OD-ing on TV

More tv came back this week, most notably Private Practice, which I was not really looking forward to based on a crappy season last year. But season 6 started with a bang and found the funny, found the old character traits and found the quality!
So Pete was removed, at first making you think he's run away and is a douche...and then found to have died...(poor Tim Daly, not cool ABC)
The season premire was spent focusing on a day from each character's (or set of characters) point of view. It was well done and the annoyingness of last season seems to have been fixed.

Charlotte is back to her old self, interesting again....and pregnant...with triplets....crazy! Poor poor Charlotte, she wasn't into it with 1 baby, let alone 3...and all I can think is how funny its going to be to see that tiny woman super fat!
Addison chose Jake...which is good -I was SOOOOOOO over the stupidity of them not figuring out that Sam and Addison wasn't working.
Sheldon is hooking up with his ex - there is more going on there, but not sure what yet.
Amelia kept very low key, and wasn't around the group really.
Mason is so far less annoying...but we'll see what happens when Char and Coop go house hunting and bring on babyland!

The New Girl is back, still not my fave show, but I'll stick with it for now.

Also good tv this week -  SNL. I was worried that without Kristen, Andy, and Abby that it wouldn't be any good. But this week's ep with Joseph Gordon Levitt was actually pretty funny. Vanessa Bayer is rocking it.

Ep 2 of Revolution was also excellent. Its my new fave show! Elizabeth Mitchell's character was revealed to be not dead (like I believed all along, very predictable). She seemed to kind of being held hostage...not sure what's going on there...but a family reunion is going to be good, sans poor Ben.


Since I was sick all weekend and had 4 days off, I finished season 2 of In Plain Sight. I listened to 2 commentaries with Mary McCormack and Fred Weller - they were very funny!
Continueing my West Wing people tv theme, I started Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip...for the kazillionth time.


Its only the 3rd week of new tv, and I'm already starting to feel stressed out trying to fit everything in! Its too much! Just wait till I get back from the big trip in November...its going to be crazy trying to catch up!


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Carlie

Farewell In Plain Sight

IPS aired its last episode the other weekend, season 5 was only 8 episodes long, but it was still very well done.
I liked that Stan moved on, and that Marshall got a promotion...but it was very, close of chapter to me rather than whole story...but then the only way to really end these stories would have been to kill one of them - I always thought either Mary or Marshall wouldn't make it to the end of the series....or that they'd become a couple, which would have been weird.

I was glad they showed that Mary had grown and evolved. I was glad they wrapped up the father storyline. It was also good to see Brandi come back...weird as that was!

But overall it's nice to see a long running series get a chance to wrap up their ending.

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-Carlie

TV Catch-Up

It's been a while since I've written about my TV. Its still summer tv season, so there isn't as much to watch and so not as much to write about. -The Emmy noms came out, and at least 1 of my 3 got nominated. Yay for Martha Plimpton for Raising Hope. But I still think KaDee Strickland was robbed for PPP! I mean if that didn't get her a nomination, what does it take?! I feel bad that everyone was talking her up, as being a potential nominatee. And Parenthood seems to be in the same group with PPP, not getting any big awards attention - but at least they both get some special awards for stuff that really matters.

Last Monday night I watched the Helpman Awards - Australia's version of the Tony's. It had plenty of good parts, but overall was boring as I only cared about the musical awards and spent most of the the time sitting on YouTube. It also went for ages so I ran out of time to watch In Plain Sight. So then that ate into my tv time Tuesday night. I ended up not watching Weeds and The Big C till Wednesday, but that actually worked out nicely. Other than those shows (and Rizzoli & Isles on Tuesdays), that is all the new TV I have. I have been watching some old SNL. I watched the Queen Latifah one from season 30 Sunday night. Its fun watching ones with Tina, Maya, Amy and Rachel in them.
And then when I'm REALLY bored or only have a little time, I've been watching Hot In Cleveland. It sucks, but not enough to stop me watching ...YET.

I've been watching the 1st season of Parks and Recreation on DVD. Luckily I finished it before I got this job -The same goes for Alias actually! I just finished the commentaries for P-Rex this past weekend. Overall the dvds are great especially for 8 bucks! The commentaries are great and with cast members. There are also music vids for Mouse Rat/Andy's songs. The Ann one is all cute Amy and Rashida bloopers/alternate takes. I really want season 2, but I'll wait for it to get cheap...I have principles. Not that 25 bucks is expensive, but it seems more than necessary.
Other than that there are no TV dvds I'm watching. I finished Alias -and while I remembered the last episode...I found myself not remembering a good deal of the last 2 seasons....also I could not for the life of me remember what happened to Sark!
Come September all the last seasons will come out on DVD. So I'll have lots to watch, and will have to find the time!

This week was the In Plain Sight finale. It was really good! I really thought they were going to kill Rachel Boston's character or Delia in that big hostage situation. But Brandi running out on her wedding and then Mary going into labor or having complications or whatever really works too! -I'm gonna guess that maybe we won't be seeing anymore Joshua Malina.

Well I guess that is more than enough for one blog post...I'll try to blog more frequently, so it doesn't get smushed together.

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Carlie

New Internet = TV Galore!

So my new internet was activated Monday, meaning I was able to start downloading my shows straight away this week –which is awesome as the family internet has been slowed! It means I don't have to pick and choose my shows anymore too!

So this week we started with a rather so so ep of In Plain Sight. Overall it wasn’t the greatest ep, it was just lacking something...I’m not sure what exactly. Maybe it was that Josh Malina wasn’t in it this week. Who knows.

Then there was the season 2 premiere of Rizzoli and Isles yesterday, I gotta admit I got hooked on that show. Sasha Alexander is so entertaining in it! They have some crazy dialogue on that show. 

I finally watched new Weeds and The Big C tonight. Firstly, I’m not loving Weeds...but its slowly getting better, as it does every season. Hunter Parish in a giant clear inflatable ball in his underwear was interesting....I’m also liking grown up Shane. But how does Nancy still manage to make those coffee drinks to carry around, like she has since the beginning?! Crazy.

The Big C is a fun show. But I’m not used to Cynthia Nixon as a blonde...I know that’s her natural hair color and all, but she just looks weird without the red...but at least she doesn’t have the old Miranda haircut. Haha.

That’s pretty much the tv for the week...I hate that its all at the start of the week over summer. I’ve been watching the last few eps of Cougar Town in the meantime. Still got a few left, the last few haven’t been as funny as the older ones were.

In other tv news, the nominations for this years Emmys come out Thursday night, so that’ll be interesting to see who gets one. I hope Martha Plimpton, Lauren Graham and KaDee Strickland get nods, but they are long shots, well at least Lauren and KaDee are. But they both had stellar seasons.

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Carlie

No time to miss the old shows...

....It's straight into the new ones! Weeds and The Big C were back this week. Big YAY!

Weeds is still not as good as it was in the early days, but it was entertaining enough.  The time jump was good...Nancy was out of jail 3 years later, and the boys are coming back from Denmark. Not a lot else happened in the first ep, but it should get better when they all get back together!

The Big C was good, I didn’t expect Marlene to be appearing this season...having died in the season finale, but for the first episode at least, she was haunting Cathy! Not sure where they will go this season, but I had forgotten that Cynthia Nixon was in it...glad I finished Sex and the City a while ago.

In Plain Sight was hilarious this week! Well...Joshua Malina was...that line about “lose the shades 00-asshat!” cracked me up, and that whole scene had to be re-watched a few times! Mary’s pregnancy is also now out in the open...we’re over halfway through the season now, I get sad when there are less eps left than we’ve seen with this short season shows...they just never seem long enough!

I also watched a few more episodes of Cougar Town this week...hopefully I'll be caught up with that soon...although its nice to have something waiting...there isn't a lot else that I haven't already got!

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Carlie

United States of Tara (and other TV)

So while I wasn’t completely crushed that it has been cancelled, I am very sad that there won’t be a 4^th season. It has never been my fave show, in fact it has always been way down my list. But I do love the show. This season has been awesome, and I’m starting to get worried about how it will all end. Usually they wrap up the seasons nicely, but who knows what they did this year!

Watching episode 10 from last week, and made me cry! This show really goes to the edge with Tara and her alters and this ep was amazing. When Bryce was destroying Marshall’s room I just wanted to bawl! It was just SO sad. Especially after losing Lionel like that! Poor poor Marshall! He and Kate have really been screwed. I mean its not anyone’s fault, but it is rough. And Bryce is one scary scary dude!

So I guess we’ll see what happens in the last few eps. I imagine things are going to get REAL interesting!

In other tv news, In Plain Sight is also a lot of fun this season. I’m really glad its back! The whole Mary undercover thing in last week’s ep was fun...but really why did she have to be called Donna....like we needed another reason to wish Janel Moloney was working more!

Nurse Jackie has been pretty boring this year I must say. I find myself kinda bored with it. Every now and then something hilarious happens...like O’Hara kissing Dr Cooper. – Those two are probably my fave characters, plus Zoey. 

That's pretty much all there is on tv at the moment. Ness and I tried to watch the season 2 premiere of Covert Affairs...but it was really really awful...maybe I'll watch more if I get desperate, but otherwise I think I'll let it go.

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Carlie

More Finales, and a Little Fun

So I spent the start of the week catching up with last week's shows. And then there we said goodbye to Glee and Modern Family for this season.

Just when you think you know what is going on with United States of Tara...a whole new twist comes along! Geez! Looking forward to seeing where they take this brother other...is mighty disturbing. –Poor Chicken!
I'm sad that it has been cancelled and won't get a 4th season, I hope they ended it without cliffhangers and such.

Now onto In Plain Sight:  

LOVE this show. Last week’s ep (ep 3) was awesome! I loved all the references to The Princess Bride. I LOVE that movie to death! Haven’t watched it in a while, I’ll try to find time this week to do so.  The refs to Casablanca were funny too. I have never seen Broadcast News so I didn’t get those refs.

Great ep, very funny –especially Marshall eating candy while watching the ‘movie’ at the end was adorably hilarious! But my god could this storyline have paralleled Mary and Marshall anymore?! I wonder if they are ever gonna hook up Mary and Marshall?
-Rachel Boston’s character isn’t annoying me anymore. I don’t hate her, I just got sick of her being everywhere at once back in the day.

So since most other things I watch have finished up for the season, I thought I’d use this opportunity to get up to date with In Plain Sight and get this week's ep. Its my fave early week show.
But OMG, Weddingpalooza just never ends!  But yay for more Josh Malina!...did he even speak though?!

-The stuff about 24 was hilarious! As was Stan’s working people throughout Albuquerque in order to kept that women from being discovered.
-I want to hate Marshall and Abigail as a couple....but I kinda can’t.

Now onto the big Glee Finale: New York Style. 

So overall I was kind of sucked into the glory that is New York City and what wonderful moments this episode had. But while I haven’t enjoyed Glee as much in a long time, I acknowledge that there were many flaws with this finale.

-Firstly, I LOVED that Kurt and Rachel snuck into the Gershwin Theater and sang ‘For Good’ on the Wicked stage. I could not have squealed or giggled more...I may have even gotten a little teary. But then again, ‘For Good’ always makes me cry! I loved the love letter Glee has going with Wicked. I loved that Kurt was Glinda, and Rachel was Elphie –naturally. That was just simple, beautiful, and also a big moment for Glee.

-I like that Rachel and Kurt realized their futures are in NY. I like that Rachel admits she’d have to choose NY/career over love/Finn if it came to it. –As it should be, but I like that she realized that.

-I loved the little Patti Lupone cameo.
-Liked Quinn’s haircut.

-I liked that the guest stars didn’t take over, they did their little cameos and were done. Even Jesse was not annoying me and taking the spotlight.

-Fave songs were For Good, My Cup, and Light Up The World. The others were nothing special. 

Now...What I didn’t like:
-I hated that they went to NY without anything prepared. They hadn’t even written their songs with mere days to go –they didn’t deserve to win! And I didn’t like the Finn/Rachel duet –which I thought they weren’t doing solos only group numbers...I guess duets don’t count. I did like the group number – however, I can’t believe Mercedes didn’t get a part! What does that girl have to do to get to participate?! Maybe if they let her sing lead they might win. I can’t believe Brittany got to sing way more than Mercedes.  Also is Puck ever gonna get his edge back?

-New York looked kinda empty...there were obvious scenes were there was nobody around –like at the TKTS booth in Times Square –that was always packed with people when I was there. -They needed extras! And also if you were looking for it, you could see dozens of people standing behind barriers in the background of some scenes.
-I hated the Belle Notre thing...it was stupid.

-I hated that Emma showed up but didn’t say anything... at least Sue didn’t even show up!

-I hated that Will decided not to go on Broadway...the kids were going on summer break, he was out of a job till next year anyways! That part was just super dooper lame!

I guess I disliked a lot more than I liked, but I still enjoyed this ep. But they have to do something with Mercedes already, and not just make her and Sam a couple - although I don't hate that.

Lastly, Modern Family had their finale tonight, and overall it was really boring. They were all mixed up with other family members, doing things for Jay’s birthday. But I just found that the ep fell flat. I’m a little disappointed, I’ve come to expect far better from this show!

So that's it, all my regular season shows have wrapped up. I haven't caught up on Cougar Town yet, but I'll get there. The Good Wife had a pretty good ending too in my book! Looking forward to where the take that next season. 

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Carlie

Penultimate Eps, Finales, and Randoms

Here is my thoughts on my tv viewing since Saturday. I’ve still got a few things left from last week to catch up on, but I wanted to share my thoughts so far.

Grey’s Anatomy - There was a lot of backstabbing and making tough choices in this ep. - April telling on Christina, Lucy taking Alex’s job in Africa, and Alex revealing what Meredith did.
Christina really is a problem...I want to like her, I want her to be doing the awesome heart surgery that she can do, but she keeps pushing away all her teachers and getting banned from surgeries. I’m getting sick of that. But I guess at least she won’t be Chief Resident! I’m guessing now that either April or Alex will be the choice. 

Lucy HAD to go! So glad that Alex is not going to Africa, but it did suck that Lucy stole the job out from under him, especially when he was willing to turn it down cause he was interested in being with her. Poor Alex –no luck when it comes to relationships. But the way he just blurted out Meredith’s secret to was mean. Alex and Meredith always sort of had each other’s backs –both being messed up people, and pretty much brother and sister; but now he’s gone too far –he was drunk and hurting and told Hunt that Meredith switched the trial packets.

Meredith and Derek with the baby are so cute. I liked that even though it was all about the medicine, what she said to the social worker still proved that she was invested in Zola.
Sloan carrying around the baby all ep was both adorable and annoying...don’t these people do any doctoring anymore?! But Callie was back in the zone...till Sofia showed up. –But very cute baby, I’m just going to keep saying it!
It was so funny having that patient and his family mad at April. –April is so annoying - but not in a terrible way anymore.    And sorry, SO not caring about Teddy’s storyline. I don’t love that she spends more of the time outside the hospital these days, and I don’t love Scott Foley’s character. I don’t love the other guy either. I just really don’t care about Teddy’s love life. –But she can’t move to Germany...but then again, would I really notice if she was gone?! 

Big finale week next week...no idea about what is happening, but after all the death and carnage (in both shows) last year, I’m hoping for no big deaths, and anticipating lots of professional carnage. 

Private Practice - Poor Betsey. Shonda has really put that little girl through the works. But gotta give props to Hailey Sole for her acting chops, it can’t be easy to play Betsey’s storyline. Her saying that people die in that hospital was heartbreaking, and brought back all the stress from losing Dell last season. So cute when Cooper and Naomi walked in, but so sad when she was mad at Violet for not visiting. –Which is totally fair though. Poor Violet is mad that they all abandoned her, and that she couldn’t keep Betsey…but Naomi getting mad at them is just wrong! She wasn’t there!
That kid was scary…poor Betsey, and then to have the foster parents just abandon her…she can’t catch a break! While I didn’t really want any of them to take Betsey, I was glad that Naomi did- that part was really sweet, and the best option. I don’t think Violet and Pete are ready, and Charlotte and Cooper are not right for Betsey either…although I think there might be a kid in their not too far off future – maybe more kid talk next season.

The whole abortion storyline was pretty heavy too. It was rather graphic, in an educational way. I accept that Naomi has to represent her opinion but her talking to that girl was wrong – not to mention holding Olivia the whole time, I mean that’s just MEAN! Addison had her own issues, but put the patient and medicine first- power to her. It was kinda sad her talking about her baby with Sloan back in the day…and how ‘she’ would have been in school now. –BTW Addison has bad math…her kid would only be turning 5…not 6.

Sheldon playing with Olivia was too cute. But give him his own storyline already!!! –Also liked the line about if people get married, and no one witnesses it, did it actually happen. – a funny little dig.

Amelia is falling off the wagon…not sure about all that, Amelia’s drug problem seems to have become a big alcohol problem…I understand that it’s a gateway, but Amelia’s been drinking plenty in the earlier half of the season with no real issue. –Charlotte hugging her was just WEIRD…Charlotte not being at all a ‘huggy’ person, but I guess it’s a sign of how much Charlotte has softened and how close the two have become this season. But I didn’t like Amelia doubting herself and all shaky after Betsey’s surgery. And Speaking of drinking, has Little Miss Martini given up drinking now? I know she’s been going to meetings with Amelia after her ordeal, where she was at risk of relapsing...but its hard to imagine Charlotte never drinking her martinis ever again.

Not sure how they’re going to end the season…I have no idea where Naomi is going to go if she’s got Betsey, and isn’t going to DC with Fife. It can’t be as sad as last year, but knowing Shonda, its probably not going to be a happy hour of tv.

Glee - So I had to wait till I saw Ness to watch Glee (and everything else) this week. It sucked, I’ve never had to wait this long before! But it wasn’t too bad. It doesn’t have that ‘dying to watch it’ quality it used to. Because it is no longer awesome. But I did love the ep this week. I was a bit iffy about Prom, but I enjoyed the ep on a whole. I didn’t really love any of the songs though. – I did kinda like Dancing Queen; it’s about time they did some ABBA. –Brittany and Tina seem to have been reduced to back-up singers. I miss the days of less solos and duets, with more group songs with lines here and there. –When the wealth was shared around more.

Making Kurt Prom Queen was very interesting, and it worked. I really love having Kurt back where he belongs. Quinn’s dress was easily my fave – SO pretty! Rachel looked nice too. I loved Brittany’s tiny hat – see she’s ‘the hat girl’.
I didn’t love Jonathon Groff’s reappearance, I just don’t love him. But he didn’t take over so that was okay I suppose.

Raising Hope - Ness was nice enough to let me download it while I was at her place, so I didn’t have to wait till Tuesday to watch it. I enjoyed Jaime Pressly being in the ep. She and the husband were both in My Name is Earl which is by the same guy that does Raising Hope.

I LOVED Sabrina’s ad for the store…but the singing with baby Hope was weird. Shannon Woodward has a nice voice!

SNL - Tina Fey was awesome as usual! I also loved that Maya Rudolph and Darrell Hammond made an appearance, in fact Maya turned up in a few sketches!

I was a little disappointed that Tina didn’t make an appearance in Weekend Update, but that’s okay. –Gotta say this ep was very Vanessa Bayer heavy, which is a good thing.

Community - I think I liked last week’s half better with awesome Annie and the western/Tarantino motif (plus it had Josh Holloway of LOST), but the Star Wars theme was fun. The Annie/Abed thing weirded me out, she’s such a Greendale whore :P Best part – barely any CHANG! He didn’t say a word! Pierce saving the day was kinda awesome too!
Hilarious having Busy Philips and Dan Byrd from Cougar Town (on ABC) pop up. –Never thought I’d see a crossover with them on an NBC show!

In Plain Sight - BRADLEY!!!! (Whitford) I love that IPS is collecting West Wing people. Also I’m SO glad that he shaved the moustache he had in The Good Guys. He looked young again! But in his suits he really looked like Joshua Lyman :(   It was a pity that Joshua Malina was not in this ep either, would have been an extra special WW reunion.

Well that's all I've watched this week, Nurse Jackie and Parks and Recreation were good too, but didn't really need much discussion -  Although them all getting wasted on Snake Juice was pretty funny! -As was Chris reading out the signs about that woman!

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Carlie

Last Week/This Week

So this is this week's discussion of last week's episodes of the following shows. I don't mind with most of them, that I don't watch them the same week they air, but I can't wait till the day I am not restricted in when I can watch things!

Brothers & Sisters: Firstly I hate that I’m a week behind, I had sorta become accustomed to being semi up to date with the bigger shows this season. But due to limited internet data, I saved room for Glee and Raising Hope instead.

Secondly, Tyler!!! I always liked her. Its kinda cool that they brought her back, even after all this time. -wonder if she'll stick around. It's cool that her and Justin are in such different places now as before, might be good for them!

The whole Brody thing is still annoying the heck out of me. I don’t even really know why it bothers me so much, but it does. I did LOVE the flashbacks to a young Nora! That girl did a great job of playing a young Sally Field!

And sorry Sarah…so sick of weddings, not caring at all….what are the odds that Paige and Cooper will even show up for the wedding?! Oh and yay for Kitty finally coming back!

Also Daniel is not in the running for cutest tv baby. He’s not that cute!

Moving onto In Plain Sight -Man I’ve missed this show! Its sorta an out of sight, out of mind kinda show. But now its back and I remember how awesome it is!
Top Moments-Marshall sitting in Mary’s newer car with his head sideways because he was too tall for it was hilarious! I love Marshall!
-Loved Mary’s I do not ‘heart’ new guys sign! See…awesome!
-Yay for plenty of Joshua Malina…and I like kinda-grown up Brandi!

-OMG. Mary is totally gonna shoot that new girl! Heck, I’d shoot her too! And Rachel Boston is back. I thought I’d lost her finally from my shows. She used to be everywhere for a year or so. Now she’s back again. Oh well, I’ll live. But she’s SO annoying!

Nurse Jackie is not as good as it used to be, but still entertaining.  But I got the weirdest déjà vu about that Kelly guy, and the conversation about his name. Did they do that in season 1 or something? Cause that’s how it felt…or it feels like a dream I might have had. Its freaking me out!
-Loved the conversation with the old couple about Jersey Boys the musical!!!

Still enjoying United States of Tara in it’s 3^rd season. I do miss the credits though, I used to hate it, but it became likeable, and now I miss it. Figures! –I’m loving what they are doing this season with Tara and her contract between the alters!

Well I won't be watching much of anything this week...might be able to get Brothers & Sisters by the end of the week, but not Glee or Raising Hope :(  -I'm also really far behind with The Good Wife.
I've got some SNL to watch this week at least...oh yeah and last week's Modern Family.

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Carlie