Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Roundup: 'Closer' Sets Us Up; 'Bar's' Genuinely Good Guy

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


'The Closer's' Fifth Season Airs Mondays on TNTBJ vs. Stroh - Forthcoming Round 2

THUD!

That is the sound of being hit over the head by this week's episode of The Closer.

More than once.

As in, it was one big set up.

As in, BJ vs. Philip Stroh - Round 2 - is forthcoming.

I predicted this would happen after he became the one-that-got-away at the end of last season - particularly given he was more evil and creepy than George Marks ever was over on Cold Case.

Lilly Rush had her second chance.

I now have no doubt that BJ is going to get one, too.

Especially after having this week's case center on a dying detective's (played by the fantastic Tom Skerritt) personal quest (er, let's make that vendetta) to go after the ONE guy that got away and/or close the ONE case he couldn't close back in the day before he is delivered to St. Peter (read: he ends up killing - er, make that torturing THEN killing - the suspect AFTER he made said suspect tell him where he had buried the bodies of the two missing girls said detective couldn't find back in the day).

THUD!

I think we should just start the countdown now.

Stroh's picture was everywhere - on her desk, in her drawer, on the files.

She's having Gabriel pull every case he's been a part of (we remember is IS an attorney)

She's having nightmares about him breaking into her house.

She's taking files home to study at night, à la Lilly and her I-see-dead-people-in-my-files-on-my-nightstand thing.

Seriously? Could we be more obvious, Closer gang?

THUD!

That's not to say I don't like the idea - and if you're paying attention our Best Episodes Countdown, you'll know why. Stroh WAS a great nemesis. As was Billy Burke's performance.

That said, the obvious connection to BJ's own "vendetta" to get Stroh seemed to overshadow this episode for me. It made me want to just skip to the end.

THUD!

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site.



We Can't Save Everybody

Rich Woolsley: Best.Guy.Ever.

Seriously.

I don't care if this statement makes me biased.

And I don't know how you could walk away from this week's Raising the Bar and NOT think this true.

'Raising the Bar' Airs Monday's on TNTFor me, this week's episode was all about Rich's unbelievably selfless act to donate the first payout installment of his Woolsely Fortune Trust (okay, so that's my name for it) - all $3 million of it - to fund a full-fledged civil suit department in the Public Defender's office.

This came about after a) getting berated by his father for having just dumped the money into his checking account and NOT instantly moved it into some supercalifragilisticexpialidocious money making fund account; b) after he goes to the wall to get a big shot law firm to lay off his client about pursuing her to pay nominal $1500 fee that would've essentially gotten her thrown out on the street had the firm continued to come after her; and, c) because he wants to do good by the people who need it most - and he has the money to do it.

Go.Rich.

It is true what Teddy sears told us: Rich is one of the good guys. Genuinely decent. Truly honorable.

Episode after episode, we get to see this play out in subtle ways.

But this episode, it was on full display.

And how proud was I?

Very.

In other news ... as much as Michelle Ernhardt annoys me, she IS really good at what she does. And strangely, she even got an attagirl from Balco this week for winning her case. Now THAT is a rarity.

Bobbi v. Jerry: So, he was trying to help her with the case, giving her a new angle to go on with the make-it-up-as-I-go-along defendant (seriously, I wasn't even believing this guy's story - all 14 versions), and she's irked. Okay, so he went behind her back. Okay, so we know Jerry can be a little self-rightous. Okay, so Jerry does need to be taken down a few pegs now and then.

Newsflash Bobbi: you need him, whether you want to admit or not. (Again, loving Natalia Cigliuti's increased screen time!)

New episodes of Raising the Bar air Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site

2 comments:

John said...

RE: The Closer

Tom Skerritt was very good.

The lesson I took from this was that BJ should obsess less about Stroh. Not that I expect her to.

TVFan said...

I've been waiting for Brenda v. Stroh since he walked away scott free, so I can't wait for part two! This ep had me hopeful that it's coming sooner rather than later.