Reboots and Second Chances - Cupid, 90210, Dollhouse and More

There seems to be a lot of reboots and second chances on TV these days. Cupid is back in a whole new reincarnation. Dollhouse and 90210 seem completely revamped already, a Top Chef-like twist ACTUALLY HAPPENED on Project Runway Canada, Scrubs continues its new life on ABC, and In The Motherhood regurgitates a former (and funnier) ABC show Notes From The Underbelly.

Cupid - Pilot - Ep. 101

Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) brings his Cupid back to TV and a re-do, this time with Bobby Cannavale in the role as Trevor, the possible crazy delusional man or cupid himself. Sarah Paulson is Claire, the psychiatrist in charge of keeping tabs on him. Trevor claims he's been banished from Mount Olympus and must pair up 100 true loves together before he gets sent back. Basically, it's an excuse to have a romantic comedy every week with different guest stars while Trevor and Claire play their own romantic dance game.

While the original with frenetic Jeremy Piven (who has since become a thermometer according to David Mamet) and Paula Marshall had a zip and chaotic edge to counterbalance the ooeygooeyness of all the matchups, this version feels a bit softer and glossier, and without the edge. But I think I've been determined to like this Thomas reboot so much that despite the faults and the fact that it's pretty cliched, I still enjoyed it. Then again, I also liked Valentine so you have to take me with a grain of salt. Apparently I love me thee love coupling shows.

Plus Sarah Paulson is so luminous, I sometimes wish I were a lesbian. And LOVE Bobby Cannavale. But I will admit, these two really don't have that much chemistry together and seem more like best friends at best. Which won't work over the long run for this show if it's to go where it's supposed to.


90210 - The Bad and the Trusted - Ep. 117

Whoa, the new showrunners formerly from Gilmore Girls seem to be purging all the dirty thoughts they had that they couldn't use on that wholesome show and are using it on this reboot of a reboot. The new filming quality with the dark and edginess makes the new 90210 look like one of those teen horror flicks. It even has a lot more sex like those horror flicks. Now Dixon and Silver are all hot and heavy. At least until Silver goes from my favorite and nice character into a CRAZY. Whoa? Where are they taking this?

And then Naomi imagines getting hot and heavy with Matt Lanter's Liam. THAT? I'm TOTALLY okay with! In fact, word that Matt Lanter will be upgraded to full-time cast is TOTALLY okay with me. Seriously, I'm LOVING this new bad boy Liam/Matt Lanter and will definitely hook me to the show because I'm enjoying the visual porn. (Oh wait, the porn with Matt is just in my head... nevermind...).

Liam is bad and Naomi tries to tutor him. Ahem. Yah, right. Then it becomes and episode of Fast and Furious. More darkness, more darkness. Silver is all romantic and poetic until she shows her porn film she made with Dixon (unbeknownst to him) and shows it to her film class and then blames Ryan Matthews. Then goes CRAAAAAZEEEEEE. More darkness.

Oh, and Annie's still on the show. Annie? Meet Rhonda (Aimee Teegarden). The girl that Dustin Milligan kissed before he's getting tossed off the show for being too sexy and boring (always okay to me though, so I'm sad to see him go). Also, the girl who acts circles around you here and on Friday Night Lights.

Anyways, the reboot seems very lowbrow and a cheap ploy to attract more viewers by foregoing any sense of real human reactions or moral senses but as long as they keep Matt Lanter and that adorable haircut, and maybe dropping trou or losing his shirt once in a while, I'll keep tuned in. Though have him be slutty and not just hooking up with looks-old-for-her-age-Naomi which makes the whole thing a little Cougar-like. Maybe have him make out with Dustin Milligan before Milligan leaves.

More on Dollhouse, Project Runway Canada, Lost, Scrubs, In The Motherhood, The Amazing Race:

Dollhouse - Man on the Street - Ep. 106

I couldn't remember when Joss Whedon was retuning to write for the show but as soon as this episode came on, it felt like a whole new show, and lo and behold, Whedon was in charge again! And boy, it was SOOOO MUCH BETTER. At this point, they should just drop the first 5 episodes and assume this is the pilot, because it made the show have purpose and make sense.

And Whedon did it by brilliantly re-adjusting the show to the core strengths and giving the show an actual direction. And this meant bumping up Tahmoh Penikett's Agent Ballard front and centre and pushing Eliza Dushku's Echo a little back. And OOOOOH Tahmoh Penikett! Bonus points for having him shirtless and giving him Mellie, his neighbour and confident.

Seriously, Whedon's episode seemed to streamline the whole direction of the show as well as all the moral and philosophical issues behind it. Loved it. I was dreading watching this show but now I'm invigorated again. And extra bonus points for having Patton Oswalt (Remy in Ratatouille, United States of Tara) guest star in the episode.

I'm still not sure about Dichen Lachman as Sierra, but I do like Enver Gjokaj as Victor for obvious reasons. I still haven't watched the following episode so I hope it wasn't a one time fluke, but at least now I feel like I know what the whole idea of this show is, which was never made clear at the start.


Project Runway Canada - Return of the Supermodel, Gimmie Shelter, Boardroom to Bedroom - Eps. 208-210

Okay, they FINALLY got rid of Genevieve and just needed to get rid of Kim to have a perfect final three of Jessica, Sunny and Adejoke and then they pull a Top Chef and let ousted contestants back in? It makes for a dramatic twist and stretches the show back out (especially after all the drop outs in the 1st episode), but it's SOOO NOT FAIR.

So Genevieve and Jason (who I did admit probably got cut too early) were allowed to compete again with the final 4, but as a team. And they WON. Well, they TIED Jessica and Sunny. Because there cannot be a week where Jessica or Sunny doesn't win. And I'm not even saying that facetiously. Seriously, Sunny's stuff is so brilliant, I'm kinda laughing now when he wins because they should just assume he won and award 2nd prize. At least that would give us some drama. Because no way can Sunny lose at this point.

So Gen and Jason WIN. Which automatically kicks Adejoke and Kim out. Kim fine, good riddance. But because of Kim's bad taste and poor construction skills, Adejoke is out too since it's a TEAM challenge. WTF???

ADEJOKE. You were ROBBED of a spot at Toronto Fashion Week.

Now Jason will take your place instead. At least it wasn't Gen, who made another boring outfit this week and got cut AGAIN. HA. Hope that stung AGAIN.


Lost - He's Our You - Ep. 510

Boy, what happened to Sawyer? Talk about second life! He's now earned respect on the Dharma compound and Hurley, Jack and Kate must follow. And the slow soap opera drama unfolding as they realize Sawyer is now with Juliet? Priceless.

Okay, but I did NOT buy that Sawyer would have not stopped Sayid from being drugged and interrogated. He would have done SOMETHING to stop it. I know it moves the story along having Sayid reveal the whole story but I didn't buy that Sawyer could do nothing to stop it.

Still, loving what's going on, even though I really don't know what's going on. Especially now that young Ben's been shot? WTH?


Scrubs - My Nah Nah Nah, Their Story II - Eps. 809, 810

While it's nowhere near the quality when this was at its peak, it's still enjoyable and I'm getting to like a lot of the new batch of interns. I doubt they will renew this show for them to continue, but if they did, it wouldn't be so bad. Especially Sunny and Jimmy (the guy who likes to touch and hug a lot, and played by Taran Killam, Cobie Smulders babydaddy).


In The Motherhood - It Takes A Village Idiot - Ep. 101

This show was funnier when it was called Notes From the Underbelly. And to think Cheryl Hines AND Megan Mullaly are in it. AND Rachael Harris FROM Notes from the Underbelly is in this. AND Ken Marino (Veronica Mars, Reaper, Party Down). There were some mildly amusing things and I LOVE Cheryl Hines and I love that office she works in, but Megan Mullaly felt like she was coasting here. Like she was just doing something to busy herself instead of counting all her WIll & Grace residuals. I think I preferred her on Broadway.



The Amazing Race - Gorilla? Gorilla?? Gorilla??? - Ep. 1407

Okay, if anybody should get a second chance, it's Mike and Mel. I was SOOOO sure it was a non-elimination round so I was didn't worry all episode when they made a fatal mistake and didn't follow everyone else to the zoo. So I was shocked when it was actually an elimination round. Crap.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com