the realistic tinge of paranoia and suspicion that this show has always been about. And that it addressed exactly what the audience has been thinking since Brodie's rendezvous with Nazir.
• Brodie's "Fuck me" after seeing his tape on TV. 

Lastly, one thing I sort of wished happened, but realize could have never happened, was that Carrie left with Brodie. That we have a season of Catch Me If You Can between Carrie and Saul. Two characters that love and respect each other. That know how the other thinks. That just happen to be on the wrong side of the explosion as they outmaneuver each other over and over. Maybe I'm the only one who thought that could be fun. And I'm glad it didn't play out that way. But it was a thought that crossed my mind during the finale and I just wanted to mention it. 

Anyway. I realize this was a long post. I'm just trying to make up for lost time. If you read it all, thank you. If not, I totally understand (but it would be cool if you read it because I spent a lot of time writing it). But Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and now that things are getting back to normal, I plan on updating more often. Thanks for sticking around.

Homeland: "Beirut is Back"

SPOILER ALERT: This post is about the most recent episode of Homeland. Obviously, spoilers are sure to follow. Enter at your own risk.

Can we just work in reverse and talk about that ending real quick? I had a suspicion that what Saul was digging for may be the Brody video, but I also could not let myself believe the writers would play that card so soon. I wanted it to be the video, but oftentimes shows like Homeland prefer a slow burn of twists and turns. So I was expecting a fake out similar to the Abu Nazir assassination attempt five minutes earlier. But instead I got exactly what I wanted at the same precise moment I realized I wanted it. And its an example of what makes the show so good. Here is one thing I love about Homeland, the writers know exactly when to follow through. What happened at the end of this episode easily could have been the season finale of a lesser show. But instead, the writers decided to throw us this curve ball early on. And we know its going to shape the entire rest of the season. Whether for good or bad, we cannot say.

To put that ending in perspective, lets look at the whole episode. Carrie is still clearly recovering from the Brodie debacle of last season. She even says so herself whilst on the brink of a serious psychotic episode (and possible withdrawal). She's so used to following her gut and being right. And the fact that she could be so incredibly wrong about something she felt so sure about is leading her to question not only her abilities as a professional, but the very fiber of who she is. This is something we all expect Carrie to deal with for quite some time. The scene on the roof was so strong, we could easily see multiple episodes ahead of Carrie still dealing with the fallout. Instead we have her redemption handed over to us within the same hour of television. Its not only satisfying, but incredibly bold. This show has been impressing me nonstop since its debut and this is a perfect example of what made season one award worthy television.

In terms of the Abu Nazir operation, everyone expected him to get away. Once capture was no longer an option, I am pretty sure every viewer was confident in expecting Nazir to elude the ops mission. Because we all know there's more for him to bring to the show. He is what all the main characters have in common, giving each of them a separate purpose. So clearly there was going to be a near miss and a fake out. It wasn't any less satisfying when it happened, but it was definitely expected and formulaic. The Nazir appearance validated Carrie and strengthened Brody's loyalty. Having served its purpose, Nazir was quickly escorted out of the viewer's mind.

Now consider the end of the episode again. Here another fake out was sure to occur. We all think we know what is on that hidden chip. At least we all know what we were hoping for. But there's just no way that the Brody video would pop up so soon. More has to play out before a bomb like that goes off, right? Especially not after we just heard Carrie Mathison admit her self doubt and most significant professional misstep. A main character's redemption just doesn't come that easy. But instead we were given exactly what we wanted. And we were faked out of a fake out. The writers are jerking us around and its amazingly satisfying.

The tape being introduced so early is definitely going to shape most of the season. Whether its simply used as an excuse to give Carrie her job back, or if Saul chooses to sit on the tape, or if the CIA actually acknowledges this video as credible evidence worth investigating, anything that happens is going to be an interesting ride. At the very least we know Carrie will probably be back with her old swagger. She can start trusting herself again. And that is definitely something I am looking forward to.

Homeland: Season Two

This is basically a quick post to express my excitement that Homeland's second season starts tomorrow. I may have just ripped the Emmys to shreds, but that was in terms of comedy. In drama, they often get it right. In my opinion, Claire Danes won that award a year ago in the season's penultimate episode. Her performance was so powerful that before the episode even ended I knew it was hers. And if that episode belonged to Danes, the finale belonged to Damian Lewis, no question.

The fact that Homeland won best drama and best writing is also very much deserved. I was pleasantly surprised by both wins. I was honestly expecting either Mad Men or Breaking Bad to take home an Emmy in either respective category (as well as Bryan Cranston or Jon Hamm for acting), but Homeland also earned recognition. It deserves to be held to the same standard and it very much belongs in the same breath. Since it aired, I've been talking about this show to anyone who will listen. So its nice to be validated.

And I'm so glad it won for its first season. I'm honestly not sure if they can keep the quality up further down the road, so I'm pleased it nabbed an award when it could. Some part of me wished it was a one season show that ended slightly differently than it did. (Especially because the show runners, who previously worked on 24, aren't necessarily the best at long-term suspense.) But any doubts I had were quickly forgotten when I saw the season two trailer. So lets get pumped, people!