Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 22nd, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 15th, 2003
Show
It would be a boldfaced lie to say that Alias is the best show of its kind on television. The truth is that it is the ONLY show of its kind on television. Alias certainly contains writing that rivals even the award-gobbling Sopranos. The photography is film quality. The character chemistry, which I rank as the most important element in any show, is wonderful. The characters are compelling. You really start to care about these guys; even the villainous Sloan demands sympathy at times.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 7th, 2003
MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is one of the most memorable TV series ever produced. It was on the air for 11 years (much longer than the Korean War in which it took place). For those of you that have never heard of the show, it followed the trails and tribulations of the 4077th, a battlefield hospital for the American Soldiers in the Korean War. Military settings don’t exactly make one think of a comedy series but it worked. The writing on the show was and still is amongst the best in television history – and ...t had to be. Each week the writers had to deliver an episode that mixed the horrors of war, comedy, and interpersonal relationships that made the viewer care about the characters. And it did. 14 Emmys and 9 People’s choice awards speak for themselves.
The 5th Season added a few twists and turns as Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) would be written out and Father Francis J. Mulcahy’s character would be expanded to a regular cast member after 4 years of odd appearances here and there.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 27th, 2003
This is not your father's cop show. Even if you’re father watches NYPD Blue.
The Shield may just be the show that puts F/X on the map, if it can stay on the air long enough to do so. This is a series that pushes all the boundaries. It features a level of adult language that is comparable only to South Park, fleeting nudity that rivals that of the previously mentioned NYPD Blue, and violence levels never before seen on a network television series. The weekly plots also push the li...its, with the main character being a crooked cop that is happy to get the bad guys off of the street… as long as it serves his best interests.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 25th, 2003
Law and Order was never really driven by the actors and their roles. The “ripped from the headlines” stories, along with a decision to avoid the relationship clutter of most cop shows, was the defining edge. Note that not one actor or character from the original series’ first season remains. Criminal Intent is vastly different. Dick Wolf readily admits that the third Law and Order series was intended as a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Vincent D’Onofrio was enticed away from a successful film career by the opportunity to create a unique character. The detail and quirks of his Detective Goren make this a compelling show to watch. Never before in TV has there been such a complicated character, at least not in a primetime drama. If D’Onofrio decides to call it quits, Criminal Intent will not survive as its sister shows have.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 25th, 2003
Ben Franklin once said that two things one should never see being made are sausages and laws. So far there haven’t been any pilots occurring in a meat factory. Politics aside, Aaron Sorkin has created a first-rate TV show. The real success here is the casting. I’ve always preached to whoever would listen that its character chemistry that makes for good drama. Star Trek was successful not because of the f/x. The character triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy was everything. Sorkin appears to know that lesson. The actors chosen for this show feel like they really have been together for years from the very first episode. Martin Sheen seems to be having the time of his life in what many actors would view as a demotion. As a high school government teacher, I was always impressed with the way subtle facts about American government were blended into the show. It was downright educational at times. The writing is the other star of this powerful drama. It amazes me that a couple of actors walking down halls could be so damn interesting. Truth be told, The West Wing has drifted from its wonderful roots in the last two years. This first year was some of the most compelling TV ever.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 23rd, 2003
So, it’s like a… Space Western?
Having never seen this show, this was the question posed to me by my wife halfway through the pilot episode. Honestly, I wasn’t sure myself. It certainly appeared to be a space western, but the characters were randomly speaking in Chinese. It was drama, yet it was dark humor. This was a truly odd program indeed.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 18th, 2003
Synopsis
Any synopsis is probably beside the point. If you haven’t been watching Buffy by this season,your chances of understanding what the hell is going on will be severely curtailed. Highlights ofthis season include Buffy’s encounter with Dracula, and the moving episode (“The Body”) aboutthe death of her mother.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 13th, 2003
Dick Wolf reinvented the cop drama with the original Law and Order. That flagship program is the longest running drama currently in primetime. There does not seem to be an end in sight. This second version has a bit harder edge; dealing with sex crimes, it was important that the new show didn’t degrade into a “pervert” of the week scenario. The writing is top notch. For me, the addition of Richard Belzer as Homicide’s John Munsch was a stroke of genius. Belzer’s deadpan characterization is a perfect fit for such a sensitive subject. He now holds the record of an actor appearing in 5 TV shows as the same character: Homicide Life On The Street, The X-Files, Oz, Law And Order, and now Law And Order SVU.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 2nd, 2003
The Tick was a live action show based on the wildly different super-hero of the same name. He was also featured in an incredibly funny animated series in the early 90’s that also ended way before it’s time. The Tick follows the comedic adventures of a muscular, but dim witted 300 lb powerhouse whose duty is to clean the city of evil-doers while shouting inane phrases such as the always catchy “Spoon!”
When I first heard that they were going to make a live action version of the Tick, I was very skeptical ...- but then I learned that they cast Patrick Warburton (Putty from Seinfeld) as the blue guy and I thought this could work. I was thoroughly impressed after seeing the pilot that they had truthfully captured the off-beat antics that the animated series perfected. Having Ben Edlund (the Tick’s creator) intimately involved in the creation of the series really paid off from the perspective that none of the Tick’s quirky charms were lost in his jump to the small screen; however poor marketing from Fox played a role in its too early demise.
