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Here is Sean Furfaro's recap of The Amazing Race, Episode 6.
After last week’s elephant-tastic episode, the teams are off to Africa for the sixth leg of the Race. Who’s trapped under a bed? Why are the teams building toy trucks? And who hasn’t paid their driver?
My Random Thoughts:
- Previously on The Amazing Race…The twins had no money. The twins had no money! But at least they had an elephant-gasm, right? Team NFL came in first place, while the Twins were eliminated partially because, you guessed it, they had no money.
- From the Pit Stop of Bangkok, teams learned that they had to travel more than 5,000 miles to Malawi in Africa. Teams were all on the same flight to Malawi, so the first few minutes were spent talking about the teams
- All during the race, it’s been bothering me trying to figure out who Marcus reminded me of…and now I’ve figured it out. Fans of HBO’s The Wire (perhaps the greatest show in the history of television) are probably looking at Marcus and shouting “Stringer Bell!” Don’t you think they look alike?
- So the teams were off to Malawi…and here’s a fun fact about Malawi, in case you didn’t know: the government of Malawi has introduced a bill for a new law to try and stop people from breaking wind in public. The intention is to prosecute those “who foul the air” in an effort to “mould responsible and disciplined citizens”. I thought you should know.
- After landing, the teams had to find their way to a Tobacco warehouse, which was a relevant task since 60% of Malawi’s income is derived from the sale of tobacco leaves. I live in Southwestern Ontario, and there is a large industry nearby of farming tobacco, and also a legendary song by Stompin’ Tom Connors about the strenuous labours of working tobacco (Helpful tidbit: Tillsonburg is the name of the city that is the centre of the industry).
Everyone was finding it hard to breathe (which is understandable since many of the workers had masks), the Snowboarders inexplicably DIDN’T choose Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who did it, and everyone had trouble taking corners with the cart. Is it really that hard to know how to use a dolly/handcart? You have to step on the axle between the wheels to anchor it when you want to lift, people!
Amani and Marcus finished last, and apparently this was the green light for all of the workers to gather around Marcus, singing, dancing, jumping, and helping him take his orange jumpsuit off. The scene looked eerily reminiscent of the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night, mobbing David Freese at the plate after his 11th-inning homer. Did you see that game? Since when did ripping someone’s uniform off constitute a form of celebration?
Laurence showed his generational differences by stating that “this is where the women whip past us”, because apparently all women sew great and all men build trucks fast. I’m sure he’s hoping a future challenge includes a barefoot pregnant woman doing laundry while he chops down a tree and then reads the newspaper in front of the television. (And how awesome was it that Marcus, perhaps the “manliest man” in the Race, jumped at the chance to sew?)
- In All Sewn Up, the teams had to find their way to the tailor shop in a busy marketplace, choose a waiting patron, and work on his suit. What made this task so awkward was that the patron was waiting for them only a few feet away…with no pants on. Talk about putting a realistic spin on the task, huh? Ernie came up with the best line in this one, talking about how Cindy normally “holds the pants in our relationship” and her response was a predictable “Hey, Hey!” to shush him.
- Not Grown Up was a great challenge that seemed rewarding to all of the teams. This is really what the Race is about, not just the competition, but the adventure, the culture, and the human element of it all. It’s why I love it more than all other Reality shows, and why it has won 8 Emmys.
And then Laurence shat all over that sentiment by talking about how he loves the kids, only to be seen yanking the clue out of the hands of the young boy presenting it to him.
Wow.
I liked that there were a couple of brief moments where the teams stopped to play soccer with the kids. Don’t you wish Ethan and Jenna would have still been here for this? This is what Ethan’s charity is all about.
- After the Detour (which Jeremy and Sandy finished in first place), teams then had to find their way to a roadside furniture shop, and transport their own beds to Kumbali Village, which was also the next Pit Stop.
Here’s the interesting thing to consider, though…remember that footage of Cindy (and others) hanging off the back of the truck? Where the hell is the cameraman?? From what I can tell, he had to be sitting ON TOP of the cab of the truck as it sped down the road!
- After arriving “near” the Pit Stop, teams had to settle up with their drivers and carry their beds the rest of the way. It was awkward for most, but none more so than Cindy, who tried to balance the frame on top of her head, only to fall seconds later, creating her own personal temporary prison cell.
- Bill and Cathi also had to backtrack to pay their driver, leading to a “footrace” with Amani and Marcus. Come on, who do you think was going to win between a former NFL player and his wife, and the grandparents? Well, when the former NFL player has to carry a bed, it’s probably going to be the Oldsters every time.
- Earlier in the episode, Amani and Marcus talked about going from worst to first. Well, they’re back to worst again, and just like his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, he’s learning what it’s like to be on top, and then be dead last. Lucky for them it was a non-elimination leg. We’ll see how relevant the Speed Bump is next week.
Next Week: Bike Taxis and Log Canoes.
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This week's Gossip Girl poll: Which character from the series is your favorite villain/antagonist?
If there are any characters that are not included in this poll that you feel should have been, include them as a write-in in the comments section.
During the week I'll post polls on which love interest of each main character (Serena, Blair, Dan, Nate, and Chuck) is your favorite.
Hi everybody!
As you well know, this is midseason premiere week for USA - Covert Affairs returns this Tuesday at 10 PM and Burn Notice this Thursday at 10 PM. To celebrate, Digital Airwaves partnered with USA to give away a prize pack to the most devoted fan of each show.
Click over here to see the prizes and submit your entry to win, but hurry: the contests both end at midnight PST on Thursday!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14
--"HOUSE" - (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) CC-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1
PA: Viewer discretion is advised.
PARENTING DECISIONS LEAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON AN ALL-NEW "HOUSE" MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, ON FOX
John Scurti ("Rescue Me") Guest Stars
A teenage boy attempting to follow in his late father's footsteps as an entertainer is admitted to Princeton Plainsboro with partial paralysis. As the team searches for a bone marrow match, they uncover a disturbing family secret. Meanwhile, House looks for creative ways to remove his ankle monitor so that he can attend a boxing match in Atlantic City, and he treats a patient (guest star John Scurti) who is convinced he is suffering from diabetes. Also, Taub faces a tough decision when his ex-wife Rachel tells him that she wants to move across the country with their infant daughter in the all-new "Parents" episode of HOUSE airing Monday, Nov. 14 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (HOU-806) (TV-14 D, L)
Cast: Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House; Robert Sean Leonard as Dr. James Wilson; Omar Epps as Dr. Eric Foreman; Jesse Spencer as Dr. Robert Chase; Peter Jacobson as Dr. Chris Taub; Odette Annable as Dr. Jessica Adams; Charlyne Yi as Dr. Chi Park
Guest Cast: Jennifer Crystal Foley as Rachel Taub; Harrison Thomas as Ben; Zena Grey as Ruby; Dava Krause as Daria; Mark Atteberry as Phil; Lisa Lackey as Janey; Kovar McClure as Ron; John Scurti as Monroe; Jim Lampley as himself; Kathe Mazur as Sandy; Jim Gleason as Mitchell; Jack Harding as Vince
Source: FOX
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Here are the titles and synopses of episodes 4-9 of Psych's 6th season:
Episode 4- The Amazing Psych Man & Tap-Man, Issue #2
Shawn and Gus investigate the whereabouts of a mysterious, masked vigilante named The Mantis, who is trying to take down a local drug syndicate called The Caminos. The SBPD is also trying to take down The Camino syndicate, however The Mantis always seems to be one step ahead of everyone's game. Joey McIntyre and Miles Fisher guest star.
Episode 5 - Dead Man's Curve Ball
After the hitting coach of Santa Barbara's minor league baseball team mysteriously drops dead, the team's manager hires Psych to investigate by having Shawn go undercover as the new hitting instructor and having Gus step in as the team's mascot, the Seabird. Danny Glover, Wade Boggs and Michael Trucco guest star.
Episode 6 - Shawn, Interrupted
A billionaire accused of murdering his assistant is found not guilty by reason of insanity, therefore causing the SBPD to send Shawn and Gus undercover into the mental hospital he is being held at in order to prove he lied to the jury and is actually sane. Molly Ringwald and Brad Dourif guest star.
Episode 7 - In For A Penny
Juliet gets a visit from her estranged father, a charming con man who wants to mend his broken relationship with his daughter, but when the opportunity to pull off a dream con is presented to him, his decision to stay on the right side of the law becomes more complicated. William Shatner guest stars.
Episode 8 - The Tao of Gus
After a woman tells the SBPD she witnessed a murder happen in broad daylight, Shawn and Gus are the only ones who believe her, and therefore protect her by hiding her at a remote commune called Box Canyon Ranch, a place whose inhabitants label themselves as progressive intellectuals. Diora Baird and Diedrich Bader guest star.
Episode 9 - Neil Simon's Lover's Retreat
Shawn and Juliet's romantic getaway vacation from casework and the SBPD is interrupted when their hotel room is robbed and a dead body surfaces at a nearby winery. Tony Hale, Jason Priestley and Arden Myrin guest star
Source - USA Network
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5 Horror based TV shows to get you ready for Halloween.
Halloween is usually a time when we bust out our favorite classic horror flicks and spent our weekend terrified to open our closet, but what about the TV shows that make being scared fun? Here are 5 (6) picks for some great Halloween entertainment.
1- American Horror Story
This freshman series has only aired 4 episodes so far, but has already left it's mark as the creepiest and most unsettling show on TV (right after Toddlers & Tiaras, of course) Unlike other vaguely "horror" based shows, American Horror Story stands out in an incredibly unique way. It plays itself out like a very long movie rather than an episodic drama; following the Harmon family as they are emotionally tortured by the ghosts and creeps that reside within their new home. As the family settles in, they are visited by various haunts and hallucinations that prey on their personal lives. Each episode features the backstory of another ghost that roams the house, and the gruesome death that left them trapped on earth. Saying anything more than this would spoil a show full of a constant stream of questions and answers, so you'll have to actually watch the show if you want a good idea of what it's really about.
Despite using classic themes and tropes, American Horror Story isn't a forgettable or unoriginal experience. With a healthy blend of creative film editing and a constant stream of new mysteries, the series has really established itself beyond anything we've seen before on TV. Many of the scenes definitely push the limits of cable, both graphically and in subject matter. If you are looking for a true and pure horror experience, American Horror Story is tailor made for you.
2- The Walking Dead
Nothing says Halloween like the post apocalyptic nightmare that is The Walking Dead. This AMC show is a drawn out look at what would come to pass if a deadly virus was unleashed on the world, turning everybody who comes in contact with it into one of the walking dead. A group of people from different backgrounds come together in Atlanta Georgia, where they learn how to survive in a world where they are constantly being hunted by swarms of zombies. Besides the obvious nerd factor, the great thing about The Walking Dead is the genuine chills. The writers are exceptionally diligent about making sure that each scene is full of drawn out tension that sets your teeth on edge. It has the natural flow and pacing of classic zombie movies like Dawn of the Dead, only with the extended plot of a television production.
The best part about the show is that they don't skimp out on anything. This is a high budget production. AMC has invested a lot into this show, renewing it for a third season after airing only two episodes of the second. The special effects are first class for television, and the actors are all immensely talented. It's both a mixture of quality horror and quality TV bundled into an undead package that is nothing short of addictive.
The Walking Dead season one is available to watch instantly on Netflix.
3- Supernatural
The early episodes of Supernatural were like an epic love letter to the horror genre begging the US to appreciate it on cable TV. Creator Eric Kripke was dead set on making a show that genuinely scared people, but was still accessible to the mainstream. The end result was a highly conceptual meta horror-drama with slightly homoerotic undertones that eventually erupted into fantasy epic with one of the strongest fan bases on TV. The one rule that is always followed by the Supernatural writing staff is that all of their monsters and myths need to be based off of real legends. Supernatural isn't always scary though, Sometimes it's funny, heartwarming, cheesy, or completely depressing. It's a show that attempts not to limit itself, but that strong base of things that go bump in the night is just as prevalent now as it was when the show first premiered. It's also evolved a bit on the gore front. Newer episodes will unapologetically saddle you with as much blood and guts as they can get past the censors; opening up new mediums to spook and surprise you.
4- Tales From the Darkside & Tales from the Crypt
If you haven't heard of at least one of these show, you have been living under a rock. I have grouped them together because essentially, they have the same premise and allure. Both Tales series (unrelated) are horror anthology series inspired by the classic Twilight Zone series. Each episode centered around a new story, and usually ended unhappily. Episodes would sometimes incorporate black humor and heavy doses of irony, and individual plots would range from serious to hilarious. Occasionally, they were written or directed by authors, directors, and screenwriters who were famous in the genre.
These two shows are meant to scare you. They aren't designed as character pieces with extra fluff. Think of both Tales series as mini horror movies with a lower budget, but often of a substantially higher quality.
Tales from the Darkside is the senior of the two shows and was directed by horror legend George A Romano. While Crypt didn't have the same iconic force behind it, it originally aired on HBO, so it was able to get away with more extreme plot lines and graphics scenes.
5- Harper's Island
It's something that happened once and never again. A slasher tv series. Harper's Island was designed as a one season summer series with major plot elements that mirrored the Agatha Christie classic And Then There Were None. It tells the story of a group of people who travel to a remote island for a wedding. The group is slowly picked off and killed, and the killer is among them. What starts off as a bit of a juvenile mystery show with splashes of romance quickly devolves into a full on survival horror program. Harper's Island had it all. Gory kill scenes, tense hide-and-go-seek scenes with the killer, and a really great mystery to boot. As an added bonus, the series actually did have a lot of depth, and even in a series where anyone could die at any moment, the characters were nicely fleshed out and given life. Most slasher movies don't have enough time to make you care about who's getting picked off, but Harper's Island had 13 episodes. More than enough time to give you a sense of empathy for these people involved and really, really not want to see them put in life threatening situations.
The complete series of Harper's Island is available to watch instantly on Netflix.
Like all of NBC's Thursday night comedies, Community aired it's Halloween themed episode last night; an episode with a strong initial resemblance to The Simpson famous Treehouse of Horror series. The episode starts off with Britta approaching Jeff about the results of the personality tests that she had the group take in credits of 3x3. The results appear to suggest that one member of the group of psychologically disturbed. Rather than confront her friends, Britta decides that the best course of action is to tell a series of scary stories and gauge the group's reaction to them. Each character takes a turn telling their story, of which they are all a part of. Each story is not just a reflection of what entertains and scares them respectively, but is a reflection of their own personalities and ideals.
Informally, no reaction to "Horror Fiction" could be complete without gratuitous keyboard mashing and gross, uncontrollable sobbing. The episode takes all of the strongest elements of what makes Community a great series and balls them all into one crazy episode; complete with murder, mayhem, and Twilight fan service. It is easily one of the strongest episodes of the series to date; holding it's own even after following the incredible "Remedial Chaos Theory".
Britta is the first to tell her story, which bares a striking resemblance to her personality; awkward, sloppy, and full of self praise. This fragmented tale features her and Jeff as a couple, with Jeff as an oversexed "bro" type, and her as a logical young woman. In between their makeout session, the radio announcer makes a fragmented announcement that a hook man is on the loose. Britta senses danger, but Jeff is skeptical and leaves the car; at which point the two are attacked and Jeff dies as Britta proclaims that she was right all along. Surprise surprise.
Britta's story was hilarious to us, but also 99% poor execution, so of course, it didn't go too well with the group. Abed in particular was offended by the abuse of horror tropes, and insisted that the characters would be more likable if they were more savvy.
Abed's new and improved version of this tale follows both himself and an Abed-ified Britta girlfriend, who has a thing for elevator music and logical men. This is amusing because in canon, Abed and Britta rarely interact and often clash..making her an odd choice as his romantic partner in this story. The two also share a sexy kiss, finally bringing the mouth to mouth between 5 of the 7 group members full circle. This time, once the radio chimes in , both characters are diligent about taking proper precaution to ensure that they survive; including calling the cops immediately and standing back to back silently with kitchen knives. There is something beyond the hilarity that gives value to Abed's story. It's really a good and clear glimpse into how he sees the world and the way people communicate. Abed's version of Britta's character was clinical, direct, and probably slightly autistic. Watching him court her will probably give you flashbacks to the season 2 finale and how he behaved with Annie.
It soon becomes apparent that Abed is more focused on keeping his characters well rounded than actually making his story scary. That is where Annie comes in, with her very mixed genre tale that is nothing short of Annie-like. Let me explain.
Jeff is a vampire and Annie is a beautiful and innocent girl that he is instantly drawn to, giving him the desire to attempt to abstain from human blood. His cravings are physically manifested via Britta; who is more or less a disposable blood whore that he keeps in his house that he uses whenever he is hungry.Yes, this is all actually happening. If any of the stories are ripe with in world symbolism, this one is the mother load, and really gives you a good look at just how Annie views the love triangle that she is in; where she views herself as Jeff's savior, and Britta as a liability to Jeff's evolution. But could it be that she is starting to doubt she will ever find happiness with him?
In a very 1700's style mixture of Twilight and Beauty and the Beast, Annie's character seems to be pulling vampire Jeff into a positive place, teaching him how to read and love. This might also be a perfect time to say that Joel McHale hasn't ever made me laugh so hard as Jeff. Playing the dopey vampire actually suits him and his brand of verbal humor very well.
Anyway, When Jeff can no longer control his cravings, he makes a move for Annie, who (as it turns out) has actually been a werewolf the entire time. We are faded out of Annie's story, but that doesn't stop her from letting the group know just what a mangled mess she makes of the vampire that scorned her in highly graphic detail. That, she says, is the "twist"...and what a twist it was. Perhaps a warning for a certain playboy.
Next up, is Troy, giving us the weirdest bromantic story of the night featuring him, Abed, and Pierce. Troy and Abed are fighter pilots in this story, who are wounded and happen upon a cabin owned by an evil scientist. Scientist Pierce knocks the two boys out and sews them together, somehow giving them telepathy. As an act of revenge, the boys force Pierce on the table and steal his perfect sandwich using their psychic powers. When Pierce awakens, his butt is sewn on his chest, and his feet and hards are switched so he won't be able to fondle his new butt breasts. It is exactly the story that you would expect Troy to tell, and yet somehow it still takes you completely by surprise in terms of being completely bizarre.
Pierce of course, isn't terribly happy with his portrayal, and takes his turn to concoct a revenge story, with Pierce as a ladies man that is keeping Shirley, Britta, and Annie as a harem. He is a fancy and rich man, sipping fine wine and sporting a full head of hair. His relaxing night is ruined when two racist gangster versions of Troy and Abed show up looking to rob him. Pierce foils the robbers with ease and begins to congratulate himself, but the group is less than thrilled. Going along perfectly with who pierce is as a person, his story ended up being completely irrelevant, and 100% focused on one upping and punishing the people in the group that he feels has wronged him. How in the world did Troy manage to live with him for a year?
Finally, Shirley tells her story. Disappointed by the violence portrayed in the other tales, Shirley promises something different, and follows through with her promise to an extent. Her story opens with the group partying. Britta is eating a container of weed while everyone rocks out to death metal and falsely executes alternative phrases Their party is interrupted by an NPR broadcast that lets them know that the end of days is upon them, and all of the true Christians have been raptured while they are left to suffer at Satan's hand. Satan (The Dean) bursts in to bring them details about their fate, only to be wiped away by an angelic Shirley, who comes back one more time to tell the group "I told you so". She then spirits to heaven and leaves her friends to suffer the wrath of the underworld for the rest of eternity. The irony seems lost to Shirley
Having sat through 5 deeply disturbing stories, Britta has basically given up on the indirect approach and tells everyone the truth about what she is trying to uncover. The group collectively panics until they realize that Britta had entered their tests upside down, giving the wrong rests to everyone. Once the tests are screened again, the group finds out that all but one of them is certifiably insane, and decides not to pursue who that person is to maintain their follie a deux. Once they have all left the room, the names on the tests are revealed, showing that Abed was the only sane one among them.
The best part about this episode was the fact that the writers managed to weave a collection of very funny plot lines into an honest to god character study; giving us a little nugget of insight into the hearts and minds of the study group. I'd say it's up to question whether we are being given spoilers that we are unaware of, and if we will see the thoughts and feelings of these stories used in future episodes. Community tends to do a good job laying inconspicuous continuity easter eggs, so whether or not we will see "Horror Fiction" peppered into future episodes is still up for debate. One thing is abundantly clear for now; Community does kick ass holiday episodes, and this is no exception.
According to a recent tweet by Aisha Tyler the future of XIII: The Series is still undecided 
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new romantic tug-of-war is brewing on Glee that threatens to reawaken a bitter rivalry between two of McKinley High’s most formidable divas.
Which divas you ask?
Hint No. 1: It’s not Rachel and Quinn. Hint No. 2: It is… Beiste and Sue!
And the man in the middle of love kerfuffle? Why, it’s none other than the new football recruiter played by Eric Bruskotter.
Although Bruskotter’s character, Johnny, was brought in to cast a spell over Dot-Marie Jones’ lovelorn Bieste, sources now confirm exclusively to TVLine that the 24 actor will also have ties to Jane Lynch’s Sue.
“In Episode 7, we find out that Bieste’s new man is Sue’s booty call,” reveals the insider. “The two ladies end up fighting for him. Not sure yet who wins… ”
Source: TVLine
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This week in TV on DVD, check out:
- Luther: Series 2 (BBC)
- The Rise and Fall of Margaret Thatcher (BBC)
- Robotech: The Complete Series (A&E)
If bringing in stars of cheesy but brilliant 70’s and 80’s shows is what gets Grey’s Anatomy back to it’s very best then I say bring it! David McCallum (Sapphire and Steel) seems to be doing it for NCIS, now in Poker Face, 806, we have Lee Major (Six Million Dollar man) and Marilu Henner (Taxi), following up Debbie Allen’s (Fame) inspired performance as feisty guest stars to lend some gravitas to the patients.
Put your hand up if you like this Meredith? My hand is raised (hmm, can you tell I’m spending too much time with kids lately!). There were so many lovely things about her story arc this week. Firstly she’s fixing things. Last week she began by realising the best thing she can do to get her baby back is to play the game. And she continues in Poker Face by playing along with Derek, acting her part, being deceptive but in such a contrary, more wholesome way to her clinical trial trick. We know that she may have been blinkered when it came to anticipating her husband’s reaction to her tampering with the trial but we can be reassured that she knows her husband well. He needs to be inspired. And the best thing about this is that she’s manipulating the situation for him, with, seemingly, no hidden agenda for herself (well...ok...marital harmony might have something to do with it). We also get some Lexie. And, as a bonus, we get Lexie sans Jackson (oh, thanks be!). I love the sister dynamic between these two. It’s developed off screen too much, as many of the good stories are, but when it comes on screen its great TV. Continuing with her poker face Meredith also found herself being pulled in by her pink scrubs to the mouse trial, allowing screen interaction with Richard, April and Bailey. Being the ‘fixer’ she finds herself in yet another compromising situation where she’s being a great doctor, at the wrong time in the wrong place, which of course, upsets Bailey. *Sighs* A lot upsets Bailey these days. Has she even smiled during S8 yet?
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| "Bailey, why are you so angry these days? Go get Ben and make some whoopee!" |
Meredith is at her best when faced with adversity and far from being ‘the mighty fallen’ she rises to the challenge, dressed in gag inducing pink vagina squad scrubs, the performance carried off beautifully by Ellen Pompeo.
Cristina and Owen are doing ‘it’ everywhere. Whilst I get the relevance of this – using sex to avoid The Talk – I so don’t want to see it. Simply because I always get the feeling that Owen/KMK is going straight for the tonsils the first go. Poor Sandra Oh never stands a chance in these scenes.
We know that Cristina and Owen are headed to a dark place, so for those that like it, enjoy the making whoopee whilst it lasts. When she’s not getting it on however Cristina could be found co-piloting with badass Callie (more on her in a minute). And she’s completely lost her nerve. She’s paranoid about the bad outcome leader board. She’s at the top, or is it the bottom, whatever, she has no bad outcomes at the moment and means to keep it that way. I’m guessing that this is the start of a tense time for Cristina in surgery and I welcome it. I’ve been waiting for the fall out of the Teddy/Cristina drama from S7 to begin and I suspect that her bailing on this surgery was a sign of testing times in the OR to come. Whilst I love Cristina (she shares top spot on my ‘favourites’ list), I am one who thinks she needs to humbled a bit before she can really shine, and I mean that a in tough love kind of way. But it was so great to see Callie and Cristina sharing scenes. I’ve really missed this unique and unusual friendship. Like the Derek/Mark alliance this is a relationship that is completely under-used on the show.
It seems risk aversion was a disease scouring the halls of SGMW this week as Alex fell victim to it by failing to agree to a request from the bionic man. Seriously Karev – the guy is half machine, he’s indestructible. He’s the six million dollar man (or probably a lot more millions in todays money). Of course he’s going to survive this surgery! Once again Alex is pushed down, and forced into his mean-ass ways. If there is one character on this show that Shonda and her writing team have failed to progress it is Alex. And this is my biggest criticism of Poker Face. There are interesting parallels here with 708 Something’s Gotta Give – Alex is having a really crappy day and takes it out on April. Although on the one hand showing us that a year later he’s still a douche bag, on the other I maintain my view that the intention is to get Alex and April together, in some kind of ‘Love Hate’ way.
The parallels with 708 actually seep through the entire 806 episode and I had to check that the writers were not the same (William Harper/708 v Peter Nowalk 806). In 708 Richard keeps Bailey, who’s having a pancreatic crisis, out of the VIP wing, in Poker face Bailey keeps Richard out of the mouse lab. Derek is annoyed with Lexie, who’s on his service, in both episodes. And Callie and Cristina bond, in 708 over broken hearts and PTSD (with some of my absolute favourite scenes of S7 – the hair cut/let’s make lemonade scenes) and in 806 over badass surgery. This kind of parallel writing happens more than we realise but it was very noticeable here.
So what of badass Callie? I am one of those fans who is keen to forget Season 7 Callie. From very early on, way before the break-up, I found her to be irritating and selfish. If you want an example – and I can reel off many, so be careful with your challenge then just go to 704, Can’t Fight Biology. What girl (straight or gay) ever condones boys staring at girls’ boobs, never mind when it’s a grown man, supposed best friend and the girl in question is your lover? Seriously bad writing and poor characterisation of Callie. Anyway, getting back to season 8. I am relieved that the Season 6 Callie seems to be back: charismatic, stunning, sensitive and a badass surgeon in the OR.
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| "Cristina, as long as you're getting more sex than me, you will not be working in my OR. Out!" |
I’ve read in many places Shonda telling us that she never pays attention to fan feed back, that she doesn’t write differently as a result of what the fans want or ask for. I completely understand why she says this, I respect her for saying it, because to say otherwise would really cause fan-eruption, but frankly I don’t believe it. Season 8 so far for Callie, Arizona and Mark has been a tick box exercise in addressing fan concerns during hiatus: The happy family scene in episode 801, wedding rings, necklaces and most especially Arizona holding Sofia; the piece of paper in 805; and now the ‘get the hell out of our marriage Mark’ in 806. The cynic in me might say (ok, I realise I am actually saying it) that Callie’s perspective remains a selfish one, this could have been a great moment for her to realise just what Arizona has been feeling all along, but I am willing to over look that because (the cynic continues) I know that some things will not get addressed with a big storyline this season and this is one of them. I am content that the writers have found a route to explicitly remove Mark from this couple’s romantic relationship, rather than deal with it off screen as they do so many other issues. That is was done with humour and not as a serious story arc is disappointing but certainly not fatal. And when it comes to love scenes I will take Callie and Arizona’s chasteness (often commented on in the forums),
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| Sweet. Much anticipated and needed Arizona and Callie time. |
...and for that matter Meredith and Derek’s fully clothed bed rolling (as remarked by Shonda this week)
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| Meredith and Derek do not look like they're still fighting to me! |
...over Owen’s tonsillectomy on Cristina anytime.
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| "Scalpel ready! I'm going in!" (is it me, or does Sandra Oh look a bit scared?) |
In other news during this episode, we witnessed the blossoming of April into Chief Resident. For those hoping that April will fail and be succeeded by Meredith, it seems this is unlikely to happen as week by week they give April more gravitas in the role.
Another great show this week as the Grey’s team once again delivered the all round goods to us, showing us consistency of quality. Season 8 is turning out to be pretty darn good.
But next week can we please have Dirk Benedict (Battlestar Galactica and The A-Team) and Tom Selleck (Magnum, P.I.)...yeah yeah I know he’s starring in some cop show now but still...small sizzling guest appearance...I do miss that ‘tash. *Sighs*
The Highlights this week...
Meredith and the mice... “Dr Bailey, READ MY RESEARCH!.....Hey, that kinda works”. Meredith the Doctor never disappoints.
Meredith and Lexie: “Are you gonna remember all this or do I need to write it down?....I need to write it down”
Cristina, protecting Meredith from Alex’s snarky comments and then at the same time “you are embarrassing me...yep, you know what, you’re making me gag....wearing the vagina squad scrubs in public it’s...uhhh...we have standards Meredith!”
Badass Callie in the OR - the whole of it
And yes, a highlight for me was Callie finally telling Mark to butt out. Hopefully no more Calsloana, it’s back to Calzona. (yeah, that play-on-words was really terrible ;-)
Written by Brouhaha aka @pipmaxine
Here is Sean Furfaro's recap of Survivor South Pacific, Episode 7.
My Random Thoughts:
- I missed the “Previously on Survivor” segment since my PVR wasn’t working at the beginning of the episode, but that may be a good thing since I’m sick of the constant reminders of what you need to remember for this episode. Maybe I’ll skip it every week.
- Night Vision Recap: Brandon is unpredictable, and Coach thinks there may come a time to “put a bullet in his head.” Pretty harsh considering last week’s episode ended with The Dragon Slayer telling his Apprentice, “I love you, man.”
- I love that we had the Redemption (Non) Island Duel right off the top with no buildup whatsoever. Let’s get this shit out of the way. Angry C and Mikayla had to take apart a crate, build a bridge, and then do a puzzle, all with the pieces from the crate. Jeff told us “this is a ‘do or die’ duel”, which despite the awesome alliteration, is kind of redundant, since aren’t ALL of them ‘do or die’?
Mikaya appeared to have the solution, but it wasn’t right, and Angry C was able to get it together and solve the puzzle first to unbelievably win her fifth Duel in a row. Did you notice that neither Angry C nor Mikayla said a word until the challenge was over? No Probst pre-chat or anything, like it was a rushed way to just get it out of the way and get on with the rest of the episode. Mikayla deserved better than that. Raw deal.
After the Duel, Ozzy said that he was worried because if Angry C gets back into the game, she might “go to the other side.” You mean the side that voted her out? The side that she gripes about at every Duel? The side she gives the finger to when someone tries to cheer her on? That’s who you’re concerned about her aligning with at a potential merge?
And now you want to consider having someone go to Redemption (Non) Island on purpose to try and defeat her? This is the stupidest idea I’ve seen on this show since J.T. handed Russell an Immunity Idol after a challenge.
- Ozzy’s “worst case scenario plan” involved handing his Idol off to someone and volunteering himself to go to Redemption. Correction on what I just wrote: THIS is now the stupidest thing I’ve seen on the show. “It might be one of those big moves that I have to make”, Ozzy told us…because “sometimes you just gotta, like, sack up, and go for it.”
- I was thrilled to see the return of Dragon Slayer Tai Chi in the water, if only to hear Coach say “I am not worthy” 37 times in a row, which only makes me think of this. And the return of the Eagle’s Cry at the end…classic.
- Upolu prayed for the search, and then prayed for victory in the next challenge. This is the part where I once again remind everyone that GOD DOESN’T CARE WHAT HAPPENS ON SURVIVOR!!!!
Sophie doesn’t put a lot of weight into Coach’s fake prayer since he already has the Idol, and she correctly commented on the insincerity of it all. I now officially love Sophie for saying that.
After the Idol was ultimately revealed to (people like) Brandon, Edna, and Rick, Brandon said it was thanks to the prayer they offered. How foolish do you think he feels at home watching this? And will he be upset at Coach at the Live Reunion show?
- The Reward was a trip to the “Survivor Cinema”, where teams would be able to get themselves incredibly sick on candy, and watch the new Adam Sandler movie, Jack and Jill. Reality TV hasn’t been this un-realistic since Gervase got a single piece of pizza flown in by helicopter in Season 1.
- For the challenge itself, it was a variation on the caller leading blindfolded teammates to get bags to solve a puzzle. These challenges are always good for some injuries, and this one was no exception.
Ozzy was angry and went Kung Fu Panda on the wall, Brandon threw the finger skyward once again for thanks, and God responded by saying “You get to see Sandler first, my son!”
- The Survivor Cinema was product placement right out of the Big Brother textbook. You and your staged reactions get no more time in my recap.
- At Savaii, Ozzy blames Cochran, and the group decides to send Woody Aiken to Redemption (Non) Island after a period of constant verbal abuse. Cochran was confused by the turnaround from Ozzy, saying “instead of the Trojan Horse, they’re sending the Court Jester.”
The rest of the tribe was reluctant, because this is A RIDICULOUS IDEA! They have no idea when then merge is coming, and as Keith and Jim aggressively (and correctly) pointed out, if they have to compete in another challenge, they now have a significantly weaker Tribe.
He then talked about creating a story where Cochran is the bad guy, and can serve as a double agent after a merge since Upolu would think he is on the outs with Savaii. That’s actually pretty smart, if it wasn’t a part of the DUMBEST IDEA IN SURVIVOR HISTORY!
- Even if there is a merge, and IF Ozzy wins, I still think this is foolish. Jeff flat out asked him about it in this awesome exchange:
Jeff: If you don’t win the duel tomorrow, you go out a bigger fool than you did the last time.
Ozzy: Yeah.
Honestly, how else could you answer other than a resigned “yeah”?
- Just before voting, Ozzy seemed to change his mind, which fooled me for a moment, and had me believing that perhaps he had come to his senses and not followed through on what may be the DUMBEST MOVE IN SURVIVOR HISTORY…but he was just kidding.
- In the end, Ozzy handed off the Idol to Cochran (with a promise to give it back), and headed off to Redemption (Non) Island for his upcoming Duel with Angry C.
Next week: Will Ozzy’s Gamble Pay Off?
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Hey, everyone! On Friday, I'll be doing a Q&A with American Horror Story stars Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton! If you've got any questions for them, post them in the comments no later than 12pm EST on Friday, and I'll try and get them asked.
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The fifth season of True Blood promises to be a hairy one — the show is hunting for actors to play werewolves galore, including one who sounds suspiciously like he could be Alcide’s father!
The lycanthrope in question, J.D., is said to be a hard-bodied fiftysomething who isn’t likely to share a water bowl with the new pack leader anytime soon. And since 1) that sounds a lot like Alcide to begin with, 2) his pop features prominently in Charlaine Harris’ fifth Sookie novel, and 3) our resident werehunk was last seen being growled at by an unidentified wolf… well, you can do the math!
My picks to play the part? Maybe Andy Garcia? Mitch Pileggi, who just took another recurring role in the Dallas reboot… or what about Mr. Intensity himself, Vincent D’Onofrio?
We’ll also be meeting: former pack leader Marcus’ mother, Annie; a hot young she-wolf named Rikki who’s determined to sniff out the deceased’s fate; a couple of beta dogs charged with interrogating someone (my guess? Sam); Holly’s teenage sons, Rocky and Wade; a corrupt judge (aren’t they all?); a humorless vamp named Cat (to… balance out the canine/feline ratio?); and a couple of sexy spoilers for Jason and Jessica’s romance.
Add all that to what we already knew — that Salome (yes, the Salome) will feature prominently in the season, and so will Eric’s vamp sis, Nora — and it’s obvious that we’re in for another jam-packed season.
Source: TVLine
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Back in the days, I bought a TV with my very first paycheque. OK. It was a Pocketvision. You carry it around like a transistor radio. Before the death of analog, it used to mean I could always catch stuff on it, whenever cable went out, like during the blackout of 2003 or we were down to one TV. Aside from being a cool gadget, it had great sound and picture quality for 3 inches of screen. Today, it may be obsolete, but I still catch American shows on Canadian networks. Less conflicts that way. With the economy the way it is, I find it hard to give up full cable. But times were so much easier when there were less channels. There are so many shows now. I couldn't tell you what came and went anymore.
In the past decade, I came across some interesting short-lived series. Let's see if anyone can remember these without looking them up?
- In the near future, a law firm handles difficult cases that reflect the time.
- Three New York couples find their lives becoming intertwined with one another, while living in the same apartment building.
- A cursed revolver brings violence to a variety of owners in the American west.
Coolest stunt scene ever.
I am not really running out of shows to comment on. There are still new fall shows I haven't seen yet. It is a good time to give them a look see. A handful of repeats are coming this way.
Last Week in TV: My Top 3 Caps #1
Last Week in TV: My Top 3 Caps #2
WHEN HORATIO FINDS ANOTHER CORPSE WITH MISSING EYES, EVERYTHING POINTS TO HIS NEMESIS, “THE TAUNTER” – EXCEPT HE HAS AN AIRTIGHT ALIBI, ON "CSI: MIAMI," SUNDAY, NOV. 13
Carlos Bernard (“24”) Returns As Diego Navarro, Father of Serial Killer Suspect Esteban Navarro
CHEAT TWEET: Horatio thinks he’s got “The Taunter” dead to rights… or does he? 11/13 10pm ET/PT #CSIMiami http://bit.ly/s4NpAl
“Dead Ringer” — When Horatio finds another corpse with missing eyes, everything points to his nemesis, “The Taunter” – except he has an airtight alibi, on CSI: MIAMI, Sunday, Nov. 13 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
SERIES REGULARS:
David Caruso (Horatio Caine)
Emily Procter (Calleigh Duquesne)
Adam Rodriguez (Eric Delko)
Jonathan Togo (Ryan Wolfe)
Rex Linn (Det. Frank Tripp)
Eva La Rue (Natalia Boa Vista)
Omar Miller (Walter Simmons)
RECURRING CAST:
Christian Clemenson (Tom Loman)
Ed Begley Jr. (Scott O’Shay)
Carlos Bernard (Diego Navarro)
Kuno Becker (Esteban Navarro)
GUEST CAST:
Taylor Cole (Samantha Owens)
Olivia Taylor Dudley (Elizabeth Clark)
Graham Shiels (Michael Galliver)
Dwayne Adway (Terrence Madsen)
Greg Cipes (Phil Pinkerton)
Tess Lina (Nancy Tillman)
Philip Moon (Don Tillman)
Natacha Itzel (Hilda Lopez)
Dana Ward (Female Reporter)
Danielle Bisutti (Gabrielle Wade)
WRITTEN BY: Tamara Jaron
DIRECTED BY: Sam Hill
Source: CSB
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Your TV Highlights - Tell us your TV highlight and appear on STV
Hey all, during some of the podcasts I have mentioned a possible new feature called "Your TV Highlights". We wanted to give you guys the opportunity to get your thoughts and reviews of your favourite shows onto Spoiler TV.
Each week we will ask you to record a short 30-60 second video talking about an episode of TV that week and tell us what you enjoyed, thought or even hated and upload it to YouTube. We will pick some of the best ones and they will appear on the STV Podcast and on the site.
In each video you will need to:
- State your name
- Name the show and episode number
- Tell us about the episode in no more than 60 seconds
- Upload it to Youtube
Once you have recorded your video you can email me the link at cjsonic@spoilertv.com or add the link via twitter by sending it to @CJSONIC
The first entries we would like would be TV from Sunday 24th October to Saturday 29th October. All submissions must be sent to me by Tuesday 1st November 3pm GMT.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing your videos.
Last nights Hart of Dixie was appropriately named 'Faith and Infidelity', or was it? The title of the episode, as the viewer finds out, is incredible miss leading. They got the Faith right, Zoe wakes up annoyed at the swarm of flies in her house that kept her up all night. As she trudges through Bluebell, in god knows what, she discovers that the whole town seems to be deserted, it's Sunday and everyone is in church. Also does anyone else notice that Bluebell looks an awful like Star's Hallow? Anybody? Nobody? Well that Gazebo brings me all kinds of warm and fuzzy.
After an awkward moment of disrupting the service, she leaves embarrassed. Brick, we find out is out of town for the week, leaving the practice all to Zoe. Unfortunately no one really cares. She does get one patient a drunk man that Wade runs over with his boat trailer, turns out the man is his father, and the town drunk. Here's hoping to the furthering of that story.
Her other patient is the minister and his wife, turns out the minister has syphilis. Zoe's first instinct is that the minister cheated, but she is repeatedly told by her assistant (have we met before?), and Levon Hayes that there is no way either of them cheated because they are 'the real deal' in couple-dome.
Unfortunately Zoe doesn't by it, 99% of people cheat, the other 1% is a sliver of hope that cynicism becomes hope. This is where Zoe's problem as a doctor lies, she is unwilling to believe in anything other then the science, which isn't a bad thing, but not everybody lies, sorry House. And in this instant it was true, the syphilis was contracted from a young girl who got it from her cheating Marine boyfriend, and then transmitted when she gave the ministers wife a belly button ring, and then so on.
Admittedly it was an interesting turn for the show to take, instead of the expected and scandalous root that a minister would have an affair.
This week on Lemon's 101 Ways to take over Bluebell, she is instant on getting an old, barely standing bridge, destroyed by Hurricane Katrina re-built with the Mayors budget. And before you think what a wonderful idea, she is only doing it to get into some Bluebell Red Lipstick Wearing club, honestly I am unimpressed by her character, I find her incredible boring.
There was not much progress made with either Levon and Lemon or Zoe and Wade, but just enough to keep you interested.
As it turns out, if you're not following creator Josh Schwartz on Twitter, this weeks episode was out of sequence, which is why we were re introduced to Zoe's nurse at the practice. Studio's, when pitching a new show, like to show the 'strongest' episodes first, in hopes of keeping the audience interested. This is something to think about when watching the next episodes.
Question: Does knowing that certain episodes were selected to air before others change the way you watch the show? Does it effect the essence of the show? Let me know.
Also follow me on Twitter @Natgee10
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