Category Archives: Television

TV Time: Once Upon a Time 2.19

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Title Lacey

Two-Sentence Summary After Regina restores Belle’s cursed memories to her, she becomes Lacey, a hard-drinking, bad-boy-loving woman who is drawn to Rumplestiltskin’s dark side, which is the opposite of the Belle we see in flashbacks to Fairytale Land, whose desire to find the good in people saves Robin Hood. In other parts of Storybrooke, Emma has to deal with the possible choice of returning to Fairytale Land, Regina finds the magic bean crop, and Hook returns to town with Tamara’s help.

Favorite Lines
David: You want me to help you?
Rumplestiltskin: Well I’m certainly not here for the over-priced lasagna.

My Thoughts “Lacey” was a true return to form for Once Upon a Time after what I felt was a very disappointing episode before this latest hiatus. Was I disappointed in some of the characters this week? Yes. Were there some plot holes that had me scratching my head? Yes. But ultimately, this show’s strength has always been in its cast, and this hour allowed some of its most talented members to shine.

This episode belonged to Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin, who both played the duality of their roles to absolute perfection. This was the first time we’ve seen de Ravin be anything but sweet and gentle as Belle, and she seemed to really thrive onscreen in her time as Lacey. I’ll admit to being disturbed beyond anything I was expecting from Once Upon a Time as I saw her attraction to Rumplestiltskin take over as he was beating the Sheriff of Nottingham outside of Granny’s, but that was exactly what I was supposed to feel. It was wrong and dark and tragic on so many levels, but it was brilliantly done. I used to think that Ginnifer Goodwin was the best at making both sides of her character feel real during the time of the curse, but de Ravin gave her a run for her money in this episode alone (and she looked absolutely stunning while doing so).

What made Belle’s transformation into Lacey so sad wasn’t that she drank a lot or kissed a man who wasn’t her date; it’s that Lacey was such a perversion of who Belle was as a woman and who she was for Rumplestiltskin in terms of what she believed about people. Belle is a hero because she fights for the good in everyone, including herself. She’s brave because she stands up for what’s right even when that means standing up to the Dark One himself. But Lacey is drawn to darkness; she finds goodness boring and instead wants to enable the darkest parts of people. And Rumplestiltskin at this point is all too easy a target.

I’ll admit, I’m not as passionate about the “Rumbelle” relationship as many people in the Once Upon a Time fandom are. They’re not my favorite couple (that would be Snow and Charming), but I was incredibly moved by their interactions in this episode. From the moment of quiet hope between in the hospital before all hell broke loose to that beautiful take on the library scene from Beauty and the Beast, there was something beautifully innocent and gentle in their chemistry this week, and I loved how that contrasted with the darkness that enveloped both of them at the end. The flashbacks to Rumplestiltskin’s growing humanity in the face of Belle’s inherent faith in goodness made the collapse of that human side all the more tragic.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/14 – 4/21)

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There were quite a few things to choose from when it came time for me to pick the best things on TV in the past week. Last Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones ended with a game-changing moment that begins my favorite character arc in the book series. Castle gave us a Bigfoot hunt for the ages. But my favorite moment of the week came from Parks and Recreation, which took its perfect nerd references to new heights this week. Every time this show mentions Game of Thrones, I am overcome with joy. So it goes without saying that Donna’s newfound passion for the show (and its plethora of attractive cast members) was one of the highlights of my week. Retta is always flawless in her delivery, but I don’t know if she’s ever been better than this scene (maybe it’s because Donna sounded exactly like Retta’s Twitter feed). And how wonderful was Ben’s eBay name being TallTyrionLannister? In a week that featured a lot of sad things in the news, it was nice to have something light and fun to turn to—and that’s exactly what Parks and Recreation gave us.

 

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

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.19/5.20

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Title Article Two/Jerry’s Retirement

Two-Sentence Summary In “Article Two,” Leslie battles a staunch traditionalist over outdated portions of Pawnee’s town charter, while Ben and Ann get into a bidding war over a waffle iron they both hope to give Leslie. “Jerry’s Retirement” focuses on Jerry’s last official day as a Pawnee government worker as both Ben and Leslie and Ann and Chris think about their future families.

Favorite Line from “Article Two” “Have you seen those Dothraki? They can get it. Everybody on that show can get it.” (Donna, talking to Ann about Game of Thrones)

Favorite Line from “Jerry’s Retirement” “I went back to check Season One of Fringe for plot holes. As I suspected, airtight.” (Ben)

My Thoughts This has been a hard week, a sad week, and a week that’s been filled with more tension than any in recent memory. During times like this, I find it important to have breaks from the news, the Twitter feeds, and the endless cycle of anxiety. During times like this, it’s important to have something that allows you time to escape, to laugh, and to feel happy. For me, that something was last night’s hour of Parks and Recreation. In a dark week, visiting Pawnee was the little bit of sunshine I (and I’m sure many others) needed.

I don’t have much to say specifically about these episodes. I’m happy that Ann and Chris seem to be moving towards a romance because I have always loved the chemistry between Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones. I liked that Leslie showed Jerry some real kindness, and I liked that she was able to see just how beautiful his home life is. (Amy Poehler’s facial expressions during that breakfast scene were beyond priceless.) I loved Patton Oswalt’s appearance more than words can say. And if you haven’t watched his entire filibuster, then you haven’t really felt joy.

Ultimately, I went into these episodes simply wanting to laugh and to feel good. And that’s exactly what I got. Parks and Rec is like a security blanket for me; when I feel stressed or sad about the state of the world, I reach for Leslie Knope and her idealism and optimism. On a night when I looked for one TV show to make me happy, I was rewarded with so many little gems of happiness.

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TV Time: Castle 5.20

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Before I get to today’s Castle review, I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston and all of those who were affected in any way by the tragic events at yesterday’s Boston Marathon.

Title The Fast and the Furriest

Two-Sentence Summary Castle and Beckett’s (and Ryan and Esposito’s) conflicting views on belief in the unknown and the supernatural come to the forefront once again when Bigfoot appears to be connected to the murder of a young woman. Meanwhile, Castle attempts to solve a mystery on a much smaller scale when food keeps disappearing from his refrigerator.

Favorite Line
Castle: Did you see the way that gorilla looked at me?
Beckett: I think it was lust actually, Castle. You are ruggedly handsome.

My Thoughts “The Fast and the Furriest” was nothing more than a fun, lighthearted episode of Castle, and on a day like yesterday, a fun episode was exactly what I’m sure a lot of people (myself included) needed. Sometimes you’ll find me complaining about “filler” episodes, but this episode was funny and surprisingly sweet enough to work as a solid Castle episode even without moving the plot along in any major way.

I will go on the record and say that I was surprised by the killer, and I loved being surprised. I knew it wasn’t going to be the roommate’s ex-boyfriend because that would have been too easy. Also, Stana Katic did a great job of showing that Beckett was unnerved by how much she believed his grief and anger over the police not solving the murder—because we all know that she felt the same way about her mother’s homicide. I assumed the killer was going to be Raphael Sbarge’s Bigfoot expert, if only because any guest actor famous enough for me to recognize is usually the killer. And although he didn’t end up committing the crime and validating my theory, it was nice to see Once Upon a Time’s Archie on my TV again (especially since he’s being criminally underused this season on that show).

Once again, we were presented with a case that pits the skeptics in the precinct against the believers, and I don’t know how they do it but that dynamic never feels stale to me. Maybe it’s because the actors are so comfortable with their characters that all of their interactions feel so genuine and easy at this point. It’s truly a joy to watch Katic and Jon Huertas go up against Nathan Fillion and Seamus Dever—bantering and rolling their eyes at one another—because we know that it’s coming from a place of love for all of these characters at this point. You know the show you’re watching has a great cast when you could watch an entire hour of them standing around, debating the existence of Bigfoot and the validity of Bigfoot experts.

This was one of the funniest Castle episodes in quite some time, and it benefitted from great comedic performances from the entire cast. Katic always shines when she’s in “skeptical Beckett mode,” and this was no exception; her sarcastic one-liners and put-downs were all delivered perfectly, and the woman can roll her eyes like no one else in the business. Fillion was hilarious in his joy over the possibility of hunting down Bigfoot. How is it that Castle being a giddy geek over a crime still doesn’t feel old after five seasons? I think that says something about Fillion’s charm. And don’t even get me started on the perfection that was Castle in his ridiculous hunting outfit or the great callback to Beckett having to get an awkward boost from Castle to get out of a tough situation…

But the great thing about “The Fast and the Furriest” was that the jokes came from everyone in the precinct. Ryan and Esposito had some hilarious banter and great facial expressions thrown each other’s way. And Perlmutter and his sass were back in full force. (I especially loved both he and Esposito calling each other the “B-team.”) This is a very funny and very talented cast, and I love it when all of them get moments to shine.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/7 – 4/14)

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I’m sorry that this post is a little late…I’ve been spending way too much time traversing Westeros from the pages of A Feast for Crows lately, and I let time get away from me this weekend. (And yes, there will be some A Song of Ice and Fire essays on here as soon as I’m done with A Dance with Dragons—whenever that may be.) 

This was a solid, if not outstanding, week in the world of television. There were no instant-classic episodes to be found, but most things (with The Office being the lone exception) made me feel good about where the shows I watch are heading as finale season draws near. New Girl gave us a fun episode that featured some of the best Schmidt material in Season 2. Game of Thrones set the stage well for the chaos that’s to come this season, and it continued to build upon my favorite relationship from the books (Jaime and Brienne).

However, the best thing I saw on television in the last week came from Parks and Recreation. Ron Swanson ate a banana, and it was truly one of the funniest things I’ve seen on TV this year. It takes a great actor to make something so simple on paper so hilarious in execution, and Nick Offerman is truly a great comedic actor.

 

What was your favorite moment from the last week in the world of television?  

 

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.18

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Title Animal Control

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie and her fellow city council members attempt to find a capable person to run the animal control department in Pawnee after Harris and Brett are fired. Meanwhile, Ron gets sick, and Ben tries to convince cologne mogul Dennis Feinstein to donate to his charity.

Favorite Lines
(while Ann is helping Ron fill out his paperwork at the hospital)
Ann: Sexual history?
Ron: Epic. And private.

My Thoughts Although “Animal Control” didn’t really cover any new ground (except for April’s newest story development), it took classic Parks and Rec themes and jokes and showed why they still work five seasons after the show began. It gave us moments that reminded us why we love these characters. And it showed once again that when you need a TV show to simply make you feel good, there’s nothing better than a half-hour spent in Pawnee.

I really love what the writers are doing with April’s character this season. There’s always been a sincerity underneath her blasé attitude that usually only came out around Andy, but I love that we’re getting to see more and more of her passion as this season has gone on. She’ll never be Leslie (and thank God for that because Pawnee can barely handle one Leslie), but watching her stand up for the things she cares about in her own way has been one of the most rewarding things about this season. I really liked that she was the one to come up with the idea of moving animal control into the parks department, and I loved how proud Leslie was of her. Having a plaque made long ago simply because Leslie believed in April’s future was such an in-character thing for her to do. I love when this show honors its characters in little details like that.

Another standout part of the A-plot was the inclusion of Harris and Brett, two of my favorite citizens of Pawnee. Their brand of stoner comedy works like a charm to make me laugh every time they’re on screen. I loved the way so many recurring townspeople showed up in this episode because it reminded me that one of my favorite things about this show is how well-developed even the background characters have become over five seasons. From Orin to Dennis Feinstein, some of my favorites came back to play this week, and it made me all kinds of happy to see them.

Speaking of Dennis Feinstein, there were some hilarious moments of comedy in that plot as well. Ben’s reaction to the cologne is another reason why Adam Scott should win an Emmy for Best Facial Expressions to Ever Exist. He is owning all the material he’s been given this season, and I’m going to be sorely disappointed if he’s not recognized by some fancy award committee for that. Another great comedy moment was Tom’s reaction to Dennis Feinstein’s “Most Dangerous Game” offer. I don’t know what it was, but something about Aziz Ansari’s delivery of “I think that guy wants to hunt me!” made me laugh until I was in tears. And, like so many episodes of Parks and Rec, this plot went from hilarious to heartwarming with Tom offering to give money from Rent-a-Swag to Ben’s charitable efforts. This show does such a good job of making small acts of kindness like that one feel genuine and integral to a certain character’s development. Learning to be nice is an important part of characters’ emotional educations on Parks and Rec, and I love that—because that’s the way it should be in the real world, too.

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TV Time: New Girl 2.22

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Title Bachelorette Party

Two-Sentence Summary Jess’s plan to throw Cece the raucous bachelorette party she’s always dreamed of is complicated by the presence of Shivrang’s aunt. The guys aren’t having any less awkward a time after Schmidt embarks on a plan to get a date for the wedding and Nick and Winston are tasked with getting a picture of the part of Shivrang Cece isn’t supposed to see before the wedding.

Favorite Line “It’s like waking up from a bad salad dream.” (Schmidt, while eating pizza)

Episode M.V.P. Schmidt. Nick was hilarious yet again. (Any excuse to see Jake Johnson try to dance is a good one in my book.) Winston’s overexcited schemes continued to make me laugh. (I’m serious when I say “Prank Sinatra” has been one of my favorite things to come out of Season 2 of New Girl.) And Jess and Cece’s interactions proved why they are one of the funniest, sweetest, and most realistic depictions of female friendship on TV.

But this episode was a huge one for Schmidt, and I liked that it was. For as much as I love Nick and Jess with all my heart, this was a good way to take a little step back from their relationship and focus on the other reasons why New Girl is such a great show. Plus, too much Nick/Jess interaction would have just furthered emphasized the fact that this episode and last week’s “First Date” were switched from their correct order. Instead, focusing on Schmidt for the emotional center of the episode allowed for an episode that didn’t feel forced, starved, or off from the correct timeline in terms of Nick and Jess screentime.

The way Max Greenfield was able to transition so smoothly from anger at Cece to “douchebag” with his ex-flings to emotional honesty with Elizabeth and Cece to childlike joy over eating pizza again proves what a capable actor he really is. Schmidt’s sincere moments always blindside me in the best possible ways, and this episode’s moments were no exception. The way his entire body seemed to shrink when Elizabeth told him he was mean to her was such a subtle reaction that said so much about the true heart of this character. And the warmth in his voice when he talked to Cece at the end just about broke my heart. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in Nick and Jess that I forget that Schmidt was my first New Girl love. It’s nice to have episodes like this one to remind me of what a great character he is.

Favorite Moment Both of Schmidt’s scenes with Elizabeth were the standout moments of this episode for me. I’m continually blown away by the way the writers and especially the actors on this show are able to create a sense of shared pasts between these characters. I feel it all the time with the guys, and I love when I can see it between Jess and Cece, too (like their fight in this episode, which had a real sense of familiarity to it). Somehow, Greenfield and Merritt Wever were able to create a depth between their characters in their first scene that some sitcom actors take whole seasons to develop. You could feel the hurt Elizabeth still feels, and Greenfield beautifully played Schmidt’s growing awareness that he used to be a better person—and his regret that he’s no longer that person. That scene was as big a character moment for Schmidt as we’ve gotten this season, and it was played with the subtle emotional quality that has made Greenfield such a standout actor on a show filled with great performances every week.

The last scene between Schmidt and Elizabeth was probably the most fun I’ve had watching Schmidt this season. When he’s allowed to be silly and ridiculous, you can see Greenfield relishing in those moments. I don’t know how much more we’ll be seeing Elizabeth, but I actually hope she sticks around for a little while (and I say that as a huge fan of the Schmidt/Cece pairing). Elizabeth just feels like she’ll be good for Schmidt, and more character development on this show is never a bad thing. Plus, Greenfield and Wever had an easy rapport that I really liked.

A New Girl GIF* For My New Girl Feelings

schmidt jess hug

I just really wanted to hug Schmidt at the end of this episode. I was so proud of him for growing enough as a person to wish Cece well and to show up to try and make things right with Elizabeth, but you could feel how heartbroken he still was over Cece. Schmidt’s character development was the best part of the episode (mainly because the Jess/Nick stuff was thrown off by the switch in episode order), and Greenfield played it so perfectly.

*I have no talent for GIF-making. Thankfully, I am highly skilled at searching Tumblr for the best GIFs. I take no credit for this beauty. 

The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (3/31 – 4/7)

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This was a fantastic week for the TV shows I regularly watch. The Mindy Project had two hilarious episodes that highlighted the chemistry between Mindy and Danny better than ever before. Parks and Recreation gave us the wonder that was Ben on morphine and yet another reminder that he and Leslie have the most inspiring marriage on TV. New Girl took the sexual tension between Nick and Jess to new heights and gave us some classic Schmidt/Winston interaction, too. Even Saturday Night Live had some moments in contention for best of the week with the wonderful Melissa McCarthy hosting.

Ultimately, though, the highlight of the week was the 100th episode celebration of Castle. “The Lives of Others” was filled with great moments—from Andrew Marlowe and Terri Miller’s cameo to all of the sweet little moments between Castle and Beckett. However, the best moment of the episode—and the best moment on TV this week—was the revelation that the murder Castle was investigating was actually an elaborate birthday gift from Beckett. It featured the supporting characters we’ve come to love over the last 100 episodes interacting in perfect ways with each other and with the main characters. (I still get emotional thinking about Martha and Beckett’s relationship.) It showcased some fantastic acting from Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic as Castle went through a huge (yet believable) swing of emotions, starting with anger and ending with love. And it gave us another look at how deeply Beckett understands Castle and how much Castle enjoys still being surprised by the woman he loves.

 

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

TV Time: New Girl 2.21

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Title First Date

Two-Sentence Summary As Nick and Jess go on their first date (but does Jess really know it’s a date?), Winston and Schmidt enlist the help of Outside Dave to sabotage the romance before it ruins the loft dynamic forever. However, Nick and Jess do a good enough job of sabotaging themselves, especially when Jess’s ex-boyfriend Russell forces them to confront (or not confront) the truth about what their relationship really is.

Favorite Line “Jessica, you are a beautiful woman, and my life has not been the same since I met you. And it would mean the world to me if you would go on a date with me.” (Nick, to Tran)

Episode M.V.P. This week’s episode M.V.P. is a beautiful, intangible little thing called chemistry. There was no one character that stood out above the pack this week. Rather, it was the ease and rapport between the characters that made the episode work. Without sparks—of both comedic and romantic varieties—“First Date” would have fallen flat.

In terms of comedic chemistry, I’m not sure it gets better than Schmidt and Winston trying to come up with ideas to ruin Nick and Jess’s date. Winston’s inability to find a good middle ground for a prank is one of my favorite of his character quirks. Lamorne Morris excels when Winston is being “Prank Sinatra,” and Max Greenfield has such a hilariously deadpan way of shooting down his ideas. I laughed until I wanted to cry when Winston suggested killing Jess with a knife and releasing a bear full of “Hep C” into the restaurant. And I actually did cry tears of laughter when Schmidt and Winston both offered their own guesses as to why Nick was being secretive about his date (“Male escort!”). These two characters have been on fire lately, and they’ve been excelling at quieter moments of friendship, too—mainly because they balance those with sharp humor right away.

Speaking of balance, I’m not sure any pair of actors is better at balancing comedy, angst, and sexual tension than Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson are right now. Their chemistry in this episode was nothing short of extraordinary. It ranged from painfully realistically awkward (Jess asking Nick if they were on a date) and equally realistically easy (sharing their turn-ons) to heartbreaking (agreeing on “middle school dance rules”) and just plain HOT (Nick opening the jar and gargling his beer). Everything worked because Johnson and Deschanel remained true to their characters through it all. So, despite the frustration of watching them get in their own way, you can feel how much they want each other—and you can feel that this new arrangement won’t last very long. That last goodnight by their bedroom doors was filled with more longing and sexual tension than I’ve seen on TV in years. You know two actors have amazing chemistry when you’re literally yelling at the TV for them to kiss, and I will totally admit to doing that on multiple occasions during “First Date.”

Favorite Moment For as much as I adored the rampant sexual tension in the last scene (and the almost uncontrollable hotness of Nick opening the jar), my favorite moment was a little less tense. The best thing about Nick and Jess’s relationship is how real it feels, and it’s never felt more real than when Nick and Jess were sitting at the bar, talking about the weird things the other does that turns them on.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.17

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Title Partridge

Two-Sentence Summary While Ron deals with a possible lawsuit from Councilman Jamm after punching him on Leslie’s wedding night, Ann and Chris continue on the path to parenthood despite some compatibility issues. Meanwhile, Leslie and Ben travel to his hometown, and Ben deals with kidney stones as Leslie discovers just how much the people of Partridge still hate their former “Ice Clown” mayor.

Favorite Line “You wanna make a baby, Traeger? Your hair, my everything else—that kid would be unstoppable.” (Donna)

My Thoughts Oh Parks and Rec, how I’ve missed you. Any time this show comes back from hiatus, I’m reminded of the very specific hole it fills in my media-consuming life. Everyone needs a “comfort show,” and Parks and Rec is mine. It never fails to make me feel good.

My favorite story in this episode belonged to Ron, April, Andy, and Tom. It’s no secret that I love Parks and Rec episodes that show various characters rallying around one of their own, and I especially love when it happens independently of Leslie. Over time, her positive influence has clearly rubbed off on the people around her, and the entire parks department really has become a family. It’s nice to get little reminders from time to time that this is a show where all of the characters are genuinely good people at heart.

While I really don’t like Councilman Jamm at all (I think he’s too one-dimensional and that the writers can do better than what they’ve done with him), my dislike of the character proved valuable this week because I got to watch an extended montage of Ron talking about wanting to punch him in the face. I really liked that honesty was more important to Ron than winning (and that the only thing worse than lying is skim milk, which itself is a lie). It fit with his character to have honor be something he values above all else. I also really liked seeing April and Tom step up once again in the responsibility department—they’ve both grown so much this season.

The Leslie/Ben plot would have been my favorite part of the episode if it would have focused a little more on Ben and his character development, which is what I thought was going to happen when I first heard about this episode. Don’t get me wrong; I love no character on TV the way I love Leslie Knope, and I could watch Leslie-centric storylines for the rest of my life and be happy. But I feel like Ben’s character development got short-changed somewhat in an attempt to show Leslie being a supportive wife (which we already know she is) and to show Adam Scott act hilariously loopy while Ben was on morphine.

I suppose ultimately this episode showed us that Ben didn’t need closure as much as he thought he did (and as much as we as an audience thought he did). However, I still would have liked to see him in a position to stick up for himself a little more (but it was a great feminist twist to have the wife being the one defending her husband’s reputation for once). Even though I would have liked to see Ben pull off something similar to what Leslie did in Season Three’s “Flu Season,” I’ll admit to smiling so big my face hurt while watching Leslie show the world—or at least Partridge—how much she loves her husband. For so long, we’ve watched Ben support her, and I love those moments when we’re reminded that Leslie is also his biggest supporter. That’s the way a marriage should be.

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