Psych | 10pm on USA

To stop an assassination plot, Shawn and Gus must prove that a pathological liar is telling the truth

LOST: The Little Prince

There’s nothing like a timely review of LOST to help you through the day, right?  Oh wait.  It’s 8:20pm on Thursday night – oops.  Technical difficulties on GMMR today prevented me from blogging all day.  I know it’s a lame excuse but it’s the truth. I know that everyone is probably all LOSTed out, but I wanted to post a little something on it all the same.  If you’re looking for a more in-depth review of last night’s ep then check out the next TV Talk Podcast with GMMR & Ducky which will be coming later tonight or tomorrow.

Let’s get to it…I enjoyed last night’s episode although it was my least favorite of the four that have aired so far this season.  While I know the payoff for the time travel will be coming soon enough I think it’s being a little overdone.  I think the writers got a little “flash happy” in the writers rooms.  Now that it’s been revealed that the island is rumbling through time, it’s almost as if the flash is their easy go to.

If you think about it, not much really happened on the island last night.  One of the trips allows Sawyer to witness Kate helping Claire deliver Aaron.  It was one of the most touching scenes of the season and perhaps Sawyer’s most vulnerable moment to date.  I’ll admit that I cried like a little girl when I saw the love in Sawyer’s eyes.  It was heartbreaking.  And then when he actually opened up to Juliet about what he saw?  It showed just how far Sawyer has come since being on the island.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, February 5, 2009

Happy Thursday TV my friends.  I hope you’ve got your remote in hand because it’s going to be a busy night surfing among the channels.

A few notes…

• CBS is airing reruns of THE BIG BANG THEORY and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER tonight.  Not sure why, but I personally would love to see both these shows air on Thursday nights.  It would make my Mondays so much easier.  ABC has announced that it’s going to a new Thursday night comedy block, so perhaps CBS is testing out the same. Let’s do it CBS!

• Don’t be swayed by the deceptive ABC promos.  Tonight’s GREY’S ANATOMY and PRIVATE PRACTICE and NOT big crossover episodes like ABC would have you believe. The scenes they are showing with Addison and Derek aren’t even from this week’s ep.  I just wanted to set your expectations because I was excited for the crossover and was bummed when it didn’t happen. I think we’ll have to wait another week. On a side note, both GREY’s and PRIVATE PRACTICE are actually pretty good this week.

Lots and lots to choose from. What will YOU be watching?

Ugly Betty | 8pm on ABC
“Kissed Off”
Betty considers making a personal decision to help her finances and her family but keeps getting sidetracked; Daniel tries to hide his tracks, as Connor tries to figure out who stole Molly’s heart.

Smallville | 8pm on The CW
“Requiem”
An explosion at LuthorCorp injures Oliver, who suspects Lex is at fault. But Clark and Lana discover the culprit is Oliver’s former employee Winslow Schott (Chris Gauthier), a toymaker harboring a grudge against his old boss.

The Office | 9pm on NBC
“Lecture Circuit”
Michael takes Pam with him on a tour of the other branches to explain Scranton’s relative success; Dwight and Jim, the new heads of the party planning committee, forget a birthday.

Grey’s Anatomy | 9pm on ABC
“Best Your Heart Out”
Derek looks for the perfect way to propose to Meredith; Lexie wants Mark to go public with their relationship; Bailey considers taking her medical career in a new direction.

Supernatural | 9pm on The CW
“Sex & Violence”
Sam and Dean go to a small town in Iowa where three men have beaten their wives to death; a Siren puts Sam and Dean under a spell.

Bones| 8pm on Fox
“The Hero in the Hold”
Brennan and the team get a phone call from the Grave Digger, who informs them that Booth has been buried alive with only 24 hours of oxygen.

30 Rock | 9:30pm on NBC
“Generalissimo”
Liz discovers she has a handsome, single neighbor she would like to meet; Jack is determined to win over Elisa’s grandmother; the new interns ask Tracy out for a night of partying.

Private Practice | 10pm on ABC
“Acceptance”
When Archer has a severe seizure, Addison and Naomi use every resource possible to determine the cause and a cure; Violet tells Pete and Sheldon that she is pregnant; Cooper cares for an abandoned patient.

Burn Notice | 10pm on USA
“Seek and Destroy”
Michael poses as a corporate security specialist to help a wealthy art dealer track down a hacker within the company.

ER | 10pm on NBC
“A Long Strange Trip”
Morris and Gates treat an older man who was assaulted on the street; Sam gets a surprise visit from her sister; Dr. Morgenstern (William H. Macy) visits County General when he discovers an old mentor is ill.

Also playing…

• My Name is Earl | 8:30pm on NBC: Earl encourages Joy to audition for Erik Estrada’s new reality show; Darnell gets a startling phone call.

• Kath & Kim | 8:30pm on NBC: Kath and Kim are in the running to host a dinner for Wynonna Judd, but first they have to be interviewed by Wynonna’s people; Craig tries to write a hit country song with his friend Derrick (Jay Phillips).

• Hells Kitchen | 9pm on Fox: The competition heats up as the teams face another grueling challenge; one chef is eliminated.

• The Beast | 10pm on A&E: An old friend gets Barker and Ellis in on a case involving millions of dollars and a deadly virus; a boy has been infected with a virus in order to blackmail his mother.

PRIVILEGED: All About Confessions

Someone must have dumped a boatload of truth serum in the Palm Beach water supply, because truth and confessions were flying around town like it was going out of style. Things were sort of divided between the older crowd and the younger, so I’m going to split up the recap that way too. First I have to ask – when do Megan and the girls even work together anymore?? We haven’t really seen it at all lately (and yes, I noticed that Rose mentioned she read Backlash because Megan made her, but c’mon – Megan’s not getting paid to recommend books on occasion). Also, this will be the review that really pisses off Will fans, so be warned.

Last night was very sad for us Charlie fans – especially considering he finally grew a pair and told Megan how he really felt, stood up to Will and managed to be as charming as ever throughout. For now, Privileged is a Charlie-free zone as he is moving across the country to study marine biology at UCSD. I loved the joke that Megan couldn’t figure out the time zone thing and thought he’d be watching all of their favourite shows three hours ahead of her – pretty cute. We’ll get further into this in a bit…for now, onto the show:

Megan/Charlie/Will/Lilly

Well, Lilly was back at the hair salon with her “so bad it could be porn” acting. It hit me while watching this scene that this character could be so much better if say, Busy Phillips was playing her. Now there’s an actress who can do comedy very well and is woefully underused. Wouldn’t that have been a hoot? Anyway, I digress. Charlie convinces Lilly to take on a leadership role with watching out for her and Megan’s dad, which she appears to be doing. Good – now maybe Megan can get back to focusing on her job and her own life and the Smith family can sort of fade away. That also sums up Lilly’s contribution to the episode, so we can now forget about her until next week.

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A Sneak Peek at Tonight’s LOST (SPOILERS)

Can’t wait until tonight for LOST? Do you need a little fix to get you through the day? Check out these scenes from tonight’s episode. Watch them now and get a jump start on the conjecture and speculation. Me? I don’t read LOST spoilers – this one is all on you.

Yay or nay on the clips? Are you more excited about the show now?

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wednesday night isn’t exactly a light night for TV.  There’s a lot of great shows…all of which require your full attention. It’s not a night for TV slackers.  Agreed?

May I ask…what are YOU watching?

Lost | 9pm on ABC
“The Little Prince”
Kate learns that someone knows the secret of Aaron’s parentage; the dramatic shifts through time endanger the remaining island survivors. [GMMR: Check back soon for a sneak peek at tonight’s LOST. ]

Lie to Me | 9pm on Fox
“A Perfect Score”
The Lightman Group investigates when the daughter of a federal judge is murdered; a NASA test pilot is accused of crashing a $250 million aircraft on purpose.

Life | 9pm on Fox
“Re-Entry”
Charlie Crews and Dani Reese try to narrow down the list of suspects when a retired NASA pilot is shot mid-flight; Crews tries to remember who shot him.

Damages | 10pm on FX
“I Agree, it wasn’t Funny.“
Patty begins to question Ellen’s motives for returning to the firm; Patty tries to stop a corporate merger that she thinks is connected to Christine Purcell’s murder.

Life on Mars | 10pm on ABC
“The Dark Side of the Mook”
Sam and Ray find themselves linked to a chain of decapitations; Ray makes a life-changing decision.[GMMR: Raise your hand if you are watching LIFE ON MARS.]

Also playing…

• American Idol | 8pm on Fox: Hollywood Week continues.

• Katie Couric’s All Access Grammy Special | 9pm on CBS: Interviews with Justin Timberlake, Lil Wayne, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.

• Law & Order | 10pm on NBC: An NYPD officer kills a troubled fellow officer who took hostages at gunpoint; detectives Lupo and Bernard find valuable stolen documents and a dead body at the man’s apartment.

• Top Chef | 10pm on Bravo: The contestants cook at Le Bernardin where their final product will be judged by chef Eric Ripert.

GMMR’s Useless Tidbit of the Day…

“ABBA gots its name by taking the first letter from each of the band member’s names (Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-frid).”

HOUSE: The Greater Good

What is it about milestones that make people lose perspective? Parents obsess about capturing the perfect image on a son or daughter’s birthday, as if the shots they took at the park a few days earlier cannot reflect that stepping stone of childhood. Young adults equate graduation from high school or college as a transcendent experience, rather than a simple ceremony that recognizes a past body of work. Couples who spend decades forging a life together are often thrown off-course over anniversary plans gone amok. We have all been guilty of raising our expectations to unreachable heights, only to crash and burn when those hopes are dashed by human failure or adverse circumstances.

This installment of House was the series’ 100th opportunity to open the doors of Princeton Plainsboro to the general public. Since so many of its prime time neighbors rely on lazy stunt casting and questionable plot twists to commemorate such events, I was anticipating a few tweaks from writer Sara Hess and director Lesli Linka Glatter. Much to my surprise, the team crafted a standout chapter in the House saga centered around a patient who generated thoughtful conversations for both the cast and the viewing public.

Judith Scott is a distinguished veteran of television dramas from all over your digital cable and satellite tiers. Her IMDB page of guest star credits is longer than Kate Winslet’s Golden Globes acceptance speech, and reflects a brilliant career as a character actor. As Dr. Dana Miller, a noted cancer researcher who stepped away from a life of work to pursue a life of happiness, Ms. Scott anchored this episode through her interactions with Wilson, Foreman, Thirteen, and Taub. In the latter half of the show, while speaking with Wilson, she offers a simple piece of advice that spoke to each of the interwoven plots of the show. “The only wrong thing is to do nothing.” When sharp writing is delivered by an experienced voice, a great deal can be accomplished in mere seconds. In the hands of a lesser actor, Dr. Miller could easily have been perceived as a quitter with irrational pipe dreams. Instead, Ms. Scott allowed the selfish motives of her character to seem purposeful.

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HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Barney Stinson – That Guy’s Awesome

It’s been four months since Robin left her job at Metro News 1 and the station finally sent along the fan mail she has been receiving. As the gang is sifting through Robin’s mail (“I am way past my dating prisoners phase. It’s like, ‘hello, I’m not 19 anymore’), Barney finds a letter from the US Department of Immigration. Inside an ominous decree: find work in the next seven days or be deported!

I’m not sure who was more devastated by the news, Robin or Barney.  The gang immediately went into “help” mode trying to find a work around to keep Robin here. Perhaps she could work at Lily’s school (can you imagine how fun it would be to see Robin with all those kids?)  Unfortunately Marshall found stipulations in the letter that said that Robin had to find a job in her field. Marshall suggested that she marry an American citizen, but then realized that wouldn’t work as it wouldn’t process fast enough.  Of course the gang failed to notice Barney immediately dropping to one knee, ready to go against his very nature to propose to Robin. Aw.  And thus there is truth to the title of this week’s episode – Barney Stinson in awesome.

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Chuck vs. The Third Dimension

Oh, how I have missed Chuck! (And Casey. Did you see him beating up that girl? So hot!) And I missed all of you, too! Despite my best laid plans, you may have noticed that I did NOT get around to watching the CHUCK webisodes over the break. So forgive me, friends! But that just means we have something to look forward to later, am I right?!?!

Alright, so let’s talk about this episode. I love me some 3-D. I was right there on opening night for My Bloody Valentine 3-D and I’ve even been known, on occasion, to go see movies I didn’t really want to see just for the third dimension. Which is why I was a little sad that I never did figure out where to get the 3-D glasses from and I had to watch this in the regular two dimensions. Drag! I even tried my glasses from the theater, but since they weren’t the two-toned kind, they didn’t work. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the episode and promptly forgot about the 3-D.

I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t that into the spy plot this week … someone wants to kill a rock star blah blah tattoos etc. It was all mostly a vehicle to get from Point A to Point B, but I totally forgive that because I think this episode was loaded up with more references that I loved than any other. Shall we?

• Arrested Development—“NO TOUCHING!” I saw Buster/Emmett yelling it in the preview and was in love from there. Billy also pointed out that playing “Final Countdown” during the sandwich race was an AD reference. I missed that, but apparently that was Gob’s magic show tune.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—a golden ticket! Are you kidding me? I even loved how they stood over Morgan all excited, just like in the movies!

• Sixteen Candles—The Molly Ringwald Underwear Challenge! I could watch Sixteen Candles on a loop for weeks, I swear. And when the Bus straight ripped off Lester’s panties, I about peed mine. Hysterical.

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GOSSIP GIRL: Carnal Knowledge

GOSSIP GIRL is like cotton candy – sweet, delicious but ultimately bad for you.  Just like all the best things in life.

I don’t ask much of GOSSIP GIRL.  Just give me enough drama and over the top angsty antics to let me escape for an hour each Monday night.  Let me indulge in the world of the Upper East Side for a little while before I have to get back to real life. Lucky for me, last night’s GOSSIP GIRL provided just the kick I needed to get me over an otherwise dreary day.

Blair, still reeling from her (gasp) detention set out to destroy Rachel. When googling her past for naughty indiscretions falls short, Blair instructs her minions to make up a hideous rumor about the new hot, young teacher.  But when Blair spies Dan and Rachel chatting in the hall, all it takes is a few clicks and voila…instant GOSSIP GIRL rumor – Rachel and Dan are having a forbidden affair. Horrible Blair…and brilliant, but mostly horrible. But let’s be honest, Blair isn’t the only one to blame here. Um, first off has “Rachel” not seen “Never Been Kissed”?  Allowing your students to address you by your first name is personalized invitation for scandal.  Can you really blame Blair for taking advantage of something that was right there in front of her face?

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24: Day 7 | 2:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.

This felt, to me, like an old school episode of “24.” There were multiple people working on a major crisis and the secondary storylines got moved along perfectly. Plus, there were a couple moments at the end of the episode that launched us into part two of the season.

Debrief

• Dubaku began to attack the Boyd Chemical Plant in Kitron, Ohio by emitting methylisocyanate into the air. Janis figured out that Kitron was the target and warned the plant’s foreman, who sacrificed his own life to buy everyone more time. Upon learning that Jack and the crew had infiltrated his location, Dubaku disengaged the CIP device and decided to relocate and regroup. Jack and crew rescued Matobo and his wife. Latham, the scientist Tony kidnapped at the very beginning of the series was forced to blow himself up, destroying the CIP device, as well as the plot device for the first quarter of the show.

• Matobo contacted President Taylor. Matobo, Jack and Bill are on their way to The White House to covertly (as possible) meet with Taylor. Tony is staying behind to avoid prosecution for his previous crimes. Jack made Tony promise that, after all is said and done, he would surrender and deal with his punishment.

• Henry Taylor woke up after taking out his corrupt Secret Service detail. He didn’t get out in time, though, to avoid Brian’s partner, another Secret Service agent (whose name is escaping me right now, sadly) who is taking Henry to Dubaku’s new location.

• Dubaku arrived at his apartment and was greeted by a waitress named Marika, who appears to be his “girlfriend.”

Agent Philboy’s Assessment

I thought this episode was great. The FBI side of things took center stage for a while, as Janis took the role I thought she would, saving the little hamlet of Kitron, Ohio from losing half of their population. Sean seems fixated on Moss’ relationship with Renee for some reason and keeps bringing it up in awkward, inopportune ways. I’m starting to think that Chloe was copied and then split in two for the new FBI team. Janis got the badass computer technician stuff and Sean got the whiny, socially awkward stuff. Together, you might as well call them O’Brian and marry them off to someone named Morris.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tuesday is another packed night of TV, but after Monday’s assault on the DVR Tuesday’s almost seem like a breath of fresh air.  I’m wildly excited about all the shows that are on tonight.  I fell a bit behind on FRINGE so hopefully I can catch up on last week before tonight’s episode airs.  I feel like I’m doing wrong by Joshua Jackson – I promise I’ll catch up, Pace.  Sorry.

Here’s a little of what I’ll be watching…what about YOU?!

American Idol | 8pm on Fox
Hollywood Round 1
Singers compete in the Hollywood Round in hope of becoming a semifinalist. [GMMR: Hollywood! Hollywood! So excited for tonight.  I know there’s still going to be too much drama for my liking but at least we’ll hear some decent vocals.]

Scrubs | 9pm on ABC
“My New Role”
Dr. Cox becomes overwhelmed in his new role as chief of medicine and reaches out to Dr. Kelso for friendship.. [GMMR: I thought SCRUBS was on Wednesday nights.  Not for nothing, but the big move from NBC to ABC hasn’t done much for the buzz of the show.  Fail?]

Privileged | 9pm on The CW
“All About Confessions”
Charlie kisses Megan; Miles’ daughter approaches Rose; Sage fears that Luis will be upset that she is a virgin. [GMMR: Holy spoiler filled ep description. Yowza! Looks like it’s going to be a good one tonight. And since we are already talking spoilers, then it must be known that tonight is the last time we’ll be seeing Charlie for some time.  And no, I don’t want to talk about it.  I’m too sad…and a bit angry]

Fringe | 9pm on Fox
“The Transformation”
The team finds freakish remains at the crash site of an international jumbo jet; with answers just out of reach, Olivia and Peter decide to go under cover.

Nip/Tuck | 10m on FX
“Ricky Wells”
Matt becomes jealous when Sean and Raj develop a father-son relationship; Christian and Liz try to make their relationship work; Raj’s father makes a surprise appearance.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 10pm on NBC
“Snatched”
When a young girl is kidnapped, Elliot Stabler must work with a recently paroled convict to get her back.[GMMR: I wonder what will become of SVU when Leno takes over the time slot next year? Hmm.]

Also playing…

• 90210 | 8pm on The CW: Naomi and Adrianna come up with a plan to break the pregnancy news to Adrianna’s mother; Annie and Ethan’s relationship becomes strained when he begins spending a lot of time with Rhonda; Silver confronts Dixon.

• The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC: The new “real age” of the contestants is revealed; the contestants compete in a rope challenge; a contestant thinks her partner has not been pulling her weight.

• Homeland Security USA | 8pm on ABC: Airport officials question a couple traveling to Dubai with piles of undeclared cash and conflicting stories about where it came from; an airport in Miami is evacuated when a suitcase emits a strange sound.

• Without a Trace | 10pm on CBS: The team searches for two women who were abducted in broad daylight.

• Leverage | 10pm on TNT: The team trick an alcoholic financier into rehab to try and recover the money he swindled from a charity.

GMMR’s Useless Tidbit of the Day…

“Dogs that do not tolerate the smell of small children well include the Saint Bernard, the Old English sheepdog, the Alaskan malamute, the bull terrier and the toy poodle.”

HEROES is Back Tonight…But Will I Be?

HEROES is back tonight at 9pm on NBC with an all new episode kicking off an all new chapter.  But with the new episode just hours away, I’m not sure if I have it in me to watch it.  I want to give HEROES another shot.  I think back to its exciting first season and I want the show to be that good again.  But with the end of every chapter seems to come another excuse from those creating the show – I know we let you down again but just give us one more chance. This time it will be different. It’s like the boy who cried wolf teamed up with an abusive husband.  Do I stay strong or maybe, just maybe has the show found its way back?

I’ve heard from those in the know that I can start watching HEROES tonight despite missing the previous “Villians” chapter that played out during the second half of last year.  I don’t know if I buy that.  Reading the episode description alone confused me.  I didn’t know some of the new characters and I sure don’t understand where some of the main characters are in their respective storylines.  I really wish NBC had put together a recap trailer, it would have made this decision a lot easier.  I’ve checked NBC.com and Hulu and can’t seem to find anything that can bring me up to speed.  Frustrating. If you find one, will you pass it along?

On my most recent trip out to L.A. I heard a little bit about what to expect this season, and I even saw a few really cool shots from upcoming episodes.  It was enough to whet my appetite, but was it enough to get me to commit to yet another show on an already overly crowded Monday night?

I’d love to hear what YOU all think I should do.  Watch?  Don’t watch?  Is HEROES something you want to be talking about hear on GMMR or maybe on the TV Talk Podcast?  Drop me a line and make your case.  And let me know if YOU are planning to watch tonight.  Maybe it will be easier for me knowing that some newbies/ex-viewers are back on board.

Here’s a promo for tonight’s all new episode airing at 9pm on NBC.

CHUCK in 3D: Are You Ready for Another Dimension

Put on those uncomfortable little paper glasses and settle in for a very special 3D episode of CHUCK.  Yes, Chuck, his protectors and the Buy More gang are taking us to another dimension tonight with their first 3D episode.  NBC was kind enough to send me an advanced look at tonight’s episode and while the 3D effects are pretty damn cool, they don’t overshadow the fact that CHUCK is back!  Finally!

First off, for those of you who don’t have 3D glasses handy or weren’t able to find them in stores as of late, don’t fret – you can still enjoy tonight’s episode…and you will because it’s a lot of fun. But those who were lucky enough to snag a pair of the peepers then be prepared for just a little extra something from CHUCK tonight.  Although I’ve already seen the ep (ok maybe twice) I’m definitely going to be watching again tonight because I’m intrigued to see the 3D effects play out on my big screen TV rather than the little laptop screen I’ve watched it on to date.  I think the effects will be that much sweeter.  And to prepare you just a bit, the entire episode is in 3D, which means you’ll be wearing your glasses the whole time.  But don’t expect things to come flying at your face the entire hour (how distracting would that be?).  While there are a number of times the 3D capabilities are utilized well (for example guest star Jerome Bettis wielding a knife or Morgan seemingly reaching out of the screen to touch you), the rest of the ep in 3D really just feels like HD gone wild.  Everything is that much crisper and you do feel that if you wanted to you could reach out and just touch Zach Levi or Yvonne Strahovski. (I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in).

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SMALLVILLE: Power

Hey GMMRers! Sarah here back with your weekly rundown on Smallville’s latest ep called “Power”. What a great episode! Come on all of you Smallville fans was this week’s episode not the best 60 minutes of the season so far?! I thought so and for several reasons. We got to see Lana Lang become a full fledged ass kicking superhero, her whereabouts last year and the rooftop kiss between her and Clark.

What didn’t have me thrilled was the bittersweet ending of this all. Yes Lana has definitely pulled a 180 since her earlier days on the show. Instead of the meek and naïve girl who fell for Clark she’s now well aware of the real world and Clark’s destiny so much that she knows she must walk away – even if her and Clark are now officially on he same wavelength. Years ago I was pretty cool with that because I wanted to see Clark and Louis together but now I can’t help but feel a glimmer of sadness. The whole storyline just makes me realize how close we are to the end of the Superboy saga, even closer if Tom Welling doesn’t sign up for season 9. Onto to the highlights of Power that by the way was Allison Mack’s directorial debut!

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