Category: TV (Page 164 of 595)

Hell’s Kitchen: final four revealed

September 30, 2009 /

I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling watching this season of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” that Gordon Ramsay would prefer to scrap this batch of contestants and start over again. Last night’s dinner service surely was evidence that this is how he’s feeling. But maybe it’s just Ramsay being Ramsay–that he’s as hard on even his best employees. Anyway, here is how it went down…

At the start, Dave was pissed off at Tennille for throwing Van under the bus last week, leading to Van’s elimination. Dave wasn’t pissed that she chose Van, he was pissed that she chose Van after saying she wouldn’t.

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External TV, Hell's Kitchen, Reality TV, TV

Sons of Anarchy 2.4 – Eureka

September 29, 2009 /

If there’s one thing that continues to impress me about the Sons of Anarchy, it’s the way in which these guys conduct their business. The whole idea of participating in a charity ride as a cover to do their gun runs is pure genius. Not only do the cops stay out of their way, but they also look like heroes to the community. Nevertheless, something was bound to go wrong, and when Bobby brought out his worse for wear Fat Boy to ride on the job, it was pretty much a given that it would play a part in the incident. No sooner had the Sons picked up the guns and started north to drop them off when Bobby’s bike kicked back a cloud of smoke, forcing Tig off the road and into a ditch. The accident wasn’t as bad as it looked, but Tig was still busted up enough to require medical attention.

Unfortunately, his insurance plan didn’t cover him at the hospital, and while they were all waiting around for transport to a hospital that would stitch him up, a van full of bounty hunters swung by to pick him up. As it turns out, Tig has an outstanding warrant in Oregon (one that even he’s forgotten about), and while Clay and Jax butt heads over whether they should continue with the drop or rescue their captured comrade first, Tig buys them some time by provoking the bounty hunters to beat him up, knowing that they can’t turn him in until he’s patched up. The rivalry between Clay and Jax has been heating up ever since the death of Donna, but this is the first time that it’s directly affected everyone else in the club. Fortunately, Piney could care less about Clay’s orders these days, so he grabs a flatbed truck and, with the help of Jax, Chibs, Juice and Half-Sack, busts through the motel where Tig is being held to rescue him.

sons_of_anarchy_2-4

Clay isn’t at all happy about their recklessness, but what’s most upsetting to him is that Jax refuses to be a team player. When your stepdad orders the murder of your best friend, only to kill his wife, however, you can kind of understand why Jax may still be holding a grudge. I cannot wait until he finally exposes what really happened to the rest of the club – especially now that Opie is acting all hunky-dory around Clay – but the chances of that happening anytime soon are pretty slim. Of course, the fact that Clay has threatened to kill Jax if he brings it up again certainly isn’t going to change his feelings on the matter. Quite the contrary, really, since it only goes to show that Clay will take out anyone who gets in his way. My guess is that Clay and Jax will continue to butt heads until Gemma is left with no other option but to unite them by exposing her secret.

For the time being, Gemma is trying to deal with the situation on her own. When her attackers send a taunting message through the mail in the form of a Michael Myers mask, however, Gemma decides to confront them by returning it to the store on the name of the bag that it came in. Apparently, she doesn’t realize that the store has since been replaced by Ethan Zobelle’s cigar shop, which means that she never actually knew who attacked her in the first place. I find that a bit implausible since they made a point of showing AJ’s tattoo during the rape scene, but regardless, Gemma definitely knows the truth now, and so does Chief Wayne, who had the best scene of the night when he confronted Ethan in the cigar shop. Gemma, meanwhile, follows AJ to some sort of meeting with the intent of killing him when she hears him talking to his kid on the phone. Conscience is a bitch, but just because Gemma isn’t willing to shoot someone with a family doesn’t mean Clay feels the same way. In fact, if he’s willing to kill his own stepson, shooting AJ should be a walk in the park.

Sons of Anarchy, TV, TV Dramas

Dancing with the Stars 9.4 — Round Two

September 29, 2009 /

DeLay

Along with millions of high school girls, single women, wives, and complacent husbands, I’m currently in front of my television awaiting the newest episode of “Dancing with the Stars.” I find it more enjoyalbe to write about this type of show in the moment, rather than trying to piece a recap together the day after airing. Isn’t “Dancing with the Stars” more exciting than thought-provoking, anyway? Oh, I see lots of tan flesh. Here we go.

“Moulin Rouge” director Baz Lurhmann is serving as a guest judge tonight and the live audience is thrilled. Unfortunately, my current favorite elderly Brit, judge Len Goodman, is absent. I hope he’s not gone long as he’s the funniest part of the show.

Joanna Krupa with Derek Hough

This performance, the first of the night, was pretty sloppy. I didn’t know “jive” was also a dance — I thought it was just a type of trash-talking. Funny enough, judge Bruno Tonioli says the dance is supposed to be “clean.” Joanna’s rendition definitely was not. Wait…what’s with the high scores?

Natalie Coughlin with Alex Mazo

Hell yeah. The couple is dancing to “I Want You Back,” made famous by the Jackson 5. I love this song. Natalie Coughlin is, without a doubt, the cutest celebrity on the show. Against “I Want You Back,” I thought this dance looked pretty fun.

Chuck Lidell with Anna Trebunskaya

Chuck Lidell and a cute Russian woman dancing the Tango to “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes. I’m positive this will never happen again on television.

Melissa Joan Hart with Mark Ballas

More. Good. Music. I don’t know who gets to pick the songs, but the choices have been consistently great. Melissa and her partner are dancing the Jive to “Long Tall Sally,” popularized by Little Richard, the Beatles, and the Kinks. Sometimes, I lose focus on the dance in front of me because the music is so good. This was one of those times.

Michael Irvin with Anna Demadova

Well, Irvin was atrocious last week, but he looks comfortable with the Tango. The judges are being much nicer tonight, so that’s good for guys like him. Man, I miss that unpleasant prune of a Brit.

Debi Mazar with Maksim Chmerkovskiy

This is one of the few couples with visible chemistry. I liked their version of the Tango as they brought a sense of back story to the dance. They just got “7”s across the board. Looks like they’re staying.

Louie Vito with Chelsie Hightower

I’m not sure what the judges are talking about. This was the most impressive dance thus far. Since Louie Vito is very athletic, these two kids were jumping all over the place and having a blast. The home audience better keep them alive as this dance was actually entertaining. Anybody know what song was just playing? It’s really bothering me that I can’t figure it out.

Aaron Carter with Karina Smirnoff

The judges were really impressed with Carter — dressed like a leprechaun from Southern California — and his pretty partner. I didn’t think much of it, but what do I know?

Kelly Osbourne with Louis Van Amstel

Is her head supposed to keep turning side-to-side like that? I would definitely get whiplash. I want Kelly to win this silly show, but I doubt she’ll get high scores for this dance.

Kathy Ireland with Tony Dovolani

Kathy and her partner had to do the quick-step. I don’t know. I was a bit bored by their performance. As this is the second week, it was imperative that she improve, and she didn’t. She might be going home fairly soon.

Mark Dacascos with Lacey Schwimmer

Although this couple doesn’t exude the same level of excitement as some of the others, they excel in the technical aspects. Considering each team is only given four days to prepare, nobody has been horrible. Dacascos is definitely staying.

Mya with Dmitry Chaplin

Wait. Wasn’t Mya in a music video with Christina Aguilera for a song from “Moulin Rouge?” She certainly picked the season to compete. After this nearly flawless performance, Mya has
to be the favorite, right? She used to dance in her music videos, so she has at least some experience.

Tom DeLay with Cheryl Burke

Despite the hurt foot, DeLay did a great job. It’s a shame he almost dropped his partner at the end. Like Carrie Ann said, they are an odd, yet perfectly-matched couple. Their attempt at the Tango was graceful and interesting — much better than the bulk of dances tonight.

Donny Osmond with Kym Johnson

Man, he nailed it. From a simple viewer’s perspective, I didn’t see any mistakes. Mya vs. Osmond in the finals?

Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on tonght’s Results Show.

Reality TV, TV, TV Reality

Curb Your Enthusiasm 7.2 — Vehicular Fellatio

September 28, 2009 /

Curb1

To the adroit fan, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” often presents itself as a complex puzzle one can attempt to solve before an episode’s conclusion. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld perfected the art of interweaving multiple story lines during “Seinfeld’s” nine-season run. There are rarely any cracks in the output, but once in a blue moon you could cite something as a “stretch.” With “Curb,” the two that come to mind are 1) the surgeon shaving Jeff’s head in Season 6 and 2) the doctor taking a soda out of Larry’s fridge without asking in the premiere of Season 7. Considering how beautifully consistent “Curb” has been over time, I always let it slide.

Larry and company took a year off before tackling this new season. It looks like that was a wise decision as it’s been hilarious thus far. In the premiere, Larry was still living with the Blacks, hoping his girlfriend Loretta Black (Vivica A. Fox) wouldn’t be diagnosed with cancer. At the end of the episode, everyone involved receives the bad news. Larry is devastated, but not because of his compassion for Loretta. After running into his ex-wife Cheryl at a restaurant, it’s clear they miss one another. The scene hints at the potential “Seinfeld” reunion audiences are expecting. In “Vehicular Fellatio,” Larry quickly realizes he doesn’t have the patience or love to deal with Loretta’s cancer. While blending a shake for Loretta, Larry notices a cancer specialist on “Dr. Phil.” The specialist, a pioneer in the field, is promoting her book that instructs cancer patients to leave their partners/spouses if they are unsympathetic, self-obsessed, and petty — all qualities Larry with which identifies. The show’s themes and possible story arcs are already evident. Richard Lewis, his new girlfriend, Jeff, Suzie, and Larry all go out dinner. Upon arriving, Jeff informs Larry that the girlfriend gave Richard a blowjob on the way to restaurant. Larry promises not to say anything, opting to avoid any physical contact with her during dinner. Larry’s actions inevitably end Richard’s relationship. At the same time, the themes of “hugging” and “fellatio” have been firmly planted.

Larry and Loretta soon meet with the cancer specialist and Larry tries as hard as possible to be the most annoying man in the world. The schtick appears to work as he’s sent outside. Larry can sense freedom! When the couple is driving to the doctor’s lecture, Larry’s plans are temporarily derailed. Larry notices the doctor’s husband in the car in front of him (easily spotted because of his full head of hair). However, the doctor’s head emerges from his lap. While Larry is amused, Loretta is horrified and orders Larry to take her home. Later on, Larry must return to the doctor’s office to pay for another patient’s glasses after Larry innocently broke them. There, he bumps into the specialist. She’s disappointed that he and Loretta didn’t attend the lecture. After much poking and prodding, Larry admits that they didn’t attend because he saw her giving her husband fellatio in the car. The doctor proceeds to attack Larry, hitting him over the head with her bestselling book. Oh, the visual themes are tying the episode together so nicely.

It’s the show’s final scenes, however, that confirm its genius. Loretta’s cousin, and one of Larry’s numerous housemates, Leon, has been having an affair with his friend Alton’s wife. When Larry returns home, Leon has her over. Unfortunately, the suspicious Alton has showed up. As he storms through the house, the girl hides under the passenger seat in Larry’s car. Alton is soon convinced that his wife and Leon aren’t sleeping with each other and leaves. But this is quite the yarn we’re spinning and the best is yet to come. As Loretta pulls into the driveway, Alton’s wife appears from an awkward position next to Larry. Of course, Loretta assumes fellatio and like that, the Blacks are gone and Larry is free to pursue Cheryl.

Thankfully, Leon, an L.A. native, is going to stay on as Larry’s rommate. I won’t spoil the final scene for any of you reading since it purely exemplifies the comedic bliss David has provided over the years. On a night where “Entourage” and “Bored to Death” provided some strong comedy, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” once again came out on top.

Nevertheless, were there any inconsistencies to this tightly woven story? I spotted one and you guys can tell me if you feel the same way. In the beginning of the episode, Loretta pressures Larry into driving her everywhere. She claims her doctor advised her not to operate a vehicle. So why was she driving when she found Larry in the car with Alton’s wife?

Anyway, I thought this episode was great. Stay tuned, because the “Seinfeld” reunion takes place next week!

Curb Your Enthusiasm, TV, TV Comedies

Mad Men 3.7 – Another Day Older and Deeper in Debt

September 27, 2009 /

There was always going to be a very good chance that this week’s episode would in no way live up to the level of excitement set by last week’s episode. I mean, really, how do you top the de-foot-ification of a British ad exec? Even taking that into consideration, however. tonight’s “Mad Men” still seemed pretty slow.

Not bad, just slow.

Mad Men - Don Draper in hat

When we first see Don Draper, he looks like he’s been through the wringer, but when we next see him, he’s getting spiffed up for work. There was a brief moment where I thought it was a case of quick recovery, but, no, we were flashing back to see the path that led him to this point. After a momentary stop in the living room to offer up his complete indifference to Betty’s plans for the living room (but still nonetheless throw in a suggestion that the interior designer apparently didn’t see herself), Don was off to work, where he was surprised to find that Conrad Hilton was already waiting for him. It was hilarious to see the guys at Sterling-Cooper giddy as schoolgirls about Hilton’s presence, but Hilton was all business, indicating his disappointment in the lack of a Bible and family photos in Don’s office. Despite these issues, Don still found himself on the fast track to handle accounts for the Waldorf Astoria, New York Hilton, and Statler Hilton…but not, however, until he signed a new contract with Sterling-Cooper. Although Don’s insistence in remaining without a contract may have ostensibly been a business move, I couldn’t help but notice his comments about how he gave his word to Hilton. Wow, remember the days when a man’s word could actually serve as his bond without any contracts needing to be signed to back it up?

Betty and her gaggle of gal pals in the Junior League, meanwhile, were tackling environmental concerns, leading Betty to contact her close personal friend Henry Francis in an attempt to get him to help them with their cause. The two of them had a lovely luncheon, but it wasn’t until the closing moments of their time together – when Henry put his hand over Betty’s eyes to keep her from looking at the eclipse – that a spark really went off with Betty. Interesting…

Don spent a lot of time in the office deflecting questions about the Hilton situation, even enduring Pete trying to get his mitts on the account, but when Peggy tried to get her foot in the door to assist…man, talk about shitting on someone’s parade. I’m not saying that his comments were completely and totally what led her to sleep with Duck, but they sure as hell didn’t hurt. Their close encounter was one which I didn’t see coming, but I think it’s fair to say that Peggy’s starting to get the hang of using her feminine abilities to get what she wants in the business world. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just saying that she might be able to use them to her advantage.

A few random comments:

* Betty once again proved what a grouch of a mother she is, yelling at her son for hanging up the phone, even though he did exactly what she told him to do. Be more specific next time, Betty. He’s only a kid, for God’s sake!

* I don’t know what to make of this thing with Don’s teacher, except to observe that it’s hard to believe Don’s going to hold out much longer without acting on her obvious attraction to him.

* I’m probably supposed to have been fascinated and enthralled by the surrealistic scene of Don picking up the high hitchhikers, only to take a couple of reds, see a joke-telling hillbilly, and get punched in the face, but I just thought it was weird, personally.

For me, the best moment of tonight’s episode was the one-on-one scene between Don and Cooper, when Cooper subtly but pointedly brought up his knowledge of Don’s identity as a way of hinting that it might be a good idea to sign the contract. Hey, it worked, didn’t it?

Here’s hoping next week’s “Mad Men” is more exciting than this week’s…

External Entertainment, External TV, Mad Men, Reviews, TV, TV Dramas

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