@Noelle -- She did outshine Mercedes. Mercedes has a strong voice, but there's no feeling. In an example that's really obvious and so will toss it out here ... it's kind of like Mercedes is Robert Goulet or Jim Nabors and Rachel is Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra. Or, like they used to say about Liza Minnelli: She can belt out a song right up there with her mother, but she can't emote like her mother or sell a love song like her mother. So, to me, it was obvious Rachel won their sing-off -- which is why I'm confused by what the story wants us to believe. If you believe that Mercedes won (or, what I really mean, is if you believe Murphy and the writers intended for all of us to believe Mercedes won), then it seems to me to follow that all of her over-the-top charges against everyone were supposed to be justified and dead on. That makes me awfully curious what comes next (and maybe it is correct, it seems quite possible, as @Amy says above, that the point was only to get Mercedes into Shelby's glee club for some future plot development).
The thing that bothers me about the captain is that it was implied that she was very good concerning department politics and that that was how she got this promotion ... and yet she seems so terrible at it. There are all kinds of personalities and levels of getting along with people, but everything I've ever heard or read (fiction and news stories) is how cops support each other, that if a cop is shot, the whole department will drop everything else to pursue a felon who dared attack a brother cop (and yet the captain told them to forget about whoever shot Beckett. And if a cop's gun is used in a shooting, the whole brotherhood would be intent on it -- not, take the day off ... And captains would not throw their subordinates under the bus for the sake of covering their own ass because every single other cop will make them pay. It's a standard cliche for captains to yell and scream at their detectives, to threaten to take their badge and all that ... but it always turns out the captain who yells and screams is also supporting the detective he/she heats up.
@Amy -- What you said about the show intending all of the viewers to know that Mercedes outperformed Rachel has stuck with me because I couldn't imagine that they did and couldn't rule it out and the straight forward way you say it makes me think that, yeah, you're right! What bothers me then is that if Murphy and company did mean for us to get that, then wouldn't it follow that every nasty comment and action of Mercedes that stemmed from that horrible injustice be proper and appropriate (at least in the eyes of Murphy and company)?
Has anybody seen anything anywhere on this? Please ...?
Mercedes can be awfully nasty -- and I sure think she was in this episode. All she said was all about ego in the most negative way. She could have had the lead in 6 performances, but she chose to have the lead in none of them because Rachel also got 6 performances (and was happy to have them, whereas Mercedes didn't give a damn about performing). She doesn't want to be Beyonce on stage, she only wants to be Beyonce going to a restaurant or walk through an airport and be recognized or visit the White House or anything where she doesn't have to do any work at all. She wants to be famous. She doesn't have what it takes to be a star. She has a strong voice but Rachel puts way more feeling into it, Rachel puts way more of herself into it.
People like Mercedes as she is being portrayed at the moment are the ones who are always kicking people like Rachel in the teeth. If that wasn't the case and Rachel had more confidence, she might have realized she beat Mercedes in their sing-off, which, her not realizing it because Mercedes is a bully, just convinced Mercedes that she was the victim.
It will be very interesting to see where they go with Mercedes (because, yes, I realize, those commenters saying everything Mercedes says is correct could represent what Murphy and company think???).
This episode was Ok -- certainly better than the reviewer rated it. It was predictable, though ... although they did make it kind of romantic in an insane sort of way.
And I like Martha. Her purpose on the show is to be a dialogue and plot facilitator, particularly between Castle and Alexis, when needed; but she's fun -- like when the mouse gets out of its cage and she's standing on the glass top coffee table reading the paper when Castle comes in.
I also really like what they're doing with Alexis because it not only creates interesting problems for her that I find myself hoping she resolves in some positive fashion (rooting for her, etc.), but they're giving depth to Castle's character as she rethinks him ... from last week's chastising him for being juvenile to this week searching for what it is in his character that has allowed him to be as successful as he is when she's feeling so unsuccessful and therefore questions everything about herself.
@George -- We're sort of talking about different things (but, yeah, we'd still disagree). You're looking at Jane's actions, at least in part (to me) and judging the morality and finding it wanting and I intended (at least) to be looking at the reality presented with the arguments I make to myself to still maintain my suspended belief in the story. When I read what you wrote, I could imagine you considering the actions as the book blurb and deciding you wouldn't want to read a story about this character -- and then thought that I likely would still pick the book up, exclaiming, "Another Patrick Jane novel!" and would be looking for the next volume (so maybe a discussion should have to be about why Jane's actions don't turn me off on Patrick Jane and they do you??).
It's not a deal breaker for me, anyway, and I think that's because it's crime show or detective show or whatever is the correct name (for instance, I enjoy John Sandford's Prey series, the main character of which is Lucas Davenport, a deputy chief with the Minnesota equivalent of the CBI, who, an FBI agent explains why he dislikes Davenport by saying the state of Minnesota doesn't have the death penalty ... except for Lucas Davenport). Yet, I, on the other hand, had a really hard time getting past the idea in Harry Potter that any school or reality would allow a teacher (Umbridge in Volume 5 ... and the movie really tones it down) to torture a student -- I couldn't read Volumes 6 & 7 until 7 came out and I was distant enough from it to read it to conclusion. That is, some things are moral matters to me, but crime drama isn't.
So lastly ... in your he said he said analysis, don't forget the evidence of the phone ....
@George (I have an opinion I wish to put forth concerning: "There is a big difference between killing someone to save Lisbon's life when her life was in immediate danger and shooting someone who poses no immediate threat") ... The guy Jane killed, RJ or not, in the food court indicated he had a gun, partially showed his weapon, and threatened Jane's life and also identified himself as a wanted murderer who was at least on the FBI's most wanted list if not Number 1 on the list. By threatening Jane, he proved to any law enforcement type that he was an imminent threat to everyone in the food court. By identifying himself as a wanted murderer, he was a threat too to everyone in the mall and everyone he might come in contact with before he was captured. From that point on, it was the duty of any cop, FBI agent, marshal, or even CBI field consultant to either arrest him or kill/detain him by force or trickery (like by letting him think Jane was harmless until he could get the drop on the guy). If the gun wouldn't have disappeared, I don't see how it wouldn't have been (and should have been) judged a righteous/justified/or-whatever-term shooting.
What to me can be debated and I find interesting, anyways, to contemplate about the character, is that all of us who watch the show know that if it was anyone other than RJ (as far as Jane knew), he wouldn't have seen it as his duty, even if it meant his own life (as a cop would) and would have just let the bad guy walk away.
On Lisbon and Jane's relationship ... I think of Lisbon and Jane as "cop partners," which (and I have no experience with or information from actual cops, but only going by the many mysteries I've read) means they have each other's back in life and death situations (including covering for each other if either messes up with the bad guys -- not on corruption, etc.). Tony in NCIS left the Baltimore Police Department rather than turn in his crooked partner -- that's what I think about cop partners. Lisbon would have done her best to prevent Jane from killing Red John if she was there ... but since she wasn't and Red John is dead, a cop (a fictional cop in books, anyhow) would help their partner get over it, but to anyone else, it would be "nothing to see here." Or so my personal suspend belief goes, anyway.
@sez -- "a junior member" does not mean a junior, meaning 11th grade. A junior member in the context used to the warblers implies he's an underclassmen (meaning 9th or 10th grade, or even 8th grade, which rarely but sometimes is in the high school building in America). "Seniors Rule!" is a very popular rallying cry in U.S. high schools too -- meaning it is quite normal for an underclassman to apologize ahead of time for even expressing an opinion in the presence of an upperclassman. In theory high school is supposed to be kinder than that ... but it's not, not usually.
All that said, I'm sure you're also pretty much correct that they don't want to graduate everyone at once and are making decisions on the fly, which happens to annoy me, too (like when Vocal Adrenaline 1st performed they were introduced as last year's regional champions ... and then later on they were going for their 4th straight national championship, which I don't think was even necessary). So, yeah -- they're making it up as they go along.
I really like Ziva and think there must be more than a few of us. Kate was fine, sure. Off the top of my head, I can think of the pilot, Air Force One episode, the Marine recruiters getting sniped, and going to Gitmo as episodes I rewatch all the time that she was in )and wasn't she the one with McGee when there was a bomb on a car and Tony, with his authority as senior field agent, ordered them off so he could detontate it?) -- but there was also a lot of crap from her directed at Tony that I won't miss (and I especially didn't care for her in the episode when she's acting as Gibbs' bodyguard).
Tony and Ziva are more fun, especially scenes where Tony takes her along to beat up the henchman while he chases down their suspect or the one where they're bodyguardinga guy who later turns out was the bad guy and she tells him, when she always follows his orders, but here he obeys her instantly because they're partners and he trusts her, when she tells him to take the guy into the bathroom, has Gibbs on the phone, and aims guns at 2 different doors.
Love Ziva! I do think the most recent arcs have featured Gibbs and Tony, which is fine for that, but seem to have cut back on Ziva's involvement ... and I'm wondering why??
Doesn't it seem in both this week's episode and last week's season premiere that Ziva has had very little to say or do? She didn't seem like much of a part of either story. Wonder if it's a trend or just these couple of episodes??
I think there are cases where birth mothers have gotten their kids back after giving them up. My step-sister is a lawyer. She told me once when we were talking about some case in the news that a lawyer can study a particular law and all its nuances, precedents, whatever ... and walk into court and the judge does whatever the hell they want. I think that no matter what the law might say (and every state has their own laws) Shelby should want to keep it from ever getting to court and Quinn should want to make her case to a judge. I'm hoping that Quinn has a change of heart somewhere along the way.
I agree with Sue Ann on Alexis. Castle is Castle, the best selling author and perpetual juvenile, because he's Martha's son, making her bloody mary's Sunday mornings, etc. Alexis should admire him for his success (instead of act like it's in spite of him). But, just by the way the show's been laid out (remember when his ex-wife came to town), Castle, aware of his upbringing, has raised Alexis with a much sounder foundation than his own upbringing -- sort of, inadvertently, creating his own critic.
And, in spite of his career, she's the center of his life to a TV-Dad sort of extent, which, since he is, is appropriate ... but, I mean, admirable for the character he's playing. On PBS years ago, there was a bio where Faulkner's daughter described the day, concerned about her father's drinking, tried to speak to him about it, and he cut her off, saying, "Hey, nobody remembers Shakespeare's daughter." Alexis doesn't know how lucky she is!
In an off-season interview linked to from some TV-fanatic article, Simon Baker talked about how really neat and original he and the producer-show creator thought it was that the lead of their show would be a murderer! That's Hollywood, I guess. I don't know what to make of it. I don't think it's necessary because I much prefer the Patrick Jane who ducks behind Lisbon when the bullets fly. But, anyhow, I kind of think how this has been resolved is just proof that Baker and Heller think having a murderer for a star is great.
But you know, not only did that Casey girl get off, and OJ, and no one will ever be charged for killing Jon Bonet Ramsey, but Lizzie Borden got off over a hundred years ago (and that was after she kept changing her testimony in the preliminary hearing which was thrown out because they didn't tell her she was a suspect and in spite of her being caught by several witnesses ripping up and burning in the stove a dress that was all brown smudged and stained that she said was paint). I mean, I didn't have a problem with him being found innocent. I also think they skimmed over the trial and that he likely explained about the gun and phone and how it disappeared and someone killed the security guard, giving the jury a narration they could accept. By mystery books I've read, it's a common trial lawyer strategy to show how likely a different script of the crime is compared to however the prosecution said it took place (one of the jurors in the Casey girl whatever-her-name-is trial said that the prosecution had only proven that the little girl was dead, but had failed to prove that the little girl had died by foul play so that juror couldn't convict the mother of murder when there wasn't any proof that any murder had been committed).
@Sue Ann - I thought he was lying about the classic car collection (sort of a joke because he has the Citroen, so maybe he does have a classic "car", singular, collection). But, the DA says: "He has no ties to the community. He owns no property here. He must be considered a very serious flight risk." That is, Lisbon's teams territory is the whole state of California, so that they could be anywhere in the state ... but really, I can't see them getting rid of the house with the mattress on the floor under the smiley face because it's so dramatic ... and, so, I think how the DA says what he says was just a set up for the poker game so he could do the thing with the tell to con the big time criminal and for the very wonderful scene where the thug gives Lisbon tha bag of money.
@Fossie - Thanks, because I wouldn't have been able to explain it so well! I have wondered, though, because they've never said, just how wealthy he is supposed to be -- set for life, yes, but the writers keep it vague.
Timothy Carter's wife may have been weird, but there is definitely a connection to Red John with Carter and wife and the events in the mall. Carter didn't have a following to come after him and take his gun and switch phones, Red John does, though. And, Carter was on the phone to Red John's man (the fiance). That is, a Red John disciple like Carter's wife would absolutely have invited Jane in (I think)!
Jane is Lisbon's partner the way Bosco was (and she covered up a crime for Bosco that she threatened to turn him in on to get Jane out of jail for bugging Bosco's office). She also went down and punched a guy to get him released from jail so he wouldn't roll on Jane. I always go to the end of the episode where Jane disrupts the court and gets put on trial for howe their relationship has developed. The boss is happy with their results and the way they're working as partners ... and Jane says to her, "Do you want to go to the range and shoot something?" and Lisbon answers, "I'll drive ...."
@jewel -- I didn't think of things this way until reading your comments. This episode really was all about teamwork. Santana was kicked out for not being a part of the team, for, at best, divided loyalties. All she has to do to get back in is become part of the team (for the first time), to take some responsibility for being part of the team. I also think the arguments and competition are teammate kind of disagreements. It's a far cry and healthy for Mercedes to say, "There will be open auditions, right?" to Rachel, rather than the early episode where Rachel quit Glee to be the lead in "Cabaret" and the rest of the Glee club moaned about their "star" leaving them. And something Murphy has said in interviews, something he's stressed, is that to succeed takes more than talent, that it essentially takes that 4-D thing (drive, dedication, discipline, and desire) concerning their 12th place finish and why he could not have them winning, etc. What jumped out at me from the Rachel-Kurt sub plot was how that very thing was all laid out. Rachel and Kurt have talent, but these kids have been meeting every month since they were freshmen -- the message being that if Rachel and Kurt and the Glee club work that hard, then their talent might win out. Concerning Sugar, it did surprise me (amd I live in Ohio, meaning that unlike the McKinely High football program, the tradition started by Woody Hayes is that no boy gets cut from the football team, that if he wants to come and practice, knowing he's never going to play, the coach will not throw him off the team); but, Schuester did offer to work with her to where she could be a member of the team, but she exhibited another thing I've run into myself and maybe just about anybody has who's ever been part of putting a band together in any fashion from playing ouit to jamming in the garage, EGO, and the fact that her ego means she already has all the answers and, therefore, complete lack of teamwork.
Quinn is hot. Like her new look. And the change after Finn got away makes sense -- just like it makes sense her watching a Glee performance, spying like she and Rachel and Mercedes used to do at Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals (previews for next week suggest Quinn will get pressure from Rachel's mom to tone down her new look). Santana seemed a little weaker this episode (after last season) and looked genuinely hurt by being kicked out of Glee (well done!). To those who think there's too much Rachel, I would say Rachel's the star of the show, so of course she's featured, but this wasn't a Rachel-centric episode as many in the past. I think the show this season is going to be like "Wheel of Time" or "Game of Thrones" -- jumping from each character's story arc and any particular episode could have more or less of a specific character (with Rachel and Schuester still getting plenty of screen time each week).
The captain is such a cliche that she may not grow or change. She's being played as not only unlikable and politically manipulative, but rather incompetent with regard to whether or not a suspect is innocent or not. How did this character ever get promoted?
The plot threads for Mercedes have all seemed to be about her wanting to be the star once in awhile (and that's both natural and believable with Rachel around). Examples would be, say, the Rocky Horror episode where she takes the lead for that reason and the "Night of Neglect" where she does a wonderful job of trying to be a prima dona when she's deep-down-nice Mercedes, as well as the depth of character displayed in the first season finale with how she worked hard on and won the competition for the solo, which she gave up (in the green room) because she didn't have anything else prepared. Otherwise, in episode after episode, and in the process creating a unique character, her role has been to be every-single-one-of-the-other-character's friend, whether it's giving Quinn a place to stay, holding back Santana when she didn't win the duet competition, having a sleepover with Kurt and Rachel, or leading the whole school in "Beautiful".
This actress has made the most of the opportunities she's had ... and she ought to have some more story threads (before they graduate her).
Whenever I talk about plot and character for "Glee!" I'm aware it's a musical and the writing for musicals works around the singing and dancing and you really have to suspend belief (like "There's No Business Like Show Business" was just on Cleveland TV and in it all the characters fight with and disappear on each other ... but then all just show up back stage at the end to sing the title song -- and you can sort of imagine how and why they come together and all is forgotten and forgiven, but mostly because you want to because it feels nice).
I wonder if there is a black writer on the new writing staff hires. That is, I wonder if they originally figured on hiring one black as a token -- and Mercedes easily qualified for and got the role ... but then nothing else was ever figured for her because the writers/producers own experiences helped them create the whole concept and gave them lots to say concerning Kurt and bullying, but they don't relate to her and now she's become one of the popular characters!
Royal Pains
Comments by Keith Vlasak (Page 13)
Glee Review: A Non-Asian F
Castle Review: Welcome Back, 3XK
Glee Review: A Non-Asian F
Has anybody seen anything anywhere on this? Please ...?
Glee Review: A Non-Asian F
People like Mercedes as she is being portrayed at the moment are the ones who are always kicking people like Rachel in the teeth. If that wasn't the case and Rachel had more confidence, she might have realized she beat Mercedes in their sing-off, which, her not realizing it because Mercedes is a bully, just convinced Mercedes that she was the victim.
It will be very interesting to see where they go with Mercedes (because, yes, I realize, those commenters saying everything Mercedes says is correct could represent what Murphy and company think???).
Castle Review: The Cold and the Creepy
And I like Martha. Her purpose on the show is to be a dialogue and plot facilitator, particularly between Castle and Alexis, when needed; but she's fun -- like when the mouse gets out of its cage and she's standing on the glass top coffee table reading the paper when Castle comes in.
I also really like what they're doing with Alexis because it not only creates interesting problems for her that I find myself hoping she resolves in some positive fashion (rooting for her, etc.), but they're giving depth to Castle's character as she rethinks him ... from last week's chastising him for being juvenile to this week searching for what it is in his character that has allowed him to be as successful as he is when she's feeling so unsuccessful and therefore questions everything about herself.
The Mentalist Review: The Real Red John?
It's not a deal breaker for me, anyway, and I think that's because it's crime show or detective show or whatever is the correct name (for instance, I enjoy John Sandford's Prey series, the main character of which is Lucas Davenport, a deputy chief with the Minnesota equivalent of the CBI, who, an FBI agent explains why he dislikes Davenport by saying the state of Minnesota doesn't have the death penalty ... except for Lucas Davenport). Yet, I, on the other hand, had a really hard time getting past the idea in Harry Potter that any school or reality would allow a teacher (Umbridge in Volume 5 ... and the movie really tones it down) to torture a student -- I couldn't read Volumes 6 & 7 until 7 came out and I was distant enough from it to read it to conclusion. That is, some things are moral matters to me, but crime drama isn't.
So lastly ... in your he said he said analysis, don't forget the evidence of the phone ....
The Mentalist Review: The Real Red John?
What to me can be debated and I find interesting, anyways, to contemplate about the character, is that all of us who watch the show know that if it was anyone other than RJ (as far as Jane knew), he wouldn't have seen it as his duty, even if it meant his own life (as a cop would) and would have just let the bad guy walk away.
The Mentalist Review: The Real Red John?
The Mentalist Review: The Real Red John?
And will we learn Hightower's fate this week?
Glee Review: Who is the Unicorn?
All that said, I'm sure you're also pretty much correct that they don't want to graduate everyone at once and are making decisions on the fly, which happens to annoy me, too (like when Vocal Adrenaline 1st performed they were introduced as last year's regional champions ... and then later on they were going for their 4th straight national championship, which I don't think was even necessary). So, yeah -- they're making it up as they go along.
NCIS Review: DiNozzo Digging Deeper
Tony and Ziva are more fun, especially scenes where Tony takes her along to beat up the henchman while he chases down their suspect or the one where they're bodyguardinga guy who later turns out was the bad guy and she tells him, when she always follows his orders, but here he obeys her instantly because they're partners and he trusts her, when she tells him to take the guy into the bathroom, has Gibbs on the phone, and aims guns at 2 different doors.
Love Ziva! I do think the most recent arcs have featured Gibbs and Tony, which is fine for that, but seem to have cut back on Ziva's involvement ... and I'm wondering why??
NCIS Review: DiNozzo Digging Deeper
Glee Review: Who is the Unicorn?
Grant Gustin to Play New Villain on Glee
Castle Review: Nerds, Rejoice!
And, in spite of his career, she's the center of his life to a TV-Dad sort of extent, which, since he is, is appropriate ... but, I mean, admirable for the character he's playing. On PBS years ago, there was a bio where Faulkner's daughter described the day, concerned about her father's drinking, tried to speak to him about it, and he cut her off, saying, "Hey, nobody remembers Shakespeare's daughter." Alexis doesn't know how lucky she is!
A Mother/Daughter Duet: Glee Goes "Somewhere"
The Mentalist Review: Psychotic Soulmates
But you know, not only did that Casey girl get off, and OJ, and no one will ever be charged for killing Jon Bonet Ramsey, but Lizzie Borden got off over a hundred years ago (and that was after she kept changing her testimony in the preliminary hearing which was thrown out because they didn't tell her she was a suspect and in spite of her being caught by several witnesses ripping up and burning in the stove a dress that was all brown smudged and stained that she said was paint). I mean, I didn't have a problem with him being found innocent. I also think they skimmed over the trial and that he likely explained about the gun and phone and how it disappeared and someone killed the security guard, giving the jury a narration they could accept. By mystery books I've read, it's a common trial lawyer strategy to show how likely a different script of the crime is compared to however the prosecution said it took place (one of the jurors in the Casey girl whatever-her-name-is trial said that the prosecution had only proven that the little girl was dead, but had failed to prove that the little girl had died by foul play so that juror couldn't convict the mother of murder when there wasn't any proof that any murder had been committed).
The Mentalist Review: Psychotic Soulmates
We'll find out in future episodes!
The Mentalist Review: Psychotic Soulmates
Timothy Carter's wife may have been weird, but there is definitely a connection to Red John with Carter and wife and the events in the mall. Carter didn't have a following to come after him and take his gun and switch phones, Red John does, though. And, Carter was on the phone to Red John's man (the fiance). That is, a Red John disciple like Carter's wife would absolutely have invited Jane in (I think)!
Jane is Lisbon's partner the way Bosco was (and she covered up a crime for Bosco that she threatened to turn him in on to get Jane out of jail for bugging Bosco's office). She also went down and punched a guy to get him released from jail so he wouldn't roll on Jane. I always go to the end of the episode where Jane disrupts the court and gets put on trial for howe their relationship has developed. The boss is happy with their results and the way they're working as partners ... and Jane says to her, "Do you want to go to the range and shoot something?" and Lisbon answers, "I'll drive ...."
Glee Season Premiere Review: They've Got the Beat!
Glee Season Premiere Review: They've Got the Beat!
Castle Season Premiere Review: Captain, Oh New Captain
Major Glee Season Premiere Spoilers: Read at Your Own Risk!
Sam Who? Glee Finds Mercedes a New Man
The plot threads for Mercedes have all seemed to be about her wanting to be the star once in awhile (and that's both natural and believable with Rachel around). Examples would be, say, the Rocky Horror episode where she takes the lead for that reason and the "Night of Neglect" where she does a wonderful job of trying to be a prima dona when she's deep-down-nice Mercedes, as well as the depth of character displayed in the first season finale with how she worked hard on and won the competition for the solo, which she gave up (in the green room) because she didn't have anything else prepared. Otherwise, in episode after episode, and in the process creating a unique character, her role has been to be every-single-one-of-the-other-character's friend, whether it's giving Quinn a place to stay, holding back Santana when she didn't win the duet competition, having a sleepover with Kurt and Rachel, or leading the whole school in "Beautiful".
This actress has made the most of the opportunities she's had ... and she ought to have some more story threads (before they graduate her).
Whenever I talk about plot and character for "Glee!" I'm aware it's a musical and the writing for musicals works around the singing and dancing and you really have to suspend belief (like "There's No Business Like Show Business" was just on Cleveland TV and in it all the characters fight with and disappear on each other ... but then all just show up back stage at the end to sing the title song -- and you can sort of imagine how and why they come together and all is forgotten and forgiven, but mostly because you want to because it feels nice).
Sam Who? Glee Finds Mercedes a New Man