Last week’s Dollhouse was a vast improvement over the premiere episode. The psychotic hunter and more backstory on the rouge badass code named “Alpha” was satisfying and fast paced. I was very encouraged by it. Dollhouse though as a whole seems better suited as a self contained narrative than as a series. I’m certainly not the first or only person to wonder about this on the internet, but I have to second it.

Dollhouse brings back the titillation this week by taking Echo onto the stage as a backup dancer for a pop star with a dangerous stalker. The star doesn’t want another bodyguard, but the threats are so much that her manager hires the Dollhouse to create a perfect stealth bodyguard. The show serves up half naked bodies left and right to keep the audience from zoning out on the lame music and dancing. The Dollhouse also adds another active, Sierra, into the mix posing as a contest winner.

About halfway through the episode Echo figures out that the real psycho here is the pop star herself. She’s not only been encouraging the stalker, but seems to welcome his approaching murder attempt. After barley escaping a bullet, the pop star gives us a lame speech about the pressures of stardom. I found it boring and it made the story grind to a halt.

During the boring soliloquy, the stalker kidnapped Sierra. Back at the Dollhouse we find that the kidnapping was their plan too. The Dollhouse soldiers are coming to extract Sierra after intentionally drawing the stalker away from the pop star. We also have to suffer through the false drama of the kidnapper getting stereotypically crazy and Sierra’s terrified mind games. Again, it seems like they’re trying to add some depth, but it comes off as hollow.

In the last segment of the show the whole mess comes together. The dollhouse goons bust into the stalkers hideout but he’s already left. Echo’s underlying programing, the defense of other actives, seems to overtake the new. She smacked the pop star with a chair wrestling style and called the stalker for an exchange. Echo is better than we imagine because she fools everyone, stopping the stalker and saving the pop star without any help. Her newfound problem solving ability unnerves everyone at the Dollhouse. Clearly, her specialness is being noticed.

The Dollhouse has been a step ahead of the hapless Agent Bower’s, his one source on the Dollhouse is one of their actives. The plant pulls him into an ambushed and he’s shot in a warehouse. Though he survived, he’s just as lost and clueless about the Dollhouse as when he began. Now lying in a hospital shot and dismayed, its hard to imagine how he’ll pull his weak story line back on track.

Despite the attempt to layer some intrigue into the final sequence, Dollhouse seemed to take a step backward. Agent Bowers was once again a huge waste of time, Alpha was nowhere to be found and we got served up not one but two overwrought monologues that slowed the pace painfully. I hope next week sees less lame stalker and more butt kicking semi nude people.

Selma Hayek as Jack’s love interest Elisa has been a welcome addition to 30 Rock over the last few weeks, but it couldn’t last forever. After Elisa demands to know where the relationship with Jack is going, he abandons his duties at the office to take her on a lover’s vacation.

Liz leaves her cellphone in a cab and after remembering that she had an “adult” picture on it, she’s forced to head to Queens to get it. Scared of a journey out of the confines of Manhattan, Liz convinces Bobby Jindal er, Kenneth to travel with her.

Tracey is on Larry King this week. Larry as a guest star was a surprisingly funny addition. Tracey is supposed to be promoting the show but after a breaking news story about a crashing Asian stock market, his insane speculation on civilization’s demise causes panic in the streets. Tracey cracks out some of his best one liners in his exchanges with King. In has rants he lets slip that he personally hides his money everywhere including his work. The writers watching Larry King ransack Tracey’s office in an attempt to find the cash. Tracey even gives them a cryptic riddle as a clue for the cash’s location.

Tracey’s predictions of doom are so effective that Jack’s underlings interrupt his romantic vacation. Elisa demands that Jack kick them out but he’s persuaded by the sheer amount of money that could be lost. Elisa looks like she sure to leave him permanently.

By the time Kenneth and Liz reach the cab driver, they’ve been spray painted, separated by an argument and Liz has had her purse snatched. The cabbie demands Liz pay two grand or he’ll send her private picture to everyone in her address book. She’s broke but kenneth steps in to save the day. Tracey has been hiding his cash in Kenneth’s page coat fulfilling his inane riddle. Liz escapes with her dignity and her cellphone.

After being stood up by Jack for work, Elisa stomps out. Leaving him alone with his cronies. Moment’s later the missing head of the company, Don Geiss sends Jack a video of his instructions. Geiss, also gripped with panic delivers a message of love and togetherness. Jack leaps to his feet and chases after Elisa. After finding her on the street, Jack admits his love and proposes marriage. She accepts and for a moment there is a happy ending. The next day however, Elisa leaves Jack a tape of her own. She is returning to Puerto Rico until next fall and she will “call him”. Its a sad brush off for Jack, and a sad departure for Hayek. Her onscreen presence will be missed.

Oh Coach, you little ego-maniac you. It’s personalities like yours that make reality television so great.

The momentum was gone from Survivor’s Timbira tribe tonight, setting players like the unaligned Erinn and ailing Jerry in the throws of harms way.  After losing by a crushing 2 to 0 in challenge one’s blindfolded race, it became obvious to both viewers and players alike that lack of communication can easily bring doom to a team this early in the game. Not only did the competition cost Timbira relaxation furniture and blankets, it also broke their spirit. Well, every one’s except for Brendan’s that is.

After being chosen to hit exile island once again, he wisely choose to bring his co-hort Taj from the winning Jalapao team with him. Already teamed up to help each other find their team’s respective hidden immunity idols back at the base camps, they further plotted to protect their alliance in the future, opting to include both Steve from Jalapao and Sierra from Timbira in the potentially merged foursome. Never have I seen such a seemingly weak player climb so far out of her own hole as Sierra. If she can hold on she just may be able to ride Brendan’s coattails to the end. We shall see.

Once back at camp Brendan started making the dream a reality when he easily discovered the hidden idol and tucked it safely into a hiding place. Only time will tell as to how far he carries out Taj and his plot. My bet is that near the beginning of the next episode he’ll tell Sierra and they’ll become the powerhouse pair at the Timbira camp (hopefully sparking some life back into it). Regardless though, if tonight taught us anything, it’s that Coach has very little hold on this game anymore.

Once failing miserably once again due to a lack of like minds, Jalapao went to tribal council with primarily one name on their minds. Not out of malice, but out of practicality, Sargent Jerry was sent packing with warm wishes that he feel better soon. Jerry’s dismissal hit home just how little Coach’s opinions matter to the team as a whole. Even his “Assistant” Tyson threw his wishes under the bus to get rid of sick Jerry and keep the “enemy” Erinn alive for another day. I mean come on Coach, even Jerry knew it was his time to go.

My prediction as to who’s going home next? Tyson. Once Coach finds out he was crossed, he will quickly ditch Tyson and really, who else does that nudity loving boy have for support?

The cast of “Stargate Universe” is shaping up – and we’re seeing more and more names of people that you may actually know.

Originally it was thought that Robert Carlyle was going to be surrounded with a group of unknowns, but as casting news comes in, we’re seeing a different picture.

First Lou Diamond Phillips has joined the team. Now “ER” vet Ming-Na will be joining the cast as well.

If things continue this way, Stargate Universe may feature a pretty high profile cast.

I have to say, as a relative “Stargate” noob I’m looking forward to this show as a jumping on point for the franchise. It’s looking like its off to a good start.

I have to say that I haven’t been all that excited about Conan O’Brien taking over the “Tonight Show”. I’m not UN-happy about it. I really dislike Jay Leno.

Today, however, a new announcement came down the pipe that has me much more excited about the next generation of “Tonight”.

Andy Richter, Conan’s former sidekick, has accepted a position as the announcer for Conan’s “Tonight Show”.

Andy will be a part of Conan’s new show, and will appear in comedy sketches as well as his announcing duties.

Hopefully, he’ll eventually make his way back over to the couch, because “The Tonight Show” just doesn’t feel right to me without someone in the McMahon role.

Conan’s “Tonight Show” premieres June 1st.

I’ve been clamoring for some action from House for a few weeks now. The formula is tried and true, but is also becoming more stale as the episodes roll on. I had high hopes for the relationship between Foreman and Thirteen, but that just turned into a game of hide and seek with House. I had similarly high hopes for the relationship between Cuddy and House, but that too has stalled. This week though an even deeper relationship was held up for examination. The love affair between House, his drugs and his pain.

A thirteen year old boy passes out at his basketball game. He is no ordinary child. Due to a birth defect, parents had to decide if the baby would be a boy or a girl. They’ve agonized over the decision for years and have kept it from their child.

House takes on the child’s case with surprising ease and positivity. He’s acting like a normal human being rather than the obnoxious ass we’ve come to love. He even humors the patient’s parents by allowing an MRI that he knows is unneeded. The strange behavior culminates when House passes out in his office and stops breathing. Using the classic “purple-nurple” resuscitation technique, Foreman revives House who claims that he just took too much Vicadin. Unconvinced, Cuddy and Wilson believe that heroin is the reason for all this. After prodding, Wilson discovers that it isn’t heroin but methadone, heroin’s no-fun cousin. Apparently, Methadone has finally freed House from his pain even allowing him to walk without the cane. Cuddy isn’t going to stand for him to be on methadone for fear that he’ll kill himself, and he quits the hospital.

Now without even the upbeat and positive House, the crew’s diagnosis of the worsening patient is flailing. His parents are intent that their son not find out about his medical issue. After discovering what she thinks is a suicidal poem by the boy, Thirteen spills the beans starting a huge uproar with the kid and the parents. Regardless of the emotional damage, the boy’s symptoms swing wildly and the crew seem unable to get a handle on it. Finally out of options, they decide that his condition is terminal.

After his first full shave in five seasons, House sets out to find a new job. Cuddy can’t let him leave and decides to have House back as long as she is able to administer his Methadone. He accepts and for just a moment, we get the feeling that we could see a whole new Dr. House.

The idea of watching House wrestle with his insane personality minus the crutch of drug use and constant pain is tantalizing and could have been invigorating for the series. Sadly, the producers of House didn’t agree.

After being caught up on the patient’s progress by the team, House has the epiphany. The child has little more than significant dehydration. Because of the parents insistence on an MRI, and House’s  nice guy attitude in allowing it caused the child’s simple condition to continually worsen. Happily, the boy’s illness will be solved by just a few dialysis treatments. House realizes that the new happy House also had a hand in the child’s sickness. Despite all the positives that could come from staying on methadone, House decides to return to the cane and his misery.
I feel a lost opportunity here. There’s no doubt in my mind that a newer, happier House would not play well with his core audience. It might have been able to send the show into a new direction. A real several episode arc of House trying to find a balance between his drug use and humanity could’ve propelled the general story arc for a good while. It could have been compelling. This episode sure was.

(S02E13) “Chuck vs. the Best Friend”

As a girl there’s many things that I find mysterious about men. Their obsession for hot sports cars for one. Sure, they’re pretty… but then? Or how about their apparently shared dreams of becoming members in a band. Maybe it’s because there’s few girls that can resist a guy with a guitar. When it comes down to it though, for as many guy-things that I simply will never understand, their sense of loyalty and friendship is not one of them. True friendship is something I completely get.

In tonight’s Chuck, while chock-full of stereotypical “guy” related things the underlying theme was friendship. Specifically, Chuck’s tried and true bromance with Morgan. Even though Morgan only knows half of Chuck’s life he understands perhaps better than everyone else what makes Chuck click. He may not know that Chuck’s a spy, but he does know exactly what his best friend went through during every heartache and every accomplishment growing up. Perhaps because of this, the two have not let their differences tear them apart, but instead accept each other as their stronger half. Aww, now can’t you just feel the love?

Saving Morgan’s life a dozen times over while not only risking his own, but also their friendship, Chuck proves that his loyalty goes beyond the forced government bond his computer-packed brain has made. The cute geek we’ve learned to love even manages to teach Sara (and perhaps even Casey) a thing or two about what makes a true friend and just how important that bond is.

No, tonight’s episode of Chuck wasn’t the most thrilling I’ve ever seen, or even the funniest, but it was the most heartfelt. And I simply can’t argue with a good ol’ bromance, now can I?

Dollhouse got off to an inauspicious start last week. The reviews have been decidedly mixed and the ratings for the premiere have been less than sparkling. I found several things to like about the show, but questions remains. How will Dollhouse keep itself from being a show about custom made hookers? When will we see more of Whedon’s true style? Is this show already DOA?

Dollhouse kicks off with some flash back action. One of the active’s code named “Alpha” escapes and kills all the other actives except Echo. Its clear that Alpha is the naked man who figured out Echo’s identity last episode. Throughout the episode, we got several flashbacks of the aftermath of Alpha’s escape. Alpha has made himself into a composite of all the badasses in the Dollhouse and seems to be unstoppable.

There is a new client at the Dollhouse, hiring Echo as his companion for a trip to the great outdoors. The client is played by Matt Keeslar known to nerds as the star of ABC family’s The Middleman. The rugged outdoorsman and Echo are rock climbing, bow hunting in the wilderness and having sex in a tent. Not particularly interesting until we finally discover the real purpose of the trip. He wants to hunt Echo. He gives her a head start, and his psychotic hunt begins.

Echo’s handler Agent Boyd is parked in the woods waiting and monitoring her. While waiting he’s approached by a man dressed as a forest ranger.  The fake ranger is working for the psychotic hunter and holds Boyd hostage to give his boss a chance to kill Echo undisturbed. Boyd’s overpowers his assailant and begins to try to track Echo and the hunter.

I have to admit that I really like agent Boyd. He’s played well by Harry Lennix and is believable as the show’s voice of reason. His character is integral for the show to work, I think Whedon chose well with Lennix.
While running from the hunter, Echo is drugged making her even more weak. The drugs cause Echo to have visions of herself before the Dollhouse and of Alpha‘s killing spree. The cracks in her psyche seem to be what much of the future of the series will hold. Although I know something like that has to happen to give the series momentum, I pray they we won’t be walking down the same awful path that My Own Worst Enemy did.

After Boyd gets free, he tracks down Echo for extraction. Unfortunately, the hunter is close behind and he wounds Boyd. Echo and Boyd continue to run, now with Boyd bleeding all over the pines. Echo realizes that the only way to escape their hunter is to go after him rather than run. Its a silly but satisfying reversal. Now armed, a new game between them starts. After a few scrapes, Echo and the hunter end up in a standoff. Echo gets the better of him and stabs him in the neck with one of his arrows. Shaken and exhausted, she returns to the injured Boyd and safety. Back at the Dollhouse, the group tries to figure out how a psychotic got past their screening process. Alpha is behind the psycho hunter as well.

The thrust of the show is beginning to show. Certainly there will be moments where we get titillated by the actives acting like custom hookers, but it looks like there will be some more depth. The idea of a perfect insane killer running loose looking for a way to destroy the Dollhouse will at least give the show a shadowy bogey man. That might be the missing piece to a pretty good piece of Sci-Fi.

Last time Bones gave us with a promising though anti-climactic wrapping up of the dormant “Gravedigger” story line. This week the group brings the campy corpses back with full force with the murder of a Sci-Fi Convention booth babe.

A group of preteen nerds find a particularly disgusting corpse in the park. After tracing the victim back to a Sci-Fi convention, the crew becomes embroiled in the world of fantasy geeks and medieval weapons enthusiasts. Booth is out of commission this week with a back injury, so agent Prada is paired up with Bones for the investigation.

Prada and Bones are chafing under their new partnership. Throughout the episode there are several references to Prada’s interest in Booth as well as the repressed relationship between Bones and Booth. Though the show continues to dance around it, my guess is we’ll see Bones and Booth’s relationship sprout some before the end of the season.

The first suspect questioned by the new team mates makes and sells replica weaponry. He’s nervous but seems sincere. We learn that the victim may have been trying to sell a very valuable movie prop sword. The Bones’ writer’s really tries to bolster the value of “Excalibur” throughout the episode. Its a bit stilted but they use the value of the sword as a red herring for the crime’s motive. After searching the victim’s ransacked apartment, an answering machine message leads them to a black-lipstick wearing dominatrix who collects medieval weaponry. For one of the first times in memory, Dr. Sweets is key to the entire episode. He cracks the goth woman’s facade, but it seems like a dead end.

After a few other suspects and suppositions, the crew finds the sword buried in the park. The suddenly helpful Dr Sweets suggest that the set the sword up for a fake auction at the Convention. After getting into a heated bidding war with a shadowy Englishman, Sweets and Bones head back to the lab celebrating their false victory. In a proper moment of surprise, a man in a black knight costume smashes Sweet’s car forcing them into a ditch. After the crash, the Knight takes the sword from the wrecked car. As he tries to make his escape, Bones wakes up and leaps into action and fights him hand to hand. Using some hilarious forensic kung fu Bones fights off the knight and takes the sword back as he flees.

Later at the lab, it occurs to Bones that the knight was fighting with authentic medieval style and armor. After finding some authentic chain mail on the spot were they were attacked, the dam breaks and Bones realizes the killer’s identity. It was the meek and sincere replica weapons dealer. He had fallen in love with the victim and his overwrought sense of chivalry drove him to murder.

Bones is not a series you look to for social commentary. Its goofy and childish. Allowing the crew to romp through a Sci-Fi convention was actually a stroke of genius because you can portray cosplay nerds as crazy as you like without any repercussions. The next group Bones should touch on should be the furries.

(S02E16) “Wait and See”

have tried very hard in my past fifteen Private Practice reviews to keep my personal opinions out of it. Primarily, I’ve shied away from taking a stance because the show often hits key controversial issues in which there’s no winning battle at the moment. Everyone is at odds with each other over abortion, the cause of autism and even tonight’s outstanding issue, deciding how to raise inter-sex babies, but tonight the writers of Private Practice pushed me too far.

On two seperate occassions in tonight’s episode the audience is left to believe that in some cases, cheating in a relationships can not only be forgiven, but can strenghten a relationship. I’m sure they’re not the only ones that feel this way. Ceratinly, there may be those of you reading this right now that have reason to believe the truth in this. And who am I to argue? I’ve never been in those shoes. However, as the vast majority of people out there typically consider cheating a ridiculously cruel and selfish thing to do to an individual you were said to love, I’d say I’d have to disagree with their overall message. I’ve said it once and i’ll say it again, but the writers of Private Practice should really consider their audience more and understand that they are intelligent invididuals who would much prefer coming up with their own conclusions about subjects instead of having them force fed. That’s all I’m going to say about that from now on. Please excuse me this one indulgent rant.