Monday, May 15, 2017
Delayed Post
My review for MacGyver episode "Serenity" will not be posted until tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. I have done an extensive amount of writing today, and my carpal tunnel is acting up to the point that it is very painful to type. Sorry for the delay!
Monday, May 8, 2017
MacGyver: #134 MacGyver's Women (S6E8)
Episode Title: MacGyver's Women
Episode Number: S6E8
Ranking: 134 of 138
Summary: When Maria presses MacGyver to consider commitment, MacGyver dreams that he's a cowboy in the wild west who helps two mail-order brides escape from a group of outlaws.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: The mustache.
Opening Gambit: Like I said in the last post, I am not a fan of dream episodes. Much like clip shows, they seem pointless to me. However, I think that dream episodes are generally more useless than clip episodes because they contribute nothing to the show. I can only think of a handful of episodes from the dozen or so shows I watch that I can actually get behind because they do actually further the character, inspire character growth, or contribute in some way to the plot of the show. "MacGyver's Women" is not one of them. To me, it's just an excuse to dress Mac up in a cowboy costume and plop him into the old west just for kicks. It doesn't fit with the formula of the show, and it doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: if you're going to add an element to a story, it needs to be something meaningful. If it's just there for fun or a joke, then you're not doing your job as a storyteller justice.
But I'll admit, it isn't even the fact that it's a dream episode that's got me putting "MacGyver's Women" (and next week's episode) this low on the list. Well, not entirely. After all, "Good Knight MacGyver," while still not up there on my list, is significantly higher than the western episodes. No, my biggest problem with this episode (and call me shallow if you wish; I'll stick to my guns 'til the end) is that stupid, ugly mutant caterpillar that attached itself to Richard Dean Anderson's face and then died there. Don't remember a mutant caterpillar? Scroll up to the picture from the episode and take a gander at that atrocious mustache. Even from that angle, it's hideous, and I can't take Mac seriously with that thing on his face. There are plenty of outlaws in the western episode that are clean-shaven - why can't Mac be like them? I know, I know - it sounds really petty, but the mustache really, really bothers me. A lot.
Episode Number: S6E8
Ranking: 134 of 138
 |
| sitcomsonline.com |
Summary: When Maria presses MacGyver to consider commitment, MacGyver dreams that he's a cowboy in the wild west who helps two mail-order brides escape from a group of outlaws.
Quotable Moment:
Maria: Are all American men frightened of marriage? Or is it they are frightened of women?
MacGyver: Oh, come on. What are you talkin' about, "all American men"?
Maria: Okay. Some American men. Like cowboys, who are faithful to their horse, but not with a woman.Best Part: When MacGyver escapes the noose and signpost trap with only his belt buckle and upper body strength.
Worst Part: The mustache.
Opening Gambit: Like I said in the last post, I am not a fan of dream episodes. Much like clip shows, they seem pointless to me. However, I think that dream episodes are generally more useless than clip episodes because they contribute nothing to the show. I can only think of a handful of episodes from the dozen or so shows I watch that I can actually get behind because they do actually further the character, inspire character growth, or contribute in some way to the plot of the show. "MacGyver's Women" is not one of them. To me, it's just an excuse to dress Mac up in a cowboy costume and plop him into the old west just for kicks. It doesn't fit with the formula of the show, and it doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: if you're going to add an element to a story, it needs to be something meaningful. If it's just there for fun or a joke, then you're not doing your job as a storyteller justice.
But I'll admit, it isn't even the fact that it's a dream episode that's got me putting "MacGyver's Women" (and next week's episode) this low on the list. Well, not entirely. After all, "Good Knight MacGyver," while still not up there on my list, is significantly higher than the western episodes. No, my biggest problem with this episode (and call me shallow if you wish; I'll stick to my guns 'til the end) is that stupid, ugly mutant caterpillar that attached itself to Richard Dean Anderson's face and then died there. Don't remember a mutant caterpillar? Scroll up to the picture from the episode and take a gander at that atrocious mustache. Even from that angle, it's hideous, and I can't take Mac seriously with that thing on his face. There are plenty of outlaws in the western episode that are clean-shaven - why can't Mac be like them? I know, I know - it sounds really petty, but the mustache really, really bothers me. A lot.
Friday, May 5, 2017
Psych: #119 A Nightmare on State Street (S8E9)
Ah, Psych. That enigma of a show, brainchild of Steve Franks, that started out as a crime-comedy show, tried its hand a bit at drama and decided drama was for losers, experimented with realism, then decided that realism is also for losers, and finally in the last few seasons threw its proverbial hands up in the air and shouted, "What the heck? We've made it this far; we can do whatever we want, so let's add zombies and food trucks and terrible British accents, and no one can stop us!" Remember that show?
I love Psych. I discovered it years ago when I was watching The Hardy Boys DVD I'd recently gotten - yes, the late 70s/early 80s show starring Shawn Cassidy and Parker Stevenson in all his man-perm glory - and one of the commercials was for this detective show where the main character is hyper observant and pretends to be psychic. I found it on Netflix, and I was sold.
The show is many things: funny, stupid, goofy, silly, sometimes serious, occasionally deep, sweet, awkward, endearing, frustrating, immature, outlandish, exciting, and just an all-around good time. The show has a cast of deeply memorable characters with incredible chemistry. Personally, I'm most invested in the father-son relationship of Shawn and his dad Henry, the frenemy relationship between Shawn and Detective Lassiter, the budding but just out of reach romance between Shawn and Juliet, the hilarious bromance of Shawn and Gus, and the ever-solidifying friendship between Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara. And I know that I just listed almost every major character in the show. Just goes to show how expertly put together Psych and its cast are.
Now, there are some episodes that I hate. There aren't many of them, but those that I genuinely do not like will be dealt with first. I'll be going from my least favorite episode all the way up to my favorite, so even though things may look grim now, be at peace, for there is light ahead!
Without further ado, I present to you the first blog post in my Psych: Ranked! series.
Episode Title: A Nightmare on State Street
Episode Number: S8E9
Ranking: 119 of 119
Ranking Category: The Banes of My Existence…Pointless Remakes, and Zombies.
Summary: Gus begins to have trouble separating dreams from reality when uncertainty about his friendship with Shawn and his future begin to plague him.
Quotable Moment: "As much as I try not to take my work home with me, when I'm alone in bed, and I turn out the light... I see them. They talk to me. They tell me how they wish they made a different choice in life. How they wish they had taken a different path to work that final day, or, or made absolutely sure they locked the front door. We all come into this world the same way we go out. Alone." -Woody (directly after this he gets eaten by a zombie)
Highlight: Probably the moment between Shawn and Gus in the Psych office after Gus's dream therapy session, in which he claims not to need Shawn but Shawn's still there for him anyway.
Lowlight: Zombies.
The Hat Game: I've watched most of the Psych episodes at least two, maybe more times. "A Nightmare on State Street" isn't one of them. I've only seen it the one time, and I'm not exactly thrilled to be watching it again. Why? One word: Zombies. I hate zombies. My husband's tried to convince me that zombies are awesome, at least in video games, where you can blow them up. My best friend's tried to convince me that Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies is worth watching. They both failed. Well, partially. I can handle the zombies in the video game The Last of Us because they look like fungus more than the undead. And I still refuse to watch Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies, though I did give in and watch Pride & Prejudice (which I loved). But I digress.
From what I remember from "A Nightmare on State Street," it's really a very poorly written excuse to throw zombies in the mix. There's no real plot, no depth, no meaning. What makes it even worse is that it's the second-to-last episode of the entire series, and what should be a monumental episode leading up to the finale is stupid, gross, and not engaging. And it's a dream. I greatly dislike dream episodes (oddly enough, I'm going to be covering a Wild West dream episode in my next MacGyver post) because they contribute nothing to the plot, ultimately mean nothing to the story, and are, in my opinion, a waste of time. The only exception would be episodes like "The Polarizing Express," where Shawn goes on a weird It's a Wonderful Life adventure in order to deal with an internal crisis. But episodes like this, where it's just a frivolous excuse for stupid jokes and gratuitous amounts of the undead? For turning these beloved characters into zombies themselves? It adds nothing to the story. Changes nothing. It's forty-some-odd minutes that never actually happen, and so are pointless.
Most of my reviews are not going to be this negative. And I'll probably find a few things I forgot about that I enjoy as I re-watch this episode. But overall, from what I can remember, this is dead last (or should I say undead last, har har) on my list because (1) zombies are gross and (2) dream episodes are pointless.
I love Psych. I discovered it years ago when I was watching The Hardy Boys DVD I'd recently gotten - yes, the late 70s/early 80s show starring Shawn Cassidy and Parker Stevenson in all his man-perm glory - and one of the commercials was for this detective show where the main character is hyper observant and pretends to be psychic. I found it on Netflix, and I was sold.
The show is many things: funny, stupid, goofy, silly, sometimes serious, occasionally deep, sweet, awkward, endearing, frustrating, immature, outlandish, exciting, and just an all-around good time. The show has a cast of deeply memorable characters with incredible chemistry. Personally, I'm most invested in the father-son relationship of Shawn and his dad Henry, the frenemy relationship between Shawn and Detective Lassiter, the budding but just out of reach romance between Shawn and Juliet, the hilarious bromance of Shawn and Gus, and the ever-solidifying friendship between Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara. And I know that I just listed almost every major character in the show. Just goes to show how expertly put together Psych and its cast are.
Now, there are some episodes that I hate. There aren't many of them, but those that I genuinely do not like will be dealt with first. I'll be going from my least favorite episode all the way up to my favorite, so even though things may look grim now, be at peace, for there is light ahead!
Without further ado, I present to you the first blog post in my Psych: Ranked! series.
Episode Title: A Nightmare on State Street
Episode Number: S8E9
Ranking: 119 of 119
Ranking Category: The Banes of My Existence…Pointless Remakes, and Zombies.
Summary: Gus begins to have trouble separating dreams from reality when uncertainty about his friendship with Shawn and his future begin to plague him.
 |
| TV.com |
Highlight: Probably the moment between Shawn and Gus in the Psych office after Gus's dream therapy session, in which he claims not to need Shawn but Shawn's still there for him anyway.
Lowlight: Zombies.
The Hat Game: I've watched most of the Psych episodes at least two, maybe more times. "A Nightmare on State Street" isn't one of them. I've only seen it the one time, and I'm not exactly thrilled to be watching it again. Why? One word: Zombies. I hate zombies. My husband's tried to convince me that zombies are awesome, at least in video games, where you can blow them up. My best friend's tried to convince me that Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies is worth watching. They both failed. Well, partially. I can handle the zombies in the video game The Last of Us because they look like fungus more than the undead. And I still refuse to watch Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies, though I did give in and watch Pride & Prejudice (which I loved). But I digress.
From what I remember from "A Nightmare on State Street," it's really a very poorly written excuse to throw zombies in the mix. There's no real plot, no depth, no meaning. What makes it even worse is that it's the second-to-last episode of the entire series, and what should be a monumental episode leading up to the finale is stupid, gross, and not engaging. And it's a dream. I greatly dislike dream episodes (oddly enough, I'm going to be covering a Wild West dream episode in my next MacGyver post) because they contribute nothing to the plot, ultimately mean nothing to the story, and are, in my opinion, a waste of time. The only exception would be episodes like "The Polarizing Express," where Shawn goes on a weird It's a Wonderful Life adventure in order to deal with an internal crisis. But episodes like this, where it's just a frivolous excuse for stupid jokes and gratuitous amounts of the undead? For turning these beloved characters into zombies themselves? It adds nothing to the story. Changes nothing. It's forty-some-odd minutes that never actually happen, and so are pointless.
Most of my reviews are not going to be this negative. And I'll probably find a few things I forgot about that I enjoy as I re-watch this episode. But overall, from what I can remember, this is dead last (or should I say undead last, har har) on my list because (1) zombies are gross and (2) dream episodes are pointless.
Psych: Ranked! - The Rundown
Before I dive into this first reverse countdown post for USA's Psych, let me give you the lay of the land first about how these reviews will work. They're going to be constructed very similarly to my MacGyver: Ranked! posts, with a few differences since the shows are pretty much worlds apart from one another other than the occasional murder.
I'll do a quick rundown of the episode first, including the title and placement in the series, where I ranked it, a quick summary, a favorite quote or two, and the best and worst parts. Then I'll have a short segment called "The Hat Game" - for anyone who doesn't know or remember, one of the key things from Shawn's past in Psych, and one of the reasons he's able to pass himself off as a psychic, is a game that his father made him play all his life, "The Hat Game." "How many hats are in the room, Shawn?" Shawn would have to close his eyes and remember exactly how many hats were in the room as well as be able to describe them in detail, all from memory. This is essentially what I'll be doing in this part: Since it's been at least a year, maybe longer, since I've watched Psych, I'm going to write a preemptive assessment from memory only about why I originally placed the episode where I did in the ranking, and what I recall liking/disliking about it.
Then, as I'm watching the episode, I'm going to jot down different observations, questions, opinions, and nitpicks for a kind of stream of consciousness review of the episode. At the end, I'll write a paragraph or two summarizing my opinion after having refreshed my memory and re-watched the episode. If I feel I rated in wrongly after re-watching it, I'll move it up or down the list as needed. I just think it's fun to compare what I remembered from a year ago to what I think after watching it again.
And finally, at the very end, I'm going to have several "just for fun" tallies. Psych is one of those shows that has running gags and catchphrases, some of the jokes stretching across the entire eight seasons. Among these are Shawn and Gus's mantra of "Suck it!"; another inside joke, "C'mon, son!"; Shawn's ridiculous "Don't be" quotes, such as, "Gus, don't be exactly half of an eleven pound black forest ham."; Shawn's silly names for Gus when they meet new people, like "Hollaback Atcha" or "Trapezius Milkington"; and finally, Shawn's penchant for purposefully mispronouncing words or using them in the wrong context, only to be corrected by Gus and then subsequently reply, "I've heard it both ways." For example, "Gus, don't be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Marzipan." "It's Azkaban." "I've heard it both ways."
I think it will be fun, at the end of all this, to have a comprehensive tally of these iconic moments. I probably took way to much time over-explaining how this will work, but I don't call myself The Obsessive Compulsive Reviewer because I am impulsive and never plan things out. Just sticking to my rep here, honestly.
I'll do a quick rundown of the episode first, including the title and placement in the series, where I ranked it, a quick summary, a favorite quote or two, and the best and worst parts. Then I'll have a short segment called "The Hat Game" - for anyone who doesn't know or remember, one of the key things from Shawn's past in Psych, and one of the reasons he's able to pass himself off as a psychic, is a game that his father made him play all his life, "The Hat Game." "How many hats are in the room, Shawn?" Shawn would have to close his eyes and remember exactly how many hats were in the room as well as be able to describe them in detail, all from memory. This is essentially what I'll be doing in this part: Since it's been at least a year, maybe longer, since I've watched Psych, I'm going to write a preemptive assessment from memory only about why I originally placed the episode where I did in the ranking, and what I recall liking/disliking about it.
Then, as I'm watching the episode, I'm going to jot down different observations, questions, opinions, and nitpicks for a kind of stream of consciousness review of the episode. At the end, I'll write a paragraph or two summarizing my opinion after having refreshed my memory and re-watched the episode. If I feel I rated in wrongly after re-watching it, I'll move it up or down the list as needed. I just think it's fun to compare what I remembered from a year ago to what I think after watching it again.
And finally, at the very end, I'm going to have several "just for fun" tallies. Psych is one of those shows that has running gags and catchphrases, some of the jokes stretching across the entire eight seasons. Among these are Shawn and Gus's mantra of "Suck it!"; another inside joke, "C'mon, son!"; Shawn's ridiculous "Don't be" quotes, such as, "Gus, don't be exactly half of an eleven pound black forest ham."; Shawn's silly names for Gus when they meet new people, like "Hollaback Atcha" or "Trapezius Milkington"; and finally, Shawn's penchant for purposefully mispronouncing words or using them in the wrong context, only to be corrected by Gus and then subsequently reply, "I've heard it both ways." For example, "Gus, don't be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Marzipan." "It's Azkaban." "I've heard it both ways."
I think it will be fun, at the end of all this, to have a comprehensive tally of these iconic moments. I probably took way to much time over-explaining how this will work, but I don't call myself The Obsessive Compulsive Reviewer because I am impulsive and never plan things out. Just sticking to my rep here, honestly.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Doctor Who: Ranked! on Hiatus until Further Notice; USA's Psych to Be Reviewed on Fridays
I'm not sure how many people actually have actually read the one Doctor Who post I've actually done... certainly there is much more activity on my MacGyver posts. Nevertheless, I'm still wanting to let you know that until further notice, I will be suspending my Doctor Who review series. I absolutely intend to pick it back up at some point in the future, as Doctor Who is one of my favorite shows, but at the moment, it's a bit too much to take on. Doctor Who is fantastic because of its complex story lines, beautifully in-depth characters, outstanding moral dilemmas, worlds and times, and if I'm going to do it justice, I'm going to need to pick this up when I'm not doing two other blogs.
I am, however, replacing the DW part (for now) with a Ranked! review of USA's Psych. This show is fun, really silly sometimes, occasionally deep. but all around just... well... fun. It will make for a much less time-consuming show to watch and review than Doctor Who. Plus it's been ages since I've watched Psych, and my husband and I have been meaning to watch it together again, and this could be the perfect time... I'll even try to get Jake to chip in on his thoughts on the episode as well, because we sometimes have conflicting opinions on what constitutes entertainment. For instance, I know he loves the episode I have at the very bottom of my list ... because he thinks zombies are cool and funny and a grand form of entertainment... and I hate them with an eternally burning passion.
Anyway... I just wanted to let you know about this development. I'm taking the Doctor Who: Ranked! page off my homepage, but you will still be able to find the post I did about "Aliens of London" in the archives; I'm not taking that off.
And I'd encourage you, even if you haven't seen Psych, read tomorrow's post - you may find a new show to love and/or hate, and I love to discuss my favorite (and least favorite) episodes with fellow reviewers and fans!
I am, however, replacing the DW part (for now) with a Ranked! review of USA's Psych. This show is fun, really silly sometimes, occasionally deep. but all around just... well... fun. It will make for a much less time-consuming show to watch and review than Doctor Who. Plus it's been ages since I've watched Psych, and my husband and I have been meaning to watch it together again, and this could be the perfect time... I'll even try to get Jake to chip in on his thoughts on the episode as well, because we sometimes have conflicting opinions on what constitutes entertainment. For instance, I know he loves the episode I have at the very bottom of my list ... because he thinks zombies are cool and funny and a grand form of entertainment... and I hate them with an eternally burning passion.
Anyway... I just wanted to let you know about this development. I'm taking the Doctor Who: Ranked! page off my homepage, but you will still be able to find the post I did about "Aliens of London" in the archives; I'm not taking that off.
And I'd encourage you, even if you haven't seen Psych, read tomorrow's post - you may find a new show to love and/or hate, and I love to discuss my favorite (and least favorite) episodes with fellow reviewers and fans!
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
MacGyver Reboot: Metal Saw (S1E2) - 10 Things
*Note: I have added another rating system to this particular review blog. There will be two ratings now, both between one and ten: one will be the rating of the episode on its own, and the other will be how it is rated as a MacGyver episode.
Episode Number: S1E2
Standalone Rating: 6/10
MacGyver rating: 4/10
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| CBS.com |
I'm on the fence about this episode, but, as for why, I'll let my "10 Things" review speak for itself!
Monday, May 1, 2017
MacGyver: #135 Friends (S2E20)
Episode Title: Friends
Episode Number: S2E20
Ranking: 135 of 138
Summary: After one too many brushes with death, MacGyver seriously contemplates resigning from the Phoenix Foundation at his surprise birthday party.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: Just the general fact that it's out of character, and a clip show.
Opening Gambit: Something that you will discover about me early on is that I don't like clip shows, and I don't like dream episodes. Both, to me, are fairly pointless and don't contribute anything substantial to the overall arc of a show. The only exception to this is when the clips shown in an episode inspire new and emotionally-driven dialogue discussing something that was not addressed in the episode itself. For example, in "Hindsight," the conversation between Pete and MacGyver about the coma in "Passages" is a great moment for me, because we get to see Pete learn about Mac's near-death experience and discuss mortality.
But this episode, from what little I remember, does not really inspire introspective dialogue and doesn't really make a difference. Sure, you've got the whole thing about MacGyver wanting to quit, but that isn't the focus of the episode; instead, it's focused on past episodes, and mostly shows us things we've already seen. I do appreciate MacGyver's internal conflict about his job at the Phoenix Foundation, but I feel like that could have been much more effectively addressed with a full episode dedicated to this crossroads he has come to. The decision to keep going has less impact on me when it is buried beneath a pile of memories and clips I've already seen before.
I do remember, however, that the episode was dedicated to a co-worker (I think he was maybe a grip?) of the cast, and while that is very thoughtful and sweet, I think that it could have been even more touching if there had been a full new episode dedicated to him rather than one cobbled together with scenes from earlier episodes.
I don't foresee this episode climbing any on the list, mainly because of my distaste for clip shows, but maybe I'll find some nuggets of goodness buried beneath all the "been-there-done-that"s cluttering the episode.
Episode Number: S2E20
Ranking: 135 of 138
 |
| CBS.com |
Quotable Moment:
MacGyver: Pete... for the past seven years I have done nothing but travel around the world getting shot up, locked up, blown up, and all I've got to show for it are a couple of empty rolls of duct tape.Best Part: Either the part where Mac tells Pete he wants to resign or the scene where Penny proves she's not as gullible regarding Jack's tall tales as he thought.
Worst Part: Just the general fact that it's out of character, and a clip show.
Opening Gambit: Something that you will discover about me early on is that I don't like clip shows, and I don't like dream episodes. Both, to me, are fairly pointless and don't contribute anything substantial to the overall arc of a show. The only exception to this is when the clips shown in an episode inspire new and emotionally-driven dialogue discussing something that was not addressed in the episode itself. For example, in "Hindsight," the conversation between Pete and MacGyver about the coma in "Passages" is a great moment for me, because we get to see Pete learn about Mac's near-death experience and discuss mortality.
But this episode, from what little I remember, does not really inspire introspective dialogue and doesn't really make a difference. Sure, you've got the whole thing about MacGyver wanting to quit, but that isn't the focus of the episode; instead, it's focused on past episodes, and mostly shows us things we've already seen. I do appreciate MacGyver's internal conflict about his job at the Phoenix Foundation, but I feel like that could have been much more effectively addressed with a full episode dedicated to this crossroads he has come to. The decision to keep going has less impact on me when it is buried beneath a pile of memories and clips I've already seen before.
I do remember, however, that the episode was dedicated to a co-worker (I think he was maybe a grip?) of the cast, and while that is very thoughtful and sweet, I think that it could have been even more touching if there had been a full new episode dedicated to him rather than one cobbled together with scenes from earlier episodes.
I don't foresee this episode climbing any on the list, mainly because of my distaste for clip shows, but maybe I'll find some nuggets of goodness buried beneath all the "been-there-done-that"s cluttering the episode.
Monday, April 24, 2017
MacGyver: #104 Hellfire (S1E8)
*Edit: This episode was way better than I remembered it to be, so it's been moved up to #104. I've adjusted the rest of the list accordingly.
*Note: I've decided to add another short section to my reviews (cleverly entitled "Opening Gambit"), because I find it interesting to see what, if anything, changes from what I remember about an episode before and then after I re-watch it. So from now on, at the beginning of my reviews, I will have this section with my opinion on the episode beforehand, and why I initially put it where it is (or in this case, was) on the list, and then I'll write my post-ep thoughts under the "My Conclusion" section.
Episode Title: Hellfire
Episode Number: S1E8
Ranking: 104 of 138
Summary: MacGyver goes to visit some of his friends who have just struck oil, but when the gas ignites and threatens their livelihoods, they must take on the mantle of hellfighters if they want to save everything they've worked for.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: The ten minute lull about 25 minutes in where they focus far too long on Mac and Bill's getting the dynamite back to the site of the fire.
Opening Gambit: Much like with "Countdown," I put "Hellfire" low on my list because I didn't remember it to be particularly engaging or interesting. As far as I recalled, it had its good and interesting moments, but for the most part, it fell flat for me.
A lot of this had to do with the fact that I generally find "man vs. man" or "man vs. self" conflict much more interesting than "man vs. nature." I generally like "bad guys" that a character can more directly confront, whether those enemies end up being other people or his own inner demons. But natural disasters? Especially for a show like MacGyver, this is normally not my cup of tea. There are quite a few rather tedious scenes that I remember dragging on a bit too long, and even though they are building the suspense and showing the delicacy and patience the situation requires, they failed, as far as I remember, to hold my attention. Of course, that was probably a "me" problem much more than it was a problem with the episode itself - I typically prefer fast-paced action over slow-building suspense.
*Note: I've decided to add another short section to my reviews (cleverly entitled "Opening Gambit"), because I find it interesting to see what, if anything, changes from what I remember about an episode before and then after I re-watch it. So from now on, at the beginning of my reviews, I will have this section with my opinion on the episode beforehand, and why I initially put it where it is (or in this case, was) on the list, and then I'll write my post-ep thoughts under the "My Conclusion" section.
Episode Title: Hellfire
Episode Number: S1E8
Ranking: 104 of 138
 |
| CBS.com |
Quotable Moment:
Laura: [to Bill] Okay! Look, you're going in! This one last time. But the two of you together. That's the way you got this far. [to Mac] Look! You'll fry your tail in there without Bill. Damn it, he's the best! So are you.Best Part: Surprisingly, my favorite scene was where Mac and Bill try to get the dynamite out of the powder room without blowing themselves up (which Mac almost fails spectacularly at). Despite remembering that part as boring, it turned out to be one of the most exciting parts, right alongside the firefighting scene at the end.
Worst Part: The ten minute lull about 25 minutes in where they focus far too long on Mac and Bill's getting the dynamite back to the site of the fire.
Opening Gambit: Much like with "Countdown," I put "Hellfire" low on my list because I didn't remember it to be particularly engaging or interesting. As far as I recalled, it had its good and interesting moments, but for the most part, it fell flat for me.
A lot of this had to do with the fact that I generally find "man vs. man" or "man vs. self" conflict much more interesting than "man vs. nature." I generally like "bad guys" that a character can more directly confront, whether those enemies end up being other people or his own inner demons. But natural disasters? Especially for a show like MacGyver, this is normally not my cup of tea. There are quite a few rather tedious scenes that I remember dragging on a bit too long, and even though they are building the suspense and showing the delicacy and patience the situation requires, they failed, as far as I remember, to hold my attention. Of course, that was probably a "me" problem much more than it was a problem with the episode itself - I typically prefer fast-paced action over slow-building suspense.
Monday, April 17, 2017
MacGyver: #136 Countdown (S1E14)
Episode Title: Countdown
Episode Number: S1E14
Ranking: 136 of 138
Summary: MacGyver and his bomb-defusing partner from Vietnam are called in when a cruise ship is targeted by a bomber who calls himself Viking.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: Charlie Robinson's death.
Episode Number: S1E14
Ranking: 136 of 138
 |
| CBS.com |
Quotable Moment:
MacGyver: You know, Charlie and I busted 51 bombs together in Vietnam. Charlie used to put a little scratch on the wall above our bunks every time we'd get back from doing one. We used to tell anyone who would listen that we were going for the record. The day we shipped out, he counted'em. Fifty-one. Then he laughed - just laughed.Best Part: When Mac tries to impress Susan with his robotic egg-cooking, and fails spectacularly. Also, Mac's speech about Charlie's bomb-counting ritual in Vietnam. Emotionally charged and powerful moment.
Worst Part: Charlie Robinson's death.
MacGyver Reboot: The Rising (S1E1) - 10 Things
Episode Title: The Rising
Episode Number: S1E1
Rating: 5/10
Taking the plunge into the MacGyver reboot was no easy decision for me to make. I'd heard mixed things about it, and had been debating with myself on whether to watch it for months. You see, I'm an "original source material" snob, so I've been very dubious about it. Most of the reviews online are negative, but there are a few people I know personally who've said they like it, so that left me to wonder if the online reviewers were taking personal offense to the show because it's not got Richard Dean Anderson in it (understandable, but still).
Episode Number: S1E1
Rating: 5/10
 |
| Photo from CBS.com |
Taking the plunge into the MacGyver reboot was no easy decision for me to make. I'd heard mixed things about it, and had been debating with myself on whether to watch it for months. You see, I'm an "original source material" snob, so I've been very dubious about it. Most of the reviews online are negative, but there are a few people I know personally who've said they like it, so that left me to wonder if the online reviewers were taking personal offense to the show because it's not got Richard Dean Anderson in it (understandable, but still).
The major turn-offs for me that I'd read about in reviews were the complaints about how Lucas Till portrays the character - they said he's cocky, a player, and obnoxious. If this was true, I didn't want to watch it, because that's beyond out of character. I'd also heard that they dumb down the "MacGyverisms" by putting words up on the screen to show what he's thinking about - but to me, that sounds like it could be CBS trying to take a leaf out of BBC's book with Sherlock's thought process... though admittedly, that doesn't necessarily make it any better. Reviewers said that most of the new characters (which is all of them, really, because they just took goofy, get-rich-quick schemer Jack Dalton's name and pasted it onto a generic good-looking muscle man, and it was portly and lovable Pete Thorton, not slinky and mysterious Patricia) were dull, and that some of them served absolutely no purpose whatsoever.
And, call me shallow, but I could not seem to get past the fact that the lead actor was, only recently, in a Nickelodeon movie called Monster Truck about a monster truck ... that's actually a real, live monster. And he looks like he's twelve. And a One Direction reject.
Despite all these negatives, however, there were still some people who actually really liked it, and the show got a second season despite its 3/10 rating, so it sounds like it must be doing something right. And so, today, I decided to take a chance on the MacGyver reboot.
Without further ado, here are the 10 Things I thought about Season 1, Episode 1 of the MacGyver reboot:
Without further ado, here are the 10 Things I thought about Season 1, Episode 1 of the MacGyver reboot:
I Am, In Fact, Not Dead
This is not a blog post, but rather an update/apology to anyone who may still be out there and might be interested in reading my blog, despite the fact that I've been MIA for months now.
A couple of things happened: First, I got sick - really sick. For over a month, I had terrible bronchitis. I felt like doing nothing. And then, I self-published my first novella, and my time has been consumed by writing, editing, and, most consuming of all, marketing. However, I've resurfaced again (finally), and am very much interested in resuming my blog, if anyone is interested. Well, to be honest, I'll probably continue even if no one but my husband and my cat reads it, but it would be great to reconnect with old readers. I think I've struck a good balance now between book promotions, working on my next novel, and blogging.
So here's hoping.
If anyone is interested in my book, it's called House of the Dead by Elizabeth Wilson, and you can find it on Amazon!
Expect a new post in the MacGyver section soon, and expect a short post in a new section about the reboot. I'm not doing a full analytic review of the reboot; I've got a new, quick format for these new episodes highlighting ten thoughts and a starred review for each one.
Again, I'm so sorry for being absent with no word.
A couple of things happened: First, I got sick - really sick. For over a month, I had terrible bronchitis. I felt like doing nothing. And then, I self-published my first novella, and my time has been consumed by writing, editing, and, most consuming of all, marketing. However, I've resurfaced again (finally), and am very much interested in resuming my blog, if anyone is interested. Well, to be honest, I'll probably continue even if no one but my husband and my cat reads it, but it would be great to reconnect with old readers. I think I've struck a good balance now between book promotions, working on my next novel, and blogging.
So here's hoping.
If anyone is interested in my book, it's called House of the Dead by Elizabeth Wilson, and you can find it on Amazon!
Expect a new post in the MacGyver section soon, and expect a short post in a new section about the reboot. I'm not doing a full analytic review of the reboot; I've got a new, quick format for these new episodes highlighting ten thoughts and a starred review for each one.
Again, I'm so sorry for being absent with no word.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
MacGyver: #49 Black Rhino (S5E8)
Edit: After re-watching this episode, I realized that it was much better than I remembered it to be, so I have since moved it to a substantially higher place on my list. Instead of being #136, it is now #49.
Episode Title: Black Rhino
Episode Number: S5E8
Ranking: 49 of 138
Summary: When the youngest Colton brother takes it upon himself to go after a bounty that his older brothers had never been able to score - a poacher, Ladysmith - MacGyver goes to Africa to find him and ends up joining the hunt for the killer as well.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: When they come across the rhino that had had its horn removed and had to be put down.
Episode Title: Black Rhino
Episode Number: S5E8
Ranking: 49 of 138
 |
| CBS.com |
Quotable Moment:
MacGyver: Kate, I've gotta tell you. That is the sickest, cruelest, most inhumane thing I've ever seen in my life.Best Part: The fight between MacGyver and Ladysmith on the dam.
Worst Part: When they come across the rhino that had had its horn removed and had to be put down.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Doctor Who (Ninth Doctor): #10 Aliens of London (S1E4) - Part 1
Episode Title: Aliens of London
Episode Number: S1E4
Ranking: 10 of 10 (Part 1 of 2)
Since this is a two-parter, I'm counting"Aliens of London" and "World War Three" as one collective episode, but will be reviewing each episode separately - thus, they will both be ranked as #10 in the reverse countdown, despite being reviewed as individual episodes.
As this is a blog that comprehensively reviews TV shows, there will be spoilers.
Summary: Rose and the Doctor return to earth to find out that she's been gone and considered missing for 12 months instead of the intended 12 hours. On the tail of their return, an alien spaceship crashes into Big Ben for the world to see, exposing the existence of aliens to the masses. But is there more going on than it seems?
Place/Time: Earth, London, 2005
Aliens/Monsters: The Slitheen
Quotable Moment: "900 years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother!" -the Doctor
Best Part: Harriet Jones, MP of Flydale North.
Worst Part: Any of the farting scenes are highly uncomfortable.
Episode Number: S1E4
Ranking: 10 of 10 (Part 1 of 2)
Since this is a two-parter, I'm counting"Aliens of London" and "World War Three" as one collective episode, but will be reviewing each episode separately - thus, they will both be ranked as #10 in the reverse countdown, despite being reviewed as individual episodes.
As this is a blog that comprehensively reviews TV shows, there will be spoilers.
Summary: Rose and the Doctor return to earth to find out that she's been gone and considered missing for 12 months instead of the intended 12 hours. On the tail of their return, an alien spaceship crashes into Big Ben for the world to see, exposing the existence of aliens to the masses. But is there more going on than it seems?
Place/Time: Earth, London, 2005
Aliens/Monsters: The Slitheen
Quotable Moment: "900 years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother!" -the Doctor
Best Part: Harriet Jones, MP of Flydale North.
Worst Part: Any of the farting scenes are highly uncomfortable.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
MacGyver: #137 The Mountain of Youth (S7E14)
Episode Title: The Mountain of Youth
Episode Number: S7E14
Ranking: 137 of 138
Summary: Jack Dalton drags MacGyver along on a quest to discover the Fountain of Youth in a politically unstable third world country.
Quotable Moment:
Worst Part: Any time that I was spoon-fed a ridiculous piece of information and expected to accept it without questioning its validity, which happened far too often in this episode.
Episode Number: S7E14
Ranking: 137 of 138
 |
| CBS.com |
Quotable Moment:
MacGyver: You're up to something more than the betterment of mankind, I know it. Deep inside, I know it!Best Part: The entire first scene where Jack is trying to convince MacGyver to help him find this Fountain of Youth.
Worst Part: Any time that I was spoon-fed a ridiculous piece of information and expected to accept it without questioning its validity, which happened far too often in this episode.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
MacGyver: #138 The Kill Zone (S3E11)
Episode Title: The
Kill Zone
Episode Number: S3E11
Episode Number: S3E11
Ranking: 138 of 138
CBS.com
Summary: MacGyver
and Pete face off against a stubborn scientist who refuses to allow her deadly,
mutated superbug to be destroyed.
Quotable Moment:
Pete: What a loss.
Best Part: I
really enjoyed the faith and loyalty Pete and Mac had in one another this
episode. Their friendship is really well
represented here.
Worst Part: Dr.
Millhouse’s and Ace’s last moments.
The OCR (Obsessive Compulsive Reviewer)
There is a common misconception that a person who has
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is, by default, organized.
This is not true – therefore, the misconception bit. Having
been clinically diagnosed with OCD at the age of 8 in 1999, I am living proof
that obsessive and organized are indeed not
one and the same. Throw me in the middle
of a card game with uneven decks, or hand me a bowl of Skittles (taste the
rainbow!) with six reds and two greens – not exactly a rainbow, but still – and I’ll have a field day. Lock me in a messy room, and I’ll find
something with which to procrastinate for days,
even going so far as to pointedly ignore the mess when it’s right under my nose
– just ask my husband!
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