#120. All Good Things, Part
2
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 7, Episode
26 |
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I didn't even try to list all
the awesomeness in Part 1, and it's impossible here too, but I must say
Part 2 ends the episode's storyline and the series beautifully.
The anti-time anomaly is, true to TNG form, a fascinating space
phenomenon, and Q showing Picard how it will (or did?) prevent life from
forming on Earth shows its impact. And then, as Picard maneuvers
all three Enterprises into the anomaly, only to explode, the show gets
more and more exciting until, as I said, we end it with Q and Picard in
a perfect coda. But probably the best part of the whole thing
simply for its power and showing us that life will go on, is the final
scene where Picard joins the poker game and appreciates his friends.
The sky's the limit, indeed.
Q: That is the exploration that
awaits you. Not mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting
the unknown possibilities of existence. |
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#119. A Lie Agreed Upon,
Part 2
Deadwood, Season 2, Episode 2 |
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Al's more concerned with the
repercussions of his fight with Bullock than his gleets, but Doc Cochran
keeps us focused on his urinary problems, which set up the next couple
episodes in the most excruciating thing I've seen on television.
But of course, the fight with Bullock does set the camp's player
choosing sides until the ending, with the showdown outside the Gem,
giving Jane something to do after her triumphant return. Also
coming to camp is Miss Isringhausen, Sofia's tutor whom Alma bounces her
options with Bullock off of. Joanie and Maddie set up the Chez
Amis, Dan Dority continues the Slippery Dan fight, and it all leads to
the impending doom: Dority and Johnny Burns point guns at Charlie,
Jane and Seth, but Al ends it all with a conciliatory gesture, and Seth
returns home to his awkward marriage.
Johnny Burns: Either Al got God, or Dolly
just stuck her thumb back up his ass. |
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#118. My Long Goodbye
Scrubs, Season 6, Episode 15 |
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I've been thinking about how
underrated Judy Reyes is. I can't even think of an awkward line
delivery, she's always funny, and "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby..." came
on today and once again, she nails the emotional scenes without going
overboard. And here, it's all riding on her, since the episode is
about her denying Laverne's death until she has to accept it. Her
goodbye speech is perfect and economical (and set to "A Bad Dream," also
featured in The Avengers), and while we're on the subjects, everyone's
goodbye speeches were great, highlights being Kelso's and the Janitor's.
Ever since, scenes between Kelso and Laverne have been extra-amusing.
All the while, Jordan has her C-section, names JD godfather, and once
again proves her awesome dedication to revenge by naming her daughter
Jennifer Dylan.
Jordan: Screw it, you know what?
You're the godfather. |
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#117. Serenity, Part 2
Firefly, Season 1, Episode 2 |
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As Serenity arranges to unload
their goods on Patience, who once tried to kill Mal, they also try to
solve their mole problem, Mal playing an evil joke on Simon and Jayne
interrogating the Fed. This half gives us more obvious western
influences, with horseback riding and pistol duels, but my favorite, of
course, is the end where the Fed holds a gun to River's head and Simon
is aiming at him. Shepherd Book's wounded leaning behind them and
Inara rushes out on the balcony, but Mal walks in and without taking a
beat shoots the Fed dead. And we end with a few sequences
establishing the shape of things to come, Jayne saying he didn't betray
Mal because he wasn't offered enough, Mal offering Simon board, and Book
coming to Inara for guidance. It's a beautiful pilot, one of the
best, and only begins to convey the greatness of Firefly.
Wash: Can we maybe vote on the whole
murdering people issue? |
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#116. Through the
Looking Glass, Part 2
Lost, Season 3, Episode 23 |
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Like I said, Part 2 is where
all the fun stuff happens. Locke is resurrected, Jack beats Ben,
Hurley saves the day in the Magic Bus, there's a flash-forward funeral
that Kate asks why Jack would expect her to go to (hmm....), and of
course, the Looking Glass stuff goes down. As I've said, Charlie's
death is the best death on Lost, and so much happens around it.
Desmond harpoons Bonnie, Penny comes through on the computer (!),
Mikhail resurrects again and blows up the window, and Charlie saves the
day. Meanwhile, the survivors get hope as rescue seems imminent,
but as we know in the exceptionally well-executed flash-forwards, those
hopes will be dashed as Jack, drunk and depressed, yells, "We have to go
back!" Hurley: Attention, Others.
Come in, Others. If you're listening to this, I want you to know
that we got you bastards. |
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#115. By Inferno's Light
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 5, Episode 15 |
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While Gowron and Sisko
officially ally again in order to face the rising threat of the
Dominion, Garak, Worf, Bashir, Martok, and Enabran Tain face their own
fears just to survive. When the Romulans show up at the station,
you know we're officially preparing for a quadrant-wide war, but this is
all contrasted with the intimacy at the internment camp. Garak
discovers his actual father, and also fights his claustrophobia to save
them all, and the Defiant tracks down the traitor in a cool space scene.
And at the end, when the heroes reunite, Sisko and Gowron prove their
dedication to the alliance by reinstating the Khitomer Accords, calling
for a permanent Klingon presence on the station and selecting General
Martok to head it up. This incredible two-parter sets up the finale
perfectly and gives us plenty of pre-war intrigue and drama.
Sisko: If you want to retake this station,
Dukat, you are welcome to try. |
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#114. Justice is Blind
Arrested Development, Season 1, Episode 17 |
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I think this is the only
episode to feature the scenes that were in the prior episode's "Next
time on Arrested Development." Also: "I was made to
understand there were grilled cheese sandwiches here," Michael throwing
the Bible at Maggie's face, Tobias using his catlike agility at her
house and masking himself in her scent and robe, Maggie interrogating
Buster, the chart of info on the Bluth family and known associates
(including Carl Weathers), Maggie, GOB, and Michael making up
commandments, Wife of GOB making GOB wear colorful sweaters, chanting
"No more BS!" in front of the 10 Commandments, Justice and Michael
watching as Justice runs away, and "I always end up on all fours."
Maeby: I figure I'll kill her off just
before graduation so everyone gets really sad before prom. |
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#113. The Best of Both
Worlds, Part 2
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episode
1 |
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As I was saying, Lt. Shelby is
a fantastic addition, and I wish she had stayed on the show.
Instead, she gave such a powerful performance she was spun off into her
own show in the non-canon books. Anyway, there's no way Part 2
could live up to Part 1, but it is quite awesome in its own way.
The Battle of Wolf 359 is the most famous of all Star Trek battles and
was the largest one at that point, and the Borg having Picard's
knowledge was such a cool way to make the Federation even bigger
underdogs. Admittedly, the "sleep" resolution doesn't live up to
what the Borg become in later episodes, First Contact, and Voyager, but
at the time, TNG was paving new ground with them as villains, and the
rescue of Picard amidst the battle was awesome enough. Regardless,
this is classic sci-fi and classic television, and deservedly so.
Worf: I like my species the way it is. |
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#112. Precipice
Battlestar Galactica, Season 3, Episode 2 |
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Beginning with Roslin in a
detention cell (mirroring Tigh in Occupation), the episode becomes the
high drama counterpoint to Occupation's action, although there's plenty
of that here, too. There's the Baltar/Roslin showdown, Adama
promoting Sharon, Dee criticizing Lee, Kara getting broken with the
Kacee mind games, Ellen betraying the resistance, Cally getting
kidnapped, the Sharon/Cally showdown, Roslin condemning Tigh's tactics,
and two beautiful speeches by Tigh (evil men in the gardens of Paradise
and sometimes I think you're just a naive, little schoolteacher), and we
end it all with Jammer freeing Cally as gunshots open over Roslin and
Zarek. Cavil: In other words, they
are worried about what "God" might think if they commit murder.
They're covering their existential asses. |
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#111. The
Menagerie, Part 2
Star Trek, Season 1, Episode 16 |
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Part 2 sees Captain Pike's crew
coming to rescue him from the Talosians, galactic zoo-keepers, while in
the present, Spock is acquitted and Captain Pike is returned to live on
Talos IV as a young, healthy man to the end of his days. Some
compelling Kirk-Spock stuff goes down at his trial, but I liked
getting to know Pike's crew more, especially the women Vina gets jealous
of. And of course the picnic fantasy back at Pike's home on earth
is awesome, with the beautiful park trees obscuring a futuristic
cityscape. The Talosians prove to be immensely powerful here, so
it's all the more fascinating that they choose simply to observe and
study, but that ending, with the Keeper addressing Kirk is one of the
best in all of Star Trek. The Keeper:
Captain Kirk, Captain Pike has an illusion, and you have reality.
May you find your way as pleasurable. |
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