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About Katie

I'm a writer and editor; a dancer and choreographer; and a passionate fan of more things than is probably healthy. I love film, literature, television, sports, fashion, and music. I'm proud to be a Nerdy Girl.

TV Time: Castle 6.19

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The Greater Good

Title The Greater Good

Two-Sentence Summary The team from the 12th precinct investigates the murder of a Wall Street tycoon, and when the U.S. Attorney’s Office gets involved, Captain Gates comes face-to-face with her estranged sister, Elizabeth. When they’re not working the case, Castle and Beckett try to trim their extensive wedding guest list.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: Ryan, you guys kept your wedding small. What was it, like 100 people?
Ryan: Yeah, that’s all we could afford.
Castle: How did you contain the list?
Ryan: I have a lot of relatives who hate me now.

My Thoughts I’m running low on inspiration today, which kind of feels appropriate for writing about a Castle episode that was far from the show’s most inspired hour. It wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination; it just wasn’t particularly memorable. Therefore, I’m not bursting with analysis or commentary (which could also be a side-effect of my brain still trying to process what happened on Sunday’s episode of The Good Wife).

I’m hopeful that some of you have thoughts to share so we can get a solid discussion going about “The Greater Good,” and to start you off, here are my five biggest takeaways from this episode.

1.) Sometimes a filler episode is just a filler episode.
“The Greater Good” was the very definition of a Castle filler episode: It was case-heavy, focused on the development of a character besides Castle or Beckett, and had cute but not transformative Castle/Beckett moments. Recently, I’ve been impressed with the way this season’s middle group of episodes have still managed to show character growth and keep me thoroughly entertained, but this one didn’t grab and hold my attention the way other midseason episodes have this year. I’m not a big fan of case-heavy episodes if the case isn’t one with a sense of humor or at least something to make it stand out from traditional procedurals. This was a strange episode to use as the last one before a month-long hiatus (which I know is beyond the show’s control) because it didn’t really leave me clamoring for more.

 

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 3.14

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Once-Upon-a-Time-the-tower

Title The Tower

Two-Sentence Summary In the Enchanted Forest during the lost year, Charming goes on a quest for a plant to cure his anxiety after Snow tells him they’re going to have another baby, but instead he discovers Rapunzel, held captive in her tower by her own fears. In Storybrooke, Zelena causes Charming to face his fears about fatherhood—possibly stealing his courage (or at least a symbol of it)—in the process, while our heroes finally discover that Rumplestiltskin is alive and apparently on the loose in the town.

Favorite Line “That’s the best part of a small town; everybody knows everybody. It’s like a big family.” (Regina)

My Thoughts If last week’s “Witch Hunt” was a reminder that Once Upon a Time could recapture some of the humor that had been missing for long stretches of the show’s recent past, then “The Tower” was a reminder that it could also recapture the show’s sense of mystery. I love character beats as much as (if not more than) the next person, but I also love smart, interesting plotting. And the fact that I couldn’t sleep last night because my mind kept turning over new theories about where this season is going makes me a very happy (and very exhausted) fan.

While there were moments in Neverland that were dark (both literally and thematically), nothing Once Upon a Time has done before was as thoroughly creepy as “The Tower.” When an episode begins with a doll with a spinning head, you know you’re in for something unsettling—and that was putting it mildly. Credit should be given to director Ralph Hemecker for setting a strong, disturbing tone through his camerawork. What I was most impressed with was the way he made a variety of scenes equally suspenseful: the intimately sadistic showdown between Rumplestiltskin and Zelena in his cell; the choppy, panic attack-esque tone of the nightroot-induced confrontations; and the “demon among us” feeling invoked by the way he shot the meeting between Zelena and the Charmings.

Hemecker showed a deft directorial touch from the episode’s opening moments. I loved the use of color in Charming’s nightmare—everything felt just a little too bright, a little too surreal. I had seen the promo for this episode and knew we’d be seeing Emma in a princess gown, but even knowing that couldn’t take away the pain of watching Charming live out the life he never got to experience with his daughter. The hauntingly beautiful piano version of the show’s true love theme certainly didn’t improve my emotional state.

 

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/16 – 3/23)

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This week in television kicked off with another great episode of Once Upon a Time that brought some self-aware humor to balance out the show’s emotional storylines, as well as an episode of The Good Wife that flashed back to Alicia’s struggles before Will hired her at Lockhart/Gardner. Monday’s Castle reminded everyone that Castle and Beckett could never be boring, and Tuesday’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine gave us a jealous Jake and showed us why Amy’s dedication to dental health turned out to be her downfall. On Thursday, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland shocked everyone with the death of a major character, Ann had her baby on Parks and Recreation, Louis and Scottie squared off on Suits, and Scandal made everyone cry by revealing who was on the receiving end of the shot from last week’s cliffhanger. 

There were some great moments for TV fans to experience this week—some depressing, some joyful. My favorite was a decidedly happy scene: Leslie visiting Ann in the hospital after little Oliver was born on this week’s episode of Parks and Rec. There was such a real sense of warmth, comfort, and familiarity in that scene. Sometimes it’s fun to watch huge plot twists unfold, and sometimes it’s incredible to watch brutally emotional moments. But often, I’m drawn to the simple moments between characters who love each other. Leslie and Ann curled up on a hospital bed—talking about TV and using that to talk about what makes each friendship in our lives special—was one of those simple, beautiful moments. The fact that it was between two female friends was the icing on a warm and wonderful cake.

Leslie Ann 617

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.17

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Leslie Ann 617

Title Galentine’s Day

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie’s hosts an impromptu Galentine’s Day brunch to try to find a replacement for Ann, only to find herself learning from new-mom Ann that she has room in her heart for many female friends—even if none of them can ever fill Ann’s shoes. Meanwhile, Ron helps Andy after the latter knocks out his own tooth, and Ben discovers that he genuinely likes Jerry/Larry.

Favorite Lines
Leslie: Now it’s lady time.
April: You sound like a tampon commercial.

My Thoughts No television show honors friendship with the same honesty, warmth, and sense of importance as Parks and Recreation. If “Ann and Chris” was this season’s love letter to friendship, then “Galentine’s Day,” was the perfect little P.S. to that letter. And it had the added bonus of not making me weep into my sweatshirt sleeve like “Ann and Chris” did. Instead, “Galentine’s Day” was one of Parks and Rec’s funniest episodes of the season.

Besides being primarily about friendship, there was another uniting factor between “Ann and Chris” and “Galentine’s Day”: Neither episode was burdened with Leslie’s career struggles. These episodes were about character-driven stories rather than plot-driven ones, and that’s always been when Parks and Rec is at its best.

The unity concert was still a springboard for the action in one part of this episode, but it was Ben, Tom, and Jerry/Larry (Seriously, what should I call him?) who took the reins in that storyline instead of Leslie. And the plot didn’t even matter very much. Yes, the fedora bits with Tom were funny, and the tent company names were even funnier. (My favorite? Tent Offensive) But the real reason those three characters were put in a storyline together was to bring about a huge character epiphany for Ben: He genuinely likes Jerry and thinks he’s a good friend.

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TV Time: Castle 6.18

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Castle-6x18

Title The Way of the Ninja

Two-Sentence Summary The murder of a Japanese ballet dancer has Castle even more excited about a case than usual because it puts him face-to-masked-face with not one but two ninjas. The case also brings Castle, Ryan, and Esposito to a Japanese hostess club frequented by men bored with their marriages, and that (plus a meeting with an old friend) prompts Beckett to worry that she and Castle might becoming a boring married couple, which Castle vows to make sure will never happen.

Favorite Line
Castle: The killer can’t be a ballet dancer—because it would be such a huge letdown.
Beckett: Of course. We can’t let facts get in the way of a good story.

My Thoughts Could Castle and Beckett ever become a boring couple? That question was at the heart of “The Way of the Ninja,” and it was also a question that was asked in the real world of fandom and TV journalism far before Castle and Beckett even began a romantic relationship in Castle’s Season Four finale. Castle’s successful handling of its central couple’s transition from “will they/won’t they” to a stable romantic relationship has been singled out by many for poking serious holes in—if not outright debunking—the infamous Moonlighting Curse (which was based on the concept that relationships are inherently boring to watch). And how did they do it? Chemistry.

When you have great chemistry, a relationship isn’t boring. It’s true for Castle and Beckett as characters and for Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic as actors. “The Way of the Ninja” had a plot that I might actually classify as boring—or at least it didn’t cover any new territory for this show. But what made it work were the people involved. As Beckett once told Castle, the bubble doesn’t always have to burst, especially not if you’re in it with the right person. That’s been true for their relationship and true for the show as a whole. With Fillion and Katic holding the reins of these characters they know so well, even the most familiar filler plots become something fun.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 3.13

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JASON BURKART, RAPHAEL ALEJANDRO, SEAN MAGUIRE, GABE KHOUTH, LANA PARRILLA, JEFFREY KAISER, GINNIFER GOODWIN, MIG MACARIO

Title Witch Hunt

Two-Sentence Summary In Storybrooke, Emma and Regina team up to try to figure out who is behind the new curse, while Hook, Charming, and Robin Hood learn that Storybrooke residents are being turned into flying monkeys. In flashbacks to the previous year in the Enchanted Forest, Regina and Robin journey back to Regina’s castle, where she discovers that its new tenant—the Wicked Witch of the West (aka Zelena)—is more familiar with her than she could have imagined.

Favorite Lines
Emma: The Wicked Witch of the West? Seriously, she’s real, too?
Hook: Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.

My Thoughts It seems Once Upon a Time is going back to its roots. Last week’s “New York City Serenade” wasn’t shy about directly paralleling the show’s pilot in several obvious ways. But it was the tone of this week’s “Witch Hunt” that really reminded me of Season One. This episode featured mysteries, dramatic irony, strong emotions, sly humor, some long-lost (but beloved) cast members, and one heck of a last-minute twist—all of my favorite things from this show’s early days wrapped up in one incredibly well-acted package. And to top it off, it was wonderfully self-aware in the way that this show is when it’s at its best. Putting all of these elements together, it should come as no surprise that this was a Jane Espenson episode. She’s always been one of my favorite Once Upon a Time writers, and her strengths were on full display once again in “Witch Hunt.”

One of the best things about Espenson’s writing is her sense of humor, and this episode had me laughing more than any episode of this show has in quite some time. From Grumpy/Leroy wondering which witch they were dealing with (because houses and water are two very different methods of murder) to Hook and his faux sympathy for Charming and Snow being near harvest time but not remembering the planting (in reference to Snow’s pregnancy), this episode had some great one-liners. And any episode that allows Emma to react to the fairytale situations around her in a very real way is a winner in my book because Jennifer Morrison never fails to make me laugh in those moments. The only thing better than Emma’s exasperation over the Wicked Witch was Hook’s equally exasperated response. He’s right; she is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming—you’d think she’d be used to this by now. But that’s the great thing about Emma; she always manages to feel like a real person caught up in this crazy world. Kudos to Morrison for never letting us forget that “fairytale mode” is not Emma’s default mental state.

I also love when Once Upon a Time isn’t afraid to have a little fun at its own expense. In this episode, I especially enjoyed the little nod to Grumpy constantly being used as a town crier. The edit from Regina saying she knew exactly who to use to get the word out quickly to Grumpy running into Granny’s was fantastic. Another example was Charming’s sarcastic shock that Regina actually didn’t do anything to upset the Wicked Witch. If Josh Dallas is the master of delivering what could be the cheesiest lines with disarming sincerity, he’s also the master of deadpan delivery of fairytale-based humor.

One of my favorite comedic moments of the episode was Hook bringing up that Emma was going to marry a flying monkey in front of Charming. I thought it was perfect that Charming was more concerned about Emma getting married than he was about her nearly marrying a flying monkey. But leave it to Hook to remind Charming where his priorities should be with just the right amount of sass. Dallas and Colin O’Donoghue have developed a great rapport and nice sense of comedic chemistry together. Their gift for “bromantic” banter has made them one of the show’s most entertaining dynamics.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland 1.10

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It’s time once again to travel down the rabbit hole, as the lovely Leah shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland!

ouatiw 1x10

Title Dirty Little Secrets

What Happened? Will and the Red Queen head off to attempt to build an army, and Alice and Cyrus go to find the Well of Wonders. Will and the Red Queen are captured by the Jabberwocky before they can achieve their goal and are brought to Jafar, where the Red Queen is forced by the Jabberwocky to use her three wishes. In flashbacks, we are shown how Cyrus and his brothers became genies when they stole magic water from the Well of Wonders to save their mother’s life.

Favorite Lines “Not me. That’s my house he’s holding now, and frankly I hate it. There’s not a lot of elbowroom, and you know what else there isn’t? A toilet!” (Will)

“You can dispense with the insufferable small talk Jafar, or is this your idea of torture?” (the Red Queen)

My Thoughts This week’s episode was interesting and a bit intense. There were a few things I really enjoyed as well as a few things that disappointed me; “Dirty Little Secrets” will not be my favorite episode of the season, but it also won’t be my least favorite.

In flashbacks we are shown how Cyrus’s actions brought about his and his brothers’ fates. As a quick note—I thought it was fun to see that he and his family had lived in Agrabah, and that they had taken magic from the Well of Wonders, which I’m assuming is a reference to the Disney film Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders, which was where Aladdin found the genie’s lamp. It was a fun way to connect the two genie origin stories for those familiar with the Disney tale.

In these flashbacks it was interesting to see a different side to Cyrus—we have already seen that Cyrus has a bit of a trickster side, but this younger Cyrus was one who was a bit dishonest, greedy, and reckless. He was less patient than the Cyrus in the show’s current timeline and less aware of how actions involving magic can have serious consequences. He did, however, still have that kind heart that we’ve seen at his core.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/9 – 3/16)

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This week in television began with the return of Once Upon a Time on Sunday, featuring memories restored, memories lost, and mysterious to be solved. Another triumphant return from hiatus came to us courtesy of Sunday’s episode of The Good Wife, and Monday featured the end of a very controversial (and confrontational) season of The Bachelor. Tuesday’s New Girl brought Nick and Jess into the realm of power couples (at least in Nick’s mind), and Brooklyn Nine-Nine allowed Boyle and Jake’s friendship to take center stage. On Wednesday’s Nashville, both Maddie and Juliette acted recklessly, which will surely have major consequences for the rest of the season. Thursday featured a Parks and Recreation episode that highlighted Ben and Leslie’s wonderful, supportive marriage; a Suits episode that raised the tension between Louis and Mike to a new level; and a Scandal episode with a cliffhanger that still has me guessing. 

Upon its return from its midseason hiatus, Once Upon a Time stepped right back into its place as the provider of some of my favorite television moments each week. While “New York City Serenade” had plenty of contenders for the best of the best, my favorite was the moment when Snow convinced Regina to put her heart back.These two mothers bonding over the loss of their children was something that I was happy to see the show address. They have such a complicated relationship, but they’re the only people who can truly understand what the other is going through without Emma and Henry.

I also loved the way Snow was written in this scene. She had the strength that I’ve always admired in her character—a quiet but ever-present strength that comes from hope and an open heart. Snow has learned from experience that closing yourself off to feeling any emotion doesn’t solve anything; vulnerability is scary, but it’s the only way true love is possible. I loved the sense of genuine but subtle bonding between these women, and I hope that this scene is a sign of things to come.

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.16

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Source: NBC.com

Source: NBC.com

Title New Slogan

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie uses a public forum over the new town slogan as a chance to practice delegating, a skill she will need if she’s going to take the job she was offered by the National Parks Service. Meanwhile, Andy discovers Duke Silver, and Tom’s search for a good location for his restaurant is nearly sabotaged by April and Donna.

Favorite Lines
Ben: We can just sit back and take it easy.
Leslie: No, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to sit forward and take it hard.

My Thoughts Parks and Recreation is a show where characters often act in extreme ways for very normal reasons. Behind every outrageous scheme or impassioned outburst is usually a motivation grounded in real, relatable emotions. The comedy on this show often comes from those over-the-top reactions, but the heart comes from the love and friendship that drives those reactions. When that ratio of comedy to heart is off, the show feels off, and that’s been the case more than a few times this season. However, when the ratio is perfect—as it was in “New Slogan”—there’s no better way to spend a half-hour of your week than in Pawnee. Because when your you’re here, than then your you’re home.

When you think about the heart that drives Parks and Rec, it all comes back to Leslie and Ben. When these two and their supportive, stable, quirky marriage take center stage in an episode, it’s almost a guarantee that I’m going to adore it. There is no healthier, more enviable marriage on television than the one between Leslie and Ben. As characters, Leslie and Ben are perfect compliments, and as actors, Amy Poehler and Adam Scott are as well.

“New Slogan” was such a strong episode for Leslie and Ben. There have been times this season when I’ve grown annoyed with Leslie’s ridiculous responses to situations in Pawnee, but this episode reminded me that even her dumbest ideas (like fraternizing with Crazy Ira and The Douche) can be made bearable when she has someone who actually tells her that her ideas aren’t always the best ones. Ben’s logic is the perfect compliment to Leslie’s often-blind enthusiasm, and I like that—even though he is clearly (and wonderfully) turned-on by her strength and ambition—he isn’t afraid to tell her when he thinks she’s gone too far.

Ben’s honesty, practicality, and supportive nature were on full display in “New Slogan,” and that was a good thing—because Leslie needed all of those things to help her work through her concerns about the National Parks Service job offer. Of course I found her binders full of questions hilarious (and wonderfully in-character), but I was initially worried about going deeper into this storyline. My concern was its realism. Why would Leslie turn down this job? What could possibly keep her from moving on to a job where she was actually appreciated like we all want her to be appreciated? Didn’t Jen Barkley’s excellent advice to “dream bigger” mean anything?

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TV Time: New Girl 3.19

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Title Fired Up

Two-Sentence Summary When Schmidt is sued, Nick represents him as his lawyer. Meanwhile, Jess struggles with the idea of having to fire Coach from his new job at her school because of budget problems.

Favorite Line “Walk with dignity, you giant toddler!” (Schmidt)

Episode M.V.P. For as much fun as I had watching the Coach/Schmidt/Nick trio of hilarity, my favorite single performer in this episode was Damon Wayans Jr. “Fired Up” was probably my favorite Coach episode to date. There was something so endearing about how much he cared for the kids he was coaching, even though he showed it in his typical “Coach” way—by yelling and name-calling and general profanity use. There was a nice balance between genuine encouragement and tough-love humor in both his relationship with the kids and with Jess. I have really been enjoying Coach and Jess’s rapport, and I thought Wayans and Zooey Deschanel worked really well together in all of their scenes in this episode. And I know it was kind of a cheap, obvious joke, but the whole “Coach Coach” wordplay was one of my favorite parts of “Fired Up.”

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