TOP CHEF: Culinary Olympics

[GMMR: Before we get into SB’s review of last night’s TOP CHEF, I just wanted to make sure that all of you have entered our TOP CHEF: The Quickfire Challenge Giveaway. The contest ends next week so be sure to enter soon.]

Alright, NOW it’s a competition. There were definitely a lot of times, especially recently, where I thought my original top four might not remain in tact (thanks for the heart attacks, Jennifer), but I think that the top shook out exactly how it should have and I’m happy with how things went.

This episode seemed extremely challenging, maybe one of the hardest challenges I’ve seen on Top Chef. I’d never heard of the Bocuse D’or before, but everyone seemed to treat it with great respect and Michael describing it as like being chosen to represent your country in the Olympics was a good description. So thanks, Michael, I guess I can’t say you never did anything for me.

Speaking of Michael (UGH, do we HAVE to?) I like how he’s now trash-talking everyone. Well, okay, not everyone. I don’t think he takes Eli seriously enough to trash-talk him, and trash-talking Bryan would reflect badly on him, since they do such similar stuff. But he’s still carrying on about Kevin cooking the way Michael cooks on his day off (eye roll), and he’s started in on Jen and how she started off strong but has nowhere to go now. Which, naturally, made me EXTRA proud when Jen won the Quickfire. You go girl! She really needed that. Also, meats inside meats inside meats kind of grosses me out. Turducken? Barf. I know lots of people enjoy that sort of thing, but I am not one of them. Also, food on mirrors? Sort of weird. Apparently this week is, for me, all about NOT wanting to expand my horizons.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, November 19, 2009

It’s comedy night one right.  But the dramas seem to know a thing or two about how to make good Thursday TV too.

Before we get into tonight’s TV spotlight, just a heads up that GMMR will be somewhat quiet today. I’m heading off to meet with a surgeon about my back woes. Hopefully he has some thoughts on how to get me back up and running (which would really be something since I’ve never really been much of a runner).

Here’s a look at highlights from tonight’s TV lineup. What shows are you most looking forward to tonight?

Flash Forward | 8pm on ABC
“Believe”
Bryce searches for the woman in his flashforward; Tracy’s odd behavior concerns Aaron; Demetri’s colleagues try to locate the caller who warned him about his fate. [GMMR: I did what I said I would. I gave Flash Forward one last shot last week. I’ve officially dropped it. I gave it a fair shake but it never pulled me in.]

The Vampire Diaries | 8pm on The CW
“The Turning Point”
Damon and Stefan find they have some competition to deal with; Elena makes a shocking discovery. [GMMR: In case you didn’t know how much I love this show, check out the latest TV Talk Podcast. Ducky and I talk VAMPIRE DIARIES for a whopping 10 minutes.]

Survivor: Samoa | 8pm on CBS
“The Day of Reckoning”
A clever castaway jeopardizes the success of a scheme to ensure safety in the game; the ninth contestant is eliminated.

Bones | 8pm on CBS
“The Foote in the Foreclosure”
Booth’s grandfather comes to live with him and tags along as Brennan and Booth investigate human remains that were found by a real estate agent who was showing a property to prospective buyers.

Community | 8:00pm on NBC
“Environmental Science”
The gang nominates Jeff to talk some sense into Chang when he assigns an absurd amount of homework; Troy and Abed’s biology lab subject goes missing.

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

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Who Went Home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

UPDATE: Click here to find out who went home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (August 5th)

PREVIOUS POST
Welcome to our SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE live blog.  The comments are open so join in on the discussion during the show. (Just keep hitting refresh). Send out a tweet and let other #SYTYCD fans know where to join us.

I’d like to tell you how awesome the Top 14 performance was, but I ran into some technical difficulties (my TV wouldn’t turn on).  But I’m sure it was amazing.

As for Cat Deeley, she’s always looking amazing, despite her sometimes questionable outfits. Not sure what she has going on tonight, but she still looks fabulous.

• Before we get to the results from the first group, leave a comment and let us know who you think will be in the bottom three.

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PARKS & RECREATION and the Mural of Shame

I have neglected my duties to the public servants of Pawnee and the loyal readers of GMMR. My day job has been as painful as the large mass in Ron Swanson’s foot lately, so I have been woefully short on time. Though I do not have access to a decent shoe shine vendor, I have made alternative plans to ensure that my Parks & Recreation recaps will be delivered on time from this point forward.

Before jumping into this week’s mural-intensive story, let me share a few thoughts about the “Ron & Tammy” episode. Before NBC’s marketing machine sent Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman for press interviews, I had no idea that Ron & Tammy were married in real life. Their onscreen interactions were hilarious, uncomfortable, and captivating. If you have ever loved someone a little too much (for much too long), it was easy to find some truth in the exaggerated histrionics between the two. Ron Swanson became, if only for one week, the personification of an alpha male desperate to hide a thick layer of sensitivity.

To Mike Schur and the P&R creative team, I ask one little favor. It would be hilarious to see Tammy attempt to break up Leslie’s team by recruiting one of her staff members. April would be the obvious choice, considering her non-traditional approach to work. However, Jerry makes the most sense. In fact, I would love to see Leslie try and convince Jerry that he is important to her team, considering the abuse that has been inflicted on the quiet bureaucrat all season. Would Jerry leave the department that spoiled his parents’ secret, ridiculed his criminal past, and demeaned his use of the term “murinal?” I do not know where he would end up, but that’s must-see TV!

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HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: The Playbook

Barney’s back…and back with a vengeance!

Eager to get back into the dating scene, Barney relied on an old and trusted friend – “The Playbook”. Inside this single guy bible were schemes, tricks, and game plans all designed to land the ladies. Some scams, like “The Ted Mosby” (‘I got left at the alter’) could work for just about anyone (including Ted), but it takes a real pro to pull off something like “The Lorenzo von Matterhorn” or the titular “Scuba Diver”.

Unfortunately for Barney, the first victim of his “playbook” just happened to be a co-worker of Lilly’s.  Lilly had been waiting three years to set up Shelly with Ted, so needless to say she wasn’t happy that Barney scammed on her first.  Lilly was out for revenge.

I think by now we’ve all learned not to get on Lilly’s bad side. It’s not pretty. Lilly might not be as dubious as Barney, but she can certainly hold her own. Wanting to get back at Barney for ‘playbooking’ one of her friends, Lilly set out to steal Barney’s playbook and use it against him. But little did she know that she was playing right into Barney’s hands. She may have schemed him, but Barney had a much bigger scheme in mind: “The Scuba Diver”.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Finally…it’s Wednesday. And this week there’s not anything standing in the way of our favorite Wednesday night shows.  MODERN FAMILY returns with special guest stars Ed Norton and Elizabeth Banks. SYTYCD is sending two more people home.  And the kids of GLEE are looking for love in all the wrong places.  I can’t wait!

If you’re a Top Model fan, tonight you’ll find out the winner.  Expect to never see or hear from this model again.  I’m not a fan of the show, but I’m still sad it’s ending.  Top Model is one of my favorite segments on EW.com’s ‘Realite’.

And finally, Robert Pattinson and David Letterman will be chatting it up tonight, as will Kristen Stewart and Jimmy Fallon. Oh this is going to be awkward.

Sorry for the radio blog silence yesterday. My back injury woes knocked me down in a big way. You know I’m in pain when I go almost the entire day without TV or being online. I even missed SYTYCD (ok I tuned in for the Travis Wall routine, but that’s all I saw.) Hopefully we can play a bit of catch-up today as tomorrow it’s going to be quiet once again as I head to the surgeon.

But let’s have fun while we can.  There are quite a lot of shows for you to pick from tonight.  Tell me, what gets priority viewing and what’s stored on the DVR to watch later on?

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.

Mercy | 8pm on NBC
“I’m Not That Kind of Girl”
Veronica learns she might be pregnant; grief-stricken Dr. Harris wages war against death at the hospital; Sonia helps a teenage beauty queen accept a life-changing diagnosis; Chloe uncovers a nasty secret about her boyfriend.

The New Adventures of Old Christine | 8pm on CBS
“Love Means Never Having to Say You’re Crazy”
Christine sets Richard up with a beautiful woman who works out at her gym; Richard’s friend Tom continues to try to woo Christine.

Gary Unmarried | 8:30pm on CBS
“Gary Apologizes”
Gary tries to prepare an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner for Sasha, Curtis and the kids, but he fails miserably and seeks Allison’s help to save the day. Max Gail guest stars as Gary’s dad.

(More of tonight’s lineup after the jump)
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HOUSE: Teamwork

WARNING! The first paragraph of this post contains spoilers for last night’s episode of HOUSE.

As millions of viewers watched Allison Cameron leave Princeton Plainsboro behind, EW.com’s TV guru Michael Ausiello obtained actress Jennifer Morrison’s first public comments about her departure from the show. With news of her exit having flooded gossip sites for weeks, I was eager to hear the full story. What insider scoop came out of Morrison’s mouth, you ask?

“I find the entire situation sort of confusing,”

If I did not know that Jennifer Morrison had drawn paychecks for her contributions to House, I would have sworn that she was leaving a comment here on GMMR. As I watched tonight’s episode unfold, I was astounded at the rapid-fire string of events that precipitated Cameron’s decision to leave both her husband and her career behind. While the credits rolled, and I looked back at my notes, I wondered aloud what many readers have been typing for weeks.

Why Cameron? Why now?

The immediate impact of a Cameron-free diagnostic team appears to be a retread of familiar Season Five territory. Thirteen and Foreman exchanging longing looks while going about their job, Taub attempting to balance his personal and professional lives, all under House’s micro-managing eye. If you enjoy watching reruns of House on USA, this does not present a problem. For the rest of us, it is time to hit the panic button. In the absence of progress, these characters are either treading water or regressing. Faced with those kinds of creative potholes, many viewers may find themselves changing the channel.

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Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

SPOILER WARNING! The following post includes spoilers for the November 16th episode. Continue reading at your own risk.
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About Last Night…THE AMAZING RACE and BROTHERS & SISTERS

Trying to squeeze in one last post about Sunday night TV before the Monday prime time shows begin. I wasn’t able to watch last night’s shows until this afternoon, but I didn’t want my two favorites to go by unchecked. So here’s my quick thoughts on last night’s THE AMAZING RACE and BROTHERS & SISTERS.

THE AMAZING RACE
Things are starting to get interesting.  Seems like the gloves are coming off and if I were brothers Sam & Dan I might be just a wee bit nervous.  After an altercation on the race to the mat, Big Easy let the brothers know that now that they’ve brought physicality to the game, they can expect that he will be too.  Big Easy is a big dude (in case you couldn’t figure that out from his moniker) and I wouldn’t want to be on his bad side.  That being said, I think last night’s scuffle and exchange of un-pleasantries might have just been spirited game talk. I still love my Globetrotters.

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The TV Talk Podcast: Vampire Diaries, Glee,The Office & SO Much More

It’s been 7 weeks since our last podcast and 7 weeks since we last saw each other. You totally thought GMMR and Ducky had called it quits didn’t you? How dare you…

An extended gig in the Hamptons originally sidelined the podcast, then a horrible back injury kept this terrible TV twosome apart until now!

For our first big podcast of the Fall, we thought we’d make up for lost time with a huge 2 hour 10 minute carcast full of laughs, tears, a near death experience and even some New England leaf peeping!

Shows covered in this podcast:

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, BIG BANG THEORY, GOSSIP GIRL, HOUSE, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, THE BIGGEST LOSER, THE GOOD WIFE, V, GLEE, MODERN FAMILY, COUGAR TOWN, TOP CHEF, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, FLASH FORWARD, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, BONES, SUPERNATURAL, FRINGE, THE OFFICE, PARKS & RECREATION, 30 ROCK, COMMUNITY, GREY’S ANATOMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE, UGLY BETTY, DOLLHOUSE, SOUTHLAND, WHITE COLLAR, THE AMAZING RACE, SURVIVOR, DEXTER, MAD MEN (ha!) and GREEK.

All that and I can still think of a bunch of shows we didn’t talk about.

We hope you enjoy our ode to Fall TV so far this season and hope you’ll join in the conversation. Leave your thoughts on what we covered in the comments section of this post! We’d love to hear what you’ve got to say about the new Fall lineup.

*Recorded 11/13/09

To listen to TV Talk Podcast (with Chapter Markers) head on over to our iTunes page and subscribe! It’s the fastest and easiest way to listen to The TV Talk Podcast from week to week.

Listen to The TV Talk Podcast here. Comments are open over at TheTVTalkPocast.com! Join in on the discussion.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Monday, November 16, 2009

It’s already Monday? How did that happen?  Maybe it’s because I missed all my Sunday night shows that it doesn’t feel like Monday. (Pain meds knocked me out early last night!) Hopefully I’ll get to THE AMAZING RACE and BROTHERS & SISTERS today.

And it must be said…Happy NEW MOON premiere week! Am I the only one excited?  Be sure to keep an eye out on the daytime and late night talk shows as the Twilighters will be making the rounds.  Taylor Lautner is on with Leno tonight and Kristen Stewart is on with Conan. I’m so bummed that both Kristen and Taylor will be on with Jimmy Fallon later this week but Robert Pattinson can’t be “bothered”! Come on!

I’ve waited so long for the movie to finally hit the theaters, but now with my back issues I can’t go. How cruel?! Talk about incentive to get better.

But let’s check out what’s on tonight. Here are a few of the highlights.

What are YOU watching this Monday evening? Leave a comment here or tell me about it on Twitter (@gmmrTV)

How I Met Your Mother | 8pm on CBS
“The Playbook”
After breaking up with Robin, Barney pulls out all of his greatest tricks to get back into the dating scene.

House | 8pm on FOX
“Teamwork”
House reclaims his role as head of diagnostics in time to treat an adult film star admitted to the hospital for pulsating eye pain; Cuddy is reminded that Princeton Plainsboro is not conducive to healthy personal relationships.

Dancing with the Stars | 8pm on ABC
“Performance Show”
Celebrities are paired with professionals in a ballroom-dance competition, with one pair typically eliminated each week. The final four compete tonight.

Heroes | 8pm on NBC
“Brother’s Keeper”
Samuel discovers how powerful he can become; Tracy starts to lose control of her ability; Matt and Sylar’s battle continues.

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

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DEXTER: Road Kill

I’m starting to wonder if they’ll wait until the end of the season to kill Arthur or spring it on us early. By my estimate, there are about four episodes left this season. That seems like a long time for Dexter to realistically wait to kill him. I mean, I seriously doubted he would just let him fall of the building, since the true ending to all this will be a Dexter-style killing. But, I can’t help but fear that at least one of the next four episodes will have to be carried by a secondary storyline, most likely Rita’s pending affair.

I’m also wondering the purpose of Rita having an affair. Dexter needs to have the relationship there to keep the conflict of the show going, right? When Dexter has an affair, it’s just another thing that we get to watch him juggle. When Rita has an affair, it’s like intimating that Dexter is going to die or stop killing. It would take a crucial part of the show away, and its crucial enough that it wouldn’t be going anywhere without major structural changes in the show. I just don’t believe it, so the storyline seems like a waste of time to me. It seems as if the writers said, “Well, we have to have her there. We haven’t done much with her. Throw her into an affair, that should work.” Hint: It rarely does.

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The Prisoner | 8pm on AMC

A reworking of the 1960s cult hit about an amnesiac (Jim Caviezel) held in a mysterious area called the Village, where fellow inhabitants are known only by numbers. First up: Six is found in the desert and taken to the settlement, but he soon realizes something is amiss among its supposedly contented citizens. Ian McKellen costars as Two, the Village’s enigmatic leader.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! The last day of the weekend. Tomorrow it’s back to work, school or whatever it is you do Monday thru Friday. But tonight it’s all about some pretty great TV.

New on AMC tonight is THE PRISONER starring Sir Ian McKellan and Jim Caviezel. The full description is below. I haven’t seen it yet, and I haven’t seen many ads about it. Not sure whether or not I’m going to check it out. I’ll see if I’m up to it come 8pm.

I’ve caught a few episodes of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM lately and I must say that despite how grating “Larry David” can be, I found the show very funny.  Not saying I’m making a new commitment, but I might give it a look tonight.

Here are a few shows worth checking out. Sound off and let us know what YOU are watching tonight.

The Amazing Race 15 | 8pm on CBS
“We’re Not Meant for the Swamp”
The teams travel to Estonia, where they participate in a muddy game of volleyball. Phil Keoghan is the host. [GMMR: CBS usually sends out a message if football runs long and pushes back the start of TAR. Keep an eye out for a tweet from me so you know when the show will start.]

The Prisoner | 8pm on AMC
“Arrival”; “Harmony”
A reworking of the 1960s cult hit about an amnesiac (Jim Caviezel) held in a mysterious area called the Village, where fellow inhabitants are known only by numbers. First up: Six is found in the desert and taken to the settlement, but he soon realizes something is amiss among its supposedly contented citizens. Ian McKellen costars as Two, the Village’s enigmatic leader. [GMMR: I’ve heard mixed reviews on the new program. AMC supposedly sent out the screeners, but since I haven’t been to my place to pick up in the mail in a while, I haven’t yet seen it.  Do you think you’ll give the show a shot?]

Family Guy | 9pm on Fox
“Quagmire’s Baby”
Quagmire assumes responsibility for a baby Peter finds that looks just like him; Stewie clones himself.

The Cleveland Show | 9:30pm on Fox
“Ladies Night”
Donna is still attending her single-moms support group (and not telling Cleveland about it) because she enjoys the camaraderie. She’s also not telling the other single moms that she’s married. Meanwhile, Cleveland Jr. runs for student-council president.

Desperate Housewives | 9pm on ABC
“The Coffee Cup”
Susan uncovers a surprising connection between Katherine and Mike; Gaby tries to get Juanita into Catholic school; Lynette’s pregnancy becomes difficult to hide; Angie learns the truth about Bree and Orson’s relationship.

Three Rivers | 9pm on CBS
“The Luckiest Man”
A car crash victim (Mandy Patinkin) dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease refuses medical treatment so his organs can be used to help others; a foster parent with pulmonary hypertension refuses to be admitted to the hospital.

More of tonight’s lineup after the break…

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WHITE COLLAR: The Best Show I Haven’t Been Talking About

I’ll be the first one to tell you that my hard partying days are behind me. A good Friday night means I’m hanging with a few friends and a couple of bottles of Chardonnay. Most Friday night’s I don’t even go out. And on those nights, when I find myself kicking off the weekend with the good ‘ol tube, I’ve got a new favorite show to watch – WHITE COLLAR.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I’ve really taken a liking to this show. It got an instant season pass on my DVR after just the first episode.  But you may not know that because I really haven’t said much about the show here on GMMR. Maybe it’s because it’s part crime procedural, I don’t know, but I haven’t felt inclined to do a weekly synopsis. For some reason, it doesn’t seem like the type of show that lends itself to that kind of discussion. But that’s no reason not to tell you guys that WHITE COLLAR is certainly worth your DVR space, because it is. WHITE COLLAR is actually one of the smartest and sassiest new shows of the Fall season.

If you’re already a fan, then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t yet given the show a shot, read on. Get acquainted. Take a look at WHITE COLLAR next Friday at 10pm on USA (or check for re-airings during the week) and tell me if you like what you see.

So a little background on WHITE COLLAR…

The say it takes all kinds. But did they ever think an elusive con-artist and a seasoned FBI agent would make for one of the freshest crime fighting duos we’ve seen in some time? The incredibly gorgeous Matt Bomer (Bryce Larkin from ‘Chuck’) plays Neal Caffrey- a man who is a true artist, when it comes to the art of the con that is. His effervescent charm, his beyond smoldering looks and his keen observational skills put him in a league of his own. No one can keep up. No one except FBI agent Peter Burke (played by Tim DeKay) that is.

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