DVR Weekly – Week of 10/21-10/27

Welcome to DVR Weekly! Every Monday I choose three shows that I have managed to watch on my DVR over the past week and really enjoyed, do a small recap and review them. Keep in mind this means spoilers. I’ll also mention two shows that are worth checking out. I’ll also give you a glimpse of five shows I’m looking forward to for the following week. I don’t watch everything, so remember if your favorite show isn’t on here it doesn’t mean I hate it.

This week on DVR Weekly:

• The Walking Dead – 3.02 “Sick”
• Once Upon a Time – 2.04 “The Crocodile”
• Elementary – 1.04 “The Rat Race”

Top Shows of the Week

The Walking Dead – 3.02 “Sick”

For an in-depth recap of this week’s episode, check out Danny’s recap here. The basics? Rick rushes Hershel back to the cell block for aid from Carol who’s learned some medical treatments from Hershel. The prisoners follow the survivors back to cell block. In defense, Rick makes a deal for half the food remaining in the kitchen in exchange for helping to clear a separate cell block for the prisoners. Prisoners fall for various reasons, but the remaining prisoners are left to survive in a new cell block.

This episode is riveting as it introduces a set of new characters. It also does an incredible job of introducing and reinforcing the theme of the season: “Fight the dead. Fear the living.” The prisoners also provide some interesting moments due to their lack of knowledge to the events of the past year. The show continues to set itself apart from the comic book while remaining fairly faithful. The remaining prisoners, Oscar and Axel, may prove to be truly interesting, but of course, next episode’s focus on the Governor is what everyone is waiting for.

One Upon a Time – 2.04 “The Crocodile”

In the enchanted land, we learn the fate of Rumpelstiltskin’s wife, Milah. Before gaining the powers of the Dark One, Milah left Rumpel to sail away on the pirate ship of Killian Jones. Flash forward to after Bae escaped the enchanted lands, Rumpelstiltskin meets with a man who possesses the magic bean which allows travel between worlds. Before leaving the tavern, Rumpel sees Captain Jones enter the bar and decides to confront him. Disguised as a beggar, Rumpel bumps the Captain. Jones calls him a crocodile before recognizing him as the Dark One. Rumpel also asks for the fate of his wife, to which Jones says she’d died many years ago. Rumpel challenges Jones to a duel, harking back to their first encounter. At the duel, Rumpel handily defeats Jones, but before killing him, Milah reveals herself. She has kidnapped the man Rumpel met with and will only exchange the magic bean for Jones’ and her safety. At the exchange, Rumpel ends up killing Milah. Jones vows revenge before losing his hand. Rumpel escapes under the impression he holds the magic bean. Jones then informs the man from the tavern that he is now a member of his crew. The man tells Jones his name, “Smee”. And Jones then uses the magic bean to travel to Neverland where he could plan his revenge on Rumpelstiltskin.

Belle decides to leave Mr. Gold due his use of magic in Storybrooke. She visits Granny’s where Ruby advises her to take over the care of the library. While investigating the library, Belle is kidnapped by Smee. Smee delivers Belle to her father. Belle’s overbearing father decides that to protect her from Gold, he would send her across the town line to forget her enchanted identity. David, as temporary Sheriff, comes to Gold’s aid to find Belle. Ruby eventually uses her residual wolf senses to lead David and Gold to Belle’s father’s floral shop. After some intimidation, the group saves Belle with an assist from Gold’s magic. Belle chooses to estrange herself from both Gold and her father. In the end, Gold provides to be honest with Belle and provides her with the key to the library. Gold also has taken Smee captive, who informs Gold that not everyone has been transported to Storybrooke by the curse.

Back in the enchanted land outside the Haven, Captain Hook/Jones meets with Cora who has the magic ash from last episode.

A very robust episode that truly adds more and more layers to my favorite character of the series, Rumpelstiltskin. This episode also increases the stakes and the intrigue. And interesting piece of information also hints at the identity of the man in New York from the season premiere.

Elementary – 1.04 “The Rat Race”

The episode opens with Joan approaching Det. Gregson and revealing her true relationship with Sherlock. She also reveals that she believes he may have relapsed. Cut to Sherlock handcuffed to a car door with his legs zip tied together. Flashback to Joan getting set up by her friend to meet a guy. As Joan gets to know the stranger, Holmes begins texting her solely in text acronyms which she has trouble understanding. Upon meeting with Holmes, Joan learns that Holmes has been hired by a investment firm to investigate the disappearance of the company’s COO. Holmes eventually tracks the COO to his secret apartment. There, Sherlock finds the COO dead of a heroin overdose: needle still in hand. As Gregson and the investigators, Watson questions Holmes’ stability being faced with his drug of choice. Holmes is terse, but he soon announces that the death is in fact a murder. Tests confirms Holmes suspicions despite protestations from everyone. He also realizes that several deaths have occurred in the firm that warrant suspicion. He brings this to the attention of the board who hired him. The key suspect reveals himself: Jim Fowkes, the man who hired Sherlock. Fowkes provides his alibi which leads Holmes to Fowkes’ secretary Donna. She kidnaps Sherlock with the intent to kill him and frame Fowkes. Now we’re cut up to Joan’s meeting with Gregson where she eventually receives a text from Sherlock’s phone. She notices inconsistencies in the text based on the earlier acronyms, and Sherlock is saved in the nick of time. We also see that Watson is developing her own deductive abilities when she catches her date in a lie. And the episode ends with Sherlock’s admission to Gregson of his addiction. Gregson replies that he’d known all along.

This was a tough decision. Not a great week in shows. I was disappointed by comedies (New Girl, Happy Endings, and The League) and dramas (Elementary and Arrow), but this episode showed the most promise for the series. Not only do we get to see the relationship expand between Holmes and Watson, but also between Holmes and Gregson. Interestingly, one of my many complaints about Elementary is that it isn’t so much a modern adaptation as BBC’s Sherlock, but this episode surprised me by it’s portrayal of Gregson. In the books, Gregson isn’t dumb, and the show isn’t treating him as such. The procedural aspect of the show doesn’t work for me and I wish for a format more akin to Dexter or Luther. Usually I give up on a show around episode four. This episode earned Elementary a little bit longer on the DVR.

Honorable Mentions

Arrow – 1.03 “Lone Gunmen” – Arrow hunts down a hired killer known as Deadshot. This was a disappointing episode simply because of the mishandling of Deadshot. We also get teases for Black Canary and Merlyn. The intrigue of the island is intensified as the hooded figure claims he’s protecting Ollie. Dig gets a save from Arrow.

New Girl – 2.05″Models”  – Jess celebrates CeCe’s birthday with the models. One boob fight and a bottle of vodka later, CeCe is too drunk for her job the next day, and Jess steps up to help her out. Nick learns the true meaning of friendship from Schmidt and Winston. Some great character moments with fun moments.

Next Week’s Most Anticipated

(Episode descriptions from tvguide.com)

The Walking Dead – 3.03 “Walk With Me” – Andrea and Michonne meet a new band of survivors, but conflicts arise.

Once Upon a Time – 2.05 “The Doctor” – Regina thinks she’s being haunted by a ghost as she attempts to suppress her magic to please Henry. Meanwhile, Emma’s hesitant to believe a supposed survivor of an ogre massacre; and back in the fairy-tale world, Regina struggles to master the dark arts.

Arrow- 1.04 “An Innocent Man”– Arrow asks Laurel to help him prove that an innocent man is being framed for murder. Meanwhile, Walter investigates a $2.6 million withdrawal that Moira made without his knowledge.

Elementary – 1.05 “Lesser Evils” – Holmes conducts research in a hospital morgue and concludes that someone is killing weak and terminally-ill patients. He also learns more about why Joan walked away from her surgical career.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – 1.07 “Monkey Brains” – Donatello and April look for a missing scientist, but instead they find a psychic monkey at the center of a conspiracy.

Thanks for checking out DVR Weekly. Remember, if you have a show you think I should check out, leave a comment. Remember to check back every Monday for DVR Weekly.