MAD MEN
It was the season finale of this excellent show and I was immensely satisfied. It took place against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, and most of the characters felt like taking risks and deciding what really mattered. In this vein there were 3 really entertaining and important developments:
1) Don more or less admitted his infidelity and disrespect to his wife Betty in an attempt to get her back. Don is a pretty awesome character but he has struggled this season to own up to his shortcomings and be honest, so this was an important first step towards repairing his marriage. He also got the upper hand in the Sterling-Cooper merger allowing him to finally put Duck in his place. Which brings me to number 2...
2) Duck boils himself in a stew of his own making. After setting up a risky but extremely lucrative merger for the company (which will land him a position as President, finally giving him seniority over Don) Duck makes a pretty grand faux paux. First, the alcoholic has started drinking again, leading to some cutting comments and yelling in the big meeting. But second and most entertainingly, his supposed triumph over Don was entirely contingent on Don being forced to stick to his contract, giving Duck control and the upper hand. The kicker is that Don doesn't have a contract and is free to quit and work for rival companies if he doesn't like the way Duck runs the office. So now Duck has made a fool of himself and completely overestimated his hand, landing him in deep, deep water with the senior partners. It was a great scene.
3) The most touching scene was the long-awaited reveal of the fate of Peggy and Pete's love-child. We've known all season that Peggy gave birth to Pete's child at the end of last season, but we weren't sure where the baby ended up and we've been waiting for Pete to find out that his casual dalliance with Peggy resulted in a child. A buzzed Pete finally sits Peggy down and honestly admits that he's in love with her and wants to be with her, his marriage be damned. And Peggy sadly and kindly informs him that she had his child and gave it away because she wanted more for herself. She wanted the big career which she has pretty much achieved and she no longer wants Pete the way she used to. He is so devastated in this scene and both Elizabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser were fucking amazing in the scene.
This was definitely one of my favorite episodes of the season. I liked just about every development and really cheered on a few characters that I have never cared for. Like Jenny - usually a spoiled brat wannabe, but tonight, while still being a baby, she was at least an interesting baby. Fought Eleanor Waldorf for control of the dresses she designed and almost got into some trouble with a shady model and her annoying photog boyfriend, but then! NATE TO THE RESCUE!!! While the attraction between Nate and Jenny seemed kinda sudden (not to mention Chace Crawford is 23 and Taylor Momsen in only 15, eww?) I like their chemistry, we need to see more half-naked Nate, and I liked their kiss. Can't wait to see what Blair thinks about this! Jenny screwing over Blair's mother, then picking up with her ex, ooohhh, can't be good.
In other news, I finally liked Dan! Really, really liked him! I want to, and God knows Penn Badgely is adorable, but Dan is just such a judgmental ass most of the time I just can't get on board. But this week he genuinely tried to see others as actual human beings with feelings and really helped Blair out. I really like Dan and Blair scenes together - they have a great chemistry. I don't want them together romantically because I love her with Chuck too much, but I like them interacting. Even when Dan reverted to sanctimonious jerk for 5 minutes (Damn you, Vanessa!) I at least understood why, and he faced down Chuck Bass to make it right! Bravo!
Also, yay for Chuck and Blair pretty much admitting they are in love with each other. It's about time! Totally my favorite couple, they actual got all vulnerable with each other and decided they don't want to risk a relationship because they're afraid they'll screw it up. It was tragically and beautifully sad (oh, they way they held hands!) but here's hoping they get back to some friendly scheming together now.
Oh, and Serena's got a new love interest and I find him intriguing, plus he totally reminds me of pretentious smarties with boho looks like Blake. This could be interesting!
1) Don more or less admitted his infidelity and disrespect to his wife Betty in an attempt to get her back. Don is a pretty awesome character but he has struggled this season to own up to his shortcomings and be honest, so this was an important first step towards repairing his marriage. He also got the upper hand in the Sterling-Cooper merger allowing him to finally put Duck in his place. Which brings me to number 2...
2) Duck boils himself in a stew of his own making. After setting up a risky but extremely lucrative merger for the company (which will land him a position as President, finally giving him seniority over Don) Duck makes a pretty grand faux paux. First, the alcoholic has started drinking again, leading to some cutting comments and yelling in the big meeting. But second and most entertainingly, his supposed triumph over Don was entirely contingent on Don being forced to stick to his contract, giving Duck control and the upper hand. The kicker is that Don doesn't have a contract and is free to quit and work for rival companies if he doesn't like the way Duck runs the office. So now Duck has made a fool of himself and completely overestimated his hand, landing him in deep, deep water with the senior partners. It was a great scene.
3) The most touching scene was the long-awaited reveal of the fate of Peggy and Pete's love-child. We've known all season that Peggy gave birth to Pete's child at the end of last season, but we weren't sure where the baby ended up and we've been waiting for Pete to find out that his casual dalliance with Peggy resulted in a child. A buzzed Pete finally sits Peggy down and honestly admits that he's in love with her and wants to be with her, his marriage be damned. And Peggy sadly and kindly informs him that she had his child and gave it away because she wanted more for herself. She wanted the big career which she has pretty much achieved and she no longer wants Pete the way she used to. He is so devastated in this scene and both Elizabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser were fucking amazing in the scene.
GOSSIP GIRL
This was definitely one of my favorite episodes of the season. I liked just about every development and really cheered on a few characters that I have never cared for. Like Jenny - usually a spoiled brat wannabe, but tonight, while still being a baby, she was at least an interesting baby. Fought Eleanor Waldorf for control of the dresses she designed and almost got into some trouble with a shady model and her annoying photog boyfriend, but then! NATE TO THE RESCUE!!! While the attraction between Nate and Jenny seemed kinda sudden (not to mention Chace Crawford is 23 and Taylor Momsen in only 15, eww?) I like their chemistry, we need to see more half-naked Nate, and I liked their kiss. Can't wait to see what Blair thinks about this! Jenny screwing over Blair's mother, then picking up with her ex, ooohhh, can't be good.
In other news, I finally liked Dan! Really, really liked him! I want to, and God knows Penn Badgely is adorable, but Dan is just such a judgmental ass most of the time I just can't get on board. But this week he genuinely tried to see others as actual human beings with feelings and really helped Blair out. I really like Dan and Blair scenes together - they have a great chemistry. I don't want them together romantically because I love her with Chuck too much, but I like them interacting. Even when Dan reverted to sanctimonious jerk for 5 minutes (Damn you, Vanessa!) I at least understood why, and he faced down Chuck Bass to make it right! Bravo!
Also, yay for Chuck and Blair pretty much admitting they are in love with each other. It's about time! Totally my favorite couple, they actual got all vulnerable with each other and decided they don't want to risk a relationship because they're afraid they'll screw it up. It was tragically and beautifully sad (oh, they way they held hands!) but here's hoping they get back to some friendly scheming together now.
Oh, and Serena's got a new love interest and I find him intriguing, plus he totally reminds me of pretentious smarties with boho looks like Blake. This could be interesting!
GREEK
I'll keep this short(er) but in the midseason finale I gave up on Evan and Frannie. This season's evil power couple showed lots of promise as characters last season, but now Frannie is officially beyond repair. She steals half of the ZBZ house to start her own sorority, why - because she can't be president of ZBZ. What an evil wench! And she is totally using Evan for him money and connections. Which is fine because Evan is a douche! What happened to the nice guy who wanted to be more than "Evan Chambers" in those freshman year flashbacks??? He had so much potential. But this week, in the long awaited street fight between the Omega Chai's and Kappa Tau, Evan hit Rusty in the face with a pledge paddle - HARD!!! Ostensibly as payback, but please! He's humiliated Rusty plenty already, and it's RUSTY! (Just look at him) You just don't do that to Rusty - he's cuddly baby who is made of awesome! So glad Cappie punched Evan back. And hope that Calvin finally opens his eyes and sees that Evan is crap. I have decided that Cappie has to be Evan's salvation. Until those two make up and Cappie helps Evan remember how to be a human being, I have written Evan off for good.
Also, like that Rebecca wants to be Casey's friend, glad that Casey chose herself over a guy, but love that Max may be sticking around because he is a sweetie and a dish and until Casey and Cappie get back together, I'm loving Max! Can't wait for March!
Also, like that Rebecca wants to be Casey's friend, glad that Casey chose herself over a guy, but love that Max may be sticking around because he is a sweetie and a dish and until Casey and Cappie get back together, I'm loving Max! Can't wait for March!
SONS OF ANARCHY
Anyone else watching this? It's a new show on FX and I am officially hooked. What initially caught me was Charlie Hunnam (really cute British actor from the UK "Queer as Folk" and Judd Apatow's show "Undeclared") but I'm really starting to love everything about it. It's about a biker gang in a small town and they basically are the law. They run guns and keep the peace, but they're all fucked up. Honestly, I don't think I can explain the entire dynamic. Clay (Ron Perlman) is the leader and his stepson Jax (Hunnam) is second in command, and the rest of the club is just filled with great character actors. It's really one of the best ensembles I've seen in a while. Gemma (Katy Segal) is Jax's mom and Clay's wife, and she is a force to be reckoned with - she and Perlman are acting superstars. Anywho, love this cast, love the momentum of the last couple episodes, love the diversity of characters, the conflict, Jax reuniting with old love Tara, the Hamlet-like undertones to the Clay/Gemma/Jax relationships, the dark humor, and on and on. Definitely my favorite new show of the season. And since it's about a rather misogynistic, violent and illegal enterprise, it's gotta be doing something right to have me hooked.
All in all it was a very satisfying week of television for me. Here's hoping this week is half as good!
All in all it was a very satisfying week of television for me. Here's hoping this week is half as good!
3 comments:
Heck yeah! Go Greek! Though when the finale ended, I was like "WHAT?! THAT'S IT?!" Freakin cliffhanger ending! And I have to wait until next year (granted, it's only a few months away) until I find out what happens! Rebecca better choose Casey over Frannie, seriously.
And I was getting all excited for a possible Cappie/Casey hook-up, but then it shows Max deciding to stay... gar! Oh well... I agree, Max is pretty fun. Great character.
And yeah... Calvin really needs to see the true Evan for once and leave that fraternity for Kappa Tau or something. Seriously. Though I did love the end of the previous episode where they go to pull him out of bed for Hell Week and see him in bed with whatsisname... and they're like "Um... awkward." That was great.
I also agree that Frannie is totally just using Evan, which he deserves... the jerk.
It was a bit rushed of a finale, especially for such a huge WTF double-cross. I hope March gets here fast!
I love the Cappie/Casey friendship so much that as long as they ultimately end up together, I'm okay with the writers dragging that out a little bit. And I really do love Max.
The end of the last episode was great! Even though I hate Evan right now, his "...Awkward" upon seeing Heath in bed with Calvin was hilarious. (Btw, did you notice during Rusty's inquisition during Hell Week, when he defended that he beat Calvin at Beer Pong, it was Heath who said "You know Calvin's hand cramps up easily!" Love that they got that by the censors!)
Right now Frannie and Evan deserve each other, frickin' jackasses!
haha... I didn't even catch the hand cramps innuendo! That's freakin awesome/hilarious.
My favorite innuendo segment was from earlier in the season (one of the first few episodes for the season), wherein Rusty and Cappie were talking about something or other, and everything they said was penis innuendo (I believe it was the episode where Cappie had to take the test on the phallus). That was one of the most brilliant bits of dialogue they've ever done on the show.
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