So, three questions to start:
1)Is there anyone out there who, when we got to see Johnny on the job in a scene unrelated to Tommy for the first time ever, didn't assume that he was about to catch a bullet?
2)Has Tommy yet reached that later-stage Sipowicz point where the sheer amount of tragedy befalling him starts to feel silly?
3)Anyone want to tell me that I'm wrong that the season's remaining episodes will see Tommy abandon the Florida plan and get back with Janet so they can raise the Gavin male heir (whether it's his or Johnny's) together?
Maybe it's just because I watched this one at the office, where there are more distractions, but Johnny's death didn't do a lot for me, both because it was so obvious and because of the Sipowicz factor. I'm gonna be a lot more pissed if Chief dies, though I can't imagine Leary and Tolan being dumb enough to get rid of Jack McGee.
If there was a heart-clutching moment in the hour prior to Jerry's fall, it was Charles Durning singing "Neither Have I Wings to Fly" at his wife's grave. (Though I'm biased on any use of the song, since it was the centerpiece of the amazing unaired final episode of "EZ Streets," and you all already know how stupid in love I am with that show.) I've really enjoyed the back half of this season's focus on Tommy potentially leaving the FDNY. We all know it's not going to happen (else no show), but both Tommy and the show have been taking the idea seriously and giving us so many good reasons for him (for all of them, really) to get the hell out of the firehouse.
It's late, and I don't want to wait until morning to post, so I'll hit the episode's many, many other subplots quickly so conversation can start, ASAP.
- Comic highlight of the night: Tommy's freakout over Lou sleeping with a nun, even a soon-to-be-ex nun.
- How dumb are Franco and Lou that they needed Mike to explain the retarded brother's motivation? Liked Franco getting agitated about the sundae on the bro's behalf.
- I felt for the priest having to deal with Garrity and Maggie. Frankly, I'm surprised they haven't been banned from ever entering any Catholic-run facility again.
- So, how much of the widow money do you think Sheila just blew on a house that no doubt will turn out to be a lemon?
- And is Probie still gay or isn't he?
I'll tell you what... I watched tonights episode at 3am in my living room with headphones (as to not wake my roommate) and the lights off. That being said, Johnny getting shot made my jaw drop. After the fact it was obvious, yes, but right then and there I was seriously stunned. In a way it was a great suckerpunch of an episode because the previous 59-minutes had been so damn funny.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line: around episode three of this season I was convinced that Rescue Me was the best thing on television. An exhausting eight or nine episodes later all I can say is that The Wire can't start soon enough.
I agree with completely with you, Alan, except maybe for the part about the house being a lemon -- I hadn't considered that.
ReplyDeleteBut Tommy Sipowicz is a bit too much to believe, or even sympathize with. Plus, the shooting seen was so forced. Why were they there? Who was the perp? Why shoot him in the back like that, when Johnny was doing nothing but discuss Madonna. It felt so shoehorned in, that it completely took away my shock/enjoyment at being shocked.
I feel like the Tommy's Dad moving in with a wild and crazy guy storyline has been done already. Didn't really care about that.
I don't get the whole Mike gay or not gay thing. Is it a joke on metrosexuals (albeit a dated joke)? I don't care for it, either way.
I did enjoy Tommy and Sheila planning their future. Sheia's fine when she's not crazy or drugging Tommy. I think those kids could have had a chance with each other. Of course, Tommy will fall back into Janet's clutches, and I'll have to fast forward through all of those scenes next season.
retard brother and the sundae:
ReplyDelete"can we get some GODDAMN nuts here?" "you're crazy"
Tommy's dad:
"would you get your goddamn hands off me" "but dont let me fall..ill tell you when to touch me " " get your hands off me"
Tommy "Jesus Christ!!!"
The two new old man room mates will probably be funny. Intead of dumb and dumber tommy and lou are dickless and dickless-er
(is that a word? haha)
Yeah there was no apparent reason that Johnny got shot other than so Tommy can get back with his ex wife and screw up their kids even more.
Like the black woman who is a nurse or caretaker would leave someone to lay there and die? No one can track your DNA if you call 911 and lay the phone down and THEN leave.
What happened to Tommy's car from last week. I thought the cops got it back.
Whatever happened to Susan Sarandon and the kid?
Tommy's uncle and prison sex is getting old. This isnt OZ>
Still love it even if it does get kind of outrageous sometimes.
Cant wait for nip tuck......
"If there was a heart-clutching moment in the hour prior to Jerry's fall, it was Charles Durning singing "Neither Have I Wings to Fly" at his wife's grave. (Though I'm biased on any use of the song, since it was the centerpiece of the amazing unaired final episode of "EZ Streets," and you all already know how stupid in love I am with that show.)"
ReplyDeleteI always fall asleep at the money moments. I'll have to watch this again later this week if I have time.
Anyway, if it is necessary that Tommy's brother suffers some tragedy, I guess it makes sense that he would be shot. After all, what is the number one fear for a cop besides that, or a crashing in a car chase?
I actually liked the Maggie and Garrity fallout. That whole subplot has been played for laughs this year, but I got the feeling that Maggie was actually upset. It's been a long time since Tatum O'Neal had to actually act, but it's possible she might get a chance to soon.
ReplyDeleteYeah -- as soon as I saw Johnny on a stakeout I knew what was coming. That aside, I enjoyed last night's episode -- John Scurti has as good a knack for writing great comic bits as he does for acting them. What's really beginning to wear on me are the prison scenes, which seems to me just to be an excuse to keep Lenny Clarke employed as Uncle Teddy.
ReplyDeleteI kind of liked the prison scenes last night, mostly because even though Teddy's behind bars, he's having normal marriage problems. She's been getting bored with him for awhile (although sooner than I expected she would).
ReplyDeleteEven though I knew Johnny was going to be shot because the set-up was so obvious, I still jumped when the actual shooting began. It was loud and startling, even if expected.
If Probie were smarter, he could use the sexual confusion angle to score more chicks than Franco ever has, heh heh. But I don't think he's gay.
Was that Valentina from The Sopranos selling the house to Sheila?
Chief had better not be dead. Not that I want Johnny to die, either, but both of them would be too much.
The show is too obvious sometimes. How many women really want to sleep with Tommy? My prediction - Cheif dies, Lieu is the new cheif, Franco passes test is becomes the new Lieu. I hope they keep Johnny around, although it would be Alias "vaughn lives after being riddled with bullets"
ReplyDeleteAlan et al,
ReplyDeleteany insight into why Dennis Leary is playing so many dramatic scenes set indoors with his sunglasses on?
I agree on the telegraphing of Johnny's death (his and Janet's scene about baby names was almost sweet and entirely free of angst -- someone had to die).
ReplyDeleteI was surprised also by how much John Scurti put himself in his own episode (it seems like the Office writers tend to do the opposite), though less that he gave himself a beautiful woman to sleep with, nun or not.
And finally, happy to have Sean and Maggie break up if only because it means Tatum O'Neal might go away. I think she's been horrible in this role... just really unnatural (overacting, poor line readings, the whole thing). The only upside is (was?) that the plot at least showed how solid Stephen Pasquale is doing comedy.
We know the Gavin family is "bizarre." We get that. However I can't believe someone would marry in the cemetary where their brother is currently being buried!
ReplyDeleteI think the wedding and dancing scenes ruined the show. I was shocked when Johnny died. I even got misty when Tommy was talking to him in his casket. Then the family parties while they cover his grave. Eck