Vinyl, Season 1, Episode 8: “E.A.B.” Written by Riccardo DiLoreto & Michael Mitnick Directed by Jon S. Baird Airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO So far, a fairly reliable indicator of the strength of a Vinyl episode is how much humor it has. That’s not to say that the show needs to veer toward broad …
Vinyl, Season 1, Episode 7: “The King and I” Written by David Matthews Directed by Allen Coulter Airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO If Vinyl has managed to convey one thing about Richie’s personality, it’s that he never does anything halfway. He has to run his business with a constant pipeline of cocaine direct to his nose. …
A more streamlined second episode still has some kinks to work out.
Vinyl, Season One, Episode One: “Pilot” Written by Terence Winter and George Mastras Directed by Martin Scorsese Airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO It seemed inevitable that Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger would work together at some point. After all, The Rolling Stones have created the essential music of Scorsese’s life, and his films would …
Excavating through the vastness of television history to feature programs from broadcast past that were critically maligned and/or lost on the way to home video.
Parenthood begins its final season by picking up almost exactly where season five left off. “Vegas” may take place months after “The Pontiac” but for the most part, everyone is in the same place. Amber is indeed pregnant, with Ryan still out of the picture, Kristina is launching her school, and Zeek and Camille are happy in their new home. The only surprise Katims and co. throw the audience is Julia’s new office fling, which may become something more. It’s a surprising move given where the last season ended, but a not unwelcome one.
After months of dragging their feet, the Parenthood writers finally move several of their season-long arcs forward this week and it’s astonishing how much of a difference a little momentum makes. Julia focuses on work and makes a big move in her personal life, Drew moves out of Amber’s and has it out with his roommate, Hank and Sarah start to talk about why they haven’t gotten back together, Adam and Crosby remember they started a label, Kristina and co. move forward with their school, and Camille and Zeek find their new home. Everyone we see makes strides this week, and after the morass of interpersonal miscommunication (or willful non-communication) that has defined so much of the season, it’s incredibly refreshing.
Parenthood is back this week, opting for only a couple weeks off rather than a more standard month-plus hiatus. With Kristina’s mayoral bid over and done with, the Luncheonette label storyline seemingly forgotten, and Amber taking the week off, “Promises” is able to focus on a couple of the under-represented arcs of the season, as well as the continuing saga of Julia and Joel.
Katims’ choice not to end the year with the plot-heavy “Election Night” makes sense; “All That’s Left is the Hugging” is far more introspective and cathartic, seemingly tying up several of the year’s early arcs tidily while setting up the continuing storylines for what’s undoubtedly going to be a tough second half of the season.
Parenthood, Season 5, Episode 1: “It Has to be Now” Written by Jason Katims Directed by Lawrence Trilling Airs Thursdays at 10pm (EST) on NBC “It Has to be Now” picks up a few months down the line from last season’s emotional finale, “Because You’re My Sister” and, in typical premiere fashion, checks in on …