“A jar of blood. Dramatic. Cryptic. Playful. Could it be him?”

-Dexter Morgan, Dexter S1E10: “Seeing Red”

Brief synopsis: Dexter gets called in to a hotel room that’s covered in blood, an image that causes him to start remembering something of his childhood. Rudy takes time away from Deb to lend his support to Dexter.

Title significance: Red. The color of blood. We certainly saw a lot of red this episode. There was the hotel room splattered up and down with blood, and then the bloody flashbacks to Dexter’s childhood. These two things are linked as the hotel room is what sparks Dexter’s memories. The fact that he saw so much red, so much blood, is causing his past to resurface.

Seeing red is also a euphemism for becoming extremely angry. We don’t see Dexter become angry this episode, though Deb certainly does. But we do see him have a loss of control, and in the end, that’s what seeing red means: to lose control. I think this title emphasizes both what happens to Dexter and what causes it.

“Someone like me”: We actually don’t get very much into this idea of Dexter seeking someone like himself this episode, and I kind of like that. This episode, Dexter isn’t even sure who he himself is. How could he find someone like himself? No, right now, Dexter is focusing on Dexter, despite his giddiness in the beginning that “his friend” had come back to play.

It would be amiss, however, to ignore how Rudy (not the Ice Truck Killer, but Rudy) fits into this. He is right there for Dexter the day he faces his crisis. He is able to get Dexter to open up to him on some level. Rudy even shares a story about a situation he had that was similar to Dexter’s, making him seem to be like Dexter in some way, related to witnessing violence that causes a mother’s death.

Success of “someone like me” plot: I actually think this mostly came from Rudy’s side this episode, which I think was a nice turn-around.

What “Seeing Red” does right:

• Worked up – I think it’s fantastic to see Dexter get so worked up about the blood in room 103. It really makes the episode something great. The acting is superb, and we get to see Dexter break down. All the walls he’s built up to contain emotion are crumbling. I thought he went through a great emotional journey this episode, and it’s awesome to see something affect him so much.

• Rudy – The interactions between Rudy and Dexter this episode were exactly what I was looking for last week. It’s dangerous, it’s fascinating, and it gives extra meaning to his interactions with Debra. It’s creepy, not just awkward like the last episode. I like to see them bonding, I like to see them instinctively give something to each other that they don’t give to Deb. I think it makes for a super intriguing episode.

• Hotel room – The visuals of the hotel room were perfect to set Dexter off. The blood splashed all over the place was very creepy and very visceral. The obsession with the number 103 was also eerie. The hotel room also sparked some of the best plots I’ve seen on Dexter, from Dexter freaking out, to Rudy reaching out, to Rudy and Deb’s fight. I also loved the perverse whimsy of the jar of blood, especially paired with background music. I thought it was fantastic.

What “Seeing Red” could have done better:

• Angel – I really don’t care about Angel’s troubles with his wife. They tried to connect it a bit with the main plot by Angel noticing the prostitute’s prosthetic arm with the colored nails, but I didn’t think it was enough to make the rest of Angel’s plot interesting to me or even feel necessary in any way. There were plenty of ways to have him make the discovery without turning it into the “Angel is a sad sap” show.

• Paul  – I didn’t find myself caring overly much about Rita’s fear that the kids will be taken away by Paul. I think, any other episode, I would have been interested in Dexter’s moral dilemma and what he did to Paul to protect the family he cares for. But this episode had so much great stuff going on with Dexter’s memories and interactions with the Ice Truck Killer and Rudy’s manipulations of Deb, and I resented this plot taking away from the other plots.

• LaGuerta – There is a part of me that finds the part of this episode where LaGuerta undercuts the captain by revealing to the press that the blood came from the ITK’s victims empowering. However, the threats he makes and the issues with women needing to impress the men in their lives that came up a couple of episodes ago just aren’t as strong when compared to the rest of the episode. I do think it could done a lot better with some tweaks.

Overall: One of my favorite episodes of Dexter.

“At one PM this afternoon, your little club will have had its shot at the big time, and they will have failed. Glee club will be cancelled.”

-Sue Sylvester, Glee S1E13: “Sectionals”

Brief synopsis: The kids of New Directions head to sectionals one member short when Finn discovers that Quinn’s baby is not his. At sectionals, they discover the other two clubs are performing their songs.

Title significance: Another very straight-forward episode title. This is the episode where the glee club finally gets to compete in sectionals. It is their first competition, their first chance to go head to head against other choirs and be judged against them. This is a milestone for them as well as for Mr. Schue.

Sectionals is also significant in that it is the first step to getting to regionals. If they don’t win regionals, Principal Figgins will disband the glee club. If they don’t win sectionals, they don’t even get a chance at regionals. The stakes are huge with sectionals. Having such a simple title, just stating “Sectionals,” drives home how important this moment is.

Songs: The songs this episode were “And I am Telling You I am Not Going” from Dreamgirls, “Don’t Rain on my Parade” from Funny Girl, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones, and “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson. Three of these were performed at sectionals. The fourth, “My Life Would Suck,” was a fun tribute to Mr. Schuester. I’m not a big Kelly Clarkson fan, but I actually really like this version of the song. I think it really shows how important glee has become to these kids, as well as highlighting dance moves from past performances.

The three songs that were performed at sectionals (Two by McKinley, “I am Telling You” by Jane Addams high and earlier by Mercedes) were all very high energy songs. I wasn’t too excited by “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” It didn’t feel very current, and I think it fell short when compared to the amazing vocals by Amber Riley and Lea Michele on the other two songs. It also seemed less powerful when compared to the sentiments and empowerment in the other songs. Clearly, I though “Don’t Rain” and “I am Telling You” were both fantastically done.

Success of song choices: Aside from one that I found a bit boring, I think the songs were actually pretty damn good this episode.

What “Sectionals” does right:

• Rachel and Mercedes – Don’t get me wrong, Lea Michele has a great voice (though like everyone else on the show, I wish they would use autotune less). But I get bored with just hearing her have a solo every episode. That isn’t the only reason I was thrilled with her reaction to Mercedes’s solo. I thought it showed great progression with her character to step out of the stoplight in favor of another talented singer, and at the same time made her much more likeable.

• Acknowledgement – So, New Directions threw their songs together at the last minute. Now, this seems to happen every episode, with everyone magically knowing the words, music, and choreography. We can pretend that there were just a bunch of rehearsals we didn’t see with those. For this performance, that couldn’t happen. I was happy to see they kept the dance moves simple, and later the judges acknowledged it looked rough. I felt like it raised the stakes somehow.

• Emma – So, I do have a lot of issues with Emma, but I have to say she was fantastic this episode. I love that she stood up to the two other glee club advisers, I thought the imagery of her sitting alone at her wedding reception in her bridal dress was beautiful, and I thought her insistence that she and Will not leap into something was smart. So much done right with her this episode.

What “Sectionals” could have done better:

• Rachel’s auditions – So, Rachel has auditioned for a ton of community theatre, and she hasn’t gotten any parts. I feel like this doesn’t fit in with the character they’ve given Rachel, or even her singing voice. If you have a voice like Rachel, you’re going to be able to make it in community theatre in Ohio. And they’ve given us the idea that Rachel is talented in everything performance related. As someone who was  incredibly involved in community theatre from 1-12th grade, Rachel would have landed some roles through her extensive auditioning.

• Set-Up – There’s a couple important things that happened this episode off-screen. Things that I wish had been in the episode. Mercedes had told everyone about Puck and Quinn. This seems a bit incongruous with her initial reaction to it (that of pretty much no surprise). If she had seemed scandalized by it or shown a desire to tell everyone, this would have been fine. As is, I just wonder when she told everyone. What were people’s reactions? This is interesting; why would we not get it instead of fluff and filler? Then, there’s Emma and Ken. This was given more of a set-up. I still feel like it was important enough that we should have seen it, but this didn’t bother me too much.

• Timing – I think Finn discovering that what he thought was his baby is actually his best friend’s is so huge, it should have been accompanied by a lighter plot. I think to include both sectionals and this huge emotional situation for a couple individuals in the same episode cheapens them. Finn should have had more of a chance to be mad and experience these emotions before everything being about the glee club.

Overall: A good episode, though I think it was hurt by trying to do too much in one sitting.

“Don’t get sniffly on me, sis. I’ve lived a lot longer than most demon hunters . . . or Slayers for that matter. Of course, if want to snuggle up for company . . .”

-Sid, Buffy the Vampire Slayer S1E9: “The Puppet Show”

Brief synopsis: A girl at school turns up with her heart ripped out of her chest. The Scoobies’ suspicion falls on a increasingly agitated young man and his eerily sentient seeming dummy.

Title significance: “The Puppet Show” is obviously referring to the sentient dummy, Sid, who acts at first as an antagonist before teaming up with the Scoobies as an ally. The episode is pretty focused on Sid, so it makes sense that the title would reinforce the role he plays in this episode. He’s similar to Buffy in that he’s a demon hunter, and I think that relation (which I think has been pretty unexplored in a non-enemy capacity) is also what makes him important enough to be part of the title.

The show part of it does feel like it’s a wink toward how the episode is set at the talent show, but I think it’s more than that. A show is a production, it’s not really real. Sid is not what he seems. He’s not really a puppet (or rather wasn’t always a puppet) and he’s not evil or a demon either. Shows play with your perception, and this episode is the same way.

Girl Power: The demon requires both a human heart and a human brain in order to remain in human form. The episode leads us to believe that he needs a human brain that is intelligent, at its peak. One of the people the Scoobies are the most concerned for is Willow. I was happy to see a girl be one of the smartest.

Due to this belief about the brain, I assume the heart needed to come from someone in peak physical condition. Instead of going after a football player or any sort of male figure, the demon chooses a female dancer. I thought this was really cool, as men are generally seen as the more physically talented of the sexes. Dancers are super fit, so I think it fit well, while celebrating women at the same time.

Success of girl power:  It was subtle, but I noticed and appreciated it.

What “The Puppet Show” does right:

• Atmosphere – There is an incredibly eerie atmosphere about talent shows if you play it right. There’s something a bit circusesque about the musicians and lights and performers, and I think they played this just right, especially in the beginning scene, and once that beginning atmosphere is there, it lingers throughout the episode, even during the sillier portions of the talent show.

• Fear – Buffy is afraid of dummies. That moment when she thinks that Sid is in her bed with her, she shrieks. When her mom comes in, Buffy doesn’t think like a Slayer, she doesn’t think she should try and protect her mother. She needs her mom to look under her covers and tell her there’s no monsters in her bed. I thought it was a great humanizing moment, and really added to Buffy’s character.

• Camp – This is a supernatural show from the nineties. Of course there’s going to be some camp. I think camp doesn’t really hold up all that well most of the time, but I think this episode does. The silliness of the puppet fighting is just the right amount without going over the edge into pure awfulness, I think due to the fact that they don’t so overly much. They embraced what they were doing, and I thought it turned out much better than it could have.

What “The Puppet Show” could have done better:

• Conversation – At one point, Buffy’s mom pokes her head into her room to make sure she’s okay. She asks if anything is bothering her, and Buffy says nothing. The thing is . . . a classmate of Buffy’s just died that day, her heart carved out of her chest while at school. I know Sunnydale has this way of forgetting about things like that, but it’s too soon for everyone to be acting like it didn’t happen. Why was this not brought up in this conversation. I actually expected it to, for some reason, and when it didn’t, I was annoyed.

• Knives and demons – It’s still early in the show; we haven’t even reached the tenth episode, so I suppose some mythos that is not completely formed is to be expected. However, as I know intimately from Angel, there are many sorts of demons with their own rituals and own temperaments. Some are actually really nice. To claim that the killer is not a demon because of the knife seemed so weird to me because of this, but probably because I’m looking through the lens of five seasons of Angel and three seasons of Buffy. There are plenty of reasons a demon could use a knife to kill and cut.

• Talent Show – The talent show is kind of made out to be a bit of a joke. I wasn’t a fan of this decision. Maybe it’s because my high school’s annual revue was usually something everyone enjoyed, but I felt that actually showcasing some talent could have set the stage really well and added some pretty cool moments.

Overall:Not one of my favorites, but I am always surprised I don’t hate this episode.

“There are times when wrongdoing may be necessary. That’s all I thought.”

-Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist S1E10: “The Phantom Thief”

Brief synopsis: Ed and Al visit the town of Aquroya where they’re enlisted to catch an alchemy-using thief. When they discover the thief’s identity, they begin to question whether her motives may be noble.

Title significance: “The Phantom Thief.” Not much I can really do with this one. It seems pretty straight-forward. Al and Ed are hired to catch a thief who uses alchemy in order to pull off her thefts. Her alchemy allows her to sneak in undetected, essentially rendering her a phantom. Thus, Psiren is the phantom thief.

I think it bears noticing that “The Phantom Thief” does sound like the kind of name that newspapers would use while sensationalizing a series of thefts. The fact that Psiren is so popular with the media turns out to be an important plot point in this episode. The way this title mimics that strengthens the connection between the thief and the newspapers.

Morality of alchemy: We definitely get into the morality of alchemy this episode. Psiren uses alchemy as a tool to steal a whole bunch of expensive items. Using alchemy to steal is definitely immoral. We can see how easily it can be used for one’s own gain at the loss of another, and it gives Psiren an unfair advantage over the police.

But then there’s the story that Clara is stealing in order to save the hospital from demolition, and Ed makes the statement that sometimes immoral actions are necessary depending on the outcome. This is a very clear statement along the lines of the ends justifying the means. However, the hospital was not saved. Does inspiring Aquroya’s populace count as enough of a good outcome to justify Psiren’s theft?

Success of morality: A pretty straightforward discussion of whether the ends justify the means.

What “The Phantom Thief” does right:

• Mother – I love the boys initial reactions to Clara. Al sees her do something his mother did once, and decides she’s a kind person, just like his mother. Ed states that’s crazy; to him, no one can be like their mother. I think it was a great way of expressing that these boys are still dealing with their grief, and how they both have different feelings regarding it. It makes Al happy to think there’s people like his mother in the world, and though I think cynical Ed still believes there isn’t, the fact that Al believes makes him more apt to be kind to Clara.

• Clara – I actually kinda like Clara/Psiren as a character. She seemingly sweet, and who’s to say whether the caring attitude toward the elderly is an act. The fact that she’s drawn to careers like nun and schoolteacher and nurse, then is a thief by night is pretty cool. It’s unclear what her motives are. I like that. There’s a certain sexy/sweet complexity to her.

• Ambiguity – I love that it isn’t entirely clear at the end whether Psiren was in the right or not, or whether she was even trying to be, or whether the ends do justify the means. It’s nice and ambiguous, and that makes the viewer think. I like it when shows make the viewer think and aren’t utterly pretentious while doing so.

What “The Phantom Thief” could have done better:

• Cards – It’s not that I have a problem with the cards themselves being used as an alchemical weapon. It’s just that we just saw cards while Al and Ed were playing on the train, then again as the extra cards fell from Ed’s sleeve. We haven’t seen them play cards previously, so it just seemed like a too overt connection between them and Psiren.

• The Nameless Police Detective – I try not to get to0 focused on the art when reviewing anime episodes, but I really have to nitpick this because it was bugging me the entire episode. The detective, whose lack of a name I also find annoying, looks like Inspector Gadget. It was distracting and all I could think about whenever he was on screen.

• Morale – So, a thief helps out the sinking town of Aquroya by upping morale. You know what? I don’t buy it. Maybe if the people getting things stolen from them were cruel and heartless. But we don’t hear anything about that. Tourists apparently flock to the town (hoping to get their stuff stolen?), and that makes the townsfolk less “lonesome.” That is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.

Overall: I’m not entirely sure how much I liked this episode. I’m ambvilent.

“This I frame for saving my life, and as a reminder that something of Doyle’s is here in our office.”

-Cordelia Chase, Angel S1E10: “Parting Gifts”

Brief synopsis: An empath demon named Barney comes to Angel for help when an assassin is after him. Cordelia discovers that Doyle passed on the visions to her, and this revelation puts her in danger.

Title significance: “Parting Gifts” refers to the visions that Cordelia got from Doyle just before his death. That was his parting gift to her. She expresses a need this episode to have something of Doyle’s, and in the end, the visions are it. It really is a symbol of how much he cares for her and how much he trusts her. It is a bit of a curse, but it is also a gift.

On a more clever level, I think this title is also a wink towards what Barney does. He steals body parts containing special talents from their original owners and sells them at illegal auctions. “Parting Gifts” is a cute way of saying what he does; he parts gifts from their owners. I just thought it was a clever twist on words.

Questions of morality: Barney brings up an interesting point (they I think may have been made before in previous episodes) about the layers of evil. He says he doesn’t kill people, but he uses his powers to cheat at cards. In the end, though, can you really compare one to the other? One seems fairly harmless, definitely not good, but evil? Killing people–probably evil.

Meanwhile, the demon they assumed was evil tried to help them find the real culprit on his death bed. Does that make him good? We don’t know what the rest of the Kungai demon’s life was like. If he was evil, as is suggested by Wesley when reading the entry on him, what does this help he gives say about him? Does it gain him some sort of redemption? Is it just him looking for someone to continue his act of revenge? Does it make a difference?

Intrigue of moral ambiguity: I’m pretty sure I’ve already discussed this aspect of moral ambiguity it pertains to Angel.

What “Parting Gifts” does right:

• Wesley – As much as I love Doyle, I really feel like the appearance of Wesley is really when the show starts getting good. It was a great introduction of a character that fans of Buffy will be familiar with. We see some great emotion from him, as well as enough charm to make him likeable, and enough humor to make him a very welcome addition to the team.

• Mourning – Angel doesn’t really like letting people in and letting his feelings show. His reaction to Doyle’s death, deciding to work alone, throwing himself into his work, trying to protect this demon who wears similar clothes to Doyle’s, all feels very believable and true to Angel’s character. It really shows the impact of Doyle’s death on him. I do also like Cordelia’s need for “Doyle’s special mug.”

• Auction – I love Cordelia at the auction. It was a clever way for her to play for time, and at the same time was very true to her character; She really didn’t think these people were bidding high enough for the likes of her. It was very humorous, and one the ways Angel awesomely mixes our current society with demons.

What “Parting Gifts” could have done better:

• Mistaken identities – Barney is a good guy, then a bad guy, then a good guy, then a bad guy. The deadly assassin is a bumbling Wesley. The Kungai demon is a bad guy, then he’s a good guy. It’s just too much. I appreciate a good turn-around as much as the next guy, but I think the amount of them in this episode is really unnecessary.

• Mourning – There was some. We could see how Doyle’s death affected Angel, as I mention above. At first, Cordelia seems really believable too. But then she cheerfully goes off to her commercial. Then she starts crying there, but the scene, while funny, just seemed really awkward and not quite right to me. The tears just didn’t seem the sort of tears one cries when a friend has just died. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it just didn’t work for me. Then there’s the final scene where Cordelia frames the picture, Angel makes eggs, and everyone is suddenly fine. What? Doesn’t Cordelia remember when Doyle would enjoy eggs with them? Isn’t anyone sad anymore?

• Barney and Cordelia – I feel very uncomfortable about the scene where Barney starts verbally attacking Cordelia using her own feelings, but maybe that isn’t really a bad thing. I think my real trouble comes with the scene before it when the two of them talk about Doyle. I don’t like that Cordelia says this horrible sadistic demon reminds her of Doyle. Granted, she didn’t know his true nature, but it still turns my stomach watching it.

Overall: A great episode.

“Howard, it’s Leonard. Code milky green.”

-Leonard Hofstadter, The Big Bang Theory S1E11: “The Pancake Batter Anomaly”

Brief synopsis: Sheldon is feeling ill, so Leonard uses any excuse he can to stay away from the apartment. Penny gets roped into taking care of Sheldon instead.

Title significance: The pancake batter of the title refers to a measuring cup that Sheldon uses for urine analysis and Leonard uses to make pancake batter. Again, this title comes from a throwaway line that at first glance doesn’t seem all that significant. It does connect in some ways to the primary plot, as Leonard discovers that it’s a urine cup by Sheldon making use of it when he thinks he’s getting sick.

I think we can get more from it if we look at it on a deeper level. The pancake batter represents the disconnect between Sheldon and Leonard. There is a breakdown of communication there. We see on a larger level how the roommates are on different wavelengths. Sheldon is clearly very sick and expects Leonard to take care of him, while Leonard is going out of his way to avoid him. Perhaps on some levels, Leonard finds Sheldon to be an unpleasant portion of his life, the residual urine in his pancake batter.

Social Ineptitude and Nerd Culture: I really don’t think the social ineptitude shown by Sheldon this episode really has to do with being a nerd. I feel like it more has to do with how Sheldon was raised. Sheldon’s mother clearly babied him, and it was something it seems that he’s never grown out of. Sheldon needs someone to care for him in some rather ridiculous ways while ill.

Maybe this is related to Sheldon being a nerd. On television, nerds are often bullied. I feel like one of the ways mothers react to their children being bullied is to become a bit over-protective. Perhaps on some levels, the way Sheldon acts like a whiny little kid at times (especially while sick) is a product of his mother’s reaction to him being bullied.

Success of culture: Interesting when you look deeper.

What “The Pancake Batter Anomaly” does right:

• Relatability – Most people have at times tried to come up with ridiculous ways of getting out of things they don’t want to do. The boys of this show have the resources and know-how to actually attempt ridiculous schemes. They don’t want to take care of a sick, whiny Sheldon, so they create a huge plan to get Leonard’s glasses without him noticing. In some ways, I think this really makes them relatable by actually acting out fantasies we all have had.

• Penny and Sheldon – One of my favorite parts of the show is the friendship between Penny and Sheldon. I find it to be by far the most interesting relationship on the show. This is one of the first times we really see them interacting in a way that brings the two of them closer as friends (though Penny may disagree). The way she took care of him was incredibly sweet, and I think it really was a good and believable step forward in their friendship.

• Scientific joke – Recently, it’s been hard to remember what drew me toward The Big Bang Theory in the first place. When Sheldon made the comment questioning what he would drink if not fluids (Gases? Solids? Ionized plasma?), it reminded me of why I used to really enjoy the show. It’s funny, it’s true, it’s a relatable thought pointing out the absurdity of a particular saying, and it’s improved by the use of scientific knowledge, making it fit well with the show. I thought it was a wonderful moment.

What “The Pancake Batter Anomaly” could have done better:

• Labels – As with everyone, there are some jokes that just fall flat with me. Do you know what the fact that Leonard never looked at the bottom of the measuring cup to see the label tells me? It tells me that he never cleans up after himself at making pancakes. Also, it tells me that he is either unobservant or uninquiring. Poor traits for a genius scientist. That is what I get from that exchange. You disgust me, Leonard.

• Labels – Speaking of labels . . . there are certain things I just don’t find funny. One of those things is a wacky mix-up where one character makes pancakes using a cup another character pees into. I find excrement humor to be on about the same level as physical humor. It doesn’t take any finesse, it isn’t clever, and I’d rather the time was spent on a joke that actually took effort.

• Easy solutions – I wouldn’t have a problem with this because smart people do sometimes miss the simple solutions (but don’t we all?), but it was used at least twice. Sheldon couldn’t figure out that you can order soup, and Howard made Leonard crawl when he didn’t need to. While it’s worth a chuckle, it really funny enough of a gimmick to be used twice in one episode.

Overall: A pretty good, funny episode.

“Right here at Sacred Heart, we are not only gonna feed His sheep, but we gonna clothe them, and we gonna bathe them, and we gonna cut them open, and then we gonna stitch them right back together. Because that is what Christmas is all about.”

-Dr. Christopher Turk, Scrubs S1E11: “My Own Personal Jesus”

Brief synopsis: Turk works Christmas Eve and all the bad things he sees happen causes him to have a crisis of faith. Elliot blows off a pregnant girl at the free clinic and starts panicking when the girl goes missing. Meanwhile, JD doesn’t tape the birth of Dr. Cox’s friend’s son.

Title significance: This is the Christmas episode, and so we get Jesus featured prominently in the title. This episode is heavily religious in nature, both lifting up the idea of faith and critiquing it through the lens of the hospital worker experience. What do Jesus and faith mean when you’re surrounded by bad things happening and are powerless to stop it?

We also get “my own personal” in front of the Jesus. Usually the “my” in the title appears to refer to JD, but in this episode, I think it very clearly refers to Turk. He has a very personal relationship with Jesus that he takes very seriously, and that relationship is tested this episode. I think this title very clearly puts the focus on Turk and what Christmas and faith mean to him.

Surrealism: This episode overflowed with surreal scenes. Oddly enough the theme I found throughout them is the media, whether it’s media cliches like the woman walking towards a man wearing a red bikini or the rollicking African American congregation, or throwbacks to old educational videos, or direct references like the Fonz from Happy Days or the Grinch, or just use of media like Dr. Cox yelling through a video or Jordan literally not buying JD and Dr. Cox’s story.

While I realize this was likely not done intentionally, I want to look at how it affects the episode. The very last fantasy is an image of the nativity. Perhaps this media-heavy episode was saying something about the commercialization of Christmas; the media has turned it into something very different than what many people consider to be the true meaning of Christmas. While expressing Turk’s jadedness, I think we may also be getting undercurrents of a different type of cynicism towards the holidays.

Success of surrealism: I like that there was definitely a clear theme that may have given the episode something more than what the plot shows.

What “My Own Personal Jesus” does right:

• Statement about faith – JD’s views on faith are shown a bit in this episode. He seems quite agnostic, not really putting a whole lot of thought into questions of faith, but he begins to realize how important faith is as Turk loses his ability to keep his head up and deal with the stress of the hospital without his faith to lean on. I think it makes a very important recognition of how belief means different things to different people.

• Turk – Most of what we’ve seen of Turk so far in the series has been based on his relationships with JD and Carla. It’s really nice to have an episode where he shines as a character all on his own. I think Turk’s faith and his response to the events of the episode really give a bit more depth to his character. I love the varying emotions we get from him, and I love that we get to see this journey of his.

• Jordan – Every time I see Jordan, it’s a good thing. I absolutely adore he, and this episode is no different. Her interactions with Dr. Cox are fantastic, from when she’s pissed at him to when they both turn on JD. She’s a wonderfully strong female character, her one-liners are biting, and I think the affection/fighting between her and Dr. Cox is really well done.

What “My Own Personal Jesus” could have done better:

• Turk’s premonition – So Turk is on the roof when he suddenly knows the pregnant girl is at the giant Christmas tree in the park. As much as I love him running to find her with “Sinnerman” playing in the background, I don’t buy the “It just came to me.” I know Turk thinks it was a miracle, but I wish it were more open-ended like him hearing Elliot mention something about the tinsel. It think it would have just made the lead-up better.

• Pregnancy – I know this actually happens in real life, but I want some sort of explanation of how it happened on the show. Meredith is eight months pregnant and didn’t know it. She says it’s not possible. Even if she was on some birth control where she wouldn’t get her periods, you still get it every three months. Maybe she’s one of the women who gets intermittent bleeding while pregnant. Did she not notice the belly? She’s thin enough that it would be noticeable. I don’t understand how people don’t realize they’re pregnant in real life, so I at least want the show to explain.

• Video taping birth – I am not entirely sure how this connects to the rest of the episode besides pregnancy. I think it would fit in well with an episode that focuses on JD or JD and Dr. Cox’s relationship. In an episode where Turk’s plot shines, I find this plotline, while cute, to be not nearly interesting or significant enough to hold a candle to the main plot.

Overall: I really liked this episode, and thought it was a good way to approach the Christmas theme.

“As you’re all keenly aware, we’ve run into a bit of a situation. Engine’s down, life support’s on the fritz, and I got nine people here all wanting to breathe.”

-Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly S1E8: “Out of Gas”

Brief synopsis: Serenity has stopped running and the life support has shut down. As Mal stays with the empty ship, hoping to save her and the crew, there are flashbacks to how the crew was formed.

Title significance: In this episode, Serenity is dead in the water. Her engine isn’t running, her life support isn’t running, and her auxiliary life support is  blown. While she is not literally out of gas, the sentiment remains. She isn’t going anywhere, and neither is her crew. They have run out of time.

“Out of Gas” doesn’t just have to refer to a vehicle breaking down. It can also refer to a person just running out of energy and the will to fight. We can see this isn’t true of the part of the crew. Mal still struggles to get the part and get the engine fixed and the crew back. Zoe orders the shuttles to go back to Serenity; she’s not willing to give up either. We do see some start to give up though: Kaylee and Wash both find themselves feeling helpless, though Mal is able to snap them out of it.

Family: This is the episode where we get to see the family first begin to form. Mal and Zoe are the basis, and we already saw in the pilot how Simon, River, and Book joined. But we get to see the range of emotions that come with forming a family. Glee as Kaylee got a chance of a lifetime and Mal got an actual genius mechanic. Suspicion as Zoe eyed up Wash and his mustache. The bargaining that came with Inara and Jayne joining the group. I actually found it quite touching. The way each character was introduced highlighted how much things had changed and how important the rest of the crew become to them.

Then there’s the matter of Mal, staying behind to give his family a fair chance at survival. Zoe, refusing to let her captain die alone. The way Inara begged him to come with her. Even just how empty Serenity felt without the crew. They have become a family and that is partially what makes this episode so painful.

Success of family: Simply wonderful.

What “Out of Gas” does right:

• Cuts Between Scenes – There are three threads this episode follows, taking place in the present, the near-past that led to the events of the present, and the past over a span of years where the crew comes together. This could easily have been confusing, but instead they are woven together with a deft hand. The cuts between the scenes (from Mal alone and dying to earlier that day when there was food and laughter) work in that they make the three plots complement each other in a great way that really makes the episode shine.

• Relationships – Such a stressful situation really brings out the best in the relationships of the affected. The tension between Wash and Mal was perfect for the characters. Mal’s softer treatment of Kaylee when she begins to shut down really highlighted who Kaylee is and how Mal has become a father figure. Jayne prepping a suit for Mal shows his respect. Inara begging Mal to come with her in the shuttle was a very beautiful, emotional scene. Even Simon connecting with Inara and River looking in at Book show some interesting connections.

• Story – I think the story told this episode is absolutely beautiful. It is filled with so many amazing emotions from almost every character (except River), and it certainly gets the emotions of the viewer going at the prospect of these characters we’ve come to love dying. Almost everything about this episode is perfect, and I think this has largely to do with the story it’s telling.

What “Out of Gas” could have done better:

• Getting shot – This is by far my least favorite part of the episode. I know on some levels it demonstrates the nobility of Mal in a dog eat dog world, but I don’t really think that demonstration is necessary. We already know Mal’s a man of honor in a den of thieves. It has been well-established. The entire thing just doesn’t seem necessary to me.

• The shuttles – So, I don’t like how the survival of the crew just happened to hinge on Zoe waking up in time and them getting back to Serenity in time. This is just a quibble, but it always just irked me a bit. And what happened to the other shuttle? Did they decide independently to return? Could the shuttles communicate with each other? Did Zoe’s team get back and hit the big red button? What exactly happened?

• Birthday – Everyone is going to die. You’re going to get some great emotion out of that, so I don’t see the need to try to add something more by it happening on someone’s birthday. I suppose it was also to show them more as a family celebrating together to contrast with the scenes of an empty ship, but I think there is more effective ways of doing this without turning it into “Everyone’s dying on Simon’s birthday.”

Overall: This may be my favorite episode of Firefly. Top three at the very least.

“Uh, I’d like to issue a warning to everybody, and I’m dead serious. FYI, JD’s mommy has made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want her daughter picked on anymore. Nothing mean. She’s a precious flower, and we should all be super nice to her.”

-Dr. Perry Cox, Scrubs S1E10: “My Nickname”

Brief synopsis: JD is starting to become confident enough to not rely on the nurses, which puts strain on his relationship with Carla. Meanwhile, Elliot becomes close to a patient and finds herself looking into a mirror image of the pressure she puts on herself, and Turk wars with Kelso over a bench.

Title significance: Shortly into the episode we get JD asking the Janitor if they can give each other a break. The Janitor responds with his desire to give JD a nickname. That nickname is Scooter. Because he hates Scooter Pie. The Janitor and his relationship with JD is not a central part of this episode, just something that pops up occasionally, but it bears mentioning due to the title.

Then we get the true meaning of the title. The main focus of the episode is JD’s relationship with Carla. She calls him Bambi, and has since his first day, due to his deer-in-the-headlights look. Now her Bambi is getting more used to the hospital, and he’s starting to not need her anymore. The question this episode raises (and answers) is whether JD will continue to be Bambi.

Surrealism: There’s not much surrealism this episode. I really only counted three instances of it. There was Turk’s bench transporting him to a beach, everyone freezing (and one guy remaining frozen) when JD corrects Carla, and when Dr. Cox uses JD as a punching bag. These three all relate to these character’s relationship to Sacred Heart Hospital.

Turk is fairly easy-going. All he needs to deal with the constant stress and interaction is a moment of isolation and serenity, thus his magical bench. Carla clearly loves helping out both the patients and the interns, and so this turning point in her relationship with JD is of major significance as evidence by everyone stopping everything. Dr. Cox is an angry man, and being at the hospital, being around death and dealing with the stress does get to him. Boxing is often used as stress relief, and Dr. Cox uses JD as his boxing bag.

Success of surrealism: It could have used another scene or two.

What “My Nickname” does right:

• Annoyances and believability – You know, being around people constantly can get annoying for everyone, especially when your roommate and best friend is JD. It felt very true-to-life and relatable to have Turk want to have a chance to enjoy a quiet, isolated lunch everyday. It also gets the audience to relate to Kelso, who not only loves the same lunch spot, but is willing to fight for it and respects Turk for fighting back.

• Kelso – So, as I said I like that Kelso is a bit humanized in this episode. He also feels the stress that is impossible to escape in the medical career. The little war that occurs between him and Turk shows a sense of fun as well, and honestly, I think it’s the most enjoyable part of the episode, a not-too-serious plot thatstill has some good emotion.

• Power dynamics – I am glad that Scrubs is recognizing the different power dynamics in healthcare. JD is a doctor, Carla is a nurse. How does that affect their relationship? What about the struggle between a doctor and the chief of medicine (this time using Turk instead of the more common Dr. Cox struggle). What about interns and the attending? I think it’s really great that they look at this, and some of them, they do really well.

What “My Nickname” could have done better:

• Carla – Years ago, my bestie and I were having a New Years Scrubs marathon and we came upon this episode. When Carla has her little freak-out on the bus, my friend had no idea why she was all of a sudden set off. It was something that had always bothered me as well. Carla completely over-reacted. JD shouldn’t have yelled at her in front of everyone, but she shouldn’t have condescended to him in front of everyone. I get that they were showing she wasn’t okay with JD yelling at her earlier. Well then, she should have acted like an adult and listened to him, instead of talking over him, and let him know how she felt, instead of going off on him about a little comment at a point in time where it didn’t make sense.

• Anger at JD – I normally don’t really care for JD, but I’m a bit bothered by everyone’s anger at him after he snaps at Carla. Everyone is yelling at everyone this episode. But suddenly, when a man yells at a woman and hurts her feelings, everyone is mad at him. It kind of seems like a double standard. I get why they’re angry, but the whole situation just irks me. “What did you do?” He did the exact same thing Carla did to Dr. Cox, Dr. Cox did to JD (twice), and then we come full circle, and suddenly everyone’s shocked.

• Elliot and Miss Tracy – I get the parallels we’re supposed to see between Elliot and Miss Tracy. In the first place, it is made ridiculously obvious that they are so similar (with Elliot, who has previously been described as cold, seeming to care more about gabbing with her patient than with figuring out what’s wrong). I think if they had spent more time showing us that these two girls put themselves out there for other people all the time instead of just telling us, it could have been more effective.

Overall: An okay episode, one I mostly enjoyed, but there are parts of it that I just can’t stand.

 ”Just so you know, I didn’t come over to accuse you of anything. I came over to confess. I would have rather been with you, but last night I got drunk and fucked a perfect ten model. And, uh, I fucked her again this morning. See ya later.”

-Eric Murphy, Entourage S2E2: “My Maserati Does 185″

Brief synopsis: Eric has been back from New York for a while now, and has yet to spend some intimate time with his girlfriend. When she cancels yet again, and his friends start questioning her fidelity, Eric cheats himself with a beautiful woman. Drama worries his calves look stupid.

Title significance: This is the episode where Vince gives Eric his sleek, silver, titular Maserati. The title reads a bit like a boast: “My Maserati Does 185.” It’s a status symbol, just like being manager to Vincent Chase is. This position is what gets Eric laid by the perfect 10 model (and maybe even got him the jewelry clerk’s number), and it’s what Turtle used to impress the girl he was talking to.

It’s something that also exudes confidence. Following the addition of the Maserati to Eric’s life comes this confidence. He gets the confidence to flirt with pretty girls and to confront his bitch girlfriend. Eric is starting to become more comfortable with this lifestyle. He uses his status to get what he wants, he is someone, and he has a Maserati that does 185.

The Ari Report: Ari was actually a bit obnoxious while at the basketball game (and I almost never find Ari Gold obnoxious). Standing up and talking to the ref just irked me, but he made up for it by then hitting hard with Vince and pointing out all the big name stars who played superheroes.

The scene in the sauna was awesome. Ari was his usual crude self, and his line to Eric about having some respect for the mother of his children was absolute gold (and does hint more at how much he actually does care about his wife). I loved that he came into the sauna wearing his suit in order to convince the boys to read the script. It was a great moment of characterization that made sense.

Amount of Ari: Some pretty great Ari scenes this episode, but not much plot.

What “My Maserati Does 185″ does right:

• Eric – My opinion on E wavers a lot. Sometimes, he’s just such a whiny bitch that I almost hate him. Other times, like in this episode, he’s pretty cool. His guilt over cheating felt very believable, and the cheating was set-up in such a way that that was believable too. His speech at the end to Kristin was pretty awesome, and you can tell he’s walking straighter. He’s much more bearable when standing up for himself.

• Playing around – I do think that at its core, very similar to Firefly, Entourage is about the family you make yourself. Watching the boys goof around after the basketball game was actually a bit heart-warming. It just made their friendship feel that much more real. Vince doing what he can to cheer Eric up and get him to stay at the party was also sweet.

• Cheating plotline – I think this plot was fantastic. We got some excellent emotions out of Eric and some straight-up awesome confidence from him at the end. I think it really injected some life into the show. It’s established the first episode of the series that Kristin just brings Eric down and it’s true. I think this was a great way for their relationship to end.

What “My Maserati Does 185″ could have done better:

• Kristin – I wish there had been more foreshadowing with how Kristin was cheating on E. Sure, the situations seemed a bit too coincidental, but it doesn’t mean she’s cheating. It felt more like she was just not really digging Eric at the moment, but was too scared to break up with him. I just wish there was more to go on when it came to the (actually correct) conclusion that she was cheating.

• Hotness comparison – It seems widely accepted in this group of men that Vince is more attractive than Eric, and any girl Eric would get would be someone Vince let him have. This is nit-picky, but I don’t agree. In the slightest. Vince is not unattractive. That’s what I give him. I can see where girls would get crushes, but Eric’s the kind of guy that has the wholesome, handsome look, and I can’t imagine that every girl in the world would disagree that he’s much more attractive than Vinnie.

• Calves – Oh, Drama. Turtle and Drama generally don’t get the really interesting plot lines. They’re supposed to act as comic relief. I get it, and I realize a lot of it is more funny to people in Hollywood, who apparently love Entourage. I just didn’t find it overly funny, though I do think it highlighted Drama’s insecurity, albeit in a really silly way.

Overall: A great episode.