Category Archives: Television

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (11/2 – 11/9)

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This week in television started off with a deeper look into Belle’s past (and a deeper look at the Snow Queen’s plan) on Once Upon a Time; the uncovering of Boyle and Gina’s secret on Brooklyn Nine-Nine; and more drama in Cary’s case on The Good Wife. Tuesday saw very strong returns of New Girl and The Mindy Project, and Thursday featured some big developments on both Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder.

There were some great acting moments this week—from Elizabeth Mitchell’s captivating work on Once Upon a Time to Jake Johnson’s hilarious work in the latest episode of New Girl. However, no performance this week could top what Darby Stanchfield did on Scandal. She made me feel every single emotion raging through Abby as her abusive ex-husband found his way back into her life. Stanchfield made Abby’s fear, shock, anger, and desperation feel so visceral and so heartbreakingly honest. When she told Olivia that she threw up on her dress upon discovering her ex-husband in the Oval Office, I marveled at the honesty of that moment. It was such a human, relatable moment on a show where so many characters react to situations in ways no one ever would in reality. And I also marveled at the beauty of Olivia genuinely being there for Abby through such a difficult time. It was a stunning scene of real depth and support between two women. And that made me feel good, even as the scene itself made me cry.

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

Fangirl Thursday: The Best of Castle and Beckett

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always

Can you hear the wedding bells starting to chime, fellow Castle fans?

On Monday night, after waiting what’s felt like forever, Castle and Beckett are finally tying the knot, so this seemed like as good a reason as any to reflect back on my favorite moments in their relationship over the last seven seasons. (I did the same for Leslie and Ben right before their perfect Parks and Recreation wedding a couple of years ago.)

Castle and Beckett’s love story is a story of two adults who have learned that nothing worth having comes easily. Happy endings aren’t given away; they’re things we have to fight for, things we have to choose even when we fear we’re not deserving of happiness because we’re too broken, too scared, or too used to being alone. Watching these two characters choose happiness with each other and choose to fight for that happiness whenever it’s been threatened has been nothing short of inspiring. We’ve already seen them choose to be with each other for better or worse; they’ve been promising each other “Always” since Season Three. This wedding is just icing on a lovely cake we’ve watched come together over the years.

Castle has always been, at its heart, a love story. And what an extraordinary love story it is. Without further ado, here are my 10 favorite moments in the relationship between Castle and Beckett (so far). Join the fun and share your favorites with us in the comments!

1. “I’ve gotten used to you pulling my pigtails…” (2.13: Sucker Punch)
This was the moment I went from liking Castle to loving it with the passion I still have today. This was the moment it became my favorite show on television. And it was all because this was the moment I went from enjoying the dynamic between Castle and Beckett to being moved to tears by that dynamic. I could write entire posts about this scene (In fact, I have.), but I’ll keep it short this time around. Castle showing up with every kind of food known to man just to make Beckett feel better is still one of the most realistically romantic gestures I’ve ever seen on television. It took my breath away then, and it continues to do so even now. And for all of the grand speeches and revelations these two have shared, I still think Beckett telling Castle that she’s gotten used to him pulling her pigtails is one of the most important. It was the first time she told him what he meant to her, and I will never forget how blindsided I was by the simple beauty of that moment.

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TV Time: The Mindy Project 3.06

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Source: tvfanatic.com

Source: tvfanatic.com

Title Caramel Princess Time

Two-Sentence Summary Mindy and Danny’s long-simmering argument about her chronic lateness comes to a head and leads to some moments of revelation for both of them. Meanwhile, Peter is set up on a surprising blind date.

Favorite Line “I’m giving you the silent treatment, by the way. That’s why I walked right by you and didn’t respond.” (Mindy)

My Thoughts Absence makes the heart grow fonder, or at least that’s how I felt after watching “Caramel Princess Time.” The last couple of episodes of The Mindy Project before the show’s little hiatus weren’t my favorites, but I thought “Caramel Princess Time” was the show’s way of coming back strong. This episode was firing on all cylinders: Its B-plot was solid, its humor wasn’t just one-note, and its handling of another Mindy/Danny conflict felt very true to these characters while still managing to surprise me in a very good way.

Let’s start from the outside and work our way to the episode’s caramel center. (I know, I know…Lame pun is lame.) I would like Allison Tolman’s Abby to stick around for as long as possible. I didn’t watch Fargo, so I had no preconceived ideas about her, but I loved her instantly. The self-confidence and sense of self-respect that she brought to Abby are such perfect counterpoints to Peter’s insecurity and immaturity. Tolman and Adam Pally had a very natural chemistry in that final writing group scene, too, and I’d like to see more of that. I’d also like to read more of Peter’s fiction because there was too much perfection in “A Titanic Mistake: A Sunken Romance” for me to outline properly in this post. (Although I will make special mention of Peter’s ridiculous “old pirate captain” voice that he gave to the captain of the Titanic.) There was something really adorable about Peter falling for Abby through her writing and wanting to connect with her in her element. But maybe that’s just the writer in me talking.

Peter’s interactions with Abby highlighted an important theme in the episode’s A-plot: Sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone in order to leave bad patterns of behavior behind and grow. Peter, Mindy, and Danny all were put in new situations this week, which forced them to examine how they treat the people around them, leading them towards real moments of character growth.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 4.06

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Title Family Business

Two-Sentence Summary Belle attempts to control Rumplestiltskin with the Dark One dagger in order to get answers about what happened to Anna, after flashbacks reveal that Belle was keeping a secret about her role in Anna’s disappearance. When Belle confronts a dark version of herself in the Snow Queen’s mirror, this new villain’s plan becomes clearer: get the citizens of Storybrooke to turn on one another, except for Emma and Elsa, with whom she wants to start a new family.

Favorite Line “Spend a little more time in this town, love, and you’ll realize just about everyone is related.” (Hook)

My Thoughts Mythology-heavy shows like Once Upon a Time need setup episodes, moments throughout a season where the plot points begin to come together, plans are revealed, and excitement over what’s to come takes precedence over excitement over what actually transpired in the episode. In many ways, “Family Business” was a classic setup episode: It clarified the motivations of the Snow Queen (aka Ingrid), it answered the question of what she’s planning to do with the mirror and with Emma, and it filled the characters in on important information so they could be on the same page as they head towards the season’s climax. It also raised important questions for the second half of this part of Season Four, which the rest of the season will spend answering.

What set “Family Business” apart from many other setup episodes (both on other shows and even on Once Upon a Time over the last four seasons) was its balance between plot development and character beats. While many setup episodes are heavy on plot and light on character insight, “Family Business” added new, believable layers to a character who so many of us have been waiting to see in the spotlight: Belle. It also did an excellent job of using flashbacks not just to give us more information about the Snow Queen but also to allow us to become even more invested in Anna as a character. The questions answered and the questions raised in this episode didn’t just advance the plot; they had real, emotional ramifications for characters that we have come to care about more with each passing episode—from Belle and Emma to Anna and Elsa.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (10/26 – 11/2)

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This week in television kicked off with a look into Emma’s past and an exploration of her relationship with Regina in the present on Once Upon a Time, as well as an episode of The Good Wife that made everyone watching cry at its powerful ending. Monday gave us a Halloween episode of Dancing with the Stars and the most chilling killer we’ve seen on Castle in quite some time. On Wednesday’s episode of Nashville, Avery and Juliette started working towards reaching a better place in their relationship, while Rayna and Luke seemed to headed for a rough patch. And on Thursday, the women got (pardon my language) shit done on Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder gave much-needed depth to Asher’s character and gave us a very compelling case-of-the-week.

There were some great moments to choose from this week when picking the best of the best—from Alicia and Diane’s moment of shared grief on The Good Wife to Deacon talking to Maddie after her party got out of control on Nashville. However, when one of my favorite characters on television has another breakthrough in terms of character growth, it’s hard for me to even think about anything else for the rest of the week, and that’s what happened with Emma on this week’s Once Upon a Time.

The final scene of “Breaking Glass” was nothing short of exceptional. It delivered huge amounts of character growth for Emma, but it did so with really beautiful subtlety. Emma opening up to Hook so completely about her past—in all of its joy and its pain—was perhaps the bravest thing we’ve ever seen her do. The symbolism of her putting her past in his hands was incredibly effective, and it was one of those moments where choosing to have the characters say very little increased the emotional impact of the moment. Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue played every beat of that complex scene perfectly—from the initial, realistic tension (which made the fact that she still showed him the box all the more powerful) and Hook’s understanding of what a big leap of faith this was for Emma to the sincere support in the gesture of him holding her hand and the lovely little beat where she closed her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder, finally feeling safe enough to let someone help her deal with the pain in her past. Morrison especially did such a great job of conveying just how exhausted Emma was in this scene, carrying the burden of her past alone for so long. That made her decision to finally let someone stand beside her and comfort her as she faced part of her past again resonate with even more emotional force.

And no discussion of this scene should happen without a mention of the incredible revelation at the end. So many of us had a feeling it was coming, but the way it was revealed was absolutely perfect. It gave that final scene the balance between plot development and character development that the best Once Upon a Time scenes are made of.

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

TV Time: Castle 7.05

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STANA KATIC, ALY MAWJI, NATHAN FILLION

Title Meme Is Murder

Two-Sentence Summary The team from the 12th precinct investigates a pair of murders involving Internet celebrities, whose dead bodies were photographed and put online. The case leads them to a victim of cyberbullying who has found a sense of power in creating a legacy of brutal murders.

Favorite Line It’s not a line, but I think we could all use another viewing of this video:

My Thoughts “Meme Is Murder” felt like a filler episode before something huge, which we all now know that it was. It was fairly case-heavy, and we all know those aren’t my favorites. And while last week’s episode was also more about the case of the week and less about the characters and their growth, it got by on its charm and some pretty significant development for Castle and Alexis. It’s not that I need for Castle’s disappearance to be brought up every week in a major way, but after integrating it really well into the lighter episodes so far this season, it felt a bit strange for it to not have any presence in “Meme Is Murder.”

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 4.05

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Title Breaking Glass

Two-Sentence Summary As Regina and Emma seek out the Snow Queen for different reasons, Emma attempts to mend their broken relationship, which Regina feels is damaged beyond repair. Flashbacks to Emma’s past as a runaway teenager show that Emma was once in Regina’s shoes, feeling alone and unable to forgive after feeling betrayed.

Favorite Line “Now she’ll be able to reach us on our drive, our hike, if we fall through a portal to Asgard—wherever we are.” (Charming)

My Thoughts Once Upon a Time is a show rooted in the idea that love is strength, and I’ve always appreciated that it isn’t afraid to show the other side of that statement, too: A life without love robs us of our strengths and keeps us from being our best selves. “Breaking Glass” reflected both sides of the “love is strength” idea in the tumultuous interactions between Emma and Regina throughout the episode, in the flashbacks to Emma’s lonely life as a runaway, and in even the smallest character beats throughout the episode.

At first glance, Snow and Charming’s little side plot may have felt like nothing more than a sweet little break from the heaviness of what Emma and Regina were dealing with. And yes, it was pretty darn adorable. (But when have Josh Dallas and Ginnifer Goodwin shared a scene and been anything other than perfect together?) But it also reflected the central theme of the episode: When you feel like someone is supporting you and loves you, you are more willing to move beyond your fears and be the best version of yourself.

Will is the example of what happens when you feel alone and lost—he’s a shell of the happy man we last saw in Wonderland with Anastasia, reverting to his worst traits. But Snow was stronger than we’ve seen her in a long time in this episode, even if she did pardon Will when she shouldn’t have. And what gave her the strength to find her groove after being afraid to leave her son? Knowing her husband loves her and wants her to be her best self, even if he didn’t actually set up Will’s escape. It’s what made their last scene so sweet. These are two people who have been through hell and back together, but they’ve survived it all because they know someone will always be there to lean on when things are hard, reminding them of the best they can be. And that’s why they’re this show’s shining example of True Love.

On the opposite side of the spectrum from Snow and Charming, we have Regina. You don’t have to like Regina’s behavior in this episode (Goodness knows I bristled at some of the stuff she said to Emma.), but it’s important to remember that she’s behaving in a way that is so true to her character and so true to the entire ethos of this show: When you feel alone, you forget your best self. And Regina feels completely alone at this point. The shots of her holding the picture of her and Robin were so important (Who are we supposed to think took that photo and Emma and Neal’s photo, by the way? That briefly took me out of both moments.) Lana Parrilla plays heartbreak like she was born to show all the facets of that emotion, and even though I knew I should be frustrated with her for pushing Emma away and being so harsh with her, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. Regina is in so much pain, and she needed to process and let out all of it before she could even begin to think about growing from this experience, and that’s what this episode was all about.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (10/19 – 10/26)

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This week in television started off with a very emotional hour of Once Upon a Time, a fantastic Halloween episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and another strong episode of The Good Wife. Monday’s Castle basically gave all of us everything we never knew we always wanted: Nathan Fillion interacting with a room full of cute kids. On Wednesday, Black-ish addressed a controversial issue in a way that was both sensitive and genuinely funny, and Nashville introduced another “dad who didn’t know he was a dad” storyline. Finally, Thursday’s episode of Scandal was the most tense and dramatic of the season (and that’s saying something), and it was followed by another master class in acting from Viola Davis on How to Get Away with Murder.

It was impossible for me to pick just one thing I saw on TV as the best of the week, so I’m going to cheat and pick one night. Sunday nights are a TV lover’s dream this season, and this Sunday was an exceptionally great night. Once Upon a Time‘s much-hyped date between Hook and Emma exceeded even my high expectations with just how genuinely sweet and romantic it was (especially that “goodnight” scene outside the loft’s door). Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Halloween episode had me laughing from start to finish, and Holt’s description of how he pulled one over on Jake was another highlight reel moment for Andre Braugher and made me love that character more than ever before. And the showdown between Alicia and Peter on The Good Wife had me thinking Emmys already in the middle of October. There’s nothing better than ending a weekend with some excellent television shows, and Sunday TV is exactly what I need to put me in a good mood to start the workweek.

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

Fangirl Thursday: A Magical Anniversary

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OUAT

Three years ago today, the Once Upon a Time pilot aired, bringing some much-needed magic to primetime network television. I will admit; I didn’t watch the show that first night. But I caught a marathon of the first seven episodes on New Year’s Day 2012, and it was love at first sight for me. I knew from the opening of the pilot episode that I was watching something special, and I know I wasn’t the only person who felt that way. And three years (or almost three years in my case), dozens of plot twists and new characters, and far too many hours spent analyzing this show later, so many of us still feel that way. And that’s something worth celebrating.

Once Upon a Time and Nerdy Girl Notes are intrinsically linked. The day I first watched the show was also the day I made the resolution to start this website. In no small way, Once Upon a Time has shaped the look and feel of NGN more than perhaps any other piece of media I’ve written about. Nothing inspires me as a writer like Once Upon a Time (just in case you didn’t already know that from the length of my weekly posts or the number of essays I’ve written about this show), and I am forever grateful that I found a show to write about that challenges me the way this show does with each new episode.

Once Upon a Time has taught me to write from a place of optimism and positivity. It’s taught me that it’s okay to acknowledge flaws, but it’s also important to acknowledge the good stuff—and there’s always good stuff. It’s helped me see that writing for me is a lot like magic for this show’s characters—it’s all about emotion. I write my best when I write from my heart, and Once Upon a Time celebrates the beauty and power of approaching everything with an open heart. Because of that, this show has undoubtedly made me a braver writer. It’s helped me feel like it’s okay to wear my heart on my sleeve, and I know for a fact I’m a better writer because of that.

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TV Time: Castle 7.04

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Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I wasn’t able to watch this week’s episode of Castle in time to write about it. Thankfully, the lovely and talented Heather was kind enough to step in and write this week’s review!

Source: fandomnesstv.com

Source: fandomnesstv.com

Title Child’s Play

Two Sentence Summary Castle goes back to second grade to help track down a potential witness to a crime. Back at home, Alexis struggles with Castle’s disappearance.

Favorite Lines
Mrs. Ruiz: I didn’t do much to deserve this.
Beckett: Are you kidding? You put up with Castle for two days.

My Thoughts There are weeks when the case on Castle really interests me, and there are weeks where I watch because I love these characters. This week was definitely one of the latter for me. The case itself felt a little bit scattered and never really came together in a way that made me feel much of anything as twists were revealed or the criminal was caught. It was overly convoluted for an hour, with a fake passport ring, the Russian mob, and a war criminal who was felled by marbles (in a very nice move from Castle).

Fortunately for the episode, the character moments were incredibly entertaining to watch. Nathan Fillion is so good at bringing a childlike joy to episodes that allow Castle to believe in the impossible (like last week’s episode), so to surround him with a bunch of actual children was a real treat to watch.

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