Saturday, December 22, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 10 - Anomaly XB-6783746 (Discussion)

Hello Fringe fanatics and Happy Holidays!  As we've discussed over the past few weeks, we know FOX is not reserving special dates for these final episodes of Fringe, so they're burning one off at the end of the year.  Of course, we can't blame them.  We should just be thankful we have these episodes to close out the show!  On the downside though, I am traveling to see family for the holidays so will be unable to provide a recap for this episode.  But, I figure we'll all be catching up on the episode at our own pace.  So, just jot down your thoughts from the episode in the comments and that's how we'll handle this episode!  I'm planning to download the episode on my iPad and watch at my earliest convenience and will try to provide some comments!  I do plan on recapping the final 3 hours of the show in January, so I'll see you then.  Merry/Happy whatever holiday you celebrate and Happy New Year!

Monday, December 17, 2012

TV Discussion: 12/16/2012 - 12/31/2012

Hello TV Addicts.  Shows are winding down for the holidays, so this is our place for all non-recap show discussions for the remainder of the year.  Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!  See you in the comments.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 9 - Black Blotter


Hello Fringe fanatics!  Welcome back as we count down to the end of the series.  Last night, we got our infamous "odd man out" episode of the season.  If this were a full season of Fringe, it would have been episode 19, but since this is an abbreviated final season we have to settle for episode 9.  A couple of the episode had dealt with Walter in an induced state and this episode was no different!  But, it was a nice device to allow us to explore the inner workings of Walter's complex mind and the internal conflict he has probably been working through for some time.  But, the most important thing that happened in the episode for me?  They addressed the timeline discrepancies!!  And anyone who has read my recaps all season and comments know that this was a big sticking point for me.  I'm not saying they resolved anything with it, but at least they addressed the issue was still there.  And we'll dive more into that in the recap/analysis below.

I'll put the disclaimer out there, I was pretty tired watching the episode last night as I had just come back from a 3 hour Hobbit viewing.  (In my defense, Fringe usually would be off the air by this point in December, but Fox is totally burning off episodes as the ratings do not help them at all)  So, if I miss something go easy on me.  And for the fact that I fading to sleep during some moments of the show, I'm going to assume that the episode was fantastic from start to finish and give it my trademark WOW rating!  So, let's dive into the recap and see what I can come up with and more importantly, what everyone else can add to the conversation!

Monday, December 10, 2012

TV Discussion - Week of 12/9/2012-12/15/2012

Hello fellow TV Addicts!  This is our weekly place to discuss any non-recapped shows on TV.  Things are pretty much wrapping up for the holidays, but there are still a few shows running.  So, see you in the comments!

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 8 - The Human Kind


Welcome back Fringe fanatics!  Well, depending on what you look for in your Fringe, last night's episode was either a sign of relief or a big disappointment.  For me, it was just another hour heading towards a climactic conclusion.  I've probably said it before, but this season definitely has a different feel to it due to them abandoning their formula with the "case of the week" and slow build of mythology over the season.  We have gone full-on mythology to tell one continuous tale for 13 episodes.  (They refer to it as a 13 hour movie)  I'm sure there will be a reason for taking us down the path that they did.   We must remember that Fringe, at its very core, is a love story.  And the science fiction part is just the backdrop to tell that story.  I don't think I'll have many theories or analysis this week, but we'll see when we take a deeper dive.  Let's get into it!

Monday, December 3, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 8 - Made to Suffer


WOW.  They certainly pulled out all the stops for our mid-season finale!  Welcome all fans of The Walking Dead to our ongoing discussion of the gore-iffic and introspective show that we just can't get enough of.  Things certainly heated up to a "sort-of" climactic moment to culminate these first 8 episodes, but they left some key moments to come in the back half of the season.   So, we'll all be tuning in on February 10th, to see it pick right back up!  (well, that is if everyone with Verizon Fios continues to have AMC of course)   Anyway, let's dive in and discuss what happened and where we go from here!

TV Discussion - Week of 12/2/2012 - 12/8/2012

Hello TV Addicts!  As usual, here is our weekly spot to discuss all Non-Recapped shows!  See you in the comments!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 10 - Nobody's Fault But Mine


Hello Revolutionaries!  Well, they certainly left us on a cliffhanger for this "Mid-Season Finale" didn't they?  Will it be enough to bring us back in March?  Maybe.  I was more excited by the previews for the 2nd half of the season than the cliffhanger.  But, this episode was definitely a nice payoff for everything that was building in the 1st half of the season.  Lots of nice character building with our rivals Miles and Monroe and some good action sequences.  And of course, a few more "subtle" Star Wars references to mention.  Let's get into it!

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 7 - When the Dead Come Knocking


Hello fellow Walkers and welcome back!  Whew this show started the season at a 9 intensity and has been cranking way past 10 ever since.  Even with this episode being a setup for next week's "Winter Finale" it still was packed with some crazy scenes and character moments.  By the way, if anyone has Verizon Fios, you better do your part to contact Verizon and tell them to keep the damn channel on the air (of course non-Verizon subscribers can contact them too if you want this recap to keep happening on a timely basis!)  We've already seen DirecTV and Dish lose the channel for a few weeks during negotiations.  We don't want to be missing any episodes of Walking Dead, Mad Men or Breaking Bad whenever we might lose the channel.

Anyway, enough complaining about corporate suits and their silly games.  Let's talk about the Zombie Apocalypse!

Weekly TV Discussion: 11/25/2012 - 12/1/2012

Hello fellow TV addicts!  As always, this is our weekly discussion area for all non-recapped shows.   See you in the comments!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 9 - Kashmir



Hello Revolutionaries!  Welcome back to our weekly coverage of the little show with a big concept that could.  I still feel that the show is on an upward trajectory with each episode.  Things are getting intense the closer they get to resolving this "Danny Rescue" conflict.  Of course, I'm going to have to give us all a lesson on the Philadelphia suburbs and the SEPTA transit system to clear up any misgivings that the show provided!  But, that aside, this was another solid outing.  Let's dive in!

Monday, November 19, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 6 - Hounded


Hello Walking Dead Heads!  This season has been on a crazy tear so far, but I have to say that last night's episode was my favorite.  Of course, it takes a bunch of build-up to get a payoff episode like this one.  Finally, our plot lines are converging and I have to say that I didn't see it going exactly the way it did.  But, it was a brilliant way to do it!  So, Walking Dead gets a WOW from me this week.  Let's break it down a bit!

Weekly TV Discussion: 11/18/2012 - 11/24/2012

Hello fellow TV Addicts!  As per new tradition, this is where we discuss any and all TV outside of our normally recapped shows.  Probably will be some pretty minimal discussion with the holidays, but it's here just in case.  See you in the comments!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 7 - Five-Twenty-Ten


Hello Fringe folks! Well, we're halfway through the final run.  How are we feeling?  Last night's episode was pretty darn crazy and equally creepy.  I'm going to give it a "WOW!" review just because I don't know how they're going to get out of this mess they're creating (and because I was entertained, obviously).  We certainly have our theories and we'll retouch on them below.  But, I keep feeling there's another twist up their sleeve that we're not seeing.  Peter with the tech has been pretty darn cool, but obviously it's concerning to fans on his fate.  And it was great to see ol' Nina Sharp again!  Halfway through the season and we've finally seen all of the remaining regular cast members.  It's a 13 hour movie, and since we're 7 hours in, things should start heading towards an inevitable climactic showdown and conclusion!  Here's hoping it's going to be one for the ages.  But, until then we have a job to do.  Let's recap and analyze the episode at hand!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 8 - Ties That Bind


Hello Revolutionaries!  Welcome back for another helping of the swashbuckling power outage show!  I still maintain that the show keeps improving each week.  This week was no different.  And somehow, they found a worse actress than Charlie to make her look better in this episode!  (not that they had any face to face time)   We'll get to that in a bit.  But some interesting mythological developments occurred here.  We'll get into it below.  But, in case you tire of my constant Star Wars reference, I wanted to share an article about what inspired Eric Kripke and JJ Abrams to make this show.  Star Wars and Lord of the Rings were definitely huge draws for them, mainly Kripke.  Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's recap!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Fringe and The Walking Dead Recaps 11/9/2012-11/11/2012


Hello Time Traveling Zombies!  I appreciate your patience over the past couple weeks as life has gotten in the way of me recapping on a timely basis.  I think we still were able to have some good discussion on our favorite shows.  I had another busy weekend, so you're ending up with a 2 for 1 deal in this post.  We're going to catch up on the latest episodes of Fringe and The Walking Dead!  Let's not waste time and get right into this thing!

Weekly TV Discussion: 11/11/2012 - 11/17/2012

Hello fellow TV addicts!  This is our weekly place to discuss any and all non-recapped shows on TV Addicts Blog.  I am a bit delayed, but I do plan on getting to Fringe, The Walking Dead and Revolution Recaps this week.  See you in the comments!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Weekly TV Discussion - 11/2/2012 - 11/10/2012

Hello TV Addicts!  Per our new tradition, here's where you can discuss any and all TV.  This week is an exception though.  Since I'll be out of town Friday through this Monday, feel free to comment on Fringe, The Walking Dead and Revolution here too.  I'll catch up when I get back!  See you in the comments! 

11/8 Update: Wasn't able to recap our usual shows but there is plenty of discussion on each of those in the comments below.  So this blog posting features discussion on the following normally recapped episodes:

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 5 - Origin Story
The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 4 - Killer Within
Revolution: Season 1 Episode 7 - The Children's Crusade

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 6 - Sex and Drugs


Hurricane Sandy might be able to make things inconvenient, but it can't keep a determined blogger down!  Welcome revolutionaries!  I actually never lost power last night (Cue lights to go out now) but NBC decided to alter their programming a bit.  I had to go to some standard def channel called "Nonstop" to watch last night's episode.  And actually, it was probably the best episode yet!  The show keeps improving and giving us more character moments that help us build some level of caring for some of them.  Aaron's backstory was the best yet.  I know I always tout brief recaps for this show, but this time I mean it.  Plus, the screenshots aren't going to be too good coming from a Standard Def feed! Hopefully, you'll all be able to cope!

Reminder, I've mentioned on every posting lately that I will be out of town the next couple of weekends.  So, my commentary on Fringe/The Walking Dead/Revolution will be a bit delayed and probably brief for the next 2 weeks.  Let's get into the Revolution Recap!

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 3 - Walk With Me


Hello fellow Walkers!  Last night's episode was the first time that we took a detour from the main group, especially Rick.  But, it didn't make the episode any less interesting.  And obviously, the paths will eventually intersect.  There are some shady things going on in Woodbury, don't you think!?  Anyway, we'll get right into it in a second.  Just wanted to post a disclaimer on Hurricane Sandy which is starting it's path into the Northeast, where this blogger resides.   We still have power, so I should be good to get this recap up (obviously, if you're reading this then we're all good).   Watching Revolution tonight and writing about it could be a totally different story!  Of course, when mother nature decides to wreak havoc on certain parts of the world, it should be acceptable for things like blogging a TV show to take a back seat, right!?

Okay now that that's out of the way, let's blog a TV show!

Weekly TV Discussion - 10/29/2012 - 11/3/2012

Hello TV Addicts! This worked well last week so we'll keep it up.  This is a weekly posting to discuss any and all TV that is not covered in regular recaps.  (i.e. anything other than Fringe, Revolution and The Walking Dead)  I have mentioned a couple times now that I will be out of town the weekends of 11/2-11/5 (Monday too) and 11/9-11/11.  So, my commentary on those shows will be delayed during those days.  If your too anxious to wait for me, feel free to discuss those in these weekly posts as well.   Enjoy and see you in the comments!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 4 - The Bullet That Saved the World


Okay, now THIS is what I'm talking about!  Hello fellow Fringe fans and welcome back to the show we have loved for the past few years.  Even as I was commenting on the'seemingly sub-par 3rd episode of the season, I knew they were pacing out a 13 hour movie and that the whole thing can't be non-stop intensity or even interestingness.  I know that the seeds planted in that episode will eventually pay off.  But just looking at that week alone, it certainly was a bit boring.  They more than made up for it with the 4th episode which closes Volume 1 of our 3 volume final season.  I had a feeling someone was going to bite the "bullet" in this episode, but I really didn't think until close to when it happened that they'd actually go THERE.   What a great setup for the rest of the season.  Lots to discuss in our "Observ'er'ations"on where they go from here, but for now we have to just say WOW!  Let's get into the recap!

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 2 - Sick


Hello fellow TV Zombies and welcome back for another helping of The Walking Dead discussion!  We slowed things down a bit in episode 2, but not to worry, we weren't at season 2 levels of slowness. But, there was time to reflect on the new situation our band of survivors find themselves in.  No need to elaborate here.  It was a solid hour of The Walking Dead, let's recap!

Weekly TV Discussion - 10/21/2012 to 10/27/2012

Hello fellow TV Addicts!  So, if you've frequented this site enough, you probably have realized that we like to talk about a lot of shows in our weekly recaps of specific shows.  I figured we'd try something new.  Let's have a dedicated spot to discuss all non-recapped shows each week.  So this section is to discuss any and all TV besides Fringe, The Walking Dead and Revolution since they have dedicated recaps (see Labels below for examples).  This will be for the week of 10/21-10/27, but since Grimm airs on Fridays, I'm guessing we'd talk about last week's Grimm here too. 

Let's see how this works.  Let's start the discussion!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 5 - Soul Train


Welcome Revolutioneers!  We are five episodes in and I have to say that this show seems to be improving with each episode in.  That's always a nice thing to see.   I'll get into the recap in a second, but wanted to share this link with you from Showrunner Eric Kripke.  He talks about how quickly he'll reveal answers to the big mysteries and replace them with bigger mysteries along the way.  There's also a couple tidbits that I may cover in the "interesting tidbits" section below.  But, for now, let's recap!

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 3 Episode 1 - Seed


Welcome back dead heads!  It feels like forever since our last full dose of The Walking Dead, but the extended previews and summer marathons have had me psyched since the end of last year!  Anyone who complained about the slow pacing of season 2 (which, if you recall, I didn't mind) should have their fears settled after that opening episode this season.  There was more action and walkers in this season premiere than probably the entire season 2.  But, they still didn't sacrifice story for the kill count.    There's definitely a lot of promise for the new season and I'm looking forward to diving in briefly every week to kick-off the discussion.   So, let's get into the episode!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 3 - The Recordist


Hello Fringe fanatics and history buffs!  We're here to discuss episode 3 of our final Fringe season.  I have to say, I'm not getting very excited to recap this episode.  It was quite a bizarre episode and with the exception of some great Walter quotes, it felt very un-"Fringe"-like to me.  I'm willing to give them a mulligan though.  They've told some pretty consistent quality stories for 3 straight seasons and change.  I'm definitely feeling a change of pace to this season with going for straight mythology episodes for the entire season.  And, I'm sure what they achieved by the end of the episode will no doubt be important but it was a tad painful getting there.  We'll, see what I can come up with in the recap below!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 4 - The Plague Dogs

Hello friends and welcome back to the Revolution recap!  We had a pretty good outing for the show last night and they really amped up the emotional side of the show.  I would say it would have been much more effective if NBC didn't hype up a big "death" coming in the episode.  Given everyone's importance to the future plots of the show, it wasn't too hard to figure out who was going to be losing their life by the end of the episode.  Of course, they did have me second guessing my pick in the middle.  Still, NBC's spoiling aside, the show is doing pretty well so far in keeping everyone entertained.  And they're doing one really important thing that its "high concept" predecessors did not do so well.  They're keeping the "deep mythology talk" to a minimum in these opening episodes.  They're focusing on character relationships and lots of high stakes action.  That could be what the show ends up being anyway, but we know there will be a huge conspiracy with the whole power outage (What caused it, who is in control of it, how do we get it back, do we want it back, are only some people going to get it back, etc...), that eventually they're going to have to dive down a layer.  But for now, they want to keep their audience entertained and slowly delve into that next level of detail.

Granted, this is just my theory on what retains an audience!  Anyway, let's get into the recap/discussion!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 2 - In Absentia


Hello fellow Fringe Loyalists!  Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the final season of the awesome show.  I've been enjoying our time in 2036 and even though we're a bit more serialized it still feels very FRINGE-esque.   Though, this episode got more into our usual formula.  There was a bit of a  "Case of the Week" feel to it while tying into the overall themes that our characters are currently going through.  And Walter got to mess with SCIENCE so that's always a +1 for a Fringe episode!  The episode was, and I'm sure most of this season will be for me, a WOW worthy endeavor so I'll get that out of the way.  Let's move onto the recap so we can get into the discussion!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 3 - No Quarter


Hello fellow TV aficionados and welcome to the Revolution!  Okay, so my last recap may have come off very sarcastic and given off the impression that I wasn't enjoying the show.  This is far from the truth!  There were definitely cheesy moments last week, and there really aren't many discussion points yet, so when this happens I normally result to humorous (well, humorous in my mind) recapping!  We're going to try and go much shorter this week, so maybe we won't run into any confusion.  I thought episode 3 was a decent outing as well.  We are sort of starting to see what this show wants to be.   A weekly adventure with a little bit of an advancement with the whole "power" thing.  And of course, some short flashback segments to fill in some blanks about the post-blackout and our characters' pasts.  It's a tried and true method.  We'll see if they can keep upping the ante and getting more interesting along the way!   Let's dive into the recap.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fringe: Season 5 Episode 1 - Transilience Thought Unifier Model - 11


Hello Fringe loyalists! We're back for one more round of awesomeness and it's thanks to the extreme loyalty of the fandom that this 13 episode final arc was allowed to happen.  I have read that these 13 episodes will act like one giant movie bringing the saga/series to a close.  You know what that means.  No more "Monster of the week" Myth-a-lone episodes that Fringe excelled at.  We are embarking on a serialized Fringe adventure to bring the 5 season long mythology to a close.  And, obviously, we're focusing on those crazy Observers and their takeover of the world.  (in their past, our future)   The first episode out was pretty darn entertaining, and I'd like to label it with my trademark WOW!

But enough of my rambling, let's dive into this recap!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 2 - Chained Heat


Welcome Revolutionaries (Revolutioneers?  Revolutioners?) to our 2nd recap of the power outage show!  So, what's the verdict 2 weeks in?  Well, I'm still interested by the premise.  I still like where they're going with it.  But, the same issues I had last week are still there.  There are some pretty weak cast members that are playing major roles in the show.  It might end up being a drag on the show.  Some of the lines we are getting are skating along "Terra Nova cheese" level.  I may have to reinstitute the "cheesy lines" segment at the end of the recap again.  So, it's a mixed bag but it's still entertaining for now.  So, we'll stick with it!

I keep thinking I'm going to stick to a quick recap, but it doesn't look like I really know how to do that! I'm going to keep trying though.   I think all we really need to do is highlight the key things to remember from each episode.  So, when time is short for me that's what I'll do.  But for now, another wordy recap.  So, let's jump right into this!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Revolution: Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot


Hello fellow TV Addicts!  Welcome to the new likely failed experiment known as the "Revolution Recap"!  No, I'm not saying the show wasn't enjoyable, because it was.  But, we've been down this road before since LOST has left the airwaves.  Flashforward (while LOST was still airing), The Event, Terra Nova, Alcatraz have all come and gone leaving us with 1 season each.  While LOST did bring us 6 seasons of great storytelling (and yes, some will still debate that final season), it tested the patience of viewers.  Many shows have tried to crack the impossible code that LOST cracked in achieving mass recognition by the world and earned much discussion on the internet.  (Obviously, or we wouldn't be reading this right now)  In this day and age, viewers are very likely to tune in and watch a pilot episode, see if they like the premise and then start bailing in droves in the coming weeks.  The problem with shows like this, is that it takes way more than 1 week to figure out if it has any legs.   I always argue that, while the LOST pilot was pretty darn amazing, we didn't start seeing the potential of the show until Locke stood up, and Charlie and Claire got kidnapped by The Others.  So, patience is the key folks!

Now, REVOLUTION!  I thought the pilot did its job.  It set up the premise of the show and introduced us to the characters we'll be following.  I do wish that they could have gotten some better acting jobs, and maybe even some better dialogue for the actors to work with.  But, the cast needs time to gel and figure out the characters themselves.  It also felt a bit rushed.  A lot had to happen in these 40 something minutes of television.  I would imagine the pace will slow down in the coming weeks (some people may not agree that this would be a good thing).   Okay, so I've mentioned in my Fall Kickoff post that my time is limited these days.  So, I'm not going to go into incredible detail in this recap.  If one day it earns the right to get LOST-level analysis (or even Fringe-level analysis) we'll reassess my time management skills at that time!

So without further adieu, let's dive into the brief recap of Revolution's pilot episode!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Fall 2012 TV Kick-off!

Hello TV Addicts! It's been a long summer of TV blogging hibernation.  But, we obviously haven't been too quiet around here.  With summer catch-up TV and LOST rewatches there has been plenty to discuss.  (See the 3 Summer 2012 Blog posts to read up, if you're bored.  But, alas, we are once again embarking on a brand new television season!  A lot has changed in my personal life, as I alluded to last year.  With my son getting older and more mobile by the day, my spare blogging time is getting smaller and smaller!  But, you guys know I can't just quit talking TV cold turkey.  So, I will still find ways to discuss.  As for super-elongated recaps?  They may be a thing of the past (until LOST gets a reboot or somehow returns 10 or 15 years down the road or something).   Anyway, I wanted to discuss my plan in this post for at least the FALL portion of the TV season.  As always, the plan is detailed after the jump!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Summer TV 2012 Discussion - August

This LOST rewatch discussion is really taking over our summer TV talk!  Which is totally fine with me.  We're having a blast doing it!  As of this post, some of us are in season 4 and some in season 5.  So, check the previous 2 posts for discussions around seasons 1-5 as well as this one for seasons 4- 6.   I can say, that I personally think the show holds up in quality.  And I think a majority of the questions we had can definitely be answered by several different pretty concrete ideas based on how the show ends.  I am enjoying approaching the show this way.  We also have been discussing other summer shows such as Breaking Bad, True Blood, Episodes, Newsroom, etc...  Feel free to join in!  Stay tuned for another post this month where I'll discuss the fall TV slate and try to figure out what I'm going to write about this year.  (Fringe and The Walking Dead will still be covered.  I'm pondering Revolution for a new show.  But of course, there are other returning shows that could beg discussion as well.)

So, join us for the continuing LOST Rewatch, Summer TV Talk or else I'll see you in the FALL!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Summer TV 2012 Discussion - July

So, our discussions got a little intense in June so I'm going to break these out into monthly posts. True Blood, Breaking Bad, Episodes, Newsroom will be among the summer shows discussed. But, a few of us have embarked on a rewatch of LOST (finally)! We're having a good time having a discussion of the show and reflecting on the series as a whole while rewatching. We're all at different points (end of season 1 to 1/3 into season 2 as of this posting), but the more the merrier if you're interested! Otherwise, stay tuned for more info on what I'll be covering in Fall 2012! See you then!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Summer TV 2012 Discussion

Hello fellow tv addicts! I figured I would post this for our summer television discussions. Game of Thrones wrapped up last night, Mad Men is wrapping up. True Blood is starting as well as the enticing looking Newsroom. And let's not forget Breaking Bad! I'm sure there is other stuff too. I don't think I'll be taking on any summer recapping but I'll definitely be up for discussing everything as always. So keep up the great discussion and I'll see you in the comments!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 22 - Brave New World Part 2


Welcome, Fringe Fandom, to the final recap of the season!  We were treated to quite an awesome hour of television.  One that the producers thought could have sufficed as a series finale if it had to be.  Now having seen it, I can see what they mean.  But, obviously, there were plenty of loose ends from episode 19 as well as a few tidbits in this one to have us salivating for the next step!  But, they went all out in this one and it was AWESOME!   I'm going to share a few links here that contain interviews with the producers on where things may be going.  I may be referring to them in my commentary below.  Basically, it sounds like they are very excited to bring us a 13 episode "no filler" season that brings great conclusion to their 5 year story.  I figured as much, but it's great to hear it from them.  Here are the links:
TV GUIDE
TV LINE
Give Me My Remote

Okay, homework done?  The show definitely ended on a quieter, happier note this season than the last 3 (of course it didn't seem so at one point!).  But, it is just the calm before the coming storm.   We were treated to a preview of that storm in episode 19.  And we'll speculate at the end on how we think season 5 will be laid out.  But for now, we need to bring this season to a close!  Let's do it!  Oh right, and of course the episode earned a well deserved "WOW!!!"

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 21 - Brave New World Part 1


Hello my friends!  Welcome to the season 4 finale part 1 recap of Fringe!  We had another crazy episode on our hands.  Of course, it's only half of the story that will be told so we're kind of left hanging for the big conclusion.  But, WOW, didn't see that twist coming!  I guess we should have after the future vision we got a couple episodes ago.  But, the advantage the writers had was a logistical thing with a certain "retired" actor returning that somehow they kept secret from the media (or at least me).  Anyway, it led to things taking an unexpected turn in the final moments of this season, let alone series.  I'm guessing this recap might be a little lighter than usual as we will have more to dissect after part 2 airs next week.   But, you know me, I do like to ramble on about things.  So, let's see where this thing takes us!

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 20 - Worlds Apart


Hello my multi-dimensional friends!  We're here to recap one emotionally charged episode of Fringe.  But, first we have to take a brief pause in celebration to discuss Fringe's 5th and final season renewal!  WOO HOO!!!!!!  Maybe Fox and WB timed the announcement to come after last week's pivotal 19th episode that gave us a brief glimpse at a possible future and what the series end-game might be about.  Regardless of how it happened, the 2 big studios came to some kind of compromise to give us a 13 episode send-off.  Fringe will have closure folks!  And judging by how this series has always seemed to dot its i's and cross it's t's I think we're in for a real treat of a final season.  No word on if we'll get the 13 episodes in the fall (to be split up when the MLB playoffs come to town) or if they'll save it for some kind of Jan/Feb to May run, but it IS coming!! Well done to the dedicated Fringe viewers that have stuck with it this long and kept the discussion of the show alive in order to show the studios we mean business!

Of course, even knowing that the series is drawing to a close, it would seem like a lot of closure to some major arcs is happening this season as well.  When we first were introduced to OVER THERE, who would have ever foreseen the final 10-15 minutes of this episode happening?  It was a very powerful sequence and I will admit, there was a bit of welling of eyes going around in this house!  But WOW, what a great episode.  And that's only part 1 of the 3 part finale!  Of course, now that we know a little bit about the FUTURE, we can discuss where this season is going and perhaps its implications to said future.  Let's dive into the discussion!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 19 - Letters of Transit


Well, my friends, this is one weird, wacky and AWESOME show!  As anticipated, this season's "19th" episode took us on a wild ride and made us question a lot of things about the "future" of the show.  It seemed like this episode was just randomly plucked out of what would be a season 7 of Fringe.  (or season 26 for that matter)  First, let me get my WOW out of the way because of course it's deserving of it!  Second, I just want to speculate at what the brains behind Fringe are doing here.  They had always envisioned a 7 season show, but with the ratings so low they may have known that time is short and are speeding up the plot a bit.  So, while the remaining 3 episodes of this season will close up this season's plot as they always planned, they used episode 19 as a chance to give a sneak preview of where the show was/is heading.  (We still don't know about renewal)   Maybe season 5 and 6 would have gotten us to 2015 (considering the show follows a calendar year pretty much) and we would have seen Walter encase the team in amber.  Maybe a season 7 would have taken place 20 years later when they finally take the world back.  But, we have already been told that this episode was a preview of what a shortened and final season 5 may look like.  So maybe they showed us where the plot is going and we'll be leading up to that in a fast-forwarded story in season 5 (as well as continuing that 2036 plot).   All speculation of course. They could have always planned to show us this peak into the future in season 4.  We have seen other peaks into the future too.  With an infinite amount of timelines, nothing is certain.

But, my intro paragraph is way too detailed in speculation and we haven't even recapped yet!  So, let's get to it!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 18 - The Consultant

Welcome back Fringe-dom!  We had a decent episode last night that resolved some questions that have been growing over the season.  But, mostly it was basically a setup for things to come.  It actually seemed to be a mostly Alterna-Broyles centric episode which is probably a character we never thought we'd spend too much more time flushing out.  But, the episode was very effective in helping us sympathize with his predicament.  Anyway, let's get into the recap!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 17 - Everything in its Right Place


Hello Fringe fans!  We had yet another great episode of Fringe last night.  It probably wasn't everyone's favorite since there was limited Walter, Olivia and Peter.  But, I was happy to visit the OVER THERE world again and catch up with what was going on.  And we finally got a bit of resolution to one of season 2 and season 3's big plot lines.  The case was definitely mythology driven with us following one of Jones's shapeshifters and setting up some chess pieces for the final conflict of the season.   And there were some other interesting developments along the way.  Let's dive in and discuss!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 16 - Nothing as It Seems


Hello Fringe-dom!  We were treated to a quite interesting episode last night.  If it's been awhile since you've seen season 1, you may have been feeling some deja vu but not quite pinpointing that the opening clip of the episode was reshowing us something we've already seen.  Of course, since we're in a revised timeline (of sorts), things were a bit different.  But call me totally confused.  The big point I couldn't get over is that it is 3 years later, so I'm not sure how any of it could be EXACTLY the same.  But, if we can all get past that, then the other points brought up in the episode are very interesting.  Plus, the title of the episode pretty much seems to be telling us, "don't worry, it's okay to be confused."  So, I'll try not to harp on that too much in the recap.  And, I should mention that the comedy and heartfelt moments were at an all time high in this episode, making up for the questionable case.   Let's get to it!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 12 - Garrett Stillman & Episode 13 - Tommy Madsen


Whew!  That was an intense 2 hours to close up hopefully only the FIRST season of Alcatraz.  All the little clues that were planted throughout the season seemed to pay off and culminate in this first exciting chapter of the show.  And the potential unveiled for season 2 seems, now, like a logical next step to take things with a couple of personal twists along the way.  Fussy baby in the house tonight, so I'm short for time.  If I miss any key things, please call me out on it in the comments and we'll discuss.  Let's dive in!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 15 - A Short Story of Love


So, what do I start with?  Oh, I think the obligatory "I KNEW IT!!" applies here!  But, we'll get to that in detail later.  What a fantastic episode of Fringe!  They did what they do best tying the case's theme to the entire Fringe saga and advancing the plot into the next phase that should bring season 4 to its logical conclusion.  Big answers were revealed, old seasons were revisited, and jaws were dropped.  Can't ask much more from a Fringe episode, and this one deserves a big WOW from me!

But on an interesting "behind the scenes" note, did anyone notice that the Twitter hashtag during the episode said #WhereYouBelong?  That little garage start-up of a Twitter campaign has reached some pretty public levels!   At the most recent Wondercon, even Joshua Jackson was sporting a pin that showed he was supporting the Twitter campaign.  And he and one of the showrunners J.H. Wyman further supported it by tweeting live during the episode last night using said hashtag.  Pretty darn impressive, and ingenious if you ask me.  Once again, this Fringe related hashtag was the top trending topic on Twitter for a few hours during the East and West coast feeds.  All of this publicity cannot be bad for its renewal chances (which keep improving as it is).

Anyway, it's time that we get into recapping this wonderful addition to the Fringe mythology!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 11 - Webb Porter


Hello everyone!  We're back for another Alcatraz recap.  I am enjoying this show, don't get me wrong.  But, I have to admit I'm kind of happy the finale is next week!  We got some good plot movement this week to set up the 2 hour finale, but hopefully there are some big reveals next week to keep us excited for a 2nd season (which I think chances aren't looking too good).   Anyway, it was another solid outing tonight and here comes the quick recap!

The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 13 - Beside the Dying Fire


Okay, no getting around it for this one. WOW!!!  What a way to close out a season.  I feel like we earned this finale for the grueling season we had to endure to get here.  And, you all probably know how I feel by now, it was worth it!  All those emotional discussions and slow pacing led to this glorious finale of walker mayhem.  Emotions boiled over when people were abandoned, leaders' actions were questioned and their whole world was pretty much turned inside out, upside down and every which way till next zombie day.  There wasn't much need for setup or character build-up in this explosive finale because that work had all been done in the 12 preceding episodes (that also had a bit of excitement too mind you).   With all the drama behind the scenes on this show with showrunner changes and a whole lot of uncertainty and anxiety by the cast and crew, they put together a fine season of television folks!   And we're about to break it down.  Here we go!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Alcatraz - Season 1 Episode 8 - Clarence Montgomery


Hello all and welcome back to Alcatraz for a hefty helping of Auntie May's Ribs!  Decent episode tonight that was intended to precede the past 2 episodes we saw.  My DVR had it labeled as episode 10, but we all know it was episode 8 and that's what this blog will record it as!   We got a good brain dump of information on what has happened to some/all of these 63s that are showing up in the present day.  And as always, the manhunt was just as thrilling.  As always, we'll stick with a brief recap and then discuss some of the key talking points.  Here we go!

The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 12 - Better Angels


WOW, that was one intense helping of drama last night!  What a great episode, even if the climactic moment may have been a bit spoiled for some people.  There definitely were lots of leaks over the past few months of our most recent fallen character.  And even the twists that circled around his death, some may have seen coming for a bit now.  (if they have read the books or just have a basic knowledge of what has happened in the books)    But damn, if they didn't execute it all brilliantly!  This whole season has been one slow burn to this episode right here.  I'm a firm believer that the payoffs of all the build-up are usually worth it.  Even crazy Carl's arc contributed to the intensity!  Anyway, call me a satisfied viewer as always and let's get into the discussion!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 9 / 10 - The Ames Bros. / Sonny Burnett


Hello fellow time traveling, super blood inmates! So, lots of drama outside of the show itself with FOX scheduling and the Daytona 500.  Last week's episode did not air and will not air until next week.  So, we were treated to the 2 episodes that were meant to air together tonight on schedule.  Not sure if that will impact any mythological advancements that were learned this week.  Probably not.  But we might lose some momentum that was built tonight.  Because we got 2 pretty solid episodes with some fairly interesting tidbits about the secrets of Alcatraz!  Considering it was 2 hours and I'm on a busier schedule these days, my recap probably won't be much longer.  So, let's just get on with it!



The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 11 - Judge, Jury and Executioner


WOW, now that was one emotionally draining episode!  With all of the rumors flying around about other characters, I didn't see this one coming until the final minutes of the episode.  And truthfully, I think most of us were hoping Carl would be at the other end of a gun by the end of the episode!  Anyway, I'm short for time today so let's get right into the brief recap!

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 10 - 18 Miles Out

Hello fellow Walkers!  Well, if anyone has been starving for action on this show, I think the latest episode paid out in huge dividends!  It was a more focused story on our 2 former cops settling out some issues in a confrontation that was long overdue.  For anyone who was tired of the farm action (or non-action), there was only a small storyline there.  A relevant storyline to some overall themes of the show that have been resonating.  And there was even a little excitement there to get people's blood pumping.  Overall, a very good effort from the Walking Dead gore factory.  Now, I've heard rumors that this second half of episodes were created after former showrunner Frank Darabount exited and Glenn Mazzara took over.  That may be true on paper, but I'm pretty sure the season was intentionally laid out to start slow and heat up by the end.  Anyway, I feel like a broken record every week with this intro so let's just get into the recap!  I'm short on time so this will be quick!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 14 - The End of All Things


WOW!! Just WOW!  That is what good television looks like people.  If anyone out there thought season 4 started off slow, I would think a majority of them should feel that it's all paying off now.  The show-runners and writers are weaving a pretty brilliant story for us throughout this season.  This episode was very poignant in advancing the season's story as well as the entire series story.  Questions about the Observers that we have had for years have finally been answered.  It seems like the answer for what they were was one of various theories we've been throwing around.  But WHY September has been so invested in the Bishops?  We only knew half of the story.  I just love when things come together folks.  And things came together in a fantastic way.  And now, I just hope that this show can get a proper send-off before abruptly ending at the end of this season.

Speaking of which, for anyone on Twitter, there is a campaign going on during the airings of each episode (and a little before too).   It's an effort to get certain Hashtags trending and prove that there is a large and loyal fan base watching Fringe live.  A few shout-outs to Nissan Leaf (a sponsor of Fringe) were thrown into the tweets too.  Pretty clever.  There are explicit instructions on how it should be done, so I will link you over to Fringenuity if you'd like to get involved.  In case you want to know how effective it is....#LoveIsTheAnswer was the top trend last night nationally and across the globe while Fringe was airing!  Pretty darn cool.  So, if you want to help out in 4 weeks when Fringe returns, the Fringe fandom would be most appreciative!   We'll have 8 straight weeks to get the SUITS' attention!

Enough advertising for now.  Let's get into the recap!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 7 - Johnny McKee


Hello fellow inmates!  Alcatraz still has my curiosity peaked 7 episodes in.  Interesting criminal stories, interesting guard "story" and interesting surrounding cast that may or may not be involved in this mystery.    TV Guide had a good interview with the executive producers today discussing burning questions the fans are having.  It's mainly the stuff we've been wondering about.  Some of the mysteries introduced and what should be considered "season" mysteriess vs. "series" mysteries.  I recommend the read!  With that out of the way let's talk a little bit about tonight's episode!

The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 9 - Triggerfinger


Welcome Dead Heads!  So, was that episode a little better for everyone?  The intensity most certainly picked up.  The gore factor was at a level that we've come to expect on the show.  (There was at least one sequence where I almost turned my head)  Yet still, all of the story-building that happened in the first half of the season continued to play out in a way that, to me, was more meaningful due to the time they took in setting it up.  I'm sure season 3 will do a better job with pacing to keep all of the fans more satisfied, but I have no issues with the journey we have been taken on this season.  The crazy thing is, this show must be one that fans LOVE to be frustrated with.  The ratings keep growing at an exponential rate!  It's nuts!  Okay, let's get into a quick dissection of the episode.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 13 - A Better Human Being

Have I mentioned to you guys how hooked I am on Fringe these days!?  Okay, I know, I pretty much have mentioned it after every new episode has aired over the last couple years.  But, WOW.  Last night's episode was another fantastic progression of the story this season, as well as a solid individual case.  And, I'm guessing if anyone watched the previews for next week they couldn't be more excited about what the show FINALLY is going to discuss at length.  But, we'll get to that next week.  This week we have to ponder what on earth was happening at the end of the episode!?  (As well as everything that preceded it, duh.)  So, let's not waste time and get into our usual dissection of yet another fantastic hour of television.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 6 - Paxton Petty


Welcome back to the Rock everyone!  We had another thriller of a manhunt complete with twists and advancements on the giant mystery.  You can tell they're looking to find a good balance of "prisoner of the week" stories vs. overall story.  And it seems like they're finally finding some good uses for Jorge Garcia's comic relief.  I'm enjoying the ride every Monday night and hope to continue doing so!  Let's get into breaking down some of the stuff in this episode.  

Note: Still having issues with my screenshot software so I apologize once again! 

The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 8 - Nebraska


Welcome back Walkers!  It has only been a few weeks in the scheme of things but it seems like ages since what the producers are referring to as "BARNAGEDDON!!"  What a great cliffhanger to end things on and what a way to pick things up again!  I'll happily give this Season 2.5 premiere a giant WOW, but I'm sure others will complain about the pacing again and lack of "walker activity."   But, we have been assured by the producers of the show that the zombie count will get much higher as this season draws to a close.  Anyone that knows me knows that I'm all for the slow burn leading to an epic showdown that holds more resonance since we're more invested in the characters taking part.  But, if anyone thought there was tension missing from last night's episode, I think it's time to admit you're watching the wrong show.  Because, just when you think things are safe, we are forced to rethink our definition of safety!  And that's where I'll leave my overall thoughts and we'll dive into the details. 

I am a bit pressed for time today so I'll give some quick bullets and let you guys fill the rest in in the comments!  I may be close to resolving my issues with grabbing screenshots, but I ran out of time this morning to actually get them done so I apologize once again!  Let's head into the recap.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 12 - Welcome to Westfield


Welcome Fringe fanatics!  I have to tell you, this season just keeps getting better and better.  And with last night's episode the show was at an all-time high!  The case of the week perfectly captured the essence of the overall theme of this season and opened the door to other possibilities for what on earth is going on.  There is a tried and true saying that I live by with shows like this (and LOST).  Sometimes you just have to be patient and TRUST THE WRITERS!  They know what they're doing most of the time, and they take their time doing it.  It has taken them 12 episodes to weave together a plot that is starting to tie together the fallout from the season 3 cliffhanger.  I am more than thrilled with the direction it's all going and I just hope we'll have a chance to go through this turmoil again next year with a 5th season!  But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.   Plenty to discuss in this one first!

Disclaimer: I am still having major issues with my screen capture software.  So I apologize for the lack of many pictures.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 5 - Guy Hastings


Hello Alcatrazians!  Well, this was probably the best episode to date and shows a lot of potential for its future.  In class JJ Abrams form, our main characters are more integral to the central plot than they even realized.  (This is why I have faith that Hurley/Soto will eventually get a meatier part in this story)  So Monday night television just got 2 times as busy for me so let's not waste any time.  To the Briefcap!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 11 - Making Angels


Hello everyone and WOW!  I had heard that we were in for some good stuff with last night's episode but it exceeded my expectations.  Episodes like last night is what makes season 4's overall plot totally worth it for me.  There is a larger plot going on here folks and we peered into the eyes of the observers and it was fantastic!  Definitely things to discuss and I'll get to them.  But let me preface letting everyone know that I'm currently on baby duty.  I've spent a couple hours feeding him and trying to get him to sleep!  Finally, he's lying peacefully in his carseat next to me.  We'll see how long that lasts!  In other words, I'm going to be as brief as possible, but I've been finding "getting to the point" instead of blabbing on forever a bit rewarding!  Speaking of blabbing on, I just realized I'm doing it again!  Let's get started.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Alcatraz: Season 1 Episode 4 - Cal Sweeney


Hello fellow inmates!  I'm really enjoying our visit to Alcatraz this year.  They are building up a repertoire of very memorable and highly dangerous prisoners while expanding the mystery of their reappearance in the present day.  There were a few more interesting tidbits added tonight that I'll mention below.  Let's not waste any time and dive right in.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Fringe: Season 4 Episode 10 - Forced Perspective


Hello Fringe fandom!  Another solid episode out of the Fringe factory last night.  We were back into "Myth-alone" case mode with the Fringe team tackling a case where the theme tied in very centrally to the current overarching plot of the show.  Lots of Observer talk, Olivia Death talk, Massive Dynamic/Nina drama and Peter stuff all encircling a case about a girl who could vividly see a person's death before it happens.  In my opinion, this is Fringe at its finest.  It's not an episode where the overarching plot takes leaps forward (which it will eventually), but they tell an effective story and keep us invested in overarching plot simultaneously.  And they do this all whilst continuing to have us believe in these slightly altered versions of our favorite characters (excluding Peter who is the one and only).  Pretty darn impressive if you ask me!  Anyway, let's get into it shall we?