This is going to be a pretty quick, rushed post but I haven't posted in a while and thought I couldn't wait to think this through much more (or waste the time to finish two of the shows that are going to be discussed here.)

To start off on a positive note, Justified had another stellar season premiere and looks to be on its way to another great year. Right now, it's probably my favorite show on television. They've mastered being pulpy but also being smart. The show has little subtleties that you might miss in the first viewing and it does a great job of creating memorable one-off characters. Just a top notch show that you should definitely check out (I believe the first season is available on Netflix.)

To keep going on an OK note, White Collar is also back, kicking off the second half of season 3. The first half ended on a cliffhanger so the mostly procedural show was wrapped pretty tightly around ending the early season arc. On the bright side, the story wrapped up so the show will be back to its lighter tone in the future. On the downside, I think the dramatic tone of this episode helped expose why most of these actors are not getting a lot of work off of this show. The episode called for a lot of emotions and most of the actors weren't able to pull them off. The lead suit didn't pull off fury very well, Tiffani Amber-Thiessen looked amazing as always but didn't show much in the way of chops, and lead Matt Bomar was the same note as always. Bomar is likable but seems like a guy who should settle into light TV fair.

Speaking of settling into light TV fair (or is it fare?), The Finder, from the creator of Bones, was almost too light for its own good. It plays like a USA show but a mix between the goofy Psych and the lighter but actiony stuff like Burn Notice or White Collar. The show was struggling to find its balance, which is normal for a lot of pilots, but I finally stopped watching when they explained that the lead character had some sort of brain damage that made him obsessed with finding things and that if he didn't find something, he might lose it. I know you want to build stakes but, I'm sorry, that's just stupid.
Also, while he seems like a decent guy, Geoff Stults seems best suited as the asshole ex or shitty date in a comedy movie or taking over Bradley Cooper roles in DVD sequels to The Hangover or Limitless or playing Nathan Fillion's dopey brother. I don't know. He's not bad but he just doesn't have it, no matter how many times he's cast in lead role. Does that mean he won't find success? Of course not, Alex O'Loughlin was a dud until Hawaii Five-O and, honestly, he's still just a pretty face but he's got a nice vehicle, a good supporting cast, and writers who churn out gems like this.

And as much as a pooped on The Finder, I could see it being a show that I might tune into again if it was on or I was hungover and wanted something light to check in on. The Firm on NBC, however, is dead on arrival. They should have changed the title to Watch The Firm or What's The Firm just so they could get the apt WTF initials. The opening of the show features a laughable chase scene (all its missing to be a straight comic piece is the slate for FILM CUT at "the end" of the chase) and the premise makes no sense whatsoever. Basically, the lead character from The Firm (the movie) has decided to leave witness protection and start up a practice in the Nation's capitol yet is somehow stunned when he finds that people are after him. Like the witness protection thing was just for him and his family. Anyway, below is the first four or so minutes of the show. You should check it out for fun.

Why did the guys stop chasing him? How did they lose him? Why did Mitch (Josh Lucas) think he lost them? No idea. Apparently the creator was peppered with these questions at a recent presser and, from the sounds of it, he didn't have any good answers.

Meanwhile, Josh Lucas has solidified himself as being the one man in the world that Jim Caviezal could tell to lighten up a bit. I remember watching the commentary for Sweet Home Alabama (yeah, I watched the commentary for that movie and it was good too!) and the director made jokes about how Lucas wanted to play every scene like he was Ralph Fiennes in a drama and the director would constantly tell him, "OK Ralph, how about we tone it down a bit." If ever there was an argument for marijauna, the career paths of Josh Lucas and Matthew McCoughnaghey (probably not spelled right, I know) is one. I do think that Lucas could play a solid villain (he might be perfect in Justified) so I think he should stop taking leads in crappy TV shows/movies and accept his career as a supporting player. I think he'll find himself with better roles and in better productions if he did.

Finally, there's Alcatraz. I haven't watched it. Nothing makes me less interested in watching a new show than the words "Two hours premiere" and when the name JJ Abrams is attached to it, then it makes me think that I'm going to spend a lot of time to get question for which I'll spend even more time to not get the answer. I'll probably get around to it eventually (unless reviews are terrible.)