Super Fun TV Talk Time!!
with Johnny and Juju
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Random TV thoughts for the week of 9/11/2011
Entourage - The End:
- Way to get E and Sloan back together through lies!
- I’ll admit, as corny as it was, I got teary-eyed during Ari and Mrs. Ari’s reconciliation.
True Blood - And When I Die:
- When Sookie went back and forth between Bill and Eric, I thought “omg, I swear, she’s gonna pick neither.”
- They killed off Jesus?? WTF! He died on Southland to be ON True Blood and they kill him too?!
Ringer - Pilot:
- Can Nestor Carbonell freaking park?!
- They are so not on the water…the awful special effects are so distracting
- Rich people have giant 6 foot tall pictures of their faces when you enter their homes.
- Who the hell is styling Bridget’s hair? No way is she able to do that herself…
- What was that thing Juliet got kicked out for? Drugs?
The Vampire Diaries - The Birthday:
- Are high school parties really like this? I never went to high school parties this awesome. Well, I did hang out with nerds…
- Damn! Werewolf-Vampire sex is hot!
- Elena’s message to Stefan was sweet. But in a way, she was also saying “when you’re done killing a bunch of innocent people, I’ll still be here :-)”
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Frank’s Pretty Woman:
- They just left her out in the hallway. LOL.
- He stores chimichangas in a black garbage bag and carries it around with him at all times!
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Summer TV
Ahh…summer. When TV addicts should actually go outside and enjoy the sunlight. But do we? Sometimes. But you know, there’s also True Blood, Entourage, Weeds, Breaking Bad, and other summer TV offerings networks give us. So how do I feel about this summer season’s offerings? Let’s see…
True Blood: This is the first season that I can actually say “I like True Blood”. In previous seasons, Tara was too crazy, angry, and annoying to enjoy the show. And well, she turned lesbian and happy and I love the show now. Her character isn’t such a downer anymore! And bringing in a witch coven storyline where they cast a spell to make all the vampires walk into the sun? Brilliant. I don’t know how I feel about the Sookie/Eric storyline though. I kind of miss regular Eric. And Sookie? You’ll just have sex with any vampire, huh? As for her brother Jason, I almost gave up on the show after the male rape gangbang, but hopefully there aren’t any more crazy werepanthers who want his babies.
Entourage: Once again…I feel like nothing really happens on this show, yet I continue to watch. I was excited when E proposed to Sloan, Turtle had his own business, and Drama had his own show. Because it felt like the boys were growing up. But, all of that seems to have fallen apart, along with Ari’s marriage, so it feels like they’re back to doing absolutely nothing. Maybe I’m just upset that E and Sloan broke up. They’d better get back together in the movie!
Weeds: Weeds reminds me of Heroes (the last 3 seasons anyway). In which, it starts off really intriguing, goes absolutely nowhere in the middle, then has one tiny cliffhanger at the end that drags me back in for the next season. This season isn’t any different. I loved the time jump in the first episode, it was really interesting to see where the characters ended up 3 years later. But right now, I feel like it’s wandering aimlessly hoping there’s still an audience.
Breaking Bad: This show has been gone for over a year…and it is crazy boring. Walter and Skylar are concerned about buying a car wash? Really? Marie spends an episode going to open houses, making up lies, and stealing? What the hell was that? And what the hell is Jesse doing? Turning his house into a crack house?
Suits: I really liked the pilot episode. I went through a law show phase when I was catching up with The Good Wife (which, omg, such a good show. Lawyers are like detectives!). And I still watch, but I don’t feel like I’m watching intently. There are still some good parts, but nothing where I feel like I have to watch every minute of the show to enjoy.
Wilfred: I didn’t want to watch this show. But I kept hearing good things about it. So I caught up with it in one morning and I gotta say, I’ll keep watching. It’s pretty funny for a show about a guy who sees a dog as a man in a dog suit. And the dog has an Australian accent. And drinks. And gets high. And humps a giant teddy bear named “Bear”.
Switched at Birth: I know, one of these shows doesn’t match the others. Again, I really didn’t want to watch this show, but a former coworker of mine recommended it. And well, it’s summer, what else am I gonna watch? And damn it, I like this show. It makes me want to learn sign language.
So You Think You Can Dance: Yes, I watch this show. I’ve been watching since the middle of season 1. And how does this season compare to the others? It’s meh. For me personally, I couldn’t care about a single dancer on this show. Not like season 2 with Benji Schwimmer. Or season 4 with Dominic and Hok. Or season 7 with Alex “Freaking” Wong. There have been some ok performances but nothing that made me want to cheer for a single dancer.
Have I missed anything? If I’m not watching a great summer show, tell me! But don’t tell me to watch a trashy reality show. I’m not down with that.
-Julie
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My 2011 Comic-Con Experience
For those of you who know me, you know I love Comic-Con. I have an aunt who works at the San Diego Convention Center and she introduced it to my brothers and I when we were younger. Back then, it was so fun…the exhibit halls were roomy and freebies were everywhere. When I found out there were panels, they were pretty easy to get into. I used to be able to just go inside and find a seat right before.
But now…Comic-Con has gotten so chaotic and popular that it’s just not the same. And it’s becoming increasingly chaotic. Last year, I would be able to easily enter the convention center at 7am through Hall E and stay in line for 3 hours outside Ballroom 20 to see the “Chuck” panel. This year, there’s a line the entire length of the convention center just to get inside Hall E. And I got to the Ballroom 20 line 4 hours before and still ended up at the halfway point of the line.
Thursday morning, my younger brother and I planned on getting in line to pre-register for our 2012 badges but the line was so endless that we decided this would be our last Comic-Con (at least for a while). From the cynical point of view, we are paying a lot of money to stand in a lot of lines. I still love it, I just need a break.
There were some highlights from this year that were worth the lines. I finally got to see my idol, Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy!!!), and she was completely adorable and likeable. And for attending that panel, I got a free portable stool that came in handy when I had to wait for other panels. I also dressed up in a full costume for the first time. (Previously, I dressed up as a “Captain Hammer Groupie” and “Nerd Herd Worker” but no one really noticed). Dressing up is fun, you get a lot of compliments and it’s a nice conversation starter with strangers.
Friday, I hung out across the street from the convention center. There was a mini South Park and IGN gaming lounge. There was also a Nintendo gaming lounge at the Marriott next door. This was when I realized that the free stuff away from the convention center is way better than the exhibit floors of Comic-Con. And it’s open to the public! No badge needed!
Saturday, I saw the very last “Chuck” panel ever and witnessed a very humble and tearful thank you from Zachary Levi to all the “Chuck” fans. I also saw the pilot episode for “Terra Nova” (ehh) and “Once Upon a Time” (intriguing, better than “Terra Nova”).
Jonathan has spent years trying to get me to attend the Comic-Con parties when I’ve only been interested in panels and resting for the next day. After this year, I’m done with waiting in line for panels and trying to survive the crowded exhibit halls. I’ll be going to all the free and public Comic-Con parties now!
Other Notable Moments/Thoughts:
- Got a free copy of “Mass Effect 2”
- Saw Mac from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
- Talking with strangers is fun
- I didn’t see giant Pikachu this year!
- The highlight of my whole comic-con experience was the IGN Game Scoop! Meet and Greet Saturday night at The Local. I wish I could’ve stayed there longer, but I felt bad that my little brother was waiting for me so we could leave.
stealing a fry from greg miller
-Julie
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Boy Meets (Inconsistent) World
Introduction and mini-drinking game by: Johnny
Article by: Juju
For seven seasons, Boy Meets World was the highlight of ABC’s TGIF line up for me. I was just beginning the 4th grade when Boy Meets World first premiered in the fall of 1993. I was staring to phase out mutant reptiles as my main source of entertainment, and slowly becoming more aware of the reality that existed beyond my bedroom, when I was introduced to a curly-headed kid named Cory.
Cory, at the beginning of the series, was in 6th grade. Like me, he lived in a suburban home, had a best friend, and was not yet into girls. Unlike me, his 6th grade teacher Mr. Feeny lived next door to him, his best friend Shawn was from the “other side of the tracks”, and eventually (SPOILER ALERT) he had his first kiss with an eccentric hippie child named Topanga by season’s end. The next six seasons of the series followed Cory through the remainder of his scholastic career up until he, his best friend Shawn, and (SPOILER ALERT) his wife Topanga move away from the only life they ever knew in Philadelphia to finally “meet the world” in New York.
I was just completing my sophomore year of high school when the series ended. However, due to the airing of countless reruns, I was able to relive my childhood with Cory on a daily basis. Yet it was at this point did I begin to notice small deviations in the story. Things like siblings that existed for only one episode, the omission of class school years, and even locker size. As time passed, more and more inconsistencies were discovered until, well, a list had to be made. And indeed a list was made by our own Julie Tran. So here I present to you a season by season breakdown of all the inconsistencies of Boy Meets World.
Season 1
- Sixth Grade
- Cory learns about Romeo & Juliet during the Pilot episode (in a future episode he is surprised to learn Romeo and Juliet die)
- Cory is obsessed with baseball and even strives to be a professional baseball player. No interest in any sports in future seasons.
- Willie Garson portrays Assistant Manager Leonard Spinelli (portrays 2 other characters in future episodes)
- Shawn has a sister named Stacy who exists off screen for one episode
- Topanga’s father owns a bookstore (has numerous jobs over the span of the series)
- Amy has a career for one episode (is a stay at home mom in future episodes)
- Topanga is surprised to discover Eric is Cory’s brother and develops a crush on him
- Topanga has a sister named Nebula for one episode
- Krystee Clark portrays Topanga’s sister Nebula (portrays another character in a future episode)
- Topanga’s mother’s name is Chloe (Is known under other aliases)
Season 2- Seventh Grade
- The room next to the pay phone has been the boy’s restroom and Mr. Feeny’s office
- Frankie has a sister
- Krystee Clark portrays Valerie, the girl who ice skates in her free time
- Harley is portrayed by Danny McNulty throughout most of the season, then by Kenny Johnston in one episode
- Topanga’s father is a luthier (makes musical instruments)
- Topanga’s father is played by Peter Tork
- Frankie’s father’s name is Leslie (Is known under other aliases)
Season 3- Ninth Grade (skip Eight Grade)
- Cory somehow develops feelings for Topanga over the summer
- Topanga has a best friend Trini
- In episode 5, Cory’s locker is a half locker. The very next episode, it’s a full locker.
- Frankie’s hair turns blond
- Frankie’s father’s name is Francis
- Morgan returns from her time out (new actress)
- Shawn dates Dana Pruitt (but never break up)
- Shawn has a half brother Eddie
Season 4- Tenth Grade
- Phil Leeds plays the “I was 3 hours from home” guy, and Milton the Quiz Show announcer
- Will Garson portrays Mervyn, a guy who works for Merrill Lynch and applies for a job at the Matthews’ store
- Frankie’s hair is black again
- Cory somehow has infinite knowledge of professional wrestling, despite no interest in previous episodes.
- Frankie’s little brother Herman has blond hair (previously was black)
- Shawn dates Jennifer Bassett
- Cory is surprised to learn that Romeo & Juliet do not have a happy ending
- Cory claims he and Topanga have been together for 16 years
- Cory claims “when I was 13, she pushed me against my locker and gave me my first kiss” when that kiss occurred in sixth grade
Season 5- Twelfth Grade (Skip Eleventh Grade)
- Phil Leeds plays Cory’s boss in the mail room
- Amy joins Eric’s writing class when realizes she’s only been a wife and mother (despite going to work in the first season)
- Shawn’s ex-girlfriends Dana and Jennifer claim he made Valentine’s Day plans with him despite dating him for short periods in prior years
- Everyone claims Cory and Topanga have been together for 10+ years despite only being a couple since ninth grade
- Minkus magically reappears for graduation (has not been seen since the 6th grade)
Season 6- Topanga claims that she and Cory are “freaks who have loved each other since we were two”
- Topanga’s father is played by Michael McKean
- Topanga’s mother is played by Annette O’Toole
- Topanga’s mother’s name is Rhiannon
Season 7- Topanga’s mother is played by Marcia Cross
- Topanga’s father is played by Mark Harelik
- Willie Garson plays the minister who marries Cory and Topanga
- Joshua Matthews doesn’t attend Cory and Topanga’s wedding
- Daniel Jacobs plays a kid in the hallway of Cory and Topanga’s apartment and Joshua Matthews
- Joshua was born in season 6 yet appears in the series finale as a toddler
- Eric, Rachel, and Jack (an engineering and journalism major) face graduating college and have no clue what to do with their lives (lawyer, veterinarian, pediatrician, architect)
- The Matthews family and Jack have a Nana Boo Boo
- Cory has an old retainer from age 11
Special Trivia- Charisma Carpenter plays a catering waitress in Episode 10 of Season 3. In Episode 11, Julie Benz plays Bianca, a girl who only dates jocks. Both were in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Mini-Drinking Game:
Take a shot when any of the following occur:
-Any time a sibling that never existed beyond one episode (Nebula Lawrence, Stacy Hunter, Eddie Hunter, or Frankie’s sister) is mentioned or makes an appearance
-Whenever the location/size of Cory’s locker changes
-Whenever Mr. Feeny’s high school office becomes a bathroom or anything else
-Whenever one of Topanga’s parents is known by a different name or is played by a different actor
-Whenever a contrived new story concerning Cory and Topanga’s relationship over the years is revealed
-Whenever a member of Frankie’s family hair color or name changes
-Whenever the same actor portrays a different character
-Whenever the new school year begins
-Whenever one of Cory’s younger siblings is played by someone new/inexplicably rapidly ages
-Whenever Nana Boo Boo is mentioned
-When Minkus reappears! -
Dexter Season 5: What a f—-ing waste of my time (spoilers galore!)
I had high expectations after Season 4 of Dexter concluded with Rita murdered by the Trinity Killer. But week after week, I found myself incredibly bored with where this season was going…which after this season’s finale, it turns out the season went absolutely nowhere.
To summarize, Dexter met Boyd Fowler and killed him when he found out Fowler was killing girls and putting their bodies in barrels. Lumen (Julia Stiles) was held hostage in Fowler’s basement and witnessed Dexter murdering Fowler. After Lumen stopped trying to escape and started trusting Dexter, she revealed that Fowler wasn’t the only man who held her hostage and tortured her. So Dexter spent the season finding the group of friends who spent their free time raping and killing blonde women. In the end, Dexter let Lumen kill Jordan Chase, the man behind the entire barrel girls case, and Deb arrived minutes after. At that moment, I thought “If Deb finally finds out Dexter’s a killer, it’ll justify this whole season and change everything for the next season.” But did the show go there? NO. They had Deb stand 10 feet away from Dexter and Lumen, separated by a dirty plastic sheet, and she let them go without ever seeing them. Are you kidding me? They chickened out!
Looking back on it, this season was about character growth. Dexter had to accept Rita’s death and it looked like he had in the final scene. Deb learned that the law isn’t entirely black and white when she let her vigilantes (Dexter and Lumen) go free. Quinn stopped being slutty and told Deb that he loves her. Lumen let go of her dark passenger. LaGuerta and Bautista had to adjust to married life and learning to trust each other. And Misuka, well, he stayed exactly the same.
Dexter’s been renewed for a sixth season and it wasn’t surprising or exciting news for anyone. So it almost seems iffy that there’d be a seventh season. So when the hell would Deb find out about her brother?! The show’s creator said that Deb finding out would be “inevitable” but it doesn’t seem likely anymore. Will I keep watching? Possibly. I won’t enjoy it though. Unless next season’s killer is anything like Trinity.
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TV Talk December 5-11
- property of CBS
Johnny
The Walking Dead – TS-19: I have some mixed feelings about this episode but, despite not being as great as last week’s, I really enjoyed the character examinations before and especially after Dr. Jenner reveals that the CDC will decontaminate everyone and everything in it once that clock ticks down. In the end everyone but Jacqui and Dr. Jenner leaves the CDC. Onward to Season 2 we go! See you next year! [B]
How I Met Your Mother – The Mermaid Theory: [B]
- Barney: “Who’s the eye broccoli?”
- Robin: “Right, Marsh Madness?”
Marshall: “No doubt, Robo Cop. “
Lily: “You two never hang out alone. You just made up those names right now.” - The Captain has some seriously disturbing eyes. The smile is quite murderous too.
- Love how Ted has having trouble remembering Barney and Lily’s story. Bonus cherry? The twist at the end! It’s always fun when we get a peek at the future, in this case Lily is pregnant and Ted is in a green dress!
- Don’t Robin and Marshall hang out at the Walleye Saloon or Hoser Hut? (Season 4 episode Little Minnesota)
- via Tumblr
Glee – A Very Glee Christmas: 5 minutes into this episode and I was ready to hate it. By the end, I can’t say I loved it but it was definitely one of Glee’s stronger outings this season. Amazingly enough Will was portrayed in a likeable way (2nd week in a row!), there was some continuity with the Rachel-Finn story (bonus points for the Last Christmas performance-absolutely one of my favorite Christmas songs ever), and in the end the entire Glee club w/ Sue showed up at Will’s so he didn’t have to spend it alone (insert warm fuzzy Christmas feelings here).
However, every time I look back on a Glee episode the following day, I always find several things that causes my palm and my face to interact. Let me start off with the Brittany storyline. It’s really sweet and all that Artie and company want to preserve Brittany’s innocence. But, and I know this is my own fault for looking to find logic in a Glee episode, but isn’t that going to just screw Brittany up even more in the future when Santa finally doesn’t grant her wish? And regarding Brittany’s wish, seeing Artie walk was a great sight. But are we to believe that Coach Beiste was the one solely responsible for buying it on her teacher’s salary (as was hinted)? Perhaps I’m nitpicking, but I guess while I’m able to suspend my disbelief during their over the top musical performances, I don’t necessarily want to have to with a main storyline (despite what time of the year it is). My viewing experience isn’t necessarily ruined, but one week we’re confronted with a legitimate issue like bullying, and the next week we’re forced to buy into stories that would only exist in the realm of fantasy. Like I said, I am in fact a Gleek but I wish this show would figure out what it wants to be already. [B]
Life Unexpected – Stand Taken:All there is left is the 2 hour finale in January. It’s a shame that this show never become the modern day Gilmore Girls that many hailed it as when it first premiered. But the show never made Lux or Cate consistently likeable. And it’s hard to want to tune an endless onslaught of drama and bitching. However, in the case of this episode where we finally found out about Lux’s horrible past with her former foster family, I can accept it because it all makes sense within the context of the subject matter. Things wrapped up a little too nicely at the end of the episode, but I’ll take all the feel-good moments I can get. Of course, not all is settled as it was revealed that Emma and Baze’s father had an affair (something I totally called by the way!). And who overhears this reveal? Lux of course. [B]
- property of Fox
Running Wilde – It’s a Trade-Off: This may easily be Running Wilde’s best episode. I know that’s not saying much at this point as we are in the show’s final weeks, but this particular episode allowed me as a viewer to really get to know Steve and Emmy as real people despite their outrageous exploits. In closing, that cone gag was hilarious. [B+]
No Ordinary Family – No Ordinary Sidekick:Daphne’s memory of the last 3 months has been erased by The Watcher aka Will aka Joshua. Great cliffhanger for a good, not great, winter finale. [B]
- Comic-Con ’06; metrosexual Chewbacca
Modern Family - Dance Dance Revelation: Claire is slowly becoming a neurotic annoying mess. The biting had me laughing, but Modern Family gets an average grade this week but with high marks to Manny. [C]
- Cam: “She bit me! She did it again! It’s like Twilight back here!”
- Manny: “At this rate, I’m going to miss the first dance…at my wedding!”
- Luke: “Here’s something I didn’t know about mannequins: They don’t have a wiener.”
- Cam: “Oh, the smiley face makes it okay! ‘I waterboarded our toddler, LOL!’”
- Machete himself is the janitor Claire has a thing for!
Cougar Town – The Same Old You: NO COUGAR TOWN UNTIL APRIL 13!?!?!?!? (all because Chandler has a new TV show with the woman from Joey. Wonder if it will suffer the same fate that and Better Off Ted did?) This week we had a Travis and Laurie relationship hinted at and Grayson and Ellie trying to one up each other in the dirt they can find on one another (tap dancing Grayson gets my vote as most humiliating). But the real star of this week’s episode is Bobby Cobb. Bobby was basically the Joey of the show, the loveable loser in hick form. We should hate him since he cheated on Jules and destroyed their marriage. But this episode allowed Bobby to evolve, and be someone just as likeable and root-worthy as everyone else on this show. [A]
- Angry Sweaty 80’s Montage set to Walking on Sunshine
- Travis: “Don’t worry Kev. You’ll find your chocolate Kirsten one day. Those are his words not mine.”
- Ellie: “Bye Grayson. Pageant wave.”
- property of NBC
Community – Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas: After this episode, I conclude Community is the best show on TV right now. Every week I review an episode, and almost every week it gets an A. But why? Honestly I’m not trying to be biased. But it keeps delivering week in and week out. Some people may not like the fact that the show isn’t just here to deliver the laughs anymore, that usually attached to all the chaotic nature of the plots is a lesson or a real examination of a given character. But for me that’s the difference between surface level humor like The Big Bang Theory and what Community has now become (a fantastic television program that transcends what a 30-minute comedy show typically is). This week could have easily been a phoned-in gimmick episode. In fact, the stop animation probably would have drawn people in and got people talking regardless. Instead, the stop animation was in fact a delusion developed in Abed’s head caused by deterioration of his relationship with his mother. On his journey to the find the meaning of Christmas, everyone’s appearance is transformed into something Christmas-themed, and serves as a reflection of how Abed views them. In the end, the study group comes back together in defense of Abed showing him that the spirit of Christmas was not (season one of) lost now that his mother wishes to no longer spend Christmas with him. That this study group is genuinely there for Abed, there for each other, and that they have developed such a tight knit relationship that they are family. [A+]
There were so many things to take note of in this episode that I just didn’t have the time to write them all down. But here are a few:
- Snowman Chang being violated by Abed – “how about ten more seconds on that third button?”
- Something I totally missed - Snowman Chang spying on the group on Planet Abed.
- Planet Abed’s atmosphere is 7% cinnamon
- I thought Abed’s song to Britta was especially affective:
Britta-Bot,
Programmed badly,
Wires with fraying ends,
Functioning
Mad and sadly.
No faith in herself
Or friends. - Aloof. Detached. Distant. Bjork.
- I’m officially over Rudolph, The Christmas Pterodactyl is my new Christmas mascot.
30 Rock – Christmas Attack Zone: This season 30 Rock has been doing a great job tying the silliness with the sincerity. This episode probably did the best in achieving such a thing. Whether that be Jack loving every second of his parents yelling at him; Jenna and Paul making up and performing as two “black” swans; Tracey understanding that there’s nothing wrong with making people laugh and showing The Chunks 2; or Liz realizing that the horrors of Christmas is inescapable and therefore should be spent with family [B+]
- Liz: “Who hasn’t made mistakes? I once french kissed a dog at a party to try to impress what turned out to be a very tall 12 year old”
- Kenneth: “Obesity is killing the African-American community…with laughter.”
- Liz: “My aunt Linda is bringing her new boyfriend who is neither her age nor her race, and her ex-husband will also be there with his date…alcoholism. I swoop in the next day for presents and pie.”
The Office –Classy Christmas : The only thing I didn’t thoroughly enjoy was the Jim-Dwight snow fight. I did find Dwight’s first ambush fun as hell even as he whaled on Jim with a never ending barrage of snow balls. But the blood running down Jim’s face in the following scene was interesting because it took what initially appeared as a light-hearted prank and revealed that Jim was actually really hurt physically and psychologically. This gag continued to run through the whole episode, with Jim’s paranoia growing with each passing minute. That last scene with Jim and Pam surrounded by a dozen snow men as they tried to get their car with Dwight watching from the roof was both hilarious and disturbing.
In fact, the same can be said for the whole hour-long episode. But whereas the Dwight-Jim storyline was mostly for awkward comic relief, the Darryl-daughter and Michael-Holly storylines were done very well in my opinion and true to the lonely spirit that Christmas does in fact bring. First Darryl discovered that his daughter would rather spend the holidays with her mother (his ex-wife). His arguments with his ex-wife felt sincere, and it was easy to feel sorry for him, since earlier in the episode Darryl was bragging how much fun he and his daughter had two years ago during Christmas. The story moved along very sweetly, with assistance from Andy (Darryl’s new bud), Pam, and eventually Michael (in the role of classic Santa Clause).
And how did Michael end up as Santa Clause (classic edition)? Well first it begins with Toby being selected as a juror for the Scranton Strangler (hey so all those small mentions weren’t a waste after all). With Toby’s exit comes Holly’s return as his temporary replacement. When Michael finds out, he revamps the office’s Christmas party and takes the role of Santa Clause meets Hugh Hefnar. However, when Holly returns, she reveals her and AJ are still together and in fact are living with one another. Eventually Michael loses it because of the fact that Holly continues her long distance relationship with AJ despite the fact that’s the very reason she broke up with Michael years ago. Michael’s speech to Holly felt heartfelt, just like his phone message to her. And as much as I like foolish goofy Michael (like the one we saw when Holly first arrived) I love competent heart of his sleeve Michael just that much more. After Pam lets Michael know that Holly intends to give AJ as ultimatum at the end of the year that if he doesn’t commit and marry her she will end the relationship, Michael comes back and dresses as classic Santa Clause for Darryl’s daughter- something Holly takes notice of and seemingly admires from afar. [A]
- Why not an A+? Because A Benihana Christmas is still The Office’s best Christmas episode.
- I loved how Erin stood in Holly’s way when Michael walked out on Holly. Nice development in their pseudo-father-daughter relationship.
- property of NBC
The Big Bang Theory - The Alien Parasite Hypothesis:I really enjoyed Mayim Bialik’s performance as Amy Farrah Fowler in this episode but the end basically showed that the show in no way wishes to take a chance in changing the status quo as they continue to tease and destroy the possibility of an Amy and Sheldon relationship. I guess if the people keep watching, then why bother trying anything truly new? Wolowitz and Raj’s battle over who would be the sidekick within their dynamic duo was fun but poor Leonard. I wonder if Johnny Galecki resents the fact his character has fallen from a main lead to mostly a background character these days. [C+]
Fringe - Marionette:Both the monster-of-the-week and the Olivia-Peter stories were equally engaging; with the monster story getting bonus creepy points (see the puppet scene). I love how much the show respects their characters and Anna Torv’s performance was wonderful. But Peter, come on, you do not tell one girl that the other girl was more pleasant to be around. See you Fridays! [A]
The Vampire Diaries – By The Light of The Moon: Okay so Stefan and Katherine didn’t actually hook up in real life and in the end he and Elena were reunited (BOOO- TEAM DAMON ALL THE WAY). And Taylor’s transformation finally happened and looked painful albeit much much shorter than his uncle’s. Lastly, Rose returned, her and Damon made nice and are now “friends”, but she got bitten by the visiting female werewolf. Next week, we get to see the aftermath. [B-]
Smallville - Icarus:Yay Clark and Lois are finally engaged! And hey a Chloe appearance! But it wasn’t until the 2nd half that the real action began which is why it missed the grade A mark. But Slade is really affective as one of this season’s big bads . And those Hawkman scenes were great, whether it be his chemistry with Green Arrow (a credit to both actors), his fight with Slade, his attempt to save Lois as his wings were engulfed in flames, and his death. I’m really sad to see him go, but that was an interesting cliffhanger at the end when everyone was knocked out by that beaming light. [B+]
Juju:
- Property of Fox
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Simpsons: The Fight Before Christmas- Best episode of The Simpsons in a while. Mostly because of the numerous parodies and cultural references.
The Walking Dead: TS-19 - I love how the best thing about a zombie apocalypse is a warm shower. And, apparently, wine. Everyone got drunk and Shane tried to rape Lori in the rec room. I thought that the whole Shane/Lori affair was going to be revealed in the finale but apparently not.
Desperate Housewives: Pleasant Little Kingdom - So that’s Paul’s plan? Turn houses on the neighborhood into halfway houses for criminals to lower everyone’s property value? I guess I expected more.
Brothers and Sisters: Get A Room - I think Kevin should be stoned out of his mind in every episode.
Boardwalk Empire: A Return to Normalcy - Looking back on this episode, a week after, I can’t remember anything that happened…except Lucy telling FBI guy she’s pregnant. Everything else felt like “The Godfather”.
Monday, December 6, 2010
How I Met Your Mother: The Mermaid Theory - Of course Lily was pregnant. No one refers to “us” as themselves and an ice cream cone.
Gossip Girl: The Townie - Thank you for resolving the Juliet storyline before the winter hiatus!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Glee: A Very Glee Christmas - I was ready to hate this episode when it started…because two things upset me about the beginning: 1 Jewish people do not celebrate Christmas; 2 What happened to separation of Church and State? Why is everyone decorating a Christmas tree at school? Then the episode had me crying when Artie was walking for the first time. I’m getting a little tired of my love/hate relationship with Glee. It’s fine when I watch it, but when I think back on the episode, nothing makes sense and I get angry.
- Will: “Can you believe it? Six different people got Sue a shake weight.”
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
- “I had no idea who Joe Jonas was. I thought maybe he was a pastry chef.” Property of Bravo
Top Chef All-Stars: Night At The Museum -
- Quickfire: Joe Jonas! I don’t really care for Joe Jonas. I’m waiting for Sesame Street to show up on Top Chef. Anxiously waiting.
- Elimination Challenge: Oh Jamie, really? You have to go get stitches? That may have been the first time in Top Chef history a chef bled and actually sought medical attention immediately. Everyone else has used duct tape and bloody gloves to get through.
- Judges Table: Wow, Jen went crazy! It’s such a harsh contrast from how she was on Season 6. She was meticulous, calm, and cooked really perfect food. Now she’s talking back and making wet bacon topped with bland eggs. It seems like in order to be a great chef, the chefs have to be willing to take criticism. And the ones who don’t, end up leaving (Elia and Jen). Personally, I thought Jamie would be eliminated since she didn’t do anything.
The Middle: A Simple Christmas - Whoa, the mom from “Drop Dead Fred” is Frankie’s mom! And she looks exactly the same!
Modern Family: Dance Dance Revelation -
- Phil: “We like to think we’re so smart, like we have all the answers, and we wanna pass that on to our children. But if you scratch beneath the surface, you don’t have to dig very deep to find the kid you were, which is why it’s kind of crazy we’re raising kids of our own. I guess that’s the real circle of life: your parents fake their way through it, you fake your way through it, and hopefully you don’t raise a serial killer.”
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Big Bang Theory: The Alien Parasite Hypothesis -
- Sheldon: “The best number is 73. You’re probably wondering why. Seventy-three is the twenty-first prime number. Its mirror, thirty-seven, is the twelfth. Its mirror, twenty-one is the product of multiplying, hang on to your hats, seven and three.”
- Amy: “Did you know that the iconic Valentine’s heart shape is not actually based on the shape of the human heart but rather on the shape of the buttocks of a female bending over?”
- “You made me need to cry in the shower tonight” Property of NBC
Community: Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas -
- Abed: (Singing) Give me the snow/ Light up the trees/ Deck every hall/ And while you can sing/ Roast every nut/ Mistle the toe/ This needs to be the best Christmas since the original/ Twenty thousand years from now they’ll say/ The most successful Christmas was today!
- Abed: “No, it’s a metaphor. It represents lack of payoff.”
- Chang: “Yeah, you made me need to cry in the shower tonight.”
30 Rock: Christmas Attack Zone -
- Paul and Jenna: “You/I dress as Natalie Portman from the movie ‘Black Swan’ and you/I dress as former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Pennsylvania Gubernatorial nominee Lynn Swan. We’re two black swans!”
The Office: Classy Christmas -
- It’s so nice how within 5 seconds of their reunion, you can tell Michael and Holly belong together…but Erin spends the whole episode confused on what he sees in her.
- Pam giving Jim the comic book she made of him is like Season 1 of “The O.C.” when Anna gave Seth the same thing.
- Where did Dwight find the time to build all those snowmen?!
- Dwight: “I have no feeling in my fingers or penis. But I think it was worth it.”
The Vampire Diaries: By the Light of the Moon - Whew! Stephan and Katherine DIDN’T have crazy cave sex. It was all in Stephan’s mind for 30 seconds.
Fringe: Marionette - I think Fringe needs to step it up with their “mystery of the week” storylines. Usually, I suck at playing detective but when Walter said “scar tissue”, I knew someone was stealing back organs that belonged to one person. As for the Olivia/Peter/Fauxlivia situation…Peter, you do not tell Olivia that the alternate version of her “is quicker with a smile and less intense” then tell her you had a relationship with the woman you thought was her. I can understand why Olivia had to ask Peter “She wasn’t me. How could you not see that?” because Olivia’s back and we, as an audience, can feel it. It feels right. Even the way she walks is back to normal.
- “How could you not know it wasn’t me?” Property of Fox
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Dee Gives Birth - Dee sure doesn’t have a problem tricking guys into having sex with her.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Smallville: Icarus - So glad they got that proposal out of the way before the opening credits! Really confused on what happened at the end though.
Supernatural: Appointment in Samarra -Sam’s got his soul back! Oh, we have to wait until January 28th to see what happens. Darn.
