Dancing with the Stars - Make sure you get Cheryl

Okay, so it would be really cool to have Emmett Smith win this whole shindig. He's sweet, it would be such an underdog story, and he has improved to become a very good dancer. Still, he's no match for Mario Lopez and those swivelling hips. I've always had a certain attachment to Jessie Spano and Slater for some reason, so I've always been rooting for Mario.

A message to other D-list celebrities. If you intend to do this show, make sure you partner up with Cheryl Burke. This is now her second time to make it to the finals out of 3 seasons. She's gotta be a good teacher...

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Friday Night Lights - Smash Mouth

Homecoming

Smash learns more about the scouting process and gets his nerves shot from it, despite his big confident mouth. Tyra plans a anti-homecoming party with Tim's loser brother Billy to make some serious cash with the help of her stripper sister and friends. Jason Street makes his triumphant return to the football field as the honorary Panthers leader and Tim stops drinking after Lyla makes a comment about it. Jason is suspicious of Tim and Lyla but the blowout will happen next episode.

The 2000 champ Lucas Mize returns home only to ask Coach Taylor in desperation for a job, since his life took a turn downward after his high school football star years.

Smash fumbles the homecoming game, with Tim saving the day. It leads Smash to seek some help in the form of a needle and vial (I'm guessing steriods?).

So we finally learn more about Smash but in doing so, we get little of Saracen, the heart of this show, and the little of Jason Street isn't enough to compensate. Tyra is still left on the outskirts of all the storylines, while Taylor rants a bit too reverend-like this time.

Oh, but the good news which I forgot to mention, is that NBC (despite the low ratings) has picked up a full season of Friday Night Lights!!! WOOHOO!!!

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Hereos - Chapter 8

Seven Minutes to Midnight

Okay, I usually don't like watching shows out of order and due to some charity function (damn you needy people!) I fell behind 4 weeks ago and haven't had time to catch up (damn me trying to get a life!) on Heroes.

However, I watched last nights anyways and could pretty much figure what's still going on, and since the new catchphrase of the year is "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World", I was basically all caught up just from buzz alone.

Still enjoy it but doesn't the whole "find the Haitian" thing sound a bit racist somehow? haha.. or is it just complete coincidence?

Hiro's encounter at the diner with the girl who could learn things fast was super cute, and one can only hope he will actually go back in time to save her even though it's going to affect the future.

Love that Chloe Duvall is still around to annoy Matt Parker (Greg Grunberg) and while I'm not an Ali Larter hater, her absence last night was actually a bit refreshing (though so was Milo Ventimiglia and I actually do love him from The Opposite Sex and Gilmore Girls).

I'm a little confused with the whole Mohinder stuff in India (or I'm not really sure I care yet), plus Isaac's drug problem is kinda annoying me to the point where I kinda want to shoot up just to not deal with it, but whatever.

Alright, but seems like I really need to catch up before next week's episode when November Sweeps really seems to take over! Exciting!

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The Office & How I Met Your Mother - Cutest Couples Competition

The Office - Branch Closing
How I Met Your Mother - Atlantic City

Scranton offices are announced to be closing by Jan, and Michael takes it hard while Ryan, Stanley and Pam are secretly happy about the news, until a reversal of fortune forces Jan to close down Stanford instead, amalgamating the two offices in Scranton. Will Jim get to keep his job and move back, and forced to work alongside Pam again? Will Karen follow? Of course they will, this is TV! Will Jim and Pam end up together? Will Karen get her way and land Jim? Will Roy seduce Pam again? Meanwhile Ryan and Kelly are back together again since the job situation no longer forces them to be apart. Ryan is thrilled. Poor Ryan.

Meanwhile, with Lily and Marshall back together, they decide to skip the fear of facing the relatives Marshall had been forced to tell of their first wedding cancellation. So off the group goes to Atlantic City to elope! Except this isn't Las Vegas and it isn't Nevada, so the happy couple must wait 3 days before they are allowed to marry, forcing Lily to search for a captain to marry off in international waters. After Robin changes into a bikini'd cartoon print T-shirt (seriously, I don't even care about Robin and I kept staring at that shirt), and Swarley/Barney launches back into his old gambling addict ways, and winning the $5k needed to pay the captain they found in a most hilarious game of every possible gambling game combined into one match, they go off the shores of Atlantic City.

Only, Lily and Marshall decide not to go through with it and to face the relatives with a big lavish wedding, only after the captain accidentally pronounces them married for a few seconds.

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Lost on Lost and some Others

Still behind in TONS of shows (so will need some weekend to catch up on Heroes, Boston Legal, ER, Men In Trees, The OC amongst others), but finally saw Lost Fall Finale, I DO. Don't really have a comment other than... WHAT HAPPENED???

I think I'm going to have to watch it again (and I'll have time since the next freaking episode isn't until February 2007) but why isn't Kate RUNNING like JACK is yelling at her to do???

Okay. So The Others Fionnula Flanagan just signed on. I wonder if shes going to be one of the Others?

In other rants, I'm actually quite sad Justice is kinda gone (the Fox website says it will be back Dec 11 but you never know with these things). I was just about to comment about how great last weeks episode was when Matt Letscher (Burton from The New Adventures of Old Christine) and Mackenzie Aston (Lost, The Facts of Life) had to defend themselves.

Also, is the rumour about Brad and JP from Survivor: Cook Islands true? That's kinda hot. Though I haven't had time to watch or even tape it since The Office and Ugly Betty have had priority but maybe I'll catch up online since they are streaming it on both CBS and Global TV's website.

I think I may be dropping What About Brian since I haven't really watched since this season's premiere (and it wasn't that good) but how in the heck did THAT get picked up for a full season while Veronica Mars is still waiting? Plus, did I hear that Marjorie (Sarah Lancaster) left anyways? Wasn't she the only reason to watch?

Also, Marty is finally back on Gilmore Girls this week! Woo and a hoo!!! I love Marty and I thought the actor Wayne Wilcox basically had the best moments of the Rent movie.

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Brothers and Sisters - Rebecca

Northern Exposure
Mistakes Were Made, Part 1

Seriously, Brothers and Sisters is quickly becoming one of my favourite shows PERIOD. New or old. Man, has this show changed really quickly over the past few episodes. Now if the rumours are true and they can get Emily Van Camp (Amy from Everwood) as Rebecca, the newly discovered half Walker sister (to the already addition of Treat Williams (Andy from Everwood)) I'm going to give this show my full complete devoted support! (Even if it isn't true, the show is getting awfully close... loving the melodramatics interplayed with some nice humouress moments. Not as layered as Everwood but with Greg Berlanti's help, it sure is getting there as a nice replacement as I mourn Everwood's loss).

I mean, even the obvious set up in Northern Exposure, where each member of the Walker clan ends up secretly going to their cabin in the woods for a romantic evening only to find the entire family there, was still hilarious and genuinely amusing. Love the romantic troubles between Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke MacFarlane), love the bubbling romance between matriarch Nora (Sally Field) and contractor David (Treat Williams, though I think I now miss the hideous beard), love Thomas' baby making problem and still enjoying Dave Annable as Justin Walker acting up a storm to keep up with the rest of the cast and fairy quite well.

I feel that Ron Rifkin and Patricia Wettig are still back in different show (Alias?) conspiring against something, but if it brings in Emily Van Camp, I'll let this story go.

Love that Keri Lynn Pratt's Amber has become more than just a one-note character and soon we will get a showdown between Rob Lowe and Josh Hopkins for Kitty's affections. I'm enjoying watching Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) being all motherly with her surly step-teenage son (played by the adorable little boy Tyler Posey that played Jennifer Lopez's son in Maid in Manhattan, now partially grown up).

So people, after Friday Night Lights, this is the next new show I am recommending!

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Desperate Housewives - Back with a Bang

Bang
Children and Art

Okay, Bang, the much ballyhoo'd episode with the supermarket shootout was absolutely fantastic and was not a letdown (unlike Borat the Movie). The episode was filled with laughs within a tense and heartfelt (hmm... I'm using that word a lot nowadays aren't I?) episode that gave every actor time to shine within their characters, including Nora, who was so shockingly quickly shot by Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalf in one of the many Emmy-worthy roles within this episode).

The war of the Solis' raged on in hilarity until the hostage taking happened. So great to see Bree perfectly host a hostage-watch that included hors-d'heuvres, until she realises that it was her gossip that sent Carolyn Bigsby into her murderous rage at the grocery store. The incident sends Julie and badboy Austin together, and the Lynette and Nora argue until Lynette reveals Nora's relationship to Tom when Carolyn shoots Nora point blank. Lynette goes into a rage, but the new neighbour saves the day (the new neighbour that bought the Young's residence).

In Children and Art, Gabrielle tries to go back to modelling only to learn she no longer is the Diva on set, while Bree learns of Orson's mother (the always welcomed Dixie Carter) who seems to hold a secret upon Orson. Susan is upset that her daughter Julie is with Austin as well as Mike being with Edie. The police continue their case on Mike, while Lynette discovers a creepy basement that seemingly points the new neighbour as a pedophile.

Still, let's get back to Bang, which was probably the best episode since the Pilot, and one of the best episode's of television period in Desperate Housewives climb back to its first season's quality (still not there but getting very close).

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The Amazing Race - Pretty Boys and Cheery Girls

He Can't Swim, But He Can Eat Cow Lips

Being Polite Sucks Sometimes

From Maritius to Madagascar, teams are forced to team up and the Barbies still beat the fast forward teams, Pretty Boy Druggie Models and Disfuctional Rob and Kimberly, to Phil. Sadly, we lose the lovable Bumpkins Mary and David since they arrived second-last but incurred their 30 minute penalty from the previous leg. This leg ends with basically a "to be continued" with Druggie Pretty Boy Models in the lead after rapelling off the Olympic tower in Finland, going down a mineshaft and getting stuck in some mud.

So now, who are we left with? Lyn and Karlyn are still too bitchy and just got lucky being caught up in the backpack thus grouped together with the lovable underdogs. Cho brothers were dimwits to start but at least seem really nice, too nice and too polite (which apparently sucks sometimes) thus dimwits as I had originally thought (and still stuck in their "alliance"). Druggie Models should not win just based on principles that I've had enough of good-looking guy-only teams winning (Rob and Brennan, Boston Boys, Chip and Reichen) and that these ex-druggies don't deserve it considering they pulled out of "the life" by being pretty. I would love an only-girls team to win and the Barbies are usually cheery but sometimes they are just a little bit to evil for my taste (leaving their smashed green car for another team by taking someone else's? That's just rude and wrong). Rob and Kimberly are just plain disfunctional so please no.

Usually the best parts of the race are when the teams go to asian countries where the culture and languages are so different it throws all the teams off. Usually the best part of the show are when we are down to the finaly 5 or 6 teams, and it used to culminate with them being in Asia, but since this race finally reversed it, we already got the best part of the race. Sigh, and this season was going so well, but now who am I going to root for?

I think I'm down between Cho's and Barbies but both are still "On Notice".

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Borat - Movie Review

Officially called Borat: Cultural Learnings of America to Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Officially, Overated.

Maybe I was needing a really good laugh, and expecting Sacha Baron Cohen to be able to provide me with that, but alas, there was constant chuckling and some grinning in a somewhat amusing if not idiotic hilarity, but it was never quite as clever as one would expect considering the premise allows for some much decent skewering of the American culture. I've had bigger and more clever laughs out of Avenue Q, The Daily Show and The Amazing Race. Borat isn't a complete washout but it doesn't really required running to the theatres to see it as the press has made it out to be.

None of our sold out audience laughed loud enough to deafen the movie once, and I never got to the point of crying laughing or making my gut hurt, in fact, I barely laughed out loud like I do consistently from The Office or Ugly Betty (which again, is more fodder for my theory that TV is just plain better than movies these days).

C+ or 6/10.

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Ugly Betty & Grey's Anatomy - Meh

Ugly Betty - After Hours
Grey's Anatomy - Where the Boys Are

It's November Sweeps, shouldn't they be pulling out all the stops?

Oh yeah, Salma Hayek is back on Ugly Betty but this time, it separates our favorite characters, Betty, Daniel, Wilhelmina with Marc and Hilda off to different storylines, leaving behind a tepid episode with barely any quotable one liners (I think the funniest thing I laughed at was something Christina said and I don't even remember what it was).

Betty reviewing the posh pretentious hotel should have been classic but ended up being generic. I like Walter. I really do. I think his facial expressions are hilarious. I do NOT think though that Betty and Walter should be together (and this quickly after he dumped her for trampy Gina?). I'm not buying it, cause Betty knows better so I don't think I really bought any of that dinner scene, which should have been a freebie comedic bit.

Wilhelmina sucking it up and becoming Dallas circa 1980 to court a rich Texan for ad dollars seemed like another lost opportunity, probably because she was still trying to win Nico's heart back (though I did like the final scene where she puts together a care package that Nico would actually like). Still, bring on the conniving Wilhelmina back.

Meanwhile, Sofia Reyes plays Daniel like the one-night stands Daniel usually leaves in the dust, and while I'm glad to see Salma donning herself onscreen for this TV show, I'm still not sure how much I bought Sofia sleeping with Daniel, even if she wanted it and had all the empowerment in the relationship.

Hilda seeks out Justin's dad for help with the $5000 needed to pay the lawyer to save Ignacio, and showcases how great Ana Ortiz can move between camp comedy to heartfelt emotions at a switch of a flick.


On Grey's Anatomy, the boys go on a camping trip ending in a hilarious open fisted slap fight between George and Alex Karev that knocks over Joe's boyfriend onto a rock. Burke tries to stitch him up but George notes the trembling in his hand that will seem to be noted next week when George's dad is in the hospital and in need of Burke's help.

Meanwhile, a case about a man getting a sex-change operation from Sloan, but whose hormone pills end up feeding his/her breast cancer, and a young pregnant woman slips and falls breaking her arm, but also killing the baby leads Addison and Callie to bond despite both having slept with Sloan.

Kali Rocha (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Teachers.) was back as the overly ethused doctor, this time to watch over Izzie, while Christina is relegated to poop duty by Bailey after she caught Christina taking Bailey off the Humpty-Dumpty surgery from the previous week basically to cover up Burke inadequacies as a surgeon.

Oh, and McDreamy and Meredith get back together again. Yawn...

Okay. So not a completely terrible episode but my heart just didn't get sucked into it as usual. Maybe I was just having an off-night or something, but while there were some great emotional and dramatic moments, most of them fell to the guest patients while the little (and usually most interesting) moments landed on our favorite doctors except it only furthered the plot slightly.

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