TNT: They Know Giveaways ... and We've Got One!

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Anyone up for The Closer, Raising the Bar and HawthoRNe swag?

Our good friends over at Turner have given us the opportunity here at PTR to give away a pretty darn cool prize pack that includes a variety of items from a sampling of their shows. The prize pack will include:

From The Closer

- Chocolates (though not straight from Brenda's desk drawer)
- Season 4 DVD Set

From Raising the Bar

- Season 1 DVD set
- Raising the Bar T-shirt.

From HawthoRNe

- Signed poster by star and executive producer Jada Pinkett Smith

(**NOTE: The folks at TNT need to disclose this particular poster has a slight hole on its side BUT they assure us that if it were framed, it would not be noticeable; a picture of the poster is unfortunately NOT available

We here at PTR need to disclose that the pics listed over to the right are stock images of the cover art for the DVD sets; the HawthoRNe picture is just promotional and is NOT necessarily the poster you'll receive.)

To enter to win PTR's TNT: They Know Giveaways swag:

- Send an e-mail to: lilly_of_philly(at)hotmail.com with the following:

** Subject line: TNT Giveaway
** Message Body: MUST contain your FULL NAME.

- Entry rules are as follows:

** Entries must be received by July 31, 2009.
** The winner(s) will be drawn at random on or after August 1, 2009.
** The winner(s) will be notified by e-mail
** You must be a U.S. resident to enter and over the age of 18.

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. New episodes of Raising the Bar air Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. New episodes of HawthoRNe air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on TNT.

'Pains' Own Royal Pain

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

So, after enjoying a week off, Royal Pains returned last week with more of the same of what bothered me when we last left the Hamptons.

Evan Lawson.

Seriously, just.go.away.

As much as I liked the back and forth rapid fire one liners in the pilot (or that Paulo Costanzo and Mark Feuerstein could be brothers in real life), the subsequent episodes have left me feeling slightly smothered by this Evan character. As in, he's starting to seem like one of those rogue robots in WALL-E who needs to be sent to the repair ward.

Cue Sigourney Weaver's voice over.

Caution: Evan Lawson.

Caution: Evan Lawson.

I've also started to wonder if half of what Paulo Costanzo is saying in his scenes is actually written into the script, or if he is just riffing indefinitely and Mark Feuerstein is left to keep up.

If it is more riffing than script, I don't like it.

If it is more script than riffing, I still don't like it.

Again, we have the Trust Me problem. Too much random chatter from the mouth of a character that is supposed to seem witty or funny but ends up being way too much of an earsore. Or, we have such an absurdly spazball character opposite a straight arrow character that it makes you wonder how the straight arrow would allow the spazball to remain such a liability in his/her life for so long - especially if jobs are on the line and irregardless of whether they are related to one another.

At the end of the day, I've seen all this before.

It's not original.

I need to feel the Evan character is worth caring about. Right now, I don't. Right now, the show could be doing just fine WITHOUT the Evan character given there's plenty of interesting and neurotic stories to be told of the Hamptonites. Thus, wasting so much screen time on Evan and his non-stop rambling takes away from everyone - and everything - else.

If we were suppose to be seeing his "softer" side this past week, it didn't work for me. I didn't buy into the "manny" (read: nanny) act - especially after he once again pretended to have experience in something he does not so he could once again weasel his way into mooching off of another of Hank's patients/assignments (this time, the super-secluded getaway of super-exclusive family whose super-private matron is about to give birth and of whom Hank was charged to look after).

Is this all we're ever going to get with Evan? Is this all this characters has? I think it worked for me in the pilot because the character of Hank was so lost that Evan seemed his only out. That is, Evan - being so unlike Hank, so out there in his own being - was perhaps the only thing to snap Hank out of his downward spiral.

I just didn't think we'd have to get this episode after episode. It's already getting old - and we're only a few episodes into the series.

In other news ... I liked Jill trying to recruit Hank into being an ER doctor for Hamptons Heritage. This would obviously create a whole bunch of issues mixing personal with business BUT it forced Hank to admit he's actually enjoying what he's doing AND doesn't feel like he wants to give it up.

Note to writers: Can you do less with Evan and more Divya? She steals EVERY scene.

New episodes of Royal Pains air Thursdays at 10 p.m. on USA Network. You can join other fans on Facebook; follow Royal Pains on Twitter, or visit the official Royal Pains Web site for the scoop on the series!

The Countdown Rolls On

Last week, we kicked things off with three great episodes. What will be on this week's list? Before we get to that, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 33 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2008 and June 2009. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, we will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 30-28.

30: "Private Eyes" - My Boys
When PJ starts dating "a mystery man," the boys want to know who he is and they're not willing to take PJ's dismissal for an answer. So, what to do? They plan an elaborate spy mission that finds Stephanie wearing a wire at dinner with PJ and the boys hiding in Andy's minivan (not so) discreetly across the street. Things go from funny to hilarious from there as Mike starts thinking like a cop, the boys order pizza delivery, and PJ catches on to their scheme. And they say girls are the nosey ones! This episode had me laughing from start to finish as the boys acted like they were uncovering government secrets instead of PJ's boyfriend. Of course, the joke was on them. The "mystery man" was one of them: Bobby.

29: "Apocalypse... Now?" - Medium
You know how it is when you have a nightmare -- you wake up relieved, shake it off, and move on with your life. Unfortunately for Allison, things aren't quite that simple and when that nightmare (or series of nightmares as it were) includes visions of the end of the world and that end looks imminent, she has to take action. This episode was fascinating because it delved into human nature and how we react when we're forced to fight for survival. Allison's dreams aren't always literal, but there's no way to know for sure until everything plays out. Luckily, this one wasn't, but it was a very important clue to saving a kidnapped girl and finding the man responsible. And once again, I was reminded why I'm glad that I do not possess Allison's "gift." Written by Michael Narducci and directed by Larry Teng.

28: "Intervention" - How I Met Your Mother
When your friend refuses to cease using a fake British accent or cannot see that they are totally too tan what can you do? If you're part of the crazy HIMYM gang, you stage an intervention. The idea started innocent enough with them trying to help out a friend with an alcohol problem, but it was so successful, the gang decided to stage interventions for everything. Enter the fake British accent one (Lily), the totally too tan one (Robin), and many others until Barney accidently torched the sign (during his pyrotechnics magic tricks intervention) and the group realized that they needed to stage an intervention to stop the interventions. Months later, Ted finds a banner indicating that they had planned to stage one for him because of his relationship with Stella. The hilarity of the interventions combined with the hard truth about Ted and Stella made for a strong outing. In fact, I might need an intervention if this show keeps bringing the awesome like this episode. Written by Stephen Lloyd and directed by Michael Shea.

So, there's a look at numbers 30-28 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave us a comment with your thoughts. And be sure to tune in next Friday for #27-25 on the list.

'Grace' Gets Two Angels - One Good, One Bad

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Okay, Saving Grace.

You seem to be doing NOTHING wrong for me at the moment (as I outlined last week).

And now, you really have me tapping into some seriously fantastic Touched By An Angel memories with Grace being fought over by "good" angel Earl and "bad" (or, perhaps we should say "alternative") angel Matthew.

YES!

File this under: another.cool.development.

I know the SG folks like to remind us they are anything but TBAA. And we know they're not. It only takes an episode or two with wild-child Grace doing something absurd to remind us of this fact. Plus, Earl is ... well, not Monica by any stretch of the imagination.

But, seeing as TBAA eps are ridiculously fresh in my mind right now (given a) Hallmark Channel is doing me a favor airing four eps a day; and, b) Roma Downey is best.interview.ever), I could not help but watch this week's ep of Saving Grace and remember when Roma's Monica had to fight off evil temptations taking over her assignments either via b) early-season bad girl angel, Kathleen, or, b) her own evil twin, Monique. Earl now seems to be having to do almost the exact same thing opposite cryptic Matthew.

As in, keep your dang hands of my Grace. kthanxbye.

I think what is perhaps the BEST news about the fight over Grace is that Grace herself is not only willing to accept the fact it IS happening (which, again, shows huge progress on her part given she fought Earl and his existence for most of the first two seasons), she is also remaining fiercely loyal to Earl (even if she doesn't fully understand why two angels would be fighting over her in the first place).

Now, it is true she might have been momentarily tempted by Matthew's I'll-solve-all-your-cases-for-you option. But when she questions Earl about what he does or does not do for her, he talks about choices always being hers to make - not his. This, in turn, reminded me of one of the main recurring themes of TBAA: angels don't interfere with human free will. And that, it seems, is what Grace is exercising in a far more mature and educated way these days - and she does so alongside Earl, not against him.

Go, Grace, go.

In other news ... what is the deal with Ham and birds? Wow. Maybe want to take something for that, eh Hamilton?

New episodes of Saving Grace air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on TNT. You can watch full episodes of the show anytime over on the show’s official Web site. You can also visit EmbraceYourGrace.com to share your stories of how you embrace your inner-Grace.

'Catch' Freezes Over

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Is it possible for one to actually get cold whilst watching Deadliest Catch? Like, by osmosis or something?

I know I've made myself sea sick watching an all day marathon. (Yes, true statement. I watched on a Sunday, went to work on Monday, and then felt as if I was swaying back and forth in front of my computer screen. Weird, but hey, that's me).

So, I figure if I could make myself sea sick watching a marathon of the show, then I guess it's not too much of a stretch to get cold while watching it, either - as was the case with this week's ep, where temperatures dropped into crabs-freeze-their-legs-off territory.

Which is somewhere in the way-too-low-below-zero category.


I'm Sorry, Is This Spot Taken?: You mean to tell me the Wizard's Captain Keith did NOT intentionally set his pots on top of Captain Phil and the Cornelia Marie? With all his GPS wango tango, should he not have figured out that even setting CLOSE to Phil's pots would find them moving INTO Phil's string with the tide shift - especially when you can SEE the Wizard right off the back of the Cornelia Marie? I swear Keith is full of hot air sometimes. And, I have to say, I'm with Josh Harris on this one: another boat within several miles of where one is crabbing is too close.

Do You Want That Straight Up, or on The Rocks?: So Captain Sig takes on the enter-at-your-own-risk challenge and inches the Northwestern into frozen over St. Paul harbor so as not to lose his entire load of crab. I have to say he seems to have finessed it in such a way that it almost seemed military battlefied in nature as he performed this strange little series of right obliques. General Robert E. Lee would've been proud. Anyone know where we can get some red paint?

Fart Grounds: Captain Phil of the Cornelia Marie seems to have this ... uh, system whereby he can see little bubbles on the surface of the ocean that are ... uh, gaseous releases from our little Opilio crabs that indicate they are in the area AND in abundance. So far, he's right. Hey, whatever works. Leave it to Phil to come up with this method.

Dirty Crab: The Incentive taught me a thing or two this week about dirty crab. They can't have any little barnacles on their legs and/or body. They have to have that nice reddish pinky shell. And, you don't find them in the southern, calm, warmer waters of the Bering Sea. You have to scoot yourself north, take on the 40-footers, have your boat freeze over in a complete block of ice and see your crew go hypothermic in order to catch them. Well, duh. This IS Opilio season, Incentive. Did you think you weren't going to have to suffer the wrath of the Bering Sea in winter?

New episodes of Deadliest Catch air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Discovery Channel. Visit the official Deadliest Catch Web site for the latest on the captains and crews of the Northwestern, Cornelia Marie, Time Bandit, Wizard, Early Dawn and North American and the new boat, the Incentive. You can also catch up with Deadliest Catch folks on Twitter: fvnw_erin / CaptPhilHarris / northwesternpat / NorthwesternPR / captjohnathan / northwesternsig / DeadliestCatch (which is actually the Cornelia Marie) / DiscoveryChPR.

Roundup: So-So Goes 'The Closer'; Mean Looking 'Bar'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Going Astray

Confession: I was a little underwhelmed by this week's episode of The Closer.

Not in the I-don't-like-the-show-anymore kind of way; more like the not-really-sure-what-I-want-to-say kind of way.

The case was so-so. It boiled down to a carjacking gone wrong. Carjack-ee ends up threatening carjack-ers with a gun; and, in shooting a couple of warning shots at said carjack-ers, one of the bullets ends up killing an innocent bystander two blocks away.

Now that is what you call one stray bullet.

True, there was a nice Abbott and Costello kind of interrogation by BJ of said carjack-ers, which essentially finds them stumbling over themselves and confessing to a crime they didn't even know they committed and/or that the law covers; and, there was some comical laser tag/beam me up Scotty moments with Detective Tao figuring out the path of the stray bullet. Buzz also got approved for a $70,000+ grant to upgrade the surveillance equipment so that everyone can now watch interrogations in a) 18 different letterbox formats and b) wirelessly at their desk. And, since the stray bullet managed to kill the victim on the grounds of Father Jack's church (who, we recall, has been featured in a previous episode and isn't exactly one of BJ and Co's biggest fans), it made for some interesting moments with Detective Sanchez running THROUGH the church to get up to a higher vantage point whilst making sure he took a moment to kneel at the altar.

But aside from that, there wasn't a whole lot to report in Major Crimes this week.

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site.



Mean People Suck

We all know this bumper sticker, right?

If not, you do now.

And it was the perfect way to describe this week's episode of Raising the Bar.

Let's just say I wanted to slap a stick over Detective Port-a-Prick's desk (or maybe that should've been forehead?) for, essentially, letting one of Jerry's clients DIE whilst in custody just to: a) get back at Jerry; b) get back the woman, who had committed NO crime but of whom one might say had a thing against 5-0 for constantly harassing her and/or thinking she's selling drugs.

Okay, so maybe her adversarial approach in talking to every NYPD cop with an attitude and a load of F-bombs didn't help her reputation much. And she probably wasn't ever going to get invited to any NYPD Christmas parites given she continually refused to knark on those selling drugs in her neighborhood. Still, bouncing her around from precinct to precinct so she wouldn't show up in Central Booking and/or Jerry couldn't get to her wasn't cool. But continuing to do it WHILST she was suffering from a burst appendix and screaming for medical attention - to which she WAS entitled - means one big humongo civil lawsuit coming against this NYPD detective, who also happens to be banging Michelle Ernhardt.

In other news ... how about Judge Farnsworth making the move to potentially steal Charlie from the claws of Judge Kessler?

Go Farnsworth!

(Like Kessler is going to let that happen. Farnsworth: "This is my courtroom." Kessler: "This is my courthouse. Stay away from Charlie ..").

Me thinks this has all the makings for some good tit-for-tat between two really great actors.

And note to Bobbi: Glad to see you are finally growing a pair given that whacked out soon-to-be-ex-husband of yours is just a little too ... well, whacked. Can we please stop the innocent-OMG-what-am-I-going-to-do routine and have more of the confrontational, don'f f**k with me routine from this week's ep? kthanxbye.

New episodes of Raising the Bar air Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site

Remote Rewind: Testing the Water

When we last left Sully and Michaela, he was lusting over her from afar, but this episode brought them a few steps closer to realizing their feelings. It all started when folks began showing up at Dr. Mike's clinic with a bad case of the stomach aches. At first, Michaela was puzzled as to the source. She tried to find a link between the victims, but kept coming up short. They all seemed to have different lifestyles. She suspected the water, but they had different sources (creek versus wells). She soon discovered that those with wells had partaken in a little moonshine from Happy Walker's still and Happy (who, as it turns out, wasn't very happy or very alive for that matter) uses the water from the creek to make his moonshine. It also just so happened that the local mining company was set up along the creek. Michaela suspected that the mining company was dumping mercury-filled waste into the creek causing those who drank from it to get mercury poisoning. But, she couldn't prove it and the mining company wasn't about to let her on their land to find out for sure. It turns out that mercury, in large amounts, can kill you, so Michaela was bound and determined to ascertain the cause of the poisoning and to stop the people responsible.

Enter Sully, a testing kit and an interesting adventure into the wilderness with the two of them alone. There's a great line before they embark on this little fact-finding mission from Miss Olive. Sully was completely against Michaela going along with him (because he believed she would "slow him down"), but she insisted that she be there to conduct the test at the source in order to get accurate results. When she tells Olive that Sully doesn't want her to go along, Olive suggests that Sully is "afraid to be alone with you." It's a loaded line and you can tell that it doesn't quite sit well with Michaela and this sorta sets the tone for the trip. Once in the wilderness together things got more interesting. Michaela, being a girl from the big city who hasn't fully acclimated yet to her new rugged surroundings, brought all sorts of useless "junk" on the trip (a brush, mirror, etc.) and Sully gave her a hard time. Later, she was able to use the mirror to distract a snake and give Sully the necessary time to kill it before it struck him. She immediately told him, "Handy little piece of junk, huh?"

After the snake incident, they learned to depend on each other a bit more. At one point, the mining company spoted them and started shooting (as per their sign at the entrance to their property: Trespassers will be shot). In an attempt to flee, Michaela fell and broke her arm making her journey even more difficult. They ended up taking to the water to escape the gun shots and this, combined with the broken arm, led to the famous "buttons scene." After making it safely out of the water, the two stripped down (to their undergarments -- this is the 1870s) and dried their wet clothes by the fire. They stayed on opposite sides of a tree for privacy, but Michaela soon found it much too difficult to button her own shirt and had to ask Sully to do it for her. They shared "a moment" (one of many as I've previously mentioned) and the groundwork for their future relationship was officially laid. It was the first point in which they both realized that they might not be able to stop that speeding train after all, but they were both hell bent on delaying it for as long as possible. But, we have a few more milestones to cover before we get to that part of the story.

Feeling nostalgic for Dr. Mike, Sully and the rest of the residents of Colorado Springs? Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Series is now available on DVD.

Ocean 'Ice'

I know that Ice Road Truckers veterans all love Hugh and Alex because they were in previous seasons when the show took place in Canada, but I can't help it -- Lisa is my favorite. She's hilarious, surprisingly strong for her small stature and she can lug chains, tighten straps and haul the big loads right along with the boys. What's not to like?? I was so glued to her story tonight. I find myself rooting for her to do well with these oversized load tests so that she can become one of the Dalton elite: A heavy-haul driver. This time, the load was long (as opposed to the extra-wide one she hauled last time), so it wasn't as intense along the Dalton as the last one where oncoming trucks became dangerous obstacles. But, things got a bit more intense on the sea ice. This week's haul of 80-foot pipe wasn't bound for Deadhorse. No, it had a one-way ticket for the oil rigs out in the Arctic Ocean, which means harrowing miles across the frozen ocean over sea ice. A trek so dangerous, drivers have to maintain the 10 mph speed limit in order to keep themselves from compromising the ice, and ultimately, falling through into the ice-cold waters below. Instantly, Lisa noticed the wave-like feeling as she edged out onto the frozen ocean. But have no fear, the narrator (executive producer Thom Beers) informed us, "The wave-like motion is the weight of the truck making the ice sag and stretch." Sag and stretch??!! Do you guys see how crazy/scary this job is?

Just in case you're not convinced that sudden death is right around the corner at any given moment, Tim showed us all how one can effectively tempt fate. First, he went to retrieve his broken-down truck and discovered that someone had stolen his chains. He had to drive back to Fairbanks "barefoot." See, this sounds innocent enough until you learn that this barefoot refers to driving on snow and ice down steep hills without chains to help you gain traction. Then after starting his next load, he had a few scares when his truck lost traction with the ice and his steering became almost impossible. I was sure he was going off the road, but luckily, he was able to regain control and steer his truck safely away from the snowy banks and steep edges. And after all of that, he and veteran George got stuck in Coldfoot when a bad snow storm closed Atigun Pass. Looks like they'll be sitting tight for several hours.

Meanwhile, Hugh and Alex have taken their good-natured rivalry from Canada to the States while also getting some ribbing from their American counterparts for attempting the Dalton. Alex did have some tense moments when he and his veteran leader decided to push on despite a stripped tire. He had no traction on the tire, which forced more pressure on the good tire next to it increasing the chance of that tire failing as well. Luckily, he made it safely to Deadhorse. At the end of the day, Jack (who was not featured this week) leads the pack with 8 loads, but my girl Lisa is in second with 7 and as a bonus, she got to cross "driving across the frozen Arctic Ocean" off of her "bucket list." She excitedly exclaimed, "Put a big ol' fat red check mark next to it." Yup, I love me some IRT!!

Ice Road Truckers airs Sunday nights on History Channel. To catch up on this season, click on over to HistoryChannel.com where you'll also get more information, driver bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.

'Mental'-ly Unfit for Trial

I knew something didn't feel right about this week's episode. At first, I just chalked it up to poor planning on the writer's part or just a weak episode. I couldn't understand why this random court case was inserted into the episode without a lot of background information. It just felt out of place. I went with it, reluctantly, and then things started to get interesting. The ace prosecutor began seeing blurred images of the jury, witnesses, defendant and members of the crowd. I wasn't sure whether she was having an acute vision problem or if she was about to become one of Dr. Gallagher's patients. It wasn't until she started seeing flashes of Jack in a different setting that I began to suspect something was amiss. At that moment on the balcony, I started to suspect that what we were seeing wasn't really happening. I gotta say, this little twist was pretty brilliant! I went from kinda strongly disliking the disjointed feeling to the episode to kinda strongly loving it at the end.

One thing I did not love (at the beginning or the end) was Veronica's continued affair with Baby-Faced Doctor. I figured from last week's "I'm having an affair" discussion with Nora that things were still hot and heavy between these two and this episode confirmed it. I know we don't really know the cutey husband, but I feel so bad for him. I'm not going to deny that Veronica and Baby-Faced Doctor have some serious sparks, but I'm having a hard time getting on board with the story line. She either needs to end the thing, come clean to her husband and move on or end her marriage and be with the young doc. Make up your mind, woman. Either way, someone is going to get very hurt.

Mental airs Friday nights on Fox. If you missed this week's episode, watch it for free at Fox.com.

On Your Mark, Get Set, COUNTDOWN!

As TV seasons go, this past one wasn't one for the record books. While we celebrated the return of a full season, some of our faves let us down. Happily, some that weren't faves rose to the occasion and became new faves by the end of the season. Strange as it may have been, the '08-'09 season is wrapped and in the books, but this means that PTR's popular Best Episodes of the Season summer-long countdown is just beginning. Senior Staff Writer LillyKat and I have come up with another great list. Before we get to that, though, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 33 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2008 and June 2009. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, we will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 33-31.

33: "Friends with Benefits" - My Name is Earl
What happens when a huge misunderstanding finds Randy in bed with another man? HILARITY! Earl goes in search of Joy and Darnell to give them back Mr. Turtle and leaves Randy by himself. This gets Randy feeling a little lonely, but he mistakes another man's interest as brotherly instead of romantic. Meanwhile, Earl discovers that Joy is preoccupied with trying to fit in with her new upscale neighbors. This was one of those episodes where both story lines had me rolling! Pure hysterics between watching Randy trying to replace Earl and Joy trying to fit in with the posh crowd. I know it seems like common sense, but shouldn't a comedy be funny? This episode certainly made for a lot of laughs. Written by Jessica Goldstein and Chrissy Pietrosh and directed by Allison Liddi-Brown.

32: "Gus Walks into a Bank" - Psych
So, Gus walks into a bank. He wanted Shawn to go with him, but he chose to wait in the car because he's pissed at the bank for denying him a small business loan for a zip line that delivers food from the kitchen to the living room. While Gus is in the bank, a gunman holds everyone hostage and things begin to spiral out of control. Of course, Shawn finds himself right in the middle of it. What I didn't expect was to see Shawn running the negotiation for the bank robber. Nor did I expect to see him sparring with someone more obnoxious than Lassie! Once inside the bank, Shawn was able to ascertain the robber's motive, mess with SWAT team and tease Jules. Funny lines aside, he got himself back out of the bank, saved the robber's wife and figured out who had been holding her hostage to arrange the heist in order to secure a client's rare diamonds. But, it was just another day in the life of Shawn Spencer: Fake Psychic Detective. Written by Andy Berman and directed by Eric Laneuville.

31: "Chuck Versus the Colonel" - Chuck
Chuck and Sarah go AWOL in order to save Chuck's dad from the evil Chevy Chase. And while they're roadtripping, a few feelings find their way to the surface. Sarah, in a moment of complete vulnerability, allows herself to get caught up in her feelings and winds up making out with Chuck in their shared hotel room. And if that wasn't enough excitement, Chuck and his dad stop the evil Chevy Chase from carrying out his new and improved Intersect plan. Oh yeah, and there's that little matter of Chuck finally ridding himself of the Intersect. Normal life from here on out, right? Well, it seems, once a spy, always a spy especially when the enemy has not been neutralized and a huge wedding is waiting in the wings. This one had action, adventure, romance and fun. What more can you ask for? Written by Matt Miller and directed by Peter Lauer

So, there's a look at the first set of episodes on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave us a comment with your thoughts. And be sure to tune in next Friday for #30-28 on the list.

'Grace' Is On It

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Here's a slightly scary thought: I think I actually look forward to watching Saving Grace MORE than I do The Closer right at the moment.

Whaaaat?

Did I just say that?

About a show I almost abandoned after the first season and still rumbled through the first part of the second season?

Hmmm ... who are you, and what have you done with the real LillyKat?

In all seriousness, I don't have anything against BJ and Co at the moment. But Grace has been on a roll since the end of last season, and the direction the show is moving is everything I thought it WOULD be when I first began watching. That is, we care about Grace; and, she gives us a reason to believe why she should have a last chance angel in the first place (who is becoming, like, more of her partner with each passing episode - love.that).

Case in point: this week's near attempt on Grace's own life by someone not all too happy with her from her past. Sure, we've heard this one before, except this time Grace does get seriously upset upon learning all members of her family are being targeted in this pseudo-revenge plot against her. She clicks into an ultra-protective mode, which I've always appreciated.

In season one, she would've blown all this off. Not cared. Figured out a way to make it NOT a big deal. Drank herself into denial. Banged Ham to get over it.

Now, we've got responsible-on-it-going-to-protect-everybody-at-all-costs Grace AND still make time to visit her ailing buddy in the hospital to check on her recovery (which seems to be going quite fine as Angel Earl seems to be sneaking her away for margaritas. True, Neely is still in a coma in THIS time space, but Lord knows how the partying is going with Angel Earl elsewhere).

And all of this is what I love about the show right now. Grace has got so much ELSE going on, and she's consciously making the decision to do the right thing for OTHER people, not just herself. That is just a true pleasure to watch because it shows such growth of character.

I'm proud of her. Can I even say that?

Even with Rhetta - who is having such a tough time in being forced to sell her family's farm. The Rhetta/Grace relationship is still blossoming, and it is Grace who now seems to be Rhetta's rock - even if she DID throw out all of Rhetta's momentos from the time capsule they buried on the farm when they were 10-years-old.

Hey, they were 10-years-old. It was a neener-neener thing. Can't really blame her, can we?

In any event, Grace has really gotten it together of late: she's on with her job; she's on with her family; she's on with Earl; she's on with Rhetta; she's OFF with Ham (thank.God).

She's.Just.On.

And I'm lovin' it.

New episodes of Saving Grace air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on TNT. You can watch full episodes of the show anytime over on the show’s official Web site. You can also visit EmbraceYourGrace.com to share your stories of how you embrace your inner-Grace.

'Catch'-ing the Midway Point

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

So it is, according to our Deadliest Catch gang, the halfway point of the crabbing season - heavy emphasis on the Opilio part of that season. What have we learned?

- No boat is immune from the ice pack.

- Boats should come equipped with rear view mirrors so as to better watch those Bering Sea 40 footers that sneak up from BEHIND.

- Captain Sig CAN be content; even better, he can actually quit smoking - if only for about three hours.

- Dutch Harbor should be renamed Igloo Bay.

- Captain Phil hasn't lost his touch, but the Cornelia Marie seems to be held together by a couple of packs of gum and some duct tape.

- Captain Keith has made one of the worst decisions of his career this Opilio season (and is still haunted by its repercussions); however, he IS still able to get his s**t together to get on the crab and fill up the Wizard.

- The Time Bandit is still unable to do anything wrong; and, although Captain Andy does have a temper, he uses it sparingly.

- These guys still have one of the most deadliest, most tiring, most mind numbing, most trying, most nerve wracking, most insane jobs on the planet ... and they LOVE it.

New episodes of Deadliest Catch air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Discovery Channel. Visit the official Deadliest Catch Web site for the latest on the captains and crews of the Northwestern, Cornelia Marie, Time Bandit, Wizard, Early Dawn and North American and the new boat, the Incentive. You can also catch up with Deadliest Catch folks on Twitter: fvnw_erin / CaptPhilHarris / northwesternpat / NorthwesternPR / captjohnathan / northwesternsig / DeadliestCatch (which is actually the Cornelia Marie) / DiscoveryChPR.

Remote Rewind: Epidemic Proportions

With all the recent talk of "pandemics" and flu outbreaks and what would we do on a global level to prevent something deadly from spreading around the world at lightning speeds, this week's edition of "Remote Rewind" is going to seem very timely. Actually, one of the things that I always enjoyed about Dr. Quinn was the way it took place more than 100 years ago, but still managed to make stories relevant to today. Back in the 1870s, the concern wasn't over pandemics, it was over epidemics (as most outbreaks were contained to single areas with little threat of them rapidly spreading around the country and then the world as they are today). And the one that struck the most fear into the hearts of townsfolk everywhere was Influenza (and yes, 140 years later, we're still freaking out over the flu -- be it swine, avian or other). Entire towns could be wiped out because this thing would come in and take over. Sterilization wasn't what it is today, but even more so, the research on how disease spreads wasn't there yet. Those infected were quarantined and those lucky enough to stay healthy stayed away from the quarantined buildings full of the sick and dying. Unfortunately for Michaela, she was right in the middle of the quarantine. She was managing fevers, blotting away sweating foreheads, setting up bed after bed after bed, triaging as best she could all while looking after three young children.

The strain took its toll, and it wasn't too long before she came down with the Influenza. She was worn down, under-rested and over-worked while being exposed to a growing number of infected patients. She quickly became bedridden and her medicines were having little to no effect on her worsening condition. Sully stood by helplessly as the flu seemed to grip tighter. DQ was full of "little moments:" brief, fleeting moments that managed to speak volumes. One of those moments happened right there in Michaela's clinic. While the women sponged off her back (in another effort to lower her fever), Sully waited in the hall and he couldn't help but to watch from beyond the door. This wasn't a "creepy Peeping Tom" or "typical guy" kind of watching -- he was drawn to her whether it was his worry that if he looked away she might slip away or just his very strong developing feelings for her -- he was locked on her and knew he had to do something fast.

He took her to Cloud Dancing, a local Cheyenne medicine man (and one of my favorite characters!), who was able to use "Indian Medicine" to bring her fever down and eventually rid her body of the flu. This little turn of events was hugely important for two reasons: 1) it most definitely established Sully's feelings for Michaela and his willingness to do whatever it takes to save her life (a theme we see repeated by both Sully and Michaela throughout the entire series), and 2) it introduced Michaela to "Indian Medicine" and all of the untapped potential it held. In fact, it is this moment that leads Michaela to introduce the remedies into her practice, save her mother's life, and shape the rest of her story as the town's first female doctor. So, out of a terrible epidemic, comes some very important themes for the continuing fabric of the show.

Feeling nostalgic for Dr. Mike, Sully and the rest of the residents of Colorado Springs? Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Series is now available on DVD. Screencaps courtesy Official DQMW Web site.

Roundup: 'Closer' Chemistry Magic; 'Bar' Tackles the Dark Corners of the Web

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Fritz is Still Da' Man

The good folks over at The Closer must've read my mind. That, or by episode three of this fifth season, they, too, were thinking perhaps it was NOT a good idea to make Jon Tenney's Special Agent Fritz Howard a wallflower.

One of the highlights of this show (for me, anyways) has always been the Brenda and Fritz relationship dynamic, and how well the show continues to pay attention to developing the personal whilst maintaining its obligations to being a crime drama. I don't think another show on the air at the moment does it any better, or manages to keep it all so well-balanced (though In Plain Sight is now a close runner-up). And with last night's ep, we were reminded once again how well the show succeeds along these lines as Fritz cleverly outsmarts Brenda to get her help on a case involving a major drug distribution ring (can we call it that?), thus breaking their keep-work-separate-from-personal rule.

I believe Fritz IS the only one who can truly go toe to toe with Brenda to get what he wants. He never lets her get too far out in front without knowing how and when to reel her in. True, he gives her a lot of ... let's call it grazing room to be her usual domineering, controlling, my-way-or-the-highway self. But somehow Fritz has managed to figure out a way to keep her in HIS line.

Not to mention watching Kyra Sedgwick and Jon Tenney work their chemistry magic is a true pleasure. I know first hand how hard the actors work to create that true sense of realness - good and bad - to their relationship. And they never seem to skip a beat.

In other news ... so Lieutenant Provenza is dating some hottie menswear buyer for a fancy department store chain who is half his age? Go Provenza.

The sense of humor in this ep was spot on - complete with Kitty's ashes being carted around in a pseudo-Tupperwear jar until BJ could figure out how to cope with ... uh, the lost was classic (though I do confess I'm glad she settled on an urn over the fireplace in the end, complete with candle memorial and private viewing of an animal-mating-ritual-something-or-other DVD).

When this show can give me Brenda and Fritzy at their best alongside humorous writing at its best, I'm reminded why I'm still watching this show five seasons in.

And enjoying it so much.

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site.



The Dark Corners of the Internet

I couldn't help but think of the Staples Office Store commercial tag line, "That Was Easy," when watching last night's ep of Raising the Bar ... and wanting to add an 'nt to it.

Yowza. Did the ep make you want to run out and close down your Facebook page?

Maybe not.

Suffice it to say this ep was quite powerful, and it could be a candidate for next year's PTR Best Episode countdown as it explored the dangers of what happens when people's personal information - posted to their own Web site - ends up in the wrong hands through no fault of their own.

As in, there is no such thing as "personal" or "private" on the Web. Anyone, anywhere, anytime can get your stuff. And that includes pictures of children - taken by parents, with the most innocent of intentions to share via whatever personal family URL or social networking site, only to then have them end up in unscrupulous hands.

Like on a child pornography site, as was the case last night.

Living and breathing the Web on a daily basis, this doesn't shock me. But there are still so many people out there - even members of my own family - who just don't understand how dark the corners are of this thing called the Internet. Our stuff IS accessible to the people and sites who make a living in those dark corners - whether we want it to be or not; whether the methods with which they acquire our info are legal or not.

That, to me, is the worst drawback of the advent of the Internet. As much as its done to unite and inform, it's also given way to an infinite supply of unregulated, untraceable, unrecognizable rings of ... well, let's just say not-so-good people who do not-so-good stuff. Seriously. You can look up how to build a bomb and blow up buildings. Murder people. Torture someone. Rape someone. You can join any given group, chat or networking what 'cha ma call it to participate in whatever twisted thing one can imagine. The anonymity of it all is what makes it so difficult to police, track or hold said not-so-good people accountable - especially when they are in some other country.

Even innocent people get caught in the middle.

As the case last night highlighted.

The show should be commended for taking a long, hard look at just how gray of an area "policing" the Internet actually is - even in the United States. A father's life can be turned upside down because he took a picture of his kid getting out of the bath tub (like the umpteen pictures my mom took of me, taking a bath in a bucket when I was one-year old - and could FIT in a bucket); his own personal Web habits then used against him to paint an unflattering picture of his parenting skills so as to suggest he deliberately turned over the picture of his son to a child porn site as opposed to having it unlawfully stolen.

And did we mention the jury could NOT decide if he was innocent or guilty?

Yowza.

The moral of this story: protect your personal info, folks - especially as it pertains to your kids. It's a good rule of thumb to think that most anything you post on the Web can be seen by everyone and their brother - whether you want them to or not. It's a bummer, but that is the reality. If our own government's systems can be hacked, pulling pics down from your supposedly "personal" or "private" site isn't a big stretch - no matter what Facebook/Twitter/MySpace/WhomeverSpace's security and privacy policy says.

Okay, deep breath.

In other (and far more lighter) news ... rock on Roz! Thank you for putting somewhat of an end to Bobbi's maniacal ex-husband, who was about to take her for everything she owns (including the apartment she purchased with her grandmother's inheritance and of which is the only thing she has left of her grandmother). Seriously, that guy needed to get taken down a peg or two. Who'd have thought it'd be Roz? I love those quiet, silent, uber-powerful characters who show us their strong side when we least expect it.

New episodes of Raising the Bar air Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site

In Not So 'Plain Sight'

I wasn't sure where the "witness of the week" story line was going with the "missing child" and the ex-wife on the run, but I gladly went along for the ride. I certainly didn't foresee it leading to the desert and then the side of a Chicago highway. There was something very tragic about Ed and his quest to find his imaginary son, Miles. I so wanted Miles to be real even though the evidence suggested otherwise. And then the entire thing was made even more tragic by the discovery that the real Miles and his mother were dead -- victims of a human smuggling ring that Ed tried to save. Their faces haunted him so badly that he invented Miles as a coping mechanism. As much as I LOVE the funny lines and scenes on this show, there's something special about Mary's poignant moments near the end with her witnesses. They show her more vulnerable side and how much she cares for those she's charged with protecting. Her final scene with Ed on the porch with the telescope brought some nice closure and gave Mary something to think about ("It's amazing what you can see when you just open you eyes").

On another front, I can't say I'm disappointed that Marshall and the shrink didn't work out. Although, I did enjoy the irony of a shrink unable to see the self deprecating pattern that she found herself in and then back in at the end. She just wasn't Marshall's type. Not that I know exactly what his type is, but I feel pretty sure that she isn't it. Maybe it's just Marshall's awkwardness, but I've always thought that he had a little thing for Mary. Completely one-sided, of course.

I'm feeling a little dense after watching the Brandi story line. Don't get me wrong, I liked it -- A LOT. She needs to walk a mile in someone else's shoes so she can find out that the world does not revolve round her. But, I'm confused as to the story's purpose in the greater arc of Brandi: Mary's troubled little sis. I guess this is one of those "story lines in progress," and as such, we won't fully understand its ripples until future episodes. I have to say, I was impressed with her for putting herself aside and stopping to not only see if the man was OK, but to then pursue it until she knew he was going survive. Perhaps the gravity of the situation didn't hit her until she learned that the man had a clot and she saved his life and he's going to be fine. Whatever it was, Brandi seemed overcome at the end in a way that we haven't seen from her. I've been impressed with her progression this season and this was just the latest example.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

'Ice Road' Hazards

I thought of Ice Road Truckers often on Friday night as I made my way to see my family in the blinding rain and pitch black along the highway. As the rain came down in sheets and the lightening struck all around me casting its bright light right into my dark-adjusted eyes further blinding me, I thought about Jack and Lisa and Hugh and Alex and how they manage to do much worse in a big rig hauling tens of thousands of pounds over ICE, and I kept telling myself that by comparison, my trek was easy. Unfortunately, my neck and leg muscles didn't get the message! So suffice it to say, I have an even deeper appreciation for the work they and many other truck drivers on The Dalton do for those treacherous three months. This week, stick shifts, brakes, and moose proved to be the biggest obstacles. Anyone who has learned to drive a stick shift knows that once you're stopped, shifting correctly to get going again is one of the hardest techniques to master. Now, imagine trying to complete this task while climbing a mountain with only a small guard rail separating you from hundreds of feet down steep ledges. Oh yeah, also add a little ice and you get Alex's shifting miscue. Thankfully, he was able to get his stopped truck moving again without sliding down the incline and soaring over the edge to sudden death (this would be overly dramatic if it weren't true).

Meanwhile, Lisa made a dangerous newbie mistake. This is only her second season on The Dalton and this week's episode marked her first drive through fresh, thick snow. When an oversized load (heading northbound to her southbound) came barreling toward her, she was supposed to yield right-of-way by pulling off the road. Two problems: the fresh snow made finding the closest pull off impossible and she suddenly had no brakes. She pumped and pumped, but the truck wasn't stopping. Finally, the truck came to a stop just short of the oversized rig. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't seriously worried and sitting on the edge of my couch. Apparently, she should have been pumping her brakes from time to time while driving in order to melt the snow that accumulates around the brakes. Tough time to learn that lesson!

Later in the hour, we learned that even the most experienced drivers are no match for one Dalton hazard: Moose! Jack owes the fact that he didn't hit the moose that darted out in front of him to his pilot car driver who radioed to let him know that a moose was standing just off to the side of the road. I've had this fear of hitting a moose ever since I was a child. I have family in Vermont, and they would always tell me tales about moose that come out of nowhere and stretch across the entire road making it virtually impossible to miss with your car and often times leading to death for both the moose and the driver. I don't live with moose, but whenever I go to Vermont, I'm on extra alert. So now, we can add moose to the growing list of things on The Dalton that can kill you. And speaking of that, the driver that wrecked his rig this week was lucky to walk away from that crash. A sobering reminder of how much is at stake on The Dalton.

Ice Road Truckers airs Sunday nights on History Channel. To catch up on this season, click on over to HistoryChannel.com where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.

'Pitchmen' Billy Mays Found Dead

Some sad news today (and even sadder, this is the latest in a string of high-profile tragic deaths this week including Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson). From Discovery Communications:

It is with incredible sadness that we have to report that
Billy Mays died in his sleep last night. Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger -than- life personality, generosity and warmth. Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family at
this time of incredible loss.

According to Fox News, Mays' wife found him unresponsive this morning in their Tampa, Florida home. There was no sign of forced entry and foul play is not suspected according to the Tampa police department. Billy Mays was 50 years old.

While I hadn't been writing about it here at PTR, I have been watching Billy and Anthony "Sully" Sullivan on their Discovery Channel reality show Pitchmen, so the news of his death is extra sad for me. I felt like I'd come to know both Billy and Sully through the show and I was so impressed by Billy's dedication and determination to the products he pitched and the people he pitched them for. I will miss his crazy pitches, blue shirt, back and forth with Sully and the excitement that he brought to inventors who risked everything they had for an idea. The pitching world will not be the same without Billy.