PicoBlog

You can always count on ETC to stay cutting edge in which plays are chosen. A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati is reportedly the number one produced play in America in 2019.  I do not understand why, but then again this play probably isn't written for someone like me.  I'm not sure who the intended audience is, as the themes addressed have been talked about for years in much more palatable and insightful ways.

Back in 2022, toward the end of October, there was a meme going around Twitter about “villains” in television shows. More specifically, “the show villain” (who the show considers the villain) versus “the actual villain.” Naturally, a lot of the examples given by people were steeped in misogyny (the ol’ Skyler White Dilemma), but there was a fervor around an Abbott Elementaryone that suggested—and this was conveniently just before the episode “Juice” really ramped up the conversation—Ava was “the show villain,” with Janine being “the actual villain.

It’s pretty rare for an episode of Abbott Elementary to completely fall flat in just about every plot. There always tends to be at least one shining light or even one especially funny bit, even in the series’ weaker episodes. The people in front of the camera and those behind it are all exceptional professionals who know how to make a television show and a delightfully humorous one at that. But “Alex,” unfortunately, falls into that aforementioned rare realm for Abbott Elementary, disappointing from beat to beat, even with what should arguably be slam dunks (highlighting the effects the revolving door of substitute teachers are having on Janine’s students) and lay-ups (Ava’s search for a full-time Janine replacement) for the show.

Coming off the heels of as singularly focused on an episode as “Willard R. Abbott,” Abbott Elementary’s “Librarian” somewhat stands out as something of a half-baked (or at least, not fully cooked) episode in comparison. That description would still be the same if “Librarian” followed a less focused or successful episode, but especially with just a few days between the two new episodes—instead of the standard week or even a regularly scheduled in-season break—these things stick out.

This week’s Abbott Elementary episode, “Panel,” is a quick bounce back of sorts after last week’s “Librarian.” Kate Peterman’s script is a tighter-written (and overall funnier) episode, with its biggest issue stemming from the nature of being a network television sitcom (and a hit one at that). Funnily enough, that’s also relevant to this plot where Abbott Elementary does its own take on the tried and true sitcom trope of a character (in this case, Janine) needing to be in two places at once.

Turns out, all Barry needed to get back into focus was for the characters to re-enter one another’s orbit. We’re still waiting on a few (likely explosive) reunions, but tonight’s episode had all the major players back in L.A., with predictably catastrophic results. At this point, Barry, Sally, Gene, Fuches, and NoHo Hank are all well-drawn enough that they can support storylines on their own, but this can be a trap; just because a character can work in isolation doesn’t mean that they should.

Tracks: 1) Emotions; 2) Just Another Lie; 3) If You Love Me (Really Love Me); 4) Crazy Talk; 5) When I Fall In Love; 6) Around The World; 7) Swanee River Rock; 8) Will You Love Me Tomorrow; 9) I’m Learning About Love; 10) Georgia On My Mind; 11) Cry; 12) I’m In The Mood For Love. REVIEW The tracklist of Emotions was compiled, this time around, from seven different sessions, but most of them took place within a short period of time (end of 1960 up to January ’61) and largely with the same personnel.

Welcome to Episodic Medium’s coverage of the final season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. As always, this first review is free for all, but subsequent reviews will be exclusively for paid subscribers. To get future reviews (full schedule here) and more for $5 a month, sign up now. For the past few years, the way I’ve felt about new seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm is similar to how I’ve felt about new seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

First off: rest in peace, Richard Lewis. Just a couple weeks ago, I wrote about the distinct energy Lewis has brought to this show since the first season; Larry David himself has said their real-life friendship is exactly like their on-screen friendship, which comes across. You can feel how much they love each other through every screaming match. But Lewis’s presence has been slightly less consistent in recent years, mainly when he appeared in just one episode of season eleven as a result of multiple medical issues and surgeries.