Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Rant Archive
If someone throws a fraternity party on an ABC Family show, can it really be a cool party? That’s the question they’ll be answering all season on the new dramedy GREEK, about a geeky freshman trying to make it at fictitious Cyprus-Rhodes University.
Rusty (Jacob Zachar) is looking to shed his nerdy image from high school, and considers joining a fraternity as the fast track to the cool kids. Standing in his way is his older sister, Casey (Spencer Grammer), who is next in line to be president of the prestigious Zeta Beta Zeta sorority and doesn’t want her dorky little brother ruining her reputation.
Much to Casey’s chagrin, Rusty goes through rush — with poor results — until he gets some advice from fellow rushee Calvin to “just be yourself … and if that doesn’t work, be whoever you want to be.” Armed with that knowledge, Rusty gets offers from two houses: the Omega Chis (but only to keep him quiet after he saw Casey’s boyfriend, house president Evan, making out with another chick) and the Kappa Taus (the party guys who make him do a body shot off a hot chick — again with poor results).
Did I mention the president of Kappa Tau (the aptly named Cappie) is Casey’s old boyfriend? Yeah, just go with it.
This week in the kitchen: Creativity is finally becoming a component of the competition, and we learn that Jen has been lying about her professional experience — proving this handicapper right that some contestant hiding in the bushes is going to take this thing.
Jen has emerged as a strong leader in the kitchen and has the experience (The Ritz, Morimoto’s in Philadelphia … yeah, that’s impressive) to handle the top prize. I’m not buying what Rock is selling, and Brad had his worst service this episode. Jen, this is your game to lose.
Last week, Melissa got a temporary stay of execution and was sent from the Red team to the Blue. This was not fully unexpected, as something had to even up the numbers once our poor, sweet Aaron was forcibly retired from HELL’S KITCHEN. Ah, Aaron … I promised myself I would move on, but just the mention of your name and all I can think of is the amount of food that was served between your banishment and now; how unfair it is you never got the chance to perspire on any of it. I just know you are dripping on some entrée somewhere, and I don’t get to watch it on TV.
Moral ambiguities are not normally the stuff of good TV. But, the folks at THE CLOSER have made it possible to enjoy a detective show and be left with something to think about. What’s wrong with them?
Forget the late James Brown. The hardest working man in show business is the guy who will have to compile the BEST OF THE CLOSER DVD. This series consists of one superlative episode after another. Which do you pick?
It’s not like the creative team is making it any easier, either. The show is now in its third season, and, far from getting stale, is better than ever. Lately, it’s not only presenting top-notch detective stories, but tackling the kinds of moral issues that cops around the country face on a regular basis.
A couple of weeks ago, for example, Deputy Chief Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) and Sgt. David Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) came close to a physical confrontation over a case. A decomposed body found at an old construction site belonged to a young black man reported missing 18 years earlier. The chief suspect is the victim’s brother, a former gangbanger. What raises the story above typical TV fare is that the suspect has turned his life around in the almost two decades since the murder. He’s become a respected member of the community, a politician (in the best sense of the word) and a beacon of hope.
Gabriel focuses on the present and wants to halt the investigation; Johnson’s moral center won’t allow that to happen.
In this special 70-minute episode, Gabriel and Johnson are at loggerheads again.
Parents, when will you learn that stashing your pot in a shoe box and hiding it on the top shelf of your closet is not only cliché, it’s also the first place your kids are gonna look?
Oh, if only the Trager parental units figured this out before young Josh (Jean-Luc Bilodeau) got hold of the stuff. And, kids, word to the wise: Adults like video games too. Remember that the next time you decide to confide in your gamer buddies. I think one of the morals of tonight’s episode of KYLE XY is how sneaky both parents and their kids are; Stephen (Bruce Thomas) found out about Josh’s pot smoking by listening in on his buddies’ conversation, and Josh only found the stash after snooping around his parents’ bedroom. We’re also reminded that breaking up is hard to do, and it’s never a good idea to break into a house with a clone living next door.
I’m not sure, but I think I may be in insulin shock after watching tonight’s show. I get it — this is family fare and all, but I need a good dose of reality with my TV (and I don’t mean the fake kind of reality we get from shows like BIG BROTHER). That said, I did get a kick out of watching as the Trager parents discovered where Josh got the pot, even though I’ve seen that scene a million times before in a hundred different television shows and movies. Watching parents squirm never gets old.
I must confess: I am addicted to BIG LOVE. I’m not sure why, but for the purposes of this review, I am going to try to work it out. This episode, which was particularly good, is probably a good place to start.
REASON #1: The show gives me a lot of bang for my buck. So many
things were going on in this episode, I had no idea what was going to happen next. And, like life, some of those things were interesting, some were disturbing, some were boring and some were funny.
Lois’s announcement that she had Wanda committed was funny. Joey’s reaction — and subsequent running to Barb — was boring. Barb’s reaction when Joey tells her she is such a great person exemplified what is completely annoying about Barb — her constant sanctity. I liked her so much better last season when she and Bill were sneaking around having an “affair.”
Rhonda’s attempt to convince Sarah that her boyfriend raped her was funny and disturbing. Rhonda wearing eyeliner was just plain funny. Bill’s obsession with the waitress was interesting and also disturbing. The more I watch this show, the less I care for Bill or his “principle.” But, the last shot of Margene sitting at the pie counter, smiling beatifically at the waitress, was both funny and interesting. If there was ever an actress who could make someone smile just by smiling herself, it is Ginnifer Goodwin.