(s01e02) Red Hair and Silver Tape

According to CBS “The Mentalist” is the #1 new show on television – and I sincerely hope that’s correct – because this show is just plain great.

Tonight’s episode gave us another mystery to solve (which is kind of an ongoing thing with these crime shows) involving red headed young women. From the mystery solving aspect of the show – this one was great. There were plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing.

What makes this show work so well, however, is Simon Baker. He takes even the simplest of lines and makes it seem completely charming and thoughtful. There is a scene with him and a boy who’s sister has been killed (the second scene with them – the one where he’s eating ice cream) that is both scary, funny, and touching at the same time.

This series is brilliantly written, well shot, and cast to perfection. Yup – I just realized – I’m gushing over the thing. I don’t want to over sell it (even though I probably already have), but this is the best new show on television. If you can pick one crime show to watch out of ALL the crime show choices you have – I highly suggest you put this one at the top of your list.

(s01e02) The Bird

The second episode of “Worst Week” saw more of the same Chaplin inspired comedy that made the pilot so funny – but its already starting to get a little old.

This week Sam is introduced to Erinn’s father’s pet bird – who he loves dearly. Of course, Sam accidentally kills it by feeding it avocados, and spends the rest of the episode trying to replace the bird. Of course, many wacky scenarios cause a continuing set of problems for Sam.

My wife actually stopped watching the show half-way through because she felt bad for Sam, and didn’t want to watch him suffer any more. I didn’t have that problem, but I did find the show feeling tedious already with the constant pratfalls and accidents.

I don’t see anyway this show can maintain a 22 episode season – but perhaps things will change midway through the season…or maybe CBS will only do 13 episodes of this a year. I don’t know, but I can tell you already that I’d like to see some different things happen with this great cast.

(s04e02) The Best Burger in New York

Last weeks CBS premieres were so good it would it was clear that this second week of shows was going to have a lot to live up to. In the second episode of its fourth season “How I Met Your Mother” focused on getting Marshall off of the couch and back to work.

It did this through his quest for “The Best Burger in New York” – a saga that eventually involved Regis Philbin, a diner with a green door, and lots of bank talk.

The episode had its fair share of funny lines, but the burger-gasims that the entire cast seemed to experience were more than a little off putting. This episode did the important thing of setting up Marshall’s co-working with Barney (which is sure to bring a few laughs in future episodes), but I did find myself missing Stella.

Stella and Ted work really well together, and after watching this episode without her present, I have to say that I’m going to miss her if she ends up leaving the show this season. I certainly hope that isn’t the case.

All in all, this was not a spectacular episode of the series – but it was heads and shoulders above most of the sitcoms currently on television.

One of Us, One of Them

After last week’s solid, albeit somewhat flawed premiere, the pressure is on to see whether Heroes can get back to its Season One goodness.

So Sylar is in the employ of the Company now. Zachary Quinto is one of this show’s biggest assets, so it is a great thing to see him step into a more prominent role. I really like the addiction/hunger internal struggle that he’s going through here…it’s something I’d say we all struggle with to a point. Do we do the things we do because it’s ingrained into who we are, or is it a choice? Philosophy time with Heroes…good stuff.

Hiro and Ando continue their globetrotting adventures, this time chasing their nemesis, Daphne, to Germany where they plan to break up an exchange for the other half of the formula. (Hello, Haitian!) The Japanese duo manage to swipe the formula, but Daphne snags it back, and is quickly gone with it. It seems that the Haitian is still working for the Company, as Hiro and Ando end up in a cell in Level 5.

Peter’s and Parkman’s storylines are my biggest complaint about the season. How many times are we going to have the same “see the future/see a vision of the future and try to change it” plot? Isn’t it time to move on to something else?

Next week it seems that we’ll get to see that future. Could it be that the same-old, formulaic-ness that the show is once again demonstrating simply be a ploy to keep us off guard for the change-up? One can only hope.

(S02E03) “Chuck vs. the First Date”

Season 2 of Chuck started off with the main character’s world turned upside down. Literally.

Screen star Michael Clarke Duncan performed an excellent leading guest role as the resident bad-guy for the day. With a revolving door of characters just like Duncan’s I’d think it must be hard to leave any lasting impact, but, perhaps on his known name alone, Duncan does a good job of going after Chuck while still remaining a fan fave.

Unfortunately for Chuck, a bad guy isn’t the only thing ruining his world during this premier episode. After being taunted back and forth with the knowledge that another intersect computer was created and could replace the info-packed intersect currently lodged into his brain, Chuck starts planning ahead for a normal future with a real career, college and even perhaps a bit of solid romance. Yet, first with his previous protector Casey assigned for his assassination, then only to be saved from sudden death by the blow-up of the new intersect, Chuck’s dreams of normalcy never stood a chance.

Bad for him, but lucky for us. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for some more action-packed Bartowski missions. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that in the case of Sarah the spy and Chuck, I’d be pretty happy if love really did conquer all.

Chuck Bartowski continues to reign as the nerd we love to watch. So watch on NBC Monday viewers, this season’s just starting to blow up.

(S02E05) “The Serena Also Rises”

In tonight’s Gossip Girl fashion week took over New York. It was like Project Runway meets The Hills. The girl’s drama, of course, took place around Mrs. Waldorf’s runway show where Blair was out to sabotage both Lil J and Serena in one fail swoop. Lesson learned though, it’s hard to take down girls that know what they want.

Now the only thing left for poor Blair to do is throw another hissy fit and stomp those designer stilettos as Serena walks away. Careful she doesn’t step on your toes B.

Meanwhile the Humphrey kids are becoming quite the rebels. In an effort to improve his writing Dan went out on a wild quest to get inside Chuck’s head. I love writing as much as the next girl, but even I would pass on that one. Regardless, all it landed him was in a not-so-private jail cell and a phone call in to Daddy.

Lucky for Danny boy though, Ol’ Mr. H was too wrapped up in the cyclone of activity that is Lil J. As a budding designer Jenny decided to scrap school and get to sewing in order to take fashion week by storm. Even after having most of the ruin placed on her for all wrong-doings at the Waldorf show, it looks like Jenny’s got quite a designing future ahead of her. Maybe she gets that rebellious drive from Dad.

Daddy Humphrey may not always be on top of things, but at least he cares. That’s a lot more than Chuck’s poppa can say. Mr. Bass isn’t who anyone would call a bundle of sunshine and lollipops. With a son who’s clearly deprived of loving Senior Bass is headed down a path of yet another bad relationships and taking Lily van der Woodsen with him. Poor Lily’s got a file on her large enough to keep anyone guessing at the various secrets inside. No peeking though! Mr.B’s got this all wrapped up. Consider it a late wedding gift.

Here’s to the unlucky bride!

XOXO ~ Dena

The Eggplant

Sometimes when a show begins to take itself too seriously, it finds a way to become more interesting simply for the sheer camp. I got to that point about 1/3rd through the first season of Twin Peaks. I’m hoping very much that True Blood doesn’t cross that threshold, but I’m afraid that this episode may have.

After finding Dawn dead, Jason is once again the principle suspect in a murder. Afraid of being caught with the vampire blood he bought from LaFayette last episode,Jason chugs all of it in the backseat of the squad car as the Sheriff hauls him off. Jason’s, er libido becomes uncontrollable to the point of ridiculousness and has to run to the bathroom to try to contain himself. Eventually, Tara comes to save Jason as the two hick law enforcement officers where unable to actually charge him with anything. Jason ends up at home masturbating furiously in a vain attempt to get his juggernaut of an erection under control. Instead of relief, he gets calluses on his hands. Tara saves his butt again, dragging Jason to the doctor to have penis drained. The following cringe-inducing scene is so wrong and painful on so many levels that I could hardly stand to watch it.

At the request of her grandmother, Sookie listens into the townspeople’s thoughts hoping to clear Jason’s name. Their general consensus is either Jason did it, or it was because of Dawn’s recklessness hanging out at the Vampire bar in Shreveport. Sookie asks Bill to take her to the Vampire bar. The bar is both silly and  stereotypical. Sookie makes fun of the bar’s atmosphere calling it, “a Vampire bar at Disneyland.” It slowly gets more serious as the night goes on. Eric, the eldest vampire summons over Bill and Sookie. Unsurprisingly, Eric takes a liking to Sookie and it seems not even Bill could protect Sookie from Eric if he desired her. A police raid breaks up the exchange, but its clear that Eric’s presence will be a regular one.

In the final scene, Sam the friendly torch-carrying bar owner opens the door to Dawn’s apartment, smells her sheets and pillows while wallowing in her bed. It’s the latest in a long line of clues that Sam is in fact, a werewolf. I’m not sure how adding a werewolf to this already confused plot is supposed to help. Regardless, it seems sure we’ll have a werewolf in the mix at some point as well..

I might have been wrong about the seriousness of the tone of True Blood, but its easy to see how one could get confused. When I originally watched True Blood I believed it was an attempt to draw a thematic line between civil rights and the character of the vampire. I might have been fooled. It feels more now like it was a gimmick. The plot took a campier tone as we get to see the horrifying effect of vamp blood on the penis and a man rolling in a dead woman’s sheets like a dog. I have no idea where this show is going and I may have to let go of the desire to even want to know. We may just have to let the show surprise us.

If you’re looking for video of Tina Fey jumping back into the shoes of Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin look no further. The comedian opened SNL again this weekend with a play on Palin’s interview with Katie Couric (played by the very pregnant Amy Pohler)

Smallville is looking pretty good this season, and this week’s Green Arrow centric episode kicks up the soap opera drama. You can read the official description below.

Oliver (Justin Hartley) collapses at a charity event and reveals he only has 24 hours to live. Clark (Tom Welling) and Chloe (Allison Mack) call Davis (Sam Witwer) for help but his prognosis is grim. Delirious, Oliver flashes back to when he was stranded on an island and first learned how to use a bow and arrow. He also recalls meeting Tess (Cassidy Freeman) for the first time on that island after she had been kidnapped by a drug runner. Meanwhile, Chloe decides to use her new powers to help save Oliver, shocking Clark.

Thanks to Krypton Site for the info.

(se13ep01) Dia-Bill-ic Shock)

“King of the Hill” kicked off its 13th season with a Bill centric episode.

Bill’s excessive eating leaves him with diabetes. After having two sugar spikes in one week, an arrogant ER doctor prescribes him a wheelchair and tells him to give up because he’ll never eat right and take care of himself.

Depressed beyond belief, the next time Hank and the gang see him, he’s wheeling around in his electric wheel chair. The gang thinks he’s actually lost the use of his legs, and begin to fix his house to accommodate his new handicapped status.

At a park Hank and Bill meet an athletic wheelchair bound man nicknamed “Thunder” who takes Bill under his wing and helps him enjoy life more than he has in a while. Bill begins to eat right, get exercise, and eventually gets his diabetes under control. After having a few too many drinks one night while out with his new handicapable friends, Bill stands up to go to the bathroom – which, of course, really makes them angry.

Hank, Boomhaur, and Dale find out as well, and Bill goes back into the depressive state he generally lives in. This time is particularly pathetic, however, when he tries to eat pure sugar until he can give himself diabetes again.

In an effort to help Bill Hank gets Thunder, and the two of them tell Bill that he’s been inspiring because he’s beaten diabetes. Thunder suggests that Bill kick his doctor’s ass.

One trip to the hospital later that’s exactly what Bill does.

King of the Hill is a show that unabashedly love. It is one of my favorite shows on television, and my DVR currently has 45 episodes recorded on it.

So, as you can imagine, I am probably a bit more forgiving of this show than some people might be. Having said that, this is far from the best episode of the series (if you want to see those watch “Bobby’s Nuts” or “Cotton’s Plot”).

Even still, it’s a good episode of the show, and it’s nice to see Bill getting a little ass kicking in for once. I’m looking forward to what this season has in store for us.