The Complete Idiot’s Guide to “24”: Season Five

SEASON 5/DAY 5

Picks up 18 months after Day 4. Much of this season has already been discussed in my character descriptions, but suffice it to say, the first 10 minutes of the season premiere were among the most shocking moments I’ve ever seen on TV. David Palmer, who had been a major hero for the past 4 seasons, is suddenly shot in the head by a sniper while peacefully dictating his memoirs. Michelle goes outside to unlock her car and it explodes, killing her instantly, and mortally wounding Tony in the after-blast. Chloe is nearly killed as well, but manages to escape thanks to Jack, who comes out of hiding in order to save her. And why were these people targeted? Because they all aided in faking Jack’s death, and because their murders were designed to bring Jack out of hiding. And boy, did that ever work!

Season 5 was 24’s best season yet, with terrific villains in the form of Gregory Itzin as President Logan, Peter Weller (aka Robocop) as Jack’s sinister former mentor Henderson, and Julian Sands (from “A Room With A View”) as Russian terrorist Bierko. And of course, it ended with a great cliffhanger: Logan has finally been arrested and Jack is happy with Audrey.
But just when things seem ok Jack gets a strange phone call from his once-again estranged daughter Kim (who thankfully had been mostly absent for the past two seasons, and hopefully won’t ever return again). But the call was faked and Jack is kidnapped by the Chinese – who clearly never forget. After many bloody beatings, Jack begs the Chinese to kill him. “Kill you? You’re far too valuable to kill, Mr. Bauer,” the Chinese diplomat gleefully tells him. The season ends with parting shot of Jack literally on a slow boat to China. Dun-Dun-DUN!! Season 6, here I come! (Full S5 ep guides at Fox)

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to “24”

My name is GMMR, and I’ve never seen 24. There I said it. And before you start with the “and you call yourself a TV addict” emails, let me explain. When season one first rolled around, I wasn’t inclined to watch it. See just two months before the premiere of 24 I got hooked on Alias, and to be honest, I figured that one spy drama obsession was enough.

Of course Season One of 24 was a huge hit, so I was on-board for season 2. But as it turned out 24 was up against another of my favorite shows and I had to make a choice (this was the dark days before TiVo…a time which I like to forget). Anyway, having missed Seasons 1 & 2, I figured that it was just too late to pick up the show, so I never watched.

Sound familiar? Well if so I have a treat for you. GMMR’s own LaLa will be giving us 24 newbies a little 24 101…I’m calling it The Complete Idiot’s Guide to “24“. Between now and Sunday, LaLa is going to give us a crash course on who’s who in the word of 24, and a brief synopsis of what went down the previous 5 seasons. This way, we can feel caught up enough to watch 24 when the 6th season premieres this Sunday on Fox.

So, I’m going to turn it over to Professor LaLa….

*********************************************************************************************

Greetings GiveMeMyRemote readers! LaLa here. You may know me from my House recaps, but starting this weekend, I’ll be pulling double duty. Our awesome and fearless leader here at GMMR has agreed to let me to write recaps for 24 as well, which premieres this Sunday, January 14th, at 8/7 Central on Fox (2 hour premiere, followed by part two of the premiere on Monday from 8-10pm ET)

Before I start writing the recaps, though, I thought it might be helpful for you to know who the major characters are, and what the heck happened in the previous seasons, so that any newbies wishing to watch the show for the first time won’t feel completely lost. And even long-time fans of the show like myself can take a refresher course on the past 5 seasons to see how far Jack Bauer has come, all the amazing ways that he managed to save the world, and how incredible it is that Jack is even still alive! I’m telling you… Superman’s got nothing on Jack!

Lesson One: Who ARE you people?
Here’s brief rundown of the major characters (well, the ones that are still alive, anyway!) that are slated to appear sometime this season. (GMMR note: ..and I thought “Lost” killed out a lot of people):

CTU (Counter Terrorists Unit): As its name suggests, CTU’s primary mission is to disrupt and destroy foreign and domestic terror cells hostile to the United States, as well as protect the U.S. from terror attacks. It also has a role in creating security policy and fighting organized crime groups that fund terrorism. CTU employs agents in many different roles. For example, there are field agents and SWAT Tactical Team agents (generally drawn from the ranks of the military or police) who perform field work, arrests, tactical assaults and body guarding witnesses and suspects that need to be protected. These report to the Director of Field Operations for each office. Computer analysts also form another component of CTU and deal mainly with surveillance and encryption.

JACK BAUER: The ultimate flawed hero, Jack is the kind of dedicated, hard-core badass who will do anything to get the job done, and thus protect the United States and its citizens. Frequently uses torture as a way to get results from very uncooperative witnesses and villains – and believe me, Jack is very effective. Unfortunately, his controversial actions and frequent disobedience to his superiors has landed Jack in a whole heap of trouble over the years, but none so much as when he pissed off the Chinese.

Read more

Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style

Bravo has inked a deal for the all-new series Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style. Hosted by Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, each episode will chronicle one person’s fashion dilemmas and introduce the answer to all their troubles – Tim Gunn himself, with his inimitable style, propensity for coaching and encyclopedic expertise in fashion. As a result of Gunn’s tutelage, several deserving folks will get the makeover of a lifetime from the man Entertainment Weekly called “a major arbiter of style.”

Gunn will use his style expertise to help ordinary people maximize their true fashion potential. Having spent countless years as chair of the Department of Fashion Design mentoring students and budding fashion designers, Gunn will put those same skills to work as he rescues people struggling with everything from a disastrous everyday wardrobe, to a special occasion that demands a revamped look. Gunn has an unmatched skill at helping people deal with any kind of predicament and gets the job done when the state of affairs seems grim.

“I’m practically delirious that Bravo has given me this incredible opportunity and together, we vow to redefine makeovers, said Gunn. This series aims to be one-part education with two-parts fun, and youll see me being a fashion therapist, not a svengali.”

“Bravo is extremely lucky to have Tim Gunn as a part of our family,” said Berwick. “We want our viewers to see his own opinions, his personal ideas on style, fashion and more. I am pleased to bring ‘Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style’ to our viewers, because they have certainly been asking for more of him.” Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President, Programming & Production, Bravo

Ugly Betty Recap: “Sofia’s Choice”

Title: “Sofia’s Choice”
Original Air Date: 1/11/2007

After a sub-par showing last week, things pick up this week with a much more solid and entertaining episode. Henry, unfortunately, is MIA, but so is Walter. That, combined with a surprising and emotional turn of events that completely turns Daniel and Betty’s lives upside down, make this one of the strongest and most memorable Betty episodes so far.

We begin in a TV studio. As we hear the words “live in 60 seconds”, a frantic Betty searches for Daniel, who looks to be about to go on air for an interview with Sofia. Crew members try to deny Betty access to the pair, saying they were expressedly told to keep her away, but she pushes through screaming Daniel’s name. She’s dragged away as they’re about to go live….

24 hours earlier:

Read more

“Rome” Season 2 Premiere Sunday on HBO

In the wake of Caesar’s murder, allegiances are tested, fortunes are gained and lost, and families and political factions find themselves in an elaborate power struggle. From public slander, to adultery, to back stabbing and murder, Rome sets the stage for modern politics in an ancient land and chronicles the epic times that saw the fall of a Republic and the creation of an empire.

Caesar’s life ruled the first season but now that Rome is without a leader the mayhem that proceeds is just the beginning of what’s to come for its citizens.

Season 2 of Rome premieres this Sunday, January 14th at 9pm on HBO.

To see the trailer and behind the scenes clips from season two of Rome visit: http://www.hbo.com/rome/?ntrack_para1=insidehbo3_text

Paula Abdul…OMG! WTF!

You MUST MUST MUST watch this clip of American Idol’s Paula Abdul during a recent local news interview in Seattle. I can’t tell if she’s drunk, high, or possibly (as Ducky predicted in our last podcast) a stroke victim. This is crazy!!!

I’ll say this much. I will be hoping that Paula is EXACTLY like this when American Idol premieres this coming Tuesday. It will be that much more fun watching the train wreck she has become.

[gv data=”Zt5-wn3fvlw”][/gv]

GMMR Forums & Request for Mod

Thanks to everyone that provided feedback on the GMMR Forums. I have decided to keep the forums live for now, and will work to do some “spring” cleaning and archive old discussions, etc.

But here’s where I need your help. I’m looking for one or two GMMR moderators to help keep the forums going. There’s not much to this job. It’s just reviewing new registrations when they come through (takes just a second), and keeping peace and order on the boards (which is easy since people are really chill in the GMMR forums). I would also ask that maybe once a week the moderators share with the rest of the GMMR readers what’s happening in the forums. Hot topics, featured forum, poster. Just something to remind people why they should head over there and chat.

If you are interested, please let me know ASAP.

Grey’s Anatomy Recap: “Six Days Part 1”

Let’s take a look at what went down, shall we?

George’s father had the surgery. He was advised that if the cancer had spread then he would be closed up and sent home to die. He insisted that they remove the cancer, and he would take his chances and fight like hell to stay alive. No one but the Chief and Bailey knew of his wish. George is not going to be pleased.

And was anyone else knocked out of their boots by George and Meredith’s scene outside of Mr. O’Malley’s hospital room?

George: He’s my Dad
Meredith: I know.
George: He’s my Dad

I wasn’t expecting it and it ran me over like a MAC truck. I had this strange and sudden out burst of tears and I couldn’t control myself until the end of the commercial break. Damn you Grey’s writers. I need a little warning. How about a little sappy music, or something to build it up.

Speaking of George. George made out with Callie. George made out with Callie. George is my favorite character on the show, and you all know my girl crush on Callie, so I was happy to see these kids on the path of a reunion. And based on spoilers I’ve read, what a reunion it will be.

Read more

NBC’s The Office Goes on the Road

WOW! Not since “Casino Night” have we had such an jam packed (notice I used a lower case j-a-m) episode. I’ve only watched the episode 1.5 times, so I’m truly not qualified to properly judge. That being said, I thought it was a great episode. I’m not sure it was the funniest one I’ve seen, but that may be because I’d previously seen some of the biggest laugh out loud moments as I have ZERO willpower and watched them over on Yahoo Wednesday. I mean seriously, STOP tempting me.

In honor of the Dunder Mifflin’s sale de force, I thought I would provide some “constructive” criticism on their performances tonight. I hope they don’t mind. And if you didn’t catch tonight’s ep, make sure you download it tomorrow on iTunes (hint: it will be the show at the top of the list). And if you’ve watched the ep but want to catch the 2-minute recaps, click here.

Dwight and Jim – way to team up and rock the sales call. Brilliant! Dwight, I thought you were just trying to be, well Dwight, and sabotage the meeting. But then you boys pulled a fast and slick one on us (TWSS) and the two of you proved that if you combine your powers for good you can achieve great things. Now Jim, it’s your turn to step up as ARM, Michael’s #2..whatever your want to call it. Just do what you have to do to get Dwight back to Dunder Mifflin.

Fun and perky Angela. We’ve never this side of you Ms. Martin and I fear that we won’t be seeing you this happy any time soon. At least not until you have Andy’s head on a platter. The evil eye you gave him at the end? I got chills. Be afraid Andy. Be very afraid.

Speaking of Andy. Dude you went from hero to zero in my book tonight. The playful competition with Dwight was fun but serious lines were crossed. I for one will not abandon my loyalty to the original Scranton Branchers in favor of a Stamford transplant. And Cornell isn’t even that great of a school How do ya like me now?!

Read more

Into the Supernatural?

I’ve heard from many of you over the past few days that I should give Supernatural a shot. Although I will admit that it’s not on my radar, it’s a show that I might consider getting into this summer. That being said, just because I don’t watch it doesn’t mean I can’t share the love. So here’s a little info on tonight’s show…

SUPERNATURAL- (9 EST on The CW)
“Hunted”
GORDON, THE VAMPIRE HUNTER, RETURNS TO KILL SAM – After Dean (Jensen Ackles) tells Sam (Jared Padalecki) what their father told him before he died, a distraught Sam sneaks off to Indiana without Dean. While there, Sam runs into Eva (guest star Katherine Isabelle), a psychic who confesses to Sam she sought him out to warn him of his impending death. Dean discovers Gordon (guest star Sterling K. Brown) is after Sam and races to find his brother in time to save him

Click here to check out the director’s cut of tonight’s episode: “The Hunted”

WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!

Secrets for the set…
So for all your Supernatural fans, you MUST check out E! Online’s interview with show creator Erick Kripke. Mr. Kripke spills some secrets on what you can expect on tonight’s return of Supernatural. Here’s a little taste of what they talked about…
E!: You left the audience hanging with quite a cliffhanger before the holidays! Sam was insisting that Dean finally divulge the big secret their father had been keeping from him. Will he spill the beans?

EK: Yes, and we don’t mess around. We jump right back into it. Well, first, in the [opening] teaser, we do have to kill some random stranger, because, well, you have to. [Laughs.] But right after the break, we’ll get into it and reveal what the secret is, and it’s a nice reveal. I mean nice as in satisfying and interesting, not sweet and nice! But yes, it’s really good and something we’ve been planning for a long time now. It will raise a lot of interesting questions and send the boys off into another direction.

More Supernatural spoilers from Kristin Veitch and the fab Korbi Gosh over at E!

“Extras” FREE on iTunes

Just a follow-up to yesterday’s post about Extras. The second season premiere episode of Extras is available NOW for download FREE at iTunes. Well, it looks like the rest of my day is shot now. Go. Watch. Love.

Living With Ed Begley Jr.

With over 200 credits to his name and 11 pages on his IMDB profile — that’s right, 11 pages — you would think that Ed Begley Jr. was ready for retirement. Not even close. He’s got a homegrown business, and three movies in the queue. Now, the man behind such memorable roles as Dr. Victor Ehrlich in St. Elsewhere, Hiram Gunderson on Six Feet Under, and most recently, Dean Cyrus O’Dell on Veronica Mars, is now taking on Reality TV in his new show on HGTV, Living with Ed.

Our friends over at TV with MeeVee recently had the chance to sit down with Ed Begley Jr. to talk to him about his years in the biz, and what it was like to still be as popular as ever with recent stints on VM and the dearly departed Arrested Development.

Here’s a sneek peek for you Mars fans out there…

How did you get involved with Veronica Mars?
EBJ: Oh, I love that show — I love it. They just called up and asked me if I wanted to play the part of the Dean, and I said, “Absolutely, it’s a terrific show. Sign me up!”

How do you feel about the show’s markedly different tone this season?
EBJ: I like it. It’s very rough material, the rapes going on on-campus. It’s very difficult stuff, but I think they handle it well.

What was it like working with Rob Thomas?
EBJ: He’s fantastic. He’s really a genius, I think. He directed the last [episode] I did. He’s a highly skilled writer and a wonderful director. I was just beyond impressed.

The murder/suicide. Any hints?
IEBJ: would probably share with you more details if I knew them. They don’t tell me. I don’t know who killed me.

Are you going to be appearing in any future episodes?
EBJ: Yes, I am.

Get the full scoop. Click here for Ed Begley Jr’s interview with TV with MeeVee.

Wednesday Night’s “Friday Nights” Makes My Night

Not to sound like a broken record here, but I felt the need to say just one more time how happy I am to have finally discovered Friday Night Lights. I have become completely enchanted by this show and the fictional town of Dillon, Texas. Often it’s the writing that makes or breaks a show, but with all do respect to the writers, it’s the acting that sets Friday Night Lights apart from some of the other dramas on TV today. Again, I’m not knocking the writing, I actually think it’s wonderful, but as I said in my previous review of FNL, the people of Dillon are simple. They don’t need fancy words to show the emotion of a given situation. The actors bring the town to life through their realistic portrayals of everyday, normal people. No brilliant surgeons, no 60 minute murder mysteries, just normal people living their lives. It’s brilliant.

Tonight’s episode once again put the spotlight on Zach Gilford‘s portrayal of Matt Saracen. Saracen is ALL heart, and unlike a lot of boys his age, he’s not afraid to share his emotions with those he trusts. He just wants to do right by the people he cares about. So much so that he tells his father that it’s ok to go back to Iraq because that’s where he wants to be. Despite the fact that he’s 16 years old and charged with taking care of his senile grandmother, he still wants his father to be happy. He’s selfless like that. And cheers to his adorable girlfriend Julie Taylor for being mature enough to realize that she can’t always come first in Matt’s life. He has to take on more than someone his age should, and rather than stomp around like a brat, Julie is supportive and takes the time to listen to Matt – and she might be the only person that is there for him like that at this point in his life. Love these two.

Read more

The Office Thursday on Give Me My Remote

Screw TGIF…it’s more like TGIT!! Yes, thank god it’s Thursday. My favorite night of television brings forth my very favorite show, The Office.

This week the cast is back at work after an 8 week hiatus. It gives me the warm fuzzies to know that the cast is back together and creating new episodes. All is right with the world again. Welcome back Office-peeps…we missed you!

I’m not sure there’s a ton of new Office gossip this week, but what I have it yours. Now, on to The Office Thursdays on Give Me My Remote.

Tonight on The Office…
“Traveling Salesman”
Michael pushes his desk jockeys to pair up and hit the road for sales-call duty. Meanwhile, Angela misses a crucial deadline, so her secret boyfriend, Dwight, tries to cover for her; and surprising news comes Karen’s way. (8:30/7:30c on NBC)

The episode description has been causing major speculation online this week. What ‘crucial deadline’ could Angela possibly miss? Is is THAT deadline? What a storyline that would be. And what of Karen’s “surprising” news? Many of us are hoping that she find out either about Jim and Pam’s past or even Pam and Roy’s history. Let’s just hope whatever the news is, it will help to move forward the JAM storyline. Because seriously, I can NOT take Pam Beesly crying this week. My heart hasn’t fully recovered from last week. And Jenna just mentioned in her MySpace blog today that there is a cliffhanger…so YAY!! What’s your take on what’s happening tonight?

Terrorists invaded my home and forced me to watch the preview clips from tonight’s episode on Yahoo. Damn you terrorists. For those of you who haven’t seen the online clips DO NO WATCH THEM. Come on, the show is just hours away, you can hold out. Be strong. That being said, the clips were hysterical and I think “Traveling Salesman” is going to be a riot. (Watch Yahoo! clips)

From the desk of Meredith Palmer…
Kate Flannery is back with her first TVGuide.com blog of the new year. Kate gives us the inside scoop on what she did during her break and some of the fans she met during her time off. Also, what will Kate be wearing to the Golden Globes on Monday? We’ll have to wait and see (because she honestly hasn’t figured it out yet). And the cutest part? How about Kate squeeing like the rest of us when she saw co-star John Krasinski on the big screen in Dreamgirls. And this from a woman who is legally allowed to see him everyday. Lucky girl. (Kate’s TV Guide Blog)

More Office Thursday after the jump.

Read more

DuckyxDale/GMMR Podcast #4

A New Year and a New Podcast… Number 4! No we’re not going to talk about the resolutions we’ve already broken or the presents we returned without your knowing but we are here to talk TV and lots of it.

Ducky and GMMR are back to cover our favorite shows and hopefully yours as well. We’ve made a New Years resolution to do more regular podcasts so lets go.

This podcast we cover the days of the week including those returning faves that have started or are just about to finish their Holiday Hiatus. We’ll also chat about some gossip, casting news, and a few new shows coming our way in the next month. Full details of the shows we are chatting about after the jump.

Click here to listen to this week’s podcast

Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »