TV Talk

Small screen ramblings

[raymertvtalk]

The Amazing Race Power Rankings

We’re power ranking every season of The Amazing Race using a 0-10 scale and six criteria. We’re also including the season’s MVPs and best episode just for fun. We will be updating this post as we finish new seasons.

Note: To avoid spoilers, we’re skipping all-star seasons for now.

At the bottom of this post, you’ll see our power ranking of the most deserving winners. Spoiler alert now if you haven’t seen every season.

Season Power Rankings

What’s the best season, what’s the worst, and how do the seasons in between stack up? Here are our rankings, based on each season’s average score.

Season 30 (8.75)

Season 24 (8.5)

Season 20 (8.42)

Season 27 (8.33)

Season 31 (8.25)

Season 23 (8.08)

Season 22 (8)

Season 33 (7.92)

Season 35 (7.58)

Season 25 (7.5)

Season 21 (7.42)

Season 37 (7.25)

Season 26 (7.08)

Season 34 (7)

Season 19 (7)

Season 29 (6.83)

Season 38 (6.75)

Season 28 (6.17)

Season 32 (5.66)

Season 36 (3.83) 

Most Memorable Teams

These are not the nicest teams, our favorite teams, or the most dominant teams. These are the duos that created the greatest impression.

If you were casting the ultimate Amazing Race all-star season, who would you bring back for maximum entertainment value?

Justin and Diana AKA Green Team (Season 27)

Jim and Misti AKA The Dentists (Season 25)

Leo and Jamal AKA The Afghanimals (Season 23)

Becca and Floyd AKA Team Fun (Season 29)

Dave and Connor (Season 22)

Jet and Cord AKA The Cowboys (Season 24)

Jaymes and James AKA The Chippendales (Season 21)

Mark and Bopper (Season 20)

Andy and Tommy AKA The Snowboarders (Season 19)

Rob and Corey (Season 30)

Jack and Carson AKA The Gaymers (Season 37)

Eric and Tucker (Season 38)

Most Insufferable Teams

These were the teams that made us want to punch the TV.

Blair and Hayley (Season 26)

Logan and Chris (Season 27)

Dana and Matt (Season 28)

Tim and Marie (Season 23)

Brooke and Scott (Season 29)

Natalie and Nadiya (Seasons 21, 24)

Luke and Margie (Season 24)

Brendon and Rachel (Season 20)

Corinne and Eliza (Season 32)

Linton and Sharik (Season 34)

Jonathan and Ana (Season 37)

Season 19

A likable but not particularly memorable cast is helped by a killer itinerary.

Cast: 7

Itinerary: 9

Challenges: 7.5

Finale: 5

Winner: 7

Storylines: 6.5

TOTAL: 7

Season MVPs: Bill and Cathi

Best Episode: Ep. 6 (We Love Your Country Already; It Is Very Spacious)

Season 20

A memorable cast and tons of drama make this an unforgettable season.

Cast: 9

Itinerary: 7 

Challenges: 8 

Finale: 9

Winner: 8

Storylines: 9.5

TOTAL: 8.42

Season MVPs: Bopper and Mark 

Best Episode: Ep. 3 (Bust Me Right in the Head With It)

Season 21

Great challenges and a thrilling finale are undone by an undeserving winner. 

Cast: 8.5

Itinerary: 6

Challenges: 9 

Finale: 9

Winner: 3

Storylines: 9 

TOTAL: 7.42

Season MVPs: Jaymes and James

Best Episode: Ep. 7 (Off to See the Wizard)

Season 22

A season with a perfect itinerary and strong cast stumbles at the finish line. 

Cast: 8.5

Itinerary: 10

Challenges: 8

Finale: 5

Winner: 9

Storylines: 7.5

TOTAL: 8

Season MVPs: Dave and Connor

Best Episode: Ep. 8 (My Cheese Is Out of Control)

Season 23

A strong cast with juicy drama suffers from a drama-less finale.

Cast: 9

Itinerary: 7

Challenges: 8.5

Finale: 6

Winner: 9

Storylines: 9

TOTAL: 8.08

Season MVPs: Brandon and Adam

Best Episode: Ep. 5 (Get Our Groove On)

Season 24

An all-star cast and deserving winner makes for the best season yet.

Cast: 10

Itinerary: 7

Challenges: 8

Finale: 8

Winner: 10

Storylines: 8

TOTAL: 8.5

Season MVPs: Jet and Cord

Best Episode: Ep. 10 (Bull Down)

Season 25

A stellar cast is undone by a ho-hum finale and lackluster winner.

Cast: 10

Itinerary: 7.5

Challenges: 8

Finale: 7

Winner: 6

Storylines: 6.5

TOTAL: 7.5

Season MVPs: Adam and Bethany

Best Episode: Ep. 9 (You’re Taking My Tan Off)

Season 26

Tightly contested finale with a great winner, but the season lacked drama.

Cast: 6

Itinerary: 7

Challenges: 6

Finale: 8.5

Winner: 9

Storylines: 6

TOTAL: 7.08

Season MVPs: Matt and Ashley

Best Episode: Ep. 3 (#MurphysLaw)

Season 27

Killer itinerary, plenty of intrigue with an all-time team, and a satisfying finale.

Cast: 8

Itinerary: 9

Challenges: 7

Finale: 8

Winner: 9

Storylines: 9

TOTAL: 8.33

Season MVPs: Tiffany and Krista

Best Episode: Ep. 11 (It’s Not Easy Beating Green)

Season 28

A decent cast is done in by a lackluster itinerary and terrible winners.

Cast: 7

Itinerary: 6

Challenges: 6

Finale: 6

Winner: 4

Storylines: 8

TOTAL: 6.17

Season MVPs: Shari and Cole

Best Episode: Ep. 11 (That’s Money Honey)

Season 29

A great twist at the starting line produced fun drama throughout the season.

Cast: 8.5

Itinerary: 7.5

Challenges: 7

Finale: 6

Winner: 5

Storylines: 7

TOTAL: 6.83

Season MVPs: Becca and Floyd

Best Episode: Ep. 7 (Have Fun and Get It Done)

Season 30

An incredible season with a stellar cast and a killer itinerary. 

Cast: 9

Itinerary: 9.5

Challenges: 9

Finale: 9

Winner: 8

Storylines: 8

TOTAL: 8.75

Season MVPs: Kristi and Jen

Best Episode: Ep. 1 (You’re a Champion, Prove It)

Season 31

Tons of drama and a stellar cast are hampered by a lackluster itinerary.

Cast: 8

Itinerary: 6.5

Challenges: 9

Finale: 7.5

Winner: 9

Storylines: 9.5

TOTAL: 8.25

Season MVPs: Tyler and Korey

Best Episode: Ep. 9 (Let’s Split)

Season 32

A drama-free season plagued by a forgettable cast and snooze-worthy itinerary.

Cast: 6

Itinerary: 5

Challenges: 8

Finale: 4

Winner: 6

Storylines: 5

TOTAL: 5.66

Season MVPs: Kaylynn and Haley

Best Episode: Ep. 5 (You Don't Strike Me as a Renaissance Man)

Season 33

A season hamstrung by COVID is buoyed by a fun cast and deserving winner. 

Cast: 8

Itinerary: 6

Challenges: 6

Finale: 9

Winner: 10

Storylines: 8.5

TOTAL: 7.92

Season MVPs: Raquel & Cayla

Best Episode: Ep. 4 (Ready to Restart the Race)

Season 34

A vanilla cast and a good (but not great) itinerary make for a solid season.

Cast: 6.5

Itinerary: 6.5 

Challenges: 7.5

Finale: 8

Winner: 8.5

Storylines: 5

TOTAL: 7

Season MVPs: Emily and Molly

Best Episode: Ep. 4 (Everyone’s an Artist)

Season 35

A likable cast and a return to the basics makes this season highly enjoyable.

Cast: 8.5

Itinerary: 7.5

Challenges: 7

Finale: 9

Winner: 7

Storylines: 6.5

TOTAL: 7.58

Season MVPs: Rob and Corey

Best Episode: Ep. 8 (A Planes, Trains and Automobiles Day)

Season 36

The worst season in recent memory had literally nothing going for it.

Cast: 5

Itinerary: 3

Challenges: 3

Finale: 2

Winner: 7

Storylines: 3

TOTAL: 3.83

Season MVPs: Danny and Angie

Best Episode: Ep. 2 (Trust but Verify)

Season 37

A solid season with a strong itinerary is capped off with an outstanding winner.

Cast: 7

Itinerary: 8

Challenges: 7

Finale: 6

Winner: 9

Storylines: 6.5

TOTAL: 7.25

Season MVPs: Brett and Mark

Best Episode: Ep. 7 (Be One With the Hay)

Season 38

A solid season with a strong itinerary is capped off with an outstanding winner.

Cast: 7.5

Itinerary: 6.5

Challenges: 7

Finale: 3

Winner: 9

Storylines: 7.5

TOTAL: 6.75

Season MVPs: Tucker and Eric

Best Episode: Ep. 7 (I Wanna Be a Little Angry Right Now)

**SPOILER ALERT**

Winner Power Rankings

Which teams most deserved to win the million?

Dave and Connor (Season 24)

Kim and Penn (Season 33)

Jas and Jag (Season 38)

Jack and Carson (Season 37)

Ricky and Cesar (Season 36)

Colin and Christie (Season 32)

Bates and Anthony (Season 22)

Greg and John (Season 35)

Derek and Claire (Season 34)

Rachel and Dave (Season 20)

Jason and Amy (Season 23)

Cody and Jessica (Season 30)

Joey and Kelsey (Season 27)

Ernie and Cindy (Season 19)

Will and James (Season 32)

Laura and Tyler (Season 26)

Amy and Maya (Season 25)

Brooke and Scott (Season 29)

Dana and Matt (Season 28)

Josh and Brent (Season 21)

[raymertvtalk]

How to Fix Arrow in Season 5

While it’s unfair to call the Season 4 finale of Arrow a show-ending disaster, we are teetering very close to the edge after the events of “Schism.” Like an NFL quarterback entering the final year of his rookie contract, the CW’s original superhero show needs a strong outing in Season 5 lest it be washed out of the league (ahem) and remembered only for the glory days of seasons gone by. This upcoming season is truly make or break.

We were promised a lighter tone in Season 4 and just endured a home stretch that threatened nuclear annihilation and killed thousands of people in Havenrock with a rogue nuke. Oliver’s team, so broken from the events of the past 23 episodes, had to hang up their bows (and godawful helmets) and get the hell outta dodge for a while. Plus, Oliver murdered his season-long foe and fans were left with a Team Arrow comprised solely of the two members who inspire the most fan outrage.

To summarize: things are looking bleak for a rejuvenated Season 5. However, just like Oliver standing on that taxi in the middle of the world’s smallest “we’re all about to die” riot, I’m declaring that hope still exists.

Here is how Arrow can reverse course and return to glory in Season 5.

Succeed on the Small Scale

Three seasons of Arrow have ended with some monster trying to destroy Star City, only to be foiled by Oliver and his cohorts in the 11th hour. Escalating the stakes naturally led us to a point where Season 4 became about saving the entire world from Damien Darhk’s nuclear annihilation. To be honest, that’s too much for a guy with a bow and arrow to shoulder. Green Arrow’s limitations as a hero resulted in Felicity – along with her dad and Curtis – repeatedly waving a magic techno-babble wand and doing what Oliver was powerless to do.

Without the godlike hacking skills of his friends, Oliver is just as dead as everyone else in Star City. The writers rendered their own hero powerless against his greatest threat, and that bizarre neutering made everything feel anti-climactic and pointless. Why should we care about two guys fighting down in the street when the real heroes (I cringe to call Felicity that, believe me) already saved the day? It felt like an afterthought.

Season 2 succeeded because Slade and Oliver’s conflict was so intensely personal. Slade was hellbent on destroying his rival’s world and robbing him of everything he held dear. The stakes were small – Oliver is only one man, not 7 billion people – but we cared deeply about what happened because he was our hero. His world was our world, and we knew Oliver had the power to stop Deathstroke from completely ending his world.

Case in point: Season 2 reached its highest point in the aftermath of Moira Queen’s death (in “City of Blood”) before stumbling slightly down the stretch when this mano a mano showdown became a city-wide problem. In its most brilliant stretch of episodes, Arrow shined brightest when the stakes were small. Seasons 3 and 4 have forgotten that point.

Season 5 must return to the type of small-scale conflict that worked so well in Season 2. This doesn’t mean bringing Slade back into the fold! Rather, the writers should introduce a villain who represents the flip side of Oliver and his fledgling Green Arrow persona. Slade wanted to punish Oliver for a perceived betrayal; Season 5′s villain should seek to destroy Oliver’s belief that the Green Arrow can be a symbol of hope for the city.

On paper, Darhk was supposed to challenge Oliver’s ability to reject the sinister side of his nature and follow a brighter superhero path. When Oliver stabbed and killed Darhk in the finale, the viewers found themselves back at square one on Oliver’s journey into the light. Oliver needs a personal challenge that can force him to elevate his superhero game out of the rut that Season 4′s nuclear holocaust plot forced him into. Let’s make the Green Arrow great again with a personal challenge.

Return Green Arrow to His Badass Ways

Remember the Green Arrow who terrorized criminals in Season 1? That dude was a force of nature with the bow and unbeatable in hand-to-hand combat. Just watch this beating he dispenses in the pilot.

And then marvel as Oliver dismantles this intruder in Queen Manor.

We haven’t seen that guy since he made his costume a brighter shade of green. Now he’s getting punked by kids with facial scarring and former fangirls with a grudge against love. What happened to the Oliver Queen who tore through a pack of gun-toting criminals like a tornado?

If Green Arrow’s superpowers are his insane archery skills and his ability to dispense ass-kickings, shouldn’t he get back to doing more of the latter? Ever since “Olicity” kicked into high gear and domestic bliss got added to his resume, Oliver has lost his edge. He needs to inspire Star City residents by beating criminals to a pulp and making the streets safer.

Only then can I take seriously his ability to keep his city safe.

Healthier Relationships for Everyone

Oliver and Felicity’s relationship doesn’t work for a multitude of reasons, chief among them that they simply bring out the worst in each other. Sara Lance was more damaged than Oliver was, making their fling a case study on self-loathing and destructive behaviors. Laurel Lance is dead for reasons that remain unknown.

The chances of Oliver finding true happiness and a healthy relationship among the ladies left on Arrow are non-existent. He needs a fresh start with someone who doesn’t need protecting, demands honesty, is tough as nails, and effortlessly brings out qualities that make Oliver a hero. For those who watched Smallville, Oliver needs his Lois Lane, not Lana Lang.

Felicity needs a fresh start, as well. She always seemed more likely to end up with someone like (the newly single) Ray Palmer as opposed to Oliver. Hopefully being around Curtis more often next season will show her what a healthy relationship looks like and motivate her to find one herself. She also might elect to remain single and not be defined by who she’s dating. That’s where she was when we met her in Season 1, after all.

Make Oliver Queen More Interesting

“No, no, *this*... is your mask. Your real face is the one that criminals now fear.” Rachel Dawes uttered those words to Bruce Wayne at the end of Batman Begins and I’m reminded of them now thinking about Oliver’s new position as mayor of Star City. The aborted plot line from Season 4 now has a chance to grow outside of Damien Darhk’s shadow, and I’m hoping they use this opportunity to develop Oliver as a person.

I don’t want Arrow to become a legal procedural or a drearier version of Parks and Recreation by focusing on the minutia of Oliver’s job duties, but it would be refreshing to see our hero face some challenges he couldn’t solve with a well-placed arrow. Comic book shows on the CW are guilty of making their heroes do really dumb things in order to advance the plot (looking at you, Barry “Race Zoom and Kill the Multiverse” Allen). How fun would it be to see Oliver become a character known for his brilliant tactical mind and his ability to beat down criminals?

Dissolve the Team, Save the Show

First it was Diggle who joined Team Arrow, and things were still cool. Then Felicity came onboard and provided some spunk and tech expertise. Even when Sara pitched in with crime-fighting duties, things were trucking along just fine. That’s when the wheels came off.

Roy was the first addition who pushed team chemistry to the breaking point. By the time Laurel and Thea became full-fledged Team Arrow members, the damage was done – Oliver’s crusade had become too waterlogged, too weighted down by heroes not up to his caliber to continue at a high level. As a solo practitioner, Green Arrow was an unquestioned talent. As the coach of growing superhero team, he was an abject failure. Green Arrow and Oliver are better off fighting solo.

Should the team reunite in Season 5, I hope they’re used as a rotating cast of supporting heroes, not equals to Oliver in his quest to protect Star City. This really only applies to Diggle, who does a C+ impersonation of peak Green Arrow on a good day. Thea needs a storyline that keeps her away from the bunker and out of red leather. She said it herself in “Schism” that emerging from the Lazarus Pit and becoming Speedy left her longing for a true identity, one she deserves to find independent of her brother.

Finally, the show has to power Felicity down a bit. Her abilities remind me of the Braniac-infected Chloe Sullivan on Smallville at this point, and any time your tech genius is drawing comparisons to DC’s villainous super computer on legs, you need to take a step back and reevaluate things. Perhaps giving her an arc that takes her away from the bunker would be a nice way to lessen Oliver’s dependency on her deus-ex machina saves.

Give Merlyn a Purpose or Kill Him Off

Merlyn was a terrifying villain in Season 1. Ever since the League of Assassins went belly up, he’s been spinning like a top in a tornado looking for something to do. Season 5 is the time to make right by the Magician – either give Merlyn a clear path forward, or send him out with a bang.

[raymertvtalk]

Acting MVPs for the CW’s Superhero Shows

The Flash: Joe West (Jesse L. Martin)

Martin has been the best actor in this ensemble since the beginning, but his performance was elevated this season as Joe discovered his long-lost son Wally and dealt with even crazier threats to Central City and the Flash. His relationship with Iris has also moved past the frustrating “protect at all costs” stage that plagues a lot of parent-child relationships on CW shows. Here’s to hoping he makes it through this final showdown with Zoom in one piece!

Legends of Tomorrow: Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller)

As a show comprised of spare parts from Arrow and The Flash, the CW’s newest spinoff has experienced some serious growing pains during its first season. Characters like Kendra and Vandal Savage have been outright bad, but Miller’s Leonard Snart has been an absolute revelation in his expanded role. He’s deliciously sardonic and his BFF status with Mick Rory has been the show’s most interesting subplot by far. Can we just give Captain Cold and Heat Wave their own show?

I’m obviously missing Arrow from this list of MVP awards. I’ve enjoyed the fourth season more than the third, but nobody’s performance has moved me quite like Martin and Miller did on their shows. Perhaps Neal McDonough as the scenery chewing Damien Darkh? Or David Ramsey? His arc this season involving little brother Andy was pretty effecting.

What say you, Arrow fans: Who is this season’s acting MVP?

[raymertvtalk]

I’m not saying I like the Smallville version of Green Arrow/Oliver Queen better than Stephen Amell’s version on Arrow, but I find myself appreciating Justin Hartley’s take on the character more than ever during my second viewing of the WB/CW’s original superhero show. Hartley’s Oliver is everything the writers are trying to do with the character on Arrow. He’s funny, charming, upbeat, inspiring as a hero, and has great chemistry with Tom Welling’s Clark Kent.

As this article correctly points out, Arrow has fleshed out the character’s backstory and motivation better than Smallville ever did. Hartley’s Oliver got fleshed out in Seasons 9 and 10 as his role expanded on the show, but it’s hard to beat a version of the character who’s the star of his own show. Still, I can’t help but think that a version of Arrow with Hartley’s character’s personality and Amell’s character’s backstory would be better than the show we’ve gotten after nearly four seasons. It would be less brooding and more fun to watch, at least.

Hartley’s team was also vastly superior to Team Arrow. I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to call Alaina Huffman’s Black Canary an upgrade over Katie Cassidy’s version, and I’ll always have a soft spot for Kyle Gallner’s take on the Flash (which, to be fair, was Bart Allen rather than Barry Allen).

For better or worse, Stephen Amell introduced the world to the definitive version of the Green Arrow. The character has enjoyed some standout moments on an up-and-down show and Amell totally owns his version of the character. I think a spinoff starring Hartley’s Green Arrow would have been fascinating, as well.

Would you have watched a Green Arrow show starring Justin Hartley?

[raymertvtalk]

Why Are Some TV Seasons So Short?

Two weeks ago I finished the second season of AMC's Better Call Saul, which is a damn-near perfect television program. I was initially skeptical that anything existing in the Breaking Bad universe could measure up its predecessor's greatness. Twenty episodes later, I consider Better Call Saul the finest show on television right now.

That said, I have a major issue with the show that didn't bubble to the surface until after the credits rolled on the season finale: its seasons aren't long enough.

I don't know when it became commonplace to see seasons of prestige TV dramas that lasted 10 episodes or fewer. What I do know, however, is that the Better Call Saul finale left me wanting more of its sun-baked world. I wanted more scenes of Mike intimidating Albuquerque's criminal element without saying a word, craved more of the deteriorating relationship between Jimmy and Chuck, and yearned for more clues that pointed to the arrival of a notorious Breaking Bad villain.

That's not to say Vince Gilligan and his team didn't tell a compelling story in the show's second season. Like a hungover post-grad hoping for a few more minutes in bed, I silently prayed near the end of each episode that time would slow down and I could stay in this world just a little bit longer. The show's success is what makes this longing so pronounced. I became so engrossed in what was happening that the ending felt like a Harry Potter book with the last four chapters ripped out.

Aside from the first season, which was cut short due to the writers strike, Breaking Bad went 13 episodes each season and finished with 16 in Season 5. Elsewhere on AMC, the past four seasons of The Walking Dead have (for better or worse) been 16 episodes. Even Hell on Wheels got 14 episodes for its final season.

So how does the network's best show end up with only 10 episodes as opposed to the 13 it was originally supposed to have? The reasons have never been properly explained, but it probably comes down to a decision by the showrunners to tell a tighter story as opposed to stretching things out unnecessarily.

I can appreciate this sentiment, as telling a concise story is one of the first rules of writing. But I'm still perplexed as to why a TV show – whose cast and crew get paid more the longer they work – would turn down more paychecks and three additional episodes to play in the sandbox they created. An additional 126 minutes could have given the writers a chance to let certain storylines breathe. For instance, in a season where Kim came into her own as a character, I'd have loved more time with her and Jimmy sharing office space before the finale. Or perhaps more time at Davis and Main witnessing the death of Jimmy's attempt at legitimately practicing law.

Additions like these would've enriched an already stellar season. In the hands of the Better Call Saul writers, an extra 126 minutes would not have been wasted time.

AMC's darling isn't the only culprit, however. Banshee, the same show I praised in this space last week, has only eight episodes for its final season. Last Friday's episode, the fourth of the season, marked the halfway point. If you love a show, would you ever want to utter a sentence like that when the clock is ticking down?

Even a show that seems like it would benefit from having eight episodes a season actually suffers from the reduced running time. Take for example Hulu's 11.22.63, based on the popular Stephen King novel about an English teacher going back in time to stop the Kennedy assassination. Most books are adapted into movies that run 120-150 minutes (unless you're adapting The Hobbit). So giving King's book 437 minutes to tell its story should be plenty of time, right?

Sure, as long as you didn't enjoy the book's character-defining moments.

There are definitely shortcomings when you're cranking out 23 episodes per season like some shows still do. (See: Jack's tattoos, Lost, Season 3.) Plots can stretch on for too long, a season's momentum can stall out or even disappear, and it definitely takes more time for a Netflix binge. But these problems almost always reflect the failure of a show's creative team to adapt their story to a longer format. I mean, do NASCAR drivers race cars that break down short of the finish line?

So what's the answer? I propose sizing TV seasons like McDonald's fries:

Small: 13 episodes

Medium: 16 episodes

Large: 23 episodes

Just like those tasty fries, there's no reason to go bigger than a large serving or smaller than a small serving. Enough of this eight or 10 episode nonsense. If The Simpsons can bang out 22 episodes per season for 27 seasons, your prestigious drama can suck it up and turn in 13 high-quality episodes a year.

That means you, too, Sherlock!

[raymertvtalk]

Saying Goodbye to ‘Banshee’

I'll forgive you if you haven't heard of Banshee, a.k.a. The Most Entertaining Show on Television the Past Couple Years. Banshee enters its fourth and final season on Cinemax with a small but devoted audience that's been treated to some of the most brutal and thrilling action scenes in TV history. It's no exaggeration to say that the show's action, which peaked last year during an unbelievably enjoyable third season, is on par with Hollywood blockbusters.

The fight choreography in Season 1 of Daredevil received serious accolades for what it managed to accomplish on a TV show's budget. If you've watched that show, you probably remember the breathtaking hallway fight scene in the second episode. If not, check out this clip below:

So, yeah, that fight was incredible. No doubt about it. Anyone calling that the best fight in TV history had a strong argument. Until this fight happened:

(Warning: This fight is brutal. If you tend to avoid violence, don't watch!)

I rest my case. If you still need convincing, click around the related videos that pop up when that fight is finished. You can't go wrong with a Banshee fight scene. It's like a grab bag of different kinds of french fries: you always win.

(Burton and Nola fight = waffle fries.)

While its fight choreography is the crown jewel, this show reached that next level as television entertainment because of its "I do what I want" attitude. On its face, the premise of Banshee – a con is released from prison and poses as a small-town sheriff –  should've lasted about three episodes. Instead of shying away from its setup, the show owned what it was and established a fun playground in Banshee, PA, for superheroes and supervillains who specialize in cracking skulls without coming across as one-dimensional.

I judge the success of TV shows with one question: Does it entertain me?

In other words, do I look forward to watching this show, enjoy every minute of it, and then anxiously await the next episode? Without a doubt, the word "entertained" means something different to everyone.

Regardless, good shows always equal "joy."

No show gives me as much joy as Banshee. This program knows what it is and takes pride in one-upping itself every episode. When I heard that the fourth season would be both shortened and the final hurrah, I was initially bummed. I'd recently lost all-time greats like Breaking Bad, Justified, and Parks and Recreation. My stable of shows was growing thinner with each passing year.

Then I remembered something important. During its magical third season, Banshee reached a level with me where I trust it completely. I believe that every storyline and character development, even the questionable ones, will work out brilliantly. So if the showrunners feel they've reached a natural end point in eight episodes as opposed to ten, I trust them to deliver the goods.

And the fight scenes. Those glorious, bone-crunching fight scenes.

Subscribe to the new Reel Talk Raymer newsletter for more movie and TV musings like this: http://eepurl.com/bYt0pT

[raymertvtalk]

Raymer Reel Talk Newsletter List Email Forms

I’m launching a new weekly newsletter focused on movies and television! If you like your entertainment analysis with plenty of gifs, internet humor, and a generous helping of mirth, subscribe today for free!

[raymertvtalk]

Random Thoughts on This TV Season

Thanks to the wonders of Hulu’s new no-commercial package, I’ve been enjoying this TV season like I never have before. I have a lot of random thoughts on the stable of shows I watch and I’d like to share those in this space lest they continue bouncing around my head incessantly. Let’s get started with a show I’ve watched since the pilot episode all the way back in 2005:

Supernatural is off to a hot start in Season 11.

Has it really been 11 seasons? When I used to recap Supernatural for Cinema Blend, I made it clear I thought the show would go the Smallville route and end after 10 seasons, which seemed like a nice, round number. I worried heading into Season 11 that this show had no more story left to tell.

Boy was I wrong. The episode two weeks ago, “Baby,” was the best I’ve seen since the stellar fifth season of this show. And the Darkness storyline is gathering steam in a way that suggests it won’t be put on the back burner for long stretches of the season like we’ve seen in the past with this show. Overall, there’s a new energy about Season 11 that I didn’t expect to see after 200+ episodes. Maybe it’s the higher stakes now that we know death will stick for the Winchesters and their allies. Maybe I’m just high off the greatness of “Baby.” Either way, all I can say at this point is “carry on my wayward son.”

The Walking Dead is sticking to its bread and butter.

No show can pull off the spectacle that The Walking Dead is capable of when it wants to show off. The ship sailed a long time ago on this program ever being a dramatic dynamo in the writing and acting department, but as the first three episodes of Season 6 have proven, The Walking Dead is second to none when it comes to thrills. Contrived black-and-white flashbacks aside, you can’t ask for a better start to a season than what we’ve gotten. I even liked the Morgan-centric episode that some thought was ill-timed. Sunday’s episode slowed things down a bit, but I’m of the mind you shouldn’t always be going 100 MPH every episode. The slower moments allow the explosive ones to resonate more powerfully than if the show were balls-to-the-wall action all the time.

Speaking of Supernatural and The Walking Dead, I love this casting.

Some strong comedies at the top of their game right now.

Once Parks and Recreation and Community went off the air, my stable of shows was left with a gaping hole where the laughs used to come from. This is especially true with Big Time in Hollywood, FL in renewal limbo and Louie on an extended hiatus that could last years. The only new comedy I added this season was The Grinder to go alongside Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Fresh Off the Boat. I expected Rob Lowe and Fred Savage’s new show to be hilarious (so far, so good) and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how solid the other two shows have been. Dean Winters was an amazing guest star on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Constance Wu is consistently amazing on Fresh Off the Boat. Throw Aziz Ansari’s new Netflix show Master of None into the mix (binge-watched this one in two days) and it’s safe to say I’ve filled that comedic hole in my TV lineup.

The CW’s superhero shows are playing possum.

Arrow has rebounded nicely from a disappointing third season and The Flash is off to a nice start in its sophomore effort. Yet I can’t escape the feeling that these shows are spinning plates right now until the crossover episode that will launch Legends of Tomorrow. So much of both shows’ seasons have been devoted to setting up this new show that we’ve barely had time to dig into our new villains and season-long storylines. I’m certain Zoom and Damien Darhk will make their grand entrances before Christmas – both shows have used that template in the past. I simply hope that once that time comes and the spinoff is flying on its own, we can focus on making these shows soar just as high. If you look back at the success of Arrow Season 2, it came down to a well-defined villain that had personal connections to our hero and was extremely dangerous thanks in part to that fact. If both these shows want to hit new heights this year, they need to spend as much time developing their villains as they do their heroes. Only then will we see Zoom and Darhk as anything more than cardboard cutouts.

[raymertvtalk]

My 5 Most Anticipated New Fall TV Shows

When you’re already watching 26 shows, it’s unquestionably ludicrous to cherish the prospect of adding shows to your rotation. Alas – thus is the life of a TV addict. We collect shows like rare baseball cards and crave new additions that will make our lives even 0.01% richer thanks to their presence. With a new slew of shows heralding the arrival of fall (forget the leaves on the trees), I’ve meticulously combed through half a dozen preview articles to determine which new shows will be getting the 4-episode test. Should they survive this unforgiving entrance exam, they’ll be added to my list until further notice.

In descending order, here are the 5 new falls shows I’m excited about:

1. The Grinder (Fox)

The series hooked me as soon as I finished watching the first trailer. Rob Lowe’s Chris Traeger was a gem on Parks and Recreation and it seems Lowe is playing the same kind of high-energy character opposite Fred Savage. This duo can become one of TV’s most beloved odd couples if the chemistry we saw in the trailer can be sustained throughout the season.

I’m willing to give this show a longer leash than usual for two reasons. First, most comedies take at least a full season to discover their formula for success. The second reason is that my comedy lineup is looking pretty thin right now. I’ve got Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Fresh Off the Boat, but aside from those two and the MIA Louie and the not-yet-renewed Big Time in Hollywood, FL, I’m out of comedies. Don’t me down, Grinder!

Premiere date: September 29

2. Heroes Reborn (NBC)

NBC is like the promising college freshman who spent too many wild nights hitting the bottle and flunked out of college. Only now, years later, he’s sobered up and is attempting to rebuild his life. Logic and recent history tell me this show will eventually rip my heart out, but I loved the inaugural season so much I’m willing to see if Heroes Reborn can learn from the mistakes that sunk its predecessor into a narrative quagmire.

Throw in Zachary Levi (Chuck was dope) and the return of several familiar characters – Hiro, Parkman, and HRG, my personal favorite – and my hopes are high for a return to the magic that made the first season so special. There are a glut of superheroes on the small screen now (thanks in part to the initial success of Heroes) but there’s still plenty of room for original characters who aren’t married to comic book canon.

Premiere date: September 24

3. Master of None (Netflix)

I know next to nothing about Aziz Ansari’s new Netflix show besides the premise and the fact that several people from Parks and Recreation are involved. That’s honestly enough to pique my interest. As mentioned above, I need some new comedies in my life after leaving Pawnee for the final time this year. Aziz is one of the brightest stars in comedy right now and I think the Netflix ecosystem will allow his observant, culturally-relevant brand of humor to flourish. Expect some taco angst.

Premiere date: November 6

4. The Player (NBC)

Two NBC shows on this list shows I’m a glutton for punishment. I’m banking on this show embracing its inner absurdity and never turning back. Just take a second and savor this incredible trailer. I’ll wait. *watches trailer again* Isn’t that glorious? There’s something in there about hunting down criminals and rich people betting on whether the indestructible, square-jawed hero will live or die.

And Wesley. Freaking. Snipes. Marvel’s original superhero immediately makes any setting he’s in 150% cooler (including prison). I fully expect this crazy show to fall by the wayside once my other shows return from hiatus, but until then, I’m going all in on a crazy concept + Snipes’ brilliance.

Premiere date: September 24

5. Into the Badlands (AMC)

Swords, Smallville creators, and slow-motion rain fights – Into the Badlands has several factors that grabbed my attention. With AMC going a little spinoff crazy right now, I applaud their gamble on such an original concept. While I don’t watch all 400 shows John Landgraf expects to air this fall season, I’m comfortable saying Into the Badlands looks like nothing else on TV right now. Plus, with The Walking Dead slowly transforming into the kind of brainless vessel Rick and his fellow survivors love to kill, we could all use a dose of something different when it comes from the network responsible for this. And also this.

Premiere date: November 15

[raymertvtalk]

My Summer Binge List

The summer is a TV wasteland. Cable and network channels are so devoid of good shows that subpar programs like Under the Dome debut to stellar ratings. Like a squirrel preparing for the long winter, I’ve been stashing away shows on my DVR in preparation for the dog days of summer. I’ll be binge-watching these four shows until my regular rotation fires back up.

The Blacklist

This one’s a guilty pleasure for me. I’ve yet to find a better show to have on in the background while I’m working on my computer or folding clothes. The Blacklist is such a nice blend of action and ongoing narratives that it never feels like a chore to watch, yet it’s not good enough to be “can’t-miss TV.” James Spader is such a joy to watch that I’ll probably burn through Season 2 and forget half of what I watched before next season starts.

Constantine

I debated several times whether I should delete the first season from my DVR. With the show cancelled and no definitive sign that another network will pick it up, Constantine feels like a football game where I already know the ending. The only reasons it survived the axe was because I found the first couple episodes intriguing and it reminds me enough of Supernatural to stick around. Plus, a network might scoop it up and make Season 2 a reality.

Hannibal

I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews on this underrated gem. I watched the pilot episode a while back and found it utterly fascinating. Chances are good I’ll lose my appetite watching the show at some point given Hannibal’s penchant for the macabre, but I’m excited to see what all the hype is about. I get the sense that both the main characters aren’t the likable types, which plays against the mold of most shows I watch. The change of pace will be fun.

Strike Back

I know nothing about this Cinemax show other than it was recommended for fans of Banshee, which I think is the best show on TV right now. I believe it involves British special forces foiling terrorism plots but I wouldn’t swear to it. There appear to be guns, fights, and explosions, which is enough to pique my interest. If it’s anything like Banshee, I’m in for a serious treat.

What shows will you be binge-watching this summer?

[raymertvtalk]

Where Arrow Season 3 Went Wrong

This was bound to happen.

Even the most flawless shows have produced seasons that were less than stellar. A dud, if you will. Friday Night Lights crapped the bed after its perfect first season with a sophomore effort that felt wrong for a number reasons. Justified tortured us with an entire season of Michael Rapaport’s wretched Southern accent. Even Breaking Bad took a while to become BREAKING BAD. These shows and the people who make them aren’t machines.

Perhaps that’s what doomed Season 3 of Arrow to mediocrity. For all the world-building taking place with DC characters on the small screen right now, it’s only natural to assume that the engine at the heart of this expanding universe would keep on running without incident. Everything was in place for a season that would match – or even surpass – the greatness that was Slade Wilson a.k.a. Deathstroke and Season 2. The cast was vibrant, the creative folks had ironed out the kinks following an uneven first season, and a legendary villain from DC lore was stepping into the fray – the Demon Head himself, Ra’s al Ghul. There was no way Season 3 would fail. It was a slam dunk.

Except it did fail, just not this city, as Oliver was fond of saying in Season 1. This season failed to meet the lofty precedent set during Season 2 and failed to handle all the plates it set spinning in the premiere. It feels like as the show’s architects turned their attention toward expansion – The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, perhaps a Green Lantern show – they forgot to devote the attention needed to make sure Arrow had a season-long arc that capitalized on the gains made in Season 2. The worst case scenario here was that the show would slide back into the rut it fought so hard to escape during its early days.

But backslide it did. Season 3 ignored a great piece of Ron Swanson advice:

Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.

There was so much happening during Season 3 that it would’ve been impossible to keep all those plates spinning. Whereas Season 2 had a singular focus and conflict between Oliver and Slade, Season 3 jumped between more storylines than a choose-your-own-ending book. Ra’s never developed into a serious threat after “killing” Oliver on that mountain, Ray Palmer was fun but fell victim to a boring live triangle, Sara was killed off far too quickly, Laurel was a poor replacement for her sister, Roy became a victim of some needed cast pruning, Diggle didn’t have enough to do, and the writers seemed more concerned with cool Arrow-Flash crossovers than finding the singular focus or conflict that made the show so successful in Season 2.

Actually, scratch that – their main focus seemed to be making shipper dreams come true by getting Oliver and Felicity together. That’s all well and good. Shows like Chuck have brought two central characters together in a way that didn’t kill the momentum of the show. That wasn’t the case here. "Olicity” dominated the season from beginning to end. Just as the premiere opened with Oliver struggling to ask Felicity out, it ended with them driving down the coast in a car they probably borrowed from Ray (poor schmuck).

The writers set out to make Season 3 about Oliver’s personal growth. They needed Oliver Queen to be as developed as his hooded persona. The problem became their approach. Rather than some kind of intrinsic motivation, Oliver transformed over the course of 23 episodes because of his love for Felicity. His crusade to save the city ultimately ended up as a sacrifice on the altar of unrequited love, as Oliver took himself out of the equation four different times during the season. He literally left Starling City two episodes after his impassioned speech to its citizens where he promised he’d never abandon them again. Nine episodes after that, he seemingly left them for good.

That doesn’t seem like the actions of a hero who’s achieved a well-balanced life. That kind of behavior is selfish and unfair to Oliver’s fellow heroes who are now left to defend Starling in his wake. Thea and Laurel – ahem, sorry, Speedy and Black Canary – are spring chickens in the hero game. Diggle can hold his own but he has a baby and a wife now. Nyssa is too busy plotting revenge against Malcolm to care about what happens to Starling City. Oliver’s growth this season should have ended with him accepting his dual role as a hero and a human being. He defeated Ra’s in battle but allowed the old man to steal his identity. Instead of creating a new persona, Oliver simply threw up his arms and fled Starling City with Felicity in Ray’s borrowed car (poor schmuck).

Then there’s the issue of what happened to Felicity this season. The girl we met and grew to love was strong, sweet, capable, and independent. These 23 episodes reduced her to a whiny, lovesick crybaby who would rather her ex-boyfriend save Oliver than thousands of Starling citizens. She played the betrayal card right up until Oliver saved the city and it was convenient for the pair to run away together. She had zero identity this season outside of her on-again-mostly-off-again relationship with Oliver. For a character once seen as the best on this show, Felicity’s fall from grace this season was hard to watch.

All the moving parts converged into a slow-rolling, jumbled mess by the season finale. Nothing personified the finale’s lack of focus better than the utter BS thrown at us about Oliver being safe from sniper bullets because he was wearing league armor. Did the writers think we would just forget the numerous scenes from this season of Diggle mowing down League assassins? This was such a lazy, stupid plot contrivance that I had zero hope for the finale’s final minutes. Whatever was coming for these characters hadn’t been earned in a satisfying fashion, but rather thrown together like a collection of mismatched socks. The only two “cliffhanger” threads have already been resolved by news of the new spinoff: Sara is alive (so no more revenge plot from Nyssa) and so is Ray, so no worries about that giant explosion at his office.

Assuming the creative team can shift the show’s priorities back to storytelling instead of wish fulfillment, Season 4 has a chance to rebound. I think a “less is more” approach and a healthier balance for all our characters would do wonders for this show. Making Diggle the Green Lantern would also help.

Make it happen, writers.

[raymertvtalk]

As if there weren’t enough similarities between the inaugural seasons of The Flash and Smallville, tonight’s episode of The Flash featured a swarm of killer bees being controlled by a female character harboring serious grudges. Sound familiar to you Smallville fans? It should, seeing as how that was also the premise for “Drone” from Season 1 of Smallville.

The real kicker: both episodes were the 18th of their respective seasons!  

[raymertvtalk]

How to Fix The Walking Dead in One Easy Step

The Walking Dead has been the biggest show on television for a couple years now, routinely beating out the NFL's Sunday Night Football broadcast in the coveted 18-49 rating. There's an ongoing comic series that serves as the inspiration for the show, two video games, and a spinoff in the works. But here's a dirty little secret that's become an elephant in the room during The Walking Dead's meteoric rise to the top of the ratings:

It's not a great show.

At first I struggled to understand why the show didn't work. The comics are lithe thrill rides that are sometimes guilty of soapy melodrama. Each issue is a quick read and packs some sort of narrative punch. The video games from Telltale are masterpieces, plain and simple. You don't get the zombie-killing action of games like Dead Rising or Left 4 Dead, but the story is so enthralling you'll shed tears when a member of your group dies.

The television version, by comparison, is as lifeless as the zombie hordes Rick and his group mow down week after week. The storytelling prowess of the video games and the shocking thrills of the comics are largely absent from the small screen adaptation. In place of those crucial elements are forced romances, stilted discussions of post-apocalyptic existence, and pointless conversations that try hard to develop characters but instead bore the audience to tears. Since the beginning, The Walking Dead has tried and failed to be both a thoughtful reflection on the frailty of human constructions like society and trust, and an exercise in ending (undead) life in the most stomach-churning ways possible. Everything about that hollow approach has led to the show's current predicament. 

On the other hand, you have Banshee, which is enjoying an incredible third season. Critics from Hitfix, AV Club, and Grantland have spilled buckets of virtual ink singing the praises of Cinemax's deranged slice of over-the-top violence and all-too-occasional sex scenes. When the season finale airs this Friday, I feel confident in saying I'll have seen a 10-episode stretch that rivals Breaking Bad in its prime. Yup, this show is that good.

What makes Banshee so special is that it fully commits to its gonzo approach. The town of Banshee, PA is filled with cartoon characters who've been refined just enough so that they don't feel one-dimensional. These are superheroes and supervillains who take down MMA champions, hack military bases, rip out throats, travel cross country in the back of a semi truck, and make names like Rabbit and Sugar legitimately awesome. Sure, these characters enjoy regular conversations, struggle with relationships, and make difficult choices. But at the end of the day, violence is the language best spoken by all.

The show's creative team understands the path to success. They embrace the challenge of constantly outdoing themselves with bigger and better action set pieces that come every other episode, not just during premieres and finales. The visceral thrills that arise from Banshee are the result of a calculated effort to maneuver characters into situations where maximum carnage can ensue. The best part is the show's approach doesn't feel fake. Banshee knows what kind of show it is deep down and embraces that identity in every frame. Fans love that kind of authenticity.

On the other hand, you have The Walking Dead, a show suffering from a serious identity crisis. The showrunners have yet to figure out after five seasons that this show is best when delivering those pulse-pounding action sequences where anyone could die at any moment. No other show can combine zombies, crazy human adversaries, and the imminent threat of death quite that well. AMC has created a well-oiled machine that is a thing of beauty when its entire cast of characters is working together to skirt that fine line between life and the undead afterlife. So why does every episode feel the need to split up the group into smaller factions for such inane plunges into nihilism? This approach murders the show's potential. 

Here's my solution: The Walking Dead needs to be embrace its inner Banshee. It has to shed that high-minded baggage and recapture the magic of its comic book inspiration. A world filled with zombies should never feel safe, or worse than that, boring. Banshee manages to capture lightning in a bottle without zombies or the collapse of society as we know it. With Mad Men and Better Call Saul, AMC is already offering outstanding fare for the thinking man. A zombie show doesn't have to fill that same void.

Allow The Walking Dead to stop thinking so much and you'll see the quality of that show skyrocket to heights that match its insane ratings. The pieces are all there. They just need a nudge in the direction of Banshee, PA.

[raymertvtalk]

There's no debate: Season 3 of Banshee has been the show's best. The real question comes in determining the best episode of the show thus far. Has it come from this season? I would nominate "A Fixer of Sorts" or this week's "Tribal" as candidates for that distinction. Both aptly demonstrate what this show can achieve. What is your favorite episode ever?

[raymertvtalk]

I don't want to say I called it, but I kinda did:

With all the discussion of a full-circle ending, this callback to the pilot episode felt like the perfect final scene for Parenthood. Zeek's namesake would live on in his first great-grandchild and the family could reunite to celebrate his life in the place where their story began for us. We got the baseball field scene plus bonus flash forwards for each member of the Braverman clan. It was the tidiest possible ending for a show that asked the audience to make logical leaps during its run. While it was saccharine sweet, this approach mostly succeeded.

Let me air my grievances first. This ending reminded me so much of the Friday Nights Lights finale, which shouldn't come as a big surprise given that these shows share a universe, a showrunner, and about half the same cast. Tonight's ending shot was nearly identical to Coach Taylor and Tami walking off his new football field in Philadelphia. We saw glimpses of where everyone ended up in the future. Jason Street was there, and Luke Cafferty, too. The problem I had with the approach in FNL's finale was the same problem I had here – the whole season built up to something that lacked the appropriate emotional impact when it finally happened.

Season 5 of FNL built up to the Lions winning a state title. One of my favorite memories from that show was watching the Panthers celebrate after their win in the Season 1 finale. To deprive us of that payoff for those characters we'd come to love at East Dillon was disappointing. That same disappointment was present tonight when Zeek's death – which the whole season built to – was brushed aside in favor of the worst family baseball game I've ever seen. I wondered aloud how much time had passed between his death and that final scene. Nobody seemed the least bit sad! I'm not saying there's an appropriate reaction to death, but to have everyone laughing and having fun without seeing any kind of heartbreak was cheap. I get that we saw the family's sorrow during the season when they thought Zeek was going to die. But he actually died here and we witness zero grief at the loss of the family's patriarch.

Part of the problem was the timing of his death. When the final commercial break ended, I thought for sure Zeek was going to survive. Surely they wouldn't pull the trigger on such a huge moment in the final six minutes of the show's history... right? Wrong! I blame the mishandling of these final four episodes for rushed ending. Instead of focusing on Zeek's health, we spent last episode on the Luncheonette and Chambers Academy, two elements that epitomized the show's greatest weakness (how jobs work in the real world). I would have rather seen that time dedicated to saying farewell to Zeek. Sarah's wedding was an appropriate final "big" moment for the finale. But what if it happened in the last episode and the finale was our farewell to Zeek? I'm not saying that's the correct way to handle the ending, just that I could have done without everything not related to the wedding and Zeek.

Other than an inappropriate emotional response to Zeek's death, way too many new kids in the epilogue, and Haddie returning (BOOOOO), the finale was sweet and filled with mostly earned resolutions for these characters. Sarah finally found her Prince Charming in Hank, who's been the show's best character since Joel took a trip down Douchebag Lane. Jabbar remained the best child character on the show by a comfortable margin. Actually, that's really all I got in terms of happy endings that actually made sense.

Everything else, as Hitfix's Alan Sepinwall pointed out, was purely "fantasy camp." But I'm fine with that. I never watched Parenthood because it had the meticulous plotting of Breaking Bad or the allure of unanswered questions like Lost. This was a show that excelled at dropping us into Braverman moments that were so well acted and scripted it felt like we were watching real family members and not actors and actresses. I formed my opinion on Parenthood long before its final hour unfolded. These characters will always have a special place in my heart. No finale in the world was going to change that fact.

[raymertvtalk]

Another season, another outstanding detour into the insane lives of Rafi and Dirty Randy (literally this time). I doubt I'll see another episode during Season 6 that made me laugh as hard as When Rafi Met Randy did. A day later I'm still chuckling over the "We should lock eyes/Try to look a little dead" exchange. As long as FX is making this show, I'd like to see every fourth episode dedicated to this filthy yet lovable couple. What say you, League fans – was this the funniest episode of the season?

[raymertvtalk]

In these final four episodes of Parenthood, it appears likely we're headed for a death in the family. Fans have speculated since last summer about the Grim Reaper's target and most of the money has come in on Zeek. Given his heart problems and the major focus that storyline will receive during this final push, it's extremely probable that the death will be Zeek's if that's really how the show plans to end.

Zeek's comment to Adam earlier this season about spreading his ashes on the baseball field stuck out to me as foreshadowing. I see a full-circle ending that brings all the Bravermans back to the baseball field from the pilot episode as they gather to spread Zeek's ashes. Showrunner Jason Katims kicked off the death speculation with a comment about "the circle of life." Having Zeek die around the same time Amber's baby is born would certainly represent a poignant circle of life moment.

But what if that's all too obvious? Parenthood has always excelled at taking stories where you don't expect them to go. At this point I wonder if the impact of Zeek's death would be lessened by how long it could be stretched out (four episodes). Deaths on TV are gut punches when they come quickly. Getting to bid farewell to a character during their march toward death allows us time to process. We'll still be devastated if Zeek dies. But I don't think his death would be the most gut-wrenching loss this show could throw at us in these final three hours.

It pains me to type this, but what if the heartbreaking death is Amber's unborn baby? Her baby shower was a big focus in the 100th episode, which feels significant. Either she's going to give birth right as Zeek dies or there will be complications during the birth. I don't see that moment going any other way. Don't misunderstand me - I don't want any of the Bravermans to die! I want Zeek to go on living and have plenty of memories with his first great-grandchild. But if we're talking about a death that would wreck fans, Amber losing her child has to be near the top of the list. The crying might never stop in Berkley and in real life.

I don't think this will actually happen, mind you. My money is on the full-circle baseball field ending. But I wouldn't be shocked if they went this route with Amber. We have three episodes left to see if everyone makes it out alive. Until then: May God bless and keep you always...