SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Miami & Memphis Auditions

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE took the show to the Southern part of these old United States on the search for new and surprising talent.  What they found were a few potential stars, a lot of two left feet and a judge who decided to show us his inner drama queen. Seriously Tyce?!

With two hours of auditions last night and more on the way tonight there was no way I was going to comment on each and every dancer that took the stage (I’m saving that for The Top 20) but there were a few standouts for me. Will we be seeing any of the dancers past Vegas or will they slip away into the oblivion never to be seen again (well until they audition next season that is.)

• Priscilla Morrero from Miami, FL infused the personality of a Broadway piece with Contemporary and a little Ballet to win the judges over. Her musicality was fantastic. Tyce was especially moved.

• Janette Manrara & Romulo Villaverde are back again this season after an impressive audition last year.  Janette moved on to Vegas but didn’t make the Top 20. Her partner Romulo was cut after the choreography round. These two have some of the sickest lifts I’ve ever seen. They were impressive as a couple last season and even more so this year. But have they improved enough individually to move on? I guess so…they are off to Vegas.

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Real Housewives on New York City: The Lost Footage | 9pm on Bravo

The dynamic divas from New York City are featured in previously unseen footage from the sudsy series’ second season.

2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee | 8pm on ABC

The championship rounds of the 82nd annual event in Washington, D.C. The competition began with a record 293 spellers aged 9 to 15.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, May 28, 2009

Dude, it’s Thursday! You gotta love a four day work week – it really does fly by.

It’s a strange few weeks in TV land. The normal TV schedule is gone for a few months and we’ve got a mish mash on new scripted summer programs and a lot of reality. Starting next week we are going to be having some fun summer programming of our own here on GMMR. Not only will we be tackling the summer shows, but Team GMMR has a few surprises planned for the summer. I can’t wait!

Meanwhile, let’s talk tonight’s TV. There’s not a ton to choose from, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some interesting stuff to check out.

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
Cat and the judges head to Los Angeles and Seattle for the next rounds of auditions. [GMMR: Watch with us tonight! We’ll be hosting a live SYTYCD chat tonight starting at 8pm. Enter your email address and we’ll send you a reminder when the chat starts. Leave a comment if you’re going to be able to join us.]

2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee | 8pm on ABC
The championship rounds of the 82nd annual event in Washington, D.C. The competition began with a record 293 spellers aged 9 to 15. Indiana’s Sameer Mishra won last year after spelling “guerdon”. [GMMR: The word is “dumb”. Can you use it in a sentence? “I feel dumb watching all these little kids who cleerly can splell bettar than me.]

Real Housewives on New York City: The Lost Footage | 9pm on Bravo
The dynamic divas from New York City are featured in previously unseen footage from the sudsy series’ second season. [GMMR: Fans of the show will no doubt be happy that there is more unsavory behavior that they haven’t yet seen.]

Where have I seen that before?

30 Rock | 8pm on NBC: “Reunion” – Jack convinces Liz that she should go to her high school reunion; Don Geiss (Rip Torn) wakes up from his coma and shocks Jack with a declaration about who will be the company’s CEO.

The Office | 10pm on NBC: “Stress Relief” – Dwight must make amends with the office after his fire safety seminar goes awry; Michael tries to get his employees to relax; Andy becomes convinced that Pam and Jim are film gurus.

Grey’s Anatomy | 10pm on ABC: “Dream a Little Dream of Me” – A freak ice storm brings trauma patients to Seattle Grace; Meredith and Derek discover that “happily ever after” isn’t easy; a mysterious military doctor catches Cristina’s eye.

What will YOU be watching tonight?

Casting News: DEXTER Gains a Nemesis, 24 Adds New Faces

It’s rare that I get to comment on any of the three shows I cover for GMMR while they’re on hiatus, but this is a rare occasion. Both “24” and “Dexter” have made some casting decisions, both big and small.

In Miami, “Dexter” has gained a new enemy for season four. John Lithgow (“3rd Rock from the Sun, Footloose) will play Walter Simmons, a seemingly normal man who just happens to be one of the country’s most prolific serial killers – The Trinity Killer. His M.O. is killing people in groups of three. Dexter will be brought on to the Trinity Killer’s case by Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) who we saw in the second season.

My experience with Lithgow is mainly comedic, so I’m not sure how to think about him as Simmons, or the Trinity Killer. I don’t even know if knowing the identity of the killer is a spoiler, but I’m thinking that it almost has to be, with a high-profile star taking over the role. The encouraging news about this is the return of Agent Lundy. Not only did he provide Deb a love interest for a little bit, but his borderline creepy demeanor and instant liking to Dexter were fascinating and I can’t wait to see them continue this season.

And now on to New York, where the next season of “24” will be set. A few new faces will be hanging with Jack Bauer next season. Look for actor John Boyd to join the show playing a new CTU analyst. Jennifer Westfeldt, whose biggest credit seems to be “Kissing Jessica Stein” (and being the girlfriend of MAD MEN’s Jon Hamm) will be playing a journalist with ties to Anil Kapoor’s UN ambassador character. You probably know Kapoor from “Slumdog Millionaire” as the host of “Millionaire.” And finally, word on the street (and by the street I mean TV Guide), is that Freddie Prinze Jr. will also be joining the CTU team.

To my recollection, we’ve never had a journalist as a main character in “24.” The possibility of Jack dealing with the press is intriguing. I can’t imagine that his public relations skills are the best in the world. This news also confirms what we already knew, for the most part: that CTU will be returning next season in a more scrutinized and lawful form….but this time with a Prinze. As for who will be the head of CTU 2.0, that has yet to be released. Director Bauer, anyone?

So DEXTER and 24 fans, are you excited about these new cast additions?

Philboy is GMMR’s resident Dexter, 24, and True Blood analyst. He is currently jobless in the Midwest, looking for a job he’s remotely qualified for. His can’t miss shows for the summer are “Burn Notice,” “Psych,” and “The Closer.” The thought running through his head is, “The Spelling Bee is tomorrow!”

Summer Glau to Enter the DOLLHOUSE

This just in….

According to Michael Ausiello, another familiar face from the Whedonverse will be appearing on DOLLHOUSE next summer.  Summer Glau, of the recently canceled TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES will be hanging at the house next season.  Well, kind of.  Although she would be perfectly poised to play one of the dolls/actives, Joss is looking to add a little surprise and delight by having Glau play, get this…a normal girl.

“I mentioned it to her before [SCC] was canceled. I was like, ‘You know, we should get you in the ‘house.’ But first we have to come up with something that works.” And casting her as a doll would not work, insists Whedon. “Summer would be perfect to play an active, but she’s done that [type of role] a lot,” he says. “I’d rather see her play someone who talks too much. The most fun I have is when I get somebody who’s good and comfortable at doing something, and then I make them do something else. Summer said to me, ‘I would like to play a normal girl before I die of extreme old age.”

Summer will be a welcome addition to DOLLHOUSE and she might even bring along a few T:SCC fans with her.  DOLLHOUSE needs all the eyeballs it can get so fresh blood with a built-in fan base can’t hurt.

Tell me DOLLHOUSE and T:SCC fans – are you excited about seeing Summer on the show next season? Are you hoping for a guest stint or do you think she should stick around for a little while.

MENTAL on Fox- Yay or Nay?

Last night Fox premiered it’s new summer drama, MENTAL. The show received mixed at best reviews, but I liked it. Pilots are always WAY too heavy handed in characterization, and shows like this are always worth a couple of episodes, if for no other reason than to let momentum build.

For those of you who missed the episode, but are thinking of watching online (or when FOX re-airs the pilot on Friday night at 9PM), here is a general premise:

A maverick doctor from the UK (by way of small town Vermont, USA), becomes ‘head honcho’ in a psych facility in Los Angeles. His unorthodox methods are popular with his patients, but he meets resistance from other staff members.

Chris Vance (of former Prison Break “Whistler” fame) headlines as the new Director of Psychiatric Services, Dr. Jack Gallagher, and he’s a little unconventional to say the least.  Cast in point – his first set of business upon arriving is to take of all of his clothing. But don’t change the channel just yet (if you were going to, that is), because it’s not that FOX has gone Skinemax on us, it’s just one of Dr. Gallagher’s ‘methods’ for ‘relating’ to a patient.

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THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ Recap: “Not One of Us”

This was a Real Housewives’ first. More than half of this week’s episode was focused on the kids. A couple more weeks like this and the NJ season might qualify as a let down. It doesn’t mean good things for my recaps either. How am I going to cultivate solid one-sided relationships with the housewives and analyze their every move if their kids are taking up precious airtime?

I’m only including the paragraph below in the hopes that the kid issues eventually evolve into added drama for the housewives.

Jacqueline’s daughter Ashley failed two classes in school, was placed on academic probation and must attend summer school. Ashley has a tough time dealing with the situation so her step-dad purchases her a brand new SUV to help her feel better. Teresa’s aspiring actress/model daughter Gia had a professional photo shoot after an NYC modeling agency told her the first set of photos were too pageant style. Caroline’s daughter Lauren checks out beauty school. And Dina ponders her career choices and wonders if she is spending enough time with her daughter Lexi.

Thank God for Danielle. She is all over the place. She hosts a spa party, complete with an oral/maxillofacial surgeon who administers botox shots and lip injections. Caroline the voice of reason (who I predict brings zero drama to this season) calls the whole thing “crazy times ten. “ Dina also throws a jab in at Danielle saying she would like the one to be sticking a needle into Danielle. This comment puts Dina back on Danielle’s bad side and reignites the fight between the two.

Later on, Danielle crashes Jacqueline and Teresa’s play date to complain about her situation with Steve, her much younger boyfriend. She appears to be upset that things are not working out in her relationship and doesn’t want to continue her involvement with Steve, as he is too young and not financially stable yet. Luckily, Teresa’s husband is a friend of Steve so she is able to get the other side of the story. Turns out, Steve is only in it for the physical aspect. No shock there.

After Danielle leaves, Teresa and Jacqueline share some other rumors they have heard about Danielle. If so, Danielle could potentially be dating five guys, is a husband stealer and a stripper. For the well being of this season, I hope they are ALL true. Otherwise the only other reason to watch is to see if Gia gets another modeling or acting gig. Yawn.

Are you watching? Are these housewives holding up against the diva housewives of the past?

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox

Cat, Mary, Nigel and special guest judges will be back tonight as auditions continue in Miami and Memphis.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I know the summer schedule can be filled with filler reality TV, but in the words of Randy Jackson “we’ve got ourselves a hot one tonight!” Not only do we have two hours of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE auditions, but it’s also the season premiere of WIPEOUT. If only the two shows weren’t on at the same time. Don’t you hate when that happens? YAY for DVRs!

Before we look at some of the highlights from tonight’s lineup, please let me take a minute to wish my niece Lila a very Happy 5th Birthday!  Our little comedian, always making us laugh with her funny faces. It blows my mind that she’s 5 today – slow down already.

Ok on to some highlights from tonight’s schedule…

Wipeout | 8pm on ABC | Season Premiere
Contestants go head to head through four rounds of competition in a demanding array of obstacles to win the title of Wipeout Champion and the grand prize of $50,000. [GMMR: I’ve already seen tonight’s episode and I can tell you that the show is back and it’s bigger than ever!  Wait until you see some of the new obstacles the contestants have awaiting for them tonight. I’m surprised any of them make it through. If you haven’t seen WIPEOUT before, definitely give it a shot tonight…that is if you like to laugh.]

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
Cat, Mary, Nigel and special guest judges will be back tonight as auditions continue in Miami and Memphis. [GMMR:Last week we had a live chat during SYTYCD.  If you are interested in chatting again this week, please leave me a comment below. It’s going to be really tough for me to get home by 8pm tonight but if you all are interested in chatting I’ll make the effort.]

George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert | 8pm on CBS
Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Sugarland and Lee Ann Womack pay tribute to George Strait.

The Goode Family | 9pm on ABC | Series Premiere
“Pilot”
Animated comedy about an environmentally conscious, politically correct vegan couple. In this episode, Helen is upset when Bliss joins an abstinence group; Ubuntu wants to get his driver’s license.

Surviving Suburbia | 9:30pm on ABC
“Burn Bougainvillea, Burn”
A new neighbor wants to cut Anne’s prized bougainvillea down; Henry becomes smitten with a teenage girl down the street. [GMMR: Believe me. I’m just as shocked as you are. Who knew this show was still on?]

The Unusuals | 10pm on ABC
“The Tape Delay”
Walsh and Casey try to protect a wealthy businessman after he is threatened; Delahoy and Banks search for an 87-year-old man on a crime spree.

What will YOU be watching tonight? Anything other shows you want to let people know about?

Remember…if you want to chat during SYTYCD you have to let me know.  And if you’re thinking about checking out WIPEOUT tonight but need a little encouragement, I can help…I love that show!

Mental | 9pm on Fox

Series Premiere: Dr. Jack Gallagher takes up his post as the director of Psychiatric Services at Wharton Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, where his unique approach to treatment is immediately apparent.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, May 26, 2009 (Updated)

Nothing like a four-day work week! I hope you all had a nice long weekend (well, at least those of you in the U.S.). For me, it was nice to take a little break from GMMR and spend some QT with some friends.

Today it’s back the to the grind. There’s not a ton of new TV on tonight, so if you find something interesting, be sure to share it with the rest of us. Deal?

Update: Oops. I was completely thrown off by the long weekend.  I totally forgot that tonight is the MY BOYS season finale! What?! I feel like the show just came back.  Darn. I’ve updated the spotlight with the episode description and a sneak peek at tonight’s finale.

According to Jim | 8:00 & 8:30pm on ABC
“Kings of the Nerds”; “I Hate the High Road”
Jim tries to bond with his son Kyle, but Kyle identifies more with Andy, a fellow sci-fi nerd.; Cheryl makes Jim donate time to charity; Jim tries to test Cheryl’s integrity. [GMMR: When I’m highlighting this show you know there’s not much to work with.]

Mental | 9pm on Fox | Series Premiere
Dr. Jack Gallagher takes up his post as the director of Psychiatric Services at Wharton Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, where his unique approach to treatment is immediately apparent. [GMMR: At least it’s a new show. That’s something.]

Diamonds | 9pm on ABC
Miniseries
The African diamond trade affects the lives of a ruthless businessman, his father, a U.S. senator, a model and an orphan. James Purefoy, Judy Davis, Derek Jacobi, Louise Rose, Joanne Kelly [GMMR: I tried to watch a little of the screener the other day and I had to turn it off. Notice there hasn’t been much hoopla about it from ABC…wonder why?]

Rescue Me | 10pm on FX
“Iceman”
A late-night cleanup at the bar turns into a nightmare for Tommy when several unexpected visitors appear; Feinberg allows Damian to ride with the crew. [GMMR: I am woefully behind on ‘Rescue Me’. I forgot to set up a season pass at the beginning an the show completely slipped out of my grasp. I hate when that happens.]

The Real Housewives of NJ | 10pm on Bravo
“Not One of Us”
Danielle invites the women over for a spa party, but the festivities turn from fun to frightening; Jacqueline is pressured by her family to end the friendship.

My Boys | 10:30pm on TBS | Season Finale
PJ and the gang head to Arizona so that PJ and Bobby can cover spring training, Stephanie can hit the spa, Kenny and Mike can get memorabilia signed and Brendan can hang out like it’s spring break. Things go awry, however, when PJ gets writer’s block, Brendan attracts the attention of Cubs player Mike Fontenot’s girlfriend, and everyone keeps getting calls from a very lonely Andy still back in Chicago. Meanwhile, a surprising secret about Stephanie comes to light .

Also playing…

TV’s 50 Funniest Phrases | 8pm on NBC: Counting down the 50 funniest catchphrases said on television. [GMMR: Any guesses as to what makes the list? It’s early so the only thing I can think of is “That’ What She Said” – but I don’t know if it’s a little too risque for at 8pm show to try to explain.]

Hitched or Ditched | 9pm on The CW: Travis and CeLisa, a couple from North Carolina, are presented with an invitation to their own wedding; Travis becomes overcome with jealousy and crashes CeLisa’s bachelorette party. [GMMR: Sorry, but this one isn’t making it to the DVR.]

Any of these sound interesting to you? What will YOU be watching tonight?

Jon & Kate Plus 8 Season Premiere: “This Could Be Our Last Family Picture”

I feel icky. This afternoon I got sucked into a Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon on TLC. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t caught up in the recent tabloid exploits and accusations. But that doesn’t mean I have to feel good about it.

After watching the last few episodes of last season and tonight’s season premiere I was left feeling sad. Sad for the the eight little children who are left in the train wreck of this marriage and television show.

If you missed it, pat yourself on the back. Honestly, it was like the covers of the tabloids came to life in the worst possible way. Tonight’s Season 5 premiere was supposed to be centered around the 5th birthday of the sextuplets, which took place just two weeks ago, but it was really about the obvious split of their parents. Jon and Kate were interviewed separately and only shared the infamous love seat for the final moments of the show. Without going into explicit detail they both addressed the strain on their marriage caused by the alleged infidelity on both their parts. Although it wasn’t stated, it was clear Jon was no longer living at home. But I think that’s been going on for some time now. Having just watched the last few episodes of Season 4, it seemed that Jon was away an awful lot “helping his mother”. Coincidentally (or not), he was away right around the time all the rumors of his partying ways started to surface.

During their only joint interview of the night, one of the producers asked about their future. The two stared blankly ahead, seemingly unable to look at each other and just spoke of their devotion to the children. I don’t doubt their love, but just in those small moments it already seemed as if the kids we being used as pawns. Kate’s tone implied that because she was there every day for her kids, and lived her life for the kids, that Jon somehow cared more about himself. What it seemed to an outside viewer, or at least this outside viewer, was that Jon loved his kids with his whole heart, it’s the wife (and this TV show) he’s over.

The future looks bleak for Jon & Kate Gosselin. Kate said that it did come to mind that perhaps the family picture taken at the kids birthday party might be their last. And even though the family of ten was shown having a cookout in the final moments of the show, Jon’s voice over did mention that the kids will always be loved even if their parents weren’t married. Wow.

I really don’t care what Jon did or what Kate did. I don’t care if they cheated or not. I don’t care about either of them much at all. I just can’t believe that they are continuing the show while their family is falling apart around them. All 8 kids are in school, and Maddy & Cara are old enough that their classmates watch the show and see the magazines. Couldn’t they pull the plug on the show just to spare the kids? I get that the money is going to finance their futures, but they’ve had to have made millions already. Isn’t forfeiting some of the money in order to save the family worth it? Even if the marriage is over, can’t they shut down production in order to shield the kids from any more negative attention?

It’s a sad situation no matter how you look at it. I watched it, and as I said earlier I don’t feel better for doing so. While I can say I wasn’t “entertained” by tonight’s episode, I will acknowledge that for every single person watching, it was a source of “entertainment”. But if your heart didn’t break when one of the little girls hugged Jon at the party and said “Daddy, I don’t want you to leave anymore”, then maybe you need to get the ‘ol ticker checked out.

I know it’s insensitive to say but it’s like that car wreck on the side of the road. But, think about it. Wouldn’t you be less inclined to slow down and look if you knew kids were involved?

Have a Great Weekend – Don’t Stop Believin’

As I head out for the long weekend, I thought I would leave you with the show that was the highlight of my week.  If you missed GLEE the first time around or perhaps just want to watch it over and over (and over) again, here it is. Enjoy.

If you’re on Twitter, follow me at twitter.com/gmmr

Mean Girls | 8pm on ABC Family

Attending high school for the first time, a teenager becomes friends with three popular but manipulative students. Based on a book by Rosalind Wiseman. Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler

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