The thing is that Emily was, with the exception of a small handful of Emily-centric episodes scattered throughout the series, always the spice. Fanny is roughly the same character (except less wealthy, of course) served up as the main course, and it often ends up being too much.

2 (A) - The show fully gels and fires on all cylinders all season, plus Jess arrives

It's pretty rad that AV Club is finally getting around to this show, though it's unlikely I'll be able to follow the reviews on a weekly basis because I haven't seen most of these episodes in many years and dumb Netflix hasn't added the show to instant yet. Seriously, Netflix, you can make room for Dawson's Creek, but…

It's not so much that Emmerich is or ever has been an electrifying presence, but, going all the way back to my first exposure to him in The Truman Show, I've always been a fan because he's the rare actor who I never catch "acting." His characters just are. Making it seem as easy as he does must be insanely hard.

I haven't yet! I'm holding off on it for a summer binge-watch. But, out of curiosity, what was the correct answer?

You may be right about it being a "binge" show. As I mentioned, it's entirely possible that this is all setting the dominos up for a big, twisty, thrilling final act to the season that will make me go, "Oh, nevermind, this show is pretty damn good after all," and render what I just said moot. It wouldn't be the first…

I've watched all five episodes so far and am still patiently waiting to see its alleged "greatness" actually reveal itself onscreen. The pilot was certainly above average, but episodes 2-5 were all pretty dull and grim, and (although Noah Emmerich is, as always, an incredibly reliable character actor) there isn't a…

Spitballing: Matthew Vaughn, Alfonso Cuaron, Rian Johnson, Brad Bird, Christopher Nolan, Joe Wright, Danny Boyle, Nicolas Winding Refn, Kathryn Bigelow, Rupert Wyatt, Martin McDonagh, just saying "fuck it" and bringing back Martin Campbell

There were some definite flaws here and there in that episode, but ultimately I can't go any lower than an 'A' grade for TV that works so hard to be interesting and unique and surprising, and manages to tie it all together through a non-gimmicky emotional through-line. Impressive stuff. Switched at Birth has managed…

It seems like the show often has the difference in how Daphne is with the Kennishes and Bay with the Vasquezes on the tip of its tongue (especially last week, with the Bay/Regina story), but always stops just shy of coming right out and acknowledging it. I really hope it's more explicitly explored in the next…

I think you are right about the score being louder than usual, and I'm sure it was intentional.

I definitely hope reviews for this show remain. Episodes like this one (but also even more standard eps) definitely offer a hell of a lot more to chew on and discuss than something like, I dunno, The Carrie Diaries. (In fact, this show is one of only about ten or so on TV where I actually thoroughly read the AVC…

Once Smash gets canceled and if Bunheads gets renewed (fingers crossed), I think it's essential that Megan Hilty appears in an episode as Ginny's sister/cousin/something.

ABC Family has their share of mediocrity, but they definitely don't deserve to be judged as a network by the unusual, exceptional awfulness of Secret Life. Switched at Birth is definitely worth checking out, as is Bunheads, and, if you're interested in exploring ABCF's back catalogue, Greek.

"Ab Aeterno" is probably the only good episode of Lost season 6, so I'm unclear why this article points to it as a creative misstep.

Lindsey McDonald is also in both the pilot and finale of Angel, though obviously only a relatively small percentage of the show overall.

Premiered to a 1.4, so don't get too comfortable, anyone. This is a one-season-and-done.

It's the ONLY show I can think of that ran for more than two seasons for which I think that's the case.

Every season of Angel is better than the one before it. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, each an improvement over the last.

Almost every major plot point of season 2 was a swing and a miss. Thankfully, other than Coach returning to Dillon, Matt and Julie breaking up, and Street knocking up the waitress, absolutely every single plot point from season 2 is ignored and never mentioned again from season 3 episode 1 to the end of the series.