So, remember how I was all warm and fuzzy over Without A Trace's return to glory last week? Well, take that and double it for my reaction to last night's Cold Case episode. I'm sorry I ever doubted you Cold Case! This had to be one of the show's finest hours for me. Everything clicked and the show lived up to its potential in a big way. The case was so emotional and well written. Lilly was a central part of the case, but the show still managed to give the other detectives really great scenes and plenty to do. I don't want to jinx anything, but it's looking like the earlier problems were due to six being too many on this show. How heartbreaking was the story in this episode?? A mother loses four of her five sons over a six year period. No wonder she had let her life slip so much. I liked the way this episode was not about who killed the boys as much as it was about this family and how each death affected them. Cold Case has the advantage of time, so it's nice when they utilize it to such a effective degree. This was the type of story that would not have had the same impact if it had not been a cold case. The juxtaposition of the opening scene with the family sitting around eating Thanksgiving dinner together with the current day images of the same, and sadly smaller, family was very moving. I thought that Lilly took this case especially hard since she had worked the first Bubley murder, and her inner-conflict of walking the line between caring and the hardened attitude of not caring was especially well done. Kathryn Morris really had a tour-de-force episode, and she carried it off beautifully. I LOVED Lilly's scene with Patrick in the file storage area. She may not have been able to eradicate the gang responsible for the four Bubley deaths, but she was able to get through to Patrick about his own life. Usually on this show, a lot of things are wrapped up at the end, but this episode gave you a sense of hope, but also a sense that there are some things that you just aren't going to be able to change. Vera's scenes with gang leader Miguel's pregnant girlfriend were also well done, and Scotty's hospital scene with the wounded gang member was great. This episode marked the return of one of my favorite Cold Case-isms: No Drugs Today. They used this back in season one to flush out a source, and now again to get the required information from a neighborhood drug dealer. It was well done both times, and hysterical both times! Overall, an excellent episode and exactly what this show needed to get it back on track.
Speaking of getting back on track, last night's Desperate Housewives was a step in the right direction for the show, and a few steps back for women. I'm not a huge feminist, but something about Susan standing in front of Mike's truck, begging him not to break up with her really disturbed me. I understand she loves Mike, but begging him and blocking his truck from leaving was too much, even for this show. I know the wedding dress was suppose to make the scene funny, but I found myself embarrassed for Susan and all women everywhere. Gabby's scene with skeezy lawyer David in her bedroom was a nice counter scene to Susan's, but not enough to erase Susan's silliness. Gabby's scene brings up an important question, when is she going to start showing? How far along is her pregnancy anyway? Lynette's buy, wear, return idea was too funny, but you just knew it would backfire. I'm so over, scratch that - I was never into it, the George/Bree storyline. I strongly dislike George, and last night just reinforced it. He was so desperate to sleep with Bree that he drugged her! Luckily he didn't follow through with his plans. I was really icked out, though, when she finally agreed to sleep with him willingly!! It seemed out of character to me. As usual, Edie had the best line. Creepy Paul is back and already stirring up trouble. Overall, an improved episode, but next week looks even better.
About Last Night...ABC started off on top with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, followed by Cold Case on CBS and The West Wing on NBC. At 9, ABC took over with Desperate Housewives, followed by the first hour of CBS's movie Category 7 and the first hour of Law & Order: Criminal Intent on NBC. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by the second hour of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the final hour of CBS's movie. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Charlize Theron guest stars once again on a full hour (back-to-back) episodes of Fox's Arrested Development, which returns to the schedule tonight. Laura, Rich and Jackson team up after her house is ransacked, and Nim heads out on another journey on NBC's Surface.
@9 p.m. - Michael must sacrifice a life and the escape groups gains another member on Fox's Prison Break. It's a flashback to 1962 with the Montecito crew on NBC's Las Vegas. Martin Sheen guest stars on son Charlie's CBS comedy Two and a Half Men.
@10 p.m. - Allison deals with a conflict when the man that she keeps seeing in her dreams is on trial and the jury includes her husband Joe on NBC's Medium. Tonight starts the first half of the crossover between CBS's CSI: Miami and CSI: NY with Miami taking the first part.
QUICK CUTS
*CBS is pulling the old switcheroo with two of its new shows. Close to Home is moving to Friday for November 11th and 18th in Threshold's timeslot. Threshold will move to Close to Home's Tuesday slot for November 22nd and 29th. The goal is to attract a larger audience for both shows, neither of which has been a failure or a huge success for the eye network. If the move proves advantageous for both series, the network says it could be permanent. In other CBS news, the network lowered the season order for comedy Yes Dear from 22 episodes to 15.
*NBC and DirecTV are teaming up to bring you your favorite shows "On Demand." The network and the satellite provider will start allowing viewers to download NBC programs when they want through the new DirecTV Plus interactive DVR within hours after they air. In addition to NBC programs, you'll also have access to Universal's cables channels' programs like USA, Bravo and Sci Fi. The DirecTV Plus DVRs will go on sale this month.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for Blue Collar TV's first season to hit store shelves tomorrow. Also out tomorrow, Remington Steele (season 2), The Partridge Family (season 2) and Avonlea (season 1). For more releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for Medium and all the latest television news!
2 comments:
I'm in 100% agreement with you about Cold Case. I found myself thinking all that you said while I was watching it. Don't forget that Desperate Housewives is supposed to be a spoof. You can't take any of it seriously and I think you might be losing sight of that.
I don't wanna see that scene with Susan in front of the truck either. Spoof or not... there are just some things that make you grit your teeth to watch.
CC was awesome! I can't say it enough. By far the episode that has most satisfied me, even more than The Woods (I loved The woods, but it was different--more of a thriller, while this one was deep and psychological).
REmember when we had that discussion on what we liked best--whodunits or whydunits? I THOUGHT I liked whodunits best, but scratch that. It's whydunits all the way through. Character development and case development rules.
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