Smallville: Kara

ORIGINAL EPISODES, THURSDAYS @ 8PM ON THE CW

Compared to the usual Smallville episode this one was pretty typical. It had the subtle subplots, romance, and comedic interjections. It also had lots of mystery surrounding new characters and the status of old ones. The thing that worked best about this episode was that it slowed down. The usual season premiere for Smallville is jam packed with action and numerous storylines. So what worked is that we finally have a slower pace and a chance to evaluate exactly what's happened and where the lives of our characters are heading.

With this much said, Clark finally meets Kara, his kryptonian cousin later known as "Supergirl." The only catch is that Jor-El tells Clark that she cannot be trusted and he must keep a close eye on her. Except, from everything we've seen she appears to be anything but an honest, caring person. It will be very interesting to see what happens and whether or not we've seen the real Kara. Like I've said before, I never read the comic books so there many be some of you who know what this all means but for myself and some others I think this is a very cool storyline to keep watching. One thing I noticed was that Kara's ship was exactly the same as Braniac's and he was evil. Maybe there's some sort of connection there or maybe all Kryptonian ships look the same. Any know the answer to this?

You knew that Lex was going to find Lana real soon. I was sort of wondering how he knew she didn't die since it didn't seem he had much reason to think she was alive based on what we had seen. But then again, he knew he was cloning her (which is VERY creepy, more so than usual from him) and had a good idea that she could use one of them to fake her death. I do believe that he has no intention of hurting her again, at least for now. If she does anything that pisses him off, like going back to Clark, who could really see him sitting back and not doing anything to hurt her ever again? Not me.

One of the better things about this episode is that we didn't find out the truth about Kara or the whereabouts of Lionel or the end of the Lex/Lana drama in this episode. The writers of this show tend to create questions and provide the answers all in one episode. It's definitely nice to see them draw the suspense out a bit and keep use coming back to get just a little bit at a time. It makes the stories much more effective and really keeps my attention from episode to episode.

So far I really do not like the new editor at the Daily Planet. He's way too over the top for my taste. I understand the point in making him that way but the acting was just too much. It didn't work for me. Subtle power I find to be more effective than in your face exertions.

I like the government involvement in the storylines now with their capture of "the Crystal." Although I'm not entirely sure it's just the government. I could see them working with the Luthors or maybe someone worse. This brings an entirely new dimension to the trickery and treachery which should make for some good storylines. I'm looking forward to how they develop it next week. Until then, leave some love.

Pushing Daisies: Pie-lette

ORIGINAL EPISODES, WEDNESDAYS @ 8PM ON ABC

Mediocre. At best the premiere episode of this much hyped new show on ABC was mediocre. The beginning was severely lacking in anything entertaining but as the episode progressed so did the quality. Mainly this was due to the introduction of Charlotte ("Chuck), Ned's love interest. The chemistry between these two actors was immediately apparent and gave the show some legitimate appeal. Especially considering the significant obstacles between them ever getting together, most importantly the fact that they can never touch or she'll die. Without these two character and their great on-screen chemistry I would have turned this show off after the first 5 minutes and never looked back.

The show is eerily reminiscent of the Tim Burton movie's we've all come to know as extremely odd and somewhat creepy. Most of this show is made up of awkward moments, deranged characters, and cartoonish scenes. Some of the scenes almost appear like they're straight out of "Edward Scissorhands." Personally, I'm only a half-fan of Tim Burton's work so this show wasn't all that reflective of my tastes right off the bat. I will give the show props for having a great cast. Although I don't remember seeing Ned (Lee Pace) in anything before, I am a big fan of Chi McBride (Boston Public) and Kristin Chenoweth (The West Wing). So if for nothing else I'll watch because of these great actors.

I did laugh a bit when they showed Ned scratching his dog with a skeleton hand contraption. I thought it was very funny and it said a lot about his character that he kept his childhood dog around all these years even though he could never touch him.

Mainly the show is a quirky story about a man who can bring things back to life. If he doesn't touch them again to kill them inside a minute of bringing them back someone else will die in their place. This has had many unintended and intended consequences throughout Ned's life. Needless to say this leads to a few humours escapades and the show is somewhat enjoyable. I'd give this show a few more chances but if it doesn't pick up a bit I don't know how long I'll be able to take the quirkiness without getting tired of it. My recommendation: keep watching...for now.

Back To You: The First Supper

ORIGINAL EPISODES, WEDNESDAYS @8PM ON FOX

I was so right, this show is a hundred times better when it's not taking place in the newsroom. Two-thirds of this episode took place in settings outside the newsroom and I think that this was the most well-rounded episode from start to finish. Prior to this the episodes were good only in parts and horrible in others. As a whole though, this episode was the best all around. I was skeptical, as were some other people, about how the Chuck-Kelly having a daughter storyline would work out for the show. I thought it gave it a greater dimension but I wasn't fully convinced that it would be all that funny. Luckily, Kelsey Grammer has made his meetings with his daughter hilarious.

The scene in the restaurant where Chuck taught Gracie the drinking game whenever Kelly bossed them around was one of the best quality jokes so far. I was actually laughing out loud and it was good to see their relationship developing. If the few scenes they've been in together are any indication, their relationship will be one of the funniest aspects of the show.

Even Montana was somewhat bearable this episode. I have to admit that I find the sarcastic punches between Montana and Gary very funny. Their lines are probably the only funny one's in the newsroom. Montana's character is entirely too over the top though. Even toned down in this episode her character was only barely tolerable. They need to add some new dimensions and change her around a bit or else this won't work much longer. This show is funnier the smarter it is and Montana is entirely too ditsy to fit in to the puzzle.

Ryan, the station manager, was also much better in this episode. I said before and I'll say it again, when his character is acting outrageous it doesn't work. But when he tones it down and just goes with the flow hes much more effective. He did that in this episode for the most part and it was nice to see more to his character. At times he was even funny.

The writers need to keep refining this show and if they tread carefully it could end up working out well.

The Real World Sydney: Breaking The Girl Code

ORIGINAL EPISODES, WEDNESDAYS @ 10PM ON MTV

Finally!!! Finally we get some Kelly Anne-Cohutta information. We didn't get all that much but it was still something; I can't complain too much, that would just be boring for you guys to read. Well they hooked up but it doesn't seem like there's all that much going on with them at the moment. I said it in my review from a few weeks ago, if Kelly Anne knows Cohutta likes her (even after they hook up) then she won't like him anymore. She's so damn weird like that. Then again most girls are (just kidding ladies, well alright I'm not but it's all good). Her thing is that if she's more into a guy than he is into her then it's cool, but if it's the other way around then she wants out. And I think we're starting to see a bit of that in this episode. Cohutta got a little jealous when the guys in the bar wanted her and then he was extremely touchy feely and sappy back in the house. Except Kelly Anne didn't seem all that into it. Plus she had a conversation later with Isaac about how hooking up with a roommate can't work out well and that she doesn't want to hurt Cohutta. I'm thinking that this relationship won't be going much further. Then again I could be totally wrong because the girls in the house seem to be insane (so far with the exception of Kelly Anne).

Speaking of insane women in the house, Trisha, Parisa, and Shauvon are ridiculous. I'll get to Shauvon next week because the scenes for next week show her flying off the handle. For now I have enough to say about Parisa and Trisha. "The girl code" is certainly a bit different than "the guy code" but for the most part the idea is the same. My take is that if a guy/girl has hooked up with or dated someone else that person is off limits to roommates and friends in every situation unless the two happen to fall in love in which case they should be allowed to be together. So I don't really understand what Trisha is flipping out about. She has a boyfriend!! Not only that but she wants to marry this boyfriend. Not only is she flirting with this guy (and in my opinion she's even going to far with the flirting) but she's claiming him as hers when she's supposed to be faithful. You can't call dibs when you're in a monogamous relationship so Parisa should have every right to go for it with Alex.

Not that I understand why either of these girls wants him anyway. Even if they both think he's hot the guy is playing both of them. It's not even like they don't know this though. In the span of two days they caught him in a number of shady situations and then they both make out with him knowing the other person made out with him that same night. The whole situation is insane and so are these women. It is beyond me why women are so willing to go for the bad guy even when everything that's shady about him is smacking them straight in the face. Trisha is the worst in all this because on top of everything she cheated on her boyfriend at home when she made out with Alex.

Shauvon needs to chill out on the vanity a bit too. Cohutta was totally right when he said that if you don't want to know what people think of your looks then don't ask. The fact that she would get that upset because one guy doesn't think she's the hottest person in Australia speaks to how shallow she is. The girl needs to get over herself.

I really feel bad for the guys in the house, not that they're perfect themselves. Cohutta is the only real nice guy but how they can live with all these crazy women and the drama is beyond me. Thankfully, I don't have to be there myself. Next week looks to be feeled with lots of fighting but I'm hoping we get more Cohutta-Kelly Anne info. Until next week...

Gossip Girl: Poisen Ivy

ORIGINAL EPISODES, WEDNESDAYS @ 9PM ON THE CW

I can't believe the schools choir sang "Glamorous." What is this place? Obviously you need to suspend your belief in reality a bit when watching this show but are we really expected to believe there could ever be a school where a sophisticated choir would be singing that song. That was a bit much for me and so was the rest of the opening. The field hockey scenes were severely lacking in quality. Most of this show isn't predicated on quality but this was even lower than you could expect from this show. The action shots were poor and the dialogue couldn't have been more pedestrian. Overall the opening scenes were atrocious.

The episode did get better from that point on though. Everyone was competing for the Usher/Representative roles for the Ivy League University dinner held at their school. Apparently, being one the select few means you have a very good shot at being accepted to the University. What Dan soon found out is that these positions go to those who can buy them. Thus, despite the fact that Dan is second in his class, Nate got the Usher spot for the Dartmouth Representative because his father is connected. Luckily, Dan's dad was able to get him into the dinner anyway which led to Dan meeting the Dartmouth Rep.

The dinner wasn't all that boring however. Blair decided to step up her espionage and found out that Serena was visiting the hospital. She decided to inform all the college rep's that Serena was a recovering alcoholic. Obviously she had no idea she was going to visit her brother who had tried to commit suicide. This was definitely one of the best scenes so far in the first three episodes. We learned a lot about Nate when he gave Dan a shot at meeting the Dartmouth Rep. We also learned how far Blair is willing to go to retain her spot at the top of the socialites. More importantly, we learned that Serena really has changed and was willing to sacrifice her future to protect her brother.

Despite the incredible destruction of her future, thanks to Blair, the two of them seem to be reaching out to each other by the end. How long this will last who knows, but I have a feeling Blair won't be caged for too long. She likes to be in control and this means she likes messing with peoples lives. Although, now that Serena knows about her father she might not be so willing to attack her anymore. This may be a bit selfish but I'm glad that Serena had so many problems at the dinner. This gave Dan a chance to see who she really is and apologize for being incredibly stupid last week. Personally I think their chemistry is a significant part of this show and will determine it success or failure. They have great chemistry and I their scenes together give the show much more depth.

In the end I think Dan is going to find life very hard because of his sister, Jenny. She's a good kid and means well but she's entirely too tied up in being like the rich kids. Her materialism will be both of their downfalls and I really hope she can change before that happens. In the meantime I'm looking forward to next week's episodes and I want to hear what you all think about the direction of the show so far.

House: The Right Stuff

ORIGINAL EPISODES, TUESDAYS @ 9PM ON FOX

No he didn't. He did not pin racing numbers to each of the potential fellows! This is why House is one of the best characters on television. Not only does he do whatever he wants when he wants but he's funny while he's doing it. His sarcasm and utter lack of caring for any rules is why the show is not only brilliant but comedic as well.

The fact that Wilson was able to so easily convince House that he was seeing his old team also shows that deep down House is human just like the rest of us. It's obvious to everyone except House (or at least in so far as he'll admit it) that he misses his team and the qualities each of them brought to the table. There are some very good potential replacements in the fellow search but so far they're just not as good. Chase proved this point when he diagnosed the patient from the surgical gallery after only hearing her symptoms for the first time while the fellows still hadn't figured it out.

That one girl who was sent to wash the car and convinced everyone else washing to quit was really getting on my nerves. Thankfully House got rid of her. If she were on his team I don't know how much longer I could watch her. The car washing was hilarious though! I also liked that he was putting the guitar back together that Wilson broke last week in the guitar-knapping.
Best Line of the Episode: House says to Dr. Cuddy when she wants to stop him from giving breast implants to his patient in order to examine her lungs at the same time - "You would condemn her to a life where people look at her face when they talk to her?"

At the end of the episode we find out that House wasn't in fact hallucinating and his old team was in fact back at the hospital. Chase is now working in surgery, Cameron is a Senior Attending in the ER), but Foreman isn't back. Odd though that House saw him in the hospital. Maybe his conscience is feeling guilty after all.

And Cameron does not look like a hooker with the blond hair but I like it too. Overall another great episode from the team at "House." I'm wondering how long it will be until the old team is back together because I can't see this being permanent. For now though, it's definitely fun watching House mess with a whole new group of doctors. See you next week!

Damages: Sort of Like A Family

ORIGINAL EPISODES, TUESDAYS @ 10PM ON FX

WOW! Huge revelation at the end of this episode!!! Patty had a blood spot on her shoe and this can only mean one of two things: 1) She was there during the attack on Ellen or 2) She helped remove the body and clean up the apartment. Which one is it? I'm banking on the second but it could very well end up being neither of those and something else entirely. Still, this was a huge revelation and it left me with my mouth hanging wide open as the credits began to roll. I knew Patty had something to do with the attack on Ellen, she had to have been involved. Though I didn't think she would be involved to the point that she was present at the apartment.

Anyway, we learned a lot about some of the other mysteries this week as well. A big deal has been made about Gregory Malina's connection to Frobisher and the fact that he sold 1000 shares of Frobisher's stock the same day as him. Last night we found out that Gregory had received the stock from Ray and Ray was also the one who tipped him off to sell it. Now we know for sure where he got the stock from and we are 100% sure that Frobisher knew what was going on and intended to defraud everyone. Before this it was still speculation since we didn't have any admissions or direct evidence to link Frobisher to any intent. But with Ray, his closest confidant, tipping off Gregory we know that everyone in Frobisher's camp knew what was going on and when it was going to happen.

Throughout the rest of the episode pieces started to come together as we're approaching the night of the murders. This was by far one of the best episodes of the season and is setting us up for an amazing season finale. I have nothing bad to say about this show. The writing is top notch and the acting just as good. The big names and the new faces are both showing the world that this is one of the best shows on cable.

David's dream in the beginning of the episode really creeped me out. I think I had nightmares about Glenn Close after that one. I wonder why he had such a random dream like that except maybe he believes Patty is going to screw him and Ellen over. Later in the episode, Patty meets with Ray and Gregory's murder comes up. She really shouldn't be judging him for being involved. Granted its a horrible thing he did but Patty is no better. Just because she hasn't committed a human murder yet doesn't make her actions above reproach. She is the last person that should be judging anyone. Case in point, her treatment of Ellen. She uses her, treats her like a prize employee, and then as soon as Gregory is out of play tosses her aside like a rotten piece of meat. Except, not only has Ellen never done anything wrong, but quite to the contrary she has been an extraordinary attorney. She even found the new witness who used to work for Mr. Moore at the SEC. Patty is just an evil person and I have a feeling that one day it's going to catch up to her when she least expects it.

I have to say that Rose Byrne (Ellen) is doing a great job alternating between the past-Ellen and present-Ellen. In the present, she is very dark; nothing like she was before everything starting going down hill with Patty and the case. It's great to see a different side to Ellen's character and Rose has been incredible. I'm actually enjoying the dark-side of Ellen. She very assertive and seductive. It's a very interesting change to watch.

The big question of the night though is who is tailing Ellen? It could be any number of people but my money is on Uncle Pete. Patty seems to be stepping up her tactics and I wouldn't put it past her to have Ellen tailed so she can control her even more. Whoever it is probably has a big role to play in the events to come. The other big question, who was the service man that came up stairs? Apparently there's a service elevator and that's probably how the attacker got to Patty's apartment but that doorman seemed very odd. Maybe he's involved somehow.

Yet again another amazing episode of "Damages." I absolutely can't wait for next week. Leave some comments and tell me what you think is going on.

Chuck: Chuck Versus The Helicopter

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 8PM ON NBC

Well, well we're finally back with the "Chuck" reviews. It's been a while since my review of the pilot episode and it's certainly nice to be back with our good old friend from the Nerd Herd, Chuck Bartowski. After watching the second episode I realize exactly where this show fits in to the grand scheme of television watching. Basically, the only way to enjoy watching this show is if you take it for what it is, a light-hearted dramedy about a guy who unknowingly downloads all the U.S. government's secrets into his brain and has to work with two government agents to stop terrorists. The truth is that if you think about the premise of the show you almost want to laugh at how absurd it sounds; I know I do. But I realized that if you're not expecting a show that takes itself seriously and you watch it just for the fun of it then the show is actually very enjoyable. If you believe this then last night's episode was great.

Chuck is really starting to embrace his new life and dive right into the secret agent lifestyle. Well, okay, not really. But it's funny watching him run around trying to handle everything that's happening. When a government doctor gets blown up, Chuck has to decide who's trying to kill him, Sarah (CIA) or Casey (NSA). The comedic humor as he goes back and forth between who he thinks it is was actually very funny. I even found myself laughing out loud during the dinner party Chuck's sister, Ellie, put together to meet Chuck new girlfriend (well fake girlfriend for the cover), Sarah. Unfortunately for Chuck, he starts thinking Sarah is the double agent and is trying to poisen everyone with her soufle. As it turns out, Chuck should be worrying about Casey instead.

Underlying everything in the episode was Chuck's developing feelings towards Sarah. You can tell he really is falling for her. It could be a while until anything happens though since she's clearly not over Bryce and Chuck kind of pissed her off when he thought she wanted to killed him. Her new cover as the Weinerlicious lady next to Buy More is hilarious! I also love how the high school kids keep going in and out of the store because they want to see her in the low cut short and short skirt. This is definitely something I could see my friends doing back in high school.

Before I go, I have to give a shout out to Sarah Lancaster. I'm so happy she's in this show. She's a great actress but hasn't really gotten that big break just yet. She keeps bouncing between different shows that I've watched over the years (Everwood for one) but hasn't landed anything permanent just yet. Anyway, see you all next week and keep the comments coming.

Heroes: Lizards

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 9PM ON NBC

Heroes is finally back to what it does best. The most intriguing aspects of this show always deal with the powers and their implications. Last week was more like a soap opera than the normal Heroes episode. So when the episode really started to delve into the powers this week I was extremely happy. Just like last week I'm going to go through each character in the episode and discuss what was good and what we learned about them.

Claire & Noah:

Well, Claire is certainly having a tough time adjusting to a new high school while trying to keep a low profile. She was right when she said that the more you try to lay low in high school the more people talk about you. I think instead of her staying out of everyones way and not talking about herself she should be trying to fit in like any other kid. That way she'll be accepted by a group of friends and others will stop trying to find out who she is and where she came from. The worst part of all this is that she's going crazy and it will end up getting them caught. Just when I thought she was growing up with everything that happened last year she reverts back to a teenager with her rant in the back room of Copy Kingdom. With all this said, we learned a hell of a lot more about her healing power. Not only can she heal from any wound but she can regenerate body parts!! That's crazy cool and will probably lead to some incredible action scenes down the road.

As for her dad, Noah, he's back to his old tricks as we learned last week. He's desperately trying to keep Claire from losing control and putting the family in jeopardy while at the same time working with Suresh to take down The Company. I'll talk about it under the Suresh heading but at the end of the episode he reunites with the Haitian. It really is amazing how far ahead he can think and how good he is at it. I wonder if The Company has any idea what he's up to.

Matt Parkman:

Not too much on the Parkman front this episode. Mainly he spends the episode investigating the death of Hiro's father. He meets up with Ando, I believe for the first time, and then interrogates Petrelli. Unfortunately, she has a picture with the Kensei symbol on it to and is attacked in the interrogation room. Oddly though, the door was locked and she was all alone. When Parkman tries to break through the glass to save her you can see that she is somewhat being attacked but no one else is in the room. It seems as though she's being clawed at. Could this be the new bad guy that Molly keeps seeing? Or could it be someone different?

Hiro:

Sadly, Hiro still has no idea that his father has been killed. This is because he remains in ancient Japan trying to save the legend of Kensei. I'm still not sure what part this legend plays in the current events; as in did it cause them or it's lack of occurring cause them? Is Kensei somehow alive and committing these acts? It would certainly seem logical that he could be alive since he can heal!!! Now that I was NOT expecting whatsoever. I thought the genetic changes didn't happen until recently given evolution. I did not expect it to have been present in feudal Japan. Maybe the healing power not only heals wounds but can heal aging and thus keep Kensei alive until the present. Who knows but this was definitely a big development. It could mean that somehow Kensei is also related to Claire. What do you guys think of that one?

Hiro is embracing his abilities and purpose much more since he trained with his father. This has strengthened his powers and its good to see him taking charge.

Alejandro & Maya:

These two are so odd. What in the name of all that's holy is going on with them? Clearly Alejandro is the antidote or control to whatever is wrong with Maya. But what's wrong with her isn't exactly clear. She's got that creepy, X-files black stuff coming out of her eyes whenever Alejandro isn't nearby and somehow it kills whoever is near her. What's even more odd is that not only can Alejandro control it in her but he can bring anyone who was just killed near her back to life. I'm thinking that this has something to do with the virus the people are getting and maybe even a different strand. Whatever it is I have a feeling it's going to be a major part of the entire season.

Peter:

Easily the best character of the night. The fight scene where he used a bunch of his powers was awesome! This is what I love most about the show; when they show them using there powers this extensively. Peter is incredible now with all the new powers plus his ability to use all the ones he had before at will. I think this guy that kept him chained up knows more about Peter than he's letting on. The biggest mystery though is where Peter went, why he has no memory, and how he can all of a sudden master all the powers. The box is new and interesting since we really don't know if all it contains is Peter's personal information. Next week may end up revealing a lot about what's going on and I can't wait to find out what's up with Peter.

Suresh:

There has to be some strings to Suresh agreeing to work for the company. There's no way they'll just let him come in and work but not ask for something more. It's possible that when all is said and done they're going to take him apart to learn how his blood is the cure for the virus. I do like how he's working so well with Noah and nobody has caught on at The Company. He's very convincing, I didn't think he had deception in him.

Mrs. Petrelli:

I really don't like her. She always has this look on her face like she's trying to figure out some way to screw up your life. I am however intrigued to know what exactly her and Hiro's father did back in the day to put their lives in jeopardy now. As I said above, the attack in the police station was also a big mystery in this episode. So basically all we have about her is that she's immersed in everything but we have no idea how or why.

Well, this week was a pretty good but not fantastic. I had a lot more fun that last week and next week's scenes look unbelievable. Allie Larter finally comes back and we find out that somehow Silar is alive! Coincidentally (or not) he does not remember who he is either. I can't wait to see what's going on!

Journeyman: Friendly Skies

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 10PM ON NBC

Welcome Back! It's been quite a while since I last reviewed the pilot episode of "Journeyman." Man as a lot happened with this show since then. The advertising around New York City was enough to make me feel like this show has been around for years. Everywhere I went there were signs for Journeyman. There were even ads wrapped around the New York Times the other week. Unfortunately, "Journeyman" hasn't gotten off to a great start ratings wise. The news out there so far is that its premiere ratings weren't superb and last night it lost 11% of the viewers from the premiere. If you want some more detailed info check out my friends site. He put up some numbers you may be interested in.

As for episode number two on the season, I would say it was rather good. It was consistent with the goals set out in the first episode and didn't change course in any significant manner. Dan and Katie decided he should get an MRI just to make sure his supposed "time traveling" wasn't actually a tumor in disguise. Turns out everything's just fine up in the old nogen and Dan and Katie leave for a trip to start on their efforts to have a second baby. With all the new changes in their lives now Katie isn't too sure if having the baby is the best idea. But Dan thinks its just what they need. Unfortunately, when Dan goes to the bathroom mid-flight he travels back in time leaving the flight crew wondering where their passenger disappeared to. Needless to say this begins an avalanche of issues resulting in the plan reversing flight back to San Francisco and the Vasser's banned from flying.

The remainder of the episode follows Dan as he tries to fix the outcome of a young girls life that he actually ended up delivering on a plane in the 70's during one of his trips back in time. The storylines that he ends up in as he travels back in time have been excellent during these first two episodes. I've found myself extremely engaged in them despite the fact that I'm also as engaged in the primary storyline dealing with how this is happening, why its happening, and how he's juggling his present life with the new time travel. This is the trickiest part to the show, keeping the viewers engaged in both stories. If either one failed then the show would be utterly boring and without direction. Thankfully, the writers are doing a superb job and that's what has made this show so great.

Apparently, Livia is on some sort of mission to follow Dan. Maybe it's to help him or maybe it's to watch him and make sure he doesn't change someone else's plans. Who knows? But what is clear is that Livia doesn't control what's going on. Clearly she's a player and knows a lot more than Dan but some one or some thing else is controlling everything. I'm very interested to find out how many other people can time travel and what exactly is the purpose in all of this. Also, I can't wait to see Livia's reaction when she finds out Dan married Katie. She probably won't believe it. I couldn't imagine being in either Dan or Livia' shoes. They were very happy and engaged but the plane crash changed it all. Now he's moved on, has a kid, and is happily married but somehow Livia is still alive and he gets to meet with her when he travels back in time. That's got to be gut wrenching. I think some point in the future they're going to kiss or even sleep together. Obviously that would be a terrible thing for Dan to do but there's so much emotion there. There won't be and couldn't be a relationship for them but I can see this happening.

Another great installment from the crew over at "Journeyman." Everyone start watching so we don't lose another quality show to the ratings crunch.

The Hills: What Happens In Vegas...

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 10PM ON MTV

The line of the night came from Lauren, "I just saw Lo's Britney." Really, this season Lauren has thrown out so many good one-liners. I don't know where it all came from; she never used to be so witty with the one-liners. Anyway, this line came while the girls were out partying for Brody's birthday in Law Vegas. They surprised him at his massive suite in the Palms and the group went out to live it up on the town. Just another Saturday night for the rich and somewhat famous out on the West Coast. Man, I wish I had the money to just take over huge suites in the Palms for a birthday party.
Vegas baby! A lot of drama in sin city and we can thank Justin for once again starting trouble where there need be none. Everyone was happy and having a great time except Justin. Wherever he goes with this group he isn't happy, he sulks in the corner, and refuses to even acknowledge anyone. I understand that Lauren and Lo weren't welcoming to him but Lauren has given it a shot. She went with him and Audrina to dinner where Justin treated Lauren horribly. She tries saying hello and talking with him. Yet he refuses to make any effort and Audrina defends him to the end despite the fact that he doesn't treat her well most of the time. And wasn't it just a couple years before this that he ditched her in Vegas where she was left all by herself? So Lo got a bit annoyed and so did some of the others on the trip which ended up causing Audrina to storm out of the hotel room. I feel bad for Audrina only because it sucks when you're friends gang up on you like that but at the same time she asks for it by going back to a guy that blatantly and purposefully treats her and her friends terribly.

The biggest surprise of the night (well not really since MTV blew the surprise in last week's scenes) was the hook up of Lauren with Brody. I was actually a bit surprised that she went back to him but Frankie was right, they never broke up because of anything wrong in their relationship. It was all a result of the Speidi fighting. I really hope that Brody had nothing to do with the sex tape rumors. Lauren's been messed with enough by the guys in her life, she doesn't need him to turn out to be a loser too. I don't see them getting married or anything but she at least deserves a normal relationship for once. I have to give props to Brody for making the move in Pure. Pretty slick catching her off guard and just going for the kiss.

As for Speidi, things seem to be falling apart in their fairy tale engagement (hahaha). Spencer's selfishness is starting to become obvious to Heidi and it's a shocker that it took this long for her to realize it. Her excitement for their anniversary couldn't have been less enthusiastic. Plus I think she's really starting to question why he refuses to tell his parents about the wedding. The kid is shady and although Heidi isn't much better herself she needs to move on. He doesn't want to be married and even if he does go through with it he won't remain faithful and committed for long. And by the way, Spencer needs to shave that stuff on his face. Blond beards do NOT look good under any circumstances.

As for Bolthouse, Heidi finally got a dose of her own medicine. I was shocked that Elodie decided to screw her over also but man did she get Heidi good. To work in an office and have no idea a co-worker quit means you must really be hated there. Normally someone in that office would have mentioned it at some point but not a single person told her. Elodie was brilliant in convincing Heidi she would work the event and really got some sweet revenge. Again, Spencer was beyond selfish when Heidi had to leave. I understand that its their anniversary but they were at Don Antonios! This wasn't an expensive OR well thought out dinner plan so what's the big deal. Also, he couldn't even tell his parents about the wedding so he has no right to be pissed that Heidi has to leave and save the event. What it comes down to is that they both deserve each other but Spencer is by far the worst of the two.

The scenes from the rest of the season look great! I can't wait to see the confrontation between Lauren and Heidi. I'm actually really excited to see what Brody has to say about the sex tape rumors also. I wonder what role he really had to play. Until next week...keep the dish coming in the comments.

Big Bang Theory: The Big Bran Hypothesis

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS AT 8:30PM ON CBS

I didn't get a chance to review this show last week when it premiered so I'm going to combine my thoughts into this one. Honestly, I LOVE this show! It is so smart and the writing is so brilliant that it's easily one of the top five comedies on television already. I might be a bit slanted towards hoping this show is around for a while since I had the chance to actually walk on the set of this show last month; but truthfully the show IS THAT GOOD!!

First off, the writing is beyond intelligent. The knowledge needed to write the lines for this show is beyond anything required for just about any other show. Of course this is necessary given that four of the five main characters have genius IQ's. The true quality of this show however, lies in the fact that on top of having to write genius level lines the writers have been able to make them funny. This is no easy task and they have done it superbly in the first two episodes.

Secondly, the actors have great chemistry. I wasn't sure how well a group of nerds and one hot girl would play out. But the actors bring so much to the screen in the way of timing and likability that it works and it works very well. The center of the show in my opinion lies with Sheldon. Jim Parsons (Sheldon) comedic ability and believability as a nerd carries over to everyone else. His sarcasm is fantastic and the way he can keep a straight face as he delivers each and every line makes them all the more effective.

In this second episode, Sheldon and Leonard are given Penny's key to let in the moving men when they arrive with her furniture. When they bring Penny's box into her apartment (with more than a herculean effort needed to do so) Sheldon see's that she is a pig! Her apartment is a disaster zone. Later that night Sheldon decides that it would be a good idea to sneak into her apartment as she sleeps and organize the mess. Yes, Penny was right, this is creepy; very creepy actually. But as she soon realizes, you can't hold these guys to the same standard as everyone else. They're so innocent that you can't help but give them some slack and understand that they really just can't help themselves. Granted Leonard knew it was wrong which is why he may one day, in the very distant future, have an actual shot with Penny.

The genuis of this show doesn't lie in any recap I could give in a review. It just doesn't translate to paper. You need to watch it to understand and I hope that you do. You can already see the potential of the show as the characters become more familiar with each other. I want to know your opinions so leave some comments and I'll see you next week.

How I Met Your Mother: We're Not From Here

ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 8PM ON CBS

Robin is back! But not after some convincing by alter-Robin, Robin's dream manifestation of her vacation self from Argentina; and maybe also from the bongo playing out-of-towners that Gael invited over, "how you say? indefinitely?" This was the second episode of the new third season and sadly it was a little less than stellar. It was reminiscent of the first half of season one (which was decent) rather than season two (where HIMYM established itself as a solid comedy). While still enjoyable this wasn't one of HIMYM's best episodes.

My biggest problem after the first two episodes this season is with Marshall. I don't know if it was a collaborative effort between the writers and Jason Segal (Marshall) or if it was one of them but whoever decided that Marshall should be a complete and utter nancy boy this season made the wrong call. Marshall was always a bit sappy but it's really been taken to a whole new level this season and NOT a good one. His character is lovable and brilliantly funny. Part of what makes him so great is that he has a soft side while having a harder, law school student mentality. This new persona though is effecting that perception and making him significantly less enjoyable to watch. If my opinion means anything I hope the writers can take this into account and bring back the Marshall we know and love.

Tonight was about Robin's journey to figure out who she wants to be, free-spirited vacation Robin or back-at-home wants sleep and a pee-free kitchen sink Robin. Thankfully, as a result of her voyage of self discovery, we had the chance to see a bit of her trip to Argentina. It was great and very funny. It was a good call to get rid of the beaded hair, not a good look for her. As Robin tried to embrace the post-breakup, vacation Robin she realized that she's no longer that person; she likes to be clean and chill when she's at home. Personally I think her relationship with Ted had a lot to do with her changed attitude but in a very good way. She never knew what she wanted and never stayed anywhere long enough to figure it out. So she didn't have relationships and never connected with anyone because she always had one foot out the door. Now she has a better idea about what she wants for her life and Ted being a part of her life is the reason. I think she realized this also and in the words of Barney, "welcome back Scherbotsky."

While Robin learned more about herself, Barney had the genius idea to pretend to be tourists (Barney was Ignacious Peabody Nobel from East-Westerton Missoura and Ted was well, Ted) visiting New York so they can pick up girls easier. Well alright, it wasn't genius but it worked; sort of. They picked up girls, just not New York girls. They turned out to be from New Jersey and as Ted, and any other true New Yorker will tell you, New Jersey is NOT ALMOST New York. It never is and never will be. Unfortunately, the girls were not only from New Jersey but they got Barney and Ted mugged in the Bronx late at night. All in all, this plan did not work out well but it was hilarious watching Ted's rant about New Jersey. I felt like it was me saying it; almost every New Yorker is born with a gene to hate to New Jersey.

Barney's idea for a "Best If Banged By" sticker was great! He never fails to come up with new catchphrases every week.

Meanwhile, Lily and Marshall spent the episode putting together their death packets. Essentially these are packets newlyweds are encouraged to put together with their important financial and personal information in case they suddenly and unexpectedly die. For Marshall, the most important piece of the packet was the letter to Lily he had to write. Yet again wussy Marshall came out. Not fun and not cool man. This led to Lily and Marshall's first fight as a married couple when Marshall read Lily's letter, which was significantly less romantic and extensive than Marshall's (she told him to cancel her magazine subscriptions). In the end she wrote a new letter but 22 years later Marshall broke his promise and read it even though she hadn't died. Turns out she knew he would and just wrote BUSTED on a piece of paper. Mildly funny.

Decent episode. Still love the show. Nuff Said.

Brothers & Sisters: Home Front

ORIGINAL EPISODES, SUNDAYS @ 10PM ON ABC

Best Writing. Best Acting. These two things make this the best quality television show currently airing. If only most shows could take a page out of this book and we might not have so many reality shows and wanna-be Emmy winners. The sad thing is that most of the time we get treated like dead-brained viewers that only understand simple words and simple jokes. The truth is that we're capable of complex drama, case-in-point "Brothers & Sisters" and "The West Wing." This is why I whole-heartedly recommend this show to anyone looking for superb writing, excellent acting, and an all around great hour of television.

In all honesty, this show is not perfect; but it's pretty close. My one criticism of this second season premiere episode is that the writer's need to hold up on the all out Walker-clan public displays of insanity. Granted one of the most popular and appealing aspects of this family is that they tend to get into massive screaming matches and fights in inappropriate public settings. However, it can get played out and the writers are walking dangerously close to that line. We've seen so many, that the effectiveness of these scenes are decreasing. If you use them sparingly though it can be a great way to endear the audience with the family. Maybe they only used it in the premiere given the hype of a new season, so I'm hoping we won't see one again for a while.

As for what was good about this episode, basically everything I said above. What stands out the most, as always, is the acting of Sally Field. The entire episode we saw her frantic and distant as she tried to distract herself from the reality of having a son in Iraq who she hasn't heard from in three weeks. Then, at the drop of a dime, she turns happy and jovial when she finds out Justin is alright and coming home. Unfortunately the happiness didn't last too long; Justin's convoy was hit by an IED and they don't know if he is among the dead. And with the drop of that very same dime, Sally becomes a crying mess (in the best and most tragic way) and I was in awe of how effective and majestically versatile she is as an actor. In that moment that she asked Kitty not to ask her to stop fixing up Justin's room I realized that this show is Sally Field; she sets the standard and everyone else follows. This is why "Brothers & Sisters" is a show that everyone should be watching.

The family's relationship with Rebecca has changed a lot since last season and it's good to see most of them embracing her as a true family member. Kitty and Rebecca have formed a solid bond in their longing for Justin to come home. It's great to see but I'm still worried about what Rebecca may do in the future. She secured her place in the family by suckering Joe into a mistake he probably wouldn't have made. We know she can be conniving and devilish, so what does she have in store later on?

Kevin is still Kevin and personally I don't like him. At times he's brilliant and funny but more often than not, incredibly selfish. It actually turns me off to his character and I usually can't wait for his scenes to be over. If only some humanity in the selfishness could come through I might like him more but it hardly ever does. When his boyfriend told him about being reassigned to Malaysia he didn't even give it a seconds thought before selfishly getting mad at him. Not only did he never consider what it means to his boyfriend but he completely failed to remember that he never made any significant commitment to him in the first place. In the end, he did and that's respectable. I think he'll have a lot of opportunity to grow this year and it would be nice to see him put some of that selfishness on the back table for a while so we can see more of what his character has to offer.

I completely agreed with McAllister that he shouldn't get military information on Justin for the Walker's when so many other families can't get it either. As a presidential candidate that would be overstepping the bounds but at the same time he's about to marry Kitty. That's a tough balancing act and his decision to tell them he was okay and coming home but nothing more was probably the right thing to do. As for next week's scenes where his advisor asks him to get out of the wedding, I'm wondering what Kitty did to bring this question about. I don't think he'll call it off because I hear he is a full cast member now. Although he could end up calling it off which would give the writers and opportunity to keep Kitty around the house while still keeping him running for President.

My favorite line of the night was when Holly and Nora were at the grave site. Holly asked if it would be an imposition if she came to Kitty's dinner that night and Nora responded, "It's an imposition that you're at my husband's grave site, a taco with my daughter on her birthday I think I can handle."

By the way, don't you all just hate those loud, obnoxious parties in restaurants that refuse to get up and let anyone else eat dinner? Man, I hate those parties...

Now, Joe. I really do not like this guy. Not only did he kiss his wife's half-sister. Not only does he have what appears to be make up sex with Sarah. But after she finally gets to a place where she's forgiven him and wants to give their marriage a shot, he tells her he wants a divorce. Why?! He never wanted one before and as far as I can tell she's a great mother and wife. So what could he possibly want a divorce for other than the fact that he's just a playboy and wants to be with more women? It makes no sense to me that he would have any reason to tear about the family. It should be a very interesting progression to watch as they go from married to divorced.

Please, please, please watch this show and give it a legitimate chance. You won't regret it, I promise.