Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, October 26, 2009

It’s Monday!  And of course that means it’s a BIG night for TV. It’s a bit of a mixed bag as some of our Monday night faves are in re-runs, but remember, if you haven’t seen it, it’s new to YOU!

And a special programming note for all you SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE fans, tonight the Top 20 will be showcased in a special Monday episode.  No voting tonight, just a night to get to know the dancers and let them show off their amazing talent.

*Note: For those following me on Twitter, just trying out a new experiment. I’ve changed my Twitter name to @GMMRTV. I found out that a lot of people that hadn’t heard of GiveMeMyRemote.com didn’t know that it was a TV site when they saw my username on Twitter.  So again, just a test. I’ll let you all know if I change it back.

If you’re interested in following me, I’d love to connect with you on Twitter.  If you are looking for just new blog posts only (and not any of my personal life, opinions, etc) feel free to follow @givememyremote on Twitter.

Here’s a look at what’s on.  Drop me a line in the comments and let me know what YOU will be watching.

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
“Meet the Top 20”
The top 20 contestants each get a chance to perform without fear of elimination. [GMMR: One dancer has already left the competition due to illness. So sad.]

Dancing with the Stars | 8pm on ABC
Celebrities are paired with professionals in a ballroom-dance competition, with one pair typically eliminated each week. Competitors include Donny Osmond, Melissa Joan Hart, Michael Irvin, Chuck Liddell and more.

Heroes | 8pm on NBC
“Strange Attractors”
Sylar continues to torment Matt; H.R.G. asks Tracy for a favor; Gretchen and Claire are hazed by their new sorority sisters.

(the rest of tonight’s TV spotlight is after the jump)

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Breaking SYTYCD NEWS: One Dancer Already Out of Top 20

Sad news for those of you who are already fans of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Top 20 finalist Billy Bell. Billy had to withdraw from the competition due to illness.  He will be replaced by hip-hop dancer Brendan Dumalo from Concord, CA.

“We are disappointed that Billy cannot continue dancing in the competition on the advice of his doctor and wish him a speedy recovery,” said executive producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe. “However, we are fortunate that Brandon Dumlao has agreed to return.”

How devastating for Billy. You may remember young Mr. Bell not only for his beautiful dancing that brought judge Adam Shankman to tears, but also for memorably being kicked in the nose by his partner during Vegas Week.

We wish him well.

SYTYCD coverage has been light these days due to recent events, but know that plans for coverage nad podcasting are already underway. It’s going to be an exciting Season 6.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: Everybody Ought to Have a Maid

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed tonight’s episode of Desperate Housewives. If any of you have seen pictures of what’s coming up during November sweeps I’m guessing you’re just as ridiculously excited for it as I am.

In this episode, Gabby was accused of being a bad mother. Gabby certainly doesn’t go above and beyond but I would hesitate to label her as a bad mother. I personally don’t see why two seven year olds need to be constantly watched on a play date. And the monkey scene was completely ridiculous. I highly doubt that all the mothers would leave at a birthday party except one.

Katherine is going further off the deep end and now Susan is aware of it. And after shooting Katherine in the arm, albeit accidently, Katherine has one over on Susan. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

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DEXTER: Dirty Harry

Before we get started, can anyone figure out the connection between the title and the episode? Sometimes it’s really blatant, sometimes it isn’t, but usually I can come up with it. Maybe I’m just being a little dense on this one. Anyway…

Is it me, or are the writers doing a better job at giving us a bit of a gut punch at the end of each episode? I want to save the ending for later, but it was a real gut punch to me and, I think, somewhat of a game changer. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

This week, we jumped right into Dexter finding out about Lundy’s death and Deb’s gunshot wounds. It turns out that Deb’s one gunshot went right through, so she would be okay, at least physically. Lundy isn’t so lucky though, as he had three gunshot wounds. It was deliberate. It was Trinity.
Needless to say, Dex is the only person who can see this. Everyone else goes tracking down the man believed to be the Vacation Killer, since the MO in Lundy’s shooting was the same. Angel uses our favorite Miami reporter to leak some information out and the suspect’s meth head girlfriend ends up taking him out. I guess we’re assuming he’s the Vacation Killer and that this storyline is wrapped up for the most part, because there’s much more going on.

Deb is messed up (well, more messed up than usual) after the shooting. Losing Lundy sends her over the edge, understandably. Everything that Deb touches seems to end up broken and I fear what is coming for her in future episodes. Most of the time, Deb is lost until something or someone provides something for her to latch on to. I feel like this is going to be another one of those times, but it could be dangerous for her and everyone around her.

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What? An Update from GMMR? How Bizarre.

Hey all, Kath here! Yes, I’m actually online and updating GMMR.  Very strange indeed.  Once again thanks for all the emails and kind wishes you all have been sending. By days have been brighter because of the support from so many of you.

I wanted to send out a quick post not only to thank YOU but also Team GMMR who has been responsible for pretty much everything on the site the past few weeks. Please thank them! But I also wanted to let you know that GMMR will be coming back on the tracks this week. I’m out of the hospital and back at home. I’m still going to be mostly bed bound the next few weeks but since the pain management is (hopefully) under control, I can get back to watching TV and blogging a bit more (and since I’m on a ridiculous about of pain medication, I now have a legit excuse for all my typos. – HA!)

So keep your eyes open for daily ‘Tonight’s TV Spotlight’ posts in the morning as well as a bit more TV news, gossip and reviews from me, and of course Team GMMR.

As for The TV Talk Podcast, well I’m jonesing to talk TV with my boy Ducky so we’ll definitely get something in the works soon.  I mean come on…Fall TV, SYTYCD, so much to talk about!

Oh how I’ve missed TV…and talking about it with all of you!

Thanks again!

Kath

PARKS AND RECREATION: Kaboom

I bought a car last week.  After my previous vehicle was stolen in the dead of night, I thought it wise to find something safe, sound, and affordable.  The best deal I found was on a used luxury sedan, priced far more reasonably than the tanks driven by my neighbors.  I am not a “car guy” by nature.  I could not tell you the difference between 4WD, AWD, and WD-40.  Though I began my search looking for a simple car to get from point A to point B, I am having great fun with the extra bells and whistles paid for by the original owner.

When Parks & Recreation premiered last year, Amy Poehler was enough “car” to get me to test drive the show.  Little did I know that the supporting cast would turn out to be the sitcom version of heated seats, keyless entry, and a Bose sound system!  This week’s episode featured the P&R crew in their full sports package.

Leslie Knope has become more endearing each week of Season Two, and I attribute the fuller character realization to Amy Poehler’s gift for dancing with different comedic partners.  Need to see Leslie struggle to figure out how to manage people effectively?  Plug in Aziz Ansari, whose playful demeanor with Poehler makes him the ideal example of a perplexing, yet impossibly likable, subordinate.  Want some girl talk from your female lead?  Call on Rashida Jones, who is never funnier than when Ann & Leslie are dealing with the ills of their personal lives.  Care for a little temper tantrum from your Deputy Director?  Schedule a meeting with Nick Offerman, because…..well, because he’s “Ron F’N Swanson,” that’s why!

Special recognition must be given to this week’s cold open.  The interplay between Leslie and her credit card company was vintage SNL Amy Poehler, aimlessly spinning her wheels to explain the array of “unique” purchases.  Is there anything cuter than a career woman who is obsessed with Gossip Girl?  Until Leslie confesses to watching Tool Academy on VH1, I think not!  Not to be outdone, Aziz Ansari has mastered a facial expression that mixes genuine surprise with childlike joy.  Any suggestions on a name for this trademarked look?  Tom welcomed the news of Leslie’s Harry Potter club membership as if he had just become a father for the first time.  Magical stuff!

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PROJECT RUNWAY: Michael Kors Fantasy Challenge

Hey Project Runway fans! Did you like this week’s challenge? I thought it was a fairly interesting challenge, but I wasn’t totally impressed with any of the designs. But what I think is more interesting is that season 6 of PR is shaping up to be the most passive reality TV show in history.

I guess it’s because there just isn’t a villain yet. To be honest, in the past I would have said that I didn’t care for obnoxious people on PR, but I gotta admit that without one, the show is somewhat…well, I don’t want to say boring, so I’ll just say passive again. I mean, if Michael Kors is being portrayed as the scariest person on the show?!

Then again, this episode WAS about him and his Michael Kors Rodeo Drive Inspiration Challenge. The designers were asked to design a look around one of MK’s inspired spots around the world.

By the end of the episode, the judges were making their choices based on whether or not the design produced the ‘fantasy’ of the chosen area of the world. I guess I missed the part where they stressed that it had to be a fantasy type outfit in the challenge, but then again, I guess I get what the judges were saying when they meant that a design had to totally project the location.

At the beginning of the episode, as I was examining those not Auf’d this season, I realized that I am not impressed at all with the male designers this season. Just looking at Nicolas, Christopher and Logan made me think that we could have an all female final three. Has that ever happened before? I’m not sure the show producers would go for that, but then again…the show IS on Lifetime.

But seriously, even before the challenge and the runway, I just could not see any of those three men making it to Bryant Park. Am I just not seeing it? Talk to me, PR fans!

But first, let’s discuss what the designers had $150 and 1 day to complete.

Carol Hannah: Palm Beach

This outfit was cute and def spoke about Palm Beach. I wasn’t totally impressed with it as far as a design goes. I think I could buy a dress like that at Target (no offense, Target!), so it’s just not what I expect from week 10 of PR is all. Not the winner, but not a loser design by any means.

Gordana: New York

This dress I actually didn’t love. Perhaps it was just the way it showed on my TV, but I thought it looked kind of tacky and cheap. The designs on the side of the dress were not flattering, IMO. But I love Gordana, and I was glad to see her safe. I agree with the judges that she needs to stop apologizing for her work before any one even says anything!

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THE OFFICE: The Lover

Whoa, my first ever Office recap! I’m pretty excited, but also really bummed out that Kath still isn’t feeling well. But I think she’s been doing a great job keeping the site running in spite of all the pain she’s in—she’s dedicated and we love her for it!

Alright, so last night we got Jim and Pam back from Puerto Rico. Dwight is trying to bug (literally and possibly figuratively) Jim, and Michael is dating Pam’s mom. And Jim’s slow descent into becoming Michael picks up speed. Let’s dive in!

You know, I was sort of meh about the Dwight/Jim/mallard thing at first. I wasn’t that entertained by the opera music and involving an unwitting Andy in it, but giving it to Kelly was pretty funny and the payoff at the end was really worth it. I liked that Jim told Dwight he had to wash and wax their car, and Dwight agreed that the punishment fit the crime and went along with it. And I thought it was nice of Jim to tell Pam that Dwight was washing the car to cheer her up, even though I don’t really approve of lying to your significant other (btw, saying “I don’t approve” makes me feel like Angela), and all it would take would be Pam thanking Dwight to completely blow his cover, but I’m going to let this one go. I also cracked up and Jim telling Dwight he’d make a terrible spy, and Dwight trying to protest but getting cut off, but the big moment was the tag at the end, where Dwight had actually bugged the pen he accused Jim of leaving on his desk. His whole intense, low-voiced, conspiratorial speech straight into the camera was so creepy, and then when he was listening to Jim describe paper and saying, “I have eight hours of this,” followed by a “I’m not crazy” … that was some classic, vintage, grade A Dwight right there. Nice writing AND well played.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, October 22, 2009

Get out your notepads and pencils. Time to take notes on all the things you want to talk about tomorrow from the great line up of TV tonight. Team GMMR will be covering there normal shows (and SB is going to cover THE OFFICE too) but the rest I’m going to be turning over to you as I’m still bed ridden (and pathetically unable to do much of anything right now).  I’d hand over my first born son (Zachary Joshua Lee Jason Neil Patrick Krasinski Jr.) to be able to blog TV these days…I miss it.

As for tonight’s line-up…let’s get to it. And I must say that I’m devastated that there’s not a new VAMPIRE DIARIES or SUPERNATURAL tonight.  Being out of the TV loop I didn’t realize both were in reruns and not I’m completely sad.

Flash Forward | 8pm on ABC
“Gimme Some Truth”
Mark finds himself on the defense during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing; Janis wonders how her vision will affect her current romantic relationship; Olivia receives an anonymous message. [GMMR: So I’ve caught up on this show.  Dude, what’s all the hype? It feels like a really weak imitation of LOST.  I need to hear from FLASH FORWARD fans…what am I missing here.]

Survivor: Samoa | 8pm on CBS
“This is the Man Test”
Both tribes are forced to be creative in finding ways to weather the elements when a relentless rain storm batters the island.

Community | 8:00pm on NBC
“Football, Feminism and You”
Jeff tries to persuade Troy to join the school’s football team; Shirley teaches the etiquette of girl talk to Britta.

(The rest of Thursday night’s lineup is after the jump)

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, October 21, 2009

On the whole, I think that Wednesday is the best night of the TV week for me.  Monday and Thursday has its gems, but Wednesday is pure love. Unfortunately it’s probably going to be at least another week until I can commit to full recaps of Wednesday night shows, but I’ll do as much as the pain meds will allow…deal?

Here’s the kicker…I’m staying with Moms & Pops until I get better so I don’t have a DVR.  GASP! Hopefully my Slingbox will pull through (fingers crossed).

I’ll try to get the ‘Spotlight’ posts up earlier in the morning starting tomorrow.  I’m glad to know that so many of you like these daily updates so much.

I know, I know. Shut up about your back issues and let’s talk TV.  Done and done.

Hank | 8pm on ABC
“Relax Don’t Do It”
Hank finds it challenging to not do anything while unemployed and overachieves as a househusband.

So You Think You Can Dance | 8pm on Fox
“Vegas Week”
Tonight is the third and final round of Vegas Week. All those that made it to the semi-finals will have to make it through the grueling Vegas week if they want a shot at being in the Top 20.

Mercy | 8pm on NBC
“You Lost Me with the Cinder Block”
Veronica tries to save a pregnant woman in the aftermath of a car wreck; Dr. Harris calls for a hearing to determine Veronica’s future at Mercy Hospital; Sonia helps a sleepwalking patient.

The New Adventures of Old Christine | 8pm on CBS
“Dr. Little Man”
Christine begins a complicated relationship with the doctor (Eric McCormack) who shares Matthew’s office space.

Gary Unmarried | 8:30pm on CBS
“Gary on the Air”
Gary seizes the opportunity to report the news after the radio station’s sports announcer is arrested on the job. Meanwhile, Louise makes a video for Uncle Mitch and his Marine unit for her school’s volunteer week.

(More of tonight’s lineup after the jump)
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FRINGE: Dream Logic

My apologies to Gretchen and FRINGE fans. This has been sitting in a ‘drafts’ folder since the 17th.  Can I blame the pain meds? – Kath

It is 8:00 Friday night and I just got around to watching last night’s episode of Fringe, thanks to a long list of things including (but not limited to) my husband, baseball, and my own ridiculous inability to stay awake while watching TV from the comfort of my own bed – even for my most favorite shows! For those of you who were anxiously waiting to hear my thoughts on the show (Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?), I apologize!

I’m Yawning Just a Little Bit
After last week’s killer episode, this one left me feeling just a little bit flat. Someone mentioned in a previous comment section that they found the show to be “uneven” and I tend to agree. I think all of the episodes are solid, entertaining, well acted, etc., — but the momentum seems to pick up at a crazy pace one episode and then settle in almost as if nothing major had happened by the next. This episode addressed the repercussions of last week (Olivia killing Bad!Charlie) and also advanced one of the most compelling storylines (Walter kidnapping Peter from the other universe), but most of the hour was spent on a stand-alone, non-Pattern (Observer-less) case. I understand the logic behind wanting to keep the show more accessible to the casual or new viewer but it ultimately makes it less compelling to the hard-core fan base.

In a Nutshell
What I’m learning from Fringe is that it is never a good idea to sign up for experimental medical research of any sort. In this particular case, individuals with sleep disorders enrolled in a clinical trial in which a wireless transmitter was implanted into the portion of their brains that controls sleep. The test subjects were all happily relieved of their sleeplessness, but the doctor conducting the research was actually robbing them of their dreams. In fact, he was essentially mainlining their dreams — to the point of complete addiction. To feed his own addiction, he was using the chips to stimulate dream activity in his patients while they were still awake. This basically caused their dreams and nightmares to come to life, which in turn led them to do all kinds of bad things, including killing people. To make matters worse, it ultimately kills them of sleep exhaustion.

The Dream Team

OLIVIA —

Olivia goes back to Sam to return her bowling shoes and to thank him for helping her solve her problem. He points out to her that she has other problems and that her life is basically a nightmare. She reluctantly agrees and he gives her another task which involves collecting business cards from people wearing red, circling one letter from both their first and last names, and then deciphering an anagram from those letters. The solution is “You’re Gonna Be Fine” – the same thing that Charlie said to her during her very first week with the FBI.

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ABC Gives CASTLE a Full Season Order

Hallelujah!

Unlike last season, when the fate of our beloved mystery drama did not come about until later into the year, the alphabet net has given us a gift this year. Rewarding strong, solid numbers posted each Monday night, ABC has not fallen victim to the premature cancellation hammer other networks are now known for. Instead, the net has smartly contextualized each night as its own measure of success and failure. Compared to the other broadcast nets who program at 10 p.m. on Mondays (and there aren’t many), “Castle” has fared well.

While more high-profile shows garner a lot more press and buzz, there is something to be said about being slow and steady winning the race. “Castle” is exactly that type of show. Averaging in the low to mid-2s in the coveted 18-49 demographic but steadily increasing after each episode — last night’s had a 2.4 — it’s not about the splashy numbers that a “NCIS” receives on a weekly basis.

We all knew there was a small, loyal audience for a witty (and retro, as this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly noted) mystery drama with two completely opposite personality types, but what we didn’t know was if it could sustain itself amongst the spinoffs gracing the small screen. So if modesty is what gets a show in its sophomore season (is still learning about itself, improving its storytelling each week and reimagining the crime procedural formula in its own voice) the right to remain on the air for 22 episodes, then we’ll take it.

If the last three episodes, which have improved drastically from the start of this season, have indicated, the show is finding its groove. It might not be as fast as we’d like, but it’s treading its waters carefully, fusing Castle’s personal, professional and celebrity worlds seamlessly to weave a uniquely entertaining story we’d all be crazy to give up.

Here are the ratings for Season 2’s episodes:
Ep. 2×01 – 9.26 (total viewers); 2.9 (18-49) ** includes Live+7
Ep. 2×02 – 9.15; 2.8 **
Ep. 2×03 – 9.23; 2.2
Ep. 2×04 – 9.76; 2.3
Ep. 2×05 – 9.69; 2.4

In celebration of “Castle’s” pick-up, there will be an in-depth character analyses (from Season 1 to last night’s episode) for the main characters within the week. If you have anything character-related you’d like to bring to my attention, feel free to leave a comment! Also, if you attended last night’s Heat Wave (which debuted at #26 on the New York Times Best Seller list) signing event with Nathan Fillion at The Grove, please drop a line!

Philiana Ng works at an entertainment trade publication in Los Angeles.

HOUSE: Brave Heart

The entertainment world has been short on big news lately. While showbiz insiders and bloggers whispered stories about how Jay Leno’s 10pm show is crippling the American economy, the average person has had little to get excited over. In this vacuum, a low-budget horror movie, “Paranormal Activity,” has given audiences a reason to jump from their seats. Playing to sold out audiences all across the country, the little flick has defied Hollywood’s norms and achieved “Blair Witch”-like cult status.

This week’s episode of House made me jump from my couch on several occasions. Unfortunately, it was to scream “NO!” in a panic, concerned that the show would take a disappointing turn for the worse.

My biggest source of fear was the looming presence of Amber in Wilson’s guest room, and House’s possible relapse. Hugh Laurie is always enjoyable to watch, but I almost hid my eyes during those critical moments, afraid that Anne Hudek would reappear as Wilson’s lost love. I was not a huge fan of last season’s closing arc, particularly the bait and switch tactics stemming from House’s hallucinations. Though my greatest fears were calmed by episode’s end, I shudder to think how mind-numbing this season would be if the writers had hit the reset button on House’s cognitive ailments.

Next on my list of fright-inducing scenes: the completely unnecessary “resurrection” of our patient of the week. Much like last season’s promos, the preview for this episode gave away a “shocking” moment for House and Foreman, so I anticipated Donny’s new lease on life. Instead, I was turned off by director Greg Yaitanes’ insistence on shooting that scene in the style of Eli Roth. Medical shows frequently tread the line between realism and appropriateness. In this case, I thought we could have done without the gratuitous use of the surgical drill.

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PARKS AND RECREATION: Sister City

My college years were spent in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to playing host to the 1996 Summer Olympics, the ATL is home to approximately six million Waffle House restaurants. If you have ever had the pleasure (and by pleasure, I mean the joy of punishing your internal organs with copious amounts of comfort food) of visiting the little diner with the big yellow sign, you may have learned a special phrase. Instead of ordering hash browns with specific toppings, longtime customers know to order them “Scattered, Covered, & Smothered.”

In breakfast terms, that expression indicates that your breakfast potatoes should be spread on the grill and topped with cheese and onions. In TV terms, it describes why my recap of this week’s Parks & Recreation took days to assemble. Despite a clever premise and a number of standout scenes, I cannot give this episode an enthusiastic thumbs up. Instead, I feel scattered, covered, and smothered by Fred Armisen’s overpowering presence as the leader of the Boraqua delegation.

As an admirer of the institution of Saturday Night Live, it pains me to direct any criticism at Fred Armisen, a genius at sketch comedy who has made me laugh out loud for years. His unique work during “Weekend Update” as Governor David Paterson, political comic Nicholas Fehn, and musician John Oates is the stuff of legend. Amy Poehler had the best seat in the house at the Update desk for those gems. The idea of reuniting the SNL veterans seemed like a no-brainer.

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GLEE Nabs Joss Whedon & Johnathan Groff

Being confined to bed and hopped up on pain killers, I went the whole day without being able to comment on the announcement that Joss Whedon will be directing an upcoming episode of GLEE. So although I’m late to the game may I just say ‘woo to the hoo.’

If you’re a TV Talk Podcast listener this might not come as such a huge shock. As we told you, last month when we were in L.A. at the Fox party, we were with the cast of GLEE when Joss came over and told them how much he loved the show and if that they got picked up for the back nine how much he was going push to direct an episode.  Well, it looks like it happened.  And aren’t we all better off for it.  So fun!

It was also on the same podcast from the same party that we spilled that Lea Michele had confirmed that her BFF and Spring Awakening co-star, Jonathan Groff, would also be guesting on the show. It’s now been confirmed that Jonathan will play the lead male vocalist in Vocal Adrenaline, the rival choral ensemble. Sparks will most definitely fly.

Can’t wait!  Can you?

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