Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, October 22, 2009

Get out your notepads and pencils. Time to take notes on all the things you want to talk about tomorrow from the great line up of TV tonight. Team GMMR will be covering there normal shows (and SB is going to cover THE OFFICE too) but the rest I’m going to be turning over to you as I’m still bed ridden (and pathetically unable to do much of anything right now).  I’d hand over my first born son (Zachary Joshua Lee Jason Neil Patrick Krasinski Jr.) to be able to blog TV these days…I miss it.

As for tonight’s line-up…let’s get to it. And I must say that I’m devastated that there’s not a new VAMPIRE DIARIES or SUPERNATURAL tonight.  Being out of the TV loop I didn’t realize both were in reruns and not I’m completely sad.

Flash Forward | 8pm on ABC
“Gimme Some Truth”
Mark finds himself on the defense during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing; Janis wonders how her vision will affect her current romantic relationship; Olivia receives an anonymous message. [GMMR: So I’ve caught up on this show.  Dude, what’s all the hype? It feels like a really weak imitation of LOST.  I need to hear from FLASH FORWARD fans…what am I missing here.]

Survivor: Samoa | 8pm on CBS
“This is the Man Test”
Both tribes are forced to be creative in finding ways to weather the elements when a relentless rain storm batters the island.

Community | 8:00pm on NBC
“Football, Feminism and You”
Jeff tries to persuade Troy to join the school’s football team; Shirley teaches the etiquette of girl talk to Britta.

(The rest of Thursday night’s lineup is after the jump)

Read more

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, October 21, 2009

On the whole, I think that Wednesday is the best night of the TV week for me.  Monday and Thursday has its gems, but Wednesday is pure love. Unfortunately it’s probably going to be at least another week until I can commit to full recaps of Wednesday night shows, but I’ll do as much as the pain meds will allow…deal?

Here’s the kicker…I’m staying with Moms & Pops until I get better so I don’t have a DVR.  GASP! Hopefully my Slingbox will pull through (fingers crossed).

I’ll try to get the ‘Spotlight’ posts up earlier in the morning starting tomorrow.  I’m glad to know that so many of you like these daily updates so much.

I know, I know. Shut up about your back issues and let’s talk TV.  Done and done.

Hank | 8pm on ABC
“Relax Don’t Do It”
Hank finds it challenging to not do anything while unemployed and overachieves as a househusband.

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
“Vegas Week”
Tonight is the third and final round of Vegas Week. All those that made it to the semi-finals will have to make it through the grueling Vegas week if they want a shot at being in the Top 20.

Mercy | 8pm on NBC
“You Lost Me with the Cinder Block”
Veronica tries to save a pregnant woman in the aftermath of a car wreck; Dr. Harris calls for a hearing to determine Veronica’s future at Mercy Hospital; Sonia helps a sleepwalking patient.

The New Adventures of Old Christine | 8pm on CBS
“Dr. Little Man”
Christine begins a complicated relationship with the doctor (Eric McCormack) who shares Matthew’s office space.

Gary Unmarried | 8:30pm on CBS
“Gary on the Air”
Gary seizes the opportunity to report the news after the radio station’s sports announcer is arrested on the job. Meanwhile, Louise makes a video for Uncle Mitch and his Marine unit for her school’s volunteer week.

(More of tonight’s lineup after the jump)
Read more

FRINGE: Dream Logic

My apologies to Gretchen and FRINGE fans. This has been sitting in a ‘drafts’ folder since the 17th.  Can I blame the pain meds? – Kath

It is 8:00 Friday night and I just got around to watching last night’s episode of Fringe, thanks to a long list of things including (but not limited to) my husband, baseball, and my own ridiculous inability to stay awake while watching TV from the comfort of my own bed – even for my most favorite shows! For those of you who were anxiously waiting to hear my thoughts on the show (Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?), I apologize!

I’m Yawning Just a Little Bit
After last week’s killer episode, this one left me feeling just a little bit flat. Someone mentioned in a previous comment section that they found the show to be “uneven” and I tend to agree. I think all of the episodes are solid, entertaining, well acted, etc., — but the momentum seems to pick up at a crazy pace one episode and then settle in almost as if nothing major had happened by the next. This episode addressed the repercussions of last week (Olivia killing Bad!Charlie) and also advanced one of the most compelling storylines (Walter kidnapping Peter from the other universe), but most of the hour was spent on a stand-alone, non-Pattern (Observer-less) case. I understand the logic behind wanting to keep the show more accessible to the casual or new viewer but it ultimately makes it less compelling to the hard-core fan base.

In a Nutshell
What I’m learning from Fringe is that it is never a good idea to sign up for experimental medical research of any sort. In this particular case, individuals with sleep disorders enrolled in a clinical trial in which a wireless transmitter was implanted into the portion of their brains that controls sleep. The test subjects were all happily relieved of their sleeplessness, but the doctor conducting the research was actually robbing them of their dreams. In fact, he was essentially mainlining their dreams — to the point of complete addiction. To feed his own addiction, he was using the chips to stimulate dream activity in his patients while they were still awake. This basically caused their dreams and nightmares to come to life, which in turn led them to do all kinds of bad things, including killing people. To make matters worse, it ultimately kills them of sleep exhaustion.

The Dream Team

OLIVIA —

Olivia goes back to Sam to return her bowling shoes and to thank him for helping her solve her problem. He points out to her that she has other problems and that her life is basically a nightmare. She reluctantly agrees and he gives her another task which involves collecting business cards from people wearing red, circling one letter from both their first and last names, and then deciphering an anagram from those letters. The solution is “You’re Gonna Be Fine” – the same thing that Charlie said to her during her very first week with the FBI.

Read more

ABC Gives CASTLE a Full Season Order

Hallelujah!

Unlike last season, when the fate of our beloved mystery drama did not come about until later into the year, the alphabet net has given us a gift this year. Rewarding strong, solid numbers posted each Monday night, ABC has not fallen victim to the premature cancellation hammer other networks are now known for. Instead, the net has smartly contextualized each night as its own measure of success and failure. Compared to the other broadcast nets who program at 10 p.m. on Mondays (and there aren’t many), “Castle” has fared well.

While more high-profile shows garner a lot more press and buzz, there is something to be said about being slow and steady winning the race. “Castle” is exactly that type of show. Averaging in the low to mid-2s in the coveted 18-49 demographic but steadily increasing after each episode — last night’s had a 2.4 — it’s not about the splashy numbers that a “NCIS” receives on a weekly basis.

We all knew there was a small, loyal audience for a witty (and retro, as this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly noted) mystery drama with two completely opposite personality types, but what we didn’t know was if it could sustain itself amongst the spinoffs gracing the small screen. So if modesty is what gets a show in its sophomore season (is still learning about itself, improving its storytelling each week and reimagining the crime procedural formula in its own voice) the right to remain on the air for 22 episodes, then we’ll take it.

If the last three episodes, which have improved drastically from the start of this season, have indicated, the show is finding its groove. It might not be as fast as we’d like, but it’s treading its waters carefully, fusing Castle’s personal, professional and celebrity worlds seamlessly to weave a uniquely entertaining story we’d all be crazy to give up.

Here are the ratings for Season 2’s episodes:
Ep. 2×01 – 9.26 (total viewers); 2.9 (18-49) ** includes Live+7
Ep. 2×02 – 9.15; 2.8 **
Ep. 2×03 – 9.23; 2.2
Ep. 2×04 – 9.76; 2.3
Ep. 2×05 – 9.69; 2.4

In celebration of “Castle’s” pick-up, there will be an in-depth character analyses (from Season 1 to last night’s episode) for the main characters within the week. If you have anything character-related you’d like to bring to my attention, feel free to leave a comment! Also, if you attended last night’s Heat Wave (which debuted at #26 on the New York Times Best Seller list) signing event with Nathan Fillion at The Grove, please drop a line!

Philiana Ng works at an entertainment trade publication in Los Angeles.

HOUSE: Brave Heart

The entertainment world has been short on big news lately. While showbiz insiders and bloggers whispered stories about how Jay Leno’s 10pm show is crippling the American economy, the average person has had little to get excited over. In this vacuum, a low-budget horror movie, “Paranormal Activity,” has given audiences a reason to jump from their seats. Playing to sold out audiences all across the country, the little flick has defied Hollywood’s norms and achieved “Blair Witch”-like cult status.

This week’s episode of House made me jump from my couch on several occasions. Unfortunately, it was to scream “NO!” in a panic, concerned that the show would take a disappointing turn for the worse.

My biggest source of fear was the looming presence of Amber in Wilson’s guest room, and House’s possible relapse. Hugh Laurie is always enjoyable to watch, but I almost hid my eyes during those critical moments, afraid that Anne Hudek would reappear as Wilson’s lost love. I was not a huge fan of last season’s closing arc, particularly the bait and switch tactics stemming from House’s hallucinations. Though my greatest fears were calmed by episode’s end, I shudder to think how mind-numbing this season would be if the writers had hit the reset button on House’s cognitive ailments.

Next on my list of fright-inducing scenes: the completely unnecessary “resurrection” of our patient of the week. Much like last season’s promos, the preview for this episode gave away a “shocking” moment for House and Foreman, so I anticipated Donny’s new lease on life. Instead, I was turned off by director Greg Yaitanes’ insistence on shooting that scene in the style of Eli Roth. Medical shows frequently tread the line between realism and appropriateness. In this case, I thought we could have done without the gratuitous use of the surgical drill.

Read more

PARKS AND RECREATION: Sister City

My college years were spent in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to playing host to the 1996 Summer Olympics, the ATL is home to approximately six million Waffle House restaurants. If you have ever had the pleasure (and by pleasure, I mean the joy of punishing your internal organs with copious amounts of comfort food) of visiting the little diner with the big yellow sign, you may have learned a special phrase. Instead of ordering hash browns with specific toppings, longtime customers know to order them “Scattered, Covered, & Smothered.”

In breakfast terms, that expression indicates that your breakfast potatoes should be spread on the grill and topped with cheese and onions. In TV terms, it describes why my recap of this week’s Parks & Recreation took days to assemble. Despite a clever premise and a number of standout scenes, I cannot give this episode an enthusiastic thumbs up. Instead, I feel scattered, covered, and smothered by Fred Armisen’s overpowering presence as the leader of the Boraqua delegation.

As an admirer of the institution of Saturday Night Live, it pains me to direct any criticism at Fred Armisen, a genius at sketch comedy who has made me laugh out loud for years. His unique work during “Weekend Update” as Governor David Paterson, political comic Nicholas Fehn, and musician John Oates is the stuff of legend. Amy Poehler had the best seat in the house at the Update desk for those gems. The idea of reuniting the SNL veterans seemed like a no-brainer.

Read more

GLEE Nabs Joss Whedon & Johnathan Groff

Being confined to bed and hopped up on pain killers, I went the whole day without being able to comment on the announcement that Joss Whedon will be directing an upcoming episode of GLEE. So although I’m late to the game may I just say ‘woo to the hoo.’

If you’re a TV Talk Podcast listener this might not come as such a huge shock. As we told you, last month when we were in L.A. at the Fox party, we were with the cast of GLEE when Joss came over and told them how much he loved the show and if that they got picked up for the back nine how much he was going push to direct an episode.  Well, it looks like it happened.  And aren’t we all better off for it.  So fun!

It was also on the same podcast from the same party that we spilled that Lea Michele had confirmed that her BFF and Spring Awakening co-star, Jonathan Groff, would also be guesting on the show. It’s now been confirmed that Jonathan will play the lead male vocalist in Vocal Adrenaline, the rival choral ensemble. Sparks will most definitely fly.

Can’t wait!  Can you?

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Duel Citizenship

Are you ready to talk aboot last night’s episode, eh?

Tonight was all about what people may have to let go. For Robin, she had to decide what to do regarding her citizenry in order to avoid deportation. Meanwhile Ted had to come to terms with his place in Marshall and Lily’s relationship.

Let me take a moment to gripe then we can continue on.

I know Lily and Marshall always had a freakishly close relationship. What I don’t understand is why at this point in their relationship are they even more completely glued to one another? They aren’t newlyweds any more. Heck, they aren’t even that young of a couple. They’ve been together for a dozen years. I’m also having a hard time grasping how Ted can be unaware of some Lilyisms. Not only has Ted known Lily as long as Marshall has, but he has also lived with her. There is no way he didn’t know about Lily’s bladder issues.

We’ve learned that he and Robin never double dated with Lily or Marshall and now that he has never taken a road trip with both of them nor know about her constant need to pee. This all rings so false to me. I’m playing the “Friends” card here. While I loved “Friends,” I had issues when they would just randomly come up with a new trait for characters that was not there before, just to fit in with the episode they wanted to write. I feel like this has been happening a lot on HIMYM lately. It’s pulling me out of the story.

OK, rant over. No more complaints from this sentence on.

Read more

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Long time, no blog. Thanks to all of you for your patience as of late. I know GMMR has been a bit of a drag lately, but hopefully things will get back on track soon.  The emails I’ve received have been so sweet and I can’t thank you enough for your well wishes.  I’m still dealing with my back issues, but I’m going to another doctor today so hopefully we’ll get some good news soon.   You know there is pain involved when yours truly spends all day on the couch and yet doesn’t turn on the TV. Yikes! I’m so far behind.

But I thought I could at least take a look at tonight’s TV schedule.  I’ll be posting updates from Team GMMR when I can.

What will YOU be watching?

The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC
“Buried Treasure”
Two teams head to the beach to dig for buried treasure; one team goes home to emotional reunions with loved ones, while the other tries to make the most of time alone on campus.

90210 | 8pm on The CW
“Unmasked”
On Halloween, Adrianna tries to deal with the end of her relationship with Navid; Silver and Kelly disagree about caring for Jackie; Silver discovers she has more in common with Teddy; Naomi and Jamie have an intimate conversation.

NCIS | 8pm on CBS
“Code of Conuct”
A Marine who was a practical joker is found dead on Halloween, and the team believes his death may have been a grave payback for one of his pranks.

NCIS: Los Angeles | 9pm on CBS
“Killshot”
Following a murder, the secrets to classified software are thought to be lost until NCIS uncovers a suspect from Vance’s past.

(More of tonight’s TV spotlight after the jump)

Read more

Melrose Place | 9pm on The CW

Ella and Riley arrive at the Anton V photo shoot and meet the photographer, who tries to persuade Riley to do a topless shoot; Jonah is invited for drinks with a producer’s development executive; Violet makes another play for Auggie.

NCIS: Los Angeles | 9pm on CBS

Following a murder, the secrets to classified software are thought to be lost until NCIS uncovers a suspect from Vance’s past.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Lost Girls

Alright, so last night’s Vampire Diaries? Awesome. Definitely my favorite episode of the season, although I did miss Caroline (Bonnie, not so much). I could actually go for it if they were to keep this sort of set up going, with some Stefan, Elena, and Damon, and maybe one other side story. But obviously all the shocking stuff that happened kept it exciting too, right?

Obviously, the biggie was Elena finding out about Stefan. For me, Paul Wesley could not have nailed that scene any harder–he was absolute perfection there. Obviously I’m not an actor (heck, I’m not even a good liar), but I’ve got to think that one of the hardest things would be to show multiple emotions with your face at once. I feel like we’ve seen Ian Somerhalder do it once on this show, and now PW, and I’m really excited for the show that they got two actors who can believably pull that off. I LOVED the way he looked at her when she asked what he was, and he had this combination of disappointment but not surprise, almost like inevitability, mixed with sadness that things were going to change, and sorrow that this is how things were,but also with a lot of love for her in there too. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–it’s really a shame that CW shows can’t get respect for acting and storytelling, because this was really good stuff.

This scene also rang truer on Elena’s end than say … Bella’s. Elena was understandably freaked out, afraid, and upset, and who can blame her? And Nina Dobrev did a great job showing that–I totally bought it. She was good at being mad AND at being scared–really nice job.

You know, I love that Stefan won’t ever just let her walk away–I think that’s a really good element of that relationship. I love that he’s as honest with her as he can be and when he can’t protect her from the truth anymore then he lays it all out there. You get the feeling when he’s telling her everything that he really does care about her and that he is willing to risk his own safety to treat her right by being honest with her. I just like it. And I like that he was hanging around outside her house making sure Damon didn’t come over to do anything to her–it was caring without being completely creepy.

Read more

SMALLVILLE: Echo

I have to say I honestly didn’t enjoy last night’s episode of Smallville’s Echo all that much. I am not a fan of the Toyman and the supposed date between Clark and Lois ended quickly. I really thought the writers would give us a little more to go on but instead they pulled the plug before the night even began. Disappointing, but the mind reading throughout the episode was pretty funny along with her desire to go to the Monster Truck rally! Hearing Lois’ thoughts (about wearing the right underwear and Clark’s handsome stature) was interesting. She comes off so tough but really has a softer side this season.

Definitely a good way to ease fans into the Clark/Lois love storyline. Otherwise I don’t think they could have pulled it off with Lois’ normal pit bull attitude. They should make her a tad more suspicious though. Lois isn’t dumb but they make her completely blind to Clark’s super lightning speed arrivals and the fact that he seems to disappear all the time. Yes, she does question some of his actions but not enough in my opinion. Instead she’s reading him all wrong and misinterpreting his true feelings by thinking he is only out to get the scoop on a story before her. The opposite of the historical Lois Lane who is not only beautiful but brainy.

One of the highlights of Echo that redeemed itself for me was the Oliver/Tess twist. Tess actually showed a caring side before quickly snapping back into her evil self. Out to collect Oliver for an appearance in front of the shareholders, Tess rescues the drunken Green Arrow in a Spanish bar after he insults someone’s wife. The guy is really down on himself lately after the death of Jimmy. He’s also feeling pretty bad for himself when it comes to the death of his parents and who he has become. The Queen name and money is the only thing he has going for himself and after one of his companies is blown u by the Toyman he doesn’t even bat an eye. Instead he takes off in an effort to drink himself into a fog before Tess comes to his rescue. I have a feeling that Clark will be saving the Green Arrow a lot this season.

Read more

SUPERNATURAL: I Believe the Children Are Our Future

First, let me apologize for missing the recap last week and I swear it had nothing to do with my irrational dislike of Paris Hilton. Long story short, I had no internet or television for FIVE DAYS because some workmen severed my line right before (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend, so I didn’t even get to watch it until earlier this week. I actually thought that P Hilt held her own well enough and made some good points about our culture’s out-of-control celebrity worship (even though you know that the real P Hilt is only who she is because of said worship – sigh, if only she listened to her lines more carefully). I especially loved Sam going all “off with her head” – highly satisfying. It was really nice to have an old-fashioned monster of the week type episode to ease us back into the S & D dynamic and take a breather from the heaviness of the big picture for a week. The big takeaway from the episode was the discussion that the brothers had at the end, where a) they discussed the fact that they each unknowingly had a hand in the Apocalypse and b) they acknowledged that they have to work together and move on from the past, and c) Dean let Sam drive the Impala! That can only mean good things people.

As for this week, another great episode title even though I had Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” stuck in my head all night. I loved the episode – there was a fantastic mix of humour, emotion and exploration of mythology. Once again the casting department scored with an amazing young actor to play Jesse, aka the Antichrist. He was so sweet, and so understated in his role – his little lip quiver made me melt. SPN has a history of finding the creepiest children on the planet for their show, but I loved that Jesse wasn’t creepy – he’s just a kid who finds himself an unwilling yet important factor in this very scary circumstance because of things that happened to his parents before he was born (sound familiar?).

The episode veered quite a bit between creepy, scary, funny and heartbreaking. The “scratching your brains out” girl and Tooth Fairy were totally disturbing, particularly the scary biker-dude TF with the gigantic wrench. I don’t often get genuinely scared watching movies or tv, but I was cringing and hiding my eyes during the tooth extraction scene. The way they shot the shadows of the characters, plus the bone-crunching noises, oh god. So disturbing. I think I must have a thing with teeth-pulling, because another SPN scene that still haunts me is Dean getting a tooth pulled in “It’s a Very Supernatural Christmas” (still one of my faves).

Read more

About Last Night…THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK, COMMUNITY, GREY’S and more…

Do you know how long it’s been since I missed almost a full night of TV on Thursday? Since I’m taking a break from blogging while I recover, I at least wanted to open up the forum so you all could discuss some of YOUR Thursday night favorites.

Seels already shared her thoughts on BONES.  SB will be posting VAMPIRE DIARIES soon.  Erik will be taking on PARKS AND RECREATION, and Nicole is back this week with her review on SUPERNATURAL.  And Gretchen might be a bit late, but she’ll be sharing her thought on FRINGE soon enough. So stay tuned for all of those.

But there were plenty of other shows on last night (so I hear).  So you can become the blogger this week.  Write a review, share your favorite moments, cheer or jeer some of what you watched last night on TV.  Whether it was THE OFFICE, the season premiere of 30 ROCK, SURVIVOR, GREY’S ANATOMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE (which my DVR didn’t even record :), FLASH FORWARD, or anything else you might have watched, I’m turning GMMR over to you, rock stars.

Blog away!

« Previous Page — Next Page »