Burn Notice: The Final Season

Burn Notice aired its final episode last night, with Michael Westen taking down yet another criminal mastermind. I didn't like every direction the show took, especially in the last two seasons. Its humor and helping the underdog fell by the wayside as Michael became consumed with trying to get "un-burned", a concept I never thought was plausible.

Season 7 gave us the deepest exploration of Michael's psyche and, as a side effect, threw his moral compass out of whack. It wasn't much fun to watch. The major message of Seasons 6 and 7 seemed to be that Michael and friends had to pay for their years of exacting personal justice, but it was a mixed message with Sam and Jesse ultimately getting passes. I did appreciate Michael and Fiona escaping an exploding building so narrowly that perhaps only Sam and Jesse knew they had survived. Being presumed dead was the only way the couple could worm out of the trouble they were facing.

The series would have worked better for me if the CIA weren't depicted as a fairly standard government agency. That raised a tough question for the writers: How do we clear Michael for government work with all the less-than-legal stuff he's done since getting burned?

The realm of spies has leeway to be murky. In the pilot, Michael said he didn't work for anyone officially. If he worked for a fictitious, off-book subsection to begin with, the protocol for getting cleared back to work could have been made up, and the show could have delivered the same message: Working with a small group of trusted friends is better than working for a larger organization.

All this said, Burn Notice ended the way I wanted, with Michael giving up his old life, embracing a new life with Fiona.

Perception: "Warrior"

TNT's Perception had its summer finale last night, a great episode that brought to a head Season 2's storylines so far. I was wary of Scott Wolf joining the cast, thinking Donnie might be a shallow character introduced just to throw a wedge between Daniel and Kate. That is how things began, but with each episode, Donnie was fleshed out. This season has seen not just Daniel at low points, but Donnie and Kate as well, and in each case, the other characters have come through as you'd hope friends would.

The Cumulative Effects of Violent Entertainment

Earlier this week, I joined a discussion on Tyrus Books publisher Ben LeRoy's blog about the repercussions of crime fiction. Ben conscientiously asks:

Even if all of the violent media consumed doesn't cause copycat acts of violence, what does it do to the hardwire of our brain as far as our perception of those around us, most notably the strangers on the “other side” goes?

Also taking the discussion to Twitter, Ben asks to what extent violent entertainment perpetuates real violence and contributes to a cycle whereby writers depict violence, cynicism, and other negativity in their efforts to depict our world accurately.

I replied on Twitter that—though I enjoy some violent fiction, TV shows, and movies—a lot out there doesn't appeal to me. I choose not to immerse myself in violent entertainment even knowing it's not real.

I'm not saying, "It's not a problem for me, so it's not a problem." I just think we should equip future generations to be discerning consumers of entertainment as well.

Bishop to NCIS

On August 13, TVLine's Michael Ausiello reported on NCIS's casting to fill the void left by Cote de Pablo.

According to exec producer Gary Glasberg, the plan is to feature a handful of guest agents in the same way Paul Cassidy (Jessica Steen) filled for Kate until Ziva gained acceptance or the way rotating interns replaced Bones's Zack Addy (Eric Millegan). I assume from the amount of detail given about Agent Bishop, she will eventually be the new full-time team member:

[Bishop] is bright, educated, athletic, attractive, fresh-faced, focused and somewhat socially awkward. She has a mysterious mixture of analytic brilliance, fierce determination and idealism. She’s traveled extensively, but only feels comfortable at home.

The description sounds a bit scattered, but clearly geared to appeal to younger female viewers. NCIS is still tops in the ratings going into its eleventh season, but even the best need occasional shakeups.

BEWARE THE BATMAN

Cartoon Network's computer-animated Batman series premiered today. I like its quirky villains, its new take on Alfred as a more action-oriented bodyguard, and, most of all, that he and Batman were hurt as a result of all that running and jumping. The voice acting was also fine. I'm just not sure the generically clean look of computer animation fits Batman as well as it did Green Lantern.

Cote de Pablo Leaving NCIS

TVLine's Matt Webb Mitovich reports, with NCIS's eleventh season due to start production next week, Cote de Pablo (Ziva David) has announced she is leaving the show. de Pablo's contract expired last season, but she will appear at the start of Season 11 to wrap up Ziva's arc.

Several characters have left NCIS over the years, but not a character this important, a field agent, since Kate Todd was killed by Ari Haswari and replaced by Ziva. That change succeeded, in part because Kate and Ziva were very different characters fleshed out over time. I'd like to see a new female field agent added to maintain the show's overall appeal, but things could go in another direction.

If I Wrote a Superman Movie...

As pleased as I am with Man of Steel, Superman brawling with bad guys has always seemed crude to me. This has long been his m.o. in comics and cartoons. In Warner Bros. Animation's 2001 Justice League cartoon, Superman was deliberately powered down so he would need his super friends' help.

My Clark Kent/Superman would have traveled the world, gaining insight into every culture and himself. He would be aware of how powerful he was, of how much damage he were capable of, and would be firmly against aggression. His instinct, like a Jedi's, would be to defend, not to attack. He would not punch, but would slip, block, and use submission holds. Not adding to villains' violence, he would not cause as much collateral damage.

He would be a rescuer and would use his power to nullify villains' power such that, when Superman arrived, they might simply give up.

I know. It would probably never sell. But I'll keep dreaming.

Avengers Assemble

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was, in my opinion, the best Marvel cartoon in decades, finally rivaling Warner Bros. Animation's DC Comics projects. Yesterday, Disney XD previewed its follow-up, Avengers Assemble, which will air in earnest this summer.

I was concerned that Avengers Assemble might be too full of itself with the success of the live-action movie and that it might be similar in tone to Ultimate Spider-Man, too jokey for my taste. Neither is true. I'll miss Earth's Mightiest Heroes' voice cast, but Assemble's is fine at first listen. I'm on board for at least the next episode or two.

ELEMENTARY: "The Woman" and "Heroine"

I've enjoyed this telling of a present-day Sherlock Holmes aided by a female Watson in New York. CBS aired the final two episodes of Season 1 last night, revealing Holmes' femme fatale Irene Adler and his elusive nemesis Moriarty, both powerfully played by Natalie Dormer.

"The Woman" showed Holmes falling for art expert/forger Adler. His belief that she had been murdered drove him to drugs. Her reappearance as the victim of brainwashing compelled him to aid in her recovery. Dormer affected a convincing American accent as Adler and switched to British as she told Holmes she let him to think she was dead to stop him investigating crimes that would eventually point to her.

Moriarty's weakness, though, was her fascination with Holmes to the point she didn't want him harmed. On the verge of letting Moriarty get away with a plot to rig Macedonian currency, Holmes and Watson appeared to have a falling-out and Holmes appeared to overdose. As he lay in the hospital, he was visited by Moriarty, who unwittingly incriminated herself.

I expected the season to end instead with Moriarty's escape, as popular as nemeses have become. But Moriarty appeared sparingly in Doyle's works, most notably in the tale he intended to be Holmes' last. Drawing things out with Moriarty weakens Holmes' crime-solving reputation.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Bon Voyage Reaction"

Leonard gets the opportunity to go on a four-month research cruise for Stephen Hawking. He's concerned how it may affect his relationship with Penny, but she encourages him to go. Meanwhile, Raj pushes Lucy to meet the rest of the gang, but his eagerness threatens to scare her away.

Leonard's departure was not the big, season-ending cliffhanger. Leonard and Penny's bond, solidified this season, should prove strong enough to handle it. The cliffhanger was Lucy's breakup with Raj. In the aftermath, Raj discovered he could talk to women while sober, leaving him optimistic about patching things up. I hope he does. It would be one of the bravest things he's done; it would show how special Lucy is; and Big Bang will have expanded from a show about four friends to a show about four couples, each with dynamics as nuanced as the characters themselves.

ARROW: "Sacrifice"

Arrow has been The CW's biggest hit in years and, as I hoped, I've been able to watch this season for sheer entertainment. The writers envisioned Oliver Queen as a human hero. No powers, no magic. He's been indecisive, stubborn, scared at times, making for unpredictable, watchable television.

My favorite moment of last night's season finale was Ollie admitting to Diggle that Malcom Merlyn (John Barrowman) would probably kill him. He had lost two fights to Merlyn and didn't know how to stop him.

My other favorite moment was Tommy (Colin Donnell) saving Laurel from the earthquake, but getting trapped himself. In an interview with Zap2it.com, Donnell points out that Ollie, Laurel, and Malcom all loved Tommy, which makes his death a fine catalyst for Season 2.

Malcom Merlyn's engineered earthquake threatened all the characters, and did not feel like a ratings stunt because "The Undertaking" had been foreshadowed all season. It compelled Moira to admit to the press her collusion with Malcom, resulting in her arrest. Thea headed into the earthquake's path to save Roy (Colton Haynes).

When Ollie removed his hood in front of Tommy earlier this season, the expectation was that Tommy would become Ollie's nemesis. Instead, he, along with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), became Ollie's conscience, never condoning his use of deadly force. Though I'll miss Tommy, I'm glad he, like NCIS's Kate Todd, was a fully realized character allowed to finish an arc.

NCIS: "Damned If You Do"

My interest in NCIS is only occasional these days. The show has been around for ten seasons and will be around for at least eleven. Even its biggest fans are hard pressed to say it's doing anything new. I remember how fresh it seemed in comparison to the stately JAG. While CSI tried to add flash to forensics, NCIS peppered its procedure with humor, a tack that has also worked for Bones. But while Bones' lead relationships have steadily progressed, NCIS's Gibbs has stood pat for several seasons.

Gibbs was a buttoned-down, closed-off ex-Marine until Jenny Shepard's appointment as director showed his softer side. Season 3 ended with a bombing that revealed the painful past of losing his first wife and daughter. This was real character development. Another step could have been Gibbs marrying again. At the very least, his three ex-wives show he's not afraid of commitment. His last serious relationship was with Army CID Col. Hollis Mann (Susana Thompson) in Season 4. Thompson left for a role on NBC's Kings, and Don Bellisario left after Season 4, taking some storylines with him. Remember the possibility that Director Shepard's father was alive?

For the last several seasons, the show has touted Gibbs' integrity. It doesn't jibe to call his character into question now. My biggest complaint about the finale, though, is it doesn't deliver on the threat to Gibbs. That threat is abruptly pulled back in the name of letting Gibbs go on a secret mission for national security. So, at least three episodes of posturing. If I were more invested, I'd feel cheated.

LEVERAGE: THE CON JOB by Matt Forbeck

Nathan Ford and his team of good-doing thieves, last seen on the TV series Leverage, come to the aid of aging comic book artist Simon Curtiss when forger Lorenzo Patronus, looking to make a splash at San Diego Comic-Con, cheats Curtiss of his life's work.

This is the first of three Leverage tie-in novels to date. I'm interested as a fan of the show from the beginning, but also, as a writer, I wanted to see how the show's style translated to novels. The show relied on quick cuts, flashbacks, and our heroes constantly talking with each other through earpieces. Matt Forbeck's chapters are short to keep the pace up, each one holding to one hero's view of the action for the most part. It works well, and Forbeck shows knowledge of each character's backstory and their dynamics with each other. Forbeck does not employ the show's quick flashbacks, which were effective for TV, but in a novel might have slowed the pace or disrupted the narrative.

Each of the three novels is written by a different author, which also attracted me to the books. Paging through the second, I see Keith R.A. DeCandido does use jumps in chronology (Now, An Hour Ago, Last Week...). In the right hands, the technique can work.

Psych: "Right Turn or Left for Dead"

Over the past two seasons, Shawn and Juliet have developed a romantic relationship to the point, in last week's episode, Juliet realized Shawn was not psychic. Most of the characters believing Shawn's act is Psych's most playful concept and the one viewers have to swallow to watch the show at all. For Shawn and Juliet's relationship to reach its potential, though, Juliet had to find out and accept the truth.

Much of this week's episode played out in Shawn's head as he weighed reality, where Juliet found him out, against how things might have gone if she hadn't. The script and the actors played out both storylines seamlessly. In the end, Shawn was teased with a dream of Juliet coming to terms with his deceit and accepting him. He then woke up to Juliet asking him to move out.

I think this will play out like the tellings of Superman where Lois discovers Clark is Superman. At first, she's thrown for a loop. Having believed in who Clark seemed to be, she feels betrayed by the revelation of who he is. Shawn has it better than Clark. He hasn't built disparate identities. His thin lie about being psychic is the only phony thing about him.

NCIS: Los Angeles: "Red, Part Two"

OSP and Red team continue pursuing an elusive, unknown killer as the body count rises.

Part Two had more moments between Callen and Paris and the members of Red team, Scott Grimes bringing the comic relief. I don't get the sense that a Red series will be very different from NCIS: Los Angeles, but if Part Two's ratings hold up to Part One's, CBS could make a full night of NCIS, with Red in the Tuesday 10:00 P.M. slot that has lagged for years.

If Red doesn't go to series, I'd welcome Paris or Red team back on either NCIS or NCIS: Los Angeles.
UPDATE (May 15, 2013): CBS decided against bringing Red to series. The ratings were decent, but apparently the concept wasn't strong enough to sway execs. Instead of a full NCIS night, CBS is moving Person of Interest into the Tuesday 10:00 P.M. slot, so TV's three most watched dramas will air on the same night.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES: "Red, Part One"

In this anticipated backdoor pilot for a spinoff, Callen and Sam rendezvous with a mobile Red team to investigate a murder in Idaho whose details match one in Los Angeles.

I admit up front I'm spoiled by the two-part, Season 8 JAG episode introducing the cast of NCIS. It was so different in tone, pacing, and cinematography that it almost didn't fit JAG. Odd fit aside, the aforementioned qualities are what I loved about NCIS for its first seven seasons.

In Season 6 of NCIS, the Los Angeles team was introduced in a two-part, backdoor pilot. By then, NCIS creator Don Bellisario had ceded control to Shane Brennan. Brennan and CBS developed NCIS: Los Angeles without Bellisario's input. Bellisario, in fact, sued CBS for compensation, the parties settling two months ago. I admit to being a Bellisario fan before opining that NCIS: Los Angeles's characters and chemistry weren't as well formed from the start. I say the same about Red team.

Lead agent Paris Summerskill (Kim Raver) had an interesting background in the performing arts and better romantic chemistry with Callen than anyone previously has. However, with ten minutes left in Part One, Paris's ex-partner, Roy Haines (John Corbett), was called back into action. Paris supposedly had chemistry with Roy, but she responded to his appearance by slugging him and sulking off. The rest of the team haven't distinguished themselves yet. Corbett does seem comfortable, as he usually does.

I realize I can't judge a two-parter by part one, but first impressions are important. Because NCIS hit the ground running, I had thought any spinoffs would do the same, but they haven't. That said, I prefer NCIS: Los Angeles Seasons 2, 3, and 4 to classic NCIS Seasons 8, 9, and 10. If "Red" makes a splash in the ratings, CBS is sure to afford it the same chance to grow on me.

The Nerdpocalypse on the Veronica Mars Kickstarter

I've been a fan of The Nerdpocalypse site and podcasts since they interviewed Middleman creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach last year. Host Jay blogged yesterday about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter, and I commented this morning.

Crimespree Magazine at 50

I received my copy of Crimespree #50 today, including many contributors' remembrances how they came to be involved with the magazine. I wasn't asked, but allow me to gush here on my blog.

Jon Jordan, a.k.a. "NoDoze", a.k.a. "makemenachos", was a longtime and enthusiastic member of my P.I. fiction discussion DetecToday when Dave White encouraged me to pitch Jon a DVD review of Veronica Mars Season One. Jon referred me to Entertainment Editor Jeremy Lynch, and countless words later, I still love working with them any chance I get.

Over the years, I've had the thrills of turning Jon on to NCIS, of turning Jeremy on to The Middleman, of interviewing Ace Atkins for Crimespree two days after the announcement he was continuing Robert B. Parker's Spenser...

And yet, more than any piece I've done for the magazine, I've enjoyed the people behind it. Before my first Bouchercon in 2008, I blogged about whether I should use a backpack. Jon not only phoned me with luggage advice, but we chatted a good while longer. Jon and Ruth were also kind enough to do an ad exchange so I could spread the word about The Lineup in Crimespree.

I wish them continued success and look forward to many more memories.

Kickstarter

Creator Rob Thomas reached a funding goal of $2 million toward a Veronica Mars movie in one day. As a fan of the show, I was glad to see it happen, but I'm sure there are other hurdles in the way.

I've backed two Kickstarter projects so far: Seth Harwood's CrimeWAV Books and Michael A. Arnzen's Fridge of the Damned, which both reached their goals. I think Kickstarter is a good way to reach out to fans and make them feel a part of projects, but I have no plans to use it to fund my own.

My experience publishing and promoting The Lineup didn't show enough interest to warrant a campaign. If I take your money in advance, I'm obligated to you; whereas if I see something through to fruition on my own, I will have done it my way, and you can buy my product or not. Whether you buy, my product is already out there.

On the other hand, I might use Kickstarter to offer small rewards related to a base product. The goal might be lower because it wouldn't include the cost to make the product itself, and it would show how large a fan base I had.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Tangible Affection Proof"

Leonard's Valentine's dinner with Penny is sidetracked by Howard and Bernadette tagging along after a mishap with Howard's present. Also, Penny is distracted by one of her exes, who gets engaged a few tables over. Meanwhile, Sheldon enlists Alex to help find a Valentine's present for Amy.

"The Tangible Affection Proof" balanced storylines well. Sheldon's present to Amy, making her his emergency contact person, was meaningful and nicely turned on its head by how many "emergencies" Sheldon has.

Leonard and Penny's storyline delivered, too, Penny's ordeal bringing up her fear of commitment. I'm not sure Leonard's solution relieved any of the pressure, but that's a good thing, dramatically speaking.

Finally, after a rallying speech at a Lonely People's Party at the comic book store, Raj asked a girl out, and she accepted. According to next week's log line, though, the date doesn't go well.