Bad news from the negotiating front. Don't forget to take a minute and write the producers of your favorite shows to tell them that you support the writers!
In other news, my weekend in New York didn't exactly leave me with a lot of time for TV-watching. (Though it did leave me time to get hit in the face with a glowstick during a performance of Xanadu: On Broadway. Best way EVER to get a cut on your nose!)
Over the Weekend:
Reaper: From Tuesday. I'm definitely enjoying the whole Devil's daughter plotline. It was time to give the Andi thing a rest, at least for a while. Also, is it just me, or has that bank employee/donut guy been in a LOT of stuff? (And the donut shop manager was totally Vincent from Eureka!)
Tonight:
How I Met Your Mother: Ted's friends try to convince him that he should not date his doctor by sharing some of their own toxic experiences. 8 PM, CBS.
And the slim pickings continue. Sigh.
Monday, December 10, 2007
On the Glowy Box: I miss Chuck already...
Thursday, November 15, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Enjoy it while it lasts...
First, a couple strike links. Here's a guide AOL TV put together on the status of a bunch of primetime shows. It's not looking too good, folks. Want to help out? Here's a site with a great list of addresses, phone numbers, and a sample letter to make it extra-easy for you to give the networks a piece of your mind. It even has a list of which executives are responsible for which shows. So get writing, people!
Last Night:
Pushing Daisies: While my love for this show knows no bounds, last night's episode wasn't quite as amazingly wonderful as previous weeks, if you ask me. Slightly less quirky, slightly more heavy. That said, I think it was completely necessary so that the show could move to the next level. Last night, we broke through the surface twee and got some serious character issues out in the open. Now, we've got all the more interesting stuff to play with! Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Olive is rapidly becoming my favorite character.
America's Next Top Model: China? Really??? You can read my full recap here.
House: From Tuesday. Okay, props for the improved incorporation of Chase and Cameron. Negative props for featuring that whiny plastic surgeon. I'm SO not into his character. Props for making the standard documentary episode interesting by focusing on the camera's effect on the doctors. Negative props for...eh...nothing else! It was a pretty good episode, actually.
Reaper: From Tuesday. At long last, this show is totally growing on me. As I mentioned before, this fact is probably due to a lowering of standards rather than an increase in the show's quality, but I don't care--it's fun to watch, and doesn't involve too much effort on my point (a selling point, given my current schedule). And duuuude, that special effect where the demon's tattoos turned into real weapons? So cool. It's also nice to see Reaper continuing to think outside the formula, particularly with the Gladys side plot this week. Nicely done, Reaper.
How I Met Your Mother: From Monday. Okay, did this episode make anyone else wonder what terrible habits they have? Because I've been obsessing over it a little. Do I talk too much? (Yes.) Do I over-correct? (Yes.) Do I chew loudly? (Possibly.) Do I sing while I perform menial tasks? (Not so much, no.) I think my glass-shattering habit (Literally, in this case. No, wait... figuratively.) is probably that I talk really loudly. Yep.
Tonight:
Ugly Betty: Wilhelmina plots her next moves in the wake of the Meade-Slater nuptials; Betty tries to make things right with Daniel; Henry uses his charm to get the weekend receptionist (Mo'Nique) to let him in after hours. ABC, 8 PM.
30 Rock: When Jack attends a cocktail party, he falls for a Vermont congresswoman (Edie Falco); Liz suspects her Middle Eastern neighbor of being a terrorist. NBC, 8:30 PM.
Grey's Anatomy: Teenagers fill the ER after a school-bus crash; Bailey treats a patient who was her high-school crush; Derek goes on a date with a fellow doctor; Thatcher enters the ER looking for Meredith. ABC, 9 PM.
The Office: Jan sues Dunder Mifflin, and Michael is deposed as a witness; Kelly trash-talks Pam after Darryl beats Jim at pingpong. NBC, 9 PM.
Scrubs: Carla worries that she is losing her identity; J.D. angers the staff when they realize that he uses nicknames because he does not know their real names. NBC, 9:30 PM.
Wait, so is Women's Murder Club on Thursdays now? Because that totally takes away from its watchability.
Monday, November 12, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Catching Up is Hard to Do
As you may have noticed, I worked late much of last week and didn't really get a chance to watch TV. Horrifyingly enough. Thus, this weekend has been largely devoted to getting caught up. It was intense. Here's a very quick rundown of what I thought of everything from last week...
Watched Over the Weekend:
Chuck: Though I was happy that they moved the plot along and broke out of the typical formula, I was a bit disappointed to lose Bryce as the mysterious dead potential villain. Now that we know he's definitely a nice guy, though, I'm even more interested to see why he stole the Intersect!
How I Met Your Mother: Well...I'm glad Lily and Marshall aren't getting divorced. I don't have that much more to say about this episode. "Dowisetrepla" had a pretty funny payoff, and there were a few great lines...but none that will go down in history, I'd say.
Samantha Who?: Aaaand, that's it. I've given it a chance, and I just don't happen to find it as funny as the rest of America does. Sorry!
Reaper: Okay, what happened with Sam's dad being mysterious and stealing a page out of the contract? We haven't even seen his parents since! That said, I did enjoy the episode. I think my brain has just settled into "enjoy the mindless fun" mode with this show, rather than trying to make it more than it is. Which is definitely what needed to happen for me to keep watching.
House: A House-ku:
Chase and Cameron
Need to be part of the show
Not squeezed into plots
Boston Legal: I'm not sure why William Shatner farting and then saying, "Denny Crane" is so hilarious, but it totally, totally is. Does anyone else feel like Alan's closing statements at trials are getting a little out of control? I realize that these long speeches have proven Emmy results, but I'm starting to find myself checking email during them. Just sayin'.
Life: Is anyone else out there watching this show? Because I'm totally addicted at this point.
Ugly Betty: Amanda is one of the most underrated characters on television. Period.
30 Rock: As much as I hated Ross on Friends, I loved Greenzo on 30 Rock. Just like the episode on integrated advertising, last week's 30 Rock managed to take an NBC directive and obey it by mocking it openly. Also, Al Gore is my hero. "A whale is in trouble!"
The Office: I'm just going to breathe a big sigh of relief here that The Office is back to its regular half-hour episodes. PHEW.
Scrubs: I empathize with the Janitor--I can't get my coworkers to recycle properly, either. Maybe I should make myself a sash with a bunch of environmental buttons. Also, the sight of Turk's head painted like a basketball was way, way funnier than it should have been. So funny!
Desperate Housewives: Quality stuff. Read my complete thoughts here.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
How I Met Your Mother: When Ted thinks he has met a wonderful woman, the gang points out a deal-breaking flaw. CBS, 8 PM.
Chuck: Chuck meets a pretty woman (Rachel Bilson) who is interested in the real him; he and Sarah double-date with Ellie and Captain Awesome; a poison specialist tries to obtain codes to nuclear facilities. NBC, 8 PM.
Heroes: The calendar turns back four months, and Nathan must pay a terrible price for his heroic deeds; D.L. sacrifices for Nikki and Micah; Maya manifests her dark powers for the first time. NBC, 9 PM.
The Bachelor: Bachelorettes return to confront one another and Brad one last time; reluctant Brad must answer questions from heartbroken Hillary; Sarah and Lindsay explain why they could not tell the difference between Brad and Chad; a preview of the final episode. ABC, 10 PM.
Here's hoping I can actually stay caught up this week!
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...
Monday, October 29, 2007
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.
The Office: From Thursday. 1) The folks who were recording the theme song totally need to form an office a capella group, like Ted on Scrubs. It would be hilarious. 2) Um, their final commercial was a LOT better than I expected, given that Michael Scott (formerly of "Lazy Scranton") was directing it. Nice. 3) I'm so glad the show is back to its half-hour format. And not just because it leaves room for Scrubs in the schedule.
Ugly Betty: From Thursday. Yay, Betty/Henry! Yay, Justin back to his usual self! Yay, Alexis getting her memory back! Yay, new mysterious background for Christina! Yay, Ugly Betty!!! Here's hoping this year's Halloween episode lives up to last year's...
Dirty Sexy Money: From Wednesday. This is one of those shows that I get totally into while it's on, and then forget about until the weekend, when I make myself watch it so that I can delete if off my DVR. And I get totally into it again! What's up with that? I think, clearly, this is a show that's meant to be watched on DVD, marathon-style. Also, I kind of can't take this "Tripp is evil! No, Simon Elder is evil! No wait, it's totally Tripp! For reals this time! Except maybe not!" flipping around. I need someone to hate!
Reaper: From Tuesday. Though I find Reaper entertaining enough to watch on the weekends, I feel like this show, more than any other, didn't live up to its awesome pilot. I'm not sure if it's the writing, the CW's extremely budget special effects (Smallville- and Charmed-style), the formulaic nature of the plots, or the acting. Seriously, I really wish it didn't feel like the big sidekick (Sock?) was doing a Jack Black impersonation every single moment of every single episode. However, I am intrigued by Sam's Dad's new shady behavior. So at least there's something to keep me DVRing every week.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
How I Met Your Mother: Marshall gives up his dream of saving the Earth in favor of money after being courted by a lawyer (John Cho) from a corporate firm. CBS, 8 PM.
Chuck: Chuck runs into a fellow agent, who is living a similar life, and must decide whether to turn the agent in to Sarah and Casey; Morgan's and Chuck's Halloweens differ. NBC, 8 PM.
Samantha Who?: Sam assumes her role as a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, but upon arriving, she learns that the friend does not want her there. ABC, 9:30 PM.
The Bachelor: The final four bachelorettes take Brad to their hometowns to meet their families; one woman's protective father confronts Brad, leading to an argument; Brad makes a difficult decision and sends one woman home. ABC, 10 PM.
I demand more Halloween episodes!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Wednesdays are In. Tense.
Don't forget to enter the Veronica Mars Season Three DVD contest!
Watched Last Night:
Reaper: I'll need a few more episodes to really make up my mind on this show, but I'm pretty disappointed with how it's progressed since the fantastic pilot episode. I love Ray Wise, and the Jack Black-type friend is very funny at times ("Never tell crazy that you were in it for the sex!"), but I feel like Reaper is sinking into the Freak 'o the Week formula without developing its characters enough to make even a formulaic show seem interesting (see: House). I don't care enough about Sam and Andi, and the demon plot didn't really grab me this week. (Possibly because I really, really hate bees.) I'm still watching and all, but I'm just saying, Reaper's season pass may be in danger.
House: On the other end of the spectrum, House continues to rock hardcore. I love (or love to hate) the House-like job applicant, I love the competition between applicants, and I love that this show can be so incredibly cynical, only to make me all teary later in the episode. (And then go back to being cynical--I loved how House imparted the results of his "experiment" to his patient in the morgue). Basically, I love this show. It's really breaking out of its mold this season with Cameron, Chase, and Foreman in the background (Foreman's character, especially, became far more interesting last night). However, one question: how did the guy manage to not take his pills? Was it on purpose, even though at that point he appeared to want to get better? And if so, did he intentionally kill his dog as well (NOT COOL)? Did he just somehow forget to tell the doctors that his dog ate them? How the hell does that happen?
Chuck: From Monday night. Love, love, love. And hey, Morgan actually kind of served a purpose in this episode! Between Morgan, Chuck's sister, and Captain Awesome, Chuck certainly has an intensely loyal posse. Which makes the contrast between his home life and his role as a tool for the CIA and NSA even more interesting. This show is way fun, right down to the awesome new theme song ("Short Skirt/Long Jacket," by Cake) and the rest of the music in general, come to think of it.
How I Met Your Mother: From Monday night. I wasn't feeling it quite as much as usual this episode (especially Robin's pointless plot), but I did like The Belt, Danica McKellar, the fact that both Ted and Barney choked their first time trying to "ride the tricycle," and Barney's narration of how Ted should seduce both of them. Otherwise, meh. Let's take the show back into "Slap Bet" territory, writers!
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Pushing Daisies: Ned suspects that there is more to the story when an automotive expert dies in an unusual hit-and-run accident; Chuck wants answers about how Ned brought her back to life. ABC, 8 PM.
America's Next Top Model: The women get a preview of their makeovers at a Beverly Hills, Calif., salon; the models participate in a runway challenge and pose in a jungle photo shoot; the judges send one model home. The CW, 8 PM.
Private Practice: Addison needs Pete's assistance in treating a newlywed couple with difficulty consummating the nuptials; Violet urges a patient to leave his wife; Cooper tries to figure out why four sisters have a mysterious illness. ABC, 9 PM.
Bionic Woman: The Berkut Group tasks Jaime to watch the daughter of a Canadian defense contractor; Jaime must decide if she will help the first bionic woman. NBC, 9 PM.
Dirty Sexy Money: A blackmailer surfaces and demands ransom for a sex tape featuring one of the Darlings; Patrick must end his affair with Carmelita; Brian's wife figures out that the "Swedish orphan'' he brought to live with them speaks English. ABC, 10 PM.
Life: Crews and Reese investigate a carjacking homicide; the victim's husband refuses to identify the suspect, allowing him to go free; Crews visits the detective who oversaw his murder investigation. NBC, 10 PM.
The Sarah Silverman Program: The authorities take Sarah's dog away. Comedy Central, 10:30 PM.
Best night of the cycle on Top Model, you guys. (Makeover night, in case you live in a cave.) And from the episode's title, it looks like someone's going bald... Can't wait!
