Author Archives: MCQ
Justified – Season 3 Episode 5 – “Thick as Mud”
This is a really cool episode, with a ton going on and some amazing dialogue. It answers some questions (we know Detroit Guy’s name now: Quarles) and raises some others (Just how dumb IS Dewey Crow?) and we get to see Quarles in a confrontation with Boyd that is pure genius (Here’s a preview: they don’t become bowling buddies, but they may start a book club), as well as some great scenes contrasting Boyd’s relationship with Ava and Raylan’s relationship with Winona. The episode, “Thick As Mud,” is based on a story that is in Elmore Leonard’s new novel “Raylan.”
New Music: Band of Skulls – “Sweet Sour”
Band of Skulls has been one of my top five favorite bands since their debut, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey discussed here, and they are also in my top three of bands to see live (discussed here). So you can imagine that I have been awaiting their sophomore album with great anticipation. Sophomore albums being what they are, however, I have tried to keep my expectations in check. Read the rest of this entry
Justified – Season 3 Episode 4 – “The Devil You Know”
We’ve seen a lot of different things from Boyd Crowder in this show, but usually his more extreme impulses are tempered buy the better angels of his nature, as another backwoods philosopher once put it. Rarely have we seen the sort of cold-blooded behavior that this episode shows us. And yet, you can’t help but still be on Boyd’s side, especially in the conflict that approaches him in the person of the man from Detroit (they still haven’t told us his name have they?). The first move of that conflict takes place in this episode and, as per usual, it looks like Boyd may have been underestimated. The question Boyd asks at the end of the episode is a good one:
“Knowing me the way that you do, whatever led you in your imagination to believe that you could pull this off?”
Superbowl XLVI Open Thread
Here we are folks, back at the Superbowl for another orgy of advertising, patiotism, consumption, and oh, yeah, there’s a football game too! What’s your prediction? Will the Patriots avenge their loss four years ago? Will the Giants prove their superiority? Will Madonna have a wardrobe malfunction? Will someone actually remember the words to the Star-Spangled Banner? Find out here!
Justified – Season 3 – Episode 3: Harlan Roulette
A lot happens in this episode and a lot of people get shot, but since it’s mostly people we just met, we won’t worry too much. We’re learning more about the Oxy trade in Harlan, and it looks like there’s a headlong convergence of people looking to take it over. The new guy down from Detroit is all set to get involved in the business, while Boyd Crowder is interested in taking over all criminal activity in Harlan (except prostitution, apparently) There are a lot of addicts in Harlan nowdays, so business is booming. Raylan has a joke about that:
The difference between a drunk and an addict is that a drunk will steal your wallet and feel bad about it later; an addict will steal your wallet and help you look for it.
Justified – Season 3 Episode 2 – “Cut Ties”
The names of the episodes continue to be interesting double entendres, and we see more of the scheming and planning in this episode that will set up the big conflicts of this season. Boyd’s scheme to get the Benett’s money, Raylan’s plan to buy a house with Winona, Bad guys planning and scheming all over the place, and a couple of new players with plans of their own. Read the rest of this entry
Justified – Season 3 Episode 1 – The Gunfighter
Last season we saw the end of the Bennet clan as Mags committed suicide and all her sons were dead except Dickie, who was in custody for doing all kinds of bad stuff. Meanwhile, Boyd Crowder was going back into the family business by taking over the drug trade in Harlan. Raylan got shot in the process of bringing the Bennetts down, so when this season opens, we see Winona getting pulled over and informed of Raylan’s injuries. He’s in the hospital and Art tells her he’s going to be ok: he was shot straight through with no major damage. Lucky. Read the rest of this entry
2011: The Best of Everything
We haven’t yet done our usual year end “best of” list for music or movies or TV of 2011, so I thought I’d do a combined list to kick off a discussion of all these categories. I’m a big fan of Metacritic, so, along with giving my own biased opinions, I’ll reprint some of their year-end lists here. Read the rest of this entry
Breaking Bad – Season 4 Finale
Episode 13: Face Off
I started this episode with a lot of questions and some are answered right off the bat.
After Gus walks away from his car, Walt runs up and removes his homemade bomb from underneath it. That seems risky if Gus left someone behind to watch the car, but apparently Walt was able to see them leave, because he doesn’t appear troubled by this. He goes into the hospital to see Jesse and accuses him of tipping Gus off somehow. Jesse apparently didn’t do that, but he has a problem with Walt bringing the bomb into the hospital, which seems reasonable. Walt is all about getting Jesse to think of a place he could surprise Gus. Jesse is trying to think about this when two police officers approach and ask Jesse to talk with them about the issue of Jesse’s prediction that Brock was poisoned by ricin. Once the questioning starts, Jesse says he got the idea of ricin from watching “House” or the Discovery Channel. The officers say Jesse isn’t under arrest, but it’s clear they’re not going to let him leave. Jesse tells them to call Saul. Yes, in this case, you really better call Saul. Read the rest of this entry
Breaking Bad – Season 4 Part 12
Episode 12: End Times
This episode is a bit hard to follow in some ways. A lot is happening here as we accellerate toward whatever doom awaits at the end of the season. I had no idea what to expect with this episode: whether Walt would be in a rubber room or going on a violent killing spree or hanging himself in a closet or what?
Turns out, he didn’t completely crack up. He’s helping Skyler pack the family for protective custody at Hank’s. Walt is not going. He wants Skyler to take the family and leave him there. Skyler actually must still like him because she objects, but in the end, he convinces her. Walt clearly thinks this is the end and that he will not survive. The family heads off without him and he says goodbye, maybe forever. Then he sits down by the pool with his gun to wait. He seems calm. Resigned. Then he spins the gun on the table. It points to him initially, then, after a couple tries, it points to a plant with white flowers growing beside the pool. What does that mean? Read the rest of this entry
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