The Real Housewives of New Jersey Review: Back to Basics

Can I just say…

The Real Housewives of New Jersey‘s cast vacay makes me want to go on vacation!

You know you’re filthy stinking paid when you can take a cruise around another hemisphere on a whim. But there’s no sense in being bitter—and there’s no place like home. Jacqueline’s not the only one whose spirits were lifted by the sight of the Italian peninsula this week.

There were plenty of reasons to exhale this episode thanks to the sudden scripted (but temporary?) axing of the auditioning housewife, Granatell (ahhhh…), the reduction of the S-wife to a single scene (double ahhhh…), and the sense that we’re not in North Jersey anymore (ooh, ooh, ahhhhh). But some way, somehow, yet another extra kept the stress mill churning and a certain Grim Reapstress whining.

Of all people, Bravo set Danny up to play gossipy girlfriend stand-in in the absence of their previous excuses for conflict: the Kims. “Didja hear…?” Papa Giudice was allegedly tagged with a DUI. (Crickets) And now the Morality Chairs will convene with God Almighty to produce a judgment. “What kind of father…?” “To risk leaving your wife and kids…” “Caroline didn’t investigate Joe and Teresa before Dina befriended them!”

Pause. Why-Do-You-Care.com!? Obsessed-Much.org??! For characters who claim disinterest, even pure hate, Bravo sure makes its villains gab a lot about the enemy. But not to worry—this only lasts a few hundred seconds. Even Ashley–whose shenanigans are much smaller in scale, (and much more age-appropriate) is left behind to bear her own burdens.

Meanwhile, after a cutesy–and painfully stereotypical–round of hubby-begging, the Manzo-Laurita-Giudice clique rolls 20-deep across the Atlantic to live it up a while in the family motherland. Teresa is the (unsurprising) brainchild of this adventure that begins as a couples’ only proposition—at least from Caroline’s vantage and ends up with the Manzos playing babysitter while Joe and Teresa catch up on playtime… bedtime.

Nevertheless, three generations board (anti-musical) gondolas in true Venetian style, parading through the streets and streams of the water city in search of Chanel…(only Teresa).

Just this scene alone is enough to remind us of RHoNJ’s roots. The show’s selling point during its initial upfront season was the confounding, yet, comforting beauty of their bouts of pure excess. And here they are again, celebrating Milania’s fourth birthday with only enough glitz and glamour for a Hilton. Just like baby Audriana’s decked out christening, barely-there kinder, Milania, gets the works aboard the cruise ship—and falls dead asleep just before it’s time to blow out the candles.

Not one for wasting words on RHoNJ, house-husband Chris Laurita is saying a lot when he writes off Danielle’s drama for the sake of wifey’s happiness. While Milania’s b-day festivities roll on, Jacqueline’s good time has caught up with her. She and Teresa feigned drunken performances for the ship guests and threw back several mojitos too many the night before—but all in good, and apparently, much needed fun. “Jacqueline’s back to herself again,” Chris says.

And it looks like everyone is, thanks to a trip back home.

Regrettably, the party may stop next week with a trip back to Jersey. But it may be worth it: Staub is searching for her birth mom.

Season 2, Episode 14: The Chanels of Venice (originally aired August 10, 2010)

Mondays at 10/9c on Bravo

For more on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, click here.

Photograph courtesy of Bravo.

Rescue Me Review: The Evel Knievel of AA

Since Tommy begins this episode in the slammer for the whole baptizing-his-daughter-in-booze-at-a-Catholic-church stunt of last week, you would think that things could only go up for him. Well yes and no. On the plus side: his radical tactic worked and now even the sight of booze makes Colleen want to hurl, and he has a date set up with Janet for later that night. In the negative column: all this happens in the first five minutes, which gives Tommy the next 7/8^ths of the episode to get himself in trouble. And inevitably, that he does.

He thanks Black Shawn for going to bat for him and tries to lay the groundwork for reconciliation between him and Franco. But then they arrive at work and find that they have no work to do. Because they have no job. Because the city boarded up their house and shut them down. Wow.

After playing a lively round of the Blame Game, the gang teams up with the locals to start a good old-fashioned protest. Franco is MIA, but said protest goes swimmingly until Chief Feinberg shows up and rains on the parade, which is all he has been doing ever since he showed up in season four. He talks about going through proper channels and blah blah blah… I wish that guy would just die already. Luckily, everyone is interrupted by reports of a school burning down. Since the city shut down all the firehouses, no one is left to answer the call.

So our heroes pile into their civilian cars and rush to the scene with no suits and no gear. Franco shows up in the nick of time to contribute, and Damian—even though he is back into angsty whine mode and doesn’t want to be a firefighter anymore—cowboys up. It’s riveting to see our guys getting the job done old-school: no gear, no protection, no support, just good old-fashioned heroics.

Beyond all that, which is more than enough, we get more of Peter Gallagher’s entertaining priest, a disastrous dinner date, and in spite of all that, a very small flickering chance for a smidgen of reconciliation between Tommy and Janet. Oh yeah, and some more ghosts. And of course, we get great performances all around. Nothing but smooth sailing for this show right now.

Season 6, Episode 7: Forgiven (originally aired August 10, 2010)

For more on Rescue Me, click here.

Tuesdays at 10pm on FX

Photograph courtesy of FX and IMDb Pro.

White Collar Review: Past Meets Present

Despite Neal Caffrey’s fresh start working with the FBI, the past always seems to catch up with him. Another blast from his past this week: Sara Ellis (Hilarie Burton), an insurance investigator. Plus, a simple FBI case of retrieving bonds becomes much more complicated and deadly.

Neal: So basically you’re a high class repo man.

Sara: Well, I prefer white collar bounty hunter.

Neal: You should put that on your business card.

Neal and Sara don’t exactly get along since she testified against Neal five years ago at his trial, plus she is still after him for a Raphael painting he “allegedly” stole from one of her clients. Obviously, Neal is not thrilled when he and Peter must work with Sara on a case regarding the recovery of one hundred million dollars worth of Japanese bearer bonds.

A side project for Neal and Mozzie in this episode is investigating the plane explosion and Kate’s death. At the airport hanger, a distraught Neal and Mozzie check out the plane wreckage. Mozzie acknowledges that it wasn’t an accident plus the explosion either went off or was set off early. Posing as insurance investigators, they convince a FAA official to send the cockpit voice recording to Sara Ellis’ office, which Neal will later acquire.

At the bureau, Peter encourages Neal to play nice with Sara, who torments Neal by recording everything he says to possibly use against him. Their investigation focuses on a man named Edgar Halbridge, who they believe is behind the stolen bonds. From decoded emails, they determine Halbridge is using a Mr. Black, although he doesn’t know what he looks like, as a courier to move the bonds.

The FBI asks Canadian authorities to detain Black, which allows Neal to pose as Black to retrieve the bonds. The FBI uses GPS tracking and audio to trace and communicate with Neal. Caffrey is picked up by a black limo and given a gun by the driver, who also flicks a switch that jams the FBI’s communication with Neal. When out of the limo at his destination, Neal finally conveys to Peter that Black is there to kill someone. Neal realizes that Black is not a courier but an assassin hired by Halbridge to kill Sara Ellis. Inside her apartment, Sara pulls a gun on Neal, but with Peter’s help on the phone, they talk her down and instead fake her death in order to get her to safety.

Sara refuses to go to a safe house and begins camping out in the FBI bureau’s conference room. They discover that five weeks ago, Sara was researching Halbridge’s real estate transactions including an NYC apartment complex, Ridgemont. They suspect that he is hiding something there and she was getting too close, which is why he wanted to have her killed.

Neal, again posing as Mr. Black, and meets with Halbridge in hopes of spooking him into revealing what he has hidden at Ridgemont. Neal tells him he wants two million dollars in 48 hours or he will tell the FBI to look into his connection with Ridgemont.

Later, Neal attempts to get on Sara’s good side, who has cabin fever from staying in the FBI office and is frustrated by the lack of people acknowledging her “death.” Neal and Sara share a meal on the roof of the FBI building.

Meanwhile, Halbridge takes the bait and hires a landscaping crew to work at Ridgemont. Peter and Neal interrupt their digging, which resulted in the uncovering of a large box—with a body in it.

DNA tests are run on the body and have surprising results—Edgar Halbridge is the corpse. Peter and Sara delve through paperwork from Ridgemont and match the current signature of the imposter Halbridge to a former tenant, Steve Price. Peter believes that Price killed Halbridge and stole his identity for money he was soon to come into but they need more evidence to bring him down for murder. So Peter meets with Price with the news that Sara is alive and working with “Steve Price” (Neal) to frame him. While there, Peter plants a bug.

Back at his apartment, Mozzie tells Neal that since Sara is alive, her company has released her mail containing the FAA cockpit recording that they want. Neal decides to borrow a car to drive Sara home in hopes to get to the mail.

Peter and Diana arrest Price who removed a safety deposit box, which contains the Japanese bonds, under his real name. After making the arrest, Peter notices a half eaten German chocolate bar (that the real Mr. Black prefers) in Price’s limo. It turns out that the Canadian authorities released Black and he has come to New York to finish his job—killing Sara.

Meanwhile, Neal is helping Sara move her things back into her apartment and at the same time trying to take the FAA recording from her mail. He is interrupted by Black shooting through her door and entering the apartment. With a little teamwork and Sara’s gun, Neal and Sara are able to take Black down just as Peter rushes in with backup.

In this week’s superb episode, I was struck by Matt Bomer’s multidimensional acting. He can go from playing the charismatic and charming Neal Caffrey to the vulnerable and emotional Neal as he examined the plane wreckage. Bomer can do it all.

Neal and Peter have a unique and constantly evolving relationship. It started with the criminal/cop aspect, grew to a partnership and then friendship. But in the past few episodes, it seems to be taking on a more father-son relationship.

Ever since my set visit and talking with Hilarie Burton, I’ve been curious to see how she would actually fit in—but fit in, she did. The tough as nails Sara Ellis was a strong addition to the cast. She had plenty of chemistry with Neal as well as the rest of the cast. I enjoyed the scenes when Neal, Peter and Sara were together and playing off of each other.

Finally, this episode was jam-packed with the witty banter that I love. Here are three of my favorite character repartees:

Mozzie: Now explain to me why your hair was slicked back. Amateur production of Grease? I do think you’d make a sublime Danny Zuko.

Neal: Not Kenickie?

Mozzie: Oh please, you’re not a follower.

——-

Sara: What do you want from me Caffrey?

Neal: Who says I want anything?

Sara: I do. You’re a conman. You smile for a living. And you’re smiling at me right now.

——-

Neal: Why are you still here?

Mozzie: You have a better wine selection than I do.

Neal: Love your honesty.

Collars, check out next week’s White Collar promo, featuring Poptimal.com!

Season 2, Episode 5:  Unfinished Business (originally aired August 10, 2010)

For more on White Collar, click here.  You can follow Poptimal on Twitter @poptimal.

Tuesdays at 9/8c on USA Network

Images courtesy of David Giesbrecht and the USA Network.

Comic-Con 2010 Leverage Press Room: Conning the Con

Leverage was a wholly unexpected, but entirely welcome, last minute addition to this year’s Comic-Con lineup.  It is the story of a modern day Robin Hood and his merry band of thieves who steal from the “rich and powerful” and provide justice to people who have been wronged.  Recently renewed for a fourth season by TNT due to its strong Sunday night showings, the cast and executive producer were thrilled by the show’s reception at the event and talked with reporters after the panel.

Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton (Nathan Ford, The Mastermind) and Beth Riesgraf (Parker, The Thief) agree that what keeps things fresh after several years of doing the show are the scripts and the characters they play.  They especially enjoy portraying the characters within characters.  Riesgraf says, “As an actor it’s so fun because it keeps your chops up.  You don’t get used to the same thing each episode.”  It is like doing a movie in every episode, Hutton adds, because of all the different characters they get to play.

The actors, however, disagree when it comes to their favorite episodes and heists.  Hutton lists the pilot, “The Bank Shot Job,” as well as “The Snow Job,” as some of the ones he enjoyed the most. While he admits that certain episodes may have worked better in some ways than others, “all of them have just been so much fun to do, every scene.”  Riesgraf likes when Parker is “pair[ed] up with people, when they go in as different characters and pull cons that way.”  Her favorite is “ ‘The Inside Job’ where [Parker] got to hustle on her own though that building.  When we get split up sometimes it’s interesting for the viewer to see everybody operating and you see why they need to be a team.”

Wil Wheaton (Colin “Chaos” Mason), the unofficial King of Comic-Con, returns later this season like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas in “The Ho Ho Ho Job.”  He addresses his earlier career when he “always played sweet, vulnerable guys you were rooting for, but playing sweet and vulnerable is exhausting and it is without reward.”  He is enthusiastic about his recent turns as bad guys in shows like Numb3rs, The Big Bang Theory, The Guild, and, of course, Leverage.  “I kind of have a really great career right now where I get to play wonderfully crafted villains on a wide variety of shows.  It’s almost like being employed full time without the grind that is typically associated with being employed full time.  I still have time to write and I still have time for my family.  And I have these wonderful extended families on the set I get to visit in Vancouver and Hollywood…I’m just incredibly grateful for what I have right now.”  Actors want to be other people and “to exist in situations that you would not normally get to exist in,” he explains. “It’s never not fun to be That Guy.  If that’s who I’m going to be, the guy you love to hate, bring that on.”

Chris Downey (executive producer/writer) maintains that they did not try to model Leverage after Oceans 11, but did note that it is tonally similar.  Previous heist shows “were really dark and highly serialized and just pitch black in tone.  When Oceans 11 came out, people realized heist movies could be fun.  It should be like teenagers pulling pranks.  Ultimately, the show is like an elaborate phony phone call.”  They try to make the show fun by using things like flashbacks, but cannot always do them for financial reasons.

Christian Kane (Eliot Spencer, The Hitter) and Aldis Hodge (Alec Hardison, The Hacker) echo the words of their co-stars in praising the show’s movie every week format and the characters within characters. “We get to put on different hats and masks as an actor.  In that role, we play other actors and that’s the funnest thing in the world,” Kane raves.  Hodge says, “It’s like candy.  You open up your imagination.  You can explore as many roles as possible.  You have more tricks in your arsenal to do whatever else comes at you, you know?  It’s nothing but gaining knowledge.  And I have a voracious appetite for knowledge, especially when it comes to my craft.”

Both Kane and Hodge are in favor of a romance between Hodge’s Hardison and Riesgraf’s Parker.  Kane promises that good things are on the way and shoots down the idea of Eliot and Parker becoming involved.  “That would never happen because Eliot’s kind of trashy and Parker’s a good girl. Parker and Hardison, they gotta be, that’s just the thing.  Hardison’s got a big heart.”  Hodge, who is quick to point out that Hardison is a bad boy who steals things for a living, is looking forward to seeing where Hardison and Parker’s relationship goes and promises that the audience will not be cheated out of it.  “It’s just not gonna happen right now.  ‘Cause then what’s left?  Kids?  No,” he scoffs.

The writers of Leverage are known to incorporate the actors’ real life skills and traits into the characters, which is appreciated by the people who portray them.  For instance, both Kane’s and Hodge’s musical skills were featured in recent episodes, as well as Kane’s love of cooking.  Hodge’s paintings can also be spotted in scenes this season.  Their real life personalities are also on display, according to the actors.  Like his character, Eliot, “I wasn’t a very nice guy.  When it comes to arguing with people, I don’t really talk a lot.  I hit people…” Kane joked.  Like producer John Rogers, Hodge is an ex-stand-up comic.  He began when he was 11 and continued performing for about 7 or 8 years.  He believes that once Rogers became familiar with his “big mouth and sarcasm,” as well as his improv skills, he allowed him “to take [his] character where [he] felt he needed to go with adding the humor and that personality.”  Kane says, “It’s just the greatest thing in the world that we’re doing right now.  The writers no longer have to develop our characters.  They can’t tell us sh*t about our characters. We know ‘em better than they do, so now they get to write.  They get to write their story and trust us with it.”

Fun Q&A:

If you could be a superhero, who would you be?

Riesgraf would like to be Spider-Man with wings and favors heroes like Iron Man and Wonder Woman.  Hutton on the other hand would like to be the Invisible Man, although he acknowledges that he is not really a superhero.

Favorite characters within characters?

Hodge’s favorites are Iceman and the vet with PTSD and an eye problem from “The Three Days of the Hunter Job.”  Kane, who hates Iceman, likes playing the IT guy, who was his tribute to Kurt Russell in Big Trouble in Little China, one of his favorite movies.

Future projects?

A man of many talents, Hodge is headed to Switzerland to work on his watch company.  He is also writing an independent film.  Kane will be going on radio tour for 3 months after the season wraps. The video for his band’s single, “The House Rules,” features Hodge and was directed by Hutton.

Leverage airs Sundays at 9/8c on TNT

Images courtesy of Ayang and Poptimal.com

For more Poptimal coverage of Comic-Con 2010, click here.  You can follow Poptimal on Twitter @poptimal.

Win Passes for Lottery Ticket Advanced Screening!

Sorry! This contest is now over. But keep an eye on Poptimal.com for other great contests and advanced screenings!

Have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery? Just think about how much $370 million could change your life! Well, unfortunately, we can’t offer you that sort of prize, but what we can do is give you some free passes to see Lottery Ticket before everybody else!

Poptimal.com and Warner Bros. are teaming up to give you a chance to win two (2) free passes to see an advanced screening of Lottery Ticket starring Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, and Naturi Naughton.

LOTTERY TICKET
Promo Screening
Monday, August 16
7:30 pm
Regal Gallery Place
Washington, DC
Please note, tickets do not guarantee admittance.  Seating is first come, first served.

Here’s How to Win (No Purchase Necessary)

1. Post your comments about at least one (1) of our front  page articles

2. Email your name, email address and name of the post you commented on to contests@poptimal.com. Put “Lottery Ticket” in the subject line.

3. Tell us what you would do if you won the lottery!

4. Wait. Winners will be notified starting Friday, August 13th.

Synopsis: Kevin Carson (Bow Wow) a young man living in the projects, is just an ordinary guy…until he wins $370 million in the Mondo Millions Lottery.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is, the lottery claim office is closed for the long Fourth of July
weekend, so, before he can collect his prize, Kevin is going to have to figure out how to keep a lid on his good fortune and survive the next three days.

As news of his windfall spreads through the community like a grass fire, Kevin quickly discovers the good, the bad and the ugly in his closest friends and neighbors. Girls who could never be bothered before start chasing him down. Everyone wants a piece of him—including the reverend, the local loan shark and one very threatening recent parolee won’t take no for an answer. On edge and on the run, he even begins to question the intentions of his best friend, Benny (Brandon T. Jackson).

He also starts to realize the power he holds in his hands and what this lottery ticket could really mean to him, his future, and the community. It’s funny what people will do when money is involved.

Entourage Review: The Dark Side

After watching the latest episode of Entourage, the first thing that came to mind was Kanye West’s “All Falls Down.”  Sure the subject matter is different, but the sentiment is the same. Vince’s world is in danger of spiraling out of control.  But first let’s check in with everyone else.

Turtle managed to seal the deal with Alex, but a sub-par performance threatens to ruin his rep and any chance of being more than friends with her.  The last few episodes have been rather racy, in terms of subject matter, and this installment was no different.  The title of the episode is “Hair,” because Alex has none, down there.  Turtle has never seen one that was clean, and he freaked out.  Do we really need to know this?  In an effort to appeal to the frat boy contingent, Entourage occasionally delves into very crass territory.  Turtle begs Alex for another shot.  She reluctantly agrees, and our boy manages to redeem himself.  Turtle has never been in a sex scene, and it was a little weird.  Good for him.  At least he took his hat off.

Meanwhile, Lizzie really has Ari by the gonads.  With a lawsuit looming, the agency’s counsel has instructed Ari to settle.  His poor treatment of employees is legendary and well-documented.  It wouldn’t be difficult for Lizzie to prove that she wasn’t treated fairly on the job, especially since she kept a record of every offense.  I’ve never seen Ari off his game, but Lizzie has him completely rattled, to the point that he’s neglecting his clients.  He is even neglecting Vince, who is being handled primarily by Eric and Scott while Ari is distracted.  Scott and Eric have found Vince’s latest project, which is usually Ari’s responsibility.  The movie ends up being Vince’s biggest offer to date, which leads Scott to believe that he and Eric should “run Vince.”  Eric’s reputation is growing within the industry, and his old nemesis Billy Walsh even wants his help now.  It seems that he’s turned over a new leaf and is looking to make a comeback.

Eventually Ari takes a break from his office crisis to come up for air, and when he does he’s looking for Vince.  He got a call from Dana Gordon on behalf of the studio.  While promoting the tequila, Turtle shot some video footage of Vince and Sasha endorsing the product.  It was supposed to be “off the record,” but Turtle accidentally uploaded it to Vince’s Twitter account, and now the world can watch him drunkenly encourage people to “fuck like him and fuck like a porn star.”  Not a good look Vinnie!  As I said last week, Vince needs to tighten up.  Ari shows up to check on Vince, and Eric reassures him that all is well.  When they find him out by the pool, he is with a naked Sasha, but he’s passed out in the buff, hanging on the edge of the pool.  Looking like an overdose.  He’s only passed out, but the closing overhead image of him lying naked and unconscious was a powerful image of just how quickly he has fallen.

Entourage will end in 2011, and perhaps that is best.  I love the show, and I’ve watched since the beginning.  We have truly watched Vince’s growth and evolution from an up-and-coming actor to superstar.  We’ve seen him take a hit and bounce back.  His recent descent into addiction is the logical next step.  It’s unrealistic to think he could escape the trappings of Hollywood unscathed.  It’s also sad that Vince can’t take better care of himself.  He’s a grown man; he’s not in his 20s.  Eric and Ari turn their back for a second and he’s drinking tequila like a fish, screwing porn stars, and nearly ruining his career.  I could see how some fans might think that this came out of nowhere, but the writers have been sowing these seeds for the past few episodes. Vince doesn’t take his career seriously unless he’s in jeopardy of losing it, as we saw after Medellin flopped.  Maybe he will get scared straight if Ari and Eric explain just what’s at stake.  The fact that they even need to do that doesn’t bode well for Vince.

I like it when things are all flowers and sunshine, but again – that’s not realistic.  This was bound to happen, considering Vince’s devil-may-care, easygoing attitude and need to defy conventional wisdom.  He’s either developed a drinking problem or a painkiller addiction to the pills he’s been taking since injuring his back.  I hope he gets it together, because while I appreciate the realism, I think the show works best when we have more laughs than tears.

Season 7, Episode 6: Hair (originally aired August 8, 2010)

For more Entourage, click here.

Sundays at 10:30pm ET/PT on HBO

Photographs courtesy of HBO and IMDbPro

Next Food Network Star: Q&A with Bob and Aria

The finale of the Next Food Network Star arrives next week, and this week in a Q&A with judge Bob Tuschman and eliminated Aria Kagan, the talk turns to Bacon Steak, regrets and the Bacon Explosion.

Bob Tuschman
We’re down to the final three and the expectations have never been higher. The qualifications are the same: the winning contestant must have star charisma, a unique pov, the ability to teach and create delicious dishes. The fundamentals of the game are the same but each contestant has their own set of challenges if they want to become the star. Bob lays out the potential hazards for all the contestants.

For Tom, the trick is to create winning dishes all off the time. Last night’s episode is a perfect example of this. Whereas Tom is a very funny guy with an “easygoing” personality, the dishes that he creates can sometimes be hazardous, as seen with the bacon steak last night. Bob called this the “worst dish in Food Network Star history.” And today Bob stands by that saying its tough texture made it “inedible.” In order to win Tom needs to give consistently great dishes.

For Aarti, confidence is key here. Aarti has an easy camera personality and star presence that makes her a winner. But her lack of confidence makes it uncertain whether she will be up or down. The next Food Network star will have to film 52 weeks of the year (all the time!) and as the star you need to be at your best at all times. Aarti has great promise but if she wants this it will mean proving to the judges she is strong enough to handle it.

Herb has been through so many ups and downs during the competition. And while this does make him a sympathetic character, as a star this rollercoaster is dangerous. You get two different Herbs, the charming high-energy Herb and the down and out, luckless Herb. This is a matter of great concern to the judges and if Herb wants to win this he has to prove that he has long-term potential.

The battle lines are drawn and for the final three the mode of attack is set. So who will win? Tune in next week, Sunday, August 15th at 9 pm, on the Food Network to find out.

Aria Kagan
It’s pretty clear now that keeping it simple in Kitchen Stadium is not a good idea. Aria admits that she was so focused on stressing her point of view to the committee that she forgot to wow the judges. Aria struggled in the beginning with finding a pov. Her initial view was “farm to table” cooking, focusing on fresh ingredients and prepared simply. This idea did not go over well with the judges so her pov changed to cooking “Family Style.” Aria believes that this new pov that she had to build a show around caused her to not be as creative or inspired. And this isn’t entirely passing the buck, because when it comes to the final challenge Aria admits the fault was her own. When asked what regrets she had Aria immediately says Bacon; if she could go back again it would be adding more bacon, bacon, bacon. An error the Cooking Channel’s aftershow allowed her to fix. So when she got the chance again Aria completely lost all hesitation. The results: Potato Bacon donuts fried in bacon fat. And donut holes rolled in sugar and crushed bacon. Speaking of crushed, my arteries are seizing just to hear that. That means it must have been delicious! Best of luck!

Sidenote:
Also, in this Q&A I heard of something quite remarkable. I’ll leave it up to you on whether it is good or bad. I am just so disbelieving that I have to add it on. You’ve heard of the Luther, but are you ready for a Bacon Explosion? I had never heard of this but another guy brought this up and it sounded… here it is.
Bacon Explosion= 2 lbs sausage meat and 2 lbs bacon rolled into a basket woven layer of bacon broiled and covered in BBQ sauce.

I do not endorse this (never), but I make no judgments either. If that’s what you want then fine, it’s at your own peril. But if you have tasted it and survived to tell the tale, let me know how it is.

For more on The Next Food Network Star, click here.

Sundays at 9/8c on Food Network

Photographs courtesy of Food Network.

Mad Men Review: The Warm and Fuzzy Side of Don

In the first two episodes of this fourth season of Mad Men we have seen Don Draper in a near robotic state of self-destruction and pain. He has become a man full of self-hate and I was starting to believe that nothing and no one would be able to reach him emotionally. But this week’s episode, aptly titled “The Good News”, took Don back to a place where things are a little bit brighter and he can be himself again – California.

We last saw Don visit sunny California back in season two when we learned that in a small house in LA lived a woman named Anne, who happened to be the wife of the real Don Draper before he was killed in the war and Dick Whitman (the Don Draper we know and love) assumed his name and identity. Our Don has never had a romantic relationship with Anne (Melinda Page Hamilton) but it is clear that when he is with her, he is a different man. Gone are the many walls he puts up to become the tough and flashy ad executive around everyone else. With her he is simply Dick Whitman again and its great to see him shed that weight and actually open up to someone emotionally from who he has nothing to hide.

This particular visit to Anne is a mere 24-hour stopover before continuing on to Mexico for New Years but he finds her in a somewhat weakened state with a broken foot and crumbling house, which makes him immediately concerned. That night, Don and Anne dine with her niece, Stephanie, a burgeoning hippie who naturally lights Don’s fire (does any woman not these days?).

When driving Stephanie home, she reveals that Anne has cancer with almost no time left but the real clincher is that Anne isn’t even aware. Stephanie’s mom (Anne’s sister) has checked with numerous doctors who agree that Anne is beyond treatment and suggest keeping her in the dark about it to ensure that she lives out her remaining days without fear. It’s hard to fathom this being a reality but sure enough – it is the truth and it visibly breaks Don’s heart.

Jon Hamm is simply amazing in this episode as he finally gets to let Don emote and the scenes where he is grappling to tell Anne about her affliction and whether or not he should extend his stay are superbly executed. I imagine most viewers, like myself, wanted to see Don stay there and care for her. But sure enough, he departs back to New York to work instead of relaxing in Mexico.

Upon returning to the office, Don finds Lane Pryce working away on New Years Day when he should be back in London with his family. So far this season, Lane has been a bit of a cranky pill and we assumed he was just concerned about money issues at the new firm but it turns out his grumpiness stems from a more personal base as well.  He at first appears to be keeping the British stiff upper lip but when Don arrives they begin drinking heavily, go see Godzilla completely smashed, and then have a nice steak dinner where the truth comes out.

Lane is going through the process of a divorce and these two vastly different men finally have something in common. It seems that through this encounter both men are able to temporarily escape their pain and this is readily apparent when the usually prim and proper Lane grabs his steak with his bare hands, slaps it against his crotch, and proclaims it to be a Texas belt buckle. Embarrassing? Yes. Amazingly cathartic and happy to see? Very big yes.

The night ends as most nights in Don’s company do with sex – but not between them. Don orders up some hookers and take them back to his place for some coitus. And after everything the two of them have been going through I can genuinely say to them “whatever gets you through the night!” and feel okay about it.

The rest of this episode gave us some much needed screen time for one of my favorite characters – Joan who continues to be played marvelously by Christina Hendricks. Things still appear to be rocky with her husband, Greg (Sam Page) as he waits to be called up for his Army Basic Training and then likely sent off to Vietnam. Joan has apparently been putting on a bright face despite her worries and has even taken preparations to get pregnant before he leaves. But to say that she is happy about their life and relationship potentially being put on hold indefinitely is completely false and just when she is about to explode she cuts her finger and the good doctor steps in to mend her.

Now despite his sometimes doofus exterior I have to say that while Greg was stitching Joan up  I’ve maybe never been more attracted to a human being in my life! It was painfully adorable to see how gently he fixed her and it occurred to both us as viewers and Joan at the same time why they are together and how much they actually love each other. It was a beautiful scene and may end up being a highlight of the season for me.

The episode ends with the major staff of SCDP sitting around a table with Joan asking, “Shall we begin 1965?” We then cut to Don who has a look of fear on his face. Is this a look of concern about facing another year alone? Is he worried about Anne? Or did the words that Stephanie said to him finally sink in? While in the car on the night he learned about Anne’s cancer Stephanie said, “No one knows what’s wrong with themselves but everyone else can see right away.” Is Don now paranoid that everyone can see through his facade and know that he is unraveling or is it worse than even he suspects? Regardless of how you look at it I am utterly fascinated and can’t wait to see how it plays out.

For more on Mad Men, click here.  Follow Poptimal on Twitter here.  Friend us on Facebook here. 

Season 4, Episode 3: The Good News (originally aired on August 8, 2010)

Sundays at 10PM/9C, AMC

Photographs courtesy of AMC and imdbpro.

True Blood Review: Fangtastic!

First things first: Major kudos to Alan Ball and the entire True Blood writing staff are in order for continuing to push the proverbial envelope further than even the most rabid viewer could anticipate. In terms of showcasing potentially controversial audacity, the fact True Blood has managed to somehow not jump the shark by now is nothing short of miraculous. For a show that brazenly parades everything from naked, deer-eating meth cooks to telepathic, shotgun-toting waitresses and all the kooky, sexualized, supernatural hijinks you can imagine in between (and that’s just Sunday night’s episode), it’s a relief to witness a cultural phenomenon like True Blood handle its objectively ludicrous subject matter with tongue-in-cheek composure and delightful irreverence. The show is a hilarious, engrossing blast, pure and simple, and the third season is rollicking along with such eye-widening bombast that I find myself finally forgetting (and perhaps forgiving) the meandering mess that plagued most of its sophomore season.

Unbelievably, only four episodes remain in Season Three (!), and, despite the subplot-friendly, kinetic presentation True Blood has practically trademarked, it seems as though there’s still a lot of ground to cover. This week’s installment, “Night on the Sun,” provided plenty of jaw-dropping spontaneity and rash decision-making to rival Russell’s impulsive decapitation of the Magister last week. Before we can delve into the fallout of that storyline’s wake, however, we begin with the shrill shriek of Sookie upon sight of Bill in her hospital room. Sadly, her trip with Claudine into a dreamlike, fairy-filled purgatory of sorts isn’t addressed at all this week, but that dalliance is soon forgotten altogether as the episode kicks into high gear after Sookie and Bill instigate a genuinely compassionate mutual breakup over the fact that Bill will never be able to give Sookie a “normal” life of having children and growing old with someone. If I were in her position, I’d also prefer, in addition to the kids and mortality stuff, to spend my life with someone who isn’t at risk of nearly murdering me if he gets too hungry, but perhaps I’m considered high maintenance under Bon Temps standards.

Newlyweds Sophie-Anne and Russell are officially playing house as we hear the Queen protesting the unforeseen coziness of her new room at Chez Edgington. “Where am I supposed to put my birds?!” we hear her screech as an impressive, albeit surely unnecessary, collection of birdcages is being taken upstairs. Talbot is rather annoyed at the new living arrangement, telling Russell, “Franklin’s brains won’t wash out of the guest linens, I had to bury werewolves under the gazebo, and that Sookie bitch staked Lorena! I’ve had enough excitement, thank you.” Heh. An eavesdropping Eric catches Russell comforting Talbot, assuring him his safety is “all that matters.” Eric’s brow furrows with telling interest upon this exchange. Foreshadowing, much? Russell also expresses slight regret over his spontaneous offing of the Magister, a revelation that both shocks and disgusts an increasingly frustrated Talbot. When Russell explains that the mysterious vampire “authority” (the identity of whom or what I’m dying to know) won’t pester him about the murder because, besides being unable to prove his guilt, he just donated a huge amount of money to the American Vampire League, Talbot protests, scoffing, “You can’t buy your way out of everything,” to which Russell replies, “Of course I can, this is America!” True Blood, for me, is often at its best when it parallels the vampire political climate with American consumerism and culture for purely satirical purposes. Hee.

Eric, having heard all he needs to hear, casually strolls in to inform Russell a “were-bitch” is waiting for him in the study. Oh, hi Debbie. Still reeling from Cooter’s unexpected demise, Debbie is visiting Russell to essentially ask permission to hunt down Sookie and tear her limb from limb. After Eric suggests Sookie be kept alive due to her potentially useful powers, Russell considers the advice but begins to (rightfully) question Eric’s devotion. As viewers, we know Eric’s vengeful intentions run both far and deep, and I catch my breath as Eric tells Russell he’s been “waiting for [him] for a thousand years…” but am then promptly let down as he adds “…a true leader” to his false pronouncement of loyalty, complete with egregious ring-kissing and bended knee. Barf. I find this proclamation transparent beyond belief, and I’m not a 3,000-year-old vampire king. Russell must (or should) know something’s up, but, then again, Eric does look mighty dapper in that powder blue v-neck sweater.

After Arlene has a creepy dream in which Rene serenades their unborn child (yikes), the long-overdue reunion between Jessica and Bill finally takes place. Poor Jessica is relieved to have her maker back to help guide her through the pains of vampire adolescence, but a despondent, guilt-ridden Bill tries to release her, claiming he isn’t fit to be anyone’s mentor. The two have a heart-to-heart about their respective romantic blunders with innocent humans, after which Bill finally grows a pair and gives Jessica a few basic defense skills. The training scene is amusing and adds much-needed levity, as the maker and progeny flitter about Bill’s dank family room, conducting their fight moves at the lightning-quick speed only vampires can manage. The sequence is as close to a time-filling montage as True Blood is likely to ever get, which is still far enough away from such devices to maintain storytelling integrity. Nonetheless, I’m immediately reminded of the montage song from Team America: World Police and my possibly favorite South Park episode, Asspen (“We’re gonna do a montage!”). I digress.

Despite their breakup leading the episode, Sookie seems hell-bent on convincing everyone who cares about her that she and Bill had a legitimate relationship and he isn’t the murderous monster her family and friends are convinced he is. Jason and Tara are staunchly dubious, as Jason, with Sheriff Andy Bellefleur in tow, tries to convince Sookie to press assault charges against Bill (or, “domestic…something” charges, as Jason eloquently put), and Tara likens her to the “dumb bitch” at the end of country songs who always goes back to the jerk boyfriend who beats her up — Tara’s words, not mine. When an ever-studly Alcide shows up to wish Sookie well (he’s headed back to Jackson after learning crazy Debbie burned down Janice’s hair salon), Tara notices him noticing Sookie and declares, “Good! Maybe you can flirt some sense into that girl, because logic sure ain’t workin’!” During their tender goodbye moment, Sookie and Alcide both agree that, in a perfect world, they would have fallen in love with each other instead of people who, either directly or indirectly, seem to almost kill them at any given moment. Le sigh.

Turns out, in spite of their repeated disagreements, Sookie is the least of Tara’s problems. From her simultaneously sexy and squirm-inducing dream about Franklin showing up in the shower with her to her flashbacks of their initial meeting at Merlotte’s, Tara’s harrowing experience as a potential vampire bride has seemingly scarred her for the indefinite time being, as she displays increasingly troublesome signs of post-traumatic stress disorder throughout the episode.

Aside from Tara’s impending nervous breakdown, order is slowly being restored at Merlotte’s as Arlene is shown interviewing a new waitress named Holly (“Don’t sleep with her!” exclaims Arlene to Sam in lieu of a proper introduction). All is seemingly copasetic until Holly makes a nonchalant remark that reveals her mysterious knowledge about Arlene’s bun in the oven. “How can you tell?” whispers a dumbfounded Arlene, a question to which Holly simply smirks and raises her eyebrows. Methinks the ratio of supernatural creatures to human beings just inched yet another degree away from normalcy in Bon Temps.

After shooing a pathetic Melinda away for good (or, more likely, for now) with a wad of cash and her luggage, Sam tries to encourage Tommy to stop his repeated displays of immature machismo at Merlotte’s (a rather feeble attempt to throw down with Hoyt on Jessica’s behalf stands out) and focus on the future. When Sam makes particular mention of the possibility of Tommy attending college, Tommy all but snorts in Sam’s face and quips, “You really don’t know me at all, do you?” The stunned look on Sam’s face appears to reply, I guess not.

Jason’s middling romance with Crystal gets a much-needed shot of adrenaline as she shows up pounding his door down, soaking wet with a heck of a shiner and a mission to borrow his truck. Like, now. When he half-jokingly asks if she swam to his house, she surprisingly responds with both an affirmative answer and matter-of-fact tone, citing the need to disguise her “scent” from her father, Calvin, and ex-fiancé, Fenton (the latter is responsible for the black eye, natch), two Deliverance-worthy Hot Shot meth dealers on her tail. After calming her down with his, um, masculine wiles, Jason uses Crystal’s growling stomach as an excuse to leave the house to “get food.” However, as he snatches his rifle on his way out, we know where he’s really headed. Calvin and Fenton show up at Merlotte’s to inquire about Crystal, immediately piquing curiosity from both Sam and Tommy, who acknowledge the suspicious character of the two men with a simple exchange: “Smell that?” “Yep.” While Jason snoops around the Norris’ compound, a mysterious trail of blood leads him to the frighteningly animalistic sight of a naked man munching on a freshly rendered deer carcass, depraved look in his eye to boot. Whoa! Okay, Alan Ball, I’ll bite: Who the hell are these people?! Jason begins to book it out of there, but Calvin and Fenton pull up and the inevitable staring contest ensues. Playing his tenuous I’m-a-cop-but-not-really card, Jason informs the amused Calvin and Fenton he’s rescued Crystal for good and they shouldn’t bother trying to reel her back into their “hillbilly freak show.”

As for the predictably fantastic Lafayette, his clinically insane mother, Ruby Jean (nice to see you again, Alfre Woodard!), has escaped the confines of her mental institution and showed up on his doorstep to warn him of “the vampires, the witches, dogs and cats” that are “comin’ for [him].” Excuse me? Ruby Jean continues, citing Lafayette’s inarguable “power” as the reason for the imminent supernatural attack she speaks of. “They know,” she assures the skeptical Lafayette, currently busy trying to convince apologetic nurse Jesus, still assumedly spurned from the events of their date, that the drug business is not his ideal career path. Jesus tells Lafayette not to disregard his mother’s ramblings, saying, “She’s schizophrenic. That doesn’t mean she’s not perceptive,” agreeing that Lafayette does possess an indefinable “power” of sorts. Um, okay. Unless the power to be infinitely awesome counts, I’m pretty sure Lafayette is as mortally human as the day is long. In any case, Jesus manages to calm down Ruby Jean to an acceptable degree, sitting her down to watch TV (“Nothin’ but faggots, murderers and hos,” she declares. “Where’s the clicker?”), and promptly rekindles his romance with a surely delighted Lafayette. Swoon!

Back at Russell’s kingdom, Eric swoops in on a lingerie-clad Hadley as she saunters out of Sophie-Anne’s room. With his hand over her mouth, he threateningly insists she visit Sookie to deliver an important message. As Sookie sits at her kitchen table, glumly leafing through a sad scrapbook of pictures of she and Bill took during happier times, her long-lost cousin appears at the door with sadly incorrect assumptions (“Where’s Gran?”), brash avoidance tactics (all but refusing to answer Sookie’s inquiry about her connection to Eric), and said message: “Russell’s coming for you. Don’t trust Bill.” Sookie, understandably, scoffs at this message’s insinuation that she’s supposed to trust Eric, but Hadley is headed out the door before Sookie can gain any more pertinent info. She does hear Hadley’s internal regrets about telling Eric who Sookie is and her lamentations that “it’s all [her] fault,” but none of this helps Sookie decide where her trust should lie. Regardless, Sookie does know this means she needs to protect herself from surefire intruders, having told Hadley that if Russell had the capability to kidnap Bill, he certainly has the power to find her no matter where she may try to flee.

As Russell prepares for his departure to Bon Temps on a Sookie stakeout (I just groaned at my own pun), a lonely Talbot drones on with endless complaints and tests Russell’s last nerve. “In a giant mansion with all the blood you can drink and all the vampire boys you could possibly want,” says Russell, haplessly mystified. “Poor Talbot, are your diamond slippers chafin’?” A miffed Talbot begins to throw a bit of a temper tantrum, destroying priceless artifacts from Russell’s life throughout the millennia. As he wields Eric’s father’s thousand-year-old Viking crown, Eric stops Talbot and insists he keep him “company” while Russell is away conducting business. “I am positively jealous,” Russell purrs.

With Russell en route to Bon Temps, Eric and Talbot engage in a chess game both literal and metaphorical, complete with Greek figurines as playing pieces. Talbot is still in a bit of a bratty funk, as his inability to lose gracefully is illustrated by his passive-aggressive dismissal of the chessboard onto the floor upon Eric’s declaration of “checkmate.” “I’m bored. Take off your clothes,” Talbot insists. Apparently, Eric’s determination to avenge his father’s death will take him to levels only previously alluded to as he begins to unbutton his shirt to Talbot’s visible glee. A kiss full of fangs and snarls ensues and I’m hard pressed to imagine anyone watching this having the ability to look away. Seriously.

Meanwhile, a petrified Sookie can see the inevitable, hungry-looking werewolves approach her house as she peers out her bedroom window. Debbie, in human form, follows with a mischievous grin. As Sookie loads and prepares her shotgun, the two wolves enter the house and Bill (!) and Jessica (!) triumphantly appear as desperately needed backup, instigating a growling, sneering fang-off with their canine adversaries before launching into physical battle. Debbie makes her way to Sookie’s room, where said shotgun is pointed directly at her diaphragm. Sookie informs Debbie she doesn’t want to kill her because she knows Alcide still loves her, but she will blow her away if necessary. Debbie chuckles, both incredulous at Sookie’s self-proclaimed understanding of love and (still) under the incorrect impression that Sookie and Alcide have slept together. Debbie and Sookie’s sparring begins, and it’s certainly escalated a notch or two above the standard hair-pulling cop out. In fact, I daresay it’s one of the most badass girl fights ever depicted on television. Both women throw admirable punches and display realistic struggles against one another, but I have one minor gripe: Considering Debbie has the ability to turn into a wolf, why did she remain in human form throughout the fight? If she really wanted to tear Sookie apart, she certainly had the capability. Regardless, Sookie eventually slashes Debbie’s face with a pair of sewing scissors (ouch) and regains control of the gun. Debbie, with her figurative tail between her legs, hops out the window defeated, but surely not gone for good.

Downstairs, Bill and Jessica seem to have secured the upper hand until Jessica’s victim lures her outside, where Russell is waiting, of course, and promptly grabs hold of her. Uh oh. Bill is presented with the ultimate ultimatum – forced to choose between his “child” and his girlfriend. Still focused on his mission, Russell playfully taunts Bill, practically singing, “I’ll trade you the red one for the blonde one,” as Jessica’s strawberry locks remain firmly entangled in his hands. Bill is truly stumped, and the action suddenly flashes back to Jackson, where Eric and Talbot are engaging in, ahem, a little action of their own. As Eric asks Talbot to turn over and face away from him, the tone of the scene immediately turns dark as Eric’s intentions become shockingly clear. Stating that Russell took away his family and he is now going to take away his, Eric seizes a stake and drives it through an unsuspecting Talbot’s heart.

Russell can instantly sense Talbot’s death and disappears into the sky, his wails of despair echoing his departure. Jessica, now free, flees into the woods with her canine sparring partner following. Bill rushes into the house to rescue Sookie, and the two reconcile with strenuous passion. As a still-heartbroken Hoyt is shown tearfully taking a late-night drive, it’s made clear with bloody precision Jessica has simultaneously taken down her enemy. Now back in human form, the werewolf pleads for mercy as Jessica continues to drain him with maddening frenzy. The last shot of the episode captures Sookie and Bill having frantic makeup sex on the floor, complete with the two of them nearly strangling each other with furious tumult.

It’s clear that after this “Night on the Sun,” a major paradigm shift has officially taken place within the confines of several important social structures throughout the fictitious world of True Blood. Never mind the reconciliation of Sookie and Bill (or any other fluffy romance taking up space, for that matter). Talbot’s death will surely send Russell into a murderous tizzy and render absolutely no one safe in either Mississippi or Louisiana, thanks to his recent acquisition of both territories courtesy of his new marriage to Sophie-Anne. Eric, I suspect, is in serious trouble and here’s hoping the mysterious Authority may finally be revealed as the final puzzle piece in the underworld of vampire politics we’ve uncovered so far this season. Despite Franklin’s brains staining Russell’s guest linens, I’m virtually certain his reemergence is imminent, and I couldn’t be more pleased. All things Sam, Jason and Arlene continue to be peripheral for me despite the actors’ palpable competence, although I certainly welcome any notable comic relief or appropriate distraction from the surefire reign of terror about to be besieged upon Bon Temps. Even Maryann’s tower of meat has nothing on the King of Mississippi’s vengeful broken heart.

Season 3, Episode 8: Night on the Sun (originally aired August 8, 2010)

For more on True Blood, click here.

Sundays at 9pm on HBO

Photographs courtesy of HBO and IMDbPro

Jersey Shore Review: Loving Every Second

Some things are so bad, they’re good.  And you don’t even care.  That last piece of cake. A double cheeseburger.  Jersey Shore.  This season the gang is taking their act to Miami, which was perfect timing considering that this season was filmed during Snowmageddon 2010.  Mother Nature dumped over 2 feet of snow on the Northeast earlier this year, and the season opens with everyone’s departure to warmer pastures. 

Pauly D, The Situation, Snooki, J Wow, Ronnie, Vinny and Sammi are back.  This time Ronnie and Sammi are broken up.  But perhaps the biggest twist is that Angelina is returning.  You may recall that she voluntary left the show during its first season.  She probably envies that the others became pseudo-celebrity C-list stars and wants in on some of the action.  The rest of the house doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for her.  In fact, they all look quite shocked when she arrives.  She didn’t leave on good terms, and none of the others knew that she would be coming back.  The girls ostracize her immediately, but Angelina hasn’t made herself easy to love.  The guys are a little more tolerant, even allowing her to share a room with Pauly and Mike.  Meanwhile Sammi and Ronnie express reservations about having to live under the same roof.  Everyone else is ready for a good time: partying and fist pumping the night away.  Don’t forget the spray tan and hair gel.

Their first night is marked by typical alcohol consumption and boorish behavior.  This time it’s Ronnie who decides to enjoy his newfound freedom by getting completely wasted.  He acts like a complete douchebag, even calling Sammi the c-word.  While the girls (minus Angelina) decide to call it a night, the fellas head out to a second night spot, where Ronnie ratchets up the debauchery even more.  He makes out with girls, all of whom The Situation deem to be “grenades,” which is basically a term for ugly chicks.  To top it off, when Ronnie returns home he brags that after all of his antics, he’s going to hop in bed with Sammi, which he does.  The sun rays of the next morning are sobering, and he feels bad about the previous night’s shenanigans.  He even contemplates telling Sammi what happened, until she finds an ex girlfriend’s phone number and goes ballistic on him.  Considering that they are no longer in a relationship, she really doesn’t have the right to be angry with him.  Sammi thinks it over and apologizes for her behavior.  Ronnie explains that his ex was actually supportive of him giving Sammi another chance. Now she feels even worse, as she should.  These two need to steer clear of one another, considering all of their baggage and the unresolved emotional issues.  In the second episode, they both admit that they have residual feelings for each other – but are unsure of what this means for their future.

Angelina is a powder keg.  It wasn’t enough to be warring with the girls over old issues, and the petty “he said she said” routine.  Next, she gets into with it Pauly, who is a pretty peaceable guy.  After reprimanding him for talking to a married girl at the club, Angelina oversteps her bounds.  Pauly asks her to mind her business, explaining that he’s not looking for anything serious in Miami.  Angelina, who is three sheets to the wind, gives him a slap across the face.  Now she has managed to alienate every person in the house and doesn’t have a single ally.  Snooki pointed out that if Angelina would just admit to her past wrongdoing and apologize for it, everyone could move on.  Since she hasn’t done that, the beef rages on. Oh, and there’s a standing “whoop ass” order in effect as well.  J Wow warned Angelina to sleep with one eye open. 

This season looks to be one of the trashiest yet, and so far I am loving every second!

Season 2, Episodes 1 & 2 (originally aired July 29 & August 5, 2010)

Images courtesy of imdbpro.com

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