Watching Showtime

Rather than discuss the last four episodes of Huff one at a time, I feel the need to just lay it all out there. I was hugely disappointed with the path these last few episodes took. The writers had already created a ton of drama, and there were a lot of events that could have catapulted these people in very different directions. Instead, we were left with a Craig I now despise, a Beth I want to strangle for her naivety, and several other cursory characters who I actually care more about now than ever.

First off, what’s with making the decision to make Craig play into the stereotype so obviously? The hot young thing shows up at his office selling something, and he ends up making out with her. Guilt drives him to accuse his wife of seemingly ludicrous action, and to turn drunk, disorderly and violent for the remainder of the season. I wish television writers everywhere would put a moratorium on this sort of storyline. It’s been done. A hundred times before. And it kills interest in the character. Want to make him interesting? Parade around the hot young thing and have him tell her to bugger off. Better yet, don’t fall back on stereotype when at a loss for a new storyline. Come up with something original for once.

And Beth? Blind to the hot young restaurateur’s affections? I sincerely doubt she would have had no idea that man wanted to get in her pants. Again with the stereotypes. I did appreciate her reaction to Huff’s accusations, however. It is too often that women in television and movies make excuses for their husbands’ reactions to such situations. Beth calls him on it.

As for Russell. Can we get him off all the drugs before we give him a baby. Especially a baby with the least likely of women. What happened to Pepper? When are they going to to foster the relationship he so obviously has with his secretary? Instead they give him a love child from a drug-induced night of stupidity, and have him sleep it off with Izzy.

Byrd and Teddy are the only two characters left I have any appreciation for. Byrd, with all his teenage angst and confusion, seems to be finding his way quite nicely. I like that the writers don’t pull any punches with his explorations of sexuality and drugs. Teddy will always hold a spot in my heart because he’s so damn cute. Throw out the crazy and Teddy is a man I’d look back at on the street. So these two can stay.

The rest of the characters? Well, I’m not so sure about them. And I also don’t know if two characters is reason enough to watch the second season.

With so many gorgeous stars on Showtime, I had to divide their pics up into two groups! So here’s the rest (well, not the rest, but the rest for today) of these gorgeous men and women!

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In what is one of the sadder episodes of Huff thus far, every character is tested this holiday season, and much is revealed. From Russell’s possible romantic interest to Beth’s mother, from Huff’s father to Byrd’s girlfriend, even one of Huff’s patients must learn to live with the new moments being tossed about.

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So, this seventh episode was not one of my favorites, as far as Huff episodes go. It might have something to do with the last week of my life being more stressful than usual, but I found myself bored easily. Sure, Russell convinces Izzy to finalize the divorce, and sure Byrd has some trouble with some jerkie boys at his school wanting him to steal meds from his dad. But there wasn’t the usual fire an episode has.

So sad, so bad. Hopefully the next episode will redeem this one, and I won’t have to post such drivel for you all to read.

Showtime, Huff

Back at work, back to posting, and innundating you all with a big catch-up post! It’ll be easier than trying to post coherently about all that’s happened in the past week or so, and it’ll give you all a chance to meet me on the same page so we can all move forward together to the new episodes airing constantly!

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Beginning with a surreal dream, Huff’s weekend takes many turns to his dismay, most involving his father and son in a cabin. Huff’s dad tricks the two men into heading out to the cabin he owns, under the pretense of cleaning it out for an appraiser. And while eventually this does happen, he uses the time to pick on Greg and eventually give the cabin over to Byrd. When Greg stands up to his father, in typical Ben style he runs away, leaving Greg and Byrd to clean up the cabin and meet with the appraiser.

Back at home Izzy runs into problems when her ceiling begins leaking. While I love Blythe Danner and the character she plays, there are Izzy moments where I want to reach through the screen and strangle her for being so damn whiny. This is one of those moments. Her demanding everyone drop what they’re doing to help her with a leaking roof, when she could look around for five seconds and see something bigger is happening, is just maddening.

Beth finds out her mother has cancer, and is immediately thrown into a fun-house like encounter with Melody, who pretends to be a client of Beth’s throwing a party so that she can gain access to the Huffstodt house. Weilding a knife, the two women fight and are both injured, while Melody slinks away not to be found. When she resurfaces, it’s bound to be great.

And it is in this moment Izzy redeems herself, comforting Beth through the moment.

Let us not forget Russell, who attempts to embark on a nine-day “liver cleanse” which is really detox in disguise. With help from his hooker friend, he takes on the first two days of madness, which include a client trying to escape mob trouble. It ends badly however, with the client getting blown up in a trailer and Russell falling off the detox wagon when he is called to head to the Huffstodt house to help Beth while they wait for Greg to show up.

A crazy episode, great comedy and drama all in one. I look forward to the next.

Showtime, Huff, “that stupid cabin”, Hank Azzaria, Paget Brewster, Blythe Danner, Oliver Platt

Rather than randomly update with reviews of previous episodes of Huff, I’m making it a weekly feature.This way, those of you who love the Huff-ster as much as I will have someplace to go when you notice they haven’t yet been picked up for a third season (wah!) Look here every Thursday morning for great reviews episode by episode, beginning with “That Stupid Cabin”, to post in a little bit.

Previous episode reviews can be found on this page as well, so don’t fear or ask “but where’s the pilot’s review?!?!”. Just click on the Huff section to your right, and you’ll find all Huff-related posts.

Showtime, Huff, episode reviews

In these few episodes, Huff has to face a lot of drama and turmoil, both within his practice and in his family life.

episode 4 “Control” - Huff has to face Sam Johnson’s parents in his deposition, and to add insult to injury, Melody is brought in to speak as a character witness against him. In a strange turn of events, she speaks for him, although it is only to get Huff to be her therapist again. She also unknowingly tells Huff that Sam’s mom admits she knew he was suicidal, which helps keep Huff out of court and jail.

episode 5 - “Flashpants” - Huff heads off to visit his absentee father, only to find out he only wants Huff to deliver divorce papers to Izzy. Beth is also deling with mother issues, as her mother may have breast cancer but doesn’t want Beth to tell anyone. And Russell has to put a client in rehab, although it appears as though he might need that help himself.

episode 6 “Is She Dead” - Huff begins to see Sam’s mom professionally, and discovers she did in fact molest him when he was younger. Russell o.d.’s in the back of a limo, and Teddy runs away from the mental institution. He has a bittersweet reunion with his mother, who has not come to visit him in years because she feels she “did this to him”.

As I’m Netflixing these episodes, they’ll be reviewed a few at a time, so here I am with the first few for ya.

“Assault and Pepper” … This second episode guest stars Lara Flynn Boyle as a psychotic patient of Huff, threatening suicide and suit at every turn. Hilarious in her pathetic moments on screen, she alone makes the episode worthwhile. But there is so much more to this episode, as Russell is obviously spiraling downhill, although not before helping Huff beat the medical board’s review of his suicide case.

“Lipstick on your Panties” … Filled with much more serious issues, in this episode Izzy has a stroke and Huff’s mom chooses to be there for her (she is Izzy’s best friend after all). Huff also has to face the reality that his son is growing up much faster than he’d thought, as he discovers Bird has been to a “lipstick party”. The parental reaction is suprisingly appropriate in it’s severity, and yet not so severe you feel bad for the boy.

Both good episodes, and I can’t wait for Netflix to send me the next disk!

huff, showtime, hank azaria, netflix, huff season 1

Having never seen an episode of Huff, and having known next to nothing about the series, I sat down last night with little idea what to expect. With my crocheting in hand in case I got bored, I hit “play” on the dvd, and almost immediately found myself riveted by the drama. Huff, played by Hank Azaria, is a psychiatrist on the brink (or so he appears to be). A young patient commits suicide in Huff’s office, and he is sent reeling into the depths of despair and fear and sadness.

Claiming he’s been in a sleep-like state his entire life, this one moment woke him up and good. Now Huff must decide if he likes the life he’s leading, what changes to make, and if making any changes is worth it.

Throw in a homeless man I’m not convinced is real, flashbacks to Huff’s screwed up childhood, a wife and kid anyone would kill for, and a crazy mother (staple of any psychiatrist’s upbringing) and you’ve got a show! Add to the mix a brother committed for his mental instabilites and Huff’s world is rife with story.

huff, hank azaria