Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Week 3: Veronica Mars 2; Lost 1.

It was another "photo finish" of a week, trying to compare tonight's installments of two of the best shows on TV, scheduled opposite one another. But I'm gonna have to call this fight for Veronica.

Lost brought the goods, no question. Hurley's a great character, and we're two for two in episodes focused on him. His flashbacks definitely painted in a new texture to his lottery-winning woes. Not only were the numbers cursed, but his win appeared to cost him his best friend too. And the situation informed nicely on his island-bound antics this week.

Meanwhile, we learn that Rose's feeling about her husband from all the way back in the very beginning of season one is apparently correct -- her husband did survive. We find another group of survivors, huddled inside another hatch (with what appeared to be a different symbol on the inside). The mystery of Hatch #1 deepened in a seriously interesting way, all just because of one almost off-handed "Chernobyl" referencen from Sayid.

And besides Ana Lucia, two other cast members are now listed in the main credits, other members of the "other survivors." The plot is definitely thickening.

But Veronica Mars topped it all by pulling the trigger on a revelation I had assumed was weeks down the road: Logan's "playmate" time with Mrs. Casablancas has already been uncovered by Veronica. Add to that a new mystery surrounding Wallace's mother, questions about the stuntman with Veronica's name markered on his hand, the crumbling empire of Dick Casablancas senior, and the "is she cheating or isn't she?" girlfriend Wallace is chasing, and it totalled up to the kind of jam-packed episode you'd normally expect during a Nielsen sweeps month. For me, the pure "wow" factor made Veronica Mars the more satisfying hour of television this week.

But if both shows continue along at their current level of excellence, Wednesday nights will definitely be worth looking forward to. Until the re-runs start in December, anyway.

5 comments:

GiromiDe said...

It appears Desmond is the "leader" of the other survivors, when he's not busy trying to catch Kirk Cameron in the act.

Shocho said...

Both were good, but agreed that VM episode was sweeps-quality. Nice to know they didn't make us wait. But GOD how awful was the Love Hurts karaoke? That really... um, hurt.

Jono said...

BTW... a friend reminded me that the bunker the Lost crew is in is #3 I believe... well, maybe the tail section guys are in one of the other ones... but that leaves one left.

Also, anyone read "Ask Auriello" on the TV Guide website? Interesting info there on Lost - like what was on the shark's fin.

DrHeimlich said...

Agreed about the Love Hurts karaoke. That was excruciating.

I'd heard about the shark fin thing. (Though I didn't see it myself the first time I watched the episode.) I find these sorts of things sometimes interesting to hear about second-hand. But I can't help but feel like the people who are spotting these details aren't really enjoying the show. If you're paying attention to what single frame you can see the Swan project brand on the shark's fin, I'm guessing you're not very engaged in the drama itself. Which to me is ultimately the point.

Anonymous said...

I agree that both shows are great, but VM really knows how to pack a dramatic punch, week after week. It's heartbreaking that the two best shows on TV have to be on at the same time.

Most of the U.S. has no idea what they are missing by not watching VM. If there were any justice in the world, this show would have been a minor phenomenon like Twin Peaks, when "Who killed Laura Palmer?" was all the rage. VM is a million times better than Twin Peaks ever was, and the mystery is much more engrossing.

Oh, and Logan in a towel? More, please.