I Just Watched the HOUSE Season Finale…or Did I? (Updated)

Before I turn it over to Erik, I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank Erik for his amazing contributions to GiveMeMyRemote.com and to the fans of HOUSE.  As the Editor of the site, I am beyond thrilled at the community of thoughtful TV fans that have come together each week to discuss HOUSE. The conversations have been enlightening and so very interesting.  So thank you Erik for cultivating such a great community, and thanks to each of you that visit GMMR each week to discuss HOUSE.

Until next season….

-Kath/GMMR

———————

— by Erik
Thanks for jump starting the discussion about the House Season Finale. As soon as the credits rolled, I presumed that there would be a love/hate reaction from the audience, and I look forward to jumping into the discussion.

I have to confess that my normal recapping routine was blown to smithereens by the finale. Each week, I usually write three pages of notes on my trusty yellow legal pad, with arrows and circles leading me back to the important points to cover on GMMR. Unfortunately, the last ten minutes rendered my attempts at organization useless and rocked my equilibrium.

Fittingly, I am of two minds about the conclusion to Season Five. I am completely behind the ultimate decisions to have House committed, Chase & Cameron married, and the remaining doctors challenged to perform without their teacher. That being said, I am perplexed over the manner in which those stories were told. As a result, I am eagerly awaiting Season Six, but disappointed with this finale.

Following Kutner’s suicide, I argued that the writers of House had become lax in their execution of long-term storylines. Though Kal Penn’s departure was a special case,, there were a host of noteworthy plot points that were given short thrift: Wilson’s resignation and subsequent return, Cuddy’s sudden obsession with adoption and her baby’s disappearance into “primetime infant obscurity,” Chase & Cameron’s path to the altar moving forward almost entirely off screen. At the other end of the spectrum, we watched the Foreteen romance dominate the early episodes, then retreat into the background without much explanation. With the benefit of hindsight, it appears that the creative team had a beginning and an end in mind for Season Five, but lacked a coherent vision for how to fill in the blanks.

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Bazinga! THE BIG BANG THEORY Season Finale Delivers

One of the consistently funniest TV shows on air right now aired it’s season finale last night, and I felt a twinge of sadness knowing it’s going to be a few months before we get our next new episode of THE BIG BANG THEORY. I’ll miss Sheldon, Penny, Leonard, Raj, and I guess ever Howard.Their antics, brilliant (and I mean that literally) barbs, and unique way of looking at the world is a guaranteed laugh on Monday nights.

Where else are you going to see guys in a Cheesecake Factory freezer dealing with Operation, a Van Dyke and a Casio watch? Exactly.

It’s tough to have a weekly discussion about a 1/2 hour comedy here on GMMR.  Especially a show like THE BIG BANG that doesn’t rely on an ongoing story arc. A recap usually comes off as “Hey, you remember when this happened?  Remember when he said that? Remember?”.  But don’t mistake my reticence for disinterest. I am an avid fan of THE BIG BANG THEORY.  It’s one of the shows I feel like I am always recommending to people.  When people ask what shows they should be watching that they aren’t, I always say, CHUCK, THE BIG BANG THEORY and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.  Yes, I think it’s that good.

Dan and I often talk about out love for BBT on The TV Talk Podcast, and it is consistently the #1 show we receive comments about.  People are always thanking us for turning them on to such a great show — You’re welcome?!

Shame on the Emmy voters if they don’t give THE BIG BANG THEORY a fair shake this awards season.  This show should definitely be in the running.  And if all things were fair and right in this world, Jim Parsons would walk away with Best Actor in a Comedy — yes, I think he should beat out Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell and (gasp) Tony Shaloub. Not to take anything away from these other actors but what Jim Parsons does week in and week out as Sheldon Cooper is nothing short of astonishing. So much is asked of him and he always, always delivers.

Here’s to hoping this great show gets recognized for it’s brilliance!

But awards season is some time away.  Now we’re in season finale mode.  And last night we bid a fond farewell to the guys as they headed to the North Pole to study something that could lead to the discovery of the string theory…or something like that (I’m not going to pretend that I understand the science mumbo jumbo of it all). Sheldon got a grant and invited the guys along to help.  Howard was reluctant to be stuck with Sheldon at the North Pole for the whole of the summer, but he eventually succumbed to the peer pressure and joined his friends.

Leonard struggled with leaving after sensing some mixed feelings from Penny.  Would she miss him? We the audience know the answer is YES, but Leonard left never knowing just how sad Penny was to let him go. Aw.

And now on to the “Hey, you remember when this happened?  Remember when he said that? Remember?” portion of our program.

…a few highlights from last night’s THE BIG BANG THEORY.

• “Bazinga!” — Learn it. Love it.

• Sheldon: “Everyone at the university knows I eat breakfast at 8 and move my bowels at 8:20”
  Leonard: “Yes. How did we live before Twitter?”

• Raj: “If we were part of the team that confirmed string theory we could drink for free in any bar in any college town that had a University that has a strong science program.”

• Howard: “You guys are seriously considering this?”
  Leonard: “Yes.”
  Howard: “And you think you could put up with Sheldon?”
  Raj: “I’m a Hindu. My religion teaches that if we suffer in this life we are rewarded in the next.  Three months in the North Pole with Sheldon and I”m reborn as a well hung billionaire with wings.”

• Penny and Sheldon’s door exchange was brilliant!
  “Penny”
  “Sheldon”
  “Penny”
  “Sheldon”
  “Penny”

• Howard’s Mother: “How is it that in the entire country of India there’s not one Outback Steakhouse?!”

So bummed to not have a new episode.  I think I’m going to have to go out and buy the DVDs and have a little summer rewatch.

Feel like sharing your BIG BANG THEORY love?  Favorite moments from last night’s finale or the season in general? The comments are open.

And if you are new to the show this season or you haven’t watched but are considering catching up this summer, we want to hear from you too!!

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, May 12, 2009

I woke up this morning with a little pep in my step. You know why? AMERICAN IDOL! I’m so excited about tonight’s Top 3 performances. I can’t wait to see these three go at it. And I’m also intrigued to see just how the judges will cut down Kris Allen…you know it’s going to happen.  Rumors are swirling about the judges’ song pick. Want to know what they chose? Check it out here: AMERICAN IDOL Spoilers

I’ve been making some progress on the FRINGE front. It’s getting so good (but I suppose those of you watching know that). But does it have to be so gross? Josh Jackson really creates a nice balance.

Ok enough about what I’m watching, what are YOU going to be checking out tonight?

American Idol | 8pm on Fox
The remaining three finalists perform two songs each – a personal selection and a song chosen by the judges. [GMMR: This is going to be one hell of a show. I can just feel it. You’ve got Adam and Allison born for this night. Let’s hope Kris can keep up. Oh and The Gokey. Whatevs. I kid, I kid…kind of.]

Fringe | 9pm on Fox
“There’s More Than One of Everything”
The first-season finale includes an appearance by the much-discussed, but never seen, Massive Dynamics founder, William Bell (Leonard Nimoy), the return of David Robert Jones and a mysterious vanishing act by Walter. [GMMR: I love how JJ Abrams is pimping out this shows to support STAR TREK.  First the LOST logo and now a guest appearance by Leonard Nimoy. Perhaps it’s more that a guest appearance as William Bell might be slated for big things in the FRINGE world. We’ll see.]

The Mentalist | 9pm on CBS
“Blood Brothers”
Patrick and the team investigate the murder of a student in a program for troubled kids. [GMMR: Just getting into this one but I’m liking what I’m seeing.]

My Boys | 10:30pm on TBS
“Facebook the Past”
The gang discusses the pros and cons of Facebook; Bobby realizes that P.J. stays in touch with all of her exes.

A sneak peek at tonight’s MY BOYS

Also playing…

• The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC: Season Finale: America’s votes determine the third finalist; eliminated contestants compete for the $100,000 at-home prize; the winner is revealed.

• Reaper | 8pm on The CW: Sam must send his high school biology teacher back to hell; demons start hitting on Nina when she goes into heat.

• NCIS | 8pm on CBS: Gibbs and the team must work with ICE and FBI agents when a security breach results in the death of an ICE agent; Tony comes face to face with Michael Rivkin (Merik Tadros).

• Dancing with the Stars | 9pm on ABC: Results show. Another celebrity and dance partner are voted off.

• 90210 | 9pm on The CW: Liam asks Naomi to the prom; Annie tries to prove Liam wrong; Kelly tries to warn Ryan about Jen; Navid and Ty have a confrontation; Adrianna goes into labor.

• Without a Trace | 10pm on CBS: Jack reluctantly agrees to look for his daughter’s boyfriend when he runs away from home.

• Cupid | 10pm: Trevor aims his arrow at Jack, a radio disc jockey, and one of his listeners, a single mother named Sarah; Claire falls for a handsome statistician.

What will YOU be watching tonight?!

MY BOYS | 10:3pm on TBS

The gang discusses the pros and cons of Facebook; Bobby realizes that P.J. stays in touch with all of her exes.

Fringe | 9pm on FOX

Season Finale: The first-season finale includes an appearance by the much-discussed, but never seen, Massive Dynamics founder, William Bell (Leonard Nimoy), the return of David Robert Jones and a mysterious vanishing act by Walter.

AMERICAN IDOL Spoilers: Top 3 Songs – Judges Pick

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and the other guy* in the Top 3 headed home this past week for a hero’s welcome. Each of the guys sang to adoring home town fans and revisited family and friends for what I’m sure was an exciting and emotional homecoming. (And in Adam’s case, quite revealing!)

While kickin’ it back home, each of the guys found out what song they would be performing as part of the judge’s pick section of this week’s show.  Three guys and three judges.  Too bad, Kara. You don’t get to choose.  (Not that I care. I’m so disappointed in Kara this season that I don’t think she should get a vote, but that’s a conversation for a different time).

I’ve received some emails from informed readers and here’s what each IDOL is rumored to be singing.

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DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: Marry Me a Little

Tonight was the penultimate episode of Desperate Housewives fifth season. Usually most of a penultimate episode would be spent building up to the finale, but tonight felt like a regular episode. I’m not saying this is a bad thing; it’s just surprising.

Gabby was confronted with a former friend who is now homeless. It turns out the woman’s husband died, leaving her with nothing but debt from their extravagant lifestyle. Gabby is in disbelief that something like this could happen to someone like her; she honestly believes that after her struggle through Carlos’s blindness nothing bad can happen to them again. This felt like foreshadowing to me. I really hope nothing bad happens to Gabby and Carlos. They’ve already been through enough and they’re at their comedic best when they’re enjoying their extravagant lifestyle.

Lynette and Tom are both facing insecurity over their increasing ages. In a business dominated by youth they both stand out. Tom is so despaired that he even begins to consider plastic surgery. This in turn makes Lynette feel old and insecure. In the end though, they both realize that with age comes beauty. Tom and Lynette’s insecurity felt very real to me. I can imagine it’d be hard to try to break into a field where you don’t meet the standard.

Karl convinces Bree to stage a robbery of her house to hide some of her belongings as she prepares to leave Orson. This backfires when Orson receives a call from the personal storage service Bree rented to hide her stolen goods. I have a feeling that Orson is about to make it very hard for Bree to leave him. I’m also excited to see where the tension between Karl and Bree leads. Orson also had one of the funniest lines of the episode, when he turned to Bree after discovering that their house had been broken into, and said, “ I swear it wasn’t me.” How ironic is it that it was actually Bree who did the breaking and entering this time?

Susan is moving ahead with her plans to marry Jackson to keep him from being deported. The only problem with this is that she’ll lose her alimony from Mike if she remarries. After telling this to Katherine, Katherine sends her an e-mail saying that Mike will continue to pay her alimony. Mike, of course, knows nothing about this. Its all part of Katherine’s plan to get Mike to marry her. Honestly, it seems like Katherine just wants the security of marriage, not Mike. I highly doubt that they’ll actually go through with their plans to marry next week. I know Susan and Jackson won’t; Dave called Homeland Security on Jackson after overhearing his and Susan’s plans.

Make sure to watch next week’s two-hour finale. The Dave storyline is going to be resolved and from the looks of things it’s gong to be shocking. See you all back here next week!

Tricia is your Desperate Housewives girl this year. She’s from upstate New York and is currently a freshman in college. She’s also a hardcore TV fan; check out her homemade TV schedule: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27093551@N08/2782207387/

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, May 11, 2009

Here’s to hoping this edition of TV Spotlight makes sense. The sun isn’t quite up yet, but I am.  I’ve got a 2-hour ride back to Boston this morning. How I wish I didn’t have to work.  (Speaking of, if someone has the address for the money tree can you please let me know. I’d like to put the address into my GPS.)

A plethora of good TV on tonight including the season finale of THE BIG BANG THEORY and HOUSE (say it ain’t’ so…no reruns!)

Greek | 8pm on ABC Family
“Guilty Treasures”
Rusty and Andy attempt to return a stolen football to the athletic department; Casey sneaks Max into an exclusive faculty party; Rebecca questions her sexual identity.

The Big Bang Theory | 8pm on CBS
“Monopolar Expedition”
While Leonard prepares for a three-month science expedition, he and Penny reevaluate their feelings for each other.

Gossip Girl | 8pm on The CW
“Valley Girl”
Lily remembers getting kicked out of boarding school when she was 17; Nate and Blair’s evening at the prom does not go as planned; Lily and Serena clash. [GMMR: Tonight is the much talked about (possible) back door pilot of the GG spinoff.  Make sure you tune in tonight.]

House | 8pm on Fox
“Both Sides Now
The team must deal with a patient (Ashton Holmes) whose brain is at war with itself (left side vs. right side). Meanwhile, House refuses yet again to work in the clinic, so Cuddy foists an unusual patient (Carl Reiner) on him.

How I Met Your Mother | 8:30pm on CBS
“As Fast as She Can”
An acquaintance of Ted’s feels guilty about a previous wrong and tries to atone for it by helping Ted get a job. Meanwhile, Barney thinks he can talk his way out of a speeding ticket.

24 | 9pm 5:00AM – 6:00AM”
Jack’s daughter, Kim, is in harm’s way, and the continuing terror threat fuels the rivalry between Chloe and Janis. [GMMR: Seems that Jack Bauer is also an early riser.  How does one save the world at 5 o’clock in the morning?]

One Tree Hill| 9pm on The CW
“Forever and Almost Always”
Unexpected guests attend Lucas and Peyton’s wedding, and Haley plays a surprise role in the ceremony; Brooke tries to keep Nick Lachey on a short leash.

Castle | 10pm on ABC
“A Death in the Family”
Castle and Beckett investigate when a plastic surgeon is brutally murdered; Alexis goes to her first prom; Castle uncovers surprising information when he looks into Beckett’s past.

Also playing…

• Dancing with the Stars 8pm on ABC | Celebrities compete with their professional dance partners.

• Two and a Half Men | 9pm on CBS: When Chelsea and Alan become best friends, Charlie tries to take advantage of the situation.

• Rules of Engagement | 9:30pm on CBS: Jeff and Audrey go on a double date with Brad and Jackie; Russell goes on a date with a psychiatrist.

• CSI: Miami | 10pm on CBS: The team investigates when a man is boiled alive; Julia spins out of control; a dark secret is revealed.

Share YOUR Monday night TV lineup in the comments below. What are you most excited to see tonight?

Who Won THE AMAZING RACE?

SPOILER ALERT!  SPOILER ALERT!  SPOILER ALERT!

The final leg of THE AMAZING RACE saw three times heading towards the finish line. Tammy & Victor, Kara & Jamie, Margie & Luke raced to finish first and take home the $1M prize.

Tonight’s task involved carrying a pig, jet skiing to find clues and the recalling important moment from throughout the race.

But in the end only one team could win, and that team was….

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STAR TREK’s Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto on SNL

I’m on a bit of a roll today with these SNL clips, but it’s not often that SNL has more than one good clip to talk about on Sunday mornings.

STAR TREK stars Zachary Quinto (HEROES), Chris Pine and Leonard Nimony guested on SNL during last night’s Weekend Update to address Trekkies. (I really need to go see this movie).

Fan Rushes Adam Lambert on Stage

AMERICAN IDOL favorite Adam Lambert returned home to San Diego this week to perform to the hometown crowd. One overly enthusiastic fan rushed the stage in only her bra.  Adam had a great laugh about it. Funny stuff.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Sunday, May 10, 2009

I took a nice break from TV and blogging this weekend to spend time with my family down in CT. The penalty being I’m going to have a lot of shows to catch up on this week. I’m actually really looking forward to seeing the finale of DOLLHOUSE. I’ve managed to avoid spoilers thus far.

Sunday night winds down the TV week, and here’s a few shows you might want to consider checking out tonight.

What will YOU be watching?

The Amazing Race | 8pm on CBS | Season Finale
“This is How You Lose a Million Dollars”
The final three pairs fly from China to Hawaii and race to the finish line in Maui. The winning team collects $1 million.[GMMR: Wow! I forgot tonight was the season finale! How quickly the time flew by. Margie & Luke FTW!!]

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency | 8pm on HBO
“A Real Botswana Diamon”
When a string of break-ins reaches the agency, Grace inspects the damage and recreates the crime; Precious receives an unnerving phone call; Precious investigates a suspicious jeweler.

Desperate Housewives | 9pm on ABC
“Marry Me a Little”
Bree hides her true intentions from Orson; Tom tries to look younger; Katherine hides the truth from Mike; a key witness to Dave’s misdeeds surfaces.

The Tudors | 9pm on Showtime
With the quest for a new queen underway, a German emissary to the court suggests the King consider the two unmarried sisters of Duke William of Cleves, but Henry shows an inclination to taking a French bride.

Brothers & Sisters | 10pm on ABC
“Mexico”
The Walker family is devastated to find that Tommy may not accept their help; Justin makes plans for the future; Saul makes a shocking admission about Ryan Lafferty’s mother.

In Plain Sight | 10pm on USA
“Rubble with a Cause”
When a bridge collapses, the victims’ families go after the engineer, who was once in witness protection; the engineer tries to clear his name regardless of the consequences.

Also playing…

• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition| 8pm on ABC: A family whose flood-damaged home is increasingly dangerous for their two daughters, who suffer from Combined Immune Deficiency Disease, takes a vacation in Hawaii while Ty and the team work to rebuild their Las Vegas home.

• Cold Case | 9pm on CBS: The team intensifies their efforts to solve the 2005 murder of a female cadet when the killer commits a shocking act against Lilly.

• The Unit | 10pm on CBS: The team must defuse three dirty bombs headed for unknown locations across the United States; one couple prepares for a wedding while another prepares for the end of their marriage.

• Breaking Bad | 10pm on AMC: Walt and Hank get into a heated argument at a party; Skyler opens up to her boss; Jane hides her relationship with Jesse from her father.

What Sunday shows are YOU going to be watching?

Justin Timberlake: Bring it on Down to Plasticville

First he was schilling for omelettes. Then he was raising money for the homeless down in Homelessville. But now making sure that everyone knows where to get the best plastic surgery in town. So come one, come all, and bring it on down to Plasticville.

Justin Timberlake: Motherlover – SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Justin Timberlake doesn’t disappoint. Maybe the key to making SNL good again is to have JT on ever week. Ok, maybe not. But still, it’s always a good time when he’s on.

One of the best moments from last night was the SNL Digital Short sequel to “Dick in a Box”. This time around it’s about the Mother-loving.

SUPERNATURAL: When The Levee Breaks

First off, please forgive me for not recapping last week’s really interesting episode “The Rapture” – things were really hairy at my office and I was working crazy hours and totally exhausted. I’ll share a few thoughts though, before we move on to the gut-wrenching heartbreak of tonight’s emotional roller coaster:

• I kept thinking about how much Jared and Jensen must have loved filming such a Cas-heavy episode. They are always in almost every scene and they must have loved the break they got when Mischa had to step up and shoulder the hour.

• How much did we love seeing Cas-as-Jimmy, expressing real live emotions and speaking in a normal register? That was fun for me.

• Sam going vampire on that demon was crazy freaky to watch, mostly because Dean watched him do it. When he stood up with blood smeared around his mouth…hoo boy.

• The end of the episode, when Dean and Bobby lured Sam into Bobby’s panic room and bolted the door was pretty devastating, however I had no idea what was to come. Speaking of, let’s talk last night’s ep, shall we?

I have to start by giving very deserved props to Mr. Padalecki, who was all kinds of fantastic portraying Sam’s demon blood detox, complete with nightmare hallucinations. He got to interact with some of the show’s memorable guest stars, including Allistair, Mary and young Sam. Each of these imagined interactions (including one with an imaginary Dean) was torturous for different reasons, and we really got a sense of how much Sam blames himself for the path his life has taken and the losses he has suffered as a result. I was actually starting to fear that he was going to tie a bed sheet to the ceiling and try to end it all. I mean, really – how much can the poor kid take? Torture at the hands of Allistair, young Sam blaming him for screwing up his desire to be “normal” and allowing Jessica to die, Dean calling him a monster and saying “you’re nothing to me”…ouch. Jared was so, so good in that scene – the anguish on his face at hearing his brother dismiss him had me tearing up a bit, I’m not gonna lie.

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