NEW SHOWS
Veep – “Justice” (B+)
A classic show misunderstand, with Mike panicking to the press and saying Selina’s being considered to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat, which would be an interesting direction but I’m glad the show squashed that by the end of the episode. Even funnier is Dan acting as the world’s douchiest sperm donor and kiss-ass.
Silicon Valley – “Intellectual Property” (B+)
The show has spent a lot of time this season letting the screwers become the screwees, and this episode really takes it to another level as Gavin Bellsom gets dumped by Hooli and Monica gets saddled with the bad deal she tried to hang around Ed’s neck. But it’s the super-dark lines that will stick with me the most:
|| Doctor to Richard: “You know, after Alan Turing was chemically castrated, he became much less annoying.”
|| Gilfoyle to Dinesh: “I think you might be the first Pakistani man killed by a drone inside the United States.”
The Handmaid’s Tale – “Faithful” (B+)
Here is my first tiny bit of panic that this show didn’t need to be multiple seasons, as it slows way down and introduces a problematic romance. But I will say that the way the first scenes of consensual sex in the show are incredibly hot, because they’re supposed to be.
CURRENT SHOWS
The Handmaid’s Tale
“Birth Day” (A-)
“Late” (A)
“Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum” (A-)
More spectacular world-building, with probably the best use of flashback and voiceover in television.
Silicon Valley – “Terms of Service” (A-)
One of the most plot-dense episodes the show has ever done, but it’s done such a good job of making Gavin Bellsom such an asshole, that I was practically giddy once he realized how screwed he was after completing a hostile takeover of PiperChat. It was delicious. Plus, that focus group scene was incredible.
Veep – “Georgia” (A-)
“They’re both crooks, so what’s the difference?” Not going to draw any parallels here, other than to say how funny this episode was, and sets up a bunch of potentially hilarious ramifications down the road. Plus, Richard and Jonah accidentally going to a Nazi punk club was *Italian chef’s kiss*.