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

Whoa whoa. Hold the phone.  What happened to Tuesday night TV? Seems like IDOL started and scared everyone else away.  Can’t say there’s a whole lot I’m looking forward to tonight.  But it’s almost ok. With IDOL still taking up two hours, it would be hard to watch anything else.

I guess the big news is tonight’s return of REAPER. The show’s been off the air since…forever, but it’s back on The CW tonight.  REAPER never lived up to The CW’s expectations, but it’s getting a second shot tonight.  I’ll be back later to post some clips of tonight’s episode.  I wasn’t a fan the first time around so I wasn’t planning on watching.  But if there’s loud enough noise perhaps I’ll have no choice but to cover it here on the site.  The power is in YOUR hands.  HA!

And finally, what is sure to be the best moment on TV tonight – on 18 KIDS & COUNTING, The Duggars are off to a Christian Film Festival to meet…wait for it…wait for it…Kirk Cameron!!!  I kid you not!

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

American Idol | 8pm on Fox
The next group of 12 perform in the hopes of getting your vote and making it to the Top 12.  There are a few recognizable names tonight including Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds, Von “the screamer” Smith, and Nathaniel “the crier” Marshall. I’m interested to see who the producers will give the pimp spot to – I’m thinking Lil Rounds.

Reaper | 8pm on The CW
“Episode 201: Episode IV: A New Hope”
Sam, Ben and Sock encounter a few surprises on their return from a road trip; Andi refuses to speak to Sam; the Devil has a new assignment.

The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC
Chef Rocco DiSpirito takes contestants to a restaurant, where they learn to make healthier choices when dining out; after a lively cookoff, contestants work out with boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.

Nip/Tuck | 10m on FX
“Giselle Blaylock and Legend Chandler”
Christian searches for immortality; rejected by Ram, Kimber confronts Liz about her relationship with Christian.

Also playing…

• The Bachelor: After the Final Rose Part 2 | 10pm on ABC: Bachelor Jason Mesnick reunites with the two finalists for a look at their journey.

• 18 Kids & Counting | 9pm on TLC: The Duggars travel to the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival to watch movies and meet their favorite star, Kirk Cameron.

And now perhaps the most important question you will answer today.  What will YOU be watching?

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: The Stinsons

After a long hiatus and a tease of a new episode two weeks ago, only to have it pre-empted by President Obama, we finally got a new episode last night. I read the small episode description from my guide weeks ago, so I was totally hyped up for this episode. The thought that Barney Stinson having a wife and kid that his best friends had no idea about was intriguing and all the images running through my mind knew that this was going to be a good episode. But maybe I let my enthusiasm for the show build-up expectations that could not be met. Maybe it was due to having to wait so long or I was still basking in a glow from not going to work today due to the snowstorm, but I was slightly underwhelmed with this episode.

I hate to be a downer. I really don’t want to berate one of my favorite shows and I don’t find any joy in being malicious. So I’m going to write my piece and hopefully prove my sad gut feeling wrong by the end of it.

We find our friends at their booth at MacLaren’s with Lily giving Barney the heads up about “three blonde babies drinking bad decision juice at 3 o’clock”. But Barney wasn’t interested. Barney has been acting uncharacteristic and the gang is starting to notice. Lily deduces that Barney must have a girlfriend and they follow him when he leaves the bar. During this entire part where normally I would comment that it was cute and it was setting the stage for the entire episode, I was instead more interested in Lily’s purple polka-dot blouse, confused by Robin’s top and necklace and thinking about how I have definitely seen that black and gray sweater on Ted before. That’s not a good sign for me, my friends.

They follow Barney out of Manhattan to a house where they think they have found his secret girlfriend but instead are introduced to his mother played by Frances Conroy. I know people have been praising Conroy due to her role on “Six Feet Under” which I still haven’t seen yet (the SFU series set is tops on my x-mas list, so feel free to pick one up for me if you ever are in the mood). I just would have really enjoyed seeing Megan Mullally in the role instead. She voiced the character years ago and that’s the only voice and image I can associate with Barney’s mom. Plus we have seen Mullally play trampy boozehound with panache, so it wouldn’t have been a hard role for her. Yes, Barney’s mom supposedly changed her ways after becoming sick, but I still don’t buy that woman raising Barney.

At the house we are also introduced to Betty and Tyler – Barney’s fake wife and son – a family he created as a result to appease his mother’s dying wishes. His mother didn’t die, and neither did the idea of Barney’s faux fam. All these years later and he still wrestles together the actors to play his wife and son every time his mothers comes to town. Tell one lie, it leads to another. Barney’s in deep.

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24 Debrief: Day 7 | 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Debrief

Jack went into the White House to stop the attack under the radar. He captured Ryan Burnett and began to torture him to find out when the attack would occur and how. Before he could get information, President Taylor stopped him, arresting him.

Renee was at the hospital when she saw one of Juma’s henchmen kill Dubaku. She followed him back to Juma’s headquarters, where she saw them leave on a boat and found their plans of the attack on the White House. She jumped onto the boat and followed them before being attacked by Dubaku’s son. Larry showed up and saved Renee.

Meanwhile, over at the FBI HQ, Janis found out that Chloe was working with Jack on something covert and off the grid, so Chloe was arrested.

Jack and Tony’s plan was for Burnett to spill details on the attack in exchange for immunity. When he refused to do that, the attack went as planned. The Juma-led group ended up taking everyone remaining in the White House hostage, minus the President and Jack, who ended up in a panic room and Aaron and Olivia, who were hiding and trying to find a way out.

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What Happened on THE BACHELOR Season Finale?

UPDATE: Did Jake choose Tinley or Vienna? Click here to find out What Happened on THE BACHELOR Season Finale? (March 1, 2010)

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PREVIOUS POST:

I don’t watch THE BACHELOR. I haven’t for many seasons. But I get that many people do enjoy it and I say “why not” – you like what you like. I’m not here to judge. Well not judge YOU at least. That being said I will be the first to admit that I don’t really have the right to start trashing the show now, the night of the season premiere, but I just sat through an hour of heinous TV and I couldn’t go to bed without commenting.

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BROTHERS & SISTERS’s Overhyped Death

Last night’s episode of BROTHERS & SISTERS was an amazing display of acting talent.  Everyone brought their A game, especially Rob Lowe, Calista Flockhart and the always spot on Sally Field.  It was a stellar episode.  But was it worthy of the hype surrounding the “2-hour movie event”?  I’m not sure.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way.  An equal “Bravo” and “Shame on You” to the ABC promo department.  On one hand they did their job extremely well.  Many TV fans were a buzz wondering just who was going to die on this week’s episode. Every promo led with the promise of death.  I thought perhaps Kitty & Robert’s birth mother wouldn’t make it, or someone somewhat innocuous like Saul’s new boyfriend or maybe even Rebecca’s father David.  But this is where the “Shame on You” comes into play.  No one died.  Well not really.  Robert, who suffered a heart attack did flat line.  The characters made sure to let us know over and over again that he flatlined.  So yes, technically, maybe he did die.  But come on.  I hope it was worth it ABC promo people, because you pretty much blew your load with that promo  Way back in first grade I read the tale of the Little Boy Who Cried Wolf.  It’s going to be a long time before I fall for your false hype again.

As for the latest Walker drama – Trish went into labor early and things progressed quickly.  Robert prioritized his Gubernatorial announcement ahead of being at the hospital in time to see his baby being born.  On his way to the hospital, Robert suffered a massive heart attack which led to him having open heart surgery.  In the good news pile, Evan Walker McCallister was welcomed into the world by his new, crazy, borderline alcoholic family.

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LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON Premieres Tonight

The landscape of late night TV changes once again as Jimmy Fallon takes over for Conan O’Brien as the host of LATE NIGHT. Jimmy’s been preparing for this night for a long time now. His daily webisodes and test shows have already found a following. But will they follow him on to the late night scene? I guess we’ll see soon enough.

Jimmy has worked hard to capture the uber-important online audience through not only his daily video updates but also through his use of Twitter (@jimmyfallon). Jimmy’s been connecting directly with his 176,000 followers on Twitter for some time now. He’s said he plans on bringing the interactive audience element into the new format. It’s a smart move and reflective on how intimate and interactive the medium has become.

There’s no shortage of big names during Jimmy’s first week. Robert DeNiro, Justin Timberlake and Van Morrison are guests on tonight’s debut. Tina Fey, Drew Barrymore, Bon Jovi, Chace Crawford, Cameron Diaz and more will on be warming up on Jimmy’s couch this week. Not too shabby.

I’m expecting the first few shows to be painful. Jimmy seems to be a guy that needs to find his comfort zone in order to really perform. Until he gets there I expect him to be jittery and a little all over the place. Watching the test shows I’ve noticed that he relies a little too much on the cue cards. He’s nervous. That’s understandable. The real test for Jimmy will be to lead his guests to the funny rather than dominating the conversation due to nerves.

I’m excited for Jimmy and have already set up a season pass for the show. I do hope the critics give him some time to work out the kinks. This is a big gig and there’s a lot of pressure and attention. I’m pulling for him!

Jimmy sits down with Lorne Michaels in the last webisode before the big debut!

More Jimmy Fallon:
Blog: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimmyfallon
Ask Jimmy: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/ask-jimmy/

P.S. Because I got a few questions about this I wanted to explain the late night shift.

FALLON is talking over for CONAN.  CONAN is taking over for LENO. LENO is getting his own nightly show which will air at 10pm on NBC.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, March 2, 2009

Monday is the busiest night of TV for me. I’ve got favorites like CHUCK, BIG BANG THEORY, HIMYM, GOSSIP GIRL and HOUSE all competing for my attention at the same time.  That being said, I feel like we’ve been somewhat lucky so far as there have only been one or two times where ALL these shows are on at the same time airing new episodes.  Lucky break. That’s such the case tonight.  Whew!

I couldn’t be more excited for the return of THE BIG BANG THEORY and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.  Don’t you feel like these shows have been off the air forever?!

Chuck | 8pm on NBC
“Chuck Versus the Beefcake”
Chuck breaks up with Sarah, but his jealousy takes over when Sarah tries to seduce a handsome agent to retrieve Fulcrum intelligence; Morgan crashes at Chuck’s apartment, much to Ellie and Awesome’s dismay. [GMMR: I happen to be on set for some of the filming of tonight’s episode, but don’t worry I’m not going to spoil you…much. Check back later this morning for more on my set visit to CHUCK.]

The Bachelor | 8pm on ABC | 2-hour Season Finale
Jason brings his son to New Zealand to meet the final two women; DeAnna Pappas pays Jason a surprise visit; Jason makes his final decision. [GMMR: I gave up on The Bachelor a few seasons back, but I’m still somewhat in the loop as to what’s going on.  I heard rumors about the potential twist and I’m actually intrigued to see how it goes down.  Good thing I’ll only have to watch the last 4 minutes of the show to get the answers rather than 2 hours of filler.]

The Big Bang Theory | 8pm on CBS
“The Cushion Saturation”
A paintball game leads to a fight between Sheldon and Penny, and romance for Leslie and Wolowitz.

How I Met Your Mother | 8:30pm on CBS
“The Stinsons”
The gang thinks that Barney must have a secret girlfriend after noticing his bizarre behavior. They follow him only to find out a shocking discovery. [GMMR: I’ve seen tonight’s episode and while I think they wasted some grand opportunities for comedy, it’s still an overall great episode. Look for another slight Doogie Howser shout out from NPH. Ha!]

Heroes | 9pm on NBC
“Exposed”
Matt and Peter, acting on a tip from Rebel, race to Building 26 to rescue Daphne; an unlikely source helps Claire smuggle Alex (Justin Baldoni) out of the city; Sylar begins to have memories about his mother.

24 | 8pm on Fox | 2-hours
“Day 7: 6:00PM – 7:00PM; 7:00PM – 8:00PM”
The stakes rise when Dubaku’s plan escalates to his boss, Gen. Juma; a high-impact terrorist threat develops; Jack’s resolution to uncover conspirators inside the government has grave consequences.

Medium | 10pm on NBC
“A Taste of Her Own Medicine”
When Allison is tasked with finding a vanished daughter, her psychic visions seem to incriminate the missing woman’s father—but Allison questions those visions after meeting the woman’s mother (Blythe Danner).

Also playing…

• The Secret Life of the American Teenager | 8pm on ABC Family: Amy’s friends devise a plan to help her make a decision about the baby.

• Two and a Half Men | 9pm on CBS: Charlie rushes to get a half-naked woman out of his bedroom before Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor) arrives.

• Kyle XY | 9pm on ABC Family: Kyle and Jessi want to know what really happened to Sarah.

• Rules of Engagement | 9:30pm on CBS | Season Premiere: Audrey promises not to divulge Russell’s secret love of Broadway musicals in exchange for free theater tickets; Adam and Jennifer take dancing lessons to get ready for their wedding.

• CSI: Miami | 10pm on CBS: Pirates take over a yacht; Calleigh and Delko’s relationship moves to the next level.

What does YOUR TV lineup look like tonight?

The Not All That AMAZING RACE

It’s not often that an episode of THE AMAZING RACE pulls up lame, but it certainly did last night. Despite watching for the full hour, it didn’t feel like much of anything happened.  The Yields and the Roadblocks were lame.  The contestants (well some of them were annoying).  And the wrong twosome were Philiminated. I hate when that happens.

Let’s start with the good news.  My favorite team – Mel & Mike White – came in first and won a sweet trip to Costa Rica.  Remember back in the first few seasons when it was only on the rare occasion that there was a prize for hitting the mat first? A leading team can rack up some seriously cool parting gifts even if they don’t win the million dollar prize.

My second favorite team, Margie & Luke came in a respectable fourth. I’m still amazed at how well Margie and Luke can communicate, especially on tasks where hearing your teammate seems crucial – like giving directions while the other person in driving.  I hope they continue to do well.

Here’s the order to finish from last night:

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Considering Moving Out of the DOLLHOUSE

Here’s a sad truth.  If DOLLHOUSE weren’t on Friday night I don’t think I would be watching anymore. The show isn’t working for me.  I gave the pilot the benefit of the doubt.  I didn’t love, but didn’t hate it.  It was just ok.  Parts of the second episode were better than the premiere and I was encouraged by that.  But here we are with the third episode of the season and the missteps with this show are not only glaring but they are erasing all my good will for the show.

Hokey plot lines aside, I personally am having a big issue with the acting.  It’s weak.  It’s false. It’s distracting.  I could understand if maybe one of the actors was having trouble finding his or her footing, but when it’s three or four then I think it’s a big problem.  And when the lead actress, the one carrying the show is one of the weak spots, then you’ve got a disaster on your hands.

I’m starting to realize that I enjoyed last week’s episode because it was mainly focused on Eliza Dushku/Action Star and didn’t rely on Eliza Dushku/Serious Actress. With all respect to Eliza, whom I’ve enjoyed in the roles I’ve seen her in thus far, I just don’t think she is in the zone. Something is off.  There’s a desperation in her scenes that seems to result in her overacting. Maybe it’s the pressure of carrying a show.  I don’t know.  But I do know that for me, it’s blatant.

As I’ve mentioned in every DOLLHOUSE review to date, Fran Kranz’s Topher is still the weakest link.  Off the charts overacting on his part.  And this week we finally got a little more from Sierra.  I was left wanting even less from Sierra. Thank God for Harry Lennix (Echo’s handler Boyd Langdon) who seems to save many scenes just by showing up.

Honestly, I don’t want to be down on DOLLHOUSE.  I truly want to love it!  And I don’t think at this point I’m swayed by false expectations or the fact that it’s a Joss Whedon show and I want something extraordinary.  The show is just not doing it for me.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Sunday, March 1, 2009

I love Sunday night TV.  There’s no stress or angst in Sunday night television.  It’s easy to watch, you don’t have to think too much and it’s a nice way to end the TV week.

I’m looking forward to the BROTHERS & SISTERS 2-hour episode tonight (I refuse to call it a “movie” like ABC wants me to – that’s just lame – it’s a 2-hour episode people!). And the of course there’s THE AMAZING RACE..woo hoo! (Yes, I’m a woo girl).

Sunday night is a big night for the cable shows.  With so much to watch during the week I don’t watch the HBO, Showtime, etc shows on a normal schedule.  I usually catch up in marathons half way through the season. That’s exactly what’s happening with THE UNITED STATES OF TARA.  Enjoyable for sure, but also available for me whenever I want it on On Demand.  But if you are a fan of TARA then check out my friend Tori’s blog: http://usoftara.blogspot.com/. Drop her a comment and let her know you are a fan.  And let me know too.  I try to cover the shows I can on the site, but if hear from a lot of people that a particular show should be covered then I try to work something out.

Ok enough babbling, on to some of the shows on tonight!

The Amazing Race | 8pm on CBS
“I’m Not Wearing that Girls Leotard”
Teams roam the Transylvanian countryside in search of buried coffins; one of the race’s frontrunners winds up at the back of the bunch after an unexpected plane landing; one team is eliminated.

Brothers & Sisters | 9pm on ABC | 2-hours
“Troubled Waters”
The Walker family experiences a birth and a life-threatening illness; Rebecca discovers information that could ruin the family business and send someone to prison.

The L Word | 9pm on Showtime
“Last Couple Standing”
Rumors fly about Alice and Tasha’s relationship troubles; someone plans a move to New York; Kit meets someone; there is a no-show at the bus station.

Big Love | 9pm on HBO
“Fight or Flights”
Nicki treads on dangerous ground at home and at work; Glory smuggles a church document to Bill; Joey hopes to add Kathy as a second wife.

Flight of the Conchords | 10pm on HBO
“Prime Minister”
Murray arranges a presidential meeting for the visiting Prime Minister of New Zealand; Jemaine gets mixed up with an Art Garfunkel fanatic.

United States of Tara | 10pm on Showtime
“Alterations”
Charmaine decides to get a breast augmentation and asks Tara to help with recovery; Buck appears at Charmaine’s bedside; Kate counsels Marshall to play “hard-to-get.”

Secret Diary of a Call Girl | 10:30pm on Showtime
Belle takes a respectable job to pursue Alex; Ben is on the verge of confessing his feelings to Hannah. [GMMR: Just wondering if we have any “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” fans here on GMMR? Is anyone watching the show this season? Drop me a comment and let me know.]

Also playing…

• Jesse Stone: Thin Ice | 9pm on CBS: Tom Selleck returns as Jesse Stone in tonight’s made for TV movie. A police chief lands in trouble with the town council after a shootout on the streets of Boston. [GMMR: I wonder if this was filmed here in Boston. I don’t remember hearing anything about it.  And since my friend Col is the biggest Tom Selleck fan (or at least his biggest fan who is in her 30’s) I’m sure I would have heard. Enjoy the movie, Col!!!]

• The Celebrity Apprentice | 9pm on NBC: Divided into teams, the 16 celebrities must sell cupcakes to raise money for charity; power struggles erupt on the women’s team, and the men confront one member who is not pulling his weight.

• Eastbound & Down | 10:30pm on HBO: Kenny enlists Stevie as his personal assistant; Dustin’s wife offers to sell Kenny’s baseball memorabilia; Kenny gets serious about getting in shape.

What Sunday shows are YOU going to be watching tonight?

Flight of the Conchords | 10pm on HBO

Murray arranges a presidential meeting for the visiting Prime Minister of New Zealand; Jemaine gets mixed up with an Art Garfunkel fanatic.

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