Those New Fall Series....

Alright, it's that time of year. We are almost to the end of September and a good portion of the new Fall Pilots have premiered. So, in effort to let you know what I think is worth watching, here are my general reactions.

Pan Am:
Really enjoyed this. First of all, if you turned the sound off it would still be worth tuning in for because the show is gorgeous. Talk about making use of the HD. And I have a pretty good sense of the characters so far, thanks to a fairly effortless use of flashbacks. The stories seem interesting - spies! romance! girdles! - but I'm interested in how they keep it up without going to far off the grid of Pan Am flights. And will all episodes take place within the plane? My take away: watch it. Or at least DVR (does anyone watch anything live anymore?!). Also, I want a Pan Am bag. And I want to only travel in the 60s as it was obviously so much nicer than travelling now. I didn't hear anyone being charged for anything!!

Terra Nova:
First of all, a confession, I'm only 3/4 of the way through the episode. However, that's enough I think. I like it. Is it my favorite new show? No. Do I fear that it won't be able to keep up with it's self? HELL YES. I also have a million questions, one major one was how isn't this a Butterfly Effect thing, but they explained that this is a different "time stream" that they are entering, so okay. I guess they are just Butterfly Effecting the heck out of another timeline of people, so who cares! Also: why in this main family do all the girls look like the mom (Indian, maybe) and the son only looks like the dad (that dark Irish coloring). Are genetics gender specific in the future? Anyway.... despite my many many questions, and the fact that it looks like "Jurassic Park in the Jurassic Period" I am enjoying it. (Except the son. Do we need another obnoxious, sullen teenage boy on TV.) The action is good. The family dynamics are interesting. And Stephen Lang is the ultimate BAMF. Oh - and there was a shirtless Jason O'Mara doing grunt work in the sun all sweaty. SOLD!

Hart of Dixie:
You can check out my full review of it here. To sum up: I loved it. I needed a good show that wasn't about supernatural things or cops or lawyers or involve an inappropriate amount of violence and sex. It was classic WB-esque (Everwood, Gilmore Girls, Felicity, etc). It's not the best show or the smartest show, but it is just a nice hour of television with actors I love. That's enough for me.

Playboy Club:
First of all, this show is cheesy as hell. There is no denying that. However, I enjoyed it so much more than I expected. My favorite storyline involves Sean Maher (who finally came out yesterday) as a gay man in a sham marriage to a Bunny that is a lesbian. Drama! I love it. Eddie Cibrian is doing his best Jon Hamm voice which is great. He and Amber Heard have crazy chemistry, which makes their scenes enjoyable. (I'm sure Leann Rimes is livid) Overall, it's better than I thought, but if you are already overloaded, not sure if this is the one to pick up.

2 Broke Girls:
The first episode was charming. I have a huge girl crush on Kat Dennings and I enjoyed her on this. Unfortunately, it has a laugh track which may be the worst thing ever. Yes, it's filmed in front of an audience and all that, so there will be the laughter, but it's annoying. I also think it can take nearly a season for actors filming in front of an audience to stop acting like they are in an improv sketch and start acting like they are, well, acting. The second episode took a significant downward turn for me as well since they are already resorting to horse poop jokes. No. This should not be happening. We will see, 2 Broke Girls. We will see.

Ringer:
Sigh, Ringer. I don't know what to do with you. I think the show has so much potential. I love the cast, obviously. And I think SMG is great. But the style, the pacing, the self-aware noir-ness of it all is overwhelming what could be a great dark and twisty drama. I'm hoping it rights itself and gets on track because I want to LOVE it and instead I just find it okay. Of course, I'll be sticking with it though!

New Girl:
I find this show adorable. If you like Zooey Deschanel, than you will probably like this show. If you don't, well, it could go either way. I know people who just don't get her and don't get the show. And I know people who can't stand her and yet find themselves loving the show in spite of that. I think the guys are great and I'm so very very sad that Damon Wayans Jr can't do two shows and stay on as Coach. Also, I came into the series ready to be in love with Max Greenfield's character (Deputy Leo from Veronica Mars!!) but I actually fell in love with Nick, played by Jake Johnson. While I don't think Jess should hook up with any of the roommates, if there is an end game, it should be Jess and Nick. Just saying...

Revenge:
LOVE LOVE LOVE. This is what Ringer should have been. I adore it. Yes, it is a cheesy nighttime soap opera set in the Hamptons, but I don't care. Emily Van Camp is fantastic. Madeline Stowe (who does not age, apparently) is the perfect ice queen. And, sweet lord, Jack is friggin hot. I just think this show has the potential to be so much fun and I enjoyed all 3 viewings of the pilot. If you enjoy a good soap, this is it. My one and only complaint: there is no way on God's green earth that the dog is still alive. It is an adorable idea on the part of the writers, but I've done the math a million ways - that dog should be dead. And if it IS somehow still alive there is no way it is playing fetch in the park and and jumping on people playfully. But, dog issues aside, this may be my favorite pilot so far.

Up All Night/Free Agents
I'm doing these together because they are connected for me. I've only basically talked about them as a pair. Night one: Thought Up All Night was adorable and Free Agents was okay, and would have played better as a dramedy. Night Two: total turn around. I thought the A storyline on Up All Night was horrendous and could barely watch it, thought the B storyline with Maya Rudolph was cute. Free Agents was much more amusing the second night and seemed to have more potential. I'm very curious as to what happens this week. I want to love Up All Night but if it keeps going in the direction of episode two, I don't think I can keep watching.

The Secret Circle
This is the perfect pairing with The Vampire Diaries. It makes the night on The CW complete. Gale Harold is perfect as the evil (but possibly with good intentions...) dad. Britt Robertson is adorable as always, and I enjoy Cassie so much more than the character of Lux. There are some kinks - some of the characters seem more like caricatures, especially Faye who seems like she is just trying to be every cast member of The Craft. Also, question for those who watch: does Diana seem like more of a real villain than Faye to you too? I didn't read the books, so I don't know. If you like CW-fare like TVD, you'll like this. It's a simple jump from one to the other. I just hope TSC finds a way to be as solid as TVD has become.

Charlie's Angels
Oh, how I want to like this show. I looove Minka Kelly. And now Victor Garber is playing Charlie. But I just don't. The acting is horrific. When the first Angel dies.... wow. The fighting is okay. The action sequences are okay. But I just can't get past the script and acting. Yes, it's supposed to be cheesy. But it shouldn't be bad. There is a difference, and it seems they fell on the wrong side of the line. Too bad.

Prime Suspect
Maria Bello is fantastic in this, as if there was ever any doubt. And I adore Kenny Johnson, who plays her boyfriend. He is one of my favorites in everything (The Shield, Saving Grace, Sons of Anarchy). My biggest issue with this show: that for some reason none of the men in her precinct have ever worked with a woman before. Seriously??? In 2011 they have never had to deal with a female detective? I get that in the NYPD women still have to deal with sexism. I'm not that naive. But the level of it was like I was watching a show from 1971 not 2011. Hell, a woman was RUNNING the precinct on Law & Order for nearly twenty years. And this show has a woman being treated like an idiot whore. I want to like the characters (especially Charlie from Fringe) so I'm hoping it evens out in tone a bit. Overall though, it was a really well done show. I'll keep watching.

A Gifted Man
I don't know how I feel about this, to be honest. I love love love the cast. Patrick Wilson. Julie Benz. Margo Martindale. Jennifer Ehle. You can't go wrong with these people. But the pilot seemed a bit uneven and unsure of where they wanted to go. I think mostly because it was a lot of setup. From the first hour I have NO IDEA what kind of show this is going to be. I think I need at least one more episode to make a decision.

Okay, so that's it so far. I still have some I need to catch up on: Unforgettable and Person of Interest come to mind. I will try to write more as other shows premiere.

Still to come: Grimm, Suburgatory (watch that one), Once Upon a Time.

Also, there are some I'm just not watching: Whitney and Last Man Standing for example.

I'll try to do this again for those and, of course, with mid-season replacements.

What did you guys think of everything?

Hi Melissa

Delete me!

Remember when TV was fun?

In the past year or so I've become a lot more active on Twitter. In that time I've met some fantastic TV friends - people that write about Twitter on pop culture websites, have blogs, just love TV, etc. They are all lovely people and they are passionate about their TV. But here's the more important thing, every last one of these new friends are almost always responsible with their TV passion. They are smart, understand how the industry works, and they don't hate on people for not having the same opinions as them. It's lovely. BUT, while this group has been the upside to Twitter, I've also encountered a downside. The haters. The people who endlessly complain about the show they hate and yet continue to watch for some unexplained reason. The people who take precious moments out their day to write vile comments on articles, especially involving "shippers" of certain shows. It is awful to see, and makes me long for the days when we were all allowed to just enjoy our TV without worrying we may bring on the wrath of the haters. So I've decided to come up with five simple rules for watching TV and then choosing to interact with others on the interwebs. Take it or leave it. But I prefer you take it.

Rule 1: Don't Judge a Show by It's Pilot

Listen, all shows are winners right out of the gate. If you think a show may have potential, don't just dump it after one viewing. If you go back and check out your favorite shows, I'll bet you'll find those pilot episodes aren't as good as you remember. They can't all be the first two hours of LOST. Feel free to hate the show after 3 unfortunate eps. Unless the first one is really bad... then chances are it's a goner. Or it's Outsourced and will inexplicably last all season.

Rule 2: One bad storyline does not ruin the whole series

Writers are not magicians - they can't just endlessly roll out perfect storylines. Just because a show falters, does not mean the show is ruined. They can't all be winners. Because you don't like where one storyline is going - or even worse, where you assume it is going - that doesn't mean you have to stop watching the show or spend endless hours complaining about it. Just keep watching and see if it evens out. Or if you don't think it will, please check out my next rule....

Rule 3: If you don't like it, for goodness sake, don't watch it!

This is the worst. I can't tell you how many posts I've read in the last month alone about how people are watching some show they hate and spending their time complaining about how the show is awful and a waste of their time. The show isn't wasting your time, you are by watching it!!! If a show has gone so far off the rails you don't want to deal with it anymore, don't watch! If you think a show is dumb, don't watch! If you hate the person on the show, don't watch! Really, it is not a difficult concept. And if you are suffering from a severe case of FOMO, don't worry, because every single show out there is inevitable being live-tweeted by someone. Plus every show has a recap almost immediately available on at least 5 different websites. I promise, you'll still be in the know if you want to be. And this particular rule does not just apply to scripted series. Please use it for reality shows, singing competitions, talk shows, whatever.... TV is supposed to be fun!!! Don't hurt yourself. Or us by complaining about it.

Rule 4: The TV blogger is not your enemy

Why do people think that every blogger/writer needs to have the exact same opinion as them? And why do people always read non-biased articles as if they are biased? (For example, with Vampire Diaries articles: All Stelena fans think every article is biased in favor of Delena, and all Delena fans think every article is biased in favor of Stelena. Why??) And frankly, even if an article is completely biased, it shouldn't really matter, should it? So what if the writer is hard-core shipping the couple you hate. He/She does not write the show. And, now stick with me here because I know what I'm about to say is pretty insane, but the writer is entitled to their own opinion!! I KNOW! Crazy, right? Take a breath, think about what you want to say and try to phrase it in a way that doesn't sound vaguely like a death threat, mmmkay? Remember Thumper's mom....

Rule 5: Enjoy it

This may seem simple, but it's sort of where all of my annoyance is coming from. If you don't like watching TV anymore, maybe it is time to stop. You are ruining it for the rest of us.


All this being said, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy the snark and sarcasm. It is my first language, after all. But I also don't believe that snark and sarcasm equals hate and vitriol. And if you MUST be nasty in your TV viewing and commenting, be warned. We will mock you openly. Not just for your attitude and incomprehensible comments. We will also mock you for what is inevitably horrendous grammar.

CBS Upfronts: Fall Pilot Previews

So today CBS announced their new line-up. Hey guess what? There are some new cop procedurals to take the place of any they got rid of. I may die of shock. After The Good Wife, I take more of a look at the new stuff CBS has to offer because sometimes it isn't for 60+ people anymore. There isn't a lot on here - they already had a pretty full schedule and didn't make a lot of room for new stuff. There is also only one midseason premiere listed - The 2-2 (a cop procedural!!) which didn't have a clip package. BTW - say the name out loud. Pretty funny name for a serious cop show. 

Alright, let's take a look.

A Gifted Man

Patrick Wilson!! But he doesn't have his shirt off once in this clip package... Boo! I'm sure he will at some point though, so best to tune in. This one seems to be filling the void that Medium and Ghost Whisperer have left - a person who sees someone who is dead. Based on the clips, it is just the one dead person, but who knows where it is going. I may have to give it a shot on Patrick Wilson alone. He is fantastical in every way. Also: Julie Benz.



How to be a Gentleman

Not sure about this one. It looks like if they don't fall into a repetitive joke and allow the characters some growth this could be fun. The cast is full of wonderfully funny people, especially Dave Foley and Rhys Darby. But sometimes I find CBS allows some of their comedies to remain very broad jokes with little movement, and this has the ability to fall into that trap easily. I want the people on it to succeed, so even if I don't watch, I hope it does well.



Person of Interest

Let's see... this show is produced by JJ Abrams (win!), it is written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan's brother and writing partner (win!), and it stars James Caviezel and Michael Emerson (double win!). The concept seems interesting - plenty of room for an underlying mythology but allowing the viewer to focus on a "case of the week." Plus Benjamin Linus talking about special numbers warms my heart that is still very much grieving for LOST. I will be checking this one out for sure.



Two Broke Girls

For those of you who pay attention to my Facebook, you know I have a massive girl crush on Kat Dennings. So obviously, this show has a big plus right off the bat. I think the preview looks okay. Again, like I've mentioned for MANY of the comedies over the past few days, if it can get past the broad strokes in the premiere, it has potential. And for the record - broad strokes in a premiere is not a bad thing. Go rewatch the series premiere of Friends. Ain't exactly the best thing ever. BROAD comedy. So I'll try this one. Again... Kat Dennings.




Unforgettable

I really like Poppy Montgomery. I didn't watch her on Without A Trace because, well, like I've mentioned, I don't really get into the CBS crime procedurals. At all. NCSI Cold Case NY Miami Vegas. Whatever. Not for me. Sorry. But she was in a Lifetime movie I loved. HA! And she has her red hair back. Now, am I going to watch this one? Meh... I don't know. It seems interesting, but I don't know how many more crime dramas I can take on. I will probably give it a try for an episode or two, but if I don't LOVE it.....




And that's it. Thanks CBS for having so few! Tomorrow..... expect me to squeal because CW is up. That's right - Rachel Bilson, Gale Harold and SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR each have a pilot. Get. Ready.

Let me know what you think......

ABC Upfront: Fall Pilot Preview

There a few new series on ABC I have been very excited to see previews for, so I was very happy this morning to finally see these videos. Sad news to come out of this mornings upfronts: Cougar Town on hold til midseason. Boooo. I'll be consoling myself in a Big Carl. While I do that, let's take a look at the new shows ABC has to offer this year.

FALL PILOTS:

Charlie's Angels
Well, this clip shows exactly what you'd expect - girls in tight clothes/skimpy attitude kicking butt and spouting slightly cheesy dialogue. I'm cautiously optimistic for this one. I adore Minka Kelly and the other two girls I've liked in some things too. But it is on opposite The Vampire Diaries, so it will be a DVR show, for sure.



Last Man Standing
I think Tim Allen can be funny. Especially in kids movies - this clip package even manages to work in a Toy Story reference to remind us of that. But this show just comes off as fairly chauvinistic. And more importantly, unfunny. So it's a no for me.



Man Up
I am not sure what in this clip was supposed to make me laugh. But none of it did, soooooo.... again, no. I don't even really know what it is about. Sigh.... (at least ABC still has comedies on the air I enjoy, right?)



Once Upon a Time
This is one I've been very excited for. I love the mix of mythology, fairy tales, fantasy. All of it. Plus it has some great writers on board. The cast is fun (Jennifer Morrison on a show where she will be used appropriately?). And it just seems new and exciting. I hope it doesn't disappoint me.



Pam Am
This series is another Mad Men-esque series, in that it takes place in that same time period. It looks visually stunning, and I'm not just talking about the very pretty faces in the cast. I think it looks like it could be really great. There is intrigue, romance, humor. It is one I wasn't sure about from the description but I'm more sold on now that I've seen the preview.



Revenge
I adore Emily Van Camp and her ridiculously long eyelashes. Not really a fan of Madeline Stowe though, but since she is the villain, I guess that is okay. This show looks like it could be one of those one-season mysteries that never goes beyond the season (Point Pleasant, Harper's Island) but that isn't necessarily a bad thing for me. If it is good and lasts, great. If it only goes a season, it looks like it will be a good ride.



Suburgatory
Two things immediately wrong with this show. 1- In order to keep your kid from having sex you move to the suburbs? Really?? Have you been to the suburbs? 2- The father of the teenager girl is played by Jeremy Sisto. JEREMY SISTO??? Ummmmm...... How old am I??? Sigh. Anyway, it looks okay. But there is no laugh track, so bonus points!



MIDSEASON PILOTS

Apartment 23
Yes. Yes! James Van Der Beek (as himself) and Krysten Ritter. Snarky snarky fun! I like it. I have nothing more to say.



Good Christian Belles
Oh I get it, ABC is deciding to hold off all the funny until midseason! Okay. This one has Chenoweth (!!) and a bunch of other awesome people. But really, after Cheno, what do you need to hear? Oh and the last exchange between Leslie Bibb and Annie Potts - so very very very true. I know from experience.



The River
Someone hold me. Just the trailer alone creeped me out! But man, does it look good. I don't know if I'll be able to watch it alone in the dark, (Just kidding, I KNOW I won't) but I definitely want to watch it. Plus it is another Spielberg outing. That guy must really hate being at home! He has 89479 movies/tv shows coming out this year.





Scandal
Can't tell too much from the clip. But the cast is quality. And it's Shonda Rhimes - but not doctors! I always give anything Shonda a try though. So why not this one. Plus I can hope Henry Ian Cusick calls someone "Brotha." It will make the whole show worth it.





Work It
I'm thinking they must be kidding with this. I'm waiting for Ashton to announce this is the start of Punk'd coming back.





Missing
Soooo.... this one has barely shot anything yet, so the clip package is minimal. So minimal that Ashley Judd is only in it as a narrator. The footage appears to only be of the stunt doubles. While it sounds like it could be good, I think I'll wait to see something real before I actually make any judgments.



Alright, tell me what you think!!

FOX Upfront: Fall Pilot Previews

Fox was up next at the upfronts today, debuting their new shows for the fall and mid-season. Some look like a lot of fun. Plus they are sticking with what they know - Another Deschanel sister, another Hart Hanson (Bones spin-off), another JJ Abrams vehichle. If it ain't broke, right? I left out the X-Factor, because, really... do you not understand what that is? Besides a season long Simon and Paula reunion special, of course.

FALL PILOTS:

Terra Nova:
For the second year in a row, Terra Nova is on the Fox pilot list. But for real this time, it is going to be on TV! It has Jason O'Mara, the bad guy from Avatar and Dinosaurs! Can it really go wrong? Well, sure. But DINOSAURS! Sigh... I'm so a sucker for genre.



The New Girl
Look how cute Zooey Deschanel is! That is basically what I have taken away from this preview. Other things: DEPUTY LEO!! (I love Max Greenfield). And they are going to have to reshoot basically this entire pilot because Damon Wayans Jr is still on Happy Endings (yay!) so look for a new roommate. But I think it looks cute and sweet and I'm interested to see where it goes beyond the pilot.



I Hate My Teenage Daughter
Yeah.... I'm not too impressed by this. I just found most of it annoying. I like Jamie Pressley, and that guy from Desperate Housewives. But nothing in this really stood out.



Allen Gregory
Do you like the Fox animated comedy block? Well then check out this new addition. I think it looks amusing, but I don't normally watch those shows. I think they are funny and often check them out in syndication, so I guess we will see if this one gets that far.



MID-SEASON PILOTS

Alcatraz
Well, if there is a Bad Robot logo, I'm in. That's all it takes, to be honest. I will follow those Bad Robot people anywhere. Literally. I stalk them. So let's see.... JJ Abrams + Jorge Garcia saying the name Jack + references to "the island" + heavy mythology? Ummmm.... Yeah I'm so there. Let's hope Vincent the dog shows up at some point. And in non-LOST news, Parminder Nagra and Sam Neill are great!!



The Finder
I enjoyed the backdoor pilot that aired during Bones a few weeks back, so I will be watching this one while Emily is on her maternity leave. Just in case you didn't see the episode, here is the clip package Fox put together for today's panel made up of scenes from the Bones episode. (PS Saffron Burrows character was not well recieved and she was conspicuously missing today. Not sure if she'll be making it on to the actual show).



Napoleon Dynamite
It's the movie in cartoon form with the voices of the original cast. So there you go.... Not sure if you need anymore information than that! And if that isn't enough for you..... well, you guys are idiots. :)




So there you have it! Let me know what looks good to you and which you are already sick of hearing about. 

More tomorrow!

NBC Upfronts: New Pilot Previews

It's that time of year again. When new TV series roll out their previews in the hopes of being the Next Big Hit come fall. Today, NBC started off the network upfronts with a long list of new shows for the fall and mid-season.
Here are a look at all of them and my first reactions:

FALL PILOTS:

The Playboy Club:
This show has been getting a lot of "Mad Men-esque" comments, which is easy to see. It's in the 60s and there is a lot of smoking and drinking. But while Mad Men is often quiet and understated, this has about 20 girls in the Playboy Bunny outfits and a guy getting killed with a stilleto. So, not so understated. More "Mad Men meets Las Vegas." I'm interested to see it, but wary of the cheese-factor.



Up All Night

This one has me ready to tune in. It's a concept I understand - parenting. And cursing in front of your baby. To be honest, any comedy that beeps out cursing works for me on some level. I'm easy like that. (I miss you, Middleman.) Christina Applegate is effortlessly charming in this - and it is probably easy for her to play a first time mom heading back to work since she is a first time mom heading back to work. Maya Rudolph is always brilliant. Brilliant, I say! And Will Arnett is playing, get this, a guy who is not a total douche! I'm excited, because I love him and it will be nice to actually love his character too. Comedies are hard to judge, but so far, I'm interested.



Free Agents
Ok, before I get to how I feel about this show - it stars, Anthony Stewart Head who played Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, I'm feeling almost obligated to give it a shot. One of my life goals is to have Anthony say something wise and fatherly to me while cleaning his glasses. That being said, I think it looks.....okay. I giggled a few times, but I'm not sure if it is going to bring the funny enough to compete with some of the other amazing comedies out there right now. I think Hank Azaria is very funny, and I'm happy to see Kathryn Hahn in something other than the "best friend" role for once. The concept isn't exactly new (comedies hardly ever are, though) but if it is done right, it could be great. Is this one done right? We'll see, I guess!



Whitney
No. Just, no. First of all, I do not enjoy laugh tracks. Please, show, I'm smart. Don't tell me when I should be laughing. Or worse, "woo-ing" at something that is meant to be sexy. Plus, I just didn't find 95% of this funny at all. I'm not watching.



Prime Suspect
This one I am excited to see. The original series, starring Helen Mirren, was wonderful. Helen, being Helen, leaves incredibly large shoes to fill, and I think Maria Bello is a great choice. She is a subtle actress who can pull off just about anything and hold her own against some actors who often chew the scenery. I also think the large male supporting cast is full of actors that are talented, and I'm excited to see on TV. Here's my worry: playing the "woman being harassed in the boys club" angle too hard. It's 2011, we get it. Being a female detective in the NYPD, especially running Homocide, is a tough gig. I don't expect warm and cuddly, but I don't want it hitting that cliche so hard it gets annoying. I'm also a little sick of cop shows.... But despite that, I will be giving this a shot.



Grimm
This genre show follows the decendent of the Grimm Brothers. He's basically a Winchester now - hunting the demons and such. The cast is good and I love a supernatural/mythology show. Plus, it is produced by a Buffy alum, so of course I will give it a try. But I'm nervous for it - for some reason the fine people at NBC thought it would be a good idea to schedule it in the same time slot as Fringe and Supernatual. Ummmm.... the target audience is already committed to TWO other shows, people! Sigh...



MID-SEASON PILOTS:

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea
My, that title is cumbersome, isn't it? I'm thinking they are going to need to shorten that sucker. AYTVIMC doesn't really roll off the tongue either.... This one has laugh tracks too (boo) and the comedy is broad to say the least. I'm not very interested, despite enjoying several members of the cast. I don't know.... Chelsea Handler is funny, but I don't see myself enjoying this one a lot.



Awake
So this one.... looks like a trip. To sum up, a guy, his wife and his son get in an accident. When he wakes up he is in one reality where his wife survived and his son died. Then he closes his eyes, and opens them to enter a reality where his son lived and his wife died. Cheerful, no? It looks very well done, the cast is full of amazing actors. BD Wong and Cherry Jones, two fantastic actors who have done a lot of theater work, play his two therapists, which is should be wonderful to watch - they will be great at the subtleties of a scenes where there is only dialogue. I'm not sure how this is going to do - shows like this tend to lose viewers quick - but I am definitely curious to see it.



Bent
Meh. I adore Amanda Peet. I think David Walton is cute and funny, but this 4 minute teaser could barely hold my attention. I felt like it was the same, incredibly broad, 2 jokes over and over.



Best Friends Forever
First of all, big blow to this show: Adam Pally's charater will have to be recast because Happy Endings was picked up (YAY!). He is delightful. I think this clip looks pretty lame. I barely laughed. But, it doesn't really show much, so I'm still reserving judgment.



Smash
First of all, no, this is not just another Glee. Yes, there are people singing. But it a completely different show. This is about a Broadway production which is a bit more cuthroat than the world of a high school show choir. I'm excited for this because I am a sucker for anything musical, especially musical theater. And one of the stars, Christian Brole, was in the original cast of Legally Blonde (he was Emmett). I can't wait to hear him sing. Plus Jack Davenport is just dreamy. The funniest thing to me is the last moment says "And Introducing Katherine McPhee." Ummm.... I think we've already been introduced to her on a little show, you  may have heard of it, American Idol. Silly NBC people. (Of course, if this show was about a guy and it starred Taylor Hicks, I think the introducing would have been completely acceptable.)



So.... what do you all think? What will you be watching? What are you absolutely staying away from?

Fox shows up next!

Week in Review: 3/20 - 3/26

So many things are on hiatus right now, I feel like I barely have had enough for a blog recently, but I wanted to make sure to get one out this week! Sorry it's a little late.

As you probably know, I also write for the website, Small Screen Scoop, now. So please click to find out what I thought about Chuck and The Good Wife this week.

Now for the rest....

THE CHICAGO CODE: Who is watching this? I hope a lot of you, because it is seriously quality television. The creator, Shawn Ryan, also created Terriers and The Sheild. This is equally great television. There have only been a few episodes, but I already feel incredibly aware of the characters' personalities, which I think is actually very impressive for a cop show. So often these sorts of shows can not balance the character development with the case of the week. Already every one of them is complex. Even better - the villain, Alderman Gibbons (Delroy Lindo, who is obviously having a ball playing him), is one of those villains you don't just love to hate, but also kind of just love. It's not too late to jump in. Please, watch it! Oh, and if you loved Friday Night Lights (you better!), adorable Matt Lauria who played Luke on FNL is fantastic on this! This past Monday's show was a highlight as he finally stopped letting Jarek walk all over him. Next week I'm not going to beg you to watch, I'll just talk about the episode. So be watching!!!

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: So, when this show first started airing I thought, "Whatever, I'll watch but it will suck." Oh dear, I was wrong. Yes, it is cheesy. (Hello, it's on ABC Family) But it is so drama filled every moment that I can't help but love it. The season finale had me on the edge of my seat every moment. Mostly in suspense (Is Ian dead? Who hit Melissa and Spencer? Why is Fitz's ex suddenly in town? Garrett is evil?) but also in awe of the cuteness that is Spencer and Toby. Does anyone not love them? Their adorableness as they sat in that chair looking out the window was off the charts. I can't wait for June to see what happens next, and to see Hanna's reaction to Caleb's return. Good for Lucas for being awesome and bringing him back.

HOUSE: I have little to say about the whole Huddy/House getting married. I've stopped caring about any of that. However I did actually enjoy the case of the week this week. Two reasons. First, the twist at the end that he was a mini-me to Hannibal Lecter. Fantastic. So often this show is about the happy ending when it comes to the case. Even if the person's wife/husband/kid still hates them, they become a better person and get to live. This guy is probably going to go kill and eat another 13 people. Even though he talked about his mission from God, and being a better person, I think was him just saying what he thought Masters wanted to hear. Speaking of God, here is the second reason I enjoyed this week's case... For those that don't know, Amber Tamblyn, who plays Masters, starred on the show Joan of Arcadia where her character talked to God. The guy who played her boyfriend on Joan was Chris Marquette, this week's patient. Fun, huh?

JUSTIFIED: Finally, Winona gets her nose a little dirty. Not her husband, or ex husband. Turns out it wasn't just a single $100 that Winona took out of the evidence locker, but the whole box o' cash! Things get crazy trying to get the money back in the evidence locker thanks to the feds finding out that one of the bills she took was involved in the robbery from last week. And there is also the whole bomb threat at the court house. But things all work out - except, based on that silent elevator ride at the end, things may get a bit rough for Winona and Raylan in the coming weeks. The other love in Raylan's life, I'm speaking of Boyd Crowder, of course, has a new job at the coal mines - security for the owner of the mines, Carol Johnson (played by Rebecca Creskoff who is fantastic in everything she does! And her hair is also super fabulous). She apparently has some plans, but the Bennett clan is getting in the way. Which leads to what I'm sure will be an amazing episode this week.

GREY'S ANATOMY: So, a lot happened this week. Chief Webber's wife finally admits that she is at the start of alzheimers. April and Stark are.... hanging out. Christina is now basically out of the running because Owen is now in charge of picking Chief Resident. Everyone knows that Lexie and Jackson are together. And having sex everywhere, much to April's chagrin. But really, all of this just led up to Callie and Arizona going to a bed and breakfast to get away for awhile. I must say, sometimes Shonda Rhimes keeps spoilers from the press almost to an annoying degree, but this week was proof that sometimes it is worth it in the end. Until about 90 seconds before they crashed, I had no idea that is where the episode was going. What gave it away? Callie unbuckling her seat belt to get to her cell phone, and then not buckling back up. But still.... should make for another emotional episode this week.

30 ROCK: The episode was funny.... but really all I wanted to point out is there was an iCarly reference. Thank you, Tina Fey.

PARK & RECREATION: How amazing is Ron Swanson? He is always the one that brings Leslie Knope back to being Leslie Knope. His pep talk to her when she couldn't come up with an idea of what to do with the profits of the Harvest Festival, and then locking her in a room (with an ungodly amount of cats!) so she could get some rest. Of course, after that she came up with a myriad of ideas. I also loved that there was another Ben/Leslie moment. He is in constant awe of her, and it is adorable. Adam Scott is a fantastic straight man on this show full of crazy characters. The romance between the two characters is a slooooow burn, but it has to be. She is too busy being the best parks and rec employee known to man. And he is busy trying to figure her out. Whatever the case, I'm enjoying it. Never leave Pawnee, Ben.

COMMUNITY: Ever the meta show, Community took on 3 completely random pop culture references in this episode focused on Abed's birthday. First, there is Pulp Fiction- Jeff tries to get Abed to head to the diner Britta works at for a surprise Pulp Fiction themed party. It doesn't go well for Jeff because, unbeknown to him, Abed has placed him in the middle of another themed party - one where the two reenact My Dinner With Andre. If you didn't realize how good of an actor Danny Pudi is before, I hope you did in this episode as he played Abed on a completely different level. A level which included the third pop culture reference - Cougar Town. I don't know what inspired this incredibly in depth ode to CT or why NBC allowed it, but thank goodness they did. It was marvelous. For those that watch CT it was probably a bit more entertaining (you should watch it, btw) but even if you don't... well, Abed is just funny. I'll be honest, it wasn't my favorite episode of the show. BUT, it was funny. (My favorite random line: Troy calls wine "no no juice") Really - I'm just looking forward to the clip show and Modern Warfare 2.

THE OFFICE: As you know if you've been reading this regularly, I haven't been as thrilled with The Office recently. It has had its moments, but I haven't felt it has been at the same level as some of the other comedies on TV. BUT... this week it was actually my favorite of the Thursday night lineup. Something that hasn't happened in a loooong time. It had all the components of a classic episode:
-Jim and Pam had a sweet moment - he admitted he was scared when he proposed. Aw!
-Dwight thinks he is being clever, and then Jim plays a prank on him. This time involving magic beans, naturally. The best part of this was Jim's heel click in delight as he switches out the plants during the closing.
-Kevin acts dumb, but isn't. I totally want that Dallas board game, by the way!
-Pam saves Michael from something stupid (no one should give that man matches) and gathers the office together to help him. Because they are a family. Which brings me to the end....
Did anyone not cry like a school girl during the proposal. From the tour of all of their moments in the building to everyone else asking Holly to marry them first to the room full of candles, which subsequently set off the sprinklers. So friggin sweet. And then his announcement, which only people that have been living under a rock are surprised by - he is going to Colorado with Holly. And so begins the goodbye for Michael and the hunt for a new manager. (PS looking like it's Will Ferrell. Good move. Only way to keep this show going after Carrell leaving is to replace him with someone that will be a big draw.)

FRINGE: The people that make this show are torturing me. At first we were shown the other side people as if they were the enemy of sorts. Coming to our world to destroy it. But now we have grown to see they are not all that way. Altlivia, Other Charlie, Linc. I love them. But we also know that it's either us or them. Please don't let this happen. It needs to be fixed. This week Linc told Altlivia he loved her as she gave birth to her and Peter's baby. (Notice the baby wore red and blue - the colors of both worlds, if you pay attention to the credits) Walternate apparently tried to have the baby taken out of her after speeding up her pregnanct. Walternate may not use children in experimentations, but he is still a bit evil! This show always keeps me guessing and I can't wait for more. Things I really want to see: more Linc from our side (and for Olivia, not Bellivia to meet him), to meet our side's Henry. I hope he is as awesome as the one over there!

Ok, that's it for this week. Hope to have this done earlier next week! No Chuck this week, but be sure to look for my Good Wife recap on Small Screen Scoop and soon I will hopefully be writing about Cougar Town!

Comment away, please!

Recent Happenings

I haven't blogged in a couple weeks. Perhaps you noticed? Main reason was that my mom had surgery, so for the past couple my DVRs have been incredibly full and I've been playing catch up. Instead of writing about things that happened two weeks ago, I just took a break. Next weekend I will be back to normal. Well, I won't be normal, that never happens. But my blog should be back.

In the meantime something very exciting happened - I got a job! Well, "job" is probably a stretch being that I don't get paid. I am doing what I love, though, so I am very happy. In addition to this blog you will be able to catch my recaps for Chuck and The Good Wife over at Small Screen Scoop. And here you can find my first piece - a recap of this past Monday's Chuck. I'm hoping to write more as time goes on. And maybe I will be able to bring my SYTYCD recaps that I did on this blog last summer over there where more people will actually read it!! :)

(BIG HUGE thanks to Jessica Rae for needing writers and letting me fill one of those spots! LOL!)

I will still be here doing my thing, and I will link to my SSS stuff here as well. And if you can, PLEASE give me some comments and feedback over there. It would be so nice.

In the meantime, I'll be mourning the lack of television during these weeks of post-February sweeps. (No CW til mid/end April??? WHAT?)

Thanks for your support friends!

Week in Review: 2/6-2/12

It has been a crazy week in TV. This week a few shows returned from hiatus. A few new shows finally hit the airwaves. And as for the regular shows I watch every week - well a few of those hit some highs as well. I'm still catching up on the week, as always, so sorry if your favorite show is missing! And please remember, I will tell plot points in here. So if you want to watch the show and haven't, don't read that part of the post.


GLEE (Times Two!): Two episodes of Glee aired this past week. First there was the much talked about Post-Superbowl Thriller episode. To be honest, it was okay at best. Thriller was pretty good but I was annoyed with the direction of it. I wanted to see more of the choreography and less of the stylized shots of individuals. I'm also not thrilled with the way the bully's storyline is going. Or at least the direction of it in that episode- they made it like Kurt and Blaine were cheering him going onto the field. Yes, congrats for not being completely crippled in your inability to admit your gay. But I think they could have handled that better. Brittany was hysterical though, "I don't want to die until One Tree Hill gets cancelled." Dear Brit, bad news. It was cancelled. Please don't die. Love, Everyone. Two days later Glee got back to what it is good at - the fun personal stories. This Valentine's day episode was very good. Highlights: Finn giving Rachel the necklace proving that he isn't always a complete ass. Kurt, Rachel and Mercedes friendship. This threesome seem to have come out of nowhere when Kurt transferred, and I pray that Ryan Murphy doesn't ruin it because he "got bored." I love them. And speaking of Kurt the hightlight of the episode for me was how well he handled the Blaine thing. It reeked of a moment where Kurt was going to go all crazy and whiny, but he didn't. It was my favorite Kurt moment.

CHICAGO CODE: Shawn Ryan is someone I count on to create quality TV. The Shield and Terriers were two of the most brilliant shows to hit the airwaves, in my opinion. When I saw he had something new, I was watching without question. I hope you all did too. I believe there are way too many cop shows on TV nowadays, I almost never start watching new ones, but this is smarter than anything I've seen in a long time. Instead of spelling it out you had to actually pay attnention to understand the story. Novel idea! I loved the use of the flashback montages, made even better when they used it to lure you into submission just before Antonio got shot. The audience became invested in this character and the fact that he was giving you a flashback said "care about this guy" and then it was taken away mid-sentence. I yelped. Loud. I am excited to see where this goes. And fall more in love with Jarek. What a fantastic character!!

THE GOOD WIFE: First of all, Cary wasn't on, so ultimately I was a little disappointed because I look forward to that Matt Czuchry smile. But other than that, this episode was fantastic. While the case pitted Alicia against Michael J Fox's character once again - always a delight - the real plot movement came from the discovery that Bond has been monitoring the computers of several people at Lockhart/Gardner. Alicia, Will, Kalinda, Diane and David working together almost like a spy team to undermine Bond has been extremely entertaining. I love how they are having as much fun with this as they are with any case they are working on. Plus it led to the most adorable low five in the history of low fives between Will and Diane. So cute. I don't know how the writers manage to balance so many storylines (case of the week, Will and Tammy, Alicia/Will/Peter triangle, Peter's campaign, Cary at State's Attorney, Kalinda/Blake, Bond takeover, etc) without the viewers ever feeling overwhelmed or that they aren't getting enough about any storyline. The writers at The Good Wife are magic.

JUSTIFIED: I feel like I could spend an hour just sitting at the computer gushing over the second season premiere of this show. It was perfection. It took season one's developments and transitioned it so seemlessly into season two's major story arc - The Bennett Family. Instead of going huge with the season opener, they just played it the same level as always. The show rides a fine line between overwhelming intensity and soothing calmness, much like the character of Raylan himself. I honestly don't know what to say except this is one of the best hours of television you will watch every week. I hope you are all paying attention to it. And if not, why??? My favorite moment of this week's episode (and it was a hard decision to make): Raylan standing at the car of Jimmy Earl Dean (three first names = bad guy), a child molester with a kid in his trunk. JED went into the gas station market and when he comes out and sees Raylan he assumes Raylan is stealing gas to which Raylan responds, "Yes. I'm stealing gas. I don't know why I do it. It's not like I can't afford it." Seems silly, but the delivery was the greatest. Watch this show.

MR. SUNSHINE: I will forever love Chandler Bing, so I felt I had to watch this. I also really like the supporting cast, especially Allison Janney. The pilot was okay. I'll reserve judgement for an episode or two and I'll get back to you.

BONES: Six months ago I never thought I would say this, but I'm going to miss Hannah. Did I want her to say yet to Booth? No. Of course not. But man did I love Hannah and Breannan together. I think she offered a sort of friendship to Brennan that Angela couldn't. Kathryn Winnick (Hannah) is gone for now, and while I hope this will eventually lead to Bones and Booth getting together, I still want Hannah to come back. For Brennan. And as for Booth - how amazing was David Boreanaz in those last couple scenes. For the first time in 6 years of Bones I saw Angel when DB was on screen. I think his acting in those scenes made me realize just how good he is all of the time on the show. I realized I NEVER see Angel when I watch Bones. Well done. Now, let's get Booth and Bones back on track!

PRIVATE PRACTICE: So, this isn't a show I normally blog about. I watch it and generally enjoy it, but it isn't one that inspires much in me to feel the need to discuss it. But this week the last 10 minutes were huge for me. First, the Charlotte/Lee storyline. I love the (general) end of that story arc. Lee will get what he deserve and Charlotte can finally move on. But, because I enjoy discussing the wonderful acting ability of anyone from the Whedonverse apparently, I was mostly in awe of Nicholas Brendon's acting in that final scene. Lee's words were defiant and strong towards Charlotte's threats, and he attempted to keep his face stoic and strong as well, but he faltered just slightly, and in his eyes you saw the fear and sadness. So wonderful on the part of NB. If you haven't watched Buffy, first, WTF is wrong with you (LOL), and second, do. And when you get to the season three episode, The Zeppo, you will see why this bit of acting was not a surprise to me at all. The second part of PP that stood out to me, obviously, was the suicide of Addison's mom, Bizzy. For those who watch it, and please be honest, did you see that coming? I was screaming at my TV for Addison not to leave because I knew. It was wonderfully played by both actresses, and I commend Shonda Rhimes for how true to life (trust me) that final scene between the two played out.

And on that cheerful note, I'm done for the day. I know... I left out pretty much all the comedies this week. They were all friggin adorable as always. Also, and I feel I should say this weekly, I love Joel McHale. Also missing: Fringe. Haven't watched, but I do know the big twist. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it, so I'm holding off on commenting for at least a few episodes.  I could also comment on all the CW, but that would be ridiculous to do every week..... LOL.

Comment away!

Week in Review: 1/30-2/5

Well, this is a day late because I had such a busy weekend! Sick kid, Legally Blonde, Super Bowl! But here is a look at some of the highlights of last week. (Side note: I am still catching up on some of the shows from last week. So if you think something was extra super awesome and I didn't include it, there is a pretty good chance I just haven't watched it yet!)

DOWNTON ABBEY: Alright, admit it. You are sick of me pushing the Masterpiece shows on you. But I have to because they are amazing. Over the past month Masterpiece Classic on PBS has aired Downton Abbey, a mini-series that originally aired on BBC back in jolly ol' England last year. It was one of the greatest 6 hours of programming I have ever sat through. Sometimes I think that those "takes place in a big castle with lots of rich people" movies can be a bit stuffy (though I always still like them) but this was not stuffy in the slightest. It looked like a period peice but the storylines played out like a CW drama. Backstabbing, sex, death, cover-ups, angsty love - all of it is there. I honestly can't recommend it highly enough. And you may be saying, "Oh well, it's already aired. Sorry Melissa." But that's not an excuse - it's already on DVD. Don't want to buy it? Request it at your local library. Librarians love this kind of stuff! But please watch it and tell me if you do! Join me on being Team Bates. And even better! They are starting production on season 2 next month!! So catch up before it airs on PBS next January.

BEING HUMAN: This show is simply a lot of fun. The characters are all interesting. Least intersting to me is Sally, the ghost. She just seems kind of whiny. But I'm hoping her new abilities give her character a boost. She does have great interaction with Aiden and Josh though, and I love her more when they are in the room. Josh is by far my favorite character. I'm not sure where the show is ultimately heading - is there a big bad? Besides the always delightful Mark Pelligrino, of course. Is there going to be more mythology? Because if it is just "we are going to be found out" drama every week, it could get old. But as for now, I'm on board.

COUGAR TOWN: Excuse me while I drown my sorrows in a Big Carl size glass of wine. My favorite friends on the Cul de Sac crew are going away for 10 whole weeks (!!!) while Courteney Cox's former TV hubby, Matthew Perry takes her time slot with his show, Mr. Sunshine. More on that next week. For now, let us bask in the funny that was Cougar Town's Valentine's Day episode. If Jules and Grayson ever broke up I think I would liquify. They are beyond adorable. Besides I appreciate a guy that deals with the crazy because, hello, look at me! While I thought the Love and Anger circles were hysterical, and very Scrubs-esque (always a good thing), my favorite moment lies with Ellie and her disgust with the neighbors that still have their Christmas decorations up on February 14th. I second your call for their death, Ellie. It's just plain lazy. Although this a comedy, so there can't be a killing spree. Instead just a glorious bonfire in the street made up of everyone's decorations. A beautiful image to hold me over for the next ten week. (sob)

PARENTHOOD: I'm not sure if it is just me, but I find Kristina to be the most unlikeable character on almost any TV show. She is just a completely self-righteous pain in the ass. Just when I start to think she isn't so bad, BAM, she does something obnoxious again. How does the completely loveable and adorable Peter Krause aka Adam stay married to that woman? I get being stressed out about your teenage daughter's love life. I get being afraid she is going to get hurt. But she CAN NOT LIVE IN A BUBBLE! Your kid will never learn if you don't let them make at least one mistake. And this mistake, if it is one, is hers to make. Let it go. Even your husband isn't siding with you anymore. Goodness. And putting that picture of the family in the suitcase you bring Haddie... well, Amber put it best, "Ew. So manipulative." Rant over.

THE OFFICE: I haven't watched most of NBC comedy this week. But I did watch this. While I haven't been loving this show as much recently (WHERE THE EFF IS JIM?!) I do love Michael and Holly. And the gag of having Holly do everything Michael did without even trying is perfection. Everyone knows they are soulmates, and that bit was a beautiful way of solidfying that. Even shockingly hateful Erin had to smile at them kissing on the roof. (Apparently the roof is where all sweet moments happen on The Office)

SUPERNATURAL: Ok, let me get this out......SAAAAAMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!!! Ahem. Sorry. After the first half of the season it was just so wonderful to see Sammy walk into the room and give his big brother a hug. I got a little misty. Also, somehow having his little brother back made Dean even cuter. And funnier - see the "sword in the stone" scene. Still laughing over that one. Also funny - Dean reading the girls diary. Or it is creepy if you are Sammy. Despite Dean not wanting Sam to find out what happened over the past year and a half, Castiel ends up telling him. Really need to make sure everyone gets that memo, Dean. So now we need to worry about that wall Death put up. But in the mean time, I'm just enjoying having my boys back together. (Bobby, get over it!) And now we have a new Buffy-esque Big Bad: Mother. And boy, does she seem scary. Lillith, who?? And one last side note: why is the "obviously not really a virgin character" was named Melissa? Really?? Sigh.....

Alright.... what did you love this week. Yes, I know, Community. I'm going to watch it right now, okay?? What else? What are you looking forward to this week? Valentine's Glee is tomorrow! Blaine and Kurt forever.....

CHUCK: Chuck Versus the Push Mix

I wasn't planning on doing any blog for individual shows. I honestly barely remember to do the weekly blog. But last night's episode of Chuck was such a wonderful episode, that I feel compelled to give it a shout out separate from the Week in Review. Josh Schwartz showed with this episode that he appreciates the loyal fan base and that he is willing to ultimately give them what they want. And guess what other show runners - that is not necessarily a bad thing, despite what some of you may think! Happy characters don't always mean a boring show.

So, instead of doing a regular recap. I'm going to list the top 10 thing I loved about last night's episode of Chuck.

10. Jeffster. Yep, Jeffster. Listen. I am not always on board with these two. Are they amusing? Usually. But sometimes they are simply grating. But having them sing "Push It" over the loud speaker while Ellie was, in fact, pushing, was so wrong that I couldn't help but laugh. Plus, Ellie and Casey's reactions were worth any of the awkwardness that came from Jeff and Lester grinding with pregnant ladies.

9. Volkoff didn't die. I'll get to the mission itself in a minute, but I loved that it didn't end with Chuck (or anyone else, for that matter) killing Volkoff. While I'm sure Mama Bartowski would have loved to pull the trigger on him (Chuck does need to explain those tranq guns), as a viewer, I'm excited to still have Timothy Dalton on the list of possible villains that could resurface. Perhaps with Shaw? How cute would Bond and Superman be together?

8. Casey and Alex. I'm a sucker for a good father/daughter moment, since it's one I don't get to have anymore in reality. Alex has been a very peripheral character since she was introduced, which I understand. Just how many more regular folk can the General give top level security clearance too? But I hope the father/daughter (and Morgan!) moments in this ep lead to more Alex. I think she has a lot to offer this group. And we need a regular person back on the scene, now that Morgan gets to go on the "climactic missions." Speaking of....

7. Morgan Grimes, mission ready. While Morgan has proved to be an important fourth member to Chuck's team, he has never really been invited to be part of the missions in any capacity that requires him to leave the Castle. And yet there he was in his wet suit on the Contessa doing yoga moves to get through the laser-ridden hallway. Sure he may be a bit of a doofus, but he managed to come through in the clutch and helped to save the day instead of just screwing up and ruining the plan - something I honestly expected would happen.

6. Devon Woodcomb, not always Awesome. Captain Awesome has shown a few cracks in his Awesomeness over the past season or two. He can't lie. He's not exactly mission ready yet. And apparently, he is prone to panic attacks at big life moments. Like when his wife is having a baby. He has an incredible plan that crumbles because he doesn't have a "Push Mix" CD. And he spends Ellie's entire labor in freak out mode. But once Casey has a talk with him (which I will get to next) he calms down and is there for Ellie when it counts. And when he holds his adorable baby daughter for the first time he captures the moment in a way that is entirely fitting for the character, "Awesome."

5. John Casey, Unlikey Voice of Reason. In the first two seasons I think Adam Baldwin barely gave more than a few unhappy grunts in every episode. But in this season especially he has become the unlikey heart of the show. He convinced Chuck not to give up on Sarah and to propose and even helped Morgan with the ultimate romantic sub-mission proposal. And in this episode he proved that he really is family to Devon and Ellie as well and helped Devon to realize he was about to miss the most important moment in his life thus far. Who would have guessed 4 years ago that Casey would have been the guy to turn to for life advice? And that he would always give it so eloquently? Now that is what I call character development.

4. Mama Bartowski. There were several ways we could have ended the Volkoff story when it came to Linda Hamilton's Mary Bartowski. She could have died, like Dad, but that would have been pretty upsetting. She also could have just gone back into the night, never to be seen again. Or immediately sent on another mission for the CIA. But instead she was there for her daughter, finally, after 20 years. Able to see her first grandchild born. Poor Ellie is always alone and in the dark on this show and unsure why the things around her are happening, she deserved the win, and I'm glad they allowed Mary to be there to give that to her.

3. Orion wins in the end. When Scott Bakula's character, Steve Bartowski (or Orion) died, it was an emotional moment for the series that I think worked really well at the moment. But I have to say I am now regretting (and I bet the writers are too) not being able to give him a reunion with Mary. He worked so hard to find her and to take down Volkoff, so to allow his computer to be the defining aspect of Volkoff's demise, well, that felt like the perfect closure for Chuck and his father. Even if Orion wasn't there for Frost in person, it felt like he was there in spirit. If I mission end could ever be labeled as beautiful, it would be this one.

2. No one really screwed up. If there is one thing that I have ever really had a problem with on this show it is the need to have Chuck screw up all the time. He is a solid spy now, and is incredibly good at his job. No longer is he the dorky kid who would never stay in the car and always mess things up. So to allow CHUCK to be the one to come up with the mission plan and to execute it in a way that allowed everyone a moment to shine and do they jobs well....well, I honestly couldn't ask for anything more. Except....

1. The Proposal. Man, it has felt like Chuck has been carrying around that ring FOREVER. How many almost proposals have their been this season? All so elaborate and beautiful. So to have him propose in a hospital hallway while the janitor is 20 feet away with the floor cleaner was incredibly smart. Especially because we couldn't hear it. As soon as he looked at Sarah, you knew what was going to happen. We didn't need to hear what he said. We know what he said. Not just the "will you marry me" but all the rest as well, because if the writers have done one thing to perfection it is to allow their loyal viewers to truly understand the character of Chuck. You completely understand the level of love he has for Sarah, and this season you finally got to see how much she reciprocates those feelings. In an episode that allowed for everyone to have their happy ending, this moment topped them all. Thanks, Josh Schwartz - it seems your coal heart isn't entirely coal afterall.

Week in Review: 1/23-1/29

Things I've learned this week: I am far to invested in televisions shows aimed at people at least 10 years younger than me. Also, I know how to pick actors that are awesome early in their careers. And by saying "I know," I mean that Joss Whedon knows because my highlights of last week come from two shows starring (swoon-worthy) Whedonverse actors. Let's get started.

CASTLE: This episode was huge. Major. In case you didn't see, and why wouldn't you, Castle and Beckett kissed. Sure, it was to throw off a security guard, but we all know that they felt something beause, well, the love each other. For me, the kiss wasn't even the biggest moment. The most important moment of the show was the converstation between Castle and his mom. Mom worried for him because the case involving the murder of Beckett's mom was getting very dangerous and she pointed out that he didn't need to be there anymore because he had more than enough research to write a whole series of Nikki Heat books. But as we all know, and Castle finally admitted out loud, it's not about the books for him anymore. And while he didn't specify what that meant, it seemed to be as much about his relationship with Beckett (they acknowledged he is her partner, and not just the "plucky sidekick") as it is about the work itself. He is beneficial to every case he participates in, and he enjoys doing it. He wants to do the work. Now if only they would get him licensed to carry a friggin gun!

GREEK: I realize most of you don't watch this, so I'm probably writing this for myself, but this was my favorite episode possibly ever of the series. The show mostly focuses on Casey and Rusty Cartwright, a sorority girl and her little brother who both go to school at ficitional college, CRU. The show mainly deals with their issues and the people that immediately surround them. One of the secondary characters, Beaver, a frat brother of Rusty and Casey's main loveinterest, Cappie, is normally just around to serve as comic relief. This week, the entire episode was Beaver-centric. He was in almost every scene. He even "sang" the opening credits, which is normally just a ten second musical ditty over the title card (a la Grey's Anatomy). There are no lyrics so he just said "Greek, greek greek, greek, greeeeeek" a bunch of times to the tune. I don't think it translates well to this blog, but trust me - it was adorable. The show only has about 7 more epsiodes and I think the saddest part to that is that it took 4 1/2 seasons to get to this episode where we discovered the idiot frat boy, Beaver, was actually a thoughtful and sweet man. I hope we see more before this series is gone.

SOUTHLAND: Oh boy. After the opening segment (which always takes place at the end of the day for the episode) I knew it was going to be a tough one. Watching Shawn Hatosy sit a cry in a hospital waiting room covered in blood was enough to tell us what was about to happen - his partner Nate, played by Kevin Alejandro was going to die. It was so hard to rewind the 20 hours to the morning and see Nate having a moment with his family, wishing he would pay more attention to the goodbyes, because he didn't realize those would be the last moments he would have with his family. What is worse is the case they had for the day dealt with a man who was shot and killed in front of his kids while picking up a birthday cake for his son. And the way his character died - a blow to the back of the head by a gang member. It was unexpected so SO horrifying. If only he hadn't gotten out of the car.... I know why his character died - Alejandro is very busy in New Orleans on True Blood and season 4 is the "Season of the Witch" and being a brujo, or male witch, on the show he is in high demand over there. The travelling was a lot. But still.... I loved Nate. And his partner was already on the edge. It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out for the rest of the season.

THE CW: Well, due to lots of reasons (none very clear) Supernatural (and Smallville) didn't air this week. But everything else was back, so I'll talk about that. First, Gossip Girl. Lots happened, and to be honest, all of them paled in comparison to the glory that is Blair and Dan. I don't care if they ever get together romantically (I'm still pulling for Nate and Dan, honestly) but more scenes of the two of them are always welcome. They are the two smartest characters on the show and their banter is perfection. Excited for their internship to start this week. One Tree Hill was super sweet this week, and that made me happy. Sure their Hangover-esque storyline was incredibly silly (hello, Dave Navarro!) but it finally brought Alex a moment of humanity. Usually she is just a pain, but I have to say I actually liked her this week. I'm sure she'll will ruin it at the wedding. And then there was Hellcats - thank goodness Marti/Savannah are already on the mend. I was only going to be able to stand so much of the ousting Marti storyline. But I miss Dan and his hair. Best of all this week (as always): The Vampire Diaries. Remember when Elena was the stupid girl who kept saying, "I can't deal with vampires. wah wah wah." ? I think I've finally started to let it go. She was great with Rose (if not a little stupid) and handled Damon so well. Not happy Jules finally talked to Tyler. That isn't going to go well. This show had so many twists and turns in the last 5 minutes (Uncle John/Dad! Damon going evil-ish!) I don't even know where we will be going next week. But I know that either way, I can't wait!

BONES: Poor, poor Sweets. That is the theme of the episode. First he gets taken down, psychologically speaking, by the Gravedigger in what turned out to be her last 5 minutes on Earth. Of course she would manage to destroy someone right before dying! Watching down and out Sweets for most of the episode was possibly one of the saddest things ever on the show. He is always such a strong, if not sometimes childish, man-boy. But thankfully Caroline was there to help him through it in the way that only she can. I don't think I've enjoyed Caroline as much as this since the time she made Booth and Bones kiss. (God bless her) The greatest outcome of the Gravedigger being killed: that Max was a suspect, natch, and showed up to claim his innocence. Max is fantastic. He was genuinely disappointed that Bones and Booth aren't together yet (Get in line, pops) even tho his relationship with Booth his difficult to say the least. Even better - he brings out Brennan's innocence. The girl of logic and science allowed herself to believe in the magic of hearing the ocean in the conch shell that Max gave her before he left. And of course that didn't go unnoticed by her meant-to-be love, Booth, who is down and out dealing with the new long-term Big Bad, The Sniper. I can't wait to see where that story goes.

Alright, that's what I've got this week. What did you enjoy this week? Oh, and yes, I am watching Idol. But I hate commenting on auditions, because I really don't feel like paying enough attention to the names or any of that. I'll comment more when we get to know actual contestants. But how creepy is Steven Tyler. Enjoyable and creepy. :)

Week in Review:1/16-1/22

Alright, so let's do this blog thing again, shall we? Before I get started there are a few things I want to put for those that are new to the blog, or have forgotten my rules. First: there will be spoilers in my blog. My rule: if it aired last night, then this morning it isn't a spoiler any more. If I know what happens on tonights Castle and I tell you that is a spoiler. But if I tell you what happened on Hawaii Five-0 last night that is not a spoiler. Got it? If you haven't seen the episode and don't want to know what happens, simply skip the part were I talk about that episode! I label each entry in bold. Mmmm kay? Moving on. Also - I will not be talking about every show I watch every week because, well, I just don't have that kind of time on my hand. I'm going to try to keep it to 5-10 shows, but honestly closer to 5. If I've been skipping something you like for several weeks and you know I watch it, let me know and I'll try to include it. Also, for certain shows, if I know something big is coming this week, I probably won't talk about last week's episode (this means, Bones, Erin. This week is the Gravedigger/Sniper ep, so no talking about the faux purses from last week! LOL). Alright... now that we've got all that out of the way, let's get to the good stuff!

CHUCK: Josh Schwartz is an evil evil man. Finally, Sarah is ready for Chuck to propose. So ready that she helps Morgan and Casey with their "Help Chuck Propose" sub-mission while at the vineyard. And what happens? She gets arrested for treason as a way to get her undercover to take down Volcov and rescue Mama Bartowski. Super sweet of her, but come on!! However, I appreciate this over the "Sarah isn't ready" storyline. Except I hear a new hot agent is coming to fill in for Sarah. Please oh please don't let her be a problem. Chuck always loves Sarah first. You hear me, Schwartz? But no matter what happens with Chuck and Sarah at least we have one of my favorite odd couples going strong: Morgan and Casey. I'm excited for tonight - Casey dies (yeah right) and Linda Hamilton is back!

HOUSE: Good news: Candice Bergen is fantastic as Cuddy's mom. You wanted to hit her, but in a good way. Coming from a Jewish family, I felt a sense of deja vu during the dinner scene. No one does not-so-passive agressive like a Jewish mother. I hope we see more of her. Bad news: Every week I love Amber Tamblyn's character more. Why is this bad news? Because she is done at the end of the season. So upset, not just because I love her but because I don't love Olivia Wilde or Thirteen. I think Amber fits in better and I hope that the reason she is leaving is because she has something great coming up.

LIFE UNEXPECTED: In a few more entries I am going to go on a rant about the series finale of Medium. However this show was given about 5 minutes to come up with a series finale and did an amazingly beautiful job. Not only did everyone get a happy ending, but none of it seemed contrived. Thank you thank you Liz Tigelaar for allowing these characters to shine in the last hours of your underappreciated show. It was a wonderful two seasons, I will honestly miss them and Lux's hats.

LIGHTS OUT: I am struggling with this show. First of all, let me say it is brilliant. Truly, a perfectly written, acted and directed show. But it is heartbreaking. And I don't mean, "oh, that's kind of sad" sort of heartbreaking. I mean, "rip your heart out and stomp all over it" kind of sad. I literally watch it with my hand over my mouth, shaking my head in horror at the sadness of it all. I have enough to bring me down in my real life, I find myself wondering why I bother watching this at all. But like I said it is truly brilliant. If you can get through the depression, I recommend it very highly. And I don't like boxing at all, if that is what is turning you off from the show.

USA NETWORK ORIGINALS: Another season of shows has begun on USA. Two returning favorites, White Collar and Royal Pains, and a new series, Fairly Legal. First the returning shows: White Collar is on fire. The bromance between Neal and Peter is strong as ever. And Hilarie Burton as bad ass insurance chic, Sarah, is a great match for Neal. Glad they are giving the guy a possible love interest - it is time to start moving on from Kate. Royal Pains was a lot of fun, and if they hints that Hank and Jill may get back together are for real, then even better. My only complaint: end the Divya madness. We know she isn't going to really move to London, so let's get over that nonsense. Now the new one... Fairly Legal is a prime example of why USA's logo is Characters Welcome. Like many other shows on this network, it really isn't about the storylines, it is about the characters. And the lead on this show, Sarah Shahi is as charming as any of the other pretty boys on this network. Plus Michael Trucco as her ex(-ish) and and Ethan Embry as her brother are two of my favorites and so happy I will see them on a weekly basis. Add in the Wizard of Oz ringtones and a Buffy the Vampire Slayer watch, and I'm sold!

NBC COMEDY NIGHT: PARKS AND REC IS BACK!!!! If you aren't watching this, well, you are missing out. I don't always like when new people come in to a show that I already love because I'm afraid that they will mess with the dynamic, but I can't believe I ever liked this show without Adam Scott and Rob Lowe as Ben and Chris! They bring a wonderful new level of quirkiness to the show. Can't wait to see what is coming this season in Pawnee. The Office was ok (I miss you, Jim) but my favorite part was Erin. She is an odd girl I can't quite get a handle on. But her comments about being happy no matter what happens with Michael and Holly were awesome, if not the least bit frightening. Community.... oh Community. I could just list everything that was awesome about this epsiode but the hightlights were the Cosby sweater reference and the bait and switch ending. Possibly best bait and switch ever. And 30 Rock.... Liz and Jack married has brought me so much joy I can't even put it into words. Truly a brilliant plot twist (if only for one episode). Perfect Couples isn't that fantastic, but my overwhelming girl crush on Olivia Munn has me watching. I'll follow her anywhere.

FRINGE: How heartbreaking are Peter and Olivia? Seriously. So very very heartbreaking. But as much as it hurt me to watch them struggle after the whole Altivia thing, I applaud the writers for making it so beautiful and true to the tone of the show. I've recently had to defend this show to some people in my Science Fiction class who gave up after the first few episodes. This episode makes me glad that I defended it so strongly. The characters have grown and changed over the past several years. I constantly find myself surprised where it goes, and frightened about what each development means. The observers messing with "destiny," if you will, was very unnerving and I'm so anxious to see what it means. Oh, and I hope that Olivia and Peter work it out, because I am a sucker for a happy ending. Although if the rumors I'm hearing about Altivia are true....well.... it seems more and more unlikely we'll be seeing an Olivia and Peter happy moment in the near future.

MEDIUM: I was a casual fan of this show. I loved the marriage of Allison and Joe DuBois. Before Coach and Tami Taylor came along on Friday Night Lights, Allison and Joe were my favorite married couple on TV. Joe was a saint. But I always had issues with the series - why after 7 years did no one take Allison's dreams seriously? And why after 7 years did Allison not realize that her dreams were always changing and to never take them (the first one especially) at face value? Despite this, I enjoyed the show, especially the family dyanmic and the relationship of Allison, Davalos, Lee and Lynn. That is why I was SOOOOO PISSED at the series finale. Joe dies? Seriously? Never mind the whole bait and switch of the middle 40 minutes of the episode. Whatever, I'm ignoring that. What pisses me off is a show that was fundamentaly about the DuBois family, destroys the family at the end of the series? And we get no closure on anyone? Just vague pictures from 41 years later? What happened to Lee and Lynn and their baby? Davalos? Allison spent the next 41 years waking up alone from her dreams??? Awful. I have never been so upset about a finale and I refuse to accept it. I've made up my own ending for the show and it is a lot better than that. Boooooo. (I love you even more, Life Unexpected)

And on that happy note..... time for this blog to end. Things I'm excited for this week: Castle kiss (I bet it's for show, not for real), The full CW lineup returns, Bones Gravedigger ep directed by David Boreanaz and the conclusion to Being Human's amazing cliffhanger (in a pilot episode no less! Watch this show, people!).

What did you enjoy (or hate) last week in TV? What are you looking forward to? What are you hoping I cover next week? In other words, leave me a comment because I live for your approval.