Parenthood/Modern Family/Courgar Town/The Whole Truth

Parenthood – I’m Cooler Than You Think

     Julia’s reaction to Joel not knowing if he wants them to have another child bothered me.  Actually, this whole plotline bothered me, because it’s as if she didn’t even think about how another baby would affect him.  I think he was absolutely right to be upset with her.  I can’t believe he caved!
     I KNEW Renee, Jabbar’s grandmother, was going to a problem for Crosby.  She was really domineering and controlling and bordering on rude to Crosby, and her holding what Jasmine’s father did to her against Crosby was completely unfair.  She also negated the Braverman family tradition of baseball games, just because she didn’t understand that their tradition was as important to them as church is to her.  At least she tried to get into it at the end.

     I am glad Sarah got the girls into the show.  I was so afraid she was going to be the lame mother who couldn’t do even this one thing for her daughter and her friend.  It worked out really nicely, and I like the flirtation between her and the new dude.

     I am also glad Adam was able to engage Max at the end of the episode.  I can’t imagine how difficult it would be a parent of a child with Autism, and how frustrating it must be to want to break through and communicate, and have a hard time doing so.  If it takes talking about treasure and pirates to make a connection, good for Adam to be able to do that!

Modern Family – The Kiss

     Finally, Mitchell and Cameron kiss on screen.  Commentary about the fact that they didn’t ever kiss last season was all over the blogosphere all summer.  I am glad it was done subtly and tastefully, and while the episode was basically centered on it, the actual kiss itself was realistic and seemed natural. 

     I loved Gloria messing with Jay throughout the episode.  It always makes me laugh when she one-ups him.   Phil’s work with the printer also made me laugh, it’s always fun when Phil tries to impress Jay. 

Cougar Town – Let Yourself Go

     Ben Vereen shows up on HIMYM, and also gets a mention on Cougar Town in the same week.  I find that a very interesting coincidence. 

     Travis goes off to college, and while they act like it’s out-of-state it’s only 20 minutes away.  Please, he will be back every episode, I would imagine.  He has to do his laundry somewhere, right?

     Stan, who I always completely forget about, walked in this episode!  That broke the floodgates, and Ellie, who never told Stan stories before, couldn’t stop by the end of the episode.  I am glad they don’t focus on the baby, that isn’t what this show is about, but it is nice to be reminded that he exists every once in a while.

The Whole Truth – Thicker Than Water

     I still like the dual nature of this show, the back and forth between the defense case and the prosecution case.  I thought I had guessed what happened, but I was totally wrong in what I thought had happened.  I really like the fact that in the end, they let you know what really happened, without explicitly showing it to the audience.

Glee/No Ordinary Family/Sons of Anarchy

Glee – Britney/Brittany

     It took me a minute to realize Brittany wasn’t Ms Spears in the first fantasy song sequence when she went under general anesthesia the first time.  It’s Brittany bitch!

     I love how drug-hazy they all were when they came out of the general anesthesia.

     Now I am going to show my age a bit:  I have no idea if the dream/Britney fantasies were shot for shot recreations of her videos.  If they were, it was genius! 

     Terri was back!  It was only a brief scene, but it was great to see her.   I am not a Terri fan, but I am a Jessalyn fan, so it was fun to see her looking pretty fierce.

     Jacob Ben Israel’s scene of, ummm, pleasuring himself in the library was gross.  As I am sure it was meant to be.  I didn’t enjoy it at all, but I think it was a good scene for Sue.  She told Will how much she disliked the idea of the glee club doing Britney, and that is what pushed him to allow it.  It also pushed him to go too far, and decide to perform with them.  I thought the performance, as well as Jacob and his friend’s reaction to it, were a bit over the top and uncomfortable.  At least Will admitted it was inappropriate.  I did love Sue pulling the fire alarm and getting injured.

     Overall, I thought it was a strong episode, not their best but not their worst.  I enjoyed the music, and it was great to have John Stamos back on my TV.  How does that man just keep getting hotter and hotter?  He either has great genes or an amazing surgeon!

No Ordinary Family – Pilot

     Another ABC show, another plane crash, another dead pilot.

     Jim felt weak in his life, and got super strength, and maybe not invincibility but he also didn’t get injured upon landing, or when he caught the balls and bullets, and he didn’t die when he got shot.  Stephanie felt like she had no time for her life, and she gained super speed and a super metabolism.  Daphne felt like no one listens to her and she can now hear other people’s thoughts.  I liked her reaction, saying that she doesn’t want new abilities, high school is hard enough as it is.  JJ’s power took longer to kick in, but when they did, the “stupid” kid was suddenly the smartest kid in the room.

     Jim and Stephanie’s relationship was very close to being broken.  Their marriage counselor must think they are completely insane.

     The bad guy having extraordinary abilities, and saying they are not alone before he died, was a pretty standard plot device.  I was a little disappointed in that, it would have been nice if there had been at least one episode before the bad guys had special powers too.  I thought the lair with wi-fi George created for Jim was great. 

     This one has potential.  I liked Heroes the first season, and this has a more family-centric vibe, but is similar. 

Sons of Anarchy – Home

     Opie made up for last week’s porn girl debacle by selling his Panhead and giving Jax the money to try to help find Abel. 

     I loved that Gemma would rather shave her head than go redhead.  That really made me laugh.  Tig telling Tara and Gemma they were killing him made me laugh and clap my hands.  I didn’t like Tig at first, he was a hard character to get to know, but over this time he has been with Gemma, I have really grown to enjoy him.

     Hal Holbrook broke my heart.  The fact that he didn’t remember Rose was gone and he had to move into the care facility, and Gemma’s reaction was devastating. 

     I was glad to know that the IRA faction that is against Jimmy-O is really interested in keeping the SoA Belfast in their wheelhouse, and that Abel is more being protected until they can figure out what to do, rather than being held captive or just given away.  They are all using that baby, one way or the other, but whatever keeps him safe is a good thing. 

Seeing him in that orphanage broke my heart though, and then cutting to Nate in the care facility was telling and sad.

     Maureen calling Gemma while she still didn’t know about Abel being gone and the chance that she had a heart attack is a great story point, but she needs to be able to tell them Abel is in Belfast SOON.  Also, her knowing who Maureen was is a great twist and I think it is going to flesh out nicely over the remaining episodes.

     Lastly, the song that was playing over Gemma arriving and the phone call and her passing out was Katey Sagal’s song of the season.  She has the perfect voice for this show, and for this type of song.  I thought it was a beautiful choice and excellently done.

I still have Parenthood on the dvr, but I won't get to it until tomorrow.  I am going to see Tony Orlando in conversation, in celebration of his 50th anniversary in show business.  I remember his variety show in the mid-70's and he was really my first celebrity crush (when I was 7 or 8 years old!).

How I Met Your Mother/Mike & Molly/House/The Event/ Hawaii Five-0/Castle

How I Met Your Mother – Cleaning House

     There were some genuinely funny in this episode.  I really laughed when Robin was emailing her friend Liz about Ted.

     I was also very happy that Barney had a strong, heartfelt episode.  I think Neil Patrick Harris is amazing, and when he is able to show real emotion as Barney, he simply shines.  He was so sweet with his mother (played by the brilliant Frances Conroy) and so funny with James (Wayne Brady) and James’ newfound father Sam (Ben Vereen), it was great to watch.  I would guess this will be one of NPH’s Emmy nomination episodes for this season.

     I was NOT happy about Lily and Marshall discussing Santa Claus not being real at the 8:00 hour.  I know this show is not designed for children, and the comedy is inappropriate for children of the age that still believe in Santa Clause, but I didn’t think it was necessary for the story.  I would expect there will be complaints lodged with CBS tomorrow.

House – Selfish

     House and Cuddy need to figure out how to work together in the way they used to, without hurting each other personally.  I think they are starting to, but it is going to take some time.  They do have to be painfully honest with each other, so it should be interesting to see how that works out.

     I was pleased that the brother stepped up and took the decision away from his parents, and really even away from his sister.  He knows his life is limited and he wants her to have her full life.  It was a very mature thing for a young man to do.

Mike & Molly – First Date

     I laughed out loud a lot with this episode.  Mike’s sweater was a hysterical mess, and whoever convinced him it was a good idea should be ashamed of themselves LOL.  Molly being jacked up on codeine based cough syrup and a diet pill allowed Melissa McCarthy to shine.  Her comedy timing and acting skills were excellent in this episode as well as her physical comedy.  The chemistry between the two leads is good, and seems to be even stronger than in the pilot.  I am really happy with the direction this show seems to be headed.

The Event – To Keep Us Safe

     Jason Ritter action star!  I would never have expected it but in his last two eps he jumped off a cliff to save a woman, swam her back to shore, ran off a cruise ship (still not sure how that happened), ran through the desert until he dropped from dehydration, and ran around a hospital evading the FBI until he slipped and fell basically at their feet. 

     So, the Alaska detainees were alien crash survivors, if I followed it correctly.  Besides those detained, there are others who infiltrated the world and have been living as sleeper agents, even though their slow aging should be noticed by people, I would think.  Lee, the agent who was just put in charge of finding the clandestine survivors, is one of them himself.

     The entire planeload of passengers is dead, including my beloved, Scott Patterson?!?!?  NOOOOO!  He was one of the first reasons I started watching this show.  I am holding out hope that he is a) still alive, and b) one of the clandestine survivors.  LOL, in denial… maybe.

Hawaii Five-0 – Ohana

     I really wanted to not like this show this week.  I have a lot of television on my schedule, and I was hoping this would be the week I would decide to cut this show from my schedule.  No such luck.  While I thought the case wasn’t terribly interesting, although I liked the boy, I did enjoy the way the characters are gelling together.  I feel like they are starting to coalesce as a team, and are starting to work as a unit.

     I have only one complaint this week:  If they continue to shove it down our throats that Chin and Kona are cousins I may just post a screaming “AAUUGGGGHHH” for a week.  We get it, they are cousins - there will be no romance between them, they are family, they are going to look out for each other, whatever they are trying to force us to understand, we GET IT.  I have several cousins, and have never once referred to any of them as “cus”.

Castle – He’s Dead, She’s Dead

     Double-rainbows!!  I follow Nathan Fillion on Twitter and he went crazy for double-rainbows a while back.  He mentioned on Twitter on Monday that he had worked it into the show.  It was fun to see it happen.

     I loved that Castle so absolutely wanted to believe in the psychic and Beckett so absolutely didn’t.  I also love that at the end, Beckett may have believed, just a little bit.  We learned Castle’s real, given name, and his middle name is Alexander.  I wonder why he changed his last name from Rodgers to Castle?  Was it because he found his father and his name was Castle, or some other reason?  Do we already know that, and I have forgotten, or do we not know?

I think I mentioned in the comments last week that people shouldn’t get too attached to Lone Star.  As of this afternoon (Tuesday 9/28) the show has been cancelled.  They completed filming the pilot + 5 episodes, but none beyond the two that aired are scheduled to air at all.  Lie to Me (another show I don’t watch, thankfully) takes over the timeslot next week.

As I have been watching, dvr’ing, and paying attention more than I used to, I have to comment on the audio volume of the commercials.  I can’t believe how annoying it is to have the volume set just right for the show I am watching, especially when some of these actors mumble, only to have the commercials blasting the top of my head off.  This used to be regulated, but I don’t believe it is anymore, and it is blatantly obvious the advertising industry is taking full advantage of this. 

Desperate Houswives/Brothers & Sisters

Desperate Housewives – Remember Paul?

     Gabby said, “We’re all horrible people.”  That about sums it up.

      We are really supposed to believe that Juanita is not Gabby and Carlos’ daughter?  When her sister looks just like a mini-version of her?  Ridiculous, and now Carlos and Gabby are keeping secrets from each other, which we have seen before, and we know it never turns out well.  I will lay even odds that before the end of the season Juanita will suffer some horrible illness that only her biological family can solve.  Anyone want to take those odds?  Anyone? Bueller?

     Susan is keeping something from Mike, AGAIN, as well.  I really don’t understand how none of the people on this show learn from past mistakes.  Oh wait, could it be lazy writing????  Perhaps so.

     Vanessa Williams is a breath of fresh air in a show that is growing stale with age.  I hope she stays that way, and doesn’t end up going the way of Alfre Woodard.  Brian Austin Green could also add something new and fun as well.

     I may sound jaded about this show, and I guess I am.  Why do I keep watching?  I ask myself that question often, and really the only answer is I have invested 6 seasons and want to see it through until the end.  Every year I hope the new cast members, and their new plot-lines will elevate this show to the level of season one.

Brothers & Sisters – The Homecoming

     Justin went back to Iraq/Afghanistan and came home a hero.  What happened with Justin and Rebecca happens with a lot of men who come home.  Too many of the men (and women) who fight valiantly for our country come home to empty houses missing spouses, and I think it is horribly sad. 

     Nora hasn’t been the overbearing mother she’s always been in the last year.  That surprises me:  I would have expected her to go the other way, to become even more overbearing and overprotective of her children. 

     Kitty obviously hasn’t dealt with Robert’s catastrophic injuries well, if at all.  She hasn’t moved forward with her life, she has been stuck in the same place for the year, barely holding it together.  Now that Kitty said goodbye and let him go, she can move forward.

     Holly appears to have suffered major brain trauma as well.  She has some kind of short-term/long-term memory loss.  It is going to be interesting to see where her storyline goes this year, if she recovers and how much she recovers.

     I think Kevin and Scotty are on the road to adopting an older, troubled child, instead of using a surrogate to have a baby.  My guess is it will be the boy that we met this week.

Haven/Blue Bloods

Haven – The Trial of Audrey Parker

     Audrey trying to explain the troubles to her FBI boss cracked me up.  Even she realized how crazy she sounded, and she couldn’t do anything to make herself sound saner.  Her boss was kind of a jerk.  I am glad she quit the FBI and can now be a full time Haven police officer.  I was surprised the FBI boss was in cahoots with the police chief, and it’s obvious he knows way more about Haven then he lets on.

     Does Nathan not being able to physically feel anything have something to do with the troubles?  Does he cause the troubles, or do the troubles cause his issue?

     Duke’s boat picked a really bad time to pop a leak and start sinking.  Convenient to the story, yes, because it added tension, but seemed a little ridiculous.  I am curious about what is in the box Duke is holding off the side of his boat.

Blue Bloods - Pilot

      Did we really need to hear New York, New York to know that this was taking place in New York?  It felt really obvious.  Then they used another version at the end.  I hope this isn’t going to be a trend.

     Danny is a good detective, and saved the little girl, but he just got lucky that the perp didn’t walk.  I expect we are going to see that he has some anger/rage issues, and is probably suffering from PTSD from his time in Iraq.

     My guess is that Jamie will work to investigate the Blue Templar, and at some point he will discover that Danny is a member.  That was the piece in Danny’s closet that was focused on in the teaser, a Blue Templar chip (for want of a better word) like the one the FBI showed Jamie.

     I will be interested to learn more about the sister, Erin’s, story.  She has a soon-to-be ex-husband that I am sure we will meet in the future, and I have a feeling she is a serious type-A personality.

     I am so happy to have Tom Selleck back on my TV every week!  I really like him as the Police Commissioner, and I am also looking forward to finding out more about his issues with the mayor, and what happened to HIS dad on the job that seems to have been a serious issue.

     What is it with all these dramas using the dinner table for screaming at each other?  This show, Brothers and Sister, and Parenthood just to name three are currently doing it.  Modern Family either has or will, but they will make it funny at least. 

Big Bang Theory/Vampire Diaries/Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice/The Mentalist/Fringe

The Big Bang Theory – The Robotic Manipulation

     “Diggin’ the Shamy!”  Sheldon has a cyberspace girlfriend named Amy!

     I love any time Sheldon and Penny are in the car together.  Their scenes together are such a joy to watch, and adding Amy into the mix only made if more fun.  The callback to the check engine light in Penny’s car was perfect.  Penny’s chaperoning the date was unexpected and very funny.  Mayim Bialik was really perfect as Sheldon’s new friend Amy.

     Howard “borrowing” the robotic hand to unpack their dinner, give him a shoulder massage, and then him getting it stuck on his “junk” not once, but twice, really cracked me up.  When he was getting the massage I saw where it was headed, but didn’t expect it to get stuck!  Then he goes through the humiliation of going to the hospital and getting it removed, only to try it again…  only Howard. 

The Vampire Diaries – Bad Moon Rising

     I saw the title and was very hopeful this meant we would finally get some information about the Lockwoods, and maybe Tyler would be clued in to why he gets so easily enraged.  Glad that storyline is finally moving forward.  And shirtless/naked Uncle Mason was a definite bonus!  My question is this:  Mason, as a wolf, responded to Tyler’s command of “No” in the woods, when Mason was on Caroline.  Does that mean, based on the pack mentality of most canine animals, that Tyler is actually the Alpha of their pack/family?  That would be an interesting dynamic to see.

     I was happy to see Alaric back.  So, a werewolf bite is fatal to a vampire.  I find that really interesting, and even though I have read my share of books and seen my share of movies regarding vampires and werewolves, I don’t think I have ever heard this before.  I don’t know if it is a true legend or if it’s been made up by TVD writers, but either way, I find it really interesting, and a great twist.

    Carolyn made Matt break up with her, for his own good.  At first I wasn’t sure if it was just her heightened insecurity, but when she sat down after Matt walked away from her, I truly believe she knew exactly what she was doing.

     I really hope Elena isn’t truly done with being Damon’s friend.  They are so great together; the flirty, witty banter will be sorely missed if she is done with him.  I can’t imagine they will be kept apart for too long, especially with Katherine back in the picture next week.

Grey’s Anatomy – With You I’m Born Again

     Chief Webber’s dance in his office was one of the best things I have seen this show do in a while.  It was just evidence of his pure joy at being back in his office, and in his position as chief.  This show does tension, anxiety, and even humor very well, but this was a great example of the simple fun this show can do, even in the midst of recovery from tragedy. 

     I enjoyed seeing how each of the staff members dealt with their loss, fear, pain, and even the joy of having survived.  Everyone reacted differently, some were angry, some still scared, Bailey ran away, and then ended her relationship, Cristina and Owen decided to get married, Derek decided to start taking risks and thinking less.  Meredith needs to tell Derek the truth about the fact that she was pregnant and miscarried that day.  She won’t ever start to heal until she does.

Private Practice – Take Two

     Dell is gone, and Pete and Violet got married.  Addie and Sam seem to be headed into a relationship, and I just hope Addie tells Naomi ASAP.  I am glad Dink finally stood up to Naomi and started to take responsibility for Maya and Olivia.  That’s about all that happened that interested me this week, oh except, WTH happened to French Stewart?  I am hoping his look was makeup, and he isn’t really aging that badly.

The Mentalist – Red Sky at Night

     I love when Jane plays mind games with people he doesn’t really like.  There wasn’t really much in this episode to talk about, other than I had a pretty good idea that the step-father was behind the deaths fairly early on, I just wasn’t sure why.  I hope Jane does stop pulling away from the team, it’s always much better when they work as a unit, not when Jane is off doing his own thing.  I like their give and take, Jane using intuition, feelings, observations, while the team goes after the facts and evidence.

Fringe – Olivia

     Our poor Olivia has been drugged, or infused, into believing she is Fauxliva (not my creation, but the name I will use to refer to the Olivia from the other side).  I like seeing her kick ass, but I don’t want her to believe she is Fauxlivia.  I hope either she is playing them, and still knows she is Olivia, or that the cab driver helps her come back to herself at some point.

     The final scene between Fauxlivia and Pete made me unhappy, only because it should be Pete and Olivia having those scenes!  It’s going to be pretty hard to keep track of who’s who, and who knows what this season, but I think in the end it’s going to be worth it.  I think this season is going to be an interesting ride.

Modern Family/Cougar Town/The Whole Truth/The Defenders/Reality

Modern Family – The Old Wagon

     This show deserved the Emmy they received this year.  The Dunphy family adventure of getting rid of their old station wagon was a riot.  I like that Phil isn’t a dorky as he started out to be, but he is still dorky enough to make him very funny.  The way he remembered the buyer’s name was great and then creating a “time machine” for Claire was very sweet.

     We revisited Mitchell’s fear of birds from last year, and that made me pause the dvr, because I was laughing so hard.  I loved that Cam had to rescue him from the castle by taking off the roof.

     Gloria realizing Manny is starting to grow up was also funny and sweet.  I can totally imagine her in the future, being an overbearing, protective, intrusive mother-in-law.  No girl is ever going to be good enough for her son, even if he does become the womanizer he seems destined to be.

Cougar Town – All Mixed Up

     I don’t think 24 hours apart is that much to ask, especially since Jules and Grayson’s relationship is still fairly new.  I would hope I would be with someone who would understand the need for some time apart. 

     I feel like Jennifer Aniston’s casting, and her character, was strictly a stunt and while I like her, and her chemistry with Courtney Cox, I just wasn’t impressed.  Her character was annoying and I didn’t believe her as a therapist for one minute.  That being said, it was nice to see her back on television.

     Travis is going off to college, but I really hope something happens that keeps him living at home.  I like that out of all of them, he tends to be more mature than most of the adults.

     I love Carolyn Hennesy, and I really hope we get to see more of Barb this year.  Her popping in for a line or two, usually dripping with double-entendre, is great, but I would really like more of her.

   

The Whole Truth – Pilot

     I wasn’t sure if I was even interested in this show, but a friend convinced me to give it a try.  I like both Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney, and I liked the way the first episode was done.  I enjoyed the back and forth between the defense and the prosecution, and I liked the back and forth between Jimmy and Kathryn. 

     I really like the fact that after the verdict is in the audience was shown what the truth of the case was.  I will watch this show again, and I think with the two leads it has it potential.  It didn’t do well in the overnight ratings, so it may not last, but I will keep watching for now.

The Defenders – Pilot

     Didn’t hate this show, but didn’t love it either.  It wasn’t anything new, it was the same old formula, and I didn’t find any of the characters all that likeable.  I have already taken this one off my dvr.  I don’t think I can do two legal dramas in one night, and I am going to stick with The Whole Truth instead.  At least it’s trying to do something a bit different.  The Defenders didn’t try anything new.

Reality – Survivor and Hell’s Kitchen

     I am not going to spend time here on reality television, even though I do watch some reality TV, unless something really big happens.  To be honest, I have Hell’s Kitchen on the dvr, but haven’t watched it yet.  As for Survivor, Shannon was voted off and I say goodbye and good riddance.  He came across as racist, sexist, homophobic, and annoying.  See ya!

Sons of Anarchy/Glee/Parenthood/Warehouse 13

Sons of Anarchy - Caregiver

     Three words…Stephen Freakin’ King!  His brief guest turn as Bachman (HA!), the cleaner, was something I had been looking forward to since I heard about it months ago.  Full disclosure:  I am a huge King fan, so honestly he could have walked through the background of a scene and I would have loved it.  I think he did the creepy, scary, freaky act really well, and a couple of his line readings had me giggling like a little kid.  I thought it was great that even Tig, the club’s freakiest member, was a bit in awe of Bachman’s weirdness.

    The meat of the episode was the continuing search for Abel.  I was really pleased to see Cherry involved in the Ireland storyline.  My best guess is she is going to instrumental in bringing Abel back to Jax.  I felt badly for her that she just found out about Half-Sack the way she did.  It’s a shame none of the club or Crow-Eaters (HA) thought to call her.

     The death of Amelia, Nate’s caregiver, didn’t bother me at all.  She was pretty unlikable, and Gemma didn’t kill her on purpose, it was an accident.  Plus, her death brought Bachman to the house, so I wasn’t sad to see her go.  She also could have been real trouble for Gemma, and she already has enough trouble.  It was also nice to see Nate have some clarity, and know what is going on with his life.  I don’t know that much about Alzheimer’s, but it is heartbreaking to see what he is feeling.

     I am ready for the Sons to road trip, whether to Vancouver or Belfast.  I am also hopeful that they finally tell Gemma that Abel is missing soon.  I imagine she is going to be furious about them not telling her that Abel was taken.  I am glad they know that Cameron died in Ireland, so now they can make their way there and get the boy back.

     I like Opie’s girlfriend Lyla, and I like them together, but he had no business being in the restaurant while the private party was going on.  He knows he has issues with Lyla being in porn, and he really didn’t even want her to participate in the party, so he should have been as far away as possible.  If he felt he had to be there, he should have been outside, working the door.  He cost the club some real money by breaking up the party, and almost cost them a valuable relationship with Lin.

     Already looking forward to next week’s episode!

Glee – Audition

     Loved the way they kind of addressed some of the real life internet commentary that happened over the course of last season and the summer! 

     I am not a fan of rap, but I liked the first song they did, New York, and Mark Salling has a great voice and rhythm for rap.  I am showing my age, but I am not familiar with Charice, and I loved her voice and her song.  I am sorry she left for Vocal Adrenaline; I think she would have been a great addition to New Horizons, and would have been a great foil for Rachel.

     I liked Sam and the boys’ rendition of Billionaire as well.  I really hope, and expect, he will join the glee club in the near future.  The comment about how big his mouth is, and the joke that followed made me laugh.

     It was so much fun to see Shue and Sue team up!  I would love to see them work together more often, against a common enemy.  Operation Mean Girl was fun to watch, although I did feel very badly for Beiste.  Then it was over, and they are back to being on opposite sides.  I love Sue; she is just so bad she’s good.

     Finn’s audition for the Cheerios was hysterical.  It’s a well documented that Cory Monteith isn’t the strongest dancer on the show, and the fact that they really used that here made me literally laugh out loud.

Parenthood – No Good Deed

     I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the addition of Billy Baldwin to the cast, but I really like the chemistry between Lauren Graham and him.

     I enjoyed the escalation from civil conversation to screaming over each other between Adam and Sarah.  I also enjoyed their reconciliation and am glad Sarah is going to continue working there.  If I had to come home to the chaos that both of them came home to, I would be tense and frustrated too.

     I think Jasmine was very selfish in the way she handled things with Crosby.  She never had a problem with Jabbar staying with him before, but now that her mother got involved and it’s for a longer period of time, she doesn’t think his place is good enough.  The situation has me annoyed for Crosby, and worried that while Jasmine is out of the country her mother is going to create problems for him, and in his relationship with Jabbar.

Warehouse 13 – Reset

     Tonight’s episode, the season 2 finale, got a little preachy for my tastes.  HG had a whole soliloquy about how the world has gotten worse since she was bronzed, and Micha said there are people fighting against that every day.  BLAH.  I don’t watch television to be preached to, if I want that I will go to church.  Just do your best to entertain or interest me, or even teach me something, but please don’t preach to me.

     I enjoy this show overall, but tonight’s episode just really annoyed me.  Pete lost Kelly, Artie almost died (again), and Micha lost someone she considered a friend, in HG, and left the team.  It wasn’t happy endings for anyone, except that Artie lived.  I don’t know if I will pick this show up again if it is back next summer, but I probably will.  One episode, even if it is a season finale, isn’t enough to turn me away from a show I have been enjoying.

The Event/Mike & Molly/Hawaii Five-0/Castle/House/How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother – 6^th Season Premier

     I thought this was a good season premier episode, but it still didn’t live up to the first couple of seasons.  I miss the snap and zip the first couple of seasons had.  I hope this year goes back to that sooner rather than later.  I have been seeing reports from people involved with this show that this is going to be the year they get back on track.  I hope this is true, and they bring back the funny!

House – 7^th Season Premier

     Hello, Mr. Laurie!  Not bad, not bad at all.  Who knew he was hiding a pretty decent body under those baggy shirts, especially for his age?  Don’t you hate when people qualify their compliments like that? Nice opening minutes of season 7, I must say.

     House trying to open a bottle of champagne with a sword really made me laugh.  I liked spending time with just House and Cuddy, actually comfortable with each other and enjoying being together.  I also thought it was great, House trying to keep Cuddy from finding out he sent the necessary neurosurgeon home, because while he was in a new place with Cuddy, he was still the same old House, covering his ass.

     Wilson trying to break in through the kitchen window was spectacular!  And the fact that House left him there for a bit and then wheeled him in on the kitchen cart made me laugh.  Then Cuddy hid in the closet and Wilson thought House was hallucinating and on drugs. 

     Cuddy said “I love you” but House either wouldn’t or couldn’t.  Then they hem-and-haw about whether they can really have a relationship or now, how he can’t change and she doesn’t want him to change, how he’s still going to do terrible things to her, and then he finally says to her, “I love you.”  They are going to try and make it work, but I bet it won’t be easy.

     I hope the show doesn’t focus too much on this relationship, and goes back to the disease of the week starting next week, and it looks like they will.

     Oh, and 13 is gone, at least for now.  Bye, bye!

Mike & Molly – series premier

     The fat jokes were a bit frustrating, and could get old really fast, but I loved the chemistry between Mike and Molly.  I like the way they interact with each other and I do enjoy that they know they have food issues, and are working to confront them, with OA meetings and with humor

     I like the way Mike and his partner interact as well.  When Mike really needed his support, and was about to really mess up his diet, his partner pulled him back from the edge.

     I hope Molly’s family gets toned down a bit.  Her pot-head sister annoyed me, we get it:  she’s a stoner, she skinny, she’s loud.  I also think that she is badly, sadly, miscast.  And I love Swoosie Kurtz, but I am not thrilled with her character.  I imagine they will grow on me, but for now, the jury is still out on them.

     Melissa McCarthy is by far the shining diamond in this show.  After playing the sidekick in Gilmore Girls and Samantha Who, I am thrilled for her that she is finally the lead.  She is sweet, sincere, funny, and beautiful.  I am thrilled to see her in a staring role.

Castle – 3^rd season premier

     While Beckett and Castle usually have great banter, and they are often pleasantly adversarial, it was interesting to see them really adversarial at the beginning of the ep.  And to see Ryan and Esposito also angry with Castle for not contacting any of them was a fun twist on what we usually see, their puppy-dog loyalty and admiration for him turned to disappointment and frustration with him.  Of course, by the end of the episode Castle has either been forgiven, or they have all decided to just move past it.  And he is back on the team.

     I love the “case of the week” premise of this show, but I’ll be focusing more on our main characters.  I always enjoy when Alexis’ and/or Martha’s storylines reflect Castle’s.  The fact that Alexis’ boyfriend was as thoughtless as Castle was, and she made her father see it from the other side of the issue, made me smile, and makes me smile every time it happens.

The Event – series premier

     I refuse to be the person who spoils this show, regardless of spoiler warnings, for anyone.  Suffice it to say, at least for now, that I LOVE this cast.  I think this has the potential to be a huge hit for NBC if they market it right, and if some questions are answered in a timely fashion.  I have my suspicions about just what The Event is, and who some of these people are, but I am looking forward to the mystery unraveling.  I am not only going to not spoil for others, but also want to try and remain spoiler free, so this show is going to be difficult for me to comment on until things start to be revealed.  I am not, however, going to limit what is said about it in the comments, so have at it.

Hawaii Five-0 - series premier

     Love that Danno’s ringtone for his ex-wife is the Psycho theme!  I liked the apology scene between Steve and Danno in the car.  I also like their overall chemistry.  Scott Caan is excellent as Danno, and a serious scene-stealer.  He has a great screen presence.  I am not familiar with Grace Park, I never watched Battlestar Galactica, but I like that she kicks a bit of ass.  As far as Daniel Dae Kim, I would watch him watch paint dry, and Alex O’Loughlin is fine as McGarrett, although I have heard some complaints, that he is too wooden.  I can’t imagine how hard it is to do all the action, speak with an unnatural accent (he’s Australian), remember dialogue, and actually act, so I am going to cut the guy a break, at least for now.  I enjoyed all the action and stunt sequences and was glad to see our two leads are not going to go unscathed and will not be bullet-proof.

The Vampire Dairies

I was remiss last week in not posting about the second season premier of The Vampire Diaries, so I am going to talk about the first two episodes.

When season one ended, Katherine was back in Mystic Falls, and she was convincingly portraying herself as Elena, at least to Damon.  I think Damon believed what he wanted to believe, and if he had been thinking clearly he would have realized very quickly the woman he kissed wasn't Elena, but he was so thrilled with the thought that Elena kissed him, it clouded his judgement.

I was very worried that this would be the season of "Doppelganger Hijinks" (Damon's words, not mine).  I believe 9 shows out of 10 would have spent more than 1/2 this season with Katherine running around as Elena, fooling some, not fooling but evading others, wreaking havoc, and Elena more and more confused and thinking something was going on in her own mind.  Thankfully, this show is the 1 in 10, the one that defies the norm, and by the end of the first episode this season, Damon, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, and even Caroline knew that Katherine was... well, Katherine, not Elena. 

This really exemplifies what makes The Vampire Diaries different from so many other shows on the air, both past and present.  The show moves along at a brilliantly fast pace and I give it up to Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, and the rest of their writing staff for not dragging plot lines out when the resolution is so much more interesting.

Uncle John lives!  While it looks as if he will live off camera, and away from Mystic Falls for now, I think it's great that Katherine didn't actually kill him.  David Anders is an asset to any show he graces, and just knowing there is potential for his return warms my heart.

Jeremy lives!  Damon broke his neck, in an angry, drunken rage, but before Uncle John left town, he gave Jeremy the family heirloom, the ring of life, and Jeremy was saved.  While Jeremy is the sulkiest member of the "in the know crew" he has his place, and he would have been missed if he had died.  I think he is going to become more of a presence this season, as things get even more intense between Damon and him.  I am not sure if they are going to be enemies, friends, or what yet, but I like their interaction together.

Caroline lives...  well, sort of!  So, Katherine turned Caroline, and now she's a vampire.  Will she be able to adjust to vampire life before Damon, or someone else, stakes her?  My guess is yes, but her turning is going to be an interesting process to witness.  She was a narcissist with an inferiority complex in life, how will that translate now that she's a vampire?  She killed that poor carny pretty lustily, but at least she did apologize for it.  Poor Matt, I wonder if he will ever find out his girlfriend, to whom he just professed his love, is a vampire.

The Lockwoods...  I think anyone who watches this show has by now decided that the Lockwoods are werewolves.  It would be really shocking if that wasn't the case, but I do think that's where this plot line is going.  Vampires and werewolves have a long, storied history, and they are most often enemies (Buffy notwithstanding).  Damon and Stefan laughed off the idea of them being werewolves as being ridiculous, but I think are very close to realizing that it's not only not ridiculous, but true.  Uncle Mason showed a bit of what he's capable of, and Tyler is starting to really question what is going on in his own family.  I can't wait to find out what the significance of the stone is that Mason was looking for and Tyler now has.

Bonnie is a real witch (to Damon)...  Bonnie's powers seem to continue to grow, and she is gaining more strength and control over them.  Bonnie would have killed Damon if it weren't for Elena, who stopped Bonnie from setting Damon on fire, even after Elena professed her hatred for Damon.  If Elena really hated Damon, and wanted him dead, she would have allowed Bonnie to kill him.  I think Elena's stopping Bonnie had as much to do with her feelings fro Damon as it did with her not wanting to let Bonnie become a murderer.

Stefan and Elena's midnight flight, and ferris wheel ride was romantic and touching, and the music choice was excellent.  I like them together, in the moments when all the supernatural stuff is set aside and they are just a sweet couple.  I believe them as a couple, which says a lot about the chemistry.

A couple of last things that I have to mention about this show.  I didn't start watching when it premiered last year.  I thought it would be a poor-man's Buffy, but WOW was I wrong.  There are pieces that do remind me of Buffy, of course, but The Vampire Diaries stands on its own as a strong show, with great writing and acting, and doesn't stand in the shadow of Buffy or any other show.  I owe my friend Kevin a huge debt of gratitude for getting me interested and invested in this show!

I also didn't get the appeal of Ian Somerhalder as Damon at first.  I was a HUGE fan of Lost, and never understood his appeal as Boone either.  I didn't like the Boone character, he was whiny and too easily manipulated, in my opinion, and I believe Ian didn't appeal to me because of this.  Within the first episode of TVD I totally changed my opinion.  Ian has matured a few years since his days on Lost, and Damon is such a well-written, well-developed character with such a sharp wit and biting sarcasm, I fell right under his spell.  Wow, vampire terms abound!

Parenthood & Sons of Anarchy

Parenthood's season premier made me remember both what I like and dislike about this show.  I think the show is a great family drama, and it has a lot of heart.  That's what I like.  What I dislike is that, if this was my family, I would have run away and never looked back.  There's so much chaos, emotional baggage, and tension mixed in with all the love. 

I also have a really difficult time remembering everyones' names, even after watching all of last season.  The cast is so large, and I may not care enough to have learned their names.  It's not that I don't care about their individual arcs, but for me it's more about the family collective.  Wow, as I read this, I wonder why I watch this show at all!  I started watching because I love many of the cast, and keep coming back because the family pulls me in.  But, it is the family as a whole, not one member or another.  I am glad Adam admitted to Sarah that he basically stole her idea, and gave her a job as a result.  I am also glad Zeek and Camille are in counselling and he is trying to be more engaged with her, and with his whole family.  And yes, I did have to look up all their names!

Sons of Anarchy's second episode of season 3 didn't disappoint.  I do have one issue with the show this year, and I am afraid it's going to be a continuing issue all season.  I am having a really difficult time understanding the Irish accents on the show, especially Jimmy O's.  Titus Welliver is doing a fantastic job with the accent,, but it may be too good, because there are times it is nearly unintelligible.  I had to watch it twice specifically concentrating on the Irish scenes.  A friend of mine is using closed captioning for the scenes with the Irish characters!

Tara and Jax still aren't communicating:  She didn't know he was being released from jail, he didn't know she beat the stuffing out of the hospital HR rep last season and asked for a leave of absence in this ep.  He also said she shouldn't go to Gemma, and they had to finish their conversation, and the minute he left, she headed to Gemma's aid.

Speaking of that, as soon as Nate saw Tig and his caregiver going at it, I knew Tig was going to end up getting shot.  I would have been shocked at any other outcome.  I actually expected Nate to shoot Tig in the ass instead of the shoulder!

I think SoA is doing something unexpected and fairly unprecedented this season, and I am really enjoying it.  It's great storytelling, going in an entirely different direction than last year, and I appreciate what they are doing.  I think spending time in Ireland, with the IRA element, exploring that life and the connection between the IRA and Samcro is a really interesting path to explore.

Next week two of my favorites come together in a collision of pure awesome.  SoA, my favorite drama on television right now, and Stephen King, my favorite author of all time!  Yes, Stephen King is doing a guest cameo next week, and I absolutely cannot wait.

What I watched this summer

Before the new season really gets rolling I just wanted to mention a few of the shows I watched over the summer. 

Rizzoli & Isles - I really enjoyed this show, and look forward to its return, whenever it comes back.  The chemistry between the two leads, Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander is excellent, and the supporting cast does an excellent job.

Psych - This show is still a draw for me, mainly for the humor.  It's a good "popcorn" show for me, it requires very little thought, and always a resolution to the case.  It's a fun show, but not a show I feel is "must see" for me anymore.  If I miss an episode, I don't go searching for it.

Warehouse 13 - Another show I like because of it's humor.  Also another show I wouldn't go searching for if I miss an episode, but I do watch every one that ends up on the dvr.  I liked the ongoing storyline thread this year, and will watch again when it comes back.

The Gates - I wasn't too sure of this show when it started, because it takes itself way too seriously.  It's like a grown-ups version of Buffy, without the fun.  A gated community full of vampires, werewolves, witches, and a teen succubus?  It sounds ridiculous, and it is, because it really is more like night-time soap than anything else.  Buffy, Angel, The Vampire Diaries...  They all do the supernatural stuff in a way that is far more fun.  That being said, I really like the soapy feel and it was good, mindless entertainment.  If it comes back, I will watch if nothing else is on, but I won't be heartbroken if it doesn't return.

Royal Pains - If it wasn't for Evan R Lawson, played by Paulo Costanzo, I wouldn't have come back to this show for the second season.  He makes this show watchable for me, but I don't know if I will watch when it airs again.

Flashpoint - I love the cast, the action, the way the storylines play out, and the fact that it's 90% case of the week and 10% personal stories of the team.  It's just enough personal information to keep me coming back for more week after week. 

Big Brother - I used to be completely addicted to this show, even getting the live 24/7 feeds for several years.  Now I just watch what airs on CBS, but I keep coming back year after year.  Every year I am excited for it to start, and every year I am thrilled when it is over.

I am sure there are other shows I watched over the summer, but these are those I remember off the top of my head.  This should give you some insight into my tastes and sensibilities.

Sons of Anarchy season 3 premier

So, indeed.  While I am not completely sure why Kurt Sutter and company named this episode "So" it definitely fit as a title!

While I thought this ep moved a bit slowly, I thought that was necessary to the plot.  I have a feeling this season is going to feel like it moves slower than the last two seasons, simply because I am hearing the entire season takes place over the course of only a couple/few weeks.

Thank you to Sutter and co for the Jax shower scene!  Any time I can see Charlie Hunnam in any state of undress on this show, it's going to kick the ep up a notch in my view!  Anyway, Jax's devastation at having his son kidnapped felt raw and real.  His self-medication with booze and drugs fits completely with the character and the lifestyle.  I will say, I was disappointed that after spending at least a couple of days in a drug and alcohol induced stupor, we are supposed to believe that he is okay to ride after just a shower.  Although, in this lifestyle, chances are good he wouldn't admit he wasn't okay to ride, and no one would question him when he said he was.  Realistic yes, but I still would have preferred he not ride for a while.

There was some debate among some of my friends as to what Gemma read in the paper that caused her to feel she had to leave the motel.  Some thought she read about Half-Sack, others thought maybe Abel's kidnapping hit the news.  I believe she was reading a slightly older paper (she was using it as trash), and saw her mother's death notice.  I don't believe she was talking about either Clay or Jax when she said she needed to go home because "he needs me", I believe she was talking about her father.

Kudos to the way Katey Sagal (Gemma) and Kim Coates (Tig) played that scene together.  Tig grabs Gemma and basically says she isn't going anywhere.  After the physical violence Gemma endured last season, and the brief encounter she and Tig had in the aftermath of revealing what happened to her to the club, her reaction to him grabbing her as he did, and his apology for it were spot on.

Jax spent most of this ep completely out-of-it.  Shell shocked with grief over his missing son, he just didn't engage.  Not with the club, not with Tara, not even with himself.  Charlie Hunnam acted the hell out of the grief and anguish Jax is feeling, by keeping Jax emotionally frozen.

It looks like Jax and Tara are in for a rough time this season.  I hope they are able to connect to each other in their grief, anger, and fear, instead of pushing each other away.  Tara has come a long way, both as a character and as an old lady, and I hope she continues on that path.

Gemma's scenes with her father were very revealing, and quite good.  Hal Holbrook is going to be a great addition to the cast for as many episodes as he is around.  I think there is a goldmine of drama with Gemma and her father, and I can't wait to see it all!

I can't end without discussing the final few minutes of the ep.  Half-Sack's funeral was the perfect opportunity for all the club's enemies to make a move.  That's why the police presence was so strong, everyone knew this could be dangerous for the club, and the town.  I think Clay's conversation with Jax started to pull Jax out of himself, and then when he saw Hale lying in the street, and an unnamed child shot, he finally snapped out of it and into action.  The brutality he showed to the shooter was his decision to fight... for the club, for himself, and for his son.  I believe he made the decision to do whatever he needs to do... to kill to find his son.  I am going to miss Hale, but his death should keep Unser as Chief for the foreseeable future, and that's a good thing.  Hale was a good man in a difficult position and I thought he would be a good foil for the club, but he's never going to live up to that potential now.

If you're looking for more information about SoA, creator, head-writer, and exec producer Kurt Sutter has his own blog.  http://www.sutterink.blogspot.com/  It's as real and gritty as the show, so be prepared, he doesn't hold anything back.

Welcome!

Welcome to TV with Tina! 

I have been a television fan since my youth.  It was my babysitter, my companion, my mainstay, throughout my life.  Through television related websites, I have made some very dear, life-long friends.  It seems like it was inevitable that eventually I would create a TV related blog, to share my thoughts and opinions about what I am watching.  The 2010-11 television season is upon us, and what better time to start a TV blog than the start of the traditional season?

This will be about the shows I am watching.  I may give a synopsis of an episode, I may not.  There are plenty of websites out there that recap episodes, this will be more about my reaction to the episode.  There will likely be spoilers if you haven't viewed the episode in discussion, so consider this fair warning... don't read if you don't want to know.

Most anticipated returning drama:  Sons of Anarchy (SoA) which came roaring back this week.  My next post will be my thoughts on this 3rd season premier episode.

Most anticipated returning comedy:  Big Bang Theory.  This is a tough category for me to choose, since Modern Family, Cougar Town, and How I Met Your Mother are also right up there for me.

Most anticipated new drama:  The Event.  I hope for a cross between Lost and Flash Forward, and the cast is excellent, so I am really looking forward to this show.

Most anticipated new comedy:  Hmmmm.  I guess I would say Mike and Molly.  I like the cast, and just hope that it's not just a series of "fat" jokes.  That will get old pretty quickly.

Welcome aboard, and I hope you enjoy.