Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Glowy Box Mailbag: It's back, baby!

Welcome back to the Glowy Box Mailbag! For those who don’t remember its brief existence many months ago, the Mailbag is a chance for Glowy Box to give back to you, the readers who randomly stumbled here from Google.

You see, Sitemeter gives us the referral links that brought you to Glowy Box. For Google users, this means we get to see what search term you used that led you to us, creepily enough. And it seems some Google searchers choose to actually type full questions in, instead of just keywords or search terms, as if they’re posing the questions to the Internet at Large. Which I find highly amusing. The Mailbag is all about answering those questions, because I’m nothing if not helpful, and we live to serve here at Glowy Box.

Q: What is up with the Dylan thing on Desperate Housewives

A: What IS up with the Dylan thing?! At first it seemed really important, but now it’s on the sidelines compared to whatever the heck happened in Chicago (another popular question, incidentally). We don’t know much, aside from the vague “a bad thing happened in this room” and “Dylan has no memory” stuff. But that’s not really a good answer, so I’ll start a reckless rumor: Katherine and Aunt Lily sold the real Dylan into white slavery years ago, and the current “Dylan” is an android that Katherine commissioned to deflect suspicion when they moved back to Wisteria Lane. Hence, no memory. (Yeah, I just saw Blade Runner again…what of it?)

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On the Glowy Box: Wednesdays are smurfing awesome

La la la-la-la-la la la-la la la! The Smurfs are coming to DVD, and I think it's about smurfing time!

Watched Last Night:
House: House-kus!
Mimicking disease
Seems more like he's a psychic
I'm not buying it

Chase and Cameron
Being squeezed into each plot
It's really awkward

Cuddy rocks hardcore
Her scenes with House are the best
Though Foreman's not bad

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Happy Halloween!

Here's the full version of Tracy's "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" song from 30 Rock (just the song, unfortunately--no video):


It's HILARIOUS. ("And I nearly dropped the Torah when my hands turned into paws." And that's BEFORE he goes way, way off-script. Or lyric. Or whatever.) Have a spooky, scary Halloween!

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Writers' Strike. Get worried.

I'm too nervous about it to write anything much about the looming Writers Guild strike (stay strong, Pushing Daisies, Chuck, and other favorite new shows!), but for those of you who are curious, AOL TV has a good little Q&A on it here, answering questions about which types of shows will be affected and when, among other things.

Man, this is gonna suck. The last strike (in '88) lasted more than five months, and that was before networks could fill the airwaves with the cheap, quick-to-produce reality crap that's so popular these days. Sigh. Just suck it up and give them their residuals, networks! Do you not realize what's at stake?!

On the Glowy Box: John Cho!

What is John Cho NOT in these days? Okay, lots of things, but I still feel like betwen Ugly Betty, Harold and Kumar stuff, and now HIMYM, the dude's around a lot lately. Not that I'm complaining...he's totally hilarious, even if he doesn't seem to have too much variety.

Watched Last Night:
How I Met Your Mother: I kind of don't understand (or, more properly, sympathize with) Lily's credit card debt. I mean, why would you spend money that you don't have, and have no hope of earning, on stuff you don't need? I know, I know, it's called a shopping addiction for a reason, but damn! Aaanyway, it's pretty much a crime that Neil Patrick Harris and John Cho didn't have any scenes together. A crime! And why was that law firm working so hard to recruit Marshall, if he only got the interview as a favor? He clearly didn't want to work there, and doesn't really come across as a genius or an incredibly hard worker, "lawyering" skills aside. Moving on, I loooved the Ted Mosby: Porn Star/Lance Hardwood: Architect subplot. It totally made this episode for me, for reasons of hilarity I shouldn't have to explain. Not the A+ material of last week's episode, though, sadly.

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Monday, October 29, 2007

The Bachelor: Meet the parents

Tonight on The Bachelor, Brad's off to do home visits--including the Worst Visit Ever! Seriously, it's pretty bad. Also, the Most Awesome Grandma Ever! Seriously, she's pretty awesome.

First up: Wichita, Kansas, Jenni's hometown. Jenni brings Brad to her childhood dance theater, where she shows off her mad dancing skillz. Mostly, it's a lot of wiggling, giggling, and barefoot tap dancing. And what at first looks like some random spazzing around, but may actually be a choreographed routine from her day job as a Phoenix Suns dancer. Rather than revel in the fact that he could be dating a professional cheerleader, Brad wonders if Jenni will be willing to move to Austin for him when her career is in Phoenix, and if their relationship could survive long-distance. Dude. She's a cheerleader. Guys across America are slack-jawed in the face of your lameness right now. Or they would be, if any guys watched The Bachelor.

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On the Glowy Box: Yay for Halloween-themed episodes!

Congratulations to Dirty Sexy Money and Reaper for the extra script orders!

Watched Over the Weekend:
Desperate Housewives: Loved it! Read my complete thoughts here.

Women's Murder Club: I have to say, this show was perfect rainy Friday night material. Not season pass material, not Sunday-Thursday material, but exactly what I'm in the mood for after a long week of work and don't want to have to think too much. That said, I really hope they get off this ex-husband/boss plot for Angie Harmon's character. It's lame.

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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Desperate Housewives: Let's hope they never come for my pink flamingo

I'm just guessing here, but did some crazy fan kidnap the writers from season one of Desperate Housewives, keep them in a closet for a couple years, then give up trying to write the show himself and release the writers this year? Because that's kind of how it seems. And while much of the credit is obviously due to the writing (and its addition of a gay couple to the neighborhood), an equal amount should be given to Dana Delaney, who is a perfect fit for Wisteria Lane. Seriously, she has brought this show back from the brink. And tonight's episode was a great example of this season's return to form.

The biggest conflict of the week arrives in the form of a big, noisy, metal, artsy (the bad kind), expensive fountain. From Finland. In the middle of Bob and Lee's front yard. Bree's quote, I think, summed it up best: "Of all the gay men in the world, we have to get the two without taste!" I have to say, I find it a little surprising that the homeowners association had been inactive since Mary Alice's death. If there ever was a neighborhood where such an organization would thrive to an unhealthy degree, this is that neighborhood. The battle over the fountain quickly escalates, with the help of Katherine and Lynette, into a battle of fascism vs. libertarianism. And I have to say, tidy lawns and full nights of sleep are all well and good, but who picks on a tree house inhabited by the children of someone with cancer? Yeesh.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

On the Glowy Box: Attention, sports fans!

Scrubs is back, and it's still awesome!

Watched Last night:
30 Rock: Did anyone else get the sense that Carrie Fisher played crazy a little too well? If you know what I'm sayin'? There's such a thing as too convincing... And how awesome was the page-off? That's what I love about this show--they throw in crazy things like that (and like Werewolf Bar Mitzvah) without playing them to death. Also, wow, they really let Alec Baldwin go to town on those impressions during therapy! Just when you think this show is the perfect showcase for his comic talents, you realize that it's barely scratched the surface. And dang, multiple H.R. Haldeman references? What demographic are they going for, here? (Actually, never mind...I think the answer to that question is "smart." And I'm all for it.) So basically, last night's episode was awesome, and I'm still not getting sick of the guest star parade. Though, of course, it does bring to mind an unflattering Will and Grace comparison.

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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Scrubs: I caresies!

Finally, FINALLY, Scrubs is back! For the last season, yes, but hey, at least we're getting a real last season. I mean, dang, I'm actually feeling nostalgic toward Elliot, and I've never really even liked her!

Previously on Scrubs, Elliot and JD almost kissed. Yes, almost, thank goodness. However, Elliot then decides that she doesn’t want to marry Keith, which she confesses to the Turks that night. This interrupts Turk's choosing his biannual (because of the diabetes) candy bar. Now, as someone who is vegan and thus can’t have commercially available candy bars (and thus spends an unhealthy amount of time obsessing over them), I can say unequivocally that I’d go with a Twix. You get the crunch, you get the caramel, and you get TWO candy bars in one! Yes, it’s missing the nougat, but I think the double bar thing puts it over the edge. Just sayin’.

  • “Big news, sports fans!" [Everyone turns their attention to JD] "I’ve decided to call everyone ‘sports fans.’”
  • The Who Caresies Awards. Go, Dame Judy Dorian! Also, Tony Shalhoub should suck on that, along with all the Emmy voters.
  • The janitor has a girlfriend! Named Lady! True story: When my mom was pregnant with my little sister, my little brother came up with a list of possible names. Including “Lil’ Lady.”
  • “Fun Size.” I sense a lot of potential there.
All in all, a solid effort, especially considering the amount of exposition they had to fit in. I can't wait for the rest of the season!

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Grey's Anatomy: Wait, what?

Tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy was jam-packed with tragedy, chainsaws, scandal, and an earless boy. Pretty quality stuff, if you ask me. Although I was left feeling like I misinterpreted last week's episode somewhat. After last week, I felt like the Gizzie train was grinding to a halt, only to be slapped in the face with it this week. Or tied to the tracks and run over with it, to avoid mixing metaphors.

All of a sudden, after Callie kind of outs them, it's widely acknowledged that George and Izzie are an actual couple? And that George and Callie's marriage is definitely over, with Callie moving out and everything? What did I miss? (And that's a serious question--I actually feel like I missed something between last week and this week.) At any rate, I am SO not on board. However, I did love Callie and Cristina's bonding moment in the OR. If anyone doesn't deserve to be cheated on and left at the altar, it's these two. Way to kind of become the strong woman you once were, Callie! Incidentally, I also liked McSteamy's noble offer to cheer Callie up, "Day or night...night in particular."

  • Shonda still knows how to bring the tragedy, as if there were any doubt. A dad having to pull the plug on his daughter to get her heart in a transplant? It takes a twisted mind to think of something that sad.
  • I don't know if last week's almost-fight whet my appetite, or what, but I kind of want to see Cristina and Dr. Hahn battle it out in a cage match.
  • Line of the week: After the chainsaw guy says it's crazy to walk through life without being in control of your own destiny, Grandpa Gilmore busts out with a thoughtful, "Hmm...I still think it's cutting off your foot with a chainsaw that's crazy." Damn that stroke, I'm really gonna miss him! Surgery is way cooler than psychiatry.
  • Who knew a story about digging up a dead cat could be so sweet? Lexie is very slowly growing on me.
So yeah, basically...I'm a bit confused about this week, but generally still optimistic. If we could just shake this Gizzie thing, I think this season would be off to a great start!

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On the Glowy Box: Scrubs!

SCRUBS!!!

Watched Last Night:
Pushing Daisies: Oh. My God. Who would have thought that such a perfect little gem of a show would ever get a full-season pickup? I've been treating each episode like a special gift, while secretly dreading the moment when there would be no more. Hooray for unrealized fears! Last night's episode was beyond fantastic. It's not enough for them to slip in a sly They Might Be Giants reference--no, they actually have two Broadway stars sing a few lines of Birdhouse in Your Soul (one of my favorite songs ever, as it happens) in the next scene! Fantastic. I thought the plot, too, was a perfect mini-version of the twisted fairytale romance that forms the show in general. And how cute was that bedazzled pigeon? SO cute. Just like this show.

Private Practice: Dear Violet: You suck. Please either run off with Allan or shut the fuck up about him. Love, Liz (P.S. Good luck scratching that itch, Addison! And here's hoping it puts a stop to cheesy dream sequences.)

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

America's Next Top Model: Finally living up to its trashy reputation...

Tonight on America's Next Top Model, the girls dressed like garbage in an elaborate metaphorical interpretation of the way the fashion industry treats women attempt to raise awareness about recycling. Riiight.

We rejoin the gals as Ebony is discussing how she's sick of doing poorly in panel, Ambreal is placing a tearful call home, and Heather is worrying about the lack of non-profile shots in her portfolio. Bianca, taking a break from her normally stank attitude, is actually pretty supportive and helpful towards Heather. Hmm. You know, I don't think I really hate any of the contestants this season. Not a Lisa, Melrose, or Jade to be found! Which is probably a bad thing, come to think of it.

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On the Glowy Box: Can we move some of these shows to Tuesday?

CONGRATULATIONS, Pushing Daisies!!! I love it when quirky, well-reviewed shows actually get network support. And I guess the surprisingly high ratings don't hurt, either--way to go, America! I'm almost on my way to forgiving you for Two and a Half Men's success. Almost.

Watched Last Night:
House: Cutthroat bitch may be getting a bit too cutthroat for me. But at least House agreed that the dog collar was a little much. I'll be sad to see the old non-doctor go, though in hindsight the reason was really predictable. And Foreman, wow. I actually wasn't missing his presence at all, so of the three former fellows, I'm not too thrilled to see him back. However, I do enjoy the combative dynamic between he and House, and the conflict between House and Cuddy should be entertaining. Also, the Patient of the Week was totally a guest star on Buffy. I knew I recognized her!

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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Veronica Mars DVD Contest Results!

We have a winner! After wading through a multitude of fantastic Veronica Mars-themed haikus, sonnets, limericks, and odes, I chose my favorite six (I just couldn't narrow it down to five, as planned). Jennifer's clever, bittersweet entry was the winner in a random drawing of those finalists. Congratulations, Jennifer! Here's her winning poem:

An Ode to Veronica Mars
A long time ago, we used to friends.
But then the CW brought you to an end.
We protested. We wrote. We even did skywriting.
But alas, no luck. The network wasn’t biting.
We miss your sarcasm, your charm, and your wit.
But you’ve moved on to Heroes, a bonafide hit.
Good luck and Godspeed at NBC.
But our beloved Veronica, you’ll always be.

Continue below to read the other five finalists' awesome poems. Seriously, great work, guys! And thanks to everyone who entered--it was really tough to pick the winners!

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On the Glowy Box: No baseball? Really?

How I Met Your Mother was awe-wait for it-some last night. Also, Viva Laughlin has, incredibly predictably, been cancelled. I look forward to erasing its latest episode off my DVR.

Watched Last Night:
How I Met Your Mother: Aaaand we're finally back to second season quality. LEGENDARY, you guys. The hot/crazy graph? With the Vicky Mendoza Line?! (I'm not a sports person, but I actually got that baseball reference. Incidentally, the Mendoza Line is also a pretty good band.) Robin, finally, has gone from being vaguely irritating back to being funny. Phew. I love the creative use of flashback storytelling ("sandwiches," "Blah Blah"), and it was great to see how everyone met everyone else. Although somehow, I was expecting more out of the Barney story. I don't know what, or why, but it was a little too predictable that he'd take them under his wing at a bar. The bit where Marshall impressed Barney by hooking up with Lily was a nice touch, though.

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DVD Review: Veronica Mars - Season Three

Oh, Veronica Mars. I miss you so much! Happily, thanks to Warner Home Video and M80 promotions, I now have a copy of the third season DVD set (which was released today) in my hot little hands. Hooray!

Now, as you may know, Glowy Box covered the third season of Veronica Mars in quite some detail, so I'm not going to review the season itself. If you want to know what we thought about the third season's episodes, head here. (Brief summary: "Even its worst episodes had better writing and acting than some shows that have run twice as long." So true. Although the third season - and second season, for that matter - never quite reached the brilliant heights of the first season.) Instead, I'm going to focus on the many excellent bonus features, since they're new for all of us.

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Monday, October 22, 2007

The Bachelor: Yikes.

Tonight on The Bachelor, we had gondolas, pool parties, romantic dinners, blah, blah, blah. It was all pretty boring, up until The Most Dramatic Exit Ever. Which, while I could imagine many more dramatic exits, was pretty freaking crazy. Brad must have some serious in-person magnetism to get these chicks acting this way around him, that's all I have to say.

To start us off, Chris informs the bachelorettes that this week is HUGE, because the four women who don't go home tonight will get to take Brad home to meet their families. Also, there are no roses up for grabs on the dates. Bettina scores the first date, a "romantic" one-on-one on the water. Wait, how do these girls recognize a random straw hat in the date box as a "gondola hat"? Is that even a real thing? (Google says yes. My bad.)

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On the Glowy Box: Blerg.

So I totally watched, oh, a zillion hours of 30 Rock this weekend. Yay, first season DVDs!

Watched Over the Weekend:
Desperate Housewives: Crabs are funny. Read my full review here.

Private Practice: From Wednesday. Yeah, this show has officially sucked me in and isn't letting go. I can't tell if it's actually getting better and more interesting, or if that's just the addiction talking. But man, I was really feeling for Addison when no one RSVP'd to her party. That's rough! (And no, I'm not even being sarcastic. That totally sucks.)

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Sunday, October 21, 2007

Desperate Housewives: Why so crabby?

Tonight's episode of Desperate Housewives slipped a bit from last week's triumph, but certainly provided a lot for us to think about. And honestly, without Susan's plot gumming up the works, I think it would've been another great hour of television. Especially since we finally get to meet the new gay neighbors!

  • Aunt Lily has returned home to die, and Katherine is curious what it dying feels like. Almost as if she's feeling guilty about having killed someone? Maybe?
  • Aunt Lily and Katherine covered up something that happened in the Mystery Room, and haven't told anyone to this day, although Aunt Lily, unlike Katherine, thinks Dylan should know about it.
  • Thanks to Aunt Lily's interrupted attempt at a confession, Dylan now knows that there's a reason she doesn't remember living on Wisteria Lane.
  • Katherine is totally hardcore when it comes to protecting Dylan from knowing whatever happened in the Mystery Room, to the point of ignoring Aunt Lily as she dies.
  • Aunt Lily's written last confession is waiting in the Mystery Room to be found.
Mysterious! Next week, political drama on Wisteria Lane as Katherine and Lynette both run for president of...something.

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Thursday, October 18, 2007

On the Glowy Box: Better late than never!

This will be my last post until Sunday night, 'cause I'm heading outta town for a few days. In the meantime, there are only a few days left in the Veronica Mars DVD contest, so get those entries in!

Watched Last Night:
Pushing Daisies: Happily, there was no discernable quality drop-off from last week. Pushing Daisies is clearly strong enough to stand up to the lack of Barry Sonnenfeld and an absurdly huge budget. Yay! I especially loved the "Kiss a Beaver" t-shirt joke, in that it was so unexpected. This show does such a great job at being incredibly precious to the point where anything perverse is so shockingly out of place that it has twelve times the impact it would on any other show. Similarly, the preciousness also provides a great contrast for the extreme morbidity. Love!

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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

America's Next Top Model: A bunch of posers

Tonight on Top Model, fears were conquered, trash was talked, and they did an entire ice skating segment with no injuries. Also, Tyra had to reach further into her bag of bizarre ideas than ever before for a gargoyle-themed photo shoot. Which was about as weird as it sounds.

We rejoin the girls at the house, learning that Janet has appointed herself House Mom. From the looks of things, she’s sticking with the strategy of “let things get as filthy as possible until everyone realizes the error of their ways and starts cleaning up after themselves.” Or possibly just until everyone dies of botulism, or something.

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