Morning Coffee (12/11/14)

Make sure you check out today's Annie Jump Cannon Google doodle.

Enlisted is coming to DVD!!

Shocker: That DNA Evidence Identifying Jack the Ripper Was Wrong After All

"There is no need for the child playing princess to imagine herself as Henry Potter's secret twin sister Henrietta to make herself the hero: the princess is already the hero."

The Elf on the Shelf is the greatest fraud ever pulled on children

I just read and loved Claire Legrand's Nutcracker retelling Winterspell, and she's doing an awesome giveaway.

The Fictional Spinster Classification Index

Hee: Millions Of Holiday Travelers Return From Parents’ Homes All Caught Up On ‘The Mentalist’ (Full disclosure: I watch The Mentalist and my parents do not.)

What I Watched: Apt 23, Ben & Kate, The Mentalist

Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23, "A Reunion . . . (EP201)" - I'm SO happy this show is back, and this reunion episode was really cute, even if I haven't seen enough of Dawson's Creek to get all the jokes.

Ben and Kate, "Emergency Kit (EP105)" - THIS SHOW IS SO CUTE. Um. I know I say that every week. But it's true, and I don't necessarily have a whole lot else to say on an episode-by-episode basis. But Maddie remains one of the very few young kids on TV who have never annoyed me, so that says a lot.

The Mentalist, "Blood Feud (EP504)" - This was a nice spotlight on Rigsby, and geez, the poor guy. He and Raylan Givens should hang out and commiserate. I was also very happy to see that Ben's mom (Sarah?) seems to be out of the picture for good, because I couldn't remember exactly how that was resolved last season.

What I Watched: Homeland, Grimm, & More

Homeland, "New Car Smell (EP204)" - Wow. Wow. THIS SHOW. I absolutely did not expect that confrontation at the end to happen so early in the season, and it was a DELIGHTFUL surprise. This show definitely makes bolder choices than pretty much any other show on TV, and the writing and plotting almost always back this up. I'm so excited to see where they go now that they did this thing I absolutely did not think they would do yet. Also: I heartily approve of the addition of Rupert Friend, and I love that in the midst of everything else going on, the show is taking time for stuff like Dana's storyline.

Grimm, "The Other Side (EP208)" - I actually caught up on the past few episodes yesterday, and I think the show is doing a good job this season of expanding the mythology and increasing the serialized aspect while still having interesting cases of the week. And in this one, I loved the combination of science and mythology with the genetic engineering aspect.

The Good Wife, "Two Girls, One Code (EP403)" - Yes, due to football scheduling nonsense, I'm watching CBS's Sunday shows online and so wound up behind this week. Anyway. This episode was so good, except for the Kalinda nonsense, which is so bad. It's just baffling to me. But I loved the case of the week - search engine intrigue! - and all the Alicia/Peter/Will/Eli intrigue was really well done. And even though I'm completely a Will fan, the kiss at the end was quite something. I can't wait to see where they go with it.

The Mentalist, "Not One Red Cent (EP503)" - I know I was unimpressed with the first two episodes of this season, but I thought this one was a lot better, in that it got back to the traditional sort of cases this show does and didn't spend too much time trying to decode Jane's brain or doing weird things with the rest of the team's personal lives. So I guess this bodes well.

What I Watched: Fringe, Haven, Blue Bloods, & More

Fringe, "The Recordist (EP503)" - I know a lot of people were disappointed in this episode, but I really liked it, even though it was different and much quieter than we're used to. I loved the chance to see a little glimpse of how all of the huge changes in the world affected normal people who were living very different lives than our heroes. And I thought a lot of the family-related scenes were very powerful - both the Bishop family and the recordist family. The big scene between Peter and Olivia was wonderful and heartbreaking, and I'm so glad Peter articulated that he wants a second chance. (Though what the heck is up with Olivia's memory?) And they both had some great moments with Etta - Peter automatically checking her for the skin condition in a very natural dad-like way, and Etta and Olivia quietly holding hands. But I am so afraid that the father saying goodbye to his son and sacrificing himself will turn out to be foreshadowing.

Haven, "Over My Head (EP304)" - I liked this episode much more than the last one, I think. I love how Nathan isn't bothering to hide how hurt he is and is basically just being hostile to Duke and cold to Audrey, though of course he's always there when she actually needs him. And boy, is Lucas Bryant a good glarer. I'm very interested in this semi-secret society he's trying to join/infiltrate, and I may have yelled "Nooooo!" at my TV when he realized he was the only person Jordan could touch, but that was a really compelling, magnetic scene and they have good chemistry. I'm torn, because obviously I think Nathan and Audrey are meant to be, but Nathan can hardly be faulted for considering his options given that Audrey is trying so hard to push him away.

Blue Bloods, "Old Wounds (EP303)" - No, seriously, WHERE IS WILL ESTES? I think he had all of two very short lines last night. I wasn't necessarily wild about his plot last season, but at least he had one. I hope the lack of him in the first few episodes of the season means there's a Jamie-intensive plot coming up soon. Other than that, I liked this episode; it was full of Lessons but that's basically this show's thing so I don't mind. Tom Selleck and Len Cariou imparting life lessons is a pretty decent way to start the weekend, really. I did roll my eyes at Danny taking so long to consider the rape victim's brother as a suspect in the murder of the rapists, since IN THE SAME BREATH he was offering to beat up someone who hurt his sister.

The Good Wife, "And the Law Won (EP402)" - UGH. This Kalinda story. Why do her stories have to revolve around sex? Why is she suddenly incapable of remembering to do her job when her husband comes to town? Other than that, though, I liked this episode; I'm glad Will's back and I always like it when Alicia has to confront the fact that everyone knows Diane and Will don't really see her like the other associates, as much as everyone claims there's no special treatment. The way the dynamic between Alicia and Peter is developing this season is fascinating. And hey, Gilmore Girls actors together in court! That was exciting. Too bad Cary wasn't there too.

The Mentalist, "Devil's Cherry (EP502)" - These hallucination sorts of episodes are usually not my favorite, but I thought this one was done pretty well. And by all means, Jane, please listen to your imaginary daughter and MOVE ON. I did like that drugged Jane insisted that Lisbon was the only person who really knew him, and hey, that plot left them with no time to spend on Rigsby's and Cho's ridiculous, out-of-character personal crises, so hey! The case was fine but the villain seemed a bit cartoonishly evil and eager to confess.

What I Watched: The Mentalist Finale

Live+7: The Mentalist, "The Crimson Hat (EP424)" - Wow. WOW. I've written about my issues with this season in general, but this was one heck of a finale, and made me really excited to see where the show goes next season (in its new timeslot!). I thought this was possibly their best-executed episode ever, and they had me with their various fake-outs at least twice. It also managed to reignite the Jane/Lisbon will-they-won't-they in a way that felt perfectly believable, and I'm wondering whether we're going to have a slow-burn arc about the possibly-forgotten confession of love next year, in a way that sort of turns the Castle arc on its head. This was another finale that made me start caring about the show again after I'd mostly lost interesting, so. Well done.

What I Watched: Veep, Blue Bloods Finale, & More

Live-ish: Veep, "Chung (EP104)" - I know this show isn't particularly realistic, but I'm still really enjoying it anyway. And I did like the cynicism of this episode: when it finally got into real issues (like immigration), I thought it was clever to avoid having Selina really take sides that would potentially alienate viewers by going all the way through that issue and having her take sides for purely political reasons, rather than having her avoid espousing positions at all. Jonah is still my favorite. "You're not even your mom's favorite Jonah, Jonah!"

Live+7: Common Law, "Pilot (EP101)" - I saw a screener of this several weeks ago, so I watched the finished version of the pilot last night to refresh my memory. I'm not sure it will ever attain the level of my favorite USA shows like Burn Notice and White Collar, but it seems like it will be solid fun, and I already like it better than Suits or Necessary Roughness. (Over at TheTelevixen.com, read my feature with star Michael Ealy and our 10 reasons to watch.)

The Mentalist, "Red Rover, Red Rover (EP423)" - I usually count on this show for some mindless procedural fun, so it's always disconcerting when it goes creepy and serious as it did in this episode. That said, it was really well done, and a good reminder that Simon Baker can be more than just a pretty smirk when they actually give him something to work with. I'm still not thrilled with what they've done this season in general, but this episode definitely got me interested in seeing where they go with the finale. Oh, and I also liked the way it illustrated how Lisbon actually cares about Jane, and how that may get her in big trouble eventually.

Blue Bloods, "Mother's Day (EP222)" - This was the season finale, and gosh, I'll miss the Reagans until they come back in the fall. The "terrorist plot against the city" storylines never have all that much tension (on this show or others) because we know the good guys will actually save the day, so I liked the way they added tension with Frank's thoughts of resigning - I didn't believe they'd destroy New York, but I believed they might have him quit. I also really liked the stuff between Danny and Jamie, and I've been impressed by the way they weave in the family's grief and unresolved feelings about the mother and Joe without belaboring it or making them seem overly fixated.

On the list: Sherlock, The Borgias, The Killing, Game of Thrones, Girls

What I Watched: Blue Bloods, The Mentalist, NYC-22, & GCB

Live-ish: NYC 22 still strikes me as the perfect way to end my Sundays. "Lost and Found (EP104)" involved a nice variety of storylines, and I'm still impressed by the way they resist the urge to nicely tie everything together. I'm still liking all the main characters well enough, but they're definitely spending more time on Kenny's family issues than on the others' personal stuff, and while I like Kenny, I hope that evens out somewhat as the show continues.

Live+7: I've been iffy on The Mentalist, this season, but "So Long, and Thanks for All the Red Snapper (EP422)" was one of the better recent episodes. Peeks into Lisbon's past are always interesting, and I'm glad the Summer situation is finally starting to blow up the way we always knew it would. Those scenes were painful and heartbreaking and very well-acted by both Tim Kang and Samaire Armstrong. I love that Rigsby loves his son so much, but I'm still not at all convinced by his relationship, and I can't help but hope that he and Van Pelt will find their way back together eventually.

Friday's Blue Bloods, "Collateral Damage (EP221)," was a little uneven - there wasn't enough Erin, and I'll admit I had trouble following exactly what was going on in Danny's plotline, though I did like that he went to the doctor with Jackie. (Some have speculated that the show is setting up an affair between those two, and I really don't want that to happen.) But the resolution of Jamie's undercover story was strong, and a great showcase for Will Estes. That plot was interesting, but I'm glad they're not dragging it out too long.

Catching up: GCB, "Adam & Eve's Rib (EP109):" This wasn't my favorite episode, but it had some good moments, and the feminist storyline was nice if heavy-handed. On the other hand, I was annoyed at having to yell "No means no, dude!" at the TV at the end. I do like the way the show deals with the submission issue, and I can't wait to find out whether Ripp is just lying to Carlene about hearing God's voice in order to manipulate her, or whether he's sincere.

On the list: GCB, Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Veep, Girls, The Borgias, The Killing. Oh, Sundays.

What is The Mentalist DOING this season?

The Mentalist has never been one of my favorite shows, but it's always been a dependably enjoyable procedural - until recently. Is it just me, or does the show seem to have lost its way this season? It has made a lot of decisions - even besides inexplicably showing an episode on a Friday - that just don't seem to make sense. (Spoilers through current episodes! Nothing about future episodes.)

1. If I ever cared about Red John, I certainly don't anymore. It was a fine catalyst for Jane's involvement with the CBI, but I really didn't expect the mystery to last four seasons, and at this point it's so scattered and convoluted that I barely bother to try following it. (I mean, they brought in Bradley Whitford and I still barely cared. That's saying something.) I was just trying to determine whether I care about Red John more or less than I care about How He Met Their Mother, but I got too bored thinking about it to actually decide.

2. From the beginning, I really thought the point of the show was not about Red John, but rather about Jane learning to care about people and be part of a family again. The first few seasons did a lot with that, but now that progress has stalled to the point that I'm wondering if Jane IS just a sociopath, and/or Red John himself. Except that's probably just wishful thinking because it would make the show more interesting.

3. Also stalled: Any sort of will they/won't they between Jane and Lisbon. On the one hand, I'd actually respect a procedural that consciously decided not to do that with its leads. On the other, it seems like they were doing that and just dropped it. (Remember that time Jane saved Lisbon even though it meant losing the chance for Red John info? That was a Big Moment. I thought.)

4. I cared about the relationship between Rigsby and Van Pelt more than Jane/Lisbon, and that has gotten ridiculous too. I respected Van Pelt's decision to break things off and thought her whole secret killer fiance storyline was well done, but this Rigsby/girlfriend/baby thing is a bridge too far. I read that they wrote in the pregnancy because the actress was actually pregnant, but I feel like they've written themselves into a corner now by making it obvious that Rigsby still loves Van Pelt, but ensuring that the only way they could be together would be if he left the mother of his child. (Or she left him, of course.) Rigsby has always seemed like a really decent guy. Is he going to be stuck with "decent but miserable" forever now? (Note: I may forgive all if we get lots of shots of Rigsby holding the baby. I'm not proud of this. Just self-aware.)

5. And I love Cho, and get why they want to give him a personal life, but his current storyline just seems clumsy and somewhat out of character. I think it's supposed to be referencing his past, but we don't know enough about that - and haven't heard about it recently enough - to make it really convincing. And any character who pulls the "I turned off your alarm even though I knew you'd be really upset and get in trouble for being late to your important job" trick instantly earns my hatred forever. (Fine, go ahead and point out a character I loved on some other show who did that. It probably happened.)

So . . . I don't know. The cases of the week are fine. The Mentalist will remain firmly in my "relatively mindless procedural to watch while exhausted or multitasking" rotation. But I just don't care anymore, and I miss that.

The Mentalist, "Scarlet Ribbons:" So THAT'S what we're doing now?

In last spring's finale, The Mentalist rather wrote itself into a corner by having its main character kill a man in a crowded mall, in full view of witnesses. I was interested to see how it would get out of this, but now that I know . . . well, I'm not sure I really like the answer. Read on for more.