The Apprentice, The Good Wife
The Apprentice UK - interviews
I'm still laughing at Dara O'Briain's "this is my Frost/Nixon" introduction to Stuart Baggs. Now I wish they would just make the You're Fired panel all comedians and embrace the fact that it's a comedy show. I need Mark Bloody Frith's opinions on The Apprentice like I need a hole in the head. (Oh, you like Jamie, do you, Mark? What a surprise! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you're the same person.)
A+ to Ed Byrne for his "all your base are belong to him" comment. F- for the fact that no one in the studio audience got it.
I actually felt really sorry for Joanna, who seemed like such a contender and then became seriously out of her depth. However, I still don't quite understand the structure of her "cleaning company". It sounded, based on this episode, that she's just a self-employed cleaner, which is really (a) not that impressive and (b) not that entrepreneurial.
Based on The Final Five programme, which I also watched, because I'm a nerd, it seemed fairly obvious that Stella was the forerunner and Chris was a bit of a dark horse. I was, however, slightly worried that one of the twats (Stuart and Jamie, natch) might sneak into the final on a wing and a prayer. I'm glad Suralan actually made a modicum of sense in the board room, for a change.
One final rant about Jamie: I cannot staaaand his 'fake voice'; the really (inauthentically) posh, weirdly soft-spoken accent he puts on during certain interviews and pitches. It is so grating. *shudder*
I actually have less hate in my heart for Stuart Baggs, although I genuinely feel he might be a sociopath. It creeped me out on The Final Five when his mum said that he'd never read a book that wasn't a manual. (I realize there are a lot of non-readers in the world, but I still think it's a deeply creepy trait.)
The Good Wife #2.09
Now this was vintage Good Wife! Cohesive, emsemble drama, with all the characters coming together, each with their own agendas.
The opening dream sequence was exactly the kind of fanservice I like. It wasn't overlong or obtrusive; it just anchored the episode, reminding the audience that Will is on Alicia's mind, and provided a tiny moment of squee for fangirls like me.
I thought the religion aspect of the storyline was handled extremely well. Grace thought that she got her miracle, but the audience saw the graft from Alicia et al that actually went into creating that miracle. I think the show's perspective on religion is potentially fascinating: for these characters, it's a tonic, not an all-consuming part of life. On far too many American shows, you can feel the dead weight of the Evangelical Right in any religious discussion, but in TGW, religion has nuance, it means different things to different people.
After way too many Kalinda Has Angst or Kalinda Battles Blake episodes, it was nice to see her in s1 mode: getting out there, doing a damn good job. (Thx for the gratuious, Kalinda-and-Alicia-lounge-around-in-bed-like-they're-gonna-have-a-pillow-fight scenes, too!)
Also: WELCOME BACK, CARY. This season, Cary has either been Machiavellian or simply sulky; shoehorned into cases for no reason. But this is the Cary I adore: smug, humorous, morally-grey, but good at his job Cary. Completely hilarious scenes with his cousin, on the phone with the judge, and asking Will if the floors needed sweeping. (Will HAS to offer him a job now, right? Right?!?)
This was also the least annoying that the kids have been all season, IMO. Zach's crush on Kalinda was super cute (unsurprising revelation: I'd read it!) and Grace just seemed like a regular kid, for once.
(I rewatched the last three or four episodes with my sister last week, and she pointed out a couple of things:
1. Zach and Grace might actually be mentally subnormal. They have acted so stupendously stupid this season, it's difficult to believe that Alicia and Peter are their parents.
2. Why is the Florrick campaign so obsessed with social media and viral videos? That stuff only influences teenagers and twentysomethings, the majority of whom either can't vote or, it has been proven, don't bother to vote.)
I still feel that this season thus far has represented a serious dip in quality -- rewatching the last few episodes, they really just did not stand up to repeat viewings -- but hopefully the writers can continue on in the vein of this episode.
Next year: wrap up the Florrick campaign; hire back Cary at Lockhart Gardner; reduce the kids' screentime; jettison Blake completely. Please? Thank you. :D
ETA: TGW used a Josh Ritter song, too! I love Josh Ritter! /o/ \o\ \o/!
I'm still laughing at Dara O'Briain's "this is my Frost/Nixon" introduction to Stuart Baggs. Now I wish they would just make the You're Fired panel all comedians and embrace the fact that it's a comedy show. I need Mark Bloody Frith's opinions on The Apprentice like I need a hole in the head. (Oh, you like Jamie, do you, Mark? What a surprise! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you're the same person.)
A+ to Ed Byrne for his "all your base are belong to him" comment. F- for the fact that no one in the studio audience got it.
I actually felt really sorry for Joanna, who seemed like such a contender and then became seriously out of her depth. However, I still don't quite understand the structure of her "cleaning company". It sounded, based on this episode, that she's just a self-employed cleaner, which is really (a) not that impressive and (b) not that entrepreneurial.
Based on The Final Five programme, which I also watched, because I'm a nerd, it seemed fairly obvious that Stella was the forerunner and Chris was a bit of a dark horse. I was, however, slightly worried that one of the twats (Stuart and Jamie, natch) might sneak into the final on a wing and a prayer. I'm glad Suralan actually made a modicum of sense in the board room, for a change.
One final rant about Jamie: I cannot staaaand his 'fake voice'; the really (inauthentically) posh, weirdly soft-spoken accent he puts on during certain interviews and pitches. It is so grating. *shudder*
I actually have less hate in my heart for Stuart Baggs, although I genuinely feel he might be a sociopath. It creeped me out on The Final Five when his mum said that he'd never read a book that wasn't a manual. (I realize there are a lot of non-readers in the world, but I still think it's a deeply creepy trait.)
The Good Wife #2.09
Now this was vintage Good Wife! Cohesive, emsemble drama, with all the characters coming together, each with their own agendas.
The opening dream sequence was exactly the kind of fanservice I like. It wasn't overlong or obtrusive; it just anchored the episode, reminding the audience that Will is on Alicia's mind, and provided a tiny moment of squee for fangirls like me.
I thought the religion aspect of the storyline was handled extremely well. Grace thought that she got her miracle, but the audience saw the graft from Alicia et al that actually went into creating that miracle. I think the show's perspective on religion is potentially fascinating: for these characters, it's a tonic, not an all-consuming part of life. On far too many American shows, you can feel the dead weight of the Evangelical Right in any religious discussion, but in TGW, religion has nuance, it means different things to different people.
After way too many Kalinda Has Angst or Kalinda Battles Blake episodes, it was nice to see her in s1 mode: getting out there, doing a damn good job. (Thx for the gratuious, Kalinda-and-Alicia-lounge-around-in-bed-like-they're-gonna-have-a-pillow-fight scenes, too!)
Also: WELCOME BACK, CARY. This season, Cary has either been Machiavellian or simply sulky; shoehorned into cases for no reason. But this is the Cary I adore: smug, humorous, morally-grey, but good at his job Cary. Completely hilarious scenes with his cousin, on the phone with the judge, and asking Will if the floors needed sweeping. (Will HAS to offer him a job now, right? Right?!?)
This was also the least annoying that the kids have been all season, IMO. Zach's crush on Kalinda was super cute (unsurprising revelation: I'd read it!) and Grace just seemed like a regular kid, for once.
(I rewatched the last three or four episodes with my sister last week, and she pointed out a couple of things:
1. Zach and Grace might actually be mentally subnormal. They have acted so stupendously stupid this season, it's difficult to believe that Alicia and Peter are their parents.
2. Why is the Florrick campaign so obsessed with social media and viral videos? That stuff only influences teenagers and twentysomethings, the majority of whom either can't vote or, it has been proven, don't bother to vote.)
I still feel that this season thus far has represented a serious dip in quality -- rewatching the last few episodes, they really just did not stand up to repeat viewings -- but hopefully the writers can continue on in the vein of this episode.
Next year: wrap up the Florrick campaign; hire back Cary at Lockhart Gardner; reduce the kids' screentime; jettison Blake completely. Please? Thank you. :D
ETA: TGW used a Josh Ritter song, too! I love Josh Ritter! /o/ \o\ \o/!