My Life Is Murder (2019) s02e06 – Sleep No More

Lucy Lawless gets an arc to herself with brother Martin Henderson this episode, and it's almost enough to make up for a lackluster murder. It seems like it'll be enough, but the epilogue is a weird whiff and reminds of the show's inability to land certain things, like jokes at Lawless's expense from Ebony Vagulans. They fall flat, Lawless looks at Vagulans to acknowledge they fall flat, then the show just pretends they work. It's a very weird fail, and one "Murder" can't stop making.

The mystery this episode is a suspicious death at a resort hotel. Bruce Hopkins was locked in the freezer overnight, and copper Rawiri Jobe suspects foul play but can't prove it. So he sends Lawless and Vagulans on holiday to figure it out. Except Henderson's up for parole, so Lawless has to bounce between home and work all episode, allowing for her to look at computer intel because Vagulans apparently doesn't bring a laptop with her to the resort.

There are a handful of suspects. Son-in-law Ryan O'Kane, presumably daughter-in-law (presumably suspect not presumably daughter-in-law) Grace Palmer, and American real estate mogul William Shatner. The widow, Carmel McGlone, was out of the country at the time, which is good because she's super suspicious all the time. Shatner's only it to give Lawless a banter partner she doesn't immediately shut down before she and McGlone can bond over being widows.

It just takes a while because everyone at the hotel assumes Lawless and Vagulans are "dark tourists"—vacationers who go to murder scenes and snoop around—and not there in any official or even consulting capacity. Eventually, McGlone gets better material (while getting more suspicious), and she and Lawless can chill out and pass Bechdel, even with dead husbands to talk about.

McGlone and Palmer give good supporting performances, and then Lawless might give her best performance of the season—it's a muted personal—but it's too bad Vagulans isn't better. Some of it's obviously the material.

Also, O'Kane is a little bit too thin. You keep assuming he will have substance because they treat him like an actual suspect, but he never delivers any. Kate McDermott's script has herky-jerky pacing to it, without ever following through on event consequences, just hopping to Lawless's next interaction with the guest stars.

Despite the insubstantial mystery plot, there's still room for Lawless to deliver on the character front. But it's the flimsiest episode in a while.

Evil (2019) s02e11 – I Is for IRS

There are a few enormous, series-changing swings in this episode. It starts right at the beginning, a montage set to Andrew Bird’s song, Fake Palindromes (I Shazamed it to see if it was an original song since the action fits so closely); the montage ends with one of the regular cast apparently murdering someone. Doesn’t matter the rest of the episode; it’s just all in a typical day at “Evil.” The other big swings come at the end of the episode, which turns out to be—seemingly—a conclusion to the arc Katja Herbers has been on all season.

She, Mike Colter, and Aasif Mandvi are investigating a new church of Satan for the IRS (the Catholic Church does favors for the IRS, which leads to a handful of muted wry remarks about the Church being a pedophile land-grab operation but a lot less pointed than usual; maybe Paramount+ finally got their Standards and Practices division in order). The church is a thinly veiled riff on the actual Satanic Temple, but instead of fighting for women’s rights, the “Evil” version just uses Satanic mumbo jumbo to score chicks and sell t-shirts. Gus Halper plays the frontman disbeliever—his character’s name is Graham Lucian, which is close enough Lucian Greaves ought to make a t-shirt mocking the show—and John Sanders is the creepy believer Satanic preacher who threatens people.

Except when Colter clearly shows the church brochure to “in league with Satan” Michael Emerson, Emerson freaks out. So hopefully, if Sanders comes back as threatened, it’ll be to Emerson exacting whatever. I really hope they don’t team them up.

The investigation is mostly an excuse for Herbers’s arc to wrap up with the assistance of good-looking sexual predator Halper and for “Evil” to have a few half-naked women in the episode. And for Herbers, Colter, and Mandvi to talk a lot about financial technicalities. Catholic boss man Peter Scolari (it’s hard to imagine what the show would be if Scolari weren’t such a twerp) doesn’t want them giving the IRS a thumbs down on the Satanists for religious reasons; instead he wants them to get the thumbs down for secular ones. It’s ever unclear if “Evil” realizes the commentary it’s making on the Catholic Church, especially when Herbers and Mandvi are so clipped in their pushback.

The second big swing is going to involve a great scene between Herbers and Colter, maybe one of Colter’s best in ages—remember when he was going to have a subplot this season about the Catholic Church not caring about Black people, and then they dropped it—even though the new normal it helps set up is on unstable footing. “Evil” manages to make having a familiar character be a vicious murderer less shocking than Herbers actually wanting to spend time with her husband, Patrick Brammall. Brammall, despite having gone from a Mount Everest climbing guide to a Colorado truck company owner, still manages to be a hipster cultural appropriator; it’s sort of impressive.

There are some good scenes with Kurt Fuller (though he’s now playing Brammall and Herbers’s marriage counselor even though they said he wouldn’t be because of conflicts of interest) and Christine Lahti. Emerson has a bunch to do, but it’s unclear how much is acting and how much is editing.

It’s a strange episode, and there are only a couple more this season, so they may not have time to do anything but shake more things up. If so, it’ll be a disservice to otherwise rather solid second season. Fingers crossed.

My Life Is Murder (2019) s02e05 – Crushed Dreams

While Covid-19 doesn’t exist in “My Life Is Murder”—seriously, how long does it have to go on before someone might think they should address it even for reruns; we had to deal with flag pins for a decade—Zoom has still become a thing. Unclear how Zoom became ubiquitous in a world without lockdown, but since one of the show’s central conceits is Lucy Lawless’s four loaves of sourdough bread are all Joe Naufahu ever needs for his restaurant… there’s some obvious willful suspension of disbelief.

Anyway.

Zoom figures in a lot this episode, both in the case and not in the case, with first season regular Bernard Curry popping in to remind how one can simultaneously be affable and lack charm. There’s even bad timing from Curry. It’s not a bad cameo—and much better than I expected when they showed his name pop up on Lawless’s phone—but this season is such a joyful success; why remind of the wanting first season.

This episode has a complex—no pun intended—vineyard mystery. Young vintner Tatum Warren-Ngata dies in a horrible accident, but there might be something corked—pun intended—about it, so copper Rawiri Jobe sends Lawless to investigate. The vineyard’s on an island, which requires a sleepover at a bed and breakfast, so Ebony Vagulans tags along. There’s (presumably) free wine. And studly master vintner Jay Ryan running the show. Ryan’s got such a phony-looking mustache it seems like it’s going to be a Scooby-Doo reveal at the end, but based on a quick IMDb search, it might be real. It’s not important.

Because he quickly because a prime suspect just for the suspicious creep factor. Even if he’s not a killer—he’s got the best alibi, and it’s not even a homicide for sure—there’s something shady about his wine. The solution to the mystery is going to involve a whole bunch of wine talk. “My Life Is Murder” has been very comfortable being repetitive with exposition to keep viewers caught up, but this episode—writing credit to Shoshana McCallum—demands they pay attention to winemaking minutiae. They sort of simplify it for the finish, but it’s still full of… ahem… complexities.

While the vineyard’s away from the city and presumably the cast besides Lawless and Vagulans, Jobe and Naufahu do manage to keep showing up. Lawless and Vagulans are either in the apartment, baking bread and thinking through the investigation—the episode does an excellent job with the thinking through process, and both Lawless and Vagulans are getting really good at having eureka moments—harassing one of the suspects, or just hanging out with Jobe and Naufahu. At one point, they all have a glass of champagne together, with Naufahu naturally joining in even though he’s kind of just their favorite barista.

It does actually set up a later scene in the mystery solution, so well done, episode.

Also, Jobe appears to drink on the job a lot. And Vagulans now regularly teases him about a romance with Lawless, so I wasn’t the only one who saw the chemistry.

Good supporting performances from everyone at the vineyard—Ryan, Britain Swarbrick, Nicola Kawana, Graham Vincent. Not Warren-Ngata in her social media footage (seriously, vlogging has entirely changed flashback devices), but, well, it doesn’t really matter. It all works out.

“My Life Is Murder” definitely seems to have found its formula.

Evil (2019) s02e05 – Z Is for Zombies

I’m surprised to see Nelson McCormick is this episode’s director. I don’t remember his previous directorial efforts on “Evil” being… well, being any good. And this episode’s pretty well-directed. It’s all over the place, and McCormick keeps up the pace.

The episode opens on series regular Skylar Gray and her friend Gloria Manning watching scary movies and seeing scary things out their windows. Gray’s always been a regular on the show, but I still had no idea it was her, no idea I was supposed to recognize her. Because without the three sisters, she’s not bulk annoying and instead gets to have some personality. She and Manning are going to have the actual A plot.

The B plot is for Katja Herbers, Mike Colter (even though he brings the case to the group, he still basically gets squat), and Aasif Mandvi is regularly practicing exorcist Brian Stokes Mitchell needs help. He’s possessed–possibly by Michael Emerson–and his gambling problem is back. So the team tries to help him but discovers more to it than just some online poker. With the dueling C plots of Mandvi still recovering from his ordeal last episode and Emerson’s ongoing exorcism sessions.

They’re going to involve new sort of regular Andrea Martin, who’s a nun in Colter and Mitchell’s church, and she knows lots of things and has good ideas, but no one listens to her because she’s a woman in the Catholic Church. There’s a subtle character development thing for Colter, who doesn’t realize he’s been oblivious to the women around him in the church because literal patriarchy. Martin’s excellent and brings some real fun to the show, which it needs. Even when “Evil” is wry, there’s something contaminated about it.

For example, Gray and Manning’s YA adventure—which has them going into the city to get actual zombie cures from awesome guest star Patrice Johnson. The episode doesn’t shy away from its slavery history lesson; instead, it showcases it and does so reasonably well; it’s still a little weird to have them throwing around the term “slave driver,” but it’s much better than expected.

See, it turns out Manning’s dad, Francois Battiste, works at an Amazon competitor, and they treat their workers even worse. It’s topical, empathetic, and profoundly cynical, especially for a world where there’s no such thing as Covid.

Still, a good episode, especially for Gray, Manning, Herbers (who’s spectacular when she gets to be a shrink), and Mitchell. Season two is working out.

Evil (2019) s02e01 – N is for Night Terrors

“Evil” is back and it hasn’t been gone anywhere near as long as I thought. The last episode of the first season aired in February 2020, pre-Rona lockdown, pre-Catholics killing babies and dumping them in mass graves (well, pre-discovery of it, but “Evil” won’t care). But it’s only felt like a while. The episode picks up right where we left off, with lead Katja Herbers being very suspicious after serial killer nemesis Darren Pettie ends up dead. We get some very quick resolution on whether she did it or not, with Herbers more concerned about getting a rash from a rosary when talking to her sometimes boss and also therapist Kurt Fuller. I forgot how much I like Fuller on this show. He just has a good time. Effortlessly.

When Michael Emerson is having a good time camping it up, it’s not effortless. They try really hard to make Emerson a notable villain; the A plot this episode has Catholic boss Peter Scolari wanting Herbers, Mike Colter (who’s got zip to do this episode), and Aasif Mandvi (who gets more but not really) to evaluate Emerson for an exorcism. Seems Emerson has been donating big time to the Catholic Church—again, “Evil” has a problem with itself. Not to mention having now moved to Paramount+—sorry, CBS having decided to move it to Paramount+—it’s now a show for people who wish Rona doesn’t exist, the Catholic Church is the good guys, and who pay for Paramount+. Fragile white Democrats?

There’s even an f-bomb from Herbers at one point and I swear it was looped in because they can do it now (all of the season, presumably, filmed thinking they’d go on TV not streaming—the commercial fade outs are annoying now and are just going to get worse as it goes along).

So the team decides they’re going to play with Emerson to see what he’s going to lie about because they’ll still learn stuff about him. Or he’ll just get into their heads and infect Mandvi with a dream sex demon dominatrix (possibly played by “Legends of Tomorrow”’s Hawkgirl, Ciara Renée), which is kind of amusing until they do a “is Mandvi dreaming or not” with the subplot for the cliffhanger.

Herbers should have a tough episode and doesn’t because the show doesn’t want to really get too tough. Mandvi’s good. Colter’s present. Scolari’s a really shitty dude (not sure if it’s intentional, but the character’s definitely a shitty dude and Scolari’s definitely good at being a shitty dude). And Emerson’s… much better than his worst on the show.

It’s a somewhat easy start to the season—one of Herbers’s likable but interchangeable kids grows vampire molars and gives some decent Martin vibes—but it’s, you know, fine. Especially for “Evil.”

With all the standard “Evil” asterisks, of course.

All Rise (2019) s02e12 – Chasing Waterfalls

I missed the writing credit at the open so I didn’t know until now Damani Johnson is responsible for the coolest Say Anything reference a fourteen year-old could have made in 1992 before it became exceptionally dated and also the actors involved in the scene were six when Say Anything came out. So “All Rise” continues to target fifty-something Gen-Xers who think they’re thirty-something glamorous (but not too glamorous, but still glamorous) lawyers.

There’s some actual progress on the show, like Todd Williams’s character finally about to move to L.A. from D.C. permanently, something they’ve been discussing on the show since last season and something he seemingly had already done around Christmas. Simone Missick’s almost back at work. She’s back at work enough they don’t have any actual baby scenes, just her and Williams talking about the baby. There’s a fun—enough—subplot about Williams trying to get Wilson Bethel to babysit, which has potential for character development and all sorts of stuff.

But it’s not this episode. It’ll be someday. If CBS renews the show, which is on the bubble, its tenacity getting through Covid and a pregnant then new mom lead not getting an early pickup reward.

There’s also progress on J. Alex Brinson’s subplot about sheriff Louis Herthum being a bad guy only Brinson could never see it because he had to drink the Kool-Aid to survive. The episode’s about Brinson coming to terms with it, but he doesn’t talk to anyone about it—instead we find out Jessica Camacho has, in addition to doing even more work than the rest of the public defenders, gotten a new home self-care regime going because she sleeps three hours a night. Presumably there’s not going to be a speed subplot for her coming up but it wouldn’t be out of place.

Brinson goes to Camacho’s to hide out from the world and his responsibilities, leading to a standoff between Camacho and Audrey Corsa (where, shockingly, Corsa is the sympathetic one), while Camacho does a whole “kissing someone else” arc, which Bethel’s also going through and having his life fall apart for it.

Consistency hasn’t been the keyword this season and continues not to be, including Ruthie Ann Miles’s arc fighting with another court clerk (Tate Ellington) about missing mail. Miles hasn’t had jack to do in a half dozen episodes but is all of a sudden getting a filler subplot, which implies the show’s skipped a lot of what’s been going on with her.

The case this episode is a Russian mob thing. Good performance from star witness Sofia Vassilieva. No one else makes much of an impression, except maybe when judge Marg Helgenberger lets the defendant threaten to murder all the witnesses against him and Helgenberger swears unless he stops she’ll hold him in contempt.

Sure.

I’ve always contended I’ll watch Missick and Bethel in anything but… maybe it’s time to let “All Rise” rest. Or at least to hire a writers with better ideas than Say Anything rips.

All Rise (2019) s02e11 – Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Forgive Us Our Trespasses is the first “All Rise” since producer Warner Bros. fired creator Greg Spottiswood for being too racist and sexist, which doesn’t appear to have any bearing on the episode—unless it’s somehow in the subtext of Peter MacNicol’s arc about appearing to be profoundly biased against a Black defendant but really it’s because he’s got unresolved issues regarding his brother (MacNichol’s brother, not the defendant’s) since childhood, which only Simone Missick (making a return not just via Zoom but also on location three times) can help him resolve. But MacNicol’s arc doesn’t have much in the way of subtext.

The episode doesn’t have much in the way of subtext, with Missick having a mistaken information sitcom faux pas with Amy Gort and new partners Jessica Camacho and Samantha Marie Ware speaking in exposition dumps to one another the whole time, or J. Alex Brinson and Wilson Bethel having some frosty conversations because Brinson’s on a list of suspicious sheriff deputies. It’s all id, all the time this episode. It works for some of the story arcs, doesn’t work for most of them, works for some of the actors, doesn’t work for… well, it doesn’t work for Ware.

What’s weird about Ware and Camacho not clicking is it’s unclear if they don’t click or if they don’t click because of the script or even the direction. Paul McCrane kind of directs the hell out of the episode, but then also doesn’t. His two shots are great, letting the actors (even Ware) experience the other actors’ deliveries and react in time. But all the close-ups feel mawkish. The instincts are good, the results are not. Then again, might just be the way the script works. And also there’s always social distancing so it’s hard to get two shots.

Everyone in the regular cast—save an absent Reggie Lee—gets something to do this episode, to the point I couldn’t remember Audrey Corsa’s character’s name again. And I suppose all Ruthie Ann Miles gets is to send Ware off on her way in the first scene. The episode makes a good case for Ware’s character being the protagonist of the whole show, as she’s now on a presumably multi-episode arc of shadowing different people throughout the building. Unfortunately Ware’s mostly terrible so it’d be terrible but it makes narrative sense.

Anyway, there are subplots like Ryan Michelle Bathe and Wilson Bethel still feeling the shockwaves from their kiss—which has the added context they never actually dated in college and so all the previous flirtations and references to a relationship were just Bathe and Missick teasing Bethel? But then Lindsay Mendez starts a subplot about an abused kid, which turns out just be a craven gotcha for the audience.

“All Rise” is struggling, as it has this entire season, to get through lockdown, to get through Missick’s maternity leave. Can’t help having your creator and show runner be a piece of shit. Fingers crossed they make it, fingers crossed it gets back to being at least a showcase for its many good actors.

Lastly, the cliffhanger with Brinson confronting his cop buddies is terrifying and hopefully the show does right by him after putting him through a hellish arc.

Life on Mars (2006) s01e04

Different writer than the first three episodes—Ashley Pharoah here—and a somewhat different vibe. It’s centered somewhat differently on John Simm, whose time traveller status doesn’t factor into the main plot here, which has him butting heads against local crime boss Tom Mannion. Everyone else in the department is on Mannion’s payroll to some degree or another—except the ladies, because they’re, you know, ladies and not worth bribing—and Simm finds himself unable to take the bribe to fit in.

Especially not after he tracks down his mum (Joanne Froggatt), who’s probably visiting him in the hospital in the present and talking to him. Simm’s dad is away on business (as usual) and his younger self is upstairs with the mumps, but he’s able to bond with Froggatt even after he weirds her out offering her his payola from Mannion to cover her debt to… Mannion.

In addition to the subplot with Froggatt, Simm and Liz White are seemingly moving forward on their tentative romance—they’re trying to decide whether or not to go see Mean Streets or one of the Carry On movies—but it all gets screwed up after Simm agrees to help out one of Mannion’s nightclub dancers, Kelly Wenham. Wenham wants to get out of town but Mannion won’t let her leave, can’t Simm protect her. Turns out his protecting goes a little wrong—and initially raises the question of whether or not the drugs Simm is on in his comatose state in the future can affect his brain chemistry enough to screw up the lives of the people he’s imagining around him (before being almost immediately discarded).

What makes the episode so interesting—and some of what makes it so good—is how Simm’s moral dilemma about taking the bribes–or helping Mannion keep his staff under control—doesn’t have anything to do with him being from the future. Yes, technically, he might not have been in the same position to take bribes in his experience versus Philip Glenister (who’s got a fantastic scene recounting when he first became a bent copper), but the conflict is about doing the right thing. Especially after it turns out mum Froggatt doesn’t have the “seventies” view of morality everyone else around him exhibits.

After the initial setup, which has Simm running afoul of Mannion and meeting Wenham (which kicks off White’s reasonable but thin jealousy subplot), Glenister and the other cops go into major support mode. There’s some really good quick bits for Dean Andrews throughout the episode; seeds of character development, entirely in how Andrews behaves around Simm. Glenister comes back in the last act to sidekick. Otherwise, it’s Simm’s show.

There is a Back to the Future-esque subplot about sports in pubs, The Shining, and a horse race. It’s sort of aside to all the main activity, but layered in throughout. Writer Pharoah is continuing the show’s strong plotting.

And solid direction from John McKay, who seems more comfortable integrating actual dream sequences versus hints from the future sequences.

Strong performances, obviously, from Simm and Glenister, very nice guest spots from Froggatt and Wenham. Mannion maybe could make more of an impression, but it’s fine. “Mars” is good enough performances can just be fine, though most of the performances are much better than fine. It’s a very good episode.

Life on Mars (2006) s01e03

It’s a good episode, with the most impressive element being the introduction of Lee Ross as the jackass cop in charge of anything involving firearms. Meaning Philip Glenister, John Simm, Dean Andrews, Marshall Lancaster, and the other guys without lines in the backgrounds aren’t supposed to be shooting things up. This episode indeed has the first shooting things up of “Life of Mars”.

Ross feels like he’s been annoying the entire show, even though he only gets introduced at the beginning of the episode; it’s just so well plotted it feels like he’s been around forever. It’s got a great conclusion with him too. I really thought he first showed up last episode but nope, they got all that established here.

“Life on Mars” uses its one hour so well.

The main plot is a major downer about the dwindling textile industry. There’s a murder at the mill, which in the future will be renovated into Simm’s apartment building—something no one in 1973 can believe anyone would want—and the victim was a known scab and they’re trying to unionize. There’s old man worker John Henshaw, who quickly becomes suspect number one even though he doesn’t appear capable of committing the crime; he just wants a better life for his son, Andrew Knott–or at least as good of a life. There’s some good, tough scenes with Simm interacting with them, knowing how British industry is going to go, and reflecting on the tragedy unfolding around him. It’s very well-done.

And makes up for the B plot—about Glenister and Simm having a bet whether or not Henshaw really did it; see, the only way for Simm to keep boss Glenister interested in the case and uncovering the truth is the bet. The episode takes strides in making Glenister more unconditionally likable, but it’s definitely baby steps.

There’s also a C plot about stolen guns, which involves Liz White investigating on her own (and now working for Simm), which is going to bring in Ross too. And then, obviously, more development on what Simm’s mission to the past might be; Simm has memory flashes with intriguing details. There’s also a scary sequence with the girl and her clown doll and the general thread Simm giving up in the past means his body’s giving up in the future.

Again, way too literal.

Otherwise, it’s a very well-plotted episode, even if the ending’s a little too trite. It focuses on Simm and Glenister’s working bro relationship, which is less interesting than the episode’s developments in Simm and White’s friendship. It can only go so far as Simm still think White is only in his head. Their relationship develops with them fully engaging with that situation, in another neat move of Graham’s script. The Glenister and Simm stuff is far more obvious, far less layered.

Different director than the last two episodes; this time it’s John McKay, who’s fine. Not as good as the last guy but fine.

Even with bumps, “Life on Mars” continues to be rock solid.

Resident Alien (2021) s01e10 – Heroes of Patience

I’m worried I’m overthinking the season finale. I’m also worried I’m under thinking it. It’s a good season finale, with show creator Chris Sheridan getting the script credit—something he hasn’t had since early in the show’s run—and nice direction from Robert Duncan McNeill. It wraps everything up neatly while getting things in shape for a second season, including some big character development for some of the supporting cast.

It also does a big reveal regarding the mystery, which otherwise gets forgotten—presumably it’ll matter next season because it fundamentally changes some assumptions characters have about one another. But that big reveal also makes one of the other parts of the episode a complete waste of time. Vaguely amusing depending on how much you like when Alan Tudyk treads water—and he’s perfectly good at it—but it’s still just treading water while the currents rage around him.

This episode’s got big arcs for kids Judah Prehn and Gracelyn Awad Rinke, teenager Kaylayla Raine, and then Prehn’s parents, Meredith Garretson and Levi Fiehler. There’s also a lot for Alice Wetterlund, who bounces around the main cast like a pinball; Wetterlund and Raine have the most “human” arcs of the episode. There aren’t any more aliens revealed—well, not exactly—but everyone else’s arc either directly involves alien Tudyk or suspicions of aliens.

Just to mention it before I forget. Couple great seventies songs this episode, plus a wholesome Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds remix. There’s some big special effects sequences for the season finale stuff, but the emotion and humanity they find using the songs is what’s really impressive. Good special effects are just a given in 2021. A good, song-driven action sequence? Not as easy.

Lots of great performances. Sara Tomko gets a couple big scenes, a couple little ones; she’s actually in the episode the least of the regulars (outside maybe sheriff Corey Reynolds and deputy Elizabeth Bowen, who are around but support). Some really good stuff for Tomko, though it definitely seems—even if I’m not overthinking it—next season will give her even more opportunities.

Prehn and Rinke are fantastic as always. Particularly strong work from Fiehler, Wetterlund, Garretson, Raine. Reynolds and Bowen get a bit of good stuff but just a bit. They too have a lot of promise going forward.

Outside the one “wasted” scene and a little bit too distant narrative distance in the third act, it’s a very nice performance from Tudyk, who’s mostly by himself this episode with a momentous character development arc.

“Resident Alien” started the season getting better and better only for a big wipeout. It’s been building itself back up since and the season finale’s a nice, sturdy finish with setup. I’m back to eagerly anticipating season two.