Some incredibly late thoughts on "Epitaph One"

When your media organization is essentially run out of your living room, you're not always on the list to get the best materials from the networks. Don't get me wrong -- many networks have been great about hooking me up with DVD screeners of new and returning shows, including Fox. But, if a network has only a limited supply of something, I'm usually not among the chosen picked to receive it. Such was the case with "Epitaph One," the "lost" episode of "Dollhouse" that never aired on Fox during the show's first season. It is included with the show's first season DVD set, and some folks got a sneak peek. But, alas, Fox was out of copies by the time I requested one, so I had to wait until the show was released to watch the episode. Well, the show was released in July, but I got busy and, long story short, I only just watched it this weekend.
But I was totally blown away. For those who don't know, the episode takes place 10 years in the future, in a dystopian world where-- well, I should probably save that for a spoilers section below. It's peppered with flashbacks showing how the Dollhouse played a huge role in the world's ongoing destruction. Echo/Caroline (Eliza Dushku) actually isn't seen much, though she's mentioned frequently. Instead, much of the focus is on Amy Acker's Whiskey, the active who, until late last season, believed she was the Dollhouse's doctor, Dr. Saunders.
Anyway, the episode is awesome, and I highly recommend picking it up -- particularly since I also watched the second season premiere of "Dollhouse" this weekend and Joss Whedon does seem to be treating "Epitaph One" as canon (meaning, even though it didn't air, he's not ignoring the stuff that happens in it). Many things alluded to in "E1" are picked up on in the first ep (which I'll discuss at length closer to its Sept. 25 premiere), so watching that episode should give you greater insight into the show.
Anyway, a few (incredibly late) spoilers are below. I would appreciate those who have seen the show giving me their thoughts, particularly the answers to my questions.

* Here's my biggest question: Just you do you think that little girl had been imprinted with when she went evil? Was it someone we know, you think? The fact that the persona wanted to inhabit Felicia Day's character and not the guy indicates that it was a female, but I'm not sure. Didn't it sound an awful lot like Lawrence Dominic? But maybe it was November/Mellie/Madeline. After all, we don't really have any clue what her true personality was like.
* I'm guessing that Rossum's idea of imprinting dolls permanently and using them as "new models" for existing personalities had a role in the imprinting technology run amok. But how? And is Topher the one who sent out that code via phone call? Or did that even happen? What's with Topher anyway? And does anyone else have tremendous new respect for Fran Kranz and his work on this show? His character really developed over the course of the first season, and "E1" sort of brought him full circle.
* Just what happened to Saunders/Whiskey? Why did she revert back to Whiskey? Why was she still at the Dollhouse? I assume that she was waiting for Boyd, as he promised to come back for her. And when/why did they fix her face?
* When were Victor and Sierra given their old personalities back? Why?
Sigh. So many questions. Hope the show is around long enough to answer them.

"Leverage" seaason finale recap: "The Lost Heir Job"

Just a few quick thoughts on TNT's "Leverage," which ended its second season last night. Seems like a lot of people were divided on the sophomore season of this entertaining caper dramedy starring Timothy Hutton. Admittedly, I'm firmly in the camp that loved it. I was actually happy that the show spent less time on the dark side of Hutton's character, Nathan Ford, and more time on the bubbly fun of watching Ford and his team rob the rich and give to the poor.
Aldis Hodge's Hardison remains one of the more delightful characters on TV and Beth Riesgraf's Parker is continuing to grow on me (I burst out laughing at her impromptu meth addict imitation in last night's finale).
I know the show is flawed. The special effects are perhaps the cheesiest on TV and the show found a pretty flimsy way to handle co-star Gina Bellman's pregnancy (her character, Sophie, is having an identity crisis and flew home to London, where she wanders around in kimonos that barely disguise her baby bump).
Still, I kind of like her temporary replacement -- the always flinty Jeri Ryan. Given that all the press leading up to the finale revealed that Ryan would be Bellman's fill-in, I wasn't surprised that her character, a seemingly dedicated civil attorney, turned out to be a grifter. But she was still fun. And fun is what's needed here. Let other shows bring us dark drama. "Leverage" is a light, entertaining romp. That's what it does best, and I look forward to spending some more time with it when it returns in January.

"Vampire Diaries" is a bit of bloody mess

Remember a few years back when "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" debuted, became a big hit and spurred an onslaught of procedural dramas? Well, it's happening again -- this time with vampires.
Though vampires have always had a certain appeal and a place in pop culture, there's no better time than now to be undead. The vamp renaissance started with the insanely popular "Twilight" series of books and movies, then carried into the admittedly fun and sexy HBO series "True Blood," a soap about vampires, telepaths and other supernaturals. Now we have The CW's "The Vampire Diaries," an adaptation of a popular series of books, premiering tonight. I admit I've never read any of the books, but they have a strong following, so I was interested in giving the series a look.
The show's pilot centers on Elena (Nina Dobrev), a sad, beautiful teenager who has lost both of her parents and is living with her aunt and troubled brother. While she tries to put a brave face on things at school, she quickly becomes the obsession of the new kid at school, Stefan (Paul Wesley). Stefan's a brooding type with dark, sensitive eyes, an impressive grasp of local history and a disconcerting habit of appearing out of nowhere. Yes, he's a vampire. The nice kind. The kind that feeds on animals and turns his head away demurely when a female companion gets a luscious, bloody scrape on her knee. Stefan's pursuit of Elena is hampered by the arrival of his naughty brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder of "Lost," clearly enjoying the freedom of playing a bad boy).
Obviously, there are a lot of longing looks, unrequited love and, this being a CW drama, pretty people mouthing stilted dialogue.
Don't get me wrong -- the show can be entertaining, particularly in a fun opening sequence featuring a vampire's version of a carjacking. And Somerhalder is hilarious and vibrant as the bad guy -- when he's on screen, the show pops to life. But the key relationship is kind of flat. Dobrev is beautiful, and easily essays pluck and bravery on screen, but she's still a bit wan. And I didn't for a second believe the romance between her and Wesley's Stefan, who, I will concede, does look like he's been alive for hundreds of years. Or at least 30.
The subplots, involving Elena's brother and some other teens, are cheesy, and the vampire effects are a bit thick. Upon sensing blood, Stefan's eyes swirl with red. It's poetic, I guess, but I prefer the visceral shock of seeing the "True Blood" vamps pop their fangs with malicious glee.
In short, I couldn't really decide whether "Vampire Diaries" was campy fun or just plain bad, and I don't really care to find out. With the possible exception of Damon, none of the characters are that interesting. I can't really see myself spending week after week with them. And, frankly, I'm pretty sure that "True Blood's" Bill Compton would eat that pretty little Stefan for breakfast.
"The Vampire Diaries" premieres at 8 tonight on The CW.

A few brief words about "Glee"

It would be easy to bust on "Glee," the new, hour-long Fox comedy that officially debuts on Wednesday. I mean, the pilot for the series -- about a bunch of misfits in a high school glee club -- premiered in May. May! How's that for a lead on the competition? You'd think a show that debuted that early would get lost in the shuffle by fall, but our friends at Fox would never let that happen, would they? All summer long, my e-mail inbox has been bombarded with messages about "Glee" promotions, including an upcoming cast album and a contest. There are posters for the series everywhere, and Fox seems intent on shoving "Glee"-mania down our throats. With all that, you'd think I'd be really resentful toward "Glee" and hate it out of spite. But I don't, for two reasons. 1) I'm a professional, and I try not to let external factors affect my judgment of a series and 2) It's just damn good.
Really. I mean, I loved the pilot, with its plucky characters, terrific song and dance numbers and hilarious dialogue ("You think this is hard? Try being waterboarded. THAT'S hard."). I loved the way it used the great comedic actress Jane Lynch, who plays an evil cheer-leading coach. I loved it soo much! But I did wonder -- could the show carry this spirit into subsequent episodes?
Well, I've seen two more episodes of "Glee," and the answer is a resounding "yes." "Glee" continues to stand out as the best new show I've seen so far (admittedly, I haven't seen them all yet, but it's definitely the show to beat). Watching it is such a pleasure.
Few shows can mix music with storytelling in a way that's both seamless and entertaining. But "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy pulls it off. That's kind of a surprise, as Murphy is also the man behind FX's garish, over-the-top plastic surgery drama "Nip/Tuck," which is as messy as "Glee" is well-structured.
"Glee" is also just so much nicer than "Nip/Tuck." The characters are so likable, particularly the strident yet vulnerable ingenue Rachel (Lea Michele) and the sweet yet obsessive choir instructor Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison). And Lynch continues to be hilarious as the horrible Sue Sylvester, who fears the glee club will start sucking money away from her cheer-leading program. With her searing eyes and devastatingly dry delivery, Lynch is a perfect comic villain, and meshes nicely with Morrison's sheepish good guy.
The only character on the show that doesn't work is that of Will's wife, Terri, played by "Nip/Tuck" regular Jessalyn Gilsig. She's mean-spirited and crazy, and not in a fun way, like Lynch's character. In an irritating way. It's just hard to believe Will married her.
But why carp about that when the show gets so much else right? It's funny and it has such an inspired mix of music, from showtunes and Celine Dion to Kayne West and Salt 'n' Pepa (wait until you see the glee kids take on "Push It." No, I'm not kidding.).
Watching it is, at its best, like being front and center at a top-notch Broadway show. And I hope it's the hit of the season.
"Glee" airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Fox.

"Mad Men" recap: All you wanna do is ride around, Sally

This week on "Mad Men," we saw a bunch of children defying, and disappointing, their parents. Pete's new client is a spoiled rich boy (the son of a friend of Bert Cooper) who thinks Jai Alai will eclipse baseball as the world's most prominent sport. We saw Peggy trying to move away from the old neighborhood and get a place in New York. And, we saw Sally Draper finally call her parents on their cold, emotionless behavior.
Spoilers ahead.
This week's episode started with what I've decided is my favorite "Mad Men" scene to date: that image of Grandpa Gene and Sally in the family car, with Sally driving. She's got the wheel and Gene is pushing the pedals. It's a questionable move, especially considering Gene's somewhat fragile state. But he seems to be in control and Sally is, indeed, having the time of her life. We actually see the little girl smile -- and it's a genuine smile, not a polite formality or an attempt to garner Mom and Dad's approval. Sally's enjoying herself, and it's nice to see.
In fact, would you agree with me that, despite his somewhat age-inappropriate driving lessons (and the gift of the German helmet to Bobby), Gene is actually a much better parent to Bobby and Sally than either Don or Betty? I mean, he talks to the kids. He spends time with them. He encourages them (his talk with Sally, when he told her she was smart and could be whoever she wanted, was really sweet). He treats them like people, not little appendages.
I must say, I'm really surprised at the way the Gene storyline has gone. I was really expecting his unstable state to result in a lot more tension in the Draper house. And there is tension. Betty doesn't like hearing her dad talk about his impending death. Don REALLY doesn't like Gene talking to Bobby about the horrors of war (I kind of agree with him, but at least Gene is TALKING to Bobby, Don).
Yet Gene is really good to Bobby and Sally. And Sally, at least, is old enough to notice the difference between a parental figure who is attentive and one who is not. She's grown fond of her grandpa -- and, I'm sure, secretly loves hearing him talk about a time when her perfect mother was fat.
So, Sally is hit particularly hard when Gene doesn't pick her up from school to take her to ballet. When a frazzled Betty shows up instead, we see a return to the old, sullen, frightened Sally -- not the joyous little girl she was around Gene.
We soon learn why Gene wasn't there: he passed out and died in the supermarket while buying peaches for Sally. Betty is sad but Sally is downright devastated. Later, when Sally hears the grown-ups reminiscing about Gene, she's horrified when they start laughing. And our brave little girl steps up and totally calls them out. Grandpa is dead, she shouts. He isn't coming back. And you're acting like nothing happened. It's totally not in keeping with the Betty Draper, hold-it-all-in model of womanhood and Don and Betty are baffled.
But good for Sally. Maybe she has a shot at growing up to be a normal, emotionally healthy adult after all. Yes, Gene died, but he was around long enough for the little girl to know what affection and love feel like. She knows that the brusque way her parents treat her isn't how all grownups behave. She has a somewhat clearer idea of what normal is now, I think. So, maybe -- just maybe -- she'll be all right.
Elsewhere, on the Sterling Cooper side of things, we saw Pete take on a new client, the aforementioned rich kid with the fairly undignified nickname of Ho Ho. Ho Ho wants to make Jai Alai the national sport. He wants to film a TV show with a Jai Alai superstar named Patchy and broadcast it on every network. He wants magazine spreads, newspaper ads -- the works. Everyone knows the campaign is destined to be a failure, but Ho Ho has money and is willing to spend it like crazy. Don, once again showing something resembling a conscience, is uncomfortable with this. He feels like they're taking advantage of Ho Ho, so he tries to run interference. He talks to Bert Cooper, who is also alarmed, and calls in the boy's father. But Daddy is pretty resigned to his son's foolishness by now. There's nothing he can do. Don takes one last stab at reasoning with Ho Ho, over dinner with him and Pete (by the way -- how great was Pete's terrified expression when he realized that Don was trying to talk Ho Ho out of spending all that money?). But Ho Ho is resolute. And, we learn, this is actually an attempt to impress his dad. Ho Ho has a dream of giving his dad a Jai Alai team for his 75th birthday. It's sad because we know this will never work. And, even if it did, I imagine Ho Ho's pops wouldn't really appreciate his new Jai Alai team.
Meanwhile, Peggy is trying to move out of Brooklyn and get a place in Manhattan. She, a bit foolishly, places an ad for a roommate in the Sterling Cooper lunchroom, and Kinsey and company enlist a secretary to use it as fodder for some prank phone calls. Then Joan, of all people, offers help. Don't advertise here, she says. And don't be so formal. An apartment in Manhattan is supposed to be an adventure! Peggy takes her advice and ends up with Karen, a sweet, exuberant girl who I predict will be a terrible fit with Peggy as a roommate (the look on Peggy's face when Karen explains that she'll date anyone but a sailor was priceless). Eventually, it comes time for Peggy to tell her mom that she's leaving Brooklyn and Mom is PISSED. "You'll get raped, you know," is her supportive reply.
Sigh.
Here are some more thoughts on "Arrangements."
* I didn't mention this week's fourth subplot, in which Sal was enlisted to direct the Patio commercial. The most notable thing about this story was how it led to the scene between Sal and his poor wife in their bedroom. Kitty goes from trying to seduce Sal to comforting him when she sees his anxiety about his new project. Then, there's her reaction when Sal acts out his commercial concept for her. Sal's performance is quite something, complete with seductive twists and turns and racing toward the camera. Kitty, finally, realizes that this is NOT most husbands' idea of "performing in the bedroom," and is kind of shaken by this realization. Will she repress this epiphany and just go on with their lives, pretending that she doesn't know her husband is gay? Or will she cut and run? I'm thinking the former, as this is "Mad Men," where almost no one is capable of saving themselves.
* By the way, the Patio people don't like the commercial, even though it's exactly what they asked for. And Peggy, who objected to the concept right from the start, is silently smug. Check out her "I told you so" glance at Don as she leaves the room following the presentation. Oh, Peggy -- no one like a know-it-all.
* Holy Hell -- they broke Bert Cooper's ant farm! Well, mom always said, don't play Jai Alai in the Sterling Cooper visitor's office.
* A nice, sad touch at the episode's end: Sally goes to sleep clutching "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," the book she and grandpa were reading together. Sigh. Poor Gene.

Joss Whedon is trying to bribe me

It's well known among those who cover TV that the Fox network sends out the best promotional swag with screeners of its shows. For last year's "24" premiere, they sent out a Jack Bauer action figure. With the DVD of this season premiere of "Bones," they sent out a Kathy Reich's book and socks (socks!). And, of course, they hand out t-shirts like candy. Over the past couple years, I've gotten a "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" tee, two "House" tees and a makeshift jersey celebrating the network's new sitcom "Brothers" (sorry, guys -- even a free shirt won't make me say nice things about that show).
So, when I received the screener of the season premiere of "Dollhouse," I wasn't surprised to see a t-shirt sharing space with my DVD. But even better than a shirt is the hilarious note from show creator Joss Whedon that accompanied the DVD and the soft, red tee bearing the words "Dollhouse Activewear."
Lest you think Whedon restricts his wit to his series, let me share with you a few excerpts from the note, which is one of the funniest things I've ever received with a screener (yes, funnier than the prescription bottle/pencil holder I got with my "House" DVD).
The note, addressed to "Press Member" starts thusly:
"You hold in your delicate paws a rough cut of "Vows," the first episode of the second season of 'Dollhouse,' premiering Friday, Sept. 25 9 p.m. on Fox. More importantly, you also hold a free t-shirt! So that's a thumbs-up right there, no? I mean, do you even have to watch the show? It's clearly t-shirt-tastic! Did 'Grey's Anatomy' send you a shirt? They did? (Did they send any extra? I'd kill.)"
The note goes on to reference how "Dollhouse" barely evaded cancellation and garnered a second season or, as it's put in the memo "Like a man with the bright-eyed euphoria of narrowly escaped death, "Dollhouse" is coming back from a hilariously unexpected non-cancellation with a verve, a joy and a visceral excitement that borders on manic."
After that, there's some more info on the show and a couple references to series co-star Olivia Williams's hair (apparently she has a new haircut). Look, I liked "Dollhouse" quite a bit last season, particularly the later episodes. And, if the new season is half as energetic and witty as this note, I'm sold. The t-shirt also helps.

"Rescue Me" season finale recap: "Drink"

Wow. I mean, um, wow. What a bizarre, powerful unexpected way to end the fifth season of FX's already tough (yet hilarious) drama "Rescue Me." Last night we saw Tommy face very real consequences to both his drinking and his destructive relationships. His one chance at a relatively healthy relationship with someone he genuinely cares about was snatched away from him, and a distraught Teddy went from being a buffoon to an avenging angel bent on punishing Tommy.
It was dark and disturbing and I'm not sure where they'll go from here. I will say that this season was the series' strongest in a while. Though it lagged in spots (how could it not? At 22 episodes, this is the show's longest season ever), it had more than its fair share of powerful moments and hilarity. The opening scene a few weeks ago, set in the supermarket, was one of the funniest things I've seen on TV all year -- right up there with Jason Stackhouse posing as a god on "True Blood" and Peggy Olson requesting a joint on "Mad Men." I also like the way the show surprises me, as with the plot involving Lou's marriage to Candy, the hooker who stole from him back in season two. I totally thought she'd scam him again, or that he'd eventually become so suspicious of her that he'd drive her away. Instead, he figured out that the marriage was a sham all on his own and extracted a tidy, efficient revenge.
Anyway, I really want to talk about last night's episode, particularly that last scene. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.
So let's talk about that final scene. First things first -- do you think Tommy will die? I mean, with any other show, that's a no-brainer. Tommy is the star of the show and, ordinarily, he'd be beyond safe. But star Denis Leary has joked before that he plans to suddenly kill off the entire cast in the middle of a season. So maybe he and co-creator Peter Tolan would kill off Tommy. Maybe they'd have him be a ghost, lingering around the edges of his friends' lives the way that Jimmy lingers around Tommy's life. I don't think that would be a show I'd like to watch (as it is, I feel that a little of the ghost stuff goes a long way), but it would be daring. Anyway, aside from that question, I was shocked by the episode. Teddy has always been a purely comic character, a sidekick to both Tommy and his dad. He's gotten angry before, and even violent (he did shoot the drunken driver who killed Connor). But I never thought he was capable of this, even after Ellie's death. Still, it makes sense that he would blame Tommy for what happened. Now, I'm pretty sure that Teddy was drinking before the failed intervention at the bar (remember him telling Tommy how booze helped him process Tommy's dad's death?), but he wouldn't see it that way. And he did make a point -- Tommy does emerge unscathed, at least physically, while everyone around him is hurt or killed. The thing about this scene that I didn't believe was the inaction of the other firefighters. They face possible death every day. You're telling me that they wouldn't jump Teddy, particularly when his back was turned, and try to steal the gun? These men aren't cowards. Of course, they all have reasons to be angry with Tommy, too. But I doubt they wanted him to die. Why didn't they do something?
At any rate, excellent work by the actors in this scene, particularly Lenny Clarke as Teddy, who doesn't often get the showy speeches. He showed he can carry it off admirably. Also, between this and last week's moving storyline involving Black Sean, the show is really showing an interest in utilizing all of its fine actors (not just Leary who, good as he is, can be a little too dominant at times).
Here are some other thoughts on the fifth season finale, "Drink."
* Finally, we get a Janet/Sheila showdown. And, finally, we get some indication that the Janet/Tommy/Sheila lust triangle is ending (please, God, let it stop). Janet served Tommy with divorce papers and Sheila finally did something so terrible to Tommy that he'll, I hope, never forgive her. Hurting Kelly and ruining Tommy's one shot at happiness was, as Janet pointed out, a low point even for Sheila. Though I don't advocate violence against women, Tommy's revenge on Sheila was a long time in coming. It was actually pretty tame, considering all the stuff she's done to him over the years.
* Poor Damian, coming home to find his mom handcuffed, sweaty and gross. Wait until he learns where the handcuff key is. Awk-Ward!
* Wow, those Gavin girls are a chip off the old block, huh? Katie wasted no time drugging her baby brother and locking her babysitter in the basement before escaping with her dad. "You must be so proud," deadpans Lou.
* Overall, there wasn't much to laugh about this episode, with the Kelly plot and the Teddy plot giving us mainly drama. But you can't beat this line from Kelly, about the horrible Sheila: "That little one was like Joe Pesci with t---!"
Classic.
What did you think?