MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM How I Met Your Mother
8:30-9:00 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM Two and a Half Men
9:30-10:00 PM MIKE & Molly
10:00-11:00 PM Hawaii Five-0
CBS's Monday comedy line-up looks strong as always.
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM UNFORGETTABLE (N)
The Good Wife is moved out of 10pm slot in favor for... another crime show! Seems like a no-brainer.
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC
9:00-10:00 PM Criminal Minds
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (NT)
CSI moving to the time slot after Criminal Minds seems like a good choice.
THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM The Big Bang Theory
8:30-9:00 PM HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (N)
9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (N)
10:00-11:00 PM The Mentalist
CBS is trying to launch another comedy after TBBT after $#*! My Dad says was canceled and launching a new crime drama before The Mentalist.
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM A GIFTED MAN (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: NY
10:00-11:00 PM Blue Bloods
CBS is trying to go back to the supernatural vibe with A Gifted Man while keeping CSI: NY and Blue Bloods.
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM Rules of Engagement (NT)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 Hours Mystery
Looks like CBS will just burn off Rules of Engagement on Saturday until it reaches syndication.
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 Minutes
8:00-9:00 PM THE Amazing Race
9:00-10:00 PM The Good Wife (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI
After struggling this year, The Good Wife is moved to Sunday nights. Will it work?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Review - Criminal Season 6 Episode 24 Supply & Demand
Criminal Minds is in a transition period right now and we can't overlook that when evaluating these episodes. The ratings are as strong as ever, so there's no danger of the show getting canceled, but there have been problems that needed to be resolved. Both AJ Cook and Paget Brewster were fired for budget reasons while Rachel Nichols was added to the cast. None of the news makes much sense, especially because AJ Cook is returning to the show and Paget Brewster likely will as well since her show was not picked up at NBC. This is the reason why the dialogue throughout the episode obscurely refers to internal change going on in the FBI without going into specifics. As of now, only Thomas Gibson does not have a contract, so there may be more change ahead.
Unlike most Criminal Minds season finales, "Supply & Demand" is not part of a multi-part episode. The story is self-contained and the investigation had more evidence finding than normal because the unsubs were motivated by money and the characters didn't need to look into further motivations. There is a cool twist where one of the kidnapped girls is actually the one in charge and lured other girls in. The writers try to dangle out the possibility of a second part with her near escape, but Morgan and Rossi see through her ruse after several specific questions.
Score: 8.7/10
Unlike most Criminal Minds season finales, "Supply & Demand" is not part of a multi-part episode. The story is self-contained and the investigation had more evidence finding than normal because the unsubs were motivated by money and the characters didn't need to look into further motivations. There is a cool twist where one of the kidnapped girls is actually the one in charge and lured other girls in. The writers try to dangle out the possibility of a second part with her near escape, but Morgan and Rossi see through her ruse after several specific questions.
Score: 8.7/10
Review - Modern Family Season 2 Episode 23 See You Next Fall
I think "See You Next Fall" was originally intended to be the season finale. Its name has lots of meaning behind it since the characters fall down a lot and the show is returning during the fall. There is also a sense of completion, Alex graduating from middle school. It's probably inconsequential in the long run, but it's a big milestone for Alex in her short lifespan.
Instead of the three-plot system which made up a majority of the worse episodes this season, it brings all the characters together for a funny time. At the heart of the episode is Claire and Phil, who realize that their younger daughter is entering high school and may forever be changed. Despite Phil's initial goal of inducing her freak-out, his maturity comes on as he realizes the implication alongside Claire.
For the laughs, there are a couple gags going on. Jay gets Botox and half of his face is left stiff and Cam keeps getting into minor accidents while the Pritchetts laugh at him to his dismay. But that was the least of it, because Phil and Claire rolling down the hill to get to the graduation had to be the funniest part of the episode, and Cam agreed.
What disappointed me was that Alex falls in line and delivers the speech everyone wanted to hear instead of what she really thought. I mean, those same people who disliked her will still talk about her behind her back and see her as the nerd. In the end, it's not like anything changes, despite what those cheers might indicate. In a more subjective complaint, I didn't like the content of her speech either. Yes, everyone has their problems, but the degree of culpability in their problems is also something to consider. If Haley might not go college because she doesn't study enough (which we frequently see), then that's her problem. Haley has far more opportunity than most people--money, a good school, good family life--and yet she's complaining about college when she clearly does not put any effort in it. She'd probably argue that she less intelligent than her peers, which is probably true, but guess what? No one cares--study twice as much.
Score: 9.0/10
Instead of the three-plot system which made up a majority of the worse episodes this season, it brings all the characters together for a funny time. At the heart of the episode is Claire and Phil, who realize that their younger daughter is entering high school and may forever be changed. Despite Phil's initial goal of inducing her freak-out, his maturity comes on as he realizes the implication alongside Claire.
For the laughs, there are a couple gags going on. Jay gets Botox and half of his face is left stiff and Cam keeps getting into minor accidents while the Pritchetts laugh at him to his dismay. But that was the least of it, because Phil and Claire rolling down the hill to get to the graduation had to be the funniest part of the episode, and Cam agreed.
What disappointed me was that Alex falls in line and delivers the speech everyone wanted to hear instead of what she really thought. I mean, those same people who disliked her will still talk about her behind her back and see her as the nerd. In the end, it's not like anything changes, despite what those cheers might indicate. In a more subjective complaint, I didn't like the content of her speech either. Yes, everyone has their problems, but the degree of culpability in their problems is also something to consider. If Haley might not go college because she doesn't study enough (which we frequently see), then that's her problem. Haley has far more opportunity than most people--money, a good school, good family life--and yet she's complaining about college when she clearly does not put any effort in it. She'd probably argue that she less intelligent than her peers, which is probably true, but guess what? No one cares--study twice as much.
Score: 9.0/10
Review - The Event Season 1 Episode 22 The Beginning of the End
The problem with The Event right now is that it's boring. I could care less about how stupid everything is if it were remotely interesting, but it isn't. Unlike FlashForward, which actually maintained mystery towards the end, The Event has become a straightforward action show with characters that all seem roughly the same, the exception being Jarvis who is far dumber than any other character (and that's saying something). Plot threads that seemed somewhat interesting or could grow--the girls who looked really old, a possible love triangle (yes, I'm partially advocating for a love triangle!)--have been dropped.
We're stuck with this flu getting released while the good guys try to stop it. No twists or anything, just predictable plot. Even the stakes don't seem that high. As much as the writers try to throw in factoids about the Spanish Flu and how this variant is far deadlier, it's the flu! In an age where we can drop by a drug store for medicine, the name of flu doesn't seem that scarier, no matter how the deadly it may actually be.
Score: 6.0/10
We're stuck with this flu getting released while the good guys try to stop it. No twists or anything, just predictable plot. Even the stakes don't seem that high. As much as the writers try to throw in factoids about the Spanish Flu and how this variant is far deadlier, it's the flu! In an age where we can drop by a drug store for medicine, the name of flu doesn't seem that scarier, no matter how the deadly it may actually be.
Score: 6.0/10
Review - Body of Proof Season 1 Episode 9 Broken Home
I'm kind of troubled with the way the season ended. Megan gives Lacey a new cell phone cover and both are smiling. This is nice and all, but I do question Megan's mindset. She's upset that her ex-husband is dating her boss, and that seems to play a big role in the fact that Megan may be spoiling her daughter. The greater point is that there are some consequences of Kate dating her ex, but I have a hard time caring, considering how little the characters have been developed. Given that this season was only nine episodes long and the show was renewed, there should be improvement next season.
Score: 8.3/10
Score: 8.3/10
Numbers of Interest - Television Ratings for Monday 5/16/11
ABC won with Dancing with the Stars (4.6) and Castle (3.3). Fantastic ratings for Castle to end the season.
Fox was second with House (3.5) and The Chicago Code (1.8). The Chicago Code is already canceled, so the ratings don't matter (unless they suddenly shot up by 100%).
CBS was third with How I Met Your Mother (3.1), Mad Love (2.2), a repeat of Two and a Half Men (2.0), Mike & Molly (2.6), and Hawaii Five-0 (2.7).
NBC was last with Chuck (1.5), The Event (1.3), and Law & Order: LA (1.1). Chuck was renewed while the other two were canceled.
Fox was second with House (3.5) and The Chicago Code (1.8). The Chicago Code is already canceled, so the ratings don't matter (unless they suddenly shot up by 100%).
CBS was third with How I Met Your Mother (3.1), Mad Love (2.2), a repeat of Two and a Half Men (2.0), Mike & Molly (2.6), and Hawaii Five-0 (2.7).
NBC was last with Chuck (1.5), The Event (1.3), and Law & Order: LA (1.1). Chuck was renewed while the other two were canceled.
Review - Breaking In Season 1 Episode 6 Breaking Out
You probably read by now that Breaking In was cancelled yesterday. I was leaning on the side of renewal, but I was wrong. Here was my thinking: Breaking In had okay ratings (a bit less than 2.5), but that was probably because of the American Idol lead-in. Still, FOX may have renewed it for a 13 episode season to see what would happen without AI as a lead-in, considering that Traffic Light bombed and Raising Hope has been doing worse than Breaking In.
The pacing of "Breaking Out" through me for a loop, defying my expectations for once. The KFC problem is resolved quickly and the show usually has the team redoing the job. Instead, Oz traps them inside the HQ where they have to break out. As the episode wound down, it seemed like the team would break out themselves, but Oz shows up to reveal how he'd been inside the whole time. This would normally be the end of things, but no, the writers throw another twist, making Oz fake-panic and cause the team to work together.
Score: 8.8/10
The pacing of "Breaking Out" through me for a loop, defying my expectations for once. The KFC problem is resolved quickly and the show usually has the team redoing the job. Instead, Oz traps them inside the HQ where they have to break out. As the episode wound down, it seemed like the team would break out themselves, but Oz shows up to reveal how he'd been inside the whole time. This would normally be the end of things, but no, the writers throw another twist, making Oz fake-panic and cause the team to work together.
Score: 8.8/10
Review - Breaking In Season 1 Epiosde 7 21.0 Jump Street
There it is, the series finale of Breaking In. After only seven episodes the show is gone forever (unless those rumors floating around at correct, though I surely wouldn't hold out hope), and I'll miss it. Breaking In is unique and very, very weird in self-acknowledging sort of way. "21.0 Jump Street" is a perfect example of how the show operates. It takes a situation, high school cyber-bullying, and spins it into something really silly, overblown, and ultimately, funny. There are exaggerated high school stereotypes, the nerd jokes, and a wrong but somehow right handling of the bully, humiliating him more than the bullied kid. There's some unrealistic about the show, with Dutch still acting crazy and Oz with God-like abilities, but there is always something relatable under there.
Score: 8.8/10
Score: 8.8/10
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 23 Closing Arguments
The second season of The Good Wife ends without too much of a climax since most of the explosive stuff was resolved earlier in the season. This is an interesting choice by the writers, because most network shows operate in the same way, weighing episodes of major importance at the beginnings and ends of seasons. The Good Wife does it differently, though, condescending the arc so it doesn't seem drawn out and retains the same vigor throughout.
These episodes since the Kalinda revelation haven't had the same "what will happen next?!?!" vibe, but are maintained by a sense of unease. "Closing Arguments" keeps the viewers on edge, moving several plots forward while using each character to their fullest. There is a great scene between Peter and Will, scenes between Alicia and Kalinda (who've cooled down, but are definitely far from where they were), and the case features the velocity that the show can pull out when warranted.
The final scene is a bit sappy, although you have to appreciate the acting and directing that went into it. Is this a game changer or a one time deal? With Eli Gold joining the firm and the Democrats wanting Peter's entire family out there, difficult choices have to be made.
We're now in wait and see mode until CBS announces something. As most people probably know, The Good Wife's ratings are low in comparison to CBS shows and low in general. If it makes you feel better, CBS canceled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior earlier today and renewed CSI: NY so I have a feeling CBS will renew TGW along with the rest of the locks.
Score: 8.9/10
These episodes since the Kalinda revelation haven't had the same "what will happen next?!?!" vibe, but are maintained by a sense of unease. "Closing Arguments" keeps the viewers on edge, moving several plots forward while using each character to their fullest. There is a great scene between Peter and Will, scenes between Alicia and Kalinda (who've cooled down, but are definitely far from where they were), and the case features the velocity that the show can pull out when warranted.
The final scene is a bit sappy, although you have to appreciate the acting and directing that went into it. Is this a game changer or a one time deal? With Eli Gold joining the firm and the Democrats wanting Peter's entire family out there, difficult choices have to be made.
We're now in wait and see mode until CBS announces something. As most people probably know, The Good Wife's ratings are low in comparison to CBS shows and low in general. If it makes you feel better, CBS canceled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior earlier today and renewed CSI: NY so I have a feeling CBS will renew TGW along with the rest of the locks.
Score: 8.9/10
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Review - Glee Season 2 Episode 21 Funeral
Glee................ Yeah, that's my frustration talking.
Often when I'm watching Glee I find myself enjoying what's going on at the present moment, which probably isn't a surprise since I'm watching the show after all. But there is usually something nagging at me, refusing to be ignored, and that's the part of my brain reminding me that all of it makes no fucking sense.
Take "Funeral," for instance, where Sue's sister dies. Oh yeah, Sue has a sister, which is why she treats Becky well. I can hardly remember Sue's sister and with Sue acting like an evil person this entire season, I actually didn't believe her sister died until a fourth of a way through the episode. Following Sue's absurd behavior, it wouldn't be out of the question for Sue to lie about her sister dying as part of a nefarious scheme, would it?
While the funeral was well-crafted and emotional at times, we also have to see it for what it is, the writers teleporting Sue from the bottom of the cliff, where the crazies hang out, to the top where the normal people are. After seeing Sue literally try to kill people, it was hard to buy that Sue could somehow care about another person and the scenes with her sister were a distant memory.The question going forward is whether Sue will actually be nice, or relatively nice compared to her former state. If she does become more nice, I'll give this plot a pass; if she doesn't, then this will be a colossal waste.
What's scary about "Funeral" is that Sue was one of the smaller problems. The other plot, revolving around Jesse St. James, was one of the worst things I've seen on the show. His appearance last week was already completely random and bad all around, but he sticks around to be a douche and cause strife in the club. Worst of all, Will lets Jesse do whatever he wants until the very end. And, oh yeah, Will is apparently going to Broadway. That would have been good to learn without springing it on us, wouldn't it?
Score: 7.0/10
Often when I'm watching Glee I find myself enjoying what's going on at the present moment, which probably isn't a surprise since I'm watching the show after all. But there is usually something nagging at me, refusing to be ignored, and that's the part of my brain reminding me that all of it makes no fucking sense.
Take "Funeral," for instance, where Sue's sister dies. Oh yeah, Sue has a sister, which is why she treats Becky well. I can hardly remember Sue's sister and with Sue acting like an evil person this entire season, I actually didn't believe her sister died until a fourth of a way through the episode. Following Sue's absurd behavior, it wouldn't be out of the question for Sue to lie about her sister dying as part of a nefarious scheme, would it?
While the funeral was well-crafted and emotional at times, we also have to see it for what it is, the writers teleporting Sue from the bottom of the cliff, where the crazies hang out, to the top where the normal people are. After seeing Sue literally try to kill people, it was hard to buy that Sue could somehow care about another person and the scenes with her sister were a distant memory.The question going forward is whether Sue will actually be nice, or relatively nice compared to her former state. If she does become more nice, I'll give this plot a pass; if she doesn't, then this will be a colossal waste.
What's scary about "Funeral" is that Sue was one of the smaller problems. The other plot, revolving around Jesse St. James, was one of the worst things I've seen on the show. His appearance last week was already completely random and bad all around, but he sticks around to be a douche and cause strife in the club. Worst of all, Will lets Jesse do whatever he wants until the very end. And, oh yeah, Will is apparently going to Broadway. That would have been good to learn without springing it on us, wouldn't it?
Score: 7.0/10
Review - NCIS Season 8 Episode 24 Pyramid
I like that NCIS can go for more complicated plots stretched out over a few episodes, and the writers know not to overindulge in pathos (I'm looking at you, Castle). But let's be honest--the plot made little sense. This was Cobb's plan: (1) Leave EJ alive in the trunk of a car and run off. (2) Kidnap Ziva. (3) Turn himself in and drop hints about Ziva's whereabout to lure Gibbs and the rest out. (4) Re-kidnap EJ to kill her.
It's complicated and all, fitting an hour of television and giving the actors something to do, but it's way too complicated. Why couldn't he have just taken EJ at the start instead of jumping through more hoops which ultimately got him caught? We expected something really big to come out of their, with the SecNav coming and the "Cone of Silence" activated, and instead it was only an angry guy whom the government turned into a killer.
Aside from the plot holes, the episode had some interesting things going on. For one, we learn why Gibbs was being so rude to EJ at the beginning--her uncle is the SecNav. This puts EJ in a new context where she bears extra responsibility, because she knows a cloud hangs over her head and it takes its toll on her. At the end of the episode, no one else dies and we don't know where everyone stands. Both Ray and EJ have a definite chance of showing up later with the way they left.
The final scene, of course, will be a major part of the next season. Tony is tasked to find a mole and he reacts to the name in a way that would indicate familiarity. Does this have anything to do with the thing EJ pulled out of Levin's arm? Will this be another Jeanne situation?
Score: 8.7/10
It's complicated and all, fitting an hour of television and giving the actors something to do, but it's way too complicated. Why couldn't he have just taken EJ at the start instead of jumping through more hoops which ultimately got him caught? We expected something really big to come out of their, with the SecNav coming and the "Cone of Silence" activated, and instead it was only an angry guy whom the government turned into a killer.
Aside from the plot holes, the episode had some interesting things going on. For one, we learn why Gibbs was being so rude to EJ at the beginning--her uncle is the SecNav. This puts EJ in a new context where she bears extra responsibility, because she knows a cloud hangs over her head and it takes its toll on her. At the end of the episode, no one else dies and we don't know where everyone stands. Both Ray and EJ have a definite chance of showing up later with the way they left.
The final scene, of course, will be a major part of the next season. Tony is tasked to find a mole and he reacts to the name in a way that would indicate familiarity. Does this have anything to do with the thing EJ pulled out of Levin's arm? Will this be another Jeanne situation?
Score: 8.7/10
