'Damages' is all the Rage

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Last week, payback was a b*tch.

This week, getting made is all the rage.

And Damages threw out so many morsels suggesting we haven't really-truly-deeply seen anything yet that I'm not even sure where to begin.

Ding.

That would be (as I said over and over again during the first season) our arrival at the next floor in this masterful elevator ride of suspense.

But let me start with a "Yay!" for Tate Donovan on directing last night's ep. When we talked to Tate towards the end of the first season, he had mentioned in passing that should the show be picked up for a second season, he was going to be able to direct an ep (or two). Given the fact this ep referenced a couple of the humdingers from the first season, Tate was the man for the job.

Namely, Ellen's "attacker" SURVIVED.

Second, Uncle Pete despises Ellen much more than I think I ever suspected. True, his whole job in life is to protect Patty from friends, enemies, frenemies and everything in between. But, he got serious about planting the seed in Patty's mind that she should be paying much closer attention to Ellen.

And it took Patty all of five seconds to agree.

The whole keep your friends close and your enemies closer thing.

Now, how Ellen remains so calm and cool under pressure is a marvel, and I appreciate Rose Byrne's consistency in the portrayal. Character consistency is a HUGE issue with me. When shows botch it (Cold Case), I get irritated. When shows master it (The Closer), I applaud it. Thus, Ellen's progression from wide-eyed-Bambi to the only one who can seemingly be a true nemesis to Patty has been wonderfully layered. And, the seed of rage that has been planted in her to take down Patty rivals Patty's own inner-rage at ... well, whatever is her rage flavor of the month. It's wonderfully ironic how similar the two of them actually are at this point in the series.

And now that we have it confirmed Wes is NOT Ellen's friend, and creepy evil detective killer guy from season one is back in the picture, I'm wondering if this is something Uncle Pete is coordinating.

I know, I know. STOP trying to figure it out.

Now, I didn't think it was possible to hate another CEO more than I despised Arthur Frobisher, but Walter Kendrick is getting under my skin. I'm wondering if we could just send Cameron over to terminate him? She's not busy right now, is she?

And what is up with Patty's husband's two-timing? I was beginning to think Michael Nouri was only going to show up for dinner in the kitchen and to help Patty's son Michael with his college applications. Clearly, that's not going to be the case.

And Daniel Purcell is on the UNR payroll (duh, okay we knew that). And his WIFE was ready to pull a Norma Rae and go after big energy herself.

But Darrell Hammond as the killer?

I'm still waiting on the Bill Clinton impression.

KID-ding.

Next floor, please.

New episodes of Damages air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. To catch up on the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the show, head on over to the official Damages Web site.

'The Closer's' Humor Remains One of a Kind

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Ah, The Closer's humor.

Nothing quite like it.

Creator James Duff told us to expect more of it in these last set of episodes for season four.

And we got our first taste of it last night (and yet another reason why meeting people online isn't necessarily eHarmony-ish in nature).


The Case

There should be a law that says when we post our pictures on MySpace or Facebook or whatever, they have to be a SOMEWHAT realistic picture of ourselves. That, or it's avatars only. Cripes, how many times do we have to have the 65-year-old posting her high school photo?

Now, that's not as bad as the case last night, but that whole don't-look-like-my-photo thing certainly didn't do victim Phil Adams any good. He was stalked by Spiceboy 85, a.k.a. Keith Reyes, a.k.a a cross-dressing lethal Lolita who gets poor Phil to steal millions in diamonds from his OWN store, then get himself stuffed in the back of a trunk of his car.

Turns out Spiceboy made a habit of this sort of thing, having offed another guy in Arizona under similar circumstances.

Hmmm ... intent to murder, anyone?


The Interviews

BJ vs. Spiceboy.

Was he not just so remorseless and sinister that you actually wanted BJ to rip his eyeballs out?

I was completely fooled. I actually thought she might not have this case and/or this kid was actually NOT the murderer given she could not tie him to Phil's murder.

And yet, this IS Brenda Leigh Johnson we are talking about - failure to get her suspect is NOT an option.

Thankfully, Fritzy saves the day, bringing BJ the connection to the Arizona case so that she may prove intent.

Do we love Fritz or do we love Fritz?


The Departing of the Parents

Sooo, last week I thought Mom and Dad were going to be staying for a month. This week, we're back to trying to make up what's left of that cruise to Hawaii.

The wedding dress is now nicely tailored, though (thanks, Mamma).

And the odds of BJ actually getting married are just in: 8 billion to 1.

KID-ding.

I think.


The Humor

Pick your scenario.

Mine happens to be Big Phil being squished into oblivion as the abandoned car to which he is found accidentally rolls down the street and into an electric pole BEHIND Lieutenant Flynn, who is on the phone with BJ (n a personal day) calmly trying to explain the different scenarios in which Big Phil could've been killed - all of which happen in a period of less than 30 seconds - while the entire squad runs down the hill (behind Flynn) after the runaway car.

Tony Denison's delivery made that entire sequence work like a charm.

As they say:

One beat-up old car: $2500

Stolen diamonds: $3 million

Runaway car that rolls down hill, smashes into electric pole and turns murder victim into sludge: Priceless.

For everything else, there is ... The Closer

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. Visit The Closer official Web site for the scoop on all-things BJ and Co.

'Trust Me' Gets it Right .. and No One is Watching

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

There are some shows to which you can fully relate.

Then there are others you really love, but you can't actually look at the screen and go, "Been there, done that. Worked with him. Saw that happen. Lived to tell about it."

And yet, every once in a while a show comes along whereby you can not only relate to it, but you swear at some point in this life (or another life) you actually lived it.

Trust Me is fast becoming my I-think-I-lived-this-show-once hour of television.

Take, for example, the promotion-in-title-only scenario that plagued poor Mason this week.

Been there. Done that.

And the writers just nailed this PERFECTLY.

Boss is overly excited to hand you a brand new box of business cards with a fancy new title, falls all over himself to congratulate you only to then dance around the fact there is no adjustment in pay for your promotion.

Um, yes, I'll take a super-sized version of work, extra stress with half a serving of politics. Drama on the side. And lots of money.

Oh, but you're out of money?

Can I cancel my order?

Or, how about the hot shot something or other who comes in, makes you think you can't live without him, screws everyone over only to leave, come back, then leave again before anything official ever hits the floor?

Or the stolen creative idea?

Or the neurotic do-gooder who needs one less serving of Red Bull so that we can all just ... well, actually focus on our work?

Speaking of ... how good is Monica Potter as Sarah?

Awfully good. We got a much more thorough introduction to her this week, and I have to say she entertains me in the most strangely annoying way. It's like I watch JUST to see how she can get under Mason's skin.

And while I sit hear and sing the praises of this show, I'm confused to its debut to less than stellar ratings (which continued this week).

This has BJ and Co. as the lead-in and is brought to us from the SAME people who give us BJ and Co.

WTF ...?

Please don't tell me we are going to have the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles syndrome of Monday night doldrums that lead to the demise of yet another good show.

Honestly, TV Land still confuses me sometimes, and I don't get why Trust Me isn't catching on as yet. Is it too fast? Too ad agency-esque? Too ... I don't know ... quirky? Does everyone expect Eric McCormack to turn back into Will Truman?

Someone told me a long time ago there are a lot of GOOD shows that DON'T succeed.

Please don't let Trust Me fall into that group.

Trust Me airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. You can learn more about the series by visiting the Trust Me Official Web site.

Shawn Gets Ready for Some Football

I have been extremely fortunate to meet a couple of my heroes, and thankfully, it has never gone anything like Shawn and Gus's encounter with (now) Coach Winslow.  I was able to speak and maintain an outward appearance of composure (even though on the inside, it was something like Shawn and Gus's outside).  Luckily for our favorite psychic duo, there was a second chance to make a first impression and that second impression went much, much better.  Still, there's something endearing about boys and their sports heroes with their bed sheets, game balls, autographs and desire to lead the team out of the tunnel onto the field.  This aptly-timed football-themed episode of Psych had enough fanboy squee! and hilarious one-liners to rival your favorite sports comedy.  Plus the Russian mob thrown in for good measure (and to keep Lassie busy for the rest of the hour).  

I LOVE when TV shows make clever references.  They dominated The Gilmore Girls' quick-step dialog and Veronica Mars's precocious snaps to perfection.  Well, Psych is the new GG/VM.  This episode was packed with them, but my absolute favorite was Shawn's line about making it up to his dad by going over to watch The Mentalist with him.  Prior to the new fall season premieres, every critic and blogger wanted to proclaim that the CBS drama (starring Simon Baker as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation who uses his "razor sharp skills of observation" to help solve crimes).  On paper, it sounds like Psych minus the comedy and everyone thought the show was a blatant rip off of the USA Network comedy (much like NBC's Heroes was assumed to be a rip off of USA Network's The 4400).  In reality, the two shows are the same, but different.  Same in concept, but completely different in execution.  Still the similarities persist, so Shawn's reference was just too good.  As Shawn would say, "Nailed it!"  And there was also a photograph of Shawn as "Chad" - his soap opera star alter-ego from last season - hanging on the wall at the Russian laundromat.  It all added up to another hilarious hour!

Psych airs Friday nights on USA Network. Catch up on this episode ("Any Given Friday at 10PM, 9PM Central") and others at hulu.com.

'Crusoe' Signs Off ... Bummer

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Thanks for the memories Robinson Crusoe.

But no thanks to NBC for only giving this show a 13 episode order.

Or not letting us know last night's ep was ... uh, the last.

Did I miss something?

I'm so used to having my other shows let me know when the end is near. And while I will say that I knew we were getting close to the end with Crusoe, a promo saying "See how it ends" would've been helpful.

As it stands, our poor castaway remains on the island fully aware of his right to fortune and of Blackthorn's betrayal. But not before Blackthorn burns Crusoe's tree house to the ground in search of the piece of paper that proves a) William Blackthorn is Crusoe's father; b) makes Crusoe and his family heir to their fortune; c) leaves Jeremiah Blackthorn up a creek with nada mucho.

And even though Crusoe manages to salvage that all-important paper, outsmart his pursuers and broker a deal to get himself home, the crew is on the verge of a black pox outbreak and Friday is being asked to walk the plank.

We just can't have that.

So, Crusoe bails to save not only himself but his friend, and he tears up the all important document right there on the deck of the ship.

Did we say this man was honorable or what? He had no interest in the fortune; he just wanted to go home.

Hmmm ... got guilt, Blackthorn?

Soooo, what are we to make of what happens to our beloved castaways as the Blackthong ship sails off to impending doom and Crusoe and Friday have lost everything ...?

LillyKat's happy ending scenario:

- Crusoe and Friday re-build their shelter somehow ('cause we know these guys are awfully crafty; they make MacGyver look old school)

- Susannah and Olivia (who, thankfully, got the children back from the dreadful orphanage to which Blackthorn had sent them) find some other piece of documentation to prove the Crusoe clan are the rightful heirs to the Blackthorn fortune

- Olivia fesses up to her, ahem, burning of Crusoe's letter; she and Susannah have it out, but they remain friends since Olivia IS the only one to have helped her get the children back AND get her news of Crusoe survival

- When the Blackthorn ship doesn't return ('cause the crew will be wiped out by blackpox), Captain Santana recovers from his illness and keeps his promise to sail back to rescue Crusoe and Friday, possibly bringing Susannah and Olivia

- Crusoe gets home at last to Susannah, now no longer penny wise and pound foolish but comfortably enjoying the riches of the fortune they rightly deserve, raising their children and being ... well, the happy-go-lucky couple they should be.

The end.

What can I say, I like it when things work out.

If you missed any episodes of Crusoe, or you'd like to re-watch the entire 13-part series online, visit NBC's Official Crusoe Web site.

Hallmark Channel's Second 'Note'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

If it weren't for the Hallmark Channel, I think I'd go bonkers.

Seriously, their programming gives me a much needed break from my usual coverings of homicide detectives, serial killers, conniving high-powered attorneys conjuring up murder plots, Bering Sea fishermen dancing with death and Skynet machines out to destroy mankind.

And did we mention they air some show called ... wait, hold on ... it's coming to me ... Touched By An Angel?

Best.Show.Ever.

Thank.God.For.Syndication.

Tonight is the premiere of Hallmark Channel Original Movie The Note 2: Taking a Chance on Love, the sequel to last year's highly-rated The Note, starring Genie Francis and Ted McGinley.

Sooo, what's it about?

From HallmarkChannel.com:

"Having been reunited with Christine, the daughter she gave up for adoption 18 years earlier, Peyton MacGruder (Genie Francis) is still learning the ropes of parenting. She’s also busy writing her “Heart Healer” column, as well as managing a relationship with coworker and boyfriend King Danville (Ted McGinley). But when King asks Peyton to marry him, she’s too afraid to take a chance at a life she deserves. A note to Peyton from a loyal reader of her column leads to a new friendship, one that will teach Peyton that when it comes to making decisions, there’s a time to be cautious and a time to follow your heart."

If you're looking for a feel-gooder in advance of Super Bowl Mania (and quite frankly I am), tune in tonight for a double-airing of The Note at 7 p.m. followed by the premiere of The Note 2: Taking a Chance on Love at 9 p.m. Visit HallmarkChannel.com for the scoop on the movie.

Photo Courtesy: Hallmark Channel Publicity

Payback is a ... on 'Damages'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Payback is a b*tch.

Patty Hewes know this.

She's normally giving it, not receiving it.

But not this week.

Welcome once again to Damages, folks - the show that keeps you deliciously guessing at every turn while consistently giving you that OMFG moment.

The latest turn of events had me speaking OUT LOUD to the television screen (and the cat - who, naturally, could care less), "How do these guys do it?"

Daniel Purcell.

On the stand.

Totally fraking up Patty's attempt at filing a motion against UNR (read: evil energy company killing everyone with their polluted water in West Virginia) to start a class-action lawsuit AFTER he told her a) he'd run the test on the water that was snuck out of town by his on-the-down-low reporter, compliments of the Ellen and Tom Traveling Road Show; and, b) go on the record UNR doctored his original toxicity reports.

Psych.

Not.

Doh!

Did Patty's seething, silent rage just come blazing through the screen at the moment Purcell screwed her? There is nothing like Glenn Close and THAT look. You know the old saying: If looks could kill, we'd all have been dead a long time ago (at about the time Fatal Attraction came out).

Seriously, how rare is it to one up Patty Hewes?

I thought Ellen was the only one capable of this, but Daniel is fast becoming one slippery mo'fo'. Yet, the way William Hurt is playing Purcell ... I swear, I'm duped. He is just so good. Kind of sweet, then conniving, then silent raging, then pitiable.

Oh, and did we mention Purcell flipped on Patty AFTER she agreed to let her son Michael know Purcell is his father?

So much for kissing and making up.

Or playing nice.

Yet, his screwing over of Patty's case wasn't the only OMFG moment.

It was followed shortly thereafter (er, kinda simultaneously) by the reveal that he was IN on the murder of his wife. Perhaps not as much of a shocker, but I didn't expect that confirm to come so quickly. (Side note: how weird was it to see Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond as UNR thugbeat coordinating the whole murder-for-hire thing? I half expected him to break into his Bill Clinton impersonation.)

We still don't know (and won't know for a LONG time) who Ellen is killing in the flash forward sequence.

I'm now starting to think it might be Purcell.

Then again, I know better than to try and figure out the brilliantly tangled web that is Damages.

New episodes of Damages air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. To catch up on the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the show, head on over to the official Damages Web site.

'Fringe's' No-Brainer

You now hold all of the government's most valuable secrets inside your head in the form of an Intersect. Whoops! Wrong show. If you thought the opening of this week's episode of Fringe looked more like Chuck than The X-Files, you're not alone. That was until the hand came through the computer screen and melted the kid's brain. At that point, we were definitely back to The X-Files and very, very far from Chuck. This was a pretty intense episode of Fringe. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was literally sweating during that scene with Olivia's niece. At one point, I was convinced that the computer virus thing was going to kill her. I kept thinking, "They wouldn't kill a child, right? I mean she's Olivia's niece for crying out loud! They wouldn't, right? RIGHT??!!!" Things got intense again at the end when Liv went after the killer in the warehouse. I heard the gunshot, but figured someone shot the computer. So, I was as shocked as Peter when he got back there and found the killer on the floor -- a victim of his own gun.

I like this show. I like its quasi-X-Files feel and close-ended mysteries-of-the-week, but I'm wondering when it's going to explore more of "The Pattern." We haven't seen much of it in a while, and that has struck me as odd considering the entire first half of the season centered around it. I'm afraid I'm going to forget the few details that we've learned! I'm also not lovin' this bizarre political crusade against Olivia. I'm not sure why the suit has it out for her, but he is watching her every move and gunning for her job. I wish someone would take his so the story and the show can move on. This story line is dragging the series down.

Fringe airs Tuesday nights on Fox. If you missed last night's episode, watch it for free at Fox.com. Photo courtesy Fox.

Birthday Wishes

Cold Case's Kathryn Morris celebrates a birthday today.

Happy Birthday Kathryn!!

Your Friends at PTR

(photo courtesy Kathryn Morris Online)

DID YOU KNOW? Kathryn plays a school nurse on the big screen in the upcoming dark comedy Assassination of a High School President.  It's slated to hit theaters late next month.  For more on the film, check out its official Facebook page.

'Trust Me' ... It's Good

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

When I first saw the promos running for TNT's new don't call it a dramedy series, Trust Me, I thought: that's going to be good.

Why?

Aside from Eric McCormack being front and center once again (thank you, there is a TV Goddess), all of the cop and lawyer shows that are EVERYWHERE on the tube these days get a little a) boring; b) repetitive; c) predictable; and, d) border on burn out. (Like, is no one coming up with anything else?!?! Do we really need another CSI?!?! What the hell happened to the sitcom?!?! Why is no one watching 30 Rock?!?!)

Anyhooo, it's refreshing when something light, bright and airy comes along. That, or at least something that doesn't take itself too seriously à la In Plain Sight (which proves cop shows CAN be funny).

Enter Trust Me.

Humor. Wit. Dialogue written at the speed of light. Sarcasm. Irony. Poignant moments. Clever inter-personal struggles. Perfect chemistry.

I'm not sure what this show DOESN'T have (And, for the record, can we please stop saying it's a present-day Mad Men? It's not. Mad Men is way too mental and/or serious and/or 50s and/or drama and/or heavy and/or ... fill in your own blank).

Last night, we were introduced to Mason (McCormack) and Connor (Tom Cavanagh), two guys who have worked for an umpteen number of years at a high-powered ad agency in Chicago.

Mason, the art director, is the serious, focused, dutiful, hard working, lives-and-breathes advertising, doesn't-think-you-need-to-be-an-a-hole-to-climb-the-latter kind of guy.

Connor, on the other hand, is the fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants copywriter genius who would rather be downing a few beers at the local pub than concentrating on the campaign at hand.

Their yin and yang make a pretty good team. When Mason unexpectedly becomes Connor's boss (thanks to the dropping dead of the former Creative Director - who was played ingeniously strung out by the always good Jason O'Mara) ... well, things get interesting.

And they get why they can't live without each other.

The show is just fun to watch. It's sort of this mixture of serious and funny, and I've have to agree with McCormack when he told us here at PTR that it's like a cross between thirtysomething and Boston Legal.

Ahem ... for those of you NOT old enough to have watched thirtysomething, suffice it to say there's enough comedic stuff going on, but it's tempered by the struggle of what most of face in life - balancing work, life and friendship.

McCormack and Cavanagh work an amazing chemistry together. For anyone typecasting either actor from any of their previous roles, you will be nicely surprised at how well each fits into these new molds.

And on a purely shallow note: can I just say I love the set decoration? Can I work in an office like that some day?

Make a note: my Mondays are now split between BJ and Co and the Mason/Connor Chronicles.

Trust Me airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT. You can learn more about the series by visiting the Trust Me Official Web site.

'The Closer's' Curious Case

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Every time we welcome Brenda Leigh Johnson back to our screens, it seems as if an eternity has elapsed.

Okay, not really.

In actual fact, it's only been a few months since we were left breathless by the shootout of all shootouts (Wyatt Earp has nothing on Priority Homicide - wait, I mean Major Crimes), which saw Detective Sanchez take three bullets to save Lieutenant Provenza and then be whisked off in a helicopter to the nearest trauma ward with a very nervous BJ thinking he might not make it.

I confess I kinda knew he WOULD be just fine, but that didn't take anything away from the summer finale.

Wowza.

That said, I think I was expecting more of a Sanchez-on-his-deathbed (or in recovery) storyline pick-up as opposed to having him nicely healed up and ready to get back to action.

Call me pleasantly surprised.

I suppose had they lamented the whole Sanchez-gets-shot thing, it might've been way too heavy and/or dwelled on something that, while fantastically action-packed to watch, wasn't necessarily keyed to a huge plot development (as far as I know). Besides, who wants another Lilly Rush-esque shot-but-I-can't-deal-with-my-issues thing?

No thanks.

However, Sanchez isn't quite right in the head so as to be sent back onto the streets. Hmmm ... now where have I heard that before?

Darn behavioral specialists and their recommendations.


The Case

I don't know what to call this one: The Curious Case of a Girl Who Didn't Have Cancer, Fooled The Victim Into Taking Care of Her Anyway, Then Offed Him in the End When He Figured Out She Was a Scam?

Something like that.

Let's just say our victim was searching for some divine intervention after living the hard drug life (and burning a number of bridges trying to support his habit). To his credit, he was trying to straighten out his life with the help of ... how should I say ... a rather progressive, hippy-esque church - complete with its congregation meeting in a newly purchased roller rink.

Hey, whatever works.

Too bad Cancer Girl had other plans.



The Return of Parents

Oh yes.

They're back.

Staying with BJ and Fritzy for a few days on their way to a Hawaiian cruise ... until Daddy has heart attack.

Another one.

Cue BJ learning of his first one two years ago (at which time Mama and Papa chose deliberately NOT to tell her so as NOT to bother her).

Bummer.

But BEFORE that ... did we mention the sampling of wedding dresses Mama has brought along for BJ to try on? Or the let's-find-a-church scavenger hunt?



The Impending Wedding

With the dresses on display, the failed church hunt and the heart attack, we now know that a) Mama and Daddy are now in the house for a month as Daddy recuperates; b) the wedding is scheduled to be in a month (hmmm ... season finale, anyone?); c) the wedding isn't going to be in a church thanks to Mama figuring out BJ wants something low key - a hotel room, overlooking the beach with just a handful in attendance (party at BJ's house later, though).

And yet, does anyone sense some irony when Fritzy says now that it seems everything is to BJ's liking, the wedding just MIGHT happen?

Hmmm.

The season just started up again, and I already want to get to the finale.

So good to have The Closer back.

New episodes of The Closer air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. Visit The Closer official Web site for the scoop on all-things BJ and Co.

'Crusoe' Coming Full Circle

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

"It's an island that cannot be found EXCEPT by those who already know where it is.

I've resisted saying this, but I can't help it, now.

Seriously.

Crusoe's island is supposedly in the middle of no where and/or so off course that the only map to it is tattooed on the back of scallywag, yet an awful lot of people seem to drop in for a visit, eh? Makes me think our Crusoe folk have access to Captain Jack Sparrow's compass.

But aside from that, it would seem the other shoe has dropped.

Or sandal.

Or boot.

Blackthorn is a fraud, and it is Crusoe who is entitled to his fortune.

After weeks of wondering what the heck is up between the two of them, we finally got our answer this past weekend. And Blackthorn is apparently so desperate to preserve his fraudulent take on the high life that he indeed sails himself to the island.

Have to say this surprised me.

Like, he just washed up.

Didn't we only JUST have the whole trick-Susannah-into-signing-over-the-kids thing? (I kinda thought he wasn't really going to sail to find Crusoe.)

But alas, desperate men do desperate things.

And yet, I felt so sorry for Crusoe the whole time he was proudly showing Blackthorn around the island. I just wanted to reach through the screen and shake him into reality: "Don't you know the dude is going to stab you in the back the first chance he gets!!!"

Argh.

Poor Crusoe. He has no reason to suspect. But Friday does - even if it's only in a very generic sense.

How many times has Friday saved the day? Love. Him.

But can I just say: Olivia, Olivia, Olivia. UGH! You get points for freeing Susannah from the mad house AND getting her the truth about Crusoe's rightful claim to the Blackthorn fortune, but you BURN the letter he wrote for her and/or are scheming to get back with him?!?!?!

Say it ain't so!

New episodes of Crusoe air Saturdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. Visit NBC's Official Crusoe Web site for the inside scoop on the series. The site is awfully cool - and that's not just the Pirates fangirl in me talking.

11 'Amazing' New Teams

The Amazing Race is gearing up to kick off its new season next month with the first deaf contestant.  The twenty-two year old recent college grad teamed up with his mother for the Emmy-winning reality series' 14th season, and he told The AP that the show was more difficult than he had thought.  "I thought it would be easy because my mother and I have always communicated really well," the longtime Amazing Race fan, who doesn't speak or read lips, said through an interpreter. "In the airports, my mom had to do all of the work because she had to do all of the talking. It was kind of hard for me to depend on her to do all of that." Also onboard for the trip are stuntmen, Southwest Airlines flight attendants, former NFL cheerleaders, and college athletes. The new season of The Amazing Race will take teams over 40,000 miles in 22 days to nine countries, including — for the first time — Romania as well as Switzerland, India and Russia when it premieres February 15th on CBS.  Here's a closer look at the 11 teams:

Name: Mark Munoz
Hometown: Los Angeles
Age: 48
Occupation: Stuntman
Name: Michael Munoz
Hometown: Maui, Hawaii
Age: 51
Occupation: Stuntman
Relationship: Brothers
___
Name: Tammy Jih
Hometown: San Francisco
Age: 26
Occupation: Lawyer
Name: Victor Jih
Hometown: Los Angeles
Age: 35
Occupation: Lawyer
Relationship: Siblings
___
Name: LaKisha Hoffman
Hometown: New York
Age: 28
Occupation: Program Coordinator
Name: Jennifer Hoffman
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Age: 24
Occupation: Marketing Assistant
Relationship: Sisters
___
Name: Christie Volkmer
Hometown: Choctaw, Okla.
Age: 37
Occupation: Flight Attendant
Name: Jodi Wincheski
Hometown: Houston
Age: 40
Occupation: Flight Attendant
Relationship: Flight Attendants
___
Name: Cara Rosenthal
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.
Age: 26
Occupation: Law Student
Name: Jaime Edmondson
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Age: 29
Occupation: Former Police Officer
Relationship: Former NFL Cheerleaders
___
Name: Brad Hunt
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 52
Occupation: Distribution Dispatcher
Name: Victoria Hunt
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 47
Occupation: Tax Manager
Relationship: Married
___
Name: Mel White
Hometown: Lynchburg, Va.
Age: 68
Occupation: Clergyman
Name: Mike White
Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.
Age: 38
Occupation: Actor-Writer
Relationship: Father and Son
___
Name: Linda Cole
Hometown: Martinsville, Va.
Age: 52
Occupation: Customer Service Supervisor
Name: Steve Cole
Hometown: Martinsville, Va.
Age: 43
Occupation: Carpenter
Relationship: Married
___
Name: Jennifer Hopka
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Age: 26
Occupation: Student
Name: Preston McCamy
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Age: 28
Occupation: Software Engineer
Relationship: Dating
___
Name: Amanda Blackledge
Hometown: San Diego
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Name: Kris Klicka
Hometown: San Diego
Age: 24
Occupation: Sales Representative
Relationship: Dating
___
Name: Margie Adams
Hometown: Denver
Age: 51
Occupation: Clinical Research Associate
Name: Luke Adams
Hometown: Denver
Age: 23
Occupation: College Graduate
Relationship: Mother and Son

For more on the new season, visit cbs.com.

'Cold Case' Goes Door to Door

You know that moment when you were a child and you realized your parents were just as human as anyone else and not some sort of superhero capable of answering any question, healing any boo-boo and helping with any homework problem?  I feel kinda stuck in the aftermath of that moment with Cold Case.  I used to think that it was, hands-down, the best show on television, but then I discovered Veronica Mars and Friday Night Lights and now Damages.  So OK, it wasn't the best show on TV anymore, but it was certainly the best crime drama.  Except, then I discovered The Closer and Dexter and CC began to pale in comparison.  That was OK, though, because despite its slide from best quality show to best quality crime show to 3rd best crime show, I still considered it to be my favorite show on TV.  Now, quite frankly, I don't.  It's like all those other shows showed me CC's shortcomings.  The problem with this is, I'm not sure how to write about CC anymore.  It just isn't the show it used to be (back when it could hold its own with those better shows on a good week and fight for the top quality spot on an excellent week), but I do still enjoy it.  I watch it differently now, but I tend to be a little too critical because I'm used to a different style of storytelling.  Take this week's episode (which, had it not been for my DVR, I would have missed because I didn't realize that the show was on, which, BTW, should be an indicator right there because I used to always know when CC was on):  it was good, it was, but it wasn't great.  I enjoyed it, but I wasn't riveted like I used to be with this show.

I think my biggest problem with the story was the fact that a brush salesman who spent his afternoons going door-to-door in this perfectly manicured neighborhood got himself completely wrapped up in the personal lives of his customers.  So caught up, it cost him his life.  I had a hard time swallowing this plot point and without it, there was no motive, so you had to be onboard with the character and his connection to the families in order to be onboard with the episode.  Yup, this is where I went wrong.  As usual with this show, though, I enjoyed the jaunt through history and all of the sets, costumes, hair, lingo, etc. was done perfectly (again, as usual).  It was a visual feast for the eyes if nothing else.

I also enjoyed the continuation of Lilly's story.  Her scene with her father in the car is further proof that if given the right material, Kathryn Morris really shines.  They haven't done much with her character this season (other than this daddy story line and a brief romance with guest star Bobby Cannavale).  I'd like to see them write some cases that affect her emotionally like they used to during the show's first and second seasons.  CC is missing these sorts of scenes and it's hurting my connection to the character and thus, the show.  So, Cold Case may have lost its magical luster over the past few seasons, but it's still strong enough to keep me watching.  This episode gets a solid "good," so CC moves to 13-0-1 on the season.

Screencaps courtesy RichE. 

'Psych' is on Fire

What do you get when you cross an arsonist and a murderer?  For most of us, you just get an arsonist.  But for Shawn and Gus, you get an "ar-ssassin" or a "furderer."  And that was just one of many hilarious moments from this week's episode of Psych.  We learned in the opening flashback that Shawn had wanted to be a fire fighter when he was a kid, so working a case with the fire department that required him to spend a lot of time at the fire house was a pretty nice slice of heaven for him.  He even got to don the attire, slide down the poll, and rush to the scene of a real fire (and another case of arson).  Unfortunately, he didn't get the full training so rushing into the first floor of a burning building with Gus in toe wasn't exactly the duo's smartest move.  Although, it did lead to one of their funniest.  Shawn was walking through the first floor when he realized he couldn't find Gus.  So, where was his faithful sidekick?  Crawling along the floor and telling Shawn that the key is to stay low.  And he's right of course.  We've all heard the whole "Stop, drop and roll" instruction, but unfortunately, it doesn't provide much help when the ceiling above you collapses and brings skeletal remains with it!  Cut to Shawn and Gus sitting on a gurney holding oxygen masks to their faces.  

In the end, Shawn discovered that the ar-ssassin/furderer was setting the fires to cover up bodies that he hid in the walls of the buildings back in 1998.  Why?  Because these buildings were scheduled for retro-fitting to bring them come up to code for earthquake safety.  The retro-fitting would expose the bodies and the killer would be discovered.  What he didn't count on, however, was having his fires reveal the bodies stuffed into the walls 10 years earlier.  So in the end, the former fireman/current fire prevention specialist (yes, I too enjoyed the irony) wound up divulging his own dirty deeds and landing himself a cushy cell in the local jail.

Psych airs Friday nights on USA Network. Catch up on this episode and others at hulu.com.

In McCormack and Cavanagh, We 'Trust'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Trust me.

When you have actors Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh on the phone at the same time, getting a word in edgewise is a challenge. You just want to try and keep up as they riff off one another, finish each others' sentences and let the one-liners fly.

Just don’t call their new show Trust Me a dramedy (you know, that combination of "drama" and "comedy").

“We don’t like saying ‘dramedy.’ Will one of you [bloggers] please coin a new phrase?” jokes Eric.

“Nobody likes to say ‘dramedy,’” adds Tom. “Come up with a new thing. That’s your single mission.”

The new TNT series, which premieres Monday at 10 p.m., centers on two best friends working as creative partners at a top-ranked Chicago ad agency. The series also co-stars Monica Potter (Boston Legal), Griffin Dunne (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Sarah Clarke (24), Mike Damus (Lost in Yonkers) and Geoffrey Arend (Garden State).

In between both laughing AT and WITH Eric and Tom, we learn this was the right script at the right time for both actors to draw them back into series television.

Says Eric: “I missed being on a series. I wanted something smart that was about grown ups but was also funny. I didn’t want to be a cop or a lawyer. And the authenticity of this script – both the advertising part and the friendship part - really spoke to me. It was exactly what I wanted to do, and I just prayed to get paired up with somebody great.”

He pauses for a moment.

Cue the punch line.

“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. But, I do get Tom Cavanagh, which is just fine. It’ll do.”

Tom laughs and says: “I’m [always] looking for anything that’s well written, and this was one of those instances. There is no good show without good writing, and in this instance, I like playing the guy who is a little darker [and] different from some of the other stuff I’ve done. [My] character walks a line, and the show [itself] walks a line between funny and serious. As an actor, [being a part of a show like this] is just a boon to play.”

Set against the backdrop of the high-pressure world of advertising (no, this is NOT a present-day Mad Men), the show focuses on Eric’s character of Mason and Tom’s character of Conner as a pair of ad men who have enjoyed a successful creative partnership for a number of years – albeit a yin-yang relationship.

Art director Mason is the responsible, workaholic family man with a wife, two children and a loyalty to the brands he helps sell. Copywriter Conner is single, impulsive and has the attention span of a teenager. Their relationship is put to the test when Mason is named a creative director of the agency, making him Conner’s boss, and the series follows the changing dynamics between the two friends.

On playing Connor, Tom says: “I like everything about it. I like the fact he’s irresponsible, petty, shallow, immature and brilliant. He can skate on a lot of things simply because he’s decent at what he does [work-wise], but he [is also] actually a decent friend. There’s goodness in spite of all [his] womanizing and drinking. And he feels very real – like a lot of the guys I know. So, it’s enjoyable playing him. And he’s exceptionally well written. Any time you’re doing episodic [television], and you’re going to see and play the [same character] every day, you want it to be something that you like to do and [also have it be] a character that is well written.”

On playing Mason, Eric agrees and says: “For me, as much as it’s fun to play characters that are a complete 180 degrees from your own personality, there’s a part of me that really likes bringing my own sensibility and sense of humor to [a role]. I had eight years [on Will & Grace] of [portraying a gay man], so it’s nice to now be able to play [husband and wife] stuff. And some of what has been written for Sarah Clarke’s character and I - as husband and wife - has mirrored my life in terms of some of the arguments I’ve had and some of the situations I’ve had with my own wife. So, that is fun – to be able to bring your real life [into] those [fictional] situations. And, I like Mason’s central dilemma; the idea of a guy that didn’t really think he wanted any power suddenly having power and trying to figure out how to use it. As an actor who has been a producer, I’ve had that exact dilemma where one day I’m happy to be the boss and happy to be in control, and the next day I just want nothing to do with it. I just want to play like actors play and let somebody else make the decisions. So I think I relate to [his dilemma].”

Inevitably, one wonders how audiences will take to Eric’s new role after having adored him for so long as the incomparable, Emmy® award winning Will Truman on Will & Grace. That is, does he fear audiences have typecast him as being an actor only known for playing gay-centric roles on sitcoms?

“I guess we’ll find out,” says Eric. “But, I don’t think so. What I found when I started to shop around again and meet with some of the people at the networks to see what the next step might be [to get back on a series], they weren’t only presenting sitcoms to me, and they weren’t only presenting gay roles. There was a lot of leading man stuff. So, I think I managed to play [Will] and circumvent that [kind of typecasting]. I’m very proud of Will and of [Will & Grace], but I think people know that was just a role I was playing, and they will hopefully give me a chance to be Mason.”

When I specifically asked both actors what they found most challenging about being on the new show, it actually turned into what they’ve found most rewarding: the writing. Seeing as this show is being brought to us by Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny, c0-executive producers of TNT’s hit series (and PTR Fave) The Closer, we’re not surprised.

Says Eric: “Both of us have worked on hour or half hour [shows] where half of your energy is spent looking at the dialogue going, man, how do we fix this? How do we make this work? But here, we’ve just found [script after script] arrive, and we don’t want to fix anything. It’s all just really working. Every script has been really great.”

So what does the duo think will compel people to want to watch the new show?

“If you can get in on Trust Me from the beginning,” says Eric, “you’re going to love these characters and the fresh setting. This show doesn’t feel like any other show that I’ve seen in the last few years. I’ve been saying it’s kind of thirtysomething, but it has almost a Boston Legal kind of madness to it as well. I think it’s a real mix for people looking for a smart funny hour.”

But leave the type casting at the door.

“Don’t judge us,” says Tom.

“I think both of us have shows behind us that we are really proud of, but we are exceptionally proud of this [show]. We hope people that watch television understand that we’re actors, and we have to move from thing to thing. But, at the same time, if you’re a big fan of a certain show, certain characters get burned into your minds. Just give us a chance to be these [new] guys and not the guys we used to be. I think you’re going to love these characters.”

And tell your friends and family to watch.

“And their friends’ families and their families’ friends,” says Tom.

Trust Me premieres Monday, January 26th at 10 p.m. on TNT. You can learn more about the series by visiting the Trust Me Official Web site.

Closing Out with 'The Closer's' James Duff

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

We miss Brenda Leigh Johnson when she’s on hiatus.

Even if it’s only for a handful of months.

Thankfully, she’s back beginning January 26th, bringing us the final five episodes of the fourth season.

So what does series creator and executive producer James Duff have in store for us?

PTR recently had the chance to catch up with the brainchild of The Closer, and he let us know how the final batch of episodes for this season will tie nicely into what he’s already thinking of for NEXT season. What can we say … James has definitely got a clear creative vision for BJ and Co. (And we do love him for that vision - now four years strong).

“There are going to be some surprises both in form and in function as the show goes on,” says James. “And the characters change. I mean, that's the great thing about being on cable television – the characters get to evolve the way human beings evolve [and in the way] people tend to reveal themselves. So, I think the stories are going to get more suspenseful. And, we're going to have a little bit more humor.”

And how does James think the major themes of power and control have manifested themselves this season (‘cause we remember he told us about this when we visited with cast and crew on set last summer)?

“I’m not very good at self-grading,” he says with a laugh. “So, I don’t know how to quantify what we’ve done except to say I’ve learned a great deal about how I felt about power, and what I felt power means in our every day lives. The power of relationships honestly seems to have the most impact in our daily lives. It’s not money or ambition or anything else, it’s the power of our personal relationships that seems to dictate [what we do].

“And yet,” he continues. “I feel like we came no where near exhausting that theme, and we’re only leaving it because we shouldn’t do two years in a row revolving around the same [thing]. And yet, in writing about power, I’ve discovered it really is an illusion. We don’t really have so much power in our ordinary lives. The only thing that we really can count on in everyday life is change – that’s the only constant in our lives. Our ability to adapt is what makes human beings sort of the king of this planet – our ability to roll with the punches. And, as my father used to say, it’s what keeps us interesting and alive. But [the theme of] change – changes in relationships, changes in the squad, changes in how investigations are conducted – is set up by the way [our team has] dealt with power [this season].”

So pay attention folks.

‘Cause we’re in for some good times.

“Each season, we want to be better than the season before. And I think because you get to know the characters better on the show, you get a chance – you get an opportunity – to swing for the bleachers [each year]. You may not hit it into the bleachers, but you [at least] get a chance. And we [like to] keep trying.”

Sounds good to us (especially since we here at PTR feel as if the gang over at The Closer hit it into the bleachers EVERY season).

New episodes of The Closer begin Monday, January 26th at 9 p.m. on TNT. Visit The Closer official Web site for the scoop on all-things BJ and Co.

A Double Set of 'Bones'

Last night's Bones was a 2fer, which means we'll look at each hour individually for this week's breakdown. Our favorite crime fighting duo went from under the big top to on ice through the course of the double feature. For a closer look, here's this week's breakdown:

THE GOOD

UNDER THE BIG TOP: Booth and Bones joining the circus and all of the hilarity that ensued pretty much wrote itself. And I'm not afraid to admit that I was on the edge of my seat during that knife routine! Booth was very impressive! Of course, the two of them pretending to be Russian was pretty hilarious as well.

ON ICE: Booth confronting a huge skeleton from his past (thanks to Sweets) roped me in right away. He had been struggling with his abusive father's problems with alcohol and whether or not the rage inside of his father lived inside of him as well. It was nice to see it come to a head here as he took some of it out on the ice and got a little inspiration from a hockey star. And of course, I loved the ice skating scene at the end with Booth and Bones. Too cute.

THE BAD
UNDER THE BIG TOP: The return of way-too-much-information intern. While I do find some of his anecdotes interesting, he takes too long to get to the point costing the team precious time when solving cases. And this one is completely superficial, but I wasn't a fan of Bones's circus wig.

ON ICE: Ice fishing in DC?? I live in the DC area and there is no way these two were ice fishing anywhere around here. I guess we were to assume that the lake where Booth's rival on the ice was found was somewhere other than the greater DC area. Still, it was a bit of a stretch for me. I also wasn't digging the FBI agent sent in to replace Booth (seeing as he was the prime suspect and all) nor was I liking the attraction between her and Booth.

THE UGLY
UNDER THE BIG TOP: That ambulance-chaser stepfather whose constant need to sue led to the circus covering up the twins' accidental death and disposing of the remains on the Texas/Oklahoma border. And just for Booth, I'll throw the clowns into this category as well.

ON ICE: Pretty much all of the hockey scenes. There was more blood on that ice than a typical Bones murder scene! The one that stands out the most for me, though, has to be the face into the wall right in front of Bones and co. and the blood that ran down aforementioned wall during the rest of the scene. Yup, that one takes the cake.

If you missed last night's episodes ("Double Trouble in the Panhandle" & "Fire in the Ice"), check them out for free at Hulu.com.

'Damages' Changes Its Pace (for the better)

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

It's hard to think that Damages could improve upon its humdinger of a first season.

After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But tinkering can be OK.

We recall the first season was one giant jigsaw puzzle, with both past and present needing to be decoded and put back into place by the viewer in order to to figure out who was what, where, when and why. Die hards like yours truly loved this and couldn't get enough. But if you were a casual viewer and missed an episode (or two), you were in a world of hurt trying to catch up.

This season, the Damages folks have made the show much easier for all of us to follow WITHOUT sacrificing the intricacy of its ingenious storytelling.

How?

By placing more emphasis on the present day whilst having the flashbacks be shorter snapshots that tie directly into the middle of the present day scene. Soooo, the "past" flashback plays more like a supplement - you don't actually need it, but it's really super helpful that it's there.

Case in point: this week's reveal that Patty had a son with Daniel Purcell, who also happened to have been a key witness in her first gi-normous case when she stepped out on her own.

Whaaaat????

Yes, that's right: Patty and Daniel = Michael.

And yet, had this been the first season, the reveal might have been more cryptic, involve more guess-work and head-scratching. I'm not sure the flashback sequences would've been placed so nicely in the middle of Ellen's confrontation of Patty (where she fesses up as to why she's just a little obsessed defending Purcell; after all, criminal law is not her thing).

Suffice it to say the slight modification in the way the show reveals its story is giving this season a very cohesive feel whilst maintaining the show's penchant for dealing us surprises and left curves.

And Daniel Purcell is just one surprise after another: he's the father of Patty's child; former key witness of Patty's first major case; out to possibly nail the energy company for whom he supposedly worked on contract running toxicity tests; might have murdered his wife (yes, no, maybe so, I don't know); having an affair with head counsel of aforementioned energy company ... did we forget anything?

And we thought we only needed to watch out for Ellen this season.

Love.This.Show.

New episodes of Damages air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. To catch up on the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the show, head on over to the official Damages Web site.

The Not So Common Cold

If there was ever a show that needed a brief "Previously on...," it's this week's return of Fringe.  I spent the first 15-20 minutes completely confused and distracted by the various faces and the cursory check I was running through my memory as I was trying to figure out whether I was supposed to recognize them or not.  To make matters worse, I knew I had seen the actors before, but I wasn't sure if it was on this show or others.  Needless to say, I was ready to throw in the proverbial towel and forget the show entirely when finally, the epidemiologist died while giving a lecture to his class at Boston University, and the "spikey slug thing" climbed out of his mouth.  Suddenly, the episode transformed from random stuff that I was maybe supposed to remember to a typical freaky tale of the week.  Everything else seemed to fall into place and I was good to go for the remainder of the hour.  

So, someone found a way to take one cell of the virus that produces the common cold (which, I can only surmise from those commercials with the rhinoceros in them that it must have been the Rhino Virus) and blow it up -- as in, made it bigger.  Much bigger.  We're talking pet rabbit bigger.  Then, they cultivated the "eggs" for the virus making it so one only needs to drop a few "eggs" in a glass of water, give said glass of water to the individual for whom they wish to kill, wait for the impending victim to drink the glass of water and watch as the "egg" turn into a living viral organism that crawls (?) its way out of the victim's GI tract through the throat (essentially suffocating the victim) and out the mouth.  I know what you're thinking: Why not find an easier way to kill someone?  Either the group behind this little project is extremely bored or they are in love with irony (since the victims were epidemiologists who had both been hired by the CDC to head a special task force on outbreaks).  We never really found out which, but the dirty FBI agent who told his wife to kill Olivia (and was also behind her "kidnapping" in the beginning) seemed to indicate that this project has something to do with saving people (obviously, not the victims in this story).  But, you never know whether you can believe a double agent, so I guess we'll have to stay tuned on this one.

Fringe airs Tuesday nights on Fox. If you missed last night's episode, watch it for free at Fox.com. Photo courtesy Fox.