Raising The Bar “Trust Me” One Trust Broken, Another Gained

Last night’s episode of ”Raising The Bar” (TNT) “Trust Me” involves many forms of trust – trust of the word of a defendant or the police, the trust between colleague, and a big fat trust fund.

Public defender Bobbi Gilardi (Natalia Cigliuti ) – likely still reeling from the suicide of her husband that she was in the process of divorcing – throws herself into the case of Andre Jackman (Eugene Byrd) who was arrested for dealing drugs. The problem is, Jackman’s case is tied to another man who was arrested with him, and Jackman fears if he turns on his partner, Slice, he will end up dead. But Bobbi seems to have trouble with her client, as it seems his story morphs every time the situation warrants. Jackman seems to be looking for any excuse to get off, and refuses a plea deal because he is afraid if it comes out he had been a confidential informant in the past, he’ll be dead. Jackman also claims that the police set him up because he refused to go back to being a snitch, which he signed on for 10 years prior. Bobbi’s opponent is the competitive and aggressive prosecutor Michelle Earnhardt (Melissa Sagemiller), who is constantly trying to prove herself to her boss, the smarmy Nick Balco (Currie Graham). Michelle takes a group pep talk that Nick gives very seriously, and she is determined to win this case.

While Bobbi works to find facts she can use to support her client’s claims, Michelle works even harder to build her own case. When Bobbi feels she has the advantage when she gets Jackman’s case severed from his partner in crime, Michelle uses that to her advantage, getting Slice to take a deal in order to flip on Jackman. She times the process so she purposely won’t have the time to notify Michelle until right before she calls Slice as a witness. Things go downhill from here, as Michelle pays to have the police officer who signed Jackman’s confidential informant agreement 10 years ago up to testify, and he paints Jackman as someone who is unreliable and less than truthful. Meanwhile, Jerry Kellerman (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) had tried to help Bobbi with her case, by talking with Jackman without her knowledge and getting a tidbit of information, which he relays to Bobbi just as she is going in to the courtroom. Later, after Jackman is found guilty, she rips Jerry for talking with Jackman behind her back and feeding her the information without enough time for her to prepare herself for Jackman’s testimony. Bobbi seems to think that Jerry does not trust her, and she says she can’t trust him if he continues to go behind her back. She also ties in to Jerry for his behavior, indicating that Jerry thinks that only he can save the day all the time. Jerry finally apologizes, but I sense that things between him and Bobbi have definitely cooled off in more ways than one. If her husband hanging himself in her home wasn’t enough to put a crimp in her relationship with Jerry, his meddling certainly is.

The other case in this episode involves public defender Richard Woolsley (Teddy Sears). He is having lunch at the Woolsley club with Rex, who seems to be his financial advisor. It seems that Teddy had recently come into possession of a $3 million trust fund payment from his father, and Rex is annoyed that Richard has the money simply sitting in a checking account. Richard says he will look at Rex’s proposals and make his own decisions, and Rex seems impressed with this response.

When a former client of Richard’s, Camile de la Paz (Ivet Corveaz) complains to him that she is being sued for $1,500 in damages for shoplifting $6 worth of batteries – a charge for which she has already served her time – Richard decides to get involved. Camille tells Richard that having to pay this money will mean she can’t afford her rent, and she will be out on the street. When Ros (Gloria Reuben) won’t give Richard any help from their civil lawyers, Richard realizes that his father’s name and money has some clout. He calls the office of Jefferson Cox (Stephen Markle), the man heading the firm who is suing the woman and asks to meet him at the Woolsley club. But Cox thinks he is there to meet Richard’s father, not Richard, and he gets very pissy when Richard tries to twist his arm to drop the case. Richard gets wise later, though, when he decides to fight fire with fire, and threatens Cox with a lawsuit of his own which would drag the firm’s name into the public eye in a very negative manner. Cox drops the case, but threatens Richard if he tries this again he will find himself in a battle.

The experience, however, helps Richard to decide what to do with his $3 million. He writes a check for all of it and hands it to Ros, telling her to use it to hire more civil attorneys to help people like Camille have a fighting chance against battling these big law firms against these ridiculous lawsuits. Even after she gives him the option to rethink his position, Richard stands firm as he doesn’t need the money right now and will get more in 5 years anyway. Clearly, Richard is not totally comfortable with all this money; maybe it is more about the fact that it is from his father.

What I am beginning to enjoy about ”Raising The Bar” (TNT) is that the outcome of each case isn’t always obvious. Unlike many of the other crime/drama shows on television where it seems like the “good guys” - law enforcement, crime scene people, etc. – always win, ”Raising The Bar” (TNT) covers both sides of the fence equally well. You never know if the prosecution or the defense will get a win, and this makes the show more suspenseful all the way to the end. And unlike the Law & Order franchise, this law drama allows people a glimpse into the real lives of the main characters in a way that it is believable and comfortable. The characters are developing very clear personalities, to the point that when they step out of their persona it seems very real. For example, the smarmy Nick Balco (I can’t write his name without the including the word smarmy) does something unexpected when he gives some sincere praise to Michelle for winning her case, and the moment seemed genuine. (But he’s still smarmy.)

I didn’t think I would ever say this about this show after watching its premier last season, but I actually now look forward to the show and it is becoming one of my favorite dramas. They truly have “raised the bar” for legal dramas.

Clip from Raising the Bar: Trust Me




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The Closer “Strike Three”: Women Behaving Badly

Last night’s episode of ”The Closer” (TNT) “Strike Three” involves a case of the murder of two police officers in the line of duty, plus the death of a civilian at the same scene. It seems that the police officers were led into an ambush, and one of the people involved was killed when the police returned fire. But this episode was more about women behaving badly, and it annoyed me somewhat that two women in positions of power can only be portrayed as controlling and bitchy (not necessarily in that order).

Sparks fly immediately when a turf war between Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) and Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) from the Force Investigations Division flares up. Brenda is claiming the scene is hers as two policemen were killed, and Raydor says that she needs to investigate the killing of the civilian to make sure that the police used deadly force appropriately. Ultimately Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons) rules that it is Brenda’s scene but that Raydor can shadow, and it’s obvious Raydor isn’t happy with that role.

While Brenda’s team works the case – with a brief and frankly worthless appearance of her husband and Agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney), Raydor manages to get her hands on all the evidence and removes it from the Major Crimes squad. Brenda is apoplectic over this and a tug of war begins between her and Raydor, with Pope mediating. Of course, he isn’t pleased either that Raydor ignored his instructions and orders her to give everything back to Major Crimes. She reluctantly does so, and gives them information that her team already found out about a piece of red taillight that was left at the scene. Information about this taillight comes in handy when someone calls in who may unknowingly have the car that was involved in the shooting, and it subsequently nets two suspects, which they arrest.

The episode is basically a back and forth between Brenda and Raydor, with Brenda using every chance to make Raydor out to be a controlling bitch, and Raydor making Brenda out to be, well, also a controlling bitch but one who is clueless about the importance of what Raydor is trying to do to protect the force from a civil suit. Raydor does show that she knows what she is doing when she insists she question a suspect before Brenda, as the suspect was asking for medical assistance as a result of the arrest, which automatically triggers a use of force investigation by Raydor. Brenda is not thrilled over this but she must comply. Raydor coolly reads the suspect his rights, and while Pope thinks this now will prevent them from getting any information from the suspect, Brenda now thinks this can work to their advantage. When the suspect gets annoyed at Raydor, he yells, “eat me” to Raydor, and he gets upset when she coyly asks him to clarify what he means. When he bangs his head hard on the table twice, she’s happy, because now she can photograph his self inflicted injuries, which seem to mask his impending black eye from the arrest.

When Brenda goes to the second suspect and reads him his rights, he lawyers up. But Brenda tells Raydor this is OK and she will take them home, where they will confess. As Raydor tags along, we find that Major Crimes has rigged a police car with a camera and audio to monitor the suspects in the back seat of the car. While the team searches the house before they let the suspects out of the car, Brenda tells one of the suspects not to forget what they talked about. Of course he had said nothing, but the other suspect becomes suspicious and they begin to argue. In doing so they unwittingly give clues to where the guns used in the shooting – plus some drugs – were located, underneath an outdoor planter.

Later, Brenda and her team, dressed in full uniform to attend the funeral of the police officers, hear a pep talk from Chief Pope. Raydor, also in uniform, stops Brenda in the hall. Brenda states the situation, saying that when officers are killed in the line of duty, Brenda’s team investigates, but when they fire back, Raydor does. Brenda expresses concern that knowing they'll be investigated might stop officers from defending themselves, and asks Raydor if she ever wonders what her principles cost. Raydor gives a terse reply that she does: $70 million, the cost in the Rampart case, not to mention cases overturned and trust lost. Brenda says, "There has to be a better way" and Raydor responds, "Until then, you've got me." An uneasy truce, for sure. As they leave for the funeral in their dress uniforms, the flags fly at half-mast.

Who did I side with in this episode – Brenda or Raydor? I have to admit that I was more on Raydor’s side. Considering the problems that have occurred with the (real) LAPD in recent history with questions of the use of excessive force with police, I can completely understand why Raydor would want to be sure that the police were right to shoot back. I also think that Brenda was wrong to jump to quick conclusions about the dead civilian. It doesn’t matter that it turned out that the man had involvement in the ambush and the shooting of the police. It could have easily turned out another way. In the real world, I would like to think that the LAPD and all of their other law enforcement agencies would know how to share jurisdiction in a case such as this. In the same vein, I would like to think that in the real world, women in such high positions would not be so pissy at each other during such times. OK, I’ve seen people like Brenda and Raydor in my own career, but I wasn’t in law enforcement and never dealt with matters like murder and crime scenes.

In this episode, Brenda came off as a petulant child who must get her way all the time. I actually found her annoying. Her inability to work with colleagues without inciting conflict is turning out to be a detriment. Sure, she is very skilled at what she does, but there are others out there who are likely skilled in what they do as well, and Brenda needs to give them the proper respect. It may be time that Brenda show a little growth as a person and learn how to collaborate. I don’t expect a humble Brenda, just one who can learn to play nice with others.


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The 2009 Emmy Nomination Snubs

Last year about this time, I was moaning about the problem with the Emmys and all the people or shows that they snubbed for an Emmy nomination. Here we are, a year later, and I’m still moaning about it because they’ve snubbed many of them again.


Snubbed!
Last year, Battlestar Galactica got snubbed, as did Mary McDonnell, who played President Roslin. Well, despite the fact that the series finished with such a dramatic ending and their final season had some of the best acting ever in the entire sci-fi genre, the series received no dramatic or acting honors. While they had an excellent cast overall, it is simply criminal that Mary McDonnell was overlooked and someone like Mariska Hargitay was included. Let’s be honest here, Mariska’s role of Olivia Benson has run its dramatic course, and her performances this past season seemed reduced to scenes that screamed “for your consideration.” In defense of Mariska, there isn’t a whole lot a person can do to make Dick Wolf’s Law & Order franchise world very compelling for actors. After all, with some of Sam Waterston’s best years as Jack McCoy going virtually unnoticed (he was nominated a few times, never won), it's safe to say that no one in this franchise will ever win an Emmy. (OK Academy voters, make a liar out of me.) Mary McDonnell’s performance in the final episodes of Battlestar Galactic was gripping and virtually ripped my heart out. Also robbed of a nomination was Katee Sackhoff for her performance on BSG as Kara “Starbuck” Thrace. And the series itself went from the doldrums of their middle seasons to being one of the most interesting sci-fi stories ever told. It is just inconcievable that this series could have been so overlooked.

Snubbed!

New to my Emmy snub list is Kiefer Sutherland, who got ignored this year, except for a nomination for “24: Redemption” which was in the movie/miniseries category. This was 2-hour a show that I thought wasn’t all that good, and not anywhere near his great performance for the full season itself. Yet, Simon Baker gets nominated for his bland performance as Patrick Jane on “The Mentalist,” a role that is one-dimensional and, in my opinion, requires little acting range. Maybe the Academy was angry that Jack Bauer wasn’t protecting Los Angeles this past season?

Snubbed!

Another repeat offender on the snubbed list is Robert Sean Leonard, who plays Dr. James Wilson on Fox’s “House.” Let's tell it like it is: there would be no House without Wilson. Leonard plays the perfect confidant, conscience, and whipping boy to House, and he does it so naturally that one forgets that the two are acting. Sure, he has great lines written for him and…oh wait, even the writers for “House” were snubbed. Diagnosis: The Academy of Television Arts & Science are all brain dead.

So, another year, another Emmy rant. I think the only thing that will solve this problem is if the Academy makes a move similar to what the Oscars have done and increase the number of nominees in key categories. With so many shows – primarily dramas - on television these days, it’s a shame that the limit the nominees to only about 6 people in a category. I don’t believe that raising the number of nominees to 10 would in any way dilute the honor, nor would it dilute the importance of the winner, since you can still have only one.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is my opinion of the Academy from last year, where I said “The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences are becoming less relevant to the viewing public, since they rarely represent what viewers think is the best television. For what it's worth, for those I mentioned above that were not nominated, there are many viewers out there who appreciate your efforts and our award to you is continuing to watch your shows.” It’s no gold statue, but I hope it has value to those that were snubbed this year.


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The Closer “Tapped Out” Full of Comedy

Photo from TNT

Monday night’s episode of ”The Closer” (TNT) titled “Tapped Out” was one of those episodes that was light on the drama and heavy on the comedy. “The Closer” can easily pull off both heavy drama and comedy from week to week without viewers feeling whiplash. Since my television viewing is heavily slanted toward crime shows, it’s nice to get an episode every now and then that takes a walk on the wild side and focuses on the funny rather than on the crime itself. I personally was highly amused in seeing the usual high-and-mighty Chief Pope get suckered in and be made a fool of by an amateur.

The episode begins with Lt. Flynn (Tony Denison) and Lt. Provenza (G.W. Bailey) sitting down to a breakfast, purposefully oblivious to a crime scene unfolding right outside the restaurant window. Flynn is more interested in Provenza’s change in diet and lifestyle; Provenza is all too happy to tell Flynn about the woman in his life and all the ways she is making him very happy. When Asst. Police Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons) arrives to work with the detectives for the day as "one of the guys,” he is a little annoyed that the lieutenants have no interest in the crime scene unfolding right outside. Provenza helps to solve Pope’s distraction by closing the blinds. But Pope decides to take matters into his own hands, and after a lecture to the detectives, heads over to the crime scene next door.

When Pope gets to the scene of a murder in a parking area, another detective from the central division is already there and seems to have everything under control. He introduces himself to Pope as Detective Richard Tracy, a new transfer to central division. Flynn and Provenza arrive on the scene, with Provenza still feasting on half a cantaloupe. Tracy outlines the crime and already has the evidence collected, and impresses Pope by reciting Pope’s mission statement. Pope, impressed, has no problem with handing back all the evidence to Tracy, who gets their business cards and drives off. But when a shrieking woman shows up at the crime scene, they are forced to get involved.

Back at Major Crimes, the team is being deafened by this woman – Marie - who continues to shriek. Pope asks Sgt. David Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) why he wasn’t at the scene, and Gabriel informs him they never got a call. Meanwhile, Marie continues her shrieking, but they are able to find out from her that the murder victim was Mark Bernstein, also known as “Intrigue.” But when Marie gets concerned that she is being considered as a suspect, her shrieking gets so loud that it drives Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) out of her mind and out of the interrogation room. She then finds that the evidence hasn’t been logged in yet. Sanchez (Raymond Cruz), upon hearing the name “Intrigue” knows of him, he’s the "Hook-Up King" who created “The Intrigue Technique” - a way to pick up women. Meanwhile, Pope is on the phone trying to track down the evidence, and gets concerned when no one knows who Detective Richard Tracy happens to be. Brenda, upon hearing the name, makes Pope realize, to his dismay, that he had given all the evidence to a detective “ Dick Tracy.” Pope terminates his call and says, "OK, now, this is definitely a major crime."

After much ribbing to Pope, they continue to work the case, but find that “Dick Tracy” is one step ahead of them. And to their continued dismay, he is using the business cards he got from Pope, Provenza, and Flynn to pass himself off as the others and gain access to the victim’s family and apartment, taking even more evidence.

They spend some time talking to Intrigue’s brother, and also Jill, a cable network executive, who tells them they had been going over plans for the episodes for Intrigue’s TV cable show based on his technique. They also find that Intrigue was with Marie the night before, but they have been unable to reach her by phone (of course, she’s at Major Crimes).

But “Tracy” meets his match when they realize that he is using a web site, set up to highlight Pope’s work and the department activities, to work the case. They set him up so he will head to Marie’s place, and when he shows up, identifying himself as Flynn, they arrest him. Of course “Tracy” protests because he says he’s working for law enforcement.

The remainder of the episode involves Brenda trying to get “Tracy” – who they now know as Jonathan Baird and who had been turned down for the force because he failed the psychological portion of testing – to help them interpret the evidence. It seems all his notes are in code, and he put a password on the computer that he took from Intrigue’s place. They even allow him to write out all the information he has on the big white board and run through the scenario with them, barely tolerating his shouting at them. He does help Tao (Michael Paul Chan) when he tells him that even though he can’t get into the computer without his password, he should have checked the computer’s DVD drive. The drive contains some of the recordings for Intrigue’s series and how he picks up women, where Intrigue is stating, “She got tapped.” This seems to disgust everyone but Sanchez, who is clearly a student of Intrigue’s teachings. After watching one woman be humiliated in one of the eight episodes filmed, Brenda asks "He did this to eight women and he only got shot once?"

In order to get the password for the computer, Brenda tries to make Baird think that they will make him one of the squad, but he figures out their deception quickly. As they take him away, Baird yells for his union rep.

Gabriel gets the eight women from the Tapped taping. Brenda explains that she wants four in each room and she tells him to add Marie to the line up but only when she cues him to do so. Meanwhile, Brenda tries one more time to get the computer password from Baird, and when she is unsuccessful, she has to enlist a little help from Pope. Pope is concerned about how this will all play out, considering it’s his fault this guy even got involved, and he’s screwed no matter what happens. But Brenda says maybe not – and asks for his help. She uses Pope as the “good cop” to her “bad cop”, allowing Pope to feed on Baird’s ego and delusions. He manages to get Baird to give up the password – “Crimestoppers.” When they get access to the computer, they find the results of the focus group for the show.

They get Jill, the cable executive, into one of the interrogation rooms where the women for the show were being held, and also Marie. When a witness to the crime, who is watching all the action in interrogation on the monitor, picks out Jill as the person she saw with Intrigue, it’s all over but the shouting. It seems Jill wasn’t happy with the focus group results – which were overwhelmingly bad. She tells them that when they signed Intrigue they though he had a likable vulnerability, but when they got him on camera, he was more of a psychopath. She told him to change his style, but he wasn’t interested, and with him web business getting better all the time, he would still be in great shape even if the show never came to be. Jill, on the other hand, felt she would be ruined and she killed him because he used her.

Later, Brenda convinces Baird to write a full report, which she plans on using against him. For example, when he wrote that he "served a warrant," it will mean he "forged legal documents;" when he went into the victim's apartment it would translate to trespassing; when he removed evidence would become theft. She says when he signs it, it will be his confession.

Brenda later stops in Pope's office, where he's reading Flynn and Provenza's report of the events which seemed to be scrubbed of Pope’s mishap. Brenda tells him that the DA found the victim despicable and agreed to a plea, so Pope’s error will not be revealed. He is concerned what the team will think of him if he lies in his report, and Brenda tells him they'll think he's one of the guys - they lie to him all the time, and that’s the one thing that unites every division of the LAPD. With a wink, she says "Nighty-night, crime stopper."

Wasted in the episode, again, is FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney) who Pope asks to get involved in the issue with Baird, but who really seems to serve no purpose except to give Brenda a kiss in the squad room. Such a waste of a character.

“The Closer” has the right mix of drama and light moments, but most of all, it has a great cast. Every character seems very well defined, which makes the major Crimes group seem more like real people solving real crimes. In fact, this may be the best ensemble cast on television these days. Hopefully the Emmys will give them the recognition they truly deserve.


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Ice Road Truckers: Cool Summer Viewing

Photos from History.com

I’m not big into “reality” competition shows. However, there is one show that is based in reality, has somewhat of a competition, but the star of the show is not just the people in it, it’s the ice road far north in Canada and Alaska. The series is called ”Ice Road Truckers (History) and it is interesting, edge-of-your-seat television.

The premise of the show may sound rather dull – drivers navigate the ice roads of the north in order to deliver supplies to those that work in the frozen tundra, in places like gas drilling sites and oil fields. Personally, I don’t like driving on Ohio roads in my 4 wheel drive car when we get a few inches of snow, so I didn’t think I would enjoy watching a bunch of truck drivers navigate icy roads for a living. But when I began watching the show mid-season in season two, I was surprised that I quickly became hooked. There was something about watching these guys barrel down roads made of nothing but ice cracking underneath them, separating them from water, that was compelling. Equally compelling was watching some of the drivers – like Rick Yemm – self-destruct their careers in the process, or Alex Debogorski, who had to cut his driving season short due to health reasons. It seems that each driver had just a little bit of crazy in them, after all, a person just can’t have all their faculties if they want to drive in such hospitable conditions – can they?

In season three, the show has moved from the ice roads of Canada to Alaska Route 11, also known as the Dalton Highway. This 500 mile stretch of road is the major connector between Fairbanks and the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. There seems to be much more danger than on the “simple” ice roads, as these drives have to contend with avalanches, white outs and blizzard conditions, not to mention steep grades and tight turns. The hazards are great and death lurks around every corner. Carlisle Transportation is the company responsible for the hauling of freight to Prudhoe Bay, and the drivers can earn some big money hauling these loads, the bigger and heavier the better. Two of the Canadian drivers from season one and two – Alex Debogorski (who is now recovered from his health problem) and Hugh Rowland – have decided to try their hand at the Dalton. Both find themselves somewhat humbled, yet somewhat annoyed, when they have to prove themselves on this new road, including having to go through a simulator in order to show they have the skills to tackle the tough roads. In both cases, they have difficulties.

The show adds a new twist this season with the addition of a woman behind the wheel, Lisa Kelly, who knows she has to pull her weight, figuratively and literally, in order to keep up with the "boys". She’s a bit of a risk taker, and I find myself hoping that she doesn’t bite off more than she can chew.

The same goes for Canadian transplants Hugh and Alex, who don’t seem to have complete respect for The Dalton quite yet. These two seem to be rather easy going but there is something slightly crazy about them – they both have a laugh that sounds like driving in the cold has made them just a little nutty. In a strange way, it is highly entertaining.

The star of the show – The Dalton – is an amazing twisting, turning, and hilly road, which goes through some beautiful, yet deadly dangerous terrain. This is what brings such tension to the show – one never knows what conditions the drivers will have to face. Personally, I can’t fathom why anyone would want to drive in conditions such as this, and this may be the thing that actually draws me to the show.

Despite the fact that the premise of each episode is the same – driver gets a load to haul, driver has a problem with weather/their truck/their load, driver forges on – it’s still very interesting to see how they go about their work and how different they are in their work habits. I am sure many people never think about how vital these truckers are in order to support everyone’s need for fuel such as natural gas and oil, and what risks these drivers take with each delivery. But ”Ice Road Truckers" is more than just a show about truck drivers. It’s an education about how industry must operate in some of the world’s most inhospitable climates, and how to what lengths some people will go in order to earn a living. It’s an action packed hour that goes by quickly. If you are feeling the heat in your job, watch an episode of Ice Road Truckers, you may appreciate your career choice all the more.

Ice Road Truckers, Season 3 Episode 5 Highlights




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The Philanthropist: Dull, Preachy, Trite

All Photos from NBC

I decided to watch ”The Philanthropist”because Jesse L. Martin, probably most well known to TV viewers from his work on Law & Order, had a starring role. The premise of the show – about a wealthy businessman turned philanthropist – sounded hopeful.

After watching two episodes, I have decided to take the show off my watch list. The first episode was somewhat flat and uninspiring, with the cast having zero chemistry. Martin, who plays the business partner and good friend of the show’s main character, Teddy Rist (James Purefoy), seemed stiff and his character one dimensional. (My husband even commented, “I think Martin made a poor move joining this show.”) Purefoy isn't much better, although he was given more chances with more action scenes, seemingly attempting to be a philanthropist’s version of James Bond. Sadly, his efforts are wasted as the episode became mired in peachiness. I decided to give the first episode a pass, and wait to review the show until the second episode.

The second episode, titled “Myanmar” was even worse. In this episode, the Maidstone-Rist firm is exposed in a press conference as having ties, through business interests in China, to businesses in Myanmar, (formerly known as Burma) where forced labor is used in many places. Teddy decides to help the company clear their name, and for some reason which I didn’t quite understand, Teddy has to get advice from Daw May Lin Wai, a Burmese democratic leader who has been under house arrest in the country almost 20 years. He has to break through security to get through to her, using his “bodyguard” to help create distractions, which of course pulls away all the guards. (As you know, all security guards in television are idiots and easily pulled away from their posts.) Teddy sprints inside, Daw May gives him a “do the right thing” speech, and he manages to escape by running through the back streets, which oddly seemed to be unguarded and what may have been a much easier way in. Of course, Teddy likely thinks he won’t stand out, being the only man in town wearing a suit – a white suit at that.

During his stay, he also meets up with a young girl who needs a kidney transplant, and who happens to have an attractive female doctor. Teddy decides to help get the girl’s father who is supposed to be a donor, but he is being held as a laborer in a ruby mine. Teddy uses his money - and other people - in order to get the girl’s father out, and the transplant is performed in what looks like a hospital that to me doesn’t look to even remotely have the skills and equipment to perform such a surgery.

While all this is going on, Philip Maidstone (Jesse L. Martin) is chairing a board meeting, and one member wants to oust Rist. The whole episode covers Philip telling Teddy’s Myanmar story - with repeated voice over scenes – to try to convince the board to keep Teddy. I always say that if a show needs voice over scene to help the viewers understand things, the show is either too complicated or too boring. In this case, I think boring fits better.

Let’s not forget that Teddy’s efforts to clear the company name gets put by the wayside when he agrees to give the Chinese company even MORE business in order to curry favor with the Myanmar people to help get the girl’s father and his bodyguard and the girl’s father out of jail. So, in order to save one person, Teddy compromised his entire company and possibly enabled even more oppression for the people of Myanmar. Yeah, that was a really bright move. Personally, after Philip told Teddy's story, I heard nothing in it that would make me want to keep Teddy, yet the board allows him to stay on. Go figure.

The show is heavy in the preachiness, trying too hard to prove a point about how bad things are in other countries. Of course Teddy is the only one who seems to “get it”, and it’s all because his son is dead. I am not quite sure how his son died – maybe I dozed off during that part – but I suppose that the show needed some excuse for Teddy to have this sudden desire to save the world. It’s a trite plot device.

So, in my desperation to find new shows to watch in the summer, I am not that desperate that I will continue to watch “The Philanthropist.”

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The Closer “Red Tape”: Murder, Politics, RIP Kitty

All photos from TNT

Monday’s episode of The Closer titled “Red Tape” meant trouble for Sgt Gabriel (Corey Reynolds), Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick), and for Kitty, not necessarily in that order.

It seems while Sgt. Gabriel was out having a drink with Commander Taylor (Robert Gossett) they hear shots outside. When Sgt. Gabriel goes out to investigate, he too comes under fire, and shoots back. Problems ensue for Sgt. Gabriel when Commander Taylor convinces him to leave the scene – against LAPD policy - and accompany Eric Roth, who Sgt. Gabriel shot and injured while returning fire, in the hopes he can get some answers from him. This puts Gabriel in the crosshairs of Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) of Force Investigations Division, who is later on the scene and who also blocks Brenda’s team from investigating the first shooting.

While the detectives mislead Raydor as to which hospital that the injured – and suspected – shooter was taken, Brenda goes to the right hospital to help Gabriel, and gets him counsel before Raydor can attempt to question him. But Raydor does have grounds to demand a Breathalyzer test from Gabriel. An instant pissing match ensues between Raydor and Brenda which carries through the entire episode. While it is somewhat stereotypical to put two headstrong and powerful woman at odds in this manner whenever territorial issues are involved, I must admit it was very entertaining.

As Raydor tries to exert her influence and control over the case, with hanging Sgt. Gabriel as her top priority, Brenda manages to get her way and get access to the crime scene so she can investigate the initial shooting and murder of the newspaper vendor, which started the whole thing. During her investigation Brenda weasels her way into the hospital room of the man that Gabriel shot, much to the displeasure of his parents. A reporter, Ricardo Ramos (Stephen Martines), who is constantly in Brenda’s face trying to get any story he can, wants to break a story with the case. Brenda convinces him to wait and promises him an exclusive story that is better than the one he has now. (She later delivers on her promise.)

Brenda and her team find the bullets from the gun that shot at Sgt. Gabriel back at the scene. Later, her team finds the same bullets fired from the same gun in the fence of the neighbor of the Eric’s uncle, who had been killed in Afghanistan. Apparently Eric and his cousin were using the fence for target practice and the neighbor filed a complaint. This scenario was a bit of a stretch and a very lucky break for Brenda, who uses the information to browbeat Eric – during which time she actually pointed the (unloaded) gun at him – into confessing his involvement in the shooting with his cousin. They were shooting at the newspaper vendor because he was a Muslim, but the man was really an American citizen who was Jewish.

Bottom line is Sgt. Gabriel is cleared and the murderer(s) of the newspaper vendor were identified. The interesting story here is that Brenda may have a new enemy with Captain Raydor. Mary McDonnell played the territorial, cold, and calculating Raydor with convincing ease. She would make a formidable roadblock for Brenda should Raydor ever have another opportunity to cross Brenda's path again. An amusing sight is Asst. Police Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons) who had that “get me out of here” look on his face when forced to mediate between the two. While it seems that movies and TV shows like to portray any scenario where two women must interact on a profession level as turning into a bitchfest, Sedgwick and McDonnell’s skills made this particular encounter believably realistic and almost enjoyable.

Despite the fact that Brenda is tough as nails when it comes to dealing with murder and other major crimes and all the politics that go along with it, she is like a bowl of Jell-O when it comes to her Kitty. Again, her husband FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney) has been relegated to contributing his kitty-sitting skills and provides Brenda with the much-needed push to have Kitty put out of her misery. It is a shame that the series seems to waste Tenney in such a manner. It is clear, however, that while Brenda is at the top of her game in her job, that she needs the stabilizing influence of Fritz. His influence, and his clear thinking, helps Brenda to make the decision to have Kitty put to sleep. Brenda goes so far as to have the vet come to her home to perform the procedure, so Kitty will be more comfortable. And as the show closes, Brenda is embracing her cat, with the heartbreaking tears of her final goodbye.

The Closer is more than just a crime show. It is probably one of the best dramas on television, which successfully blends in crime, workplace politics, work and family relationships, and pets, all into an interesting hour that seems to fly by. Kyra Sedgwick is one of tiny number of actresses whose performances I feel are Emmy-worthy, and this makes the show all the more enjoyable to watch. It’s truly a shame we get such a small number of episodes each season, maybe that Emmy would be the perfect incentive for more episodes next season?


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“The Listener”: Don’t Be A Watcher

In my desperate attempt to fill the void as many of my favorite shows are off for the summer, I’ve been watching a lot of new shows that are airing as summer replacements. There have been a few good shows like ”Raising the Bar” on TNT and ”Royal Pains” on USA, but there have also been a few shows worth missing. One of the latter is ”The Listener”, currently airing Thursday at 10:00 PM ET on NBC.

The series is an export of Canada, having already aired on CTV earlier in the year. It is a drama about a paramedic, Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik), who has the ability to listen to people's most intimate thoughts. Toby did not know his father and spent much of his young life in foster homes. He has kept his special skill a secret, but an old friend and counselor Dr. Ray Mercer (Colm Feore) knows about it, and he later confides about it to his ambulance partner Osman "Oz" Bey (Enis Esmer). The show is set in the streets of Toronto, and I actually find that very enjoyable, as Toronto is a city I used to visit quite often and always enjoyed myself there.

But, the show gets dull and repetitive when Toby’s skill becomes a one trick pony. The supporting cast also doesn’t inspire interest. Toby frequently provides tips for solving a crime to the attractive Detective Marks (Lisa Marcos), with Toby often later telling her "she’s" wrong about the person or the lead he’s given her only after he has read or re-read the suspects’ minds. Personally, I wouldn’t listen to the guy after being jerked around so many times, but Marks continues to do so, being somewhat intrigued, yet the same time suspicious about Toby. It has already gotten old. Likewise with the “dance” he is doing with his former girlfriend Olivia (Mylène Dinh-Robic), who is an E.R doctor. His friend “Oz” wants to use Toby’s gift to pick up girls, now that Toby has confided his secret skill to him.

Toby wants to help others with his skill, but so far, the scenarios seem repetitive and there is nothing that is creating any real interest with Toby’s past. Craig Olejnik does an adequate job in his role, but I have to say that somehow I an distracted by how “pretty” he is and how his hair looks almost too perfectly coiffed. There is also a CSI Miami-like warm orange light that seems to be shining on everyone, as if the color saturation is turned up a little too high. Of course, they take the color in the other direction when Toby reads someone’s mind, with the colors seemingly looking cooler and washed out. I guess Toby’s brain can’t see in full color when he “listens.”

This show is probably OK for you if you are looking for something to just fill the void and you just can’t find anything else better to watch. In my opinion, it is a notch better than watching reality TV, but that is not saying much, seeing that I consider reality TV the lowest on the totem pole, just above paid infomercials. I would love to see a crime show based in Canada, but “The Listener” just isn’t the one I was hoping for.


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“Raising The Bar” Takes It Up A Notch

All photos from TNT

Last September, I wrote a review of ”Raising The Bar” (TNT) that was less than flattering. Now, several episodes and a new season later, I’d like to set the record straight – I think I now like the show.

When ”Raising The Bar” (TNT) started its first season, I felt the show was too forced and too much like every other legal drama out there. I also felt it was very similar to Dick Wolf’s show “Conviction” which was a Law & Order-like show with young lawyers and their young lawyer lives (in other words, shallow).

After not watching “Raising the Bar” and then picking it up later in the year in reruns, something happened. The show grew on me. The characters grew on me. The stories, which were still slightly repetitive in theme, seemed to become a little more complex, along with the characters. It seemed that a show about the selfless public defenders as they battle the nasty prosecutors may have promise.

Now, with the start of the new season last week, the characters are better established, allowing them a little more latitude in where they can take them. Last week, public defender Jerry Kellerman (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) got a much needed haircut, making him look much more professional. It had a marked affect on his case, giving him instant credibility with the jury. It also seemed to have helped Jerry to grow up a bit, while still keeping his desire and passion to fight for the little guy.

This week’s episode, “Rules of Engagement” involves Jerry and prosecutor Michelle Ernhardt (Melissa Sagemiller) having to go before a new judge, Judge Farnsworth (John Michael Higgins). This new judge has a rulebook of his own, including carrying a gun into the courtroom, which he does not hesitate to point at a defendant wielding a chair at him. The judge isn’t willing to bend many rules but they do manage to get some time before the trial actually begins to firm up the case. But Michelle takes to a detective who seems to be using his good looks and likely a few lies to possibly cover up what was a bad arrest, and to win Michelle over and help win the case. Jerry, on the other hand, plays by the rules, and finds himself painted into a corner because of it.

Defender Richard Patrick Woolsley (Teddy Sears) gets to defend two old men – fraternal twins – who were accused of forging a signature on their dead roommate’s welfare check. The two men seem to joke their way through the process, and eventually one of them seems to play dead in court to gain sympathy and negotiate a better deal.

With the prosecutor’s office, Marcus McGrath (J. August Richards ) gets a hot date with a juror (played by Megalyn Echikunwoke) from a losing case he had in the previous week. She also happens to be the borough president’s chief of staff, a nice business connection for Marcus to have. This seems to make head of the prosecutors and resident jerk Nick Balco (Currie Graham) almost a little envious. Where Balco has an excess amount of smarminess, his counterpart in the public defenders office, Rosalind Whitman (Gloria Reuben) is the polar opposite, being almost too saccharine.

After watching Law & Order and its spawn for so many years, it is actually a little refreshing to see a show which covers the average, everyday criminals, and their defenders and prosecutors. While cases seems to move by with the speed of light on most crime shows - with crimes seemingly solved and trials occurring in no time flat - it’s a little alarming with “Raising The Bar” when it seems that the norm is having people sit in jail for months and months on end just waiting for their trial to commence. It’s also different in the fact that the show seems to portray most of the prosecutors as people who will do anything, including fight dirty, in order to win a case and make themselves look good. But don’t expect the public defenders to win every case, either.

So where last year I though that ”Raising The Bar” actually lowered it, I’ve now come to the conclusion that maybe it has actually has raised it a little. So if you’re looking for something to fill in the summer void of legal shows, this show may be just the answer.

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“The Closer” Returns with “Products of Discovery”

Photo from TNT

“The Closer” returned for its fifth season in TNT with tragic case for Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) and her Major Crimes team. It involved the execution style killing of a family, who apparently were doing nothing but having breakfast at the time. While the members of Brenda’s team examine the crime scene, Brenda gets annoyed when Detective Andy Flynn (Anthony John Denison) makes the assumption that it was the family’s father that killed them, and she makes them start all over in videotaping the crime scene, as she doesn’t want any potential for accusations that they made a judgment too soon.

But it seemed a little to obvious early on that the murder was a case of mistaken identity when both the coroner and Detective Lt. Provenza (G.W. Bailey) arrive late to the scene as they went to the wrong address. Maybe I am watching too many crime shows, but with two people commenting about the address mix-up, it seemed a red flag to me.

After Brenda unsuccessfully tries to get a confession out of the husband and father, she has an epiphany that maybe thrse was something to the address mix-up. While she and Sgt. David Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) are out driving, she tells him to drive to the “wrong” address, and when a man answers, he is suddenly whisked away by the FBI. It appears the man at the “wrong” address is being protected as he is a witness for another crime being pursued by the Feds, and Brenda may have just jeopardized that case. Now, she has something more solid to go on, but she can’t get her hands on that witness.

Of course, Brenda mulls this over with her husband, FBI Agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney), who as usual has been relegated to taking care of matters around the house. In this case, it happens to be Brenda’s cat, which refuses to eat. Fritz gives her the usual solid advice on how to proceed with her case – which Brenda takes – but she doesn’t take his advice on wanting to take “kitty” to the vet because he/she is not eating. Brenda instead finds something that the cat will eat, and we find later that Fritz had to clean up the mess later when poor kitty threw it all up.

After a tussle with the FBI in the presence of Asst. Police Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons), Brenda gets the information that she needs to pursue that case to see how it connects with hers. Using that information, plus a box of fundraiser chocolate bars at the crime scene, Brenda and her team determine that the killer was the girlfriend of the man who the FBI witness was going to testify against – and she happened to go to the wrong address. Brenda and her team can’t quite figure out how the incarcerated felon communicated his instructions to his pregnant girlfriend for the hit, since their meetings were recorded. The only thing was that the pair moved in close to the window, and the team assumes she was showing her “assets” to him, outside the view of the camera. But Brenda has another epiphany when getting out of her steamy shower, wiping off the steamed up bathroom mirror. It seems the incarcerated man communicated the location and the instructions to his girlfriend by breathing onto the glass in the prison visitation room, and writing in the “steam” left by his breath. While Brenda interrogates the woman when she comes for her usual visitation for her boyfriend, Brenda shows her that the address is still there when Brenda breathes on it again. It seems this woman used the candy sale for a family member – and an excuse that a pregnant woman needed to use the bathroom - in order to gain entrance to the home. Sadly, she never gave any thought as to why her boyfriend would want a family with children killed, never realizing the address was wrong.

Despite the heinous nature of the crime, Brenda breaks down only when she gets home, and when Fritz tells her that “kitty” may be very ill and may not be coming back.

All in all, despite the early tip off that this was a case of mistaken identity, this was a gripping case that was compelling to watch. “The Closer” is probably one of the best crime shows on television and Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson one of the cagiest investigators – male or female – out there. The supporting cast is also very likeable, which makes the team seem very cohesive. Provenza seemed to be in a bit of a funk, though, seemingly being cranky over some issue that never came to the forefront. Something may have gone wrong in his personal life, because he was a bit more vocal than usual about his opinions of things. I also continue to feel badly for Fritz, who deserves to be more for the show than just Brenda’s houseboy. In fact, I find myself wishing that they could create a spin off series just for Fritz. He can still stay with Brenda, of course, but it would be nice to see him working cases for the FBI.

With the usual shows on summer hiatus, it’s good to know that viewers still have high quality programming like ‘The Closer” to fall back on.




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"Royal Pains” Fun, Cotton-Candy TV

Photo from USA Network

USA Network may have a summer hit on their hands with their new series ”Royal Pains”(USA). The show is fun, it’s fresh, it’s sweet and fluffy, and it’s light entertainment, which is perfect fare for the summer viewing season.

The series is about Dr. Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein), who loses his job as a doctor working in the ER when a high profile patient dies after Hank has treated him. That patient had stabilized, so Hank went back to working with a patient that he brought into the ER and who needed more critical care. But the rich patient with ties to the hospital dies. The hospital doesn’t take kindly to Hank’s error and cuts him loose.

Hank’s fiancé, who seemed more in love with the image of marrying a doctor more than marrying Hank himself, decides to postpone the wedding as she doesn’t think Hank is doing enough to get back to work as a doctor. But when Hank sees her postponement and raises her, the marriage is off and she moves out, taking her things with her. Since her things mean most of the contents of the apartment, Hank is left with a chair and a TV and just his moping about not having a job.

Hank’s brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo), who is a CPA, talks Hank into going to the Hamptons with him for the weekend, implying he has a nice hotel to stay at and that they were invited to a posh party. The hotel turns out to be a dive and Evan winds up using a fake identity to get them access to the party at a mansion. While Hank isn’t thrilled with all of this, he at least breaks a smile when he sees all the beautiful women at the party.

Hank gets to use his skills as a doctor when one of the partygoers collapses, and the concierge doctor at the party wrongly assumes she had overdosed on drugs. Hank stops him from making a fatal error, correctly diagnosing it as exposure to insecticide, and stabilizes her, much to the shock of the doctor and to the pleasure of the party’s host, Boris (Campbell Scott). Boris offers Hank money and the chance to stay at his guesthouse for the summer, but Hank declines. Boris is not one to take no for an answer, leaving a gold bar in Hank’s car to thank him for his work.

But as Hank left the party, he meets a woman (Jill Flint) who drives his same make and model of a car, and they seem to have some chemistry.

Word gets around that Hank is a lifesaver, and this brings Hank a few more impromptu cases: a boy who wrecked his dad’s Ferrari and injured his girlfriend then later he bled internally from his own injury (compounded by the fact he is a hemophiliac); and a woman who gets a “flat tire” – one of her breast implants deflated. While Hank works these medical “emergencies”, his brother eggs him on to jump in to being a concierge doctor, and he picks up a physician’s assistant Divya (Reshma Shetty), who has her car already stocked for work. He also finds out that the woman he met leaving the party is Jill Casey, who works at the local hospital known by the rich locals for its horrific care, maybe good for the “citiots” but not for the spoiled wealthy. Of course, by the end of the show, and after I yelled at the TV a few times telling Hand not to be such an idiot and take the money and run, Hank decides to take Boris up on his offer and move in to Boris’ guest house, causing the original concierge doctor there to be booted out.

Hank Lawson is part MacGyver, using whatever tools he has at hand to fix a problem. OK, some of his ideas here are questionable. I admit I raised my eyebrows right at the beginning of the show when Hank declines to wait for an ambulance and instead jury-rigged a way to get his patient to the ER. It seemed to me that by the time he actually got his patient in the car the ambulance would have already been there, but that’s just me. That was the only thing in the show that gave me pause.

This show does not require a lot of thinking or brainpower to watch. It's cotton candy for the brain. In fact, it may be a little like the Hamptons version of CSI Miami, without the orange glow, the crime, and Horatio Caine. But the writing is better, and the scenarios far more enjoyable. If the pilot episode is anything like how the season will progress, male viewers will get plenty of chances to see scantily clad woman. Will viewers tire of seeing the uber-rich flaunt their wealth and act spoiled, wanting to have better medical care than all the plebes? Will they tire of seeing all the big fancy houses crammed with all the expensive toys and “stuff?” Viewers might. But the show is perfect summer fare, and I highly recommend watching, if not for sheer fun and some escapism.

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Fox’s ‘Mental” Watch At Your Own Risk

All photos from Fox

Tuesday night, Fox premiered its new show, ”Mental”. I actually fell asleep about halfway through, not a good sign. But, I did manage to record it on my DVR so I could at least do a proper postmortem.

Fox describes “Mental” as “a medical mystery drama featuring Dr. Jack Gallagher, a radically unorthodox psychiatrist who becomes Director of Mental Health Services at a Los Angeles hospital where he takes on patients battling unknown, misunderstood and often misdiagnosed psychiatric conditions. Gallagher delves inside their minds to gain a true understanding of who his patients are, allowing him to uncover what might be the key to their long-term recovery.”

It does sound rather interesting on paper, but I think they should call the show “Sleep Clinic” as it could certainly make viewers drowsy, as it did me. Granted, pilot episodes for most shows are always a bit disjointed as they try to establish the premise and the characters. In this case, ‘Mental” did neither. While I could tell this is some sort of psychiatric facility, I really never got a feel for who exactly Dr. Gallagher (Chris Vance) was and what made him so special. I also still have no clue as to who exactly Dr. Carl Belle (Derek Webster) was supposed to be or what his role is with the hospital. At one point he seemed to work for Dr. Gallagher, at another, he seemed to be in a higher position than Nora Skoff (Annabelle Sciorra), who I think is some sort of Dr. Cuddy-like administrator but without the sexy clothes. In fact, the whole show seemed to be an attempt to clone Fox’s show House, but was doing it poorly. Unlike House, Dr. Gallagher doesn’t seem to have anything special going for him that would compel viewers to want to watch the show on a continuing basis.

Also at the hospital is a Dr. Veronica Hayden-Jones (Jacqueline McKenzie), who seems to be the facility's resident adulterer. She is having a fling with Dr. Rylan Moore (Warren Kole) who I think is the Dr. Chase clone. Her story line seemed very clichéd and uninteresting. Even when Dr. Moore closed the blinds and locked the door to what looked like the doctor’s lounge to get cozy with Veronica, the scene was laughable, as neither of them were able to convey any sense of passion or even the hint of chemistry between the two of them. I've seen better kisses in a Disney movie. McKenzie is as cold as a cucumber, and a little too icy and distant.

The medical case was about an apparent pregnant woman who came in to the hospital complaining of contractions. When they discover she is not pregnant despite the fact she looks very pregnant, they move her to the psych ward under the guise that all the other “normal” rooms were full. Rather than just explain to her that she is not pregnant, they decide to wait for her husband to arrive. He happens to be an MD and has also deluded himself into believing she is pregnant. Well, really, he started the delusion and since he told her she was pregnant, she believed it and her body just sort of played along. Of course, eventually they tell her that she isn’t pregnant and get her to take part in a fake surgery (with real surgical instruments) in order to show her husband that he is deluded. They get the scalpel into his hands and suddenly he can’t make the incision for the cesarean. Magically he is cured of his delusion! And I am laughing at how bad this all is.

Another shame is the choice of wardrobe for Annabelle Sciorra. She looked absolutely frumpy in her red puffy dress with a belt, which made her look absolutely huge. While I would never dress her like Dr. Cuddy, I think I would have found something else much more flattering for Annabelle. She did not deserve to be dressed so poorly.

My diagnosis on "Mental" is that it would be okay to watch if there is nothing else on and you’re desperate, or maybe you need to be bored to sleep. With summer reruns in full swing, you may be compelled to check it out for those reasons. For me to say that I liked it, well, that would be just a bit “mental” on my part.


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Conan O’Brien Tonight Show Debut Off to a Running Start

Photo NBC

I’ve always been a fan of Conan O’Brien on his “Late Night” show, but I haven't been able to watch the show for a while (no time!). After watching his debut last night on the Tonight Show, I’m very pleased with what I see as a re-energizing of a tired Tonight Show.

Conan's debut show opened with Conan preparing a checklist of all the things he had to do for his move to Los Angeles, the home of the Tonight Show. The problem is, he forgot to do one important thing on his checklist – actually move to LA. We then see Conan running across the streets of New York, and other locations across the country such as Amish country, St. Louis, Chicago (including a stop running onto Wrigley Field being chased by security), the Grand Tetons, Las Vegas, etc. He also runs past a Victorian Doll Museum, and then backtracks and runs in, where he admires the corn silk hair on one of the dolls. He finally arrives in LA. The problem is, the door to the studio is locked and he left his keys back on his desk in New York. Conan decides to take matters into his own hands and gets a bulldozer to knock the door down.

This was a great beginning to a high-energy show. After the crown quieted down, Conan went into his monologue, which included the following: a welcome from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (a clip of her saying “hello” from some other televised appearance); Conan – or shall I now call him Conando – speaking a line in Spanish; and Conan attending a Lakers game with other famous people, the famous sitting court side, and Conan in the last row on the upper level, eating popcorn and stroking his hair. He also included a tour of Universal studios. Conan put his own spin on the tour – literally – by having the multi-car tram drive in a circle. He then had the tram drive off the Universal lot, getting “lost” in a neighborhood and then going to the 99 cents store to buy everyone on the tram something to remember him by (including toilet paper and lettuce).

As part of his monologue, Conan does what he does best, which is poking fun of himself. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a huge night for me. I remember watching Johnny Carson when I was a kid and thinking, ‘That’s what I wanna be when I grow up…I’m sure right now, somewhere in America, there’s a little kid watching me thinking — What is wrong with that man’s hair? Is that even a man? Why is she crying?”

In order to show the size of his new studio, he brought on the letter “D” (a facsimile of course) from the famous Hollywood sign, which the stagehands proceeded to lop off the top on the doorway as they exited the stage.

Guest stars included Will Ferrell, who made his entrance on a throne carried by four muscled men. Ferrell, who also plugged his upcoming movie “Land of the Lost,” gave Conan some advice on what to do now that he is in LA. Some of his (joking) suggestion included visiting a Burger King in South Pasadena, driving on to the airport tarmac accessed through a hole in the airport fence, and borrowing a gun from any LAPD officer, because they let you borrow them for a day. Pearl Jam was the musical guest – I’ve never been much of a fan of theirs so I just tolerated the performance.

All in all, the show seemed to retain those things that I liked about Conan, the offbeat humor and the high energy. Even though I’m 54, I find Conan’s style much fresher and much more in tune with not only those much younger than me, but for those my age as well who try to stay young. This may be the best thing that has happened to the Today Show in years. The show has won me back with Conan.


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The Tonight Show: Changing of the Guard

This Friday, Jay Leno will have his last show as host of The Tonight Show.

I say this is a good thing. I have always found Leno’s style to be stiff and unfunny. I rarely watched The Tonight Show as it bored me to tears. I never recorded it, either, unlike Late Night With Conan O’Brien, which I used to record frequently. Honestly, I don’t have the time any more for late night TV.

But Leno will still be in our faces in the fall – that is, if you want him to be. As NBC is planning on airing Leno five nights a week in the 10 PM time slot, Leno really won’t be going too far away from his Tonight Show time. What is concerning is that NBC is going to be using mediocre comedian to prop up its prime time 10:00 PM slot. Let’s be honest, NBC hasn’t been able to pull off a new show in that time slot for years. OK, let's be brutal - they haven't pulled off a sustainable hit in prime time at all. Frankly, NBC has done little to promote the shows it has in the 10 PM time slot now, like Law & Order and Law & Order SVU. If it weren’t for fans who keep the L&O franchise alive by sharing every little tidbit of information they can glean from other non-NBC sources, the L&O franchise would have tanked a long time ago.

But now, NBC seems to have run out of ideas for new dramas, and has decided to throw caution, and their network, to the wind by airing Jay Leno at 10:00 PM against shows like CSI Miami and CSI New York, which have been cleaning NBC’s clock for quite some time now. My opinion is that Leno is too bland to be able to consistently draw viewers to the 10 PM slot. I suspect that some may tune in initially just to see what it is like – but only if there is nothing better on the other networks. (Good luck with that, NBC.)

I suspect that Conan O’Brien will have a much better time in his new slot, unless he won’t be able to deliver his usual “unusual” comedy at the slightly earlier hour. I am thrilled that Conan is finally getting into a slot that will get him more exposure.

But, if/when Leno fails at the 10:00 PM time slot, what then for NBC? Is there anyone else or anything else waiting in the wings to replace Leno? I seriously doubt it. I sense NBC is a little too confident about Leno in this new time slot to even be thinking that the show could flop.

I haven’t decided yet if I am going to bother to watch. I think I may wait for the reports to come in for a few weeks to see if it is even worth my time. If I heard good press, I will be happy to give it a look. And if I like it, I will certainly eat my words and admit I was wrong. I don’t suspect the latter will be happening, though.


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I Skipped American Idol – And Lived To Tell About It

Photo from Fox

I actually did it. I got through the entire season without watching one – NOT ONE – episode of American Idol. And I lived to tell about it.

Our local Fox station provided highlights of each show ad nauseam, so it only took two minutes to get an idea of the contestants’ abilities. In addition, other shows like the morning infotainment shows like the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The View often also provided coverage. Why bother to sit though hours and hours of marginal singing if someone else can just provide a condensed version? There are so many other better shows on television these days that American Idol just doesn’t warrant such an investment of my time.

Of course, when I turned on the news this morning, I heard that Kris Allen won in an upset over Adam Lambert. Since I didn’t spend one second of my valuable time dialing in to vote, or spend any of my valuable money sending text messages to vote, the news didn’t bother me. In fact, I chuckled a little inside at the AI judges who seemed so sure Adam would win as they fawned over him week after week, and at the press that had already provided Adam with his picture on the cover of magazines, apparently crowning him as king somewhat prematurely.

I have to admit that I cringed when our local Fox station played the song, “"No Boundaries” that both contestants had to sing in their final sing-off that AI judge Kara DioGuardi had a hand in writing. Not only was it unlistenable, it apparently was unsingable as it was reported that both contestants sounded awful.

So, I’m glad I missed all of it. It sounds like I didn’t miss much. It’s been reported by many sources that with each year, American Idol continues to lose viewers. I suspect that with each passing year, viewers realize that there really is more to television – and to life – than obsessing about a bunch of wanna-be stars who may or may not be able to carry a tune.

And that’s all I have to say on the subject – until next season, of course!



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“24” Day 7 Season Finale Does Not Disappoint

All photos from Fox

Last night’s 2-hour season finale for ”24” (Fox) delivered the usual action packed close to the season. I admit I was worried when, in the previous week’s episode, that it seemed Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) would be the center of the story. Things that involve Kim with this series have usually not ended well – especially for the viewers. But I have to admit that her storyline in the finale wasn’t as horrible as I expected. Still, it seems to me that the writers need to find another way to interject personal drama into one of Jack’s days without having to bring Kim in to do it.

We also learned that Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) has truly gone over to the dark side, all over the death of his wife, and the big reveal – she was pregnant with his son. His son! Well, I suppose if it would have been a daughter maybe he would not have been so crazed. Still, it seems rather pathetic that they would take Tony and allow such a beloved character to be “resurrected” only to have him turn so bad that the prospect of the death of thousands of people at his hands wouldn’t make him bat an eye. Tony deserved better.

The other main story in the finale was President Allison Taylor’s (Cherry Jones) daughter Olivia (Sprague Grayden), who gets her comeuppance when her wish to have Jonas Hodges (Jon Voight) killed backfires on her. Olivia’s involvement is discovered by the ever-watchful Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce (Glenn Morshower), and later confirmed by the former White House Chief of Staff, Ethan Kanin (Bob Gunton). I figured, though, that Agent Pierce and Kanin would be smart enough to keep the data card safely out of the hands of Olivia, so that aspect of the finale was a bit predictable. I was thrilled when President Taylor makes the hard choice and decided to turn in her daughter Olivia for her involvement in Hodges’ death. Cherry Jones did an excellent job in her role as president, consistently convincing as a person who has the highest respect for her office and for the people of the United States. I hope they find an excuse to bring her back in this role next season.

Agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching) finally “gets it” and comes to grips with why Jack Bauer is the way he is. And she looks like she wants a piece of that action, too. Jack can turn even the nicest person over to his “dark side” ways of getting his job done. But, it seems we have a new “evildoer” in Alan Wilson (Will Patton) and I wonder if he will come back to haunt them, that is, if her survives his session with Renee.

It wouldn’t be a finale without Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub), and she and Janis (Janeane Garafolo) finally work together as a team, and Chloe actually complements Janis. I think I felt a disturbance in the force.

Of course, since “24” has been renewed for another season, Kim comes in and saves the day, offering to participate in a bone marrow transplant to help save her now comatose father who is dying from the biotoxin. They begin to prepare for the operation as the season ends, and we can presume that Jack will live for another season – oops, I mean another DAY.

All in all, a nice, neat close to a very interesting season, with not as many scenarios that strained believability as in the past. Oh sure, there were some - after all, Jack Bauer’s day has to have the element of incredible happenings in it. With the end of every season I wonder how they will be able to top it next season, somehow, with Jack Bauer’s talents, I don’t think they will have any problems finding him something exciting to do.

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Lost Season Finale “The Incident” A Good vs. Evil Saga?

Photo from ABC

I was going to do a full recap on the season finale for Lost (ABC) “The Incident, Part 1 and 2” but gave up after about 20 minutes and an oncoming migraine (triggered by the show, I am sure). There was just too much to try to keep up on the little details. But don't despair, here are the high points. written in my original “stream of consciousness” mode. It’s hard to write a short sentence describing what happens on this show because everything is so interconnected. Here goes:



The show opens with a man talking with Jacob (Mark Pellegrino) who is frying a fish he just caught on a rock. Jacob is wearing white and the other man is wearing black. A sailing ship approaches the Island and the man in black says it always ends the same – they come, fight, destroy and corrupt. Jacob says it only ends once, anything else that happens before that is just progress. The man in black asks Jacob if he knows how badly he wants to kill him, and Jacob says yes. Man in black says one of these days, sooner or later, says he will find a loophole, and Jacob says when he finds it, he will be waiting her on the Island.

Kate (Evangeline Lilly) convinces Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) to get off the sub and stop Jack (Matthew Fox) from blowing up the Island with the hydrogen bomb, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) doesn’t want to go but Juliet forces the issue when she disables someone on the sub and takes his gun and then Sawyer and Kate and Juliet ask to get off the sub so they can go back. Later, after Sawyer beats Jack to a pulp, Juliet announces she has changed her mind and Jack is right, he has to blow up the Island to put things back where they were supposed to be, and oh by the way women can change their minds.

Jacob has been on the Island a long time but has also directly touched many of the Islander lives in the past: Kate’s, while she was shoplifting as a child; Hurley (Jorge Garcia), while getting out of jail; reviving or resurrecting Locke (Terry O’Quinn) after he falls from a building; being at Sun (Yunjin Kim) and Jin’s (Daniel Day Kim) wedding; asking Sayid (Naveen Andrews) for directions as Sayid’s wife is hit and killed by a car; and Sawyer, when he was at the funeral for his parents. Jacob is on the island but also not on the Island, but when on the Island but did not live in the cabin like Ben thought but it is living in the foot of the four-toed statue that remains from the giant statute.

Locke is alive and yet he is dead (more on this later), but the “alive” Locke tells Ben (Michael Emerson) to kill Jacob because Jacob never ever saw Ben and Jacob would always pass messages to Ben through Richard, never in person, and Ben should be angry about that. Ben gets mad and stabs Jacob.

Richard still keeps his youthful looks but does not seem to have traveled through time to stay this way. He looks like he has been wearing the same "guyliner" for years on his eyes.

Rose and Bernard are still alive and having fun living on the Island under the radar and stealing Dharma food.

Miles’ (Ken Leung) father wants to stop drilling by the Swan location but Radzinsky (Eric Lange) wants to go ahead and he opens up the energy field and everything metal starts getting sucked into the hole. Yet bullets continue to fly and don’t seem to be affected by this phenomenon. Juliet falls into the hole and Sawyer tries to save her but she loves him enough to let him go and she seems to be doomed to die as she seemingly detonates the hydrogen bomb that Jack obtained from “Jughead” just like Faraday told him to and which Sayid rigged before he was shot and started bleeding to death.



Whew! (You know, I actually laughed when I re-read what I wrote above but I swear all of that was really in the show.)

What does it all mean? There are so many theories out there that it could make one dizzy. I for one still have the feeling that someone is making things up as they go along. But seriously, I think the most important scene was the very first segment with Jacob and the man in black. It seems like they are both outlining the classic good vs. evil story, Jacob in white being good, man in black being evil. Everything else that happened on the show seems to indicate that everyone else on the Island are just part of the ongoing battle between good and evil, angels and demons, God and the Devil. Still, I found the 2 hour finale overly confusing and maybe even a little bloated. It was certainly not as tight and elegant, or as surprising, as the season finale for Fringe, one of J.J. Abrams other shows. There was nothing that really took me by surprise during this finale, not even Locke’s dead body dropping out of the container. As soon as they showed an airplane container big enough to hold a body, I knew he was in there. Still, it does beg the question – how can Locke be dead and yet alive and taunting Ben to kill Jacob? Is the “alive” Locke really Locke at all? Does this have anything to do with the “loophole” that the man in black mentioned at the very start of the show? If Juliet really did detonate the hydrogen bomb by hitting it with a rock, where will all the “Lost” people be at the beginning of what is being billed as the final season? Back where they started before the flight, or on the flight, headed to their original destinations? One thing is for sure, despite the fact that this show gives me a headache and makes my head spin, I will be back next season to hopefully get all the answers.

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