American Idol - Diamonds Are Forever, and Ever, and Ever... When Are These Songs Going To End?

Top 5 Performance Night - Theme: The Songs of Neil Diamond (groan).

You know I'm generally a much more positive person than some out there (okay, maybe not! I just delude myself into thinking so) and I'm willing to give things the benefit of the doubt (that I think is true). You also know that I've been loving these Idol finalists probably more than the ratings indicate the rest of America does, but seriously, I was kinda bored tonight and barely had the energy or will to finish this post (but luckily since I get anal about completing things in full sets, I'm going to complete this for completionist sake).

Were the Idols bad? Not really and not necessarily, but I knew they were going to have a lot to overcome when they announced the theme was going to be Neil Diamond this week.

Not be an ageist but COME ON. SERIOUSLY? GAWD. Aren't we supposed to be trying to find a modern American idol? Forcing them to sing Andrew Lloyd Webber crap, then Neil Diamond isn't helping us weed down the correct people to the finals (we've already lost Carly Smithson and Michael Johns... HELLO).

And now the singers have to sing TWO songs from stuff my mom listened to? Memories yes, but I think I was in diapers at the time.

Jason Castro sings "Forever in Blue Jeans" and "September Morn". It's not as bad as it could be and he does have a sweet voice, and I felt he had a bit of the male singer/songwriter vibe going at times but it's time for him to retire. He didn't have the worst performance of the night (that would be Brooke) but overall, he SHOULD be the one leaving (which means nothing on Idol). I still think he's better than people give him credit for and I've enjoyed him far more than I anticipated in the last few weeks, (and he's not as bad as Sanjaya, Nikki McKibbon, Taylor Hicks etc. etc) but at this point, I prefer the other 4 singers left in the game.

David Cook sings "I'm Alive" and "All I Really Need Is You" and I thought he did his usual great rocking job on songs I didn't really care for. Yes, he made the second song sound modern but mediocre modern with little fault to his own voice or performance. It was just a weak song. Sorry to be a bummer. Didn't love it overall, at least compared to my usual ecstatic reactions to David Cook but I'm blaming the theme for this week.

Brooke White sings "I'm a Believer" and "I Am... I Said" and she was pretty bad and awkward in the first song (which always felt more like a parody to me) but the Brooke we love was back in the second. It wasn't fantastic but again, she did what she could with the old fashioned material and though I doubt she will be in the finals, I hope she lasts longer than Jason at least. Her style basically dictates that when she's on, she's on, but when she's off, she's TOTALLY off.

David Archuleta sings "Sweet Caroline" and "America". If there was one song I was hoping the Idols would avoid, it was "Sweet Caroline" because I figured it would turn into a hack job. At this point, you're either a fan of Archuleta and his cherubic face or you're not. I am, and I thought he turned what could have been a sloppy sappy song into something still sappy but crisper than I imagined. He nailed the second song for exactly what it was, a big loud boisterous bolstering ode to "America"n cheese and while this wasn't his best week, it was no one's, and he made the material seem as young as fresh as one could possibly do. (Don't get me wrong, I think many Neil Diamond's tunes are good but they are particularly famous for dating back to a certain time and I'm not sure the Idol's should be forced to try to work it their own way at this point in time. Why not let them pick anything at this point in the game to show who they really are about?).

Syesha Mercado sings "Hello Again" and "Thank The Lord For The Night TIme" and I always thinks she's lovely with a nice voice but I've never been glued to my TV in past performances, so it's funny that Simon calls her out for probably getting voted off this week when I finally thought she gave performances that were somewhat memorable (at least with what she was given). She worked a bit of the Diva magic (but not too much to be off-putting) and she sang it crystal clear with finally, some emotion into the performance. Her best yet, and finally convincing enough that she COULD possibly be a finalist (if she had pulled this off every week up until now. It may be too little too late at this point but I'm glad she finally showed what she had in her).

Best of the night: David Archuleta though for tonight, it was DEFINITELY relatively speaking. (Wait, it's always relatively speaking when one ranks a "best" isn't it? Anyways, you know what I mean).

Next best: Syesha Mercado

Worst of the night (performance): Brooke White

Worst of the night (overall): Jason Castro

Most forgetable of the night: I really hate to say this but I seriously have forgotten BOTH performances already (I write this after I've put together the rest of the post), but I've already forgotten David Cook's. It hurts just to write that since he's probably zooming in for the win this year.

Going home? Well, since I finally like Syesha, I betcha it's going to be Syesha and not Jason. I still worry about Brooke though, especially after the weak and awkward 1st song.

All the videos of the performances are after the jump:


Jason Castro - "Forever in Blue Jeans":



Jason Castro - "September Morn":




David Cook - "I'm Alive":



David Cook - "All I Really Need Is You":




Brooke White - "I'm A Believer":



Brooke White - "I Am... I Said":




David Archuleta - "Sweet Caroline":



David Archuleta - "America":




Syesha Mercado - "Hello Again":



Syesha Mercado - "Thank the Lord for the Night Time":



For more on American Idol Season 7:
Click here for the most recent posts.

Top 6 Performance Night - [title of song] (includes videos of all the performances), Results 6 to 5 - Broadway Bound Or Bust

Top 7 Performance Night - MC² = David x 2 = #1 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 7 to 6 - One Sweet Day Or When Idol Guesses Our Second Guessing On Our Second Guesses

Top 8 Performance Night - Cause They Are Give'ers (includes videos of all the performances), Idol Gives Back - Giving Us The So You Think You Can Dance Dancers, Results 8 to 7 - Idol Gives Back SyeWHAT???

Top 9 Performance Night - Dolly and the Two Big Ones (David and David) (includes videos of all the performances), Results 9 to 8 - Third Time Was A Charm

Top 10 Performance Night - Okay, Now there Really IS A Race! Or I'm Just Getting Soft (includes videos of all the performances), Results 10 to 9 - Chikezie, Meet Daniel Powter... Back in Obscurity

Top 11 Performance Night - That Old Awkward Phase (includes videos of all the performances), Results 11 to 10 - When The Stylists Finally Called In

Top 12 Performance Night - Death Race 2008 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 12 to 11 - Strippers and Prostitutes Are Not The Same Thing

Top 16 - Girls Night - Brooke's and Done, Boys Night - He Plays Piano Too?

Top 20 - Boys Night - Who Are Those Hotties - American Idol Hairdo's Edition

Top 24 - Boys Night- American, Should I Do Idol?

Thanks to Rickey for the photos.

More After the Jump...

Best of The B Shows - Bones, The Big Bang Theory, Beauty and the Geek

Bones - The Baby in the Bough - Ep. 312
The Big Bang Theory - The Nerdmabelia Scattering - Ep. 114
Beauty and the Geek - Extra Special - Ep. 507

I'd have a post about G shows Greek and Gossip Girl but we aren't getting them in Canada now and I'm still bitter about it... think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...

So I will continue my beloved devotion to my B list shows like Bones. I still haven't given it the Bolded Red 4 Stars pass (see Tapeworthy sidebar), but it's always on the cusp of getting into my top shows. It has the handicap of being a procedural holding it back. I know. Unfair especially since it excels where the typical procedurals falters, in that it gives humanity to its characters, humour in a dark grim world, and romance in the cold scientific calculations of all that lab forensics. From the way this season is playing out, the show probably does deserve to move into my 4 stars category.

This week, Bones and Booth find a baby amongst the remains of his mother and Bones becomes an automatic foster parent. Watching the scientific mind of Bones try to reason with the baby was priceless. I just love her literal frankness to it all.

Meanwhile, loved that Angela loved the baby and wanted a billion of them, and that Hodgins was happy to oblige, at least until his realization that a billion is a lot. Loved that he hoped a "billion" means 2.

Say what you will about my guilty pleasure The Big Bang Theory but the moment Sheldon went into the "future" with their newly bought time machine and the geeks ran around the apartment in superspeed (like a movie on fast forward), I was on the floor laughing. That was downright hysterical!

Finally, I wasn't going to bring up Beauty and the Geek since they basically pawned off a repackaged "clips" episode last week that makes the studio execs very very happy for saving lots of money on an already cheap show to shoot, but we got to see a new makeover from a geek that was already kicked off the show. So I fell for it and watched the entire episode. (Damn! I'm always a sucker for this show and especially the makeovers!)

Jim, who I admit, I barely remembered and barely cared for, got his whole 70's hippies look made over and honestly, in a year where none of the actual makeovers made a huge impact, this one was truly stunning and unrecognizable. Seriously, the new Jim, still geekily cute, looked DAMN good! He even mentioned they told him he looked like Ryan Gosling (which he actually kinda did) even though Jim didn't know who that was.

He kinda gave me the whole singer/songwriter vibe like Josh Kelley or John Mayer. Seriously, unrecognizable.

I haven't found a photo yet but I'll update this if I do.

More After the Jump...

How I Met Your Mother - The Goat, Or Where Is Stella?

The Goat - Ep. 317

Where were we?

Oh yah. Right. OMG! Robin and Barney. Together. In Bed. Together. Robin and Barney. Naked. Together. In Bed.

Before we get to more Barney awesomeness (including a strategically placed poster in his office reminding us so), there are more mentions of Stella as Ted's actual current girlfriend. Was that ever actually established? I thought the 2 minute date (which was the best thing ever) certainly secured her heart and they were going to continue to date but I didn't realize Stella became quote unquote Ted's "girlfriend"? Sweet! (Although I guess it never occured to me that they became an official couple but that may be more my own unconcious fear of commitment than what's been established on the show). Come on back Sarah Chalke (joined again with Britney Spears' Abby, now confirmed for May 12)! Are you the quote unquote "Mother" (though I actually doubt it because then the story would already be over, I think she's connected to the mother though)? So there's several mentions of Stella but we never actually see her this week. Instead, we see a lot about a goat, one year ahead of when we were supposed to. More on that later (Wait, whose pink towel was the goat eating if it wasn't Robin's? Stella's?)

But Back to Robin and Ted (oops, I mean) Barney.

In a season that varied from some excellent episodes in between some average clunkers (at least for this show), this one probably topped them all without any need of a special gimmick. No need for slaps, no need for Robin Sparkles, no need for 2 minute dates. No, this was the episode that finally broke up Ted and Robin (oops, I mean) Barney. It's also the episode that should secure Neil Patrick Harris an Emmy nomination and perhaps finally the award itself? His pecs certainly deserved it, hot damn do I hate David Burtka right now. Between his appearance in Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (which sadly, I didn't get to see this past weekend but will hopefully make it soon) and this episode, I'm falling hard for NPH! (Thanks to Superherofan for the screencaps and AfterELton for pointing me that way)

Robin and Barney promise to keep their tryst a secret, but Barney panics when everything said makes it seem like Ted knows, when in fact, Ted only knows about his surprise 30th birthday party. Barney still hires a jobless Marshall as his lawyer for the attorney/client privlege. In addition to seeing Barney at his job, Marshall becomes truly disturbed when he finds out about Barney and Robin. Barney throws Marshall the laws of the Bro Code to see if he can get out on a loophole, but not only can Marshall not find one, they realize that Ted was the best Bro ever, never violating the code once.

Also the best ever? Flashbacks to the original writing of the Bro Code with Franklin and all!

Barney steals Ted on their way to Ted's surprise party (where Stella is apparently in attendance) but Ted knows. Ted knows what went down between Robin and Barney. Robin freaked and blurted it out to Ted. Ted's not angry at Robin, but he finally hits his boiling point at Barney, finally calling off their friendship forever. GASP!

This also explains the whole Abby/Barney minor spoiler. (WARNING, Highlight Spoler Below)


Barney and Britney Spears' Abby decide to flaunt their relationship in front of Ted who both are angry at.

Oh, and the goat? It was a wrong memory. The goat didn't get saved by Lily after a show and tell at school, and the goat didn't come to Ted's 30th birthday party. The goat came at his 31st birthday party, when the goat ate a pink towel. A pink towel that wasn't Robin's... but who?

More After the Jump...

Degrassi: 90210 Arrested Development

Shenae Grimes is the new Shannen Doherty.

Interesting.

UPDATE: EVEN MORE further interesting casting announced today!

Didn't the original Beverly Hills 90210 base itself from the original Degrassi High when Aaron Spelling wanted to bring it to the states?

So this is kinda like full circle isn't it?

Shenae Grimes, Darcy on Degrassi: The Next Generation is moving to Beverley Hills: 90210 to become Annie Mills, sister to fellow Canadian Dustin Milligan (as adopted brother Ethan Ward/Dixon Mills (?)) with mom Lori Loughlin (Full House, Summerland). You know, that photo from the CTV site of Shenae really DOES look like a younger Lori back in the Full House days. Where's Uncle Jesse when you need him?

UPDATE (May 14 2008): I was wrong about Dustin Mililgan, he plays Ethan Ward, a rival, while Tristan Wilds will play Dixon Mills, the brother.

Well, I'm not that excited about this remake but they've cast two Canadians in the lead, so if rule dictates, it'll probably work (notice almost every successful show has a Canadian in the opening credits cast? We ARE slowly taking over.. har har har...)

I guess that means Darcy leaves Degrassi? Did she even graduate? I can't even remember where we left off at this point. I thought they were going to centre the show around her and Peter, since Lauren Collin's Paige, Adamo's Marco and Stacey's Ellie are all pretty much leaving. Is ANYBODY around for season 8?

UPDATE CONTINUED: According to Ausiello via theTVaddict, Jessica Walter (Arrested Development) will play Tabitha Mills, grandmother to Annie Mills.

Dirt's Ryan Egghold is Ryan "the teacher".

More After the Jump...

Not Liking The Cards We Were Dealt - Brothers & Sisters, Aliens in America

Aliens in America - The Muslim Card - Ep. 115
Brothers & Sisters - Double Negative - Ep. 213

Was it me or was last nights Brothers & Sisters not that great? Even with the big Kevin and Scotty together-forever build up? Or maybe I was already pooped from a weekend of fantastic musicals (reviews to come on In The Heights, Sunday in the Park with George and Passing Strange) or that I was more amused by the antics on Aliens in America than anything the Walkers did this week?

After last week's joyous and hilarious return with the Walkers on Brothers & Sisters, this week saw a few of the blander (if not downright annoying) story lines get centre stage, with more on Robert's possible vice-presidency getting in the way of him and Kitty. Seriously, lets settle this and move on. The politics is getting boring. Especially when the real life stuff is more backstabbing and vicious than anything on a fictional soap opera has been.

Sarah finds out that Saul continued with the deal with Graham and something something happened and something bad is going down now with Ojai but I practically failed my business course in university so I have no idea what they were talking about.

Rebecca finds out once and for all that she is in fact, NOT a Walker (but lies to Justin about it). AHHHHHHH. I knew they were heading this way and I didn't like it from the start. It's a terrible decision on the plotline if you ask me. I don't usually outright say something is a bad decision since I'd like to trust the writers and let them plot out their course and I am usually pretty giving in letting them ride it out, but the shock is not enough to outweight the fact that she's no longer a Sister to the Brothers & Sisters and thus really has no connection to the family or the show. It also means, this whole last year was really just some contrived part and I hate when shows do something like this. Unless there's something even MORE revealing that pulls her back into the family (and NO, don't EVEN go there with her and Justin as a romantic possibility, that's just gross), I'm not liking where this is going, which is too bad because I LOVE Emily VanCamp!

On top of that, David decides to skip town again. What's the point in bringing in Ken Olin and be Rebecca's real dad if he's going to skip out again? Look, I know you're a producer on the show but that doesn't give you a right to give yourself a guest spot that satisfies your actor needs and is unsatisfying to ours. That's just cruel.

So, I guess maybe I'm bias but I found Kevin and Scotty's continuing relationship woes the most interesting part of last night, though even then, it wasn't what we were looking for. Scotty gets an injury at work and the health insurance issues gets brought up. Kevin proposes the idea of getting domestic partnership for insurance purposes, not the proposal of marriage we all hoped/thought it would be.

It was a nicely realistic point, giving Luke MacFarlane and Matthew Rhys some more gay airtime (winning them another Glaad award, beating out Degrassi: TNG... ahem. Kinda odd in a nice way that they were in the same category!), but it was quite the build up and I kinda wanted the fairytale but I guess they will stretch that over the seasons. We can't give them happiness for now, they are the Walkers, god forbid!

Still, when it comes to the separate storylines, it's the only one keeping my attention. Is it my own personal bias or does everyone else think so? They really need to unite that family more in more scenes. Those are always the best parts!

Meanwhile, in another white family that may be quirky and dysfunctional but just equally loving, The Tolchuks on Aliens in America get new neighbours who seem to be the perfect, cool, fun couple until they find out the man is a registered pedophile.

The twist? He was convicted for "being" with his current wife, back when he was 19 and she was 17, thus, technically illegal in some states, and was made an example of by the judicial system. Being the cool people the Tolchuks are, Franny and Gary look past the labels and see the real truth behind the story and accept the new neighbours.

Just like the annoying girl at school who accepts Raja's Muslim religion when she thinks he likes her (he doesn't, Raja was just being nice, and Justin warned him against that!). The crazy annoying girl becomes Muslim when Raja uses the Muslim card to break up with her instead of telling her the truth. It was hilarious in both the sweet way boys can never tell the girls the truth, especially when the news is bad, and funny in the way the crazy girls takes it to the next level. Or vice versa.

Then even funnier when the parents of the girl get angry and brings it to a political level.

Not as hilarious as previous episodes but funny nonetheless.

More After the Jump...

The TV Blog Coalition - The Great Indoors

It's spring! It's spring. And it's allergy season. All the more reason the great outdoors is overrated and all the more reason to stay in and watch TV. Seriously, I was dying outside this weekend, things would be fine back inside but the moment I walked out, I started sneezing and my eyes watered again. I was meant to be cooped up inside.

Here's what entertained the TV bloggers in the great indoors this week:

Buzz played agent to Lauren Graham and asked what her next career move should be. (BuzzSugar)

Sandie shared pictures from the set of Moonlight. (Daemon's TV)

Marcia liveblogged the UK's BAFTA Television Awards, in which shows most Americans have never heard of took home the big prizes. (Pop Vultures)

Rae listened in on a teleconference with Jason Dohring about the return of Moonlight and shares her favorite bits. (RTVW)

You soon won't forget Sarah Marshall. Yep, Scooter can write uber-cheesy headlines with the best of them. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)

How I Met Your Mother introduces everyone to Vance's Canada! Welcome, eh! (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace dished about the Torchwood season finale but he was really all about the shape of things to come on Lost. (Televisionary)

TiFaux launched a new regular feature this week with Dan recruiting some of his gal pals for Ask a Lesbian About This Week's Work Out. This week, they addressed Jackie's new haircut and Rebecca's shouting for attention. (TiFaux)

Jennifer was downright giddy after Robin and Barney's kiss on How I Met Your Mother and couldn't resist gushing about the Robin Sparkles-centered episode guest starring James Van Der Beek. And she can't stop singing, "I'm building sandcastles in the sand." (Tube Talk)

This week, the TV Addict set the internet ablaze with his review of the highly anticipated BATTLESTAR GALACTICA prequel CAPRICA (the TV Addict)

Kate scoured casting notices until she was able to confirm that yes, there really will be a Wedding of the Year on Gossip Girl (TV Filter)

More After the Jump...

Sleep Deprived Fridays - Why The Thursday Night Lineup Is Going To Kill Me - Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, 30 Rock, Lost, The Office

Ugly Betty - Twenty-Four Candles - Ep. 214
Grey's Anatomy - Where the Wild Things Are - Ep. 412
30 Rock - Succession - Ep. 213
Lost - The Shape of Things to Come - Ep. 409
The Office - Night Out - Ep. 411

Technically each of these deserves their own post, especially the return episode of Lost which just had me speechless the entire time, but I don't really have time today or this weekend, but here's some quick thoughts/raves about the ultra jammed Thursday night of new TV! It won't be coherent but between being busy and staying up later to jam as much TV on Thursday nights that I can, the Friday workday is really painful so my brains not all here. Someone pass the caffeine please?

First of all! Yay! It's all back! To celebrate, TheTVAddict Dan and I finally met up to watch (on his snazzy HD... seriously, I need to upgrade) the ABC lineup with 30 Rock in between (I snuck in The Office as I was getting ready for bed).

Now, CRAP! They're all back! Poor Supernatural, Survivor, My Name Is Earl, Scrubs all get pushed for viewing at a later date and I stayed up way too late again to watch the 5 that I did, so here starts a month of sleepy Fridays!

Ugly Betty: Dan wasn't too impressed but the pretty vibrant colours on his HD screen was enough joy for me to enjoy this expository episode that pretty much reminded us about everything that was going on without moving that much forward. It also brought back Gio into the story (thank GOD!) after she had just chosen Henry over him, thus making us think that Gio would be done from this show forever. Now he's back to being a possibility!

Especially after Charlie returns to subtly steal Henry back from Betty.

But it was Betty's birthday and she dreamt of a fairy tale one, giving us the soapy dramatic fairy tale episode instead of a gut busting funny episode but that was okay with me (as long as it doesn't happen too often). What Ugly Betty excelled at was the balance and quick turns from soapy to emotional to comedic in constant rotation. Take the comedic element out and it feels like centrifuge is going to spin off and break.

Gabrielle Union was back as Wilhelmina's sister and if there was a guest star who could fit in more perfectly with the hilarious dramatics of this show, please let me know, because Union never really did anything after Bring It On! that was able to use her don't-sh!t-with-me look as well as Ugly Betty has, and her showdowns with Willy are fantastic, I just hope their are bigger secrets in her closet that is worth all this build up about her past (Willy hinted it was a murder, but whom? and why?)

There are minor funny bits with Amanda, funny bits with Marc, but because they are still separated, the zing is missing. We want the zing back. Being bitchy. Together.

Renee with a drunken Marc was probably the best (if not necessarily original) bit of the night, and Renee's continued showdown with sister Wilhelmina gave us the best soap opera bitch looks for the night, but an inclusion of Amanda would have added that nice needed comedic touch. Can you imagine Renee and Amanda together in the same room? Rowr.

In another tender moment, Alexis cuts Claire budget for “Hot Flash” for her new magazine, but after a pep talk from Betty, Claire continues her project with her prison mate friends, much to Alexis surprise. Love Claire so anything to keep Judith Light on the show!

Now if only Hilda and Justin got more lines tonight, other than Hilda sussing out Charlie’s suspicious appearance.

Grey's Anatomy: It's Back! No, I mean, it's back to form! Back to the Season 2 quality high that made this THE show to watch. Before the Season 3 off-camera stir that seemed to drag the show itself with it, no, last night, Grey's Anatomy was BACK and better than ever this season, which was already on an upward climb (though it's hard not to from the low it dug itself into last year). The funnybone was also back, with an episode that balanced between serious emotional dramatics of both the cases and the doctors lives with some hilarious scenes keeping the show in the perfect melodramatic bubble it began as.

George and Izzie seem back to their old best friends selves and there was almost no hint of their big mistaken sex phase. Callie and Hahn are best friends and Christina is jealous, Alex is still misunderstood but Richard starts seeing that, and Bailey pretends to ignore the surgical competition Alex, Christina, Meredith and Izzie have all while Lexie steals things from the hospital to decorate her and George’s (uh, when did that happen?) new derelict pad. And Meredith? Still moppy but it didn't feel as musty as before. I could deal with her this week, maybe because it's been a while.

Loved the cases that fit into the overlying themes of Meredith’s post-Derek-breakup mood, with Jason O’Mara (Men In Trees) and Clea Duvall (Heroes) as a newlywed couple who get attacked by a bear that the groom provoked. It was nice to see Izzie take her carryingness too far for competition’s sake, giving Cheech Marin more tests than he needed.

30 Rock: Jack gets the top job he always wanted, beating his rival Devin (Will Arnet, who really needs to join this show permanently) and Jack brings along Liz to be his successor when he moves up and on.

I hope someone shows me a starting salary so that I can slap them silly in happiness like when Jack showed Liz her new salary, or when Liz enticed Pete to join in as a suit!

Will Arnet continues to channel the spirit of the business takeover that he started so well on Arrested Development and I love his rivalry with Jack Donaghy. I also love his fondness for Kenneth, but alas, he chooses marriage over love all in order to advance his career.

Meanwhile, Kenneth helps Tracy with his new miracle vision, a videogame about porn, combining men’s two favorite past times. It was so odd that I laughed anyways, even though I probably heard this conversation about a billion times while I was at an all-boys Catholic High School.

Lost: (a slightly longer if no more coherent commentary continued from my breathless rant from the middle of the night this morning) Seriously, WTF? OMG! GASP! ...!

The smoke monster!

Ben is off the island, in the Sahara, and it's Oct 25th 2005 (thus about a year after the crash)!

Ben tracks down Sayid!

Sayid found Nadia! Nadia is dead.

Ben uses this news to his advantage to secure Sayid as one of his “team”.

Alex is killed back on the island. In front of Ben who is unwilling to give himself up for her. His last moment attempt to lie and claim he's only a surrogate father doesn't work, when one of the "security" men from the boat shoots her execution style. Cue Ben's horrific look of pain in his eyes. Emmy? Please hand yourself over to Michael Emerson now. Thanks!

Ben tracks down Mr. Widmore (Alan Dale, first owning The OC, then Meade publishing, now the world?) and pronounces his revenge by seeking Widmore's daughter Penny and killing her in retaliation for Widmore killing Ben's daughter Alex. There are new rules now, new rules to an old war for the island Widmore used to have (uh, what does THAT mean?)

It was one powerful moment followed by tons more powerful moments. From Faraday's lie of the Morse code message (that Bernard could also decipher), angering Jack, to Ben opening up some secret passage way Indiana Jones style to unleash the smoke monster, to actually seeing the smoke monster grab the "security" men, to Sawyer's departure from the group, and the big showdown for Hurley, since Hurley is the only person that seems to know the way to Jacob’s cabin.

Seriously, they answered tons of questions by giving us tons more. Genius I tell ya!

The Office: Not as genius as before, but better than last week at least.

Michael and Dwight (ugh, these two again?) go into the city after Ryan starts enticing them with big city talk. They track Ryan down at a club where Dwight ends up making out with a hot sports chick and Michael tries to be cool while oblivious to Ryan’s drug addicted downturn. I have to admit though, the stupid jokes with Dwight and his obsession with Ryan's friend as a hobbit actually made me laugh, but maybe because it was late and I was tired.

Meanwhile, Mindy Kaling writes herself the best line, when Ryan asks if anybody has a question, her response was classic.

Everyone ends up working late and gets trapped outside the building but inside the parking lot where they get rescued by the cleaning crew who Oscar might like to add, happen to speak Spanish.

Toby makes an obvious pass at Pam that everyone notices. When Toby realizes his hand is on Pam’s legs, he quickly runs out and over the fence, leaving a befuddled Jim and Pam.

Still cute, but I do have to say, they are relying a LOT on Jim’s befuddled look for laughs this season.

So all in all, some ups a down from the night, with Ugly Betty and The Office having uneven nights (though still better than a lot of TV out there), but I'm happy enough from Grey's comeback, 30 Rock's hilarity and Lost just... well... being Lost!

Now I must get some proper sleep. Once I finish this "work" day... Someone pass me more caffeine please? Injections are fine...

More After the Jump...

Lost - Let Me Breathe First

The Shape of Things to Come - Ep. 409

I'm working on a slightly longer post about the new Lost episode (along with a bunch of other Thursday night shows) but
I need to regain my thoughts and digest everything...

...

WHOA...

WHOA...

WHOA...

I'm breathless and speechless.

I watched it with The TV Addict and I was probably poor company since I spent the entire episode with my mouth open and just sitting there so silent, even unwilling to breathe, as I was trying to take it all in.

Linz has a pretty good recap and pretty much says it nicely that it's a pity to the poor saps who gave up on Lost in previous seasons because DAMN, Season 4 is possibly some of the best television EVER. I have no idea what's going on, but DAMN, it's dramatic and thrilling and emotional and exhausting! I love every minute of it!

Anyways, I have a separate post in the works though it won't be that long either and it might not be up until later Friday if at all (we are in final countdown mode at work so it's craziness right now) but I just had to put this out because that was just awesome.

To be continued...

More After the Jump...

Tapeworthy - Men in Trees, Desperate Housewives, Samantha Who?, Scrubs, The Big Bang Theory, Bones, Corner Gas

Men In Trees - Wander/Lust - Ep. 215, Kiss and Don't Tell - Ep. 216
Desperate Housewives - In Buddy's Eyes - Ep. 412
Samantha Who? - The Butterflies - Ep. 112
Scrubs - My Bad Too - Ep. 707, My Manhood - Ep. 708
The Big Bang Theory - The Bat Jar Conjecture - Ep. 113
Bones - Player Under Pressure - Ep. 311
Corner Gas - Final Countdown - Ep. 518 - Season Finale

Men In Trees: Seriously, with my pathetic love life, I have to live vicariously through Men in Trees. I really should just move to Alaska shouldn't I? I especially love/live through Jane and Plow Guy Sam the most. Seriously, adorable! Loved when he bought the ring from the lost and found at his work (the sanitary dept. for the city) and Jane was grossed out, lost the ring, fell in love with it and had it returned right to her on her doorstep. Cute and a complete fairy tale but a fairy tale I so needed.

Also loved the awkwardness of Julia's (Kelli Williams) return last week AND Cash's (Scott Elrod) return this week. It's so silly that Marin and Jack can't seem to have friends of the opposite sex and be cool with it but the way they write it, it actually seems real and grounded.

Patrick finally has the gumption to go on his round the world trip and stops in New York joining Jane at her workplace where he charms Sofia Vergara and everyone else in the office with his small town boy charms! Annie finds herself alone in Elmo but charms newly single Buzz (from losing Mai's Hawaii-in-the-home fund to a gambling addiction) and all the radio listeners when she replaces Patrick at the mic. Annie was adorable getting Buzz to trust her ("hell no!") but why has no one even mentioned her adorable short haircut?

I had to laugh when Sofia Vergara's character asks Jane to essentially pimp out Patrick to her in exchange for her book deal. I love that this show throws in salacious things all the time and it still somehow feels like a wholesome show.

Desperate Housewives: As much as seeing Jason Gedrick again is not a terrible thing, I kinda hoped the pizza place thing and Lynette's family troubles would simmer down a bit. For goodness sake, let something good happen to the woman for once!

Orson's sleep walking was truly disturbing, and when he unknowingly revealed all in front of Julie, I had shivers Lost style on me. CREEPY!

Bree's comeuppance at the awards ceremony that was intended for HER was cliched yet still hilarious and her newfound respect/realization of Katherine as a perfect frenemy seems potentially frentastic!

Samantha Who? and Scrubs: One's new, one's getting old, and both are not at the game level they should be playing at (but both may be on the same network come fall), but I like the main characters enough to continue to stick by, even though I'm not laughing as much as they could be making me.

I'm still contending that Judy Reyes and John C. McGinley deserve Emmy Awards so I almost want Scrubs to continue staying on until they get a nomination in the very least.

The Big Bang Theory: Jim Parsons = hilarity. Jim Parsons + guest star Sara Gilbert + her former Roseanne costar Johnny Galecki = something far funnier than all of Chuck Lorre's previous efforts combined. I found myself already laughing out loud several times as Leonard, Rajnesh and Howard ask Leslie to beat Sheldon in a quiz showdown, but Howard's victory strip took it to another level.

I actually like Kaley Cuoco but at this point, her Penny is pretty useless to the proceedings. They really need to ask Sara Gilbert to join permanently.

Bones: Someone remind me not to eat dinner while I watch this show, which always seems to happen. And then I end up sitting with my mouth open in disgust, this time when a star college basketball player gets SQUEEZED through a grate. Ewwwwwwww.

It's also a second week in a row where one of the suspects/creepy people is a Lost alum! This week with Artz (Daniel Roebuck) as someone suspected of giving the star player some steroids.

But again, the real fun is back at the lab, with Hodgins uses Cam's personal blender to mix larvae (again, remind me NOT to eat while watching this show), Cam attempts to get Angela to keep Hodgins in check, and nicely blackmails her with a surveillance tape of the storage closet at lunch time that features starring roles with a naked Hodgins and Angela. I love that Cam was nice about it and that Angela ends up being quite proud of the tape!

Corner Gas: On the season finale, Brent turns 40 and plans to drink the 20 year old whiskey he bought 20 years ago that Hank had used 20 years ago. Loved Emma and Lacey's cake bake off fight but this was also the episode that seems to be getting some attention in the states for the small random cameo from Kiefer Sutherland as himself, living in his mother's (Canadian actress Shirley Douglas who has been on the show as someone else and just guest starred on Degrassi) house.

Here's the clip where Davis calls for backup and get the son of Shirley Douglas on the phone:

More After the Jump...

American Idol - Broadway Bound or Bust

Top 6 Results - The Cut from 6 to 5

They have a whole selection of songs from musicals, with some songs that are PLANNED as ensembles, and they choose a song that was supposed to be a romantic duet from The Phantom of the Opera (seriously, how much do they have to plug this thing? Hasn't everyone in the world seen it already? Again, also, my theory of why a lot of people think they HATE musicals, because the only one they've probably seen is TPOTO which would make ME HATE musicals if it was the only one I saw, alright, enough ranting... happy thoughts... happy thoughts...) and they have all 6 remaining Idols sing "All I Ask Of You"? Wow, it wasn't good.

Let's watch the mess again!:



It was pretty funny that they sort of admitted that non winners get to go and live on doing Broadway, showing Tamyra Gray do Rent and Clay Aiken do Spamalot.

Then it's Hollywood yet again plugging Leona Lewis. What? Another plug? Who does she know? Who did she ----? I was going to post something about how everyone in Hollywood (and not just Simon) seems to be REALLY pushing her, seems a few someones out there REALLY wants to make sure she's big. She must be the daughter of a mafia guy or something.

Not that she's bad. She's hot and she sings really well and "Bleeding Love" is a pretty good song, but of the two Love songs out there from new female artist, I kinda like Sara Bareilles's "Love Song" a lot more.

Which Love song do people like more? "Bleeding Love" or "Love Song"? (If you don't know them because you live in a bomb shelter, I've posted the videos after the jump).

So after all that filler (and the requisite Ford surrealist video) AND a speech from President Bush (who apparently thinks running the country means appearing on Deal, Or No Deal and Idol this week, no wonder your country is going into the poopers), we finally get to the SHOCKING results.

At least they knew just to trot the David's out and announce their safety right away. Moving on...

So between Syesha, who had a good night singing Webber, and Brooke, who didn't, Brooke is safe! (I really really like Syesha and I think she's got talent but she's usually bland and even last nights that everyone else loved didn't do much for me).

Then Jason and Carly are trotted out and of COURSE, Jason is safe because there HAS to be a Sanjaya/Nikki McKibbon every year and instead, the far superior Carly is in danger. Especially on a night where Carly did well (though again, not for me, I didn't love it as much as everyone else seemed to, but I still think she's awesome).

So in the end, Carly Smithson and Syesha Mercado are the bottom two, even though they had "strong" performances this week, but in the end, Syesha, the less interesting of the two, survives another week, and we say goodbye to the Irish lassie, Carly Smithson. I'm shocked and yet I'm not surprised, because usually this is when something like this happens (Tamyra, Daughtry, Hudson etc) and it's already happened a few times this year (Michael Johns, Hernandez to a point).

Next weeks theme: Neil Diamond! Yay! So contemporary!

Was Liberace not available?

Alright, which do we like more? (pssst... SARA BAREILLES... she doesn't have Simon forcing us to like it...):

Sara Bareilles - "Love Song":


Sara Bareilles - Love Song

Leona Lewis - "Bleeding Love":


Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

For more on American Idol Season 7:
Click here for the most recent posts.

Top 6 Performance Night - [title of song] (includes videos of all the performances)

Top 7 Performance Night - MC² = David x 2 = #1 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 7 to 6 - One Sweet Day Or When Idol Guesses Our Second Guessing On Our Second Guesses

Top 8 Performance Night - Cause They Are Give'ers (includes videos of all the performances), Idol Gives Back - Giving Us The So You Think You Can Dance Dancers, Results 8 to 7 - Idol Gives Back SyeWHAT???

Top 9 Performance Night - Dolly and the Two Big Ones (David and David) (includes videos of all the performances), Results 9 to 8 - Third Time Was A Charm

Top 10 Performance Night - Okay, Now there Really IS A Race! Or I'm Just Getting Soft (includes videos of all the performances), Results 10 to 9 - Chikezie, Meet Daniel Powter... Back in Obscurity

Top 11 Performance Night - That Old Awkward Phase (includes videos of all the performances), Results 11 to 10 - When The Stylists Finally Called In

Top 12 Performance Night - Death Race 2008 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 12 to 11 - Strippers and Prostitutes Are Not The Same Thing

Top 16 - Girls Night - Brooke's and Done, Boys Night - He Plays Piano Too?

Top 20 - Boys Night - Who Are Those Hotties - American Idol Hairdo's Edition

Top 24 - Boys Night- American, Should I Do Idol?

Thanks to Rickey for the photos.

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Law & Order: SVU - When Boyfriends Do It

Closet - Ep. 916

It's been a while since I've watched Law & Order: SVU (or any of them for that matter, though I do want to see Jesse L. Martin's exit episode tonight on L&O) but like a cheap gay whore, I come running to any procedural episode that has a gay theme for that night (though you would think the networks would take more advantage of that, like say on the daytime soaps or any show for that matter? Has only ABC really learned that lesson?).

And like most "gay" episodes, it started off with cliches galore with ball gags, kinky sex (that TOTALLY describes my life... (I'm kiddin)) and the murder of a prominent gay business man who was secretly seeing a closeted famous guy. Bailey Chase is Lincoln Haver, a huge football star who is still closeted, until Benson accidentally outs him to his unbeknownst beard girlfriend and Haver's agent (played by the always slimy Rick Hoffman currently also in Samantha Who?) when Lincoln becomes the prime suspect in his boyfriend's murder. (Spoiler after the jump)

When word spills out about the big famous football players gay proclivities, Lincoln gets beaten up in the street and Benson is blamed by big boss Bart Bass Gary for outing Lincoln to the press source, Bill Pullman in a small cameo as Curt, who Benson reveals is her secret boyfriend. One Stabler didn't even know about.

A lot of secret boyfriends going around here tonight huh?

When did Bill Pullman start playing Benson's boyfriend? I love Bill Pullman! I need to watch While You Were Sleeping again.

So while secrets start spilling out, with some nice sweet twists like Lincoln had actually been married to his boyfriend up in Canada and was ready to go to the presses with it, he still gets convicted for the murder and due to his black outs (from sports injuries), he believes it.

But how I could miss it? Lincoln's creppy slimy agent is played by Rick Hoffman. How could I not guess he had to have SOMETHING to do with it? In the end, the agent was so disgusted by the gay pairing when he accidentally caught them kissing, and was so pissed off they would throw away a career and millions for the love of another man, that he ended up killing Lincoln's boyfriend.

So alas, the gay man is good, the mean agent is bad. All is well in cliche land again. We can all breathe a sign of relief!

I also totally forgot Adam Beach has joined the cast (though is apparently leaving after this season). I really need to start watching this again. I forgot how much I like watching Christopher Meloni's face Meloni and Hargitay work together. And tt's great that the Winnipeg boy Beach is getting some more work (with Ice-T no less)!

Oh damn, and next week Robin Williams plays another creepy psycho in a special guest starring role...I'm starting to get annoyed with him but he's tied up Benson or something. Don't tell me I'm hooked again? I've already got a huge backlog of shows to watch.

Meanwhile, here's more photos of Bailey Chase who also stars with Holly Hunter in Saving Grace (I told you, we gays are easy to get attention of... oh shiny!!!):

More After the Jump...