Tag Archives: recaps and reactions

TV Time: The Mindy Project 3.15

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Source: spoilertv.com

Source: spoilertv.com

Title Dinner at the Castellanos

Two-Sentence Summary Mindy’s plans to tell Danny about her pregnancy are derailed by a visit from his father and half-sister, who’s become a “problem child.” Long-simmering tensions boil over at a family dinner at Annette’s, leading to important confrontations and revelations.

Favorite Lines
Annette: Bring dessert.
Mindy: Oh, I shouldn’t bring dessert. I’ll just eat it in the car.

My Thoughts “Dinner at the Castellanos” was an episode about family. Specifically, it was an episode about the way we define who our family is. Is it the people we feel a sense of obligation to because of genetics, or is it simply the people we choose to love? We have the family we’re born into and the family we choose. And for Danny Castellano, there was always a line between those two families. However, Mindy Lahiri isn’t a character who respects lines and boundaries, and that led to an episode that did what the best episodes of The Mindy Project do: It took an honest look at a common relationship problem, and it ended on one hell of a high note.

This was the rare episode of The Mindy Project that was all A-plot, and I thought that was a very smart writing decision because it allowed the focus to remain tight on Mindy and Danny at such a major turning point in their story. The plot still allowed for some appearances by the supporting cast, with my favorite moments being another mention of how Morgan got his glasses (which still always manages to make me laugh) and a surprise appearance by Adam Pally as Peter, offering Mindy his typically crude but loving advice once again. (Family is like HPV, in case you didn’t know.)

The lack of distraction from Mindy and Danny’s storyline allowed the tension to build up without escape or release, which was exactly what needed to happen for the final minutes of the episode to resonate the way they did. And that tension built in different ways for the four most important characters in this storyline: Mindy, Danny, Annette, and Dot. (I’ll get to Dot’s underrated importance in this episode soon.)

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 7.08/7.09

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Source: nbc.com

Source: nbc.com

Title Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington/Pie-Mary

Two-Sentence Summary While on a trip to Washington, Leslie and April both find themselves facing new career opportunities. After returning to Pawnee, April and Ron embark on a scavenger hunt to find his house key, and Ben and Leslie struggle with how to handle the sexism inherent in political campaigns.

Favorite Line “The Male Men? Where are you? You’re ridiculous, and men’s rights is nothing.” (Leslie)

My Thoughts Sometimes Parks and Recreation is an idealistic, feel-good show. Other times, it’s a satirical force to be reckoned with. And on very rare, very wonderful occasions, it’s able to be both at the same time. My all-time favorite Parks and Rec episode, “The Debate,” is one of those rare episodes that was able to walk the line between satire and sincere emotion perfectly. And the second episode of this week’s double-header, “Pie-Mary,” is another.

The one-two punch of “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington” and “Pie-Mary” had something for everyone—unless you only like Tom Haverford, and then you were probably disappointed because Aziz Ansari was absent from this hour of the show. (For as much as I love Tom, I actually didn’t notice his absence until reading some things about these episodes this morning.) All of the things that make Parks and Rec special had a moment in the spotlight: character growth and relationship development for all of its characters, supportive female friendships and male/female friendships, great guest stars, recurring characters stopping by for some fun, emotional beats, big laughs, smart social and political commentary, plenty of hugs, and more feminism on display in one half-hour than most shows are brave enough to show in entire seasons.

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TV Time: Castle 7.14

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Hello, fellow Castle fans! I hope you’re all doing well despite surely not getting any sleep after this latest episode. Today’s post will follow a slightly different format to account for time constraints on my part and the open-ended nature of the first part of a two-part episode. I hope you find it to be a good starting place for discussing this chilling hour of television.

Source: spoilertv.com

Source: spoilertv.com

Title Resurrection

Two-Sentence Summary When a blonde woman with a connection to Dr. Kelly Neiman ends up dead, Castle, Beckett, and the whole team at the 12th precinct fear that the dangerous serial killer Jerry Tyson, aka 3XK, could be involved. However, Dr. Neiman’s plastic surgery work, the lack of DNA records for Tyson, and multiple cases of copycat identities allow the pair to continue to torment everyone at the 12th, including Castle and—in a very dangerous way—Beckett.

Favorite Line “I never forget a face, especially if I cut it.” (Dr. Neiman)

Episode M.V.P.: Nathan Fillion
Fillion always rises to the challenge when it comes to Castle’s dramatic episodes, especially episodes dealing with the 3XK storyline. While Stana Katic got to show off her dramatic chops during episode dealing with Beckett’s mother and Senator Bracken, 3XK has always been a more Castle-centric—and, therefore, Fillion-centric—storyline. These episodes have been building since Season Three to create a layered portrait of a man carrying the weight of years of guilt and fear on his shoulders because he didn’t stop Tyson and instead has become the killer’s favorite target for psychological torment.

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TV Time: The Americans 3.02

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the americans 302

Title: Baggage

Episode M.V.P.: The Sound Effects Team
“Baggage” was another episode of The Americans filled with fantastic performances, but let’s be honest: This episode belonged to the team that created the sound effects used in the scene that gave the episode its title. “Baggage” will forever be known as “That episode where they broke a dead woman’s bones to fit her in a suitcase,” and so much of the unforgettable horror of that scene came from the sounds of Anneliese’s bones breaking. No television scene has ever produced that kind of visceral reaction in me before. I didn’t know which to cover—my eyes or my ears. In the end, it ended up being the sounds that are still haunting me hours later. And I think that was supposed to be the case. The scene was so eerily quiet except for those sounds, emphasizing the cold, businesslike attitude of Elizabeth and Philip as they went about snapping a woman’s bones like it was just another day at the office.

Some might think of those sounds (and the scene as a whole) as gratuitous (especially because it all centered around the dead, naked body of a woman). However, that scene needed to be as disturbing as possible to prove a point about the life Philip and Elizabeth lead (and the life Anneliese got herself involved in): It’s absolutely brutal. If this whole season is going to center around the conflict of whether or not to let the Center recruit Paige, then we need these reminders of what exactly Paige could be asked to do (or could have done to her). As Elizabeth’s motivations are becoming clearer and more emotionally compelling with each passing episode, Philip’s also need to be just as clear and compelling. The disgustingly vivid sensory details of that suitcase scene made Philip’s words about never wanting his daughter to have to put a body in a suitcase or end up in a suitcase hit home in a way they wouldn’t have without hearing those horrible, bone-snapping sounds before hearing him say those lines.

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TV Time: The Mindy Project 3.14

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Source: spoilertv.com

Source: spoilertv.com

Title No More Mr. Noishe Guy

Two-Sentence Summary Life-changing decisions are happening all over the place at Shulman & Associates, as Peter chooses to follow Lauren to Texas, and Morgan moves from his grandma’s basement to her attic. Mindy and Danny are also faced with some big choices when Mindy is offered a dream job in California but learns that Danny is making a new home for them in Manhattan, which could end up being a home for three after Mindy gets some big news.

Favorite Line “Just because I look like Olivia Pope does not mean I know how to disappear a body.” (Mindy)

My Thoughts No sense in burying the lead here: Mindy Lahiri is pregnant. So often, episodes are hyped as “game-changers,” when they’re really just average episodes with a minor plot twist at the end. However, the last moments of “No More Mr. Noishe Guy” were as game-changing as it gets. The reveal that Mindy is pregnant was the perfect way to end an episode that featured huge changes for both the characters and The Mindy Project as a show. Peter’s departure was surprising for the characters, but anyone who paid attention to entertainment news knew that Adam Pally was leaving the show. Industry news generally keeps character departures from being shocking (unless you’re The Good Wife), so The Mindy Project chose to surprise us in a different way—by blindsiding Mindy (and, by extension, us as viewers) with an unplanned pregnancy.

I’ll admit, my first reaction to Peter’s phone call was not one of joy but one of worry, which is probably how I should have felt if the goal was to put us in Mindy’s shoes. Mindy Kaling played her reaction so honestly—there was no overwhelming joy or happy tears or even the hint of This could actually be a good thing! on her face. And that’s real in a way television usually isn’t. In reality, Mindy wouldn’t be immediately overjoyed or think of the news as a unexpected blessing. She would be confused, anxious, and upset. I’m sure the coming episodes will show the unexpected joy to come from an unexpected pregnancy, but this wasn’t the time for that if the show was going for realism. This was the time for disbelief, shock, and other not exactly joyful emotions. Kudos to The Mindy Project and Kaling especially for creating such an honest moment that I’m sure plenty of women watching could relate to.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 7.07

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Source: screencrush.com

Source: screencrush.com

Title Donna and Joe

Two-Sentence Summary Donna’s wedding brings the Meagle family to Pawnee, and April is tasked with keeping the drama to a minimum. Meanwhile, Jen Barkley returns to convince Ben to run for the House of Representatives.

Favorite Lines
Ben: You have never been neutral on anything in your life. You have an opinion on pockets!
Leslie: Yes! I think they should all be bigger!

My Thoughts No show does weddings like Parks and Recreation. After the excellent way this show handled April and Andy, Leslie and Ben, and Ron and Diane getting married, I had high hopes for Donna’s wedding. And, like everything that’s happened so far during this fantastic final season, Parks and Rec managed to create something even better than I could have hoped to see. “Donna and Joe” fits in beautifully with both the tradition of great Parks and Rec weddings and the tradition of great Parks and Rec episodes that feature a pair of names in the title (“Leslie and Ben,” “Ann and Chris,” both “Ron and Tammy” and “Ron and Tammys,” “Leslie and Ron,” …).

We’ve spent a lot of time here at NGN discussing the surprising benefits of airing these final Parks and Rec episodes in back-to-back pairs. However, “Donna and Joe” deserved to stand alone. It contained plenty of big moments for a variety of characters, and I am happy that those moments will get a full week’s worth of attention on their own instead of being followed immediately by another episode.

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TV Time: Castle 7.13

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Source: tvequals.com

Source: tvequals.com

Title I, Witness

Two-Sentence Summary After an old friend of Castle’s hires him to do P.I. work on her cheating husband, she ends up dead, with Castle believing he saw her husband kill her. However, things aren’t as simple as Castle believes them to be, as a tangled web of deception is revealed when the team at the 12th precinct begins to look into the case, with Castle helping them as a witness.

Favorite Line “…Caught him red-handed and bare-bottomed.” (Castle)

My Thoughts Castle has found a really great groove recently. Every episode since the winter hiatus has been entertaining and has felt fresher than the show has felt in quite some time. The combination of personal (marriage) and professional (Castle’s P.I. job) changes in Castle and Beckett’s dynamic has actually done Castle a world of good, breathing new life into a show in its seventh season—no small feat.

“I, Witness” was another fun and compelling episode to add as evidence that many (myself included) were wrong to initially predict that the “Richard Castle, P.I.” experiment would be a weak point for the show. Instead, it’s been incredibly enjoyable to watch. This episode in particular had three excellent selling points: a compelling case, strong moments from supporting characters, and plenty of good Castle/Beckett moments.

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TV Time: The Americans 3.01

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Welcome to the first of my weekly The Americans episode reviews! I can’t wait to spend the next few months talking about KGB agents, family dynamics, and Martha’s gun with all of you!

The Americans 301

Title: EST Men

Episode M.V.P.: Keri Russell
“EST Men” was an episode that asked a lot of its leading lady—physical fighting, verbal sparring, physical pain, emotional pain, warmth, stoicism, vulnerability…And Russell delivered, with what was perhaps one of my favorite hours of work she’s turned in yet as Elizabeth Jennings.

At the center of it all was her relationship with her daughter and her mother. In typical The Americans fashion, there’s no one way Elizabeth’s bonding with Paige can be viewed: She talks to Gabriel about Paige as an agent, and she talks to Philip about Paige as a mother—and she is both; she can’t separate one from the other, and Russell is balancing those two facets of Elizabeth’s relationship with Paige brilliantly. The beginning of the episode framed Elizabeth’s mindset perfectly; she believes in the value of being thrown into the deep end, most likely because that’s how she was raised. And for as difficult as her own childhood seems to have been, she still loves her mother incredibly. That much was heartbreakingly clear in the scene where she listened to the tape of her mother telling her that she was dying. Russell’s work in that one scene was so good that I want to give her an Emmy nomination for it right now. We didn’t need subtitles to know what was being said; all we needed was Russell and her incredibly expressive face. The way she was able to allow us to understand the emotional weight of a message delivered only in Russian just by subtly changing her expression was everything that’s right about the acting on this show.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 7.05/7.06

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Source: screencrush.com

Source: screencrush.com

Title Gryzzlbox/Save JJ’s

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie attempts to turn the tide of the Newport land battle in her favor by exposing Gryzzl’s privacy invasion techniques. However, she finds an even better solution while trying to find a way to save her beloved JJ’s Diner.

Favorite Line “Was it Putin? Voldemort Putin? Of Russia?” (Andy)

My Thoughts “Gryzzlbox/Save JJ’s” had the seemingly unenviable position of following “Leslie and Ron,” which was described by many (myself included) as one of the best and most emotional episodes of Parks and Recreation in the show’s history. How do you follow that?

It turns out, you follow that with a pair of episodes that touched on nearly all the high points of seven seasons of Parks and Rec mythology over the course of one highly entertaining hour: town meetings, Perd Hapley, Leslie’s scrapbooks, Burt Macklin, Ice Town, Dennis Feinstein, Treat Yo Self, Dr. Richard Nygard, JJ’s waffles…

This pair of episodes honored the show’s history in its details, but it also honored the soul of the show in its overall theme of the power of a group of good people working together for a cause that means something to them—whether that cause is a new national park or the preservation of a great plate of bacon and eggs. Just like last season’s finale, this pair of episodes could have felt too neat, its conflicts too easily solved by the power of positive, creative thinking. But Parks and Rec is a show where the good guys win, where good things happen to good people. And in a television landscape that grows more cynical and antihero-driven by the day, I like knowing that I can watch Parks and Rec and feel good and happy and hopeful when all is said and done.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 7.03/7.04

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Title William Henry Harrison/Leslie and Ron

Two-Sentence Summary As Ron and Leslie’s feud continues to escalate, their friends realize they have to take drastic measures, locking them in the Parks Department office overnight. As they realize there’s nothing to do but talk about their feelings, both Leslie and Ron discuss the events that led to the dissolution of their friendship, including the Morningstar incident.

Favorite Lines
Ron: Why does anybody in the world ever eat anything other than breakfast food?
Leslie: People are idiots, Ron.

My Thoughts I think most fans of Parks and Recreation expected to cry more than once during this final run of episodes. However, I’m not sure anyone expected the deluge of tears to start as soon as the season’s fourth episode. But there I was, sitting on my couch on Tuesday night, sobbing into my sweatshirt sleeve as Leslie and Ron bonded over breakfast food once again. And I know I wasn’t the only one moved to tears in that moment.

It takes something really special to unite people on the Internet in a positive way, but “Leslie and Ron” was something really special. I’ve never before seen the kind of unanimous love for and emotional response to an episode of television that I’ve seen with this one. “Leslie and Ron” was an instant Parks and Rec classic, and it was the best single episode of television I’ve seen so far this TV season. It was a brave episode for many reasons but especially because it wore its heart so openly on its sleeve, and, as such, it represented the very best of what makes Parks and Rec such a treasure.

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