Homicide Episode Guide: Fits Like A Glove

Written By Bonnie Mark; tory by Tom Fontana and Julie Martin

Directed by Ted Demme

            The middle part of the three episode shows how things have begun to change on the show. Ten minutes into the episode, the detectives learn that the murder of Katherine Goodrich  is not an isolated  incident when a second body is found in a similar place (a dumpster behind a church ) stripped naked wearing white cotton gloves.  Homicide has just  premiered its first serial killer. Considering that murder is the business of the show, maybe this shouldn’t come as a shock but it might strain some sensibilities that Baltimore would be home to so many of them. This isn’t evident right now.  

            Another change will happen when we learn that Gaffney  has made a critical error in securing the crime scene. We see the mans true colors as he demonstrates to  Russert that he is not only a racist but a sexist when she reassigns the case.  After this example Gaffney is gone from the homicide unit. Unfortunately, like the proverbial bad penny, he will turn up again.

             The case is reassigned to Frank Pembleton who almost immediately has to deal with the murder of Jennifer Lundy. Like Goodrich, Lundy is another good Catholic (she was in charge of the pediatrics at a local hospital). The only difference between the two murders is that with Lundy, the killer took the trouble of washing her face. This leads  Pembleton to make the leap that the killer is Catholic. It’s a little hard to buy, but Andre Braugher ,as we know, is a great salesman.

            During the episode, we also get some more insight into Frank, particularly in a conversation he has with sister Magdalena. He reveals that he was raised in New York in a Catholic boarding school--- something that may have saved him from ending up on the streets. He longs for the safety and surety of those earlier days. He empathizes with the victims because of their religion, but he also identifies with the killer because (like him ) he has lost his faith  Sister Magdalena asks Pembleton if he believes that this killer is pure evil, and though he never answers its clear he is considering it.

            The world has not stopped because of the murders. The episode, which begins hours after the last one, shows Felton and Russert in the afterglow of sex.

Furthermore, its pretty clear that this isn’t a fling; the two of them have been at this for a while. They eve talk about going on a trip together. But its pretty clear that this relationship probably won’t work out. Part of it is because Megan is from a very different social class than Beau, but mostly  it has to do with his devotion to his kids.  In one of the more uncomfortable scenes, Beth tries to seduce Beau by luring him over to see the kids. He doesn’t want to work things out  with her (but then considering  her actions in the last episode, including the destruction of a good suit) and he is very angry when he learns that he has been deceived. Howard isn’t much happier when she learns who her partner has been sharing a bed with, partly because this puts her in an awkward position with Beth but mainly because she can see the dangers of this relationship.

            Despite the murders, Lewis and Munch are taking their time out from their jobs to get the liquor license for the bar. Bayliss doesn’t pay much attention to this, and it is this inattention that puts the entire enterprise at risk when he is flagged for having an arrest for gambling. Lewis and Munch are understandably pissed but nevertheless take the time to mock  Tim for his crime of perjury and possible prison time.

            Much of the humor comes from this situation, but we get some from the case. Particularly when someone comes down to evidence control to buy Katherine Goodrich’s white-cotton gloves. As we soon find out Mr. Fuchs is a self-described ‘entrepreneur of the macabre, and he is particularly interesting in buying the gloves because he expects their market value to go up when the killer is caught. It is from him that we learn that the killer has an even further reach than we thought as he has killed five other women as far away from Montana.. Bolander and Pembleton are particularly bemused particularly when  they learn that this man has been talking with men like David Berkowitz and Jeffrey Dahmer. It’s a little hard to believe that someone like this would show up but such characters do exist in the real world

            And now the press had really begun to circle. Matt Rhodes has been chomping at the bit over the killer of Goodrich and is preparing to go public with the white cotton gloves on the news. Only a flat out lie from Russert manages to keep the story from TV--- at least for twenty four hours. (Ironically they will have located the killer by then, but  Rhodes will get his exclusive without the help of the Baltimore P.D.)

            The episode ends with the news that things are going to get even worse when the police turn up a third murder victim in exactly the same scenario Technically, one could make the argument that ‘Fits Like A Glove’ hasn’t brought us much closer to finding the killer. But this is a trademark of what made Homicide exceptional. They knew how to draw out a story without the viewers getting bored. We’re  getting closer and this primes us for the climax that will set us on its ear.

My score: 4.25 stars.

Homicide Episode Guide: Nearer My God To Thee

Written by Jorge Zamacona Story by Jorge Zamacona and Tom Fontana

Directed by Tim Hunter

      Homicide  began its third season  with an example of how it was going to work things out. Before a show would have several small stories going on simultaneously--- some crime related, some personal. From this point on, there would generally be one major police related story and several personal  stories. Furthermore, these major crimes would be related in two or three episode blocks.

      The first of these stories would be the ‘white cotton gloves’ murders. The Samaritan of the Year is found murdered and left in a dumpster behind a church, naked but for a pair of white cotton gloves. However, Lieutenant Giardello is not in charge of this investigation because it has fallen to the second shift headed by he newly appointed Lieutenant Megan Russert.

      From the very beginning people would have problems with Russert. A lot of people found it hard to accept that a woman this young (barely thirty five) could rise to be in charge of a squad of detectives. This is hard but not impossible to accept, because (as regular viewers would have known) Frank Pembleton was considered for her job and he  was her age. The real problem is that we have never even seen any sign of the second shift before. Why should we; all the characters we know are on Giardello's. That was the major flaw, trying to force a new character into places that she would normally be. Her rapid rise and subsequent fall within the department would seem more an effort to find a place for the character rather than any real skill on her part.

      Once you get past the problem of Russert’s character what you see is the same level  of intense drama mixed with unusual humor that we have come to expect from  the show. This time much of the dramatic tension comes from the interaction of the two shifts--- particularly Pembleton and the primary for the case Roger Gaffney. Pembleton thinks that Gaffney is a sloppy detective and its pretty obvious that Gaffney thinks Pembleton is arrogant. But unlike Felton, who has similar problems, Gaffney is a racist. It’s pretty hard to believe that the two of them might kill each other, but there is a lot of bad blood between them. And Gaffney, unfortunately, isn’t going anywhere.

      For the first time the Homicide writers realized what a strong presence Andre Braugher has, and would begin to shift the balance of  power towards him and Bayliss. Of central importance to Pembleton is  religion--- he may be the most famous Catholic to appear on TV (with the possible exception of Dana Scully on The X-Files). When most shows fly away at the first sign of religion, ‘Homicide’ would embrace it on many occasions. They do so here through Pembleton and his views . When Bayliss asks Frank where God was when Katherine Goodrich was murdered, Pembleton responds that death is something not to be feared. When asked if he believes that, Frank’s reply is “I wear a bullet-proof  vest, don’t I?” This is a troubled man and we will explore this many times---often to tremendous dramatic effect.

      Despite the concentration on the red ball, we do get a couple of subplots that we will be following throughout the season. Beau Felton’s marriage, which has been showing fault lines since the first season, now begins to come apart when his wife Beth throws him out of the house. We meet her for the first time, and its pretty clear that Beth has very deep issues that probably can’t be fixed. Felton is far less concerned with the state of his marriage then that of the kids, and its pretty obvious that he is a better father than he is a husband.  He certain has a blasé attitude towards fidelity; when Kay asks him if he is staying with a woman, he says: “My father always said you don’t jump ship without a lifeboat.”  It does, however, come as something of shock that the lifeboat turns out to be Russert. As we will see, this relationship also has obstacles that it won’t overcome. Getting stuck in the middle of this is Kay Howard who will be besieged by calls from Beth Felton and the failure of his marriage

      More importantly is what Lewis and Munch are up too. They have decided to buy the Waterfront Bar (which as we will find out, is practically next door to the precinct) Unable to get the seller to lower the price they are forced to obtain another partner. At first, they try Bolander who is  adamant in his refusal not to invest his pension in this gamble but eventually they recruit Tim Bayliss. One question that is never answered by anyone is where these three detectives, who make less than $35,000  a year, manage to raise 200,000 dollars to buy the bar. We later find out that they got some kind of loan--- though how they managed to convince the bank is anybody’s guess. The obstacles in buying the bar will take up most of the season. Of course when they get it, there are more problems on the way.

      Another unusual switch is done in the teaser of the episode. In which, we learn nothing about the case but more about how the detectives think. Bolander, Munch and Lewis discuss the sate of TV, the profusion of gratuitous sex and how there are a lot of new channels—while the detectives long for the good old days of ‘Hawaii 5-0’ For most of the third season, the teasers of the episode will deal with comic matters unconnected to being a cop with occasional references to police work. One wonders whether the writers were working out the kinks--- because this would disappear in the shows later seasons.

There are still some problems that haven’t quite been worked out in ‘Nearer My God to Thee’.. Russert and Giardello have a hard time demonstrating who is in charge. And we’re still not quite certain how to deal with the pres (the appearance of reporter Matt Rhodes doesn’t quite jive with the workings of the episode) But ‘Homicide’, after nine months has found its feet again and will be demonstrating that there was still gold to be mined from this show.

My score: 4.5 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: The Post-Modern Prometheus

. The Post-Modern Prometheus

Written & Directed by Chris Carter

One could definitely argue that this episode, for all of the masterful touches it has practically from beginning to end, doesn't strictly belong in The X-Files canon. After all, so much of what happens in Post-Modern Prometheus goes beyond the scope of even what a fiction sci-fi procedural like this series was trying to accomplish. And for that reason, some of the darker and more ridiculous elements can be considered either underplayed or overaccepted. But all these people I basically regard as the nattering nabobs that they are, trying to pick holes in what is clear one of the series greatest accomplishments.

Because it's clear to anyone who watched this episode that Post-Modern should never be considered as canon. The location is never strictly identified, which the exception of the Berkowitzes and the Pollidoris, none of the characters are given names or even given much above even one dimension. Some would consider it sloppy writing, I myself say that, for once, this is part of the point---- this episode is clearly meant to play in style as well as script as homage  one of the better black-and-white horror films of the 1930s. And whether you regard it as nothing more than the comic book that it is framed as (perhaps the one that Izzy Berkowitz is trying to get published) , the fact is, one can't regard as anything less than a technical masterpiece. As such, we don't regard the characters as little more than stock figures,, but that helps because it glosses over (much like Small Potatoes did in Season 4) some of the darker elements. Viewers might be upset by the fact there are frankly, some bizarre, sexual misconduct, but its clear the characters themselves don't. This couldn't be made clear when Mrs. Pollidori practically leaps up for joy when she learns she might have been impregnated. No normal person gets that happy after being raped. It also doesn't even attempt to explain some of the more bizarre science in the episode, such as how they were able to impregnate a woman who'd had her tubes tied. Scully doesn't even try to explain some of it, which is good as I imagine her gravitas would only weigh this episode down.

Carter was clearly trying to go for broke in the same kind of way that Darin Morgan did in his scripts., and  one can definitely see that in the kind of black comedy that plays throughout the episode. But Carter is not Morgan, and for once, that's actually a good thing. Carter isn't interesting in tearing down his leads, much in the same way that Morgan was, rather he is trying to demonstrate --- for once--- a certain level of optimism that was, for the most part, absent in Morgan's writing. 'The Great Mutato' may be a hideous creature but he is ultimately more endearing than so many of Carter's other lead characters. There is genuine joy as he reinvents the Frankenstein myth in a way that appeals to us.

Chris Owens gives one of the better performances he will ever give as one of the X-Files players, as it is truly one of the more enjoyable performance, particularly considering how much of it is done without dialogue. The other guest actors are unusually good---- one might say remarkably so, since they're frequently given so little to work with. John O'Hurley, an actor whose comic talents were wasted on me before this episode is funny and a little scary as Dr. Pollidori. Miriam Smith is hysterically funny as Shaineh Berkowitz, a Roseanne type without the general obnoxiousness I tended to find in the actual comedienne.

But admittedly, this is not an episode that is known for the performances so much as the technical work behind. Chris Carter does one of best directed episodes that he will ever do----- it's not as subtle as some of the other directors have been, but subtlety is not the point. The editing, cinematography, set design and particular Mark Snow's score are among the very best that the series would ever produce, all of whom deserved the seven Emmy nominations that the episode would get (and its an even bigger mystery as to why none of them won). Post Modern had to be technically perfect in order for all of this to work, and, for all intents and purposes, that's exactly what we get

Then there's the ending, which has puzzled a lot of people, when Mulder seems dissatisfied as to what has happened with the way  the story has turned out, and then demands "to speak to the writer". A lot of people got irked at what seemed to be Carter breaking the fourth wall. I myself always figured that he was talking to the reporter or perhaps Izzy Berkowitz.  And the idea that Mulder and Scully would just close off an investigation to take a prisoner of to see Cher just doesn't seem to fit in with their work. I myself never thought Carter did that---- they would make in-jokes on these series, not flaunt the conventions of the medium themselves. Once again, however, this appears to be Carter flaunting his heroes, which when Gilligan or Morgan did it was a lot more subtle, admittedly.  But this makes more sense when you understand that, for this episode only, they are nothing more than characters in another writer's fiction. (Well, that's what they actually are the rest of the time, but the episode wisely doesn't focus that much on it.)

The Post-Modern Prometheus remains one of the greater triumphs in the series. It's not laugh-out loud funny the same way so many of the best comedies on this series are, but this is more visual comic episode then it is anything else. And considering the separates roads that Mulder and Scully will be walking for much of Season 5, its charming and sweet to have an episode end with the two of them dancing to the music of Cher. Even if, as I just explained, that never actually happened.

My Score: 5 Stars

X-Files Episode Guide: Detour

Written by Frank Spotnitz

Directed by Brett Dowler

For awhile, this was one of my favorite episodes of Season 5---- an episode that seemed to be reaching back to a simpler time (and in retrospect, it's really odd that I considered the incredibly dark third season 'simpler') and visiting a lighter toned episode with the tone of the Darin Morgan themed episodes War of the Coprophages and Quagmire  . You can certainly see the resemblance--- Mulder and Scully go out into the woods looking for an unidentified predator that has been attacking intruders in the woods, get stranded from authority, and end up having a whimsical exchange in the middle of the night. Considering how dark the cancer arc was, one can certainly see why Carter & Co would have welcomed the idea. But with the benefit of nearly eighteen years, its pretty clear that Detour not only doesn't hold a candle to either of those episode, but is one of the more confused episodes in the canon.

And perhaps the most obvious reason is that its being helmed by Frank Spotnitz,  someone X-philes minds do not automatically think of when it comes to comedy. There are, granted, some fairly funny ideas in the episode, and some that lend to some pleasing elements. But the sad truth of the matter is that Spotnitz can't seem to make up his mind whether this episode is a traditional thriller with comic elements or a comedy with scary elements. He is not aided one bit by the special effects team, which admittedly does a fine job of making it impossible to tell what kind of animal is stalking people in the forests of Florida or Mark Snow's unusually labored score, which for some reason, keeps using a repeated motif from Humbug, of all episodes.

And part of the larger problem of the episode is that we go through basically the entire length of the story with no clear idea of what kind of monster is chasing Mulder and Scully.  Usually bubbling over with ideas, Mulder doesn't seem to have even a theory of what the heck is trying to kill him. Even when Mulder is facing the most horrid of creatures, he at least has some outlandish theories that we can find plausible given the evidence. Unfortunately, he saves it after all of the action is over with----  and this time, it borders on the ludicrous. So what has apparently been chasing people and trying to kill everything in site are----  Ponce De Leon conquistadors who found the Fountain of Youth and have been living in the woods for over four hundred years. Even Spotnitz doesn't seem to think very much of the idea having come up with it, but that seems to be the only explanation that we get, and the episode hasn't maintained a level of comedy high enough to pull off this level of ridiculousness.

Which is something of a shame, because there are some pretty good moments as the episode progresses. The idea of Mulder getting involved in a case, because he doesn't want to go to an FBI team-building seminar that he and Scully have been sent on. (Private revenge of Skinner for calling him a traitor in Redux?) And there's the fact that it has to do with communication between partners, when we can tell just the opening sequence how well Mulder and Scully communicate. How they manage to meet one of the few competent law enforcement agents in X-Files canon---- only to find themselves outmaneuver. And while the five minute sequence in the woods can't approach the one in Quagmire that it's all but ripped off from, the level of flirtation and banter between our two leads is amusing (and probably made shippers throughout the X-File verse hearts skip a beat), capped off with a wonderful bit where Scully sings. Terribly. So its not like this episode is completely without virtue. Had the story manage to maintain that level, it probably would've been more entertaining.

But Spotnitz is never completely comfortable with the idea of the comedy, and keeps trying to turn it into a thriller. This, too, isn't a bad idea as there are more than a few genuine scares in it. The scenes at the beginning of the first act, and the scene where the monsters try to track the  boy in the house are genuinely unsettling, as are the sequences where we get the sense where the predators are clearly trying to divide and conquer our heroes. But they're surrounded by such bizarre bits that you have trouble believing, such as the biggest flaw in the episode: Mulder and Scully get completely lost in a hole where their prey has been stalking them---- and are somehow found by the search and rescue team that has found them in exactly the right place. Even for an X-File, that's hard to believe.

Detour has a lot of good moments, and is at least a much more watchable episode than any we've had so far. But ultimately, one gets the feeling that the whole doesn't nearly add up to the sum of its parts. It's not scary enough to be a thriller, its not funny enough to be a comedy, and it lacks any kind of resolution to what the heck we've been spending the last forty minutes trying to chase. But hey, at least the shippers were happy, and I guess that's all that matters.

My score: 3 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Unusual Suspects

Written by Vince Gilligan

Directed by Kim Manners

One would like to give this episode a little more credit than it deserves. Here we are at episode 100 of The X-Files. Most normal series would do something fairly significant, either satirically or seriously to honor that fact. What does this series do? It chooses to show an episode with no appearance by Scully and practically none by Mulder, focus its energy on telling an origin story for a group of characters that might not, frankly, a background story, and tell a conspiracy story that bares almost no resemblance to any part of the mythology, only try to tell it as a comedy. Is it daring? Yes. Does it work? Not really.

If this episode were to work, it would have had to demonstrate what happened as a soul-changing event for all the characters involved. And unfortunately, it only works for one of the three characters. By choosing to focus the majority of the events around the story of John Fitzgerald Byers (one of the more clever elements is how he got his first name), the character who was apparently the least likely of the three to believe in the kind of conspiracy that this series traffics in, Gilligan manages to hold up a remarkable amount of what unfolds as interesting. To show Byers loss of innocence, from being called 'narc' by everybody at the convention to someone who has been unalterably shaken is one of the funniest and, strangely enough, most moving elements of the episode. Bruce Harwood's performance is so well done it covers up a lot of the episodes flaws. And if you've been with the series through the previous ninety-nine episode, you can tell that there are a lot of them.

For starters, neither Langley nor Frohike seem remarkably different from the characters we will first encounter in E.B.E, and neither seems to demonstrate a credible turnaround as well as Harwood does in the course of the episode. Both of them seem to be entrenched in the hacker lore (or at least what it would look like in 1989) and yet neither seems to have much of the paranoia that would enclose them. Admittedly, their 'come to Jesus' moment is one of the more convincing ones (its really hard to argue the level of conspiracy when you find a tracking implement in a tooth) but it still seems a little less convincing.

Then, there's the way that they handle Mulder, and this seems a rare example of Gilligan, who usually steps right when it comes to character, by illustrating Mulder as a by the book FBI agent who seems to inherit all of his paranoid delusions by inhaling a chemical designed to do just that after running into a security device that tells him aliens are among us. In one sense this might seem to work--- considering what we have 'learned' in Redux about how Mulder as 'made'----- but in a far more upsetting sense, it seems to be an example of the writer's trying to be clever by half It seems to be eliminating four years of backstory for the sake of a joke, and not a particularly good one at that.

And yes, while I admit that it's good to see Steven Williams again,  none of this what little we seem to know about X at all. The X that we knew throughout Seasons 2 and 3 would seem to be someone who would've just as easily killed the three of them for them looking at him the wrong way. Here, they witness the cleanup of what is clearly a major exercise in the conspiracy, and the only thing he seems to do is give the cabal their name. That would instill a level of humanity in X that I just don't believe he ever had.

 Part of the deeper grudge that I bear Unusual Suspects for is because this is, for all intents and purposes, a Homicide crossover. In time, the fact that Richard Belzer's character would end up becoming the most crossed over character of all time was not a punch line,  and the character still had something of edge. But here it just seems like yet another missed opportunity. Munch would be world renowned for the level of paranoia and conspiracy theories he would spin on every series he was a part of. Here, he's given an example of a genuine conspiracy, and what does he do? He says that it's bullshit. I'll admit that I was impressed that he was willing to parody one of his more famous lines on Homicide, but it seems like an utter waste. It's bad enough Belzer's appearance is almost negligible enough to be insignificant, but if you're going to use the character, use the character.

But even if Belzer had been utilized more fully, it is doubtful that he could've done much to raise this episode above the middling level that seems to have stagnated at. Instead, what we have is a conspiracy episode that doesn't add up in either the sum of its parts or as a whole. And yet, for some reason in Season 6, this would be one of the episodes that they would write a direct sequel to. All that Unusual Suspects seems able to do is convince us that the Gunmen don't have enough of a dimension to even deserve an episode to themselves. One can understand why it was done (something had to be done when both Anderson and Duchovny were unavailable because they were working on the movie at the time) but really one wonders if they couldn't have found another way around it. In a season that we already know is going to be shortened by necessity, this seems like something of a waste, and not a good way to demonstrate the series is getting back on track after a sluggish start.

My Score: 2.5 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Redux II

Written by Chris Carter

Directed by Kim Manners

If nothing else, this episode is, for the most part, free of the horrible Carter-speak that so deluged the season premiere. We're allowed some actual action for a change, and, what is far more important, some actual human drama, which was glaringly absent from Redux. As Scully's mortality finally seems inevitable, the characters are finally---- and frankly, a little too late for this particular arc--- allowed to show some actual emotion. Duchovny is allowed the full range that he's been hiding for awhile when it comes to his partner's wellbeing, mainly in the scenes with his partner, but also in the scenes with the Smoking Man, which have been absent for so long we've forgotten how good they can be.

For once, William B. Davis is allowed a certain range of emotion, as he tries to play himself as the hero for once, and even though he offers Mulder seemingly everything he's ever wanted---- a cure for Scully's cancer, the existence of his sister (we'll get to that in a minute)---- Mulder doesn't buy it for an instant. The scene where CSM tempts Mulder with real proof is very telling, and the fact that Mulder despite his bravado, seriously considers siding with a man he despises, is one of the better ones in the series.

Anderson is also at the top of her game as she finds her brave face slipping away along with her life. Her scenes where she shows emotion to her mother once again demonstrates how much she holds in for the sake of her partner. And while one wants to berate Bill Scully  for his beastly behavior towards Mulder---- by the way, where were you when Dana was abducted or when Melissa died?---- one can't help but see the logic from what someone from the outside looking in would think about what has happened.

Unfortunately, surrounding this real heart is a tremendous, and I mean ridiculous, amount of baggage connected to the conspiracy, one that demonstrates by now just how impossible Carter and company have made it for us to believe anything we see or hear. The scenes with Samantha are a prime example of this. It's interesting to consider the possibility that Fox's sister is the aggrieved party and not him, that she wants nothing to do with her overly obsessive brother, and she's trying to put the horror of what's happening behind her. But once again, we are given no definitive proof that this is the real Samantha, and not just another clone.  And frankly, considering that the climax of this episode seems to be built around Scully and Mulder, dealing with yet another piece of misleading information seems rather superfluous at this time.

And the other, larger problem with this episode is the fact that it has taken the what has been the center of this rather unwieldy three-parter---- the hearing discussing Agent Mulder's 'death'---- and added so many red herrings that it no longer has any value. If it were possible that Skinner was really being painted as the mole who has been responsible for the conspiracy---- well, frankly we wouldn't believe it anyway. Hell, at this point it would be a betrayal of what we've learned about the character for the past three seasons. So instead, the true villain behind the picture is Section Chief Blevins, a man who falls victim to Ebert's law of extraneous characters, a man who even Carter can't seem to come up with a legitimate piece of evidence to go along with the accusation so he has Mulder make a wild guess.

And of course, there's the 'death' of the Smoking Man. Now really think this through, Skinner believes CSM has been murdered, even though a) he doesn't know Smoking Man's name, b) no body is found at the scene, c) even if the apartment was his, and there was too much blood for him to lose and live, how would we know the Smoking Man's to begin with?   We know he's just going to turn up again later, so why bother killing him off in the first place. Again, we see Carter getting in the way of himself. It would've been a ballsy move for the conspiracy to actually kill off its flagship character, but as we're never a given a legitimate reason for that, why bother doing it at all? As a result, one of the most distinctive characters in the canon will essentially be regarded as a cliché, a supervillain for whom death has so little effect on, it's essentially become a running gag.

Hell, even the revelation that supposedly is going to bring relief---- Scully's cancer has gone into remission---- seems anti-climatic as well/. We knew that they were never going to kill Scully off, so the series doesn't even bother giving a legitimate reason for her cure.  It doesn't even have enough confidence in the mythology to say that the implant was what cured her. What it feels like is Carter trying to extricate himself from a storyline that, for the most part, never was well-executed, and didn't offer much in the way of emotional or dramatic strength.

Perhaps the greatest relief is that when Redux II finally ends, is that we're finally going to begin the series proper, and have stories with beginnings, middles and ends again. Of course, we don't realize that we're going to be getting a whole new set of problems with this truncated season, and that while we'll be taking some interesting arcs for our characters, Carter clearly seems to have no idea what direction to take them in  now. If Mulder knew that, he'd have a real reason to be crying at the end of this episode.

My score: 2.25 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Redux

Written by Chris Carter

Directed by R.W. Goodwin

Gethsemane wasn't a great episode, but at least it was trying something different ---- using the alien backstory as a character development, even if the viewer couldn't believe in it. Now we find ourselves at the start of the season, and not only are we going a step backward----- that's par for the course in these kinds of episodes---- we seem to be determine to crawl there, with barely any action at all.

We've gotten used to the tortured syntax of Carter by this point, we've gotten to where we expect there to be a purple monologue or two. Redux is nothing but monologue. What makes it more offensive is that it's not even revelatory monologue, but basic flat-out narration. And just to make even more annoying, both our heroes are doing it---- sometimes one right after the other!. This basically robs this episode as seeming like anything other than what it is--- a ridiculous amount of padding. And just when you think you can't take any more of it, Kritschgau shows up and delivers a four-minute monologue explaining the conspiracy as he knows it!. It would be comical if the stakes weren't so high. When we hear Scully finally telling us what she seems to be prove, we don't know what'll kill her first, the cancer or the tortured prose.

All of this gives the opinion that at this point, Carter doesn't have even any confidence in making this seem logical. In the season finale, we were told that the alien body that was at the center of the episode, was a carefully drawn, slowly made up hoax. Now Mulder walks right into the DOD---- and he finds an entire warehouse full of alien corpses! This doesn't make any sense at all. Then there's the fact that Mulder manages to get Level 4 clearance for DARPA---- a level higher even than Kritschgau---- which is so secure, it doesn't even bother to check if the man's face matches the picture.  

The show clearly doesn't seem to trying any more/.This even clearer when we find out that the Bureau has  been spying on Mulder for months, which leads us to suspect that, once again, Skinner is a traitor, basically erasing everything he's done for the last two seasons.  We know better by now, so why are they wasting our time this way? This is eventually revealed as yet another false trail, but why make it in the first place?

And what makes all of this incredible mess seem even more worthless than it was is that while our heroes are revealing every step they take in voiceover ---- voiceovers, by the way, that neither could provide under normal circumstances---- is that for each of them, the separate quests that they take are ultimately revealed to be worthless. Mulder goes through the Pentagon basement, looking for a cure for Scully's cancer, finds a vial that seems to promise something---- only to have the Lone Gunmen reveal it to be deionized water. It's far worse for what's going on with Scully. Here she is, once again bleeding for her work, finally producing what would appear to be scientific evidence of a lick between her cancer and the government, and the second she is about to present it, she collapses in the final extremity. Naturally, this plot line is never visited again. Why should we?

About the only good thing about this episode is CSM. The scene that he has in Mulder's apartment is one of the more emotional we will ever see him do, and its particularly remarkable, considering its all done with expression. There's also a sense that, for the first time, the Smoking Man may be left out of the loop, and that would appear to be a promising directions, except that in the next episode, actions will be taken to remove any further logic for his character's path.

But the fact of the matter is that this episode is by far one of the dullest in the entire canon. It's one thing to do a three-parter, and keep the lead character out of the action, it's another to do it, and not offer any rewards in return. Redux is an episode that despite trying to fill in the gaps, proves after the first ten minutes that it has nothing new to say. Even that wouldn't be horrible if it weren't for the fact that it also spends a fair amount of time repeating what it said before. Most of the high dramatic points are taken directly from Gethsemane, albeit out of order. Everything else is just soliloquy, and not even particularly interesting ones. Gethsemane at least tried to be epic in scope, this episode basically shows our heroes walking and talking in hallways for thirty minutes. Even that would be forgivable if there was some kind of climax promises at the end, but even without knowing how the movies going to screw it up, we know all too well by this point that we're not going to get anything new anyway.

My score: 1.5 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Gethsemane

Written by Chris Carter

Directed by R.W. Goodwin

One would like to give the finale for Season Four credit for managing to do something that Talitha Cumi was not able to do for Season Three. Bringing a proper tone of darkness to what has been an exceptionally grim season with a setting and a climax that are a better mesh. However, in order to do so, Gethsemane commit an unforgivable sin --- a betrayal that will help cost the series its soul.

Considering that Scully is, as we have assumed for quite some time, in what can only be considered the final days of her life, there is a deliberate pain that the character who undergoes the most significant change is Mulder. For the first time since Memento Mori though, we see what the overwhelming cost of this has been to her family. One may be inclined to openly dislike like Bill Scully, Jr, but the fact remains his anger at seeing how his sister has effectively cut herself off from everyone except for Mulder --- and that he is in Canada trying to recover the body of an extraterrestrial, this criticism is very pertinent. The fact that Scully does what she has been doing for the entire cancer arc---- hell, for most of the series---- and basically deny everything that's happening around is as frustrating as always, but what makes it genuinely resonate is the fact that we she is also hurting people other than herself. She may not believe in Mulder's quest, but it seems to have become hers almost by proxy.

And the fact of the matter is Mulder has been kept honest by Scully---- all through his meetings with Arlinsky, he does his damnedest to be as skeptical as he possibly can. The cynical part of me thinks that after everything that he's seen he should know better by now, but through more then half the episode, he seems utterly determined to look at his 'Holy Grail' with the kind of measured science that Scully would be proud of.

And that is what turns out to be the biggest flaw of the episode. After Scully has finally tracked down her assailant and cornered Kritschgau at the Pentagon, he tells her a story. That's all he does. He claims to have evidence that proves that everything Mulder has been led to believe his entire life has been nothing more than the biggest of lies, but he never bothers to actually show it to either agent. One can forgive Scully for her willingness to buy into Kritschgau's story more easily--- given the evidence she has gathered about her own abduction, she would be more inclined to believe this story than Mulder would. But Mulder seems willing to reject his life's work---- something he believed in as recently as an hour ago---- in favor of story that goes against everything he has been trained to believe. It is a leap far bigger than Mulder is capable of making.

And, it must be confessed, it was one that I as a viewer could not accept at all.  At last the series back and forth about its own mythology has caught up with  it, and reached a point that I couldn't accept at all. One might have been able to believe this argument last season, when the series tried to convince us that there was no such thing as an alien abduction. But it walked away from it, and by now has had the viewer actually see an alien or two. To ask the viewer to believe that Jeremiah Smith and the Bounty Hunter were not aliens is just the kind of point Mulder should be making---- and somehow seems to slip his mind. How does he knew that Kritschgau's timing isn't even more deliberate--- he does manage to get him away from where an actual alien autopsy was being done, just time to have the observers murdered and the body stolen. And somehow neither agent has the common sense to deal with this

I'd say it was the biggest flaw of the episode, but we all know it wasn't. We still have to deal with the confession from Scully that Mulder has committed suicide. What strikes me as appalling, then and now, is that so many viewers of the series seemed willing to believe this lie. Ah, guys, the series has been renewed for Season Five? There's a feature film that Duchovny's agreed to do? Remember?  Had this even happened later in the series run, it might have been believable, but at this time in history, I still don't see how anyone could've.

Oh, I'll admit there are some daring things about this episodes. Daring to do a season finale with none of the regulars such as Pileggi and Davis around? That's a bolder move than some that the series has done before, and sadly won't try again. And the performances of Duchovny and Anderson are much more emotionally painful then we tend to get with mytharc. The climatic moment when Mulder is told that Scully was given cancer to make Mulder believe in his quest is one of the rawest moments the series would ever do. But as good as it is, it's not nearly convincing enough to make us believe. And later actions the series will take will cause us to realize that all of this reality was nothing more than just another lie. They may have done it to get to 'the truth', but the cost to the viewer was great. And consider that the series would, in typical fashion, backtrack on this, one would wonder what the whole point was.

One can disagree about whether Gethsemane was the true moment the series lost sight of its mission.  I would try to convince myself that it hadn't a couple of times in the years to come. But this is clearly the moment the series stumbles badly in the mytharc, and though it will try rather frantically to claim otherwise, the footing is never solid again.

My score: 2.5 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Demons

Written by R.W. Goodwin

Directed by Kim Manners

It is very hard to figure out what, exactly, was the motivation behind this episode, both creatively and logistically. Here we are, at the penultimate episode of the season, concerns with Scully's ever worsening condition should be the series priority. And now, for some reason, we find ourselves looking into Mulder's past, a course which wonders why the character and the series would choose to set on now.

Even that would be acceptable had Demons had the bravery to show us something new about the story---- Paper Hearts demonstrated that there is effective drama to be mined from what was rapidly becoming something of a cliche. But one of the episodes biggest crimes is, that for all the literal probing Mulder wanted to undergo, we don't learn anything that new about. There were arguments about it between the Mulder family? Knew that. The Smoking Man had a critical hand in it? Knew that, too. That Mrs. Mulder and CSM might have been lovers, and might even have been Mulder's father? The viewer knew that, even if Mulder didn't. And that's basically all Mulder gets from having a hole dug in his head. The camerawork for the flashbacks is very well done, I grant you. But since it basically amounts to the same flashback repeated half a dozen times, with almost nothing new gathered from each one, one wonders why they put us through all the labor.

Goodwin (in what mercifully was his first and only script for the series) doesn't seem secure enough to have this particular story form the bulk of the episode. So the other half of the story deals with an admittedly more intriguing scenario. Mulder wakes up in a motel with blood on him, in shock, and with two bullets from his weapon having been fired. Scully comes all the way to Rhode Island to help him, and they find out that Mulder is probably responsible for the murder of two people. However, having started another promising scenario, Goodwin doesn't follow through on this one, either. Sure, we have the local law enforcement suspecting Mulder's guilt, and Scully having to prove his innocence, but they never exactly demonstrate just what happened to the Cassandras and why Mulder was in their house. If one storyline was ignored in favor of the other, that would at least be understandable. To basically ignore resolution of both, seems more along the line of generally sloppiness.  Again, this would be acceptable if it were earlier in the season, at this point, though, it seems like really bad timing on either's part.

The cynical part of me cannot help but wonder if the real reason to write this episode was to give Duchovny a chance to get an Emmy. Given the general high quality of Duchovny's work throughout this season, once again, one wonders why they would  make Demons that particular episode. Oh, I'll admit it's a very good performance, with a fair amount of dramatic highpoints if it were to serve as a standalone for Emmy judges. But once again, in the context of the series, it doesn't hold up at all. Especially since the major confrontation of the story seems to be between Mulder and his mother, Considering how calm and forgiving he was in a similar scenario in Paper Hearts, it can't look like anything other than a mess.  It doesn't help matter that Mrs. Mulder is, like so many other characters in the series, forced to live in a world of ambiguity  One would be surprised, at this point, if anybody in the series is capable of giving a straight answer, let alone a woman who's memory loss at this point, might be considered genuine. I'm a little surprised that all she did was slap his face when Mulder demanded an answer. All of which seems determined to have Mulder go right back to the therapist who drilled a hole in his head. If the only purpose of this episode was, as Scully writes in the inevitable field notes denouement, was to show just how self-destructive Mulder's search for answers is--- well, we knew that part before he let the good Dr. Goldstein do his work.

Is the episode a disaster? Not really. Duchovny's performance is one of his better ones, and some of the elements of the mystery are well drawn. And the flashback sequences are well shot, even if they do seem a bit directionless by the end. But all it seems to demonstrate is that R.W. Goodwin is a much better director than he is a writer--- not even veteran hand Kim Manners was able to make this messy script into a genuine story. If Mulder had faced the actual demons in the title, one would've been a little more understanding. As it is, this just shows that the Samantha Mulder storyline, for all the talk of it being central to the series, is like any other part of the mythology---- not even direct approaches to resolve it will ever actually do it.

My score: 2 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Elegy

Written by John Shiban

Directed by James Charleston

In many ways, this is the darkest episode of the series in a very long time. A lot of it has to do with the lighting---- this is arguably the most shadowy episode since Grotesque.  Most of, however, is due to the subject. In that sense, the title of the episode is particularly apt---- this is one of the closest looks at death the series has done, even in another particularly grim season.

The actual mystery of Elegy comes not so much in the case as it is in regard to the paranormal. The idea of a 'haunted bowling alley' is a rather creepy one, but a lot of the interest falls away, the more details we learn. As someone who works very closely with the autistic community, I could find it just another TV episode with all the cliches about mental illness. I am inclined to be a little more forgiving about it, however, because a) the episode  was nearly twenty years ago, and b)  Mulder acts professionally throughout. He doesn't think the suspect Harold Spuller is responsible for the murder, and goes to immense amount of work to prove that he's innocent.

It's a good thing that he does, because one of the problems with the episode is that too many of the characters in the stories act in cliche. The majority of the law enforcement is cold and hostile to Mulder and just about everyone else from the get-go, and the murderer is telegraphed very early on, by giving the nurse in the facility the last name of Innes. (Anyone who watched ER would understand why this was done.) There's no indication or even a motive as to why she decided to act like this and start taking Harold's meds and go on a killing spree. Considering this is one of the rare X-Files where the monster is left alive, one wonders why neither Mulder or  Scully would bother, instead of idly speculating.

However, even though the murder mystery is something of a disappointment, this is still a pretty good episode, because it chooses to focus on a more interesting idea--- that of the death-fetch.  The idea that a disembodied spirit can be seen by people who are also dying is really close to tosh, but it plays out remarkably well, partly because of the sincerity of the performances and the level of the special effect. It also works because, for once, Scully's cancer storyline is utilized well for a change. Scully may be in the most horrible kind of denial about her illness (one could almost have a drinking game based on the number of times she says "I'm fine" in this episode) but when she finds herself face to face with the bodies of the dead, suddenly she can't lie to herself any more.

This episode also has the benefit of the return of Karen Koseff, the FBI psychologist we last saw in Season 2. It's a shame that this would be here last appearance on the program, because once again Christine Willes plays a character that has a rapport with Scully and the right questions about the real stress that she has in her life. Considering that she rarely opened up even to members of her own family (as we will very soon get more evidence), one wishes she would have talked to someone. The conversation she has with Koseff is, much like the conversation she had with her in Irresistible, one of the highpoints of the season, even though next to nothing happens. Sometimes that's the best level of action ---- when the emotional storms are weighing the greatest.

One could get frustrated with either of our heroes in many of the later scenes---- Mulder for his seeming insensitivity when he mentions that everyone who has seen these death fetches was dying themselves, Scully for remaining in immense denial when she learns about Harold.  But this can be forgiven, because both are reacting to the elephant in the room.  Considering how little the cancer arc has been played upon since Scully was diagnosed nearly eleven episodes ago, once is glad to see that for once it isn't being swept away like one of the errant nosebleeds. When Scully sees the fetch of Harold in the last minute of the episode, its far more frightening then anything we've seen in awhile--- not just because it's got good special effects, but because its speaking far more clearer than any purple prose about our greatest fears.

Saying that this is one of John Shiban's better scripts may not mean much, considering how low he has set the bar in previous episodes. But Elegy is a good episode because it demonstrates a level of character development and compassion among our heroes that many of the other episodes have failed to present. Like his other scripts, the story is flawed, but the emotions are true.

My score: 4 stars.

X-Files Episode Guide: Zero Sum

Written by Howard Gordon & Frank Spotnitz

Directed by Kim Manners

Yes, it's yet another conspiracy episode, but this one has a much better flavor to it than the ones that we usually get. And because of Gillian Anderson's lack of availability---- she was shooting a movie at the time---- it doesn't even have the benefit of Scully. Most of the mythology episodes are filled with the inevitable Carter purple prose, but this time---- perhaps because Carter isn't the one who wrote the dialogue----- its much leaner and fitter than what we usually get.

For starters, the first act has a virtuoso six minute sequence where no dialogue is uttered at all, and the camera for the most part is focused on a single man---- Walter Skinner. Underutilized for the majority of this season, the writers have made up for it by making Mitch Pileggi the center of the episode. And whereas last time, Skinner seemed, for all the focus on him , something of a cipher, this time we get a bit more behind the curtain. In Memento Mori, Skinner made what amounted to a Faustian bargain with the devil himself---- the Smoking Man. Now we see the payment come due, any even though its still vague as to what these people are actually dying for, we have a better sense of just how dear the cost will be.

By this point in the series, it has become a level of trust that Skinner now has to be considered an ally of the agents. The writers won't get message for quite a few more years, but for once, the ambiguity works in our favor. We think Skinner can be trusted to do the right thing, so the opening sequence where Skinner disposes of evidence of the conspiracy's wrongdoings --- up to the point of his disposing of a body---- does come as something of a shock. When he learns about the death of the detective, its a genuine shock to him (if not to the audience) because he knows how genuinely complicit he is in this man's death. There's also genuine fear when he realizes that his weapon has been taken from him, and he realizes the machinations of the men behind the scenes---- it's one thing to be theoretically on the side of the shadows, its another when they cast their nets onto you. And all of this makes the absence of Scully far more relevant, the reminder of what he sold his soul apparently wasting away with no chance of survival.

Mitch Pileggi gives a much more arresting performance in this episode than he did in Gordon's other Skinner-centric episode Avatar. The situation is similar to that of the previous episode----  Skinner is being framed by the conspiracy for a crime he didn't commit------ but different in the fact that before the ambiguity never revealed any real answers to the plot. This time, we know that Skinner is not guilty of the crime, but he is involved in the murder nevertheless. And yet despite all that, there is a genuine sense that he wants to somehow get caught, that if Mulder were somehow able to prove it was him, there would be some kind of genuine relief on his part. One can see that consequence paying a part in his actions for the remainder of the episode, as he tries, to make right what he himself has done wrong. (In  essence, he gets a taste of what Mulder has been going through all these years, which you would think would make him more inclined to see his subordinates point of view. Man, those writers were thick.)

Admittedly, the backstory is still barely comprehensible---- the bees are back, and they somehow are carrying smallpox, and what the hell does this have to do with an alien invasion? But we are inclined to forgive the writers this time, because this time the consequences are much clearer. It's one thing to be told that the conspiracy will do anything to further its agenda, it's quite another to see them release a group of killer bees on a grade school. It also features a rich performance by William B. Davis  as he exercises his ability to have Skinner dance for his own bargain. We should be dissatisfied with the climax where Skinner pulls a gun on CSM, but there is something very emotionally  appealing about the scene where he deliberately misses him. We so very rarely see this man vulnerable, it seems almost triumphant to see his hands shake as he reaches for the inevitable pack of Morleys.

Admittedly, the last five minutes of the episode are unsatisfying as, same as it ever was, it becomes clear that the Syndicate has once again wiped all traces of their evidence away. And the supposed shock that Marita Covarrubias is in league with the CSM really isn't a shock at all---- Mulder's last two informants obviously were, it would only be surprising if she wasn't at this point. But the fact of the matter remains that Zero Sum this is a strong and well done entry in the mythology. It's something of a shame that Gordon would walk away from the series at the end of the episode---- if he had been able to continue his role as the series progresses, maybe the mythology still could have been comprehensible, or at least salvageable.

My score; 4 stars

X-Files Episode Guide: Small Potatoes

Written by Vince Gilligan

Directed by Cliff Bole

And now, we see what Gilligan has been building to all year. All of Gilligan's scripts in Season 4 have dealt with men whose extraordinary skills have somehow emphasized their utter ordinariness--- which leads to poor Eddie Van Blundht, a man who takes the silent H in his name with more seriousness than the gift that enables him to shift into being anyone other than himself.

Eddie Van Blundht, Jr. is a loser, at least so thinks his high school girlfriend who has seen 'Star Wars over  360 times, and is crazy enough to think that she has been impregnated by Luke Skywalker. It is clear that this is a man, who despite his exceptional ability never had anybody believe in him, especially not his own father. In retrospect, the sequence where Eddie impersonates his own father just so he can lay another level of scorn on his son is one of the saddest things the series has ever done----- even as his father, Eddie can't imagine saying anything positive about him. And the scene where he impersonates Mulder in order to visit the mother of his child, and gets another load of insults on him, is cruel. It's delightfully cruel comedy, but its cruel all the same.

 It isn't until the final act, though, that we realize what Gilligan has been aiming at as Eddie continues his impersonation of Mulder and finds out that the man he's aping is, if anything, a bigger loser than him. A man who works in an office little bigger than a broom closet, who doesn't have a bed in his apartment, whose only friends are utter nerds, and hasn't had the decent sense to make a pass at the beautiful woman he works with for nearly four years. The saddest thing about this is that Eddie for all the scorn that gets heaped on him during this episode, is not a bad man. Sure he impersonates other people to achieve his ends, but he doesn't hurt anybody, and when he does, he goes to elaborate means to make sure there all right.  (We'll get to the problem with what he does in a minute) Even whenever he impersonating woman's husband, its clear that he tries to listen to them. That's perhaps the most daring thing about his impersonation to Scully --- he wants a genuine human connection so he pays attention and acts with consideration. There are very few characters like this in any series, much less villains on a sci-fi show.

It's fitting that Darin Morgan is cast as Eddie in this episode. Not only is the script an homage to all of his comic gems in the last two seasons, but it can be seen as symbolically passing the torch of comic genius from him to Gilligan. One should be clear that Gilligan's satire is not a brutal as Morgan's , but its just as funny. There are any number of brilliant bits in the episode---- Scully absolute look of delight when Amanda reveals who the father of her child is, the look of 'oh my god' when  Mulder chases after Eddie in the ob-gyn's office. the look on Mulder's face when he sees the doctor drop the towel that's covering him, and how Eddie as Mulder seems both an utter klutz and someone trying to fit in. More than that, is the fact that Gilligan, like Morgan, has the comic insight to take keys bits of the mythology and turn them into comedy---- this episode takes the fundamental premise of the aliens we've seen---- the shape-shifter--- and turns into a perfect joke

This is such a perfect episode that one is loathe to point out one of its most obvious flaws --- the fact that while the script is very cute about Eddie's crimes, the fact of the matter is Eddie is a multiple rapist. One can certainly see why Gilligan did it----to make Eddie seem like such a harmless loser, he has to soft-pedal all the criminal actions that takes place. But the fact remains, he had sex with five women without their consent. One could sort of see this being done as part of a darker comedy--- certainly the series will demonstrate it better in later episodes---- but it's sort of swept under the rug, even when Eddie goes to prison. Its probably just as well that he didn't--- if we thought Scully was actually in danger in the long scene with Eddie/Mulder at her apartment, a lot of the comedy would go out the window. And we all know that part of the reason it gets such a big laugh at the ends, it's because Mulder has broken down the door of Scully's apartment to save her from... a kiss. (In retrospect, its hard to know whether X-philes everywhere were relieved or enraged that Mulder arrived when he did: we almost had it!)

One could also object to the fact that during this entire episode, Mulder and Scully are going through business as usual, as if Scully were not dying. But again, one can quickly forgive this because that's Gilligan's intention---- this is  supposed to be a light and fluffy episode, and if the 'c word' came up during the show, well, it would completely ruin the mood.

A few months after this episode first aired, TV Guide put Small Potatoes as one of the two X-Files  of the 100 greatest episodes of all time. (The other, perhaps not surprisingly, was Clyde Bruckman). I'm not entirely sure whether that was the best fit of the series. But one has to admit that this is one of the true gems of the series, arguably one of greatest episodes the show ever did. And even more than Morgan, Gilligan's episodes were significant for showing the changes that series would make in the seasons to come, aiming for a lighter tone rather than darkness. Most of them would not be as good, but when the jokes were written by Gilligan, they would always ring true.

My score: 5 stars.

Critics Choice Nominations Reaction: Part 3

Now, the movies, limited series, and some extra.

BEST TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Its hard to argue with People V.O.J. Simpson, The Night Manager, or Roots as choices. Both All the Way and Confirmation were remarkable and timely movies. It's a little hard to see Killing Reagan at their level, but Critics Choice has a habit of analyzing National Geographic.

The more annoying choices are the ones they left out. Considering that Sherlock: The Abominable Bride beat All the Way, you'd think it could be here. And where the hell is The Night of? I know there have been a lot of good limited series this year, but still.. For that matter, where is American Crime?

BEST ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Courtney B. Vance, no problem. Tom Hiddleston and Bryan Cranston, it would be a shock if they weren't here. Benedict Cumberbatch, always a delight. And though he got less credit for his co-stars, Cuba Gooding Jr., was fine in People V. O.J. Simpson.

Tim Matheson for Killing Reagan isn't a bad choice, per se - I'm admired his work as an actor for more than a quarter-century, but it seems a little odd to see him here, and not Ian McKellen, Timothy Hutton or John Turturro. Even Riz Ahmed would've been a better choice.

BEST ACTRESS, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Felicity Huffman and Lili Taylor gave extraordinary performances in American Crime, among the best of the year. Sarah Paulson was magnificent as Marcia Clark. I'm a little surprised to see Olivia Colman competed in this category when she was in Supporting for the Emmys, but her work in The Night Manager was wonderful. I've never been one of Kerry Washington's biggest fans but her work as Anita Hill in Confirmation was great?

Cynthia Nixon is a fine actress, and her work as Nancy Reagan was good, but I'd have preferred one of the leads from the Gilmore Girls miniseries, which not surprisingly was shut out. That's a nitpick more than anything else, though.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Sterling K. Brown was great in People V. O.J. Simpson. So, for that matter, was John Travolta, even though he didn't get nearly enough credit for it. Hugh Laurie was excellent in The Night Manager, and Frank Langella's work as Richard Russell in All the Way was one of the Emmys biggest snubs this year. I've always admired Forest Whitaker, so I was glad to see him nominated for Roots, and Lane Garrison was nearly as good.

I guess the only real problem with this category is it's not big enough to handle all the great performances this year. Wendell Pierce for Confirmation, Michael K. Williams in The Night Of, Connor Jessup in American Crime, Bradley Whitford for All the Way... its a shame they were ignored, but with the general level of talent in this category, its hard to complain.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Regina King was extraordinary in American Crime. Elizabeth Debicki was one of the few actors in Night Manager who didn't get recognized. Melissa Leo's work as Lady Bird Johnson in All the Way was superb.

The other three women's roles are a little harder to measure. Considering that The Dresser is primarily a two-man show, its a little odd that two female leads were nominated. And as good an actress as Anna Paquin is, couldn't they have nominated some of the African-American leads. It's not like there's a huge lack of diversity this year, its just a little strange.

The reality series I traditionally ignore even though there usually more interesting than the Emmys. I will however say that in the talk show category, its good to see that the Daily Show alumni are being so highly rewarded (even if Stephen Colbert was inexplicably ignored), and that in the animated series category, its great to see such fine series as Archer, Bojack Horseman and Bob's Burgers being recognized along with The Simpsons and South Park. They still have good taste.

I'll be back with my predictions in a couple of weeks.

Critics Choice Nomination Part 2: Eomedies

Now, the comedies.

BEST COMEDY

Black-ish, Silicon Valley and Veep are among the funniest shows currently on the air, and it would be weird if they weren't nominated. Ditto Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  I have mixed points of view about Modern Family. Frankly, I would've been happier if Fresh off the Boat or Speechless had been nominated. Atlanta has been one of the higher praised series of the last few months, so I don't object.

The choice of Fleabag over Transparent strikes me as a little bizarre, considering how much it has dominated the awards the last two seasons. And I'd have been a little happier if Crazy Ex-Girlfriend or The Good Place had a spot, considering they'll probably need award recognition just to keep going.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

Anthony Anderson has been one of the more dominant figures in comedy the last few seasons, so I'm glad to see him here again. Jeffrey Tambor has won the last two Best Actors, so he should be here. Donald Glover is one of the funniest talents alive. And Will Forte's work on Last Man On Earth has been praiseworthy.

I'm a little less sure on the last two. Documentary Now! is a funny series, and Bill Hader has a wide array of role, but it's still a little strange to see him here. And Patrick Stewart is clearly having a lot of fun as he gets older, but I'm just not sure Blunt Talk is awardworthy. Couldn't they have found room for Andy Samberg somewhere?

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - I've run out of great things to say about her. Tracee Ellis Ross, a wondrous comic talent on a great show. Ellie Kemper has been fascinating to watch on Kimmy Schmidt, and Constance Wu is one of TV's greatest hidden talents. I'm a little surprised Kate McKinnon was promoted to Best Actress, considering she won Supporting Actress for her Emmy, but I can live with it?

I'm not certain whether Phoebe Waller-Bridge's work on Fleabag is nearly at the level of Patricia Heaton or Amy Schumer, or if its nearly at the work of Gina Rodriguez or Rachel Bloom. It just seems they should have a little more room for letting previous winners at least get nominated again.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Andre Braugher is a wondrous comic force. There's a sentence I'd never thought I'd write. Tony Hale is one of the great physical comedians of our time. Tituss Burgess seems to keep getting short changed by the Emmys. And T.J. Miller may have asked not to be nominated again, but he sure as hell deserves to be. I wasn't wild about the choice of Louie Anderson, but considering he won the Emmy this year, it might have been strange if he hadn't been nominated.

Ty Burrell is a great comedian, but I'd still rather have seen Jaime Camil or Jay Duplass recognized instead. Nothing's wrong with his choice, it just seems something of a step back.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Allison Janney and Judith Light are superb comic masters of the craft. Jane Krakowski should've gotten an Emmy nomination last time out. Anna Chlumsky  wasn't nearly as good on Veep as she was last season, but she was still hysterical. And I have a great admiration for Julie Bowen, even though I don't think as much for her series.

I'm a little surprised that Allison Williams was nominated for Girls, a series mostly ignored for last year's Emmys. I would much rather have seen Mayim Bialik or Eden Sher represented, even though they've won before. Still, I won't bitch that much.

BEST GUEST PERFORMER, COMEDY

It's always hard to differentiate the great performers on this series. My personal preference would be for Larry David for his superb work as Bernie Sanders, but I'd be just as delighted if Christine Baranski won for something.

Reactions to Critics Choice Nominations 2016: Part 1, Drama

For those of you who have followed my blog over the last few years, they will know that I'm a sucker for TV award shows. And one of my favorites over the last few years have been the Broadcast Critics Awards. Mainly devoted to movies, in 2011 they began covering TV series and have slowly but surely been making a dent into the awards bracket. For those who thought the Emmys were too exclusive, they have been a home to recognizing such underutilized performers as You're The Worst, Rectify, and Justified.  They've also been remarkable prescient when it comes to recognizing performers such as Orange is the New Black, The Americans, Mr. Robot, and Homeland.

As perhaps fitting any awards show, this year the Broadcast Critics have been rocked by controversy, though it seems a particularly weird one. When it was learned that the nominations would be announced on networks connected to EW, a brace of critics, including ones from TV Guide and TV Insider resigned from the organization. It is unclear how many have left, but the reported number is 15% of the membership. I'm really not sure what to make of this decision. There are many good reasons to quit an organization, but where they choose to announce strikes me as a rather odd one.

A more interesting reason may deal with the one that might be more concerning. While there still are many esoteric choices this year, many of the nominations were close to this years Emmys. However, this may actually be a good size, as it would seem to emphasize that the Emmys are now coming around to the point of what series are worthy of awards. Considering that last year's Critics Choice recognized both The Americans and Mr. Robot both prominent nominees a few months ago, it may show that they're headed in the right direction at last.

So, even though this is nearly a month before awards season traditionally begins, here are my reactions to this years nominees for the Critics Choice 2016. As always, I'll start with the dramas.

BEST DRAMA

Better Call Saul and Mr. Robot were among the best series of this year. This is Us is one of the most promising new dramas to come anywhere, let alone from network TV. I'm not wild about the mass praise over Game of Thrones, but considering that it swamped the Emmys in September, I'll let it slide. The Crown is one of the more intriguing series this season, and these awards prove that I've got to at least take a glimpse at Westworld.  I'm a little baffled as to why Stranger Things was nominated, and not House of Cards. And where the heck are The Americans? Oh, right...

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Ah yes, another nomination for Matthew Rhys. Rami Malek and Bob Odenkirk were among last seasons preeminent performers, and are probably likely to face off for the trophy. Always good to see Kevin Spacey back, maybe they'll recognize him this year.

The fascination with Liev Schreiber's work on Ray Donovan always strikes me as bizarre. Damian Lewis and Michael Sheen were far better this year.  Sam Heughan is an interesting choice, and while I might have preferred seeing one of the leads from This is Us here, I can't protest that much

 BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Tatiana Maslany is always a good choice, and frankly I don't know why the Critics Choice ignored her last year. Keri Russell and Robin Wright are two of the strongest female leads on two of TV better series; they deserve to be here. I'm a little surprise Viola Davis made it, and Taraj P. Henson didn't, but Empire's fall was greater.

Caitriona Balfe has been a fine performer on Outlander and well deserved some Emmy recognition. I'm a little less sure of Evan Rachel Wood for Westworld, but I've admired her work since Once and Again, and I'm glad to see her contending for something.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

This is where things get more difficult to pick apart. Christian Slater more than earned his place at the table. John Lithgow's work as the aging Winston Churchill on The Crown was fine. I have my druthers about Peter Dinklage and Kit Harington, but their work on Game of Thrones was Emmy nominated, and was likely to be named here.

Jon Voight's work for Ray Donovan continues to seem bizarre, its as odd to see it here as at the Emmys. And as much as I love Mandy Patinkin on Homeland, I'm not a hundred percent sure it even aired in the requisite time to be nominated. Where the hell are Jonathan Banks, Tobias Menzies, or Ben Mendelsohn?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRES DRAMA

Christine Baranski more than deserved to be nominated for her swan song on The Good Wife. Maura Tierney is always good, though technically her series won't have begun airing until after the nomination. Constance Zimmer is a diamond who deserves everything she gets

My problems with Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey are the same with Dinklage and Harington. I'll have to wait and see about Thandie Newton, though I have always admired her work.

BEST GUEST PERFORMER DRAMA

Very interesting mix. Where else could you se Michael J. Fox and Lisa Bonet nominated in the same category? Fox is my personal choice, though I wouldn't mind Mahershala Ali winning for House of Cards.

Homicide Episode Guide: 'Bop Gun'

Written by David Simon and David Mills

Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal

            ‘Bop Gun’ was the last episode filmed for the shows ‘second season’ but it would be the first one aired. NBC chose to lead with it for  a few reasons most of them having to do with the shows guest star. Robin Williams made a rare television appearance and an even rarer dramatic turn. NBC thought (correctly) that the presence of a marquee name like Williams would boost the shows ratings. However, this episode could have been filmed with a lower level guest star and it still would   have been one of ‘Homicide’s best episodes.

            In many ways, ‘Bop Gun’  is a radical departure from what the previous episodes. A single storyline, independent of previous episodes, fills the hour. We follow the grueling experience of Robert Ellison, a tourist vacationing in Baltimore whose wife is killed right in front of him in a robbery. The episode tracks the man’s experiences as his case is investigated by (mostly) indifferent police  which yields an arrest, conviction and a life sentence.  None of which brings the victims husband any closure or relief or ability to move on.

            For the first time, the show examines the real victims of murder. We never see Katherine Ellison killed, but we do see how those around the victim are forced to react. While the detectives are initially sensitive to the mans grief, some of them don’t hide it very well. Beau Felton, the primary, is not a very capable man for demonstrating proper behavior. In one of the shows most memorable scenes, Munch and Felton (neither known for being subtle) make fun of Ellison’s inability to help identify the shooters and express happiness at the fact that since the case is a red ball, they will rack up the overtime--- all the while unaware that Ellison is just a few feet away. Some of the other police are better equipped. Lieutenant Giardello helps smooth over Ellison’s complaints and to try and express the proper level of concern. Bayliss (who is probably the most capable man in Homicide of sympathizing) does his level best to try and comfort him.

But as the episode makes very clear, there are some events that people can not get past no matter what happens.

            Robert Ellison goes through the first half of the episode much like Bayliss did in ‘Ghost of a Chance’--- like he is  in a fog. Most of this is due to the fact that he will be replaying the moments in which his wife got shot for the rest of his life. Nothing will bring his wife back and he knows it. The legacy of an instant that could not have been prepared for will haunt him forever.  He sums up his situation better than anyone after the sentencing of the  shooter’s accomplices.

            “When the trigger was pulled, I lost my wife but I  joined a  club. Its a very exclusive club. But  the funny thing about the club is none of the members want to belong. It’s like some sort of secret society where only the initiated can recognize the other members.” There is no real relief for people like this. And, as Ellison points out, the club is getting larger every day.

            When we see him on late night television or on stage, we often forget that Robin Williams is a very fine actor. He’s a meteorite of comedic energy, but he also has a very serious side. And when he is given a very powerful script,  like he is here, he is as good as any other dramatic actor. This is a top notch performance, arguably the best serious work that he has ever done.

            Yet for all of Williams work, he isn’t the whole show. The killer is just a nameless street hustler. Vaughn Perkins,, the shooter, is an average guy with almost no criminal record. His father was murdered, he goes to a good school. Of all the people that could have committed this crime, he is on the bottom of the list. When he is arrested, he says nothing but writes a letter of apology to the victims. This infuriates Felton but disturbs Kay Howard. She keeps focusing on a phrase in the note: ‘I had the power but I forgot who I was.” She doesn’t believe he’s the shooter even after Vaughn pleads guilty and receives a life sentence with no possibility of parole. She tries to put it together but gets nowhere. Finally she talks with Vaughn in prison and learns the truth--- Vaughn took the gun so that he could ensure that nobody would get hurt---  the shooting was, in essence, an accident. As it turns out, Ellison is not the only man who will spend the rest of his life replaying the moment. None of this brings any comfort to Howard; perhaps she would have done better to leave the case alone, like Felton.  The  episode also gives Melissa Leo a chance to do some of her best work on the series.

            ‘Bop Gun’ is a landmark episode. It would   be the first time that ‘Homicide would pursue those who are left behind when someone dies. It would also be the first time that the show would cast a comic actor in a serious role. More importantly to the shows evolution, it would also be the first time that ‘Homicide’ would pursue a single story instead of several ongoing ones. They would never quite give up having several stories per episode--- but they would begin to start exploring  single kinds of stories. This would lead to several great dramatic moments but it would also fundamentally change the spirit of the show.

            But all of that is for later. By itself, ‘Bop Gun’ is one of those powerful television  episodes that most shows rarely produces but ‘Homicide’ manage to do a couple of times a year at least. This  is great stuff.

Rank BY Fan’s 14th

My score: 5 stars.