TV Mad Man

Some great TV on in this start of the late winter week….

Chuck – 8/7c on NBC So who was Sarah’s red test? Will Casey come back in the fold? When is Shaw going to leave? Those are some of my questions going into Chuck vs. the American Hero. Chuck for me is really getting in a grove during this middle half of the season. Tonight, Chuck gets to pick who he takes on this mission, and his friends want him back.

Kell on Earth – 10/9c on Bravo How will Bravo exist without Kelly Cutrone now? Kell on Earth has now quickly become a Bravo staple for me, and the whole People’s Revolution crew is awesome. Skinner, Grace, Andrew, Robyn, and more, who couldn’t love this dysfunctional crew. Tonight is the finale as Kelly gets some sad news. Good news though, look for a lot more Kelly with Whitney and Roxy on MTV’s The City, next month.

Castle – 10/9c on ABC “Boom!” time. The second part of the Dana Delany two-parter airs after DWTS tonight and we will get the answer to the awesome cliffhanger that was Beckett’s building blowing up. Of course, she survives I do believe, but how and what will happen next? I’m excited!

Damages – 10/9c on FX  Is anybody watching Damages? From the ratings, it does not look like it. Tonight’s episode however really tests the story as Patty almost loses the Tobin’s case unless she gets some information as Ellen gets in hot water at the DA’s office. The episode end however is absolutely fantastic, and also look for more information on Winstone’s back story.

Since I am officially caught up with current television (minus me watching for the first time House and Supernatural), I thought it would be a good time to tell you my thoughts for each show, and I would love to hear what you think! Check back tomorrow for the comments on programs from the second half of the week.

Castle – There is only good news for the comedic procedural that has seemingly integrated itself into the ABC brand like no other. Castle is climbing in the ratings and for once beating CSI: Miami in the demos which isn’t heard of in the 10PM timeslot on Mondays. The other good news is even in repeats the show performers better than any other ABC drama which means that new viewers are coming in through repeats.

Now creatively the show has been strong. Becketts’s backstory with her mother’s death has really been front and center for a couple weeks and it almost puts a “Monk” like layer to the story that gives me more of a personal connection. The case-of-the-week seemingly are just avenues to provide fun dialogue between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic and I love those two together along with Castle’s mom and daughter who put a smile to your face. Well done ABC, and Castle returns with new episodes on Match 8th.

How I Met Your Mother/The Big Bang Theory – Now to a show that has not been on top of their game this year in Mother. The majority of the episodes have felt off and not true to the series with repeating stories for Robin, Lily and Marshall playing way in the background, and no progress with Ted. The 100th episode earlier in 2010 was solid and provide some new information on the title story but in order for me to really care, you must continue it and that has not happened. Very uneven but its 9:30 counterpart on Monday has been anything but.

Big Bang has not provided memorable moments like it should but it has never fallen to the bad column this year. The humor is endless, and each of the characters seem to be showcased in different ways each week. Both comedies return to CBS Mondays on March 1st.

Chuck- Chuck vs. the Mask sure was a controversial one. In the hour, the producers featured both Chuck and Sarah move on to new relationships and I was not okay with it. It was not necessarily the realationship, it was the way it was went about. Kristin Kreuk is a great actress and I was very happy to see her character Hannah take a larger role but for the past two hours she is being used in a role that is starting to hate Chuck and I do not enjoy that. I wanted Hannah to come in to the Buy More as just a fun, quirky girl, that can play with everybody and for her and Chuck to really form a bond. As far as Chuck and Sarah, as long as they are still friends with each other and sociable I could care less if Sarah jumps on board Shaw’s bandwagon.

Chuck is a show that even in the heaviest of stories has come out as a comedic and fun drama but for a couple weeks now that seems to be never present except for the great pairing of Ellie and Morgan and if this season they don’t find out about our hero we will have a problem. The gig is up, and it returns March 1st after the Olympics.

Kell on Earth – For two weeks, Kelly Cutrone has made my Mondays. By far the funniest and bitchiest hour on the first day of the week, Kelly and her staff provide a fast paced and interesting hour with the past week just being interesting to see what goes into a Fashion Week show and how to get fired from one. This next week, Kelly will travel to London for work and I am sure we will go both to her offices in Paris and LA as the show continues till the first season finale on the 29th of March. (more…)

Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson, Lily Tomlin, Campbell Scott, Tate Donavan, Martin Short, and more. What show could have more high power stars. Only FX’s insanely good Damages…

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

As Season 3 begins, a court has appointed Patty to recover assets lost in a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Louis Tobin (Len Cariou) while Ellen is working for the DA’s office, which will prosecute him. Tobin has admitted guilt, but insists that his wife and son (Lily Tomlin, Campbell Scott) knew nothing of his fraud. Meanwhile, a friendly but persistent architect (Keith Carradine) seeks out Patty in a bar; and in flash-forward, Patty’s car is rammed by another car.

Damages is plainly an intelligent, thought out, get your minds working, eyes popping show. It creates a world for its story, its characters, and its structure. Once again in Season 3, the series starts with a flashforward to a time in the future, and we slowly get there throughout the season. I was not a big fan of this technique when it was poorly used in the semi-disappointing season 2 but as I viewed the first two hours of the new season, I was captivated once again. That is mostly in part to the fantastic acting that I witness.

New to the show in the third year included the sublime Lily Tomlin, who is the matriarch of a family that was part of a huge Ponzi scheme that Patty Hewes (Close) is now trying to prosecute. Also new is the comedic actor Martin Short who plays a mighty tough lawyer, as well as Campbell Short as the son.

Martin Short as Winstone

In the end of Season 2, Ellen (Byrne) left Hewes and Associates after trying to take down the might Patty Hewes with help from the FBI. The new season picks up 6 months later and Ellen is now working at the New York DA’s office in the Narcotics unit but still keeps an eye on the happenings of Hewes and Associates through Tom Shayes (Tate Donavan). Rose Byrne is looking noticeably better this year, and she has grown on me as an actress as she is more and more becoming her own person.

Season 3 is a masterpiece of acting, story, and movement of plot. Rarely do shows uses their actors in more compromising, compelling situations, and that is no different in this seasons man family arc. Look for recurring roles from Reiko Alysworth (24) as Campbell Scott’s wife, as well as Ben Shenkman, Ellen’s new boss at the DA’s office.

Damages premieres tonight at 10/9c on FX!

Tonight is chalk full of TV it is almost too much. Obama has caused Idol to switch to Wednesday which means two more hours of TV on already my busiest night of the week…

American Idol – 8/7c on FOX As I said above, the performances have moved to tonight and it should be a great one. It is Motown week and that should mean hopefully a great week for Adam. But why can’t anybody on Idol actually sing something that was written in the last 10 years!

Better off Ted

Better off Ted – 8:30/7:30c on ABC Why America? Why did you not watch Better off Ted? What was taking up your time last week, you could have recorded it? The show barely registered in the ratings but if an increase in viewers is seen that could mean some hope for this brilliant show. Tonight, fallout from Phil’s freezing is causing Veronica to worry for the company. This is not the episode that I thought was second which airs next the week. That episode is hilarious!

Survivor: Tocantins – 8/7c on CBS  March Madness as usual as prevent Survivor from airing again but don’t worry, they castaways are back tonight in…..a clip show. The episode features never before seen footage of the camp life, chatting, and the challenges which always lead to some very awkward moments.

Lost – 9/8c on ABC  What have you guys thought of the Dharma story so far? It continues tonight in a Sayid-centric outing called “He’s Our You.” Could that mean the Dharma people have a torturer in their mix. We learn about Sayid’s time off-island and may get to see his childhood. Also, the producers have said this episode marks that return to the traditional format of focusing on one character for example Sayid and his flashbacks.

Gabrielle Union on Life

Life – 9/8c on NBC  I caught up with Life over the weekend and it reminded me why I am so said this show will be gone soon. Gabrielle Union has been great as Det. Seever while Sarah Shahi is having her baby even though she is still on the show, in a very interesting way. I am glad Gabrielle is back on TV and she was just cast in a great CW pilot with Brian Austin Green that if the script is any indication this could be a great catch for the CW. It is called The Body Politic.

Damages – 10/9c on FX  I have yet to watch the last three episodes of Damages. Have they been good? I am seriously missing this drama but can’t find the time. I will have to make some. Tonight, Daniel returns to Patty life and the FBI change their direction thanks to Ellen’s convincing.

Make Me A Supermodel – 10/9c on Bravo  Check out this competition if you have the chance because you know Bravo reairs it a million times a week. The show is so fun and compelling if a reality show can be. Tonight, they models travel to Montreal to work at their fashion week. Taylor steps in as the more important judge as Tyson is off this week. In side note, I am actually liking Taylor even if she is just a pretty face.

Another full load of TV on the best night of the week. Here are my picks….

Lost

Lost – 9/8c on ABC  Tonight on my favorite show in the whole wide wold, there will definitely be surprises and some things are suppose to happen they will have impact for the rest of the season. I am not going to disclose what I know, even what I know from ABC, because I fell sometimes they over hype something with things that don’t need to be said. If you know what I am talking about from the promos, you know how I feel. Why does ABC reveal something that could be an amazing surprise. Well anyway, tonight Jin gets to know Rousseau and her team, and the islanders go to The Orchid. Also, Ben and Sun have a big confrontation.

American Idol – 8/7c on FOX  Tonight is often the most touching and teary eyed episode of AI of the season. Tonight, Hollywood Round is done and that means the remaining contestants have to take that long walk up the elevator to the little chair with the now four judges in front of them. Then they get the news and hopefully it will be good. Remember, the episode is two-hours tonight.

The New Adventures of Old Christine – 8/7c on CBS   After what seems like an eternity, the very underrated CBS comedy is back on Wednesday night. Julia-Louis Dreyfus is amazing, and that is not just because she came from my second favorite show of all time. Tonight, when all the men in Christine leave for a day, she needs to prove that she can live on her own. Awesome.

Life – 9/8c on NBC  Please watch Life. I really beg of you. If you like procedurals and if you don’t you will enjoy the show. The show is so much fun and is a great take on the procedural. In Life news, when the pregnant Sarah Shahi goes on maternity leave a certain Gabrielle Union will work along side Crews for more than a couple cases. Tonight, a rocker of a famous band is suffocated and I am sure there will be some groupies hot for Charlie Crews.

Life on Mars – 10/9c on ABC  What is with all the “L” shows on Wednesdays and they are all so good! Life on Mars is another one that you should watch. Although I have not been happy with the last two episodes I have hope that it will get better. But I am worried that is going to sleep slowly is that I heard that the panel at NY Comic-Con for the show had only 10% attendance, not good. In this hour, the crew in 1973 delve into the rock world of that year when people in that world get some worthy death threats.

Top Chef – 10/9c on Bravo  The cooking competition is having its last episode in New York City tonight. Sad is it not because NYC has proved to be a great spot to host this amazing competition, that is defining cable ratings odds. Tonight in the last episode before they head out to New Orleans for the big finale with part one next week.