Doctor Who "The Ark in Space - Part Four" (1975)

The thrilling conclusion to the first proper serial of the Fourth Doctor continues to impress with the new TARDIS crew solidifying as a team and even manages to link into the next serial as "Robot" did with this one. Noah has completely transformed into a Wirrn, but still maintains some aspect of his former self as he speaks while the other Wirrn are mute. His feelings for Vira are still strong as he tries to appeal to her directly, possibly playing on her emotions, rather than through the Doctor who is clearly the spokesman for the group. He even permits the group safe passage off the ark, leaving the remaining humans still in suspended animation for the Wirrn to use as hosts. It is only his love for Vira that has led to his human mind being able to hold on. The proof of that comes from the fact that even though Dune was also absorbed, we never hear from that character.

Tom Baker continues to impress as the new Doctor and there is no doubt that this is essentially the same man as his previous three incarnations. Despite being able to leave in the TARDIS any time he pleases, he has an obligation to stay and save the remnants of humanity from being used as Wirrn hosts. He has come a long way from the First Doctor who was very much the anti-hero who did not want to become involved in local matters. The writers were forced to strand the TARDIS crew at their new destination to force their involvement. Over the years the Doctor has become a much more proactive hero and stepped into the fray even at the danger to himself or his companions. Perhaps the Third Doctor's exile has led him to have a better appreciation for humans because from this point forward, he tends to always side with them no matter what the situation.

Sarah Jane is given the most to do in this episode as it is she who comes to the conclusion that the colony ship's power supply could be used to protect the cryogenic chamber. The Doctor continually cuts her off before finally coming around to hearing what she has to say which is a great comedic bit. She also volunteers to undertake the dangerous task of crawling through the air shafts in order to run the cable necessary to electrify the cryogenic chamber's perimeter to keep the Wirrn out. Unfortunately the elevation of Sarah Jane has led to Harry being slightly sidelined as he spends most of his time with Vira and Rogin (Richardson Morgan) in the colony ship. He continues to amuse with his babbling personality and I just hope in the next few serials both companions can take equal roles in the adventures.

Despite the unrealistic look of the Wirrn, they may just be some of the most vicious of the Doctor's foes as they appear quite unstoppable. The horrifying intent for humanity has already been covered, but here we see there is little that can be done to defeat them. The Doctor only manages to hold them off from the humans still in hibernation and if it were not for Noah's sacrifice it's quite possible the Wirrn would have succeeded in their mission. Eventually they would have found a way into the cryogenic chamber as our intrepid band was about to have their oxygen supply cut off. The Doctor of course never panics or gives the impression that hope is ever lost as he even tells Sarah Jane it's her imagination that the room is getting stuffier.

More Alien/Aliens parallels: the romp through the air vents, blasting the attacking Wirrn with the ship's engines and the unrelenting, mass attacks of Wirrn that could strike at any moment. This serial succeeds in setting a new darker theme for Doctor Who as the producers set out to do when they took over at the beginning of this season. The dangers are very real and the menaces truly terrifying. On to see what the Earth after 10,000 years of abandonment holds for our TARDIS gang.

Favorite moment: Constantly getting stuck in the shaft she is crawling through, the Doctor goads Sarah Jane into action by telling her that they never should have relied on a silly girl for such an important task. Sarah Jane's feminist mentality takes over and she scratches her way out of the vent for nothing else than to give the Doctor a hard slap. The Doctor silently giggles as she grows angry which heralds a change from the more fatherly Third Doctor who probably would never had treated his companions in such a manner, even for the greater good.

American Gladiators "Episode 211" (2008)

It's the second round of the semi-finals and I can remember now why the show was so much fun to watch last season. Competitors giving it their all against the Gladiators and finishing off with truly thrilling Eliminator races are what the show is about. I don't mean to continually harp on the gimmick episodes of this season so I'll just leave it with this. The last two episodes have seen some of the best competition all season and it's because we have the best contenders competing for spots in the finals. Please if there is a third season, focus on the competition and finding the best people who can stand up to the Gladiators and not stories that are supposed to pull at the heart strings. They're not and there are talk shows for that. All right, no more griping.

Moving right past how we keep kicking off the shows with RocketBall, another aspect that needs to be dropped next season, we got to see the indomitable Crush taking down Lillian (Red) on Pyramid. If you ever get to compete against Crush in any event, it would have to Pyramid. She just wraps herself around you in that bear hug grasp for the entire time. It's like a American Gladiators erotic fantasy. Anyway, it was good to see her prevent yet another hopeless contender from scoring any points. Crush also had another great round in Joust, knocking both contenders off with plenty of time to spare. She even got to do her patented victory dance which is always a crowd pleaser.

Some notes regarding Gauntlet, the first being why do the Gladiators keep making a show about switching the first two positions. Seeing as how they have to alternate the types of pads used to hold off the contenders it means they purposefully went in the wrong order just to highlight the change. Seems a little pointless. The other is that Militia seems to be recurring more since his triumphant return in Earthquake. This time however he gets into a bit of a tiff with James (Blue). They really were going at it before the referee was able to break it up. I think Militia flew off the handle a little too easily though as it doesn't look like he was hit all that hard. Maybe we should sideline him for a little bit again. It might just have been due to his frustration at not being featured in a while or it could be that Jeff (Red) blew past him a little too quickly.

Favorite moment: After a close female race in the Eliminator, the male race was by far the closest I think we've ever seen. Given an eleven second head start Blue's lead is demolished as Red tears after him up the cargo net. There is a great shot where Blue is on the rope swing as we see Red leap into frame on the rope swing right behind him. Her ferocity though ends up hurting him and he lands face first and slides right off the platform. Again he catches up at the rolling pin as he looked like he was going to tackle Blue once he reached the bottom. Going neck and neck down he zip line (Red going backwards!), the teeter-totter proves Red's undoing as he loses his balance and falls into the Travelator while Blue is able to use him momentum to shoot straight up it. A very tight race and Blue better be thanking his lucky stars for that head start. Otherwise he would never had stood a chance.

The Office (UK) "Episode 1" (2002)

Taking place two weeks after the season one finale, the new season kicks off with the merger between the Slough and Swindon branches which has David in "entertainment" mode more than ever as he has a whole new group of people to win over. He also has a new boss, Neil Godwin (Patrick Baladi), who received the promotion after David was made ineligible due to his high blood pressure. He immediately begins a rivalry with Neil, who is a much better people person and has the respect and favor of all the new employees from Swindon. His opening speech to the troops even has the Slough employees laughing with his poking fun at both Slough and David. Of course, David feels the need to top this well received welcome as his speech consists mainly of more and more jokes which continue to fall flat, the next more so than the previous one. In the episode more than any previous one David has become someone you just wish would keep his mouth shut. He constantly drives his employees away with his inappropriate remarks and that only fuels him to try harder.

Jennifer, who tolerated David a lot better last season, is very aggressive with him here as he has a complaint made against him for telling a racist joke by two of the new Swindon employees. I'm a little worried for him as Neil already does not think too highly of him and I'm wondering how necessary his job is. Jennifer oversaw the two branches which David and Neal were the managers of and now there's just one branch managed by David with Neil as his direct supervisor. Essentially there are two managers and I'm sure if the company is in troubled times and looking to let people go that redundant high salary jobs like that would be the first on the list to cut.

Regarding management, Tim is taking his role as senior sales rep very seriously, so much so that he seems to be driving Dawn away whether intentionally or not. He's thrown himself into his work, most likely to make up for his lack of a personal life and this may be the silent decision he made in the season one finale. Gareth does not believe that Tim outranks him, but Tim is adamant that his position is real while Gareth's Team Lead title is purely honorary.

"'Team leader' doesn't mean anything, mate. . . . It's a title someone's given you to get you to do things they don't want to do for free."

This show continues to scare me with how close to real life it is. I was up until recently a Team Lead at the office I worked at. I stepped down over a salary raise I was promised and after four months of being postponed I had enough. Trouble was I had already done all the hard work and the team is better able to function without a leader now than it would have been before I was promoted. So I essentially had to do the work no one else wanted and I ended up doing it for free. I had to pause the episode after this scene as it hit a little too close to home.

On the Tim/Dawn front, it looks like she is still very much engaged to Lee while Tim has a interest in a new employee, Rachel (Stacey Roca) who Gareth also wants to pursue. Tim seems to want to expand his horizons as I'm sure he realizes pining after Dawn is not going to make him feel any less lonely. He also seems antagonistic to Dawn, telling her she's spending too much time away from reception and when she asks if he would like to wind up Gareth since she's very bored, he tells her they're both very busy as she should be as well. Ouch. I wonder if Tim even has authority over Dawn, seeing as how he's senior sales rep. I would assume that gives him authority over the sales team but I could be wrong. Hopefully, Tim can make peace with Dawn as he seems to do at the end and also find some happiness in his own life. He still holds a candle for her however as Lee is not happy to find out about when he sees them dancing in the office.

Favorite moment: After spending the entire episode getting on Dawn's case he starts to realize that he hasn't been real friendly to the person in the office he's closest to. His bit about her and him ignoring their duty to wind up Gareth and having a twenty minute window of opportunity is a sweet moment. It was funny to see them go into the conference room and only hear off-screen the start of the wind up ending with Dawn's laugh. As we see though Tim had good reason to keep his distance as he can't just be friends with Dawn as his feelings will continually come back to haunt him.

In Plain Sight "Good Cop, Dead Cop"

Another fine episode for this freshman series although I've noticed that over the past few episodes the personal stories are starting to overtake the WOW (witness of the week) stories. I'm not saying this is a bad thing but I just thought more attention would be given to the case for that week. Actually it's really only been the last two so maybe I'm over exaggerating. Moving on, Mary's one-night stand with a witness comes back to haunt her when he's accused of killing an off-duty police office who he may have known in his previous life. The episode gets off to an interesting start as it begins thirteen months before the present day.

I've noticed that we're seeing more and more flashbacks, not just of the witnesses about to enter the program, but of Mary and others as well. I wonder if the writers keep track of all the glimpses we're getting. This was by far the most relevant as we see Mary moving into her house and Jinx stopping by to "help" her with the transition. Mary's single and lonely which leads to her breaking of the rules. Taking into account the amount of time that has passed since the series started, Jinx has been crashing for a little less than a year and her and Raph aren't yet an item. I'm not if they knew each other before their little friends with benefits romp, but she's certainly not seeing anyone now.

The tough as nails Mary is looking for some companionship and her mother's impromptu visit has her exiled from her own home. It's always good to see vulnerable Mary but I didn't care for the guy she decided to embark on her little naughty adventure with. I guess he was just a little too cocky about ending up in the sack with our favorite U.S. Marshal and it seemed weird she would sleep with him after she so adamantly told him it would never happen in her usual witty manner. The whole affair which is touted about in the previews really does not impact the resulting troubles all that much aside from a thinly veiled threat from the dead police officer's hothead partner. In the end he decides to opt out of the program and remain in Albuquerque and it looks as if Mary will have a fourth potential love interest. Only time will tell if Mary's mistake will come back to haunt her some more.

On a related note: M&M seemed to be a little tense this week. Marshall's not to fond of Mary's witness and only helps to prove his innocence because it's what Mary has already set out to do and he'll follow her to the ends of the Earth. He snaps at the guy when he catches him checking her out and rightfully gets called out by the witness for his own interest. He and Mary also have a bit of a face off following the discovery of the shooting. Perhaps he found out about Mary's one night stand and is a little jealous. Only time will tell but I still think M&M work best in a non-sexual partnership.

Again with the whole Brandi/Raph romance? At this point I think those two characters deserve each other and Mary is better off without either of them. Mary isn't the best girlfriend by any means and I'm sure Raph is hurt over his rejected proposal but why is his biggest concern bearing his soul to Brandi and then clearing the air with her instead of Mary? I think Mary's just better off extricating herself from this high school bs nightmare. Brandi has never been a tolerable character and now Raph is becoming a bit of a pain as well. After sleeping with his fat physical therapist it looks like he's still leading on Mary's sister. Move on Mary, you're above both of these deadbeats. You got, count them three other people who are possibly better matches waiting in the wings. This subplot has produced some comedic gold moments though such as when Brandi slapped Raph when he admitted his infidelity and when Mary thought both her mother and sister were sleeping with her boyfriend. You have to worry about a family where you assume something like that could be possible.

Dershowitz has a larger role to play in this episode although I thought he was being a bit of a jerk and letting his anger cloud his judgment as a detective. Obviously Mary has to keep certain aspects of her job and witnesses from local law enforcement but here he allows his frustration with that impediment affect how he does his job. Based off the fact that Mary called one of her witnesses that morning and that he was from Chicago, the same city as the dead police officer, he has an armed party bring the subject in for questioning. Not even to arrest him, but just to question him about the shooting. The hotheaded partner of the man Mary's witness supposedly killed is also pretty out there as she assaults Mary without even knowing who she is just because she's asking about the shooting. They then use the flimsiest evidence to get a warrant for his arrest and I have to say I'm a little worried about the Albuquerque police department. It looks like being angry with you is enough to charge you with a capital crime. I realize this headbutting for Dershowitz and Mary would be coming to a breaking point eventually but here, where Dershowitz is completely unjustified in his reasoning and actions, it only serves to undermine his character.

Favorite moment: It jumped around but I'm going to have to go with the cat fight. I got chills where Mary said she would kick that woman's ass if she ever laid a hand on her again. Then when she sucker punched Mary on the lawn of her dead partner's widow it devolved into a feral free for all that has to be one of the funniest moments in the series. Good to see that while in a struggle for her life Mary is still professional enough to try and keep her face away from the news cameras which happened to be on scene. I would trust Mary with my life just maybe in a different city.

Doctor Who "The Ark in Space - Part Three" (1975)

It's amazing to me that four years before Alien so perfectly mixed the science fiction and horror genres that Doctor Who is playing its own variation on the same theme. The idea is not new to science fiction however but still the general plot of this serial follows that of Alien: a small band of humans (and one Time Lord) must fight off an alien menace that is picking them off one by one. Vira even stands in for Ripley following Noah's transformation into a Wirrn, which we learn is the name of the species. Unfortunately the effects of Doctor Who, particularly with regard to the design of the Wirrn, could not match up to the beautiful and grotesque cinematic quality of Alien.

The costumes of the larvae are green spray painted bubble wrap and at the cliffhanger we get our first look at a fully developed Wirrn, which is a re-use of the dead Queen costume which also looks unbelievable. The actors are what saves the serial however, as they all play it straight and their fearful and horrified reactions to the Wirrn give them more credibility than their looks do. I will say that the underside of the Wirrn larvae is a more realistic creature design and gives a truly nerve rattling appearance.

Although the full creature designs leave much to be desired, Noah's transformation into a Wirrn is well done. Even though it's just more bubble wrap, the way it is applied to his body and the increasing amount each time we see him makes it look like a flesh eating bacteria that is slowly consuming him. His feelings for Vira are the only thing allowing his human mind to maintain some control over his actions, however fleetingly. It's a beauty and the beast love story that is not overdone melodramatically as it might be done today. We'd only seen brief glimpses of the care Noah and Vira have for one another but it's enough to understand that the two are in love. Vira's torment at what is happening to Noah, being used as a tool of destruction against everything that he stood for, is well played by the actress and again is never overly done.

Let's not forget the Doctor in all this as he puts his life on the line again here by linking his mind to that of the deceased Wirrn. There is a strong chance his mind could become a part of the Wirrn consciousness and he would be lost, but he undertakes the task regardless because it is necessary to find a weakness so he can save the others. Baker shines as the joyful glee he displays at the experiment is in stark contrast to how someone else would react highlighting the true alien nature of the Doctor. He is still aware of the danger however and entrusts Vira to kill him if it looks like he cannot disengage from the Wirrn mind.

Favorite moment: Complementing the moment from the first episode, the Doctor's claim that humans are his favorite species is a sweet touch to the character as he once again puts his life on the line in order to save the remnants of the human race. Perhaps it's not coincidental the Doctor constantly finds himself returning to Earth so often after all.

Doctor Who "The Ark in Space - Part Two" (1975)

After a lonely romp through the space station in the previous episode, our TARDIS crew gets to meet some of the ark's inhabitants as the Doctor's repair work that saved their lives finally begins to bring the humans out of suspended animation. The Doctor and Harry are considered spies by Noah (Kenton Moore) once he is revived and the Doctor's words about an alien intruder go unheeded, that is until Noah starts to become one of them. Halfway through the serial and we're not really aware of what the alien menace is and what its intentions are. That's not to say nothing has been happening as this episode mostly concerns the Doctor gaining the trust of the crew of the ark and preventing the intruder from succeeding in whatever it is planning.

Despite the headway he makes with Med-Tech Vira (Wendy Williams), once Noah is awake he assumes our friends are saboteurs and is not willing to believe a word from any of them. At least Sarah Jane awakes in this episode and starts to play more of an active role in the serial. Her being sidelined probably suited a practical purpose. Ian Marter was brought onto the show as Harry Sullivan because it was originally envisioned to have an older Doctor, much like William Hartnell as the First Doctor, and a young male companion would be needed for the action scenes. Once Tom Baker was cast however he could perform those duties himself and Harry became a redundant character as since the Third Doctor era the Doctor has only utilized one companion. Marter is likable enough in the role and Harry's befuddled, babbling physician is still a wonderful addition to the crew and unfortunately it's the stories that needed tailoring to having two companions rather than having the role of one split between the two of them.

The true nature of the alien insects that the Doctor deduces is a horrifying one and is hurt by the poor prop of the dead queen colonizer. The creature looks completely unbelievable and the only saving grace is the Doctor's comparison of them to wasps. The creatures lay their eggs in a host so when the offspring hatch they have a ready source of food. First Tech Dune became that source of food and it's possible his knowledge of the ark's systems also became a part of the creature's race which makes them even more of a threat to the humans on the ark. The most terrifying aspect of the creatures in revealed in the cliffhanger, after coming into contact with slime from one of the larva, Noah begins to change into one of them.

Favorite moment: After being stunned by Noah, the Doctor awakens completing the sentence he started before Noah shot him. Starting off as a comical scene as the Doctor says Noah was rude to cut him off in mid-sentence, once the Doctor hears that Noah has gone to the solar stacks where the creatures are he rushes to save the man who almost just killed him. The Fourth Doctor continues in the mold of his predecessors and puts others before his own welfare when they are in danger even if those he plans to save are his enemies.

Doctor Who "The Ark in Space - Part One" (1975)

Tom Baker's second serial in the role of the Fourth Doctor picks up right where the first left off where he, Sarah Jane and Harry take a brief trip in the TARDIS to prove that it is capable of such a journey. They end up on a powered down space station where there is an evil lurking in the darkness that our travellers are unaware of. This serial had a bit of a rocky start having had the original six scripts jettisoned in favor of two separate, yet linked and continuous, serials, one of four parts and the other making up the remaining two slots allotted originally. Robert Holmes, current script editor at the time and a fan favorite of Doctor Who fans, steps in to pen the first serial which takes the original idea of the human race, having evacuated the Earth due to lethal solar flares, is living in suspended animation on a space station in orbit around the planet. As the crew begins to awaken, an alien force has infiltrated the ark and begins to use the humans as hosts for reproduction.

Like all Holmes episodes I have watched, the episodes get better with repeated viewings. On the first viewing you are usually wrapped up in the plot and focus more on the Doctor and his companions. On a second viewing you can see the distinct personalities he gives to the secondary characters no matter how big or small the role is. He also has a great penchant for dialogue which comes off as natural despite the enormous amount of technobabble required for Doctor Who, so much so that you never pay specific attention to it because it is normal dialogue that you would hear everyday if you happened to travel through time and space. "The Ark in Space" is no exception to these traditions of Holmes scripts and it is yet another excellent serial from what is probably Doctor Who's greatest writer.

This first episode is an unusual entry into the Doctor Who canon as only the regulars are present and there is no guest cast aside from some computer voice overs and a fleeting glimpse of a green creature crawling into an air vent. The Doctor and his companions arrive on the ark and are almost immediately placed in peril as the life support systems are barely operating.

Sarah Jane is given little to do as she is knocked out from lack of oxygen and then placed into suspended animation. It does give a chance to get to know Harry better since his first episode was also the previous serial. He and the Doctor get off on a bad foot at the beginning as Harry's tampering has overshot their original destination of the moon by several thousand years. Throughout the episode though the the Doctor begins to look on him more favorably and even admits that he is improving, completely due to the Doctor's influence however. Sarah Jane and Harry even have a playful banter like that of long-time companions as he, being a bit old-fashioned, has a tendency to view her as a member of the fairer sex who needs looking after while Sarah Jane is pretty headstrong and independent and cannot stand someone viewing her in that manner. The two do get along well however and their bickering is never hostile.

Tom Baker has slid into the role of the Doctor comfortably so early in his run and has already made the role his own. His playful demeanor bellies a greater intelligence and sensibility than what he shows on the surface. He takes everything in stride and his childlike curiosity sometimes gets the better of him as he unknowingly puts himself into dangerous situations accidentally unlike the Third Doctor who would be the Victorian hero and jump right into the fray. Although when he finds himself in a sticky predicament he is resourceful and clever enough to find a way out again.

Favorite moment: The Doctor's speech regarding the human race when he finds the cryogenic chamber is a watershed moment in the series. In a short summation, he discusses what he finds so interesting about the human race and it gives meaning to how he is always willing to step in when they are in danger. It's always been alluded that the Doctor is fond of humans, later in this serial he'll even declare they're his favorite species, but here we see that the Doctor admires and respects humans and shows how worthy we are to be saved. It's always good to have the Doctor in your corner.

"Homo Sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It's only a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learned to walk. Puny, defenseless bipeds. They've survived floods, famine and plague. They've survived cosmic wars and holocausts, and now here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life. Ready to outsit eternity. They're indomitable."

Law & Order: Criminal Intent "Reunion" (2008)

Been a little lapse with the Criminal Intent episodes since I missed this one two weeks ago. The episodes of a procedural don't need to be watched in order but I still try to if possible since I'm so, I'll go with fastidious. Should be caught up by next week as I definitely want to see Detective Logan's final episodes. This case revolved around the death of Sylvia Rhodes (Joan Jett), a local late night music talk show host. The case has a personal edge for Wheeler, as one of the deceased's close friends, and a possible suspect, is musician Jordie Black (Michael Massee), a favorite of the young detective. Her deadbeat son Milo (Noel Fisher) is another suspect as it looks like she was prepared to cut him out her will which would leave him with nothing. The case was certainly more interesting than the previous Team B case and Logan and Wheeler are slipping back into the comfortable pattern they developed last season. Both detectives make slight breaks in the case which sheds light onto another and an other suspect and the two share a playful banter that serves as a sign of a lasting friendship. It's always fun when Logan surprises Wheeler with a fun fact of his own as she is the more Goren-esque of the team.

I was hoping more could be done with star struck Wheeler as it seems there was no real point to making her Jordie's fan other than to show he is a popular figure. She does advocate for him a bit when the evidence starts to point to him as the culprit but throws her support out the window when it looks like hard rocker Jordie Black has an affinity for underage boys. It just seemed an unnecessary plot point unless more was going to be done with it. I guess I can't blame the writers for not making more out of it but it just had me thinking what was the point of that information? Maybe to misdirect as this episode proves how well L&O can do that. Almost everyone in Sylvia's inner circle had the guilty light shone on them throughout the episode aside from the person who actually did it. I guess that's what made this case a more gripping one as you had no idea who committed the murder and everyone has you constantly guessing.

Favorite moment: Logan's childish glee when he tell Wheeler she will have to postpone the Skype session with her fiancé because they need to take a road trip to chase down Sylvia's con artist former assistant. Logan has been a cop for almost twenty years and it seems each case is grislier than the next, but he is still able to maintain that sardonic humor that made him such a hit with fans since the beginning. You will be missed Detective Logan. Three more cases to go.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) ***

After ten years since the first film and five years since the end of the critically acclaimed cult series, The X-Files returns to the big screen reuniting show stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as our favorite FBI agents investigating extraterrestrial and paranormal phenomena. While the first film was fully immersed in the show's mythology which at the time of the series was reaching creative and ratings heights, after so much time away from the characters and a mythology which became more convoluted and incomprehensible as the series wore on, this second film decides to follow in the vein of the standalone stories, or monster-of-the-week episodes, that helped make the show a fan favorite.

It's a wise decision on the part of the creators to re-introduce us to the characters and their world in this manner as it allows non-fans to taste the series for the first time without an encyclopedic knowledge of the series. Chris Carter has already said that provided the sequel is a success financially, a third film is a definite possibility and it could return to the mythology of the television series. This allows new viewers to the franchise an opportunity to explore the series and prepare them for a more connected third film. Certainly viewing the film with a knowledge of the history of the characters makes for a more enjoyable experience but new audience members are not penalized for not having previously seen the series.

Picking up after the same amount of time as has passed in the real world, Fox Mudler is living in seclusion with only Dana Scully aware of his location. The FBI has requested his return in the investigation regarding a missing agent which is currently being headed up by Agents Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) and Mosley Drummy (Xzibit), a reversal of the series gender roles as Whitney is more open to non-scientific possibilities while Drummy disbelieves every extraordinary notion that comes up. Mulder is needed to help ascertain if a psychic aiding in the investigation can truly provide assistance or if he is just a crackpot. It was a bit of a stretch that the FBI would forgive Mulder's "crimes" for such a small case. It's reassuring to see that they care about their agents when they go missing, but it really just serves the story that the past can be forgotten and also opens the door for a return to the FBI in a possible threequel.

Written by Carter and Frank Spotnitz, an executive producer and writer for the series, who both also wrote the story for the first film, the sequel recaptures the tension and atmosphere of the series with a truly engrossing case which takes one strange turn after another. The one minor grief is that Mulder and Scully spend too many scenes apart since after Duchovny left the series as a regular at the end of the seventh season, fans have wanted them on screen together again as much as possible. Perhaps this is to whet the appetites of the fans and ensure they come back for another go around or perhaps it was necessary to tell the best possible story. As we are rediscovering the former FBI agents, they too are continuing to grow as partners in both a professional and personal sense. Mulder continues with his struggle to prove that supernatural occurrences are real and Scully continues to balance the evidence she has witnessed over the years with her own heavily scientific background. In the end, they realize that while this case doesn't put a final touch on either of those battles, it has brought the two of the together again, stronger than when we previously left them, similar to the fate of the franchise and the audience.

When it was announced definitively that a sequel was finally being made after languishing in development hell since the end of the series, it revitalized my desire to watch the series again and I bought the complete series as soon as finances permitted it. I only got through the first three seasons before time came to see this film but I'm certainly more anxious than ever to finish the remaining seasons. Even if the film may not have been the powerhouse fans were expecting, it certainly rejuvenates interest in the franchise and leaves the door open for another romp in the dark world of The X-Files.

Favorite moment: After spending most of the film awaiting past characters to make a cameo appearance and searching for allusions to the series, the plot begins to take center stage as we learn more about the missing FBI agent's abductors. Just when you had given up on seeing any more old friends, Walter Skinner makes a very welcome return as the Washington bigwig Scully calls in for the search for Mulder. He doesn't get to do much as he returns so late in the film, however Mulder's surprise at seeing him and his cradling of an injured Mulder put a huge smile on my face considering how antagonistic and strained their relationship has always been in the series.

Doctor Who "The Stolen Earth" (2008)

Knowing that the series will be going on hiatus after this season and that Russell T. Davies must want to go out in a final blaze of glory, the stage is set for a battle of epic proportions with nothing less than the safety of the entire Earth in the balance. Unlike previous seasons where there has been one visible arc through the episodes (Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Mr. Saxon) every episode this season has been peppered with several different clues leading up to this spectacular finale (missing bees, planets disappearing, Medusa Cascade, Rose's return, Donna's end). The army of allies the Doctor has amassed over the new series all team up in this episode for the return of the Doctor's greatest enemies and their creator who has been presumed long dead since the Time War. It was nice to see them all come together and I'm sure they will get to work with the Doctor more in the second part but for such a large group, six regulars listed in the opening credits, I think two parts may not be enough. The Doctor only makes it to Earth at the end of part one and so far the only interaction between all the companions has been over the subwave network so it seems we have precious little time for this monumental gathering. Of course, where the Doctor is concerned we never can have a simple happy reunion.

It was nice to see Harriet Jones's return after last seeing her in "The Christmas Invasion" and brief mentions in "Doomsday" and "The Sound of Drums". She, along with Mr. Copper from "Voyage of the Damned" are the ones responsible for uniting the companions to call for the Doctor in Earth's time of need. Little nitpick: The technology in never explained, only that it calls out to people who can communicate with the Doctor and gets all his most recent companions. Makes me wonder if it was reachable to any of his other companions that are still alive on Earth. Despite the focus on only companions that have appeared in the new series, this episode is a treat for those who are fans of either the original and/or new series. The Daleks' awareness of UNIT who they have combated before, the Doctor's mention that the Daleks had previously tried to move the Earth and Sarah Jane's claim that Davros (Julian Bleach) is supposed to be dead are great fandom touches. Of course, little does she know the Doctor encountered him several times after their joint encounter in "Genesis of the Daleks". I also found it amusing as Davies is fond of the surname "Jones" that there are no less than three Jones's in this episode: Harriet, Ianto and Martha. Coincidences like that are hard to avoid when you have recurring motifs.

The Doctor and Donna have their own mini-adventure before returning to Earth as we finally get to meet the Shadow Proclamation which was first mentioned all the way back in "Rose". It's fitting that the universal police force is made up of the Judoon and continues the finale's mission to touch upon many of the races and themes of the last four years. Donna, continuing to be brilliant, is the first to point out that the planets are being pulled out of time and not just space. We're getting more foreshadowing of Donna's loss and I'm getting worried they may kill her off. I hope they don't as I've really grown to like Donna over the past year and would like for her to be able to return in the future should she leave after the finale.

I cannot get over how much fanboy excitement there is to see all these characters together which was always saved for anniversary occasions in the original series. I'm a fan of Torchwood and although I have yet to The Sarah Jane Adventures I certainly would like to once it re-airs. You can't do episodes like this often or they lose their luster and appeal but now seems a good time to bring back all these great actors as Doctor Who is about to embark into a brand new era. The most anticipated return is quite obviously Rose's which has been hinted at since "Partners in Crime". Her sadness in not being acknowledged on the subwave network as one of the Doctor's companions and her slight jealousy of Martha (Who is she?) heighten the tension as we await her reunion with the Doctor. In fact it might have played a little too melodramatically but it can be overlooked seeing as how we've waited all season for it. I loved that the Rose theme made its return as the Doctor realized that she was standing behind him and the running towards each other was fine as well but the music changed over to a tad overly sentimental theme. It all ends with a Dalek sting however as the Doctor is shot by the enemies which have been trying to exterminate him for over forty years and ten incarnations.

The cliffhangers are always difficult as it's hard to place regular characters into believable peril but with the no holds barred approach Davies is taking prior to his departure it goes a long way to restoring that missing tension. You can pretty much do whatever you want in the end and leave the next guy to get it all sorted out. The death of Harriet Jones also highlights how no one is safe against the Daleks as she is quickly dispatched before they begin an assault on Torchwood. With the Doctor's regeneration right as he is reunited with Rose and Gwen, Ianto and Sarah Jane all facing down the Daleks and possible extermination, this just might be the best cliffhanger we have seen in the new series. It's going to be unbearable to make it through this week wondering how it will all end, but at least Sci-Fi is doing right by the fans and airing it in a ninety minute slot so nothing needs to be cut from the sixty-five minute episode. It was the most watched show in England for the week with over a third of the nation tuning in and also the highest rated episode in the series (original and new) run so I'm sure it will be one hell of a finale.

Favorite moment: After four decades of extermination and sometimes ludicrous appearances, the Daleks have become so common in Doctor Who that they may have lost their original menace when the first appeared against the First Doctor in "The Daleks". The new series has gone a long way to restoring that fear as the Daleks are considered the Doctor's most lethal enemies and the only ones to give the Doctor pause before leaping into action. The scene where all the companions hear the broadcasted message of the approaching ships with it's repeated "Exterminate!" and the realization that it's the Daleks frightens all the companions who have faced them before. Starting with Sarah Jane's look of absolute horror upon hearing the Dalek voice and her anguish at Luke being so young to Captain Jack's kissing the foreheads of Ianto and Gwen and apologetically telling them there is nothing he can do, it serves to heighten the fear of the audience as our favorite characters are truly terrified for their lives.

Bringing Up Baby (1938) ****

One of the classic screwball comedies that everyone today would love to be able to capture the same amount of magic, Bringing Up Baby has been one of my favorite films since the first time I saw it over a year ago and has opened the door for me personally to make a sincere effort to see more films from the same time period in the same amount as the more modern fare that up until the last few years monopolized my attention. Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn positively shine as the most mismatched couple in film history who eventually grow to love one another over the course of a day. Grant is a mild-mannered, reserved museum professor while Hepburn is a vivacious, madcap heiress who meets him after stealing his ball on a golf course.

The entire film is populated with zany, eccentric characters which add to the general buffoonery that populates the film. None of the characters are played straight for the expense of any others which provides a continuity and makes the setting more believable. If everyone acts a little crazy, maybe some more than others, than you can laugh along with the ludicrous happenings rather than groan at them. The universe created for this film makes it likely that such misadventures could occur and once disbelief has been suspended it is a truly wild and fun ride.

In addition to the top rate casting of the two leads, the supporting players are just as superb as notable character actors fill the roles that surround them which enhances the zany atmosphere of the film. A personal favorite is Dr. Fritz Lehman (Fritz Feld) who has one of my favorite lines in the film.

Lehman: I am a psychiatrist.
Vance: Oh, crazy people.
Lehman: We dislike the use of that word. All people who behave strangely are not insane.

His line seems to refer to the characters that populate this film as they are all real people who just talk and act outside the norm. His ostentatious blinking following his delivery of the line only serves to highlight the strange behavior which is endemic throughout the film. The characters are what makes the story so fun and appealing as if they were to act so insane as to become annoying then the film would not work nearly as well.

The comedy never overshadows the romantic overtones as Susan makes it her mission to win over David by any means possible. When she finds out that he is engaged to be married, for the first time a troubled look crosses her face as so far she has taken everything in stride. When he bids her a good night and trips and falls, she smiles to herself and seems to decide that she must try and be with the oafish professor. There is an obvious mutual attraction as Professor Huxley could easily stop their adventures and return to Miss Swallow (Virigina Walker) who he is supposed to be married to the same day he sets out to Connecticut to help Susan bring Baby, her new pet leopard, to her farm.

The relationship between David and Alice is strictly one that's professional and their marriage is just a futherance of their partnership at the museum. There are to be no children or domestic entanglements whatsoever much to David's consternation. Although David believes in his work he looks to have a life outside of all that. Susan is the key to this dream as she takes everything with a grain of salt and does everything but be professional. His attraction to Susan coincides with his repressed desire for a fun life away from work and he comes to the conclusion of his love for Susan once he realizes that his time spent with her was the best day of his life.

The whole film builds to all the characters coming together as the Westlake jail where Constable Slocum (Walter Catlett) has arrested everyone due to a series of misunderstandings of everyone's real identities and intentions. There are now two leopards roaming the countryside, one the tame Baby and another a vicious escapee from the local circus. In a time of danger, David rushes to save Susan and she finally admits to him that she loves him. She has spent the entire film trying to keep David close to her and it has resulted in some of her more ludicrous actions. Each new scheme builds upon the next until it all comes crashing down at the end, much like the skeleton in David's museum. When the dust clears though, David and Susan have each other and are all the more better for it. It's a fun and entertaining voyage from that first chance meeting on the golf course to their final embrace in the museum. Never has a mismatched pair gone through greater and sillier struggles to end up together and never has it been so amusing for the audience as well.

Favorite moment: It's still a bit that gets me everytime even though it's broadcast well before it even happens. Spotting Baby and George, the dog who has hidden David's precious bone for his dinosaur skeleton, on the other side of a small stream, David inquires how deep it is. Susan states that it is surely shallow and they can wade across and both immediately plummet into it well above their heads. It's a great laugh out loud moment and it serves as a microcosm for their relationship. David looks for a practical solution and when asking Susan for advice, she leads them into yet another predicament.

Burn Notice "Trust Me" (2008)

No Carla and assignment from the new bosses this week but Michael spends his free time wisely checking up the tidbit of information he was able to obtain about Carla last week. Michael plans to extort her file from a Pakistani intelligence office currently in Miami while the gang also sets out to help their new client who was taken by a con artist for $200,000 and now is in debt to a loan shark. Another con artist to take down? Didn't our gang deal with people like this last season? In fact it was the second episode of the season and here we are three episodes into season two and another one pops up. This year though the team goes about taking him down from a different angle and instead of playing a fellow con artist, Michael takes on the role of a too good to be true mark. I mus say that the Charles Finley persona of Sam's is becoming one of my favorite aliases. Like Art Vandelay in Seinfeld, I hope it continues to pop up every so often. Sam as a sensible businessman is a great role for him to play and it gives him a chance to dress in a suit which he would probably never wear under any other circumstances.

It seems Michael and Madeline have made a peace of sorts as they have moved away from her trying to trick her son to come over and visit her although they both still make excuses, they are quite flimsy and transparent. It makes sense considering she's now the person Michael can confide the most in since he and Fiona have called it quits. Even though her son will visit more willingly now, it doesn't stop her from wanting to discuss the issues he would rather be left alone. Once Michael lets it slip that he and Fiona are no longer together (they were never a couple according to him) Madeline immediately wants to know what happened and whether or not it can be fixed. Getting no answers from Michael (oh, big surprise) Mama Westen decides to go to the only other person who can shed light on the situation and arranges some alone time with Fiona.

Madelina and Fiona's talk was a nice little moment between the two characters as we discover that Fiona will never be able to completely bury the feelings she has for Michael and probably is still very much in love with him, but she cannot play second fiddle to his burn notice. Madeline is understanding as she was always second to her husband as well. Madeline maintains hope that the two of them will work it out however since she can tell Michael cares more for her than he will ever let on. She also worries about him being alone and wants him to have a family of his own. Maybe this new Fiona/Michael dynamic works better than last season's after all. It forces Michael to confront his feelings rather than letting him bask in the non-commitment relationship. It's also nice to see he does care for her as his minor jealousy at the club when Fiona goes to make her move on Zeke (Patrick Fabian) has him shouting for her not to work too hard. He also averts his eyes when Fiona kisses Zeke so she can lift the key card to his office.

Just quick to point out too that I was looking forward to this episode just based on the preview which had Sam shooting at a car with a machine gun and having it blow up and then cutting to Fiona saying they should do this more often. I thought we would get another Sam/Fiona teamwork subplot but alas it was a simple little scene to put one over on the con artists. Still the shot of Sam in his suit with that gun and firing is an iconic image. Another quick note, I think this is the first time the people Michael takes down don't either flee the state or get carted off to jail. They're still in Miami as far as we know and it has me wondering if Michael will ever experience any blow back from one of his side missions.

Favorite moment: It proves just how much the two of them should be together when both Michael and Fiona deduce what happened to Andy (Michael Naughton) at the same time. The similar body language and knowing looks to one another only highlight how alike the two of them are and how they were made for one another. Even with the romantic angle on ice for the time being, the two share an undeniable chemistry that will never be buried under platonic oaths. Thinking of how they got together last season, I think it will pale in comparison to when Michael finally admits his feelings to Fiona which is certain to occur sometime in the future of the series.

The Office (UK) "Judgement" (2001)

The first season finale of The Office (UK) ties up most of the plot lines that have been developed over the course of the season. I'm not sure if the creators knew there would be a second season or not but the series probably could have ended here. There's only one thread that gets no real resolution and is left dangling at the end and unfortunately it's probably the most important one, to the fans anyway. But we'll save that for last as the episode opens much as the premiere did with David showing someone around the office for the first time. Karen apparently had decided to remain at Wernham Hogg despite her disastrous interview. Jennifer Taylor Clark arrives at the office to deliver the news of which branch is being downsized into the other branch. David's discovery that Jennifer is being made partner and he is the next in line for her position leads to him agreeing to the job despite the fact that it means his branch will be downsized. After spending the season trying to assure the people of his office that no one would lose their jobs and resisting every opportunity to save his branch by cutting a few people he is now willing to sacrifice his entire branch for his own career advancement. When Jennifer points out he always had an affection for his employees and it might be hard on him to take the job, Brent quickly pushes the notion aside to state he will take it.

Not one to even try and stay ingratiated with his employees, he alerts them to the changes that will be made and even slips in that he's being promoted. Now that many of them won't be working for him anymore, he doesn't try to make sure they will still like him. In fact he really couldn't care less that so many will be losing their jobs despite his boastful nature throughout the season. He can barely comfort Gareth when he breaks down regarding the fact that not even he is safe from the massive loss of jobs. His personality change is just a stark contrast considering he was trying to get Tim to stay before he received his promotion. His motivation is probably more geared to proving he's a good boss than caring if Tim is still around, but he does show concern that he is leaving. Unfortunately for David it turns out he cannot take the job and tries to win back his employees by saying he turned it down for them. It should make a new interesting dynamic in the office next season now that the staff knows David doesn't truly care about their welfare and should make for some open hostility around the office.

Despite his somewhat ardent claims to the contrary Tim decides to stay at the office after receiving a promotion from David. The parallels between David and Tim in this episode are pretty apparent as Tim also sacrifices something (his dreams) for a promotion within the company that requires some selling out. Even when he is justifying his decision to Dawn, he either intentionally or not mimics phrases and inflections that David would use showing how alike the two characters are. Now Tim's exact motivation for staying is never really disclosed although he is still clearly pining after Dawn as he watches her dance with Lee. Maybe he figures he could still have a shot if he stays or maybe he allowed his fear for going back to school to retreat back to his comfort zone. It's ironic because right before he tells Dawn about his promotion, Dawn is relating in a talking head interview that she is happy she might lose her job as it will motivate her to look for something else. She states that Tim says it's better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to be on than in the middle of one you hate and Tim has done exactly the opposite by accepting this promotion. Only time will tell if Dawn will take Tim's open job as she seemed to be seriously considering it once Tim told her of the opportunity. We're not certain of the Tim/Dawn future that lies ahead but at least they will continue to work together and that provides a glimmer of hope.

Favorite moment: Gareth's courting strategy of demonstrating on how to hit someone. He makes several aggressive swing gestures at her before knocking her down on the floor. Tim has already told him that she was completely out of his league and he attempts to win her over with this tactic. In the end though it seems to work as Gareth ends up getting the girl and Tim is left the only one not dancing with somebody else. I'm not sure if he's going to continue his lackluster pursuit of Dawn or search for someone else but he seems to silently make some decision as he gazes around the room. Only time will tell what that is.

The Office "A Benihana Christmas" (2006)

An hour-long episode featuring a classic office party? Sign me up. This was certainly the best episode of the season thus far. We have PB & J angst returning to the scene, petty office rivalries, and Michael and Carol are over opening the door to the true disaster that is sure to be the Michael/Jan relationship. I'm not sure if the creators of the series consider this to be one episode or two separate ones joined into an hour block, but I've chosen to review it as one single episode. The first half is mainly comprised of Michael's break-up and the two committees in charge of planning the office Christmas party (or rival parties) getting ready for the ultimate showdown leading to a cliffhanger ending that would certainly had me on edge had this been a serialized show like 24 and we had to wait a week to see its resolution. Stanley stands and is the first person to choose which party to attend. I've always loved Stanley and thought it was perfect for him to break the seal since he usually couldn't care less what goes on in the office anyway.

Michael has certainly crossed the line yet again which directly leads to his break-up with Carol. I'm surprised they're even still an item after the inappropriate proposal in "Diwali" and the way in which things were left unresolved. It's a shame as he certainly was looking forward to their island holiday getaway and thought maybe he had a chance of patching things up. Cue the photo-shopped Christmas card featuring Michael's head on Carol's ex-husband's body in a family photo. He sinks into a deep depression and even wants to cancel Christmas ("Jim, take New Year's away from Stanley!"). Andy decides to take Michael out to lunch and Michael needs his entourage which includes Jim and Dwight. Ryan with his massive workload, impending illness, multiple allergies and having eaten there last night is unable to attend. Picking up some attractive Asian waitresses seems to change his mood and they decide to make their way to the Christmas party.

Or parties as the Party Planning Committee's internal dissension had led to the formation of the Committee to Plan Parties. Teaming up Pam and Karen is a brilliant move and the two work surprisingly well together. They take great joy out of needling Angela about their rival party with karaoke and alcohol as opposed to the more traditional fare Angela has planned. Jim, initially wary of his current girlfriend and his past (or is it?) love working together, decides to allow them to have their fun by forming a committee to determine the validity of the new party committee. It's hilarious when he tells Dwight he is in session and that he cannot join his new committee. Considering how it must be Dwight's worst nightmare that his sworn nemesis now is Michael's number two, it's fitting with his character that he never questions Jim's final decisions as he is all about the chain of command.

Obviously the drunken singing party is a greater hit with the office staff and it impacts Angela a lot harder than expected. I think her role of party planner puts her in a position to be liked in the office despite her icy demeanor. She throws the parties which the employees should enjoy and therefore be thankful to her for. However it seems not everyone cares for her ideas of fun and she takes it personally that people like Karen and Pam over her. Pam being the caring soul that she is, and we love her more for it, knows when enough is enough and makes peace with the rival party and suggests the two merge into one. We did get to see a pretty public display of affection when Dwight takes Angela's hand in comfort and later holds the microphone while she sings "The Little Drummer Boy". I think deep down Angela wants to be liked by her office mates as they're probably the only friends she has. After all she hasn't even spoken to her sister in sixteen years over an argument she can't even remember.

I grow a little more disappointed with Jim in each episode following the branch merger. Pam takes a step toward reconciling and he takes a step back. Here she spends weeks preparing the perfect gift for Jim having fooled Dwight into thinking he is being recruited into the CIA. She gives him the opportunity to be the one to decide what his mission should be. Jim backs off and says he shouldn't be participating in these activities anymore given his new position. Pam is quite visibly upset over his decision and most likely certain of his real reasons. His thinly veiled excuse that he should move past his previous immature pranks against Dwight is an internal justification for also not goofing off with Pam. We've already seen he is more than willing to have fun at Dwight's expense and is more interested in keeping his distance than showing his new found maturity.

In the end, in what certainly spells doom for the Jim/Karen romance, when comforting Michael about his second break-up of the day, he tells Michael he was just on the rebound. It was a fun distraction to keep him from thinking about the one he's really loved and lost. Looking toward reception as he speaks these words, I believe Jim begins to realize just how much he has been pushing Pam away the last few weeks. He makes amends by telling Pam that Dwight is expected in D.C. for an ice cream social with his new fellow agents and should meet the helicopter on the roof of the building. I'm glad to see PB & J reconciling their rift and being friendly toward one another again, but it looks like Jim has already come to the conclusion that his relationship with Karen is only a rebound which casts a dark gloom over the future for the couple. I was hoping to bask a little longer in this fun couple but it looks like we can't always get what we want, but as it turns out, if we try sometimes, we get what we need. (Thanks Mick Jagger via Drs. House and Cuddy) And we certainly need a PB & J relationship that fans have been clamoring for since the very beginning.

Favorite moment: Michael marking the waitress's arm with a Sharpie so he can tell which one is his date for the party has to be one of the funniest moments of The Office that I have seen since I started watching the show. I still can not believe he would do that but I have to say he was pretty smooth about it. She never even notices she now has a mark on her arm. The practical, yet still unreal, action is perfectly in tune with Scott's character and hopefully signifies the return of socially awkward Michael and less of depressed lonely Michael.

Inherit the Wind (1960) ****

I've always been partial to legal dramas, preferring the Order to the Law in the popular Dick Wolf franchise, and mixing that setting with engrossing philosophical concepts, such as science vs. religion, I was immensely looking forward to seeing this film for the first time. It certainly doesn't disappoint with its powerhouse casting of the three leads mixed with snappy, intelligent dialogue that permeates throughout the film. The controversial subject material, based on the real life Scopes Monkey Trial, is still relevant today except there has been a switch in more recent times. Now evolution is the only accepted theory for the creation of the human race in public schools and creationism, or intelligent design, is scrambling to be accepted and taught to the children as well. Viewing the film knowing that over forty years later the debate would be reversed in no way diminishes the film but rather enhances the significance and resonance of the debate. It all builds up to a courtroom showdown between Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy) and Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March) over whether man has the right to question his origins as depicted in the Holy Bible.

Being a lapsed Catholic, I'm inclined to a scientific basis for the origins of the human species and the fanatical fervor of the religious town only serves to strengthen my favoritism for Bertram T. Cates (Dick York) and his defense team which is only comprised of Drummond, the greatest legal mind of our time, and newspaper reporter E.K. Hornbeck (Gene Kelly), an cynical atheist who gets enormous pleasure at poking fun at Heavenly Hillsboro's backward inhabitants and especially Brady, as their newly appointed ringleader. With almost the entire town under Brady's sway, the defense team is granted automatic underdog status which is always a favorite of viewing audiences. Drummond is able to secure several small victories in the courtroom before the trial and already starts to win over some of the townspeople. The prosecution's case is straightforward: Cates broke the law which expressly forbids teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution while the defense proclaims that such a law is against the natural law of man: a free-thinking individual who cannot be forced to repress his own personal beliefs in the face of religious dogma.

For such heady subject matter, the fervor and enthusiasm that the actors portray their roles with ensures that the film never drags or slows. The courtroom scenes are a highlight, with Brady's pomposity and grandstanding for the gallery being overdone by Drummond's low-key sarcasm and passion for justice. Tweaking history slightly, the two opponents have a history together and not one that was always so antagonistic. They were close friends and Drummond even campaigned for Brady's bids for the presidency. After years they have founds themselves on opposite sides of the law with Brady's belief that religion should be held in the highest regards by the populace as the law of the land while Drummond sees it to be the alienable right of every human to make up their own mind. The scene with the two of them talking on the porch, away from the press and the audiences, shows that their relationship is not entirely filled with animosity. The men try to reconcile their differences with Brady trying to win Drummond back over to his side. Drummond, however while not a religious man, only condemns its use for ignorance, bigotry and hate as prerequisites to the golden paradise Brady espouses. The two spend their conversation in rocking chairs which rock slightly out of sync just as the two of them now are.

The fanaticism of the small town people is both shocking and appalling. While it does drive Drummond harder to prove Cates's innocence, it's unfathomable how such a deeply religious community could also be so bloodthirsty. The mob scene with the burning stuffed man at the end of the noose is the best example of this hysteria. Cates is a man on trial for teaching evolution, a minor law considering some of the truly evil criminal acts that can be committed. They are calling for this man to be hanged, along with his legal counsel, for going against the word of God. It's unsettling that good people can be turned into such hostile creatures because ideological differences. I was much like Cates in his surprise when the bottle is thrown at his head. He cannot believe the severity of the response to his actions and how people he has known his entire life could turn so suddenly and viciously on him. Reverend Jeremiah Brown (Claude Akins) even damns Cates's soul to hell, along with his own daughter's, simply for associating and defending her own fiancé.

Brady's downfall ultimately comes from his own bravado and desperation following the exposure of religious hypocrisies by Drummond in the courtroom. Throughout the film he has fed off the love and adoration of the people of Hillsboro. He relishes the attention and spends his time on the stand making wisecracks and pausing for audience laughter. It kills him when they laugh at his expense and his shame drives him to make an impassioned speech following the end of the trial which leads to his own demise. While Brady saw Hillsboro as the final battle ground and buried himself in deep, Drummond was able to succeed by realizing it would never be resolved in Hillsboro. Once he accepts that he can never win, he is able to focus on the appeal which would be in a more favorable environment. It mirrors his statement that Brady has moved away from him by standing still. By seeing Hillsboro as the last stand in the war of religion vs. science, Brady pushes himself to the breaking point.

Favorite moment: Setting up the radio microphone in the courtroom so the verdict could be broadcast over the airwaves, Drummond accidentally says "God" and "Hell" which are prohibited from being spoken on the air. Drummond's incredulity at a tool which should increase human communication and knowledge and already being censored fits perfectly with his character and highlights his more laid back stance now that he has ensured an appeal. While an amusing scene it struck me because George Clooney obviously paid homage to it Leatherheads with a similar scene when a football game is being broadcast for the first time over the radio.

American Gladiators "Episode 210" (2008)

Well the semi-finals are here as we leave behind all the crappy gimmick episodes and the unworthy contenders as the season's best compete for the championship. I'm guessing that this year's winning contenders won't be moving onto Gladiator status next year as Jet and Rocket did this year. Maybe the other new Gladiators took all the open spots or the producers figured that more lackluster Gladiators (although Rocket is awesome on the Wall) wouldn't help ratings as much as human interest stories that grip the hearts of the audience. Well either way the semi-finals have eliminated all the wannabes and just left us with the top contenders which makes for more gripping events and tighter Eliminator races. It's the light at the end of the tunnel we've waited all season for and it's certainly been a more entertaining episode than the last few.

Atlasphere makes it's long-awaited return in this episode and I wish it had kicked off the episode rather that then the usually lackluster RocketBall. I know ever since season one of the new series started my friend and I always wanted to see the event with the giant metal ball cages, an iconic image in American Gladiators history. They previews have been teasing its return since before the second season started and it finally made its much delayed debut in the first episode of the semi-finals. It's a pretty straightforward event with the contenders and Gladiators in 650 pound cages in the shapes of spheres which the contenders must roll onto sensors mounted on small hills on the floors while the Gladiators try to knock them out of the way. It must be really gruelling to get those cages moving, let along getting over that small hill if you don't have enough momentum. It was certainly a welcome addition to the current line-up and I hope it replaces some of the other events which just are a waste of space.

A new Gladiator also makes make his debut in this episode, another addition that's been teased for weeks. The ferocious and caged Beast steps onto the scene taking his trial by fire with Joust where he easily dispatches both contenders. Beast and Wolf? Kind of an overlap in personalities but I guess Wolf is the showman for the audience and Beast is just the out of control wild animal that gets the dirty work done. Too early to say how much of an impact he has made on the viewing audience but at least his premiere is more memorable than many of the other Gladiators introduced this season. So far only Phoenix has displayed any real staying power in being both a hard-hitting competitor and easy on the eyes to boot (get rid of that man voice though).

Tim once again set a record in the Eliminator and should secure a spot in the final round as it looks more and more like only he can beat himself in the Eliminator. I have to say he's come far from how I first perceived him but it's a testament to how rapidly circumstances can change in the competition when one person gives it his all at the final stage. Tim is okay in my book and I certainly would be pleased to see him secure the male contender championship for this year.

Favorite moment: Brick steps back into the competition when Alexander, the all-American hero, has to drop out because of a broken finger. I'm not taunting. Well, maybe I am a little. For someone who barely was able to squeeze into the semi-finals, he's pretty cocky going into the Eliminator telling Tim he's going to have to take him down. Is Brick aware he's competing against the first seed? I understand keeping an optimistic outlook on your chances but Brick, buddy, you didn't even qualify and you're talking trash. The fact that Brick is determined not to have egg on his face and Tim's super speed made for one of the most tight Eliminator races this season.

In Plain Sight "Don of the Dead" (2008)

A little religion finds its way into the series tonight as a couple, both devout Catholics, find themselves in the witness protection program after being present at the murder of their priest by the biggest racketeer in Boston. The twist is that neither of them can stand one another but consider it a sin to divorce so they continue to make each other miserable while in the program. I have to say this was the first week that I think the witness plot took a backseat to the family drama. While I called what had actually happened regarding the witness in the car crash before the episode was half over, this week's witness drama wasn't as much of a distraction as one would assume given the fact you know how it will end. No this week was really about the characters and their respective desires and how those will clash with others.

I have to say that Jinx is starting to become not so much of a pain. Since she's got the new job at the bar and not drunkenly lounging around Mary's home, she's become a lot more palatable than how she started the series. Since she's mellowed you can actually feel for her when she's hurting and not whining. We've already seen her overcome the declaration that her husband is dead from the government and take a step towards turning her life around. Here we see a more personal side as she relives her childhood dreams of performing on the stage. Brandi lets it slip that she was a dancing prodigy before something happened which changed all that and Jinx herself quietly states that she was good enough. Call it a hunch but I think that the thing that happened was Mary's birth. If she was sixteen when everything changed, it's plausible she became pregnant with Mary. She would have been forced to give up her dreams to take up motherhood and considering the deadbeat we've heard her husband to be, it's understandable she may have retreated into alcohol rather than take it out on her children.

Now that we're starting to like and feel for Jinx, the show is trying to do the same for Brandi but her sentimental storyline regarding her trying to put the moves on Raph just continues to highlight her juvenile and selfish behavior. Maybe it would be a bit more believable if we had seen the attraction build but instead we just land smack dab into the middle of this love triangle which has sprung up over night. Of course Brandi believes that Mary's renewed interest in Raph is only to keep her from having him but she's also driving them together on purpose. Makes perfect sense, Brandi. Doesn't she remember it was her who told Mary not to take him for granted? Mary does let her work get in between them sometimes but it's not intentional cruelty driving her actions. That doesn't give Brandi, who is also reeling from finding her boyfriend may be cheating on her, the right to go after her sister's man. To make matters worse she keeps pushing the issue even when Jinx, another reason she's becoming more likable, repeatedly tells her that she's gunning for trouble.

Just a few quick thought that didn't really fit into the above discussions. Dershowitz makes another appearance again questioning Mary's involvement in the investigation into the car crash. I'm not sure where this storyline is going. Is he supposed to be a new love interest? Is he supposed to become embroiled with a witness and be in need of M&M's help? Or does he just turn up so he and Mary can throw insults at one another as some comic relief? I do enjoy that last one but my curiosity is certainly peaked to see where it might lead. On the love interest note Joe (Christopher Stanley) seems to be molding into a suitable match for Jinx. He's certainly better and more interesting that weird eye patch guy she was with a few episodes ago. Settled down Jinx and a Sam/Diane work relationship with Joe is certainly enough to keep the character in the tolerable column.

Favorite moment: Phone split screen humor is always fun and here is no exception. Brandi decides to continually call Raph while Mary is over trying to make peace when he decides to take the call . . . in the other room. Smart move buddy. Mary's decision on how to find out what's going on? She calls Brandi which leads to a three row split screen. Always looking for an excuse to avoid the personal stuff, although she was partly justified here, she decides to storm out and have the two of them call her when they're through with the high school b.s. Leaving Raph on the phone with Brandi he accuses her of causing trouble leading her to tell him to go to hell and hang up. Raph, in a moment straight out of Seinfeld, is left calling out "Hello?" Little worried though that his biggest issue with this dilemma is who's taking him to physical therapy. Priorities, buddy.

In Plain Sight "Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (2008)

This episode changes the format slightly as for the first time we see how being in the witness protection program truly affects those who are forced to enroll. It is unbearable to think that at a moment's notice, everything and everyone must be left behind and can never be seen or contacted again. Of course the father in this episode is just an unbearable idiot who while whining about the loss of his season tickets seems to forget that there is a death threat out against his daughter by one of the most violent gangs in the country. I think it would have been more interesting to explore this angle with a more likable character. Warren McBride (Wendell Pierce) should have thought a little more about the big picture and not so much about the loss of his material possessions. I understand that one can never know the experience until it is actually lived, but the man is so whiny and detestable to his daughter that it is near impossible to muster up any sympathy for the man or his less than desirable situation.

I'm surprised that M&M went so long before they finally called him out on his immature attitude, particularly Mary who is never shy about disclosing her opinion about some of the losers she is forced to take care of. Maybe she realized it was already a delicate situation that didn't need her piling on the grief or maybe she's trying to figure out why Brandi has such an interest in taking Raph to his physical therapy. Seems like Brandi has become a bit smitten with her sister's sort of boyfriend. They had the one conversation where he admitted that Mary rejected his proposal but where did this sudden interest come from? I suppose it's because they have been spending more time together coupled with Mary's need to maintain her distance. This storyline is not going to end well and since I don't even like Brandi I'm not sure a serious subplot involving her is going to get much respect from me. But we'll cross our fingers and hope for the best.

I think this episode squandered what could have been a great storyline of a family adjusting to their new life. The father is just so full of contempt for his daughter that none of the family drama works because you automatically side with anyone who isn't him. I did really like the scene where his wife gently puts him in his place in that he has been raised in an environment which granted his every whim. She tells him quite directly that if he forces her to choose between him and their daughter, there is no contest and he leaves the program alone. Mary also had her own method of speaking the audience's mind when she wonders why everyone has to tiptoe around the sensitive Warren when it is the daughter who recently had her life in danger. We can always depend on Mary to be the professional but she can never keep those thoughts to herself for long to the comedic relief of the audience.

Favorite moment: Marshall going all badass when he finds out the good doctor has spent the day applying at eight separate hospitals and clinics for a job. The pure rage that flashes across his face was shocking considering we have never seen the character ever get mad. Well maybe he did when he found out Mary read his mail, but this was pure rage. He cuts the man off when he finds him at the bar and tries to bait him into hitting him to show him that he can be sensible. It was great to see Marshall in take-charge mode as he has already tried to bend the rules for this man. Of course he needed a bit more berating before he finally got his act together.

Burn Notice "Turn and Burn" (2008)

Two episodes in and Burn Notice has already returned to fine form as the episodes continue to revert to the format of last season, not to say that the show isn't still immensely entertaining. I'm actually a little confused because I thought that this season's missions would all be related to his new handler. Apparently Michael will still be running his side business while undergoing assignments for her new bosses. Too early to tell yet but I like this better than the beginning of the first season as we inched closer to finding out about the burn notice. Michael will now be balancing two missions in a week and that can only put a strain on our already super-busy gang.

Michael seems to be making a reputation for himself around Miami as his exploits are becoming more well known. This had to have been expected since he's taken increasingly more high profile cases that have to be noticed by someone. This week he had an undercover DEA agent looking to him for help when she could not turn to her own superiors. I'm not sure if she knew who he was other than that he had already taken on the cartel previously but I like that Michael has become a minor superhero in Miami. I'm sure his stature and prestige will only continue to grow which may not make Carla very happy as she seems very serious about anonymity. I also wonder if since Sophia (Jacqueline Piñol) realized Michael had previously hurt the cartel, then it might be only a matter of time before one of them figures it out as well. Maybe Michael will need Carla's support a little bit into the future.

This week's mission was another referral from Sam who I think would be a little reticent after the last job he pushed Michael to take. Of course it again is much more than it seems only this time with Michael involved from the start things are a little more under control. Then we have Fiona, who while still the smooth professional she always has been, discontinues the playful banter and flirting I loved so much about the two of them. When Michael asks her to do a favor for him she bluntly says his charms no longer have an effect on her. When he offers her his spoonful of yogurt, she uses her own spoon to get some. There is a flash of remorse across Michael's face as he begins to realize that Fiona was serious about not being involved romantically. I think he was hoping to maintain the dynamic they had last season, semi-involved with no real commitment however she seems to have other plans. Maybe Michael should not have been so willing to be platonic friends.

Well even if he doesn't have Fiona, there is another woman in his life that's looking for more. When Madeline suggested they attend family counseling sessions, I thought the show was about to mine some serious comedic gold. It looks like only this episode will see some in-depth therapy into the Weston family history. What I do love about Madeline and Michael is that there is certainly tension and hurt feelings on both sides but down they do care about each other. The may bicker but they can be honest with each other as well. Actually now with the Fiona relationship on ice, Madeline has probably become the person Michael can be the most open with. Since she already knows him better than anyone else, it works since he doesn't have to reveal all that much and she can at least see him when he's most vulnerable.

Favorite moment: It looks like Michael may have finally found his Lex Luthor. After staying one step ahead of him for the entire episode by spotting Sam and Fiona doing surveillance of their meet and proving she can gain access to Madeline's house whenever she pleases, Michael finally gets her to slip and speak in Arabic. It's a small tidbit that she speaks with a Kurdish accent but Michael seems to think it can help to identify her and her organization. Michael's persistent nature has been constantly underestimated by his opponents and it looks like Carla has made the same mistake. Or has she? She may just be better than we've seen so far. One thing is for sure, season two looks very promising indeed.

The Dark Knight (2008) ***½

The most highly anticipated superhero movie in a summer chock full of them, The Dark Knight continues the reboot of the Batman franchise which began with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and it certainly doesn't disappoint. This film, which serves as the last movie Heath Ledger completed before his untimely death, has set the future of the revitalized franchise firmly in stone as less than a week after its premiere, talks of what the third installment will be are already flooding message boards around the world. Unlike most films with extremely high fan expectation, The Dark Knight meets and even exceeds those in almost every aspect of the production and the only sad realization that comes with the finale is that we won't get a chance to see Ledger reprise the role he so clearly made his own as Batman's most famous and deadliest arch enemy.

Unlike the first film with its multiple antagonists, the film wisely decides to build up the complex relationship between Batman (Christian Bale) and the Joker (Ledger), as one seeks to bring order to the chaos of Gotham City in order to combat the guilt and pain of his parents' senseless murders and the other who only seeks to being chaos to Gotham because it amuses him to do so. The two embark on a struggle of epic proportions for the soul of Gotham City. The Joker firmly believes that no matter how moral or ethical a person may be, when the chips are down and their lives are at stake, the true nature will take over and that is one which will do anything in order to survive no matter the cost. Batman continues his campaign that the people of Gotham are not incapable of being saved that he set out in the first film, however throughout the film it's as if he is fighting an uphill battle as the city further deteriorates into hysteria with each new attack by the Joker.

The entire film is laced with a paranoia and sense of impending danger as the audience feels like members of Gotham City. The Joker can strike anyone at any time and no one is safe from his lethal exploits. No other Batman film, or even superhero film, has such a tense atmosphere that permeates throughout the entire film and it's a credit to both the writers and the superb portrayal of Ledger is what will most likely be his iconic role. Having the film rated PG-13, as opposed to R, works in the film's favor as the violence and brutality are never glorified and are always of a shocking and abhorrent nature. Not being able to revel in the gore, the film is always scarier for what is not shown. In fact any time the Joker is on screen, anyone around him could be killed without a second thought which adds to the fear and reverence of the character.

Not to be completely outdone by the Joker, the film also introduces the character of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) who is destined to become the villain Two Face. I wish we had gotten to see more of Dent as the District Attorney of Gotham before his transformation. He is constantly being credited as the "White Knight" or savior of Gotham City and that is a hard mantle to bear. If the struggle for him to live up to those expectations had been more clearly depicted it would have enhanced his ultimate fall from grace at the hands of the Joker. He certainly suffered an unbearable trauma coupled with his own personal tragedy which fueled his transformation and Eckhart's likability in the role never makes the character truly despicable even after he starts to commit the same crimes as those he used to prosecute. Of course I only wish Dent's role had been expanded more before the transformation as his inclusion to the franchise was a superb addition to the already fantastic supporting characters that populate the film series.

The most impressive aspect of the production will be, not surprisingly, the tour de force that is Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. The Joker is an epic role, a homicidal maniac while also a criminal mastermind, who constantly shifts the players in Gotham City like pawns on a chessboard. Ledger's immersion in the role never contains a touch of camp or over the top acting such as the previous on screen portrayals of the Joker, Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson's own classic performance in Tim Burton's Batman respectively. Ledger had a daunting task in taking over a role which has seen dozens of incarnations over the years and he succeeds admirably with making it his own from the beginning. The masochistic and chaos-driven nature of the Joker had rarely been touched upon on screen, but they're folded perfectly into the psychological make-up of the newest Joker to haunt the streets of Gotham. The seething rage that sits just below the surface and the fits of hysteria add immeasurably to the atmosphere of the film and it is with great sadness that the role must be re-cast if the character were to make a return appearance.

Favorite moment: The Joker's admissions of his not wanting to kill Batman and that he completes him show the true nature of the relationship between these two dark personalities. The Joker would not enjoy his crimes if he was not one-upping his nemesis while completing them and he sees his struggle with Batman as that for the soul of Gotham City. He waits for the day when Batman himself will fall from his moral high horse and take a life willingly, something he has vowed never to do. He brings chaos to order and his ultimate accomplishment would be to pervade the Dark Knight just as much as he does to the White Knight.