Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Rant Archive
God’s winged messenger, Earl, isn’t making much promise trying to redeem Grace.
SAVING GRACE (TNT, Mondays at 10 p.m.) isn’t going to be easy, but you’ve got to give last chance angel Earl (Leon Rippy) credit for not giving up. His unending and enbending efforts to get Grace (Holly Hunter) out of her downward spiral into alcoholism and promiscuity are part of what make this week’s episode another winner. Unfortunately for Earl, he really hasn’t got a shot at succeeding, because the real world always intrudes.
This time Earl tries to grab Grace’s attention by sending another client, death row inmate Leon Cooley (Bokeem Woodbine), to mess with Grace’s beloved nephew. Don’t ask how Earl gets Leon out of his cell; angels work in mysterious ways. Angry, Grace confronts Leon in prison.
“He converted you yet,” Leon asks.
“To what,” she replies.
“Maybe he wants us to pray together.”
“That ain’t gonna happen.”
If there was any chance for a conversion, Grace’s newest police-related problem puts that to rest. It’s hard to serve on the front line of the nation’s defense against the dark side and not be cynical about God – even when you’re faced with one of his angels.
You know, I hate to say it, but I wasn’t feeling the love for this week’s installment of THE CLOSER. There are a couple of reasons why, but essentially, I felt like the writers passed up an interesting story to stay with what felt safe. A good show—and THE CLOSER is one of those, even on an off week—shouldn’t be afraid to stray off the beaten track when a story goes there, and maybe the gang got a little gun-shy for this one. Let me explain in a little more detail.
The basic crime for Chief Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) and her merry folks to resolve is the murder of a successful businesswoman, who owned a fleet of tour buses that tended to cater to Chinese tourists. What makes this a little more interesting than usual is that virtually all the major players that get pulled into the investigation—victim, suspect, various people with something to hide—are Chinese nationals, and are thus steeped in a very different culture. Even Lt. Tao (Michael Paul Chan) is somewhat at a loss, being fourth-generation American and thus is just a little less of an outsider than his colleagues. There are hints of international intrigue, as some of the victim’s tour guests were Chinese government officials, but nothing really comes of this. In the end, as Chief Johnson so capably discovers with Lt. Tao’s help, what it comes down to is the dark side of mixing business and family, especially when business requires you to get in bed with the devil as it were.
California’s a big state where it’s easy to lose your mojo. But there are plenty of ways to fill that void – and CALIFORNICATION offers several, two naked breasts at a time
Hank Moody (David Duchovny) is a decent guy in wolf’s clothing. And that’s part of his charm. He has it both ways. Women find him irresistible. But because of an almost childlike innocence about him, you want to forgive his bad-boy behavior.
Moody is a New York writer transplanted to Los Angeles; in the process of moving he lost his long-time girlfriend, their daughter and his will to write. Moody can’t find his creative mojo in Lalaland; in its place he substitutes CALIFORNICATION (Showtime, Mondays, 10:30 p.m.).
Let us first consider his innocence. Women sense it and come to him for advice. For example, he’s sitting at a traffic light in his beat up Porsche when a beautiful woman stops next to him. They engage in a brief conversation after which she shoots him a paper airplane with her phone number on it.
You can put marijuana in the microwave, but you can’t make it pop. Too bad for Nancy Botwin.
It’s funny how time heals all wounds. Mary-Louise Parker won a Theater World Award and was nominated for both a Tony and Drama Desk Award for her role as Rita in the Broadway production of Prelude to a Kiss. But when it came time to make the movie, the role went to the “It” girl of the moment. Meg Ryan. The good news is that the movie tanked.
Move forward a few years. Parker wins the first of her two Tony Awards, this for her role of Catherine in Proof. But, once again, when it came time to make the movie, the producers opt for the “It” girl of the moment, Gwyneth Paltrow. Surprise. That film tanked, too, but, still, it would have been nice if they at least had asked her.
The good news is that after all that yin, Parker is having her moments of yang, courtesy of WEEDS (Showtime, Mondays at 10 p.m.), among the funniest and most inventive shows on the tube. Haven’t heard of it? It’s because the show runs on the number two premium cable network. Not to knock Showtime, but if WEEDS had the greater exposure of running on HBO, Parker would be James Gandolfini. And Meg Ryan and Gwyneth Paltrow.