Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Zeppo

I figured it was about time I got back to my Buffy episode reviews! “The Zeppo” is one of my favorites, so I kept putting it off since I wanted to do a thorough job on the review. And then the fall season started, and I was way too busy juggling new episodes to even think about rewatching old ones, unless I was introducing friends/family to shows.

This episode follows a different format than typical ones. Most TV episodes have several storylines going on at once, with the one having the highest stakes being the focus and getting the most screen time, while one or more minor storylines often feature supporting cast and add humor, character development, and plot details to supplement the main story. With “The Zeppo,” the formula is switched. Xander’s side story of trying to be cool and prove he’s not useless becomes the focus, and Buffy and the rest of the gang stopping a near-apocalypse gets only a handful of scenes.

Buffy:  Xander, one of these days, you’re gonna get yourself hurt.
Faith:  Or killed.
Buffy:  Or both. A-and, you know, with the pain and the death, maybe you shouldn’t be leaping into the fray like that. M-maybe you should be…fray-adjacent.
Xander:  Excuse me? Who, at a crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head?
Faith:  Yeah. That was real manly how you shrieked and all.
Xander:  I think you’ll find that was more of a bellow.
Buffy:  Uh, what do we do with the trio here? Should we burn them?
Willow:  I brought marshmallows.
(Surprised looks.)
Willow:  Occasionally, I’m callous and strange.

In the end, you don’t really know what went on with the Hellmouth opening again. You glimpse a few mid-action scenes (as if you were flipping through channels during commercials), and hear the gang’s comments afterwards. And you get a few funny bits like this one:

Willow:  Where are you going?
Giles:  Um, to try and contact the Spirit Guides. They exist out of time, but have knowledge of the future. I have no idea if they will respond to my efforts, but I have to try. All we know is that the fate of the entire world rests on it. (looks into the doughnut box) Did you eat all the jellies?
Buffy:  Did you want a jelly?
Giles:  I always have a jelly. I’m always the one that says ‘let’s have a jelly in the mix.’
Willow:  We’re sorry. Buffy had three.

But you know exactly what went on with Xander’s evening. I particularly like the scene pictured above because of the weapon’s name. There are other named weapons in the Whedonverse (Mr. Pointy and Jayne’s Vera spring to mind), but this one shares my name:

Xander:  Yeah. Great knife. Although I think, uh, it may technically be a, a sword.
Jack:  She’s called ‘Katie’.
Xander:  You gave it a girl’s name. How very serial killer of you. Listen, I think we should be going.
Jack:  Are you scared? (traces the tip of the blade around Xander’s neck)
Xander:  Would that make you happy?
Jack:  Your woman looking on, you can’t stand up to me? Don’t you feel pathetic?
Xander:  Mostly I feel Katie.
Jack:  You know what the difference between you and me is?
Xander:  Again… Katie’s springing to mind.

Much as I hate zombies, the whole story with Jack’s dead friends is hilarious. When Xander realizes they’re making a bomb, his interrogation technique (and subsequent decapitation) is exactly what I would picture him doing.

I love how in the end, Xander saves his friends by playing chicken with Jack and the bomb, and proving that he’s not afraid. And none of the Scooby Gang finds out that he saved their lives – Xander knows, and that’s enough for him.

CW Announces New Series ‘The LA Complex’ and Season Finales for ‘Supernatural’ ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘Ringer’, ‘Hart of Dixie’ and more – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers

Well, it looks like the CW has realized how poorly Ringer is doing in the ratings, and so is hurrying up to finish the season (airing originals every week) before the May sweeps. Unless the show has a miraculous ratings recovery in the next month and a half, the April 17 season finale will most likely be a series finale. I wonder how well the show would have done on CBS (the network that originally picked it up).

Taking its place at 9PM April 24 will be the six-part Canadian drama, the L.A. Complex, a nice consolation prize for Whedonverse fans, since as I previously mentioned on this site, Jewel Staite stars. Buffy is out, Kaylee (from Firefly) is in!

CW Announces New Series ‘The LA Complex’ and Season Finales for ‘Supernatural’ ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘Ringer’, ‘Hart of Dixie’ and more – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode Episode 14 Preview Eddie Kitsis & Adam Horowitz

Far much more than a preview look at this coming Sunday’s “Grumpy” episode (featuring Amy Acker and a reappearance by Emilie de Ravin’s Belle), this article answers lots of huge questions about the show!

First, August is most likely not the author of Henry’s book, but he did add stuff – for his own benefit. Is he trying to write himself into the story so he can be a part of the fairy tale world? Was he there before and somehow got written out?

Second, the show is trying to get the Huntsman (Jamie Dornan) back for a guest episode! While it’s pretty unlikely he’ll come back to Storybrooke, most of the fairy tale flashbacks we’ve seen so far occur while he’s being held captive and heartless by the Evil Queen. Makes sense for him to show up in another flashback at some point.

Third, we’ll learn why the Evil Queen hates Snow White in episode 18 (which IMDb says is entitled “Stable Boy”), set to air in April.

No real answers on when David and Mary Margaret will get together or who Henry’s father is, so I’m guessing those won’t come up until the end of this season or sometime next season.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode Episode 14 Preview Eddie Kitsis & Adam Horowitz.

Bones Exclusive: Meet the Big-Screen Brennan and Booth – TVLine

So good to be getting Bones scoop again! This time, Brennan’s books are being made into a movie (hinted at years ago – Richard Castle must have better connections with the movie industry since his books took far less time to make it to film). Ashley Jones and Jordan Belfi are set to play the movie versions of Brennan’s characters Dr. Kathy Reichs and Special Agent Andy Lister. They of course are based on Booth and Brennan, much the same way that Castle’s characters Jameson Rook and Nikki Heat are based on himself and Beckett. (Now to just get McGee’s novels, written as Thom E. Gemcity, made into a movie.)

Bones Exclusive: Meet the Big-Screen Brennan and Booth – TVLine.

White Collar Season 3 Finale Creator Jeff Eastin Preview

A cool look at the season finale by show creator Jeff Eastin. Love all the behind the scenes info on how the episode was thought up, and how this will impact Peter and Neal’s relationship. Hard to imagine that this is their most explosive cliffhanger to date!

White Collar Season 3 Finale Creator Jeff Eastin Preview.

Fox Moves Bones to Mondays, Touch Premieres March 22

Fox has decided to juggle its spring schedule around like crazy! Bones is moving to Mondays at 8 after Alcatraz finishes its initial run – yay for getting Bones back 3 days earlier than anticipated (April 2 versus April 5), but boo for competing shows. House will move back to its old spot of 9PM on Mondays the same day, and have all new episodes until the two-hour retrospective/finale May 21.

Thursdays, The Finder will air a spring finale March 8, and return at an undetermined time. Its rating indicate that it’s likely to be canceled, but I’d be happy if it continued to share a timeslot with Bones. It feels like a summer show. I love the crossover episodes and would like to see more of them (I expect Isabel will show up on Bones the next time a U.S. Marshall is needed).

Touch will premiere Thursday, March 22, at 9, taking the typical Bones/The Finder slot after American Idol.

Fox Moves Bones to Mondays, Touch Premieres March 22.

Lucy Liu Cast as Watson in Sherlock Holmes Pilot Elementary — CBS

Well, so much for Elementary being simply an American remake of Sherlock! Having a woman play the role of Watson is sure to make Elementary a very different show. Farewell to bromance. Hello to will-they-or-won’t-they tension typical of Bones, Castle, and the like. Or maybe the show will adopt Warehouse 13’s buddy partnership to make room for Adler. Will Moriarty try to sweep Watson off her feet to get to Sherlock?

My initial opinion of the idea is that the show will either lose too much of its uniqueness by making Elementary similar to other procedurals, or try too hard to “reinvent” Holmes and Watson that it becomes a caricature.

Lucy Liu Cast as Watson in Sherlock Holmes Pilot Elementary — CBS.

The Office: James Spader Leaving

So glad Robert California is leaving; I hated his character. Maybe his ex-wife will take his place? Or the actor I really wanted out of all the guest spots – Jim Carrey?

People are clamoring for The Office’s demise, but unless Smash stabilizes soon, the long-running comedy will still be NBC’s highest-rated scripted show. And with such a large ensemble cast, quite a few of the main characters would have to leave before the show itself was in danger.

The Office: James Spader Leaving.

AnnaSophia Robb Cast as Young Carrie Bradshaw — ‘The Carrie Diaries’ CW

Well, I had no interest in The Carrie Diaries until this announcement – Robb is such a great actress that I hope the pilot/show will be worth her talents. And I’m glad she looks nothing like Sarah Jessica Parker.

AnnaSophia Robb Cast as Young Carrie Bradshaw — ‘The Carrie Diaries’ CW.

Giancarlo Esposito Joins Revolution — NBC, J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke

This is the second reoccurring character from Once Upon a Time who has landed a role in a pilot. Here’s hoping that they’re able to exit the show with purpose if their shows make it to series (or still have time to pop up in Storybrooke occasionally).

By the way, the last name Esposito always makes me think of Castle, which is airing its own fairy tale episode tonight!

Giancarlo Esposito Joins Revolution — NBC, J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode 15 Photos

Sad that there wasn’t an Once Upon a Time episode yesterday? Here’s a look ahead at the March 11th episode, which finally gets to the story of Little Red Riding Hood (she and Granny have been around since the pilot, so it’s about time!). In the fairy tale world, Red meets Snow White after the Huntsman lets her go. In Storybrooke, Ruby quits her job at Granny’s and Emma hires her as an assistant.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode 15 Photos.

Beauty and the Beast ABC Pilot Casts Beast — Darius Campbell

Not sure about this casting – but since the original Beast was supposed to be a spoiled brat before his transformation, maybe the full-of-himself grin works. I’m guessing we won’t see much of his face under the makeup anyhow.

Beauty and the Beast ABC Pilot Casts Beast — Darius Campbell.

Emilie de Ravin Joins ABC Drama Pilot Americana

Not to sure I’m happy about this, as I wanted Belle to have more of a major role in Once Upon a Time (can’t get rid of the one person who can reach Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin’s heart!), but it is only a pilot, and on the same network as OUAT. Also, it would make sense for the character of Belle to not have as great of a role in the show since there may be two other Beauty and the Beast interpretations on TV next fall (I’m hoping ABC decides to pair theirs with Once Upon a Time on Sunday nights).

Emilie de Ravin Joins ABC Drama Pilot Americana.

Five ways Psych is like Sherlock Holmes’ “The Red-Headed League” | CliqueClack TV

With all the discussion about the show Elementary “stealing” the idea of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes from BBC’s Sherlock, I thought this article comparing Holmes and Psych was especially apt. Usually House is touted as already being an American version of Sherlock Holmes, but this article clearly shows that Psych can be considered one as well. From gathering clues through observation to a medically-inclined sidekick/friend/indispensable colleague, Shawn and Sherlock aren’t as far apart as they might first appear.

Five ways Psych is like Sherlock Holmes’ “The Red-Headed League” | CliqueClack TV.