TV reviews

In the US: Fridays, 10pm et/pt, CBS

In the UK: One of the ITVs at a point determined by some stochastic process

Characters re-cast: 0

Major characters gotten rid of: -1

Major new characters: 0

Format change percentage: 0%

Beards grown: 2

What a difference a decent director and script make. As I have remarked before, Numb3rs is often quite a formulaic show. When it’s good, it’s very good; but most of the time, it’s just average – not utterly dumb, just mundane and unsurprising.

This season opener carries on directly, in terms of plot rather than chronologically, from the third season’s finale, in which Dylon Bruno’s hardcore ex-army FBI agent was revealed to be an agent for the Chinese. It was surprisingly surprising for Numb3rs, not least because it was written by the usually rubbish Ken Sanzel.

Although it soon becomes clear that yes, a magic reset button will probably reverse that one innovation the show has produced, the episode does have two even more surprising surprises: firstly, Ken Sanzel can write really good scripts – he’s even getting the hang of this maths thing to the extent that it’s actually relevant, rather than slammed in with a crowbar; secondly, exec producer Tony Scott, who’s been sitting on his hands doing not much to earn that title for three seasons, has finally gotten off his backside to direct this episode, the first time he’s directed an episode of a television show.

In true Tony Scott style, he’s brought along one of his favourite actors, Val Kilmer, who’s busily resurrecting his acting career after a long time in the wilderness. Before even a minute’s gone by, it’s clear that whatever you think of Scott as a film director with his somewhat bombastic style, as a television director he’s really first rate. Taken together, the script and direction turn this Numb3rs episode in something pretty good.

Continue reading “Review: Numb3rs 4.1”

In the US: Thursdays, 9pm et/pt, CBS

Characters re-cast: 0

Major characters gotten rid of: Ooh, that would be telling

Major new characters: 0

Format change percentage: 90% (for one episode only)

Number of contracts up: 1

CSI starts its eight season somewhat atypically – with an episode pretty much devoid of forensic science. Instead, it starts with the hunt for Sara Sidle, last seen trapped under a car thanks to the strange obsessions of the Miniature Killer (that’s not a tiny murderer, BTW). Where she is and whether she’s alive are the two mysteries that need clearing up.

Shows that have female characters kidnapped to increase tension are always treading a tricky path. Will they be weakening the characters by making them victims? Or will they fail to suggest any kind of peril by making the character too strong?

CSI manages to deal with this thorny problem reasonably well. Although it does go through most of the dramatic tricks you’d expect of an episode like this – the false discovery, etc – it still manages to leave Sara looking relatively strong during her ordeal while simultaneously creating a throbbing sense of menace, claustrophobia and desperation.

Continue reading “Review: CSI 8.1”

In the US: Thursdays, 8/7c, NBC

In the UK: Channel 4, some time in the year 2357 at this rate

Characters re-cast: 0

Major characters gotten rid of: 0

Major new characters: A prison full

Format change percentage: 25%

Number of shanks made: 1

Ooh, this is tricky. How to review this without giving the game away for UK viewers, who are still trundling through season two.

Can’t. Sorry. Don’t read further than this point if you’ve not seen the finale for season two.

Continue reading “Review: My Name is Earl 3.1”