TV Report Catch Up: Tuesday and Wednesday

Sitcoms and twisty drama about super rich people. That's what Tuesdays and Wednesdays are all about or at least that's what I discovered when writing up my thoughts on the shows I watch on those days. Without further a due, as I reach closer and closer to catching up...


Cougar Town - Suffice it to say, I'm so very happy to have this cul-de-sac crew back and as silly as ever. But one of my favorite things about this show is how they've learned to balance the heart with the wackiness. Jules reacting to Travis' accident, Andy expressing his need to be king of the cul-de-sac, and Bobby's need for companionship were all handled deftly and sincerely. Of course we get an episode full of Scrubs shout outs including numerous former cast members of that show, dominance ball, Tom Cruise running gag, and way too many more to list.

New Girl - This show has gotten much better since those early days. The cast just seem to be gelling much better now and thus becoming more of an ensemble rather than the Zooey Deschanel show. Schmidt in particular, who I had mixed feelings with early on, is becoming my favorite especially with the latest episode doing a good job highlighting his various neuroses while still making his friendships with the others believable. They do need to do more with Winston.

Ringer - It's not a good sign that I don't really have much to say. Don't get me wrong, a lot has actually happened on this show. The blackmail storyline came to a head, Tyler was killed, and a whole bunch of people are actually learning some secrets. I'm just not rooting for anyone. Siobhan and Andrew are shady, Bridgette and Henry are clueless, and the rest are meh.


Suburgatory - I still like George and Tessa, but this show is increasingly becoming the Dalia and Dallas show for me. As mother-daughter they don't even have that many scenes together, but any scene they're in is usually a highlight. The rest of the show is just as solid.

Modern Family - Two episodes, two reactions. The Leap Day episode was not good. It was Cam at his paranoid worst not to mention that doing an episode that revolves around's women's cycles is very tricky to pull off and I don't think this show did that. The last new episode was MUCH better exploring Cam's clown past, Phil duking it out with Ellen Barkin, and Manny "winning" for once. Also I think Luke Dunphy is my favorite character.

Happy Endings - This show is on fire. Dave appears in everyone's sex dream, Jane and Alex mindfucks Dave and Brad, and Penny's 31st birthday is a hot mess. The latter was probably the show's best episode making me immediately call it "practically perfect" on twitter after I saw it. Like many sitcoms, there's just way too m any gags per episode for me to mention all of my favorites, but it definitely has a higher gag per second ratio than most. I hope they keep this up!

Revenge - Only one episode aired since I last posted and the next new one won't even air until mid-April! With that said, it was the episode after the big episode that revisited the pilot which meant it felt like a regrouping of sorts. We got to see what actually happened on the beach and who shot Tyler (Daniel but Takeda delivered the fatal shots). Emily, Nolan, and Victoria are fan favorites and they continue to be but I give props to this show for making a few meh characters stand out in this episode. For example, Ashley's maneuvering to become the Grayson's spokesperson, Daniel's maybe/maybe not memory loss regarding Tylers' confession, Charlotte's yearning to learn about her past, and Declan finally thinking about someone other than himself (i.e. his brother who was at the beach). Good stuff.

TV Report: Week of 2/19

Happy Oscar Day everyone! But before we all get caught up on who's wearing who and which silent French films are winning what, just a few thoughts on some of the TV I saw this past week.

For the Love of New York City

Both The Good Wife and Smash are shot in New York City though the first show uses NYC as a stand-in for Chicago. In any case, both clearly love to take advantage of this. With Smash it's all about featuring locale haunts such as Cloister Cafe or just walking near Broadway's famed Shubert Alley. With The Good Wife, it's the casting. Just this week alone the guest stars included Jonathan Groff, John Benjamin Hickey, Rita Wilson, Parker Posey, Edward Hermann, Denis O'Hare, Teal Wicks, and Amy Sedaris. Whew! You'd think all of those guest stars would suffocate an episode, but not The Good Wife where the bulk of the story dealt with Will's last case before his forced six-month suspension. I'm intrigued what this means for Will now.

As for Smash, it had its weakest episode yet perhaps due to unremarkable songs (though I think I liked the original "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" duet in the end) or perhaps due to some tired plot developments. The episode started well enough with Jaffrey and Davenport having a bit of macho Brit-off and Huston throwing drinks at her ex-husband's face never got tired, but then we got into Iowa and I fell asleep only to be awakened by Kat McPhee doing cringe-worthy country. More sleepy developments... Julia of course had a thing with the new DiMaggio (who is dreamy I give her that) and Ellis is channeling his inner All About Eve. Which brings me back to The Good Wife. Is Caitlin also up to no good? Team Ivy! Team Alicia!

A Very, Very, Very, Special Episode of Glee

Teen suicide. Check. Teen marriage. Check. Texting and driving. Check. Since Regionals was apparently not big enough to devote an entire episode to, Glee's writers decided to just throw the kitchen sink of PSAs into this episode. Spoiler Alert: It didn't turn out well. I have nothing but praise for Max Adler's heartbreaking portrayal of a depressed teen forced into committing suicide, but Glee's inconsistency (see their handling of Santana's coming out for example) and inappropriate reactions (Kurt's reaction toward Quinn) made it all frustrating. The Rachel/Finn marriage is something I never cared about and that ridiculous cliffhanger with Quinn getting hit by a truck was sensationalistic at its worst. Most of the songs were damn forgettable with the exception of the Troubletones fantastic rendition of Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger." Oh and Sue's pregnant. Sigh.

Sitcom Lightning Round...

Most of the sitcoms this week ranged from good to great with my least favorite episode coming from a show that's almost always my favorite. How I Met Your Mother handled the Robin/Ted (and Barney) thing quite nicely, though I was worried that Marshall and Lily were cast in a bit of a negative light here with their long-term bets. Cougar Town was pretty great if only for the sad zipline and staged murders, but I just continue to love the relationship between every character. New Girl, which is now a much better show than it was early in the season, delivers another good one with Jess becoming tougher (as a teacher) and Schmidt/Cece blooming slowly (while Nick/Julia wilts).

Suburgatory showcased two of my favorite supporting players this TV season, Allie Grant and Carly Chaikin, with the latter making me LOL at her detailed plan for revenge against Tessa. Modern Family was a bit mixed since the Cam and Mitch/Jay stuff didn't really work for me, but everything else was great especially Manny and Luke "driving" and the whole doll/virgin metaphor. Not the best episode of Happy Endings even though Elisha Cuthbert continues to surprise me at how funny she is and Max's bear stunt was inexplicably hilarious to me. 30 Rock had a great concept (Leap Year Holiday) and some fantastic acting throughout and yet something still didn't click for me. Parks and Rec probably had it's weakest episode in years as the Tom/Ann relationship is pretty dull, Jerry's party kind of blew, and Leslie realizing she needs to take a break was a bit shrug-worthy.

Fringe Giveth and Taketh Away

This was a huge episode for Fringe (which to be honest is in the brink of cancellation based on its ratings). Not only did we get A LOT of information regarding the Observers, but because things seem to be reaching a climax in terms of realizing the absolute tragedy that Peter's erasure and comeback to the timeline has done. All of them are dealing with their lives being rewritten, erased, etc. and that is wreaking havoc on all of them emotionally. Joshua Jackson again is doing his best work on the show right now and his final scene with Anna Torv was one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the series. Torv for her part was fantastic here as well as in all of her scenes with alternate!Nina. Of course we still don't know Jones' endgame and EXACTLY what is going on re: Peter and the "normal" timeline, but I still got chills during the scene with Peter and September in that room. Poor Henry. Poor Peter. Poor Olivia. Poor us!

Miscellaneous Thoughts

Really great capper for the two-part episode of Castle since I kept being shocked at all of the twists and turns it took... Anyone else starting to think Prince Charming in Once Upon A Time is kind of a goober for being so damn cowardly... It was fantastic seeing Misha Collins in Ringer in an episode where we finally find out what drove the sisters apart... The Amazing Race had its season premiere, but I didn't have much to say other than being happy it's back... And finally congratulations to The Simpsons for a solid episode last week which also happened to be their milestone 500th episode.

TV Report Catching Up

Internet troubles and other reasons conspired in me skipping my usual TV Report last week which means I now have 14 days of TV to try and talk about. And knowing my TV habits, that's a lot aka 30+ TV episodes. So in a effort to just catch up, just a few quick thoughts in alphabetical order:

2 Broke Girls - I'm still not sure what I think about Jennifer Coolidge's Sophie added into the ensemble, but any character not diner-related is potentially great. Last recent episode with Earl going to the hospital was good to show Max's softer side.


30 Rock - Jane Krakowski is dependably best in show, but Tina Fey has been stepping up her game. Her old lady Joker in the latest episode (to complement Jack's Dark Knight) was inspired. The one-hour episode the week before though dragged. Would've made a better half hour installment methinks.

Big Bang Theory - There are seven main characters on this show. So why does only one, the newest addition, Amy brings the laughs? Oh sure Sheldon and others will get a joke here and there, but the writers are doing most of them a disservice with dull plots such as Bernadette and Howard's prenup or the lame contest between Sheldon and Kripke.

Castle - This show brought out the big guns. First having an episode enabling the characters dressed up in 40s outfit in a flashback then having the first part of their February sweeps thriller event that involves the CIA. Both were very strong episodes and I can't wait to see the second part.

Cougar Town - It's finally back and still called Cougar Town! And I loved it. From the cold open showing us these people are still the alcoholics we know and love to that heart-clutchingly beautiful proposal in the end, it was a great premiere. The latter scene was made even more effective by showing us momentarily Bobby's heartfelt and sincere mixed reaction to the proposal. Didn't even mention the other gags like Evil Stan, the green screen, and Jules predictability.

Fringe - The ratings are super depressing, even more so since these last two episodes have been this season's best (and right up there in terms of the whole series). It helped that we're finally getting closer and closer to the resolution of the Amberverse as Olivia's memories are starting to come back. I constantly praise Anna Torv, right so, but Joshua Jackson reacting to this has been a wonder these past couple of episodes. It also helped that the Cases of the Week were strong on their own.

Glee - The less said about the Ricky Martin episode the better (though Martin was completely fine and predictably charming and Naya Rivera killed in all of her scenes). I actually found myself liking the Valentine's Day episode. The Karofksy twist was pretty unexpected, Mercedes' glorious "I Will Always Loved You" hit all the right notes, and Rachel's dad were fabulous.

Happy Endings - Two words: James Wolk. I think other things, potentially gut-bustingly hilarious things, happened in these past couple of episodes, but really JAMES WOLK. His Valentine's Day kiss with Max then his subsequent shirtless scene the episode after... yes, please.

How I Met Your Mother - A bit of a mixed review for this show. The housewarming party episode was great in terms of concept, but the content was uninteresting. This week's episode was better in no small part to Cobie Smulders' heartbreaking performance YET AGAIN. The end with her and Ted is a curious development. Finally, I've been on the "drunk train" once. Completely accurate.

Modern Family - I actually think the past couple of episodes were above average with some really fun storylines. Cam and Gloria competing, Phil's obliviousness to Claire getting hit on, and the whole fuckery that was the Aunt Mommy deal. Good stuff.

New Girl - Can this show be hitting its stride? I think so since I've unironically liked more episodes lately than not. The Lanlord episode was HIGHlarious especially when Jess and Nick got this close to getting into a threesome with their landlord. The Valentine's Day episode was a bit of a hit-and-miss but Ryan Kwanten is pretty and we finally get the Schmidt-Cece pairing that was pretty inevitable.

Once Upon A Time - My friends have a problem with the show taking its methodical time actually progressing the plot, but I'm sort of okay with that as long as they keep telling interesting retelling of fairy tale stories which I thought they did with Beauty & the Beast. Emilie de Ravin and Robert Carlyle really made it all work.

Parks and Recreation - I thought they handled the most anticipated reunion of Leslie and Dave well especially coupled with Ben's uneasiness with cops. It gave both Louis C.K. and Adam Scott an opportunity to really go crazy in this episode playing off their feelings towards Leslie. Andy writing Leslie's campaign song was also good though mostly for Ron's Duke Silver reappearance. After this episode, I'm undecided about Tom/Ann.


Revenge - I could and SHOULD probably write a whole separate entry on this show, because since Daniel and Emily got engaged it's been nothing but an insane ride for everyone. We are introduced to the truly harsh Grandfather Grayson making Conrad/Victoria's divorce a bit trickier. Jack gets super frustrated and crashes a dinner party whereby Charlotte finds out about her real father. Tyler (!!!) comes back and makes Emily's life that much worst. We go back to the first scenes of the pilot and finally find out that... Tyler gets shot and Daniel may be the one to have done it. And I'm not even conveying all of the other twists and turns and the unspoken acting showcase Stowe and VanCamp engage in whenever they have a scene together. Love this show.

Ringer - Like Revenge, these past two weeks brought a lot of plot developments to a head mostly thanks to Siobhan finally being in New York and interacting with others. Her letting Henry find out about Bridgette was something the show probably needed to do sooner, but glad it's happened. I appreciate the twist on the whole Julia/teacher/rape thing, but I still think that storyline is too much.

Smash - Thankfully I managed to put my thoughts on the pilot down already so I don't have to do it. As far as the second episode goes, I'm still pretty much in like with the show. Megan Hilty is so great and so it's actually making it difficult to connect with Kat McPhee's character since I'm rooting for Ivy so much more. Like the pilot, the adoption story is shrugworthy for me even more so after those cringe-inducing scenes in this second episode. The singing/dancing performances were aces and I still find Jack Davenport (and Anjelica Huston) so much fun to watch.

Suburgatory - The latest episode "The Body" was okay, but not one of my favorites. It at least gave the Shay siblings interesting storylines which is welcome. I much preferred the week's prior episode dealing with sex. Tessa navigating her tricky relationship with Scott Strauss and George finally getting some were great, but really Cheryl Hines dancing to Kelly Clarkson's Stronger was my scene of the week.

Whew! Now on to a new week of television. The Good Wife returns! Season premiere of The Amazing Race! 500th episode of The Simpsons! Downton Abbey season finale Christmas special!

TV Report: Week of 1/29

February Sweeps started this past Thursday so for the next month of so, there will be a full schedule of new TV shows. There's also the Super Bowl taking place tonight in Indianapolis between the Giants and the Patriots. But let's first take a look back at the TV week that was and speaking of Indiana...


Pawnee Celebrates Valentine's Day

Another great Parks and Recreation episode this past week which opened with the celebration of Galentine's Day, the day before Valentine's Day. (Sidenote: All day today though I keep imagining how epic Leslie Knope's Super Bowl party would be especially this year with it happening in her home state). The rest of the episode was just as perfect with highlights containing Leslie trying to set Ann up, Ben going on an epic romantic scavenger hunt from Leslie (with the help of Andy and a delightfully giddy Ron), and a depressed heartbroken Chris. So basically... every plot line. The fandom saw glimpses of Ann/Tom way back so in this case the show seems to be trying to catch up and I'm actually excited by this pairing. Could be a case of SO WRONG being SO RIGHT. The Party Down reunion with Adam Scott and Martin Starr was also great.

New Girl Becomes More Friend-ly

Remember last season when Big Bang Theory had the master stroke of bringing in two girls in order to give Penny her own world away from the guys and thereby giving the show some renewed vigor? Well New Girl seems to be doing the same much earlier in its run as evident in this last new episode with Jess having to deal with Nick's new girlfriend Julia (played by Party Down alum Lizzy Caplan) as well as having extended scenes with best friend Cece and random new character Sadie. The latter is a lesbian and thus have fantastic scenes with Schmidt (who had lots of things to do this episode and bringing it each time). Julia is like the anti-Jess and the dynamics between the two, just by themselves or playing off of Nick, are just wonderful. The show still has no clue what to do Wilson though which is a total bummer.

Another Delicious Ham for The Good Wife

Let's hope these ham sandwich episodes become a yearly tradition in The Good Wife, because they're always so good. The main story had to do with Wendy Scott-Carr presenting her case against Will Gardner in front of a grand jury, which had plenty of drama in its own right, but the episode also had a great meeting of the minds with Eli and Stacie whose rivalry tickles me a bit. As for the grand jury deal, Wendy held her own, but Elsbetch and crew was too much for her. The latter's strategy to try and connect Peter to the investigation was genius and forced Wendy to go after Alicia's sexual relationship with Will. Julianna Marguilies was fantastic in this scene as she was with her scene with Peter earlier asking him to back off Will. Just the perfect amount of desperation and resolve. In other news, Dana slapped Kalinda making me go "OH NO SHE DIN'T!" Though I wonder if this means not-so-good things re: Alicia's forged signature.

Fringe Doubles on Awesome with Two Astrids

It's been a long time coming, but this week's Fringe episode finally gave the wonderfully fantastic Jasika Nicole somewhat of a substantial storyline with her alt-self traversing into our universe to meet herself after her father passed away. Seeing the two interact is just as delightful as seeing any of the other characters do the same, but the emotional undercurrent, especially with the relationship both of them had seemingly with their fathers, made this even more affecting. Not to mention the interesting juxtaposition of their relationship with Walter with our Astrid sometimes treating him like a child while alt-Astrid almost making him a substitute father. Big thumbs up for Nicole and I wished we got more of this even though it feels like a one-time thing. Lovely scenes with Anna Torv as well especially her scenes with Peter (as our Olivia) and with Walter (as alt-Olivia).

Other Miscellaneous TV Thoughts

I probably shouldn't have laughed when Blaine got injured, Quinn got accepted into Yale, and Rachel accepted Finn's proposal in Glee, but I did (though how fabulous was Naya Rivera singing Smooth Criminal?)... Haven't seen Gossip Girl in two years, but I did quickly check out its 100th episode to see if they would reveal the identity of the titular character and they did, though a bit anti-climatically... Speaking of shows I never blog about, Grey's Anatomy had one trippy alt-reality episode which was fun as an exercise, but a bit exasperating all the same... Once Upon A Time may not be flawless, but I do like how they constantly mix and match stories such as this week's genie of Agrabah becoming trapped inside the Evil Queen's mirror via his own wish... Loved Liz and Jack going at each other in 30 Rock with Liz getting training from an old training video made my Jack; it's Jack-off... And finally Ringer is back and there seems to be a new bitch in town and I'm not talking about Siobhan finally making her New York comeback. So with that, let's go NEW YORK GIANTS!

End-Of-Year: Favorite 2011 TV Shows, Part 1

Certainly took me long enough, but I'm finally posting my Favorite 2011 TV Shows. I did a rough count today and figured out that I have seen more than 870 television episodes last year. I knew I watched a lot of TV, but I was still shocked to see that kind of number. With that big of a sample size, it was tough for me to narrow it down to my Top 30 TV shows, but I tried below. I'm saving my Top 10 for tomorrow, but here are the other shows on my list...

30. Ringer - There were many new shows fighting for this last spot, but I eventually went with a show headlined by my childhood hero Sarah Michelle Gellar aka Buffy Summers. The show itself has lots of potential especially if they take themselves a lot less seriously. In retrospect, I probably should've included Suburgatory instead of this or another show on my list.

29. Once Upon A Time - Upon further reflection, it's odd this show made it in my list, but not Grimm whose initial episodes and tone appealed to me more. Some of it has been my laziness to catch up on the latter show, but I am also starting to get caught into this show's spell. Some of the acting is still pretty cartoonish, but I think the show has its heart in the right place.

28. Greek - I was sad to see this group of college buddies say goodbye, but I definitely enjoyed the journey they took me on. The final episode was a great highlight featuring every character and various relationships of the show. RIP KT House.

27. United States of Tara - The highlights this season were Toni Collette really going off the deep end and Eddie Izzard's brief supporting role. Other characters had solid emotional beats to play and for the most part they were all left in a good place during the series finale, though a bit bruised and battered.

26. So You Think You Can Dance - A pretty entertaining season capped with an all-girl final between two amazing dancers not to mention the final two boys being Asian! Love that Melanie ended up winning, but I would've been happy with any of the top 4.


25. The Walking Dead - Did we really need to spend most of the season looking for Sofia or being stuck in that farm? Probably not, but it certainly made that last scene all the more spine-chilling. Plus I'm okay with the slower paced episodes, but I wished more (believable) character development happened other than Darryl.

24. Amazing Race - Not the best two installments of the show, but they were still better than most anything on TV. Race-wise I enjoyed the earlier All-Stars season with Kisha/Jen winning versus the later season with Ernie/Cindy winning.

23. True Blood - I was pleasantly surprised this season perhaps because I actually liked most of the storylines plus or minus Jason's werepanther adventures or Sookie and Eric's sexy times. A lot of the actors stepped up this season and the witch vs. vampire big arc was really interesting.

22. The Hour - Many people call this the British Mad Men and I'm pretty sure it's meant to be complimentary. I really ended up liking this even though some of the stories were a bit too twisty for me to unknot. I was most impressed by Whishaw and Garai and their relationship.

21. Wilfred - Caught up on this show over the long Labor Day weekend and highly enjoyed it mostly due to the fun chemistry between its two lead characters. Props to Gann for really getting the essence of being a man in a dog suit acting like a dog. Kudos to Wood for acting along side him!

20. Modern Family - This has plummeted in my list, less because of its quality which is still top-notch along with its amazing ensemble, and more because there are just more sitcoms I've found I love more than this one.

19. Misfits - Did I miss Nathan? Maybe a little bit, but Kelly kicking ass and her relationship with cutie Seth more than made up for his absence. Their new powers were pretty unexciting, true, but solid episodes throughout. The finale was especially engrossing especially that tragic end for a couple of characters.

18. Big Bang Theory - The girls are why I tune in now, which is not to say that Parsons and the rest of the guys aren't good. It's just that I consistently enjoy the girls more and most of that is the chemistry between Penny and Amy.

17. Castle - I never know why I always end up ranking this show relatively low compared to my feelings regarding its awesome cast and fantastic episodes. Perhaps it's the procedural aspect of the show which screams "BEEN THERE DONE THAT!" That said, I have much love for this show and hope they can keep it up.

16. Friday Night Lights - This is probably as high as it is, because I actually saw every episode of this series this year though of course only a handful of episodes actually aired this year. Even so, it was a pretty good ending for a series that could've ended far sooner. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.


15. Cougar Town - It has felt like more than a year since we got a new episode of this great show, but alas its low ratings and awkward title has done its damage. But no matter since this cul de sac crew has wormed its way into my heart and forever they will remain.

14. How I Met Your Mother - This is such a complicated show to rank since it's one of the shows I look forward to each week and while they more often than not do great episodes, there have been more than a few clunkers. In the end, it's all about how excited I am every week for it and in spite of itself sometimes, I'm always excited!

13. Shameless - I was pretty much ready to write this show off as another useless American remake of a British show, but then I caught it and immediately fell in love with the Gallagher clan. I was most impressed with Emmy Rossum caustic portrayal as the head of the chaotic household. Can't wait to see them back on TV.

12. Revenge - This show was probably the biggest surprise for me this fall season. I expected this to crash and burn, but not only did it deliver one of the strongest pilots of the new season, but it somehow kept its juicy mixture of trashy guilty pleasures with strong characterizations and acting.

11. Happy Endings - I once described this show as a piñata filled with candy and crack and it's so very apt. It's continuously weird and endlessly funny. The characters are a big part of it as there's no weak link (yes, even Alex and Dave).

Any shows here that surprised you? Anything shocks you at being missing? Perhaps they'll show up tomorrow when I post my top 10 list. Or perhaps they just missed the cut.

TV Report: Weekly Rankings

Last week I said I wouldn't be ranking the TV I saw this week, but I change my mind. Take them with a grain of salt, however, since as I said last week, way too many shows took off this week so the numbers are really there more for me to organize my own thoughts. Just four comedies I write about aired this week with two shows in particular showing off why they're the best sitcoms on TV right now...

1. The Trial of Leslie Knope (Parks & Recreation) - After the episode ended I just wanted to hug my closest loved one... aka my television. No, but seriously as a Ben/Leslie shipper this episode felt like Christmas morning. From the very beginning with their hand-holding in Chris' office and then Ben giving Leslie a custom-made Lil' Sebastian doll to their parallel declarations of love made via Ethel the stenographer it was almost too much for my heart to handle. The trial itself took up most of the episode, but that too was done well with Chris putting up just enough fight per his character to pose problems for Leslie who kept holding her own by the help of everyone. The quick Megan Mullaly cameo was also a nice welcome though I wish we could've seen Leslie's mother on the stand.

2. Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism (Community) - Many people think that since the show's hiatus announcement, critics and its fan have started seeing the show in rose-tinted glasses unable to muster up negative comments over a show they like for fear of making things worse for the show. People can believe that, but I don't think it's true in this case. The Shirley/Jeff A-plot was perfection down to the flashbacks of their younger selves and the now classic anime cutaway. The Annie/Troy/Abed was no less humorous with all three young actors showing why this cast is just full of talent. Plus putting those three together almost always works out.

3. Bells (New Girl) - Good episode for Winston as the writers are slowly trying to figure out what to do with this character they were for to conceive after Damon Wayans left them after the pilot. His character is still pretty blank though despite the affinity for bell playing, but it's a move in the right direction. For the most part I enjoyed the interaction between Schmidt and Nick, but it went a little too far at times.

4. Mrs. California (The Office) - To be completely honest, this episode suffered just by airing right after the one-two punch of Community and Parks and Rec. My brain at that point was maxed out by awesomeness that I barely remember what happened here. The cold open with Dwight's refusal to sit was amusing as was Jim's attempt to escape the office when Robert wanted to get his input. I also like Maura Tierney in general as her role of Robert's wife, but the Andy/Robert never-ending awkward stand-off is getting quite tiresome and Dwight's gym B-plot was ridiculous and plain stupid.


It seemed like there were a lot of deaths when it came to the dramas this week. For some that actually meant dead people. For others it just meant death of quality. Read on to find which shows did what...

1. Death's Door (Supernatural) - This season started out well enough and even after my favorite character was killed the show kept me intrigued for a couple more episodes. Then something happened and suddenly it's become who-cares-TV? So I was glad that they delivered one of the best episodes this season for their mid-season finale. It picked off right where we ended last episode with Bobby getting shot in the head. Most of the rest of the episode is spent inside Bobby's mind as he re-lives and navigates several moments of his life while at the same time trying to escape a reaper and trying to get one last message to his boys. Jim Beaver was magnificent throughout, but most especially his interactions with his adopted sons. His final moment with them in the hospital calling them "idjits" and then his final final moment with them, a memory of them watching some TV show, made me tear up like whoa.

2. That Still Small Voice (Once Upon A Time) - This was the first episode that Buffy vet writer Jane Espenson wrote and it was a pretty good one and showed that the show, which I was initially quite down on, is trending up. I was especially touched by the story of Jiminy Cricket ala Archie Hopper especially as it had a rather Grimm feel to it instead of the usual tame Disneyfied version. The moment with the dolls in the cabin freaked me out and his tearful wish to the Blue Fairy made me sob. Plus it seems like he's the only person to make the Henry not seem too grating. I'm still down on the Evil Queen, less because of of Lana Parilla's portrayal of her and more because the writers on this show aren't clear what to do with her and her relationship to the rest of the townsfolk.

3. That's What You Get for Trying to Kill Me (Ringer) - This show finally gets bloody and it's about damn time. I'm a bit sad that Gemma is dead dead since there could've still been plenty of drama between her and the real Siobhan, but I'm not at all sad to see Charlie done and dusted as his character definitely ran his course. Agent Machado also gets his man finally, but knowing how they've handled this part of the storyline, that'll continue to drag. I'm also not at all feeling the whole "my teacher raped me" storyline they've saddled Juliet in. They really should've left that character at boarding school or something. I think this was the mid-season finale and of course the big thing is Siobhan is finally back in New York (also way to do your job Homeland Security!). This show is a mess, but I'll keep watching. Oh and I almost forgot, yay for Amber Benson appearing in a really bit part as a stripper.

4. Now You See Me (Terra Nova) - I could go on a diatribe about what's wrong with this show, but others have already done it for me. The sad thing is this show had lots of potential, but their decision to focus on the Shannon family was a big mistake. I find that I'm more invested in every other character than anyone in this family. For example, there's Skye who I've only liked whenever she wasn't with Josh and now that it's revealed that she's (improbably) the mole all along it just makes her that more interesting. Taylor's feud with his son and Mira's reasoning for working for the Unknown Big Bad are also the kinds of plots and stories I want to see seeing. Too bad the show is more interested in crafting some awful hybrid of a family-friendly yet intriguing sci-fi show. Less family-friendly and more intriguing, please.

5. I Kissed A Girl (Glee) - It's not the worst episode of this show, but it's down there. Yes, Naya Rivera is phenomenal and her scene with her grandmother was duly heartbreaking. But even she can't save the tone-deafness of this episode especially in regards to how they handled the whole Finn/Santana situation from the previous episode. I'm actually NOT a Finn hater, but the way the show propped him up as an almost hero this week for the way he outed Santana was fairly disgusting. And he kept pushing her. I'm sorry priviledged straight white male character, NO. STOP. What the hell are you doing? I'm more disappointed that Santana actually fell for it. And if you needed more proof at how tone-deaf this episode was well just know the title of the episode is clearly based on Katy Perry's song which they performed as some kind of female empowerment anthem. HAHA. Yeah, okay. Don't get me started on Kurt-Rachel forgettable election drama, Puck's ridiculous affair with Shelley, and Sue shitting all over Coach Beiste. Awful all around.

TV Report: Weekly Rankings

I've been sick the past week which meant that this is being posted way later than usual and that I saw a lot of these shows all hopped up on meds. So instead of my usual rambly thought, I'm just going to give 1-2 sentence reactions In general though, most of the comedies impressed while the drama shows stalled a bit. So let's start with those first!

1. Wallflower (Fringe) - Didn't really work for me as a fall finale, but on its own I found many to like mostly the scenes Joshua Jackson had with Anna Torv and Seth Gabel. The ending with Nina was spine-chillingly awesome.

2. Unscheduled Departure (Pan Am) - Difference between this episode and the past few was how focused it was as well as more air time for the awesomeness that is Collette. Plot holes abound, but not to detriment of plot.

3. Shut Up and Eat Your Bologna (Ringer) - Very happy that many pieces are finally falling into place (Gemma's whereabouts, Charlie's secrerts, etc.) and I'm finding myself looking forward to more.

4. Death Row Tip (The Good Wife) - Not the worst episode, but it was definitely one of its lesser episodes this season which is odd since Eli's daughter liking Zach, Kalinda kissing Cary (and flirting with Dana), and Jackie overstepping her bounds were great developments.

5. Treachery (Revenge) - This episode felt a bit tame when compared to older ones, maybe because no one died, but it was also the one show I saw while hazy with medicine. Not enough gay and murder, but y'all know this is my favorite new show still.

6. The Price of Gold (Once Upon A Time) - The Cinderella story was shockingly dull even if I still enjoyed the hamminess that is Robert Carlyle's performance as Rumpelstiltskin.

7. Mash Off (Glee) - The scenes Rachel had in the end with Kurt and her mom as well as everything relating to Naya Rivera was great. Unfortunately there were a whole lot of other things I'd rather not talk about.

8. Lonelyhearts (Grimm) - It was a solid case of the week episode, but this show is quickly losing some of the magic that made it a bit interesting in the beginning. It's all starting to feel like another boring procedural.

9. Proof (Terra Nova) - Honestly can't remember much about this episode other than thinking it was a bit of a mess and just a wee bit filler... and something about a stolen identity. Who knows?

10. How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters (Supernatural) - Don't really think it was the worst show of the week, but other than the end with the possible death of Bobby I really have nothing to say about the episode.


Like I said, while I mostly from the dramas lacking this week, most of the comedies were just plain fantastic. In fact I couldn't even decide on my top pick this week so since it's my prerogative, I'm declaring it a tie!

1. Documentary Filmmaking: Redux (Community) - Perfect episode is perfect. Jim Rash and Joel McHale were the MVPs, but everyone involved should be duly proud of yet another brilliant episode this time with Abed filming Dean Pelton directing a commercial to promote the school. Hilarity ensued.

1. Smallest Parks (Parks and Recreation) - Perfect episode is perfect. As a Ben/Leslie shipper I have no choice to fall in love with this episode since they are seemingly back together, but the other subplots were pretty great too (The Ron Swanson Scholarship made me teary).

3. Tick Tick Tick (How I Met Your Mother) - Everything was Barney/Robin and everything hurt. Seriously, can we just take a moment and appreciate Neil Patrick Harris' hurt face? The Ted/Marshall high plot went on too long, but the ending was worth it.

4. The Code War(Happy Endings) - Must be because I was on meds when I saw this episode, but I honestly could not stop laughing at every little thing that happened from Alex's crush on Max to Brad's impromptu "Oh no he didn't!" soliloquy to Dave's Felicity hair to Jane's bad flirting... so great.

5. The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition (Big Bang Theory) - Another Amy-centric episode and another winner this time with Sheldon showing how much he's grown as not only does he get jealous of Stuart going after Amy, but actually asks her to be his girlfriend. Say it with me... aww.

6. Thanksgiving (New Girl) - This was the best episode the show has offered and I don't think it was just because of the delightful guest star Justin Long playing the male Zooey Deschanel. Great group dynamics and a welcome comeback for the douche-bag jar!

7. After the Fire (Modern Family) - A pretty solid episode with the whole family pitching in together to help a neighbor whose house burned down. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but its sweet with some fun character moments (Phil as masseuse, sleep clowning, Alex using sex as a weapon, etc.).

8. Sweet Sixteen (Suburgatory) - I always like the episodes when Tessa gets sucked into the ways of the suburbanites around her so her getting excited about the elaborate sweet sixteen all for her was great. The B-plot of George being imprisoned by Sheila was not so great.

9. And the Really Petty Cash (2 Broke Girls) - I still really liked this episode and its low rank only meant the episodes above it were better. The Max/Johnny storyline is keeping me interested now with added bitchy and manipulative girlfriend in the mix.

10. Gettysburg (The Office) - Neither storyline worked for me and there really was nothing too terribly noteworthy about this episode to hang on to.

TV Report: Weekly Drama Rankings

Posting this way later than expected, but Sunday got way busier than usual. In any case, it was an interesting week of TV with a couple of shows I usually love delivering weak episodes while shows I haven't showed much love to in recent weeks stepping up.

1. Executive Order 13224 (The Good Wife) - Who knew a critically-acclaimed drama can be so damn funny? And yet last week's episode did just that. It's even more incredible since the Case of the Week was pretty serious as it involved torture and terrorism. But of course the show was able to mine comedy from all the loopholes and red tape and secrecy that Homeland Security inflicts when it's such a case like this. My favorite were the re-enactments of the blacked-out documents with the people getting bleeped out for every blacked-out word. Also liked Diane and Will arguing whilst Alicia was in the room about what they will or won't do with Alicia in the room. Guest star Carrie Preston also brought the funny representing Alicia against the government. "I. Am. Swamped. Look. At. All. This. Paper." Oh, I laughed so hard. I didn't even mention the hilarious scene with Diane and Kalinda overhearing Alicia's ringtone when they were talking to Will who was supposedly at lunch. Uh-oh. The sexual harassment video to end the episode was the perfect capper.

2. And Those We Left Behind (Fringe) - Another masterful episode slowly unraveling the mystery of Peter's disappearance (and now re-appearance) with a purely cool sci-fi concept of time bubbles and time loops. It's a bit heartbreaking seeing Peter try to deal with a version of Olivia and Walter that doesn't know him and more importantly doesn't trust him and the three actors are impressive in conveying all the emotions that are inherent in this situation. As far the the time bubble storyline, that too was it's own brand of heartbreak as real-life couple Romy Rosemont and Stephen Root played a couple separated by mental illness.

3. Truth or Dare (Pan Am) - This episode had a few moments that reminded me of the show I fell in like week those first few weeks of the fall season. First, Collette was back and actually had more than one line of dialogue which is always a plus. Her face when flying the plane was exquisite. Dean also becomes a somewhat interesting character when she's in proximity. The respective romantic story lines of the two sisters were just a tad melodramatic, but I think all of the actors involved handled themselves well. It was especially great seeing Friday Night Light's Gaius Charles back on my TV screen again.

4. The First Time (Glee) - This was the show's best episode of the season which isn't really saying much, but it IS something. Even with the deliberate focus on the episode on Kurt and Rachel losing their virginities, the show was still able to give plenty of time for the other characters more notably Beiste quest for love (made me cry), Mike's continued disagreements with his dad, and Karofsky's evolution. The latter especially was nice as it gave Chris Colfer and Max Adler a really beautiful scene to re-connect a bit. They even introduced a new character, gay Warbler Sebastian, without making it as forced as last week's. You know what else this episode had going for it? Barely any Shuester and not even a token appearance by Sue. Naya Rivera as per usual musically stole the episode.

5. Snow Falls (Once Upon A Time) - Wasn't a huge fan of the pilot and was only okay with the second episode, but this episode I really, really liked. Maybe it's the hopeless romantic in me, but seeing Snow and James' first meeting in fairy land and seeing them apart in the real world tugged my heart. In essence, this episode finally gave me a reason to care and that's important for any show. Also glad to see David Anders on my TV again. He didn't do much, but I'm hoping for more in future episodes.

6. Nightfall (Terra Nova) - Last week I said I'd give this show one more episode before I fully gave up on it. Well damn, because last week's episode didn't suck. It mostly helped that the show's weakest link, Hunter, was mostly in the background. But by doing so it enabled Skye to be developed as a character in her own right. The Maddie-Mark stuff was just a bit too saccharine, but I also liked that they're developing Maddie a bit. The whole black out stuff had potential and wished they were in more danger than what actually transpired, but it was still one of the more exciting story lines the show has offered in awhile. We finally do meet Taylor's wayward son in the end and I'm hoping we'll get to the Big Picture stuff in the next few episodes.

7. Maybe We Can Get a Dog Instead (Ringer) - Some good developments happened in this episode, but my favorite is the long-time-coming reunion between Malcolm and Bridget. It's also nice that slowly but surely everything is working out for her with Andrew accepting Malcolm, Machado getting tricked yet again, and everyone believing she lost the baby. She's also making Siobhan's life a bit difficult with Tyler thinking Siobhan was lying to him (which she was doing anyways). The student-teacher plot line is worrying and cliche. Make it stop.

8. Balcoin (The Secret Circle) - This show is not afraid to go dark especially with what they are doing with Jane. Yes, it makes Charles look more evil, but he did burn down a house with Cassie's mom in it in the pilot. The questionable loyalties of Jake is less interesting since I've seen it done in many fantasy shows before and the actor is not a good enough actor to convey this ambiguity. The introduction of Holden and learning more about Cassie's dark magick background was good. No new episode until 2012!

9. Beeware (Grimm) - Despite its relatively low ranking this week, it was still a generally solid episode. I just thought it's a bit suspect that they are already branching out with non-Grimm monsters which kind of makes this show indistinguishable from Supernatural. With that said, I did like that we got a brief glimpse of possibly something bigger happening the background. Nick's scenes with Adelaide were particularly riveting.

10. Heartbreak Hotel (Castle) - I love this show, but this episode was a complete filler. Sure Nathan Fillion , Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever looked amazingly hilarious in their Elvis getup but I'd be hard-pressed to remember any other detail about the episode. Oh right, Alexis threw a party while her dad was away while Beckett and Gates sort of bonded. Shrugs.

11. Season Seven, Time for a Wedding! (Supernatural) - I didn't like this episode. I wasn't a fan of super-fan Becky when she was first introduced and I still don't like it. And the whole situation of her essentially almost-raping Sam, even if it never happened, was still too skeevy for me to enjoy the episode. The one great thing about the episode was the all-too-brief return of Crowley. Nice seeing him explain the lack of demons attacking the boys as he wants them to focus on taking out the Leviathan.

TV Report: Weekly Drama Rankings

While the comedies went to guest actors for November sweeps, the dramas decided to throw in some game-changing plot developments as you will note below.

1. Cops & Robbers (Castle) - The thing about this show is that it leans toward the light side of drama. But when they do get their mind on doing a serious, pulse-pounding type of an episode, it fully delivers. This last episode was one such episode where Castle and Martha found themselves as hostages in a supposed bank robbery. Beckett and co. had to assist from the outside and while there was no doubt that Castle would live, the fear of Martha dying made the episode nerve-wracking. In the end though, despite the bomb explosions and teary Alexis, it was Beckett and Castle laying their eyes on each other that became the highlight. "We're partners." SIGH.

2. Charade (Revenge) - I have long considered this my favorite new show of the season, but last week's thrilling episode just solidified it. The best part was the reveal that Nolan was "3 on the Kinsey scale" and used some insider info on skeezy Tyler to get some action. And that was just one of the big plot developments in the episode. Frank's quest to uncover Emily's secrets took a big chunk of the episode and provided us a glimpse of the bigger picture Amanda has weaved. We saw that Emily has a Warden that is helping her. We also met the "real" Emily Thorne who ended up killing poor Frank but not before Frank was able to leave Victoria one last seed of doubt regarding Emily. This two-week wait for the new episode is a killer.

3. Novation (Fringe) - Fringe is back! Peter is back! I've missed them both so much. All of the Peter stuff was amazing especially his interactions with Walter (broke my heart every time). I really wanted more of that and possibly answers though of course I knew we wouldn't be getting them right away. But it did make me resent the B-plot despite it being quite solid by itself since I just wanted to go back to Peter and whatever it was he was going through. Still the version 2.0 shapeshifsters are back and it looks like they'll be the big bad (or their boss) for the remaining season. Going back to Peter, Joshua Jackson has been missed, and he seems to be relishing tapping into S1 Peter aka being smart, manipulative, and a wildcard. Loving it!

4. Affairs of State (The Good Wife) - Sometimes I wish that Cary was still working with Lockhart & Gardner, but last week's episode showed that probably won't happen anytime soon. In fact, his patience and skills displayed throughout the episode led him to a promotion and a rare win. There's also some movement on the Will front... meeting Alicia's son awkwardly and becoming new associate Caitlin's crush. With Alicia not wanting Will to meet her kids formally and Caitlin's non-subtle interest, things are about to get interesting. Finally, we meet Eli's wife and she is played by Parker Posey and not only does she get tons of scenes with him full of witty banter that you'd expect, but she gets a nice scene with Kalinda as well. More please!

Those four on top have been leaps and bound better than the shows below for one reason or another this season. Not saying all the shows below are bad, not at all, but the top four have just been really consistent.

5. Oh Gawd, There's Two of Them? (Ringer) - I feel like in spite of itself, I'm still quite enjoying the show, but the twists and turns in this episode really showed promise. First, I'm just glad that Malcolm is finally free from his kidnappers. I couldn't stomach seeing him beat up and drugged up one more time. Second, the shot of Andrew and Henry in the beginning confessing to knowing Bridget was a WHOA moment and thumbs up to the writers for that. Finally, finding out that Bridget's new sponsor not only works for Siobhan but is the one to kidnap Gemma was at once both cool and so utterly frustrating in its contrivance. Oh well.

6. The Genuine Article (Pan Am) - I was hoping that a Maggie-centric episode would make Christina Ricci's character a bit more interesting to me, and in some aspects it did. Learning that she lied her way to become a Pan Am stewardess makes sense for her character, but in spite of this I still think Ricci seems to be playing her a bit too broadly. Perhaps it's just because the writers aren't exactly sure what to do with her yet, but she has the talent. They just need to tap into it. The Dean/Ginny B-plot doesn't really interest me though it looks like Maggie has used it to her advantage. Kate is on precarious grounds with the government and Niko and I'm looking forward to seeing where this will lead.

7. The Thing You Love Most (Once Upon A Time) - This was much better than the pilot especially since most of the "real world" stuff felt a bit more grounded. I especially enjoyed Emma connecting more with Henry and Mary Margaret (they all like cinnamon!) and firming up her reasons to stay in town. I'm still not sold on Regina's intentions and I do hope her character's evilness is explained a bit more, but this episode had two things for it, Giancarlo Esposito and Kristin Bauer, as the Mirror on the Wall and Maleficent respectively. Hope to see more of them in episodes to come.

8. Bears Will Be Bears (Grimm) - Even though I ranked this just a hair below its ABC counterpart this week, I thought it was still a solid outing for a show that I'm finding myself preferring over that other show. My favorite part is actually Kate Burton's performance as Aunt Marie, so her death disappoints me a bit. With this kind of show though, death is never the end. I also liked the re-telling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

9. Beneath (The Secret Circle) - This certainly brought Dawn and Charles back into the fold after being conspicuously absent last week, but other than that most of the episode dealt with more of the hormonal drama the leads are going through. I mean Truth or Dare? Seriously? I DO like that they seem to be giving Cassie some edge and Faye some non-mean dimensions.

10. The Mentalists (Supernatural) - There's just something about this episode that didn't sit right with me. I guess most of it had to do with me being angrier at Dean about Amy than Sam ultimately ended up being. I mean I knew that they had to make up and be all brotherly love again, but I thought it was all just a bit too quick of a resolution. The case itself wasn't particularly noteworthy unless a possible girl for Dean interests you.

11. Pot O' Gold (Glee)* - Apart from Burt confirming he's the perfect man by single-handily saving Sue's ridiculous plot arc of running for office by running against her, I didn't like this episode at all. As adorable as Damian McGinty is, I think introducing yet another character is not what this show needs despite the fact that this HAD to happen by virtue of him winning The Glee Project over the summer. They can still salvage it, but with the bulk of the episode dedicated to introducing him, the rest suffered.

N/A. A Gifted Man - Not sure why they felt compelled to air this episode a week later than they had planned since it gave Margo Martindale lots to do. Unfortunately, I'm dropping this show since it's 100% certain to be canceled in the next few weeks. I'll keep watching though until it happens, but I will no longer include it in my weekly rankings.

N/A. Terra Nova - Last week's episode bored the crap out of me. I'm thinking of dropping it permanently, but will give it one more episode.

*I guess technically Glee should be in the comedy rankings, but at the moment I'm more comfortable putting it here. I'll probably change it next week... or not.

TV Report: Weekly Drama Rankings

Only Fringe chose to air an encore episode this week which meant it was still a relatively full load of drama for me. I have to admit, I'm ready for a week or two off just to catch up on other things or you know... sleep.

1. Guilt (Revenge) - Such a greatly structured episode this one turned out to be. Like the pilot, we see the murder early on only for the details to start filling in after that. The more I watch this show, the more I'm rooting for an Emily/Victoria team-up job with both wanting/getting revenge on the same people. Of course with both out to get Lydia, she had no chance. Victoria's speech about the warmth she feels she is hugging her is from the hatred burning inside was soapy perfection. Nolan continues to delight while Tyler continues to confound. What is he up to?

2. Feeding the Rat (The Good Wife) - Really enjoyed the format of the Case of the Week this week with us already knowing the person was innocent. I did expect for the guy to have all the evidence to be stacked in his disfavor only for Alicia to save the day. Yes, that still happened but glad that it helped give some much needed screentime for Diane who felt guilty about letting go of legal aid/pro bobo cases. Meanwhile Eli continues to shine and his insistence on needing Kalinda and Alicia full-time, as unlikely as it may be in the reality of the show, all I could think of was OMG SPIN-OFF!

3. Eye of the Beholder (Castle) - It's clear that Castle/Beckett are endgame, but for now they need obstacles to keep them apart and this week that went to the fetching Kristen Lehman playing Serena Kaye, an insurance investigator who ends up working with them on an art theft case. It's great seeing Beckett react defensively, but also good that by the end both women understand each other. The episode itself was its usual twisty fun self, so more please.

4. Wake (The Secret Circle) - One of the things I like about the show now is that Cassie's grandmother seems to have taken on a Rupert Giles Watcher kind of role which the show needed. Dawn's ruthlessness and new kid Jake's witch hunter history ramp up the tension and action for a show that needs to really get over its hormones.

5. The Poor Kids Do It Everyday (Ringer) - The show continues to intrigue and I'm very glad that THINGS are happening and moving forward, but they can afford to speed things up a bit. I knew that Henry wouldn't have killed Gemma and that Siobhan was the one to take care of it (with what money? who knows? I thought she was broke myself). Bridget's plan to "frame" "herself" was also a bit risky. We randomly have a HS storyline now (it is CW after all) with Juliet in a new school with Logan Echolls as her teacher. Okay, then.

6. Shut Up, Dr. Phil (Supernatural) - This episode is as high as it is solely because James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter played a married witch couple, which is all sorts of awesome for this long-time Buffy fan. But there was a certain je ne sais quoi missing from this episode. The episode felt oddly lightweight despite all of the blood shed and the ending was a bit too rushed, clean, and frankly anti-climactic. Also why didn't Dean try to kill them the way he killed Amy a couple of episodes ago?

7. Eastern Exposure (Pan Am) - Probably the weakest episode for the show to date and I think it's because for the first time we didn't get a Colette storyline. Instead we delved more into the relationship between sisters Kate and Laura (which felt a bit overly dramatic) and learned more about Ted (which was underwhelming). I did enjoy the scuffle between Ted and Dean.

8. In Case of Loss of Control (A Gifted Man) - This show is counting down until it gets canceled as evident by them skipping about two episodes to show this one which was set to air during November sweeps. And you could tell why since it's one of the show's best with the introduction of Eric LaSalle's psychiatrist character and Michael getting more attached to the clinic. The cases were pretty good, too, with the girl getting shot a WOW moment. Also it helped that the episode began with an extended sequence of shirtless sweaty Patrick Wilson working out.

9. Runaway (Terra Nova) - I probably should just give up on the show, but in spite of itself I still keep coming back. This episode a bunch of things happened in regards to the whole Sixers plotline and yet I was mostly bored. Have no idea what the show can do to bring me back, but whatever they're doing now is now captivating me.

TV Report: Weekly Drama Rankings

Yesterday, I ranked the comedy episodes I saw this past week. Today here's my attempt to roughly rank the drama episodes. I'm actually finding this a tad difficult since none of the episodes were obviously bad. Oh well, here it goes...

1. "Subject 9" (Fringe) - This episode featured a masterclass of acting from two of the most under-appreciated actors working today. Torv and Noble just knocked it out of the park once again as we get one last episode without Peter. His reappearance in the end was exciting and the fact that the world hasn't been reset even more so. The two week wait is absolutely cruel.

2. "Kick the Ballistics" (Castle) - Nice to finally have a Ryan-centric episode which also tied into a major episode last season that affect Castle. Great emotional beats without being too much of a downer.

3. "Duplicity" (Revenge) - I love that we're slowly chipping away the cold exterior that is Queen Victoria which is not to say that she's grown soft at all. But Emily/Amanda continues her amusingly psychopathic mission to destroy her dad's enemies and I continue to love it. Daniel's Harvard roommate intrigues.

4. "Get a Room" (The Good Wife) - Eli and Kalinda working more together, this time on cheese! Lisa Edelstein makes her first appearance as an old flame for Will and it's pretty wonderful seeing her and Alicia try to emotionally manipulate each other. Great to see Owen get some screentime too, with a boyfriend no less!

5. "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" (Pan Am) - While this episode finally gave Christina Ricci more to do, she didn't impress me much coming off a bit manic and crazy (to meet JFK). The two things I have loved about the show though were still front and center: the spy plot and Karine Vanasse's lovely portrayal of my favorite character on the show, Collete.

6. "A Whole New Kind of Bitch" (Ringer) - I appreciated how a lot happened in this episode though mostly when it came to Gemma finding out about Bridget. And Bridget was oh-so-close to getting away with it, but she gambled by telling Henry and now he may have just killed Gemma (doubt it). That said, anyone else getting a wee bit uncomfortable at the very dark Malcolm subplot?

7. "Defending Your Life" (Supernatural) - Last episode was all about Sam dealing with something from his past and this week it was Dean's turn. As expected, his look back was a bit darker and complicated especially in regards to his obvious alcohol dependency which I'm glad they semi-addressed. Seeing Jo back was nice also though the whole "trial" setup was a little too contrived for me.

8. "Slither" (The Secret Circle) - Can't believe how much happened in this one episode. Melissa gets possessed giving the actress some great scenes with others, Cassie confesses to her grandmother about their witchy powers, Dawn/Charles go darker and deeper, and finally Nick is killed. That final one shocked me since it's so early in the show for them to kill a main character!

9. "What Remains" (Terra Nova) - I actually enjoyed the concept and the emotions displayed in the episode with a virus slowly degrading memory and such, but it still felt a bit too closed off for me. I'm itching to get more on the Others and it looks like next week we'll get that!

10. "In Case of Separation Anxiety" (A Gifted Man) - Not a bad episode at all and it's only this low because all of the other episodes I saw this week were pretty good/okay. The cast seems to be clicking and it's probably the first time since the pilot that it's felt like an ensemble show which I appreciate.

N/A. Person of Interest - Sad to say, but I think I'm dropping this show. I've already missed two episodes and I just can't seem to amp myself up to catch up. Not a bad show, but it's also not an exciting one.

Catching Up on New Shows

Despite my lack of postings after seeing the pilots of the new shows, I have kept watching. I feel I needed to give them an episode or two to figure out what my real thoughts on them were and for the most part my pilot thoughts held with one or two exceptions (for both the better and the worse). I'll probably do a catch-up post on returning shows tomorrow, but for now how do I feel about the new shows?

In alphabetical order...

2 Broke Girls - Here's the thing, I still love the chemistry and relationship between Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, but every episode seems to get worse and worse quality-wise. Every scene in the diner is cringe-worthy and blatantly racist. The second episode was pretty horrendous with the plethora of poop jokes. And for the most part, it's just really inconsistent. I'll continue to watch since it's after How I Met Your Mother, but it's definitely trending down since the pilot.

A Gifted Man - Not sure when it happened, but I'm starting to really like this show. I'm so very intrigued at the relationship between Michael and his dead ex-wife's ghost. Plus I love seeing the dual surgeries he has to perform weekly, one using super high-tech stuff while another just his bare hands. The supporting characters are great too, most notable Margo Martindale as his assistant, but I also have a soft spot for those working in the clinic. The fact that it's on Friday is a bit of a killer, but I'm going to try to catch this as much as I can.

Free Agents - I was pretty lukewarm on this show for its first two episodes, but it felt like it was starting to find its groove during the last two. Unfortunately for the show, it's been canceled already making me a bit sad if only for not being able to see more Anthony Stewart Head on American television. Guess I'll get my fix with Merlin.

Pan Am - Other than the main character (who randomly went from brunette to bleached blonde in between the pilot and the second episode), who kind of bores me, I'm really liking this show. I definitely need more Christina Ricci, but the Collette character is ridiculously charming and the spy subplot is fantastic. Plus it's just a pretty show lots of pretty people. Looking forward to seeing where they go for the rest of the season.

Person of Interest - The problem with this show is its leads are quite humorless making it nearly impossible to form a connection with it. And other than the hook of having a Big Brother type machine that can predict crimes and whatnot, there's not much here to compel me to keep watching. It also doesn't help that it's on Thursdays where I already watch way too many shows.

Playboy Club - Already wrote my thoughts on this show when it became the first new show of the fall to get canceled. Here's hoping for better things for some of the cast!

New Girl - I have to say I'm a little bit disappointed with this show. It was probably the one show I was looking forward to the most, but it has left me pretty cold so far. Do I just not like Zooey Deschanel's adorkable schtick? Do I have a problem with the male roommates? I don't really know. Last episode, especially with the final chicken dance scene, was a bit better, but something is definitely missing on this show for me.

Revenge - This is probably my favorite new show this year. I'm as shocked as you are. It's just so unexpectedly great especially in regards to how Emily VanCamp has been quite successfully pulling off playing a psychopath. It's even better that she's going up against someone like Madeleine Stowe! A bit formulaic and totally campy? Sure, but so far I'm loving the hell out of it. I wonder if this says anything about me as a person. I'll try not to think about it too much.

Ringer - What I'm really liking with this show is its pacing. I was afraid that this show was going to get stagnant quickly, but it's pretty much avoided that especially now with the big bombshell during the most recent episode. The weakest link, however, is still Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of the twins. Maybe I've been spoiled with Fringe with their actors playing multiple roles amazingly. The thing is Bridgette and Siobhan don't feel like two different people to me. I know they grew up together, but I feel Gellar should work harder to get those differences across. Also hoping for more crazy drama!

The Secret Circle - This takes my "guilty pleasure" award for the new shows. I was pretty high on the pilot even though I totally realize how odd it is for me to get into a high school-centric CW show at my age. With that said, the mysteries are deepening and there's a lot of promise. So far I like the every week the drama is about them being witches and the secret past that they're all trying to figure out. I could do with a little less teen hormonal stuff, but it's part of the DNA of every CW show so I'll live.

Suburgatory - I'm a little bit smitten with this show, but then again I've only seen two episodes. The crazy supporting characters make the show, which is not to say that the two leads, Jeremy Sisto and Jane Levy, are the worst part of it. NOT AT ALL. In fact as a fellow New Yorker, I pretty much relate to their characters the most and it's been quite fun to see how they try to learn and adapt. It also helps that the show is not afraid to show some male eye candy for example a speedo-wearing Alan Tudyk in the first episode and a full-on male car wash dance scene in the second. Yes, please.

Terra Nova - My biggest complaint in the pilot was my negative impression of the Shannon family so I'm happy to report that they've done a good job making them relatable, interesting, and not as grating (in the case of the son) in the subsequent episode. With that said, the plot with the birds was pretty weak and I'm starting to get bored a little. That's not good for a show with this kind of high-concept and budget. I'll definitely continue watching until for some reason it gets canceled.

Up All Night - I seem to be watching this show based only on my loyalties to the cast. It's not a bad show really. It's actually pretty solid and I laugh at more than a few jokes every episode, but for some reason I seem to have a disconnect with it. I felt the same in the pilot and I posited that it's maybe because I just don't relate to the whole deal of having a new baby. But then again this didn't stop me from liking Modern Family or Raising Hope. We'll see if I continue with this show.

As you can tell, other than the two canceled shows I'm still not cutting any of the new shows from my viewing schedule. My TV addiction also forces me to give new shows very long leashes. With that said, the three most in danger are probably Person of Interest, Up All Night, and A Gifted Man in that order. Frankly I'm just excited about new shows yet to air such as Once Upon A Time, GCB, Smash, Awake, and Touch.