12 Monkeys: Season Three Review (Major Spoilers)
Also reviews for the season finale of Bob's Burgers, the latest episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Prison Break, the season finales of Family Guy and Making History, the latest episodes of Fargo and Angie Tribeca, and the season finales of The Blacklist and Blindspot.
12 Monkeys "Mother"
I love the idea, that in the future, Cole develops a sense of humor. Which is perhaps the most shocking twist of all.
Jennifer's mad French music video delusion was amazing. The show at its best. The show always has the greatest visuals and that is even true of its rare comedy scenes. Germans popping glitter filled balloons is a wonderful substitute for the mind witnessing them executing everybody in the head.
I was wondering why Cassie never tried to kill herself or abort the Witness from being born. The answer is, she did. But they saw it coming.
Great premiere. ****.
12 Monkeys "Guardians"
I love that when Jennifer does a mild stage version of Alien and Jaws in 1921 France, the audience starts puking in shock. And that's what people were like back then. They actually got nightmares from the first Frankenstein movie. Could you imagine bringing them forward in time and letting them watch either Hellraiser or Saw? They'd go insane.
The scene where Ramse has to kill his son is Biblical. I especially don't like that his son instinctively struggles against it, even if it's what he wants. It just makes it THAT much harder for his father.
I love at the end Cole doing the proper apology to Jennifer and using the do-over of the day to get it right. But because of Jennifer's powers she remembered the cr*ppy version too. But she liked the second go better.
Great episode. ****1/2.
12 Monkeys "Enemy"
Good, but I didn't see the point of the stuff with Deacon. I would think his role would have been larger than simply to rescue Cassie, if he was not only going to endure all that, but the audience was going to witness it too.
Speaking of which, at first I think Cole is somewhat human for stopping Jones torturing Olivia. But no, it's simply that Jones has not constructed a horrible and effective enough torture. And that fact sickens me.
I love Jennifer not only telling Ramse she was sorry about his son, but being insightful enough to guess she's the first person who meant it. I wanted to punch Jones for her apology after how she was talking to him in that interrogation. She had no right to be concerned after that, and I love Ramse telling her she was full of s*** about that.
All right. ***.
12 Monkeys "Brothers"
Is it just me or is Kirk Acevedo the unluckiest guy in show business? Either he winds up in shows that get instantly canceled, or the few shows that he's in that are in it for the long haul, kill off the character relatively early in their run? Yeah, next season is this show's last, but I'm betting Acevedo probably wishes he could be there for that. Then again. Time travel. Who knows?
That moment at the end between Cassie and Cole was very significant. They were letting each other know that they both knew the ugly truth without letting anyone else know that is what they were doing, or what the truth is. And it's the fact that they are keeping it a secret which suddenly makes them the villains of the entire series.
I actually think Ramse deciding to kill Cassie came from a place of strength and Cole refusing to do it came from a place of weakness. If Ramse kills Cassie, his son is erased. Which was the entire reason he joined the 12 Monkeys in the first place. The fact that he had moved to a place where he was ready to save the world and sacrifice the only thing that meant ANYTHING to him shows that he is a better man than Cole, at least in that moment. The whole "The Witness is your son" scene was absolutely perfect and devastating in the exact right way.
The fact that there are time travel syringes buried beneath the rubble of the lab tells me they aren't even going to try to prevent it. They probably put the needles there because they accepted it as an inevitability and factored it into their plans. Which tells me we will have a new headquarters next season.
I almost missed Jennifer accusing Olivia of never being in a place she never wanted to be in the last episode, but it resonated here when she repeated it, because it turned out to be true. Jennifer isn't upset that Jones broke her. It's that she's the only person who knows Jones actually didn't and this entire thing is a huge con.
Ramse: Dead or not dead? While I personally believe that Cole is being honest when he promises not to rewrite his death, I also am aware he is no longer the only person in charge of that. The bad guys even have cool new suits for that and everything.
I groaned at Ramse shooting the innocent woman by accident. He couldn't double check for her face ahead of time? Now part of the reason I want to see the entire future undone is because that embarrassed, rookie, numbnuts mistake will be as well.
Not as much solidarity amongst the high ups of the 12 Monkeys as we had been led to believe. This will make things more interesting later on.
This episode was the series at its best. *****.
12 Monkeys "Causality"
Jennifer and Deacon were so hilarious together. I love Deacon telling 4 year old Jennifer "Always remember that your father is an @$$hole." I love how excited that kid was about the robbery. Her behavior suggests to me that it wasn't her mother trying to kill her which made her go crazy. She was always a little nuts.
When Deacon pulls out the gun, I started to laugh. Great solution there.
Deacon and Jennifer screaming at and confusing the security guard about calling someone was pretty much the funniest thing the show has ever done. There is a lot more comedy this season than in previous season.
Fun heist episode. Christopher Lloyd means things are gettin' good. ****.
12 Monkeys "Nature"
It's seems Cole has a better sense of the stakes than Cassie does.
I love that Deacon is offended that his name isn't coming up on the prophecy stuff. He claims he isn't a red shirt. I think it is far more likely he joins the bad guys instead.
Good episode. ***1/2.
12 Monkeys "Nurture"
Wow, that was horrible what happened with Hannah. I don't think Jones will ever forgive Cole and Cassie. And I don't think she should.
I liked Cole telling Jennifer she looked adorable. Because she did.
A gamechanger. ****.
12 Monkeys "Masks"
Of course. The person responsible for ending the world is Gaius Baltar. There is no other person it could be.
I think Jones is missing the mark a bit when she say "Madness has chosen a side." It's more "Madness is being the sole voice of reason." That's not completely different, but it is a distinction.
The stuff where Cassie is teaching Cole to dance it pure television, but I enjoyed it anyways. That's not true of all television moments on this show.
I liked it. ****.
12 Monkeys "Thief"
That scene of the time vest breaking right at the end of the teaser was totally a Baltar moment.
I love that the series is subversive enough to play the Witness as the protagonist of this episode, and portray him as a romantic hero. But personally? I think that's a weak-sauce reason to destroy reality. It's as if Batman decided that if he could bring his parents back to life by destroying the world, he'd do it. Even if that were true, Batman would never do that. Because it's an insane and selfish idea. Instead, Batman channels the rage and anguish of that night, and uses it to help other people. And the fact that the Witness became a supervillain instead of a superhero is not destiny. He chose that himself.
I think Jennifer is bringing out Deacon's human side in a way Cassie never could, or would even be willing to. I'm not saying I 'ship them (at least not yet) but the reason Deacon is not totally broken at this point is due to Jennifer. And I think that goes for the rest of the team too. And Jones does not see the value in a person like that, even when she is instrumental in saving her daughter's life. She still does not freaking get it. It can be argued that Cole and Cassie are the villains, and the enablers of villainy this year. But Jones doesn't hold any part of the high ground here either. Just the fact that the scientist was SO willing to help Jennifer a couple of episodes ago shows that she is not the only person who thinks this has gotten insane and the two factions need to hug it out. The situation is getting as bad as it is because they are working against each other, which plays into the Witness' plan. They are feeding into the predestination paradox without realizing it. It's not only Cole and Cassie who are responsible for this mess. It's Jones, Deacon, and Hannah too. They are all failing the world and their mission.
I don't like the idea that the healers are playing against clock, and in the end, the clock always wins. It may be true. But I don't like it.
The thing with Eliza constantly dying says that there is a not insignificant chance that the plague can never be stopped. Which is why I suspect they did it. I don't believe that, but the writers would have to be fools not to put the notion that it's possibly hopeless in our heads. I just love that the series does it in a way only a sci-fi geek would worry about, rather than the characters themselves. They don't actually have to have the character GET the actual stakes, to raise them for the audience.
Terrific episode. *****.
12 Monkeys "Witness"
This season of 12 Monkeys is much weaker than the first two. And I can tell you the precise reason why: Season one and two overloaded us on huge Biblical moments. And outside of Cole killing Ramse, and Jones learning the truth and the group fracturing, we haven't had that this year. This finale remedies that, and redeems a great deal of an otherwise lackluster season. I would not complain about this season on any other show. But 12 Monkeys used to be the best current sci-fi show on television, and it wasn't this year. What WAS is actually debatable, but I don't think it was this.
I love that the Witness is ultimately redeemed, just as Jennifer had been trying all season. I think Cole and Cassie were kinda selfish and dumb for believing what they did, but I think it was Jennifer who actually made the difference.
Can I just say how much I admire Jones for shooting Ethan while Cassie had a gun on Hannah? Because that shows that unlike Cassie and James, she is willing to put her own skin in the game for the sake of the world. The fact that Jennifer was able to turn Ethan is almost besides the point. The fact that Cole and Cassie were unwilling to make that sacrifice and Jones was, speaks well of Jones.
For the record, I loved the moment where Cassie pulls the gun on Hannah. It said "Now we'll see..." and Jones knew the significance of that too. And I think that's partly what pushed her to be willing to make the sacrifice. Cassie was throwing in her face that Jones was no better than Cassie. What else could Jones POSSIBLY do in that moment but prove her entirely wrong?
Also, can I point out that Cassie and Cole's potential sacrifice is meaningless (as was Ramse trying to save his son). If this plan works, nobody suffers for it and nobody will even be aware they suffered. Sci-fi always tries to attach life or death stakes from people being afraid of their memories being erased in an altered timeline, but let me just state for the record, Ramse and Amy Pond are fools. I would have no objections to that because I wouldn't even know. And I think partly why Jones made the sacrifice is because if she DOES kill the actual Witness, Hannah will be perfectly safe, and grow up happy and healthy after all. So, I'm thinking she calculated if Hannah died for a few seconds so her and the rest of the world would live, and she wouldn't even remember it, what's the harm? Jones mostly sucks as a person, but she thinks of the big picture better than anyone besides Jennifer.
Speaking of Jennifer, how great was "Heeere's Johnny!"? Do the kids she's freaking out even know that reference?
Next season will be 12 Monkeys' last. And I cannot be happier about that. Many fans wish their shows would last for years on end, so they wouldn't have to say goodbye, but I think those people are actually quite stupid. You get a show that only runs four or five years, none of the main cast is gonna defect, the way they did on Smallville, which made it unwatchable. Smallville was worse for lasting that long. Who knows? Maybe Gough and Millar's original five year plan would have actually been GOOD had they ended at year five. We'll never know because the show held on far beyond its sell-by date. Me, I'd rather take an abbreviated run that is ended on the creator's own terms, than something that gets worse and worse as time goes on, because network executive make the creators drag the story out. Four years is good enough for a show to tell its entire story in my opinion. If you have to pad extra seasons (like Arrow unfortunately seems to be ready to do) the show will be worse for it. I'll take less show, if it's better, so long as the creators get to tell the story the way they want to.
Great finale to a lackluster season. *****.
Bob's Burger "Paraders Of The Lost Float"
Not great. If Bob truly didn't want Jimmy Pesto to compete in the parade float, maybe he shouldn't have bragged about it and put the idea in his head. Bob is his own worst enemy. **.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "Your Honor"
I love that Jake actually won over Laverne Holt. I didn't expect that so soon, but I shouldn't have surprised at all. The revelation that she was seeing the suspect was great.
Gina learning how to change a tire online is what I figured would happen.
Hitchcock and Scully are so gross. But they WERE right about the break room. I won't dismiss that.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Slaughterhouse"
Great idea to have the new boss be crooked. That way they can give both Jake and Rosa the win, and still keep them in the 99.
I love Jake tricking Rosa into correcting the title of the Nancy Meyer movie. That was a VERY specific psychological trick that ANY fan would fall for which made it clever.
I'm a little tired of Gina solving the squad's problems. I think this show is saying she is smarter than she is. Still, I have to admit treating Hitchcock and Scully like animals is the correct solution even if it's annoying she's the one who figured it out.
Amy and Holt's thing was boring.
Interesting, but the show has done better. ***.
Prison Break "Wine-Dark Sea"
It was great to see Sucre again. Only he would be dim enough to believe there is a fortune to be made in sex dolls. I half expected them to have to use one of those things as a raft at the end. Oh, and he's Puerto Rican, you racist!
In fairness to the show about the reveal that Jacob is Poseidon, it never tried to hide that. While it is not the surprise twist another show would have billed it as, we were already strongly suspecting it anyways, and it's not like the confirmation doesn't hold up to the clues provided.
Knew the footage of Michael committing a murder was doctored. The problem is that even with my layman's eye, I could tell there was a cut. I am not sure it would have EVER held up in court after a team of experts got their hands on it. They are just lucky Michael was caught in a country where they don't actually put in the legwork before sending you to prison. They probably wouldn't have gotten away with it were he tried in America.
I love this season, Michael Scofield just outwitted the freaking Navy Seals. If there is anything more bad@$$ than that, I haven't heard of it. ****1/2.
Family Guy "Dearly Deported"
I'm not going to waste time itemizing my complaints but let's just say that every bit of that sucked. *.
Family Guy "A House Full Of Peters"
Can I just state once and for all how much I hate Lois Griffin? She cheats on Peter at the drop of a hat, which I might not mind, except Peter did absolutely nothing wrong in the episode. The thing that made Lois feel neglected and unappreciated is him spending time with his family. Which is all kinds of deplorable by her.
On the plus side, the show's insights as to the specific reason fruit bouquets suck so much was spot-on. But I hate Lois with a passion. **.
Making History "Body Trouble"
That was a fine finale. If this series doesn't get renewed, I can live with that, and will look back on the series fondly, which a cliffhanger would not have done. I am satisfied with the season (and possibly series). ****.
Fargo "The House Of Special Purpose"
I hated this episode. Worst episode of all three seasons. That scene of Vargas and the mug at the beginning was genuinely upsetting and I can't believe the series seems to think that is funny. I am disgusted in this show in a way I never was before.
Any good things? Mary McDonnell is still radiant and I look forward to seeing her in an episode that doesn't totally suck. Because this episode did. 0.
Angie Tribeca "Hey, I'm Solvin' Here!"
Voldemom was a coincidence. Right.
I liked the other half of the gynecologist conversation, but I kind of think they should have made it longer than that. They went all out with the meat pun run last week, and this could have been much funnier (and dirtier).
Average week. ***.
Angie Tribeca "License To Drill"
Love Tanner and Geils laughing as Geils is arrested. What a great reaction.
I also love after Angie tells the villain about her father she's all "Why are you telling me this? I don't even know you." What's great about that is that it's ALL cop shows that do it. And it strikes me more people should have that reaction than actually do on TV. The fact that this is the first time I've seen it (and in a comedy no less) does not speak well of Law & Order and other procedurals.
Love that kid getting punched in the stomach. I think I may be a terrible person for laughing at that.
Good week. ****.
The Blacklist "Mr. Kaplan / Mr. Kaplan: Conclusion"
Great reveal of Tom at the end. I cheered when Aram and Navabi finally kissed. I think Ressler actually gave Hitchens what was coming to her. I love that Red refuses to kill Kaplan in the end, and she has to take her own life. I loved Kaplan suggesting to Gale to arrest her.
What I am trying to say is, there is no part of this two part episode I didn't love. *****.
Blindspot "Lepers Rebel"
Better than last year's finale at any rate. Although you can't call any show that gives a "We did it" even remotely good.
Still, the set-up for next year looks interesting at least. And the climax was exciting and that was a great reveal of Naz at the end.
Pretty good. ****.
12 Monkeys "Mother"
I love the idea, that in the future, Cole develops a sense of humor. Which is perhaps the most shocking twist of all.
Jennifer's mad French music video delusion was amazing. The show at its best. The show always has the greatest visuals and that is even true of its rare comedy scenes. Germans popping glitter filled balloons is a wonderful substitute for the mind witnessing them executing everybody in the head.
I was wondering why Cassie never tried to kill herself or abort the Witness from being born. The answer is, she did. But they saw it coming.
Great premiere. ****.
12 Monkeys "Guardians"
I love that when Jennifer does a mild stage version of Alien and Jaws in 1921 France, the audience starts puking in shock. And that's what people were like back then. They actually got nightmares from the first Frankenstein movie. Could you imagine bringing them forward in time and letting them watch either Hellraiser or Saw? They'd go insane.
The scene where Ramse has to kill his son is Biblical. I especially don't like that his son instinctively struggles against it, even if it's what he wants. It just makes it THAT much harder for his father.
I love at the end Cole doing the proper apology to Jennifer and using the do-over of the day to get it right. But because of Jennifer's powers she remembered the cr*ppy version too. But she liked the second go better.
Great episode. ****1/2.
12 Monkeys "Enemy"
Good, but I didn't see the point of the stuff with Deacon. I would think his role would have been larger than simply to rescue Cassie, if he was not only going to endure all that, but the audience was going to witness it too.
Speaking of which, at first I think Cole is somewhat human for stopping Jones torturing Olivia. But no, it's simply that Jones has not constructed a horrible and effective enough torture. And that fact sickens me.
I love Jennifer not only telling Ramse she was sorry about his son, but being insightful enough to guess she's the first person who meant it. I wanted to punch Jones for her apology after how she was talking to him in that interrogation. She had no right to be concerned after that, and I love Ramse telling her she was full of s*** about that.
All right. ***.
12 Monkeys "Brothers"
Is it just me or is Kirk Acevedo the unluckiest guy in show business? Either he winds up in shows that get instantly canceled, or the few shows that he's in that are in it for the long haul, kill off the character relatively early in their run? Yeah, next season is this show's last, but I'm betting Acevedo probably wishes he could be there for that. Then again. Time travel. Who knows?
That moment at the end between Cassie and Cole was very significant. They were letting each other know that they both knew the ugly truth without letting anyone else know that is what they were doing, or what the truth is. And it's the fact that they are keeping it a secret which suddenly makes them the villains of the entire series.
I actually think Ramse deciding to kill Cassie came from a place of strength and Cole refusing to do it came from a place of weakness. If Ramse kills Cassie, his son is erased. Which was the entire reason he joined the 12 Monkeys in the first place. The fact that he had moved to a place where he was ready to save the world and sacrifice the only thing that meant ANYTHING to him shows that he is a better man than Cole, at least in that moment. The whole "The Witness is your son" scene was absolutely perfect and devastating in the exact right way.
The fact that there are time travel syringes buried beneath the rubble of the lab tells me they aren't even going to try to prevent it. They probably put the needles there because they accepted it as an inevitability and factored it into their plans. Which tells me we will have a new headquarters next season.
I almost missed Jennifer accusing Olivia of never being in a place she never wanted to be in the last episode, but it resonated here when she repeated it, because it turned out to be true. Jennifer isn't upset that Jones broke her. It's that she's the only person who knows Jones actually didn't and this entire thing is a huge con.
Ramse: Dead or not dead? While I personally believe that Cole is being honest when he promises not to rewrite his death, I also am aware he is no longer the only person in charge of that. The bad guys even have cool new suits for that and everything.
I groaned at Ramse shooting the innocent woman by accident. He couldn't double check for her face ahead of time? Now part of the reason I want to see the entire future undone is because that embarrassed, rookie, numbnuts mistake will be as well.
Not as much solidarity amongst the high ups of the 12 Monkeys as we had been led to believe. This will make things more interesting later on.
This episode was the series at its best. *****.
12 Monkeys "Causality"
Jennifer and Deacon were so hilarious together. I love Deacon telling 4 year old Jennifer "Always remember that your father is an @$$hole." I love how excited that kid was about the robbery. Her behavior suggests to me that it wasn't her mother trying to kill her which made her go crazy. She was always a little nuts.
When Deacon pulls out the gun, I started to laugh. Great solution there.
Deacon and Jennifer screaming at and confusing the security guard about calling someone was pretty much the funniest thing the show has ever done. There is a lot more comedy this season than in previous season.
Fun heist episode. Christopher Lloyd means things are gettin' good. ****.
12 Monkeys "Nature"
It's seems Cole has a better sense of the stakes than Cassie does.
I love that Deacon is offended that his name isn't coming up on the prophecy stuff. He claims he isn't a red shirt. I think it is far more likely he joins the bad guys instead.
Good episode. ***1/2.
12 Monkeys "Nurture"
Wow, that was horrible what happened with Hannah. I don't think Jones will ever forgive Cole and Cassie. And I don't think she should.
I liked Cole telling Jennifer she looked adorable. Because she did.
A gamechanger. ****.
12 Monkeys "Masks"
Of course. The person responsible for ending the world is Gaius Baltar. There is no other person it could be.
I think Jones is missing the mark a bit when she say "Madness has chosen a side." It's more "Madness is being the sole voice of reason." That's not completely different, but it is a distinction.
The stuff where Cassie is teaching Cole to dance it pure television, but I enjoyed it anyways. That's not true of all television moments on this show.
I liked it. ****.
12 Monkeys "Thief"
That scene of the time vest breaking right at the end of the teaser was totally a Baltar moment.
I love that the series is subversive enough to play the Witness as the protagonist of this episode, and portray him as a romantic hero. But personally? I think that's a weak-sauce reason to destroy reality. It's as if Batman decided that if he could bring his parents back to life by destroying the world, he'd do it. Even if that were true, Batman would never do that. Because it's an insane and selfish idea. Instead, Batman channels the rage and anguish of that night, and uses it to help other people. And the fact that the Witness became a supervillain instead of a superhero is not destiny. He chose that himself.
I think Jennifer is bringing out Deacon's human side in a way Cassie never could, or would even be willing to. I'm not saying I 'ship them (at least not yet) but the reason Deacon is not totally broken at this point is due to Jennifer. And I think that goes for the rest of the team too. And Jones does not see the value in a person like that, even when she is instrumental in saving her daughter's life. She still does not freaking get it. It can be argued that Cole and Cassie are the villains, and the enablers of villainy this year. But Jones doesn't hold any part of the high ground here either. Just the fact that the scientist was SO willing to help Jennifer a couple of episodes ago shows that she is not the only person who thinks this has gotten insane and the two factions need to hug it out. The situation is getting as bad as it is because they are working against each other, which plays into the Witness' plan. They are feeding into the predestination paradox without realizing it. It's not only Cole and Cassie who are responsible for this mess. It's Jones, Deacon, and Hannah too. They are all failing the world and their mission.
I don't like the idea that the healers are playing against clock, and in the end, the clock always wins. It may be true. But I don't like it.
The thing with Eliza constantly dying says that there is a not insignificant chance that the plague can never be stopped. Which is why I suspect they did it. I don't believe that, but the writers would have to be fools not to put the notion that it's possibly hopeless in our heads. I just love that the series does it in a way only a sci-fi geek would worry about, rather than the characters themselves. They don't actually have to have the character GET the actual stakes, to raise them for the audience.
Terrific episode. *****.
12 Monkeys "Witness"
This season of 12 Monkeys is much weaker than the first two. And I can tell you the precise reason why: Season one and two overloaded us on huge Biblical moments. And outside of Cole killing Ramse, and Jones learning the truth and the group fracturing, we haven't had that this year. This finale remedies that, and redeems a great deal of an otherwise lackluster season. I would not complain about this season on any other show. But 12 Monkeys used to be the best current sci-fi show on television, and it wasn't this year. What WAS is actually debatable, but I don't think it was this.
I love that the Witness is ultimately redeemed, just as Jennifer had been trying all season. I think Cole and Cassie were kinda selfish and dumb for believing what they did, but I think it was Jennifer who actually made the difference.
Can I just say how much I admire Jones for shooting Ethan while Cassie had a gun on Hannah? Because that shows that unlike Cassie and James, she is willing to put her own skin in the game for the sake of the world. The fact that Jennifer was able to turn Ethan is almost besides the point. The fact that Cole and Cassie were unwilling to make that sacrifice and Jones was, speaks well of Jones.
For the record, I loved the moment where Cassie pulls the gun on Hannah. It said "Now we'll see..." and Jones knew the significance of that too. And I think that's partly what pushed her to be willing to make the sacrifice. Cassie was throwing in her face that Jones was no better than Cassie. What else could Jones POSSIBLY do in that moment but prove her entirely wrong?
Also, can I point out that Cassie and Cole's potential sacrifice is meaningless (as was Ramse trying to save his son). If this plan works, nobody suffers for it and nobody will even be aware they suffered. Sci-fi always tries to attach life or death stakes from people being afraid of their memories being erased in an altered timeline, but let me just state for the record, Ramse and Amy Pond are fools. I would have no objections to that because I wouldn't even know. And I think partly why Jones made the sacrifice is because if she DOES kill the actual Witness, Hannah will be perfectly safe, and grow up happy and healthy after all. So, I'm thinking she calculated if Hannah died for a few seconds so her and the rest of the world would live, and she wouldn't even remember it, what's the harm? Jones mostly sucks as a person, but she thinks of the big picture better than anyone besides Jennifer.
Speaking of Jennifer, how great was "Heeere's Johnny!"? Do the kids she's freaking out even know that reference?
Next season will be 12 Monkeys' last. And I cannot be happier about that. Many fans wish their shows would last for years on end, so they wouldn't have to say goodbye, but I think those people are actually quite stupid. You get a show that only runs four or five years, none of the main cast is gonna defect, the way they did on Smallville, which made it unwatchable. Smallville was worse for lasting that long. Who knows? Maybe Gough and Millar's original five year plan would have actually been GOOD had they ended at year five. We'll never know because the show held on far beyond its sell-by date. Me, I'd rather take an abbreviated run that is ended on the creator's own terms, than something that gets worse and worse as time goes on, because network executive make the creators drag the story out. Four years is good enough for a show to tell its entire story in my opinion. If you have to pad extra seasons (like Arrow unfortunately seems to be ready to do) the show will be worse for it. I'll take less show, if it's better, so long as the creators get to tell the story the way they want to.
Great finale to a lackluster season. *****.
Bob's Burger "Paraders Of The Lost Float"
Not great. If Bob truly didn't want Jimmy Pesto to compete in the parade float, maybe he shouldn't have bragged about it and put the idea in his head. Bob is his own worst enemy. **.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "Your Honor"
I love that Jake actually won over Laverne Holt. I didn't expect that so soon, but I shouldn't have surprised at all. The revelation that she was seeing the suspect was great.
Gina learning how to change a tire online is what I figured would happen.
Hitchcock and Scully are so gross. But they WERE right about the break room. I won't dismiss that.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Slaughterhouse"
Great idea to have the new boss be crooked. That way they can give both Jake and Rosa the win, and still keep them in the 99.
I love Jake tricking Rosa into correcting the title of the Nancy Meyer movie. That was a VERY specific psychological trick that ANY fan would fall for which made it clever.
I'm a little tired of Gina solving the squad's problems. I think this show is saying she is smarter than she is. Still, I have to admit treating Hitchcock and Scully like animals is the correct solution even if it's annoying she's the one who figured it out.
Amy and Holt's thing was boring.
Interesting, but the show has done better. ***.
Prison Break "Wine-Dark Sea"
It was great to see Sucre again. Only he would be dim enough to believe there is a fortune to be made in sex dolls. I half expected them to have to use one of those things as a raft at the end. Oh, and he's Puerto Rican, you racist!
In fairness to the show about the reveal that Jacob is Poseidon, it never tried to hide that. While it is not the surprise twist another show would have billed it as, we were already strongly suspecting it anyways, and it's not like the confirmation doesn't hold up to the clues provided.
Knew the footage of Michael committing a murder was doctored. The problem is that even with my layman's eye, I could tell there was a cut. I am not sure it would have EVER held up in court after a team of experts got their hands on it. They are just lucky Michael was caught in a country where they don't actually put in the legwork before sending you to prison. They probably wouldn't have gotten away with it were he tried in America.
I love this season, Michael Scofield just outwitted the freaking Navy Seals. If there is anything more bad@$$ than that, I haven't heard of it. ****1/2.
Family Guy "Dearly Deported"
I'm not going to waste time itemizing my complaints but let's just say that every bit of that sucked. *.
Family Guy "A House Full Of Peters"
Can I just state once and for all how much I hate Lois Griffin? She cheats on Peter at the drop of a hat, which I might not mind, except Peter did absolutely nothing wrong in the episode. The thing that made Lois feel neglected and unappreciated is him spending time with his family. Which is all kinds of deplorable by her.
On the plus side, the show's insights as to the specific reason fruit bouquets suck so much was spot-on. But I hate Lois with a passion. **.
Making History "Body Trouble"
That was a fine finale. If this series doesn't get renewed, I can live with that, and will look back on the series fondly, which a cliffhanger would not have done. I am satisfied with the season (and possibly series). ****.
Fargo "The House Of Special Purpose"
I hated this episode. Worst episode of all three seasons. That scene of Vargas and the mug at the beginning was genuinely upsetting and I can't believe the series seems to think that is funny. I am disgusted in this show in a way I never was before.
Any good things? Mary McDonnell is still radiant and I look forward to seeing her in an episode that doesn't totally suck. Because this episode did. 0.
Angie Tribeca "Hey, I'm Solvin' Here!"
Voldemom was a coincidence. Right.
I liked the other half of the gynecologist conversation, but I kind of think they should have made it longer than that. They went all out with the meat pun run last week, and this could have been much funnier (and dirtier).
Average week. ***.
Angie Tribeca "License To Drill"
Love Tanner and Geils laughing as Geils is arrested. What a great reaction.
I also love after Angie tells the villain about her father she's all "Why are you telling me this? I don't even know you." What's great about that is that it's ALL cop shows that do it. And it strikes me more people should have that reaction than actually do on TV. The fact that this is the first time I've seen it (and in a comedy no less) does not speak well of Law & Order and other procedurals.
Love that kid getting punched in the stomach. I think I may be a terrible person for laughing at that.
Good week. ****.
The Blacklist "Mr. Kaplan / Mr. Kaplan: Conclusion"
Great reveal of Tom at the end. I cheered when Aram and Navabi finally kissed. I think Ressler actually gave Hitchens what was coming to her. I love that Red refuses to kill Kaplan in the end, and she has to take her own life. I loved Kaplan suggesting to Gale to arrest her.
What I am trying to say is, there is no part of this two part episode I didn't love. *****.
Blindspot "Lepers Rebel"
Better than last year's finale at any rate. Although you can't call any show that gives a "We did it" even remotely good.
Still, the set-up for next year looks interesting at least. And the climax was exciting and that was a great reveal of Naz at the end.
Pretty good. ****.