Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT No Ordinary Ordinary
By Cindy McLennan | Season 1 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.16.2010
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Hey, "No Ordinary Mobster" isn't the same-old, same-old! I'm still not in love with the series. I'm still not recommending it to friends, but this morning there are no Please Release Me letters to Tubey in my e-mail draft folder. And I smell something different. If I'm not mistaken, it's the faintest whiff of hope.
The skinny: It's George's Very-Buffy Birthday. Our handsome A.D.A. fails to convict mobster My-Name-Is-Luka (hi Vampire Diaries fans), and his cute co-council, Amanda (Amy Acker; Fred on Angel), is shot in the chest, right after she kisses George and maybe kinda sorta agrees to go on a date. Jim trots out his newbilities in order to catch My-Name-Is-Luka red-handed and give George another chance to prosecute. The only problem is, My-Name-Is-Luka rips off Jim's ski mask, gets a good long look at his mug, and he gets to see Jim in super-action. My-Name-Is-Luka tries to use what he saw to get George to drop the charges. George calls his bluff and then bluffs him (when I ponder the difference, that pretty hope-scent fades, so I'm not thinking 'til the weecap) into submission. My-Name-Is-Luka agrees to plead to (somewhat reduced) charges and testify against his big boss.
But... when My-Name-Is-Luka is hauled off to jail, the WATCHER kills him WITH HIS MIND. Bringing the mysterious Watcher into this week's story is what makes the difference. As I'll hit in the weecap, he continues to do Dr. RevCam King's bidding, but also seemingly works an agenda of his own, and that agenda of his own might just be contrary to RevCam's. Why do I say that? Well, for one thing, he tells RevCam he's unfamiliar with Stephanie and the Powell Clan, even though he's been watching Jim in action. He may have killed My-Name-Is-Luka to protect our Powells. For another thing, the Watcher targets Katie as his entry into the Powell inner-circle, and I'm thinking there's no way he won't fall for our cute sidekick, even if he doesn't plan to -- much like poor, scrawny JJ seems to have done. There's more romance in this episode, too, some of which includes Daphne reading a boy's mind to glean information that will impress him and catch his interest. There's also intrigue involving Dr. Volson's widow, who is on RevCam King's payroll. From her wheelchair, she warns Stephanie off pursuing the late Dr. Volson's research and indicates the powers will fade, as they did for her.
Thing happen this week -- things that ought to matter in the coming weeks. That's the eau du hope's essential oil. I'll be back tomorrow with the full weecap (but possibly less hope). In the meantime, grade the episode up top, and then please join the discussion in our show thread/online dating service.
Watch the episode below, discuss it in our forums, and see the ineffectual TV superheroes the Powells wish they were.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!Hey, "No Ordinary Mobster" isn't the same-old, same-old! So neither is this weecap. You ready? Okay. Up, up, and away.
Stephanie: I'm so glad we're throwing a surprise party for George, and even gladder that we put off the preparation until the last moment, so that I can use my super powers. Whoooosh.
Jim: Me, too. Did you know I'm really strong? Bound.
Stephanie: They had to give you some power that would keep me with you. I mean...seriously. Look at me. Now look at yourself. Now back to me...
Jim calls George.
Jim: Hey buddy, are you all ready for your surprise party my wife's been busting ass over, but I couldn't bother to keep a secret?
George: You know it, but you'll never believe who I'm flirting with this week. It's Fred. From Angel!
Jim: Now that was a good show. Is she all Illyria-blue Fred, Pylea-peasant psycho Fred, or wacky wall-writing Fred?
George: Actually, she's kind of sexy lawyer-Fred. I'm going to call her Amanda, so I can think about Angel singing "Mandy" at Caritas, because other than Puppet-Angel losing his nose, that was the funniest shit ever. Gotta run. I'll catch you later at my unsurprising surprise party.
Jim: Excellent. Maybe we can talk more about shows that didn't suck.
Outside the courtroom.
George: We're waiting for the verdict in a huge case, but even though we are the best TV ADAs ever, he's so gonna get off.
Amanda: Speaking of...why aren't we making out, yet? I'm not a series regular, so I've gotta be here for something. Let's go somewhere more cozy.
George: Oh baby, I'm gonna take you places, but first we have to wait for the verdict.
Amanda: Who's on trial?
George: The Albanian mobster, My-Name-Is-Luka.
Amanda: Does he live on the second floor?
Your Recapper: Look, this is the second Luka I've had to write about in five days. I'm not made of stone.
Courtroom.
Jury Forewoman: Not guilty.
George: Here's where I issue a threat, in hopes that I can turn on Amanda.
Amanda: That's redundant. I'm already turned on. You remind me of an old boyfriend. I think it's the hair.
My-Name-Is-Luka: I need to glare icily at this woman who isn't yet your woman so that later, when I shoot her right through the booby, not one person will be surprised.
Amanda: When did I get boobies?
Later, at the party...