Just one new TV on DVD title to talk about this week, but it's a great one. FX's Archer: The Complete Season One. Click the link to get my dish on the wildly funny, definitely outrageous spy comedy.
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Check out my review of tonight's Blue Mountain State, entitled "Hockey," here. We can all reminisce about why two-sport athletes went out of vogue.
Brittany Frederick
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It's a bummer that there's no new Human Target tonight, but I can make it easier on you: check out my advance review of next week's two-hour event here. I'll give you an inside look at both "A Problem Like Maria" and "Communication Breakdown." (Warning: spoilers!)
Brittany Frederick
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So FOX - New Year 2011 - Promo
Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to take a look at my new Tumblr Page http://natgeetv.tumblr.com/ and listen to my Podcast all about Deconstructing Glee!
My end of 2010 commendations continue with a look back at BBC America's outstanding Law & Order: UK. As the show gets ready to wrap up its first season, I take a look at what makes it work so well. Check the article out here (warning: spoilers).
Don't forget that Law & Order: UK returns to BBC America on January 7 to finish up Season 1 (Series 1/2 if you're using the UK numbering), and Season 2 (Series 3/4) premieres the following week, January 14. I'll have reviews of each episode on their airdates.
If you need to catch up with the show before then, you can check out my complete archive of coverage for every episode in the Law & Order: UK category at my blog, DigitalAirwaves.net.
Brittany Frederick
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The Doctor Who Christmas specials are always a treat: fun escapism to share with friends and loved ones during the holiday season. It's a real pleasure that for the first time, BBC America is debuting the latest Christmas special actually on Christmas Day - and this one, like the ones before, is unique and delightful in its own way.
The legendary Michael Gambon does his best impression of Ebenezer Scrooge in space as Kazran Sardick, including keeping frozen people as collateral for the debts of the poor. It's sad for all of two minutes before The Doctor drops in through the chimney on a mission. Four thousand people, including Amy and Rory, are trapped on a spaceship hurtling to the planet, and they need to be rescued - but first, The Doctor has to convince Sardick to help him rescue them. The title gives you a clue as to what you're in for, but the Doctor Who team takes the classic setup and adds an element of the fantastic. Time travel, flying fish, and Matt Smith jumping on the furniture - yes, this is definitely Doctor Who. That's the brilliance of the Christmas specials: they're a perfect fusion of a holiday story and a Doctor Who adventure, not simply another episode with a cursory holiday element or a narrative with the sci-fi elements squeezed into it. There's laughter, there's tears, and there's a plot that isn't going to bend your brain. It's just good, clean fun, which isn't necessarily easy to find anymore.
Matt Smith continues to effortlessly slip into the role of The Doctor; even as a David Tennant fan, I can admit that he won me over fairly quickly. Smith just has the same kind of high energy and enthusiasm that Tennant's Doctor had; he always seems like he's having a ridiculous amount of fun and that's infectious. It's impossible not to smile as he's wearing a Santa hat, riding in a sleigh piloted by a flying shark. His main companions for a large part of this episode are well played by Katherine Jenkins (as Abigail) and Danny Horn (as a younger Sardick, a completely different man from the coldhearted one he'll become). Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill don't appear as much as you might think, which is disappointing on one hand being that I'd gladly welcome more of them, but the story isn't really about them and so it's understandable that they're mostly absent. They're effective when they do appear, and that's good enough for me.
Unsurprisingly, the real scene-stealer is Gambon, who's always reliable when you need a cantankerous yet fully-developed character (see: Layer Cake or Brideshead Revisited). I say "unsurprisingly' because when you cast a big-name star like Michael Gambon, you'd better make good use of his talents, and Doctor Who certainly does. We've seen plenty of people play a role like this before, but Gambon plays particularly well off of Matt Smith; the two almost feel more like equals despite the differences in their characters' personalities. It allows Smith to remind us that The Doctor's seen a lot more than his youthful face belies.
"A Christmas Carol" also does the one thing all Doctor Who Christmas specials have never failed to do: it gets me excited for the upcoming series. After watching this, I'm not only still in the Christmas spirit, but I'm ready for series six to get here. I call that time well spent.
Brittany Frederick
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Just a short post, as I have presents to attend to. Don't read this if you haven't seen it in the US though. Come back after, by all means!
The 'Doctor Who' Christmas special is a tradition in my house now - I want to watch it in peace and quiet, Mum falls asleep five minutes in and the snoring is terrible, my brothers - though they have every right to - natter through the whole thing, the dogs won't sit still and I get frustrated because I don't have absolute silence.
This year was different - Mum simply went upstairs for a nap and the dogs were pleasantly quiet, one of my brothers didn't watch because he had a lovely new Wii game and that meant the other one had nobody to talk to. This may sound like a rather miserable Christmas affair to you. To me, however, this was bliss, and it meant I got to watch the show properly first time round.
And what a great episode to accompany the peace and quiet.
Because it really was a cracker. A Christmas cracker, if you will. Definitely Matt Smith at his funniest - thanks to a wonderfully written script from Steven Moffat - he bounced around the sets like a puppy and absolutely kept my attention throughout. Matt Smith has done some really good work with his Doctor, but I think my favourite thing is that The Doctor doesn't seem to feel burdened any more. He can simply enjoy himself. He doesn't get wound up over things that Doctors 9 and 10 did, and so he has a rather impish charm that makes the screen light up when he's on it. Watching the Doctor cheekily time travel to wind old Kazran up, and using the 'lottery' excuse twice just to really grind his gears, was the sort of cheeky quick-witted humour that I never really felt we got with Doctors 9 or 10.
I always find the simplest stories are the best ones - and at it's core, this was a story about a man who needed his heart to be thawed out, much like Abigail in the ice box. Michael Gambon, relishing the chance to be a real arse, gave a wonderful performance as the broken man that was Kazran. From the opening narration to the moment he de-ices, Gambon was utterly brilliant. I thought Katherine Jenkins as Abigail did well for someone who hadn't acted before too - she sold the pain Abigail was feeling as she watched over her family, even though it gave the game away a little too early.
I would have liked to have seen a little more of Mr. and Mrs. Pond (I like to think Rory took her name), but I guess this wasn't really their story. We'll see them in the spring (in America?). Glad to see Arthur Darvill is in the main cast now.
Good lord this post was a bit... basic, wasn't it? As I'm sure most people will understand, my Christmas belly is preventing me from coming up with a lot of coherent things to say.
It's nice to look back and see what a brilliant year for Doctor Who this has been - beginning with the beautiful but sad end to the 10th Doctor (which I reviewed in much greater depth than this review here), followed by some absolutely rip-roaring adventures (The Eleventh Hour, The Big Bang) and my favourite episode of Doctor Who ever (Vincent and the Doctor, which you can read my review of here), concluding with a brilliant Christmas special and a lovely little teaser for next year.
I can't wait.
Wishing you all the merriest of Christmasses and the happiest of New Years,
What did everyone else think?
Geoff Johns has revealed some small details about his upcoming episode, "Booster," in a recent interview posted at the Comic Book Resources website. "I literally just finished the script before Christmas," Johns revealed in the interview when asked about the upcoming "Booster" episode, and he again confirmed that it's the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle that will be teaming up with Booster Gold. "We introduced [this version of the character] back during Infinite Crisis. I always like the chemistry between him and Booster, so when I was going to do this episode, I wanted to do those two together and I think the story that we came up works really well. It’s very Booster 1.0, meaning he’s in the early stages of his career as a hero -- and is pretty self-serving." As for what else there is to expect from the episode, Johns says we'll see Blue Beetle's origin, Booster's first meeting with Clark and Lois, and "maybe a cameo by someone from Kord Industries." Source- Kryptonsite
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I don't know about you, but I'm sad that it's a Thursday without new Burn Notice and Nikita. What's a fan to do? Well, wax poetic about how great both shows have been, of course! Check out my feature on our Thursday night spy shows here (warning: here be spoilers and lots of talk), and share your favorite moments.
Brittany Frederick
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Check out my review of tonight's Blue Mountain State, entitled "The Badger," here. (Warning: link contains references to some questionable content.)
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Check out my full recap and review of tonight's Human Target, "The Other Side of the Mall," here. And don't forget to investigate further into the episode with this week's installment of The Human Target File.
In my years of writing, I've developed a theory when it comes to villains: as long as it takes to develop a good one, it can take no time at all to overuse them. Wisely, Psych has decided to conclude its ongoing Yin/Yang story with this third installment. Yet there's a tall order to fill, considering the two previous episodes have seen both Shawn's mom and his now-girlfriend Juliet in the line of fire. What could top that?
A woman named Allison (Mena Suvari) claims that she was abducted by the mysterious Mr. Yin, bringing back memories for the SBPD crew, and it isn't long before she's taken again - from Henry's house, no less. This leads Shawn to turn to Yang (Ally Sheedy) for help again, while Henry calls up Maddie (Cybill Shepherd). To go forward, they have to look to their past encounters with Yin, and even into Shawn's own past. What ensues is a satisfying conclusion, which not only rewards the viewing audience for paying attention the first two times, but not going over the head of casual watchers who might have missed or forgotten those previous outings. It's also plenty suspenseful in its own right; even if it had been a standalone episode, I think I still would have enjoyed it.
It's great to see the return of Cybill Shepherd as Shawn's mom Madeline, and Mena Suvari makes a decent enough "new apprentice," but the best performance here comes with the reveal of Yin - yep, that's Peter Weller, who seems to have gone from playing an iconic hero in Robocop to playing a slew of deliciously evil bad guys. Fresh off getting stabbed as Stan Liddy on Dexter, he's just as slightly crazed when confronting Shawn and Gus. Weller's ability to go over the top and make it palatable works great on Psych, where the show's guest characters are often larger than the narrative. He's funny and he seems like he's having a great time. It's almost cool enough to make me wish that he'd be back in the future - almost.
That said, kudos to the Psych team for knowing when to say when. There's nothing sadder than a great villain who becomes tiresome because the writers bring them back one too many times (or more). This is the third time we've gone back to this story, and it's the right time to wrap it up and move on to something new. Especially with this being the end of the season, they have a perfect opportunity to clear the table and move into whatever season six might bring. This episode ends the arc, and the season, solidly.
For more Psych, check out the Psych category at my blog, DigitalAirwaves.net.
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It's time for the last TV on DVD roundup before Christmas! Here are my reviews of some new and recent DVD releases:
Happy holidays!
Brittany Frederick
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1.01 - Skin (Original Episode)
A demonic shape-shifter commits a gruesome murder. When the brothers investigate, the being borrows Dean's from to continue its killing spree.
1.02 - Roadkill (Original Episode)
"The highway's the only haunted once a year and we got 'till sunup to wrap things up!" Sam, Dean and a near-victim race the earth’s rotation to vanquish a ghost who kills on the anniversary of his death.
1.03 - Home (Original Episode)
After 22 years, Sam and Dean return to their childhood home. Now another beautiful young mother loves there - and, if Sam's nightmares are correct, she may be threatened by the same evil that killed Mary Winchester.
1.04 - Blood of Beast (New Episode)
Sam and Dean help out a young boy, who is being bullied by the older kids at school. We discover that the boy's father is actually a "peaceful" vampire who has sworn not to attack humans and survived by drinking cattle blood. The boy also has vampire blood in him but he is just not yet aware of his true nature.
1.05 - Ghost on the Highway (New Episode)
Sam and Dean are driving along the highway and are suddenly chased by a cop car from behind. They discover that there have been numerous unexplainable car accidents in the area. All accident involved a Chevy Impala. Sam and Dean have to investigate to prove themselves innocent. We discover that an evil spirit has taken the form of an Impala is trying to take revenge on the town.
1.06 - Bloody Mary (New Episode)
Back in 2004, when Sam was studying at Stanford. Sam hears about a suspicious death case occurred in Stanford from Jessica, a girl he's becoming friendly with. John and Dean smell something evil in the case and start investigating behind Sam's college life. They first presume that it is caused by a ghost called "Bloody Mary" but it turns out to be caused by a different ghost.
1.07 - Temptation of Demon (New Episode)
Maria, a faithful Christian is lured by a yellow-eyed demon to become its servant in return of curing her sick daughter. She refuses at first, but is quickly drawn in.
1.08 - Everlasting Love (New Episode)
Multiple homicides in Illinois. The victims are all blond women in their 20s and the crimes scenes leave traces of formaldehyde. Sam and Dean discover fingerprints of a female who died in 1940. A tragic love story of a mad doctor.
1.09 - Poverty Spirit (New Episode)
Dean is taken over by a Japanese "poverty" spirit. He tries to rid himself of the spirit and discovers he must fight the spirit of "prosperity", because these two spirits are really two sides of the same coin.
1.10 - Moon Shine (Original Episode)
Sam and Dean investigate a murder in which the victim was killed by wild animals, suspecting that it was done by hellhounds. Later they find out that is was done by a werewolf.
1.11 - Nightmare (Original Episode)
The brothers pose as priests to gather information at a house visited by sudden death - a death Sam saw in a dream.
1.12 - Origin (Comic Book)
John meets Lily, who is one of the special children and tries to save her from the yellow-eyed demon's plan.
Source: Andreas at LJ
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Here is Sean Furfaro's recap of the Survivor Nicaragua Season Finale
You know when you’re watching a really crappy movie, and you need closure? You need to see how it ends? Or maybe you’re reading an absolutely horrible book, but you still need to make it to that final page? Or maybe you’re a marathon runner who has no shot of winning, or even finishing in a decent time…but you tough it out anyways and make it to the end? That’s the way I feel about Survivor: Nicaragua (ok, maybe the marathon runner analogy was a stretch, but you get the point), it’s been a struggle, but after 4 months of snake footage and breaking tiles, at least it ends tonight.I’m back in the Eastern Time Zone, not having to wait that extra 3 hours for my Survivor fix, so let’s get right to business on this Season Finale. Would Fabio be able to hold off the open target on his back, as declared by Sash, Chase, and Holly at the last Tribal council? Would (as Rob Cesternino suggested tonight) NaOnka and Purple Kelly quit the Reunion Show since it’s raining in L.A.? Does Dan have a chance to win it all? (Answer: NO!) And is this indeed the worst Survivor season of all-time?
My Random Thoughts:
- I appreciated that the Season Recap to start the episode was only 3-4 minutes long, instead of the usual 10 minute rehash of everything. On top of that, Jeff gave us the road each of the Final Five took to the final instead of a recap on everything. A marked improvement, I must say. And the highlight of the recap was what I referred to in my last recap as the best moment of the season, when Jane tossed water on the fire. Not because of the extinguishing of the fire, but because of something I hadn’t noticed on Wednesday…that when Jane doused the fire, Dan was sitting right in front of it and got a spectacular faceful of smoke that sent him scurrying like a cockroach that just saw the lights get turned on.
- I liked the opening immunity challenge where answering wrong meant you got an incorrect bag of puzzle tiles, but how much better would it have been if the incorrect pieces weren’t black, but actually looked like puzzle pieces, but didn’t fit? That would have been pretty confusing for the castaways.Did you see how fast Fabio solved that puzzle, though? That was impressive. And I thought it was hilarious watching the others look over at his puzzle trying to see how to solve it. How many times at school do you think Fabio had people looking over his shoulder trying to copy? Not very often, I suspect. Also, wasn’t it great how we were supposed to believe that the piece that Chase dropped was a factor in the challenge, when Chase wasn’t even close to making progress on that puzzle?
- Did Dan really ask “How many votes do we need?” when there were only 5 people left? Is he that bad at math? Maybe that’s why he spent $1600 on shoes. I can see him in the store buying a $200 pair of shoes, and as he pulls his wad of bills out of his pocket and peels off a couple of hundreds, the clerk keeps telling him “keep going…”
- Listening to Holly talk makes me feel like I’m watching Fargo again.
- The first Tribal Council saw Dan hit the Yellow Brick Road and…wait…I’m mixing up my short jokes…Is he an Oompa Loompa or a Munchkin? Actually, I could see him as part of the Munchkin mafia, couldn’t you? And what was with his bile-filled confessional after being voted off? Where was that sort of passion and fuel for the past 37 days?
- The Fallen Comrades Walk: I’m not even paying lip service to this segment, always the worst part of a season, other than to say it was a nice touch that the 2 quitters got black shields. Seven-and-a-half minutes of our lives that we’ll never get back.
- In the Final Immunity challenge, Fabio completed his reincarnation of Kelly Wigglesworth, winning Immunity in the final challenges to earn his way to the Final Tribal Council. (For the record, that was a great challenge to watch in HD) I’ve been on record saying how much I hate the concept of a Final Three vs. a Final Two, but another of the reasons is the inability of the winner to choose who they sit beside at the end, which was always a huge selling point of the challenge, as Jeff would constantly tell us. It’s not like the old way, when there were two left and the two votes would cancel out and the Immunity holder was the sole vote…now it’s still a full 4 votes cast. While they’re all scrambling to see who Fabio will take to the end, he can’t really decide on his own…he’s just one vote. I think that’s part of the reason we see a Final Three sometimes, but I still hate it as an end scenario.
- The look, and the tiny little head-shake, that Fabio gave after Sash told him he was his “best friend in the game” was priceless. A full-on belly laugh in our household.
- I was somewhat surprised (but not shocked) to see Holly voted out 4th. I thought it was going to be Sash, but I think the threat of Holly winning the game meant too much to Fabio, and even if he voted for Sash, that only would have ensured a 2-2 tie.
- If we have to still refer to her as Purple Kelly for the entire season, couldn’t she do us the courtesy of wearing purple just once?
- Fabio came up with a great line at the suggestion by Sash that Chase and Fabio could be his wingmen. “Sash, dude, you can take a back seat. I’ll let you take notes on how this is gonna go, cuz it’s gonna be fun.” He’s been pretty entertaining all season, I’ll give him that.
- The traditional celebratory breakfast feast for the finalists was the typical fare of burnt pancakes and mimosas. I loved the imagery of the tight camera shot of the frying pan cooking the breakfast links…after all, this was the ultimate Sausage Party.
- The Final Tribal Council opening statements essentially went like this: Chase – Bring it on. Fabio: Let’s have fun with the money. Sash: I’m the best player. Three very different approaches.
- The questioning was all pretty benign, don’t you think? But Sash and Chase still both took a fair bit of heat from the Jury, while Fabio laughed his way through it all as he watched them. There was really no doubt he was going to win the million, was there?
- On the Reunion Show, Fabio was clean-cut and rambled on making no sense at all, Dan looked like Joe Pesci, Jimmy T. decided the occasion warranted a T-shirt, Chase sang some horrible country music, Purple Kelly looked like Terri Nunn from Berlin, there was WAAAY too much Terry Bradshaw, Holly gave out Ostrich boots (???), NaOnka’s mom was not only named Xena…but was also the size of Xena…, Jane won the $100K popularity prize, Shannon was even douchier than on the show, Wendi Jo has crazy eyes, and Season 22 was announced as Redemption Island (but not Boston Rob vs. Russell), as I reported in my earlier post. - Overall I thought the Reunion Show was pretty uneventful and quite weak. But then again, it wasn’t hosted by Bryant Gumbel, and Rosie O’Donnell didn’t hand out free cars to everyone, so that’s something. I suppose a bad season deserved a bad reunion show. The only really good thing to come out of this show (and this season) was the 100% BANG-ON decision to have the option to exclude quitters from the Jury.
So what did you think of the Finale? Did the right person win? How about the Jury questions? And what are your thoughts about the Redemption Island twist?
Survivor Fans, I hope you’ve enjoyed the recaps this season on Spoiler TV, let me/us know. Maybe I'll expand my reality TV coverage on here if it's something you're looking for. Please feel free to visit Sean's Random Thoughts or add me on Facebook to submit feedback. Don’t forget to mouse over the pictures for captions, and please leave a Comment in the Comments section if you’re so inclined.
Thanks for reading this season.
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Leverage - Episodes 3.15/3.16 - The Big Bang Job & The San Lorenzo Job - Recaps and Reviews
Check out my recaps and reviews of tonight's Leverage season finale episodes:
Brittany Frederick
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This show has a lot of heart.
It's half way through the season. $#*! My Dad Says should be commended for having survived the first hurdles of a competitive Fall TV season. It didn't hurt that it was on CBS, a network who has rewarded its crop of fledgeling shows with a full season.
I first learned about this show from William Shatner himself, at this years Fan Expo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When you hear the guy talk, there is no doubt that he can carry a show. He has a sharp wit to match. The way he commanded the filled room, you know whatever he's involved with will get better with age.
As expected, Shatner as Ed Goodson is the strongest in the cast that includes Jonathan Sadowski as son Henry, and Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan as his other son and daughter-in-law. If the acting seem stiff at times, it is probably owing to the fact that the writers have a habit of making last minute changes to get the best laugh. From some of the on-line reactions, I think it was worth it.
Episode 1.11 - Family Dinner for Schmucks
In this week's episode, Bonnie attempts to start a family tradition by having everyone sit down for dinner and talk about their day. Her plans backfire when Ed starts calling Henry a schmuck for not standing up for himself at work, not being ambitious enough.
Ed revives the tradition to tell his family about the young doctor he worked with. The guy may make more money, have a better job, is better looking than Henry, but he doesn't have Henry's character. He tells him that he wouldn't trade that for all the other qualities.
That's what it's all about. - 9/10
I have only seen five episodes and I am going to keep watching. If it were not for William Shatner, I probably would not still be in my present career, but that is not why I am tuning in. I like it because it might actually be good.
Check out my review of tonight's episode of Law & Order: UK, entitled "Love and Loss," here. And remember, it's not love if your significant other is asking you to commit a crime.
Brittany Frederick
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The second half of season 1 of PLL hasn’t even started and we’re already thinking about the March finale. But can you blame us? Pretty Little Liars’ Executive Producer just shared the title and naturally we’re curious. King tweeted: “#PLL table read tomorrow for episode 121, ‘Monsters In The End.’ Look out!” Is it just us or does each PLL title gets creepier than the last?
Monsters are feared, so it’s only fitting that “A” has something to do with this title. Plus King says to look out and that usually means to beware of one person in particular. Maybe we'll find out who "A" is and it will be someone we'd never suspect.
We also know that a new boy (who needs a name) will come to Rosewood during the season finale to cause trouble. Could he be a part of the equation? Any guesses who will be the “monster in the end?” Share your thoughts/predictions!
Source: Twitter
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Harperteen has released the short description for the next installment in the Pretty Little Liars series ! Pretty Little Liars #9 Twisted coming July 5th 2010 Packed with fresh new secrets , deadly plot twists , and jaw-dropping drama, the ninth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series kicks off another gripping four-book story arc starring everyone’s favorite Pretty Little Liars . With three million copies sold across the series and a hit ABC Family show , Sara’s fan base has grown tremendously – and they’ll be estatic to hear of these new installments with their beloved characters. It’s been a year since Alison DiLaurentis disappeared from Aria , Hanna , Spencer and Emily’s lives , but someone is keeping her spirit alive. Someone who knows all the dark , terrible things these Pretty Little Liars have done in the last few months. Someone who will stop at nothing to make them pay… Source: prettylittleliars.us
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Burn Notice - Episodes 4.17/4.18 - Out of the Fire and Last Stand - Recaps and Reviews
Here are recaps and reviews for both of tonight's Burn Notice season finale episodes:
Brittany Frederick
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Just love 'em...a lot.
Pete's dad Teddy (James Brolin) rolls into town in a red Corvette convertible. Everybody likes Teddy, except Pete. His presence makes him anxious, with reason. He's seventy going on seventeen. It's obvious he is tired of dealing with his father's eccentricities. Just minutes after saying hi to Pete and Lisa, he is arrested for grand theft auto. He can't afford a lawyer much less good cigars.
Brett Riley is Nick and Pete's next client. He was a professional football player before his drinking problems began and eventually arrested for assault and battery. He was clearly forgetful and confused. He did not know he had hit his friend, breaking the man's jaw and yelling about his wife when he beat up the man.
While they went to discuss the deal made with the DA, four years jail time for admitting guilty to felony battery, his sudden violent behaviour lead the partners to believe that Brett may have another problem.
There was no trace of alcohol in his system at the time of the arrest. Despite protest from Brett, Nick wants to go to trial to argue diminished capacity. Even with neurological scans that can prove his brain damage, from years of playing football, it was not a strong defense. At the risk of being found in contempt of court, Nick let the jury see how Brett was not in control. It still does not sway the State from arguing his violent intent.
Meanwhile, Teddy says he did not steal the car. He was helping his ex-girlfriend sell all of her cars. That's when he drove off with the Corvette he claimed they bought together. Lisa, who took his case, could not find any proof of Teddy's ownership.
 |
| I don't think my boy will play next season. |
“If my dad were still around, if I had one more summer with him, I would love every minute of him. I would. Even if he was robbing banks.”
It got to Pete, who then resolved the issue by buying the Corvette from Roberta for his dad.
 |
| Chip off the old block |
When Teddy tells them that the woman accusing him of stealing her car was probably trying to get back at him, Nick voices his opinion. "Women." After one look from Lisa, he starts to backpedal. "Some women. Not all women."
Pete overreacts when Zoey tells her bosses she was going out with Teddy for drinks.
"She's going on a date with my dad."
"Yes I got a dirty mind. I got it from my dad."
Nick makes light of the situation.
"You gotta look at the positive side. Zoey could be your new mom."
After Teddy tells Nick that he needs to move on with his life, Nick reluctantly stores his wedding ring that he wore everyday everywhere, in a cigar box.
As for his kid...Just love 'em...a lot.
 |
| You have to move on. |
CSI: Miami is about to get a new helping hand in the lab. Movieline has learned that Leven Rambin, whose TV credits include Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Grey’s Anatomy, and most recently ABC’s Scoundrels, has been cast on the CBS crime drama in the potentially recurring role of Molly Sloan.
Described as spunky and sexy, this trace evidence technician — transferred in from Tampa — will first appear in this season’s 14th episode, where she quickly makes a solid first impression on Ryan Wolfe.
Fun Fact No. 1: Rambin has something in common with CSI: Miami vet Eva La Rue, seeing as both actresses started their careers on the ABC soap opera All My Children. (Rambin played twin sisters Lily and Ava.)
Fun Fact No. 2: On Grey’s, Rambin played a character with the first name of Sloan.
Now in its ninth season, CSI: Miami airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.
Source: MovieLine
Leven Rambin has joined the cast of CSI: Miami in a recurring role.
Movieline reports that the actress will play the "spunky and sexy" Molly Sloan in multiple episodes.
Sloan, a trace evidence technician, will be transferred in from Tampa and will form a close relationship with Ryan Wolfe (Jonathan Togo).
Rambin previously portrayed Sloan Riley on Grey's Anatomy and also played a recurring character on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Her most recent television role was in now-axed ABC drama Scoundrels.
CSI: Miami will return to CBS on January 9.
Source: DigitalSpy
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Here is Sean Furfaro’s recap of Survivor Nicaragua – Episode 13.
That sound you heard about 4 minutes into this episode? That was me vomiting.
You knew it was coming. I've warned you for weeks. And now, with tonight's episode being the last one before the Season Finale on Sunday, it's time for the dreaded "Loved Ones" episode. Just look at the picture above, as the Survivors check out the handy new Sony Evo.
What the hell is happening in that picture anyways? Jane looks like she's looking at picture of a fish she can sneak away with and eat on her own, Dan is confused, and Fabio is fixing his hair. Once again, I submit to you, Survivor Nicaragua is a candidate for worst season ever.
My Random Thoughts:
- Previously on…Survivor: as Holly said, What the f*** is wrong with Chase? Jeff’s voice-over reminded us of Chase’s indecisiveness, and his maddening trend of voting out his supposed alliance-mates. Remember when the “Previously on…” segment was simply a recap of the last episode? Now Jeff is constantly telling us what we need to know for the theme of the episode. Did anybody not think this episode was going to involve a significant amount of Chase?
- The loved one videos are painful to watch. Did they all get told by CBS to have a dog on their lap, in their arms, or in the background? Call me heartless if you want, but it’s the same crap season after season. Same with the introductions of the loved ones who (gasp!) are actually there. Have you never watched the show before? They’re always there. Don’t act like it’s a shock…we’ve seen it 21 times now.
- All of that notwithstanding, my Random Thoughts on the Introductions/Reward Challenge:
o Nice to see they’ve upgraded from the Palm Pre to the Evo, but Sony is still clearly paying a heavy price to finance this episode. Did you see all of the features, and hear that it’s Sony’s first 4G phone? And the quality of those photos and videos…wow. Gag.
o When Dan’s son ran up to hug his dad, Dan made some sort of sound that was like a cross between a squeak, an injured cat, and someone playing the bagpipes who has no idea how to play the bagpipes. And how awkward was the incessant kissing? I’m all for an affectionate family…I still kiss both my mom and dad when I see them, but that was just weird.
o Jane’s daughter Ashley came barreling out of the woods and looked like she was going to smash right into Jane, knocking her airborne and probably right into the ocean. I braced myself for what was sure to be a 10-million-hit YouTube sensation, but alas, Ashley geared it down and simply picked up peanut brittle Jane in a hug, careful not to snap her. Hey, how do you think that go-kart got broken?
o Chase wins the Reward Challenge (again), and even though he promised Fabio that he would take him and Sash on the challenge, you knew based on the “don’t forget how indecisive Chase is, and how he goes back on his word” montage at the beginning that Fabio was getting screwed. And how perfect would that Reward have been with 3 boys and their moms? Colby Donaldson was home on his couch, drooling…saying “Man, that would be awesome!”
o Once I saw the challenge setup from the air, I thought to myself “Dan has no chance.” Then Jeff said that the Loved Ones were going to be participating (and they were shocked. Again, have you never watched the show?), and I thought, ‘OK, maybe Dan has a chance.” Then Jeff said that the Survivors would have to jump into the water, get the bags, and run them back, and I switched back to "Dan has No Chance" again.
o After Chase chose Sash and Holly, Dan told his son, the human kissing booth, that Chase was a scumbag. Then, Fabio called him out on his promise. See what I’m saying? The Loved Ones episode is nothing but trouble!
- So off they went on a boring reward, took lots of pictures, and after 30 minutes of Hallmark schmaltz, we’re back to the game.
- I’ve had a lot of fun this season at Chase’s expense over his job description of Pro Race Car Jackman. I was thinking today, I understand what the job entails…I mean, the name isn’t really cryptic at all…but what exactly is the act of doing what Chase does called? Is it car jacking? Isn’t there a negative connotation attached to that?
- At the Immunity Challenge (another one where Dan had no chance), I could tell by the ‘retribution music’ that was playing, that Fabio would win after not being taken on the Reward. This season is painfully predictable.
- Best line of the challenge from Probst: “Holly is struggling…but she’s got her last bag. That’s gonna help.”
- At the pow-wow between Chase, Sash, Holly, and Jane, the crazy old witch was shooting daggers at the other 3 before being told she was likely going home. Then she gave Sash the finger (why even disguise it as a face scratch at this point? Why not just double-barrel it right in his smug face?) And then, she went on to tell us that Sash’s mom raised a liar. First Marty’s kids, and now Sash’s mom? When Jane gets angry, she brings the whole family into it, doesn’t she?
- Then, all hell broke loose as Jane was yelling at people not to even look at her, and doused the fire before they left for Tribal Council with a dramatic “By God, I started it…I’ll put it out.” It was a valid point, and arguably the best moment of the season so far (and how sad is that?), but I had to think to myself: Where the hell was Jane with that bucket of water when the camp was burning down!
- Tribal Council was dramatic as well: Holly’s a thief, Dan and Fabio are next, both Idols got played (how much of a non-factor were the Idols this season? Lame.), and Chase was put on the spot. Long story short, adios Jane. See you on the Jury.
Next Week (well, Sunday actually): It’s the Season Finale of what may go down as the worst season in history.
Once again, my apologies to those of you expecting my recap by 9:30 ET as usual. I am still on the West Coast, but I will be home this weekend, so my recap for the Season Finale this Sunday will go on as normal. I’m hoping to get it posted during the Live Reunion Show, and then updated after the reunion show.
My predictions for the reunion show: Shannon will get booed, NaOnka will get booed harder, Purple Kelly will giggle and shrug, Brenda will look amazing, Marty’s hair will not be crazy, Jane and Holly will both look totally different, Jeff will re-iterate his disgust at the quitters, and at one point, Benry will let out a whoop.
Survivor Fans, feel free to check out the archive of Survivor Recaps at Sean's Random Thoughts, or you can also add me on Facebook, where I post all of the recaps as soon as they go up. Don’t forget to mouse over the pictures for captions.
Thanks for reading. See you Sunday for the Season Finale.
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Looking for more on tonight's Human Target? I have a full recap and review of "Dead Head" available here. Once you're caught up, don't forget to check out this week's trivia and tidbits in the nex installment of The Human Target File.
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Here are my reviews of tonight's two hours of Psych:
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Blue Mountain State isn't on tonight (yes, you'll have to wait until next week to see what happens when a crazed badger attacks), but you can console yourself by reading my new chat with star Darin Brooks (Alex Moran) here.
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Hey guys, part 2 of my special 2-part recap... due to the fact that I missed a week! I'm back on track though, and this episode was GREAT - one of the better we've had in a while! So I really enjoyed reviewing it. Sadly I wasn't able to get into as much depth with it as I would have liked, since I had to cram two reviews into the time I usually have set aside to spend on one, but at least they're out there now and I'm all ready for next episode now!
Hey Doc, how about a shot of that death juice?
First we head to Chinatown. Dean enters a butcher's shop, and finds a creepy old Doctor Robert... But he's happy to see him, cause he knew John. It's always nice to meet someone John used to know in the show.
Dean needs a letter sent to Benjamin Braeden... is that a Bobby alias, you reckon? He then gets ready for a procedure. "You've got three minutes," the doctor tells him - and kills him. Oh I get it, he needs to be a ghost again! Cool. And when we've got ghosts... Yay, it's the reaper girl Tessa we like! It's always good to see her. And then we've got the Horseman of Death again, which is good because we knew he'd have to come back.
Honestly, I was a lot more excited about seeing Tessa than Death, but maybe that's just me. I think the guy is plenty creepy and all that, but Tessa was just such an unexpectedly great addition to the show, which I guess is why they've brought her back multiple times. Hopefully this won't be her last appearance, though it's hard to imagine how she'd fit in really.
Death asks Death to get his brothers' souls out of the cage (who else had completely forgotten about Adam?? I have a feeling the writers had too until now, what with the whole "Sam's soul is the only thing Lucifer has to play with" spiel from last week)... But Death, being sneaky like that, asks Dean to choose which brother he wants saved. And of course, Dean chooses Sam - reassuring, though expected.
I guess this kind of leaves us hanging in regards to Adam though. You think he'll ever get out, or are we supposed to be cool with the fact that his soul will be suffering eternally just like Bela's will?
Another interesting thing is to get confirmed that Sam's soul is, in fact, permanently damaged - though Death says he can block the damaged part. Put it behind a wall, which isn't permanent... cause that's not a ticking bomb in any way!
Nothing ever comes cheap, of course. Dean's price is to put on the ring and be Death for a day. This reminds me of the plot of a Discworld novel...
And just then, when he is about to get aaaaalllll the answers, Dean is reawakened. What were the chances?! Heh, anyone's got a count of how many times Dean has died at this point? Like 7?
Dean with the ring... are they like married now?
Next scene sees the return of BOBBY and it's about time! Yay! Sam and Dean argue about the plan, and honestly, I'm kind of verging on the side of soulless Sammy. I mean...this wall business seems very dodgy to me, and it would be terrifying to just watch and wait for it's collapse. But we want this story to progress because the soul hunt is honestly getting a little dull, so I stayed on Team Dean for this one.
Sam seems...disturbed...by this. Which, while he technically shouldn't be able to, is kind of nice to see. If for nothing else then because it means that the Sam we know and love is still in there, fighting for his own survival, if in a lot more selfish and brutal way, you know?
Dean puts the ring on, and Tessa comes back as his guide. His job is to kill everyone who has to die... which will obviously be morally hard for his compass. I guess that's Death's idea of a joke.
Meanwhile Sam summons uh...yeah so I can't remember who that guy is... Thank goodness they remind us. Sam doesn't want the soul back in his body, and needs Balthasar's help to keep it out.
He needs to scar his vessel... he needs the blood of his father, aka Bobby. Ohhhhhh crap.
Wow, Death's got a rough gig. No wonder he's cranky.
Thank goodness the first job is easy, the robber rather than the victims. Of course we know this is just to get him started, a morally grey warm-up if you will. We'll get to the gut wrench later.
The robber appears as a ghost, and asks: "Why?" to which Dean brilliantly responds, "Mostly because you're a dick." Well, that's one way to go.
Next guy is a heart attack, who asks why too. I guess why really is the key question. And of course, what it all means... "everything is dust in the wind." And here I thought the answer was 42!
But the next gig...that's not as easy. It's a sick little girl, and this is when it gets hard. Dean begins to question destiny - there is no such thing, just like there was no apocalypse. He refuses to take her, and oh, her heart magically healed. Well that's neat. Sadly though, saving the girl cost the nurse her life. That's somewhat odd, I figured the girl would die some other way, I guess that counts against the whole destiny thing doesn't it?
Poor girl appears...and is told the fate she would never have. Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Dean. And he sees the husband, has to witness the grief he could have prevented. And meanwhile, he still has to save the girl. Destiny - 1, Dean Winchester - 0.
And then...Dean is trying to help the husband, and takes the ring off. Damn it Dean! But although it's over, he returns to the hospital to finish what he started, and takes the girl.
The natural order is stupid. I think we can all agree.
The father must kill the son...or whatever.
Uh ohhhhh..... Sam gets back to Bobby. They start playing cards, which is strangely intense. Sam goes for him but of course Bobby is super awesome and can do no wrong!!!!!!!!!! and totally pwns the littlest Winchester! Woot!
But then Sam disappears, and Bobby loads his weapon. This can't end well. Oh no, I think I see where this is going.
It's a proper horror film sequence ("don't say 'here's Johnny',") when Sam breaks though the door, but Bobby had a trap door to the basement. Phew, safe for now.
It's interesting to see how Sam sees his soul as a separate being from himself, calling him "that other guy". I have a hard time knowing when it's not the same and when it is, too.
Bobby... why does he open the door???? Damn it! He goes into the basement...never go into the basement... and then he follows the blood, and is knocked out. I've got a bad feeling about this.
Where the storylines collide...
Now that Dean has learned his lesson, it's time for - PHEW!
Seriously, I worry for Bobby every damn episode of this damn show, and I was sure that Dean's final test was going to be reaping him, but thank goodness the producers aren't that cruel! Of course now they'll need to find yet another way to get the soul, but as long as it's not as the price of Bobby, I'm cool with it.
They tie up Sam, and it's like a season 4 flashback. Dean still has the ring, and leaves to find Death at Bobby's table. Uh oh.
Dean has learned how hard it is to be Death... they have reached some understanding, now that Dean understands the "natural order".
But oh, what's that? Death is going to get Sam's soul! First, thank goodness the tedious wait is over, but also, lol. Death is annoyed by Dean and Sam, how they are an affront to the balance of the universe...but they have their use, and he wants them to keep digging.
So we are left with 75% and a caution to not scratch the wall (and you know how it is when you are told not to scratch something...say your head)......... and a SOUL FOR SAM!!!!!! Happy Christmas, I guess!
And uh.. that was.the end. Wow. For once, I literally can't wait till the next episode! Way to cliffhang, show! See you next time...
Sorry guys, I thought the hiatus was a week longer than it was! So I missed the episode last week, and haven't been able to catch up until now. Honestly I thought Caged Heat was a bit of a snooze fest, but the next one was super intense! This review isn't going to be very interesting as I watched the episode with a friend and had to take notes very secretively on my iPod, but I had a chance to be a bit more thorough with Appointment in Samarra. I'll review them separately, so you'll see them both appear on the page right after each other. Hope you'll still enjoy them even if they are a bit delayed.
Hugs and puppies all around.
This episode starts out hard, with Crowley beating Crowley. It’s all very confusing. Oh but it’s a shapeshifter, of course, and Crowley is looking for purgatory. And he’s going to kill all the shapeshifter babies! But when the alpha shifter refuses, we don’t actually find out if he killed them… I guess for ratings reasons we won’t, but I like to think he spared them of course! That baby we met earlier this season was cute.
Dean is sick of working for Crowley, but as Sam reminds him, they have no other choice… if they want to get Sam’s soul back. We reiterate the debate about whether or not Sam actually wants his soul, and then bam! Sam is gone. Good, we’ve heard his spiel before.
But Sam and Dean get tied up by a demon guy, and tadaa it’s Meg again! I saw her at a convention, she’s cool, and sooo tiny.
She seems desperate to find Crowley… but she can’t kill Dean. Sam rightly assumes she’s running from Crowley, and she needs Sam and Dean to find him. Sam propositions that she works with them, and in exchange for handing over Crowley, Meg will help them get the soul from him. Ahh, a foolproof plan.
“Merry Christmas.”
I guess that’s all we’re gonna get for the holiday cheer. Sam knows what he’s doing, it seems, and calls on Castiel – who still won’t come for him, until he tricks him by saying he found “the box”. Sam and Castiel have words, and Sam really takes Castiel for granted doesn’t he? Of course it must be hard not to be the angel’s golden boy…
Cas is still pissed, but agrees to help. The boys ask Samuel for help, but he can’t help. Because – dun dun dun – Crowley’s promised Samuel to bring back Mary! Oh wow.
But as we know, no loved one reeeeally comes back from the dead except Sam and Dean, that would be too easy. But still, I see Samuel’s dilemma.
“We’re not supposed to talk about it.”
Castiel has new experiences with porn, and then Samuel shows up. He decides it’s what Mary would want, and he gives them a destination.
So once again angels and demons team up (remember Anna and Ruby? They both turned out to be evil, but it was cool to see them working together), and Sam kills one of the demons with Ruby’s knife. And when alone by the trunk, Sam shows some emotions. Hmm.
Castiel drops another bombshell: he’s not sure that retrieving Sam’s soul is wise, because the soul must be so tortured and damaged, mutilated, and the repercussions could be catastrophic. Uh-oh.
And though Dean is valiant and hopeful, Cas points out that it IS possible that they fail, and Sam suffers horrifically. But this is a TV show after all, so come on, it would be weird if they didn’t eventually succeed.
They enter the magic mansion, and it all seems way too easy. No guards, just tortured prisoners… Dean is tempted by a girl (vampire, presumably), but they keep moving. And THEN there are guards, Dean’s worst nightmare the hell hounds.
Meg gets ready to escape with a dramatic exit – but oh! She can’t escape! Interesting. That was a funny scene.
And then she KISSES Castiel! Who… gets way too into it. Hahaha, random! He learned that from the pizza man, hehee! And she took the angel blade, getting ready to fight. Brave, evil girl.
So much for blood. Or you know, so much blood.
Samuel double-crossed them! What a bad grandfather! Sam and Dean are locked in, and although Meg has killed all the hell hounds, one of the Campbell demons knocks her down.
Samuel tries to explain himself… that while he’s choosing Mary over them, Dean chose Sam over Mary. And Samuel sees Dean as a stranger, so he feels no allegiance to him. Dean promises he’s going to kill him next time they meet.
Meg is getting ready for naked torture with conveniently placed shackles, while Dean is pulled out of his cell, leaving Sam alone… And then, uh, Sam drinks his own blood. Which is just GROSS.
When Dean is led into a bloody room and made food for some beasts, it’s like, great. And we find out that Sam has bitten his own arm to use his blood to trap the demons. I guess that’s nice, if still very gross. Sam runs to save Dean (good thing, he seems almost loyal).
The dream team – is Meg the new Ruby?
Meg is tortured, and I hate torture. But Dean comes to save her, which is very gallant.
The girl that Dean paused for, the one who I thought was a vampire… she has a “daddy” of some importance, huh. Is it just another alpha? It could be John, of course, but we’ve already seen one secret Winchester child. Another would be a bit of a repeat.
Meg, Dean and Sam face Crowley united. It’s funny, how things change. I like this team.
Crowley however, reveals that he can’t get the soul after all. It’s Lucifer’s one means of entertainment, and there’s no wrestling that from him. Meg gets ready to kill Crowley, but of course we won’t get rid of him that easily.
And wait, did Crowley just say “haven’t seen you all season?” LOL. Hit us over the head with it, why don’t you? But Cas does come to save his new lady friend, and he brought some bones to roast! It’s a party.
They get the definitive answer: Crowley can’t help them. And then… he is gone. Poof. Just like that! Guess purgatory is a lost cause then… or is it?
So what now?
Cas isn’t having a good time upstairs, and he is sorry he can’t help more. He promises Sam to find another way to get the soul back, and goes to deal with the prison of monsters. But wait… what about the mysterious girl?
Of course, Sam tells Dean he doesn’t want the soul back, which obviously we saw coming but it’s good to get it out there. Now we're ready for the next episode!
PATRICK JANE AND THE CBI DELVE INTO THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL FIGHTING WHEN A BODY IS FOUND AT A MIXED MARTIAL ARTS MATCH, ON "THE MENTALIST," THURSDAY JAN. 6
Pruitt Taylor Vince ("Deadwood") Guest Stars as J.J. LaRoche, an Investigator with the Professional Standards Unit.
"Bloodsport" - Patrick and the team investigate the murder of a woman with ties to one of the fighters. Meanwhile, LaRoche focuses his investigation on Rigsby, who in turn is forced to ask Cho for a huge favor in order to keep his job, on THE MENTALIST, Thursday, Jan. 6 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
SERIES REGULARS
Patrick Jane - Simon Baker
Teresa Lisbon - Robin Tunney
Kimball Cho - Tim Kang
Wayne Rigsby - Owain Yeoman
Grace Van Pelt - Amanda Righetti
GUEST CAST
J.J. LaRoche - Pruitt Taylor Vince
Manny Flacco - Rey Valentin
Len Artash - Vasili Bogazianos
Suge Lima - Sherman Augustus
Rowdy Merriman - Jake McLaughlin
Charlotte Mitchell - Jaimi Paige
Beatriz - Paola Turbay
Joe Reyes - T.C. Carson
Tom Mitchell - Robert Pine
Floyd Benton - Richard Roundtree
Frank Lopez - Valente Rodriguez
Rigsby's Date - Amy Flanagan
Big Man - Sho Brown
Vendor Woman - Eileen Grubba
Dawn Kerr - Sam Doumit
WRITTEN BY: Eoghan Mahony
DIRECTED BY: Roxann Dawson
Source: CBS
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Before Southland returns to TNT on January 4, series star Michael Cudlitz (Officer John Cooper) sat down with me to talk about the fans, his tendency to play cops, and a guest role you may have forgotten about. Check out the spoiler-free interview here.
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REID SUFFERS SEVERE HEADACHES AND HALLUCINATIONS THAT MAKE HIM FEAR FOR HIS HEALTH WHILE THE BAU INVESTIGATES A SERIES OF RITUALISTIC MURDERS IN MIAMI, ON "CRIMINAL MINDS," WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
Rachel Nichols ("Star Trek," "Alias") Returns as Agent Ashley Seaver
"Corazon" - As the BAU travels to Miami to investigate a series of bizarre, ritualistic murders, Reid suffers a series of blinding headaches and hallucinations that leave him concerned for his health, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Jan. 12 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Rachel Nichols ("Star Trek," "Alias") returns as Agent Ashley Seaver.
SERIES REGULARS:
David Rossi................................ Joe Mantegna
Aaron Hotchner....................... Thomas Gibson
Emily Prentiss........................... Paget Brewster
Derek Morgan.......................... Shemar Moore
Dr. Spencer Reid........... Matthew Gray Gubler
Penelope Garcia.................. Kirsten Vangsness
GUEST CAST:
Ashley Seaver........................... Rachel Nichols
Professor Walker........................ Chris Walker
Brenda.................................... Michelle Gillette
Manny......................................... Manny Perez
Victor Cabrera................................ J. Santiago
Jimmy Mercado......................... Ruben Rabasa
Elian....................................... Barnaby Barrilla
Julio................................. Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Assistant.................................... Brian Kubach
Ritual Woman........................ Grasie Mercedes
Doctor Barnes........................ Stephen Mendel
Screaming Mom.................... Toya Ann Brown
Juan.......................................... Rico Deveraux
WRITTEN BY: Katarina Wittich
DIRECTED BY: John Gallagher
Source: CBS
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Looking for more on tonight's Hawaii Five-O? Check out my review of “Hana ‘a’a Makehewa” here. This is the last new episode until January 3, but enjoy the reruns through the holidays!
Brittany Frederick
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Still scratching your head about last night's Dexter finale? EP Sara Colleton has spoken out again to a few major outlets, and I've pulled all those together for you here.
(Obvious SPOILER ALERT.)
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Are you excited for this Thursday's Burn Notice finale? How about the return of The Game in less than a month? Well, I have something that will make the wait a little easier. Coby Bell sat down with me to dish about his work on both shows, and you can read the interview here.
(SPOILER ALERT: The interview contains spoilers for both the Burn Notice finale and for the upcoming season of The Game.)
Brittany Frederick
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In this episode of Top Gear US, Tanner drives a Ford Velociraptor truck against a HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) jumper. It evokes memories of when Richard Hammond raced a Porsche Turbo against a Red Devil; not exactly the same thing, but close enough that hardcore fans may feel some deja vu. I really wish the show would stop semi-cribbing segments from the British version, and come up with some of their own; I know the UK series had some fabulous ideas, but the similarities make it seem like the US team can't come up with original ideas, and they don't need to be giving ammunition to an already cynical viewing audience. If they have to copy challenges, I'd love to see them tackle some of the more ambitious ones, like letting the hosts try to build amphibious vehicles or forcing them to go caravaning. Those would be sights to see, for sure.
Meanwhile, Adam is playing around with the Mercedes SLS AMG, and comparing it to the Mercedes 300 SL of old. It's a serious car segment, for serious car buffs; about the only thing that caught my attention was that there is such a thing as magnesium seat frames. I'm sure a Mercedes fan enjoyed it, but I found myself tuning out. This segment highlights something else about this show that I've often wondered about; it seems like History wants to make a more straightforward, serious car series - or at least, thinks that's what we want to see - compared to the BBC version which is less serious and more about what you can do with cars. In my eyes, that sucks a lot of the fun out of it.
Kid Rock is the celebrity guest. All I learn from this is that he hates Priuses.
The most interesting part of the show comes in the last eight minutes, when Adam and Rutledge (poor Tanner, not getting to have any fun!) set out to look for a new vehicle for the Army. They turn up at a paintball course in cheap cars that they've decked out for the kill. Unfortunately, since they're limited to a very specific and small path, this fight requires little strategy and is mostly about just shooting constantly. The exchange lasts a grand total of four minutes, if that. If this were on the original Top Gear, James would be lost and Jeremy would be producing an AK-47 from somewhere. Instead, we learn that neither Rutledge nor Adam can speak Spanish.
Unfortunately, this week's a weak outing for Top Gear. If you saw last week's preview, you pretty much saw the best of the episode. I'm worried about this show hanging on; every time I find a good point, something else makes me hesitate. The comments I've received on my reviews so far have shown me that the series was playing to a tough crowd from the beginning, and it can't really afford to have a lot of bad episodes, especially when people can turn over to BBC America and watch the original. Here's hoping the series picks up in the near future.
Need to catch up with Top Gear (US)? Full show coverage is available in the Top Gear (US) category on my blog, DigitalAirwaves.net.
Brittany Frederick
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Here is Sean Furfaro's recap of the Season Finale of The Amazing Race.
Sorry for the delay in getting tonight’s post up, especially for those of you who are used to it being up at 9:30 ET. I’m still on the West Coast, so didn’t even get to watch the episode until it aired here. It’s Finale Night so let’s get right to it…
My Random Thoughts:
- The opening recap of the entire race was pretty much a 3-minute segment saying “Remember that Nick and Chad are both bad people.” The nifty little lingo that Phil used saying teams ‘sank, crashed, and clashed’ all showed video clips featuring Chad. And after seeing the watermelon smash one more time (seriously, I never get tired of it, do you?), we wrapped up Phil’s recap with the trademark eyebrow…now with a ‘ding!’ sound effect.
- Thomas scoffed at the idea of an all-girl team winning the Race, talking about how he wasn’t interested at all in history. As I mentioned at the end of last week’s recap, all of the Girl Power/history/2 women have never won the race/etc… going on, there is no way that Jill and Thomas were winning. Plus, we see it all again repeatedly before the first break?
- After all of the history reminders, we then heard the girls talking about how they have to beat Thomas. Not Thomas and Jill…just Thomas. Like the fact that this potential history-making moment puts the spotlight on him as the only one left with a penis, and therefore he is the bad guy. For the record, Thomas is the bad guy for reasons that extend (pardon the pun) well beyond possessing a penis, but I get the feeling that if either of the women teams could have added Jill as a third member, they would have done it. And I bet Thomas would have been fine with it.
-“We brought the cheetah pants”, said Brook and Claire as they showed up in the Seoul airport in spotted hot pants. But why even wear them…and talk about how you saved them for the final leg…if you’re just going to change out of them and wear long pants when you get to L.A.? If there’s any place that you’re not going to look out of place wearing cheetah hot pants, it’s Los Angeles.
- We saw a lot of drama (including an ominous music commercial break) about Nat being scared of heights and maybe not being able to do the Bungee swing off of the crane, but there was no way she wasn’t going to do it. After Kat gave up 22 years of vegetarianism earlier in the Race, Nat was obviously going to do it.
- I’m sorry, but I laughed, and laughed hard, when Brook was freaking out after the Bungee drop. The spastic convulsions were just too over the top to not find ridiculously hilarious.
- 2 questions about the helicopter ride. First, if Nat is so afraid of heights, then how was the helicopter ride so exciting and unbelievable to her? Even before getting on the chopper, she said "I'm so excited to go on a helicopter", so it wasn't even cryptic. Second, why were all the teams so seemingly mind-blown over the ride? You just travelled the entire world performing amazing challenges, and a helicopter ride over L.A. is the thing that astounds everyone?
- At the Rose Bowl Roadblock, Thomas declared "this is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this." WHAT? There's something Thomas has never done? And he's admitting it? You mean between all of the rappelling, sleeping in railway cars, and every other Notre Dame-y thing that Thomas has done in his life, he's never done arts and crafts? NOW I know why we saw him bragging about everything all season...long-term-planned editing for the ultimate comeuppance in the final leg.
- Speaking of the Rose Bowl Roadblock, thank GOD Brook did it...only because we would have heard "C'Mon Claire!" about 200 times during the Roadblock. Speaking of the “C’Mon Claire!” count, tonight was a record-low 4 times, but I noticed how it's sounding the same every time, which makes me wonder the TAR editors just kept repeating the same soundbyte. If so, I think it should be a ringtone. You know how you can customize ringtones for certain people? Imagine if that was your ringtone for that annoying friend, your ex-wife, or maybe an old boyfriend who loves to eat ham.
- Another laugh-inducing moment was Thomas trying to explain to his cab driver how he needed to use the internet and the cab driver constantly talking about his GPS. Come on, tell me you weren't laughing.
- Bob Eubanks? I love a celebrity appearance in the final leg. This is a close second to Wayne Newton's Vegas appearance a couple of seasons ago. (On a side note, this past year in Las Vegas, we were in the Monte Carlo poker room and one of the pit bosses was telling us the story of the day they filmed that finale there, and how the poker-chip-counting challenge was done.)- I always love when the final challenge is a mind-blowing complicated memory challenge, and this one might have been the best one yet. I loved the way this one worked, with the teams having to pick the greeters from each leg. Most teams now write down everything from each leg, but it was a nice swerve having something that seems like it’s unimportant, but right in your face, being what determines if you win a million dollars or not.
- I give a lot of credit to Nat and Kat for their win. They were a very deserving team, and when you really think about it, they could actually be the best team to ever run the Race. Think about it...they were calm, they were cool, they never argued (not even once), they were incredibly supportive of each other, and you could even make the argument that the two of them were perfect partners. When you are afraid of heights, you need that supportive partner instead of someone yelling at you, and these two were smart, athletic, and willing to do what they needed to in order to win.
Well, that does it for another season…and I have to say, it was a pretty decent season. From watermelons in the face (still the highlight of the season by far) to Oman proposals, it was memorable. And we don’t have to wait long for next season, as TAR 18 will premiere in February.
They didn't mention on the show tonight as they had originally planned, but as I reported last week, Season 18 will be an All-Star season, featuring 11 teams from past seasons. Well, actually, it's being referred to as a "Second Chance" season, but that's just semantics. Click the link if you want to see who the teams are, or avoid it if you don’t want to be spoiled on the cast list. (Hint: Mallory's "Can we do it again?" in the closing moments probably wasn't a coincidence)
Thanks for reading my recaps this season. Feel free to visit Sean's Random Thoughts, or you can also add me on Facebook, where I post all of my recaps (and other Random Thoughts) as soon as they go up.
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