'Lost' on the Other Island Again

The much-anticipated return of Lost finally happened this week. Let's just hope that ABC finds a better plan for next season because this one did not work! Anyway, here's what Turtlemama and I have to say:

Turtlemama says: Well, the island is a research facility...who didn't see that coming? I called it in the second half of season one, just for the record!
We saw Kate and Sawyer escape back to their island with the banished boyfriend (what was his name? I'm sure he'll be a new cast member on the original island in the coming episodes). Getting Julia's background was a HUGE eye-opener! Since Ben promised she could leave the island, guess who will take her place? Yep, Jack...just watch, I'm calling it first! So, does all of this mean that we'll soon learn everything about the island that we've wondered about since the first episode? Or, will the writers leave us hanging and not tie up some loose ends once the series is finalized? With as many mysteries as 'Lost' brings us, I'm going to assume that the writers can't even remember all of them! I'm very interested in what is going on back at the original island. How is the morale over there? We never really hear about the rest of the 40+
survivors, just the main characters...so how is going over there, guys? I want to know! Inquiring minds and all....

Next week we see that Kate wants to rescue Jack, will this lead to a rescue or to the two 'tribes' combining (ala 'Survivor' anyone?) and continuing the research? And what kind of research are they doing, anyway...for what purpose? And dude, could the head guy who recruited Julia wear any more eyeliner? That was kind of creepy. I guess that we'll just continue to watch, we've invested enough time now that I can't just give up on the Oceanic flight survivors, can you?


TVFan says: Lost comes back and we're once again back on the other island with The Others! I was so disappointed that we didn't get to see any of our favorite castaways back on the original island. I think this is why this episode dragged for me. BUT, there were some good reveals in this one. From Julia's flashback, I think we can assume that The Others are a group of researchers recruited for their expertise in different fields. For Julia, it's her pregnancy research that led to her impregnating a male mouse and her sterile, sick sister. The question is, is Ben the CEO of this company and is it all related to Dharma? And speaking of Ben, it seems that he and Rousseau had a thing because they have a daughter together: Alex. We can conclude that Rousseau was originally a part of The Others before they became "The Others." Finally, the island (or group of islands) could be located off the coast of Portland somewhere (as odd as that may seem). When the recruiter (and Ethan!!) asked Julia in the morgue to come work for him, she mentioned something about moving all the way to Portland, and he said that it wasn't exactly Portland. This location also jives with the survivors' flight, which was headed for LA. Perhaps, though, one of the most important reveals (at least in the eyes of the survivors) was learning that there is a way home (or at least the promise of one because I don't believe that Ben will live up to his end of the bargain he made with Julia). Let's hope that the answers keep coming this second half of the season. Lastly, am I the only one who was totally creeped out by the image of Ben talking while lying on the table with his back open and spine exposed?? That's one that'll stay with me for a while!

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


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

Roadtrip, 'Scrubs' Style

When I say that Scrubs never ceases to surprise me, I'm usually referring to its witty dialog or emotion-filled core. Last night, however, it was the show's shocking ending that did the trick. Like JD, I believed Kim when she told him that she had miscarried, so learning that she hadn't seemed cruel. OK, so maybe she doesn't want to be tied down to JD anymore, but her lie is much worse than her lack of serious feelings for him. I hope that JD learns the truth. And then there was Jordan and Perry's baby scare. Of course, there was plenty of witty banter and funny moments to offset the more emotional storylines last night. Everything from the return of JD's half acre and things being "Dorian" to a roadtrip in Dr. Kelso's RV, Janitor's big exit from the RV, hilarious damage from the tunnel collision, Dr. Cox finally having a girl (other than JD), and Mike Ausiello's (from TV Guide) guest spot (as Kim's ob/gyn at the end) kept me laughing out loud. You know what else kept me laughing? The hilarious lines, so here's a look at last night's best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this week's edition of the Scrubies.


The Scrubies
"Ted, I'm not retiring for at least 3 years. If she's still alive, I'll deal with it then." Dr. Kelso regarding his wife traveling around in the RV with him when he retires

"You have been wrong about so many things that I'm not even going to say something's wrong anymore. Instead, I'm going to say it's 'Dorian.'" Dr. Cox to JD

"I can't wait to find out the sex of that unborn tax break." Dr. Cox regarding his unborn child

"I knew that little tan baby would eventually ruin everything!" JD's narration after learning that Turk wasn't going on the roadtrip because he was getting to know his daughter

"Jordan, the boy already lip-syncs into your tampons. Must we put the final nail in his tiny gay coffin?" Dr. Cox regarding his son

"Why would they build a tunnel that an RV couldn't fit into?" JD right before crashing Dr. Kelso's RV into the tunnel

"Unless it was a girl. Then, you could just throw like yourself." Kim to JD regarding their baby

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


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

SVU Writers Have Found A Loophole

By: Trublu
PTR Staff Writer

NBC Recap

How many officers does it take to bring down a huge guy high on PCP? Apparently three detectives, a captain, a cop, and Munch yelling in the background. Elliot gets thrown like a Frisbee through a window after hitting the man with a fire extinguisher in the back of the head. (How he isn’t knocked unconscious after that, I don’t know.) Olivia tasers him, and he still gets back up and goes after her. Fin finally hits him over the head with a chair, and he collapses. A chair?! After a fire extinguisher and a taser gun, he goes down with a hit from a chair? Why, writers, why? Still better, why did this scene even exist? It has nothing to do with the rest of the episode, and Elliot could have been written off as being in court. That poor kid could have dropped off the package and ran. An exciting but rather wasted beginning of an episode.

After that entire debacle, we finally actually get to see what was in the package that the kid brought into the squad. And boy oh boy, it’s kiddie fun. Maybe the writers should bring back the guy on the PCP…

Or show more Elliot with his shirt off. Please! Elliot had to get a shot in the lower arm, below his elbow! Wear a fashionable hospital gown like the rest of us. I’ve seen enough of Elliot without his clothes on. At least we don’t see him for most of the rest of the episode.

At least Olivia’s time (and by time I really mean five seconds) in computer crimes paid off. Sort of. The bit about the memory card time and date… Sorry computer techy, but one seems to have forgotten that anyone can set the date and time on that memory card to anything they want. Show me ten people who actually have the date and time set correctly on their memory card and I’ll buy you dinner. (And no, I’m not Lake. But I do wish that I could buy Casey dinner.)

The good stuff just keeps coming; the clichéd cop with a la donut. Why does Fin give that random kid a donut, anyway? If it was Diego, then I would understand. However, one good quote does come out of it:

Kid: How come you don’t know that already?
Fin: We’re too busy eating.

However, the best quote of the night comes a bit later, after Munch walks in following his off camera canvas of Diego’s school.

Fin: Oh, you’re late because you were doing something useful!

Laced, and I mean literally drenched, in sarcasm. The writers know that they are skimping on the Munch TV time. They’re writing it into the scripts! *Points to above quote.* And yet, they refuse to do something simple about it… say, write Munch into the script instead of writing about how he’s not in the script! I need some Munch time, stat!

Fin: We don’t speak your dialect of crazy.

Leave it to Munch to know about excessive production of earwax (also known as cerumen). I’d say that’s another dialect of crazy all together.

So, how does this relate to the case again? Olivia goes to talk to Diego. He passes out, then Jennifer passes out. No one notices the smoking radiator in the background. Go figure. Olivia at least does a good job of getting the tenants out of their apartments before she blacks out. One point for Olivia!

Cragen: Take her, restrain her if you have to.

Good, at least someone is following the rules. Jeez, Olivia. You were just exposed to an unknown toxin, and you’re refusing medical care. Smartness at its prime.

Fin: Leave it to the prince of paranoia to take it up a notch that’s a reach, even for you.

Yeah, only he’s right! After he found that check for Millstead, all evidence seems to indicate that he was intentionally poisoning Diego and documenting his reaction to the toxin. For once, we actually have a conspiracy on our hands! I can’t remember a good one since “Manic”. But, now that Millstead is dead, do the detectives regret how he died? Perhaps not that he’s dead, but the manner in which he was murdered. (With a sharpened toothbrush, in case you’ve forgotten.) Excellent example of our penitentiary system.

And Olivia is back to thinking like a victim and not a cop. Notice that only when Elliot returns to the scene does Olivia even remotely consider doing something illegal to get information. But once Elliot plants the idea… whoosh! We’re off to the races.

Computer Tech Morales: I never figured you for somebody who would break the law.

*Falls out of chair and laughs hysterically for hours.*

Really, hm? I guess you haven’t watched the last three seasons. Casey told Olivia that it would be virtually impossible. It’s not giving up if your continuing on to the billions of other open cases that you have on your desk, more kids waiting for your help. If you lose your job, Olivia, then what?

Wow. I barely have the words to describe this. Olivia and Morales are hacking into the company’s computers via the men’s room. Olivia in hospital drag: humorous. Olivia asking Morales for help: annoying. But Olivia crouching over a men’s room toilet and then making the “I thought it was the ladies room” excuse: priceless. How high schoolish is that? Wait, even we don’t pull that kind of junk.

Munch: And until he does get here you can enjoy the hospitality of our prisoner lounge.

Lawyer: I want to see your ADA now.
Casey: (coming in the door) You rang?

Casey: Don’t marinade on it too long gentlemen, this offer has a half life of ten seconds.

Major squeeing right now. Casey just used the words “marinade” and “half life” in the same sentence. She is so my hero.

If you were able to follow me this far, congratulations to you. You get a cookie! Even I don’t really know what happened this week. From PCP to packages to pedophiles to Homeland Security to poisonous research companies to… well, who knows what else they slipped in there that I missed. I heard a rumor that Arnold Schwarzenegger made a guest appearance and Stephanie March returned from witness protection as Alex Cabot (again) but everything was too confusing to catch it.

Preview for next week: Wow. This just keeps getting better and better. (Sarcasm.) “Elliot Stabler could never commit murder.” I’m hoping that this is a gross misadvertisement, as NBC is subject to do every once and a while. Elliot has already fallen off the edge; I don’t think many of us are inclined to see it happen again. Somebody give this guy a parachute or something.

There must be nowhere to go from here but up, right? So, pass the remote.

Wednesday's Primetime Pass

A look at what PTR is watching tonight

Lost (10 p.m. ABC) - "Not in Portland." Lost finally returns with this "Winter Premiere," which marks the show's move to its new later timeslot at 10 p.m. Tonight, Jack is in command as the fate of Ben's life literally rests in his hands. Meanwhile, Kate and Sawyer find an ally in one of The Others, and Juliet makes a shocking decision that could endanger her standing with her people.


Friday Night Lights (8 p.m. NBC) - "Blinders." Tim (Taylor Kitsch) and Billy (Derek Phillips) adjust to having their father back in their lives while Tami (Connie Britton) worries about Julie's (Aimee Teegarden) new friendship with Tyra (Adrianne Palicki). The game everyone is preparing for this time doesnt include the Dillon Panthers as the girls take the reigns in a game of Powderpuff football.

Bones (8 p.m. Fox) - "The Girl in the Gator." After Booth maliciously shoots a clown ornament on an ice cream truck, his gun is taken away and hes forced to meet with an FBI psychiatrist to prove hes mentally stable in order to get his gun back. That leaves Brennan headed to Florida on her own to investigate the death of a young college student whose body is found inside that of a dead alligator. Since Booth is out of commission for the time being, her FBI counterpart on the case is Agent Tim Sullivan (guest star Eddie McClintock, Desperate Housewives).

Medium (10 p.m. NBC) - "Apocalypse, Push." Skeptical Texas Ranger Kenneth Push (guest star Arliss Howard) comes back into Allisons (Emmy winner Patricia Arquette) life after, in a surprising turn of events, he begins to experience dreams of a shocking murder in Phoenix. Also, Joe (Jake Weber) suffers an embarrassing moment after telling a white lie.

Also tonight, recording artist Nelly Furtado makes a guest appearance on CBS' CSI: NY (10 p.m.). She plays a shoplifter who lines her clients' pockets with the items they desire on the hit crime drama. Here's a photo of Furtado in the episode courtesy of CBS:



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

When it Rains, it Pours on 'Mars'

I knew Veronica's "I'm pregnant" scene from the promo was just a red herring to get everyone talking and tuning in for last night's episode. I never believe promos because I have been misled by far too many in the past. On the plus side, if the little "I'm pregnant" bit got more people to tune in last night, then I'm all for deceptive advertising! And for the record, I'm so glad that they didn't write a Veronica pregnancy drama into the show (not that I thought they would -- I have faith in the fine folks at Veronica Mars). Anyway, Logan has gone and done it again by messing things up with Veronica. OK, so they were on a break, but it doesn't excuse his impulse to jump Madison Sinclair of all people! He knows how much Veronica hates her (and for good reason). I loved the way that Dick was a little hurt by it as well even though he played it off to Veronica. Perhaps Veronica overreacted a bit when she said that this indiscretion with Madison is something that she doesn't think she will be able to forgive, but the point is, Logan screwed up and he needs to realize it and why. I do think that she'll be able to get past it some day, just not one anytime soon. Bring on Piz.


Veronica didn't have a lot of time to sit and commiserate over her heartbreak because she was busy trying to figure out who slipped the abortion pill RU486 into a coed's drink. Remember the days when all you had to worry about were date rape drugs? Well, now you have to worry about the unhappy father-to-be slipping you abortion pills so he can shrug off the responsibilities that impending parenthood brings! But wait -- the two possible daddies are in the clear because it turns out that Bonnie's roommate slipped her the pill. She was worried about her best friend because she didn't want her to be tied down to someone for the rest of her life. Too bad she forgot to consult the mommy-to-be. Now this, Veronica, is something that you can never forgive. Can you imagine how violated and upset you would be even if you weren't sure that you were ready to have a child?!! Someone else made that decision for Bonnie. The good news is, the entire experience taught Veronica that anger does nothing to help you heal, and thus, Madison's new Benz was saved from the cubing machine.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("There's Got to be a Morning After Pill"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.

WANT TO WIN A WALK-ON ROLE ON "VERONICA MARS" AND HELP A GOOD CAUSE AT THE SAME TIME??
U.S. Vets, the largest non-profit in the country serving homeless veterans, is giving you the opportunity to win a walk-on role in a scene with series star Kristen Bell. From the press release:

Veronica Mars has provided a non-speaking, walk-on role opportunity in support of U.S. VETS. This role will be on one of the final episodes of Season 3 of Veronica Mars, filmed in San Diego, CA. The role is guaranteed to have direct interaction with Veronica, and you will get to meet the cast and crew. This opportunity will be available for as many tickets ($25/each) as you want to purchase. Cut off date is February 16, 2007.

An airline round-trip ticket will be provided from any city in the continental U.S. that is served by Southwest Airlines. The winner will be picked up at the airport in San Diego and taken directly to the set.

The date of the taping will take place sometime in February or March and will be chosen by the winner and the producers.

The entry form is available on the U.S.VETS website, www.usvetsinc.org. The winner will be notified the week of February 19th, and an announcement will be posted on the U.S. VETS website.

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

Tuesday's News & Notes

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

Veronica Mars (9 p.m. The CW) - "There's Got to be a Morning After Pill." Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired by Bonnie (guest star Carlee Avers), a promiscuous classmate, to find out who secretly slipped her the morning after pill, causing her to have a miscarriage. The investigation leads her to the office of Bonnie's boyfriend, Tim Foyle (guest star James Jordan), and while searching his computer, Veronica discovers Tim has uncovered a witness to Dean O'Dell's death. And be sure to tune into Pass the Remote tomorrow to find out how you can win a walk-on role and share a scene with star Kristen Bell!!

Gilmore Girls (8 p.m. The CW) - "I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia." In the hospital waiting room, Lorelai (Lauren Graham), Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Emily (Kelly Bishop) anxiously await word on Richard's (Edward Herrmann) condition. When Logan (Matt Czuchry) hears what is happening, he borrows a helicopter to be by Rory's side, but Lorelai is unable to reach Christopher (David Sutcliffe), who is still angry over their fight the night before.

Law & Order: SVU (10 p.m. NBC) - "Loophole." A photograph in the envelope leads Dets. Fin (Ice-T) and Munch (Richard Belzer) to the apartment building that houses the crime scene. The investigation reveals the building supervisor has spent a lot of time with the boy in the picture, and he falls under suspicion. The case takes a physical toll on Det. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), the victim (guest star Marquis Rodriguez), and the boy's mother (guest star Karen Olivio) when they all appear to have similar medical issues.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Deal or No Deal, Heroes, CSI: Miami, CBS comedies (especially the premiere of Rules of Engagement)

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

QUICK CUTS
*ABC wants to make your dream come true with its new reality show The Great American Dream Vote. Donny Osmond will host the program that is currently searching for people with dreams. From the press release:

From the producers of ABC’s “The Bachelor” comes a new show that gives anyone the chance to make his/her lifelong wishes come true. All you need is the ability to dream big -- and to convince America to vote for you. The producers are looking for real people with real stories who want to make their dreams come alive.

Each episode of “The Great American Dream Vote” will introduce eight contestants from across America, all of whom will reveal a lifelong dream to the studio audience and explain why they think it deserves to be fulfilled. As the contestants square off, the studio audience will cast votes, eliminating entrants over several rounds. By the end of each show, only two finalists will remain. Then viewers at home will have the opportunity to vote on which of the two most deserves to have his or her dream realized, and the results will be disclosed at the opening of the following week’s episode.

Want to be on the show? All you need is a dream to apply. To apply by phone, please call (323.463.2530 ). Please leave a message no longer than two minutes in length. Speak slowly and clearly. Remember to include your name / telephone number (twice) and briefly tell us what your dream is and why it’s so important to you. To apply by mail, please go to ABC.com, Keyword: casting, to complete the application. Please be sure to complete all sections of the application and sign and date where indicated. Attach the application to a video tape of yourself and mail it to:

Great American Dream Vote
6230-A Wilshire Blvd #1802
Los Angeles Ca. 90048

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Tuesday! Look for the 7th season of Charmed to hit shelves today along with Kate & Alley (season 3), and Mad About You (season 3). For more on today's releases, click on over to tvshowsondvd.com.


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

Claire's Father Figure

So, NBC had been teasing the big "Daddy Reveal" on Heroes for a week, and I'll admit -- I was dying to know the identity of Claire's real father. I was pretty sure it was going to be HRG because he seemed like the least likely viable suspect (and you know these shows love to shock us), but Nathan Petrelli was a much better pick! We know that he likes his indiscretions, so it's totally plausible that he'd have a teenager daughter out there from one of them. I think we can all lay to rest the notion that Peter and Claire are going to hook up since she's now his niece! And I know that I'm not the only one who thinks the fact that Claire should have died in a fire and her real mother can start a fire with her fingers is a mere coincidence. I'm just not so sure that meeting mommy was the best idea. HRG has kept his daughter away from her birth parents for a reason. Speaking of HRG, I wasn't sure how he was going to get out of his self-built prison (and I'm still not sure how he did, but minor detail). I wasn't so sure that Claire's adoptive mom would live to see another episode when Sylar showed up at her house. How creepy is it that he can go from sweet boy next door to homicidal maniac in a fraction of a second?! Definitely one of the best bad guys ever!

Meanwhile, Peter continued to figure out how to use his power on his terms. Invisible Man decided to throw him off the roof in a sink or swim move that found Peter sinking more than swimming. So maybe he didn't use his ability to fly in order to save himself, but he did call on the power to regenerate by thinking about Claire and how he felt when he used it with her. As Invisible said, it's a start. Lock your doors, stay inside and don't make any sudden moves because Niki/Jessica is out of jail!! I'm still trying to figure out how her power is an advantage because it seems like nothing other than a hindrance and burden. One thing's for sure, she is going to owe Linderman for the rest of her life. Sometimes your "Get Out of Jail Free" card just isn't worth it!

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


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

Tired, but Charming 'Rules'

CBS' newest comedy Rules of Engagement (premieres tonight, 9:30 p.m.) fits nicely into its successful Monday comedy block. It's cute, charming, and it grows on you. Since the wonderful folks at CBS were kind enough to send me the first three episodes, I can tell you that the pilot is the weakest outing. The show improves greatly with its second and third episodes. The premise, different phases of relationships seen through a married couple, a newly engaged couple and a single guy, is interesting if not original. Russell (David Spade), the single guy, is your typical cliched skirt chaser and the married couple (Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price) is the usual sitcom fare, but the characters are endearing enough to push past it. Sometimes, the conflict that these two create for newly engaged Adam (Oliver Hudson) feels a bit forced. Both Russell and Jeff like to fill Adam's head with fear and the idea that he's making a big mistake, and Adam seems to question his commitment too easily. Patrick Warburton's monotone portrayal of Jeff wore on me at first, but seemed to be less of an issue in subsequent episodes. Bianca Kajlich (Quinn on the cancelled Vanished) is adorable and she brings a fresh and endearing quality to the newly engaged Jennifer. In fact, she and Adam were my favorite characters along with the married Audrey. And just wait until you find out what "The Birthday Deal" is all about in episode 2! Rules certainly isn't perfect, but its strengths are enough to overlook any of its weaknesses and make this an enjoyable sitcom about navigating the complicated waters of relationships.

THE 411

PREMISE: The complexity of relationships as seen through a married couple, a newly-engaged couple and a single guy
STARRING: David Spade, Oliver Hudson, Patrick Warburton, Megyn Price and Bianca Kajlich
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Tom Hertz, Jack Giarraputo, Doug Robinson and Andy Ackerman
BOTTOM LINE: Charming characters, fun premise and funny situations make this one a comedy worth checking out. GRADE: B+
PREMIERES: February 5th at 9:30 p.m. (TONIGHT) on CBS. For more information, visit cbs.com.

Earlier in the evening, you can watch two NFL legends on two of CBS' biggest comedies. First, catch Emmitt Smith on How I Met Your Mother (8 p.m.). Barney begs the legend for the Super Bowl score in this photo from CBS:


Then, catch Jerry Rice on The Class (8:30 p.m.). Duncan runs into the NFLer at Nicole and Yonk's home in this photo from CBS:



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

'Scrubs' Goes Inside Kelso's Head

There are certain topics that you should never bring up at work, and last night's episode of Scrubs highlighted the reasons behind one of them. The War in Iraq is too divisive for casual watercooler conversation, but since this is Scrubs, Dr. Cox and Laverne started a hilarious debate that quickly engulfed the entire staff at Sacred Heart. We also had a botched attempt at "Welcome Back Carla," Ted the Magic 8 Ball, Kelso's perspective, Private Dancer, a hysterical conversation between JD and Turk on comics, Kelso's "Johnny" tattoo, "The Iraq War for Idiots," Bob playing the role of head nurse, and cup quotes. Here's a look at last night's best, funniest and all around awesome lines in this week's edition of the Scrubies.


The Scrubies
"Oh please Laverne, global warming? Here's an 'Inconvenient Truth' for you -- nobody cares." Eliot right before she sprays her entire head with hairspray

"Slaggie, if you want to get people's attention, you've got to get more aggressive or more attractive. Pick one." Dr. Kelso to an intern who was having trouble getting answers because the entire hospital was arguing over Iraq

"If this hospital were a human body, you'd be the appendix because at one time you served some function, but it was so long ago nobody's quite sure what that was anymore." Dr. Cox to Dr. Kelso

"You know what's so messed up, I just got to the point where President Bush gave his 'Mission Accomplished' speech on a battleship and I've still got like 400 pages to go." JD to Turk while he was reading "The Iraq War for Idiots"

"And I can help out Dr. Cox, even though I'd rather punch him in his piss-on-the-government-until-Jabar-is-crop-dusting-my-condo-with-Anthrax - NPR-listening-Al-Franken face." Eliot to Dr. Kelso

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


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

Suspense Builds for 'Friday Night'

So, I'm pretty sure that Lyla Garity reads this blog. Why else would she quote me word for word about her premature engagement to Jason?? Clearly, I said it here first and then she had to go and copy me last night on Friday Night Lights! All kidding aside, I'm very glad that she came to her senses about her future with Jason. Maybe they will ultimately end up married with a big house, dogs and kids as Jason mused, but neither of them is ready for any of that yet. Lyla was banging Jason's best friend not two months ago for pete's sake! And I know that Buddy Garity is a bit too much to take, but I still can't fault him for looking out for his daughter's best interest. Right now, Jason's future consists of a beautiful pipe dream and a sport that seems to resemble wheelchair basketball. In other words, he's just a kid and he should allow himself the time to grow and mature before he settles down with Lyla (or anyone else). Hopefully, Coach Taylor's "biggest commitment of your life" speech got through to him. Speaking of Coach Taylor, I haven't been too pleased with him these past few weeks. I know that he has been under a lot of stress with playoffs looming and Smash's steroids revelation, but he seemed to morph from the gentle, kind perfect man to a much meaner, jaded football coach. I didn't like it one bit. After last night's neighborhood football game with Smash, I think that he may be headed toward being his old, kind self. Fingers crossed!


I knew that Matt and Julie would break up, so it was only a matter of when and over what. Julie is weird about a lot of things, and she seems to blow stuff out of proportion. She was patient about Matt's football commitments, but you could tell that she was growing more and more POed about it. I think she knows that Matt didn't do anything with the Rally Girls, but it made for a convenient exit for her. Personally, I feel a little relieved because I felt like Matt had to walk on eggshells around her. Speaking of walking on eggshells, I felt bad for Tim when he realized that all of the crap his brother told him about his dad was true. It can't be easy to have a parent who always disappoints you, which is why I was encouraged by his father's attendance at the playoff game at the end. Maybe he's finally ready to be the father he always should have been. Next week, we get the excitement of the big game and it appears that things are about to get very interesting off the field as well.

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


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

Wednesday's News & Notes

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

Friday Night Lights (8 p.m. NBC) - "Upping the Ante." Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) struggles between preparing for the game and dealing with the situation with Smash (Gaius Charles) as the town of Dillon piles on the pressure. Relationships also begin to form as Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) and Julie (Aimee Teegarden) start an unlikely friendship and Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) reconnects with his estranged father. Jason (Scott Porter) and Lyla (Minka Kelly), on the other hand, have problems of their own as Buddy (Brad Leland) finds out news of their engagement. Be sure to click on over to nbc.com to catch the 2-Minute Replay to see what you've been missing.

Bones (8 p.m. Fox) - "The Man in the Cell." This show finally returns tonight!!! Brennan and Booth are called to the scene of a deadly fire at a D.C. prison to investigate what they believe is the death of Brennan's incarcerated adversary, serial killer Howard Epps, whose body was found burned beyond recognition. But Brennans examination leads to a chilling realization.


Medium (10 p.m. NBC) - "Very Merry Maggie." If dreams of child abuse weren't disturbing enough, Allison (Emmy winner Patricia Arquette) becomes spooked by a young boy's doll, who seems to have urged it's owner to kill. Meanwhile, with project deadline looming, Joe (Jake Weber) becomes concerned about his health.


About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: American Idol, NCIS (r), House, The Unit (r), Boston Legal

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

And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday! Here's a look at last week's Top 10 shows courtesy of USA Today:
1. American Idol (33.9 million viewers)
2. American Idol (32.6)
3. Grey's Anatomy (21.5)
4. CSI (21.2)
5. CSI: Miami (18.9)
6. Deal or No Deal (17.6)
7. Two and a Half Men (15.8)
8. Cold Case (15.1)
9. Heroes (14.9)
10. NCIS (14.8)
11. Hallmark's Valley of the Light (14.8)

PTR faves in the Top 20: Men in Trees (#19)


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

No Easy Truths on 'Mars'

Last week's episode of Veronica Mars reminded me why I missed this show so much during its first break of the season, and last night's reminded me of why this is one of the best shows to ever grace my television set. What seemed like a simple case of boy meets girl, loses girl and then wants Veronica to track her down, quickly turned into a very complicated, sordid tale. First we find out that this girl is a hooker (rather, escort), and Max's friends paid her to sleep with their friend so that he would no longer be a virgin. Then the biggest surprise of all, she still has feelings for him (and her name is apparently Wendy). It all seems a little too good to be true, and Veronica discovers that it may be when she finds purple makeup on a napkin that Wendy's friend (and fellow escort) used to put ice over her "wounds." Suddenly, it appears that Max has been played for $1000, but no worries because Veronica has a plan to get it back -- she blackmails one of Wendy's clients (a high-profile judge). Too bad the plan backfires, and Veronica and Max wind up meeting Wendy's pimp in the form of another Cold Case connection (the same actress played the one victim who slipped through serial killer George Marks' fingers the first time around. He killed her during the second season finale and told Lilly that "even Atalantia lost her charm," referring to the bedtime story that she drew on the first time to give her strength). Anyway, now Max is out $11,000 ($1,000 the first time and $10,000 to buy Wendy out of her contract), but he does have the girl. Too bad that her sordid past is too much for both of them to overcome.


Speaking of overcoming, it seems that Veronica was pretty willing to overlook any of Logan's past indiscretions. She wanted to know if he had been with a hooker and was relieved to find out that he hadn't (although, she would have dealt with it if he had). She was even OK with his fooling around while they were broken up. I was expecting fireworks and declarations of "WE WERE ON A BREAK!!" But, Veronica shrugged it off and we were spared another round of Ross/Rachel. There is, however, one unforgivable skeleton in Logan's closet and unfortunately for him, lingerie shops aren't as secretive as some of their names may suggest, especially when Madison Sinclair is shopping in one. Logan, Logan, Logan -- WTH were you thinking?? Madison Sinclair??!! And this comes just when I was beginning to think that these two crazy kids could work things out and be together sooner rather than later. I think we all need to fasten our seatbelts because next week's confrontation is going to be a bumpy ride (oh, and I'm not falling for those "I'm pregnant" promos for a single second).


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


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

Tuesday's Primetime Pass

A look at what PTR is watching tonight

Veronica Mars (9 p.m. The CW) - "Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves." When Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired to track down a girl (guest star Brianne Davis, "Entourage") with whom Max (guest star Adam Rose, "Malcolm in the Middle") shared an incredible one-night stand, she discovers the girl is not who she says she is. Meanwhile, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) takes a closer look at Dean O'Dell's suicide and begins searching for clues that may point to a murder.

Gilmore Girls (8 p.m. The CW) - "To Whom it May Concern." Noticing Sookie's (Melissa McCarthy) recent odd behavior, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) forces Jackson (Jackson Douglas) to tell her the reason. Luke (Scott Patterson) and Anna (SherilynPublish Post Fenn) attend a hearing to decide their custody battle over April (Vanessa Marano). With help from Paris (Liza Weil), Rory (Alexis Bledel) finally makes amends with Lucy (Krysten Ritter). While attending Richard's (Edward Herrmann) economics class at Yale, Rory witnesses a frightening scene. Finally, Christopher (David Sutcliffe) finds the letter Lorelai wrote for Luke's character reference.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Deal or No Deal, Prison Break, 24, Heroes, CSI: Miami (r)

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

And finally, it's TV on DVD Tuesday! Look for the 3rd season of Law & Order: SVU to hit shelves today along with Dallas (season 6), Murder, She Wrote (season 5) and I Dream of Jeannie (season 3). For more on today's releases, click on over to tvshowsondvd.com.


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

Claire Finds Mommy Dearest

It's too bad that two of the biggest shockers on last night's episode of Heroes were ruined by guest star news published all over the net and your local newsstand. As soon as I saw George Takei's name in the opening credits, I remembered that he was playing Hiro's father. It was obvious early on that the "boss man" was going to be Takei. Similarly, I knew that Claire's mother didn't die because I read that the role had been cast and I saw Claire calling her in the previews. Otherwise, both twists would have taken me by surprise. Regardless, there were some interesting developments last night. It seems that Claire's real mom is a real fire-starter and Hiro's father is quite powerful. We met them both in the closing moments, so we'll have to wait for future episodes to uncover more about their characters. Meanwhile, Silar decided to surprise us all (and HRG) with one last hurrah. I really thought that he was done until we saw him catching the doctor off guard. HRG is in for quite the fight now -- for his daughter's life!

My favorite story of the moment belongs to Peter and The Invisible Man. Of course, Peter becomes invisible in his presence as well, but Invisible serves an even more important role: He is the only one who stands a chance of stopping Peter by teaching him how to control his ability to absorb others' powers. From the looks of things, he can't come in contact with Nuclear Man until he does. And in my endless quest to decide which power I would want for myself (invisibility is the current fave for those playing along at home), Micah's ATM talent enters the fray. Boy, did that come in handy! DL showed us a little more of his power when he walked through walls for Niki, but unfortunately, he isn't able to transfer it to her so she can get out as well. Then again, I'm not so sure that's a bad thing! Jessica scares the bejeebus out of me!

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


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

U2 on the 'Case'

I was hoping that tonight's episode of Cold Case would be a season stand-out. And yes, I realize that I was asking a lot considering that this season has been phenomenal, but I just felt like we were due for an episode that blows you away (which seems to be coming every few weeks this season). Cold Case did not disappoint! What an excellent hour of television! And, it was all set to the soundtrack of the uber-fabulous U2. The case was well done, surprising and emotional. I like the way that both teens highlighted the good and bad in all of us. In the end, I was equally upset about both of their murders and it made me a little sick to think that both of them were trying to make their lives better when they were abruptly cut short. In seasons past, whenever this series presented us with an episode that focused on a character other than Lilly that meant little to no Lilly involvement. This season, however, seems to be the opposite and the same was true tonight. I loved the way she and Kat worked together and her interrogation with Madison's mom was awesome! It must have been hard for her to not lay into this mother knowing that her own mother did the same thing only with alcohol (whether it was after or before her father left remains to be revealed). What a beautiful contrast to last season's "Saving Patrick Bubley" when she jumped all over the Bubley boys' drug-addicted mother before hearing her story. It's a perfect example of how this show uses character development to its advantage. Lilly was very troubled by her reaction during the Bubley case, so it was clear that she was trying to keep her emotions in check tonight. As usual, Kathryn Morris was excellent. She conveyed through her subtle facial expressions the anger and disgust that Lilly was feeling while also trying to hold her back. She also gets the prize for the best scene of the night with Lilly's perfect look in reaction to stockbroker/murderer Gibby's wink during their interview. It was priceless! Tracie Thoms turned in a solid performance for her first Kat-heavy episode. This show is blessed with a very talented cast.


They say that all good things must come to an end, and such was the case with Vera's cute relationship with Toni. I suppose the writing was on the wall with his crazy hours. As Scotty said to Lilly in that infamous hotel hallway in Nashville -- the good cops are all lone wolves. It's too bad that Vera got so close to both Toni and Andre because it's only making things harder for him now. He and Lilly should really talk! If she had a dime for every time a guy broke up with her the way that Toni broke up with Vera, she'd be rich. Which begs the question, how come no one ever leans on Lil? Is it because she's so guarded about her personal life that they feel uncomfortable opening up to her? I'm sure that she has great advice considering all of the crap that she has been through. Oh well, their loss. One thing's for sure -- don't lean on Vera, especially if you're female. He'll chalk up your moodiness to "that female cycle thing." It's scenes like that one early on tonight that provide the icing on this cake of an episode. Cold Case moves to 12-2 on the season.

In CC-related news, today (January 28th) is star Kathryn Morris' birthday.

Happy Birthday Kathryn!!

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

Weekend Primetime Pass

Cold Case (Sunday 9 p.m. CBS) - "8:03 AM." TV's best crime drama returns before taking a little hiatus to make way for February sweeps events. First, though, an episode featuring songs from multiple Grammy Award winners U2!! Miller re-opens a case from her undercover days that has haunted her for years involving the world of methamphetamine addiction on a mission to find the link between two murders that occurred at the exact same time.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Grey's Anatomy, CSI, Shark (r), Men in Trees

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

QUICK CUTS
*Breaking SVU news from PTR staff writer Trublu:

NBC assured us that they were close to inking a deal
with SVU leads Mariska Hargitay and Christopher
Meloni, and done it is as NBC announces that both
Chris and Mariska will be returning! According to Variety.com,
both have signed two year deals -- Hargitay's reportedly
worth $6.5 million a year (with Chris' rumored to be
in the same ballpark)! That's $300,000 to $340,000 per
episode! The news comes a short time after the
announcement that Adam Beach would be joining the
cast and calmed the nerves of many fans who worried
that Beach would be replacing one of the leads. (A
separate Variety article also confirms that Ice-T is
not being replaced by Beach.)

*And finally, CBS and INNERTUBE are giving you the chance to be on television during the daytime coverage of the Superbowl! They're launching a new community campaign dubbed "15 Seconds," which asks viewers to post their inspirational 15-second messages on YouTube. CBS Interactive will then choose the best video messages and air the first one on CBS television network during its daytime Superbowl coverage next Sunday. Log onto YouTube to post your inspirational message for America.


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

Thursday's Primetime Pass

CSI (CBS 9 p.m.) - "Redrum." Catherine must deceive her teammates when she agrees to Keppler's covert and controversial plan to catch the killer of a popular politician. Tony Award winner Liev Schreiber returns as Michael Keppler, a seasoned CSI who is new to Las Vegas and is assigned to Grissom's team during Grissom's teaching sabbatical.


Men in Trees (10 p.m. ABC) - Bed, Bat and Beyond." Marin is excited to move into her rustic mountain cabin, but discovers that her new place is not quite ready for her when she encounters some unexpected visitors. Jane unintentionally neglects Plow Man (Ty Olsson), to support Marin's new move, Patrick is concerned that he will not be able to give Annie the wedding of her dreams, Celia (Cynthia Stevenson) finally admits to dating her boss, and Theresa has mixed feelings about Sara helping out at The Chieftain while Ben recuperates.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: American Idol, Criminal Minds (r), CSI: NY, Medium, ABC comedies

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


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

'Lights' Joins the PTR Line Up

For months, I've LOVED Friday Night Lights and championed it as this season's "Best Show You're Not Watching," and yet, I've never written about it from week to week. It's not that I haven't wanted to, just that I never seem to have the time. Well, that stops now because this show is too good not to talk about on a weekly basis. Did you see last night's shocking ending?? How I missed that one coming with the episode's title being what it was ("Little Girl I Want to Marry You"), I will never understand. All of the signs pointed to Jason breaking up with Lyla in order to give her a chance for a "better future." We saw how Buddy's talk affected him and we know that there are still trust issues between these two (and rightfully so), so I didn't think a break up was too far off. This is one of television's most complicated relationships, and most realistic. It's far from perfect, but there is something between these two that won't die. Lyla's indiscretion was more a result of her acting out her devastation over Jason's accident than an indication that she loved Jason any less than she did before he ended up in a wheelchair. BUT, I don't think that these two should be getting married anytime soon. They're too young, and there are too many issues still waiting to be properly solved. And oh, is Buddy going to be mad! I certainly wouldn't want to tick him off.

Sometimes this show is so realistic that I have to stop and remind myself that I'm not watching a documentary. The truest moments come whenever Coach Taylor is interacting with his wife. That opening scene with the radio stations was hilarious, especially when we later see Coach use the shrink's advise on his team in the next scene! These two argue over real things, as stupid as they may be from time to time (garbage cans, radio stations, etc.). I never fail to be absolutely moved and amazed by Kyle Chandler's performance or Connie Britton's, for that matter (they must get Emmy noms or I'm so over the Emmys!!). I know there were early complaints about the character of Tyra, but I'm thinking that those have subsided. The show has done an excellent job of fleshing her out these last few episodes. There's a lot more to Tyra than her previous actions would indicate. That stuff with her mom is so upsetting and inspiring, and I find myself now rooting for her to make a better life for herself and to rise above the crap that her mother has taught her about men. Luckily, it seems that Tyra knows that you don't have to have a man in order to be happy. I just wish that her mom would learn it and how to take care of herself. And finally, Smash's steroid secret is out. What a tough decision for Coach Taylor. It's difficult to ruin a kid's entire future over one mistake, as wrong as it was, so I have to agree with his decision. But like every conflict on this show, I'm torn. And that's just a small part of what makes this show so great.

If you missed last night's episode, click over to nbc.com to watch it for free.


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

The Girls and Their Secrets

By Turtlemama
PTR Staff Writer

*sorry this is late! we got behind on the tivo and well...*
Our Girls came back from a Christmas break; to celebrate Christmas. Rory came back from visiting Logan in London to find Lorelei had postponed all Christmas activities until Rory was home. Rory was greeted by her mom, her dad and her little sister. Lorelei and Christopher made the same lame ‘England Driving’ joke, at different times, and the show was on its way. Lorelei had excellent lines, for once this season. The little tirade about the thoughts in her head...oh that was excellent! (I say excellent too much don't I? Excellent!)

Personally, I think this was a pretty good episode, aside from more forced conflict, but I’m coming to expect that so it doesn’t sting as much as it has in the past. Luke went to the Dragonfly Inn to ask Lorelei to write a letter of character for his court case against Ana. Lorelei agreed, obviously but, here’s the forced conflict, refrained from disclosing to Luke that she had agreed to write such a letter. Why did she refrain? Why good question, Young Grasshopper, I shall explain. Lorelei gives a blurb to Rory while they’re out Christmas shopping, that she wanted to spare Christopher anymore turmoil about Luke because Christopher had seen her holding Liz’s baby and all the issues surrounding the wedding party that Emily wanted to throw. See, it’s typical Lorelei stuff, and if Chris has really known Lorelei for 30+ years he’d understand that. But, because we, the fans, need some forced conflict, Chris doesn’t like that Lorelei didn’t want a big wedding party. Nor, did he like the fact that Lorelei held a baby from Luke’s family tree…’cause you know, holding babies ALWAYS leads to more between two people. So, Lorelei decided that telling Chris about the Luke Letter was a bad idea. And why do you think will happen next? Why, Chris is going to find the letter, think that it’s some sort of nostalgic piece that Lorelei wrote because her heart told her so and then Chris will be out the door, or very close to it…March sweeps are coming up, who knows what conflict we’ll be forced into by then. So that, Young Grasshopper, is why Lorelei didn’t tell Chris about her Luke Letter. Oh, yeah and the oogling at the mall when Luke and Rory were reminiscing over his past gifts to her…that had something to do with it, even though that was an odd scene.
We finally got to have decent scenes with Lane and Zach. But I do have to ask, just how pregnant is Lane? I mean didn’t she find out in September that she was pregnant? That makes her only 4 months along. Even with twins you’re not THAT big, I don’t care who you are. Maybe if she had a whole litter brewing in there, she’d be that big…but I’m talking 6 babies. She’s got two. Not to mention her stomach was really high in one scene then really low in the next. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve had three babies and pregnancy and childbirth are always misrepresented in Hollywood, even Stars Hollow as is the case. So, I’m probably overly-sensitive on this subject, but I still think that they should just have her chubby and not full blown, house-super-size, McBabyFactory big….I’m just saying.
All in all; I liked the episode. It made me smile and gave me back my ‘Girls’. I want to see more interaction between characters though. I’m still missing how Lorelei and Rory’s lives were followed all over Connecticut and not just in their house and in town on occasion. And really, I’m all happy that Luke has a kid and all (although I still wish that he didn’t have one, it would make life more interesting and he’d still be the tough guy with a heart of gold instead of this mature, ‘Father Knows Best’ dude that he’s turned into), but I really am sick of hearing April talk. She talks too much. I know that’s her quirk, but it’s annoying. Her voice annoys me and what they talk about is monotonous and I really couldn’t care less. As a matter of fact, during the scene at Luke’s apartment when they were talking about rocks and the rock polisher, I was thinking of my grocery list…seriously, I’m not over-exaggerating here…I was seriously thinking “Oh yeah we need toilet paper, and dryer sheets, oh and dog food.” It’s BOR-ING, folks…B-O-R-I-N-G! Ok, that point has been made…moving along….
So, I’m glad that I got a Christmas episode, even if it’s late, I liked it…it was Christmas Gilmore-style! I want to see more scenes with the other residents of Stars Hollow and with Emily and Richard. We need to get everyone back together and make this look like a state that Lorelei and Rory are a part of and not a show about Lorelei and Rory that the state plays a part in, on occasion….please? Anyone out there hear me? Anyone? Bueller?