Props to 30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, and all my other faves for their Golden Globe nominations! Alec Baldwin had better win this year...that's all I'm sayin'.
Last Night:
30 Rock: Elaine Stritch! Andy Richter! Ludachristmas!!! Two valuable lessons in one: The meaning of Christmas, AND something about family! So many exclamation points for this show! (Though, to be fair, it couldn't top last week's hysterical installment. But 30 Rock sets the bar so high for its best episodes that I can't really fault them for being unable to reach it every week.) Merry Christmas/Jewish, everyone!
Boston Legal: From Tuesday. It was so self-referencing that I could hardly handle the meta-ness of it all. But, it's good to know that at least Boston Legal knows how ridiculous it is. Ridiculously awesome, that is.
Private Practice: From last week. You know, the one where Dell and Sam are fighting over Naomi. Sigh. Why am I still watching this show? Seriously, why can't my brain accept that great actors does not equal great show? Help me!
This Weekend:
Umm...there are some hilarious old-school Christmas specials on ABC Family during the day on Sunday, but otherwise I'm probably just going to be running off the DVR.
Friday, December 14, 2007
On the Glowy Box: So much Christmas shopping to do!
Thursday, November 01, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Mark July 25th on your calendars...
...'Cause there's going to be another X-Files movie, baby!!! Production starts December 10th, and I am crazy super excited. (In case you didn't know, I am totally the biggest X-Files nerd on the planet. Or "X-Phile," if you will.)
Watched Last Night:
Pushing Daisies: Um, awesome. Of course. As always. This show can do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned. And the more Olive the better! This week's mystery was appropriately Scooby-and-the-Gang, with the fake ghost turning out to be an angry mother who would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling private investigators. Perfect for Halloween! I'm also glad they're pushing the boundaries of the Chuck/Ned relationship with the Olive kiss (and more coming next week, it seems). I hope Chuck gets hers, too, but slightly fractured fairy tales are far more interesting than happily ever after ones, don't you think?
Private Practice: After a couple weeks of maybe being a decent, or at least passable, show, Private Practice veered back into the realm of the boring and predictable this week. Who DIDN'T call that child abuse thing immediately? And who else is sick of hearing about Pete's "magic touch"? And seeing Addison's self-satisfied smile every time she walks away from an interaction with Pete? UGH. This show is completely wasting one of the best ensembles on television with its pedestrian writing. Maybe they can replace the WGA writers on Private Practice with college interns during the strike, and we could actually get some realistic dialogue for once. Or at least a plotline that doesn't seem like it's been done a thousand times before.
Reaper: From Tuesday. You know, this episode actually grabbed me a lot more than any other one since the pilot, probably because it diverged from the usual formula. The addition of Leon (Czolgosz) as a fairly entertaining escaped/captured/escaped soul really helped to shake up the proceedings, as did the tension between Sam and Sock. And the multitude of Devil scenes certainly didn't hurt. Way to go, Reaper, and here's hoping you keep it up!
America's Next Top Model: Clip show. Sigh. Read my recap here.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Ugly Betty: Betty and Henry make a date to see "Wicked," but things do not go as planned; Daniel woos an important advertiser (Marlo Thomas) with a penchant for younger men. ABC, 8 PM.
Grey's Anatomy: The chief has a gentlemen's evening with his fellow surgeons; Cristina and Izzie find themselves competing for the same surgeries and the favor of the doctors performing them; Meredith tends to the survivor of a sky-diving accident. ABC, 9 PM.
The Office: Michael fights back when Karen tries to woo Stanley away from Scranton; a Finer Things Club further disturbs Dunder Mifflin's calm. NBC, 9 PM.
Scrubs: When Kim goes into labor, she and J.D. worry about their future as a couple; the Sacred Heart staffers prove that parenting is all about sacrifice. NBC, 9:30 PM.
I'll miss you, 30 Rock, but at least I'll have Scrubs with which to console myself...
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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.)
America's Next Top Model: Read my full recap here, and enjoy the literally trashy goodness.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Ugly Betty: Betty tries Internet dating and gets asked out on a bowling date; Marc finds himself attracted to someone who is not his type; Danny and Alexis ready themselves for dinner with stepmom-to-be Wilhelmina; Justin ditches school. ABC, 8 PM.
30 Rock: Liz invites her idol (Carrie Fisher) to be a guest writer on the show, but her ideas are too controversial; Kenneth must compete to keep his job. NBC, 8:30 PM.
Grey's Anatomy: Halloween is full of surprises for the doctors of Seattle Grace; Alex receives an unexpected visit from a former patient; Meredith thinks her mother's ashes are haunting her; a surgeon Cristina admires snubs her. ABC, 9 PM.
The Office: Michael seizes the opportunity to exhibit his creativity when the Scranton branch must participate in a company ad; Dwight explores an online world. NBC, 9 PM.
Scrubs: The final season begins. (Sniff, sniff...) J.D. contemplates his commitment to Kim; Elliot struggles with the idea of her upcoming marriage; Carla tries to protect her diabetic husband from his sweet tooth. NBC, 9:30 PM.
Seriously, I am SO EXCITED about Scrubs being back. So excited!
Monday, October 22, 2007
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.)
Ugly Betty: From Thursday. What a great episode! Ugly Betty does a great job being beautifully over-the-top, while still maintaining enough humanity for us to care for the characters. Bad-Ass Justin is such a real, heartbreaking response to his dad dying, but is still carried off in an entertaining way(Justin/young hoochie). I found Betty's mistaken writing class thievery to be a bit too cringy to watch, though, perhaps because Victor Garber terrifies me, much as I do love him. Also, "Ugly Willie" = Best Ever.
30 Rock: From Thursday. First off, yay, Steve Buscemi! Also, yay, "Vic Nightingale." Cookie jars are innately hilarious. And I totally think Dot-com should write TGS from now on, by the way. My favorite quote of the episode had to be, "You can't ask a bird not to fly. You can't ask a fish not to swim. You can't ask a tiger not to turn back into a Chinese dude at midnight!"
Viva Laughlin: From Thursday. More on this after I've seen last night's episode, but essentially, this show is a tragic waste of money, talent, and concept. And for the love of God, WHY on EARTH would they have the talent sing over the original vocals on the songs? WHY?!
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
How I Met Your Mother: Ted's new girl is jealous because the story of how Ted met his friends is better than the story of how he met her. CBS, 8 PM.
Chuck: Chuck must decide if he should go against the U.S. government and his friends by helping a top Chinese spy with an unauthorized mission; Buy More forces Morgan into a sales competition that could cost him his job. NBC, 8 PM.
Heroes: In Ireland, a lost hero discovers that a mysterious woman (Kristen Bell!) is willing to kill to find him; Matt and an unexpected ally fly to Philadelphia to hunt down the "boogeyman"; Monica tries to come to terms with her new abilities. NBC, 9 PM.
Samantha Who?: Samantha discovers what she does for a living and tries to diverge from her old workaholic lifestyle. ABC, 9:30 PM.
The Bachelor: Brad takes one woman on a romantic gondola ride; four bachelorettes go to a pool party; one of the women gets a one-on-one date at a mansion; emotions run high at the cocktail party; Brad cuts two more women, one of whom makes an emotional exit. ABC, 10 PM.
I'm so behind on TV at this point that I may need to burn my DVR and start a new life for myself in a country with only two TV channels. We'll see. I blame the 30 Rock DVDs.
Monday, October 15, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Pardon the dust...
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!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
On the Glowy Box: 30 Rock!!!!! !!!! !!! !! !
Pushing Daisies made me hungry for pie. Strawberry pie, specifically.
Watched Last Night:
Cane: From Tuesday night. I was uncertain about the pilot, and now I think I can definitively say that this show just isn't my thing. Great cast, great story, nice production...just not grabbing me. It seems I'm not in the mood for heavy drama this season. Good luck, Cane, but you're on your own.
Pushing Daisies: Like everyone else writing about television, I love this show. Love it. It's sweet, it's beautiful, it's funny, and it's like nothing else on TV. Last night's episode was, without a doubt, one of the best pilots I've ever seen. Of course, it helps that the show has its own charming narrator to make the normally painful exposition less so, but still--just fantastic.
Private Practice: Sigh. Sigh. On the one hand, this episode was marginally better than last week's, which saw Addison dancing naked in her apartment. On the other hand...sigh. A stripper? Really? And can we please let Addison calm down, be her professional self, and stop freaking out on Pete all the damn time? Speaking of Pete, I feel really terrible for Tim Daly having to read all those cheesy lines. That whole "I like women with lines around their eyes" speech was just painful.
America's Next Top Model: Check out my thoughts here. (Go Heather!)
Will Watch or DVR Tonight*:
Ugly Betty: Betty does not know what to do when she finds out that Wilhelmina's new bodyguard (Rick Fox) is taking the job to a whole new level; Bradford uses Alexis' amnesia to rewrite family history; Hilda comes to terms with recent events. ABC, 8 PM.
30 Rock: Jack tells Liz that, despite what she thinks, she is not over Floyd; Jack has a plan to insert "Seinfeld'' footage into the network's current shows. NBC, 8:30 PM.
Grey's Anatomy: The residents and interns treat the victims of a massive explosion at an apartment building; Mama Burke returns to collect her son's things; Lexie tries to have a heart-to-heart with unwilling Meredith. ABC, 9 PM.
The Office: Ryan returns to Dunder-Mifflin's Scranton branch to bring the company into the digital age; Angela remains unhappy about her cat. NBC, 9 PM.
*Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings.
So psyched for 30 Rock. SO PSYCHED!
