Thursday Open Thread: Television Cliches

I was going to use a different Thursday Open Thread today, but you know what? This one’s better. It was actually suggested by one of our regular commenters, CS. Here’s what he’s got to ask:

What is the worst TV cliche out there?

We’re talking terrible cliches. For example: The whole I-hit-my-head-and-got-amnesia thing. I mean, sure, we might have believed it in cartoons, but on Full House? You know, that terrible series finale when Michelle falls off her horse and suddenly she doesn’t know who she is? (By the way, bad acting on their part.)

Or maybe even the he’s-not-really-dead scenario. Or evil twins. Or the I-just-found-out-you’re-my-father-because-we’re-a-match-for-kidneys plot.

Think of any soap opera, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. There are tons out there–and nowadays, they even invade primetime (I bet that kidney thing was in House)!

Let me know, in the comments.

image from amazon.com

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 13

TOP CHEF: 6.13 “Season Finale: Part 1″

10:00: FINAL FOUR TIME EVERYONE! LET’S GET IT ON!

10:01: The finals will be in Napa this year. Look at all those pretty vineyards. This is going to be a really tough one to predict. My tentative guess is Jen, but she really stepped it up last time, and we know her overall talent. I think, at this point, it could be absolutely anyone. This will be the best finals ever.

10:04: A train pulls up and Padma gets out. She’s pregnant! The guest judge is that Michael guy who was on Top Chef Masters.

10:06: The chefs have to cook with grapes, the signature crop of Napa. They also have to cook on the Napa Valley wine train. Kevin gets motion sickness. Oh, also, the winner gets a Prius. Top Chef should have to pay for the taxes on that. 30 minutes, go!

10:07: It must be really hard to cook on a moving train. Kevin says he’s getting physically ill. Michael and Bryan were squabbling over prep space early.

10:09: Bryan’s dish is probably the least well-received. The winner of the car is Michael with his grape leaf thing. That will swell his head quite a bit. Will he get a little too arrogant for his own good?

10:16: The chefs are put up in the Meritage Resort. They then head to the Rutherford Hills Winery. The chefs will be catering the Winery’s season ending celebration. They will work with all local ingredients (except salt and pepper); 2 dishes each, 1 vegetarian, 1 with a local protein. Catering for 150 people!

10:18: Jen looks like she’s having a hard time deciding, but in the end she settles for duck. Michael goes with farm fresh eggs for his vegetarian dish.

10:19: They will be cooking at the Bricks restaurant. I turned my head away from the TV for a moment so I missed something, but whatever Michael is cooking looks incredibly complicated.

10:21: Bryan is doing braised short ribs. He says he’s very used to working with local produce and meat, so maybe he has a small advantage. His vegetarian dish is goat cheese ravioli.

10:23: Michael’s protein is foie gras. Kevin is doing shortribs, in five hours, which Tom says is cutting it close.

10:24: Michael is concerned that his poached eggs might not be ready when he opens them for the guests. It would be very bad for him if they weren’t.

10:28: Michael’s eggs seem to be cooked correctly. And here come the guests. And the judges; Tom, Padma, Gail, and Michael Chiarello from the quickfire. Bryan’s ravioli and fig glazed short ribs look great. The sauce on the ravioli and ribs are good, but need a little salt.

10:30: Michael’s poached eggs and vegetable pistou, and his foie gras and poached pear look beautiful on the plate. The egg in the vegetable dish was a bit undercooked and overwhelming. The protein dish was great, but needed maybe just a little less sauce.

10:32: Kevin’s stuff: Salad of beets and carrots, and a braised brisket with polenta. Veggie dish was simple but complexly seasoned. The brisket is a bit ropy, but the polenta is great.

10:33: Looked away again and missed Jen’s veggie dish, but her protein is a braised duck. Veggie dish was salty but apparently good. The duck dish was very good.

10:35: Tough competition so far. I think, based on comments, maybe Jen is ahead slightly. I don’t know who is going home, but I have a bad feeling about Bryan’s chances.

[Read more after the break!]

Desperate Housewives: I’m bored.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: 6.09 “Would I Think of Suicide”

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t been all that consistent when writing about Desperate Housewives. Well, there’s an easy explanation for that.

I’ve been bored. And when I’m bored, I miss episodes.

Seriously, this season has just bored me. I care little about the Katherine/Susan rivalry. I don’t care about Gaby’s kid being homeschooled. Bree and Carl are just annoying me. The most exciting part of the season was Julie’s attack, and that seems to be way off in the background, for the most part.

The mystery this season is the Bolen family, and we know they have some hidden background. We’ve most recently found out that it was actually Angie who killed someone, and it was back in 1991. But I’m not exactly invested in this mystery.

I don’t really like Nick. Not that he’s a bad guy, but he seems like the caricature of the fugitive guy. I mean, he’s got a stern face and you just wonder if he’s killing everyone. Boring. And their son, well, he’s even worse. I didn’t really feel anything when I saw that he downed all those pills. Boring. But at least he’s another person that might be a suspect for these strangulations. I mean, it can’t be that easy, right? It has to be someone other that Nick, right?

If anything, I wish they had kept the coffee house killer a mystery–at least whether it was a man or woman. They straightout told us it was a man, which takes away a lot of our options.

The only character I’m invested in is Angie, and I think she’s doing a great job. But there’s very little going on with her.

So I don’t know what to say. I’d say this episode was better than others. But here’s another complaint: Why do they have to make Katherine so crazy? She’s always been very down to earth. I can’t imagine that her relationship with Mike would really do all that much. Maybe make her angry, sure, but now she’s just crazy. And once again, there’s someone trying to kill themselves. Sure, hers is just for a stunt to get Mike to care, but once again, I really wasn’t invested.

Sigh. It’s rather disappointing. I hope it starts moving more quickly now. I guess we’ll see. We will need something exciting to lead us into the winter hiatus. Right?

Right?

The new ‘Scrubs’: Med School

SCRUBS: 9.01 “Our First Day of School”
SCRUBS: 9.02 “Our Drunk Friend”

I don’t know.

See, you were going to ask me what I thought of the first two episodes of Scrubs. And now you have my answer.

I have mixed feelings. On the one side, I enjoyed it. I do like the new characters (with the exception of Cole), and I even like Denise, who I really didn’t care for last season. Turk and Dr. Cox are certainly shining. It makes me confident that Turk can handle the role of the someone other than the side man to the lead. Dr. Cox was even harsher than ever–and pulling it off really well!

And honestly, Lucy is adorable. I was invested in her very quickly, and I wouldn’t mind seeing her continue as the lead. She’s a little Elliot-esque, in a way, which is funny, since she’s really taking JD’s place.

But what about JD? He was…odd. I can honestly say that in the past eight seasons, I’ve always known he was straight. But for some reason, his weird quirkiness was coming off a little differently this season. I honestly wonder if every one of his students thinks he’d gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s just not the same JD.

I really wonder if Zach Braff said good-bye to JD in that season eight finale. There was just something forced and strange. Something off.

But another question keeps eeking into my brain: Will I continue to watch once they fade Braff out? Last night’s episode were in a different setting and we had new faces, but we still had JD. The biggest loss–and most jarring change–will be when JD’s no longer on there. Can we depend on everyone else? No more JD voiceovers? No more comedic relief from him? No more jealousy for Dr. Cox’s favor? No more Turk/JD moments–funny and…weird?

It’s a big question, and it’s not one I can answer after these first two episodes. But let’s not lament on that. Let’s talk good.

I loved the ending of the first episode. It was in true Scrubs style. We go through the entire day. Lucy’s barely handling things. The only person she’s able to talk to (until JD comes along) is a patient named Ben. She’s insecure, hardly able to handle herself. We don’t even think much about Ben–that is, until he becomes the cadaver on the table.

It was one of those things where you watch the entire episode entertained, and then there’s this bittersweet moment that makes you just stop. When I think of episodes like that, I especially think of “My Big Bird,” where we see humorous flashbacks of each of the characters–JD searching for a thank-you, Elliot hiding from an angry wife, Carla playing the lottery–only in the end remembering that a man died, and now his ghost haunts them every moment in the hospital.

As for episode two, well, it was standard fare. I don’t quite know what I think about Denise and Drew quite yet, but I’m not all that invested and it was ok to watch. I do love his #1 sign, though.

And one last thing: Kudos to mentioning The Facts of Life. I missed JD calling Denise, “Jo.”

One Tree Hill: Who will say good-bye?

ONE TREE HILL: 7.11 “You Know I Love You, Don’t You?”

I don’t know how One Tree Hill did it. They somehow made an episode where nothing actually happened into one of the largest, most angsty episodes ever.

Well, I shouldn’t say nothing happened. At the end, Alex might’ve actually said good-bye. Forever.

And wasn’t that what this entire episode was about? Good-byes. Skills may be starting a new job in LA (and yes, I will miss him–see my last post about why he’d be leaving), and Mouth might just leave with him. Mouth basically said good-bye to Millie. Nathan and Haley are headed in opposite directions with poor Jamie feels the consequences. Clay is leaving Tree Hill to go who knows where, and Brooke needs time away from Julian.

And then there’s Alex.

Let’s think about Alex for a moment there. This didn’t surprise me at all. I actually thought she’d do this a couple episodes ago when she had Julian over because she was afraid she’d use the Coke she found. I was sure she was calling then about a fake suicide attempt.

Apparently, now’s the time for that. So what do you think? Did she really do it? Usually I’m ok with predicting these things, but honestly, I don’t know.

I want to say no–would they really kill off a character in such a horrendous fashion? Well, this is OTH, and I go back to Keith’s death and think that, yes, they might. And imagine Julian and Brooke’s guilt. It could really make for an interesting storyline.

But they wouldn’t, right? I mean, are they really done with Alex? I want to say no. She’s really developed over the season. But then again, where else can she go? She’s not a model; they’ve run out of stories in the love triangle for her, Brooke, and Julian. Plus, her script is done. She might just be…finished…with One Tree Hill.

Next week will certainly be one to see about that. Among other things.

Were the promos for next week not just great? (Ok, maybe cheesy now that I rewatch, but after that chiller ending, definitely haunting at the time.) I feel like they’ve left things pretty open-ended at the end of this episode, and next week looks like it could be a dramatic turn for the series. I somehow think that Millie’s storyline has to be closing up soon (I’m getting impatient with it), and that might draw to a close next week. I can’t imagine Clay, Mouth, Nathan, Haley, and Jamie are leaving Tree Hill–but who will. Obviously Skills, but the rest? Maybe Mouth…

My favorite part of the episode, though, was the most heartbreaking. Strangely enough, it involved Dan. All we hear about is Keith’s death, Keith’s death. I mean, scroll up. That’s all I mentioned when I mentioned shocking deaths, right? Let alone Quentin.

But Jimmy. Having his mother appear on the scene was incredible. It wasn’t necessarily the acting, but just hearing her side of the story. The fact that she buried him alone. That she had to be ashamed, thinking he was a murderer. Only to find out that it was Dan all along–and now he’s profiting from it. I have to give mad props to the show for doing that. Jimmy’s always forgotten; Dan deserved to hear that.

Overall, it was a great episode, and I’m looking forward to next week. What do you think will happen?

Will you be watching the new ‘Scrubs’ tonight?

It’s a big question. And honestly, if you had asked me the same question last spring, my answer would have easily been “no.”

I’ve always been a fan of Scrubs. In fact, I have my own favorite episodes (though if you want a quick list, here’s a great top 10, even if some of my favorites are missing). I love the music. I love the cast.

And last spring, the finale was just so perfect. I adored JD’s good-bye. And the video montage of what the future could be just seemed to fit. As a reminder, well, look below.

So hearing that it was coming back–without the cast in tact–well, it was kinda heartbreaking. But I have good news: From what I hear, it’s good.

Now, I’ve only read one review (I don’t want to taint my judgment by reading too many), but it was surprisingly complimentary. You always have to be scared of shows that revamp with a new cast. I mean, when in an interview you’re asked how your show compares to Saved by the Bell: The New Class, you could be in trouble.

But you know, that one review… It said that it brings back the hilarious freshness that the show had at the start of the series. That the new cast is worth watching. That it’s going in a new direction that the show just might have needed.

So will I be watching tonight? Yes, I will. And I guess we’ll find out tomorrow whether it was worth my time.

It’s hard, you know? Because that final sequence I put above, it still gives me goosebumps and happy sentimental feelings. It will be hard to top. What do you think? Can it do it?

V: Shots, soldiers, scans, and skins

KT hopes you got your flu shot before the V’s turned up!

V:  1.04 “It’s Only the Beginning”

Did this seem like a long, meandering episode to you?  I got to the end and suddenly felt like they covered a lot of ground here.  Not a bad episode, but a busy one.

Most of the action came from our fledgling resistance cell in which Georgie quickly proves himself hot-headed and poor at following orders.  I’m not warming up to Georgie at all, but since it looks like that bullet wound won’t be fatal, let’s hope he becomes more likable.  Or meets another bullet.

I wonder if Father Jack’s military history was known to the actor while filming the previous episodes.  (Or even all of this episode.)  Although the two tours in Iraq make him more suited to be part of this group and perhaps more useful to his comrades, it bugs me that nothing about his bearing suggests that kind of experience and training.

I loved that Erica, sharp cookie that she is, called Ryan on being a Visitor, though I thought that their rapid-fire question and answer scene fell short.  The only new information for us was seeing that now Erica knows these things too, and I was a little surprised that she didn’t ask more than she did.  I think if I were her, I’d have had a lot more questions!  But those two are clearly the competent ones in the group, so I guess Erica knows what she’s doing.

The suggestions that the V’s vitamin vaccine might be laced with something bad just seemed too obvious, so I’m glad it turned out that they stuck the R6 into the flu vaccine instead.  Clever.  And remember that Anna talked up the vitamin shots big time, casually mentioning that, yup, sorry, you’ll still need your flu shots as usual.  Nicely done, writers.  But did you see those mummified-looking bodies in the warehouse?  What does R6 do and why do the Visitors want to do that to us?  Is that how they extract the mineral they say they need from Planet Earth?  Ewwww.

On the subject of ewwww, I have to say that I was terrified that they’d show Joshua skinning the other guy and yet kind of hopeful — I really want to see what a V looks like!  Yikes, though.  Talk about turning the tension up all the way.

I liked getting to see these medical centers we’ve been hearing about, and the explanation about how the scanner works in four dimensions was pretty nifty.  I’m skeptical about Chad’s looming brain condition, though.  Scaring him with the diagnosis and then supposedly healing him?  Sounds like a great way to make him feel more indebted to the Visitors and put Anna’s pet journalist ever further into the V’s corner.

Speaking of human pets, what is this business about Tyler being “the one”?  For what?!  Are the V’s interested in human/Visitor hybrids?  Tyler’s scenes with Anna were surprisingly delightful, mostly because Morena Baccarin has the charming-but-sinister smile to a T.  All the while you can see Tyler thinking “Damn, why is my mom always nosy or distracted when her mom is freakin’ awesome!”  Yeah, we’ll see how awesome you think she is when she’s um… doing whatever it is she’s planning to do.  Yeah!

[After the jump:
bliss, babies, and speculation!]

The Good Wife: “You don’t know the lengths I would go to protect my family”

THE GOOD WIFE: 3.09 “Threesome”

My question to everyone is this: Do that many people really watch Chelsea Handler? And would a Chicago State Attorney sleeping with a call girl constitute national news such that the prostitute would get a book deal? I think not, but in any case, we finally met Peter’s hooker and she’s in love with him. Because really, who’s not in love with Mr. Big?

Peter’s prostitute signed a book deal and was making the talk show rounds, thereby embarrassing Alicia. For some reason, she also took it upon herself to call Alicia at work. Angry about this woman’s violation of her privacy, Alicia tells Peter that he needs to make it stop so he threatens his call girl with information about another client of hers. And yet, that doesn’t stop her from tracking Alicia down in a parking lot. See, the hooker thought that Peter loved her (especially because she was willing to have a threesome and Alicia wasn’t), but alas, he just wants to get out of prison and back to married life.

This week, we also saw Munchkin’s (apparently his name is Zack, but until he proves that he can act, I’m sticking with Munchkin) grandmother throw out evidence that Peter is actually innocent of most charges…not that we have any idea what those charges are. I’m hoping that this will be the end of that storyline, especially now that Alicia’s been told her husband’s innocent. It’s been driving me crazy.

Also crazy is Jonah Stern, founding partner of Alicia’s law firm. This week, Alicia had to get him off a DUI charge and deal with his craziness.  It turns out he wasn’t drunk, but rather, has dementia. I actually thought this was a pretty good case, not because it was surprising that Jonah was ill. However, he provided some much needed comic relief to an otherwise drama-filled episode.

The big twist at the end of the episode is that Jonah’s going to take a couple clients and start a new law firm, despite the fact that he’s a shadow of what he once was, legally. Jonah asks that Alicia join him, but she refuses. What did people make of Alicia’s refusal to jump ship? Do you think it has something to do with loyalty to Will? Or that Jonah’s diminished mental capacity will mean that the firm will never get off the ground, and she can’t take that kind of risk? I understand both reasons, but it’s not as if her current job is guaranteed for longer than a few months (not that she’s going to be the one to lose her job). Why not take a risk?

Okay, fine, Alicia took a risk by making out with her husband at the end of the episode. It’s no threesome (they’re everywhere on TV nowadays), but it’ll do in a pinch. Jonah tells Alicia that her husband’s innocent, but he’ll probably never get out of jail no matter how many appeals that she files. I really want to know what he’s been convicted of doing. Can we have some answers here, please? The Good Wife’s on hiatus for a little while so we won’t be getting any answers soon.

Glee: Hair, sign language, and other distractions

KT is looking forward to the showdown at sectionals.

GLEE:  1.11 “Hairography”

Here’s what we got this time on Glee:
-Baby Drama, combined with Everybody Loves Finn
-Preparation for sectionals, which presumably are going to be the big fall finale in two weeks.

The best part of the episode was the introduction of the two glee clubs that McKinley High will compete with at sectionals – and if you’re very sharp, you may have remembered that one is a correctional school for girls and the other is a school for the deaf.  This was played as a joke in an earlier episode, but is treated more seriously here.

Rapper Eve leads the group from the correctional school, a serious woman trying to help her students get their lives on track.  In contrast, the music teacher from the school for the deaf is written as a comic character — his definining trait is that he’s much more deaf than he thinks and is very sensitive about it.  Sue brushing him off and telling him to read her lips was funny and very Sue.

The deaf choir, on the other hand, was very tastefully presented with a spoken/signed rendition of “Imagine” that our kids couldn’t resist joining in on.  Perhaps overly sentimental, but I liked it.

I also liked the friend-ish, sidekick kind of vibe Rachel and Will had going on in this episode, and of course he realizes that she’s right, in the end.  His kids don’t need to distract the judges with what Rachel calls “hairography,” leading to a charmingly unassuming performance of “True Colors” with Tina in the lead.

People were getting distracted all over the place in this epiosde, and usually stemming from the Baby Drama.  Quinn wants Kurt to make-over Rachel to distract Finn so she can spend time with Puck, who turns out to be distracted by Santana.  Terri buys Will a dupicate of his much loved first car to distract him from her fake pregnancy, which backfires pretty much 100% when his brother-in-law gets him thinking about car seats for the new baby and Will trades the “Blue Bomber 2” for a minivan.  I admit, I didn’t really expect Will to be the kind of guy who likes to work on cars, but I can’t come up with any reason why he shouldn’t be, either.

Quinn turns out to be so good at distracting Will and Terri’s horrific nephews that she re-thinks the idea of parenthood, especially when Puck seems to be interested in getting back together.  They even throw together a one-voice, one-guitar version of “Papa, Don’t Preach,” which is pretty much a perfect song for her.  But Puck is just good-looking bad news as far as I can tell, and when Quinn realizes that he wants to have his cake… and also eat other cakes, she goes back to the baby-swap idea.

Luckily for her, Finn is loyal as a hound dog — and Kurt sabotaged Rachel’s Friday night with Finn big time.  In my eyes, the big lump went a long way towards coming back from last week’s terrible terrible idea to tell Quinn’s parents about her pregnancy when he pointed out how also terrible the end of Grease is.  (Don’t tell me Sandy just needed to loosen up a little or get in touch with her sexuality.  The on-screen message is that to get the guy, you have to change who you are, and you better do it in the direction of being borderline slutty.  Revolting.)  Anyway, I’m happy to say that Finn was as weirded out by Rachel’s Sandy act as I was and shut her down pretty fast.  The resulting misery-loves-company scenes between Kurt and Rachel were good, though, and I’d like to see more of their somewhat chilly friendship.

Speaking of misery loving company, though, I regret to point out that we’re going to have a four month hiatus from Glee.  We get two more new episodes, but after December 9, we have to wait until April 13, when Glee will be on Tuesdays after American Idol.  I wonder if it’s because it takes them longer to make each episode because of all the musical numbers.

So guys, what’s our distraction?

Recap Review: Saved by the Bell with Cameos

SAVED BY THE BELL: THE COLLEGE YEARS: 1.10 “A Thanksgiving Story”

Hi. My name is Raked. And I love Saved by the Bell.

Including…the college years.

Yes, I own the DVD. And yes, I enjoy their Thanksgiving episode.

And who couldn’t? Not only is it chock full of fantastic cameos, but it’s just funny!

Now, I should say that Screech gets a bad reputation in this episode. He really does. I actually think they took his antics over the top for this episode. Taking the turkeys to the sauna? Would he really do that? I don’t know. It seemed like a lot for even him.

But then again, he screwed up Thanksgiving for Mike, and he just wanted to help. Mike was planning on throwing a Thanksgiving feast for local needy kids, and with Screech’s…help?…it, of course, didn’t happen. Fortunately, they had the whole group of college freshmen to help them out of the bind, since their car broke down and they can’t get home.

I think one of the most interesting things in this episode is Zack’s attempt to get a plane ticket. Not only does he tell them it’s for Dr. Zack Morris, but once he gets it, he gives it to Kelly. Oh, how times have changed. That certainly wouldn’t fly nowadays–pardon the pun.

But the episode is good and fun. Zack is forced to run to 7Eleven just to try to find some food for the group. Mike is, of course, humiliated for not being able to provide said food. And who comes to save the day? Well, a good number of people

Cameos galore in this episode. Brian Austin Green. Marsha Warfield. Jenna von Oy (who sadly has to keep being referred to as Six from Blossom since no one ever really knew her real name). The late Jonathan Brandis… Remember him? Perhaps that’s why this episode sticks out in my mind.

And of course, Mr. Belding. Who else could top off such a group of celebrities?

But really, it’s just a heartwarming episode without being over the top. Just seeing all these cameos really makes you remember way back when–aka, the ’90s–and it’s just great to reminisce with the group from Saved by the Bell and so many other shows.

If you haven’t seen the ep, it will be in TBS this week, on Friday at 7:00 am. You should check it out. Or DVR it, if you’ll be a turkey coma.

Recap Review: ‘Buffy’ Pangs

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: 4.08 “Pangs”

I’m at a loss. Not only did I forget that this was one of my favorite Thanksgiving episode on TV–mainly because it’s one from one of my favorite shows–but I also went out of town without bringing this DVD set with me, so I can’t watch it on Thanksgiving Day!

It’s just wrong.

Anyway, I have to thank my Twitter friends for reminding me of this great episode. Buffy decides that her first year of college, she’d make Thanksgiving dinner for everyone. And how could it not go wrong?

Especially when spirits of the Chumash tribe are attacking. I mean, all can go well, right?

It sounds like a strange combination, but it really works. I mean, Willow starts out the episode complaining that Thanksgiving is all about the suffering of the Native Americans–and while that’s a true conflict (and issue), it’s kind of entertaining to discover after the fact how Willow kinda changes her tune after they try to kill her.

The funniest part of the episode is clearly Spike, who spends the episode tied to a chair, since the group doesn’t quite know whether to trust him yet or not. So quip after quip, he’s adding some comedic relief while the group is fighting for their lives (especially when, say, a certain spirit turns into a bear).

Other highlights:

• Xander contracts syphilis.  Yes, it sucks, but man is it funny. He always gets the bad stuff.
• Anya. Just Anya. That’s all.
• Angel’s back–and a secret. Well, for a while. I love that everyone is so hush-hush about his being there…well, until it slips at the dinner table. Oops. But it was great having him back.
• The group on bikes. There’s something just ultimately clever and entertaining about them all running to save Buffy–on bikes.

Overall, just a fun Thanksgiving episode. True, it’s a little bittersweet when you consider the history that brought this episode to fruition, but it’s still got a happy ending. Maybe after you watch, you can go read some books about Native Americans, their history, and oppression. You will probably learn something.

In the meantime, enjoy all the fighting…and the bears. It’s a great holiday episode.

Recap Review: A ‘Mad About You’ Thanksgiving

MAD ABOUT YOU: 3.08 “Giblets for Murray”

I don’t think people tend to think about Mad About You all that often. But every Thanksgiving, I do. Because they have one of the best Thanksgiving episodes I remember. Maybe that’s the key point. I might not remember all that many, but I always remember this one.

In this particular Thanksgiving episode (sure, there was more than one), Jamie and Paul are hosting Thanksgiving–and, of course, knowing their families, nothing goes as planned. Everyone wants something different: cranberry sauce from the can so you get that sound of it sliding out; vegetarian lasagne; a seated dinner, not a buffet. Basically, everything that Jamie and Paul had not planned.

Which makes them continuously run downstairs to the convenient store every five minutes to get something new. Including the man of the hour: the turkey.

Disaster after disaster, the two have to keep going down to get a new turkey. I feel horrible that I can’t remember what started this, but ultimately, their first turkey was an epic fail.

But (and this is key) they don’t want their family to know.

So it’s not just buying turkeys. It’s hiding them from the guests. This means that Paul is leaving it in the hallway to pick up later–of course, it’s stolen. And there’s a great scene when they’re hanging it from the roof, trying to get it in through the window–and it falls.

My favorite? Jamie successfully sneaks it in while no one’s in the living room. But as she makes her way to the kitchen, crowds come out of the bedroom and the kitchen, causing her to make one panic move: throwing the turkey out the window. Yes, they’re multiple floors up.

I love it. In the end, everyone figures out the turkey saga and conveniently look away as they bring the last one in. It’s by far one of the most creative and unusual Turkey Days in television history–only made that much better because anyone with family completely understands Jamie and Paul’s predicament of trying to make a perfect holiday for their families. Really, it’s just all great.

So here’s to Thanksgiving. And here’s hoping you get it right in one turkey–or at least enjoy it either way.

Big Bang: Karaoke with a Foam on Top

THE BIG BANG THEORY: 3.09 “The Vengeance Formulation”

I think I’m grossed out by my own headline. But let’s ignore that. Because this episode was awesome.

Sometimes a show just has a standout episode. And sure, I’ve been a stickler on what I think this show should do with its comedy, but this episode is what I’ve been looking for.

We didn’t focus on Leonard and Penny as a couple! We saw one shot of them sitting together on the couch–and a quick, funny conversation about settling–and that was it. The rest focused on Sheldon and Howard.

I have to admit, I felt bad for Sheldon. I really did. And I would have probably done exactly what he did after he was humiliated on NPR: hid in his room and pouted. And I kinda got angry at his friends. Does anyone else feel that his “friends” are becoming more (dare I say it) frenemies? I mean, after the season opener when Leonard was so heartless toward Sheldon about ruining his work, and now this, with Raj making fun of him and even Leonard laughing in the cafeteria as they heard him on the radio, it just seems rather mean. Sure, it wouldn’t be as funny if his friends were up in arms about it, but this is certainly a shift in the friend dynamic.

But in the end, Leonard and Raj stepped up to help Sheldon get back at Kripke–and what a way to do it! I loved the foam. Loved it. And I loved it more when it actually fell down on Kripke, even if the big wigs of the campus got in the way.

And, of course, in pure Sheldon style, he would leave a video message saying it was him. He couldn’t just not take credit, right? Oh, but just the fact that it included motion detectors and instant video feeds–I love how these nerds work.

Meanwhile, we had Howard and Bernadette’s relationship. Well, I guess that was the question: Is he moving to a relationship? It was interesting to hear both sides about whether he should or shouldn’t. Should he settle? Is it really settling if he’s beneath her but just had high expectations?

I thought the scene in the tub was funny, but I must say, they made Katee Sackhoff look terrible. Did she get some work done on her face, or was it just the makeup? Something was off with those cheekbones. At least in my opinion.

But it was a good moment. I loved how this figment of his imagination actually brought up the fact that he could actually have a real woman, and he turned her down. And then as he tried to get back together. Ouch. The proposal was just painful.

But the song? Classic. I loved that Penny hated it and Bernadette loved it. It was very Andy from The Office, and yes, I do like his “Take a Chance on Me” better (to get Angela to date him), but this was a great number two on the desperate song list. That was great.

So fun episode! What’d you think?

HIMYM: Slapsgiving 2: The Fourth Slap

KT will bring the cranberries if you bring the pumpkin pie.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: 5.09 “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”

Okay, I know it sounds just like a sequel to an action movie, but if it were really “revenge of the slap,” wouldn’t Barney be slapping Marshall?

Anyway.  This is my preference, but I’m not a big fan of the “Slapsgiving” episodes — we spend the whole thing discussing how Barney’s gonna get what’s coming to him and by the end it all just seems mean.  In contrast, slap #2 was spontaneous and we all cheered because Marshall got Barney just as he was being particularly obnoxious.  (That was the one with Barney’s one man show.  You remember.)

So there’s my bias on that part of the episode.  I did love the lead-in where Ted and Robin recovered Marshall’s perfect turkey, though.  And I did enjoy watching Barney’s face while Ted and Robin argued and he egged them on.  And yes, I loved that they reworked the “You just got slapped” song to be a jingle for a (somewhat horrifying) commercial.

Instead, let’s talk about Lily’s dad.  I think at this point the only parent we haven’t met is Robin’s mother  (because Bob Barker is totally Barney’s father), so that’s interesting.  And from what we know, Lily’s mom is fairly normal.  She throws her daughter a bridal shower.  She gets her daughter and son-in-law to watch her cat.  She gets upset when the cat does not survive said cat-sitting.

Obviously, Lily’s dad had to be a freak.

Specifically, he’s a man-child whose attempts to invent board games came between him and Lily’s ballet recitals, art shows, and gymnastics meets.  That led to some fun flashbacks with a cute redheaded girl and some outrageous fake board games.  The nightmare fuel game with killer clowns especially cracked me up.

A few years ago, we learn, Lily came to the end of her rope with him, leading to flashbacks of Lily giving her “you are dead to me” look.  Something about these seemed a little off to me about presenting her fiery look at the end of an otherwise quiet scene, but they were okay.  The glowing eyes and the wind machine kinda made me think of Willow in the Buffy finale.

I do think it’s interesting to see Lily and Marshall disagree on something big.  And I don’t mean that it’s interesting to see them fight — though we saw that recently and that had its moments — but the kind of disagreements every relationship has, over what is or isn’t normal.  How close do you expect a family to be?  (And, wow, Marshall’s weekly video-conferenced dinner with his family in Minnesota was a hoot.  Complete with manikin arms!)  Is it ever all right to cut a relative out of your life?  Maybe so, Marshall agrees after the “gall bladder” incident, but soft-hearted Lily is ready to reconcile instead.

By the way, you know the old line about women tending to marry men who are like their fathers?  I’m amused that Lily’s dad invents board games.  Remember how Marshall always wins games?  Remember Marshgammon from “Game Night”?  Heh.

But in the end, what really matters is that everyone sits down to a nice turkey dinner — provided, I assume, by the bodega downstairs to replace Marshall’s fabulous but ultimately lead paint splattered bird.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  May your turkey be un-splattered and your faces un-slapped!

Ghost Whisperer: Keep (it) in the shadows

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.09 “Lost in the Shadows”

What a terrible episode.

I really wanted to like this episode. I was looking forward to seeing Madison Leisle, Julia, return. She stood out in the Sally Stitch episode as someone to keep your eye on, and as someone very ominous.

Unfortunately, that just didn’t happen.

And it wasn’t her fault. In fact, I’d say with what she had access to, she did a good job handling her role. But I blame the writing. And Connor Gibbs. My God, that child can’t act.

Seriously. Everything he said was so one-sided. And I don’t mean biased. I mean, it’s as if you were looking at something that was supposed be a 99-sided die, and you were just stuck on one side that had a little square on it. And you just thought, is that a square? Or a square? Maybe it’s a square! For a hour.

For a kid who knew he was breaking his parents’ rules but supposedly for the good of another, he seemed to show no emotion at all. He wasn’t happy to help someone. He wasn’t confused to be blindfolded. He wasn’t scared at the shadows attacking Julia. He wasn’t mad the shinies couldn’t help (we’ll get to that later). He wasn’t thrilled to see his parents return. He was nothing. He was a painted square on a 99-sided die that isn’t being used properly.

But we can’t just blame an eight-year-old for the horribleness that is this episode (and yes, he does look eight, not five, and I’ve always thought so). They really didn’t build this episode up at all.

Sure, we knew about the shinies and the shadows. But other than gagging Melinda, we haven’t really discovered the danger behind them. This is the first time we’ve seen a ghost scared of them, and for being such a “big” episode, I think we needed to see that much earlier. Carl was clearly the best moment in the show, as we actually saw fear in him. But at the same time, what does showing a ghost all the bad in their lives really do to them? How is that dangerous?

Plus, the audience hasn’t grown to like Aiden. There was no fear in the entire episode that Aiden would be gone forever. First, I didn’t care if he was. Second, I wasn’t scared for him. Which brings me to another point:

They didn’t establish Julia as an opposing, negative force. Beyond two sinister looks and a hissy fit against Melinda’s help, we have no reason to think that she’s a bad ghost. And since every episode has that “turn” at the end, you could guess that she’d be good all along. Which she was. If we had spent more time seeing her at the hospital, seeing how she acted around her parents, or even seeing her with the other ghosts she wanted to protect, it all would have made more sense.

And what about those other ghosts she wanted to protect? How was she helping them by hanging around? Will we find out later? Is it just a moot point? Is the Sally Stitch person one of them? Bah!

And as for the shadows and shinies, I’m bored. There hasn’t been a threat yet, and the first time we’ve seen the shinies (who, for faceless being, sure had eyes and noses), it was lame. I felt like I was watching The Haunting–yeah, the bad one starring Catherine Zeta Jones.

Overall, the episode was weak. I just feel like with a few tweaks and some major character buildup, it could have been an effective episode. I mean, even building up the characters more and pushing this off until later in the season could have worked.

And hiring someone other than Connor Gibbs. I don’t think there’s anything we could have fixed about that performance.

I really wanted to like it; I really did. The episode was almost more disappointing than usual, just because I really wanted it to work.

The Good Wife: Don’t trust people in politics.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.08 “Unprepared”

Chicago’s tough. As ER taught us, people get shot all the time, crazy people stab you in a trauma room, and sometimes chemicals spill. People then have to prosecute perpetrators of that craziness, and frankly, they’re way slimier…at least that’s what we learned last week. Luckily, Julianna Margulies has shed her pink scrubs for power suits to play Alicia Florrick.

The title of this episode was fitting. Not only was Alicia unprepared for the prospect of her husband coming home, but she also had a client unprepared to testify in her own defense. The client was a professor accused of setting fire to her lab because her stem cell research wasn’t going so well. In order to make it look like some fringe group had ordered the attacks, she (or someone?) printed a whole bunch of fake hate letters.

Will and Diane decided to have two hungry, competitive associates prep the witnesses. Naturally, that pitted Cary and Alicia against one another and put them in the same room. Sadly, we were without Francine this week, but I digress. Cary was a little too hard on the witnesses when playing prosecutor, but that allowed him to expose holes in one witness’s story. Turns out, he was secretly in love with the client and destroyed her research so that she’d stay and reciprocate her feelings. I actually kind of liked this week’s case and the work Alicia/Cary did, at least more than the cases the past few weeks. Sometimes this show tries to present legal cases that tug at your heart strings; this one didn’t, and the lack of sentimentality was much appreciated.

What was not appreciated is the continuation of the Detective Munchkin Florrick storyline. Someone dropped video coverage of Peter’s meeting with the big, bad real estate developer in front of Alicia’s door. Determined to figure out if the video was strategically edited/who planted it, Munchkin (I really have no clue what his name is) uses an ipod with a video camera to capture our evil FedEx guy in the act of delivery. Unfortunately, when you hide your camera in a plant, any movement can jostle the ipod so we only saw that it’s a tall man. Could be anyone, right? Does anyone have any guesses?

Anyway, I’m getting a little sick of the little kid and his attempts to exonerate his dad. I thought it was more interesting that the two kids have opposing reactions to their father’s impending return, although I think it’d be less expected if Alicia’s son were angry and her daughter was trying to clear his name. Gender lines aside, the turmoil the kids feel is certainly more believable than one of them taking surveillance footage. And wouldn’t the building be able to tell them who’s been entering and exiting the premises?

The best part of last week’s episode was definitely Peter’s appeal. The lawyers initially believed that Alicia wouldn’t have to testify at the appeal, but the state’s attorney had a vested interest in seeing Peter return to jail. Just like her client, Alicia was unprepared to give testimony. More importantly, it didn’t seem like she was particularly prepared to have her husband home. She didn’t know where he’d sleep, and if she even wanted him there. Seeing her grapple with these conflicting feelings was pretty compelling, and I wished the writers had explored this more. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Peter come home. One of the assistant state attorneys had a brief (but benign) conversation with Peter and later used it to say that Peter had tried to bribe him so that he’d remain in jail…which he did. Interestingly, I’m still not sure Peter did to get himself in jail in the first place. And yet, I’m sure Alicia’s little kid will be the first one to let us know.

V: Double and triple agents

KT here, checking in with V.

V:  1.03 “A Bright New Day”

Aw, heck.  As you can see, it took me a while to get around to watching last week’s V, and I really expected to be kind of bored by it.  But the darn show is reeling me in…

They gave us lots of Anna in this one, and I’m fascinated by Anna.  She’s smooth and manipulative and gorgeous and probably poisonous.  I look forward to discovering what she’s up to and why and how she came to be the way she is.

It’s starting to look like the two sides aren’t really Visitor versus human; it’s pro-Anna versus anti-Anna.  Ryan explains that there is (or at least was) a powerful resistance group among the V’s called the Fifth Column (begging the question, what are the first four columns?), and they don’t approve of Anna’s leadership technique.  We’re told that she is controlling her own people, keeping them docile by means of some drug-like addiction.  I don’t think it was described as being a drug, exactly, but she seems to have them hooked on something.  Interesting.

Interesting, too, that the leader of the Fifth Column has a human name, John May.  Is he on Earth?  And I loved that Dale’s jaunt around the holodeck ended with the reveal that his doctor is a member of the Fifth Column.

On the pro-Anna side of things, it wasn’t so surprising that she staged the shooting as a way to test the humans.  I had wondered why Erica was being given such a sensitive assignment when in the last episode she was so deeply under suspicion regarding Dale’s disappearance.  I’m still not sure whether Erica’s boss is a V, but the point of the exercise seems to be whether she can still be trusted, and she seems to have played her part well.  In the end, I’m a little foggy on whether or not the V’s know how much she knows.  Obviously the doctor does, but he seems to be on her side.  Her boss knows she knows Dale was tipping off the “terrorists,” but even if the boss is a V, that’s no assurance to him that she knows the “terrorists” were V’s.  Twisty.

Risky move for Erica, sneaking into the V’s real surveillance room, but the visual made it worthwhile.  For a moment I figured that she’d spot her son in one of those videos, but I liked the reveal in which she saw herself much more.  Plus, nifty idea that the little reflective strip on the V uniform is a camera.

Jack, Georgie, and Ryan were still the slow part of the episode to me.  And it bothers me a little that it’s the muscled black man who has all the guy-I-used-to-know, slightly shady, gang-like plot points.  Even with the twist of being in an alien resistance movement, there’s something about the situation that plays to type a little too closely.

Oh, and I can over-analyze gender relations, too.  You know that scene where Anna addressed all the ship captains?  Did you spot any female captains among them?  That one doesn’t so much bother me as puzzle me.  Being 2009, that either means that the casting folks were lazy and just grabbed a bunch of guys, or it means something about V culture.  (I’m so hoping for the second; I’m such a dork.)  Is Anna an aberration in a paternalistic culture?  Or is she more like the queen bee who is served by a bunch of male workers?  Part of the fun of alien stories is inventing a wildly different set of norms, so I’d love to see something creative here.

For example… would other V’s consider it ridiculously creepy that Anna is encouraging her daughter to seduce a guy for (undoubtedly) dubious purposes, or is that just us humans?

Vampire Diaries: Dark Figures in the Night

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.10 “The Turning Point”

Right now, I’m on a “trust no one” theory with Vampire Diaries. Someone turned Logan, and we have no idea who. The mayor is apparently a dirtbag who is forcing his son to fight in the back of the school (his intentions just seemed a little too dark for my blood, pardon the pun), and the new face in the crowd, Ric, seemed to be evil, but after breaking up the fight and staking a vamp, well, now he seems good.

But then again, that seams to easy.

So who turned Logan? If you’re wondering my guess, it’s currently the mayor. Not only because Buffy has taught us that all mayors are evil, but because it had to have been someone on the Council. They were the only ones who knew that Logan was dead, let alone knew where his shallow grave was.

And to that point, why did they cover up Logan’s death? Just because it looked like a vamp attack? Why not put him in his house and light it on fire, claiming an accident? Why cover it up?

Well, perhaps it’s the major plan. Logan seemed to know about the tomb with Katherine and the others that were burned in the fire, which means that either his sire told him about it…or the Council is aware of it. I’m going to go with the Council because, as we’ve learned from Buffy, no Council is all good.

So basically, I’m to the theory that someone in the Council is a vamp, and they’re doing a really good job hiding it.

I thought Damon in this episode was enjoyable to watch. He hasn’t turned all good, despite his careful attempts to control the Council–basically protecting both Stefan and himself. And to see that he was really going to take control of the situation, save Caroline, and kill Logan really showed a new side of him. Of course, all that changed as soon as the tomb was mentioned. Perfect transition back to the dark side.

Honestly, the only down part of this episode was the saga of Elena and Stefan. We had to get through a lot of Twilight-esque whining and longing before they finally had their passionate love scene (which I could have done without–or at least shortened). But now that Elena has realized that Katherine is basically her twin…well, I guess things may just be different.

Or at least there will be a little more grovelling.

But that ending. Ok, the ending got me. Not only did the car accident make me jump, but just watching that body put itself together was incredibly creepy. Certainly a vamp…or some sort of demon. Is it the new vamp, coming to kill her? Stefan, who was running after her to explain? Damon, just plain annoyed and finally taking his revenge?

I did miss Bonnie in this episode, though. We got a few short minutes with her at the beginning and then she was gone. Sigh. I really like her.

Well, until we’re back again. I hear that won’t be until January (sigh), but don’t forget that there’s a week-long marathon the week of December 14th to keep you occupied. Two hours a night, all week long. Honestly, that’s one brilliant strategy to keep people interested during the winter hiatus. And that’s a lot of trust in one show…

Glee: Singing from the heart

KT alternated between laughing and covering her eyes.

GLEE:  1.10 “Ballad”

The episode starts with this, so I will too.  “Ballad,” Will says.  “Can anybody tell me what that means?”  Blonde Brittney thinks it’s a male duck (hee!) and Kurt brings up love songs, but then Will goes on about how it’s a story set to music.  A perfect storm, he says, the perfect way to tell someone how you feel.

But for most of the episode, the songs we heard were not stories set to music.  Will’s “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” fits, and Finn’s “Having My Baby” does too, I guess, but most of the songs were what I guess you’d call power ballads — which fit structurally, but it’s a much looser idea of storytelling.  Starting with that definition, I guess I was expecting something like “Jack and Diane” or “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves.”  I dunno.  Did that bother anyone else?

I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but the random pairings, the assignment to sing something from the heart — that looked like the ideal set up for getting to know some of our background people.  Artie and Quinn?  Tina and… yeah, okay, there was no hope of that one.  At least we got a little Mercedes and Puck.  That was fun.  I expect the fatherhood bombshell to spread a little further in weeks to come.

But then it got painful…

The comparison between Rachel and Tracy Flick of Election has never been a hard one, so I’m a little annoyed to see the Glee writers crib a little more of Tracy’s plot for Rachel.  And while it makes sense that a series of students would crush on a young, good-looking teacher like Will, the way Rachel’s sudden passion was handled felt clumsy.  Clever of Terri to set her to scrubbing the bathroom, sure, but wouldn’t even Rachel have more self-respect than to go along with that?

I hardly know where to begin with Quinn, Kurt, and Finn.  Kurt has a crush on Finn — which we’ve known for a while, but hasn’t been mentioned recently — and tries to hint that if Finn is tired of girl problems, maybe he should try dating a dude.  Finn, meanwhile, continues to be characterized as “loyal, but dumb,” and seems pretty oblivious.

Finn’s thunderingly huge error in judgment is thinking that it is in any way his duty to announce Quinn’s pregnancy to her parents when she’s trying to hide it for as long as possible.  (To be fair, that’s pretty cuckoo-headed of her, but we’ve been over that…)  With inspiration from the ballad assignment and encouragement from Kurt, he breaks into song over dinner — an unfortunately chosen song that sounds very much like a proud announcement that Quinn is having his baby.  Exactly what Quinn’s very parochial father wants to hear from his Little Darling’s boyfriend, of course.

So I think that leaves Finn as an idiot, Kurt as a bad influence, and Quinn as — well, as the daughter of some fairly horrifying parents.  Make what you like of the stereotype they fulfill, but her mother has no backbone and her father kicked her out.

But there were a few scenes that didn’t make me squirm:

Kurt and Finn actually had a nice moment in the basement, talking about the parents they’ve each lost.  (It occurs to me that Kurt has a single dad while Finn has a single mom — please, show, do not try to match these parents up until at least late in season two.  Too easy.)

Finn’s mom is awesome, and so are her scenes in this episode.  They aren’t cluttered with unnecessary dialogue, because the faces say everything.  She’s exactly the mom you’d want in Finn or Quinn’s position.  A hug, an “everything’s going to be okay,” and a “she can stay here as long as she needs to.”  Her shock at Quinn having been thrown out by her dad was touching.

Puck, hotheaded as ever, opening up to Mercedes, of all people.  Her argument for “actions speak louder than DNA” was a good one.

Even Rachel’s “I’m sorry I’ve been crazy!” flowers were a nice touch.  She’s okay, our Rachel.  Nuts, but okay.  (And speaking of parents, when do we get to meet her two dads??)

Vampire Diaries: Ghosts and Demons

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.09 “History Repeating”

This was a pretty damn big episode. Sorry it’s taken me a week to write on it (but hey, we’re just in time for tonight’s episode).

Bonnie’s a witch, as we all know. Too bad that crystal is haunting her. Or, rather, it’s Emily that’s doing the haunting–and possessing. But now we see why. If Damon gets his hands on the crystal, he could release Katherine into today’s world–and all her vampire buddies. Everyone burned in the church would come back, bringing the downfall of Mystic Falls.

I’d say that’s a big deal.

I really enjoyed this episode, I really did. I loved hearing about the past without the flashbacks. I loved seeing Emily sneak past the mirror as Caroline and Elena watched Bonnie walk out the door.

And holy crap, when Damon bit Bonnie, I was sure she was a gonner. Note to self: As part of vampire cannon, a vampire’s blood can heal a vampire’s bite. However, if that person then dies with the blood in their system, they could start transitioning. Little known fact, but helpful, I’m sure.

As much as I enjoyed watching Bonnie, I think I was most impressed with Damon in this episode. Just his expression as he watched his only chance to get Katherine back slip out of his grasp…it was intense. It was heartwrenching. And you don’t even want to root for him!

And what about Damon? Supposedly, as he revealed to Stefan in this episode, he knew all along what Katherine was, and that didn’t taint his love for her. He wasn’t under her spell, as Stefan was. Stefan claims now that his love was just that–a spell. He never knew the real Katherine and he was just her pawn.

But Damon. He says he always knew, and that’s why he wants her back. And based on the previews for tonight’s episode, maybe all his hopes aren’t dashed. But in the moment, I thought I would be saying good-bye to Bonnie.

Speaking of good-byes, it looks like Stefan and Elena are officially over (well, until tonight’s preview aired), and I personally loved the cathartic montage as she told Bonnie everything she knew and everything she had experienced over the last few weeks. Vickie’s death was really taking a toll on her–let alone the back and forth with Stefan–and I’m glad she finally has someone to relate all this to.

But that’s not all. We have potentially two new vampires in our midst. Logan’s back…from the dead! When he showed up at Elena’s aunt’s door, you certainly knew that something wrong was happening. But why would someone so against vamps become one himself? And who turned him? I guess we’ll find out.

And then there’s Ric, who wouldn’t enter Elena’s house until he was invited. Just polite or plain evil? He’s really a mystery, and I can’t wait to find out what he has in mind. If anything, I think both of these guys are someone that the Salvatore brothers will have to hang around for…just to keep their eye on them.

So here’s to night! Everyone bring your best beverage…and I do hope that’s just red wine in that glass.

A Q&A with Men of a Certain Age’s Scott Bakula

image from TNT.tv

I’m not entirely sure whether you all know how much of a geek I am, but yes, I am a geek. A bonafide geek.

Which is probably why I was so excited to be included on a conference call recently with Scott Bakula. I’m a fan way back to the ’80s when he starred in Quantum Leap, and now he’s back to play Terry in TNT’s upcoming drama, Men of a Certain Age.

The show premieres on Monday, December 7, at 10:00 pm (that’s right, it’s coming up) and it’s about three friends experiencing life at mid-life. Starring Ray Romano, Andre Braugher, and of course, Scott Bakula, it looks to be a great new show from the always-promising TNT. Scott plays Terry, the ladies man actor, who just happens to be spending a little more time as a temp than actually acting.

So take a look below at the Q&A when Scott talks about his new character Terry; what it’s like to be back on TV in a leading role; and of course, Quantum Leap and Enterprise. Yeah, sci-fi!

***

I guess to start things off, what first caught your attention about Men of a Certain Age? What attracted you to the project? – Popculturemadness.com

Well, I thought the script was great when I got it and I loved this idea of how they had written these three men and their kind of history. And the humor of it I thought was fantastic and different and surprising.

And then I just loved this character of Terry. I just thought he was so not like me and so kind of irreverent and happy go lucky and Peter Pan and one of the Lost Boys at the same time. I just thought he would be so much fun to play.

That’s awesome. So with him being different from you, how are you able to relate to the character?

Well, I think the thing is we’re both—I’m a very physical person and he’s very much into his health and what he eats and working out and getting out in nature and all that stuff, which I certainly can identify with.

And he’s a little bit of the thinker of the group in a funny way and I can relate to that a little bit. I mean he would like to go deeper in his life but he doesn’t really have any opportunity to do that.

So that’s kind of where our similarities end because obviously I’m in a committed relationship with lots of kids and responsibilities and he’s the exact opposite of that.

***

So is this character sort of—I wouldn’t say your worst nightmare—but sort of a glimpse of an alternate path for a working actor, like the guy who is sort of stuck? - Zap2it

Yes. I don’t know that he’s my worst nightmare. I mean the reality is I have known—I have been in this business a long time. I have known a lot of actors and not everybody that I know has made it.

And lots of people have branched off into other things and lots of them are happy doing that. I think what makes him kind of sad in a way at this point in his life is he hasn’t quite given up yet.

Right.

So he’s still hanging on and I think that’s the hardest thing when we see people that we care about and they’re hanging on too long whether to a relationship or whether it’s to a dream or whatever it is.

And you want to say it’s time to move on and this is something obviously only that person and certainly this character can come up with but yes. I mean I’ve been very fortunate in my life and in my career that I reached a certain point a few years ago.

And I thought I think I’m going to be okay in this business and I should be able to make a living for the rest of my working days if I choose to. And not everybody can do that and we joke as actors that each job is the last job you’re ever going to get. But you reach—I’ve been doing it a while so I think I’m okay.

Great. And as a die hard Chuck fan as well, I wondered if this would preclude you at all from ever going back to that show or if they have spoken to you at all?

It does not preclude me and they’re—we all love each other. So if they write it I will be there.

***

[Read more after the jump!]

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 12

TOP CHEF: 6.12 “Culinary Olympics”

10:04: Okay, here we go! A few minutes late; sorry! But here I am. Jen thinks a crazy quickfire is on the way. Final quickfire in Las Vegas: Make a protein in a protein in a protein! Jen will make a turducken (or maybe that’s a joke).

10:06: Bryan’s busting out some weird looking machinery to do this one. By the way, at the beginning of this episode, Eli said his mentor and great friend was Richard, from two seasons ago. It’s no secret that I haven’t particularly liked Eli this season, but I did love Richard, so I guess I have a new respect for the portly, spiky haired dude.

10:07: Okay, Eli’s encrusted egg, or whatever it was, looked awesome. Meanwhile, Padma says to Jen, after tasting her dish, “Welcome back.” Seems like a good sign.

10:10: The winner is Jennifer. Is she back in the competition? For the elimination challenge, the contestants will be participating in a cooking style similar to some kind of international Olympics style food competition. Everyone has to work with either lamb or salmon. I’m sorry, I couldn’t type fast enough to catch the entire name, but it’s something French. Anyway, it sounds hard. “Taste, creativity, and presentation,” says Padma. Also, they’re serving to twelve judges. And Jen, because she won the quickfire, will get an extra thirty minutes to cook.

10:14: Okay, this challenge sounds like it’ll be crazy. I have a feeling I’ll be typing like crazy after this commercial break.

10:17: Everyone gets home from shopping late. Michael goes to bed early, instead of staying up with everyone else and watching the DVD about the cooking olympics thing. Kevin asks some technical questions during the planning, and Bryan offers him the answers, despite the fact that it might help his competitor. Good work, Bryan.

10:20: While everyone has a strong face on, they all look really nervous. I think someone is going to screw up bad and fold under the pressure. Previously, I would have thought it’d be Jen, but she seems to have gotten her mojo back after the quickfire. So I have no idea who it might be.

10:23: Oh, by the way, Tom just said that the winner of the challenge also gets $30,000.  Hey Tom? Probably a bad idea to mention that while everyone still prepping. Someone could have lost a finger there.

10:28: Kevin says he’s not doing a lot of complex presentation. Will that come back to bite him? I know I’m just a philistine, but the presentation of Kevin’s dish looks incredible. Lamb over Atlantic salmon. Verdict: Great job but a little elementary.

10:30: Michael’s platter looks pretty good too. Mediterranean flavors. Verdict: It doesn’t seem to be going over very well. Flavors all over the place, lack of harmony, a bone in the fish. Bad news, dude! I’m a bit shocked!

10:31: Bryan up next. Jen helps him get things ready. How nice of her! Bryan did a crusted loin of lamb. He looks super nervous. Verdict: Initially, they seem impressed by the technique. Sadly, the lamb was undercooked and messed up things. He ran out of time.

10:33: Eli’s turn. Lamb sausage wrapped around loins. He sounds really nervous too. Verdict: Lamb is undercooked, and bad cuts for everyone. Oh no. No one really enjoyed it. This looks like the worst turnout so far.

10:35: Jen! Will her extra time help? She’s working with lightly poached salmon, with caviar and mushrooms. Verdict: Everything tastes good, but the dish isn’t completely thought out. Most of it tastes good, but some is undercooked, and uneven. Not a lot of vision. Very intriguing visually.

10:38: Also, the winner gets to represent the U.S. in the next food Olympics.

10:37: Just my guess, but right now here’s what the order looks like to me: 1. Kevin; 2. Jen; 3. Bryan; 4. Michael; 5. Eli

10:47: Everyone in at judge’s table. The last one in Las Vegas!! Michael’s salmon and caviar wasn’t very well received; neither was his cauliflower couscous. Bryan’s lamb was a bit underdone; more time would have made it better. Kevin’s simplicity seemed to turn off the chefs; they wanted more technical skills. Jennifer’s fish cooked too fast, the cuts were unever. Eli’s ideas were great, but the sausage had too much fat, and the lamb was undercooked. Harsh words for everyone! I think this was clearly the toughest graded challenge in Top Chef history. I’m still sticking by my list from above but I’m feeling rather uncertain about it. I’m getting a gnawingly bad feeling that one of the Voltaggio brothers might be sent home.

10:56: The winner is————————————Kevin! Good work. That’s $30,000 for the red-headed step-child. Everyone remaining looks like they’re about to puke. The loser, however, will be Eli.

10:59: Wow, that was tense. Eli performed very well tonight, but with Jen’s confidence back, it was clear that he was the least talented chef (though not by much) left. I wasn’t his biggest fan, but he did very well.

11:00: This is exciting. Four of the most talented chefs that I picked out from early on in the season will be going to the semi-finals. I am not at all disappointed by this. This season has clearly been the best of the entire series. The top four have consistently performed well, and have really created some incredible looking food. This season is light years better than last year, which I think lacked a definite sense of originality. I wish this season didn’t have to end.

Until next week!

One Tree Hill: Fault and Blame

ONE TREE HILL: 7.10 “You Are a Runner, and I Am My Father’s Son”

Over the years I’ve gotten used to One Tree Hill’s various episode titles, but this week, it boggles the mind.

The real stories this week were those of Clay and Millie. I’ll start with Clay. First, the whole Dan/Clay interaction really bothered me. Not because Dan was threatening him or “baptizing” him or whatever. But because it was completely done for the hype of the episode promos. It had no other relevance.

Now, do we think it’s Clay’s fault that Nathan didn’t get picked up? Well, after all the drama of the faux-baby Daddy, perhaps Clay should have just taken what he could get. But honestly, to me it sounded completely natural to offer four years to their two, settle on three and let them think on it. I mean, they made their choice to get someone else (someone expensive) rather rashly, so it did come as a surprise, even if Clay was staying away from the TV that night.

Should Nathan have fired him? Well, that’s a completely different issue. I have no idea. He did mess up pretty bad and betray his trust, but the trust thing was really a personal issue. I found it humorous that they kept referring to how long they had been friend when it had only been a year–sure, it’s a long time, but not when you consider that most of the characters have known each other since high school.

Now, I’m sure that Clay won’t be out forever. He’s a new face–and one that I’ve really started to like–so I’m sure that somehow things will work out in his favor.

Millie could be another story. And one that, while I’m interested in it, I don’t quite believe. I can see her sneaking diet pills because she thinks she’s too heavy. But suddenly jumping in coke addiction and DUIs? That just seems a little off. Even the sudden importance of clothes. It all just seems like a leap for her, considering who she used to be. I could see this slowly developing over a season, so much so that we barely notice and that it’s a surprise when it becomes so huge it’s uncontrollable–but in only a few episodes? It seems drastic.

But hey, at least they’ve given Mouth a storyline to make me relatively like him again. Yes, I hold grudges.

Poor Brooke. The thought that maybe she couldn’t have children did cross my mind last episode, but since it wasn’t outright mentioned, I gave up on thinking that way. But it really is the perfect storyline for her, considering how they’ve grown her maternal instincts over the last few seasons. It’s heartbreaking, but I really think it’s something she can handle, and I look forward to seeing what she does.

And then there’s Skills. Sure, most of you probably didn’t pay attention to his little five seconds, but if you noticed, he’s heading off to LA to do some basketball movies. My guess? This is how they’re (hopefully temporarily) writing him off the show while Antwon Tanner’s jailed up for his little problem with the law. I, for one, will miss him.

Gossip Girl: “The third person’s always a stranger.”

XOXO, CC.

GOSSIP GIRL 3.10 “Last Days of Disco Stick”

This week was a completely thematic Gossip Girl, and wherever there’s a theme, there’s Lady Gaga. Seriously, if you guys haven’t gotten “Bad Romance” in your head, then you may have a problem. In case you haven’t heard, last week, we had a Gossip Girl threesome. This week, we had a whole bunch of threesomes. Unfortunately, Lady Gaga wasn’t in any of them, but she was on the show!

Our first threesome, is of course, Olivia/Dan/Lameface, I mean, Vanessa. Dan is feeling pretty proud of himself for convincing his girlfriend and his best friend that’s had a secret crush on him her entire life to walk down Three Way Avenue. Dan used to be a nice guy, but now he divulges all of the sordid details to Nate, who tells him that ménages must only be done with a stranger to avoid awkwardness. I was a little surprised Nate didn’t feel awkward about his ex-girlfriend having a three way with his Dan. Were you?

Dan encounters Vanessa and awkwardly tries not to be awkward by inviting her to a Morrissey concert. Because when you’ve been silently in love with someone your whole life, the best thing to do is hear about becoming closer the more you’re ignored by your beloved…even if you’ve had a threesome. Upon hearing Morrissey news, Olivia volunteers Dan to be a playwright in a performance thrown by the Tisch kids that Blair desperately wants to befriend, er, rule.

Dan puts on his play—a “subversive” Snow White. Blair is the evil queen (of course), and Olivia is initially Snow White. However, because Dan doesn’t really know Olivia (get it, she’s the stranger!), Vanessa is ultimately saddled with the role. Dan realizes that he’s in love with Vanessa for some ungodly reason, but she decides to start dating the male overlord of the Tisch School. If anyone was hoping for a three way that involved two dudes, my money’s on this threesome being it. Hey, the Tisch guy likes Lady Gaga; I’m sure he’s got to explore his feelings at some point.

Trip and Serena also decide to explore their feelings. I almost gave Serena credit for wearing an appropriate work outfit. Then, I saw the back. If you’re an employee, and you’re trying to get your boss to not want to sleep with you, a backless minidress is probably not the answer. Trip’s moving to DC soon, and his wife asks Serena if she’ll help Trip pack their home office since she’s leaving early. Serena decides that this is a terrible idea so she goes off to hang out with Nate, despite not talking to him for the past month.

Serena/Trip/Maureen are the first threesome in this scenario. Serena and Trip are old pals, but she can’t possibly ruin his marriage to a stranger. Nate decides to entertain Serena so that she can’t answer Trip’s call/see him/sleep with him. This plan would’ve worked brilliantly had Nate not fallen in love with Serena’s pouty face. They were about to kiss, which would’ve made me happy because Nate has not had enough to do this season, and then they were interrupted by Trip who’d learned of Maureen’s hoax. This established the Nate/Serena/Trip threesome in which Serena chooses to go to Trip’s place and sleep with him.

The final threesome was the best threesome…and actually included a stranger. Chuck had the Belgian ambassador and his son staying in his hotel. Because Jenny can’t find a date, Chuck and Lily had Jenny show him around. It turns out, however, that he’s really a drug dealer who abuses diplomatic immunity. Jenny was very close to taking some pills when Chuck intervened. Later, she texted her ambassador friend to say, “we should hang out again sometime.” I think that this would be really interesting. We already know that Jenny’s lonely, got a rebellious streak,  and her best friend hates her so much he doesn’t bother to appear in the episode. As such, a fall down the rabbit hole isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Do you think we’ll see it? Will Nate get Serena back, and if so, what will Blair do? Until then, XOXO.

Big Bang: All drugged up, don’t know what to do…

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.08 “The Adhesive Duck Deficiency”

If you’re not humming 311 right now, you’re doing something wrong.

Anyway, if there’s one thing that Big Bang Theory does right is putting Sheldon and Penny together in interesting situations. Like having Penny fall in her tub (because she has no adhesive ducks on the bottom, like Sheldon) and dislocate her shoulder. Of course, the only person who can help is Sheldon.

How awkward was Sheldon? Penny seemed more put off than Sheldon (and why shouldn’t she be?), but Sheldon was his normal robot self, but there was a hint of a struggle there. It was just slightly more awkward than normal, and it was great.

Things I liked:

• “Does that feel like an arm to you?” Honestly, they would have had a lot less trouble if they just chose a button-down shirt for Penny.
• Sheldon writing on the form that her injury was caused by a lack of adhesive ducks (beyond that, the hospital scene was pretty predictable).
• Sheldon’s driving. ‘Nuff said.
• The round. Oh, the round! That was fantastic. In fact, Penny drugged up in general was great.

I think the show has a hidden gem with this duo, and I’m glad they’re careful with putting them one-on-one too often. If this happened in every episode, it would certainly lose its hilarity. I loved it.

In other news, I can’t say I really cared much for Leonard, Howard, and Raj’s storyline. I mean, it just seems like the characters-get-high story just tends to bore me more than entertain me. Sure, it’s rather upsetting–yet appropriate–that Howard would lose his virginity to his cousin. And the fact that Leonard hates his name because “nerd” is in it was just clever. But beyond that, what’s new?

Searching for food because they have the munchies? Missing the meteor shower because they were focusing on the food they found? Searching the cooler again for pudding right after they discovered they were out? It just seemed to be done before.

Sure, it was a great way to get Penny and Sheldon alone in the apartment building together, but I feel like there might have been better ways to do it. Even just having them camping without getting high–and getting annoyed at Howard or someone getting sick. I mean, who knows? There had to be something better.

Maybe it’s just me. What did you think?

HIMYM: Doing it by the book

KT wants to join SNASA and go to the smoon!

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.08 “The Playbook”

Well, that’s Barney back to his usual self.  I like Barney, and I like Robin, and I like their rapport at the best of times, but they hadn’t really seemed like themselves in the last few episodes, ya know?  And how long has it been since we saw Robin at work — since “The Front Porch,” right?  We’re way overdue for some local newscast shenanigans.

I think this might mark the first time Lily has actively encouraged a girl to go out with Barney.  She’s helped him get rid of some, sure, especially while she was crashing with him in “World’s Greatest Couple” back in season two.  For that matter, Lily’s relationship with Barney is usually good fun — often she’s completely grossed out by him, but she’s also more than willing to offer relationship advice.

The strength of this episode was some classic HIMYM non-linear storytelling paired with some classic HIMYM examples and asides and a classic HIMYM twist at the end.  Mastermind Barney is always good for a twist, especially when they’re smart enough to use it sparingly.  The playbook examples helped to keep the story moving and the humor kept coming — I definitely laughed more and cringed less compared to the fat suit episode or the “best night ever” episode.

Too bad about Lily waiting three years to try to get Ted and Shelly together, only to have “Lorenzo von Matterhorn” get in the way.  But we’ve seen Ted try to date a girl Barney’s already slept with before, and I don’t see any reason for him to feel differently this time.  I loved his initial response with barbershop quartet-style “Hell, no!” too.  Somehow Claire joining in on that made me like her a little more… but I don’t suppose we’ll see her again.

Meanwhile, Ted and Marshall insist that Robin’s determination to focus on her career will lead her straight to the love of her love… that guy!  They keep the gag low-profile enough that it stays funny, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of this Don that Narrator Ted tells us she’s just about to meet!  I hope they don’t play the Jealous Ex plotline with Barney and Robin, though, or at least no more than Robin had in this episode.  We saw Barney get jealous last year and he did many amusing things like smashing TVs and buying thousands of stamps, so I kinda think that’s played out.

Clever music cue of the night:  when Barney “finds” the girl who bursts into tears on the Empire State Building, that tune is the theme from Zeffirelli’s 1968 Romeo and Juliet.  Hee.

Ghost Whisperer: Not too bad

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.08 “Dead Listing”

Last week, I requested an episode that basically straightforward, centric on characters other than Eli, and distracting us away from the story arc. And in a weird turn of events, that’s actually what we got. In fact, I think the only thing that we didn’t get that I requested was that Aiden be in less of it. And while, sure, his moments were painful, at least he wasn’t talking about the shadows again. He was just being a kid.

Not to say it was a perfect episode. I have to say that Melinda was off her game. Her entire “fairness” talk to Aiden made absolutely no sense. Seriously. All she really had to say was this,

Honey, what if Superman tried out for the football team? He’s got super speed. Even though he has this gift, that doesn’t mean it’s fair to use it around people who don’t have it.

Instead she used weird sentence fragments and strange examples that even the viewer didn’t follow her explanation–and we even knew what she was coming in to say!

Plus, what was Melinda’s reaction when she found Rita dead? She took that in stride. Whether I could see ghosts or not, I’m pretty sure my first response would be, “Rita, what happened?!” not just jumping in to discuss the engraved award. Somehow, her calm exterior just ended up looking cold and heartless for someone who cares so much about others.

Beyond that, though, not a terrible episode. I was really glad to see Delia get a larger role in this episode. See? You can get people who don’t hear or see ghosts in a storyline without a stretch! Or without just discussing their dating lives.

And I will say that I really enjoyed seeing Greg Germann . You know I’m an Ally McBeal fan, so it was great to see him again. The story was a little weird. I got their competitive nature, but the shrimp (oh, terrible CGI!) and intestines seemed to be a stretch. In fact, I think the intestines were there just to make the show seem darker or more serious–aka, unnecessary. But oh well. The story got a little complicated, what with the question of whether Rita was cheating or whether she was buying the brownstone or selling the brownstone or knew of the mold or didn’t know of the mold (and why was he in the brownstone to drop the award near the mold in the first place?). At least there weren’t access characters, but it did go around in a few circles.

And now to Aiden: What did we think of his magic act? I found this a little boring. I guess it’s nice to see that Aiden does have “friends” (at least it’s only the viewers that dislike him), but it just didn’t entertain me.

But it looks like we’re heading back to previously unfinished storylines! I look forward to seeing what next week has in store, now that the cancer patient is back. But in Aiden’s closet? Maybe she’s not as human as we thought she is.

The Good Wife: Everything’s about the Constitution

CC catches us up on The Good Wife.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.06 “Conjugal”
THE GOOD WIFE: 1.07 “Unorthodox”

Two weeks ago, I can’t remember anything exciting happening on The Good Wife other than Peter and Alicia having a conjugal visit. Of course, the previews made it seem like “holding hands” meant that they were going to get it on. But no, they slept in separate beds. The only reason a conjugal visit was necessary was because they needed a place to talk that didn’t involve a video camera or a transcript. I thought that episode was sort of slow. The case was interesting because Alicia and company managed to get a falsely accused inmate off death row, but little else of interest happened…except that Francine from Gilmore Girls now appears to be a regular.

This week, however, we had a lot more good stuff. First, the firm is doing layoffs, and everyone fears for their job. Will tells Alicia that she needs to impress Stern (the other partner that we never see) by being second chair his daughter’s civil suit so that she can be retained over Cary. Apparently, Stern’s daughter had an eruv wire outside her house that fell, and it was unable to be repaired due to the Sabbath. Alicia’s paired up with outside counsel, Ryan Alprin, who chooses to argue that Anna and her husband’s religion prevented them from making repairs. And it turns out, that said argument may have worked until it turned out that Anna wasn’t so estranged from her dad after all. She used her cell phone to call him on the Sabbath! Luckily, Alicia and Kalinda discover that the plaintiff colluded with someone at the security company to make the wire come down.

Despite laying off a bunch of attorneys, Will decides that the firm should hire Alprin and asks Kalinda to run a background check. That search yields the surprising result that Alprin’s not actually an attorney. He flunked the bar, which is tough. Since they’re about to win, Alicia makes a surprising decision (at least to Kalinda)—she’s going to make Alprin rest the defense, take a walk around the building so that they can win before she reports him to the judge. This is too bad because there was some serious flirting action going on between them. Meanwhile, Will proposes that he and Diane make moves to oust Stern from the firm to save them from laying off so many attorneys. Diane doesn’t like that idea, mainly because Stern usually votes her way at board meetings, and she needs his alliance, especially with hiring decisions. Could this mean that Alicia’s going to be out of a job? No…I really doubt it, but I’m sure the Cary vs. Alicia decision will be coming soon, and I’m going to bet someone that both are retained.

It wouldn’t be an episode of The Good Wife without some home drama which bordered on absurd this week. Alicia’s son last noticed that photos of his father smoking crack with a prostitute were photoshopped. Naturally, he decides to find the prostitute so that he can talk to her, get her to admit that it was fake, and obviously reveal her true identity. Keep dreaming, kid. Seriously. Naturally, he finds her picture online, calls it and charges it to his grandmother’s credit card, only to find out that the lady on the phone isn’t the lady in the picture. Clearly, he’s never been on match.com. Anyway, Jackie finds out and Alicia has a conniption fit on her kid because he shouldn’t be calling prostitutes.

I did feel sort of bad for her son, who’s so memorable that I can’t remember his name. He didn’t feel that he can tell his mother that he’s on a one man mission to exonerate her husband. Next week, it looks like Alicia will be testifying for Peter. I’m actually interested in seeing this, more than I have been these past couple weeks.  The Peter/Alicia conflict and the economic battles of the firm are certainly better viewing than the cases lately.   However, I’d be even more psyched if Alexis Bledel became a cast member (wishful thinking here…I am not reporting rumors) so that we could have a Rory/Logan reunion. ‘Til Tuesday!

Recap Review: The Prisoner

KT is not a number!  She’s… uh, two letters.

THE PRISONER (1967-1968)

A few years ago, my dad introduced me to yet another cult classic, a British show called The Prisoner.  I thought it was good fun, and I’ve recently been watching it again with my husband — prompted by news of AMC’s remake (starting tonight) starring Ian McKellan (Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings) and Jim Caviezel (Jesus from The Passion of the Christ).

(Um, yes.  Something about that pairing amuses me more than it should.)

Unfortunately, the early reviews of the remake haven’t been terribly positive (for example, the LA Times’ Robert Lloyd, the Chicago Tribune’s Maureen Ryan, and NPR’s David Bianculli) — McKellan’s performance is praised, but the critics suggest that it’s hard to care about the characters.  Which is an interesting thing to say, given the nature of the original.

The premise of The Prisoner is that a British secret agent played by writer/producer/star Patrick McGoohan has resigned for mysterious reasons.  He finds himself kidnapped and placed in an isolated community known only as The Village, where residents are known only by numbers.  The 17-episode series chronicles our hero’s attempts to generally defy whoever is in charge of The Village this week, a part played by a new actor in almost every episode but always known as Number Two.  (Who is Number One?  Good question.)  Our hero is known as Number Six.

With regard to what writer John Seavey calls a storytelling engine,  this is a pretty tight one.  The various Number Twos are tasked with uncovering why Number Six resigned (with the caveat that he may not be broken; he’s important) while simultaneously blocking Number Six’s efforts to figure out exactly where The Village is located, how to get out, and even which side is running it.  The Cold War is rarely discussed outright, mostly because it’s just a given, but it couldn’t be more plainly in the background.

The plots are a series of the Twos’ ingenious attempts to disorient Six, win him over, brainwash him, or otherwise trick him into explaining himself, and Six’s ingenious attempts to escape in any way he can.  But even with some very clever schemes, McGoohan found that there were a limited number of stories he wanted to tell with this format — thus, only 17 episodes, though there are conflicting stories as to exactly how that number was decided upon.

Since it’s essentially a guest role, the Number Twos are never deeply explored, though it is implied that the constant turnover in Number Twos is directly related to their constant failure to glean anything from Six.  In fact, the only two characters who appear in every episode are Number Six himself and Number Two’s mute midget butler.  (Yes, really.  And he apparently went on to play an Ooma Loompa.)  But the butler’s role is essentially set dressing, leaving only Number Six.

Six is a somewhat Bond-ish sort of hero:  good looking, capable of any skill that happens to be useful, determined, clever, and taciturn.  As such, his appeal is a little hard to pinpoint, but I think it’s heavily dependent on McGoohan’s charisma.  His Number Six is resilient in the face of despair, sardonically witty in the face of hopelessness.  Perhaps Caviezel’s Six is missing some part of that.

[After the jump: Rover,
the Village, and the '60s]

V: Normal is overrated anyway

KT thinks it is decidedly so.

V:  1.02 “There Is No Normal Anymore”

Everybody seems a little bit wishy-washy this week as they try to figure out how to react to all of last week’s bombshells.  The episodes gives us more questions than answers — as it should at this point.  I’ll tell my guesses and I’d love to hear yours in the comments!

Journalist Chad Decker is beating himself up over letting Anna walk all over him during the big interview, so he decides to get all investigative.  That actually just turns out to be a pro and con panel, but even that ticks off the Visitors.  They give him some ground when he points out that they went up in the polls after his segment and that public opinion is massively important, but Frowny Second-in-Command Guy is still very frowny.  Anna favors Chad with a very brief personal phone call, though.  Is she seducing him for her own purposes?  My magic eight ball says “Signs point to yes.”

This week undercover alien Ryan is presented with the dilemma faced by all superheroes and mob targets:  should he stay with his girlfriend so he can protect her, or must he leave her so that she won’t get caught in the crossfire?  Will he?  All I’ve got here is “Reply hazy, try again.”  Plenty of room for drama either way.  And who is Cyrus?  We’ve got Angelo, who wants no part in this, and Georgie, who re-recruited Ryan last week; I don’t think we know a Cyrus yet.  Creepy breaking-and-entering act with the note behind the photo, though.

Meanwhile, Father Jack proves to be the most undecided of anybody — fair enough, I suppose.  I mean, dammit, he’s a priest not a freedom fighter!  (…Wait, wrong show, sorry.)  He’s kind of boring to me at the moment, though.  I think there’s an inevitable relationship with Erica coming at some point, probably after or at the same time as he goes through a huge crisis of faith.  Is that just me?  I’d rather it were, I don’t really want to see that storyline, actually.

Erica, meanwhile, is walking on thin ice in her probably-infiltrated workplace, and having to pretend that she doesn’t know why Dale has disappeared is making things twice as hard.  Her boss is naturally suspicious as hell, but it’s hard to tell yet whether that because (A) everything’s fishy and she’s clearly lying or (B) he’s a Visitor.  (Also high on my Probably an Alien list is an agent played by Rekha Sharma, but I admit that may have something to do with her role as Tory on BSG.)  I’ll be interested to see what he does with Erica’s proof that Dale kept calling to tip off the terrorist cell they were tracking.

Deceit seems to be a theme in the Evans family right now.  Tyler makes his mom a promise regarding the Visitors that he clearly has no intention of keeping.  Then he makes a bid to stay on my Idiot List by decking a guy on his first day as a Peace Ambassador.  And then he wonders why the V’s want to kick him out of the program.  My money says they’ll keep him on once they figure out that his mother his rebooting the resistance.

And hey… the Visitors have patched up Dale!  I’m thrilled.  Evil alien or not, more Alan Tudyk is never a bad thing.

A Q&A with White Collar’s Tiffani Thiessen

image courtesy of USA

Peter Burke has one awesome wife. And how could he not when she’s played by the awesome Tiffani Thiessen?

I had the honor to talk to Tiffani on a conference call recently about the newest hit to hit TV, White Collar. Tiffani was a lot of fun, super sweet, and super excited about the show.

Tiffany plays Elizabeth Burke, an event planner who’s married to our favorite FBI guy, Peter. While she’s mainly a supporting role on the show, she’s got a great presence and from what we mention below, it looks like we might just be seeing more of her!

So read below to get the full Q&A from the call, where she talks about White Collar, Houston, Fastlane–and even her pregnancy!

***

Hi, it’s a pleasure to speak with you today. – Starry Constellation

Thank you, honey.

Congratulations on your addition as well.

Thank you very much.  It’s exciting news indeed.

I’m sure.  What made you want to be a part of this show?

Ever since I read the script, which has been a little over a year ago now, I fell in love with it.  I fell in love with the characters.  I fell in love with the show, and more and more, when the cast was brought together, the more excitement I had for the show and wanting to be a part of it.  This is really the first time I feel like in my whole entire career which has been over 25, 26 years of doing this that I finally feel like I’m kind of playing a role a little closer to home for me, which is kind of exciting.

Was there instant chemistry when everyone began working together?  I know you’re very close working together with Tim and Matt as well.

We are, from day one.  I of course had met Tim through the testing process of us being put on screen and doing our scenes together, and we had chemistry from day one.  I absolutely adore that man and then met Matt, actually, after we had already started shooting the pilot.  We actually were on the same flight going to New York to shoot the pilot last year.

Then Willie Garson I actually had known just being in the business for so long.  We had met prior, and I’ve always really enjoyed him and loved him, so I was really excited to know that it was actually really kind of a special cast that we were putting together.  I couldn’t be more thrilled with everybody I’m working with.  It’s really a nice group of people.  Being away from home, it makes it so much nicer when you actually like the people you’re working with.

***

Hi, Tiffani.  Thanks for your time today. ..I’m definitely enjoying the show. - Niagara Frontier Publishers

Good, I’m so glad.

It feels like there’s more to your character than what we’ve seen.  I almost feel like maybe she’s hiding something.

Oh gosh, I’m so curious to know what you think I’m hiding.

[Read more after the jump!]

Community: Doppelgangland

COMMUNITY: 1.09 “Debate 109″

Does it surprise any of us that Jeff is terrible at debate? I mean, his lawyering skills are generally based on deception, not logic, so I was not surprised to see his one-man act in the first debate. You know, the one where they scored an 8. Total.

Annie is the extracurricular queen. It seems like every week she’s alongside the dean of the school, trying to find another way to impress the professors and staff. And at least this week we got to see her sexier side. Well, as much as you get when all she does is pull her hair down. (Did it bug anyone that she didn’t use that in the debate after all? Maybe the moment with Jeff freaked her out.)

Personally, I liked the camaraderie between her and Jeff, even the sexual tension. Not just because I thought his final head pats were hilarious, but because watching him chase after Britta and other girls and Britta and other girls can get a little stale. Change it up. Plus, since we’ve established Annie as almost asexual in her childlike ways (especially those doll-like eyes) and her romantic (and idealized/innocent) love for Troy, it’s kinda nice to see that yes, she can kiss someone and be a woman.

Not that I think anything will come of Jeff and Annie–nor should it. That would be weird and add a dynamic to the show that I would really not enjoy. Let’s keep it fresh. Plus, it’d just be weird.

In other news, I very much enjoyed seeing Aaron Himelstein back on TV. He played Friedman in one of my favorite shows, Joan of Arcadia. Very intense guy in this episode (loved the flying), but nice to see him again, even if he did look odd with the long hair and facial hair.

Oh, and having the mascot rooting for the debate team the entire time was just creepy. Man, that thing freaks me out. I had an audible reaction every time they flipped to the crowd, just because I could see the “Human Being.”

On the other side of the plotline was Abed’s web movies. Loved it. I loved that apparently he could predict the future just by knowing the group’s typical behavior. That was so funny. Sometimes I still wonder if a werewolf appeared…

As for Pierce and Britta? Eh. I wasn’t so much into the smoking plotline. Or the hypnosis. The rest of the plot carried the show, but those Abed’s doppelganger web show and the debate really made it worthwhile anyway. I guess we should be glad that Britta and Pierce had a role at all, I guess. Though watching Chevy Chase fall down has been funny for decades, so I can’t say I didn’t enjoy him falling into the instruments nonetheless.

Top Chef, Episode 11

TOP CHEF: 6.11 “Strip Around the World”

My apologies for the lack of a liveblog last night. What a shame, because this would have been a good episode! It started, though, in typical Top Chef style, with a gratuitous shot of GLAD garbage bags. Nice product placement! At least the chefs aren’t cooking with it this season. The quickfire involved our six remaining chefs serving room service breakfast to Padma and the guest judge. Eli won, and his recipe will be placed in the Top Chef quickfire cookbook. Not too much else was memorable from the quickfire; they really blew through it in this episode.

For the elimination, each contestant was paired off with a Las Vegas casino. Here’s what happened:

• Eli drew the Circus Circus. His eventual dish involved some sort of peanut soup, and crushed popcorn. Really? Sure, it sounds inventive, but not particularly good. The judges didn’t like it either.
• Jen’s casino was some sort of medieval times type of place, I forget the exact name. Her dish was a “sword in the stone,” with the sword being a cocktail saber, and the stone a huge hunk of steak. She admitted to being overwhelmed and unable to focus as she was planning her dish, and sure enough, she wound up in the bottom three. This is the third or fourth episode in a row where she has completely folded. At one point, she even announced to one of the cameras that she was ready to go home. With her poor performance as of late, and her apparent complete lack of competitiveness, I’m thinking that she might be falling behind Eli in the standings. She’s more talented than he, but she’s got no backbone!
• Robin drew the Bellagio. When she walked into the casino to inspect it, she was awed by the artistic nature of everything she saw. I knew right away that this would be bad news. Throughout the entire show, Robin has consistently gotten herself in trouble whenever she tried to do something too complicated.
• I don’t remember Bryan or Kevin’s casinos or dishes, but they were good enough to land them in the top three. While neither one of them won, it seems to me that they’re both destined to be in the final three.
• Michael V. won again. I can’t recall how many eliminations he’s won so far, but he’s certainly looking very strong coming down the stretch. His casino, New York, New York, inspired him to create boneless crispy chicken wings, with buffalo sauce inside, and topped with some kind of disc of blue cheese dressing. It looked weird, but the judges loved the taste, and the updated sophistication of classic pub food.

When it came down to elimination, I said: “While Robin deserves to go home, I want Eli to go home, but Jen looks like SHE wants to go home.” In the end, the deserving one was sent packing. The only surprise here is that Robin lasted as long as she did. She was shown to be consistently over her head when matched up with the other remaining chefs. I think she could have stuck around longer if she hadn’t tried to be so complex at times.

The remaining five are all very talented. Michael V, Bryan and Kevin are pretty much on the same level. Jen’s just slightly below those three, and Eli a bit below her. However, with the steady erosion of Jen’s confidence over the last couple weeks, I think she could get eliminated next week as easily as Eli. Unless, of course, one of the top three screws up badly (which might be possible, judging by the previews shown at the end of the episode.)

Tune in next week for another liveblog. It’s coming down to the wire!

Glee: Popping wheelies and defying gravity

KT has missed Glee the last two weeks.

GLEE:  1.09 “Wheels”

Yay, a little bit of plot for Artie and Tina!  Unfortunately, it’s hard to get past Artie’s wheelchair in this episode, because we keep getting hit with it.  And in an attempt to give Sue a parallel plot, we get hit with the wheelchair again in the form of a mentally disabled cheerleader and older sister.  Seriously, show?

As much as I enjoyed Good-Natured Sue in the last episode, the attempt here at Soft-Hearted Sue and the reveal of her mentally disabled sister felt heavy-handed at best.  Will’s initial push for her to hold open try-outs and his later amazement at her treatment of the disabled girl just seemed nosy.  The whole storyline had all the subtlety of an after school special.

The department of soapy Baby Drama mercifully extends only to the Junior Edition this week. So Puck thinks he might want to be the baby’s daddy after all, huh?  Quinn is briefly swayed, but changes her mind when she realizes that the Puck swiped the cash meant for the wheelchair-compatible school bus — and she didn’t even know about the pot Puck put in the cupcakes.  The boy’s trying to do the right thing, but his methods stink!

Still the tension between Quinn and Puck is certainly there (Hello, cupcake fight scene!), and I expect to see more competition between Puck and Finn, who seemed like kind of a bum for most of the episode.  I’ll be impressed if Finn can really hold down a restaurant job while pretending to need that wheelchair.

(Also, I’m not sure Quinn knows what “egghead” means.  ‘Cause that was cute as a lead-in to the food fight, but I’ve seen no evidence that Puck is remotely highbrow or intellectual, certainly not in an out-of-touch way.)

In other relationships, Rachel and Finn seem just to be good pals this week, and I liked that dynamic for them.  He offers emotional support, she hatches a scheme to get him a job.  (And check out Jeff Lewis — Vork from The Guild — as Finn’s startled new boss.)

Artie and Tina haven’t gotten much time in the spotlight yet, but when we see them in the background, they often seem to be together, so it wasn’t a shock to find that they might have a blossoming romance.  I think it’s a little weird that Artie had built up her stutter to be this big thing that was kind of analogous to his wheelchair, but I suppose it’s not totally implausible.  I wonder if they’ll get together even without that “similarity,” or if they’ll drift apart.  (I think I’d put my money on the former.)  Tina’s admission that her stutter was fake made me laugh, though.  I’m not sorry to see it go.  Where’s the ballsy girl who went in and sang “I Kissed A Girl”?

My quibble with some of the most interesting scenes this week was that they seem overwritten.  Artie and Tina’s scene in the hallway was guilty of this, and so were some of Kurt’s scenes with his dad.  They’re both pairings that I like very much and hope to see more of, but I think that if you took the dialogue in both scenes, you could make some pretty substantial cuts and still get exactly the same points across.  There were points at which they didn’t feel like natural conversations, they felt like dialogue.  TV’s a visual medium — sometimes you don’t have to tell us what you’re thinking when it’s written all over your face.

This episode was light on music and heavy on story, but what music there was, I really liked:

• On the original “Dancin’ with Myself,” you can hear Billy Idol pushing his vocal cords practically to the breaking point — I loved the way that Artie turned it into a jazzy soft-shoe sort of number, complete with wheelchair dancing.

• Outside of the high F, my vote on “Defying Gravity,” went to Kurt.  He has a crystal clear tone in that part of his range, and I thought it was fabulous.  I did think that all Rachel’s angst about not being liked and Kurt’s angst about not getting a chance kind of took the fun out of the diva-off, though.

• And how much fun was “Rollin’ Down the River”?  Creative wheelchair antics, big solos for Mercedes and Artie, and even small solos for Tina, the first we’ve heard her singing voice since the West Side Story solo that prompted one of Rachel’s departures.

What did you guys think?

Thursday Open Thread: Favorite Trapped in An Elevator Scene

When Chuck forced Blair and Serena to work out their differences in an elevator on Monday, I got to thinking, do people in real life ever get trapped in elevators?   The idea of elevator malfunctions moving plotlines  isn’t new.  I can go way back to Punky Brewster delivering a baby in an elevator, and more importantly, saving it from a lifetime of being named Herman.  I’m sure you all can go back farther than that.

And so my question to you is:

What is your favorite trapped in an elevator scene?

This can also be extended to include any scene/episode in which characters were trapped in an enclosed space other than an elevator.  Also, bonus points if you tell a personal tale of being stuck in an elevator long enough to finally make a move on someone, make up with a friend, perform surgery, or deliver a kid.

Jump to the comments and write away!

Gossip Girl: Three’s a crowd if Vanessa’s a part of it.

CC provides a double dose of Gossip for you this week.

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.08 “The Grandfather: Part II”
GOSSIP GIRL: 3.09 “They Shoot Humphreys, Don’t They?”

Two weeks ago, Trip Vanderbilt was elected to Congress.  His wife cooked up some scheme to manipulate the public, forcing Trip to blame his grandfather and Nate to take the fall.  Serena and Blair got into a fight, which led Serena in the arms of Trip. No, they didn’t sleep together, but they’re probably going to.  Vanessa was annoying, and Dan/Olivia are still dating.  And that was pretty much it, though.  None of it really matters because, on Monday, THERE WAS A THREESOME.

Yeah, it really wasn’t that exciting.  For all of the news stories, hype, and moral outcry, the Vanessa/Dan/Olivia ménage a trios was sort of a snoozefest.  Basically, Olivia was told that she’d have to go off and film a vampire movie, thus ending her college experience.  But four years’ worth of educational experience can be crammed into an evening, right?  Dan and Vanessa use a newspaper to distill college.  There’s a 15 item list, and one of them is “Have a threesome!”  Honestly, I would’ve way more interested in a Chuck/Nate/<insert anyone but Vanessa here> threesome, frankly.  That at least would’ve been unexpected.

There were two problems with this threesome. The first is, it wasn’t so much a threesome as three kisses (one featuring Lizzie Maguire) and a shot of three people sleeping afterwards.  For all of the build-up, you’d think that there would be something unexpected or at least more salacious (not that I really want to see Hillary Duff in a three way, but I digress). Anyway, it was really tame, kind of like when Marisa and Alex kissed on “The O.C.”

The second problem with the threesome is that the characters involved are really lame.  I suppose that would make them least likely to be involved in one, but it really seemed more like a ratings ploy than a plot device.  What will be interesting (maybe) is the fallout, now that Olivia’s not leaving and Vanessa was too stupid to sleep with her best friend and her roommate/best friend’s girlfriend.  What did everyone else think about the threesome?  Too built-up?  Worth waiting for? Are you surprised who was involved?

Frankly, I was really hoping that the threesome was going to happen on Chuck and Nate’s lost weekend.  We already know that Chuck swings both ways, and he’s way more underhanded than stupid Vanessa.  Maybe it would derail Trip’s political future!  But no, even the lost weekend was more like a couple of dudes drinking some absinthe in a hotel room in Blair’s lingerie.

Speaking of Blair, she and Serena made up while trapped in an elevator.  I rolled my eyes.  How many times has anyone been stuck in an elevator for longer than 15 minutes?  I really just don’t think that elevator malfunctions happen this long over the course city.  Anyway, the only thing that saved this from being a monstrous cliché is that Chuck stopped the elevator and forced them to talk.

Eric and Jenny are not talking anymore, especially since Eric tried to dethrone Jenny at the Cotillion.   I thought this whole plotline was the best part of the episode.  It reminded me of the Gossip Girl of yore.  Evil, conniving, high school politics.  More importantly, it was an exploration of the economic insecurities that have plagued Jenny and Dan.  When Gossip Girl premiered, it was a smart examination of class and power in Manhattan.  Your school, last name, and address held a certain cache that determined power and popularity.  Now that our characters are in college, the playing field is level, but I really like it when we can see those themes unfold.  Maybe we can spend more time with Jenny at Constance and less time in Dan Humphrey’s bedroom.

One Tree Hill: Beneath the surface, there are tears

ONE TREE HILL: 7.08 “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight”
ONE TREE HILL: 7.09 “Now Lift Your Eyes to See the Sun”

In looking up the episode name, I just realized that I never wrote about last week’s episode, “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.” But really, nothing really happened. I mean, the camping trip was ok. The fact that the girls were high was actually pretty funny. And the only real meat was discovering that Rachel paid off a family to get Dan’s heart, which isn’t that surprising since they’re pretty low characters anyway.

This week, we’re back on track with plot. Haley’s giving a free concert to get back in the swing of being a musician, and everyone’s there. Well, everyone except Julian, but we’ll go that. First, I have a quick question: How do we keep seeing Nathan with a beer at the bar when two seasons ago he was an alcoholic? That’s been bugging me every time I see him with a beer.

The concert was ok, though, but what was up with Millie? I’m wondering if we’re taking this to extremes. I could see her immediately grabbing up the diet pills, but do we really think she would start stealing and using coke already? I somehow doubt it.

And the fact that she’s acting out disappoints me. I’ve always liked Millie, so I don’t really want her to change. I wonder how long we’ll be seeing the new Millie and whether she’ll be the new Rachel, or if she’ll be crying her way back into Mouth’s arms before we know it (I expect the latter).

Poor Brooke, though. Her new model steals her clothes (loved her reaction), but it was heartbreaking to see her face after she discovered that she wasn’t pregnant. But the final scene had me wondering: Do we think that she’s purposely going to get pregnant with Julian? I don’t see this in the cards for Brooke. It’s just too sneaky and deceptive. But she did throw the pills away, so who knows.

And what do we think about Alex? I very much thought the entire freakout was an act, just to get Julian back in her hotel room. But then by the end, I had changed my mind. Maybe she really was telling the truth. Not that she should have required Julian to stay–or for Julian to feel so devoted. Not that it’s the number one place to take an addict, but it would have made more sense for him to just take her out of that room and be around other people. Get her mind off of it. It all just seemed so cliche and extreme. Too black and white just to make drama between Julian and Brooke. I’m kind of getting tired of that storyline, so I hope it cleans itself up soon.

Finally, there’s Nathan. Poor Nathan. I could care less that Dan was in town, but the fact that he didn’t get his contract renewed in the end was tough. I’m really looking forward to next week, just to see how that plays out. I mean, somehow this family has to make some more money. We have an unemployed NBA star and unemployed musician. Jamie needs to eat!

Big Bang: Can’t we all just get along?

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.07 “The Guitarist Amplification”

In case you’re wondering, I think Leonard was in the wrong. I think that if Penny wants to have her friend–ex-boyfriend or not–sleep on her couch, it’s her decision, not his. He lives right across the hall. It’s not like he really has to wonder what’s going on. Plus, he’s on the couch. Sure, a few weeks is a long time, but that’s just an inconvenience for him. It’s her choice.

Should she have told him earlier? Ok, sure. But should she have to ask? Not at all.

Personally, I loved how this one conflict just spiralled more and more into other fights throughout the rest of the characters. And honestly, I kinda wish it had been paired with How I Met Your Mother’s “Bagpipes,” because they would have gone hand in hand. Trust me, I know. I watched “Bagpipes” the night before.

And you know, other than Penny and Leonard’s fight, nothing was really over the top in this episode. All the fights and spats were believable. Nothing was too annoying.

And Sheldon was great.

At first, you really didn’t notice how childlike his actions were. It was just typical Sheldon. But the further in you got, the more you started realizing that he was just regressing. Sure, it was almost heartbreaking to hear that his own family life was so full of fighting (“Well, clearly you’re wrong because I’m drunk and you’re still here!”), but it was just so funny that you forgot how much pain he was probably in.

We’re used to Sheldon just running away from what he doesn’t like, and fighting would be no other option. And I do like that we got to hear why–it gives him a little more depth.

But that wasn’t even the fun part. The one-liners were great, but the best part was clearly Sheldon in the comic store. Regressing to his child age. And once again, we see Leonard and Penny as parents (much like we did on their double date). The fact that Penny actually made him feel better with a comic and a robot was great–only matched by Sheldon’s defense against the fighting using the robots’ sounds. It was fantastic.

There wasn’t all that much to this episode, so I feel actually rather sad to have to drop the review so early. Plus, I’m pretty tired and am not sure what else to write. So help me out. What’d you think? Let me know in the comments.

It’s official: FOX cancels ‘Dollhouse’

It’s not that it’s a huge surprise, just a huge disappointment. It’s true: Today is the day that FOX officially axed the sophomore series, wiping its hands of the series after it finishes its 13-episode run.

To be fair, at least it’s allowing Joss to finish up the series in some sort of fashion. According to the article:

The sci-fi series, which is filming episode 11, is expected to finish its 13-episode order, and Whedon is expected to give the show a proper ending.

But it’s still unfair to know that we’ll really not get to see what led us from the beginning to “Epitaph One”–at least not in the detailed, elongated time that it should.

And again, I’m not surprised. Well, I’m surprised that it was announced now, but after the show was pushed away from November sweeps, it didn’t surprise me that the show would eventually be pushed out the door. Plus, with the comment that the show was only finishing its run because the bossman at FOX was afraid of the fans, well, that certainly didn’t help (though it did make me laugh).

But I am disappointed. The show really hit its stride mid-last season, and this season it’s been better than ever, as the latest Sierra-centric episode showed us. We were finally seeing where the show could go and how it could develop. Echo was finally more than what she seemed (which was the big complaint of season one), and I was all amped up to see what would become of Whiskey, aka Dr. Saunders, when she returned to the Dollhouse.

The characters alone kept me coming back. Boyd was probably my favorite, and even Adelle was starting to develop into areas yet unseen. And the shades of gray that were the Dollhouse’s morality just became more and more complex the more we got into it this season. God forbid we keep a show that made you think.

But there’s still time to ask the morality questions and to even see what happens to our favorite characters. We’ve only seen half of the season, so there is a little more time to enjoy it. So tune back in on December 4. To say good-bye and to appreciate when good television was on the air.

image from scipulse.net

Update: This is probably the most heartbreaking part of it all. Dichen Lachman’s latest tweet:

Feel sad though. Joss told us this morning.

Another update: Joss Whedon’s response. Key phrase:

By the time the last episode airs, you’ll know what my next project is.

That’s tantalizing, right?

Mad Men: “You’re not good at relationships because you don’t value them.”

CC takes a look at the season finale of Mad Men. Until we meet again…

MAD MEN: 3.13 “Shut the Door. Have a Seat.”

Wow, Mad Men.  Way to make me dying for next season.  We opened the season finale with Don meeting with Conrad Hilton.  Connie tells him that Sterling Cooper (and PPL) is being sold to McCann Erickson.  Since Connie likes those who are hungry to carve their place in the world, he withdraws his business.  Don gets angry because he feels that Connie’s continually kicked him around.

If there’s one relationship Don does value, it’s the one with his office.  He goes in to tell Bert Cooper (and Roger) that Sterling Cooper’s for sale.  Bert says that they should go forward with it, but Don wants to fight.  If he can’t fight to save his marriage, then he sure as hell won’t be enveloped into the corporate fold.  He convinces both Roger and Bert to make a pitch for the company, one that sends Price into hysterics. Later, when it’s revealed that Lane’s going to be fired once the sale’s complete.  He takes that news as his opportunity to fire Don, Bert and Roger so they can all start their own agency..  After Lane fires them, he says “It’s official…Four guys shot their legs off,” a great nod to an earlier episode wherein a freak lawn mower accident amputates an employee’s foot.

Don may value his relationship with Sterling Cooper, but he certainly doesn’t value his with Betty…until it’s almost gone.  Betty informs Don that she wants a divorce.  Don responds that “she’s not been herself and perhaps she should see a therapist.”  Betty asks if him if she has to be sick to want out of this.   Again, January Jones and Jon Hamm tear up their scenes together, and I have to say, I’m a little sad that we’ll be seeing less of Betty next season (I assume).

The next day, Don tells Roger about the divorce, and he mentions Henry Francis.  Don comes home, shoves Betty against a wall and asks her who the hell he is.  Betty makes the point that her infidelity shouldn’t really matter since Don’s perpetually been unfaithful, and Don deftly accuses her of preparing a life raft.  I’m not sure that Don was especially angry that Betty left him for someone else. However, his major fear was always that Betty would leave if she realized who he was.  He tells her that his true identity isn’t good enough for her because she’s a snob….and calls her a whore, ironically, since his mother was a prostitute.

With these past few fights with Betty, Don’s at least forced to reveal his true feelings. This is good because employees are craving them.  When Don offers Peggy a job with his new agency, she initially balks.  She’s had other offers; she doesn’t want to spend her career with everyone thinking Don does her work.  Later in the episode, Don makes another plea to Peggy admitting that he takes her for granted, that she understands advertising and buying habits in a way that others don’t.  She feels that she can’t decline without Don never speaking to her again, and Don tells her that he’ll spend the rest of his career trying to hire her.

Of course, without Pete, there’s really no Peggy.  Pete’s been “out sick” for the past couple of days.  It’s interesting that Roger and Don go to Pete as their new accounts man, given neither has ever liked him.  Pete’s initially reluctant, but he appeals to Don to convey how necessary Pete’s talent is to a fledgling firm.  Only after Don reveals his appreciation will Pete come on board.

Near the end of the episode, the whole gang is packing up—Bert, Don, Lane, Roger, Peggy, Pete, Harry Crane, and Joan.  Yes, Joan!  I think that she and Roger may start up again, especially when Greg goes to Vietnam. When they lock up, Roger asks “I wonder how long it’ll take to be in a place like this again.”  Don replies that he never saw himself working in a place like this.  And it’s true, I’m sure as Dick Whitman, he thought he’d be on a farm somewhere and not with the kind of life he has.  Of course, that life is going to involve hotels—whether it be with Hilton, his room at the Roosevelt, or the offices in the Pierre.

At the end of the episode, Don calls Betty, reports that he’s at the Pierre and that he won’t fight Betty.  She thanks him and says that he’ll always be their father.  Don looks around the room, and I can’t help but wonder if this company he’s created, filled with people of his own choosing, comprises his new family.  Meanwhile, Betty’s on a plane to Reno looking sullen.  Perhaps her life raft won’t actually save her.  Sally and Bobby are watching TV with Carla, parentless.  Sure lots has changed this season, but at least that hasn’t.

HIMYM: Getting back together–as friends

KT thinks Barney probably ate the steak-out van as well as the relationship chicken.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.07 “The Rough Patch”

Oh good lord, that fat suit!  Isn’t it amazing how thickening Barney’s neck can make him look like an entirely different person?  Wild.  But I loved Barney’s re-entrance at the end and its echoes to his transformation in the “Game Night” flashbacks.

Barney’s 2005 cry for help on the porn video was pretty funny, too, but for most of the episode, he was pretty lame.  I think over-eating, pretending-to-be-happy Barney is like a compilation of everybody’s worst fears about what Barney would be like in a long-term relationship, all rolled into one person.  Robin too, but Barney more so.  Eek.

Not to dwell too long on Barney’s Box of Adult Videos, ’cause we try to keep things family friendly here, but it did set up some good humor.  Ted arguing with Lily and Marshall over who would take responsibility for trashing the stash (when clearly they all wanted to just watch it).  Lily and Marshall sneaking tapes out under their coats.  Narrator Ted insisting to his kids that the tape just flew out of his hands and into the VCR!  And of course the running gag references to silly porn titles.

Speaking of running gags, this is number four for “Murder Train,” right?

Anyway, as we learned in “The Front Porch” last season, Lily is the queen of assisted break-ups.  She insists in good former crime boss fashion that she has retired and reformed, but when amateurs Ted and Marshall actually push Robin and Barney into talking about marriage –

– Which, by the way, would be  number four on my list of things I never expect to see on this show.  One, Robin turns out to be the mother after all.  Two, Marshall and Lily get a divorce and both want to date Robin.  Three, Ted’s kids turn out to be adopted.  Four, Barney and Robin get married.  Five, everyone eaten by sharks.

But back to the episode.  Lily puts together a masterpiece of a plan that sort of mostly works, but kind of gets preempted by Barney and Robin looking at their own reflections.

I was perfectly ready to buy the idea that the attempted break-up actually helped Barney and Robin get over their rough patch, but this show is rarely contented with a single reversal.  It’s like Ted’s re-return in the first episode — they like to twist it around one more time.  (A re-reversal?)  And while it was a break-up, I thought the idea of getting their friendship back together was a really sweet one.

Although, if that really was Barney and Robin’s final break-up, I hope to see some growth or fall-out or generally something happening because of it.  They spent all last year setting this up, guys — for that alone, seven episodes seems pretty short.  Then again, better for the writers to end it while it’s still fun rather than after it’s been painful for half a season.

I’m very excited by the prospect of more Robin Sparkles!  A variety show, eh?

So… do you think Barney’s going to want his porn collection back?

What to say about this week’s ‘Ghost Whisperer’

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.07 “Devil’s Bargain”

I’m at a bit of a loss as to what to say about this week’s Ghost Whisperer. If you were paying attention to my twitter this weekend, you would have seen that I was postponing watching the show because of the Jennifer Love Hewitt pole-dancing scene. Yes, that was enough to make me not watch because it seemed as needless as her video game outfit last season.

And really, it was. Melinda could have just as easily watched the other girl pole dance as much as she really needed to. That was rather ridiculous. I wonder who’s brilliant idea that was.

Honestly, this entire episode just seemed very convoluted. It makes me question whether the writers have taken on too much with their introduction of the “shadows” storyline. I mean, we had a ghost, that was supposedly angry at the beginning but by the end was supposedly trying to protect the good doctor; a doctor that was ex-best friends with the president of the university; the president of the university that somehow got his job because of the shadows and has a sick mother; and more people. It just seemed like we were hopping from one story to another, and I started to lose track.

The main thing we were supposed to realize was that the president of the university has some sort of deal with the shadows–or at least are being blackmailed by them–and knows about the book.

I’m curious to know what the shadows really are. I’m excited to know that they’re really making a tangible presence on the show, but they’re still too far beyond arm’s reach to really make sense of the information being revealed to us. The book is protecting itself by hiding information about them. They can take over someone’s body and cause events to happen–elevators crashing, people to die. They overtook Melinda so she could barely move. Clearly, they’re bad and they need to be stopped.

And I do want to know what parts of people they really are. The evil side of people? Say, if you have a bad heart, it’s left behind? Who knows?

But the way it’s being presented. Uggh. It’s horrible. I can’t understand left from right with this. I think the show needs to focus. And here’s how:

1. Choose your episodes carefully. If you’re going to reveal a lot about a story arc, make it a story arc-centric episode. The writing’s not strong enough to juggle.
2. Make filler episodes better. Make them so much better that we don’t realize they’re filler episodes. Keep the story arc out, keep the storylines clean, and then get the episode done.
3. Focus the story arc episodes. Don’t throw too many people in the episodes that surround the arc. Make us keep guessing, too. Don’t tell us the answer (like you did last week). Give us material that when we rewatch, we go, “How did I not notice that last time?”
4. See the minor characters. Just because the Emmys and Oscars define people as supporting actors and actresses doesn’t mean the show itself doesn’t. Focus on someone other than Melinda and Eli for an episode. You’ve got some strong talent. Show it.
5. Cut back Aiden. He might see more things than Melinda, but he’s a terrible actor. Cut back his air time, and start using heresay. It’ll work just as effectively with fewer headaches.

Anyway, that’s just my two cents. Hopefully I understood enough from this week’s episode to understand next week’s (which has Greg Germann in it–yay!), but here goes nothin’!

George Lopez — Tonight!

I feel like this is the year for late night changes. Leno moves to primetime. Fallon gets his own show. Conan movies. And now, George Lopez is premiering a new late night show on TBS tonight at 11:00.

It kind-of snuck up on me. Sure, I did receive a press kit a few weeks ago (which included a mini water cooler that keeps me company at work), but for some reason, it just seemed far away. But you know, it isn’t the press kit that’s making me curious about the show. It’s actually the show itself and the landscape at which it’s presenting itself.

Let’s face it. Late night and talk shows are getting to be different. We’ve got new hosts and we’ve got new times. The Leno experiment is just a disaster, no matter how you spin it. Introducing another player–and another network–to the late night game just kinda makes me wonder what’s next. Or at least what made TBS start it. I guess that brings me to George himself.

I think this little excerpt from his recent conference call pretty much sums up his show, so I’ll share it here. I really like his attitude.

So TBS now in getting into the late night business has chosen me who appears to be fearless for all intents and purposes. I have nothing to prove to anybody other than I believe in myself that I can create a talk show that makes network look like they’re standing still.

Now how am I going to do that? First of all, I’m on cable. Language may be a little bit more liberal with language, with content, within intent. Somebody who’s not afraid to throw a punch and directly hit a target…

Without going into too much detail, you can see already that the show’s got his own flair and that he’s taking chances. I’d be willing to try that out.

Now, another aspect of the “premise,” so to speak, still makes me a little nervous. Supposedly, he wants every episode to be kinda different. It should feel like a party, or a club, as he said in the call. And while I think this could be a lot of fun, I wonder if it will either a) not live up to expectations or b) have a lack of consistency leading to a less-than-cohesive show. I guess we’ll see.

But I have high hopes. For one thing, he seems very in tune with what’s “new.” For example, the music. Here’s a quick quote that he shared in the same call about the music of the show, which I think is great:

…I do want to make sure that the music is representative of everything that’s happening, not just everything that’s happening to me.

So bands who–like Kings of Leon or bands that are starting out–that are on the cusp, that are already younger…you know, I don’t want to be Carson Daly but I admire that of breaking bands.

I know this seems like a minor point, but I like the idea that he’ll give the chance to some of the younger performers. We’ve seen Miley Cyrus enough. Let someone new take the stage!

Plus, when he claims that one of his influences is Arsenio Hall, you really wonder what’s coming. Add that to his heritage–the Latino flair that you know will come out–well, I think it’s got promise.

I don’t know if I’ll watch it every night (I tend to fall asleep early), but I know I’ll be checking it out tonight. It looks like it could be a fun show–and definitely a go-to show for weeknights at 11:00 (it’s on Monday through Thursday)–so I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

A Q&A with White Collar’s Willie Garson

image courtesy of USA

One of my favorite new shows this season is USA’s White Collar, which is probably why I was so excited to take part in a conference call with Willie Garson, who plays Mozzie on the show.

Mozzie is a friend of Neal who flies under the radar–just enough that he’s really not noticed as having a hand in anything while still being a huge help to Neal. Honestly, I look forward to discovering more about the relationship between him and Neal, especially in Neal’s super-sneaky past.

Willie was great on the call, and we got to hear to him discuss everything Mozzie, as well as his upcoming movie, Sex and the City 2, and his own adoption. Take a read below.

***

Hello, it’s a pleasure to speak with you.  What was it about this particular show or about the script that drew you back to TV? – Constellation Magazine

WG: Well, I found the script to be very interesting and very timely.  Certainly, we all have been reading about a lot of people figuring out ways to scam and get money for doing nothing, other than figuring out a way to get over on hard working people.  So I thought that was a really interesting time for a show like this.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your role? – Constellation Magazine

WG: That’s an interesting question.  The most challenging aspect was for me, my characters have always been very showy.  This character kind of operates under the radar and that was an interesting difference in many of the characters I’ve played, certainly from Stanford and certainly from NYPD Blue, certainly a little more behind the scenes kind of guy.

***

Thank you for taking the call with us.  I love the show and I like your character.  He’s very interesting and even though you call him under the radar, he kind of has a real dynamic, interesting attitude.  How much of that character was your invention? – TVdramawatch.com

WG: Well, certainly, the reality is when you buy me, you get what you get, so that’s kind of what they’re trapped with is that I’m a little bit of a hambone.   But I find that he’s really only quirky and interesting more so when he’s alone with Neal Caffrey played by Matt Bomer.  They have a very strong and deep partnership.  So I like to say that he’s more the people person and I’m more the quiet, I should be able to fade into the background if there’s anyone else around.  That was interesting for me to try to play.

Well, I like it.  I like the way you two interact with each other on the screen.  That’s really nice.  How would you like to see Mozzie develop as a character on the series?

WG: Well, I think what’s happening now is as the scripts are developing, what’s great is that I’m getting the opportunity to fade into any situation.  So whether that means hiding behind the caper or pretending to be someone else kind of a lawyer, a cop, a driver or something that someone would just walk by and then the camera knows that I’m actually deeply involved.  But the person that we’re dealing with has no idea that I would be an operative in the caper.

But will we be finding out more of the character’s back story and how you originally came to be friends with Neal?

WG: Oh, God, I hope so.  I think we’re slowly coming to terms with how we hooked up and all the absolute crimes we have committed in the past that have brought us to this point.

***

I just wanted to say thank you for joining today.  My question is in Sex in the City, New York City itself was as any other character on the show.  So do you expect that the White Collar script will treat the city in the same sort of Manhattan centric kind of way? - Exclusive Magazine

WG: Well, I do feel already right out of the gate, that’s what I’m hearing from people, certainly, is that we are shooting the city.  Which is, I find a lot of shows shoot in New York and they might as well be shooting on a sound stage.  Our show if I’m talking in a scene, we really make a strong effort to have basically like the Empire State Building sticking out of my head.  There’s such an energy and there’s much architecture and people and vibe on the street, that we try to grab all of that as much as we possibly can.  It does provide an energy and just kind of a sea of humanity that really helps us in terms of telling the stories.  We so far already just so early on, we’ve shot right at the Central Park fountain.  We shot in Grand Central Station, like crazy massive backdrops that really inform how big it is behind all of us.

[Read more after the jump!]

Show to Watch: Fringe

image from fringebloggers.com

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the ratings for Fringe are dropping. While the Tuesday night time slot was rather annoying last year (mainly, the delays from American Idol running over), it certainly gave the show the time to shine that it deserved.

And it did well. Very well. In fact, if I recall, it was one of the top shows for FOX last year. Which is why FOX probably moved it to a pivotal timeslot: 9:00 on Thursday night. Too bad it didn’t work.

Week to week, the ratings keep dropping, and fans are starting to worry. This week, Twitter started the new Save Fringe Campaign–the reason I’m writing this post. While some of my fellow bloggers don’t think that Fringe is in that much danger, I’m not sure.

It’s not that I think tomorrow the shoe will drop, and we’ll discover that it’s gone. However, with the crazy season that we’ve had for shows, who can really tell? Southland got cancelled before it was even aired. Dollhouse had low ratings and we found out FOX will air all 13 episodes as promised (yay)–right before FOX pulled it from November sweeps. Not a great sign.

So who’s to say that with low ratings, a former favorite can’t be unexpectedly lost? Especially on a network that’s less-than-trustworthy when it comes cult favorites that we love (yes, I’m talking about Firefly, Tru Calling, Wonderfalls).

But the one way to save it–other than grand gestures and making your prescense known–is easy: watch it. Watch Fringe. Why? Easy.

1. Interesting, complex story arcs. It keeps you guessing. Week to week, even season to season, you want to know what you’ll discover next. What really are the consequences of Olivia’s child testing? What is Walter really hiding? What’s in Peter’s past–and who’s past is it?
2. Walter Bishop. You will never find a character like this anywhere else on television. Anyone who can eat candy while cutting open a corpse (with blood on his hand at that) is just outright strange. But he’s just so sympathetic that your heart can crumble at his confusion and innocence–especially at his guilt–that you can’t help but love him and want more.
3. Peter Bishop. First of all, he’s Pacey. Second of all, when will he discover who he really is? And his real relationship with his father?
4. Science meets the paranormal. This show isn’t The X-Files. It goes deeper. I just find it incredibly awesome to see what’s next in store–expecially since much of the “unexplained” can be explained by Walter. My nerdiness gets madly excited by some of this show.
5. It’s a suspenseful, enjoyable, smart show. We all know that the networks are lowering standards, feeding to the viewer who doesn’t want to think. Well, for those of you who do, this show lets you. Sure, there’s gore, but at the end of the hour, you’re on the edge of your seat, and it certainly doesn’t feel like you’ve wasted an hour, like some other garbage I know.

So tune in. It’s time to step up and watch some quality television. Really, it’s worth your time. And FOX? It’s worth your time to give it a better timeslot. If you move it, they will watch.

Mad Men: “The whole country’s been drinking.”

CC has come out of her Phillies-induced mourning and finally watched Mad Men only to enter a new kind of mourning.

MAD MEN: 3.12 “The End of the World”

Camelot crumbled this week on Mad Men. The early ‘60s was an era obsessed with appearances, one in which emotions were never acknowledged; the national trauma of the Kennedy assassination forced Americans to confront their emotions, and boy, did they ever on Mad Men this week. Using live news footage from the two days during the Kennedy assassination, we juxtaposed the trauma of a nation with the personal triumphs and failures of the Sterling Cooper employees.

Before we heard the news that Kennedy had been shot/died, we caught a glimpse into the trivialities of the Sterling Cooper employees’ lives. The heat in the office wasn’t working. Pete was told he’d lost out on head of accounts to “Ken Cosgrove and his haircut.” Don was having a conniption about the lack of art director. Margaret is whining about her father’s new wife, Jane, and threatening to call off her wedding. Peggy is discussing the inconvenience of having a nooner with Duck.

Once the news breaks, however, all hell breaks loose. The phones are ringing off the hook, and no one’s there answer them.  Then they go dead.  Margaret’s crying in her wedding dress because these events have ruined the wedding.
Peggy knows nothing because Duck unplugged the TV so that he could get some and is horrified when Duck finally turns on the news.  Given Peggy’s Catholicism, one would think this would be especially upsetting to Peggy, but Duck isn’t sensitive.

Others are more sensitive. Betty, in Jackie Kennedy pink, and Carla cry together. I’ve never really seen Betty and Carla acknowledge each other as equals, but they sit together and mourn.  You’d have to think that this is more traumatic for Carla since Kennedy was such a champion for civil rights.

The obsession with the Kennedy story continues the next day. Don asks Betty to get ready for the wedding. Pete and Trudie are preparing for the day as well. Neither couple wants to attend, but Don and Betty do so. Pete refuses because “it’s one thing to go to the wedding and act like I don’t hate them. It’s another to go and act like the president hasn’t been murdered.”

They aren’t the only ones who don’t show up for the wedding, and the ones that do are glued to the TV. “They’re about to interview Oswald,” Jane cries when Roger tells her to get out for the toast. Betty and Don dance together, and Don tells her “Everything’s going to be okay.” Betty shoot him a withering look and in what had to be a continuation of last week, she asks “How do you know that?” to no response. He can’t say anything so he kisses her, while Henry Francis is watching. Henry’s daughter asks why he’s perpetually looking at that woman.

The next morning, Betty’s in her bathrobe watching the news, and they show Oswald being shot right on TV. Betty screams, and Don runs to her rescue. It seems that Don’s especially present for Betty and yet, he can’t do anything right. Don tries to console her, and she tells him to leave her alone. Betty decides to go for a drive, but won’t let Don go with her because “he’s been lying to her for years and couldn’t be in that house.” Henry tells Betty that it’ll be okay, that we’ve lost a lot of presidents, and we’re still standing. Betty and Henry wonder how they can be together, despite Betty’s children/husband. He’s willing to marry her, despite the fact that they’ve only been together, um, never. They make out in the car. I’m not sure that making out in a car is an upgrade from a hotel room, which Betty proclaimed “too seedy” a couple episodes ago.

Meanwhile, Pete and Trudie are watching slow-mo footage of Lee Harvey Oswald getting shot. Trudie says that Pete shouldn’t go to work tomorrow, but attend Tuesday and start gathering his clients. Before the assassination, Trudie told Pete his demotion would be fine. Now everything’s changed.

Also changed are Betty’s feelings for Don. She re-enters the house, and tells Don she wants to scream at him for ruining all that they have. She says that he’s trying to fix it all, and there’s no point. Don tells her that he understands she’s upset, that it’s painful and that it will pass. Betty, echoing last week’s intensity, tells him that she doesn’t love him anymore. She knows it because they kissed yesterday and she felt nothing. It’s the end of Camelot, and the end of Don and Betty as we know it.

Community: Gettin’ rid of Britta

COMMUNITY: 1.08 “Home Economics”

Haha. I just got that title name. Sorry, I’m a pun nerd.

Abed is by far probably one of the most brilliant characters in television. He’s so minimal. Nothing bothers him. He’s content. There’s very little that he does–and yet that makes him perfect. It’s not that he’s not a round character; he certainly his. Instead, it’s just that he’s not a character that’s forced to show emotion and act a certain way. He does so much with so little. It’s fantastic.

This week, he brought Jeff in to live with him, while Jeff was having condo issues. By the end, he would have been happy to have Jeff say, even though it was time to go (which he even admitted). I just love that he’s perfectly content with his cereal and TV–and that we’re so ultimately humored by it!

Britta is, once again, developing. Clearly, she and Jeff are now friends–possibly more if you believe what Jeff said in the end. And who wouldn’t? She broke into a condo and stole all the designer hardware from the bathroom. That’s awesome.

Then again, she is pestered constantly in this episode by her ex, who has written a song about her. I loved that it had a reggae beat. And I love that Pierce actually co-wrote it with him (and that Britta didn’t realize that part). Sure, it’s not the most original storyline (there was an episode where Ben sang, “Oh, Holly Tyler, you are such a liar, you are such a liar, liar, liar,” in What I Like About You), but it was a great song.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the Pierce song. Maybe that’s because I couldn’t understand some of the lyrics. I got the poopy pants thing. Yes, he’s old. We got it.

And then there’s Annie. Oh, Annie. I feel like episode to episode, we’re watching Annie unravel before us. This time, her obsession with Troy grows, and she attempts to help him date (and the Randy joke was great). Of course, that all backfires when she doesn’t want him to date and claims appendicitis. Oh, the awkward situations these people get themselves in.

Anyway, I really wonder how much further she can go without just getting crazy. I really love her. She’s so adorable yet crazy, and you just want to give her a break. But I don’t want her going to extremes either…or do I? It would be funny.

So it’s another solid episode of Community. This show really has been a pleasure this year.

Oh, and yes, there’s a music video for “Gettin’ rid of Britta.” You can watch it over here. She’s a no good B…

Vampire Diaries: Are you keeping count?

VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.08 “162 Candles”

I asked the question, “Are you keeping count?” It seemed to be all over this episode: how many years Stefan has been “alive.” How many people are tracking down the vampires. And most of all…

How many people have been killed off this series?

It’s not that I thought Lexie was long for the Vampire Diaries world. I actually thought it would be a one-off episode, and in the end, she’d leave Stefan with what he needs to either help him with Elena or supposedly get over her and we’d never see her again. Well, we got one thing right. We certainly won’t.

I’m incredibly amazed at how well the writers made the character of Lexie. She was equally likable and dangerous. And you really liked her by the end of the episode. Right up to the point that she was staked by Damon’s hand. Honestly, this loss–while not as dramatic and heartwrenching as Vicki’s–might’ve been more painful. I really liked her. And there was something especially upsetting to know that she’d survived 300+ years, was Stefan’s best friend, and was killed just like that.

And really, Damon’s kinda brilliant. Well, yes and no. True, the authorities now think that they’ve gotten the loose vampire (though I wish they’d just planted Vicki’s body somewhere and used her as a decoy as I read another blog suggest, though maybe they wouldn’t have believed it), but how will Damon sustain himself now? The deaths have to stop, now that there’s someone to blame–and that someone dead. Can he just feed and erase their memories? Elena caught Caroline’s wounds before she even realized vampires existed!

And what about Stefan? We all knew that Damon wasn’t going to die in this episode (though according to the executive producer, everyone will at some point). But the shift in discovering that Stefan didn’t kill him, just because that would prove him to be just like Damon, well, that was new.

But let’s not get vampire sidetracked. I’m so much more interested in Bonnie’s storyline right now (and you know I’ve always been a Bonnie fan). I’m really looking forward to next week when we find out more about her past. Right now, let’s just concentrate on the necklace.

We know that it’s a family heirloom and that she has to wear it all the time. We know that it shocks people who try to take it from her. And we know Damon wants it. Why? Why do you think he really wants it? Is the magic that’s held in the necklace something that helped kill Katherine so long ago? Is it something that charmed the rings he and Stefan wears–which means it could easily take that magic back? There are a lot of options, but either way, I think it’s ultimately dangerous for Damon, not something he can use. I think that’s in Bonnie’s hands.

So for an episode that was advertised as a ho-hum episode following the major tragedy, we were pleasantly surprised. Another big, dark episode for the series. I loved it.

I’m hungry for more.

Thursday Open Thread: Favorite Fall Show

It’s been a tough week for television. Honestly, with the World Series running amuck, it’s been a sea of reruns and baseball. Plus, with traveling guest writers, the shows that were aired may have a delay in a review post. Whew! What a week.

But a week like this has gotten me to thinking about what I’m missing. What did I watch, and what do I miss? So here’s the question for this Thursday Open Thread:

What is your favorite show this fall?

This can be a veteran series or a freshman, but it must be on the air this fall. I’m a little surprised at my choices. Community is, of course, up there. And White Collar has really grabbed me (and no, not just because of Matt Bomer). But the one that I’m really surprised at is The Vampire Diaries. I might be addicted. After all, I even watched a rerun last night!

But then there are veteran series, which are harder to choose. Sure, I watch One Tree Hill every week, but can I call it a fave? New cast members. Different storylines. I don’t know. And I make sure to tune into The Office but it’s so hit or miss! Now, if Leverage were still on and not on a hiatus, I’d have an easy answer. And of course, I’d be remiss to not mention Dollhouse…but is it my favorite?

So what’s yours? Let me know–and discuss what you think of my thoughts and others’–in the comments.

image from blog.newsok.com

V: First contact

KT is of peace.  Always.

V:  1.01 “Pilot”

Given that (a) I’m a dork and (b) alien invasions are a classic Hollywood storyline, have you ever wondered what a real first contact would be like?  Do they crash-land and need our help?  Do we exchange radio messages and set up a safe meeting place out by Pluto?  Are we the ones scaring the daylights out of them when we show up in orbit?  Or does it happen like this, where New Yorkers stand in the streets and stare, but this time not at something lost, but something gained, for better or worse?

V’s creative team have mentioned in interviews that they had set out to recreate the show for a post-9/11 world, and as the best sci-fi can, they’re clearly trying to tackle the fears and concerns of this decade.  The 9/11-ish arrival of the visitors — an event after which the world doesn’t look the same any more — and the concern over terrorist sleeper cells are blended with a charismatic new leader and suggestions of universal health care.  However V fares as a story, it is unmistakably a product of its times.

I’m still working out how I feel about most of the characters.  Most seem okay, but a little flat to begin with.  Seventeen-year-old Tyler is the only one who actively annoyed me — and since it looks like he and his mom will be an important part of the plot, I hope that changes.  I did like FBI mom Erica’s relationship with her partner, but when Alan Tudyk was credited as a guest star I already knew it couldn’t last.  At first I figured he would just get killed off, but when they kept putting emphasis on “Wow, it’s like the terrorist cell was tipped off!” I knew he had to be the mole.  What is it with Alan and roles where he’s not who he appears to be this year?

What I didn’t foresee was Ryan (who bought the engagement ring) turning out to be involved with V resistance, and I certainly didn’t expect him to be a V himself!  I figured he had a dark criminal past he had run away from, but this twist was much better!  He’s one of the few characters I’m really interested in after this episode.

I’m also interested in how reporter Chad will deal with his conscience, his career, and his V contacts.  And maybe it’s just because Firefly’s Morena Baccarin is playing the part, but I think Anna is a fascinating enigma as well.  I’m also enthralled by her shiny, shiny spaceship.  Ships, in the plural, actually.  I hope they remember all those other ships and all those people around the world who may be reacting differently than our New Yorkers.  While I don’t want a Heroes-sized cast, let’s do remember that New York isn’t the capital of the planet.  A look at the reaction in Paris or Moscow or Tokyo could be an interesting wrinkle.

I am glad that they put the reveal about the V’s true appearance and intentions up front in the first episode.  I’ve never seen any of the ’80s series, but it’s hard to find a description of the show — the new or the old one — that doesn’t read “Aliens come to Earth offering friendship and new technology, but turn out to be sinister reptile creatures!”  So, glad that cat wasn’t meant to stay in the bag for long.

In the next three weeks, and then when the series comes back in March, it looks like we’ll be watching Erica, Father Jack, Ryan, and Georgie begin to build the resistance despite inevitable conflicts in their personal lives, while Tyler and Chad help us get a closer look at the V’s themselves.

And what exactly is it the V’s need from Earth?  Are we the entree, as in the Twilight Zone’s “To Serve Man”?  Or is something more complex going on?

Ghost Whisperer: Headless

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.06 “Head Over Heels”

I’ve been holding off writing about this episode because I can’t quite gather my thoughts. Clearly, it was a Halloween episode. And that wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t that great either. I enjoyed seeing Riley Smith appear in the episode (by the way, yes, he is on twitter), as well as Amy Davidson, but I feel like the ultimate reality of the episode–introducing the ideas of the shadows–was pushed down our throats hardcore.

Let’s look first at the headless horseman. Well, let’s look first at Eli. Man, he was annoying. This could really have been a little spookier, if he hadn’t been slinging jokes constantly. Ignoring that, it’s ok.

Everything just felt so convoluted. Well, no, that’s not true. I felt like the answer was pretty easy. It didn’t surprise me that the father planted the keys. But the fact that first we had to actually have a best friend find out and the father realize his daughter was following him–oh, and let’s identify who owned the mask in the vision and let’s call the little sister “The Barnacle”–it just seemed so messy. I just wanted to take a red pen and take out blocks of text. (The editor in me is coming out.)

And why did the father have to have dementia? That really wasn’t covered. And I always wonder, why does the ghost choose to appear and haunt now, so many years later? This is actually a hole that isn’t discussed on a number of episodes, but it seemed especially prominent now, unless I missed the fact that the father’s dementia was the guy haunting him. But if that’s the case, that just doesn’t seem to be in his character.

But let’s move on. Now we’ve discovered that sometimes, an entire person doesn’t go into the light. Parts must be left behind.

This is intriguing, and I like that Aiden was the one to really reveal this to Melinda. However, I would have liked that to be dragged out more. I liked it better when Sean stumbled over the words when he described the father’s death, so you really wondered what happened. Then bring it up a few episodes later so that when you rewatch the episode, you catch it. That would have been great.

Instead, we have a whole epilogue where Aiden reveals everything and we see a terrible CGI of leaves falling (because when the leaves fall, so will the innocent). It just felt forced. Leave some room for the viewer to put some things together. Suspense without force. That’s what I want.

You know what else I want? Follow up on Sally Stitch and the morgue guy. Those were great setups, but where’s the fallout? Am I demanding too much? Probably so. It is Ghost Whisperer, after all.

HIMYM: Fun with Euphemisms

KT wonders if bagpipers of the world are amused or annoyed today.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.06 “Bagpipes”

Couples fight.  It happens.  They argue and they debate and they compromise.  This week we see Marshall and Lily show Barney and Robin how it’s done — or maybe the other way round — while Ted suffers from upstairs neighbors who are clearly not fighting.  They are… playing the bagpipes.  You know, together.  A fun addition to the HIMYM lexicon, right next to the “sandwiches” the gang “ate” in college.  I think my favorite use of the title was Ted’s “You have neighbors!  Shut the bagpipes up!”

Barney really can’t bear to be second best, and that definitely led to some good jokes.  I found the cutesy act as nauseating as Ted did, but I did feel for Barney and Robin a little when they complained it was nice to not have everyone pointing out all their emotional inadequacies for a minute.  In the end, though, it looks like we could revisit “Barney and Robin learn to compromise.”

Interesting how people act differently when they’re in different relationships.  I don’t remember Robin being particularly conflict avoidance-y when she was dating Ted, do you?

I did love Marshall’s initial “you think you can play with the big boys” speech.  He and Lily have been together for a ridiculously long time so of course he’s the expert on being part of a lasting relationship.  And the way he slipped in a call-back to Barney’s ponytailed hippie days was awesome.

I hate to see Marshall and Lily really fighting, though — it’s like watching your parents argue.  But of course Marshall falls victim to the allure of not having to satisfy Lily’s pet peeve about the dishes, and of course he trips into the most dangerous line of argument possible:  I work harder and make more money than you.  Oh, Marshall.  Suggesting that the person who wants it done should get it done might almost have worked — or at least it wouldn’t have spawned a mega fight.  Did you catch the mention of his mother?  That’s when you know it’s gotten ugly.

On the other hand:  “Marshall, dinner’s ready!”  “Is there any for me?”  “No, but it’s your favorite!”  Wow, Lily fights dirty.  Still, given the absurd way Marshall stumbled into the fight, though, I’d say he deserved it.

Also, I loved that they slipped a slap bet in there.  Hee!

Big Bang Theory: Football and friendship

THE BIG BANG THEORY: 3.06 “The Cornhusker Vortex”

I feel like I should have been more entertained by this episode than I was. There was something about it that just didn’t click with me for some reason.

Actually, the best person on the show last night was Sheldon, and he had such a tiny role that you could hardly see him at all. I adored that he was infiltrated with football know-how just because he was from Texas. And that he was actually trying to be helpful to Leonard by offering him an out of the football party. Rarely do we see him actually being helpful, and that was just a nice touch.

And the Cylon toaster? Wonderful.

But beyond that, it was standard fare for a sitcom. I mean, the Leonard storyline was just kinda blah. Sure, it was funny a couple times when he made comments about the game, but it got old. I actually think I would have much preferred seeing him pushed out of the living rooms to hang with the girlfriends in the kitchen than anything else. Plus, what if he had been a hit with the girls? That would have been actually funny. Predictable, but funny.

Is this what we get now that Leonard and Penny are together? Boring storylines that you have to do, now that there’s a couple involved? Meeting the friends? Meeting the parents? I thought Big Bang had risen above the usual sitcom standards?

Meanwhile, Howard and Raj were in the typical friend fight that’s supposed to mimic a marriage. It was fine enough, but I was hoping for better.

But I must say, Howard’s outfit? My ears are still ringing with how loud that was!

Finally, the kites. Ok, I’m not in the same social circles with the guys of this show, but do people really do kite wars? I mean, we’ve gone through the usual “geek” hobbies–video games, RPGs, robot wars–but  kites? This one was new to me, and I’m just wondering whether the writers are running out of weird things for these guys to do. I certainly hope not, but this just seemed like a stretch to me.

Anyway, it’s not like the episode was bad, but after a break, I was really hoping to get some good meat off of this episode. It was just kinda blah in the end. Perhaps I just want the focus on the guys again. Sure, a show always changes when the two leads (in this case, Penny and Leonard) get together, but why can’t we get to that comfortable medium where Leonard and Penny are together, but it’s not obviously in our face constantly and taking up storylines. Leonard hangs with his pals, and sometimes she’s around, sometimes she’s not. I don’t know, but something new and fresh should spark this show up a little more.

At least, that’s my opinion.

TNT picks up ‘Southland’

image from newtotv.com

Ok, normally I would do a long post here, but I’m just too excited to think of one. TNT has officially picked up Southland.

It just seems right. I’m glad this show is following in Medium’s footsteps–to be canceled by NBC just to have another network fight for it (along with the fans) and win. This is fantastic.

According to the press release:

TNT has obtained exclusive rights to air all six episodes that have been shot for the second season, as well as the seven episodes from the series’ first season.  SOUTHLAND will air on TNT Tuesdays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning with the first episode of the series on Jan. 12.

No official word that I see about whether they’ll be producing more episodes (I wonder if they’ll test out ratings first), but at least the first season and the unaired episodes of season two will live to see another day. Personally, I think this show fits perfectly on TNT, and I’m happy it has a home there.

Whew. I’m so glad my work on the Twitter #savesouthland campaign weren’t wasted.

Congratulations, Southland!

UPDATE 1: According to E!, I’m right.

A rep for TNT just told us: “As with all of our series, TNT will evaluate the performance of Southland before deciding whether to order more episodes.”

Here’s hoping we’ll get more. But either way, at least all that work and effort to produce episodes wasn’t in vain!

UPDATE 2: A new interview with Michael Cudlitz says that they might pad some of the season 1 episodes with new, unseen footage. How’s that for awesome? Plus, he has the utmost confidence that they’ll be back for more episodes, past the original 13.

“I really do feel like it’s going to do fantastic,” he says. “It may even be a bigger hit this time around.”

Oh, and if you don’t already, follow Cudlitz on twitter for more updates!

Gossip Girl: “That mask is becoming her face.”

CC takes another week of Gossip Girl.

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.07 “How to Succeed in Bassness”

Can we just talk about Rufus’s never-ending quest to be punk rock? First, he paints pumpkins to look like Kiss (I think). Then, he dresses up as a Ramone. This episode was trying to figure out where you fit, and for Rufus, it’s not in rock and roll. I don’t care how successful his band used to be. If you’re leaving in a Park Avenue apartment handing out candy to children your wife hired, then you’re not punk rock.

If you haven’t guessed, it was Halloween this past week, and Jenny has on her queen costume. At the beginning of the episode, Lily took Jenny shopping, then telling her to clean out her closet. She asks, “Does this even fit you anymore?” It was an almost subtle moment on Gossip Girl because Lily was really asking if that homemade dresses suited Jenny’s new personality.

Jenny’s new personality is wretched. She has to sit atop the Met steps and makes her gay posse sit lower down. When they dare defy her, Jenny implores her minions to dump yogurt on him. Later, she sets up a scheme at Chuck’s party that leaves Eric’s boyfriend covered in eggs, denying him entry into the party of awesome. Now, Eric’s not speaking to her. It’s kind of like Lindsay Lohan’s epiphany in Mean Girls, that in faking mean girlness you actually become one.

Speaking of mean girls, Blair tries to help Chuck by getting in his way. Chuck whines about his low hotel listing on Travelocity. Blair suggests he open his club with a Halloween party, wherein he invites celebrities! He tells her that he wants to do it “his way,” and then calls Serena to orchestrate a massive party opening. Unfortunately, Blair hears him.

Chuck has difficulty getting a liquor license, and without one, the party can’t happen. Blair calls Jack for assistance, and he has a fake liquor license delivered. Uh oh! Naturally, Blair and Chuck play this to their advantage and call the cops on themselves. Because it’s a speakeasy theme, law enforcement is a welcome accessory as is lots of stories in the gossip pages. Paparazzi onward ho!

Because Chuck and Serena are throwing a party, Olivia is forced to attend with her faux-boyfriend and co-star. Dan’s feeling insecure about this (not about dating Hillary Duff, generally) and intelligently decides to watch the vampire movies with Nate. When the sex scene comes up, it’s not uncomfortable at all. And Dan seems to miss the fact that levitation doesn’t happen because a dude is great in bed. It happens when you’re in an airplane.

Dan and Olivia go to the party together, and he’s upset that Patrick and Olivia walk the red carpet together because of Serena’s evil publicity stunt. Luckily, during the paparazzi ridiculousness, Dolivia are caught on camera making out. Serena saves the day (and her job) by making out with Patrick McLevitation. In the end, Serena and Blair weren’t on speaking terms because Blair called the cops and almost got Serena fired. Jenny throws all of her crappy poor girl clothes on the floor. Chuck and Blair are going to run a key party. I mean speakeasy that requires keys. And one of these days the kids on Gossip Girl, will actually act like kids. XOXO.

Character Deaths on TV

Please note this might include possible spoilers for shows that you haven’t seen before–both past and present shows.

The most recent episode of The Vampire Diaries has really caused a lot of chat around the web about the freshman series. And honestly, who can blame them. To kill of a character that was in the prime of a storyline takes guts. And apparently executive producer Kevin Williamson has them.

In a recent interview about the show, Williamson said the following:

No one’s safe on this show. We’ve reached the point when we’re watching TV that there’s no jeopardy, no risk, no stakes, when we know our lead characters aren’t going to be killed. Well, that’s not true on this show. I’m starting with the supporting characters and I’m working my way in. Everyone’s going to die on this show. This is a show where characters you love may die, and it’ll be unexpected and shocking, so get ready for it. It’s as simple as that. And [Vicki] was the first casualty.

I love it. What balls! And honestly, I feel like that’s the failure of so many shows: the fact that they’re afraid to do anything to lead characters.

It’s not that I’m a fan of aimless death of characters. Without a purpose, there’s no reason to do it. Or, on the other hand, if it’s just a publicity stunt, that’s a waste of a viewer’s time (and usually, not as big as you’d think).

From someone who’s a fan of Joss Whedon’s work, there’s clearly a bias on my end toward character death. He knew how to do it, when to do it, and how to do it with the most emotion involved possible. Taking the death of Tara McClay alone–it was a heartbreaking moment that really turned the character of Willow. Right as we were growing more and more attached to Tara overall.

And then there was Doyle from Angel, another risky move by a freshman series. But without his death, who’s to say that Cordelia’s story would have progressed in the way it did. No visions? Plus, Whedon took the extra risk: to kill off a new character–one who’s name was recognizable from Roseanne fame–only a few episodes in. Sound familiar, Vampire Diaries?

I feel like that’s even more of the struggle. It’s one thing to kill someone off, but what if they’re someone that people love? Well, that just makes that much more of an impact.

No, I mean the actor? What if people love the actor?

Welcome to Heroes. Heroes made a great move by creating an ensemble cast filled with new names and famous ones. The problem is, they won’t get rid of any of them. Sure, there’s a death this year, and there have been before. But no one ever leaves. Now the show is more unruly than ever before!

The problem is, some people think a show is quality because of its actors. In some sense, it is. But there are also directors, writers, producers–and entire treasure trove of people that come together to watch a show. Sure, actors might bring a viewer in, but substance keeps them watching. I didn’t stop watching Joan of Arcadia because they killed off Judith. I didn’t stop watching Tru Calling because they killed off Luc. I kept watching because I knew something must be coming that made that death worth it.

And House? Having a doctor commit suicide when you didn’t even know something was wrong gave the show the turning point it needed to get House as a character out of his rut and developing as a person all over again.

So yes, I’m a fan of character deaths, and I adore that Vampire Diaries has jumped in with both feet, knowing that they’ll risk it all. They’ll risk characters lives. It’s a dark show. They should! And Williamson has a point: If you can’t be scared for the people you care about, how can you be invested in a show like this? Something has to be at stake.

Pardon the pun.

Vampire Diaries: Shock and heartbreak

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.07 “Haunted”

I highly suggest not reading this post until you’ve seen the episode. Yes, there will be spoilers in here that you’d probably rather see in person. As another disclaimer, I have no idea if this episode coincided with the events in the books, but maybe you can tell me.

After I wrote my last post, I’d heard that something huge would happen in last night’s episode. It would be shocking, and you wouldn’t know how to react. And I know I had a reaction: I loved it.

But when I heard something would be happening in the episode, I certainly didn’t think it would be Vicki’s death. In fact, I thought it’d be the opposite. Going with my original theory:

And just think, if this builds? What if Mystic Falls ends up half vamp, half human. True, it’d be a few seasons down the road, but it would be fun.

I actually thought that Vicki might turn Jeremy into a vampire with her. Elena versus her own brother as a vampire. Clearly, that didn’t happen.

Nor did the episode turn over-the-top. I knew something would go down. I knew they wouldn’t kill Jeremy (though at this point, anyone’s game). But I didn’t think Vicki would be out of the picture so fast.

And I must say, I loved her death. Stefan saves Elena–that’s no surprise. But from someone who expected to see her turn to dust, it was certainly a surprise to see her crumble into a mummy-like state and fall to the ground. It was horrifying. And it just made the moment that much more harsh to accept.

Sure, that was the shock of it. But the episode didn’t stop there. The aftermath was by far exemplary. Elena’s talk with Damon was just so perfect, that she tried to hurt him so much and that she couldn’t. That she was trying to hard to convince him that he had compassion–which you could almost see behind those hard eyes. And just seeing Elena’s–even Katherine’s–face insisting that he feel something was just too much to handle. That combined with the blood spilling from her body made him insist that she run away immediately. I’m surprised he even decided to hold all that in.

And why did he? The brotherhood between Stefan and Damon seems surprising after so many episodes of torture and torment. Damon didn’t fight Stefan’s attempt to change Vicki into a vampire that wouldn’t hurt anyone. In fact, as soon as Stefan called Damon for help, he was there.

And in the end, yes, he actually did help. The guilt of what his actions caused made him appear on Elena’s steps, offering to clear Jeremy of the pain.

Wasn’t that a heartbreaking end? There’s something about memories. To know that one person remembers when others forget, that just makes it that much harder to deal with (think of Topher and Sierra in the most recent episode of Dollhouse). And I honestly thought Elena herself would ask to forget. But where would that put her? At the start? Would she go through this discovery all over again? Or would Stefan, at that point, just leave to let her live her life?

In the end, we discovered that she can’t forget. She can’t let go of the feelings she has for Stefan, and she needs to stay the way she is now just so she can continue to protect her family and friends. It was a heartbreaking end to a traumatic episode.

Kudos, Vampire Diaries. For this, I give you utmost respect.

Vampire Diaries: Transitioning

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.06 “Lost Girls”

It’s been two weeks since we’ve last seen a new episode of Vampire Diaries, so I think it’s a good time for a review and a little catchup. And what an episode to remember.

It’s not a far leap to realize that with a show like this, someone would turn into a vampire. It’s not a far leap to realize that person would be Vicki. Addictive nature. Tempermental. And vampire hair. She’s the perfect candidate.

And while some of you might’ve thought she was left for dead in the previous episode, she did make it out alive–at least for a while.

What was most interesting about this episode was not the flashbacks (which I’ll get to), but it was the discovery of the process and truth about vampires in this show’s world. Garlic, holy water, and crucifixes–all myth. Sunlight is truth, but we all know about Damon and Stefan’s rings. And, of course, staking. Wooden bullets may sting, but stakes must do the job ultimately.

But most of all, in order to become a vampire, it’s not just being drained (almost to the death, according to Buffy) and drinking the vampire’s blood. Sure, that’s part of the process, but then, you must die, as we so graphically saw with Vicki’s broken neck. Then, once awake, you have the choice: To live forever as a vampire or to die that day.

Honestly, it was interesting to see Vicki’s struggle as she came to terms with her fate. Even her apology as she sucked the blood of a human showed that despite what you hear on Whedon-related vampire stories, a human still remains in the vampire body. There’s control and compassion. It’s not a question of a soul.

Which is why tonight’s episode should be so interesting. It’s Stefan’s goal to get Vicki to head to his side. Not to kill humans but to live as a weak being, only feeding off animals. As he told Elena, it keeps him alive, but not as strong as Damon. Personally, with her tendency toward addiction, I don’t think Stefan will be all that successful–and hey, that makes for a better story anyway, doesn’t it?

But what did we think of the flashbacks? The big reveal was that Katherine was the one who turned Damon and Stefan. So when Damon mentioned that there were friends in a church they were trying to save, well, methinks the townspeople stuck all the vamps they could in the church and burned it to the ground, leaving Damon and Stefan on the outside.

Which shows how a collection of townspeople can really make a difference. And while Logan might’ve not made it out of this episode alive, it does mean that the rest of the group still has a lot of power.

By the way, what is Damon’s game? We’re to assume that he killed Logan for selfish reasons: If anyone’s going to kill Stefan, it will be him. But he’s not killing Stefan. And the look on his face certainly didn’t look like he was being selfish. Selfless, really. Concerned. Is it just that he doesn’t want the discovery of his own vampire self to spread around the town? Or does he actually enjoy not being alone–having another vamp in the family?

Well, it should be interesting to see how it all progresses, and I am actually really looking forward to tonight’s episode (even if I am tired of the ads where Vicki says, “All I can think about it blood!”). And just think, if this builds? What if Mystic Falls ends up half vamp, half human. True, it’d be a few seasons down the road, but it would be fun.

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 9

TOP CHEF: 6.09 “Meat Natalie”

10:03 – Stepping in for JC here while he’s watching the World Series. Must start with saying that the TV Guide product placement is almost famous. And basing a TV meal on a TV show? I’m a TV fan, obviously, but for some reason, this doesn’t impress me. It’s just too easy. Aren’t we in the latter half of the season? Where’s the challenge?

10:05 – Whoa! Gilligan’s Island is about 20 years before Eli’s time? I guess since it was constantly syndicated, I really never thought of how old it is. Hmm. That was just jarring. It is a strange assortment of shows, though: Gilligan’s Island, MASH, The Flintstones, The Sopranos…

10:07 – To me, all this just looks like you’re putting food in compartments on the plates and nothing has really changed as far as the kind of food they’ve made. By the way, JC would be horrified to know that one of the contestants has never seen Seinfeld. That’s his favorite show.

10:08 – What does an egg have to do with Sesame Street? Also, audible “mmmms” from Brian’s dish. Clearly a good sign. The winner? Just maybe.

10:09 – And the winner? Kevin. I was wrong. This will be the theme in tonight’s liveblog. But a version of his dish is featured in Top Chef frozen foods. I’m not sure whether he should be honored or not. I didn’t even know Top Chef had frozen foods. What a way to promote yourself.

10:11 – Elimination Challenge: taking over Tom’s steakhouse. If anything, it’s definitely going to be high stakes. You can’t screw over a judge’s steakhouse.

10:15 – All the chefs are already deciding on their meats. I think this is probably dangerous. There’s always a twist on Top Chef. So far, it looks like they’re getting free reign of the kitchen. It’s a meat fest, yes, it’s a meat fest. But lobster? At a steakhouse? That just seems wrong to me. Or to Eli, as un-American as un-apple pie.

10:17 – Natalie Portman is the guest this week. Star Wars reference, which is painful. Those were the worst Star Wars movie. Oh, and she’s a vegetarian. Who didn’t see that one coming? Of course, Robin’s all over it. I’m kinda hoping she’s going home tonight.

10:19 – Why can’t more than one person use eggplant? Was there not enough? I think it’s interesting to put vegetarian food on the show. There is always usually one person who tends to only do vegetarian dishes. If I recall, Laurine was all over vegetarian meals earlier in the season. I bet she’s kicking herself now. But anyway, there’s a good break between the contestants. Half are really excited and not worried, and some are very nervous. By the way, Robin’s never seen a fresh garbanzo bean, and she’s never seen this dish before. This spells bad things. If it were Michael, Brian, or Jennifer, I wouldn’t be worried. But Robin? Not so much.

10:22 – Michael has just stolen my heart. I love asparagus, and he’s all over it. Meanwhile, there are some issues with the stove and a wobbling pot. It looks like Mike I. might be in trouble, but he’s going with his plan. This could mean bad things, too. Honestly, he’s the other option I see going home, but I’m still thinking Robin. But then again Mike I. is behind and only has 10 minutes left. I’m sure something will get on the plate. Unlike Robin, who didn’t plate three plates. It’s really a toss up.

10:28 – Robin’s up. Looks like people seemed to like the way it looks, but it doesn’t seem like she seasoned things right. Salt. Basic salt. They don’t tend to like you in judging if you screw up salt. (By the way, how’d they find Natalie? She has no culinary experience, am I right??) Next, Eli. They seem to really like it, but the lavender seems to be a problem. Only one person had this problem, though, so I guess maybe he doesn’t have to worry.

[Read more after the jump!]

One Tree Hill: Truth

ONE TREE HILL: 7.06 “Deep Ocean Vast Sea”
ONE TREE HILL: 7.07 “I and Love and You”

I didn’t write about One Tree Hill last week. Nothing really happened! I mean, very little happened at all. Basically, the biggest moment of the episode was Millie’s choice to take diet pills–and we didn’t even take a look at that this week.

But this week, while it really did have the big reveal–yes, she was lying, and no, it’s not Nathan’s baby–but it was much more about learning about our new characters. And what’d we think?

Well, I wasn’t that impressed with Quinn. You know, showing the backstory of her and David… Nothing was new. We knew that he had started to change and she didn’t want to change with him. And the flashbacks really showed that. Instead of living his dream, David decided to move toward stable living, supposedly all to make Quinn happy. But she wasn’t.

But the one thing that wasn’t revealed was Quinn’s real thoughts on the matter. Sure, she felt that he wasn’t happy and that’s what she wanted–but he just wanted her to be happy! But did she not like the idea that he was so focused on money? Did she feel like she was disappointing him because she wasn’t in a profession that brought in as much money? All we saw was discontent. That’s all. We needed more.

Now Clay, on the other hand. That was a backstory. I’m a little surprised because I’m not entirely sure that we have been able to see that he’s had such a sad past in what we’ve seen in him thus far, but it was great.

And a surprise. I didn’t think she was a ghost. And please take note: She was the perfect woman for a man. She kisses first, she proposes, and she looks hot in a man’s button down shirt. Maybe that’s why Clay just can’t replace her.

So it’s interesting to know that’s the obstacle he’s dealing with. Of course, I have a suspicion…

I could be wrong, but Renee did have sex with someone that night, and that person was staying in the same house that Nathan passed out in. I’m curious to know whether that was Clay. He was a one-night-stand kind of guy. And wouldn’t that be an interesting turn of events, knowing that Nathan was blamed when it was all his friend and agent’s fault.

Who knows? They might end up just dropping it, but that would be interesting. And cause a lot of drama between him and Nathan.

But what’s going on with Dan? What’s his game? Why’s he helping? We did see in the end that he did get a heart transplant. Are we to think it’s all because he finally has a heart?

Meanwhile, I was really unimpressed with Brooke and Julian’s story. I felt like they were reaching. Of course he’d continue to work with her, whether she was working with Brooke or not. That was unrelated! But I think she would have been better served if she was taking care of Jamie while his parents watched the show, meanwhile she was distracted with this issue with Julian. I think that would have given me more the be interested in. Stay away from the direct.

But anyway, where to go from here? Renee’s been outed, so now what? I guess we’ll see…

Mad Men: Who’s afraid of Betty Draper?

MAD MEN 3:11 “The Gypsy and the Hobo”

A lot happened in Sunday’s episode of Mad Men. Roger rekindled an old flame, only to blow it out and likely lose a lot of business. Don revealed his identity to his wife. Joan got physical with a ceramic vase. And Bobby and Sally went trick or treating. Sometimes, you want to be Minnie Mouse and you end up a gypsy and a hobo—traveling from Philadelphia to New York in a day…or from Illinois to Korea to New York across your whole life.

Betty visited with her father’s attorney to discuss the sale of the house with her brother. Privately, she asks him what she should do about Don’s former wife/fake name/whatever else. The lawyer basically summarizes Betty’s options—which are none. Apparently unless Betty can prove adultery in court, she can’t get divorced. Don would get the kids and keep the money. Betty’s stuck so she decides to do the next best thing—leave and confront Don. And what a confrontation it was! Don comes home, ready to take a vacation with Miss Farrell and finds Betty. She forces Don to open his desk drawer, and he’s so filled with trepidation, he can’t keep a cigarette in his hand. Sweat is pouring from his face. At first, he acts indignant, yelling “That’s private,” but then he just breaks down.

For someone as collected and suave as Don Draper, it was really unsettling to see Don crumble. And Betty! Betty was like Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Pressing him, needling him, questioning his every move, telling him what a great storyteller he is. Finally, he relents and tells Betty everything, that he’s Dick Whitman, that his brother dead. I have to say it’s the best bit of acting we’ve seen from two characters on the show. Don and Betty weren’t the only ones in the throes of intense battle. Joan and Greg the rapist were practicing interviewing skills, since Greg failed at being a resident. Since he’s so good at recognizing his feelings, he can’t come up with a single reason for wanting to be a shrink.

Naturally, he blows the interview, doesn’t get the job and throws himself a pity party. He did everything right. He did what he’s supposed to do. Joan tells him to let it go, and he screams, “You don’t know what it’s like to want something your whole life. To plan for it. To count on it and not get it.” Of course, he doesn’t realize that Joan waited her whole life to get married, counted on not having to work anymore, was certain she wouldn’t have to call Roger to get her a job. And yet, she has to do all of those things because she got herself a rapist husband. So in a fit of rage, she takes a vase from the desk and smashes it over Greg’s head. Later in the episode, Greg realizes that he can be a surgeon, in the army. He may have to go to Germany or Vietnam, “if it’s still going on…” I feel like this a portent of season 4…Greg dying in Vietnam and Joan at Sterling Cooper, hopefully?

On occasion, they do work at Sterling Cooper. This week Don and Roger tried to land an account of Roger’s former lover. She’s recently widowed and tries to seduce him. Interestingly, in a culture where adultery is often condoned, Roger tells her that she wasn’t the one and Jane is. It was interesting to gain insight into Roger’s childish years. Although he was a son of privilege, he wandered around Paris, aimlessly. Despite Don’s insistence that they no longer speak, he and Roger have more in common than Don thinks.

I’m curious to see what will happen next week, if Betty will be able to live with Don’s lies. I’m also glad that Don and Miss Farrell (or Suzanne as he called her in the last conversation) are really broken up. We’re in October, and I feel like we’re driving to the Kennedy assassination. However, if Betty already knows Don’s identity what else can happen?

Ghost Whisperer: Just because you’re paranoid…

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.05 “Cause for Alarm”

I can’t say I loved this episode. To be honest, it was pretty bad. There was very little here to commend.

But let’s start with that little because I want you all to know that there was something intriguing. Mainly, it’s Aiden’s new friends who just happen to be something other than ghosts. They move things around his room. Melinda can’t see them. And we’re to assume they’re not his new imaginary friends. Oh, and they’re shiny.

What do you think they are? Or do we think Aiden’s just imagining some fun new friends so he isn’t completely overwhelmed by the unhappy ghosts that are constantly filling his eyes, mind, and dream state?

Well, that will be something to find out, huh?

Congratulations, Ghost Whisperer. You made five minutes of interesting television.

The rest? Boring. Utterly boring. I actually got up in the middle to start cutting some veggies for soup in the middle of the episode. I got so enthralled with my onions, carrots, and celery that I forgot to pay attention to the TV. I missed the guy’s son almost kill him. By the way, when you leave a toxic smoke-filled panic room, one generally should cough a little bit. That’s to you, Chad Lowe. (And yes, I just realized why I thought he looked so much like Rob Lowe–slaps forehead in realization.) What a waste of an Emmy Award-winning actor. He was terrible!

If you’re wondering, yes, I did rewind my TiVo to see what happened in the end. And then I had to sit through the exhausting moment where Melinda, the men, and the ghost all confronted each other in the middle of the town. This was the most emotionless confrontation I think we’ve ever seen on the show. Terrible. Just terrible.

But not quite as terrible as Aiden. My god, this child is a bad actor. This was pointed out in a previous comment but cemented in this episode. I realize that they want a happy, well-rounded little boy, but he’s terrible. I feel bad insulting a child actor, but with so many other promising ones out there, I feel like they just chose him because of his hair color.

I think this season really has some promise. Not much has changed in the five year jump except for adding in Aiden and putting us in closer proximity to the hospital. And honestly, that hospital is really a driving force for the season. We’re certainly seeing some new growing storylines appear, and I look forward to seeing how they progress. But these filler episodes are really hard to watch.

Maybe it’s not what the writers want to do–give us the answers to the bigger questions right away–but they at least need to play to the show’s strengths. Just introducing a child actor doesn’t work (well, maybe it did for One Tree Hill but that’s a different show entirely). Play up the creepy. Give us more emotion. Steer away from Touched by an Angel.

And please: Just keep Aiden’s mouth shut!

Dollhouse: Sierra’s story

KT thinks Dollhouse belongs on her TV.  (Be sure to check out Raked’s post on this episode, too.)

DOLLHOUSE:  2.04 “Belonging”

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl.  She sold paintings by the seashore, and when a rich man came by and saw her, he fell madly in love with her and offered to make her a princess.  She said no.  That’s the story as Priya’s friend on the beach might tell it.

Last season’s “Briar Rose” suggested that princes are kind of useless, and that sleeping beauties have to be active in rescuing themselves.  (Or if you really want to get things done, go to a psychotic mastermind?  …Or not.)  But here the prince is worse than useless, he’s downright malicious.

Perhaps malicious is the wrong word for Nolan.  I don’t have a strong read on Nolan’s motives or self-justification other than that he can get whatever he wants — he both has the means to do it and lacks the self-control not to.  Although dangerous and scary as hell, that’s not malicious, that’s being a spoiled three-year-old.  As he was characterized, Nolan wasn’t so much a person as a force of nature, an embodiment of Desire.

At the disastrous art show, someone suggested that artists have power in a way that money and connections cannot buy.  In usual Dollhouse fashion, the episode goes on to make a simple statement turn cartwheels.  On one level, Dollhouse itself is created by artists, to whom we give power simply by letting it take us on a journey of the imagination every week. Within the show, the notion of the artist’s power becomes  the bitterest dramatic irony since we know that Nolan will have nearly ultimate power over Priya for a full year.  But as we find out, Sierra’s paintings lead Topher (with a push from Echo) to dig up the truth, suggesting a communicative power to art that transcends even memory.

Priya’s love of birds seems to not require memory, either, and you’ve probably come up with all the same associations I did.  Free as a bird — which she is not, though we have a lovely glimpse at the beginning of a time when perhaps she was.  But the Sierra we know is a caged bird.  She’s as good as owned by Nolan and by the Dollhouse; she’s a toy of which Topher is particularly proud.  That’s what the title tells us, that she belongs to them, but there’s another level to belonging — the warm, fuzzy kind in which you have a place where you fit in, where you belong.  And while Dichen Lachman absolutely belongs where she can act her heart out, the implication that Sierra belongs in the Dollhouse seems a cold, hard sort of reality.  And yet, as Madeleine suggested two weeks ago, Priya comes to see dollhood as a welcome escape — especially because of her unwipable love for Victor.  They seem to belong together.  As soon as he’s introduced as an Italian art dealer there is a connection between them; even as the restored Priya she knows she loves him, though she can’t remember who he is.

[Continue after the jump]

Dollhouse: Amoral Consequences

Raked and KT take on this week’s big episode of Dollhouse–before the month-long break. Read Raked’s thoughts below, and KT’s over here.

DOLLHOUSE: 2.04 “Belonging”

I knew this would be a big, Sierra-centric episode. And while I thought that every big episode needed to be written by the Joss man himself, this one was actually written by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen of Dr. Horrible fame. And I must say, I loved it.

Character development alone set this episode above the rest. What made it that much more effective was that it wasn’t Echo we were discovering more about. It wasn’t Ballard (in fact, he wasn’t even in the episode). It was Sierra. It was Topher. It was even Boyd.

I think Topher is the “it” character of the season. After knowing his ultimate future in “Epitaph One,” he’s certainly been the character I’ve been most interested in this season. And here’s an episode that first introduces us to the inner workings of him.

Adelle was right. Topher has no morals. The dolls are his playthings and as long as they stay in good shape, he’s happy. We’ve never considered that he’s cared about any of them–we haven’t even thought that he really felt like he was helping any of them. It’s all just been fun and a cool job. That’s it.

So discovering that he felt that he was helping Sierra, well, that was new. Now, looking at the excitement in his eyes, you knew that part of it was due to the fact that he’d have a challenge: wiping clean a broken brain. But in the end, he thought he was helping.

Something in him told him that he needed to continue to help Sierra. Which is why he gave her Priya’s wipe.

Now, you knew as she entered the house that something bad would happen. Either Nolan would die or something so severe would happen to Sierra that Topher would be affected. Either way, Sierra would be sent back to the Dollhouse (possibly, to heal from her bloody wounds), and Nolan would be out of the picture (in prison or death).

And what happened? Priya killed Nolan. It was interesting to see that Boyd was the one to save the day, but despite all that, it was Topher I was watching. It wasn’t just that he was stuck in a terrible situation, dissecting a body to disintegrate and hide. Piece by piece, he was seeing what his actions caused. It was horrifying.

I think this was really an episode that sets the stage for his ultimate downfall. I wonder what it would have been like to see this episode having not seen “Epitaph One.” Would I have noticed how his character is changing? Would it have been that much more heartbreaking and destructive?

While sure, there were some weaker moments in this episode (say, Echo’s characterization, even though, yes, it moved plot), it certainly was a strong one overall in my eye. I can only hope it keeps the viewers’ attention until December 4, when the show returns with new episodes.

Community: We are the human beings

COMMUNITY: 1.06 “Football, Feminism and You”

There’s something about writing a blog that makes you notice something. Whenever you write something like this,

But it’s mainly because Jeff is no longer a major tool.

…you will be proven wrong. But it’s just so funny!

That’s right, folks. Jeff stepped on back up to be a jerk. This time, it’s be cause his face was on every publicity poster known to man for his time at community college.

Now, his big issue was that if people found out he was in community college, then his career would be ruined. That would be true, kinda, but wouldn’t people have already noticed that he’s not in court anymore and there’s probably a reason? Plus, if someone noticed that his degree was a fake, methinks that probably got around. I guess it’s to let us see that he is just a jerk afterall (and self-serving), but it was a bit if a stretch if you think about it. Perhaps we shouldn’t think.

Anyway, I found this episode hilarious. I was basically laughing the entire time. I adored the B-plot of Pierce helping to create the school mascot (you know, the “human being”). The fact that they had a dry erase board with the features not to use on it was great.

And the final product was horrifying. I wonder if it will reappear in the Halloween episode. It deserves to. Eek!

Meanwhile, we had Troy’s return to football, and Annie’s lament on his return to football. Honestly, I love that she’s finally come out more with her obsession–er, I mean “love”–for him. And the fact that she slipped that her parents wouldn’t have approved of him. Honestly, I had forgotten that they had gone to high school together. This was a nice, subtle way of reminding us.

And the fact that Jeff called her on her crush. He’s so blunt.

Anyway, in the end, we did get a nice message. Troy got tired of the pressure, and being at a school that didn’t have any appealed to him. He could have fun again. Whether we’ll still get his ego (after all, he’ll still be the star of the team), that’s just something we’ll have to wait and see. But I somehow doubt it.

I was less interested in Britta’s storyline here. I mean, yay, she now knows how to talk in a restroom, but it just kinda seemed eh to me. I could have done without it.

But otherwise, great episode. This show just keeps getting better and better. And next week…Halloween!

Sharona returns! A conference call with Monk’s Tony Shalhoub and Bitty Schram

Who would have thought that just a couple months ago, we were welcoming Monk back for a new season. Now, here we are, halfway to saying good-bye.

And what a great way to do it, huh? I mean, tonight, we get to say hello to one of our favorite characters of the series: Sharona!

That’s right, Sharona returns for tonight’s episode. When she returns to handle legal issues after her uncle’s death, Monk jumps in the middle, assuming things might not be what they seem. Keep an eye out tonight to watch the reunite of Monk and Sharona–and to see if she keeps her cool around Natalie! And if Monk can handle it!

To celebrate this great reunite, I was able to be on a conference call with the great duo themselves: Tony Shalhoub and Bitty Schram! Read below to see what they thought of the episode tonight; their thoughts on the series’ beginning middle and end; and their future plans.

Hello.  Thanks for taking the time to be with us today.

TS: Thank you.

My first question is to prepare for your role as Adrian Monk on the USA series, Monk, it’s reported that you did a substantial amount of research with a Los Angeles psychotherapist specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder.  What was that experience like?  Did you have to study someone with OCD?

TS: Well, the psychologist that I spoke with and had sessions with just gave me a lot of information and a lot of reading material.  And that combined with some videos that I was able to find, videos of people who suffer from OCD, I was able to kind of build the character off of that information.  It was really kind of standard research that you would do for prepping for any role, really.

[W]hat can you tell us about the upcoming series finale?

TS: Well, I can’t tell you too much other than the writers have – they’re going to solve the Trudy mystery and have … resolution there.  But I’m really not at liberty to give away too much of that information.  And after eight years on Monk, it’s had a devastating effect on my memory, so even if wanted to, I probably couldn’t tell you because I really don’t remember how it goes.

Tony, I was wondering, what was it like for you and Bitty to work together again?

TS: Well, that was fantastic.  It was great.  It felt like we just picked up right where we left off and we didn’t miss a beat.  And the only difficulty for me was that I look a lot older and Bitty looks exactly the same.

BS: Well I’m not sure about … You’re being too kind.

Was the chemistry that Adrian and Sharona always had easy to revive, Bitty?

BS: Oh, yes, absolutely.  It was honestly like I never left.  I swear, it’s exactly what he said.  It’s a bizarre phenomenon, but it’s true.  I mean I heard, I don’t know why that Seinfeld thing on Curb Your Enthusiasm came out and I heard stuff like a remark that Jason Alexander said.  Like they never, like riding a bike, and it’s true.  It’s like you never leave.  I don’t know, it’s like it’s . . .

TS: Bitty and I both looked at each other while we were doing the first scene, which is the scene – the first day was the scene where she returns.  And we just looked at each other and laughed because it just felt like no time at all had passed.

BS: It’s very true.  I mean honestly it felt like I never left.  Even with the crew, with everyone.  It was bizarre, but in a good way.  You know, I mean it’s good.  It never leaves you, never.

[Read more after the jump!]

The Good Wife: “I’m doing the best I can.”

CC was involved with some baseball fandom on Tuesday–but finally got to catch up on The Good Wife.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.05 “Crash”

This week we learned why Will’s last name is Gardner.  It’s because he’s got tons of hoes! Oh snap. Yes, I worked on that for two days.  This week, Alicia had to stay really late and work on a case with Will, prompting opposing counsel to say “You’re Will’s new one.” Oh if only it were me spending hour upon hour with Josh Charles.

I actually think that this episode was one of the better ones that we’ve seen, and not because Josh Charles was in it a lot. Most of the time, the domestic stuff is really interesting and the cases are ho-hum.  This week, I thought the case (and the twists) within it were really interesting. I suspect this is why it got a full season pickup.

At the home front, we gained more insight into Peter’s mother and her handling of the kids.  Despite telling Jackie (aka Gran) that she would be taking her children to visit Peter the week after his birthday, Jackie secretly sneaks them off to prison behind her back.  This infuriates Alicia, mostly because she wasn’t informed and is desperately trying to be a good mother.

Being a good mother is difficult, however, when you’re stuck at the office working on a civil suit.  Three women are suing their husbands’ employer when the amount of work exhausted them such that it caused a train accident.  Will and Alicia are deposing employees of the company in order to get a settlement out of the company.  Opposing counsel is extremely preggo and is using that to her advantage—whenever a client gets into murky legal waters, she feigns pre-labor pains.  That’s not being a good mother.

Lucky for Kalinda, she doesn’t have children, but that unfortunately means she has to do a job for Diane and for Will.  One of the founding partners is set to retire, and Diane wants to quietly look for another named Malcom…or at least that’s what she tells people.  She asks Kalinda to investigate him as a “potential partner,” and since Kalinda’s so good at her job, she realizes that Diane’s looking at him as a potential boyfriend.  Unfortunately for Diane, he hits on Kalinda and isn’t so much “exclusive.”

Anyway, getting back to the case, it was unclear whether Will and Alicia would prevail.  Since they were only interested in getting a settlement, it seemed that they were pretty certain that their case was weak.  However, it turns out the company withheld three potential witnesses that could attest to the denials of overtime payment.  When Will and Alicia depose the witnesses, they initially believe one of the higher-ups can provide them with information leading to a larger settlement.  However, it turns out that the other two witnesses knew way more.

One of the witnesses was an engineer in charge of ordering new parts for the train.  Initially, the accident was blamed on the high speeds.  While questioning the engineer, Alicia learns a lot about trains.  This knowledge comes in handy because she discovers that an upgrade that required two parts and only received one.  She knows to look for this because another employee that was deposed tipped her off.  That employee knew to tell her because she was having an affair with the engineer, despite having a child and husband.

The married woman, of course, wants to keep her affair a secret.  Unfortunately, Alicia can’t establish knowledge of this missing replacement without revealing the affair.  The witness “thinks she’d be different” because she knew the ravaging effects of an affair on families.  And that sums up Alicia’s quandary, which she and her daughter had previously discussed—she at once has to be a competent employee and a moral person because people have preconceived ideas of what she’ll be like.  Preconceived notions are dangerous on The Good Wife, and at the end of the episode, Peter warns Alicia about Will (probably because he’s jealous).  And I for one can’t wait.

Glee: Slushie facials

KT could have watched Sue dance all night.

GLEE:  1.08 “Mash-Up”

Check it out:  They call the episode “Mash-Up,” but it features exactly zero mash-ups.  It still works thematically, though.  Just as the kids can’t manage to combine anything with “Bust a Move” (about which:  Really?  Nothing?), the proposed Ken and Emma mash-up looks more than a little shaky.  The Will and Emma mash-up would be adorable — but a bad move for all involved.  Puck and Rachel don’t work out.  Rod and Sue don’t work out.  Pregnancy and cheerleading doesn’t work for Quinn, which should be a no brainer.  But Glee Club and football can be forced to coexist.

What’s interesting is that none of the storylines this week really belonged to Will, but in a music-heavy episode, I think “Sweet Caroline” was the only number where he didn’t lead the dancing.  That and the snippet of Rachel singing in her bedroom, I guess.  This is not a complaint — I love watching Will dance.

And I loved that Emma got to sing and dance.  Emma was so beautifully Audrey Hepburn-ish at the bridal shop, and she has a lovely voice.  Her upcoming marriage to Ken still looks like an absurdly bad idea, but at least Ken realizes that she’s settling for him — a refreshing change from Will’s blindness about his wife’s non-pregnancy.  Although, how can you consider it “settling” when you insist that no one know and nothing change?  I don’t quite follow Emma’s logic here.  Perhaps it’s her desperate attempt to convince herself she’s not interested in Will.  Did not love the “Thong Song” scene though — what the heck kind of dance lesson was that?  Awkward.

On the other hand, even Sue got to dance this week!  She and Will are not what you would call well-matched as dance partners, but the scene was great — and how fabulous was Sue’s zoot suit?  Her romance was a little startling, but now it looks like her tough act is, at least in part, her way of taking out the frustrations of her personal life on her students and co-workers.  It was a simple little storyline — and frankly Rod’s womanizing ways were obvious from the start — but it went a long way toward making Sue a deeper character.

I think Sue yearns for fame and attention the same way that Finn and Quinn want their popularity:  they think the solution is to be the center of attention, but the real problem is that they’re lonely and need some true friends.  And given the final scene, perhaps they have more than they realize.  They too could be shepherded into the girls’ bathroom as Kurt was after he called for a day spa (stat!).  I wonder if we’ll see any tension between Quinn and the two Glee girls who are still in Cheerios.

Speaking of slushies, I love that this little joke from the first two episodes came back to be a big thing.  The camerawork where you could see only the hand and the slushie as it went down the hall was clever, and all the Glee kids’ ponchos and rain gear were hilarious.

Watching the looks all the Glee kids give each other during the musical numbers is good fun.  Quinn definitely had eyes for Puck during “Sweet Caroline,” Finn seemed conflicted about Puck singing to Rachel, and dark-haired cheerleader Santana was making a face about something.  Kurt seemed put out during “Bust a Move.”  I figured we would learn that he was upset Will hadn’t called on him to take the solo or something, but it never really got explained.  Maybe a scene was cut.

Still waiting for all the other Glee kids to get some time in the sunshine…

Predictions!  Everybody’s favorite rhyming couple seem pretty tight in this episode.  Do you think Puck’s right about Quinn and Finn — nothing can break them up?  Looks like we’ve established that Puck and Rachel are done, so where else can they go with this quadrangle?

Big Bang: Taken by force of Wil (Wheaton)

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.05 “The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary”

Sorry it’s taken me so long to review Monday’s The Big Bang Theory. Honestly, I just don’t know what to say.

Here was the problem with the episode: I knew Wil Wheaton would be in it. Considering that we fill the show with nerds, you knew this would be epic. And it was very good. I quite enjoyed it. Epic, it was not.

I mean, let’s look back to the episode with Summer Glau. Again, we had a nerd-beloved celebrity appearing in the show and playing themselves. But for some reason I just liked it better. You got to see each of the characters interact with her (well, not Sheldon), and the individual comparisons, her reactions, and how they sabotaged each other was great.

Here, we really only got Sheldon. And as much as I love Sheldon and as much I truly appreciated where his anger came from (only a nerdy guy on Big Bang would be so angry for this long over that), it just didn’t have as much appeal. Perhaps it was because I saw the twist of Will Wheaton’s lie coming. I’m not sure.

But really, I think we were missing having everyone’s reactions. I mean, Raj didn’t seem to care. Leonard and Howard didn’t even know. You’d think that Raj would have told the rest of them and they would have canceled their double date to meet Wil Wheaton.

Now it seems like I’m sounding harsh and that I didn’t enjoy the episode. I did. I laughed through the majority of it. I mean, they were able to find a date for Howard–and make him come across as awkward without his being super-creepy. I mean, for a while, I was thinking that the girl wasn’t even being cooperative to talking to him and a failed date would be on her part. I actually enjoyed hearing about their mothers and discovering that they would actually make a good match because of that (and the extremes that their mothers go…eek!).

And the game was fun, too. Watching Sheldon get more and more agitated the closer he got to Wil Wheaton–even saying stuff in Klingon to torment him. The best, though, was having Raj identify which Star Trek franchises Sheldon was referencing and claiming  that it didn’t even make sense in regards to Wil Wheaton.

Nerdiness makes me happy.

So I think ultimately, this episode was a failure of promotion and creativity. I still enjoyed it, but I just wanted more. Maybe I’m greedy.

What’d you think?

Gossip Girl: Enough About Vanessa!

CC tears apart Gossip Girl for your reading pleasure.

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.6 “Enough About Eve”

Has Josh Schwartz read the message boards?  Everyone hates Vanessa. She’s boring. She’s pretentious.  She’s judgmental.  She desperately wants to be a part of the Upper East Side world while simultaneously eschewing it.  And naturally, because no one likes Judgy McJudgerson on their television, we had an entire week of Vanessa manipulating everyone Waldorf-style but less successfully.  I know that DC hates Vanessa, but is my vitriol for her unfounded?

Apparently Vanessa’s parents hate her because she decided to go to fancy private university (I hate her too).  In order to erase 18 years deep-rooted animosity, Vanessa decides that giving a speech at the freshman dinner will make her parents realize what a fantastic kid she is…except Blair wants to do it.  Unfortunately, NYU is a bigger publicity whore than Serena so they’re hoping that Lizzie Maguire-er, Olivia will do it.

This whole oratory love triangle was ridiculous, which is true of most of the GG plot lines this year. Blair decides to blackmail the dean into giving her the speech by having Chuck make out with him and playing scorned girlfriend.  Vanessa decides to make Olivia insecure about her relationship by manipulating both her and Dan. Blair claims her superiority on microphone in an elaborate A-V ruse concocted by Vanessa. In the end, neither give the speech (Olivia gets it after all). Vanessa’s parents still hate her, and Bluck break up.

I was a little bummed about the Blair/Chuck break up, and the man-man kiss. It’s funny that Chuck intimated that he’d been kissing dudes previously.  What’s disappointing is that it had to be Blair’s idea.  The tabloids/blogs have been building up Chuck’s kiss for  6 weeks, and I felt a let down.  Did you guys?

Speaking of let downs, Jenny was in this episode for approximately 2 minutes.  I really want to know what’s going on at Constance, and it’s unfair that I have to be subjected to nonstop Blair high school antics in college. I want to see them in high school, dammit!

I wasn’t going to address the whole Nate thinks Serena is easily manipulated because her dresses are cutting off the oxygen to her brain, but I suppose I must.  When Carter Baisson gave himself up to the evil Buckley family, they decided to make him pay his debts by working on an oil rig.   Serena somehow thinks that she can win Carter back in a poker game against one of the Buckleys, and Nate happily will fund it.  Since Serena’s never proven herself a card shark before, I was skeptical about Nate’s confidence in her.

Of course, it was a false confidence.  Nate produced a fake photo of his cousin Trip’s bachelor party (he had a bong) that would derail his political aspirations.  His hope was that the Buckleys would leak the photo, and the Vanderbilts could prove that the Buckleys were as malicious as Nate knows them to be.  It would’ve worked had Serena not been so nosy, overhearing Nate.  When she puts a stop to it, she gets Carter back.  Unfortunately, Carter decides that he’s going to be a plebian for a while, but not until he takes one final limo ride to the airport, disappearing into the night…just like me. XOXO.

Top Chef Liveblog

TOP CHEF: 6.08 “Restaurant Wars“

Pregame: Wooho! It’s finally here! Restaurant Wars is the best episode of any Top Chef season, hands down. Who’s going home tonight? I say Laurine or Robin.

10:02: Scenes in the chef house suggest there are going to be some fireworks tonight between the Voltaggio brothers.

10:04: Quickfire is a tag team cookoff. Work on your teamwork people! Teams are Jennifer, Kevin, Mike I, Laurine; then Michael, Bryan, Eli and Robin. Uh oh. There are going to be problems in team 2. Each team has 40 minutes. The first chef starts and cooks for 10 minutes, then passes it ot the next for another 10. No one can talk to anyone, and all chefs not currently cooking must wear blindfolds. Yikes! This could get ugly. Also, the winning team gets to split 10K.

10:07: Eli is trying to keep it simple so the rest of the team can pick up on it easy.

10:09: Laurine adds scallops. Haven’t you watched the show? Scallops never work!

10:11: Kevin looks a little confused. He says he’s going to leave the scallops off, which is probably a good idea. Michael seems pretty confident.

10:17: Eli says the final steak product is pretty similar (though not exact) to his original idea.

10:18: Kevin, Jennifer, Mike I, and Laurine win the challenge. I’m a little surprised. I think it’s all because Kevin left out the scallops. The chefs look pretty excited about the Restaurant Wars challenge. Teams stay the same. The teams are taking over the guest chef’s restaurant.

10:20: Big change here. Teams are not responsible for decor. Front of house person still has to do one dish. The chefs must meet a sustainable seafood requirement.

10:21: Another big change. The winning team can keep and split the 10K, or they can let it ride and win 10K for themselves if they win restaurant wars. They decide to gamble. I don’t think I’d do that, but hey, I’m no chef.

10:25: Jen’s team decides against dessert. Good plan; like scallops, desert is often a Top Chef killer. Laurine will do the front of house, but she doesn’t seem happy with it.

10:25: Michael’s team is going with a modern american restaurant. Brian wants to do a dessert; claim’s he’s good enough in pastry to carry it along. We’ll see!

10:27: Eli says, “Each team is hooked up with Sprint Mobile phones.” And there, we now have the Top Chef Whore-out of the week. Thank you, producers. Michael’s team decides their name is Revolt. Sorta sounds good, until you think of Revolting. Ooops.

10:29: Jen’s team will call their restaurant Mission.

10:31: Robin sounds like she’s chafing a bit under the iron fist of the younger Voltaggio. They will be yelling at each other pretty soon.

10:32: Honestly, I think something has been lost by not allowing the chefs to decorate their restaurants. It was always kind of fun to watch them decorate, especially when they screw up.

10:36: Both teams appear to be a bit behind, but especially Jen’s team.

10:37: Jen, “We’re f*%ked.”

10:41: People are confused by the Revolt name. Tom laughs out loud at it. “A terrible name.”

10:43: Michael V’s dish is wonderful. Eli’s arctic char didn’t pop. Michael’s cod was brilliant. Brian’s meat and potatoes were OK; some diners say its cold.

10:45: Robin and Michael are yelling at each other. Robin’s pear dessert is very, very well received. They thought Brian’s dessert was beautiful.

10:47: Over to restaurant Mission. Judges comment on the lack of desserts. Michael I’s char isn’t salty enough. The asparagus (forget who did this) was a bit forgettable. Laurine’s front of the house manner isn’t so great, and the judges are getting antsy in waiting. She keeps forgetting to explain the dishes.

10:50: Jen’s two two fish dishes are very disappointing. The first one is not so great, the second one is actually bad. Kevin and Laurine’s lamb is very rare; his pork was a good dish. The judges are missing a dessert.

10:52: OK, team Mission just crashed and burned before our eyes. I don’t remember an entire menu being less well received in seasons past.  I’m surprised because I thought the talent was evenly spread between both teams. They are so screwed.

11:00: Revolt wins, clearly. Tom says they’re the best restaurant in six seasons. The dessert really paid off. I believe Michael will win the challenge overall.

11:02: I was right. He gets the guest chef’s autographed cook book, and 10K that the other team forfeited. In an unselfish gesture, Michael splits it among the team members.

11:03: Michael I from Mission should have worked the front of the house, as he said. And amid victory, the brothers on team Revolt start bickering. Boy, a final between the two of them would be awesome.

11:04: Anyway, back to team Mission. Each dish had execution issues. I think either Laurine or Mike I will go home, because Jen and Kevin have too much talent to dismiss. It will probably be Laurine, because I think Mike I has a little more talent.

11:13: Bye bye Laurine. Three weakest chefs remaining: Robin, Eli, Mike I. Next week, Natalie Portman!

Ghost Whisperer: 1950s scapels and head twitches

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.04 “Do Over”

There’s something especially curious and scary about medical procedures in the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. Maybe it’s because we know they didn’t have all the same medical advances that we do now, and that scares us. I don’t know. But there’s certainly a reason that there are flashbacks to those decades in horror movies (think The House on Haunted Hill)–and why it was so effective on Friday’s episode of Ghost Whisperer.

Personally, I’m very glad that we’ve separated the two ghosts. There was one ghost (the creepy doctor) that was taken care of and sent into the light. And then there was another ghost–who’s still very much active–in the morgue. And that’s the mystery Melinda’s still got on her hands.

This is not a very kind hospital. So far we have Sally Stitch, who’s haunting a little girl in oncology. Now we’ve got this creepy guy in the morgue, who has his very creepy facial accessory, the gas mask. Oh, and apparently, Melinda is supposed to know him.

I think this is great. I really want to find out that there are even more lingering spirits from other eras wandering around, waiting, and causing havoc. I think this could be a season-long story arc–though I’m not sure if I would really want to find out that they’re all interconnected. I just want to see the ghostly angst build. If they all had the same problem and all went into the light all at once, I think it’d be a little too Touched by an Angel. But who knows? This show does try to keep us surprised. Either way, I hope we discover that there’s a few other spirits with the creep-factor ready to pounce. This is getting fun.

Morbid and horror-like, but fun.

True, it was a little too much like a horror film when his head was flopping around at intense speeds, but without that, would you be much more scared? It was kind-of an interesting effect, and we needed something mysterious and downright scary for his face-off with Melinda. Much more than moving corpses, and that was a neat touch.

But why is this all happening now? We thought it was because of the kid who went into the morgue–you know, the one who’s grandfather was the one in the heart surgery. But in fact, that couldn’t have been it. That was just a coincidence, and it led us to the other ghost.

Methinks it was something slighter. Particularly, I think it was the quick message that they were cleaning out their old archives. You know, when the nurse came out with the box and Jim (Sam Jim Jim Sam) grabbed the old instrument. She mentioned they were cleaning things out. I bet that’s where those ghosts were resting (not in peace) and now they’re disturbed all over again.

Anyway, this was a great episode if you like the creepy. Sure, the grandfather got to me a bit. I’m a little skeptical that after all this, the teenager would embrace being a nerd just because his granddad almost died at 16 (plus, he dressed better as a “thug,” as the ghostly doctor said–and where would he know the word, “thug”?). But you’ve got to have a bright side.

Especially with the scary gas-masked ghoul is still haunting the morgue.

Mad Men: “You like it here. The smells and the noise and the criminals at every level.”

MAD MEN: 3.10 “The Color Blue”

It’s never a good idea to tell your wife that you’re sleeping in town to hang out with Conrad Hilton. I feel like those things can be easily verified. But Don doesn’t really care because it’s not as if it’s a huge secret that he cheats on Betty. What she doesn’t know is that Don’s sleeping with Sally’s old teacher, and sometimes, when he sees her she has a gold star on her cheek. Rachel Berry, behold your future…if you can find a DeLorean. Anyway this week’s episode was probably the most action-packed since that dude got his foot sawed off by a lawn mower.

This episode got its title from a post-coital discussion between Susanne (Miss Farrell) and Don. She talks about a student that asked her how he could tell if everyone thought blue was the same color in their mind.  Don responds that people may see things differently, but they don’t really want to.  Similarly, both Betty and Susanne view their relationship with Don much differently than he sees each of them. Of course, by the end of the episode both Betty and Susanne’s perception of Don will change.

At Sterling Cooper, Paul is pitching an idea for Aqua Net (remember that awesome product, ladies?).  Don tells him that his storyboard is too convoluted. When Peggy makes a suggestion to improve the campaign, Don praises her. This causes Paul to get really cranky with Peggy (which, she does get a smug face) and say that she won’t be able to pull this with Western Union because it’s not a lady product—or something along those lines.  Later,  Kinsey and Peggy stay late to work on the Western Union campaign, and neither is doing well. Kinsey is successfully getting drunk, however, and exits his office to talk to Achilles, the janitor. Mid-conversation, he has The Idea and is just so pleased with himself…until the next day when he wakes up on his couch without having written it down.  He has a meltdown to Peggy, who tells him to confess the problem to Don (he ends up sympathizing).  Anyway, Peggy piggy-backs on the idea that “the faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory” and talks about the fact that a telegram is a permanent record (much like Don’s desk drawer). You can’t frame a phone call becomes the new tagline.  Kinsey now respects her  because it takes a gender-neutral campaign to realize talent.

Betty, however, doesn’t respect Don. While doing laundry, she finds a key to Don’s private desk drawer.  Inside, there’s the box that Don’s (now dead) brother gave him with photos of himself/parents, the divorce decree, Dick Whitman and Don Draper’s dog tags, and a huge wad of cash. This was really nicely juxtaposed with Bert Cooper talking about not getting to where he’d been by “dwelling on the past.” To Betty, past is prologue and she knows little about Don. Now she’s realizing that Don is a false image as is their relationship. I suspect, however, she’s most worried about the divorce and not that Don is Dick Whitman.

Don goes to Miss Farrell’s again whose epileptic brother Danny has been visiting. Initially, Don was afraid that her brother wouldn’t be able to keep their affair secret.  Luckily,  Susanne got Danny a job in MA, and Don offers to drive him out there, to make sure he gets there safely (which isn’t exactly what happens; her brother wants a fresh start that doesn’t involve pushing a broom around). That Don will drive for hours for her makes Susanne see their relationship as more than an affair, which I’m sure will prove problematic. The lenses with which each view their relationship are in different shades.

The episode ends with Betty furious at Don for not coming home,  rendering her unable to address the desk drawer. Unfortunately, she still has to make nice at the Sterling Cooper anniversary party because Don “wants to show her off” and she obliges. The limo rides featuring Price (who reveals to his wife that they may be moving back to London because Sterling Cooper is secretly for sale), Don and Betty (who sit largely in silence) and Roger and Jane and Roger’s mother (who seems to be senile) were more interesting than the party everyone was gearing up for….one that we never got to see. Of course, that’s how it is with Mad Men—the most obvious points of drama are never seen.

HIMYM: Caffeine and Canadians

KT is a little link crazy today.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.05 “Dual Citizenship”

Okay.  So two weeks ago I made an offhand comment about Ted and Marshall’s shared nostalgia being a reliable source of humor for the show?  This was not their most successful trip to the well.

The flashbacks to their college roadtrips were funny.  Clearly the point of the roadtrips was not really the grubby pizza place in Chicago — the point was the trip itself.  And I loved the way the old Fiero with its continuous loop of “500 Miles” was included.

But the present day road trip was as dull for me as it was for Ted.  I thought the jokes about Lily having to pee all the time were the worst, followed shortly by the ridiculous and ultimately manipulative audio book.  It was as though the episode forgot that Lily and Ted have been friends for ages, forgot that Lily is sometimes one of the guys, and only remembered that she’s a kindergarten teacher.  And to make it more painful, this show does episodes dealing with growing pains fairly regularly, and many of them are great.  Next to “Okay Awesome” and “Arrividerci, Fiero” and “Three Days of Snow” and even “Murtaugh,” this just doesn’t rank.

What’s more, Ted’s complaints about Marshall-and-Lily as a single entity made no sense — to varying degrees, they’ve been that way since the show started.  If anything, we usually see Marshall trying to stay included in Ted and Barney’s “bro” outings.  I think we’ve seen less of that since Marshall and Barney have been at GNB together, perhaps.

The crazy, crazy soda was pretty awesome, though.  At first I figured Tantrum was just a stand-in for Mountain Dew — or maybe Red Bull, but the packaging colors and design looked so much like Dew, that’s where my brain went — but the exaggeration of its effects were good funny.

I did enjoy Barney and Robin, too.  Overall, the storyline was a little predictable — did anyone really think Robin would give up her Canadian citizenship? — but the trip to Vancouver was a fun surprise and I loved the return of the Hoser Hut from “Little Minnesota.”  The Canada jokes were good, and as usual, the Canada jokes were mostly about making fun of the U.S. and showing what a nationalistic jerk Barney is.  Much as we all love him, it’s as much for his flaws as anything else, right?

White Collar giveaway!

Whoo hoo! It’s White Collar premiere week. That’s right, this Friday–THIS Friday–on USA, you can see the premiere of White Collar. And trust me, it’s a good one.

And what’s the best way to honor a new series? How about a giveaway?

The Giveaway

To solve the hardest crimes, hire the smartest criminal! USA NETWORK’s new series, White Collar, premieres Friday, October 23 at 10pm/9c. WHITE COLLAR, stars Matt Bomer (“Chuck,” “Tru Calling”), Tim DeKay (“Tell Me You Love Me,” “Carnivàle”), Tiffani Thiessen (“What About Brian,” “Fastlane”) and Willie Garson (“Sex and the City,” “John from Cincinnati”). WHITE COLLAR is about the most unlikely of partnerships between a con artist and an FBI agent.  The story unfolds after charming criminal mastermind Neal Caffrey (Bomer) is caught by his nemesis, G-Man extraordinaire Peter Burke (DeKay).  Rather than returning to jail for this daring getaway, Neal suggests an alternate plan – providing his expertise to assist the Feds in putting away infamous and elusive criminals in return for his freedom.  Join us online: Official Site, Facebook Fan Page, and Twitter.

Enter to win a White Collar Gift Bag!

–        Six-in-One Game Set

–        The Modern Gentleman

–        Neal’s Little Black Book

–        White Collar T-Shirt

How to Enter

Mandatory first entry: Leave a comment on this post telling me which you’d rather be: Con or Fed. And let me know why! Please remember that you need to have a valid email address in order for me to get in touch with you if you win! Please note that this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years of age or older.

Extra entries:

1. Tweet about this contest, including a link to this page and my twitter name, @rakedreviews. Then come back here and leave a comment letting me know.

2. Blog about this contest and include a link to this page. Then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post!

3. Share this contest on Facebook with a link to this page. Then come back here and let me know in a comment.

That gives you the opportunity to get four total entries!

Please note: You must come back and leave a separate comment for each entry. Otherwise, the random generator won’t know to count you more than once.

The Deadline: I’ll be choosing the winner the evening of Sunday, November 15, so be sure to get your comments in by then. Then check your email! You might be the White Collar winner!

And don’t forget to watch the show this Friday!

This contest is now closed. A winner has been contacted.
Thank you for entering!

Prizes courtesy of USA Network

Desperate Housewives: Lovers, friends, and killers

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: 6.03 “Never Judge a Lady by Her Lover”
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: 6.04 “The God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues”

I review these back to back because that’s how I watched them. And I have one simple phrase for you: I’m so sick of Bree.

I really could care less about her affair. Or the fact that she has to sneak out. Or that she might be “in love.” Or that she’s jealous. I just don’t care. I think it’s a terrible story line and it needs to stop. The only good part about it is that Orson’s in the show less, but you know, I think I might take him over Karl right about now. Bree’s just acting like a moron and out of character–and maybe that’s the writers’ point! How this affair is changing her. But she was much more entertaining as Bree, not this person. Boo.

Katherine’s little development was interesting, though. I’ve never thought of her as anyone unhinged…until now. I can’t wait to see how this goes.

But let’s forget side plots for a moment. What did you think of the big reveal? First, we discovered that Danny did not attack Julie (much to Susan’s shock and disappointment) and then we discovered that Julie’s man in question is actually Danny’s father!

Now, I didn’t see this twist coming. It just seems odd. But then again, it would now make sense why he’d want her dead. Not only could she tell his wife about their affair, but most likely, she knew him before he moved onto Wisteria Lane, which means that she could identify him based on a previous identity. Julie just may know some secrets that he doesn’t want her to share.

And secrets seems to be the key word here. They repeated many a time that there are secrets with the Bolen name, and now we’ve discovered that they’ve had many moves and identities. Plus, an explosion.

By the way, I’m truly loving Drea de Matteo on this show. I mean, I never watched The Sopranos. I’ve only seen her in Joey, which clearly didn’t show her talent. I know she hasn’t done all that much yet, but just the emotions that run across her face are fantastic. Like, say, when Susan came over to help her pick up the trash? That was great.

Back to Julie, though, I really like her character, and I’m glad she’s back in the picture. And the focus of a plot. I really want to know what has been going on for her to change so drastically in the last six months. Plus, when she was sitting by herself in the hospital chair, she just looked so haunted. Somehow I doubt that was an accident.

So, it looks like we’re developing the Bolen family and Julie’s right in the thick of it. This does make me a little hesitant, though. Remember Dave of last year? It all seemed too obvious and too easy. We knew the mystery immediately. Will we run into this again? Will we find out too soon, causing the season to drag on? I certainly hope not.

I want mystery. Mystery juggled in B-plots, like John’s involvement in Gaby’s life and Lynett’s twins (btw, I loved the boob-job plot). So here’s what I’m hoping for.

And your hypotheses. What do YOU think will happen?

The Good Wife: “Don’t you try to buy me and don’t you ever try to buy my kids. Do you understand me?”

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.04 “Fixed”

This past week, we finally got a glimpse into the charges against Alicia’s husband. It definitely isn’t just prostitutes, but maybe, shady real estate details. We opened with Alicia giving a deposition, saying that she never suspected that her husband was cheating on her. Once it’s over, Peter’s lawyer asks her to look for correspondence from a George Kozko. As The Wire has taught us, anyone in real estate or in a position to grant permits is never a good character so it appears that Peter’s guilty of something other than sleeping with prostitutes.

Immediately from the law firm, Alicia heads to court. Cary brings her up to speed about a couple suing their drug company as an otherwise healthy (and triathlon-completing) man has a stroke rendering him paralyzed at 32. The outcome of this trial influences whether a class-action suit can be filed. The defense counsel, naturally, is slimy and also Andy Balfour from True Blood.

When the hearing ends, Alicia finds tiny piece of paper with a settlement number or something on it. Someone’s bribing a juror, and it’s unclear which one (2 or 11) and who’s doing it. I have to admit, I assumed it was Diane. Even though Christine Baranski was amazing in Mama Mia! I don’t much like her on this program. She’s slimy and wants Kalinda and Cary on it, but Will speaks up and decides that Alicia should work on it. It’s touchy, though, because our opposing counsel might just be trying to get a mistrial.

It turns out that juror #2 looks suspicious, despite seeming favorable during selection. Juror #11 was less favorable, but he’s also black. Our jury consultant typically doesn’t like black people, but he seems nice, according to her. Seriously? Is this Mad Men? Kalinda follows both jurors. #2’s husband recently got a job in Andy Balfour’s building and a new car. They seems suspicious, but they’re the first investigated so it’s clearly Juror #11. Juror 11 just deposited 20,000 so he’s the one that was bribed, according to Kalinda. He’s got an ex-wife, is 5 months late on alimony and doesn’t own a house. They take the issue to the judge, and he suggests they let the trial go to verdict and that it can be contested on appeal. This is great news because it turns out the couple suing is the one bribing the juror and not Andy Balfour. He may get sucked in by a maenad, but he’s aboveboard, everyone!

Diane isn’t because when Alicia lets them know that it’s their clients that have done the bribing, she tells Alicia that she reported her suspicions to the judge and that was sufficient. Apparently, when you’ve done your due diligence, then you needn’t be entirely honest. I think the same can be said for Alicia’s husband, who has her searching for a Cartier necklace’s receipt. It turns out that Peter bought Alicia gifts over the course of their marriage paid for by this Kozko guy. In addition, the lawyer is trying to butter up Alicia and the kids. He’s sending her Game Boys, fruit baskets with a ham, trying to find open slots for them in their former prep school. And it’s unclear why for a long time. Alicia insists that she can’t be bought, but why are they trying to buy her? This becomes clear at the end of the episode when Alicia meets with the lawyer and Peter…she needs to testify in order for her husband to get off.

Next week, we’re going to see more about Will! Yay! Unfortunately, he might be cheating on his wife, but we don’t know if he has a wife yet so he could just be a playboy (I’m available, just saying). I have to say that the procedural stuff really pales in comparison to the family drama. I’m interested to see Alicia grapple with testifying. On the one hand that’s what a “good wife” does, and on the other, I’m not sure she really wants him back. Here’s hoping she’s not so good next week.

Community: Catching up on the last two weeks

COMMUNITY: 1.04 “Social Psychology”
COMMUNITY: 1.05 “Advanced Criminal Law”

I have to admit: This show just keeps getting better and better.

And this is surprising to me. It’s not just because shows tend to die down right after a pilot. And the fact that we’re in the early season lull–you know, those episodes after a premiere where it’s before sweeps and networks figure they have your attention? The filler episodes, so to speak? Yeah, the early season lull.

But it’s mainly because Jeff is no longer a major tool. He’s really transforming, and while, yes, he does still have some genuinely selfish qualities about him, he’s much more rounded, so you can’t hate him. Not even Britta can.

And I think that’s the relationship that’s driving this. He’s not even (overtly) trying to get into her pants anymore. It’s all him trying to befriend her (so he can eventually get into her pants, maybe). Which is why it was so hard for him to deal with her hippie boyfriend last week, and why he wanted to help her so badly this week. And, well, to put back on the lawyer pants.

Plus, we’re getting more out of our minor characters. I love that both of these episodes allowed us to see a little more of Jeff’s professor friend–being on the disciplinary board and actually teaching a research group (even if he did go crazy).

Most of all, though, we’re getting to see Annie become a real person. Now, based on the pilot, I really wasn’t all that enthralled with her. She seemed typical. Almost too studious to really belong in the community college series. But after seeing her a little more, I’m really starting to enjoy her role in the show.

I really liked her interaction with Abed. Man alive, he’s got a heart of gold. Sitting for 26 hours in that room while everyone else left, all because she call him her friend. And the fact that in the end she bought Indiana Jones for him. That was sweet.

And this week, we got to see her interact with Pierce, which was just humorous. I mean, she just had no idea how to handle him. But really, who does?

His antics are really great, too. The device to let him hear others’ conversations (even if it did backfire, especially for Britta), and trying to see him write a song. Honestly, how could you not love this ending?

What to you think? Better than Glee? (Just kidding.)

But really, I’m enjoying this show. And while I expect Thursday night comedy from NBC, I fear that it’s in a bad time slot. I mean, are people watching it at 8:00? It’s competing against some good stuff: Vampire Diaries, Bones. I certainly hope so. I really want it to have a good long run.

If anything, I really enjoy watching Joel McHale pimp it out on The Soup. He has no shame.

Conference Call with White Collar’s Jeff Eastin

One show that I’m extremely excited about premiering is USA’s new show White Collar. Not only does it have Matthew Bomer, who played Luc in Tru Calling (one of my favorite shows), and Tim DeKay, or Jonesy from Carnivale, but it just sounds like a fun show.

Here’s the premise: An imprisoned con man (Bomer) offers to help the FBI find elusive criminals, earning his freedom on the outside instead of inside a jail cell. He works with the only FBI agent who originally put him in jail (DeKay), and what would appear to be an unlikely pair actually comes off as a fun show.

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a conference call with the creator of this show, Jeff Eastin. Now, I want to tell you, this man is a smart guy. I could have listened to him for quite a while discussing the show and television in general. I hope you enjoy the Q&A below as much as I did.

Hi, Jeff, how’re you doing today?

I’m good.  How’re you?

Good, now that you have segued from writer to producer, how’re you juggling everything that you’re doing because that’s quite a bit given that this is a new series.

Yes, it’s been a little insane.  I’ve done it a couple times before, so it’s not exactly a new experience.  I gained some pretty valuable experience on the other shows that didn’t survive, so I’m hoping that I can use that information to actually keep this one on the air.

Given what we saw on the preview copy of this, you had commented on your twitter that you thought that the “All In” sequence or episode was a really good performance.  What made you think that?

That particular episode, it’s sort of interesting.  The way we’ve done it is there’s a certain amount of mythology regarding Kate and the man with the ring that we set up in the pilot, and the “All In” episode was one of the episodes that we sort of had built in some major mistrust between Peter and Neal.  The episodes prior to that we play with the idea, but there’s also a great deal of Neal sort of tracking Kate down on his own, and this is one of the episodes where we kind of brought it together where there’s some distrust between Peter and Neal that really comes heavily into play.

For me anyway, one thing I’m very proud of this show is I think it’s an interesting tone, but I think especially with Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay that there’s a really nice sense of humor to the show.  In that particular episode, “All In,” this level of mistrust that we took it to kind of added an extra layer to it which I was a little worried going in.  I didn’t know how it would play against the humor.  I was just really, really happy to see that I think it actually kicked it up, that it actually really gave this extra layer to the humor and kind of dimensionalized the show in a way that I hadn’t seen before.

We’re hearing really good things about the series and looking forward to it.

Thanks.

I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about the genesis of the concept and, I guess, going from the idea to an actual TV series and just kind of that process and how that came about.

Sure, well, the idea really came about, this was prestrike, pre WGA strike, and I had been kind of playing around with a couple of ideas.  I’m a huge Shield fan, and I had worked with a friend of mine.  We sort of bounced ideas off each other, a guy Travis Romero.

[Read more after the jump!]

Glee: You keep us hangin’ on

KT weighs in on what she wants from Glee.

GLEE:  1.07 “Throwdown”

Here we go, Will versus Sue.  Sue splits up the Glee Club.  Will fails the cheerleaders in Spanish.  Sue burns music and has the piano taken away for cleaning just when Will needs it.  Will gets in her face.  Sue gets in his face.  Was this somehow less awesome than you hoped?  Was I just expecting too much?  And really, were any of those kids buying Sue’s shtick about catering to minorities past the first day?

Meanwhile Rachel wrangles with the creep who writes for the school paper (and who seems to also be McKinley High’s version of Gossip Girl from the way he talks about his blog).  Quinn is (rightly) suspicious of Rachel’s motives, but it all becomes moot when the creep — apparently his name is Jacob — gets cornered by Sue.

Mean-meanwhile, Terri and her horrible, horrible sister corner the Ob-Gyn and arrange to fake an ultrasound for Will’s benefit, at which the doctor conveniently realizes that, guess what, it’s actually a girl!  …Just like Quinn’s baby!  Speaking of whom, Quinn’s so terrified of her parents’ wrath that she feels she can’t tell them about her pregnancy… but how does she think she’s going to hide it six months from now?  Quinn and Terri think they’re ever so clever to have arranged a baby switcheroo, but can Will and the Fabray parents really stay dumb that long?  I’m getting bored with the double pregnancy plot, guys.

I do always like the music, though, despite the show’s obvious lip-syncing and general over-production.  (Where are we supposed to think Rachel’s echo on “No Air” was coming from, really?)  I love hearing Mercedes knock it out of the park, and Quinn has exactly the right kind of voice for ’60s pop like “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”  And you know what I liked best about Will and Sue’s throwdown?  The kids were all gathering to sing together anyway.  It’s corny, but music really does bring people together.  Plus, this suggests that there are friendships forming between unlikely comrades under our noses, and why are we focusing on the pregnancies instead of this!?

But here’s the problem emerging with this show.   As Andy Dehnart points out, our characters are basically the same people we met in the first episode.  And while I’m not expecting deep character arcs in only seven episodes, what we know about each character is basically limited to what we learned the first time that character was introduced.  One exception:  Rachel, who developed an appreciation for team spirit a few weeks ago and has quickly turned into Quinn’s protector (whether Quinn likes it or not).  Actually, I guess Quinn is an exception here as well.  Despite my gripes about the pregnancy plots, it has turned her into a much more sympathetic and interesting character, and I hope that forward motion continues.

Part of the problem here is that the plot often breaks down into about four categories:  Baby Drama (Senior and Junior editions), Sue Sylvester’s Personal Vendetta, and Glee Club Beats the Odds — and the last of these is largely the singing and dancing.  Anyone who isn’t Sue or part of the Baby Drama tends to get sidelined.  I’d be happy to see the Baby Drama ignored now and then in favor of a character plot for someone else, like what Kurt in “Preggers” or Kurt and Mercedes in “Acafellas.”  ‘Cause those were fabulous.  Kurt coming out to his friends and then his dad was well done and classy, and Kurt’s football antics were one of the funniest things Glee has done so far.  (I’d even venture to say that “Preggers” got named for the wrong part of its plot.)

One of the pitfalls with doing a show about a glee club is that there have to be enough characters to form, well, a glee club, but there’s no reason to leave half the group — characters who are clearly bursting with potential, if only there were scenes for them to express it! — to echo Quinn:  “Are we just supposed to sway back here like props?”

Thursday Open Thread: Commercials

It’s been a while since we’ve had an open thread! There’s just been way too much going on with all the new series and nights of television that I’ve been so focused on giving you reviews, I forgot to ask about your opinions. So how about this for an open thread?

What commercials really bug you?

It could be the characters (like, say, the Glade woman?). It could be the jingles (“Call 1-800-Steamer. Stanley Steamer makes your home cleaner!”). It could be that you’re just tired of the way things are advertised.

For me, I’m hating the way commercials are portraying mothers these days. Their either really naggy–like in those AT&T rollover minutes commercials–or they just choose a younger model to grab the “pretty” factor instead of the realistic mom side. You have no idea how much I yell and scream at the TV every time I see a Target commercial with some 20-something “mom” with her three kids. One of which is probably 10. Really? What is that saying?

Anyway, let me know your pet peeves and annoyances. Or just rant about how you hate how the commercials are louder than the shows. We all hate that.

Jump to comments and tell vent away!

Gossip Girl: Star Power

It’s CC’s turn to take on Gossip Girl. XOXO.

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.05 “Rufus Getting Married”

Don’t mess with Georgina. We learned that in the first season of Gossip Girl, but that message was reinforced last night when Georgina and Scott crashed the nuptials of Rufus and Lily and dropped the “bastard child” bomb. Said nuptials started off last-minute in the Botanical Gardens and shifted to the Brooklyn hellden of Rufus Humphery officiated by none other than Kim Gordon thanks to Georgina. Do we think someone smart enough to figure out Rufus and Lily’s secret would fall for a faux Belarussian “prince?”  And does anyone remember when Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore contributed to Sassy?

I think this may negate all that. Before I talk about the wedding, let me discuss the whole love quadrant that is Bree/Blair/Nate/Chuck. Blair hates Bree mostly because she hails from Texas. It turns out that she’s got it out for Carter Baisson because he pretended to be in love with her cousin so that he could pay off some gambling debts. Once those were covered, he left her high and dry. He reports this to Serena who feels bad about it, but then, still wants him back. Somehow, Blair has duped herself into thinking that Carter’s “different with Serena.” I said a few weeks ago that those are lies that all women tell themselves, and they rely upon their friends to set them straight. Maybe the slumber party martinis had Dorota’s special cocktail of delusion (by the way, it was wonderful to see Dorota outside her maid’s uniform, n’est pas?). Who knew that Chuck would be the sanest one there? He hates Carter so he teams up with Bree (much to Blair’s chagrin) in order to take Carter down. I liked this part, frankly. Not only does it show how much he cares for his family (even if they’re not really his family), but also for Nate who somehow never seems to realize that he’s getting played. He did finally dump Bree, once he realized that she was using him to get Carter. I’m a little sad that Bree is gone. I loved Privileged, and Joanna Garcia was great. I hope they give her more to do on Gossip Girl or another CW show; here’s hoping that other show won’t be 90210 or Melrose, though.

Lucky, we’re still in New York and not L.A. and there’s an impending wedding. Blair gets her little minions to put together a worthy ceremony (someone has pull with Mayor Bloomberg). Prior to the ceremony, Lily and Rufus have a fight, mainly because Lily’s incapable of writing vows that don’t sound like they came from a Hallmark card. Naturally, Georgina et al drop the “Scott is really your son” bomb in the middle of said fight after Lily yells at the poor bastard. Knowing that their son is really alive brings Lily and Rufus closer together. They reminisce about “that time in Amherst” that included Sonic Youth. It’s funny, Lily actually brings up legitimate reasons to not get married (namely that this would be her 80th wedding) and ignores it. I’m hopeful that it will last for her this time. I’m also hoping that we don’t see Scott now that he’s met his parents and know that they want to hang out with him on occasion. For some reason, he really irritated me, probably because he always hanging around Vanessa.

Like Lily’s 5th this time down the aisle, Serena’s stint in PR seems to be a lasting move. Carter doesn’t really like that S is broke so he asks her to hit up lily for a PR-girl stipend or something. Serena and Lily make up (which, Lily was being a good parent by trying to make her go to Brown, I’m convinced), which ties things up all nicely. I’m wondering if in the coming weeks, Serena will get her own apartment too. I have to say I really like this show normally, but so far, this season’s been suffering from OC Syndrome. Sure, it’s always bad when people go to college, but that’s why you still have Little J. and Eric in high school! That’s why last week’s episode was so good—we saw Blair clinging to Constance and the power dynamics of class within private school life.   Our characters were precocious, mini adults while they were in high school, but they still had finals and parents and SATs which kept them grounded–now there’s nothing holding them.  What did everyone else think? Am I being too harsh?

Top Chef: Liveblog

TOP CHEF: 6.07 “Pigs & Pinot“

10:03: Eli, Robin, or Ash are headed home tonight, I think. Straight into the quickfire! And Padma is wearing some really weird boots today. The guest judge has worked with both the Voltaggio brothers in the past, but he promises to be impartial.

10:06: Today’s quickfire is based on pairings. Create a dish incorporating a snack food, made by Alexia’s snacks. We now have Top Chef’s whore moment of the day. Thanks for the blatant product placement, Bravo!

10:07: Kevin’s going to try a green bean casserole. This sounds promising.

10:10: Jennifer overdid her porkchops. The horror! Robin and Ash’s dishes also suck. On the other hand, Eli, Brian, and Kevin all do very well. Eli, wins, damnit. I zoned out for a sec; did he win anything? I don’t think so.

10:15: Knife drawing for the elimination challenge. The words on the knifes all list a particular cut of pork. Jen has the wildcard, so she can cook any cut. All chefs have to pair their food with pinot noir. I don’t know too much about wine, but if I remember correct, pinot is not too complicated a wine.

10:17: The chefs got to choose their wine out of 9 bottles. For the life of me, I can’t figure out how they decided the order. Brian went first, but he didn’t win the quickfire. How come?

10:20: There have been some rough edits between scenes today, and I think they’ve cut a lot out of this episode which could explain the wine order thing.

10:24: Life at the Top Chef house. Robin talks a lot, and people find it annoying. Eli hates Robin. Sure, Robin seems annoying, but I think Eli seems like the real douche here. Could the producers be hinting at something with the conflict between these two? Will one of them go home?

10:29: I’ll say this now. I don’t like Eli and I hope he goes home.

10:32: The brothers are snapping at each other a bit at the end of the cooking time. I’d say that’s the first time we’ve seem some outright sibling rivalry between the two. Next, the guests begin to arrive to the Pigs & Pinot event.

10:34: Michael’s root beer braised pork cheek looks and sounds really, really good. Ash’s tenderloin looks a little boring and ordinary. Judges think it’s “clammy.” The judges like the dish but don’t think it goes well with the wine.

10:35: Kevin’s dish looks a little gross to me. The judges really like it and it pairs well. Mike I’s dish goes over OK. Brian’s rib seems to go over well too, though they’re not gushing much about it.

10:37: Jennifer’s dish gets some very nice comments. Laurine is not very successful. One judge calls it cat food. Ouch.

10:38: Robin’s pork chop was not very good. Toby says it’s “slimy.” Based on the comments, it looks like Robin and Laurine are on the rush to the bottom. Which is worse; cat food, or slimy pork?? Ash, Laurine, and Robin will be in the bottom three. Eli, Jennifer and Kevin will be in the top 3?

10:43: I was wrong. There are top 4 and it’s Michael, Brian, Kevin, and Jennifer. Not sure who will win here because all four got very good comments. This is an interesting final because these four are without a doubt the strongest chefs remaining, and they have been the strongest from the first episode. Kevin wins today. He gets to be a guest chef in next years Pigs & Pinot event. I think that makes two wins for him. Keep an eye on this kid: he’ll go far!

10:46: Ash, Laurine, and Robin, as I predicted, are in the bottom 3. I think Laurine will go home, because cat food is gross.

10:58: The moment of truth… Down goes Ash. I’m a little surprised; thought they’d give him another chance. Still, not a huge surprise. He was one of the weaker ones.  Robin will remain for one more episode to continue to piss Eli off. Restaurant wars, next week!

One Tree Hill: I don’t like the po-po

ONE TREE HILL: 7.05 “Your Cheatin’ Heart”

Talk about an episode that went nowhere and did nothing. Man alive, this episode stunk. And this is coming from a fan.

I think they could have accomplished what happened in this episode in ten minutes. And part of the benefit would be cutting out all of the parts with Mia and Chase. That had absolutely no purpose at all.

I used to like Mia. A lot. She had personality. Now her “personality” is a one-sided, always happy, down to earth pop star. There’s no depth anymore. All she does is smile and read lines. Oh, and kiss Chase, who, by the way, also has very little depth. And apparently now flies planes. What?

Anyway, Haley was arrested and then let go. The biggest moment was at the end when she saw that the pregnant woman’s phone number was on a phone bill. *Gasp!*

Let’s ponder this. We’ve already established that he met her at a party and they were drunk. How many people out there have met someone at a party–not even a date, but maybe a friend or someone that you just want to contact afterward to get some information–and in order to give them your number, you just take their phone, call your phone, and there you have it! Automatically stored in someone else’s phone. And you have theirs, because their phone called you.

So one entry on a phone bill is nothing. Sorry, OTH, but you kinda are making a mountain out of a molehill here, and I don’t believe it. It’s charging up drama for no payout. Boo.

Beyond that, Mouth and Millie are fighting again. Whoo hoo. What I always wanted to see is Mouth, whining and b*tching again.

The best part was seeing Millie interact with Alex. Forcing Millie to drink the tequila while she ate all the limes. That was great. And overall, I’m interested to see where this storyline with Millie goes. It could be a lot of fun, as long as she doesn’t suddenly turn addict. (Hey, this is OTH. You never can tell.)

As for David and Quinn? Yawn. And sure, she and Clayton could be cute together, but I’m just not that interested right now. Someone bring me something entertaining!

The most entertaining part was when Haley was talking to her fellow cellmates about how they knew if their husbands were cheating. Oh, and Jamie’s line, “I don’t like the po-po.”

And what about Dan? That part, well, let’s just say it certainly didn’t make me wonder what would happen next. Dan’s going to try to pay her off or make it go away somehow. You know, sometimes I just wish he were bad again.

So give us something more next week, please, OTH? With sugar and sprinkles on top?

Big Bang Theory: Fun with prepositions

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.04 “The Pirate Solution”

After watching this episode, you really have to wonder how many research assistants are out there doing nothing and getting paid for it. After all, that’s what Raj did.

Until they found out and decided to have him deported. Oops.

So the main question in this episode is, “How will Raj find a job so he won’t get deported?” Now, I’ve seen enough sitcoms to know that the deportation plotline has rules. For one, you have to get a job in the field that you said you would. Second, marriages are much too complicated to even try.

You know what would have been really funny here, though? A conversation with Raj’s parents over the computer. Those are always great, and that would have been entirely appropriate. I could see them so excited he was coming home.

But instead, off Raj goes to find a job. I ADORED when he was in his job interview and met the woman that he’d be working with. Not necessarily his hitting on her (that seemed extreme), but the fact that he went silent as soon as she walked in the door. I guess it never occurred to him that there’d be women in the department. Sadly, I don’t think any of us realized it either, so it was a nice shock.

So it’s Sheldon who saves the day. Well, kinda. I loved the music and cut scenes as they stared at the problem on the board. Mostly, I enjoyed that Raj actually stumped Sheldon by the “worm stuck in a bridge” hand gesture (man, I loved that as a kid).

I’m not sure how long this can really go, though. Honestly, I think the show will probably drop the whole focus on it, and they’ll just get back to their normal routines with the knowledge that, yes, they work together. But in reality, how long could Sheldon really pay Raj to do this? And how long could Raj put up with it?

Well, the latter question really brings me to my next point about the episode–and really the show. Sheldon is really breaking down his defenses. Not only did he admit he was wrong (gasp!), but he went back to Raj for another chance. This is clearly not the Sheldon we used to know. I love to watch him develop, even if we do have to put up with more than a few Buzzingahs in the process.

As for the B-plot, I can hardly remember it. Leonard and Penny are officially together, so that leaves Howard all by himself–or actually, just in Leonard’s living room playing the third wheel. It was ok. I think I laughed. But I really just don’t remember it all that much, which makes me less than impressed. It seemed like typical sitcom stuff, though, which disappoints. Big Bang is usually so original.

But anyway, it was a good episode, and I enjoyed it. Here’s to next week! [Picture me doing the "worm stuck in a bridge" now.]

HIMYM: The trouble with double

KT is checking the egg timer for charades.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.04 “The Sexless Innkeeper”

A large part of this episode is an extension of a joke from the season premiere — remember Lily’s excitement over the possibility of double dating?  There they shut her down with cliché break-up lines until she locked them in the bedroom and made them admit that they’re dating.

Recall that we’ve seen Marshall and Lily try the double dating thing before.  They had at least one other couple over for a disastrous wine and cheese tasting while the rest of the gang was clubbing in “Okay Awesome” (season 1) and we saw a summary of their also-disastrous friendship with a couple down the hall in “The Platinum Rule” (season 3).

So here we learn that Lily and Marshall are perhaps not the greatest entertainers in the world (I loved the escaping couple who turned to find a threatening Lily at the door with a pie server).  Even Ranjit (Ranjit!) couldn’t take it.  And when Barney and Robin can’t take it, but can’t summon the courage to tell their friends the brutal truth, out come the break-up cliches again.

I loved that one of those was a Barney-style break-up cliché, though — the wild sort of story that only the dumbest of his bimbos would swallow.  I loved watching everyone else’s reactions there:  Robin’s is “Dammit, do you have to?”  Lily’s is “Don’t give me this crap,” and Marshall is totally, “Aliens?  Really?”  Not that Marshall’s a bimbo, but we’ve seen before that this is kind of a weak spot with him, up there with superstitions and lightsabers (which totally will be a reality in three to five years.)

Eventually, it’s Ted who convinces them that they have to face the problem.  That struck me as a little odd — the husband and I were watching last season’s “Happily Ever After” the other night, in which Ted has a long spiel about how he’s from Ohio, and in Ohio, people push their pain down until it goes away.  But I suppose this isn’t quite the same sort of thing.

However, Marshall’s slide shows (yay for Jason Segal singing!) and the sexless innkeeper poems were all kinds of awesome.  The wardrobe department (which must feature quite the wig collection) pulled out the Barnabus Stinson wig from “The Goat,” and Ted got a pretty impressive one, too.  Loved Barney’s idea of poetic license.

Eventually, of course, Marshall and Lily and Barney and Robin are hugging in the rain and spouting more romcom cliches like their lives depend on it.  Aww.  But really, Barney and Robin just need to help Lily and Marshall loosen up and have some fun.  I loved the egg timer trail, though.

Meanwhile, Ted’s living the sexy single life while Barney is going to brunch… but the final scene makes it clear that Barney’s not a tamed house cat yet!  I expect we’ll see more of that tension before too long.  (Speaking of house cats… poor Lily’s mom!)

Truest words in the episode:  “Barney and I are barely equipped to date each other, much less you guys!”  I’m hoping for more wacky double dates in the near future!

Ghost Whisperer: Bleh. Ick. Sigh.

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.03 “Till Death Do Us Start”

I’m so disappointed. Incredibly disappointed.

I was expecting this amazingly well-done episode that follows up with the incredible Sally Stitch storyline of the previous week. I wanted to see more creepiness and possibly go to bed with nightmares.

Yes, I’m weird.

Instead, we got this. A lame story of Eli and his parents.

Now, I realize that Jennifer Love Hewitt thinks that Jamie Kennedy is the bee’s knees, but I find the Eli storylines to be excruciatingly dull. Not only are they just boring, but Jamie Kennedy’s Eli is quickly going downhill in his capabilities to be a “blind” ghost whisperer, you know, someone who can only hear the ghosts.

And this storyline with his parents was just so awful.

First, they set it up like he could have a half sister. Well, that’s all well and good–except that we had that storyline last year. So unless we were going to just regurgitate some stuff we’ve already seen (which it really did seem to be that way for a while), we knew there would be some sort of twist.

And what was that twist, ladies and gentlemen? Lesbianism!

Sigh. Must every TV show had lesbians somehow incorporated? What’s worse is that not only is Eli discovering this truth about his family, but the amount of time he spent thinking about his mother’s possible sexual partners is a creepfest in itself. Perhaps I should watch what I ask for.

I don’t know. For some reason, I had absolutely no interest in this episode, and was highly considering flipping over to Say Yes to the Dress instead. I think it would have had more drama.

I feel bad saying this. I mean, I’ve overall been rather positive about Ghost Whisperer. It surprises me that sometimes the writing on this show–a show that I don’t think many people take seriously–is actually pretty good. The entire Sam Jim Jim Sam storyline last year was unpredictable and a good watch. I give them props and kudos.

But they need to find the correct strength in the show. And that’s not Eli. I don’t care who Eli is dating, and I don’t really care about his family life. I do like his new role to guard the book, but that’s a rather limited capacity. It only comes up now and then.

I just think this could have been stronger. Maybe if they had just cast someone else as the son–not replaced Eli but making the son of the deceased father a random third party–it would have been stronger.

Or maybe I’m biased. You tell me. What did you think?

Army Wives: What do you think happens?

ARMY WIVES: 3.18 “Fields of Fire”

Army Wives is probably the only show I know that successfully pulled off an explosion in the first season that killed off a main character–all without jumping the shark. Honestly, it kept me hooked all hiatus, just so that I could jump right back in for the shocker premiere episode, where we discovered that, yes, Amanda died.

I bring this up for two reasons. The first is that this one season finale has set the standard for the rest of the season finales for Army Wives. How do you live up to this season to season? Well, last season, it kinda failed. The big cliffhanger was Emmalin’s running away, which seemed rather anticlimactic. In fact, I kinda didn’t care about her and Logan, so I didn’t really care if she ran away. Plus, you knew they wouldn’t move to Germany (get rid of Claudia Joy? I think not), so it was kinda determined before it started that it would work out.

So to top the first season and the second (lamer) season, we now have wartime violence surrounding Joan, Pamela leaving Chase, and Jeremy possibly killing himself.

This leads me to the second reason to bring up Amanda’s demise: It was his relationship with Amanda that brought Jeremy to sign up for the army. Could we really kill off Amanda, then do the same to Jeremy?

So let’s start there. I would be surprised if they really killed off Jeremy. While it would give a lot for Denise and Frank to do next season, it just seems like they wouldn’t do it. I think we’re all enjoying watching him develop and handle his new surroundings (and guilt), so to drop that storyline like dead weight seems wrong. Plus, there aren’t that many younger people in this show anymore–basically Jeremy and Emmalin. Could we get rid of one of two?

Anyway, to go with the other storylines, I think Army Wives has one problem. Honestly, these wives can’t do anything–divorce husbands, die, etc.–without getting kicked off the show. After all, they’re ARMY wives. If they divorce their husbands, as we almost saw with Denise, then we have a main character kicked off the base. Or, if Joan were to die (which I think she won’t, but who knows?), Roland disappears.

I could highly see Joan getting hurt–possibly so much so that she’s unable to perform the details of a wife. Maybe she’s in a coma. Maybe she’s been injured. Maybe it’s severe burning. Out of all the women, I think she’d be an easy sympathetic kill, but the ramifications of Roland’s role on the show would be very difficult to handle.

So I don’t know. These are all hypotheses. All I know is that I’d miss Jeremy terribly. As long as Roland remains on the show, I’m a happy girl, but I think he’s a great character to deal with some difficult challenges. And as for Pamela and Chase? I’m adoring this storyline and I can’t wait to find out what’s next.

Drop Dead Diva: Already waiting for next season

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.13 “Grayson’s Anatomy”

This show has definitely been one of those pleasant surprises. If you recall, I wasn’t actually all that impressed with it when it first started, but now, I’m completely head over heels for Diva.

And it was a completely successful season finale, I think. I mean, I thought it was going to be a completely Grayson-centric episode. Will she or won’t she tell him the truth?

But it was better. That was a B-plot. You know what? That was a C-plot? And what’s more? She’s liking Tony. That’s fantastic. I’m loving this guy, and I’m glad that she’s warming up to him and moving on with a life she has now, even if she still has some love in her heart for Grayson. And good for her for realizing that a dream doesn’t mean everything!

Of course, I guess the “husband” throws a few kinks in some things.

Let’s think of this logically. Clearly, this is some sort of ex-husband or someone she’s separated from. This isn’t someone that she’s had a lasting relationship with or else Teri would be questioning her constantly about why she’s dating Tony. Now, the backstory, that will be interesting. like, what if he’s abusive? I mean, he looks like a nice guy, right? What’s lurking behind that facade?

Ok, maybe that’s not really what happened, but I’m just saying, there’s intrigue.

I’m much more interested in what’s going to happen with her career. I doubt she’ll be disbarred. Mainly because that would change the entire course of the show. That means no more Kim and Teri–minor characters that we’ve learned to appreciate. We’ve already lost Fred (twice); we can’t lose more. Plus, no more law, which was generally the focal point of the show. And most of all, no more Grayson.

And we know, there must be more Grayson.

I guess there’s a chance that she’ll have her license suspended or that it’s taken away for a time. Maybe when she is a lawyer again, she’ll start her own firm and be against all those that she used to work for.

Anyway, there are a lot of lingering questions, and honestly, I think they’re fantastic ones to end a season on. It wasn’t anything explosive. But it was definitely something that made you stop blinking.

And while I overall loved the episode, I have to complain about one thing: the case about breast cancer.

No company in their right mind would fire someone for being a breast cancer survivor. If the girl had significant scars from the surgery, ok, maybe. But otherwise, they would not just say that it’s bad for business. Nowadays, so many companies pride themselves on being in support of causes–like finding a cure for breast cancer–that to fire this girl just seems to be unlikely. Most likely, they’d make her the posterchild for the company, saying, “We support breast cancer awareness” and making money off of that angle. I just really didn’t believe this storyline.

Oh, and in no way would anyone be able to strip down in court like that. I’m just sayin’.

Mad Men: “I want what I want when I want it, and I don’t care how it affects the rest of us.”

MAD MEN: 3.09 “Wee Small Hours”

If you get pregnant, have a child and go insane, Don will save your job.  If you spurn your client’s advances in a film editing room, then you’re fired…at least in 1963.  Last night, we saw the firing of our favorite quasi-gay character, Sal.  I wasn’t sure if Don was telling Sal that he should’ve given in to Lee Garter’s, the Lucky Strike head, advances or not.  However, it was interesting that the struggle for civil rights (we began the episode with “I Have a Dream” and ended it with the funerals at Birmingham) was juxtaposed with Sal’s dismissal as a result of his homosexuality (and even more importantly, not giving in to it–because if you want to sleep with men, then you can’t choose which ones).

Sal wasn’t the only one involved in some coercive sex.  At the beginning of the episode, Don encounters Ms. Farrell on a late-night run (he’s on his way to see Conrad Hilton).  He offers her a ride, which she accepts, despite exercising.  She talks about playing MLK’s speech for the children, leading Don to marvel at her innocence.  The evening of the Birmingham funeral, two weeks later, Don lies about Conrad’s call and heads over to Ms. Farrell’s…where they have sex, after minimal Farrell protest.  Dear Lord, does anyone know better? It’s not hair gel; it’s shellac.

Of course, we opened this episode with Betty on her stupid fainting couch (I think that thing’s gotten more air time than Joan and Sal combined) dreaming about being felt up by Henry Francis.  This causes her to begin writing letters to him Bridges of Madison County style. Of course, he just must see her and comes over.  When Carla catches them, he thanks Betty for agreeing to throw a fundraiser.  Carla smiles, knowingly, and I’ve got to say that I love Carla.  She’s largely a silent figure, but she’s important nonetheless—she knows all the Draper secrets and is silently acquiring more.  I’m not sure, however, how she managed to keep her mouth shut when those women were talking about black people infiltrating the North.  Of course, they’re all Republican.

In other Republican news, Conrad Hilton is still a pain in the ass.  First, he calls Don at all hours and summons him to the Waldorf-Astoria.  Then, he rejects Don’s campaign ideas (which was actually really good) because he denied him the moon (yes, Don is actually George Bailey. He can lasso it!)  and walks out with a huff. I’m also mad at him for supplying the genetic material for Paris and Nicky.  That and saying that Communists lack God and that’s why we’re better than them; it reminds me of George Bush, but I digress.   The Conrad Hilton and the Lee Garter debacles cause Roger Sterling to tell Don that he needs to stop acting like an account man because he’s way over his head.  I thought that they weren’t speaking?

Because he didn’t show up at her little fundraiser, Betty decides to pay Henry Francis a visit.  He tells her that she needed to come to him because she’s married, and he kisses her.  She tells him that she won’t sleep with him in an office.  He suggests that they get a room, and she says that’s “tawdry.”  It’s funny, given that she had extramarital sex with a stranger in a bathroom last year, but I think it’s a nice contrast to the way Don handles his affairs.  She wants a courtship, while Don wants sex above a garage.

I like that Betty’s involved in politics in order to maintain the status quo.  She tells Carla at the end of the episode that “maybe now’s not the time for civil rights,” just like it wasn’t time for her to have an affair, Don to land Hilton international (though he still may), or Sal to hang on to his job.  What she doesn’t realize is that things are going to continue to change, evolve.  Tensions are going to get more heated.  What’s unclear is who will be left standing at the end of it all, but my money’s on Carla…or Joan, if we ever get to see her again.

Dollhouse: The dark brewings of an innocent mind

Raked didn’t read Chaucer either, but she certainly liked TV.

DOLLHOUSE:  1.03 “Belle Chose”

It’s episodes like this that make me want to question my faith in humanity. It’s not even the fact that someone could be out there just like Terry, stealing girls from safe places, just to transform them into his own dolls–and hitting them with a mallet for trying to fight back. I’ve seen enough procedurals and TV movies to silence my fears about people like this. I lock my doors and carry my keys in a defensive way.

It’s the fact that someone in the writing staff of Dollhouse thought of this. Pictured it and made it happen on a soundstage. And that it was so effective that it ran shivers down my spine. The fact that this writer also was able to create someone so selfish and heartless that despite Terry’s misdoings, he wanted him to be awakened and alive–protecting him that has hurt so many. All because he’s rich.

This was a dark, dark episode. True, it was lightened by the picture of Victor as Kiki (loved it), but it was dark. It was frightening.

And it was great.

I was horrified. True, the mannequins did remind me a little more of House of Wax than anything else. But when Terry took the mallet to Aunt Sheila, suddenly the tables turned. It was wrong before, but as it was later pointed out to us, he crossed a line.

Moving beyond Terry, I very much enjoyed Topher’s attempt to find solutions. Trying a remote wipe–something only accomplished by Alpha (and don’t think Topher’s forgotten that)–only to have it backfire. Not only did it wipe out all the power in the Dollhouse and their surveillance vehicles, but it also didn’t exactly wipe anyone. I just caused someone else to take on Terry’s identity.

And that person was Echo. And you know what? It was probably the safest mistake anyone could make.

Any other doll, we would have had terrible problems. They would have continued on with Terry’s terrible plan. But not Echo. Echo has flaws–a doll state that seems to be fighting through her imprints. And honestly, that’s what saved Terry’s victims.

My one slight complaint was the fact that apparently Echo has some impressive stamina. I mean, the fact that one of the victims (the mother?) hit her three times in the head and neck with a mallet and Echo was still able to get up and talk to them about what they need to do? That all seems rather unrealistic.

It was an interesting turn of events. And more interesting was the fact that Echo is breaking through. We’ve seen where her imprints are leaving thoughts and memories in her. And we’ve seen where other imprints jump in and take over (think the season premiere of this episode). But Echo has never actually taken the stage and been rational before. That was new.

And in the end, it beat her down. All she wanted was to be wiped. And as she was cradled off to get her treatment, we had hope that she really was wiped for good.

But those final two words showed us otherwise (two words that seemed to be unnecessary, considering that longing look she had at Terry’s body).

And by the way, what does it mean for us, the audience, just to want Terry gone, dead, killed as he lied helpless in the Dollhouse? Are we just as bad? Maybe we should look at our own humanity. Which is really right and wrong? It may be for the better of others, but it’s killing another, nonetheless.

Please continue on to read KT’s thoughts on the episode.

Dollhouse: Beautiful things

KT made it through an English degree without reading Chaucer.  Is that cheating?

DOLLHOUSE:  1.03 “Belle Chose”

Pretty women.  Dollhouse is always full of pretty women:  victims, fighters, Sleeping Beauties dreaming of perfectly crisp leaves of lettuce.  This week, Tim Minear takes us on a tour of female power and female objectification with Geoffrey Chaucer as his co-pilot.

Objectification of people shows up in a very literal form as soon as the episode starts to play.  The clearly unstable Terry Karrens initially seems to be toying with manikins, but if they look a little too real, that’s because they are.  We’re horrified, but don’t forget that objectification is the cornerstone of the Dollhouse business plan, as well as a favored coping mechanism of some Dollhouse employees.  Didn’t Dominic compare actives to pets on one occasion?  To what degree is Terry’s giant Barbie playset worse than dolling up Echo as “Kiki” so that a lit professor can act out his sexual fantasies?

It’s no mistake that the guy specializes in medieval literature.  Don’t snooze off during his lecture on medieval authorship — his big point is that, in that time period, it was the norm for artists to remain anonymous.  Who made this, something we would consider a basic question about a work’s identity, was simply not the point.  Which is not unlike the way that the Dollhouse works very hard to keep its actives’ true identities simply beyond the point.  Here, we have a lovely young thing who is exactly what you’ve been longing for! Never mind that this isn’t the person she was born to be.

It’s also no mistake that Kiki has gotten an F on her paper about the Wife of Bath.  (Mind you, how she had a paper to be given an F on, I’m not quite clear about.  Nor do I see how anyone can afford Dollhouse prices on a professor’s salary, but let’s not get hung up on those details.)  Ignoring the fact that Kiki can’t possibly have written that paper herself, I do think it’s significant that Kiki, a constructed personality, doesn’t understand the Wife of Bath, a character who is sure of her own identity.

We are also presented with a parallel between Kiki and the Wife of Bath in that each wields sexual power over the men in her life, but that ignores the fact that Kiki’s whole existence is barely more than a mirage.  She’s merely a beautiful thing — or, in French, a belle chose.  Which, to bring this full circle, is Chaucer’s euphemism for female genitalia.  (Come on, hands up.  Who expected this episode to involve a girl called Belle making a choice?  Yeah, I thought that was a possibility, too.)

All the same, sexual power is certainly a currency the Dollhouse deals in, yet is something that the actives in their doll state lack entirely.  And it’s not irrelevant to the psychosis of Terry Karrens, who can’t comprehend that he isn’t the center of his family’s universe, but it isn’t children or friends he complains about, it’s that his female relatives spend more attention on husbands and boyfriends than on him.  Twisted doesn’t begin to describe it.  And as Boyd amusingly pointed out, when Topher has ethical concerns about someone, we had all better sit up and take notice.

With regard to the Terry plotline, it wasn’t so much the story that bowled me over (though it looks like we’re getting ready to dig a little deeper into the whys and hows of the Rossum Corporation) as the characters involved.  I don’t think we’ve ever seen Paul quite so competent!  I enjoyed watching him work when not trapped by the impossible quest of Finding the Dollhouse.  I hardly need say that Enver Gjokaj was fantastic all episode long.  And could anyone tell whether Bradley Karrens died in that car crash or was just knocked out?  If we’re exploring Rossum, it would make sense to see him again (assuming he lived, naturally), and I’d love to see Michael Hogan back on the show.

But for as much seriousness as this episode contained, Tim Minear also packed it full of funny, from Kiki’s spiel about Medieval Lit versus Basic Evil or Advanced Evil to Adelle’s quiet zingers (“There’s no need to continue to translate me.”) to the fabulous, fabulous scene of Victor as Kiki and Paul’s entrance in full protector mode.  I thought this was absolutely a stellar episode and has set the bar for the rest of the season.

Continue on to read Raked’s thoughts on the episode.

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Pam Halpert

THE OFFICE: 6.04 “Niagara”

I don’t normally cover The Office unless it’s a standout episode. And I think we can all agree that the wedding of Jim and Pam was a standout episode.

So even though I made my predictions yesterday, here are my thoughts today.

It was a fantastic episode. As I kinda said, when the writers of The Office make an hour-long episode, they know how to do it right. And they did. This was one enjoyable hour of television.

Now, I should say one thing. I did get really tired of a lot of the sexual humor. Speeches about intercourse, torn scrota, etc. That wasn’t my style. Nor was the sequence where everyone threw up at the beginning. To be honest, when I saw that, I didn’t have the highest expectations.

But they pulled it off. I loved that it was Jim who let the secret slip. And I love that it was Michael who convinced her to come to the wedding. Sure, it was rather unbelievable that management would throw away Kevin’s shoes and he’d wear Kleenex boxes–or that Michael would sleep next to a vending machine. But even though all that happened, it was pretty darn funny.

And yes, it was incredibly sweet how Pam and Jim did get married. Interspersing that with the dance down the aisle–only really seeing her expressions exchanged with Jim’s, just as they used to react to things in the office in the good ol’ days–was nice. Silly, but nice.

But here’s my thing: it wasn’t original. I know that sounds really critical, but the whole, let’s get married by ourselves and then go have the real wedding isn’t all that new. It was sweet, but not new.

For example, most recently we had Lily and Marshall on How I Met Your Mother. Disaster after disaster led them to their dream wedding–an intimate ceremony outside with an acoustic guitar. (And yes, I did end up following up The Office with this episode of HIMYM.)

And before that (and I’m sure you won’t remember it), Paul and Jamie on Mad About You.

But mainly I was thinking of HIMYM. But whatever, it worked out, and it was sweet. Plus, I got that nice moment of remembering when I was on the Maid of the Mist. What did you think of the fact that Jim had planned it, though? I’m back and forth on that one. His statement was sweet, especially his plan A, but I just would have liked the idea of spontaneity.

But my favorite part by far was when Jim cut his tie. Not that he cut it, but the fact that, finally, we got to see a real reaction from the couple that we assumed was perfect. Pam was upset. She felt out of control. And most of all, she had a real reaction to her pregnancy.

It was so truthful, and it finally gave a real vision of two people, and not just television entities. It was just…nice.

So now meet the Halperts. They made it–even with Michael in attendance. Oh, and by the way, Michael and Pam’s mom? Ew. This would have never happened with her old mom (which is probably why I liked her better).

Dollhouse: A beginning we never knew

DOLLHOUSE: 1.00 “Echo”

Raked’s turn to take on the unaired pilot of Dollhouse. Read KT’s review here.

I think the easiest and possibly most dangerous question to ask when watching an unaired pilot is, “Which was better?” I’m not going to answer that question.

Why? Well, they both had their pros. They both had their cons. And honestly, both send the show into their own directions, and that could easily determine an entire series.

Think, for example, Adelle. If you noticed, at least by the end, somehow Adelle has a heart. Or possibly some inkling of fear. “We’re all in this together”? This is not the Adelle we knew in the first season. And imagine how that would set her up for the rest of the series. That’s a big distinction from the hard, ruthless person. Sure, we know she has weakness–hiring Victor out to be her own lover–but we didn’t know it from the start.

And Topher. Topher is a brand-new man now because of “Epitaph One.” Ever piece of everything he says is completely analyzed because we know what’s going to happen to him. And his mind.

Here…wow. I don’t know if you saw it, but there was a glint of crazy in those eyes. He talks about the technology and how great the job is–there’s power there, and he knows it. So which would you want? The innocent Topher who is broken down in the end, almost to our surprise? Or one that you discovered–just too late–that you knew it all along?

And Dr. Saunders, the Phantom. I must say for one thing that her scars were much more noticeable and distinctive this time around, and honestly, I liked them. Dr. Saunders has always been beautiful, but her scars basically had healed and were slight lines across her face. Was it the network’s choice to make her that way? There were a harsh reality, and much more in your face, pardon the pun.

But look at that haunting look she gave Echo in the end. Sure, she knew that Echo was evolving an that was a problem, but who’s to say Echo’s the only one to evolve. Topher says himself that the longer you’re in an imprint, the more problems could arise. Look how long Whiskey has been Dr. Saunders? Perhaps something in her mind has realized subconsciously remembered that she was scarred because Alpha wanted Echo to be number one. After all, she subconsciously started hated Topher, right?

The actual episode…well, it ran a little long for me. Like KT said, you could see some repeated scenes, so Ballard’s storyline was pretty much the same. But I didn’t like that this was the moment that he met Caroline. The big reveal as she, well, kicks his ass a few episodes later was so much stronger. And the beginning felt a little choppy for me. I wonder whether people would have continued to watch the beginning if it had originally aired.

But overall, how haunting. We didn’t quite get to learn the “Do you trust me?” yet, so we saw how Ballard was unable to control Echo. It really made you wonder. But Echo’s twist as an assassin was great, and the best?

A haunting whisper of “Caroline”–something she was never supposed to know.

Dollhouse: Begin at the very beginning

KT and Raked take a look at the unaired pilot. Read Raked’s thoughts here. KT’s are below.

DOLLHOUSE:  1.00 “Echo”

Ultimately, I think the message here is that Fox should trust the Joss-man.

I’m not here to bash Fox today.  They’ve given Dollhouse a second season, and Dog-willing, they’ll air the whole season.  But I do think that starting the series with “Echo” would have worked just as well as starting with “Ghost.”  In some cases, I think it would have gone over better and I’d love to harness the Twilight Zone long enough to see Dollhouse’s ratings in a started-with-“Echo” universe.

This being not-the-Twilight Zone, that’s all a bit academic, but I do find it interesting to compare how exposition is parceled out in “Echo” versus in “Ghost.”

In some respects, “Echo” is pleasantly straightforward.  Echo herself doesn’t even glitch — which happens in so many early episodes that viewers were left wondering how the Dollhouse didn’t have a lot of angry clients on their hands.  We learn straight-up how the technology works, how the procedure works, how much privacy the clients typically are given (the last is something we were left wondering about; in fact, was this ever explained?), and we see a range of different engagements — romance, ass-kicking, altruistic, and espionage.  For that matter, we actually got the explanation about altruistic engagements, something else that confused us for several episodes last spring.  And where Paul Ballard sticks out, sore thumb style in the first five episodes, here he’s clearly in the same show as the Dollhouse crew and they clearly know he’s on their trail.  All in all, “Echo” is a really nice introduction piece.

That said, I did enjoy “Ghost” when it aired.  I don’t think it’s one of the show’s strongest episodes, nor  is it one of my favorites.  But it did its job and left me wanting more.  Plus, it did offer some things “Echo” doesn’t.  I like that the writers decided to introduce Sierra at the beginning of her contract.  I really liked the opening scene of “Ghost” between Caroline and Adelle.  Although later episodes have not put Caroline among my favorite characters, I think that was a compelling opener and good thematic fit for an episode called “Ghost.”

Speaking of ghosts, I love the way that Topher spends “Echo” referring to Dr. Saunders as “the phantom.”  She is, in a way, the Phantom of the Dollhouse:  a lonely person with a scarred face and a scarred psyche who never leaves the place.  But it’s just as much an expression of Topher’s uneasiness over creating a coworker, over creating someone who doesn’t like him, over using a dead friend’s name for this creepy new creation.

I have trouble describing the levels on which the Topher/Saunders scene fascinates me.  I love watching the awkwardness between them, knowing that he knows and I know, but she doesn’t.  I love imagining how I would have pondered this scene if he know, but she and I didn’t know.  The scene is electric by itself, but knowing how Saunders will struggle in “Vows,” it’s all the more compelling.

If you’ve seen season 1 of Dollhouse, it won’t take you long to notice that bits and pieces of “Echo” were moved into other episodes.  One that I particularly noticed was Ballard’s meeting with Victor at a rooftop party, followed by Echo’s lunch with Sierra and (gasp!) Victor, and Topher’s comment that they were becoming “a little bit bison” — all of that (I think) moved to “Grey Hour.”

Not only were scenes pulled into later episodes, but so were a couple of actors.  The girl who played the abused addict came back in “Omega” to play Wendy (and, after a fashion, Caroline).  And the bride whose ex brought Echo as his “and guest” reappeared just last week as Cindy, Senator Perrin’s wife.  Nice of the Dollhouse team to invite these two back when their episode got canned.

Minor quibble:  I wish they hadn’t named this episode “Echo” and then titled episode 7 “Echoes.”  Come on, guys.  In the age of the internet, you gotta know even an unaired pilot isn’t just going to disappear into the ether.

Oh, NBC, I’m mad. You canceled ‘Southland’?!?!

I have to say one thing: At least FOX aired the shows before they canceled them. Firefly, Tru Calling, Wonderfalls. If you noticed, you got to see episodes on the air.

NBC has taken it’s fear tactic one step too far. They’ve canceled Southland before it even premiered its second season.

Apparently, because NBC has had a major suck-fest over Mercy and Trauma, they figured they’d go ahead and cancel a series that they assumed would have similar ratings.

Now, let’s analyze. First of all, Southland would be going into its sophomore year, which means it’d be carrying over at least some of its viewers from last season. Not all, I bet, because they shifted it over to a Friday night death slot. Plus, they delayed the premiere so that people wouldn’t know when to find it.

BUT it had a huge cliffhanger ending to last year. When you leave a character dead on the pavement at the end of its freshman year, you honestly don’t know if he’s going to really make it. So is he dead or is he alive? We’ll never know.

Oh the other hand, Mercy and Trauma are new series. They have no reason to gather viewers or for people to watch, except to take a chance. These are completely different rating strategies. Plus, believe it or not, Southland generally doesn’t cover taking care of ill, sick, or injured people. They’re cops, not hopital workers or even ambulance workers. Different subject matter.

But NBC’s scared. They’re dying. Quickly. The blood is draining out of the life of NBC, and now, fans are getting hurt.

Well, I’ll tell you one thing: You certainly don’t keep viewers by canceling shows they care about. You can ask FOX that. They’ve had a lot of experience. They know all about the backlash.

So now it’s your turn. Backlash it up, people!

According to the article announcing cancelation that I read, John Wells says,

I’m disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically-acclaimed series that was for so many years, a hallmark of their success…We remain extremely proud of Southland and are actively looking for another home for the series.

Another home. There’s always that chance. So if you’re a Southland fan, I’d start making it known ASAP. This is gritty, real television, and it deserves to be somewhere.

So start getting angry, people. I have a few choice words for NBC, but hey, I try to keep it clean here on Raked. Is it fair to cancel before giving it a chance on the air? I don’t think so. And now I’m mad.

image from tvfanatic.com

Glee: Just say no

KT is walkin’ on sunshine.

GLEE:  1.06 “Vitamin D”

Last week it was Emma who did the most to push the plot forward, but this week best idea (inspire the kids through competition) and the worst idea (hire Terri as school nurse) come from Sue.  Also, we learn that we should “say no” not only to drugs but to Terri as well, because the rest of the bad ideas came from her.

Sometimes I feel a twinge of pity for Terri, but in general my least favorite part of the show is Will’s struggle between his marriage to Terri and his attraction to Emma.  Mostly it’s because I hate to root for a divorce, even in television, while Will and Emma’s chemistry is maddeningly adorable.  Sigh.  I think less is more with Terri, and I think Will would agree with me.

One of Terri’s bad ideas is for Ken to propose to Emma (horrible idea, right?), but it may turn out to be the set up for some very clever comedy.  Emma accepts on the terms that they each keep their separate living arrangements, last names, and that pretty much no one should know and nothing will change.  Ken seems to think that this is a pretty great idea, so she accepts the ring.

Ken’s actual proposal surprised me, though — the part about protecting her from loneliness and so on was sweet.  And although he bought the tiniest cubic zirconium ring he could find, he at least rationalizes the choice by remembering (accurately, I assume) how distraught Emma was over Blood Diamond.

Unfortunately, pitting the kids against each other didn’t really set either group on fire the way that Will hoped it would.  Instead it set them on drugs, via Finn’s chat with Nurse Terri and Rachel’s competitive spirit.  I’m a little skeptical about the concept of getting high off of pseudoephedrine, though.  That’s non-drowsy Sudafed, folks — great for the sinuses, but we never saw the kids take more than a normal dose and they were acting as though they’d had a six-pack of Mountain Dew each.  Feel free to tell me I’m over-analyzing or just naïve.

Regardless of what they were on, the two performances were fast-paced and lots of fun.  I thought the boys should get the win — I liked the way the vocals were more clearly split between Finn and Artie, and the Asian football player really has the moves!  IMDB tells me his name is Mike.  I still hope they’ll do more with all the background kids.  I sense some residual tension between the football players and cheerleaders and the original Glee outcasts, but the group also seems to be bonding at least a little.  I’d rather see more of that and less of Will and Finn’s parallel romantic issues.

Happily, Rachel’s change of heart last week seems to be sticking.  She’s still her self-important, cheerfully abrasive self, but her heart-to-heart with Quinn went a long way towards redeeming her antics of the last few weeks.  I don’t think Quinn’s happy about relying on the Glee Club weirdos to be her social circle, but she knows Rachel’s right.

Neither of the supposed future parents are having an easy time of it.  Finn’s worries are keeping him up, and Quinn decides that giving her baby to the Schuesters would be a smart decision.  I agree with her, except for the part where Terri’s going to continue to fake the pregnancy and Will’s never supposed to find out.  How dense is Will supposed to be?

And for next week:  Sue as co-captain of the Glee Club.  Totally saw that coming as soon as Figgins told Will he clearly couldn’t handle the club by himself — which doesn’t take away from the fact that this should be drop dead hilarious.  I wonder if she’ll get a chance to sing.  I wonder if she’ll find out about Quinn’s pregnancy (which should lead to a confrontation and a half).  I wonder if she’ll continue to lie about her age in her own journal…  Hee.

Here comes the Dunder Mifflin bride

So if you live under a rock, you’ll be happy to know that Pam and Jim from The Office are getting married tonight.

If you haven’t lived under a rock, you probably know this. You’ve probably seen all the montages of their lives together. You’ve probably seen the promo for tonight’s episode and gotten teary. And you’ve probably looked at their wedding website.

I’m all for happy episodes and even TV weddings (I have watched soaps afterall), but the hype around this episode is driving me nuts! I’m very excited, but I think NBC is basing their big comeback on this episode (you know, since they’re almost dead). And of course, I do fear that by giving the viewers what they want, all tension might end and the show might go downhill.

But you know what? I’m going to put all that aside for right now. Good-bye, skeptic. You want to know why? Well, there’s a baby on the way and that always causes tension in comedies, so I don’t think they’ll run out of material anytime soon (even if the jokes do turn out to be cliches). And since the wedding episode is an hour, clearly the writers of The Office are making it just as funny as their Christmas episode a couple years back and any of their other hour-long episodes. (Or at least, I’m hoping.)

So for all you romantics out there, I raise my glass and say,

I’m sure tonight’s episode will be great and happy–and, of course, funny! So here’s to Pam and Jim: the wedding we’ve been waiting four years for.

And, look, Jim has been waiting, too.

image from buzzsugar.com

One Tree Hill: Where were you when it broke?

ONE TREE HILL: 7.04 “Believe Me, I’m Lying”

Mmmm, yum. I like where this is going. Nom nom nom.

That was half my enjoyment of the episode, and half my eating lunch. No matter what it is, I’m really liking where this season is going.

Which is funny, because at first I was hesitant. And while I think it could get old really quick, I liked the development as we discovered who knew and who was finding out about Nathan’s “love child.”

Of course, that was before Haley hit her. That was awesome. As was her hair.

Anyway, I think it could be an interesting twist. I hope we don’t find out any time soon whether Nathan slept with her or not. I’m still of the mind that he didn’t, but let’s just keep it a secret. That’s the part that makes it unique. Not the affair or the illegitimate child. You can find that anywhere. But not knowing… That’s key.

Of course, if this were my life (and thank goodness it’s not), this guy would have had a paternity test already. Oh, I’m putting myself in Haley’s shoes, by the way.

As for Mouth, again, I could care less. Wouldn’t it be nice if he got fired and Millie dumped him and he went back to Omaha? I’m actually rather disappointed. I used to like him a lot. But since his ex came into the picture last year and there was the Millie drama, I just really don’t like him anymore. What’s more? It looks like now that Millie partied all night, there might be more drama. Booooooo.

What didn’t excite me in the episode was Quinn. I think the problem is, we haven’t learned enough to like her yet. I mean, we know her backstory, but that’s it. We haven’t seen her have fun with everyone enough. We don’t know what to like about her. Sure, she takes good pictures and is good with Jamie, but that’s it? She started whining about her husband right as we met her, which means I’m not invested in that relationship, no matter how much I feel for David. (He’s a rather flat character, but did anyone else think his drunken fight was out of place?)

I don’t know my opinions yet of the fashion show. It was a nice sentiment, but something seemed off. It didn’t make sense to just end a show like that with, “Zero is not a size.” I mean, good for fashion designers for saying that, but all the other models were a size zero, you still didn’t show off your dress, and Millie is still a tiny, tiny girl!

But at least Alex is turning around and being nice to Millie. Can’t complain abut that.

So I think that about wraps it up, folks. Did you like it? I’m more excited that the Nathan plot is moving more than anything else. Nothing’s worse than a stalemate. Right, Quinn?

Vampire Diaries: Secrets and Witchcraft

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.04 “Family Ties”

This seemed to be a bit of a slow-moving episode to me. We found out that Caroline knows that Damon is a vampire, and that eventually he will kill her. I’m assuming he’s using his thrall to keep her with him, but maybe she’s just that sad of an individual. Perhaps we should spend this entire post discussing Caroline’s self-esteem issues and why she would lead herself to be in an abusive relationship.

You know, now that I think of it, this episode might just have some sort of agenda to steer viewers away from abusive relationships. Interesting. Well, somebody has to now that Lifetime only airs “No One Would Tell” about once a year (and yes, I tend to somehow catch it every year).

Anyway, I’m not going to spend this entire episode discussing that. But think about it. And learn. Or Fred Savage might kill you.

I know that this episode was supposed to focus on the Salvatore brothers. We did learn some new and interesting things. Like the fact that Katherine was killed in a fire. She was among many people caught in a church that were being killed for a reason. When Stefan and Damon tried to save her, they were supposedly shot.

Which leads us to one interesting question: Were they really shot? Well, I guess I need to expand that. Were they vampires before they tried to save Katherine? Or was their being shot the point  that something came along and turned them then?

The other thing we learned is that there’s actually a plant that can weaken them. Not kill them, mind you, but weaken them. This is how Stefan got the upper hand and finally was able to lock up Damon (apparently not for long, if what the previews show for tonight are correct). Definitely something new for our vampire lore, don’t you think? And no, the plant isn’t garlic.

And while I realize that all of this was interesting, and whee to Elena for having the patience to stand throughout this episode and just listen to people talk for an hour, the most impressive part to me was Bonnie.

I love Bonnie. She’s one of those characters you just kinda forget about. But she’s awesome, and she’s developing. And you can tell that somehow she’s going to have some huge role in upcoming episodes.

But the fire was interesting. The first flame snuck up her. But the room with the candles? That was just great. I mean, I kinda predicted it, but the effect still worked. I really like her, and I can’t wait to see where she goes. I just hope they don’t break her out of her minor role too soon. Make us want more.

And make us wonder what’s going to happen. I mean, we assume she’ll be good, but so far we see dark premonitions and creating fire. These seem risky to me.

But we’ll see. On to tonight’s episode!

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 7

TOP CHEF: 6.07 “Dinner Party”

10:03: Apologies. I am a bit behind today. Here we go! Feels like it’s been a while since the last episode, hasn’t it? Guest judge, Tyler Florence. That guy was on TV a lot a couple years ago.

10:04: This quickfire is a little weird. Top Chef has whored it out to Cookster.com. Each chef gets stuck with 3 key words that people might type into Cookster, mood, flavor, and type of cuisine. They all have to pull a crazy looking slot machine to get their combination. Poor Ashley gets blue, cheesy, and middle eastern. What are you supposed to do with that?

10:07: Tyler likes Mike’s dish, which is nice for him, because he said he’d never cooked Asian food before.

10:09: Ashley’s blue, cheesy, middle eastern dish gets a “good.” Nice job, considering the hand she was dealt. Robin, Eli (good, I don’t like him!), and Jennifer (first time at the bottom) come in the bottom 3. Mike I., Kevin, and Michael come in the top 3. Kevin wins! He can choose immunity or 15K. He takes the cash.

10:16: Elimination challenge – The contestants must serve a home dinner party for 3 guest chefs and the judges. Contestants must work in pairs to create one family style dish, based on a bag of ingredients that each guest chef is carrying.

10:19: The contestants have to cook inside a house rather than a professional kitchen. Oh, by the way, did you notice that Macy’s sponsored this challenge? Because they’ve been saying it for the last ten minutes. Back to Top Chef whoring itself out. Still not as bad as last year.

10:28: Tom’s prowling around the kitchen. That dude is bald!

10:29: I haven’t given my failure prediction yet… I think most of the weak links are gone so far. That being said, I think Ash and Robin are the two weakest ones yet, but I do think they’re both capable of putting out something good as well. I suppose I’ll say that Robin will go home, but I don’t feel too confident about that. I’d love to see Eli gone, though.

10:31: Everyone seems to be having problems with this house kitchen. And now the guest judges tell us what the Macy’s Culinary Council does. Nice job introducing that Padma, I almost didn’t think that was scripted…

10:32: Despite the problems the contestants may have been having in the kitchen, all of these dishes look incredible.

10:35: Jen and Kevin’s dish seems to go over well. Mike I and Robin’s dish is OK. Michael V feels like he screwed up.

10:45: Lorrine, Brian V, Kevin, and Jennifer finish in the top. Really positive comments from all the judges for both teams.

10:46: Jennifer’s sauce wins. A $10,000 gift card from Macy’s. I’m surprised that this is the first time she’s one.

10:47: Michael V, Ash, Ashley, and Eli are at the bottom. I don’t think Michael V will go home, but I sure am hoping that Eli will.

10:50: Ash kisses Michael V’s ass quite a bit, but also makes himself look like a loser at the same time. That was really sort of weird.He basically threw himself under the bus, and will probably go home for it.

10:52: Ashley’s gnocci was too salty, Eli’s shrimp was overcooked. As much as I’d like to see Eli and his dumb hipster glasses go home, I think Ash sunk himself with his noble, yet futile speech. We shall see.

10:57: And now, the moment of truth…Good bye Ashley! Guess I left off the ‘ley.’ Honestly, I think she has more talent than Ash, but that’s the way it goes. Hopefully Eli will go home next week. Until then!

The Good Wife: You can’t go home again

CC returns to her love of Josh Charles in another episode of The Good Wife.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.03 “Home”

I think I’ve pinpointed the source of my irritation with this show.  I still mostly like it, and I still think Josh Charles is cute, and I’m still going to watch it every week.  However, it really ticks me off that everyone calls Alicia, “Mrs. Florrick.” In fact, she introduces herself as Mrs. Florrick.  Does anyone know of any lawyer that would introduce himself/herself that way?  Would a judge ever address a woman as something other than Counselor? If the whole point of this show is watching Alicia come into her own after her husband’s indiscretions, then why does she continue to tie herself to him by being Mrs. Florrick?  Okay mini-rant over.

This week, we finally got to see the Cary/Alicia face off.  Alicia brings in a case from her old neighborhood—her friend’s son, Kenny, gets slapped with a felony murder charge.  Her friend’s son, naturally, comes to see Alicia without his parents and asks her to represent him.  Naturally, she has to drive him home and tell his parents (who were the first to shun her when political scandal hit) that he’s facing charges.

Because Alicia had been so close to Kenny’s family, she asks the partners if she can have someone first chair the case.  Naturally, the partners assign Cary, her rival, to the case.  While Alicia tirelessly tries to prove Kenny’s innocence, Cary’s having lunches to cut a deal.  Apparently, Cary hasn’t ever argued in court; he’s just been adept at pleading cases out.  In an Aaron Sorkin drama, he’d get the current state’s attorney to testify and get him to yell that he can’t handle the truth.

But this is television and, instead, Cary goes behind Alicia’s back and tries to cut a deal for manslaughter while Alicia takes her kids back to their old neighborhood/the crime scene.  I think the scenes with Alicia’s kids were really interesting; they seem to realize that, much like their mother, it’s important to move forward.  While they no longer belong in Highland Park, they are moving closer together, and that’s good to see.  You can be a good parent and simultaneously use your neighborhood association’s sprinkler laws to win your case!  That’s right.  Alicia realizes that the sprinklers went off during her client’s murder, and the key witness (who’d cut a deal to escape a murder charge) had been dry, meaning that he was the murderer.  She feeds the information to Cary, and Kenny gets off with community service.

Throughout the entire case,  we saw the reactions of the partners to the associates’ work.  It’s clear that Will favors Alicia, especially when he tells Cary (who’s preparing for court since he never goes to trial), that “Alicia doesn’t have to work so hard because it just comes naturally.”  Throughout the episode, Will sees Cary at the office really late; normally this would be beneficial to one’s career, but Will doesn’t see it that way.  However, at the end of the episode Cary shares a moment with Christine Baranski.  I think, when it comes time to choose between Alicia and Cary, there’s going to be tension between the partners as well.  And I can’t wait to see it…as long as they start calling her Alicia.

Guilty Pleasure Show: Say Yes to the Dress

This summer, I had an open thread about guilty pleasure shows. I just realized one that was completely avoided: Say Yes to the Dress.

This show, seriously, I would watch every once in a while on a Friday, usually because it was rerun so many times in the night that there would certainly be some hour that I would want to watch something and it was on. Sure, the dresses are pretty, but there was something about the catty bridesmaids, bitchy sisters, and frustrated consultants that left me wanting more.

It is now a staple of my Friday night television.

And for a while, I thought it was only me. I’d be discussing wedding festivities with some bride-to-be, and I would ashamedly look down and ask, “So, do you watch Say Yes to the Dress?” Immediately, her eyes would light up and go, “Oh I love that show! I watched it even before I got engaged. That’s embarrassing, I know.” And thus a long, excited conversation would start.

I’ve even had this conversation with people who are not engaged, not married, and not even interested in dating. Apparently, there are women everywhere who care little about their marital status and just want to see someone else’s drama. And who wouldn’t? It’s really entertaining.

The show surrounds the bridal boutique Kleinfeld’s in New York. Yes, that means rich brides who know exactly what they want and they better find it or they’ll be upset.

The biggest question of the show is who is really in charge? Shortly thereafter is budget. In the most dramatic equations, these two combine.

Personally, I love it when the bride is buying the dress, but the maid of honor seems to think it’s her decision. She’s terribly insulting and rude every time the girl comes out of the dressing room. In one extreme case, the girl picked out a dress for the bride to try on, only to have the bride start to walk out to meet them, only to turn around exclaiming how much she dislikes it. The consultant just smiled and hollered, “She hates it!”

And the dresses. Oh, the dresses! Some of them, I just can’t believe people would even try on, let alone buy. And then there are others I can’t can’t believe there’s such a huge price tag on. Did you know one dress sold on the show for $12,000 and is now $26,000? Insanity! But then again, I’m not exactly one that knows much about couture, let alone how much dresses normally cost, but that seems like a high price tag.

But in the end, ridiculous aside, it’s nice to see how happy the girls are. They end each episode with a nice video with voiceover about one girl’s special day, and even all the drama seems to work out in the end.

So yes, I watch Say Yes to the Dress, and I know some of you do too. Drama, anger, and happiness all in one show? Who couldn’t pass that up?

Oh yeah. Men.

Desperate Housewives: Gone fishin’

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: 6.02 “Being Alive”

I’ve noticed something about this year in television. Everything is on on Mondays and Thursdays. Second place is Sunday and Wednesday. That means that trying to juggle all my Monday and Sunday shows is rather difficult–same with Wednesday and Thursday. So here I am, on Wednesday, trying to catch up.

I actually watched Desperate Housewives live, so I really have no excuse (except maybe a slight addiction to Bejeweled Blitz). Apologies all around.

Here’s my main question: How is Julie still alive? They just strangled her into a coma? This seems…odd. Not that I want Julie gone. I really like her, and I’ve missed her as of late. But really, it just seems unlikely that she was strangled then left for dead all night and then just happened to be found just in time the next morning. Generally, people wake up if the strangulation wasn’t successful (after passing out) or they just be dead.

Anyway, she’s alive, and everyone’s looking for who did it. Yes, we have another whodunnit on Wisteria Lane. And it looks like the easiest answer is Danny.

Now, in good Desperate Housewives fashion, we’ll automatically assume that the first answer is probably wrong. Maybe it wasn’t Danny. Maybe it was Katherine or someone else. BUT last year threw all that aside. The easiest answer (Mike) was correct (Dave’s target), and it made the entire season quite boring.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s Katherine. She’s crazy, but she wouldn’t do that to Julie, who wasn’t the one to hurt her. Danny’s the easy answer, and I think we’re on the right track.

And yes, we do have the mystery of Julie’s pregnancy (which I completely didn’t remember her and Lynnett’s chat, btw) and what Danny’s family left behind before they moved. Or even what she and Danny were arguing about when she left the night before. So I guess there’s some stuff to learn.

But right now, it’s too easy, and I don’t like easy.

What I did like was the fact that we had the men standing on the pavement gossiping about the new neighbors this time. It’s always the women who start up the suspicions after the event. It was just nice to see the men join in the fun. And it seemed natural, not forced. I like it.

Moving on, what’d you think of Bree and Karl? I still think it’s an odd hookup, but more so, even though I knew they were going for funny, somehow I doubt that Bree would be that concerned about her secret when Julie opened her eyes. Maybe I’m wrong. More so, I’m surprised about Susan’s take on if Katherine dated Karl, the idea proposed by Bree. I don’t think Susan would really care (especially since he’d already dated Edie), but I guess this is supposed to add tension and secrets.

It was a pretty solid episode, though. I liked it. And I’m glad Lynnett is happier about her babies. That was really hard to watch (even if her speech in the waiting room of the hospital last week was fun).

And the best line of the show: “How does a fish get caught? He opens his mouth.”

Big Bang: Goth me up, Scotty!

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.03 “The Gothowitz Deviation”

I laughed a good bit in this episode, but not over Raj and Howard. More so over Penny and Sheldon.

I’m a nerd. I love when nerdy things come about on television, which is probably why I like this show so much. The fact that we’re observing watching Sheldon mimics Pavlov’s experiment so that he trains Penny to be on good behavior (well, what he considers to be good behavior). Penny is her own salivating dog–she just doesn’t know it.

Which was better? The cold open when Jim trains Dwight to want an Altoid when the computer beeps in The Office, or this? Jim’s was clearly a prank. I just loved this one because Penny just looked so happy every time she got a chocolate.

It’s kinda disappointing, isn’t it? She was probably imagining that she was actually building a relationship with Sheldon. My only complaint through all this is that Penny and Sheldon already have an relationship. Didn’t some of this seem like they were starting at square one? I mean, she knows how to behave around him, and yes, she was around the apartment a lot, but it just seemed to backtrack a lot. Nonetheless, I liked the chocolate training.

Meanwhile, we had Raj and Howard at a goth bar. Is it sad that I felt they actually looked…normal? Who would have thought that fake tattoo arms and eye liner would make Howard look normal. Ha.

For some reason, though, this part of the episode didn’t thrill me. I mean, I was more entertained by it than when they drove home concocting their story, but it just seemed…forced?

I enjoyed Raj. The fact that he didn’t change his mannerisms at all in his attempt to get the goth girls. And the fact that they thought his sleeves were actually tattoo arms when they were basically a completely different color than his skin.

Howard, on the other hand, still seemed desperate. And granted, that seems to always be the case. I mean, do you really think he wouldn’t be?

But in that case, it seemed too predictable. And therefore unfunny. Sorry, Howard. I know you can bring some funny to a show, but not all that much last night. Even though the thought of him with a skull tattoo on his ass seems like a great thought.

Let’s go back, though. How predictable is it that first the wussy guy would first freak out at the wipe–then the alcohol. It seemed too easy. Where was the creativity?

The creativity was in the costume and the location. But nothing beyond that. Now, I still laughed. There was still some humor. I just wanted them to try harder.

But hey, at least there was Penny and Sheldon. I bet you never thought I’d say that, huh?

Gossip Girl: Hannah Montana meets Notting Hill meets Jenny in a really short dress…

DC’s back–and happy that we’ve finally got a decent episode of Gossip Girl!

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.04 “Dan de Fleurette”

First off, WHAT is up with Tyra’s forehead? It is like the hair people wanted to make it look as big and shiny as possible. If I were Tyra, I would not be a happy camper. Even when her hair is down, she looks like a scarecrow… shudder.

Second off, Lily is back! Hurrah!

This was actually a decent episode. I think what worked best here was the pace. Lots of things happened and got resolved in the same episode. There were no pointless cliffhangers, no silly misunderstandings, just a plot that moved quickly with characters that acted like themselves.

Fast moving plot #1: Hilary Duff tries to pull a Hannah Montana at NYU and Dan’s obliviousness is great; it gave Nate something to do, albeit very briefly. Olivia and Dan’s plot-line was sweet but covered in cheese; they might has well have been reading on a bench together in their own private park by the end. Oh well, I haven’t heard anything about the Duffster joining the cast, so even though things are all Notting Hill now, they probably will not be so for long.

Now, I have nothing against Hilary Duff. She is good in the part, and actually seems normal, but is it me, or does she not fit into that Gossip Girl world? She is almost too normal; she doesn’t have “the look”. What do you all think? Is a normal looking girl ruining the sea of cheekbones and couture or is it refreshing to have her as part of the cast?

Blair also carries one of the major plot-lines in this episode. She tried to relive her glory days through the new girls at Constance, gets called out on it by Chuck and Jenny, and then does a complete 180 (thanks to some wheel greasing by Chuck) and assembles a mean girls group of her own at NYU. Aside from taking the focus back to Constance, her puppet regime throws Jenny and Chuck in a scene together, which I always like. They have only had a few together (1 – the pilot’s attempted rape scene on the roof, 2 – her tirade at the end of last season, and 3 – his heartfelt apology). I like this weird brother/sister thing thing they have going, despite the look he gave her in that black dress.

And… drumroll please…. Serena got a job! Well, she turned what would have been a run of the mill exploitation into an opportunity. And then blew it by “telling the truth”. Gets your pens out, kids, this is a PSA if I ever saw one.

As I said earlier, the pace of the episode was quick and did a good job of moving the plot along while setting the stage for what looks like QUITE the wedding episode next week. Looks like Georgina is pulling the strings again, this time her crazy eyes are set on Dan (again).

HIMYM: “You idiot.”

KT is ready for the pop quiz.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.03 “Robin 101”

The concept is clever enough:  This week, Ted teaches Barney how to be Robin’s boyfriend.  But in execution, I thought it was a one-note sort of episode.  Lily doesn’t really have anything to do, Marshall spends the episode obsessing over his barrel.  Robin spends most of the episode reacting, Ted spends most of it getting briefly annoyed with Barney, and Barney spends most of it being the obnoxious student. It’s not a bad episode and it did make me smile, but this show can do so much better.

But you know what really bugged me?  The lighting.  Why are Lily, Robin, and Marshall home during the day while Barney is supposedly at work without his briefcase?  And we know it’s a Tuesday because eventually it’s conveniently Tuesday night and Robin drags the others down to see this class for herself.  So (A) where were Lily and Robin headed all dressed up on a Tuesday morning?  and (B) did it really take them all day to go through the notebook?

Still, after last week’s strip club expedition, I was glad to see the show tackle the Barney and Robin relationship again.  Given Barney’s… well, Barneyness, I don’t think any of us would have been that surprised if he really had been conducting an affair.  (Disappointed, yes.  Surprised, not really.)  And we knew from last week, too, that Robin is still feeling weird and vulnerable about the phrase “Barney Stinson is my boyfriend” (and you know Ted is totally right that anything sounds weird with too much repetition — or if you stare at a word too long, that gets weird, too).

I was also glad to see Ted embracing his new life in academia, too — wanting to practice being in front of the classroom and comparing dating to academic courses.  I have some personal objections to his joke about the uselessness of an English degree, but I suppose I can let that slide.  He is really sloppy with his slides though, isn’t he?  I knew as soon as we saw a building in the Robin lecture we’d see Robin in the building lecture, but seriously?  Too many beers while writing your lesson plans, Ted?  I liked his silly cover up about how she was the architect’s wife, though.

I wasn’t crazy about Marshall’s barrel plot, but there were a couple of barrel-related moments I liked.  I thought the timing and the line readings in the scene where Marshall first shows the barrel to Lily and Robin were spot on.  What, there’s storage in the basement?  Allergic to “barrel resin”?  (Which sounds exactly like the sort of story Lily would come up with to avoid hurting Marshall’s feelings, to get her own way without a confrontation.)  And I liked Ted’s “Aww, you got rid of Mabel?”  Their shared past and nostalgia is a reliable source of humor for this show.

Let’s see, what else.  The Dead Poet’s Society homage was a little weird, but you know, how good was Dead Poet’s Society?  Right?  I know!  Tears.

Mad Men: “You’re German right? I can get us some beer or a Riesling. Schnapps?”

CC tackles Mad Men and US history on this week’s episode.

MAD MEN: 3.08 “Souvenir”

This week’s episode built on the idea of foreign places, this week we saw the influence of foreign people.  Of course, Italy is always a nice backdrop for that, and we had a little Roman Holiday.  It turns out that Betty speaks Italian fluently…I wonder if January Jones does as well.  Prior to their vacation, Don had been in Dallas (Dallas was really dangerous at the time, and I’m sure this was a nod to Kennedy’s impending assassination).

Meanwhile, Betty’s preventing this reservoir from entering Ossining.  With the help of Henry Francis, they successfully postpone the building of the reservoir. She gets to the car, and Henry kisses her.  Uh oh, could Betty be rocking a Don Draperesque affair of her own?  Or is the influence of a foreigner from Albany sucking her in?  When Don gets home, Betty dances with political glee, but she’s nervous that he’ll know she cheated.  While he doesn’t seem suspect anything, Betty impulsively decides to go to Rome.

At his apartment, Pete is watching cartoons, eating a bowl of cereal.  Trudy is nowhere in sight, and it’s clear that he can’t take care of himself.  He hears some girl crying and encounters a German au pair in the hallway.  She borrowed her boss’s dress and spilled wine on it.  When the female mice are away, the men will play, so Pete takes the soiled dress with him to “see what he can do”.

In preparation for departure, Betty’s wearing a suit very reminiscent of Jackie O. at Dallas, another nod to the Kennedy assassination.  Upon arrival, she changes into a Holly Golightly ensemble (reminds me of last season’s Maidenform ad).  I found Don and Betty’s stranger act really amusing, especially when the Italians were calling him fat and ugly. It reminded me of that SNL skit.   Anyway, the lure of the foreign country means that Betty/Don have a lot of sex; I’m not sure whether it was the Rome effect or the “Sorry, I cheated on you” effect.

Back in New York, Pete enters a department store with the au pair’s dress.  When he asks to speak with the manager, we see it’s Joan.  Because her husband didn’t get chief resident, he’s now thinking about psychiatry (maybe he can specialize in rape trauma).  That means Joan has to work retail.  Joan smugly catches Pete’s lie, saying “I don’t see Trudy in a size 10” but accepts the exchange anyway. I wish she would come back to Sterling Cooper ASAP.

Pete returns to his German nanny friend’s abode, new dress in hand.  She tries to spurn his advances by telling him about her boyfriend (after he offers her German liquor).  Later, Pete’s drunk and tells her that she owes him.  He then kisses her, and seemingly sexually assaults her (this being the third one we’ve had on Mad Men, but in the sixties, it was just a “bad date”).  His neighbor stops by the next day to tell Pete that he doesn’t care that he raped his au pair/cheated on his wife, but he just doesn’t want to deal with the crying.

When Betty and Don return, Carla reports that Sally tried to kiss one of her male friends in the bathtub and hit Bobby when he made fun of her (a foreign person in the Draper home makes Sally frisky).  Betty summons Sally and tells her “the first kiss is very special. You’ll have lots of first kisses and you’ll want it to be special. It’s where you go from being a stranger to knowing someone.”  This marked the first time Betty’s done any legitimate parenting.  Can she keep it up?  Second, I can’t help but wonder if she was talking about her relationship with Don (whom she doesn’t really know at all) or Henry.  What does everyone else think?

Later that evening, we see some tense marital moments.  One was between Trudy and Pete, who suspects that Pete stepped out.   The other was with Betty and Don; Don buys her a charm bracelet to mark her time in Italy.  Betty cries, and talks about how much she hates Ossining.  Don thinks that it has to do with her time in Rome, but Betty’s repeatedly discussed her discontent, and he ignores it.  I suspect that this week’s domestically-oriented episode will mean a more office-related episode.  Until then, celebrate your heritage by drinking liquor from your homeland.

Ghost Whisperer: Creepy yet outdated

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.02 “See No Evil”

There were some great things about this episode, and there were some not-so-great things. To keep the readers reading, I’m going to start with the good.

Creepy! The idea of stitching your eyes and mouth shut–let alone having aged Puritans do it with no anesthesia–is just creepy. The idea that we were seeing through Melinda’s eyes that were sewn shut… It just gives me the heeby jeebies.

And it’s not over. While the introduction of a third party who started the chain letter was a little bit of a cheap trick at first, we’ve discovered that there really is a Sally Stitch, and she’s haunting a poor girl with cancer. Well, a poor girl who has one creepy doll and one sinister look. She’s not one I would want to interrogate about ghosts.

Needless to say, I’m looking forward to seeing this develop in the next week or so. The episodes of Ghost Whisperer where creepiness is the strength tend to be my favorite. Plus, I wonder if we’ll get to see the young Aiden interact with Julia. We didn’t really get to see him do much in this episode; instead, we got idle chatter about whether Aiden’s dreams are the ones that Melinda’s been seeing.

My only complaint about the episode, though, was that it seemed outdated. I mean, email chain letters? That’s so 1990s. I feel like the time to feel threatened by an email chain letter came and went ten years ago. Now we’re so immune to seeing them that the delete or spam button is second nature.

We should really be discussing mystery podcasts or viral videos. That’s what people would really take note of.

So it pretty much bugged me that this was the main focal point of the episode. I could see it belonging to the first season, but now? Especially when this was five years later from the season finale? If anything, the five-year gap allows for the little bit of technological inconsistencies, like the fact that the email chain letter can update the list of terrible events while sitting in your inbox. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this yet, but emails don’t tend to refresh information. Websites yes, emails no.

I don’t know. It just seemed like a rookie episode. I just couldn’t get past the email chain letter all episode.

Beyond that, it seemed standard. I liked that Ned got a larger role in this episode (though the fact that he’s a college student, making out with girls, just surprised me–he’s growing up so fast). The doll hanging in the closet was a good surprise for us all. At least it wasn’t a real body hanging there. (Apparently, I’ve watched too many procedurals, now that I’m assuming when you turn a light on, a dead body will be hanging there.)

Anyway, good setup for next week. And I’m looking forward to discovering the mystery of Sally Stitch. Why is she stitched up? Has she done something wrong? Who is her target? Who does she want to hurt? And who hurt her?

What do you think?

Legally ‘Diva’

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.12 “Dead Model Walking”

I almost wish I hadn’t caught up on last week’s episode of Drop Dead Diva. I would have never known that Fred returned–and then left! What the hell? He’s still in the credits, though. What do you think? Will Fred come back yet again?

I hope so.

I didn’t particularly miss him in this episode specifically, but maybe he would have toned down Stacy a bit. The overexcited bit got on my nerves. I realize she was meeting one of her idols, but tone it down, will ya? Even Elle Woods’ sorority sisters handled themselves with more grace than Stacy did when they were in court with a famous aerobics instructor.

Speaking of, that was my one complaint about this episode. It seemed too Legally Blond for my taste. The famous model is up for murdering her husband, and has a secret background that the lawyer can’t use for fear to kill their career. In this case, it was a second identity. In LB, it was something like plastic surgery. Sure, the end is different, but it just kinda bugged me. It all came down to the knowledge of beauty products.

The real interesting part came with the B-plot. I thoroughly enjoyed Grayson and Kim’s pro-bono case. The old woman and the “sentiment” for her house was great–especially with the significant twist that she’d actually killed her husband and buried him under the floorboards. Apparently in 1989, people didn’t look too hard to find a dead body when a wife claims he’s gone.

But the real piece here was the revelation that Grayson is still not over Deb. That’s a good thing. I always felt he was moving too fast. But hey, that’s just me.

I do feel bad for Kim, though. I know she’s the one we’re not really supposed to like, but they have given her a heart, and she’s grown on me. She’s the one that really got hurt in this relationship, all because Grayson isn’t fully healed after Deb’s death. And he was afraid to say it–or maybe even admit it to himself.

So obviously, diehard fans want Jane now to be with Grayson. The only thing is, I really like Tony! It’s not often that we get to see David Denman in a nice role after he was in The Office. I think he and Jane are cute, and I keep wanting them to hit it off! And you know, she seems genuinely happy when she’s around him.

My guess is that this doesn’t tie itself up in a pretty bow in the season finale next week. I see broken hearts in our future.

Beyond that, it was yet again a fun episode. This really is a standout series that I wasn’t expecting when it was first publicized. And while I’ve clearly been rather slack in keeping up with it, I will miss it after the season ends and I look forward to its return.

Plus, we at least have to see if fruit really can run the world, right?

One Tree Hill: Time to grow up

ONE TREE HILL: 7.03 “Hold My Hand as I’m Lowered”

Well, it was an interesting episode last week, and I’m glad I’m able to write about it before tonight’s new episode.

We got to see more of Brooke and Millie’s terror of a model. Did they not realize that if she showed up hungover, clearly she’s not doing well with her rehab? I see this turning out to be interesting, though I wish they’d cast someone who doesn’t look like everyone else on the show. Seriously, you put her next to Quinn, and it’s hard to tell the two apart. Where are blondes when you need them?

It’s interesting that she gave Julian a script–he really need something to do. But are we going to do another movie in Tree Hill? Let’s admit it: The last round wasn’t so fun. Casting, directing, shooting, failure. Blah blah blah. Sure, we won’t have Lucas squinting at the entire thing this time around, but I just been done.

On the completely other side of the spectrum, was the conclusion of the war between Mouth and Skills. I loved it. I loved that Skills was so scared of the lizard, and of all people, he calls Jamie to help him catch it. Then he trades it in for a snake. That was awesome.

I was most intrigued by Rachel and Dan, though. Rachel, after stealing Brooke’s money last season (or was it the season before), she became a stripper, where she met Dan.

Ok, let’s be realistic here. I realize that Rachel was desperate for money, but would she really have prostituted herself with Dan, of all people? Well, whether we think so or not, she did, and now they’re “happily” married. Honestly, I’m quite entertained by this power couple. I really wonder where it’s going–clearly, they’ve got to meet Nathan and crew soon to add some drama–but when’s that going to be?

The real story, though, was Nathan, Haley, and baby. What would you do? Pay her off? Personally, whether she went to the media or not, I’d get an immediate paternity test, just to prove it wasn’t mine. Haley hated this idea, thinking that people assumed he slept with her. Here’s the real issue: It’s not proving it to the people that trust you; it’s proving it to the media and the hordes of fans that she’s a fraud.

This point really wasn’t brought up, beyond the fact that if she goes public, his entire contract negotiation could go awry. But I’m wondering how long they’ll really go with no paternity test. That would end it quick, right? Well, this is One Tree Hill.

But the best part was really the end. They decided not to pay her off, and now their lives are going to change. Most of all, they have to explain it to their seven-year-old son.

I loved the way they did this. Sure, watching Nathan step toward him, turn around, and walk again–that was a little over the top. But shooting Jamie swinging by himself, off in the distance, with a tree house next to him. And of course at night. It was just such a strong symbol that in a moment, his childhood would be over.

What if there was no NBC?

I grew up on TV. And NBC’s always been a part of it. I mean, NBC’s the one that’s brought us Cheers, The Cosby Show, Golden Girls. Classic televisions we’re not going to be forgetting any time soon.

But the station of strength is now not so strong. In fact, it’s holding on by a string. The big question now is, Is NBC dead?

Let’s face it. The big Leno stunt didn’t work. The 10:00 hour is tanking, as are most of the other shows on the network. The new hospital dramas are just not bringing in enough viewers–and how could they when they’re following up the successful summer series Hawthorne, and Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice are already on many viewers’ favorites list. Plus, even the standard comedies are just coasting, and while Community is getting some high praise, it’s not enough to keep viewers week to week, and we’re only at week three.

And what about the veterans? Do you really think that Southland will compete on the Friday night death slot, especially now that it’s head to head with the NBC veteran Medium, the show that so many fans were upset with NBC for cutting? It might’ve cut ties with the show, but the loyalty left as well.

And we all know how bad Heroes has gotten. I can’t even get people to tell me to watch it.

So what’s next? Could they be right? Could NBC be dying? And what would network television be without it?

It’s hard to imagine TV without the Peacock. The network that introduced us to “Must See TV.” That introduced us to Ross and Rachel, Kramer, and…well, Eddie. Yes, I do think one of the most famous parts of NBC was Frasier’s dog. You tell me a more famous pet on television.

It’s almost sad to think that the Thursday night comedy block that set the stage in the ’90s is now falling apart when faced with a hospital superblock on NBC or paranormal television on FOX and the CW.

But you know? What’s at fault? Fear? NBC hasn’t exactly been one to try new things. When the ensemble comedy hit exciting heights, suddenly we had a ton. Now we’ve got the mockumentary comedy (like The Office) and Parks and Recreation was on it’s way here. We have two SNL comedies. We have a late-night talk show on in prime time. There are a ton of different Law and Order shows. And the reality TV has never changed.

So what should happen? Should we put down the Peacock? Something seems wrong without it. And honestly, as crappy as it is, I’ll miss it. Maybe it’s not the programming I need now, but the sentimentality of the old shows keeps me thinking back to the good ol’ days. Heck, when I see an old NBC TV movie on Lifetime, even then, I think of 1990s Tiffani Amber Thiesen and Candice Cameron. 1980s sitcoms were a staple, and here we are possibly saying good-bye.

But then again, I still remember when TGIF was the hottest night of television and CBS was the laughing stock of the entertainment world. Things can change in a heartbeat–just as long as NBC can survive until then.

What do you think? Is NBC a goner? Do you want it to be?

Fringe: When men and heads explode

FRINGE: 2.03 “Fracture”

We’ve got our Olivia back. Snuck up on you, didn’t it? I mentioned last week that the Olivia we knew just didn’t seem like the same ol’ Olivia. I mean, when the guy at the bowling alley told her that he’s moved to Georgia, she was ready to just walk off. But  by the end of this episode, not only was her leg healed, but she got her balls back.

Uh, no offense.

But really, we got the strong Olivia back. Maybe it was the fact that the headaches started. Maybe it was the fact that she was just tired of having the shaky hands. Or maybe it was just because the hardass inside was tired of taking a back seat to the injured victim. Most of all, I think it just might be that she’s frustrated of not remembering what happened before that car accident. And now that she’s remembering, I can’t wait for next week.

Meanwhile, we had a rather upsetting case on our hands. What happens when people become a bomb? And a trusted source is actually the one that’s turning you into a suicide bomber?

It’s really upsetting and gross. Made even more gross by the fact that Walter was putting parts of the solidified body in his mouth. Did I mention gross?

But interesting. More so, the fact that we went overseas with Peter. It’s our first real glimpse in this Peter’s past. Sure, we know that Peter is from another dimension. And sure, we know that Peter–or at least the alternate universe Peter–was a sickly child. We even know that Peter had a shifty past that Olivia used against him to help with the Fringe unit. But to know that he used to be a private contractor that went overseas, and damn, he’s hot speaking another language.

It’s just kinda interesting.

But most of all, what is in the briefcase? Pictures of Walter? What does the Observer need–or want? And who does he work for? If Walter’s the target, could William Bell be the boss?

I knew he’d have some part of the episode. Of course, I thought that he would be in the background, watching bombs explode.

But no. We found out that the secret briefcases are transporting information of “observations,” which again is why there was no surprise that the Observer was the final hands that the briefcase touched.

But why was the transporter so eager to hand over the briefcase? I mean, when the second “bomb,” the woman, came into the building and requested the suitcase, he did stop to talk to her. So did the man in the beginning. Sure, he seemed a little more startled by the interruption, but in the end, he did handle over the case. It seemed odd that they’d stop to talk if they were hanging on to such important information. Maybe they don’t know?

Perhaps I’m delving in to deeply into minor information. But I do like now the Observer has a much larger role now. I want to hear him speak again. The one time when he was mimicking everything that Peter was saying–it was chilling. I loved it. I want more.

And it looks like we’re revving up for more this season. Whoo hoo! Keep it coming, Fringe. I love the mystery and story arc. Kudos.

Eastwick: Relationships and Revelations

EASTWICK: 1.02 “Reaping and Sewing”

I don’t know if you realized it from the pilot, but Darryl is not who you think he is. Oh yeah, and he’s dead. In fact, Eleanor killed him (by the way, I was pleasantly surprised to see Cybill Shepherd playing the new role).

This was the big revelation of the episode. And guess who found it? Our cute little mousy girl, Joanna. I love her character in this series, especially considering how hard she’s trying to resist using her gift–especially on her coworker that she likes. I’m especially curious to see that he’s still under her spell and it’s not a one-time charm. Interesting.

But she figured out that he’s dead. Perhaps maybe taking over a dead baby’s identity–but how does that explain the old photo?

Ok, but here’s the real story: Roxie’s daughter’s rapist is totally dead! What can these women do when their powers combine? Despite that fact that Roxie can easily see the future–to stop bad things. And that Kat can affect nature–this time giving her a great pumpkin crop. Of course, she did electrocute someone last week. All these are inadvertent. Only Joanna really knows how to use her power, so she’s carefully making sure it’s staying tame.

But somehow they killed this boy with just a look, and none of them intended to do it. Or at least we assume so. Since they don’t know they can use their powers for evil, I’d say it was an accident.

What a creepy way to end the episode, though. And it definitely pulls at the ethics of the viewer. He’s an attempted rapist. Should he die? (I’ll leave that one for the comments.)

It should be interesting to see next week’s episode. Not only because now we see that he’ll be haunting Roxie. But also, the good neighbor is, well, not so good. We thought he was–there was no sign of the scar that Roxie saw in her vision (oh, by the way, ABC, we get it. You don’t need to flash back constantly to remind us of Roxie’s visions, especially if we’ve seen it on the same episode). But there he was at the end, scarring himself.

Who didn’t see that coming?

Well, for a second there, I thought maybe he had a twin. But hey, that’s what you get for watching too many soaps.

The one thing that I didn’t seem to care much for, though, was Kat’s storyline with her husband. I just seem to care so little for it. Boo.

So I guess we see our villains. We’ve got something that will at least carry us on for a season, and maybe a mystery that will do the same. But for the next season or two? Well, I can’t quite tell.

What do you think?

Community: Son to Father

COMMUNITY: 1.03 “Introduction to Film”

I love John Michael Higgins. And boy is he making the rounds. I was getting used to him as a recurring character in Raising the Bar, but it’s just really great to see him return to his comedic roots. I define these roots from his Christopher Guest films, in case you’re curious.

So it was great to see him as the accounting teacher ready to seize the day! (Seriously, what else are they going to teach in accounting? Who wants to be an accountant during this recession? Certainly not me. And yes, I did believe that it was accounting, based on a short statement by Jeff, but really, who knows?). And what was best was seeing how difficult it was to see Jeff attempt to seize the day.

And it’s not just that he was dealing with the Britta/Abed drama, which we’ll get to in a second. No, it was because ever since he joined this school (and I’m sure even before), Jeff has calculated his every moment carefully and distinctively. He knows what he wants and makes sure that’s what he gets.

So how great is it that he’s struggling with just that? How do you plan to be unpredictable and live by the moment? Just by planning you’re failing. Which even on the grade scorecard, that’s what he’s apparently going to do.

But eventually it all works out, when Britta makes fate point in his favor by kissing him–just handily in front of the good professor. Of course, Jeff doesn’t know that, which should just complicate things more between him and Britta, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.

About as much as I’m looking forward to seeing John Michael Higgins in this show some more. What do you think? Think we’ll get to see him again, or was this a one time thing.

You have to admit. Between this professor and last week’s Spanish teacher, we’ve got some great cast members and comedy. Keep it coming.

But it wasn’t all laughs. We did have Britta trying to give Abed that film career he always wanted, which ended with a strange-yet-touching homemade video where, yes, Jeff and Britta played his parents with photo cutouts on their heads. And we found out that Abed blamed himself for his mother’s leaving. Did we know that his mother had left their family? I didn’t think so. But now we do, and it was equally touching as it was funny.

And I have to give this show credit. It’s pretty difficult for shows to really achieve touching moments while still being funny. Usually, they just ditch the sentiment for perversion. So having three episodes in a row where there’s an actual ending with Jeff feeling something, well, that’s just impressive.

So kudos again. I haven’t been disappointed by this show at all yet. Even with the baby sneeze subplot. I even enjoyed that. Oh, and we got another Ryan Seacrest joke. Rock.

Dollhouse: Running on instinct

KT is starting things off this week and Raked will join us shortly.  Tea, anyone?

DOLLHOUSE:  2.02 “Instinct”

Last week Echo got married; this week she’s a new mother.  Life moves fast in the Dollhouse.

This episode depends on the idea that the maternal instinct is the strongest bond imaginable.  It certainly proves to be stronger than the bond between active and handler — and though it’s artificial, last season’s “The Target” showed us how strong that bond can be.  Although, as ever with Echo, we do have to wonder whether she’s acting differently because Topher did something new and different or because of her special ability to hold dozens of personalities in her head except for sometimes when she doesn’t seem to remember they’re there.  It’s a little confusing and I don’t really understand what the rules are for Echo.

On the other hand, it seems that trauma and kidnapping are the recipe for getting an ambivalent father to bond with his baby son.

One of my favorite things about this episode was that, for a change, the engagement went south (initially) not because of a weirdness in Echo’s programming, but because the Dollhouse and the client made a poor choice regarding how much to tell her.  Echo clearly had an idea of what her “husband” was like before the baby and the unexplained change made her suspicious.  Topher admits later that imprinting lactation was probably a bad idea, but I think his first mistake was in not programming her to believe that the husband had always been as we saw him.  Once we knew he was taking out his grief on the baby, it made sense — but Echo’s initial suspicions about the affair weren’t completely crazy.  Plus, they didn’t really play it up here, but wouldn’t it be horrifying to overhear that phone call to the Dollhouse where he asked for her to be removed?  And then you watch your best friend waltz into the suspicious black van — the seeds for serious paranoia are all there.  (Although, why this imprint got freaked out about the black van when none of the others ever have, I cannot explain.)

At the end, Echo’s plot suddenly turned into a pastiche of a stalker movie, thunderstorm and all, with the twist of course being that stalker-ish Echo felt herself to be the threatened mother.  I thought that was an odd stylistic choice, and that Echo’s confrontation with the baby’s father felt awfully long.  Writing the climax of the episode as a character moment involving a one-episode character is hard to pull off, and this one didn’t quite get there.  I think that’s a big part of the problem with Dollhouse’s Engagement-of-the-Week plots, and I’m hoping to see fewer of them this season.

One last Echo-related quibble:  The shoes on this show are still killing me.  Mommy Echo takes her baby downstairs, complains about needing coffee, but is already wearing four-inch wedges?  Raked, have we started a Dollhouse drinking game yet?  The shoes need to be on the list.

[After the jump, we'll talk about
people other than Echo!]

Glee: Hogging the sunshine

KT thought the “road” and “path” puns got a little out of hand…

GLEE:  1.05 “The Rhodes Not Taken”

I need for Rachel not to quit Glee Club any more.  This is on the verge of being ridiculous.

Fortunately, her return as “April’s understudy” seemed genuine and I think it will actually stick.  Then again, maybe she just read our comments from last week about the value of friendship over popularity.

Rachel is hardly the only one whose desire for stardom is getting her into trouble, though.  This week, the prime example is Will’s high school classmate April Rhodes (played by the fabulous Kristin Chenoweth), who dropped out of high school with dreams of Broadway.  Will expects to find that she’s gone far, but with the helping hand of substance abuse, she’s made a train wreck of her life.

Like half the adults in the cast, she’s eager for a return to the spotlight, and maybe it brings back her high school cattiness as well: when she finds Rachel crying in the bathroom, Rachel somehow manages to come off as both more naïve and more mature.  But then, as we see earlier in the episode, Rachel’s moral standards seem to be as high as her standards for excellence.  I was worried that Will would have to flip from inviting April into Glee to kicking her out again, but happily April’s self-awareness caught up with her:  She knew she didn’t belong in high school anymore.  “I’m hogging their sunshine,” she says cutely.

Also in the category of not supposed to be at this school anymore is Sandy “The Creepy Guy” Ryerson.  I assume that he’s about to get a tongue-lashing from Sue Sylvester because he couldn’t balance his own greed for the spotlight with their agreed upon goal to bring down Glee by stealing Rachel away to star in Cabaret.  Although Finn put a lot of effort into coaxing Rachel back to Glee Club, Sandy was doing just as much to push her away from the musical.

(Actually, I expected Sandy to take the part of the Emcee in Cabaret, and I would love to see him ham up “Wilkommen.”  For that matter, I’d also love to see Sandy take on the sleazy Max Bialystock in The Producers, although Sandy’s Max wouldn’t set eyes on the girl — he’d be all over, say, Kurt’s Leo Bloom.  That could be funny.)

Sue Sylvester, of course, is interested in a slightly different kind of spotlight — but nonetheless, she’s got her claws out because she doesn’t want to give it up.

Will Schuester is hardly immune to it, either.  Every time he tries to reach out for his former glory — whether by forming Acafellas or by tracking down the high school goddess he always wanted to perform with — every time he stops putting his students first — Glee Club suffers.

[Wonderful Emma, after the jump.]

Vampire Diaries: Friday Night Bites

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.03 “Friday Night Bites”

I had to title this post the same as the episode title. It was just so punny I couldn’t help myself. It’s almost painful.

Speaking of, there’s one problem with taking something that’s done in another media (say, a book) and making it a television show. Sometimes you have to do things to stretch plot along. Like make the vampire try out for football. That was, well, lame.

Note: I haven’t read the books, but if this was in there too, you can ignore my previous statement. Well, until you reach the word lame. It would still be lame.

So I’m just going to leave that little point as that and move on. I think my entire post could be about how this was all so high school, and high school on TV just screams–wait, I said I’d stop.

Anyway, the biggest part of the episode was Stefan’s attempt to find Damon’s humanity–and the big reveal that Damon was in love with Katherine. For some reason, I thought that the love was only on Stefan’s side, but now we’re starting to piece together why Damon is taking so much out on Stefan. She died in a fire. Could it be that Stefan killed her?

My sequence of events is this (and keep in mind, I’m totally guessing): Stefan loves Katherine, but then Damon gets an interest. Damon changes her into a vampire–one that, of course, stays loyal to her sire and is so evil that Stefan has to kill her. And now, Damon takes revenge.

If it’s not that, well, we’ll see, but I could entirely see that happening.

Anyway, Damon proved to Stefan that he had no humanity by killing the coach. What bugged me the most about this was that we heard in the pilot that if they tear them up enough, people will assume an animal attack happened. But Damon seems to not do that. Easy-to-see puncture wounds, you know?

But I did feel bad for the coach. And I loved how horrified Stefan looked. Honestly, you have to give props for Paul Wesley. He’s doing a fantastic job in this role.

We also learned about Bonnie’s feeling last episode, and that she is in fact a witch, whether she wants to be or not. Personally, I’m completely intrigued with her character, and I love that we’re developing her slowly. I think she’ll play an integral part in the future.

And finally: Caroline. She’s Damon’s puppet and snack. I’m curious how he’s keeping her alive, though. Not why, but how. I mean, he seems to take a lot of blood, and he is puncturing some pretty important parts in the neck–how is she still alive? And how did she change lingerie before the start of this episode?

Anyway, I’m enjoying the show, much more so than I’d thought. It’s just unfortunate that so much is on Thursday nights that my posts don’t go up until right before the next episode!

Oh well. Consider it a review period–prep for tonight.

Now Leaving Cougar Town

I’m sure you all noticed, I didn’t write about Cougar Town last week. And there’s a reason for that: I didn’t finish it.

I couldn’t make it through and entire 30 minutes of a premiere of a TV show. It was almost like when I tried to watch The Middle last night, except with Cougar Town, there are people that I like involved in it.

But you know, I’m someone who gives second chances, and I did sit down to watch last night’s episode. And yes, it was better. But not good enough for me to keep watching.

I’m actually disappointed. It’s not that I’m a huge Courteney Cox fan, but I don’t mind her in things. I watched Friends. I thought she was funny (well, until the end when they all became caricatures of themselves and they were all not funny). So the fact that she was in another series didn’t bother me. And since she was in some episodes of Scrubs and was funny in those, I put some faith in the series, what with Bill Lawrence being the brains behind both Scrubs and Cougar Town.

And honestly, that was the real appeal: Bill Lawrence. He’s done some great stuff, and the quirky nature of Scrubs has kept me coming back season after season. I was almost looking forward to the new show.

Despite the fact that the premise bothered me. You know, I realize that “cougars” are big nowadays, but I really don’t care much to see a bunch of older women hitting on younger men. That’s what I figured I’d get with the show.

And surprisingly enough, I was wrong. It’s just another divorcee (who unrealistically spends way too much time with her ex) who’s trying to be young again. The bad part is, Courteney Cox really doesn’t look that old right now. Nor does she look like a mom for her teenage son.

She does, however, spend time with a younger woman (one who has no hesitation to change her underwear in an office), so that she can be the influence to make Courteney Cox’s character look like a moron most of the time. But you know what? It’s really not all that funny.

And I like funny. In fact, that’s generally what I look for in my half-hour sitcoms. But what this show seems to lean on is crass. That’s probably why I can’t see Cox’s character as a mother. She’s terrible! Somehow her son has grown up to be self-sufficient and smart, yet she seems to be the one that needs to be taken care of the most!

Probably the person I like best in the series is played by Christa Miller, who is the married, older best friend. Also a veteran of Scrubs, she’s the one I could see actually playing the cougar, not the stable best friend. My only hope for her is that this show gets canceled so she can return to Scrubs.

Anyway, I’m sorry, Cougar Town, but you’re not my cup of tea. I feel disloyal somehow, making sure that I don’t even flip by it on Wednesday nights anymore (sorry, Bill), but man, I don’t think I can take it.

The Good Wife: “I thought you’d understand what it’s like to be misunderstood.”

CC has mixed feelings about The Good Wife, but she thinks Josh Charles is cute.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.02 “Stripped”

Raked and I were talking about this show this morning.  Neither of us thought The Good Wife is living up to what it initially purported to be.  It’s not that this is a bad show, nor will I stop watching it, but it’s not about a women re-entering the workplace after staying at home.  It’s not really about the aftermath of political scandal.  Really, it’s more about lawyers, with occasional glimpses into Alicia Florrick’s psyche.

We’ve fast-forwarded a month, and we see Alicia getting called into Will’s office.  Alicia’s got a former escort/stripper who was raped by a prominent family member.  She requested her especially for the case, according to Will.  The stripper doesn’t want to settle; she wants him to admit that he did it so she’s filing civil action.  Christine Baranski (I don’t know her character’s name) thinks it’s a bad idea.  Does anyone understand why Will has more clout than a seeming senior partner?  Is he Alicia’s boss?  This has been unclear to me.

They go through the civil trial and get a really liberal judge.  At first Will thinks this will help because it means that he’ll get key evidence in his favor through.  However, he quickly realizes that this judge is overcompensating for his liberalism in his decision-making, which turns to his detriment. Will also yells at Alicia for not fully preparing him for questioning a key witness.  Despite presenting compelling evidence that a sexual assault occurred, the judge rules in favor of the rapist.  By the end of the episode, the evil state’s attorney, Childs, has found key evidence linking McKeon (rapist) to the crime and will prosecute him to look like a hero.

In jail, Peter warned his wife of this.  Childs is purely motivated by politics, he tells Alicia.  I’m wondering, however, why Childs is so interested in Alicia.  It’s not as if she became a lawyer to bring about his downfall, but rather, to support her family.  It seems that Childs is unnecessarily obsessed with the family, even dropping off pictures of her husband with call girls, smoking something (it looked like crack, but I don’t do enough drugs to really know. It could’ve just been a normal pipe).  Does anyone have a sense of his motivation to bring down Alicia?

Speaking of Peter, it seems that he may be more innocent than we initially thought.  Alicia’s son scans the photos that the state’s attorney dropped off before his mom could see them.  And he realizes that his father has been photoshopped in.  This isn’t to say that his father is/should be entirely exonerated but it does suggest that we have a larger scandal brewing.   I thought the best moments of the show involved the kids and their reaction to their father’s absence.  I am a little put off by Gran from Dawson’s Creek as a figure in this show.

I really hope they give Cary (Matt Czurchy) more to do.  I think that the rivalry between him and Alicia could be really interesting.  I did think it was great that he sent Alicia the link to Peter’s press conference (he’s getting an appeal), knowing that she’d also have to listen to the recordings of her husband with another woman.  This was clearly designed to rattle her, and it also sets up a great fight between Alicia and Peter while she’s visiting him in prison (she thinks that Peter slept with her client…he didn’t).

Overall, this isn’t a bad show, and it looks like ratings have been really strong so far.  I’m glad it’s a modest hit, but I doubt it’ll be winning any Emmys.  That said, most of my notes for this episode said “Josh Charles is so cute” so it’s not as if I’m going to be engaged in some heated discussions about this show.  But in the meantime, I will leave you with the fact that Josh Charles is so cute.

Heroes fans, I need your help

Hello, Heroes fans, you dedicated group of television watchers. Through thick and thin, you’ve pulled through, watching the show through the anticlimactic first season, the terrible second season, the big letdown of a third season, and…what?

Here’s where I need your help.

I’ve been two episodes–three hours–of Heroes so far this season. I’ve heard the two-hour season starter was terrible (why was it two-hours, anyway? To compete with House?). But then I heard that Monday’s episode was actually solid.

I need your opinions.

I don’t know whether to watch it or not. I got really frustrated at the end of last season, and I told myself that I would stop watching it. Even KT, my frequent commenter and guest writer (though never on Heroes), stopped watching it. And she’s been as devoted as you.

And I’ve been deciding all summer whether to watch. The premiere came and went, but I was out of town and couldn’t watch it anyway, so I moved on. And then I heard it was bad and thought I was right. And heck, Gawker stopped covering it, so why should I?

But then, if this last episode was solid, is there hope?

So tell me what to do. Do you want me to write about here? Watch it and let you know what I think? Should I give it a try for a few episodes and then drop it like it’s hot (or a dead weight sinking NBC one episode at a time, more accurately), or should I sign off and say good-bye?

Let me know. If you’re reading this, maybe you’re interested. But without comments, I’ll never know.

image from wikipedia.org

Recap Review: iCarly

iCARLY: Season 2, Volume 1

I know what you’re thinking: How come Raked spends so much time covering Disney Channel shows, when she doesn’t even glance at anything on Nickelodeon? Well, that’s all about to change. Not only have I watched an entire two-disk DVD set of iCarly that, yes, included an iCarly movie (where they go to Japan), but I even have True Jackson VP waiting for me to take a gander at for a later Recap Review.

Yes, tweens, you can all start celebrating.

Not that I’ll particularly try to catch new episodes online. At least not on purpose. We’ll see.

Anyway, I had been curious about this show for a while. Not because I tend to watch a lot of tween TV (which I do, unless Demi Lovato and Jonas Brothers is on it–which automatically raises Nick up in the rankings), but because I knew this show in particular is the main competitor against Hannah Montana. Do you Hannah or do you Carly?

Now, I will say this: I was able to sit down and watch the entire two-disk set in one sitting. True, I was doing other things while I watched, but I didn’t feel the need to turn on something else and I got up to switch disks, so clearly, it’s watchable.

And I enjoyed the characters. It took me a while to get used to Sam. She seemed a little over-the-top, but you know, that’s just how she’s supposed to be. A little more tomboy than, say, Lily of HM, but eventually quite enjoyable.

I most enjoyed Carly’s brother Spencer. Now, since I’m coming into this series a little late, I’m not actually sure why she’s living with her brother (maybe you can fill me in), but I liked him. Especially the running gag that everything he touches seems to light on fire. Now, that’s something that could easily fall under the lame-o joke category, but since it was so sporadic, I liked it.

What I didn’t like was the iCarly web show. I didn’t check to see if the real iCarly website hosted the web show they put together. But to me, it wasn’t very funny. Maybe I’m just too old.

I also can’t quite believe that their web show would be that popular. Sending them to Japan? Winning in Japan (though making them perform to find out if they won seems kinda ridiculous–base it on the show, people)? Getting so many hits that they get responses with money?

But I did appreciate that they grabbed up a trend: the fact that kids are turning to the internet for entertainment. They even made a joke, as they watched America Sings and another commercial break confronted them: “This is why kids are watching things on the internet!” I paraphrase, of course.

Anyway, it wasn’t a bad introduction to the show. One could even say I enjoyed it. I don’t really know whether I’ll think to just toss in the DVD later, but the first round was ok.

So way to go, Nick. I can now see why your Carly and Hannah are at odds.

Gossip Girl: “From Serena to Georgina…Quite a fall, even for you.”

We share the love here on Raked. This week DC shares the Gossip Girl spotlight and lets CC take the pen to the page (so to speak).

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.03  “The Lost Boy”

It’s impossible to keep secrets.  Whether you’re hooking up with someone embarrassed to be seen with or secretly helping someone find their parents, it’s hard to keep it quiet, especially on Gossip Girl.  Dan’s ill-advised drunken hook up with Georgina turns into daytime hookups, and Blair doesn’t notice a sock on the door unless it’s cashmere so of course she finds out…which means that Serena and Vanessa find out.  Despite not actually attending NYU, Serena has unfettered access to the dorms.

So does Scott, who somehow is always around, despite not being a student.  Vanessa’s feeling suspicious and checks to see if Scott’s taking comp lit/any classes/living in New York.  And so she confronts him and discovers that Scott is really Dan and Little J’s half-brother.   Scott is taking guitar lessons from Rufus, and even Little J and Eric think it’s weird that he’s over all the time.  It’s not as weird as lying to Rufus/Dan/everyone else by saying that Scott’s dead brother was their son, but alas.  I was disappointed that scene was all we saw of Eric and Jenny; they’re like Michael Kors on Project Runway. Are we ever going to see them again?  Can we go back to high school, please?

Speaking of high school, Blair and Chuck are still acting like they’re in it.  Blair gets an invitation to join a secret society, but only if she gets a picture at auction.  What is this, Skull and Bones? Yale? I think not.  Of course, Chuck needs the exact same photo because he wants to give it to some club owner to land a business deal.  Georgina, it turns out, is playing them off each other because it’s fun, and she’s still hell-bent on destroying Blair.  Does anyone have a theory as to why?

Because Gossip Girl wouldn’t be what it is without some daring fashion moments, I would like to pose this question to our readers. Which is worse: Blair’s auction dress that looked similar to a leotard Sarah Jessica Parker wore in Girls Just Want to Have Fun? Or Serena’s dress that looked like she was auditioning to be the next decoy call girl for the next New York Governor?  Come on stylists!

Speaking of Serena, what did everyone think about the Blair/Chuck/Carter/Serena fiasco.  I know that Blair/Chuck enjoyed setting him up, and I guess technically that was wrong, but let’s be honest, how many times does a delusional girl say that “he’s different with me” only to find herself walking in on him and another girl? Or worse?  I have to say I was a bit annoyed with this.  Here Chuck and Blair are hoping to show Serena that she shouldn’t be dating a bad apple (which is noble from a friendship perspective), and it only serves to bring them closer together.  Sure, he’s helped her find her father, but something’s got to give, right?

It seems that Carter (and consequently, Serena) will get his at the ends of Bri Buckley, who’s located him.  I’m not exactly sure why her family wants to find him, but I’m sure it has something to do with that stolen yacht in Santorini.  Is that what everyone else thought?

At the end of the episode, we saw a forlorn Georgina deleting a picture of her and Dan from her desktop (they’re not hooking up anymore, nor were they ever close enough to warrant such a picture, but that’s besides the point).  We see her shipping up to Boston, now knowing that Scott is the real illegitimate half-brother.  Where do we see this going? More scandal? And will Lily be around to be embroiled in it?  Until then, XOXO.

HIMYM: Seeing double

KT has been told that she has a blond doppelganger out there somewhere. I assume she’s the evil twin.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: 5.02 “Double Date”

Friends and neighbors, meet the goat of season five.

Not a literal goat, of course. But like we knew to expect the goat last year, this year we can look forward to spotting Ted and Barney’s doppelgangers before the end of the season. Sort of like we’re still looking forward to more of Marshall’s slap bet opportunities. Sort of like we’re still waiting to eventually meet the mother.

The three doppelgangers we meet here fit perfectly into the “double” theme of the episode. Ted and Jen realize that their blind date isn’t so blind after all — and in fact is sort of a re-run. Meanwhile the other four go on a very odd double date involving reversed expectations.

It’s reasonable to think that Lily would be upset by Marshall going to a strip club, given the pair’s utter fidelity. And remember that last year Lily got upset when Karen merely eyed Marshall appreciatively? But I think it’s the appearance of her doppelganger that makes her okay with the strip trip. A stripper who happens to look just like her is a big affirmation of her own good looks, so Lily is happy to take the whole thing as a compliment. It’s great.

Robin, on the other hand, is still uneasy about her new relationship status — Barney hanging out in a strip club is only going to make her feel vulnerable. Barney’s still uneasy too, I think. He’s out to prove that he can be Robin’s boyfriend without changing his womanizing ways — to the point where he’s ignoring Robin’s protests in his usual fakin’ it hard kind of way. But they weren’t really the main story this week.

That was Ted, as it often is. It was bittersweet to see how he and Jen had both gotten a little older and wiser, but also a little more jaded. (Speaking of uneasy, that’s Ted, too — still feeling that teaching is less than doing.) The idea that they had each dated everyone in New York and circled back around to each other is a little sad and a little desperate, although they played it for laughs. And the jumping between 2002 and 2009 was fun, as it always is on this show. Did you spot the Season 1 Lily wig?

If not, fair enough, as it paled in comparison to Stripper Lily’s big, curly wig. Lily’s enthusiasm for her doppelganger became a little unnerving, if you ask me, but I loved the tag at the end where Stripper Lily has managed to trade places with our Lily and is hitting up Marshall for shopping money through a thick accent.

Speaking of hair: Alyson Hannigan really does seem to change her hair about once a year, and this year it looks great. But doesn’t it look like Jason Segal is growing his out again? Don’t do it, Jason! Please?

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: I was wrong.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: 6.01 “Nice Is Different Than Good”

I was wrong.

100%.

Wrong.

I was sure it was going to be Katherine. I was positive! I mean, who would have thought it would be Susan on that altar anyway? Well, other than the writers. And actors.

I was wrong.

And I’m not sure what direction that’s going to take Desperate Housewives now. I mean, she and Mike, though they love each other, had some pretty big problems. Are they suddenly going to be the perfect couple all over again?

And good for Mike. Stepping up to Katherine and asking her to leave like that. For a while, it was a good question as to whether he really was pro Susan. He was just so nice to Katherine and giving her the benefit of the doubt. Even after she wore Susan’s wedding dress (which was a great moment, by the way).

By the way, did anyone else notice that MJ was somehow nowhere to be seen, even though is mom and dad were getting married? Just curious.

So it will be interesting to see where the show goes with Katherine. I’ve never seen her as someone unstable. Perhaps that’s just me. I was surprised when Julie said that, but clearly we’re moving in that direction based on her message to Susan in the church and that terrible look she was giving her in the end.

But I’d be pissed, too. While it was Mike’s choice to choose Susan, Susan was still acting juvenile.

But that’s not the real big thing that happened in the episode. I’m talking about the end. The real end. The SHOCKER.

What happened to Julie?! Is she dead? Is she going to die? Was it the new neighbors? As with all new neighbors on Wisteria Lane, what’s their secret? And what was the argument about that makes us suspect their son would try to murder Julie?

And if it’s not him, who is it? There’s always a twist on Desperate Housewives.

Personally, I hope she pulls through. The promos for next week seemed to indicate that she was in the hospital, so there might be a chance. I really like Julie, and I’ve really missed her on the show.

Other notes:

• Gaby: I like the twist in Gaby’s life. Dealing with a teenager. Should be interesting. By the way, where have I seen the girl playing the teenager before?
• Lynette: While she was barely noticeable in the episode, I’m very intrigued as to where this is going. Super Mom disliking her unborn children. I mean, this is a risky thing to put on the air, I’d say. I want to see where it goes and when the turnaround will happen. You know she won’t hate them forever.
• Bree: Uggh. This storyline bothers me. Would she really sleep with Susan’s ex and a man who had a relationship with Edie?? This just seems off base for me and doesn’t interest me.

That about sums it up. Pretty big for a season opener, I’d say. Good job.

BIG BANG: Just fine. Or Ok.

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.02 “The Jiminy Conjecture”

It’s not that I didn’t like last night’s episode. But did anyone else feel like it just wasn’t quite up to snuff?

I mean, it was fine enough. And it’s nice that we got a quick cameo by Lewis Black.  But it wasn’t as laugh-out-loud funny as previous episodes have been.

And I blame this on Penny and Leonard.

Now we see why the writers didn’t put them together at the beginning of last season. I mean, clearly, the writers don’t know what to do with them. The whole bad sex thing has been around for quite a while in sitcoms (the first one coming to mind is Suddenly Susan, if any of you remember that). And I don’t know, it’s kinda boring.

Plus, does it frustrate anyone else to know that we’ve been watching these two for years now, hoping they’ll get together, only to have a problem like this in the end? I mean, it was such a letdown last time they broke up after one episode. We don’t want it again.

And honestly, their getting drunk together ultimately wasn’t all that funny! Nothing happened! They just got so drunk they had to throw up. Sigh.

I don’t know what’s going to happen with them in the next few episodes, but I hope the drama doesn’t continue. This is a comedy show. Bring back the funny. Make the other guys try to compete with Leonard, now that he has a hot, cool girlfriend. Make Leonard unsure of how to deal with someone who doesn’t get his smart references. There are a lot of awkward parts that can come about when these two are together. Let’s see that. Funny awkward. Not problems.

Of course, that wasn’t the only plotline. The other was Sheldon and Howard’s competition over the cricket. By the way, a cricket in the house is another well-used sitcom device. While I did enjoy the pursuit, it did disappoint me to see a loss of originality.

In the end, I was glad that Howard won. I mean, when does he ever? Never, according to Sheldon.

But the best part of the episode was having Howard and Raj pause to see how long it would take Sheldon to realize his faux pas around Penny. I almost wish we had seen the entire scene, just to see how long it took and what wrong alternatives he came up with first. Of course, who knows how long that was.

I do like to see Sheldon develop, though. He’s not perfect in his intelligence, and he’s finally discovering social norms–even if he’s not following them. So at least there’s that.

But overall, while I chuckled, this wasn’t the best episode of Big Bang. I’d much prefer the nerdy focus back, and less emphasis on Penny and Leonard. They’re not Ross and Rachel. They won’t be. And we don’t want them to be either.

Mad Men: “When it comes down to it, who’s really signing this contract anyway?”

It’s good that CC didn’t wake up in the wrong place on Sunday. She might’ve missed Mad Men.

MAD MEN: 3.07 “Seven Twenty Three”

As someone who’s woken up somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be (college quad, bathtub, Brighton), I could relate to last night’s episode.  Our opening scene last night found us watching Peggy as she woke up in a hotel room in bed with some guy; Betty lounging on a Victorian sofa pleasuring herself, and Don passed out in a hotel bleeding from his nose.

When Don arrives at the office after helping Betty redecorate, Mr. Hilton is already waiting for him.  Conrad tells him he’s disturbed by Don’s tardiness and lack of Bible/family photos.  Don replies, “How do you know I wasn’t spending time with my family reading the Bible?”  At the end of the meeting, Conrad tells Don he wants him handling all of the New York Hilton properties.  Later, we find out Conrad Hilton refuses draw papers unless Don signs a guarantee that he’ll be a Sterling Cooper employee for three years.

Meanwhile, Betty is trying to prevent structures from encroaching in the town reservoir. Betty tells her fellow members of the Junior League (that made me want to vomit a little) that she has a contact in the governor’s office, Henry Francis.  Henry, if you don’t remember, is the creepy dude that put his hand on Betty’s pregnant belly at Roger’s party.  Naturally, the Junior League exploits Betty’s looks and tells her to meet with him.

Prior to her lunch with Henry, Betty’s on the couch again.  She’s almost masturbating, but why?  Do we think Henry and Betty will have an affair?  At lunch, Henry says that he’ll help her with the reservoir and that Betty shouldn’t give up easily on this fight.  As he’s walking Betty to her car, he points out a fainting chair (the couch) in the window, and Betty buys it.

At the office, Peggy and Pete (more alliteration) receive gifts (heinous Hermes scarf and cigars, respectively) from Duck; neither wants to leave and agrees to return them.  Pete then asks Peggy if she’d heard about Hilton. As someone desperately carving a place in Sterling Cooper, these incidents make Peggy feel unappreciated.  She asks Don to be on Hilton, and he yells that she’s good but does nothing he can’t live without.  Later, we see Peggy in the bed again and cut to Peggy in a hotel with Duck.  She tries to return the scarf and instead has sex with him.  Do you think this makes Peggy stuck? How can she be a credible voice at a new firm by being a woman who slept her way there?  How can she stay at Sterling Cooper after sleeping with Don’s enemy?

When Don gets home, Betty yells at him about not signing a contract (Roger told her).  He explains that not having one gives him power and suggests that she’s concerned about this only with respect to herself. That was true, but the most powerful moment of the episode occurred when Betty asked where Don thought he’d be in three years. Don doesn’t care about power, but rather, having an out—of his sham marriage, of this life, and of this identity he’s fabricated.

Tired of fighting, Don goes for a drive and picks up hitchhikers.  Since horror movies weren’t en vogue, Don doesn’t realize this is dangerous.  His two passengers are engaged so that the male can avoid the draft.  This is the beginning of Vietnam, although I guess we can say that last week’s limb loss foreshadows Vietnam’s destruction of life.  Don says he won’t judge, and they offer him Phenobarbital in lieu of gas money.

They end up in a hotel room, where they dance, as Don gets increasingly delirious. He watches the couple make out while he has a vision of his father telling him that he grows bullshit. As he tries to respond, the couple beats him over the head.  When he wakes up the next day, he’s bleeding and next to a note telling him that his friends left him the car.

When he gets to his office, Mr. Cooper implores him to sign the contract.  He explains, it’s time for Don to pay them back because “when it comes down to it, who’s really signing this contract anyway?”  Sterling Cooper is Don’s family, and he belongs there more than home.   That’s true of everyone—Joan, Don, Peggy, etc. belong there and not where they’ve ended up in the past two episodes.

Community: Dance Dance Spanish-olution

COMMUNITY: 1.02 “Spanish 101″

If you didn’t realize that Jeff was a jerk from the first episode, you clearly didn’t watch it right. But of course, in the world of sitcoms, he realized his wrongs and made up for them–by humiliating himself alongside Pierce for a “Spanish conversation.”

I loved it. I wish I saw the entire thing. Especially when they were dressed as robots. Robots are great. And completely unexpected. We call that comedy.

I should say right now that it’s very difficult to write about comedy, especially comedy that’s well done. I mean, what do you say? The plot was funny? The characters were good?

Both are true. Sure, we’re still waiting to see how long it will really be until Britta officially signs Jeff off. Well, we would have thought that would have happened already. And she still…hasn’t. But then again, this is a sitcom.

But honestly, this episode was great. It all starts with a wee assignment, and it became all about friendship. The fact that Pierce so desperately wants to be as cool as Jeff–so much so that he pays Britta to switch cards with him just be Jeff’s partner. And, sure, Jeff did the same thing. Of course, his reasons were, well, to be nice, less than noble.

Plus, there was the fact that the other girls so desperately wanted to be like Britta that they follow her lead and try to be protesters, even though their protest was a little more bright and cheery than Britta would have liked–and included a pinata which was basically the opposite of what they needed to prove that brutality is, well, wrong.

But it was all so very college. The T-shirts for protests. The taped mouth vigil. The desperate need not to make an impact but to make a page in the paper. At least they have that right.

Overall, just a great episode. But the best part? Clearly, the rap at the end. Who couldn’t love it? Nonsensical, but awesome.

Ghost Whisperer: Five years later

GHOST WHISPERER: 5.01 “Birthday Presence”

I’m sure by the time you started the episode, you had forgotten that I’d posted about how the show was going to jump ahead five years.

But first, they had to jump ahead a few months. Right to September 25, when Melinda has her baby boy, Aiden. And, of course, there are complications. Not only is the baby born not breathing, but he’s also born at the exact same time a ghost is confused and assumes that he’s her son. This will screw him up a lot later.

Well, five years later, to be exact. Right about his birthday, when the ghost is finally fed up with Melinda for taking her child (who is not her child), and she wants him back.

Now, I must say, the logic in this isn’t completely clear. I mean, the ghost knows she’s a ghost. So what’s she going to do with the boy once she, you know, gets him to go with her. Kill him and let him stay in the afterlife with her? Well, that doesn’t seem all that motherly.

Not that it really matters in the end. She sees that her son is well taken care of and that he’s happy, so she’s happy. The end.

But that’s not really the interesting part of the episode. It’s really what Aiden can do–or can’t do, if you’re looking at Melinda’s opinion. What we discover is that Aiden can see ghosts. He knows they’re ghosts. In fact, many children can see them, but they may not realize their ghosts (actually, we’ve discovered before that children could see ghosts, and they typically just assume they’re imaginary friends).

But what’s his special power? Empath. He can feel what others are feeling, and apparently he has a special connection with his mother.

Now, I don’t know if you quite noticed the bowling alley, but the end of this episode seemed to remind me a lot of Smallville, when Clark was saving Ryan in the bowling alley–you know, when Smallville was still good. Except for this little flaw of creativity, I can’t complain about the episode.

It was a good enough episode to introduce us to the new way of the series. Five years in the future. A son with special abilities. Sam/Jim is a doctor, and as Aiden pointed out, there are a lot of ghosts in the hospital, so maybe that will play a part in some upcoming episodes.

I’m not sure yet what I think of the new order, but it’s worth finding out how it goes. I mean, there have been other successful jumps into the future, and at least we don’t have to hear Melinda complain about crying and diapers. Of course, it does bug me that Melinda is just so perfect as a mom, but what can you do?

It’s her show.

Dollhouse: Who did they make me now?

DOLLHOUSE: 2.01 “Vows”

Part of me expected an explosive episode of Dollhouse. One that would really grab new viewers and start the episode with a bang.

Now, I don’t think this first episode was that. However, the emotional side and the character development was so fantastic, that I really can’t complain. I just hope that new viewers weren’t turned off by the focus on character development over action, which is what they’ve been advertising the show as.

I must admit that I was a little bored at the start–with Echo’s storyline that is. I guess the wedding and eventual undercover plot really didn’t grab my attention. Not that it was bad. But like I said before. I was looking for explosive.

But I really warmed up fast, especially when you saw what was actually going on with Echo’s mind. Now, if you’ve seen “Epitaph One,” you know what eventually happens with Echo’s mind (I won’t spoil it here), so I’ve been waiting to watch this development. Not that I thought it would happen in this episode, but hey, wherever it starts, I’m interested.

I most enjoyed seeing Ballard exploit her doll breakdown by forming her into the doll that would work best in the situation–the kickass doll who, well, kicked Ballard’s ass. And boy did she do a number on the bad guys.

And in the end, we have her hoping to work with Ballard to find the real souls of all those in the Dollhouse. Clearly, this seems to be the driving force of the season. I’m interested to see if and how this really moves forward.

In other news, I’m quite disappointed that Boyd’s no long Echo’s handler. Clearly he is, too. I’m not sure what I think about Ballard being her handler, as it seems he’s more sexually attracted to her than worried about her safekeeping, but I guess we’ll see.

The most interesting part of the episode, by far, was Dr. Saunders’/Whiskey’s identity crisis. Her interactions with Topher–you could almost see his mind breaking down as he heard Whiskey talk. It was heartbreaking, hearing that she’d rather die than become who she’s going to be, because either way the Dr. Saunders that she is will be lost.

And to see how upset she was to see that they’re taking extra care in Victor’s scars than her own–to see that she was almost expendable, even if she was the number one doll. She may not know of the relationship between Victor’s doll self and Adelle, and without that knowledge, it’s just one more stab in the back.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how she handles herself–and Boyd’s advances–now that she knows the truth. Honestly, this storyline alone made me more invested in the show than I already was. She’s just such a heartbreaking beauty, and the more we discover, the more attached we become.

Welcome back, Dollhouse. I’m excited to see where you go.

Fringe: From beneath you, it devours

FRINGE: 2.02 “Night of Desirable Objects”

Sorry for the Thursday night TV delay. I’ll blame it on traveling. And the fact that I had no idea what I should say about this episode.

I want to ignore the main plot. Sorry, Fringe. I know you need stand-alone episodes. You can’t just have every episode devoted to the Pattern, no matter how much we want it. Sure, there were some Olivia developments, but I’ll get to those in a few.

This episode just seemed to much like an episode of The X-Files. Even the cold open was screaming X-Files. For a show that needs to distinguish itself from the previous paranormal-driven show to grab new viewers (seriously, you don’t know how many people come to me and ask, is it basically The X-Files?), it needs to work harder. All we needed was the mutant thing dancing to Cher at the end of the episode, and we’d have a complete X-Files knock-off.

It’s not that it was bad. It was jus that I could tell where I was going to jump right before I did. I mean, as soon as I saw the sheriff standing by himself near the house, I knew he’d be a goner. In fact, I even made up a little song about it. I believe the lyrics were, “Bye bye, Sheriff.” It wasn’t a very exciting song.

And I did still jump, so we’ll give them credit for that. But even the episode was shot like The X-Files. Sure, the scarecrow had its own creep factor, but the way it was “artistically” shot just screamed Chris Carter.

But there was the interesting B-plot of Olivia’s hearing. How maddening would it be to be sitting in a bath and hearing every bubble pop in a bath. And then everything else in a certain mile range. Watching her realize what she was hearing–breathing in the floorboards, people’s cell phone conversations from a while away–it was really intriguing.

And I’m especially curious to see what this doctor or specialist will do. As a habit, we generally don’t trust Nina. Do we think he’ll help Olivia? Do we think he’s some sort of mole for Nina? Or will he tell us more about the Pattern? I want to know!

What surprised me about this episode was the change in Olivia. I’m not sure if it’s her changes in hearing or the fact that she can’t remember a chunk or time or that she’s still healing from her accident, but she’s much softer. Last season, she would have heartily questioned the man in the bowling alley, and here, she was willing to just walk off with no further questions.

Anyway, I’m glad the show is taking new directions. I just want less X-Files and more Fringe. But I’m sure we’ll get there soon enough.

Glee: Put a Ring On It

Dancing football players get us all excited, but CC gets to write about it.

GLEE: 1.04 “Preggers”

If last week, there were too many musical numbers, I might venture to say there weren’t enough this week, but I did like this episode a lot better.  Single Ladies, however, is going to be in my head for the next two weeks thanks to last night.  At least Kanye West didn’t interrupt Tina’s solo and proclaim that Rachel has the best voice…period.

Does Kurt’s homosexuality make him count as a single lady?  If so, we have a few of them in this episode.  None of them are happy. Kurt is trapped in his sexuality and tries out for the football team (with Finn’s help) so that his father won’t think he’s gay.  While Terry is technically married, she’s not shared her fictitious pregnancy with anyone.  Rachel is quitting Glee to be the star (and only performer) of the school musical.  Quinn is alone at the top of the celibacy club.  It turns out, however, she hasn’t been spending all her time alone…since she’s PREGNANT.

I have to say that it was really predictable that Puck was the father of Quinn’s child (despite Quinn telling her assonantly named boyfriend Finn that he was the baby daddy because of a premature ejaculation in a hot tub).  I called that.  My roommate called Terry approaching Quinn as an adoptive parent.  I thought this storyline was probably the weakest of the episode, although I’m glad we’re seeing more and more into Puck’s character (even if it’s not good).  What did everyone think of his nastiness to Quinn?  Do you think it was in response to her telling him that he would peak in high school?  Or do you think he actually wants to be with her, even when she’s not feeling fat and drunk on wine coolers?  I thought he looked jealous of the rhyming couple when they were talking by the lockers.

Speaking of seeing more into people’s character, we’re learning more and more about Rachel.  At first, I just wrote her off as a Tracy Flick-type, whose unbridled ambition would make Glee a success. But I think Rachel, not Quinn or Puck or Sue Sylvester, is fast becoming the destructive force in the club.  She quits and rejoins the club twice in this episode, thinking that she deserves each solo because she’s the best one there/Natalie Wood was a Jew/she was born to sing anything from Broadway because she has two dads.  She thinks that fostering a team environment by letting everyone have a chance to sing precludes her from being a star and getting a boyfriend.  And why can’t she just enjoy singing?  Why must Glee club be her ticket to popularity?  And do we really believe Mr. Schuester has a vendetta against her?  Push It was sooo three weeks ago.

Speaking of teams, the Single Ladies shuffle was hysterical, albeit outside the rules of football entirely (they would’ve been called for delay of game, illegal formation, etc.).  However, I’m happy to suspend my disbelief to watch a bunch of overweight guys embrace sequins. I was also happy to see that Kurt came out to his Dad, who embraced him, regardless of his sexuality.  I don’t know how many high school students are watching Glee, but I think it’s sending a mostly positive message to them.  I’m sure that most revelations of that nature don’t go that smoothly, Kurt’s courage in this episode made him a heroic figure.  Not only did he win the football team the game, but he also inspired three more popular kids to join the glee club (including Puck).

I know I skipped over Sue’s Corner and her alliance with Sandy because I’m still not sure what to make of it all, despite her rants being the funniest part of last night’s show.   I still wonder what happened to Sue that makes failure so scary.  I’m thinking (or dreaming, really) that we’ll get a flashback that shows Will and Terry as the golden couple singing “Freak Out” at nationals while a Rachel-like Sue gets paint thrown in her face.  And because I’m waiting to see that moment and everything else this show offers, Glee has been upgraded to a season pass on my Tivo so I guess I’ve put a ring on it too.

Eastwick: The power of three will…kill thee?

EASTWICK: 1.01 “Pilot”

I haven’t seen The Witches of Eastwick, but I watched last night’s pilot with someone who has. And he said that it’s basically the same.

However, I’m going in this with unbiased eyes–probably as ABC is intending. I can’t imagine that ABC would hope that the key demographic would have seen The Witches of Eastwick, since I hear it was a great film. I’d imagine that big fans of the film would hate to see a new cast and to see a TV series change its legacy.

Perhaps, though, I’m just thinking of 10 Things I Hate About You.

If you have seen the movie and then saw last night’s premiere of Eastwick, I invite you to tell me in the comments what you thought. In the meantime, I’ll take a look with eyes unseen.

First, I thought this show was going to be more of a comedy until I saw ABC’s actual schedule and promos. I’m not sure why. I guess I just wanted to distinguish it somehow from Charmed.

And it is somewhat different. Clearly, the three women aren’t sisters. There’s no real heritage. There’s some mysterious darkness that has caused these women to gain these powers. And we’re not quite sure whether these powers are good or not.

It seems like Roxie’s is pretty harmless. She sees the future in a dream. Then she can keep an eye out and make sure it doesn’t happen. Now, after the number of dreams she’s having–and all the other strange things happening with the other women–it makes me wonder why these women are still skeptical of Roxie’s dreams (except, of course, for Roxie who is freaked out). But anyway, she still seems pretty in control.

On the other side of the spectrum is Kat. She has no control and seems to be able to control the elements, much to her husband’s dismay. She’s already knocked him out of a hammock and almost killed him by electrocuting him.

In the middle is Joanna, who can make any man do her bidding. She seemed to be close to going over the dark side until she realized what she was doing and backed off.

The interesting part is how close these woman can be to dark forces in this town, and clearly, Bun already thinks they are. When really, it’s the new man in town that’s doing everything–or at least we suspect. He charms water to make them drunk. Seduces them. Creates false senses of security.

Oh yeah. And he’s supposedly dead.

The pilot did a great job of setting up the series while leaving some good questions to be answered. But here’s my main question: Can this really sustain a series status? We have a big bad, but will he be in it forever? If they try, he’ll basically be a Sylar for the show. But once the women realize and control their powers, what’s to distinguish this from Charmed? It’s got to remain unique.

You know, sometimes there’ s a reason there’s a film and not a show. I’ll be trying it out again next week, but I’d love to know your thoughts, too.

Dear Diary: The ‘Vampires’ are getting worse, but the show is not!

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.02 “Night of the Comet”

Thursday nights this season are just so FULL of new television. Which is probably why I end up watching The Vampire Diaries online and a few days late. But since another new episode is on tonight, I thought now would be a good time to write about last week’s episode.

I have to say, I’m still enjoying the show. Damon and Stefan are still at odds, and Damon is still as evil as ever. Two new deaths started off the episode. Of course, they were nameless people, and it had a very Buffy vibe (with a little Urban Legends), but we got the point: Deaths are still happening, and they ain’t pretty.

Yes, I said ain’t.

The most intriguing part, though, was that Elena officially met Damon. Now, we knew Damon had seen her in last week’s episode. He knew she looked like Katherine, and there was the whole fog and crow incident in the woods. But now she’s met him, thought him to be harmless, and if anything, we know that game is officially on.

But it doesn’t look like Elena’s quite the feast yet. First we need to handle Vicki, who has survived Damon’s vampire attack. Here’s something new we learned of their vampire culture: They can hypnotize people–or at least convince them of non-truths. Fortunately, Stefan was able to cover Damon’s tracks a bit…well, for a while. Since Stefan doesn’t feed on humans, his vampire powers aren’t as strong. His hold on Vicki didn’t stick, and he was almost brought to the surface in the town.

And Damon would have been thrilled with that–except that it would lead to Stefan’s death. And that’s no fun for eternal torture, right? Right.

So he did something surprising, and actually hypnotized Vicki back to Stefan’s story. He’s safe. For now.

Safe from the world around, sure, but not from Damon. Who knows what will happen next? We’re left with the blood-curling scream from Caroline as she discovers the truth of her mystery man. (Perhaps this is why teenagers shouldn’t go home with strangers, ladies and gentlemen, vampires or not.) I guess we’ll have to see if she’s someone that will be sticking around. We’ve got a large cast already–will she make it through the first few episodes?

Honestly, I’m less interested in Caroline and more so with Bonnie. What did she see when she touched Stefan’s hand? And does Stefan have any clue of her hidden powers? Because if so, she’s more of a danger to his secret than anything else. I look forward to discovering what she saw.

Beyond that (and trust me, that was a lot), the episode was just more development of Elena and Stefan, plus some drama with her drug-addicted brother. I’m very much not interested in him. Are you? He just seems too angsty for me. Bust maybe something exciting will happen soon. Otherwise, maybe he’ll be eaten soon!

Nah, I bet he’ll be around a while. Sigh.

Gossip Girl: Serving sushi on a clean slate

Mondays are just so busy, that reviews must slip over to Wednesday! DD takes on another week of Gossip Girl–fingers crossed that it’s better than the last!

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.02 “The Freshman”

Ahhh.. sweet redemption. If I had my way, THIS would have been the season premiere, not whatever they ladled up last week. All we needed to know about was the Nate and Bree Buckley situation. The fake Chuck/Blair drama, Serena’s acting out to get her father’s attention, and Vanessa’s issues with Dan’s monopoly money had nothing to do with this episode, which revolved around the idea of new beginnings, the perfect theme for a season premiere.

In the primary storyline, Dan, Blair and Vanessa all start NYU. Blair finds that her usual MO of bribes and sushi parties actually comes off as desperate in college. Perhaps she would have more luck if she didn’t hand out insults with limo rides and Tiffany boxes. These sad attempts are made even sadder by her new roomie, Georgina of the eyebrow arch. In the end, she admits defeat and crawls back to Chuck at the Palace. Judging from the previews for next week, she still lives in the dorm, but I doubt she will be spending any real time here, as everyone hates her.

While Blair is drowning at the bottom of the dorm totem, Dan simply floats to the top (even though he is living in the loft). His pretentiousness and his love of the sound of his own voice are a perfect fit for NYU. (Not sure what that says about NYU, though.) He even uses his new-found popularity to drive the final nail into Blair’s coffin. The newly crowned King of the Freshmen even has a queen. Not sure where the Dan/G storyline is going, since Michelle Trachtenberg’s new show is premiering soon. Currently, she seems to be on the up and up. I wonder if it will be G who blows Scott’’s cover.

Speaking of, Scott’’s creep factor is rising. When asked about professors, he wigs out, letting us (the audience) know that he isn’t actually going to NYU, just pretending. Cut to Scott’’s underground lair, pictures of Dan everywhere, Scott’’s face pasted on Jenny’s body, with a statue of Dan made out of toenail clippings. I seriously cannot wait to see how this plays out.

Chuck and Serena’s story line was lame. He wants to build an underground club, Serena’s spills the beans to “the Board”, Chuck spills the beans about Serena’s escape from Brown to Rufus, Serena uses Carter to sabotage Chuck as payback, and then uses her magical hair to make up with Rufus, Chuck and Carter. Yawn.

And last and definitely least are Nate and Bree. I liked Joanna Garcia in Privileged, and she is good here as well, but this Romeo and Juliet storyline has nothing to do with anything. Who cares about Nate’s independence from this family? Not me. Since it really has nothing to do with any of the other characters on the show, including Vanessa (gasp!), this storyline just kind of hangs there. I couldn’t read Nate’s expression when he overheard Bree talking to her mom. Was he upset that Bree is getting attached to him while he is just using her to get back at his grandfather or is he happy to hear that she actually cares about him. Too bad Chace Crawford only has one expression…

Hopefully next week, the Scott storyline moves along. I also am curious as to what the writers will do with Serena. Is she just going to waft in and out of storylines willy nilly? Will she get a job (doubtful)? Also, how is Chuck taking over his father’s multi billion dollar company with just a high school education? And lastly, where was Jenny? Midwifing Kelly Rutherford’s baby?

Until next week, XOXO!

The Good Wife: “You’ve obviously never made a woman really angry.”

New shows! New shows! CC was very excited to take on The Good Wife, which premiered last night.

THE GOOD WIFE: 1.01 “Pilot”

I’m really glad that Josh Charles is back on television. For those of you who don’t know who I’m talking about, he starred with Peter Krause in an Aaron Sorkin dramedy called Sports Night, a show with which I’m obsessed.  He was also in Dead Poets Society (Knox Overstreet) where he pined after some girl named Chris.  Anyway, after Sports Night, Peter Krause found himself on a little show called Six Feet Under and had little trouble finding work. Josh got mostly bit parts in B-movies and guest starred on shows like Six Degrees (blech) and was one of the patients on In Treatment.

Why is this important?  Well, my absurd little crush may have been my main motivation for wanting to watch The Good Wife, a new legal drama on CBS.  The show focuses on Alicia Florrick’s return to work after her husband Peter (Chris Noth), the state’s attorney, is caught on tape having sex with prostitutes.  Alicia is forced to stand by his side while he denies allegations of legal wrongdoing, acting as many other political wives have in the past.  It turns out that the new state’s attorney leaked the tape establishing a great enemy in the pilot.

I’m really happy we didn’t have to witness the immediate aftermath of the press conference.  I think it was a smart decision to show Alicia six months later, having made sense of everything, and starting work.  Otherwise, I’m sure we would’ve pitied her less and just found her a whiny Meredith Grey type.  Anyway, Alicia’s old law school friend Will Gardner (Josh Charles) sets her up as a junior associate at a law firm, but she has to compete with a lawyer 20 years younger than her, Matt Czurchry (Logan on Gilmore Girls), for a permanent spot.

The most interesting part of the show was definitely watching Alicia regain her footing, especially since everyone knows who she is and what her husband did.  She’s offered a retrial pro bono case.  Her client is a mother who was carjacked while in the car with her ex-husband but is instead charged with his murder. Having to watch Alicia remember when she can raise objections, phrase her questions so that they wouldn’t yield objections, etc. was much like trying to speak a foreign language after not doing so since high school.

Naturally, her husband is a lot of help from jail and leads Alicia to some discarded evidence.  Using that evidence, and after discovering some new information of her own, Alicia’s able to pin the murder on the second wife’s brother.  Of course she wins, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she continues to win until the firm has to make its big decision. To celebrate this victory, Will comes by with a bottle of champagne after hours.  It seems he was hoping to drop it off anonymously, but instead, she’s there and they share a moment.

It’s clear that Josh Charles will be a love interest for Alicia, but it’s unclear whether they dated in the past or if he just had an unrequited crush on her.  It’s also interesting to see what will happen if/when Peter gets out of jail, which is a possibility.  I’m actually more curious about the competitive aspect of firm life for Alicia, especially as she tries to obtain the permanent spot.  If she had to dig in and fight to get back into the workplace, then I’m sure she’s going to have to fight to stay in it.  I’ll be watching to see and hope that others do too…for Josh’s sake.

A slow-moving ‘One Tree Hill’

ONE TREE HILL: 7.02 “What Are You Willing to Lose”

Who really knew what to expect with this week’s One Tree Hill? We’d probably find out about the mysterious woman that was blackmailing Nathan. And we kinda did. Just kinda.

We saw his agent try to talk to her, and Nathan bust in. And then we saw him talk to her again.

So here’s the big news: the woman is pregnant, and she says that it’s Nathan’s baby. Now, based on the previews, Nathan still says that he never slept with her. All we really know is that he got really drunk one night, and now this woman is pregnant. And the episode ends with his telling Haley.

Now, I should say that I’m glad there’s been this turn of events. I know I was skeptical. At first I thought it was just another “I cheated on my significant other” moment. And then nothing. But a baby… Well, that’s another story (as we’ll soon see).

Speaking of Haley, what did we think about the possible closing of Red Bedroom Records? I was kinda…bored. Now, I do think seeing her pretend to be Lucas and Peyton was funny, but beyond that, it was a little boring. Sadly, I couldn’t really imagine that Mia is the major label’s number one seller. I mean, she’s popular, but it’s a major label! Number one with Red Bedroom–of course. But not the other label.

But it worked, and there’s still a record label…for now.

The biggest surprise of the episode was Dan’s new girlfriend. Um, RACHEL? How did this happen? When did it happen? Wait–HOW did this HAPPEN???

It’s kinda eerily appropriate. They seem like a very dark power couple. I still don’t trust that he’s good. I still think he could be very dark in his “redemption.” And we know how Rachel can be.

Clearly, though, she’s cleaned up. Last time we saw her, she was a drug addict that stole Brooke’s money for her next fix. She seems put together now. I’m curious to see where these two will go.

Now, answer me this: Did anything else happen? There was the whole thing with Julian’s father. While I loved Brooke’s speech–and I mean loved it–I feel like the conflict with his father really could have been a few episodes long. I mean, it just seemed to be over very quickly, and I’m surprised that Brooke’s speech had such an impact. Seemed forced. Did it not?

Anyway, that was about it. I really would have hoped for a faster moving episode, but maybe that’s for next week. Until then!

‘Big Bang’ is back–and so are the nerds

BIG BANG THEORY: 3.01 “The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation”

The boys are back in town! The boys are back in towwwwwn. (I hope you’re singing along with me.)

But yes, the boys are back from the arctic, and boy, are they hairy. Now, let me ask you: Would you be upset if you were Sheldon?

Um, yeah! This was an entire summer of work–work that carries his name and his reputation! I mean, if he fails, that’s one thing. People expect that some experiments might not work. But to feel that you’ve really been advancing science, just to discover that your friends set you up. That’s really upsetting.

And honestly, I was a bit upset with Leonard. How he was just uncaring. Sure, he was going to get laid, but he still screwed over his friend. And yes, it was funny that he said they were making plans to kill Sheldon if they didn’t do something (and yes, I really did find their specific plans hilarious–and the Kindle reference), but it just seemed heartless.

Perhaps it would have helped if we had seen how unbearable Sheldon was being. I mean, it’s all word of mouth to us. It would have been out of place in the show to do a flashback, but it might’ve been helpful to see how desperate the guys were to appease him. Otherwise, it just seemed heartless and selfish. I mean, they’re scientists themselves!

But let’s move on. Penny and Leonard. What’d you think of that, huh?

I was surprised about the instant kiss, but I was quite enjoying how Leonard couldn’t catch a break. I actually thought they’d go the entire episode without finally sleeping together.

But they did, right at the end. I’m not quite sure what I think about. Is it so hard to just have Penny and Leonard happy? As much as I’m looking forward to seeing how they will interact now that things have gotten awkward, I wouldn’t have minded some early relationship bliss. After all, they didn’t get it last time they were together (right before Leonard found out that Penny never graduated college and became very condescending).

But we’ll see. I mean, just because it’s awkward, does that necessarily mean they won’t be together? Will they?

Who knows. I’m just glad the gang is back, and we even got to see Sheldon’s mom again. I loved hearing how they debated creation versus evolution–and the fact that that was the reason Sheldon decided to go back to school. I love his mother. If you’re from the south, you can completely understand how accurate that argument between them was. Fantastic.

So here’s to a brand new season of Big Bang! I missed my nerds.

HIMYM: Defining the relationship

KT is excited for a new season!

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:  5.01 “Definitions”

It’s back!  Yay, my favorite show is back!

I was ambivalent all last year about whether or not a Barney-Robin relationship would be a good thing, but I think this episode really showed that these writers can handle it.

Robin and Barney’s initial denial to Lily was a great twist on the stereotypical break-up lines (“We’ll still be friends,” “It’s not you, it’s me,” you know the ones).  But here it isn’t a break-up between Barney and Robin; it’s the two of them together telling Lily that all her dreams of double dating are not what they have in mind.  It’s a classic HIMYM sort of twist:  last spring, Ted was fired from the cowboy hat restaurant gig with exactly the same sorts of lines.

Speaking of Professor Mosby, Ted is such a dork, especially in his nightmares — and I think his fear of looking ridiculous is a perfect fit for his character.  That’s part of why he’s susceptible to advice from Barney like “You never take questions on the first day:  it shows weakness.”  And as often happens, taking Barney’s advice doesn’t go well at all.  Especially when it’s repeated by Evil Genie Barney (who was all kinds of hilarious).

Ted trying to spell “professor” made me giggle.  Spelling in front of people is hard.  Loved the little details in that scene — the embarrassing squeal of the chalk as he put the last line on the “E,” the one girl who nodded encouragingly after he did so.

In the end, it looks like Ted has a fairly small class, rather than that huge lecture hall of possible Future Mothers.  But I expect to see a couple of misdirects and then not hear anything Mother-related for a while.

On the other hand, Lily isn’t one to drop something when she isn’t satisfied.  In the conversation that titles the episode, she points out that Ted has to define his teaching style, just as Barney and Robin should define their relationship.  Her progression from one to the other was fairly obvious, but it was fun to watch Barney — who was enthusiastically agreeing with the first part — fall into Lily’s trap.

Lily’s ruthless streak showed itself when she engineered a literal trap for the recalcitrant pair.  I had to wonder why none of them were at work except Ted, but that’s probably over-thinking things.

I thought I was going to be ever so clever when I pointed out here that deciding to lie was the only way Barney and Robin could begin to tell the truth — but Lily completely stole my thunder on that one.  All the same, I think that’s a fun twist.  Barney and Robin may treat the relationship thing as a game for now, but I imagine that they’ll eventually realize they’re only lying to themselves.  Still, that leaves plenty of room for them to discover the tone and the personality of their relationship.  ‘Cause (flugelhorn!)  “sweetie pie” just ain’t it.

Mad Men: “One minute you’re on top of the world, the next some secretary’s running you over with a lawn mower.”

CC takes on another week of the Emmy-award winning Mad Men.

MAD MEN: 3.06: “Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency”

A guy walks into an advertising agency and never walks out.   Last night’s episode was gruesome, and not in the subtle, “there’s a war coming” way.  No, last night looked like an episode of Dexter with better clothes and fewer pit stains.  Or as Roger says, “Jesus, it’s like Iwo Jima in here.”  The title may have been the beginning of a joke, but little was funny.

Last night, we started in the dark.  Sally’s afraid it and the new baby.  Betty holds him, and she won’t come in the room. Bobby wants to “pet him,” and Sally wants to hide.  Betty gives Sally a Barbie “from Gene,” and Sally throws him on the lawn.  Change doesn’t come easily, and despite Betty’s attempts to pay attention to her, it didn’t much help.

When Sally throws her new Barbie doll on the lawn, Don returns it to her dresser, and Sally screams bloody murder.  Apparently baby Gene reminds her of her grandfather (they have the same name), and she’s afraid he’s actually Chuckie.  At the end of the episode, Don tells Sally that we don’t know who or what Gene will become, but who knows what Sally will do next.  I’m growing weary of Sally, as her insolence seemingly only serves to point out the Drapers’ failings as parents.  What does everyone else think?

What’s more terrifying than Gene?  The British chairman coming to evaluate performances…right before the 4^th of July.  It’s fitting that Independence Day is the very day the British swoop into Sterling Cooper and remind everyone of their controlling share.  Mr. Cooper thinks that Don might get a promotion, but it turns out, they’re sending Layne Price to Bombay.  Layne learns of this news when the higher ups giving him a petrified snake in a box.

Instead of a promotion, Don gets a new boss, wunderkind account man Guy McKendrick.  Pete and Ken are still the heads of accounts, and Harry’s been promoted to director of all media.  Pete is ticked, especially since Ken’s landed the John Deere account and has something with which to impress McKendrick.  In honor of landing the account, Cosgrove receives a lawn mower…to trim fat?

Speaking of trimming some Sterling Cooper employees, it’s also Joan’s last day (another declaration of independence?).  The secretaries buy Joan a cake and covertly wish they had Joan’s perfect life.  What they don’t know is Joan’s husband was hammered the night before because he didn’t get chief resident.

Greg’s non-promotion (do we see a theme here?) means that Joan can’t quit her job.  Since she’s already given notice, she can’t go back to Sterling Cooper.  And so when McKendrick gives a speech, wishing Joan “caviar and children and all that is good in your new life,” Joan bursts into tears. Joan’s always been a model of composure, but here, she breaks down.  Everyone assumed that she’s sad to be leaving, but actually, her new life is a disappointment, and escape is impossible.

Of course, it’s hard to escape your life when you’re missing your feet.  Lois, played by Flo the Progressive woman, is driving the lawn mower.  Unfortunately, she can’t drive and crashes into an office while running over McKendrick’s foot.  Blood is everywhere, just as people are talking draft dodging.  Mr. McKendrick loses the foot (and his job…you golf with potential clients with one foot).

Don this news while having drinks with Conrad Hilton, whom he met while Roger was singing in blackface.  Connie wants a free ad from Don and asks Don what he wants.  Don, not knowing that Connie’s DNA will be responsible for Paris Hilton, answers a chance at his business.  What’s unclear is if Hilton’s looking for a new ad agency…or just Don.

Naturally, we don’t find out because Don is summoned to the hospital.  He meets Joan, who says she bet McKendrick woke up that morning feeling great.  The world is a funny place, though, because “one minute you’re on top of the world. The next minute some secretary’s running you over with a lawn mower.”  That’s true of everyone last night.  One minute Don thinks he’s getting promoted, only to find himself having drinks with a Hilton.  Joan thinks she’s done working, only to need a new job.  Roger’s name is on the door, but he’s irrelevant.  What’s unsaid, is one minute you’re at peace, the next you’re in Vietnam.

Bored to Death: “Therapists are Heroic. They’re the heroes of listening.”

BORED TO DEATH: 1.01 “Stockholm Syndrome”

I’m not sure I understand the appeal of Jason Schwartzman.  I didn’t like Rushmore.  I turned off I Heart Huckabees in the middle of the movie . I don’t even like Phantom Planet that much.  Needless to say, I was expecting to hate this show, figuring it would be replete with whiny indie music and self-referential pretension.  It does have a lot of indie music, but it’s pretty good, as is the show.

We open with Jonathan Ames (Schwartzman) helping his now ex-girlfriend move out of their apartment.  Apparently our protagonist smokes a lot of weed, and he drinks a lot of white wine.  He tells her that pot is healthy because they give it to cancer patients.  I can just see a scad of hipsters saying this to their SOs who won’t know what to say in response.  Anyway despite promising to quit as his ex is moving out, she tells him it’s too late and kisses him goodbye.

As he makes his way up to his apartment, we see all that’s left is a stack of detective novels (probably mixed with Philip Roth and Don Delillo).   He begins to read from one novel on his air mattress, while drinking white wine from a mug.  Feeling inspired (or stoned), he posts an ad on craigslist advertising his detective services.

Apparently, Craigslist is the new yellow pages because a girl calls him almost immediately.  Her sister is missing and isn’t in her dorm.  Our missing person broke up with her boyfriend, who is a meth addict.  Jonathan meets up with her and tells her that the key to finding her sister is finding her meth addict boyfriend.  This also gives him an excuse to make a pun on cherchez la femme; they’re going to cherchez l’homme.  Oy.

L’homme works at a bar, but apparently didn’t show up because when Jonathan arrives he’s left talking to the owner.  White wine is not offered in dive bars, so he chokes down some whiskey and a venu chercher.  Naturally, Vincent is in a seedy hotel that is frequented by prostitutes, and the governors of New York.   Jonathan discovers his missing person with Vincent (of course…it’s a half hour show so there can’t be too many bad leads).  She’s tied to a bed with a washcloth in her mouth.

Vincent tells Jonathan they’re role playing Stockholm Syndrome because he wants her to fall back in love him (it ends up working for Vince, by the way).  Then, he takes his lighter so that he can smoke some meth.  Jonathan tells him that he should smoke pot because meth is “all chemicals and pot is from the earth.”  It’s about at this point that the police come in, find Jonathan and Vince.  Ironically, the cops are called by a prostitute.

While it’s not technically illegal for Jonathan to offer his services, the police are none too happy with him since he’s unlicensed.  He tells him to cool it with the Craigslist.  When Jonathan gets home, he opens up his laptop. I thought it would be to begin his second novel based on his adventures, but no, he gets another email from Craigslist asking for his services.  Naturally, he responds to it, and we’re off to the races!

I can’t really judge how good this show is based on the pilot alone.  It wasn’t awful, but I wasn’t left gushing like I am whenever I talk about Glee.  They didn’t use Zach Galifianakis or Ted Danson nearly enough, which is why I think I need to watch it a couple more times.  The scenes in which they were prominent were much better than the procedural detective stuff. And that’s the big question: will this be a comedic procedural that’s a little too satisfied with itself, or will we see more depth as the show finds its voice?  I will cover it until I’m able to decide…

BONES: I forget–what happened?

BONES: 5.01 “Harbingers in a Fountain”

You might be wondering why you’re not seeing an Emmys post from me today. Well, that’s pretty much because I tapped out with my Live Tweet, which you can read on my Twitter site. I think my favorite was,

Anytime I see David Boreanaz in a tux, I just think of BUFFY’S “The Prom”

Speaking of, Bones premiered on Thursday. I was able to catch up on it after the Emmys (thanks to Hulu). And I must say, it was a decent episode, but it made me angry.

I hate it when shows do a big cliffhanger and then proceed to ignore that. Or jump ahead. Or solve it in five seconds. In this case, they just kinda ignored it.

We were left with Booth in a hospital, waking up from a dream, and having amnesia. Then this season starts, and he’s fine. Because it’s six weeks later. In those six weeks, he’s gotten most of his memory back and it’s trying to get back on the job.

Grrr! I actually wanted to see what they were going to do! Sure, they made us realize the importance of his “dream”–or Brennan’s book, as the case may be. And it’s led us to wonder if Booth loves Brennan, which we’ve been wondering for a while. It’s kinda nice to see that he might, but it might not be anything lasting (which, honestly, is even sadder).

And as much as I enjoyed the episode (it was a good case), I just really was annoyed that they left us wondering what would happen all summer and we didn’t get to see any of it! I mean, all we see is how Booth might be slightly different, since he wasn’t going to wear his goofy socks and how he didn’t like clowns.

Now, I do think it’s interesting that Booth’s character might be changing. Not just the part where he may or may not be in love with Brennan (and yes, the shipper in me loved how he held onto her arm, smoothing her hair, kissing her head, and calling her “baby”). But more so, will he be his quirky self? Will Brennan be able to handle the “new” him?

And how about that psychic? I liked how Brennan was just starting to warm up to her.

Oh, does anyone else think that Brennan is kinda getting over the top? I mean, she used to know when people were kidding or exaggerating–or at least would just correct them. The fact that she had to say out loud that Angela was having both parts of her conversation with Booth seemed ridiculous. She knows social norms. She just doesn’t follow them! She’s not stupid.

Anyway, it was a solid episode; I just wish that it hadn’t been the opener after the cliffhanger we got. But I guess we’ll see how the season develops.

Fringe: Stop them before it happens

FRINGE: 2.01 “A New Day in the Old Town”

This was a fantastic way to start the new season.

At first, I was going to get a little frustrated. They started with the car accident, and I just thought they were going to leap ahead and forget that we left Olivia in another dimension. But no, we got much better.

Because like Olivia, we don’t know what happened there. We know that she went to another dimension but we don’t know what was discussed or what came of it. And Olivia doesn’t either. So just as she pieces together her memory, we’ll be puzzling together the missing pieces.

But let’s get to the biggie: I knew that Charlie was dead. Did you know he was dead? I really started to wonder, the way that he was basically given a farewell speech. If you haven’t learned yet, if a regular but minor character ever gets a long monologue, they’re most likely going to die pretty soon. It’s to build up the emotion for the character one last time before they kick it. It makes that death that much more emotional.

And really, I liked how his end seemed to be just as fitting as his story. The fact that they didn’t know the victim had just killed his partner, just as the rest didn’t realize that they had just killed him. I almost wish they had kept it more of a mystery, just so we’d be more surprised later in the season, but still, good twist.

I’d forgotten the fact that Kirk Acevedo had announced that he was fired from the show back in May. But beyond that, it was very clear that when you put him in the same place with the shape shifter–and the fact that the shape shifter couldn’t be hurt by gunshots (note, you heard extra gunshots, and I assume then was when Charlie was killed, much like his old partner)–you knew there was doom in the air. It’s really sad.

I mean, I think that Charlie could have really been developed in this series. And sure, we do get a new agent now, but still. I liked him.

And there’s still some time to develop his bad side. I don’t know when he’ll be vamoosing from the show. I was surprised, though, that Peter didn’t check out the dead woman’s mouth. Wouldn’t that have been a dead giveaway?

Moving on, this was a great episode for Peter. And really, Walter. I love watching their relationship, and they were very subtle with reminding us about why Walter is paranoid about Peter’s health and how Peter is still oblivious. I love the custard discussion. How heartbroken was Walter to discover that his own son had loved custard so much as a child, but this Peter hadn’t?

And in other thoughts, how grossed out were you to see Walter eating that Twizzler with bloody gloves?

Overall, fantastic episode, and I can’t wait to see more. One question, though: I thought we saw Nina Sharp get killed last season? In an elevator or just stepping out of an elevator? Am I making that up? Maybe someone could fill me in.

And the kiss. Ew.

GLEE: Yeah, well you busted my heart!

Here’s CC, just another Gleek who’s in love with the show.

GLEE: 1.03 “Acafellas”

You guys, can I just tell you how much I love this show? I just want to watch it every day. I wish it dominated Fox schedule the way Jay Leno ate NBC. Seriously, any show that can successfully remind me of Color Me Badd, Montel Jordan and Bel Biv Devoe in the same episode deserves a gold star next to its name…just like Rachel Berry’s.

The overarching theme this week was confidence. The Glee club doesn’t have confidence in Mr. Schuester’s choreography, so they hire a choreographer. Will doesn’t have confidence in his abilities to be a father, so he starts an a cappella group called Acafellas. Finn doesn’t have confidence that he can maintain popularity and be in the Glee Club, despite Quinn joining and lending the club some caché. Mercedes doesn’t have confidence that Kurt would be interested in her, while Kurt is lacking the confidence to come out of the closet.

Since Will is busy singing “I Wanna Sex You Up”, New Directions hires Dakota Stanley to choreograph for them. I have to be honest, this move reminded me a lot of the Sparky Polasky plotline from Bring It On, but it did lead to Rachel impressing Finn when she Stanley that Barbara Streisand didn’t get a nose job and did fine so they’re content to be special and quirky.

I’m glad that I was also really glad that we got to see more of Puck. Until now, he’s mostly served to throw Kurt in a dumpster and mock Finn for being in Glee. At least now, we’ve gained greater insight into his soul, which seemingly isn’t very deep. He’s tired of high school girls and, instead, wants to sex cougars up. In order to widen the pool of available cougars, he too joins Acafellas. The funniest scene last night may have been him gallivanting in his suspenders singing Color Me Badd, a song that presumably came out before he was born. It was great comic relief, and I can’t wait to see if he begrudgingly joins Glee.

If Puck’s storyline was the most amusing, then Kurt and Mercedes were saddest. I loved that Rachel and Tina tried to stage a gaytervention in order to protect Mercedes, but I was horrified at Quinn and her Cheerio compatriots (they don’t deserve names). It’s still unclear why Sue Sylvester is intent on destroying the Glee Club, aside for the obvious budgetary reasons. And yet, the glee with which Quinn et al raised Mercedes’ hopes only to watch her fall flat on her face was really sad.

Of course Mercedes’ pain pales in comparison to poor Kurt’s. He only has a car because he passes as straight to his parents; car privileges are revoked when his father finds a box of tiaras in his room. In the end, Kurt reveals his homosexuality to Mercedes, not to the detriment of their friendship. While Glee is mostly a satirical, light-hearted show, I’m glad they took that moment seriously. It seems that we’ll be exploring Kurt’s unrequited love for Finn later on this year. Who knew he’d be in a love square?

A farewell to ‘Guiding Light’

See that light fading in the distance? Say good-bye to the longest running broadcast program of any kind. After 72 years, Guiding Light is signing off with its final episode today.

I have to say, I don’t give all that much time to daytime television. The reason isn’t that it’s not quality, though some of it isn’t. Actually, the fact that it’s not quality is probably what draws you in and gets you addicted so easily.

No, my reason is much more practical: I have a full-time job, so I miss daytime television.

But on my holidays and Christmas breaks–and even when I was in school–I did sit down and watch my fair share of soaps. I was more of a Days fan, and I definitely watched Another World until it ended. I even caught some of Guiding Light when I’d watch it with my mom, even though most of my watching included questions of, “What’s going on?” “Who’s that guy again?” and “Where have I seen that actor before?”

And even though I might not have watched it religiously, it’s sad to know that the show is ending. 72 years is a long time. The show started off in radio, then transitioned to television (see? Video did not kill the radio star). It’s the longest running soap, the longest running drama in television and radio history–well, just read all about it here.

So I felt that calling attention to its final episode definitely needed to be done. The show was officially canceled in April, but really, the end just kinda snuck up on me. And I wonder how many daytime die-hard fans out there are going to be more than a little sniffly when the credits roll (hey, at least Another World had a gorilla in a tree to calm the waves of emotion; somehow I doubt this one will).

Will you be watching and wishing it a fond farewell? If anything, just give it a little respect. 72 years is longer than any show dreams of. Even soaps.

So here’s to you, Guiding Light. And we’ll even close with your own closing theme–and the piano makes it just that more sentimental.

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 4

Time for another liveblog. What will these crazy chefs do tonight?

Pregame: I’ll just say right now, I think Mattin is going home today.

10:02: Brian says Mike, he and his brother are the most talented chefs left. I’d add Kevin, and Jen, to that list, and maybe drop of Mike. Does this opening mean that something will happen to one of the three?

10:05: Quickfire. The fans texted in, and decided that the chefs have to make something out of cactus. The other alternatives were rattlesnake or kangaroo… People eat kangaroos.No one gets immunity. Also.

10:06: Mike says cactus must be cured, to take the goo out. Yuck. Looks like lots of the other chefs are confused on how to handle it.

10:09: Kevin’s cactus is slimy. Ashley made cactus donuts. Guest judge is looking a little annoyed at some of the contestants decisions.

10:10: Least successful-Ash, Michael (brother), and Ron. (rancid crab!)

10:11: Most successful- Laurine, Mike (he said he knew how to do it), and Mattin (big surprise).The winner is Mike. I believe this is his first win; $15K richer, but no immunity.

10:16: The chefs are cooking out on a ranch. Judging from the commercials, its out in the middle of nowhere, with no good equipment.

10:18: The chefs are running around in the Whole Foods, looking confused. Lack of knowledge about the cooking conditions is getting to them.

10:20: As I thought, the ranch is out in the middle of nowhere. Crappy plates and cast iron to work with. As a side observation, feels like there’s been a lot of talking today and not much cooking.Oh, and they have to camp out at the site too.

10:22: Ron from Haiti puts some sticks in front of his tent to keep the snakes away. It’s some voodoo thing or something.

10:23: The chefs are hanging out in front of the camp fire. Let’s see some cooking people; put away the smores!

10:28: Now they start cooking. They have an hour and 15, on open flame!

10:30: It looks pretty hot out there. Ron and Michael are doing ceviche, and Robin is doing a romaine salad. Will cowboys really like that kind of food?

10:32: Here come a bunch of grizzled ranchers. Lots of beards here.

10:34: Eli’s tuna sandwich is boring. Bread is too hard!

10:35: Mattin’s ceviche has completely disgusted Tom. He takes it out of his mouth and throws it away; raw! Robin’s shrimp is terrible; tastes like chlorine. She didn’t taste them before handing the food out! Ash’s succotash has too much bacon, chicken not great.

10:37: Next three: Ashley, Brian, and Jennifer. Brian’s pork and polenta is well received. Jennifer has some great slaw. Ashley’s halibut and avocado cream club sandwich is also pretty popular.

10:39: Next up: Michael, Ron, and Kevin. Ron’s ceviche is ok. Michael’s dish is good, but unexpected, they say.

10:47: Laurine, Ashley, Michael, and Brian place in the top. The two brothers again. These guys are a force.

[Read more after the jump!]

Nothing happened. XOXO, Gossip Girl

DC on the less-than-stellar season three opener of Gossip Girl.

GOSSIP GIRL: 3.01 “Reversals of Fortune”

Sigh. And yawn. And another sigh. After the lamest season finale ever, Gossip Girl’s third season started with a whimper. Nothing HAPPENED! Not only did nothing happen, but it didn’t happen over and over again. Vanessa was preachy (surprise, suprise), the Long Lost Brother (LLB) continued to be creepy and manipulative, Dan tried to control Serena’s life, Rufus failed at parenting, Jenny and Eric awesomeness was wasted, and Blair was insecure about her relationship with Chuck. So what’s new? Nothing. Same old, same old.

The most bizarre story line was certainly Chuck and Blair’s. They kept talking about a game with a capital G. This “Game” involved Chuck allowing himself to be picked up by women of Blair’s choosing and then Blair humiliating them when she “discovers” Chuck in their arms. THIS is what they were doing all summer? How odd. Of course, it wouldn’t be Chuck and Blair without manufactured drama orchestrated by Serena and Nate’s planting ideas in the couple’s heads. This whole story line wrapped up in one episode… or did it? The angst between Chuck and Blair will get old fast. I hope they go back to being Chuck and Blair, not “Chuck and Blair” sooner than later. I miss all the scheming and hissing.

LLB is also getting old. What seems like the slow build up to the big reveal is stagnating already. We know he is the LLB, we know he is weaseling his way into Rufus’ and Dan’s lives (why not Serena’s I wonder…), we know there is going to be all this drama when everyone finds out who he is, so why not just get to it? I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out; I only dread the Vanessa factor. She makes everything so tedious.

Here are a few things on my wish list for Season 3, or at least the next three of four episodes:

1 – I wish the arc with Serena’s father accelerates soon. This was the big Serena cliffhanger from Season 2, and I don’t think it got the attention it deserved in the premiere.

2 – I wish Georgina were in every episode, ever, including this one.

3 – I wish Season 1 Blair would come back. I hope I get my wish once NYU starts up, especially as GS requested to be her roommate.

4 – I wish I had Chuck’s skin. There, I said it.

5 – I wish this episode is not an indicator of Season 3. Will GG go the way of The OC? I hope not. That season three blew.

Dear Diary, I finally watched ‘The Vampire Diaries’

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1.01 “The Pilot”

I told you I’d watch it. I just didn’t tell you when. Unfortunately, I was away from my TV on the night of the premiere, but I did catch up last night.

And I have to say, I think I’ll continue watching.

Let’s first preface this post with one thing: I base all vampire shows on Buffy, solely because I know Buffy was the best. So there.  Of course, this show won’t match it–nor would I expect it to. It’s a different series, but I’m trying to give it an open mind.

But those Buffy inklings do get in there sometimes. For example, I have to admit that Stefan does a fantastic job at Angel angst. His struggle for hunger is tangible, but it’s not like Edward Cullen’s intensity that looks like he’s constipated. No. It’s believable and caring–very Angel. (Not to say he is Angel; my, you Whedon people are very picky about comparisons.)

Honestly, the show was entertaining. We have mysterious backstories (is there something more to Elena’s parents’ deaths? Why did she surprise? Who is Stefan’s Katherine? And what does Elena’s friend’s vision mean?). The setting is creepy–sure, the fog can get rather over the top, but those crows can certainly send a chilling vibe.

Plus, what’s the relationship between the brothers? He promised Stefan an eternity of torment–why? Just for fun? Or did something happen so that his brother would make that promise? How long has Stefan been running from him? Or has he been? You’d think that if he  had been running, he’d be less surprised to see him.

And at least this show has a real scariness to it. Their faces do transform. Not like Buffy vamps, but very veiny and monster-like. It was hard to see it, but it almost looked like their eyes were bleeding, which was just gross and horrifying. I think I could lose some of the CGI. That…well, it could get old, and it does remind me of Twilight a wee bit too much.

One of the most interesting part of series like these, though (especially considering all I know of Buffy), is discovering the vampire lore they’ve chosen (or in this case, L.J. Smith has chosen). Can Stefan go out in the sunlight? Well, we think so, because of a ring he’s wearing. At one point his brother stole it and then sent Stefan in a very contained panic when he realized he only had two hours before the sun went up and he went poof.

Now, I think I had read something at one point where in some stories, vampires have a limited lifespan, meaning that if they were up past dawn after a particular day and they hadn’t fed on someone, they would die. Others just say that if they go out in sunlight they go poof (Buffy does this). I’m not sure which this series has chosen yet. Clearly, Stefan doesn’t feed on humans, but dawn would mean sunlight in any case, so we’ll just have to see.

They did keep the rule that vampires have to be invited in, so that was neat.

Anyway, there’s a lot more to build on, and I think this was a strong start to the show. I’m curious to see where it goes.

‘Tree Hill’ begins anew

ONE TREE HILL: 7.01 “4:30 AM (Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad)”

Well, I can’t say I was exactly pleased with One Tree Hill. After all the hoopla of last year’s finale, I honestly thought that it was a dream and that we’d find out that Peyton died afterall, and that season finale was just a dream. Now, I can’t take credit for this idea, as it was really a commenter on another blog who suggested it, but it was brilliant.

So I figured I’d turn on this episode, and find out that Peyton died, and Lucas left town. It’s six months later, and people are trying to move on. In case you didn’t realize it, this didn’t happen.

Nope, Lucas and Peyton got their own happy ending. And they’re far away (though did they say where? I might’ve missed it). Jamie misses him. So does Nathan and Haley. And actually, it’s a year later, and Nathan’s up for contract, somewhat unsuccessfully as we see. And Haley’s taken over Peyton’s label–again, we see some problems with the success, what with someone trying to close it.

But Brooke seems to be doing well. She and Julian are happy, and she even gets him to give up a movie to be with her. But here’s my question: When did Julian get to be a famous producer? I mean, he seems to be quite successful, despite what we saw from last season and heard from his father. This definitely shocked me, even if a year had passed.

And then we had new faces: Haley’s sister and Nathan’s agent. As much as I think that this could give some newness to the season, it slowed down the episode. There was too much exposition–but it was a vague exposition because there was supposed to be a slow build about each of these characters’ backgrounds. But even just having to introduce them seemed to take forever and it made the episode just a little boring (even if Jerry Rice was in it, which, by the way, was entertaining). But I think they’ll grow on me; it might just take some time. I’ll probably like Haley’s sister first, though. She seems interesting.

And in case you’re wondering, it appears that I’m still angry at Mouth. He maybe happy with Millie, but I still don’t like him after last season, and by all means, I never want to see him with his clothes off again, even if it was an entertaining scene between him and Skills. Just keep them on from here on out. Please.

Finally, Dan. I adore what they did with Dan. Why? That darkness of the first few seasons of the show has come back. He’s no longer regretting his actions (“redemption”), which means that power’s coming back. I really want to see what he’s going to do. And how dark he’ll get.

Overall, just ok. Maybe even just mediocre. I’m not sure what I think about the possible Nathan cheating storyline. It seems out of character now, and somewhat done. Is that all they can come up with? Well, I guess we’ll see.

Mad Men: “Our worst fears lie in anticipation”

MAD MEN: 3.04 “The Fog”

Has there ever been a dream sequence that has worked well in television? This week’s dream sequences made me cringe, but I wasn’t on Demerol…or delivering a child. Of course, rebirth and the notion of a “fresh start” was the overarching theme of this week’s episode, made especially salient by the birth of Don and Betty’s son, Gene.

The show opens with Betty and Don speaking to Sally’s teacher. Apparently, Sally picked a fight with her classmate and was asking a lot of questions about Medgar Evers, something likely stemming from the loss of her grandmother. Her teacher, Miss Farrell, tells Don that there’s a special pain to lose someone at a young age and that Sally needs more attention. That need for attention is superseded by Betty going into labor a few hours later.

Don makes a friend in the waiting room who talks of his job as a prison guard and his anxiety about being a father. He’s scared because his prisoners blame their parents for their plight, and he wonders if he can love his child if something happens to his wife. In the background, the news shows African-Americans are marching in response to Medgar Evans’ death, singing “We Shall Overcome” Don tells him that our greatest fears lie in anticipation. Hobart, his friend, tells Don that this child will be a “fresh start” for him. I have to think that both Don and Betty view this child as a reset on their marriage, despite neither saying it.

While in labor, Betty has two dreams, one in which she walks down the street and crushes a caterpillar. Could it mean she’s crushing her childlike tendencies and finally accepting responsibility as an adult/parent/wife? Or is it that she’s squashing her own offspring by telling them to go watch TV all the time? The second dream involves her dad as janitor pushing around blood as her dead mother beside Medgar Evers telling her that she can’t complain without grave consequences. Betty responds with “I left my lunch pail on the bus and I’m having a baby.” It seems she’s caught between wanting to be tended to (much like Sally) and having to be an adult. Anyone study more Freud than me? What do you think the dream sequences meant?

Back at Sterling Cooper, budget cuts are rampant. Don is especially miffed by the overbearing Layne Price. Of course Peggy chooses this as the time to demand a raise since she the Equal Pay Act passed. Don tells her it’s not a good time, despite the new law. I don’t think Peggy will jump ship, but if she joins Duck (who offered to take her), she’ll probably be just as underappreciated there.

The plight of women wasn’t nearly as prominent as that of African-Americans. When noticing that Admiral TV performs better in African-American markets, Pete decides to find out why. He enlists the help of Hollis, the elevator attendant and asks what TV brand he owns. Obviously uncomfortable, Hollis quickly replies RCA. Pete then asks if his friends own Admirals and stops the elevator, exerting his authority. Hollis can’t say, as he and his friends “have bigger problems to worry about.” Pete’s flippant response with his vision of the American dream (house, car, TV) doesn’t suggest apathy so much as ignorance—if you’re an elevator attendant whose relatives are held back by Jim Crow, how can you pursue that dream? And yet, Pete confidently pitches an African-American centered campaign to Admiral, much to Sterling Cooper’s chagrin.

If Pete’s elevator exchange was most cringe-worthy, Betty’s dismissal of Carla was most uplifting. Realizing that Carla had been away from her family too long Betty decides to pay attention to her own family…without Carla. I think this is the first time Betty acknowledged that her African-American maid is a person. Her friend asks how delivery was, to which Betty replies, “It was all a fog.”  Sure, things aren’t as bad as they seem, but something’s going on. There’s a fog of war, a fog of the Civil Rights Movement.  The picture is hazy for our characters…for now.

Leverage: Consider yourself initiated

Sorry about the tardiness of this post, folks. Got wrapped up in an out-of-town wedding weekend, which meant I couldn’t post anything between Thursday and now. Unfair, right? Well, I can’t complain. One of my best friends got married!

Now, back to the show.

LEVERAGE: 2.09 “The Lost Heir Job”

What a finale, right? Who would have thought that we could get better than the episode where Sophie left? But it did. And in the end, they got a new member.

A new member. What’s that going to be like?

Well, we got a little taste, even if we didn’t know it. This is definitely one of those episodes that I’d like to go back and rewatch, just to see if I could figure out if the “babysitter,” as Nate called her, was really a grifter as well. That was really a pleasant surprise. Not that I necessarily wanted her over Sophie, but it was just a great twist. And to find out that we really don’t know what kind of episodes we’ll be having during the winter season, well, that’s just an added bonus.

Kudos, TNT, for giving these two episodes, so we could really see where we’re heading.

What I’m really excited to see, though, is what it will be like when Sophie returns. Will the group have a hard time adjusting? Will Sophie be jealous of the new relationship that forms with her temporary replacement? And will her replacement really just walk off with her money and never return? And what about the crew? How will they act with the new member?

I’m really disappointed that there’s not a new episode this week!

As for the case itself, well, I’d say that overall, it was a stroke of luck that they got this one. I didn’t think they had anything, though I guess Nate’s always got something up his sleeve.

By the way, did anyone else notice that when he asked her the color of his necktie, that’s basically from an episode of Matlock? Maybe I’m just a TV nerd.

Anyway, it was such a happy ending for the client, yet it was somewhat bittersweet. How could you find out that you knew your father without actually knowing he was your father? It’s good to know that you did eventually meet him, but to know that you never got to ask why he left–or even get to know him–before he died. It’s just a little sad. More than a little.

But the focus in the end wasn’t really on that. It was the crew and their new member. I’m definitely intrigued. And honestly, I have no predictions for the upcoming episodes (returning in January).

Do you? Please feel free to share them in the comments.

Jay Leno premieres tonight–and I’m not watching.

That’s right. The new PRIMETIME interview show starts tonight: Jay Leno’s new show on NBC. What is it called, anyway? The Jay Leno Show?

Anyway, in case you missed the headline, I’ll not be watching. I just have a lot of better things to do: wash my hair, windex the mirrors, cut the grass with scissors, stare at a wall, etc.

And yes, Leno clearly lucked out by booking Kanye West long before he screwed over poor Taylor Swift. Yes, that’s right. Kanye will be on the show tonight. Who knows what he will say (an entire writers’ room is probably filled with pencil scratching to decide what Leno will ask and what jokes he’ll say), but despite my curiosity, I’m not watching.

Ignoring the joke above, I really have no interest in seeing Jay Leno. I mean, I thought he was leaving The Tonight Show for a reason, but the NBC seemed to have backtracked and decided to give him another show. And it’s every night at 10:00.

There’s so much better programming than Leno on at 10:00 during the week! Why not just give him Saturday and call it a day! We could have Kings, for goodness sake.

I just feel like this is a big mistake on NBC’s part. I mean, this is taking five hours of TV away from them. They’ve basically structured their schedule so they’re like FOX or The CW, except that those stations usually have the news right after their programming.

And it’s actually disappointing. I realize the NBC is kinda poor right now (Ooh, I have an idea for that! Kill of half the cast of Heroes! It’ll help the show and the network!), but it’s actually been pretty impressive this summer. I’ve been quite pleased with Merlin, and even though it’s not an NBC original, it’s quality programming that I wanted to check out week to week. NBC can do it; they just…won’t?

But how long can they really keep a primetime interview show going? I mean, Leno was moving on from The Tonight Show. How long would he want this? And how long do we? Honestly, I don’t think it’ll go past the year–and I only think it will go that far because he’s probably got a contract with a big pricetag.

And they’re clearly trying to make it successful. They’ve got some big guests this week (you can see them here), so maybe it will grab some attention.

But for me, it just isn’t my style. I want primetime to be real shows. (I’m still annoyed that reality TV still gets in the way.) I mean, he might make for some good background noise, but as for tonight, I think I’ll watch the premiere of One Tree Hill…and then take down all my curtains and hand wash them with a toothbrush.

True Blood: “I’m a waitress. What the f*%# are you?”

TRUE BLOOD: 3.12 “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’”

Eggs and Marianne are dead.  All hail the shapeshifters!  In what was a pretty dull episode, we finally learned what the hell has been going on in Bon Temps…sort of.  When we left Sookie, she was trapped in a bedroom with Lafayette, Tara, Eggs…and a giant egg.  The goal was to force Sookie into Marianne’s bridal party (she’s marrying Dionysus tonight).   So she had to lick an egg…that’s right an ostrich egg, not Eggs.

Bill offers up Sam to Marianne for her sacrifice.  And so Eggs, under the spell, stabs Sam in the heart.  While he bleeds, Sookie reads his thoughts, and he implores her to “destroy it all.”  Sookie takes matters into her own hands and pushes over the horned offering and breaks the fertility egg. That allows Sam to escape, feed on Bill’s blood and shift into a bull that Marianne believes is Dionysus.  Sam then uses his horns to impale Marianne, thus ending her presence in Bon Temps and the spell she cast over Bon Temps.  I’ve got to say that when Marianne’s blackened heart was ripped out, her corpse looked exactly like “The Other Mother” from Coraline.

If the death of Marianne was prominently featured last night, then rebirth was the preeminent theme.  The way Bon Temps acted following the orgies, violence and destruction would let us know if they were capable of redemption.  It seems they weren’t; the same small-minded gossip filled Merlotte’s.  Jane bragged about the doctor sewing her hand back on (she must have health insurance).  Arlene made empty promises to her children about being an attentive parent, then subsequently lies to her children about the whereabouts of her ex. Lafayette refuses to find out what happened while under the influence of the Marianne.

The only person seemingly capable of redeeming himself is Eggs, who asks Sookie to reveal what happened during the black outs.  Once he realizes that he literally has blood (of three people) on his hands, he turns himself and the murder weapon into Andy, albeit while putting him in a compromising position. Eggs’s maniacal wielding of the knife scares Andy, but luckily, Jason is there to shoot him.  Because they’re heroes, even if they can’t remember what they did.  Jason’s unrelenting search for glory has been a major theme this season, and it seems he can’t let this quest end, despite it usually leading to dreadful results.  A major question next season will be whether Andy’s claims of self-defense (to cover up Jason’s crime) will end up with someone in jail…especially since Eggs was shot in the back of the head.

While Jason is committing murder, Sookie is out to a fancy dinner with Bill.  At the beginning of the episode, Marianne, wearing Sookie’s grandmother’s wedding dress tells her she’ll probably never use it anyway.  This foreshadows Bill’s marriage proposal.  Earlier in the episode, the Queen warned Eric that he shouldn’t have let Bill find out that she had been supplying Eric with vampire blood.  Eric promised to “take care of Bill Compton.”  And so, while Sookie is in the bathroom evaluating whether she can really be the wife of a vampire, especially since she doesn’t know who (or what) she is, Bill is kidnapped.

Next season will hopefully be more vampire-centric, and maybe we’ll learn more about Sam!  Having escaped crazy Marianne, he went to see his adoptive parents to find out who his real ones are. They’re supposed to be terrible people so I’m sure they’ll be causing trouble for Bon Temps; outsiders always do.  I’m sure we’ll be learning more about that, Jessica’s slutty, human-killing ways, and whether it was Eric who kidnapped Bill.  Until then, stay away from daylight, everybody.

Recap Review: BSG’s Sharons

KT is a recent convert, but has enjoyed this series immensely.

I’ve been working my way through the recent Battlestar Galactica series over the last five months or so, reaching the two-part series finale just this afternoon.  Wow.  So when I promised Raked that I would put up a Recap Review this weekend, it was just a matter of picking a character or two to talk about.

Ha.

I thought about how much I love the duality of Laura Roslin — the teacher who loves all her people and wants to see them survive, but who becomes utterly hardcore and will airlock you like that if you become a threat.  Or what about Lee Adama and Felix Gaeta, each a mix of idealism and cynicism, each dogged by despair, but who travel such different roads?  The sins and redemption of Gaius Baltar?    Bill Adama or Galen Tyrol, who loved and lost so many times?  Do I offer my reading on Kara Thrace and her Special Destiny (“Sounds like a bad cover band,” she said to Sam once) — which, let’s be honest, I haven’t figured out yet.  But I know that I loved the bit with the mysterious piano player who may or may not have been her father.  I’m a sucker for watching people play thing piano and even more for the magic and the healing power of music.  That may be a post for another time.

But today I keep coming back to the Sharons, to Boomer and Athena, to their parallel-gone-perpendicular destinies.  Nobody in this series gets it easy, but I think these two are contenders for the title of having gone through the most hell.  Contenders for the most human robots you’ve ever seen.

Boomer’s ongoing struggle, I think, is to like herself.  She spends months on Galactica trying to convince herself that she isn’t a Cylon when deep down, followed by months back on Caprica trying to hang on to the human identity she was used to.  The resolution she makes with Caprica Six to make some changes only leads to the debacle of Cylon occupation of New Caprica.

As for so many other character arcs, the year on New Caprica was a game changer:  one sister built a new identity as Sharon “Athena” Agathon, Colonial officer, and the other watched good intentions crumble around her.  Athena emerges from her trials stronger than any Eight we’ve seen, and in a lot of ways her story is a straight line from that point on.  Serve.  Survive.  Keep going, no matter what.  Her loyalties to her uniform and to her family conflict on occasion, but given Hera’s magical nature, even that tends to straighten out with a minimum of drama.  (Although:  the episode in which she talks Helo into shooting her so that she can resurrect on the Cylon ship and reclaim Hera was fantastically heart-gripping.)  I love Athena for her strength and her loyalty, even when it makes her a little boring and back-burnered while the show deals with the Final Five and the Cylon civil war.  And if nothing else, the sheer amount of horribleness she endured between arriving on Galactica and the exodus from New Caprica earned her a rest on the back-burner for a while.

In contrast, Boomer’s story is such a tangle, mirroring the confusion of the younger seven Cylons.  “They have a plan,” the intro insisted for so long, but don’t be fooled:  like the Soviets’ notorious five-year plans, this one kept changing.  For Boomer, always trying to find a way to be comfortable in her own skin, the shifting objectives and alliances made for unstable ground.  Choose your side and stick to it, Athena told a group of frightened Eights, but Boomer’s choices burned her as often as not.  Her failure to care for baby Hera was another proof of her inadequacy — even compared to another version of herself.  Ouch.

To make matters worse, she’s killed by a comrade again — Cally then, Caprica Six now.  Girlfriend can’t catch a break, so when she wakes up in the goopy waters of resurrection, she decides that she just wants to be what she is.  Emotions hurt too much; she just wants to be a machine.  Brother Cavil knows how to help with that.  And that’s the side she sticks with for a long time.  Longer than we realize; she deftly plays Ellen and Tyrol in a huge plan to kidnap Hera.  “All this has happened before?”  No kidding.

But Hera becomes Boomer’s salvation.  Sharing the projection of the Picon dream house builds a new bond between a lonely woman and her not-quite daughter.  In the final push, she returns the child to her parents and returns the hope of humanity to the admiral who mentored her, who once gave her career a second chance.  Athena doesn’t do second chances, though.  She shot a Six once for much less than Boomer’s done.

In a way, I think the deck was stacked against Boomer.  Like four of the Final Five, she had to solve one hell of an identity crisis, but where they had each other and Athena’s example of a “good” Cylon, Boomer was all alone.  I’m not sure she ever really recovered from that.

The Guild: A little web series that could

KT puts her nerd status on display again.

Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog has probably gotten more buzz than any other web series, but it wasn’t created in a vacuum.  Among the Whedon brothers’ inspiration for the show was a modest little web series called The Guild, created by, written by, and starring Felicia Day.

The Guild has grown to be something of a phenomena itself, at least in certain quarters of the internet.  Their first season (like most fledgling shows) was a little bumpy, but since then Day and her collaborators have fine-tuned the writing and production and gotten backing from Sprint and distribution from Microsoft.  New episodes are first made available through the Xbox and Zune, if you happen to own either of those devices, then are hosted on msn.com.  Eventually you can also stream them at watchtheguild.com or YouTube.  A little confusing, but it works.

The web series is starting its third season this fall, and it has found its wings in a big way.  It follows six members of a guild — people who get together online to play an MMORPG (that’s “massively multi-player online role-playing game”) of the sort that sounds a lot like World of Warcraft, but is always carefully referred to as “The Game.”  Anyway, that’s the only link these people have to each other, and until recently (meaning season 1), they had never met in person.  Some of the characters still think that was a bad idea.  And though each season consists of only ten or twelve short episodes, each character has a storyline and a very distinct personality.  Humor is definitely a key component, and season two even has some action when Codex meets one of her neighbors, who is a professional stunt man.

Yes, Codex.  All of the character are only ever referred to by the names of their characters in The Game.  We do learn Codex’s real name — Sydney, I think — but that’s it.

Season three opens a day or two after the disastrous party from the season two finale and Codex is still freezing her brain over a pint of “self-pity ice cream.”  She’s fairly cheerful, though — she’s the sort of person who feels the need to fix everyone else’s problems, and she’s sure that the imminent release of an expansion to their game will patch up everybody’s quarrels.  After all, she says, “it’s about the game, not each other.  Stupid humans.”  Adorable delivery.  Have I mentioned my girl-crush on Felicia Day?  Her video blog-style introductions are often my favorite part of the show.

Despite Codex’s optimism, new online quests and powers aren’t quite enough to make everyone forgive and forget as they all line up outside their local Game Stop.  Spirits sink further when a rival guild led by Wil Wheaton shows up and cuts ahead of them in line.  (Juvenile, yes, but in an amusingly over-the-top kind of way.)

By the end of episode 3.02, the conflict between the two guilds has solidified as the plot to watch this season.  And after Codex votes herself the new guild leader, Tinkerballa is seen flirting with Wheaton’s kilt-wearing character — I smell treachery in the air.  Should be fun!

[After the jump: a few last comments]

Project Runway: “I wrote down prom.”

CC’s stepping in for some great reactions to this week’s Project Runway.

PROJECT RUNWAY: 6.04 “What a Woman Wants”

If Project Runway has taught us anything, it’s that models can’t dress themselves.  I refer you to Season 1 during which Austin made that blue peacock wedding dress ridiculousness and Norah created a wedding dress that would’ve been perfect for Rory Gilmore’s Cotillion…if Emily had let her shop at Jessica McClintock.  So when the models got to give direction for their party dress, I knew that it would be a disaster for someone; I just hoped it wouldn’t be my beloved Logan.

At first it seemed that the move to Lifetime wouldn’t adversely impact the show, but here we are four episodes in, and we haven’t had Michael Kors in 75% of them.  I miss him.  I miss his Mystic Tan. I miss his ridiculous metaphors (Zoe Glassner can’t come up with Appalachian Barbie). I miss him telling people how awful they are.  There is some serious snark missing, and Nina’s absence last night was just as palpable. If holding the show in L.A. means that judging doesn’t include our judges, then give me the Big Apple please!  Next thing you know we’re going to have a guest Tim Gunn.

But onto the fashion because, really, that’s what matters.  I always think it’s strange that the dresses I like most are always “safe” but never the winners.  I really liked Ra’Mon’s even if it was a little bit Carrie Bradshaw.  I also thought Shirin’s dress was beautiful as was Chris’s; all of them used bold colors that have been heavily featured in Vogue/Marie Claire/every other fashion magazine on the planet.  While they sailed through, we were left with Epperson, Althea and Carol Hannah as our bests and Logan, Qristyl and the meth addict (Johnny?) as our worsts.

Epperson created a Destiny’s Child “Survivor” outfit that the judges adored, a deconstructed one-shoulder dress if you will.  I would’ve liked it too if I were rolling around in a beach screaming that I was going to make it.  Althea made a suit with a three-quarter sleeved jacket and a short.  I loved the outfit, and Heidi, herself, said that the model was “the best walker.”  I have to say I was a bit distracted by the fact that Althea’s model wasn’t wearing a bra, but she deserved to win.  Carol Hannah’s dress looked like it would’ve lived in Betty Draper’s closet; I thought it was great, but we’ve seen way too many one-shoulder dresses this season.

Once Althea won, it was time to auf another contestant.  Despite making a bridesmaid dress, Crystal Meth was in so we could hear about his intervention next week. I didn’t think his dress was that bad, just boring.  That left Logan and his silver pants and Qristyl with her boring black dress.  Seriously, if you can get that creative with the spelling of your name, can’t you do better than a one-shoulder ruched jersey?  The judges askedthat very question, and in the end, decided that Qristyl would be out and Logan would be  in, despite making the worst dress of the evening.  Next week it appears that the models will be paper dolls and modeling dresses made out of the New York Times.  Given the state of the print medium, it’s probably the best use for them.  Until then, auf Wiedersehen.

Glee: Freak out!

KT is happy to see this show back.

GLEE: 1.02 “Showmance”

This week the Glee Club kids struggle with being asked to perform at a school assembly – and Will picks a song that they know will only get them laughed at. Being at the bottom of the high school social ladder never means than you can’t slide further down. I thought their rendition of “Freak Out” was fun, but the kids convince Will to find some more modern music. He brings “Gold Digger” and coaches Finn on the solo while the others rock out happily, but he still insists that they can’t have a new song ready before the assembly. Silly Will. This is television, so of course they will have a whole new routine that even you haven’t heard of by the end of the week.

It’s not a good week for romance at William McKinley High School, either. Rachel desperately wants to be noticed by Finn, who is still making out at the lockers with his cheerleader girlfriend, Quinn. Yes, that’s Finn and Quinn. Yikes. Rachel’s desperate enough to try joining the Celibacy Club, which is a riot. In one room, the girls (i.e., seven cheerleaders and Rachel) preach the values of “tease, but don’t please,” while in another the boys grumble their frustration. Then a cheerleader blows up balloons so that the boys and girls can pair off and practice kissing with a balloon between their hips. Naturally, Finn and Quinn are pros. Rachel tells them exactly how ridiculous she thinks this all is.

Despite all that, it’s clear that there is a sort of friendship building between Rachel and Finn. In an attempt to attract new Glee members without performing at the assembly, they conspire to print a handful of fliers on a school copier. That’s the punch line actually, to a very tense scene in which it first seems that cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester has caught them having sex. Although, if Rachel had it her way, they would be having sex: when Finn asks her for singing help, she arranges for them to take a break on the picnic blanket she’s set out(on the auditorium stage, maybe not such a good idea?) with a pleasantly absurd number of cushy red pillows. All she gets is a kiss, though, before Finn runs away, embarrassed by what we call a “man reaction” over on Dollhouse.

Meanwhile, the adorable Emma alternately resists and gives into her crush on Will, who politely points out that her OCD cleaning thing is something she might want to work on conquering. I think Will must be be a magnet for women who are beautiful, loving… and just a little crazy. Wife Terri’s self-entitlement stretches to needing a “grand foyer” which will of course be in a new house, because houses that other people have lived in are dirty.

Terri’s crazy factor goes up when she goes in for an ultrasound, only to be told that it was only a hysterical pregnancy after all. Line of the night absolutely went to Terri’s “Did it fall out?!” when the doctor told her there was no baby. I don’t really like the character, but I do love the way Jessalyn Gilsig plays her. Poor Terri. She at least drops the house issue, allowing Will to give up the night janitor gig. She even gives up her craft room to be the nursery… because she can’t bring herself to tell Will that she isn’t pregnant after all. Want to take bets on how long it’ll be before Terri gives up the pretense or Will figures it out on his own? On the other hand, Will doesn’t have it that bad: Terri’s sister is ever so much worse.

In the end, Rachel takes a Hollywood style approach to Glee Club recruitment: Sex sells because all teenagers are horny. The group perform “Push It” with very suggestive choreography. No surprise, the students love it. Also no surprise, the club gets in big trouble. The principal hands Will a list of approved songs (with “prayer” or “balloons” in the titles), which I’m thinking will lead to some amusing places in the next couple of episodes.  (“What’s a Luftballoon?”  Heeheehee… I hope they do that one.)

It looks like the Quinn-Finn-Rachel drama is about to escalate: Quinn and two of her cheerleader lackeys auditioned to “Say a Little Prayer for You,” and impressed Will enough that he gave Quinn the solo in “Don’t Stop Believing,” much to Rachel’s distress.

But what really has me curious is Sue Sylvester’s great need to grind Glee Club into the dirt. What could possibly make her afraid of this scrappy little group of underdogs at this point? I have to wonder — she said that she’s been teaching for 20 years, which means she could have been at this school when the Glee Club was so amazing in ‘93. Could any Glee Club — even a Glee Club that won nationals — ever have been such a threat to a cheerleading program? Maybe she’s just sadistic. All the same, I’m looking forward to what she might do now that she has spies inside Glee.

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 4

JC’s back in the liveblogging saddle.

TOP CHEF: 6.04 “Vivre Las Vegas”

10:02: Woohoo. Top Chef time. A little late start because of some computer probs. Right into the quickfire. Spikey haired hipster guy calls guest chef a bad ass, or something. The quickfire will involve escargo. Nasty!

10:04: Someone’s going home in the quickfire. How exciting! 45 minutes, you noobs. Go!

10:05: I’m sorry, snails sound really gross. The guy who was on the winning and losing team (I forget his name) is going to try some kind of greek twist on them. He could succeed or fail miserably.

10:07: An ELT. Interesting! Robin’s “Bagel and Lox” take on escargot is interesting too.

10:09: Mike came in the top 3 with his Greek inspired snails. Good prediction on my part, if I may say so myself. But Kevin wins. Jennifer also placed. Those two have been doing REALLY well. I think they might be the two to beat.Humble guy too.

10:11: Jesse, Ashley, and Robin are on the bottom. They get 20 minutes against each other for a cook-off. The loser goes home! Another twist!

10:13: I think Ashley may bite it this time. Commercial. So intense!

10:18: I was wrong. Byebye Jesse. Guess your ELT didn’t cut it. But you seemed t o clearly be on the bottom most of the time. Sorry!

10:19: Elim challenge, drawing knives. They are all classic french sauces or proteins.

10:21: Kevin, quickfire winner, doesn’t have towork, but gets to eat with the judges! Nice work, kid.

10:24: The chefs will be cooking in the kictchen of a new guest judge. I forget his name, but apparently he’s really famous. Many of the contestants were visibly shocked when they heard who would be judging them.

10:26: I think Michael and Jennifer’s Rabbit/Sauce will be a big contender.

10:28: Mike and Brian are going to deconstruct their sauce. I wonder if this will backfire.

10:38: Mike is second guessing his deconstructed sauce. This could be a nice diaster for him.

10:41: Michael and Jennifer look like a well oiled machine. They are probably going to win this.

10:48: Not a great start for Ron and Robin. Brian and Mike’s dish is a big hit. They liked the sauce! Nice risk, guys. It paid off; they’re the front runners so far.

10:50: Eli and Laurine’s dish isnt bad, but some complaints about the lobster being too tough. She was worried about that earlier too. Mattin and Ashley’s dish does not go over well. Bland; they apparently didn’t even make the right sauce. Negative comments all around. These guys are screwed.

10:52: Jennifer and Michael’s dish comes out. Also a big hit. Perhaps right on the level with Brian and Mike.

10:54: Hector and Ash are rushed at the end; complain about not enough sauce on the plate. The judges agree. Meat is unevenly cooked and poorly cut. These two are in trouble too.

11:01: Brian and Mike, and Jennifer and Michael place in the top. The two brothers are collectively on fire! I want to see them paired up!

11:02: Brian wins! Too bad for Mike. It would have been nice to see him vindicated after last week. I’m sure he’s happy he came in the top group this time, though.

11:04: Mattin and Ashley, and Hector and Ash place at the bottom. I think Hector or Mattin are going home. Interestingly enough, I think the four here on the firing line are the worst remaining chefs.

11:13: Hector is being sent home. You can’t cut and cook meat the way he did. I think he had a bit more to offer; I would have rather seen Ashley or Mattin sent home, but oh well. There is always next week. In fact, I’m pretty sure that one of them will be sent home next week. Till then!

Yes, I’ll try ‘The Vampire Diaries’

I’m not entirely sure what the majority of people out there think of the upcoming show The Vampire Diaries, which premieres on The CW tomorrow night. I’ve heard some people are very excited about it. Others, though, think it’s a Twilight ripoff and are really irritated that it made the cut.

But let me say one thing: It’s not Twilight. If Twilight were a chicken and Vampire Diaries were the egg, we’d have an answer to our lifelong question. The egg came first.

Let me explain. I’m sure you already know, but I’ll reiterate. The Vampire Diaries is based on a book series by L.J. Smith. They were first published in 1991–yes, we’re talking almost 20 years ago.

I haven’t read this series. But I have read another one of her series: The Secret Circle series. I’m not saying they’re the same (after all, one series is about vampires, and the other is about witches), but it does make me respect the author. I mean, the series I read wasn’t the best group of books I’ve ever read in my life, but they were enjoyable, and I read them more than once, so that gives them props in my book.

So we’re looking at a TV show based on a series that was developed and published 20 years ago. A series that just happens to be about vampires and a mortal girl, and it was aimed at a young adult target audience.

I’m not saying that Stephanie Meyer read this series and based her books on it. In fact, the plots are different, despite what the trailers lead you to believe. Honestly, I feel like Meyer probably should have read the series, just to do her research on what else is out there as far as competitors go, and if that’s the case, she probably made her books different on purpose. If she didn’t read them, well, that’s a whole ‘nother blog post.

But from what I can tell, Twilight is, of course, about a girl named Bella, who moves to Forks, falls in love with “vegetarian” Edward (meaning he’ll eat meat but not humans) and so on and so on. The Vampire Diaries is also about a girl, but here we have two vampire brothers–one who loves and wants to protect her, and the other who wants to have her for his meal.

I’m not saying they’re polar opposites, but I am saying that there are some differences. And I’m interested to see what direction it takes to further differentiate itself from the Twilight series.

I should also mention that apparently a spinoff series from The Vampire Diaries was just launched this year (first book was released February), so good for L.J. Smith. I’m glad she’s still writing, and hopefully this will give the series a little more credibility.

Twilight ruins everything. But Buffy’s still the best.

Mad Men: “I’m just not myself.”

Mad Men: 3.4 “The Arrangements”

Last night’s title was fitting. The episode centered on the arrangements we make with our family, the lies we tell them, and the tensions that result from their creation.  Although we only got a glimpse of Sal’s domestic life, I think his wife’s demand for sex and his subsequent rejection of it, was most heartbreaking.  He tells her that he feels his job has been disappearing over the past six months (yes, it does coincide with the Baltimore trip).  He then explains the concept for the Patio commercial he’s directing (Bye, Bye Birdie). His wife doesn’t really understand it, but says that he’ll be great.  Ah, the lies we tell…of course, later in the episode, the Patio executives don’t like it either.

While Sal’s living arrangements are a lie, Peggy’s just annoy her so she decides to find a roommate and move to Manhattan.  Her sister asks if she wants to be one of those girls, to which Peggy replies, “I am one of those girls.”  Her mother is less pleased with this idea, feeling spurned by her daughter, but Peggy’s continued evolution into a girl different from her mother’s generation, is becoming increasingly palpable.

I’m sure that Peggy’s pregnancy two seasons ago worries her mother, but I’m more concerned that her roommate (who works in a travel agency) is going to be a nutbag.  Karen believes in leaving the door open” unless there are men over, as long as they aren’t sailors.  Given that Joan helped Peggy write her ad, I’m pretty certain this means more one-night stands for Peggy coupled with a boatload of annoyance.

Our living arrangements aren’t the only plans we make.  Horace, a friend of Pete Campbell’s, comes to Sterling Cooper with a dream of making Jai Alai bigger than baseball. With a 3 million dollar ad budget, Pete is clearly delighted at the prospect of bringing in the account.  However, since the money was inherited and his dad is a friend of Cooper’s, Don felt it best to run it past Horace’s father. Horace’s father tells us that he had to work hard in order to provide for his family, and Horace was using that money in a trust to make an indelible mark on the world in the same way that he had.  Horace’s dad knew that Jai Alai would fail, but that would be the only way that Horace would learn, and it’s best to have friends take care of it than strangers.

Aside from Sal’s storyline, parents were an integral part of the last night’s episode, and last night we saw more of Betty and her dad. Betty’s father, Gene, goes over his will and wishes for funeral arrangements, upsetting Betty.  Gene tells her that she was too coddled, which is why she ended up in a fraudulent marriage. Over the past three episodes, Gene and Sally have developed a wonderful relationship, and last night, he told her that she shouldn’t listen to her mother because she is destined to be great.  Unfortunately, the police come later in the episode and tell Sally and Betty that Gene is dead.

At the end of the episode Don, Betty, Betty’s brother and sister-in-law are sitting around a table talking about funeral arrangements.  Sally is listening under the table; when someone laughs, she enters the room, crying hysterical asking them how they can laugh when her grandfather is dead and never coming back.  Betty implores her to “go watch TV,” which she does every episode instead of parenting her.  The last shot is the news of a Buddhist monk setting himself on fire in Vietnam.  The specter of war was subtly present last night, and I expect we’ll see more of that in the coming episodes.  For now, we’re left knowing that the arrangements we make comfort ourselves more than our families.

Recap Reviews: Loss of Dissonance

DC leaves her marked on Raked with this Gossip Girl guest blog.

GOSSIP GIRL: 2.18 “Loss of Dissonance”

Ah, the play-within-a-play. Leave it to Josh Schwartz to take his already self-aware, meta characters, who live in the world of New York high society, and put them in a play about… well… New York high society. Now, I hadn’t read or seen “Age of Innocence,” so when I went to write this review, I did what every responsible, thorough writer would do. I looked it up on Wikipedia.

If you really wanted to read into the play-within-a-play, “Age of Innocence” was a great choice. You have Blair playing the ostracized countess; Serena playing the ever-perfect May; Dan playing pathetic Newland; and Nate, typecast as the banker who lost it all. Josh could have simply played up these links, concentrating on Blair’s fall from grace or Dan’s eagerness to be part of the UES. Those connections, however, are simply the backdrop to a typical GG episode. Typical GG, with period costumes, of course.

Blair, as usual, dominates the episode. She opens and closes it with Leighton Messier’s usual presence. Her inevitable fall from grace culminates here with her loss of dominance over the Headband Clan, her loss of control over Gossip Girl as a weapon, her ejection from Yale, and, most importantly, her realization that she really is not a good person. When Blair confronts Miss Carr about the latter’s sabotage and sees how Miss Carr hates the Blair inside of her, Leighton’s face goes from smug and dominant to sad and dejected in a flawless transition. Of course, there was the typical scurrying, hissing, eye-narrowing, accusatory Blair that we all have come to love, but it was the bar scene at the end that brought more depth to the character.

This episode also marked the end of the horrid Miss Carr story line. Little Miss Iowa goes from Serena’s mentor to Blair’s enemy to Dan’s lover and a Gossip Girl informant way too fast. I suppose she is a foil for Blair, but for me, it was just too much to swallow. Her own loss of innocence was too contrived. I was glad to see it end.

Speaking of things I wanted to see end, let’s talk about Nate and Vanessa. I love how the writers spoke to the criticisms of Chace Crawford’s acting skills (or lack thereof), as the director called him out for his wooden acting in the play. Not sure if it hit too close to home for poor Chace, but it certainly was an amusing inside joke/ self aware dig that Josh did so well on The O.C. I disliked how they finagle Vanessa into every Constance/St. Jude function by simply putting a camera in her hand. She tapes bloody everything, but I have yet to see ANYthing come of it. Who are all these documentaries for? Where does she edit and produce these movies? Does she at all? Or does she just watch the raw footage in her basement, rocking back and forth, and plotting how she is going to work her way into the next plotline that has nothing to do with her? Who knows.

And lastly, Chuck and his sad, sad sex club arc. How are we supposed to believe that he was SO in love with Blair one minute and then willing to relocate to San Paulo with some no-name skank he meets at some party the next? Really, writers? I supposed this was just meant to drive him back to Blair, but still. I was happy to see this arc end as well.

There you have it, while Chuck stumbles back to Blair, Blair falls in with Carter, Rachel falls out of favor with Dan, Nate falls in love with Edith, Vanessa falls more in love with her own voice, and Serena falls in and out of love with a gay guy. Although not my favorite episode of the season, the supporting cast (three cheers for Nelly, Dorota and Penelope!), the costumes, the one liners (“Do you know how hard it is to get revenge when you enemy changes every five minutes?!”) and the end of Rachel Carr were all perks. Oh, and Rufus (gasp!) actually parented. Shocker.

Exclusive interview on a NEW web series!

I happened to get lucky this week and discovered a new web series before it even premiered. Now you can, too.

I’m actually a big fan of web series, ever since Dr. Horrible. I mean, I’ve checked out Sorority Forever and The Lake. Web series are like candy, and the recession has been my Halloween.

Our newest treat is Making Secrets, a web series based on the website Post Secret that premieres this Sunday, September 6. The show takes Post Secret postcards and recreates the stories around them–hoping to discover how the feelings expressed became secrets in the first place.

I was able to talk to Andrew Kaberline of B Cast Entertainment, who had a major role in the making of this show. We’re talking writing, producing, and directing the show. He shared some great insights on just how they decided on the (sometimes difficult) subject matter of the show, why Post Secret, and even how they created a dolly effect from a car.

You are the co-writer, co-director, and co-producer of Making Secrets, is that right?

I’m the only writer, but other than that, it is totally correct.

Well, tell me a little about it in your own words. I’ve seen the site, which is great.

Oh, thank you very much. I was shown Post Secret—I found out about it when I was, I think it was my freshman year of high school. And the only reason I ever found out that it existed actually was, um, there was a postcard with a valedictorian medal on it from my high school, and someone wrote on the lanyard, “I cheated a lot.” And it caused a…stir in our school, and everybody else, when they found out about that, was focused on, “Oh my god, the valedictorian was cheating.” I think I was the only person who said, “Well, this is a really neat website. Let me go check this out.”

But I’d been looking to start a production company with my friends that would allow me to show all my creative efforts because recently in the college theater department, you don’t usually get to write or produce your own things. And I thought about something that would be a new, original, kind-of fresh idea, and I thought there’s Post Secret. And the best part about that website is that you never really know how any of the secrets became secrets, and that’s what I’ve spent most of my time speculating about when I read that website. So I thought, well, that’s a great idea for a show… And now, that’s really how it came together.

How many people are involved?

Oh boy. Well, there’s five or six of us that are producers. We had a rotating crew of about six people. And then, I think we ended up having about between forty and fifty actors on the project. There were a lot more other people that were supposed to be involved, and either had conflict schedules and such, but it’s really a collaboration of a lot of different people.

[Read more after the jump!]

Leverage: The Ice Man Cometh (and Go-eth)

LEVERAGE: 2.08 “The Ice Man Job”

I was really surprised when I was seeing ads for Leverage indicating that Sophie would not be part of a job and that she had left. Fortunately for us, Gina Bellman is still on the show, just in a more limited role because of her pregnancy.

And honestly, they did a fantastic job of keeping her in yet out of the picture. The fact that every single member of the team needed to call her for one reason or another was great, and it really proved that even though she’s no mastermind, she certainly has a part of the team that can’t be replaced.

What surprised me most, though, was that based on last episode’s ending, I don’t know whether people really realized she was leaving. As impactful as it was, I just figured that she’d just get over it and stay with the group. But moving to London? Well, that’s entirely different.

Sophie aside, it was a fun episode. I very much enjoyed Hardison as the grifter, even though everything he did was wrong. He played it too over-the-top. He was still believable–in fact, too believable. I adored when he called Sophie and she basically said it would be ok, as long as they weren’t Russians. Which, of course, they were. It was fantastic.

And the “fight” between Hardison and Eliot when they were breaking into the bank was hilarious. I love that Eliot had so much trouble trying to pretend to be beat up–and resisting it so much. It did surprise me, though, that the Russians didn’t recognize him as the Ice Man’s mute bodyguard, but maybe he went down too fast, so they didn’t notice.

Parker really entertained me, though. First, she looked amazing with her hair pulled back. Second, I loved watching her break into the vault. Even when she was dictating to Hardison and instructing Nate while he was in there, it was cool. This group can really do so much.

By the way, how cute was it when Parker was uncomfortable because the couch was lonely, so Nate was instructing Eliot to sit by her. It’s such a weird sibling relationship those two have. I’m thinking back to the previous episode when Eliot was icing his arm and Parker was poking it. And I’m just laughing.

Oh, and the Eliot/Harison hug. You know, I think Christian Kane was having a hard time keeping a straight face on that one. I love it when actors just almost break character. It’s hilarious.

Anyway, overall, it was a great episode. It clearly had an impact as a dreamt of diamonds stuck to the bottom of tables (methinks it was like sticking the cubic to the bottom of the soda can…but different), and I really can’t wait to see how everything develops, now that Sophie is temporarily out of the group. At least we assume it’s temporary.

Next week is the summer finale, so be sure to stay tuned. I hope we leave it on a very high, very anxiety-driven note. Where will the team go from here?

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 3

TOP CHEF: 6.03 “Thunderbirds”

10:02 – JC is feeling under the weather tonight, so I’m taking over the Top Chef liveblog. Wish me luck!

10:03 – They’re chatting about last week’s episode and challenge. Did you check it out? You can read about it here. Be warned. There are still a lot of people in the show. I may not have all their names down yet.

10:05 – Create a dish featuring a potato that is “out of this world.” That doesn’t sound too difficult. Curious to see how creative they can really get with it.

10:06 – Sweet potato ice cream. Hmm. Must we make an ice cream out of everything? And what about the risotto guy? Will 45 minutes be enough? Ooh, already down to 19 minutes. But potatoes and asparagus just seems a little too straightforward. I hope that Preeta (?) has some special spices with it. Oh, and she just took over Ashley’s pot. No good.

10:09 – Dear Bravo, please stop covering the screen with your ads. Love, Raked.

10:10 – Some of this stuff looks good, but is it new and original? Food is ready! Ew, could have been gluey? Even if it’s not, I don’t know if I’d want a judge saying that. Wait–tuna and potato? Sounds terrible, but they seem to like it.

10:11 – I think Hector’s a good contender. Plus, he made something that’s purple. That’s just impressive. But as for Laurine, it’s generally a safe rule never to make a burger out of anything other than meat on this show. I wonder what they’ll say about it in the end. Ooh, the risotto, how’d it go? Salty. Wow, “nice idea” is not what you want to hear. Ashley’s food seems to have come together well–homemade ricotta’s impressive. We’ll see who is at the bottom in a bit, I suppose. And Eli’s food has a shell. Very bad. As for Ron, I don’t know what he made, but I’m rooting for him! I just really like that guy.

10:14 – What’s with all the tattoos on this show? And the cayenne. Oops.

10:15 – Eli, Ron (sad), Jessie are all on the bottom. Jennifer (she’s been on the top a lot), Ash (I see him as a good contender), and Ashley at the top. Ashley got lucky, and I guess now I feel like maybe her reaction was unmerited. And Jennifer wins! But as for the accusation for favoritism? Come on, it’s the third episode. Get over it. Jennifer’s got immunity, but no $15K this time.

10:19 – Commercial break. So far no Housewives ads. Could it be our lucky night? Well, we’ll see.

10:20 – Elimination challenge: Special guest is Colonel Dave Belote. I kinda feel bad for him. All the other guest stars get oohs and ahhs. But they do have to make a meal for 300 airmen. AND high nutritional requirements (good, if some are deploying). Four hours, but they have to wait to find out ingredients and cooking equipment. If only the commercial tease hadn’t given away the mystery!

10:23 – I wonder how these teams are really going to work. I see drama in our midst.

10:24 – Is this Top Chef or ANTM? What’s with the makeup shot?

10:25 – They’ve got to deal with…Army food!! Surprise. Spam, canned artichokes. No stoves, pots. Serve these airmen with limited choices. This could be entertaining.

10:27 – Give it up for commercials. It gives me time to respond to Top Chef tweets on Twitter. See? I can multitask with the best of them. (Sorry, off topic.)

10:28 – You know, it really bugs me when people stretch their past experiences so these crazy challenges claim to make more sense. For example, just because you were in ROTC in high school (HIGH SCHOOL) doesn’t mean you know how to cook their food. Bah!

10:29 – Preeta’s defining moment to become a chef was 9/11. That just seems wrong to me. Policeman, fireman, doctor, maybe. Chef?

10:30 – I give all the chefs props. At least they are all looking forward to serving these men and women, who clearly deserve it more than some of the celebs they serve. By the way, I’m glad the brothers aren’t on the same team. Shakes it up a little.

[Read more after the jump!]

Labor Day Giveaway!

I’m combining forces here. Check out the newest Recap Review–with a Labor Day giveaway attached!

RECAP REVIEW: Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows: The Performances

I don’t know if you’ve quite noticed yet, but I’m a TV fan. So much so that when I see shows from way back when (no offense intended), I’m naturally curious to see what they were like.

For example, The Ed Sullivan Show. It was 50 years ago. I certainly haven’t seen it! So I got my hands on this new DVD, which shows off three of Elvis’ famous performances on the show.

Now, you can shame me as necessary, but I’m not actually too familiar with Elvis’ music. Of course, I know the famous ones. Who doesn’t? But to be honest, I have to admit that I learned the most about Elvis by watching Jesse on Full House. Shame.

So I enjoyed this. Not only was the fantastically old 1950s Ed Sullivan intro entertaining to watch (very I Dream of Jeannie somehow). But wow, just hearing the screams of all the girls as Elvis was even just mentioned. He didn’t even have to be on stage. And while I realize the JoBros get tears and swoons, I still think they’ve got something to learn from this man.

Now, being 1950s television, of course, the risque dancing of the time is not exactly shown to the television audience (pretty much everything is from the chest up), but when you hear the screams arise, you know there’s something causing it. Back when these were aired in ‘55, ‘56, and ‘57, TV had standards (now we have reality TV).

It’s pretty entertaining. It’s straight clips of all Elvis’ performances and Ed’s intros (well, plus an intro from Ed Sullivan’s fill-in for the first performance; I haven’t watched the special feature yet to find out why Ed wasn’t there that day, but I’m sure it’s a good story). It’s a good watch.

If you’re looking for variety in his music, well, that’s where it’s lacking a little. You didn’t expect Elvis not to play his top hits at every performance, right? So there are some repeated songs, but just enjoy the backup singers and the different outfits. And hearing him sing them should be gift enough. But I did notice at least one song that I know I never heard Jesse Katsopolis play in the Tanner house, so that was refreshing.

And you know, he just seemed like a nice guy. You gotta give him props for that. Plus, give it up for the 284 teddy bears he received at Christmastime, if I recall his story correctly. That comment was cute.

So I’m glad I checked it out. And now it’s your turn! I’m giving away one copy of this DVD to one of my lucky readers!

The Giveaway

How to Enter:

It’s pretty simple. To enter, put a comment below telling me your favorite Ed Sullivan Show moment or your favorite Elvis song. See? Easy as pie–or a banana and peanut butter sandwich. This is a required first entry.

One thing to remember: Make sure you leave a legitimate email address. I can’t contact you as a winner if I don’t have that.

Want extra entries?

• Tweet about this contest, and mention @RakedReviews.
• Blog about this contest, and link back here.
• Share this contest on Facebook.

For any of these extra entries, you MUST come back and put in an extra entry in the comments. For example, if you comment, then tweet, you need to leave two comments in order to get counted twice.

The Deadline:

You have all the way through Labor Day to enter. Comments will close at midnight Monday night, and I’ll choose the winner randomly right after that. So check your email on Tuesday, the 8th. That’s when I’ll be contacting the winner.

Good luck! And hey, don’t be cruel…

True Blood: “In order to save something, sometimes you have to destroy it.”

TRUE BLOOD: 3.10 “Frenzy”

It’s in the Bible or the Constitution.  Words of wisdom by Jason Stackhouse, everyone.  Does Jason remind anyone else of George Bush?  I don’t know if it’s the malaprops or the beady eyes, or “aw shucks did I just blow that up” grin.  Maybe it’s that his idea of saving the world includes lots of guns, but whenever I see him, I think W.  In the first season, I just thought, yum; perhaps he needs to go shirtless more.

How did Marianne even get to Bon Temps in the first place?  Well, it seems that when Tara was exorcised, Marianne was summoned in the process.  Marianne tells her that despite the fraudulent exorcism, we must be careful with rituals, lest they work in unintended ways.

If rituals have unintended consequences (like people’s hearts being cut open), it seems that Marianne is experimenting to have her sacrifice to Dionysus work.  Despite having achieved immortality (something that she attained via evolution), Marianne needs a supernatural human, like a shifter, to sacrifice in order to summon Dionysus (who may or may not show).  If Dionysus comes, Marianne will then offer herself to him, and die.  Having learned this from the queen, Bill is more than happy to help Marianne catch Sam.  Who thinks that there are 2-1 odds that Sookie will offer herself up to save Sam?

Also in the business of saving Sam is Eric, who goes to the queen shortly after Bill does to find out how to destroy a maenad (at Sam’s request).  It’s interesting that Sam and Eric, who both have interest in Sookie, are teaming up to destroy Marianne.  I wonder if they’re also hoping to steal Sookie from Bill.  And if they are, can we have more Eric please?  He was wearing a Norman Bates as his mother dress, and I still found myself drooling.

Aside from Eric, the religious undertones of this season have been fascinating.  Bon Temps is primarily a Christian town, but under the influence of Marianne (and her Pagan rituals), the residents are living up to the town’s name.  Vampires may be evil and hedonistic, but they look positively restrained next to the orgies Marianne throws.  This season of True Blood tells us that religious fervor is dangerous when unchecked—vampires are way more temperate than humans.  If we look at the violence perpetrated by Marianne and fang haters/the Fellowship of the Sun, it greatly outnumbers that done by the vampires.  Seemingly the message is that certitude in one’s moral choices can be more destructive than an open mind; Sookie is our hero in this show because she’s willing to accept vampires and the townspeople equally into her life.

Going into the September 13^th season finale, we still have some questions left unanswered and some new ones that were raised by that crazy cliffhanger.  Sookie’s trapped in a room with Tara, who’s back under Marianne’s grip (who knew that a slap in the face could be that powerful?), Eggs (is he dead or not?), and Lafayette (will he now start having crazy dreams about Marianne too?).   More importantly, will Bill and Eric finally have a physical confrontation over Sookie? Will Eric have to rescue Sookie from the room of crazy? Will Andy get his job back?  In the season finale, we’ll see Marianne performing the sacrificial ritual, and hopefully we’ll have answers.  As is always the case with True Blood, however, I suspect we’ll have more questions.  See you all in two weeks!

Happy September 1!

It’s finally September. I say that reluctantly because while I love having new TV, I also love summer weather. Fall means that there will be lovely colors all over New England, but it also means winter is looming along the horizon, and I don’t know how much I’m looking forward to that.

Weather aside, fall means exciting things for TV. Mainly, premieres of our new and old shows! So I thought it was about time I gave you all a schedule of premiere dates.

Please note that the shows listed below are just shows that we cover here on Raked–except for those few that we know people are huge fans of and thought you might be interested in. As you can tell, I’ve weeded out a lot of the reality TV.

Tuesday, Sept. 8

90210, 8 p.m. (CW)

Wednesday, Sept. 9

America’s Next Top Model, 8 p.m. (CW)
*Glee, 9 p.m. (Fox)

Thursday, Sept. 10

*The Vampire Diaries, 8 p.m. (CW)

Monday, Sept. 14

Gossip Girl, 9 p.m. (CW)
One Tree Hill, 8 p.m. (CW)

Thursday, Sept. 17
(It’s going to be a busy night)

Bones, 8 p.m. (Fox)
*Community, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)
Fringe, 9 p.m. (Fox)
The Office, 9 p.m. (NBC)

Monday, Sept. 21
(Also a busy night)

The Big Bang Theory, 9:30 p.m. (CBS)
Castle, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Heroes, 8 p.m. (NBC)
House, 8 p.m. (Fox)
How I Met Your Mother, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Wednesday, Sept. 23

*Cougar Town, 9:30 p.m. (ABC)
*Eastwick, 10 p.m. (ABC)
*Mercy, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Thursday, Sept. 24

*Flash Forward, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Grey’s Anatomy, 9 p.m. (ABC)

Friday, Sept. 25

Dollhouse, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Ghost Whisperer, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Smallville, 8 p.m. (CW)

Sunday, Sept. 27

Brothers & Sisters, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Desperate Housewives, 9 p.m. (ABC)
Dexter, 9 p.m. (Showtime)

Thursday, Oct. 1

Private Practice, 10 p.m. (ABC)

Monday, Oct. 5

*Rita Rocks, 7:30 p.m. (Lifetime)
*Sherri, 7 p.m. (Lifetime)

Friday, Oct. 9

Ugly Betty, 8 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, Oct. 15

30 Rock, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)

Friday, Oct. 23

Southland, 9 p.m. (NBC)
*White Collar, 10 p.m. (USA)

Tuesday, Nov. 3

*V, 8 p.m. (ABC)

By the way, a full list can be found here. I’ve marked new series with an asterisk (*), and I’ve kept in the ones that we’ll definitely be checking out. If there are others you want us to take a look at, request it in the comments! We’re still deciding ourselves what we’ll watch this fall, and as you can tell from the past, it’s everchanging. Who knows, maybe we’ll cover more!

But if it’s not on this list, don’t forget that there are plenty more shows to watch, so please be sure to check out all the networks and see what’s new this fall!

Drop Dead Diva: I want to know more

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.08 “Crazy”

I miss Fred. I really do. Imagine all the conversations that could have come up in this episode. Like, is Jane crazy? Crazy to believe she’s in Deb’s body? Crazy to let Grayson be happy with someone else? Crazy to go to her high school reunion?

Well, I don’t know about all those things, but ultimately, I just miss Fred.

But what I did like about this episode was Jane’s client. Mainly because he hinted at having the exact same experience that Jane herself experienced–waiting at that big turnstyle in the sky and pressing the “return” button. Coming back and not knowing who he was, or at least claiming he was someone else.

Is anyone else disappointed that we didn’t hear more? Why didn’t Jane confront him, just because she started questioning whether he really was crazy? I mean, listening to what he was saying (and what others were saying), he was. He stripped down to his boxers in court because his suit was itchy. He proposed to a waitress in court!

By all accounts, sure, he was crazy. So is Jane less likely to believe him? And does that mean she’s questioning her own experience?

Personally, I just wanted to hear her talk to him. I wanted to see her share her experience with him and vice versa. To find out someone’s gone through the same thing as she has, and she might have a friend that knew the real deal again. Almost like a Fred…just different.

As for everything else, well, I don’t know. It was pretty much a standard episode. I am glad that they pushed off the Kim/Grayson relationship. And wasn’t it interesting that Grayson subconsciously went to Jane for approval, so to speak? I wonder if some part of him knows (and I can’t wait to see them explore it, if he does). That was certainly a key moment.

But why did Kim get so emotionally invested in her case? I was hoping we’d find some vulnerable story in her background, something to make you think she’s had the same experience as her client, but instead, it seemed to only be her encounter with Grayson that was pressing buttons. Was Grayson’s hesitancy to be in a relationship with Kim really a betrayal in Kim’s eyes? It seemed to be.

As for the high school reunion, it was fun to find out that the guy she was preparing for was gay, but beyond that, I don’t know if it was all that interesting to me. If anything Stacy was a hoot–especially since everyone thought she was in their class, yet she didn’t look a day over 22!

Anyway, it was a good episode with what appears to be a happy ending–at least for Jane and her client. I look forward to seeing where the Grayson/Kim storyline goes. With awkwardness between him and Kim, that would lead him right back into a close friendship with Jane, right? And when that grows…well, ultimately that would be the time that Kim would change her mind, I’d bet. But I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Mad Men: My Name Is Peggy Olsen, and I’d Like to Smoke Some Marijuana

MAD MEN: 3.03 “My Old Kentucky Home”

If the American dream is to raise yourself up by your bootstraps and make something of yourself, what happens once you’re made?  Mad Men attempted to answer this question last night by taking us to three parties. The first was the weekend office party, featuring Kinsey, Peggy, Smitty all working on a Saturday. Making a cameo was Kinsey’s former classmate, who introduces himself as, “Jeff Graves, Princeton ’55.”  Since Princeton was recently named the third douchiest college in the country, it was a given that he would be a tool, but he’s also a drug dealer.  Graves (son of privilege taking a drug-pushing fall) reveals that Kinsey was a scholarship kid from Jersey, an insecurity that results in his mohair sweater affectations.

Of course, Peggy announces that she attended secretarial school which contrasts greatly with Princeton and highlights her superficial lack of belonging in the offices. To find her niche, she’s attended strip clubs, attempted to become Ann-Margret, had a one-night stand and last night, she smoked marijuana.  When Peggy’s secretary expressed disappointment, Peggy responded with, “I have a job; I have an office with my name on the door. I have a secretary.  I am not scared of any of this, but you’re scared.  I am going to get to do everything you want for me.”  More importantly, she’s getting everything she wants for herself, kicking Kinsey and Smitty out. I’m glad Peggy’s asserting herself, and previews suggest she may continue this pattern by telling her Mom she’s moving to Manhattan.

While Peggy was getting high, Don and Betty were at the country club where Roger Sterling sang “My Old Kentucky Home” wearing blackface.  Racial tensions have not yet been deeply explored on Mad Men (there was a nod toward it last night when Carla, the maid, tells Betty’s dad that “we don’t all know each other”).  Blackface, here, is an amusing joke for wealthy people to laugh at, and Don steps out.  Despite his title, Don never feels at place in this world he’s created for himself—the one with Betty or among his coworkers. And so, he leaves and chats up a bartender, revealing more about his personal life (as Dick Whitman) than he ever has to Betty or anyone at Sterling Cooper.  Those most at ease at this party are Trudy and Pete Campbell, Betty, and Roger because they grew up in this world.

I think the most uncomfortable scenes from last night came at Joan and Greg’s house.  The newlyweds throw a dinner party.  At one point, the wives talk about how little money the doctors make and the surgery chief’s wife tells Joan not to get pregnant yet.  Joan looks shocked by this advice (isn’t that the job of ‘60s wives?).  The chief of surgery’s wife explains that she made three times more money than her husband until she had to quit her job to have children.  And yet, I assume Joan’s choice in this matter involves surreptitiously taking birth control over having a discussion with her husband, especially since her husband seemingly doesn’t tell her that someone died on his surgery table.  I wonder how long this marriage will last, especially given Joan’s seeming lack of resentment towards her husband—a man who raped her last year; do we think that will be addressed?

At the end of the episode, we had Joan singing “C’est Manifique”, content to be on display for her guests.  Don and Betty retreating to a private part of the lawn, Jane Sterling (after drowning herself in liquor so that she could be appropriately social) quietly dancing with her new husband, Sally reading to her grandfather, and then there was Peggy.  At the end of the episode, while high, Peggy kicks Kinsey and Smitty out, having thought of an idea for the Bacardi campaign and telling them “I’m in a very good place now.”  For a fleeting moment last night, everyone else was too.

Be prepared with ‘Surviving Disaster’

I remember a tip from an episode of Oprah: If you’re stuck in the trunk of a car and you can’t get the hood up, bust out a light, and wave your arm out of it. The cars behind you will see it and call the police.

Here’s another tip: If someone’s shooting at you (say, after being mugged or something), run in a zig zag. It’s much more difficult to aim that way.

These are just a couple life-saving tips. Tips you probably (and hopefully) will never need, but they’re definitely something to keep in mind in case the worse-comes-to-worst becomes reality.

And Spike TV’s here to help. Their new series Surviving Disaster is here to teach you about survival–even where you’d least expect it. Here’s a brief description:

Each week, Navy SEAL [Cade] Courtley tackles worst-case scenarios and equips viewers with the practical information needed to save their own lives and the lives of their loved ones.  Whether the threat is natural or man-made or on a national or personal level, Courtley speaks directly to the viewers and guides them through a comprehensive, step-by-step process to not only survive the big picture disaster, but endure the many dangerous obstacles that may occur within each catastrophic event.  While leading viewers out of danger, Courtley not only provides helpful tips and hands-on instruction, but swiftly points out common misconceptions and fatal mistakes.  Unlike any other series, “Surviving Disaster” may actually save lives by providing actions that anyone can perform.

The series includes nuclear attack, home invasion, fire, avalanche, lost at sea, hurricane, bio-chemical attack, mall shooting, and earthquake. And that’s just naming some. You can read and see more here.

A series like this, of course, could make me terribly paranoid, but you know, some of this stuff could happen. Fire? Home invasion? Somehow I think that’s something I might just want to know about.

For example, I swung over to Spike TV’s site and found this video on how to deal with a burn victim. While I hope never to come across a burn victim in need of my help, I can’t imagine that having this in the cap for future use would hurt at all.

In case you haven’t noticed, this isn’t your usual reality show, and it might just be worth checking out. The show premieres this Tuesday, September 1.

image courtesy of Spike TV

Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie

WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: The Movie

If you’re wondering, yes, I did enjoy the Wizards of Waverly Place movie. It’s not that I thought it would be bad, but it’s a Disney Channel original movie. I’m not exactly the biggest fan these days.

But I enjoyed it.

Why? Well, honestly, I had no idea this movie would delve into the sibling relationship between Justin and Alex so much. I mean, it did get a little cheesy at times, how much they were confessing so much to each other about their insecurities, but it was nice at the same time. The fact that Justin felt the entire time that Alex would win the wizard training–did that seem new to anyone else? That he felt that he wasn’t anyone without powers, despite how smart he was in every other area. There’s always been a competition between him and Alex, but it seemed new that he said as much out loud.

What interested me the most were the flaws in Justin’s magic. His stone bridge looked so precise, yet a pebble made it collapse. He fell in quicksand. He didn’t win the competition in the end. It was refreshing to see him fall from the magical pedestal.

Yet it was Alex who was able to think on her feet and make things happen (even though it was her fault that they were going through all of this). She won the wizard competition–but you know, then what? All that knowledge might not have helped her win the competition, but then what? She had nothing to keep her going. All the family magic was in her hands, but she was useless. Strengths in both strategies, I guess.

But how heartbreaking was it to see Justin’s face when he lost? More so, when Alex crumbled after she discovered that Justin’s married was gone and then he was swept up in the magic tornado.

I’m curious to see who will really win when they have the next competition. Considering how successful this movie was, I can entirely see this being a feature film (though I have no solid backup on that). Will Justin really win, though? Or will Alex win again? What about Max?

Well, somehow I bet it will be a loophole, where the law changes and all three keep their magic. But then again, we’ll have to see.

Other thoughts on the movie:

• Interesting to see that Justin’s dad did everything that Justin did–quicksand, rock bridge–but for some reason the rock bridge worked for him. I wonder why.
• My assumption is that memories were wiped faster the least magic you had. Hence why they went Max then Justin (after he lost all his magic in the competition). If they went in order (like Back to the Future tells us), it’d be Justin, Alex, Max.
• When Max was swept away, gotta give props to the mom. That was an emotional moment because of her.
• The parrot part was a little ridiculous. When she turned back into one and coughed up feathers? Or even when she wore the stone as a necklace? How did she not realize it was missing? The minute she turned back around and didn’t have it, I noticed. It wasn’t like it was in her pocket.
• As much as I enjoyed seeing Steve Valentine back on TV, it did make me sad that he was making his appearance in this movie. Loved him in Crossing Jordan. At least he got a larger role and the street magician bit part wasn’t the whole of it.
• Would they have really walked off together in the end after Giselle betrayed him? Doubt it.
• Baaaaad CGI. Bad, bad CGI!
• The statement “Ready, set, magic” was lame.
• Only Selena Gomez could make the competition outfit look good. I mean, really. Look at David Henrie.

But overall, a fun movie. While I was surprised at the extremes of brattiness Alex went through at the beginning of the movie, I was moved at how she was brought closer to her family, and hey, I even laughed now and then. So there you go: success.

Ruby and the Rockits: Done but fun

RUBY AND THE ROCKITS: 1.06 “Hot for Spanish Teacher”

It occurred to me last night at the Red Sox game, as I was watching David Cassidy sing the national anthem (what?!), that I didn’t post my thoughts on Ruby and the Rockits this week.

And I wanted to. Because I feel like this was the best episode yet.

Now, let me explain. The premise? It’s been done before. I mean, let’s name some various shows that had a parent dating a teacher: Full House (and that was actually a Spanish teacher), Gilmore Girls, Hannah Montana, Good Morning Miss Bliss. Those are just four off the top of my head.

But to supplement the “done” status, the show had a great amount of one-liners that seemed to impress me. I mean, every time the uncle spoke about the teacher (yes, he thinks she’s hot, we got it–oh, and his wife is standing right there), he actually said clever things. I mean, having Jordan ask about what the teacher was wearing and having his father use the word “slingbacks”–it was pretty funny!

And the dinner conversation, when Ruby’s asking her father if it’s ok to meet someone online, that was just hilarious. We knew that her father was a bad influence, but just hearing him recommend that she see the online acquaintance–number one on the “do not do in high school” list–was just great. Especially when Ruby immediately responds with, “The answer to that is ‘no,’” and David returns to the table and brags to her teacher that she met someone new. How horrifying! And hilarious!

And actually having David come into the classroom to serenade the teacher. Well, it was a little lame, but at least it was original after the cliche heartfelt talk between him and Ruby. (By the way, the teacher loses points for breaking up with David on a voicemail.)

So I’ve got to give mad props to the show for improvement. I’m not saying this show is suddenly number one on the sitcom list. It’s not original. It’s not new. But it is cute, and it’s making progress.

Of course, I wasn’t too thrilled with the subplot. I mean, the kids giving tours of the house for Rockits fans? Eh. It could use some work.

I did look up to see if there are more new episodes, since IMDB didn’t exactly list any other episodes after this one. It looks like there’s at least one more, when looking at the upcoming TV Guide listings. I’m curious to see if the original one-liners (man, I’m a sucker for one-liners) continue.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts–about this episode and about whether you’re still watching (and why). This show is certainly not getting the hype that 10 Things I Hate About You is getting (which upsets me since I hate that show), but it is cute.

I’m wondering if it will get renewed. I mean, I can never really tell with ABC Family shows. The ones I like get canceled. The ones I don’t live on forever. I blame Secret Life. It sets the standards all wonky.

Goodbye to Reading Rainbow

KT is sorry to see an old favorite go.

I learned from NPR this morning that Reading Rainbow will be disappearing from PBS after 26 years.

Yes, 26 years!  I was a little surprised, too.  It was a great favorite of mine as a child, and I knew it was still going, but I hadn’t realized it started as early as 1983.  I’ll go ahead and blow my age and tell you that it’s been on my entire life.  I have the utmost respect for host LeVar Burton for dedicating so much of his life to children’s books and getting kids excited about reading.

It’s always a downer to watch a piece of your childhood disappear.  I remember watching LeVar talk to firemen in training when he featured a book about a girl whose apartment building burned down.  I remember episodes in factories and episodes with clowns, and the episode where he took us behind the scenes of the brand new Star Trek: The Next Generation.  When my college roommate and I used to turn on TNG reruns, I discovered that LeVar Burton’s laugh is one of the most nostalgic sounds I know.

And I remember the books.  I remember Abiyoyo, which terrified me, and Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain, which has such a fabulous rhythm, and Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport, which plays on urban legends I didn’t understand until much later.  I used to be so excited when show featured books I owned and loved, like Ox-Cart Man and Rechenka’s Eggs, and so pleased to get a new book stamped with that little oval sticker, marking it as a Reading Rainbow Book.

What I find particularly sad, though, is that the show’s demise came down to an issue of funding.  The NPR story cites a budget crunch as well as a shift in the priorities and methods of educational television.  Apparently, recent thinking is that PBS should be in the business of teaching kids how to read from the ground up — phonics, etc. — and that’s where the money is going right now.

Teaching kids to read is never a bad thing.  Among other things, Sesame Street has been teaching numbers and letters for nearly 40 years.  I also hear that PBS is bringing back a ’70s show called The Electric Company that helped to develop reading skills, though I don’t know much really about either the old or new version.  I know the old one was well-loved, though.

But if you listen closely to the NPR piece, there seems to be a nasty little assumption:  that Reading Rainbow mattered only to children who could already read, as though fostering a love of books can happen only after one masters basic literacy.  As though a love of stories and a desire to read aren’t stepping stones just as surely as knowing the alphabet is.  Children who understand that in a book you can go anywhere and be anyone, and want to learn, will learn.

I think that’s true of most things:  if you really want to learn it, you will.  That’s why the greatest teachers don’t just transmit knowledge, they inspire us as well.  And if we’re going to consider the television as a teacher (which we’ve been doing more or less since its invention), the same applies to TV programs.  PBS and its partners must remember that engaging the imagination is an important learning tool, too.

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high!

Thank you, Reading Rainbow.

LEVERAGE: A thief to catch a thief

LEVERAGE: 2.07 “The Two Live Crew Job”

Let’s start by congratulating Leverage on its third season renewal! Ok, back to the episode at hand.

You know I loved it. I loved seeing everyone face off and basically see their doppelgangers–while also trying to outsmart them.

Look at Parker and her fellow thief. I adored seeing them attempt to steal from each other in the museum. Each time one of them grabbed something, the other had it in their hands in an instant. Though I’m surprised Parker first put the ID tag on her tray anyway–that was an easy steal. But then again, he took her entire tray before she had time to react, which was just fantastic.

The best part about these two is when they say that thieves of this kind are slightly unstable. Which led up to their interaction in the air vent about birds. Ha.

And let’s just say that Parker was kickass as she went through those lasers. You know, I always wondered: Can you actually see the security lasers like they show you on TV?

Then there was the hitter twins. I use the term loosely since it was Eliot and a large woman (who I have no doubt could easily kick someone’s ass). I actually enjoyed the element where they were both predicting each other’s moves, though it was a little jarring and strange at first. For a while there, I thought we were going to get really stiffed and not get a fight scene at all.

We did, though, as ridiculous as it was. Who gets their shirt caught on a pipe and is forced to take it off? Yeah, that was…odd. Definitely for all the guys out there. The kiss was a little strange, too, but the handcuff jokes made it pretty worth it.

Also, loved Eliot speaking another language after she suggested he couldn’t. Pretty sweet.

But my favorite was the hackers, as they each had their personal keyboards and were creating havoc everywhere. I loved the massive amount of car alarms that they were setting off (and apologies that I spelled Kaos wrong in my previous post). Anyway, the way that Hardison was just taking everything personally–as if he was offended by Kaos’ prescence–that was just great.

Also, mad props to Sophie’s interest as she’s looking over Hardison’s shoulder. I loved Hardison’s offended comment that they just think he doesn’t do anything on the job. Nice.

Speaking of Sophie, this episode was a bit of brilliance on her part. We’ve been seeing her develop–or, rather, unravel–over the season, and while she knew the man in charge of the other crew, I don’t think I really realized this episode was about her until the end. It was a great subtlety that I think was fantastic.

We were so involved with the plot and the heist that we really didn’t notice Sophie. After all, they buried her (well, Catherine–I told you there was a funeral). But in the end, you really find out that she’s in a lot of trouble. She’s changed. She’s not Sophie Devereaux anymore and she won’t be again. In fact, seeing that grave…it was almost haunting how real her words were, even as they were metaphoric.

And the last scene as Nate moves in and she walks away. That was the scene that made me want this to be a summer finale. That’s the impression I would have wanted us left with. It was so close, yet so chilling. And as much fun as the hour just gave us, it left us really sad and wanting more.

It’s Summer-time in the ‘Dollhouse’

I know you all heard the rumors that Joss Whedon was trying to get Summer Glau to be in an episode of Dollhouse. And I’m sure a lot of your were all for it (after all, I was).

Well, Joss Whedon seems to have one-upped you. Not only is she appearing in an episode, but Summer Glau is joining the cast of Dollhouse as a recurring character. Summer will play Bennett, a Dollhouse employee who shares a secret past with Echo.

It looks like we’ve got a good number of badass yet talented brunettes in the cast now: Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker, Summer Glau. And those are just naming the obvious!

So what do you think? Are you ready to see Summer in Dollhouse? Are you disappointed she’s not a doll? Though, honestly, who’s really to say she’s not after we outed Whiskey…

Anyway, looks like we’ve got an exciting season ahead of us. Don’t forget, the new season starts on Friday, September 25, at 9:00. Take that, Friday night death slot.

image from reporter.blogs.com

Thursday Open Thread: TV Merchandise

So, the NBC store has been doing mad giveaways lately of all kinds of merchandise on Twitter: lots of The Office bobbleheads, a Comic Con Cylon toaster, etc. And it makes me wonder…

Do you buy TV merchandise? And if so, what?

Now, I should clarify. I’m looking for more than DVD sets (I buy a ton of those). I’m wondering if you buy trinkets (like the bobbleheads), books, action figures, comics, T-shirts, hats, mugs, music, etc. There’s a ton out there. Someone must be buying it, right?

As a TV addict, you know I’ve bought a good number in my years. Buffy figures (the old ones when the show first started were a fun buy on eBay a few years later), then of course Muppet figures. (I say this as though everyone would understand buying Muppet figures–and you should.) Definitely some comics, and some soundtracks, though not quite as often now.

Oh, and I do have an awesome Crowley’s T-shirt that I won as part of a My Boys promo. I know I didn’t buy it, but I love it.

So what about you? Let me know in the comments. And feel free to make fun of me for buying the things I did; I know other people do!

Top Chef Liveblog, Episode 2

JC here for a great new season of Top Chef. At its normal time this time–10:00 EST.

TOP CHEF: 6.02 “Bachelor/ette Party”

Pregame: Just finished, between other things, watching the last episode. Sorry for screwing up last week! Anyway, can I say that I’m kind of glad the girl with the tat on her neck was kicked off first? That thing would have been distracting to look at for any more episodes. Very early impressions: I think the dude with the big red beard (Kevin?) will be a strong challenger. One thing that I am not looking forward to will be the inevitable deluge of bad gambling puns that will probably be sprinkled throughout each episode. Well, here goes!

10:02: Welcome, new cast. I don’t remember any of your names yet. How do Padma and Tom remember? You should all wear nametags.

10:03: Todd English is judging the quickfire. He has a restaurant in Boston; never been there before. Anyway, more dumb gambling gimmicks. Everyone rolls dice and has to use the number of ingredients on their dice roll.

10:04: Winner wins $15,000. Not sure if I like this new wrinkle.

10:05: And the quickfire begins. Nobody rolls snake eyes, which is too bad. Do salt and cooking oil count as ingredients?

10:07: The girl with lip piercings (Jesse) goes with scallops. Those always seem to backfire. Will they this time?

10:10: Tastings are done. Jesse, Eve, Bryan(the brother) on the bottom. Lesson to chefs; forget the scallops! Mike B(the other brother), Jennifer, Kevin are on top. Mike wins, and I’ll bet his brother is pissed. Kevin, again with a strong showing.

10:15: Back from the break. The contestants get to experience the batchelor/batchelorette party. Women cater for the batchelor’s, men cater for the batchelorettes. Jennifer is very perterbed about a battle of the sexes competition.

10:16: Chefs have to prepare meals based on three different shots. Moscow Mule, Tequila, and a Golden Delicious (sounds gross).2 dishes per cocktail

[Read more after the jump!]

An early look at tonight’s ‘Leverage’

You know I love Leverage. I especially love it when I get to see an episode early, which I did for tonight’s episode. And you know what? It’s worth watching again tonight.

I’ll try not to spoil too much–I did include one little tease that some of you might consider a spoiler, of sorts–but if you’re especially sensitive, you might not want to keep reading and just watch tonight.

But for the rest of you, what would happen if a bunch of thieves met a bunch of thieves? Well, Leverage hits its own Bizarro World tonight, when Nate’s crew meets up with another gang. A gang that just so happens has a grifter/mastermind, a hacker (played by the one and only Wil Wheaton), a hitter (oh yes, a girl goes up against Eliot), and of course, a thief.

And in case you’re wondering if Nate’s gang really sees that they’re another version of themselves out there, well, they certainly do. And it’s great to see them interact.

My favorite, I think (despite my photo choice), was Hardison and “Chaos,” played by Wil Wheaton and their nerdy techno wars. They’re really fantastic. But seeing Eliot decide whether to beat up a girl? Not too shappy.

And for you men out there, there’s a good explosion, too (as you’ve seen in the trailer, I’m sure), so you can’t beat that. And not to spoil too much here, but I will say, there is a funeral.

This episode was originally planned for the summer season finale, and the way it leaves off, honestly, it would have been an incredible one. I’m very happy for the extra two episodes we’re going to get, but man, to leave off on that note–along with the extra enjoyment–it was great.

So check in tonight on TNT. I think you’ll like what you see.

All images courtesy of TNT.

Mad Men: “You’re not fat anymore.”

Oh, the drama. CC returns with the second episode of Mad Men’s season three.

MAD MEN: 3.2 “Love Among the Ruins”

When Bye Bye Birdie opened Sunday’s episode of Mad Men, I felt the vomit creeping up my esophagus.  It didn’t seem to bother Sal, as he feigned attraction to Ann-Margret; Ken actually was enchanted by her because he likes women. The in-office viewing occurred because Pepsi was launching a diet soda, Patio, and wanted an Ann-Margret type to star in the commercials.  Peggy, the lone female copywriter, wasn’t as enamored with the concept and felt that her ideas should be taken seriously given that she was Pepsi’s target market.  The men responded that she needn’t consider herself part of the Patio demographic because, “You’re not fat anymore.”

Cut to a very pregnant Betty Draper in a muumuu complaining about the lack of melba toast.  Don helpfully tells her to eat oatmeal for weight control.  Later, Betty comes into the office and Joan comments on how fit Betty looked.  Joan also hoped that she would maintain herself as well when she and Greg had a baby.  Last season, Greg raped Joan in the office, but it seems she’s gone and married him anyway.  I hope that they explore that relationship more this season.  Christina Hendricks steals every scene as Joan, and I’ve been sorely missing her so far this year.

At least we dealt with Betty this episode.  In Season One, Betty’s psychiatrist told Don that he Betty was a grown child, merely concerned with superficial things (like her weight).  I think this season will force Betty to exert more authority in her life.  Sunday, Betty and Don decided to take Betty’s ailing father into their home, and it will be interesting to see whether the presence of Betty’s father forces Betty to grow up or act childish.  There were glimmers of both routes. Although she maturely announces to Don that her father is sick and can’t have him in a home, she seems more concerned about her brother inheriting the family house.  At one point, she gets angry with her brother for suggesting assisted living and asks him how he can bring such a thing up in “her condition.”  As if pregnancy is a medical defect that renders her completely devoid of any logical thought.

If Betty is often petulant, then Roger Sterling’s family is infantile.  His daughter, Margaret, and his ex-wife whine about Roger’s new wife, Jane (Don’s old secretary), attending her wedding.  “It’s going to ruin it,” she cries, “She’s young enough to be my sister!”  I wasn’t entirely sure where this thread was going until they shot the invitations.  If there was any question whether we’d be seeing the assassination of JFK this season, it was answered: November 23, 1963 is the wedding date.  Seems Jane won’t be the one ruining Margaret wedding.

Peggy, aiming to emulate Ann-Margret, enters a bar and attempts to be forward with several men. She drinks with a guy studying to be an engineer who woos her with brilliant lines like, “You’re funny.” They end up at his place (but refuses sex when he doesn’t have a condom), and although she plays Ann-Margret to seduce this guy, she adopts her male colleagues’ post-coital sneak-out strategy.  Because of her professional success, Peggy needs straddle the roles of both genders, and she tends to act in complete extremes—seductress in one scene, prude in the text.  She realizes that she can’t be too successful if she also wants marriage.  Whether she’s able to balance this tension will hopefully unfold this year, as it’s one storyline to which we can all relate.

The show ends with Don and Betty (in the best fashion moment of the episode) at their daughter’s Field Day recital.  As the children and their teacher dance around the May Pole, Don stares at the teacher with her dress and bare feet. Normally, I’d chalk it up to Don Draper getting ready for affair 782, but this time he just grazes the grass with his fingertips, seemingly remembering a time where he was worry-free and joyous.  Perhaps he unconsciously knows that after the new baby, new management, and impending presidential assassination, that things will never be that easy again.

Raising the Bar: The bar was too high

RAISING THE BAR: 2.12 “Beating a Dead Horse”

Did anyone expect this episode to be…bigger? It was the season finale. All the commercials were exclaiming about a phenomenal episode. It just seemed to be a standard episode.

Not a bad one, by any means, but not what I expected.

Bobbi and Jerry are officially together, which means now we get even more drama (and sex) when they disagree. I could entirely understand their spat when Bobbi disagreed with Jerry’s one-sided view about his pregnant client, but the fact that it needed to end with a sex scene? Well, as I told you before, I don’t watch Raising the Bar for sex.

Speaking of, what did we think of Jerry’s view of his client? I know that Jerry has always been the righteous one here–the one that’s on the side of his client no matter what. But in this case, I was really rooting for Michelle. I mean, even Bobbi agreed with Michelle. Sure, Bobbi found Michelle’s means to be against the law so she was fighting it, but it wasn’t that she thought Michelle’s concerns were wrong.

But Jerry… Jerry was so against everything and so pro-client that he was really blinded by the issues. I mean, his big issue was that he wanted his client to have her child. That’s a completely fair thing to want. But look at her! I mean, social services would end up taking that child away from her within a few months anyway, just because she’s a drug addict. And ultimately, that’s what happened. But Jerry just insists that had she not been dragged out of the jail, she would be holding the baby right now. Somehow, I don’t think that’s the bigger picture.

And you know, I think Michelle deserved this episode. We haven’t liked her all season. She’s on the side we never root for. I think it’s fair that we finally got to agree with her for once, even though all they’re doing is fighting for a victim or for fair law.

Now Balco. I really wish we’d see more of him in court because as he spoke in front of the Grand Jury. Man, he’s great.

The one thing that bugged me, though, was that she ended up having the baby at 7 months, and yet, clearly no one seemed to have concerns about how underdeveloped it was. I honestly thought she’d have the baby and it wouldn’t make it (which would be even more heartbreaking, knowing that Michelle fought so hard for it, and even Jerry’s hope for a happy mother and child would have failed). But no, it was fine, and just went to social services.

Then there was the horse case, which was just a sad case. I did enjoy seeing a new side of the judge, though. And understanding side. I’m glad that the defendant didn’t get too much time. It was a really difficult case to do.

But was it season-finale worthy? I’m not sure. I think it could have easily fit in with any other episode.

Honestly, I wish they’d gone back and tried some of the cases we were left hanging on. Like the Jerry/Balco case. Or the case where Porter was first introduced. You know, the cases that were left unfinished. But I guess this did present an ethical issue. And I can’t complain too much about a show that makes you think.

True Blood: What Are You?

CC’s back with another bloody episode of True Blood. Yum.

TRUE BLOOD: 2.10 “New World in My View”

Last week on True Blood, Godric committed suicide, Lafayette and Tara’s mom encountered a manipulated Tara, and the entire town was on a Marianne-ordered manhunt for Sam. Naturally, the show opened with Sookie having a sex dream about her and Eric, which sadly for me, was his only appearance last night.

This episode focused on Marianne’s ability to control the townspeople and their search for Sam in preparation for a sacrificial ritual. Marianne created an offering replete with human organs, but Sam’s heart was the essential ingredient in this sacrifice. Maybe, Dionysus only likes shapeshifters’ hearts?

Arlene (one of Sam’s employees) calls him in hysterics imploring him to come to the bar. Not surprisingly, there’s a Marianne-possessed mob lurking in the corners upon arrival. Andy and Sam, unable to thwart an increasingly maniacal mob take refuge…in the freezer. If the first rule of horror films is never run from the villain(s) then the second should be don’t hide in an enclosed space that will cause a slower, more painful death than being caught.

While Sam and Andy drink copiously to stay warm, Sookie discovers that Marianne’s living in her house; Daphne’s dead and de-hearted; and Sam is the next sacrifice. Jason decides that this is the war he’s been waiting for and heads to Merlotte’s with a truck full of weaponry. Apparently, he’s learned nothing from that Fellowship of the Sun debacle from, oh, yesterday!

Sookie and Bill drive to her house, stare at Marianne’s sacrifice before calling out for Tara. Candles are everywhere, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if they just started making out. Marianne enters, grabs Sookie, leading who realizes that Marianne is the bull-horned attacker. Bill attempts to rescue Sookie (for 650th time this season) and sinks his teeth into Marianne, whose blood is poisonous to him. Sookie puts her hand on Marianne’s face, and that somehow repels her. This is a new power for Sookie, and it leads Marianne to scream, “What are you?”

Back at Merlotte’s, Jason futilely tries to stymie the mob orgy, especially now that Terry has become the de facto leader of said mob and shoots off guns. This is unsettling for me, mainly because Terry is played by the same actor as Zack, Lane’s goofy bandmate/husband on Gilmore Girls. Sure, he still works in a diner, but he didn’t have a pistol in Star’s Hollow. Anyway, Jason feigns God using flares, a welder’s mask, and two sticks, “smiting Sam” who shapeshifts before the mob’s very blurry eyes.

At the end, Bill uses his influence to help Sookie unclear Tara’s mind, and Tara realizes she’s been at Marianne’s mercy. Tara’s Latin outbursts during this process lead Bill to conclude that Marianne is a maenad, one of Dionysus’ maids. Given that Marianne’s immortal, Bill decides to visit the Vampire Queen, who can advise him on the proper course of defeating a maenad. This time, Sookie can’t come. And so, Bill arrives at the queen’s castle, surrounded by the vampire equivalent to Secret Service, and happens upon her bloody foot. Cue credits…and my outrage at having to wait another week to determine if the queen had just fed, or if she was missing a limb/dead.

And so, this week we’re left with more questions than answers. Will Bill’s departure yield a Eric/Sookie affair? What is the extent of Sookie’s powers, and why can’t Marianne control her? Will an accidental pregnancy result from one of these orgies?

One point was clearly made last night. If the Fellowship of the Sun had been less concerned with the feral nature of vampires, they would’ve realized that the human capacity for unrelenting violence is just as great. And the question, “what are you?” doesn’t just apply to Marianne, Sam, Bill, or Sookie…but everyone around them.

Merlin vs. Nimueh

KT was right: don’t be fooled by these episode titles.

MERLIN:  1.12 “To Kill the King”
MERLIN:  1.13 “Le Morte d’Arthur”

You might expect that the episode in which Gwen’s father dies (poor man, perhaps he’d have been better off dying of Nimueh’s plague) would be Gwen-centric, but that turns out to be a means of exploring the relationship between Uther and Morgana.  They spend most of the episode butting heads in their usual manner and hot-tempered Morgana teeters dangerously close to regicide, but in the end they have a touching scene by her father’s grave.  It’s not unlike Uther’s final scene with Arthur in “Excalibur,” the same sort of reconciliation between parent and child.

We learn that Gorlois, Morgana’s father, was a close friend of Uther’s who died in battle for lack of reinforcements — it seems the show is keeping the names and changing the story, as usual, although I will point out that there’s been no mention of Morgana’s mother.

While Morgana plots treason with dangerous men, Merlin is tempted to let her go through with it.  He’s gotten quite good at sneaking and eavesdropping this season, come to think of it.  Of course the Great Dragon isn’t about to talk Merlin out of letting Uther die, but even though it’s her father who was killed, steadfast Gwen brings Merlin to his senses.  Happily, we don’t have to watch Merlin flail around with a sword again, as apparently he kept one of Aulfric and Sophia’s staves.  Nice!  Now it is a proper wizard’s staff.

Something about the pace of the story felt off, though.  The end was nice, but putting Tom’s death so early in the episode made the middle feel long and, for a while, directionless.

I had wondered if “To Kill the King” might go back to the idea of Morgana having magic — since it featured Morgana conspiring with Tauren the sorcerer.  But apparently the writers were saving that for “Le Morte d’Arthur”.  …Except that it’s just there, and isn’t developed at all.  Which, fair enough — there’s enough going on in this episode.

For one thing, we have what I’m pretty sure is the first mention of the “R” word (that would be “religion” — remember how even during a plague it went entirely unmentioned?), as well as the second mention and the twentieth.  It’s always “the old religion,” though, meaning magic.  I’m not sure why they decided to introduce a big new concept in the final episode, but here it is.

Also a bit odd:  the Questing Beast.  We’re told that the Beast appears when something dreadful is about to happen — in the past it was seen when Igraine was about to die as a cosmic exchange for Arthur being born.  But this time, all the dreadful things in this story are set off by the Questing Beast.  Can you be both the omen and the cause?  I hope that the answer is that the Beast is foretelling dreadful things that are coming in season 2, same as Morgana’s last dream seemed to do.

Arthur has a lot to learn about magical beasts, I think.  It took Lancelot and Merlin to bring down the griffin, and the Questing Beast is felled by Merlin magicking Arthur’s fallen sword.  Merlin gets some really nifty magic in this episode — he’s learned a lot in thirteen episodes!

[After the jump: Musical chairs of life and death!]

Drop Dead Diva: Developments and heartbreak

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.07 “The Magic Bullet”

You didn’t really expect her to tell Grayson, did you? I mean, there’s so much more to be developed before that point. She’s got to have more angst. Her best friend has to throw in her opinion. She has to calculate how, and of course, there has to be some other entity telling her that she’s not allowed to do it.

And Grayson has to date someone else to break Jane’s heart. Well, Deb’s heart. Same thing.

If you didn’t see it coming that Grayson would date someone in front of Jane, we really need to get you watching more television. Without Grayson angst, there’s no show. I mean, otherwise, it’s Deb moving on as Jane. Grayson is the only thing holding her back to her old life.

Speaking of, I feel like the fact that Fred disappeared went a little unnoticed. Sure, there were some questions at the beginning, plus the magical good-bye note. But nothing else. And honestly, I’m disappointed. I loved Fred. His relationship with Jane was really unique, and just having a “guardian angel” there just seemed like it could get interesting.

Since they really didn’t mention much about him, that means I have no idea if he’ll be coming back. I mean, it was basically the good-bye note, and then Jane went back to her case. Will we ever see Fred again? He seems like an integral character just to suddenly remove.

Anyway, the cases this episode were interesting. I was much more interested in the weight loss case than Kim’s case. Maybe because it was so dangerous. I mean, that poor girl idolized the creator of that diet plan, a woman who was so cold and heartless that she didn’t care what her products did. (Honestly, I don’t think that plan would have really gotten past FDA regulations, but anyway…)

My only questionable moment was when they showed the video of Jane on the plan. Based on what we’ve seen of Jane’s life (pre-Deb), she doesn’t seem the type to go on a crazy diet, always craving cake and whipped cream. And being such a high-powered attorney, I didn’t see her really video endorsing a product either. While the twist was interesting, I just didn’t see it as realistic.

Meanwhile, Kim was getting sued for sexual harassment. I actually wish that she had done something harassment-worthy. I mean, the cake thing was a little over-the-top, but I could see her inadvertently doing something to someone. She’s so cruel to others that a thoughtless comment would work. And teach her a lesson. And once we teach her a lesson, then she becomes endearing–so much so that Grayson would fall for her. See how that works?

I must admit, though, that this was a good, plot-moving episode. There was little fluff here. Good stuff to build up the series (especially now that the series was granted a second season).

And as for Jane? Well, Brooke Elliott did it again. The heartbreaking look on her face as she walked away from Grayson and Kim’s kiss was just enough to make us feel for her without going overboard. Very well done.

Summer starts at ‘The Lake’

THE LAKE: Episodes 1-4

Have you been catching up on online series? It’s been hard. In fact, I think it was one of those things I wanted to do at the beginning of the summer, but I got all wrapped up in summer series instead. They’ve been incredibly impressive!

But the WB has been publicizing its new series, The Lake. A teenage drama that is directed by Jason Priestley. Now, ultimately, I don’t want to trust Jason Priestley because I naturally assumed that he’s seen the future and is trying to make sure that innocent people die as fate would have it (Tru Calling, anyone?), but I decided that for tonight, I would check it out.

I have to admit, I don’t understand why this show just started. It’s clearly a summer show. I mean, a bunch of kids–well, families–come to the lake for the summer. That’s the plot so far. The WB is releasing four episodes at a time every Monday, so you’d think that they would have started in June, not August. I mean, school’s about to start. It’s the opposite of summer.

Anyway, so far, nothing has really happened. People seem to have coupled off: the established couple, the psuedo-couple/best friends, and the newbies with the crush. Of course, our main girl, Olivia, seems to have a crush on the taken boy, but that seems to have disappeared after the first couple episodes.

And let’s talk about her for a second. Will someone tell me who she looks like? Right now, she’s reminding me of a cross between Kristen Stewart, Jodie Sweetin (yes, back when Full House ended–it’s the teeth, I think), and the girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Johnny Depp version) who is rejected by a squirrel. It’s kinda bugging me.

Annnnyway, I wish I had more to report. This show seems to have a slow start. Apparently, something has happened to Olivia to make her want to escape and be a “normal girl” for a while. I wonder if something happened to her parents; maybe they were killed. She said they were in Florida, but something seems odd with that comment.

Then there’s Luke’s sister Shelby, who is staying at his grandmother’s house and all knocked up. They’re keeping it a secret, of course, and Shelby doesn’t remember how it happened. Rape? Drugs? Alcohol? I guess we don’t quite know yet.

Madison just discovered that Shelby is there, but I guess it’s still up in the air as to whether she knows why. I guess I’d have to get into episode five before discussing that.

There really isn’t much else to say. I guess I was expecting more secrets and lies after seeing web series like Prom Queen and Sorority Forever. This could even have some sort of mysterious feel like Hidden Palms. But maybe that’s not the kind of show it is. I guess I just have to watch more to see where it’s going.

I do chuckle to see that Olivia’s aunt is Amber from Clueless and was also in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. She’s actually being nice in this series. Meanwhile, if you take a look at Madison’s step-mom, let me know if you recognize her.

Maybe next time I’ll reveal where I’ve seen her before…if you don’t tell me in the comments below.

Dollhouse: The future is dark

KT and Raked take on the unaired episode of Dollhouse, and without intention, actually have different points to make about the stellar episode. Check out KT’s post, and Raked’s is below.

DOLLHOUSE: 1.13 “Epitaph One”

Bear with me. I wrote this entire post last night, only to have it disappear from my drafts. Sigh.

I knew a little about this episode before it aired–that it was in the future in an apocalyptic time. For some reason, I misunderstood the idea of “apocalyptic,” because I thought it was more of a wartime area of the world and less widespread. Boy, was I wrong.

Imprinting has caused a war in the world, and we have our very own Felicia Day trying to find a safe haven. As much as I was looking forward to seeing Felicia Day in this episode, I can’t say she was the standout actor in the episode. That honor gets split between Amy Acker and Fran Kranz, for the reasons I’m about to say below.

It’s amazing what Joss Whedon does to Amy Acker. We all saw her transformation in Angel, playing basically the polar opposite of the role she was originally cast. Here again she’s playing two roles: Dr. Claire Saunders and Whiskey. And really, she was brilliant.

Haunting. So haunting. I mean, just imagine that to save herself–and any others that came by–she gave up her sanity to become Whiskey. Knowing that she would actually have lost her sanity long ago, she gave up the only person (well, imprint) that she’s ever known. And even Whiskey seemed scarred by the loneliness. The way she stood by herself in that room. The hollowness in her eyes. She’d been beaten down.

And the end. Somehow, Amy Acker can be so haunting and beautiful at the same time. When she gassed the Dollhouse, then just sat there to watch and let herself die, too. I mean, that one last image was just so beautiful. But the sadness that came with that image was almost tangible.

But what about Fran Kranz? If you know my Dollhouse posts, you know that while I enjoy Topher, I don’t necessarily think all that much of him. I mean, he’s fine.  He’s the humor of the show, of course. So far, we haven’t seen all that much else of him.

Until this episode. Man, when he is in his bunker, of sorts. The craziness he showed–regressing to a childlike state. It was heartbreaking. And sadly, even then, he couldn’t turn his mind off. It continued on as he circled round and round and realized that you could imprint the masses–quicker, faster, more efficiently! As his mind revealed more and more that the technology could do…and then he realized the cause of the world today, and how he played a part of it. It was intense and heartbreaking. It was an amazing scene. And to see that Adelle even had a reaction to it–she with the coldest heart of all–you couldn’t imagine what they must have gone through for her to change so drastically.

[Read more after the jump!]

Dollhouse: Keeping our own voices

KT and Raked (read her post here) finally get a look at the episode that never aired in the U.S.  You can buy it on the season 1 DVD or through iTunes.

DOLLHOUSE:  1.13 “Epitaph One”

It’s 2019 and we’re following a ragged group of survivors through urban rubble.  Gotta say, Dollhouse’s answer to “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” is one I’ll pass on, personally.

Structurally, we’ve all seen this before:  one plot in the present intercut with flashbacks that help to explain how we got here.  (I think I’m going to call 2019 “the present” for this post, and all of the memory scenes “flashbacks,” even through most of them are flashforwards from a 2009, Dollhouse season 1 perspective.  Otherwise the verbs get weird.)  And we all know the horror movie plot where the characters keep dying while we scream at the TV about how you should at least check the shadows  before undressing for a very exposed shower.  We know that even if the main suspect seems crazy, she’ll ultimately prove to be innocent.

But what I think is neat here is that they’ve written themselves ten years into the future.  The 2019 storyline kept just enough tension and paranoia to carry it along while the flashbacks carried the episode.  Think of it:  this is potentially a sneak preview of where the show might go in the future if it gets the chance, yet also that there’s plenty of room to explain how we get into those situations.

And I loved that they didn’t over-explain.  Where was Boyd going, and why, and what was his relationship with Saunders?  How did Paul and Caroline make their escape?  What exactly was “thanks to Alpha?”  How did Adelle wind up running what was apparently a safe house for actives, and what drove Topher around the bend?  We can guess enough to go with it, but there are plenty of stories left to tell:  the journey is at least as interesting as the destination.

Cleverly, the most important clue to what precipitated this dystopia is tucked into Topher’s mad raving:  someone could instantly imprint people through a phone call, just like Alpha wiped Echo over the phone in “Grey Hour.”  Topher’s division of people who answered the phone and people who didn’t seems to have become Mag and company’s division of “butchers” and “actuals.”

An odd side effect of introducing the 2019 characters was that it made me all the more excited to recognize the familiar sets and remember how much I like all of the series regulars.  How great was it that Mag, Zone, and the others jumped to the assumption that Topher’s office was a daycare?  (Reminded me just a bit of Motel of the Mysteries, a hilarious book in which future archaeologists describe a 20th century motel as a temple complex.  Sorry, tangent.)

My quibble about the flashbacks was the way they were introduced via The Chair.  Were we supposed to assume that Mr. Miller parroted what each person said, or that he narrated and summarized the scenes we saw?  Also I wasn’t always clear about whose memories we were getting, and that bothered me too.  Often we seemed to be in Adelle’s head, which is interesting because we’ve never seen her in the chair.

[Dominic, Mag, and the big, sunny ending after the jump.]

An early look at ‘Community’

COMMUNITY: 1.01 “The Pilot”

If you haven’t seen Community yet, well, it appears that you’re a little out of the loop. I’ve seen it, and I’m not special. I’m just your average TV-watcher that has an account on Facebook.

That’s right, you can see the entire Community pilot on Facebook. All you have to do is be a fan of the show, and you can watch it!

And you should. Because it’s hilarious. Well, let me clarify: I don’t necessarily think it’s a laugh-out-loud comedy. I mean, you might on some lines (say, when they make fun of Ryan Seacrest–how Joel McHale). But for the most part, you’re looking at very subtle lines and humor that might take you a minute to realize that you just got. And I think that’s fantastic.

I’m tired of shows forcing the humor down your throat. Say, Parks and Recreation? That show so desperately wants to be The Office (which is also losing some of its subtlety), that it’s painful.

But not Community. I mean, think about the one joke that we’ve heard all over the promos:

“I thought you had your law degree from Columbia.”

“Now I need one from America.”

You pause and you get it, but it’s not instantaneous, which pretty much encompasses the show.

Now, you have to understand. You probably won’t like Joel McHale’s character. But that what makes you want to watch him. He’s so despicable. I mean, he’ll do what he needs to do to get by. Anything. Lie. Steal. Cheat. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily all work out in the end, but does it really need to? If it did, where would we have the show?

My favorite part is definitely the characters. Some of the best shows take a group of people with nothing in common and puts them together to see how they interact. Even The Office did it. The only thing these people had in common was that they worked in the same place. This time? That they all take the same foreign language class. And man, these people have nothing in common. They’re fantastic when they all communicate–or don’t, as the case my be.

Anyway, it’s worth checking out. And personally, I’m glad NBC put it online early. Not only does it get great promotion for the show (trust me, you’ll want to keep watching), but it gives it a little competitive advantage over Glee, since we’ve already seen that show, too.

Plus, it’s a great tribute to John Hughes. The Breakfast Club really resonates throughout the episode, which is appropriate since they posted it a week after he died. I wonder if it was purposeful.

Maybe, maybe.

By the way, if you’re worried about Chevy Chase’s performance (as I was), don’t worry. He’s great. Quite fun and underplayed. I think he’ll be great in the role.

Project Runway Liveblog, Episode 1

PROJECT RUNWAY: 6.01 “Welcome to Los Angeles”

9:59 – Well, it’s my first liveblog, and it’s the first time I’m really sitting down to watch Project Runway. And it’s the first time it’s on Lifetime! Here goes nothing!

10:02 – Ok, so I can tell from the start that I’ll have difficulty keeping everyone separate in this first episode. As we narrow down, I’ll get better. But hey, we’ve got a former meth addict. That should add something interesting. Well, probably not. He’s not a current addict, so there will be no drama.

10:04 – Since I’m new to the show, I’m wondering how often we do these video bios. I’m hoping it’s just for the first episode? Ooh, someone from Charleston!

10:06 – Wait a minute, did she just say that if you were a woodland fairy, you’d wear one of her dresses? Sigh. Why must we make the South Carolinians dumb? Not everyone from SC is dumb. Sigh. Btw, those notes remind me of Tyra Mail.

10:08 – Heidi’s hair looks cute. I must say that.

10:10 – One complaint about this show being on Lifetime–no HD! Was it on HD before? I feel this is really going to disappoint me in the future. Ooh, the Emmy’s! 60th anniversary. That was last year. Ew.

10:12 – Red carpet challenge. $200 limit. Think they can do it? Only 30 minutes to sketch, but this one seems easy. I mean, evening gowns? For some reason that seems easy to me. Not that I could do it, but I’m just saying, it doesn’t seem like a challenge, per say. I guess we’ve got to start off easy, though.

10:15 – “Innovation is key to this challenge.” If only he had said this BEFORE the sketching. Ha. This could get interesting. What’s with this guy who keeps changing his mind–his original or change his design? Is he going to blame all his obstacles on his former addiction? I hope not. I want to sympathize with him, but if he bring is up all the time, that will be difficult.

10:18 – Just saw a commercial for Models of the Runway. Are you going to be watching that? Should I?

10:20 – I hate it when people give up before they start. It just makes me really disappointed. Same with when I watch ANTM and Top Chef. I do feel bad for the guy, but I want him to step up. I mean, he’s here! Be here! Does this happen a lot? Interesting moment for Tim Gunn: therapist.

10:22 – After looking at the dress by the designer from SC, I wonder about my opinions of the final products. That looked odd to me. Maybe I’m not just seeing her vision.

10:23 – Interesting. I’ve seen on Top Chef what it’s like to have someone who is not from culinary school become a chef. But what’s it like for a designer who didn’t go to design school. It’s odd to hear that Christopher hasn’t heard of some of these things. Will that hurt him in the end? Or help him?

10:25 – I think I thought Tim Gunn would be more brutal. Only one harsh comment, comparing something to a diaper. I was hoping there’d be more brutality (but we’re still at the beginning of the season!). As for model fittings, well, those didn’t seem to go well, did they? And what’s with the soccer ball outfit; oh yes, that was the diaper outfit.

[More after the jump!]

Leverage: Thieves and magicians

LEVERAGE: 2.06 “The Top Hat Job”

Have you been enjoying this season of Leverage? I sure have. And last night’s episode was no exception.

This time, the humor was in the little things. Parker poking Eliot’s wounds as he iced them and asking whether it hurt. Eliot using the magician’s box (with the CEO inside) as a weapon to beat someone up. The entire pizza delivery man catastrophe. Ok, that might not be a little thing, but Nate’s expression through the entire thing was.

Oh, and Parker and Hardison pretending to be high school students. Classic.

Did we ever learn how Nate learned magic? Or is just a natural thing you learn when you hang with thieves? Anyway, he and Parker did a wonderful job. And just the fact that a corporation would entertain their employees with a magician is just funny in itself. What a painful community exercise.

I think what I appreciated most about this episode is that with all the heists they’ve done so far, this is the one that seems to stump them. They’ve broken into museums, various office buildings, other criminal operations–yet it’s a food company that almost brings them down. Wow.

And didn’t the exposition of the episode bother you just a bit. The fact that there could be terrible bacteria in your food that a company knows about but just figures paying off a lawsuit would be less expensive? The people are expendable? Wow.

But there was something else dark in this episode, beyond the bad behavior of the food service workers. Nate.

That final scene sure seemed ominous, did it not? I mean, what do we think will happen to Nate? Will he break again? And what could break him? Sophie is so desperate to prevent that from happening, suggesting less than subtly that he should date the client. To no avail. So now what?

What do we think is keeping Nate going? It doesn’t look like it’s revenge anymore. And he’s not drinking, so he’s much more alone with his thoughts if things go awry.

So what could break him?

It will be interesting to find this out. I wouldn’t have thought about it, really, except for that haunting ending. Clearly, the writers of Leverage want us to see something there. I wonder if we’ll see it in time.

Anyway, another great episode down the tubes. And more to come! (You did hear they added two new episodes to the summer season, right?) I look forward to more of the hijinks the group has to offer, especially the failed attempts.

I mean, what do you enjoy seeing more? Everything go smoothly? Heck no! I like to see them out of their element, as Eliot, Parker, Hardison (well, mainly just them) have their “oh shit” moments and have to deal in their own way.

For Eliot, well, it’s just hitting people. But it is in new and exciting ways!

I wouldn’t trust Ruby (of the Rockits)

RUBY AND THE ROCKITS: 1.04 “It’s My Party and I’ll Lie if I Want to”
RUBY AND THE ROCKITS: 1.05 “Papas Don’t Preach”

What do these two episodes tell you? Don’t trust Ruby.

But let’s backtrack. In the first of these two episodes, Ruby’s aunt and uncle leave for the weekend and leave Ruby in charge of the boys. Why? Well, because last time the boys were left by themselves, they gave someone a mohawk.

Clearly, not because, say, Jordan got drunk. Somehow I think that’s the bigger deal.

Anyway, Ruby decides to throw a party instead to try to improve her reputation at school. Didn’t appear to have any alcohol, but it was still behind her guardians’ backs.

Then, a week later. Ruby wants to date a guy in her band. To go with the sitcom cliche, not only was this guy 19 years old, but he had a record. Too old. Bad news. Yawn.

So Ruby sneaks out to see him.

Are we seeing a pattern here? For someone who was afraid that you could get evicted from a family, she sure is quickly learning to bend the rules for her own pleasure, with sitcom predictability in tow (“You look like you’re for sale,” her cousin says to her cheap outfit).

I know that we’re pretty new to Ruby, but this all seems really out of character. I mean, we know who everyone is: Her uncle is the responsible one. Her aunt, the responsible-yet-fun one. Her dad, the irresponsible, selfish one. Ben, the sarcastic one. And Jordan, the pathetic one. Oh, and the one who’s in love his his cousin.

By the way, that storyline has got to go. I mean, it’s really crossing over to sick. The way he was so jealous while Ruby was going after her bass player was getting a little extreme. It must stop. It’s not funny or cute. It’s sick.

Anyway, I can’t really say the show has gotten any better. It’s still a cute show, but it’s predictable and odd. David Cassidy is getting a little better at acting, but clearly, he’s still stuck in the style of acting that was popular…well, popular when he was. It’s just not realistic. And I can’t quite identify why Ruby likes him. I mean, I know he’s her dad, but after he stole her party, he didn’t exactly redeem himself.

Meanwhile, it bugs me that the aunt looks like she couldn’t have had a three-year-old, let lone a teenage son. Casting was a bit off on that one, whether she used to be a dancer or not.

Oh, and when the theme song starts. Uggh. The song’s not bad, but just the sequence of introducing the actors. How ’90s! Haven’t they noticed that barely anyone has theme songs anymore anyway?

Ok ok, so the show is stuck in the ’90s–just with newer clothes. But it is better than some of ABC Family’s other choices to grab the teenage crowd (say, 10 Things or Secret Life which just suck, especially the latter).

If I could only pinpoint exactly what it was that made it so off…

By the way, little piece of trivia. The actress who plays the aunt once played a stripper in How I Met Your Mother. How nice.

Top Chef Premiere: Epic Fail and Open Thread

It should be no surprise to you that I watched Leverage tonight.

Think about that for a moment.

Yep, that means I missed Top Chef. Silly me spread the rumor that it started at 10:00 EST, when in all actuality, it started at 9:00 EST. This victim hurting the most here is probably JC, our resident Top Chef liveblogger, because he missed it, too. So it looks like we’ll be TiVoing the rerun to watch in its entirety later.

But this does mean that there’s no liveblog this week. Hence why there’s a headline of “epic fail.” On our part, not theirs. Well, at least none that we can confirm as of yet.

So we’re leaving it in your hands. Spend this time telling us your thoughts in this Top Chef open thread. Share comments, critiques, predictions. Would you eat their food? Would you be their friend? Would you crown them Top Chef?

Most importantly, is Toby already bothering you?

Let us know. And if you missed it like us, feel free to catch up in reruns. I know it will be aired right before next Wednesday’s episode, plus probably a few other times in between. And catch up on the contestants! (Oh and just to confirm, it will be returning to its usual time of 10:00 EST next week.)

We look forward to seeing what the season has in store. Give us a “taste” of what we’ll see by leaving a comment!

image from bravotv.com

I don’t watch ‘Raising the Bar’ for sex

RAISING THE BAR: 3.10 “Making Up Is Hard to Do”
RAISING THE BAR: 3.11 “Bobbi Ba-Bing”

It’s hard to admit it, but I must get it out there. I don’t watch Raising the Bar because I hope for gratuitous sex scenes. I actually watch it for the substance of each episode. The cases.

Who knew?

So seeing Michelle’s ridiculous moment in her office with the cop (really?!) or finishing off Monday’s episode with Bobbi and Jerry getting it on just didn’t really appeal to me. Yes, we know Porter’’s a jerk. We got that in a few episodes this season, particularly the one where he was the fault of a woman’s death. I had no doubt that he was faking the evidence. Anyway, we got that. Why did we need to add Michelle’s desk scene to the fire? It just seemed out of place.

And for Monday’s episode, I’m glad that Bobbi and Jerry are together. I do think it’s a little soon, as I would have thought Bobbi would still be traumatized by her ex-husband’s death. But anyway, they’re cute so yay them. Let’s see how long it lasts.

But I thought putting Jerry’s client in prison would have made a much stronger impact for the end of the episode than the sex scene. I mean, yes, I’m sure many men in the viewing audience wanted to see Bobbi in that lingerie, but I guess I wanted more substance than sex. Bad me.

By the way, I was so glad to see Robbie Jones playing Jawara Obasi. If you read Raked often, you’d know I’m a One Tree Hill fan, where he played the late Quentin. It was nice to see him reappear.

But enough about the bad. Let’s talk the good. First, I must say that I adored Balco’s reaction to Michelle’s distress. Obviously, this guy had no idea what to do with a crying woman in his office. I think if she hadn’t have been crying, he probably would have raked her over the coals. But he was so jarred by her being upset that his reaction was hilarious. Giving her basically half a roll of paper towels to mop up and doing his best to (almost) comfort her. He just desperately wanted out of that situation–and fast!

Meanwhile, we have a new lawyer in our midst. I sure how Ashley hangs around for episodes to come. She’s quite a little spitfire, and while I can see her getting annoying if this quirk is used too liberally (think Maggie of Eli Stone), I think that she can be a fun addition to the cast. Plus, it looks like they’re leading up to some possible interest between her and Richard. Wouldn’t that be something to see? (Especially since he’s a good foot taller than her, ha!).

Anyway, it does look like the show is leading us in good directions, but I wonder where we’ll be left off after next week’s summer finale. Will things get tied up in a tidy bow? Or will more questions be asked?

Somehow I see a big case coming up, and I wonder who will be left unhappy in the end.

Are you ready for some ‘Leverage’? How about more?

Good news for you Leverage fans.

Were you lamenting that the season was going by too quickly? That you’d miss your team of five? Well, it looks like we’re in luck. TNT has added two new episodes to the show’s summer lineup.

Two new episodes! Two. New. Episodes!

Perhaps I’m overreacting. But with all the TNT shows coming to a close, I was getting a little saddened (and surprised) to see that Leverage was one of the next ones to sign off for the summer. But I get to postpone that lament, at least for the time being.

So what are these new episodes? Well, here’s at least the titles, if that tells you anything:

“The Ice Man Job,” airing Wednesday, Sept. 2
“The Lost Heir Job,” airing Wednesday, Sept. 9

I know, I know. Spoilers would be better. But I will tell you this. “The Lost Heir Job” is the summer finale (of course). And this episode introduces a new recurring character to the cast: Tara, a grifter, who is played by Star Trek: Voyager’s Jeri Ryan!

So get happy, people. We don’t have to say good-bye quite yet. I haven’t quite heard if the show’s been picked up for season 3. I do know that there will be some remaining episodes aired in the winter to finish off the second season (according to TV Guide). I’d be quite shocked if it didn’t get a full third season, though. But I’ll keep those fingers crossed just in case.

And let’s hear it for Leverage!

image courtesy of TNT

Mad Men: What happens in Baltimore, stays in Baltimore

CC’s all about introducing Raked to new television. This time, she takes on the third season of Mad Men.

MAD MEN: 3.01 “Out of Town”

It’s taken me a year to recover from the last season of Mad Men.  There was a car accident, rape, one near-divorce, one actual divorce, several affairs, and a priest nearly breaking the vow of celibacy (he still might). The season ended with a pregnant Betty Draper wanting an abortion, having a one-night stand in a bathroom, and accepting her fate…and husband’s request to come home.  In addition to its creative director’s marital woes, Sterling Cooper was purchased by a British ad agency. Oh, and that transpired during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The intensity of the last two episodes alone made me want to curl up in bed for a week with an unlimited supply of martinis.

Despite temporary insanity, I’m glad we’re back.  Last night, we finally learned that this season would be set in 1963 (we’ve been teased for months).  Betty is still pregnant and wishes aloud that the baby will be born into the Drapers’ “best household.”  To Don Draper, taking a business trip on his birthday and sleeping with a stewardess, despite his pledge of fidelity.

Being Mad Men, Don isn’t the only one who got extramarital action last night; Sal, the art director, hooked up with a male bellman that was repairing his A/C.  When the fire alarm sounds, Don/stewardess run down the fire escape and notice (but don’t discuss) Sal’s guest.  This is the first time Sal has hooked up with a man on the air (and maybe ever?); he seemed surprised by how much he enjoyed it.  Since we don’t really know a lot about Sal, I was glad that this happened and am hoping we’ll see more of him this season.

Back at Sterling Cooper, the British takeover means Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove, rival account executives, are both offered the head of accounts position.  Pete is incensed when he hears this news and whines to his wife about never getting anything he wants.  Which, save for his promotion, fancy apartment, privileged upbringing, and sleeping with multiple secretaries is completely accurate.

At the end of the episode, Don’s daughter finds the stewardess’s pin and asks if it’s for her.  Relieved to have an excuse for possessing it, he answers of course and quickly changes subjects.  So while the tensions among employees (especially British vs. American) will be interesting this season, I don’t think it’ll be the best storyline.  Mad Men at its core is about the facades we construct present perfect impressions, whether for products or ourselves.  In this season premiere, it seems the strongest facades—Don’s fidelity, Betty’s happiness, Sal’s sexuality, and Pete’s competence—are finally going to crumble.

Recap Review-ish: What they wanted for Eli Stone

Yesterday was a pretty big day for me. You know I’m a big Eli Stone fan. And I know that a lot of people felt like the series finale was forced. I was just happy that it got some closure.

Series finale aside, yesterday I discovered that season 2 is released on DVD today. So in honor of that, I want to share what was supposed to happen. A recap review in reverse, so to speak. Instead of dwelling on the past, why not the future? Thanks to eonline, we get to find out.

Executive producer and creator Marc Guggenheim spoke out to set the story straight on what would have been for Eli Stone if it had the chance to live out it’s greatness. I’ll let you read the original post from eonline to get all the knitty gritty details, but the ending we got certainly wasn’t the end. And here are my thoughts on some of the revealed couples.

Eli and Maggie: Thank thank God. I mean, not that Eli and Maggie were going to date. But that there was still the question of…

Eli Ends Up With Grace? Ok, they don’t know if he would have ended up with Grace, but you certainly know that I was pro-Grace and anti-Maggie. Maggie was just so annoying, and clearly he and Grace had something connecting them. And with all the hints at the end? I’m just so glad that this was really going to be the question. And I guess they never expected us to know the answer because…

Maggie and…Nate?! Ladies and gentlemen, the baby in the “Live Brave” fast forward was not Eli’s. In fact, it was his niece or nephew. It was his brother Nate’s child, and Maggie was the mother. This is an odd little duo, but I like it much better than Eli and Maggie. Though how many people were Eli and Nate going to have in common as far as sleeping with them? That’s getting to a grosser side.

Dr. Chen and Nate: Ok, them going into practice together sounds cute, but almost too cute. I’m not sure how much I would have liked this, as much as I enjoyed their camaraderie in the end.

Matt and Taylor: This development was just so sweet, that I’m glad they were going to work out. If they were going to break them up or make Matt a bad father, I think I would have been mad to see him go back to the start in his jerkiness again. This is much sweeter, and we got to see it happen.

Jordan, Taylor’s Mama and the Firm: This seems pretty straightforward, considering that it needed to be that way if the show were to continue. As for Taylor’s mother, well, I guess I would had to see that.

And Eli?

[Read more after the jump!]

Army Wives: The Emily Gilmore we wanted to know

ARMY WIVES: 3.11 “Operation: Tango”

I am a terrible person. I just saw the previews for next week and thought, “Pregnant. Pregnant or cancer. It’s pregnant or cancer.”

This is what television has trained me to do. Find what the worst possible things could be for someone to find out when they’re in the hospital. My thoughts were immediately that she’s pregnant and lost the baby or that they discovered some form of cancer. I shouldn’t think this about people, even if they’re fictional and on television.

But if I’m right, you owe me.

Anyway, I’d heard that there was going to be a car accident, and I heard that it would involve the Holden family. Of course, I thought it was going to be Emmalin while she was in the argument with her father. Either way, doesn’t seem a little rough to be tormenting this family after Amanda’s death? I mean, they finally got some closure over that (well, probably until next week, when all those memories flood again), and now here we go all over again.

Then there’s the question of Denise. I thought Denise would be the victim in all this, what with her finally reaching happiness with Frank. But now… Will she and Michael get closer? Or will he somehow blame her? I’m sure of all people, she’s not the one he wanted in the car with Claudia Joy when she was in the accident. I think there’s an easy blame game here–but for what reason? It certainly wasn’t her fault.

But let’s backtrack. Let’s get back to the senator’s widow, who was played by the fantastic Kelly Bishop. Now there’s the Emily Gilmore we always wanted to see. The fun-loving party girl? The drunken dancer? Yet still the sight of perfection when it’s all said and done. Really, I don’t think that Kelly can ever escape Emily’s name, but I think that might not be a bad thing. She played the socialite so well, and overall, she had a deeper meaning that was supposedly supposed to help the army wives (car wreck aside).

I’m not sure what to think about Pamela’s storyline. I didn’t quite see how Chase being there would teach her daughter how to appreciate her own inner beauty, and honestly, it started feeling a little too much like a recent episode of Desperate Housewives. And in the end, I’m not sure if anything was really accomplished.

On the other side of the spectrum was Roxy’s storyline, which felt very much like the episode of Full House where Jesse and Rebecca are trying to get the twins into preschool and they don’t feel good about themselves and think that will hold them back. It just seemed…predictable. I’m glad he got a full ride, but the interview itself seemed annoying.

But what do we think about the husbands? Frank’s now G3. Trevor’s a recruiter. Are we keeping them all at home now? Except Chase (whose portraying actor has a new series). I’m not sure what I think. I kinda like the distance. Makes the army wives more real–or at least the conflicts and stress they go through more tangible.

But Joan. Oh, Joan. You know, when she eventually leaves, it’s really going to be sad. What do we think, season finale? I can see myself getting misty already.

Merlin: Smarter than he looks

KT didn’t expect the unicorn to be so… shaggy.

MERLIN:  1.10 “The Moment of Truth
MERLIN:  1.11 “The Labyrinth of Gedref”

In “The Moment of Truth,” we see Merlin return to his village to deal with raiders.  Morgana and Gwen insist on coming with him, and Arthur shows up as well.  It actually turns out to be a big episode for Arthur, who puts a lot of time into training the villagers to fight back, and he even gets a poor man’s St. Crispen’s Day speech (you know, Shakespeare’s “band of brothers” monologue).

Meanwhile, Merlin reconnects with Will, a boyhood friend who knows about his magic and has a grudge against nobility.  He spends most of the episode playing the skeptic, but a change of heart leads him to put on his father’s armor and charge into battle at the last.  Obviously a goner?  Oh yeah.

Will and even Hunith, Merlin’s mother, make a lot of noise about Merlin’s relationship with Arthur and insist that Merlin should trust Arthur with his secret — but if you believe that, you haven’t been watching the show.  Merlin conjures a great wind storm in the final battle, scaring away all the invaders except head bad guy Kanan, and Arthur reacts to magic exactly the way Uther has conditioned him to:  Magic is dangerous; magic is bad; we must destroy the sorcerer!  Will, dying with Kanen’s final crossbow bolt in his chest, claims that the magic was his.  In the end, a lot of sound and fury leads to nothing.  Merlin and Arthur are close — are even two sides of the same coin, says Hunith, which as Merlin notes, we’ve heard before — but Arthur isn’t ready to be trusted with this secret.

On the other hand, the tense scenes between the two boys and all the talk about are they friends? Aren’t they? Do they like, trust, respect each other? must have been like Christmas for the Merlin/Arthur contingent that I know is out there.

IMDB trivia for this episode:  Holy cow, Trek fans.  Kanen was Julian Bashir from DS9.  And yes, I really want to spell it “Canaan,” too, but the internets say otherwise.

“The Labyrinth of Gedref” is a decent Arthur-learns-a-lesson kind of episode, but it takes a lot of time and a lot of exposition to set up the problem.  Several things are blatantly obvious to the audience (killing the unicorn caused the curse, atoning for it will lift the curse), but the episode drags us through the motions of figuring these things out.  Meanwhile we get to marvel every time a new aspect of the curse is revealed because we’re quickly told that messengers from all over the kingdom are reporting the same problems, even though our characters just found out about it ten minutes ago.  How big is this kingdom, anyway?  How fast are your horses?

Hop on your very fast horse and join me after the jump…

Catching up on ‘True Blood’…Season 2 so far

Well, we’ve got some new blood here on Raked. New blood and True Blood. Let’s all give a warm welcome to our newest guest writer, CC!

Last season on True Blood, we learned several things. Vampires can subsist on synthetic blood, to avoid feeding on humans. Also, there are three types of humans—mindreaders, shapeshifters (people that can turn into animals), and unremarkable townies.  Some such humans think that vampires, and especially, vampire-human relationships are a social scourge. These people tend to enter into the Fellowship of the Sun, a Christian anti-vampire society whose goal is to exterminate all vampires (they probably also enter into the Republican party).  And finally, we learned, that bad Southern accents can evolve over time into something almost passable.

This season has been less focused on the two main characters’ (Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic human, and Bill Compton, 200-year-old vampire) interspecies affair and more on the conflict between vampires and humans. When The Fellowship of the Sun kidnaps Godrick, a 2,000-year-old vampire, Sookie is sent to infilitrate the organization, using her telepathic powers and determine where he is. Because of a human traitor, she ends up getting captured in Fellowship headquarters.  Unbeknownst to her, Jason, her brother, has become a soldier in the Fellowship befriending its leader, Rev. Steve Newlin, and having an affair with the Newlin’s wife.

The conflict between Fellowship and Vampire comes to a head, when Bill and several other vampires come to Sookie and Godrick’s rescue. Having realized that the Fellowship is not committed to Christian ideals, but rather, a spewing hate-filled political vitriol, Jason decides to leave but helps his sister prior to doing so. Once Sookie and the vampires have escaped and taken refuge in Godrick’s home, Jason’s rival in the Fellowship detonates a suicide bomb made of silver, a metal that severely weakens and even kills vampires.

In addition to Sookie and Bill’s attempts to rescue a missing leader, there have been several other storylines that I think are more interesting and far less politically overbearing. The season opened with a woman lying dead in a dumpster behind a local bar, heart cut out of her chest. This occurred around the time that Tara, Sookie’s best friend, had befriended a mysterious woman named Marianne who we’ve now learned is responsible for this woman’s murder (although the town has yet to figure this out).

[Read more after the jump]

Why I’m looking forward to ‘Top Model’ cycle 13

I know I don’t talk about it here that much (and let me know if you want that to change), but I really am one of those people that is hooked on America’s Next Top Model. I’m a sucker for the photography. I sigh every time their challenge is to do a commercial because I love seeing the pictures in the end.

And hey, the conflict and ridiculousness of Tyra’s ego is always fun, too. There’s a reason that ANTM is often featured on The Soup.

But this cycle is different. How? Well, we’ve got “short” girls in our midst! Well, “short” is relative, since to models, 5′7″ is a shorty. But this cycle we’ve got girls that are under 5′7″, which means that average girls are in the running. As someone who is of the less-than-tall persuasion, I’m really curious how they’ll do this.

I mean, since this show has started, it’s been tall, tall, tall. If you weren’t at least 5′9″, you would probably not make it to the final five because they just couldn’t see you on the runway. Now no one reaches that bar–literally.

So what will they do? Tell them over and over that they need to appear taller? Or should they accept their shorter stature? Will they feature petite designers? Or will they put these girls in awkward tall situations just to torture them and to see how they come out?

Or will they just force them all to wear eight-inch shoes? I could see that one happening, too.

Ultimately, I just think this will be more of a problem for the judges than anyone else. I mean, they won’t be used to this obstacle. They’ve grown in the modeling world with the typical model, so how will they deal with the atypical group?

Speaking of the judges, from what I recall, Paulina won’t be back this year. Any word whether that’s still true, or whether they’ve picked a new judge? I haven’t seen anything surface about it. Could they only go with three? Miss J, Tyra, and Nigel? Come on, they need someone in there to balance those egos. Let’s bring Twiggy back! (I’m always a fan of Twiggy.)

Anyway, it should be an interesting season. And if you haven’t checked them out yet, The CW has already posted the 13 girls for the season. This bums me out a little bit since now we know who will remain standing after the two-hour premiere episode. Takes a little bit of the surprise out of the episode.

So now I wonder. Is it worth watching? Well, maybe so. Maybe they’ll have some horrible theme like last year’s “high-tech” scenarios (is Tyra wrapped in tin foil?) or the goddess theme (yes, that’s what Tyra’s ego needs). So that might be entertaining enough.

Plus, if you miss that episode, you’ll probably miss that seasons social cause. I hate to make fun of the show for that; I think it’s great to have one cast member dealing with a real social cause that we all should be aware of (think Heather and autism), but the way they play it up just infuriates me. Clearly, they do it more for ratings than anything else.

Anyway, the show starts on Wednesday, September 9. Check it out. And let me know if you want more coverage here. I’m always open to doing more (though I’m not sure what I would say!).

Catching up on ‘Army Wives’

ARMY WIVES: 3.10 “M.I.A.”

I wasn’t going to write about Army Wives until I saw tonight’s episode. You know, a double post. I’ve been known to do those, especially if I had to wait a while to see an episode.

But last week’s episode of Army Wives was just too good not to write about. Honestly, this is the kind of episode is the one that I’ve been waiting for. No more story archs. No more Denise/Frank drama (well, a little drama). Finally, a stand-alone episode.

We finally got back to the core. We had an episode that was about regular day-to-day occurances…that just happened to coincide with army life. Think of Pamela losing her wallet. I mean, anyone could have their wallet disappear–by a dog or otherwise. But little did we know that doing that as an army wife could basically put your life on hold. You can’t get home. You can’t buy groceries. You can’t even replace what you’ve lost because you have no ID. This is the kind of stuff that we’ve really gotten a taste of in the first season–how life is changed when you’re part of the army, whether in small or big ways–and it’s something I’m glad we’re getting back to now.

Meanwhile, we had the great storyline between Stella Raye and Roxy. Again, this could have been any mother looking for her son, but he just happens to be in the army. Add in the fact that she used to have a famous singing career, and you have a great storyline.

I was really impressed with it. At first, I was a little bothered. I figured it was a cliche storyline of the former musician that was embittered by her failure and therefore would never sing again. Think the piano player in Joan of Arcadia. It’s a character we’ve seen in a lot of shows.

But adding in the son. And adding in how Roxy was able to relate to Stella Raye’s songs–that’s where we got some interesting new material. As sad as it was, I loved hearing about how Roxy was hit when she was younger, then heard Stella Raye’s song and changed all that. It was an important moment.

Anyway, it was a good episode. I felt so bad for Joan as she prepared to deploy and was realizing all that she was missing for her daughter growing up. It will be interesting to see how this develops, honestly. I mean, will we see her out there calling home? Just missing her from afar? Or will she be the absent mother, and we only see Roland’s reaction? I’m not sure.

It should be good. As for Frank and Denise, eh. I’m kinda disappointed Frank is sticking around. He’s not my favorite. But I guess maybe the conflict between Michael and Denise will carry us along. Though it seemed pretty tied up, no?

The ‘Waverly Place’ Vampires, Parts III and IV

WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: “Wizards vs. Vampires: Dream Date”
WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: “Wizards & Vampires vs. Zombies”

The problem with taking a trip (say, like my recent trip to Chicago) is missing some big new episodes of shows that I’ve been keeping track of. Say, my Wizards of Waverly Place vs. Vampires series. Fortunately, through a combination of TiVo and Disney reruns, I was able to catch up.

So I finally get to catch up on my last two posts, to finish the four-parter!

Now, my one complaint is that not much happened in the third part. As advertised, Justin had to decide whether to go on a family vacation with his vampire girlfriend Juliet, but the majority of the episode was about Alex and her boyfriend.

Using the dream hat, Alex set up perfect dates with her long-distance boyfriend (Dean, a boyfriend that we saw multiple episodes where she was trying to get together with him). Now we find out that he’s moved, and she’s still into him. Of course, once he comes into town, we find out that he’s not the Prince Charming that Alex had hoped and that they would break up because of it.

And that’s basically the episode. I think this could easily have been a non-vampires episode, but here it was, in the four-parter.

Meanwhile, the fourth part was right in the thick of it, where Justin was trying to impress Juliet with his prom plan–of course, while Alex was planning the anti-prom with zombies (real zombies unintentional). This fit in much more with the theme, what with Justin trying to figure out how to make his prom special for Juliet when she’s attended 523 other proms, if I recall the number correctly.

His choice was a serenade, which didn’t go over all that well since his nerves got in the way. Oh, and zombies. Did I mention the zombies?

Real zombies accidentally got invited to Alex’s antiprom, which meant havoc for the invitees. The way to beat them? A dance-off, of course!

Sadly, there was no “Thriller,” but the dance-off did show off some vampire teeth, wicked moves, and dismembered limbs. Seriously? The zombies are defeated because most of them couldn’t handle dancing? Their bodies fell apart? Wow.

But hey, at least there was dancing, and that was fun. And I did appreciate all the slow-but-creepy zombie talk. Why are zombies so creepy even though they’re so slow? Hmm.

I don’t know what I think about Wizards falling to the prey of the vampire trend and the zombie fans, but hey at least it’s passed. But then again, Justin’s still with Juliet, so is it really? Will we find out that, like Dean, she’s suddenly moved away? But they’ve said they love each other, so…

Anyway, the series was cute. Not sure why it was a four-parter. I think a two-parter would have done the job, since Juliet’s parents made an appearance in the first two episodes and not the last, but that’s Disney for you. But can you really complain when there’s dancing, new mystical creatures, and a new crush for Harper?

I’m sure some of you can, but I won’t. It’s a cute show. I’ll leave it at that.

Summer Music: Wizards of Waverly Place

So I guess my attempt to do more of a summer music feature on the site didn’t really work. I really didn’t feature all that much, mainly because it’s harder to find new music that’s related to TV unless I want to specifically do a soundtrack. So maybe I’ll just continue this into the fall.

In the meantime, we have the Wizards of Waverly Place soundtrack, which was just released last week.

Now, it took me a couple listens before this one grew on me (ok, ok, you can use the comment box below to make fun of me for listening to it a couple times), but it is cute. If you’re a fan of Radio Disney and the Disney stars, you’ll probably like this. If you’re a fan of classic music, well…

So the CD itself combines three new tracks from Selena Gomez, including the theme song for the show. Beyond that, we’ve got a wide variety of hits from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s covered by Disney stars and bands.

This is where the CD lost me at first. I was appalled at how many covers I was hearing. I was expecting something like that Hannah Montana soundtrack (hey, there’s another summer music post I can do, I’ll work on that), where the majority of the songs were new.

Here, it’s cover-to-cover covers, with the exception of the three songs I mentioned before. You can see more information and the full track list here. Now, I have to admit, for the most part, the covers are close to the classic tunes. I mean, you won’t hear much variation, so it’s not as bad to listen to. There are a couple remixes, but for the most part, it’s the same song, different voice.

But there is a song by Raven. Uggh. You know my issues on Raven. Sadly, I think this song was actually written for That’s So Raven, but was added to this CD just because of the theme.

Yes, all the songs are about magic. In fact, if you’re not a fan of the CD, you should pick it up just because you could have a solid drinking game if you drank every time you heard the word “magic.” You’d be on the floor by track four.

But anyway, the Raven song irritates me just because not only does the song just not fit, but there’s even a spot where she talks in the middle, and it’s very clear she’s talking about her character on That’s So Raven. It just doesn’t fit.

Anyway, the CD is cute enough. Plus, the CD features exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with Selena Gomez, plus her all-new music video.

So it looks like it’d be a fun one for the kids. For those of you who might remember the songs on the tracklist? Well, consider that drinking game option. Or just buy it for your friend’s kid. They’ll love you forever.

Leverage: Call me crazy

LEVERAGE: 2.05 “The Three Days of the Hunter Job”

Mine is freaking me right out, sir.

That was by far my favorite quote of the episode. When the army guy comes out from talking to Hardison and says that to his commanding officer. Ha!

Sorry, I guess that was just a side note. As I was touting on Twitter, I was really excited about this episode. And boy did it meet my excitement. Sure, we didn’t get to see Eliot beat anyone up this time around, but damn was it funny!

So I hadn’t seen the first season episode where Sophie called the shots and got the office blown up. Or, rather, I did, but I hadn’t seen the part where they decided Sophie called the shots, so I was unaware of it. But I loved how they all intermixed their fear of having Sophie as the mastermind with the fact that she was trying to do another person’s job.

Which, of course, caused Parker to play the grifter. And she was so bad at it! I loved it! She was so awkward and unsmooth. I just loved how difficult it was for her. I mean, even after she was dead, we had her attempt to go back and play her role–oops.

And even though she said that she loved it when everyone switched roles, I thought it was fantastic to see how subtle the switch was. I mean, you really didn’t think Eliot had changed his role much…that is, until he ended up behind the computer, cracking jokes as Hardison was being interrogated. By the way, that quip on Eliot’s part about the feeling of being in control of a guy behind a computer that’s not taking the situation seriously? That was great, too.

Most of all, I loved seeing Monica Hunter go crazy. Who knew that Beth Broderick (of course, of Sabrina the Teenage Witch fame) could do crazy so well? With the antipsychotic medication and the fact that she tells us not to even look at water–it was great. Nothing like a crazy person and a conspiracy theory.

There were just so many good one-liners and interactions within the group that I loved, too. I mean, just seeing how everyone was reacting to Sophie’s instruction–and seeing Nate trying to correct her to get people more enthused. Or even when Nate was asking whether he was as creepy when he talked to himself…

I love getting that perspective of what someone is really like when they’re looking at themselves from the other side. And that was what this episode really showed us–and comically.

You know, I wonder what Eliot would do if he were in charge? Or Parker? Ok, that might be scary.

Overall, great ep. If you haven’t seen it, you should fix that now.

Thursday Open Thread: Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Stuff

As a TV viewer, we’ve seen it all. I mean, we’ve seen people get killed, kidnapped, participate in dance competitions, flop in those dance competitions, and much much more. Heck, I’ve even seen a team of four different people jump in a wormhole to go to another dimension.

But the best part of watching all these scenarios is seeing them with, let’s say, impaired judgment. And that really brings us to our open thread!

What is your most memorable under-the-influence moments on TV?

When did you most enjoy seeing your favorite character acting out of character? This includes all performance-enhancing (or degrading) substances that might have influence on a character in a given episode, such as alcohol, narcotics…caffeine pills (oh yeah, you know Jessie would be called out).

But that’s not all. What about spells? Potions? I’d have to admit that Joss Whedon has given us some other “impaired” moments when he’s just taken memories away–all because of miscast spell. Talk about acting out of character.

So share them below. I’m so excited…to see what you have to say!

A rant on commercials

I’ve been in Chicago for the last few days for work, which means that I’ve had very little time to do things like watch the newest episodes of my Sunday night shows—let alone Monday and Friday. Add in the fact that Chicago is in central time so all my shows are an hour earlier, and I’m just one big mess. But I’m back now, and I did watch some TV, so I still have things to say.

Mainly, commercials.

I haven’t had that much to complain about recently, what with the Glade woman suddenly becoming nicer. Clearly, Glade realized that people hated her for being so vexing and deceitful to her “friends,” because now she just puts the products in her home and rolls with it. Great.

I did have a large irritation brewing about Target ads. And actually, it’s still there to an extent. Why Target can’t seem to discover that mothers do not look like they’re 25, I don’t know. It seems like every Target commercial, there’s a woman in her mid-twenties that you assume could definitely be the mother of three children, all about to walk, talk, and play. I feel that older women can be very beautiful, so the fact that Target ignores that bothers me to no end.

But that’s not the one that I saw in Chicago. Actually, this was for Nintendo DS. A kid was playing with his DS—ok. Well, what they did was position him in front of backgrounds that continuously changed. He might be sitting outside with his friends, while he plays with his DS. Then he’s maybe in the lunchroom playing with his DS. Then he’s at some sporting event with everyone cheering around him, and he’s on his DS. Then at the end of the commercial, he’s in the back seat of a car, closes the DS, and smiles.

Now, here’s my issue: This guy just totally missed out on life! This kid just ignored all of his friends, who were having a grand old time, in favor of a gaming system. Plus, the sporting event? I would have loved to be in that crowd. It looked so exciting!

Honestly, it just made me sad. That’s certainly not what I’d want for my kids (and we know the parents would be the ones buying the system). Why would someone have thought this was a great way to sell the product?

Sure, if he was stuck in a bus depot—or even a bus stop—or a doctor’s office, maybe that’d be different. But he wasn’t. He was missing out on fun.

Stupid DS.

Oh, Psych. Oh, Canada!

PSYCH: 4.01 “Extradition: British Columbia”

Psych is back! And still fresh and funny. Plus, it came in a shiny package with Cary Elwes!

And wasn’t it great? All about thievery. Clandestine meetings. Hiding in the dark catching someone in the act. Flying off buildings. What more could you ask for? Certainly not raccoons.

I feel like this show is a little hard to write about. There’s not all that much I can really add to what you’ve already seen except that I enjoyed it. And I did. Very much.

Probably the most was that Shawn and Gus kept doing very romantic things. And yet, while Gus kept asking, I didn’t wonder why. They’re in such a bromance, that I just thought it was a quirky weirdness that just worked. And would be a running gag.

But to find out that Shawn actually planned the trip with other purposes in mind… I just loved Gus’ reaction. Kicking him out of the horse-drawn buggy. Ha. And then to see the rest of what he had planned when he was wandering around with Jules.

So you decide: Was Shawn covering? Was the mime part of his romantic plan?

Anyway, it’s just such a clever show. The banter back and forth. How his attention to detail really fits with the comedy and the plot. Guessing that things had been stolen when they were actually sold–oops. But then noticing the ever so slight crack in the window.

But enough with the plot. What did you think of Gus’ moves around the laser. Ha. It was nice to see him jump around. He’s definitely no Parker from Leverage. But it was entertaining. Even if it was needless.

You know, this show really does get some good guest stars (as was discussed in the Q&A with the two stars of the show). I really enjoyed Cary Elwes in this episode. I mean, a very subtle villain. One that you could totally see stealthily working around the cops to steal.

Only to find out that it was all insurance fraud. A crime so clean you can barely call the “villain’s” hands red. Even Shawn was disappointed. But they caught the bad guy, and that’s something, right?

Overall, it was a great start to the season. I still think back to their skiing scene and chuckle (and wonder, was it really them? Nope. Doubt it). But it makes me look forward to more.

Don’t forget to enter the Psych and Monk giveaway! Ends Tuesday, August 11.

What about you? What’d you think?

Ruby and the Rockits: To be drunk or to be driver?

RUBY AND THE ROCKITS: 1.03 “Do You Want to Blow a Secret”

This show’s cute. The only thing is that, as I mentioned for the pilot episode, it just doesn’t belong in this decade. There’s something about it that really just reminds me of the sitcoms I grew up with, not the sitcoms that are on now.

In this particular episode, we have Ruby babysitting while her aunt and uncle go out. As per usual in the family sitcom, there’s one rule: Don’t drive the new car. No one is allowed to drive the new car.

But, of course, Ruby has a reason. She has to pick up her underage, drunk cousin from a kegger (really?) without his parents finding out about it because that’s “strike three.”

Now, I must say something about punishment. I understand that Ruby’s thinking that “strike three” meant he’d be shipped off to boarding school might be ridiculous. But when “strike three” is only three weeks of being grounded, that seems a little light, too. Maybe my high school days weren’t as exciting as these people’s, but what are you really going to miss in three weeks? Now, if you were to take TV away for three weeks, well, that’s something completely different.

Anyway, to cover her tracks, Ruby asked her dad to take the blame. Poor David Cassidy. As much as I want to love him on this show, he just really belongs a few decades a go when acting for a sitcom was acting for a sitcom. There’s not quite as much reality in his character as I’d hoped. Not that I dislike him, but there’s something amiss. And rather predictable. But he’s trying, and I’ll keep watching.

It was a standard episode. Really, they need to get rid of the possibility that the cousin likes Ruby–that’s just getting weird. I mean, the “I love you.” Really? Just stop. Drunk or not, that’s borderline ugly.

But here was my real issue. For something that’s so wholesome–and it’s just got that vibe considering the type of sitcom it is–why would the parents of the drunk cousin just say, “You promised us that if this ever happened, you would call us.” And then he got grounded. There’s no harsher punishment than that for underage drinking? Going to a kegger? Somehow, this seems like a bigger deal to me, and a slap on the wrist just seems to be giving off a bad message (especially for a show on ABC Family).

Sure, his mom did point out that that was the most important thing for us to focus on as far as bad deeds go, but come on. It just seemed to me that he should have gotten much more yelled at for that. That’s a big deal. I mean, ask Saved by the Bell or Growing Pains. They had entire episodes about it.

But that’s my own issue. It’s still a cute show. But I must ask, can Ruby really make fun of her cousin for John Mayer when she sings pop at the piano? Well, she did call it girl musica, and she’s a girl, so maybe not. It’s debatable.

So debate in the comments. And, go.

Psych/Monk Premiere Night Giveaway!

Tonight’s going to be an exciting night. Monk premieres its final season, and then we’ve got a new Psych premiere–located in Canada! It’s true! You can read all about it in the Q&A with James Roday and Dule Hill.

But that’s not all. Today marks the start of a brand-new promotion! In honor of the premieres, I’ve got prizes for four of my readers out there. That’s right! Four of you might just end up with some Psych or Monk loot!

Monk Contest:

Don’t miss the start of the 8^th and final season of MONK on USA NETWORK, Friday at 9/8c. Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award winner Tony Shalhoub returns as the obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk with 16 brand-new laugh-inducing episodes. The final season promises to be a memorable one for all Monk fans. So tune in and watch one of the most successful series in basic cable history give its final farewell. Become a fan on Facebook, Follow Monk on Twitter, and play Monk games on USA’s Character Arcade.

Grand Prize Winner will receive:

Monk Season 6 & 7 DVD
Monk Novel
Monk T-Shirt

1^st Prize Winner will receive:

Monk T-Shirt

Psych Contest:

Don’t miss the season 4 premiere of PSYCH on USA NETWORK, Friday at 10/9c. While vacationing in Canada, Shawn and Gus track Despereux, an elusive international art thief who has alluded Lassiter for years. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) guest-stars in “Extradition: British Columbia.” Become a fan on Facebook, Follow Psych on Twitter, and play Psych games on USA’s Character Arcade.

Grand Prize Winner will receive:

Psych Season 3 DVD
Psych T-shirt
Psych Pineapple Stress Toy
Psych Novel

1^st Prize Winner will receive:

Psych Novel

How to Enter Both Contests:

Leave a comment telling me why you watch Monk and/or Psych. If you haven’t seen the shows, tell me why you’re tuning in on Friday night! This is a mandatory first entry. I’ll be choosing four winners out of all the entries, so if you leave a comment, you’ll be entered to win any of the four prize packs listed above.

For additional entries:

• Tweet about this contest. I’d love for you to include my Twitter name on this one (@RakedReviews) and a link if you can.
• Blog about this contest, and include a link.
• Share it on Facebook!

Keep in mind that for additional entries you must come back and comment, telling me that you’ve done it. And to make sure that you’re counted for all your entries, leave a separate comment for each entry. All comments need a valid email so I can be sure to contact you if you win!

Deadline: This contest is open now and closes Tuesday night, August 11, at midnight. I’ll be emailing the winners on Wednesday, the 12th, so be sure to check your email!

Choosing the Winners: I’ll be choosing four winners at random Wednesday, the 12th. The first winner will win the Monk grand prize; the second, the Psych grand prize; the fourth, Monk first prize; and finally, the last will get the Psych first prize.

I’m really excited about these shows, and I really hope you are, too, so enter the giveaway and settle in to watch the premieres tonight! And don’t forget that new episodes are on every Friday night.

The contest is now closed.
Thanks for entering and congratulations to the winners!

RIP John Hughes

It was really sad hearing the news yesterday. John Hughes, director of the Brat Pack movies, died after having a heart attack yesterday. He was 59 years old.

image from CNN.com

I was a big fan of those movies–I think a good number of people were. I mean, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles… Plus, you can’t talk John Hughes without mentioning Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. “Bueller…Bueller…”

I wasn’t in high school when these premiered, but they were still part of my high school movie curriculum. How could you not watch these movies over and over again. Read more about John and his many films here.

My favorite was definitely The Breakfast Club. Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy… Of course, Molly Ringwald. It was just great. And I always remember the end.

So this one’s for you, John. Don’t worry. We won’t forget about you.

Leverage: Science-ical

LEVERAGE: 2.04 “The Fairy Godparents Job”

What I really like about this show is that in each of these cases that the Leverage team takes on, one of the people with a secret past somehow gets emotionally involved. Well, I guess that’s stretching it a bit since it’s not every time, but it’s a good bit of the time. For these people that were supposed to stay so hands-off, it’s nice to see that they can’t help themselves.

Darn those hearts.

This time, it’s Sophie, who relates to a little kid who has no self-esteem and no friends–mainly because Sophie was just dumped by her boyfriend because he didn’t really know who she was. And for her character in particular, that’s a good question. Sure, they all take on roles week in and week out, but there is a good question as to who Sophie really is. She’s the actress, the grifter. She doesn’t just pretend to be someone else. She becomes them.

Which is made thaht much more plain when she’s so emphatic to let this boy have his moment to shine in the Science-ical (by the way, I love that). Plus, the fact that they could play with that–the importance of this moment outside of the job itself–and juxtapose it with the comment for Eliot to keep it down while he’s beating the crap out of someone. Well, that was just icing on the cake wasn’t it?

Beyond that, I felt like I missed out a bit on this episode. I enjoyed it, sure. But I missed that one piece of information that related the closed clinic with this little boy. Oops. If you caught it, please share in the comments.

But man, was it funny. I loved seeing Nate dressed up in his “school” costume. I liked that we finally saw Parker in something other than black, grey, or dark blue. And most of all, I love that these people ran into people that they knew and fooled them into thinking they were the same people from the last job. Talk about handy. And crafty. Maybe hand-crafty.

Anyway, it was another solid episode, and it’s my own fault that I didn’t quite follow it.

Oh, and Eliot as the gym teacher (and Nate not letting him stop) was fantastic. I loved seeing him get so annoyed at the end of the day because he was forced to spend the day with them. Ha. That was just great.

So kudos to another Leverage. But I do hope that we get back into some really sinister bad guys soon. These last few guys have been good, but I want to face off with some people that could really be a threat to the team. Guns. Authority. Things like that.

What about you?

James Roday and Dule Hill talk ‘Psych’

Image courtesy of USA

It seems like this is a big week for USA. Not only is there the summer finale of Burn Notice on Thursday (check out a Q&A with Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless, or the giveaway that ends tonight), but Psych and Monk both start their new seasons on Friday night!

In honor of the event, I was able to be part of a conference call with the great Psych duo–James Roday and Dule Hill!

So read below for another USA Q&A. They talk musicals, werewolves, weddings, music, merchandise, and more! I even got to ask a couple questions. See if you can figure out which ones!

I know that you’ve both played very different characters in other things. I know that Mr. Roday had actually played alongside to Maggie Lawson in Fear Itself and Mr. Dulé you had a wonderful part on West Wing for a while. So how do you feel now about playing comedy? Do you enjoy it better; do you like doing horror or drama more? How does it feel?

Dulé: I actually enjoy comedy; it’s a lot of fun. After doing seven years of drama on West Wing to be able to come and work with Roday and the rest of the cast has been a blast. It’s something different, especially working with Roday where he likes to improv a lot it challenges me to work on different muscles that I haven’t used before.

That’s wonderful. How about you, Mr. Roday?

James: Well, first of all I just want to thank you for reminding me that I did in fact appear in Fear Itself; I often forget that. Secondly, I would say I’ve actually done a lot more comedy than I’ve done drama. It’s weird the way that worked out, because when I came out of theater school I took myself way too seriously, so it’s kind of ironic that I ended up sort of going down the comedy path.

But I think what makes this role special compared to some of the other stuff that I’ve done is just the fact that I’ve had the opportunity to live with it so long and sort of watch it sort of grow and nurture it, not unlike you nurture a plant. And working with a great group and an unbelievable cast and sort of having the freedom to do what we do on the show sort of sets it apart from any role that I’ve played, comedy or drama. It’s just been a special ride. It’s been a special ride.

***

Basically, this is for both of you; the show is known a lot for its kind of fast-paced banter between your characters Shawn and Gus. And so what I want to know is how much sort of say do you guys get in what goes on in the dialog, particularly between the humorous segments and something like the nicknames that Shawn makes up for Gus? What goes on with those types of moments?

James: Unlike, I think, the majority of shows on television right now we actually have a frighteningly high amount of say in what we do with the dialog. A lot of times it comes in great and all we have to do is say it, but any time we sort of recognize an opportunity to throw something in or add something or if we have a better name for Gus than the one that came in we just pull the trigger.

[Read more after the jump!]

Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless on ‘Burn Notice’

image courtesy of USA

As a Burn Notice fan and a blogger, I realized that it’s kinda hard to write about this show. It’s so great. Every episode’s full of action and just fun to watch. What can you really complain about?

So it brought me to this: Why should I write about the show when the actors themselves can talk about it?

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a conference call with Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless. Bruce, you know, plays the very fun Sam, always with a drink in his hand (even the ones he might just make up). Then there’s Sharon, who plays Maddy, who loves her son more than anything, and won’t take anyone’s crap.

image courtesy of USA

So take a look below at the Q&A with Bruce and Sharon, where they talk about past projects (including Cagney and Lacey), their characters on Burn Notice, and even guest appearances by Tyne Daly! All just in time for the summer finale this Thursday night!

Keep in mind that this is a Q&A, so the questions might not be in the most fluid order. But enjoy, nonetheless! It’s a good read!

Bruce, I know that you played in Xena and Hercules as sort of a rogue who helped out the good guys as well. And Sharon, obviously you played Cagney, a bad-ass cop and she also knew her way around bad guys. So I was curious how these roles and others may have helped to cultivate the characters that you play on Burn Notice.

Bruce:: Go ahead, Sharon.

Sharon:: Well, the only bad guys I have to find my way around are Jeffrey and Bruce. I mean, my job on the show is the mother from hell. I don’t get involved in the heavy stuff like they do.

Bruce:: Sharon, your character is scarier than some of the bad guys.

You helped out in that case when Bruce got captured and you were sort of interrogating the one guy.

Sharon:: That’s right, I think that’s when Michael was captured…Right, that was very, very funny. It’s not often that I get to do one-upsmanship on Bruce Campbell.

Bruce:: What’s amazing is she turned out to be a very good interrogator and then who knew. I actually think we’re going to see in the scenes that come – because Sharon, you were also on a stakeout and you had to spot somebody. You had to be a lookout.

Sharon:: At the bingo game.

Bruce:: Right. So don’t kid yourself. You’re going to be an operative before too long maybe.

Sharon:: Okay, look out.

[Read more after the jump!]

Raising the Bar: Too much to control

RAISING THE BAR: 2.09 “Trout Fishing”

It took me a long time to decide what to say about this episode. You know I’m a big fan of the show. But this episode. Something was…amiss.

Usually, each episode has two storylines. Either there’s one case that’s the main case and smaller minor case, or two of equal value. I would have never thought that there was a reason for this. That the reason was that the viewer’s attention span can only carry so much information before going too frenzied.

This episode was case and point. There was just too much going on. Between Jerry’s two cases and Michelle/Richard’s case–plus the backstory for Michelles case, there’s just way too much going on. Plus, adding in this Trout woman, and I was just lost.

Which is disappointing. This could have been a great episode. I loved seeing Kessler and Farnsworth being so passive aggressive–using Jerry to get to each other. And it was clearly Farnsworth trying to get back at Kessler for making a scene in the courtroom a few weeks back.

That was, of course, completely unfair to Jerry and his client. His client gets forced right back in jail, while Jerry is reeling from the experience (and in contempt). Personally, I was wondering how it was that these lawyers never overlapped with their cases and court times. It’s neat that they covered it this week. And to know that the judges were such big jerks about it, well, that’s just Raising the Bar, isn’t it?

But what about Charlie and Kessler? What’s her problem? I completely felt bad for Charlie, knowing that he wanted to go on his trip. A work-related trip, at that. Do you think Kessler’s still getting back at him for dumping her to be gay? Or is it his interest in Farnsworth that’s still getting under her skin.

But man, when Charlie went to Jerry to complain that Kessler didn’t even sleep the night before. That’s just ridiculous. Why is that any of Charlie’s business? And why would Jerry care? She’s being a pain to him, so being a pain right back just seems fair. (But this is the judicial system, so maybe that’s not the best idea.)

And then there’s Michelle’s case. Or Balco’s case. Or really both. I understood what this case was about and its outcome. What I didn’t understand was how that Trout woman (yes, that’s what I’m calling her) had to do with any of it. Sure, she worked on the old case, but what else? Is she there just to allow for a rather risque scene at the end? Or will she have a bigger presence later in the season? She must, by the way that it ended.

But wow. I was actually wondering if Balco was becoming a nice person, one that might actually like Michelle. But no. He’s just as much of a sleeze as ever. Not only did he give an unwinable case, but he tried to diminish Richard’s know-how in the courtroom and kept someone in jail awaiting trial all because he knew that he would get off.

That’s just wrong.

So ultimately, I understood the episode, but it just seemed like a lot to take in, and I wonder if I missed something important for the future.

Army Wives: Growing up, up, and away

ARMY WIVES: 3.09 “Coming Home”

Well, we said good-bye to Haneen this week. And we got a little vision of Emmalin’s inner demons.

But let’s talk about Roxy and Finn first. I actually thought this could be a really interesting storyline that could run through a number of episodes this season. I mean, it’s something that a lot of people deal with–a lot of people in this show’s target audience, I bet. But as soon as they introduced it, I had this feeling that it wouldn’t come to a negative or difficult outcome.

And it didn’t. Finn doesn’t have ADHD. In fact, he’s gifted. And bored.

I’m really disappointed. It’s not that I wanted Finn to have some sort of problem, but I wanted the show to have some greater difficulty to conquer. Denise and Frank’s reunite isn’t carrying my attention as much as some of the struggles that Amanda went through, or maybe even Trevor’s difficulties after coming home from war. Or even Joan’s difficulty accepting her pregnancy. No, this year, we seem to be missing those overarching storylines that are true-to-life difficulties that really keep you going from week to week.

And I think this would have been a storyline that Roxy could handle. So why did they make it so easy? I mean, now I see she and Trevor figuring out how to handle this new revelation. To see if they can afford sending him to a new school. And Trevor will whine. Goody.

Meeeeanwhile, I’m loving Emmalin in this episode. I like realizing how much she’s developed. And actually, I wanted to see her miss the SATs and go to Turkey. I can see her developing into someone like an ambassador, and I would have loved to see that grow.

But then again, we had to give her the father/daughter reunite, which was long coming. And well done. I did enjoy finally seeing this family realize what Amanda’s absence has done to them, and I’m glad they’re finally dealing and moving forward.

Haneen, though, was really a strength in this episode. I really liked hearing how much she wanted to go home and how important it was to her to see her family again. It’s refreshing to get another perspective, you know?

Finally, what did we think about Joan’s discovery that one of her men was going to Roland’s practice. I mean, I guess I can see why it would be odd, but maybe I didn’t quite understand how odd. I didn’t think it was any of her business–or a big deal for that matter. I mean, shouldn’t it be his choice? Or does that mean that he’s hiding something from the army? I don’t know. Maybe that will develop in the future, and we just need to wait.

Anyway, it was an ok episode. I could have lived without the long montage of the Denise/Frank sex scene in favor of more plot, but hey, maybe that’s why others are tuning in. At least their drama is over…right?

Drop Dead Diva: Broken parents, broken hearted

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.04 “The Chinese Wall”

This was the first episode of this show that actually impressed me. I felt like it was put together rather well. It was a great balance of the new and old Deb/Jane. Plus, it delved more into Deb’s life without making her just look like the shallow, nonchalant person that she was.

And it really let Brooke Elliott shine. I mean, she’s been ok in episodes. She’s rather likable. But we did get to see this new side to here where she was really emotional on a deeper level than her current situation allowed.

The parts between Grayson and Jane didn’t really speak to me much, I must say, though. I mean, I understood that Deb’s parents meant a lot to Grayson, but I felt like that was pretty much all that he had to stand on in this episode. Nothing deeper. I want to see a rounder character.

And that rounder character was Jane. I loved seeing her reaction as she thought that her father was cheating–and the exact opposite was displayed when we saw their interaction in her parents’ house. He was just so sad and vulnerable himself. He wasn’t a bad guy.

And yet the opposite seemed to be the path for the mother. There, she was vulnerable and in need of saving, just to find out that she was lying to Jane and that she was actually cheating herself.

And it’s not really cheating, so to speak–or is it? If both agree to stay together and lead their own lives, is it cheating? I guess that’s what made it sadder. To find out that even as Deb was alive, she was blind to what was really going on.

Plus, the “bye, Mom” at the end? Heartbreaking. There’s something in that element where you discover that you’re still alive, yet you’ll never see the ones you love again. Or if you do, it will never be the same.

Meanwhile, throughout all this episode, there was the case of cloning. I found this to be completely interesting. Imagine if you could really rig (so to speak) dog competitions–or horse races, or anything else–by cloning the winner? And what does the owner of the original source really have a right to?

I thought this was actually a great angle on a topic that’s very picky yet not as publicized nowadays. It was nice.

So kudos to Drop Dead Diva this week. You stood out. Let’s hope the rest stay to his calibre.

Oh, and Fred with his many ’80s movie references? Loved it. Especially Say Anything. Whoever dressed him up to look exactly like John Cusack did a fantastic job. All the way to the high top sneakers. Radical.

Burn Notice Summer Finale Giveaway!

We’re counting down. Before I realized it, the Burn Notice finale was upon us.

I know. I can hardly believe it. Didn’t this summer season just start? Well, the time just flew and now, we’re looking at the summer finale this Thursday night. But don’t worry. I’ve got something to ease your pain…

A Burn Notice giveaway!

A dangerous man from Fiona’s past resurfaces in Miami after years of hiding, with deadly intentions. Teaming up with Fiona’s ruthless brother, Michael will do whatever it takes to save her… even if that means crossing a few lines. Don’t miss the Burn Notice summer finale — “Long Way Back” — Thursday at 9/8C! Season 3 will continue with eight all new episodes beginning in January, 2010. Follow Burn Notice on Twitter, Become a Fan on Facebook and Visit the Official Website.

Enter To Win:

Burn Notice Season 1 & 2 DVD

Burn Notice Novel

Burn Notice T-Shirt

How to Enter: Leave a comment below to telling me about your favorite Burn Notice scene. Come on. They’ve blown up a ton of stuff in this show. Which one blew you away? Or are you a romantic? Or maybe you just like hearing Sam talk about his drinks? Share share share. This is a required first entry.

Want additional entries?

• Tweet about this contest, including a link to this post.
• Blog about this contest, including a link to this post.

For these additional entries, you must come back and post a comment that you did it. Otherwise, I won’t know that you Tweeted or blogged! Include a link if you can. And don’t forget, any entries need a valid email address, or I can’t track you down to give you the prize!

Deadline: Here’s the kicker. This is a quick contest. I’ll be choosing one winner at random Thursday night, August 6, at midnight (EST). I’ll give the winner 24 hours to respond before I’ll move on to the next winner, so be sure to check your email first thing on Friday!

So enter fast! And tell your friends! After all, if you don’t win (and you might!), you can always watch those DVDs with them!

And don’t forget to watch the Burn Notice finale this Thursday night!

The contest is now closed.
Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations to the winner!

The ‘Waverly Place’ Vampires, Part II

WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: “Wizards vs. Vampires on Waverly Place, Part II”

What’s there to say about the second installment of Wizards of Waverly Place? It wasn’t that dramatic. I guess considering that this is a four-parter, I just expected each episode to be action packed and moving.

But this one seemed rather tame, at least compared to the previews for the episode. Yes, Harper and Alex were at risk of being a vampire meal, but it was rather anticlimactic. I mean, I thought that they were going to somehow trap them there, not just have them there so anyone could walk in and save them.

But it was a funny episode. Definitely more Alex-centric. Add in Max’s silliness with the pumpkin, and there’s a decent episode for the kids. Plus, Justin entered in a tank and the studio audience went wild, so I guess there’s something for the tweens watching, too.

I did appreciate the very very ’80s workout-wear. Those were some intensely neon tights.

Anyway, I guess I probably wouldn’t have noticed this episode if it weren’t so hyped. In fact, it would have been a fine episode if it hadn’t had the previews it did. Hmmm.

In other news, two things. First, the saga isn’t over. We have the third part next week. In fact, I would have thought that that one was the last one. I mean, the first one was really long, so I thought that was just two parts aired together. But no, I just looked at the episode that airs after next week. The one that airs August 14. Wait for it…

Wizards and Vampires vs. Zombies

Do you wish I were kidding? You know, I really should just blame myself. I mean, I did comment in the post for Part I that there is some underappreciated magic creatures. Apparently, those creatures are zombies (though they seem rather appreciated to me).

Anyway, it should be…interesting? That’s a big twist to me. Definitely surprises me.

In other news, did anyone notice how Disney decided to take its own version of vampire lore? The fact that not only garlic repells them, but pumpkins, too. According to the show, pumpkins were originally put outside on Halloween to keep vampires away. If you’ll notice, wikipedia doesn’t concur.

Ironically, in Balkan lore, pumpkins could actually become vampires. How’s that for getting something backwards? I mean, how could they be repelled by what they were originally from. Not that I think Disney really needs to start studying their Balkan vampire lore, but it is an interesting coincidence that these vampires fear what the Balkans claim they once were.

Sorry, that was a bit off topic (but you should read that link, it’s interesting). But in a long-winded way, I’m basically saying that there wasn’t much here of an episode. I’m not sure if I can handle two more episodes with fangs–lisps are starting to become more and more prevalent. But hey, I’ll see how next week goes. Wizards is a fun show. Won’t hurt, right?

Merlin: He’s not dead yet.

KT is resisting all further Monty Python Black Knight jokes, but you can make them in the comments if you want.

MERLIN:  1.09 “Excalibur”

Nimueh is back.  Oh boy, is she back.  And what we know about all of the magic users Uther killed twenty years ago plays right into Nimueh’s hand.  Of course she wants revenge on him:  he’s been killing her friends for two decades.

This is easily my favorite episode so far, perhaps because it gives Uther lots of good scenes, and Anthony Head makes the most of them.  The mixture of tension and friendliness in Uther’s scenes with Gaius (and even Merlin, near the end) is fabulous, and we also got the Uther/Nimueh scene I’ve been hoping for since she showed up.  And I loved Head’s delivery of Uther’s final speech to Arthur, gruff and straightforward as ever as he tells his son what a proud father he is.  And “I’ll show you footwork!”  Beautiful.

Unless there’s another twist to be turned (and given Uther’s continued insistence on Gaius’ silence, perhaps there is one), I think we’ve learned the secret of Arthur’s birth.  It won’t shock you:  magic.  Nimueh tells us that just as knights have their code that Uther has been rattling on about in the first half of the episode, so does magic have its laws as well:  for Arthur to be born, someone had to die.  That was his mother, Igraine, and that explains Uther’s ban on magic rather nicely.

I thought the Black Knight was very effective as a villain.  I think the best creepy moments are the simple ones:  looking down to see the Black Knight just standing there, or the way he turned his head toward Merlin after the fire died down, then turned back, as if Merlin were no more than a fly.

Merlin and Gwen continue to be wonderful together.  I love this pair.  And I do hope Gwen’s father was at the final fight so he could see how awesome his sword turned out to be, and I hope he was so impressed that he wasn’t mad at Gwen for taking it.  Come to think of it, Gwen’s father the blacksmith has been quite handy on several occasions now.  Excalibur forged by the village smith:  there’s egalitarianism for you.

Arthur’s protectiveness for his knights is touching.  He won’t have anyone left to sit at the Round Table at this rate, though.  And did they have to use names of knights who turn up in later Arthurian stories?  Points for using Owain, who does turn up in stories featuring a Black Knight.  Negative points for killing him.  Those boys did have “Monster bait” written on their foreheads from the beginning, though.

While I’m dipping into legend, it’s worth noting that Merlin seems to have put Excalibur exactly where we expect Arthur to find it later.  We didn’t see the Lady of the Lake herself, but the scenery was gorgeous and looked remote — the sort of place I’d expect her to live.

I may be grasping at straws on this one, but maybe someone can help me.  While arguing with Uther over his right to duel the Black Knight, Arthur said that there couldn’t be “one rule for me and one for all the rest.”  Isn’t that almost a quote from Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot?  Does it turn up in other Arthurian stories?  Is my brain playing tricks on me again?

With regard to dialogue, I would like to suggest that the lines “It’s too dangerous!” “But we have no choice,” need to be part of the official Merlin drinking game.  Add your own ideas in the comments!  There definitely needs to be something about the Great Dragon.

Speaking of whom, Merlin actually got him to do something useful this week!  Mind you, now he’s in a big snit and might never talk to us again… Huh.  Well, that’d be nice.

Merlin: Faries, druids, and dreams

KT is catching up so we’ll be ready for a new episode this weekend.

MERLIN:  1.07 “The Gates of Avalon”
MERLIN:  1.08 “The Beginning of the End”

You know how sometimes a minor detail can completely distract you from the story?  I had that problem with the staves Sophia and her father were carrying around in “The Gates of Avalon.”  What did the characters think, that they splurged on matching walking sticks?  Didn’t those staves just scream “wizard,” or have I just seen Lord of the Rings too many times?  Of course they didn’t turn out to be wizards, exactly, but they were definitely magic!  But then, I guess Uther doesn’t have the benefit of Lord of the Rings either.

The most entertaining part of episode 7 was watching Merlin repeatedly fail at covering for Arthur and ending up in the stocks.  Colin Morgan played it up nicely, and Gaius’s fatherly resignation regarding the whole matter was great.

Does it feel to anyone else that Arthur’s life is in danger every other week?  That’s beginning to seem over the top, especially since we know he can’t die; he’s freaking King Arthur.

However, I really love the development Morgana gets in these two episodes.  I think we learned back in episode 1 or 2 that Gaius regularly mixes up something to help her sleep, and now we find out that it’s because she wants to get rid of her dreams — prophetic dreams, no less.  Even through Merlin and Gaius decided not to tell her that her dream had come true, I imagine Morgana has her suspicions.  Didn’t she later say something like What if a person doesn’t chose to be magic, but is just born with it, and I don’t think she was just talking about Mordred.  I imagine she’s more than a little scared of her own dreams.

I wonder if Mordred was able to talk to Morgana in her head because she is a seer or if he chose to speak to her because he recognized her magic?

Interesting that the druids apparently know of Merlin as Emrys, which is sometimes used as Merlin’s childhood name.  Heck, interesting that the druids know of Merlin at all — who gave them an advance copy of The Once and Future King?  Presumably there are seers among them, I suppose.  Although that doesn’t explain why this secretive bunch of magic users is lingering so close to Uther and his magic-related paranoia.

Of course, for Merlin, this confusing information just triggered another trip down to see the Great Dragon.  I don’t know why he bothers, since all he ever gets is Destiny!  You have it!, this time with a side of The cute kid, bad news he is! (No, I don’t know when the dragon turned into Yoda on me.  He’d be more useful if he were Yoda, frankly.)  Merlin seems a little fed up with this destiny idea, though, and good for him — although of course the irony demons see to it that he takes this stance during the Mordred episode.

The bond between Mordred and Morgana was an interesting thing, though.  On the one hand it makes perfect sense for Morgana to become attached to the boy after caring for him and hiding him and so forth.  On the other, the dialogue about “I’ve never felt like this for anyone before,” seemed over the top within the world of the story — in fact, it seemed designed to remind us that in legend, Mordred is Morgana’s son.  Also Arthur’s son, who in legend is Morgana’s half-brother, which makes that incest, which is something I guarantee we will not be seeing on this show.

I’m stuck on Mordred, I admit, and what puzzles me is this:  In legend, Mordred’s grudge against Arthur has to do with wanting to be acknowledged as Arthur’s heir, despite being illegitemate.  (And sometimes creepy and evil to boot.)  Here Arthur was initially leading the search for Mordred, but in the end he was risking a lot to help him.  I could see a lifelong grudge against Uther (not unlike what we saw with Edwin), but not against Arthur.  Yet, at least.

Leverage, Outbreak style

LEVERAGE: 2.03 “The Order 23 Job”

If this episode hadn’t had Eliot’s side plot, I think this would have been just an ok episode. It’s amazing how such a small side plot can really explode this episode into something great.

The idea behind this episode was great, taking over an entire floor to convince one man that he has a terrible disease. The psychological aspect really interested me. The fact that you can actually convince someone that they have symptoms when they don’t–almost the reverse of the placebo effect. The human body’s a funny thing.

I guess the only part that I would have wanted a little stronger was the setup to see that this was a bad guy. I mean, sure he was. He stole from all these people–their life savings–with little to no remorse! He stuns a nurse just to get the money for himself, not caring whether he takes a plague outside the hospital.

But most of the episodes start with a family’s sob story. It’s hard to see such a mass of people as “the underdog,” and if so many families gave their life savings, $400,000 doesn’t seem like a lot of money to go around. Somehow, it lost its personal touch.

Despite that, the adventure itself was good. I loved seeing Hardison and Eliot play bumbling cops. But what did we think of the mob aspect?

That was another issue. I realize that it gave Eliot and Hardison something to discover and deal with, but wasn’t it a bit strange to have the mob just kinda stuck in there with little to no development? Personally, it felt like it was a reason to make sure Eliot beat someone up in the episode.

But like I said, it was an ok episode. What made it great was Eliot’s side story.

There we had a window into Eliot’s past. Without saying it, we knew that Eliot was seeing himself in that kid’s bruised face. And he was seeing his own father in the man’s.

And I loved his threat. It reminded me of a particular Twitterer who commented that even the bad guys have standards. Even bad guys see child abusers as bad people. That was in response to a recent Burn Notice episode, but it certainly applies here. Sure, these “criminals” now have heart (well, for the most part), but they’re still against the law, and hitting kids is a bad thing. Please note: bad thing.

So hanging him over a stairwell? Nice. But it still didn’t shake him off. Why? Because he knows all the cops. He knows everyone. And who’s going to believe the clumsy kid? Especially when the father didn’t see that he was doing anything wrong, even when caught.

But having the real cop–even higher than a cop!–come to their house and talk to the kid, that was great. It was just a release, knowing he’d be taken care of. And having Eliot waiting outside in the car to make sure it all worked out–priceless.

So in the end, it was a fantastic episode. It reminded me of season one’s “The Stork Job,” where Parker finds an entire orphanage that reminded her of her own upbringing, where she went against the team just to make sure they were ok. (“Haagen-Dasz!”) It’s nice to get these glimpses into the past that these people are so close to protect and keep secret.

Anyway, I like these little delves into the past, and the creative hospital ploy. Very nice. Another episode next week!

Torchwood: Praise and snark required

KT has been out of town, so it’s taken this long to watch and process all of this.  Whew!

TORCHWOOD: 3.1-3.5 “Children of Earth”

The first two seasons of Torchwood were each made up of thirteen mostly stand-alone episodes.  They were dark, they had love and sex and angst, they were implausible even for sci-fi, and they had plot holes you could drive a school bus through.  The characters were never as competent as it seemed they really should be, and the characterization was often not as consistent as it seemed like it should be.

This was a deviation from the norm.

Season three arrived this month in the form of a five part miniseries aired over five consecutive nights.  Apparently the UK ratings were excellent, which suggests that we’ll get a fourth season at some point, although there is a little problem with most of the main characters being dead.  Season two ended with the very dramatic deaths of two members of our five-person team, and “Children of Earth” did in another one without ever really filling the first two empty chairs.  So that’s kind of a problem, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Day One was good television.  We got a creepy little prologue about children disappearing in 1965 Scotland.  We found the three remaining members of Torchwood, Jack, Gwen, and Ianto, going about their jobs with unusual competency.  And we met a whole bunch of supporting characters, including a doctor and an office girl who both seemed to have “Future Member of Torchwood” stamped on their foreheads.  (Only for the doctor to be exposed as a double-agent and die by the end of the hour.  Gasp!)

The Torchwood team soon find themselves investigating a phenomenon involving children all over the world.  If you saw any of the promos, you saw the shots of schoolyards full of children speaking in a unison monotone.  That turns out later in the week to be alien manipulation, of course.

Although most of the supporting cast continue their regularly scheduled storylines, Day Two becomes a different show, one called The Government Is Out To Get Torchwood So They Have To Go On The Run.  I think the real purpose of this plot twist was to keep our heroes from getting too close to the aliens and solving the problem too quickly.  (And… to make sure this story would last five days.)

It took some wild plotting to make this twist happen, too, given that it’s Torchwood’s job to deal with aliens and, logically, all our London government characters should have been calling them in to clean the mess up, not killing them off.  I think the lesson here is that with the right amounts of paranoia and loyalty, you can create a government conspiracy to do anything you want your story to do — even when your current government has no reason to care about covering up something that happened in 1965.  (The immortal Jack Harkness, as usual, has a dark incident lurking in his past that none of his co-workers knew about.)

The action continues after the jump!

A Twilight Recast: Bye-bye Victoria

Oh boo.

I don’t even care about Twilight, but this newest news really makes me sad. Rachelle Lefevre, who played Victoria in the original Twilight movie has been recast, according to this E! Online article. Supposedly, she had a ten-day conflict and they decided to recast her for the movie Eclipse, which is just starting to film. Replacing her with Bryce Dallas Howard would just save more money.

According to the article, the cast members of Twilight are a little bummed, since Lefevre was basically a mother hen to the group. She was only 30, but the rest of the group is a good ten (or so) years younger.

So why do I care? I personally like Lefevre. For any of you who have read some of my posts in the past, you might recall that I bring up a certain ABC Family movie See Jane Date. Well, Lefevre was in that, playing one of Jane’s best friends–and a fun one at that. For things that I like, I tend to follow their work.

And honestly, this seemed like a break for her. I mean, she really hasn’t been in that much except for tiny roles, Twilight included. You really wouldn’t have noticed her except for the final scene of the movie, when it’s rather clear that she’ll be back for vengeance. Or, of course, if you read the books.

So yeah, it kinda bugs me that they’re recasting over such a lame excuse. If they refuse to fire the kid playing Jacob when he clearly can’t be the giant size he needs to be, why should they get rid of Lefevre?

You know what this means, right? Now I’m basically watching these movies for Michael Welch, who played Mike in the films. Why him? Well, he was Luke in one of my favorite series, Joan of Arcadia. I mean it. I’ll follow my favorite people.

Well, at least Lefevre is in the next installment New Moon, but that’s almost even more frustrating. Having two movies of a series and then changing the cast. Annoying. I mean, the only reason Harry Potter changed actors mid-through for Dumbledore was because the actor passed away. And look how many movies they’ve had.

There’s something about loyalty that’s missing here. I mean, is money really the issue? This movie’s going to make a ton, and I’m sure there are higher paid stars that they could weed out. This is just disappointing.

Maybe I’m too invested. Some fans out there probably don’t care if Victoria is now played by a random new redhead.

But not me. I liked her. Boo, Twilight.  Boo.

Thursday Open Thread: Name your badass

It’s been a while since we’ve had an open thread, but I feel like we need to get back into it. So why not do it forcefully?

As you can probably tell, I’m completely infatuated with Leverage now that season two has started. Add to that my recent chat with Christian Kane, and I have been thinking about television and who are the hardcore hitters of the industry. I mean, I’m a Buffy and Angel fan, and you know those shows really have their share of people who can take out men, women, demons, and gods. So let me ask you this:

Name your badass: Who’s your favorite TV badass? The person who can fight everyone and win without breaking a sweat?

And don’t forget to check back. I mean, if someone says their guy can beat up your guy, well, don’t you want your guy to defend himself? And just to get some juices flowing, why not list a few?

Buffy, Angel, Faith (Buffy/Angel)
Jayne (ok, he has guns, but he might win), Mal (Firefly/Serenity)
Eliot Spencer (Leverage)
Any of those Heroes guys (but if you say Mohinder, you lose my respect)
Paul Ballard (Dollhouse)

Ok, there are some. Who else? Let me know in the comments.

Drop Dead Diva: If only it were horror

DROP DEAD DIVA: 1.03 “Do Over”

I watched this episode on Sunday, but I’m still having trouble with my thoughts on it. It’s a cute show. It really is. But there’s something amiss in my book. Like, why is Deb going along with being Jane? Why doesn’t she cart off and just move on with some other life entirely? Why isn’t she spending all her time in the gym to get back to the model size she likes?

There’s no part of her that’s rebelling against her new life. Whether she’s considered good or bad at the gates of death really has little to do with it. It would be a natural tendency to go back to the familiar, so why is she so comfortable falling into Jane’s life? Taking cases without much of a fight? Going into work every day? I’m just not sure I get it.

Is it because her old boyfriend works there? Not really. She spends little time with him, and you’d think that if that were the thing pulling her in, she’d be talking about it more to Stacy or Fred. But it’s not really mentioned.

It makes the show just a little less believable, and while I like Jane, she doesn’t have the adorability factor–or even whacky factor–that Christina Applegate did in Samantha Who?. Sure, she’s a likable character, and I think I could really get to like her a long time from now, but I just think she’d be stronger if she didn’t have the Deb baggage–the same baggage that makes the premise of the show.

But about this episode. The part that intrigued me the most were her dreams. Could Jane really be hostile about Deb’s taking over her body? Well, it’s an interesting situation isn’t it. Jane had a chance at life (at least we’d assume), and Deb stole it from her. If I were Jane, I’d be mad too.

Which really makes me want this show to be a horror story. I mean, think about it. Some supernatural event allows one soul to take over another and then the original ghost comes after her? It was an accident the whole time, I swear! Friends being killed left and right. And poor Grayson. Well, methinks that they’d end up being the happy couple in the end, but it would add a little more drama into the show.

I don’t know. I really want to like this show. I think it has a lot of potential, but it’s almost weighed down by the fact that Jane is a lawyer. I mean, I could see Deb taking over Jane’s life more if she worked somewhere else–a magazine, a shop, something like that. But a lawyer. Now we’re adding cases into her struggle, and it’s just…too much? So much that we can’t develop what needs to be?

It’s still a cute show and I think it has potential. I love watching Jane and Fred together. But there’s still something wrong. Hopefully, that fixes itself soon.

Thoughts On Hulu

JC here, with a few thoughts on the popular TV streaming site, Hulu.

I was thinking about Hulu.com today.

I really like Hulu a lot. It’s got a great interface, and is very easy to navigate, which is more than I can say for most of the major networks individual sites. Furthermore, it lets me watch shows ON MY OWN SCHEDULE, which is huge for me. While I generally watch my favorite shows on their broadcast time, I do resent being tethered to the screen if I have something else that I could be doing. And don’t get me wrong, I love my DVR, but I’m always forgetting to record shows, or delete old ones ot make room for the new ones, and so on. Best of all, you can just navigate to the site and begin watching; you don’t have to go through the hassle of signing up for anything.

I saw this post at Lifehacker today. It’s just a bunch of random tips to make your life easier, but one of them instructs you on how to install a plugin for Firefox that will automatically skip Hulu commercials.

Anyone out there who is listening: Please ignore that little tip. Do not skip the commercials!

Hulu makes money through those ads. Those ads are the only reason why Hulu continues to remain free. Skipping commercials on Hulu is especially disturbing to me, in light of two recent developments:

1. Disney’s effort to charge people for the privledge of watching their crappy TV shows online.
2. Rumblings, found here, and a few other places that I can’t seem to pin down at the moment, that Hulu may start charging for content in the future.

If Disney proves that they can make money charging online, don’t you think they would consider importing that business model onto Hulu, given they are partners in the venture with the other networks? I’m sure the powers that be would be even more happy to charge us fees if they’re aware that a large number of people are finding ways to work around watching the advertisements present in each show.

All of this talk of ad skipping is especially galling because the ads on Hulu are SO less intrusive than the ones on regular television. There seem to be fewer interruptions for advertising on Hulu, and each interruption is only 15 to 30 seconds. As far as I’m concerned, this is so much more bearable than the long commercial breaks we have to suffer through while watching live. Hulu lets you watch many of your favorite shows, for free, without any special hardware, software, or registration, on your OWN SCHEDULE at ANY TIME. All you have to do is sit through 2-3 minutes of commercials per hour of programming.

It’s encouraging to me that most of the commenters in the Lifehacker post I linked to above share pretty much the same view as I do. I really don’t know if the Hulu business model is a workable one. I sure hope it is. One thing I feel fairly certain of is that if Disney’s experiment with charging fees for watching online content is successful, the free ad-supported Hulu as we know it will probably quickly go down in flames.

In the mean time, though, as end-users, let’s not push it out the door and faster than necessary. Hulu is a great value right now. Don’t skip the commercials; if you do, I promise the networks will try to find another, more painful and inconvenient way of squeezing money out of your pockets.

Stay tuned… Reviews of Drop Dead Diva, Merlin, and In Plain Sight are coming soon