We hope everyone is having a terrific Thanksgiving!!

Get ready to play the drinking game because here's our review of this week's episode of Vegas!

Bad Seeds Episode 7

Opens with a farmer and his son in a corn field. The old man thinks they’ve found a diseased prairie dog den.  He instructs his son to start digging because otherwise the dead prairie dogs will disease the soil and “make us all sick”. Drink now if you know what they are going to find.

And in the best Tony the Ant fashion, they uncover a hand. The rest of the body can’t be far behind. The camera pans up and across the cornfield and we see in the not far distance, The Strip/Downtown, all four buildings, and one of the buildings looks like the Savoy. Dun, Dun, Dunn!

Now, in fairness we did have a Japanese family that grew fresh fruits and veggies that they sold to the locals, the hotels and restaurants. So I can’t bag on them too much for this, it’s just that the farm wasn’t quite that close to either the Strip or Downtown. But, they are in the ball park so I’m going to let this one slide. For now.

We cut to the Savoy where patrons are having a high old time. Frank (or more likely a sound alike) is singing “On Top of the World” on the soundtrack.

The Savinos are dining with Vince’s top lieutenant, Red. The mayor’s race from last week’s episode is neck and neck. Vince and Red argue about the race and Vince reminds him that they need Grady to win the election not just tie. Vince is worried that if Bennett wins, he will be in favor of regulating the Savoy which will cut down on the skim. Mrs. Savino chimes in that they have done all they can. Red says he has spoken to a friend of his who ships the voting machines and “it is all set”. Are you surprised that they plan to win the election with voter fraud. Nah, me neither. Drink.

Speaking of the candidate, Grady joins them. Seems he found a flyer on his windshield, “ Our nation fights communism hard enough overseas, we shouldn’t have to worry about it in our city.” Grady is not happy that the Savinos are playing dirty. “Most voters like that he stands up to crime”, Grady tells them.

There’s talk of the Rocky Marciano fight at the Polo Grounds when Rocky almost lost because his opponent attacked his strength. Mrs. S makes the analogy that Grady should  attack Bennett on his “tough on crime record”. Grady agrees but the election is in two days, “so let’s try to keep this above board” Grady pleads. After he leaves, we discover Mrs. S never saw the fight she described. What a wily minx, you’re probably thinking.

Back at the cornfield, Ralph and Katherine are overseeing the recovery of two bodies. Katherine looks quite fashionable in her purple wool dress, Ralph just looks like his usual stern self. Everyone pulls out bandanas to cover their noses. This way we know the bodies have been there awhile. Dixon pulls the short straw and has to look for identification on the dead bodies. Katherine saves him by identifying them on sight. One of course, is the late Davey Carnera and the other is his body guard. Are you surprised? I thought not. Drink.

Ralph and Katherine are worried that “every thug with a grudge” is going to be on the next plane to Vegas hoping to take out Savino. The farmer, looking a bit like old man Ewell in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, wants to know who is going to pay for the destruction of his crop (thanks to the lye used on the bodies). Ralph says he’ll take care of it.

A plane arrives at McCarran Airport and the scene looks like something out of last year’s retro show, “Pan Am”. The deputies are stopping anyone in a suit. Eyeglasses has a new identity, Lyle Plimpton (nice shout out to author George Plimpton), and is stopped by a deputy. But, of course, because he’s smart, he’s not carrying id that would say he was from Wisconsin. He’s just a business man in town on business. And we all know the kind of business Eyeglasses is in, don’t we. Drink. He says he is in “whole sale butchery”. I’m not joking. Drink again.

Savino is upset because the bodies have been found. He knows trouble is coming. Burley is out having a smoke and Eyeglasses is there in the alley waiting. Burley is worried. He goes for his gun, Eyeglasses beats him to it and Burley goes down. A woman comes out of the back entrance of a market and sees Eyeglasses. He tips his hat and it cuts to a couple of apples rolling away and the sound of a gun shot.

Ralph and Jack are soon on the scene. Ralph barks orders and the mayor comes storming on the scene. He’s worried about the election. Ralph puts him in his place by reminding him that “poor Marjorie Dobbs” wasn’t a mobster. Ralph heads to the Savoy because “it’s a retaliation aimed at Chicago” and that can only mean Savino.

Savino is upset over the loss of Burley who has known since they were kids together. Red reminds him that Milwaukee is going to send someone over the “Carnero deal”. Ralph and Katherine, now in a red wool suit, interrupt them. Ralph and Savino have words. Savino won’t roll on who did the hit on Davey Carnero. Ralph, very stern, speaks into his walkie talkie, “okay boys” and we cut to the casino floor where deputies are entering the Savoy. They are placing deputies at strategic points around the casino. Mia is not happy with Jack because “you’re shutting down the casino I help run. I didn’t expect this of you”, she tells him.

Holy Crap, Dennis Quaid just smiled!!!! Take a long drink!!!! He and Savino have reached a stand-off. The deputies are staying as long as there are customers in the Savoy or until Vince gives up the shooter of Carnero.

Back in Chicago, Angelo and Johnny Rizzo are talking about the Savoy being shuttered. Rizzo is doing all he can to talk Angelo into shelving Savino. Angelo tells him to check flights to Vegas. Rizzo ends with “maybe we don’t need Savino”. Dun, Dun, Dunn!  Drink if you knew Rizzo was a back stabbing snake.  Take another if you’re glad to see Jonathan Banks.

Katherine is talking to the Lambs. They know what gun killed Carnero. A deputy has noticed a car parked on Fremont Street. Ralph tells him to check it out. An elderly gentleman comes in, he’s Marjorie Dobbs’ husband. He hasn’t been able to see his wife’s body. Ralph apologies and Jack takes Mr. Dobbs to his office.

Johnny Rizzo and Angelo are at the Savoy. Savino tries to explain. Angelo doesn’t want to hear it. He knows Savino had Carnero killed. “We need to make peace with Milwaukee now so we don’t lose everything we built here”. Angelo wants to give the Tumbleweed to Milwaukee. Savino is not happy. Angelo reminds him “I’m not just trying to save the Savoy, I’m trying to save you.”

On Fremont Street, Dixon is going through the car. The car belongs to Lyle Plimpton. Ralph wants him picked up. Seems Eyeglasses lives in Vegas. Ralph and Jack take their rifles and go to Plimpton’s. There they almost shoot a large African American who “isn’t as pale as I was expecting”, Says Ralph.

Eyeglasses is back at the Savoy, as a carpet salesman with an appointment to see Vince. He opens his sample case and its got carpet samples. Unfortunately, the deputy doesn’t look any closer.

Savino is unhappy about losing the Tumbleweed.

Eyeglasses gets caught by the deputy and is dispatched. Savino tries to shoot Eyeglasses but he gets away. Savino doesn’t give chase because of the wounded deputy. Ralph and Jack are there quickly. They take Savino and Red’s guns. Dixon is mad at Savino for starting this mess.

Savino finally fingers Eyeglasses. “He’s a pro’s pro. He doesn’t quit.” Ralph handcuffs Savino and takes Savino out as they pass Angelo and Rizzo. Ralph figures Eyeglasses can’t kill Savino if he is in protective custody.

After another round of commercials we come back to find Ralph putting Savino in his truck. He sends Jack and Dixon to find Eyeglasses, who may be wounded. Ralph tells them to check with the vets as well. Jack sends Dixon to the station and he goes to see Mia. He’s surprised to see Mia is still there. He tries to tell her to leave, but Johnny comes out and gets tough with Jack.  Mia says “she’ll be fine”. Jack is not happy. Are you surprised? Drink.

Ralph is splitting wood and Savino is watching. Dennis Quaid smiles again!  Drink!!!!! Ralph is actually stringing barb wire. We see Eyeglasses and his wounded. He calls acting as a county clerk and discovers that Ralph is watching Savino personally. Eyeglasses calls Milwaukee for reinforcements.

Savino and Ralph are back in the ranch house having coffee.  Savino wants to call his wife and “tell her to get out of town”. Ralph gives him the phone. Mrs. Savino wants to know where he is. He wants her to leave town. “I can’t protect you right now”. She understands and says she will leave tonight. He tells her to use the names they did in Tampa and not to go to Chicago.

The deputy tells Jack and Katherine about the phone call. He tells them that Ralph was watching them. Jack realizes that Eyeglasses knows that Vince and Ralph are together. In an homage to Jethro Leroy Gibbs, Ralph fixes steaks for him and Vince.  Quaid smiled again!!!  Drink!!!! Savino suggests that when this mess is over maybe he and the missus can double date with Ralph and Katherine.

Savino asks about what happened to Ralph’s wife but gets stonewalled.

Rizzo is on the phone “We got the okay. It will be over by tonight.”

Savino and Ralph are still talking about Ralph’s time in the service. Savino won’t let the wife thing go and Ralph tells him “she died in a car accident.” Savino is touched but still won’t let it go. He ends up getting slugged. Serves him right. Jack calls to let Ralph know that Eyeglasses is on his way.

Too late, “he’s already here”.

After the commercials, we return to find Ralph loading up and going outside. He pulls the barbed wire and stops the car. “You’re on my land and after my prisoner”. How did these thugs get to Las Vegas so quickly? Ralph dispatches them but Eyeglasses has the draw on Ralph. Luckily for Ralph, Savino has managed to escape the cuffs and comes to Ralph’s rescue. They try to box Eyeglasses in but he gets the drop on Savino, and Ralph saves the day. He gets the draw on Eyeglasses and shoots him in the arm.

The deputies leave the Savoy and Mia and Jack flirt. She asks why “are you so interested in protecting me” to which Jack replies, “I think it might be something I’m good at.” Mrs. Savino didn’t have to leave. Milwaukee wants to work things out. Angelo and Rizzo take Savino for a ride. Even Mrs. S knows what  that means. Red looks anguished.

Out in the desert, the three get out of the car. Angelo apologies for what is coming. “We have to do what is right, I love you like a son.” Angelo has a shovel. “Bury me deep. I don’t want my kids to see me in the papers.” Rizzo surprises (well,not us right) Savino by killing Angelo. “He was getting soft. The old Angelo would have seen that coming.” Seems Rizzo checked it with the big man in Chicago and put the hit on Angelo. Drink if you will miss Jonathan Banks. Rizzo is now in charge. Seems Chicago wasn’t keen on losing the Tumbleweed.

The mayor goes out to the Lamb ranch and tells Ralph that he lost the election. He gives the official returns to Ralph. Mayor Grady is happy. The boys (including Rizzo) at the Savoy are happy. Mrs. Savino is happy to see Vince come through the door. Judy Garland is happily singing on the soundtrack as we fade out.

This was actually the best episode of the series so far. Character development galore. Some actual tension. The return, albeit briefly, of Jonathan Banks. Could things be looking up for the show?  

Guess we will all find out next week!

Hit the comments and tell us what you think!

The Real Thing episode 6

Ah, Vegas you haven't really changed (or gotten any better).  Each week I tune in hoping that this week will be the one where story and characterization will become important and this show will begin to turn into something more than CSI: The Early Years. But so far, no luck. Hell, even in the early years, Gil Grissom was a much more interesting character than any character on Vegas.

This is the episode where we introduce the drinking game. With 21 episodes ordered, I don't know about you, but a drinking game seems to help the episode go faster and seem less shallow. More points for you if you drink retro cocktails instead of beer or wine during the episode.

Dennis Quaid's characterization of Ralph Lamb hasn't changed. It's still one dimensional. There is no way a drinking game can be modeled around Quaid smiling because he doesn’t smile enough to make the drinking game pay off. Which is really too bad because Quaid has a great smile. It’s a shame that this Ralph Lamb is so one-dimensional with only two emotions, very taciturn and very flustered (when he’s around Katherine). It would be great if Ralph was an actual character that had an array of emotions like regular people but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards. This show is all about archetypes and the audience suffers because of it.  

At the top of the show, Ralph and Dixon scare three bandits and Ralph threatens to kill them to keep from doing paperwork and to get them to return the money they stole from various gas stations.

A dentist has an emergency, a cigarette girl with a chipped tooth.  He gives her gas and turns up the cool looking radio.

In the count room, someone might have the flu and the gaming control board shows up to investigate and we find out that someone is making counterfeit gaming chips. Savino is unhappy that the mayor is cracking down and Savino wants a new mayor.

Mrs. Savino is not happy about having to have lunch alone and the implication is that Vinny used to screw around when he should have been spending time with the missus.

Back at the dentist office, the gas wears off and the cigarette girl wakes up but where’s the dentist? Well, this being a crime drama, dead, of course! Drink if you saw that coming.

After the commercial, Ralph and Jack are investigating the dead dentist and we find out the dentist was a bad gambler. His wife was divorcing him because of his jones. The dentist was broke and the wife isn’t interested in the life insurance money because it will only go to pay his debts. Oh, and he was a bad speller to boot. But actor Donal Logue's sister, who we haven't seen since Shawn Ryan's terrific show, Terriers, is very good as the widow.

Savino goes to visit the mayor and interrupts a meeting he is having with the DA and Katherine. Savino is unhappy about the crackdown on the count room. Words like “my kind” are bandied about. Savino threatens the mayor and Katherine reminds him that it’s a felony to do that.  Savino tells Mayor Bennett, ‘when you look back to see where it all went wrong, it’s right here, right now”.

Savino then leaves and goes on a rant about how the mayor has to be replaced. This isn’t likely to happen because the actor playing the mayor is a well-known character actor and the tv audience remembers him from his days as a sympathetic Secret Service agent on The West Wing (and your reviewer remembers him also from his sympathetic sheriff on HBO’s Carnivale) so he isn’t going anywhere. At least for now. The producers may kill him off down the road to pit Savino against Ralph but that doesn’t seem too likely at this point in the story. Drink if you think the story might go there.

There’s a televised mayoral debate in two days and Savino wants to find someone who is sympathetic to his cause to run against Mayor Bennett. This is a good time to take a long drink because televised debates in 1960 were still in their infancy and while the presidential debate between Kennedy and Nixon was great theater, mayoral elections didn’t rely on television in Las Vegas. The town was small back then (remember, the mayor only governs everything north of Sahara Avenue – basically downtown, the neighborhoods of Twin Lakes, Hyde Park, Charleston Heights, the Westside and east of downtown, so pressing the flesh is way more important than a television debate).

And this brings up the question of just where is The Savoy located. By all indications in this show, it is located downtown on Fremont Street. But, many of the landmarks around it like the Sahara Sign, the original Stardust sign, would have viewers think it is on the Strip. It can’t be on the Strip if Savino is all up in arms about the Mayor because the Mayor has no power on the Strip because that is the County.)

If you knew that, take another drink before we continue. If you know the Mayor has no control over the Gaming Commission (that would be the governor), take another drink.

Someone is being worked over by being dunked in the toilet to find out what he knows about the fake chips. He’s clueless. Nice looking toilet though.

The dentist’s bookie goes to see Ralph and explain why he didn’t kill the dentist. Seems the dentist paid off his debt of $37,400 last week. The bookie is called Jimmy the Polack. Jack comes into the conversations with some info. Seems the dentist was paying $165 to a property rental company for a property not his office. Ralph thinks the dentist may have had a chippy on the side.

Savino is talking up a potential mayoral candidate. Mr. Brady who really likes the Savoy. Brady doesn’t gamble, he runs a dry cleaning business out on East Bonanza and Charleston.
Take a long drink if you know those two streets are east/west thoroughfares and don’t cross. Grrrr.

Savino wants to help Brady win the election. He says that Mayor Bennett is crooked.  Savino points out that the population is now close to 75,000 (off by about 25,000 in 1960) and that people have come from all over the country to live in Vegas but that Bennett doesn’t respect that and wants to run the newcomers out of town. Which makes no sense because we have never seen Bennett act this way. Most mayors like to see their city grow and Bennett is no exception.

Savino seems to understand the power of television and how it can turn the election around for Brady. “Bennett is the past, we’re the future” and Brady knows that he needs Savino as much as Savino needs him.

Mrs. Savino doesn’t trust Vincent around all the good looking women and thinks he’s playing around. Vincent finally copes to the mayor problem and enlists the misuss' help in getting Brady ready for the debate, “you just have to find it or buy it”.

We find out that Mrs. Savino’s father is a county commissioner back in Chicago. Mrs. Savino offers to chat up the women voters who didn’t vote for Bennett the last time.

Ralph and Jack visit the dentist’s other property. This is a very disjointed episode in that the crime of the week seems to have no relation to the other story line until Ralph and Jack discover that the dentist was the one making the fake chips. Take a drink if you saw that coming.

Back from commercial, we find Dixon checking out the fake chips. Ralph thinks Savino knew the dentist was passing fake chips and goes to talk to Vince taking Jack with him. They question Vince, who says he is doing his own investigation. The Lamb brothers tell him that the dentist was the faker and wonder if Savino ordered him killed. Savino denies that. Savino asks Ralph for help in a roundabout way. Savino gives Ralph a name, wait for it, and rolls on the poor guy who was getting the toilet dunk. Drink if you saw that coming.

The toilet dunker doesn’t know the dentist but down at the Monte Carlo there was talk of dentist cement being used in fake chips.

Over at the pre-debate gathering, the Mayor and Katherine notice that Brady is dressing much better than he was just a few days ago and has women gathered around him. The Savinos talk about how difficult it is going to be to get Brady ready to take on Bennett.

Ralph and Dixon investigate a lead and find, wait for it, a lead. Drink.

They find a dead body. Drink. The dental cement is missing. Drink.

Ralph hasn’t smiled in at least a half hour. Drink.

Jack offers to talk to Mia Rizzo. Drink. Yes, it’s a drinking game built around predictability.

A couple of suits hijack a truck filled with televisions. Drink. The suits have been tasked with dropping free tvs to women who don’t have them.

Katherine meets Mrs. Savino at the beauty parlor. They discuss JFK and how his good looks will help him win the campaign. One of the suits drops off one of the tvs “courtesy of Mr. Brady so you can watch him mop the floor with Mayor Bennett”. Hopefully, Katherine is wary.

Jack and Mia are going through the records. There is some actual chemistry between the two.

Ralph and Savino meet. Ralph tells him about the missing dental cement and that there is likely to be a run on fake chips. Jack finds the smoking gun in Mia’s records and how the dentist cashed in his winning chips. They go to find the cashier.

Savino decides to swap out the chips. A new delivery of chips arrives. Ralph stops Savino from swapping the chips. (Still with us?) They go running for the safe and discover the two guards tied up and no chips.

The guards give Ralph details about the delivery guy. Savino wants the guy dead. He and Ralph are working together. Jack brings the cashier to Ralph and they take her to the Sheriff’s Office. Savino tells Mia to round up anyone who knew the cashier.

The cashier plays dumb. Jack puts forth the evidence. Dixon enters and says the cashier knew the dentist and was a patient. Ralph sits down to talk to the cashier and talk her into staying alive by spilling the story. She does. Ralph doesn’t smile. “It’s safe, it’s easy, no one would get hurt”. But the cashier has a boyfriend, Jessie, who got greedy. He killed the dentist and saw the opportunity for a big score with the fake chips.

At the debate, Mrs. Savino is prepping Brady and using all of JFK’s secrets, make-up, et al so that Brady will look mayoral.

Mayor Bennett obviously didn’t learn anything from watching the Kennedy/Nixon debates and refuses to wear make-up. Katherine approaches Mrs. Savino and they agree to have lunch so that Mrs. Savino can bring Katherine up to speed on all of Brady’s good points that would make him a good mayor.

Meanwhile, Savino finds Jessie before Ralph does. Savino wants his money back and holding Jessie at gun point, they go outside and there is Ralph. There is a show down between Savino holding a gun on Jessie and Ralph holding a rifle on Savino.

Savino and Ralph have a conversation about the law and how there really is no difference between the two of them. Ralph doesn’t buy it and Savino backs off, only slugging Jessie and leaving with his money. Drink if you anticipated this outcome.

At the Savoy, Vince returns the money. They watch the debate and make comments about how sweaty the mayor looks. It’s all about the future, Brady says. The mayor is part of the past. Drink.

Up on the KLAS radio tower, the signal is cut while the Mayor is talking and so the audience only got to see Brady. Drink.

Mayor Bennett, Katherine and Ralph won’t likely take this sitting down. Vince may have won this round but the campaign and the fight has only just begun.

The show gets props for getting KLAS right but that’s about it. Still very superficial story-telling and superficial acting. I keep wishing this show will get meatier but I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. Drink if you agree.

See you next week! Based on the promo, bring more alcohol.

We have a new episode of Vegas tomorrow night (Tuesday) which means we will have a recap/review.

We will have the recap/review up tomorrow night. We apologize, we were at a special VIP event this evening that went longer than expected!

Thank you for your patience!

Stay tuned!!!

No new episode of Vegas tonight because all eyes will be on election returns.

Do your part in democracy, VOTE!!!!!!

Dr. Lonnie Hammargren is celebrating Nevada Day (a few days late, it was actually October 31) this weekend and you're invited.

From noon to 5:00 on Saturday, Nov. 3rd and Sunday, Nov 4, you can tour Dr. Lonnie's estate and see his collection up close and personal.

On Saturday entertainment will be provided by local bands The Dummkopfs (with Dr. Lonnie) and The Fremonts. On Sunday, several tribute artists are set to perform,

If you plan to go on Sunday, don't forget to set your clock back an hour before you go to bed Saturday night.

When: Saturday, Nov. 3 and Sunday, Nov. 4, noon to 5 p.m.

Where: Dr. Lonnie Hammargren's home at 4318 Ridgecrest Drive

Cost: Free but a donation of $10 is suggested. The donation goes to Living Graces Home, a home for unwed teens.