Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Friday, July 31, 2009

I won’t lie. Friday’s TV Spotlight is always a little depressing. It will be better soon. I promise.

Hey Dad - If you’re reading this, Jimmy Buffett is on Jimmy Fallon tonight…just in case you wanted to record it.

Check out a few of the shows that are new tonight. Anything of interest to YOU? Let me know.

Surviving Suburbia | 8pm on ABC
“Desperate Housewife”
Anne questions the strength of her marriage when a neighbor starts flirting with Steve; Henry and Courtney vie for control of the downstairs television.

The Goode Family | 8:30pm on ABC
“Trouble in Store”
Helen is accused of stealing what she thought was a free sample of wheatgrass at One Earth, and the store bans her for life. The timing couldn’t be worse: She was planning a dinner party to help advance Gerald’s career.

Eureka | 9pm on Syfy
“It’s Not Easy Being Green”
Long-term rivals from Area 51 visit Eureka for a bowling tournament; Carter probes an escalating series of pranks.

Mental | 9pm on Fox
“Do Over”
Carl and Jake take on the case of a construction worker suffering from psychological and physiological symptoms after an accident at work; Rylan makes a decision that jeopardizes his relationship with Veronica.

The Soup | 10pm on E!
“The Week in Review”
A weekly recap of various pop culture and television show moments of the week. The show is hosted by Joel McHale, who provides sarcastic and biting commentary on the various clips.

On the late night couch…

• The Late Show with David Letterman: Regis Philbin, Ted Alexandro, Dave Matthews Band
• The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien: Adam Richman, Ben Harper & Relentless7
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Saffron Burrows
• Jimmy Kimmel Live: Anne Heche, Aubrey Plaza, Diane Birch
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Adam Sandler, Jimmy Buffett
• Chelsea Lately: Kristin Cavallari, Josh Wolf, Jen Kirkman, Ross Matthews (R 7/23/09)
• Last Call with Carson Daly: Tom Lennon, Crystal Antlers (R 4/22/09)

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Top 6: ‘Send in the Clowns’

A little distracted during last night’s results episode of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, I wasn’t able to fully appreciated the beauty of this week’s stunning opening number, choreographed by Tyce Diorio.  This might be my favorite group number all season.  Everything just worked perfectly.  The song, the concept, the dancing, the costumes, the acting. So beautiful.

Of course I can’t find a good version online, but I’ll share what I could find.

Bravo Tyce!

(NOTE: This was the only version I could find. Every time I hit ‘play’ a pop-up appears. Only then am I able to hit the green button that will play the video. Please don’t play if you are not comfortable with this. Play at your own RISK.)

Mental | 9pm on Fox

Carl and Jake take on the case of a construction worker suffering from psychological and physiological symptoms after an accident at work; Rylan makes a decision that jeopardizes his relationship with Veronica.

Who Won HOH on BIG BROTHER?

Want to know who won tonight’s all important HOH competition? Click here: Who Won HOH on BIG BROTHER? (September 8, 2009)

Endurance competitions that last well after the CBS broadcast can be quiet frustrating for those of us without the 24/7 live feeds. But, at least we at GMMR have someone who is kind enough to share updates from the live feeds.

After the jump, find out who is out in this week’s competition and who still has a shot at HOH.
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Who Went Home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

Cat Deeley - So You Think You Can Dance

People - next week is the finale of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE! Is it just me or did this season absolutely fly by? At least we know we have Season 6 starting on the heels of this season ending. But before I get too ahead of myself, let’s see who is going home tonight and who ultimately will be the final four heading into next week.

If you listed to the SYTYCD Podcast then you probably know my faves as well as who I want to go home. The way I see it, I’m ok with anything really as long as Brandon and Kayla stick around. They both deserve to perform in next week’s finale.

I’m going to be live blogging tonight’s show starting at 9pm est. I hope you’ll watch along with me and join in on the conversation in the comments.

(Note: Having some issues with GMMR tonight, so I’ll do my best to live blog. But if I’m absent for a bit it’s just tech difficulties being worked out.)

9:01pm: Cat welcomes us to Oz in a stunning green sequined dress. Fierce.

9:03pm: Tyce Diorio brings us an AH-MAH-ZING group routine to ‘Send in the Clowns’. Interesting, gorgeous. Just lovely. But um, it’s going to prove to be especially insightful if Evan goes home tonight. The only clown left behind, with a sad tear coming down his face.

9:06pm: OH SNAP! How did I not know about this? More of the SYTYCD alums are going to be back performing the Emmy nominated routines. Twitch, Katee, Chelsie, Joshua and MARK!! My MARK!! This is going to be amazing. (I swear if GMMR goes down tonight I’m going to go Ms. Hanigan on some oprhan’s ass.)

[More...] 9:10pm: The ladies are up first on the chopping block. Who will be safe and who will be going home tonight. The first girl in next week’s finale is Jeanine. (WOO HOO!) and uh oh…I’m pulling for you Kayla!

9:15pm: Jessica and Will are back to perform the Emmy nominated “Silence” by Tyce Dioro.

9:20pm: And we’re back. It’s time to let one guy know that he’ll be competiting for the title of America’s Favorite Dancer in next week’s finale. That guy is…Brandon!! (YES! YES! YES!)

9:26pm: Twitch and Katee are back to perform “Mercy” aka the Door Dance. One of the highlights of last season. Well done to the two of them and Mia Michaels who choreographed this killer routine.

9:37pm:: I’m going to have to skip right ahead to the Jabbawockeez. The winner’s of the first AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW took over the stage with their sick talent! Glad to see the dance show crossover love. Tonight e had them representing ABDC, Chelsie Hightower from DANCING WITH THE STARS performed a routine choreographed by her DWTS fellow dancer Dmitry Chaplin. It’s all kind of lovely in here tonight.

9:39pm: With all the site drama tonight, it just hit me that Mark Kanemura is back because we’re going to see the Briefcase Dance! Perhaps my favorite from last season! (Please site stay live!)

9:44pm: So good to see Mark & Chelsie back. And it looks like they were the only ones performing live tonight. Love that dance!!

9:54pm: It’s time to send a girl home. That girl is Melissa. That means KAYLA is in next week’s finale! YES! Kayla FTW next week!!!!!!

9:57pm: And for the guys, the dancer moving on to the finale is Evan! A fond farewell to Ade.

This is an all around awesome night. I knew I would be fine with either Ade or Evan. But I’m especially excited for Evan right now.

So your final four are KAYLA, EVAN, JEANINE and BRANDON. How are we feeling about this foursome?! I’m pretty excited. I think Jason should be there rather than Evan, but bygones…I’m looking forward to next week.

Sorry tonight’s blog was a major fail. Thanks for reading!!

See you next week for the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE finale!

Who Went Home on BIG BROTHER?

In tonight’s episode of BIG BROTHER another houseguest was evicted from the BIG BROTHER house. Was it Jordan from the “Popular” clique or Casey from the “Off Beats”? And who is the new HOH (please please let it be Jeff!).

Find out after the jump.
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Before They Were Tivo’d: THE OFFICE’s Jenna Fischer

Welcome to the first installment of ‘Before They Were Tivo’d’ - a new feature on GiveMeMyRemote.com in which we look back at the roles of some of our favorite TV stars…before they were our favorite TV stars. Today, we’re going to check out what Jenna Fischer was doing before she was wooing Jim Halpert (and us) as Pam Beesly on “The Office”.

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When I discovered GMMR in 2006, it was because of The Office. Like so many who discovered the Dunder Mifflin team while filling their video iPods to capacity, I was insatiable in my thirst for information about the cast and crew of this addictive new show. By searching out other fans online, I felt like we were all in on a giant secret, one that we could not wait to share with our friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Much like the infatuation that we feel toward a new crush, viewers can become very territorial about their favorite characters, and the people who bring them to life. Outside of Steve Carell, it was easy to pretend that the talented men and women who inhabited this unique workplace were “overnight successes.” In truth, most of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces have passed through our HDTVs in far less prominent roles.

In the weeks ahead, I will be traveling down memory lane to the parts that helped pave the way to stardom for some of GMMR’s favorites. In addition to providing a nostalgic jolt to their fans, I am curious to see how each actor’s onscreen presence has evolved. Are there similarities between their early work and the higher paying gigs they landed in subsequent years? Did our favorite comedic actors fare well in dramatic roles, and vice versa? I have a few candidates in mind, but I would love to hear your feedback about who to tackle in the coming weeks.

Jenna Fischer is a gifted comedic actress, who made me fall in love with Pam Beesly the moment she fell from a Chili’s bar stool in “The Dundies.” As one half of America’s favorite TV love story, and with a host of film roles to choose from, Fischer’s star in Hollywood is ascending rapidly. With a whirlwind of buzz around her, this St. Louis native is keenly aware of the hard work that led to her newfound fame.

In 2001, just as Ricky Gervais was opening “The Office” for business, Jenna appeared in two episodes of Judd Apatow’s “Undeclared”. Like its predecessor, the ratings-challenged cult favorite “Freaks & Geeks”, “Undeclared” was filled with members of Apatow’s troupe of talented young actors, such as Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Jay Baruchel. In this all too brief scene from the series’ pilot, Baruchel’s character asks Fischer (officially billed as “Sorority Girl” in the credits) to attend a dorm party:

While there was no inkling of Pam Beesly in that exchange, I think Jenna would have been a great addition to the cast of Mean Girls or Clueless!

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