Breaking Bad –“Mas”
“Mas” April 18th, 2010 You may have noticed this, but Breaking Bad’s third season is effectively a long string of meetings. This isn’t entirely new for the series, but there isn’t the same level of...
View ArticleCultural Catchup Project: “Ted” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
“Ted” April 28th, 2010 You can follow along with the Cultural Catchup Project by following me on Twitter (@Memles), by subscribing to the category’s feed, or by bookmarking the Cultural Catchup...
View ArticleMad Men –“The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
“The Chrysanthemum and the Sword” August 22nd, 2010 Ted, the Don Draper-equivalent over at rival agency CGC, is not in Don Draper’s league: he is neither visionary nor genius, and yet by virtue of his...
View ArticleSeason Premiere: How I Met Your Mother –“Big Days”
“Big Days” September 20th, 2010 Look, I was pretty harsh on How I Met Your Mother last season, but it was harshness which stemmed from love: I care about these characters, so to see their individual...
View ArticleHow I Met Your Mother –“Cleaning House”
“Cleaning House” September 27th, 2010 Barney Stinson is a very broad character, but Neil Patrick Harris has always specialized at emphasizing his vulnerability. Mind you, this vulnerability always...
View ArticleHow I Met Your Mother –“Subway Wars”
“Subway Wars” October 11th, 2010 This is precisely the kind of episode which is particularly dangerous for a show in How I Met Your Mother’s position. “Subway Wars” feels like a gimmick from the very...
View ArticleHow I Met Your Mother –“The Mermaid Theory”
“The Mermaid Theory” December 6th, 2010 “The Mermaid Theory” is interesting in two ways. And since they’re not particularly substantial ways, I’m just going to cut the introduction off here and we can...
View ArticleHow I Met Your Mother –“Last Words”
“Last Words” January 17th, 2011 Response to “Bad News,” HIMYM’s last original episode, was decidedly mixed. What struck me most was the way the episode-ending reveal that Marshall’s father had passed...
View ArticleHow I Met Your Mother –“Legendaddy”
“Legendaddy” March 21st, 2011 There is something hypocritical about the status of Barney Stinson as a character within How I Met Your Mother. On the one hand, he is the character who will change the...
View ArticleMad Men –“In Care Of” and the Narrative Engine of Place in Season 6
“In Care Of” and the Narrative Engine of Place in Season 6 June 24th, 2013 “This is where everything is.” Mad Men began with a spatial divide. In the series’ pilot, we are introduced to Don Draper in...
View ArticleSeries Finale: How I Met Your Mother –“Last Forever”
“Last Forever” March 31st, 2014 I want to say upfront that I think the How I Met Your Mother finale was not an abomination. It featured a number of resonant moments, images, and character beats that...
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