2013 Fall Pilot Battles

I was hoping to write another post about the fall TV season earlier, but it has been difficult to keep up with all of my shows. So I decided to wait until I watched all of the pilots that I wanted to watch and briefly review them all in a single post. I only watched the pilots whose trailers interested me, so keep in mind that there are several other new shows this season that I will not discuss. Also, some of these shows are a few episodes in because the pilots aired at different times. Therefore, I will try to limit my reviews to the pilot episodes. Finally, since there are six pilots that I watched, I decided it would be fun to pair them up by genre and say which one in each pair I liked better. That's about all I have to say as an introduction, so let's get to it.

The Sitcoms: The Millers (CBS) vs Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

The Millers: The only reason I watched this pilot is because it stars Will Arnett. Arnett plays a recently divorced man whose mother (Margo Martindale) moves in with him after separating from his father (Beau Bridges). The pilot was very predictable and many of the jokes fell flat. However, I did think Arnett was very good as the straight man, and his reactions to his irreverent parents were pretty funny. That said, this show will have to hook me in the next couple of episodes for me to continue watching it.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Andy Samberg leads the cast of this workplace comedy as goofball detective Jake Peralta whose NYC precinct comes under new command when hard-ass Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) takes over. I thought Samberg was hilarious as the childish-yet-effective detective, and Braugher was great as the stoic, seasoned captain. I look forward to seeing their relationship take shape. The rest of the characters each have their quirks and were only mediocre in the pilot, but I think that with time and character development, this show can be great.

Winner: Brooklyn Nine-Nine wins by a long shot, but I do hope that The Millers can find its footing, if only for Will Arnett.

The Monday Night Thrillers: The Blacklist (NBC) vs Hostages (CBS)
The Blacklist: James Spader stars as elusive criminal Raymond "Red" Reddington who turns himself into the FBI and offers to help them catch other terrorists and criminals under the condition that he speaks only to new recruit Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). I enjoyed this pilot and thought Spader was great as the cryptic fugitive. Something about Spader's delivery makes me question everything that Reddington says, which I'm sure is the point. I'm not sold on Boone quite yet, but I think she'll grow on me in time. The episode had several twists and set up multiple plot points, so I am interested to see where this show goes.

Hostages: Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette) is a day away from operating on the president when her family is taken hostage by a group led by FBI Agent Duncan Carlisle (Dylan McDermott). The acting in this pilot was solid all around, and the plot is new and exciting. The twist at the end sets up for an interesting dynamic between Ellen and Duncan, and I look forward to seeing how it plays out. My only problem with the show is that Ellen's husband, son, and daughter each have a secret that is very predictable, so I hope the show doesn't dwell too much on those subplots.

Winner: I have to give a slight edge to Hostages because of the plot and acting. Even though The Blacklist had better twists, there may have been too many. Also, Hostages seems to be more of a serial, which I prefer to procedurals.

The "Superhero" Dramas: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) vs The Tomorrow People (The CW)
S.H.I.E.L.D.: Marvel's TV spinoff of its movie franchise, S.H.I.E.L.D. takes place after the events of The Avengers and Iron Man 3 and sees a revived Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) lead a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they deal with extra-normal situations. This was easily one of the most hyped shows of the season, and sadly, the pilot didn't live up to the hype. However, I still enjoyed it and I think the show has potential. Gregg gives a good performance, but the rest of the cast needs to find some chemistry. The best part of the pilot was Fitz-Simmons, a pair of scientists, Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, who deliver some of the funniest lines of the episode. Given some character development and strong storylines, I think this show could be a hit.

The Tomorrow People: Strange things have been happening to high school student Stephen Jameson (Robbie Amell, cousin of Arrow's Stephen Amell), who finds out that he is a member of a superhuman race called "Tomorrow People." These people have the powers of teleportation, telekinesis, and telepathy, and they are being hunted by an organization called Ultra, led by Dr. Jedekiah Price (Mark Pelligrino). I originally wasn't planning on watching this pilot because it is on The CW and the only CW shows I've liked are Smallville and Arrow, both based on DC Comics characters, but I decided at the last minute to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. While not a great show, the plot kept me interested and the action sequences, though not Arrow quality, were pretty good. Also, the ending surprised me, and it seems that the show is going in a direction that I had not expected for this type of show. I'm intrigued, so I will keep watching for now.

Winner: Based solely on the pilots, this one is a draw. S.H.I.E.L.D. was over-hyped and fell short, while The Tomorrow People didn't seem too interesting but was a surprise. If I could only watch one, I would probably choose S.H.I.E.L.D. simply because of the Marvel brand, but quality-wise, these pilots were pretty even.

That's it for now. There are more pilots that I'm looking forward to this season, but they don't air for a while. In the meantime, I'll be trying to catch up on these shows and all of the returning shows that I watch. If anything strikes me as exceptionally noteworthy, I'll write about it, but since I'm very behind, don't expect another post any time soon. As always, feel free to leave your thoughts on these or any other pilots in the comments.

'How I Met Your Mother' Premiere Review: This Is It

The fall TV season has arrived. And with it comes a whole slew of TV shows to look forward to. Unfortunately I didn't get around to writing a "most anticipated" list this year, so I will just be writing reviews as the shows premiere. First up is the final season of How I Met Your Mother. If you haven't seen the premiere yet, I recommend watching it before reading this post.

In last season's finale, the gang was getting ready to go to Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin's (Cobie Smulders) wedding (we also got our first look at The Mother, but I'll get to that). Last night's hour-long premiere picked up right where we left off, 55 hours before the wedding. This season will take place entirely within the wedding weekend and will culminate (I assume) in Ted (Josh Radnor) meeting The Mother. This is definitely an interesting choice because 24 episodes worth of story will only take up two and a half days, but based on the premiere, I think it will turn out alright.

A lot happened in this episode, so I will break it down by each character's storyline. First I'll talk about Marshall (Jason Segel). At the end of last season, Marshall was in Minnesota visiting his mother with Marvin before the planned move to Italy. However, he ends up taking a judgeship position without telling Lily (Alyson Hannigan). Now on the plane, Marshall sees an online post from his mother congratulating him. He then tries to get her to delete it before Lily sees it. This leads to an altercation with the passenger next to him, Daphne (Sherri Shepherd), which gets them both kicked off the plane, and there are no open flights to New York left. They eventually end up renting a car together to drive to New York. While this is one of the weakest Marshall subplots I've seen, Segel and Shepherd seemed to have some chemistry, so I am looking forward to their interactions on the road.

Next up is Barney and Robin. The first half of the premiere saw the couple in the back of the limo discussing "wild cards," people who could possibly ruin the wedding. They then realize that they share a crazy Cousin Mitch, and they are afraid they might be related. Although it turned out to be a false-alarm, it allowed for an awesome Game of Thrones reference and led to this exchange:

Barney: Our wedding is going to be legendary
Robin: No waitforit?
Barney: I’ve got you. I don’t have to wait for it anymore. 

As cheesy as this line is, this new side of Barney is nice to see. He has matured a lot in the last couple of seasons. This maturation is also seen in his reaction to finding out that his brother James (Wayne Brady), whose marriage made Barney believe in true love, is getting a divorce. Instead of freaking out like Robin expected, Barney takes it very well. I'm sure there will be hurdles to overcome in Barney and Robin's story this season, but for now, it's good to see them happy.

Speaking of being happy, let's go on to Ted, who repeatedly has to insist to the hotel clerk (Roger Bart) that he is happy after he asks for a single key to his room. (Sidebar: I loved this gag. I thought Bart was hilarious as the clerk, who was really concerned for Ted.) Ted didn't have much to do in this episode, but future Ted reveals that he will be the wild card at the wedding. That may or may not have something to do with the locket that Robin was looking for last season and that ended up in Ted's pencil box. In a flashback, we find out that the pencil box ended up with Stella, who has since moved to Los Angeles. Although Ted promised Lily that he wouldn't go after it, another flashback shows Ted buying a ticket to L.A. four days ago. I don't know where this storyline is going, but I'm excited to find out how Ted becomes the wild card. The episode ended with a flashforward to one year later, when Ted brings The Mother, played very well by Cristin Milioti, back to the hotel. This is the first scene with both Ted and The Mother, and even though it wasn't present-day Ted, it was still an amazing, heartwarming scene. Radnor and Milioti have great chemistry, and hopefully we will see more scenes with them together this season.

Finally we get to Lily. Like I said earlier, we got our first look at The Mother last season. In the first half hour, we get to see more of her when Lily meets her on the train. Lily is the first of the gang to meet The Mother, and they hit it off right away. We also learn through future Ted's narration some great things about The Mother, like her nickname for slow-driving Ted, Tedwina Slowsby, and her love for some of the same nerdy things that Ted loves. Lily's interactions with The Mother provided the beginning of a picture of Ted's future wife. So far Milioti is great in this high-pressure role, and I'm really excited to see how The Mother gets along with the rest of the gang. The rest of Lily's storyline was nothing special, but I'm sure she'll have more to do once Marshall gets there and tells her about the judgeship.

Overall, I really liked this episode. It wasn't perfect, but it was a solid start to what promises to be an eventful final season. It got the ball rolling for some interesting storylines, and gave us a look into who Ted is going to spend the rest of his life with. How exactly he meets her is still uncertain, but I look forward to seeing how he gets from the lonely single guy at his best friends' wedding to the happy, lovestruck guy we saw in the flashforward. 

'The Bridge' Pilot Review: Culture Clash

On Wednesday FX aired the pilot of its newest drama, The Bridge. The show begins with a mysterious figure strategically placing a body on the border between El Paso, TX, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This forces two detectives, Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) from El Paso and Marco Ruiz (Demián Bichir) from Juarez, to work together on the case, which seems to be the work of a serial killer.

The most interesting thing about The Bridge is its depiction of the culture clash between the U.S. and Mexico. Immigration is a hot topic today, so it's about time a TV show takes a look at the differences between Mexican and American cultures. The Bridge handles this well by not focusing on either culture but rather providing a balanced and (so far) unbiased look at both. It is very interesting to see how police work is conducted on either side of the border. Sonya does everything by-the-book and puts a lot of effort into her work, while Ruiz is more laid back because in Juarez, the police are often bribed by drug cartels, so many cases are not looked into thoroughly.

The differences between the two detectives are also seen in their personalities, which are portrayed well by the two leads. I quickly grew fond of Ruiz thanks to Bichir's acting. Bichir seems to lose himself in the role, making Ruiz a very real and likable character. He is a family man and seems to be one of the few uncorrupted cops in the Juarez police force. I couldn't help but smile during many of his interactions with Sonya, who is almost completely opposite Ruiz.

Kruger, however, did not grab my attention as much as Bichir. At first her acting seemed rather stiff, but then I realized that it was the character who is stiff. Sonya is a professional, but she lacks personality, which seems to be the point of her character. Whether it is because of a mental illness or something from her past is unclear, but Sonya buries herself in her work and lacks empathy, as seen (and directly stated) when she must tell the victim's husband the bad news. Kruger portrays this lack of emotion well, but it is kind of a turn-off. Hopefully her character will be developed and provide Kruger with some more room to act.

The episode was rather slow-paced, but for some reason I didn't mind that.  Pilot episodes are usually fast-paced to draw in viewers, but this one was slower yet still managed to keep my attention. The pacing allowed me to get to know the characters, but not through heavy exposition. It was their interactions with each other that showed me who they are.

There are many lingering questions other than the main case that make this show very intriguing and will keep me watching. The biggest question is how the two subplots connect to the main case. In one, a woman named Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) has just been widowed and discovers a second phone among her late husband's pocket, leading her to snoop around their property. In the other, a shady American kidnaps a young Mexican woman. Whether he is the killer remains to be seen, but he is certainly suspicious.

The Bridge definitely seems to be a show to stick with. The two main characters are interesting, and I am excited to learn more about their pasts. The acting overall is very good. Two other great performances to point out are Ted Levine as Sonya's boss and Matthew Lillard as a jerk journalist. Finally, the writers did an excellent job with raising both questions about the plot and about culture and morality. Not only does this show make you wonder what will happen next, but it also makes you think about the differences between the U.S. and Mexico.

If you didn't watch The Bridge, I highly recommend it. If you did, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

Freshman Show Roundup Part 2: 'Go On,' 'The Following,' and 'Nashville'

Like myself, most new shows of the 2012-2013 TV season have finished their freshman year. I decided that in order to save time, I will write brief assessments of all of the new shows that I watched. These include the ones that I highlighted back in September (with the exception of Elementary, whose pilot didn't hook me enough to keep watching) as well as a few that I picked up along the way. To avoid information overload (and also to give my fingers a break), I will do this in two posts, each one briefly summarizing and assessing three shows. I won't include spoilers since my hope is that you might decide to watch one or more of these shows if you haven't seen them.

For Part 2 I will discuss NBC's Go On, FOX's The Following, and ABC's Nashville. You can read Part 1 here.

Go On
Summary: After his wife passes away, cocky radio sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry) is ordered by his boss Steven (John Cho) to attend group therapy sessions. With the help of group leader Lauren (Laura Benanti) and the group's odd members, Ryan tries to cope with his loss as well as become a better person.
Assessment: Although not the funniest sitcom on TV, I really enjoyed Go On. Unfortunately, despite its good ratings early on, NBC canceled it after the 22-episode season ended. However, the show did have some closure in its final episode, which is always nice. While Perry was great in this role, I especially liked all of the supporting characters. Every member of the group was funny in his or her own way, and there was a good variety of personalities. My favorite character was easily the wonderfully odd and creepy Mr. K (Brett Gelman). Cho was underused in the show's early episodes, but in the second half he had a bigger role. The diverse cast is what made this show, but it was probably hurt by its writing, which wasn't always the best it could have been. That being said, had it been given a second season, I think Go On could have become a hit. This one will be missed.
Rating: 4/5

The Following
Summary: Serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) escapes from prison, and former FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) must consult on the case to track him down. The FBI soon learns that Carroll has gathered a cult following during his time in prison.
Assessment: Going in, I expected The Following to be a procedural show with each episode showcasing one of Carroll's followers. I was excited to learn that I was wrong and that it is, in fact, a serialized show. Bacon and Purefoy played off of each other well, and I thought Purefoy, for the most part, was great as the sadistic, manipulative, and brilliant serial killer. At some points he tried to be a bit too poetic, but I was able to overlook that. It seems that the writers tried to develop Bacon's character this season, but I don't think it worked the way they wanted it to. Hopefully they can flesh Ryan out some more in the second season. Also, I enjoyed Shawn Ashmore as young agent Mike Weston. He was given a good storyline in the second half of the season that I'm not convinced we've seen the end of. Finally, I appreciate the decision to keep the season to only 15 episodes instead of the usual 22. In fact, I think the season could have been shortened even more. The shorter season allows for a more fast-paced show (something that I think Revolution needs). Overall, there are definitely some kinks to work out next season, but I will continue watching.
Rating: 4/5

Nashville
Summary: Veteran country singer Rayna James (Connie Britton) and young sensation (think Taylor Swift) Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) must put aside their differences--or at least pretend to--when they are forced to go on tour together. There are about a million other characters and plots but this is the main one.
Assessment: I'll be honest. I watched this pilot for two reasons: 1) it got amazing reviews, and 2) Hayden Panettiere. It was a good pilot, but I hate strongly dislike country music, so the only reason I continued watching was because my girlfriend wanted to keep watching. However, I will admit that despite the excessive drama, the acting and writing--and, yes, the music, if I must be objective--are pretty good overall. Although the drama was painful to sit through at times, the acting, especially by Panettiere, who excels as the bitchy and arrogant pop star, and Charles Esten, who was a surprise as Rayna's band leader and ex-boyfriend Deacon Claybourne, was enough to get me through it. That said, some of the plots--and maybe even some of the characters--should be cut out for the next season. If it were up to me, I probably wouldn't watch next season because it's not my cup of tea, but between my girlfriend and those darn cliffhangers in the finale, I'll most likely be tuning in.
Rating: 3.5/5

So there you have it. Those are the six new shows I watched this season. (I'm also watching Hannibal, but there's still two episodes left, so I will likely review that by itself.) As always, leave your thoughts in the comments. And if there are any other freshman shows you watched that you think I would like, by all means let me know. 

Freshman Show Roundup Part 1: 'Revolution,' 'Arrow,' and 'Last Resort'

Like myself, most new shows of the 2012-2013 TV season have finished their freshman year. I decided that in order to save time, I will write brief assessments of all of the new shows that I watched. These include the ones that I highlighted back in September (with the exception of Elementary, whose pilot didn't hook me enough to keep watching) as well as a few that I picked up along the way. To avoid information overload (and also to give my fingers a break), I will do this in two posts, each one briefly summarizing and assessing three shows. I won't include spoilers since my hope is that you might decide to watch one or more of these shows if you haven't seen them.

For my first post I will discuss NBC's Revolution, The CW's Arrow, and ABC's Last Resort.

Revolution
Brief Summary: Fifteen years after a mysterious blackout rid the world of electricity, Charlie Matheson (Tracy Spiridakos) must rescue her brother Danny (Graham Rogers) from the militia of the Monroe Republic, one of the republics that arose to replace the United States government. Along the way, Charlie learns about her family's involvement in the blackout.
Assessment: Revolution began as one of my favorite new shows, but in the middle of the first half of the season it lost some steam. Not much happened as Charlie, Miles (Billy Burke), and the rest of their gang made their way to Philadelphia to rescue Danny. The show picked up again for the midseason finale (you can read my review for that episode here), but then the second half was the same as the first. It started out strong, was a little slow in the middle, then picked up toward the end. For the most part, I really enjoyed the last few episodes, especially the season finale. The end of the finale made me very excited for the next season. It seems like they're going in a completely different direction for the second season, which I think is a smart move.
Overall Rating for the Season: 3.5/5

Arrow
Summary: (Based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow) After being stranded on an island for five years, wealthy playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) returns to Starling City to right the wrongs of his father as a masked vigilante. Flashbacks reveal what happened to Oliver during his time on the island.
Assessment: As a fan of DC Comics, I was very excited for Arrow, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it quickly became my favorite new fall show. The acting and writing were both very good, and the action sequences were excellent. What made the show even better for me was the inclusion of several minor DC characters and subtle references to the comics. The island flashbacks started out somewhat weak, but they became much better once Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) was introduced. I would recommend this show not only to fans of DC Comics but also to people who like exciting, action-packed TV shows. Because the show is on The CW, there is of course a love triangle subplot, but that is overshadowed by the rest of the show.
Rating: 5/5

Last Resort
Summary: After U.S. Navy Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) refuses an order to fire a nuclear missile from his submarine, he is attacked by another US sub. He and his crew, including his second-in-command Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman), take refuge on a small island.
Assessment: Power struggles and government conspiracies abound in this short-lived ABC drama. Last Resort was canceled about halfway through its 13-episode run, but fortunately that gave the writers time to craft an ending that gave some closure to those who stuck with the show. I was one of those people. I don't think it was good enough to deserve a second season, but I enjoyed the show while it lasted. Braugher and Speedman were both great in the lead roles, but there were too many minor characters to keep track of. The conspiracy plot was intriguing but also somewhat confusing. Overall, I liked the show, but I'm not sad to see it go.
Rating: 2.5/5

That's it for part one. Stay tuned for part two, where I will discuss Go On, The Following, and Nashville.

'The Office' Series Finale Review: A Perfect Goodbye

After nine seasons, NBC aired the series finale of The Office last night. What started off as a great show became somewhat mediocre in its second half. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't as must-see as it was in its earlier seasons. Exit Steve Carell in season 7, and people wondered whether the show could survive. Carell was surely missed, but I think the show did well without him. He was just one actor in a very large, very solid cast, and that cast helped keep the show alive. Season 8 was definitely not the best of the series, but it could have been a lot worse. I know that a lot of people hated the odd, creepy Robert California (James Spader), but I, for one, thought Spader was a good addition to the cast for one season. Then, after season 8 ended, NBC and the showrunners agreed that season 9 would be the final season. I was excited because it's always nice for showrunners to go into a season knowing it will be the last so that they can end the series properly. Season 9 started off ok (it didn't feel very different from season 8), but by the second half, the writers kicked it into full gear and ended the series perfectly.

In the second half of this season, we were introduced to one of the members of the documentary crew, that is, the people behind the cameras that have been following these people around for 9 years. This was the first acknowledgement in a while of this show actually being a PBS documentary. Then the promos for the documentary aired and we realized that we're approaching the end. Throughout the series, we often forgot that these people were the subject of a documentary, so bringing that to the foreground in the final episodes brought the show full-circle. It was a very fitting way to end the series.

This episode takes place one year after the airing of the documentary as a sort of "Where are they now?" episode. It centered around two major events: a Q&A panel for the characters (i.e. the subjects of the documentary) and Dwight and Angela's wedding, with the wedding getting the primary focus. The wedding, although a little cliché, is a perfect way to bring back old characters, including, of course, our favorite Regional Manager--Michael Scott (Carell).

Carell's appearance, though not very surprising, was beautifully handled. Jim, Dwight's best man, had been pulling a series of "gutenpranks" (good pranks) to surprise Dwight. These included making excuses to PBS so that the Q&A panel fell on the same weekend as the wedding (so people like Andy and Darryl would be there), giving Dwight the chance to fire a bazooka as part of his bachelor party, giving him the opportunity to reconcile with Kevin (whom Dwight had fired), and making up a phony tradition that meant Michael would have to replace Jim as best man. This last gutenprank led to one of the best lines of the episode when Dwight sees Michael:

Dwight: I can't believe you came.
Michael: That's what she said.

This moment, Michael's final "That's what she said," was beautiful and completely captured the character of Michael Scott. What made this cameo great was that it was just that: a cameo. Carell had only a couple of lines, so he didn't steal the episode away from everyone else. But we did find out that Michael finally got the family he always wanted, which was a heartwarming revelation.

The other characters all got closure as well. Oscar is running for senate; Erin found her biological parents; Andy got a job at Cornell; Stanley is retired; Creed got arrested for a long list of things I can't even begin to recount (but not before singing an original song about friendship); and Jim and Pam, who had had marital struggles this season, sold their house and are moving to Austin where Jim will work for the company he helped start earlier this season. All of this closure is exactly what you want to see in a series finale, especially one for a show with a large cast of characters that you've grown to love.

The last ten minutes of the episode almost had me tearing up. Everyone got their last word in their final testimonials. And it all ended with Pam's perfect closing line about choosing Dunder Mifflin for a documentary: "There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn't that kinda the point?"

Although it was not a perfect series, I am very glad to have stuck with The Office through all of its ups and downs. It is and probably always will be one of my favorite sitcoms, and the finale, by highlighting all of the characters, reminded me why that is. The Office will be missed, but I can't imagine a better way to say goodbye.

'How I Met Your Mother' Finale Reaction: Buckle Up

Like my last HIMYM post, I'm not going to write a formal review because my feelings about last night's finale are mixed, and I don't really how to put them into words. Also, I want to address next season, which requires a lot of speculation. So excuse the randomness of this post because I'm going to rant.

There was a major reveal at the end of this episode, so if you haven't seen it, stop reading immediately.

I both liked and disliked this episode. I liked it because it had a good mix of comedy and drama, which is something that HIMYM does well most of the time. I loved Barney and Robin's interactions with the other couple. I also liked the more dramatic scenes between Lily and Ted, even though I'm sick of Ted pining over Robin. What I didn't like was that nothing was really resolved. I know that finales are supposed to end with cliffhangers, which this episode did, but they also should resolve the main plots of the season. It did resolve Barney and Robin's hesitance to get married, but Lily and Marshall's move to Italy was further complicated rather than resolved, and Ted's moving to Chicago came out of nowhere. In that sense, this episode felt more like a "part 1" of a finale than a finale.

That is, except for the last shot. Showing The Mother's face was a curveball I was not expecting and was a perfect way to end a finale. However, I don't know if it was the right choice given the nature of this show. For those of you who don't know, next season will be the last, so Ted has to meet The Mother next season. What worries me is when he'll meet her. Future Ted said that he meets her at the wedding, which will probably happen early next season. So if he meets her then, what will the rest of the season be about? I always thought that Ted would meet The Mother in the series finale, you know, since the title is How I Met Your Mother. I wonder if Ted will only briefly meet her at the wedding and the rest of the season will lead up to them starting to date. Or the entire season could be them dating, but  then what would be the endgame? A logical ending to that season would be Ted proposing, but to me, that would be too soon. But then again, that's something Ted would do. Anyway, I hope it's the former because I don't think I would like an entire season of them dating, leading up to a proposal. I would rather them start dating in the finale than get engaged or married. Whatever happens, I'm cautiously excited for next season. Final seasons are always a big deal, and I always look forward to them, even though it means the show is ending.

Last night's episode reminded me that we're so close. So buckle up because next season is going to be an interesting ride.

As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

'Psych' Review: 100 Episodes Later

On Wednesday, Psych aired its 100th episode, a big milestone for any TV series. This special episode is an homage to the 1985 film Clue. For those who haven't seen the movie, it is based on the classic board game of the same name. The episode, titled "100 Clues", featured guest stars Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren, all of whom starred in Clue. Naturally, the episode was riddled with subtle references to the film, including a title sequence similar to the closing credits of the film. It was a great episode, but that may be only because I am a fan of Clue and appreciated all of the references.

The episode's plot was almost identical to that of Clue: Somebody is murdered at a house party in a mysterious mansion, and Shawn (James Roday) must figure out whodunnit. As an episode of Psych, it was nothing special. The twists were predictable, and the non-Clue-related jokes were funny but not funnier than anything we're used to. What made this episode great was that it was Clue-themed. I found the movie on Netflix and watched it Wednesday morning, and I'm very glad I did. I hadn't seen it since sixth grade, so I probably wouldn't have caught most of the episode's references if I didn't watch it on Wednesday. Referencing 80s pop culture is what Psych does best, so designing a whole episode around a specific piece of that pop culture is always a welcome choice. The references were both clever and funny, making it a great episode, despite the predictable plot.

What is most interesting about "100 Clues" is that the ending was chosen by live votes from the viewers. This is not a new idea, but it is a first for Psych. It is a reference to Clue, which has multiple endings. I'm not usually a fan of live voting during shows, but in this case it worked. The way the episode was written allowed for multiple endings, so I look forward to seeing the other possible endings.

My biggest complaint is that Tim Curry, who plays the butler in Clue, wasn't able to make an appearance. He is the best thing about the movie, and he would have been a welcome addition to this episode. However, he did appear in the season 2 episode "American Duos," so he would have had to play the same character, which might have been odd. That being said, Curry's presence was felt whenever Roday impersonated him (for example, running through the house to explain how the killer pulled off the murders or saying "no" in Curry's accent).

Overall, I thought this episode was on par with "Dual Spires," Psych's homage to the TV show Twin Peaks, which is one of the best episodes of the series so far. Like "Dual Spires," "100 Clues" may not be appreciated by people who are unfamiliar with the source material. However, hopefully it will bring more attention to Clue. It's a wonderfully ridiculous movie, so if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching it and then re-watching this episode of Psych.

'House of Cards' Review: Political Intrigue At Its Finest

Once again I must apologize for my inactivity. I've been very busy, and it has become harder for me to keep up with current shows. Also, to be honest, nothing has stuck out as exceptionally blogworthy. Hopefully now that Psych has finally started and Game of Thrones and Revolution are about to come back, I will have more to write about.

Having said all that, since I am now on Spring Break, I had some time to finally sit down and watch Netflix's second original series House of Cards. I had been waiting for this show ever since it was announced over a year ago because it stars Kevin Spacey, my favorite actor. Netflix released all 13 episodes on February 1, but I was unable to watch it at the time. I finally started it on Monday and finished it last night. I figured I would write a review of the show as a whole instead of writing individual episode reviews since very little time was spent between episodes. I know that a lot of you probably haven't seen it, so I will avoid spoilers.

House of Cards follows Congressman Francis "Frank" Underwood (Spacey), whom, although he was promised the position by President-Elect Garrett Walker (Michael Gill), was passed over for Secretary of State. Not taking kindly to this broken promise, Frank declares his distrust in everyone and devises an elaborate plot to work his way up the ranks. He is assisted by his wife Claire (Robin Wright) and his chief of staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly). Frank's pawns in the plan include Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), an ambitious young reporter, and Congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll), a drug-and-alcohol-abusing divorcé.

The acting all-around is phenomenal. Spacey excels at portraying Frank's conniving, smug nature. This comes at no surprise since Spacey is excellent in whatever role he takes on. Wright is also excellent as Claire, Frank's loyal and just-as-conniving wife. I was not expecting to like her character, but Wright makes Claire likable, even if she is a bit controlling. Spacey and Wright are both great in their scenes together, and Frank and Claire's relationship quickly became one of the most interesting aspects of the show.

The real surprise in the acting was Corey Stoll as Congressman Russo. When he was first introduced, I didn't expect to like Russo, but Stoll won me over within a few episodes. His portrayal of the troubled and helpless congressman is fantastic, and I found myself very invested in his character.

My favorite thing about this show is the odd choice of having Frank speak directly to the camera to provide his own commentary. Frank would be in the middle of a conversation with another character when all of a sudden he turns to the camera to provide a short aside. I don't know whether to attribute this to the writers or the directors, but it was an excellent choice. These side comments and glances at the camera are where Spacey shines, and they provide some of the funniest moments in the otherwise dramatic show.

Normally I would avoid political dramas like this one because politics bore me to no end, but with Kevin Spacey starring, I had to give it a try. Needless to say, I'm extremely glad I did. With impeccable acting and smart writing, House of Cards puts itself up there with Homeland and Breaking Bad as one of the best dramas on TV around. If you have Netflix, I highly recommend watching this show. If you've already seen it, leave a comment with your thoughts.

'The Following' Pilot Review: Death with a Side of Bacon

On Monday FOX premiered its newest midseason show, The Following, which stars Kevin Bacon as former FBI agent Ryan Hardy, who is called back into action when serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) breaks out of prison. Hardy had previously caught Carroll, preventing the murder of Sarah Fuller (Maggie Grace). Carroll, a university literature professor whose hero is Edgar Allen Poe, escapes so that he can try to finish what he started, that is, kill Sarah Fuller. Along the way, Hardy discovers that Carroll had gathered a following through the internet, effectively creating a cult of serial killers.

Creator Kevin Williamson has successfully created an enthralling crime drama that seems to have a big serialized aspect to it. Unlike most crime dramas, The Following focuses on a single killer through his cult of followers. Also, Carroll's murders are related to Poe's writings, which provides a common theme in what will surely be a case-of-the-week format. This common theme, along with the serialized aspect, make this show much more interesting than most crime dramas that I have seen.

Both Bacon and Purefoy were fantastic. Bacon portrays Hardy well, even if the character could use some work. In this episode, Hardy was written too one-dimensionally. He is a typical stoic ex-cop with a drinking problem. However, Bacon was able to show some emotion in his interactions with Carroll's ex-wife Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea). Bacon was also great in the final scene with Purefoy. All things considered, Bacon did well with what he was given. Carroll, however, was written perfectly, and Purefoy was outstanding as the professor-turned-killer. He gave Carroll all the creepiness and derangement that one would expect in a serial killer. I look forward to seeing more of Joe Carroll this season and find out what turned him into a killer.

That brings me to the flashbacks. I am always a fan of flashbacks that give insight into the characters' pasts, but some of the flashbacks in this episode distracted me from the main plot. If the writers continue to use flashbacks in the show, they need to integrate them better. Well-placed flashbacks will be able to show how Carroll became a killer or how he drew people in and turned them into killers. They can also show Hardy's relationship with Claire, with whom he seems to have a history.

Overall, I was intrigued by The Following and look forward to the rest of the season. As long as the writers make better use of the flashbacks and develop Hardy into a fully fleshed-out character, The Following will be a successful interpretation of the crime drama genre. If you haven't seen this pilot, I recommend giving it a try. But be warned: it is very violent and is not for the faint of heart.