Believe it or not, I didn't watch any TV last night! I know, right? Now I'm going to be all behind, especially considering I'm going to be TV- (and more importantly) DVR-less tomorrow night through Sunday afternoon. Sigh...
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Pushing Daisies: Another strange death leads Ned back to the site of Chuck's resurrection; pies laced with antidepressants brighten the lives of Aunt Lily and Aunt Vivian. ABC, 8 PM.
America's Next Top Model: The models learn how to pose with movement, first on a trampoline and then while being carried by an ice skater; in another photo shoot the contestants must pose as fashion gargoyles. The CW, 8 PM.
Private Practice: Addison invites her co-workers to a gathering, but no one responds; the wife of Violet's former boyfriend visits the clinic for treatment; Cooper counsels a lovesick young patient; Sam appears on a morning show to promote his book. ABC, 9 PM.
Dirty Sexy Money: Nick travels to an Italian vineyard to meet with a spy who may know about the death of Nick's father; Letitia confirms to Tripp that she had been unfaithful to him throughout their marriage; Jeremy struggles to keep his affair a secret. ABC, 10 PM.
Life: When a man is found dead in his home, Crews and Reese interview the neighbors, who each have theories as to who the killer is; Constance confronts Crews about their feelings for each other. NBC, 10 PM.
The Sarah Silverman Program: Sarah wagers that it's easier to be a black person in America than a Jewish person. Comedy Central, 10:30 PM.
And here's hoping I actually get to watch some of that tonight, instead of getting even more hopelessly behind.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Um...nothing.
REMINDER: Enter to Win Veronica Mars Season Three on DVD!
Just a friendly reminder that there's less than a week to enter our Veronica Mars season three DVD contest!
Here's a little something to get you motivated:
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Go Sox?
Shotgun! (Oh, Barney.)
Watched Last Night:
How I Met Your Mother: I thought some individual jokes stood up better than the episode as a whole, but who am I to complain? Those individual jokes were pretty funny! I loved Barney's intensely complicated strategy for winning the bet with Ted (and his spot-on imitation of practically every reggae song ever)--it's that sort of messing with our minds that makes this show great. I also really liked the "But" rule for set-ups. My "but" would clearly be "She's really great...but she's vegan." Also, what kind of psychopath pours milk in the cereal bowl first? Does the cereal not then float, preventing you from filling the bowl with it? Madness! I didn't really love Robin's plot this week (again), but whatev--this show is still legendary.
Chuck: I still love it! So wait, the DEA also has super-hot spies? For reals? (Although from what I've seen on this show and Alias, there are no non-super-hot spies.) I'm hoping we'll see Karina again--moral ambiguity always makes for an interesting character. So wow, Chuck reeeeally must have some Trust Issues, or some intense Bryce Issues, because he chose to trust Karina (she of the aforementioned moral ambiguity) over Sarah (she of the "Don't ever not trust me again!" speech in the previous episode). Whoops. And, um, can we get a little less Morgan? Please? For at least an episode or so? Regardless, Chuck is still rocking my socks.
The Bachelor: You can read my recap of The Bachelor here. But I'm not gonna lie to you, it was a pretty boring episode.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Reaper: Sam's request for time off is met with another vessel box, this one to capture the soul of a disgruntled magician who is killing people who do not appreciate his performance. The CW, 9 PM.
Boston Legal: Gen. Fitzgerald goes to the firm for help when the Army threatens to discharge him after he reveals his homosexuality; Carl asks Katie to assist a new associate in a custody battle over a 9-year-old bullfighter; Alan finds himself speaking gibberish. ABC, 10 PM.
Stupid baseball, pre-empting House... Like anyone really cares if Boston wins the pennant. (Okay, okay, I give! You care! But I'm still bitter...)
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Bachelor: Stop embarrassing yourselves! He's not worth it!
Tonight on The Bachelor, evil triumphs over evil, there's a distinct lack of the Most Shocking ____ Ever, and several catfights almost, but don't quite, materialize. Sigh. There will be three dates: a "very special" one-on-one date, a group date, and a threesome from which only one bachelorette will make it out alive. Jenni gets the one-on-one date, and is very excited. In fact, she's apparently been looking forward to this "all [her] life." That sounds like a really sad life. The usual jealousy and trash-talking ensues, and several girls jealously points out Jenni and Brad's physical chemistry. Hillary is actually super-upset, and is starting to seem like a crazy person. Dating shows are no place for people with jealous streaks.
The one-on-one date is a helicopter ride, which Jenni calls "the most amazing thing [she's] ever done" (again, a little sad). It takes them to a romantic rooftop dinner. The date goes really well, and Jenni gets a rose and a makeout session. She interviews that it feels like he's her boyfriend now, and he's cheating on her with all the other girls. A popular sentiment tonight, incidentally.
McCarten is freaking crazy, you guys. She flips out at people who won't answer her questions, and acts really condescending toward the other girls. DeAnna, for her part, is also the pushy type, and gets into a fight with Jade over why Jade doesn't express her opinion about things. Um, maybe because DeAnna and McCarten are more likely than not to go running to Brad with every little comment everyone makes?
The next date box arrives, and everyone but Jade and DeAnna will be headed on a group date involving a show of some sort. Jade is less than thrilled to be competing with DeAnna, whom she thinks isn't a good person. Wow, I actually dislike both of them, so this is pretty much win-win for me! They all head out to a comedy club in a double-decker bus, for some reason, and find out that they'll be performing at the improv club. Um, nightmare much? God, I hate that stuff. Like, SO much. "If you feel stupid while you're doing it, you're doing it right," according to one of the instructors. How on earth could that be a description of something fun?!
Aaaanyway, Hillary's great at it, Bettina is a bit cringy but does her best, and Kristy just isn't having it. Also, she really, really has a mustache. To the point where it's distracting me from the tearful conversation with Brad discussing how upset she is with her performance. Bettina gets the rose for trying hard even though improv isn't her thing, which really sucks for Hillary, since she was by far the best. But, I guess it's not a talent competition, so...
DeAnna and Jade get their date box. Jade is confident that Brad will see through DeAnna's "fakeness," but I think she's deluding herself a bit, since DeAnna has been one of his favorites since the beginning. They're having a romantic rooftop dinner (I guess Brad's a fan of these?), and with Jade and DeAnna sitting on opposite ends of the table and Brad in the middle, he kind of seems like a spectator at a tennis match. They're reeeally competitive ("As soon as I turned sixteen I started working-" "I started working when I was fourteen."), and DeAnna basically just does her best to fill every moment of dead air in the conversation. Jade and DeAnna both do well in the one-on-one time, but DeAnna comes out on top and gets the rose, predictably. I can't say I'm sorry to see Jade go, though she's gotten a more sympathetic edit in tonight's episode. Brad and DeAnna end the night making out in a rooftop hot tub, and I vomit a little in my mouth.
Back at the mansion, Bettina gives the girls a little chat about marriage, and building a relationship. Rather than listen to her point (you can't rush a lifetime commitment), the girls choose to focus on the revelation that she's been married before. In an interview, Hillary actually compares her to a used car. Right...because I'm sure your tires have never been kicked, Hillary. Or however that crazy metaphor of yours went.
In the pre-ceremony one-on-ones, Kristy doesn't do that well (Brad thinks she may be "too refined" for him) and Sheena reminds us that she's still on the show. Then, awkwardness. Kristy, Bettina, DeAnna, and McCarten ask Brad, taking turns to say each word of the question, who his first kiss was on the show. No one is happy to hear it was Jenni, and Bettina interviews that Jenni sees the show as a competition, and not a way to find love. Bettina half-jokes with the girls that she knew Jenni was the sluttiest one (since beach day was just the first date), and when DeAnna mentions that Jenni had claimed her first kiss was the one-on-one, Bettina less-jokingly calls her a "slut and liar." That was less cool than in the promo, but still kind of awesome. Hillary, whose new nickname is "Sloppy Seconds," says that she doesn't care who he kisses as long as she's the last one he kisses. Actually, let's change "Sloppy Seconds" to "Black Widow"...that had an ominous ring to it.
While the girls confront Jenni about the kiss, they quickly move on to more interesting attack angles. DeAnna asks her who she thought would be eliminated from the threesome date, and when she says that she hoped Jade would be eliminated because she thought he and DeAnna had more chemistry, Bettina passive-aggressively asks her if she wants Brad to be happy, and if so, why she'd want him to come back from the date with someone he has less of a connection with. Um, as Jenni says, because she wants Brad to be happy with HER. Bettina acts all shocked that Jenni sees it as a game, and not a relationship. Um, I'm pretty sure that you don't pray your dude will come home with a chick he loves in a real relationship, Bettina...I don't know how your marriage worked. (Or didn't work, as the case may be. Zing!)
McCarten has a tearful one-on-one with Brad in which she tries to explain her standoffishness with the old "I've been hurt in the past and am too afraid to open up" chestnut. She also slips in a subtle dig at the other girls and their competitiveness, which I thought was McCarten just being passive aggressive, until she had an even more tearful interview about how she hates that she has to share Brad, and she's not even sure if she wants a rose.
At the rose ceremony, Kristy is first to get a rose (really?), followed by Sheena and Hillary (no big surprise there). Stephy has a good-natured exit interview, while McCarten's is a bit more snotty. Literally. Oh, McCarten. You totally sucked. But I'll kind of miss the drama you created.
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!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Desperate Housewives: The game's the thing
Tonight's episode of Desperate Housewives was so cringy, so full of outlandish lies, so downright unbelievable that I think I can safely get 100% on board with this season. Marc Cherry and the rest of the Housewives crew owe Dana Delaney a debt of gratitude, because she's doing her darndest to drag this show straight back to up its first season heights. We've got sex scandals, pot brownies, truly mysterious mysteries, and friendships that really test the limits of the word. God, I love the suburbs. (You know, as long as I don't have to actually live in them.)
Lynette: Lynette's mom just might be the Best Ever. Though there were many great lines tonight, I think "Let Mama score you some kick-ass chronic" has to go down as the best. Although I have to say, I was pretty disappointed when Andrew Van de Kamp's long-awaited (by me, at least--he's awesome!) return to the show didn't really amount to anything. However, I will forgive this tragic underuse of a great character because Lynette's stoned charades were incredible. The highlight being pointing to Edie in the process of acting out "Hang 'em High." Awesome.
Susan: Oh, Susan. Of course you'd host the game night dreaded by all the neighbors. Of course. Is anyone else getting kind of nervous waiting for the other shoe to drop with this whole pregnancy thing? I mean, Susan said it herself: now that Mike's building the baby a crib, this thing is totally jinxed. Not to mention, I'm hearing a little too much "our child" this and "our child" that for this to actually be their child. Has it not even occurred to them that it could be Ian's, or am I just bad at math?
Bree: I find it pretty hard to believe that Bree, the most detail-oriented person in the Universe, didn't come up with a plausible OB/GYN, just in case anyone asked. I mean, even "I'm doing a home birth, without medical professionals" would have been more believable than the skid row place she accidentally sent Susan to, and would make the whole baby-switching process a lot easier when this thing finally plays out during sweeps. However, the sketchy place was pretty hilarious, so I'll give everyone involved a pass.
Gabby: Against my better judgment, I'm really enjoying this plotline. Possibly because it finally has Gabby wanting something she can't get. Between Gabby and Edie pushing Carlos as hard as they can, though, it's a wonder he hasn't snapped yet. I mean, beyond breaking a glass at a party while watching Gabby flirt with another man (he does know she goes home to her husband at night, right?). So wow, Gabby thinks Victor is cold and calculating compared to Carlos when he tries to figure out how to spin the whole underage gardener thing rather than get upset over it, but Victor is totally comfortable telling Carlos that he'd disappear anyone who messed with Gabby? She's probably be pretty into that. Oh, and I LOVED the accountant twist at the end, though I wouldn't be too broken up about it if Carlos had Edie killed after all. Still, I love it when this show can surprise me!
Central Mystery: Okay, what have we learned?
- Adam has trouble staying away from women (or at the very least, has wandering eyes), which may have somehow led to the family's hasty exit from Chicago.
- Whatever happened with Katherine's first husband, it was bad enough that letting people think he molested Dylan is preferable to their knowing the truth. Wow. Also, conversations like that one make for a reeeally uncomfortable game night.
- There's a mysterious chunk missing from the floor in the Mystery Room, which makes Katherine cry when she looks at it. Wait, did Dylan kill her father with a hatchet or something? Lizzie Borden-style?
- Julie is a total troublemaker for someone who's such a good girl, and apparently travels with her own set of lock picks. Perhaps Katherine is right to bar Dylan from hanging out with her.
Next week: The gay couple finally arrives on Wisteria Lane!
Friday, October 12, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Boys becoming men / Men becoming wolves
Have you entered the Veronica Mars season three DVD contest yet?
Watched Last Night:
30 Rock: Tons of Kenneth (who does it "all the different ways"), a guest appearance by Will Arnett (whose character is now a scientologist practicologist), Jane Krakowski on the Japanese Porn Star diet ("...but you can eat all the paper you want"), and Ikea-style office furniture labeled "BLËRG"? Last night's episode was all kinds of awesome. I probably laughed the hardest at Tracy's line: "Things have been said that can't be taken back! She called my license plate 'inscrutable'!" Also, last night marked the return of mind grapes! I've personally had the "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" song stuck in my mind grapes all morning. Liz got a bit shrill and repetitive with her "changing the world" thing (much like the Liz who's writing this, so apologies to those who know me in real life), but it was worth it for the "It's like those Dove commercials never even happened" line. I LOVE THIS SHOW!
The Office: Last night's episode was better than the past couple hour-long shows (and I'm sure many fans were placated by all the Jim/Pam moments in the second half), but The Office is still not quiiiite back to its usual self. Instead of focusing on the negative, though, let's focus on the positive! I loved: Angela in general, Andy doing acapella ABBA with the help of speakerphone, Pam and Jim's IM prank on Dwight, and the possibly burgeoning Kelly/Darryl relationship. Oh, and Michael finally standing up to Ryan, in his own way.
Grey's Anatomy: I'm finally, slowly, getting on board with this show again. Read my thoughts here.
Will Watch or DVR this Weekend:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Women's Murder Club: Lindsay, Claire and Jill cautiously welcome a new member into the club; Jacobi and Lindsay work together to solve a crime of passion; Jill makes some major domestic adjustments. ABC, 9 PM, Tonight.
Desperate Housewives: Bree tells her friends what she overheard in the Mayfair house; Stella makes Lynette some special brownies to help her through chemotherapy; Susan throws a charades party for the neighborhood. ABC, 9 PM, Sunday.
Life is Wild: Popular girls at school volunteer to help Katie write a poem in the Zulu language for a class project; Tumelo befriends Katie and teaches her about an African concept embracing respect; Jesse visits a local hangout, where the bartender attracts him. The CW, 8 PM, Sunday.
Plus about a million hours of stuff saved on my DVR. Yikes.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Grey's Anatomy: Feeling Optimistic
God help me, I think this show is actually getting back on track. In some ways. Kind of. Plus, you know, Grandpa from Gilmore Girls! You can't hate on a show that guest stars Grandpa--it would be like hating on an adorable, well-educated puppy. But seriously, I feel like many of the characters regressed to their pre-third season selves tonight, which is a fantastic development as far as I'm concerned. Now if we could just burn this Gizzie thing at the stake, then we'd really be rockin'. (I know, I know, Gizzie-lovers, or "Gizzards." I just found their platonic friendship so perfect that I refuse to idly stand by and watch it ruined. Refuse!)
Our Meredith Grey Thematic Voice Over kicks off the episode with, "Doctors give patients a number of things." Um, sure. And these doctors give each other a number of things. Like syphilis, for example. But that's neither here nor there. Much like Meredith's opening narration. Let's move on to the main plots:
Really Old Guy: You know that comatose dude whose room the crew's been eating in for the past year? Turns out, he's been not so much comatose as semi-comatose, and able to understand everything they've been saying. Oh, and he's awake now, and ready to die. I kind of can't believe that everyone wasn't more freaked out about his having eavesdropped on all their conversations for the past year. I mean, was Izzie not afraid that he'd tell Callie about her and George? I'm also a bit confused as to how Izzie was able to perform lifesaving measures when he wanted to die--has ER steered me wrong about the existence of "Do Not Resuscitate" orders?
At any rate, raise your hand if you knew that he was dead when Izzie gave him her giant needy speech. Everyone? Yeah, that's what I thought. Go make some friends your own age, Izzie. Live ones. I loved his wake, though. It's exactly the kind of thing that old-school Izzie would have made everyone do. Yay for a return to normality! (Boo for her turning it into a lesson about how if you wish and hope long enough, things will come out your way. I've been wishing and hoping for her and George to go back to being friends, but that doesn't seem to have come true yet...)
Tongue-ectomy: A very talkative woman has tongue cancer (which for my sake I hope isn't linked to being a loudmouth, because if so, I'm screwed), and her only chance of retaining the ability to speak well is a crazy experimental nerve surgery, which the Chief and McSteamy decide to perform for the first time without the help of a neurosurgeon. Because, you know, there's no way that could ever go wrong. It was totally predictable that her "last words" to her friends would be mean, but I found it entertaining all the same. I also loved George's "I'm reeeeally sorry" reaction to her when she got pissed at him for encouraging her to tell her friends how she felt. Derek's mini-rant to the Chief and McSteamy for trying to be surgical cowboys was pretty fantastic too, and reminded me why I liked him in the first place.
Meredith: When Meredith tries to teach Lexie by having her intubate an emergency patient who's pretty much already dead (possibly furthering her secret evil plan to sabotage Lexie, thereby causing her to lose her confidence and drop out of the program), Lexie has a total freakout about the situation and her relationship with Meredith, and Meredith sends her to the clinic rather than deal with it. Thankfully, it seems like the two will be on better footing after this episode, since Bailey convinces Meredith to make an effort with Lexie. How traumatic would it be to pore over the records concerning your mother's death, though? Yeesh. I'm still not sold on Lexie, but I'm liking Meredith a lot more after their last interaction.
I'm also not sold on Meredith's "secret breakup sex" relationship with Derek. It's getting pretty hard to follow (He thinks that McSteamy thinks that she wants to get back together with him...? I have a headache already!), and I'd rather have the two of them fly solo for a while. I'd love to see Meredith as someone other than the codependent whiner she's been lately, and though this episode was a step in the right direction, she'll need to break it off with Derek completely if she's really going to make things interesting again. Where's the interest in "on again, off again" if you're always pretty much on again? Also, I love her "Let's talk and cry together" response to Cristina guilting her out of surgeries. So emblematic of what I love about both of them, and so representative of the lighthearted banter that this show has been missing lately.
Alex: Giant needle in the eye! GIANT NEEDLE IN THE EYE!!!!!!! Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system, I can say that I'm glad Alex is finally yelling at Grandpa. Because basically pretending to be a senior doctor is not legit when it comes to patients taking your word over your resident's. And of all characters, Alex shouldn't be putting up with it. And at the end, when he busted George on being a "repeater" in front of all his admiring fans (who are apparently the dumbest crop of new interns in Seattle Grace history, if they couldn't figure that one out), Alex is proving that he's still the same old Alex we know and sort of love.
Bailey: How great was that moment when Bailey clearly saw that Callie was worrying about or struggling with something, paused, and then went on her merry, butt-kicking way? So Great! And she waits the perfect amount of time before coming back to Callie and promising to be the best Number Two she can be. Because God knows Callie needs the help. Oh, Bailey. You rock. She was mad for the exact right amount of time, but then came around because she's fundamentally a good person.
George/Izzie/Callie: Sigh. So, as George points out, Izzie goes from not wanting him to tell Callie to freaking out about him not telling Callie overnight? What?! And yeah, it IS about him and Callie, and breaking up a marriage is a Big Deal, even if the marriage was made hastily. George is such a standup guy that even when he's doing the wrong thing, he tries to do the right thing. If that makes sense. And thus, that brings him to the end of the episode, when Callie finally gives him permission to tell her. "I slept with Izzie." Bam. Nothing like ripping off the Band-Aid quickly, right? Here's hoping Callie regains some of her former fire in response. We won't know until next week, though, 'cause that's all she wrote.
So okay, my initial reaction is that I'm feeling a lot better about the show this week then I was last week. Though you could probably draw a graph of some sort negatively correlating my enjoyment of Grey's Anatomy with the percentage of the show devoted to Meredith being a downer and George and Izzie flushing a marvelous friendship down the tubes. Just sayin'.
On the Glowy Box: Hopelessly Devoted to Pushing Daisies
My head is saying, "Fool, forget Private Practice." My heart is saying, "Don't let goooo...." Let's face it, I'll probably listen to my heart and watch the episode I DVR'd last night sometime this weekend.
Watched Last Night:
Pushing Daisies: I have to admit, I didn't think Pushing Daisies could reach any new heights after the pilot episode. I mean, come on, that shit was genius. I was wrong. Having Kristin Chenoweth sing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" was the perfect way to get me to love this show even more (although I'm sure tons of non-Broadway loving people weren't into it). So mad props to Pushing Daisies for actually USING her amazing singing voice, which rarely happens when she's on television. I'm also really liking how they throw in little details about characters' lives (like the "cheese box" for Chuck, and knitting for Emerson). My only complaint is that the narration got a little intrusive. Much as I love Jim Dale, he doesn't need to be speaking over every scene in the episode, and the thing where he tells us exactly how old everyone is, down to the minute, is grating on me. But that's a small complaint. I was really into the central mystery this week (dandelion cars=awesomely precious), and I liked how they were able to blend it in seamlessly with the development of more character-related plots. Can't wait 'til next week, though I'm worried the quality may drop off with a lower budget and no Barry Sonnenfeld.
The Sarah Silverman Program: From last Wednesday. Yeah, I'm just getting caught up on this one. I really liked the first season, but thought the second season premiere was a little much. It was all going really well until the crazy "save the clinic from being bombed" ending...this show doesn't do action or high drama very well, and I thought the "Sarah joins a pro-life group" plot was funny enough as it was. I don't know. I think I may just need to get back into the show, since it's so unusual. We'll see!
America's Next Top Model: MAKEOVER NIGHT! Read my recap here.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Ugly Betty: Betty finds herself distracted by Mode's new sandwich guy, who both annoys and intrigues her; the Mode-ites prepare for the social event of the season; Wilhelmina plots to get her wedding back on track. ABC, 8 PM.
30 Rock: On the heels of Jack's realization that Don Geiss may be retiring, Jack's nemesis returns, engaged to Don's daughter; Liz tries to get her life in order. NBC, 8:30 PM.
Grey's Anatomy: George's skill level dazzles the new interns; Meredith halfheartedly helps Lexie with her first emergency patient; Sloan and Richard attempt a radical new surgery to save a woman's ability to speak; George tells Callie of his past indiscretion with Izzie. ABC, 9 PM.
The Office: Michael anticipates going to New York for the company's Web site launch party; Dwight tries to sell more paper in one day than the Web site does. NBC, 9 PM.
30 Rock! Tonight! Watch it! Seriously!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
America's Next Top Model: Now with 100% more model tears!
It's pretty much an indisputable fact that makeover night on America's Next Top Model is a not-to-be-missed television event, on par with the Superbowl or the shocking last ten minutes of an ER sweeps episode. Tonight was no exception, so get psyched! Makeover makeover makeover...for you and meeeee!
We join the wannabe models at the house, where Victoria emphasizes that she's not a model, and didn't really want to be one until recently. Um, not the best way to endear yourself to everyone, Victoria. But who cares about that stuff when there are MAKEOVERS to be had?! (At the Ken Paves Salon, if that means anything to anyone.)
They have a fancy new screen that morphs from their photos into photoshopped pictures of their new looks. Ambreal's hair will be cropped extremely short, Bianca will get long blonde hair, Sarah will get short hair that's a bit longer on top with blonde highlights, and Victoria will get her hair replaced with a combination of straw and seaweed, if the photo is to be believed. Everyone seems pretty excited so far, except for me. I know someone's going bald from the episode's title, and I really, really wanted it to be Bianca. Ah, missed opportunities. Chantal will be getting bangs and extensions, Lisa will also have short hair that's longer on top (a mistake, if you ask me), Jenah will have long blonde hair, and Janet's semi-mullet will be replaced with short dark hair. Ebony will get long straight extensions, Saleisha will get a mod bob with bangs, and Heather won't be change very much (a bit of a trim, and more chestnut coloring).
...Wait. So no one's going completely bald? Even though the episode is entitled, "The Girl Who Goes Bald"? I don't understand. Why did you lie to us, Tyra? WHY?!?! Now everything after this point will be anticlimactic. Sigh. The results are pretty mixed. I'm initially liking Ambreal's, Ebony's (who had a wig glued to her head), and Chantal's cuts the best. I'm not sold on Jenah's, Lisa's, or Saleisha's yet. Everyone else pretty much falls in between (or didn't change very much). Everyone except for...
BIANCA, who actually DID have to go bald in the end! Her hair was apparently too messed up to bleach or do anything else with except wait for it to grow in fresh, and thus Tyra answered my dreams like only Tyra can. Bianca predictably cries as they shave her hair off, and interviews that she feels "defeated." Oh, Bianca. We can only hope. She actually looks pretty great, but they give her a wig to wear for photo shoots anyway.
Nigel meets them in the fashion district with his wife, Crissy Barker. He's married?! What you heard just now was the sound of a million dreams being crushed into powder. Sad, heartbroken powder. With them is Brent Poer, a Covergirl consultant who pimps the website's "makeup mirror" function. The challenge: to pair a dramatic eye with a glossy, nude lip in preparation for a runway show. With the usual dashing between crowded makeup stations, since they only have five minutes. The prize: the look will be uploaded into the "makeup mirror," and they'll shoot a video on how to use the feature. Sarah wins, while Victoria (who is inexperienced with makeup) and Ambreal get some criticism.
TyraMail! "Are you ready to be deflowered?" So...many...jokes... The girls decide that they'll probably be getting photographed naked, but they're actually just going out into nature to be photographed as flowers and plants. Bianca does a fine job as a sunflower, and has finally sort of stopped whining about her hair. And she absolutely knows how to sound positive about it during panel. She may be a witch, but she's not dumb. The judges think her final photo is too stiff, though. Janet is only so-so as hydrangea according to Tyra (and me), but the rest of the judges count her as one of the most improved this week. Heather is weeds, and she totally works the edgy witch look, despite some intensely crazy makeup.
Lisa has trouble giving different looks as bamboo, but her final shot is very fierce. Saleisha also has trouble with her facial expressions as a tulip, and her final photo is terrible. Dead Eyes like crazy. Sarah, portraying ivy, isn't quite as fierce as she could be, but her final shot turns out really well. Ambreal finally stands out as a rose, but can't quite get her face to equal her posing skills. The judges like her final photo, though I'm still not sold on the facial expression. Victoria, who is officially annoying me with the "I'm an unfashionable nerd" thing at this point, is portraying a cactus. She overthinks it, and it shows in her photo. At panel, she interrupts Twiggy to argue that she doesn't have a prickly disposition. Bad call.
Jenah is fantastic as moss, and the photographer promises to use her when she's signed. Ebony finally does a good job as a bird of paradise flower, but Nigel calls her out during panel for not being charming or likeable. Chantal is baby's breath, and gets frustrated and upset when the photographer and Orange Jay keep telling her to do different things. Her final photo, predictably, is weak. And she pulls the rookie move of using the "different advice" excuse during panel, which gets her no sympathy.
At panel, the guest judge is Lionel Deluy, their photographer. In solo deliberation, the judges trash Victoria's and Ebony's attitudes, worry that Sarah is losing weight (jigga-what? I never thought I'd see the day...), and praise Bianca's accidental baldness. They absolutely love Jenah and Heather, and are especially disappointed with Chantal and Saleisha. The first picture goes to Jenah, who is followed by Sarah, Heather (who is Covergirl of the week again!), Lisa, Janet, Ambreal, Ebony, Bianca, and Chantal. Victoria gets praised for her look, but criticized for her attitude. Saleisha's pictures, on the other hand, are disappointing to the judges. She gets another chance, though, and Victoria is sent home. Eh, I'm not that upset. She was getting a little obnoxious, and didn't really want it anyway. She's understandably excited about the lack of high heels and makeup in her future.
Heather and Lisa are still two of my faves, and I'm kind of on the fence about Jenah. On the one hand, I love her pictures, probably more than anyone else's. On the other hand, I'm not really warming up to her as a person, and yet not getting a love-to-hate vibe, either (a la Eva the Diva). Also, her makeover is not flattering.
Next Week: Top Model on Ice!
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!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Win a copy Veronica Mars Season Three on DVD!
UPDATE: Winner posted here!
Were you, like me, devastated when Veronica Mars was cancelled? Do you long for the days when her biting quips and mad investigatory skillz graced your television set? Do you sometimes get "Private Eyes" stuck in your head, and think fondly of Vinnie Van Lowe? If so, get ready to get excited!
Season 3 of Veronica Mars is being released on DVD October 23, 2007, and Warner Home Video in conjunction with M80, an online marketing company, is generously providing Glowy Box with a copy to give away to one of our lucky readers! That's $59.98 worth of television gold (okay, $38.99 on Amazon) absolutely free!
All you have to do is drop me an email (lizpurchases [at} yahoo {dot] com) with the subject line "Veronica Mars Contest," and include an original haiku, limerick, sonnet, or other type of poem about Veronica Mars. And no freeform bullshit, either. Here's a quick example to get you started:
There once was a girl from CA
Who solved mysteries in clever ways
But a bunch of cult fans
Couldn't change network plans
And now she has gone away
Easy, right? I'll put the best entries into a hat and randomly pick out the winning one. The contest ends October 22nd, so get cracking! (Since I'm only pulling from the best entries anyway, I don't see why you can't enter more than once, in case anyone's curious. But let's set a ceiling of five, since I don't want to spend all of the next two weeks reading Veronica Mars poetry.) On second thought, no one's sent me more than one entry yet and stuffing the ballot box doesn't seem fair, so let's keep it to one. K? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions...
On the Glowy Box: Tuesday is the new Tuesday
You can thank U.S. Air for delaying my flight last night so that all I got to watch was The Bachelor. [Shakes fist at sky. Or, more specifically, at plane in sky.]
Watched Over the 3-day Weekend:
Rock of Love: The reunion special. Having never seen the show before. It was AMAZING. I can't wait for VH1 to do a marathon! My favorites were probably the two blonde BFF/roommates. Hilarious! I also love that the girl who won was all, "Yeah, you probably should've picked the other chick." This stuff is way, WAY better than The Bachelor, you guys.
The Bachelor: You can read the full recap here, and marvel at the absurdity that is this show. (Twins!)
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
House: House splits the final 10 fellowship candidates into two teams by gender; the teams must treat a man with muscular atrophy and diagnose the cause; at his new hospital, Foreman resorts to House-like behavior to help a patient. Fox, 9 PM.
Reaper: Sam must capture the soul of an angry mistress who sends insects to attack anyone who gets near her former lover; at college, Andi meets a new guy, who encourages her to quit the Work Bench and go back to school full time. The CW, 9 PM.
Boston Legal: With Carl, Denny wagers a large sum over a cockfighting case; Alan and Lorraine pursue a lawsuit against a high school after a 15-year-old girl contracts HIV; a woman alleges that a psychologist's therapy sessions caused her husband's suicide. ABC, 10 PM.
P.O.V.: The 20th season ends with Michael Apted's "49 Up," the seventh installment in his look at the lives of British baby boomers that began in 1964, when the subjects were 7 years old. They include a cabbie; a former missionary; three girlhood friends. PBS, Check local listings.
While I'll miss Eureka greatly, it's nice to be able to watch both House AND Reaper--those were a rough past couple weeks!
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Bachelor: Double vision...sort of.
Tonight on The Bachelor, we had fifteen minutes of "identical" twin-related hilarity, surrounded by an hour and fifteen minutes of filler. An hour and a half, ABC, really? Are you just too cheap to find a third show for Monday nights?
Apparently, this week we'll have two group dates and one individual date. For those of you who, like me, are new to the show this season (I find that the eleventh season is a fantastic time to start watching a show), each date will have a rose up for grabs. If you don't get a rose on the individual date, you're immediately eliminated. The first "date box" is circus-themed, and the daters will be Stephy, McCarten, Jenni, Lindsey, Sarah, and DeAnna.
Brad tells the daters on the way over that he expects them to participate in the circus stuff, which, combined with the fact that the date showcases a company that participates in some pretty well-documented animal cruelty, makes it my nightmare date. I am really, really not on board with this giant circus advertisement, so we're going to speed right through it. Tightropes, giant balls (heh), clowns, juggling, and crazy awesome tumbling by Jenni ensue. In the solo time, Brad and Jenni hit it off, Stephy confesses that she's been single for five years, and McCarten continues to annoy me. Oh, and then the girls are IN THE CIRCUS. Um, Worst. Date. Ever. I can't believe they're excited about this! ...Or am I the only one here who really hates clowns? (And people who hit elephants with big metal hooks?) These girls just seem to be soaking up the limelight, though, so whatever. Brad ends up giving Stephy the rose as a reward for putting herself out there, which I completely didn't see coming. (Single for five years!)
Back at the mansion, Hillary gets a fancy dress and a trolley in the date box for her solo date, while the other girls make zero effort to pretend to be excited for her. Brad, though, is very excited--he says she's the one girl who keeps him laughing. She has to meet him in front of all the other girls, which is SO AWKWARD. And even more so when he presents her with $1 million worth of jewelry to wear for the night. They fly to San Francisco for a private dinner, where Hillary gets all teary about the possibility of finding love, throwing Brad for a loop and ruining her makeup. It's...intense. And awkward. Let's just call it "intensely awkward." He gives her the rose, and though he says he thinks her red eyes and smeared mascara are beautiful because she showed her emotions, I'm going to go ahead and chalk that one up to Brad being a gentleman who couldn't send a crying girl home. Because that was a complete train wreck of a date. They head over to the Ghiradelli chocolate factory to eat and smooch away their sorrows.
As the girls eat dinner at the mansion, McCarten and DeAnna are pretty honest about not wanting to see Hillary make it back from the date. Fair enough, I guess. McCarten is pretty witchy about it, but it is a competition, so I suspect that everyone feels the same way but just isn't being as loud about it. The next day, however, it causes some definite tension when they are equally honest about their wish for Hillary's elimination right to Hillary's face (though she did ask for it).
The rest of the women get their date box: Kristy, Sheena, Jade, Bettina, and Solisa will be going sailing. The boat is gorgeous, and seems, oh, about a million times better than the circus. Kristy, getting a boat-steering lesson from Brad, interviews that he's only seen her serious side. And she's right, if by "serious side" she means "crazy tongue-diagnosing side." Solisa, for her part, makes up for her lack of bikini to rip off this week by giving Brad a lap dance. Sheena rocks a jet ski, but gets too competitive in her effort to show off, cutting Brad's jet ski off and getting in trouble with the coast guard. Probably not the best move, as she later realizes. Bettina goes the smarter route, riding on the jet ski with Brad. Later, in their one on one time, Brad goes out of his way to tell her how great she is, which makes it all the more uncomfortable when she tells him that she's been divorced. He's shocked, and ends up giving Kristy the rose.
And now, finally, we get to the much-hyped Most Shocking Cocktail Party EVER, in which Brad and his not-at-all-identical twin brother Chad (Brad and Chad? Seriously? So I don't even have to make up a funny rhyming nickname, like Schmad?) pull a Parent Trap-style switcheroo, to hilaaarious effect. Brad thinks that the girls who are attracted to him as a person will be able to tell the difference, which would almost kind of make sense, if Brad and Chad were actually identical. I'm going to call this more of a vision test. In the next step, they'll have to look at pictures of Brad and Chad while Chris asks them "Which is better? Number one, or number two?" Chad heads into the mansion to meet the bachelorettes while Brad watches on a monitor in his limo.
McCarten is the first victim, and she totally doesn't catch on to the fact that he's not Brad. In fact, she gives a hysterical (in the context) speech about how it's important to be herself, so that what he sees is really her. He laughs at her a little (HA), and then goes to meet with Lindsey, who is also completely fooled. The next victim is Sheena, who isn't buying it at all, which just goes to show that you don't need a lot of solo time with Brad to be able to tell that this dude isn't him. Way to go, Sheena! She clearly just saved her butt. Kristy also calls it right off the bat, as does Bettina. Stephy and DeAnna figure it out as well, and Sarah says he seems different and more laid-back, but doesn't realize it's not Brad. Interestingly, she doesn't think their solo time went as well as usual, which indicates to me that she actually does have chemistry with Brad himself.
Best moment ever: Chris reveals Chad's existence, sending the women into various fits of disbelief, glee, dismay, and mustache (in Kristy's case). I hope that seeing those two completely non-identical twins standing next to each other makes the losers who didn't guess it even more embarrassed. McCarten. Although Chad earns my emnity during deliberation by saying that Brad shouldn't hold it against her, because "she would've figured it out" given more time. FALSE, you guys. She had no clue, and only noticed that something was at all wrong when he laughed at her.
In the rose ceremony, Brad gives roses to Sheena, McCarten (WHAT?!?! You suck, Brad.) Jenni, Jade (Boo!), DeAnna, and Bettina. So Sarah gets the boot instead of McCarten? Even though she actually noticed that something was different about him? Whatever. Solisa's goodbye speech is all about how Brad saw the "special parts" of her, because she "wear[s] those parts on the outside," but "those special parts weren't parts that he was looking for, unfortunately." Wow. I can't even make that funnier than it already is, given that she's run around topless, let him do a body shot off of her, and given him a lap dance in the past two episodes. "Special parts," indeed! Lindsey gives the typical "I'm not going to cry [walks off camera crying]" speech, and reveals herself to be way more invested in Brad than she ever showed. Maybe those giant eyelashes were interfering with her vision when she was talking to Chad.
Next week: Improv, catfights, and hopefully Jade's last appearance on this show.
On the Glowy Box: 3-day weekends rock!
Small confession: I didn't watch much TV this weekend.
Watched this Weekend:
Ugly Betty: From Thursday. I could watch this show all the live long day. It's got the perfect combination of humor, loveable and love-to-hate-able characters, and drama both moving and over the top. I love Justin as an intern at Mode, and I'm thrilled to see Henry back in the picture again. (Yes, partly so I can gaze at him dreamily. Shut up.) I'm so scared for Betty's dad, though! Oh, and I really, really want a roof full of smashable mannequins. That looked incredibly therapeutic to me.
Will Watch or DVR Tonight:
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
How I Met Your Mother: Two beautiful women show Ted that they are very attracted to him; the gang helps Ted realize that bad luck does not always come in threes. CBS, 8 PM.
Chuck: Chuck needs the help of Morgan and the Nerd Herd to prove that he is ready to become the store's assistant manager; Sara and John force Chuck to go under cover for his first real spy mission. NBC, 8 PM.
Heroes: Upon his return to New York, Suresh finds a previously undiscovered painting that foretells the death of someone close to him; Claire and H.R.G. pursue their own agendas; Maya uses her deadly abilities to free Alejandro from a Mexican prison. NBC, 9 PM.
The Bachelor: Brad takes six of the bachelorettes to the circus; one of the women wears many jewels on a one-on-one date in San Francisco; Brad asks his identical twin brother for some assistance. ABC, 9:30 PM.
And it's back to the grind... And by "grind," I mean totally awesome (and occasionally trashy) TV goodness. I love fall!
Friday, October 05, 2007
On the Glowy Box: Presented in SeinfeldVision!
Let's all take a minute to thank the TV gods for 30 Rock's safe return to television, and to pray for a well-deserved ratings bump to go along with its well-deserved Emmy.
Watched Last Night:
Dirty Sexy Money: From Wednesday night. I'm kind of getting into this one, though not entirely, since the characters aren't exactly likeable. My favorite so far is definitely Tripp, but that's probably because I'm a little afraid of Donald Sutherland. After all, he did produce The Kiefer. I suspect this show will get more exciting as the mystery progresses, so it's staying on my schedule for now. Also, I love the brother who's a priest. "Wait, what's your Swedish name?" Ha!
30 Rock: By the Hammer of Thor, this show is still the highlight of my TV-watching week. While last night's episode didn't quite reach the comedic heights of a few of last season's episodes, it was still fantastic, and made even more so with the presence of Jerry Seinfeld. I loved the jokes at NBC's expense ("You're gonna buy NBC? You've got $4 million just lying around?" and "I like Lost...is that you guys?"), and I'm pretty sure that America's Next Top Pirate would be 100% awesomer than Pirate Master. Also? Kenneth as Tracy's "office wife" = best ev. Let's keep our fingers crossed that America has caught on to the awesomeness!
The Office: You know, I'm just not loving the hour-long episodes as much as I thought I would. Still loving the show, but it just seems like jokes get pushed a little past their breaking point. The Office in half an hour is like a hilarious, awkward punch in the face. The impact wears off when you stretch the story to twice as long, so its more like a bunch of funny slaps in the face. Or something. That metaphor fell apart on me a bit, but you see what I'm saying? Keep it short and sweet, guys. That said, I really, really love what they're doing with Toby's character in the face of Jim and Pam's relationship. I also like that Ryan is emerging as a sort of villain, which this show hasn't ever truly had. And the episode had tons of hilarious moments (like, everything with Creed). So...really still awesome, but just a biiit too much in there.
Grey's Anatomy: You can read my full review here, but in a nutshell: Shut up, Meredith.
Will Watch or DVR Sunday night (I take Friday and Saturday nights off from TV):
(Descriptions from Zap2it.com's TV listings)
Desperate Housewives: Lynette kicks Tom out of her chemotherapy sessions; Susan gets mistaken for a stripper; Bree attempts to steal a prize-winning recipe. ABC, 9 PM.
Not too much on Sundays for me, which is well and good, since I'm already behind on this week's shows! (And going out of town for the three-day weekend.)
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Grey's Anatomy: Addicted to love...and also crystal meth.
Hi! My name is Liz, and I'm admitting I have a problem. I'm addicted to Grey's Anatomy. Have been for about two and a half years. I was clean for the past few months, but I've been slipping lately. It's not the writing, anymore, or the hip music, or even how the show makes me feel. I think it's the characters. Much as I may be annoyed by some of them, or disapprove of some of their choices, in the end I care what happens to most of them. And that's what keeps me hooked. So let's chase that dragon together, shall we?
In case you hadn't noticed, our Theme of the Week is addiction, and how it never ends well. And also that Callie kind of sucks at life, which is truly a shame. The big case this week is a series of trauma victims from a gas main explosion crystal meth lab explosion at an apartment building. We've got the loveable "how could they be drug dealers?" neighbor, the slightly less loveable "I didn't even do drugs until recently!" client (don't get too attached to him), and the even less loveable "You mean cooking meth in our apartment could hurt our baby?" drug-dealing couple, plus their baby.
First off, I have to give props to Alex for smelling meth on the baby. That's quite a unique nose he's got there, and it kind of makes me wonder where he acquired that skill. Unfortunately, those props need to be immediately stripped, because he confronted the baby's drug dealing dad before the police got there. Just when I think he's starting to learn to control himself! Aaaand, let's get to the juicy stuff:
Meredith/Derek/Lexie: First off, I just need to confess that a relationship based entirely on sex and mockery sounds kind of awesome to me. Though we may need to come up with a new acronym. Second off, I need to confess that I really, really don't care whether Derek and Meredith stay together, or stay broken up, or whatever they are. Used to care, now I don't. He's whiny and patronizing, she's whiny and selfish--they deserve each other. Flame me if you will, but that's where I stand right now. And seriously, how could anyone be addicted to her?
Mer and Lexie, well, that's another toughie. Lexie lost some of my goodwill she garnered last week with all the hovering and staring, but it's hard not to be sympathetic. I mean, chick just lost her mom, and her sister treats her like trash. "I'm a person who just doesn't want to know you"? Uncool, Meredith. Uncool. It's not Lexie's fault her dad left you. You were probably a really heinous five-year-old, sucking tequila out of a juice box and squinting at your stuffed animals until they agreed to do what you wanted.
Cristina: Mama Burke is camping out in the waiting room, and reveals herself to be the Best Ever (along with Bailey, who is permanently the Best Ever) when she confronts Meredith for her "It's so, so over" speech at the wedding: "Were you being inappropriate, or were you being selfish?" AWESOME, though if she knew Meredith at all, she'd know that the answer is "both, all the time." She also describes to Derek a few parallels between his and Burke's situations, which is fair, since Cristina and Meredith are both pretty socially dysfunctional. However, I was totally NOT on board with her whole, "An honorable man knows when to walk away, and when to take less than he deserves" speech. Um, what does that even mean? And what does it have to do with being honorable? Whatev, she's still awesome.
Her conversation with Cristina was also mildly harsh. I mean, she said a lot of nice things about Cristina being a strong woman and all, but what was that bit about how she could have become a brilliant heart surgeon with Burke by her side? Clearly, she doesn't know Cristina very well. Heck, she'll be halfway to brilliant by the time she helps with all those cool surgeries she traded wedding presents for! Also, did she give a teeny tiny pep talk to that drug-dealing mom at the end, or was it just me? Soooomebody's growing as a person! And oh, I hate to burst your bubble, Cristina, but Burke's definitely NOT coming back to say goodbye. Although a Grey's Anatomy/Bionic Woman crossover would be all kinds of incredible.
George/Izzie/Callie: Le sigh. George is on a big "I love you" high, but Izzie got over that high in the weeks when they weren't speaking, so she's a bit more pragmatic. Because yeah, stealing your chief resident's husband? Bad. Idea. But Izzie, honey, it won't "work itself out" without him telling her. Callie will clearly just get pregnant, or something. Because, while the strong woman that was the original Callie would never stay with a man whom she suspects of having an affair, new, beaten-down Callie apparently will. To the point of refusing to allow said man to tell her he wants out. Stupid Gizzie. Paging Shonda: Give me back my original Callie - stat - and throw in a hook-up with Sloan for funsies.
All in all, this was definitely a better episode than last week's. Fewer awful speeches, for one. Plus, I've had a week to adjust to the whole Gizzie thing, though I'm still firmly against it. A couple of the plotlines, however, seem like they're getting a bit stale. So how about we meet some more of the new interns and shake things up a bit, eh? Bring back the fun? I mean, let's face it...it's not like I'm going to stop watching, but I might as well enjoy it as much as I used to, right?
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!
Top Chef: Live finales are for Trumps
Back for the finale!
Oh, Top Chef. You disappoint me severely. No, not in your choice of Top Chef, because I can see where you're coming from with that, but in the decision to do a live finale. I know you were just trying to prevent leaks, as happened last season, but it's just so… Apprentice. Thank goodness you realized that the live sections always suck, and are boring filler, and included as little of them as possible.
Still, though, between the completely useless live portions and the gratuitous celebrity sous-chefs, I found the finale dissatisfying. I miss the days when Top Chef used to be a simpler show, all about food and drama. For some reason, they don't trust the intrinsic drama anymore, and they had to throw a fourth course at them an hour before service. And if they're going to rip off Project Runway, they could at least include a visit from Tim Gunn, because there is no one, sadly, that lovable on Top Chef, with the exception of occasional judge Ted Allen (see below).
They've told us for weeks that Hung is the robot chef with no heart and no soul to his food – but now, suddenly, either he got soul or the fact that he didn't have one wasn't such a big deal anymore. Maybe it was because, for the first time, Hung was given no restrictions. Some people become more creative when they have to adhere to a set of rules, but Hung was clearly not one of those people, because it was only while cooking his final dishes that he seemed happy and free – well, except for that Quickfire where he made a little Smurf village. Which I dare him to place on the menu of his restaurant. So, anyway, having found and displayed his soul, or not, the culinary redemption of Hung is complete, and he is now the Top Chef. As I've said before, he is the most technically proficient of all the chefs, so the title is richly deserved. I just didn't want the show to give him another reason to be full of himself.
Best moment of the night, for me: Dale, on the fourth course curveball delivered by Tom: "I wanted to punch him in the face." You don't know how long I've waited for a chef to say that. Man, I am going to miss Dale so much.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
America's Next Top Model: Is it time for makeovers yet?
Tonight on Top Model, we were once again forced to endure an entire episode of un-made-over models. It was pretty rough going, but I managed to ignore Janet's semi-mullet long enough to enjoy a shouting match, a runway show, and a very random photo shoot.
As the girls are hanging out at the house, Kimberly asks Bianca for help walking, and Bianca totally sabotages her with bad tips! Bitch! In fact, I'm just going to change the word "Bitch" to "Bianca" for the length of this recap. Thus, later, Bianca Biancas about how Heather has it really easy in the competition, since everyone feels sorry for her and her Aspergers-having self. Um, right. I'm not even going to address that. It was heartening to see some of the girls help Heather out with clothes and makeup, though. Not because someone with Aspergers can't do it themselves or anything, but because it means they're actually warming up to her. Yay!
The girls are sent to a "fashion madhouse," which is set up to look like an abandoned mental hospital. After scaring them half to death, Miss Jay goes about curing them of their fashion ills. By...putting them in straightjackets and making them walk in heels. I would fall over in, like, two seconds, you guys. Also? I love this show. That really can't be said enough. Poor Heather doesn't do so well, while Janet and Saleisha were standouts.
Bianca and Saleisha, it should be noted, have a bit of a rivalry going. Mostly in Bianca's mind. I have to give the edge to Saleisha, though, who has prior modeling experience (and also isn't a backstabbing Bianca). It all comes to a head in a bizarre shouting match, which everyone else just kind of laughs at. Which is completely fair, because it was hilarious. Bianca follows it up with an interview that simply must be quoted in full: "I could break these [Biancas] down one by one. I refuse to let these [Biancas] think that I'm not a real model. Don't let the red hair fool you, [Biancas]. I can be very high fashion, okay?" AMAZING!
Tyra Mail! They're off meet Roy Campbell, who is putting together a couture fashion show with gowns by Colleen Quen. The winner of the walking challenge will get to walk the runway in her next line's Paris debut. The dresses are...weird. And mostly very difficult to walk in, though not entirely, which seems unfair. And the runway commentary by Roy Campbell is hilarious: "Imagine molten metal poured all over your body, and you have this curvaceous gown." Ebony and Sarah have a bit of a runway collision, and Roy Campbell points out that it almost looked deliberate on Ebony's part. Saleisha deservedly wins the challenge, though Bianca also gets praised.
This week's photo shoot isn't quite as life-altering as last week's. ...Unless it's trying to send some sort of anti-vertigo message. That's right, they'll be on a rock climbing wall in high fashion gowns. And crazy makeup. Just because. Lisa is afraid of heights, but does a great job anyway, of course. 'Cause Lisa's a pro. Her face was often self-conscious in the film, though. Janet's final photo is good, but her film wasn't consistent. And the judges don't see her as a model in person. Saleisha needs a bit of a pep talk, but then she really pulls it out with an amazing upside-down pose, even though she's not really "high fashion." I'm definitely on board the Saleisha train, although the "I've modeled before" thing is getting a wee bit old.
Bianca isn't quite as successful, which is fine by me. Bizarrely, Twiggy loves her in person. Victoria, who really needs to stop talking about how nerdy she is, turns out a very interesting, unique photo. I love it, and the judges like it too, though they want her to appear more confident in person. And, kind of in opposition to that, they want her to stop talking back to them. Ambreal does a great job according to most of the judges, but Twiggy and I are just not feeling it with her. Chantal has some difficulty with posing. In fact, her photo looks totally crazy, and the judges especially aren't digging the spread eagle pose. However, they seem to come around to it in the end, and she winds up with some pretty heavy praise (undeservedly, in my opinion).
Ebony is worried, but still pulls out an okay picture. The judges aren't sure she has what it takes to make it in the industry. Sarah's photo turns out nicely, and the judges point out how photogenic her face is. They find her awkward in person, though. Kimberly doesn't have a great photo, but the judges at least like her in person. They worry, though, that she's overly hoochie in pictures, and show a horrifying casting photo of Kimberly in a vest/corset thing to prove their point. Urgh. Jenah is an expert rock climber and poser, and really rocks (get it?) the shoot. The judges love her photo. Heather also does a great job, and we get to see some of her drawings at judging, which are pretty impressive. The judges love her (as should everyone).
Heather, bless her heart, talks about how hard eliminations are, because she really likes all the girls. Glad to see she's fitting in better at the house, but some of the other girls do NOT deserve her friendship after all the trash-talking last week. She's a bigger person than I am, that's for sure. And she's Covergirl of the Week, so well-played for the second week in a row, America. Jaslene's Life as a Covergirl, incidentally, is still loud and monotone-tastic. And yet, she's been selected as spokesperson for a big anti-abuse campaign. Go figure.
Back at panel, Jenah gets the first picture, followed by Heather. Yay! Also in are Lisa, Chantal (this early?), Sarah, Ambreal, Victoria, Saleisha (this late?), Janet, and Ebony (who practically rips the photo out of Tyra's hand). According to Tyra, Kimberly is gorgeous but doesn't photograph well for high fashion, while Bianca's photo was unpopular with all the judges but Tyra. Bianca gets to stick around, though, and Kimberly is out. Fair enough, I guess.
Next week: MAKEOVERS!!!!!1!
