The ABC's of Colliding Stars

How come I've never seen these before? They're quite ingenious and fun! This first one with Teri Hatcher's Susan and Matthew Fox's Jack is awesome!:



Man, this just makes me love ABC even more. Despite Dancing with the Stars. But with Desperate Housewives, Lost, Brothers & Sisters, Ugly Betty, Modern Family, Cougar Town, FlashForward etc. they're definitely my favorite network at this point.

And I love when stars collide! AND in character! So fun!

I love this one with Patrick Dempsey, Courtney Cox, Ed O'Neill and Dominic Monaghan!:



Or this amazing one with Michael Emerson's Ben Linus with the new Wednesday comedy lineup with Courtney Cox, Patricia Heaton, Julie Bowen, Kelsey Grammar, Ty Burrell, and Sofia Vergara:


Here's one with several clipped together:
ABC house promo with Expanded scenes with: Michael Emerson, Josh Holloway, Courteney Cox, Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Taye Diggs, Nathan Fillion, Marcia Cross, Felicity Hoffman, Calista Flockhart:






Bree and McSteamy:


Hurley with Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli:


Nora and The Bachelorette:


Amanda, McSteamy and Hurley!:


Nora and Jimmy Kimmel:


Supernanny and the balls from Wipeout:


Rob Lowe and Ty Pennington:


Dana Delaney with Karina Smirnoff and Derek Hough:


Nathan Fillion, Patricia Heaton and the other chick from Castle:


Courtney Cox with Josh Holloway's Sawyer:



Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

The Life And Times Of Spoiled Brats - The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, Gossip Girl, Kings and More

The Secret Life of The American Teenager - One Night at Band Camp - Eps. 122

OMG OMG OMG. The baby is coming the baby is coming! I'm assuming the baby will arrive tonight on the season finale of this surprisingly addictive show. I still can't believe how much I'm LOVING this show (from the creator of 7th Heaven, a show I despise with a passion), which is like the anti-Gossip Girl in terms of production value but in all it's low-rent sets and awkward acting, there's some hilarious dialogue and more soapy twists than Serena and Dan have been through.

And now we get to see it from the start! A last week's flashbacks took us back to BAND CAMP! When Ricky first met Amy and got Amy preggers. You gotta admit, the kid's got swagger and his current emotional state (getting him to ask Ashley to be a friend in true desperation) somehow rings true.

And LOVE that Amy is such a spoiled naive brat and is SOOO uninformed and ill-prepared about the pregnancy. Yes it HURTS. You're squeezing a whole HUMAN through your birth canal. And YES, you have one! (Hysterical!)

I also love that everyone somehow finds an excuse to come to the hospital, including Grace's brother Tom. Though as much as like the new Jack this later half of the season, I think it's wrong that Grace is considering going back to him. I am enjoying her friendship with Adrian though. Man, I can't get enough of this show.


Gossip Girl - The Age of Dissonance, The Grandfather - Eps. 218-219

Oh Gossip Girl, how I've missed you and your sarcastic narrations and twisty twisted soapy plots that change faster than the rules to a stimulus package.

And oh how I missed you Dorota! Who keeps Blair in check! Cause I certainly can't keep up with who she's with, who she's against, who wronged her or who she's siding with anymore. It's all getting too complicatedly delicious!

Last week she was all in a rage against Serena for blasting out to Gossip Girl herself, but it wasn't Serena, it was Dan, no it wasn't Dan, it was Rachel. Ah, her rage against Dan continues and now her rage against Rachel is back after the teach destroyed her Yale prospects.

Meanwhile, points for casting NYTimes resident theatre critic Charles Isherwood as NYTimes resident theatre critic Charles Isherwood in his Upper East Side debut. Especially when he loved the messed up version of The Age of Innocence performed by our resident spoiled brats. Yuki in a fat suit was particularly fabulous! Or Nate breaking the fourth wall. Or Dan making out with the disgraced teach Rachel in the costume closet!

In even bigger points for casting, tonight's episode casts Broadway's Aaron Tveit (Broadway's upcoming Next to Normal AND the upcoming Broadway-bound Catch Me If You Can, last years Saved, Next to Normal, Wicked, Hairspray) as Tripp, Nate's cousin. AND James Naughton (Chicago) as Nate's grandfather.

More on Gossip Girl, Kings, Degrassi: TNG, The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters:

So Nate gets convinced to attend the big family reunion, the same family that pretty much disowned them when his father disgraced them, and gets slowly suckered back into his rich waspy world. Poor Vanessa, who with Dan, convinced the poor guy to basically walk away from the only healthy relationship he had. Oh well, more shots of Nate! and More shots of Aaron Tveit as Tripp!

Lily and Rufus decide to reveal their "lists" which is a clever way to create LOTS of backstory for young Lily in the spinoff (Britany Snow! hurrah!). Basically, Lily was a slut. And Rufus was not.

Meanwhile, slutty spoiled Chuck is trying to stop slutty spoiled Blair from falling into Carter Baizen's slutty spoiled hands (Sebastian Stan, also playing spoiled on Kings, see below). And instead Chuck loses Blair to someone ELSE? AGAIN? Oh Dorota, shouldn't you clean up this mess?


Kings - Prosperity - Ep. 102

Enjoyed the second episode but does everyone bad have to look so nefarious? It's like only the bad guys have bad skin. Lots of wrinkles? You must have been in the sun a lot and it therefore made you want to scheme and plot.

Well, Sebastian Stan doesn't have bad skin but I'm not sure his Jack is really all that bad (yet) and more just playing the poor spoiled misunderstood and underestimated son of the King. He's essentially Chuck on Gossip Girl, Stan's archenemy on that show.

I think now that I know they've filmed the whole season (thanks to RJ) so I know it will actually be wrapped up, puts me at ease about this show. I'm not sure I could watch this forever but I'm loving the whole production so far. Plus Brian Cox as the secret overthrown king hiding in some lair underneath King Silas' compound? Awesome!

I'm not sure if I'm getting all the symbolism and all the warring sides because it's either too complicated or too simple (and I'm just thinking it's complicated) but it's all kinda fun to watch and it feels all very grande!


Degrassi: The Next Generation - Touch of Grey, Heart of Glass - Eps. 815-816

That whole scene where Kelly gets caught with Emma's pot seemed a bit too coordinated. Of COURSE he gets caught while trying to dump her stash. How convenient.

Meanwhile, cutiepie (and a sort of younger Canadian version of Zac Efron, no?) K.C. (Samuel Earle) is apparently a rageaholic. Seriously? Even for Degrassi, that seemed to come out of nowhere to try to give him an "issue".

Then Alli continues her pursuit of Johnny only to sleep with him, but in a bigger shocker, Johnny was ALSO a virgin AND seems super sweet about it all. (Seriously, if you cut Scott Paterson's blond tresses, he's actually a really handsome fella) It was actually kind of a sweet episode, even though we knew this was coming all along.


The Amazing Race - Alright Guys, We're at War! - Ep. 1406

Camels!

Okay, so last week the flight attendants finally avoided elimination but alas, nothing really changed this week and it was the end for the skyhags (I've been one so I can say that). Not much new except that Mike and Mel continue to surprise. I was just thinking poor Mel seems to get all the hard challenges but Mike seemed to have noticed this week was a bad challenge to give his older father to do (to carry buckets of water back and forth).

I also think if Victor isn't out, he needs to come out now. Seriously, this trip seems to be a whole awakening for him.


Desperate Housewives - A Spark to Pierce the Dark - Ep. 518

The one where Edie gets killed. And where Orson almost gets killed.

I know the big shock was that Dave didn't end up killing Edie Britt and in a twist of fate, her escape lead to her own demise when she crashed into an electric pole and fried herself. How undignified and unsexy? Man, Marc Cherry really had it out for Nicolette didn't he?

Meanwhile, I'm actually liking the idea of Lynette working with Carlos (as it finally mixes in the men with the housewives' lives, though can she even really be called a housewife anymore?) but the storyline seemed more filler. Still, the comeuppance against Carlos' ex-now-VP (the much missed Leslie Boone, though I didn't really buy her sudden turn as a meanie) was fun, especially with Lynette pushing Gabi's girls to be bad.

I didn't care for Orson's continued downfall either except that it brought in more of Andrew to show up in a few scenes (but really, way too few).

I did love Susan with the return of ex-husband Karl. if only so that she could throw a can of paint on him in front of the headmaster.

Still, this was really the episode Dave was supposed to kill Katherine and where Edie catches onto his grand plan. Now what's the next twist?!


Brothers & Sisters - Spring Broken - Eps. 319

The episode where Ryan becomes a dickwad plot device again and turns Justin against Rebecca. And where Holly conveniently becomes nice when Tommy disappears and is let off the hook. Okay. Let's MOVE ON! And make Ryan nice again, cause I like looking at his face!

At least Greg Berlanti moved Matt Letscher over from his other show Eli Stone and brings him on as Kitty's new potential... something. Man, when did Letscher get so sexy? Loved him on The New Adventures of Old Christine but I still remember him as the annoying douchebag on Good Morning, Miami (yes, I don't know why I remember that show, but I do).

And Sarah goes BACK to Ojai. Again. And leaves hippieville. Too bad, I kinda liked the hippieville storyline. Plus it finally gave Eric Christian Olsen a respectable role for once.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Full Circle - ER, Ugly Betty, 30 Rock and More

ER - In Times of Old - Ep. 1519

It's the countdown to the series finale and I'm totally suckered back into watching (and have been since Noah Wylie came back). I mean, it started when I was in HIGH SCHOOL. Like before university. Before all my jobs. And that was a LONG TIME AGO. (Sadly, I had pimples then, and I still have pimples now. WTF?) So I think everyone had a mid 90's flashback when Carol and Doug, Benton and Carter are mixing it up with Neela and Morris. Plus was anyone thrown off for a second when you realized John Stamos is technically the replacement to George Clooney? I mean, love Stamos but really? Then again, Clooney wasn't Clooney until this show. Before that, he was just that dude with the big chin and big hair from The Facts of Life. Hmm.. maybe the similarities aren't so different after all. The Facts of Life = Full House.

Anyways, George Clooney, Noah Wylie, Julianna Margulies and Eriq La Salle's returns were nicely done, without any huge RETURN blinking over their heads. Even Susan Sarandon's guest spot seemed subdued. It was all very smoothly integrated into the current show. Though I'm sure we were all waiting for Doug and Carol to figure out that the organs were being donated to Carter but it never happened which was a nice touch for quality but not for wish fulfillment.

And while I stopped watching regularly and I know people say its not the same, I still like the current cast.

But man, just thinking back, a LOT of people have passed through the halls of County.


More on Ugly Betty, 30 Rock, The Office, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Survivor: Tocantins, The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Brothers & Sisters, The Mentalist, Lie To Me, Bones, Castle, America's Best Dance Crew, The Secret Life of The American Teenager:

Ugly Betty - A Mother Of A Problem - Ep. 318
30 Rock - The Funcooker - Ep. 314

Is it me or does Ugly Betty and 30 Rock seem more compatible than what their respective networks have given them? Between the real New York City setting, the zaniness of it all, and sharing Broadway guest stars (with Patti LuPone as both Frank's mom and Marc's mom), these shows really should be on the same network.

This week Christine Byranski is Matt's mom (when she isn't Leonard's mom and singing with Sheldon) and gives an even BETTER case for Matt to stick around. Because is beady-eyed cutie Matt is still around in Betty's life, so will Byranski's rich bitch mom to be a thorn in Betty's back.

Liz has to get out of jury duty but her crazy tricks (getting all Star Wars freakish) don't work in New York. Jenna goes crazy. Tracy goes crazy. Business as usual!


The Office - Golden Ticket - Ep. 517
The New Adventures of Old Christine - Too Close For Christine - Eps. 417
Gary Unmarried - Gary Uses His Veto - Eps. 116

Top respected comedies The Office and The New Adventures of Old Christine were good but... um... I think I laughed the loudest at Gary Unmarried this week. What's happening to me?

I mean, I still don't get the opener and closer at Dundler Mifflin (with the Knock Knock jokes and all) but the Golden Ticket was amusing with a great outcome. And Kristen Johnston guesting as a fellow parent of Richie's new friend (so awkwardly nerdy it's like they were being groomed to be future Dwight's) and who is simply as crazy as Christine.

But when Gary uses his veto power to stop his daughter Louise from taking chinese lessons, and then tries to sneak her to golf lessons, I couldn't stop laughing. Granted, as I keep saying, the two kids (Ryan Malgarini and Kathryn Newton) have amazing comedic timing and very showy but yet doesn't have that creepy kid-actors vibe.


The Amazing Race - She's a Little Scared of Stick, But I Think She'll Be OK - Ep. 1405
Survivor: Tocantins - You're Going to Want that Tooth - Eps. 1805

That snow machine in Siberia looks far more complicated than it has to be. But it kinda looks cool. And scary. I'm not sure what the last challenge's point was, other than to show gratuitous skin despite the cold weather.

Meanwhile, lots of gratuitous skin shots on Survivor. Duh, the main reason I still watch this show! Well, that and the blindsides. Anyways, while team hidden rainbow is leading the pack on The Amazing Race, with Luke (who isn't actually out on the show from what we know) lands in first place with his mom again, in-the-closet-on-the-island Spencer is out. Of the island that is. So much for that. Oh well, I like Brendan and Stephen and even farmboy JT more anyways.

I gotta say though, I still don't know which team to root for cause I kinda like most people on both teams. Well, except Coach. But who doesn't.


Desperate Housewives - The Story of Lucy and Jessie - Ep. 517

And again, Gabi is making me laugh. A lot. From her infinite smile at the funeral where Carlos finds out he's getting his dead boss' position. To telling Lynette that she's flattered but not interested after already having kissed Susan to prove her lesbian point? Hilarious! Then she's okay with Carlos' VP and ex-girlfriend? And she's Lesley Boone from Ed!?!? Awesome!

And then Swoosie Kurtz (from the sadly departed Pushing Daisies) is the lesbian after Susan's heart? Doubly awesome!


The Mentalist - Crimson Casanova, Scarlett Fever, Bloodshot - Eps. 114-116
Bones - The Bones That Foam - Ep. 415
Lie To Me - Love Always - Ep. 105
Castle - Pilot - Ep. 101 - Series Premiere

This week, The Mentalist Patrick Jane goes blind after someone sets off a bomb in the parking lot but he's still seems to see things better than everyone else does. Yet again, there's an easy red herring and the whole episode slyly leads us through the mystery, subconsciously guiding us along to think we're two steps ahead, and yet it's still really fun to watch. It helps that they are slowly fleshing out the gang now so that they can actually use Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti, and Tim Kang's acting abilities. Still, this is Simon Baker's show and he's having a ball and it's a lot of fun to watch him bounce off of Robin Tunney's Lisbon.

Lie To Me is Tim Roth's show though I do like his little lie-detector entourage and the little facts about lying and facial ticks are fun, I find myself half tuning out now.
Fellow FOX show Bones is still the gold standard of procedurals that goes beyond procedurals and adds heart, warmth, romance and humour to the genre. Plus I'm still enjoying the rotating replacements for Zack. (It was Brit Mr. Nigel-Murray, the one who spews facts and sounds arrogant but is actually just a ball of nerves). No procedural manages to balance all the elements well enough together like Bones (and this week directed by David Boreanaz himself!)

Meanwhile, ABC seems to recognize this and is trying their hand at it with Castle and it's all forced and jumbled but yet I found myself highly entertained because their lead, Richard Castle, is played by Nathan Fillion (Desperate Housewives, Firefly, Dr. Horrible). His charm is enough to fill a show full of stereotypes and cliches and make up for the lack of chemistry with his "partner". Bones and Booth they ain't.


Grey's Anatomy - I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Ep. 516
Private Practice - Finishing - Ep. 217
Brothers & Sisters - Spring Broken - Eps. 319

Amber Benson!?!? On Private Practice? You gotta admit that while the show has been nowhere near as good as we hoped, they were do cast well. First Emma Caulfield, now Amber Benson!!! Where's Xander?

Actually, both Grey's and Private seemed better this week. I was actually enthralled and entertained. Except for that whole Derek is down bit. It's a downer and Mer and Der have teetered on intolerability lately and this doesn't help, even if Derek batting away the wedding ring in front of Mer was a nice dramatic moment. I'm not sure it was worth it all just for that scene.

And while overwhelmed new mother Kitty and sick Robert are downers on Brothers & Sisters, at least they're smart enough to get Kitty to drive all the way back from Santa Barbara to escape and of course, land at Nora's door. And to meet Ryan for the first time!

While the brothers Kevin, Justin and Tommy go on a trip to Baja (because that's the first thing you do when you're about to go to jail) where it's Spring Break Bitches!

And as much as I don't want to, I'm loving Ryan (Luke Grimes).


The Secret Life of The American Teenager - Whoomp! (There It Is) - Eps. 121

The baby is coming the baby is coming!!! Just in time for Amy to miss the incredibly painful baby shower Adrian (yes, Adrian) and Grace (by default) was throwing for her. With guests like Mr. Molina's pregnant wife (is that Constance Marie? Who deserves better especially after The George Lopez Show).

And Jack kisses Grace? Ashley will move out with George? Adrian gets caught having sex with her step-brother by her FATHER? OMG. LOVE THIS SHOW!


America's Best Dance Crew - Season 3 Finale

I forgot to comment on this last week because I meant to put it in my "Battle of the Sexes" post. But by the end of the season, I kinda wanted the all-girls group Beat Freaks to beat the all-boys group Quest Crew. I mean, I LOVE Quest Crew but they've kinda been the front runner all season long, plus they had the advantage of a built in fanbase from So You Think You Can Dance thanks to DTrix, Hok and Ryan. But the girls in Beat Freaks were pretty awesome themselves and I thought they had a better final performance on top of all that.

But the two final teams were definitely the two best. Though while I liked Fly Khicks, I thought they kicked off Dynamic Edition too early just to get a semi finals with boys vs. girls. It seemed a bit too convenient.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Broadway Babies - Ugly Betty, Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock and More

Ugly Betty - Sugar Daddy - Ep. 317

Not that one can overload on Cheyenne Jackson, but I sure saw a lot of him last week. In pure coincidence, I happened to catch up with the episodes of Life on Mars and Lipstick Jungle that guest starred Cheyenne from earlier this season. Then he shows up as a hot new baby daddy that Marc meets on the street. Then they have a playdate! Well, a baby play date (Marc borrows MiniWily) much to Marc's dismay.

And now Cheyenne is going to be on Glee! If there's any series that seems to be built for great network crossover appeal with Ugly Betty, FOX's Glee sounds like it (and I haven't even seen it!). Plus the two shows could share their guest roster of Broadway performers.

Loved that Ugly Betty was dealing with the economy and shaking things up by making the Meade's and Wily financially in trouble (yet still living it up on the town). But really it's cause I loved that it forced Wily onto a bus. A BUS!

Meanwhile, Betty's new Matt is not only cute (still loving his beady Josh Grobanish eyes) but he's RICH RICH RICH. Some girls just get all the luck.

And Steve Schirripa, taking a break from giving Ben, Ricky and Amy a reality check, lovingly guests as a TV Chef competing with Ignacio so that the Suarez's could win enough money for a downpayment to buy their house. (Love that Mo Rocca was the host of the TV cook-off).

Still, seeing Wily and Daniel on a New York City bus was too precious!


Friday Night Lights - New York, New York - Ep. 308

I wonder if Tim Riggins enjoyed Patti LuPone's performance in Gypsy?

Jason's farewell episode took him and Riggins to New York City (though no sightings of Wily on a bus), in a bold move to leave Dillon, Texas and find his way in the world (and to support and be with Erin and his baby). For me, it was a lovely and sad last episode with the always awesome Scott Porter (who blogs about it here, and started off in the original Off-Broadway cast of Altar Boyz). It's also sadly the last we will probably see Herc (Kevin Rankin, also on Lost on the same week! See below), who has been such a great cheerleader to Jason's life since the accident that put him in the wheelchair.

And Tim's goodbye to Jason? Definitely tearworthy.


30 Rock - Goodbye, My Friend - Ep. 313

So after performing for Tim Riggins and Jason Street, Patti LuPone shows up on 30 Rock as Frank's overbearing mother (does Patti play any other kind now?).


Now they just have to get Cheyenne Jackson to show up and team up with Jane Krakowski again (esp. after they were originally meant to do Xanadu on Broadway together).

Meanwhile, Spring Awakening's Phoebe Strole pops up as donut girl, a pregnant girl that Liz follows and befriends in the hope of stealing adopting her baby.

Jenna and Tracy compete for birthday party attention. And Jack makes Frank into himself with Frank leaving the show to become a lawyer, much to Frank's mother's dismay.

Each story was hilarious but there seemed to be a whole lot of story this week that they could have spread them out a bit more. I mean, while using Harry and the Hendersons as a plot point was probably genius, having John Lithgow show up and having a barely memorable moment isn't.

More on Lost, The Office, The Amazing Race, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Top Chef, Dollhouse, Corner Gas:

Lost - LaFleur - Eps. 508

Oh LaFleur! Oh Sawyer! You big ol' lug of a man!

While some complained that it was one of the more emotional and love centric episodes, I liked that they used a Sawyer-centric episode to explain a lot that has happened on the island between all the flash forwards, flashbacks, time jumps, and the Oceanic 6's eventual return. I mean, it was a nice smooth transition from seeing Juliet and Sawyer all domesticated as Dharma folks, and then see Sawyer's reaction on his face upon Kate's return to the island. It was a simple moment, but it said tons.

I thought considering all the time jumping, it seemed like an amazingly smooth episode that flowed really well. I mean, I still want MORE but doesn't every episode of Lost do that? Isn't that the point?


The Office - Blood Drive - Ep. 516

Michael makes a pass at a girl while donating blood. Meanwhile, Creed is still my hero. Not my favorite episode, and apparently it's now March sweeps since NBC held back this Valentine's Day episode but what a way to rub it into us single folks again. Thanks a lot!

At least I don't work at Dundler Mifflin where I would have had to deal with Michael hosting all the singles. On the other hand, couple Pam and Jim went to dinner with couple Phyllis and Bob Vance and accidentally sees them doing the Valentine tango in the restroom. I'm not really sure which would have been worse.


The Amazing Race - It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots - Ep. 1404

Girl Friend: Don't you want Mike and Mel to win?
Me: Yah, but don't you love Luke and Margie too?
Girl: Something about him bugs me.
Me: But he's so CUUUTE. And isn't Margie awesome?
Girl: There's something about him.
Me: He's cute AND he's gay.
Girl: He just seems bitchy.
Me: Duh, that's cause he's gay.
Girl: Oh I guess.

This week, a new twist appears on the show with a Blind U-Turn. U-Turn another team without having to reveal yourself. So Luke uses it against "perfect couple" Amanda and Kris. How deliciously evil. Of course it would have been better if Kris and Amanda wasn't already in last place, but at least it showed that Luke can play just as dirty as the hearing.

BTW, that toboggan slide thing looks SOOO FUN! I love me anything on tracks and rollercoaster like (HUGE FAN) so I've seen the summer bobsled but it's usually concrete. I'm even more seduced by the shiny tracks (seriously, I love trains, monorails, rollercoasters etc).


Desperate Housewives - Crime Doesn't Pay - Ep. 516

Gaby still makes me laugh. Even though she essentially inadvertently killed Carlos' boss (by forcing him to fess up to his infidelities).

Lynette and Tom were hilarious competing for a job Bree had set up and it reminded me that Doug Savant can be really really funny when he's finally given the chance again. I mean, his moping was funny this week (though not in all the episodes that led up to this demise), but when he finally got jealous of Lynette, the true hilarity came out.

Ditto on Susan and Katherine's battle over Mike AND the devotion from the other housewives. Again, Teri Hatcher can be funny and she's been a hoot this whole season and not annoying at all!


Brothers & Sisters - Taking Sides - Eps. 318

I want to hate Ryan in theory because I still think the whole "Rebecca isn't a Walker, OH, there's a NEW illegitimate "R" in the Walker family" story but Luke Grimes sure has got that emo-moppy, greasy hair cute Robert Pattison look-a-like thing down pat. Just please don't make him go out with Rebecca in the future. Please don't go there.

While anything that gathers the Walkers together into the same dining room is always awesome, having all the brothers & sisters together (except Kitty who is dealing with recovering Robert) for Ryan's arrival, but all hiding Tommy's trial, worked out better than I anticipated. Now if only they could do all that without ever showing Holly.

Seriously, I usually love Patricia Wettig but I cannot stand her on this show anymore. I know the whole family hates her character and we must too, but as much as it can drive the family apart, and Justin and Rebecca apart, I'm not sure what the whole point is, other than having an obvious evil nemesis to the Walkers on hand.


The Big Bang Theory - The Terminator Decoupling - Ep. 217

Summer Glau AND Dr. George Smoot guest star! (who and who? I know. One is Joss Whedon Cult fave actress from the little scene Firefly, the other is Nobel Prize winning Physicist, and both have funny names).

(Incidentally, 2 Firefly alums on TV again on one night? Wow! Awesome! I'll have a review of Castle with Nathan Fillion in the next TV post. And yes, he, as always, was awesome!)

Sheldon, Rajesh, Howard and Leonard take an 11 hour train to a conference in San Francisco and Summer Glau shows up, much to Howard and Rajesh's delight! Let the creepy flirtation competition begin!

Meanwhile, Sheldon is Sheldon and Leonard is there to pick up the pieces as Sheldon tries to talk Penny (back at the apartment) through some instructions. Genius! not Sheldon, but the way Penny figures out how to open Sheldon's secret box!


How I Met Your Mother - Sorry, Bro - Ep. 416

Laura Prepon is Karen, Ted's annoying college ex. She's one of THOSE people who proudly announces that she doesn't watch TV. As if it's something to boast about or something. I hate her already.

(Seriously, why do some (douchey) people think NOT watching TV is actually something to be proud of? Um, it doesn't mean you're smarter. It just means you have more free time to be pop culturally irrelevant).

Sadly, apparently after a whole episode of Ted slowly admitting he's gotten back with Karen, and then dumped her again, he's actually back with her for real this time. She had better not be the mother. I didn't love her in the 70's, I didn't love her on October Road, I didn't like her in the 80's/90's, and I'm not going to like her in the 2030's.

On the good news side, another appearance by Scooter! Also known as David Burtka, or NPH's real life love.


Chuck - Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon - Eps. 216

After all that, Chuck ISN'T going to live with Sarah? ARGH.

But Morgan and Anna will? At least SOMEONE else will be taking care of Morgan now.

Cole (Jonathan Cake, yummy!) was back to help out Chuck, Sarah and Casey with their latest mission and basically, Chuck shoots someone, learns to kick people in the knees, and finds out Orion is the dude that made the Intersect and the guy that could help Chuck out.

So he writes it on his secret board of information (aka, the back of his Tron poster. I KNEW that Tron poster had to be good for something. Cause it can't be actually for real right? That movie was WHACKED. And they're making a sequel? Tr2n?)


Top Chef - Reunion - Eps. 515

I think if they took the poll for favorite chef later in the run (it ran quite early through the episodes), I think Carla would have won, because she really peaked in the second half of the series. Before that we just thought she was a kook. Instead, obvious winner Fabio got it, but now that we know he has his own SERIES now, I kinda wish he didn't.

Now when does Carla get her own series?

Oh, and I still kinda love Stefan. And I still find Leah and Hosea a little annoying. And I actually secretly kinda love Jeff even though that's so wrong.


Dollhouse - Ghost - Ep. 101 - Series Premiere, Gray Hour - Ep. 104

Anson Mount? Man, what happened to him? Wasn't he supposed to be the next big thing at some point? Now he's a minor guest star on a cultish TV show no one is really watching.

Another somewhat enjoyable episode that still doesn't convince me to return the following week. Does that even make sense? That's just how I feel.


Corner Gas - Cat River Daze, Super Sensitive, TV Free Dog River, Queasy Rider - Ep. 611-614

Considering they show some of the best bits on the commercials, it's still fricken hilarious. I mean, I think I saw the bit where Hank kisses Emma on the lips by accident about a dozen times and it was still funny on the show. The sensitivity training? Hilarious! The No TV thing Emma tricks everyone into doing? And then the impending show Hank and Wanda end up "putting on"? Genius!

I'm actually going to really miss this show when it ends later this season.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Swimming In The Shallow End - The Big Bang Theory, 90210, Privileged, Friday Night Lights and More

Matt Lanter, David Monaghan, Robert Buckley. Not household names but hotties I've been following and all were showing up on TV this week! I know. I'm shallow. But by now, you MUST know I totally am and that it influences my TV watching. Come on, it's probably the sole reason I get sucked into The Bachelor and the "bad" reality shows!

The Big Bang Theory - The Maternal Capacitance - Ep. 215

Christine Baranski is Mrs. Hofstadter. Leonard's mom. And she's exactly as nerdy and unemotional and odd as Sheldon. Man, that was one of the funniest episodes to date! Between Penny and Leonard bonding over their lack of parental bonding and almost sleeping with each other, and Mrs. Hofstadter's analysis of the homoerotic bond Howard and Rajnesh have built to simulate intimacy, and Jim Parson's Sheldon and Christine Baranski as the mother of all nerds was hysterical. Loved how Mrs. Hofstadter basically dismissed everyone into the shallow end of the gene pool. And that includes her own son. Yet it didn't feel particularly mean!


90210 - Of Heartbreaks and Hotels - Ep. 116

Finally a reason to watch 90210! My favorite contestant from Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model (oh yes!) Matt Lanter (Commander in Chief) plays Liam, a bartender (even though he looks barely legal, though is 25 in real life) who sadly doesn't appear shirtless on this show so far. But at leaves gives Naomi's storyline something of interest! FINALLY!

Plus a second appearance by Friday Night Light's Aimee Teegarden who right off the bat, tells Ethan that she's tricked him.... and the drama continues to deflate by the second. Why must this show make everything so nice? TOO nice? Let Privileged do that (and yet that show STILL has more drama per hour than we've seen all season here so far).

Plus is it sad that Navid is not even more annoying than his drug addict pregnant not-girlfriend? And I had so much hope for him. And Silver too. Cause there's NO WAY she would have gotten a tattoo of "Dixon". She's too smart, cynical and smart for that. I'd say it would be out of character but I'm asking too much from this show aren't I?

I've update on American Idol in my Handicapping the Top 36 post (SPOILERS BEWARE)

More on Privileged, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, The Bachelor, Degrassi:TNG, Flashpoint, Ghost Whisperer, Leverage, Project Runway Canada:

Privileged - All About Confessions, All About Betrayal - Eps. 116, 117

You know this show is a fairytale fantasy when Megan gets a heartfelt confession of love (and a kiss) from Charlie (Michael Cassidy) before he splits for San Diego, breaks up with Will (Brian Hallisay) and then ends up in a world where the editor of Will's new magazine looks like Robert Buckley (above, Lipstick Jungle). Ah, and what a fairytale fantasy it is!

Okay, I'm still mad that Charlie is gone because sparks like Cassidy and JoAnna Garcia do not just happen everyday, but Buckley sure softens the blow. Though the fact that he's supposed to be a Harvard grad who got published in the New Yorker before 22, AND still looks like the way he does, seems a leeeeeeeettle far fetched. Plus, I guess there's really no logical way to get a magazine editor into his underwear, is there?

(By the way, if you're that young, that smart, and that handsome, and that successful, I then officially hate you. Do you want to go out on a date?)

The secret is out and Laurel knows that the girls know (about their real grandfather) but the twins finally decide to split up as roomates when Rose decides to grow up and rely on Sage less for support (since Sage has kept the secret of thinking she's killed their parents this whole time). Meanwhile, Grandpa's real daughter wants to sue Laurel.

Marco tries to woo Keith (David Monahan) back, while he's trying to have a baby with his faghag (the always loopy but hilarious Jennifer Elise Cox). Only this show can somehow play that storyline straight, dramatic and heartwarming, ending off with the ultimate fairytale when Marco proposes to Keith!!!


Friday Night Lights - How the Other Half Live, Hello, Goodbye - Eps. 303, 304

Seriously, how good is the Smash storyline? (And how good has Gaius Charles been? Amazing and Emmy worthy!). I think I'm going to cry just thinking about it all.

J.D. has become such a great foil for Matt Saracen, as the new star quarterback showing up in town (with aggressive parents in tow). Love that J.D. himself is not so much the enemy as it is the system they've created, with Buddy and the boosters (who are creating a nice big headache for Tami as well) having more control over everything than poor Coach Taylor it seems.

And just as Tyra was getting her life back in gear, the handsome and convincing Cash shows up and whisks her away. Hell, if someone like that showed up on my doorstep, I'd follow him anywhere too!

And oh, just you all wait to see where the show continues further on this season! It just gets better and better! Oh, and you'd better keep those kleenexes out!


Scrubs - My Absence, My Comedy Show - Ep. 809, 810

And so it begins. Zach Braff gets time off and doesn't appear in the episode because he's trying to move on with his life and try to be a movie star (or so I assume) and strangely, for a show that's centered around JD, I didn't really miss him. Again, which proves that Elliot and Carla are the true heart and soul of the show now (and kind of always actually).

Okay, and now that Aziz Ansari is gone, I'm getting to like the new interns more like Sunny Day (!?!), know-it-all Denise and that funny looking cute in the geeky way with the super low voice guy. (I know. Most people loved Aziz, but I think he would have worked better on another show. He was just plain annoying here. I could totally understand what Dr. Cox was feeling).

Meanwhile, I'm loving touchy feely Jimmy, even before his impression of Dane Cook at the talent show. (His other impressions were so so but the Dane Cook dig made up for it all). Plus, he's Taran Killam in real life. As in, Cobie Smulder's baby daddy in real life. So THAT'S who he is!

And maybe because we had a slight reprieve from Braff in the first half hour, I enjoyed having him back and all his bromance with Turk glory again. Plus, I almost forgot that Carla and Turk had a baby already. Just like Turk. It's getting a little deja vu but I guess that's the point that they so cleverly point out and run with.


Fringe - The Transformation, Ability - Eps. 113, 114

I still never feel compelled to watch this show, but then I catch up with it and love it again. After being totally grossed out of course. Ugh, seriously, totally grossed out. First those nasty slugs last week, this week the melty face thing. I have got to get my Joshua Jackson fix another way, preferably without the sci-fi scariness. Yet there's just enough humour to hold me in.

I partly still love the conspiracy arc but in the same breathe, I'm so confused and lost track of who is who and who is bad and what not that I've kind of given up on it too and just enjoying the show for what it is.


Desperate Housewives - Mama Spent Money When She Had None - Ep. 514

I enjoyed Dave's little reassurance to Edie that their marriage was "real". Real because he doesn't have fairytale expectations. LOVED her face. Loved Susan making a fool of herself trying to keep MJ in private school (though when was keeping a kid in private school a right? No wonder yuppies are spending beyond their means and no wonder the public school system is failing).


Brothers & Sisters - Owning It - Ep. 314

The gays have taken over! Finally!

Now if only they can take over Ojai or whatever is left of that company.

But was I the only one creeped out by the site of John Glover as Saul's new boyfriend Henry? Not because they are an older gay couple to balance off Kevin and Scotty. No, I was creeped out because I still think of him as Lionel Luther from Smallville.


The Bachelor - Jason Mesnick - Ep. 1306

I've got to champion Gillian since she's the Canadian girl but I'm not really sure Jason is all into her. I think Jason thought Gillian was crazy when she started telling him about Ogopogo.

But not as crazy as meeting Naomi's family. Man, Jason should be given the Emmy Award just for keeping a straight face during that whole ordeal.


Degrassi: The Next Generation - Causing a Commotion - Eps. 811

Finally, a revolt against The Shep. I mean, who was this principal Shep anyways and how could he have gotten the Best Principal award after only a few months? So yay Claire (along with Alli and K.C. above) for stepping up against the douchebag! Especially when The Shep was being a tool against Connor, who apparently now has aspergers, the new go-to-disease for TV shows it seems.


Flashpoint - Ep. 107

I don't even know what the episode was called last week but the two brothers, particularly the "good" one with the deep blue eyes and dark hair was enough to help convey pity. I'd give him a hug! (Hey, the title of the post says it all man. I'm totally shallow).


Ghost Whisperer - Slow Burn - Ep. 414

I think it was the first time I watched a full episode of this show. And you know what? It wasn't that bad. I was actually entertained and I almost cried. ALMOST I SAID. I DIDN'T. Okay, but seriously, I was intrigued by the promos that had been running all week and decided to catch the Love -Hewitt show and a) forgot that Jamie Kennedy AND Cameron Manheim were on the show now and wondering... b) what happened to Aisha Tyler and didn't Jay Mohr join the cast at some point? c) Kenneth Mitchell is in this show now? (As the guy whose body David Conrad spiritually took over). and d) it's only in season 4? It feels like its been on forever. You mean I've only dismissed the show for 4 years? That's it?

Things that surprised me: 1. JLoveHewitt didn't bug me at all. I didn't hate her (like I did on Party of Five), 2. David Conrad (above) is still hot. Man Miss Match should have taken off. 3. I actually really enjoyed the mystery and the sappiness of the mystery.

Also to note, the actor playing the troubled youth who Gretchen Egolf (Journeyman) was trying to haunt, Will Rothhaar, has this really nice intensity and handsomeness that I think will get him far. I'm just saying, I saw him first.


Leverage - The Juror #6 Job - Ep. 111

Data and Lauren Holly! It's like the early 90's revived all over again! Loved the new twists and turns of 12 angry jurors. Totally preposterous but boy was it fun to watch Lauren Holly get screwed over (and I'm talking in a non-sexual, karma's a bitch cause she's a bad person kind of way... you know, just to clarify).


Project Runway Canada - Claim to Fame, Colour Me Right - Eps. 202, 203

Week 2 (which apparently you can now watch on youtube, so catch it while you still can) had Elisha Cuthbert as the BIG CELEBRITY GUEST. I guess Celine was busy. It's Canadian TV. It's about all we can get. I was half waiting for a cougar print as part of the challenge.

I like Jessica's personality at this point, but Sunny is probably the strongest designer here. His L.A. party dress for Elisha was GORGEOUS because it was so subtle (and the pic doesn't do it justice since you can't see the rays stitching on the blue dress). I think it should have won, but Jason's dress was pretty nice too and it was nice to see him go from bottom 2 to winner.

In Week 3, it's the first team challenge and Sunny and Baylor team up. Of course. Two of the stronger designers that are Asianish. (Well, Baylor is Venezuelan but he looks Asian to me). Seriously, I just wrote the previous sentence at the start of the show and since, every other designer has been like "omg, Baylor and Sunny together? I'm scared to see what I have to compete with" or something like that. And they don't disappoint. Especially Sunny, whose green tule outer shell over a basic dress is STUNNING. Holy cow, I don't think I've ever seen tule constructed like that. I usually find designers on this show use tule the wrong way and end up in the bottom but as Shawn notes, Sunny is someone to contend with. At episode 3, does Sunny have it in the bag?

Vancouverite Christie doesn't measure out. Basically because she's terrible when she isn't already spazzing out with the workload (uh, hello, welcome to the rest of the world where people work past 5pm to actually earn a living).

I get what Jeff's trying to do but he needs to get moving. Adejoke is good but keeping quiet. Baylor is good but just not as good as Sunny. Kim and Gen haven't been very convincing or even noticeable until this week but they came up with pretty good dresses. But I barely remember them and on this show, being normal and nice wins you no airtime.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

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Brand New Day - Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother and More

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com:

Gossip Girl - You've Got Yale - Ep. 216

Blair gets waitlisted to Yale while Dan and Serena get in (which somehow leads to another break up? What the?). Plus a new teacher (who looks younger than the rest of the ragamuffins) doesn't appease Blair's needs, and the wicked witches of the Upper East Side are there to comfort the big B as she's about to wage war on the new teach. Awesome! I'm scared already!

Oh, when did Nelly get guts? She is slowly making her move! Slowly, but surely! Nice moves Nelly Yuki!

And Dorota still deserves a special Emmy.

And in a move I didn't see coming, Lily adopts Chuck so that she becomes his legal guardian and Jack loses Bass Industries. Ouch! Then Jack tries to rape Lily? Ick. Then Chuck saves the day. Yey! (You know, if you really thought about it, the fact that Chuck is technically still a kid, this IS a lot for someone to take).


How I Met Your Mother - Three Days of Snow - Ep. 413

I don't think the episode was as carefully constructed as they thought it was (though I just spent the weekend doing a full series marathon of BBC's Coupling which had some well crafted and sometimes perfectly constructed episodes (See 105 The Girl with Two Breasts, 206 Gotcha, 208 Naked, 301 Split, 304 Remember This, 307 Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps... oh hell, I'll just have to write a whole post on the awesomeness of Coupling (UK version only)) so I have really high standards in my mind right now) but the 3 storylines revolving around the snowstorm (very apt this year though! Good weather predicting!) was cute but predictable. Though it wasn't as clever as they thought it was, I still got all misty eyed when the band came into the airport with Marshall to woo Lily. Loved the ending, as predictable as it was.


More on The Big Bang Theory, Worst Week, True Beauty, The Bachelor, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Flashpoint, Corner Gas:

The Big Bang Theory - The Friendship Algorithm - Ep. 213
They never have a B storyline do they? I just noticed that. I guess when the show starts revolving around Sheldon, that's what happened. Poor Johnny Galecki.

Very cute episode. Loved the fainting. Loved the chart to make friends! I wish there were more of Sheldon and the little girl though. That was cute verging on creepy (in a hilarious way).


Worst Week - The Puppy - Ep. 113
I never want to have a baby... EVER. EWWWWW OHHHHHH GROSSSSSSSSS. EWWWWWWW.


The Bachelor - Jason Mesnick - Ep. 1303
True Beauty - Ep. 103
I know. I should know better. And I still watched the full episodes. For the third week in a row. And I still can't tell any of the girls apart on either show unless they were super bitchy, so like Megan and Erika on The Bachelor and Monique and Chelsea on True Beauty. Meanwhile, at this point, isn't JC a shoo-in to win True Beauty? I mean, who cares but really, it's in the bag, no? On the good news side, Jason took off his shirt to make a chest mold... and this is why I wasted spent 2 hours of my life, only to waste spend another hour watching Ray take off all his clothes to "slut" "strut" around the pool.


Desperate Housewives - The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened - Ep. 513

For the 100th episode, they sure spent a lot of time on Beau Bridges (as Eli Scruggs) who magically appears in last weeks episode but seems to have been connected to all the women of Wisteria Lane for years. How convenient.

But I'll let it go for celebratory's sake and the fact that it was all an excuse to flashback to the earlier years when Rex Van de Camp was still alive! (Yay Steven Culp, Oh how I miss you), when Gaby just moved from the runway to Wisteria Lane, when Edie was still just a slut on the block, when Bree wasn't a company, and when Lynette looked harried (well. some things don't really change...). It was fun looking back at it all but it lacked an overwhelming punch that a big show like this could/should have.


Brothers & Sisters - It's Not Easy Being Green - Ep. 313

Putting a big rifle in Kitty's hands, a la Palin was cheap. Putting a big rifle in Kevin's gay democratic hands was cheap, but funny nonetheless.

Putting Nora with the architect... was... well... I can't remember what happened now. Putting Rebecca with Kyle (Eric Christian Olsen) as a way to make Justin jealous was amusing. Putting Sarah with Ethan (Will McCormack) was hilarious, and creepy because he sounds a bit like Matthew Rhys.


Flashpoint - Backwards Day - Ep. 202
What the hell was all that? With the two women rolling around as one is trying to stab one another? And they don't MOVE IN? If I was Amy Jo Johnson, I'd be pissed too, no matter how cute David Paetkau was. I mean, she lost Ben already, she has every right to be pissed. Never cross a woman scorned... oh wait... now we get back to the two rolling women with the large scary knife.

Corner Gas - Reader Pride - Ep. 609

Man, this show is SOOOOO Canadian. Love it. I wonder if non Canadians find this show funny? It's SOOOOOOO Canadian.

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