As I saw my profile move up to level 5, my rank moved up to "Caveman Lawyer." The name and the accompanying emblem reminded me how much I miss Phil Hartman as an actor. Unlike fellow sketch stars Belushi and Farley, who seemed destined to burn out early, Hartman was a steady force, turning out solid, hilarious performances without ever dominating a show. It's too bad the way his life ended, because we should be still enjoying his performances today.
Radio Free Roscoe, "Radio Wars" - 8.9 - For some reason, Travis seems really fake to me. It's so overdone that it's almost unbelievable (unless you believe he's a psycho). The rest of the show is great, though, and even Travis's role makes sense in the grander scheme.
Law & Order, "Disappeared" - 7.4
Law & Order, "Narcosis" - 7.5 - Seriously, spending 50 grand in a month on cybersex? For that kind of money, the kid could have gotten some grade-A hookers. Alas, people on TV aren't always the smartest.
Lizzie McGuire, "El Oro de Montezuma - 6.4 - Without speaking a single word of English, Erik Estrada made his mark on this episode in humorous fashion as the host of "El Oro de Montezuma," the Spanish-language game show at the center of the plot. Since he was never more than a C-list actor in the first place, a guest spot on this series isn't too far of a fall.
Battlestar Galactica,"Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down" - 7.2 - Ron Moore created another problem by making this series so dark and gritty: it makes it almost impossible to do regular, silly humor without creating a huge tone conflict. Star Trek could get away with having its goofball, farce episodes because the show never took itself too seriously in the first place. You could always throw a bunch of Ferengi together, write a few jokes, have some laughs and send everyone home happy. In this episode, however, by the time I realized they were trying do humor that wasn't dark or dry, it wasn't funny. These characters are just too serious to have them step outside themselves and still seem realistic. It would be nice if the show could take a break once in a while, but Moore made his bed by taking the show so far over on the dark spectrum that it's too big of a reach to make it back.
Around the Horn
Pardon the Interruption - Gar, now they're adding time, ruining my TiVo schedule for no reason. I don't need 2 extra minutes of PTI time, as much as I enjoy the show.
Lizzie McGuire, "Scarlett Larry" - 7.3 - The plight of the nerd in love. Ah, what a time-honored TV plot. It's not always the best story, but it's rarely the worst either, a nice safe play in the sitcom landscape.
Law & Order, "The Collar" - 8.4 - Law & Order is rarely dominated by the performances of the main characters. In order for the show to work, there must be balance between the police and the lawyers, so no one side can be too dominating of a presence. Most of the best episodes are driven by strong, meaningful guest appearances from no-name actors, and this episode is no exception. Father Grady, played by John Dossett, is an example of a character in deep inner turmoil, and while the agonizing over a difficult decision is somewhat dragged out, it still carries a depth of emotion that isn't found every day on TV.
Degrassi: Unscripted, "Adamo Ruggiero"
Minding the Store, "Love & Limo"
Battlestar Galactica,"Hand of God"
