TV Tam

TV Tam has a new home!

2009-09-02T14:22:00.002-05:00

TV Tam is moving to http://tamarafarley.com/tvtam. All of my old posts are available on the new site in addition to all new posts. From this point forward, TV Tam on blogspot will not be updated.

Come visit me on my new site!

Signed,
TV Tam

More Sleaze from Jon Gosselin

2009-07-23T10:37:00.002-05:00

More proof that Jon Gosselin is a grody man-whore.

My Emmy Picks and Predictions 2009

2009-07-20T12:43:00.009-05:00

I've been asked to post my thoughts on who will take home this year's Emmy statues, so below is my list of nominees, my picks, and my opionins. I'm a little late to the game, but here are my predictions (or at least who I hope will win) for the categories we all care about.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
*The Big Bang Theory • Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
Flight Of The Conchords • Jemaine Clement as Jemaine
Monk • Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
The Office • Steve Carell as Michael Scott
30 Rock • Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Two And A Half Men • Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

Alec Baldwin and Tony Shaloub won this award the past two years, and I don't see them as repeat winners. Charlie Sheen and Steve Carrell have both been snubbed in this category before, but this year they are outshined by newcomers Jemaine Clement and Jim Parsons. I give this one to Jim, who is a total genius on Big Bang Theory. He completely immerses himself in Sheldon Cooper, Ph.D, who has to be the most over-the-top yet realistic character I've seen on television.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Bryan Cranston as Walter White
*Dexter • Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House • Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment • Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men • Jon Hamm as Don Draper
The Mentalist • Simon Baker as Patrick Jane

Bryan Cranston and Jon Hamm are repeat nominees and winners, leaving Gabriel Byrne, Hugh Laurie and Michael C. Hall. I've never seen In Treatment but I love Gabriel Byrne. However, my hope is that this year's winner is Michael C. Hall for his role on Dexter. The last season of Dexter didn't have the action and high drama of seasons past, but I think Michael C. Hall brought Dexter to life this season with breakthrough emotion and a poignant internal struggle as he peeled away layer upon layer of such a unique character.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The New Adventures Of Old Christine • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine
Samantha Who? • Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
The Sarah Silverman Program • Sarah Silverman as Sarah Silverman
30 Rock • Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
*United States Of Tara • Toni Collette as Tara Gregson
Weeds • Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin

For me, this is between Tina Fey who consistently shines despite previous wins, Toni Collette, who is just a marvellous actress, and Mary-Louise Parker, who's yet to be recognized. I'm giving this one to Toni Collette.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters • Sally Field as Nora Walker
*The Closer • Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson
Damages • Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Mad Men • Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
Saving Grace • Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko

Call me crazy, but I think Kyra Sedgwick will finally get her due this year. Glenn Close is undeniably chilling as Patty Hewes, but she won last year for the role. Next year, I would love to see Mary McCormack nominated for her role as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Entourage • Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama
*How I Met Your Mother • Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
The Office • Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
30 Rock • Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan
30 Rock • Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell
Two And A Half Men • Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

For a category dominated by Jeremy Piven for the last half of the decade, Neil Patrick Harris should rise to the occasion now that Piven isn't even nominated.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • William Shatner as Denny Crane
Boston Legal • Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson
Breaking Bad • Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Damages • William Hurt as Daniel Purcell
*Lost • Michael Emerson as Ben Linus
Mad Men • John Slattery as Roger Sterling

I hope beyond hope that Michael Emerson wins this year. He is a commanding presence on the screen, even with his deceivingly weak demeanor and huge, thoughtful eyes. He plays Ben with such composure and mystery that you don't know what he's all about, and that enigma could not be personified by anyone else. But he's been snubbed the past two years, so his chances may not be so good.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies • Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
Saturday Night Live • Amy Poehler as Various Characters
Saturday Night Live • Kristen Wiig as Various Characters
30 Rock • Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney
Ugly Betty • Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
*Weeds • Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes

I would love for Kristin Chenoweth to win this one, but since Pushing Daisies was cancelled her odds are dramatically lowered. I don't think SNL skits should actually count as acting, so on this one I have to go with either Jane Krakowski or Elizabeth Perkins. Since I've never seen either show this is a pure guess.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Damages • Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons
Grey's Anatomy • Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang
*Grey's Anatomy • Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
In Treatment • Dianne Wiest as Gina
In Treatment • Hope Davis as Mia
24 • Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor

I'm really sad that Elizabeth Mitchell isn't nominated for Lost but I'm going with Dr. Bailey on this one. This is Chandra's fourth nomination, and she seriously deserves to win. She is given meaty material every year and always brings tears to my eyes. And you can guarantee her acceptance speech would be awesome.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Entourage • HBO
Family Guy • FOX
Flight Of The Conchords • HBO
How I Met Your Mother • CBS
The Office • NBC
*30 Rock • NBC
Weeds • Showtime

Let's make it a trifecta and call one more for 30 Rock. Family Guy is ridiculous and should not even be nominated. I've never seen FOTC but I haven't heard enough about it to call it a true contender. How I Met Your Mother is great for us common folk, but doesn't get any love from the critics. Unless The Office can come back from its 2-year snub I think 30 Rock is a shoe-in.

Outstanding Drama Series
Big Love • HBO
*Breaking Bad • AMC
Damages • FX Networks
Dexter • Showtime
House • FOX
Lost • ABC
Mad Men • AMC

I love Damages and Dexter, but neither of them has a chance if they couldn't win last year. House and Big Love are on the list just for recognition's sake, but I don't think they have a real chance at winning. I would love Lost to win, but I think the Academy is saving that for next year, its final season. This year is looking like a toss up between Breaking Bad and Mad Men. I'll go out on a limb and give this one to Breaking Bad purely based on all the chatter.

So You Think You Can Dance: Down to Eight

2009-07-17T09:12:00.009-05:00

** Spoilers Ahead **

For some reason, the viewer-picked results shows are never as dramatic as the judges' eliminations. Maybe it's because the solos are repeated from last night, or the fact that they don't matter. Or maybe because the "musical guest" only serves to waste time, when it previously masked the judges' "deliberation." I especially could have done without the Black Eyed Peas and their homage to MJ as if he was their "homie."

Anyway, on to the results.

The bottom two girls were Randi and Melissa, which was pretty much a given. Randi hasn't impressed me for weeks and Melissa's personality has thus far been as exciting as cardboard.

I was shocked when both Jason and Evan were declared "safe" during the boys' bottom two announcement, leaving Kupono, Brandon, and Ade. I knew at that point it would be Kupono and Ade due to Brandon's following. However I was turned off by Brandon's fake "shock" that he was not in the bottom 2 - since he was actually smiling when he covered his mouth with his hands. I was extremely disappointed to see Ade in the bottom two because I think he's an amazing dancer, but I agree that he doesn't always give his all emotionally in his partner dances.

In the end, it is Randi and Kupono who are sent home - no shock there. I really enjoyed them both on a personality level - Randi probably more so - but am fine with their elimination.

What did you think about tonight's elimination? And how excited are you that Ellen Degeneres will be judging next week?

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 10

2009-07-16T08:57:00.004-05:00

We're down to the top ten dancers, and they are picking new partners, dancing individually, and the judges are losing control. I don't remember voting for dancers individually until the final four last year, but it's been an entire year since the show was on. I'm really looking forward to a fall season; I think a show like this deserves as much hype as, if not more than, American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

First, a group dance performed by all f ive girls is announced. This is new. The ladies dance a Bollywood number and I think it's astounding. The costumes are beautiful and the ladies are graceful. The judges claim they can't pick out anyone that stood out, but to me Kayla and Janette both did. Kayla is just plain pretty and Janette really took the hip shaking to another level.

Kayla and Evan
The first new couple is Kayla and Evan, and they are given a Viennese Waltz. I don't know how they will pull this of given the height difference, and they end up giving Evan heels and Kayla some flats to wear during their performance. Kayla was lovely and seemed to float across the stage. Evan, as usuaul, was kind of stiff and didn't really get it. Evan is cute and quirky and adorable, but I find him to be one of the weakest dancers, both technically and performance-wise. And unlike Phillip, who I'm actually missing this week, I have not seen much growth in him. However, Evan's personality has gained him a huge following so he might be staying over more qualified dancers.

Ade and Janette
I've been waiting all season to see Ade perform hip hop, and he pulled it off rather well. For the first time I really got to see him have some fun. However, except for a couple of their routines (both Phillip and Jeanine dances too) I've been a little bit disappointed in my NapTab. Where's the heart-wrenching lyrical hip-hop we've come to love? Where's the Mark-Chelsie/Katie-Joshua pieces of last season? All in all though, Ade and Janette did a good job, and I thought Janette's solo was one of the first ballroom solos that didn't suck.

Jason and Jeanine
Before I get to the performance, just let me Mary Scream for a moment.

TRAVIS WALL!!!!

OK, I'm done. LOVE that Travis is choreograping, LOVE the dark hair. And I absolutely LOVE the piece. It finally, finally showcased Jason and Jeanine's abilities. This is the first time I've actually been slightly impressed by Jason or seen any emotion in him. I think Caitlin may have been stunting this poor kid. I'm not going to go into all of their solos, but this week I really liked Jason's - it was quirky and fun to watch. Last week I was ready to write him off, but now I'm not so sure. As for Jeanine--wow! I did not know she could do any of that! I've never seen her stretch like that, never seen her lines. As sad as a lot of people were to see Phillip go last week, you can't deny that it's nice for her to dance with someone that can more closely match her technical ability. I'm impressed, and this is my favorite dance of the night.

Randi and Kupono
I had a feeling this pairing would be a disaster. Neither of them are extremely strong dancers, and that combined with the Paso Doble (this year's kiss of death) I knew it would be a train wreck. CRASH! It was pretty painful to watch. Kupono is not "butch" enough to carry off the matador part, and Randi is not all that feminine or graceful. The wig did not help - it just made her look more fake. She was the weakest girl of the night for me and I think she should go home. For me, Kupono and Evan are equally weak but I see Kupono going home first.

Brandon and Melissa
Is it just me, or were Brandon and Melissa kind of a boring couple with a boring routine? To me, the routine was just okay. It was entertaining but I'm finding myself kind of undherwhelmed whenever Tyce choreographs, aside from the Jeanette-Phillip couch routine. (Wow, those two really got a lot of the good routines this year, didn't they?) Melissa is a beautiful dancer but her personality might put her at risk for elimination.

The night ended with an African routine by the five guys. They had a difficult time with it because it was all rhythm and no counts, but they pulled it off. I am impressed just with the amount of stamina needed to get through the routine, much less do it well. However, I did think it was a bit rude for Nigel to use this opportunity to once again diss the Russian folk dance.

My picks for elimination: Randi and Kupono

What did you think of tonight's partnerships? Did you like the top 5 girl and guy routines?

Bachelorette Flies High, Lets One Man Go

2009-07-14T09:47:00.004-05:00

Good morning, fellow Bachelorette watchers! In last night's episode, Jillian took her three remaining bachelors to the island of Maui for some fun in the sun and romantic alone time, but all did not go the way she expected.

Kiptyn
Jillian and Kiptyn went on a ropes course and had to climb what Jillian called a "totem pole," which she said made her physically ill. Wonderboy Kip had to coach his damsel onto the top, which made her trust him even more. Ummm, okay? Once they reached the top, Jill overcame her fear and leapt toward the trapezes dangling in front of them. Even though she missed it by a mile, she squealed that she was "so close!" and was impressed that "perfect" Kiptyn reached his.

Their dinner date was pretty boring, and the only legitimate question she bothered to ask was what his flaws were. His answer: flamenco dancing. (Ha, ha.) Jillian still feels Kip is too good for her, yet she takes him to the fantasy suite. All in all, I feel like Kiptyn is still a frat boy player, which Jillian apparently LOVES because unlike Reid or Ed, she doesn't make him prove himself to her.

Reid
Jillian takes Reid on a romantic helicopter ride over the island, where they learn that the pilot is an ordained minister. She is certainly pressuring Reid into a proposal, or at least a confession of feelings. I get where she is coming from but not all guys move at a lightning-fast pace. I think Reid's feelings for her are true and Jillian shouldn't need verbal confirmation of such. I would have hated Reid to tell her he was falling in love with her when he really wasn't ready to say it. Shame on you, Jillian.

Despite his lack of verbal confessions of love, Jillian takes him to the fantasy suite where they have a romantic bubble bath. Since when did we go into the fantasy suite? I think that was a little much, but nothing compared to what they did on Ed's date...

Ed
Ed, Ed, Ed. Where to begin? I really, really liked Ed ever since the beginning, but these last two dates are making him more and more creepy. Maybe it's just editing. Maybe it's his nickname of "Richie." Maybe it's his green "mankini" - which didn't bother me until he wore it when he took Jillian to MEET HIS PARENTS. Jillian put her clothes back on, could Ed not have pulled on his cargo shorts? Seriously, dude. Ed's parents were cute and ultimately gave their blessing, and Jillian offered Ed the fantasy suite. At least he put clothes on for that part. However, I was kind of turned off by his speech to Jillian, during which he didn't even look at her. And then came the big "moment" that's been teased all season long: Ed and Jillian did not have the "sexy time" they had hoped for. Does that mean little Ed didn't perform? That they were not really in the mood? Or that they were just overwhelmed and exhausted? I guess we'll never know, but it didn't prevent Jill from keeping him around.

In the end, Reid's lack of verbal commitment sent him home, and it's obvious his decision to keep quiet is something he regrets. Will he make like Ed and Jake and come back past his expiration date?

More Reality TV Sleaze: I'm Talking To You, Jon Gosselin

2009-07-13T09:23:00.004-05:00

Now, I don't normally care who's dating whom out in the celeb-sphere, but this man just irks me more and more. Jon Gosselin was snapped on vacation with a new girlfriend, Hailey Glassman, the 22-year-old daughter of Kate's tummy-tuck surgeon (so there's a pretty good chance she's jobless). Mind you, this is not the same decades-younger chick he was dating before Kate filed for divorce --that was 23 year old teacher Deann Hammel, who was reportedly to appear in some future episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8. Well, before she got dumped.

And according to Zap2It (which is about as trustworthy as TMZ), someone close to the family has said that the rumors of Kate dating her bodyguard were just rumors stirred up by Jon to get the attention off himself. I don't know how much of that is true, but even if I hate Kate's rooster hairdo and overbearing nature, I'm on her side on this one.

The Bachelorette and All Things Sleazy

2009-07-07T12:53:00.003-05:00

In this episode of the Bachelorette... Jillian wears really bad outfits! Jillian speaks really poor Spanish! Jillian refuses the fantasy suites! And finally.. Jillian dumps Wes Hayden, the Sleazemeiser himself.

Now, I could talk about all the cutesy-shmootzy romatic things about this episode, but no one really wants to read about that. So I'll jump straight to it...

If you were really desperate for something to do this July 4th holiday, you could have headed to the House of Blues in Dallas to see none other than the Wes Hayden Band perform. Tickets were a whopping $9-$15 dollars, but I'm sure it was still pretty desolate. You know, cause it was a holiday and all. And those tickets prices were ridonkulous!

If you were down in Austin instead, you could go meet the infamous Laurel herself, at her spa, Peach Body. There, she would have continuously denied being Wes' girlfriend, even though he admitted in the cab that he was "the only guy to make it to the final four with a girlfriend." And guess what? This girl gets around, because just a couple years earlier, she dated ex-Bachelor Brad Womack, and is reportedly the reason he dumped both contestants at the end. (She reportedly dated another contestant during Jen Schiff's season too!) Either this girl is obsessed with the Bachelor/ette, or the producers don't vet their bachelors and male contestants very well.

I hope you all enjoyed Wes' little drunken rant in the back of the limo, and his bragging to the other guys that when he got home he would "be having lots of sex," admitting to Jillian that the show was his manager's idea, and that he was "looking out for numero uno."

I sincerely hope the Bachelorette producers look back on the Wes debacle and see the error of their ways, because he did not make for good TV in any way, shape, or form, and we are all beyond thankful he's gone.

Bachelorette Reveals Two Shockers!

2009-06-30T12:15:00.003-05:00

Well, Bacheloretters, did you see this coming?

ABC continually teased a Jake-Wes confrontation in Texas after Wes takes Jillian to meet - yep, you guess it - his band, but what they didn't tease was Jillian continuing to buy all of Wes's bulls**t even after not one, not two, but three of the guys tried to convince her that not everyone was there for the right reasons. The entire drama with Jake seemed completely contrived, even if his confession that Wes has a girlfriend (although still unfounded by what's been aired) is true. Jillian agreed to visit his family, and even then it seemed like his moms (bio-mom and step-mom, but no dad. go figure.) and sisters are playing along to help Wes launch his career so they can reap the benefits. According to them, everyone tells lies about Wes because they are just so damn jealous of him! Yeah, kind of hard to believe. But even after all the drama and relentless voiceovers of Wes claiming that "he's only here for his music", he claimed another rose at the ceremony.

Shocker number two, as many of my fellow fans have predicted, was the return of Ed. And boy was I glad! Ed is and has been my favorite, and I was ecstatic to see him ask Jillian for a second chance. I could just see the relief on her face: Thank God I don't have to turn down a proposal from one of these shmucks! Although he missed out on a train ride through the wilderness and a hometown meeting with his family, Jillian didn't seem to think twice about keeping him over this week's ousters, Michael and Jesse.

Of these two, I am saddest to see Michael go, but it was painfully obvious that he felt way more for Jillian than she did for him. Jesse has always been rather dull and would never be able to match Jillian's high energy. The only other thing that needs to be mentioned about the hometown dates was Kiptyn's freaky "Real Housewife" mom. Eek. Definitely too high-society yacht-club for our Bachelorette.

Now we are down to the final four, Kiptyn, Ed, Wes, and Reid and a trip to Spain. Here's to an ouster for Wes next week and a Reid-Ed final two. Go team Ed!

So You Think You Can Dance : Two More Voted Off

2009-06-19T09:16:00.003-05:00

I was really worried for Phillip and Janeane last night, who I predicted to be in the bottom three alongside Caitlin and Jason and Kupono and Ashley. But I was wrong: I guess Phillip's following is huge after all, keeping him and his partner safe, even after an atrocious tango on his part. Instead, Kayla, who I've really grown to like and her partner Max, who I really haven't, took their place in the bottom three.

Caitlin seemed to wow the judges with her fluid, albeit boring, solo, but I thought both Ashley and Kayla had more presence. I don't fully "get" the love for Caitlin, because so far she has no personality to accompany her dancing (and I would have much preferred to see her sister on the stage) but her dancing outshone Ashley's "substance"-less performance. Kayla was my favorite girl of the night, even though Nigel thought her solo was too crowded, and she too stayed, sending Ashley home. I knew she was most likely going but I thought she did exceptionally well in both last week's Wade Robson routine and this week's hip-hop--far better than both Caitlin and her own partner Kupono--but someone has to go. After learning that she had auditioned for the show four times, I knew she wouldn't last too long.

As for the boys, I thought that Jason was great and the judges agreed, leaving Kupono and Max in the bottom two. I don't have much love for either of them -- I knew Max wouldn't stick around long for two reasons: both his lack of personality and his specialty as a ballroom dancer. Kupono--while I find him sweet and amusing, he's another dancer whose style I don't fully understand. He is interesting but not masculine, fluid but not strong. Unfortunately I think that both he and Phillip (eventually) will succumb to their lack of strength and training.

How do you feel about last night's results? Were you pleased or upset with who got sent home? And what was your take on Cat's suit? I, for one, thought it was lame.

The Bachelorette: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off!

2009-06-09T15:27:00.007-05:00

A lotta drama followed Jilli this week as she went on one hot one-on-one, a chilly group date, and an emotional 2-on-1 that sent one guy packing.

Kiptyn got the one-on-one date, which found him and Jillian kayaking to buy groceries - I want to know how they got them home! - and cooking up a romantic dinner. Kiptyn definitely has the most physical chemistry with Jillian and assuming he keeps up this streak, I'm betting on him for the final two.

Jillian then takes 10 of the guys on a group date to play curling. Can I just say I am mesmerized by this sport? I think all the guys really got into it and Michael was exceptionally cute with the way he hugged Jillian, commented in his interview how beautiful she looked, and told the other guys that he had a crush on her. Despite his lack of time with her, I think he is falling for our bachelorette, and he really deserves some time alone with her. However, he didn't get his chance this week, as the guys broke into teams to compete for some quality Jillian time, and poor Michael was on the losing side.

The winning team then got to dine with Jillian aboard a historical boat. I was glad that David was on the winning team, because it finally showed Jillian what the rest of us knew all along - that Dave is the ultimate d-bag. During his alone time with Jillian, he proceeded to comment on both her t*ts and her ass, touch her inappropriately, and try to force a kiss. To be honest, I'm surprised he didn't end up overboard. Jillian also accused Jake of being "too perfect" (really? you can tell that from 1.2 dates?) which I'm afraid will not bode well for him, and finally connected with Jesse, who got the date rose.

Finally, Jillian took Mark and Mike on the dreaded 2-on-1 date. For a while, Mike seemed to be taking charge and Mark just seemed shy and awkward. But during their alone time, Mike spewed cliche'd lines like "I would do whatever it takes to make you happy" while Mark opened up about a past relationship that left him closed off, but still believing in love. To the surprise of many in the house, Mike was sent home.

The cocktail party quickly turned sour, with three of the guys - Reid, Jake, and Wes - bringing up the "wrong intentions" of "certain" bachelors. CoughWesCough. Tanner even goes so far to tell Jill that some of the guys in the house still have girlfriends. Although we definitely heard Wes say that he's fallen in love with "3 or 4" women at a time, does that mean he's currently in a relationship? After this news, Jillian confronts the guys and calls off the cocktail party (which, as I later learned, was supposed to include Jillian's cousin Tori, who might have a better bullsh*t radar than poor Jillian). Even when Chris and some of the bachelors ask the two-timer in question to "man up" and come clean, no one steps forward, and Jillian must make a decision without knowing the truth. She ultimately sends home Dave (no shock there) and Juan, giving the episode an expected, yet ironic ending.

Any ideas who Jilli will take to the final 2? Do you think Wes will stick around for a while, or will his "true" intentions be known? And how adorable were Mike and Reid this week?

So You Think You Can Dance - Vegas Week - Pt1

2009-06-04T09:12:00.006-05:00

All of our finalists are gathered in Vegas for a long, strenuous elimination process, where they must master choreography in the styles of hip hop, jazz, ballroom, contemporary, and Broadway. They also must break into groups and choreograph an original routine to a song chosen at random.

In the Vegas round, the cameras follow many of the dancers from the auditions, including many of the judges' early favorites. But as we learn early on, no dancer is safe.

One of the first to be cut is Natalie, who showed exceptional talent in the auditions and even came thisclose to making the top 20 last year. And after a solid performance in rehearsals, I thought she would breeze right through. But when she faltered during the actual performance, the judges were ruthless and sent her home. Brandon, who auditioned with her, is clearly upset, but pulls through his routine, and stays, despite Mia's being unimpressed by him.

Although Natalie was cut right off the bat, the judges gave second chances to several dancers, like Gabi Rojas, who screwed up not one, but two routines. The judges let her dance for her life anyway and -shock!- kept her despite her inability to pick up the choreography. Can we just say double standard?

Caitlin Kinney, who performed after her sister Megan made it through, also fell flat on her contemporary, and was also given the chance to dance for her life. Although her solo was kind of boring, she got 3 passes from the judges, and after the Broadway routine, was ultimately chosen over her baby sister. I was also disappointed that Priscilla, one of my faves, was presumably cut for falling at the end of her routine, although I thought she covered quite nicely.

Others that got second chances were Eric "Silky" and Tony, who was asked to repeat his Mia Michaels routine. Silky was sent home, but Tony was saved.

Many of the dancers from the auditions were nowhere to be seen, like Anna Dunn, so I'm assuming they were cut early, while many others who made it through to the end I had never seen until this point. The Kasprzak brothers also made it through, but if the previews are any indication, one of them won't make the top 20. If that's the case, my bet is on Evan, who is a bit younger and seemingly more likeable than his schticky brother. I also caught a glimpse of Kupono, who I would love to see through to the Top 20.

Tonight, the Top 20 dancers will be revealed- who do you want to make it? How did you feel about last night's cuts? Did you think the "second chances" were fair?

Bachelorette: Down by Three

2009-06-02T12:46:00.010-05:00

**Spoilers Ahead**

Last night's episode of the Bachelorette only furthered my dislike for some of the bachelors and showcased only a handful that I like for Jillian, who is becoming a little bit more of a nutcase with each episode that airs.

The first date went to Ed, who is one of the front runners in my book. He seems genuinely sweet, focused, and just an all around nice guy. We learn that he's a quite scared of Jillian's "plunge off the top of a building" date, likes to sing karaoke although he's not good, and spends too much time working. If those are the only bad things about him, then I'm good! Jill gives him a rose and he moves into the Mansion.

The next date is a group date with everyone except Jake, David, and Sasha. While Dave sputters off some nonsense about hating Juan, the rest of the guys head to a "real Hollywood set" to film some horribly written "western" scenes with bad acting and even worse outfits. Several of the boys get to kiss Jillian, while Mike and Michael get to reenact a scene from Brokeback Mountain. Wes' jealous side emerges again and tells Jill that she's "kind of" cheating on him. She acknowledges his controlling nature, but thinks its "cute." (Ummmm...) After they wrap, they head to a penthouse with a hottub, where Tanner P's foot fetish is back in full swing and Reid and Robby get to spend some alone time with Jillian. Robby gets the individual rose for the night.

The third date goes to Sasha, who I liked at the beginning, until he came out and said all the other bachelors were sheep while he was a wolf. (Ummm...) On their date, Jill and Sasha snapped photos of each other sitting atop vintage cars in an auto museum, then went out for a joyride in a Ferrari. During their meal, Sasha confessed that he was in a near-paralyzing car accident in high school, and that he only had 3 girlfriends - 2 in high school and one in college. How old is this guy again? Jill thinks his lack of experience "being in love" is a downside to him, but I honestly think it's just an excuse for the lack of chemistry the two have. He said he was holding out to love someone that truly mattered, his "mythical unicorn" (what?). Jill decides not to keep him around and sends him to the airport on a bus. Wow, what a way to go.

Later that evening, Wes serenades Jillian with "the song he wrote for her," which he just played five minutes earlier for the guys in the bunk house. How sick are you of this song? Apparently, Jill is not sick of it yet, and invites Wes up to her balcony for yet ANOTHER rousing rendition of "they say love, it don't come eeeaaasssyyyyyy." Does this song even have another line?)

During the reception, Dave the egomaniacal tool continued his (probably drunken) vendetta against Juan, especially after Juan interrupted his time with Jillian. He then later calls out Mark for not bringing up Juan's "wrong reasons for being there" with Jillian. Yes, Juan is a little clingy and not athletic and butch as the other dudes, but what is this really? Dave's extreme homophobia (against "less-of-a-man" Juan) coming out? And Robby sided with Dave, although unlike Dave, he's not coming right out with a murder plot against him. I wonder what else is going on with Juan. Maybe he's the one with the girlfriend that keeps being teased in the promos?

And elsewhere, we're treated to Tanner P's foot dance and monologue, written and choreographed by Tanner P. Although kinda disturbing, it was a little funny. And he thinks he doesn't have talent!

Jillian seems to be completely unaware of everything that is going on amongst the men in the house, because she inexplicably keeps Wes and Dave around another week, giving Brad and Tanner F. the boot. Understandably, she and Brad had absolutely NO chemistry during the "Wild West" scenes, but I hoped on a moral level that she would choose Tanner F. over Dave. But on anentertainment level, Dave is a necessary evil, because without him we wouldn't get our Dave-Juan showdown, and that would just be wrong, wouldn't it?

After tonight's episode, I'm pulling for Robby, Jake, Ed, and Reid, and would like to see more of Jesse and Mark. What about you guys?

Who is the New 'Idol' King?

2009-05-20T22:18:00.003-05:00

Well, folks, we have a new American Idol. If you have yet to watch tonight's show, don't read any further.

**** Spoiler Alert *****

I think Kris was the most shocked of us all when he was announced the winner of American Idol. The judges all but handed the title over to Adam, essentially telling Kris last night that he should be proud of himself, but that he wouldn't go any further. Boy, did America prove them wrong. Twice. For the four that pegged an Adam-Danny showdown, they were sure put in their place when Kris took it all. I guess once Danny left, Kris got all his extra votes, vaulting him ahead of season-long frontrunner Adam. But unlike Danny, Kris definitely said it best in a recent interview, where he said he hoped his being Christian wouldn't affect America's vote, and that they should vote based on talent, not based on someone's personal lifestyle. Well said, Kris, and well deserved. Congratulations, and for the first time, i eagerly await the American Idol's album.

And as for Adam, not winning Idol is probably a blessing in disguise, because now he can go all Daughtry and make the kind of album he wants, and not the kind that Clive Davis mandates, and he doesn't have to sing the horrid Idol song (is it sad that Kara is a better singer than a songwriter? Maybe she should switch professions.)

Well, it's late, but I needed to comment on tonight's upset. For now, good night.

The Bachelorette 5: Jillian Meets the Men

2009-05-19T08:49:00.004-05:00

A new season of Bachelor/Bachelorette is upon us, and I for one am glad to be rid of whiny, wishy-washy Jason Mesnick and his continuous bewildered expression. This time around we're graced with last season's fave Jillian Harris and a whole array of men, some of whom I liked and some of whom I didn't. And in a new twist, she didn't have just 25 bachelors to choose from, she had 30.

A few observations: This season has a lot of Texans (Wes, Jake, Kyle, Sasha and Tanner P.), a lot of athletic guys (soccer coach, cyclist, surfer, pole vaulter), and a lot of strange names/spellings (Kiptyn, Julien, Matheu, and 2 Tanners). We also learned that Jillian has a soft spot for country music, wine, and guys from the trailer park.

Let's start with who I didn't like. First and foremost, I was glad she didn't keep Greg "Bilbro," the male model-slash-break dance wannabe, Kyle, who gave her a moustache finger "tattoo" and Stephen, the perpetually cynical New Yorkian, who decided Jillian didn't like "awesome guys." I was highly disappointed that she also kept greasy-haired "Great Catch" Mike, trailer-park lovin' "Hot Tub Harris" Brian, "Country Superstar in Chihuahua Mexico" Wes, and of "I'm not gay, I just like feet" Tanner P.

She kept the majority of my favorites from the night, including Kiptyn (the surfer), Sasha (the guy with the huge Serbian family), and Jake (the pilot), as well as Ed (the guy from Chicago), Jesse (the winemaker) Michael (the break dance instructor), and Mark (the pizza maker). I was disappointed she didn't keep John H., the shy guy that didn't get his one-on-one time until the end. I wasn't so sure about a few of the middle-of-the-road picks, like David, who got the first impression rose, Juan, who works with his mommy, and Matheu, whose hobby is collecting signatures for his cowboy hat.

As for the other guys that got little to no screen time --is that due to editing, or did they really not make an effort to talk to Jillian one-on-one? If they did get one-on-one time, I would like to know what they said to her that got them booted.

What do you think, watchers? Did Jillian keep your initial faves? Did you have any comprehension of why she kept Mike, Brian, or Tanner P.?

Show Cancellation/Renewal Updates!

2009-05-18T11:58:00.006-05:00

It's Monday and the Network Upfronts have begun, bringing news of sorrow and joy to loyal fanbases everywhere....

FOX
FOX announced a 2-season pickup for Bones (whee!) despite a disappointing season ender. Other exciting pickups include a trimmed-back Dollhouse and a fall run for So You Think You Can Dance. New anticipated series Glee also debuts this fall, but make sure to catch the "preview" episode tomorrow night following Idol. So what got the axe? Terminator. Sorry folks, something's gotta give.

NBC
NBC made a good decision today and picked up Chuck for 13 more episodes, but its shrunken budget might mean fewer Chuck-karate sequences and a slimmed-down cast. Since both Chuck and Morgan left the Buy More, it's a safe bet we'll lose both the set and the employees. If I had to guess, I'd say that Big Mike and Emmet are definitely goners, but the show will likely keep Morgan and Jeffster in limited capacity. NBC has also yet to pick up Medium, but if it's not renewed at the Peacock, it may have a new home at CBS come the fall.

ABC
ABC picked up Castle (yay!) but not the Unusuals. Can't say I blame them. It also looks like Scrubs will be renewed for another half-season, with Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke both reportedly signing 6-episode deals.

CBS
The Eye has all but canceled Without a Trace but has a few new shows lined up on the horizon, including a yet-to-be-named NCIS spinoff starring Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J and a medical drama called Three Rivers starring Moonlight's Alex O'Laughlin.

Do you have any other intel on the 2009 Fall lineup? Any other shows you're still wondering about?

American Idol: Kris Kills it with Kanye

2009-05-13T09:12:00.003-05:00

Top Three Night on American Idol was really nothing more than lackluster. On a night when I expect all the finalists to bring their A-game, I found a majority of the performances disappointing.

Judges' Picks

Danny - Paula picked some unknown 80s ditty by Terence Trent D'Arby, who's had one or two minor hits before changing his name and falling off the Earth. I can only guess that he's an old friend of Paula's, and she must owe him a favor. Danny did better than I expected, and I like the upbeat sound for him better than his traditional ballads. However, the song was too stuck in the past and didn't give Danny that modern edge I was hoping for. Granted, this is a reflection of Paula, and not Danny, so I give him props for making do with what he was given. And after listening to the original, Danny's version was much more tolerable.

Kris - I hate to say it, but I agreed with Kara on this one. He sang the song exactly as it was written and did nothing to change it up. I was a bit underwhelmed because Kris has been known as the "true artist" and failed to take advantage of this position. After his second performance, I understand why he chose not to do two acoustic guitar songs, but I feel like he owed it to himself to try something different.

Adam - Simon picked U2's "One" for Adam, but dare I say I didn't like all the liberties he took with the melody. He sang it alright, but it was hard to even discern what the song was after he messed with it so much. Once again, I wasn't a fan of the song choice - I would have given him a song by the Killers or White Stripes or something - modern classic rock that he would knock out of the park.

Contestants' Picks

Danny - I knew Danny would pick something old, lame, and boring, and he delivered. He could have at least sung it with just a guitar or piano accompanying him, but he went all out and gave it a gospel feel. By this point in the show, I was only half paying attention.

Kris - That is, until Kris came on and sang an acoustic, stripped down version of Kanye West's "Heartless." I really loved what Kris did with the song and agreed with Simon that this performance redeemed him. I could definitely hear this song on the radio tomorrow.

Adam - Adam chose 'Cryin', although not the song I would have picked for him. I love Aerosmith and I would chosen "Love in an Elevator" (and "Crazy" for Danny) But I'm just an innocent viewer, so what do I know? :) I thought the background vocals drowned him out a little bit, and overall I was not too impressed by his performance. It sounded very karaoke to me, but I still think Adam is the one to beat based on his past performances.

So that's it folks, who do you think will be final 2? Who should it be? Do you miss Allison as much as I do?

American Idol: Rock Idols

2009-05-06T09:53:00.003-05:00

YAY Rock Night! Finally a stage for little miss Allison to shine. I didn't give a shout out last week, but happy uber-belated birthday to Allison, who happens to share my birthday (April 27) and is exactly 10 years my junior. Wow, do I feel old now! I know it's a little irrelevant now, but who cares, it's my blog!

So, we all knew Adam would tear up the stage like he does every week. He was a natural on stage with Slash during rehearsal. Why wasn't Slash playing during the actual show? That would have been awesome. So of course Adam did his thing, but I was not feeling his new hair 'do or his diamond earring. Kara told him that he would own the '70s classic rock/'80s glam rock scene today, because no one is doing it. Well, Kara, there's a good reason for that. It's 2009! You know I love Adam, but he definitely has the challenge of making himself relevant.

The judges did not love Allison this week, but I thought it was one of her best performances ever. I thought it was a great song and really enjoyed hearing her sing it. I felt like she owned the stage. Are the judges smoking something, because I thought their comments were way off base. Wrong song choice - no way!

Danny sang "Dream On," which just so happened to get Michael Johns booted last year. (Maybe there's an Idol "Dream On" curse..*fingers crossed*) But to make matters even worse for Allison, Danny got nothing but praise for his horrendous song choice and even worse performance. (By the way, Stephen Tyler would never wear wire-rimmed glasses and a tuxedo vest.) "A Plus for effort?" Come on! When have the judges ever given a contestant props for singing a song completely out of their ability for "going for it"? Ugh!! They must have Danny Kool Aid in their Coca-Cola cups, because nothing else can explain it.

As for Kris, well, I wrote him a brief letter, since this might be his last appearance in my blog.

Dear Kris,
Don't you know I hate 80% of Beatles songs, with "Come Together" being one of the worst offenders? And that last year's Beatles Night was as bland as Simon's wardrobe? Apparently, you and Danny learned nothing from Season 7, but you gave it your all. Too bad he outsang you during your duet. I'll miss you!
Sincerely,
TV Tam

What was your take on the performances? Do you think poor Kris will be sent packing tonight?

Your Favorite Shows: Dead or Alive?

2009-05-05T12:04:00.009-05:00

With network upfronts just around the corner, the Big Four (er, Five if you count the CW) are making official announcements as to which shows will be back next fall and which, well, will just fall off.

ABC
Alive:
Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Houswives, The Bachelor, Brothers & Sisters, LOST, Dancing with the Stars, Private Practice

Dead:
In the Motherhood, Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money, Pushing Daisies, Life on Mars

On Life Support:
Castle, Samantha Who, Scrubs, The Unusuals

NBC
Alive:
Southland, Heroes, Biggest Loser, Law & Order: SVU, 30Rock, Parks and Recreation, the Office, Celebrity Apprentice, Friday Night Lights

Dead:
Life, Kath and Kim, Knight Rider, Kings, Lipstick Jungle, ER

On Life Support:
Chuck, Medium, My Name is Earl, Law & Order

CBS
Alive:
Amazing Race, Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Survivor, CSI, CSI Miami, CSI New York, How I Met Your Mother, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, The Mentalist, Rules of Engagement, Criminal Minds

Dead:
Harpers Island

On Life Support:
Cold Case, Flashpoint, Gary Unmarried, Eleventh Hour, New Adventures of Old Christine, Numb3rs, The Unit, Worst Week, Without a Trace

FOX
Alive:
American Idol, Family Guy, Simpsons, Til Death, Fringe, Kitchen Nightmares, Bones, House, 24, Lie to Me

Dead:
Prison Break, Sit Down, Shut Up

On Life Support:
Dollhouse, Terminator

CW
Alive:
Gossip Girl, 90210, Supernatural, One Tree Hill, America's Next Top Model, Smallville

Dead:
Everybody Hates Chris, Reaper

On Life Support:
The Game, Privileged

American Idol: Disco Lives On

2009-04-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

Even though it was disco night, last night's show was one of the first weeks in Season 8 that wasn't completely horrible. Granted, there were a few weak spots, but overall, the performances were a mile better than last week's movie-themed train wreck.

I do have to take a moment to criticize the judges' double-standard critiques, which are undoubtedly affecting viewers' votes, and unfairly so. They are 100% right to berate Lil for her unoriginal, karaoke performance, but when Danny does the same thing, they shower him with praise. Danny barely changes his arrangements, gives the same trite performance every week, yet the judges fawn over him. The same can be said for Allison and Adam. Even when Adam falters, which I believe he did by watering down "If I Can't Have You" to extreme balladness, they act like it's a miracle, but criticize poor Allison for slowing down "Hot Stuff," which I think really worked for the song. Sigh.

OK, off my pedestal now.

The star of the night was, by far, Kris, who totally changed--and rocked--"She Works Hard for the Money." No one else even came close to the thrill I felt when he performed. I think we're looking at a Kris-Adam final here folks!

I also thought Adam and Allison both did well, although I'm still irritated by Allison's inability to pronounce the words she's singing. And despite Adam's spot-on vocals, I would have preferred something a bit more upbeat for him. He's all extremes with no middle ground, which is the one thing I feel he lacks. Anoop, on the other hand, is all middle ground with no risk, which is his downfall. I keep forgetting about the 'dawg. Matt was just so-so as well; I liked his Justin Timberlake-inspired take on "Stayin' Alive" but his vocal was shaky and off-key in parts. I really hoped he'd kill it tonight, and prove why he's there, but I think he only showed he doesn't know himself as an artist and still needs some time to figure that out.

Lil and Danny are the two underachievers in my book. They both give expected, cliched performances week after week. However, the judges and mothers looove Danny, so I expect he'll be safe for another week.

My bottom 3: Lil, Danny, and Anoop
America's bottom 3: Lil, Anoop, and Matt

Going home: Lil and Anoop - I think the judges' save will keep Matt another week, but no more than that.

Idol Judges Use Save!

2009-04-15T22:09:00.001-05:00

WHAT! They saved my Matt!! OOooooh I bet Jeffrey is soo pissed now!

I had nothing to do with it, I swear!

Idol Results Show: Songs from the Year You were Born

2009-04-09T09:16:00.000-05:00

First off, I want to apologize to the 3 people reading this for not posting an AI blog last week, and for not posting my prediction yesterday. But not much has changed since last week; the people who deserve to go home are going home.

Maybe it's just me, but it's getting to that point where Idol starts getting really boring and repetitive. The performances are all around lackluster and uninspired; even Adam's "Standing O" from Simon felt a little bland, even though Adam's performance of Gary Jules' version of "Mad World" was close to perfect. After this week, you can't tell me anyone else on that stage deserves to win.

As for the results show, it seemed like they were actually singing the group number, mostly because some of the notes were a little off. Either that or they're becoming pretty good at lipsyncing, because it wasn't as painful to watch as previous weeks(even though the song sucked; I don't even know who it's by). Flo-Rida was not my cup of tea, and Kellie Pickler was just plain awful - someone please explain her appeal, because I don't get it.

Scott finally got the boot this week, although the judges "considered" giving him a save. I'm not quite sure if that was real, or if they were trying to make Scott's trip home a little less severe? If it was real, I'm quite shocked that he was 'one of the two' they would consider saving (assuming Lil was the other) even if it was a fake-out.

Project Runway Conflicts Resolved

2009-04-01T16:45:00.005-05:00

Fear not, PR fans! The drama surrounding Project Runway has come to an end and Heidi, Tim, and the gang will finally return to our TV screens this summer on the Lifetime network. No premiere date has been announced as of yet.

AI Top Ten: Motown

2009-03-26T12:32:00.006-05:00

Three words for this week's show: Adam.Is.Back!

Now that I've got that out of my system, let's talk about who totally rocked it last night.

Matt- He sang "Let's Get it On." I was yelling at the TV as soon as I saw Matt behind the piano, "Nooo Matt! You can't sit this one out! It's 'Let's Get it On', it's groovy, it's not a piano song!" And by some miracle, he heard me. Sigh. Thank you Matt!

Kris - he needs to stop hiding behind his guitar, which I thought added absolutely nothing to the song. He did a great job vocally with "How Sweet it Is" but needs more personality. Overall, a job well done.

Adam - Squee! He was looking slick and singing sweetly, and it was just an amazing performance. Absolutely loved the little acoustic trio of musicians. It totally worked, and the song was fantastic.

Allison - She is NOT bottom 3, America. Can't you HEAR this girl's pipes? Come on now. She is the almighty Allison, and I hope she's here to stay.

By the way, Allison, Adam, and Matt are (and have been) my choices for the final 3.

On to the so-so performances:

Danny - has great energy, and I really liked his little dance with the back up singers. But I don't see him as a lasting recording artist. He's a ham on stage - much better suited for Broadway or the church choir.

Lil - As the judges said, we all know she can sing. But can she bring it as an artist? Not in that silly wig and over-the-top performance. Lil needs to tone it down and just do what she does best, but I don't know if she'll make it to the finals.

Megan - I'll give Megan a little more credit than the judges, but she really needs a song-picking expert to help her translate her unique voice into a good performance. The thing about Megan is that she has the most interesting sound of all the contestants, and it is really a shame that she's wasting it on songs that don't suit her style, and that's the barrier that's keeping her from being in the lead.

Anoop - OK, so my beef with Anoop is that I keep forgetting about him! But I think he did a decent job with the song, I like the softer side of him. Go Kumar! I mean Anoop!

Who I'm still over and needs to go home like yesterday:

Scott- What is there left to say? When it comes down to it, he's a much better piano player than a singer, which can only work for so long. He's old fashioned, unoriginal, awkward, and has a tendency to bore me to tears.

Michael - I think he did a smidge better with Motown than country, but he is still incredibly weak and needs to stick to Karaoke competitions. Please go home this week.

My bottom 3: Scott, Michael, and Lil.

An Interesting FOX pairing...

2009-03-20T10:11:00.002-05:00

Michael Ausiello reported a Bones/Family Guy crossover in the May 7 episode. Read on to find out which character will be visiting and the circumstances of his appearance.

What do you think of this pairing? On target or too out there?

Alexis Grace Interview

2009-03-20T09:51:00.001-05:00

Read Entertainment Weekly's interview with this week's AI victim, Alexis.

American Idol: Grand Ole Opry

2009-03-17T20:27:00.009-05:00

There wasn't much that was grand about tonight's Grand Ole Opry theme. But a couple things first:

1. I love Randy Travis and the country theme really brought back memories of listening to country music at home with my parents. I miss those days.

2. Can someone please explain to me why everyone's idea of country music on this show is either Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, or Carrie Underwood? Poor Randy Travis, though he's probably thankful that nobody picked one of his songs.

OK, I'm done. Onto the performances.

Who I liked:
Matt - He makes me all tingly when he performs. Simon even said he outsang Danny. All aboard the Matt train!

Allison - She sang a Patty Loveless song from...nope, not the 80s.. 1992! But she has an awesome voice and I really liked her take on the song. Also loved her look tonight. Where can I get a red leather jacket like that?

Kris - one of my favorites of the night. I can't remember ever hearing the song and I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that it didn't sound like typical country.

Anoop - surprised me by actually singing, and singing well. Maybe he does deserve to be here.

Who was in the middle:
Alexis - I love, love, love Jolene, but her performance was just kind of "eh". She has a good voice but I just don't connect with her personality.

Danny - Just so-so. He sang well, but I found him kind of bland tonight. Between the white jacket and the song choice, he looked more like he was singing in a church than on the AI stage.

Megan - Her voice is really old timey and jazzy, which I think is difficult to put to current music and make it connect with the audience. But no matter how you feel about Megan's vocals, her dancing is never relevant.

Who I didn't like:
Adam - You know I'm an Adam fan, but I truly hated his rendition of "Ring of Fire" and fast-forwarded through the latter half. He completely dissed Johnny Cash, who isn't even that country, and it was like he wasn't even trying, and Ring of Fire was the only country song he's ever heard of. And if he was going to do a different version, he should have taken on Social Distortion's.

Lil - She could have taken any bluesy country song and run with it, but she chose the most trite, overdone country song of them all, not to mention it didn't lend itself to her voice. Her performance was plain and unoriginal.

I'm kind of over it:
Scott- Every song is the same-- boring. Next.
Michael - Yes, you're country, even when it's not country week.

My bottom 3: Scott, Michael, and Megan

My vote to leave: Scott

AI Top 13: Michael Jackson Night

2009-03-10T21:31:00.008-05:00

I'm not going to go through all of the performances individually, but I will offer my initial reactions, observations, and predictions.

• My favorites tonight were: Danny, Kris, Matt, Adam, and Allison.
• Lil Rounds’ horrendous outfit distracted me from her actual performance. What did she sing again?
• Props to Kris for making “Remember the Time” sound like a groovy Jason Mraz song.
• Danny actually impressed me tonight and should stick to upbeat songs.
• Anoop is just an afterthought in this competition, and he has yet to prove himself to me.
• I think Allison is stuck in the 80s, even though she’s never been there.
• Someone please tell Megan to stop dancing. Seriously.
• Of all of Adam’s qualities, I like his humility the most.
• I would buy Matt’s album right now, when does it go on sale?
• Alexis kind of freaked me out. Is she a goth lesbian?
• How come all of the girls over the age of 18 are mothers? Go Teen Pregnancy! (folks, I’m being facetious)
• The “twist” will be what all the other competition shows are doing: the audience picks the bottom 3, but the judges pick the one that goes home.
• Bottom 3: Jasmine, Jorge, and Alexis.
• Jorge should be sent home.

**3/11/09 3:37 P.M.** Apparently, I didn't realize that Idol was sending two people packing instead of one. My hope is that it's Jorge and Jasmine, but the judges favor her quite a bit, but not over Alexis, who really doesn't deserve that final spot at all, I'm just afraid she's the one that will be stuck in it. Other contenders for the boot: Anoop and Scott.

Bachelor Meets DWTS

2009-03-09T09:45:00.002-05:00

For all you Dancing with the Stars fans out there...

DWTS scrambled this past week to find a replacement for Nancy O'Dell, who injured her knee(s) during rehearsal. And who did they stumble upon? None other than Bachelor winner-cum-reject/former Dallas Cheerleader Melissa Rycroft.

Interesting, true, but I still probably won't watch.

Wild Card Show

2009-03-05T21:44:00.003-06:00

I wish all Idol nights were like this.

The eight Wild Card choices really showed what they were made of tonight. I was completely captured by Matt Giraud's performance. I said, "If he doesn't make it after this, I'm done."

I personally was not impressed by Jasmine or Megan, the two girls that ultimately made it through. Jasmine sounded (and looked) like she was a Disney princess singing for little girls at the Magic Kingdom. Megan's voice is really weird and whiny to me - I get that she's different, but it just doesn't sound right to me. I'd much rather have Felicia and Mishavonna- despite her poor song choice- over these two. However, I find Megan's personality (but not her dancing skills) to be a little less grating than Jesse, although I prefer Jesse's performances.

At least this means that we're finally done with Tatiana, who sang Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love" for the third time. And seriously, where did that accent come from? She doesn't belong on Idol, she belongs on a telenovella!

But the fact that two girls went through to the Top 12 meant that there was only one spot left for the boys, who really outshone the girls tonight. The girls swooned over Anoop and "his perogative" - but didn't his parents look completely appalled, wondering why oh why didn't he want to be a doctor? Despite his likeability, I preferred Matt's sultry voice to his Bobby Brown, and was in agreement with the judges decision.

But wait! Anoop's not done yet - he's the final contestant in the Top 13! Amazing!!

Because we didn't see that one coming from a mile away. :)

There you have it- the final four contestants. What do you think? Were you surprised that the judges made an extra spot - just in case they couldn't pick just 3?

American Idol Week 3- Results

2009-03-05T10:51:00.002-06:00

First, I would like to give props to the choreographers for making a Scott-friendly routine. I’ve already seen it bashed online, but seriously, come on. I thought it was cute and well done.

To the results.

Lil is the first to be chosen as a top 12 contender. Not a surprise at all.

Ryan has the first row stand up – Arianna, Taylor, Alex, Kendall, and Scott. Out of this group, it’s pretty obvious who’s through – it’s Scott. He gets another chance to perform, and I’ll be the first to say he’s shaky and not always on key, but he sings with so much feeling its unreal. Is it sad that I want to go out and download “Mandolin Rain” right now?

Ryan announces the final person in the top 12 by telling them in pairs. It’s a no for Kristen and Nathaniel and Von and Felicia, which comes as a shock to me, narrowing it down to Ju’Not and Jorge. I thought Ju’Not would slide in, but it’s a win for Jorge instead. He’s got a cute little personality, but I think he will be eliminated early on.

But before Jorge can perform, the judges announce their wild card picks. It’s not a full twelve like I anticipated, but eight judge-worthy singers. I’m fairly happy with *most* of the choices, although there are one or two I would wholeheartedly disagree with. (We could easily guess who was making it back from the first two groups, because they only brought back a handful of them).

The judges pick Von, Jasmine, Ricky, Megan, Tatiana, Matt G, Jesse, and Anoop.

It’s hard for me to pick just three, but I’ve narrowed it down to four: Anoop, Megan, Jesse, and Matt G.

Von, Jasmine, Ricky, and Tatiana (seriously??) should go home.

What did you think of the results? Did you agree with the judges’ wild card choices?

American Idol Week 3 - Performance Night

2009-03-04T10:19:00.005-06:00

Last night was the third and final round of performances, and frankly, I was underwhelmed by most of them, so let's get right to it.

Von – I don’t exactly understand the love for this kid. He looks kind of like a squished squirrel that borrowed some clothes from the set of Miami Vice. The judges previously berated him for being too “shouty” but I really didn’t hear much improvement this week. It was difficult to hear his unremarkable voice singing a Marvin Gaye song. Simon compared him to Clay Aiken and with any luck, he’ll have his music played in shopping malls across the country, come out of the closet, and only make headlines when he donates his sperm. I think he’ll score with young girls, so he might make it through.

Taylor –I don’t remember this girl at all, and I don’t think I will after tonight. Funny how later Simon forgot there was someone named Taylor that performed. She picked Alicia Keys, and, well, you can’t pick Alicia Keys and butcher it like that if you want some votes. I think this is the last we’ll see of her.

Alex – I had high hopes for this kid, as it’s always kind of fun to have a geek in the mix. Not Sanjaya or Archie, but a real, bona-fide geek. But apparently, he just hit puberty and smoked a pack of cigs before his performance, ‘cause his voice was all screechy-growly, kind of like my Dobie when she wants something. But she doesn’t get a reward until she’s quiet. Maybe Alex can take a cue from her.

Arianna – Of all the ABBA songs in the world…*sigh* I actually like Arianna’s look and her voice, but that song was like the soundtrack to a divorce, kind of middle-aged and depressing. Unfortunately, this is not the song that will get her through to the next round, but hopefully the judges will take pity on this “cute as a button” singer and give her another chance.

Ju’Not – OK, so he performed “Hey There Delilah” in Hollywood, and seemingly “stripped it down” for this performance. However, I was not a fan of the R&B “spin” he gave it, and I grew bored after the first minute or so. I don’t doubt that he can sing, but I’d like to see him with a little more vibe. Good enough for a wildcard.

Kristen –here’s the girl that lost on “Nashville Star” – but was it because she can’t sing, or because she’s not “country enough” (Read: Kendall Beard). This girl definitely has a voice, and I kind of like her awkward, hopeless, style-lacking image. But she loses lots of cool points for her ghastly arrangement and over-singing of “Give Me One Reason.”

Nathaniel – is there really much I can say about Nathaniel? He one-upped Nick/Norman with a sparkly headband –his version of Homo Flashdance? (Did Simon and Kara just refer to him as Richard Simmons? Nice!) And to be honest, he’s a little to chubby to wear skinny jeans. (So am I, but I don’t go around wearing them!) Oh, I’m supposed to talk about the song, right. He sang “I Would Do Anything For Love,” but Simon thinks he would, even though he just killed that song, and not in a good way.

Felicia – Seriously, the judges let this girl go? So far, I think she’s the only one with a nice voice, even though her song is a little karaoke. Another Alicia Keys, a better choice IMO, but she didn’t play up the uniqueness of her sound enough. Next time I hope she chooses a really daring song that really showcases her voice. Yes, I said next time – I hope she goes through, but if not, I think she’s definite Wild Card potential.

Scott –I wasn’t expecting much when he said he’d be singing “Mandolin Rain,” but I think he did a fair job. Definitely one of the top men thus far. I’m glad that someone dressed him in a collared shirt and vest, but equally appalled that they continue to promote his electro-shock hairdo.

Kendall – If you’re going the country route, please pick something a little less in-your-face, or even something non-country that you can put a southern flavor on. Carrie Underwood did exactly that 4 years ago and won. But sticking to mainstream country will be the kiss of death– just look at Kellie Pickler or Kristy Lee Cook.

Jorge –I have nothing against Jorge, or his heritage, or even his accent – heck, Enrique Iglesias sure makes it work for him—but I just don’t see this sweet guy going very far in the competition.

Lil – She goes last, the final contestant to be pimped by the judges. It’s pretty safe to say she’ll come out the clear leader this week, joining the ranks of Danny and Adam. She sings a Mary J. Blige song, but she doesn’t make it her own. She’s a great singer, but needs to prove that she’s young, fresh, and current.

In my opinion, this was the worst group by far. If it were up to me, I’d reluctantly keep Lil and pick two others from the previous groups and send the better ones straight to the Wild Card Round. – Jesse, Megan, and Anoop arguably deserve to be here over most of these contenders. Unfortunatly, that’s not the way it works, and three have to be chosen. For me, those three are Lil, Felicia, and either Scott or Ju’Not for the top male.

Wild Cards should go to Scott or Ju’Not, Kristen, Arianna, and Von.

Jason Gives out the Final Rose...then Takes it Back

2009-03-03T09:20:00.002-06:00

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

The Internet has been a-buzzing with rumors that Jason would make his choice in the finale... and then go back on it in the "super secret" After the Final Rose. And they were right.

In last night's finale, Jason did what everyone thought he would do... he chose Melissa, proposed to her, then six weeks later, dumped her in favor of runner-up Molly. He said that he and Melissa were "not a perfect fit" and that he "couldn't stop thinking about" Molly. In all truth, I think he picked Melissa because she was just like his ex-wife and former Bachelorette Deanna, then realized that if he couldn't make it work with them, what chance did Melissa have?

Molly was right in saying that Jason was making a big mistake... after all, Melissa was a bit too grounded for him. So in between sobs, he asked flaky, country-club girl Molly for a second chance.I half-hoped Molly would laugh in his face, tell him she had moved on, and left him alone, but she didn't. Maybe these two dingbats are a perfect match after all.

As for Melissa, she was spot on when she asked Jason, "Why did you put a ring on my finger if you weren't willing to fight for our relationship?" and that "Getting engaged is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you took that away from me." I couldn't help feel her pain. Well said, Melissa. I hope you find yourself a nice boy in Texas to settle down with.

What is your take on last night's turn of events? Do you support Jason's decision, or do you think he's a jerk?

America Picks 3 More "Idols" for Top 12

2009-02-27T10:20:00.003-06:00

Last night's Idol results show revealed three more picks for the top 12. Gaining the top girl's spot was Allison, who was also my top pick. Kris Allen was awarded the next spot over Megan Corkery, even though dialidol.com bet on that spot going to either Matt Giraud or Jesse Langseth. Kris definitely did well enough to surpass the other males - Matt G, Matt B, Kai, and Nick/Norman - but I was almost certain this round would see two girls advance.

The third spot was a giveaway, with Adam winning the third spot over Nick/Norman, presumably winning the highest amount of votes of all the singers, same as Danny. There seems to be a fair amount of love/hate for these two, whose fans already seem to be forming a rivalry between them. You know which camp I'm in thus far in the competition, but it's only round 1- I can't wait to see what they'll bring to the big stage. Just a note to all you Adam haters out there - you may not like his hairstyle, his clothes, or his singing style, but you can't deny his vocal talent or the fact that he brings something a little different, dare I say unexpected to the traditionally one-note (pun intended) Idol stage.

As for the wild card round, I think that Megan, Jesse, and Matt G (Matt based on past performances alone) should be given a second chance. Who would you send to the WC round? Are you happy with last night's picks? Are you ecstatic that this is the last you'll see of Norman Gentle's sweat bands and desperate performances?

American Idol Week 2- Review

2009-02-25T21:24:00.003-06:00

So, I didn't see all of last week's show due to my DVR not recording, but I'm here this week with a full recap and review of this week's songsters. So on to the show!

Jasmine – Absolutely the wrong song choice. I agree with the judges that she should have sung something more R&B. Her voice is all wrong for "Love Song", not too mention it was too fast for her to keep up with. Bye-bye Jasmine.

Matt – I really liked Matt during Hollywood and was expecting him to do well. But ss soon as he said he was singing "Viva la Vida", I knew it would be a train wreck. Why are these contestants picking songs with fast melodies that don’t showcase their voices? "Viva la Vida" works for Coldplay because of the musicality, not the vocal range it lends itself to. I heard Matt breathing more than I heard him singing. I'm totally disappointed.

Jeanine - I don't remember this girl from H-wood, but that's okay, she'll be going soon enough. Her performance is an even worse train wreck than Matt with her choice of a Maroon5 song. I bet the judges are kicking themselves for even putting her through.

Nick/Norman - The contestant with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Who’s it going to be tonight? Frick, it’s Norman, and he's wearing a sweat band! This performance is so not entertaining that i choose to fast forward through it. Please don’t vote for him. All hail the Church of Simon!

Allison – Finally someone who knows how to pick a song! I really like her voice, but she needs a new hair style. So far, she's the only one that should make it through.

Kris – I don’t really like the song, but it showcased his voice. Where were these people in the Hollywood rounds? He might go through if everyone else sucks, but his performance was kind of bland.

Megan – She started off well, then started shouting. I don't think she stands out enough for this competition. I didn't like her song choice, so I'm not giving her a pass.

Matt 2 – Although he's better than the first few singers, he sounds like he’s singing karaoke, especially with his song choice. And what is with his dancing? Not a great singer, but he might get through on likeability alone.

Jesse – I really like her look and her voice reminds me of KT Tunstall or Alanna Miles. I don’t particularly like "Bette Davis Eyes" for her, but I like her voice a lot. This might not have been her best performance, but I think she should go through.

Kai – Another karaoke performance. Average and boring.

Mishavonna- "Drops of Jupiter"? Really?! She has a nice voice, but I absolutely abhorred the song choice. I could hear her singing Christina Aguilera or Kate Voegele, but this performance won't give her the chance to try.

Adam – This is the guy I’ve been waiting for. I think he needs a stylist, but I really, really like him. He sings "Satisfaction" and he delivers. I didn't like the Fall Out Boy/Twighlight comparison, I think he's more like an emo Sebastian Bach.
But either way, the judges are right that this kid is in a class all his own. You're going down, Gokey!

My top 3: Allison, Adam, and Jesse

Whose performances did you like? Did you love or hate Adam's rendition of the Rolling Stones?

Summer Faves Get Early Returns

2009-02-24T10:50:00.004-06:00

When the rest of the television world is starting to wrap up its season, a few gems are unearthed a few months early to shine while the others fade away. And this year, two of everyone's favorite summer shows - GREEK and My Boys are returning earlier than expected, on March 30 and 31, respectively.

On the My Boys front, it's been nine long months since TBS left us waiting to find out if Bobby will choose PJ over his fiance (Elsa the Swedish nanny) on the eve of his wedding, and the real status of Nina and Andy's "relationship."

Over on ABCFamily, we'll learn the fate of ZBZ once Frannie's new sorority makes its debut. And will Max prove himself to be the one for Casey, or will Cappie always be looming?

Are you excited that these shows are kicking off at the end of March? Or are you sad that now you don't have any fun summer shows to look forward to?

Getting LOST in '09

2009-01-30T16:07:00.003-06:00

LOST is back, my friends! I'm super excited to finally get some answers about the Island, like why it's jumping through time, how the "Others" got there, how the Oceaic Six get back, and where the heck Richard Alpert gets his eyeliner.

But so far, Season 5 is NO Season 4, and here's why:

-Too much screentime for the newbies. I get that Faraday is the link to the Island's time-tripping, but why do we need an annoying redhead and an Asian guy that hears dead people?

-The only original Losties still on the Island are Sawyer, Locke, Rose, Bernard, and Vincent the dog. And let's face it, Rose and B do NOT get enough screen time.

-The O6ers turn out to be really, really annoying. One can only hope that returning to the Island erases all their stupid behavior in the "real world."

-Sawyer is lookin' kind of flabby. Guess his workout equipment vanished in the flash.

-No more character-centric episodes.

-We STILL don't know who in the world is supplying Richard Alpert with eyeliner! Is there a Walgreens we don't know about?!

What are your loves/complaints about this season of LOST? Share them here!

Dex and Deb are Married? To Each Other?

2009-01-09T21:26:00.003-06:00

What kinds of things were going on in the Morgan household?

It appears that Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter, better known as brother and sister Dexter and Deb on Showtime's Dexter, got married over New Year's.

Relax! They're only siblings on TV.

Yes, I saw Twilight...

2008-12-05T12:44:00.002-06:00

and yes, I read the book. I went to see the movie over Thanksgiving, in a small, desolate movie theater in Illinois. My first reaction went something like this:

What! Where did that come from?! That's not what's supposed to happen!

OK, so the plot followed the book fairly closesly, and I completely understand the need to delete/tweak scenes for a movie audience. I especially liked the baseball game, which was one thing from the book that the movie truly brought to life, and laughed out loud as the vampire family tried to cook dinner by watching the Food Network. (although, wouldn't they remember how to cook from their human lives?)However, the movie lacked the fundamental point of the book -- the build up of the relationship between Edward and Bella -- and for that it felt like a waste. Here are some of the bad points:

The Casting - not only did all the teens look 25, but some of the main characters were very miscast. Robert Pattinson fit the look of Edward, but his acting was so over the top it was laughable. Kristen Stewart as Bella was horrid - completely out of place as the "damsel in distress" the book painted.

The Makeup- Why do all TV vampires have to have powdery skin with bright red lips? They're supposed to look like marble, not chalk!

The Acting - Robert Pattinson was horrible. Cute, but horrible. Good thing Edward is MIA for a large portion of book 2.

The Screenplay - Most of the dialogue was missing or changed from the book-- and the dialogue is what makes Bella and Edward's story somewhat believable. And what's worse - they stuck in direct quotes from the book at all the wrong moments.

The Direction - this is supposed to be a fantasy movie for teens and young adults, not an indie drug documentary. What was with all the grainy shots? And the repetitive piano score? And all the stupid montages?! And the really bad special effects? One would think that movie about vampires that can do extraordinary things would have taken that into consideration.

My overall grade: C-

What was your take on the film? Did you like it as much as the book?

Is ABC Slipping? Network Cancels 'Quirky' Shows

2008-11-21T10:01:00.004-06:00

First, Greys Anatomy fires the wonderful Brooke Smith after a poorly thought out lesbian storyline, then revives the dearly departed Denny as a "love interest" for still breathing, yet completely insane Izzy. (My theories on that later). And ABC is perfectly fine with it. And today, of all things, they cancel not one, but two promising shows - Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone. (They canceled Dirty Sexy Money too, but who really cares about that?)

Granted, I anticipated the Pushing Daisies demise. I thought it was a decent show, but it was a little too out-there for my usually quirky tastes. The love story was dragging and I found the cartoonish environment just a little too unbelievable - and I knew audiences would too. But Eli? I thought it had a little more support, but I can see how it might turn off some viewers with its recent political and moral undertones. It didn't help that this season it's displayed too many episodes with straightforward law-office storylines, haphazard visions, and missing supporting characters. In fact, I blame this all on a lack of George Michael.

On the bright side, ABC has picked up new episodes of Life on Mars and Lost returns on January 21st. Yipeee!

Review: Life on Mars and Eleventh Hour

2008-10-17T11:18:00.003-05:00

Two new dramas finally fill the black hole time slot up against “ER” on Thursday Nights: Life on Mars (ABC) and Eleventh Hour (CBS), both following the upward trend of stealing shows and actors from across the pond.

Life on Mars - B+

The eagerly awaited Life on Mars –a remake of the British show of the same name, which wrapped up only last year—follows detective Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) on a time-trip to 1973. In the middle of a murder investigation that ends in his girlfriend/fellow detective Maya (a grown-up Denise Huxtable, aka Lisa Bonet) missing, Sam is hit by a car and wakes up 35 years in the past and the owner of a new wardrobe and a David Bowie 8-track.

Times sure are different in 1973— no computers, no cell phones, polyester, moustaches, and female cops who are relegated to nurse duty. He attempts to solve his cases with 2008 logic while following the rules of 1973 and battling his superior Lt.Gene Hunt (the marvelous Harvey Keitel) and Det. Ray Carling (The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli)

Used to the male-female equality of the 21st century, Sam confides in Annie Norris (Gretchen Mol), the only woman in the precinct, and tries to use the intelligence she keeps hidden from her coworkers to solve cases – and the mystery of why he’s in 1973. Is he in a coma? A dream state? Crazy? A time-traveler? (Lord, I miss Journeyman!)

I’ve never seen the British Life on Mars, but for that I’m glad – I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the twists I’m sure are to come. I want to enjoy the ride with this one, although I don’t know how our talented American writers are going to keep Sam in ’73 for 22 episodes, when the original came to a conclusion after just 16.

Eleventh Hour - C

Fringe meets CSI in this new procedural from CBS – as if we didn’t have enough. Eleventh Hour is adapted from a British miniseries featuring Patrick Stewart as Dr. Jacob Hood, a biophysicist working for the FBI. The new installment is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer –what isn’t these days?—and stars British actor Rufus Sewell and his creepy eyes as the quirky doc. Hood and his FBI handler Rachel (Marley Shelton), a petite blonde with a sarcastic streak, investigate weird happenings across the U.S. — first, a cloning experiment in Seattle, then a case of 11 year old boys having heart attacks in the deep south.

The premise is a little bit more fantastic than your average procedural, but not as unpleasant as much of today’s science fiction, but fails to succeed at either one. Eleventh Hour may be a happy medium for viewers who want the strange but not the unbelievable, but its wavering nature only comes off as hesitation and self-doubt.

Dexter Highs and Lows

2008-10-07T09:30:00.004-05:00

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead

After watching the first two episodes of Dexter’s season three, I'm worried that the shock-factor of the first two seasons has been left behind. I’m finding their latest story moving along much more slowly than even the very first episode, which was a "set up" episode designed to introduce us to show. Despite the pace, I’m intrigued to see where this story will go. Is Miguel evil? Will he discover Dexter's secret? Will Dexter have to kill him?

So far, season three is focusing less on Dexter the Serial Killer and more on Dexter the Family Man. The original premise seems to be getting lost as the writers try to cope with Dexter's concience: it’s no longer about whether Dexter will be able to lead a double life, but which life he will ultimately choose. With Rita’s pregnancy the forefront of the story (a blatant plot device – Dexter’s inner journey could have taken much more creative venues) the show is becoming almost the opposite of what is was before – Dexter getting away with being a serial killer. Now he can barely get away from his social life.

Dexter may be following his own rules now, but he can’t have it both ways; he’s getting spontaneous, emotional, sloppy. He’s no longer the precise, deliberate Dexter from season one, and not the hunted, driven Dexter from season 2. He’s Dexter Lite, a whiny, indecisive Dexter that I’m not sure I like.

What I’d like to see more of this season:
• Masuka’s crazy ways
• Angel really becoming a leader
• Debra continuing to grow as a cop and a person
• Quinn. Enough said.

What I’d like to see less of:
• Maria pining after Miguel. That woman sure needs a lot of attention.
• Dexter and Rita’s not-so-subtle interactions
• Rita trying to be a sexpot soccer mom
• Dexter’s random daydreams
• Jimmy Smits’ bad fake Hispanic accent

Former Dexter Cast Member Heads up CW Show

In other Dexter news, Jaime Murray, who played the tempestuous Lila in season 2, now heads up the cast on Valentine, a cute show on the CW about the Greek Gods living among us and bringing soul mates together. It reminded me a little of Charmed, with the magical family helping those in need. The Gods are updated, living as an LA family, and “Cupid” carrying a gun instead of a bow and arrow.

It’s hard for me to picture Lila as a matriarch, but Murray is quite surprising and likeable in the role. And much better styled. The show also stars familiar faces Christine Lakin (from Step By Step), Autumn Reaser (the OC), and Patrick Fabian (Veronica Mars). All in all, it’s a fun little guilty pleasure for a lonely Sunday evening.

Bones is Back - 2 Hour Premeire Airs Wednesday, Sept. 3

2008-09-02T12:08:00.004-05:00

It's officially the first week of the new TV season. For me, it kicks off Wednesday with a 2-hour premiere of Bones. Our favorite duo heads to London, where Bones is a guest-lector at Oxford University. Nothing short of comedy will certainly ensue as Booth trades in his Escalade for a Mini Cooper and his misfit Squints for some straightlaced university folk- who certainly don't speak his language. And he does it all while trying to keep a lid on his jealousy as Bones makes googly eyes at a fellow professor. (A much more complex specimen of human, no doubt.) Back at the Smithsonian, Hodgens and Angela must deal with the return of her long-lost husband and figure out what exactly it means to their own future.

I can't wait- can you?

Bones airs Wednesdays at 7p.m. on FOX.

Not Canceled! Some TV Shows Survive for 2008-2009 Season

2008-08-22T11:27:00.006-05:00

While several of my favorite shows from last season met an untimely demise (Journeyman, Moonlight), a nice sized crop of shows were spared to see the light of another season. Many of my friends often ask me if their favorite shows made it through the cancellation storm, so here I present you with this year's list of shows-you-thought-were-cancelled-but-aren't!

Friday Night Lights - Not Canceled! However, the third season is airing this fall on DirecTV channel 101. If you don't have DirecTV, I hear that NBC will re-air season 3 in the spring or summer seasons.

Life - Not Canceled! Life returns to NBC on Fridays this fall, although its premeire date is currently listed as Monday, September 29. Check your listings for the correct airdates.

Eli Stone - Not Canceled! Eli returns on Tuesdays on ABC.

Law & Order: CI - Not Canceled! The third installment of the L&O series will air new episodes on USA Sunday nights. NBC should re-air them in the spring or summer.

Scrubs - Amazingly enough, not canceled! Scrubs is moving to ABC for a spring run.

According to Jim - Canceled! Then un-canceled! According to Jim (unfortunately) will return on ABC's spring schedule.

Reaper - Not Canceled! Reaper's second season will start in January on the CW.

Any other shows you want to know about? I've got the answers, so leave me a comment!

SYTYCD: The Final Four

2008-08-07T09:38:00.005-05:00

We're down to the final four, the show's last chance to wow us, to amaze us, to throw us something we've never seen before.

Well, they've never had men dancing in kilts, so that's a first.

This is the finale, SYTYCD, and this is what you give us? Girls dancing with umbrellas? Hip-hoppers dancing in hammer pants? More of Nigel commenting on Joshua and Twich's complete lack of training?

From Twitch and Courtney's first hip-hop routine, I was underwhelmed. Sure, the piece was energetic and fun, and pretty entertaining, but it just wasn't finale material.

The second routine was a Wade Robson lyrical piece danced by Katee and Joshua. I was glad to have him back, and the choreography was extremely raw and difficult. But really, can't we give these two something other than contemporary? I guess it's their strong point, so of course the judges want to see it over and over. And over. And over.

Next, Katee and Courtney dance a Tyce Broadway routine. This is the moment where I know Katee is the better dancer. Putting the two girls side by side only reveals Courney's weaknesses. Her leaps are not as long and her movement is in general more amateur. But on the bright side, I've always liked Courtney's personality, and I absolutely loved her New York Italian accent during her interview with Cat (and didn't you love how Cat referred to her family as the Sopranos? Priceless!)

Joshua and Twitch danced some sort of traditional Russian battle dance. Sure, it was difficult, but to me it was less dancing and more trick-doing. Joshua can jump really high! Twitch can walk on his knees! The routine did a really great job of showcasing each of their individual talents but did not do well at creating a unified piece. It seemed like two separate dances to me, and I would have liked to see more cohesion.

Katee and Twitch then danced a fox-trot. I can't help but compare all of these dances to past routines, both this season and last, and even the Twitchington piece that appeared in Twitch's flashback was more memorable. I just didn't believe the passion between Twitch and Katee, although the movement itself was graceful. I really like Jason the Aussie, and hope to see him back next year.

The final partner dance is a jive with Joshua and Courtney. The judges reiterate by this time that the dancers are tired and worn out, and it showed in this dance. I never really liked Chelsie, but I have to admit she would have torn up the stage in this routine. Courtney's kicks were way too choppy- and it didn't help that she was wearing those ugly snow boots! They made her legs look really stubby and didn't go with the dress at all. Come on, wardrobe! This is the finale! Did no one get the memo?

Then, of course, there was Mia Michaels' Braveheart routine. I don't even know where to start with this one. It was like Lord of the Dance meets Scottish warriors meets the convent. I mean...Seriously?

My Conclusion
You know I've been pushing for Joshua to win this entire time, but he let me down a little tonight. I hate to admit this too, but I think Twitch did a better job. Just a little. There, I said it! Please don't throw stones!

Courtney, while I love her to death, agree wholeheartedly that she needs more training and will probably come in last. Katee has been the most consistent dancer this season and arguably deserves to win.

As for tonight's show, which routines do you want to see repeated? Will Nigel really dance this year, or will we get another Jib-Jab ripoff?

SYTYCD: Top 6 Perform

2008-07-31T09:41:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow the top 4 will be revealed, and then it's only a week before Katee and Joshua will be battling it out for the title of "America's Favorite Dancer". Their contemporary, choreographed by Tyce, blew the pas de deax she did with will straight out of the water. It was so much fun to watch and the lifts were effortless. Speaking of Tyce- why isn't he sitting at the judges' table? He's been on the show longer that Tabitha and Napoleon, choreographed more dances this year than Mia Michaels, and is far less annoying than Adam Shankman. (What's he doing anyway? Choreographing Step Up 3?)

Yes, I'm pretty sure Katee and Joshua--who oh-so-convieniently got paired up again--are a shoe-in for the final 2. So does it really matter who joins them in the Top 4? Not at all. But I would love it if underdog Courtney was dancing in the finale. She is graceful, humble, and dyanamic, opposed to Chelsie, who only revels in the fact that her partners are only there to make her look good. Except in hip hop.

Unfortunately, there is a high chance this season will mimic last year's finale, when Lacey beat out Lauren for the final spot. But if this year does indeed follow the trend, then we can be hopeful that Chelsie won't make the top 3.

As for the Mark/Twitch showdown: it really is just a toss up. There's a lot of similarity between these two- great personality, quirkiness, charisma, but not a lot of technique. At this point, it's all a matter of personal preference. Twitch was in the bottom 2 last week, so it may just be his time to go, grill and all.

SYTYCD: Top 10 Perform

2008-07-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

Tonight, the dancers not only switched partners, but it also marks the first night audience votes send the bottom 2 home. Most of my predictions from last week still stand, but there were definitely a couple of surprises for me in tonight's show.

Courtney and Joshua: I thought these two did really well with their routines. Courtney could have given a little bit more during the hip hop, but Joshua once again lit up the stage. He is still one of my favorites.

Comfort and Twitch: Their first routine, a waltz, was a total disaster. This dance completely reiterated the fact that Comfort needs to go home, and I was disappointed in their connection to one another. Twitch seems extremely lost in anything outside of hip hop and contemporary, which may be his downfall.

Katee and Will: A.Ma.Zing. That's all i have to say about that. That pas de deux was insane. Hated the song though. Marc walked in right when they messed up and said "wow, that didn't work." ha. I still think Will needs to show a little more personality to win this competition.

Kherington and Mark: I was excited to see them perform a two-step- but I was completely disappointed in their execution. They were disjointed in both routines - not even a sliver of a connection. I agree with the judges that Mark is good at acting, but not so great at just dancing. And Kherington! Did she look bored or what? She didn't even look like she was trying. I must say, my interest in her is fading fast.

Chelsie and Gev: We all know that Chelsie is good, and that was only reiterated tonight. In contrast to my last post, I was really impressed with Gev. He did the contemporary justice but I could totally tell he was thinking during the jive. Either way, I think he deserves to stay another week.

My predictions this week: Mark will say goodbye and Comfort will be ousted once again. I hope.

So You Think You Can Dance: TV Tam’s Top Ten

2008-07-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Last night we lost Comfort and Thayne, revealing this year’s top 10. Like the judges last night, I really liked Thayne’s technique and grace, and was even coming around to his creepy smile. Nigel commented that he would have rather let two girls go than lose Thayne – so why didn’t they? We know the rules – one guy and one girl gone a week – but why not make an exception in these cases? When we get to the bottom four, it’s fine for two males to share a routine, so why not earlier on in the competition? Okay, so some people are pretty reluctant to see two guys waltzing around the stage, looking lovingly into each others’ eyes – but there are plenty of styles that lend themselves to side-by-side routines: contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, Broadway, even the dreaded krump. We know these choreographers are creative, so why not let them do their thing without having to sacrifice good dancers for mediocre ones?

That’s my rant for the day. I can’t wait until next week when they start mixing up the couples. Here are my thoughts on who will be eliminated over the next few weeks.

5. Jessica And Gev- Nigel wanted Jess gone this week, and I am pretty over her. She reminds me of Jamie last year – she has beautiful lines but doesn’t hold a candle to the other girls when it comes to performance. And I love Gev. He’s a fun little B-boy. But he doesn’t have the technique or the confidence to keep going. I think that once he loses Courtney, he’ll be lost in general.

4. Courtney G. and Mark – Courtney makes Gev look good, but on her own she can be a bit forgettable. I don’t think she has the presence or the skill to partner well with any of the other guys. The judges have already commented on Mark’s lack of technique, and I’m afraid that without Chelsie by his side, he will fade into the background.

3. Will and Kherington – Will has the technique, but does he have the personality? So far, I haven’t seen it. I think Mark has far more charisma, but I think Will’s talent will keep him on just one week further. Miss K is one of my favorites as far as personality goes, but she has a tendency to lose her connection with the dance and her partner.

2. Chelsie and Twitch – I was torn between Chelsie and Miss K for the final spot in the top 4, but Chelsie so far has more charisma and knows how to command the stage. Twitch may not be the best dancer, but he’s definitely a fan favorite, which is, in reality, all he needs.

1. Katee and Joshua – Katee is a gorgeous girl and a gorgeous dancer, and she is definitely an asset to Joshua. He’s a little quiet, a little reserved, but when he dances I am completely amazed and surprised every time. Even when he’s not technically sound, he has presence, and I think he deserves the crown.

The Best of Summer TV- Continued

2008-06-11T12:05:00.004-05:00

In compiling my short list of summer reality programming, I left off the most real of them all: FX's 30 Days. I caught the new season last night, with former NFL player Ray Crockett spending 30 days in a wheelchair. I'm guessing he played for the Cowboys, since his wheelchair-unfriendly abode is in Southlake (and is worth about $1.7m, according to the Tarrant County appraisal office). The episode was really heartwarming and inspirational, and it reminded me of what a great show this is- one that dares to document real-life struggles and controversies without being preachy or stretching the truth. Morgan Spurlock deserves an Emmy.

In other programming, tonight is the first night of the So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 competition (Fox), as well as the season finale of Top Chef (Bravo). I'm rooting for Stephanie all the way!

Summer Shows- What to Watch

2008-06-03T15:30:00.007-05:00

The primary TV season is over, the DVRs are empty, and summer blockbusters are teasing us to spend our money at the theater. But summer doesn't mean we have to shut off our TVs altogether- there are plenty of summer-only series worthy of our attention, even if they're not on network TV. Stay inside this summer and check out these original shows.

1. Two words: My Boys. The show follows tomboyish sports writer PJ and all her boys- including her brother, her poker buddies, and all her rocky relationships. Jim Gaffigan supplies great comic relief as PJ's suburbian brother, and her best friend Stephanie, PJ's complete opposite, provides insight to the female view of a boys world. The third season of My Boys begins on June 12 and full episodes can be watched online at tbs.com

2. Summer reality. Mind you, I'll choose a well-scripted series any day of the week, but summer reality is different. So You Think You Can Dance, from the producers of American Idol but with more exciting talent and a much better host, is back for it's 4th season and the top 20 are announced this Thursday. This summer we are also treated to the return of The Mole, albeit without original host Anderson Cooper. But after watching the first episode, I'm inclined to stay with it.

3. ABCFamily. This summer we see the loss of Greek(the season finale airs next Monday), but we gain two new series: The Middleman, kind of a twenty-something female Men in Black and The Secret Life of the American Teenager, from the creator of 7th Heaven and starring Molly Ringwald. In addition, the ABCFamily original movie The Circuit, starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Drew Fuller as racecar drivers, premieres on June 8.

4. USA. Veteran shows Monk and Psych anchor the network, but budding show Burn Notice is the show with the most interesting premise, an ex-spy helping others while trying to figure out why he was "burned" by the US government. New show In Plain Sight got off to a rocky start with Sunday's premiere, but promises to improve, especially when Dave Foley guest stars on June 22.

The Offspring are Back On

2008-05-15T20:19:00.006-05:00

The Offspring return with a new album next month, and if their first single is a good representation, it's going to be pretty awesome. It seems that a lot of bands are returning to their origins and leaving behind the pop-laden remnants of the last decade (unless that band's name is Green Day). By listening to Hammerhead, you would never think the Offspring was capable of a song like "Pretty Fly for a White Guy." And that's a good thing.

Download Hammerhead for free here.

The album releases on June 17.

Moonlight Ceases to Shine

2008-05-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

Another one bites the dust, my friends. CBS has decided not to renew freshman series Moonlight for a second season. The sad part is, this comes just days after the demise of Fox's New Amsterdam, another promising show whose time was cut far too short.

RIP Mick and John. You will be missed.

Greeks and Geeks/What to Watch Tuesday

2008-04-08T10:08:00.005-05:00

Just because I am not a fan of the Greek system doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching made-for-TV college students make complete fools out of themselves. And for this fact alone, I can admit to loving ABCFamily's GREEK. GREEK has the lightheartedness and stamina worthy of the CW, but hopefully it will live a fruitful life on the ABC subsidiary. Although the topics of underage drinking, premarital sex, and homosexuality seem to contradict the channel's Sunday morning Pat Robertson sermons, I applaud ABCFamily for giving us a diverse and unorthodox "family" rather than another 7th Heaven.

If you missed last nights episode of GREEK, I just discovered it re-airs at 11PM on Tuesday nights, quite a blessing, especially now that the monstrosity that is American Idol has pushed our Tuesday night favorites House and Bones to Mondays, already TV's most overcrowded night. And unless you have been brainwashed by that singing show (I gave up after Beatles night #2), then your Tuesday nights are pretty sparse.

Tonight's recommendation: Beauty and the Geek- it's geek makeover night!

Quick Tip: What to Watch Thursday

2008-04-03T15:48:00.003-05:00

I know, I know...you are all sitting at home twiddling your thumbs on Thursday nights thanks to the Lost hiatus. But hopefully, you all have had the opportunity to catch the quirky Eli Stone in the post-Lost timeslot on ABC. And here's the kicker- it's still on! Luckily, this marvelous show finished production before the writer's strike, so we still get a full half-season! And if you're still at a loss for what to watch at 9/8c, you're in luck tonight. That's because CSI returns--and takes a trip to Grissom's bugcave! I mean apartment!

I'm 'Featured'!

2008-03-26T11:04:00.002-05:00

My "Caffeinated Critic" blog snagged one of the coveted "Featured" spots at TVGuide.com! (What, you thought this was my only one?) Of course, that one is even more sporadic than this, but at least I have a lovely community of readers there that have the opportunity to stumble upon it. :)

To read my recap/review of this weeks Big Bang Theory episode, please visit my blog.

My First Game

2008-03-23T17:18:00.003-05:00

Marc and I at our very first Mavericks game

taken with my Blackberry :)

Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

2008-03-21T09:30:00.006-05:00

Penned by star Jason Segel, best known for his role on How I Met Your Mother, produced by Knocked Up's Judd Apatow, and starring TV sweetheart Kristin Bell, Forgetting Sarah Marshall definitely has the comic man power needed to generate laughs in a market laden with cookie-cutter romance comedies.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, is, thankfully, not one of them.

The premise: Girl Dumps Boy. Boy wallows in self-pity. Boy goes to Hawaii, where he happens to be staying at the same hotel as the Girl and her new, unbathed boyfriend. Though contrived, the concept opens the movie up for tons of awkward situations and drunken confessions. A movie that would, at best, strike a balance between gross-out humor and lighthearted wit.

And that's exactly what it did.

The movie starts out rocky, with the laughs being forced as we painfully watch the lackluster break up of Sarah (Bell), the star of a a CSI-like TV show, and her less-than-stellar boyfriend Peter (Segel). Sarah spouts uncreative puns as the black light shines off her glossy blonde hair, while Peter composes the show's "musical" score, though he secretly longs to develop a rock opera based on Dracula.

The first half hour of the movie was enough to make anyone with high morals walk out, as the story followed Peter's truly sad and hormonal-driven breakup behavior. When Peter finally gets to Hawaii, Forgetting Sarah Marshall finally starts to shape into a substantial movie. But Hawaii is not without its problems- it turns out Sarah is staying at the same hotel with her new beau, Aldous Snow, a British pop singer with a some sort of weird pelvis-thrusting condition.

Peter, of course, is thrown for a loop, but he gets some much-needed, if not well thought out, advice from his step-brother Brian (Bill Hader) via webcam and some quirky island folks like Chuck, the surf instructor with a case of short-term memory loss (Paul Rudd). But it's not until he starts seeing front desk worker Rachel (Mila Kunis), that Peter starts to actually remember why he's there in the first place.

Despite the immense lack of chemistry between Segel and Kunis, their relationship works because it is not the forefront of the story. Segel plays Peter with a self-assuredness that Segel himself is completely oblivious to, allowing him to shine in even the most impossible situations, such as a chance meeting with Aldous while surfing, and a subplot involving a gay-looking Christian fellow who is unable to satisfy his new wife.

For me, the biggest comic relief came in the form of Aldous, who epitomized every charicature of a British rock star with his egocentric and sex-obsessed musings, invoking the boy-band alter ego of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow. And like Sparrow, he was right most of the time, even if he was being a self-absorbed ass.

Even though at moments Forgetting Sarah Marshall seems ridiculous, we call all relate to Peter's plight, his awkwardness, his fumblings, and his revelations. The truth is, this movie is believable at heart, and we all know how difficult it can be to forget the Sarah Marshalls in our lives.

When Physicists Attack...!

2008-03-18T10:29:00.003-05:00

The geeks are back! And they're brawling during a physics conference? Only on The Big Bang Theory, in its first post-strike episode. And was it a funny one! Our 4 lovable geeks started out the episode linking their appliances and toys (namely, a lamp and some remote-control cars with webcams) to the "Inter-highway" only to be controlled by other geeks around the world. But the real fun came when roommates Leonard and Sheldon got into a tiff, which played out physically during a physics presentation! And the best part is their JewGeek buddy Wolowitz caught it all on his cameraphone- and posted it on YouTube for everyone's enjoyment!

How I Met Britney Spears

2008-03-13T17:03:00.003-05:00

...Or rather, how Neil Patrick Harris met her. Britney was recently cast in a role on How I Met Your Mother, along with Scrubs funny gal Sarah Chalke. Read this hi-larious interview with NPH himself about what it was like working with everyone's favorite crazy person.

Matt Nathanson on Kidd Kraddick

2008-03-12T10:47:00.002-05:00

Well, I missed Matt's interview on Kidd Kraddick's morning show on 106.1 FM in Dallas yesterday. But the good news is, you can still catch it online at www.kiddlive.com in both audio and video.

Bionic Woman Proclaimed Dead

2008-02-21T15:44:00.003-06:00

Today, NBC officially gave Bionic Woman the proverbial axe. This new, yet not-very-improved show lived way past its prime (which was pretty much the trailer), and was finally put out of its misery. Hopefully, this is the only sci-fi driven show NBC kills off this year, and lets Journeyman prove its worth next season.

New House Tonight!

2008-01-29T12:16:00.000-06:00

The first glimmer of light in this dark, script-less void: House returns tonight with the first of three new episodes! (House airs at 8PM on Fox.) This Christmas-themed episode was displaced due to the strike, but don't let that stop you from revisiting the holiday spirit (or should I say scrooginess?) at Princeton-Plainsboro. Don't forget that the next episode of House airs this Sunday immediately following some silly football game.

TNT Knows Drama- and Bones!

2008-01-24T13:02:00.000-06:00

Exciting news on the syndication front: TNT will begin showing episodes of Bones on Tuesday nights at 9 pm CST. This Tuesday, January 29, kicks off the show with the Pilot episode. For those of you who have not been blessed enough to see this show during its regular schedule on FOX, this is your chance to watch it in all its glory from the very beginning! I highly recommend this show for anyone who wants CSI without all that broodiness. Plus, David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel are much prettier to look at!

On a side note, TNT has also begun showing Charmed episdoes online! Yeee!

One Tree Hill and Other Strike Shows

2008-01-09T10:19:00.000-06:00

It's been a winter of discontent for television viewers. As the second half of the season gets underway, we find the majority of our favorite shows missing from the lineup, only to be replaced with mind-numbing reality shows as like Celebrity Apprentice and a "new" American Gladiators. So, until my regular programming returns (Lost, please!)here is where I'll find relief from this TV rut.

One Tree Hill (the CW)- Don't get me wrong. I was as much a hater of this trite teen drama as the rest of you. After catching a few over-the-top episodes, I quickly added this show to the Do Not Watch list. But now that my TV schedule has been quickly demaciated, I decided to give this "new" version a try, especially after all the hype surrounding its 4-year flash-forward. And I must say, it was better than expected, save the unrealistic careers these kids found themselves in- basketball star, published author, fashion designer, record label assistant. However, the best change came in the form of 4-year-old Jamie, who proved to be more intelligent than all the main character's (now absent) parents put together.

Project Runway (Bravo) What more can you ask for than a bunch of society's outcasts thrown together to design clothes made from items found at the Hershey's store? Not much I say! These kooky kids sure make watching TV fun as they sew, swear, and struggle through the day. Not to mention Tim Gunn always manages to put a smile on my face.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 (TLC) So, most of you would probably think a show featuring nothing but screaming kids would be dreadful. But for some reason, this show is so addicting! I am right there with Jon and Kate as they try to understand their kids (6year old twins and 3-year-old sextuplets!). It's also interesting to see how these two young parents (Jon is only 30!) cope with such a massive amount of responsibility by staying patient and organized, as well as keeping their marriage going despite the 8 children constantly vying for their attention. And you think your day is unmanagable!

November Sweeps is Here!

2007-11-05T15:32:00.000-06:00

It’s November, and that only means one thing: fall sweeps! As the first leg of the TV season comes to a climactic end just before the holidays, some shows will reign and others will be left behind. Some new shows have already been cancelled without even making it this far. Here’s my rundown of what new shows to watch, which to ditch (if you haven’t already) and which returning favorites have the most in store.

Top 5 New Shows:
Chuck
Pushing Daisies
Samantha Who?
Big Bang Theory
Journeyman

Worst 5 New Shows:
Bionic Woman
Big Shots
Cane
Cavemen
Carpoolers

Best Returning:
Bones
House
Heroes
Ghost Whisperer
How I Met Your Mother

Read Less, Know More?

2007-10-11T14:56:00.000-05:00

I get an online newsletter at work with the tagline "Read Less, Know More." Not to be nitpicky, but doesn't that phrase contradict the entire purpose of a newsletter? They certainly aren't marketing their own publication very well with such an oxymoronic catch phrase. How do they suspect subscribers will actually come to "know more" by reading less? By reading less of their competition? By reading less of the National Enquirer? Or by reading less altogether? Are we receiving all of this knowledge through email osmosis? Are they anticipating delivering a newsletter that requires no reading? In any case, the whole concept of reading more to know less is just plain ridiculous. What a way to educate, there, online newsletter. I would unsubscribe you if I could.

Fall Premieres: ANTM, Gossip Girl, Kid Nation

2007-09-20T13:16:00.000-05:00

Last night were the first fall premieres on my list: America's Next Top Model (Cycle 9), Gossip Girl, and Kid Nation

America's Next Top Model- While I was completely underwhelmed by last season's cast and ultimate winner, I still find myself drawn to this show. And not because I actually care about who wins, especially since the winner's only career is doing bad "My Life as a Cover Girl" spots during the ANTM commercial breaks. I think I am drawn to this show because I like watching the makeovers, the photo shoots, and the critiques. If they could cut the show down to 30 minutes, get rid of all of the house drama (this isn't the Real World), then I might like it even more. For now, I'll keep watching, if only to see what they'll do next.

Gossip Girl- I think I watched 2 episodes of the OC and One Tree Hill before I swore them off. I never got into these shows, about overprivileged teens with little supervision worrying only about their social lives and never about their homework. At least Dawson's Creek (which I didn't really watch either) spent some time inside the classroom. But despite these recipes for badly written and even worsely acted teen drama, I was compelled to check out Gossip Girl, starring Blake Lively, who has such a down-to-earth charm and such a natural look about her. Although her character, Serena, has quite a mature fashion sense for still being in high school. But her other actions--a one-on-one with Blair, skipping the party, and making a graceful exit when she inadvertently wound up there--are all a glimpse into the life of a girl who's had to grow up much too fast. In fact, everything in the show is a bit too mature for me to believe--the hotel serving them martinis (and the girls drinking them- wouldn't they prefer a wine cooler?), the sophomore-year "affair" between Seren a and Blair's boyfriend, even Chuck's desperate attempts to force himself on any blonde thing that moves. Maybe things really are different in the Upper East Side. But for now, I'll keep watching. There's a lot of things still left to unravel.

Kid Nation- I'll keep this one short. While the premise of kids running their own town is clever, they really aren't running anything. Their tasks are given to them, their leaders are chosen for them, and now they are only working to win a monetary prize. So the kids are camping out and doing chores- maybe this is really a parenting show in disguise. Aside from the "aww" moments and the laugh-out-loud moments that can only come from the innocence of childhood, this show seems pretty contrived and useless. Sorry Kid Nation, it's time to make room on the DVR for Pushing Daisies.

It's Still Just an MP3 Player...

2007-09-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the new iPods? Frankly, I don't think there was anything wrong with the old ipods, but I guess Apple is losing steam on the iPhone. So what are these "terrific" new offerings??

*80 GB and 160GB iPods. Seriously, who even has access to that much music? Apple figures everyone who buys one will eventually spend a grand at the iTunes store.

*The new nano. It looks like a squatty version of the "classic" iPod. It's definitely not as sleek as the previous line. The big change is that the new Nanos play videos- but who wants to watch them on such a tiny screen? Want to watch a movie? Get a DVD player.

*The iPod Touch. Also known as the iPhone without the phone. I hope it comes with a free cleaning cloth to wipe off all those fingerprints.

Veronica Mars is My Hero

2007-08-20T20:49:00.001-05:00

The best news I've heard all day: Kristen Bell is joining the ranks of NBC's Heroes. She will appear in a multi-episode arc beginning in October. Here's the story from USAToday.

Some Mad Hope

2007-08-20T09:42:00.000-05:00

I've been listening to Matt Nathanson's new album, "Some Mad Hope" in my car since I bought it. It's musically more mature and polished than his previous release, "Beneath These Fireworks," revealing an even more real and contemplative side to the San Francisco-based artist. A review on Amazon pegged Nathanson as somewhere between Bono and John Mayer, but anyone who has even listened to this album all the way through would know that this statement couldn't be further from the truth. Arguably, one would be flattered to be compared to such successful, award-winning artists who have undoubtedly left their marks in pop culture. But, unlike either Bono or Mayer, Matt Nathanson's music is not commercial propoganda, and is not filled with any political agenda. Instead, Nathanson is passionate and raw. My favorite tracks are "Car Crash," "Gone," "Still," and "Falling Apart"; they just ooze with the emotion that can only come from personal experience. "Wedding Dress" is probably the most hard-hitting, as Nathanson describes so blatantly the extreme feelings no one else can fathom putting into words.

Still Renting Videos?

2007-08-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Maybe this new Jack Black Movie will change your mind.

Thanks to Matt at work for the info!

Once More, With Feeling

2007-08-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

For all of you BTVS fanatics out there, you can see the Season 6 musical on the big screen. Marc told me about it a while back, and it's officially coming to Dallas and other select cities. You can buy tickets here.

Matt Nathanson on Tour

2007-07-31T09:52:00.000-05:00

Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite musicians is releasing a new CD and going back out on tour. The CD, Some Mad Hope, comes out on August 14. You can pre-order it at Amazon for $9.97 or through the Aware Records Store for $12.99, which includes an autographed copy, sticker, and 3-song acoustic ep. You can listen to some samples on Matt's Myspace page.

As for the tour, he'll be hitting Chicago on October 6 (House of Blues), Austin on October 23 (the Parish), and Dallas on October 24 (House of Blues). Tickets are $12. Hope you can make it, Matt's not only a great musician and singer, but he's quite hilarious, and just a nice guy! So go check him out!

My Christmas List

2007-07-27T11:41:00.000-05:00

I know, it's a bit early for Christmas. But with Nintendo Wii holding two awesome new additions until November, it's only fitting that I put them on my list. Heck, maybe I'll put them on my Hanukkah list too!

Wii Fit is a follow-up to the interactive Wii Sports. The "Balance Board" supposedly works your core while you pretend to hula hoop, play soccer, and do yoga. Looks like a great alternative for those days I can't make it to the gym!

I may even be more excited to fire up Super Mario Galaxy, a 3-D, planet surfing game featuring everyone's favorite Italian hero. It looks like it has better graphics and more lively playing than the current Mario offering, Super Paper Mario, which combines features of the original Mario trilogy (bricks, goombas, etc.) with RPG elements. For the most part, it's too slow a game, and the puzzle angle is often quite frustrating. And I must say: Chapter 8-3 is a bitch!