Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Rise and Shine (5x15)

For weeks, I've been saying the stuff with Hale just does not interest me. And then we get an episode that is almost entirely backstory for Hale.

Cons:

And... I didn't hate it. There were some elements to enjoy. Still, this episode moves the pacing of the story to a grinding halt, all for very little forward progress in the A-plot. So we know for sure that Hale is Hydra and has always been Hydra, and we also learn that there's a program in place to try and defend earth from alien invaders, and that Ruby has been raised to be the "destroyer of worlds." You could have given the same information in subplot form, and also continued developing other elements of the story. I just don't think the interest level with Hale, Ruby, and all of that is high enough to warrant an entire episode's worth of story just to delve in to their past.

I need a little bit more clarity on Fitz's situation. Is he still experiencing split-personality delusions, or is he fully in control of himself now? Is he their prisoner? While Daisy's anger at Fitz is completely warranted, to what degree should Fitz hold himself fully responsible for his actions, whether or not he now thinks they were justified? These could be interesting questions to explore, but I feel as if the show is just hand-waving away some of the possibilities.

Once Upon a Time: Sisterhood (7x15)

So... goodbye Ivy and Anastasia I guess?

Cons:

I wonder if the actress had a conflict or something. All I know was that Drizella's exit this week felt very strange and rushed. Especially given the mess she left behind for everybody else. Regina was still pissed off, but she let Ivy go without argument. So the sisters could be together or whatever. But Drizella cast the curse! Drizella poisoned Henry! And now she's leaving them to clean up after that mess without her. Seems unfair. Also, I didn't really get how Anastasia could forgive Drizella for her actions in this episode. She goes from wanting to make amends, to wanting to give her over to Facilier, back to wanting to make amends, and it was just a little bit confusing as to why anybody should believe a word Drizella says. I guess maybe I'm just bummed because of missed opportunities. I wanted to see Ivy with Jacinda at least once more. Or another scene with Henry? She was a cool character, and this felt like a less-than-seamless way for her to depart the show.

Grey's Anatomy: One Day Like This (14x17)

I... hm. Sigh.

Cons:

Teddy and Owen made me so mad. Like I get that this show is a soap opera, essentially, but their scenes were just way too overwrought and ridiculous. I love the idea of bringing Teddy back in to the show, but Owen literally gets on a plane to Germany, the two of them have this amazing romantic night together, and then she finds out that he was sleeping with Amelia very recently, and suddenly there's just no chance for them. I just... eh. I don't care. I want Owen to be happy, and the dude has had some rotten luck with Cristina and Amelia and all of that, but at this point the way he's behaving just seems childish. There's also the fact that their scenes existed in this weird little bubble separate from everybody else, and it felt disconnected from the rest of the episode.

I like April a lot, and I was pretty choked up over her sad situation with her Rabbi patient. But at the same time, I always get a little annoyed when patients show up and spend their time helping the doctors through their own life problems. I get that it's a drama and some of this kind of thing is inevitable, but it feels like the lesson here is that a very nice man had to come along and die tragically so that April could gain some perspective. I don't like the idea of random one-off patients being nothing more than receptacles for the angst of our leads. It doesn't sit right with me.

Supernatural: Scoobynatural (13x16)

I can't believe how good this was.

Cons:

So... the Dean and Daphne thing. I know a lot of people were really grossed out because apparently Daphne is supposed to be sixteen. For my money, I'll tell you that as someone who never watched any of the cartoon, I had no idea what age they were all supposed to be. They're sort of... ageless. Stuck forever in the same animated stage of their lives. But, hey, if she's sixteen, then she's sixteen, whether I was aware of it or not. So. Yeah. That's creepy. But even beyond that aspect of it, I just didn't find Dean's constant flirting to be all that compelling. I really liked the stuff where he was in competition with Fred, but I didn't think that competition had to be so centered on wanting to get the girl. It just didn't lead to any laughs for me, and was a bit cringe-y.

Pros:

Literally I was so scared for this episode. I was terrified it was going to be an awkward, cringe-worthy flop. But from the very first moments, even before they become animated, I could tell this was going to be one of the instant comedy classics of Supernatural's long reign. I loved the opening scenes, with the seemingly possessed giant stuffed dinosaur. What an absurd image. There was this great moment when Dean said something kind of stupid and Sam gave him the patented bitch face and I thought... ah yes. Here were are.

The Big Bang Theory: The Gates Excitation (11x18)

Leonard kind of sucks, doesn't he?

Cons:

I'm not sure that Bill Gates really brought enough to this episode to make the cameo worthwhile. One of the biggest problems with this show overall is that often its "jokes" are no more than just pointing out that a thing exists. Having Bill Gates in your episode isn't enough to make the joke. You have to actually do something with the concept.

Like I said, Leonard kind of sucks. He goes behind Penny's back to meet Bill Gates even though she clearly explained that this was important to her and she wanted to keep things professional. Then, because she knows meeting Bill Gates is a dream of Leonard's, she manages to find a way to make that happen. But to cover for his mistake, Leonard lies and pretends he's sick. I understand that it's a common sitcom conceit to show spouses lying to each other, but this just made Leonard seem like a crappy husband in every way. We see that he plans an elaborate apology for Penny, but we don't actually see that apology take place. I'm willing to bet that we don't actually see the fall-out from this situation play out in the coming weeks. It'll be back to bland Penny and Leonard doing nothing on the sidelines. Sigh.

Modern Family: Royal Visit (9x17)

Solid. Very solid.

Cons:

Not sure what to make of Jay, Gloria, and Joe's plot thread. Did not hate it by any means, but it mostly just had me shrugging. The idea is that Jay is jealous of one of Joe's friend's dads, because he's so much cooler. And then Gloria meets the friend's mom, and gets jealous of her as well. In the end they run away from the cops and then tell Joe that being cool isn't the most important thing. Nothing about this plot thread made me angry, but nothing about it made me smile either, so... there you go.

Pros:

I will say that I liked the fact that Gloria and Jay's plot thread tied in with the larger theme of the episode, that of insecurities. I just think that the theme worked to much better effect in the other stories.

Suits: Hard Truths (7x11)

You know... I wasn't sure what reaction I expected after the Donna/Harvey kiss, but this wasn't it. I'm... kind of pleased, but also kind of annoyed at the same time?

Cons:

The reason I'm annoyed is that we can all see the writing on the wall. Most likely, Donna and Harvey will eventually end up together. So putting in another obstacle to that eventuality is playing in to one of television's most annoying cliches. Will they? Won't they? Well, they will. And delaying the inevitable can make everything else going on with them feel like marking time. That said, there is something undeniably creative about the angle they're taking with this, so I do have to give props for that a little later on.

There's going to be a bit of an elephant in the room for the entirety of Season 7B. We all know Meghan Markle is getting married to Prince Harry in May, so this is her last run on the show. We also know that Mike is leaving right alongside Rachel. So this episode's little subplot about Rachel and Mike wanting to make time for each other feels... maybe a little too... prescribed? I don't know about everyone else, but I want to squeeze in as much Mike and Harvey banter in these last few episodes as we can get. The show is just not going to be the same without it. I like Rachel and Mike perfectly fine, and it makes a lot of sense that Mike wouldn't stick around without Rachel in the show. But at the same time, do we need to telegraph their last few episodes in this way?

The Walking Dead: Do Not Send Us Astray (8x13)

This show frustrates me to no end. There are so many things that just don't make sense, which I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the fact that a lot of the characters just bore me nowadays.

Cons:

Okay. The big one? Apparently the Saviors have infected their weapons with Walker blood which means that anybody who gets cut or hit ends up infected and they turn into a zombie. The inconsistency in this show as to how the Walkers work is... infuriating. I remember in the early days, when everybody was terrified to touch the Walkers. But now? They get up close and personal with those things all the time! Also, it's been an established fact in this world from very early on that if you die, no matter how you die, you get turned into a Walker. So is the idea that the Walker blood is infecting them and turning them, or that they died from the infection and then woke up as Walkers? And if just that much contact with Walker blood is enough to turn you... well, then I'm sorry, but literally everybody should be a zombie by now. The lack of consistency makes me furious.

Tara gets hurt, and is apparently at risk of becoming infected and dying. I'm not Tara's number one fan or anything, but this show has GOT to stop killing all of the queer characters. I'm about fed up with it. Seriously.

Once Upon a Time: The Girl in the Tower (7x14)

This episode is an origin story for the Fremont Troll, and I love it.

Cons:

That said, while I'm a big fan of Tilly, and of Robin, I can't ignore the flaws either. There's something just utterly unbalanced in this season of Once Upon a Time, and I think it's taken me until now to realize what it is. This is not Season One of a new show. I know the creators were originally hoping that this season would be able to be a new launching point for a whole new direction, but that's not what happened. Instead, the show is being cancelled, and yet fourteen episodes in to the season it still feels like we're doing character setup. That would work if there were going to be more seasons to follow. But as it is, there's just so much happening in this show, and I'm losing faith that all the pieces are going to come together.

The subplot with Regina and Lucy was a little silly. I kind of can't believe Regina let Lucy sneak around in Facilier's apartment like that. Where was Jacinda? And how evil is Facilier supposed to be, anyway? At this point I can't tell if I'm allowed to root for Regina to find love with him, or if we're supposed to think of him as a bad influence. I like the actor playing him, and I'm intrigued as to where this is going, but there are a lot of problems, too.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Devil Complex (5x14)

Um... excuse me? Ouch?

Cons:

I'm really trying here, but Hale just isn't interesting to me. And when Creel showed up, I was struggling to remember all of the pieces of the story, and care about how it all connects. So Hale is being controlled by Hydra? Is that what's happening? I guess just wake me up when we get to the climax of this whole thing.

Pros:

I mean... where to even start? Before I get to the part that totally broke my heart and soul, let's look at some of the other little details. While Hale might be uninteresting to me, I do still enjoy Coulson and May partnering up. May is still so hurt about Coulson's lies, but at the same time she's trying to remain professional and get results. There are lots of little moments with them, culminating in their argument in front of the bad guys... I just really hope these two can work it out before... well, I don't know. Before Coulson dies? Before the world ends again?

Grey's Anatomy: Caught Somewhere in Time (14x16)

Pretty good stuff. A couple of annoying elements, some things I wish could have been addressed differently... but all in all, a good episode.

Cons:

I recall being slightly annoyed that Meredith's plot thread with her mother's past had been cut a bit short. This week, we do see the ramifications play out, as Jo convinces Meredith that she shouldn't let her mother's legacy hold her back from her own progress and innovation. I'm more than okay with this argument, and I'm glad that it got brought up. But at the same time, I feel like Jo is missing the big point, which is that with or without Meredith, the new technique will exist. Really it's just a matter of who gets credit for what, and I think there's something to be said for Meredith's selfless decision to let somebody else take the credit. But nobody else on the show seems to agree with me. Maybe I'm just frustrated by a perceived lack of nuance?

Yo, Amelia and Owen - your marriage was pretty darn boring to me when you were actually married. Now that you're not, can we stop harping on it? The two of them have casual sex, because that always works super great, and they come to the conclusion that Owen has always been in love with Teddy or something. So he rushes off to go tell her how he feels. This just feels like an enormously clumsy way to introduce Teddy back into Owen's life. Come on.

Modern Family: Wine Weekend (9x16)

Do you guys remember the Vegas episode? This episode wanted to be the Vegas episode, but it decidedly was not.

Cons:

I don't mean to be too harsh, but there was just so much going on here that I don't feel like any of it had time to really land. The idea is that everybody is staying at Haley's new boss's fancy house for the weekend, and then each of them has a different reason for wanting to sneak out at night without anybody else knowing. But rather than a lot of really funny close calls and moments where the stories get tangled up, each story is a tepid, underplayed little moment, and everything comes together at the end for a mediocre climax.

The most annoying of the separate little plot threads goes to Cam and Phil, who are practicing hip hop for the chance to get in to a better class than their spouses. The routine is uninspired, they use stupid lingo, and honestly the whole setup just doesn't land. Why would Cam, Mitchell, Phil, and Claire all be taking a hip hop class together? I want to see the moments leading up to that decision.

The Walking Dead: The Key (8x12)

I'd classify this particular episode of The Walking Dead as... uneven. There were aspects that I quite enjoyed, but other things that just seemed too silly.

Cons:

Rick is just an idiot. One of the centerpieces of this episode is a fight between Negan and Rick, one on one. This should have been an incredibly intense, powerful showpiece for the episode and for the show in general, but instead I couldn't stop thinking about how stupid Rick was being. He literally drops a loaded gun on the ground at one point and then wastes a bunch of his bullets from way too far away, and then can't even manage to kill Negan properly when he's completely unarmed. It's just silly. I wanted there to be some real threat and tension in these scenes, but I never for one second believed that either of them was going to die, so it all fell more than a little flat.

There were some things I quite enjoyed about Maggie's story this week, but I do have my complaints. First of all, Enid is annoying. She's just a mouthpiece for whatever minority opinion we need to express at any given moment. This week, she has the somewhat nonsensical argument that since Carl saved someone and died, while Enid killed someone and lived, this must mean there's no point in trusting people. Like, just get over yourself, kid. And secondly, why is Maggie still not visibly pregnant? How much time is supposed to have passed since Negan was first introduced? Because if this is all supposed to have happened in a matter of weeks, then we've got a serious pacing problem on our hands.

Once Upon a Time: Knightfall (7x13)

I really like Alice and Hook's dynamics, and it was fun to explore it more here. Poor Tilly!

Cons:

Some of the flashback stuff with Hook was a little bit convoluted and strange to me. I suppose part of it is that we kind of know where it's all going, and there are some things I don't really need an origin story for. We knew that there was a curse separating Hook and Alice, and we figured that this was Gothel's doing. Did I need to see a subplot with Ahab vs. Hook, with Rumple meddling in the background and twirling his hands around? Despite the fact that this was all new information, it somehow still felt like I'd already seen it.

Also, while I sometimes find all of the Disney Easter Eggs to be delightful, something about Maui's fishhook just made me roll my eyes. Like, it was fun for half a second, but then I just started thinking about it and it kind of annoyed me. Are we going to get Moana or Maui or any character from that movie actually in this show? Seems doubtful.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Principia (5x13)

I'm so in love with Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, you guys.

Cons:

I'm not really gripped by the bad guys right now. I feel like half way through this episode, I thought to myself - oh, yeah, I have to care about this now? Who are these people, again? I'm not saying it's impossible to turn it around, but at least right now I'm feeling myself pretty apathetic to their whole situation. Brainwashing, memory powers, secret rebellions... eh. Can we just focus on the main gang for a bit?

Pros:

I'm not opposed to the potential buildup they have going on with the bad guys, though, and the majority of this episode was just so damn fun that I'm still extraordinarily pleased with the final result.

Grey's Anatomy: Old Scars, Future Hearts (14x15)

This was a middling episode of Grey's Anatomy. Some of the character beats hit in this episode should have been explored with a great deal more nuance than they were given, and I'm a tad disappointed. Still, it wasn't horrible or anything...

Cons:

There's a love story between two teen boys who like to cosplay, and while there were some kind of charming moments here, ultimately it was way too overwrought. I needed a moment where they acted like normal kids in love, where they broke through the characters and became themselves. Without that, it was hard to connect to their story. I will admit, though, I'm glad the kid pulled through and I'm glad the couple was reunited by the end of the episode.

The flashbacks in this episode did not work for me. We saw several characters with their first loves - Jo, Alex, and Maggie. It was awkward and didn't quite fit the narratives of the stories the episode was trying to tell. Jo and Alex end up engaged at the end of this episode (yay!) but the flashbacks to their young loves didn't really tell us anything new about them as characters, or their relationship. So Jo had a loving boyfriend in high school before she met Paul? She chickens out. So Alex's first serious relationship went awry when his girlfriend saw Alex's mom off her meds? That's sad, I guess, but what does it have to do with either of them in the present day? And Maggie's flashback, while somewhat funny, was also pretty unconnected to her awkward blooming romance with Jackson. (I'm still not buying their connection, try as I might).

The Walking Dead: Dead or Alive Or (8x11)

This is one of the better episodes of The Walking Dead in quite some time, and my reason for saying that comes from a pretty surprising source.

Cons:

There's still a lot of boring repetition to slough through. We see Maggie continue to struggle with dwindling supplies and restless prisoners at Hilltop. We see Daryl, Tara, and Rosita escorting their gang to Hilltop, all while trying to decide what to do about Dwight. We see Eugene and Negan continue their little song and dance where we wonder how much longer Eugene is going to be useful to his current protector. And while all of those plot threads offered some gems, there was also quite a bit of dead air, and when you get to the end of the episode, the unmistakable impression is that this was mostly filler.

Pros:

So, to break down the plot threads I mentioned above, I will say that I thought the stuff with Dwight was quite interesting. Tara obviously wants him dead because of Denise, and I will admit that despite my utter disgust at the number of queer characters that this show thinks it's okay to kill off, I'm happy that Denise has not been totally forgotten or removed from the narrative. I don't know if Dwight is trustworthy. I don't think he's deserving of total forgiveness. But the most important thing is... I'm not entirely sure what he's up to. The moment when he leads the Saviors away from Tara and the rest of the group is interesting. Is he saving them? Is he just saving himself? Does he plan on killing his erstwhile companions and returning with the gang to Hilltop, and if he does choose that path, will Daryl and Tara let him? Lots of interesting stuff going on here.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Real Deal (5x12)

Be right back, crying forever now...

Cons:

I'm cool with Deke being Fitzsimmons' grandson. I'm less cool with the fact that this episode framed it as if we were supposed to be even the tiniest bit surprised by this "huge and shocking" twist as the episode came to an end. Pulease. Also, Deke is kind of generic and although his complete incompetence is somewhat amusing, I'm not really sure why he's here. Comic relief seems like an odd function for his character.

So there's this rift and it shows people their fears, manifested to reality. I know this is going to sound strange, given what has happened on this show, but this went just a tad too far for me in some ways. Especially given that Coulson's fear is the idea that all of this is fake, that he's actually just on an operating table after being mortally wounded by Loki. Seems a little abstract, and a weird thing to introduce at this point in the season.

Once Upon a Time: A Taste of the Heights (7x12)

Yay for a Tiana/Sabine episode!

Cons:

I will admit that I wish we'd stop dragging the curse along. I get that it's the whole point of this season's arc, but... I'm tired of the protagonist not knowing what's going on. It's what we did with Emma, but that was a bit different. We were coming into this new world with her. In Henry's case, we know that he's a part of this world, and his continued ignorance is wearing on my patience. The fact that Victoria Belfrey dies and so Lucy has nobody to corroborate her story... it's just frustrating and it feels like we're prolonging things unnecessarily.

Also... I liked the stuff with Sabine and Drew (Prince Naveen) but I was pretty disappointed to find out that Drew is working with Dr. Facilier. It seems like an unnecessary plot development. Don't we have enough going on at this point? What should we be focusing on? The coven of witches? Facilier? The curse? So much to wrap up, so little time...

Supernatural: A Most Holy Man (13x15)

Aww! I loved the priest so much!

Cons:

Bless this show for its clunky, repetitive exposition, honestly... if I have to see one more scene of Sam researching, Dean asking for an update and then summarizing the A-plot... well, nothing. I'll just keeping watching and shaking my head indulgently. I'm also a little bit twitchy about this side-quest McGuffin trajectory that we're on. Is there going to be an episode devoted to each part of the spell? Can we please get on with it and get to the part where they find Gabriel to use his grace?

There was a brief meta moment where Dean started to hit on a woman who was reading a book about demons, and Dean asked her if she "enjoyed the supernatural." Unless this woman actually comes back into the story at some point, I'm calling extreme bullshit. Dean has definitely outgrown the idea of hitting on people while he's working a case, and the joke didn't even really work.