Getting caught up on the DVR
I’m watching almost everything time delayed on the DVR these days. Just about the only thing I make a point of watching live is Agent Carter (and Agents of SHIELD). Tonight I got caught up on two very satisfying episodes.
[Spoilers Ahoy for this week’s Nashville and Castle]
Nashville
One of the things I love about this show is getting to watch Connie Britton’s Rayna James being a grown up. Man, she’s got the soapiest life, and she handles it all with grace in a way that I can only admire. She’s divorced, and yet still able to have a grown up relationship with her ex-husband, where they both agree that no matter what problems the two of them have, their daughters come first. In last week’s episode, Teddy, her ex-husband, had been blackmailed into signing their 15 year old daughter to a recording contract. With Rayna’s ex-label (and rival) Edgehill Records.
In this week’s episode, the sleazy Jeff Fordham, Edgehill Records executive, sent an expensive “welcome to the label” present to their daughter, care of Rayna’s office. Basically it was a “F*** you, I signed your daughter” announcement. He’s sleazy like that. And Rayna went on the warpath. She went to talk to Teddy to find out if it was true (it was). Then she consulted with her lawyers (who basically told her the contract was legal). Then she went back to Teddy and told him she was going to try to have his parental rights removed as a way to block the contract, since Teddy isn’t actually their daughter’s biological father (remember, I said this was a soap opera!). At which point Teddy did the grown up thing and confessed that Fordham had blackmailed him. That he was trying to avoid another scandal that would embarrass their daughters. See, this is what I love! Two grown ups, actually admitting they made mistakes and talking about things in somewhat calm voices. Rayna was still pissed at him, but she calmly told him she was taking the girls to live with her for the time being, and to get some professional help. And he took it. Because Teddy knew she was right. I just love that a show can have drama, without the dramah.
And even more satisfying? Was how Rayna handled Edgehill Records. Fordham had demanded that the daughter be at an early morning meeting with some big executives (he needs a hit badly, and was going to attempt to grab some teenage market share with her). Rayna walked into the meeting, said her daughter wasn’t there, that daughter didn’t even know she’d been signed to a contract (the father hadn’t told her yet). She also told Fordham’s boss what sort of shenanigans he’s been up to (drugs, providing alcohol to minors, hiring prostitutes, etc.) and basically threw him under the bus to his boss. She got the contract nullified. And (this was sooooo satisfying, because I HATE the character) she also got Jeff Forham fired.
I’ve been waiting all season for Fordham to get what he’s got coming to him. FINALLY.
Castle
My least favorite episodes of Castle are the ones with the Triple Killer (3XK), Castle’s serial killer nemesis. Generally I just don’t like “clever serial killer” episodes in general, on any crime show. I know why the writers write them, so the detective can have a nemesis. But I’m just tired of the trope of brainy killer vs. brainy detective. Yes, it’s the classic Holmes and Moriarty trope. But it always seems so contrived, all the clever clues that lead up to something. All the meticulously planned surprises. I just have trouble believing that someone has nothing better to do with their time than plan out elaborate ways to avoid getting caught by the police while you pile up a string of dead bodies left with cryptic clues. And usually the killers are way too clever. Like, a whole room of writers worth of clever. Seriously, there just aren’t that many sooper smart people in the world to begin with, and I have trouble believing that so many of the world’s brilliant minds have turned to serial killing. Because Every. Single. Crime. Show. Has a serial killer. Some have more than one.
But I digress.
So I hate their serial killer 3XK. And he’s come back to haunt them a couple of times. This time he came back from the dead (he faked his death) for a two parter. Oh. My. Jesus. I was seriously pissed about that. I had to look at this guy’s smug mug for TWO episodes. I actually ended up fast forwarding through about half of this episode, I hate the character so much.
I did not think that I could ever say I’d enjoyed an 3XK episode. But I liked the way they had Castle “play into his hands” while really he was luring the killer into range of their team. Castle played the killer into thinking he was playing Castle. And it was sweet. And I was immensely satisfied that the episode ended with Esposito putting a bullet through his heart with a sniper rifle. Now we know he’s dead. And I don’t have to worry about seeing him again (except on reruns).
If I could, I'd put a stake through his heart to make sure he doesn't rise from the dead again.
[Spoilers Ahoy for this week’s Nashville and Castle]
Nashville
One of the things I love about this show is getting to watch Connie Britton’s Rayna James being a grown up. Man, she’s got the soapiest life, and she handles it all with grace in a way that I can only admire. She’s divorced, and yet still able to have a grown up relationship with her ex-husband, where they both agree that no matter what problems the two of them have, their daughters come first. In last week’s episode, Teddy, her ex-husband, had been blackmailed into signing their 15 year old daughter to a recording contract. With Rayna’s ex-label (and rival) Edgehill Records.
In this week’s episode, the sleazy Jeff Fordham, Edgehill Records executive, sent an expensive “welcome to the label” present to their daughter, care of Rayna’s office. Basically it was a “F*** you, I signed your daughter” announcement. He’s sleazy like that. And Rayna went on the warpath. She went to talk to Teddy to find out if it was true (it was). Then she consulted with her lawyers (who basically told her the contract was legal). Then she went back to Teddy and told him she was going to try to have his parental rights removed as a way to block the contract, since Teddy isn’t actually their daughter’s biological father (remember, I said this was a soap opera!). At which point Teddy did the grown up thing and confessed that Fordham had blackmailed him. That he was trying to avoid another scandal that would embarrass their daughters. See, this is what I love! Two grown ups, actually admitting they made mistakes and talking about things in somewhat calm voices. Rayna was still pissed at him, but she calmly told him she was taking the girls to live with her for the time being, and to get some professional help. And he took it. Because Teddy knew she was right. I just love that a show can have drama, without the dramah.
And even more satisfying? Was how Rayna handled Edgehill Records. Fordham had demanded that the daughter be at an early morning meeting with some big executives (he needs a hit badly, and was going to attempt to grab some teenage market share with her). Rayna walked into the meeting, said her daughter wasn’t there, that daughter didn’t even know she’d been signed to a contract (the father hadn’t told her yet). She also told Fordham’s boss what sort of shenanigans he’s been up to (drugs, providing alcohol to minors, hiring prostitutes, etc.) and basically threw him under the bus to his boss. She got the contract nullified. And (this was sooooo satisfying, because I HATE the character) she also got Jeff Forham fired.
I’ve been waiting all season for Fordham to get what he’s got coming to him. FINALLY.
Castle
My least favorite episodes of Castle are the ones with the Triple Killer (3XK), Castle’s serial killer nemesis. Generally I just don’t like “clever serial killer” episodes in general, on any crime show. I know why the writers write them, so the detective can have a nemesis. But I’m just tired of the trope of brainy killer vs. brainy detective. Yes, it’s the classic Holmes and Moriarty trope. But it always seems so contrived, all the clever clues that lead up to something. All the meticulously planned surprises. I just have trouble believing that someone has nothing better to do with their time than plan out elaborate ways to avoid getting caught by the police while you pile up a string of dead bodies left with cryptic clues. And usually the killers are way too clever. Like, a whole room of writers worth of clever. Seriously, there just aren’t that many sooper smart people in the world to begin with, and I have trouble believing that so many of the world’s brilliant minds have turned to serial killing. Because Every. Single. Crime. Show. Has a serial killer. Some have more than one.
But I digress.
So I hate their serial killer 3XK. And he’s come back to haunt them a couple of times. This time he came back from the dead (he faked his death) for a two parter. Oh. My. Jesus. I was seriously pissed about that. I had to look at this guy’s smug mug for TWO episodes. I actually ended up fast forwarding through about half of this episode, I hate the character so much.
I did not think that I could ever say I’d enjoyed an 3XK episode. But I liked the way they had Castle “play into his hands” while really he was luring the killer into range of their team. Castle played the killer into thinking he was playing Castle. And it was sweet. And I was immensely satisfied that the episode ended with Esposito putting a bullet through his heart with a sniper rifle. Now we know he’s dead. And I don’t have to worry about seeing him again (except on reruns).
If I could, I'd put a stake through his heart to make sure he doesn't rise from the dead again.