The Killing - "Pilot" & "The Cage"

Linden (Mireille Enos) and Holder (Joel Kinnaman) at a crime scene in 'The Killing'.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Killing'
Season 1 - Episodes 1 & 2
"Pilot"
"The Cage"

AMC has yet to disappoint me with the network's crop of television series. 'Mad Men' never disappoints, though we'll have to wait until 2012 for season five. 'The Walking Dead' is off to a great start, despite having a very brief first season. 'Rubicon' had extremely poor ratings, but I found that show deeply engrossing. The only misstep there was its inability to stick the landing. I still haven't gotten around to watching 'Breaking Bad', but I plan on remedying that before the fourth season kicks up in July.

The Walking Dead - "TS-19"

To avoid the undead, the cast of 'The Walking Dead' must now live together inside an elevator for all of eternity.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Walking Dead'
Season 1 - Episode 6
"TS-19"

After last week's drastic divergence from the source material, I was feeling a bit pessimistic about the season finale of 'The Walking Dead'. Thankful it turned out to be a solid episode and one that didn't go down the path that I predicted. As a bonus, "TS-19" was the episode that made me finally relax and enjoy 'The Walking Dead' the television as it's own thing and to not worry about whether or not it will stray too far from the comic book series.

The Walking Dead - "Wildfire"

Andrea (Laurie Holden) mourns the death of her sister as Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) tries to comfort her.
Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Walking Dead'
Season 1 - Episode 5
"Wildfire"

It's becoming harder and harder for me to separate my feelings about this show and those I have for the comic book series. I understand that as a television show, 'The Walking Dead' will handle events from the source material differently and at times add or subtract elements. The ending of "Wildfire" was a very big divergence from the original comic book series, and not in a way that I'm too excited about.

The Walking Dead - "Vatos"

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) explains to the others why he needs to rescue Glenn.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Walking Dead'
Season 1 - Episode 4
"Vatos"

"Vatos" is a bit of an odd episode. Rick, Gleen, T-Dog, and Daryl's venture back into Atlanta seemed complicated enough. Their goal was to find Merle and Rick's sack of guns, all the while avoiding getting chewed on by zombies. Then the Vatos show up.

The Walking Dead - "Tell It to the Frogs"

Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) lays down a few new ground rules for Shane (Jon Bernthal) now that Rick is back.
Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Walking Dead'
Season 1 - Episode 3
"Tell It to the Frogs"

Last week's episode of 'The Walking Dead' veered more towards what is expected and common for zombie movies. This week's "Tell It to the Frogs" brings the program back in line with the character drama strengths of the premiere. Other than the horde that was scratching at Merle Dixon's roof top door, the rest of the humans only had one zombie run-in back at camp. Most the episode dealt with Rick's reunion with his wife, Lori, and son, Carl, and the tension between the various personalities amongst the survivors. I love some intense zombie action, but 'The Walking Dead' is at its best when dealing with the living and their personal struggles in a world gone to hell.

The Walking Dead - "Guts"

Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) make a run for it.
Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'The Walking Dead'
Season 1 - Episode 2
"Guts"

I'm amazed at the level of gore that this show is getting away with even at 10 PM EST on basic cable. Zombies getting their brains blown out is one thing, but "Guts" took gross to a whole new level. I don't think I've ever seen anything as stomach-turning on HBO as the scene where Rick, Glenn and some other survivors chop up one of the undead so they can smear themselves with... well... guts. I almost shared Glenn's reaction to the situation.

The Walking Dead – “Days Gone Bye”

Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) wakes up to a nightmare.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

‘The Walking Dead’
Season 1 – Episode 1
“Days Gone Bye”

I enter my viewing and reviewing of AMC’s newest series ‘The Walking Dead’ in an interesting predicament. I’ve been reading the series for a few years; not monthly, but I make sure to get the latest trade paperback collection the day it hits the shelves at my local comic book shop. Now, I face the challenge of reviewing episodes of a television series based on a comic that I’ve really grown to appreciate. To that end, I’m going to do my best to address ‘The Walking Dead’ in the context of the television series, with as little as possible reference to the comic book series.

Rubicon - "You Never Can Win"

Will (James Badge Dale) and Truxton (Michael Christofer) finally have that important talk.

Photo Credit: AMC


Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 13

"You Never Can Win"

As much as I really enjoyed this first (and hopefully not the last) season of 'Rubicon', I was disappointed in the handling of the episode's conclusion. Don't get me wrong, James Badge Dale and Michael Christofer were as excellent as always and the scene crackled with tension. However, we're left with both Will and Truxton knowing that the other knows about everything involving Atlas MacDowell and the Galvaston attack. Spangler walks away daring Will to go public. Fade to black.

Mad Men - "Tomorrowland"

Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) discuss their positions at SCDP.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 13
"Tomorrowland"

That was certainly sudden. However, looking back at season four as a whole, this did appear to be the end result Matthew Wiener had intended. Megan had been floating around the background for half the season until her key moment of comforting Sally. That was also the same episode that we learned that Dr. Faye wasn't good with children and had no real desire to change that matter.

Rubicon - "Wayward Sons"

Will  (James Badge Dale) visits Katherine Rhumor.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 12

"Wayward Sons"

For the last eleven episodes, we've been introduced to and tracked the development of characters that have never appeared on the screen. Kateb, Tanaz, Boeck, and Popovich have been spectres in the background and the people of interest being investigated by Will team at API, all the while not actually appearing in a single episode. That is until now.

Mad Men - "Blowing Smoke"

Don Draper (Jon Hamm), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) as their empire slowly crumbles around them.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 12
"Blowing Smoke"

I know that there is one episode left in the season, but "Blowing Smoke" felt like a season finale. The episode ended with a feeling of uncertainty, yet with a direction more towards a positive outcome. Yes, SCDP is having to down-size, resulting in the firing of big chunk of the staff, but thanks to the partners ponying up some money, the bank has granted them a loan to keep the company afloat for another six months.

Rubicon - "A Good Day's Work"

Truxton Spangler (Michael Cristofer) enjoys a glass of "the good stuff".

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 11
"A Good Day's Work"

The presence of Andy in Will's life has provided a voice for the idea that intelligence work is glamorous and action packed. What we've learned watching 'Rubicon' is that it can be slow and tedious, and in Will's case, the action is brutal and vicious. So, it's no surprise that when Andy makes a badly timed appearance at Will's apartment just hours after he had just killed a man in self-defense (and whose body was chopped up and removed), it makes sense that he doesn't want her around anymore.

Mad Men - "Chinese Wall"

Stan Rizzo (Jay R. Ferguson) and Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) get ready to make a presentation.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 11
"Chinese Wall"

The future of SCDP is looking very uncertain at the moment. Roger's big secret about Lucky Strike came out via the grapevine and now the entire company has to scramble to find replacement accounts, while trying to reduce the fears of their other clients so they don't jump ship as well. Of course, this is also the perfect time for Baby Campbell to make her debut.

Rubicon - "In Whom We Trust"

Will Travers (James Badge Dale) and Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) finally meet to compare notes.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 10

"In Whom We Trust"

Ten episodes into the first season and we finally (finally!) have our first real meeting between Will Travers and Katherine Rhumor. They had briefly bumped into each other at a party about six episodes back, but this time they've done enough independent digging that circumstances have brought them together. Unfortunately, this is a potential alliance that is killed quickly in the crib thanks to the intervention of Donald Bloom. Will has some protection and resources thanks to Kale. Katherine is completely powerless and alone, so Bloom's threats on her life, her parents' lives, and that of Will, too, are more than enough for her to cut ties with young Mr. Travers.

Mad Men - "Hands and Knees"

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Trudy (Alison Brie) enjoy a kick from their baby.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 10
"Hands and Knees"

Don Draper, or should I say Dick Whitman, has been carrying around the secret of his dual identity for about two decades. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a few people have learned about it. Two of them, Betty and Pete, have the burden of this knowledge creep unexpectedly into their own lives. For the first time, we actually get to see Don deal with the very real possibility of Army finding out that he deserted all those years ago.

Rubicon - "No Honesty in Men"

Andy (Annie Parisse) and Will (James Badge Dale) are having a very odd first date.

Photo Credit: AMC 

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 9
"No Honesty in Men"

I'm not sure about how I feel about Andy, Will's across the alley neighbor. If she is not someone keeping tabs on him, as Will and our paranoia may have been led to believe due to the various scenes of Andy looking from across the way into his apartment, then she's kind of odd. A guy shows up in the middle of the night with a bottle of wine, a tomato, and a story about a bugged apartment and she takes it all in stride. This might be a case of one's attraction to another overriding the common sense center of his or her brain.

Mad Men - "The Beautiful Girls"

Joan (Christina Hendricks), Peggy (Elisabeth Moss), and Faye (Cara Buono) enjoy an uncomfortable silence together.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 9
"The Beautiful Girls"

As the episode title and the picture above suggests, this episode of 'Mad Men' focuses on the three most powerful women at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Joan is in charge of the secretary pool and is charge of the day to day operations of the office. Peggy is a copy writer that works directly under Don Draper. Dr. Faye is a freelance researcher, but has become an important resource for the firm. Oh, and they got man troubles, bad.

Rubicon - "Caught in the Suck"

Tanya (Lauren Hodges) and Miles (Dallas Roberts) get to witness the wonders of information extraction at a undisclosed location.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 8
"Caught in the Suck"

I so hope that 'Rubicon' gets renewed. I know the ratings aren't that stellar, but this show is fantastic. I would hope that AMC will give the show at least another season. I would really hate to see the main story thread rushed to a conclusion or just left hanging there at the end of the season due to cancellation. This show continues to be a wonderful surprise that's unlike anything on at the moment.

Mad Men - "The Summer Man"

Don Draper (Jon Hamm) making looking good seem so damn easy.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Mad Men'
Season 4 - Episode 8
"The Summer Man"

While Don still has the occasional drink, it appears that he has turned the corner after last week's wonderful  episode "The Suitcase". Now he is writing down his thoughts in a journal, exercising regularly in the form of swimming, and not getting plastered every couple of hours. His change in pattern is rewarded not once but twice, when both Bethany and Dr. Faye get physical with him. Even they have noticed a change.

Rubicon - "The Truth Will Out"

Miles (Dallas Roberts) feels the pressure as he begins his polygraph test.

Photo Credit: AMC

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Rubicon'
Season 1 - Episode 7
"The Truth Will Out"

I'm not sure if Will Travers if very brave or completely stupid at times. One thing's for sure, he's turning into a risk taker. Maybe to crack the mystery of the "unsanctioned op" as David Hadas' voice on a CD puts it, Will is going to have to take a lot of chances that could potentially get him caught or even killed.