Revenge: A Rock or A Gem?!

Hello, Everyone! At the behest of some of my readers and friends, I have decided to blog about a new series that premiered in 2011 that seems to be continuously gaining in popularity. I must warn readers at this early stage that this piece will contain SPOILERS, however I will do my best to limit them to the overall story-line and not give away specific episode plots. I want everyone who's reading this to know, I have spent the last 2 weeks catching-up with revenge and have just watched the latest episode of season 1, (ep. 18-Justice) and this have good hindsight on which to base my review of the show on.

Let me start by saying that the reason this show is so popular is because it is about getting payback on the rich; that 1% that pretty much everybody else envies and would still like to see brought down. The Germans coined a term: "schadenfreude", which essentially means that people "delight in the misfortune of others". If you were a fan of the late show Boston Legal, you will no doubt remember the reference to this term in the brilliant closing of Alan Shore in the finale of season 2 whilst he was defending a Hollywood star for attempted murder. The truth is the 99% enjoy the misfortune of the rich for a variety of reasons; envy, jealousy, anger etc and it is perhaps the scientific reason why many are so enamored with the show.


The writers of the show give you every reason to hate The Grayson family; they have a ridiculous amount of money, they influence everyone and everything around them for their own benefit, they easily get away with crimes and pretty much every falsehood and wrong they commit- essentially they are above the law, if not the law themselves proving that indeed  "MONEY IS POWER"! Therefore, from the get-go the TV show rallies you to be on "Emily Thorne's" side as most would agree that her vendetta is justified, me being amongst them. You therefore ignore small facts like she is also ridiculously rich, her absorption with revenge is affecting good people around her, she exploits pretty much anyone for her benefit as well- but what the hell- she deserves revenge right!

I guess what my point is- the show is enjoyed for very superficial reasons! Most successful TV shows create characters you can relate to and make them an intricate part of the story-line so that you can root for them with time. Even superficial shows like Gossip Girl and/or the OC had relatable characters in the form of Dan and Ryan at least in the first season of each. (I couldn't watch the other seasons- the shows were just too ludicrous i'm afraid). Revenge tries to have a relatable character to the 99% in the form of Declan and Jack Porter. Truthfully, Declan is an annoying character who is blinded by puppy love of a teenage rich kid. He is so obsessed with getting to be with this girl and becoming the man that the rich girl deserves that he becomes unrelatable. People desire wealth, don't get me wrong, but seldom is it ever because you want to be deserving of the daughter of one of the richest families in the world. Speaking of Charlotte Grayson, she is also an annoying character- teenage rebel who is dating the "not wealthy at all" Declan to piss her mom off and will self-destruct, start drugs etc.. too much of a cliche to even warrant more comments. Another completely pointless character is the "Ashley chic"... I mean really??? Girl from Croydon who wants to be wealthy so bad that she will kiss the ass of whoever to get there and hopefully, she'll marry into wealth or a big bag of money will fall out the sky and fall in her lap! If I were the writer, and since there is time for the show, there is still an opportunity to do this- instead of her being loyal, they should groom Ashley to be another villain to the Graysons.. If she want's to be rich so bad, the easiest way there is Blackmail- especially in her circles.


The fact is, the show as it stands only requires a few main characters because at the end of the day, that is where the story revolves. I will say this however, the show has done a remarkable job of hiring guest stars. The show is pinned as a story about revenge, and therefore a certain amount of darkness is expected with the plot. Tyler Baroll played by Ashton Holmes was an inspired character and in fact became one of the major reasons i continued watching the show. He was nuts, smart and determined to get what he wanted.. if anything, Ashley through dating him should have become more like him- that would certainly have made her a much more interesting cast member. Additionally, the role of "Amanda Clarke" played by Margarita Levieva is also interesting because we can all see an air of unpredictability and craziness. That is what this show needs, instead of the several lovey-dovey plots it has going on.

The main plot involving the Graysons, Emily and Nolan Ross is sufficiently interesting though, not WOW- but interesting enough to keep a regular viewership from most television watchers. Personally, because I'm such a TV-addict, I fear that this show will do what most shows or movies with such a plot do and that is "cop-out". I believe that in the end she will abandon her pursuit of revenge and instead pursue love, even though she will have caused some damage to The Graysons, it will not be as intended- and that infuriates me. Then again, if the writers don't cop-out, I will be very impressed. But we all know how such plots are; it is inevitable. I would sincerely doubt my conclusion if the show took a bold move like killing one of its regular cast members, something that takes balls and very few shows have done i.e LOST, 24... and those are perhaps the most successful shows of all time. REVENGE, DO SOMETHING BOLD, and THEY MAY BE HOPE YET TO BECOME A GEM.. For Now, You are simply a Shiny stone that is unidentifiable.


Revenge: 6.5/10. A Harsh Review, but an honest one! I am sure most would disagree on principal, and I will get a backlash for this- oh well!

10 Most Tragic/Emotional TV Deaths

Recently, for some unknown reason, A lot of my current shows have not been airing on a regular basis; they seem to be taking a week hiatus after every episode and this has left me rather frustrated and has resulted me seeking my weekly TV fix through past shows or through reminiscing about past shows. For some odd reason, it led me to re-watch the 8th Season of 24, which was crafted rather brilliantly and I think a very suitable ending to what was one of the most phenomenal shows that was ever created. As I was watching 24, and witnessing all the deaths of major characters in the series, it got me thinking about majority of the TV deaths that have ignited an emotional response from me; and perhaps from other fans as well. 

It is for this reason I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of the 10 Most Tragic Deaths in Television, in my opinion. I must insist that I will only include deaths from shows that I have watched, and it is possible that I may miss some tragic deaths from shows I do not really follow. However, I have and do watch pretty much most of the shows worth watching and therefore believe that this list will be quite comprehensive. The list focuses on shows that started in the 2000s; and therefore will not include deaths from shows that started in the 90s including Buffy, Angel, Charmed etc...

10. Dr. Amber Volakis (House MD)

For All the Love we did not bear "Cut-throat bitch" when she joined House Md in the Fourth season; her relationship with Wilson, and the 2-hour finale that culminated in her death was definitely a touching moment that was quite moving. 

9. Edgar Stiles (24)

The lovable Geek who pretty much saved the day in Season 4, even after losing his mom to radiation poisoning. A hero in his own right who met his end in one of the most vile of manners- Nerve Gas poisoning. He was truly missed in subsequent seasons.

8. Mike Delfino (Desperate Housewives)

Perhaps the most undeserving character on desperate housewives to meet his end prematurely, leaving behind a loving wife and 8yr old son. His death was very emotional for fans of the show.

7. Nurse Lavern Roberts (Scrubs)

There will never be a comedy like scrubs- so funny yet so touching. Lavern brought us many laughs and her death was truly tragic particularly how the others in the hospital dealt with it.

6. Charlie Pace (Lost)

I was never particularly fond of Charlie when the show started; he was a selfish druggie who didnt offer much but his mouth. However, he grew as a character into someone caring and in the end gave up his own life to see that of the one he loved safe. 

5. Agent Renee Walker (24)

24 seemed to kill pretty much everyone Jack loved or cared for; except his daughter and Audrey Raines- who unfortunately suffered severe mental breakdown.. I was sure that after Jack had finally connected with Renee in the final season, that they would at the very least allow Jack that.. but in classic 24 fashion, they picked her off with a sniper which sent Jack into a spiral of rage like never seen on 24.

4. Rita Morgan (Dexter)

The Lasting Impact of the Trinity Killer. Rita, Mother of three, wife of Dexter, assassinated in a bath tub. Brutal, Gruesome and Tragic.

3. Juliet Burke (LOST)

Perhaps one of the most emotional scenes I've watched on Television, in the finale of season 5 of LOST. Sawyer hanging on to Juliet with tears in her eyes, as she professes her love to him over and over again knowing that it is inevitable that she will not hang on and will eventually fall to her death. I can still fill the jitters years later.

2. Jack Shephard (LOST)

Started with the opening of his eye, and ended with the closing of his eye. A truly fitting ending to the series, but left a mark that many till this day claim that LOST was the best show ever on television. I am one of those who agree with that claim!!

1. Lord Eddard Stark (Game of Thrones)

Truly a Man of Honour; beheaded at the behest of the Bastard King Joffrey... Oh How we miss you Lord Eddard Stark.

Previously On Fringe!!

Apologies for the Absence Readers.. I was c aught up in a rather busy project and though I was unable to blog my thoughts on the television shows as they go, you best believe I was still watching them and remain totally current! I will however vow at this moment that I will indeed blog about Spartacus: Vengeance and give my thoughts regarding the entire season. Furthermore, I will save my juicy review of Game of Thrones Season 2 for when the season ends in about 6 weeks. For Now, I will give you my thoughts on what's currently hot on TV and worth watching. If your not a current watcher of Fringe, or you are a few episodes/seasons behind- you certainly need to get your act together. There are not too many shows out there which are as good as Fringe right now. Fringe has continuously improved season by season, which is a lot to say considering that from season 1, it was already pretty damn good! Even with a horrendous time slot like Friday night, this show seems to be pulling more viewers than several shows in much better time-slots because it is simply just OUTSTANDING!!

**SPOILER ALERT**


For those who have been watching the 4th Season of Fringe, you will be aware that the main arc is that involving David Robert Jones (Jared Harris) and what he intends to do to the 2 universes-which as of this point is not entirely clear but it was hinted that he may be aiming to collapse the 2. David Robert Jones has been a very intriguing villain for this season of fringe; shrouded in mystery with no idea what his motives and aims are, he has kept majority of the fans anxious as to what his plans are and how he intends to carry them out.

That said, Fringe just dropped a gem of an episode in the form a futuristic journey into the 2030s where the world ( and by this they mean America), is not what it once was but in fact has been taken over by the infamous "OBSERVERS". For many a season, we have wondered why the and who the observers are and finally this season we have gotten some answers. In an earlier episode this season ,The Observer we have been most acquainted with known as 'September', gave us insight as to where the observers came from and what exactly they do.  

This latest episode of Fringe was solely focused on the Observers, but not as we have always known them, but as villains; in a world which they now rule. This was a very unexpected episode, at least this season, because even though majority of us suspected that there was much more in store for the Observer Arc, we were expecting a bit more focus on the David Robert Jones Arc for the remainder of the season. I reckon however, that with the threat of cancellation that Fringe always faces, it was something launched to keep the audience glued and perhaps warrant a fifth and final season of this glorious show!! I don't want to divulge specific details about the particulars of the episode, however I will say that it was fantastic having a "LOST" alum on the show in the form of Fringe Agent Simon Foster played by "Henry Ian Cusick" who most of you will remember as 'Desmond'. 

This Episode was fantastic and what was even more joyous was the fact that the arc will continue onto the next episode of Fringe. I would rate it 9.5/10.


Lastly, I'll throw this out there- but how many of us believe that "Leonard Nimoy" should come out of retirement and continue his guest starring role on Fringe as "William Bell". It appears that he is still an intricate part of the plot, and his involvement would only add value to the show. Mr. Nimoy, Wherever you are: DO IT ONE LAST TIME FOR FRINGE FANS!!

Here is the trailer in case you want a sneak peak:

The 63's

With several shows on hiatus this week, there wasn't really much to discuss television-wise. Several of my regular shows are on break, and besides Castle and The Good Wife, none of the shows were exceptional this week. For All MAD MEN Fans, I'm sure you are as ecstatic as I am with the return of the series, though I will reserve my review for the new season for now. I feel it hasn't really gotten into its stride, and as such will reserve judgment for the later episodes when the show will most definitely reach its climax!


For Now, 13 episodes in, I figured it was about time to review the much anticipated New Series ALCATRAZ!.

Any TV Fanatic will know that if a show has J. J. Abrams as an executive producer, it is definitely a show worth trying. His genius is responsible for Extra-ordinary shows like LOST and Fringe, which many consider to be among the best television shows ever to be on TV. When I heard he was taking on Alcatraz, an island surrounded with lots of mystery, I only imagined that it would be Epic. Then I remembered, as brilliant as he is, J.J is not flawless, and in fact has been responsible for mediocre shows like "Undercovers" which did not even make it through half-way of it's first season.


Nevertheless, I watched Alcatraz as soon as it came out, and the premiere was rather exciting. The concept behind the new show is shrouded with mystery like its fellow compatriot LOST, and I'm a sucker for suspense/mystery shows which require me to fill in the blanks. However, as the show continues, my interest is slowly waning. The primary reason for this is that after 13 episodes, I have not been able to invest in a single character in the main cast. The acting in this series is not particularly strong except for "Doc" who many will recall played "Hurley" in LOST.  Furthermore, the writing of each episode becomes so focused on the inmate that has "come-back" that in the process the character development is glacier slow. 

Rebecca Madsen played by "Sarah Jones" , in my opinion is not a particularly strong lead. As far as the show goes, all the story-lines lead back to her grandfather, which makes her by association very important to the overall plot, but for some reason, she seems to be quite a bland character. Admittedly, when fringe started, I wasn't very fond of Olivia Dunham played by Anna Torv, however Joshua Jackson and John noble, did superbly as Peter and Walter Bishop so in terms of character involvement, Fringe was covered by the supporting cast. Alcatraz seems to be hanging by a thread really. 

Emerson and Lucy Banerjee have an interesting story-line, but it seems to be the intent of the creator of the show to keep this in the dark for several episodes to come. I just hope by the time they decide to finally do this, they haven't lost majority of the viewership and there is still interest in the show.


I will continue to watch this show because it has tremendous potential to be excellent, should the episodes start being more connected, and the semi-procedural approach is slowly abandoned into a more direct story-line. I hope in the upcoming episodes there is more character involvement so as we can relate to the people more. The idea of putting too many questions without answers truly only worked for LOST. If Alcatraz tries that, the show will fail. But I am optimistic that it will get better. From the 2 episodes that aired last night, the show seems to be slowly heeding my advice.


All in All for now, the show is a 7/ 10. Fingers crossed it will get better!

"Jerry" Reconnects with David E Kelly whilst "Ted goes Bonkers"!!

I will start by admitting that even though I watch Harry's Law, however haphazardly, I have never truly genuinely enjoyed an episode for the show itself. By this I mean, I have never really been wowed by any of the story-lines concocted and I've never really taken a liking to any of the characters so much so that I would continually watch the show just for the characters; for instance with a show like House Md.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***


However, This week for the first time in over 20 episodes of the show, I truly enjoyed "Harry's Law" for the show itself. Firstly, this episode was not the typical episode- it had much deeper character involvement than the usual shallow exploration of the cast.. particularly for the character "Adam" who is probably now the moral center of the show. As an Actor, I've never really seen much emotional depth from Nathan Corddry. the closest thing was perhaps the K&R episodes in Studio 60 on the Sunset strip, which by the way is a bloody awesome show, so it was good to see him perform in this capacity, and do it well.

Secondly, maybe I'm just a sucker for Boston Legal, but how awesome was it to have Christian Clemenson back on television, and on a David E Kelly show no less acting as an attorney. He definitely gave me some laughs during this episode, particularly his reference to the time he hummed the Boston Legal theme song at the start of the credits for a show( what a loon). What was even more brilliant was that in the end, he also went a little cuckoo... kind of brought memories to early "Jerry" on BL.

For all the "Better of Ted" fans out there... it must have been fantastic seeing Jay Harrington(Ted) back on television. He definitely gave us some laughs on the prematurely cancelled ABC series. However, Ted returned in a much different capacity on Harry's Law. He was kind of bonkers, and he pulled it off well. I mean, he wasn't Mr. Hinks (Michael Emerson on the Practice) but he was able to pull off the disturbed/sane angle and it was a welcome sight. Far too often the character is one or the other. 
The story-line involving his character was rather interesting, however perhaps the most intriguing aspect was the ending. In Boston Legal, a similar arc was developed in which the stalker ended up killed by the ex-spouse. I feared mirroring from David E Kelley which he has done far too often, and when "Ted" ends up dead at the end of the episode, I thought- REALLY?!! However, we learn that the gun was actually loaded by... WAIT FOR IT..... The ex-spouses Daughter- and to make it juicier, we kind of get this disturbed vibe from her too. Like Father like daughter I guess.

By the way, also one of the cases involves a lady suing a guy for inducing her into sex under false pretenses. This arc also produces some interesting and humorous moments.


All in All- A good episode. I'd give it 8.5/10. 

LEGAL TV Currently Exceeding All Expectations!!

"My, My, My": A phrase once used by Alan Shore (James Spader) when he encountered Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen) for the first time on the hit legal series Boston Legal... A phrase I am currently using to express my amazement as to how wonderfully LEGAL TV is currently doing.


This morning, I watched episode 16 of the 3rd season of "The Good Wife", and I remain continually impressed with how this show is developing. Personally, I feel as though with every episode the show just keeps on getting better and better. "The Good Wife" perhaps is one show that uses a technique that is lost on several TV shows currently airing, which is to emphasize the power of the "thing unsaid". In this episode (After the Fall), several moments on camera would have one of the characters simply give a look to one of their characters expressing whatever emotion they intended to, without saying a single word. It often was more powerful then characters trying to find the right thing to say to capture the moment.

Perhaps what is even more impressive is the fact that they use such unique cases and deal with them with extreme expertise. when you're watching "The Good Wife", you feel as though you are a part of the cases and you are invested from the beginning to the end of each episode. Furthermore, the way they deal with firm politics is exquisite. It has a feel of realism that no other legal show has been able to exude; and this includes shows like "The Practice, Boston Legal, Suits and Alley Mcbeal. Without a doubt, "The Good Wife" is one of the best shows currently airing and anyone who fancies LEGAL TV should definitely get their hands on it.


I must admit that when Boston Legal met its end, I feared that Legal TV was in the toilet, at least for a while. David E Kelley wrote a show called Legally Mad that never made it on the air, and one couldn't help but feel that the void left by Boston Legal would be impossible to feel. Before Boston Legal, we had "The Practice" which was phenomenal,  and "Ally Mcbeal" which was decent. However, we are currently experiencing a period of excellent LEGAL TV shows. 

The 3 shows I would most recommend are "SUITS", "The Good Wife" and "Franklin and Bash" which are all exquisite shows. 


In all Honesty, If you have not watched "Suits", even for non-legal fans, you're doing everything wrong on the TV front!! Suits is nothing short of incredible, and in fact there is no point on dwelling on the matter any longer. SIMPLY WATCH IT. I can't wait for Season 2 this summer. It will be fantastic.

"Good Wife" is realistic, dramatic and very well written. As mentioned above, It is a MUST watch for LEGAL TV fans.

As for "Franklin and Bash".. it really just takes a much more relaxed approach to the law. it is probably the weakest of the aforementioned shows, but it is very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it over "Harry's Law" which in all honesty is dwindling- it is not the best of David E Kelley. And if you've watched "The Practice or Boston Legal", you will feel as though some of the cases and concepts are redundant.

LEGAL TV is Soaring people- As much as I miss Boston Legal, and would revive it if given the option, LEGAL TV is doing just fine without it!!

Return of Bionic Barry!!

It is Furahi-Day everyone, and for the fellow TV enthusiasts out there who watch their shows online like myself , it is an important day! Unfortunately, some excellent took a hiatus this week including Big Bang theory and Person of interest; therefore my options for Friday morning television were quite limited.

From the shows I did watch; Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock were only just okay- as usual they had some humorous dialogue here and there- but definitely not one of their strongest episodes. This usually tends to happen around this time when a lot of shows are generally just having filler episodes- saving their best material for the final weeks of the show before the long break so as to ensure their viewers are eagerly waiting for the next season to come!


That said, ARCHER this week was hilarious! Be warned however, that the remaining part of the blog may contain some SPOILERS, though I will try to keep them to a minimum!!

First and foremost, For many of the Archer fans- you will of course welcome the return of Barry Dylan.. or should I say Bionic Barry following from the season 2 finale. He is a constant source of amusement, and always seems to bring out the best in the show- especially the dialogue around and with him. It appears that the writers do not want to get rid of this character, and what a smart move on their part, as his scope has now increased and is likely to ensure him more screen time as a recurring guest star. .."Nice one other Barry"!

Secondly, This episode focuses more on Archer's sex life- which hasn't been much of a story-line since the season 2 finale and the bulk of season 1. I must say it took a very interesting twist. It is not unfathomable that Archer would have ended up in the situation he did at the start of the episode, but by the end of the episode, all you can say is that Archer is truly an enigma.


I want to add more- but it is better if you just watch it for yourself! I would give it a 9.5/10. 


I am really hoping in the future episodes they give Cheryl/Carol more of a prominent role and that she goes back to her season 1 ways. We saw glimpses of that in this episode, but her role was quite limited. I always thought we saw the best of her in season 1.