Thursday This n That

Premiere Week for many of my shows has arrived in full force with swords, arrows, guns, explosions, mobsters, deaths, weak copies and overblown soap operas.

Yes, all that in just three days of tv watching.

Monday started off on a lighter note with the return of 2 Broke Girls as Max & Caroline visit Caroline’s father (the wonderful Steven Weber) in prison (a low-class country club?)

Then we turn to the semi-dark side with The Mob Doctor, as Grace ends up telling her brother about her involvement with the mob and what she’s had to do in order to keep her family safe. Now her brother has decided to join their ranks? Is that really on the up-and-up or is he trying to infiltrate them to bring them down? Hmmm the plot thickens. I just wish there was a show that had mobsters who were as cool as Paddy Doyle from Rizzoli & Isles. All the others seem to pale in comparison to Paddy.

Monday also brought episode 2 of Revolution, in which I was surprised that I enjoyed it more than the pilot episode. Usually episodes 2, 3 & 4 are the most crucial for me and many times I tend to lose interest rapidly. So this must be a good sign that I might actually enjoy the show throughout its full run. My enjoyment of this episode may have a lot to do with the fact that we got to see Daniella Alonso as Nora. Rizzoli and Isles fans will know Daniella as Det Riley Cooper, who was introduced this past season on the show.

My Monday gripe – why the heck did CBS have to move 2BG up 1/2 hour so it now clashes with Mob Doc? Seriously, can’t they leave well enough alone? I liked it at 7:30, damn it.

Tuesday’s viewing schedule is a nightmare.

Thankfully, NCIS is sitting alone in its 7pm timeslot. It was a good season opener, coming back from the aftermath of the bombing of NCIS headquarters. My only complaint is that there was no *boom* to blow up Dearing. I mean, seriously? After all of the bombing & killing that he’s done over the last few episodes, you’d expect to have him go away in a big bang. I guess the writers’ thinking was that it was more appropriate for Dearing to die at Gibbs’ hands with Jethro’s weapon of choice (a knife) instead of playing Dearing’s game and using a bomb. But it made the whole over-hyped serial killer story feel like it ended with a whimper. Overall, we get Tiva flirting in an elevator, Ducky showing his mettle by staying strong, even when his body wasn’t up to par. Jimmy Palmer stepping up to the plate and accepting more responsibility.

The one thing I really love about NCIS is that, unlike other shows (hint: CSI) it doesn’t change the formula of the show and what made it a success to begin with. I do like the hint that we get to hear a little about Tony’s mother in an upcoming ep.


NCIS:LA followed with its season premiere. It’s always a good episode when Kensi & Deeks get to go undercover. The scene with the two in the bank was fun to watch, and then the humor turns into a shootout where they get rescued by Sam. In all, it was a great plan they had, with Hetty resigning, Callen getting taken, then traded back…all part of the plan. I must say that this show is actually growing on me. I think the show got better when it started to be more than just the Callen/Sam show. Bringing Kensi, Deeks, Nell and Eric more into the plotlines has brought more interest from me overall.

Then we move into that dreaded 9pm timeslot. Sons of Anarchy, Parenthood, Vegas, and even Rizzoli and Isles reruns on TNT. Good grief. Thankfully, FX reruns SoA later in the evening, so I’m usually able to catch that airing.

However, I’m starting to lose my interest in the show, especially when they make the strange storyline choices that they have lately. After this episode, all I can do is shake my head & say “why?” - why kill Opie? Why not Clay when the chance was there? And what have they actually turned Gemma into these days? Katey Sagal had brought to life a great character for the first couple seasons. Now, they seemed to have thrown away the parts that made her so great.

This week, I tuned in to catch the series premiere of Vegas on CBS. Sadly, I was quite unimpressed. Even a high-profile cast like Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis and Carrie-Anne Moss can’t seem to spice up the drabness that was prevalent in the pilot. IMO, the only bright spot was Carrie-Anne Moss. The show seemed very much like a poor-man’s Longmire. However, Longmire is a much more interesting series. Maybe I was expecting more from Vegas, but I can safely say that I will be crossing it off my weekly watching list.  At least that gets my down to a timeslot war between SoA and Parenthood.

Parenthood always seems to be the show in that timeslot that gets lost in the shuffle. Now, strangely enough, it might be the only one left on my weekly watching list. Now, if I could only get them to bring more screen time for Bonnie Bedelia. *sigh* I guess I can dream, right?


That brings us to Wednesday.

SVU returned with a 2-hour continuation of the storyline from last season that sent Captain Cragen to prison. I liked all of the twists & turns. My big beef with the story came from the very quick wrap-up to everything. All of a sudden, Foster has been discovered, Cragen is out of jail, and the news story voice-over of all these higher-ups who were arrested & charged. Talk about a rushed ending. However, on the bright side, I guess that meant we got more time with Liv in the squad room to talk to both Nick and Captain Harris before they left. I’m still not a fan of the Liv/Nick pairing. Why couldn’t they have Liv & Amanda partnered up more? Come on, where’s the girl power?! And what’s up with Liv kissing her former partner in the hospital bed like that? Okay, let me rephrase that…what’s up with Liv kissing her former partner (who isn’t Elliot) in the hospital bed like that? However, I do like Dean Winters as her former partner. Seeing him makes me want to get out my Oz dvds and rewatch that whole series. At least they didn’t kill him here, so he has a chance of coming back. I also liked Adam Baldwin in his role here. At least he wasn’t portraying a total hardass like he usually does. As I was watching, I was thinking that Dann Florek was probably having fun playing his character in a totally different way than normal (in prison garb instead of a suit). And of course, there was Brooke Smith as Delia. I don’t think I can ever see Brooke as anything but the ‘girl in the well’ in Silence of the Lambs. Peter Jacobson as Ganzel was cool too.

And then there’s CSI. God help me, but I still had to check out some of the season 13 premiere. I don’t understand why I still torture myself. Thankfully, I was able to watch the show early, and in ‘fast forward’ mode, so I could actually watch SVU on tv instead.

Where do I start?

Well, after all these years, Nick is finally starting to show his true colors. Drunk, belligerent, self-righteous… heck, over the past few seasons, the writers have given up any semblance of continuity from seasons 1-5 as to who these characters are, so why not change all of them into people they’ve never been. That’ll be sure to shake up the ratings, right? So, we’ve got Nick as belligerent and self-righteous, that means we’ve got to have Sara as meek & mild too. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when a meek Sara let DB walk all over her at the house when she was there to process. Do any of the current CSI writers even remember the ‘real’ Sara? Does anyone remember Nesting Dolls, After the Show or Lady Heather’s Box? How about even Too Tough to Die or No Humans Involved? What the hell has happened to the fierce, passionate, and geeky Sara Sidle? Seriously. I don’t remember Sara Sidle ever being quiet and meek at a crime scene – even when her boss is in the middle of a personal crisis.

And about that… what the hell, DB. Did you take lessons from Ray Langston? Is that where you got the “I’m the one in charge and I’m going to do whatever the hell I want, fuck the consequences, as long as I get what I want” attitude? Yes, I consider Ray to have been the one “in charge” back then, because even though Catherine was the supervisor, Ray did whatever the hell he wanted to anyway. And do y’all remember how Catherine handled cases when they were personal? In LHB, Sara tells her “you shouldn’t be handling evidence, you’re not on the case” and Catherine concedes, while occasionally giving her ‘two cents’ to Sara at times. When Catherine was drugged, the car crashed, and Lindsey was kidnapped, she let Nick & Warrick process the evidence, and eventually got Lindsey back. Yet, here we have DB, who’s very much in the middle of things personally, tell Sara to get in line or go to hell.

S: I know one thing, you shouldn’t be doing this. It’s a conflict of interest and the evidence will be challenged in court.
DB: yeah, I’m not really thinking about court right now, Sara. (his gun is showing on his belt) you wanna open up that kit or do you wanna just stand there?
Wow. What I wouldn’t give to have Sara start an in-your-face verbal sparring match. I mean, really? Sara taking one look at DB’s gun on his belt and it shuts her up? Is that really what these writers have turned her into? At least Brass had his balls and put DB in his place.

That wasn’t even mentioning Sara’s verbal sparring with Nick at the end about the definition of “quitting.” It seems that since Catherine left, no one can remember what intensity & passion for the job really means anymore.
I did have to “Awww” at Greg trying to be the peacemaker between Nick & Sara at the end.
G: sounds like the LVPD’s making a comeback. How about you, Nick?
N: what about me? … I don’t know, I haven’t talked to Russell yet.
G: this isn’t about Russell
S: words have consequences, you know. I mean, if you say you quit you need to mean it.
N: you quit.
S: yeah but, I didn’t say it out loud. I left a note at reception for Grissom and I walked right on out of here.
N: and you’re still here, so don’t preach to me about integrity. Okay?
S: wait a minute, I’m not preaching to you about integrity. I’m being supportive here.
N: yeah, you are, don’t you think?
S: I went away for a while and I got my head together.
N: you’ve got a lot of nerve to talk to me about quitting, you really do.
G: all right, all right, all right. This is not how family treats each other. … well, actually it is, but we are also a team. And that means that we have to trust that we have each other’s back no matter what, so… are you in, or are you out?

So, in all of that, I’ve concluded that:
1. Nick’s still an ass, and he has been since mid-season 7 (sorry Lynn)
2. of the original team, Greg’s become the adult of the bunch.
3. Sara was right – there’s a difference in the way she quit compared to Nick saying he was quitting – because she actually DID quit and was gone for a while.
4. it makes me realize that Sara & Catherine verbal sparring matches were something special in the first 5 seasons.
5. Catherine had been the heart & soul of the show, because the team has lost its feeling of ‘family’ (contrary to Greg’s comment) since her departure. Didn’t they say that with the addition of DB, they were going to concentrate on “family?” I don’t see much of one right now – other than maybe a reincarnation of The Bickersons.  Everyone seems to have lost their identity since Catherine left.

I can’t forget to give kudos to Brass for still having his balls.
B: Stokes, shut up. Yeah, that’s right. Gilmore was a material witness in an ongoing police corruption investigation, which by the way, you completely screwed up by going full cowboy on some scheme to extort money for ransom.
DB: listen to me, I’m talking about my granddaughter.
B: you don’t think I understand that?
DB: no, I don’t. you’re not behaving that way.
B: you know what? Look when you processed your own house, I didn’t say anything. When you went into McKeen’s cell by yourself, I didn’t stop you. You know why I didn’t tell you where Gilmore was? Because I knew it would end up exactly like this. Don’t you get it? McKeen knew he was going to get his money. The only thing he couldn’t get was Gilmore. He needed you to find him. So…DB, go home. Be with your family.

*applauds* thank you, Brass. At least there’s SOMEONE on this team that actually still has their balls intact. I’m glad it’s you who could knock DB and Nick off their high horses.

On a brighter note for CSI (well, maybe not) – it looks like I actually have to buy the season 12 dvd set since Marg does two audio commentaries – for her last two episodes, plus a featurette on saying goodbye to Marg. Unless someone can be really, really nice and upload them to the web for me. It just kind of sucks that for 11 seasons, she had only done 1 commentary (S5 Weeping Willows) and now she does two for only 1/2 season? Good grief. The one season where they actually have some decent extras on the dvd, and there’s only 1/2 season of Marg.

Yep, that’s my luck.

Anyway, I caught the premiere of The Neighbors last night. I’m not sure on this one yet. It’s kind of like an offshoot of 3rd Rock from the Sun. the wife’s name is Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the kids are Dick Butkus and Reggie Jackson. So funny. My only reason for watching in the 1st place is because of Jami Gertz. It’s funny that of all the people from The Facts of Life, Jami is the one who’s still appearing on prime-time tv (Lisa Whelchel’s stint on Survivor not withstanding) I’m bummed that she didn’t list “Boots” as one of her favorite characters to play.


Last, but not least – I’ve seen the first two episodes of Downton Abbey season 3. It’s strange to have it airing in the UK long before the US (but since it’s a UK show…) I can’t decide which relationship I love better – Anna & Bates or Mary & Matthew. Anna/Bates is usually so quiet & loving (considering he’s in prison) and Mary/Matthew at least has a bit of fire to it. However, after watching episode 2 of this new season, I might even start shipping Hughes/Patmore. It’s so sweet how the two of them are bonding during this tough time with Mrs Hughes health situation. I also find it funny how O’Brien used to be on Thomas’ side with all of his scheming and now, considering that she knows how he plays his games, it’s fun to see her on the other side and trying to outsmart him.

And what can I say about Maggie Smith vs Shirley MacLaine? Absolutely brilliant casting is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s nice (and so refreshing) to have Cora’s mother and mother-in-law squaring off.

So, tonight (Thursday) brings the premiere of Elementary, with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Sherlock & Watson. I saw the pilot a couple weeks ago and was quite impressed. I’ll be sure to catch the premiere on tv tonight as it airs. Tonight is also the premiere of Last Resort. This one I found kind of boring, until the end of the pilot, so maybe I’ll catch a few episodes before I cross it off my list.

This N That

It’s time to dust off my VCRs and get ready for the new fall tv season.

Yes, that’s right. I said VCRs.

There are some things that I just won’t give up, and my reliance on my trusty VCRs is one of them. And since I work during the evenings, multiple VCRs are needed.

Thankfully, I have a chance to wean myself in this fall season slowly, as only two of my shows begin this next week – and unfortunately, both of them are on Tuesday.

Parenthood returns for a fourth season (Four already?! Yikes!) on NBC. I’m guessing I’ll still be a ‘casual’ viewer of this show as I don’t expect them to bring any extra screen time for Bonnie Bedelia than they’ve had before, since the show mainly focuses on the kids. I really would love to see Camille have more interaction with everyone.



It’s already up to season 5 now for Sons of Anarchy, which returns to FX this Tuesday. I think I’m going to enjoy the additions of Jimmy Smits and Harold Perrineau. Just the mention of Perrineau makes me want to get out my Oz dvds for a full series rewatch.



The next week will bring premieres for two new series on Monday (9/17):

- The Mob Doctor premieres on Fox. The title of the show always makes me think of what they actually could have turned Maura into on Rizzoli and Isles if they had made Maura aware of who her bio-pop (Paddy) was to begin the series. I actually wish we’d seen more scenes like the one where Maura had to tend to Paddy’s injuries. I think they caught Paddy way too early in the series. Now I just hope that he somehow escapes custody. Anyway, back to Mob Doc, I’m hoping they bring the same kind of constant moral dilemma on this new show that they gave the Maura/Paddy relationship on R&I.


- Revolution premieres on NBC. I had the chance to watch the pilot for this show earlier this week. I couldn’t help but notice how the show is basically a re-do of Jericho, from a couple years ago – a show that was sadly canceled way too soon. I admit that I enjoyed Billy Burke’s character in this show so much more than his role as FBI agent Gabriel “Dickhead” Dean on Rizzoli and Isles. The rest of the cast was pretty decent as well.



Friday, September 21st, bring the return of Haven to Syfy for another season. I need to get myself caught up on the show again as I think I missed most of last season.

Another show that I had the chance to preview was the pilot episode for Elementary, the new Sherlock Holmes series. I quite enjoyed the duo of Jonny Lee Miller & Lucy Liu. The show reminded me of the early days of CSI (before they 'dumbed it down') where the viewer had to look closely at a crime scene in order to observe eventual clues. The show premieres Thursday, September 27th on CBS.



I was disappointed to hear this week that NBC decided to take Saving Hope off their schedule, allowing the final two episodes to be only seen online. That was so disappointing. I was hoping that since Syfy dropped Amanda Tapping and Sanctuary after 4 seasons, we’d at least have another Stargate alum find success as a main character on a weekly series.

Speaking of Stargate – I forgot to mention previously that Tim Guinee (SG-1’s “Tomin”) was in the pilot episode for Revolution. I’m not sure if he’ll be in other episodes. There might be flashbacks for his character.

I’ve seen a couple previews for Season 3 of Downton Abbey. It’s quite aggravating that it’s not back until January. It also sounds like there are a lot of different story threads to keep track of. I admit that I have a newfound respect for Siobhan Finneran (who plays O’Brien) after I saw her comedic side in the Benidorm series. As shady/evil as she is as O’Brien, she’s even more wonderful as Janice.

Thursday This N That

Vacations are nice, but it’s coming back to work after the vacations that really bites you in the ass. It’s hard to get back into the groove of things.

-- Rizzoli and Isles
Last week while I was gone, there was the Rizzoli and Isles summer finale, bringing the return of Eddie Cibrian as Dennis Rockmond – who ends up being a baddie and threatening to kill Maura. At least they didn’t leave us with THAT cliffhanger. What they left us with is Jane finding Lydia’s baby alone on the doorstep. All I hope for is that they don’t turn the show into “Raising Hope” anytime soon with baby hijinks. No, I still haven’t done my full R&I review yet, and not sure if I will or not as it seems no one’s missed it.

-- Bunheads
Earlier this week, ABC Family had the season finale of Bunheads. This is one show that’s really grown on me. I wasn’t sure what to expect when reading the previews this spring, but the show has had so much wonderful snarkasm from Michelle, Fanny, and even the girls, that I just can’t resist watching. It’s actually been a show that has learned how to successfully combine humor with just enough seriousness that makes it worthwhile. It’s not a ‘mindless’ comedy.


-- Shining Stars
I’ve only caught a few episodes so far of the reboot of Dallas, and even missed the finale, but from what I’ve seen, the brightest star of the show is Brenda Strong as Bobby’s wife, Ann. I love a lady who knows how to handle a gun (and can handle J.R. Ewing as well.) Another shining star on my radar is Reed Diamond. I usually never watched Franklin & Bash (the show that follows Rizzoli & Isles on TNT) but actually started casually watching just because of him. Yes, he was also on Common Law, but what I remember him from most is the guy with the biting fetish on CSI’s 6x03 episode “Bite Me.”


-- the 'reality' is…
I saw yesterday that "The Facts of Life’s" Lisa Whelchel is going to be on the new season of Survivor. All I can imagine is Blair Warner eating insects and no Jo Polniaczek to make a snarky remark. Will Lisa’s presence actually get me to sit & watch my first episode of the show? I’m thinking that it’s doubtful, but I’m sure I’ll search out the clips of her on there. I’m not sure I could sit through that show even if Marg, Amanda, Dina, Angie, Teryl, Jorja or a small number of my other favorites were on it.


-- looking ahead
now that the summer shows have wrapped up, it’s scary to note that the fall shows will already be starting in just a couple weeks. I saw the individual character promo pics for the new season of Sons of Anarchy yesterday and it surprised me to realize that the show is already starting its fifth season. I can’t believe it’s been on that long already. I was disturbed to see yesterday that three new shows I was looking forward to seeing are already on the critics’ list of worst shows. I had done so well for the past year of getting rid of my "show jinx" where every show I liked would usually get canceled quickly. Last fall I only lost a couple shows, and even added some to my list that I hadn’t thought I’d enjoy. I’d like that to continue this fall season as well, but I’m guessing that’s as rare as the current drought that we’ve gone through this entire year.

Tuesday This N That

The Terrible Tuesday TV schedule is back again for another week.

1. Tonight’s schedule begins with an excellent NCIS episode, featuring guest star Lily Tomlin as Tim McGee’s grandmother, Penny.

After watching the episode, I’ll say that the two have a great story to tell. I’ve mentioned numerous times that this show always gets the greatest guest stars as family members to the main cast – Ralph Waite as Jethro’s dad, Gena Rowlands as his ex mother-in-law; Michael Nouri as Ziva’s father; Robert Wagner as Tony’s dad; and now Lily as Tim’s grandmother. The best part about having these great guest stars is that this show knows how to use them well and let them shine. This episode was no different. Lily Tomlin and the Penny/Tim relationship were enjoyable to watch.

2. Back for a third week is the new drama, Unforgettable, with Poppy Montgomery. This show developed nicely last week, coming off the somewhat cluttered pilot. However, it’s not to the point where it’s overtaken Body of Proof as my first show to watch in that time slot – yet. And speaking of “nicely developed”, this show has grown nicely in its second season, bringing out more of the other characters, which helps take the entire focus off Megan. That, in turn, helps to lighten up the show a bit. As I mentioned previously, I think this show has taken its cue from Rizzoli & Isles that the right amount of “interesting” humor can do wonders to brighten up a show. That’s not to say that I don’t adore the bitchy Megan/Kate catfights & make-up sessions like we got last week – cuz they were totally adorable.

3. I’m still waiting for Parenthood to bring me a decent Camille storyline – or even a Zeke/Camille storyline would be good. Anything to bring more screen time for Bonnie Bedelia. I was rewatching Bonnie’s CSI episode the other day and it made me wish she could be featured in some new project. Has anyone seen her in “heart like a wheel” or her previous pairing with Craig T Nelson on “The fire next time”? I really need to track down some full episodes of “The Division” that aired on Lifetime a number of years ago.

4. It seems that Sons of Anarchy has brought up the rear for the past two weeks in this overcrowded time slot. I missed the late rerun on FX last week, so I hope I will have a chance to watch late tonight.

5. Backing up for a moment – I was only able to watch a little bit of Terra Nova, Hart of Dixie and 2 Broke Girls episodes last night. I need to go back and watch all three again without interruptions. Somehow, I don’t seem to be doing real well on the multitasking for this fall tv season. I’m thinking it’s a real good thing that CSI moved to Wednesdays, because it makes it much easier for my work schedule. Anyway, 2 Broke Girls still gives me visions of what an updated version of Jo & Blair from the Facts of Life would be like. The small glimpse I got of last night’s Hart of Dixie has me definitely interested to go back and pick up the parts I missed. As for Terra Nova – I guess it would be a decent scifi show if it hadn’t come with enormous expectations to begin with. Considering that it includes the Spielberg name, expectations for many were high before the show even aired. I, however, stuck with my Catherine Willows Theory and decided not to expect too much, thus I wasn’t totally disappointed, but definitely not pleasantly surprised, either.

6. One show that always seems to outdo my high expectations is Sanctuary. Season 4 begins this Friday night. They just released one hell of a teaser yesterday for the season premiere where Helen (whom we last saw ending up back in Victorian Era England) gets to beat the crap out of longtime on-again/off-again lover, Jack-the-Ripper (aka John Druitt) from that era. ( check out the video here )That’s what I love about this show. They don’t hide things from the fans. They give us kick-ass, action-packed previews, instead of boring dialogue scene previews like some other shows I watch *cough*CSI*cough*. Their stars, writers, and even crew members bring us fun behind-the-scenes stuff as well. It’s apparent that Martin, Amanda, & Damian (M.A.D.) are in charge of this show and they know how to treat their fans well. In return, the fans reward that preferential treatment by attending the cons, charitable events, and donating to related charities – like Sanctuary For Kids. I’ve only been an actual scifi fan for a couple years, but it’s hard not to notice the difference in the actor/show/fan relationship compared to other genres. SciFi genre actors seem much more in tune to their fans than the rest.

Okay, I’ve been down that road enough for now.

7. I need to shift gears again for a minute – back to last week’s episode of SVU. I finally got a chance to watch it over the weekend. What an excellent episode. I love the addition of Kelli Giddish. I’m not so sure about the new guy they added for this episode yet. I do love how they have Liv struggling with her emotions over the whole Elliot situation. Having scenes like that with character emotion over a longtime partner who has left the team is what was missing from CSI when Gil left. We didn’t get to see Catherine struggle with his absence the way Liv did with Elliot. However, the ending scene from last week’s CSI episode reminded me of the great Cath/Gil scenes from seasons past that were in Gil’s office. Seeing Cath walk out so DB could answer the phone call from his wife, and the emotions on her face had me thinking that she was also reliving (and missing) the many times she and Gil would have their quiet moments after wrapping up a case, and how things weren’t the same with the ‘new guy’.

Speaking of the “new guy” on CSI – I had to laugh at the new press release for an upcoming CSI episode where Morgan is hijacked/kidnapped on a Medivac helicopter. Yep, there are two new CSI’s on the team now – both of whom have not yet had their CSI-in-Peril story lines, so of course, that needed to be rectified very quickly. Those of you who know me, realize how many times my eyes rolled when reading that synopsis. I’m guessing the DB-in-Peril story line won’t be far behind. I can guarantee it. It’ll be here soon.

8. A few other This N That notes : I saw today that there will be a season 2 of the Canadian crime drama, King, that stars Amy Price-Francis. It’s a pretty decent show. I also saw that The Listener, with Lauren Lee Smith, will finally be getting a US distributor. However, it’s going to be on ION TV, a channel which I don’t get. Yes, that’s the story of my life.

Wednesday This N That TV Madness

Before we get to the Wednesday TV madness, we need to recap a full Tuesday schedule.

1. Last night was the season 9 premiere of NCIS. Picking up from where we left off last season with Tony getting his ‘top secret’ orders, we find Tony in a bit of trouble as he’s apparently shot another NCIS agent, but can’t seem to remember it. Dr Cranston (the wonderful Wendy Makkena) is talking him through the rest of the episode as we seem to be flashing back to the story of what he can’t remember.

First of all, you’re probably aware that Tony is my least-favorite character on the show, so an episode that features him is always considered just “so-so”. This is no exception. That being said, it was a great performance by Michael Weatherly. However, can someone please bring me the standard NCIS “dead Marine of the week” story? That would have been preferable to this slower-than-slow flashback-style episode that didn't really feature much of the great cast. It was the season premiere, for goodness sake! Bring out the big guns!!

I did like the small Ziva/Tony moments. That always brings me a smile. I also liked the appearance from Matt Craven as Sec. of Navy Clayton Jarvis. I recently re-watched the movie, Indian Summer, and always love his performance in that one. Another great moment was Tony’s comment, “Who doesn’t like hot girls carrying guns?” LOL That’s the real Tony DiNozzo! I think watching “hot girls carrying guns” is my sole reason for most of the shows I’ve watched through the years.

Anyway, if they’re going to have a season premiere, bring me some action. Bring me lots of Gibbs, Ziva, McGee, Abby & Ducky. For this season premiere, I was totally not impressed.

2. Body of Proof returned for a second season last night. My first thought is that Body of Proof has learned from Rizzoli & Isles that humor in a drama can make a decent show into a much better show, since there are so many “serious” dramas these days. The humor brings a great change. It was great to see Rick Fox on the show as well.

I love the Kate/Megan tension, with Kate sleeping with Megan’s ex, Todd. It gives both Dana & Jeri something to sink their teeth into, instead of just rattling off technical medical terms. I also love that there seems to be more Sam & Bud, as well as Peter, Ethan & Curtis.


3. Unforgettable debuted as well. Poppy Montgomery, Dylan Walsh, and Kevin Rankin star in this cop show that brings a different twist. Poppy is Carrie Wells, a former cop who seems to have total memory recall. For some reason, that brings to mind Gibson on Birds of Prey. Anyway, Carrie hears a murder outside her apartment and gets brought into the investigation, which happens to be run by her former boyfriend, Al. Both had worked together back in Syracuse before it got too much for Carrie and she moved to NYC, where she’s taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer’s. That was a nice little backstory that they put in there. I have a soft spot for the shows that include dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, as it reminds me of my grandmother.

Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked again. Carrie replays her part of finding the victim in the alley through her mind and notices other details she had missed previously. It seems that no matter how long ago, or where it was, if she was there, she can call up the memory in finer detail. I like the fact that they don’t make it overly easy by having her recall stuff from anything she touches. It makes it a different time of a cop show. Maybe it’s one I can actually get into.


4. I love the fact that FX replays Sons of Anarchy late at night. It gives me a chance to actually watch. Sometimes this show really confuses me. What never confuses me is the great character that Katey Sagal has brought to us in Gemma. I love the scenes Gemma has with Wayne, especially when she gives him the finger! And I also love the Gemma/Tara scenes as well. I wasn’t too pleased at Clay roughing up Gemma a bit, though. I was hoping she’d be a bit tougher at that point. Despite all of the bikes, guns, drugs, etc, this show does have its humor as well. After a car/bike chase and the SAMCRO gang stops the car, Jax looks into the window & says, “license & registration please”. LOL


5. Body of Proof, Unforgettable, Sons of Anarchy & Parenthood on all at the same time really sucks. Parenthood seems to be odd one out this time around. It’ll be my show to catch up on for this week.


6. Now that the Tuesday recap is done, we turn to the highlight of the week. That would be the Season 12 premiere of CSI tonight, and the beginning of the DB “Dead Body” Russell era, and from what I hear, the return of feisty Catherine, now that she’s gone from “Supervisor Cath” back to “CSI Cath”. I’m trying to be optimistic for the new season (at least until Carol Mendelsohn starts with more blah-blah-blah and makes me wish that Marg’s exit will come sooner rather than later). Anyway, I’m intrigued by the addition of Elisabeth Harnois as Ecklie’s estranged daughter. My only goal for this season is to cherish the wonderful, but always infrequent, Cath/Sara scenes until Marg leaves in January. All I can say is that CSI really lost something that could have been great, by always keeping those two ladies apart and at odds as much as they have in the previous 11 seasons. Maybe that’s why I’m always bitching at the writers. They have just never seen the strength that a real Cath/Sara friendship could have brought to the show. They could have still gone with their precious Grissom/Sara story line even if the two ladies had any kind of a friendship.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Rant. Rant. Rant. Don’t worry. My CSI ranting will be done in four months.

7. tonight also brings the beginning of the second season of Harry’s Law. I’m excited to see all of the changes in store. Specifically getting rid of Brittnay Snow’s character. She was highly annoying. I’m not sure if I’m going to like more of a focus on the cases & courtroom stuff, though. That’s usually a big turn off for me. But hey! It’s Kathy Bates. It’s Jean Smart & Mark Valley! Things are looking up!

8. Tonight also brings the series premiere of Revenge on ABC. I guess I’m going into watching this one with very low expectations. The only reason I’m giving the pilot a watch is because of Madeleine Stowe. It seems she might actually have a decent-sized role in this one. That would be good, since I don’t know any of the other cast. I’m hoping it will surprise me like The Secret Circle did.

9. to finish the Wednesday schedule, Up All Night with Christina Applegate continues tonight in its regular timeslot. I wasn’t impressed with the premiere, but pilot episodes usually aren’t that great, so I’m hoping that a second chance will bring it into the “watchable” category. I’m thinking it’s Will Arnett that’s the turnoff for me. I wasn’t a fan of his last comedy, Running Wilde, either, and it was because of him.

That's my line-up for Wednesday. Thursday will bring three interesting premieres that I can't wait to check out as well.