Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Person of Interest, Season Two:
For the most part, season one was built out of standalone episodes with hints about the larger story methodically established throughout. Season One's finale spun all of the plot lines together into a plot smoothie, and Season Two maintains that intensity and momentum as a serialized show for the entire season. The characterizations were deepened to the point where I no longer think of Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus anymore. In fact, the only complaint I had was that the plot got too dense in the last two episodes, and could have been stretched out a little more -- kind of like an anti-LOST.

Final Grade: A-

The Top Part by John Mulaney:
This is a pleasant stand-up comedy set, only mildly raunchy, in which the comic has a storytelling-style.

Final Grade: B

Burn Notice, Season Seven:
I enjoyed Burn Notice the most in its first few seasons. When the formula started to get stale, it had to switch up to survive. The decision to make things more serious was necessary to prolong the show, but by the time this season rolls around, it's too serious, and loses most of the fun that was integral to my enjoyment. Season Seven ends things about as well as it could, although I would have preferred it to go out on top around Season Four or so. Additionally a prime guest star was pretty weak, with a Russian accent that seemed to come and go every other episode.

Final Grade: C+

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon:
This 3DS game is a puzzle-y, adventure-y game, in which Luigi must explore a haunted house sucking up ghosts with his souped-up vacuum cleaner. It's a sequel to a GameCube version that was pleasant, but only worth a rental, since it barely lasted three hours. The same charm and attention to detail can be found in this new game. Multiple levels take place in the same mansion with minor modifications, which makes some playthroughs feel repetitive, and you can inadvertently solve a level before you've explored the whole area, which annoyingly sends you back to the hub. Overall, I enjoy playing it in small doses, but don't have the impetus to beat the game yet.

Final Grade: B-