Another wild episode to add to the stable of them that The Office has produced. The main plot, as the title of the episode (”Double Date”) suggests, was a double date involving Pam and Jim, and Helene (Pam’s mom) and Michael. On Helene’s birthday. A more awkward dining experience I can’t imagine.

Or can I? Anyone else recall the ill-fated lunch that Jim and Pam shared with Phyllis and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration? The one where Phyllis and Bob disappear, only to have Jim and Pam discover that they’re having sex in a closet? I’m honestly not sure which date was worse. Read the rest of this entry »

(Season 4, Episodes 1-3)

I’m still trying to figure out the timeline of the beginning of this season versus the end of the last. It’s long enough that Lindsay’s out of the hospital, but short enough that she’s still feeling the physical scars of her attack. Considering that the perpetrator is still out there, and that this was a crime that involved an ADA’s best friend, the arrest of a judge, and the death of a known criminal, hopefully they didn’t just wait the four month summer hiatus to pick things up again. Can we trust that the criminal justice system in Boston is more efficient than that?

4.1 “Free Dental”

Only Fonzie (Henry Winkler) could be sympathetic as a dentist with a bug fetish, accused of murdering a patient. Well, maybe not sympathetic, but less than cringe-worthy, so at least a step in the right direction that no one else could have managed. The entire case was a bit odd for a season premiere (and what was with the grape jelly angle?), and I wasn’t quite sure why Bobby AND Lindsay had to be there to help Jimmy. Do they just always come as a pair now? Read the rest of this entry »

The Good Wife has become somewhat of an interesting phenomenon. Always listed right alongside its night-mates (NCIS and NCIS: LA) as best this, or top that, the show is also something that most popular procedurals cannot claim to be — intriguing. The reason, of course, is because disgraced former State’s Attorney Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) still casts a big shadow over the legal profession in Chicago. And his wife, Alicia (Julianna Margulies) just happens to be one of the profession’s newest associates.

While the ever-present subplot is key to the story, I sometimes feel as if it can rear its ugly head a bit too often for me. Time and again it’s, “If something corrupt happened it was because of Peter,” or even better, “Alicia is out for revenge on the man who disgraced her family.” Read the rest of this entry »

I’ll admit that maybe the East Coast is rougher geography than some, but how in the world do you get a deer (and not a thief) in your house, when you don’t have a front door?

That’s just one of the many quant side-points that The Middle employs in creating its off-beat, and very likable feel. This week it was Axl’s (and Mike’s) turn to take center stage, as maybe Atticus Shaffer (Brick) was hitting his federally mandated child labor law hours limit. Oh sure, he still built a pyramid out of sugar cubes — for fun — but last night’s episode was missing its traditional Brick-ness. It was still quite good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s telling that I have no quotes that I feel I must share. Read the rest of this entry »

A full episode’s worth of an investigation, and still no solution as to how Gibbs managed to get his boat, The Kelly, out of his basement and down to Mexico. But how funny was it that Abby continued to gather clues about that, as everyone else on the team investigated the double homicide that brought Gibbs’ boat back to the US?

For one reason or another, I’ve never quite enjoyed any story that involves Mike Franks (Muse Watson). I’m sure at first that was because he was introduced during Gibb’s retirement, then later because of his association with Jenny’s death. Either way, I’ve never really been able to get on board with his plots. I mean, I enjoy seeing Gibbs as a Probie once again, but that could be successfully achieved with a better senior agent to Gibbs. Read the rest of this entry »

Why exactly was this a musical episode? Have there been hints dropped that the cast members are a bunch of singers and dancers? Because, if so, I’d love to dispel those rumors. I can’t speak to the singing — I saw a rough cut minus the vocals — but the dancing was something out of a really bad episode of Fame, entitled something like, “The Fame kids start sucking.”

But otherwise tonight’s episode of Greek started off just about where you’d expect: one week later, and still keeping a secret. Sounds like Evan and Frannie, right? The difference, of course, being the fraternity that the sneaking around is taking place in. At Omega Kai, secrets would be treated discreetly, then gossiped about. With the KTs? Casey got a standing ovation, but I doubt any of the brothers would care enough to mention her presence to anyone. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s going on out there on the West Coast, folks? For two seasons, you carried Californication high on your shoulders, through different plots and different settings, everything gelling together for one great and interesting series.

But now? Ever since entering the realm of the classroom, the show’s failed for me — well, these last two weeks — whenever it’s ventured outside of it (”it” including people, places, and things). Where’s Jill? Why must we enjoy Felicia only as she relates to a mad Karen? Even Jackie was MIA … so is Professor Hank merely a tool for filling in the down-times? Read the rest of this entry »