Suckered In By The Cute Guy/Kookie Woman Combo Again - Valentine and Easy Money - 2008 Fall TV Pilot Reviews

Valentine - Pilot - Ep. 101 - Series Premiere - Airs on The CW/City on Sundays at 8pm
Easy Money - DNA - Ep. 101 - Series Premiere - Airs on The CW/City on Sundays at 9pm

The CW shows that aren't really CW shows since they apparently "sold" Sunday slots to the highest bidder... so I really don't get how it all works but it's the shows The CW seems to forget and most viewers probably will too.

And while they aren't first priority viewing shows, or maybe even second, both were not as bad as I suspected them to be.

Well, actually, to be frank, I watched because I'm totally shallow and both shows stars a cute actor I tend to like (Jeff Hephner (above, The OC) in Easy Money, Kris Polaha (Miss Guided) in Valentine) who co-star with great female character actresses (Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne) in Easy Money and Autumn Reeser (The OC) in Valentine). And dangit, the cute guy/kookie girl combo suckered me into both mediocre shows. Actually, bad shows that are elevated to entertainingly bad by the duos of Hephner and Metcalf on Easy Money and Reeser and Polaha on Valentine.

Valentine, about a bunch of love gods trying to unite destined lovers, is a cute and cheesy show that feels a bit cheap and syndicated but it'll probably do until Cupid comes on at least. There are a lot of laughable parts (where I'm guessing it wasn't supposed to be), a strong female lead (Jaime Murray) who feels completely at odds with the breeziness of Reeser and Polaha and the show as a whole, and everyone seems to have arrows or some magic power that brings the show to a Saturday afternoon Xena without the lesbian or comic-geek feel, but again, the always adorable Polaha and the under-respected Reeser are enough to keep the show afloat, for now.

Again, it's not a great show but there's an inherent cosiness to it. Essentially comfort food TV. It's not good for you and it's not even that good but sometimes you just need a big helping. And again, Autumn Reeser rocks and Polaha is just so darned cute. Even with the (unnecessarily) messy hair.

Easy Money still has that cheap look, this time a bit more of an indie low budget movie than syndication, probably because no one has magic powers, but the show fairs a teeny tiny bit better. Maybe it's because they keep trying to sell the show as "from a producer of The Sopranos" to make it feel deeper.

All they really have to do is keep showing lead Jeff Hephner's mug. It's the perfect plain handsome next door white guy look and he's got the bland likable white guy demeanor to play against the always kookie Laurie Metcalf. Who gets to use a drawl and highlight her hair a bright red on this show.

The show follows quick cash money lenders run by matriarch Laurie Metcalf while son Jeff Hephner turns on his smarts, and sometime muscle to collect on their loans, just as new competitors move into town. There's a timeliness to the whole money issue, sometimes accentuated by speeches that seem to spell out the whole show's philosophy but in the end, the show has a tacky feel to it that balances ill-timed comedic bits with a tiny bit of action and some family drama (the son may not be her son after all) and throwing a bit of potential romance (with Marsha Thomason (Las Vegas)) and yet, the duo of Metcalf and Hephner is fun enough to watch. Perfect on a Sunday afternoon when it's raining.

Valentine gets ** (2 stars out of 5)
Easy Money gets **1/2 (2.5 stars out of 5).

Both aren't great but there's something intrinsically entertaining enough on a slow laundry day that I didn't expect. You may be laughing at the show, but you're laughing! And again, at least there are cute boys to watch in the meantime.

The cast of Valentine:
Jaime Murray:

Kristopher Polaha:

Autumn Reeser:

Robert Baker:

More After the Jump...

Best of TV - Fall 2006/ Winter 2007 The Most Tapeworthy Shows Of The Television Season

This is my personal list of what I thought was the Best of TV during the Fall 2006 - Winter 2007 Television Season. (Entourage doesn't make it onto the list only because it was unavailable to me during this season so I haven't watched any of this years yet and need to play catch up).

I deemed the "Best" as somewhere in combination of quality and how much I found myself wanting to watch the next episode. (Number) in Brackets Is Ranking From December 2006 List.

Best of TV Fall 2006- Winter 2007 - The Most Tapeworthy Shows This Past TV Season

1. Friday Night Lights (3) - Simply, a perfect first season. Every episode was great. The characters were real and moving, the stories, honest and poignant. Almost every episode brought me to tears at some point (or watery eyes at the very least), which is not an easy feat for me. The Taylors are hands down the best written family on TV EVER.



2. Lost (6) - Even when I didn't make sense to me, I was dazzled and razzled and always left me wanting more. Of course when the finale wrapped up a lot of things (and of course threw in a billion more questions in the air), I knew this was thrilling TV on a philsophical level and that indeed, the journey from being Lost is all worth the ride.



3. The Office (2) - The gang at Dundler Mifflin always seem to get knocked out of first place on my list just as they are about to emerge into the top spot but this consistently funny show makes us care about the poor office drones stuck listening to Michael incesant commands and we are all the more lucky to listen in.



4. Ugly Betty (9) - Camp, Cartoonish and Corny, yet the TV show, led by the generous America Ferrara as the title character always balanced perfectly between the melodramatic, the comedy, and the actually serious parts. As the season continued, the show found it's perfect timing in the zippiness between all the wonderful characters that developed beyond caricature whilst still throwing out zany quips and some of the best lines on TV.



5. Veronica Mars (5) - While the show lost some of it's darkness without having one major arching mystery, we still got some of the best characters, and character development within the town of Neptune. Veronica and Keith still maintained the best father daughter relationship around. I'm going to really miss this show.



6. How I Met Your Mother (10) - With the exception of a very few regular episodes, the team here built on what could have been a tired premise and twisted usually clichéd plots (Lily and Marshall's breakup, Robin and Ted's relationship, the wedding plans, Barney) into ones with humour and pathos and more humour (between Robin Sparkles, Slap Bet, Barney's brother, and Slap Bet revenge 2, I fell on the floor several times laughing so hard).

7. Weeds (8) - Oh, life in Agrestic has been topsy turvy and between Celia as the new mayor and Nancy's new "business", the black comedy sure kept surprising me .

8. Heroes (11) - Popcorn fun with storylines that moved at the speed of light and a few enjoyable characters (Hiro and Ando, the Bennetts) that kept us pulled into the lives or ordinary heroes trying to save the world. Sometimes the plotting was too fast, not giving enough time for character development, and it ended with a whimper, but like a rollercoaster, it was cheap and fast while it lasted giving some good thrills along the way.

9. Brothers & Sisters (18) - The popcorn fun with a bit more estrogen, the soapy drama that followed the Walkers started out morosely and boringly but with Greg Berlanti's edition behind the scenes, the show whipped out faster plots, funnier dialogue and more poignant moments with a TV A-list cast that took the sometimes trashy (but joyous) scenes and knawed them to brilliant fun.

10. 30 Rock (Not Ranked) - Much like Brothers & Sisters, it started off slow, with a bit too many quirks and not enough quips to balance it out, but as the season went on, 30 Rock, and its cast of VERY colourful characters, including Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy, Tracy Morgan's Tracy Jordan, and Jack McBrayer's Kenneth the Page, surrounded Tina Fey's Liz Lemon and somehow turned it from absurd and weird TV into an absurdly hilarious weird television show.

11. The New Adventures of Old Christine (17)
12. The OC (Not Ranked)
13. Project Runway (14)
14. Bones (20)
15. My Name Is Earl (19)
16. Men In Trees (Not Ranked)
17. Scrubs (12)
18. Grey's Anatomy (4)
19. Boston Legal (Not Ranked)
20. Notes From The Underbelly (Not Ranked)


Shows that Used to be good, started this season bad, but finally ended well : Gilmore Girls
Shows that Used to be good, started this season good, then lost some of its mojo:
The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives
Shows I Really Like That I Still Find Myself Missing, Then Forget To Watch Later: Everybody Hates Chris, House, Supernatural
Honourable Mentions for good shows that need(ed) a bit more time to grow: Smith, Help Me Help You
Shows I Know I Shouldn't Like That I Still Did: The Class, Justice, American Idol
Procedurals I Don't Watch Regularly But Are Still Decent: Without A Trace, Cold Case, L&O:SVU

Shows I Finally Gave Up On: ER, 24, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, What About Brian

Best of TV 2006
Best of TV Fall 2005- Winter 2006
Best of TV 2005

More After the Jump...

The OC - The End

The End's Not Near, It's Here


The Finale.

It's really over. It's Really Really The End for The OC.

I don't know what to say, cause I'm actually saddened by this. Though I guess I'm okay with the wrap up they did at the end (though the roundabout way with Bullet and Frank and Julie seemed a little filler to me). Still, I was glad they came all around back to Ryan as the central focus and that he succeeded as an architect like they had hinted back in season 2. Except for the fact that I'm working on something similar and would LOVE to see someone like Ben McKenzie in the title role...

Still, while sappy, I enjoyed seeing Seth and Summer part ways as they should of, but still see them get married as they flashed forward 6 years. They got to have their (wedding) cake and eat it too. Splitting up and being somewhat realistic about the situation and still getting the Hollywood happening ending we all secretly want (I mean, we DO watch The OC, what are we expecting? Pulitzer Prize winning depth?)

Plus Julie getting her degree, Bullet still being apart of their life, Frank too... ah, it all works out perfectly doesn't it? But I'll forgive them for it. It is the finale and we deserved it don't we.

Now, when does the spinoff The Berkeley start with The Cohens and Ryan?

Anyways, I really do hope I see the actors in a new project. Melinda Clarke is already signed onto a new pilot (The Man I believe). As I've said before, the other actors all deserve to too.

I wish I could go rewatch the first season again now, except for the fact that that bitch Mischa Barton essentially took off with my copy of my Season 1 DVD's. Seriously, they don't pay her enough already that she had to take MY copy? And you wonder why I hate her (and seems like most other fans of The OC did too, and again, if this excellent 4th season just proved, The OC WAS in fact better without her in quality, just not in free tabloid publicity).

Alas, The OC started with a bang, and ended in a nice sentimental mush (but totally deserved), with a strong first 3/4 season and a great 4th season (but we will try to forget Oliver and Pool Boy and Lesbian affair and Kirsten drunk and Sandy's philandering affair) and remember Seth's nerdy appeal that Summer fell in love with, The Music, the parties that always ended in Ryan punching someone out, Julie Cooper Nichol Cooper Roberts Bullet and Sandy and Kirsten Cohen (during the good years) as the parents we most loved (now passed onto The Taylors on Friday Night Lights, seriously people. Start watching. TRUST ME).

So so long The OC, you made Mischa Barton a fixture in the tabs, you spawned Laguna Beach and all the hell its wrought, but you also made the cool emo soundtrack come back to TV and made nerd (well, TV nerd at least) cool again and gave Peter Gallagher a good job for a while. You brought us Autumn Reeser, Ben McKenzie, Willa Holland, Rachel Bilson and made Adam Brody, Melinda Clarke and Kelly Rowan more (deservedly) famous.

More After the Jump...

The OC - Shaky Ground

The Night Moves


I'm not sure I liked the new camera work on the second to last new episode of The OC. The Cohens, The Coopers, Taylor and Summer all deal with the earthquake that shakes The OC to the core. Both the city within the show and the show.

Ryan is cut and asks Seth for help, without telling Taylor or Summer. Summer and Taylor try to survive but end up shooting a flare into Taylor's mom. Kirsten is hurt and Sandy rushes her to the hospital, but alas, the new baby girl is well. Julie and Kaitlin are trapped in an ice cream shop, where another nerdy boy reveals his love for Kaitlin (funny but at this point in the show, is it necessary anymore to bring in another random guy love crush only to disappear forever?), and Frank comes to the rescue.

We leave with The OC shaken to the core and the Cohens discover their house is damaged and destroyed, but the relationships are solid between our favorite OC'ers. Only one final episode left as we bid farewell...

I don't want to talk about it...

Meanwhile, casting agents, I hope you've called this cast and set them up with new gigs. ABC casting agents, you've done such a great job already (see Brothers & Sisters, Ugly Betty, Lost), why not continue your excellent work and grabbing Autumn Reeser or Ben McKenzie while you still can?

More After the Jump...

TV SO GOOD! Why Am I Going Away on Vacation Again?

Not on vacation yet (That's March) but been away and going away a lot for work and wedding's so still needing to heed my own advice and tape everything from the week. Here's the rundown of this week's catch-up! Love it all!

Friday Night Lights - Blinders


The Assistant Coach blurts out a racist comment and things slowly brew to a boil in Dillon. Tami tries to fix things unsuccesfully while Julie and Tyra continue to be partners in crime, and are served a detention by being forced onto the girls football game led by team leaders Saracen and Riggins.
At this point, the show is practically perfection. It hasn't had a bad episode yet and each one gets deeper and deeper, more profound, and deeply moving yet extremely funny.

Lost - Not in Portand


So Juliet is sort of trapped on the island too? That explains a lot. And yet nothing either, but what a fantastic episode. To all those that got lost on Lost, it's too bad for you dude.

My Name is Earl - Blow


What a sweet way to explain Jamie Prestley's real life pregnancy by having her impregnated with her half-sisters baby. Plus DJ Squalls as her brother-in-law!

The Office - Phyllis' Wedding


I think I need to start doing what Creed does after all the weddings I've had to go to.

Ugly Betty - Brothers


Okay, I love the Alexis thing now. Leave it to Ugly Betty to explain a transexual characteer into the mix and seem perfectly wholesome, normal and hilarious. Plus more Justin and Marc. The LGBT groups are going to be lauding this show like crazy aren't they? Deservedly so too. Emmy should be listening up (and also listening to Friday Night Lights)

The OC - The Shake Up


Taylor tries to get Ryan to save "I Love You" to her. Leave it to Taylor to make that whole scheme hilarious. Love that this show is getting back to its roots as a comedy disguised as a soap. Too bad there's only 2 more eps left.

Grey's Anatomy - Walk on Water


Finally an ep that breezed right by (in a good way) leaving us wanting more. Finally Meredith is whiny and pathetic but understandably so. This is how she's supposed to have been the entire series.

Men In Trees - Nice Girls Finish First


Orlando Jones shows up as George, Buzz's long-lost gay son and things go well until Buzz learns of the gay fact. Patrick and Annie set up George with Mario Cantone's gay hairdresser. Jane and Plow Guy Sam make sweet, but then things don't go so well. Love that this show takes the sweet regular route at first and then puts a realistic twist on the whole preceding.

Scrubs - My Road To Nowhere
Road Trip! GASP... JD doesn't know she's lying about the miscarriage!!!

30 Rock - Up all Night
Who is new lawyer dude for Liz Lemon? I likey...

Bones - The Girl in the Gator
First Stephen Fry and then they also have Eddie McClintock? and was that Ted of Bill and Ted's (Alex Winter)? AND French Stewart? Plus I've always liked Eric Jungmann from the underated remake of Night Stalker. Give the casting agent a raise!

More After the Jump...

The OC - Frankly My Dear, I Don't Give A Damn

The Case of the Franks

Or the (far funnier than one would expect) Valentine's Day episode where Ryan wants to skip the date to ease the pressure on him and Taylor. Taylor finds an address and follows it to Frank Atwood. She sets up a dinner date for them all and bump into Julie and Bullit and realise Frank's love for Julie Cooper. Taylor being Taylor decides to meddle and try to get them together. All the while, Kirsten looks through old photos of her and Jimmy Cooper, flashing back to old days when all were young in the OC.

We get the hilarious tale of Lil'Seth's first love for Lil'Summer, only they find out it was all a sham since Lil'Summer stole the poem that Seth still has to this day, from Lil'Taylor Townsend.

Back in non-flashback mode, Kaitlin catches wind of Taylor (and Ryan's) plot to get Julie away from Bullit and back together with Frank, so as Kaitlin declares "It's War Bitch". Taylor's description of future Julie with future really-old Bullit and her wife duties was one for the record. The battle has begun as Kaitlin trains Bullit to up his game, while Taylor steals Julie disguised as the chauffeur driver.

After Summer is told her future is with a certain George, and worrying if Seth was meant to be for her after all, she lands a job with an environmental blog called G.E.O.R.G.E. who heard about Summer. Alas, she decides to take the job taking her away from Seth for another year, but leave the relationship still full of hope but without being tied down.

Kaitlin steals Julie back from the impromptu date with Frank, but on their way to Bullit's jet plane, we see Julie's real feelings shine through and she goes back to Frank while a saddened Kaitlin tells Bullit the bad news. Which is too bad because the Kaitlin, Julie, Bullit pseudo family was kind of cute despite the fact that Julie was doing it partially for money. Couldn't she see Bullit treating Kaitlin so well and fall for him? ARGH...

At least we still have Ryan and Taylor to fawn over. At least for another 3 more weeks...

More After the Jump...

The OC - The Casting Couch

The Groundhog Day

A week early isn't it? All thanks to Fox I'm guessing who is just burning the episodes away to make way for the American Idol channel (they bumped last nights new Bones to next week as well, and sadly, America totally bought the lame auditions up).

So, calling all casting agents, get thee Autumn Reeser (as Taylor Townsend) a new pilot show since it is that season again and now that The OC is done and not moving on at Fox or CW. Girl has got SOMETHING that just pops off the screen. While you're at it, bring Ben McKenzie on, who hasn't shined this brightly since he starred opposite Oscar nominee Amy Adams in Junebug. I'm pretty sure Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody will be totally fine now that they've gotten some pretty good film roles, but hopefully Willa Holland will get recognized from this ratings-deprived but hilarious season.

Anyways, Kaitlin has been emailing Bullet pretending to be Julie in a somewhat sweet story that will wrap up Julie in a nice ending.


Che's love of otter (aka Seth) ends up being a lame mistake. Che makes Seth help him free a groundhog but ends up meeting his real soul mate, a girl in a groundhog costume.

Taylor stalks Ryan and tries to avoid him all the same setting her up for many pratfalls. Though they finally re-unite and all is well (at least until the next episode)!

Sandy and Ryan try to seek out something for her birthday the entire episode but the main important thing is that Kirsten is pregnant and now our second favorite parents (Eric and Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights just won out this year) will be busy again after the show finishes (at least in imaginary The OC world)!

Meanwhile, Julie breaks it off with her other man, who we discover is, gasp, Frank Atwood, who was ready to propose. Which would have made Julie Cooper related to everybody on the show at some point or another.

More After the Jump...

The Catch Up and TV Just Got Started

Boy, a week goes by fast. Most of the new eps are finally just starting and I'm already falling behind and it's not even February yet. Eeks. Anyways, here's some quick recaps about the past week.

The OC - The Dreamlover
What was with this episode? I felt like I missed half an episode since The French Connection. When did Che come to Newport and become friends with Seth? And Otter dream? what? Was Ryan not saving Taylor from Henri-Michel enough to piss her off THAT much? How did Julie's manservant service become tedious all of a sudden and why does Kiki have to be such a downer about it? Still, it was actually all kinda worth it for the final scene when they explain the Otter as Che in love with Seth. Fantastic! Some gay man love finally on The OC. It's about time.


Ugly Betty - In or Out
Wilhelmina is planning her list of those with her and those with Daniel and Amanda doesn't make the cut. Marc sneaks her a hint to screw over Daniel but instead helps Betty make herself look even better as Betty is brought back to Mode upon Daniel's return. Hilda tries to start a cupcake business to little success, revealing her doubts about being a mother to Justin, while Daniel and Betty share more moments bonding in their weird and wonderful relationship, with Daniel revealing to Betty that Henry totally digs her (and with news that Christopher Gorham being back for the rest of the season and joining the cast for next year, this is GREAT!). Finally, we find out who Wilhelmina SLA-TAH is talking to, and as I suspected, it's GASP! Alex Meade, now Alexis Meade, who looks awfully a lot like Mystique (and if you noticed, Rebecca Romijn is on the main cast list, before Michael Urie as Marc even gets on. That's just WRONG). Meanwhile, Marc and Amanda are simply HILARIOUS as the new Jack and Karen.


The Office - The Return
Oscar is back from his gaycation and Dwight comes back from working at Staples. Plus I just finally found out from reading People magazine (it was free, don't hate me) that Rashida Jones (Karen) is Quincy and Peggy Lipton's daughter. No wonder she's so beautiful.

Scrubs - My Musical
Not as good as Buffy's Once More With Feeling but pretty good still!

Grey's Anatomy - Six Days Part 1 & 2
George's Dad undergoes a surgery that he never really understood and is in a coma and George is pissed off. Izzie anonymously pays for George-Michael's Anne surgery and Bailey pulls her off the case again for being too close. Karev and Addison have a moment, Meredith snores, and Christina goes bonkers while caring for Burke while being ignored at the same time. Still, all I can remember is the REAL Drama behind this show which is too bad...

Men in Trees - History Lessons
Patrick tries to ask Annie to marry him and Lynn decides to stay and takes up Jack's time from Marin (though apparently not in real life as word is James Tupper and Anne Heche are doing it for real, both leaving their spouses... can actors NOT shack up with their co-stars? It's called ACTING). Sarah comes back (Yey) and is getting out of the "hospitality" business.

Desperate Housewives - No fits, No Fights, No Feuds, Not while I'm Around, No Come Play Wiz Me
Alma is back and pyschotically attached to Orson (as well as someone's teeth) causing grief for Bree. Lynette saves the pizzeria before it even opens and then leaves her job to work for Tom. Paul Young befriends Mike in prison for the purpose of reconnecting with Zach. Meanwhile, Zach's rich inheritance lets him spend tons to woo Gabrielle. The whole Orson stuff is getting darker and creepier which is getting good, though I hope they somehow wrap in the Mike and Paul Young stuff back into it.

Brothers and Sisters - Something Ida This Way Comes
Our favorite Happy Days mom Marion Ross plays yet another disliked grandmother (Gilmore Girls, Out of Practice) and comes to wreak havoc at Nora's 60th birthday. Sarah makes the plans but gets sick, leaving Kevin to pick up the pieces as he has his affair with the closeted soap actor. Jack McCalister lends his chef to the party and is instantly loved by Nora despite the opposing politics. Jack and Kitty continue to flirt as they hide in the closet where the booze is hidden so that Justin doesn't get a hold of it while Tommy babysits. Meanwhile, Sarah and Joe's sextape makes it onto the video tribute for Nora. Worst plot point for a laugh. Would NEVER happen. They would never have handed it to the editor. The editor would have never put it in. Still, it was like a bad soap opera episode acted with a great cast. Love it! Can't wait for Emily Van Camp to join! Woohoo!


How I Met Your Mother - Columns
hmm... I just noticed the episode name. Funny since I just found out one of my architect friend had chipped his tooth once when he was little for chasing a girl and smashing into a column. Meanwhile, Ted who is now boss must fire his ex-boss (Bryan Cranston) and not look like the mean boss everyone else assumes he must be. Meanwhile, the gang finds a naked painting of Marshall, but after the taunting, Barney wants one too and pays Lily to paint him in all his buff awesomeness. Awesome!

Heroes - Godsend
Ando and Hiro get the sword they need to fight the museum dinosaur but alas, it's a fake from the Linderman group. This convinces Nate Petrelli that something MAY be connected. Claire tries to convince Zack of their former friendship before his mind was erased, while Matt Parkman's powers are still being subdued by the Haitian and ends up looking like an idiot in front of the feds. Niki is in jail and crazy, and crazy for geting dreadlocks.


The New Adventures of Old Christine - Let Him Eat Cake
It's Richard's birthday, Old Christine gives New Christine an idea for an awesome gift but then gets jealous when she gets all the credit. I love the dynamics between Richard and Old Christine.

Veronica Mars - Show Me the Monkey
She's back and so is Mac as they try to solve the case of the missing monkey from the lab. A PETA-like organization is blamed but Veronica Mars is on the case. Meanwhile, Logan and Veronica are broken up but alas, their passion brings the back together by the end of the ep! Dean O'Dell's death cannot be a suicide thanks to Papa Mars but it'll be another month before we find out who did it. I liked that Parker, Mac and Veronica united to help solve the case. Meanwhile, Piz is pissed that Logan and Veronica are back together after his impassioned hint to Veronica about his own love for her.

Gilmore Girls - Santa's Secret Stuff
Christmas comes to the Gilmore house late so that Rory back from London can enjoy it. Luke pursues his paternal rights case while Lane goes crazy while she's pregnant as Mrs. Kim rules the roost, and the band get's back together!

Meanwhile on reality TV, why all the hubbub about American Idol judges being mean? They always are during the auditions process. Every year the press says the same thing, you know, because American Idol needs the publicity...

Meanwhile, does anybody find Austin (who seems to be one of the 6 rumoured professional ringers snuck in to ensure some backup plan) from Grease: You're The One That I Want extremely creepy?

More After the Jump...

The OC - French Toast

The French Connection

"Monsieur, I am not askeeeng for a beateeeng, please keep yur paws away"

Seth goes up to Seattle Grace to ask Mr. Roberts for permission to marry Summer, knowingly that he will answer no, but in the process, realizes that he actually definitely wants to stay with Summer for the rest of his life. There's also a funny bit about a unicorn stabbing that pokes fun of Grey's Anatomy. Seriously.

Summer tries to find herself by finding her past through the newpsies bimbos friends, only to be haunted by Che's words of wisdom to find herself once and for all. Summer turns down Seth's renewed engagement proposal. Thank god. I was fearing that they would turn it back down the path of no return, and yet again, they take another twist from the clichéd.

Kirsten finds out about Julie's little male prostitution operation and cuts her out of the business. Kaitlin fights her attraction to geek Will (singer Chris Brown who seems to be actually trying to act instead of the usual musician traipsing in as veiled versions of themselves) and I stop fighting my love for Kaitlin, for ever being related to that annoying sisters of hers.

Finally, Henri-Michel, Taylor's French ex-husband, shows up in Newport promoting his new novel which is a thinly disguised account of their torrid love affair. Ryan is threatened, but not by the sexual past but of his poor and uneducated upbringing against their intellectual bantering and things fall apart when Ryan realizes that while Taylor says shes okay with it, it actually isn't.

Ah, it all reminds me of my semester in Europe... c'est la vie!

More After the Jump...

The OC - The Beginning to The End

The My Two Dads

Frank Atwood, Ryan's dad, shows up in Newport and doesn't cause as much trouble as I thought he would, though he did give Ben McKenzie as Ryan more chances to speak and emote to prove that yes, he can actually act (see Junebug, even though he pretty much played someone who doesn't really speak). Frank fakes cancer to see Ryan but Sandy finds out and punches out Hercules (Kevin Sorbo as Frank).

The big surprise was with Seth and Summer's engagement which felt like it could have brought us back to lame OC for the final eps but the hilarious plot of each of them trying to smoke out the other to back out of the engagement first was fresh, proving that yes, this year, The OC really has improved. Sadly, without its annoying "star" Mischa Barton (you bitch, you stole my DVD's and left town), The OC is failing in numbers (though I say more because its against Grey's Anatomy which would pull the same audience) and the stick gets to gloat about it. We can't let the bulemic win.

At least The OC will end it's 4 seasons on a high.

More After the Jump...

The OC is Great Again and Now Fox Cancels It.

I noted this in my Best of TV 2006 column but I caught up with The OC during the Christmas break and it really is GREAT again this season. We all guessed Marisa's death would be great to purge the worst whinny downer part of the show but we were all being hopeful. Season 4 has exceeded my expectations and made it back onto my appointment TV. That being said, I've been in denial all day about the reports of its cancellation but alas, it's apparently true. Just as Autumn Reeser as Taylor Townsend single handily revived the series and made Ryan Atwood smile and funny.

I'm actually really sad about this. A year ago, it would have been a relief to get rid of The OC, but now, I'm actually truly sad about this news (and just checking the message boards on the TV Guide report but seems like many feel the same way I do). Leave it to Fox to axe a show just as it was on the uprise (see Kitchen Confidential, Arrested Development, Action etc) while they leave on crap like 'Til Death or The War at Home (which really, have no possibility of saviour since they were never good to begin with to be revived).

I guess at least The OC ends on a high note in its wonderful 4th season (much like last years Everwood). Hmm... Chris Pratt is not having a good 12 months is he.

Well, remaining episodes of The OC start again tonight (Thursday, Jan 4th) at 7pm on CTV in Canada, 9pm on Fox until the Series Finale on February 22nd.

More After the Jump...

Best of TV 2006

So, it's the end of the year and here are my picks for the Best of TV of 2006 (and yes, that includes ALL of 2006). I thought it was a great year, so I had to up my usual top 10 to a top 20, and some good shows that had potential to be on, were sadly cut short (Love Monkey, Smith, The Nine) so never really given the time to grow into a possible great show.

So here is my list, compiled from a mix of what I think had the best quality, was my favorites to watch, the ones I look forward to most, and which entertained, thrilled, made me laugh, and moved me the most. My first three picks have made me cry (whether from laughter or emotional involvement), and to be honest, from 4-8 could all be mixed around in any order, and I would be okay with it, and again from 9-15.

1. Everwood - Like I said back in June, it combined comedic and dramatic heartfelt family drama into one powerful and realistic hour every week in Everwood, Colorado. By year 4, we had grown to love all the warmful joys and irritating realities of the Brown and Abbott's in what is one of, if not the, best family drama's ever. Never boring or panders, never simplistic but always hilarious, and all with a pitch perfect cast.

2. The Office - Hilarity ensues in the Dundler Mifflin Paper Supplies Office with all the absurdities of the daily grind, all while we get emotionally involved in Pam and Jim's relationships and even idiot boss Michael's life. From Dwight to Toby to Oscar, Angela, Stanley, Phyllis, Ryan, Kelly, Kevin, Creed, Meredith and now add in Karen and Andy from the new office and it was a very great year for us voyeurs.


3. Friday Night Lights - More than just about football, it's about life around a high school in small town America. It's about family, friendships, loyalty and growing up, and Friday Night Lights looks at it all in an unflinching manner. Gritty and real, it's almost too painful to watch yet somehow it elicits such joys in the little great moments of life, that it moves me to tears so far in every episode.


4. Grey's Anatomy - Yes, Meredith was annoying at times, Izzie's love for Denny and her decision to cut the cord was idiotic, and Burke and Christina's conspiracy to hide his shaky hand was just plain dumb, but nothing on TV made us want to yell at the TV, scream at the characters, laugh at the lines, and enjoy all the melodrama within the halls of Seattle Grace. In essence, the great smart soap opera that intelligently goes beyond justifying itself as a guilty pleasure so that there no longer has any guilt involved.


5. Veronica Mars - Smart and sassy Veronica Mars lives in the dark and twisted town of Neptune and helps solve cases as a detective, be it in high school or at college. From solving the case of a school bus crash, to a series of rapes at Hearst College, Veronica is our woman for the job!


6. Lost - Infuriating and frustrating, yes, but always fascinating and compelling. Still gives me the shivers in every episode, and we get frustrated because they make us care so much about the Losties as we discover who they really are. The show is a huge cryptic puzzle and while we have no idea if we may ever get an answer, its basically a breakdown of regular people (we think) dealing with an impossible situation. An arthouse drama in serial format, with a bit of mystery thrown in.


7. Arrested Development - The final episode alone should be enough to place this show onto any classic TV shows list, but the story of the Bluth family came to a (sadly early) conclusion but never without gigantic laughs.


8. Weeds - Mary Louise Parker's fierce and funny performance as Nancy Botwin is only matched by her amazing ensemble (Elizabeth Perkins as her ferocious friend Celia, Martin Donovan as the calmly FBI Drug Enforcement Office who marries Nancy, Justin Kirk as her lovable id brother-in-law Andy, Kevin Nealon as the lazy politician Doug, Tonye Patano as the mother of all weed distributor Heylia and Romany Malco as Nancy's new partner Conrad), as we follow Nancy as she opens up her own operation growing weed herself (with partners Conrad, Doug and Andy) and gets herself entangled with the law, or so to speak, all while dealing with two kids and a blackmailing nanny.

9. Ugly Betty - Who would think that at the beginning of the year, we would be watching and loving an ugly Betty on Thursdays at 8pm? A perfect balance of campy gay fashion fun, heartwarming moments and some nice dramatic twists, all with characters that move beyond their initial stereotypes in story arch's that always takes a nice twist of oddity from the normal Hollywood plots (that eventual makeover for Betty? Hilarious!). With quotable comedic lines spat out from every characters mouths, all who have some sort of charm and lovability (in what other show would you fall in love with nasty Marc or Becky, or heck, even Wilhelmina?) and the relationship between Betty and her boss Daniel is special and has stayed away from creepiness. They make no apologies (Justin would not exist in another show, or done poorly at least) and Ugly Betty, the show, and the character are proud of exactly what they are and that is just fantastic!


10. How I Met Your Mother - From Barney's lines to Lily and Marshall's painful breakup and roller coaster relationship to avoiding the usually inevitable boring and tedious relationship when the main characters finally get together (Robin and Ted), this show has grown more and more enjoyable every week. Will the words Slap Bet or Let's Go To the Mall every be the same? Legendary!


11. Heroes - At parts frustrating because some of the clunky dialogue and cheesy moments stall the usually zippy show. Dark (though at times too dark) and light, its popcorn fun at its best with some great characters about regular people discovery their new talents and forced to become heroes (and note, not superheroes) to save the world.

12. Scrubs - Consistently balancing absurd slapstick humour with emotionally human moments, it can always be reliable for saving our heart and soul.

13. The Loop - New college graduate gets a real grown-up person's job at an airline company only to realise the corporate world is even crazier than living with his idiot brother and 2 other young and naive roommates. Fiercely funny particularly at work and Bret Harrison is a great central foil for the zaniness that surrounds him.


14. Project Runway - Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum lead a pack of designers as they fight their way to New York Fashion Week. Bitchy, plotting, sewing, and frocks, the design world comes alive as we watch amateurs try to become professionals all under the insightful but biting eyes of the judges (Nina Garcia, Michael Kors and Heidi). Reminds me of my days back in architecture school in the studio. Who knew fashion could be so much fun?


15. Entourage - The boys were back but Ari, up to his usual antics finally pushes Vince and co. to the breaking point as the boys each try to forward their own careers (Turtle as music producer to Saigon, Drama as always to get his own agent, and Vince and Eric making their way through e politics of Hollywood as Vince wants to make a movie for passion while under a deal for Aquaman 2. Not as great as season 2 but boy have we grown to love this overgrown boys bunch.


16. So You Think You Can Dance - So I dismissed this show at first because the first season never really kept my attention, but by the time the auditions were through, we knew we had a very special bunch of dancers this year and I was hooked. Travis, Benji, Heidi, Martha, Donyelle, Allison, Dimitri, Ryan, Natalie and Ivan danced to routines from choreographers Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson and more and gave us some joyous and sexy moments (like the Sexy Back routine, Hide and Seek, Calling You, Sexy Love, Ramalama etc. etc) that thrilled us and made watching these amateurs perfect their talent such a hoot to watch.


17. The New Adventures of Old Christine - Finally a traditional family sitcom that is funny, modern and relevant.


18. Brothers and Sisters - Not perfect yet but the Walker clan is definitely fun to watch amongst all the messiness within the funny family drama, in part due to Everwood's Greg Berlanti addition as showrunner partway through this first season, and one to watch for.


19. My Name is Earl - Always funny and surprisingly heartwarming with some of the best guest appearances around (who knew Roseanne would be such a welcome sight again?). Plus, any show that shows Jaime Pressly as funny as she is as Joy deserves recognition.


20. Bones - A procedural yes, but one that really makes us care about the characters and doesn't just become a case-of-the-week show. Plus its very funny which helps the mood.

Consistently good shows left off the list:

Everybody Hates Chris

The Amazing Race

House

Men in Trees

Help Me Help You

ER

Shows presumed dead or almost dead that have improved vastly in the second half of 2006:

The OC - Seriously, how did this show resurrect itself from practically dead to fabulously wonderful again in its 4th season. Ironically all initiated with the death of a main character. Who would have thunk Taylor Townsend (Autumn Reeser) would be the saviour for the show, even making Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) funny and changing the show from the Seth and Summer show to the Taylor and Ryan show? Bonus points for Melinda Clarke's emotional performance of the damaged Julie Cooper.

Desperate Housewives - What a horrible sophomore slump but as the housewives have done time and time again in their lives, the show is slowly clawing its way back to its first seasons' excellency.

Survivor: Cook Islands - Finally someone smart wins for controlling the game based on a numbers game, after being in the underdogs tribe we rooted for, plus add a double backstabber in Jonathan, a lovelorn kook in Billy and some genuinely smart strategic moves (finally, a hidden immunity idol used properly).

Questionable but entertaining shows nonetheless:

Boston Legal

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Gilmore Girls

Alias

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

30 Rock

Shows I hear/know are great but haven't had the chance to see the whole season this year yet so are left off my list.

Big Love

Rome

Battlestar Galactica

24

Life on Mars

The Wire

Dexter

Here is my Best of TV list from June 2006 for the 2005/2006 TV Season

Here is the list of Best of TV 2005 when Everwood first shot to the top of the list.

More After the Jump...