CHUCK vs. The Suburbs

CHUCK! I was so glad to have it back after last week. I felt like NBC was toying with me by giving us a new Heroes but not a new Chuck, and yeah, I know, the President has things he wants us to know, but seriously, couldn’t he just implant the intersect in all of our heads instead of depriving us of Chuck? I thought so, anyway!

As I was sitting here pondering the episode last night, I briefly considered who was the cutest in last night’s episode, and I really and truly almost went with that beautiful golden retriever, but Casey pulled me right back in when he sprayed Chuck with cologne on the naughty bits. It was so obviously ad-libbed and Casey looked SO pleased with himself that Billy and I actually backed it up and watched it again. And I was so impressed with Chuck holding it together enough to yell “WHY THERE?” I was so happy that didn’t end up on the cutting room floor, and it reinforced my belief that I NEED these DVDs because I’m positive that the outtakes alone would be worth the cost.

Once again, I thought the guest stars were outstanding. You’ll never hear me complain about Andy Richter (unless it was about his show that was on a few years ago, which was terrible), and even though it makes me feel a little bit old that Jenny McCarthy is playing a cougar, she was outstanding. And I have no idea who it was, but her partner was so scary looking that I think he might figure into my future nightmares.

The Buy More plot was a little weird for me this week–I think it might’ve been a little too much Big Mike and maybe not quite enough Lester and Jeff, but I did get a kick out of Emmett’s hair, and I was surprised that they made Big Mike hook up with Morgan’s mom when I was really expecting Emmett’s (although that may have been a little too Arrested Development/mommy issues to be original). And I loved how Big Mike was hoping and praying after looking around that she was Chuck’s mom. He loooooves Chuck! Maybe Chuck can become the next Lady Big Mike. Hey, I don’t judge.

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Weekend Catch-Up: BSG, Brothers & Sisters & The Amazing Race

This past weekend was a long weekend…at least for me. And as such I was very, very lazy which in turn meant I was a bad blogger. I’m going to try my very hardest to be more consistent with my recaps, but it’s so hard when shows air on the weekend and I’m usually not in blogger mode.

So until next week when I plan on doing better, here are my quick thoughts on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, BROTHERS & SISTERS and THE AMAZING RACE.

Battlestar Galactica…
Holy frak – I really don’t know what the hell happened this past episode. I had an extremely difficult time figure out all the nonsense that Anders was spewing. I know it’s extremely important but it came out in such a rushed fashion that I was utterly bewildered. Can someone draw me some kind of diagram of when all these various versions of the Cylons came to be? And just who is Daniel and how does he play into the larger story? I haven’t erased BSG from the DVR yet because I need to go back and watch again. I’m cursing Ducky for being away on vacation because I need my better (idiot) half to explain things to me. Did you all get it?

I must once again comment on the acting – just superb! Michael Trucco (Anders) delivered it this week. And John Hodgman – are you kidding me? Ron Moore had teased of his appearance on Twitter but I thought he was joking. Loved it! A little comic relief baked into otherwise heavy scenes.

This was my least favorite BSG of the new season, but then again I’m sure that’s not really fair since I blame my disinterest on Ellen. I know she’s crucial to the future and the past but I’ve never really liked her as a character.

Mama needs to go home and give this episode another try. Wish me luck.

Feel free to rip me a new one BSG fans.  Go for it.  Ha!

Keep on reading for quick updates on The Amazing Race and Brothers & Sisters.

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HOUSE: Unfaithful

The medium of television hatches a special bond between the audience and their most beloved characters. In dozens of ways, both profound and infinitesimal, a familiar face in our living room transcends the gap between fantasy and reality. Unlike their film counterparts, who drop in on us for two hours in between handfuls of popcorn, the actors who grace our television screens become anything but larger than life. We see them as proxies for our non-broadcast adventures. They provide shorthand methods of conversation, and emotional reference points when we cannot find the right words. For instance, I find it daunting to describe the type of woman who I would like to marry. On the other hand, I am really just looking for my Pam Beesly. These relationships, though crafted in a fictitious world, can feel intensely personal. For this reason, producers have to be very careful when steering “our” characters into unfamiliar territory.

This week, the producers of House took a leap of faith. Throughout the first half of Season Five, a vocal and passionate constituency of loyal viewers have taken to forums like GMMR to express their dissatisfaction with Olivia Wilde’s increased screen time. Whether those opinions originated from a preference for more of Chase & Cameron, a personal judgment regarding Wilde’s talents, or a frustration that the House creative staff was simply fixing something that was not broken, the concerns were real. With Foreman & Thirteen’s romance functioning as the primary story in “Unfaithful,” I am curious whether Katie Jacobs and David Shore were throwing down the gauntlet. With Foreteen having the last laugh at episode’s end, the decision to allow the students to outsmart their teacher may have been short-sighted and ill-conceived.

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24: Day 7 | 4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Debrief

• Jack and Renee call paramedics for Henry Taylor. In searching the killed gunmen they find an address that Dubaku has called multiple times. When they arrive, they find out it’s Marika and Rose’s apartment.

• Marika is set to meet with Dubaku and leave the country. After finding out who he really is, she agrees to lead Jack and Renee to Dubaku.

• President Taylor arrives at the hospital where the doctors say Henry, who is entering surgery, doesn’t have much of a chance at full recovery. Taylor asks Bill to contact her daughter, whom she is not on speaking terms with, and get her to the hospital. Bill calls former Secret Service Agent and eternal BADASS Aaron Pierce.

• Bill sends Chloe to the FBI to help Jack and Renee from there. Janis believes that Chloe has been sent in to replace her and becomes paranoid.

• While tracking Dubaku, Jack and Renee get ambushed by police. A warrant had been issued to DC-Metro Police by Sean, who appears to be the mole in the FBI.

Agent Philboy’s Assessment

This episode felt like a good ol’ family reunion! Morris O’ Brien returns with a child who is apparently a sixth grader. And, then, the surprise of the night…Aaron Pierce, the man who has been on the show nearly since the beginning (or was it the beginning) returns to help out the good guys once again. I was so excited by this that I started screaming expletives at my TV and writing them in my notes.

It’s things like this that make “24” such a unique show. A character like Aaron would, on most other shows, just be forgotten about. But, the character is great and the actor is awesome so, the writers find BELIEVABLE ways for him to return. I don’t know about you guys, but I didn’t question the fact that Aaron would be available to work with Bill, Tony and Jack.

It was really an episode of surprises. Morris coming back. Aaron coming back to rock my face off with another season. And, Jack and Renee ambushing Marika and Rosa’s apartment. I didn’t see it coming that the location on the phone would be their place. It really changed the entire game in the search for Dubaku and makes perfect sense, since the search was going nowhere quickly.

On a Whedonesque note, did anyone else notice that the businessman Olivia Taylor was talking to was the News Reporter from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog?” Or was it just my obsessive mind?

Overall, this was a great episode…in it’s second half. It really did an awesome job setting up the next series of events, with Olivia Taylor heading to the hospital, Aaron in the fold, Jack and Renee arrested, Sean exposed as the mole, Janis looking over her shoulder and Marika on her way to Dubaku.

Everything I Need to Know in Life I Learned from Jack Bauer (and Others)…

• If you don’t want information disseminated, yell it really loudly in an unsecure location.

• If you want a girl to leave and run away with you, all you have to do is ambush her at work.

• When you get in a shootout, you can just leave any dead bodies wherever the end up. It’s fine.

• If you know someone who won’t believe things about their significant other, have a photo slideshow on your phone ready to go as evidence.

• If you want to keep something secret and not let anyone know you have it, make sure it glows.

Weekly Kill Count = 0 Total Kill Count = 304+

What do you guys think of Sean being the mole? Is he the last mole we’ll see at the FBI, or does it go deeper than him?

Philboy is GMMR’s resident Dexter and 24 analyst. He spends his days studying Communications at Purdue University and his nights failing at keeping up with all of the TV shows he loves. His can’t miss shows are “24”, “Chuck”, and “Life on Mars”. The thought running through his head for this week is, “Anyone know where I can get a job?”

Law & Order: SVU | 10pm on NBC

A man is found badly beaten in a parking lot, with no memory of what happened, and detectives suspect his transgender teen may be responsible.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday February 17, 2009

Time to get back into the swing of things. For some of us it’s going to be a 4-day work week and I’m just fine with that! With all the reruns, last night’s TV was manageable. Stay tuned because reviews of HOUSE, 24 and CHUCK will be coming at ya!

I want to thank everyone that has participated in the GMMR survey so far. If you haven’t yet done so, please click here to take the GiveMeMyRemote.com survey The information you are providing is just fantastic and I already know some changes to the site that will take place as a direct result of your feedback.

Old School Blog Layout
While some people are loving the new redesign, others are not. The biggest complaint I’m getting about the new site design is that people miss the traditional BLOG layout of the old GMMR – meaning one page with post after post listed. If you fall into that category, definitely try out the BLOG link at the top of the page and bookmark it. It’s been there since day one but I’m not sure everyone has noticed it. That link allows you to bypass the home page and go right to the blog format, similar to the old GMMR. I hope that helps.

Anyway, keep the answers coming because I’m learning a lot.

Ok now that that’s out of the way, on to tonight’s TV! As always, please let me know what YOU are watching!

American Idol | 8pm on Fox
The first twelve of the 36 semifinalists perform. Only the top 3 vote-getters will be moving on to the Top 12. That means some serious talent will be going home. [GMMR: Tatiana is performing tonight. If she doesn’t get the votes then tonight might be the last time we have to hear her. Fingers crossed.]

The Mentalist | 9pm on CBS
“Scarlett Fever”
Patrick and the team uncover a wealth of secrets while investigating the poisoning death of the queen bee of a country club. [GMMR: Simon Baker was a guest on ELLEN yesterday. Did you know that he had a 15 year old daughter? Just a little trivia I thought I would share.]

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 10pm on NBC
“Transistiong”
A man is found badly beaten in a parking lot, with no memory of what happened, and detectives suspect his transgender teen may be responsible. [GMMR: I got sucked into a mini-SVU marathon this weekend. I find it much less predictable than the original L&O series.]

Primetime: What Would You Do? | 10pm on ABC
Hidden cameras capture reaction to people to various situations. Tonight a confused, elderly man tries to get behind the wheel of a car; visitors to an open house in a predominantly white neighborhood encounter racism; a stranger approaches a child in the park. [GMMR: Sounds interesting. I can’t watch the stranger in the park bit thought – too scary to even imagine.]

Nip/Tuck | 10m on FX
“Budi Sabri”
Sean and Teddy explore their relationship; Christian relates to a patient with a unique condition. [GMMR: Put your old hand in the air if you are still watching Nip/Tuck. How is this season compared to others? Are you loving it?]

Also playing…

• NCIS | 8pm on CBS: A murder prompts the reopening of one of Tony’s old investigations, leading Gibbs and DiNozzo to reverse roles to solve the case.

• The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC: Contestants learn to work out creatively, without the use of the gym; the teams compete in a rowing machine challenge.

• Without a Trace | 10pm on CBS: The team searches for a mother, who disappeared with her infant son after a self-defense class.

• Leverage | 10pm on TNT: The team targets the CEO that denied Nate’s son medical treatment.

Here’s a Question for Ya…

Hey GMMRers! Hope everyone is well these days. I’ve got a favor to ask.  In the interest of making GMMR a better site for YOU, we put together a brief survey to see what is working and what isn’t. We would be honored if you would participate. The survey shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes but your answers will be incredibly valuable to us.

IMPORTANT! Your surveys are ANONYMOUS so please be honest.

Click here to take the GiveMeMyRemote.com survey

Update #1: Keep the surveys coming. The responses I’ve received so far have been so informative.

Update #2: My favorite survey quote: “I wish this was your only job and you didn’t need money to live then the site could be updated more often” [GMMR: Ha ha! From your keyboard to the ears of someone independently wealthy who wants to back me up.]

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: In a World Where the Kings Are Employers

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Desperate Housewives was new again last night and it looks like we’re setting up for a major confrontation between Dave and Mike. Not much else happened in this episode though. I liked but thought it was uneventful overall.

Susan is angry at how much time MJ has been spending with Katherine lately. It’s about to get a lot worse too; Katherine and Mike will be moving in together soon. This storyline made me realize how forced their relationship seems. We all know Mike and Susan are going to end up with each other in the end and it seems like we’re only bidding time right now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that Katherine’s finally been given something to do, but at the same time it might have been better off for Katherine to have left the show after the end of last season. That way she would have gone out strong and wouldn’t have had to slowly fade away the way she is now. I have a feeling that she’ll be a big part of the Dave revenge plot coming up though, which I’m really excited for.

Tom and Lynette are about to lose the pizzeria so Tom gets the bright idea of replacing the wait staff with his own children. They of course aren’t so keen on this idea but do it anyway. All this leads up to Tom violently confronting one of the kids when they don’t want to wait on their classmates. My thought on this is that Tom is being a big baby as usual. He needs to step and recognize that his business is failing and if he doesn’t sell it he and his family are going to lose everything. And I thought Lynette was ridiculous at the end. I know that Tom was upset that he was losing his dream but he had just assaulted one of their children. She needed to confront him, not make out with him.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, February 16, 2009

Happy Monday! I hope that most of you here in the U.S. are enjoying the long weekend!  I know I am.  I’m going to be in the TV watching zone today as those March mid-season premieres are going to sneak right up on me.  It’s about time I started sharing my two cents with you, right?

If you have any questions for me, send them in to the GMMR Mailbag.  I’ll be answering a few today.  For those of you have already sent in questions, please know I’ll be getting to them VERY soon.

So lots of TV watching today and then of course there is the juggernaut which is the Monday night TV schedule.  I’m overwhelmed just thinking about it.  At least there are a few reruns on the CBS side to make it a bit easier.

What will YOU be watching tonight?

Chuck | 8pm on NBC
“Chuck Versus the Suburbs”
Chuck and Sarah must pose as a happily married couple living in the suburbs, where they meet some interesting characters; after his wife files for divorce, Big Mike goes on a rampage at work.

The Bachelor | 8pm on ABC
Jason takes the final three women on overnight dates in New Zealand, including a helicopter ride, an afternoon of bungee jumping and a boat ride at the Botanical Gardens; one woman is sent home.

House | 8pm on Fox
“Unfaithful
A priest is admitted to the ER after he sees a bleeding Jesus hovering at his doorstep; House confronts Thirteen and Foreman about their relationship.

Heroes | 9pm on NBC
“Building 26”
Homeland Security begins an investigation that could expose Nathan’s plans; Sylar and Luke go on a road trip to find Sylar’s father; Claire tries to protect a young man with exceptional abilities.[GMMR: I’m trying. I can’t say that I’m at the point that I’m enjoying HEROES again but I’m keeping up so we can talk about it on the podcast. ]

24 | 9pm on Fox
“Day 7: 4:00PM – 5:00PM
The First Family faces painful circumstances; Chloe clashes with Janis; Agent Walker and Jack follow leads through Washington, D.C.

Kyle XY | 9pm on ABC Family
“Welcome to Latnik”
Kyle begins to repay his debt to Latnok; Nicole and Stephen face huge medical bills following the accident. [GMMR: Anyone watching Kyle XY?]

Medium | 10pm on NBC
“A Person of Interest”
After visiting a crime scene, Allison exhibits strange behavior that leads to an explosive discovery; Joe asks his new colleague (Kevin Corrigan) to dinner.

Also playing…

• The Closer | 8pm on TNT: Brenda prepares for her upcoming wedding; a cell phone is found containing text messages that point to a possible homicide; Fritz’s sister tags along.

• Trust Me | 9pm on TNT: Mason quizzes his daughter on what teens think is cool; the client is not happy with Mason’s ideas; Hector and Tom fight over who is going to take Sarah to the big party.

• Worst Week | 9:30pm on CBS: Mel calls Sam to tell him she is in labor, but somehow Sam winds up at the wrong hospital.

• True Beauty | 10pm on ABC: Contestants compete to show their red-carpet savvy, while secretly being judged on their willingness to shove their parents out of the way and hog the spotlight.

GMMR’s Useless Tidbit of the Day…

“More presidents have been born in the state of Virginia that in any other state.”

The Jonas Brothers on Saturday Night Live

SNL took full advantage of last night’s musical guests, The Jonas Brothers. The Brothers Joani were featured in a bunch of skits last night. They were actually pretty good and I wouldn’t be surprised if SNL has them coming back soon as hosts/musical guests. I thought they were really, really, really awesome…best thing ever!! (That was for my older sister who said that I am too hard on The Jonas Brothers.)

Sorry kids, NBC didn’t post the musical appearance.

The Fourth Jonas: Gary Jonas

Digital Short: Property of the Queen
The Jonas Brothers live forever…

Any other special SNL moments from last night?

Say Anything | 8pm on Fox Movie Channel

A high-school senior falls in love with an honor student bound for studies in England.

Sweet Home Alabama | 7:30pm on USA

Separated from her Southern husband, an engaged New York fashion designer confronts him about a divorce.

THE SIMPSONS Get a Makeover

This Sunday THE SIMPSONS will have a little bit of a different look.  Bart and his family are going HD.  And to mark the occasion, the show is getting a brand new opening title sequence – the first major upgrade to the titles in almost two decades.

Our friends at Fox sent this over last night and now I’m sharing with you.  See how that works?

The first ever HD episode will air this Sunday at 8pm est on FOX.  In “Take My Life Please”, Homer gets a glimpse of what his life would have been like if he had been elected class president in high school.

Are you digging the new opening titles?

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | 8pm on Fox

While fighting to stay alive, Sarah is guided by the image of John’s father; Weaver’s attempt to protect John Henry has deadly consequences.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Friday, February 13, 2009

The Friday night TV lineup we have all been waiting for is finally here! If I ask you very nicely and kindly, may I please get a “Woop” “Woop”?

I’m so giddy at the lineup of tonight’s TV that I can’t control myself.  Tonight we’ve got the premiere of DOLLHOUSE and the mid-season premiere of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES.  I’ll be honest, I’m really bummed out about missing out on the first half of T:SCC this season.  I was really digging that show but it was sacrificed when everyone and their mother decided to put shows on at 8pm on Monday nights.  But now that it’s on Fridays I would totally have the time to get back into it.  What’s a girl to do?  Perhaps record them all and try to catch up?  Maybe?

Rounding out the awesomeness of tonight is FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and GHOST WHISPERER (wait, how did that get in there).

Before we get to tonight’s lineup, please join me in wishing my friend Jessica a very happy birthday! Hope this year brings you nothing but good things. I love you, JJ!! (She’s going to kill me)

I know I ask you all the time, but it’s only because I am genuinely interested – what will YOU be watching?

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | 8pm on Fox | New!
The Good Wound”
While fighting to stay alive, Sarah is guided by the image of John’s father; Weaver’s attempt to protect John Henry has deadly consequences.

Friday Night Lights | 9pm on NBC
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn”
Cash’s dark side comes to light; Jason thinks he knows how to bring him and Erin back together; coach Taylor makes a decision that leaves Matt debating the future of his football career. [GMMR: Get ready for some great Tyra/Mrs. T scenes tonight.  And for the first time this season…Jason Street.]

Dollhouse | 9pm on Fox | Series Premiere
“Ghost”
A businessman hires Echo to be a negotiator when his daughter is abducted; FBI Agent Paul Ballard’s search for the Dollhouse puts his career at risk. [GMMR: Check out some sneak peek videos and my review of DOLLHOUSE .]

Monk | 9pm on USA
“Mr. Monk and the Magician”
Monk goes head-to-head with a magician he suspects of murder. Steve Valentine and Jarrad Paul guest star.

Psych | 10pm on USA
“Tuesday the 17th“
Shawn and Gus are hired by a childhood friend to find a missing camp counselor who disappeared near their old sleep away campgrounds. [GMMR: A special episode co-written and directed by James Roday.]

Battlestar Galactica | 10pm on Sci Fi
“No Exit”
The fifth Cylon, Ellen Tigh, resurfaces among the Cylons; Anders tells Kara that he remembers everything.  [GMMR: You really don’t have any idea how excited I am for this show tonight.]

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