Thursday, November 15, 2007

Grey's Anatomy: Teenage Wasteland

What is it with Grey's Anatomy and foreign objects shoved into eyes? Because I have to say, it's really, really not okay. Also not okay? Cliquey high schoolers, who make me want to shove a pencil in my eye. Just sayin'.

Our case of the week is a high school bus crash, which features the aforementioned PENCIL IN THE EYE (I'm shuddering all over again just thinking about it). And by "pencil in the eye," I mean, "pencil in the eye and brain." And they waited until seeing the scan results to book an OR? Like there was a chance they could just pull it right back out, no harm, no foul? They actually do end up going with the "just pull it out" strategy in surgery (what else would you do, really?), which doesn't work out well for our patient, who ends up in a coma. Which, in turn, doesn't work out for his best friend, since they were pretty much all each other had at school. Here's a PSA to you loners out there: Make more than one friend, so that if you end up with a pencil in the eye, your friend isn't left all alone in the world while you're in a coma. (Chime) The more you know...

Also in the bus crash? Bailey's high school crush, who's more interested in getting her to do his paperwork than thanking her for saving his life. And she's more interested in giggling at him than in doing her job. You know, it was actually really comforting to see Bailey do something weak, for a change. Nobody should be completely perfect. And I loved George's line after he sees Mr. Uncrushworthy take Bailey for granted: "You know what he deserves? A long speech." Bailey's and George's chemistry is really pretty fantastic (but NOT in a 'shippy way). And she does give the speech, but to Derek, instead. Who, it turns out, wasn't quite so crushworthy in high school. Oh, and can you say Emmy episode for Chandra Wilson? (Finally!)

In our other big plot this week, Meredith's dad winds up in the hospital, drunk, belligerent, and asking for Meredith after putting his hand through a window. He goes on and on (drunkenly, of course) about how proud he is of her, and how sorry he is for how he treated her before, and apologizes for his condition, claiming that it's his dead wife's birthday. Poor Meredith is so starved for parental affection that she buys the whole act, even asking Lexie to keep a better eye on him in the future. Big Mistake. Lexie explodes, unleashing an angry tirade on Meredith about their dad's permanent drunkenness, lying, and changeable moods. For someone who wanted to keep this a secret, she sure yelled that all out in the middle of a crowded area. Bummer. Those three need some family therapy, stat.

George and Izzie, in the meantime, spend the episode avoiding each other. Thank God. The bad sex, it seems, is insurmountable, or so rumor quickly has it (pleasing Callie, and me, to no end). Here's hoping their big conversation leads to a big breakup--the sooner, the better. Those two were much more interesting as friends to me, so I'm just going to view their relationship as a necessary device to break up George's bad marriage. Right.

Speaking of bad relationships, Derek actually has a date at Joe's, right in front of Meredith. What!? Dude, that's just not cool. I can't believe this wasn't a bigger deal! I mean, sure, his date was resident kook Sidney, but still! You can't just go on a date and then go home with your ex-girlfriend. It's...unhealthy. At best. Thankfully, Sidney breaks it off before it gets tooo weird. Unthankfully, he's got a new love interest: Cute OR nurse who rightfully points out the cliqueyness of Seattle Grace. Sigh. He and Meredith either need to get it together or break it off. All this confusing gray area stuff is exhausting!

Oh, and a quick note on Cristina: Her half-walk, half-run to the OR when Dr. Hahn paged her was one of the funniest moments of the season for me. So perfectly Cristina. And can I just repeat that I really, really like Dr. Hahn? Really.

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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.

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The Daily Show...with writers!

Here's a great video of "The Daily Show," straight from the picket lines.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

America's Next Top Model: Project Top Model

Tonight on Project Runw- Oh, wait, I'm sorry. This is ANTM? Project Runway doesn't premiere until later tonight? I got a little confused what with the clothes designing and all...

The girls meet Benny Ninja (who not only keeps popping up in episodes, but is wearing a completely bizarre shirt with points sticking up out of his shoulders) at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where an Elite Model honcho gives them their challenge: to be a muse. (I, on the other hand, am amused. Rimshot!) They'll be paired with student designers who have to transform an awful discount store dress into something the model will wear on the runway, and which reflects the model's personality. Basically, the designers all come up with these crazy concepts ("Cleopatra," "ballerina"), and the models are all like, "Umm...yeeeeah...that cooould work." Heather, in particular, has a tough time relating to her partner.

The next day, after a full night of Bianca trashing Heather's abilities, the models head back to FIDM, where the Editor in Chief of Seventeen shows up to make things a little more competitive: the winner of this challenge will shoot a jewelry spread for Seventeen. Newly motivated, the models head over to check out their ugly, ugly dresses. Most of which, according to the models, do NOT reflect their personalities. Though to be fair, I'm not sure my personality would lay claim to any of those dresses, either. Maybe one or two. At any rate, less Project Runway and more...fifth grader with a sewing machine makes human-sized Barbie clothes.

The girls will be judged not only on their runway walk, but also on how much they inspired the design, based on a short speech they need to give about the dress. On the runway, Bianca totally rocks the speech, despite hating her dress. Heather? Not so much. And she's really upset about it. Jenah rocks the whole thing, and clearly loves her dress. Saleisha, however, wins the challenge, and picks Bianca and Lisa to share in her photo shoot bounty.

When they all get home, Heather gets upset at what she feels is the other girls picking on her after she's had a bad day. By taking the shower when she's called it. Or whatever. I'm not super-sympathetic, much as I love Heather. Incidentally: Saddest "My Life as a Covergirl" ever! Jaslene signs autographs at Wal-Mart. Wow, life as a model is sooo glamorous! Riiiight...

The next morning, the eco-bus drops the models off in the middle of the desert, where they are joined by Orange Jay after a brief panic. Tyra's totally trying to make Heather pass out again, you guys. Apparently, they will be posing as desperate models lost in the desert. So...not so much a stretch, in this case. Aside from the addition of a flaming car. Bianca wears Jay out with her fabulousness. Heather, still distracted by her failure the day before, manages to look lost, but not lost and desperate, I guess. Jay isn't pleased. Chantal works it out. Saleisha starts off slow but ends up doing well. Ambreal is too posed. Jenah is her naturally photogenic self. Lisa has trouble "working" her dress.

When they get back to the house, Heather expresses to the other girls her frustration with the situation in the house and her performance in the competition, and it's actually a reasonable, mature conversation, despite their differing viewpoints. This may be a first for Top Model. At panel, Tyra is interrupted during her judges and prizes speech by a Chinese dragon. (Or, as she puts it, "lion." Eh, I'm not one to argue with Tyra.) Like, Chinese New Year's style, with people inside. It "tells" her that they're going to China, and a bunch more dragons, plus guys with swords, run out! Wow. And it seems a bit cruel to tell them right before someone gets kicked off. But cruel is how Tyra rolls, yo.

The judges love Jenah's photo, especially her body language. Heather, aware of her impending doom, gives the them a cheery, "Hello!" Apparently, though, Heather's worst according to Tyra is still good enough for Twiggy's approval. But when she talks about her tough week, it prompts the patented Tyra Banks lecture on compartmentalizing. Saleisha's shot gets some praise, but everyone's a bit lukewarm, and Tyra encourages her to take more chances. Or expand her chance-taking window. Or whatever. Chantal rocked it hardcore, and the judges love her shot. Ambreal, less so. It's a nice shot, but her pose isn't flattering for her legs or the dress. Bianca's aggressive shot is a resounding success at panel, while Lisa gets praise for her face, but not her pose.

In deliberation, everyone gets at least some praise aside from Ambreal, who gets criticized for her poor posing and lack of "specialness," and Lisa, who gets slammed for her downward trajectory and her lack of "freshness." Uh-huh. Bianca, Jenah, Saleisha, Chantal, and Heather are all going to China. And joining them will be...Lisa, of course! Ambreal goes out on a positive note, though her portfolio tells a different tale. Chick just didn't take good pictures. Ah, well. This way she won't have to fly all the way to China only to be sent packing just when she was getting over jet lag.

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No money from new media?

Well, it's been a crazy few days of coordinating, but I think we can call the TV Blogger Strike a resounding success. And stay tuned- we've got great plans to continue our campaign in support of the WGA! I'll be back tomorrow with more, but for now I'll leave you with this video of network execs making clear just how "uncertain" they are about the profitability of new media. Watch and be amazed...at how they manage not to choke on all the hypocrisy. (I somehow managed to miss posting this one in the craziness leading up to the strike.)

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Monday, November 12, 2007

TV Blogs Go Dark in Solidarity with the Writers Guild of America

On November 13th, this blog and the blogs listed below will be on strike for the day in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America. As fellow writers and as TV fans, we are coming together to express our strong support for the writers and their goals. We believe that when a writer's work makes money for a company, that writer deserves to be paid.

Many writers depend on residuals for a stable income, and that income shouldn't be based on an outdated formula which ignores the existence of new media and all but a tiny percentage of DVD sales. The talented writers responsible for so much of what we love about television should and must be paid fairly and equitably, and we will stand with them until they reach that goal. For everyone's sake, and for the sake of television, we hope both sides can come to an agreement quickly.

To further that goal, we are calling on our readers to sign this petition and to contact the following television networks, voicing support for the writers and for a return to the negotiating table:

ABC
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
(818) 460-7777

FOX
10201 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 369-1000

CBS
7800 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 575-2345

NBC / Universal
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
(818) 777-1000

After the blackout, we intend to continue our campaign to support the WGA until the dispute has been resolved fairly. Since we will not be posting any new content on the 13th, we encourage our readers to visit United Hollywood instead for frequent updates about the strike.

In solidarity-

The CineManiac
Daemon’s TV
Ducky Does TV
Gabby Babble
Give Me My Remote
Glowy Box
I am a TV Junkie
The Media Pundit
Mikey Likes TV
Pass the Remote
The Pie Maker
Ramblings of a TV Whore
Seriously? OMG! WTF?
Silly Pipe Dreams
Tapeworthy
Televisionary
TiFaux
Tube Talk
The TV Addict
TV Series Finale
Watch with Intelligence

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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!

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Sunday, November 11, 2007

Desperate Housewives: Secrets and Lies

Well, the theme of tonight's episode of Desperate Housewives was "deception," and while that certainly held true, it seems like "deception" could be the theme of every week's episode. Just sayin'. All in all, though, a very entertaining hour of television. And as you may know, Desperate Housewives ceased production last week, so enjoy the great new episodes while they last!

In tonight's most gripping plot, Gabby and Carlos killed Victor. Maybe. By accident. To be fair, if my hypothetical husband had recently found out I was cheating on him and then took me on a boat trip alone, from a deserted marina, and asked me not to tell anyone about it, I'd probably fear for my life, too. So that accounts for the first time Gabby knocked Victor off the boat. And the second time was even more justified--dude was totally crazy, and threatening Carlos with a knife! That said, setting his boat adrift and claiming Gabby wasn't ever on it may not have been the smartest route. I may watch a bit too much CSI, but it seems to me like it would be pretty easy to tell if Victor was really alone on that boat. And the picnic, for one thing, would certainly indicate otherwise. That said, I'm assuming (knowing this show) he's not really dead. So this should get pretty interesting, pretty fast.

On the Susan end of things, I'm just glad to find out that Mike's your basic pain pill addict, rather than popping mystery pills to curb his latent homicidal tendencies, as his father's comments suggested. I loved Bree's oxymoronic strategy for dealing with an addict: "Trust, but verify." And crazily enough, I actually believed Mike for a moment when he said that the pills were to help keep him working while injured to save money for the baby. He seemed so sincere, and upset! But then, I remembered what show we were talking about, and totally called that he was going to retrieve the "discarded" pills from the sink drain. I mean, he didn't even wash 'em down with water, or anything. DUH, Susan. Your husband's a plumber.

In an impressively uncomfortable conversation, even for a dinner party at Bree's house, Bree and Orson argue about circumcising their baby (who cries a ton and is thus bright red, incidentally) in front of Mike and Susan. Um, wow. It would be really, REALLY traumatic to remember one's own circumcision--that's totally rough. But it surprises me that Orson didn't look at his own situation and worry that the same thing could happen to his baby--namely, that Bree "I Hate All Things Unsightly" Hodges would wait until the coast was clear and then get the job done, regardless of the age of the child. Of course, Bree was far more efficient than that, and even managed to pass as a Jew in order to get her son a bris, thanks to a borrowed name from Fiddler on the Roof (awesome). I liked that it led to a heartfelt conversation about what it means to be family, versus a blood relative, to this child. Of course, the conversation came a little late for his penis.

I didn't love Lynette's plot as much, perhaps because it seemed superfluous with all the other excitement about town. However, it did feature the marvelous Sarah Paulson as one of Lynette's sisters, which was pretty awesome. I have to say, while I don't miss Studio 60 at all, I do miss Sarah Paulson. 30 Rock should totally recruit her. It would be such an easy transition! Aaanyway, all the fighting over who has to live with Lynette's awful mom got rather old, though I suppose it was nice that Lynette stood up for her mom in the end. Is anyone buying that the $10,000 her mom loaned Lynette was all the money she had left? Because I'm not sure I am.

Finally, after a week off, we got new developments in the Katherine/Dylan case. I loved that Dylan, after finding out about Katherine's (apparently fake) confession about abuse at the charades party, confronted Katherine with what may be the scariest words she'd ever heard: "I am officially no longer afraid of you." Of course, Katherine succeeds in making Dylan afraid FOR her, rather than afraid OF her, with a presumably fabricated tale about Dylan's dad almost killing Katherine the night she said she was leaving him. Thus, Katherine gets Dylan to stop trying to find out about him. No new clues on what he might have done, though.

Next week: A sweeps-driven tornado hits Wisteria Lane.

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TV Blog Coalition: Get reading!

Here's the second edition of the TV Blog Coalition's picks for our best posts of the week. Enjoy!

BuzzSugar: We wondered about the worst television shows ever, wondered if the writers' strike would make us watch more Web-only programming, and got creeped out in a good way by Dexter's Dark Defender webisodes.

Daemon's TV: Sandie offers a first look at pictures from Battlestar Galactica "Razor". Eric talks about "twisted couples" on CBS' Numb3rs and wonders if Tony and Ziva are about to hook-up on NCIS.

Glowy Box: Liz explained why she supports the WGA, and discovered that The Daily Show is still filming despite the strike. She also debated the difference between being a model video ho and a hoochie video ho on this week’s America’s Next Top Model.

Mikey Likes TV: Trying to ignore the traumatic effects of the writers' strike, Mikey reviewed the two most recent issues of the Buffy comic series and welcomed a speedy end to NBC's green week.

RTVW: We imagined the perfect Dollhouse by playing casting directors for Joss Whedon. Just Jody finally fell for Avatar: The Last Airbender and P-C did a hard-hitting head-to-head comparison of Chuck and Reaper.

Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green: Certainly Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku are enough reasons to watch Dollhouse, but Scooter has come up with ten reasons why he won’t be watching. But it is not like the show will be on any time soon because of the writer’s strike, well that is unless the powers that be check out Scooter’s solution to the strike.

Tapeworthy: Vance wants to give a big Marc-styled "bravo" to the fantastic writers at Ugly Betty for turning Victoria Beckham intentionally funny, giving Christina a plotline and giving Vanessa Williams a career again. He however dislikes another Vanessa for intruding on his pretty friends Dan and Serena on Gossip Girl. And as supportive to the WGA as Vance wants to be, he was still super excited about the new season of The Amazing Race!

Televisionary: Jace kept the masses up-to-date on the WGA strike happenings, took an exclusive first look at the script for NBC's Knight Rider pilot, thought this week's backstory-laden installment of Chuck was a significant improvement, and looked forward to the return of Life on Mars.

TiFaux: Last week, Dan took his fetish for all things Canadian to a new level by talking about the brand new, maple-smelling Project Runway Canada. Kyle reached an oasis in the desert of Battlestar Galactica by seeing (and reviewing) Battlestar Galactica: Razor. Meanwhile, Maggie mulled all things Heroes-related, including the fact that Kensei/Adam Monroe is immortal, evil and totally awesome.

The TV Addict: Not surprisingly, this week, The TV Addict is all strike talk 24/7. First, we suggest more creative sign ideas for the striking writers. Then take a break from strike news to post exclusive interviews with Bones star T.J. Thyne and House stars Omar Epps and Jennifer Morrison. Ending off the week with our one idea to ensure the strike ends early: Boycott Reality TV!

TV Filter: Raoul interviewed Sarah from America's Next Top Model. Kate did a play-by-play of Kenneth Parcell's last party ever.

TV With MeeVee: We're pretty heavy on WGA strike talk, including this fabulous post with Mr. Ed! We love the new Playboy show that's like "The Office" for porn! And then there was the immortal Ro-Ro A No-Go For MSNBC-O.

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Friday, November 09, 2007

Strike Tidbits

In case you hadn't noticed, I've been swamped at work lately, leaving me with no time to watch TV, let alone blog. So here's a video of the Grey's Anatomy cast striking and an interview with Patrick Dempsey, and a picture of the Scrubs cast doing the same, to tide you over. Rock on, casts!




Head to United Hollywood for more strike info!

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Wednesday, November 07, 2007

America's Next Top Model: Strike a pose (vogue, vogue, vogue)

Tonight on America's Next Top Model, Bianca gets her stank back, and the Top Models get their video ho on. But said video ho is model, not hoochie. With one exception. (Sorry, Ambreal.)

As we rejoin them, the girls discuss Ebony's decision to quit, seemingly dismissing it as a case of homesickness. Um, that wasn't really the point, ladies. But whatever. Everyone's glad Ambreal is getting a second chance, including Ambreal. Sarah, in the meantime, is finding it confusing to be stuck in no man's land (or no model's land), weight-wise. If I were in the same situation, Sarah, I'd be going to town on a huge plate of french fries right about now. You know, for what it's worth. Poor thing is stuck being around a bunch of girls who talk about how they usually wear a size zero, but can occasionally wear a three depending on the pair of pants. That sucks.

Later, Jenah, Ambreal, Lisa, and Bianca are hanging out in the swimming pool, discussing who might be in the top five (them, according to Jenah). Heather walks up to the side of the pool, and Lisa, I think acknowledging her, says that she thinks Heather will be right up there in the top five, too. And then, ugliness. Bianca, totally relapsing to her former stankness, goes on a mini-diatribe about how Heather is totally overrated, and basically has a good face and just sits there for photos. While Heather is standing right in front of Bianca's mostly-closed eyes. And then she keeps arguing about how much harder everyone else has to work when Heather tries to defend herself! Lisa and Jenah seem to stand up for Heather, which angers Bianca, who then interviews that she feels like everyone babies Heather because she has a disability. Wow, Bianca, you're right! You totally deserve a medal for your equal-opportunity bitchery.

Tyra Mail! The gals all dress in ridiculous nude, body-covering leotards and meet Tyra at what appears to be an audition in the movie Fame, if Tyra's bizarre opening speech is to be believed. She then explains to everyone, using charades for the especially stupid, that she'll be teaching them how to move sexily for a music video or commercial. The sight of Tyra marching sexily across the room, followed by an army of wannabe Tyras in ill-fitting nude body suits, was somehow terrifying and hysterical to me at the same time. And when she teaches them to coyly hug themselves and pretend to be adorable and in love, it looks like everyone's just really cold. Especially Ambreal. It's all pretty hilarious, basically.

And it's reeeally difficult once she passes out a bunch of kneepads not to make a joke about how now she's going to teach them the real way to get a job in modeling. (Sorry, couldn't help it. The kneepads were for crawling across the floor sexily, everyone. Modeling is obviously nothing like prostitution.) Bianca stankily points out in an interview that Heather can do no wrong in Tyra's eyes, and gets praised where others would be criticized. And I have to say, I kind of agree with her in this case. Heather's "sexy" crawling across the floor wasn't sexily awkward in a dark way, as Tyra would have us believe--it was borderline-creepily awkward in a dark way. Kind of like the girl coming out of the TV in The Ring, but less so. I love Heather, but when you're right, you're right: Tyra definitely has a girl-crush on her.

The next day, everyone's off to a meeting with Jesse Terrero, a "famous" music video director. He's there to shoot a video with a "major star" and all the models, featuring one of them in particular. And wow, it actually IS a major star! Enrique Iglesias! Whom I've been on board with since he guest starred on How I Met Your Mother, for what it's worth. The video, for the song "Tired of Being Sorry," has a vampire-esque theme, which explains why all the models' bikinis are black. Because, you know, what's more goth than a black bikini? I was SURE that Heather would be chosen once they announced the video's theme, but Enrique, Jesse, and the label pick Lisa, who is beyond thrilled. Aaaand, then Jesse announces that they want to feature one other model who had the right look: Heather. Of course. Yay! Bianca, predictably, is pissed.

Chantal, it must be noted, has shown an extraordinary ego in this episode, clearly marking her for the final two. During the video shoot, for example, she talks about the "natural talent" she found she has in front of the camera, as the director talks about how she was surprisingly stiff. Standouts in a good way are Ambreal and Lisa (in her featured role). Sarah hates her revealing outfit, further cementing HER inevitable appearance in the final two, but Heather really has the worst of it.

Everyone notes how hot it was in there and how it was a physically demanding shoot, and Heather says that it was 8 PM and she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Uh-oh. They have to call the on-site medic to escort her outside for fresh air, and she falls down on the way. Um, maybe take the dizzy girl's five-inch heels OFF before making her walk? Once they get her in a chair, she starts almost gasping for air, or having a seizure, or something. Totally scary. They put her on oxygen once she's with it again, and give her some water and food. Everyone's pretty sweet to her face, but Bianca, of course, points out that it just means she can't handle modeling.

Chantal, again, isn't nervous at ALL for judging, because this is what she was born to do. Oh, Chantal. The expression "tempting fate" exists for a reason. At panel, the guest judge is Jessy Terrero, whose name is apparently now spelled with a "y" at the end. Which is accurate, but definitely not what the on-screen title said earlier. Way to go, editors.

The judges really like Lisa's star turn in the music video, to the point where Nigel wishes her photos were equally electric. Ambreal had to slide down a pole in the video, and the judges (apart from Jessy) slam her for being too hoochie, even suggesting that "hoochie" might be her comfort zone. Ouch! Saleisha gets praised for coming across as darker than she normally does, as does Sarah. Nigel, however, brings up Sarah's lack of confidence in her body, and the fact that she's rapidly moving further away from plus size. The judges love Heather's performance and coachability, but think Jenah wasn't fierce or focused enough for the mood of the video. Tyra thinks that Chantal was almost there, but holding back a little, and trying too hard to model and be hot. So...holding back AND trying too hard? Impressive! Bianca gets praise for her confidence from Jessy, but mocked by everyone else for her crazy kissy poses and lack of fluidity.

Lisa gets called first, followed by Heather, who is Covergirl of the Week again! This has to be a record, right? Saleisha, Bianca, a surprised Ambreal, and Jenah are next. I know it's not hard to predict the bottom two, but I'm kinda pleased with myself here, I'm not gonna lie. Sarah gets called out for coasting, and for not really having a place in the industry at her current weight. Chantal also gets called out for coasting, and for her disappointing video performance. Chantal is still in it, and a sobbing Sarah bites the dust like so many plus size contestants before her. Aww.

It should be noted, by the way, that the music video they shot (viewable on the main page of Enrique's website) is totally not the official video for "Tired of Being Lonely," which I discovered when I tried to find it on YouTube. It's basically the same as the official video, but with the main professional models replaced with Top Model contestants. I blame Bianca and her kissy face.

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Top Five Reasons Why I Support the WGA

Since I'm unable to post more than a couple times a day, I can't compete with the flood of information on the writers' strike elsewhere (check out TV Tattle and Ducky Does TV, among others, for updates). I can, however, tell you why I personally support the Writers Guild of America one hundred percent, even though the strike may lead to less quality television for us fans in the short-term.

1. When a writer's work makes money for a company, that writer deserves to be paid. Period. Residuals are how the business works.

2. Contrary to popular opinion, most writers aren't rich. The writing profession is unpredictable, with many writers completely broke between jobs. These writers depend on residuals for a stable income. Which brings me to my next point...

3. The more difficult it becomes to make a living as a writer, the fewer brave souls there are who are willing to try and make a go of it. And less writers means less quality television to choose from. Moving on to the specifics...

4. Showing a full, ad-supported episode of Grey's Anatomy online is no different, on its face, than showing a full, ad-supported rerun of Grey's Anatomy on television. To argue that the second example is purely "promotional" is absurd, and the Alliance for Motion Picture & Television Producers has been insultingly unwilling to bargain. If, as they argue, they are uncertain whether new media will prove profitable, why not give the writers - without whose contribution this work would not exist in the first place - a small cut? 2.5% of zero, by their logic, wouldn't cost the producers a dime.

5. Almost 20 years ago, writers got locked into a home movies deal that has cost them, and saved producers, enormous amounts of money since DVDs took off. This strike will, if not right that wrong, prevent a similar injustice.

Or, in a nutshell, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, management can't write the show!"

If you're looking for a good place to get the basics on the WGA's reasons for striking (and screwing up your primetime schedule, which you know they wouldn't do lightly!), click below to see a video they made to fill you in, plus a bonus informative strike video from SNL.




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Tuesday, November 06, 2007

The Daily Show Must Go On: Glowy Box Exclusive!

I am un/happy to confirm rumors that The Daily Show is filming new content, despite the Writers Guild of America strike which has the show in reruns this week.

Samantha Bee (apparently not also a Daily Show writer like John Oliver) was spotted near my place of work today, with cameraman and note-jotting assistant in tow. According to my spy, she appeared to be ad-libbing her lines, provoking passers-by and working around their responses.

Sounds like we may be getting some new Daily Show episodes at some point! At the very least, production is not totally shut down, as many reports have implied. So why am I conflicted? I'm happy because I'm hoping the show will cover the strike in a favorable light, or at least draw attention to it. I'm unhappy because with every show that finds a way to go on despite the strike, the pressure on executives is lessened, thus making a quick, favorable resolution more difficult for writers.

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Flight of the Conchords: First Season out on DVD Today!

For Flight of the Conchords, today is Business DVD time! The fabulously hilarious first season is out on DVD today, and you should all go and buy it immediately. Even though it doesn't really appear to have any extras, unless Amazon and HBO just aren't mentioning them. (Seriously, HBO? Not even the One Night Stand special?) Plus side: It's only $20, so even if they come out with a Special Platinum Criterion Über-Awesome Edition next year, you'll still be able to afford it.

Go buy the DVD now! (Providing that's what you are into...)

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On the Glowy Box: Or in this case, not so much.

It seems I'm subconsciously supporting the strike by making myself too busy to watch TV (besides The Bachelor, that is). ...Good for me?

Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
House: The CIA recruits House to help an agent dying of an unknown illness; Foreman faces resistance from the remaining fellowship candidates when they question his judgment. Fox, 9 PM.

Reaper: Sam must trap a thrill-seeking couple who engineer fatal car-crashes; the devil offers Sam inside information on a young woman he wants to ask out. The CW, 9 PM.

Boston Legal: Alan tries to prove that Patrice was temporarily insane when she killed the man who murdered her daughter; Denny fires an associate lawyer for being overweight; Jerry helps an objectophile. ABC, 10 PM.

Okay, I'm really going to try and get caught up tonight. Seriously.

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Monday, November 05, 2007

The Bachelor: If you give it up to ALL the girls, it's not special anymore

This week's episode of The Bachelor was a blessed 45 minutes short. Brad takes the remaining three gals to Cabo San Lucas, where they'll be living in sin for the next few days. And seriously? This dude gets more boring with each and every episode. How on Earth are they all falling in love with him? Unless...you don't think the love is fake, do you?

Jenni gets the first date, where they'll be swimming with a dolphin. It's supposed to be cutesy and magical and full of bare chests and bikinis, but really it's kind of sad and embarrassing for the dolphin and full of lifejackets and wet scraggly hair. Afterward, Brad tries to get Jenni to tell him how she's feeling, and she acts unusually coy, saying she's afraid to get too attached or some junk like that. But then they kiss and make it better, of course.

At dinner, Brad flatters Jenni with a bunch of cheesy platitudes ("Thanks for being you!"), which somehow convinces Jenni that she's completely in love and needs to prove it. She tells Brad that it's hard for her to say how she feels, but it's easier for her to show it. And then talks about something special that Brad has in his pocket. (...Or is he just happy to see her?) And he actually tells her to grab it. And she does! What the- oh, it's a "fantasy suite card." Which apparently means that they get to go back to a candlelit bedroom. So...actually pretty much exactly what I was joking about. They show a lot of cuddling and smooching on the bed before Brad gets up and closes the door. (oooOOOOoooo!)

The next morning, after telling us how "incredible" and "amazing" the last night and day with Jenni were, Brad heads out sailing with Bettina and a racing crew. Fun! And, of course, full of shots of Brad shirtless and Bettina in a bikini. Including some oddly zoomed-in shots of Brad's torso. At dinner, Bettina brings up her family's issues with Brad, framing it as concern that he wasn't as into her as she was into him. Riiiiight...that's exactly what the issue was. Nothing at all about owning bars and dropping out of college! He's not really buying it, and asks whether she'd even be willing to move to Austin for him. She agrees immediately, which he appreciates.

However, the dinner conversation is still uncomfortable for him. And so, to lighten things up and bring her to a more "relaxed setting," he drops the fantasy suite card. So...this magical card can be used as a reward when a date is going well, PLUS as a cure for a bad date. Amazing! In the hot tub, Bettina flatters him into a makeout session, and claims in an interview to be falling in love with him. Not buying it, Bettina. Just not buying it.

Last but not least is DeAnna, who gets to race dune buggies with Brad. She gives him more than a run for his money, which he appreciates, to his credit. He says he's been looking forward to that evening since he first met her, and she interviews about how in normal relationships you totally sleep together all the time. ...And what part of this relationship is normal, yo? At dinner with Brad, DeAnna admits that she's falling in love with him. He says "hm" after confirming that she meant it, and kisses her. Aaand hits her with the fantasy suite card. Playa! So wait, he's sleeping with all of them? Seriously? Won't that make him feel guilty about eliminating one of them? Or are they not actually allowed to sleep together? This show is pretty bananas.

On his way to the rose ceremony, Brad perfectly expresses what I can't possibly put into words: "The weather here in Cabo is very fitting, because it's tumultuous, and that's exactly how I feel." Oh, Brad. You're so...deep. He blathers on a bit about heartbreaking decisions and caring for everyone before giving the first rose to Jenni. The next and last rose, after an appropriately dramatic pause, is given to DeAnna, which is possibly the least surprising elimination ever. Yes, now that he's in control of the situation rather than last week, when Bettina and her family were rejecting him, Brad cuts Bettina loose. He tells her that he's not sure he knows who she really is, and she accepts it with a lot more grace and a lot less crying than almost anyone else. Which really almost confirms that she wasn't as invested as everyone else, doesn't it?

Next week: Reunion special! Hillary! Jade! Chad! And then some more family-meeting, and some sort of begging episode. So for those of you who, like me, were hoping we'd have a winner next week, prepare to be very, very disappointed. But also possibly entertained, because reunion specials are kind of awesome.

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On the Glowy Box: Let's call it "practicing for the strike."

Yeah, I didn't actually watch any TV this weekend besides Desperate Housewives. I'm not going to lie--it was a little refreshing. But I'm eager to get caught back up this week!

Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
How I Met Your Mother: Marshall learns Lily's dirty little financial secret when he and she decide to buy an apartment. CBS, 8 PM.

Chuck: Chuck returns to Stanford on homecoming weekend to help a former professor, who has a secret; Morgan has problems with Buy More's new assistant manager. NBC, 8 PM.

Heroes: A sudden manifestation of one of Peter's forgotten abilities throws him and Caitlin into a crisis situation; heroes band together to fend off the "nightmare man"; West learns who kidnapped him as a child; Hiro's journey takes a dramatic turn. NBC, 9 PM.

Samantha Who?: Realizing that she has no memory of sex, Samantha considers re-experiencing her first time or waiting for the right guy. ABC, 9:45 PM.

The Bachelor: Brad takes the final three bachelorettes on a romantic overnight adventure to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; one woman goes on a dune-buggy ride; another goes competitive sailing; the third woman swims with the dolphins; Brad gives two of the women roses. ABC, 10:15 PM.

What won't I be watching? The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I miss them already!

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Sunday, November 04, 2007

Desperate Housewives: Never fear, Frankenstein is here!

Tonight on Desperate Housewives, our theme was holiday-appropriate: Fear. And the events were sweeps-appropriate: Danielle finally had her baby (or demon child, or whatever), Gabby and Carlos finally took the next step (largely unsuccessfully), and Lynette finally ended her battle with the possum in her garden. Oh, and her battle with cancer. All in all, a very eventful Halloween on Wisteria Lane.

Bob and Lee, it seems, are very into Halloween, and are looking to make friends. Um, perhaps NOT putting a giant, ugly, noisy fountain in your front yard and being jerks about it would have been easier than throwing an elaborate Halloween party for the entire neighborhood. Who am I to complain, though, when the party provides a hysterical sight: Danielle, sick of being cooped up in the house, shows up dressed as Bree! It's awesome. Until her water breaks. And hmm...she's so far along that they have to get Adam (Katherine's husband, dressed as Frankenstein) to deliver the baby at Bree's house, letting him in on their big secret. Perhaps Bree will have to help him out and keep his big Chicago secret sometime soon, eh? I actually found the scene where Danielle forced herself to give Bree her son very affecting, though I think it's debatable what the "right thing" for him would be, aside from giving him to a family that's NOT full of crazies. Just sayin'.

In my current favorite storyline, Carlos and Gabby are finally leaving their respective significant others. Edie is pissed, but not nearly as pissed as when she turns him in to the IRS, only to find that his offshore account doesn't exist anymore. Victor, for his part, doesn't even know Gabby left him. Which is kind of what happens when you leave your "I'm leaving you" message on a hotel voicemail ending with "you don't have to call me back." Gabby. (Yeah, it was just that awesome.) Victor's father, who did get the message, offers Gabby a fat payoff if she stays through the election, which Carlos sees as akin to prostitution. Which, fair enough, yo. And also, what town, exactly, is Victor mayor of that it would be a good jumping-off point to be Governor of California? Seriously, I want to know. Because that part of the plotline is unrealistic enough that it's increasingly bothering me.

Once Gabby finds out about Carlos's embezzled millions, she's thrilled, but pretty much immediately pissed she didn't get half in the divorce. Pissed enough to refuse to be with him on account of untrustworthiness, in fact. Um, crazy, and Carlos is rightly baffled. I can't decide if this was a totally unrealistic plotline, given Gabby's liberties with the truth in the past and her love of money in the present, or if it was right on, given Gabby's general instability in the past, present, and future. Probably the latter. So wow, who else totally isn't buying Victor's claim that he won't run for Governor? And hello, Gabby also totally overheard him and his dad discussing her bringing the Latino vote on their wedding day, too, so why would SHE ever buy it? However, this may all be a moot point given that Gabby and Carlos are going to be very dead, very soon now that Edie has given Victor evidence of their affair. Something tells me Victor wasn't joking around when he was talking to Carlos at the charades party.

Susan's plotline was infuriatingly dumb enough that I don't want to waste too much electronic ink on it. However, it did provide the biggest laugh of the night, so I won't ignore it altogether. During genetic counseling for their baby, Susan describes the various webbed feet and third nipples in her extended family. Mike: "Apparently, I married into carny folk." Ha! Small hands...smell like cabbage. Things quickly get serious, though, when it comes out that Mike's dad is in jail for murder, and not dead like Mike told Susan when they started dating.

Even worse: he killed a guy for no better reason than a workplace rivalry. Still worse: he doesn't feel that bad about it, leaving Susan to think her baby will be born soul-less. This all probably wasn't helped when Mike foolishly reminded her that he also killed a guy once. But oh, Susan. Given the number of spills you've probably taken during this pregnancy, I think your baby's genetic conscience is the least of your concerns. And what the heck is the deal with Mike's dad basically calling Mike a ticking time bomb of sociopathic violence due to the childhood trauma of having his dad sent to prison? (Not in so many words, but I caught the drift.) I give that out-of-character garbage a big fat whatever, and hope fervently that it won't be part of the plot.

While everyone else is out making merry and living in fear, Lynette is going crazy over a possum in her garden while she awaits the results of her PET scan. Seriously, there's an air rifle involved, and a really fake-looking dead possum. So fake, in fact, that I wonder if she accidentally killed a mutant woodchuck of some sort. Apparently, defending her homestead from a possum is necessary because you fight things that attack your home and try to destroy you. Heeeeey...it's almost like she's talking about the cancer a little! Happily, her oncologist stops by that night to let her know that's she's clear and cancer-free. Yay! Now she'll have time to ferry her kids back and forth from the therapy that will be necessary for the rest of their lives after seeing Frankenstein birth a baby. Eww.

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Saturday, November 03, 2007

TV Blog Coalition: The best of the TV blogs in one convenient post!

Welcome to the very first post from the TV Blog Coalition, a fabulous group of TV bloggers (organized even more fabulously by Dan from TiFaux), each of whom will pick their favorite blog entries each week and pool them together into one convenient superpost, which will then go on everyone's site. It's so chock full of bloggity goodness that I can hardly stand it. (And please forgive us any stylistic or technical glitches...it's our maiden voyage!)

So without further ado, here's the best of the TV blogs for the past week:

BuzzSugar: We reminisced about My So-Called Life and wondered how well everyone remembers it. We mulled over the current state of Heroes. We thought HBO's In Treatment sounded more intense than a college course. And we actually liked Blake Lewis' first single post-American Idol. Yeah, we know.

Daemon's TV: Sandie finds weird couples on TV and shares her new TV addictions (Supernatural, Malcolm in the Middle, and Torchwood). In addition, she gets a first look at Rachel Bilson (Summer in The O.C.) in NBC's Chuck.

Give Me My Remote: The TV Writer's Strike is on everyone's minds, but there's still a lot of TV to talk about in TV land. GMMR is shocked to discover that she misses Karen Filipelli on The Office, but not shocked that she isn't missing Cameron, House and Foreman on House. Should she be? And her readers are wondering if her love for all things Pushing Daisies is healthy or something they should be worried about. GMMR ended her week as she always does by catching up on all the latest TV news with a cocktail.

Glowy Box: Liz answered questions posed by the Googling masses about Desperate Housewives, The Bachelor, and Grey's Anatomy. She also marveled at the extreme improvement in Desperate Housewives' writing this season, and shook her head and sighed at Brad's poor decision-making skills on The Bachelor.

Mikey Likes TV: Mikey listed the many ways in which he’s disappointed by Heroes: Generations, was surprised by how much he likes the new season of Nip/Tuck and forgot about it all after news of Joss Whedon’s blissful TV partnership with Eliza Dushku.

Ramblings of a TV Whore: We recalled about our favorite Halloween episodes from classic Roseanne to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Ugly Betty. Plus, Rae found out about Joss Whedon's new show, Dollhouse, which proves she'd follow him anywhere... even to Fox.

Scooter McGavin previews the first two episodes of Nip/Tuck. And for those that like to party like it is 1999, he reviews new albums from Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. No word on when the new Lou Bega album is coming.

Tapeworthy: Vance is watching Project Runway Canada until Heidi and Tim return. He defends Chuck over Reaper, and like everyone else, is still all over Pushing Daisies , especially after their Halloween episode. Finally, Vance thinks they sure can dance at the So You Think You Can Dance Live Tour in Toronto!

Televisionary: This week, Jace was overjoyed about Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, dubious about the rumored Office spinoff, disappointed in Chuck, furious about FOX's US version of Spaced, and enraptured by Pushing Daisies. Also, his blog came in third place in Hey Nielsen's first annual TV Blog competition. He'd be a really happy boy if Joss actually had those seven scripts written.

TiFaux: Which TV character has the biggest daddy issues -- Lost's John Locke, Dexter or maybe Dirty Sexy Money's Nick George? The new episode of Reaper reminded Kyle of the new DVD package of Twin Peaks. Also, we suggested some last-minute TV-oriented Halloween costumes inspired by Pushing Daisies and Heroes.

The TV Addict: Wondering how the writer's strike is going to effect your favorite shows? Check out Our Writer's Strike for Dummies. Need proof that writer's are actually worth the money — see our favorite quotes of the week! Curious as to this TV Addict's take on the strike, click here. Tired of all this strike talk already — take a trip down memory lane with our Scranton OFFICE Convention diary.

TV Filter: We argued about whether "Chuck" is more like "Buffy" or "Veronica Mars." Raoul interviewed Ebony from "America's Next Top Model" and got all the good dirt on why she decided to leave the show. Kate managed to write up this week's episode of "The Next Iron Chef" without mentioning Andrew Knowlton's name even once.

TV With MeeVee: We're going wOOt crazy on Writer's Strike Updates. We're finding Criss Angel something less than phenomenal. We're mocking NBC's Green Week, while at the same time kinda respecting it. And we're all over the new season of "Project Runway."

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Friday, November 02, 2007

On the Glowy Box: Defying Gravity

And in a surprise to no one but a downer for everyone, there's going to be a strike unless the producers do some extreme last-minute compromising. Nuts.

Watched Last Night:
Ugly Betty: Broadway musical + already-awesome TV show + smiling pickle logo = too much greatness for mere mortals to behold. Seriously, this show just keeps getting more fantastic. In its unusual, over-the-top-yet-still-nerdy way. I've had "Defying Gravity" stuck in my head all morning, but it was worth it for last night's fantastic episode. Marc's atypical boyfriend gives his character a little depth, which is a nice counterpart to Amanda's newfound depth. I like the idea of Daniel looking out for Betty for once, even if he's getting in the way of the greatest couple on television. And Hilda's reaction to Betty's secret relationship with Henry was a great moment in that I didn't expect it, but it fit perfectly with her character. You know, I realize the cast, styling, concept, and comedy of this show get a lot of credit, but the overall writing (drama and everything) is absolutely what makes Ugly Betty work so well. (Yeah, I'm trying not to think of the strike. And it's just not working.)

Grey's Anatomy: Get over your crap already, Meredith! Read my full review here.

Scrubs: The idea of JD as a father is both terrifying and hilarious. But mostly terrifying. Read the rest of my thoughts here.

Will Watch or DVR this Weekend:
Women's Murder Club: The club investigates a drug ring being run out of a nursing home; Lindsay reluctantly accepts an invitation for a date; Jill takes a big step in her romantic life. ABC, 9 PM.

The Amazing Race: The teams begin their worldwide journey at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif. CBC, 8 PM.

The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror! Homer, living a double life as a secret agent, must kill Kent Brockman; Bart and Lisa help Kodos reconnect with his home planet; Flanders decides to spook Springfield's children. Fox, 8 PM.

Desperate Housewives: Carlos walks out on his relationship with Edie; Susan finds Mike's supposedly dead father; an unexpected delivery at a Halloween party surprises the neighborhood. ABC, 9 PM.

More to watch this weekend than usual. Rock.

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Thursday, November 01, 2007

Scrubs: Babies and alien goblins look a lot alike

Tonight's Scrubs was all about beginnings, endings, and Halo. And it was certainly a Very Special Episode, since it saw the birth of JD's baby, Sam. Of course, it did what Scrubs has always done best, balancing comedy with drama, imaginary with real, unicorns with childbirth. Ah, Scrubs. I love you so.

Kim, finally, is in labor, and ready to have a Serious Discussion with JD about their relationship. In fact, she's ready to say "I love you," whether he can say it back or not. And "not," unfortunately, is the case here. In fact, the best he can do is to tell her that he hopes he can fall in love with her someday, but then kind of admit that he wouldn't be with her were she not the mother of his child. Which just isn't what a woman in labor wants to hear from her baby daddy. Especially her baby daddy who messed up the timing on her epidural, thus leaving her with a fully painful labor. Urgh.

Turk heads out to the hospital to support JD, if by "support JD," you mean "beat Halo, since Carla won't let him play in the house anymore." I think the Janitor might be the most fun video game partner ever. Unless you wanted to win, of course. Man, if I'd had a eulogy for every alien goblin thing I killed playing Halo in college, I'd still be trying to beat the game. Turk's and Carla's relationship lives to see another day (unlike JD's and Kim's, it seems), though, when Carla reveals that she's a recovering Halo addict, and helps Turk beat the game. Wow, she might be a bit bossy sometimes, but she's also kind of the best wife ever, yo.

Dr. Cox has his own baby issues as he tries to get someone to give a shot to Jennifer/JD, his baby, on the likely valid theory that if he gives her shots, she'll be afraid of him. Unfortunately, the pediatrician on call is "Dr. No Shot," who doesn't give shots for the same reason. Oh, and Dr. Kelso (living at the hospital since Enid kicked him out) can't do it either, because "This is scotch, and I'm all Hasselhoffed out." Ha! JD agrees to help if Dr. Cox will talk him through his relationship troubles, but that obviously doesn't last long. He finally gets her the shot, though, and JD finally manages to suck it up and go back into the delivery room, even though Kim doesn't want him there. Soon, we are subject to that usual disgusting "three-month-old covered in reddish cottage cheese" birthing shot, and JD becomes a father. Which is pret-ty terrifying, if you ask me.

Some other favorite moments:

  • Fun Size! I knew she'd turn out hilarious! And apparently, she can totally talk normally, but doesn't, because it hurts her throat too much. Which doesn't sound funny, but really, really is.
  • Kim giving birth to the lead singer from Men at Work singing "Land Down Under" in JD's imagination. "That's what that song's about!"
  • JD, in charge of Kim's epidural. “Soon, you’re going to feel like you’re passing a marshmallow.” Sticky and uncomfortable. “Passing a unicorn.” Big horse with a horn. “Passing a rainbow.” ...Better.
  • It looked like we glimpsed a familiar face for a moment there! (Don't click if you don't want to be spoiled.)
All in all, another quality episode from the most underappreciated comedy on television. In fact, an extremely quality episode from my perspective, since it was heavy on the Dr. Cox and light on the Elliot. Keep it up, guys!

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Grey's Anatomy: Monopoly is a gentleman's game

Tonight on Grey's Anatomy, we covered "severe abandonment issues," wedding dresses, sexism in the workplace, near death experiences, woodpeckers, and sex. So pretty much just another night at Seattle Grace. Overall? Pretty good stuff. I took issue with a couple cheesy speeches, and Shonda may have tried to cram a bit too much in (which is why we aren't really getting into the patients of the week here), but Dr. Hahn's awesomeness and Callie's impending awesomeness (I can feel it coming, you guys) more than make up for all of that.

First: Dr. Hahn. I need to begin by saying that halfway through tonight's episode I finally, FINALLY realized where I know that actress from. Silence of the Lambs! She's the "it" in "It puts the lotion on its skin"! Which ups her coolness factor by, like, a thousand, since that's one of my favorite movies. And also a completely classic moment in pop culture. But beyond that, Dr. Hahn, through her righteous feminism, is quickly becoming my favorite character on Grey's. I loooved that she confronted the Chief about his "gentleman's evening," and his checking up on her surgeries. Right on, Dr. Hahn. Right on. And though I love Cristina, I can totally understand Dr. Hahn being skeptical of her relationship with Burke, when Dr. Hahn probably worked incredibly hard to get the respect she deserves in such a tough field. Also, her asking if Derek and Sloan were a couple pretty much made my night. For reals. (And they do kinda make a cute couple this season, even if it is platonic.)

Speaking of Sloan, I really liked him and Callie teaming up to torture George a little. Those two definitely have some interesting chemistry going. And wow, this whole affair/divorce thing is moving along at warp speed, isn't it? I mean, I'm glad Callie is able to let go of her marriage now, but that seems awfully fast. The dude has to hold a dress for a few hours, and suddenly he's been punished enough, and she can joke around with him again? I'm not buying it.

George, for his part, is being remarkably passive in all this. Maybe it comes from being an intern again, or maybe it's just his personality (or the fact that this season and last beat the personality right out of him), but he just seems like he's along for the ride these days. Or lack thereof, when it comes to Izzie (oh, snap!). Her "I'm exhausted and achy and can't have a perfect rare bird night with you" speech had me grinding my teeth, much like the "I'm Bambi!" speech earlier this season. However, I can forgive her for two reasons. First, it led to George's "...Did you only shave one of your legs?" line, which was hilarious. Second, it only seems right to forgive someone who's about to die in a fiery blaze. Seriously, who lights that many candles in their room and goes to sleep without blowing them out? Seriously.

And okay, wow, can we talk Alex and Lexie? What do we think about this? Poor Eva! I thought it was pretty funny that Alex walked away from Lexie after saying he only had sex to offer, assuming that's not fine by her. And by funny, I mean a little sexist, but kind of sweet. (Yeah, insert "She's related to Meredith, thus must be all about the no-strings-attached sex" joke here.) Anyway, I'm not sure how I feel about them as a couple, though at least she seemed ignorant of the fact that he lives with Meredith. Yeah, busted. And she was pretty un-annoying up until that point tonight. But seriously? How about finding a nice fellow non-George intern to hook up with instead one of Meredith's resident friends, eh, Lexie? Because you kind of brought this upon yourself.

Finally, my favorite quote of the episode, by Cristina: "Being aware of your crap and actually overcoming your crap are two different things." Truer words have never been spoken, Cristina. Truer words have never been spoken. And I am becoming increasingly less interested in watching Meredith try to overcome her crap.

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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...

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America's Next Top Model: A clip show already?

Well, folks, it's that time again! Instead of bring us a new episode filled to the brim with crazy photo shoots and bitchy goodness, we've got a stale clip show with a smattering of new tidbits. LAME. And early this year, too! What did we learn? Not much, really.

It seems like a couple major segments of episodes were cut out, including a "Fashion Checkpoint" in the final audition round, where Miss Jay inspected the girls' luggage before they could get on the cruise ship, throwing away the offensive clothes into the "Fashion Trash." Fashion Trash? That's the best they could come up with? During this bit, we also learn that one of the finalists was missing a front tooth. Yeah.

The other biggie was a conversation between Tyra, "Dani," Dr. Laura Polis (a supposed expert, though Google doesn't seem to believe it), and the contestants about the pressure to lose weight in the modeling industry. "Dani," apparently, was told to lose weight immediately after moving to New York. She called Tyra, who was angry that they were asking a skinny girl to lose weight, and helped "Dani" figure out a plan. Which, apparently, was to lose the weight. But "healthily." What?! Sigh. Most of the girls say that they wouldn't lose the weight in a similar situation (which I don't buy for a second), though Bianca says she'd do whatever it took to get the job. Props for the honesty, Bianca. But damn, this industry sucks. And this is a pretty huge segment to cut, ANTM producers. What the hell?

The rest of the new clips generally involved Jenah being immature and harassing her housemates, and Bianca fighting with people (though it sounds like she lost her bad attitude at about the same time she lost her hair). My favorite: Ebony tries to intimidate a fellow semi-finalist by pulling out the "I'm not here to make friends" line in, like, the first five minutes. Bianca, overhearing this, calls Ebony "corny." HA! And wow, they REALLY did Bianca a favor when they shaved her head.

Other clips of note: Bianca ran into a glass door, very much like a bird. You can actually see her faceprint on the glass, eye and all. It's hysterical. Jenah chipped her tooth on the swimming pool, and has to go to the dentist to get it fixed, making me flash back to Joanie and her "I've been at the dentist for TWELVE HOURS" clip. However, Jenah's experience is quick and painless, so really, the opposite of Joanie's.

That's it! Next week: Music video goodness.

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