Archive for the ‘NBC’ Category

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05-21-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.08 Recap: “A Simple Matter of Poor Choice of Friends”

‘Hannibal’ 1.08 Recap: “A Simple Matter of Poor Choice of Friends”

Sadly, ‘Hannibal’ has not made NBC’s fall schedule. However, at the time of this writing, the network has not officially canceled the show yet, and even continues to advertise it in primetime, which is generally a sign that somebody there wants to give it a chance to find an audience. Although probably unlikely, there’s some small measure of hope that the series could be brought back as a mid-season replacement next year. I guess that’s something to look forward to. In the meantime, last Thursday brought us an interesting, if not entirely successful episode.
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05-15-2013

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‘Community’ 4.13 Recap: “I Hear You’re Graduating Kiddie College”

‘Community’ 4.13 Recap: “I Hear You’re Graduating Kiddie College”

The execs at NBC has gone off their meds. First they fire Dan Harmon, leaving him to find out about the news secondhand. Then they renew ‘Community’, but in a shortened order. They delay the start of the season, dumping it towards the end of the regular programming season, where it runs awkwardly through holiday episodes in the wrong time of year. And now, as this poor, tragic saga winds down to a merciful close, NBC renews the show for another season!
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05-13-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.07 Recap: “You Cannot Force a Feast”

‘Hannibal’ 1.07 Recap: “You Cannot Force a Feast”

Last week’s episode of ‘Hannibal’ added a very nerd-friendly guest star to the cast: ‘X-Files’ star Gillian Anderson. Is this likely to boost the show’s ratings enough to secure a season renewal? Realistically, probably not. However, it’s awfully nice to see her back on television.
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05-08-2013

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‘Community’ 4.12 Recap: “What’s an Anarchist to Do Without Her Organization?”

‘Community’ 4.12 Recap: “What’s an Anarchist to Do Without Her Organization?”

The fact that this season of ‘Community’ even exists is a bit of a baffling proposition. By removing Dan Harmon, the show’s creator and driving force, NBC left the series rudderless, and this season has been about finding its focus again. The best episodes have been simple, straight-up sitcom stories about students at Greendale. Rarely have the gimmick episodes had the wit or the originality of those under Harmon’s tenure. Last week’s ‘Heroic Origins’, however, manages to pull a gimmick that serves the story, instead of replacing it.
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05-07-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.06 Recap: “There’s No Accounting for Taste”

‘Hannibal’ 1.06 Recap: “There’s No Accounting for Taste”

I know that I’ve said it before, but damn, ‘Hannibal’ is a good show. Naturally, as these things go, that means that it’s struggling in the ratings. After an initially strong start, viewership has dropped off to the point that its prospects for a second season are in doubt. This is why it’s so difficult and frustrating to get attached to a new series.
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04-30-2013

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‘Community’ 4.11 Recap: “And That Is What I Would Be Saying If I Gave a Crap”

‘Community’ 4.11 Recap: “And That Is What I Would Be Saying If I Gave a Crap”

I know that I may sound like a broken record at this point, but this season of ‘Community’ has consistently been at its best when it keeps things focused on the group and keeps the group at Greendale. This was perfectly displayed in last Thursday’s episode, ‘Basic Human Anatomy’. Not only was it one of the funniest episodes of the season, but it was the one that felt the most like it could have come from the Dan Harmon era.
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04-29-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.05 Recap: “This Is My Gift to You”

‘Hannibal’ 1.05 Recap: “This Is My Gift to You”

As I mentioned in my last recap, NBC pulled the fourth episode of ‘Hannibal’ from the planned broadcast schedule, allegedly out of “sensitivity” to the victims of the real-life Boston Marathon bombing, and skipped right to Episode 5 instead. The decision doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. As far as I’m aware, the storyline didn’t have anything to do with a bombing, and the new episode still features plenty of graphic violence. Disrupting the show’s continuity only serves to confuse fans who’ve followed it thus far.
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04-25-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.03 Recap: “Damage the Organs, You Ruin the Meat”

‘Hannibal’ 1.03 Recap: “Damage the Organs, You Ruin the Meat”

Dear NBC Marketing Dept., I’m about to give you a very nice pull-quote to use in your advertising. All I ask in return is that you attribute it appropriately. Are you ready? Here you go: In just three episodes, NBC’s brilliant ‘Hannibal’ is already better than any of the Hannibal Lecter movies. How’s that work? You’re welcome.
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04-22-2013

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‘Community’ 4.10 Recap: “No One Wants to Screw the Group”

‘Community’ 4.10 Recap: “No One Wants to Screw the Group”

Thursday’s episode of ‘Community’, called ‘Intro to Knots’, features Malcolm McDowell tied up in a chair for extended periods of time. Under Dan Harmon, this would have led to a smorgasbord of ‘Clockwork Orange‘ gags, but instead, we get a half-hearted homage to Hitchcock’s ‘Rope‘ that does no credit to either the original film or a show that should have knocked this premise out of the park.
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04-17-2013

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‘Hannibal’ 1.02 Recap: “Therapy Is an Acquired Taste”

‘Hannibal’ 1.02 Recap: “Therapy Is an Acquired Taste”

I sometimes get worried when a new TV series has too good a pilot episode. In many cases, the producers pour all their effort (and money) into the pilot, lavishing it with high-end production values, an A-List director and a finely-honed script to make the best first impression possible. Then, after the network actually picks up the show, they don’t have much left, and the quality drops off precipitously in the following episodes. This is especially a concern on a network like NBC, which doesn’t have a lot of money to risk on a questionable series. So, with that in mind, I went into the second week of ‘Hannibal’ with some measure of trepidation.
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