Tag Archives: recaps and reactions

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.03

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Parks-and-Recreation-The-Pawnee-Eagleton-Tip-Off-Classic

Title The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic

Two-Sentence Summary When Leslie learns that Eagleton is facing a financial crisis, she has to put aside her own hatred for the town and do the right thing, which in this case involves absorbing Eagleton into Pawnee. Meanwhile, Ron enlists Tom and Donna to help him get off the grid, and April and Ann take a trip to Bloomington that doesn’t exactly go as planned.

Favorite Line “ERASE ALL PICTURES OF RON!”

My Thoughts It would have been difficult for any episode of Parks and Recreation to follow up the fantastic fun of last week’s season premiere, but “The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic” was a valiant effort. It had plenty of funny moments, but where it faltered a bit was in its character development. It made me wish Parks and Rec could always be an hour long because so much of this episode felt rushed.

Let’s start with one of the things that had me most excited for this episode—Kristen Bell as Eagleton councilwoman Ingrid de Forest. While she given some very funny and sharply satirical lines about government spending (I loved that she tried to tip Ben in Euros), I wished she had been used more. Bell is such a fantastic actress and such a funny lady that I can only hope the events of this episode mean we’ll be seeing more of Ingrid as the season goes on. Otherwise, it was kind of a waste of her talent—and a chance to see her flex her comedic muscles opposite Amy Poehler.

All in all, I wasn’t crazy about Leslie’s storyline for the majority of this episode. I know Leslie’s overdramatic hatred of Eagleton is as much a part of her character as her love of Joe Biden, but that doesn’t mean I will ever really enjoy episodes like this. I don’t like watching Leslie Knope be mean; it makes me squirm rather than laugh. And it really bothered me to see her trying to drag Ben down to her level. I understand that Leslie needed to be worse than she’s ever been about Eagleton in order for her change of heart to feel the most dramatic and earned, but this was all a little too over-the-top for my liking.

In the end, though, Leslie did the right thing, the “Leslie Thing” (aka the thing that is most helpful and supportive towards another person or, in this case, town). It made me happy to see Ben’s influence on her in this episode. He knew exactly what to say to get Leslie to act on what she knew to be true all along: She may say that helping Eagleton goes against everything she stands for, but, in reality, laughing at their suffering and refusing to help them goes against everything she stands for at the core of who she is. I was so proud of Ben for standing up to his headstrong wife and helping her to be her best self. A marriage is a team, and Ben is always on Leslie’s team. But sometimes teammates have to call each other out when they’re not doing the right thing. Ben and Leslie are a marriage of equals, so it was nice to see the effect that rational, calm Ben has on (overly) impassioned, dramatic Leslie.

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TV Time: New Girl 3.03

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I apologize for being so late to post this review; I’ve been battling a wicked case of laryngitis, so my body decided to recharge (aka fall asleep) before I had time to finish writing this yesterday.

Title Double Date

Two-Sentence Summary Nick and Jess’s plan for a double date with Cece and Schmidt goes horribly awry when Schmidt’s relationships with both Cece and Elizabeth are revealed. After losing both women, Schmidt then vows to destroy Nick and Jess’s relationship.

Favorite Line “I’m not convinced I know how to read. I’ve just memorized a lot of words.” (Nick)

Episode M.V.P. While I thought Lamorne Morris was typically hilarious in depicting just how insane Winston can be (eating the glass pebble was my personal favorite moment of his), this episode was more serious than most New Girl outings, and it belonged to the actors who so expertly made the episode’s gravitas feel believable.

Zooey Deschanel has perfected the art of showing Jess’s quiet strength, and that was on full display in her desire to do what was right for her best friend. Her acting wasn’t overdramatic or attention-grabbing; it was just the right kind of concern and righteous anger on behalf of the friend she’s known a hell of a lot longer than Schmidt. Also proving she’s truly adept at quiet moments of emotion was Hannah Simone. She absolutely broke my heart in the scene where she found out about Schmidt’s infidelity.

Although both of those women were excellent in this episode, their male counterparts stole the show. Jake Johnson and Max Greenfield are both such sincere actors, and that sincerity was a big part of what made this episode so devastating for fans of Schmidt and Cece’s relationship and also so uplifting for fans of Nick and Jess’s romance. Johnson once again showed his skill at balancing broad comedy (his ridiculous dance in the loft while looking like another member of Daft Punk) with honest emotion (the way he kissed Jess in their bathroom scene). Nick is growing as a character with each episode, and I love that Johnson’s performance makes it feel believable that this man who thinks the moon landing is fake is the same man who can so sincerely tell Jess that he’s there for her and wants to be with her (especially when he knows they’ve both just dealt with a situation involving a man who couldn’t decide who he wanted to be with).

And then there’s Greenfield. How is it possible to feel sad for someone who was trying to date two women at once? It goes against everything I stand for, but somehow Greenfield made me believe that Schmidt genuinely didn’t want to hurt anyone. His performance in the restaurant scene was the best acting we’ve seen from him yet. I hated what Schmidt did, but I can’t hate Schmidt—and that’s a credit to the vulnerability Greenfield projected in such a dramatic moment.

Favorite Moment In the middle of so much heartbreaking drama, it was nice to see Nick and Jess stronger than ever as a couple. The scene between them as they drove to the restaurant was such a great way of showing the dynamic between these two characters in a way that was both funny and disarmingly sweet. First of all, of course Nick would drive absurdly slowly because he’s basically legally blind. Those little character quirks that keep popping up around this character never fail to make me laugh because they always feel right for who we know Nick Miller to be. Also, did anybody else love the way they argued as they were driving because it feels like a thing real couples always seem to do?

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TV Time: Castle 6.02

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Title Dreamworld

Two-Sentence Summary After learning that Castle has only a day to live after being exposed to a deadly chemical related to her latest case, Beckett frantically searches for leads to keep her fiancé alive and prevent a possible terror attack in Washington. Her investigative work leads her to a journalist, whose grief over his own fiancée’s death at the hands of an air strike from the secret military base known as Dreamworld has driven him to seek out revenge against the sitting Secretary of Defense.

Favorite Lines
Castle: Next time I say I’m dying to see you, let’s keep it metaphoric.
Beckett: Deal.

My Thoughts One of my favorite things about Castle is its brilliant character continuity. We can be presented with new situations and obstacles for these characters without the show feeling completely foreign because the characters’ reactions to these situations are always true to what we’ve learned about them over the last six seasons. It’s why Castle and Beckett making the leap from partners at work to partners in life was so successful last season, and it’s why “Dreamworld” was so successful as well. The way every character in this episode reacted to its events was such a shining example of what makes Castle a great show: It’s a rare procedural that’s driven by characters rather than plot, and it never tries to shy away from that. In fact, it embraces our connections to those characters and the characters’ connections to one another. Those connections are what made this episode so compelling and emotionally engaging.

I think we all knew there was no way Castle was dying in this episode. The real reason the end of last week’s “Valkyrie” was such a great cliffhanger was because it blindsided the characters in addition to the audience. And the reason this episode was still so suspenseful—even with our collective belief that Castle couldn’t die—was because it was so suspenseful for the characters. When you have writing that allows the emotional stakes to be the focal point of an episode, even the most predictable plots can leave you on the edge of your seat with tears in your eyes, which was basically my default position for all of “Dreamworld.”

The case itself was interesting enough, even if it did borrow heavily from common Castle plots: the impending terror threat looming over a two-part episode, the loved one out for vengeance, and the shady political maneuverings. But what I liked about this episode was the fact that all this heightened action happened right at the start of the season rather than at its midpoint. Like I said after last week’s premiere, starting the season with a two-part episode felt like a very confident and intelligent move to secure the interest of new viewers and get casual fans hooked right at the start of the season.

I liked the twists and turns in the case, but my favorite thing about it was the way it helped set up a believable reason for Beckett to leave Washington (because I think we’re all 99.99% sure she’s going back to New York at some point). If she left just because she missed Castle or because she wasn’t good at the job, this whole arc would feel hollow and empty. But it looks like this job is going to force her to confront her beliefs about justice. Kate Beckett has always been driven by her desire to get justice for others because she knows how it feels to lose a loved one. Now, she’s left with the idea that her dedication to getting justice for all victims and their families may have to take a back seat to politics. I’m not sure Beckett will ever be able to justify putting other things above getting closure for a victim’s family. The look on her face when McCord told her the Secretary was going to get off without any real blame said it all: How can she be the one who honors the victims when she’s in a place where not all who are guilty can be brought to justice?

Beckett’s motivation for solving crimes has always been personal, but this episode took it to another level. Like Sydney Bristow and Chuck Bartowski before her, Kate Beckett proved that she’s a force to be reckoned with when the love of her life is in need of an antidote. I’ve seen this general plot so many times before, but what kept it fresh in “Dreamworld” was the way it affected each character. The “search for an antidote” plot may have been done on Alias, Chuck, and a thousand other shows, but there was nothing generic about the way it was handled on Castle.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 3.01

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301OUaT

Title The Heart of the Truest Believer

Two-Sentence Summary After bringing Henry to Neverland at the request of their mysterious “home office,” Tamara and Greg are shocked to learn that they were simply used by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys to procure Henry, and once that goal is achieved, they are no longer of any use alive (Greg’s soul/shadow is ripped from his body by Pan; Tamara is shot by an arrow and later killed by Rumplestiltskin). In their quest to find Henry, Emma, Snow, Charming, Hook, and Regina (Rumplestiltskin has gone rogue) discover that the only way they are going to survive Neverland is by putting aside their hatred and believing in one another, while another strange alliance is being formed in Fairytale Land between Aurora, Philip, Mulan, Robin Hood, and Neal.

Favorite Lines
Snow: Undo your spell; bring back the mermaid!
Regina: And what—you’ll win her over with your rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers?

My Thoughts If “The Heart of the Truest Believer” is a sign of things to come for Once Upon a Time, then I’m really excited about where this show is headed. Yes, this premiere had a lot going on, but it found a way to balance its storylines and characters with a clarity that seemed to be lacking at times in Season Two. There are still families split apart and villains longing for redemption, but in this episode those things felt like they had the kind of emotional resonance that was often sacrificed for new plot developments in previous episodes. There was plenty of action, but there were also plenty of quieter moments where characters were given a chance to breathe, to talk, to grow, and to surprise us.

One of the biggest surprises in this episode came very early on, when the true identity of Greg and Tamara’s “home office” was revealed. I’ll admit it; when I heard those two words uttered by those two characters again, I was ready to scream, “NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR HOME OFFICE AND NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOU!” (I just really hated their storyline last season, okay?) So imagine my pleasant surprise when I found out these characters were actually being manipulated by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys and that there was no real home office; it was such a relief to know that we weren’t going to spend episode after episode trying to figure out who these two were working for. And it was also such a relief to know that two of the most uninteresting characters in the history of this show were also going to disappear. By doing away with my least favorite storyline of last season only a few minutes into the episode, I already knew this premiere was going to be a success.

Another reason I so deeply enjoyed the way Tamara and Greg were duped was because it set up a recurring theme for this episode which tied all of the plot threads together: the dangers of blind faith but the importance of belief. Once Upon a Time is growing up. Even “truest believer” Henry was throwing out sarcastic quips about Tamara and Greg not asking questions about who they actually worked for because of their blind faith in their cause.

Henry also learned the hard way about the dangers of putting your trust in the wrong thing (or in his case, person). I knew from the start that the kid he’d teamed up with was Peter Pan; he was too good of an actor (and too disarmingly pretty in his features) to just be a generic Lost Boy. I thought Robbie Kay was great at making the twist from friendly boy to creepy Peter Pan believable. There’s something really chilling about the evil hiding behind such a boyish face, and I can’t say enough about how much I love this show for once again taking a classic story and making it feel fresh and surprising. Pan’s “Let’s play” at the end of the episode gave me the best kind of freaked-out chills. Unsettled isn’t usually an emotion I feel while watching Once Upon a Time, but I like that the show still has some new tricks up its sleeve.

However cool the Peter Pan story may be, I still have a lot of questions about this plot (not that having questions is always a bad thing): How did the Lost Boys/Pan manage to contact Greg and Tamara, and why choose them? What does Peter Pan want with the heart of the truest believer? What is the doll that made Rumplestiltskin cry (another brilliant moment from Robert Carlyle)? And how they heck did Pan know what Henry was going to look like hundreds of years before he was born?

Pan knew of Henry before Bae came to Neverland, and I can’t help thinking that Bae’s going to end up in Neverland once again for reasons relating to Henry. I didn’t think we would spend so much time with Bae/Neal so soon (I’ll just call him Neal because apparently I want to be like Emma Swan, which I totally do), but it sure was nice to see Michael Raymond-James back on my TV. It was cool to watch him embrace his past as the son of the Dark One, and I liked seeing him interact with characters we’d left behind around the halfway point of Season Two. I still don’t love Jamie Chung’s line readings as Mulan (they always feel strangely stilted to me), but I did like the scenes where Neal tried to talk to her about the movie bearing her name. Those little moments of self-aware humor have always kept this show grounded, and it was nice to see it right at the start of this season.

The humor came from many different places in this episode, but if you were looking for sassy one-liners, then you needed to look no further than the Jolly Roger. Between Hook and Regina, the quips just kept on coming. Two of my personal favorites were:
• “Oh, that’s a great use of our time—a wardrobe change.” (Hook to Rumplestiltskin after the latter appears wearing his old leather clothes, and looking gosh-darn great in them if you ask me)
• “Fillet the bitch!” (Regina to Charming after they’d captured a mermaid)

Ultimately, though, the scenes on the Jolly Roger were about so much more than sarcastic comments or even intense actions sequences (even though that whole storyline at times felt like one long action scene filled with surprisingly angry mermaids). It was about this group of characters learning how to believe. For Snow and Charming, it was about learning to believe in their daughter for who she is rather than who they want her to be. Emma may have been harsh in her assessment of her relationship with them so far (but tact hasn’t ever been Emma Swan’s chief asset), but she has had her own experiences, and they are all going to have to find a way to believe in each other as a family despite the differences in their lives. For Regina, it was about believing that there are more important things than her hatred of Snow (although the two of them finally getting to haul off and punch each other was very cathartic for me as a viewer—especially to see Snow punch Regina). For Hook, it was about believing in something (or maybe someone) more important than himself.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.01

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parkspremieretvlinedotcom

Title London, Part 1 & 2

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie heads to London to accept an award for her achievements as a woman in government, but the trip only serves to highlight the fact that the people she serves in Pawnee are trying to run her out of office. Meanwhile, Ron and Diane get married; Andy gets a job offer in London; Ann gets pregnant; and Tom gets into a feud with his Rent-a-Swag competitor, who happens to be Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa’s father.

Favorite Lines
Andy: I can’t believe we’re at Hogwarts!
Ben: No, that’s Buckingham Palace. Hogwarts is fictional; do you know that? It’s important to me that you know that.

My Thoughts Welcome back, Parks and Recreation; I’ve missed you so much. There’s something so comforting about turning on my TV on Thursday nights and knowing that I’m going to feel genuinely good about what I’m watching. There’s a comfort that Parks and Rec brings, but it’s a comfort born not of rehashed stories and static characters but rather of characters who are so well-developed that they re-enter your life every season as old friends; the changes in their stories feel natural and earned because we know them so well and because the writers know them even better than we do. And there were certainly a lot of changes that happened in this season premiere…

My biggest complaint with last season’s finale was that it didn’t emotionally engage me in the way the best episodes of Parks and Recreation do. Imagine my pleasant surprise, then, when I found myself tearing up barely two minutes into this premiere. Ron’s proposal to Diane was perfect for a number of reasons (most of them canoe-related), and I loved what it meant for Ron’s growth as a character. This man, who used to want nothing to do with children, isn’t scared off by being a father and starting a new life with this woman and her two little girls. This man, who was scarred by two horrible marriages, is tired of not being married to Diane (anybody else LOVE that line?) and wants to make that happen as soon as possible.

In what was possibly the best cold open in the show’s history, Ron and Diane are married before the episode’s five-minute mark, but the rapid pacing felt exactly right for this couple. There’s no point in delaying the inevitable, and I love that this show isn’t afraid of taking what could have been a major Season Six storyline and relegating it to the first five minutes of the premiere simply because it feels organic to who these characters are. The wedding was nothing less than a perfect fit for this pair, and it allowed Amy Poehler to show Leslie’s particular brand of crazy so well. (Her reaction to the wedding news was one of the most hilarious parts of what was a very funny premiere.)

Parks and Rec is first and foremost a show about optimism in a cynical world, so it should come as no surprise that it handles weddings and relationships with such care. In this episode alone, we were given Ron’s ideal wedding; Ben’s unfailing support of his wife (including wearing a barrister wig without any argument because she thinks it has the potential to be sexy); April and Andy’s marriage continuing to be more solid than 99% of the relationships on other television shows; and Ann and Chris preparing for a family of their own.

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TV Time: New Girl 3.02

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Title Nerd

Two-Sentence Summary After seeing Jess struggling to make friends among the teachers at her new school, Nick gives her some well-meaning but misguided advice about how to act cool. Meanwhile, Schmidt faces a problem when both Cece and Elizabeth show up at his office party, and Winston dreams of taking his frustrations with his relationship with Daisy out on her cat.

Favorite Line “I would have noticed you.” (Nick)

Episode M.V.P. “Nerd”was a great showcase for the men of New Girl. While Zooey Deschanel had plenty of comedy to work with (my personal favorite being her rendition of “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes while standing in a toilet), I didn’t really care for most of Jess’s storyline. I love Jess because she seems proud of who she is even when the rest of the world doesn’t seem to understand her quirks, and that confidence was completely missing from her character in this episode. Her characterization felt uneven, which I guess was kind of the point—but that doesn’t mean it appealed to my tastes (I hate “secondhand embarrassment” kind of comedy).

One of my problems with Jess’s characterization in this episode was that the comedy in her storyline was too broad and too cliché. We’ve seen it all before. The same could be said of Schmidt’s storyline—how many times have we seen the “two girlfriends, one room” situation in a sitcom? (Answer: Too many) However, Max Greenfield was able to inject a really surprising amount of genuine emotion into his reaction to the situation. The tears in his eyes at the end of the party made me actually believe that he doesn’t want to hurt either woman; he’s just going about this in a completely wrong way.

Lamorne Morris was once again a standout performer in this episode, making the craziest side plot work with his fantastic delivery. Who knew contemplating killing a cat could be so funny? My favorite moment was his ridiculous idea to let the cat decide how it wanted to die.

The real M.V.P. of this episode, though, was Nick Miller and, by extension, Jake Johnson. Nick went through a lot in this episode, and Johnson once again balanced so many facets of this character with ease. His desire to help Jess was incredibly endearing, even if it manifested itself in a disastrous way. Schmidt wasn’t wrong; Nick’s advice was awful, but it came from a genuine place of concern and care. That’s what I love about New Girl—all of these characters are messes, but their hearts are in the right place. And as soon as Schmidt opened Nick’s eyes to the fact that his advice was making Jess more like him—and not in a positive sense—Nick suddenly sprang into action in such a fantastic way. I loved seeing him try to deal with both Jess and Winston’s crises because flustered Nick is one of my favorite flavors of Nick Miller, but also because it showed how much this man has grown, letting more than a little responsible, “Chicago” Nick into the loft.

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TV Time: Castle 6.01

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Title Valkyrie

Two-Sentence Summary After accepting Castle’s marriage proposal and beginning her new life in Washington, Beckett faces the challenges of learning the ropes of a new job, adjusting to a new partner, and living without her fiancé. Her new life gets even more complicated when Castle begins poking his nose in one of her new cases, a robbery that turns out to be much more than it originally appeared and could have deadly consequences for Castle.

Favorite Line “Kate, I’m not proposing to you to keep you here or because I’m afraid I’m gonna lose you. I’m proposing because I can’t imagine my life without you. If that means when things get difficult we have to figure them out, then I’m willing to figure them out—assuming you’re willing to figure them out with me.” (Castle)

My Thoughts If there’s one lesson Castle has taught me over the years it’s that confidence is incredibly attractive. As much as Castle and Beckett have proved that time and again over five (and now six) seasons, the show as a whole also operates with an air of confidence—in its actors, its characters, and the story it wants to tell. “Valkyrie” was a season premiere that could be described as many things: entertaining, emotional, suspenseful, funny, warm, dramatic, and even frustrating (a cliffhanger already?!). However, I think the best word to describe it is confident. The relationship between Castle and Beckett, the pacing of the episode, and the cliffhanger of an ending all felt as if they were coming from a place of confidence—both within the show’s universe and within the very real universe of the network TV business.

I loved that show picked up right where last season’s finale left off because it allowed the frustration some audience members (myself included) felt about Castle’s proposal to be addressed right away. The way the somber tone of the proposal melted into the excitement, humor, and warmth of their reactions to it speaks to the show’s ability to shift tones naturally and realistically. There was something so sweet about Nathan Fillion’s delivery of Castle’s confession that his proposal was the most serious thing he’s ever done. Castle has grown from a man “incapable of taking anything seriously” (Beckett’s description of him in the pilot) to this man, who is so serious about his commitment to Beckett that he’s in untested waters, even for a man who’s been married twice before. The character growth shown in that one line is incredible and felt so rewarding for those of us who’ve watched Castle develop and become a better man by being in the presence of a woman who takes so many things seriously.

The fact that the writers could turn the strange tone of the proposal into a moment of comedy proves that they understand both their characters and their audience. They knew what kind of reactions we all had to that proposal, and it was nice to see them echoed in Beckett’s reaction. It was also nice to see what could have been a cheesy or dramatic moment kept perfectly in-character with Beckett’s inability to answer right away and the banter that followed. It’s nice when a proposal scene is kept from being generic by adding little touches of unique character continuity, and one of the best things about this couple has always been their quick banter.

Fillion and Stana Katic were simply wonderful in that proposal scene. I loved the brief moment when we could feel Beckett’s fear that taking the job would make Castle take back the proposal, but what I loved even more was how quickly that fear was put to rest. Castle’s speech about the reason he proposed was filled with such genuine respect and adoration for Beckett, whose dedication to her work is what drew him to her in the first place. It wasn’t an overbearingly sweet moment; it was honest and reflected the very mature belief that marriage takes work but is ultimately worth the effort when you’re working with the right person. And that sense of genuine commitment was all Beckett needed to see to tell Castle that she wanted to marry him—all of him. By using both his real name and his pen name, Beckett showed that she knows and loves every part of him. You can’t separate Richard Edgar Castle from Richard Alexander Rogers, and Beckett loves both of those sides of him—the side he shares with the world and the side he shares with only those he loves the most. Both of their smiles when she accepts say so much—she’s so sure of this love and of their future, and he’s so happy that he’s able to give her that assurance.

That sense of certainty permeated their interactions throughout the rest of the episode. After the two-month time jump, we saw a couple who might be frustrated with their separation are confident in their relationship. It’s a side to them we’ve never really seen before. Last season was all about the honeymoon stage and the exploration of the ups and downs of a new relationship. This episode presented something different, a kind of mature stability that comes from knowing that both people in the relationship are fully committed to spending their lives together. It’s a good look on both of these characters because it’s something completely new for them both. Beckett has never been engaged; Castle has never been this serious about a relationship. They’re jumping in together, just like Beckett always wanted.

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TV Time: New Girl 3.01

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It’s good to be back! To any new readers joining us for this season, welcome!

Title All In

Two-Sentence Summary After Cece’s near-wedding, Nick and Jess find themselves embarking on a new, “all in” relationship as they travel to Mexico to discover what they have with each other independent of Schmidt and Winston, who are back at the loft working through problems of their own (Schmidt’s inability to decide between Elizabeth and Cece and Winston’s difficulties with a jigsaw puzzle). However, after Nick gets arrested, he and Jess realize that they don’t need to be away from Schmidt and Winston to find out what they are; they’re all in whether they’re in Mexico or back at the loft.

Favorite Line “Hey you guys…I’ve been doing a lot of thinking…Now I know everyone’s going through a lot, but I think it’s time for me to start a puzzle.” (Winston)

Episode M.V.P. Another season, another episode of New Girl where really any one of the “core four” actors could have been named its most valuable performer. The reason why this episode worked so well as a premiere was because it didn’t tinker too much with what made last season such a joy. It focused on pairs of characters that have been incredibly successful in the past: Nick/Jess and Schmidt/Winston. The former provided the majority of the episode’s heart, and the latter provided a lot of its humor.

I could single out Jake Johnson’s incredible nonverbal acting once again because I still melt every time Nick looks at Jess. And the way he delivered the line about her being the prettiest girl on the beach was wonderful because it was so matter-of-fact. It’s a simple fact for Nick that Jess is the prettiest girl wherever they happen to be, and that kind of sincerity is what makes him such a realistically romantic leading man. I could also single out Zooey Deschanel for her incredible ability to bring sanity to this crazy group of male characters without seeming like their mom. Like Johnson, Deschanel acts with a disarming kind of sincerity that makes all of her lines feel honest, even when they’re as crazy as “Nick is my bitch!” I could watch a whole show of Johnson and Deschanel laughing together and looking at each other because they capture the joy of falling in love better than any other actors on TV.

When talking about New Girl actors, you can’t forget Max Greenfield, who was once again brilliant, whether he was screaming at Winston or genuinely getting emotional at the idea of hurting either Cece or Elizabeth. But the real star of this episode, the one who made me joyfully exclaim “New Girl is back!” has to be Lamorne Morris. Winston always gets the craziest storylines, but somehow Morris always makes them hilarious—and this was no exception. “Puzzling Winston” is right up there with “Prank Sinatra” on my list of reasons to love New Girl. From the humming and the weirdly sexual attitude toward the puzzle to his hoodie-as-sweatpants wardrobe and stubbing his toe while walking in angry circles with Schmidt, Morris had me laughing until I cried throughout the episode. The scene where Winston and Schmidt carry on an entire nonverbal conversation behind Cece’s back was something I’ve seen 100 times on TV before, but I’ve never laughed as hard as I did this time. Winston is crazy—genuinely, hilariously crazy—but he’s also a good friend. And I hope this episode starts the Year of Winston—because Morris has earned it.

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TV Time: SYTYCD Season 10 “Top 4 Perform”

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Can there actually be too much of a good thing when it comes to dance?

For me, the answer will always be “no,” but even I have to admit that last night’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance sacrificed a little bit of quality for a lot more in terms of quantity. And while I was happy to see so much dancing on two hours of primetime network television, it was clear that some of the routines suffered from a lack of energy and focus from a group of dancers who should all be given awards for making it through those two hours without collapsing onstage.

I won’t waste my time talking about guest judge Gabby Douglas because, although I adore her, she was on the same level as Carly Rae Jepsen in terms of her clichéd, generic responses. They should have just kept the panel to Nigel, Mary, and Paul Abdul, whose heartfelt (if sometimes spacey) critiques and compliments can grace my ears any day.

But enough about the judges, we have approximately 5000 dances to recap (and I’m only half-joking)!

SOLOS

Jasmine: Remember when we all thought Jasmine’s relationship with Cyrus was going to be a major storyline this season? I cannot say enough about how thrilled I am that this was the only time since Vegas Week that her heartbreak was mentioned, because her narrative became all about her dancing as soon as she stepped on the SYTYCD stage. Jasmine has an incredibly believable duality to her personality: the humble, shy girl who comes alive and finds her confidence when she dances. Her solo this week was another lesson in projecting passion to an audience while never sacrificing technique. And watching both Jasmine and Cat get emotional when it was revealed that Cat got her into the Top 20 was my favorite moment of the whole show last night.

Amy: Amy is a beautiful soloist in terms of pure technique. Her legs are so strong, and her core strength blows my mind. However, sometimes her movements can feel a little choppy and rushed, with too much manufactured angst rather than pure emotion. I think she’s a brilliant technical dancer, and this was my favorite of her solos so far. But I just don’t connect with her solos emotionally in the same way I did with the best SYTYCD female dancers.

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TV Time: SYTYCD Season 10 “Top 6 Perform”

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I would just like to take one moment to say I CALLED IT!

From the very first week of the competition, I knew there was something special about Amy and Fik-Shun and Jasmine and Aaron. These two couples just seemed to click and bring out the best in each other in a way no other couple was able to this season. Both were perfectly matched and great compliments for one another—with the youthful energy of Fik-Shun and Amy providing a good counterpoint to the mature chemistry between Jasmine and Aaron. Both of these couples were made up of performers, dancers who come alive in a special way as soon as the music starts and the lights go on. They were power couples from the first week, and now they’re the only couples left standing.

As excited as I am to see the four best entertainers left in the competition move on to the finale, I can’t say I was 100% pleased with the results. While I agree that Haley’s time had come, I’m not so sure I was ready to say goodbye to Paul. He was clearly the best technician left, and I thought he had really grown into his own as a performer as well. In the last couple of weeks, I found myself falling under his spell and becoming more and more impressed with his versatility and stage presence. I would have liked to see him in the finale instead of Fik-Shun (I just think Paul has grown more and shown more versatility throughout the season), but saying goodbye to any of the guys this week would have been hard.

You know what wasn’t hard at all this week? Listening to Jesse Tyler Ferguson as the guest judge. He proved once again why he’s my favorite to fill the third seat on the panel with his jokes at Carly Rae Jepson’s expense, self-deprecating sense of humor, and adorable crush on Aaron. (Note to Jesse: Get in line, my friend.)

Ferguson was kept busy this week with a full slate of dances, so let’s start discussing them!

SOLOS

Fik-Shun: While I may not think he’s shown the same level of growth and versatility as Paul and Aaron, there’s no denying Fik-Shun’s genius in his own style. This solo was one of the best hip hop solos I’ve ever seen on So You Think You Can Dance; his musicality was perfect, his movements were ridiculously fast and precise, and his smile absolutely lit up the stage once again.

Paul: Ballroom solos can sometimes fall flat, but this solo was captivating from start to finish. Paul is such a chameleon that I sometimes forget what his specialty actually is, so this solo was a great reminder of just how good he is as a ballroom dancer. He oozed controlled power while still managing to exude the easy charisma that’s made him so likeable, which is a tough balancing act to perfect.

Aaron: I’ll announce my bias before I say any more: I’m a tapper. Tap holds a special place in my heart, and sometimes I get emotional just thinking about what this style of dance has given me. There’s a certain joy that tap gives me—the joy of a little kid putting tap shoes on for the first time and discovering that they can make music with their feet. And this solo was such a pure expression of that joy. Aaron’s love for this style came through in every part of his performance—from the genuine smile on his face to the relaxed and easy way he moved his upper body. It was like watching someone come home, watching someone in their happy place. Yes, his rhythms were incredible and his musicality was precise and thoroughly entertaining, but what really made me love this routine—what made me cry happy tears while watching it—was seeing Aaron show the world what I feel when I put on my tap shoes: the joy, the comfort, and the thrill of entertaining an audience with the music of my feet.

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