The Finales

[tari_roo]

My thoughts on the finales of: Hawaii 5-0, Castle, Big Bang, HIMYM, Blue Bloods, Glee, Greys, Justified, The Mentalist and Survivor. *yes, I watch a lot of TV and that means spoilers* - so if you don't want to be spoiled, DON'T click on the video and watch Hawaii 5-0 :)

I haven't watched the SPN finale yet, I'm kinda savouring it, as its always a long summer. And I've had the laziest day in years today - literally I have not gotten out of bed except to get food and go to the bathroom. Its been a sucky year and a sucky month and sucky week, so I've been watching vampires all day. And Hawaii 5-0 fanvids. And thinking thinky thoughts.

Lets start with the good:

The Mentalist and Castle

Both shows have similiar themes around amateurs helping the police, and that amateur being hilarious. But that's where the symmetry ends. I've always like Patrick Jane, thought he was a very interesting character, a con man who hates guns and violence and is hell bent on revenge. All of which makes the finale of season 3 all the more .... wow. The raw emotion, the on the edge of your seat... is he, isn't he? And then... wham. He shoots the guy who is maybe Red John ('cos I suspect he isn't.) I think he's a patsy Red John has blackmailed into confronting Jane. Either way, the aftermath is just ... chilling. Really, really awesome show.

Castle on the other hand had me shaking my head. Near the beginning I suspected the twist, that the Captain had been involved from the beginning, and ... it didn't sit right. BUT it was an awesome finale in that it covered the emotions so well and then the real twist... that damn cliffhanger! I'll be tuning in for show for sure.

and then on a similiar note, but not under the good column: Hawaii 5-0

Another boss betraying their team, another twist. This twist, I didn't like. And Danno suddenly getting back together with Rachel, removing his reason for being on Hawaii, Chin's by the book attitude and Kono's IA investigation. Yes, we all saw it coming, yes, the writers did a good job of being very consistent with dropping hints and clues and this axe has been hanging over the team since the episode with Chin and collar. My but is with the Governor. Maybe its because I liked her, I like Jean Smart and it really doesn't make a lot of sense her setting up the team as a distraction for Steve or keeping him close. Do you really want Steve McGarrett on the island poking around? No, you give him time to find Hess and then you make sure he's deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq so he's not poking around his father's investigation. Yeah... I don't mind the cliffhanger, I don't mind Steve getting arrested (leads to a lot of ideas about prison fic) but... yeah... not a good finale but not a bad one either.

The Mediocre:

Glee and Grey's

I figured the Glee kids wouldn't win in NY. I figured Grey's would have some drama over the Alzeheimers trial. I just didn't figure it be so ... average. Glee shot the lights out with Sectionals and Regionals. Nationals felt a little flat. Grey's shot the lights out with last season's finale so I am ok with a less stressful and non-'whose gonna die' finale, but pretending to break everyone up and leave them on that mediocre cliffhanger. It'd be better not to do the cliffhanger at all in my mind. Just end happy ... for once :)

Glee though had a some good songs and I like that Sam and Diva-girl are an item. And I like that Teddy kissed her Ben. :)

The "I don't Know"

Big Bang and HIMYM and Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods has kept my entertained 95% of the time. One or two iffy episodes. And I liked that Danny had nothing AT ALL to do with his brother's death but... here's the I don't know - it felt rushed at the end with the Blue Templars. Yes, the moment you tell Papa Commissioner that his son was murdered by crooked cops, the hammer is going fall on the Blue Templars... but they could have dragged it out over two or three episodes.

Big Bang... I liked right uptil the end. I didn't mind Leonard breaking up with Pria and I didn't mind Penny flirting with Raj. But the end felt like drama for drama's sake.

and HIMYM. I love this show. Really I do. I love Barney to bits. But please, PLEASE, can we meet their mother already!!!

And last: Justified and Survivor.

Kudos to Rob for finally winning. No really. You have to give that Boston Liar something for persisting. The other people on his tribe should have voted him out first chance they got, because if he made it to the final, he was going to win for sheer ballsiness. I don't like Survivor usually as I don't think lying and cheating should be rewarded but this, I had to see.

Reylan. Reylan, you approached Dean-like angst for me. I wanted you to get hit a few more times with the bat (heaven help me). I wanted Boyd to shoot you. I even was kinda hoping on some sort of cliffhanger 'apple pie' mix up. Because boy ... you sure do hurt pretty. Like my Dean. I'm glad as well that you weren't hit, shot (more than you were) or poisoned. 'Cos you just too darn pretty with the angst too. Sigh. 13 episodes is not enough.

Comments

[tari-roo.livejournal.com]

I'm still processing a lot of the aftermath of the finale (mostly by watching fanvids - as you can see).

I agree, I am not so worried about Chin, I figure he's playing a role, doing what's needed and pretty much is going to the 'inside man'. And Kono's IA investigation has been a long time coming and could quite easily taint all of them anyway. For a cliffhanger with a believable - 'this might be the end of the team' I have to give the writers kudos. I so see an AU, where Danny flees Hawaii to escape the investigation and find Rachel, Steve is cleared but looses the taskforce and Kono resigns from the force. Interesting... I just hope 2.1 doesn't start like that and everyone is shoe horned back to hawaii/task force.

I know 1.22 gave us a snapshot into Danny and Rachel getting back together or thinking about it BUT I agree. The new baby thing and leaving Hawaii... eh. I like Rachel, even as much as I loved watching Danny rant about her early on and its difficult to villianise someone when you know them but I wonder about her thinking process and emotional depth. Things get hard... run away (cough, sounds so familiar :))

I don't mind plot lines were it turns out the Champion/Big Boss has some serious skeletons and moral issues. I actually like them when it plays out believably, and I'm holding thumbs that they will do that for the Governor too. Make her decisions as rational and reasonable as possible, no matter how wrong they were in the end. My main concern was that Jean won't be in the next season...

And then there was Steve. Gosh - you hit the nail on the head with the word broken. I'd add shellshocked as well. I think life is very black and white for Steve and usually according to his own rulebook. And people just keep coming along and blurry the edges for him. He really does need Danny to ground him, because that whole situation wasn't a combat sit or op, where getting and demanding answers was going to work but that was his first go to option. Sigh ... that whole chase scene over the roof and going to Kamekono was wonderful. But the best - was at the end. Steve being processed at the station, so utterly 'floored' and then seeing Kono... sigh. So good!

Yeah.. throwing Steve in general pop would be funny, but so unlikely/unrealistic. If you have any recs, I'd appreciate it :)

Thanks for the long reply - it seems I have reciprocated.

The shorter season for Justified also seems to give the writers time to really build depth into the story (somehow). You are right about the tighter writing, and they def don't have any 'dead' or stand alone episodes which works so well for the feel of the show. My personal fav ep. though was the one when Reylan tracked Dickie down and talked about how much he loved Helen. Gah... such powerful writing!