|
Season-ending episodes signal a summer respite from the boob Tube
(May 26, 2009) -- I always look forward to the season-enders for my favorite TV shows. The episodes often signal an end to my personal "television-watching season" and I get a respite from the boob tube to enjoy summer activities.
Well, there is some must-see summer viewing -- such as "Burn Notice" and "Monk." But that's only a couple of hours a week.
Here's my take on season-ending episodes (and my ranking):
1. "Criminal Minds" -- In an intense, two-hour finale, viewers were likely on the edge of their couch as the Team worked dilligently to resolve the case at hand. The clincher came at the very end when Hotch is confronted by a hooded, masked person with a gun; and when the screen flashed Jerry Bruckheimer's credit line, there was a shot (in the dark) and we are left hanging until the season opener, hopefully in September.
"NCIS" -- This has become my favorite TV drama. Though not as intense as "Criminal Minds," I was wondering right up to the fade-out if Ziva and Tony were going to reconcile their differences (he had killed her lover in an apartment fight). Ziva had to choose -- staying with her Mossad director father in Israel or returning to NCIS, where her ultimatum to Gibbs was transfer her to another unit or send Tony elsewhere. He left her standing on the tarmac at El Al Airport. The closing shot is of a bound woman with a blood-soaked face who is apparently the captive of her enemy. We know it is Ziva, right? We'll have to wait until September to know for sure.
3. "CSI: New York" --We lost one of our favorite female characters and were left with several unanswered questions.
4. "The Mentalist" -- All during the episode, I knew Patrick Jane would not have his revenge and Red John would remain out there to be found, possibly, next season. I was right about the elusive Red John. I thought the show's writers painted a welcomed darker side to the Jane character, when he is focused on finding the person who murdered his wife and child (in the opening episode.
5. "CSI: Miami" -- Where is Eric? What will Calleigh do to bring him to justice? Will H aid and abet his CSI buddy? Will they still be driving Hummers with gas prices climbing the ladder again?
6. "Without a Trace" -- What started out to be a usual missing person being found case, turned out to be a break-up between Jack and Samantha. Of course, the writers had been alluding to the break-up toward the end of the season because Sam began having real feelings for the father of her child. What will Jack do? And, did Danny and Elena get married at city hall? We'll never know for certain. CBS has canceled the show. Rats!
7. "Numb3rs" -- I knew Don and his FBI people would find a kidnapped Amita and that Charlie would figure all the numbers out.
8. "The Eleventh Hour -- With an early season-ender (to make room for "Harper's Island" in the post-"CSI" slot), I have already forgotten what happened to Jacob and Rachel. Although it is a Top Ten show on my list, it doesn't matter. CBS did not renew the show for 2009-10.
9. "CSI" -- Frankly, I was disappointed in the season finale. No Nick buried alive. No Sara trapped under a red Mustang. No Sara and Grissom in bed together. No Warrick shot in the face. Just Ray shooting a bad guy -- his first-time kill. (More on "CSI" below.)
10. "Bones" -- The most disgusting season finale in the history of television. In pre-airing hype, we were led to believe that Booth and Temperance would "make a baby" in a steamy bedroom sex scene. Well, we did see them in bed -- but as entirely different characters (all an apparent dream sequence by the real Booth, who is in a coma at the hospital). On several occasions, I was tempted to get up and find something else to do, but I struggled along with the rest of the "Bones" cast in different roles. I think I will move "Bones" to my no-watch list for the 2009-10 season. Ugh!
Ever since William Petersen joined Jorja Fox and Gary Dourdan as ex-CSI'ers, the show admittedly has been in a tailspin. Some TV wags point to the addition of an uncharismatic Laurence Fishburne as the reason. Personally, I like Fishburne as Ray, an entry-level CSI'er. I fault the writers who have gone off on a let's-scuttle-the-No.-1-drama-show tangent with a series of lame, ludicrous scripts that have disappointed a cult audience.
The writers have lost sight of Marge Helgenberger (Catherine), George Eads (Nick) and Eric Szmanda (Greg) as key characters to dwell on Ray and sub-characters such as Dr. Al (Robert David Hall), David (Wallace Langham), Riley (Lauren Lee Smith) and Wendy (Liz Vassey) in outlandish and, oftentimes, silly plotlines. Of course, the dependable Paul Guilfoyle (Capt. Jim Brass) is usually around to arrest or interrogate someone.
The show is losing viewership (I am not one of them -- yet) in the Nielsens and the blame must be shouldered by the writers. During summer break, they had better come up with attention-getting storylines or the exodus by viewers will lead to a cancellation by CBS.
I admit to being a seasoned Trekkie (I even own a copy of "Star Trek Concordance"). Over the years, there has been the good and the bad -- "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (good); "Star Trek: Voyager (good); "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (so-so); "Enterprise" (bad); "Star Trek: The Original" (good for its time, not so good in reruns). As for all of the movies, I did enjoy them and it kept my hunger for "Star Trek" unsatiated.
Then along comes J.J. Abrams, who was charged with re-igniting the "Star Trek" franchise.
Someone mentioned to my son that the new "Star Trek" will not be for his father. Well, whoever you are, you're wrong. The latest screen flick is definitely a Four-Star (out of four stars) movie. I had no problem identifying with the younger cast members -- or the appearance of Leonard Nimoy as the original Spock. The special effects were dynamite. The acting on an even keel -- especially Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as the new Spock. I also thought Abrams had a casting coup with Karl Urban as Dr. Bones McCoy, John Cho as Sulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty. The opinion poll is inconclusive on Zoe Saldana (as Uhura) and Anton Yelchin (as Chekov).
I look forward to future "Star Trek" movies. J.J. Abrams definitely has regenerated the franchise. Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett Roddenberry would've been proud.
|
