ABC's Grey's Anatomy - Episode 13.19 "What's Inside"
ABC's Scandal - Episode 6.09 "Dead in the Water"
ABC's The Catch - Episode 2.05 "The Bad Girl"
ABC's Scandal - Episode 6.09 "Dead in the Water"
ABC's The Catch - Episode 2.05 "The Bad Girl"
Due to the demands of Peak TV, it is becoming more and more difficult for this website to devote the time to full length episodic reviews. And yet, there are still thoughts to be had about the ongoing adventures on a number of series. TGIT is back on ABC. So I thought it would be good to still write down a couple of brief thoughts about each episode on a weekly basis. Of course, you can still expect full reviews for premieres and finales. If ABC should make screeners available, those episodes would get detailed analysis as well. But for now, this will be the way to continue to provide content for these shows while also being a lighter workload for me.
Grey's Anatomy - "What's Inside"
When Maggie takes on a big case, many of the doctors are worried she's not the right one for the job. Stephanie makes a mistake, treating one of Grey Sloan's own. Written by Tia Napolitano and directed by Nzingha Stewart
The main story of this week's episode was a little too weird to really work all that well. Everyone made such a big deal about Maggie's first day back including a very difficult surgery on a fetus. The show drags it out too long on whether or not she'll freeze in the OR and thus spiral even more. That made it a little predictable that she'll pull it out in the end - even though it's clear she's not doing well at all despite what Meredith hopes. But largely, this episode works because it pairs different characters together. Who knew that a friendship between Riggs and Arizona could be so much fun? And yet, it absolutely was especially as they started talking about romance. Also, is it a little too predictable to say that Maggie and Jackson might become a couple? After she's done mourning her mother's death, of course. Plus, it's about damn time that Richard and Bailey made up. This fight has been dragged out for way too long. Now, he just needs to fix things with Catherine. And finally, it's becoming a recurring element this year that Stephanie is making some big mistakes. So, how worried should the audience be getting about her? B-
Scandal - "Dead in the Water"
It's a race against the clock when Olivia and OPA's investigation into the conspiracy puts one of their own in grave danger. Written by Michelle Lirtzman and directed by Nicole Rubio
This week's episode didn't flash back to Election Night at all. It felt vastly different from the rest of the season as well. And yet, it was a shift that really worked too. The show had forward momentum and tension that was compelling to watch. The show made the audience wait an extra week to know if Huck was dead or alive. It's thrilling to watch as he struggles to escape a seemingly impossible situation. It may strain credibility a bit too much. He lost all that blood and managed to escaped a submerged vehicle and pull a dead body to shore as well. And yet, he someone lives. The same can't be said for Meg who gets her throat slit by Quinn. That was a gruesome visual. But it also highlights how far Quinn is willing to go for Huck and how she potentially blows it all up for the team as a result. I don't know if I buy a potential Huck-Quinn romance. This hour is really selling it. And yet, it's still just very effective to see everyone just working as a team for a common goal. The resolution is perhaps a bit too easy. How in the world did Meg not toss Jennifer's phone? But seeing everyone reunite at the hospital was so moving. A-
The Catch - "The Bad Girl"
The AVI team digs deep into Margot's past to uncover the truth about who is set on destroying the Kensington Firm. Ben's plans for his future with Alice are more complicated than he ever imagined. Written by Ameni Rozsa and directed by Sharat Raju
The reveal that Margot and Ben have a daughter could really suck a lot of the tension out of this show. And yet, Tessa manages to fit into the adult themes of this story quite well. Everyone notes how crazy it is for a 15-year-old to be plotting her mother and grandmother's murders. She could easily slip into that annoying teenage child mold as well. But it's also a nice twist that brings some new and personal stakes to the criminal story. It complicates Ben's future in a way he wasn't planning. But it's great she's not being kept a secret from him. Plus, the tease that the show will be digging more into Alice's past is very enticing. There are some details there that have been teased a bunch over the series run so far. It will be nice to get some more definitive answers. And finally, Ben and Rhys working for the FBI is still just fun and amusing but not really as engaging or personal as the stuff with Alice and Margot. It works if it's only aspiring to be pretty people conning each other. That's a tone the show is generally good at. But it could aspire to more as well. It would add some genuine stakes to it. B
Grey's Anatomy - "What's Inside"When Maggie takes on a big case, many of the doctors are worried she's not the right one for the job. Stephanie makes a mistake, treating one of Grey Sloan's own. Written by Tia Napolitano and directed by Nzingha Stewart
The main story of this week's episode was a little too weird to really work all that well. Everyone made such a big deal about Maggie's first day back including a very difficult surgery on a fetus. The show drags it out too long on whether or not she'll freeze in the OR and thus spiral even more. That made it a little predictable that she'll pull it out in the end - even though it's clear she's not doing well at all despite what Meredith hopes. But largely, this episode works because it pairs different characters together. Who knew that a friendship between Riggs and Arizona could be so much fun? And yet, it absolutely was especially as they started talking about romance. Also, is it a little too predictable to say that Maggie and Jackson might become a couple? After she's done mourning her mother's death, of course. Plus, it's about damn time that Richard and Bailey made up. This fight has been dragged out for way too long. Now, he just needs to fix things with Catherine. And finally, it's becoming a recurring element this year that Stephanie is making some big mistakes. So, how worried should the audience be getting about her? B-
Scandal - "Dead in the Water"It's a race against the clock when Olivia and OPA's investigation into the conspiracy puts one of their own in grave danger. Written by Michelle Lirtzman and directed by Nicole Rubio
This week's episode didn't flash back to Election Night at all. It felt vastly different from the rest of the season as well. And yet, it was a shift that really worked too. The show had forward momentum and tension that was compelling to watch. The show made the audience wait an extra week to know if Huck was dead or alive. It's thrilling to watch as he struggles to escape a seemingly impossible situation. It may strain credibility a bit too much. He lost all that blood and managed to escaped a submerged vehicle and pull a dead body to shore as well. And yet, he someone lives. The same can't be said for Meg who gets her throat slit by Quinn. That was a gruesome visual. But it also highlights how far Quinn is willing to go for Huck and how she potentially blows it all up for the team as a result. I don't know if I buy a potential Huck-Quinn romance. This hour is really selling it. And yet, it's still just very effective to see everyone just working as a team for a common goal. The resolution is perhaps a bit too easy. How in the world did Meg not toss Jennifer's phone? But seeing everyone reunite at the hospital was so moving. A-
The Catch - "The Bad Girl"The AVI team digs deep into Margot's past to uncover the truth about who is set on destroying the Kensington Firm. Ben's plans for his future with Alice are more complicated than he ever imagined. Written by Ameni Rozsa and directed by Sharat Raju
The reveal that Margot and Ben have a daughter could really suck a lot of the tension out of this show. And yet, Tessa manages to fit into the adult themes of this story quite well. Everyone notes how crazy it is for a 15-year-old to be plotting her mother and grandmother's murders. She could easily slip into that annoying teenage child mold as well. But it's also a nice twist that brings some new and personal stakes to the criminal story. It complicates Ben's future in a way he wasn't planning. But it's great she's not being kept a secret from him. Plus, the tease that the show will be digging more into Alice's past is very enticing. There are some details there that have been teased a bunch over the series run so far. It will be nice to get some more definitive answers. And finally, Ben and Rhys working for the FBI is still just fun and amusing but not really as engaging or personal as the stuff with Alice and Margot. It works if it's only aspiring to be pretty people conning each other. That's a tone the show is generally good at. But it could aspire to more as well. It would add some genuine stakes to it. B
