Quick Thoughts: Tuesday Night Comedies, Pt. 8

Man, there were some weak offerings from the Tuesday night sitcoms this time around.

New Girl: "TinFinity"
Pretty much everything that involved Nick and Schmidt worked for me because I'm a fan of odd male friendships like theirs, but not much else clicked. Jess and the football player was just odd and not very funny, and it was a shame that Winston got roped into it because that's two weeks in a row he's been short-changed. On top of that, Jess running away from Nick's going to get old fast. Also, why's Cece going through with the whole arranged marriage fiasco and why did she decide to do it in the first place? Too much non-sense and not enough solid, relationship-focused moments.

Go On: "Ring and a Miss"
Apt title since this episode was mostly lackluster. Since I didn't care for Simone to begin with, her being written out didn't faze me since I was tired of her and knew that she wasn't going to be sticking around to begin with. On the positive side, we got to the return of Ryan's core relationships with Carrie, Steven and Lauren. As for the rest of the episode, I usually like Anne and Mr. K together but his whole Mary Poppins routine was off-putting.

The New Normal: "Rocky Bye Baby"
While I didn't love or hate this episode, it just didn't work for me. First off, I get why Bryan and David didn't want a shower or gifts, but they did come off as ungrateful dicks throughout the entire ordeal. At least the show was aware enough to point this out but still. And since when did Rocky want a kid? It feels like that's something Murphy and Adler just came up with so NeNe could have something to do, but that shouldn't shock anyone familiar with the former's work. All complaining aside, Goldie's shower was a nice moment, so at least there's that.

Episode Review: JUSTIFIED, "Outlaw"

There was a lot going on in "Outlaw" and some parts felt a little too twisty-and-turny, but overall it was another solid episode of Justified.

Raylan tried to get a lead on Drew Thompson by cutting Hunter Mosley (the ex-cop mentioned in "Foot Chase") the same deal he offered Arlo. This show of cooperation prompted Mosley to make a move on Arlo, and had a guard help him try to off him, but the elder Givens was too smart and put up a fight before taking a pair of scissors to the chest. While his father recovered, Raylan kept on the trail of Thompson which led him to Sheriff Shelby who informed him of two dead bodies that Boyd was probably responsible for, so he decided to pay his old friend a visit and helped him out of a jam. When the feds were about to call it a day, Raylan revealed to Art and everyone else that Arlo passed away. When Art told him to take a week off, Raylan was hesitant but eventually agreed to take a few days to get things in order.

You see, Boyd was not too keen on the idea of being muscled around by the Clover Hill set, so he made a bold power play. He used Theo Tonin's own hitman to take out the aforementioned deceased as a way to send a message to both Clover Hill and Detroit. On one hand, he wanted the Harlan County elite to know that he's the true outlaw who runs things and took away all of their clout with the help of Tonin's right-hand man, Nicky Augustine. On the other, he needed to prove that he could be an asset to Tonin's operation in Kentucky. When it was all said and done, the Crowders were sitting pretty, but Ava was concerned because Tonin's the biggest bully on the block and no one would be able to help them if he turned on them.

One of the drawbacks of a show like Justified and a mystery like the one involving Drew Thompson is the tendency to muddy the waters as a way to keep the audience turned around and guessing, and "Outlaw" was an example of an episode that's main objective is to keep everyone on their toes, especially the bit involving Boyd. Now, that's not to say that I thought the hour was messy or bad because it was one of the more emotionally devastating and riveting offerings of the season. Watching Boyd masterfully play the Clover Hill boys was brilliant, but we also got those gut-wrenching moments involving Raylan and Arlo. Good stuff all around.

Other Odds and Ends:

• The C-plot involved Colton being shaken down by Johnny who was pretending to be Ellen May via text, which led to the former killing his drug dealer and Tim's buddy. I want to like this smaller story, but it still comes off as an unneeded addition that gets in the way of the larger arcs.
• There have been some theories out there guessing that Shelby's in fact Drew Thompson, and I wasn't buying them until this episode because the clues were pretty obvious. I don't know how I'd feel about it if he ends up being Thompson, but it could work.
• Speaking of Shelby, I like his scenes with Ellen May but I'm trying to figure out why she's sticking around. I'm sure she'll be involved in the payoff at the end of the season, but she's also taking up a lot of screen time.
• "Why do I all of a sudden feel like I'm sitting in the principal's office? Make that the assistant principal's office."
• "Geez, I hope I got that right."
• "Raylan, I just want you to know I was almost certain you weren't a cop killer."
• Shelby: "Why are the pretty ones always go for the bad boys?"
  Art: "I ask myself that. I guess they think they can change us. Right, Raylan?"
• "I am the outlaw, and this is my world. And my world has a high cost of living."

So, even though I could've done with some of the drama going on in the peripherals, "Outlaw" was another strong addition to an already stacked season of Justified. I just hope it can stick the landing unlike Season 3.

Quick Thoughts: BEING HUMAN, "One Is Silver and the Other Pagan"

While I still believe that Being Human's one of the better shows on the air right now, I have to admit that I didn't love "One Is Silver and the Other Pagan."

I'm still loving how Liam's manipulating those around Josh, and I was a little shocked that they killed off Erin so early in the run, but this arc's made me really hate Nora. Sure, putting her at odds with Aidan's not going to make her come off as the most likable of characters, but she's not even sympathetic at this point because of how she's reacting to what's going on. Either way, the tug of war between Josh's girlfriend and best friend's still the best thing going today. It's just too bad that Aidan was saddled with Henry, Jr. and some random vampire this week.

As for Sally, why cannot she get a good storyline? For one, I didn't understand why she felt the need to expose herself Bridget but that's probably because I forgot that she even existed. The wicca group didn't help either, and neither did that twist ending where she started losing her hair. Nothing's really working when it comes to Sally, and that's a damn shame.

So a small bump in the road, but I'm sure things will get back on track soon.

Episode Review: THE WALKING DEAD, "I Ain't a Judas"

After two somewhat decent episodes, The Walking Dead stumbled a bit with "I Ain't a Judas" because it really didn't accomplish much of anything.

At the prison, Carl asked Rick to take a break and let Hershel and Daryl lead the group while everyone continued to debate on whether they should stay put or make a run for it before the Governor attacked again. The back-and-forth stalled when Andrea staggered up with a pet walker in tow, and she insisted that she was there to broker peace between the two groups, but Rick wasn't having it. Before she left, Carol suggested that she bed the Governor before killing him, which she was about to do until she backed out. Meanwhile, the Governor was building an army which could be strengthen by Tyreese and his group who were welcomed into Woodbury after they stumbled upon Andrea and Milton in the woods creating her guardian zombie.

Now, Carl asking Rick to step down for the good of the group was inherently and I'm interested to see where things go from here, but there was so much junk floating around along with some wheel-spinning that made me flashback to Season 2's lowest points. Admittedly, the fact that "Judas" was an Andrea-heavy episode didn't help matters because she's so unsympathetic at this point that most of her scenes fell flat. Add to that a lack of any real action and/or tension, and it all ended up being a little dull. That said, Tyreese's crew joining Woodbury was an unexpected twist that could payoff down the road.

Other Odds and Ends:

• I'm sorry, but Andrea leading anything's ludicrous, and if she's the key to peace then give me endless war between the prison and Woodbury.
• Carol telling Andrea to do the Governor and assassinating was icky.
• Beth's quickly become my favorite character. I hope she sticks around for the long haul.

To be fair, "I Ain't a Judas" was not The Walking Dead at its worst, but it didn't really offer anything of substance to keep me engaged. I'm not saying that this show has to be non-stop craziness, but it does have to give me something to care about, and "Judas" didn't do that.

Episode Review: SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED, "Decimation"

Spartacus: War of the Damned took an interesting turn as "Decimation" focused on internal tension over external threats, which in turn made it one of the stronger episodes of the young season.

In Sinuessa en Valle, numbers continued to expand as Spartacus took in recently escaped slaves who bore the marks of their former owners. While welcoming the new huddled masses, a fight broke out as some Romans got passed the gate, and they were disposed of with some help of an undercover Caesar. Crassus planned on having Caesar infiltrate the rebel camp to cause chaos, which he did by flaming the tensions that existed due to Spartacus' refusal to kill the Roman prisoners. Things only got crazier when Gannicus learned that Attius was not responsible for the escaped Romans and that he died for nothing (thanks to Sibyl tipping him off about Laeta's shadiness).

After a brief brawl between Gannicus and Crixus, Caesar and Naevia egged Crixus into allowing the former slaves to take blood as payment for the horrors that were unleashed on them. When Spartacus found out what was going on, he stopped Crixus from killing a captured Laeta, but he spared her yet again and questioned whether or not he should have entrusted Crixus to be a leader. Naevia convinced a distraught Crixus that Spartacus lost his way and that they should forge their own path as Caesar evilly grinned in the background.

Back at Camp Crassus, Marcus made it a point to teach Tiberius and his men a lesson for disobeying orders and fleeing from the skirmish that his son foolishly caused. He decided to enact decimation, the soldiers would randomly pick stones from a bag and the five who got a white one would be clubbed to death, and at first Crassus was going to have Tiberius witness the event, but he changed his mind and ordered his son to stand with his men. Luckily for Tiberius, he did not draw a white stone, but his friend did, so his punishment was to help kill the one man who always believed in him. When it was all said and done, Tiberius no longer looked at Crassus as his father but merely as his commander.

I suppose if this season of Spartacus is going to put off the final showdown between the rebels and the Romans until the very end, at least Steven DeKnight and his writers are creating enough drama amongst the two camps to hold us over. And to be honest, the idea of a rift forming between Sparty and Crixus is far more interesting than watching elaborate battles every episode. That said, I might have some issue if Lady Naevia ends up being responsible for the downfall of the rebellion because her widening the chasm between the two men is unimaginative.

Once again, the best parts of the episode had to do with the fact that there's little difference between the society Spartacus has created and the one that enslaved him and his men. These similarities were underlined as the scenes of the rebels massacring the Romans were paralleled with the acts of decimation. And to add to the ambiguity, there was a stellar scene where Caesar killed a woman who was being brutalized by some of the former slaves as a way to set her free. That little glimpse of humanity made me wonder who we should be rooting for.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Spartacus is usually light on laughs, but Agron rebuffing the prostitute always makes me chuckle.
• Caesar befriending Nemetes was an odd choice since we rarely see much of the latter but at least he has something to do now.
• I'm all for ancient debauchery, but the love scene between Crassus and Kore was a bit gratuitous .. classier than most but still excessive.
• The more I think about it, the less likely it seems that Spartacus and Laeta will be a romantic pairing, and usually I'd be OK with that, but it'd be a shame to waste the crazy chemistry between Liam McIntyre and Anna Hutchinson.
• After this episode, I'm even more excited about a possible Caesar spin-off. It doesn't hurt that Todd Lasance has a great evil grin.

I know that it's cliché to say that war is not black-and-white, but DeKnight and Co. have effectively utilized the theme so far, and I'm excited to see how they color this world in various shades of grey throughout the rest of the season.

Quick Thoughts: COMMUNITY, "Conventions of Space and Time"

Once again, I'm fairly confident that I enjoyed "Conventions of Space and Time" more than die-hard Community fans, but that's fine because it made me laugh and that's all I asked of it.

I haven't been the biggest fan of the whole Inspector Spacetime gimmick because it's always felt a bit forced, so I wasn't expecting an entire episode taking place at a convention to be all that great, but I appreciated how it was only the setting for some deeper examinations of relationships such as Abed and Troy's and so forth and so on. I'm always a sucker for guy friends who act like a couple, so I liked watching Troy act like the "crazy girlfriend" while Abed was being wooed by the other fanatic. On top of that, we got a few more glimpses of Troy with Britta (and a lot more than just a glimpse of her), and while I'm still not loving them I'm warming up.

On the flipside, there was Jeff and Annie. I know that most critics, and probably fans, had an issue with Annie's behavior during this one, and I didn't. That said, I'm kind of over the idea of Annie and Jeff because it's been dragged out for way too long. Classic will they, won't they missteps. And like I said before, Jeff and Britta just pop more than him and Annie.

Most of the critics that I read and listen to pointed to this episode as an example of Community not being Community enough and how it's no longer the show that it used to be. That's fine, but it explains a lot if this is no longer the show it was in the past because I found myself liking more than episodes from previous seasons. Maybe Community's finally become the show I wanted it to be...

Quick Thoughts: Tuesday Night Comedies, Pt. 7

Now that my television watching rotation's significantly lighter on Tuesday nights due to the cancellations of Ben and Kate and Apartment 23, and Happy Endings exile to Fridays, I wanted to write individual reviews of the remaining comedies but that's not going to happen right now. Maybe next week... maybe.

New Girl: "Parking Spot"
Maybe it's because the plot was too frantic or maybe it's because I cannot relate to the importance of a parking spot since I don't live in L.A., but this episode didn't gel as much as previous ones. Sure, it was refreshing that Schmidt was brought in so soon, and I still think the writers are handling Jess and Nick well, but something was slightly off. Also, I wish Winston was incorporated more into the A-plot, and this could've been a great bottle episode, but they just had to separate him from the bunch and things suffered because of it.

Go On: "Go Deep"
I'm just going to say it; I don't care for Simone and it has nothing to do with the fact that I loathe Covert Affairs. She's just not an interesting character, and there are other characters I'd rather see Ryan with. Things are not helped by the fact that those in charge are forcing Mr. K down our throats. Then there was Lauren's B-plot, which I didn't care for because neediness is a quality I cannot stand when it comes to TV characters. And why are they side-lining Carrie even more? Yes, TO's funny but not enough to rob me of seeing Allison Miller. So, what I'm trying to say is I didn't care for this one.

The New Normal: "Dog Children"
"Dog Children" really had me torn. At first, I thought it was too silly with Bryan and David freaking out over their dog while Goldie was horny which only reminded me how Murphy and Adler have no idea how to use that character. Add Shania's rediculous obsession with Maggie Smith, and this episode lacked any real substance. But then the episode focused on the fears that come along with being a parent during that great scene between Bryan and the priest, and things fell into place. I've always said that New Normal's a better show when it gets off its soapbox and treats its characters like human being instead of mouthpieces, and "Dog Children" was a good example of what it's capable of.

Again, I'm going to try to put together individual write-ups in the near future... I just don't know how near that future's going to be. Stay tuned.

Episode Review: JUSTIFIED, "Money Trap"

This week, Justified trimmed the fat on "Money Trap" and gave the viewers an episode that flowed fairly well and was mostly entertaining to boot.

Before Raylan could pay his father a visit to cut him a deal so he'd work with the feds to find Drew Thompson, he was sidetracked by Jody (the bail-jumper from the premiere). As it turned out, Jody recruited a porn director buddy of his to help him get free from the bounty hunters who had him in custody. After killing both of them, Jody and Kenneth made their way to his ex-wife's house so he could get his hands on some money he stashed there. Unfortunately for them, Raylan showed up when he was informed about the aforementioned deaths. While on Jody's trail, Givens met a charming grad student named Jackie Nevada who had a crush on the lawman but got caught up in the mess. It all culminated in a showdown between Raylan and Jody, and of course the hero won. Once the dust settled Raylan realized that Jackie had the money all along, but what he decided to do about it was left unanswered. The next day, he chatted with his father and asked him to play ball, but Arlo refused even after Raylan told him that Boyd was going to betray him.

Speaking of Boyd, he and Ava got their invitation to the high-class swingers party that was frequented by the Harlan County elite. They navigated their way through this new world, and Boyd was befriended by a group of old-timers while Ava had to dodge sleazy horndogs. Boyd started to figure out why he was welcomed with open arms; he figured these men needed him to strong-arm someone to help them get their hands on some EPA funds, but there was a twist. They wanted him to kill a man named Frank Browning, and if he refused to play along then they'd ruin him since they've allowed him to run hookers and drugs in Harlan.

"Money Trap" was one of those Justified episodes that seamlessly combined a strong stand-alone story along with maintaining the larger arcs. I got a kick out of the return on Jody and all of the chaos that he brought along with him, and don't get me started on the crazy chemistry between Raylan and Jackie. It was just a fun, side adventure for the man in the hat to go on while taking a break from the Drew Thompson mystery. That is unless she ends up being Thompson's step daughter, and let's just hope that's not the case.

Getting back to Drew Thompson, I should've liked watching Boyd and Ava fumble their way through the party more than I did. Admittedly, the idea of these two out of their element and dealing with new threats sounds good on paper, but for some reason it didn't quite work for me. Adding a murder plot to the whole thing was also an extra layer on intrigue that felt unnecessary, but we'll have to wait and see where it goes from here.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Cousin Johnny found out that Colt roughed up his hooker girlfriend during last week's episode.
• We saw a lot of Jackie (if you get my drift), but I hope we get to see more of her in the future... not like that, you pervs.
• Art: "She in love with you yet?"
  Raylan: "Art, this girl ain't the least bit interested in an old fart like me."
  Art: "He said, humbly."

So, oddly enough it was the more episodic elements that entertained me the most while the more serialized ones were somewhat of a letdown. Whouda thunk it?

Quick Thoughts: BEING HUMAN, "What's Blood Got to Do With It?"

Whoa.

I'm usually pretty good at seeing plot twists coming, but I was blindsided by Erin turning on Aidan and Josh like that. I knew Liam was up to no good and the showdown between him and Josh was inevitable, but I didn't think he'd turn Erin and possibly Nora against him. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

As for Sally, she's still floundering a bit and I didn't think pairing her up with Max started off as strongly as it could because his jealousy over her being able to talk to Aidan and Josh felt a bit premature. Oddly enough, losing her soul was probably the best thing to happen to her because at least now she has some direction as she plots a way to get out of her deal with the witch.

Another solid episode, and I have to admit that Being Human might have become my new favorite TV show.

Episode Review: THE WALKING DEAD, "Home"

The Walking Dead flipped the script with "Home" compared to last week's episode, meaning that it had a slow and quiet beginning just to end on a crazy bananas high-note. Add a few twists and turns, and you've got a pretty entertaining hour of television.

At the prison, Glenn and Maggie tried to come to terms with what they went through in Woodbury while preparing for the inevitable retaliation made by the Governor. Herschel tried to be the voice of reason and suggested that the prison was no longer safe and they should move on. Glenn, on the other hand, refused to give up their safe haven and wanted to take the fight to the Governor but ultimately backed away from that suicidal plan before storming off. While all of this was going on, Rick was off chasing Lori's "ghost," and was coming clean to Hershel when the Governor and some of his men opened fire on them. While chaos broke out, a van being driven by a mysterious masked person charged through the gates and let a herd of walkers in the yard. Thankfully, Daryl and Merle showed up to join the fight, and Glenn returned in the nick of time to save his friends.

Before returning to the prison, Daryl and Merle talked about how much things have changed since Atlanta, and Merle wondered how his brother's new family would react if the knew that they planned on robbing them blind. Daryl tried to convince Merle that he was a different person, and even proved it by helping a family survive a walker attack and let them go before the elder Dixon could steal from them. While this was going on, the Governor was sweet-talking Andrea into becoming the new leader of Woodbury before he asked Milton to keep tabs on her and then snuck off to attack the prison.

Like most of this season, the Woodbury scenes didn't quite work for me, like when the Governor was duping Andrea or when she tried to act all tough in front of Milton, but everything that happened outside of the town was pretty great. For example, Glenn morphing into this hardened person who's pushing away everyone close to him has a lot of potential and could be a turning point for both the character and the narrative. And there was Rick's continued decent into madness, which I'm more on board with now after watching this episode because Andrew Lincoln plays crazy awfully well.

But at the end of the day it's all about the Dixon boys. Even though we only got a few glimpses of them on their own, their scenes together were a nice combination of tension, action, but more importantly character development that sometimes gets tossed aside in favor of zombie gore. I would've preferred to watch them wandering the woods for one more episode, but I understand why the story needed them back at the prison, and I was ultimately happy with what we got so I really can't complain.

Other Odds and Ends:

• The opening scene where Rick sees Lori while Michonne watches on was another example of how good this show can be when it embraces quiet and starkness over zombified action. Good stuff.
• For some reason Andrea using the word "abdicate" was laughably bad. She's got to go at this point.
• It was refreshing to see Rick tell Herschel about his visions because that's the kind of secret that most other shows would keep hidden until the last possible second.
• Poor Axel. We hardly knew you, you dirty perv.
• Having a masked person behind the wheel of the van was an unnecessary layer of "mystery" but it worked because I want to know who it was.

All in all, "Home" was another successful episode of The Walking Dead because it hit all of the right notes that I look for from this show. Sure, there were some low points but the good outweighed the bad when it was all said and done.

Quick Thoughts: COMMUNITY, "Paranormal Parentage"

I'm sure most Community "fans" were still unhappy with "Paranormal Parentage" because of their unhealthy devotion to Dan Harmon, but I thought it was better than the premiere and a decent episode of television.

"Paranormal" had enough pop culture references (Scooby-Doo, The Ring, Calvin and Hobbes, etc.) and horror movie tropes to make it look like an episode of Community, but I appreciated how it used the time to examine the characters and how some relate to others. Plus, it kept Chevy Chase off the screen for most of the time while also giving him an emotional sub-plot involving his brother.

The only flaw was it exposed how uninteresting Britta and Troy could be as a couple. I thought there scenes together were nice enough, but her interactions with Jeff were much more dynamic and captivating that it made me wonder why the writers abandoned that ship so early in the show's run. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this show needs a romantic pairing per se, but Jeff and Britta make more sense than hooking them up with Annie and Troy.

Silly couples aside, I enjoyed "Paranormal Parentage" and it made me laugh more than some previous episodes. Was it perfect? Of course not, but this show's set the bar so high that most outings cannot compare to the greats.

Episode Review: GLEE, "I Do"

Like a lot of Glee episodes, there was so much to like about "I Do," but those moments were undercut with some odds choices that didn't quite make sense and kept me from loving the entire thing.

It's time for Will and Emma to get married, but things were not going so smoothly especially after Finn decided to kiss Miss Pillsbury. Yet, that kiss may have been a blessing in disguise because Emma was clearly not ready to marry Will and it may have helped realize that fact. So, she ended up leaving him at the alter while Finn and Rachel hooked up, Blaine and Kurt hooked up, Artie and the wheechair girl from The Glee Project hooked up, Jake and Marley almost hooked up, and Quinn and Santana hooked up. Yes, you read that last bit correctly. At the end of it all, Finn tried to cheer up Will while Rachel returned to New York to be lied to by Brody, and freak out about possibly being knocked up.

OK, I'll admit that I was really enjoying this episode up until the last ten to fifteen minutes. I thought that Jake's wooing of Marley with the help of Ryder was cute up until the moment Schuester 3.0 decided to give in to his emotions and kissed his buddy's girl. Even all of the rekindled couples had their charms, and we got a badass moment where Finn told Rachel that they'll always be together no matter where she is or who she's with. The thing is all of that good will was squashed the second the episode hinted at the Quinntana hook-up, which came off as shock for shock's sake while also being terribly clichéd. And don't get me started of Rachel's pregnancy tests because we all know this show sucks at any storyline involving babies. Just when I had hope that Glee had turned itself around...

Other Odds and Ends:

• The boys Motown routine in red tuxes was an instant classic.
• Out of all of the Glee Project alums, why was Ali the one to get a guest spot? I would've rather seen Ellie (who should play Ryder's girlfriend), or Aylin, or Cameron, or the Country Fried Blonde, or pretty much anyone else.
• At least last week's ickiest moment had an awesome payoff. Vapo-rape!
• Speaking of Miss Tina Cohen-Chang, I really do hope we're done with her crush on Blaine.
• Sam standing in the middle of the bouquet toss was pretty brilliant.
• I did get a kick out of that sequence that used one set for three different scenes.
• Which set of shippers were more upset: Faberry or Brittana?
• I honestly don't know why Ryan Murphy hates good, unassuming, straight guys. First he ruined Will, then he assassinated Finn's character, and now he's onto Ryder. Why even bother at this point?
• Even though this episode irked me at times, I am excited to see what happens next. It sucks that we'll have to wait three weeks.
• Musical Highlight: "You're All I Need to Get By"
• "Not everything is about you."

I know that this is getting old, but Glee once again squandered an opportunity by taking one extra step too many. Had "I Do" resisted to use one unnecessary twist (i.e. lipstick lesbians), then it would've been one of the better episodes of the season. But of course this show's a victim of its own worst habits, so we'll have to settle for a good one instead.

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Episode Review: JUSTIFIED, "Foot Chase"

The search for Drew Thompson continued as Raylan and Boyd took too very different approaches to finding the mystery man in "Foot Chase."

In one corner, Raylan teamed up with Shelby to find out who was responsible for cutting off Josiah's foot. Their newfound partnership led them to Roz (the girl who started it all), and she told them that she was there when two men jumped her step-father and cut of his foot. She even mentioned how they called him Drew Thompson before taking him away. From there, the two lawmen went on their hunt which involved shaking down Boyd, but they eventually ended up at a house where the two men were keeping Josiah. As it turned out, they were in cahoots with Arlo's lawyer, and it was the senior Givens who fingered Josiah as the would be Drew, but the one footed man insisted that he wasn't Thompson, but he knew an ex-cop who might know where to find him.

In the other, Boyd took a less streamlined approach towards finding Thompson. His plan was to strong-arm every rich man in the upscale Clover Hill who was around Thompson's age. When it started to look like things were not going to pan out for the Crowders, Ava suggested that they blackmail a judge with a furry fetish to get them into a swingers party that could get them in with the Clover Hill crowd. Boyd wasn't too keen on the idea, but Ava took it upon herself to pay the judge a little visit anyway, and she was able to get them an invite. When she shared the good news to Boyd, she admitted that she was feeling guilty over Ellen May's death, and he took her to one of his favorite childhood spots to remind her why they're doing what they're doing. He wanted to start a life with her and to turn the Crowder name into one of the most respected families in Kentucky, and then he asked her to marry him.

While there were some other sub-plots that muddled up the episode (more on them later), I enjoyed most of "Foot Chase." Pairing up Raylan and Shelby was genius since the former has zero reason to trust the latter due to his connections to Boyd, but they had a nice rapport, and things only got better when Boyd was tossed into the mix. I hope we get to see more from these two as they realize that they have the common goal of taking Boyd down once and for all.

As for Ava's role this time around, it was nice seeing her be a driving force and using her smarts over her intimidation skills to get what she wanted, and I appreciated the fact that she's not so far gone that she's lost her sense of morality. Sure, she's whoremongering killer, but she still cares. I just could've done without Boyd's proposal because it was so tonally off from the rest of the episode that it stuck out and didn't feel genuine, but that's probably because I'm heartless.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Tim got his own sub-plot this week that involved a buddy of his who's a recovering addict, but he ended up getting caught up with a shady drug dealer, which will inevitably get him tangled up with Colt.
• Speaking of Colt, him cracking under the pressure of losing Ellen May has been interesting so far, but part of me wanted his story to take place in an entirely different episode so it could breath a little.
• Getting Arlo's lawyer mixed up with Josiah was an added layer that was somewhat unnecessary.
• Art busting Raylan's balls will always be entertaining.
• Rapes-with-a-Smile! So wrong, yet so funny.
• "Repeatin' a lie don't make it true."
• "I think Lynyrd Skynyrd's overrated, I know you're in Boyd's pocket."
• "Well, you got out of the tether."

So, while "Foot Chase" may have had too much going on, the scenes involving Raylan, Shelby, and Boyd were good enough to make me forgive the episode for its missteps. That said, this season long mystery arc does need to find a brisker pace if it wants to be successful.

Quick Thoughts: BEING HUMAN, "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Mouth"

Even though I still have some hesitations about this season of Being Human, it's still been a strong start and I've been enjoying pretty much everything that's been thrown our way.

Let's just get the negatives out of the way, if I should even call them that. I still don't see the benefit of human Sally just yet. Sure, we get some adorable scenes involving Meaghan Rath like her eating waffles, but I still think she was more effective as a ghost than in her corporal form. Maybe it's because I'm not loving the ghost whisperiness of her arc, that or I found her story involving the awkward morgue guy... awkward, but I'm not completely on board just yet, which is a shame because I do love Sally.

Thankfully, everything else in this episode worked. I still find Aidan's struggle with living in this new world interesting, and I even liked the bit involving him and the kid's blood, but I could've done without the hot ghosts. Add to that the fact that Liam's manipulating Nora and Josh into killing Aidan, and you have one solid hour of television, especially when it comes to the point where Josh has to pick between his best friend and his girlfriend. I knew Liam was going to be trouble, but I didn't see this twist coming.

So, once Being Human convinces me to care about Human Sally like I did about Ghost Sally, then everything will fall into place and this season could rank up there in the pantheon of great genre television. We'll just have to wait and see.

Episode Review: THE WALKING DEAD, "The Suicide King"

The Walking Dead kicked off the start of the second part of its third season with a somewhat reserved episode (at least by this show's standards) that laid of the gas a bit so the characters and the audience could get back on the same page. I know that I'm probably in the minority, but I appreciated this approach over non-stop action and gore.

Naturally, "The Suicide King" picked up where "Made to Suffer" left off. Merle and Daryl were in the Governor's clutches and were forced to fight each other to death until Rick and Maggie opened fire to cause enough of a distraction to allow them to escape. Once out of Woodbury, they regrouped with Glenn and Mischonne which caused some friction for obvious reasons. Daryl pleaded with the group to let Merle return to the prison with them, but it was clear that Rick wasn't willing to allow the elder Dixon or Michonne back into their ranks, and Daryl decided to join his brother out in the wilderness. As for Michonne, Rick would let her get patched up before sending her away since he couldn't trust her.

In Woodbury, the residents were panicked and some even wanted to leave but were not allowed to by those guarding the gates. While everyone was in a tizzy, the Governor was no where to be found as he hid and licked his wounds from the battle. All of a sudden a small herd of biters (that got in via the hole in a fence Merle left behind when he fled) attacked a towns-person who was put down by the Governor after he emerged from his apartment. Andrea tried to convince the Governor to help calm down his people, but he was too upset and questioned her loyalty since her friends were responsible for the attack. With no one left to lead, Andrea took it upon herself to share some words of comfort, which quelled them for now.

Back at the prison, Herschel was dealing with the new group of survivors who stumbled into the prison, and while the old man sympathized with Tyreese and his companions, he made sure that they understood that the decision to let them stay or not was not up to him and that they didn't get too comfortable. When Rick and others returned, he was hesitant to bring in the newcomers since he didn't know them and didn't want to be responsible for more deaths, but Herschel tried to reason with him until he saw a figure that resembled Lori which sent Rick deeper into madness.

After the initial rescue scene, "The Suicide King" shifted to a more dialogue-heavy episode, which could have been problematic since The Walking Dead has proven that it's not at its best when it trades action for words, but I felt that almost every conversation worked and accomplished exactly what it was supposed to. For example, the moment when Daryl had to choose between his real family and his surrogate one was filled with  just as much tension as, if not more than, the attack on Woodbury because his decision could drastically alter the chances of survival for not only himself but the rest of the survivors. And in the end, I thought that his choice to stay with Merle was the right one, in spite of the fact that it fractures the story yet again.

Unfortunately, not everything worked like the aftermath at Woodbury. Now, I'll give those scenes some credit because a wounded Governor is exponentially more intriguing than the one we met before, but everything came to screeching halt when Andrea opened her mouth. It'd be easy to pile on her and discuss why she's a bad character, but all I'll say is her rousing speech fell flat and I didn't buy it for a second. It's just a shame that the episode wasted time on her rather than adding some depth to more interesting characters like Tyreese. All in good time, I suppose.

Other Odds and Ends:

• I'm kinda over angry mobs and zombie death matches.
• Merle's inept and short-sighted plan to escape was oddly refreshing.
• I forgot how much of a crush I have on Beth.
• It'll be interesting to see where Glenn and Maggie go from here.
• Man, they're really pushing the whole Daryl and Carol would-be romance. I still don't see the appeal of that pairing.

So, while "The Suicide King" was not the action-packed thriller that most viewers have come to expect from The Walking Dead, there were some good ideas and character moments presented to make up for the lack of blood and guts, and I'm okay with that. Let's just hope the show can maintain this vital balance.

Episode Review: SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED, "Men of Honor"

After last week's table setting episode, War of the Damned finally took its first step towards the epic showdown between Spartacus and Crassus. It's just too bad we had to put up with Tiberius, but it was still an entertaining hour nonetheless.

Things should be hunky-dory for Spartacus and his misfits now that they pillaged Sinuessa en Valle, but certain challenges still existed like feeding the horde and its prisoners. Luckily, a band of pirates led by Heracleo seemed to be their saving grace. As it turned out, Heracleo had a deal with Laeta's husband which involved family seals and sanctioned marauding, and Spartacus decided to continue the relationship long enough to get food for his people. Of course, rebellious ex-slaves and sea-faring raiders have no reason to trust one another, but a bond was forged when their meet-up/exchange/ambush was interrupted by Tiberius (who was tipped off by an escaped Sinuessan guard) and a small outfit of his soldiers. The skirmish didn't last long, and unfortunately the son of Crassus was only wounded, but it was the first of many battles that will probably take place.

But pirates and spoiled brats with swords should be the least of Spartacus' worries, because it was becoming clear that the society he created was not so different from the one that enslaved him. The rebels took pleasure in torturing those who were imprisoned, and Crixus even pitted two seemingly ordinary men against one another for a scrap of bread for sport. On top of that, a darker Naevia took it upon herself to pick a fight with Attius the blacksmith when she thought he betrayed them. Oh yeah, and there's Laeta's underground refuge for the Romans. It's not easy being king.

It was nice finally seeing some forward momentum in terms of the actual war, but I have to admit that the glimpses of character development were by far the best aspects of the episode. While I could've done without some of Naevia's ordeals in the mines, they did give some insight into who she's become and why she would not trust Attius, but killing him seemed a bit overdramatic. Plus, her actions will undoubtedly cause a rift between her and Gannicus since she slayed his friend who was only trying to become a man of substance.

Speaking of Gannicus, he had some other great moments involving the slave girl (Sibyl) who was introduced during the last episode. Saxa offered her up to Gannicus so Sybil could properly thank him for saving her life, but he turned her away and warned her about getting involved with men like him. What makes Gannicus great is the fact that started out as a man of simple and primal needs, but his tribulations over the years (the loss of Melitta and Oenomaus) have given him some shading and purpose. It would've been easy for the old Gannicus to bed Sibyl, but his rebuffing of her was a strong sign of who he's become.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Another reason why Spartacus is such a captivating show is how this world's not black-and-white, and "Men of Honor" did a good job at driving home the point that the heroes are just as bad as the villains.
• Heracleo could be a fine addition, but I felt the same way about Attius, Diotimos and Hilarus.
• Not enough Caesar, but at least he utilized what little screen time he had.
• Damn you, DeKnight and Co. for making me worry about Agron every time he goes out on a mission!
• Laeta could be Sparty's most intriguing love interest because we all know that's where this is going.

So, despite the fact that we got too much Tiberius and not enough Crassus or Caesar, "Men of Honor" was still a successful episode because it reminded us about the realities of war while giving some of our favorite characters much appreciated depth. All-in-all, pretty good stuff from Spartacus.

Quick Thoughts: COMMUNITY, "History 101"

For those die-hard Community fans who're aware of the behind the scenes drama involving Dan Harmon, "History 101" was probably a slap to the face, but that's probably because they were expecting it to be a slap to the face. As for me, I liked it well enough. It wasn't great, but it didn't put me on a ledge either. It was a different version of Community, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Now, I'll admit that there were somethings that didn't land. I thought the whole Hunger Games homage was a bit weak, and I could've done without people getting on Jeff's back for wanting to graduate on time (although I don't know how far he'd go as a lawyer with just a degree from a community college). Even Annie, who I usually like, came of as rather annoying, but oh well.

Thankfully, Troy and Britta did a lot of the heavy-lifting in terms of delivering jokes that actually made me laugh, and while I don't know how I feel about them together, I liked them enough to keep me engaged in the episode. Abed's plot about creating a sit-com in his mind to be his happy place was more problematic, but it had Greendale Babies so it ultimately won over.

Was "History 101" a successful return for Community? No, but it's not like the show was flawless to begin with, and I'd wager a bet that most "fans" would've commented on its genius if they didn't know about Harmon leaving. At the end of the day, most people were going to hate this episode regardless, which is fine. It just should've had a fair chance.

Episode Review: GLEE, "Diva"

For most of Season 4, Glee has been able to re-focus itself and return to being the show that I started liking in the first place, but you could actually see it going off the rails again during "Diva." Now, I'll give the episode credit for not being one of the worst offerings to date, but it was a step back for a show that cannot afford these kind of slip-ups.

The biggest issue I had with "Diva" was it caused Glee to regress back to its Season 1 and 2 state where the hour was jam-packed with too many storylines, songs, and uncomfortable moments. Honestly, it should've been titled "Cringe" because that's pretty much what I did the entire time while watching it. Let's just run through what actually happened: Finn and Emma came up with "diva" week as a make-shift "boys vs. girls" lesson, Kurt challenged Rachel to a diva-off because of her ego, Tina continued her ill-fated crush on Blaine as she nursed him back to health, Santana dropped out of UL and returned to Lima so she could break up Sam and Brittany before moving to New York. Oh, and Finn was feeling lonely so he kissed Emma to calm her down as she freaked out about her upcoming wedding to Will.

OK, to be fair that's probably not too many plotlines for Glee, but each and every one of them felt unfocused, and it didn't help that most of them were shocking for shock's sake and ended up hurting characters instead of helping them, which ultimately led to a very messy and frustrating installment. Out of all of the craziness that transpired, the most insulting aspect was the moment Finn kissed Emma because it was wholly inappropriate, downright icky, and it undermined all of the progress he's made this season. I've always claimed that Ryan Murphy and Co. hate "nice guys" which is why we've been conditioned to dislike Will, so it shouldn't shock me that the writers would finally take Finn to similar levels of assholiness, but at least the transformation is complete. Ryder better watch out because he's next.

As for everything else, I was glad to see Kurt take Rachel down a few notches (and was really happy when he came clean about "Defying Gravity"), but let's just hope the lesson sticks and we're not subjected to her gigantic ego for a few weeks. All of the Santana/Brittany/Sam drama was OK but just another pit-stop on Santana's road to New York, so it felt kind of meaningless. And Tina's just sad at this point.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Did they really need to interrupt Emma's Cheesecake Factory story for a piss-poor pop song?
• At least Marley and Kitty were smoking during "Diva."
• I actually missed Marley, Jake, Ryder and Kitty. Heck, I would've even taken a Joe storyline over most of the ones that we got.
• The only thing that was more cringe-worthy than Finn kissing Emma was Tina straddling and rubbing an unconscious Blaine's bare chest. Sure, there was some context but still... eww.
• Is it mandatory that everyone wear a hat when they move to NYC?
• Musical Highlight: "Don't Stop Me Now"

I guess what it comes down to is I didn't hate "Diva," but I was very disappointed by it because Season 4's been so good up until now, and this episode along with last week's has me scared that Glee's back to its bad habits. That said, I haven't given up on it yet and things will have to really go off the deep end before I ditch it. Until then, I'll keep my fingers cross that it gets it all of of its system, does some damage control, and goes back to being solid entertainment. I'm crazy, right?

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Quick Thoughts: NEW GIRL, "Table 34"

After the monumental kiss, New Girl had a big challenge on its hands because the aftermath could be tricky to pull off. For the most part, I thought that "Table 34" was a solid follow-up but not without its flaws.

I'm just going to say it. I still think the show rushed the evolution of Jess and Nick's relationship. I'm not advocating that Meriwether and Co. need to keep them a part for a maddening amount of time (the whole wait until the end trick's long over), but I could've waited until the end of the season or until early Season 3. And who's to say they will ever end up in a relationship when it's all said and done, but I liked where they were at before the kiss. I know it's odd, but I get a kick out of watching them bicker and fight, and I still think that kind of dynamic could lead to a fun romance, but I don't want things to unravel too quickly. Thankfully, we got some of that this time around, and I'm glad that it looks like Nick's stupidity didn't ruin their bond, but I was irked by Sam's unceremonious departure because it didn't feel in character or organic. Heck, he was even egging them on to kiss during True American (which I acknowledge if a different set of circumstances  but still).

Elsewhere, I'm officially over Schmidt and Cece because their antics during the wedding convention or whatever that was didn't make me want to root for them, and in a lot of ways made me like him even less. Also, why are they not together? None of it makes a whole lot of sense and is an example of a will they/won't they going off the rails for no good reason. Either put them back together or blow them up once and for all so we can all move on.

Not a whole lot from Winston, but I appreciated everything he contributed like him telling Nick that he'd be the one to leave if things got weird with Jess. It was just an honest moment that made a lot of sense which is something not a lot of comedies can pull off. Also, we need more Cece and Nick moments.

So, "Table 34" was able to do the right amount of damage control while keeping the idea of a Jess/Nick relationship alive and well. Now, let's just get rid of the other unnecessary romantic tension once and for all.

Episode Review: JUSTIFIED, "Kin"

Now that Raylan and Boyd are done with their minor distractions, Justified re-focused on the Drew Thompson mystery, which thankfully brought the two of them together again in one of the better episodes of the young season.

Arlo showed up at the Marshals office willing to cut a deal. He'd give information on the whereabouts of Thompson if he was given his freedom. The news of Arlo's willingness to work with the feds stirred up some trouble, namely Agent Barkley from the F.B.I. (Stephen Tobolowsky) who lost the Thompson case to Art and his marshals. When Raylan was filled in on what was going on, he took it upon himself to find Thompson as a way to keep Arlo behind bars. Once again, Raylan's side project got him tangled up with interesting characters like the girl who broke into Arlo's house, her step-father Josiah, and a brood of hillfolk (whom he ended up being related to). On top of all of that, he also got stuck in a pen with Boyd who was also looking for Thompson.

You see, Barkley was dirty and working for Theo Tonin, head of the Detroit mob who was screwed over by Thompson, and he met with both Wynn Duffy and one of Tonin's guys named Nick Augustine (played by a cap-less Mike O'Malley). When Barkley wasn't able to guarantee that he could deliver Thompson alive, Augustine shot him in the head and asked Wynn to help since he was familiar with the Crowders and Arlo. Our favorite Dixie mafioso struck a deal with Boyd, he'd be willing to work with Crowder if he was able to locate Thompson first, which was how he ended up with Raylan.

After Raylan was able to negotiate with the hillfolk's matriarch, he learned that Thompson was still alive and somewhere in Harlan County, then he handcuffed Boyd to a tree so he could get a head start. When he dropped by Josiah's, he told him where he could find Thompson and warned the hillbilly gangsters, Raylan found his severed foot. Meanwhile, Boyd's next move was to bribe Arlo's lawyer (Romy Rosemont) into rescinding his plea deal.

The biggest lesson learned by watching "Kin" was Justified is vastly more entertaining when Raylan and Boyd are on screen together. Now, I understand and even appreciate why Graham Yost wanted to keep them a part for so long at the start of the season, but everything started to hum and crackle the second Raylan realized who his bunkmate was. From that moment on, it was Justified at its best.

As for the plot, I'll admit that there were maybe a tad too many twists and turns, but thankfully things were easy enough to follow and it didn't get too convoluted for its own good. But it's still early and there could still be some major double-crosses coming, but for now things are moving along nicely, and I'm still hooked.

Other Odds and Ends:

• In a C-plot, Colton was scrambling to find Ellen May and even went to Shelby for help who was obviously helping her so he could get some intel that could take Boyd down once and for all.
• To complicate things even more, Arlo and Bo Crowder helped hide Drew Thompson in exchange for the cocaine he stole from Tonin.
• Oh yeah, and Cousin Johnny's still in cahoots with Wynn.
• Not going to lie, it was odd seeing Burt and Carole Hummel guest starring on the same show and not be in the same scene together.
• Speaking of Mike O'Malley, he had a big night because he also guest starred on Raising Hope. He must have signed over his soul to FOX.
• Along with O'Malley, Rosemont, and Tobolowsky, this episode included Gerald McRaney (Major Dad), Patton Oswalt and Natalie Zea (The Following). Who wasn't in this one?
• "Mr. Duffy, we are not trustworthy men."
• "You didn't take her up on it?"
• Boyd: "Still, I can see him sending you up to an early end, you being who you are, but I thought he and I were better friends than that."
  Raylan: "Why's that? He got that honor amongst dumbass thieves thing?"
  Boyd: "Dumbass? Coming from the man tied up next to me?"
• "You looking to start a fight, Raylan? Nine times out of ten, I'd be more than happy to accommodate...:
• Mary: "Your daddies took all that cocaine for themselves."
  Raylan: "Of course they did. That's another reason we're so proud of them."
• "I'd whistle the theme song to Deliverance if I thought you had a better sense of humor."

It was nice being back on the Thompson case because it had the right amount of forward momentum to keep things going in the right direction, and it was even nicer seeing Raylan and Boyd sparring like only they know how. Pretty great stuff all around.

Quick Thoughts: BEING HUMAN, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die"

While I still think Season 3 of Being Human has gotten off on the right foot, I do have to admit that "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die" had me torn for the first time.

For example, I'm glad to see that Josh and Nora have created a life outside of Aidan and Sally, and I'm actually liking the addition of Erin for now, but giving her stereotypical family issues didn't resonate and it felt like a cheap shortcut that way too many shows utilize nowadays. I'm always up for getting more backstory, but retreading the same old stuff isn't enough to get me on board. Same goes for Erin running away.

As for Aidan and Sally, I'm still intrigued by how they're adjusting to their new situations, and I'm happy that the writers found a way to keep her in Boston while finally putting her firmly in the morgue guy's orbit (because we knew both events were going to happen). Aidan's guilt trip may have been a tad over-dramatic, but he needed to give Sally an excuse to straddle him while holding a phallic shaped object right before he showed her where his heart was. Seriously, the idea of these two together gets me all upset.

So, we got some good stuff along with some contrived, clichéd stuff, which combined for a decent enough episode but not one that trancended the one before it. Instead of a step forward or backward, "Lonesone" was a solid shuffle step, which isn't the end of the world.

Episode Review: SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED, "Wolves at the Gate"

While "Wolves at the Gate" was largely a chess-piece moving episode, there were some significant developments (i.e. the introduction of Caesar) that bode well for the future of the season.

It was revealed during "Enemies of Rome" that the rebel camp's numbers have gotten so massive that Spartacus could not provide for everyone, so he decided that overtaking a city would be the best way to provide for his people. After getting some insider knowledge from Diotimos the horse butcher, Sparty and his men laid siege to a heavily guarded coastal city. While the former slaves were able to claim victory and a new home, Spartacus had second thoughts as he saw innocents slain and spared the lives of the surviving Romans (including a benevolent woman named Laeta, but more on her later).

Meanwhile, Team Crassus was preparing for war as Marcus recruited the brash Julius Caesar to join his cause since they could both benefit from an alliance. The arrival of the soon-to-be ruler of Rome did not go over smoothly with everyone, like Tiberius who was threatened by his presence or Marcus' slave/mistress Kote who was assumed to be there for his carnal pleasures. Unfortunately for Caesar, Crassus decided to appoint his son to a commanding post which meant he would serve under Tiberius, but Marcus admitted that he had bigger plans for Julius.

So, even though Spartacus invaded an entire city, which led to the rape and pillaging of its people, and Caesar made his debut, not a lot of plot development took place during "Wolves," but that's fine because there were some good character moments to fill the void. For example, it was clear that Spartacus' leadership skills were questionable because he had little to no control over his army, and that bit of remorse that he felt as he looked over a dead mother and daughter was hopefully a sign of a shift in tactics from a man who's fueled by the remains of senseless violence. And it's pretty clear that Laeta will be the woman to help him change his barbaric ways despite the fact that he personally killed her husband.

As for Caesar, his introduction was a little over-the-top, which of course was the point, but in the end I thought that it was effective. Unlike Crassus, he seems to fit the "evil Roman who looks down on the slaves" role of previous big bads, which should nicely counter-balance Marcus' unwillingness to underestimate the rebels approach. Add to that the fact that they're both motivated by their own ambitions over any real loyalty to Rome, and they should provide an entertaining one-two punch.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Poor Agron, he keeps being left out in favor of Crixus and Gannicus. It's a shame too because he's one of my favorites, which means he's going to die sooner than later because of what DeKnight learned from Joss Whedon.
• The stoning scene was particularly brutal but Spartacus didn't need to spell out why he killed the slave. Trust the audience.
• I hope we get to see more of the blacksmith. He intrigues me for some reason.
• It's a shame that Diotimos had to die, but it's not like he was much of a character to being with. On the plus side, it looks like we'll be getting another hot slavegirl to take his place.
• After one episode, I'm more on-board with the possible Caesar spin-off, but I'd much rather have more Spartacus. Oh well.

Every episode does not to be chock-full of plot that's constantly moving forward, but Spartacus cannot afford to spin its wheels too much since it only has a small number of hours left to tell the story. That's not a swipe at "Wolves at the Gate" because we did get some good stuff, but the sooner we get to the Spartacus/Crassus face-off the better.