(S02E10) I'm always a little wary when a half-hour sitcom decides to extend itself to a "special" one-hour edition. In many instances, the producers and writers want to introduce a new storyline or bring an existing one to some sort of conclusion. In many instances, these extended episodes turn out to be very disappointing. Not this time.

Last week I mentioned that Standoff was a lot like Bones. But after this episode, I'm wondering if it's not that Standoff is like Bones, it's more like FOX has a specific formula for the way they do dramas now.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's not a good thing either, but this episode is a vast improvement over the pilot, if only because the premise was meatier, a little less predictable, and it had some genuine tension.

OK, I've had it. I can't watch FOX's The Loop anymore. I think there was one episode that wasn't that bad, but it's been all downhill from there. If this was a better half hour sitcom, or a more important show in general, I think I'd keep watching it and reviewing it. But the show is pretty damn bad, and I'm going to predict it doesn't see a second season anyway. Nothing against Philip Baker Hall and Mimi Rogers. I'd like to see them in something better.

So I'm not going to review tonight's episode. If one of my coworkers wants to jump in and take over the reviews, that's cool. But I'd rather spend my time doing something more productive. Like my laundry.