tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151148922024-03-13T23:38:45.144-04:00Pass The RemoteTVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.comBlogger1570125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-68848666228012757582010-10-14T15:36:00.000-04:002010-10-14T15:36:48.623-04:00Final GoodbyeI'm sorry it has taken me so long to finally post this final sign-off. I had planned to finish out the regular season of <i>Ice Road Truckers</i> and then finish PTR, but time got away from me -- FAST! In any event, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped with PTR over the last 5 years. HUGE thank yous to:<br />
<br />
Senior staff writer <b>LillyKat</b> for all of your wonderful posts, interviews and web help. <br />
All of the staff writers who have contributed over the years especially <b>Trublu</b>. <br />
My fellow TV bloggers who have linked to, promoted and supported this site. <br />
Kathryn Morris's biggest fan <b>RichE</b> from <a href="http://www.kathryn-morris.co.uk/">Kathryn Morris UK </a>for all of the "Kathryn scoop" and photos.<br />
<a href="http://coldcase2.proboards21.com/index.cgi">Look Again</a> for all of the <i>Cold Case</i> help and support.<br />
All of the networks, including broadcast, cable and premium, who have supplied this site with info and news about our favorite shows.<br />
The wonderful folks at <i>Veronica Mars</i> who allowed me and a small group of regular old bloggers to visit their set.<br />
The PR folks who gave us opportunities for interviews and scoops.<br />
All of the shows, actors, writers, etc. who have helped along the way.<br />
<br />
And last, but most certainly not least, thank you so much to all of the readers. Your comments and support have kept this site fun and interesting. It has truly been so much fun to do this blog. If you'd like to continue getting (shortened) news and thoughts on the new TV news, follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/passtheremote">PTR on Twitter</a> for. Happy TV viewing!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-47427689818729061552010-09-28T10:38:00.000-04:002010-09-28T10:38:04.558-04:00'Ice Road' Melting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TKH8v5WNHzI/AAAAAAAADiA/jj8hNggt-vE/s1600/ice-road-truckers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TKH8v5WNHzI/AAAAAAAADiA/jj8hNggt-vE/s400/ice-road-truckers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Normally, I'm glued to the drivers and the perilous conditions they drive through on the mighty Dalton Highway in Alaska. But this week, I was completely transfixed by the folks who work hard to keep the Dalton up and running and make sure it's safe (as safe as an iced-over road with steep drop-offs can be anyway). Whether it was the people dishing out the violations to perennial violator Hugh and a newcomer to the citation game or the Alaska DOT worker known as "K Bear" who had one of the scariest jobs I've seen (and that's saying a lot for a road that has an avalanche crew) -- this week was all about the behind-the-scenes people who keep everything running so that important supplies can get to the North Slope. The theme of the week was melting ice, and as we learned in this one, the simple act of snow and ice turning into water isn't just a welcoming sign of impending spring.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Melting ice also means a slushy, slippery road which led to even more dangerous conditions than we're used to seeing on the Dalton. It meant a couple of spin outs for rookie Ray (which led to some friendly ripping from fellow driver Greg) and some indecisive moments for Lisa. She came across Jack on the haul road and decided to ride along with him for a little while. As they approached a series of steeper inclines, she asked Jack whether or not he was going to stop to chain up (the melting roads = more slipping, ergo, chains might be required in places where they aren't normally). He left it up to her and while she was deciding, they got a message over the radio that other drivers were chaining up for the second incline because other trucks had spun out. Apparently, one had caught the ditch and was turned over on the side of the road. Lisa decided to play it safe. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Jack was hauling a highly flammable load of jet fuel. This caused him to take even more precaution than usual, but it also made him a target for the DOT inspection officers. He got pulled over along the Dalton and had to turn over his log book, medical card and his little orange hazmat book. He had no problem with the first two, but the last one was nowhere to be found. He hadn't grabbed a copy of the book that tells drivers what to do with a flammable substance in case of an emergency. So Jack Jessee, the Dalton Ace, got a citation. The other driver caught in the DOT's crosshairs was not a surprise. Hugh "The Polar Bear" Rowland had to stop at the scales just outside the Carlile lot for an inspection. His log book showed that he had gotten from Prudhoe to Fairbanks in 10 hours which would mean he traveled an average of 60 mph -- 10 mph above the speed limit. Hugh insisted he wasn't speeding, but the officer gave him a list of violations anyway. But in a surprising turn, he was able to go with just a warning. He breathed a huge sigh of relief.<br />
<br />
One of the bridges on the Dalton crosses the Dietrich River. There's nothing unusual about it except when the melting season begins. The water below the ice starts to rise above it as overflow. This process causes damming and an obstacle like a low bridge makes for a perfect damming spot. The problem is, water is an extremely powerful force, so at some point that dammed-up water is going to burst through the ice (especially as more and more of the ice becomes water) and take the bridge out. So, DOT worker K Bear had to get some equipment down there to start digging out the ice blocking the water flow under the bridge. First, he tried the heavy equipment, but the arm of the machine kept hitting the bridge. So, he brought in some steam power to start breaking up the ice. Then, he added a Bobcat with a drill on the front of it. The drill started breaking up the ice in larger chunks and that's when K Bear warned his crew that they needed to start getting off the ice. Soon, the Bobcat would break through to the water on the other side of the bridge and that water would start gushing through to the other side. As the Bobcat drilled through the last few chunks, I held my breath. How could the driver possible get the Bobcat off the ice before the water he was releasing began running through? He couldn't, but he was able to get out of the way before it swept him and his machine away. As with everything on this show, it was intense!<br />
<br />
The season finale of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs next Sunday on History followed by the season premiere of <i>Ice Road Truckers: Deadliest Roads</i>. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-12239783337139251792010-09-16T09:37:00.000-04:002010-09-16T09:37:00.474-04:00PTR Announcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TIkgiI9taxI/AAAAAAAADho/YCCfjax6IVA/s1600/ptr_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TIkgiI9taxI/AAAAAAAADho/YCCfjax6IVA/s320/ptr_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dear Readers,<br />
<br />
As the summer comes to a close and the new fall season approaches, exciting times are ahead. We will soon eagerly welcome back our favorite shows and characters and make room on our TV schedules for new favorites. Like many of you, I am excited to see the return of my faves (most notably <i>Bones</i>, which returns in 1 week), and I'm still deciding which new shows to add to my<i> </i>"Season Pass" list on my DVR. Over the last five years, Pass the Remote has been covering many of those old and new favorites along with some TV news and specials peppered in. It has been such a joy to write my thoughts down about something that I truly love: Television. So, this is a decision I have not made lightly. At the close of the summer season, I will no longer be updating and/or blogging about television here at PTR. Changes in my own life (all good) have caused me to not be able to dedicate the time and resources I would like (and that you have rightfully come to expect) to updating and maintaining this site. <br />
<br />
I will still be watching my favorite shows and might even post a special write-up from time to time if a particular episode takes me out of TV blogger retirement, but officially speaking, PTR will go dark at the end of the summer season. For those of you who follow PTR on Twitter, I will continue to post short thoughts and TV news regularly over there. For those who do not follow PTR, but would like to, click the link on the side bar or find me <a href="http://twitter.com/passtheremote">HERE</a>. This site will stay up as an archive, so all of PTR's past writings will be accessible at all times. <br />
<br />
Thank you all, dear readers, for allowing me to write about something that I love for the last five years. When I set out to create this blog, I wasn't expecting anything from it, but I have gotten so much from all of you throughout the years. Thank you to all of the networks, PR people, shows, actors, writers, etc. who have helped me along the way. A special HUGE thank you to the wonderful folks at <i>Veronica Mars</i> who allowed me and a small group of regular old bloggers to visit their set and spend the day getting an inside look at one of my favorite shows of all-time. It has been so much fun to do this blog and I will miss it. But, good things are on the horizon and a new TV season is about to begin, and I will be watching this one as a regular TV fan for the first time in years. When the summer season has officially ended, I will post a final goodbye. Until then, we have an all-new episode of <i>Ice Road Truckers</i> to look forward to this Sunday! We'll discuss on Monday.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
TVFan TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-87572120762010922452010-09-13T16:07:00.001-04:002010-09-13T16:08:45.068-04:00Convoy on 'Ice'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TI5_vTNOG7I/AAAAAAAADh4/g2yS963PEas/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TI5_vTNOG7I/AAAAAAAADh4/g2yS963PEas/s400/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Well <i>Ice Road Truckers</i> fans, we've got ourselves a convoy! I know it's highly doubtful that Carlile coincidentally chose only the stars of the series to run this convoy to Nuiqsut, but I don't care. I LOVED the fact that they all traveled together, got stranded in Prudhoe together, and ventured out onto the river ice together. Of course, there were some tense moments between the drivers, but there were some fabulous bonding ones as well. One such moment happened in one of the most remote places on earth and involved a unique native tradition and an even more unique menu. But first, the drivers had to make it 500 miles through some pretty hairy conditions and then across weakening river ice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Imagine living in a village so remote that supplies can only be delivered once a year by truck (more frequently by air, but that costs a lot more). And, deliveries by truck depend on the river being frozen enough to support the uber-heavy loads that are bound for the tiny native village. With the end of the season approaching quickly, the truckers needed to get as many supplies through as possible before the river ice started to melt and travel became impossible. Thus, the convoy was born. The truckers first drove the 500-mile Dalton to Prudhoe and then had to take the journey across the river ice to Nuiqsut. Things started out OK (save for Lisa who got partially up the road only to find out that Carlile gave her the wrong load costing her 2 hours). There were a few squabbles between the drivers along the way. Alex was annoyed with Greg because he wasn't going fast enough up and down hills to give Alex the proper momentum for his heavier load. But, overall, they made it up the Dalton just fine. They managed to get a sober reminder along the way (an overturned truck that caught the edge of the road before tumbling into a ditch), and they drove the last 40 miles white knuckle through a Phase 2 blow. But, that's just all part of the experience, right?<br />
<br />
Once in Prudhoe, they hit a bit of a speed bump. The Phase 2 blow was getting worse and travel to Nuiqsut was not advised. So, they hunkered down in their respective trucks and got a good night's sleep. The next morning they woke to even worse weather. After 36 hours and a few shared meals, they were finally on their way across the dangerous river ice. Ironically, this part of the trip was the least eventful of the entire thing. They maintained the appropriate slower speed (so as not to cause a powerful wave of water that would eventually break through the ice and swallow the trucks) and got into the village without complication. The most difficult part came when they needed to each find their individual locations. Lisa got lost trying to find the owner of the repaired snowmobile she was hauling. Jack had the all-important fuel, but had no problems finding where it belonged because he had made an earlier run to the village. Greg took his school supplies to a local school and got to meet some of the kids. Alex delivered carpet to a local church while rival Hugh returned a boat to a happy owner. It was seriously like watching Santa make his rounds! After all of the deliveries were made, Hugh, Alex, Ray and Greg stayed in town to attend a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potlatch">Potlatch ceremony</a> at the community center. They dined on walrus and whale before taking part in some of the native dance customs. It was awesome! I only wish Lisa and Jack had been able to stick around for it.<br />
<br />
And speaking of awesome, there are NO WORDS to describe how happy I am about this....<br />
<object height="306" width="499"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mnUi__sdP6I?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mnUi__sdP6I?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="499" height="306"></embed></object><br />
<br />
In the meantime, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-5592716420184739152010-09-09T13:36:00.000-04:002010-09-09T13:36:36.599-04:00Live and Let Spy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TIkaua1owDI/AAAAAAAADhg/tUBYz-pPhKA/s1600/psych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TIkaua1owDI/AAAAAAAADhg/tUBYz-pPhKA/s400/psych.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I'm sure everyone is still buzzing about THAT moment from <i>Psych</i>'s summer finale this week. BUT, I was left a little underwhelmed by it and I'm not exactly sure why. We've been watching the romantic tension between Shawn and Jules build over the course of the seasons. We've been rooting for Shawn to finally get the girl. We've rooted for Juliet to get her moment. But now that the two shared a momentous kiss just as she was about to jet off to the Amalfi coast with Declan, I'm not all that satisfied. To be clear, I wouldn't be anymore satisfied if Jules had ditched the Amalfi (and Declan) for Santa Barbara and Shawn (after all, it is a "beach community"). Maybe it was the sorta cliche way in which Jules finally learned the truth or the kinda overused finale tactic of having Jules heading off with another man but thinking that she might be making a mistake just as the episode (and the season) came to a close. I don't know, but the story line has a big question mark hanging over it for me and I don't think I'll make a final decision on it until we see more in November. In the meantime, let's focus on the funny from this otherwise excellent finale in this week's edition of "The Funny, The Funnier and OK, For Real, My Side Just Split" after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNY</span><br />
Lassie feels important. We all know that Lassie has a high opinion of himself and considers himself to be leaps and bounds above all other detectives, but this week, he got some validation from an unlikely source: the Feds! First, they told Shawn and Gus to wait in the helicopter because they were tired of looking at their faces (much to Lassie's pure joy), and then they made Lassie point on the investigation. He was like a kid in a candy shop and Shawn and Gus were dumbfounded. Shawn even pointed out that Tom had two watches and Lassie couldn't compete with that. But the icing on the cake was the explanation the feds gave for making Lassie point on the case: experience tells them that the guy without a life puts the most into the investigation. Hahaha!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNIER</span><br />
Shawn and Gus read the news... in the dark. Trying to be inconspicuous and act like real spies aren't exactly things that Shawn and Gus are very good at (after all, earlier in the episode, the two caused such a stir on the pier that it got back to Lassie in a matter of minutes). So, Shawn drew on every spy movie tactic ever put on the big screen and wore a trench coat, sat on a bench alone in the middle of an empty park and read a newspaper (in the dark of night) in order to look <s>exactly like</s> nothing like a spy waiting for a meet-up. Nadia spotted him right away (imagine that) and proceeded to call him on his silliness. And then we learned that he had Gus doing the exact same thing on an adjacent bench! Nothing to see here, keep it moving. Later, Gus reminded Shawn, "I told you the newspaper wouldn't work!" Thankfully, Shawn took his advice from the movies because this scene was hilarious!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">OK, FOR REAL, MY SIDE JUST SPLIT</span><br />
Gus in the helicopter. OK, so there wasn't a true side-splitting moment in this one, but Gus freaking out in the helicopter came close enough to warrant the prize. After determining that searching for Nadia's former spy in the Los Padres National Forest was far too great of a task on foot, Shawn got an idea (that 99.6% of the time would not have worked, but since about a week ago, he knows a guy who can help). They needed a helicopter and Declan just happened to have one (along with a personal chef who makes creme brulee to order). After convincing Declan to let them use the chopper, they take to the air to see if they can spot the former spy's super-secret hideout. Declan was at the controls, but it soon came to light that he got his pilot's license only three days prior. Gus got nervous. Then, Nadia mentioned that they need to hurry and find the place before an F14 shoots them down. Gus's freaked out "What??!! We're gonna get shot down??!!" reply cracked me up! Finally, Declan confessed that landings are "dicey at best" for him. Even Shawn gets concerned, but it's Gus's worried look that left me laughing. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Psych</span> will return this November on USA Network. Catch up on this episode and others at <a href="http://www.hulu.com/psych">hulu.com</a>. And learn more about the awesome-ness that is Shawn and Gus at <a href="http://psych.usanetwork.com/">USA's official site</a> or friend them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/psych?ref=mf">Facebook</a> and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/Psych_USA">Twitter</a>.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-26891454130763593042010-08-31T10:09:00.000-04:002010-08-31T10:09:31.561-04:00'Ice Road' Racing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TH0MPuXTR0I/AAAAAAAADhY/THSEz7JuZN0/s1600/irt-hugh_005+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TH0MPuXTR0I/AAAAAAAADhY/THSEz7JuZN0/s400/irt-hugh_005+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On the Dalton, racers never win. Especially when one of those racers is a rookie who spent some serious time in a ditch just one episode ago and he's racing one of the biggest cowboys to ever drive the Dalton (at least out of those whom we've seen on IRT). Ray was kinda doomed the moment Hugh passed him, but trying to reclaim his lead while driving in the southbound lane while climbing a steep hill sealed his fate. Not to mention raised a red flag with the Carlile management back in Fairbanks. I'm wondering if Hugh will get in trouble as well since he is already on a sort of probation. While Ray and Hugh were raising up the Dalton, Jack was pushing a HUGE load up it with the return of my new favorite ice road tactic: Push-Trucking.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Anyone who has watched this show for the last couple of seasons knows that Jack Jessee may be the "Dalton Ace," but he isn't exactly the first one on the road in the morning. He likes to take his time, enjoy a big breakfast, and check and recheck the security of his load before heading out. This left heavy-haul driver Carey Hall waiting.... waiting.... and then waiting some more for his lead push-trucker. After deciding to leave without him, he and his pilot car and other push-truck driver headed north. Later, Jack caught up, but he was having a slight problem. He wasn't in his own truck and was having difficulties shifting the one he was piloting. Normally, this would be an annoyance, but with push-trucking, every shift matters when you're pressed up against the more than 100,000 lb. load in front of you. So, the heavy load made it down the Rollercoaster slowly as planned, but things took a scary turn when it attempted to climb up the other side. Jack locked on, but missed the gear and became separated from the load. He fought his way back and locked onto Carey's rig again. This time, he was able to stay connected for the duration of the climb. They spent the night in Coldfoot and hit the road the next morning heading to Atigun. After Jack caught up right before the dangerous Pass, the rest of the trip went smoothly.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Greg was grounded in Fairbanks after mechanical issues weren't addressed over the weekend in the shop. He finally got his truck back, but didn't make it very far up the road before he had to drop his load and head back to Fairbanks for more repairs. Lisa had a load of pipe, but she wasn't taking the relatively easy load for granted. She spent the night in Coldfoot so she could rest up before completing the trip to Prudhoe. After she delivered her load of pipe, she scored a coveted backhaul. Next week, it looks like the gang is going to have to work together in a huge convoy to a remote village. It should be interesting to see Hugh and Alex working together instead of trying to beat each other.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-44371672722710260132010-08-27T09:23:00.001-04:002010-08-27T09:23:00.500-04:00PTR Reveals the Best Episode of the Season!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We have made it through the summer-long countdown! This can mean only one thing: it's time to reveal the #1 Best Episode of the Season!! For the final time, here's a look at the rules for this year's winners. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. Since this was a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, we revealed a few each week all summer. Before we get to numbers 3-1, here's a quick review of numbers 28-4 after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">28. “The Sexless Innkeeper” – <i>How I Met Your Mother</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">27. “Hairography” – <i>Glee</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">26. “Busted Parts & Breakdowns” – <i>Ice Road Truckers</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">25. “Thrill Seekers & Hell Raisers” – <i>Psych</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">24. “The Beginning in the End” – <i>Bones</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">23. “Laryngitis” – <i>Glee</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">22. “August” – <i>Fringe</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">21. “Perverted” – <i>L&O: SVU</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">20. “The Proof in the Pudding” – <i>Bones</i></div>19. “Arctic Ice” – <i>Ice Road Truckers</i><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">18. “Solace” – <i>Parenthood</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">17. “Years of Service” – <i>Nurse Jackie</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">16. “Time Keeps Slipping” – <i>Medium</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">15. “The Rough Patch” – <i>How I Met Your Mother</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">14. “High Noon-ish” – <i>Psych</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">13. “Waivers of Extradition” – <i>The Closer</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">12. “Let’s Get it Ahn” – <i>In Plain Sight</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">11. “The Bishop Revival” – <i>Fringe</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">10. “The Last Drive-in/Bullet” – <i>Cold Case</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">9. “Wassup” – <i>Parenthood</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">8. “Maternal Instincts” – <i>The Closer</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">7. “Ab Aeterno” – <i>Lost</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">6. “Journey” – <i>Glee</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">5. “Chuck Vs. The Other Guy” – <i>Chuck</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">4. “The Parts in the Sum of the Whole” – <i>Bones</i></div><br />
And now, the Top 3 episodes of the season...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3:</span></span> "The Son" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Friday Night Lights</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THbPF1XKZXI/AAAAAAAADhQ/KJUOPdFo-u4/s1600/fnl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THbPF1XKZXI/AAAAAAAADhQ/KJUOPdFo-u4/s200/fnl.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This episode of <i>Friday Night Lights</i> was raw, emotional and tough to watch. It was one of the show's finest hours. Watching Matt pick up the pieces after his father's sudden death was HEART WRENCHING! I wasn't expecting the elder Saracen's tragic death. And quite frankly, Matt wasn't either. When he got the news, he didn't seem to process it or how it would change everything right away (who does?). Watching him work through that process was painful and difficult. And it was all done with the show's usual realism. He spent most of the episode going through the motions: sitting in the same spot at the wake while everyone went up to him to give their condolences, getting angry at the soldier charged with escorting his father's body, picking out a funeral package and trying to come up with a eulogy for a man he had spent most of his life hating. But his decision to lift the lid on his father's casket forced him to stop going through the motions and to start feeling all of the emotions that were swirling around inside him. This was both good and bad. It came to a head when he stopped by the Taylors' immediately after the casket incident. It boiled over during dinner when the carrots touched his chicken. Suddenly, he was going on about how easy it had been to hate his father and to blame him for everything wrong in his life and then he broke down and walked out. The too-wonderful-for-words Coach Taylor went after him, but only to walk him home. Seriously, was there a better moment of television this season? This year? This decade? Incredible, powerful TV and there were only 5 words spoken: "I'm gonna walk you home." Wow. Just wow. Written by Rolin Jones.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2:</span></span> "Over There" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Fringe</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THWJ5XYJkhI/AAAAAAAADhI/ADOqYoSQb1M/s1600/fringe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THWJ5XYJkhI/AAAAAAAADhI/ADOqYoSQb1M/s200/fringe.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This was one of those hanging-on-every-word, glued to the edge of my seat, mouth and eyes wide open awesome thrill rides of an episode that demonstrated how a series should end its season. Twists, turns, fight scenes, romance, explosions, tense moments and a quest to find Peter and get back to our universe were just some of the things that made this episode so freakin' fantastic. The final scene made jaws drop and left us wondering how the writers are going to fix this huge issue next season. When the explosion went off and William Bell regained consciousness and saw Olivia standing over him, I was concerned that it was the wrong Olivia. But then, the gang made it back across, so I thought I was wrong. When Olivia got back to "her" apartment and started looking around, I began to suspect once again that this was the wrong Liv. And then, we saw her: the real Liv trapped in the other universe with Walternate!! How is Walter ever going to get back over there to rescue her? Bell is dead, Liv is stuck over there, her classmates are dead and he can't exactly open another door. Yikes! MAJOR kudos to the film and editing crews who nailed that kick butt Liv vs. Liv fight scene and made it look like the two were really fighting each other. Props to Anna Torv for playing both versions of Liv and giving them their own nuances. And to top off an absolutely perfect episode, the show threw in a little development between Liv and Peter that I didn't see coming -- THEY KISSED! With the real Liv in the other universe and Peter back in ours, this episode had us craving the new season. Written by Jeff Pinker, Akiva Goldsman and J. H. Wyman and directed by Akiva Goldsman.<br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">And now, after an entire summer of counting down episodes, we're finally up to the number one episode of the past season. Drum roll please....</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1:</span></span> "The End" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THFPtkEWpPI/AAAAAAAADg4/VFpjH2N_cSw/s1600/lost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THFPtkEWpPI/AAAAAAAADg4/VFpjH2N_cSw/s200/lost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Series finales always tend to divide fans into two camps: those who hated it and those who loved it. Obviously, PTR LOVED this one! Were all of our questions answered? No, but the most important ones were and we got come closure for the characters we loved for 6 seasons. There was so much tragedy on the island over the course of the series. The show even ended with Jack’s death on the island, and yet, it still managed to leave us on an uplifting note. That “alternate universe” we’d been watching all season (you know the one where Oceanic flight 815 lands safely in Los Angeles) was not an alternate universe at all. It was a sort of limbo, a place the survivors of Oceanic 815 created to find each other. The characters in it were all dead and they were all waiting for Jack before they could cross over. As Jack’s father explained, some of them died before Jack and some long after, but they all came together in that place to be with the people they loved before they crossed over. The reveal was emotional and it was beautiful. It gave us hope and amazing, tear-inducing reunions between the characters who survived and those we lost on the island. Back on the island, we watched Jack battle the Man in Black and Kate finally kill him. We saw Jack sacrifice his life to safe those he loved and the island he was charged with protecting. And we learned that Hurley became the new Jacob with Ben by his side. In the end, good prevailed and evil wound up battered on the rugged rocks at the bottom of a steep cliff. And the characters we cheered for, cried for, laughed with and loved got the proper send-off they deserved and we yearned for after six amazing seasons. Written by showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and directed by Jack Bender.<br />
<br />
Well, there you have it -- the complete list of PTR's Best Episodes of the Season! Do you agree? Disagree? Are there episodes that PTR left off the list? Leave us a comment with your thoughts on the final list. If you would like to take a closer look at numbers 28-4, click the "Best Episodes" link at the bottom of this post.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-33668427438337344722010-08-23T16:24:00.000-04:002010-08-23T16:24:32.686-04:00'Ice Road' Ditch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THLY09YzbsI/AAAAAAAADhA/IDD_YdTK0lM/s1600/irt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/THLY09YzbsI/AAAAAAAADhA/IDD_YdTK0lM/s400/irt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>What is it they always say? Oh, right... pay back's a b*tch! Of course, they also say that there are two kind of drivers on the Dalton: those who have been in a ditch and those heading into one. Both of these little pearls of wisdom apply to Ray's unfortunate incident during this week's episode of <i>Ice Road Truckers</i>. Thankfully, no one was injured and considering the amount of people who die every year on the Dalton for taking their eyes off the road for a split second, that's saying a lot. Ray wasn't the only driver having a bad trip, though. Two others found themselves struggling with their loads and one wound up in a bit of hot water upon his return to Fairbanks. But, Ray's trip into the ditch was the night's scariest mishap.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Everybody loves a nice serving of irony served with a side of humble pie -- everyone except Ray, I'm sure. After he spent the first part of his haul from Prudhoe to Fairbanks making fun of Alex's "dumb laugh," he found himself in a situation where Alex (and his "dumb laugh") was quite the lifesaver. Ray was ahead of Alex and had scored a coveted backhaul. He radioed ahead to announce his approach into Ice Cut, but had some trouble putting the CB radio (or "microphone") onto its hook. He tried a couple of times before he took his eyes off the road to place the radio where it belonged. That short break in focus was just long enough for him to lose control of his rig and wind up deep in a snow-packed ditch. A few Carlile drivers stopped and tried to tow him out, but the chain snapped like a twig as they were attempting to pull him out. Finally, Alex came along and he and Ray and a few others shoveled the snow around, under, and in (as in, in the engine) the truck for 4 hours. It worked. After the back-breaking (and heart attack-inducing) shoveling, the truck was finally able to break free from the ditch and get back onto the haul road. Ray seemed genuinely grateful to Alex for his help and even declared that he'd be willing to wipe the slate clean and start over. See, teamwork does bring people together! Since there was no damage and no one was injured, Ray got off with a drug test and a brief meeting with the boss.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Hugh was having some trouble of his own. He had orders to haul a load of heaters to Prudhoe. After referring to the job as "easy money," he made it to Deadhorse in record time. BUT, he delivered damaged merchandise -- a MAJOR no-no in the trucking industry. The thing is, Hugh knew that the two heaters were rubbing up against each other. Even our favorite trainer Phil (a.k.a Phil Billy) stopped him along the Dalton and helped him check the load. Hugh kept insisting that the fact that the two heaters were so close together wasn't his fault since he wasn't the one who loaded the trailer. The folks at Carlile were none too pleased. They suspected that he had failed to take his "check the load" breaks every two hours as required by the company. When confronted about the damage, Hugh still refused to take responsibility. This made the Carlile bosses even more unhappy. In the end, Hugh was placed on a form of probation, so the bosses will be watching him carefully going forward.<br />
<br />
And then there was Lisa's struggle with her oversized bear cage. The size and shape of the load made strapping it down tricky. A little ways outside of Coldfoot, she noticed that one of the straps was flapping. Since she's cautious and determined to do the right thing, she stopped to check it. Good thing she did because the strap had actually been sliced by the edge of the cage. She replaced the strap and tried to create a cushion between the strap and the sharp edge of the cage. Back on the road, she noticed that the strap was once again flapping. She pulled over again and was able to use a bungee cord to tied her over until the pit stop at Coldfoot. Once again, her determination and can-do attitude got her through the obstacle and safely to the pit stop.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-67986201105034546712010-08-20T09:35:00.001-04:002010-08-20T09:35:00.417-04:00The Countdown Enters the Home Stretch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The finish line is in sight this week as we wind down our summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season! Before we get to the #1 episode next week, we have three awesome episodes to tied you over. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 6-4.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">6:</span></span> "Journey" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Glee</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGyIZ8VHrNI/AAAAAAAADgg/gpo9ZzENZ8g/s1600/glee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGyIZ8VHrNI/AAAAAAAADgg/gpo9ZzENZ8g/s200/glee.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Words cannot describe my warm and fuzzy feelings for this wonderful season finale. Every scene was emotional, every Sue moment was HI-LARIOUS (and one was actually touching), every song was awesome and the surprises were perfect. But the most exciting thing about this season ender was that fan-freakin-tastic Journey medley that New Directions performed at Regionals. Oh. My. Steve Perry!! It was the greatest thing since, well, the last time <i>Glee</i> did Journey (a little awesome number called "Don't Stop Believing"). I loved the way the show cut between Quinn in labor and Vocal Adrenaline performing at Regionals. Great juxtaposition of Quinn in agony with Jesse giving another performance of his life and the parallels between the song and Quinn delivering were well-played. Also loved the way things turned out: Quinn got to go back to being a "normal" teenager, Ms. Corcoran got to start the life she missed with Rachel, and Beth got a loving home. Back at Regionals, Vocal Adrenaline's performance was better than New Directions, but they were simply going through the motions without actually feeling them. And let's not even discuss Aural Intensity (seriously with the name??!!). So if the judges had actually judged based on talent, heart and performance, then New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline should have been the first and second place finishers (in either order). But, the judges were on some sort of elitist power trip and decided that the motley crew that makes up our beloved glee kids was not good enough to place. There was one judge who did the right thing, though, and it wasn't who you'd expect. Sue "I Hate Glee Club" Sylvester cast her first place vote for New Directions. Since glee club did not place at regionals, they were suppose to be disbanded, but Sue had one last surprise up her sleeve. She used her leverage over Principal Figgins to get the glee club another year. Maybe Sue does see herself in those kids or maybe it has to do with her sister or maybe deep down inside she really is a good person. Whatever the reason, my fellow Gleeks and I are very, very grateful. Written and directed by Brad Falchuk.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5:</span></span> "Chuck Vs. The Other Guy" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Chuck</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGyOyNaouiI/AAAAAAAADgo/UCaD34wxpx8/s1600/Chuck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGyOyNaouiI/AAAAAAAADgo/UCaD34wxpx8/s200/Chuck.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This fantastic romantic outing had so many "pinch me, I must be dreaming" moments it was hard to keep track. Chuck thought Sarah was in trouble. He thought Shaw was working with the Ring and that he had kidnapped Sarah because he learned that she was the agent who killed his wife. He thought Shaw was going to kill Sarah to avenge his wife's death. After an embarrassing rescue attempt, the threesome went on a mission to capture the director of the Ring. There were so many red herrings about Shaw that I started to believe that I was wrong about him. Maybe he really was a good spy. It certainly seemed that way until he "shot" the director. Then, Sarah was on her way to Paris with Shaw and everyone thought that Chuck was wrong. But something big happened at Chuck's house before Sarah was Paris-bound. Chuck was wallowing in a bottle of whiskey and a fake Guitar Hero guitar. As he lay there in his underwear, Sarah entered. He wasn't exactly in tip-top shape, but he decided to ask a question anyway. He wanted, nay needed, to know if Sarah loved him. She hesitated. Then she said yes. And they finally kissed for real (as in, under no pretense of spyhood). Fast forward to Paris with Sarah and Shaw. Shaw trapped Sarah and with help from his new buddies in the Ring, he disabled her central nervous system with a toxin. And then it happened... a waiter entered behind Shaw. But it wasn't a waiter -- it was Chuck!! He and Shaw fought, but Shaw got away with Sarah. Chuck followed and he gave Shaw every chance he could to surrender. He didn't want to kill Shaw, but it was either that or let Shaw kill Sarah. He chose the former and as Shaw's body fell over the wall of the bridge, his hand grabbed Sarah's and began to pull her in with him. Chuck raced to the wall and grabbed Sarah right before Shaw pulled her paralyzed body into the river with him. In the end, Sarah and Chuck decided to spend a little extra time in Paris together. Chuck finally got to see the Eiffel Tower in person, but more importantly, he got to be with Sarah -- for real this time. Could there be a more perfect episode of <i>Chuck</i>? Written by Chris Fedak and directed by Peter Lauer. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">4:</span></span> "The Parts in the Sum of the Whole" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Bones</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TG3xT8HW9ZI/AAAAAAAADgw/W9Q59-sUsZU/s1600/Bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TG3xT8HW9ZI/AAAAAAAADgw/W9Q59-sUsZU/s200/Bones.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>There is only one way to describe this monumental 100th episode of <i>Bones</i>: HEART-WRENCHING!! It was important for so many reasons with the most basic being that it gave us the beginning of the story between Booth and Brennan. But, it was so much more than that! Of course, it was heart-wrenching, but it was also funny and revealing and it had me on the edge of my seat (especially during that last scene). These two characters have always had chemistry, so it was no surprise to see them both taken with each other the moment they met. It was surprising to see how forward they both were about their attraction to one another right from the start. Sweets was convinced that if the pair ever started down the road to something more than partners, they'd never return. When Booth and Brennan told him how they kissed in the rain outside the bar with plans of catching a cab back to one of their apartments, he instantly thought that he was wrong about them. But, he couldn't have been more right. That kiss in the rain was the catalyst for all of the pent up unresolved feelings between the pair to this day. They didn't let the dam open up and they've been paying the price ever since. Then Sweets reminded Booth that he's the gambler, and therefore, should be the one to take the chance. Afterwards, everything that they had just discussed was hanging there and it wasn't going away. So Booth took the gamble and he laid it all on the line. He told her that he wanted to try to make it work between them. He told her to shoot for a different outcome. And then he kissed her and for a very brief moment, everything seemed right. But then she pushed him away -- both literally and figuratively. She explained that she hadn't been protecting herself all this time -- she was protecting Booth from herself. They both looked so sad and Booth was so deflated. My heart broke for both of them. It was raw and it was uncomfortable, but it was also kinda brilliant. Written by showrunner Hart Hanson and directed by series star David Boreanaz.<br />
<br />
So, there's a look at the next set of episodes on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when the #1 Best Episode of the Season is finally revealed!!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-67477938021288009612010-08-13T09:08:00.001-04:002010-08-13T09:08:00.838-04:00The Countdown Gets Emotional<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Single digits, Y'all!!! That's right, this week on the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season we finally hit the single digits with three episodes that were heavy on the emotion. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 9-7.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">9:</span></span> "Wassup" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Parenthood</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBjwkF7gXI/AAAAAAAADgI/w5I1h-Uo69c/s1600/parenthood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBjwkF7gXI/AAAAAAAADgI/w5I1h-Uo69c/s200/parenthood.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This is a show that gets better each week, but this outing from the first half of the season broke through as an early favorite. It isn’t easy to pinpoint the exact reason because there were so many things about this one that made it shine. All of them were indicative of the awesomeness of the show itself. Everything was done to perfection from Julia trying to navigate the difficult waters of parenthood (something that doesn’t come natural to her) and feeling apprehensive about having her flighty sister’s teenaged daughter babysit to Crosby continuing to recover from the shocking news that he has a son and then building a relationship with the young child. But the highlight of the episode was Haddie’s true-to-life story line. Anyone who has been a teenage girl or has raised one knows how spot-on this story was. A secret “Facebook official” boyfriend, sneaking out, storming off, and accusing her parents of violating her privacy pretty much covered the typical teen life. Of course, it’s all a part of growing up and pushing boundaries and spreading wings and all of that, but I also think it has something to do with her parents’ (justifiable) focus on Max. In the end, Haddie’s “Facebook official” boyfriend became “family official” as she brought him to the weekly cook out. Major kudos to Sarah Ramos and Monica Potter for that tender and true scene in Haddie’s bedroom that just seemed to capture the essence of the ever-fragile mother/teenage daughter relationship. But then again, this is a show blessed with a brilliant cast and writers! Written by Tyler Bensinger and directed by Michael Engler.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">8:</span></span> "Maternal Instincts" - <span style="font-style: italic;">The Closer</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGSOtvi0btI/AAAAAAAADgY/qZcQQg4J87c/s1600/closer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGSOtvi0btI/AAAAAAAADgY/qZcQQg4J87c/s200/closer.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Emotions always run high when kids are involved in tragic crimes. But as PTR Senior Staff Writer <b>LillyKat</b> wrote last summer, this stand-out episode tugged at our heart strings just a bit more than usual. Maybe that had something to do with Brenda Leigh Johnson. "It's not often we get to see the softer side of [Brenda]. The weaker side. The maybe-I-made-a-mistake-side. But we did this [episode]. Not only did we see her get emotionally attached to her victim - outright tears of sadness when he passed away after severe gunshot wounds to the abdomen. But, we also saw that the checking of her emotional sensibility at the door as she once again chose to close her case over all else stung her more than usual. Crime solved: good. Emotional cost: high. After she plunked Charlie at the hospital, assigning her to keep an eye on said victim given BJ was called to the scene WHILST transporting Charlie somewhere over the rainbow, Charlie befriends the victim in a pretty darn clever way to cover her being ... well, dumped in the hospital. But BJ's deliberate attempt to keep Charlie at bay when she knew he was on his last breaths, thus, interrogating him on his last breaths as to who might've been the shooter got BJ in a whole lot of hot water at the end of the ep. Especially having to deliver the news to Charlie that her newfound friend had died. And having prevented her from saying goodbye. Not the first time BJ had gotten into trouble by her relentless pursuit of closing her case. Not the last time. And that's a good thing. It makes for good episode viewing given we rarely see Brenda be wrong. She always manages to hold the upper hand - even when her methods are questionable. And yet with this ep, I'm not sure [her] choice was wrong even if it was somewhat painful to those closest to her. In a way, it was almost an ironic form of payback. And yet, I can't fault her for staying until the very end with the boy - not simply coming in, getting what she needed and bailing. She filled in in a mother-like way, nor managing to nail the brother for the shooting. Painful justice. But justice nonetheless." Written by Leo Geter and directed by David McWhirter. (HUGE thanks to <b>LillyKat</b> for allowing me to borrow from her <a href="http://passtheremote08.blogspot.com/2009/08/roundup-closers-softer-side-bars-new.html">fabulous write-up</a>) <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">7:</span></span> "Ab Aeterno" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBko6VFb6I/AAAAAAAADgQ/o5WCo0UuRxU/s1600/lost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBko6VFb6I/AAAAAAAADgQ/o5WCo0UuRxU/s200/lost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Since the day we first met Richard Alpert, his intriguing story has become as much of a mystery as the show itself. Why doesn’t he AGE?? What’s his connection to Jacob? We were thirsting for answers and this moving, fascinating and all-around stellar hour provided them. Ironically, the answers took a backseat because it was Richard’s heart-wrenching story that owned this episode. Honestly, they could have left us high and dry in the answers department and I still would have loved this one. First, Richard’s dying wife gives him her crucifix necklace, then he accidently kills the horrible doctor who refused to treat his wife, then he makes it back to her but it’s too late! After time in prison, he boards a slave ship to the New World (boy, was that the truth!): The infamous Black Rock. And when that ship wrecks on the THE island, things really get weird. For some reason, the Smoke Monster decides to spare Richard and then uses his dead wife to earn his trust. Finally, he tries to get Richard to kill Jacob (sound familiar?). Luckily, Richard doesn’t follow through and instead, winds up forming a special relationship with the mysterious island keeper. He learns from Jacob that the island is the only thing keeping the evil contained. And as a token of Jacob’s commitment to Richard, he grants him eternal life. Wow! All of this and so much more transpired over the course of just one glorious hour-long episode, but it could have easily been an epic film. Beautiful, poignant and gripping. Written by Melinda Hsu and Greggory Nations and directed by Tucker Gates.<br />
<br />
So, there's a look #9-7 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when PTR reaches the Top 5 episodes on the countdown!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-78806631228324947822010-08-09T15:46:00.000-04:002010-08-09T15:46:45.918-04:00Blood 'Road'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBZe_OSQtI/AAAAAAAADgA/DeX_MGhJn_c/s1600/alex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TGBZe_OSQtI/AAAAAAAADgA/DeX_MGhJn_c/s400/alex.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The promo for this week's episode of <i>Ice Road Truckers</i> promised that there "will be blood." And while the circumstances surrounding that story were as crazy and convoluted as the movie by that title, thankfully, it didn't leave me with the same underwhelmed, disturbed feeling as the film. But let's face it, that bloody encounter on the side of the Dalton was just weird. Alex wasn't the only driver having a strange week, though. Greg was fighting to keep his job, Lisa was afraid that a scary accident was going to derail her career after coming off of such a huge accomplishment last week, and Ray was just hoping to live to truck another day. It was just another bizarre and dangerous day on the Dalton.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Alex had barely made it 25 miles outside of Fairbanks with a load of timber when he came across a frightening sight. He saw at least two men bloody and shaken wandering around the road. Their pick-up truck was on its side down in a snowy ditch. They were disoriented and one of the gentleman had a deep gash on his cheek plus gashes to his hands. The scene seemed bad enough, but then the men informed him that there was a third man involved in the accident. The good samaritans at the scene searched for another victim, but found nothing but some tracks leading off into the freezing (as in, -15 degrees) woods and a solitary boot. One of the witnesses claimed that the men had been drinking. She said that she could smell it on their breath (and since smell-o-vision has yet to be invented, we'll have to take her word for it). Alex stayed with the men until the ambulance and police got there. He hung around to convince the more injured man to allow the paramedics to place the neck brace on him and load him onto the stretcher. Then, he gave his statement and was on his way north once again. From the comfort of my couch, it was hard to tell if the men were drunk or just in shock (after all, they had suffered a bad accident and were bleeding and were out in the -15 degree temps). If the witness smelled alcohol and the one man fled while the others seemed very reluctant to talk to the cops and go to the hospital, then it seems reasonable to assume this was more than shock. There are a lot of things that don't mix well with the Dalton, but I'm pretty sure that alcohol is about the worst one.<br />
<br />
Speaking of things that don't mix well with the Dalton, Ray was driving through the night to meet a deadline and doing everything he could to stay awake. He had suffered a 6-hour delay in Fairbanks after learning the hard way that turning off your truck in subzero temps makes it freeze up and not start the next morning. So, his rig spent the morning in the shop under the heaters. On the other side of Atigun, he started getting very sleepy. He was fighting exhaustion and his shuttering eye lids with everything he had, but the dangerous situation grew too scary for him so he pulled over to get a 20-minute power nap. Unfortunately, he made the decision to catch his Zs by leaning his head and arms forward on his steering wheel. When he woke up, his right arm was asleep. He couldn't get the tingling to stop the rest of the drive to Prudhoe. When he arrived, he had the Carlile dispatcher drive him to the closest medical facility because he was worried that he was having a stroke or heart attack. Thankfully, it was only a pinched nerve. So, he had to take his doctor-prescribed muscle relaxer and a 10-hour break in Prudhoe.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Greg was sidelined in Fairbanks with mechanical issues. But, that suddenly became the least of his troubles when he got called into the boss's office. Apparently, each truck is equipped with a computer "tattle tale" system that records data and lets the Carlile folks know if a driver is violating any rules. Greg's computer showed a top speed of 69 mph, but drivers aren't supposed to go over 50 mph. This, combined with last season's accident, caused him to have a target on his back and he sweated out the boss's decision until he got a phone call telling him to take another truck and haul a load north. <br />
<br />
Lisa was worried about her own future up in Prudhoe. She had forgotten to fuel up before heading to Fairbanks. She turned around and headed back, but miscalculated how slick the road had gotten. She tried to make the turn off to Prudhoe, but slid into a ditch instead. There was no damage and the plow truck she narrowly avoided helped pull her out. After learning that it was a "non-recordable incident" (always better to come clean to management like she did, though), she was relieved. But her ego took a beating once again. And the pressure of being a woman on the ice road and always trying to do everything perfectly seemed to get to her this week as she took it out a bit on the camera crew. The always smiling and easy-going Lisa covered the camera a couple of times throughout the ditch ordeal. I have to hand it to her, though -- she's in a tough position and she always rises to the challenge. Whenever she makes a mistake, she doesn't give up. She becomes more determined to conquer it. I admire that and I hope she doesn't let this latest mishap dampen her spirit. As we all know, things can change drastically from one second to the next on the Dalton.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone. TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-30866063018599261612010-08-06T09:08:00.000-04:002010-08-06T09:08:00.188-04:00The Countdown Reaches the Top 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We are more than halfway through the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season. This week, there are three episodes with some pretty profound moments. You know the kind -- the ones you have to rewind your DVR to watch a few times before what just transpired sinks in. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 12-10.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">12:</span></span> "Let's Get it Ahn" - <span style="font-style: italic;">In Plain Sight</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFYC34yhkoI/AAAAAAAADfY/zA0iMoAFcPw/s1600/IPS+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFYC34yhkoI/AAAAAAAADfY/zA0iMoAFcPw/s200/IPS+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This was the momentous episode when we all discovered that the feelings we thought we were crazy for thinking Marshall had for Mary were, in fact, very real. It started with his strange reaction (as in, not happy) to her exciting news about her engagement. Then, Marshall gave Mary back the ring (which, in a very funny side story had gotten stuck on his finger when he tried it on -- don't ask). He looked defeated, disappointed and like someone had just ripped out his heart and stomped all over it. It was as if giving back her ring made the engagement real and sealed their fate as nothing more than partners. Perhaps, that's a reality Marshall wasn't prepared to face. His speech to her at the end was so touching, and I noticed how he couldn't look her in the eye even when he told her that he loved her (he wanted it to come across in a friendly/partner way, but we all knew what he meant -- including Mary). It was pretty shocking! Todd Rundgren's "Torch Song" at the end pretty much summed it up: "I will carry my torch for you" and "When you break somebody's heart." But, we weren't the only ones realizing Marshall's true feelings in this one. Mary definitely began to piece things together when Marshall made that speech. It was actually more of what he didn't say and how that danced across his face when he finished speaking. That sad, defeated, heart-broken look wasn't lost on Mary, and she seemed to have a sad look of her own. Even considering more recent events, though, I'm not sure Mary and Marshall should be anything other than partners. But keeping the possibility alive, that got its start in this stellar outing from last season, doesn't seem like a bad idea to me. Written by David Maples.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">11:</span></span> "The Bishop Revival" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Fringe</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFnW5q2s2OI/AAAAAAAADfo/AvCz1_jKrTs/s1600/Fringe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFnW5q2s2OI/AAAAAAAADfo/AvCz1_jKrTs/s200/Fringe.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This intriguing mystery took us back to WWII and Nazi Germany. But it started in the present at a very happy event that suddenly turned very tragic: a wedding. The groom's family was Jewish -- all descendants of a Holocaust survivor on his father's side. That connection caused all of them to suffocate from the inside out in, to quote Walter, "a room full of air." But only the groom's paternal family perished, meaning someone had specifically targeted them with a very specific toxin. As the case progressed, and another group was targeted (this time those with brown eyes), Walter recognized the signature on the deadly formula: his father's! Apparently, Grandpa Bishop was a Nazi scientist who fled Germany and spied for the Allies. In his research, he hypothesized a formula in which certain traits or types of people could be singled out and killed. But who was using it with modern science and how did he get it? After a false start involving Peter selling his grandfather's old books, the team found the evil mastermind behind the experiments. When they got to the perpetrator's residence, Walter almost succumbed to a trap with a toxin designed to kill him. Thankfully, Olivia's quick thinking saved his life. So, Walter engineered the formula to kill only the killer. What made this episode even more intriguing was the way it didn't wrap up everything at the end. We were left with one very fascinating mystery: Who exactly was the killer? The Holocaust survivor recognized him at the wedding even uttering, "It can't be!" And at the end of the hour, we saw him in one of Walter's old photos of his father. I wonder if there's an Walternate Sr. in the other universe who could provide some answers? After all, this is the show that boasts "endless impossibilities," so you never know! Written by Glen Whitman and Robert Chiappetta and directed by Adam Davidson.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">10:</span></span> "The Last Drive-In"/"Bullet" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Cold Case</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFsfgELLy4I/AAAAAAAADf4/A43RpR72yxk/s1600/index.php.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFsfgELLy4I/AAAAAAAADf4/A43RpR72yxk/s200/index.php.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>There wasn't a single thing wrong with this 2-parter, but there was a lot right about it starting with guest star Susanna Thompson as FBI Agent Diane Yates. I'll admit that Yates was tough to take at first. She pushed her way into PPD's files after sweet-talking Stillman about the good old times. She refused to let any of them know why she was interested in what seemed to be a simple cold case. She hit on Valens after implying that he and Lil were hittin' the sheets. And, she took the lead with her pushy, warm-and-fuzzy style during the interviews. Things changed when Lil did her own research and caught on to Yates's investigation. The two started to morph into teammates instead of opponents and that's when the case blew wide open. A seemingly simple mugging/murder in the park suddenly became the latest incident in a sniper's sick game. Yates had a hunch and she confirmed it with ballistics and then the entire crew was looking into possible victims from the last 20 years. The only thing linking the victims was a connection between a potential suspect and his financial situation. Then things started falling into place, and Lil and Yates went to the Poconos to speak with a witness. In a shocking turn of events, the witness was shot (sniper style) right in front of them as they got out of the car. They entered the suspect's cellar and another shocker unfolded as they found a body and discovered that the dog tags had their suspect's name on them. Cut to the suspect's son hitching a ride with a sniper rifle on a secluded mountain road. In the second hour, things took a more urgent turn when the gang discovered a new victim. It seemed their sniper was starting his killing spree anew -- shooting everyone who wronged him the same way he killed those who wronged his father. Things came to a head when they tracked him down in his basement and Yates had to make a decision: kill an unarmed murderer or slap cuffs on him and let the judicial system decide his fate. Thanks to Lil, she chose the latter. This edge-of-your-seat thrill ride reminded us of everything that was right about this show. Written by Elwood Reid (Part I) and Christopher Silber (Part II) and directed by Chris Fisher (Part I) and John Showalter (Part II). Screencap courtesy <a href="http://www.kathryn-morris.co.uk/">KathrynMorrisUK</a>.<br />
<br />
So, there's a look #12-10 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when PTR reveals the next episodes on the countdown!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-91105384771304544892010-08-05T16:08:00.000-04:002010-08-05T16:08:48.396-04:00When Cougars Attack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFsL4DDsr5I/AAAAAAAADfw/xYCNMLXxVLU/s1600/psych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFsL4DDsr5I/AAAAAAAADfw/xYCNMLXxVLU/s400/psych.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It was Shawn and Gus vs. Lassie and Jules this week on <i>Psych</i>. There is only one word that can describe this match-up: HILARIOUS!! Each team thought their suspect was the killer and each was eager to prove they were right. Well, let's just be honest here: It was really Shawn and Lassie. Gus and Jules were just along for the ride. Shawn and Lassie were hell-bent on beating the other to the real killer. Thankfully, this match-up didn't lead to the huge screw-ups of the Shawn/Jules vs. Gus/Lassie experiment from a few weeks back. But that doesn't mean that this one was any less hilarious. And now, here's a look at some of the best moments in this week's edition of "The Funny, The Funnier and OK, For Real, My Side Just Split" after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNY</span><br />
Gus feels dejected. After Shawn ropes him into going on a double date with two cougars, Gus has a decidedly not-so-good time. His date doesn't seem too interested. She didn't talk to Gus and seemed annoyed whenever he tried to make conversation with her. He even tried to get her to touch his head. Nothing worked. When the night was coming to a close, Gus attempted to get her to kiss him, but that too, failed. He had no interest in going on the double date, but when his date wasn't attracted to him, his ego took a hit and he made it his mission to get her to like him. Of course, his efforts were all futile, but even learning the truth wasn't enough to nurse his bruised ego. He visited her in jail to find out why she hadn't tried to poison him (after all, even Shawn got "barely" poisoned complete with a hospital stay and IV catheter which caused him to scream like a little girl when his dad ripped it out).<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNIER</span><br />
Shawn and Gus's sophisticated dinner. The entire scene was funny, but there was one part in particular that cracked me up. After Gus kept continually striking out with his date, Shawn decided to help out his buddy. He <s>non</s>chalantly dropped his napkin. Then, he and Gus went to pick it up and Shawn took the "spontaneous" moment alone with Gus beside the table to tell him that his date likes gardening. He suggested that he ask her something about flowers, but Gus said he didn't know anything about flowers. Shawn pushed him to make conversation about the topic, so Gus blurted out, "So, exactly how old are you?" Shawn smacked the table and they were all thankfully saved by a waiter delivering a bottle of wine. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">OK, FOR REAL, MY SIDE JUST SPLIT</span><br />
Shawn meets his match: the perfect gentleman. Once Shawn settled on a suspect, he paid him a visit. But this suspect was quite the gentleman. In fact, Clive Prescott taught classes on how to be a gentleman to attract a more sophisticated caliber of woman. Shawn being Shawn had to challenge the guy. And before we knew it, he was in a showdown at a bank over the affection of the aforementioned cougar. It seemed, Shawn won the battle, but in the end, he definitely lost the war. It was the little things that made this story line so funny: the thank you notes back and forth ("I said, 'Good day, sir'"), the showdown at dinner, and my favorite hysterical exchange of the night: <br />
<br />
Clive Prescott: When was your last successful relationship?<br />
Shawn: Define relationship.<br />
Clive Prescott: "The way in which two or more concepts, objects or people are connected" or "the state of being connected." Webster.<br />
Shawn: I hardly think Emmanuel Lewis is an authority on relationships.<br />
Clive Prescott: May I ask you a personal question?<br />
Shawn: Sure.<br />
Clive Prescott: Have you ever been tested for idiocy?<br />
<br />
Bwhahahahahaha!! <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Psych</span> airs Wednesday nights on USA Network. Catch up on this episode and others at <a href="http://www.hulu.com/psych">hulu.com</a>. And learn more about the awesome-ness that is Shawn and Gus at <a href="http://psych.usanetwork.com/">USA's official site</a> or friend them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/psych?ref=mf">Facebook</a> and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/Psych_USA">Twitter</a>.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-84128117427851799922010-08-02T16:10:00.000-04:002010-08-02T16:10:30.773-04:00Push 'Truckers'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFckutEyVSI/AAAAAAAADfg/lKqrxbIS-Ko/s1600/irt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFckutEyVSI/AAAAAAAADfg/lKqrxbIS-Ko/s400/irt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Ice Road Truckers</i> certainly hit the mother load this week! I can't believe that I have yet another thing to add to the top of my list of elements that make for the best episodes of this fan-freakin-tastic show (alongside wicked weather and avalanches). It's hard to believe that we keep getting introduced to more challenges on the Dalton. You'd think after a spectacular freshman run last season that we would have seen it all, but this season has been full of surprises and edge-of-your-seat moments. In short, it has been AWESOME!! This week, we witnessed something that was one step beyond "I've seen it all." It was so outrageous, so intense, and so large that I found myself actually getting a stomach ache just watching some of the scenes involving it unfold. So, just what was so awesomely-horribly-terrific? Only the biggest load of the season.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>We've seen the loads of pipe with the ability to decapitate its driver if not properly secured. We've seen the sloshing fuel tankers with the instability only liquid brings to push a truck right over the edge of the mountain. We've even seen Jack Jessee haul some ridiculously heavy loads. BUT, we've never seen anything quite like the load this week that required three ice road truckers to get it to the oil fields in Prudhoe Bay. Lisa and Jack were dispatched more than 300 miles south to Anchorage to meet fellow driver Carey. There, they learned that Carey would be hauling a modular building up to Prudhoe to house some of the staff working up there for the winter. Total load weight: more than <b>209,000</b> lbs!!! The load was so heavy, that Jack and Lisa were there to help push it up the steep hills of the Dalton in a technique known as "push trucking." The hauler goes first and sets the pace. Then, the first push trucker (armed with a special bumper attachment to absorb some of the shock) hits the hauler and keeps his truck locked onto the hauler's bumper. Finally, the second push trucker hits and locks into the first push trucker's bumper. The force of the two push truckers literally pushes the heavy weight of the hauler up the hill.<br />
<br />
So, Carey was off with Jack close behind and Lisa behind Jack. Things went smoothly from Anchorage to Fairbanks, but then the crew had to start the 500-mile journey up the treacherous Dalton. Jack, being the "Dalton Ace" and all, was no new-comer to push trucking, but Lisa had never had the privilege. She was beyond excited, but grew quite nervous as she approached her first challenge: the Rollercoaster. This steep drop intimidates me from the safety of my couch when a normal truck is descending it and then ascending the other side. Lisa needed to shift correctly, lock onto Jack and then maintain speed/RPMs. The push truckers are not allowed to steer their own trucks because the force locking them together makes the lead truck in charge of steering as long as the push trucks maintain their gears and speed. Lisa had previously made a rookie mistake on a smaller hill when she began to steer her truck because she thought it was coming unhooked. This time, she made another rookie mistake. In an effort to shift as quickly as possible, she missed the gear and came unlocked. But if there is one thing about Lisa, it's that she rarely (if ever) makes the same mistake twice. Instead of feeling defeated, she feels determined and she gets it right the next time around. Such was the case this week as well. From that point forward, she was flawless even navigating through the crazy, scary Atigun Pass.<br />
<br />
After three days of push trucking, the crew made their way to Prudhoe safely and the modular building got there in one piece. Lisa felt a huge sense of accomplishment for conquering one of the most difficult tasks of her career. In fact, she was disappointed that it was over! Three days of white-knuckle driving and laser-focus had her wanting to do it all over again! This is why I love Lisa. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Ray spun out on Ice Cut 80 miles south of Prudhoe. He had to get out in <b>-42</b> degree temperatures to chain-up. But when he got back in his cab, his trailer wheels wouldn't move. He got out again and discovered that his brake valve was frozen shut. He had to get the torch and the hammer to try to unfreeze his brakes. After hours of torching, hammering and sliding down the hill, the frustration took its toll on Ray. He took it out on the camera crew in his cab. Finally, after rolling backwards several times and torching and hammering his brakes for more than 4 hours, he got back on the road. Thankfully, the camera crew escaped as well. And you thought driving was the only dangerous job on the Dalton!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-9470400559996273402010-07-30T21:00:00.002-04:002010-07-30T21:00:01.554-04:00The Countdown Dips into the Top 15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's time to crack the Top 15 on the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season. This week, we focus on a hilarious scene involving a Storm Trooper, a trip to the wild west and a thrilling chase scene. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 15-13.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">15:</span></span> "The Rough Patch" - <span style="font-style: italic;">How I Met Your Mother</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEzISlzmCXI/AAAAAAAADeQ/7V9nzQkMn_Q/s1600/himym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEzISlzmCXI/AAAAAAAADeQ/7V9nzQkMn_Q/s200/himym.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Picture this: Lily, Ted and Marshall on a mission to break up Robin and Barney piled into a stake-out station wagon (because the iconic van would have cost them $25 more to rent) and setting a plan into motion that seemed destined to break up the pair: make them relive their four worst fights. Lily hatched the break-up scheme that brought Alan Thicke, Crazy Meg, dirty dishes and a robot who was supposed to be a Storm Trooper together in a station wagon while she watched the unsuspecting couple from her binoculars. During the hilarious stake-out, Ted couldn't stop pointing out lines from his newly acquired porn collection. Marshall couldn't stop complaining about the station wagon. Alan Thicke couldn't stop complaining about how long it was taking, the pizza guy couldn't quit going on about the sausage pizza, and the "Storm Trooper" just wanted a slice of pizza for crying out loud! So. Freakin'. FUNNY!! Why were Lily, Ted and Marshall bent on breaking up Barney and Robin? Well, ever since B/R became a serious couple, they stopped caring about themselves. They kept diving deeper and deeper into a permanent state of unhappiness. Barney was eating his way through his troubles (special nod to the awesome make-up/costume effects) and Robin wasn't showering. But most of all, both of them were miserable. So, the plan was hatched and the players were put in place to trigger the couple's four biggest fights (dirty dishes, a crazy ex-girlfriend, a Storm Trooper and one simply dubbed "The Canadian/American War"). And while all of the hilarity ensued outside in the stake-out station wagon, Robin and Barney sat inside the restaurant seemingly unaware. Then, they saw their own reflection in the window and neither could believe what they had turned into. That realization triggered them to both admit they were unhappy. When the gang had seen them kissing in the diner (and assumed they were in love and had overcome a simple rough patch), Barney and Robin were breaking up. Or rather, two friends were getting back together. So, it seems, too much awesome-ness does cancel itself out. Written by Chris Harris and directed by Pamela Fryman. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">14:</span></span> "High Noon-ish" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Psych</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFH0_ytzBaI/AAAAAAAADfA/-eHmbXoOm0U/s1600/psych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFH0_ytzBaI/AAAAAAAADfA/-eHmbXoOm0U/s200/psych.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It's no secret that I have a certain affinity for westerns. I also have a certain affinity for all things <i>Psych</i>, so combining the two in this fantastic episode was pretty much perfection for me. The <i>Bonanza</i>-style music playing over sweeping aerial shots, the "Saddlesore Saloon," the "cowboy" talk, and pretty much every other western staple made this one that much more awesome. And then there was Sheriff Shawn. Those scenes were just plain HILARIOUS! When Lassie walked in and found Sheriff Shawn and Blacksmith Gus sitting around the desk playing poker and speaking "cowboy," I lost it. Shawn really embraced that simpler time when people weren't dependent on electronics ("or living past the age of 40" -Gus) and he got kinda used to the whole sheriff thing. Loved his shoot out at the "Saddlesore Saloon," his "New sheriff in town" speech, his ride on horseback two feet down the road to the saloon and his pointing to his sheriff's star at the end when his authority was questioned. But, the best was saved for last as Shawn and Gus fell into the mine shaft. Their little girl whimpering upon landing on a pile of rocks was funny, but the ensuing coccyx bone discussion was a whole new level of hilarity. Shawn, who previously thought that a Ponzi scheme had something to do with The Fonz, didn't understand that the coccyx bone is the proper name for the tail bone and not another part of the (male) anatomy. This made references to rubbing lotion on the coccyx and massaging the coccyx and so on and so forth absolutely HILARIOUS! If there was ever a side-splitting moment, this was it. Classic Shawn and Gus! Written by Kell Cahoon and directed by Mel Damski.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">13:</span></span> "Waivers of Extradition" - <span style="font-style: italic;">The Closer</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFICMc99M2I/AAAAAAAADfQ/N1VWfOn1KYQ/s1600/closer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFICMc99M2I/AAAAAAAADfQ/N1VWfOn1KYQ/s200/closer2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This fifth season finale did not disappoint. And, as PTR Senior Staff Writer <b>LillyKat</b> wrote last summer, neither did director Kevin Bacon. "Two words: Kevin Bacon. For three seasons, he's directed at least one episode of <em>The Closer</em>. For three seasons, he's never disappointed. This episode was the first time we've seen him direct a finale, and I can still say there's something amazingly perfect about his episodes. For me, he has a way of creating a certain kinetic energy with the camera. It's constantly moving, constantly generating curiosity, suspense, action and perfect-pitch pauses of reflection all at once. He doesn't show you everything; he lets you guess at what's coming, then delivers it in a way that makes you think for a moment. Or two. Or three. Whether it was the truck pursuit sequence (THAT was fun to watch); or, the chilling confession Brenda gets from the serial killer (listening in punctuated silence nearly sick to her stomach, the underscore mimicking a girl's feint scream, placing each victim's personal item on the map to indicate where the murder took place ... GENIUS!); or, the tender stillness between BJ and Charlie when she has to force Charlie to return to Atlanta even though BJ does (at least IMHO) seem to want her to stay ... all of these moments lead me to continue to say that Kevin Bacon-helmed episodes consistently stand out. The way he chooses to set-up his shots, what he gets from the actors, how it packages it together doesn't seem procedural. It's original. Different. Clever." I couldn't agree more. That truck chase scene alone was worth the price of admission, but it was Brenda's emotional and disturbing interrogation that put this one on the list this year. Written by Adam Belanoff and directed by Kevin Bacon. (HUGE thanks to <b>LillyKat</b> for allowing me to borrow from her <a href="http://passtheremote08.blogspot.com/2009/08/roundup-closers-final-word-bars-world.html">fabulous write-up</a>).<br />
<br />
So, there's a look #15-13 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when PTR cracks the Top 10!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-76702514982509373402010-07-29T17:24:00.001-04:002010-07-29T18:48:18.051-04:00(Not So) Close Encounters<span id="goog_268508331"></span><span id="goog_268508332"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFHvTHUiFoI/AAAAAAAADe4/xmnKTz7wkv4/s1600/psych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TFHvTHUiFoI/AAAAAAAADe4/xmnKTz7wkv4/s400/psych.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Was I the only one humming <i>The X-Files</i> theme song during the opening scenes of this week's episode of <i>Psych</i>? I was literally humming it out loud while the lawyer and his associate were outside the house shielding their eyes from the bright light of the "UFO" hovering over them. Maybe it's just me, but I thought this was one of the coolest, funniest episodes of the series! Everything about it was so incredibly well-done and the interaction between Shawn and Gus was even more hilarious than usual. Throw in an intriguing alien story and a surprise ending for Shawn and Gus's high school friend Dennis, and you get one heckuva hour! And now, here's a look at some of the best moments in this week's edition of "The Funny, The Funnier and OK, For Real, My Side Just Split" after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNY</span><br />
Shawn and Gus fight the urge to invoke aliens. Or rather, Shawn fought the urge while Gus went all in on the alien abduction theory even after the presumed abductee showed up claiming he had been at home with his cell turned off. Gus really, really, REALLY wanted this case to be an alien abduction, but Shawn fought the propensity to involve their childhood obsession. It was a bit of a role reversal with Shawn playing the voice of reason to Gus's out there theories, but that just made it more fun. Add a little Freddie Prinze, Jr. as a geek-turned-jock hiding a secret (and hidden lair) from his drop-dead gorgeous jock-obsessed wife, and things turned from funny to funnier. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNIER</span><br />
Shawn and Gus raid Dennis's secret lair. What in the world, other than their inner geek-selves, possessed these two to wear the <i>Battlestar Galactica</i> helmut and <i>Star Trek</i> sunglasses out in public while they were spying on the associate lawyer (sidebar: how funny was it that someone asked for Gus's autograph? Can't say <a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/23/article-1172782-049D442F000005DC-811_224x456.jpg">I blame her</a>, though)?? Nope, no one was going to notice them like that! After the lawyer spotted them, freaked out, and ran, the two quickly discovered that their borrowed geek wear was not made for running. Shawn broke the helmut and Gus couldn't see a thing! But hey, at least they looked Geektastic in the process!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">OK, FOR REAL, MY SIDE JUST SPLIT</span><br />
Shawn looks like K.D. Lang. As if it wasn't funny enough that the show cut from Shawn and Gus discussing telling Roy that he did witness an abduction and to keep it on the QT to the story leading the evening news with a picture of "Shawn Spencer and Gurton Buster," but then, they went for the money part. In the photo, Shawn looked a little "off." He noticed it immediately and declared that he looked liked K.D. Lang. If I had had liquid in my mouth, it would have been all over my couch and coffee table. I absolutely lost it! It was that freakin' funny. This led to Shawn later asking his dad if his picture on the news made him think about Shawn singing "Constant Craving" and then jokes about Lilith Fair. It was classic <i>Psych</i> and so funny that it's actually still funny today. Good stuff.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Psych</span> airs Wednesday nights on USA Network. Catch up on this episode and others at <a href="http://www.hulu.com/psych">hulu.com</a>. And learn more about the awesome-ness that is Shawn and Gus at <a href="http://psych.usanetwork.com/">USA's official site</a> or friend them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/psych?ref=mf">Facebook</a> and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/Psych_USA">Twitter</a>.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-30727917785433541872010-07-27T09:08:00.002-04:002010-07-27T09:08:00.355-04:00'Bones' At Comic-Con<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3s2-LSuXI/AAAAAAAADeg/xVKULG8KYy0/s1600/37893_429879249496_19097964496_4394341_5010213_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3s2-LSuXI/AAAAAAAADeg/xVKULG8KYy0/s400/37893_429879249496_19097964496_4394341_5010213_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bones</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> at Comic-Con (from L to R: creator Hart Hanson, Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. Photo: Fox)</span></div><br />
<i>Bones</i> stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz joined showrunner Hart Hanson at the annual Comic-Con event in San Diego last week. The trio took questions, chatted with the press and signed autographs for fans during a meet and greet session. They didn't spill too many season 6 secrets, but they did set the scene for the dynamic between Booth and Bones when the season starts up in September. As you'll recall, the pair had parted ways for a year to pursue other interests -- he was going to train soldiers in Afghanistan and she was participating in an important find in Indonesia. They promised to meet at their spot on the Washington Mall in one year. We were left wondering if the pair's absence would make their hearts grow fonder or tear them further apart. Find out what's in store for these two after the jump (WARNING: SPOILERS CAN BE FOUND AFTER THE JUMP).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The three revealed that Booth is not returning from Afghanistan solo. While training the troops, he meets a war correspondent and that leaves Brennan feeling a little jealous according to Deschanel. "The time apart may have given me some time to reflect and consider that I might have made a mistake when I said no to getting together when he put his heart out there," Emily spills. "But now he's got this girl, so it causes a little conflict," she tells E! Online's Watch with Kristin. But Boreanaz says not to worry. "We'll see how that builds as far as what it does to our [Booth and Brennan's] relationship. I can say honestly I don't think it's going to do much to the relationship. It'll challenge it. It might make her a little jealous," he teases. For more on <i>Bones</i> at Comic-Con visit <a href="http://ca.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b191847_comic-con_bones_emily_deschanel_david.html?cmpid=sn-000000-twitterfeed-365-kristin&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=twitterfeed&utm_campaign=twitterfeed_kristin">Watch with Kristin</a>. You can watch the entire panel appearance at <a href="http://emily-deschanel.org/2010-comic-con-%E2%80%9Cbones%E2%80%9D-panel/">Emily Deschanel Fan</a>. Here are a couple more photos from the event:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3vCTx5wlI/AAAAAAAADeo/znRHJKOzJeQ/s1600/35378_430134484496_19097964496_4401348_5551155_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3vCTx5wlI/AAAAAAAADeo/znRHJKOzJeQ/s400/35378_430134484496_19097964496_4401348_5551155_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stars Deschanel & Boreanaz and creator Hanson take questions (Photo: Fox)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3vEd7H_AI/AAAAAAAADew/p5okbl1cxHA/s1600/35378_430134499496_19097964496_4401351_560094_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3vEd7H_AI/AAAAAAAADew/p5okbl1cxHA/s400/35378_430134499496_19097964496_4401351_560094_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Star Deschanel signs autographs during the meet & greet (Photo: Fox)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Bones</i> returns this September on Fox.</div>TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-17432876493903083852010-07-26T16:02:00.000-04:002010-07-26T16:02:16.591-04:00Avalanche 'Road'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3opfBMerI/AAAAAAAADeY/aC5mFO-Rk4w/s1600/Iceroadtruckerslogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TE3opfBMerI/AAAAAAAADeY/aC5mFO-Rk4w/s400/Iceroadtruckerslogo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>For those of us who do not live in avalanche danger zones, it's easy to underestimate their tremendous, deadly power. Recently, I took a fabulous vacation to Montana. During my stay, I learned all about the scary process of trying to ski the bowls at the top of the state's mighty mountains. I heard about testing the snow before skiing down and the thought of it made me shiver and question whether I'd want to go back in the winter and ski one (and I love to ski!). The folks on the Dalton Highway don't have much of a choice. If they want to stay employed, they have to travel through Atigun Pass where the threat of avalanches always looms. Luckily, there are good people like Reid Bahnson out there to prevent as many tragic avalanches as possible. This week, however, he was a little too close to the action, and one of the drivers was a little too close to becoming another white cross on the side of the road.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Ever since the huge avalanche of 1993, the Alaska DOT has worked to prevent as many tragedies as possible. Employees such as Reid go out there and test the conditions to make sure no truckers are caught in Atigun when the snow begins to tumble down at breakneck speeds. This week, Reid knew the conditions were right for some big avalanches. He was planning on taking his crew up there the next morning to shoot the canons. He warned as many drivers as possible -- some decided to stop in Coldfoot overnight and some decided to take their chances and push on. Rookie Ray was in the latter category which was especially surprising given his son's ominous warning. He had dreamt about his dad having an accident and cautioned him to be careful of bridges and left turns -- both of which are found in Atigun. He crossed the Pass in the pitch black and gave a sigh of relief after he made it safely past each slide shoot marker. But then he thought he heard a weird noise and we were left wondering while the show took a commercial break if he had become a victim of an avalanche. Thankfully, he made it through safe and sound and continued on to Prudhoe safely as well.<br />
<br />
That same night, Reid went out to check the Pass around 3 a.m. and came upon a line of stopped trucks. He knew something was amiss. When he got to the front of the truck line, he saw deep snow covering the road -- the remnants of an avalanche. Luckily, no one had been traveling through that slide shoot when the snow came tumbling down. Although, Ray had traveled through there missing the avalanche by mere hours. Reid called in the heavy equipment to get the road cleared as quickly as possible. The next morning, he drove further into the Pass and got out of his truck to check the conditions. But before he could climb up and perform his tests, a loud roar came from higher up the mountain. Reid yelled for the camera crew to back up as he ran for his life away from the falling snow. Thankfully, everyone was fine. Another bullet dodged! After watching this one, I may have to put "avalanche episodes" on the top of the intensity list above "wicked weather." That was IN-SANE!<br />
<br />
Back in Fairbanks, Lisa was sidelined with a broken truck. She was forced to wait for repairs causing her to miss another couple of days of work (after missing two for the citations and health exam). On the plus side, she missed the avalanches and learned more about her truck. On the not-so-plus side, she fell behind in the "Dash for the Cash." Next week, it looks like she more than makes up for it with the largest load of the season! Can't wait!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone. TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-59714888540650230882010-07-23T08:48:00.001-04:002010-07-23T08:48:00.093-04:00The Countdown Continues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So far, the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season has showcased thrills and emotionally-charged moments, but this week, things are taking a more profound turn. These episodes certainly gave us something to think about well after the closing credits. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 18-16.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">18:</span></span> "Solace" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Parenthood</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd4VAVgQLI/AAAAAAAADdw/GZNRh5k-pEo/s1600/PH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd4VAVgQLI/AAAAAAAADdw/GZNRh5k-pEo/s200/PH.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Sometimes one scene can make an entire episode. And that scene can be so powerful that it lands the episode on this list. Such was the case with this entry on the Countdown. Of course, this being <i>Parenthood</i>, the entire hour was awesome, but there was one scene in particular that made this episode stand out from the rest. It dealt with a mother and her daughter and a realization after relating an event that had happened earlier in the evening. In a bit of a role reversal, Sarah stayed up waiting for her mom to come home from an evening out at the art show with her charismatic instructor. After learning about her husband’s bad investment and revealing to Sarah that her father had had an affair, Camille was feeling a little sad and welcomed the attention her intriguing art teacher was giving her. They left Sarah at the first art show and headed off on their own. When she returned home hours later to her waiting daughter, she told her about the rest of her evening. She relayed the story matter-of-factly, but when she got to the part where she slept with her art instructor, the weight of the fleeting act fell on her like a ton of bricks. It overcame her and she realized what she had done and what it meant. It was heartbreaking. It was raw. And, it’s what made this episode so darn good! Written by Jeff Greenstein and directed by Ken Whittingham.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">17:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> "Years of Service" - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Nurse Jackie</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd4ixj1NSI/AAAAAAAADd4/-wlPcw8BxYA/s1600/NurseJackie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd4ixj1NSI/AAAAAAAADd4/-wlPcw8BxYA/s200/NurseJackie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>It’s difficult to pull out episodes of this show to put on the countdown because it’s the overarching stories that make it so good. Every episode is a piece of the awesome-ness that is the whole. Having said that, this season’s ender had that extra something that made it a standout on its own. Part of the brilliance of </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Nurse Jackie</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> is the way it makes you uncomfortable rooting for its title character. Let’s not mince words – she’s a drug addict and we tend not to root for drug addicts. Yet, we end up rooting for Jackie, and in some cases, we even root for her NOT to get caught. Yeah, it’s messed up, but that’s what makes the series so beautifully complicated. Still, there was something poignant and unnerving about Kevin and Dr. O’Hara confronting Jackie at the end. The truth is, she needs to be caught and now that she has been, she doesn’t seem quite ready to face facts. And this was after a super scary drug dealer shook her down in the hallway of All Saints for stealing his very expensive stash of prescription meds! Coop provided his usual unintentional dose of laughs with his plight to get another nurse fired (this time because he punched Coop for sleeping with his girlfriend). And then there were the sweet moments between Zoey and her new beau. He brought her duck sauce (LOTS of duck sauce) and she gave him a pocket watch that reminded her of him. Basically, this one had something for everyone and then some. And let us not forget that quintessential Jackie moment at the very end after being confronted… you know the one where she looked in the mirror and called herself a drug addict and then proceeded to laugh. Just another perfectly uncomfortable moment that makes this show one of TV’s best. Written by Liz Brixius and Linda Wallem and directed by Paul Feig.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">16:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> "Time Keeps Slipping" - </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Medium</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd41rX1YsI/AAAAAAAADeA/KklX3m4qp28/s1600/Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEd41rX1YsI/AAAAAAAADeA/KklX3m4qp28/s320/Medium.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>The folks at </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Medium</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> have discovered a hidden gem and they wasted no time this season allowing her to shine. That gem is young actress Sofia Vassilieva who plays the multi-dimensional Ariel DuBois. Ariel could have been another typical troubled TV teen, but the writers decided to dig deeper and Vassilieva has been running with it and amazing me week after week. Her best work came during this intriguing and engaging hour that found Ariel losing time as she jumped to different points in her future. Imagine being in school one moment and then at a murder scene the next and then working at the school as a teacher the next… it would feel a bit discombobulating to say the least. But the real shocker was when Ariel got a ride home to a house she didn’t recognize with a husband she didn’t know and a young girl calling her “Mom.” She had no memory of any of the events in between these jumps, and her family (including her mom) couldn’t understand why she was acting like a stranger. Even the simple acts of kissing her husband and tucking her daughter in for bed felt foreign and uncomfortable. Of course, this being </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Medium</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">, things were not as they seemed. This made waking up to find that she was still a kid and living with her family all that much bigger of a relief, and left us happy we got to go along for the ride. Written by Robert Doherty and Heather Mitchell and directed by series star Miguel Sandoval.<br />
<br />
So, there's a look #18-16 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when PTR breaks into the Top 15!</span></span></span>TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-85237126475141242182010-07-22T17:07:00.000-04:002010-07-22T17:07:52.474-04:00Happy Feet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEiuJNwxW0I/AAAAAAAADeI/TmzuiiM0zoQ/s1600/psych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEiuJNwxW0I/AAAAAAAADeI/TmzuiiM0zoQ/s400/psych.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As much as I LOVE Shawn and Gus working together on <i>Psych</i>, I have to admit, this week's switch-up was HI-LARIOUS! Those four where so concerned with beating each other that they practically blew the entire case. At one point, they actually did blow the entire case! While Jules was focusing on catching a murderer, Shawn was distracted with beating Gus. And then, all four of them were consumed with the prospect of being the first team to solve the case. What they failed to realize is that it's the four of them working together as a team that solves the cases each week. So for the sake of the fine residents of Santa Barbara, I'm glad this little partner swap experiment ran its course by the end of the hour. In the meantime, it served for so many funny moments. And now, here's a look at some of those funny moments in this week's edition of "The Funny, The Funnier and OK, For Real, My Side Just Split" after the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNY</span><br />
Both teams show up at the suspect's house. In their competitive game of one-up-man-ship, Shawn and Jules arrived at the suspect's home as the same time as Gus and Lassie. But, Lassie and Gus gained the edge because they got there a second later and used their tardiness to their advantage. They pulled their cruiser closer to the house and blocked in Shawn and Jules. They then proceeded to argue over the parking situation while the suspect drove his SUV through a wall and took off without either team on his tale. Thanks to their hilarious competition, the suspect got away and the four of them got quite the reprimand from Henry. The rest of us got quite the laugh! <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUNNIER</span><br />
Lassie tap dances. It started out as an assignment to appease his therapist, but by the end of the hour, Lassie was a tap dancing fool! After Gus taught him some basic steps, Lassie realized that dancing allowed him to clear his mind. Clearing his mind led to him discovering details of the case that he had missed the first time. So, Gus closed the blinds and got Lassie tapping when he needed a new direction to give him the advantage over Shawn. It worked, so Lassie started tapping on his own in front of everyone else in order to see the case more clearly. But the funniest moment came at the end when an extremely talented Gus finished his dancing duet. The curtain opened and Lassie was front and center doing his tapping thing with the rest of the tappers at his level: kids!! And better yet, all that tapping had him declaring that he knew the identity of the East Side Strangler!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">OK, FOR REAL, MY SIDE JUST SPLIT</span><br />
Gus decides when "it's on." After Shawn found out that Gus was working with Lassie behind his back, he made the mistake of saying that Gus isn't able to solve a case without him. Gus took it as a challenge and declared that it was "on." Shawn didn't want to play along, but soon the two of them were engaged in a competition. Gus then declared "it off" because only he can decide when something is "on." He got into the car with Lassie and attempted to buckle his seatbelt. He pulled and pulled, but the stupid thing kept locking up. Finally, he took a slower approach and the seatbelt finally stretched out of its holder and into the buckle. Then, without skipping a beat, Gus officially declared, "Now, it's ON!" Hahahaha! It seems someone finally beat Shawn at his own game.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Psych</span> airs Wednesday nights on USA Network. Catch up on this episode and others at <a href="http://www.hulu.com/psych">hulu.com</a>. And learn more about the awesome-ness that is Shawn and Gus at <a href="http://psych.usanetwork.com/">USA's official site</a> or friend them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/psych?ref=mf">Facebook</a> and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/Psych_USA">Twitter</a>.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-12580213419190727792010-07-19T16:29:00.000-04:002010-07-19T16:29:57.181-04:00Hitchhiker's Guide to the 'Ice Road'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TES0QlwpdpI/AAAAAAAADdo/cb_ofsx1Uv8/s1600/alex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TES0QlwpdpI/AAAAAAAADdo/cb_ofsx1Uv8/s400/alex.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>No one can deny that Alex Debogorski is a nice guy. He's the type who would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it and I love him for that, but this week, he might have been a little too nice. I remember my dad hitchhiking after our family car broke down when I was very young, but that was 20 + years ago, and let's face it, the world is a different place. Thankfully, his hitchhiker was a bit strange, but harmless. After that entire bizarre exchange, I was left wondering just one little thing: Why in the world was he hitchhiking on the Dalton in 55-below temperatures??!! Yikes! The hitchhiker incident wasn't the only strange occurrence in this week's episode, though. In fact, the entire hour was a different sort of outing all together. But there was one part that was more cool than strange and it had nothing to do with hitchhikers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The treacherous Dalton Highway winds its way through the stunning mountains of the Brooks Range as it heads north into the Arctic Circle ending at Prudhoe Bay. The infamous Atigun Pass is over 4600 feet in elevation and more often than not, proves to be a difficult foe for more than one truck driver. But there is one element of the Pass that we have not had to encounter in the two seasons since the show moved to the Alaskan haul road: AVALANCHES! The mighty (and extremely dangerous) force of nature has been a non-player, and more than likely, that's thanks to an avalanche technician by the name of Reid Bahnson with the Alaska Department of Transportation. We watched him test the snow last week, but this week we got to see him do the coolest part of his job. He and his crew took some canons up to the Pass, closed it down to traffic, and shot the canons at the mountains to cause the snow to slide down in a controlled action. The idea is to do this periodically so the snow doesn't pile up and eventually buckle under the heavy weight and tumble down the hillside into the road taking whatever objects are in its path (including picking up multi-ton big rigs like they're toys). It was so much fun to watch Reid blast that snow! I even contemplated a career change until the little graphic popped up and reminded me that it was -55 degrees out!<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Lisa spent most of the episode sidelined thanks to some DOT violations and an about-to-expire health card. On her way back to Fairbanks, she was hoping to get another load and get back on the road after falling behind thanks to last week's wicked weather. Apparently, the state DOT had a different idea in mind. She stopped at the weigh station, but had to undergo a full inspection since she hadn't had one in 2 months. The inspector found a missing hazard triangle, straps that were too far apart and a few other minor violations. When it was all said in done, she had a $160 citation and an appointment at the local health center for her routine physical. After paying her fine and getting a clean bill of health, she was finally ready get back on the road and start making money to pay for the day's unexpected expenditures. <br />
<br />
Hugh was busy dealing with some hostilities from his fellow drivers. Apparently, there's some resentment on the Dalton for those who come over from Canada. The American drivers see it as the Canadiens stealing their jobs, and in a tougher economy, the tension seems to have risen. He received some nasty radio chatter that had him feeling a little hot under the collar. Of course, that changed when he found out that rival (and fellow Canadian) Alex was having some problems of the mechanical kind. Alex made it to Coldfoot, but switched his load with a Fairbanks-bound driver because he wanted to get the steering wheel in his rig checked. This left him grounded in Fairbanks for the time being. Elsewhere, rookie Ray reached Prudhoe and got some good news. He was assigned a load that was bound for the river ice and the native village of Nuiqsut. He was a bit nervous to drive on the slick ice, but made it to the village without any problems. And speaking of remote villages, Merv was finally able to get across the frozen river to bring much-needed fuel and supplies to the town of Bettles! Jack Jesse was busy dealing with a rookie pilot driver as he hauled another oversized load to Deadhorse. The rookie made a big mistake when she radioed on the wrong frequency, but overall, it seemed that she got the thumbs up for the Dalton Ace. This episode may have been less intense than others, but it looks like it was merely the calm before the storm. Next week looks INTENSE!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone. TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-12935824037726346262010-07-18T10:15:00.000-04:002010-07-18T10:15:31.160-04:00Birthday WishesPTR Fave Kristen Bell celebrates a birthday today!<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #339999; font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy Birthday Kristen!!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEMKS759FeI/AAAAAAAADdg/K6F9F70vyjg/s1600/Kristen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TEMKS759FeI/AAAAAAAADdg/K6F9F70vyjg/s400/Kristen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #339999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 29px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></span></div><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/R5z86mCKFPI/AAAAAAAABR8/JCrsOdUdt5g/s1600-h/heart_4.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160277356631954674" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/R5z86mCKFPI/AAAAAAAABR8/JCrsOdUdt5g/s200/heart_4.png" /></a><span style="color: #339999; font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your Friends at PTR</span></span></div><br />
For her 30th birthday this year, Kristen is asking everyone to donate to MyCharity:Water. All donations will fund clean water projects in developing nations. Kristen writes, "45,000 people will die this week alone from contaminated water illnesses. Y’ALL, LETS GET OFF OUR HINEYS AND FIX THIS. Please help me get to my goal of 100K and let’s have a clean water toast." To make a donation for Kristen's 30th birthday, visit <a href="http://mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_id=5269">MyCharity:Water.org</a>. And be sure to check out Kristen on the big screen this fall in her new comedy <i><a href="http://passtheremote08.blogspot.com/2010/07/bell-again.html">You Again</a></i>.TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-23730154058251840302010-07-16T08:47:00.002-04:002010-07-16T10:20:09.214-04:00The Countdown Intensifies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This week, the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season cracks the Top 20 with more fabulous outings. But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 21-19.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">21:</span></span> "Perverted" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Law & Order: SVU</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDow2OX3feI/AAAAAAAADdA/BzMFTGhfIwE/s1600/svu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDow2OX3feI/AAAAAAAADdA/BzMFTGhfIwE/s200/svu.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>When this episode started with Olivia at home with the flu, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Then, her vintage Mustang showed up on a list of vehicles matching the description/license plate of the murder suspect’s vehicle and I was thrown for a complete loop. But, I was also totally enthralled from that point forward. I knew Olivia didn’t, nay couldn’t, have killed the badass biker, but I never imagined how the show was going to write itself out of her DNA (from her blood) being found on the murder weapon. Maybe the test was wrong. Maybe samples got switched. Maybe Liv was drugged and unaware when the real murderer borrowed some of her blood. Each explanation seemed more ridiculous, but I just couldn’t imagine how someone managed to murder the biker and put Olivia’s blood on the knife when Liv had no wounds on her body. The answer, it turns out, was beyond the usual forensics crime drama vernacular. Someone had discovered a way to take a person’s DNA and plant it in a DNA-neutral blood sample. Suddenly, the new solve-all in modern crime solving (or at least on crime shows) was being used against those who rely on it the most. Imagine the implications if this technology were to come true. Let’s just hope it doesn’t and leave it at that. This episode raised questions, solidified the strong bond between partners Benson and Stabler and twisted into a knot everything we thought we knew about DNA. And wrapping Olivia up in the middle of it: Brilliant! Written by Dawn DeNoon and directed by David Platt.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">20:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> "The Proof in the Pudding" - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bones</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TD9-BY8Vi4I/AAAAAAAADdY/pBTUy3_0ZCA/s1600/bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TD9-BY8Vi4I/AAAAAAAADdY/pBTUy3_0ZCA/s200/bones.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">This episode was very risky. It took on one of this country's greatest mysteries -- one of our most tragic moments, and perhaps, the incident most cloaked in conspiracies and secrets: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. They presented both sides of the argument, they drew some interesting conclusions and they left us with almost as many questions as the assassination itself. But, taking on something as huge as the Kennedy assassination deserves an ending with as much intrigue as the real tragic incident. </span> </span></span></span>The Jeffersonian was charged with investigating mysterious remains. These remains certainly seemed to be those of President Kennedy, but the agency who sent them could have used someone of similar stature who died around the same time and recreated Kennedy's wounds to test the folks at the Jeffersonian. Perhaps, they did want to see if modern forensics are able to ascertain the truth to the assassination. Maybe it was all just to test one or more members of the team. Hard to say. The important thing with this case was Booth's connection to it. He didn't want to think that his government could lie about Kennedy because that might lead him to believe that they lied about the people he killed as an Army sniper. He wanted to trust it and the work that he did for it. Once Bones understood where he was coming from, she let him have this one. There was no way to know for sure who the bones belonged to, so she let the benefit of the doubt stand as the truth in order to give Booth back his sense of faith in the government. So, just whose bones were those at the Jeffersonian? And who were the mysterious "men in black?" Why was the team investigating the cause of death of the individual on the table? None of it was clear at the end, but honestly, I wouldn't have liked it any other way. Written by Bob Harris and Emile Levisetti.<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">19:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> "Arctic Ice" - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDuP-Or0REI/AAAAAAAADdQ/uoV_S1w4pAg/s1600/alg_trucker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDuP-Or0REI/AAAAAAAADdQ/uoV_S1w4pAg/s200/alg_trucker.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Lisa is surprisingly strong for her small stature and she can lug chains, tighten straps and haul the big loads right along with the boys. But, this outstanding episode focused on her goal to become </span> </span></span></span></span></span>one of the Dalton elite: A heavy-haul driver. She had a load of 80-foot pipe bound for somewhere even more remote than Deadhorse. It had a one-way ticket for the oil rigs out in the Arctic Ocean, which meant harrowing miles across the frozen ocean over sea ice. A trek so dangerous, drivers have to maintain the 10 mph speed limit in order to keep themselves from compromising the ice, and ultimately, falling through into the ice-cold waters below. Instantly, Lisa noticed the wave-like feeling as she edged out onto the frozen ocean. But have no fear, the narrator (executive producer Thom Beers) informed us, "The wave-like motion is the weight of the truck making the ice sag and stretch." Sag and stretch??!! Not the words you want to hear while driving a multi-ton vehicle over ice. But, she did get to cross "driving across the frozen Arctic Ocean" off of her "bucket list." She excitedly exclaimed, "Put a big ol' fat red check mark next to it." And then there was the seemingly innocent concept of going "barefoot." First-year driver Tim had to drive back to Fairbanks "barefoot." This kind of barefoot refers to driving on snow and ice down steep hills without chains to help you gain traction. Then after starting his next load, he had a few scares when his truck lost traction with the ice and his steering became almost impossible. It looked liked he was going off the road, but luckily, he was able to regain control and steer his truck safely away from the snowy banks and steep edges. Yup, I love me some IRT!!<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">So, there's a look #21-19 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when PTR reveals the next entries on the countdown!</span></span></span></span></span></span>TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-12401411933115706982010-07-12T17:43:00.000-04:002010-07-12T17:43:34.588-04:00Heavy Hauls & Close Calls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDuLB0ABo-I/AAAAAAAADdI/GpcwH_hacIE/s1600/1119379849_28732213001_History-Ice-Road-Truckers-305-Accident-Alley-LF1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDuLB0ABo-I/AAAAAAAADdI/GpcwH_hacIE/s400/1119379849_28732213001_History-Ice-Road-Truckers-305-Accident-Alley-LF1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Next to wicked weather, my second favorite type of episodes of <i>Ice Road Truckers</i> are the ones where Lisa gets heavy hauls. The oversized loads give her cred and help her build up her resume as one of the most dependable drivers on the Dalton. Plus, she just gets so darn excited about getting the confidence-building assignments! With heavy hauls, virtually everything becomes a difficult obstacle and that's before the truck even leaves the town of Fairbanks. Plus, heavy hauls lead to some of the most intense non-weather moments on the show. This week, however, the scariest and biggest edge-of-your-seat scene was courtesy of a very surprising source. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Jack Jesse had a relatively routine load of diesel fuel that he had to get to the remote native village of Nuiqsut. They were running dangerously low and had been waiting for the river to freeze enough to safely support a heavy truck loaded down with heavy diesel fuel. So, Jack was off on his way to Deadhorse and then across the river ice to Nuiqsut. Things were going along just fine until he started ascending Atigun Pass. As he was climbing the steep 4800-foot mountain, we were getting a lesson on the danger of diesel loads. And then, as if on cue, the hypothetical danger started to become a reality. The problem with the liquid load is its constant state of movement. It sloshes around as the truck travels, but becomes especially hazardous during an incline. The fuel sloshes back and forth and the motion can throw a trucker off the side of the pass if he/she isn't experienced enough to compensate for the movement. Of course, Jack is very experienced, so no worries. Yeah, not quite. As he was climbing the hill, his tires lost traction and the slipping caused the fuel to rock in the tank. The truck veered toward the edge of the road and all but went off the side. Jack "Dalton Ace" Jesse was worried. You know things are about to go seriously wrong when something rattles him. Thankfully his cool, calm demeanor kept the situation under control and the truck stayed on the road. Later, he had to stop on the river ice after blowing snow conditions made travel near impossible. He hoped the conditions would get better, but after sitting still over bowing ice for too long, he decided to press on despite the worsening blowing snow. He went to Nuiqsut and got there safely with the much-needed fuel.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Lisa got an extra wide/extra-extra tall load to haul to Prudhoe. Things got hairy as she navigated through the city streets of Fairbanks and came <i>this</i> close to not clearing a traffic light pole overhead. Seriously, the side view of that clearance was unbelievable! After encountering a fast-moving truck who got a little too close for comfort, she seemed to be home free. The drive was going along uneventfully, and she was closing in on Prudhoe when she faced a new obstacle: the local law enforcement. Apparently, North Slope police do more than issue speeding tickets. They also pull over truckers randomly to make sure their log books and paperwork are in compliance. Lisa saw the cop pull out after she passed, and she knew she was about to get a spot check. She was concerned, but the cop drove right by her pulled-over rig. She breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled into Prudhoe and set a new goal for herself this season: to not get pulled over by the cops!<br />
<br />
Alex and Hugh kicked their rivalry into high gear as they pulled out of Fairbanks within a few hours of each other. Alex got the jump, but Hugh planned to pass his rival in Coldfoot. He figured Alex would sleep in and this would allow Hugh to get up early and on the Dalton before Alex even knew he had been in Coldfoot. Hugh purposely parked his truck close to Alex's to block him in so he couldn't beat him out of Coldfoot the next morning. But Alex found a way to get his truck out anyway -- by hitting the mirror on the SUV parked near him! Don't worry, though, he left a note (or at least he started to until the driver came out and told him not to worry about it since his other mirror was already broken). Hugh woke up to find a broken mirror and no Alex. After having a good chuckle at his frienemy's driving skills, he got on the road. He eventually caught Alex just outside Prudhoe, but took advantage of Alex's wrong turn and beat him with the off-load.<br />
<br />
Ray got an emergency load at 11 o'clock at night and headed north. He began to get a bit sleepy and then he made a huge Dalton mistake: he took his eyes off the road for a split second. In that split second, his truck started to go off the road and tragedy seemed inevitable. He managed to miss becoming another statistic by the skin of his teeth. Just another close call on the craziest road on TV! <span style="font-style: italic;">Ice Road Truckers</span> airs Sunday nights on History. To catch up on this season, click on over to <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers">History.com</a> where you'll also get more information, trucker bios, and an IRT app for your iPhone. TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15114892.post-31003630350241541472010-07-09T09:08:00.002-04:002010-07-11T17:06:11.365-04:00The Countdown Gets Moving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s1600/BestEpsBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TCdooh9vwSI/AAAAAAAADag/AjKIf3eb4xg/s400/BestEpsBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Last week, PTR kicked off the summer-long countdown of the Best Episodes of the Season with FOUR great episodes. This week, we're back to the countdown's usual 3 episodes/week format and we have three fabulous outings that moved us (almost to tears at times). But before we get to them, we have to go over the rules for the countdown. We ended up with 28 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. The shows and their episodes are from both NETWORK and CABLE television. All episodes aired between June 2009 and June 2010. Each episode that made the final list moved us in some way; either by making us laugh out loud, cry our eyes out or just left us with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, PTR will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Friday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 24-22.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">24:</span></span> "The Beginning in the End" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Bones</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDDe8aXV2kI/AAAAAAAADbY/ydkY_dV9RTw/s1600/bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDDe8aXV2kI/AAAAAAAADbY/ydkY_dV9RTw/s200/bones.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The title of this season ender says it all -- at least that's what I kept telling myself over and over again as I watched that heart-wrenching final scene between Booth and Bones. Brennan wanted to be a part of the anthropological find in Indonesia. She was excited, distracted and longing to be a part of history, but she wasn't exactly packing her bags. Then, she found out about Booth's offer to train soldiers in Afghanistan for a year. Daisy may be annoying, but she was right when she suggested that they were holding each other back. Once Booth thought that Bones was definitely going to Indonesia, he decided to go to Afghanistan. And when Bones heard that Booth had decided to go to Afghanistan, she decided to go to Indonesia. I do not believe that either of them took the jobs to get away from their FBI/Jeffersonian work. Sure, Brennan wants to be a part of that find, but she decided to go because she needed to get away from Booth. She said as much herself when she told Angela that she needed to take a step back and re-evaluate her life objectively again. She has feelings for Booth -- the same that he has for her -- but she's too scared to pursue them. Maybe she's hoping that their year apart will allow her time to get over those feelings and go back to working with Booth as a partner. Booth, on the other hand, knows what he wants -- he just can't have her. Perhaps, he hopes the distance will help him get over her. Hopefully, Brennan will realize something while she's away from Booth: her feelings aren't going anywhere. This is why this separation could be a very good thing for these two. That reunion on the reflecting pool in one year is going to be one hell of a scene! And hopefully, a lot less heart-wrenching than the final scene of this stellar finale. Written by executive producers Stephen Nathan and Hart Hanson and directed by Ian Toynton.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">23:</span></span> "Laryngitis" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Glee</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDTpOEchGmI/AAAAAAAADco/kdIqaciDNgQ/s1600/glee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDTpOEchGmI/AAAAAAAADco/kdIqaciDNgQ/s200/glee.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Could they have packed any more awesome moments into a single episode? Rachel's story with the former football player paralyzed from the chest down was incredibly moving. I feel pretty confident declaring the scene at the end between them one of the most moving scenes ever. In the span of a single episode, this show managed to make me laugh out loud and blink away tears so I could see without the blurry glow that tear-filled eyes bring. In general, Rachel Berry is a tough character for me. I want to like her and I want to hate her. The show won't let me do either exclusively, so I wind up fluctuating between "like a lot" and "annoyed a lot." Maybe I just like to see the good in everyone, but I've always felt that underneath all that selfishness, arrogance, perfection, obsession and high- and- mighty- holier- than- thou attitude was a good person. A bit misguided, but still good... somewhere... buried deep. At first, things were going along in typical Rachel fashion. For her project, she chose Miley Cyrus's "The Climb" and declared that the song described her current self because the rest of glee club was the big obstacle in her way. Then, she lost her singing voice and became obsessed with what would happen if she never got it back. But then, something magical happened. Something out of character and wonderful. Rachel Berry's heart grew. She began to <i>feel </i>something... for SOMEONE ELSE!! I know! I could barely believe it either, but it happened. She met someone who had lost a lot more than his voice. He lost his body, and in the process, found his voice. Their duet at the end to U2's "One" was brilliant, sob-inducing and poignant. Written by executive producer Ryan Murphy and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">22:</span></span> "August" - <span style="font-style: italic;">Fringe</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDYz0n64SsI/AAAAAAAADc4/QZLOXWI1QIU/s1600/fringe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBlWU3Vuln8/TDYz0n64SsI/AAAAAAAADc4/QZLOXWI1QIU/s200/fringe.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>For the better part of the last couple of seasons, we have wondered about the man we only know as The Observer. He is often seen, but hardly ever heard. We learned previously that he is really several men -- all dressed the same, all with the bald head and fedora and all observing time. One of those men, simply known as August, went from observing to participating. And that's when the trouble started. He had been observing Christine Hollis since she was a little girl. He was supposed to observe her losing her life in a tragic plane crash off the coast of Italy, but instead, he kidnapped her (preventing her from getting on the plane). He interfered with fate -- something that the Observers are not suppose to do unless the person is "important." So, the other Observers decided to correct August's wrong and ordered a hit on Christine. August turned to Walter who told him to "make Christine important," so he made her responsible for the death of one of the observers. Why did August go to so much trouble to save this one girl's life? Because somewhere along the way, The Observer went from observing his subjects to becoming like them. He became human. He fell in love. It was a moving journey that asked an important question: What does it mean to be human? Certainly, the Observers look the part (even if they are a bit strange in their appearance), but are they human? They travel through time, or in their world, time is merely a series of events all taking place congruently. They observe without interfering (unless warranted) and prior to August's actions, never show an ounce of emotion along the way. And yet, one of them began to feel: one of the most basic of human elements. At the end, the Observers reminded us once again of their purpose: they watched as Olivia enjoyed a day off with her niece. In seeing her joy, they remarked that it's a shame that things are about to get so difficult for her. An ominous warning that proved true in subsequent episodes. Written by Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman and directed by Dennis Smith. <br />
<br />
So, there's a look #24-22 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts. You can also view previous entries by clicking the "Best Episodes" label below. And be sure to tune in next Friday when the countdown cracks the Top 20!TVFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077226156307117107noreply@blogger.com7