Stuff about television.
“Yeah, I understand. You want Schlampen.” (Eddie)
For an episode called “The Age of Reason”, it certainly focused a lot on irrational guilt. It was like a confession, which makes sense after last week’s episode, which was sin all around. Almost every major character either opened up or was punished because they were hiding out. This is the set-up to the second half of the season. I can’t believe it.
“I’m not being ridiculous. No Englishman would *dream* of dying in someone else’s house – especially somebody they didn’t even know.” (Violet)
Well that was surely strange. Who would have ever thought people would die in a British costume drama? And that after causing that much intrigue? Downton Abbey is turning into quite the curious little thing.
“What’s an observer?” (Astrid)
So Peter’s back. Now obviously, you can’t have him immediately be part of the group again. Things just can’t be the way they were – after all, Olivia is a top-secret FBI agent and Peter… well, he’s a nobody found in a lake. If I were Olivia, I’d do one thing to this strange guy who seems to know the darkest secrets of the agency as well as the colour of my underwear: lock him up. But then how do you solve that impasse? Simple: you make sure Peter has something they need.
“Would you fight for me?” (Richard)
I think it was when Jimmy got hit in the face with a cane I sensed this would not be a regular episode. And true enough: what started as a sneaky suspicion slowly grew into full-grown shock as the episode went on. Suddenly, we were treated with slap in the face after slap in the face. I think there’s no better time than now to utter the legendary term shock and awe.
“Michael, you are not quite the ladies man I had pictured. Hopefully, we will remedy that when we are in the spa spreading body chocolate on each other.” (Tobias)
Arrested Development is nothing but a comedy legend. Always pushing the envelope, this absurd show about a wealthy family who lost everything (and their one son who had to keep them all together) was canceled halfway into its third season. Just when it was at its peak. Oh FOX.
“I didn’t spend my life getting groped by a bunch of drunks to wind up in a goddamn poor house.” (Gillian)
What an unexpected episode. Like a fait divers, we got treated to a season changer in the form of a stroke. What happens in a world like Boardwalk Empire’s when the king falls?* The pawns start rearranging themselves. Everyone starts looking at the queen. Which is exactly what this episode does.
“What’s a weekend?” (Violet)
This week focused on a battle that’s been as old as the industrial revolution: city versus country. As Matthew, the rightful heir to the fortune, arrived at the abbey, this conflict was unfolded in a typical – but very charming – matter. And where, at first, Matthew didn’t want a butler, he quickly learned that not everything revolves around him.
“I will ruin you.” (Nucky)
Allow me to start this review with a sexist statement: the first thing I noticed about this episode that it was directed by a woman: Susanna White. Immediately, my mind started racing: what could a female touch mean for a male-oriented series like Boardwalk Empire? One sub-plot later, I found out the answer.
“No one wants to kiss a girl in black.” (Violet)
I’m always hesitant to try a period piece. While they might be nice to look at, there’s usually an overflow of dialogue and not nearly enough action to keep things going. I don’t mean I want to see explosions – I just want the damn actors to move around now and again. At a first glance, itv’s upstairs-downstairs-based period drama Downton Abbey might pull that off. One reason: telling an upstairs-downstairs story usually involves taking stairs.
“An idea I got from the fight scene in the Matrix.” (Walter)
What a weird episode. I’m not entirely sure whether I’m happy about it or not. We’ve got treated to another Cortexikid (or whatever I should call it), but in the end it was all a big hoax to set up a cliffhanger. A delightful cliffhanger, sure, but a thirty minute-long red herring? Meh. Colour me unimpressed.