Kaka

Thoroughbred comedy crowned by a boxing match and training montage like in Rocky.

Nothing was more exciting than the imaginary titan clash of Wendy vs Tyler. And nothing was warmer than Bobby's gesture at his favorite pizza place.

Plans about how to take each other out, or until the last minutes it is not clear who of whom. A bit far-fetched and some of the loops are suspiciously simple, but whatever. A bunch of young and progressive people who somehow have mysterious connections to the most powerful people in the city, which is both a bit bullshit and an ambitious and inspiring comparison to the often lame reality.

This time the funny ploys are performed in tandem by the two main characters. Yeah, why not? Axel's is a little less fun and less for effect, but it's cooler, more nuanced. Fine by comparison.

A great performance by Chuck Rhoades and, for the first time in a long time, another respectably riveting episode.

Serially staged boredom and futility, which is funny in places, but completely lacking any meaningful consistency and coherence between episodes. The last minutes hopefully give a hint that something real will start to happen and not just prepare for it.

Aside from one of the few sex scenes in the entire series, this episode actually has almost nothing to offer. Other for a ton of eclectic chatter that borders at least halfway on self-indulgent exhibitionism, but which is often useless, except perhaps a few cases (Spyros, the main characters).

Chuck, as a power broker arranging shady deals in restaurants and coffee shops. Finally, for his naysayers, a solid satisfaction, but otherwise, apart from this half-comedic and half-serious cultural insert, nothing new happens. This time, there’s no recap from the previous season, but it doesn’t matter, really. As a lukewarm start, it was somehow passable.

The most crazed, theatrical and convoluted of the first three seasons. I liked the character development of Taylor and the cameo of John Malkovich in one of the key roles of the season. Overall, however, it's a bit too heavy-handed at times, and it slips a little into TV literalism and grittiness. Some of the screenwriting flourishes are borderline unbearable in places, but it's still quite smart and mostly well-acted entertainment with some incisive and interestingly delivered food for thought. Primarily the definition of who is actually the good guy and who is the bad guy.

Basically, again the best of the entire season. A shocking move by Taylor, an appropriately rough Malkovich in a memorable cameo, and a checkmate by Rhoades. Prospectively, the four can offer an interesting combination of forces and other quality moves on the chessboard.