The Shannara Chronicles - 2.04 - Dweller - Preview

One thing I love about The Shannara Chronicles is how it gets from point A to point B without too many detours, turnarounds, and stalls. The pace is fairly brisk and fans don’t have to wait for long to see where the show is heading. In many ways, the show itself is like an army marching steadily to battle. One of my biggest issues in the last episode was the lack of King Ander and consequences for Catania’s death. I need not have worried because both come to the forefront in this episode. In fact, it is an episode of epic stands with King Ander, Lyria, Wil, and Bandon all coming into their own. For King Ander, it is a chance to show his authority and determination, while Lyria takes a big step towards confidence. Wil comes face-to-face with his past and embraces his destiny, while Bandon proves his point in a most brutal way. Eretria, Mareth, and Jax take a small step back in this episode but each has at least one power scene as well. Overall, it is well balanced and switching between the happenings in Leah and Wil’s mission make the episode fly by.



Other Highlights:

1. The cinematography is this series is outstanding. The long shots are gorgeous and the shots inside the crevasse are visually interesting and yet increase the claustrophobic effect.
2. Mareth continues to be the most intriguing new character. There is more backstory on her this time and her interactions with Allanon are topnotch. Mostly though, her reactions to what the other characters do and say show how hurt she really is by Allanon’s abandonment. Malese Jow continues to impress.
3. Flick is also developing into a great character. His interactions with Bandon change into a philosophical debate that I found far more interesting than I expected. Bandon is also turning into an accomplished villain. No doubt, he’s completely crazy but he believes in his own crazy with all-encompassing passion. It makes him the most fascinating villain so far.
4. Eretria is the Queen of the Pep Talk this season and her encouragement leads to one of the best scenes of the night.
5. Wil and Allanon may not get along, but they have the best character interaction in this episode. I like how Wil keeps encouraging Allanon to connect with Mareth and how Allanon represents another side to Wil’s dad that Wil never knew. The culminating end scene was cheesy, but fulfilling in its own right.



Toss-Ups:

1. The palace politics at Leah are even more convoluted. It’s getting hard to remember who is betraying whom and for what reason. I don’t see this as a problem right now. Leah is one of my favorite things about this season, but it would be very easy for the whole storyline to overwhelm itself or for there to be too many loose ends to wrap up. The need to start pulling it all together.
2. Will’s biggest personal trauma is….NOT Amberle becoming a tree. I don’t have a problem with this and I actually find it refreshing that they didn’t go there, but some people might be less pleased.



Issues:

1. The more Riga is on screen, the more he feels like a cliche. It’s a shame because I thought he was intriguing in the beginning. Now he just makes one bad guy mistake after another. If he keeps killing off his own men, Ander won’t have to worry about fighting the Crimson. They’ll defeat themselves.
2. Even with backstory, Jax is uninteresting.
3. Seriously Hollywood, you have to start putting warning signs up before you show great, big spider-like creatures. Ugh, with a heaping help of blech on top. Where’s the brain bleach?

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosts The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

HTGAWM - 4.05 - I Love Her - Best Scene Poll

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosted The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

Quote of the Week - Week of Oct. 15

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team. Since there hasn’t been a lot of TV in the last few weeks, here’s our favorite quotes for the month so far. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off in the comments below.

9JKL -
Josh: “I can juggle some stuff around.” Ian: “Not in those shorts, you can’t.”
Josh: “You sold me out for Peking duck?” Harry: “Yes.”
Harry to his wife: “I didn’t say anything because I’m deeply afraid of you.”

AHS: Cult -
1. Kai: “The crown is heavy, Winter. I'm making hard choices everyday. Even harder ones going forward. This thing we're putting together, it's real. And it's gonna change the world. But I can't do it alone. Followers are followers, I tell them what they want to hear and they will obey me. You and me are family, though. That matters. I need to know I can count on you, Winter. Can I count on you?” Winter: “Of course. What the hell, Kai.” (DarkUFO)
2. Bebe: “Haven't you been listening, ingrate? That was Valerie's plan all along. We were the Zodiac.” (DarkUFO)
3. Kai: “Holy sh**. I just got a retweet from Eric Trump!” (DarkUFO)
4. Valerie: “You lost it because you can't stand to see a woman succeed.” Andy Warhol: “Oh, Valerie. You know women can't be serious artists.” (DarkUFO)

The Big Bang Theory -
1. Sheldon: “You’re a good teacher. Your son is going to be lucky to have you as a father.”
2. Howard: “Sheldon, what am I going to do? What do I know about raising a boy?” Sheldon: “What do you know know about raising a girl?”
3. Howard: “Now you’re gonna want to slowly switch lanes.” Sheldon: “Why?” Howard: “Because there are only two and you’re not in either of them.”

The Brave -
1. Patricia: “Are we good?” Dalton: “Well, that depends. How’s your 100-yard dash time?” Patricia: “Better when my life depends on it.”
2. Patricia: “You like martyrs? You’re gonna die looking up at this one. Three hours ago I stood on the spot where one of your friends killed my son. If you do not help me save other mothers that pain, I will gladly die here with you, or you can stop the cycle of violence and I will save you. It’s your call.”
3. Preach: “Status is whole, healthy, and delivered like a sinner on Sunday.” Noah: “That’s good to hear.” Hannah: “Man, you should wear suits more often.”

Bull -
1. Amaya: “The thing about common sense, it’s not really very common. So when you hear it, when someone shares it with you, you can’t help but be very grateful.”
2. Bull: “You need me to win this case.” Getman: “I beg to differ, Doc, and frankly, what I don’t need is you acting like the rash egomaniac that the prosecution is gonna paint you to be. And that’s exactly what you’re doing right now. You want to win, sit back, trust your team, and do what I say or else fire me and God bless. It’s up to you.”
3. Bull: “Well it just goes to show you, the older I get, the dumber I get. I was right about you in college. You are a force of nature, sir, and you’re really great at what you do. I owe you a million thanks and a million apologies.” Getman: “Oh truthfully, the only thing you owe me is money. I’m happy for you, Jason. You built something you could be proud of. People shouldn’t be allowed to take it away from you just because things didn’t work out the way they wanted.”

FOTB -
1. Jessica: “Did it sound dumb? I’ve only had half a beer but the voice in my head that criticizes me constantly has gone quiet.”
2. Honey: “I say this with love but please never interfere in our lives again.” Jessica: “I say with love. No promises.”
3. Honey: “I am nervous too. I never thought I wanted kids...like ever, but then I met you and that changed. Look, you may not be sure you’re ready but together we’re ready.”

HTGAWM -
1. Hargrove: “I don’t care about my reputation. I just want my kids.” Annalise: “Then fight for them. The same way you fought your way off the bathroom floor. The hell with him.” Hargrove: “Let’s kick him where it hurts.”
2. Nate: “As your sober buddy, you gotta drop this.” Bonnie: “I’m doing my job.” Nate: “No, you’re back on the crack and it’s called Annalise.”
3. Annalise: “It feels like all I do now is work at not drinking.” Hargrove: “No one told me it would cost this much. Business school, the kids, running a company...all I did was push. Of course I wanted a drink at the end of a 14-hour day.” Annalise: “I’ve been there. No one pushed harder than me. Now I’m broke, alone, got to beg you for work.” Hargrove: “If I’m going to go down, I want to go down drinking.” Annalise: “I’ll be right there with you.”

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World -
1. Angel: “The universe doesn’t care about happy endings.” Kevin: “Well, I do.”
2. Amy: “Well, the thing is, um...he called me before he did it. He called me and I saw his number on the phone and I...uh, I didn’t answer.” Nate: “Amy?” Amy: “I was mad at him. Kevin only ever called if he needed something and he did need something - me. And I wasn’t there for him.” Nate: “I haven’t been spying on your brother, but from what I can see, he’s trying to move on. You should too.”
3. Angel: “We had to see where the balloon led you.” Kevin: “Well, tada...it lead to therapy.”

Legends of Tomorrow -
1. Stein - "I refuse to set foot on the Titanic. Whoever built that ship should be shot." (Donna) ~Spoken by Victor Garber as Stein, who in James Cameron’s 1998 film, Titanic, played Titanic shipbuilder and designer, Thomas Andrews, who went down with his ship.

Lethal Weapon -
1. Santos: “These lunatics are going to bring the wall down and nobody’s gonna get out alive, but you want to stay. Why? Avery: “They’re my lunatics.”
2. Roger: “And hey, thinking about running doesn’t make you a bad father. Actually doing it...well, there’s not enough diamonds in the world.”
3. Roger: “You pack light? Riggs, you’ve got more baggage than anyone I know.”

MacGyver -
1. Jack: “I’m doing my job, Mac. I’m your bodyguard. Don’t you get that?” Mac: “Not when we’re off the clock, you’re not.” Jack: “Yeah, yeah, even when we’re off the clock. You know why? Because we’re never off the clock, man.”
2. Jack: “You know if something would have happened to you on your little field trip here, and you go and get yourself killed…” Mac: “Then it would have been my problem, not yours.” Jack: “Your problems are my problems.”
3. Mac: “This whole search for my dad, it’s...it’s rough to say the least.” Jack: “Oh, I know it is.” Mac: “I mean every step I take I keep finding myself wondering if..if he even wants to be found, if he even wants me in his life?” Jack: “Look, I didn’t know your dad but I know this world’s a lot cooler place with you in it. And if I’ve got to do a little helicopter parenting here and there to keep it that way, that’s what I’m going to do. You’re just going to have to deal with it. That’s the way families work, capiche?” Mac: “Capiche.”

Me, Myself, and I -
1. Alex: “You took me to a midnight screening of Rocky Horror when I was 9.” Mom: “Yeah, well in hindsight, letting scantily clad men and women yell ‘virgin’ at you was a poor parenting decision.”
2. Alex: “I don’t get it. Why’d you take the blame for me?” Ron: “I’m new at this too.”
3. Alex: “Ron is a Lakers fan. His judgment cannot be trusted.”

NCIS:LA -
Sam: “This place doesn’t scream international spy.” Callen: “Yeah but what house ever does?” Sam: “Yours.”

Scorpion -
1. Sly: “Death omelette. Make sure to wash your hands.”
2. Soldier: “He’s really our best hope?”
3. Happy: “I want a baby..soon. You were right. I want a family. I’ve always wanted a family, and I want one with you ‘cause I love you.”

The Shannara Chronicles -
1. Ander: “I won’t spend the rest of my life in a loveless marriage. Not for anything.” Catania: “This is about the survival of the elves. Your father, your brother, Amberle, they all gave their lives so that we could build a better world. It’s time we start doing that.”
2. Eretria: “She forgot to mention a lot of things.”
3. Wil: “I was finding it hard to believe that Allanon could have a daughter, but you are sounding more like him by the minute.”

Supergirl -
1. Alex, after Kara tells her not to worry: “You fight the most dangerous and evil people on the planet, so I’m kinda always gonna worry.” (Donna)
2. Kara: “She makes her way into my mind and forces me to relive the scariest moment of my life. It’s...it’s torture. How am I supposed to deal with that?” Alex: “Well, by remembering that your fears don’t define you. Who you are is Supergirl. Who you are is Kara. That’s what defines you. And she’s got nothing on that.” (Donna)
3. Kara: “My life as Supergirl is the one thing I can count on. I can go out there and help people. I can make a difference in the world. I can feel strong even though a huge part of me feels so weak. And she’s taking that away from me, and if I don’t have Supergirl, what do I have?” Alex: “You got me.” (Donna)
~~~This beautiful scene between Chyler Leigh and Melissa Benoist reaffirms that the bond between the Danvers sisters is the heart and core of the show.

Ten Days in the Valley -
1. Byrd: “Put him on the list, and remember they’re guilty...all of them.” Jane: “I’m beginning to understand the three ex-wives.”
2. Byrd: “I don’t work for you. I work for your daughter.”
3. Ali: “No, listen, you are not a cruel person. You are a powerful person, and some people...they get confused by that.”

Will & Grace -
1. Grace: “My marriage died but the rest of me didn’t.”
2. Will: “So what exactly are we supposed to do? As a sperm donor, the law doesn’t recognize you as a relative, just as someone who made a little money doing what he would normally do for free.” Jack: “Are you suggesting that we make a life-sized dummy using pillows and overalls and leave it in Skip’s place while we take him away?” Will: “Oh my God, it’s as if you can read the minds of other idiots. No, we can’t kidnap him. We need a plan.”
3. Jack: “When you get older, you’ll understand that there’s the family you were born into and the family that you choose. And the family I chose, well, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Wisdom of the Crowd -
1. Ruiz: “You do know your job is to take care of the cases on your desk, right?” Cavanaugh: “My job, lieutenant, is to solve crimes.”
2. Cavanaugh: “So what now? You guys are just going to insert yourself into any open case you see fit?”
3. Cavanaugh: “If a low-grade banger can find this guy, so can we.”

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosted The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

The Shannara Chronicles - 2.03 - Graymark - Preview

Wasting very little time, this episode gives many viewers exactly what they have been waiting for - a Wil and Eretria reunion. Eretria, with the help of Jax’s bounty hunting skills, gets to Wil’s uncle’s house and finds Wil just waking up from unconsciousness. To Mareth’s surprise, Wil is now onboard to find Allanon since Bandon has his uncle. Unfortunately for them, Jax knows that the Crimson has Allanon in Graymark, the former palace of the Warlock Lord. It’s an imposing fortress and Jax reminds them that the Crimson is a deadly foe, but Wil insists that Jax take them there. From then on it is our heroes vs. The Crimson, with a couple scenes from Tamlin’s palace. King Ander doesn’t have much to do in this episode except wait, but Tamlin sure knows how to spike the intrigue.

Overall I liked this episode, just not as much as last week’s. The pacing seemed slower but that could be because there were fewer cuts from character to character now that most of them are in the same place. There are also fewer reveals than the first two weeks. Tamlin remains sketchy and power-hungry, but the palace scenes are largely so we don’t forget there’s a “B” storyline. The real focus is on Graymark this time. Wil vacillates between the pouting boyfriend and smart leader, who catches something Eretria would have never missed in season 1. She does get her kick butt fighting skills back though, besting everyone in her path. Mareth also shows superior skills, inducing the best Allanon jawdrop yet. Jax completes the warrior trio and he, along with Riga, gets some back story here. Unfortunately, it all falls apart when some future Redshirt hurts his feelings, causing him to switch alliances at the drop of a hat. Even Han Solo took most of the movie to show his true colors. It’s disconcerting to watch a character go through an entire arc in 20 minutes.


Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - reunions
Best Scene - Eretria, Mareth, and Jax kick Crimson butt
Best Awww Moment - Wil and Eretria talk
Best Banter - Mareth snarks on Jax
Best Mystery - Mareth is able to control….
Best Character Growth - Wil is no dummy when it comes to Jax
Worst Character Growth - Jax, who changes waaaaaayyyyy too fast
Worst Mom - Tamlin, who doesn’t seem to care about her daughter at all
Most Convoluted Back Story - Riga
Most Missed - any consequences for Catania’s death...yet
Least Missed - Bandon


Best Quotes:

“And you left a life where you were safe and happy to help me. It hardly seems fair.”
“For a man who hates magic, you know a great deal about it.”
“I want to save my uncle and if that means partnering with you to free a man that I wish I never had to see again, then so be it.”
“She thinks Allanon is her father but she’s got a past she can’t explain, magical abilities she can’t control, and potentially the world’s worst dad...so, I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt.”
“So the Weapons Master is afraid of some stuck-up elves?”
“We don’t need you to save the world. We need you to leave it.”

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosted The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

How to Get Away with Murder - 4.04 - Was She Ever Good at Her Job? - Best Scene Poll

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosts The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

The Shannara Chronicles - 2.02 - Wraith - Preview

While I liked the premiere of season 2, this episode is vastly superior. Its fast pace and cuts from one character to another make it a whirlwind ride. It’s still heavy on exposition but it balances it out with action and intrigue. Again, two new characters are introduced and they definitely make an impression. Queen Tamlin of the humans is a force to be reckoned with and no stranger to political intrigue. She is likely to be a “love to hate” kind of character and could end up one of a trio of Big Bad’s along with General Riga of the Crimson and the Warlock King. Actually, at this point, it wouldn’t surprise me if Riga ends up reporting to her, although that is purely speculation on my part. The other new character is Garet Jax and let’s just say the guy knows how to make an entrance. A very bloody entrance. If Bandon is Anakin Skywalker, then Jax is Han Solo. He’s a kick butt loner bounty hunter with no allegiance except to himself and a cocky attitude that just screams “soon to be reformed bad boy,” although I’m not quite sure who will be the one reforming him yet. He can also take down Eretria, which he does...twice. Like Mareth and Lyria before them, Tamlin and Jax round out the characters nicely and add to the plot, especially Tamlin.

Hinted at in the premiere, our 4 intrepid heroes (Wil, Eretria, Allanon, and Ander) continue marching slowly towards reunion. Wil and Mareth pick up where they left off, being chased by the wraith. Mareth is more of a fighter while Wil prefers to hide out in sanctuary. The loss of Amberle scarred his psyche and he still wants nothing to do with magic. Therefore, it is Mareth again who provides a distraction from the wraith. I continue to love the Mareth character but Wil gets a lot of good material in this episode as well. Reconnecting with his uncle, he learns more about his family’s role in taking down the Warlock King the first time around. His uncle also does an abrupt U-turn in his thinking about magical abilities. He actually encourages Wil to use his magic and it seems like he will play a greater part this season than he did in the last. That’s a good thing because these scenes between Wil and his uncle are some of the better Wil scenes of the show.

Meanwhile, Ander heads to Leah with Allanon, eventually meeting up with Eretria again so she finally gets the lowdown on what happened in Arborlon when the Dagda Mor attacked. Sadly, Ander’s recap is done offscreen so we never see Eritrea's reaction to it. Although I understand the need to NOT recap in an episode still heavy on exposition, I feel it is an important moment for the character so I wish they had used a recap scene instead of the lengthy previouslies. Ander, too, has his own major moment when he is forced to choose between his own happiness and the welfare of his kingdom. It’s a great scene with Catania, showing how much Ander has progressed as a character and leader, which Queen Tamlin points out as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. There is the political intrigue of Leah, all the action, and several good character moments that combine to make the episode fly by. It feels like, in season 2, The Shannara Chronicles has found its balance and I can’t wait to see where they take it.


Grade: A-

Best Scene - This is hard but I’m going with Catania and Ander talk
Best Reason to Watch - the reveals about Mareth, Lyria, and Uncle
Best Reason to Cover Your Eyes - Jax’s entrance, which may be the most graphic violence in TSC history
Best Confrontation and Exposition Dump - Bandon vs….
Best Joan Crawford Impression - Tamlin
Biggest Surprise - BETRAYAL!!! / a character might be dead (By the way, if this character comes back as a demon, I revolt.)
Most Kick Butt - the “bad” guys (Bandon, Jax, Riga) who keep beating up the “good” guys (Allanon, Eretria, Wil). It’s a hard episode for the good guys.
Most Valuable Character - Tamlin, who adds just the right amount of intrigue and menace
Least Likely to Forget a Debt - Mareth
Least Missed - Amberle
Character You Least Want to Screw With - Bandon and his witchy mind powers
The “Trouble in Paradise” Award - Eretria and Lyria



Quotes:

“Anybody ever tell you, you’re a pain in the a**.”
“I was finding it hard to believe that Allanon could have a daughter, but you are sounding more like him by the minute.”
“She forgot to mention a lot of things.”
“Someone’s a little rusty.”
“The truth is you cannot face the Crimson or the Warlock Lord alone.”
“This is about the survival of the elves. Your father, your brother, Amberle, they all gave their lives so that we could build a better world. It’s time we start doing that.”
“Well then you got some bad information.”
“You’re lucky. I have a soft spot for hopeless romantics.”

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosts The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."

The Brave - 1.04 - Break Out - Preview

Those concerned that The Brave would have no character revelations need not to have worried. While Seal Team still dives deeper into the lead’s psyche, each week The Brave brings a new reveal about at least one of the characters. Last week it was Hannah’s turn as we found out details about why she had to leave field work and join the intelligence side. This week is all about Patricia and the loss of her son. Along with her role as Deputy Director, Patricia has a reputation for being quite the interrogator, once having locked herself in a closet with a Somali pirate for 3 days to get info on his prisoner. This time she is called to Afghanistan, close to where her son died while helping to build a school. Her mission is to get information from a former American, turned Taliban soldier. She needs to know about an imminent attack on a US military base, specifically which base is the target. Drawing on her grief, she tries to bond with the prisoner as a mother to varying levels of success. Of course, no mission is without complications on this show. They happen to arrive on the same day that the Taliban is planning a prison break. With little actionable intel and no way to leave the area, the team must find the info they came for while finding a way out.


Highlights:

1. Having Patricia in the field is the best part of this episode. It allows the show to delve deeper into who she is at a person while still revealing a more action-oriented side to her. In many ways, she is a lot like Dalton in that she will allow nothing to compromise her mission, even when it comes at the cost of personal safety. She’s competent and focused, confirming why so many people in the government rely on her opinion.

2. Because Patricia is in the field, it creates a better view of her relationship with Dalton. They have several great scenes together, including a touching one at the end. I really enjoy the camaraderie between the two and the fact that they completely trust each other. It is obvious that they have a lengthy working relationship and I hope that as the show progresses, they will continue to reveal their past. Plus, there is no hint of anything romantic between them, which is a welcome change.

3. Noah in charge is a great way to provide more depth for his character as well. Since Patricia is away, it is up to Noah to run the intel department. He takes this job very seriously, even showing up in a new suit and tie to Hannah’s amusement. In contrast to Patricia’s calm exterior in the control room, Noah is visibly nervous and it works to the show’s benefit. It ratchets up the tension on the normally less adrenaline-powered intel side and the scene where Noah realizes that he cannot do anything to help is very emotional. All in all, I wouldn’t mind having more of Patricia in the field and Noah at the helm. It does both characters good.


Issues:

1. The largest issue for some will likely come in the heavy emphasis on American vs Taliban ideology. Those who worry about jingoism in military shows may find some scenes harder to take. It can also be a little preachy in places if you are sensitive to this sentiment.

2. Similar to Scorpion, it would be nice to have a mission that is complicated in its own right and not complicated because whatever can go wrong does go wrong. I think these characters and the writing could tackle a multi-piece mission that requires them to work on a variety of escalating subplots at the same time. It would also give them a chance to focus on Preach, Jazz, and McG more.



Grade: B


Quotes:

“American Taliban, it’s an oxymoron. It’s 2 words literally at war with each other. You can’t be both.”

“Are we good?” “Well, that depends. How’s your 100-yard dash time?” “Better when my life depends on it.”

“It’s a tactic.” “And what if it’s not?” “Then it’s a better death than the alternative.”

“Man, you should wear suits more often.”

“The truth is the truth in any language.”

“This the Deputy Director’s idea of a vacation?” “Sun, sand…” “And Taliban.”

“Two rules: #1. Shoot the bad guys. #2. Don’t shoot me.”

“Why do you get to live?” “The grass is always greener.”

“You like martyrs? You’re gonna die looking up at this one. Three hours ago I stood on the spot where one of your friends killed my son. If you do not help me save other mothers that pain, I will gladly die here with you…”

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosts The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."