Sunday, January 15 2012
‘Napoleon Dynamite’ Is Not a Delicious Bass
Yes, a Mad Max parody. This show is precisely that original.
‘The Fades’ Has Horror, Humor, and Heart
While it recalls both Attack the Block and AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Fades stands on its own merits.
Thursday, January 12 2012
‘The Finder’ Features Bromantic Repartee
Lest we are led to understand his mental perturbation as being entirely advantageous, Sherman’s condition has also turned him into a goofy eccentric.
Wednesday, January 11 2012
‘Are You There, Chelsea?’ Is Missing… Chelsea Handler
Actually showing Chelsea shitfaced probably struck the producers as dropping at least one too many umbrellas into the piña colada of bad taste, so they demurred.
Sunday, January 8 2012
‘The Firm’: Mitch’s Decisions Do Not Bode Well
Of course Mitch and Abby believe every child can be saved, and if Mitch's legal methods toward achieving that end are a little disingenuous, well, they're always well intended.
‘House of Lies’ Relies on Tricks
In House of Lies, Marty Kaan is supposed to be the best at management consulting. But he seems deeply uncomfortable with the person it has made him.
Friday, January 6 2012
“The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret’: He’s Still Clueless
If cringe comedy fails in an airless context, Todd Margaret's illogical universe can still be entertaining.
Wednesday, January 4 2012
‘Frontline: Opium Brides’ Exposes a Forever War
Frontline insists that the international forces are ignorant (at best), the national government is corrupt, and the farmers are impoverished: all are elements in the failure in Afghanistan.
Tuesday, January 3 2012
ABC’s ‘Work It’ Is Uninspired and Unoriginal
Work It will most likely be remembered for years to come, alongside My Mother, the Car and Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire, as one of TV's truly bad ideas.
‘Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia’ Is a Brilliant Start to the New Series
A pacey adventure, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia rattles along with sharp, quick-fire dialogue, while remaining faithful to the original story.
Friday, December 16 2011
‘Misfits’: Rebels With Too Many Causes
Misfits delivers a steady barrage of zaniness, a punk-like anarchy, a good sampling of cockney low farce, as well as mayhem and blood.
Wednesday, December 7 2011
‘State of Play’: Politics Now
State of Play nails how any big story leads to the collapse of ideals, not so much of truth, but of the illusion that the small compromises of human greed and aspiration are ever harmless.
Wednesday, November 30 2011
I Hate My Teenage Daughter: Or, How Not to Raise a Child
TV offers too many horrible girls and despicable mothers, most frequently on reality shows. As sitcom material, the problems only loom larger: there's nothing amusing about Sophie and Mackenzie's out-of-control behavior.
Saturday, November 12 2011
‘Primeval’ and the Anomalies of Time Travel
Primeval's Season Five again raises intriguing questions involving the anomalies, mechanics, and consequences of time travel.
Wednesday, November 9 2011
‘Prophets of Science Fiction’: Some Powerful Engine
According to Prophets of Science Fiction, Mary Shelley's critique gains power by locating both Romantic and Enlightenment ideals in the form of Dr. Frankenstein.
Sunday, November 6 2011
‘Hell on Wheels’ Raises the Inevitable Question… At What Price Progress?
Hell on Wheels is a railroad town where residents yearn for home and are haunted by their pasts.
Friday, November 4 2011
‘Fringe’: Classic Realism in a Postmodern Space
With "Novation", Fringe conjures a kind of archetypal nightmare touch: you return to father and lover and they don’t know you; no one knows you.
Thursday, November 3 2011
‘Bones’: Just Don’t Call Him Shorty
The new season of Bones celebrates Bones' extraordinary high-achieving rationalism, and nevertheless chastises her when she tries to apply her reason to relationships.
Sunday, October 30 2011
‘Allen Gregory’: A Little Egghead With a Temper
Part of what makes Allen Gregory such a funny kid is that he sounds basically indistinguishable from Jonah Hill, who affects the most condescending, schmoozy voice possible.
Friday, October 28 2011
‘Grimm’: A Different Sort of Detective Superpowers
How the Grimms' special gift can help Nick in his police work is obvious, but also silly. It doesn't take inherited superpowers to deduce the common thread among cases involving missing girls last seen in red sweatshirts.
