Prison Break: Blow Out

Michael and the team had to make a difficult decision when one of their own got jailed, T-Bag tried to fend off a snoop and Gretchen revealed a secret.

Thankfully, this was one of the season's best episodes, I think. It had more of that Ocean's Eleven feel, especially in that opening sequence at the race track where every move was synchronized and choreographed. It almost made one overlook Michael's silly Gilligan hat. Thank goodness he seems to be growing his hair out now, and can stop worrying about "hiding the bald."

And how cute was Sarah's "Don't get used to this" comment when Michael eyeballed her slinky Southern belle get-up? That moment alone was sexier than any heart-to-heart or hug they have shared since reuniting.

Alas, the one "unplanned" move, Mahone slugging the cop, forced the team to make a hard decision. (Yes, I've gone over Alex's rash action again and again — could he not simply have stuck to his angry bettor shtick? — but will chalk it up to Angry Dad.)

The debate over Alex's fate raised some good questions — and even gave Sucre a line or two! Had Michael opted to move on without him, I don't think anyone could fault him. The important thing here is to take the Company down. So I was glad to see the "lights out" ploy actually be used to whisk Mahone out of the courthouse, though I now wonder if they'll still use the tactic on the next cardholder.

Before I leave the topic of Mahone, how chilling was it to see him and Wyatt (fka Cress Williams' killer) lock eyeballs through the jail bars, then later in court. Alex has promised Wyatt that they will go mano a mano one day, and that is a fight I cannot wait to see. Alex and his loss bring such emotion to this sometimes cartoony tale.

Elsewhere....T-Bag was in the midst of exploring an anteroom off his office when Andy (whom I like to think of as So Going to End Up Dead Someday Soon Andy) confronted "Cole" about some bogus sales data. Best I can figure: Gary "Whistler" Miller had fabricated this whole "Top Salesman in the Northeast" facade in order to secure access to the anteroom, which seems to house the entrance to a tunnel. Is GATE a Company front, or a business simply located in the wrong place at the wrong time? I suspect the latter, and Gary just needed a way in.

Gretchen, meanwhile, showed up at her sister's home looking very much worse for the wear. (Um, no cut to sis reeling from Gretchen's undeniable stench as she entered the house...?) Gretch showed a moment of pain when, freshly showered, she surveyed her fresh scars. But that was wiped away by a sheen of resolve and determination. As soon as she asked for the owl she gave her sister (and which sis understandably hid in a cabinet, seeing as it was quite large and ugly), I just knew it harbored some sort of contraband. Before Gretch left on her mission ("I now work for myself," she says, steely), I learn that her "niece," Emily, is actually her daughter.

Some random thoughts before I go:

Is not Cress Williams' killer the last person you'd want to be startled by in a parking garage? Props to Don for holding firm and not piddling him... Self.

New drinking game! Do a shot every time Roland is told to "Shut up!"

T-Bag counting to two on his prosthetic.

Loved Mahone's line to Wyatt: "I'm going to show you just how personal things can get." Bring. It. On!

And at last they meet, spiked heel to temple, Gretchen and T-Bag. Not exactly a "meet cute," but I'll take it!

Sarah Connor Chronicles: Allison from Palmdale

This story focused more on the individual members of the Connor team, particularly Cameron. I think the flash forwards make for very good, interesting episodes.

At first, I was a little taken aback by Cameron's display of emotions. Since when can Terminators shed tears? I suppose it sort of makes sense given that she's an infiltration unit, but it seems kind of a stretch.

How did Catherine Weaver have a daughter? Is she another robot? I suspect we'll see more of her character in the future.

I admit I was a little fuzzy about the reason Ellison accepted the job with Zeira Corp. I know he's unaware that Weaver is a T-1001, but the company is suspicious at best.

I just knew Cameron would end up killing Allison. I also liked how they inferred that Allison and John were, shall we say, more than friends in the future. It would make sense for the Terminators to try and copy her. Summer Glau puts on an excellent performance as both roles and as she progresses from human back to machine.

The ending was very ominous. Did Cameron learn how to lie? Has the shock reverted her back to her original programming and she's going to infiltrate and destroy the resistance? I would guess not, otherwise she would have snapped John's neck in the car. Unless her motives are more subtle, like Catherine Weaver.

Overall, a very good episode with good character development.

Mad Men: Six Month Leave

Any Mad Men episode with a lot of Roger Sterling in it is going to be among my favorites and it did not disappoint. There's a moment at a gambling club when a young woman approaches Roger and Don and asks if they're winners. His response is classic Roger: "Uh, losers tonight but winners in general." Another reason why this episode was good? That would be Betty's bone-chilling spiral into crazy-town, made even creepier with the suicide of Marilyn Monroe lurking in the background. The symbolism of Monroe's untimely death is rich with meaning.

It isn't just the ladies who have had it up to here with their lot in life. Apparently, despite the fact that they've long been having their cake and eating it too, the men are also feeling trapped. Roger and Don, in a scene that makes them out to be even bigger jerks than I thought possible, talk each other into a midlife crisis together. All of this combined with the sad and pathetic ending of one man's career at Sterling Cooper made for a very dark episode indeed.

Betty Draper: One of the bestselling novels of 1962 was Katherine Anne Porter's Ship of Fools, a totally depressing take on basically the whole world and human nature — which is exactly what Betty's in the mood to read! She's so out of it that she can hardly interact with her children. She roams around the house like a zombie, half-heartedly taking on a home improvement task or just falling asleep in the middle of the day face down on her couch. When Don finally pays a visit their exchange is filled with contempt for each other. Don tells her he's not going to talk her into anything and she spits right back at him, “I thought you could talk anyone into anything." Yes! Betty is not backing down and it seems like with each episode she sees more clearly the true identity of the man she married (even though, sadly, she doesn't even know the half of it).

Don Draper: Don's weird moral relativism and rationalizations are just making his character more unsettling than ever. There is this icky sense of entitlement that oozes out of the man and it's only made worse by his chauvinism. Can you tell he's really ticked me off? During his bonding session with Roger after they fire Freddy "that guy who played the symphony on his pants zipper" Rumsen, he confides that he doesn't feel badly at all for what he's done to Betty, that he's actually just relieved. And then, in the most nihilistic moment of the night, he waxes philosophic about what it is to live life: "You don't know how long it's going to be, but you know it's got a bad ending." Good grief, that's depressing. Where is that ray of sunshine Father Gill when you need him? Oh, and later Mona comes storming into Don's office, accusing him of making Roger leave her! Wow.

Some more thoughts:

I know this sounds kind of strange at this juncture but you know what flashback I would love to see? Don and Betty falling in love. I think it would be striking to see how far they've strayed from whatever first bonded them together.

Marilyn Monroe's death affects the women in the office differently than the men. Joan has to sneak into Roger's office for some alone time due to the emotional weight of it. The men, on the other hand, are hardly sympathetic. Don's reaction is basically, "Suicide is disturbing," while Roger comforts Joan with, "She was a movie star that had everything and everybody, and she threw it away."

Don seems impressed when Peggy points out the obvious: that the Playtex ads they never ran in which they divided women into two groups (Jackie Kennedys and Marilyn Monroes) would have had to have been pulled in light of Marilyn's death.

Tellingly, Joan explains to Roger that Marilyn's death was because "this world destroyed her." There's so much in that line, isn't there? Especially since Joan herself has been referred to as the Marilyn "type."

The "Freddy's a drunk and peeing himself" scene was terribly awkward and horrifying. I mean, yes I laughed, but it was just so gross. And then the sloshing noise his shoes made on his way out of the office? Ew! However, some of the Freddy jokes around the office are pretty good ("He's a real whiz in advertising!").

Somehow this display of drunkenness is considered over the line, and Roger decides Freddy must be fired. Kind of amazing considering that office is filled with people who don't have a problem drinking before noon, but OK.

The hypocrisy gets even richer when Roger and Don tell Freddy he needs to "dry out," only to follow up with a farewell boozeathon in an underground gambling club.

What's up with Don's secretary? Is she flirting with him? She buys him shirts (and did you notice the Mencken's bag?)! She seems to annoy everyone, and then in the end Don wants her gone.

So, Don punches Jimmy. This took me by surprise and I felt badly for Jimmy.

Peggy gets her promotion but it doesn't feel very good since it's only because of Freddy's departure. All's fair in advertising, though. It makes me wonder if a man in Peggy's position would feel half as conflicted. Isn't it amazing that Peggy was once Don's secretary? I kind of forget that these days.

Family Guy: Love Blackually

Some TV series have traditionally strong season openers and some have traditionally weak season openers. I would have to say that Family Guy consistently falls into the former category mostly because I can’t remember a single season opener I’ve watched of Family Guy where I didn’t almost pee my pants or spit my drink out all over the cocktail table (or both). Season seven continues this tradition with a solid episode with lots of laughs I’ve come to love from the Griffin family!

The episode revolves around Brian’s new love interest- Carolyn- a girl he meets at a book store who seems to share a number of his interests (it’s rare, as you recall, for Brian to find a girl he actually likes). In fact, Brian and Carolyn have to decide who gets to buy the last copy of “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. Ultimately, Carolyn buys it and agrees to mail to Brian when she is done, which leads to a hilarious scene with Peter and Brian, where Peter is using Brian’s package as weight for one of his hats.

After Brian and Carolyn have what appears to be a good first date Brian tries to invite himself upstairs for some nookie when he hears, who else, Stewie calling him from the car. Stewie convinces Brian that sex has tainted his relationships before and that he should proceed slowly with his new girl, Carolyn.

Things appear to be going well for my friend Brian until - after three weeks of no foreplay – Carolyn is forced to seek love elsewhere- from one of Peter’s friends. Now if you’re thinking Quagmire, surprise, you’d be wrong- it’s actually Cleveland (but don’t worry, Quagmire fans, the ole’ G-man has his turn later in the episode, too- giggity). In the end, Brian and Cleveland are both left heart aching over Carolyn.

This episode had a surprising minimum of “cut scenes” but a few in particular provide the kind of tasteless humor I have come to love from Family Guy! The best cut scene would have to be “Horton hears domestic abuse but does nothing” scene. Despite the few cut scenes the episode is strong in its singular plot and provides multiple classic Stewie and Brian interactions, one of which involves Stewie dressed up in an owl costume sitting outside Carolyn’s home.

I don’t often find myself disappointed with Family Guy episodes, and “Love Blacktually” was no different.

To quote Cleveland- “And BOOM goes the dynamite”!

The Simpsons: Sex, Pies, and Idiot Scapes

After starting as a series of short wraparounds for The Tracy Ullman Show, The Simpsons begins its 20th season, tying the series-longevity record set by Gunsmoke. After a Boba Fett/Carbonite-inspired couch gag, the season premiere featured loads of action, a few cameos and even some light baking.

I returned to Springfield to find the Simpson family attending the first booze-free St. Patrick's Day parade the town has ever held. Despite not having alcohol, Mayor Quimby is determined to make the parade a success with floats and folk dancing where you don't move you arms. The Protestants and Catholics won't let these pleasantries ruin their riot, however. Even Homer and Maggie get in on the act — the riot act, that is.

Around the corner, Marge bumps into bakery owner Patrick Farrelly. After tasting Marge's cupcakes, he asks her to come work for him. She accepts the position and then sees her husband being placed in the back of a police car.

Homer's bail is set at $25,000. He's referred to bail bondsman Lucky Jim, voiced by Jackie Brown's Robert Forster. It's at Lucky Jim's that Homer meets Wolf the Bounty Hunter. Apparently this meeting is all one needs to become a bounty hunter oneself. Using the promise of "bail jumpers welcome," Homer runs a condo scheme to catch his prey. Local jailbird Snake (was that Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a brief cameo as Snake's baby mama?) is taken in by Homer's ruse. However, Snake pulls a gun and shoots. It is rival Ned Flanders who saves his neighbor's life by sliding a sheet of bulletproof glass in front of Homer's head. After this close encounter, Homer pays Ned half the bounty and invites him to become his partner in hunting crime.

When sisters Patty and Selma come into Marge's new place of work searching for suggestive cannolis, she begins to put the pieces together. She's working in an erotic cake shop! After initially being disgusted, Marge realizes there's no harm in what she’s doing.

Throughout Springfield, the Simpson/Flanders team is taking out the trash one criminal at a time. They've also mastered the art of the stakeout. Unfortunately, the fruitful partnership goes belly-up when Ned feels as though Homer isn't obeying the law in his hunt for Springfield's scum.

Homer's been so busy catching criminals he forgot about his own debt to society. After missing his court date, Ned is given the mission of bringing in his old partner. Homer returns home to find Flanders waiting in his darkened living room. Once Homer knows the score, he wastes no time fleeing. In an action sequence that evokes the free running opening of 2006's Casino Royale, an extremely lively Homer and Ned chase each other through the streets and construction sites of Springfield.

Suddenly Homer is given the upper hand as Ned hangs from a construction beam. Remembering the good times the two had as partners, Homer saves his neighbor from plummeting. But this is Homer I'm talking about here. After letting go of the beam, the two plummet into a section of wet cement. Ned regales Homer with passages from The Bible before Springfield's Finest show up to take him away.

With quite a hefty societal debt to repay, Homer sits in his cell reading a letter from Marge. Apparently she's used all her "new baking skills" to make him something to remind him of her. Inside the accompanying box, Homer finds a white sheet cake with lettering reading "To the love of my life!"

Book Review: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

How well can you really know a person?

This theme is addressed time and time again in this book and as I read further on into the book this question kept flashing, like a neon sign, in my head. In the book The Pilot's Wife, a woman by the name of Kathryn Lyons finds out that her husband, a pilot, had just died in a plane crash. As she tries to uncover exactly what happened to her husband and to the plane, she begins to discover things about her husband that she wasn't prepared for or that she did not see coming.

As cliché as it seems the story was very interesting to the point where I did not want to put the book down. I tried to read as fast as I could because I was anxious to see what was going to happen next. But unfortunately what I was disappointed to find in the first part of the story were chapters of some flashbacks to the past that were unnecessary.

Some of the flashbacks, I think, worked well to show how great life WAS for Kathryn and her family before the accident, but others just seemed out of place and somewhat ruined some of the moments of suspense. Anita Shreve painted great pictures of the characters and the different settings in the story as she described each of these things very well.

As a result of the many rumors that were floating around about her husband, Kathryn decides to get to the bottom of everything and tries to find out who her husband really was. What she finds at the end of story was a bit predictable, but the twist in the plot made me question the relationships in my life and how well I knew each of the people I consider myself very close to.

This story makes a person think, and for that reason I recommend the book.

Supernatural: Are You There God? It's Me Dean Winchester

Holy smokes. The cats over at Supernatural are not fooling around with season four. After what I learned, pursuing Azazel and trying to save Dean from Hell seem like small potatoes. The big guns are coming out now, and I’m totally sold on the story already. But I’ve gone and put the cart ahead of the horse there. Before Castiel stopped in to drop the big bomb, there were some old friends to get reacquainted with.

I’ll admit, I was a little disappointed with the episode as it began, for the simple fact that it didn’t pick up where it left off with Castiel in the premiere. It didn’t take long for them to win me over though, and it did end up being a really strong episode.

The rising of the witnesses was such a great story idea. Aside from how it all ultimately tied into the main story for the season, it was great to see past characters return. My favorite of those was Meg. I liked how they called back to the story the real Meg told the boys in season one. Of course, Agent Henricksen and Ronald Reznick were good as well.

Their presence, and the rising, again touched on the blurry line of what it is to be a hunter. It’s something I’ve seen the Winchesters struggle with before. Henricksen had the most disturbing story to tell, with Lilith’s extended torture. But Meg’s was the one that really hit home. The guilt from not being able to save her from Azazel’s daughter is bad, but her little exchange with Sam was the big one. As she put it, “What you’re doing with that demon Ruby… how many bodies has she burned through for kicks? And you don’t send her back to Hell? You’re a monster.” That’s a tough pill, and hints at a conflict I wouldn’t be surprised to see coming up for Sam and Dean.

Now, to the bigger picture. They are really going all out here, rewriting Revelations with the new extended collection of 66 seals. It’s an ambitious move, but one I’m happy to sign up for. The stakes just don’t get much bigger than an apocalypse. Rather, the apocalypse.

The stage was set perfectly for the return of Castiel. From Sam and Dean’s discussions about God, to Bobby’s choice to not touch the subject with a ten foot pole. The best bit of it was where Castiel finally asserted a little authority. Dean was clearly out of line. Rather than smack Dean around, he simply laid it out nice and calm. “There’s a bigger picture here. You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back.” Dean should now be on board for the fight.

And what a fight it promises to be. I'me not talking about Lilith here, or any of the other myriad of demons I’ve seen. This is Lucifer. The warriors of God are already taking casualties. At this point, season four is shaping up to be incredible.