DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: Would I Think of Suicide?

Tonight’s episode of Desperate Housewives is the last one before the big [highlight to read spoiler:] plane crash episode! I personally can’t wait because I’ve heard through the grapevines that [highlight to read spoiler:] at least one major character dies.

Carlos isn’t giving in to Lynette’s pleas to keep her current job. After Gabby refuses to intervene Lynette decides to sue. Of course, Gabby and Carlos decide to give her back her job right before they’re served. Carlos then sets Lynette up to fail so he can fire her. It looks like Gabby and Lynette are going to be having some issues for a while after this, especially now that Tom and Lynette have no income and are expecting twins. This storyline is starting to get a little boring to me and I’m ready for it to be over.

Katherine is trying to get to Susan and Mike through MJ. She even goes so far as to kidnap him from his school. Mike confronts her and makes it clear that Susan has always been the one for him. Katherine stabs herself in an attempt to hurt Mike. Her self injury was definitely unexpected and takes her craziness to a new level. I’m interested to see how much further she’ll go.

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HOUSE’s Robert Sean Leonard: The Show, His Life and Why Wilson & Cuddy Should Never Happen

Tonight, the Oncology department at Princeton Plainsboro takes center stage, with an episode of House focused on Dr. James Wilson. In the appropriately titled, “Wilson,” viewers will gain a first hand perspective into the physical and emotional toll that cancer takes on patients and physicians alike.

In anticipation of this long awaited episode, Robert Sean Leonard took some time out to answer questions from an audience of print journalists and online pundits. After sitting in on several of these calls for GMMR, I was anticipating an affable, but predictable set of answers from an experienced performer. To my delight, Mr. Leonard was quick-witted, self-effacing, and genuinely interested in building a rapport with each of the participants. That’s why this time around, rather than sharing just parts of the interview, I decided to share the whole transcript, as you get a much better sense of who Robert is.

Even if you have never watched a single episode of House, I would strongly encourage you to read this transcript. It contains the sentiments of a man who has achieved success in show business without abandoning his sense of self, remained fiercely loyal to his family, and refuses to be absorbed into the bubble of self-importance that Hollywood can cast.

Without further adieu, Mr. Robert Sean Leonard…

WARNING: The following may contain HOUSE spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Moderator: The first question comes from the line of Matt Mitovich with FanCast.com.

Matt: Hey, Robert, thanks for your time today.

Robert: Hey, no problem. How are you doing?

Matt: Congratulations on your self-titled episode.

Robert: Oh, no, it’s my worst nightmare. Are you kidding? When I read this pilot, I was going to—the other pilot I was considering was Numbers, when I first got out here five years ago, and I read Numbers and thought, well this is way too many scenes. Its way too hard, and I’m not interested. And then I read House, and the guy was, Wilson was in about three scenes a show, and I thought this is perfect. You know, I’m the Carlton the Doorman of my show. I’m not the most ambitious guy. I like playing the best friend. It’s good to be the lead of a show for a week, but I wouldn’t spread it all around too much. I like my role the way it is.

Matt: Well, tell us how Wilson is different in this episode, and why.

Robert: Well, he’s not different; he’s just examined more. You see my assistant you’ve never met. You see the oncology floor, you see where I work. My office next to House’s is just my office, so there’s a whole floor where I work in oncology. I have my own patients, my own assistant, my own day that doesn’t include House, so you basically follow Wilson around for a few days and see what his life is like.

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DEXTER: Lost Boys

It hasn’t been until the past few years that I realized that TV could be scary. Is that weird? I hate horror/slasher movies, so I’m not a fan of the genre, but I don’t mind being scared. Different things scare me though. The two scariest shows on TV right now, in my opinion, are “Dexter” and “Criminal Minds.” Psychopaths, nut jobs, child molesters and all that freak the crap out of me. That made this episode especially creepy for me.

So, Christine is Arthur’s daughter from some sort of other relationship that he wanted to keep secret. Deb’s hunches were right, much to the disappointment of Quinn. I have a feeling that Det. Morgan is going to be interrogating Ms. Hill as to the history of her father, Arthur Mitchell, over the next couple episodes, which could get pretty interesting.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, November 30, 2009

The Monday after a long holiday weekend is rough. Your reward is coming home to some good TV.  As we get closer to the next holiday, the TV schedule will become more and more sporadic. So keep an eye out to see which of your shows are in rerun mode and which have fresh new episodes. Be sure to keep an eye out for the “Also playing” section below. In addition to more show listings, we’ll also include specials and one of TV events, like tonight’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.

For those of us living in the Boston area (and maybe New Orleans too, but I’m not sure), we won’t be seeing the Grinch or any of the ABC shows as the Pats takes on New Orleans in Monday Night Football. Go Pats! The game will also be shown on ESPN.

Here are a few highlights on the Monday night TV schedule. What are YOU watching tonight? Leave a comment here or tell me about it on Twitter (@gmmrTV)

House | 8pm on FOX
“Wilson”
An old friend and former patient of Wilson’s (Joshua Malina) experiences paralysis in his right arm; Cuddy continues her search for real estate.

Heroes | 8pm on NBC
“The Fifth Stage”
Unexpected visitors greet H.R.G.; Samuel’s plan starts to come to fruition; struggling to accept the truth, Peter takes extreme measures to get what he wants; Claire’s journey leads her to an unexpected destination.

One Tree Hill | 8pm on The CW
“You Know I Love You, Don’t You”
Nathan and Haley’s careers bring about a tough decision for the family; Julian reveals a secret to Alex; Clay tries to resuscitate his career; Jamie learns the truth about Skills’ new job; Millie finds an unlikely supporter.

Gossip Girl | 9pm on The CW
“The Treasure of Serena Madre”
Blair suspects her mother of keeping a big secret from her; after having a fight with her mom, Vanessa shows up on Dan’s doorstep for Thanskgiving; Chuck tells Nate he has potentially damaging information about one of their friends.

Trauma | 9pm on NBC
“Blue Balloon”
As a bad batch of heroin hits San Francisco, Glenn questions Nancy’s judgment during an encounter with a “frequent flyer”; a bizarre theft sends Marisa on a wild goose chase; Boone contemplates his future; a romance begins to take off.

Lie to Me | 9pm on Fox
“Fold Equity”
Cal, Foster and Reynolds go all in to find a missing finalist from the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, where Cal must determine if the other players are being straight with him about the disappearance.

Also playing…

• Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas| 8pm on ABC:Boris Karloff narrates an animated tale about a curmudgeon and merry Whoville.

• Shrek the Halls| 8:30pm: The ogre’s plans for a cozy family Christmas go awry when Donkey, Puss in Boots and the rest of the fairy-tale gang try to join in the fun.

• Find My Family | 9pm on ABC: A school aide from Ohio searches for the brother she never knew; an Arizona woman wants to find the birth mother who had to give her up for adoption when she was a baby.

On the late night couch…

• The Late Show with David Letterman: Tom Hanks, Weezer, a Top 10 list presented by Chad Ochocinco (R 10/29/09)
• The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien: William Shatner, AnnaLynne McCord, a performance by the cast of “Mary Poppins”
• The Jay Leno Show: Bill Maher, Adam Carolla
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Michael Sheen, Lance Burton
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Artie Lange, Olivia Munn, David Chang (R 10/27/09)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Death Cab for Cutie (R 11/20/09)
• Chelsea Lately: Kathy Griffin, Jo Koy, Jen Kirkman, Josh Wolf
• Last Call with Carson Daly: Joss Stone, Bat For Lashes (R 10/8/09)
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Maziar Bahari
• The Colbert Report:  Cevin Soling
• Lopez Tonight: Joanna Krupa, Katey Sagal, David Guetta featuring Akon

What does YOUR TV lineup look like tonight?

Talk to me people…what will YOU be watching tonight? For the latest TV from GMMR, follow me on Twitter.

House | 8pm on Fox

An old friend and former patient of Wilson’s (Joshua Malina) experiences paralysis in his right arm; Cuddy continues her search for real estate.

The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert | 8pm on HBO

Concerts at Madison Square Garden commemorate the institution; performers include Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2, Stevie Wonder, and more.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Sunday, November 29, 2009

Listen up! I haven’t left the house in ten days. I haven’t slept for more than 3 consecutive hours in at least two weeks. And right now it’s 1am on Sunday and I’m hopped up on caffeine (I tried some reverse psychology on the insomnia and the insomnia kicked my ass). So let’s talk TV.

I’m gonna throw a bunch of Sunday night shows at ya, and you’re going to click on the little ‘Comment’ button below and tell me what you’re watching. Got it? (Wow, I’m a bad ass when I don’t sleep. Or maybe it’s the percocet…who cares. Do what I say!) Aw, I’m just kidding. Or maybe not. Dare to find out.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | 8pm on ABC
“Marshall Family”
Ty’s team rebuilds the moldy, rotting home of a large New Hampshire family; Patrick Dempsey is the celebrity volunteer. [GMMR: Extreme Makeover is usually relegated to the ‘Also Playing’ section of the post, but when McDreamy makes a visit, I felt it was worthy of the top entry.]

The Amazing Race 15 | 8pm on CBS
“It Starts with an F, That’s All I’m Saying”
Unable to complete a roadblock, one team decides to take a four-hour penalty; a team dodges intoxicated locals while trying to complete the detour. [GMMR: If you’re a fan of TAR and BIG BROTHER click here for some fun news. Oh, and keep an eye out for a tweet from me about the start time of TAR. If football goes long (get it…goes long) then you’ll have to adjust the DVR to not miss the end of TAR.]

The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert | 8pm on HBO
Concerts at Madison Square Garden commemorate the institution; performers include Jeff Beck Band, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2, Stevie Wonder, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. [GMMR: You had me at Bruce.]

The Cleveland Show | 8:30pm on Fox
“From Bed to Worse
Cleveland and Donna are excited to have the house to themselves when Cleveland Jr. and Roberta are away, but disgruntled Rallo does whatever it takes to keep them apart.

Family Guy | 9pm on Fox
“Dog Gone”
Brian tries to convince everyone that a dog’s life should have the same value as a human’s; Lois hires a maid, who does not listen to Peter.

Desperate Housewives | 9pm on ABC
“Would I Think of Suicide?”
Following another attack, Angie decides it is time for her family to leave Wisteria Lane; Bree’s affair with Karl becomes increasingly difficult to hide; Lynette’s pregnancy causes a rift with Gaby. [GMMR: Holla if you’re still hanging on Wisteria Lane. The discussion thread for DH has been a little light.]

More of tonight’s lineup after the break…

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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Fans…

Don’t worry…no spoilers.

I just had to pipe in and tell you that this season of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, currently airing on DirecTV. is spectacular.  Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler continue to give Emmy worthy performances week in and week out.  And as always, the rest of the cast, including many new faces, bring authenticity to their characters without a moment of falsehood. With every minute that passes I’m reminded of why this is my favorite drama on TV.

Now I know we aren’t talking about the show until it airs on NBC next summer (airdate TBD), but I just had to tell you all how much you have to look forward to.

And if you have never watched an episode of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, put the first few seasons on your holiday wish list. I promise you won’t be disappointed. You have plenty of time to catch up on all the episodes to date before the NBC premiere of the new season. I’ve heard from many GMMR readers who have started watching FNL, after post after post of me praising it, and not one who truly gave the show a shot has been disappointed. I wouldn’t steer you wrong. This show is unlike anything else on TV. You can’t help but fall in love with Dillon, Texas.

BIG BROTHER’s Jeff & Jordan on THE AMAZING RACE?!

If this news is true, then it’s a reality show fantasy dream team. BIG BROTHER 11 contestants Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd are rumored to be contestants on the next season of THE AMAZING RACE.

For those of you who followed my BIG BROTHER coverage them you know the love I had for BB’s sweet but dimwitted winner Jordan and her funny showmancer, Jeff. Watching the two of them race around the world will certainty be hilarious to watch. Jordan trying to communicate in different countries? The girl has a hard time with the English language. How Jeff will keep his patience with Jordo will be a show within itself.

Check out this picture of J&J on “the race” courtesy of @BigBrotherLeak.

This isn’t the first time a reality show couple appeared on TAR. Another former BB’er Allison appeared with her boyfriend one season. But most remember ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano and his wife Amber Brkich who met on SURVIVOR before switching CBS reality shows to race around the world together. Other teams racing against them thought they had an unfair advantage as they were so recognizable and thus got extra help from pedestrians they encountered while racing.

Well at least I don’t have to wonder about finding a favorite team all season. It’s Jeff and Jordo FTW!!

Is anyone else as excited as I am?!

First Look: Lauren Graham on PARENTHOOD

Maybe it’s just a few seconds of a promo, but I’ll take it. Check out Lauren Graham in her new role as Sarah Braverman on PARENTHOOD. If you remember, Graham took over the role for Maura Tierney who left the show to focus her energy on fighting her battle with cancer.

I haven’t seen the revised pilot, with Graham in it, but I hope it works. How great would it be to have Lauren back on TV every week?!

PARENTHOOD premieres in March on NBC.

Thanks @trollgames!

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Friday, November 27, 2009

Happy Black Friday!  How are my American readers today? I trust you all stuffed yourself silly with turkey, potatoes and pie? I had a plate and a half of the Thanksgiving feast yesterday, but only one tiny sliver of pumpkin pie. Overall, not too bad. But don’t worry, I’ll make up for it today with the leftovers in the fridge.

It was mostly reruns last night so I didn’t watch too much TV.  But did anyone else catch the Beyonce special? I wouldn’t consider myself a huge Beyonce fan, but I thought the concert and the look behind-the-scenes was pretty cool. That girl works her ass off.  And much respect to anyone who actually sings live. Nothing like shelling out big bucks to see someone lipsynch an entire concert.  Hell, I can do that in my bathroom mirror.

Well, I guess we should look at tonight’s TV. If you are a fan of MONK, be sure to check out part  I of the two part series finale. I can’t say there’s much on as far as new TV, but let’s see what leftovers we can scrounge up.

Ugly Betty | 8pm on ABC | New!
“Level (7) with Me”
Betty is alarmed when Bennett promises that Daniel will be reunited with Molly; Marc digs deeper into Nico’s mystery.

Monk | 9pm on USA | Part I of Series Finale | New!
“Mr. Monk and the End Part I”
Monk is called to a crime scene where he first heard the news of his wife’s murder and starts the most important investigation of his life.

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Who Went Home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

Are you ready to meet your Top Ten? At the end of this hour you will know who you might be seeing on tour after this season ends.

Last night’s episode, in which the 6 couples each performed two dances was the most exciting episode to date.  Not sure who will end up in the bottom tonight. It’s anyone’s guess.

I’ll be live blogging key moments in the hour. Join in on the discussion below.

• What a Wade Robson-esque opening routine tonight. If I didn’t already know that it was a NappyTabs piece, I’m not sure I would have guessed.

• Nigel is going on about family and Thanksgiving. Shut it Nigel. I am such a cynic.

• While all this prattling is going on, let me apologize for not recapping last night’s episode.  I had a difficult day and I just couldn’t get in front of the computer until now. But let me say, that I LOVED both of Sonya’s piece as well as the Tango.  Legacy & Katherine are insane and I’m so upset to see them break up.  But, not as upset as I am to see Jakob & Ashleigh split.  I really love Ashleigh…who would have thought. I’m a big fan of her husband too. Ryan & Ellenore have been outstanding.

• Cat brought out the first two couples. Ash & Jakob and Karen & Victor. Both of these couples had an outstanding first routine.  But Ask & Jakob went on to have an incredible second routine too, while Karen & Victor fell short on their Hip Hop number.  For me this is easy.  It should be A&J sticking around.  No doubt.  I’d actually like to see Victor leave tonight.  And while it seems many want to see Karen go, I think she deserves to stay more than Mollee. The votes are in and…Ashleigh & Jakob are SAFE meaning Karen & Victor will be in the BOTTOM THREE.

• I have no problem saying that I think Mollee & Nathan should be in the bottom as well. But as for the third couple, I just don’t know. Maybe Russell & Noelle (although I would hate for them to be gone).

• The next two couples are up and are about to learn their fate.  Mollee & Nathan and Legacy & Katherine. Which two will be in the Top 10? Joining Karen & Victor in the bottom are…Mollee & Nathan. Meaning Legacy & Katherine are SAFE! (Thank goodness!!) So far so good on the couples.

• I think I am the only one that is really not feeling all the Nathan hate.  I wonder if behind-the-scenes the kid is a douche. I hate to think it, because I don’t think he comes across that way, but I don’t ever remember the judges being so harsh, and so personal to a contestant.  He’s been called immature, arrogant, and ignorant. That’s a lot of talk. Is there something behind it? I wonder.

• The last two couples join Cat.  Will it be Russell & Noelle in the bottom three or Ellenore & Ryan?  I’m pulling for both couples, but the latter deserves it more. But I’m not too concerned because I think whatever couple of these two end up in the bottom three will ultimately be safe.  So here are the results. Ellenore & Ryan are  in the BOTTOM THREE leaving Russell & Noelle are SAFE. Um, what? What it going on? Again, these two are ultimately safe.

• As the American Ballet Theater takes to the stage, I’m going to take a quick break.

Dancing for Their Lives

• Karen was just ok. Nothing special. Victor’s solo on the other hand was spectacular! Nathan better be amazing. His partner Mollee was just ok. Lots of gymnastics. Not my cup of tea but neither is she so I’m perhaps biased.  Nathan was up next, and while I liked his solo, he was definitely not better than Victor. Ellenore sometimes tries to hard to be quirky, but she was good. Ryan’s solo was cheesy but aren’t all solos by Latin ballroom dancers?

• Fond Farewell: The judges are back and the decisions are in. Tonight we are saying goodbye to Karen (ugh, what are they seeing in Mollee that I’m not?) Karen really hasn’t received bad remarks all season, while Mollee gets critiqued every week. I call foul!! As for the guys, it’s Victor leaving the show.

So goodbye to Karen and Victor. Here’s to hoping they’ll be asked to join the tour as alternates.

Did the right couple go home? Are you happy with your S6 Top Ten?

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy day before Turkey day. Wishing safe travels to all of you who will be on the road, on the tracks or in the sky today. I only have to go from the guest room to the dining room this year, so I lucked out.

There’s some great TV on tonight and I can’t wait to watch. MODERN FAMILY is always a solid choice if you’re looking for laughs. Or maybe a hair-raising GLEE. Those witches of EASTWICK are back.  And tonight the final two dancers, not making it to the Top 10 will be going home on SYTYCD. Lots to watch.

Let’s check out some of the other highlights of tonight’s TV lineup.

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
“Results Show”
The three couples with the lowest votes will have to dance for their lives. The judges will send one guy and one girl home. The ten remaining dancers will comprise the Top 10 who will go on tour later this year.

The New Adventures of Old Christine | 8pm on CBS
“I Love Woo, I Hate You”
Fearful that he might propose to her, Barb insists that Christine join her on a date with Dave; Richard realizes he must woo New Christine to get her back.

Gary Unmarried | 8:30pm on CBS
“Gary Keeps a Secret”
When Gary lets Louise attend a party, he tries to keep it a secret from Allison; Sasha contemplates having more than a working relationship with Gary.

(More of tonight’s lineup after the jump)
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HOUSE: Ignorance is Bliss

Following last week’s rant/recap of “Teamwork,” I took a step back to think about how I want to approach each installment of House. The discussion generated by that episode was incredibly thoughtful, and really spoke to the passion that the show’s audience invests into each week’s story. There is a disconnect between what brought many viewers to the show years ago and the creative team’s current philosophy. Cameron is gone. Foreteen is back in the forefront. House is showing signs of his pre-Mayfield self. Since I have always been focused on celebrating the best of this show’s elite cast & crew, what is a writer to do?

Luckily, the performances in “Ignorance is Bliss” solved my dilemma for me. Though it may not have appeased my inner fears about the overall direction of the show, it was one of Season Six’s best. By fusing an intriguing patient story, a welcome string of humorous asides, and a meaningful story for Dr. Taub, I found most of “Ignorance is Bliss” to be top notch television.

James Sidas was the most compelling patient of Season Six, armed with a lush history and a genuine sense of conflict. Actor Esteban Powell, most recently featured on A&E’s “The Cleaner,” held his own against House’s impressive cast, particularly in describing the anguish he felt over his own marriage. James’ method of self-medicating, ingesting cough syrup in order to slow his brain down to average level, was a strong contribution by writer David Hoselton. Rather than frame James as a mutant with dueling personalities, Hoselton forced the patient take ownership of his poor behavior toward wife Dara. If this were “Grey’s Anatomy”, James would have emerged from brain surgery with no memory of his wife, and the audience would be left wondering who to be angry at for the weeping wife’s pain. Kudos to the House team for forcing that issue into the open.

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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: Top 12 Perform

It kills me when I don’t have control over the remote. I mean…do you not know the name of my blog? Well, such was the case tonight. While I should have been watching SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, I was forced to watch NCIS. With all do respect to NCIS fans, SYTYCD is my show.

I’ve managed to tune into the second half of SYTYCD tonight, but I figure it might be best to wait until the morning to share my thoughts on the full show.

But I wanted to open the comments early in case you wanted to share YOUR thoughts with other SYTYCD fans.

So…until tomorrow.

UPDATE: What a show! I can’t get a computer right now but once I can you’ll be hearing why I loved Legacy & Kathryn, Jakob & Ashleigh, Ryan & Ellenore so much! And what about that tango with Victor & Karen.

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