Review: Elementary 2x2 'Solve for X'

Elementary
Season 2, Episode 2
Solve for X
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Brief Summery:  When a well-respected mathematician is found dead, Holmes and Watson set out to solve a murder and the purpose of the highly guarded equation he was trying to decipher. Meanwhile, Watson is conflicted when the son of a former patient approaches her for a loan.

Review: Okay with this episode, we have Joan visiting the grave of one of her patients who passed away on the surgery table and made have her so much guilt where she quit working in medical. The son of the patient 'coincidentally' being at the grave site at the same time as Joan, and then asking Joan for a loan for a bar.

It was quite funny how Sherlock rocks up and says that Detective Bell had texted him to come, but it was a old text from 2 years ago. I thought that the crime was quite interesting with the invisible ink hiding a room of maths equations.
I loved Joans face when she walked inside and there is this random guy topless doing/looking at maths.

I love how Holmes had a suspect all figured out then Detective Bell tells him that the guy was murdered, and he seemed a little baffled at that. I've seen it happen in quite a lot of crime shows and it wasn''t all that surprising but quite predictable.

How the hell did Sherlock figure out what kind of dog it was ?!?!

We hear and learn about Joans past and what happened to make her change professions. It seemed fitting as last episode we learn about Sherlock. It was quite sad to hear what had happened.

I loved the scene with Sherlock and the taxi. Also a Sherlock work out scene, why hasn't this been done more often. I though Sherlocks speech about poisons and how guilt is the strongest form of poison, was really good and also so very true.

Joan asked for an advance on her paycheck to give to this kid and Sherlock ends up giving her $20,000 to give her a way out of it (which I thought was sweet of him to do). Let me tell you, this kid annoys me way to much, I kind of want to hit him. Joan ends up telling him that she will only pay for his education and not give him money for a bar. I thought that was good of her.

The crime is a bit confusing. you know its the professor but with her changing the time stamp on the video, you get confused. At the start the crime seems really cool and interesting but by the end you only cared about the storyline with Joans past.

On an end note I really likes Sherlock at the end being all sweet and asking to go with Joan to visit the grave with her next time.

 

Review: Elementary 2x1 'Step Nine'

Elementary
Season 2, Episode 1
Step Nine
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Brief Summery: Holmes and Watson travel to London to find Holmes' former police partner, Lestrade (Sean Pertwee) who's gone into hiding after threatening a murder suspect with a grenade. While there, they discover that Mycroft (Rhys Ifans), Sherlock's brother, now lives at 221B, Holmes' former address. Holmes sets out to prove Lestrade's suspicions right while coming to an understanding with his estranged sibling.

Review: I have been waiting for this series to come back and I was not disappointed, and coming from someone who isn't really a Sherlock Holmes fan is saying something. Yes, the crime kind of sucked but I loved the fact we got to see some of Holmes life in London.

The episode starts off with them finishing off a case in New York, which I thought was pretty cool that it was solved because of carrier pigeons, and plus Watson with taking the culprit down.

Then they end up flying to London to help find Lestrade. I thought it was adorable and sweet that Holmes picked up Watsons bag without a word, it showed that he is a gentleman, and then Holmes explaining what she will see when she enters his apartment and then bam, it is totally different and he is all upset.

Then Mycroft comes in and Watson asking if he was 'Geezer Bob'. To Holmes seeing his brother again, I loved the 'oh my god' "my ...croft, it hasn't been that long". I must say that they had great chemistry playing sibling dynamic. We later see Watson telling Mycroft that Holmes actually has a friend and that she is it :).

Holmes has found his old 'partner' Lestrade  at a pub waiting to raid one of Holmes secret money stashes and still tries even though he is drunk and Holmes is with him. I'm unsure if he actually did do it or not though. Holmes introducing Watson to Lestrade and then going to the suspects home and Holmes telling the guy that she was 'Americas No.1 Expert on Home Security' I loved her face when he said that but just went with it.

This came to the realization that the suspect used a 'plastic gun' ..okay I don't know if this is even possible to make or not and in a way it sounds really cool but really ridiculous. I actually liked the whole message to the security camera.

We then get Holmes and Watson talking about how Mycroft wants to take Watson to dinner, but Holmes thinks he just wants to have sex with her to get back at him because he slept with Mycrofts fiance.
At the dinner we find out some more about Mycroft and what has happened to him and such, it kind of broke my heart when Mycroft asked 'How does one become Sherlocks friend?'  

Then we have Sherlock trying to apologise to Lestrade and then they come across a clue that leads them to a dead body, which sherlock solves with biting into a apple haha.

We end the episode with Sherlock and Mycroft talking and Mycroft blowing up all of Sherlocks things and saying that he forgives him. Then Holmes and Watson are heading back home.

So all in all, I really enjoyed the episode even though it didn't really have much crime or crime solving.

 

Review: Rizzoli & Isles, 4x10, 'Built For Speed'

Rizzoli & Isles
Season 4, Episode 10
'Bulit For Speed'
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Quick Summary: When a late-night amateur drag race turns deadly, the squad works quickly to solve what turns out to be a particularly dangerous case. As evidence unfolds, Jane suspects that the motive for murder may have been an attempt to conceal drug trafficking. However, when she turns to Lt. Martinez for help he seems to be thwarting her investigation.

Review: Okay, at the beginning I need to say that I cannot, nor I will even try to be impartial when it comes to this particular show, but I swear I will try to do this review justice.

It's hard to say that this episode was disappointing although it was far from perfect.

From valid sources we know that the writers of the show are trying to create a relationship between Maura and Jane's younger brother – Frankie. We can see a first poor attempt at the beginning of the episode, when medical examiner makes a blunt comment about man's choice of clothing. Good one here, writers, I can give that to you. But seeing the dynamics – or rather the lack of it - between Maura and Frankie since the first season, everyone can just safely assume that this is not going to happen. And if it does, 8.5 million viewers will just shake their heads at the same time.

Crime scene involves a burned victim, Giovanni - who thankfully happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and also... another potential boyfriend for our lovely doctor.

BT is quite good looking man, I admit. And he's smart too, a fact that doesn't go unnoticed by Maura. Here we go again, Tamaro. Fool us once, shame on us, fool us twice? Seriously? And that poor choice of BT's words to show how amazed he is with blond pathologist. Didn't we hear the exact same words falling from Jane's mouth last season? Well, at least you try.

We also hear Jane mentioning Casey for about three seconds. Just enough to remind us how straight our girls are. Good job!

Although this episode was filled with few flaws here and there, I am never disappointed with humorous part of the show. There are a lot of scenes where you can laugh out loud or simply smile with endearment. All brought to you by extremely talented Harmon and Alexander.

Well, you can see this has clearly been a review of a sad Rizzles shipper, but putting my feelings aside for a second: few mistakes are for sure not enough to skip this episode (or any other for that matter). It is easy to watch and definitely leaves you waiting impenitently for another one. Handful of great actors and pinch of humor is everything you need on Tuesday evening.  

Review: Criminal Minds 8x23, 'Brothers Hotchner'.

Criminal Minds

Season 8, Episode 23

'Brothers Hotchner'

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Brief Summary: When a number of ecstasy overdoses in Manhattan show a pattern, the team travels to the city for the profile. Hotchner is surprised, however, when the investigation reveals his long estranged brother is somehow involved.

Review: I liked it but I didn't love it, who the unsub was kind of ruined it for me. I always enjoy finding out about the teams backgrounds and family as such. I had forgotten that Hotchner had a brother, the storyline for them was done well. I would of liked to have more brotherly scenes with them together but I understand why there were not as many (fingers crossed for it in a later season) I found the case quite an interesting and clever one.

So we have the episode starting off with Sean (Hotchners Brother) calling up his brother because he was in the room when a girl died of a 'seems to be' drug overdose, but she wasn't the first one and seems to be not the last one either. The unsub was using PMMA also known as 'Doctor Death' on the streets (sounds like such a nice drug doesn't it ..not) and it all kept leadin back to the bar where sean worked. It found out that his bosses (Jim and Thane) are involved, but of course nothing is ever that simple.

I was kind of disappointed that the unsub had been a father whose daughter had died from a suspected drug overdose at one of Jims's other clubs. I was hoping for something a tad more dramatic and not typical unsub. It was pretty awesome how Reid was the one to take him down by knocking him over using a bag haha (It was pretty badass for Reid).

The episode ended with a little tease for the finale, as Garcia was closing everything all her screens were taken over with photos of the team and te word 'ZUGZWANG' repeatedly, this happens just before the replicator made his move and entered Strauss' hotel room and stood over her while she slept (kinda creepy ig you ask me). I think they did a good job of setting up the finale with that scene.

Line of the episode would go to Garcia for her doctor who reference with "I found something stranger than a time-traveling police box."

 

Recap and Review: The Newsroom, 2x07, 'Red Team III'.

The Newsroom
Season 2, Episode 7
'Red Team III'
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The latest episode of The Newsroom was hands down the best episode of the season. Red Team III saw the complete undoing and total trainwreck that was the Operation Genoa story. It came as no surprise to me to see that Jerry's downfall came from the basketball game in the background of the General's interview.

The start of the episode saw the team being interviewed by Rebecca Halliday (don't you just love Marcia Gay Harden?) as we finally began to understand the extent of the 'wrongful termination' suit brought against ACN by Jerry Dantana.

The flashbacks thoughout the episode walk us through the Red team meetings with the objectve of using fresh eyes to find any holes in the Genoa story. It was also supposed to be the first time Will ever heard about the story, except that's not the case when it becomes apparent he heard the story from a 'very reliable source'. You have to wonder though why Will never voiced the story to anyone before it was brought to him during the red team meeting. Also why did no one ever check to see if Will and Charlie's source where the same?

Evidence Rundown

General Stomtonovich: Confessed in an interview that U.S. troops used sarin gas on civililians during Operation Genoa. Except we all know he didn't. Jerry grew some balls to edit the footage in his favour.
Tweets: Neal used his sources to find tweets about Operation Genoa
Eric Sweeney: One of the Genoa informants. During an on air interview with Elliot, he mentions in passing that he along with three of his fellow comrades "suffered traumatic brain injuries". This proposed a HUGE problem for his reliaiity surrounding Genoa as one of the symtoms of his injury was memory loss.
Valenzuela: The dead soldier who apparently never died but did the Genoa interview to back up his good ol' friend Sweeney.The problem with his interview turns out to be the fact that Mac lead him through the interview. He never said any knew information and only recited what Mac had told him happened.
Manifest: That piece of paper Shep gave Charlie that says but doesn't say sarin was on board the plane involved in Genoa... but hey, it turns out Shep's son was an employee at ACN until he was fired and long story short had a drug realapse and died. So this manifest? Yeah, it was fake. Hold it over a light for 20 seconds and the message 'fuck you, Charlie!' emerges in invisible ink. Charlie, duuuude, you got played. I still don't know if I should laugh about it or not.

But the ending. Damn. Jane Fonda stole the whole damn show (and I completely agree, everyone should want to be Daniel Craig). To quote Jeff Daniels: “I told Aaron when he showed us the script to this episode: ‘You wrote a Jane Fonda scene to beat all Jane Fonda scenes.’” Leona Lansing has transformed from the bitch we all loved to hate in season 1 to basically the greatest human on the planet (right behind Sloan Sabbith of course).

Highlights of the Episode

Sloan Sabbith. She's the highlight in every episode. "You wouldn’t survive in jail, Don. I would. I’d thrive.”

When Mac finally caught on to the fact that Genoa was a giant scam my heart literally broke into a thousand pieces. If you didn't want to hug her when she told the team to retract the story you must have a heart of stone

When Leona Lansing takes no shit: “No, I do not accept your resignations! And Jerry Dantana is not going to get ONE FUCKING DOLLAR! I’ve got some kick ass courtroom outfits.”

Promo: 2x08, 'Election Night, Part 1'

Recap and Review: The Killing, 3x11 and 3x12

The Killing
Season 3, Episode 11/12
"From up Here" and "The Road to Hamelin"
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

After the Emmy worthy performance of Peter Sarsgaard in last weeks episode, the finale opens up with the aftermath of his death. Linden and Skinner are back to their extracurricular activities in the bedroom (can I just say at last despite the end results), Holder makes nice with his girlfriend and Becker leaves prison life whilst Henderson finally embraces the job.
Just when it seems like not a lot can happen, it all comes crashing down.

Linden and Holder catch a new case, the body of a girl is found in a burnt out car, execution style bullet wound to the head, teeth and ring finger removed. The Pied Piper is still at large (shocker!).

Going into the episode I had my suspect pool narrowed down to Henderson, Reddick and Skinner - and I have to admit Skinner was at the bottom of that list.

All arrows, however, were pointing at Reddick (the far too obvious suspect). After trying to pawn off the case to someone else, taking bullet's call, having a connection with one the victims and access to police records it seemed only obvious for Linden and Holder to start chasing him down as the real killer. Such a damn shame that the person they shared their suspicions with was Skinner. A big 'oh shit why did I do that' moment when Linden spots Kallie's ring being worn by none other than Skinner's daughter.

Linden's realisation that she was in love with a serial killer was probably one of the most heart wrenching moments in the episode. Sarah Linden, forever unfortunate in love and in life. For once I'd just love to see her happy for longer than 5 minutes and for that happiness to at least last for a while.

The finale ends with Linden pointing her gun at Skinner (after she takes yet another dangerous drive with a criminal on the promise that she'll be lead to Adrian - the missing son of Peter Sarsgaards, Ray Seward). Skinner confesses to all 21 murders and then some. As if 21 women weren't enough there are plenty more bodies scattered around Seattle that are yet to be found and identified. The women he killed were viewed as nothing more than whores and "human garbage".

It was somewhat shocking and cathartic to see Linden put a bullet between Skinner's eyes despite Holder's objections. Though the ending was crisp and abrupt, it leave me yearning more. I need a season 4 to see how this fatal move plays out and affects all the character's involved.

Highlights of the episode
The cute scene between Skinner and Linden in his office and the little discovery that Linden is always singing in the car (something we haven't seen happen with her and Holder). It was nice to see Linden in a different light and happy.
The (always) brilliant chemistry between Holder and Linden

“Oh c’mon Linden, I don’t gotta be my sleuth par excellence to see the cat’s got a hand in the jelly jar — and it ain’t the first time, neither!”

(gif not mine)

Sassy!Holder vs. IA

"You mind if we take a look at your phone?" 
"As long as you don't mind the pictures of me banging your momma last night."

Sassy!Reddick vs. IA

"Holder's an idiot, he's not Al Qeada. Jesus! Where are you brain trusts getting your intel from anyway? You couldn't solve a crime if it fell out of the sky and sat on your face. My PBA rep's on the line. I expect you pull that tampon outta your ass and cut him loose"

I just love the sass!

Ultimately, the finale was 2 hours of compelling drama that never became weak or dragging - The Killing is a show that deserves a 4th season! A show unlike any other crime show on TV; It will be extremely interesting to see how characters develop after this case and what more the show has to offer.

What did you think of the finale? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.