TeeVee
The Borgias 2.2-2.3: Much better than the first episode.
Wow, Cesare, you really let your creepy obsessive sociopath out with Ursula there, didn't you? Though, I was under the impression that they'd resolved that in season 1 when he took Lucrezia to her? I wonder where they're going with that.
Juan is such a complete loser and screwup and bigot yet I can't help but like him. Also, I liked that Lucrezia tried to kill him but annoyed because she killed the wrong person, and didn't seem to care. (I'm actually a bit upset about that falling out because I had liked that their relationship was fairly warm and close, given that other canons I've encountered have made him horrid to her from the start to emphasize the Lucrezia/Cesare bond, and this didn't do that.)
I feel bad for Paolo and thought it was a bit odd they brought him back? But I guess they wanted to be sure to include that bit of Borgia apocrypha in one way or another.
I'm glad they're remembering to have Vannozza still be a regular part of people's lives. I feel like they kind of forgot about her at times in S1.
Vittorio's plot is turning out a bit less creepy than I thought. Giulia seems to have made sure rodrigo's attention was mostly on her in that threesome, so maybe it got that out of his system. I hope so. I don't need more scenes of him perving on her. (OTOH, there seems to be some sort of potential with her and Cesare? But I dunno.)
Most importantly, Caterina Sforza was back! In armor! And taking "I control this meeting" winecups from men and using them for herself.
But I'm wondering where Sancia and Joffre are. Especially Sancia, given what's up with her brother.
Avatar: Legend of Korra 1.1-1.2: I object to Katara not being the intro narrator. On principle.
In general, these episodes were largely world building, introductions, and setup, but that was expected and no less enjoyable. I think I'm going to enjoy the "fantasy 1930s Shang-Hai" bit more than the "fantasy world tour" of season 1.
Random-ish notes:
-baby!Korra had an itty potbelly! *wants to tickle it*
-Katara is immortal. And should still be the intro narrator.
-I may end up getting more entertainment out of Tenzen being so tense than anything else in the series. Also, I don't think patience is a strong suit of his. I suspect that annoying things (like his kids gnawing on his head) make his brain shut down until the trauma is over.
-Unless Aang had a complete personality transplant once he grew up, his legacy seems to be more like what his successors think a super serious savior should be like than anything he'd come up with himself. like that statue. Actually, I think Toph made that statue to troll him. Then made a ginormous statue of herself to go with it.
-Speaking of Toph, do we think Bai Fong wants to arrest people on principle anytime someone is all "Oh, your mom used to hang out with the Avatar!"
-Katara looked very sad when Korra was planning to leave. All the entertaining people were going away! Well, she has 7 good reasons to visit (that we know of...I'm sure she has ties to Republic City too) beyond "I felt like it" and I hope she uses them.
-So, Mako and Bolin are basically a genderswapped Mai and Ty Lee? (I've discussed this elsewhere with a few people, but it deserves repeating in my own space.)
-Such subtlety with the Official OTP setup there, show. So subtle.
-Aang and Toph would sneak off to probend too.
And then ep 3 came out before I got around to posting the above.
-That ginormous statue of Aang bore a startling resemblance to the Statue of Liberty at the beginning there.
-I like the nod to Korra not ever having had to take care of/provide for herself before. I hope they build on that.
-Mako is now Batman. The bored, apathetic version. (Bolin is Robin? Korra is...Catwoman?)
-I kind of want to pinch Bolin's cheeks. Especially when he thought Mako was going to hug him. (Don't worry, Bolin, your brother really does love you!) Unlike Korra and Mako, I get the impression that Bolin likes fighting when it's a game, but doesn't have much of a head for it when it's an actual fight. I kind of want to pinch his cheeks now.
-Mako and Bolin's apartment looks right out onto Tenzen's island. I'm sure plenty of homes do, but it's still hilarious.
-I'm a bit thrown by how quickly they seem to be going at Korra/Mako? But then, they were pretty "they kind of like each other. DATING NOW." with Suki/Sokka and Mai/Zuko in the first series, and Korra and Mako are about the age as those characters, if not a bit older. As opposed to, well, 12 and 14. Also, Korra bears too much resemblance to a bulldozer for anything that could ever be termed a "slow burn" to apply to her.
-But Korra, how did you get Mako's scarf? Curious minds want to know. (Also, no one was fooled by the "inconspicuous" arm grabbing.)
-Lightning-bending is common now? I thought it was supposed to be really really hard. Like, only a few can pull it off.
BTW, with the filmreel beginning of ep3, I am offically in love with Republic City and about 10 times as happy that this series will apparently be centered around 1 place and that it used the 1930s-ish as its worldbuilding baseline.
Missing 1.6:
Gina McKee finally got out from behind her desk! I may have let out a little squeaky sound when Violet said she was on her way. Can we please have more of Ashley Judd and Gina McKee having alpha wolf battles and less of men bickering over how Becca should be dealt with?
And then Becca stole a helicopter, which made me happy.
And then Michael and Oksana escaped and missed Becca by about a hundred yards. They had to change up Michael's plot eventually because his wandering around that house was getting really old, really fast, but I think I wish Becca had arrived a bit longer after he got away. (Side note: Oksana apparently knows how to use a gun. Or at least, has a better idea of what to do with one than Michael. It becomes increasingly unlikely that her plot will play out in a non-creepy way, but I maintain hope.)
Like Michael, my only real interest in Paul in the main part of the show is how he affects Becca, but I do like seeing the flashbacks of Becca and Paul trying to make being a spy couple work. Also, he was kind of a dork about fetus!Michael. He was probably one of those expectant fathers who talked to his wife's stomach every day until she pondered banning access.
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries 1.9:
When I finished this episode, I could only think of how most US shows would have felt compelled to include more scenes of the prostitution (likely with bonus physical abuse) to make sure we understood how dark and gritty it was. And then I was happy that I wasn't watching a "gritty" US show.
Jane! BTW, I'm wondering how old she's supposed to be? Her frinds seem to be in the 14-16 age range but I thought she was younger than that. (With my luck, they've said it and I just forgot.) I was worried about how the plot with her mother would turn out, but I liked it in the end. As long as she stays with Phryne and thy didn't throw her biological mother under a bus (so to speak) to keep her there.
Loved Phryne teaching the girls...well, everything. Especially self-defense with the garter. (Yes, Jack, of course she was showing them a dangerous weapon concealed under her skirt. What else would you expect Phryne to keep under there? Just like her knowing Judo.) Actually, all the reactions in that scene were priceless.
Nikita 2.19:
Who else is a bit disappointed that we didn't see any of Nikita's 5 minutes with Brant?
Aside from killing Senator Pierce (though obviously something was going to happen there to block the pardons) this was a good episode. Pity awards shows would never dream of handing out acting awards to female leads of a CW action show.
That said, plotwise, aside from killing Pierce and Team Nikita learning Percy is in charge of Division again, this did feel a bit jarring in that the last few episodes have had the metaplot moving along at a nice clip and this one didn't advance that a lot. Good character stuff though.
(Sean, shoot his corpse a few more times. It's a waste of bullets, sure, but it'll make you feel better.)
Revenge 1.19: My show seems to have snuck back in very quietly.
Well hello there, James Purefoy. I'd be a bit excited to see you, but last time you popped up as a villainess's boytoy you were a creepy evil rapist murderer, and I'm not sure i'm over that yet. But I hope you're Daniel's biodaddy, just to further screw Conrad over. (It's going to be hilarious if that ends up beingthe case and we learn that conrad is actually sterile or something but never knew because he thought he got Victoria pregnant 3 times, though that's down to 2 now.) I also rolled my eyes a lot at his trying to be self-righteous about Victoria sleeping with someone else, because, well, any right to objection he might have had left after having an affair with her best friend (which is to say, none) was destroyed when he deliberately hurt Charlotte to hurt her, then tried to pretend it was for Charlotte's own good.
I am apparently more upset at Victoria trying to manipulate Charlotte into saying that she may have seen Emanda 2.0 (Come back soon!) on the beach than I am about her hiring thugs to beat Daniel up in jail so that he could get bail. Sometimes, I do worry a teeny bit about my priorities.
I feel this episode was mostly about the Graysons, and not as much about Emanda? I mean, "about the Graysons" pretty much means "about Victoria and Charlotte" most of the time, so I don't exactly object, but I can't help but think that the first episode after a long hiatus should be fairly focused on the main character?
I hope this episode means Charlotte will stop taking those painkillers now! someone hug the poor child already. And stop manipulating her. This applies to ALL the adults in her life. Also, Treadwell was very very creepy in her bedroom.
I think I'll rewatch that bit where Emanda is beating the creeper up in the alley and then grabs hold of the gate for leverage so she can kick him even harder now.
Ringer 1.22: Only the last 3 minutes make me want there to be a second season to tune in to.
You know, I get the feeling that we're supposed to see Siobahn as deserving what Henry did to her, but he deliberately robbed a woman with 2 newborn (apparently premature and in "delicate" health) children blind and kicked her (and them, essentially) out on the streets. Break up with her and make her move out, sure, but don't make babies destitute and homeless, dude.
I am very happy Bridget shot what's-his-face.
I had a big "Do Not Care" thing going when Bridget was coming clean to Andrew (probably because I don't like him and can't buy that they love each other, and I've tried) but wanted to dish out hugs when she was talking to Juliet. I want them to make up and run away to Europe and spend all of Andrew's money.
And more "is Malcolm dead or not?" teasing, seriously? I hope all this is because the actor got busy with other things and they didn't want to confirm he was dead until they knew if the actor would be able to come back or something, because that was just ridiculous.