#160. Exodus, Part 2
Battlestar Galactica, Season 3, Episode
4 |
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And Part 2 gives us all the
action we could ask for. Every storyline advances: Tigh
kills Ellen in one of the best scenes ever, Tory shows her resistance
(and cylon?) chops leading everyone to their respective escape raptors,
Sam breaks in to rescue Kara and together they rescue Kacey, Kara
killing Leoben yet again in an impressively chilling scene, Galactica
does an inner-atmo jump to launch the fighters on the planet which is
the coolest ship scene ever, Baltar begs Gaeta to kill him, and when all
seems lost, Apollo shows up and sacrifices Pegasus. When all is
said and done, we get even better drama at the reunion--what should be a
great display of euphoria turns into a heartbreaking scene as Kacey is
revealed to be a random girl, devastating Kara, and the look on Saul's
face says all we need to know about reintegration.
Ellen: You listen to me. I'd do it
again: frak anybody, do anything, even give them the map. |
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#159. Exodus, Part 1
Battlestar Galactica, Season 3, Episode 3 |
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Part 1 of Exodus focuses on the
preparations for humanity's escape from New Caprica, from the rescue of
Roslin and Tom Zarek to Bill Adama's speech to his crew. Three
begins to question the truth about Hera, taking her to an oracle and
even leading her to suspect Maya's baby. But Sharon gets to shoot
her preventing her from kidnapping Hera before the exodus. More
importantly, Roslin and Tigh prepare the resistance for the escape,
Roslin hiring Sam to protect Maya at all costs (yet somehow the douche
failed!) and Tigh learning of Ellen's betrayal. Of course Baltar
learns of the escape too and wonders about what will become of him.
And Lee tells his father that Pegasus will continue on in order to give
humanity an assured future, and has a moving goodbye with his father.
Adama: I'm proud to serve with you.
Good hunting. |
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#158. The Train Job
Firefly, Season 1, Episode 2 |
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I know Joss Whedon and company
were not happy about making this second pilot with more exposition, but
I loved every minute of it. It may not do much more in the way of
advancing the plot than reiterating the pilot, but the train job itself
is awesome to watch, especially for a western-lover like me. But
come on, a ship flying alongside a train?! Awesome! Adlai
Niska is an incredible villain, a perfect sort of homage to larger than
life Bond-type villains that works as an authentic character in the
world of Firefly. Plus, Jayne gets shot in the leg, and Simon
shows some initiative and drugs him! After a cool fight sequence,
we get that hilarious finale where Mal kicks a man into an engine, and
in the final scene, the blue-gloved men reveal a photo of River.
Zoe: Sir, I think you have a problem with
your brain being missing. |
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#157. The Howling Man
The Twilight Zone, Season 2, Episode
5 |
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Another Twilight Zone that
haunted me as a child, this one's an expressionistic story of a man
seeking shelter in a storm. He winds up at an old abbey where he
meets the creepy Brother Jerome and hears a weird howling in the woods.
It turns out, the howling man is a prisoner of Brother Jerome's, and the
story unfolds from there. It's the Dutch angle-est of television
episodes--if they could put the camera on a diagonal, they did it, but
it works perfectly to disorient us and the main character. Perfect
Halloween fodder, this little episode has a great story with the
expected Twilight Zone twist and a perfect final scene.
Ellington: One night, I got lost in a
storm... |
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#156. Up All Night
30 Rock, Season 1, Episode 13 |
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Happy Valentimes! "This
would so work on Ugly Betty," the dog-box, "Dammit, Johnny, you know I
love my Big Beef and Cheddar," Cerie in a fight with Aris over the Greek
Orthodox stance on Cyprus, Vagina Day (organized by "celebrities who,
for whatever reason, have never been asked to participate in the Vagina
Monologues"), marry boff kill Jenna, "No I am not 'with so many men that
it's impossible for me to guess.' Well that is just--oh, you know
what, I found the card. They're from your mom, so tell your gay
mom, I said thanks," marriage is a competition, Rachel Dratch as an
Eastern European prostitute, "My vagina is a convenience store:
clean and reliable and closed on Christmas," Kenneth and Cerie, Tracy's
role-play, "If I blew it, then how did I get her underpants?" and the
arrival of Floyd!
Phlem: I clean this, too, or, uh, just
the sex? |
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#155. The Limo
Seinfeld, Season 3, Episode 19 |
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Everyone knows this one.
George's car breaks down so he and Jerry decide to be O'Brien to get a
limo home instead. I love their Irish names: Colin O'Brien and
Dylan Murphy. Fitting too, since they turn out to be
impersonating rarely-seen Aryan Union members. They pick up Elaine
and Kramer too, hoping to go see a basketball game at Madison Square
Gardens, but quickly learn that O'Brien is expected to give a white
power speech there instead, and reading an excerpt of it makes the girl
in their limo fall for George. Meanwhile, Peter Krause gets
suspicious of them, and they end up at gunpoint by the neo-nazis and at
the hands of an angry mob protesting the rally, in true Seinfeld
fashion.
Kramer: O'Brien, long time no see.
How's tricks, Murphy? |
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#154. For British Eyes
Only
Arrested Development, Season 3, Episode 2 |
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The introduction of Wee Britain
comes complete with "the most beautiful woman Michael had ever seen...no
not her, wait for it..." the records guy telling Michael to lose a few
pounds, the spy-like cook watching Michael and Rita, lanes switching
directions, and of course, the Poppins. Oh, and Michael's worst
hello and goodbye ever, which elicits a Jack the Ripper reference from
the narrator. I love Wee Britain. And of course we get the
entire family doing chicken impressions, Tobias' first experiment with
hair plugs, GOB's latest attempt to impress his father/spring his dad
from jail, Lindsay beginning to flirt with Bob Loblaw, the picture of
Saddam with Rummy, Tobias' new headshots, Mama horny, and George
claiming he thought Saddam was the Soup Nazi. Best show ever.
Tobias: I suppose I'm buy-curious. |
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#153. Necessary Evil
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 2, Episode
7 |
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I saw this for the first time
yesterday, and it's immediately on my list. In fact, it's the best
episode of the second season. Deep Space Nine's attempt at film
noir begins with a femme fatale hiring Quark to retrieve something of
her late husband's, and when he gets shot, Odo reopens a five year-old
murder investigation where a Bajoran chemist got shot on the station
under Cardassian rule. We flash back and forth between both
investigations, and it helps that the show's best actors (apart from Dr.
Bashir) are the main characters, with Odo, Kira, Dukat, and Quark
getting the bulk of the story. I love the noir aspects, the stark
lighting and unique angles, and Terok Nor is made incredibly
atmospheric, but even better is the noir story, exploring the darkness
of the characters' souls.
Odo: I used to believe that. I'm
not sure I can any more. |
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#152. The Dundies
The Office, Season 2, Episode
1 |
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I freaking love the Dundies!
To think that this is the same show as the six-episode first season is
astounding. Here we get everything we've come to expect:
Michael being an idiot, Jim and Pam being adorable together and a chain
restaurant like Chili's. The best thing about the Dundies is the
aforementioned Jim-Pam, as Pam drunkenly kisses Jim for the first time
here! Both reactions are incredible too, Jim barely able to
contain his glee. And like I said, there's plenty of Michael and
Dwight hilarity, like his Eminem song, Bushiest Beaver (best typo
ever!), and the Spicy Curry Award. But this is firmly season 2, as
Jim and Pam go way out of their way to make Michael feel better and as a
result, everyone has a good time. And of course, Pam getting
banned from Chilis for getting drunk is hilarious.
Toby: Uh, yes, that's true. I have
never won a Dundie. I am more than okay with that. |
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#151. I Am God
Veronica Mars, Season 2, Episode 18 |
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Plan B was the best episode of
the season to that point, and it's followed by one of the most unique
episodes of the show. Veronica is haunted by the bus crash victims
and has periodic dreams where she talks to each one trying to sort
through all the information and figure out whodunnit. Meanwhile in
the real world, Veronica hasn't been able to sleep, and the insomnia and
depression are incredibly played, everything straight and sarcastic and
dark. She begins to rekindle with Logan, Wallace helps her
investigate Rhonda, and she ends up talking to Beaver, who actually
dunnit. The mood of this episode is so well-done, and each of the
dreams is incredible, particularly the final one as she goes off the
cliff with the victims. Veronica:
These are the jokes. |
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