It’s just a coincidence that I recently got back into this program. Talk about good timing! Wow. This show represents nothing less than the very best in American television drama.
I didn’t think much of James Spader before, but I am now a rabid fan! What an incredible interpretation of the role. I don’t know whether it was written with him in mind, but damn! He has positively nailed it.
And Chris O’Donnel. Who’d 'ave thunk it? He’s a bad boy now, one who almost succeeded in looking mean when he glared at Elenore. And not just any bad boy, but one who murdered his wife and unborn son and then used his ten-year-old daughter to shield himself from prosecution as she even now languishes in custody thanks to his scheme.
And Eugene. He has actually grown. I never thought he would. I thought he would always be a sanctimonious and arrogant prick. No longer. Apparently, the heavy weight of the firm resting solely on his shoulders has toned down his peckishness. (Some remains, though. He just HAD to explain that he “did it for the firm”. :rolleyes: )
All in all, this was my favorite episode to date. (I still love the one with Lindsay’s first opening statement when she went up against her professor, but now it’s number two.)
I wonder what was in the bedroom. I heard moaning, but maybe it was from physical suffering rather than sexual pleasure. My guess is that Roland’s wife was beaten, stripped nude, and tied to the bed while Richard lies on top of her with his brains blown out or something.
Hmm… If Roland killed the children, that would disappoint me from a writing standpoint. I don’t think his character was developed that way, and I would consider it to be a gratuitous surprise. But you never know.
I’m frankly of two minds regarding the ‘re-vamped’ Practice. Moments of the excellence we’ve grown accustomed to co-habitate with what seems, to me at least, with failed attempts at questionable, i.e. it’s-supposed-to-be-funny-but-it-ain’t, humour. Then we have the Sandra Bullock look-alike third year law student who couldn’t be faulted for refusing to take initiatives. And good ole Jimmy’s still there (I could have done without him this season [and last, and the one before that]), along with ex-single-facial-expression-when-he’s-pissed-and/or-tormented Eugene, who now has huge responsibilities on his shoulders. But the addition of (the initially grating) James Spader is a stroke of genius, in my opinion. He alone, it seems, could make watching the show this season a worthwhile endeavour. More often than not, new characters take time to develop: his seemed to have felt right at home as soon as he got there. Let’s hope the powers that be do not decide to tone him down somewhere down the road: there IS substance to this character.
Speaking of being of two minds, I don’t know exactly what to think of Sharon Stone’s part. Aside from her being quite intelligent as a person, I very much like her as an actress and I’m not sure her acting talents [I realize some would find this assesment highly questionable] have been put to good use here. This whole talking-to-God crap was utter nonsense, in my opinion, from the start but we have to live with it:D. We’ll see how this unfolds. Far from sure that she’d have a recurring role, though.
As for the last minute or so of yesterday’s episode, my instinctive reaction was that he killed his wife, with or without her lover. But that would just be too banal an outcome for a show like The Practice, wouldn’t it?
I just want to agree that James Spader has revitalized the show. I have enjoyed a lot of the work that he has done, but I think this may be his best role. I can’t help adding the snarky comment that although his character is supposed to be grating, it’s a lot less grating than Bobby was.
A big surprise has been Sharon Stone’s acting on this show. This is the first time that I have ever thought she did a good job in a role.
Eugene seems so static. I don’t see the growth. The writers need to give this character a storyline that adds to the character and avoids the “my client is scum but I must uphold the system” theme.
I wasn’t following the show last year but I did see a scene where he was in a relationship with the blond associate. There didn’t seem to be any sparks flying between them so maybe the writers gave up on the idea. However, I think a fun romance or some other positive storyline is what Eugene’s character needs. Perhaps, a storyline that focuses on his changed status in the Boston legal world now that he is head partner. He must be getting invitations to professional societies, advisory groups, etc. as a result of his more-prestigious position.
Yeah, I guess in my euphoria, I gushed too much over Eugene and his growth. But it just seemed to me last night that he didn’t do as much of the usual Eugene strong-arming in dealing with Alan (Spader’s character). He actually held his tongue in a couple of scenes, with none of the bull-snorting. But you’re right, he needs help from either the writers or the director (or both) to grow more.
You and I are gonna have problems if you keep talking about my girlfriend that way.:mad: She’s sooooo much hotter than Sandra Bullock.
I’m with you on the “two minds” thing. I really am enjoying James Spader’s character but I think the show is struggling with identity and chemistry.
I keep seeing him as another incarnation of the Robt. Downey Jr. character from Allie McBeal.
And speaking of which, isn’t the sharon stone character kind of McBealish too?
Either way, I’m still enjoying the show and am interested to see if it all gels.
Eugene needs another case, more action. He seemed a bit too passionate in his speech last night.
The “Sandra Bullock look-alike” is Rhona Mitra, an English model/actress whose big break was as a booth babe playing a live Lara Croft for Eidos at trade shows.
What an incredible interpretation of the role. I don’t know whether it was written with him in mind, but damn! He has positively nailed it.