The X-Files Episode Guide: Improbable

Written & Directed by Chris Carter

Ah, free will versus determinism. The philosophical question that has plagued man since we climbed out of the primordial slime. Writers have been trying to thread that particular knot forever, and its probably not a huge surprise that such a massive debate has spilled over into television. (A few years after The X-Files ended, Lost would come into being, and make that one of its key cornerstones - and probably the shakiest part of the series.)

The X-Files has delved into the subject more than a few times, starting way back with Clyde Bruckman, an episode where the central character was convinced that the future was already written, and therefore action was pointless. The series has visited the subject quite a few times since, whether dealing with whether the patterns of a single day repeated over and over could change because of fate (Monday), whether or not a single could be the focus of events and somehow be a part of luck (The Goldberg Variation) or whether or not man could change his fate given the ultimate power to do so (Je Souhaite) It's a heavy subject to deal with, which may be the reason that the X-Files chose to deal with it strictly in comedy. The last word on the subject would appear to be Improbable, in which centers ourselves on trying to find a single pattern in the everlasting chaos of dead bodies, and centers around the ultimate referee - God.

Burt Reynolds gives one of the most delightful performances in the history of the X-Files. The X-Files has rarely relied on big name guest stars in its key roles - at first because it was so lowly rated it couldn't afford; and ultimately because the series didn't really need them. Here, however, Reynolds is perfectly cast, using his level of charms and well-aged veneer to look like a wise man who genuine seems to have seen it all. But despite all that, he demonstrates himself being a man who can here every part of the universe unfolding in a pattern that only he can hear. And yet, he seems to hold that the characters in his dance have choice in what they do. He wants the woman who loses her paycheck in the same slot machine every week to finally win, even though it only pays off the moment she is no longer in  the equation. He believes the serial killer who decides to kill can make the choice not to kill, even though he never does. And he believes that the FBI agents who come to the garage where he has been waiting for them to play a game of checkers are capable of realizing the truth without him having to point them in the right direction or even having to do anything to save their lives.

Its rather a shame that Chris Carter, the all-knowing creator of this universe, has been, in many ways, the weakest part of the X-Files. His mythology episodes have driven the series into a swamp from which it can't escape, and his standalones have often been the most awkward part of it. But every so often, he shakes it off, and delivers an episode of true imagination. Here in his final standalone, he swings for the fences, and for the most part succeeds spectacularly.  Everything in this episodes moves in a stylized pattern, sometimes very subtly, sometimes with a music that you can't expect.  From the shuffling of cards in the opening, to the movement down the hallway of the FBI, to the movement of the split screens. Its one of those gems that makes you realize the brilliance Carter some times had in episodes of true merit such as Triangle or How the Ghosts Stole Christmas. And what it does in an episode that plays like a brilliant comedy is tell another story that is incredibly dark. We have a serial killer who the script only refers to Mad Wayne, who seems to be driven by impulses that not even he can fully understand -not that far removed from the killer in Clyde Bruckman, who simply killed because he was a homicidal maniac.

 But unlike Bruckman, the murders are actually less of the point to the story. Reyes comes to the case under the impression that a series of deaths are linked because of a group of numerological patterns, something that Scully doesn't want to accept - until she sees the pattern on the bodies. The FBI doesn't want to accept the patterns either - they look upon her and her theories the same way Mulder looked upon the Stupendous Yappi. And the debate seems to be answered by the way that Scully and Reyes argue about it in the climatic scene in the garage, though neither seem willing, in the end, to accept that the observer was God.

All of this makes Improbable sound about as entertaining as an existentialist lecture. When in fact, its one of the funniest episodes since Je Souhaite.  The X-Files has been doing so well by delving back to its dark roots that its refreshing to know that it hasn't forgotten how to laugh at itself. It's so nice to see Anderson being whimsical again, after a season where all she's basically had to do is cry on cue. And its good to see that Patrick and Gish have a gift for comedy that could have served them a lot better had the series been willing to stop taking itself so seriously the past few years. And watching the episode take itself so lightly almost makes the final message - that God may be written to everything - actually seem comforting in a series that usually takes messages from the divine so heavily.

It's not entirely perfect. After everything we've seen for most of the episode, its a little hard to accept the final musical number as something that verges on overkill - though I suspect the pattern and stylization is part of the point of the episode. And the episode does resolve itself  a little too easily when Doggett shows up at the last moment to shoot the killer before he gets Reyes. (Do you call it deux ex machina when God is actually there?) Honestly, though, my main problem is that it smacks a little too much of Clyde Bruckman's resolution for me to happy. But these are minor complaints for an episode that is a lot smarter than anything we've seen in awhile, and a lot more amusing too. If this is the final say on the subject, its a good resolution for me.

My score:4.5 stars.

My Picks for This Year's Emmys :Best Supporting ACtress, Comedy

They've managed to expand this category more than a couple of times the last few years, but I'm going to try to stay within the limitations of the rules. If there is a seventh nominee, I hope it goes to someone like Mayim Bialik or Carrie Brownstein who have been tragically overlooked. But there are a lot of contenders, and I may break some of my own rules in considering them.

Kathryn Hahn, Transparent

There have been a surplus of brilliant nominees in this category, and one could just as easily give  a nod to Judith Light or Amy Landecker. But by far the most compelling actress in this category is Hahn's portrayal of Raquel, the rabbi who has been going on a far more personal journey than any of the other Pfefferman's this season. There's a real possibility she might also contend in the Best Actress category for a different Jill Soloway series. But I really hope Emmy voters take a long look at her work here.

Gaby Hoffman, Transparent

As the youngest and in many ways the most aimless of the Pfefferman clan, Hoffman has made some of the most memorable stints as she tries to find professional and personal growth. The fact that she keeps getting lost is mostly her own doing, but it is also by far the most entertaining of the group. I've been a fan of Hoffman far longer than I can remember, and she more than deserves to be considered.

Allison Janney, Mom

Will this be the year that one or perhaps two comediennes break the long time record for most Emmys won by a performer? Of the two, the far more endearing, as is almost always the case was watching Bonnie continue to make - even for her - growth, even as her family continues to struggle, surprising even her. And the episode where she began to deal with the death of her mother, a woman who did far more to set her on her path, reminded me just how gifted Janney is.

Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

For reasons, which somehow elude me, Krakowski's brilliant work in a sterling cast was overlooked by the Emmys last year. She's been one of the most outstanding performers in television for nearly two decades, and it's strange that the Critics Choice recognized her but the Emmys didn't. Admittedly, its a narrower path, but I think she'll sneak in this time.

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Yes, I'm breaking my own rule. For over a decade, I've been pissed off at the Emmys for recognizing sketch comedy - particularly from SNL  - in Supporting categories that could go to other winners. But to say Amy Schumer and Key & Peele the last two years and denying SNL - which had one of the most successful seasons in its history this year - would smack of hypocrisy. Add to this the fact that McKinnon prevailed last year in this category and took the Best Actress prize from the Critics Choice, and the fact that she is by far the most omnipresent comedienne, means that I would be foolish to deny her presence in this category this year. But don't make a habit of it.

Eden Sher, The Middle

This is my fringe pick, but come on. She's been the most upbeat and ridiculously optimistic children on a family mired in debt. That she's managed to get as far as she has seems to be related more to personal pushing rather than anything else. Can't the Emmya just say "What the Heck" for this brilliant actress. She's already won twice from the Critics Choice. She deserves it far more than someone like Anna Chlumsky, for crying out loud.

My Picks for this Years Emmys: Best Supporting Actor, Comedy

Last year, I made a fairly accurate list, and then managed to ruin my record by completely ignoring Louie Anderson for his work in the much loved Baskets. Once again, I'm going to pass over him, even though the odds are fairly good he'll be nominated yet again. But for the moment, let's consider some of the other good comics in this category.

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I actually remember a time when this fine talent was ignored by the Emmys.  But Captain Holt has become one of the more delightful characters in all of TV, even though most of what he does is pure deadpan, an art solely lacking in this era of wildness. Maybe its just because he's been one of my favorite actors for more than twenty years, but I would like to see him win once more.

Titus Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

There may be some wild characters in the history of this Netflix series, but he always seems to get the most brilliant showcases for his talents. For him to basically satirize Beyonce as well as he did, and then go even further from that point on is an act of sheer daring. He's one of the most original characters to come out of any platform in this decade, and he deserves to get nominated, even if he was just under the deadline.

Ted Danson, The Good Place

I've mentioned more than once that one of the nicer side benefits of TV's new Golden Age has been the revitalization of Danson's career. And some might view his return to broadcast comedy as a step backward. But consider the level of brilliance he had to play all season as Michael, the architect of The Good Place who spent the entire season on our leads side - and then in the last few minutes revealed his true colors in a way that shocked everybody. For that kind of added level to his performance alone, he deserves a nomination. Considering how good he was all season, he's cemented it.

Jay Duplass, Transparent

I realize advocating for his nomination always seems to be a little bit of a stretch. But Josh has always seemed to be the most lost of the Pfefferman children and his journey was by far the most amusing of the clan, as he tried to find new direction romantically and career-wise. Considering the slew of nominations this series gets, one figures he's earned it by now

Tony Hale, Veep

Yes, I realize what I said about how generally mediocre Veep was this year. But that did not apply to Hale, who managed to make Gary even more impressive trying to handle Selina as she dealt with being out of office. And by far some of the high points of the season - his suffering a heart attack taking a back seat to Selina's illness, his return to Mississippi for his 40th birthday being completely taken over by Selina's desire for funding - were centered around him. I know he's got two Emmys that he deservedly one, but he deserves another shot.

T.J. Miller, Silicon Valley

Ehrlich's character by far had the most ups and downs - mostly downs -- as he kept trying to latch on to a money making idea, and kept sucking everybody's life out of it. But he's still by far one of the most entertaining characters on the series, which is why I'm really sad that he seems to be leaving the show. (His final episode seemed to demonstrate he was doomed.) Miller's consistently denied he wants a nomination for his role. Ignore his wishes, Emmy voters. It would be entertaining to see him there.

WILD CARD

Sam Richardson, Veep

But by far the best thing about Veep this season was watching the expanded role for Richard, the most incompetent and innocent man in the entire entourage that follows Selena. His throwaway lines can have some of the most brilliant laughs in the entire episode, and his relationship where he fathers Margaret and her lesbian lovers child - and revealing that he had never masturbated - was actually a rather heartfelt moment in a series that usually stamps those kind of moments until they're dead. It may be hard to see him in this ensemble, but he deserves to be recognized.

My Picks for This Year's Emmys: Best Actress in A Comedy

I'm well aware that this is Julia-Louis Dreyfus' category, as it has been for the last five years. But considering that I found Selina's character far too unpleasant to thoroughly enjoy or even like (with the possible exception of the finale), I would like to do something revolutionary: consider this category without her. God knows, there are certainly enough funny series with female leads at the center - hell, ABC alone could fill this category with worthy nominees. So even though its very likely she'll be nominated and make it six in a row, let's imagine an alternate universe where some other fine women are considered. (And several of them will be here, I have no doubt)

Kirsten Bell, The Good Place

Let's be honest: she's deserved an Emmy nod since Veronica Mars. And watching Eleanor frantically try to prove that she deserved to be in the Good Place, even though she knew that she didn't - was one of the more delightful and entertaining bits of TV all last season. When the final twist was revealed, it was exceptionally painful to see her realize it was all for naught, and really I hope theirs redemption for her. If the Emmy judges don't honor her for this series, they're really forking crazy.

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

I really shouldn't like Rebecca. She's as self-absorbed and self-centered as any other character on pay cable. But the fact that Bloom seems more than willing to humiliate herself, in comic action, and in delightful song just makes me enjoy every minute of her criminally underviewed show. And given how close to her personality the actual Rachel Bloom  is  - at award shows acceptance speeches, or backstage at the Tonys - she really deserves an Emmy nod. Yes, I know this is a CW show. You're nominating series that don't even appear on TV. Please.

Minnie Driver, Speechless

There are a lot of power moms on ABC these days, and frankly Patricia Heaton and Constance Wu would be just as worthy of consideration. But watching Maya DeMeo, the force of nature who will do literally anything for her wheelchair bound son, even if it means steamrolling through the neighborhood, or even some of her own family, has provided me with some of the hugest laughs of the TV season. Driver has always been an awkward puzzle piece when it comes to much of TV, but this is clearly a jewel of a role. Reward her.

Issa Rae, Insecure

There are a lot of female-hyphenates out there, and most of them get far too much exposure. But in a world where so many characters are determined to etch out of a place, Rae's ability to find neurosis and problems in the African-American scene were nearly as entertaining to watch as Donald Glover's similarly veined searches in Atlanta. She's already far more entertaining than Lena Dunham ever was, and she more than deserves multiple bites at the Emmy apple.

Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish

Bow has always been the most level-headed of any of the characters in the Johnson clan, and watching her try and maintain job security in her hospital, as she dealt with her pregnancy was very funny. But when her child went into distress in the final episode, and she had to deal with some of the harder choices, it was by far the most poigniant moments in a fine season. She managed to win the Golden Globe before that episode. Even if Dreyfus is in the category, its going to take some really good 'splaining for her to be ignored this yerar.

Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

I know, compared to some of the more sharp comedies on Netflix, this is pretty pedestrian stuff, but that doesn't change the fact that the series can be extremely funny a lot of the time. And a huge part of the reason has always been this comic legend. Some will argue that its unfair to consider here without her co-lead Jane Fonda, and she should be, but Tomlin always seem to have better timing, and more interesting stories. She won the SAG Lifetime achievement award this season, Believe me, she's nowhere near finished.

WILD CARD

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

I've pushed for her the last two years, and she was ignored in favor of lesser nominees. But come on. She lost her husband, she became an author, she became more accepting of her baby daddy and his ex-wife, she raised a toddler who asked about his heritage, she presided over her parent's marriage -- and she finally lost her virginity. Could we please ask what the hell she has to do to get recognized by the Emmys? They had to change the show's title, come on.

My Emmy Picks: Best Actor In A Comedy

Why is it getting harder and harder to find a smart, daring comedy centered around men any more? This is a slight exaggeration, of course, as I'm about to list quite a few people who are among them. But its very telling that Matt LeBlanc is leaving one of the smarter sitcoms on the air to star one of the weaker candidates on CBS. I'm not even a hundred percent sure I'll have a wild card for this category - the pickings are so slim. But here goes.

Anthony Anderson, black-ish

There's literally nothing he can't do. Anderson has been so astonishing on this show, and so brilliant on so many dramas coming into this, that one almost forgot he started as a stand-up comic. Dre dealt with so many imagined crises this year - one found it harder to deal with the fact that his favorite child is going to college - that it was rather remarkable to see what happened when Bow went into distress with the child she had been carrying all season. To see him truly suffer is the kind of thing that would scream 'Emmy bait' if he spent the whole season earning it. I really would like to see him win.

Aziz Ansari, Master of None

The gap between season 1 and 2 was so long that one might have forgotten how brilliant he was in this created series. But Ansari more than demonstrated his ability by pushing reset and switching the series location to Italy. Watching Dev deal with some of the more unusual problems - his search for a lost cell phone, his battle for a prize chef, his endless search for love, and his quest for religious identity - was so remarkable you were astonished that he managed to fit so much in just ten episodes. I don't know what season 3 will bring, but I look forward to it.

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Even if his comedy wasn't the most brilliant debut of 2016, I'd still be in this guys corner. I've been a fan of this actor-writer-musician since his early work on the cult sensation Community, and seeing him return to a format that brought him such renown - only to make it even more brilliant was astonishing work. He's already won the Golden Globe, a Broadcast critics choice, and a WGA. The competition will be fierce, but I think the odds are good he'll be onstage Emmy night.

William H. Macy, Shameless

Yes, I'm actually advocating for a comedy that I've been known to openly despise. But considering that much of Season 7 was about so many of the Gallagher clan making large steps towards redemption, it somehow seems fitting that Frank being given credit for making progress - however minute - towards redemption. And watching him deal with the passing of Monica, a woman who none of the other Gallagher's had any use for, was really rather touching. He earned his SAG award, and I think for once he's earned the nod.

Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley

We've had so many arc of characters on TV dramas and comedies where the lead character goes further and further down a dark path. So it was actually rather refreshing to see Richard, the often beleaguered CEO on Pied Piper go on a similar journey, get darker, and at the last possible moment, pull out of it. It's still not clear whether the series will have him go further into darkness, but it was entertaining for once. He deserves to repeat.

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

It's a little amazing that in this stage of the series, Maura is the most centered of the  entire Pfefferman clan. But just when you feel Tambor can't go any further dramatically or comically, you get an episode like the third season premiere which featured her frantically trying to find a potential suicide, running frantically through a shopping mall, collapsing in a heap, and finding herself being identified as a man by the EMTs. I don't if Tambor will be able to make it a three-peat, but he's sure as hell going to be there yet again. 

My Picks for This Years Emmys: Best Comedy Series

BEST COMEDY SERIES

This will probably get me more laughed at than any other argument, but this year I'm not convinced Veep deserves to be among the nominees. Maybe it's the level of toxicity that inhabits the current political atmosphere, or maybe its just the fact  that it was in its sixth season, but the series which has been hysterical funny for the last few years seemed disconnected and rudderless. I realize that I'm going against the grain, and that the series will probably dominate the nominations like it has for the last five years, but I can't in good conscience honor this time out. So here are my picks, sans Veep.

Atlanta (FX)

Admittedly, I came to this series somewhat late, and have only seen the first two episodes, but what I've seen continues to demonstrate the African American renaissance in TV. This is a darker, angrier series than one is used to from FX, but its certainly no less entertaining for those reasons. And considering its track record (a win at the Golden Globes, the WGA and the Peabody's), this seems like one of the surer bets to show up in this category. Bravo.

black-ish (ABC)

Admittedly, the series wasn't as perfect as last year (the opening episode in Disneyworld, the Chris Brown cameo), but when it was at its peak - which was frequently - it could be uproariously funny and even more politically relevant, even in this new political era. And though so many of the segments were comic gold, I think the episode that will stick with me the most was the finale when Bow's pregnancy came under distress.  The series has on more than one occasion been satirically brilliant; this episode demonstrated its dramatic brilliance as well.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW)

I know, I know, this is really going out on a limb, especially over Veep. But even though its a fringe series on a fringe network, this is one of the most joyous, raucous, hysterical, and original series on any platform today. Every musical number stands as both a great satire and a great original song. Its heroine is the perfect antidote to every poisonous antihero, even though she's more selfish than a lot of them.  And anyone who saw the Tonys and watched Rachel Bloom knows she's even more joyous in person. Give this woman a real shot at it.

The Good Place (NBC)

Another sign that NBC is on the verge of a creative revival is this brilliant satire on what it is to be a good person. Everything about it - the writing, the acting, the scenery, the throwaway lines - would've been enough to merit a nomination on its own. But the final twist in the last episode is something that I don't even the most daring writers in dramatic TV would've dared attempt. NBC showed a lot of faith renewing it for Season 2. Emmy voters, show them some more.

Master of None (Netflix)

Yes, there are lots of great comedies now on Netflix, and its as likely that Kimmy Schmidt will be dominant as it has been the last two years. But this series is a true original that was more than worth the eighteen months we had to wait between seasons. I don't know no any other series which would have tried to satirize The Bicycle Thief in its opening episode. And the fact that it still has one of the more intriguing leads at its helm, that's willing to completely reset after last season is a work of art on its own, It got some love from the Emmys last year. It deserves more.

Silicon Valley (HBO)

This series was a bit more inconsistent than last year, but it was far more engaging in its individual moments than anything else. Watching Richard go to extremes to try and make his platform work, travel to the verge of darkness and back to the light was frankly an impressive journey for any character this season. But there was more than enough intriguing comedy along the way, including Bighead's travel to Stanford, Dinesh's relationship with a hacker, and Ehrlich's journey to Tibet (which he may not return from). This one was fun.

Transparent (Amazon)

Maybe it's wrong to keep calling this series a comedy, as the laughs can often be awkward and filled with pain. But it remains one of the most daring and entertaining series, as the Pfefferman clan continues on journeys at least as awkward as Maura's trek towards her true gender. This series alone justifies Amazon going into original entertainment. And its cast deserves as much recognition that is being given to Jeffrey Tambor.

Better Late Than Never: The Good Fight

When The Good Wife left the airwaves last May, and a spinoff was announced on CBS' spinoff online channel, CBS Access, one could easily have made the argument that this was just a cheap attempt for CBS to try and reach an audience with a ready made series with little originality. After all, it had several of the original members of the series most notably Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, Cush Lumbo as Luca Quinn, and Sarah Steele as the scene stealing Marissa Gold, playing the same roles, albeit at a different law firm. (We'll get to the other recurring members in a minute) And considering that the funeral baked meats for the Alicia Florrick were not yet cold, an argument could also be made that this was show creators Robert and Michelle King attempt to try and keep doing what they were doing so well on The Good Wife, albeit on a network that allowed them to curse and show even more explicit sex scenes.
Or so you might've thought. Instead, The Good Fight more than demonstrates that the series is just as timely as ever in a post-Trump world. And rather than rest on its laurels, the series goes to levels you wouldn't think. At the center of the new show is Diane Lockhart's goddaughter Maia Rendell (Rose Leslie). Having passed the bar exam in the Pilot, she has since been at the center of an even worse scandal that plagued Alicia in the early seasons. Her parents (Paul Guilfoyle and Bernadette Peters) are found to be at the center of major stock trading fraud that has bankrupted thousands. With her father arrested, and claiming his innocence, Maia is completely unsure who to believe, considering that her parents keep telling conflicting stories. Her personal life (she is a lesbian) has been made the subject of Twitter frauds. And now it seems that these same frauds have put her firm at the center of a Cook County Investigation.
Meanwhile, Diane has been affected even worse. Planning to retire at the beginning of the episode, her finances were wiped out because of her friendship with the Rendells, and even worse her reputation has been destroyed among the liberal forces she allowed to invest. With everything in upheaval, she turned to a primarily African American lawfirm, headed by Adrian Bozeman (Delroy Lindo). Reduced to an associates position, she has been trying to rebuild her reputation and her life, aided primarily by Marissa who transferred to be her assistant.
All of this is fascinating on its own, but the series is also staying true to its origins by having each episode center around the same kind of timely cases that the series has been renowned for. There have case about TV copyright infringements, the property of embryos, the right of a doctor to treat even foreign nationals in harms way, all presided over by the same delightful set of judges that made The Good Wife such fun. And then there all the memorable recurring characters who were always enjoyable. So far, Matthew Perry, who played Peter Florrick's gubernatorial opponent in Season 4, returns as Mike Kresteeva, now with the AG's office determined to bring down the firm. Its help that the firm is represented by Elspeth Tascioni (Emmy-winner Carrie Preston), who has already demonstrated how perfect a lawyer she was. John Benjamin Hickey and Gary Cole have already reappeared as their scene stealing characters. Could Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) be far behind?
The Good Fight is not yet as great as The Good Wife, but its very quickly becoming as addictive as that series was. I'm grateful that the series has been renewed for Season 2. I only hope the Emmy judges are more kind to it than they were to its founder.
My score: 4.75 stars.

Homicide Episode Guide: The Hat

Written by Anya Epstein; story by Henry Bromell, Tom Fontana and Trish Soodik

Directed by Peter Medak

     The team of Meldrick Lewis and Mike Kellerman would investigate some of the more eccentric murders with some of the quirkier criminals, leading to an unusual mix of comedy and drama. Perhaps the quintessential episode of their work together would be ‘The Hat’ which is essentially a ‘Road To Baltimore’ story featuring Lewis, Kellerman and Rose Halligan, one of the most harmless looking criminals that the series would produce. The comedy aspect is played up even more considering that Rose is played by comedy legend Lily Tomlin.

     Rose Halligan seems like such an innocuous woman (we first see here crashing into a fire hydrant)  Meldrick and Mike drive all the way out to Pennsylvania to escort this very proper middle-aged woman and she seems like a chatty, convivial and cultured woman--- certainly not the kind of person who would bludgeon her husband to death. She seems more concerned that she won’t have another tuna melt rather than the fact she’s going to prison. When we finally learn the reason that she killed her husband, it is hard not to feel a certain degree of sympathy for her as Meldrick does. Unfortunately, none of this doesn’t mean that she’s less dangerous--- as she manages to escape in order to commit a second murder.

     But Lewis and Kellerman have been playing sloppy for the entire episode. They go through improper procedure in picking Halligan up, take a side trip to the Enchanted Forest to see the world’s largest swordfish and then almost lose her there. (The funniest moment of the episode comes when Lewis and Kellerman frantically return to the car to find Rose patiently waiting for them there) Then they take the old lady out to dinner and let her go to the bathroom by herself. Considering how badly they bungle this, it’s amazing that Howard or Giardello doesn’t bounce them from the squad.

     Then again, maybe they’re distracted by what’s going on back in Baltimore. Megan Russert’s demotion has left and opening in the captains position. The squad becomes convinced that Gee has finally won the promotion  that his leadership and seniority have entitled him to. Which is why it becomes an incredible shock that the job goes to the small-minded and bullying Roger Gaffney. Gaffney, as you recall, was bounced by Russert from Homicide to Missing Persons. Somehow he has managed to earn a promotion to Lieutenant and now for reason wish pass understanding he earns the promotion.(As it turns out this was done on purpose, though we will not learn why until nearly a year later) Gaffney is probably the most loathsome and unlikable character on the show but, unlike Gee or Russert he does not make waves and he follows the chain of command. That is how real life politics work, not only in the Baltimore police department but just about everywhere and it is a credit to the show that the creators are loyal to that idea.

     Giardello is respectful enough not to make a public scene. In private, he is royally pissed and hammers the crap out of a locker. The other detectives (particularly Pembleton) are openly disdainful of this. They will tolerate Gaffney but they will not serve him.

     And in real life, killers walk on technicalities too. Munch is scheduled to testify on the trial of an attorney who has killed his partner. However, footage of the crime scene reveals that there was a mistake in the handling of evidence. Munch is more than willing to destroy the evidence. Unfortunately Brodie shot the footage and his ultra-sensitivity to being honest makes him turn the tape over to the defense—a result that leads to the murderer’s acquittal.

     ‘Despite all this comedy, the most shocking moment comes when Kellerman makes a personal revelation.--- when he learned that his wife was cheating on him he seriously considered shooting her. This does more than indicate how fidelity and hostile action can happen in an instant. It also illustrates how emotional a personality Mike Kellerman really is, an attitude that will  lead to his eventual fate in the department.

‘The Hat’ is not quite a classic but in it’s mixture of comedy, drama, and real life politics, headed up with Lily Tomlin’s Emmy-nominated work, it is one of the better episodes of the fourth season and possibly the best work that Diamond and Johnson will do in the fourth season. (There are better moments ahead for both of them in the future.)

          My score:

X-Files Episode Guide: Underneath

Written & Directed by John Shiban

John Shiban is by this point in the X-Files run, the third longest tenured staff writer. And let's be honest, he has a pretty crappy reputation. The majority of the episodes he has written have been laggard monster stories with no real energy or collaborations with his fellow writers Spotnitz and Gilligan, both of whose talent exceeded his, and could probably be credited with making the stories work. So really, the fact that he has chosen to turn director in his final (to date) X-Files story seems more of a vanity trip than any real chance to show off his gifts, like Gilligan did in Je Souhaite or Spotnitz did in Alone, and more as something to get crossed off his professional bucket list before the series closes up shop in a few months.

And yet despite that, Underneath manages to demonstrate a surprisingly suitable sendoff for an X-Files writer whose best work came in what was more traditional procedural stories than the paranormal ones. Indeed, the episode doesn't exactly sing with originality. We have an old case that dates back to one of the characters past work, an interaction with a former colleague that basically ends with the friendship being scuttled (though at least his partner manages to avoid the fate so often given to characters in the first seasons of the X-Files), a supernatural occurrence that seems to turn the story on its head, and yet even that isn't much more original, with a character have a hidden side to himself that manifest in a different personality  - the series last dealt with it in Chimera, and even that barely passed muster.

But the story works and works well, because, almost for the first time in Shiban's career of writing for the show, he manages to tap into the characters in a way to make them seem fully dimensional. Bob Fassl is a man who seems, from the teaser, to have been framed for a series of murders in 1989. Released because of what seems to be an error in DNA evidence, he finds himself in the halfway house of his attorney when it seems the killings are starting again. The terror that he genuinely seems to feel with each successive crime - and his genuine desire to return to prison where he thinks he'd be safer - is almost enough to make you believe he's just a patsy even as the body count becomes higher. W. Earl Brown, about to begin a career where he would play a series of morally corrupt characters, is very good as Fassl. Equal credit should also go to Lisa Darr as the Innocence Project type attorney who exonerates him, only to learn that he is morally lacking in ways that she doesn't expect of her clients. The genuine shock at the end when she learns how guilty her client truly seems to appall her even more than the murder of her housekeeper.

And the episode also manages, for the first time all year, a perfect level of balance between all three leads. Patrick, as you'd expect, gives another one of his superb performances, at first guided by the moral rage that a man he's sure is guilty has been found innocent. There's a certain desperation as the episode progresses, as Doggett needs to prove that Fassl is guilty and the arrest was righteous. This makes the heartbreak even bigger when he learns that his former partner planted evidence to solidify the case, and that his promotion to detective was based on a lie. Even as the proof seems to mount up that this actually is an X-File, we can see he doesn't want to believe it, and for the first time in awhile, we can see how much it has cost him to work in the field that defies easy answers. When Doggett finally learns his instincts were right, there's no triumph in his voice

But both lead actresses also do a particularly good job. For the first time all season, Gillian Anderson is given a chance to play the Scully that we all remember, the one who believes in the surety of science, and who yet is willing to lean on the level of her faith. She manages to use her Catholicism in a way that is almost unheard of in the entire series - to try and relate to a suspect, and yet also discuss rather openly with Reyes the possibility that her faith might have the explanation to these crimes. Gish is very good, too, playing Monica as someone who still wants to support her partner, while not approaching the crime with the quirks that we have come to associate with her. She manages to stop Fassl by dealing with him on his level, a move that almost surely saves Doggett's life as much as the shooting of the suspect.  It's a job so well done, you wonder why it took the straw man of the writing staff to finally come up with a way to get all its characters to work together - it could've been an approach for the future of the X-Files.

Underneath is a well-done episode. Its harder to measure Shiban's direction as well as his colleagues, though there are some segments that are particularly good. The scene where Fassl at one point seems to be talking to the DA, and the next the DA is falling over dead is a good one, as is the final chase scene in the sewer.  Perhaps the best thing about it is, like Audrey Pauley last week, it makes you frustrated the series is coming to an end, now that the writers finally seem to be getting a template for how to do the show now.

My score: 4 stars.

My Picks for This Year's Emmy: Best Supporting Actress

This is going to be arguably the toughest category to handicap. With Game of Thrones out of contention, and Maggie Smith not taking up space, that means at least four spots will be open. And with previous frontrunners like Mad Men gone, its hard to say who can fill it. It's going to take a lot of guesswork, so her are my best choices.

Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things

I know that some will debate putting this brilliant actress in a supporting category when a lot of people including the SAG awards, considered her a lead.  Mainly, I'm going by the definition of the Academy Awards which, except on really incredibly case, sticks the child actors in the Supporting Categories. But no matter where you put here, there's no doubt that Brown's work as Eleven was among the most towering performances all of last year, particular when its clear that she could do so much with so few words. That's a brilliant performance regardless of the age

Chrissy Metz, This is Us

Kate has been one of the more fascinating characters to debut this season, a women who sees herself defined by her weight and her family when she wants to try and find independence from both. Some may find her behavior off-putting; I find her energetic, particular in a world where so many female characters are barely waif-like. The Golden Globes were more than willing to give her a chance, I see no reason why the Emmys will not do the same.

Mandy Moore, This is Us

Much like Ventimigilia, the amount of range that this actress must portray usually depends on whatever episode she's in. Moore has been acting for so long, and considered typecast for even longer that in many ways, she was the true revelation of this brilliant series. Seeing almost every angle of Rebecca (and I have no doubt there are many more layers left to uncover) makes her by far the most incredible performer in an already great cast. She got a Golden Globe nomination; it would be a crime for the Emmys to ignore her.

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Again, I take an exception to a nominee from this series instead of say, someone from The Leftovers. But one can't deny that Newton has been one of the most undervalued screen presences of the last two decades, and that her role, like so many in that series, had the kind of layers that can't be ignored by the Emmy voters. Also considering that she's gotten an award nomination from every critical group that's met in the interim (including a prize for Best Supporting Actress from the Broadcast Critics), it would be ridiculous to think she'd be ignored by the Emmys.

Sarah Steele, The Good Fight

There have always been a lot of great actresses in the Kings world of series. But of the many, many brilliant discoveries was Marissa, Eli Gold's daughter who seemed to have been the only person who could outwit her father. I was overjoyed that she managed to land a recurring role on this series, and even more happy that she continues to steal every scene she's in. It may be a bit of a longshot to think of her earning a nomination, but maybe they'll be in a more forgiving mood.

Maura Tierney, The Affair

All right, I'll admit it. This series has grown on me with each successive season. And its been fascinating watching Tierney's character have to deal with the repercussions of her husband going to prison to cover up for his wife's crime. The fact that now she is the only person trying to help her husband, mainly to cover up her own guilt, was one of the more shocking arcs in a very well-done season. And I think she more than has earned a right to repeat in this category.

WILD CARD

Ellen Barkin, Animal Kingdom

This is even more of a long shot than some of the others, but one of the nicer benefits of the last few years has been watching Barkin expand her range. And playing Smurf, the Cody matriarch who believes that she has to control everything in her life was one of the real nice bonuses of last season. And just you thought she had no soul, she demonstrated that she could go even darker. It'll be hard figuring out whether she's a lead or supporting. Smurf, you want to be in a category where the pickings are easier.

And JUST TO MAKE THINGS HARDER

Asia Dillon, Billions

This is a headache all its own. The first gender neutral character on TV is played by the first gender neutral actor on TV. Taylor was my far the most fascinating new character on an already fascinating series, and watching them integrate themselves into the inner circle of Axe Capital. Considering the level of brilliant characters, that's a marvel in itself, and watching them steal scenes is even more remarkable. There's no question their the breakout character of 2017, which presents the Emmys with all sorts of problems. Where do we put an actor who refuses to define themselves? Some have said they might need to redefine performances in a single categories but that has as much chance of happening as Big Brother winning a Peabody. One thing I'm certain of: Dillon deserves to be considered, whatever category they want.

My Emmy Picks: Best Supporting Actor In A Drama

This is going to be paradoxically easier and harder to fill. With Game of Thrones ineligible and last year's winner Ben Mendelsohn likely out of contention, some vacancies should appear. But then we have to decided the littler questions. How many nominees from Better Call Saul should I allow? Will Jon Voight end up taking a slot from another worthy contender for the third straight year?  How many Netflix nominees will come up? Regardless, here are my best guesses.

Sterling M. Brown, This is Us

Last years winner in the Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/ Limited Series has more than earned a  chance to repeat, albeit in a different category and series. There are so many brilliant actors on this wonderful show, but his arc, dealing with the season-long story with his dying birth father (we may get to him too), along with all of the problems he had with his mother and his actual family were some of the most moving moments in an already poigniant series. And the show where he went on a final trip to Memphis would loosen the tear ducts of a killer. He got a nomination from the SAG award; I have no doubt he'll be there too.

Rupert Friend, Homeland

In my humble opinion, this season of Homeland was far too mangled and confused to be truly one of the high points in this checkered series history. But one thing that this show handled perfectly was Peter Quinn's arc as he came back to civilization brain-damaged from the poison gas attack he suffered last season. Friend's always been one of the show's secret weapons, but he was simply incredible this last year, demonstrating despite all his mental and physical handicaps, the superspy was still buried there. And the final episode where he sacrificed himself to save the President was one of the great moments in the series history. He deserves consideration for this year.

John Lithgow, The Crown

It may take an acting legend to play a real legend like Churchill. But it takes an even more devoted actor to play such a character in a way we've never seen him in any medium - an old hero, now far past his prime, and unequipped to deal with his England. That Lithgow is still capable of surprising us even now is a testament to his talents. He's already taken a Broadcast Critics Award and a SAG award. It's going to take a lot to keep from getting Emmy number five this year.

Michael McKean, Better Call Saul

Just as with Breaking Bad, there are far too many great actors in supporting roles in this series deserving of nominations. It would be easy to give the nod to Jonathan Banks or Giancarlo Esposito nominations for playing earlier version of their now iconic characters and adding wrinkles that we didn't see before. But McKean, with the added element of being a truly original character, deserves special recognition this season. Watching him engage in conflict with Jimmy, a battle in the courtroom that seemed to show him broken, a final break with his lawfirm, and an almost completely silent reversion that was one of the finest depictions of insanity on the medium - anyone could get him a nomination. The fact that the final moments demonstrated this might be his last chance (though I hope not) are just one more reason for recognition.

Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

All right, so now the cat's out of the bag. It doesn't change the fact that now that his conflict with Eliot for domination of his mind was still one of the more fascinating things to watch this season. And the fact that there is a still more layers to this man that you thought possible make you wonder how the hell the Emmys could have denied him of a nomination last year. Slater has now proven that he's one of the great actors of our time. Can we redress last year's grievances before he takes over the mind of the host again?

Milo Ventimigilia, This is Us

Admittedly, it's a closer question as to whether this actor or Ron Cephas Jones, who played Randall's actual father, will get a nomination. But in all honesty, Jack had more of a range than these characters. (Boy is that an understatement) To play the loving father who was willing to make more sacrifices than we saw in this series, to play a loving husband whose marriage seemed flawless - until the last few episodes - and to see someone who made such an impact even though we'll only see him in flashback is remarkable. I know we still don't know how he died, but I have in the producers.

WILD CARD

Tom Cavanaugh, The Flash

Again, lots of good choices to fill this in, so I'm going to one the Emmys are almost certain to miss. As brilliant as Cavanaugh was playing a double version of Harrison Wells in the series initial season, he was even more astounded playing two really different versions of himself from alternate universes. This may have been more used for comic effect in the series, but in the final two episodes, when H.R. met his ultimate fate was simultaneously moving and fitting. It's always a stretch pushing for a comic book series (particularly a CW one) but trust me, he's worth it.

This Year's Emmy Predictions: Best Actress, Drama

Oh, it just keeps getting more and more difficult. Adding to the problem is the fact I don't know what the deadline is for eligibility requirements. Tatiana Maslany deserves to repeat, but I'm not certain if she's eligible until next year. Does Robin Wright fall within the deadlines as well? And does this mean that the Emmys will now have two opportunities to slight Carrie Coon?  (Stay tuned to Limited Series/Movie to see.) Its always difficult to winnow the number of deserving ladies to six, but here are my best guesses.

Christine Baranski, The Good Fight

Diane Lockhart was one of the great creations of The Good Wife, her trials and tribulations often mirroring that of the series as a whole. And now, given the chance to be the lead, the Kings seem determined to make her suffer even more. But by now, as anyone who watched either series knows, what doesn't kill Diane will make her stronger. The Emmys also have a habit of nominating actors who appear as the same character in multiple series, and she got six nominations during Good Wife's run. A long shot, but I think a safe bet.

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

This series has been headed in a downhill direction for the last season and a half. But one thing you don't bet against after an actress had the year that Davis did is against her. Giving an Emmy nod to someone just for winning an Oscar may be specious reasoning, but Davis is still the only reason to watch this show. And I have to admit, watching the episode where she dealt with her imprisonment in near total silence, only speaking to lash out, and the final episode where, as much as she possibly could, took responsibility for her actions, were powerful moments.

Claire Foy, The Crown

It takes a lot of prowess to play a real-life monarch when she was little more than a slip of a girl. It takes even more prowess to do it and show the humanity behind her. And this virtual unknown has managed to do so in a fairly stunning fashion. She's already won the Golden Globe and the SAG award for Best Actress over some pretty potent competition. It's going to take some doing for her to take the Emmy away from this group as well. But you never bet against the Queen..

Keri Russell, The Americans

One of the many, many acts of daring that this series has done is make the female protagonist in the series the more determined to stick to the agenda, with little sign even at home, of inner compassion. And that has been one of the great talents of Keri Russell as Elizabeth on this series. But perhaps even more remarkable this season was the fact that, in the last episodes, she managed to finally show  a level of humanity that we weren't sure she had, except in rare occasions with her daughter. The scenes where she finally admitted she wanted to end their tour, told a younger agent that he was going to be broken by this job, and finally told Philip it was time for him to retire were brilliant moments. If she gets another nomination, it won't be for laziness' sake. She earned it.

Winona Ryder, Stranger Things

There were a lot of good performances in Season 1 of this Netflix phenomenon. (Another performer who should be listed here may end up in a different category). But as Nancy, a mother convinced, against all evidence to the contrary that her son is alive - and the lengths she is willing to go to prove that he is - she was arguably as much the center of this brilliant series as those scene stealing children. She's been languishing in Hollywood obscurity for far too long. There are a lot of great female leads for Netflix. Let's honor her too.

Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

I'm still not a hundred percent convinced that this HBO series is anything ultimately more than smoke and mirrors, even if it is brilliant acted at times. But one can't deny the overall force of the performances. And frankly, Evan Rachel Wood has been one of my favorite actress way back she was the youngest daughter on Once and Again.  Watching her play a seemingly helpless farmer's daughter replicant who turned out to have a far bloodier history than even she knew was one of the best demonstrations of her abilities in a very long time. The fact that she took the Broadcast Critic's Prize for Best Actress last year would seem to demonstrate that she's already in their thoughts/

WILD CARD

Carrie Coon, The Leftovers

Alright, I know I said I'd hold off mentioning her till later. But damn it, her work on this series has been among the most quietly understated and yet very bitter performances.  Determined to try and ignore the reality of the loss of her family because of the Departure has been at the crux of her character for the entire series. And in perhaps the most daring move of the entire last season, the series took its much anticipated final episode not with a bang, but focused almost entirely on Nora. It seemed like an alternate history for much of it, but the last ten minutes were centered on a monologue by Nora in which she finally seemed to reveal what had happened to the people who had left seven years earlier. It was a brilliant piece of TV that couldn't have worked without Coon's quiet presence, and for that moment alone, she deserves a nomination.

This Years Emmy Prediction: Best Actor in A Drama

It's always difficult to the handicap this category, particularly when the awards have not exactly been great precursors. Kevin Spacey and Kyle Chandler are coming up for their last shots, but I'm not a hundred percent certain they had enough time for voters to see the relevant episodes. Billy Bob Thornton had enough cache to get a Golden Globe Award, but did enough people see Goliath?  And there are a lot of good actors who would've been better suited to the Movie/Miniseries category until they got shunted to this category? This could take a lot of pruning. So, here are my best guesses.

Paul Giamatti, Billions

Currently the most undervalued series on Showtime, in a striking reversal from last season, Chuck Rhoades was put on the defensive for pretty much half the year. Whereas last year, his aggressive self-righteousness was far more irritating than entertaining, this season he managed to play to our sympathies in some of the more fascinating ways. And in the final episodes, where he revealed just how far he was willing to go to get his nemesis, were some of the most shocking moments of the entire year. I'm hoping that Showtime makes more progress with the series this year than last.

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot

If some of the things we learned about Eliot were stunning to watch last year, it was nothing compared to watching him deal with the repercussion of the hack he realized he was the mastermind of last season. And in a season that was full of twists and turns, the revelation that he spent most of the year in prison was a shock that couldn't have been pulled off without watching the ultimate in unreliable narrators. I'm not one for setting up a situation for a repeat, but if he were to be recognized yet again, I wouldn't object.

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Jimmy McGill has become even more mesmerizing this year, with his back against the wall in the war against his brother. We did witness him take on the persona Saul Goodman for the first time, though not in the way we expected. More shockingly, in the final three episodes we saw him embrace his darker impulses far more stridently in a way that even Walter White might have been shocked by. And yet, there is still enough of a soul present, even though it is more and more buried, that makes us care for him, and wonder (even though we know better) that he might still be redeemed. He's won two Actor prizes from the Broadcast Critics. He deserves similar recognition from the Emmys.

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

One of the great pleasures of last year was finally seeing this tremendous actor recognized for his brilliant work as the conflicted Philip Jennings. More and more worn down as each successive assignment is given to him, he finally may have reached the end of the road when he realized there was last assignment that he can't walk away from. Its very daring in the age of antiheroes that in this series the male lead is the more empathetic character. The odds are high he'll get another nomination this season. I would really like to see him up there.

Justin Theroux, The Leftovers

If we have to have an HBO nominee in this category, lets at least have one who has really done his part to earn it. Its a difficult job to play a local sheriff who can't die, and who has to be the new Messiah in order to prevent the world from ending. But in The Leftovers brilliant swan song, Theroux reached levels of brilliance I wasn't sure he was capable of it, as the story in the final two episode had him have been two hypothetical versions of himself - the President of the United States and his international assassin twin brother, one of whom has to die to end the world - and in the final episode, an older version finally proclaiming his love for the woman he spent the last fifteen years searching for. I can't imagine any other actor making this seem plausible. Please God recognize him.

Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath

It's a dark series to be sure. And its hard to know whether it'll have the staying power of every other drama Amazon has. But its a David E. Kelley legal drama (he had a good year, as we'll discuss later), and one thing these series have done historically well at is giving its leads Emmy nominations. Thornton's Golden Globe may have been a fluke, but my guess is there are enough voters thinking he was robbed for Fargo to give him an edge.

WILD CARD

Michael Sheen, Masters of Sex

There are a lot of good contenders who may drop in - James Spader, Kiefer Sutherland for Designated Survivor, Aden Young for Rectify - but I'm going to stick with an old favorite, mainly because his series has run its course. Sheen's work as Bill Masters was always a joy to watch as he tried to deny almost all his impulses, and it was just as fascinating in the final season to see Bill finally come to accept some of his greater problems. I really wish the series had gotten a final year, not the least of which because it would allow me to see resolution with his character. Acknowledgement from the Emmys would be the least they could do.

This Years Emmy Predictions, Part 1: Best Drama

For years, I have been constantly frustrated whenever it becomes time to try and predict this years Emmys. Part of the problem has been there are - frankly - far too many great TV shows on the air, and Emmy voters consistently seem to be stuck in old habits and locked on certain predicates.

However, over the last two seasons, there has been considerable reason for hope. Several series and actors that have been consistently ignored were nominated last season, and while I wasn't satisfied with many of the greater triumphs, many of the individual winners pleased me greatly. And considering that several of the series that have dominated these categories for the last three seasons are either off the air (adieu, Downton Abbey) or not eligible this season (ta-ta Game of Thrones) there is a very real possibility that some great series that would otherwise fall through the cracks will be recognized.

Admittedly, one can't tell how the eligibility rules will deal with certain show released on the cusp of eligibility. Will House of Cards and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, released only in the last few weeks be able to grab spots ahead other acclaimed Netflix series that premiered in the fall of 2016? Will Twin Peaks be considered this season or next season? Does it deserve to be? And how the hell will we figure out the contenders for Best Actress in a TV Movie or Limited Series? I'm not sure, and remember I don't watch everything on the air. Nevertheless, I will give my due diligence, and make my best predictions.

Let us begin, as always, with Best Drama

BEST DRAMA

The Americans (FX)

For once, I am hoping that the Emmys laziness when it comes to nominating series that got picked the year before will work in this series favor. Its six nominations last seasons were among the great pleasures of last year, and while it wasn't quite as good it was last year, watching the general darkness that seems to be following all are characters in both America and the Soviet Union has been one of the more fascinating slow burns that I've ever seen, particularly when it came to the Jennings' growing dissatisfaction  with their lot. It was nice to get nominated, now I want them to win. Time is running out - for the Soviet Union and the series.

Better Call Saul (AMC)

It's still not as good as Breaking Bad, but few series were or are, and with each successive year as the 'mythology of the show opens a little more (hello Gus Fring! Hi Lydia), it becomes arguably the best origin series in the history of the medium. But as wonderful as seeing each of the Easter eggs linking back into the world of Albuquerque, by far the most fascinating thing about this series is the degrading relationship between the McGill brothers (each of whom deserves a nomination of his own), and how much Jimmy continues to embrace his destiny with each succeeding season. This is become a masterpiece in its own right, and even though, like Americans, you know how it will end, you can not look away.

The Crown (Netflix)

Forget House of Cards. This is the Netflix series within the corridors of power. As I said in an earlier review, Peter Morgan has always been good at taking a look at the world behind the monarchy, but perhaps his greatest accomplishment in this series has come in taking these people we have almost come to see as caricatures and turned them into flesh and blood, living creatures. It's already received awards from the Golden Globes and the SAG awards. The Emmy nominations it will receive can't be far behind, perhaps from those who see this as a Downton Abbey substitute. Trust me. This is better.

The Good Fight (CBS Access)

This may be my most controversial choice, not merely because it is broadcast on a service that most Emmy voters may not have been able to find. But the fact remains this is more than a sequel to The Good Wife, although that alone should be enough to push it into Emmy viewers sightlines (God knows it wasn't for the last five years it was on the air) But the acting, writing, and stories are at least as good as they were on the original series, and there are even more interesting characters then before. Oh, and there's sex and profanity now. Do you think now you'll be willing to give them some Emmy love?

Mr. Robot (USA)

I am well aware that average Emmy voter, looking for new sci-fi, may very well turn their attention to the shiny and new Westworld, and I realize that there has to be some codicil in the Emmy bylaws that HBO will have a nominee. (I'd rather it be The Leftovers, but its clear by now that's its just not going to make it). But the second season of the USA cyber-thriller was even more twisted than the first, as the world reeled from the 5/9 hack, Eliot went on an even more twisted journey that last year, and we got even more interesting characters than before (Hello, Grace Gummer). Throw some of the most audacious teasers since Breaking Bad in its prime, and you have a series that defied the sophomore slump.

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Now, here's a series that should be watched by everyone. A dark thriller dealing with monster. A story about friendship growing up in the 80s. An homage to Spielberg and Stephen King. And some of the greatest child actor performers TV has ever seen. This is arguably the biggest sensation on TV in quite some time. And if the SAG awards and MTV both consider it the best series on TV, its going to be very hard for me to argue. This is the Netflix phenomenon that should be considered, not Orange is the New Black.

This is Us (NBC)

Its been five years since a network series has been nominated for Best Drama. (Though God knows that's not entirely Network TV's fault) But now comes a series that defies all the rules of what great TV should be on a network show. No antiheroes. No violence or profanity. Just the story of a family that brings huge laughs and will start even the most stoic viewer crying. Critics and audiences worship this show. Emmy voters, if you blow it this time, there will be blood. Especially since it will mean MTV and the People's Choice Awards are more relevant than you.

Orphan Black Final Season Review

It's been a wild strange ride for those of us who have stuck with Orphan Black up until now. Perhaps it has done more to demonstrate than anything else that a mythology series just can't work unless the writers have a plan. The plots involving a series of clones who have been trying to find out about the secret organizations that have been built up around them have become nearly as incomprehensible as the X-Files endless alien conspiracy machinations or the many unanswered questions that left so many baffled by Lost.

Now, as the series enters its final season, the writers of Orphan Black seemed determined to simultaneously simplify and double down on all of their machinations.  Now, everything seems to be centered on an island (don't worry Losties, its in the North Sea, not the Pacific), a conspiracy that involves a group known as Neolution which seems to have its origin based in some kind of 19th Century eugenics that comes down to a 170 year-old man named P.K. Westmoreland (Stephen McHattie). For some bizarre reason, he seems to have put the trust of his entire project into power-hungry Rachel. She seems to be at peace for the first time all series, which makes no one trust her, not even the people who work for her. Considering that her job seems to be to finally bring all of her 'sisters' in under her watch, Sarah Manning understandably doesn't trust her either. Neither do Cosima, who finally seems to have the cure which has been escaping her all series, suburbanite Allison, who is still trying to deal with all this, or ass-kicking Helena, the only clone still on the loose. But for once, the efforts to protect daughter Kira,  the girl who has been, after a fashion, at the heart of the series, may finally come to naught. After four seasons of running, she is tired, and wants more than anything to know what it is that is special about her.

I am, for better or worse, a nut for mythology series, but honestly, trying to follow the breadcrumbs the creators have left us have left me exhausted. For all this, there are still many reasons to watch this series, and they're all named Tatiana Maslany. Last year's deserved winner of the Emmy for Best Actress (get her name right next time), she still continues to amaze in giving all of the clones a different personality, and the marvelous scenes where she plays the clones imitating other clones. Even now, the series can find ways to make this remarkable - last night, they did a tracking shot where Sarah and rogue hacker MK changed clothes and had a long conversation before parting - both of them knowing it will lead MK to her death. I know by now there had to be some kind of amazing trick camerawork, but I frankly didn't care; it was still astonishing.

This is the final season, so its not likely that all of the sisters are going to survive - that's how TV in the new Golden age rolls. I may not really give a damn as to whether it all makes sense in the end, but I sure as hell care whether Cosima will get a happy reunion with her lover Delphine, or whether Helena will be able to deliver her babies in peace, or whether Sarah Manning will finally be able to stop running. Because that's how incredible an actress Maslany is. She makes us care even when all around in chaos. She's not going to be eligible for an Emmy this year. Let's hope the Emmy voters can keep their memory straight for 2018.

Orphan Black score: 2.5 stars.

Maslany: 5 stars.

Final Score: 3.75 stars.

Homicide Episode Guide: For God And Country

Written by Jorge Zamacona and Michael S. Chernuchin

Directed by Ed Sherin

(This episode is a sequel to the Law and Order episode ‘Charm City’. It is part of a two-part joint production with that series.)

     The crossover episode is a popular gimmick on television. Having characters from one series appear on another is often used as an attempt to boost ratings. NBC had already done a  variation on this with its Thursday Night comedy line up. Producer David E. Kelley has made something of a career of it for almost every television show he has worked on.

     Homicide had already done two versions of this. Last year Chris Noth of Law and Order delivered a suspect from New York back to Baltimore in the aptly titled ‘Law and Disorder’. A more daring crossover had been done this season  when Mandy Patinkin of Chicago Hope had done an internetwork crossover on ‘A Dolls Eyes’ as one of the doctors who received the dead boys donated organs. But a joint production of two series was something else together.

For one thing, the shows were filmed in different cities (Law and Order in New York, Homicide in Baltimore). More importantly the shows, while they were both police procedurals were completely different in their approaches. Law and Order  divides its action into two parts: the police investigation and the district attorney’s prosecution of the same case. Furthermore the show is far more dependent on the drama inherent in the wranglings of the legal system in the plot whereas Homicide gets most of its drama from the characters involved. Law and Order almost never delves into the characters points of view, partially because members of the cast depart on a regular basis.(In fact, by the time of this crossover, only one character from Law and Order’s first season was still on its roster.)

The intricacies of the behind the scenes  drama of the two shows are less relevant than the actual drama on camera. Here the success is something of a mix. The Law and Order episode deals with a poison gas attack on a New York subway. Manhattan detectives Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) have just begun their investigation when Pembleton and Bayliss from Baltimore arrive from Baltimore. Five years ago, Frank was the primary in the bombing of a similar bombing in a Baltimore church. Both attacks were directed primarily at African-Americans which is why Frank is so keyed up.

The four detectives barely cooperate with each other. In fact, the NY lieutenant quickly shows them the door. This doesn’t stop Frank and Tim from conducting their own simultaneous investigation. As it turns out Briscoe and Curtis find the bomber mere seconds before Bayliss and Pembleton do. Frank and Tim counter this by withholding the identity of the bomber until THEY are allowed in the interrogation room. In typical Homicide  fashion they get a confession out of the bomber, however in typical Law and Order  fashion the confession is excluded because of the way  they got it.

If nothing else ‘Charm City’ should be lauded because it finally brings front and center the way Frank has danced around the Fifth Amendment for the last three years. This is not an issue of Maryland law versus that of the state of New York (as Pembleton argues); it is a constitutional issue. Perhaps the best scene in the Law and Order episode occurs when ADA Jack McCoy gives Pembleton a royal chewing out after his interrogation is excluded from the case. Not only does it give us a chance to see two of America’s best actors--- Sam Waterston and Andre Braugher--- in action, it shows the almighty Pembleton finally getting what is coming to him.

The Law and Order  episode ends with the conviction of the bomber. However it also races the obvious question: who did HE conspire with in both of the crimes?

The question becomes more relevant in ‘For God and Country’  when Frank and Tim, hours after interrogating the wife and son of the bomber, return to find that the wife has been killed. Curtis and Briscoe learn this information  from the bomber, who has now been transferred to death row. They show up in Baltimore hours later wanting in on the investigation. Frank takes this about as well as Briscoe and Curtis did when he showed up on their doorstep.

Eventually both detectives capture the man responsible for both bombings and the earlier murder: Alexander Rausch: an ex-Marine black ops white supremacist. The highlight of the episode occurs when Pembleton  finally gets his chance to interrogate this manipulative, lying bigot. Frank goes after him with all the righteous indignation that we have see in interrogating Annabella Wilgis and Gordon Pratt the previous season.  As in this case, like those others, it is clear that there is more at stake for Frank than there is for the usual murderer. He wants to bring this monster to justice in all its glory.

Unfortunately he never gets the chance. ADA Claire Kincaid arrives from New York to extradite Rausch to stand trial for the earlier bombings. She does so but mere minutes after they exchange him to Briscoe and Curtis, Rausch dies from a (possibly self-induced) heart attack. We then see one of the most stunning scenes  of the fourth season when Frank unsuccessfully tries to resuscitate Rausch and then breaks down over the fact that his nemesis has managed to escape justice. We haven’t seen Frank get this upset over the fate of a murderer since ‘Every Mother’s Son’ in season 3.

In many ways the crossover between the two shows works well. However, it must be admitted that the show doesn’t so much tell one overriding story as present a game that moves from one teams home-court to another. The overall case is very interesting but in changing the focus to Bayliss, Pembleton and Munch in both stories, the other characters get denied significant screen time themselves. Even Zeljko Ivanek, Homicide’s bearer of the legal system doesn’t get a significant amount of screen time.  (This would be redressed in the two other crossovers between the shows that both series did.) We also get some very amusing moments between Briscoe and Munch when John finds out that the New York City detective has an affair with his first ex-wife. There is all a flirtation of sorts between Bayliss and Claire Kincaid (which, as any viewer of Law and Order would know, is a futile effort)

The crossover was such a big success that their would be two similar ones in later seasons. A whole different kind of crossover would take place when L &O producers Dick Wolf would cast Richard Belzer as John Munch to play a role in the first L&O spinoff. So in many ways this joint effort was a great success. But ‘Charm City’ and ‘For God and Country’ are so dependent on each other that airing them in normal syndication was nearly impossible. More than that, one gets the feeling that there are too many stories going on simultaneously and it gets more than a little crowded.As a crossover the shows work well. As good examples of both shows, its not quite up to their high standards.

Charm City: 3 stars

For God And Country: 3.5 stars.