![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, The Great North, and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Doctor Who "The Reality War"
As far as the story goes, it didn't stick the landing (and disappointed the Susan stuff wasn't paid off). BUT... The regeneration was great and Billie Piper excites me. ("Hello!")
But I wish Fifteen had stuck around. He was the best Doctor in years and I am bummed he left (probably due to the toxic fandom). One of the reasons I like the idea of Piper as Sixteen is because it's the show refusing to cater to them.
Seeing Thirteen again was another example. I think Jodie Whitaker was a VERY underrated Doctor who only got the shit she did for being a woman. And it was very rewarding to learn she DID love Yaz in that way, and she knows Fifteen exists so the Doctor can eventually learn to say it.
Man, I WISH Ncuti Gatwa had stuck around. He's my favorite Doctor since Tennant. I know Fourteen was ALSO Tennant, but you know what I mean.
I hope Sixteen is able to rescue Rogue. Another plotline that needs to be followed up on.
This version of Omega was one of the hugest disappointments the show has ever done.
Also I can't help but feel that Ruby got shafted a bit at the end.
And Davies wants credit for introducing a potential daughter for the Doctor (and a maybe connection to Susan) but buys the entire damn thing back at the end because for all of his vaunted ideals about Big Drama, the truth is Doctor Who is Television. And Television is the worst. Television is WHY the Total Reset Button even exists. I mentioned Ruby got shafted? That! That!
I love Thirteen. I love Fifteen. And so far I love Sixteen for her 5 seconds of screentime. But I wish the episode had been better. I wish Susan and Rogue had been paid off. And most of all I wish the show would just be freaking renewed already!
But this is probably Russell T Davies' last episode. That is a good thing in my mind. That was kind of nice but also a total mess. ***1/2.
Family Guy "Cool Hand Lois"
I'm sorry, that was weird.
I hate how television has people being so open about this stuff. Goddamn, that is NOT something Lois should be discussing with her kids. And I feel like television is trying to normalize a society that talks about every personal thing in their lives with ANYBODY despite it being nobody else's fucking business.
The whole episode was weird and fucked up. Also, not really funny either. Which is not usual for this show. *.
Bob's Burgers "Like A Candle In The Gym"
I didn't find that very effective.
Louise spends the entire episode trying to convince Megan she's gonna get in trouble and she needs to knock it off. And at the 20 minute mark of the episode... Megan decides to delete the video. Not because Louise made any kind of convincing argument or proved she was wrong. But because it's the end of the episode and that's what needed to happen.
That's not good dramatic tension.
Also Linda making baby talk to the baby in the stroller in the shopping cart was beyond creepy. Linda is actually quite creepy in general.
My favorite moment in this otherwise disappointing episode was Tina asking Bob, "What happened, man?" and him responding, "I said I was sorry." It wasn't just a funny moment. I related to both characters for different reasons. It was a very realistic moment, if not one you expect between a father and daughter. It was great.
But the episode's conclusion felt by-the-numbers instead of organic. The happy ending occurred because the episode ended, not because it was earned. **.
The Great North "Sunset Beeflevard Adventure"
I noticed twice when Judy went inside Alanis was still there and making additional comments. Thought I should point that out.
I like Wolf asking Chief Edna if he can hold her gun and her saying yes.
Honestly, that play was freaking AWFUL. And based on Judy's performance at the end, she was far too talented for it.
Weird episode. Is Alanis actually real? ***1/2.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Fail Safe"
That was hellagood.
This Gan character is the WORST kind of of perp. He's smooth. He's slick. He has an answer for everything. He knows they know he did it and he just doesn't fucking care.
Worse, the Collective has sort of devolved from a resistance political movement, and turned into a cult of personality centered on Gan himself. The fact that he IS so charming and charismatic when he needs to be is why he is as dangerous as he is.
Bell and Reyes are absent, (I assume for budgetary reasons) so Vargas is put in the field. He seems to be sparking with Tanner, and I loved their dynamic as he and Elliot saved her life. It was a cool dramatic moment on multiple levels, not even counting the genuine tension of them all having to deactivate the bomb.
I mean Elliot's hands shake. What an unexpected and believable complication. It didn't just make things more tense and exciting, it explained a LOT about how fucked up Stabler currently is.
Randall is right that he has a glare, and Kathleen confirms he's a little intense, and maybe scaring off the doctors. I am amused by this because this facet of Stabler is usually portrayed as badass. Randall and Kathleen suggest (correctly) it is also super annoying.
I love Elliot showing appreciation for Randall. Randall has been the black sheep of the Stabler family for refusing to go along with his father's abusive and corrupt bullshit. It always strikes me as majorly unfair that Elliot still gives him the amount of crap he does even after having learned that. Randall is the most morally upright Stabler. And the rest of the family despises him for it. I'm glad Elliot is coming around.
Good to see Kathleen again. I remember when she was just a kid on SVU.
Mrs. Stabler's moment of affirmation for the family was cool. Kathleen was right to talk about end of life preparations for this with her father, but Elliot tells her they're Irish Catholic and they don't accept death, they fight it until God takes it out of their hands. I'm not remotely sure if this is true, but it sounded like he believed it, so it also seemed like a credible excuse to not have to talk about this.
For good reason. He later admits to Randall alone that he has no idea what to do. I felt that. My parents are getting up there as well and both have health problems. I feel this so hard. Somebody else is supposed to take care of this until you realize it's gonna have to be you eventually. It's frightening.
I was worried those dreaded two bad episodes in a row that destroy formerly great series were imminent. They didn't happen instead. And the show is on completely solid footing again. I'm a bit relieved actually. *****.
Doctor Who "The Reality War"
As far as the story goes, it didn't stick the landing (and disappointed the Susan stuff wasn't paid off). BUT... The regeneration was great and Billie Piper excites me. ("Hello!")
But I wish Fifteen had stuck around. He was the best Doctor in years and I am bummed he left (probably due to the toxic fandom). One of the reasons I like the idea of Piper as Sixteen is because it's the show refusing to cater to them.
Seeing Thirteen again was another example. I think Jodie Whitaker was a VERY underrated Doctor who only got the shit she did for being a woman. And it was very rewarding to learn she DID love Yaz in that way, and she knows Fifteen exists so the Doctor can eventually learn to say it.
Man, I WISH Ncuti Gatwa had stuck around. He's my favorite Doctor since Tennant. I know Fourteen was ALSO Tennant, but you know what I mean.
I hope Sixteen is able to rescue Rogue. Another plotline that needs to be followed up on.
This version of Omega was one of the hugest disappointments the show has ever done.
Also I can't help but feel that Ruby got shafted a bit at the end.
And Davies wants credit for introducing a potential daughter for the Doctor (and a maybe connection to Susan) but buys the entire damn thing back at the end because for all of his vaunted ideals about Big Drama, the truth is Doctor Who is Television. And Television is the worst. Television is WHY the Total Reset Button even exists. I mentioned Ruby got shafted? That! That!
I love Thirteen. I love Fifteen. And so far I love Sixteen for her 5 seconds of screentime. But I wish the episode had been better. I wish Susan and Rogue had been paid off. And most of all I wish the show would just be freaking renewed already!
But this is probably Russell T Davies' last episode. That is a good thing in my mind. That was kind of nice but also a total mess. ***1/2.
Family Guy "Cool Hand Lois"
I'm sorry, that was weird.
I hate how television has people being so open about this stuff. Goddamn, that is NOT something Lois should be discussing with her kids. And I feel like television is trying to normalize a society that talks about every personal thing in their lives with ANYBODY despite it being nobody else's fucking business.
The whole episode was weird and fucked up. Also, not really funny either. Which is not usual for this show. *.
Bob's Burgers "Like A Candle In The Gym"
I didn't find that very effective.
Louise spends the entire episode trying to convince Megan she's gonna get in trouble and she needs to knock it off. And at the 20 minute mark of the episode... Megan decides to delete the video. Not because Louise made any kind of convincing argument or proved she was wrong. But because it's the end of the episode and that's what needed to happen.
That's not good dramatic tension.
Also Linda making baby talk to the baby in the stroller in the shopping cart was beyond creepy. Linda is actually quite creepy in general.
My favorite moment in this otherwise disappointing episode was Tina asking Bob, "What happened, man?" and him responding, "I said I was sorry." It wasn't just a funny moment. I related to both characters for different reasons. It was a very realistic moment, if not one you expect between a father and daughter. It was great.
But the episode's conclusion felt by-the-numbers instead of organic. The happy ending occurred because the episode ended, not because it was earned. **.
The Great North "Sunset Beeflevard Adventure"
I noticed twice when Judy went inside Alanis was still there and making additional comments. Thought I should point that out.
I like Wolf asking Chief Edna if he can hold her gun and her saying yes.
Honestly, that play was freaking AWFUL. And based on Judy's performance at the end, she was far too talented for it.
Weird episode. Is Alanis actually real? ***1/2.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Fail Safe"
That was hellagood.
This Gan character is the WORST kind of of perp. He's smooth. He's slick. He has an answer for everything. He knows they know he did it and he just doesn't fucking care.
Worse, the Collective has sort of devolved from a resistance political movement, and turned into a cult of personality centered on Gan himself. The fact that he IS so charming and charismatic when he needs to be is why he is as dangerous as he is.
Bell and Reyes are absent, (I assume for budgetary reasons) so Vargas is put in the field. He seems to be sparking with Tanner, and I loved their dynamic as he and Elliot saved her life. It was a cool dramatic moment on multiple levels, not even counting the genuine tension of them all having to deactivate the bomb.
I mean Elliot's hands shake. What an unexpected and believable complication. It didn't just make things more tense and exciting, it explained a LOT about how fucked up Stabler currently is.
Randall is right that he has a glare, and Kathleen confirms he's a little intense, and maybe scaring off the doctors. I am amused by this because this facet of Stabler is usually portrayed as badass. Randall and Kathleen suggest (correctly) it is also super annoying.
I love Elliot showing appreciation for Randall. Randall has been the black sheep of the Stabler family for refusing to go along with his father's abusive and corrupt bullshit. It always strikes me as majorly unfair that Elliot still gives him the amount of crap he does even after having learned that. Randall is the most morally upright Stabler. And the rest of the family despises him for it. I'm glad Elliot is coming around.
Good to see Kathleen again. I remember when she was just a kid on SVU.
Mrs. Stabler's moment of affirmation for the family was cool. Kathleen was right to talk about end of life preparations for this with her father, but Elliot tells her they're Irish Catholic and they don't accept death, they fight it until God takes it out of their hands. I'm not remotely sure if this is true, but it sounded like he believed it, so it also seemed like a credible excuse to not have to talk about this.
For good reason. He later admits to Randall alone that he has no idea what to do. I felt that. My parents are getting up there as well and both have health problems. I feel this so hard. Somebody else is supposed to take care of this until you realize it's gonna have to be you eventually. It's frightening.
I was worried those dreaded two bad episodes in a row that destroy formerly great series were imminent. They didn't happen instead. And the show is on completely solid footing again. I'm a bit relieved actually. *****.
