TV Reviews for the Week of Dec. 14, 2008 Pt. 2

“Oh look at that. A dumb idea just found a friend.”

Emerson gets probably the best lines of the show, with Olive coming in a close second. And these two opposites are definitely my favorite characters. It seems like the show is really trying to wrap everything up before it’s over, and I hope it succeeds. I hope Olive is brought up to speed, I hope Ned confesses to Chuck about how her dad died, I hope that Emerson is reunited with his daughter, and I hope there’s a great story behind Ned’s dad’s disappearance.

I think I missed an episode or two. His girlfriend is dating someone else? And is blond? Good episode, though, and the kid was great.

Ah, gotta love the cliffhanger endings. I’m assuming he’s going to live, though, considering the show comes back in February. The stuff with Ted in prison was great. Since seeing him on Chicago Hope, I’ve enjoyed Adam Arkin in just about everything else I’ve seen him in. I was surprised that Reese fell off the wagon, but I’m glad she’s back in meetings.

The marriage was pointless. Classic. And they’re staying together. That’s sweet, I guess.

Y’know, it wasn’t the dead family that I felt most sorry for in this episode. No, it was JJ’s replacement as the media liaison. She’s trying really hard, and she’s getting nothing but crap from Hodges. The team is trying to be nice and helpful, but you can tell, especially at the end of this episode, that she’s not part of the team, just a temporary replacement.

TV Reviews for the Week of Dec. 7, 2008 Pt. 2

"Make it look like an accident. Trip over an ottoman and Dick Van Dyke his ass."

Having Chuck’s dad around gave the tension between the couple a renewed awkwardness. I think it’s just too bad that he left. Will Chuck and Ned go after him? Will the next episode be a road trip? And out of all of the interactions, the ones between Emerson and Olive are always the best. They’re a good team.

"What? What could they possibly have against the homos? I mean, the homos have given us everything. They’ve given us fashion and art and stretch denim and caramelized onions. I just love the homos."

I really enjoyed Megan Mullaly’s guest spot here more than on 30 Rock, and it’s not because of the lesbian kiss because that...that was just disturbing. The vasectomy thing was just ridiculous. It’s not that bad of a procedure, and hey, no more kids.

"’Cause bills are light and they bend. Nickels are heavy and hilarious."

With young ‘uns, their milestones have also been milestones for me. Starting on solid foods, getting rid of the bottle, potty training, dressing themselves, learning how to use the TV remote control...all their milestones either save me money or time. Apparently, though, according to this episode, as they get older, their milestones will cost me more money. Drats!

Things have very slowly been going in the direction that Det. Crews has wanted them to go in. But now Ted is back in jail and Crews is under someone’s thumb. As with all the cop shows that I thoroughly enjoy, I don’t care about the cases. I like watching the characters together. Crews and Ted. Crews and Reese. Reese and the Captain. Hell, the Captain with everyone. Crews and Bobby. I’m into the personal stuff.

You know how this is going to end. The FBI comes in to help with a local case, and the local cops get their hackles up. By the end of the episode, the two agencies work with each other to solve the case, and there’s respect all around. I work for an agency that promotes interagency cooperation, so I always bristle a little bit during shows like this. But really, this isn’t the norm for this show. Usually the agencies are happy for the FBI’s assistance and do all they can to help.

If I’m not mistaken, this is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that was ripped from the headlines a couple of decades ago. I remember learning about this in one of my journalism classes. A journalist wrote a series of award winning articles about a heroin addict. When all was said and done, the entire thing was made up. There was no death, no murder that I can recall, but it’s very similar.

Brian’s talk with God just seemed false, and the show was too predictable by having his wife get better. At least he still acted like his dickish self when talking with the Bishop. And since there wasn’t a "Next time on Dirty Sexy Money" at the end of the episode, I’m scared that this was the last episode and it ended on a pretty awful cliffhanger to end on. Nick wasn’t shot, Karen was still at the house, Jeremy was knocked out, Patrick was floored by two cops, and I’m pretty sure Leticia and Tripp went out the back. That leaves Carmelita. I’d say Shane (was that his name?) unloaded on her to get back at Patrick.

That was just the kind of intervention I’d expect from Michael. And when that doesn’t work, he treats her like he’s taking a dog to the vet but gets her in the car by telling her they’re going to the park. Nice. So now everybody knows about Angela and Dwight. I wonder when Andy will find out. This is going to be some awkward fun. And once again, poor Toby.

"Those are gonna be the happiest poor kids since my brother and I went to Neverland Ranch."

"If all you wanted was a hug from a black person, maybe you should just host the Price Is Right."

"This is a religious holiday. When has religion ever caused trouble?"

"I’m trying to produce a Christmas special that makes It’s a Wonderful Life look like Pulp Fiction."

Y’know, I could probably post nothing but quotes from this show and I would have the funniest blog ever. I was caught off guard by the realization that Colleen was boffing Mr. Schwartz to provide a nice Christmas for her kids. It’s...heart-warming...in its own way.

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Listening to: Neil Patrick Harris - Slipping
via FoxyTunes

TV Reviews for the Week of Nov. 30, 2008 Pt. 2

“I’m going to win that blue ribbon, wrap it around her neck, and strangle her with it.”

I just had a Law & Order Lenny Briscoe moment. When Ned made the comment about the Colonel being extra crispy, that sounds like a credit intro worthy of the late Lenny (whose name escapes me at the moment) or the less likable Horatio Caine (David Caruso’s character on CSI: Miami). And damn, Olive is nothing but cleavage in this episode. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but it’s just a bit difficult to follow the storyline of the dead Colonel.

Well, this was disappointing. It turns out I got an episode of Law & Order rather than Life. Did this happen to everyone?

Hey! It’s Clancy Brown! I really like him, and he’ll always be the voice of Lex Luthor for me. It’s just too bad he plays a really good villain.

Tripp is a master manipulator. What he did against Simon was wonderful. And the wedding was sweet and wonderful. Ren is a lovely woman. She’s got a wonderful smile. I’m going to have to imdb.com her (not right now, but eventually) and find out if I’ve seen her elsewhere. As the end of the episode showed us, I’m pretty sure that taking this job wasn’t the best thing to do.

If there were more time, this would have been an excellent episode to have some good Jim vs. Pam shenanigans. As it were, Pam’s ploy of putting on makeup and being nice wasn’t all that effective. And it looks like Dwight has now become the Ross of the show, and Angela is his Rachel.

“I saw my grandparents making love once and didn’t leave right away.”

“I want to go to there.”

Having Lemon turn out to be the bitch was great. I was disappointed in the Kenneth/Tracy/Jenna plot. Kenneth’s jokes weren’t funny at all, but I guess that was the whole point.

TV Reviews for the Viewing Week of Nov. 16, 2008 Pt. 2

Holy crap, that’s an awful way to die. Head slammed against a latch then cooked alive in a convection microwave oven for six and a half hours. This show is one of the rare breed that gets better with age. This is a wonderful ensemble that plays extremely well with each other. They’re comfortable and natural. Pair up any two members of the cast and you can have an episode where they’re playing off of each other. But the stars are Booth and Bones, and this was a great episode for them, finding a killer on a plane full of people bound for China.

Another show loses its head on the chopping block. Honestly, I’m surprised that it made it past its first season. It’s too quirky, what some people would call weird. I will admit it’s getting a little too complicated, what with all the subplots. And there’s probably not enough time to resolve them all. Will Emerson ever find his daughter? Will Ned ever find his father and be able to touch Chuck? Will Chuck ever reveal to her aunt and mom that she’s alive? What’s up with Stephen Root’s new character?

"I never have any normal fans."

The episode was a contest between Jason Alexander’s character and Joe Mantegna’s character. But it wasn’t killer vs. cop; it was over-actor vs. over-actor. It was kind of ridiculous. Joe Mantegna is a decent actor and all, but he’s no Mandy Patinkin.

"It seems awfully mean, but sometimes the ends justify the mean."

I’m actually a little mad at Toby myself. I really liked Holly, and I liked Michael with her rather than him against Toby. It’s like the show just moved a step backward (same thing I thought when Ryan and Kelly got back together last episode) instead of moving forward. Now, Jim and Pam are moving forward, and that’s good.

"After years of inbreeding, the pigs are getting violent, and the pig shield around the house is worn thin."

I thought Steve Martin was great, and I’m glad he was a bit more subdued. I don’t think it would have been as funny had he gone a bit overboard (you hear what I’m saying Robin Williams?). The Tracy stuff wasn’t all that funny this week. Kenneth was still excellent, though.

"I’m not used to doing this sober."
"It’s kind of the same thing, except no one gets sick."
"I’ll be the judge of that."

Badge bunnies? Really? Is that something that really goes on? I guess that’s what cheerleaders do when they grow up, because that’s exactly what they seem like. Car washes, fund raisers, softball...yup, grown-up cheerleaders. Okay, that four-way confrontation at the drug dealer’s house was superb. The observances, the questions, the reactions, all just superb. I also like how, even into the second season, they’re still keeping up with the fruit thing.

Oh holy God, Opie. I guess by definition dramas aren’t any good without any, well, drama, and Clay is up to his neck in it, yet he still looks all sparkly and clean. This shit will come back around to him, though. I loved how Deputy Dog (I don’t know what his name is) took out the FBI agent with one punch. That was damn cool. Next week’s season finale is going to be brutal and bloody, I’d set my watch and warrant to it.

And yet another ABC show has gone the way of the dodo. I still think this is a good show, but it hasn’t been as good this year. This episode seemed to be a big game of musical lovers. I wonder if the show would have lasted the whole season if it would have been left soap opera-y.

Chloe’s wedding and reception were in Clark’s barn? That seems very hickish. I would have assumed the reception would have been in the Talon. And they had to steal the beginning from Cloverfield. Wow. Nobody will notice that. From what we saw of Doomsday, I thought he looked pretty cool. I really got a Michael Turner vibe from him, from his run of Superman/Batman. I didn’t think Davis’ transformation made any sense, though. His power is to evolve protective measures after being attacked. What attack prompted the transformation? And was that the Persuader I saw in the previews for when the show comes back next year? Must be part of the Legion of Superheroes storyline.

"Dude, you’re confusing reality with porn again."

So we’ve got demons, we’ve got angels, and we’ve got fallen angels. Sam is shacking up with a demon. Will Dean and Anna end up together? Oh, nevermind. I think Dean won in the bagging-spiritual-beings contest. Holy crap that was a heavy ending. No wonder Dean drinks all the time now.

"I will smack your face off of your face."

Are there people out there like this, people who act on every insane idea that pops into their head?

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Listening to: Hot Action Cop - Fever for the Flava
via FoxyTunes

TV Reviews for the Viewing Week of Nov. 9, 2008 Pt. 2

"We’re gonna need a fire extinguisher, and maybe some sort of trauma counselor."

My wife really wants Bones and Booth to end up together. No, I think that would be weird. I think they have a really close brother/sister bond. Yes, there is love there, but not THAT kind of love. When Bones found out that Booth had been bailing his little brother out of trouble for years at the cost of his own success, you could see the hurt and the caring she feels for him. And I’d also like to give some kudos to David Boreanez. His acting has improved by leaps and bounds since his days as Angel.

"He may need to know karate."

Just a so-so episode. The best part was Matthew hitting on the girl in Ritchie’s class.

"Dude, you can’t get married without strippers. It’s in the Bible, I think."

Once again, I’ve missed the previous episode. It’s difficult when I’m supposed to be watching so much stuff at a certain time. Poor Sam. Even when some goes his way (his fiancé telling him why she loves him and wants to marry him), he still ends up screwing up.

Looks like I missed another one of these, too. Okay, so Terminator guy held Sarah by the neck with one hand and pointed a gun at her head with the other. Why? He could just crush her throat, or put a fist through her skull, or even just a robotic finger. I tend to like stories like this, where a short amount of time is the main story, but we get to see each angle of the story by following each character separately. I think it’s why I liked Starman so much. James Robinson did this a lot over his 80-issue run. I still marvel at the lack of a targeting program in this highly sophisticated robot. And what the hell kind of bullets were they using on Cromartie? I thought conventional weaponry couldn’t hurt a Terminator. And I’ve got one thing to say to Fox.com regarding the commercials played during their on-demand episodes: don’t show the same commercial throughout a single program. I get it. Jack Bauer will be returning in a 2-hour 24 event! I’ve got my DVR set. Is nothing else noteworthy happening in the next week?

"Oh God, please don’t let it be an STD. I’ve made it to almost 40."

Hmm, I’m wondering if I should use this show as a blueprint for when Angie finally gets fed up with me and divorces me. The lesson learned this week? Don’t take anyone to...hmm, I guess Angie and I don’t have an "our" restaurant.

"If you run, you’ll only die tired."

Not the best episode, I thought. The kid who was living in the mall with his sister, I don’t like him. He had a recurring role on CSI: NY, and I’ve seen him pop up here and there, and I don’t think he’s all that great. I was surprised that Reese met with the new Captain for dinner. That…that relationship would just confuse me. And I don’t think Cruz’s renewed relationship with his wife is going to end well. Somebody’s going to wind up getting hurt.

Blah. It’s official, I’m bored with this show.

The best part of the episode was actually hearing James Marsters voice at the end. He was the best thing that ever happened to the show, and he was short-lived. I was hoping this Chloe storyline would see him brought back, but I’ll take a voice if that’s all we’re getting. I’m pretty excited about next week’s episode. It looks like we’re finally going to see Doomsday, and from what I saw in the previews, he looks pretty good. And regardless of his origin or initial appearance, the writers seem be staying true to his powers and abilities, so that’s good.

This was a really good Reid (there Angie, happy?) episode...well, not so much for him, I guess. We finally see Reid’s father for the first time, it’s just too bad that Reid thinks he sexually assaulted then killed a 6-year-old boy. This is obviously some rough stuff for Reid to go through, and he ends up running the gamut of emotions before everything is wrapped up nice and neat and everyone makes it back to D.C. in time for Reid to become godfather of JJ’s new baby boy.

This episode really brought up Andy’s stock. He went from the angry Cornell suck-up to the perpetual wingman. And you can’t help but feel sorry for him in his relationship with
Angela. Even if she weren’t cheating on him, it’s Angela. I agree with Oscar, "What do you see in her?"

Ooh, that ATF bitch is, well, a bitch. And there is no way Opie is getting out of this predicament alive. Poor Opie.

"Don’t you recognize me? Oh, I forgot, I’m wearing a pediatrician."

Well now Sam. There seems to be a bit of slap and tickle, a little pinch and squeal between Sam and his demon girlfriend. After the guys find a girl who can listen to the angels, Ruby runs off with her while the boys fight a demon. Later, while searching for Ruby, Sam tells Dean how they got together. After storytime, the boys meet back up with Ruby and Anna, only to be told by Castiel that Anna has to die. Honestly, I can see his way of thinking. Dean even said it: she’s a direct line to the enemy’s plans. It would just be easier for the angels to get rid of her and have that loose end taken care of. The needs of the many and all that nonsense.

"We all want what’s best for Jack. So let’s just have this three-way."

Night Court! Harry, Christine and Mac! Jennifer Aniston may not have been the most talented friend, but she was definitely the hottest. But yeah, she’s not that great of an actress. I liked watching her in this episode, but she just annoyed me. As always, Kenneth and Tracy were great.

"Hold still. You can’t run from the kindness of strangers."

So it’s not so much an Extreme Makover: Home Edition as it is Extreme Makeover: Hate Crime. I never realized that Frank was such a master manipulator. Ah, he knew the whole time that it was going to fail, big time. At least they were able to get the taco bed done...sort of.

Well, this show got an extra, what, five extra episodes for the season? Eh, I’m bored with this one, too. I can’t waste an hour just for the few minutes when something from the future pops up.

First pre-credits impressions? Too Silver Agey. As much of a fan I am of the Bruce Timm Batman series, I don’t think I’ll find anything to match up to it. Plus, Dietrich Bader is the voice of Batman. I’ll never be able to take him seriously as anything but a goofball. Post-credit, it’s still very Silver Agey, but that makes it weird since it’s got the latest Blue Beetle in it. I’m sorry, I just can’t watch it any more. It’s too childish, even for me. Now, if I were a fan of Silver Age DC comics, this cartoon would be awesome. But I’m not, and it isn’t. Put The Batman back on CW on Saturday mornings and I’ll watch that...or my Batman: The Animated Series collection.

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Listening to: Ambulance LTD - Anecdote
via FoxyTunes

TV Reviews for the Viewing Week of Nov. 2, 2008 Pt. 2

"Whoa! Jeez! Hey, Bones, you know you almost lit my butt on fire?"

As much as I miss what’s-his-name, I’m enjoying watching all of the interns. That girl crushing the skull was priceless! But at least some good came from her short internship. Now Sweets has got himself a lady friend!

"Things fall apart, even when they seem perfect. Love changes to hate, hate to repulsion, repulsion to lust, lust to revenge, then fun, then sad. It’s awful."

Is there anyone in this show who ISN’T somehow screwed up?

"You’re gonna sit around and wonder what it’s like to have boobs."

"Yes I am. I’d use them for evil."

I loved the Friends references. That’s a show I can watch at any time and laugh, no matter how many times I’ve seen the episode. Okay, raise your hand if you DIDN’T think that Roy was Vanessa’s ex. Very obvious, but funny as hell when Gary found out.

"That’s right. TV’s Ponch, from CHiPs. He’s being very well compensated."

It’s a cop show, but it doesn’t seem like a cop show. Maybe that’s why I like it so much. After all the Law and Orders and CSIs, this is a welcome breath of fresh air. This episode, we get just a tiny bit closer to finding out who set up Cruz all while figuring out who killed a multi-millionaire. I’ve heard that a lot of lottery winners end up actually filing for bankruptcy within a few years. I’m sure a support group would be very beneficial.

Holy crap that ATF agent got her faced SMASHED. This episode seemed to be a bit of an appetizer to next week’s raid of the clubhouse.

Ah, the trials and tribulations of the uber-wealthy. This show would fit in well with the daytime soaps. The lies, the deception, the twists, the love, the loss...it’s all there. So Lucy Liu was actually working for Blair Underwood’s character, while Karen was spying for her father. But it doesn’t matter, they’re getting married! But wait! The youngest Darling boy was sleeping with Liu in order to get Letitia’s case thrown out. It’s just too bad that the two fell in love. And Lisa and Nick are splitting up, because Nick still loves Karen! What will happen to the wedding?

Oh, I get it now. Doomsday is going to be Zod’s son. That’s a pretty clever twist. There, I’ve finally said something good about the show. I hope they don’t go all "tortured villain" with Doomsday. I want to see Clark put to the test. I want their battle to actually resonate through Smallville, destroying parts of it like the comic battle destroyed Metropolis.

"Women? Showers? We gotta save these people."

"Kneel before Todd!"

Yeah, I had to do two quotes this week. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a pretty big Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. When Supernatural first started, I was thinking it was a good successor to Buffy. Now, though, I’m thinking it’s surpassed Buffy. Giant, talking, alcoholic, porn-obsessed teddy bears, well, that ranks right up there with puppet Angel. While Buffy had a couple of really good actors, this show has an overall better talent pool. And the writing is more natural, whereas Joss and the gang on Buffy tried to be hip and clever. Granted, that was a lot of the charm, but it didn’t ring as true as this does. The boys act like brothers, and the friends they’ve run into during the past few years actually seem like friends rather than a random assortment of people thrown together. This episode was crazy funny, but it still managed to be poignant at the end.

Yeah, there’s nothing worth commenting about this show any more. It’s good acting, but it’s same-old same-old.

"Comanaprasil? May cause dizziness, sexual nightmares and sleep crime."

Funny things: Comanaprasil, the fake Olympic sports, anything that Tracy says, Liz talking to Oprah while drugged, and just about anything that Kenneth says. It’s almost like the writers of the show write random hilarious scenes, connect the dots to make them into a coherent show, and it works.

"Why does he keep spitting in my mouth? Who is this man?"

It’s difficult to comment on this show. It’s so ridiculous, so over the top. All that story and they only claim to be tangentially responsible for the cracking of the Liberty Bell. The headless horseman was a nice touch

"That’s what she said. That’s what she said! That’s what she said!"

I think Jim is going to suggest moving to New York. It’s either that or they end up breaking up, which I don’t see happening and don’t want to see happen. Poor Andy, he’s so oblivious to his sham of a relationship. And Dwight was classic with his paranoia and his subsequent celebrating.

I’m so bored with the actual cops and robbers stuff. This episode sees Sam singing a Vanilla Ice song to avoid getting shot, and Whoopie Goldberg as a soul sistah DJ. Yawn. Now, the ending at the church was good. So what do we think is going on? Coma? Purgatory?

What’s the point of the quotes at the beginning? They’re about as annoying as Mohinder bookending each episode of Heroes. This was a good episode, and it set up the next one very well. Although I don’t know her name, it’s always great to see the woman who plays Reed’s mom. I’m used to seeing her in comedies, but she does drama very well.

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Listening to: Luna Halo - Kings & Queens
via FoxyTunes