The Office - Season 5 Premieres Thursday Sept. 25th at 9pm on NBC/Global
It's time to go back to The Office tonight!!! This is one work place I can get excited about returning to again!
Here's a few recaps to remind us of everything happening in our favorite workplace:
Angela. Andy. Dwight. The Love Triangle:
Jan and Michael recap:
Jim and Pam recap:
For more Reviews and Previews of the 2008 Fall TV Season, Check here
The lovely Linz McC (who I will actually meet next week in person in LA!) from Linc McC's Completely Pointless Blog nominated me for being... well... not creepy and lovin' this blog so I'm here to pass on the lovin'!
So while there's my usual foray of blogs that I love that I already post on the Blogworthy Roll on the sidebar (see sidebar and click away!), I'm going to spread the love to blogs I've never mentioned before on my blog before but that I enjoy reading too.
So here is how this thing works. I nominate 7 of my favorite blogs, and those bloggers get to
-Display this pic on their blog!
-Link to the person that nominated their blog.
-Nominate 7 of their own fave blogs to do the same.
-Notify your nominees of the honor!
And here are my nominees (in no particular order):
1. My friend at Been Eating Around - Here's my plug to a close friend's new food blog (that mostly centers around New York where she lives) which surprises me because a) I never thought she would blog and now knows my plight of how much of a time waster it can be, and how hard it is to get an audience (AHHH... NOW she understands why our friends who don't click are bitches!) so please click cause she'll be so excited that someone other than and b) English isn't her forte so I'm surprised that she's actually writing and so I'm proud that she's using it as practice as I told her! Oh, plus, the food porn pictures make me hungry.
2. Alicia at Things You'll Learn To Love About Me - You'll learn to love her as a mother, a wife, a database marketing manager, director, performer, writer, chef, artist, computer whiz and a blogger who just seems genuinely nice and heartwarming!
3. Stucking Fupid at Who Writes This Crap - He loves to hate us but I love his super sarcastic and hilarious diatribes on his life as a gay librarian and his success and failures in dating, work and anything in between.
4. Joseph Gomez at I Can't, I Have Rehearsal - A fellow theatre geek who is funny and bitchy but in a nice way!
5. 3guys, 2k9s - It's exactly what you think. The 3guys are Kent, Mike and Travis and the 2k9's are Ulla and Zeke and they all live together in something that sounds extremely like a gay porn fantasy (the 3guys part I mean) but is fascinating in its normalcy as the guys (but mostly Travis) blog about cars, dogs, vacation trips, political rants and other regular guys stuff and while redefining family.
6. 6things - 1. lists of 6 things, 2. simple, 3. clever, 4. amusing, 5. right-on, 6. topical... or not.
7, Josh & Josh Are Rich And Famous - Two cute and funny friends named Josh hailing from the Midwest who now live in New York and are... well... rich and famous. Well, at least D-list at the minimum (thanks to their blog), which is still about 5 letters higher than I am. So of course I'm jealous and in awe.
Hmm... there's a lot of gays on my roster (and a lot more I read that I left out...)
Friday Night Lights - Season 3 Premieres on Oct. 1st at 9pm on DirectTV's Channel 101. It will premiere on NBC in Feb. 2009
For those of you in the US that are lucky enough to have DirectTV, you'll get to watch the Season 3 Premiere of Friday Night Lights, one of the most emotionally fulfilling dramas on television. starting next Wednesday. The rest of us will have to wait until 2009 rolls around and NBC starts airing the episodes... or you know... in other ways. (Just make sure we turn on our TV's again come 2009 so the numbers are still up).
We already know that Gaius Charles and Scott Porter will become re-occurring characters as their characters (Smash and Jason Street) move on from the Dillon Panthers. There are more tidbit spoilers from Ausiello here.
The song playing in the trailer is a cover of Daniel Johnston's "Devil Town" by indie rock's Bright Eyes.
For more Reviews and Previews of the 2008 Fall TV Season, Check here.
90210 - Wide Awake And Dreaming - Ep. 105
Privileged - All About What You Really, Really Want - Ep 103
Heroes - The Second Coming, The Butterfly Effect - Ep. 301 - 302
Why does it always seem like Shanae Grimes is losing her virginity on television? First the drugged rape on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Then maybe for real with Peter? I can't even remember, and now with Ty as she plays Annie on 90210? The girl always seems to have the whole virginity thing swirling around her and dramas about losing it.
As for people who have not seen the musical Spring Awakening and are still deciding on it, please do NOT use any of the footage you saw from 90210 to make your decision. Boy, that was AWFUL.
On the flip side, Privileged should really have been called Charmed. I'm so charmed by the show and by the lead JoAnna Garcia and the wise-gay-Black-man-sidekick and by a much more likable Lucy Hale (redeeming herself from 
David Giuntoli (Road Rules, Grey's Anatomy as one of the gay soldiers in love) joins the show as yet ANOTHER cute guy Garcia's Megan has to pick from and so she rethinks her no dating policy (while she concentrates on work). Who wouldn't reconsider their own chastity rules when you see this:
I would reconsider my own chastity rules except I don't have one. No. I don't date because just cause I can't get one.
It's been nine months. What happened again on Heroes? No. I mean on the third season premiere. Not just last season. Which they didn't even bother recapping in hopes that we forgot that it sucked the big time and we could fall in love with Peter's pouty lips again.
I'm guessing exciting things happened if I could remember what the hell was going on, but I couldn't remember ANYTHING from last season and how it ended (and I know I watched it but it's like the Haitian erased it from my head) so I have no idea in what timeline is Nicky/Tracy/whoever is in. Or Peter and Nathan. or Claire when Sylar kills her. 
Or time jumping Hiro who saw Ando kill future Hiro for the "formula" daddy Sulu left for him? About the only bright spot was the moment Hiro meets a fellow Speedster Daphne (Brea Grant, Friday Night Lights).
And I still have no idea what use Mohinder has except to increase minority visibility on NBC. Yah, now he finally has super powers. And?
Or Matt? What's the point of his character?
And I almost forgot David Anders and Kristen Bell are being wasted on this show. I feel sad seeing them here actually. And now they captured Bell's Veronica Mars alum Francis Capra too? Rob Thomas, please save them!
I know a lot of the fanboys are excited about this resurgence/reboot of the show but I'm not sure they know where it's going and I'm not sure it's entertaining enough at this point to continue to follow.
Okay fine, bonus points for the big Sylar secret. No wonder Christine Rose (as Angela Petrelli) is in the main cast now. That was a nice twist. Too bad I had to sit through 2 hours to get to a shock finally worth waiting for.
Suze Orman was on Oprah today explaining to the suburban women living in their McMansions and driving their SUV's that their current lifestyle is probably unsustainable and they MUST MAKE SOME CUTS in this harsh economic environment. I $!$!$ love this woman!
The irony being that Oprah herself has helped perpetuate a lot of those wants but OPRAH is bloody rich so she can afford to buy anything she wants. Maybe America itself. In fact, Oprah could probably save the nation with her own bank account.
I'm not sure I felt sorry for that couple that was 90k in credit card debt but I loved that the retired couple living in the RV roaming around the country got Suze's financial approval for being so cautious and careful with their money and saved and saved so that they could live their dream. Right on!
I've always wondered how the heck everyone else lives such a high lifestyles as I'm scrimping and saving away so in a way it makes me feel better that people are in credit card debt and not making WAY more than I am (well, they probably still are). I know. How cruel of me. Whatever. It's the few joys being a big ol' CHEAPSKATE buys me.
The Big Bang Theory - The Bad Fish Paradigm - Ep. 201 - Season Premiere
How I Met Your Mother - Do I Know You? - Ep. 401 - Season Premiere
Worst Week - Pilot - Series Premiere
All are now available online to view.
If CBS switches The New Adventures of Old Christine into the 9pm Monday slot now, CBS would have a perfect comedy block night. I mean, none of the shows are revolutionary like having 30 Rock and The Office back to back but it is still a very funny comedy block and on CBS, that's worth a LOT.
And I guess if you count David Caruso's acting on Monday nights CSI Miami, it really is a truly funny night! Ba da boom.
New show Worst Week is not even close to being the worst new show and somehow the premise of seeing Kyle Bornheimer as Sam on his worst week ever is supremely sweet and hilarious and fits perfectly with last years surprise treat The Big Bang Theory and the always underrated How I Met Your Mother (which both had great season premieres last night too!)
And somehow all the pratfalls and slapstick and slap-my-face-and-cover-my-eyes-and-mouth comedy horror worked AND seemed to even be somewhat plausible and NOW I get how Sam gets into the garbage bag diaper that we saw from the preview. NOW it makes sense (and strangely, the show is totally convincing). Bonus points for using a Popular alum (Tamara Mello) to get Kyle naked.
So far it's a small cast but a dream one with comedy veterans Nancy Leneham (My Name Is Earl) and Kurtwood Smith (That 70's Show) as Angela and Dick, the parents Sam is failing to impress. I can't believe that the opener not only explained the diaper, but had Dick presumed dead and in a funeral home, Sam peeing into the dinner AND burning Nancy's gift of a painted portrait of Dick. How are they going to keep this up week after week?
At this point I'm giving Worst Week ***1/2 (3.5 stars out of 5). It may never elevate to genius territory but it could probably pull off cute, zany and sweet just based on Kyle Bornheimer alone.
The Big Bang Theory returned with a bang when Leonard realizes his date with Penny probably didn't go as well as he initially thought while Sheldon learns the REAL reason Penny is backing off. (Is the background below hinting at something or was that just pure coincidence?)
Sheldon folds his socks with the T-shirt folder. It's amazing that not only do I not want to kill this guy, I want to hug him. Jim Parsons plays Sheldon as an enormously lovable ass and I love this show all the more for it.
Sheldon's tangents and weird connective humour is probably a bit too close to things I would say in real life (as in, not funny pieces of strange things I connect together in the world as my friends probably appease for my own delusional sake) but it gives Penny all the better reactions to bounce off from! Yes. Kaley Cuoco can be of use. And not just to stand there and look pretty (though doesn't she look pretty?) and fold socks (the wrong way... the wrong way? That's how I store my socks too!).
Oh, and Howard and Rajnesh still rock!
And Barney still rocks on How I Met Your Mother. Who somehow steals the show from Ted even AFTER Stella agrees to marry Ted.
Say what? Say Stella Said Yes! And then Ted tries to kill her with a peanut.
So the unemployed Marshall tells Ted to put Stella to the test and see if she likes Star Wars, a movie she's never seen and he worships. She watches, and feigns love but really hates it. Love Stella for hating Star Wars. Someone else who sees the idiocy in the childish overrated dreck. Though in real life I lie about that too, but mostly because I don't want to be beat up by the guys.
But back to Barney.
Who is now in love with Robin after their one night stand last season.
And Barney becomes a mellow jello whom Robin doesn't recognize, just as she doesn't recognize his puppy love eyes. So instead, Robin introduces Barney to the big boobed waitress and all is well again in the universe. For now. And despite Lily's urging.
I'm guessing this will all be continued at some point, but loving the new wrench they inevitably had to throw in.
Gossip Girl - The Ex-Files - Ep. 204
I figured something was up with the Lord and his step-mother The Duchess but I did NOT expect that Dan's new friend Amanda was something brilliantly concocted by Chuck. Genius!
I'm not sure I totally believed Serena's devolution into her old Queen Bee self, somehow turning moppy and sad after seeing Dan SPEAK to another girl (uh, please, like Serena would REALLY be jealous? and someone like Amanda? I. DON'T. THINK. SO.) but then turning so vile so fast towards him after HER mean girl friends horrifically Naired Amanda? Yah, so Dan ripped her a big one, but who wouldn't with meangirlfriends like that.
I'm not even totally sure how Serena becoming mean knocks Blair off the throne when Blair didn't even have anything to do with it, but I will say Chuck's marionette playing was a superb move!
As was Blair's against The step-mother Duchess until Vanessa ruins it all. Stupid Vanessa.
The only time I've liked Vanessa is when she's with Nate for some reason, but probably because I'm just starring at Nate's swoopy little shag.
And can you not wait for some brilliant comeuppance for the Mean Girls? at the hand of Jenny? Can't wait!
So this week's Spring Awakening cast member spotting: Remy Zaken (Original Broadway Thea) as the second girl trying out to be one of Blair's mean girls. The one with the shoes from last season. Bought on sale.
Krysta Rodriguez (who in one year appeared in SA, A Chorus Line and In The Heights! Talk about a good agent) and then Matt Doyle are apparently next.
The Big Bang Theory - Season 2 Premieres Monday Sept. 22nd at 8pm on CBS
How I Met Your Mother - Season 4 Premieres Monday Sept. 22nd at 8:30pm on CBS/E!Canada
Worst Week - Series Premieres Monday Sept. 22nd at 9:30pm on CBS/E!Canada
The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother return tonight! Worst Week also premieres tonight on the CBS comedy block, sadly, after Two and a Half Men (maybe you can do your errands during this time?) but it's getting pretty good reviews from a premise that sounds ill-suited for a TV show and lead Kyle Bornheimer is kinda cute and makes me laugh in the previews (below) everytime.
Meanwhile, CBS tried to slick up How I Met Your Mother and turn it into a procedural to maybe make the sitcom as popular as its dramas. How come I never saw this last year?:
Recaps to prepare for this upcoming season after the jump:
Here's a recap of Season 3:
Here's last years cliffhangar:
Here's the season 1 Recap for The Big Bang Theory, last years little surprise comedy gem that turned out funnier and sweeter than we would have expected from a Chuck Lorre show:
Worst Week is based on a Britcom Worst Week of Your Life about a regular guy Sam (Bornheimer) who becomes a walking disaster when he's around his future in-laws.I still haven't seen the pilot so I don't know how it actually is but the video preview for Worst Week makes me laugh everytime and the show seems sweet and slapstick:
Some early reviews seem pretty good so far. (Newsday), (Entertainment Weekly), (SFGate), (NJ Star Ledger with Alan Sepinwall)
Here's the cast of Worst Week:Erinn Hayes as Melanie Clayton:
Kyle Bornheimer as Sam Briggs:
Nancy Lineham as Angela Clayton:
Kurtwood Smith as Dick Clayton:
For more Reviews and Previews of the 2008 Fall TV Season, Check here
The Mentalist - Premieres Tuesday Sept. 23rd at 9pm on CBS, on Monday, Sept 22nd at 10pm on AChannel (in Canada)
First off, we have the winner for the worst named show of the year. Luckily, the show itself is nearly not as horrific as the name. And it's mostly for one reason, and the main reason I decided to check the show out in the first place and it is this:
Simon Baker stars as Patrick Jane, the "mentalist" in question. A detective who uses his observation skills and human psychology knowledge to profile his suspects and "see" things the rest of us bypass. He used to con people as a fake "psychic" but now he uses his powers for good, probably because his family was brutally murdered by a serial killer who leaves a happy face in blood as a mark.
Happy times.
The show verges on the gratuitously obscene and there are clear CBSism that are frustratingly punctured throughout the show yet I kept watching and was intrigued enough to stay on and find out more. 
Yes, it's another procedural, yes, it has Robin Tunney (Prison Break) who continues her pursuit in making it hard to love her, and yes, it partly feeds us the viewers the answers in an effort to dumb down the show all while making us feel smart but the show is still smart enough to keep it all flowing in a curiously entertaining way.
Plus an amazing guest star roster in the pilot including Jeffrey Nordling (Once and Again), Steven Culp (Desperate Housewives) and Gail O'Grady (NYPD Blue) gets bonus points from me.
On the permanent cast, there's Owain Yeoman left to be a glorified extra in the pilot but I'm guessing they aren't hiring him just to stand around (I hope) and hopefully they will use some of his comedic skills demonstrated in Kitchen Confidential to lighten up the show, or his action/drama skills demonstrated in The Sarah Connor Chronicles as part of the crime solving team.
Amanda Righetti (The OC, North Shore) gets a role where she doesn't have to tart it up (or stand around in a bikini) and you can tell she's loving being taken seriously for once, though almost to the point of dowdiness, so I still hope her flair for bitchy dramatics gets to show through a bit.
Tim Kang rounds out the team to add some Asian flavour to the mix. Finally. With all the procedurals or medical shows around, you'd think they would realistically throw in a few more Asians in the labs or hospitals.
In the end though, the show belongs to Simon Baker, previously of The Guardian. The Guardian was one of those shows that wasn't all that bad, but mainly you stopped to look at Baker's pretty face. It's pretty much the same here but now you get a nice mystery behind it and Baker gets to act all Sherlock Holmesy which is more fun to watch than you think.
Now if only Tunney can show an emotion as Jane's partner, it would be nice.
The Mentalist won't get me addicted but it's far more entertaining than I imagined and gets a solid *** (3 stars out of 5) from me.
Here's the video preview:
For more Reviews and Previews of the 2008 Fall TV Season, Check here.
