24 Season 7 Preview

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but here is something to hold everyone over till I get back to it again.

Planet Earth

I had seen commercials a few weeks back for this show on Discovery HD called "Planet Earth" which basically looked like an IMAX movie but on HD. So, last night, I decided to check it out.

Let me tell you, if you haven't watched it, definitely do. It has some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen. Whether it's polar bears just getting out of their hibernation period for the first time, or catching a shot of a camel from the Gobi desert of which there are only 800 left on Earth, the shots are amazing. Watching it on a large HDTV is basically like seeing an IMAX.

It was at this point last night, that I realized that all of the talk of a true home entertainment system since the late '90s are now realized for me (minus the sound of course, but that will come later once I buy my own place).

Bones - 3/14/07- Bodies in the Book

Recap:
It's been a few weeks since Bones has been on the air because of American Idol. Not that I'm watching that at all, so I'm glad that Bones is back.

The first thing we see is a body that is pulled up from the Chesapeake Bay. Brennan tells Booth that this murder is exactly like the first of three that she writes about in her book. They look at the man's brother-in-law but he has an alibi. With little to work on, the group keeps working.
Soon, they find another body. This is a young woman who is eaten by rats, the second of the murders in her book. After finding her husband has an alibi they have little to work on.
They find one more body, that of Brenna's publicist, eaten by fire-ants. Her assistant has an alibi for this one.

With little clues to go on, Booth soon realizes that the three are all members of a chat group that is dedicated to Brennan's book. He also realizes that the three murders were all done by different people, the original three suspects.

Review:
Overall, I thought it was a decent episode. Not great, but not bad. Good suspense, seeing as I couldn't guess the murderer(s) till the end.

My rating on "Bodies in the Book": 6/10

Heroes - 3/5/07 - Parasite

Recap:

Peter and Hiro team up:
We learn that Nathan Patrelli is working for the FBI to try to take down Linderman. After he is called to Vegas for a meeting with Linderman, the FBI give Nathan a wire and tell him to record the conversation he has with him. Hiro meets up with Nathan (the "frying man" as he likes to call him) and he tells Nathan he needs to get the sword which Linderman has. Nathan pretends Hiro is his curator and gets him into the secure area with the sword, which Hiro takes along with the help of Ando. Nathan chats with Linderman (played by the illustrious Malcolm McDowell of Clockwork Orange fame), and learns that he knows about his abilities.

Meanwhile, back in NY, Suresh learns of Sylar's true identity. He drugs him and inserts some drugs that he thinks will keep him powerless. As he tells Sylar of the list, he slowly regains his powers. Soon, he attacks Suresh and leaves him hanging...literally. Peter attempts to make contact with Suresh, but as he enters he feels blood. He looks up and there is Suresh. As he says "Sylar", the man comes out of the darkness and starts to open Peter's head as he screams in pain.

Review:
A lot of people have been saying that this was a better episode than the previous. I don't agree at all. I mean, it definitely was pretty good, but it's tough to beat the previous one. I definitely think it did a great job of making me want to watch it when it comes back (unlike Lost has done).

Who knows, maybe the execs at NBC have finally figured out what ABC couldn't. Periodic Dramas are great, as long as there is some end in sight...if not, people will tune out. Overall, I'd give this one an 8/10.

Jericho 2/28/07 - Black Jack

Recap:
The town is running dangerously low on fuel and will likely not survive the impending winter. Someone comes forward and tells the town of a place called "Black Jack Fairgrounds", a place that has become a trading post of sorts. The town decides that since they have a salt mine, they will go try to trade for parts to make a windmill, so that they won't need the fuel anymore.

After making it out there, Jake, Johnston, Heather and Dale learn that it is also a place where people trade information. One thing they learn is that the U.S. has become splintered into 6 different capitals. After trying to get the part for the windmill, but learning of the owner's shady past, Jake and Johnston get into a fight with the local "authorities" of the post who act more like thugs trying to control the peace. They escape with the necessary part to make the windmill, and upon getting back to town Dale realizes that because the girl he's friends with is the daughter of the mine owner, they're "rich".

Meanwhile, back in Jericho, we learn more about Dawkins' past. We learn that he believes someone he calls "the old man" is the one that is watching him. We also learn that Jericho was to be the meeting place for the group that he was a part of. Dawkins decides to go after "the old man" to bring the fight to him, before he does something to Dawkins.

Review:
Not a bad episode. Kind of a filler, I thought, besides the things we learn about Dawkins. I'd give it about a 5/10. Right in the middle. Hopefully this weeks episode will be better. It was actually on tonight, but since I didn't watch Lost last week (and I'll have to catch up before this week's), I'll be checking it out this weekend, most likely.

Heroes - Company Man

This was one of, if not, THE best episodes of Heroes so far. We learn so much about the company that runs Primatech Paper Co. We learn parts of HRG guy's past, and of Hiro's father's affiliation with the company that strives to protect us from the people that aren't like us.

Just as a further note, I found it so great that we see how everyone is starting to fit together. Hiro's dad working for Primatech, HRG and Claude being partners, the place where HRG gets Claire for the first time being where Claude loved to go (the place with the pigeons). It's all coming together. Can't wait for the next episode...

Alas, I'll be gone for a week or so, so I won't be doing updates till I get back. Hope you can hold out.

Jericho - The Day Before

Okay, let me start off by saying that this was one of, if not, THE last show to come back after hiatus, so it's a little tough for me to get back into it seeing as I forgot most of the characters. So, I guess I'll catch you up...

The basic story is that there have been some sort of explosions throughout the United States and very few towns are actually left. One of these towns is a small town by the name of Jericho, KS.

The main character is a man named Jake, played by Skeet Ulrich (who has not had a very good streak when it comes to TV shows - take for instance the short-lived show called "Miracles". Which I thought was actually not bad, though I beleive it didn't even last a season). Jake is driving back to Jericho when the explosions occur, after having been away for about 10 years, if I recall correctly. Basically, the plot of the show is him and his father, who is the mayor of the town (and played by the same actor who plays George Hearst in another great show called Deadwood, which I HIGHLY recommend), trying to get things as back to normal as they can, and trying to learn what exactly has happened.

The other main character (the bad-guy if you will) is a shady guy by the name of Hawkins. He seems to either be some sort of military agent or an agent of a rogue group. One thing is sure though, and that is that Hawkins is irrecovably tied to the explosions.

So, having caught you up in a VERY quick synopsis, I'm going to discuss this weeks episode called 'The Day Before'. If you want to watch it for yourself, DON'T READ ANYMORE. If not, enjoy.

This episode gives us the back story of Jake and Hawkins (and to a very small extent, Jake's brother and his family). First of all, we find out Jake was a pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is trying to get a job flying planes, but when the guy interviewing him asks about it, he says he didn't fly for the military but some other organizations. We find out later in the episode that he was running weapons for some groups and is being recruited for another group called "Ravenwood". The organization seems to be selling drugs to insurgents, at least that's what is described to Jake.

Hawkins, on the other hand, seems to have some affiliations with some sort of cell, that looks like it was at least partially responsible for the attacks. In the days leading up to the attack, he learns that he is to transport some sort of canister to an unknown location. He senses that these attacks are going to be really big, so instead of moving the canister, he finds his ex-wife and his children. He basically holds them at gunpoint and makes them drive with him to what I think is Jericho. I'm not sure though, because the drive from where he was in D.C. to Kansas would have taken much longer...but I guess that's why it's a TV show.

So, as for the episode itself, I thought it was pretty good. I can see that the drama of this show is not nearly as engaging as say a '24', but it's got a good story. The plot development in this episode especially was really well done. Basically, all of last season, we were left wondering exactly what happened. And in the beginning of season 2, we learn what it was. I guess Jericho is learning from the mistakes of shows like "Lost", that seem to go on and on forever, without giving too much away.

Heroes - Unexpected

Tonight, we learned of a new hero by the name of Hana Gittelman. I'll update this in the morning with more info.

Flashes Before Your Eyes

First thing we see is Locke, Desmond and Sayid telling Charlie and Hurley of Mr. Eko's death, though they don't initially seem to beleive Locke's theory that the island killed him. Suddenly Desmond runs past them and into the ocean. The camera pans in closer and we see someone is drowning. Sun walks up to the emerging crowd and is holding Claire's baby, thus telling us who it is that Desmond is trying to save. He pulls her out of the water and starts to give her CPR while Charlie wants to help but knows he can't. After he asks how Desmond knew she was drowning Hurley responds "that dude see the future".

Desmond now sits on the beach looking at a picture of him and someone he calls "Amy...Penelope". After Charlie and Hurley offer him a drink in order to get him to talk about what happened in the hatch, we see that as soon as he turned the key in the hatch he went back to his flat with his girlfriend.

It seems that the microwave in Desmond's (we learn his name is Desmond Hume) flat has the same annoying sound as the clock in the hatch. He also tries to work for Mr. Whitmore, walks past a man who's making a delivery for 815. While "interviewing", he says a painting of two polar bears. He comes clean with Mr. Whitmore about being there to ask for his daughter's hand. Whitmore basically starts to belittle him and telling him he can't marry his daughter or drink his McCautchten 60-year-old whiskey. After leaving the office, he sees Charley playing "Wonderwall" in front of the building. He starts to remember everything about the island and it seems that he basically got caught in some sort of time warp where he has to relive everything over again.

We are introduced to Desmond's friend Donovan (who I recognize from something), a physicist, who Desmond tries to prove that he is traveling through time and can see the future. After failing to predict the score of a soccer game, he starts to doubt himself. To prove that he can change things, he goes to buy a ring to marry Penny. The woman trying to sell him the ring tells him that he cannot buy it, because if he does he is supposed to have second thoughts about Penny, enter the sailing competition, and punch the numbers in the computer for three years. And if he doesn't, we all die.

The old woman tells Desmond that the universe has a way of making things happen, even if we try to avoid our paths. Hint, Hint: Claire keeps needing to be saved. Desmond tells Penny that they're not supposed to be together and throws away the ring, thus sealing his path.

Soon, we learn that Desmond wasn't trying to save Claire. He was trying to save Charley...but he tells him "you're going to die".

All in all, a great episode. This may have saved me from tuning it out. What'd you guys think?

"Distraction" - Claire's family tree branches closer to home and Peter gets his wings

In general, this episode Heroes seems to me to be following what I like to call 'the rule of 24'. That is to say that, for most of it, it's methodical and somewhat slow at times. But then, right in the last few minutes, it takes you and bashes you right into a wall, hoping you'll be yearning for next weeks episode. While 24 is much better at this, I think, Heroes is still in it's infancy, so it can still develop this better over time.

****SPOILER ALERT****
Don't read any further if you haven't seen the episode. You've been warned.

Well, we finally figure out who Claire's father is. Claire's father is none other than...drum roll, please.... Nathan Petrelli. This seemed like a half-assed attempt at bringing the group closer together, if you ask me. Seeing as the internets was buzzing so much around the fact that it was Nathan, it seemed kind of predictable that something would bring these two groups together.

Also, we learn of Sylar's ability to pretty much be the laziest villain the world has ever seen. The guy just has to use one finger and he can do pretty much whatever he wants...rip someone's head open, make things fly through the air, etc...

Peter gets his wings...sort of. As the invisible man pushes Peter off of a 30 story building, we learn how he can hold on to people's abilities. While the invisible man tells him to forget them all, we find out that the way he can recall powers is recalling the way the person makes him feel. I thought this was a really interesting idea. Definitely a little different from the comics, which I liked.

Finally, we learn more about Hiro. His father has come out to US and A to make Hiro the executive vice president of a GE-type company in Japan. Not wanting to disappoint his fellow mankind, he thinks of a plan to get him off his back. He basically shows his father he knows nothing about the company, while his sister knows everything. It was an interesting plan here, though I think this was slightly forced, as well. First of all, from what I understand Japan is still very male-oriented, and would never let a woman run a company.

*Update* Just got word from a fark article that the license plate in the episode may look familiar to some...Here is the said license plate . Bonus points if you know what it's from...Shouldn't be too hard.