Monday, March 28, 2011

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!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So the only show in your lineup that I watch is The Office and your review was perfect. Eric and I loved it all. We started watching Mad Love,since it is in our Monday lineup on CBS and are finding it quite funny, especially the two friends who are fantastic with the rude humor. :0).