Glowy Box: Basking in Television's Friendly Radiation: America's Most Smartest Model

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm tinkering around with the site a bit. So if things are looking screwy on your browser, or something isn't working right (which is almost a certainty given my lack of web design skills), please let me know and I'll try to fix the problem. And check out the new "expand post" feature after the "Watched this Weekend" section--it should expand to show the rest of the post on this page, and then disappear again if you click "summary only." ("Should" and "will" are two different things, though, so lemme know if you have an issue.)

Watched this Weekend:
Women's Murder Club: Much as it pains me to admit it, this show is some quality Friday night viewing. I didn't like the pilot at all when I first watched it, but having finally seen the show at the proper time (Friday night, when I'm exhausted from the work week and just want to watch something mindless and quasi-entertaining), I'm changing my tune. Not something I'd recommend that anyone else watch, not something I'd even call decent television, but it was just what the doctor ordered last Friday, so who am I to complain?

Life is Wild: I didn't even make it past the second act. Ugh. I'm not going to bother getting into how obnoxious I'm finding this show. Suffice to say it's not even funny obnoxious, like Seventh Heaven. Just plain unwatchable, for me at least.

Desperate Housewives: I actually really enjoyed last night's episode. Read my full review here.

Private Practice: From Wednesday. Um...yeah. This show just isn't that good. And isn't really improving. And yet, somehow, I can't seem to cut the LVAD wire. The cast is so good, you guys! And I used to love Addison's character! What happened? Okay, that's actually an easy one to answer. Really terrible writing happened. Cake and obsessing over an ex-boyfriend's phone message? Really? If it weren't actually written by a woman, I'd assume this show was written by some dude who decided to throw a ton of female stereotypes against a wall and see what stuck, rather than actually trying to write real characters.

Life: Second and third episodes. You know, I'm actually enjoying this one. It's not mandatory viewing, but I like the characters so far, I like that you don't have to watch every single week, and I'm interested to see where the story's headed. My only complaint is the same as my problem with the pilot episode--what's with the random documentary-style interviews? I get that they're great for exposition, but I feel like I need to know a bit more about who's doing the interviewing, and why, for it to really fit with the rest of the show. Unless that's part of the mystery, or something...

Ugly Betty: From Thursday. I didn't even know it was possible to get drunk off of wine coolers outside of high school. Learn something new every day! I'm totally not on board with Gio, though. Henry/Betty 4ever!!!1 Also, he's really self-righteous and annoying. Amanda and Marc, though, are just getting better and better. I vote that they get spun off into a detective show, with Tim Gunn playing their mysterious boss. And dude, Ignacio had BETTER really be back. I don't want any of that "it was all a dream!" crap this time.

Dirty Sexy Money: From Wednesday. I'm totally getting into this show. My favorite character is definitely Juliet, though I love Brian, the crazy priest, as well. My only complaints are that the central mystery about the plane crash isn't grabbing me yet (though I expect it to once Blair Underwood shows up!), and that Patrick's drunken "ahh, sweet nectar" speech at the bar was laughably bad. Enough so that it had to have been a joint acting-writing issue. Otherwise, this show is only getting better!

America's Most Smartest Model: This may be one of the funniest things I've ever seen on television. I know I say that a lot, but seriously? Wow. It almost seems mean. And yet, extraordinarily awesome. In a "created by an evil genius" way. Like having a trivia contest where with every question you answer right, you win an item to wear in a photo shoot. (Thus, if you're too dumb to get many right, you could end up naked.) Amazing. This show is prime VH1 marathon fodder, so once it builds up some more episodes, I'd set aside a Sunday afternoon.

Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)

How I Met Your Mother: When Robin begins to date a single dad, she ends up bonding with his young son. CBS, 8 PM.

Chuck: Chuck helps to steal a $1 million diamond, which is being used to fund a terrorist group. NBC, 8 PM.

Heroes: A new hero emerges in New Orleans; Angela Petrelli makes a shocking confession as new information about the heroes is revealed; Maya and Alejandro make a grim discovery. NBC, 9 PM.

Samantha Who?: Samantha awakens in the hospital, surrounded by family and friends, but she has no idea who they are or who she is. ABC, 9:30 PM.

The Bachelor: Three must leave; Brad takes one lucky woman on a helicopter ride; six spend a day at a comedy club; he takes two on a date, but one goes home in tears. ABC, 10 PM.

I'm actually pretty excited for Chuck. If they can keep up the pace, that show will be a favorite of mine in no time!