Dexter season three episode reviews

Season 3, Episode 1. "Our Father" While tracking his latest prey, Dexter is attacked by a man he does not know and has to kill him to defend himself. Who is this man?

Amazing strong start to the third season. The show come's off an intense storyline and completely re-invents itself. All the best elements of most of the show's best character's are still in place, but now we have a completely new tale being told. And it seems to revolve around the family of the Jimmy Smits character.

Smits makes a great debut on the show and makes me interested in the new storyline. C.S. Lee is more enjoyable than normal and the show pulls a master stroke by moving Angel higher in the chain of command than Debra. What a great way to create tension between them!

Season 3, Episode 2. "Finding Freebo" Dexter finally kills the guy he set out to get last week, but - just after doing the deed - he is found at the scene by Jimmy Smit's character: Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado.

The strength/appeal of Dexter is it's way of looking at normal life. The early part of this episode is devoted to the ritual of Dexter arriving at work, talking with his co-workers, catching up, and getting ready for the day ahead. A huge part of the episode is devoted to Dexter's musings on the news that he is about to become a parent. So, Dexter may be about a serial killer and all, but - at it's heart - it's just a drama series about a normal guy doing normal things and facing normal problems.

Season 3, Episode 3. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" Miguel and Dexter become closer, and a pedophile sets his sights on Astor.

A solid outing. Watching Miguel stalk Dexter (with a view towards being friends) is a lot of fun. But haven't we seen all of this before? With Lila? It was especially interesting when Dexter opened up and talked about his father. But, again, this is basically a re thread of what happened last season: Dexter has a new friend, who he can open up to, who might actually understand what he does...

The pedophile storyline was much better. It was cool to see Dexter protecting his family, and accepting his role as their protector. Of all the kills we have seen, this has got to be the most satisfying and the one that most defines Dexter as a 'hero'.

Season 3, Episode 4. "All In The Family" The team investigates the murder of a man, with the help of his loving fiance, while Dexter tries proposing to Rita and manages to convince Miguel that his brother is unstable.

It's a strong episode. The three threads of the episode are very satisfying. The murder-case-of-the-week is something that Dexter never does. Yes, we get to see him and the team at various murder scenes, but - unless it is connected to an ongoing storyline - we never get to hear about the outcome of the case. This is different. This time out we get to follow one murder case from crime scene to the arrest of the killer at the end and - even better - the case is used to impact upon Dexter, Debra and Quinn in significant ways. Even without that fallout, it's a pretty nifty murder case: Julie Ann Emery makes a great guest star.

In the ongoing storylines Dexter is working his magic: manipulating Miguel's brother so that he over-reacts to stuff. Dexter wants to keep him out of loop, so he does all of this to sever the trust between the brothers. It's good stuff, but - in common with much of the Miguel Prado scenes - we've seen it all before. Last Season Dexter manipulated Doakes in a similar manner. Now he's at it again. I'm not as impressed this time out.

I'm very impressed with the proposal at the end, however. That was superb storytelling. Dexter uses the phrases/words/ideas of a crazed killer to convince Rita to marry him and the voice-over tells us how lonely, confused and needy he is. Haunting stuff.

Season 3, Episode 5. "Turning Biminese" Rita goes to hospital, Dexter goes fishing.

Dexter feels the pressure to sell his apartment, and buy a new house with Rita, now that they are getting married. He may be a serial killer, but his thoughts/fears/anxieties are the same ones that ever guy faces. The narration from this episode could have been used on thirtysomething, or Once And Again. And this is one of the great things about the show.

The plots advance, too, in this one. Debra convinces a kid to talk about Freebo, but somebody is watching them...

And, in a very exciting - very surprising - final scene: Miguel guesses Dexter's secret.

So, all in all, a very well balanced episode. The first third was mostly about Dexter's fears, the middle third advanced the plots and the final third showed Dexter's killer side and gave him a confidant.

What next?

One suspects that it will end badly (for Miguel) but, since that's just a re-thread of last season (with Lila) I hope they find something else to do with the idea.

Season 3, Episode 6. "Sí Se Puede" Miguel plans a murder for Dexter.

After an episode dominated (in a way) by Rita and her impact upon Dexter's life, the show (wisely) puts her completely in the background and opts to focus on the deepening friendship between Dexter and Miguel. The fact that they do this, but showing Miguel's part in the murder of an evil Nazi convict makes for a truly thrilling episode. It's not the usual type of Dexter murder. He's not in control so, for once, there is an element of tension and suspense surrounding the crime.

Nice.

As for the deepening friendship. I have no idea where this is all going. Hopefully the show won't simply turn Miguel and Dexter into enemies and force Dexter to kill him. So, what else is there? Miguel is murdered, and Dexter must avenge him?

Or will they be really brave? And leave Miguel in the show for another season...

Season 3, Episode 7. "Easy as Pie" Miguel wants Dexter to kill the nice lawyer lady, and Dexter's old friend asks that he end her life to end her suffering/pain.

A solid episode where both plots have Dexter being asked by friends to try something new and grew outside his previously defined boundaries. Clever rewarding stuff.

Season 3, Episode 8. "The Damage a Man Can Do" Dexter guides Miguel through his first kill. But not his second...

Another gripping episode. Nice balance between the insanity of Rita at home, and the male bonding stuff between Dexter and Miguel (as they plan and commit a murder).

The final scene was a chilling twist. Is Miguel about to do what I think he's about to do? Damn.

Season 3, Episode 9. "About Last Night" Dexter realises that Miguel murdered Ellen Wolf, and - worse - has been playing him like a fool from the very start...

Wow. A real kick in the pants, for Dexter and the audience at home. The revelation that the blood on the shirt didn't belong to Miguel was superb. The one moment tied up the events of the first eight episodes in a tidy little bundle and sets the scene for the three episodes to come.

Season 3, Episode 10. "Go Your Own Way" Dexter and Miguel have a battle of wits, as each tries to get the upper hand.

One of the best episodes of Dexter ever made. Since Dexter is all about stealth we don't normally get to see him in a battle of wits scenario. So this is a new departure for the show: Dexter in all-out war with somebody. And, to make it even better, the war is fought through polite conversation in front of lots of regular people.

Except for the confrontation at the very end. The big face-to-face on the rooftop. That was amazing. Great performances from both men. Jimmy Smits can go from likable to hateful in a single conversation. Talented guy. His considerable on-screen charisma doesn't work against him when he plays a villain.

Then there's Michael C. Hall. The confrontation on the rooftop is amazing. The energy levels of the two men are completely different. Smits' Miguel is yelling and screaming with passion and hatred, while Hall's Dexter is pure calm and disconnection in the middle of the storm. It's as if Hall wasn't even in the scene at all, but digitally added in later. I'm not sure how he did it, but he really pulled off something remarkable here.

Season 3, Episode 11. "I Had a Dream" Dexter decides he's gonna have to kill Miguel. And he chooses a new Best Man.

This surprised me. Sure, I know Dexter was likely to kill Miguel, but I figured it would be left to, you know, the last episode of the season. Nope. The show had something else up it's sleeve. Good storytelling choice.

Season 3, Episode 12. "Do You Take Dexter Morgan?" Miguel has sent two people after Dexter... his brother and a psycho killer.

Satisfying ending to the third season. Now that Miguel is out of the picture, Dexter still has two foes to deal with. These foes were dealt with in different ways. And both were satisfying. Ramon and Dexter... sat down face to face and had a heartfelt conversation. Yes, there was some violence first (Ramon pulled a gun on Dexter at one point) but - to my surprise/delight - the storyline was resolved when Dexter reasoned with Ramon and allowed him to see the error of his ways.

Cool.

The storyline of the Skinner also came to a surprising conclusion. Dexter was taken hostage/prisoner and - not being an action-hero in the classic sense - I did not expect him to break free. Especially since his (newly-promoted) detective sister was on her way to rescue him. But, no, Dexter went all Jack Bauer on the bad guy and broke free. I wasn't expecting that. It was a bit "too TV" for a show like Dexter, and I hope they don't go there again, but it was a cool way to end the season.

Rising Damp season two episode reviews

Season 2, Episode 1. "Permissive Society" Parts of the series that have only been hinted at before are brought out in the open with this episode. Rigsby makes a proper play for the affections of Miss Jones and Alan is revealed to be a virgin (I think). He certainly is found out as being totally clueless with regard to women. Up to now, we all knew that Rigsby liked Ruth but he never made any direct play for her (if you don't count waving that smoking stick about!) and while we certainly suspected that Alan was pretty clueless he never actually said it to anyone else on-screen before. With the start of the second season, I suppose Eric Chappell was just making the conceits of the series more concrete. Whatever the reasoning behind it, it's certainly one of the funniest episodes. All the best scenes are the ones between Rigsby and Alan and - on this viewing - I think their friendship is my favourite part of the show.

Season 2, Episode 2. "Food Glorious Food" Rigsby shoots his mouth off and Philip challenges him to stay off food for 48 hours. Simple premise. Delightful execution. Leonard Rossiter is hilarious in every scene. As usual, his bond with Alan comes to the forefront and he pleads with the young medical student to sneak him some food. It doesn't happen, but it nicely sets up the twist ending. Very funny.

Season 2, Episode 3. "A Body Like Mine" The formula is intact: Rigsby is shooting his mouth off and Philip challenges him to a boxing match. Sure, it's the exact same idea as last week. It doesn't matter. It's really, really funny. The comedy comes from the conversations and Rigsby's ideas about the world. Most of the episode is devoted to Rigsby and Alan chatting. The landlord and tenant have a close friendship and - at this stage in the series' run - are willing to be each other's confidant. Even when Alan thinks the older man is completely wrong. Which is 100% of the time.

The physical comedy in this one is top notch. The exercise scenes and the actual boxing match are hilarious. The twist ending is delightful.

Season 2, Episode 4. "Moonlight and Roses" While this is still a very funny episode, it is much different to most other episodes of RD. It's a bit more sad. Rigsby wears his heart on a sleeve a bit more than usual in this one, he tries very hard to win Miss Jones and plays a very mean trick to try and derail her impending marriage. But it fails: Miss Jones still moves out at the end to get married.

Most of the humour in Rising Damp comes from the tenants (mostly just Philip) playing tricks on Rigsby. Rigsby (mostly) deserves it, because he's a know-it-all and should be taught a lesson from time to time. But this one is a bit different. He really is in love with Miss Jones. To their credit the boys try and shield him from heartbreak at the very start of the show, but - when that fails to work - Philip goes all out and sets him the landlord up for a fall. It's very, very funny. But, for the first time in the series, you cannot help but feel very sorry for Rigsby. He might have his flaws, but the guy did love Miss Jones.

His trick to ruin her marriage is very mean (funny, but mean). Seldom does he do something so out of character. Desperation, I suppose, drove him to it...

Gabrielle Rose (of Robson Arms) joins the cast in this one and makes a great first impression. When Brenda shows up in a very revealing top and tells Rigsby that she is a nude model, the show delivers one of it's best-ever moments. Watching the inept advances of the lecherous landlord is a real delight.

Season 2, Episode 5. "A Perfect Gentlemen" Rigsby's love for Miss Jones is one of the main engines that drives the stories on Rising Damp, but the show doesn't miss a beat now that the character of Miss Jones has moved out of the boarding house. Some episode's rely on Philip playing a prank on Rigsby (to teach him a lesson), but this isn't one of those. Rather, it goes back to another established trait of the landlord: Rigsby is a sycophant. Place him with someone he considers superior/important and he becomes hilariously obsequious. We saw it in Season One with the policeman, and we see it here again (to great effect) when a con-man moves in and convinces everybody that he is 'somebody'.

Except except Philip, that is. Long established as the smartest one of the bunch, this episode shows - once again - that he's nobody's fool. Best bit? Rigsby finding the money that Philip planted, putting his foot on it and being caught by Philip.

Season 2, Episode 6. "Last of the Big Spenders" Poverty drives the storyline in this very funny episode. Rigsby is trying to impress Brenda (the new tenant) but he has no money. It's a slim and very depressing premise, but with this writer and this cast it makes for another hilarious half-hour of television. That's the real skill and wonder of shows like Rising Damp and Steptoe & Son. They can take the most bleak of real-world scenarios and make us laugh out loud. Even when we've lived through them ourselves and know that there's nothing funny about them at all.

Season 2, Episode 7. "Things That Go Bump in the Night" Much more over-the-top than your typical Rising Damp episode. But still very funny.

Rigsby is scared of ghosts, so Alan dresses as a ghostly woman in order to sneak down to visit Brenda (who he is now dating). If you are willing to accept that Rigsby is stupid enough to fall for this, there are laughs to be had.

By the end, however, things are been stretched too far. A couple of priests have been called in to deal with the ghosts and everyone runs around as if it is a farce. It's not. Good effort, nonetheless.

Season 2, Episode 8. "For the Man Who Has Everything" It starts off slow (with too many guest characters), gets better (as the regulars arrive) and builds to a truly great comedy of misunderstanding.

Rigsby has been alone all over Christmas and he is in very bad form. All the early conversations are with guest characters and it lacks the spark of the usual starts. Most episodes seem to open with Rigsby and Alan deep in conversation. Random bickering with random strangers is just not as funny.

Soon Alan and Brenda arrive and things pick up considerably. Rigsby getting the same bad gift from both of them is very funny, but the episode kicks into high gear in the final third. Phillip arrives with a girl in tow. And when Rigsby meets her, he jumps to a spectacular wrong conclusion. Leonard Rossiter has seldom been funnier.

Dexter season two episode reviews

Season 2, Episode 1. "It's Alive!" Twenty Five years ago, my Saturday Night TV always started out with MacGyver. Now, all these years later, I sit down to watch yet another TV hero who is good with his hands. But not in the same way. Nope, cos Dexter is a serial killer. So if you gave him a stick of gum he'd probably find a way to kill you with it!

Season 2 opens with Dexter in a state of turmoil, after the events of the Season 1 finale. So much so, that this episodes highlights two failed attempts to kill someone. Worse, his girlfriend knows that there is more to him than meets the eye, the cop on his tail is utterly relentless and - in the stunning final moments - his dumping ground for all the bodies is discovered and becomes a huge news story.

It's a great episode. But, I'm not sure I want the show to take this direction. Is Dexter himself going to be the subject of a massive police investigation? One of the things that I liked about Season One was the fact that nobody knew that Dexter's victims were the result of a serial killer. It meant, in effect, that all of Dexter's problems were in his head. If the show makes his killings the central story engine, it might limit the stuff they can do with the character. But, it will certainly make things more tense in the short run.

On a side note, Julie Benz has never looked more beautiful than in this episode. Before her nude scene, at the very start, she looked positively radiant. Beaming up at Dexter as he fed donuts to her kids. Rita usually looks tired and stressed, but there is a definite change in this episode. Up until the dramatic ending (and I certainly did not see that twist coming) and poor Rita is in tears. Benz has for a long time been one of my favourite actresses, and she is almost doing her best ever work on this show. Almost.

Season 2, Episode 2. "Waiting to Exhale" Dexter is delicious. The ending of this episode has one of the coolest twists I've ever seen. A real laugh-out-loud how-is-he-gonna-get-out-of-this-one moment. And it caps off another great episode. It's really the conclusion of the two-parter that starts off the new season, the new storyline and - I suppose - the new direction of the show. Dexter is still after the big bad guy who got away last week. And as the evidence piles up we (the audience) can see just how evil this guy is, and how much he deserves The Dexter Treatment. The fact that the guy can fight back, and is - in fact - ready for Dexter makes it all the more exciting for us to watch.

Rita gets some of the best scenes in the episode, however. She has really matured. Her way of dealing with Paul's death is fascinating to watch, and - as I said - her questioning of Dexter at the very end is the absolute highlight of the episode. Delicious.

Season 2, Episode 3. "An Inconvenient Lie" Since my favourite thing about this show is it's insight into the male mind when part of a relationship, my favourite parts of this episode are the ones where we see Rita withdrawing from Dexter as a means to getting him to do something she wants. Ultimately it's a good thing for him, and it certainly sets him off down an interesting path, but it's very interesting to see her tactics. It comes back to bite her anyway because, in the end, she finds that Dexter has made a new friend: a hot new friend. Hilarious ending, yes, but fascinating to see the way the script 'punishes' Rita for her earlier behaviour.

Season 2, Episode 4. "See-Through" Several highlights in this great episode: a very intense storyline for Doakes, the revelation that Laguerta was/is sleeping with her superior's boyfriend and Dexter's deepening friendship with his sponsor. Doakes is never given much to do and his constant tailing of Dexter this season was just starting to get annoying when they (wisely) brought it to a stop. This episode gives him a strong storyline and some (much-needed) character work. The stuff with Laguerta blew me away. I totally did not see that coming. Love it! I'm slowly warming to Lila. She's very much a TV cliché so far (we've seen this character many times on TV shows) but it'll be interesting to see how much of a part she comes to play in Dexter's world as the show progresses. Will he tell her his secret, I wonder?

Season 2, Episode 5. "The Dark Defender" Dexter briefly sees himself as comic-book hero in this one. Clever. Dexter has always reminded me of Wolverine. How cool to see him seeing himself in these terms. Also, the fact that he's saving his own mother in this vision makes it all the more interesting/sad. Truly the writers have turned Dexter into a complex and wonderful character (how much of who he is, is due to his father's well-meaning training?). And, it must be said, they have served all the characters in the show just as well. This episode has some wonderful stuff between Laguerta and Doakes. Interesting chiefly because of what we know about them from previous episodes. Laguerata fascinates me. I alternate between liking her and being shocked by her. Great stuff.

Season 2, Episode 6. "Dex, Lies, and Videotape" This is the one with the copycat killer. And both Dexter himself and the FBI are anxious to put an end to his antics. Making Dexter himself the focus on the investigations has certainly made his life-of-crime more interesting this Season, but the focus of the show is always his personal life. Rita dumps him, after (hilariously) overhearing a phone message from Lila. Dexter reacts badly and - to my great surprise - winds up in bed with Lila! Even more surprising he tells Rita about it, just as they are on the verge of getting back together. All these twists continue to make Dexter a fascinating character.

This is also the episode where his (adorable) sister hugs FBI Agent Lundy in a moment of unguarded joy. It's a wonderful scene. Perfectly played and sweet and joyful.

Season 2, Episode 7. "That Night, A Forest Grew" Fantastic. When the episode started I was suddenly smitten with Lila and concerned for her safety (given her new status as Dexter's girlfriend). All that stuff with the light bulb and the mysterious landlord had me worried. What direction was all this taking, I wondered? Was Lila going to 'cure' Dexter and then fall prey to some horrible murderer, which would then send Dexter back to his murderous ways, as he sought revenge?

Then, as the episode unfolded, my perception of Lila changed and - by the end of it all - I positively hated her.

That's some skillful storytelling, there.

Aside from the Lila stuff there was lots of cool goodness in this episode. Dexter takes the lead - for once - and sends the police on a merry chase. He also takes the battle to Doakes in a major way. And gets the good Sgt. booted from the police force. Nice.

Watching this show can be rather conflicting. Doakes is the bad guy. We hate him. But, he's the smartest person on that police force. He's the one that knows that Dexter is... iffy. He's the real hero here. And we hate him. For no other reason than the fact that he's on to Dexter. He's a threat to Dexter so we hate him. Cos we love Dexter more than anyone.

Then there's Lundy, the FBI guy that Dexter's sister kissed. We like him a lot. He's nice. But he's smart and he's making advances towards catching our hero. Shouldn't we hate him to?

Know what? A show that can make me hate Lila in the space of one episode probably has a lot of tricks up it's sleeve. I bet they can make me hate Lundy any old time they want. Clever bastards.

Season 2, Episode 8. "Morning Comes" Another superb episode, with a fair amount of twists and turns. The biggest shock in the episode (and there are many) has to be the sight of Doakes finding Dexter's hidden stash of blood samples. Blood taken from his victims. That's a real what-the-frak-happens-next moment.

Dexter (quickly) realises that he cannot trust Lila and brings their relationship to an ending (after she breaks into Rita's house). It's a show about a serial killer and his new girlfriend is the scary character in it.

Season 2, Episode 9. "Resistance Is Futile" My stomach is tied in knots after watching this amazing episode of Dexter. Surely the single best episode they have thus far delivered? The first half is constructed to make you think that Dexter has been found out. You are thinking to yourself that that cannot possibly be the case, yet how else do you explain what is happening?

The answer, when it comes, surprised me. It shouldn't have. I should have anticipated that Doakes would be a suspect. But I didn't. I could see it heading in this general direction, yes, with him storming out on the meeting with Lundy in the previous episode. But I did not expect things to move this fast. Pow! This show hits you between the eyes.

Barely had I processed the fact that Doakes had found Dexter's hidden stash of blood samples (last week) than the FBI has the box and is using it as the main evidence in their case against Doakes. Wow! I feel whiplash from the speed of that development. Yet, it makes perfect sense.

Then, before I have time to process that development, Dexter and Doakes are locked in a pitch battle to the death (which, of course, it isn't) with one of them getting shot and Doakes - finally - confronting Dexter about his murderous ways.

It's brilliant. But the show is brilliant in other ways, too. Usually, the fact that Dexter is a serial killer takes second place to the fact that he is socially inept. And, usually, the moments of high drama, come from Dexter's attempts to lead a normal life. This is not one of those episodes, however the scenes that depict Dexter's normal life are just as gripping as usual this week.

His ex-girlfriend showing up, in the midst of his friends, trying to pretend that all is rosy between them (while - in private - they have a blazing row) is a moment that pretty much every viewer can relate to. I know I can. Likewise, Dexter's humbling but honest/heartfelt apology to Rita struck a chord.

It's amazing. In the midst of a crazy, wonderful, OTT plot development about a serial killer covering his tracks this is still a show about a ordinary guy trying to navigate the pitfalls of everyday life.

Which is what makes it such a great television series.

Season 2, Episode 10. "There's Something About Harry" There's a lot of great stuff in this episode, but all I wanted to see was Dexter and Doakes. How can the show get out of this? I mean, Dexter likes Doakes. He can't actually kill him and still be our hero? Can he? At the mid-way point the episode makes you think that Dexter has actually decided to do the deed. But it proves to be - yet another - red-herring. The show has gotten really good at doing these.

Almost as exciting as the Doakes storyline: Lila. She drugs herself and passes out while on a date with Angel. To what? Frame him? Can't wait to see where this goes and what Dexter does about it...

Season 2, Episode 11. "Left Turn Ahead" A melancholy and unsatisfying episode of Showtime's drama about a likable serial killer.

It's a gloomy ride as Dexter puts his affairs in order and prepares to hand himself over to the police for his crimes. In the end he changes his mind after a conversation with his sister. And it's a pretty unconvincing turn of events. Seems like the writers painted themselves into a corner with this story and didn't know how to get out of it. A short, flippant comment from Debra is a weak solution. Had it been Rita and the kids (particularly the kids) I might have bought it. This? Not so much.

Season 2, Episode 12. "The British Invasion" A superb conclusion. The beauty of this chapter is that - before it starts - it is impossible to predict how it will all turn out, yet once it is over you cannot imagine it happening any other way.

I am shocked that Doakes is dead. I wasn't sure that he would die, and I never imagined that Lila would be the one to kill him. Clever writing. Great performance from Lauren Vélez in the aftermath of the death/discovery, too.

But the episode belongs to Jaime Murray as the evil Lila. Poor Lila. At different parts of the season I liked her and loathed her. In the end, there was almost nothing to sympathise with. She went after Rita's children for Frak's sake!! No sympathy left for her after that.

But the script is clever. Up until that last scene we were led to believe that she has gotten away scott free. Not so. Dexter found her. And justice was served.

It's been a great season. Better than the first. What's next for Dexter?

Friday Night Lights season two episode reviews

Season 2, Episode 1. "Last Days of Summer" The Best Show On Television. Wonderful opening episode. Coach Taylor has been away from his family for a long time and it shows. The story deftly illustrates the impact his absence is having on the two women in his life: his wife in tears on the couch, his daughter ignoring the rules of the house. Without ever going over the top, the show shows us a family in pain. Lots of sadness in the Taylor household.

Julie is treating Matt like crap. Chasing an older boy and ignoring the one who loves her. To be fair to her, her boyfriend is being a bit of wimp about it and her own reasoning about why she is doing this (in the conversation with her father in the car) makes a whole lot of sense. It's not just me being fair to her, the script is fair to her. Her behaviour is that of a self-centered teen, yet the story allows us to feel for her and sympathise with her (even when she is being most unsympathetic).

Watching Coach Taylor suffer is also riveting. It's an age-old struggle: man wants to be at work to provide for family and wife wants man to be more attentive to her and the family. The best scene is probably the one where Coach sees how Buddy's family has fallen apart. Is it a warning signal? You bet it is!

Tyra and Landry are much closer now. It's a situation we've seen a lot of times before, but I'm utterly charmed by it all over again. The ending of the ending of the episode proved controversial when it first aired (Landry kills someone in a fight to protect Tyra). Fans didn't seem to like it. I do. I agree that it's a bit too sensational (and 'TV') for a such a low-key and realistic television show. I'm invested in these characters. St. Elsewhere was about intimate quite moments between very real people, too. And it often went way over the top and never lost it's touch. I have faith in Friday Night Lights to do the same.

Season 2, Episode 2. "Bad Ideas" Very weak episode. The episode goes to extreme lengths to show us that Coach is unhappy, and Mrs. Coach is unhappy. Enough already. Fix this! Put them back together. A man should be with his family. Someone has to move to be with someone. And fast.

The show loses some points with me for making the guy who replaced Taylor at the High School into a total jerk. There's no dilemma here. He will go and Taylor with return. It's too easy. And I expect FNL to deliver better than this.

Other storylines hit the mark. Everything with Tyra and Landry is a highpoint.

Season 2, Episode 3. "Are You Ready for Friday Night?" The first game of the season and... the Best Show On Television isn't quite as enjoyable this season. Coach Taylor left. The guy that replaced him is a bit of a jerk. Now, Taylor has decided to come back. And the jerk will be written out. Too easy.

Julie has been treating Matt like crap and has finally broken up with him. He is heart-broken. Meanwhile a beautiful home-help has arrived to help Matt take care of his grandmother and the sparks are flying. Hmm. Could it be that this will be Matt's new lover by the time Julie comes to her senses? Too easy.

Landry has struggled to win the heart of Tyra. Now that he's defended her honour (and, indeed, killed a man to save her) she is throwing herself into his bed. Once again, too easy.

And when things are this easy on FNL, I find myself losing interest.

The sparks of the show's greatness are still there however: Riggin's decline in this episode and his bout with religion. Tami hitting Julie and (later) crying about it to her husband were wonderful scenes. Wonderful in the sense that they were real and raw and painful to watch.

More of this please, and less of the 'too easy' stuff.

Season 2, Episode 4. "Backfire" Average episode. We get to see how guilty Landry and Tyra are feeling, as various scenes show us how paranoid they have become. Julie finds out that her boyfriend is... a normal guy, who's not that interested in her. Lyla tries to help a kid who's just gotten out of prison and Buddy steps in to help her help him. Down in Mexico, Street and Riggins investigate the possibility of surgery on Street's spine.

All good. But none of it particularly great.

The end was great, though. The (now-fired) rival Coach shows up on Eric's doorstep to remind him (before he drives out of town) that he has a family to worry about, too. It's a powerful, very real moment. Almost the only good thing to come out of this Eric-works-in-another-town storyline.

Season 2, Episode 5. "Let's Get It On" After a disappointing start to the second season, FNL delivers a perfect episode. Wow. Quite a ride this one. Every scene, every storyline, is a zinger. I loved it. The Tyra-Landry stuff is the best. He finds himself, suddenly, the star of the team (and all the best scenes in this episode are Landry scenes) and she finds herself in a confrontation with Landry's father (the always superb Glenn Morshower) and in a heart-breaking final scene, she breaks up with him. Then, quietly, goes to her car and cries her heart out.

Coach Taylor and Tami have some great scenes. He wants to kick-start the romance in the marriage again (after the arrival of the new baby) and it's hilarious to watch his plans in action. They really are the Best Couple on TV. Having Coach back with the team makes perfect sense, too. The whole storyline that had him living in another city was a waste of time/space. I'm glad it's over.

The complex friendship between Jason, Riggins and Lyla yields some wonderful scenes/moments in Mexico. The highlight was Riggins letting his guard down long enough to tell his friend that he loves him. Powerful moment.

Finally, Julie makes a play to get back with Matt and (very wisely) tells her to forget it. The Julie storyline has been superbly written and played. She's been behaving like a spoiled teenage bitch, but the writing has given us depth and motivation for every stupid thing she has done. Consequently our sympathies have always been with her. I feel a little sorry for her, as Matt walks away, but I still think he was doing the right thing.

In every way, this was the first perfect episode of the season. Every joke was funny, every shocking twist makes sense and every heartbreaking moment sends you reaching for the tissues. When the show does episodes like this, there is nothing on television that can touch it. Not even Lost.

Season 2, Episode 6. "How Did I Get Here" Almost perfect. Almost perfect. The fly in the ointment was the storyline with Tami and her sister. We've seen it a hundred times before: women don't get on with their sisters. Yada, yada. Fine, whatever. Everything else was golden.

Tim being cut from the team, seeing that his worth was defined by his membership in the team. Finally reaching out to help the new kid - Lyla's friend - at the very end. His conversation with Smash over the dinner table. Golden.

Jason Street's looking at his life and where it was going. And his decision to leave the team and his final conversation with Coach. Golden.

Landry and his father. Wow. Powerful. As his father realised the truth and set about covering up the crime in an effort to save his son from going to prison. Totally human and honest.

Julie seeing Matt with another woman. Very, very predictable. But I really felt for poor Julie. Through all her horrible behaviour the writing allowed us to feel for her. And I felt for her here, too. She's friends with Tyra. And Jason bonded with Tyra in one memorable episode in the firs season. What do they have in common? They are the only three characters who have expressed the desire to find out what there is outside of Dillon, Texas. The only ones who - at one stage or another - have thought to ask: is there more to life than this?

I loved all the stuff with Coach and Buddy - as they discussed his reduced salary - because it captured something very close to real life in those scenes.

It maybe have disappointed me (by giving Tami a duff storyline and ignoring Tyra's feeling in the aftermath of the break-up with Landry) but this was still one of the show's best episodes. Very, very close to perfect.

Almost perfect.

Season 2, Episode 7. "Pantherama!" Smash steps into the spotlight. Finally. Smash is one of my favourite characters. Who am I kidding? They are all one of my favourite characters. But I've been waiting, this season, for a Smash-centric episode. This one is great. Most of it is Smash fighting with his mother over his future. And, in true FNL style, it's not important that it's about football. It's the age-old struggle between parent and child over future. Where the child's optimism is seen as arrogance and the parent's concern is seen as negativity. Wonderful story, wonderfully told.

Santiago has become one of my favourite characters. His exchange with Buddy at the very end (where he said that this was his first bed) was heartbreaking. Under-played by both actors and totally heartbreaking.

Meanwhile, Tim Riggins can't find a bed. Tyra takes him in, but ultimately kicks him out and he finds himself is a less-than-ideal situation. Riggins is in freefall and I feel for him. I see no end in sight.

Matt kisses the girl who looks after his grandmother. It was a long time coming, but it was a great moment. And it makes more sense that Matt would fall for a girl like that, rather than the vapid cheerleader he's been kissing lately.

Julie, meanwhile, falls for the journalist teacher. Bit of a cliché... but it basically works.

We get a good Tyra/Landry scene in this episode but no sign of them getting back together. Frak! Frak! Frak!

Season 2, Episode 8. "Seeing Other People" I love when shows pairs characters together that do not normally share screen time. Lyla and Landry have a pivotal conversation in this episode. The guilt of the crime he committed bears heavy on him and (without knowing the details) Lyla urges him to come clean, and tell the truth. It's a great scene.

So is the scene where Tim Riggins apologises to everyone on the team. It's a surprise move and it works. Coach agrees to let him back. Tim has hit rock bottom and seen life without the team. It's pretty bleak. Has he learned his lesson or will he mess it all up again?

Matt breaks up with his girlfriend and - finally - gets things started with the girl who looks after his grandmother. The screen positively sizzles with their chemistry.

Finally, this is a rare episode that shows Tami in an unflattering light. Going too far to protect her daughter from a friendly teacher. Tami rarely makes mistakes, but she steps over the line in this one and the big confrontation scene with her daughter is painful.

An honest episode. A perfect episode.

Season 2, Episode 9. "The Confession" Tami and Julie have more mother-daughter moments. It's good... Don't get me wrong. But haven't they done this already? Or is this different in some way too subtle for me to pick up on?

Much, much better is all the stuff with Santiago and Buddy. I don't know what to think. After Buddy dropped the ball (ha-ha! a FNL joke!) with Riggins a few weeks back, I keep thinking he'll make a mess of things with/for Santiago. But, in this story, he appears to give some really good advice and Santiago gets to not only play at the end but also understand what it's all about: playing with/for your team. Powerful/moving storytelling.

Jason has a dreadful date but, predictably ends up with the waitress. Predictable but irresistibly cute nonetheless.

And, in the main storyline, Landry is cleared of all charges. His guilt/stubbornness nearly ruins things for him. He and Tyra are back on speaking terms now, even hugging and stuff, but they are not dealing with their relationship. Which is what I want to see/hear. Is she going to tell him (on camera) why she said those horrible things to him?

Glenn Morshower continues to steal this show out from under it's named stars in exactly the same way he has been stealing 24 for all these seasons. He's awesome. Every show needs to cast this man in some supporting role. Immediately!

Season 2, Episode 10. "There Goes the Neighborhood" Poor Tim Riggins. Guy just can't catch a break, can he? Most of this episode shows how the Taylor household adjusts to having Tim living there full time. And, to my surprise and delight, it adjusts pretty darn well. Eric, in particular, seems happy to have another male in the house.

But it all turns sour over a misunderstanding and, as the episode comes to a close, Tim has to flee the house in the middle of the night. Very unjust.

But great storytelling.

Season 2, Episode 11. "Jumping the Gun" Smash and Coach Taylor are the two featured characters in this episode. Smash has been overlooked this season, sadly, but this is a great story for him. Eric Taylor is usually well featured in most episodes, of course, but this is one of his best stories and Kyle Chandler is simply fantastic in the role. He should be getting an Emmy (or a Golden Globe) for work like this. Instead, he doesn't even get nominated...

Smash is trying to decide what to do after High School. His mother and he are in conflict over this. He doesn't want to listen to her, and she is in pain as she prepares to let go of her son. It's a well-told wonderful, very human, storyline. Smash and his mother are two of the very best characters this show has. A Texas version of John Connor and his mother Sarah!

Life for Eric Taylor is a series of confrontations and apologies in this episode. Conflicts with Tim Riggins, Coach Dickes, Shelley and - even - his wife drive the story. A story of dignity within humility. Tales like this are why FNL is more akin to Homicide or St. Elsewhere than soap operas like 90210. Everything about it is real.

Best scene? Eric tells Smash to go home and listen to his mother. Watching that gave me tingles at the base of my spine. All television drama should be so good...

Season 2, Episode 12. "Who Do You Think You Are?" A mixed bag. Some stories are great, and some are pedestrian.

Carlotta leaves Matt. It's a lazy ending to a pointless storyline. Corlotta was just somebody for Matt to be with while he wasn't with Julie, and the show made no great effort to turn her into anything more. Which is a pity.

Lila, meanwhile, starts working at a Christian Radio station and Riggins makes a play for her. He arrives, flowers in hand, to find her in mid-smooch with her on-air co-host. Predictable, predictable, predictable. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

Over in the Taylor house, Coach and Tami try to figure out what to do with Gracie during the day (when they are both at work). They have the ol' should-the-woman-quit-her-job-to-mind-the-baby conversation. Predictable.

The only good storylines are the ones devoted to Smash and Santiago. So, all told, this is a disappointing and ordinary episode.

Season 2, Episode 13. "Humble Pie" Jason becomes a car salesman, Tim makes a play for Lyla and Landry has a new admirer. It's all good. Tami starts coaching school volleyball and - in the episode's best storyline - Smash faces charges for what happened in the previous episode.

It's a real winner all round. It's corny as hell, but I really felt like cheering when Jason sold that car and - I know I've seen it on many shows before - but I really enjoyed seeing Tyra get jealous of Landry's new 'girlfriend'.

Tim Riggins was in three storylines: paying back the stolen money, trying to win Lyla's heart and being attacked by Tyra and the volleyball team. Later on, as Smash's friends sat beside him as the news crew got his side of the story, I was reminded of one of these reasons I love this show most. It does feel like a small town. A town where all these different people are friends and hang out. A town where the guy cleaning up after the volleyball team, might also be a guy trying to win the heart of a beautiful girl while he dodges bullets from a vengeful drug dealer.

FNL has captured something here, and it's great fun to watch it.

Season 2, Episode 14. "Leave No One Behind" Smash urges the team on to victory (even though he is no longer one of them), Matt Saracen goes on a drinking binge with Tim Riggins, Tyra confronts Lance, uh, Landry to tell him how she feels about him. And Tami and her daughter have another fight. Or is it the same fight? Being repeated over and over...

FNL is a great show, but it does repeat itself a lot. The show has three identical love triangles, for instance.. It looks like Tim and Lyla are fated to be together, but for the time being Lyla is dating Chris. It looks as if Matt and Julie are fated to be together, but for the time being Matt is dating Carlotta. It looks as if Landry and Tyra are fated to be together, but for the time being Landry is dating Jean.

Chris, Carlotta and Jean are badly sketched characters, added to the story to serve a single purpose: act as an obstacle to true love. Jean is easily the best character of the three, and Brea Grant is wonderful in the role, so much so that I was really sad for her when Landry broke it off to go kiss Tyra.

The episode's best scenes, however, belong to Smash as he deals with the destruction of his future. It's been a wonderful storyline: Smash may have been hot-headed but he's never done anything wrong and he's taking a severe punishment from fate. It's not fair, but it makes great television.

Season 2, Episode 15. "May the Best Man Win" A flawless conclusion to season two finds Smash having good fortune (for a change), Jason about to become a father and Eric in a fistfight with an ex-boyfriend of Tami's.

Picking highlights from this wonderful episode is next to impossible, but I'd have to go for the Eric storyline. Tami's abrasive, millionaire ex-boyfriend (Peter Berg) shows up in town and Eric isn't pleased. Most of the scenes between Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton are laugh-out-loud funny. And, in most of those, Kyle Chandler isn't speaking. Just reacting to what is happening around him.

The ongoing Smash storyline (which has been a major highlight of Season Two) comes to a happy conclusion when Smash finds a college that is willing to take him in.

Meanwhile, Jason looks set to be starting an exciting new chapter in his life.

My Boys season three episode reviews

Season 3, Episode 1. "Welcome Back, Kalla Fötter" Bobby doesn't get married.

Man, it seems like a long time since the cliff-hanger that ended season 2. And, to be honest, much as I love this show, it took me a while to get back 'into' the situation again.

The first half of the episode was very much like an extended 'catch-up' and - to be honest - I think the show could have skipped it, and brought us back to the characters 'several weeks' later.

Anyway, what's important is that PJ told Bobby how she feels and the ending was simply wonderful. Television to make you cheer and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling for the rest of the evening.

Lovely.

Season 3, Episode 2. "Private Eyes" The show deals with the PJ/Bobby romance by not writing about it, at all. Instead, we see how it will affect the group and - as a by-product - we get to see what a cool couple PJ and Bobby really are.

Not only is this a very funny show (and serious contender for funniest show on TV) it's also a major 'feel good' show. This is a good bunch of people, and they are cool to hang with.

Season 3, Episode 3. "The Boyfriend Hat" PJ gets her own column, but is it because she is hot? Andy advises Bobby on being a good boyfriend. Mike and Kenny realise that they are treated better in a new club, when they are with Brendan.

Lots of funny scenes, and a typically enjoyable episode, but it lacks focus. It lacks a central engine to drive the episode. The did-PJ-get-the-job-because-she's-hot? storyline is surprisingly awkward and lacking in insight. Doing pretty much the same story with Brendan is a stroke of genius, however, and leads to some very funny (and oddly surreal) moments.

Andy, as ever, steals the episode with his one-liners and advice to Bobby. Advice which, as anyone who has read "Men Are From Mars..." will tell you, is actually pretty damn good. Way to go, Andy!!!

However, since the episode is called "The Boyfriend Hat" I was expecting more of this Andy/Bobby stuff, than two/three scenes. Almost as if this was two or three scripts combined into one episode. Too many strong ideas, not enough time to develop them all.

Season 3, Episode 4. "Decathlon: Part Deux" The gang competes in a board game decathlon, while Stephanie wants to write about the guys for a Cosmo article and PJ tries to cope with criticism from Bobby.

A so-so episode. Many, many scenes are devoted to watching the gang goof off. Fans will find this amusing. New viewers? Not so much.

The show is doing a great job, I feel, of writing PJ and Bobby as a couple. Adjusting to one another as partners, instead of friends. By keeping these moments are b-plot stuff in the episodes it seems more natural somehow.

I liked the Stephanie storyline. The scene with Andy at home was hilarious and the ending (where she had something good to say about men) was unexpected and clever.

So, a so-so episode. With the season being so short, I kinda feel like this was a waste of an episode somehow.

Season 3, Episode 5. "Carpe Burritoem" Kenny and Andy in a band, PJ advising Brendan on everything, Mike and Bobby acting as dummies at Stephie's seminar on dumping guys.

Much better than last week, with strong stories for everyone and many very funny moments. While the Kenny/Andy stuff could be from any sit-com the show still manages to make it fresh and fun. The other stories were more unique to this show, playing up one of the strengths of the show: PJ is a girl among guys and knows more than they do about some stuff.

Season 3, Episode 6. "Madder of Degrees" Spring weather makes everyone do something crazy.

I'm not sure if this is a total oddball episode, or a very clever way of dealing with PJ and Bobby's attempt to move in together.

The idea that the change of seasons would make everyone go complete crazy is a tad silly for this show, but the results are funny...

And it does lead easily into a wonderful tale about PJ and Bobby's relationship.

Oddball or clever?

Season 3, Episode 7. "Facebook the Past" PJ meets an ex, and encourages Bobby to keep in touch with his ex's. Kenny's obsession with Facebook spreads to the gang.

The strongest episode this season and possibly the best episode of the show so far. It's really, really funny and it captures the feeling one gets from being with a group of friends, while - and this is why I love it - reflecting the changes that affect us all in this age of online social network sites (like Facebook).

Lots of what happened had me chuckling and nodding in agreement.

But more important than that: lots of what happened had me laughing hysterically.

Season 3, Episode 8. "Friends of Friends" PJ makes friends with a friend of Stephanie's. Mike and Kenny invite a friend to the gang. Brendan wants Bobby to speak to his friend (Brendan's boss) on his behalf.

The show effortlessly takes on a topic and makes it funny. Having Martin Mull as a guest helps.

It doesn't matter that it's predictable. It's funny and the cast shines.

Season 3, Episode 9. "Spring Training" Arizona.

Another of those complete-departure-from-formula episode that the show likes to do. This time out the whole gang (except Andy) head to Arizona for Cubs spring training.

Most of the episode is devoted to PJ trying to find suitable subject matter for her next column. She finds it by the end of the episode and learns a lesson. And - to be honest - it's a sweet enjoyable journey and it makes for a good episode.

The episode's cliff-hanger ending is wonderful. But frustrating. The show teased us with a potential romance between two of the regular characters in the last moments of Season Two. They ignored this development all season and, now, in the closing seconds of Season Three they unveil the next stage in the romance!!

Huh?

The show only gets 9 episodes a season. Why don't they hurry it up a bit, huh? Dragging something like this (which promises to be a lot of fun to watch) out for two years before showing it is very frustrating to the fans.

Just sayin'...

The Closer season four episode reviews

Season 4, Episode 1. "Controlled Burn" A great performance from Jason O'Mara (returning to the show) highlights another solid Closer outing. It's fun watching Brenda and the gang do their thing, and the show usually delivers very strong stories. Like this one about an arsonist.

Season 4, Episode 2. "Speed Bump" Having Brenda and Flynn differ over how to treat the murder of a murderer is hardly original. We've seen it before. What makes it (just about) worth watching are the subtle character moments between them and the acting from the guest cast. I also loved the bit at the very end where Brenda put aside the wine bottle and lay down to sleep beside Fritz. Very romantic.

Season 4, Episode 3. "Cherry Bomb" Serious contender for best ever episode. A recently-raped girl commits suicide and Commander Taylor turns to Brenda to bring the case home. There's no homicide so Brenda breaks every rule in the book to get the rapist for what he did. And only Taylor knows why she's doing it. And she's doing it because her frequence nemesis feels guilty over his handling of the case. What's not to love here? The case-of-the-week is a real heartbreaker: great guest performances from Andrea Bowen and Marcella Lentz-Pope really sell the heartbreak and shame of the crime, while Daniel Baldwin and Michael William Freeman give us two slimy bad-guys to hiss at. It's great. The scenes between Brenda and Taylor are all superb. They have been enemies so many times on this show, and so much of that came from the fact that Taylor had no respect for Brenda. The fact that he can reach out now, when he needs help, is a measure of how much his opinion of Brenda has changed over the years. And the fact that Brenda can take that hand grasping for her help and do everything in her power for him speaks volumes about her character and why the fans (and her team) love her so much. Yes, she is deeply flawed but aside from that she is magnificent. And never more so than when breaking the rules to do what is right. A great story, with many great moments and clever touches.

Season 4, Episode 4. "Live Wire" Less of the "breaking the rules to do what is right" and more of the "deeply flawed" this time out. The final fight between Brenda and her boyfriend was painful to watch. Painful because she was so so wrong. Oh Brenda, how can you put this right?

It was also painful to watch all the fighting between Gabriel and Daniels. It's been building all season, in little glances and comments here and there, but now that it is out in the open: I'm sad. And saddened also by Brenda's treatment of Gabriel. He used to be her favourite, once upon a time.

Soap Opera elements aside, this was another superb crime story and the whole team got a chance to shine.

Season 4, Episode 5. "Dial M for Provenza" After two serious (and heartbreaking) episodes in a row, the show (wisely) delivers a funny one. Funny? It's frakkin' hilarious. Provenza (a great character played by the wonderful G.W. Bailey) takes center-stage and the wonderful Jennifer Coolidge guests as his nemesis. Coolidge only really does one thing but she does it really, really well and she is perfect for this role. There are many, many comedy highlights and the episode nicely distracts us from the turmoil in the private lives of several of the regulars. A turmoil which, I'm sure, we will return to in future episodes.

Season 4, Episode 6. "Problem Child" Dark stuff. He might only be 13 but the child at the centre of this story is a disturbed individual. He's the victim. And, as the team investigates, they discover that a lot of people had a lot of very good reasons for wanting him dead. In many ways it's more like a Without A Trace episode than an episode of The Closer, because the story really paints a full picture of the victim and who he was. Superb storytelling.

The final scene, where Brenda and her boyfriend talk about a new house (but are really talking about whether they will have kids or not) is heartbreaking and masterful.

Season 4, Episode 7. "Sudden Death" A very sad episode (and a great performance from Raymond Cruz) as the brother of one of the best dressed cops on TV gets shot down in the street near his house. The episode tells a good story and delivers are lot of great moments for several of the characters. It's one of those outings where we get to observe the whole team in a moment of crisis and it's fascinating to watch how everyone reacts to Sanchez and to see who reaches out to him and how. The Closer has a great ensemble, but it's not an ensemble show and episodes like this make me wish that it was.

Stephen Martines returns again as the confrontational reporter who's not afraid to stand up to Brenda and his short scene adds a whole new level to the story as it asks about the reasons behind what makes some murders a priority. Great episode.

Season 4, Episode 8. "Split Ends" Brenda's delightful parents make another visit as The Best Dressed Cops On TV go after a man who battered his wife (and probably killed her). With Provenza's backstory in the mix, and Brenda's dad pushing her to get married, the script is as much about marriage/couples as it is about standing up to bullies.

Season 4, Episode 9. "Tijuana Brass" Surely this is one of the show's cleverest endings ever? Brenda sends the bad guy to prison under the wrong name. She uses the name of the man that he has marked for death. And when he is killed (which we learn in the closing seconds) it means that his intended victim is free to start a new life with new name. Clever Brenda.

This is also a good episode for showing us how much she cares about her team. And (in a rare moment of gushing praise) she shows them how much she cares, too. Nice.

Season 4, Episode 10. "Time Bomb" Teenagers plan to go on a killing spree in this untypical episode. One of them is dead before the episode starts (it is his death that starts the investigation) and a second one is dead in police custody by the mid-part of the episode. After that, the police assume that the threat is over. But the script leaves enough questions unanswered to keep the viewer (and Brenda) unconvinced. The tension builds until most of the regular characters are caught in the middle of a long, graphic gun battle. Slow-motion violence is not normally what you expect to see on The Closer, but when they go this route they really pull out all the stops. It's stunning television. And makes for a great cliffhanger when Sanchez takes three bullets in the back...

Season 4, Episode 11. "Good Faith" A death, previously ruled a suicide, is now being investigated as a murder. Which requires a delicate touch. So, obviously, they gave the case to Brenda...

The events of the previous cliffhanger are now a distant memory and Sanchez is now back at work, but not at full duty. The episode deviates somewhat from formula by not having a live crime scene for the team to investigate. Instead they have to make do with photos of the body and a mannequin on the floor. It's not much of a change, but it does make an otherwise average story a bit more interesting.

Season 4, Episode 12. "Junk in the Trunk" A very large man is found dead in the trunk of his car.

A mixed bag of an episode. It has some severe flaws: the twist that the 'girl' will turn out to be a 'guy' is very, very easy to predict and the unprofessional behaviour of Sanchez in the squad room is difficult to swallow. It's just too darn crazy to work.

However... the opening sequence is genuinely hilarious, the bad-guy-of-the-week is one of the very best they have ever had on the show and the episode's real twist (where Fritz finds a way to nab the killer) is a doozy.

So... it's a mixed bag. The stuff that doesn't work falls flat, and the stuff that does work is off the chart excellent.

Bottom line: I enjoyed it.

Season 4, Episode 13. "Power of Attorney" The suspect's clever lawyer is, himself, the suspect's partner in crime.

For the second week in a row Brenda matches wits with a very, very clever bad guy. This time, however, she loses and the guy gets away with it.

As gripping an hour of TV as you are ever likely to see. This is superb stuff.

Season 4, Episode 14. "Fate Line" Text messages on an abandoned phone point to murder.

A great case-of-the-week and a great guest star (Amy Sedaris). One of the things that impresses me most about "The Closer" is the way it can change tone. Sometimes it is funny and silly, and sometimes it is deadly serious and dramatic. Last week's episode was one of the most dramatic and intense, so this week - to change pace - they deliver a hilarious episode. Even so, the case-of-the-week is still very clever (revolving around texts messages on a phone that has been found on the street). Amy Sedaris makes a fantastic addition to the show's extended cast and I hope we see more of her in the seasons ahead.

Season 4, Episode 15. "Double Blind" Brenda works a robbery/murder case on the day of her wedding.

There's a nice bit at the very end (when Fritz and Brenda have a heartfelt exchange just after their wedding) but this is a very weak episode to close out the fourth season. The wedding itself is a total anti-climax and the case-of-the-week is boring and simplistic. The resolution might be the weakest they have ever had on the show: one suspect is tricked into saying bad things about the other, and the other hears this, and starts talking. Yawn.

Law And Order season eighteen episode reviews

Season 18, Episode 1. "Called Home" A pedestrian story can't hide the fact that Law & Order has a cool cop again. Jeremy Sisto makes a superb impression in his debut. He's a great screen presence and steals every scene he appears in. I have not watched Law & Order in many, many years, but this might make me want to go back. I hope the second episode has a decent story, not dated rubbish like this.

Season 18, Episode 2. "Darkness" Lupo's second case is much better than his first. A murder and kidnapping occurs during a city-wide black-out. Consequently it feels like no episode of Law & Order I ever saw back in the 90s. It's also got a few good action scenes, where Lupo comes off as a very determined cop indeed. He and Green work well together.

Season 18, Episode 3. "Misbegotten" The strongest episode so far. Lupo, once again, is great fun to watch (breaking the rules to track down a bomber). There's a clumsy attempt to give Green a backstory, but this is Lupo's show all the way. Great work, too, from guest star Kevin Rankin.

Season 18, Episode 4. "Bottomless" Great! An engrossing, complex (but never confusing) story. A young lawyer is murdered over a pair of pants (!!), and the case leads our heroes to a multinational corporation with far too much power. It's riveting from start to finish, and does one of the things that this show does best: create truly hateful bad guys and make us think that they will get away with it because of legal loop-holes. I've liked Lupo since the start of the season, but this is the first episode where I've really liked Cutter and been impressed by him. I loved his stunt at the end, and his attitude is starting to impress me almost as much as Lupo's.

Season 18, Episode 5. "Driven" is another example of Law And Order at it's very best. Unlike the previous episode (which had a complex story of international crime) this one is very much about the shooting of one little girl. And, without ever making a bit deal about her death, the episode manages to make it all the more sad and haunting. The events surrounding her shooting involve two irresponsible parents urging their children into a racially-motivated confrontation. And both end up on trial at the same time. Superb.

Season 18, Episode 6. "Political Animal" The show often sends it's detectives down the wrong path for much of their investigation. This is one of those times. Three victims and the guys investigate the wrong one for the first third of the episode. It's a device, I suppose, to tell two stories and - more importantly - allow the 'main storyline' to occupy as much time as it needs without any padding. So, in this episode we get to see the story of a politician who is secretly gay and living a double life. And, once the real motive/killer is found, we switch to the story of con-man working amid the politicians of New York. He's a fascinating character and it's a fascinating episode. John Ortiz gives a stunning performance as the deluding (and deluded) central character, and the episode gives us a fascinating insight into his mindset.

Season 18, Episode 7. "Quit Claim" It opens with a gut-wrenching crime. Horrific yet kept off-screen in this classy series. You are outraged and cannot wait for the cops/heroes to arrive to make sure justice is done. Green and Lupo do not disappoint. They are two of TV coolest cops. Yet, as is normal on this show, the case is full of twists and turns and - in the end - the killer gets away. It's a superb story. With great story arcs for McCoy (who is bad-ass cool as he goes up against the US Attorney's Office) and Cutter (who is severely tempted to do the wrong thing for the right reasons). His dilemma in the final minute of the episode gives the tale a powerful emotional climax. Alana De La Garza gets a lot of screen time in this one and we get a good sense of how Rubirosa operates (going undercover with Lupo, spotting a vital clue and managing to pull a very clever stunt in the courtroom using an old photograph or herself). It's also fun to watch how the men behave around to this very beautiful woman: Lupo stealing a kiss while undercover and Cutter making blatant reference to her being way out of his league. She is! And split-second moments like this do wonders to humanise the characters in an otherwise story-driven tv series.

Season 18, Episode 8. "Illegal" When it looks as if a cop might have killed an innocent bystander during a riot, the case causes problems for Van Buren, Lupo and McCoy. The episode glances at the first two, and devotes most of it's second half to Jack McCoy: one of television's greatest heroes, played to perfection (once again) by Sam Waterston. Waterson is so suited to the role of "the boss" that's it's hard to believe he spent more than a decade being "the lead". Jeremy Sisto and Linus Roache are terrific, too. Very cool. And I loved their little exchange as Lupo read his law book. But the episode belongs to McCoy and his speech on the stand was wonderful. Bad-ass cool.

Season 18, Episode 9. "Executioner" Death Sentence Gone Wrong! Another one of those great episodes were there are no clear bad guys, just a lot of moral ambiguity. Except for Cutter, who sees the world in black and white. Connie proves her value to the team (yet again) by reining him in at the end of the episode and helping bring about a milder sentence. Michael Rooker and James Rebhorn give great performances in this one. And it's a satisfying, if typical, episode of Law And Order.

Season 18, Episode 10. "Tango" Michael Cutter has a hopeless crush on Connie Rubirosa and it's part of the reason I am in love with this show (all over again). This is the one that has Connie getting an email praising her technique in the courtroom. Her technique and her legs. Cutter comments that he agrees. I don't blame him. I would pay good money to see Alana De La Garza walk around a room. She's amazing. And, as a die-hard fan who watched every episode of the Angie Harmon/Jill Hennessy/Carey Lowell seasons, I think De La Garza is the most beautiful woman who has ever sat in the A.D.A. chair on Law And Order. Great then, to see an episode about her appearance and it's effect on the men/man in the jury and the case under trial.

The show slipped up somewhat by getting the guy in the jury to play it like a creep (that wasn't needed to make the story work, and - in fact - kinda damaged it) but it was still a great episode. The final debate scene was superb. Cutter and Rubirosa arguing their respective corners and Jack standing watching. Watching and listening and saying... nothing. Great character work. I feel like I really know and love these two new characters as much as I know and love Jack. And it's a good story idea: the impact a woman's sexuality can have on her success in the workplace. And, unlike many other shows that have touched on this idea, Law And Order gives it just the right amount of screentime and doesn't let it interfere with the case-of-the-week.

Season 18, Episode 11. "Betrayal" The highlight of this episode is a very strong story with a great twist ending. Basically, when you boil it down to essentials: A woman shoots and kills her husband when she finds taped messages from him to a woman he loves. In the end, it is revealed that the messages were to her. The story is a lot more complex than that, but that's the essence of it, and it's a heartbreaking twist. Moira Kelly (who I normally don't like) is very good as the wife whose husband, a therapist, has a history of seducing underage girls (her!) and is suspected of doing it again. The script does a great job of putting forward both sides of the story and (the ever-wonderful) Carolyn McCormick returns to the show for a substantial part in the story. Olivet (always a favourite character of mine) goes head to head with McCoy and comes off worst in the battle when he reveals that she had an affair with (I presume) Mike Logan.

Law And Order has come to life again this season (for me) with a slew of great new characters (Lupo, Cutter, etc.) but I'm glad they are still giving meaty roles to the ones I've always liked (McCoy, Olivet, etc.).

Season 18, Episode 12. "Submission" An unrecognisable Lara Flynn Boyle can't save this episode from mediocrity. She's good. But it's an average tale of people plotting a murder and framing their friend. Average fare for a quality show like this.

Season 18, Episode 13. "Angelgrove" In a show without continuity and character development, fans jump on any moment of either. Such it is with me in this latest episode. McCoy and Olivet had harsh words in a previous episode (when he engineered it so her affair with a cop would come out) and in this one there's a line of dialogue where he attempts to mend the bridge between then (thanking her for helping out on the current case). She declines to respond and leaves the room.

It's a strong case-of-the-week. Nothing new in it, really but still a great story: a camp where Christian kids are trained as Soldiers Of God, and one of them goes home and stones his adulterous mother to death.

Lead guest star Sean Astin gives a great performance. When does he ever give a bad one?

Season 18, Episode 14. "Burn Card" GREAT. A script with a very difficult job. Since this is the last episode for Jesse L. Martin, the story has to service him and his character (Ed Green) so that his fans won't feel short-changed. It succeeds. Green shoots a criminal, appears to have planned the murder to cover his own dark deeds (as if!) and is cleared with the revelation that he is covering for someone that he feels responsible for. At the end, he walks out as even more of a hero. Nice.

Amazingly, the script is not dominated by Green. In fact, four of the other five regulars get very meaty roles. The episode gives Jeremy Sisto/Lupo lots of key scenes, too. Confusion over his partner's involvement, passion to clear Green, outrage over the way the D.A.'s are handling it, etc. Lupo continues to be my favourite new TV cop.

Speaking of the D.A.'s this is one of the best-ever episodes for Alana De La Garza and Linus Roache (and their characters). Cutter (to his credit) goes after Green as he would any suspect, while Rubirosa has never been cooler as she defies Cutter (in open court) and de-rails one of the prosecution witnesses. You can almost hear her heart beating in terror, and their confrontation afterwards is the sort of solid character scene the show rarely bothers to do.

Even S. Epatha Merkerson gets lots to do. Van Buren's relationship with Green, Lupo and (new regular) Bernard is explored in several instances. The writers even manage to give Bernard lots of good solid character moments. His introduction as a potential replacement for Green is a bit heavy-handed, unfortunately, but in an episode this great that is not a major problem.

I've enjoyed these 14 episodes of Law And Order as much as any episode from the first decade of the show. While Jerry Orbach and Chris Noth will always be the quintessential detective duo on the show Green and Lupo come pretty darn close (in my book) and I've had an absolute ball watching them together this season. I wish Martin/Green was staying, to be honest.

Season 18, Episode 15. "Bogeyman" It's great to see Nicki Aycox in a good guest role, but this is a weak story. It's mostly about a crazy religious group which is very similar to a story from two weeks ago, and the killer is too much of a nut to be believed. He shoots his wife for very odd/fuzzy reasons, he throws himself out a 4th floor window to frame somebody and he is tricked - at the very end - by some very wacky logic. I bought none of it. Too early, also, to see if I am warming to Lupo's new partner.

Season 18, Episode 16. "Strike" Superb. Rubirosa takes centre stage when a judge compels her to defend a murder suspect. It's a strong case-of-the-week, the main guest star is great, but the episode belongs to Alana De La Garza.

Connie makes a great lead character. I've loved the scenes where she had conflict with Cutter (who is hopelessly in love with her) and it's a no-brainer that I would love an episode where she goes up against him in court. And runs rings around him. Even better, towards the end, she finds out that her client is very, very guilty and has to figure out how to continue her defence in good conscience.

It's great stuff. Particularly the scenes where Connie goes to Jack for advice. Great stuff from Jack McCoy in this one. In fact, all three lawyers come off as great characters in this episode.

Brad William Henke (of October Road & Dexter) is stunningly good as the murder suspect. We believe in him every step of the way. Except, it turns out that he is a very, very clever murderer. Great twist. It works because the actor is superb.

Season 18, Episode 17. "Personae Non Grata" Law And Order normally doesn't make me laugh, but this episode had me laughing out loud all the way through. Why? Partly because the events of the story are so absurd and partly because the guest stars are fantastic.

A middle-aged (and very ordinary) married man masquerades online as a tough young marine and enters into an online romance with a hot teenage babe. Who isn't... Nope! Turns out that it's just her mom. Her shallow, pathetic mom using sexy pictures of her own daughter to meet and con men online. Yes there is more to it, involving a couple of murders, but that is the core of the story this week. And it is a hoot from start to finish. I loved it.

Casting was amazing. Melissa Leo owns the episode from start to finish. She's amazing. She's always amazing. I love her work. From Homicide to Veronica Mars, I have always loved what this lady can do with a role. Her opposite number in this tale is Barry Del Sherman. He's hilarious. His character cannot grasp the reality of the situation at all. And still refuses (quite late in the story) to believe that the mother wrote the e-mails to him, not the daughter. His determination to remain deluded is fascinating, tragic and... very, very funny.

Season 18, Episode 18. "Excalibur" The show brings the eighteenth season to an ending with one of the strongest episodes ever. The case-of-the-week is good. A man murders his brother-in-law as a means towards getting back into the family business. He's also hiding a dirty little secret: he runs a prostitution ring on the side. And, in the second half of the story, this takes centre stage as Jack and the team discover that one of the clients is the governor (who has appeared on the show before as a political friend of Jack's). This is where the story heads into A+ territory, as we see Jack caught up in all sorts of political games as he tries to see justice done.

This is one of the episodes where the good guys lose. The killer pleads guilty, so that a trial is avoided, and it is implied that the governor will grant him early release after a few years. In the closing moments Jack and his team take stock of how all the witnesses are disappearing, or being taken care of, in sundry underhanded ways. It's a nice, dark, conspiracy-laden conclusion. I hope the show returns to the story of the Governor and gives Jack a chance to take him down.

House season five episode reviews

Season 5, Episode 1. "Dying Changes Everything" Great opening episode. Thirteen takes the lead with the case-of-the-week and it plays wonderfully into her own life and illness. House and Wilson are on speaking terms and nobody is laying any blame for Ambers death at House's feet. Least of all House. At least that's how it starts: Wilson decides to quit and leave, so House blackmails him into stay by abandoning his own patient and leaving her to die.

Only on House!

I love the way the show was able to deliver the conflict we expected, but not in the way we expected.

Season 5, Episode 2. "Not Cancer" Nothing special. Felicia Day is wonderful as the patient and she gets some great scenes, Michael Weston makes a big impression as the private eye (who could get his own series out of this) but the episode lacks a strong hook to make it something special. The pre-credits sequence of multiple dramatic deaths is gratuitous and over-the-top. Seriously, guys, does nobody collapse while reading a book on this show?

Average episode or not, House's personal journey is great. He scorns friends and friendship, but he goes to extreme lengths to preserve his connection to Wilson. The conversations with the private eye (Lucas) are terrific, and so is his time with patient (Apple) but in other departments this one is lacking.

Season 5, Episode 3. "Adverse Events" Best episode so far this season. An absolute delight from start to finish. There's no angst this week over Wilson (thank frak!) and instead we get a fascinating case, House in hilarious form and a script with layer upon layer of meaning and double meaning and hidden meaning. A bit like any conversation between House and his new best buddy: Lucas (the private eye). Lucas is fantastic. And the best development to hit this show since last year's addition of the new regulars.

In fact the show pretty much has a whole new cast now. House has three different team-members (Thirteen, Taub and Kutner) and a brand new best friend (Lucus) who, for my money, is a much-better addition to the show than dreary old Wilson. Sorry Wilson fans, but these conversations are much more fun to watch/listen to than all of that previous stuff with Wilson being exasperated all the time. Lucas is fun. And I love the way he and House interact. I hope he stays on this show instead of being spun off into his own show.

This is a great Taub episode. We get a peek inside his private life and - for whatever reason - Taub is the only one out of all of them who seems able to stand up to House. Love seeing those moments.

Season 5, Episode 4. "Birthmarks" Another classic. The case-of-the-week is every bit as strong as the departure-from-formula element of having House and Wilson drive cross country to House's dad's funeral. Wilson??!! Yeah, this fight didn't last any longer than the others! House and Wilson are starting to remind me of Duncan and Joe on Highlander. How many times did they fight and end their friendship? Lots. So many times that it eventually came to mean nothing. Never mind, it's great to see Wilson back. But - honestly - I miss the private eye guy!

Parenting gets the House treatment this week, and the script has a few things to say about friendship, too. We get some interesting background on the House/Wilson relationship and we see not only that they are tied to one another for ever, but maybe we see why. Meanwhile, back at the hospital, all of the other character work together (for the first time?) on a case. I've never been sure that the show could use all these characters on one case at the same time but I think they have proven me wrong. It works. And the all get screentime and are fun to watch. Chase is so laid back now, it's hilarious/wonderful to watch. He's become Joe Cool from the Peanuts strip!

Best bit? House and the car keys (plus lamp).

Season 5, Episode 5. "Lucky Thirteen" When you watch House you keep hoping for things to happen that never will. You want House to show his nice side and treat someone with compassion. In this episode Thirteen (who is dying) is spiralling out of control and you keep hoping House will treat her well, reach out to her. But if he doesn't then he's not really House any more.

It's a great episode. Thirteen's downward spiral into drugs and casual sex is wonderfully realised and you keep hoping the show will offer her a light at the end of the tunnel. But if it does than it's not really House any more.

Season 5, Episode 6. "Joy" I love the dark stories on House. I love when they show people being selfish and wrong. In this episode Cuddy is told she is going to be able to adopt a child. But the mother is a horrible weak person. And she makes all her decisions for the wrong reasons. And, in the end, she takes the baby back from Cuddy. It's heart-breaking to watch. But it is great storytelling. My heart broke for Cuddy in this one. Her desire to have a child, this past few seasons, has been extremely well-realised.

The kiss at the end was great. But what is House playing at? Giving in to his true feelings for Lisa Cuddy? Or just doing this to distract her from crippling emotional heartbreak. Or doing it to distract her, but actually having feelings for her as well?

Season 5, Episode 7. "The Itch" A major change of pace.

Jennifer Morrison takes centre stage. And she's wonderful. Cameron seems more mature now. Much more of a grown woman, somehow. Like someone who could be House's equal in a relationship. Over the years, I've changed my mind a lot about House and Cameron as a couple. Sometimes I wanted them together. Other times: I couldn't see it working because she was/is just too young and fragile for someone as tough and mean as Greg House. But this episode made me rethink her. She's very tough in this one. And I like it. And I like having her in every scene. It's about time Cameron and Chase were brought back onto the show.

The case-of-the-week takes place in the patients home because he can't go out into the outside world. That's novel. And cool.

And House is genuinely lovesick over his feelings for (and kiss with) Cuddy in the previous episode. I honestly thought House was faking the whole thing to take her mind off the baby fiasco, but the final scene (of him standing on her doorstep) has me convinced.

Season 5, Episode 8. "Emancipation" House is a superb detective series. It has a lot going on, and operates on a few levels, but it is also a great detective series. This episode has two patients (two stories) and some great detective work by the doctors in charge (House and Foreman). The House-realises-what-is-going-on bit at the end is simply mesmerising. It pulls you in and delivers the goods, week after week. And this is one of the best.

Season 5, Episode 9. "Last Resort" The hostage-siege episode. With Hugh Laurie and Zeljko Ivanek in the same room (and a gun between them, too) you expect it to be a truly superb episode with great performances. Not so. It's actually a pretty weak, kinda dumb storyline. And all the acting honors go to Olivia Wilde who blows the two guys off the screen for the majority of the episode.

The patient is a jerk. And so is House. Watching them endanger everyone else in the room is pretty boring, once you realise that both of them are one-note characters in this little tale. I knew that House would eventually get the gun off the guy, and I knew that he would then give it back. It also made sense, early on, that the patient would continue to be a threat long after House did this, so that rendered most of the episode pointless.

Olivia Wilde, however, made the episode worth watching. Thirteen starts off not caring about her life and - by the end - she is pleading not to be killed. Wilde brings the character (and the audience) on a wonderful journey and is the only thing worth caring about in this mess of an episode.

Season 5, Episode 10. "Let Them Eat Cake" For the second week in a row, Olivia Wilde totally steals the episode out from her cast mates as Thirteen confronts some bitter memories from her childhood. Last week, Wilde was the best thing in the episode because pretty everything else was rubbish. That is not the case this time out. She's still the best thing about "Let Them Eat Cake" but - across the board - this is a great episode.

When, in Episode 9, House went up a crazed gunman and behaved completely in character, I was a tad bored. In this story, House is face to face with a beautiful woman offering him the chance of a proper adult relationship. He behaves totally in character (ie. he's a jerk) and it's completely riveting. Watching him screw up something this great before it gets started is completely absorbing.

Kutner and Taub have a hilarious subplot with a great twist at the end, while Taub gets some great scenes with the case-of-the-week patient. The show is great at this: bringing in patients, whose lives/decisions reflect/mirror the lives of one of the doctors. And it's one of the reasons I love this show.

But this episode belongs to Thirteen, as she remembers her mother's final days.

Season 5, Episode 11. "Joy to the World" The case-of-the-week is a bit blah. The best bits of the episode are the scenes of House in the clinic. He's trying to be nice (to win a bet) and ends up with the stupidest patient of all time. Later, he goes to extreme lengths to cover up for a girl that has cheated on her boyfriend (and gotten pregnant). Funny stuff, all of it.

Everything involving the teenager (who got pregnant and will die) is a bit... whatever.

Season 5, Episode 12. "Painless" A man is sick, House is cranky but manages to save the day, though all appears lost...

Yawn. Mediocre case-of-the-week outing. The monotony is broken somewhat by House's problems with is shower at home but that ultimately amounts to nothing and appears to have been a waste of time.

Cuddy is struggling with the baby she has fostered, but I don't care...

Season 5, Episode 13. "Big Baby" The one with Cameron in charge.

Even with the novelty factor of Cameron as the boss this is a lacklustre and boring episode. Cuddy is having a hard time bonding with her new baby. Who cares? House doesn't and neither do I. Lisa Edelstein, it must be said, looks amazing in the back half of the episode (when Cuddy shows up at the hospital in kinky boots). But, eye-candy aside, there was nothing to quicken the pulse here. The patient is a very nice person and - in the downbeat ending - we learn that the cure will make her a lot less nice. Um, didn't they do this exact story before?

Yawn.

Season 4, Episode 14. "The Greater Good" Thirteen is sick.

Not only is this a good episode, it's a bloody great episode. The stories are good (Thirteen is sick, and the patient-of-the-week is interesting) and most of the regular characters get some solid work on their characters. The House/Cuddy prank war says a lot about both of them, Wilson's past with Amber is mentioned in an insightful way, Taub's home life is highlight and the Foreman/Thirteen romance drives most of the episode. Damn, wish all the episodes were this good.

Season 5, Episode 15. "Unfaithful" Sick priest.

Not as strong as last week's episode. It's good. But many elements seem tired and one must wonder if the show is past it's prime and merely treading water to stay alive. The case-of-the-week is the strongest element: a priest with a crisis of faith who can debate with House. Good stuff. Meanwhile, House and Cuddy are doing their usual dance. This week's twist is that she wants him to come to her home for a baby-related religious ceremony and he doesn't want to attend. But does she really want him to attend at all, or is she trying out a double bluff? And does he really want to attend?

Who cares?

Not me.

House forces Foreman and Thirteen to choose between relationship and job, and it makes for a good story but the ending of the episode makes the whole enterprise seem pointless.

Except for the case-of-the-week, and a great performance from Jimmi Simpson, this is a forgettable episode.

Season 5, Episode 16. "The Softer Side" House is in a good mood.

Despite being haunted by the feeling that I've seen all of this before, I must admit that this is quite a strong episode. The case-of-the-week is good, the storylines for Thirteen and House are both very good. In fact, I was disappointed that the House storyline (he tries Methadone to ease his pain) was resolved at the end of this episode and won't appear in future episodes. Hmm. Is this the first season without a decent story arc?

Season 5, Episode 17. "The Social Contract" A patient who speaks his mind, and cannot stop.

Despite being haunted by the feeling that I've seen all of this before, I must admit that this is quite a strong episode. Unlike many patients (who fade into the background) Jay Karnes pretty much carries the episode. I love this guy. He reminds me of Kyle Secor. I love him, too. If I had a network, I'd cast them as cops who are brothers.

Or something.

Anyway. He carries the episode as the patient who says everything that comes into his mind. There are many standout scenes. He breaks his daughter's heart by telling her she is of below average intelligence, and says a lot of cruel things to his poor wife. At the end, when she comes to the hospital to collect him and they head home, you know in your heart that that little family is destroyed. And it's quite powerful stuff.

House, of course, is fascinated by this unusual patient and the script cleverly has a look at all sorts of social contracts: the white lies we all tell on a day to day basis. It's good fun, and very interesting and stimulating.

Best scene? House arranges to have the patient hit on Cuddy by talking about her amazing body. Hilarious.

Season 5, Episode 18. "Here Kitty" Judy Greer thinks a cat has predicted her death, while Taub makes a bit for freedom.

A very funny episode, with lots of dark, sad moments. In short, a superb episode of House.

Hmmm.

Maybe, I've given up on House a bit too soon. Season Five might well be the weakest season so far, but they can still deliver quality episodes. In fact, there has been a run of quality episodes.

Hmmm.

Season 5, Episode 19. "Locked In" We get to see things from a patient's point of view.

Ken Levine thinks they ripped off a MASH episode, but I was reminded of "Le scaphandre et le papillon" when I watched this above-average episode of House. Sure, at first, I found the voice-over to be gimmicky and annoying and the very last shot (which suggests that House, himself is 'locked in') was a tad OTT and obvious for my liking, but I really liked this episode.

Because of Taub.

Taub's story is great. It continues from last week and it builds on everything that the character has gone through since first appearing on the show. The ending, too, was wonderful. The script allowed Kutner to come up with all the cool answers and Taub lies to take the credit. Which House is pleased about.

And it makes perfect sense that he would be pleased.

The House/Wilson stuff was kinda tiresome. I don't care anymore about their odd dance of friendship.

And the gimmick of the Point Of View stuff was... okay. But I was glad they - mostly - dropped it during the episode.

Also very cool to see Cameron coming in to give some good ideas.

Season 5, Episode 20. "Simple Explanation" A sick and dying husband (Meat Loaf) gets better as his wife gets closer to her own death. A member of House's team dies.

The off-camera death of Gary on thirtysomething still ranks as one of the best-handled, and most shocking, TV deaths I've ever seen. This one is almost as good. Thing is: usually when one of our beloved TV characters dies, we get to see it up close and personal. We are never removed from it. But in real life, of course, we are almost never there when someone dies. We hear about it when we get the phone call. That's real life. And thirtysomething nailed it.

House isn't trying to capture real life, however, so it allowed it's main characters to be the ones who found the body and all that dramatic stuff. I have no problem with that. It's perfect for House. What really impresses me is the decision to have the death happen off-camera and out of sight. Out of the blue, too.

Very shocking. Very good storytelling.

The case-of-the-week was good, too. One of the best. The Taub scenes were all fantastic. He is now the most interesting of the regular characters, and his scenes with House are electric with tension and drama. Wonderful stuff. Cameron saves the day, this week. House is relying on her more and more and she's had a major impact on the last couple of stories. Indeed, in this strong episodes, it is the scene with Cameron offering the husband the chance to die on the table that stands out as the best scene.

Season 5, Episode 21. "Saviors" Cameron comes back to single-handedly run a case for House. Why?

It's got a good case-of-the-week and a genuinely compelling mystery, with regard to why Cameron is back. Having her back is great. Not because I'm a huge fan of the character, although I do like her a lot, but because House is the kind of show that needs to change the status quo to keep it interesting and fresh.

The resolution was satisfying.

Maybe.

It makes sense.

Unless you think about it too much.

Cameron's actions are a bit silly and TV cliché female behaviour. And there's a mystery surrounding her actions simply because she chooses not to confide in anyone. So, while I liked it, I have to say that after years and years of watching House, there is a part of me that wonders why she didn't just tell someone...

Also, this episode marks the surprise return of Anne Dudek. That made me very happy. Anne Dudek rocks. Killing her character off was a huge mistake for the show. Nice to see them bending over backwards to bring her back...

Season 5, Episode 22. "House Divided" House treats a deaf kid, while being taunted by his own sub-conscious (in the form of Amber).

For the first ten minutes of this episode I was completely distracted by the joy of having Anne Dudek back on the show. Then, once I realised she as playing a part of House sub-conscious that knew things he did not know he knew... I was completely un-distracted and knee deep in the episode.

Since it had a pretty good case-of-the-week and a real humdinger of a gimmick this ranks as one of the best ever episodes of house. That was before the final minutes, when the story took a very dark twist...

House trying to kill Chase? WTF?!

Season 5, Episode 23. "Under My Skin" A ballerina is sick, House is still seeing 'Amber'.

This story arc is great. Knowing that 'Amber' is really House's own thoughts makes for fascinating viewing and Anne Dudek is superb in the part. And crazy hot. (I have a thing for evil women. In real life. No, really. I do.)

Anyway.

The case-of-the-week is boring and pushed to b-plot status this week, as House tells Wilson, and later Cuddy, about his hallucinations. Watching him self-diagnose is fascinating. And the things 'Amber' said to him while he was crawling along the floor towards the pill were fascinating also. Why? Because we know that a part of him is thinking this stuff.

It's a great storyline and I have no idea where/how they will resolve it.

Away from House's personal problems and the case-of-the-week, Chase got some quality screentime and a strong story. Only a few scenes. But, still, a strong story.

Season 4, Episode 24. "Both Sides Now" Feeling pretty darn good about the sex he recently had with Cuddy, House tries to cure a man who has to deal with a left arm that has a mind of it's own.

A case-of-the-week that's straight from the comic books and a very predictable twist doesn't stop this one from being a very enjoyable episode. The case-of-the-week has a very touching scenes (where the arm is suddenly nice to the girlfriend) and the twist is fun to watch, fun to watch how they pull it off and explain it in the final minutes.

It's clever and it's fun. I'd be more impressed if they had done it over a few weeks. NCIS did a season-long twist that totally worked. They showed us snippets of something (Tony's relationship) and the audience filled in the rest. Incorrectly, as it turned out. House could have done that, I feel, and really pulled off something special. Instead they did it over the course of a few episodes. A few very enjoyable episodes, yes, but - surely - they could have reached a bit higher?