Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Why Didn't SVU Go To Philadelphia?

By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

NBC Recap


Elliot: She does her job, and when it’s done, she goes home.


Right there is the indication that it’s going to be one heck of an episode. Have you met your partner? Elliot is being questioned, by whom or for what we don’t know. It’s probably safe to assume, though, that he and/or Olivia have gotten into some kind of trouble. That’s a constant in the SVU world. Trouble = evaluation. The writers did a good job with this one, injecting different parts of the conversation throughout the episode, enough that we get the general idea that something has definitely happened between Elliot and Olivia, but not too much so that we know what is happening before the very end of the episode. Of course when Cragen drops the big bombshell at the end, the conversation seems entirely too obvious. But more on that later.

Olivia is in New Jersey at her brother’s house. New Jersey… I’m guessing that isn’t Philadelphia, huh? In fact, we don’t see, hear, or get an inkling that the detectives might be thinking about Philly. So, what was the connection? Every episode title of every show ever written has something to do with the content of the episode in some way, shape, or form. So why get us all excited about Philly if we’re not going?

The fact that Olivia is at her brother’s house pretty much makes up for that, though. Elliot is somehow there too, for “backup”. Now, why would Olivia need backup to visit her brother? Because, of course, Jersey PD is there too. What a coincidence.

Off to the actual SVU storyline, we’ve got a case of a male being raped, apparently the third in a string of attacks. We don’t see this storyline often enough. Actually, not since “Ridicule” (the episode where Diane Neal played the perp and not the ADA) have we seen a case like this, and while it’s extremely important to the storyline that the case be one of those rare male rape cases that happens to come in, I wish the writers would have utilized the idea in at least one other episode, since this one was primarily focused on Benson. That tiny grievance aside, however, I was stunned at the pure genius that is actually in this storyline.

It’s no mistake that the writers chose to work with male victims instead of female ones in this episode. Everything that Olivia knows is going to be challenged this episode, her family ties, her competence as a detective, and so no decent writer could possibly resist the urge to throw just one more wrench in the gears. Further more, it’s important that this episode’s perp chose male victims. Since he was abused by males in prison, (the theory is) that is why he turned around and abused the very same people he was abused by. It all ties back in to the theory that the tendency to be a rapist is something that can be passed on genetically, or it can be learned. The perp seems to reinforce the school of thought that being violent is something that can be learned, which is what Benson would rather believe. As Dr. Huang said, “identification with the suppressor.” Simon, however, seems to support the theory that genetics may have something to do with the tendencies.

Olivia has a great scene in the car with Elliot when she pretty much breaks down; alas for E/O fans, not in his lap, sorry. At this point she is definitely thinking that the phrase “like father like son” may be true, and she’s also afraid that the science of the matter may easily accommodate “like father like daughter.” It’s a popular idea in fan fiction that Olivia would have a problem with passing on her DNA for this reason: what if she is predispositioned toward violence? Olivia reveals, however, that she’s lonesome, and is tired of being alone. She thought she had a shot of being part of a family with Simon, but with the possibility of him being a rapist, that chance has been pretty much disappeared.

A quick lesson for new drivers like myself: Don’t ever do what Olivia did. Talking on your cell phone while driving is not safe to do, but being on the radio at the same time? That has to be in the detective’s manual somewhere… and look what happened! The perps got away. Negative effects, readers, negative effects. The scene did serve its purpose though: we definitely got the point that Olivia was distracted. Cragen knew that Olivia and Elliot were lying through their teeth when they claimed the directions weren’t transmitted/received clearly, so he has Techy Morales bring up the tapes! I didn’t know they recorded that stuff, but in any case: busted.

They end up catching the perps anyway, and Fin of course says the perfect thing:
Fin: Maybe these bozos don’t have good gaydar.


Best. Line. Ever. Or so I thought, until we got this one:

Olivia: What’s your name?
Perp: I hate you bitch.
Olivia: That has a nice ring to it.


And back to Olivia TV, and the most disappointing revelation of the entire episode: Olivia’s father is dead. Oh, man, I was so hoping for confrontation. I needed that to happen. Unless Simon is lying, which is possible, considering he’s lied about everything else. He and Olivia were having a good night of strawberry ice cream, Captain Crunch and Dukes of Hazard when he had to go and ruin it all by raping one of the women that he stalked. And didn’t he try and use Olivia as an alibi. Olivia, even though she knows with her head that he’s guilty, still tries to believe that he’s innocent. Even tries to pin it on Captain Millfield of Jersey PD (played by the lovely Kim Delany, by the way) but to no avail. Simon is guilty… and proves it by skipping bail. Smart man.

Back to the actual case again. (I know this is confusing, bear with me. This is actually how the episode ran, all back and forth like.)

Casey: (to perp) We want to use your case to build support for President Bush’s Prison Rape Prevention Act.
Huang: We’re giving these tapes to Dateline so America can learn all about the time that you suffered in prison.

I admit that for a second I thought they were serious, but almost instantly I burst into a kind of mechanical laughter. Brilliance in a bottle is what that was. Unethical, sure, but brilliant. The guy fell for it too, which made it even better. At least he is actually benefiting from the deal.

And fittingly, they end with the evaluation. Which we learn from Cragen, at the very end, is because he believes that Benson and Stabler simply may not be worth the risks of keeping together anymore. Why he send them to Dr. Hendrix, I’m not sure, since of Olivia’s personal history with her. But evaluate them she does. (A yay for Mary Stuart Masterson anyway, she always rocks as Dr. Hendrix.) And the ruling? Of course they’re too emotionally attached to each other. We knew that. But she warns Cragen that if he separates them, he’ll be losing the best team of detectives he will ever have. Decisions, decisions. We know that Benson and Stabler have at least two more years to work it out!

Over all, almost everything I wanted the episode to be. Olivia’s journey with this is definitely just starting, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where it goes. While I’m disappointed that Olivia’s father is apparently dead, there’s definitely a lot more about family that Olivia has to explore. We’ll have to wait a little while to find out exactly what happens, though. No new episodes for a couple weeks due to March Madness.

'Veronica' Teams Up with Killer Results

Bravo Veronica Mars, for fixing the mistakes that happened during this season's first mystery arc. The dean's murder went much more smoothly, and the resolution was low-key and perfect last night. I had that sinking feeling all episode that Tim was the mastermind behind the murder. He had read Veronica's perfect murder paper, and he had access to everything that Landry had access to, but I couldn't figure out why he would kill the dean and frame Landry. Enter a rather terse recorded phone conversation between his mentor and Pepperdine regarding Tim's application, and you have the perfect motive to accompany the (notso) perfect crime. It's too bad that Tim got cocky and got Veronica involved in the case because, otherwise, he was getting away with it. Even though the "dean's" parting message, "Goodbye cruel world," was a bit generic, Tim had to know that it would set off a serious alarm for Veronica considering that she had just written it in her perfect murder paper. I just loved the irony that Tim framed his professor in order to get him back for the harsh reference he gave him, but his own cockiness sunk him in the end proving that Landry may not have been underselling his pupil. And it must have killed him that his biggest foil, whom he also thought he could fool and that's why he got her involved, is the one who uncovered his plot. It was Veronica at her best!


So, Sheriff Lamb is really dead. I realized this last week, but I was just hoping that I was wrong (for more on Lamb's death, check out Michael Muhney's interview with TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello). I'm seriously going to miss his hilarious banter with Veronica and their nemesis-style relationship. Moving on (only because I must), Keith, rather Sheriff Mars, is the new lawman in town and that means that Veronica has even more access to the things that she shouldn't be sneaking into (and a free pass at red lights, but no siren). Of course, her sneaking is what uncovered the truth since she doesn't have to follow pesky laws that require things like warrants and prohibit breaking and entering. Unfortunately, there's nothing to protect her from her ex dating her friend. The scene where Logan asked her if he could ask out Parker broke my heart a little. It couldn't have been easy for Veronica either, but she was a real sport about it. I just wish that I could be the same about this hiatus until April! This show is too good to leave my TV radar for the next month or so.

In related news, TVGuide.com has an interview with Kristen Bell on the hiatus, the new format when the show returns this spring (self-contained mysteries instead of an overarching one) and her new movie Fifty Pills. Check it out HERE.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Papa's Cabin"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Tuesday's Primetime Pass

A look at what PTR is watching tonight

MUST WATCH PROGRAM OF THE NIGHT:
Veronica Mars (9 p.m. The CW) - "Papa's Cabin." VERONICA CATCHES A ROBBER AND KEITH MAKES AN ARPublish PostREST - Veronica (Kristen Bell) catches Tim Foyle (guest star James Jordan), breaking into Mars Investigations. Meanwhile, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) questions Mindy O'Dell (guest star Jamie Ray Newman), and makes an arrest. Later, Wallace (Percy Daggs III) notices Logan (Jason Dohring) and Parker (Julie Gonzalo) enjoying a nice lunch together. In a related notes, it seems that Lamb is dead as a doornail afterall (Why??!! Why??!!). Check out actor Michael Muhney's interview with TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello for more.

Gilmore Girls (8 p.m. The CW) - "Will You be My Lorelei Gilmore?" While she is in the midst of planning Lane's (Keiko Agena) baby shower, Rory (Alexis Bledel) gets a long-awaited call from The New York Times offering her an informational interview. Lorelai (Lauren Graham) takes over the shower-planning duties, and finds herself brokering peace between Lane and Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda) over how Lane plans to raise her twins. Logan (Matt Czuchry) finally admits his business disaster to Rory and announces that he is flying to Las Vegas to blow off steam with his old college pals Colin and Finn.

Law & Order: SVU (10 p.m. NBC) - "Philadelphia." When Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) investigates a rape case outside her jurisdiction, she finds herself being questioned by local Police Captain Julia Millfield (guest star Kim Delaney) and although she gets some answers, some are difficult to accept. Benson also needs to discuss with police psychologist Dr. Rebecca Hendrix (guest star Mary Stuart Masterson) about some of her actions that have led to tensions with Detective Stabler (Chris Meloni).

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Deal or No Deal, Prison Break, Heroes, CSI: Miami, and CBS comedies. NBC's new drama The Black Donnolly's finished with a so-so showing for its premiere.

For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.


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'Heroes' Gives us Some Answers

Except for the very beginning of this series, I never really thought that HRG was bad, but then again, I never really thought that he was a paper salesman either. Does he always make the right choices? Not necessarily, but he does make them for the right reasons and he always seemed to exist in that murky gray area that makes characters so fascinating. Well, last night that murky-ness got a lot clearer for the man who was facing the serious possibility of losing his only daughter to the company that he has lied and skirted the line of morality for in order to protect their secret. I'm not exactly sure what that secret is, although, we do know that his employer kidnaps the heroes, implants them with some sort of chip (tracking device?), and then lets them go. Too bad they weren't planning to do the same with Claire because HRG had to take a bullet (non-life threatening) in order to make his daughter's absence look like a kidnapping of a different kind. And to think that Claire was so ready to drop her father for her shallow, heart-in-the-wrong-place real one, Nathan Petrelli. If she only knew!

Claire's father isn't the only daddy keeping a secret. In the night's most shocking reveal, it seems that Hiro's father is connected to the heroes and the "paper company's" monitoring of them. This gives us a little more insight into why his father was so adamant about Hiro returning to Japan and getting back to his job. The night's second most shocking answer came when we learned that the invisible man used to work with HRG. This explains their mutual reactions when they saw each other a couple of weeks back, and now we know why HRG thought he was dead. Elsewhere, I'm very interested to see how Missy Peregrym's character fits into all of this because I think last night's glimpse was meant to undermine her importance (a sure sign that she's going to become integral in the future). One thing is sure for now, with nuclear man behind glass, Peter should be able to sleep a little easier.

If you missed tonight's episode, you can watch it for free at nbc.com. All of the photos in this edition are courtesy of nbc.com.


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Monday, February 26, 2007

Eliot Fricks Out!

This week's episode of Scrubs kept the laughs coming for the entire half hour. Not that this is anything new for this hilarious comedy, but it did seem like there were a few extra laughs thrown in for good measure. I laughed so hard at the bird gang that had taken up residence on JD's parked scooter, Turk's unfortunate accident with the ceiling fan, JD's continued SUI/DUI saga, Janitor's side burns, Turk's geeky glasses and the resulting scene that had JD thinking that there was "a new black resident" in medicine, "The World's Longest Shhhhhhhhhhhh!," Kelso's vacation (complete with a crispy tan and braided hair), Eliot's freak-out over not using coasters, and Keith's party in his room. There were also some great quotes, so here's a look at this week's best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this week's edition of the Scrubies.

The Scrubies
"Good morning reasons why I drink." Dr. Cox to his residents

"You can live in separate states, but if you're doing the nasty before you get married, your ass is gonna burn." Laverne to Eliot

"It looks like tiny hamsters died all over your face." JD to Janitor after seeing his new spotty sideburns

"Oh my god!! How hard is it for you to use a frickin' coaster you frickin' frickety frick??!! Eliot to Keith

"As I went to ask Anne out and felt the familiar lightheadedness I get before a poo faint, (pauses) all better, I thought about the deals we sometimes make." JD (narration)

"Damn trannies got me in my sleep!" Dr. Kelso after returning from his trip with a full head of braids

That's this week's edition of the Scrubies. If you have a line that you would like to nominate for a Scrubie, drop me a comment and I'll publish it in a future edition. As always, if you would like to discuss this week's Scrubs episode, leave me a comment with your thoughts. If you missed this hilarious outing, check it out on iTunes.


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Thursday, February 22, 2007

The Others Keep Jack 'Lost'

ABC promised us that Lost would answer three big questions last night. So, did it? Here's what Turtlemama and I have to say:

Turtlemama says: I’ve watched a lot of TV in my lifetime, so much that I really don’t want to think about how many years of my life have gone into staring at the boob tube. I like television. I mean, I really like to watch good shows. A good show should draw in its viewers, hook them, give them mental teeth -- something to hold onto. A good show intertwines storylines so that the viewers really care about the characters. Viewers care enough to tune in each and every week to check in on their beloved characters and watch the whole story unfold. When a good show goes into hiatus during the summer, your viewers should be thinking about it, chewing it over and waiting for its return.

Lost did that at first. Lost was the show that, even though it was a little far-fetched we wanted more, we craved more, and the writers didn’t let us down. Then this season happened and now I’m wondering why my mental teeth are chewing on this light, waxy substance that was once Lost.

We started out with a show that was full of promise, like watching your little brother ride a bike. You just know that when he figures out how to ride that sucker life will be so much fun! Oh the adventures you can go on! Then you watch him fumble around for about ten minutes, still excited to watch him get it and take off….then an hour later you’re in the house hoping that he’ll either give up or get it already ‘cause you want your afternoon cookies.

And that’s where the Lost viewers are; we’re still watching Lost teeter on with the storylines that have no end. We don’t have any answers, the story is dredging along and I think I heard a dude in back yell out last night “Oh just drown yourself already so I don’t have to watch this crap every week, would ya!?”

Last week we got the teaser of “Three of the biggest questions WILL BE ANSWERED!” Ok, ummmm did I miss the answers? Was I sneezing at the time? Or did I yawn too loudly? We found out that The Others don’t live on the island…ok, great, I think. We found out that the kids aren’t dead, they’re just uhhh somewhere else, yeah see..it’s answered! And the last one….we found out that the Lost writers can’t give decent answers. Oh, that wasn’t in the storyline was it?

Although, we did have that MAJOR burning question that I know was the talk of the water cooler in offices around America …Where did Jack’s tattoos come from? How did they get there? What do they mean? Yeah, I was so worried about his arm art…I’m so glad I found out in an hour long story that left me with even MORE questions!!

I think it’s time that Lost either put up or shut up…Learn to ride the damn thing or go inside and get cookies…I’m bored.


TVFan says: This one felt more like the Lost episodes of the past that made this show so good. It was short on concrete answers (nothing new), but it had a strong focus on the characters -- strong enough to make me overlook the continued confusion and posing more questions than answers problem that we once again found. Apparently, The Others live on one island, and work on another. And you thought that your commute was a beyotch! The island they live on has homes with back yards and bookclubs. They have a "sheriff," and a courtroom complete with a judicial process (which can be overturned by Ben). Oh yeah, and they took the kids to "give them a better life." Now, I don't know about you, but I still have no frakkin' clue about what the H-E-Double Hockey sticks is going on! And Jack's flashback, while interesting, served to show us how his tattoo came about and what it means (He walks among us, but he is not one of us -- story of Jack's life). Of course, he also gave his trust to a woman who used it against him, so I think it's only logical to wonder if Juliet will do the same. I still haven't decided whether she's someone worth having his trust. She seems genuine, but she also seems like she's secretly scheming with the rest of The Others (as Ben alluded to when he said that she was one of them) to trick Jack into doing all of the things that they need him to do. I'm not convinced that the whispering between her and Ben was him telling her that she could go home if she saved his life. We'll just have to stay tuned to see if Jack gets burned once again.

If you missed this week's episode, you can watch it for free at abc.com. The screencaps in this edition are courtesy of Lost-Media.com.


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The Kids are Alright on 'Lights'

I was pretty sure that Matt and Julie weren't going to go through with it last night on Friday Night Lights, but I just wasn't sure how it was going to play out. After all, she was pretty determined, or at least she thought she was until she was in the actual situation. I know one thing; Coach Taylor has nothing to worry about when it comes to his QB #1. Matt is a good kid, and very respectful. I just loved the way he told Julie that he loved her before she got out of the car and walked into her house several hours late. Speaking of which, this was another display of Connie Britton's amazing talent. Since I'm not a parent myself, it's difficult for me to relate to a parent's concern for their child's virginity, but Britton made me feel it in that scene where she confronted Julie. The funniest scene of the night happened when Julie told Matt that her mom knew, and he became instantly concerned that she was going to tell Coach. This, of course, is reason #407 why you shouldn't date your coach's daughter (dropping her off several hours late when her parents are already convinced that you're off taking away her innocence would be #408).

I used to think that Tyra was a waste of a character, but the writers have done an excellent job of fleshing her out lately. She's now one of my favorites on a show packed with beautifully layered, intriguing characters. She's always there for the people she cares about no matter what trouble they find themselves in. Her mother, who wouldn't know a healthy relationship if it hit on the head, slept with the married Buddy Garrity, and now the entire town knows about it thanks to her outburst outside the church. Of course, this was a good thing for Julie to see since it so clearly demonstrated the hurt that her mother spoke of, but it was devastating for Buddy's wife, kids, and Tyra. And then there's Tim's messed up relationship with his loser of a father. Nothing is ever easy on Friday Night Lights, but that's what makes this show so damn good (well, that and Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, the writing, etc., etc.).

If you missed last night's episode, click over to nbc.com to watch it for free. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of nbc.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

SVU Finds Several Needles in Several Haystacks


By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

Haystack, as in, needle in a. That is what this episode certainly was characterized by, a search for a perp in a haystack. Charades in this episode went horribly wrong, with a mother discovering that her baby is missing. What is different about this episode, though, is that she immediately fingered somebody for the crime, her ex-husband (predictably). At least he has priors so that the interrogation will be interesting. When we get an interrogation. When the police finally catch up with him, we get a high speed chase.

I really liked this scene, actually, when Elliot jumped into the river after the bag because he thought the baby was in it. I had a tingly moment. The kid, however, is not in the bag; instead Elliot finds cocaine. (Not as heroic, saving a bag of cocaine, but oh well.)

Probably complimented by the previews pitting Laura against the world, I was starting to think at this point that Laura was involved in the disappearance of her son. The movie attendant saw a stroller with a plastic cover (not the baby) and the babysitter doesn’t see the baby the entire time he was there, doesn’t it sound odd? Cragen agrees with me about two seconds later, and Elliot is starting to think so too.

Cragen: Well, if it isn’t Cindy Marino, the poor man’s Heraldo.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate SVU-land journalists? They’re always sleazebags. Journalist dude that tried to get Olivia to play “The Gross Fantasy Game” with him and then stole her case file, and that other journalist dude that almost got Olivia arrested. Marino is no different. When Elliot disclosed that they found Kendall’s sonogram in the garbage among the toys (stupid move, by the way) Marino took an exclusive interview with Laura and ultimately caused her to lose it and commit suicide.

Warner: It’s not blood. Strained peaches.
Elliot: You have a gizmo to test for baby food?

It’s time for another “The More You Know” session with M.E. Warner, and I’m positive that every viewer shouted “WHAT?” at their television screens by the end of the explanation. Brief recap though: Warner wants to use Kendall’s DNA and run only a few of his genes through the database rather than trying to get a match on all 46 chromosomes. So, there could be tons of matches (since she’d be running things like combinations of brown hair, brown eyes, and right handedness, things that millions of people have in common genetically). Let the perp in the haystack search begin.

I do love how Techy Morales argued against this, though. Dude is arguing that this violates people’s civil liberties… and yet just last week he was illegally hacking into a company’s computer system. Roll them eyes, Casey, roll them eyes.

Kendall being found at a fire station momentarily takes the heat off the search, but the fact that Patty delivered himself right to their doorstep afterwards is priceless. He drops Kendall off at the fire station after Laura dies because he knows he’ll get parental rights anyway. Either the smartest or the dumbest criminal, ever. It would have taken Elliot and Casey probably weeks to whittle down the seven siblings to just one suspect.

Loved Elliot’s attempt to keep Patty and Kendall at the 1-6 (Elliot: Do you have a car seat? Can’t let you leave without one.). Even better was Casey’s removal of Kendall through ACS on totally un-provable charges. (While Garret saw Laura’s bruises and Laura claimed that Patty beat her, there was no way to prove it with Laura dead.)

Runner: Elliot?
Elliot: Yeah, can I help you?
Runner: You’ve been served.
Elliot: Can you believe this Casey?
Runner: Casey Novak?
Casey: Yeah?
Runner: Cool! You just saved me a trip downtown!
*Casey purses her lips and makes the coolest face ever as she gets served. I fall out of my chair.*

So Elliot and Casey are both being sued. For $10 million. On a cop’s and ADA’s salaries, I doubt they can even afford to think about that amount of money. Of course, to the rescue… Judge Elizabeth Donnelly! (The viewer still not knowing how she became a judge in the first place.)

Donnelly: According to the suit, you conspired with Detective Stabler to deprive Patty of his civil and constitutional rights.
Casey: No! *Best answer ever!*
Donnelly: Pity, this guy sounds like a douche bag.


I never thought I would get to write that phrase in a review. Ever. *Bows down to Donnelly.*

Also something I thought I would never see, Elliot and Casey and Donnelly all sitting at the defense’s table.

Besides Donnelly kicking some major butt, I was extremely overwhelmed to hear the numbers, as fictional as they may be. Stabler apparently has a 97% closure rate: incredible for his line of work. And Novak, a 71% conviction rate? It’s insane! Forty one percent national conviction rate… somehow I fear that it may be the real number. Imagine, only 41%.

I guess they are helped in part, though, by idiots like Patty who flash evidence on the stand. Like the sonogram that was in the trash. I wonder how he got that…Even so, Casey still had to lie to get him to take a deal and give up his custody rights. But hey, she lied in the sake of justice, right? *My turn to roll my eyes.*

And perhaps the most crucial moment of the episode: Olivia gave Warner a sample to test with the sibling identification process she used with the Kendall’s earlier. And guess what? She has a brother! I literally whooped at this development. Got some angry phone calls from the neighbors, hearing all the racket I made during this episode. But finally! I have a feeling we will know exactly who Olivia’s father is by the end of this plotline, and about time too. They almost spilled it in season two, but I guess the head honcho decided we weren’t ready. Good choice, too. This confrontation will be so much sweeter now, six seasons and a lot of angst later.

The place names of the two episodes definitely signal toward a road trip. I have a feeling that Olivia is heading to Philly next week! The city of brotherly love… the writers so did that on purpose. I cannot wait to see this episode because not only is it personal, but it’ll challenge every single thing that Olivia stands for. Does she stand by her rapist brother? He has to be (violent) the chance for the writers to address the “inheritance” of violent behaviors is too good here for the writers to pass up. They did address it in a previous episode (suitably called “Inheritance,” 3.08), but the chance to connect it to Olivia and her fear of inheriting her past is gold. Or, does she stand by the victims, as she always has? She is a victim in every sense of the word. Pass the remote for this one, and set your VCRs as well!

'Veronica' Solves the Crime, Does the Time

Sheriff Lamb's not dead, right? Right??!! Either I'm in denial, or this show is just trying to trick me because I know they would never kill off Sheriff Lamb. Taking denial out of it, something seemed fishy with that phone call claiming Lamb's death, but I can't imagine why he would want or need people to think he died. But they wouldn't kill off Lamb, right?!! To make matters even worse, Veronica Mars has its second mystery conclusion next week and then we're stuck with The Pussycat Dolls until it returns. TV is so unfair! Anyway, last night's look at life on the inside courtesy of Veronica and Lamb, was hysterical. I love how they do things just to get on each other's nerves, and hence Veronica's extended stay at the Neptune Jail. Not that she was completely innocent (of Operation Peanut Allergy, sure), she continued to help Josh by getting him the fake ID he needed to access his father's coin collection and to get him across the border to Mexico (shades of Duncan). Of course, Josh was innocent. His father staged his own death in order to leave his family insurance money. Money they would have been denied had he died from his terminal illness. Josh wasn't about to let his family lose the money by revealing his father's suicide, so he took off to make himself look guilty for his father's "murder." OK, so maybe Veronica wasn't innocent, but she did do the right thing.

Meanwhile, Mindy O'Dell and Dr. Laundry are looking less and less innocent by the episode. Sure, the timeline shift takes Mindy's car away from the dean's office at the time of the shooting, but both of them continue to lie about the events of the night of his murder. Why haven't they come clean about Cyrus showing up at the hotel room to confront them? It's still too suspicious for me. And then, Weevil finds Dr. Laundry's clothes hidden in the furnace?! I know, I know it's all a little too obvious, but something is definitely not right here. Something is also not right about Parker and Logan having the hots for each other. Sure, they're just talking now, but it appears to be leading somewhere bad very soon. Parker has to know the rule that you don't date your friends' exes unless they're onboard with it, and Veronica did not look too onboard with it. The Valentine's scavenger hunt was great, though. It was a cute way to incorporate some of the other characters into the episode without having it feel forced. So, next week all is revealed (including the true fate of Sheriff Lamb, hopefully), and I can only imagine that the body count will get higher.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Mars, Bars"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of cwtv.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Wednesday's News & Notes

~Primetime Pass~
(a look at what PTR is watching tonight)

Friday Night Lights (8 p.m. NBC) - "I Think We Should Have Sex." Julie (Aimee Teegarden) drops a bomb on an unsuspecting Matt (Zach Gilford) when she says shes ready to have sex for the first time. Tami (Connie Britton) stumbles upon the plan, which, needless to say, doesnt go over too well with her. Meanwhile, Tim's (Taylor Kitsch) relationship with his father takes a turn for the worse. Drama builds when a hurtful secret is embarrassingly revealed and a family's future hangs in the balance.

Lost (10 p.m. ABC) - Stranger in a Strange Land." A power play ensues between Jack and The Others as Juliets future hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Kate, Sawyer and Karl continue on their journey away from Alcatraz.




Medium (10 p.m. NBC) - "Second Opinion." After a dream, Allison (Emmy winner Patricia Arquette) faces a horrible question -- What would you do if you learned that your 2 year-old daughter was going to die of leukemia in 20 years? Meanwhile, Scanlon (David Cubitt) investigates a friends sudden death.


Also tonight, Jericho returns (8 p.m. CBS) with an intriguing hour that explores what was going on in the lives of the characters 36 hours prior to the bombs going off. Dying to know where Jake was and what he was doing? Was he in jail, the military, or somewhere else? Or perhaps, you want to know the truth behind Robert's encrypted messages and extensive knowledge on the attacks. You'll get an inside look at the answers to these questions in tonight's strong "Winter Premiere."

QUICK CUTS
*NBC is doing a little schedule shifting now that the second half of the season is in full swing. Crossing Jordan will move from Sundays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m., while Deal or No Deal will move to Sundays at 9 p.m., and The Apprentice will shift to Sundays at 10 p.m. beginning the week of March 4th. [Source]

*CBS appears to have another hit on its hands according to its recent press release. Midseason comedy Rules of Engagement held its "#1 Comedy of the Season in 18-49 year olds" crown. The show also held onto 85% of its lead-in Two and a Half Men's audience.

*And finally, ABC is ready to go Dancing with the Stars. The network announced the next set of celebrity contestants to take to the dance floor when the show returns March 19th. Here's the list courtesy of TVGuide.com:
Laila Ali, the daughter of the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali
Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus
Paul McCartney's soon-to-be ex, Heather Mills
Former NBA star Clyde Drexler
'N Sync alum Joey Fatone
Miss USA-turned-GSN hostess Shandi Finnessey
Entertainment reporter Leeza Gibbons
Former supermodel Paulina Porizkova
Ian Ziering
Sopranos alum/Sirius Satellite Radio host Vincent Pastore
Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Tuesday's Primetime Pass

A look at what PTR is watching tonight

Veronica Mars (9 p.m. The CW) - "Mars, Bars." Without any evidence to hold her, Sheriff Lamb (Michael Muhney) releases Veronica (Kristen Bello) from jail. Josh (guest star Jonathan Chase), makes contact with Veronica and insists that he is being framed for his father's murder and, though Veronica has sympathy for him, she doesn't know if she believes him. Keith (Enrico Colantoni) learns that the coach's wife, Kathleen Barry (guest star Tracey Needham), hired Vinnie Van Lowe (guest star Ken Marino, "Reno 911") to find out if her husband was having an affair. Meanwhile, Logan (Jason Dohring) joins Mac (Tina Majorino) and Parker (Julie Gonzalo) on a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt.

Gilmore Girls (8 p.m. The CW) - "I'm a Kayak, Hear Me Roar." At a Friday night dinner, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) works up the courage to tell her parents about the break-up of her marriage, but is derailed by their argument over the healthy meals and no-alcohol policy Emily (Kelly Bishop) has instituted to help Richard (Edward Herrmann) recover from his heart attack. Lorelai enlists Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) to bring Richard healthy but delicious meals, then helps Emily organize Richard's business affairs. Rory (Alexis Bledel) attends an awkward birthday dinner for Logan (Matt Czuchry) with Mitchum Huntzberger (guest star Gregg Henry), who asks her to help him steer Logan in the right direction.

Law & Order: SVU (10 p.m. NBC) - "Haystack." In a "ripped-from-the-headlines" episode, overzealous reporter Cindy Marino (guest star Kali Rocha, Grey's Anatomy) accuses new mother Laura Kozowloski (guest star Ashley Williams) on national television of kidnapping and trying to kill her baby. That's the last straw for the despondent woman, who promptly commits suicide. Although everyone is under suspicion, including the mother and her ex-husband, the case takes an unusual emotional toll on Detective Stabler (Chris Meloni).

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Deal or No Deal, Prison Break, Heroes, CSI: Miami, and CBS comedies

For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Monday, February 19, 2007

'Race' Kicks Off Another Season

So, I was pretty psyched about this All-Star edition of The Amazing Race last night. That excitement dissipated when Rob and Amber first appeared and easily out-did themselves on the annoyance scale. So, congrats to them on that crowning achievement. And if having them on the show wasn't annoying enough, they had to go and win the first leg and a trip to a ski resort and spa (or spaaar if you're Phil -- which furthers my theory that the producers put these resort and spa prizes in just to hear him say it). You know what, though? I would have been OK with all of this -- annoyed, but OK -- but then my favorite team of all-time gets eliminated first! Nooooooooooo JonVito and Jill!! I was crushed the first time you came in last, totally bummed to learn that you're not still together, and then devastated when your exploration into whether you should try to be more than friends again (you sooo should) was abruptly cut short by some bad directions and a South entrance. For the love of Phil, why couldn't this happen to Rob and Amber??!! Why??!! You just know they'll make it to the final three, and by that time, my annoyance will grow into complete hatred. It's bad enough when you're the most despised team in the group, but when that group includes the deplorable Team Guido (who, call me crazy, I rather enjoyed last night), you're really bad! Here's PTR's quick rundown of all of the all-star teams and their first leg of the Race.

Kevin/Drew - So glad I rented TAR Season 1 over the summer because I'm not sure that this team is going to stick around for too long, and they're a hoot. Loved how one called the other out on calling Ecuador, Peru.

Oswald/Danny - New to me, but I like this team.

JobVito/Jill - Sob, sob.

Uchenna/Joyce - I'm not sure how I feel about a team that has previously won, running the race again.

David/Mary - There aren't enough words to express my happiness over their return.

Charla/Mirna - I could have done without seeing them again.

Rob/Amber - Ugh!

Teri/Ian - Glad to have them back.

Eric/Danielle - A match made in reality TV heaven.

Team Guido - Surprisingly flying under the radar so far, but that could change on a dime. I'm keeping my eye on them. I mean, they landed in fifth and seemed happy about it. Who is this team, and what did they do with the real Team Guido??

Dustin/Candace - Is it wrong that I'm glad these two are back? I can't even begin to understand my love/hate relationship with this team.

As with everything on the Race, the results came down to a mixture of luck and skill. Unfortunately for my fave team ever, luck wasn't on their side. Were you as bummed to see JonVito/Jill go home? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. The pictures in this edition are courtesy of cbs.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

An Explosive 'Case'

If you were able to ignore the obvious war parallels, tonight's episode of Cold Case was pretty good. I'm just not a fan of my favorite shows getting political, especially when the murder has very little to do with the political topic dujour. Jack and Sara died because they wanted to go to the police and confess to a murder they were involved in 10 years before, and the other participants did not. And when I say "other participants," I really mean Johanna, who refused to return to her humble New Jersey roots by allowing everything she had worked for fall to pieces around her as her husband and friend poured heir hearts out to the local authorities. Desperate times, I suppose, and we all know that people will resort to all kinds of things once desperation takes over. Still, I had a hard time seeing Johanna as anything other than a cold - hearted beyotch. Not only does she kill her husband and friend to protect her comfy Main Line life, but she then assumes her dead friend's identity and carries on her fairytale future without thinking twice about it. In fact, she pleaded with Lilly not to arrest her in front of everyone at her daughter's basketball game. On second thought, she wasn't a cold-hearted beyotch, just an immensely weak individual.


I'm a sucker for a good twist, and this one had a whammy. All along, I kept noticing little things that seemed off, but I just dismissed them (out of sight, out of mind if you will). Then when all was revealed and we learned that Sara had died in the blast and Johanna was pretending to be her, everything began to make sense. The writer made a point early on in the episode to tell us that Sara and Johanna resembled each other and were even confused for one another, Sara would never have landed herself a beautiful mansion on the Main Line complete with all the "capitalist," rich trappings (that was so Johanna) because she was against all of that, and the intimate conversation between Johanna and Porter that "Sara" seemed to know in such detail all stuck out at the time. And yet, I didn't figure it out until the fingerprint reveal -- not even the orchid remark turned on the light bulb. I watch so many of these crime shows that everything old is new again for me, so I'm always thrilled when one manages to pull the wool over my eyes. That, Stillman's cute grandson story line (complete with his juice box breakdown and Kat's help), and Louis' "Lookin' good" comment to Lil were enough for me to move Cold Case to 13-2 on the season.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Sunday's Primetime Pass

A look at what PTR is watching tonight

Cold Case (Sunday 9 p.m. CBS) - "Blood on the Tracks." When an accidental fire is found to have been caused by a bomb, Lilly and the team re-open the 1981 case involving the murder of a yuppie couple. Original songs by multiple Grammy Award winner and living legend Bob Dylan will be featured throughout the episode.

The Amazing Race (Sunday 8 p.m. CBS) - "I Told You Less Martinis And More Cardio." 11th Season Premiere!!! Eleven former teams return to compete in a Race around the world. The race begins in Miami, Fla. when Teams begin jockeying for available flights to the first destination, Quito, Ecuador. Once there, Teams climb to an elevation of 11,040 feet during a four-hour ride through the rugged terrain of the Andes Mountain en route to their first Detour. The All-Stars' physical stamina is tested immediately as Teams struggle to complete the Detour that will require several Racers to get up close and personal with one hundred wild horses. .

Without a Trace (Sunday 10 p.m. CBS) - "Desert Springs." Jack and the team search for a water plant foreman who disappears hours after his life is threatened by a long-time employee who became enraged when the young foreman laid him off. John Aylward ("ER") guest stars as the father of the missing foreman.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

JD Gets By with a Little Help From His Friends

While PTR staff writer Turtlemama is lost in her sea of digital wonder (she just got a new Wii!!), I've been lost in digital hell! My wireless Internet went down, and I rely on it to transcribe your weekly dose of laughter in the form of the Scrubies. Well, it's back up now, so without further adeiu, here's this week's look at Scrubs, complete with the Scrubies.


OK, so JD is not dealing well with being dumped and he needs a little help from his friends. The only problem, his friends aren't exactly jumping at the opportunity to help. See, Turk has seen JD through too many break-ups reaching all the way back to college, Carla is cashing in her "I'm a new mother" excuse, Dr. Cox is well, Dr. Cox, and Eliot drew the slower bed pans (and the long string thanks to JD's new medical condition). In the end, it didn't matter because JD came to realize that he needed to stand on his own two feet. That doesn't mean that the journey wasn't hilarious and filled with funny things such as Turk's super-smart intern, JD's spy equipment, a patient who inhaled helium thinking it was oxygen and yelled "I'll kill you bitches!," Janitor on "vacation," JD's medical condition that causes him to pass out when he goes #2, a bed pan race to decide who takes care of JD, TheToddTime.com, Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen," an echoing Dr. Kelso, and JD's SUI (Scooting Under the Influence). Here's a look at this week's best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this week's edition of the Scrubies.


The Scrubies
DR. COX: "That doesn't look right."
JD: "What? What is it?"
DR. COX: "You have a penis. That's what I think it is."
JD: "It's a penis."
DR. COX: "Fair enough."

ELIOT: "Oh, my boobs do look good when they're wet, though, don't they?"
JD: "Yeah, they do!"

"Ah Billy. After the Arctic and Pacific, you're my favorite Ocean." JD after hearing Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" on his scooter's radio

"And over here we have Dr. Turtlehead who is suffering from a severe case of the sulkeys. Symptoms include: bad posture, mopey face, and a sudden uncontrollable flailing of the upper extremities." Dr. Cox regarding an upset Turk

"Any other day I'd say no, but today I'm gonna go ahead and just say, 'No.'" Dr. Cox to Eliot and Carla after they ask him to help JD

"For the love of God! Mousse and twist!!" JD to a doctor having a hard time getting his hair where he wanted it

That's this week's edition of the Scrubies. If you have a line that you would like to nominate for a Scrubie, drop me a comment and I'll publish it in a future edition. As always, if you would like to discuss last night's Scrubs episode, leave me a comment with your thoughts. If you missed last night's hilarious outing, check it out on iTunes.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Could a Character be 'Lost' Forever?

Lost took a closer look this week at what happened when Desmond turned the key and the hatch imploded in last season's finale. Here's what Turtlemama and I have to say:

TVFan says: I would like to thank this episode for finally narrowing down what it is about Lost that's so damn frustrating! I used to tell myself that it was the lack of answers, but the show does give us bits and pieces (not a bad method). Or perhaps, it's focus on Jack, Kate and Sawyer and their adventures on The Others' island, but this week finally took us back to the original survivors and I was still frustrated. And then the episode ended and I realized this series' biggest problem is that it pretends to give us answers while really confusing us more. There are no words to express my disappointment at the Desmond/key/hatch implosion "reveal." Did we learn why Des, Locke and others were able to survive the implosion?? No! Instead, we got a confusing "flashback" of Desmond's life flashing before his eyes and how it gave him the ability to see his entire life (including his future). The most haunting moment came at the end when he revealed that Charlie is going to die. Desmond has simply been buying him time by saving him from every curve ball that death throws. Of course, Lost time is not the same as our time, so it could be seasons before Charlie actually dies, but the info was interesting none the less. Why can't the writers ever give us anything concrete? Why this cloak and dagger routine every frikkin' week?! Maybe I'm not cut out to be a Lost fan (a conclusion that seems more like a reality with each passing episode). I know one thing, watching a TV show shouldn't be this frustrating! I'll keep hoping that we get less convoluted answers in the future, for now anyway.

Turtlemama says: I'm lost in a sea of digital
entertainment, but I'll be back next week with witty commentary and
all.



If you missed this week's episode, you can watch it for free at abc.com. The screencaps in this edition are courtesy of Lost-Media.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

A Football Coach 'Lights' Up the Racial Divide

Leave it to Friday Night Lights to confront a controversial topic head on and take no prisoners in the process. There is no question in my mind that what Coach Mac said was a fire-able offense. He brought back old racist stereotypes and ignited a firestorm that hasn't quite quelled yet. But, we all know that people in important positions get to say things that would cause the rest of us to lose our jobs (witness the recent stunts that Grey's Anatomy's Isaiah Washington has pulled with his anti-gay slur, and yet, he is currently still employed by the medical drama). Sure, Mac's comments sprung from ignorance (NOT an excuse, just an explanation) where as Washington's more from anger, but Mac made his comments even worse with his flippant, insensitive apology. I'm not sure what the answer is in this situation (a place I find myself often in on this show), but I do know that I don't feel right about his continued involvement with the team. Maybe it's the fact that he didn't seem to serve out a punishment for his wrongs (other than public outcry). I think I would feel better about it if he had volunteered his time to coach young African American kids to play football or just decided to make an effort to erase the misconceptions that he has about an entire race. Now, that's not to say that I don't think he's sorry (he seemed pretty remorseful at Coach's house), but I'm just not sure that he understands why what he said was so wrong. Racial topics are often taboo because they stir up so much anger, resentment and divisiveness in us, so I applaud Friday Night Lights for stepping up to the plate and giving us a modern, realistic look at the suppressed racial issues in this country (and they're not all in the South).


Meanwhile, Julie is busy competing for "Delinquent Daughter of the Year." The strip club arrest was not her fault, and to be honest, she really wasn't doing anything wrong. Julie is a good kid who is beginning the usual teenage rebellion stage, but I'm not sure that Tyra's devilish tendencies are the best influence for her right now. Maybe Matt will get her back on the right track (although, not from the looks of next week's previews). I have to admit that I was a little surprised that she took him back. Matt's love of football hasn't changed, and I still contest that that is their biggest bone of contention. Julie knows firsthand how football can engulf your entire life and keep you away from the ones you love, so I can't blame her. Then again, Matt seems to be a good kid with a level head, so you never know. I mean, how cute was his gift? I know I always talk about how Kyle Chandler turns in the best performance on television every week, but Connie Britton is just as strong and it was very apparent last night. Chandler may be the MVP, but Britton may just be the most underrated player. As usual, I'm torn (in a very good way).

If you missed last night's episode, click over to nbc.com to watch it for free. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of nbc.com.


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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Are We Dependent On Elliot's Rage To Make A Good Episode?


NBC Recap

It’s the episode that changed everything.

At least, if you’re Elliot. There’s no doubting that we’ve finally gotten back to the SVU type cases that we all know and love. Opening sequence shows us that we’re dealing with the attack of a defense attorney’s wife, suspicious in itself, of course. There’s almost an unlimited pool of suspects containing every person this guy ever failed to get acquitted. But we (as viewers) can quickly reason it down to a very small selection, based on the facts that we meet the boy that Stabler ends up “killing” very quickly, and the little boy who witnessed the entire ordeal flees when his sister enters the room. I’d say that’s pretty telling! Plus, Sidney confesses that he had seen his daughter in the house that night, though she claims to have been at her boyfriend Ryan’s house. Wasted, of course.

I love the irony in this episode. Olivia mentions right away that Sidney’s wife is a pharmaceutical sales person for, what other company is there, Tauscher Leto! (If you’re now looking at me like I have ten heads, Tauscher Leto was the pharmaceutical company featured in the episode “Manic” where a boy shot two classmates and himself, then claimed his anti-depressants made him do it. Turns out, he was actually right, and Alex kicked some serious butt in her third-to-last episode. You’ll remember this exchange:


Tauscher Leto Exec: Stop it, you’re hurting me.
Elliot: Take some Aptrol, that should make you feel better.
*Alex smirks.*


Even more ironic? The directors name is Peter Leto. But I digress.)

Which brings us to the pharm party. No, my spelling has not gone down the tubes. A pharm party is a party where each of the guests brings pharmaceuticals and they all get dumped in a bowl. Each guest can then take a handful of pills from the mixture… and I assume that’s where the fun is supposed to start. Ironic, of course, because of Charlotte’s mom’s job. We find out that Charlotte was so high and drunk the night of her mother’s murder that she could have raided her mom’s samples for more pills for the party. Elliot and Olivia (and probably most viewers) see this as an extensive lead pointing to Charlotte as her mother’s killer. Charlotte can’t remember anything, which leads to her suicide attempt. This scene was extremely well done, with exceptional acting by Emily VanCamp (formerly of Everwood).

I wasn’t convinced though, because of those previews that showed that Ryan was clearly more involved. In addition, in the very beginning of the episode, we see someone (who looks very much like a man, not a woman) dressed entirely in black, which is not what Charlotte was wearing.

The SVU detectives get their proof when Casey gets a call from M.E. Warner saying that their main evidence, the contents of the downstairs toilet, came from a man and not a woman.



Casey: That changes everything!


I felt like tracking down this newbie writer, Ken Storer, and giving him a piece of my mind. Three times! Three times this line was used, twice by Casey. Not only was it totally out of character, it was completely out of place in the SVU world, period. Everything changes so rapidly that if that line was used to describe the twists every time… well, several people would probably go crazy.

On to the major part of the episode: Elliot killing a guy! *Pauses while the audience collectively gasps.* However, it’s not as bad as you think. It’s actually made very obvious that Elliot could not have killed the man in the way that the whole encounter is shown. Elliot punches him then puts his knee on his back to keep him down while he restrains him. Not usually enough to kill a guy, at least with Elliot. He’s done worse.

I don’t understand how ten witnesses saw Elliot “beat” Ryan. I don’t know if this was a mistake on the writers’ part or if this was just an exaggerated account of the incident made to IAB agents who can’t count how many statements they received. When we see the encounter, there are clearly only five or so people watching. And I’m not sure how they define a beating, but in my book, a beating consists of several blows, not one mild punch. Later, when we see the cell phone video (which provokes another “This changes everything!” exclamation from Novak) it makes it look like there are a lot more people there, and somehow the encounter seems worse. Go figure.

Olivia climbing over that ten foot fence was definitely the best part of the scene, though.

Next, we see a random interlude of Elliot drinking something that looks very much like scotch. That’s great. It doesn’t have anything to do with the episode, though, and Olivia’s disposition is definitely more interesting. She tells IAB guy that Elliot is not a murderer (seen in the previews) and that he has always done only what is necessary to get the collar. At this point, it seems like Elliot might actually be a goner.


M.E. Warner: Well, that changes everything!


NO!!! WHY?!!!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that things were changed in this instance, but did we need the announcement? Not really.

Warner discovers that Elliot’s CPR efforts, not Elliot’s fist, caused Ryan’s ruptured spleen. She then pours over his medical records and discovers that Ryan had a heart condition but wasn’t taking his medicine. He died because of a heart arrhythmia… irony, again. The guy was taking every drug he could get his hands on except the ones that he actually needed to take to keep him alive. Yay for Melinda Warner, Elliot’s job is safe for another day.

Though, the scene at the courthouse where Warner, Casey, and Olivia all turn around to stare at Elliot after he’s cleared was so corny.

But, finally! The writers give me a chance to do my happy dance! My happy Elliot/Kathy dance, at that. Elliot goes to Kathy’s house wanting to reconcile, and “come home.” Finally! We all know that it won’t be easy, but if any OTP can endure, it’s Kathy and Elliot!

Next week: Ripped! A baby goes missing, and its mother is accused. It’s going to be tense, it’s going to be dramatic, so pass the remote!

Kids Say the Darnest Things on 'Mars'

Confession time: I wasn't the biggest fan of Veronica Mars' first set of episodes and I was beginning to worry that the show had lost its special something. Of course I would never abandon it, but I was a bit, well, disappointed. But, all of that has changed now that the second part of the season has begun. This span of episodes has been some of the best in the show's history, and last night's outing was the cap on this excellent run. Logan's story line with the little girl and his depression over Veronica was well done, and it's one of my favorite stories on any show this season. I knew that it had to be leading somewhere when Dick's "Hot Chick" showed up with her "twin" 11-year old sister (LOVED, BTW, that Dick totally pulled a Britney in Vegas!!). She and Logan were exactly what the doctor ordered for each other. The little girl, after watching her father walk out on her family, needed a father figure. She needed to have her innocence about love restored after her father broke her heart. Logan needed someone to give him a kick in the butt (in the form of Nick Lachey's "What's Left of Me") and make him realize that he isn't the only one suffering. It was a clever way of furthering the Logan/Veronica story line while only giving them one awkward and tragically hilarious scene together. Jason Dohring was amazing last night -- even more intense and sad than usual. And how unbelievable was Kristen Bell in that scene where she told her father that he's not allowed to die on her?! She went from holding it back to letting a flood of emotions come out in a matter of seconds! Brilliant!


I kinda liked the way Veronica didn't solve the case during the hour. The coach's death is complicated, so extending it over a couple of episodes will allow the story to unfold more naturally. And, it seems that Veronica is once again in trouble with Sheriff Lamb (not that it takes much since he looks for reasons to arrest her). Meanwhile, things aren't looking too good for Dean O'Dell's widow either. Where was she while her boyfriend was watching Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang? We can assume that the arguing was Dean O'Dell and the professor since we saw O'Dell confront his wife and her boyfriend at the Neptune Grand during the first mystery's finale. The question is, why is she failing to reveal that incident?? Even if she didn't kill her husband (and I don't think that she did), something is fishy. At the very least, her car was outside the Dean's office around the time of his murder and I have a feeling that she was the one behind the wheel (which would explain why she missed the movie). Yes, things are beginning to heat up on Mars, and it isn't just from the torch that Logan's still carrying.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Postgame Mortem"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Monday's News & Notes

~Primetime Pass~
(a look at what PTR is watching tonight)

Heroes (9 p.m. NBC) - "Run!" While the scandalous truth about Claire's real father is revealed, her adoptive mother (guest star Ashley Crow) faces a crisis. Matt (Greg Grunberg) takes a job as a bodyguard for a crooked attorney (guest star Aron Malsky), which puts him in the crosshairs of Linderman's new assassin. Hiro (Golden Globe nominee Masi Oka) and Ando (guest star James Kyson Lee) return to Las Vegas to find the sword, but get sidetracked by a damsel in distress (guest star Missi Pyle). Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) finds someone on the list and unknowingly puts himself in grave danger.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: The Grammys, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters

For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

QUICK CUTS
*Showtime's The L Word is once again giving fans an opportunity to be a part of the show's writing process. After last year's popular fanisode (TM), in which fans of the series submitted their scripts and the show's online community voted for the one they wanted turned into an episode, the show has teamed up with FanLib to create "The L Word: Fans on Film." From the press release:
Registration is now open at TheLWord.FanLib.com for fans who will be challenged to share their own real-life personal experiences based on themes from the popular drama. Led by a member of the show's writing team, millions of fans of THE L WORD will be invited online to write, read, rate and discuss these personal stories. Over the course of one month, fans will submit their original stories, focusing on the selected theme each round, which could range from love and career to family and friendship. The online community will choose the winning writers...

...The winning writers of THE L WORD: Fans on Film fanisode event will have their story produced on video by Showtime exclusively for the series' DVD and website at Sho.com/Lword. Other prizes provided by event sponsors include vacations to Pearl's Rainbow in Key West and merchandise from Love & Pride jewelry store.

THE L WORD is the critically acclaimed series, which follows the lives and loves of a group of women and the lesbian community they call home. From its first airing back in 2004, THE L WORD is a provocative journey that reveals an integral part of America's social fabric.

Inspired by everyday stories of life, THE L WORD stars Jennifer Beals, Janina Gavankar, Pam Grier, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, Marlee Matlin, Katherine Moennig, Rose Rollins, Daniela Sea, Rachel Shelley, and special guest star Cybill Shepherd. THE L WORD airs every Sunday at 10pm ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the first season of Beauty and the Beast to hit shelves tomorrow along with All in the Family (season 6), The Golden Girls (season 7), and Zoey 101 (season 1). For a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!