Doctor Who Season 11, Episode 10: “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” Let’s be honest—I don’t think any of us were expecting too much out of this week’s Doctor Who season finale. On the one hand, it’s been a monumental season, with the series’ first female lead breaking new ground and shedding light on many…
Animated sitcoms don’t exactly lend themselves to character development. The characters rarely get any older no matter how long the show stays on the air, so we can’t really expect them to learn much of anything. But there are exceptions to every rule, and Tina Belcher actually seems to be growing up before our very…
When we look back on season eleven of Doctor Who in a few years’ time, I have a feeling this week’s episode may be one we point to as an encapsulation of both the best and worst parts of the season. Unless, of course, we’ve forgotten about this episode entirely and have to depend on…
Someone mentioned to me the other day that, out of the three Belcher children, Gene’s the one that seems kind of unnecessary. And I get it—Louise is the entertaining criminal mastermind, and Tina’s become a symbol of hope for shy, awkward children (and adults) everywhere. So, like most middle children, it’s only natural that Gene…
There’s an important lesson embedded in this week’s Doctor Who adventure, and it applies to just about all of us. It’s presented in such an over-the-top way that a lot of people will probably miss it. But if you go beyond the immediate story and look deeper, it’s there. And it’s one that we desperately…
The American tradition of pardoning turkeys at Thanksgiving goes back over 150 years. Granted (as Bob unsuccessfully tries to point out to his kids), it’s a little hypocritical to set one turkey free while planning to eat another one, but it’s a nice gesture. At least for the turkey that gets to live. But what…
Like any good science fiction show, Doctor Who has always had its share of evil aliens, killer robots, and sentient computer systems. And we wouldn’t accept anything less. But there have been several episodes this season that have shown us that, no matter how much technology advances, or how crazy things get on other planets,…
How to Get Away with Murder Season 5, Episode 8: “I Want to Love You Until the Day I Die” So now we know who died at the wedding. And, as far as big reveals go, this was a pretty satisfying one. HTGAWM has always used flashbacks and flash-forwards in a very creative way, and…
Bob’s Burgers Season 9, Episode 6: “Bobby Driver” We all have people in our lives that drive us nuts. We try to avoid them, but there they are—at the office, the grocery store, or our favorite restaurant. They may not even know us that well, but they always seem to know just what to do…
Doctor Who Season 11, Episode 6: “Demons of the Punjab” One of the things that makes the idea of time travel so appealing is our innate desire to learn about our ancestors. I’ve been told that I have a lot in common with my paternal grandfather, but he passed away when I was pretty young,…
How to Get Away with Murder Season 5, Episode 7: “I Got Played” Annalise Keating may be the most fascinating character on television right now. I’m not sure there’s another character (or another actor) who can evoke such strong feelings of admiration, anger, frustration, and pity—all in the space of a single episode. Voila Davis…
Bob’s Burgers Season 9, Episode 5: “Live and Let Fly” Kids think they know everything. (And, yes—I know those sound like the words of a grumpy old man. But, in my defense, I’m kind of old. And I’m usually grumpy. So, I guess if the shoe fits—it’s probably orthopedic.) So it’s nice to see them…
How to Get Away with Murder Season 5, Episode 6: “We Can Find Him” I should have seen this one coming. The writers weren’t even subtle about it, but I got caught up in the plot and forgot the second basic rule of television and movie watching. The first rule, of course, is that, until…
Doctor Who Season 11, Episode 4: “Arachnids in the UK” The word “home” can evoke many different images and feelings. For some of us, home is a happy and safe place that’s shared with those we love. For others, home may not be very pleasant. And then there are those poor souls who don’t even…
How to Get Away with Murder Season 5, Episode 5: “It Was the Worst Day of My Life” Being open and authentic with others can be difficult. It can be downright scary at times. In fact, most of us spend a great deal of time and energy making sure that people don’t see who we…