ABC Thursday Lineup Rocks!

Ugly Betty - I'm Coming Out


I don't even know where to begin. Tim Gunn (and Katherine McPhee) making a cameo. Henry the accountant returning and being as cute as ever with the flirtations for Betty. Hilda coming to work as an assistant for Mode during Fashion Week. Justin tagging along and becoming Wilhelmina's help after a botched facial (using male ducks... ahem). Marc and Amanda plotting to steal the "must have" item to sell to a knockoff company (and securing their bid as the new Jack and Karen or Boris and Natascha). Alexis revealing herself to a shocked Daniel (as well as the world in the final moments of the fashion show). Christina selling her soul for her runway lineup. Iganacio running from his government assigned case worker. Hilda and Daniel, both with the sister blues, drunkenly making out together. It was all too much and too hilarious! Plus it was all balanced giving every newly loved character on this show equal hilarity time! I love the pairings, from the obvious (Marc and Amanda, Henry and Betty) to the not (Wilhelmina and Justin, or Wilhelmina and Christina, or Hilda and Daniel) that they are pulling together in ways that don't seem like a complete stretch. Bravo Ugly Betty for a fiercely funny fashion week episode!

Grey's Anatomy - Wishin' and Hopin'


George and Callie actually got married! Shock! A girl whose blood is toxic makes George (amongst others) sick and George thinks its the new marriage that is toxic. The others are still shocked, but only Meredith lends full support to George, and Addison to Callie. Surgeons keep dropping like flies as they try to fix toxic woman, while Meredith must deal with mom Ellen Grey coming back to full conciousness where we see the really brutally judgemental doctor that she was, and her mistakes made with the relationship with Richard. Addison lusts after Alex but ends up back in bed with Sloan, and Christina finally says yes to Burke. Izzie and Bailey open the free clinic. Finally, George stands up for Callie against his friends who still seem to snicker at the relationship.

Plus, is it me or does Meredith look much softer (and prettier) in that purple sweater and not as gaunt and anorexic?

Men in Trees - Take It Like A Man

Since I'm usually very pro-adoption and don't understand why being a parent to the world's children isn't as good as being a parent to your own biological kids (I'm secretly a hippie underneath my yuppie exterior), I was still actually a little watery after Patrick revealed that his swimmers don't really swim fast enough and that him and Annie probably won't be able to have children (especially coming after Annie's funny "ginger" comment). Marin becomes one of the boys and has a no-strings-attached affair with her publisher (Jason O'Mara), while Lynn questions Jack's full commitment to her baby. Jane and Plow Guy Sam trade secrets and skills, leaving Jane on a boat nowhere (literally), and Patrick brings Buzz's son (Orlando Jones) to Elmo. I can't wait to see what happens next with that.

Three great shows all on one night. Who knew ABC could pull off having the best of the Thursday night lineup just a year ago? Though I have to say surprisingly, I think I actually liked the Ugly Betty and Men In Trees episodes more than I did Grey's Anatomy even though it had the nice shock of George and Callie's marriage and the intensity of the toxic woman (which seemed better built up than it was resolved. Somehow it seemed too easy by the end).

Meanwhile, I think Men In Trees and Ugly Betty have both grown into a great rhythm and continually adding to its own strengths. Plus both are quite laugh-out-loud funny in their own ways and suprinsingly for Men In Trees, we aren't laughing at it like people thought we would before the season started.