Post by Pear on Aug 13, 2015 0:56:19 GMT -5
Episode 9: “Spit & Eggs”
I don’t think there is one wasted moment in season one of this show, and that’s made even more impressive by the fact that its mystery spans 22 episodes. Season two drags a bit with the bus crash, though, and as nicely as the storyline is tied up, it’s clear that it could be well served by trimming some of the excess layers. Rob Thomas apparently thought so as well, and that’s how we get the 9-episode Hearst rape arc, a surprisingly early resolution to a flawed storyline. However, as problematic as this storyline could be, the show does it again with its intense endings and climactic confrontations between Veronica and the Big Bad(s). “Spit & Eggs” is a great episode of television, one that brings all the season’s clues together in thrilling fashion…even the Stanford Prison Experiment, in an unexpected return.
There’s a nice bit of misdirection with Moe and Mercer, an ugly depiction of rape’s power dynamics, a calm and mature breakup between Logan and Veronica, and an uplifting moment in which Parker saves Veronica. It all ties together really nicely, and it makes things a bit more interesting as we head into the second half of the final season .
Episode 10: “Show Me the Monkey”
This is a really fun episode to kick off the next story arc, and it uses the parallel trios of Parker-Veronica-Mac and Logan-Dick-Chip to convey both the difficulty of and desire for moving on from relationships. It’s great to see Mac at the center of an episode again, and the hour itself is an entertaining look at PHAT, at Piz, and at Kristen Bell’s adorable Canada room introduction.
Episode 11: “Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves”
More BSG references! Although the episode has a bunch of interesting twists and turns, it still oftentimes falls into the “drama for drama’s sake” problem (specifically regarding bringing Madison Sinclair back into the fold). I do really like the scene between Logan and Veronica in the bed, though, which sees them attempting to work through their problems and clearing the air. Also, Keith singing about the O’Dell suicide report is a magical moment.
Episode 12: “There’s Got to Be a Morning After Pill”
Although I do think the Madison Sinclair drama is a bit too much, I can still buy Veronica’s reaction, given the circumstances; she’s acting irrationally here and knows it deep down, and her not going through with the car crushing at the end is a reflection of that idea. The moment itself doesn’t work that well for me, but it’s still nice to have a case of the week like this that doesn’t come across as preachy about the subject matter.
GRADES: A-, B+, B, B