November 14, 2006: Man of Steele
Tonight's episode was most notable for its surprising portrayal of the guest stars. Few acted or spoke exactly as one might expect based on their physical appearances.
First we had Doug, who looked like he just stepped out of a Harley convention. He was splattered with blood and appeared to be one of the most brutal hostage takers we'd seen yet. But then we found out that all of this - the shooting, the car chase, the standoff - was because he wanted to adopt a baby. And the actual image of his struggle was even more interesting. When Doug held the baby with such tenderness, it was a striking juxtaposition of large and small, world-weary and innocent.
Then there was Avery Steele. At first glance, I wrote him off as another "shock jock" hoping to out-outrageous
Howard Stern. But wait, there was a catch! This guy actually had a social conscience. He wasn't using his antics to exploit beautiful women or the mentally impaired. No, his ultimate fantasy was the truth. But still I'm not entirely sure I bought the whole thing. He's just not the kind of guy I picture when I listen to NPR or Air America. Plus, his groupies looked like they were straight out of
Airheads. (Side note: Why is it that when young wild and crazy kids gather together for something "outrageous" on TV, I feel like I'm watching clips of MTV's Spring Break programming circa 1990? It's time to update the stereotype, people.) But despite all this, I still think it was an interesting depiction of the guy, bad shirt and all. I was so glad when Cheryl said, "You're dumber than that shirt makes you look." Thank you! That thing was killing me.
Along with that zinger, Cheryl was back in full effect flexing her boss muscles again this week. I was sure when Emily challenged her decision to go down to the radio station that they would reach some type of happy agreement, but they actually butted heads this time. Naturally, at the end they were both ready for a group hug, but still, it's good to see that not everything always runs smoothly over at the FBI. (If there's a joke there, I promise it was unintentional.)
And now here's my one complaint for the evening. Buckle up. For the first fifteen minutes or so, neither the viewer nor Doug knew there was a baby inside the house. But how did that baby sleep through a crash in his front yard, an armed mad man knocking down the door and flinging the babysitter across the room, lots of yelling and police activity outside, and a large piece of furniture being moved in front of the door? As a new aunt myself (to a niece that could possibly be the cutest child on the planet), I realize that if parents continue their everyday routines of running the vacuum and speaking in a normal tone, most babies will adapt and sleep right through it. But come on, not waking up for a dramatic hostage situation? Maybe that baby was worth all the trouble after all. (I know, bad joke! I couldn't resist!)
