The Boondocks - Season 3 Premiere Review: "It's A Black President, Huey Freeman."

I’m not entirely sure how I got into watching The Boondocks. Indeed, there must have been some moment that compelled me to become an avid viewer, desperately waiting for my fix of Robert, Ruckus and even A Pimp Named Slickback. And what a long wait it was. See, before Sunday’s premiere, I had never seen an episode of The Boondocks on TV. No, it must have been because I jumped in on the craze quite late, sometime after the second season had finished airing, I think. Regardless, I opted to purchase the first two seasons on DVD, and watch the episodes back-to-back in maybe three sittings. It was, like most good shows, addicting. Funny, smart, and, most importantly, bold, I had increased respect for not only its creator, Aaron McGruder, but also the whole crew behind it.

And then I saw the series’ degree of inconsistency. Some episodes were fantastic, toying with ironic humor in ways that few cartoons could. Aaron McGruder had, at these moments, almost perfectly evolved the show from its comic book beginnings into a spectacular television show that, in many ways, was autobiographical in nature. But, at other times, the episodes simply fell flat, unfunny and uninspired, leading many to wrongly assess The Boondocks as nothing more than a patchwork of crude stereotypes. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Regardless of some its strong outside-perceptions, The Boondocks was still a hit with both critics and viewers, spawning several a YouTube phenomenon. And thus, as its second season drew to a close, fans were eager for more. Unfortunately, “more” took quite a long time to come – over two years, in fact. Even with Mr. McGruder’s 140-character “explanations” on Twitter, I’m still not entirely sure what took so damn long. But, finally, The Boondocks is back, but is it, as the clichéd term goes, better than ever? No, not exactly, but, if the premiere was any indication, it’s still is the same show we know and love, minor problems included.

Upon hearing that The Boondocks’ third season would premier with an episode centered on the election of Barack Obama, I was kind of skeptical. On one hand, I realized the potential the show had with such subject matter. In fact, throughout much of the 2008 election season, I had wondered what The Boondocks’ take on the event would be. But then, as the gap between seasons two and three became even larger, the opportunity to place a relevant spin on the election was quickly slipping away.

My concerns need not have been so strong, though. Irony alone saved the show from appearing late to the party. In the end, I rather enjoyed the show’s take on 2008’s historic election season and, to be honest, they handled its presentation even better than I had expected.

The story, in essence, is told through a German-produced documentary, recounting the election of Barack Obama and those of Woodcrest’s attempts to either help or hinder his chances of reaching office. While not the most original method of exposition, the show handles the format fairly well, even if the narrator is a bit of an annoyance. The film-style allows for large gaps of time in between segments, and, as such, the show jumps from one date to the next rather freely, pushing closer and closer to Inauguration Day. Along the way, some of the show’s characters demonstrate their role in Woodcrest’s rather far-fetched connection to the Obama campaign by way of short interviews. Each, save for perhaps Huey, express the stereotypical views of some of 2008's stranger members, albeit it in a humorous and (mostly) exaggerated manner. There’s Riley, who seems to think that a black president will translate to zero homework and give him the liberty to “act the fool” (see: those who thought they would be exempt from taxes with Obama as commander in chief). There’s Robert, an alleged civil rights activist who claims that he paved the way for Obama’s election, even if he knows little of his actual policies. There’s Tom Dubois, an active campaigner almost in love with him, and his wife, who practically is in love with him (even though her husband is somewhat like Obama). Thugnificent has a pretty large role in the premiere as well, even though, five minutes into the episode, he didn’t even know who Obama was. Upon research, however, Thugnificent decides that, since Obama is popular, his acceptance of the candidate into his image will only make him even more popular. Thus, by the end of the episode, not only does the rapper don tighter clothes and a new tagline, but also a false appearance based merely on hopes of furthering his fame as a celebrity (he even joins will.i.am in the hilarious song “Dick Riding Obama”). There’s also Uncle Ruckus, who, predictably enough, is an extreme right-winger and absolutely livid at the thought of a black man and his “monkey family” in the same building that Truman called home.

And finally, there’s Huey, unable to fit into any of these peg holes. In more ways than one, Huey is Aaron McGruder, or at least the bearer of his political tendencies. When asked his views on Obama, Huey responds with an impartial “eh.” That’s after, of course, he takes the time to admit he’s no longer a domestic terrorist. “I’m retired.”

Huey doesn’t see Obama as a problem, but neither does he consider the man a solution to the ills of the United States. The fact that an African-American made it to the Oval office does nothing to excite him, and Huey’s not going to celebrate Obama simply because he can identify with his skin color. He’s merely another politician with an agenda and a couple of policies. Whereas all others understand Obama as a revolutionary, Huey knows that, in the end, these thoughts are simply irrational. And, because of his feelings, Huey is labeled and discriminated, and, resultantly, he feels even more out of place. To onlookers, he’s the same as Uncle Ruckus: a hater.

Towards the end of the episode, things shifts gears to the current day, and nearly all views on Barack have changed; people are disappointed that, really, everything’s still the same. Huey, as it seems, had the foresight, and was willing to accept that Obama may not be all that he was hyped up to be. Change, in Huey’s eyes, is not something that can come instantly, and is rather the result of a conscious and consistent effort, not one man. And, as predicted, life went on virtually unchanged with Obama in power.

So, with all that analysis, the season three premiere must have been fantastic, right? Well, not entirely. Sure, while the documentary lens granted some advantages and creative freedom, the character interactions didn’t seem personal enough, especially considering we’ve been without them for two years now. And, as well, some plot devices came off a bit silly, though these quips didn’t dramatically hurt the premiere. At the heart of almost every episode of The Boondocks, there’s a lesson to learn, and, though some are more pointed than others, each teaching finds subtle ways to reveal itself. Season three’s debut, on the other hand, was a little more deliberate with its meaning, though, in some ways, that was perhaps its biggest asset. 

RATING FOR THE BOONDOCKS-SEASON 3: It's a Black President, Huey Freeman (OUT OF 10)

24 - Day 8: 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM Review

- FOX

When 24 starts off slow, you have a right to be skeptic. Aptly named the “fastest hour on television,” FOX’s most popular drama found itself characterized by a pace that made you want to check your blood pressure every so often – if just to be safe. And, save for a few notable episodes here and there, 24 has not yet relinquished its title.

But, at times, it can suffer from a bad case of failure to launch. Hour ten, folks, was one of those instances. Last week gave new hope to a promising direction for the season. Rich with character development and well-executed transitory elements, it worked and kept tensions high not because of action, but because of strengthening bonds between the audience and the characters. Hour ten, on the other hand, foregoes that method, instead choosing to focus on pushing the story along and getting the season to pivotal points in the timeliest way possible. It’s just taking a long and frustrating time to get there; 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM is caught in a lull for 15 minutes before anything important even starts to happen.

That’s not to say that the episode’s early moments are plagued by boredom, however, but they don’t feature many compelling scenes either, save for maybe one; Hastings progression to finally become a competent leader. Rob Weiss, Taylor’s aide, really had it coming to him, and, wonderfully enough, it was the man he commissioned to oversee Renee’s blame game that showed him up. Hasting’s evolution, though drastic, is an interesting one. His upholding of Jack’s bargain is, in some ways quite significant, cementing Hastings as a person who Bauer may just be able to trust. While Hastings is no Bill Buchanan, his actions in hour ten were well-considered and thoughtful, and more than grants my respect for him as a character.

Unfortunately, the rest of the beginning finds itself bogged down by sequences that either don’t go anywhere significant or don’t go anywhere exciting. Granted, the talk President Taylor had with Hassan more than demonstrated the two’s odd yet absorbing pairing and strength as actors. Taylor, under the instruction of Jack Bauer, orders Hassan to present files containing vital intelligence on terrorists in the US. Hassan, understandably, is apprehensive at first, wishing that the operation instead hands over Farhad to his party, where they will assess the situation. But Taylor, in a fashion akin to her season seven personality, will have nothing of it, threatening to attack the IRK should Hassan not give up the intel. But it’s here where the scene, one that looked to unfold into an argument between the two, falls into an unsurprising rut. Hassan complies and the two are perfectly content with each other for the rest of the episode. Their disposition with each other, while understandable, breaks no new ground as far as 24’s narrative goes and the storyline, at the moment, doesn’t look like it’ll feature any notable shock value anytime soon. Luckily, however, this plot thread is miles better than the escapades of Tarin and Kayla. Again, it stood as standard fare for the show, simply for the reason that it’s predictable to a fault; Tarin gives his girlfriend the rundown of his escape before it even happens and the resulting moments unfold as if he had predicted or foreseen the whole thing. What’s more, the side thread ends with the two wrapped in each other’s embrace, almost happy with their predicament. Can someone pull out a knife and stab someone here?

The episode throws in some aftermath of Dana and Cole’s adventures with Jenny’s uninteresting past, though, shockingly enough, the episode shows the once mind-numbingly dumb side plot venturing into territory that could show at least some potential. Emphasis on the “could.”  As Dana stares pensively at Kevin’s body as it sinks further into the muddy lake,  the scene, without spoken word, develops Sackhoff’s character. Almost pushing her character in a curious new direction, it may have just represented the point in season eight which evolves Dana, turning her from somewhat of a dipstick into a deeply disturbed individual. Or maybe that’s how Jenny always was?

And, finally, we arrive at Jack Bauer’s story, fortunately enough the main attraction here. It seems as if Farhad suffers from mild agitation, for he can sit tight for twenty minutes yet  can’t stay still for mere seconds before Jack and his company arrive. Yes, Hassan’s brother runs out in the open and gets shot by an approaching attacker with Jack and his team right around the corner. Really, Farhad? Fine. For me, it’s forgivable logic. He may have heard CTU coming and, instead of waiting for them to find him, he took his chances, hoping that the squad would see him and scare off Samir’s man. No such luck for Farhad, apparently. But his poor decisions made for the most interesting development of the episode. Jack suggests they use Farhad as “dead bait,” releasing false information to the media that he is still alive and luring the terrorists to a hospital. Luckily enough, Samir watches FOX news and immediately puts Marco, one of his youngest, on the trail to track down Farhad and ‘kill’ him once and for all. Naturally, he’s also covered in explosives. The idea, clever and refreshing, works… well, for the most part, at least.

That’s where Owen, the thin, nervous agent from CTU, comes in. Remember? He was the one who couldn’t even buckle up his suit early on in the season. Following a short session of sweating and worriedness, Owen steps in, taking Marcos through the hospital and finally to the room where Farhad is planted as a trap. Of course, that’s after he convinces the young terrorist to reveal his explosives to a security camera, giving Chloe ad Arlo a chance to find uncover the model and, ultimately, disarm it from miles away. Such is the power of the CTU tech department. While Owen is successful at his part of the mission, the rest of the squad, on the other hand, is not. They arrive to the scene where Marco, looking like a deer caught in headlights, stands. Without even a shot to the foot by Jack he is able to dive out of a window and escape to an all-to-conveniently placed pressure chamber. What are the odds Jack can manipulate that for torture?

So why, even with so many complaints, did I award hour ten with the season’s second score of 8.0? Simple. The final few minutes of the episode rose tensions immensely, and, believe it or not, my heart was pumping. Suspense once again worked its way into 24, and, for that, I couldn’t be happier. Now, if only all the other elements could do the same…

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 1:00 am - 2:00 am (OUT OF 10)

24 - Day 8: 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM Review

- FOX

And there goes another one.

Short-lived performances are no stranger to a show such as 24, somewhat adding to its well-known value of unpredictability. Often, a character is only given but a few episodes to establish himself before he is pinned down. Josef Bazhaev was obviously next on the list.

We left him last episode as he was on his way to deliver the rods to Farhad, attempting to seek some degree of redemption against his father for the murder Oleg. It was obvious from the start that Josef was apprehensive about things, unsure if his actions would truly set things right, and second thoughts were even further conveyed in his conversation with Jack and Sergei. The fleeting eye movements and nervous expressions were totally believable, and much credit should go to David Anders for his brief yet wholly enjoyable role. In an effort to strike a deal with the Josef, they offer him as well full immunity; a chance to undo his poorly considered work. And, just as he agrees to the offer, he is shot from across the street by Farhad and another man named Samir. Naturally, Chloe had been tapping the line the whole time in an effort to track the location of the rods. No dice, as it is hastily ground into the asphalt by Samir.

Now, I think it’s time to take a brief intermission in the review before we get into the rest of the episode, because I have something important to comment on. No, I’m not the first to notice the idiosyncrasy but I’m seven reviews in and I haven’t commented on this annoyance once. Brian Hastings… your posture is awful! How are you supposed to support anyone at CTU when you can't even support yourself? Ah, that’s right; you’re unable to do neither! Yes, Brian’s lack of loyalty is explored even further in hour nine. Rob Weiss at the White House gives Hastings a call, and, in a surprisingly intimidating tone, manipulates Hastings into permitting a female interrogator from the Department of Justice to drill Renee, hopefully finding a way to make her take full responsibility of the death of Vladimir. Apparently he was the White House’s only lead. In reality, if the interrogation is successful, Renee would be taking the blame for CTU’s failed mission. And Hastings agrees to let it happen.

Five minutes later (At 20 past midnight! They couldn’t have sent her in the morning!?! And, in addition, the crisis is still ongoing! Wouldn’t it have made more sense to see if things can wrap up cleanly by the end of the day, denying the need for ANY process? Such logic boggles the mind), she shows up, makes her way to medical and begins the attack. She’s been prepped, and she’s determined to get the job done. Surprisingly, this scene was one of my favorites of the entire episode. The questions, while basic, were delivered well and gave things a sinister undertone. As time pressed on, I felt the tension between the two rise, and, as the look on Renee’s face changed as Kristin kept talking, I too stared on, truly engaged. At one point, I even considered the possibility of Renee killing or injuring the woman who sat across the table from her. It may have very well been an interesting turn of events. But, the scene still concluded in a satisfying way, with Jack bursting through the door, throwing the interrogator against the wall and placing her into a chokehold. And it was at this point where Jack’s true feelings for Renee began to show.

Later on in the episode, the point is brought up once more as Jack, turned away from CTU by Hastings because of his behavior, is given the opportunity to return. But he does so under only one condition: that Renee is freed from any further prosecution. Hastings submits to the deal, though only after Jack promises to remain at CTU for the duration of the day’s events, demonstrating Hasting's competence for once. Perhaps Brian character will earn some greater backbone in future episodes? Maybe that stoop has a deeper meaning? But that’s not what is significant here. No, it’s Jack’s consistent emphasis on Renee. In essence, much of hour nine served to further show a developing connection between the two, and create something of an inner-conflict for Jack and the audience. Is Jack struggling for his country, or instead Renee? Where, truly, is his heart in all of this? Only time will tell.

I’ve been looking forward to this paragraph all-season, and it is with great pleasure that I write it. Dana’s side-story looks to be coming to an end. Yes, my friends, Dumb and Dumber are dead, and really, no one is upset at that. Dana, finally showing some degree of resourcefulness, tracks the two down, silenced pistol in hand. She walks closer and closer to the van where her ex and his friend are inside, certainly enjoying themselves with the two women they picked up at a grimy strip-club last episode. And what do you know? Cole shows up in the nick of time, ‘following up on a lead’ (completely leaving the rest of his team when his country is in danger) and gives his fiancée a talkin’-to. It is within a conveniently-placed commercial break where Dana, at last, reveals who true identity. So, after hearing her story, what does Cole do? He makes his way for the van himself, tells the two to leave the state with the $120,000 and never return. If they do, he will kill them both. The group reluctantly agrees, and, as far as Cole and Dana are concerned, the problem is solved. Not so. The slower of two stabs Kevin, grabs a revolver from the trunk and makes a move on Cole, who, after being alerted by the injured Kevin, spins around and takes a shot at the oncoming assailant, killing him instantly. Dana rushes over to Kevin, almost helpless as he slowly dies. The scene, while predictably bland, wrapped up a hugely disappointing side-plot, and, save for a little clean-up scene next episode, I’m hoping that we can quickly forget this atrocious misstep in the season.

And that’s that. A pretty fulfilling episode, all things considered, that opens things up quite nicely for a cleaner continuation. Admittedly, the season found itself faltering quite frequently in the past few episodes, but, as this entry proved, a little more character development was all that was necessary. So, now that things are almost into play, maybe we can finally get things really into motion next time.   

Fingers crossed.

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 12:00 am - 1:00 am (OUT OF 10)

24 - Day 8: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Review

- FOX 

SPOILER ALERT:   Significant plot details follow. 

24 has a history of inconsistency, especially in its early episodes. A story arc that lasts no less than 24 hours is long for any TV series so most of its missteps are excusable early on. Regardless, however, each episode still needs to be interesting to watch and provide ample realistic set-up. Here, in the fifth episode of season eight, the show’s plot is still unfolding and becoming more complex by the minute, even though most of it will be forgotten later on. That’s conventional with nearly all television shows, though even more so with a program such as 24. Unfortunately, season eight seems to be having a little trouble getting its footing right and not all of it is working as well as it should.  A very enjoyable, fresh and dramatic main plotline is marred by some silly and sloppily written storylines that tag along. This, of course, makes for episodes that feel very unbalanced.

Last week finished strongly and promised unique interactions between Jack and the damaged Renee. With its tense and well-acted scenes, I’m happy to report that  8:00 PM – 9:00 PM’s main plot continued this narrative in a fashion that was, for the most part, quite fun to watch.

First, however, let’s get to the things that were not fun to watch. Yes, I’m talking about Dana Walsh’s laughably useless side story. What an unfortunate position Battlestar veteran Katee Sackhoff is in. The actress who once played the brash and short-tempered Starbuck has assumed the role of a character taking orders and nearly tearing up as she’s thrown against the wall by degenerate white-trash. What’s more, she must excuse herself from her job in the middle of an undercover operation for Jack and Renee to meet up with him at her own apartment. The fact that CTU would allow her to even leave the building during a time such as this is completely unbelievable on its own. Apparently they don’t care. So, she submits to her ex and the story gets worse from there. When she arrives, Kevin has the audacity to demand that Dana steal information from CTU so he and some guy named Nick can make off big time… sigh… Please, writers, either wrap this story up, or tie it in. Hell, I’d consider the whole plot redeemed if Dana would just put a bullet in Kevin’s head next week and have her deal with things from there on. You have one last chance with this one.

Anyway, on the villain side of things, little worth mentioning occurs, despite the fact that the episode begins with Farhad Hassan on the phone in mob boss Sergei Bazhaev’s posh restaurant. While the conspiracy against President Hassan deepens and beings to spread to his country of Kamistan, the ramifications of such happenings aren’t clearly defined yet. As Farhad’s phone call progresses, a military contact is introduced, as well as potentially a new side plot that could have legs. But, the conversation is quickly silenced as Serfei enters the room inquiring about his payment in exchange for nuclear weapons. Conveniently, it’ll take five hours for Farhad’s funds to be transferred, and 24’s mid-season event will undoubtedly tie into this fitting occurrence. In an effort to pacify Farhad for a few hours, Sergei gives Farhad a private room and a couple of prostitutes to hang out with. Enjoy!

President Hassad has his own share of troubles in hour five, finally catching word of political strife in his homeland. To calm the uproar he begins efforts to penalize the conspirators and naysayers, though President Taylor has issues with his ways, and worries about the fate of her peace treaty as a result. While it makes sense in practice, Taylor will have to offer some compromise here, as Hassan must be allowed some reaction to chaos back home.

Thankfully, the meat of the episode more than made up for some disappointing side stories. Renee, fearless and tolerant, is subjected to unrelenting questioning by a Russian mob outlet to get her back undercover. Even when things get tough for her, she remains forceful in her ways, and is successful in the end. It is revealed that she has a disturbing past with a Russian contact named Vladimir, a history that could create an interesting and compelling dynamic if handled correctly. Renee’s part in the show makes the sometimes senseless sequences in the eighth season of 24 worth watching, and, just as she stared down at the barrel of the gun in the final few minutes of the episode, unsure of what would happen next, I too am uncertain of what direction the show will go in the next few episodes. It’s anyone’s guess from here.

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm (OUT OF 10) 

24 - Day 8: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Review

- FOX

SPOILER ALERT:   Significant plot details follow. 

Renee, you badass, you.

The premiere of 24 is now over, and, unsurprisingly, there’s a whole lot going on. Dana’s got a shady history; uranium is a hot-topic; the Russian mob is relaxed as hell; Renee Walker is a loose cannon and Jack’s caught in the middle of everything. Yes, the eighth season of 24 has finally kicked in.

The unfortunate thing is that not all of these stories are handled well, namely Dana Walsh’s. Unimaginative and unbelievable are probably the only words I can use to describe such a lackluster side story. When the notion of a cloudy past for Dana Walsh came in from far left field in the first night, I actually saw some potential for it, provided the writers explore the many options they had for the story. Consequently, they took the ‘trailer trash’ route and things have already fallen flat. Kevin, an old “friend” of Ms. Walsh, has been released from prison and, naturally, he just wants a place to “crash” for the night. And before you even ask, yes, he lives out of a trailer with a beard and a denim jacket. Yawn. Anyway, Kevin Wade decides that his girlfriend from years past is just dying to talk to him and is still the same person he knew from before he was behind bars. He phones Dana at CTU and learns that she has completely changed; even her name is different. It turns out that Dana Walsh is not who she says she is, and her name is merely an alias she has taken on to mask her former life. Kevin calls her “Jenny” and, indeed, she responds.

But he does not get the loving reaction he was expecting, and, in hour three, Kevin makes his way to CTU to find Jenny or Dana or whatever she’s called.

WAIT A MINUTE!!!! Hold on, hold on, hold on!  Did some generic 'redneck' just find the offices of CTU NY on his own? Isn’t this place some sort of intelligence agency? Really, the CTU of Day 8 looks pretty secure, and most of it even appears to be underground, with only a few entrances poking their heads up from the tarmac. This doesn’t seem likely. At all. Anyway, Dana (Jenny?) even gives Kevin the key to her apartment, allowing an obviously perturbed man free reign of her home. Something here doesn’t add up. Hopefully we can make things a little more coherent in future episodes.

But I digress from the main plot points of the two episodes. Jack is on the move already from the get-go, searching the suburbs for the season’s first villain Davros. Within minutes he has arrived on the scene of the Russian’s handiwork, but, alas too late. The bodies of Davro’s hostages lay lifeless on the kitchen chairs, with bullets in each of their heads. Within minutes of Jack’s arrival, the cops show up at the door, and, it just so happens that one of that of Davros’ victims was an officer himself, effectively labeling Jack as a cop-killer. Enraged, one of the cops starts delivering a beat down to Jack, and his mission is unfortunately delayed, but only for a short time. With effort, Jack is able to take control of the situation, and manages to return to the UN in time to save President Hassan from an untimely death and kill Davros.

It isn’t until the fourth hour that things begin to get really interesting, introducing old though scarred friends.  Last season, we already began to see the metamorphosis of Renee Walker, as she turned from a passive employee of the FBI to a character caught in the gray, unsure of what’s wrong and what’s right. And, while she crossed boundaries from time to time in season seven, she looked her part. Oh, how a day with Jack has changed her.

After examining Davros’ dead body, a number of odd looking symbols are found, along with traces of weapons-grade uranium. Things don’t look good, and, shockingly enough, the only agent with the right knowledge (and body) on the Russian mob is Miss Renee Walker. She doesn’t like to talk much, but she sure is determined.

 Her assignment will bring her back undercover with the Russians, though it has apparently been years since Renee was in that line of work. It’s a rocky and unpredictable undertaking, and Jack isn’t sure if Renee is up to it. He forces himself along with her, and Renee is immediately resentful, claiming that he’s only there to “babysit.” She has not time for nonsense, and will apparently go to whatever lengths she needs to fulfill her duties. She’s had a rough past as is, and her character’s actions speak for themselves, delivering a shocking and gruesome ending to a plot-driven episode.

An unpredictable and battered soul, Renee alone delivers a solid hour, and what may be most interesting is seeing how she grows further. While the premiere of 24’s eighth day was inconsistent at best, a few memorable moments shined. The interactions between Jack and Renee may very well be what this season is remembered for, and, if future episodes play out as unexpectedly as the final few minutes of hour four, we may very well see an excellent season.

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (OUT OF 10)