Heroes "Into Asylum" and Veronica Mars: Season Two Reviews (Spoilers)
Heroes "Into Asylum"
Normally I HATE filler episodes to series but this one was good because it focused on the characters in intimate settings. It didn't even use HALF of the cast so we got bigger stories for the Bennets and Petrellis.
I loved Peter and Angela's story and Angela is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. I wonder if this means Peter now knows HRG is a White Hat.
Claire had some really funny scenes tonight and I was touched even though I still think Nathan is a creep. Claire drinking that guy under the table was great.
Sylar and Danko teaming up is going to cause nothing but trouble. Now Sylar has some REALLY scary powers now that he can shape-change. Luckily it looks like it hurts a LOT so he might be disinclined to use it unless he really has to.
Good episode. ****.
Veronica Mars: The Complete Second Season
Veronica Mars was a VERY cool cult series that ran on UPN and later The CW for three years. It had a VERY vocal and loyal following and it's easy to see why. It explores the class struggles of rich people and poor people better than any other show I've seen. It's a mystery with the multi-talented Kristen Bell as the teenage detective Veronica. Her and Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) have great chemistry together and were one of the best and interesting father - daughter relationships on TV.
The second season picks up the summer after the season ending cliffhanger and answers who Veronica opened to door to nicely and unpredictably and leads to Veronica having a boyfriend you didn't expect. By the end of the episode the new season long mystery is unveiled: who crashed the bus that killed eight people. The answer in the season finale is unexpected and makes a LOT of sense once the blanks are filled in.
The season is also notable for the introduction of Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) as the man-eating Kendall Casablancas and Steve Guttenberg as the cheerful, yet creepy mayor Woody Goodman. The series also graduates Ryan Hansen (Dick Casablancas) and Kyle Gallner (Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas) to full time cast member status and also makes Tessa Thompson as the annoying Jackie Cook a regular too.
The center of the season is the antagonistic relationship between Veronica and her ex-boyfriend Logan (played convincingly by Jason Dohring) and their on-again / off-again romantic sparring. This is also the last season for Duncan Kane (Teddy Dunn). Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Weevil (Francis Capra) also had interesting subplots this year.
I really enjoyed this season and unlike most fans of the show I think it was just as good as season one (and had an even more exciting finale). True, the episodes in the middle of the season coasted on fumes for a bit but I can forgive it. It's still ten times better than season three.
Season Overall: *****.
Normal Is the Watchword: A VERY good season premiere that I enjoyed despite the VERY obvious toying with the audience the show did to resolve the "who was at the door?" cliffhanger from last year. The new mystery set-up at the end of the epiode was pretty neat too. And look! Charisma Carpenter! ****1/2.
Driver Ed: I think Jackie is the most annoying character on this show and that Wallace is WAAAYYY too good for her. But then I feel the same way about Logan and Duncan regarding Veronica. Still, I'm glad Duncan was the one she lost her virginity to. And look! Kevin Smith! ****.
Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang: Logan and Kendall were amusing as was Mr. Casablanca's getting the heck out of Dodge while the gettin' was good. And as usual Sheriff Lamb and Veronica were gold. I enjoyed this episode. ***1/2.
Green-Eyed Monster: 'Bout time we saw Mac again. This wasn't the best cliffhanger ever because I don't really care about Wallace's father. ***.
Blast from the Past: Jackie is a piece of work. I felt SO bad for Wallace this episode and everyone (Jackie, Veronica and his Mom) kept piling it on and making things worse and worse. The bus crash stuff is stating to get juicy too. ***1/2.
Rat Saw God: Fabulous episode. Aaron Echolls is a complete piece of slime and Harry Hamlin is so good in the role, I just want to punch him. It was nice to be able to get some closure for Abel Koontz too. And look! Joss Whedon! ****1/2.
Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner: This episode is a first: it actually has Sheriff Lamb doing his job and being a decent human being for once. REALLY powerful ending to an episode that was REALLY great when Veronica was seeing just how spoiled the kids in Neptune are when she was babysitting them. ****.
Ahoy, Mateys!: This episode contained a couple of REALLY harrowing scenes, namely Veronica nearly getting tortured by the Fitzpatricks and Logan having to play Russian Roullette in "The peoples' court". I also like how the episode started you off feeling completely sympathetic to the dead kid's parents and totally despising them by the end. Veronica also had some REALLY cute scenes with Mac. A good one. ****.
My Mother, the Fiend: Look! Alyson Hannigan! Trina Echolls positively STOLE this episode. My favorite bit was her and Kendall's catty sniping at each other recalling the best Willow/ Cordelia spats from Buffy. Man, Hannigan is just SO great and I wish she had been used on the show more. ****.
One Angry Veronica: Goodbye, Meg. I thought this episode was pretty cool for giving us a nice inner working of a jury where the folks actually did their jobs and sussed out clues. On Law and Order juries are usually no smarter than pets and convict or acquit purely on emotional appeals. I miss Meg already (loved her making up with Veronica before she died) but I'm glad Wallace came back. ****.
Donut Run: I've never been too crazy about Duncan but he had a nice episode to go out in. And Vinnie Van Lowe is, as always, hilarious. And, look! Lucy Lawless! ***1/2.
Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle: Jackie is SUCH a horrible person that you buy that she would betray Wallace and the episode pulled a nice surprise of making her a double agent. I was feeling for Weevil this episode too. ***1/2.
Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough: Nice twist ending of Weevil being the thief AND Veronica letting him get away with it. Loved the Jackie stuff for once and Beaver's revenge on Dick was truly delicious and hinted at what a sicko he would be revealed to be. ***1/2.
Versatile Toppings: Pretty unpredictable episode with lots of twists and turns. Liked the ending too. ****.
The Quick and the Wed: Ken Marino steals every scene he's in this episode. And I really feel like saying that I sometimes REALLY loathe Logan. ***1/2.
The Rapes of Graff: Look! It's George-Micheal and Maeby!: There are a few things to hate about this episode: it's inappropriately cutesy title, the fact that it started of Season Three's worst mystery, and more Logan annoyingness. But dang, if the episode itself isn't just SO well put together. It was great seeing Micheal Cera and Alia Shawkat in a mini Arrested Development reunion. And Keith handing Lamb the picture that says "18 - It's Legal! Re-elected Sheriff Don Lamb" is the funniest gag the series has EVER produced. So yeah, I should hate this episode but I feel just the opposite. ****1/2.
Plan B: I like this episode because it gives you clues at how big a creep Woody Goodman is and how uncomfortable he makes people and how nobody ever says anything about it. This is also the first episode that hints that Beaver is sexually messed up which ties in greatly to the season finale. I also loved the Weevil and Thumper stuff, especially the last shot of the episode. By the way, Jackie was completely right to blow Wallace off like that. I can't imagine what he was thinking. ****.
I Am God: It's good that they FINALLY had an episode dealing almost exlclusively with the bus crash. For the main mystery of the season the show had been treating it a lot like a B side plot. That said, I wish we had gone further with the mystery this episode. ***1/2.
Nevermind the Buttocks: Weevil kicked butt and took names this episode. I also really liked the plot about that tough kid mourning his dead dog. ***1/2.
Look Who's Stalking: Logan is a piece of work and Veronica is WAAAYYY too good for him. I've noticed that's a HUGE problem with "female heriones who kick butt" types of shows. They never have a guy in them that's an equal. ***1/2.
Happy Go Lucky: LOVE this episode. Aaron Echolls is SUCH a piece of dren and this episode's bleak ending REALLY socks you in the gut. Also devastating was the sleazy lawyer who embarrassed Veronica on the stand like that. And I never knew Steve Guttenberg could play a creep SO convincingly. Woody Goodman is SO unnerving with his frozen smile. Great stuff. I loved this episode. ****1/2.
Not Pictured: Evil Beaver! Speaking of loving episodes I am flummoxed at the amount of grief this resolution to the mystery got when it first aired. It was even better than last season's finale and having Beaver be SUCH a psychopath was a great twist. I also like the fact that they resolved Veronica's rape in the pilot in such a great way. Awesome. I also loved seeing Duncan one last time and Aaron Echolls finally getting what was coming to him. I felt SO bad for Mac at the end too (and Weevil at the beginning). I loved this episode and it's one of my favorites of the entire series. *****.
Deleted Scenes:
Logan Confronts Duncan and Veronica From Episode Normal Is the Watchword: It was funny watching Duncan go nuts and it's good that I was able to see one last scene involving Meg. ****.
Veronica Watches Man Leave Apartment From Episode Driver Ed: So brief I can't help wonder why they bothered having it on the deleted scenes. **
Duncan Creates Mock Euro-Rail Trip For Veronica From Episode Driver Ed: This alternate take of Veronica losing her virginity is so saccharine that they wisely cut it down in the actual episode. **1/2.
Veronica Hires Candy from Episode Green-Eyed Monster: Kind of cool to see Veronica hiring other people to help her with her cons. ***1/2.
Veronica and Keith Regroup as Lamb Glad-Hands His Support from Episode Blast from the Past: I liked this deleted scene a LOT because it raised the idea that Lamb could have completely made up the story that Keith let the bus driver go after a DUI and the episode itself never explored that angle. *****.
Logan and Duncan Play Video Golf, See Veronica on TV from Episode Blast from the Past: Hardly worth including. **1/2.
Terrence Chews Jackie Out, Wallace Calls from Episode Blast from the Past: Terrence is a jerk but I have no sympathy whatsoever for Jackie. Truly despicable characters. *1/2.
Veronica and Duncan Talk in Bathroom from Episode Rat Saw God: Cute scene but ads little. ***.
Logan Asks Veronica for Help from Episode Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner: Cute extended interplay from the episode. ***1/2.
Extended Babysitting Sequence from Episode Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner: Hilarious and just great. SO sad this had to be cut (probably for time). *****.
Gia Gives Keith Information about Bus Crash from Episode Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner: Cool and interesting scene that was never really followed up on in the show. ****.
Mrs. Oliveres Hears Her Son's Voice on Car Radio, Keith Listens from episode Ahoy, Mateys!: Keith kicks butt at his job and I liked this scene proving it. ****.
Alternate Ending for AOL from Episode My Mother, the Fiend: Explosive. This would have been a GREAT cliffhanger. *****.
Terrance Asks Keith to Prove He's Innocent from Episode Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough: Nice extended scene. ***1/2.
Veronica Talks to Wallace and Jane at Carnival from Episode Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough: I like this scene and I've always liked Jane. ***1/2.
Logan and Hannah Drink Slushies in Bounce House from Episode Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough: It was a little bit hard to hear the dialogue in this extended scene. **1/2.
Terrance Tells Keith about His Affair with Ms. Dumas from Episode Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough: I'd normally love a scene like this but it cuts off right when we start getting to the good part. ***.
Veronica Interrogates Gary Regarding the Pizza Boy Muggings from Episode Versatile Toppings: The guy who plays Gary is an exceedingly bad actor. Even though Kristen Bell is adorable here this was wisely cut. **1/2.
Veronica Meets Mann Family and Collette from Episode The Quick and the Wed: I loved this too be it's easy to see why it wasn't in the episode. It's cool and all, with interesting character bits but it's VERY long and Collette doesn't really add anything to the episode itself. ****.
Marcos and Veronica Talk on the Bus in Dream from Episode I Am God: I LOVE the dream sequences on this show and it was awesome to see another one. ****1/2.
Veronica Wakes from a Dream Crying and Leaves the Room from Episode I Am God: I admit, this gave me a little lump in my throat. ***1/2.
Keith Picks Up the Morning Paper from Episode Look Who's Stalking: They shouldn't have even bothered including this on the deleted scenes but it ties into the next extended one. *1/2.
Keith Picks Up the Morning Paper, Reads Headlines from Episode Look Who's Stalking: This was better and ALMOST justified including the previous shorter scene. Almost. ***.
Gia Sifts Through Mail and Discovers a DVD from Episode Look Who's Stalking: This is one of the few deleted scenes on the set that should have been in the episode. It wasn't exactly needed but it was nice to finally have the genesis of Gia getting that DVD explained. ****.
Keith Reads Morning Paper about Incorporation Vote from Episode Look Who's Stalking: How many newspapers does Keith need to read? **1/2.
Veronica Calls Wallace to Warn Gia from Episode Look Who's Stalking: This explains why she didn't call Wallace but the scene itself wasn't needed. The situation was such an emergency there was no time for Veronica to play phone tag with multiple people. ****.
Logan Dials a Nightcap from Episode Look Who's Stalking: Dick is so pathetic. ***.
Gag Reel: A good one. My favorite bit was Joss Whedon crazily ad-libbing all of his lines in one of his throwaway scenes. Great to hear what he was actually saying. ***1/2.
All New Episodes on The CW: Nice promo that would be nicer if it actually SHOWED any footage from the third season. ***.
DVD Menus: Cool and very similar to the First Season's menus. ***1/2.