It's Going To Be Legen-Song and Dance-Dary!!!

This news makes me wanna party like it's 1999!!! (This is, btw, my 1999th post!)

Neil Patrick Harris is going to suit up and host The 2009 Tony Awards (on June 7th 2009 at 8pm on CBS).

SHUT THE F#$K UP!!! OMG It's going to be AWESOME!!!

(And so perfect, how did they not think of this sooner? I mean, even his show How I Met Your Mother is on CBS)

So after topping the AfterElton Hot 100 poll (YEY! No pun intended, well, maybe just a little), Dr. Horrible himself will be hosting the Awards show to celebrate the best of Broadway! F#$k YEAH!

NPH has been on Broadway in Cabaret as the Emcee, in Assassins and in Proof. He was also in Prop 8 The Musical.

NPH also did Rent. Here's a short clip of him singing "Take Me or Leave Me" with his boyfriend David Burtka! (from Broadway Backwards Charity cabaret, I believe):



"Everybody's Got The Right" from Assassins with Becky Ann Baker, Mario Cantone, Mary Catherine Garrison, Michael Cerveris, Dennis O'Hare, Alexander Gemignani, James Barbour, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jeffrey Kuhn at the 2004 Tony Awards:


Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Best Duos

Scooter rounded up some of the TV bloggers for a Best Duos on TV list (as a sequel to last years Best Character list). It could be any duo from any show with new episodes since last June 2008. Just any duo that sparks up the screen, whether it be friends, enemies, lovers, family, anything. And if looking back at last year's single character list and this years duo list, it's that we bloggers really do love our Friday Night Lights. Plus, the buzz on The Big Bang Theory is really picking up this year.

Here was the compiled list of the Top 25 Favorite Duos, along with my own Top 10 picks that I submitted at the end of the post:

1. Coach Eric and Tammy Taylor (Friday Night Lights)
2. Liz Lemon and Jack Donagy (30 Rock)
3. Sheldon Cooper Ph.D. and Penny (The Big Bang Theory)
4. Jim Halpert and Dwight Shrute (The Office)
5. Patty Hewes and Ellen Parsons (Damages)
6. Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan and Special Agent Seeley Booth (Bones)
7. Emerson Cod and Olive Snook (Pushing Daisies)
8. Blair Waldolf and Chuck Bass (Gossip Girl)
9. Shawn Spencer and Burton “Gus” Guster (Psych)
10. Chuck Bartowski and Special Agent Sarah Walker (Chuck)
11. Sam and Dean Winchester (Supernatural)
12. Marc St. James and Amanda Tannen (Ugly Betty)
13. Barney Stinson and Ted Mosbey (How I Met Your Mother)
14. Bill Adama and Laura Roslin (Battlestar Gallactica)
15. Landry Clark and Tyra Colette (Friday Night Lights)
16. Ben Linus and John Locke (Lost)
17. John “J.D.” Dorian M.D. and Dr. Christopher Turk (Scrubs)
18. Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton (True Blood)
19. Jeff Patel and Lester Barnes aka Jeffster (Chuck)
20. James “Sawyer” Ford and Juliet Burke (Lost)
21. Homer and Marge Simpson (The Simpsons)
22. Bill Adma and Saul Tigh (Battestar Galactica)
23. Richard Cypher and Kahlan Amnell (Legend of the Seeker)
24. Earl and Randy Hickey (My Name Is Earl)
25. Michael Westen and Fiona Glenanne (Burn Notice)

Submitted by Voters: Dan, Ducky, Kath, Matt, Sandie, Scooter McGavin, TVFan, Vance

And here's my list that I submitted, though I must say now that I've seen the results, I'm so ashamed of myself for completely forgetting about Pushing Daisies. I also had a few on my list that I was highly considering but at the last moment, switched off for other picks.

1. Tami and Coach Eric Taylor - Friday Night Lights
2. Ben and Locke - Lost
3. Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy - 30 Rock
4. Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass - Gossip Girl
5. Penny and Sheldon - The Big Bang Theory
6. Bones and Booth - Bones
7. Tyra and Landry - Friday Night Lights
8. Amanda and Marc - Ugly Betty
9. Dean and Sam Winchester - Supernatural
10. Megan Smith and Charlie Hogan - Privileged

I had also highly considered: Marshall and Barney (How I Met Your Mother), Michael Westen and Fiona (Burn Notice), Sawyer and Juliet (Lost), Cappie and Casey (Greek), Chuck and Sarah (Chuck), really any pairing on Friday Night Lights would have worked, and I seriously had to withold myself in picking a top 10 solely from this show alone.

And I should have also considered: Earl and Randy (My Name Is Earl), Any pairing from Pushing Daisies.

I also considered those from The Office but deemed it worked best in ensemble moments (and I got irritated by Michael and Dwight this season, which was my initial duo to pick)

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Funny Friends - The Office, The Big Bang Theory And More

My friend Anthony wrote tonight's The Office episode Casual Fridays! So WATCH!!! And because I'm completely biased, I know it'll be fantastic and just as great as last week's terrific episode.

And, Anthony also made his own little web show called Dwelling for Strike TV (the web venue that was born from the writer's strike). It's cute and gets better (currently with 4 episodes) once they establish everything. So check it out!

The Office - Two Weeks, Dream Team, Michael Scott Paper Company, Heavy Competition, Broke - Ep. 519-523

Alright, so Michael quit Dundler Mifflin, started his own company, brought along Pam and Ryan, went broke, and got bought by Dundler Mifflin. I kinda loved that whole arch, especially when it ended in such a fairytale way, especially for this usually unlucky gang.

And now Pam gets to be a salesperson! And Ryan's back at Dundler Mifflin!

And as much as I love Jim, I'm glad someone finally didn't. When Idris Elba wasn't dealing with Beyonce and Nikki/Jessica (seriously, he was in Obsessed, and it was #1 last weekend? Is that a joke?), he was not becoming friends with Jim, and I enjoyed the way Charles loomed over the office folks.

More on 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Corner Gas, Party Down, Greek:


30 Rock - Apollo, Apollo, Cutbacks, Jackie Jormp-Jomp, The Ones - Eps. 316-319

Dennis came back! Love Dean Winters. Love that he's hot and can play slimy and can go from serious (in Oz) to completely wacky (like here). Dennis slept with Jenna. Tracy goes into "space". Elisa is a crazy killer. Jenna "dies". Even Lutz had a funny moment. Kenneth saves the day, again. And Tina joins the ladies who lunch (with Xanadu's Kerry Butler!) and punch.

It's all getting so kooky it's becoming a blur, but while the stories are all kinda blending together with more zaniness on top of more zaniness, I've got to say, I still laugh out loud during the whole show.


The Big Bang Theory - The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition, The Hofstadter Isotope, The Vegas Renormalization, - Eps. 219-221

They've zeroed in on the Penny Sheldon comic dynamo so much that the other boys seem to have been relegated to side stories. Still, I'm LOVING it right now, so can you blame them?

Though I think I still laughed hardest when Rajesh woke up in bed with another woman, looked horrified, then accepted his position and enjoyed with a smile. Still, as funny as Rajesh can be when he's drunk, and the only time he can talk to women, they're gonna have to get Raj back into the action without needing to be inebriated everytime or else he'll move farther away from the Penny/Sheldon comedy.

I must have also lost some brain cells but I'm totally enjoying (and totally buying) Penny's date with Stuart (Kevin Sussman, WALTER! from Ugly Betty) and both his and Sheldon's response to Penny's romantic advances.

And loving any response Howard is giving (especially after finding out Raj and Leonard bought him a hooker) and ALL of HIS romantic advances (Or attempts actually).


How I Met Your Mother - Old King Clancy, Murtaugh, Mosbius Designs, The Three Days Rule - Eps. 418-421

Never one to pass up a Canadian joke, the whole Robin episode going back to her Canadian past kind of fell flat. At least Aaron Hill (BEAVER! on Greek) was on!

And while the ladies are hiding behind strategically placed plants and furniture (and with Lily conveniently absent from the bar lately as she has her real life baby), Marshall and Barney get even MORE attention, though if you think of it, considering Jason Segel is doing so well in films now, and NPH is... well... NPH!!!, it's credit to the show and the ensemble that the show isn't just the NPH/Jason Segel show and that they're hilarity blends in nicely with the rest of the show. (Though Barney's little outburst with Marshall when he rejected/loved Robin was genius).

Now if only Ted can get some more decent storylines like the last two episodes. I was reminded that I actually LIKE this character in the last two weeks, who I almost forgot up to this point.


Corner Gas - R2 Bee Too, Crab Apple Cooler, Happy Career Day to You, Get the F Off My Lawn, You've Been Great, Goodnight - Eps. 615-619 - Series Finale

I'm actually going to miss this show. A lot. It had a nice slow dry rhythm to it. And it was consistently funny. Kinda like a low rent Seinfeld, a show about nothing except this time in a place where there's nothing: the middle of Saskatchewan.

And as stupid as the jokes were, I kept laughing at all the F-in jokes (no really, the "F" and the "E" from Ruby's Cafe sign blew off and were flying around the town of Dog River. Letting them run with the F jokes all episode long. And I kept laughing).

The series finale got a bit too meta for me (I love the meta stuff but for this shows charms were in the daily boring and absurd lives of the townsfolk of Dog River. Well, except when the Canadian celebrity cameos popped in. Kiefer Sutherland's (which hinted at Jack Bauer) was completely out of the blue (and thus totally hilarious)) and actually reminded me a bit of Seinfeld's meta arch with his NBC show within the show.


Party Down - Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar, Investors Dinner, Sin Say Shun Awards After Party - Eps. 103-105
Greek - Engendered Species, Big Littles and Jumbo Shrimp - Ep. 213-214

I'm behind an episode on both these awesome cable comedies, but I'm LOVING them so much!

Always loved Adam Scott so glad he gets such a great role in Party Down, though as always Ken Marino totally steals all his scenes, giving his Ron Donald such a sadness to his goofy role.

Still, the entire cast is awesome (Martin Starr! Jane Lynch! Ryan Hansen! Lizzy Caplan!), and still love the rotation of guest stars and the links to Veronica Mars. Can't wait for Kristen Bell's appearance!

On Greek, I know Jesse McCartney doesn't have to do much to be the nice affable Andylicious and to be honest... I don't really care. He's totally dylicious looking. As is Andrew J. West as Fisher (below), Ashley's new hired maid/secret boyfriend. (Also loving the new trio of Rebecca, Ashley and Casey).

Plus, while I wasn't sure where they were going with downtrodden Evan, it gave us his brother Patrick (Robert Hoffman!!! Who I just spoke about last week!) and a reunion of sorts with Cappie! Evan, Cappie and Robert Hoffman in one room! Wow. That's a lot of white bread hotness going on there. And bonus points to Evan for dumping Frannie!

Loved Cappie's line of the incestuousness on campus, while talking to his little brother Rusty about Rusty's big sister Casey.

Oh, and an appearance from Janeane Garofalo? As a womans studies prof? Excellent! (Though she's looking mighty plasticized, which I'm kinda shocked about).

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...

Seventeen Syllables - Chuck, The Office And More

Because there was way too much TV on Mondays now (some of which I haven't even gotten to), I'm keeping my comments to a 17 syllable Haiku (5,7,5. Remember that from elementary school?). That's all I have time for right now.

Chuck - Chuck Versus the Third Dimension - Ep. 212

Chuck Is In Three D!
Lame When You Don't Have Glasses
But Dom Monaghan!

More on The Office, Gossip Girl, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Worst Week, The Bachelor, True Beauty, Corner Gas, Heroes, House:

The Office - Stress Relief - Ep. 513

Post SuperBowl Ep
Funny Then Bored Then Funny
Stanley Is Awesome


Gossip Girl - Carnal Knowledge - Ep. 217

Blair Against The Teach
Dan And Serena Are Off
So Dan Is On Teach


The Big Bang Theory - The Financial Permeability - Ep. 214

Penny Needs Money
Sheldon Lends Money To Her
This Cannot Be Good


How I Met Your Mother - The Possimpible - Ep. 414

Robin Is Jobless
Awesomeness Stops Deporting
Barney Keeps His Love


Worst Week - The Sex - Ep. 114

Sam Gets In Trouble
Again and Again, So Cute
And I Keep Laughing


The Bachelor - Jason Mesnick - Ep. 1304

Jason Is Still Hot
Still Can't Tell The Girls Apart
Stephanie Seemed Nice


True Beauty - Ep. 104

Ridiculous Show
Chelsea Is Finally Gone!
Why Do I Still Watch?


Corner Gas - Shirt Disturber - Ep. 610

Oscar Gets Alarm
Davis Replaces It With
A Calculator


Heroes

It's Back On T.V.
Does Anyone Still Watch This?
Cause I Sure Don't Care


House

It's The Hundredth Ep
I'm Going To Stop Watching
It's All The Same Again


Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

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.

More After the Jump...

Oh No They Didn't! - Gossip Girl, Worst Week, How I Met Your Mother and More

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

Gossip Girl - Gone With The Will - Ep. 215

You would think Dan would know better by now and seek out a cell phone as soon as he sees everyone starring at him. Especially when Blair's non-"obedient minions" are starring at him. (Kudos to minion #3 by the way for being in Gran Torino and getting a smackdown from Clint Eastwood himself! A strangely feel-good cathartic movie btw. A movie I shouldn't have liked but did.)

The dynasty-like hostile takeover over Bass Industries got quite intense between Jack and Chuck after Bart's will was read. Blair played CEO wife, while Chuck played with some hookers and coke, while Jack played him. I felt like the shoulder lapels should have been bigger and Alex Darlington would walk in from the next room. The boardroom shuffle hasn't been this entertainingly dramatic since Wall Street. Meanwhile, Blair loses more stocks than she could have ever imagined. But don't worry, none were the bitch stocks. Loved her comment to Serena after her facial reaction said it all to Blair. Blair: "I can't wait 'til you get Botox."

Meanwhile, Rufus and Lily's lovechild is alive and well but they were told that he died. On the heartwarming side, Serena finds out but finally calms down and S and Eric and Jenny and Dan become one pseudo happy family. Oh, and Nate has a heartwarming bro-moment with Dan too. Be still my heart!

And another appearance by Eric's boyfriend!


Worst Week - The Article - Ep. 110

I actually lifted up my hand to block the view and screamed out "oh sh!t" TWICE during the episode (once when Sam walked in on his mother-in-law at the Gynecologist and then again when he stole the article about seeing his mother-in-laws vagina from his father-in-law and then dropping it for his mother-in-law to find). Considering the show is a continuously repetitive series of oh-my-god-I-can't-believe-this moments, the show sure keeps things surprising and very very funny. And yet somehow really sweet. Seriously, this show turned out FAR better than anyone could have guessed. It's also remaining funny far longer than anyone could have guessed it could.

More on How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Corner Gas, The Bachelor, True Beauty

How I Met Your Mother - Benefits - Ep. 412

Props to the best usage of Spencer, Heidi and Kim Kardashian EVER, AND in one of the funnier episodes of the season, if not series. Though the cute kid in Lily's class might have taken the cake after finding out his parents are divorcing after Lily's good.

The editing and pace of the episode, jumping back from fighting Ted and Robin to being in bed, to Marshall seeing the exes in bed, to Barney going apesh!t on a TV set and then repeated until Barney finally figures out how to stop the cycle with lots of milk and a dishwasher. It was genius! And heartbreaking (Barney's to be exact).


The Big Bang Theory - The Killer Robot Instability - Ep. 212

I'm so glad Howard (Simon Helberg) got an episode to shine but now I noticed that Rajesh (Kunal Nayyar) nailed all his comedic moments. I mean, he was always funny with his facial reactions but every word spoken was hilarious this week.

And the show is finally branching out from Jim Parson's Sheldon and matching up Penny with the others. She's really becoming a strange glue to these boys.


Corner Gas - American Resolution - Ep. 608

I'm not sure what was funnier. The contest between keeping to each ones new years resolutions or tricking Oscar and making him think everyone thinks he's American. What a way to glorify the stereotypes. Hilarious!


The Bachelor - Jason Mesnick - Ep. 1302


Nope. Still can't tell any of the girls apart. As soon as I start liking a girl, I'll find myself mixing them up with someone else, or hating them again, or realizing I have no idea who they are. Just keep showing Jason without his shirt on and I'll keep watching. Plus I'm waiting for DeAnna's return. I'm such an easy sucker.


True Beauty - Ep. 102

I think the best part of the show is still at the end when the cleaners come to take down the losers portrait. Hilarious!

I will admit, Billy was kinda cute being so proud of his outfit and all.

More After the Jump...

NPH on SNL?

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

I watched the full episode of Saturday Night Live because Neil Patrick Harris was hosting.

Sorry. Still not that funny.

Harris was awesome, especially anytime he was paired with Kristen Wiig (and now I can see why everyone is saying she's the best thing about the show right now) but I think I laughed about 5 times in 90 minutes - the musical portions (because even though I love Taylor Swift, she seemed boring/bored on that stage).

The best skit was the ladies one with Harris and Wiig. Harris rocked that wig and fake boobs and nailed the accent. The Broadway one was amusing but seemed to skim the surface of potential comic gold. Plus I know they were just playing to the rest of America who has no idea what actual Broadway shows are currently on the Great White Way but using Cats, The Music Man, Annie? Really?

The Burger King commercial is probably the only one that'll be youtubeworthy (in that it was funny but stands alone and isn't too long).

More After the Jump...

Your Mother Does The Jonas Brothers

... and the winner of the favorite Entertainment Weekly How I Met Your Mother Pop Culture Moment of 2008 photo was:

The Jonas Brothers! Recreated by Jason Segel, Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders with 46% of the vote!

Man, this makes me laugh everytime! Each and every face has a hilarious expression on it.

Michael Phelps at the Olympics had 35% of the vote.
The Indiana Jones movie had 7%
The Sex and the City had 6%
The Vice-Presidential Debates had only 3%.

More After the Jump...

How I Love This Cast

Entertainment Weekly's photographers Williams + Hirakawa took these brilliant photos of big moments in 2008 recreated by the fabulous cast of How I Met Your Mother.

I don't think I could love Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel and Cobie Smulders any more than I do now! (And I already loved them a lot before!)

Michael Phelps and the US swim team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics:



Sex and the City: The Movie:


The Vice-Presidential Debate:


The introduction of The Jonas Brothers to the world:



Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:


I don't know which one I love more? The Jonas Brothers one is hilarious. The Indy one makes Cobie and Neil look smokin' hot. The Phelps Olympics one is hilarious PLUS we get to see Neil's pecs. Segel's face on the Vice-Presidential one is priceless. I like seeing Cobie and Radnor dressed up in the SATC one.

I think I would have first leaned to the Olympics but I think the Jonas Brothers makes me laugh the most. Plus it has all 5 cast members in it.

What's your fave? Vote on the sidebar until Tuesday!

More After the Jump...

Tears of Holiday Joy - The Big Bang Theory and More

The Big Bang Theory - The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis - Ep. 211

I'm not sure if I was crying because I was laughing so hard or if I was crying because I was so happy for Sheldon when Penny gave him the autographed knapkin (by Sheldon's hero Leonard Nemoy) for Christmas. I think it was a little bit of both.

I think I cried laughing/cried cried even more when Sheldon tried to return the generosity with baskets and baskets of soap AND a hug.

It was also nice to see a hottie nerd (Michael Trucco, Battlestar Galactica) around with Leonard and Penny both having a mancrush. Too bad we found out hottie nerd was married, and this was AFTER his date with Penny.



More on How I Met Your Mother, Worst Week, Chuck:


How I Met Your Mother - Little Minnesota - Ep. 411

We do NOT say aboot. Or oot. And everyone is afraid of the dark.

But yes, we do say "sorry" for everything. Even when it's clearly not our fault.


Chuck - Chuck Versus Santa Claus - Ep. 211

Someone crashes into the store and takes it hostage. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Chuck and Sarah bond during the hostage and the sparks continue to fly. Emmett manages to promote the store during the hostage while Tony Hale still manages to steal the spotlight from his small guest role. Adam Baldwin still grunts with the best emotion possible as Casey. Ellie and Captain Awesome are finally brought into the Buy More mix just as the hostage happened. And Morgan for once, saves the day! And Big Mike and Captain Awesome make for awesome tackling buddies! Plus Reginald VelJohnson! Whoa! Back in his Die Hard role! And no Urkel in sight! Woo!

I liked the hostage twist involving the Fulcrum and compromising the Intersect Chuck but I liked the little dark intel Chuck sees when Sarah decides to kill the Fulcrum/cop agent a point blank range. All to keep the secret of Chuck safe and to save his life. Still. Ouch.


Worst Week - The Gift - Ep. 110

Are you KIDDING ME? How cursed IS this family?

Sam buys a Cello for Melanie and this time ANGELA has HER worst week and breaks it.

Meanwhile, Sam convinces Dick to buy a car for Angela and manages to get it stolen right under his face (and bow).

Unbelievable. Yet unbelievably hilarious!

More After the Jump...

Laughing At All the Drama - Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Gossip Girl and More

Brothers & Sisters - Just A Sliver - Ep. 310

Always loved Scotty but the clincher here was his reaction to the news of Kevin's positive paternity results after Justin and Kevin are tested to see who really fathered niece Elizabeth. Luke Macfarlane's subtle reaction of reluctant acceptance and disappointment all while feigning some sort of acceptable decorum is why he's been a welcome addition to the cast.

But first, when Kitty, Kevin, Justin and Tommy try to get out of Thanksgiving dinner with Nora, Sarah's the lone brother or sister left to attend the family festivities (Sarah: "You're All Dead To Me... I hope you eat salmonella and die". Ouch!) but alas, Tommy and Julia (she's still in the show? She's still in the opening CREDITS???) discover their baby is gravely ill and discovers she needs a transplant, preferably from her real father. Which means they would need to track down which sperm, Kevin or Justin's, swam faster after they donated it to impregnate Julia.

After some shaky storylines this season and an inconsistent quality, it was nice to see an emotionally satisfying yet still funny episode of Brothers & Sisters, returning back to what it does best, in their Thanksgiving episode, albeit a week late as it seems. Shouldn't we be at the Christmas episode by now? Still, I won't complain considering the lack of truly great episodes this year. And at least they brought the Holly down to a minimum this week (which may have added to the quality).


Gossip Girl - O Brother, Where Bart Thou? - Ep. 213

And here's another show that bounced back from a bad one to make a truly fantastic episode (granted generally speaking, I think Gossip Girl's been having a great season). After last week's Vanessa-centric (groan) episode, Gossip Girl moves on by killing Bart. And so unceremoniously too in a car accident.

I've actually liked having Bart around, as the wedge between Lily and Rufus and as a chain to Chuck so I thought they killed him off too soon and could have milked his character a bit longer. On the other hand, Bart's death sure is keeping the ball rolling.

Chuck is devastated and blaming the Humphrey's for Bart's death. Blair is trying to comfort him back to no avail. CeCe returns as the new wedge between Lily and Rufus just as they've decided to move forth together, while Serena decides to reject Dan because... well... dating your potential step-brother is too creepy even for Gossip Girl.

And all the death talk leads Cyrus to move up his wedding with Eleanor, much to Blair's disappointment.

Alas, we get a wedding, a funeral AND lots of Chuck (Ed Westwick) looking mightily... well Chuck-ish with his frowny piercing eyes modeling for the fashion mags look. PERFECT!

Plus you can't deny that Chuck's final breakdown into Blair's bosoms didn't tear you up just a little? Even the little bastard deserves some empathy even after threatening Lily by exposing her institutionalized secret (oh, that lasted just about 9 months probably?) and continually hating on Dan just because he looks better with Nate (oh come on, you know there's a bromance jealousy lingering in the air).

So out with the Bart and in with the CeCe who now leaks the Lily baby info to Rufus and a new wedge is formed. Love that this soap knows how to dramatize the adults just as well as the horny kids.

More on Desperate Housewives, Privileged, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Worst Week:

Desperate Housewives - A Vision's Just a Vision - Ep. 510

Oooh, the gay porn episode and the story of Andrew's new FIANCE, Dr. Hottie er... Alex (Todd Grinnell) yet in a terrific twist, it doesn't exactly go the typical porn-past story route and turns it into a HEARTWARMING story. Still, it was hilarious to get there when Bree invites the neighbour gays (Lee and Bob) to a dinner party with Andrew and his new manfriend/roomate Dr. Alex when Bree discovers their relationship. When Lee and Bob recognize Alex from a gay adult video (one which they just recently rented! Though does anyone still RENT them anymore?), Bree susses it out from them and follows up by RENTING the video herself to bring it to Andrew's attention. (WHY oh WHY couldn't they have shown Bree renting the video? Comic gold totally lost right there!) In the twist and to ruin Bree's surprise, Andrew already knows and accepts Dr. Alex's filmography, especially considering Andrew's own sordid past, and Bree and Andrew hug it out. Awwww...

I do hope that doesn't mean the end of Andrew's plotline's because it's nice to see him around more often.

Meanwhile, MJ hates Katherine for dating his father after overhearing Susan saying she'll get back together with Mike. Laughed out loud when MJ threw the bowling ball on Katherine's toes.

In another heartwarming turn, Carlos discovers Gaby has sold his beloved Lou Gehrig and after fighting about it, with Gaby dancing her way on a table to get it back (it made sense in the show), Carlos realizes how far they've fallen when he discovers Gaby's empty closet and cue awww... Carlos sells the baseball to buy Gaby a new dress.

Finally, Porter is arrested for burning the bar down that killed a few people and Dave backs up the accusations. The story is getting even more intense but let's talk about what's most important. Doesn't Lynette's (and by that I mean Felicity Huffman) new do look fantastic? It's nice to know that when you've just bought off the woman whose been sleeping with your underage son and survived a tragic fire, one can always manage a fabulous makeover.

On top of that, it's nice to see Lynette having more kids than just Porter and Preston with a cherubic and cartoonish looking Parker (the adorable Joshua Logan Moore) finally speaking a few (and funny) lines.


Privileged - All About the Ripple Effect - Ep. 112

Speaking of horny kids, Sage may not admit to her crush on the help Luis, but Marco sure knows it (as does the rest of the staff) and gets Rose to feign a crush on the new chef to make Sage jealous. Meanwhile, the smart and sneaky Sage knows a thing or two about revenge and sets Rose up with HER crush Zach played by Dave Franco (again? he's not THAT great yet keeps getting roles. Do they think older brother James will show up or something?).

Gotta admit, Sage (Lucy Hale) sure plays cute well. Plus love Rami the butler. Between Dorota and Rami and Marco, I think there need's to be a new category at the Emmy's. Best Actor (or Actress) Playing the Help.

Meanwhile Megan's mom pops up, Lily apparently got married, and Will continues to be jealous of Charlie's relationship with Megan (but you have to admit, Michael Cassidy definitely has a charming and cute naturalism and his chemistry with JoAnna Garcia is palpable).


The Big Bang Theory - The Vartabedian Conundrum - Ep. 210

Okay, I've never had a problem with Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and I've always liked her presence on the show but she's been SOOOOOO great lately on the show as one of the guys and I love her rapport with Leonard post-dating is sweet and her reactions to Sheldon make them the new comic duo to beat on the show.

I'm actually shocked that Stephanie never met Penny before this week's episode in which Penny gives Leonard advice when he freaks out after discovering Stephanie and him were already living together.


How I Met Your Mother - The Fight - Ep. 410

Will Sasso always kind of freaked me out but his "wig" look just looked plain freaky. No wonder he learns to beat everyone up with the reactions he must get.

Between Barney punching himself in the face (and his lesbo pick up tactic), Lily's devoted yet mocking tone towards "manly" Marshall and Robin's newfound crush on the brawny Barney, the episode worked far better than one would have initially thought and I did like the clips of classic HIMYM scenes that conveniently showed Doug (Will Sasso) in the background.

Plus, with the Oh-No-He-Didn't dumped-by-his-fiance slight at Ted, Doug's comeuppance was hilarious despite all the violence on our good natured show (showing Ted's hand hurtin' after was a hoot too).


Worst Week - The Apartment - Ep. 110

There is life after the wedding and Worst Week is going to continue to mine the Oh-My-God-I-Can't-Believe-The-Predicament-Sam's-Getting-Into!

This time with boss Rachael Harris! And a promotion for Sam! And a toilet leak and pigeons and another disaster at their apartment that will force the newlyweds BACK to the in-laws. Normally I would groan if it weren't as hilarious done as they've done here.

More After the Jump...