Tuesday, September 30, 2008

How I Met Your Mother - Hungry For More

How I Met Your Mother - The Best Burger In New York - Ep. 402

I'm sure they were referring to The Burger Joint (below).

Though the Shake Shack might just be a better alternative now. Or does anybody know anything even better in New York? (Preferably one that is at actual burger joint prices. Overpriced ones made with filet minion or caviar don't count). I haven't tried BLT Burger yet though (though BLT Fish (upstairs) was good but WAY overpriced).

Oh yeah, and the show. Marshall tastes the best burger in New York City and can't find it again. Apparently Regis has been looking for the place too. Regis is not that funny is he? The more I think about it. Maybe Kelly DOES carry the show. In fact, my favorite episodes now are when Neil Patrick Harris guest hosts with Kelly. Now THAT'S fun and I would love to see more of THAT! (Or NPH on any talk show. His pre-Emmy appearance on Emmy was a hoot with Mr. Roper expression).

I love my How I Met Your Mother but while it hasn't been at its worst, tonight's episode just left me wanting more, and mostly because I felt unsatisfied and was still searching for that perfect hunger filler. You know? Too much starch, not enough meat.

(On a side note, my sis has also been checking out all the Cupcake places around New York that people say are better than the apparently overrated Magnolia's.

Apparently this is how she ordered them though she said something about not having updated it since we went to Cupcake Cafe but as a big brother, I was half not listening so can't remember what she was blabbering about, but this is how she emailed the list to me, so do your own taste test and let me know what's worth my gym time and what isn't (not that it would really stop me):

Billy's Bakery
184 9th Ave (between 21st and 22nd Streets) - Chelsea

Crumbs
1371 Third Ave (at 78th Street) – Upper East Side
321 ½ Amsterdam Ave (at 75th Street) – Upper West Side
87 Beaver Street - Wall Street
43 West 42nd Street (between 5th & 6th Aves) – across from Bryant Park
37 East 8th Street – The Village

Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington Street (parallel to E Houston and Delancey Streets) –
Lower East Side?

Buttercup Bake Shop
973 2nd Ave (between 51st and 52nd Streets) – Midtown East?
141 West 72nd Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus) – Upper West Side

Cupcake Café
18 West 18th Street (between 5th and 6th Ave) - Chelsea?
545 9th Ave (between 40th and 41st Streets) - Midtown


More After the Jump...

The Knowledge I've Gained From Watching A Bad Reality Show

I'm staying with friends in Orange County and they took me to dinner in Laguna Beach and even though I've never been, I totally recognized a few spots just from watching that damn assed TV show.

I swear, I stopped after the first season. Okay. Maybe partially through the second.

At least I've stopped myself at The Hills. Although the fact that I still seem to know everything going on with Lauren Conrad and co. is quite disturbing to me.

You know what though? The real Laguna Beach really is quite a lovely place. I could totally see myself living there. Now I just need a couple of million of dollars. Anyone? Anyone? Or I'll take a Stephen (although I really preferred Trey even though he was rarely on).


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Overheard At The Airport On The Way to LAX

"Do you know Jake McDorman? He's on that really crappy show that I'm on" - Clark Duke from Greek and Clark and Michael to his young traveling friend.

I don't think it was so much a slight at Jake McDorman but it was kinda funny. Ah young actors. Always biting the hands that feed them just so that they can seem cool to their friends.


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Idol Territory

I heard three songs in the last month that I've liked and then almost choked each time when I realized each song was from a former Canadian Idol loser. All losersfrom last year actually (the year Brian Melo won).

I particularly like Carly Rae Jepsen's new song which sounds un-Idoly and actually kind of cool! It's quite unexpected actually.

Carly Rae Jepsen- "Tug of War" (not the actual video but it's all I could find):


Canadian radio seems to have been bombarded with a lot of Idol music. Between the American Idol's David Cook and Jordin Sparks adding to Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, and non-winners David Archuleta and Chris Daughtry getting lots of airplay, there's already a LOT of Idol on the radio.

Then add the Canadian Idol's, none that really broke out huge like the Americans but Hedley has faired well, and Brian Melo, runner-up Rex Goodie, Eva Avila and Melissa O'Neil put out pretty good albums (Rex's still ranks as one of my favorite Idol albums of them all (Canadian or not)) but now it seems like anybody who was on Canadian Idol at all has an album coming out. Well, a lot did and CTV plugged it every moment they could but now they actually seem to be GOOD with new songs from Jaydee Bixby, Tara Oram (videos below) and Carly Rae Jepsen that all caught my attention on the radio, only to later realize they were all Idol contestants. (I had already mentioned Oram's song before).

Plus, I never mentioned the latest winner Theo Tams who deservedly won last month is also, to my knowledge, the first Idol winner of any (English) version that had an openly gay man actually win. No? (Will Young wasn't out when he won, Anthony Callea was runner-up for Australian Idol and only came out afterwards as well). No idea about the other idols in other languages.

(And speaking of finales, how the heck did Canadian Idol land Mariah Carey and John Legend to perform???)

Theo Tams first single "Sing" is out at i-Tunes and the album comes out soon.

Tara Oram and Jaydee Bixby's songs after the jump:

Tara Oram - "Fly Girl":


Jaydee Bixby - "Old Fashioned Girl" from his new album Cowboys and Cadillacs :


More After the Jump...

Monday, September 29, 2008

Bad Ass Chuck Is Back

Gossip Girl - The Serena Also Rises - Ep. 205 (Airs on The CW at 8pm on Monday)
Chuck - Season 2 Premieres Monday, Sept. 29th at 8pm on NBC/City

The Chucks are back and more badass than ever! Chuck is back on NBC tonight and is already available free online. Meanwhile, Chuck Bass gets even crueler than normal when Dan tries to befriend him for benefits. No not THAT kind of benefits (that's book 4 apparently), no, Dan needs new writing inspiration so tries to live the Chuck life much to Chuck's unamused bemusement and things get a little nasty.

So two Chucks. Two shows by Josh Schwartz. Both at 8pm on Mondays. Now THAT's a cruel choice.

Without spoiling too much on this weeks Gossip Girl, Blair is being a bitch (well, I mean more than normal) because Serena is now Queen Bee and turns on everyone and everybody and anyone that crosses her path becomes bloodless victims. Watch out Jenny! Enjoy the toast for now, because the bitch is back and she's MAD. Why? I don't even know anymore since Blair seems more like a petty spoiled tattletale who is totally perturbed by Serena's new found status so I'm not sure why Laurel or Jenny aren't taking Blair down by spilling the truth to mama Eleanor but whatever, it sure makes for some entertaining scenes.

Chuck is being extra broody (even more than normal) because poor little rich boy can't get his father's attention and thus takes in poor ol' Dan as a one-night protege until Chuck decides to turn on Dan. Then rinse, have Dan defend Chuck after some secrets are spilled, then repeat again. Oh it's going to be a messy one! Almost as messy as Serena's hair (I know it's supposedly "IN" right now but really?) in Eleanor's fashion show.

In the same timeslot, rival Chuck is back for more action and adventure and hilarity in a perfect combo of comedy and spy action that is superbly carried off by Zachary Levi as the title character.

The Cast of Chuck

Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski:

Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker:

Adam Baldwin as Major John Casey:

Sarah Lancaster as Elle Bartowski:

Mark Christopher Lawrence as Big Mike:

Ryan McPartlin as Captain Awesome:

Scott Krinsky as Jeff:

Joshua Gomez as Morgan Grimes:

Julia Ling as Anna:
For more Reviews and Previews of the 2008 Fall TV Season, Check here.


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Sunday Season Premieres - The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters

The Amazing Race - Bees Are Much Calmer Than All This! - Ep. 1301
Desperate Housewives - You're Gonna Love Tomorrow - Ep. 501 - Season Premiere
Brothers & Sisters - Glass Houses - Ep. 301 - Season Premiere

Okay, they're off again! The racers are racing, the housewives are... housewifing? and the Brothers & Sisters are fighting again all in new seasons that premiered last night!

The Amazing Race is back for probably another Emmy winning season (6/6 wins, the odds are good for next year) and the new contestants are off to LAX to fly to Brazil!

Already love Nick and Starr as I had predicted but if I'm watching closely, it's mainly for Nick Spangler (who was in The Fantasticks recently) at this point who is cute and adorable AND seems like a great guy with a touch of devilish wit!

I was pretty much right about all my other predictions. Terence, was cool and cute for about 5 minutes until he got super nauseating and frazzled as the "chill" guy with Sarah. Ken and Tina are a ticking bomb waiting to go off. Frat boys Andrew and Dan are sadder than I thought and alas, the Travelocity Traveling Gnomes Anita and Arthur won't actually get to travel any longer as they were the last to check in to the pit stop.


Desperate Housewives is back to the future. The 5 years ahead that flashed in the finale last season and if the gimmick hinted at desperation, the show sure used it to put the Desperate back in Desperate Housewives along with all the zing from the 1st and 4th season. The drama, the twists, the hilarity were all back in fine future form.

Fat Gaby with her fat daughters, Lynette's grown up twins, still bad as ever, Bree and Katherine's successful catering company that begins to fracture their friendship, Susan's secret boyfriend, Edie's return to Wisteria Lane, the future looks just as tumultuous as before and the blackmailing, the drama and hilarity is back to the good old days.

Though a few things of note. Where's Nathan Fillion's Adam Mayfair? Will he be back? Or Andrea Bowen's Julie Mayer?

Glad that they still kept the gay neighbours Lee and Bob (and just for that one silent scene with the camera phone! Hilarious! Though don't people work on Wisteria Lane?), that James Denton's Mike Delfino isn't actually dead (whew, this show already kills off way too many husbands. I still miss Rex) and the additions of Neil McDonough as Edie's new husband Dave and Queer As Folk's Gale Harold as Susan's new man Jackson.

The jump brings the show to Lost territory with a darkly comic twist and the show is comfortably using it to add to its mysteries and soap opera surprise reveals and while the trick might wear out thin if they keep it up too long, so far, so good.

(Full promotional cast photos below at the end of the post)


The opening schmaltzfest on Brothers & Sisters, with Sarah reading her "letter of recommendation" for Kitty's adoption application was hilarious. Especially with the images that accompanied the show, and ingeniously snuck in a recap of the show all while showing its sly humour.

Another season, another set of secrets, all which spill out within the Walker family as it usually does. Justin and Rebecca ARE in fact together (EW) and Sarah's kids Cooper and Paige are the first to find out and the first to blackmail Justin for it! Those pesky kids really ARE Walkers!

Sarah's schmaltzy letter is actually written by Nora. Tommy and Holly are going to fire Kevin as Ojai's lawyer. And the secret that Ryan exists slowly filters its way around the family. Of course.

I'm shocked more wine wasn't spilled all over Kevin's boss' summer house which the Walker family ends up in. Oh, it's nice to be back with crazy family!

It's also nice that Nora finally ripped a big one into Holly who has been an eternal bitch to the family and now Holly finds herself in Nora's company as a jilted lover. Boy, William sure got around. No wonder he died. Easier than to deal with the post-drama. Bad for Nora. Good for us viewers!

The Cast of Desperate Housewives:

Teri Hatchers as Susan Mayer:

Dana Delaney as Katherine Mayfair:

Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis:

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo:

Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp:

Nicolette Sheridan as Edie Britt:


More After the Jump...

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Pretty Gross - Bones, Fringe, Supernatural

Bones - Yanks in the U.K., The Man in the Outhouse, The Finger in the Nest, The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond - Eps. 401-404
Fringe - The Ghost Network - Ep. 103
Supernatural - Lazarus Rising, Are You There, God? It's Me... Dean Winchester - Ep. 401, 402

Why do I keep watching these shows while I'm eating dinner?

Someone needs to remind me to stop doing that. Last week I was eating a chicken drumstick as Booth's kid finds the remaining bones of a finger, this week I'm having soup when kids find the chopped up pieces of a dead body in a pool of purple liquid.

Ew.

Then again, the show IS called Bones so I should know better.

I don't like horror movies so I'm still not sure why I make myself watch Supernatural and I think I turned away from Fringe a few too many times ALREADY (and what, we're only on the 3rd episode?).

Luckily, the writing is sharp on all three shows and they were smart enough to cast pretty people to offset the gross out factors.

Oh the pretty people. I'm still not totally convinced on Fringe yet. I enjoy it while I'm watching it (when I'm not totally freaked or grossed out at least) but I tend to forget what happened as soon as the show's over. I'm still not totally invested in the overarching plot (well, more like, I'm just too confused ALREADY) and the stand alone stories are X-Files good but as any procedural, I don't need to keep coming back for more. What keeps me coming back for more is Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop. I mean, I've always loved Pacey but I really do think Jackson has a charisma that loves the TV screen.

Bones is trying to replace Dr. Zack and testing out new hires every week but I like the gimmick so far, because it somehow brings out the intricacies of the team unit and all the relationship entanglements and trust levels to the forefront. It breaks my heart that Angela and Hodgins have broken up, even after finding Angela's hot ex, but it adds for some great tension, along with Sweets who sort of called it all out.

Zack himself shows up this week! And his secret reveal to Sweets gives hope that Eric Millegan will be back! Which is probably why they aren't keeping any one replacement that included Eugene Byrd back as Dr. Clark Edison (above), Michael Badalucco (The Practice) as the oldest grad student, and this weeks very HOT Wendell (Michael Terry). Oh PLEASE can you keep Wendell? He REALLY needs the job to pay off his town for supporting his schooling (and not the Mob as Angela had suspected). The fact that he thought Bones was coming on to him and he freaked about being the boss's bed bitch was HILARIOUS and his naiveness would be a hoot (but a very different naiveness than Zack).

Also, the whole London trip was worth it just for the bobby joke. An expensive bobby joke but it was fun seeing Booth and Bones in London if only to hark back memories of the city that I adore (as long as I don't think about the exorbitant prices).

I missed a few Supernatural episodes from last season and never got caught up, so I'm a bit confused at this point but either way, Dean and Sam are battling evil as normal and Dean was in hell and the show still scares the sh#t out of me.

Yet those faces (particularly Jensen Ackles) keeps suckering me back for more though. It's always the pretty things that can easily tempt us back to evil isn't it?

I could have sworn Sam (Jared Padalecki) cried out Rory and not Bobby in the last episode. Or was I only hoping?


More After the Jump...

The TV Blog Coalition - And More! Can You Keep Up?

Well, it is officially Fall, some of the leaves on my street have already started changing colours and the new TV shows have been unspooling out and I'm already barely keeping afloat and more shows have yet to premiere still.

All the Sunday shows start tonight (including The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Dexter, Cold Case, Little Britain USA and The Simpsons) and Chuck and Life start on Monday. Pushing Daisies starts on Tuesday in Canada and Wednesday in the US. Friday Night Lights starts on DirectTV in the US now back on Wednesdays, and so do Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money on ABC/AChannel.

The Friday shows start this week as well, (there are shows on Friday?) including Everybody Hates Chris and new show The Ex-List. In a way, luckily the Vice Presidential Election will derail Thursday night so there is no new Grey's Anatomy or The Office this week (which works out perfectly for me since I'll be away that night so won't have to catch up).

Speaking of Presidential debates, even though I'm not American, I'm officially endorsing a candidate. Payback for loving my blog!

Here's what the other TV bloggers were talking about this week:

After one of the more frustrating Emmy experiences in memory, Buzz proposed five ways to fix the show. (BuzzSugar)

Plattie explained exactly why she hates British soaps. (Pop Vultures)

Only the boys of The Big Bang Theory could sit through three hours of Heroes and Scooter has thoughts on both season premieres and a few words on How I Met Your Mother. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)

Vance is disappointed with buzzworthy shows 90210 and Heroes so far but is totally charmed by Privileged. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace took an advance look at HBO's pond-skipping new comedy Little Britain USA, from the warped minds of David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Yes, you'll be talking about Mr. Doggy come Monday. (Televisionary)

She's easy to hate -- the Tim Gunn disrespect, the constant laughing, the hyperconfidence -- but Marisa can't help but like Kenley on Project Runway. (TiFaux)

Raoul talked to Misha Collins about his role on Supernatural (TV Filter)


More After the Jump...

Friday, September 26, 2008

And The Season Premieres Keep Coming - The Office, Survivor: Gabon, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, New/Old Christine

The Office - Weight Loss - Ep. 501 - Season Premiere
Survivor: Gabon - Want To See The Elephant Dung? - Ep 1701 - Season Premiere
Ugly Betty - The Manhattan Project - Ep. 301 - Season Premiere
Grey's Anatomy - Dream A Little Dream Of Me - Ep. 501 - Season Premiere
The New Adventures of Old Christine - A Decent Proposal - Ep. 401 - Season Premiere

The folks at The Office are trying to shed some weight, and I think the show shed whatever it was that was bogging it down for most of the 4th season because the premiere was as good as the amazing finale (that rebounded the show to its full potential). Even with the hour long format (which is what partly bogged it down last year).

Love the way they are dealing with Pam being gone to Pratt (the laptop interview was a hoot), love that Ryan is back, loved Kelly's weightloss regime, loved that Stanley was actually losing weight, and loved that Phyllis was blackmailing Angela who sleeps well at night with pillows and other things!

Plus, The Office addition of Holly is totally working so far which makes them two for two in having plainish looking movie stars (who will or were nominated for Oscars) and making them blend seamlessly into the mix. First Amy Adams and now Amy Ryan (or do they have to be named Amy too?), who as Jim points out, is a perfect foil for Michael because she's a dork too!


Survivor: Gabon. Wow, even after the initial picks for the teams, it was so obvious there was going to be a smart team (who happen to be super hot too) and a stupid team. Poor Michelle got the bums rap.

Seriously, in theory I should hate how hot team Kota is but at this point, I'm just going to root for them until they annihilate the other team. Then it'll get good when the pretty people will have to turn on one another.

The bromance/unrequited gay/straight crush between Charlie (cute and gay) and Marcus (hot and straight) is almost cringeworthy. Not because it's not sweet. Just that it feels a bit deja vu in my own life.

Dan on the other team is pretty too (if Marcus is the hot blonde, Dan would be the hot brunette) but he's kinda dumb isn't he? (Unless it's just a game face?). Isn't he a lawyer? Or as my sister noted, does that REALLY mean anything? (ha!)

And I sure was wrong about a lot of others. Based on the premiere, I was kind of right about Ace, wrong about Bob Nye the Science Guy, wrong about "lovable" Gillian, wrong about strong Crystal (who I still think MUST be playing it "slow" right?), wrong about Ken (cough, loser), right about Jacquie, right about Sugar, wrong about Michelle, right about Paloma, right about Marcus, wrong about Corine. Oh well, anyways, my way-too-early-to-predict-prediction is for Jacquie to win. Uh, or Paloma, or Marcus.


Ugly Betty is back. But not fully. I was being positive and looking at the show through hot pink coloured glasses in the second half of last season when creator Marco Pennette was unceremoniously dumped, but I will admit that it's lost a bit of its flair since. The first half of the second season was fantastic, and then it seemed like Ugly Betty got a big confused and lost.

What worked so far?: Any family dinner table scenes. Whether it be the Suarez (and make sure Hilda and Justin get to talk) or with the Meades (where Daniel acting all strict and fatherly was a bit of a turn on). Or at Mode with Wily, Marc and Amanda being freezing cold hard bitches. Lindsay Lohan's guest appearance. It didn't scream of star power, reminded us that Lindsay can actually be good on screen, and was actually pretty funny and fit well into the Ugly Betty family of overdramatics and divadom.

What's not working?: They still don't really know what to do with Christina. The Player magazine and setting is one lame joke stretched way too long. The whole excising of Gio and Henry. Yes, I know. People were tired of the triangle but I hate when things are just cut super quickly. On the other hand, quickly bringing in Val Emmich (30 Rock's gay-for-Jamie) as Betty's new neighbour/future romantic entanglement Jesse might make it all worth it. Speaking of new neighbour, the whole crap New York apartment switcheroo was cliched. True, but still cliche.


Grey's Anatomy: Christina ROCKS. Thank heavens she let it RIP into Meredith about Mer constantly blabbering about Derek. When they're together, when they're broken apart. Yap Yap Yap. Christina (and us) finally put a muffle onto the Mer Der back and forth whining.

And then the heavens did THAT to her? Oh Cold SNAP. An icicle stabbing from the sky. Ew.

As oh-god as the flashforward dream of old Mer and Christina was, it was actually pretty funny and I could TOTALLY picture them like that. Especially Christina.

Loving Kevin McKidd as Dr. Owen Hunt. What a GREAT addition! And he even already comes McPrenamed!

I didn't realize he was starting on the show right away but I knew he was coming as a new McHottie but how did no one mention Bernadette Peters (or Kathy Baker) was guest starring? I guess they've been relegated to classy but old actors who do unceremonious guest starring roles.

I'm also liking the whole Rose twist/non-twist though I'm sad that she backed down in the end and is moving to pedes. The awkwardness between Hahn and Callie! Lexie's discovery of George and Meredith's past. Alex and Izzie's continuing dramas.

The premiere wasn't perfect and it dragged on a bit long at 2 hours but at least it is still on the upswing from the aggravating episodes from late Season 3 and early Season 4.


The New Adventures of Old Christine is back and gay. Well, not really. But the big buzz about Christine's new gay marriage with Barb to keep her in the country was funny without needing to be controversial or a huge "issue" and the hilarity came more from Christine's own self delusions (again) and Richard's reaction to losing the "moving-on" race.

Not loving Hamish Linklater's (Matthew) new short haircut, but that's about the only complaint I could come up with at this point.


More After the Jump...

W

Trailer is out.



I'm not sure why I'm excited about this movie but I am. Maybe cause I loved JFK and I think the thought of Thandie Newton as Condi Rice is crazy thrilling.


More After the Jump...

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Betty Is Back!

Ugly Betty - Season 3 Premieres Thursday Sept. 25th at 8pm on ABC/City

Betty is BACK! TONIGHT!

Where were we? Oh yah? Gio or Henry? Well, I think Betty chooses the Big Apple instead when the whole series moves to the real New York City for their third season so expect lots of skyline shots of the Chrysler and Empire State Building in the background and hopefully a lot of Broadway guest stars (and we already know Regis and Kelly are showing up, and Lindsay Lohan returns as Betty's school nemesis).

Here's a recap primer to remind us all what pratfalls Betty, The Suarez's and the rest of the Mode gang fell into over the last 2 seasons:


Man I can't wait for more Marc and Amanda!

The Season 3 Video Preview and Promo Pictures below:



America Ferrera as Betty Suarez

Ana Ortiz as Hilda Suarez

Tony Plana as Ignacio Suarez

Mark Indelicato as Justin Suarez

Ashley Jensen as Christina McKinney

Rebecca Romijn as Alexis Meade

Eric Mabius as Daniel Meade

Becki Newton as Amanda Tanen

Michael Urie as Michael St. James

Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater


More After the Jump...