Levinson news clips: TV reviews

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Dexter 4.9: Trinity's Daughter

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:48:44 -0800

A stunning surprise in this episode - 4.9 - of Dexter, which has been setting off suprises like baloons at a fair, and is making this one of the best seasons of Dexter, which is always outstanding television.

blog post review: Dexter 4.9: Trinity's Surpising Daughter

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Fringe 2.8: The Eternal Bald Observers

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:12:11 -0800

Fringe hits its stride in a great episode 2.8 about the Eternal Bald Observers - which moves the central story importantly along, and tells a standalone tale with real heart and intellectual verve.

blog post review: Fringe 2.8: The Eternal Bald Observers

and, if you like time travelers at great moments in history - The Plot to Save Socrates

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Bones 5.8: Booth's "Pops"

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:04:16 -0800

An endearing episode 5.8 of Bones, which brings us Ralph Waite as Booth's grandfather "Pops". He of course sees what everyone else does, that Bones and Booth are right for each other...

blog post review: Bones 5.8: Booth's "Pops"

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Lie to Me 2.7: The Redeeming of Loker

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:31:02 -0800

Loker was in the dog house in Season 1 of Lie to Me, demoted to unpaid intern because he divulved some information to the Security Exchange Commission. In episode 2.7, Loker redeems himself and more...

blog post review: Lie to Me 2.7: The Redeeming of Loker

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V 1.3: Multiple Twists and Lizard Visions

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:32:54 -0800

The Visitors get visas on episode 1.3 tonight, and this multiples the number of twists and surprise reveals.

blog post review: V 1.3: Multiple Twists and Lizard Visions

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House 6.7: Four's A Compelling Crowd

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:19:12 -0800

This highly significant episode 6.7 of House clarifies an issue hanging since season 1, brings together the best of all the seasons, and may have shown a leading character to the permanent door - though this is House we're talking about...

blog post review: Four's a Crowd on House 6.7

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Dexter 4.8: Great Mistakes

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:01:16 -0800

Great mistakes and one huge, unexpected mystery in Dexter 4.8 - which makes this a continuingly superb, unique series.

blog post review: Dexter 4.8

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Bill O'Reilly, Saddam Hussein, and Ben Reynolds on Lie to Me 6.6

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:10:08 -0800

The shot of Ben Reynolds followed by Bill O'Reilly and Saddam Hussein on Lie to Me 6.6 was priceless. And the rest of episode was pretty fine, too.

blog post review: Bill O'Reilly, Saddam Hussein, and Ben Reynolds in Lie to Me 6.6

House Around the Bases on 6.6

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:25:05 -0800

A more emotional, personal than medical episode 6.6 House, as House and Cuddy, and Chase and Cameron, go down their complex paths.

blog post review: House 6.6 Around the Bases

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FlashForward 1.8: The Nightie as a Grain of Sand

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:36:29 -0800

A philosophically high-toned episode 1.8 of FlashForward, which features Olivia's sexy night outfit as a lesson in the stubborn intractability of the future.

blog post review: FlashForward 1.8: The Nightie as a Grain of Sand

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Fringe 2.7: The Boy Who Changed Minds

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:50:43 -0800

Fringe continues to get down to more riveting business in episode 2.7, which features a 15-year old kid who controls the minds around him, and triggers a police hunt worthy of NCIS...

blog post review: The Kid Who Changed Minds in Fringe 2.7

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Psychological Bones 5.7

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:25:32 -0800

Physical bones play little role in this superb episode 5.7 of Bones, where psychology worthy of Freud rules the day, and provides important insight into Booth's incomplete recovery, and how it relates to his feelings for Bones.

blog post review: Psychological Bones 5.7

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V 1.2: Special Effects and Characters

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:43:02 -0800

The second outing for V's return to television had some winning special effects, and solid, appealing character development. I especially liked the freedom-fighter priest.

blog post review: V 1.2: The Effects and the Characters

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A Different Stripe of Fringe in 2.6

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:04:10 -0800

Fringe 2.6 gives a shadow alien who hitches a ride on a Soviet cosmonaut and turns people into dust, leaving their faces as fragile as egg shells...

blog post review: Soviet Dust: A Different Stripe of Fringe in 2.6

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FlashForward 1.7: The Future Can Be ...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:01:06 -0800

The sweeping winds of November brought us a great episode of FlashForward that may change everything ... it seems the future can be changed. But, if so, what does that mean for people who had visions of a future which are now apparently no longer possible?

blog post review: FlashForward 1.7: The Future Can Be ...

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Dexter 4.7: He Can't Kill Bambi

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:13:01 -0800

How different is Dexter from the serial killers he kills? He prides himself on never killing an innocent person, but this superb episode 4.7 explores how easy that can be...

blog post review: Dexter 4.7: "He Can't Kill Bambi"

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Mad Men Season 3 Finale: The Best of Time and ...

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:43:51 -0800

A surprising, satisfying Season 3 finale of Mad Men - exhilirating, a rarity in Mad Men, as the team strikes forth on their own. A fitting cap to best season of Mad Men so far.

blog post review: Mad Men Season 3 Finale: The Best of Times and ...

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Across the Universe in FlashForward 1.6

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:38:00 -0800

Double slits, double entendres, serious physics and sex in this primo episode 1.6 of FlashForward, which speaks softly of inevitability as Rufus Wainwright sings John Lennon's Across the Universe...

blog post review: Across the Universe in FlashForward 1.6

listen to a little of Rufus Wainwright's Across the Universe

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Drunk FlashForwarding 1.5

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:30:28 -0800

The reliability of Benford's flashforward vision and his battle with the bottle are the key issues in epispde 1.5 of FlashForward, along with Janis in a lesbian relationship and our FBI team attacked by Chinese assassins that come right out of 24, which I take to be a good thing.

blog post review: Drunk FlashForwarding in 1.5

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Bones 5.6: A Chicken in Every Podcast

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:22:08 -0800

Another smooth mix of mystery and hilarity on Bones 5.6, with chickens, pigs, lots of puns, and Angela's abstinence in flux.

blog post review: A Chicken in Every Pot in Bones 5.6

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Shaft Meets House in FlashForward 1.4

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:34:04 -0800

How does a nervous white guy turn into a cool African-American in three months? Episode 1.4 of FlashForward explains it all...

blog post review: FlashForward Meets Shaft and House in Episode 1.4

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V Returns to TV

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:29:13 -0800

The oddly superb 1983 series, V, is back with a new coat on ABC-TV. This review analyzes the appeal of the original and the new series, and the prospects for V in 2009.

blog post review: V Returns to TV

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Mad Men 3.12: The End of the World

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:44:32 -0800

November 22, 1963 comes around a little sooner than expected in Mad Men 3.12, and the result for Don's personal life is pretty close to Skeeter Davis's "The End of the World," which played under the closing credits. A superbly powerful episode that may be of the best fictional treatments of what happened during those tragic, traumatic days...

blog post review: Mad Men 3.12: The End of the World

Listen to a little of Skeeter Davis's The End of the World

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Fringe 2.5: Peter in Alternate Reality and Wi-Fi for the Mind

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:02:07 -0700

We get a great short scene in Fringe 2.5 of our young Peter in, presumably, Bell's alternate reality, while back here we get wi-fi for the mind...

blog post review: Peter in Alternate Reality and Wi-Fi for the Mind

if you like alternate reality fiction about the Challenger, check out Loose Ends ...

Dexter 4.5: The Family Man

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:10:58 -0700

Back with weekly, clockwork reviews of Dexter Season 4 ... in Episode 5, Dexter learns something about the Trinity killer that cuts very close to home...

blog post review: The Family Man on Dexter 4.5

book mentioned in this podcast:

Lie to Me

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:27:28 -0700

I ain't lying, Lie to Me is a great show, and I thought it long since time that I start reviewing it here at Levinson News Clips. This is a general, context-setting review, recorded after I saw Episode 1.5 this past Monday, and of course all episodes prior.

blog post review: Lie to Me

book mentioned in this podcast:

Don's Evening of Reckoning in Mad Men 3.11

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:48:11 -0700

A series changing episode 3.11 of Mad Men, as Betty finally confronts Don about his secret past, he tells almost all, and the power-balance of their relationship may be changed forever...

blog post review: Don's Night of Reckoning in Mad Men 3.11

House 6.5: Getting Better All the Time

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:55:04 -0700

House is getting better - not the show, which has been superb all along, but, amazingly, the character Gregory House, who is getting by without vicodin ... a review of the whys and the wherefores in Episode 6.5 ...

blog post review: House 6.5: Getting Better

Mad Men 3.10: The Weakest Ink and The Strongest Television

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:34:52 -0700

An especially media-savvy episode 3.10 of Mad Men, which centers around an ancient Chinese proverb, and its relevance to the business of Sterling Cooper and Don's private life.

blog post review: Mad Men 3.10: The Faintest Ink, The Strongest Television

books mentioned in this podcast:

Ancient Bones in 5.5

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:38:27 -0700

Ancient and modern mysteries, hearts of mummies and rubies, and Boris Karloff all figure in this delightful episode 5.5 of Bones.

blog post review: Ancient Bones 5.5

books mentioned in this podcast:

Interview with FlashForward's Robert J. Sawyer, Part 3: The Fork in the Road

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:21:30 -0700

In part 3 of my interview with Robert J. Sawyer, we talk about the fork in the road: what will happen with future FlashForward novels from Rob, as the television series goes its own successful way...

podcast reviews of every FlashForward episode: 1.3 ... 1.2 ... 1.1

blog post reviews of every FlashForward episide: 1.3 ... 1.2 ... 1.1

entire 40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

House 6.4: Diagnosis vs. Karma

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:29:41 -0700

House 6.4 pits cosmic karma vs. House's diagnosis as the cure for a dying boy, whose billionaire father bankrupts himself to get some good karma back for his son. An excellent philosophic episode.

blog post review: House 6.4: Diagnosis vs. Karma

Unlucky Strikes and To The Moon Don in Mad Men 3.9

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:24 -0700

A brutal, powerful Mad Men 3.9, with Don allowing Sal to be fired by Lucky Strike, not getting an important part of the campaign Hilton wants, and finally sleeping with Sally's former teacher. But there's one piece of humor in the episode - does Harry Crane (played by Rich Sommer) look like Perry Mason? I say he looks much more like science fiction writer Isaac Asimov - see the photos below...

blog post review: Unlucky Strikes and To the Moon Don in Mad Men 3.9

my 20-minute interview with Rich Sommer (Harry Crane) at Light On Light Through

books mention in this podcast:

Fringe 2.4 Unfolds and Takes Wing, Plus Podpeople

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:17:46 -0700

We finally see and hear the conversation between Bell and Olivia in Fringe 2.4, as well as a tender moment for Walter, and a reference to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Special bonus on this podcast: science fiction critic Gary K. Wolfe on the relationship of podpeople and podcasts...

blog post review: Fringe 2.4 Unfolds and Takes Wing

Bones 5.4 Meets Petyon Place and Desperate Housewives

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:45:42 -0700

Booth and Bones go to amorous, murderous suburbia in 5.4, and we also get some nice philosophy of science from Bones's assistant Vaziri.

blog post review: Bones Meets Peyton Place and Desperate Housewives in 5.4

FlashForward 1.3: Conflict of Visions and Futures

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:18:56 -0700

Which of Demetri's competing futures is true - death or marriage? This review offers a brief primer about time travel, to explain how inevitable futures can change. Also - the relevance of The White Rose to Mark's struggle with the future.

blog post review: FlashForward 1.3: Conflicting Visions and Futures

books mentioned in this podcast:

Exploding Bodies in Fringe 2.3

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:03:27 -0700

More good, old-time science fiction in Fringe 2.3: manipulation of body chemistry so it becomes a deadly explosive...

blog post review: Fringe and the Human Body as Bomb

books mentioned in this podcast:

The Saving Hitler Dilemma in House 6.3

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:32:35 -0700

House 6.3 presents what it's best at it: a story that serves up a classic doctor's dilemma: do you save a brutal dictator who is suffering from an illness that could be fatal, as your medical ethics require, or let him die for the good of humanity?

blog post review: The Saving Hitler Quandary in House 6.3

Mad Men 3.8: Tour de Force Performance by January Jones

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:31:14 -0700

A tour-de-force performance by January Jones in Mad Men 3.8, as Betty gets kissed by someone other than Don in New York and enchants them all, including Don, in Rome. We get keen insight into Betty's character: she's happiest, and even a better mother, when she's adored.

blog post review: August Flights in Mad Men 3.8

Bones 5.3 in Amish Country

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:10:43 -0700

Bones 5.3 was a little masterpiece, true to the Amish culture it presented, and with a nice, suprising mystery as well. I've long been been interested in the Amish - in my work as an historian of technology, and as a science fiction writer - so this fine episode was especially pleasing.

blog post review: Bones 5.3 in Amish Country

books mentioned in this podcast:

Interview with FlashForward's Robert J. Sawyer, Part 2: The Cast

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:50:32 -0700

In part 2 of my in-depth interview with FlashForward author Robert J. Sawyer, he gives his candid evaluation of the cast...

podcast reviews of every FlashForward episode: 1.2 ... 1.1

blog post reviews of every FlashForward episide: 1.2 ... 1.1

entire 40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

FlashForward 1.2: Proofs and Defiance of Inevitability

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:44:07 -0700

A powerful second episode of FlashForward, in which Demetri and Mark get more evidence that the future cannot be denied, but Mark struggles anyway to prove it not need to come true...

blog post review: FlashForward 1.2: Proofs and Defiance of Inevitability

podcast reviews of every FlashForward episode: 1.1

blog post reviews of every FlashForward episide: 1.1

40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

Oceanic Airlines as Portal Between Lost and FlashForward

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:24:36 -0700

The Oceanic Airlines billboard seen in the first episode of FlashForward may be more than just a nod to Lost. What are the pros and cons, the coincidences and obstacles, involved in Lost and FlashForward taking place in the same universe, alternate to ours?

blog post about the subject: Oceanic Airlines as Portal Between FlashForward and Lost

podcast reviews of every FlashForward episode: 1.1

blog post reviews of every FlashForward episide: 1.1

podcast review of Lost Season 5 finale

search on Lost in SearchBox for reviews of every episode!

entire 40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

The Gang's Back and ... in House 6.2

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:27:41 -0700

We're back at the hospital with the usual gang in House 6.2, with one component missing ... this episode provides a good exploration of the consequences.

blog post review: House 6.2: The Gang is Back and Fractured

mentioned in the podcast ... my debate with Jack Thompson ... New New Media

Brutal Edges in Mad Men 3.7

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:59:38 -0700

We see the worst side of Don in this brutally honest episode 3.7 of Mad Men, but it may have had a good result for Peggy...

blog post review: Mad Men 3.7: Brutal Edges

Fringe Meets The Mole People

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:05:34 -0700

Some great 1950s style science fiction in Fringe 2.2, which features people being pulled underground by some strange creature...

blog post review: Fringe 2.2 and The Mole People

Bones 5.2: Anonymous Donors and Pipes

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:48:35 -0700

The professional family at the Jeffersonian, and Bones and Booth together on a plumbing job, are best parts of this episode of Bones.

blog post review: Bones 5.2: Anonymous Donors and Pipes

Interview with FlashForward's Robert J. Sawyer, Part 1: From Novel to Screen

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:17:45 -0700

Part I of a recent interview I conducted with FlashForward author Robert J. Sawyer. In this segment, Rob talks about the 10-year journey of FlashForward, from his novel to screen.

podcast reviews of every FlashForward episode: 1.1

blog post reviews of every FlashForward episide: 1.1

entire 40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

FlashForward Premiere: Irresistible Human Stories and Science Fiction

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:56:51 -0700

A philosophic review of the compelling debut of FlashForward, one of the best new shows on television in years.

blog post review: FlashForward Debuts: Irresistible Human Stories and Science Fiction

40-minute podcast interview with Robert J. Sawyer

Metaphysics, University, and Carnival in Heroes 4.1

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:31:01 -0700

Heroes returns for a fourth season with a less apocalyptic more enjoyable mix of shape-shifting, time travel, retribution and redemption.

blog post review: Heroes Season 4 Premiere: Metaphysics, University, and Carnival

Is House Reborn in Season Six

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:51:26 -0700

The two-hour premiere of House, Season 6, was like nothing else you've seen before in this brilliant series...

blog post review: House Reborn in Season Six?

John Deere to the Rescue on Mad Men 3.6

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:37:44 -0700

On a night when Mad Men won the Emmy for Best Drama for the second straight year, episide 3.6 of Mad Men shows why ...

blog post review: A Saving John Deere in Mad Men 3.6

Bones is Back for Season 5: What Is Love?

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:00:33 -0700

The main mystery the premier episode of the fifth season of Bones is whether Booth's love for Bones is real or a product his brain surgery. Sweets and Booth's enjoyment of clowns (which he up until now hated) say the surgery was responsible. But Cindy Lauper who plays a tarot-card reader and most viewers know otherwise...

blog post review: Bones 5.1: What Is Love?

Top Notch Return of Fringe Second Season

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:16:10 -0700

Double realities and double agents are the theme of the riveting second season premiere of Fringe, which pays more attention to the incredible central storyline than Fringe did for much of its first season, and has therefore moved from oddly attractive to on-the-edge compelling...

blog post review: Double Realities and Double Agents

True Blood Season 2 Finale

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:04:05 -0700

Some questions and thoughts about especially the ending, in this review of the True Blood Season 2 finale.

blog post review: True Blood Season 2 Finale

Admiral TV, MLK, and Baby Boy on Mad Men

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:24:07 -0700

Mad Men 3.5 has the customary blend of trenchant social commentary and piercing psychology, circa early 1960s. Focus in 3.5 is on Admiral television and Medgar Evers...

blog post review: Admiral TV, MLK, and Baby Boy

Dexter Season 4: Sneak Preview Non-Spoiler Review: Fabulous!

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:58:46 -0700

Dexter is as a new dad is sleep deprived. Agent Lundy is back and Deb has feelings for him. John Lithgow is on as a soft-spoken brutal serial killer. Surprises abound in every episode. And that's all I'm going to reveal - except that Season 4 of Dexter looks to be fabulous!

blog post review: Dexter 4 Sneak Preview NonSpoiler Review: Fabulous!

Mad Men 3.4: Caned Seats and a Multiple Choice about Sal's Patio Commercial

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:38:35 -0700

This review of the superb Mad Men 3.4 includes a mutiple choice question about Sal and the Patio soda commercial, and a look at the media landscape of 1963.

blog post review: Caned Seats and a Multiple Choice Question

Illusion, Eisenhower, and Texting in True Blood

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:17:12 -0700

Confrontation between Bill and Eric over Sookie, and the Queen's entourage by the pool, were among the highlights of this penultimate episode of True Blood, Season 2.

blog post review: Illusion, Eisenhower, and Texting in True Blood

Mad Men 3.3: Gibbon, Blackface, and Eliot

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:44:34 -0700

An even edgier Mad Men than usual tonight, probing racism, weed, and (of course) sexism...

blog post review: Gibbon, Blackface, and Eliot

Maryann vs the Good in True Blood

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:34:43 -0700

We finally get to see Maryann the maenad vs some of the forces of good in episode of 2.10 of True Blood with tantalizingly inconclusive results ... Bill vs. Maryann, Sookie vs. Maryann, and Bill and Sookie and Lafayette and Tara's mother working to free Tara's mind...

blog post review: Maryann vs. the Good

Mad Men 3.2: Carvel, Penn Station, and Diet Soda

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:04:34 -0700

Mad Men 3.2 was especially rich in historical detail. The Carvel ice cream store in Westchester, NY, Penn Station in NYC, and 1963 diet soda all play important roles. And we also get an ominous reminder of the JFK assassination later that year, which will serve as a countdown to everything that will happen this season on Mad Men...

blog post review: Mad Men 3.2: Carvel, Penn Station, and Diet Soda

Nurse Jackie Finale and Dangerous Bubbles

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:21:40 -0700

mostly non-spoiler musing about the Nurse Jackie Season 1 finale...

blog post review: Nurse Jackie and Dangerous Bubbles

Finding Killers vs. Hearts on The Closer

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:50:44 -0700

Another great episode featuring Sosie Bacon - Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon's real-life daughter - as Brenda's spunky, compassionate, a lot like Brenda niece on The Closer...

blog post review: Finding Killers vs. Hearts on The Closer

Godric, Eric, and Sookie on the Roof in True Blood

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:11:26 -0700

A magnificent self-sacrifice at dawn and much more in this fine episode - 2.9 - of True Blood...

blog post review: Godric, Eric, and Sookie on the Roof

And listen to my fabulous 20-minute interview Fall 2007 with Rich Sommer (Harry Crane) at Light On Light Through

Mad Men Back for 3

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:16:01 -0700

Tip-top, punchy, satisfying premiere for Season 3 of Mad Men ... with lots of surprises in the business and personal lives of the people at the ad firm...

blog post review: Mad Men Back for 3

True Blood Boiling

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:07:38 -0700

Lots of resolution in this episode ... Jason snaps out of it at last ... Godric's rescued and on top of it ... Eric's attraction to Sookie is becoming more public ... Godric sends Lorena packing ... and then a bomb goes off- my prediction for who will die...

blog post review: True Blood Boiling

Libby of Lost on The Closer

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:51:33 -0700

Great to see Lost's Libby on last night's Closer, as a psychologist no less! Back on Lost, we still have no explanation of how Libby and Hurley wound up together in that institution, with Libby as a patient, before the two ever got to the island. It's still one of the big, fascinating, inexplicable coincidences of the series. If only Brenda Leigh Johnson could use her considerable investigative talents to close that case...

blog post review: Brenda's Niece and Lost's Libby on The Closer

also Lost: Keys to What's Really Going On

podcasts about Lost are here

Baby Botwin and the Bimah in Weeds

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:10:49 -0700

Andy steps up for Baby Boy Botwin and the Jewish tradition in this fine, relationship episode of Weeds.

blog post review: Baby Boy Botwin and the "Bimah" in Weeds

Tom Skerritt on The Closer

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:41:09 -0700

Good to see craigy Tom Skerritt cross paths with Brenda Leigh Johnson in this memorable episode of The Closer.

blog post review: Tom Skerritt on The Closer

Warehouse 13

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:05:39 -0700

Warehouse 13 on the newly renamed SyFy Channel (formerly SciFi) has a winningly real historical grounding, as the mobile videophone "invented" right after television in the 1920s shows...

blog post review: Warehouse 13

Nurse Jackie at 8: Zany Deception

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:40:31 -0700

Deceptions and zany characters continue to reign in the 8th episode of this Showtime series about a nurse with a raging pill addiction and a heart of golden compassion, played to the hilt by Edie Falco.

blog post review: Nurse Jackie at 8

True Blood Come Together

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:42:13 -0700

Lots of unlikely likes finding each other in True Blood, episode 2.5....

blog post: Likes Coming Together in True Blood

Det. Richard Tracy on The Closer

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:58:56 -0700

Hilarious episode of The Closer, with Det. Richard Tracy, a police impersonator, thrown into the mix. Perfect frothy cool episode for the summer heat.

blog post review: The Closer: Det. Richard Tracy

Nurse Jackie at 6: Jackie and Eddie

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:51:21 -0700

The best thing about Nurse Jackie is that Paul Schultze's character Eddie is finally getting some good sex with Edie Falco's character Jackie - a big improvement over what happened between Schultze's Father Phil and Falco's Carmela on The Sopranos. But it's intriguingly more complicated than that...

blog post review: Nurse Jackie at 6

Love and True Blood in the Air: 2.3

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:33:15 -0700

Sookie's attack out of nowhere by some human-bull creature in Episode 2.3 raises all kinds of tantalizing questions...

blog post review: Love and True Blood in the Air

Pres Laura Roslin vs Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:52:57 -0700

High octane on last night's Closer between Captain Raydor (Mary McDonnell) and Brenda Leigh Johnson , and likely more in store... Battlestar Galactica meets The Closer.

blog post review: President Laura Roslin vs. Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer

The Shield: Speculations on What Might Happen After Final Scene

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:19:23 -0700

Now that the Shield and its superb finale and final scene are available to see on DVD, I offer some speculation on what Vic Mackey may now be up to...

blog post review: What Might Happen After Final Scene on The Shield

The Shield in Perspective (no spoilers)

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:56:27 -0700

Why The Shield may be the best series ever on television - certainly the last episode of the final season was best finale. A non-spoiler analysis, with comparisons to Lost, The Sopranos, and The Wire.

blog post review: The Shield in Perspective (no spoilers)

use "Search Episodes" above right to find podcast reviews of Lost, The Sopranos, and The Wire ...

True Blood Pours Back in for Season Two

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:38:29 -0700

True Blood pours back in for its second season with a steamy episode, featuring a hot, unclothed scene with Bill and Sookie, and Maryann in bed with Sam when he was just a young dog- er, man...

blog post review: True Blood Pours Back In

podcast review of Season 1: Revving Back Up for True Blood

Lost Season 5 Finale 1 Month Out: Richard and Jacob

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:01:23 -0700

A thought about the Lost Season 5 finale 1 month after broadcast - it's about Richard and Jacob, and how the finale could have been more compelling and satisfying in one regard...

blog post review: Richard and Jacob

also Lost: Keys to What's Really Going On

and this podcast: Lost Season 5 Finale: Jacob and Locke

The Closer Reopens

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:38:43 -0700

A retrospective on The Closer thus far, as it reopens for business with its 5th Season on TNT with unique mix of detective work and humor. Comparisons explored with Bones.

blog post review: Closer Reopens

Sneak Preview Review of Weeds 5.1-3

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:31:33 -0700

Sneak preview review of the first three episodes of the new season 5 of Weeds, which starts on Showtime tonight. No spoilers in this review, just general discussion of tone of the series, but I can you its darker than ever, with rays of hilarity still sneaking through.

blog post review: Weeds 5 Sneak Preview Review

Stoking Up for Weeds: Review of Season 4 Finale

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:43:24 -0700

With Season 5 of Weeds to light up again on Showtime this Monday, a review of the Season 4 finale seemed apt ... I'm rarely surprised by television surprises - I even predicted the flash forwards on Lost at the end of season 3 - but I gotta say that the Season 4 finale took me totally and delighted off guard...

blog post review: Weeds 4.13

Revving Up for True Blood: Review of Season 1 Finale

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:38:51 -0700

Revving up for the second season of True Blood, to begin soon on HBO ... a review of the highlights of the Season One finale, its satisfactions and questions...

blog post review: Last Bite of the Season

In Treatment, In Retrospect

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:03:54 -0700

HBO's In Treatment delivers with just talk ... a review of Season 2 and all five therapy threads...

blog post review: In Treatment, In Retrospect

The Tudors Season 3: Women and Painting

Fri, 22 May 2009 18:07:27 -0700

Beauty of women and the reliability of the painted record play a major role in Season 3 of the Tudors. Review and analysis, with kudos to Thomas Cromwell for his savvy on these questions.

Blog post review: Cromwell on Tudors: "Surely All Art is a Lie"

also: The Tudors: Hard History and Sweet Flesh

24 Season 7 Super Finale!

Tue, 19 May 2009 15:52:27 -0700

A superb ending to in many ways the best season of 24, in which the series reinvented itself and major characters received power, jolting development and resolution. [This review is chock full of spoilers, so if you're a fan of the show, don't listen to until you've seen every second of the two-hour finale.]

blog post review: 24 Season 7 Finale!

Bones: Science, Hilarity, and Crime

Sun, 17 May 2009 17:36:22 -0700

Review of the Season 4 finale of Bones, with brief commentary on the entire series. A highly appealing combination of science, hilarity, and crime, but Bones and Booth need more bed time, together...

blog post review: Bones: Science, Hilarity, and Crime

Lost Season 5 Finale: Jacob and Locke

Thu, 14 May 2009 17:50:37 -0700

The Lost Season 5 finale is mostly the story of Jacob and Locke and another man ... as well as a showdown at the Swan, where Jack wants to wipe out five seasons of Lost history ... a full and appreciative and speculative analysis...

blog post review: Lost Season 5 Finale: Jacob and Locke

and this podcast: Lost Season 5 Finale 1 Month Out: Richard and Jacob

Fringe Season 1 Finale: Science Fiction at its Best

Wed, 13 May 2009 16:14:49 -0700

Alternate realities and science fiction at their very best in this brilliant, stunning Season One finale of Fringe. Powerful personal and political differences in this alternate reality [spoilers in this podcast]

blog post review (with spoilers, and screen shot of newspaper): Fringe Season One Finale

Star Trek: Reset and Resplendent

Sat, 09 May 2009 18:30:49 -0700

J. J. Abrams does the seemingly impossible in the new Star Trek : thrill devoted fans (myself included) and open up new vistas for the orginal crew of the Enterprise. How does he manage to this with such style and savvy? Hint: think time travel. [Spoilers in this podcast review.]

blog post review: Star Trek: Reborn, Reset, Resplendent

historical context: How Star Trek Liberated Television

lots of good stuff about time travel

Lost 5.15: Moral Compasses in Glistening Motion

Thu, 07 May 2009 14:47:16 -0700

Kate is now the moral compass of the story, in this brilliant, emotionally and intellectually daring penultimate episode Lost Season 5. At least two time loops also satisfyingly closed, with a big new question arising: who will have ultimate power on the island - Locke, Richard, or Jacob? And just when it seems Sawyer and Juliet might find some last happiness, Kate walks down the stairs into the room...

blog post review: Moral Compasses in Motion on Penultimate Lost

Stephen King, Arthur C. Clarke and Star Trek on Fringe

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:23:29 -0700

Stephen King's pyrokenesis , Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End , and even someone who thinks he's Spock all made an appearance in the penultimate first season episode of Fringe. Not to mention a molten window that records sound - an possibility I explored in my nonfiction book The Soft Edge and my science fiction novel The Silk Code . A great episode, for people who love science fiction and media history.

blog post review: King, Clarke, and Star Trek in Penultimate Fringe

Battlestar Galactica Caprica

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:20:58 -0700

The Battlestar Galactica prequel movie Caprica is all about copies - do they defeat death or undermine humanity ... it was also good to see Bill Adama as a boy, and meet his father Joseph, the laywer...

blog post review: BSG Caprica: Exquisite Flawed Copies

more about the paradox and impossible of perfect copies, on p. 52 of The Soft Edge

Lost 5.14: Obsession Trumps Paradox

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:06:21 -0700

Faraday attempts to do the impossible in Lost 5.14 - stop the chain of events that caused Flight 815 to crash - but of course he can't succeed, despite what he tells himself. But the reason raises a profound emotional question: which is more important, a mother's love for her son, or protecting the timeline of the island?

blog post review: Eloise, Daniel, and Obession Trumping Paradox

Lost: The Problem of Baby Aaron and the Oceanic Six

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:28:12 -0700

A special on the Oceanic Six and Lost brought home a point that's been bothering me for weeks now: The point was made many times that all of the Oceanic Six had to return to the island. How come Aaron - who, in my view, was a stretch to include in the Oceanic Six in the first place - did not have to return? Perhaps his non-returning was responsible for some of our people landing in 1977 and the rest in 2007 - but we need more of an explanation...

blog post review: The Problem with Baby Aaron and the Return of the Oceanic Six

24 Season 7 Hr 19: One Great Spinning Season

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:45:18 -0700

24 continues to keep us immersed in a whirlpool of complex characters of uncertain loyalties. Can Tony really be bad? The evidence is mounting up against him, but I explain why I'm still holding for a better result. And I offer a theory about how Jack can survive without Kim's help: let's say Jack developed an immunity to the pathogen when he was exposed to a little of it in Sangala...

blog post preview: One Great Spinning Season

Lost 5:13: Meets Star Wars

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:27:16 -0700

Some tingling time-travel paradox possibilities in Lost 5.13 , in which Miles sees himself as a baby, meets his father Marvin Candle aka Dr. Chang back in 1977, and sees the Hatch being built. His companion for most of this is Hurley, who has become the resident science fiction expert on Lost , and talks to Miles about Luke, Darth, The Empire Strikes Back , and fathers and sons. I think of this episode as Lost meets Star Wars and The Sixth Sense ...

blog post review: Lost Meets Star Wars in 5.13