Tuesday, May 29, 2007

PTR's Summer TV Extravaganza

OK, so the long dreaded summer has begun and it's filled with reruns, right? Wrong! Not for those of us who enjoy the second season. It may not be the same as the busy fall, but the summer schedule is heating up with returning favorites and newbies alike. Here's a look at PTR's fave summer series and when you can expect them to premiere.

THE 4400 (PTR Returning Fave)
Returns June 17th @ 9 p.m. on USA Network

Tom (Joel Gretsch) and Diana (Jacqueline McKenzie) are back along with your favorite 4400s in a battle over promicin, the substance that gives the 4400 their special abilities. Last season, the substance hit the black market thanks to the mysterious Isabelle, and now everyone must decide whether it's a good idea for the general public to partake or not. Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, I have a preview for this season courtesy of USA Network (it's set to Howie Day's "End of Our Days"):

Click on over to USANetwork.com for more on The 4400.

THE CLOSER (PTR Returning Fave)
Returns June 18th @ 9 p.m. on TNT

Kyra Sedgwick returns as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, whose seemingly sweet Southern charm masks her tough-talking, confession-getting side. The quirky detective with an insatiable sweet tooth is back on the case after a nail biting shootout at police headquarters last season. Click over to TNT.com for a preview (complete with a 7-minute sneak peak at the new season).

HEARTLAND (NEW!)
Premieres June 18th @ 10 p.m. on TNT (after The Closer)

Treat Williams returns to series television and jumps back into his scrubs in this new drama. He plays an organ transplant surgeon (as opposed to his brain surgeon alter-ego on the much loved Everwood). His work leaves him little time for his family, including his ex-wife and coworker (played by Kari Matchett). Think of it as Everwood before, well, Everwood. That is before Williams moved his family to the small Colorado town to reconnect. Nothing could ever take its place, but perhaps, Heartland will be good enough to make the sting a little less. Once again thanks to You Tube, I have a preview of this new drama courtesy of The TV Addict and TNT:

For more on Heartland, click on over to TNT.com.

PSYCH (PTR Returning Fave)
Returns July 13th @ 10 p.m. on USA Network

TV's second best buddy comedy (Scrubs' JD and Turk will always be #1) will be back in business later this summer. Expect more crazy cases and the always-silly Shawn using his pretend psychic powers (read insane attention to detail) to solve them. Good thing Gus is there to keep him in line! Click on over to USANetwork.com for more on this hilarious series.

MY BOYS (PTR Returning Fave)
Returns later this summer on TBS

No premiere date yet for the second half of this freshman comedy's season. Jordanna Spiro plays PJ, a sports writer who spends her free time hanging with her best buds playing poker, going to bars, and discussing dating. The only problem, all her buds are guys. And while she makes friends easily, navigating the dating scene has proven to be a lot more difficult, especially when all your protective best friends need to approve of your date. Check out the first 13 episodes for free at TBS.com.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (PTR Returning Fave)
Season 3 underway on Fox

My favorite dance competition is back with a new crop of dancers every Wednesday and Thursday nights. And unlike its more popular sibling, this talent competition tends to get it right week after week, meaning less frustration for us. Some of these kids can really mesmerize with their elegant moves. Things heat up once the final contestants pair up and hit the live stage with a different routine each week. And don't forget to vote for your favorite! For more on Dance, click on over to Fox.com.

5 TAKES (PTR Returning Fave)
Returns June 2nd @ 10 p.m. on Travel Channel

Five new TJs (travel journalists) set out to give us their take on other parts of the world while trying to survive on $50 a day. This time, the TJs are off to Latin America and they're looking for your suggestions on what to do once they get there. This group consists of a former NFL player, a stay-at-home mom, and an actor who has appeared on ABC's What About Brian. Click on over Travel Channel's official site to learn more about the TJs and their travels.

So, there you have it -- a look at just some of this summer's offerings. Be sure to check local listings for time and channel in your area. Perhaps, the cruel summer will be a little less cruel with all of the offerings of TV's second season.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

'SVU' Gets Screwed in Season Finale



NBC Recap

By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

This episode was a fantastic season finale. Unfortunately, it came after a rather rocky season, with some episodes that we loved but a lot more that we hated. Elliot hooked up with Dani for a while, Olivia found out she had a brother, Fin’s nephew was arrested for a major crime, and Munch… well that’s just it, Munch didn’t have much to do at all. Cragen, Casey, Huang, and Doc Warner didn’t even get much airtime at all. On the other hand, Elliot has gotten back together with his wife, (sorta), Olivia’s brother isn’t a rapist and she now knows who her father is, (sorta), and Fin has gotten to see his son a little bit more.

I’ll admit, I got excited right away when they announced that they were revisiting the Fin/Darius storyline. Ludacris was amazing in his first episode, last season’s “Venom.” While it was a bit of a long time to air a second episode, it was still a great follow-up. The only problem was that some of the issues (why Darius was even jailed in the first place, the baby, evidence, etc.) wasn’t easy to remember after all this time, and it took away from the episode. Ice-T was cool and in control, and the rest of the cast wasn’t overbearing. Star Jones was definitely not my favorite guest star of the season. To me, the point of a guest star is to play the role in such a way that it would have been impossible for anyone else to have that role. But, I think anyone could have played that role, and it would have done something more for me.

The press did play an extremely important role in this episode, what with Elliot’s less than happy encounter and Nancy Grace’s less than flattering take on Casey Novak. *Yeah, I gave her an evil look when she started criticizing Casey.* I think they could have even played the press angle a little more, and exploited the detectives’ personal connections to the case.

Equally surprised, however, that no one took advantage of Elliot having to change his shirt in this episode! I was sure that the writers would have been all over that.

Attorney: I had no Idea this was so personal, Ms. Novak.
Casey: Once you get to know me you’ll find I feel this way about all my cases.


Oh, what a statement! If Nancy Grace had been in the room with Casey before she made her comments, this would have been the icing on the guilt cake.

Unfortunately for the characters, that was the smooth part of the episode. From here on in, EVERYTHING hits the fan. While Darius’s sick act doesn’t work, Terri refuses to testify and tries to run away. When Warner is testifying on the stand, she mentions that the victim was pregnant at the time; something that apparently wasn’t supposed to be said.

The character’s personal transgressions and career mistakes begin to catch up with them here, all at once. Darius calls Fin out for not following protocol and leaving drugs and guns from a bust in his car. FBI man appears and he and Olivia are on the chopping block for helping Simon when he was a wanted fugitive. There is some comedic relief though, as FBI man tries to score a place to stay with Olivia. Nice try, but de-nied.

Olivia: If I was there I would have taken his confession without a lawyer, too. What are we going to fight about next?


While they are busy arguing about who’s fault it is that the case is falling apart, Kathy walks in. For those of us who knew ahead of time (though not all of us had wanted to know!) this part of the episode was especially exciting. Time for Elliot’s bombshell: Kathy is pregnant!

Over the course of the past two seasons, E/O shippers have gained some hope with the separation, even more with the divorce, lost some with the Elliot/Dani thing, gained it when Dani left, lost some when Elliot visited Kathy, lost some two weeks ago with their little get together. And the big event last night has pretty much closed the door on anything Elliot/Olivia forever. Why? One, another child with Kathy is a major player. I don’t think Elliot will leave now. Two, Olivia questioned what Elliot was going to do about the situation, and this made Elliot pretty steamed. No matter how many more fake kissing scenes they shoot (let’s never have a recirculation of THAT picture, shall we?) there will never be any E/O, and that’s been made pretty final.

Another obvious nod to the audience was the scene in which Adam Beach joins the squad as Chester Lake. After creating some tension, Munch asks:

Munch: Should Fin be concerned?
Fin: There’s more than enough work for everyone, John, why don’t you do some?


While extremely funny when he says it, it was also recognizing the rumor that Ice-T was being booted off the show to make room for Beach. Not the case, as shown here.

As their first order of official business, Lake and Fin scope out a potential dirty cop. Nothing like some bonding on his first day. Things further fall apart when Simon approaches Olivia and reveals that he lied to try and save her from trouble, and Darius brings up Kathleen’s DUI. Donnelly, the biggest ally the unit had going in, suddenly recuses herself from the case and resurrects the charges against Kathleen. Well, I can say I didn’t expect that. Still, it makes more sense coming from Donnelly now than it did Elliot a year later, since it’s a legal matter.

Olivia pulls the “product of rape” card to get Terri to testify, and it turns out that her father raped her, producing Darius. This ends up helping Darius more than it does Casey. Darius is cleared on all the charges. I wasn’t surprised.

Olivia: I have to re-evaluate my commitment to the job.


The end montage was the best part of the episode. Kathleen got arrested (and was trailed by Elliot, comforting his daughter all the way). Olivia was testifying in front of the IAB, and Cragen was getting ready to as well. Casey was summoned to Branch’s office after the not guilty verdict was read. Except for in Casey’s case, it’s about time everyone’s actions caught up with them! It was sort of interesting, seeing it all happen at once. (And seeing it snow. Why was it snowing?!)

And so, we end the season with one major cliffhanger! I wasn’t overwhelmingly pleased with the season overall, but this episode is at least making me want to come back in the fall! Bye bye, SVU!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

'Lost' Phones Home in Shocking Finale

Well, paint me shocked! Not that Lost delivered a solid finale, after all this show is famous for them, but rather, the jaw-dropping ending that revealed the eventual fate of the survivors of flight 815. You see, this week's flashbacks weren't flashbacks at all. They were flash-forwards into the future after Jack and co. get off the island. First, they get off the island??? Second, it seems that Jack has a difficult time adjusting to life on the mainland. He's popping pills, missing Kate, and hating his life back "home." To be honest by the end of the hour, I was hating his life back "home" as well. When Kate met him at the end of the airport runway, I was saddened by the reality that they weren't lost anymore. That is, after I got over the initial shock that we had been watching the future instead of the past. Perhaps, it's the present. For all we know the island happenings could be the past and the story we watched unfold last night may have been the present. Hard to say with this show.

Speaking of a lack of clarity, who wants to take bets on whose funeral Jack was obsessed with all night? It may have been Ben's, but why would he be so broken up that he attempted to take his own life? Perhaps, it was Julia's, but why would Kate refuse to attend (that answer may remain to be seen). Or could it have been Locke's? Jack may have been broken up about it because he's the reason the survivors are back home, but did his action cause Locke to regain his paralysis? Kate might not want to attend because of Locke's recent actions. And then there's Jack's clue that the dead person was neither friend nor family. One thing is for sure, Charlie is dead. I'll admit it, I'm bummed. I liked him and I thought that his character added a lot to the show. It was very fitting that his final act saved Desmond's life and sent a chilling message to everyone else -- the ship and the parachuter are not working with Penelope. Could Ben be right?? Did Jack's satellite phone call set into action a dangerous plan that will send everyone home, but destroy the island? I'm beginning to think that Ben isn't as wrong as we think. All I can say is, at least they didn't kill Juliet!

Overall, a strong finish to an up and down season. If Lost can follow through next fall with the momentum that it started the second half of this season, then I can't wait to get Lost once again.

So, what did you think about last night's SHOCKING finale? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. 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.

Trip to 'Mars' Cut Short

They say that there are several stages to grief, and I'm pretty sure that I have experienced 2 of them so far. First, I was angry that Veronica Mars was over. It seemed so unfair to see those closing credits for the last time, and even more so to think that we would never get the closure that the show deserved. Yup, I was hating the CW folks last night. Today, however, a sorta bummed acceptance has taken over. I'm bummed that it's over, but I'm beginning to think that last night's final hours were exactly how the show should take its swan song. Before you throw your tomatoes, think about other shows' cheesy closing episodes and how Veronica was so above that. When the series first began, we were thrust into the middle of Veronica's life after she had been date raped, dumped, cast down to the lowest of the high school lows and grieving over her best friend's murder. In fact, the first scene of the pilot opens in the middle of her on a stake out for Mars Investigations. So, why should the final episode provide any closure? This wasn't a show that liked to wrap everything up into pretty little packages. Sure, cases were solved, but Veronica Mars was about how these cases affected those involved and how class and society affected the cases.

So, we'll never know whether Logan and Veronica end up together, but putting them together last night would have felt fake and forced - something that this show was against. I'd like to think that they found each other in the future when the right person and the right time finally collided. Veronica and Keith came full circle and proved that their relationship is the best father/daughter one in prime time. The ending scene when she cast her vote for her father because she knew that he wanted to continue on as sheriff, even if it meant excruciating choices and painful headlines, was touching and emotional. Last night's second hour was stellar in that classic Veronica style anyway. She was back to her outcast self, a role that suits her better than any other she has played over the course of three seasons. Logan continued to break my heart while Jake Kane made a surprise appearance and proved that he's just as horrible as ever. Yes, it felt like the beginning all over again which is why last night's goodbye was even harder than I had expected.

Veronica Mars wasn't the type of show that you could easily classify. Perhaps, that's what kept it from being the big hit it deserved to be. Or maybe it was its image as a "teen girl detective" series - I guess we'll never know. One thing is for sure, those of us who were privileged enough to get 3 seasons on Mars, won't soon forget it. Quality television like this doesn't come around that often, and I feel like a smarter viewer for being one of the few who watched one of television's all-time best.

If you missed last night's excellent houPublish Postrs ("Weevils Wobble but They Don't Go Down" and "The Bitch is Back"), watch them for free at cwtv.com or download them for $1.99 from iTunes. The picture in this edition is courtesy of cwtv.com

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

'Heroes' Fall in Season Ender

I know I always went on about what a waste of a character Nathan Petrelli was on Heroes, but Peter, I liked!! Damn these intrigue shows and their incessant need to kill off characters! I swear if Lost kills off Juliet tomorrow night, I'm so over these types of shows. Anyway, I'm not entirely convinced that we have seen the last of Nathan and Peter Petrelli. Fingers crossed for Peter. In other Heroes happenings, Niki, DL and Micah are reunited while Claire and her dad are heading home to be a family again as well. And then there's Hiro, who seems to be stuck in medieval China just as a battle is about to break out. Luckily for him, the pending clash was eclipsed by the unusual solar event. Still, how did he end up here and why is one of the warring tribes carrying a battle flag with that mysterious Heroes "f" on it? Clearly, it's all connected. I have to admit, I'm intrigued for next season.

Speaking of next season, things seem to be looking a little gloomy in the bad guy department. Silar appears to have survived his run-in with Hiro's sword. The ending shots showed what I presumed to be his blood trail leading to the sewer cover. Plus, Molly had a chilling prophecy about another evildoer. It seems this one uses her ability against her. When she thinks about him, he can see her. Talk about your creepy Peeping Toms! I'd be lying if I said that this little revelation alone had me hooked for another season. So, it was a jam-packed season finale, which is how these things seem to go. I'm not a big fan of this overcrowding method because it just feels like someone shoved 10 pounds of potatoes into an 8-pound sack. It makes it seem like we have been a bit short-changed. Of course, Heroes is not the only show guilty of this crime, just the latest. Overall, though, I enjoyed this one and found myself pretty shocked more than once. A solid end to a solid season.

The pictures in this edition are courtesy of nbc.com. Click on over there for all of this season's episodes streaming for free.

Monday, May 21, 2007

News & Notes: Sunday is the New 'Friday'

Now that NBC has renewed its critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights for a second season, there is no excuse not to get into this fabulous show. The Peabody Award-winning series will rerun this summer Sunday nights on NBC (9 p.m. EST). Beginning next Sunday (May 27th), be sure to tune in each week to find out why the critics, fans and awards are so enthralled with the characters and stories that make Friday Night Lights one of TV's best. As always, nbc.com has all of the episodes streaming for free. Now is the perfect time to Catch the Lights!

MORE QUICK CUTS
*'Tis the season for weddings, babies, shootings, and cliffhangers. Yes, I'm referring to the bad case of Finale Fever that we're all experiencing. But, which season finale were/are you looking forward to the most? Lost? Grey's Anatomy? American Idol? According to TV.com, most of you are anticipating the finale of Heroes more than any other show. The site surveyed 15,000 television fans and the freshman series came out on top. Here's a look at the full results:

Heroes - 39%
Lost - 24%
Grey’s Anatomy - 8%
24 - 8%
Smallville - 7%
House - 5%
The Sopranos - 5%
American Idol - 3%
The Amazing Race - 2%

Total votes: 15,008

You can catch the most-anticipated finale of the season, Heroes, tonight on NBC.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Sunday! First, a look at some recent hot releases on store shelves:
THE 4400 (season 3)
WILL & GRACE (season 6)
BEVERLY HILLS 90210 (season 2)
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (season 8)
ER (season 7)
FRASIER (season 9)
WINGS (season 4)
THAT 70s SHOW (season 6)

Upcoming releases May 22nd:
SCRUBS (season 5)
THE O.C. (season 4)
KYLE XY (season 1)

Upcoming releases May 29th:
THE CLOSER (season 2)

For a list of all the recent and upcoming TV on DVD releases, click on over to tvshowsondvd.com.

Friday, May 18, 2007

JD Plays the Godfather

Thankfully, we didn't have to watch the Scrubs finale worrying whether anything left unanswered would never be resolved. We learned this week at NBC's schedule presentation that the show will be returning for its final season. Now that that worry was out of the way, we could move on more important nail-biting questions such as whether JD and Kim will make it work or if Eliot will decide if she's ready to marry Keith (probably not, but she needs to come to the conclusion herself). And just because the writers like to toy with us, we had an episode ending moment that will leave us pondering the future of all of these relationships, including the possibly rekindled JD and Eliot. I would love to see them end up together once they have both matured enough to handle a serious, committed relationship. Until then, it's fun to sit back and laugh at all the crazy things that happen in both of their lives, and those of rest of the characters of TV's best comedy. Last night, we had: Carla's Eliot Radar, JD constantly ditching Kim, the sad realization that Kokomo, where "we'll get there fast, and then we'll take it slow," only exists in the minds of The Beach Boys, Eliot's obsession with Ronnie's mother stories, Turk's Ugly Betty picture, the new term "Coxian" - a clever combination of Cox and Dorian, Eliot's control freak bachelorette party, Dr. Cox's desperation to get JD to relinquish his godfather role, JD and Turk finishing each other's sentences, Janitor's Brain Trust, and Ted channeling Eliot. There were far too many laughs for a half hour, so the network was kind enough to give us a full one, which means this week's edition of The Scrubies is SUPERSIZED! And now for the final time this season, here's a look at last night's best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this super-sized edition of the Scrubies...

The Scrubies!!!

"Pregnant women are among a select group of people who are actually allowed to act insane much like sports mascots, local weather men, theme park performers and that guy with the question mark jacket who teaches people how to get free money from the government." Dr. Cox to JD after learning what Kim did to him

"Let me phrase my response in the form of a riddle: What's black and white and should never ever, ever be allowed inside of a hospital?" Dr. Cox to JD and Turk after JD ask for his advice on a case

"It's got to have a bathroom with a bidet because I can not wear my going out thong if I have sand in my patootie." Eliot to JD while they were researching honeymoon locales online

"I've seen The Wiggles live in concert. Twice." Dr. Cox to JD regarding how a baby changes everything in your life
"Did they perform 'Big Red Car'?" Turk to Dr. Cox
"They opened and closed the show with it. It was awesome." Dr. Cox

"Keith, it's impossible to fit all of the Dudemeisters at one table without our wedding looking like Octoberfest! Plus, when our families met last month, my mom ended up doinking your Uncle Ronald in our basement." Eliot to Keith on why their families can't sit together at the wedding

"Jordan, here's some things I'd rather see happen then dinkus over there becoming the godfather: a nuclear war, a sequel to 'Hope Floats,' Hugh Jackman winning an Oscar..." Dr. Cox
"Yeah, yeah. Funny long list. We get it. You need a new thing, big guy." Dr. Kelso interrupting

"What, you gonna get all up in Jesus' face cause he don't have his shirt on?" Turk to Carla after she got mad at him for wearing a bloody scrub top to Dr. Cox's daughter's christening


Well there you have it - the last edition of the Scrubies of the season. But don't worry because when Scrubs returns next season, so too will the Scrubies. If you have a line that you would like to nominate for a Scrubie, be sure to leave me a comment and I'll publish it in a future edition. If you missed this hilarious outing, check it out on iTunes. The picture in this edition is courtesy of nbc.com.

Be sure to pick up your copy of the 5th season of Scrubs on DVD this Tuesday (5/22)!!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Charlie 'Lost' Through the Looking Glass?

Now that was an emotional rollercoaster! Part of me kept saying, "There's no way they're really going to kill Charlie!" and then the other part would add, "Right???" And then the scene on the outrigger happened and I was sure Charlie was as good as dead -- drowned in a watery tomb to ensure that Claire and the baby got off the island safely. It would be unusual for Lost - a show that tends to just kill someone off without any warning. I suppose it's easier this way. No drawn out goodbye to get my emotions all riled up - just a swift shove into a pit of human bones (for the record, I'm not convinced that Locke is dead) or sudden gun fire that leaves two characters dead. Maybe this is why I never mourn the deaths on Lost. Charlie would have been a different story and I'm not even a huge Charlie fan. Watching him recreate his "greatest hits" onto a list for Claire was sad and inspiring, happy and depressing all wrapped into a positive Charlie package. His life, it seems, was not all sex, drugs and rock and roll and countless fights with his brother. Now this is not say that everyone's favorite member of Drive Shaft isn't checking out anytime soon, but it was good to see him safe this episode. Speaking of being "safe," how interesting was it that the cable led to The Looking Glass station and that station, although underwater, has air in it and people seem to exist just fine. Did Desmond lie? Or is Charlie's destiny a little further in the future than we first thought?

Meanwhile, Ben's quest to be the only group of people on the island heated up. I can't figure out whether he's completely insane (Jacob?? WTH??) or some sort of brilliant mastermind. With his crew approaching the beach a day early and three members of the survivors lying in wait and well armed, there are going to be some casualties next week. Let's just hope Charlie isn't one of them. There are too many more potentional "greatest hits" for that list of his. Everybody buckle up tight, the 2-hour season finale is on deck and we all know that no one does a finale like Lost!

So, what did you think about last night's outing? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. If you missed this week's episode, you can watch it for free at abc.com. The screencap in this edition is courtesy of Lost-Media.com.

BREAKING UPFRONTS NEWS: CW and FOX Announce Schedules

Well Veronica fans, the dreaded day has finally come, and it seems that the news is not good. Veronica Mars is not on the CW's fall schedule (something we knew going into today's announcement), and creator Rob Thomas is telling TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello that it's a "Very, very, very sad day around the VM offices." According to Thomas, "All my writers have been offered jobs elsewhere, and I believe they will now all accept these jobs." As Ausiello says, it's over. Nothing official yet from the CW, but President Dawn Ostroff told Ausiello at today's announcement that "Veronica Mars is over, but we're talking about something else. I don't know if it's going to be anything. I'm being honest with you. It could come back in some form, but I don't know what form that would be." It's difficult to push on with today's developments bringing such sad news, but the (other) shows must go on. Here's a look at the CW's (Veronica-less) Fall Schedule courtesy of The Futon Critic:

THE CW's 2007-2008 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
8:30-9:00 PM ALIENS IN AMERICA (New Series)
9:00-9:30 PM GIRLFRIENDS
9:30-10:00 PM THE GAME

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BEAUTY AND THE GEEK
9:00-10:00 PM REAPER (New Series)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL
9:00-10:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL (New Series)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SMALLVILLE
9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL

FRIDAY
8:00-10:00 PM FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN!

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM CW NOW (New Series)
7:30-8:00 PM ONLINE NATION (New Series)
8:00-9:00 PM LIFE IS WILD (New Series)
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL (Encore Presentation)

Midseason Series Include Returning Hits "One Tree Hill" and "Pussycat Dolls Present" and Two New Reality Series, "Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants" and "Farmer Wants A Wife"

Meanwhile over at Fox, it was all about the new shows that the network decided to hold for midseason. The most notable, The Return of Jezebel James, is from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. All of your favorites are back in their usual timeslots until midseason when things get scrambled around for the now-annual Idol shuffle. Here's a look at Fox's fall schedule courtesy of The Futon Critic:


FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: FALL 2007 (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM PRISON BREAK
9:00-10:00 PM K-VILLE

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE

WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BACK TO YOU
8:30-9:00 PM 'TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM BONES

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?
9:00-10:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN
BAND (working title)
9:00-10:00 PM NASHVILLE (working title)

SATURDAY 8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT MADtv
MIDNIGHT-12:30 AM TALK SHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: BEGINNING JANUARY 2008 (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM K-VILLE (January)/PRISON BREAK (Spring)
9:00-10:00 PM 24

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE

WEDNESDAY (January)
8:00-8:30 PM BACK TO YOU
8:30-9:00 PM 'TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL

WEDNESDAY (Spring)
8:00-8:30 PM BACK TO YOU
8:30-9:00 PM THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES (working title)
9:00-9:30 PM AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9:30-10:00 PM 'TIL DEATH

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?
9:00-10:00 PM CANTERBURY'S LAW

FRIDAY (Spring)
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT MADtv
MIDNIGHT-12:30 AM TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN

SUNDAY (Spring)
7:00-7:30 PM KING OF THE HILL
7:30-8:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM FAMILY GUY
9:00-10:00 PM THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Playing Pretend Takes 'SVU' A Long Way



NBC Recap

By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

What starts off as a normal SVU episode quickly spirals to anything but, in this week before the season finale. A man walks into an empty house where he was working construction, only to find one masked man running out, and another lying in a pool of blood inside. Cut to the perfect scene to show opposite this, Elliot playing poker with his kids. Yeah, so the impending call of doom to Elliot’s cell sort of ruined the warm and fuzzies at seeing Elliot with his family, but that has been the premise of his personal subplot since the beginning.

Now, the first part of this story confused the living daylights out of me. Obviously the sex offender in the neighborhood angle was going to be a bust; if that was the way they were going to play it, they would have advertised it as such. But what I don’t understand was the “Joey” storyline. Had the mother just been part of the really close sex offender plotline, it would have been okay. But she identified the body the detectives had as the body of her son! First off, the ID was funny anyway because five years from the point in his life when that boy went missing to then would have seen a drastic change in his features, changes even a mother may not recognize. Second, it was a little awkward that they just dropped the storyline all together when they found out the boy wasn’t Joey! There was no closure for that storyline at all, and it sticks out as filler for writers that apparently couldn’t write 45 minutes worth of solid story.

I don’t think we’ve seen this for a while: Scott, who taped the murder, comes forward with the tape! And, as we later find out, the punk is the one that killed Riley! (The boy’s real name.) It takes a special kind of idiot to do that. There were no leads in the case, they were about to haul in a convicted sex offender who would stand a paper thin chance in court, and the kid turns himself in! Now, if the kid had a guilty conscience and was trying to make amends, that’s one story. But this kid had motive, opportunity, and means. He wanted Riley dead, and he would have gotten away with it. Mystifies me. Might have been a little more interesting if the writers had given him a reason for coming forward, but this was a good twist just the same.

Something I noticed in that scene was the fact that Cragen was watching the interrogation on the screen in the squad room, and not through the glass. I don’t think he’s ever done that before. Maybe it’s a new tactic to tackle the insane rise in police brutality these past few weeks? Who knows…it’s a mystery with this squad.

Scott’s trial was slightly rushed from the reality point of view. They didn’t have as much evidence as they could have gathered. Casey states when she meets Riley’s girlfriend, Cassandra, after the trial that she had heard about her. Apparently nobody questioned her, since she had character evidence that gave Scott motive and means to kill Riley. They learned about the femeral artery in a science class in school! They didn’t bother to check to see if Scott had learned about his murder method in some way before actually killing Riley? After the verdict has been read, and Scott acquitted for everything, save criminally negligent homicide? Just a tad to late to hand over that info. Play again next time, detectives.

Elliot: How did my desk become the food distribution center?


Oh Elliot. The Chinese is just attracted to his desk, is all. Twas a bit of comic relief, though!

Best twist of the entire story: After the initial scene with Cassandra in her bedroom, I was left thinking that Scott, being the creep that he was this episode, had taken advantage of Cassandra in her time of need. Definitely was feeling the loathing of Scott at this particular moment in time. I didn’t know what to think, though, when we got our Cassandra revelation!

Tiny side note though: Definitely didn’t think Scott was capable of putting out a hit on Cassandra! Man, plowing her over with a car? He just reached a new low when I just thought there was no lower.

Elliot: If a chill just ran up your spine, it’s because a defense attorney just walked in.


So he did, and he’s pleading Scott’s case in the mess that is the Cassandra fiasco. Don’t ya know that Cassandra isn’t 16, she’s actually 28. Which would make any relationship she had with Riley or Scott statutory rape. And doesn’t Scott milk this to its fullest potential, using the opportunity to gain leverage against Cassandra in his trial for attempted murder for her hit. Ugh. The lies!

The ending was definitely disturbing, with Cassandra insisting that she was still 16 at first. The visit from the old foster parent at least got her to drop the act, but even more creepy was her calm and adamant statement that she loved all the boys she’d slept with after she turned 18. If that didn’t send shivers down your spine, I don’t know what will.

Kudos to Misti Traya, who played Cassandra and did an amazing job with the character! She had me believing her every step of the way.

Overall, great effort by the writers, but I want to see a real, gut wrenching episode next week for the finale. There’s a whole slew of people coming in to guest star; Ludacris, Adam Beach, and Judith Light will all be making appearances. Season finale 8, here we go!

The Goodbye 'Girls'

It's hard to believe that after 7 years, those irresistible Gilmore women are not going to be a part of our lives anymore. No more clever, quick banter, no more Paris obsessions (like labels telling the world to leave her orange juice alone on both sides of the container), no more Luke and Lorelei, no more zany Stars Hollow-ians, and most of all no more of the best mother-daughter relationship to ever grace the small screen. Yes, I'm going to miss those Gilmore Girls. I'm relatively new to the show, so I still have the joy of older episodes to discover and yet, I couldn't help but feel a sadness when the show flashed those closing credits for the final time. Maybe it was the realization that we won't be following anymore the adventures of Lorelei and Rory or the thought of these two being separated by something as permanent as Rory's first real job, but something had me feeling that familiar emptiness in the pit of my stomach that seems to rear its ugly head around this time every year.

As finales go, this one was pretty good, especially since it was designed to work as either a series or season finale (not sure how they had planned to carry out the Rory story line next season if they're had been one). I was happy that Rory and Logan didn't end up together, and she was embarking on a career venture that promised to bring good things for her in the future. Lorelei and Luke seem to be on the right path to mend romantic fences, but there was also a clear sense that she was going to be OK if things didn't work out. In a way, the show came full circle, and that's the way things needed to be left. There was no drawn out sad goodbye at the airport, just an early final breakfast at Luke's familiar diner shared between the mother and daughter who made this show so charming. And in that final scene, a sense of ease in that classic Gilmore style coexisting with a harbinger of change. A fitting ending for a series that loved to balance contridictions.

Shows come and go. But it's a real tribute to everyone involved when the characters left behind leave a big enough impact to make you miss them when they're gone. I'm going to miss Lorelei and Rory. TV hasn't met anyone like them, and I'm pretty sure it never will again.

Thank you to the cast and crew of Gilmore Girls for 7 wonderful seasons!!

BREAKING UPFRONTS NEWS: CBS Cancels 'Jericho'


It's the third day of the network upfronts, and that means it's CBS' turn to play the scheduling game. The Eye network canceled freshman drama Jericho, freshman comedy The Class and crime drama Close to Home, but picked up 5 new series. PTR fave Cold Case will return for its 5th season and remain in its current Sunday slot while fellow crime drama Without a Trace will move back to Thursday nights after CSI. The move will push Shark to Sunday nights after CC. Here's a look at the net's new Fall Schedule from its press release:

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
2007-2008 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (N)
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:30-10:00 PM RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI


TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM THE UNIT
10:00-11:00 PM CANE (N)


WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM KID NATION (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: NY


THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
10:00-11:00 PM WITHOUT A TRACE (NT)


FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GHOST WHISPERER
9:00-10:00 PM MOONLIGHT (N)
10:00-11:00 PM NUMB3RS


SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS: MYSTERY


SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM VIVA LAUGHLIN (N)
9:00-10:00 PM COLD CASE
10:00-11:00 PM SHARK (NT)

*NOTE: The Amazing Race and The New Adventures of Old Christine will return at midseason

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

BREAKING UPFRONTS NEWS: ABC Gets 'Lost' at Midseason

It's day 2 of the Network Upfronts, and that means that ABC is at the plate. The network announced its fall schedule today, and as expected, Lost won't make an appearance until midseason where it will begin its first continuous 16-episode run of its three remaining seasons. Meanwhile, the gone-but-not-forgotten Men in Trees will return to Friday nights (8 p.m. est) while Private Practice, the highly-anticipated Grey's Anatomy spin-off starring Kate Walsh, is sandwhiched between an all-new Wednesday night line-up. Here's a closer look at the alphabet network's new schedule courtesy of The Futon Critic:

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30 p.m. "Sam I Am" (new comedy series)
10:00 p.m. "The Bachelor"

TUESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Cavemen" (new comedy series)
8:30 p.m. "Carpoolers" (new comedy series)
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
10:00 p.m. "Boston Legal"

WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Pushing Daisies" (new drama series)
9:00 p.m. "Private Practice" (new drama series)
10:00 p.m. "Dirty Sexy Money" (new drama series)

THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Big Shots" (new drama series)

FRIDAY:

8:00 p.m. "MEN IN TREES"
9:00 p.m. "Women's Murder Club" (new drama series)
10:00 p.m. "20/20"

SATURDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"

SUNDAY:

7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9:00 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10:00 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"

"Cashmere Mafia," "Notes from the Underbelly" and "October Road" will premiere after "Dancing with the Stars" and "The Bachelor" conclude their fall seasons.

Monday, May 14, 2007

BREAKING UPFRONTS NEWS: NBC Keeps the 'Lights' On


NBC announced its Fall Schedule today, and two PTR faves made the cut! Look for both Friday Night Lights and Scrubs to return next season. Lights will move to Friday nights at 10 p.m. (EST) while Scrubs will remain in its current Thursday night slot at 9:30 as the comedy block anchor. Here's a look at NBC's full schedule this fall courtesy of The Futon Critic:

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08

*New programs in CAPS (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Heroes"
10-11 p.m. "JOURNEYMAN"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-10 p.m. "CHUCK"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "BIONIC WOMAN"
10-11 p.m. "LIFE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30-9 p.m. "30 Rock"
9-9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. "Scrubs"
10-11 p.m. "ER"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "1 vs 100"/"THE SINGING BEE"
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10-11 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores

SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. "Medium"
10-11 p.m. "LIPSTICK JUNGLE"

Thursday, May 10, 2007

'SVU' Annihilates a Chance at a Good Episode



NBC Recap

By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

Unfortunately, what seemed like a very well trained perp who was cleaning up after himself turned out to be the maid who accidentally cleaned up after a very messy perp. More interesting, however, is the fact that the fiancé of the victim is a CIA operative!





Did you catch it? Fiancé Stephen really isn’t in the CIA; too many people knew! An operative going on assignment in countries that are experiencing a lot of turmoil like Indonesia is would have never revealed their assignment, not even to their fiancée. This was good for the story, though, because what was blatantly obvious to us makes us think about what the people around him were thinking.

And of course, that means that Conspiracy!Munch was on the case! Munch takes the opportunity, yet again, to remind us that big brother is watching… in those exact same words. Couldn’t the writers find another phrase to use here? He is handy with the satellites, though, and ends up pinpointing Stephen’s location.

Before that though, there is a rather funny scene with Elliot talking to a CIA contact.

Elliot: You owe me… remember McFaddens, the blonde?


The comic relief continued in the next scene, with the unfortunate teen in the store:

Elliot: Do you know where this guy lives?
Clerk: No… wait, I know where Muffin (his dog) lives, does that help?


The kids running out of the door of “Muffin’s” house is a dead giveaway to the double life scenario that is about to unfold, if you are someone that maybe didn’t catch on to the CIA thing right away.

Elliot: Most exotic place he’s been is… Cater, Illinois?

Obviously, Stephen (whose real name is Malcolm) isn’t the most exciting guy in the world, made plain through that statement. The CIA operative story, the trip to Jakarta, the honeymoon in Hawaii, that was all carefully constructed by him to make himself look more interesting. Something to file away for later.

Elliot: (Asking Malcolm what he tells his wife) Can’t spend the night, honey, got to go make the world safe for democracy?


(Just a bit of historical context: the phrase played a major role on U.S. entry into WWI and WWII, when the country felt it needed to protect against newly Communist Russia during WWI, and then protect Great Britain, the last democratic stronghold in Europe during WWII. Doesn’t really have anything to do with the comment, I don’t think, but just so everyone knows that it isn’t a random statement. There is a chance that I just missed any meaning that the writers meant to convey. [/tangent])

Something that everyone could relate to, though:

Elliot: Have you ever tried to put three kids to bed hopped up on pizza and soda?
Cragen: Maybe Malcolm has the magic touch?
Elliot: Cannot be done, trust me.

Turns out it either can be done, or Malcolm just left his wife with the task. Sound like he leaves his wife to do everything all the time, but the way that she explodes after Olivia and Elliot interrogate her.

Lindsay: I bet you’re married. Did it ever occur to you that your wife might want to do more than make beds and cook dinner?
Elliot:…


Nailed it! This definitely is the first of the final jabs at Elliot’s confidence during this case. He’s so thrown that he has to leave the room and go outside for some fresh air. While he’s talking to one of the kids, he mentions that his mom was talking to their neighbor, telling her that Malcolm was sick because he had a “dirty little”… well, the rest is obvious. But, coming from a six year old! Censor please!

Upon returning to the house later that night, Elliot and Olivia find all the children and Lindsay dead, and Malcolm with a wound to the head. He claims that Lindsay went on a rampage to punish him, supported by the fact that the gun is on the floor by Lindsay. But, an inconsistency which I noticed (and one that never was resolved) was the open door. Olivia clearly stated at the beginning of the scene that the door was open when they got the house, but why?

Here we see the obvious Elliot portion of the episode. He’s been thinking about Dani ever since they found out that Malcolm was living a double life, and explained that he loved both his wife and Cynthia. While he didn’t love Dani, the fact that he was frolicking with her while he wasn’t technically divorced is bothering him. The scene where he “breaks” the news to Malcolm that his family his dead also makes Elliot go nuts, and he eventually has to go home to check on his kids.

Now, if the writers had just stopped at Kathy asking Elliot to spend the night, then all would have been well in the SVU world. But, of course, they couldn’t stop there, they had to do an almost sex scene, something I do not want to see on SVU. Ever. (Unless its Olivia and Casey, and then we can talk. I am a C/O shipper, after all…)

I did manage to find the pause button before I began to claw my eyes out at that scene. The following scene really wasn’t any better, with Kathleen telling her father that he shouldn’t be using them as a “booty call.” Uhm… remember who filed for divorce in the first place, yes?

The CSU tech finally finds evidence to support the obvious; Malcolm killed his family and shot himself where he knew it wouldn’t kill. Elliot is in interrogation with him when he’s called out by Cragen. They’ve found only his prints on the lockbox for the gun (disproving the Lindsay theory), they found that the trajectory angles don’t match, and to top it all off, have him for Cynthia’s murder too because he was stupid enough to leave a “murder via snapping necks, for dummies” book around.

But of course, Elliot has to do things his way, and gets Malcolm into a chokehold to make him confess. Another tactic (like in last week’s Olivia episode) that should never stand up in court, but is never addressed anyway. And, to add to things, why is Elliot the only one that’s called to work this case? How about calling in Fin or Munch, since they hardly get used during regular investigations?

To top it all off, the ending was just plain horrible. We got our obligatory scene with Malcolm going down for all the murders, but the shot of him ignoring everyone else and walking out of the squad room was cheesy.

SVU seems like it’s slipping again. Hopefully, they can regain their footing for the last two weeks of May sweeps.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Save the Girl, Save the World

This week on Heroes it was all about "Save the Little Girl, Save the World" because Molly has the ability to see the location of anyone she wants. Problem is, she had a deadly disease that blocked her ability, so she needed to be saved in order to stop Sylar. Mohinder lost his sister to the same disease, but his father had discovered the cure a couple of months too late. Turns out, Mohinder was the cure. He had the antibodies inside of him, which was the reason why his parents had him -- to save his sister. Of course, his purpose became even more important when he met Molly. Nice follow up with her since she was the little girl hiding in the closet earlier this season after Sylar murdered her parents. I'm curious to see how big of a role this little girl plays in the two final episodes of the season. Sylar seems to be growing more and more unstoppable, but I'm not convinced that he's the one exploding in the middle of New York City. How was he able to interrupt Hiro's time freeze at his mother's apartment? He killed his own mother (perhaps inadvertently) and didn't seem to mourn the loss. With each power, he's becoming more and more emotionally disconnected. His mother's disappointments in her son seem to be fueling this rage and need to feel important.

Elsewhere, Nathan is proving to be the true snake in the grass that I always believed him to be. He's such a waste of a character, and it's totally unfair that he got the flying power. He's in Linderman's pocket, and even though he's not in favor of Linderman's plan to blow up NYC in order to rallying everyone together, he's going along with it so far. Maybe it's the fact that he's a politician, but I just can't stand Nathan. Claire needs to high-tail it outta there, stat! Meanwhile, Micah seems to be in the most danger. He's in Linderman's custody and he's supposed to be the one who ignites into the bomb. Jessica and DL stumbled upon more evidence that seems to indicate that Linderman designed the heroes and chose who he wanted to give the powers to through a lot of extensive research. And things took a dire turn when Peter met nuclear man! Someone's going to blow, the only question is, who??

If you missed tonight's episode, you can watch it for free at nbc.com. The photo in this edition is courtesy of nbc.com.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Underdogs Win the 'Race'

Sorry to have abandoned you fellow TAR fans. I have been watching and cheering (and booing when it comes to Mirna) these past couple of weeks, but I haven't been able to type up my "live" thoughts. That's because I haven't been watching the show live. I was out of town and then at a meeting for work, so TAR was put on hold. There was no way, however, I was missing the big finale. How else would I cheer with you all when the blondes or Eric/Danielle cross the finish line in first (please happen, please happen) or share my frustration by crossing my arms and stomping like a 4-year old when Mirna makes me so angry I want to throw something at my way-too-expensive HDTV?? So, it's time to resume PTR's "live" thoughts on TAR for the final time this season (how did we get to the end already??).

Did the teams not get the mandatory 12-hour rest period this leg? I ask because Phil usually says, "Dustin and Candace, who were first to arrive at 11:53 p.m., will depart at 11:53 a.m.," but this time he left out the first 11:53. Hmm... very phishy, Phil.

What?? No airport drama??!! I demand at least one dose of airport drama per an episode! Here we go, Charla and Mirna are attempting to get on a flight that gets into Honolulu 40 minutes before everyone else. As per usual, Mirna is acting like her entire life depends on making this flight when she has to know that it's way too early in the leg to think that 40 minutes is the difference between winning the million. I better not end up eating these words, TAR gods.

Someone needs to explain the difference between a plane and a helicopter to Mirna. She seems to be very confused by the two flight vehicles (Hey Mirna, here's a hint: the plane has WINGS!!).

I love it! Charla is breezing through the Detour while Mirna is struggling! And yet, I don't hear Charla berating Mirna the way that Mirna does her when the roles are reversed.

Who would have thought that a small water cave would the mighty blondes' Achilles heel??

Folks, we have ourselves a race! The other teams just caught Charla and Mirna as they were attempting to traverse the rocky coastline to their next clue. Charla is having a difficult time with all of the rocks, and surprise, surprise Mirna is giving her a hard time because the other teams are passing them. Hey Mirna, remember like 5 minutes ago when you were having trouble and Charla encouraged you instead of berating you?? Where's the love in return?

Not another paddling in the ocean challenge! This was so hilarious the first time when TAR did it last season, so I have high hopes for tonight. Even Dustin and Candace are fighting! Ironically enough, it was the one moment when they fought last season as well. Something about paddling against impossible ocean waves and currents just seems to bring out the worst in people (remember Rob and Kim?? HI-LARIOUS!!!). Eric and Danielle are on their way back, the blondes are capsized, and Charla and Mirna are practically still back on the beach. Awesome as I expected!

It's a beauty queen breakdown - their one this race. I'm pretty sure that the last breakdown (last season) was something like this one. These two need to avoid paddling in the future. Their friendship depends on it!

Overdramatic Mirna is proclaiming the paddling challenge the "worst experience of her life." Wow, good thing she wasn't around last season with the other paddling because she never would have gotten through that one. This one was a walk in the park in comparison!

The blondes are wondering if there is a counter where you buy tickets. Hmmm... tough question. Perhaps, the TICKET COUNTER?? See, I'm an equal opportunity chop buster.

For those interested, I'm still pondering the Danielle cleavage question from a few weeks ago. To review, do we think her ample chest is always in the shot because the cameramen love to focus on it, or is it impossible not to film because she wears the lowest cut workout attire ever constructed? Right now, I'm leaning toward the latter, but things could change.

Tricky, tricky little challenge here at The Old Mint. I can't wait to watch this unfold!! This is one of the most intense moments ever on TAR. It rivals that crazy map at the end of the family edition a few seasons back. Dustin should have stuck with Rob and Amber as the least trustworthy. Go Danielle!! She cracked the code and opened the safe. And the blondes aren't far behind. Fingers crossed that one of these two teams wins.

Cue the editing that makes it look like any of the three teams could win it complete with Eric/Danielle stuck in traffic shots and the blondes breezing through lights shots. I'll be damned, though, because I am at the very edge of my seat due to that tricky editing. Yes, I'm easily manipulated.

And the winner is.... ERIC and DANIELLE!! They managed to come back from two Yields, bad flights and a whole lot of backstabbing. I'm excited, even if it means that we still haven't had an all-female team cross the finish line in first. The blondes ended up second, followed by Charla and Mirna.


Were you happy with the results of the race? Or were you hoping to see another team take the million? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. The pictures in this edition are courtesy of cbs.com.


Veronica Needs Your Help!! Click HERE to find out what you can do to help Veronica Mars get another season.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Shots Ring Out on 'Case' Finale

Poor Matt Roush. The TV Guide columnist is going to get bombarded this week with panic-stricken emails from fans concerned that Kathryn Morris is leaving Cold Case. And while I'm not going to be one of them, I will be logging onto his column as soon as it's posted this week just to be sure that she's not. Of course, the rational side of me knows that they wouldn't dare kill off Lilly Rush. After all, she's the entire show. The show is about her. Obviously, she can't die! Right? Right?? When they said 2 CC detectives would get shot, I was pretty sure that one of them was going to be Lil, but I never imagined that she was the center of the cliffhanger. My poor stomach can't handle a cliffhanger like this one all summer. Moving on because if I don't, this post will be Super-sized beyond belief. There's so much to talk about tonight, so let's just start with Lil's mom. I know I should have seen it coming, but somehow I didn't think they'd kill her off. When Scotty showed up at Lil's, I figured her mother had run off because she didn't want to be a burden. She had sorta made her peace with her daughter, and I figured it was a good time for her to exit. However, I never imagined that it was going to be forever.

I can't believe I'm even going here, but this was a big night for fans of a Lilly/Scotty pairing. We had the scene where he showed up at her house, comforted her after finding out that she lost her mother, and then assured her that if she needed him, she only had to say "Hey" and he'd come running. Interesting, but I shrugged it off (as I always do because I really don't think this show would ever go there). Then, there were the final scenes of the night and things took an even more interesting turn. Lilly wisely separates the gunman from her injured boss so the others can tend to him, but she puts herself in great danger by entering into the observation room alone with him and Kim. She needs help, so she calls Scotty to cash in her "Hey" card. It works, but he can't see through the glass into observation. He sees a mirror, and has to go on Lil's "You want to shoot me? Shoot me now" commands to the gunman. So, he shoots and gets the gunman. But, who shot Lilly?? It seemed to me that Scotty was pretty sure that he did it. Wow, that's some serious guilt. Lil doesn't clarify the situation any because she simply mumbles, "he got me."

This episode ROCKED!! I was completely invested in the case, profoundly sad for Lilly when her mother died, and overwhelmingly shocked when her life hung in the balance at the end. It was emotional, moving and so intense that I'm still sitting on the edge of my seat. Easily one of my favorite hours of television this season. Come to think of it, Cold Case was pretty damn awesome this season from top to bottom. Bravo CC gang, bravo!! You move to 22-2 on the season (this finale was so good that it erased the indifferent or "tie" episode that used to make up the 1 in the count).

How rockin' was tonight's soundtrack?? We had Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Jet and my current fave song "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional at the end (for those of you experiencing deja vu, the song was also used at the end of Scrubs this week).

Sunday's Primetime Pass: 'Cold' Season Finale

A look at what PTR is watching tonight...

MUST WATCH PROGRAM OF THE NIGHT:
Cold Case (9 p.m. CBS) - "Stalker." SEASON FINALE A hostage situation erupts and the cold case team must negotiate quickly before they lose one of their own. TV Guide has an excellent preview of tonight's edge-of-your-seat season ender. Executive Producer Veena Sud tells the magazine that this won't be your typical outing. "Our detectives are getting shot," she reveals, but she stopped short of IDing tonight's victims. For more from the TV Guide article, click HERE (WARNING: Spoilerish).


The Amazing Race (8 p.m. CBS) - "Low to the Ground, that's My Technique." SEASON FINALE The final three All-Star Teams Race towards the finish line for their second chance at one million dollars and, for two teams, its the chance to become the first all-female team to win the Race.

Without a Trace (10 p.m. CBS) - "Two of Us." The team searches for a teenaged girl who disappeared during her prom after reportedly leaving the festivities to rest alone in her hotel room upstairs.


Veronica Needs Your Help!! Click HERE to find out what you can do to help Veronica Mars get another season.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Eliot's Rules of Engagement

JD has always been one of those people who wants something until he gets it. This is particularly true when it comes to Eliot, so it's no surprise that he now finds himself in the awkward position of feeling sorry for himself while his best friend is floating on cloud 9 (and why cloud 9, by the way? Why not 8 or 10 or even 2??). I'd feel sorry for him except he's the one who had Eliot and dumped her like she never even mattered. Foolish, foolish boy. Anyway, there were plenty of funny things to distract us from JD's pity party (which, BTW, had a fabulous soundtrack - more on that later). We had Eliot planning her own perfect engagement, Jordan's Botox-ed armpit (no sweat!), the "John Dorian 3 Step Seduction Plan," everyone's images of marrying Eliot, JD's non-twin, and Janitor's "God is watching" trick. Now, here's a look at the best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this week's edition of the Scrubies.

The Scrubies
"Just get the mother-frickin' ring on my mother-frickin' finger! Frick, frick, frick!!" Eliot to Keith after the engagement ring didn't fit

"Sorry to hear about your placing second in the Dr. Reid-a-thon." Dr. Kelso to JD after hearing about Eliot's engagement

"Sadly, it's only in the movies where the pretty girl ends up with the ug-o." Dr. Kelso to JD regarding Eliot

"If you weren't emotionally ready, would you want to have sex?" Carla to Turk
"Baby, I don't even understand the question." Turk

"Look when people get old, there are certain things they're no longer able to do like drive a car over 20 mph or smell like the living, but one thing they damn sure can do is have sex until they croak." Dr. Cox to Eliot after she's shocked to learn that her two elderly patients have syphilis

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.

That awesome track at the end of the episode (during Eliot's second engagement) was Dashboard Confessional's "Stolen." You can get it at iTunes.


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Friday, May 04, 2007

Sawyer Gets 'Lost' in His Revenge

I actually wasn't lost watching Lost this week! I knew what was going on long before the "shocking" twists were revealed. Of course, this is Lost, so I only had one story line figured out. I knew that Locke wanted Sawyer to kill his father and I quickly figured out that his father was Sawyer's namesake. I'm pretty sure this was a first for me. In addition to feeling like I had a frickin' clue, I was also excited to get a break from another tired flashback. I enjoyed Locke's island flashback and how it proved that our favorite mystery man is fully committed to becoming an Other in order to learn the island's secrets. But the most intriguing part of this outing was once again the parachuter. According to her, authorities found Flight 815 in an ocean cavern off the coast of Bali with the bodies of all of the passengers inside. Additionally, Locke's father was in a horrific car accident one minute and on the island the next. So, is the Lost island some sort of Purgatory? For the record, the showrunners insist that it's not, leaving us more Lost than ever. And then there's Jack and Julia's secret. When Kate told them about the parachuter and her satellite phone, neither seemed very surprised. Julia went as far as to say that Jack needed "to tell her." What? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Doubt we'll find out anytime soon since it seems that our favorite Other is about to be outed.

So, what did you think about last night's outing? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. If you missed this week's episode, you can watch it for free at abc.com.


Veronica Needs Your Help!! Click HERE to find out what you can do to help Veronica Mars get another season.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

BREAKING NEWS: 'Gilmores' Prepare to Say Goodbye

From The AP:

`Gilmore Girls' to wrap after 7 years

By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer
Thu May 3, 4:29 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - Goodbye "Gilmore Girls." The sharp-witted saga of an independent mother and daughter that added to the luster of the young WB network, will end its run after seven seasons.

The show, which last year moved to the CW network created by the merger of WB and UPN, will air its final episode May 15 at 8 p.m. EDT, CW and producer Warner Bros. Television announced Thursday.

"Gilmore Girls," starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel and created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, "helped define a network and created a fantastic storybook world featuring some of television's most memorable, lovable characters," CW and the studio said in a joint statement.

They thanked fans for their "passionate support" promised to give the show "the send-off it deserves."

Ratings had dipped this season for the series, which lost Sherman-Palladino as its guiding hand because of a contract dispute.

The drama with comic overtones followed the lives of single mom Lorelai Gilmore (Graham) and her equally bright and beautiful daughter as they grew up together, struggled through romances and tried to find their place in the world.

Rapid-fire patter, the series' hallmark, delighted fans but took a toll on its cast.

"Getting the language perfect requires a number of takes that you might not have on another show," Graham told The Associated Press in January 2006.

"It's just a lot of work — 13, 14 hours door to door. I've missed weddings, I've missed babies being born. I'm not complaining, because of what it has brought me, but I would be ready for a different balance."

Sherman-Palladino and her husband and fellow executive producer, Daniel Palladino, left after failing to come to terms with the studio on a new deal, and the series struggled creatively and in the ratings this season.

The April 24 episode drew fewer than 4 million viewers, down about 25 percent compared to the same time last year.

As production on the show got under way last fall, its future then uncertain, Graham speculated about the final chapter.

"I care very much how the story ends," Graham said told the AP. "... It would be my worst nightmare if we end the show with a wedding. To me, the premise of the show was, `What if your parent was your best friend?'"

"That's the thing you leave people with, the strength of this family and this relationship," she said.




It's going to be sad to say goodbye to this show. I've come to love the Gilmores and all their crazy antics. Let's hope it goes out in style on May 15th.

"Florida" Holds Some Surprises for SVU



NBC Recap

By Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

The long anticipated episode where Olivia finally confronts her past has finally arrived! There was something for every viewer in this episode (as long as you’re a fan of Olivia, of course). Before the real fun begins, we are shown the inside of the interrogation room, where Elliot and Olivia are trying to get a perp to confess, without much success. They are doing their beloved “good cop, bad cop” routine, with Olivia being the bad cop this go around (as if we expected anything else for this episode).

Things are going well, or so it seems, until Cragen pulls Olivia from the room. FBI agent man is back on scene, and he wants to know why Olivia sent money to Simon! *Collective gasp.* Here starts the great moral dilemma of the episode: why would Olivia send Simon money? On one hand, he is her brother, and family always changes things. However, on the other hand, Olivia has never been a real family person (the fact that she didn’t have a lot of family could have been an influencing factor) and there is strong evidence against Simon for the rape. Normally, Olivia won’t put up with rapists, never mind fund their potential escape.
Threatened by a photo that doesn’t exist (she’s been “Copped!” *think “Punked!”*) Olivia admits to FBI guy that Simon is her brother, and he seems to understand why Olivia is acting the way she is. Captain Julia, however, doesn’t see through Olivia’s act, and accuses her of being in love with Simon. *Ugh.* It was almost painful, listening to Julia describe how Benson must be so desperate that she picked a rapist, but the scene clearly illustrates her hatred for Simon, and so it was actually very well done.

Now we’re back to the original perp from the beginning of the episode that no one remembered or was paying attention to anyway. Good cop, bad cop is gone; now it’s just bad cop. Olivia gets in some good (cheap?) shots before Elliot and Cragen come in to break up the party. Ironically enough, the perp accuses Benson of having a thing for rapists. Him and Julia must share a brain!
The next scene was something I never thought I’d see on SVU: Cragen actually touched somebody. *Second collective gasp.* I know, I know, everyone was in shock over this one. Especially since he was grabbing Olivia by the arm! Did anyone else see the mixture of fear and disbelief in Olivia’s eyes? That’s by far something I wasn’t expecting, even more so than the bodily contact of two main characters on the show.

Elliot: What were you doing?
Olivia: Oh, the poster boy for rage is going to tell me how to handle my anger?


To that I say: ouch. Just plain ouch. This is a classic case of “Olivia is really angry right now” syndrome, where Olivia chronically hits below the belt when she’s annoyed or feeling trapped.

Simon: You’re so screwed up you can’t believe there is good in anyone.


This is where the episode stops being about just Simon and starts involving Olivia’s dad. Even though she knows he is dead, her disgust with what he did to her mother is something that she carries with her every day, and it influences the decisions that she makes. Her decision to become part of the SVU is an obvious one that is a byproduct of her origins. The fact that she’s never had a relationship last longer than half an episode is another such situation. Olivia looks with such distain at her brother when she thinks about what he’s done to his victims, just as her dad did to his victims. She tells FBI guy after he flees from the bookstore that he tried to run over her with his car.

Making matters worse for Olivia but better for us is the conversation that Olivia and FBI guy have at Simon’s mother’s home. Even though she has Alzheimers, she remembers the past clear as a bell, and can remember Olivia’s father talking about her daughter, and even attempting to contact her once. This naturally leads Olivia to more questions. (The episode should have been called “Questions” instead of “Florida”.) She begins to believe that her mother lied about being raped in the first place. However, Olivia declines to a rendezvous in Florida, where Simon’s mother indicated he owned a home.

The writers ruin all the wonderfulness with an absolutely horrid cut scene and voice over my Mariska/Olivia. It shows her going through each case that was similar to her mother’s, after learning from an employer that her father’s company supplied college dining halls (where her mother worked). She finds other cases with the same pattern, and even visits one of the victims, who tells her to go away. She is explaining all this to Huang, who is presumably sitting patiently in the background while Olivia spills all. Presumably is all we’ll ever know, though, since while Olivia was talking we were watching her in some sort of horrible flashback sequence!

At least we know that Olivia’s senses are at work, since when she gets home she senses Captain Julia lurking mysteriously. While at the station making a statement, Olivia pulls off an awesome feat: using the famed “fake call on your cell phone” trick, she manages to steal some evidentiary photos and confirms that they aren’t real.

Finally everything falls into place, as Olivia learns that Julia’s sister OD’d on drugs (remember waaaaay back to “Philadelphia?”), and that Julia had probably figured out where Simon lived. Thanks to a miraculous memorization of upstate New York by Elliot, everyone finally realizes that “route 94 in Florida” is actually “route 94 and Florida” an intersection address. The arrive to gunshots, and the most pivotal part of the episode begins.

If family always changes the situation, then having your brother being the one holding a gun to a shot and bleeding captain is an awkward situation indeed. Olivia’s ability to trust (or lack thereof) comes into major play here, since she essentially has to pick Julia’s story over Simon’s, or vice versa.

I was actually watching my TV non-stop through this segment; no notes, lots of flies were allowed to fly into my slack jawed mouth, and the scene alone could earn Mariska another Emmy nomination, very easily. And, this supplies multitudes of directions for the writers to go with Olivia. Her “trust floodgates” have been opened, and Simon is definitely on her radar, now that she knows he’s innocent. She also thanked Elliot for trusting her, another major step.

My guess is that even with the staggered filming (next week does look like an Elliot week) we’ll be seeing a lot of Benson. More specifically, Benson and family related issues, because that storyline is definitely not over yet.

Overall, I give “Florida” one of the higher ratings of the season, though it was no “Responsible”.