Smallville Review: A Golden Episode

For the third season in a row, famed DC Comics writer Geoff Johns has contributed his talents to Smallville by writing an episode that introduces famed DC Comics characters to the television universe. Two years ago it was the Legion of Super Heroes. Last year it was the Justice Society. And this year he brings us Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle! Your average Joe may have never heard these names before, but trust me when I say they’re enough to make any true comic book nerd giggle with anticipation.

Big guest characters aside, this week’s episode also continued Clark’s journey into becoming Superman by focusing on his efforts to hone the character of Clark Kent in public by wearing the classic garb and upping the geek ante. It may seem trivial but before The Blur can go public and show his face, they need to make him virtually unrecognizable from Clark who up until now has been as manly and dreamboaty as The Blur while living in Metropolis.

It is under these conditions that a new hero comes to town. His name is Booster Gold (Eric Martsolf) and with his pretty face, corporate sponsored costume, and cocksure attitude, he is a media darling that demands attention and loves the spotlight. His first save is the meek Jaime Reyes (Jaren Brandt Bartlett) who is nearly run over by a limo. Everyone is so distracted by Booster’s showboating that no one seems to notice a strange blue scarab sneak out of the ruptured limo and go right into Jaime’s backpack…

Booster Gold blasts away from the scene in a blaze of glory but quickly shows up again at the Daily Planet wanting Lois to write up an exclusive endorsement of him. She of course balks at this knowing how much of a clown he is, but her rival for a big promotion, Cat Grant (Keri Lynn Pratt), is enamored with Booster and would do just about anything for an interview with him. She even shows up at one of his events later posing as a dancer in his tacky presentation to collect the key to the city from the mayor.

Jaime Reyes, meanwhile, is getting picked on by everyone and their mother. Lois spots him on the street and tries to coach him into being tough but fails miserably. But then while walking away in defeat the blue scarab thing comes out of his backpack and goes down the back of his shirt where it presumably bites Jaime and becomes one with him.

Clark has since found out that the limo in Jaime’s accident belongs to Kord Industries and they’ve lost a top secret weapon that could be dangerous. Clark goes to their headquarters and meets with CEO Ted Kord (Sebastian Spence) who plays dumb about the missing weapon. But thanks to some super hearing Clark is able to pick up enough information about the scarab to know that it fuses with a human host and takes them over with armor and weaponry that they cannot themselves control, which is exactly what is happening to Jaime.

Not knowing what else to do, Jaime goes to Booster Gold seeking assistance but is brushed aside so that Booster can rehearse his stage show. Clark then shows up to try talking some sense into Booster who somehow already knows that Clark is The Blur. Clark wants Booster to help him track down the scarab weapon but again, Booster is dismissive so Clark launches into a well-written lecture about being a hero and how it takes more than a suit to make one. But none of it sticks. Booster reveals that he is actually from the future and has come here using a Legion ring to take Clark’s place as Earth’s favorite hero. He challenges Clark to suit up, go public, and show him up, which we know Clark can’t do until he solidifies his secret identity first.

Then, during the final rehearsal for the mayor’s key ceremony Jaime is completely taken over by the scarab and becomes Blue Beetle! He starts attacking everyone with the armor controlling his movements and actions. As expected Booster Gold hides as soon as things start blowing up so Clark indulges us all in a little bit of geek glory by racing into a telephone booth, ripping off his nerdy suit, and revealing the red and blue Blur costume underneath. He quickly saves Cat from getting a laser blast to the face, which inspires (or intimidates) Booster to attack Blue Beetle.

Beetle kind of makes quick work with Booster and has him in his grasp to kill but then in a moment of inspiration Booster uses Clark’s words of advice to reach out to Jaime. He coaches Jaime and tells him to not let the suit control him. And with this coaching and urging Jaime is able to take control of the Blue Beetle armor and power down. And in the end Booster admits that he’s not hero but Clark suggests that he could become one by sticking with Jaime and help him control the powers of the Blue Beetle. And thus a new hero partnership is born. And just so their relationship isn’t all one sided, Booster gives Clark advice on his need to find a better hero name. Maybe something that starts with the S on his chest? Something Super???

But that’s not the only happy ending. Lois gets her promotion and moves up to the City Desk, which means that Clark will now be sharing desk space with Cat. WOMP WOMP!

And in the totally sweet department Clark is worried how people will think of Lois for being engaged to the giant bumbling nerd that he must now become but she couldn’t care less and I find that completely adorable.

All in all this was a fantastic episode directed by none other than Tom Welling himself. The characters, the script, and the mythology all came together here with occasional dashes of John Williams’ classic Superman score to make it a near perfect episode. With only two episodes remaining before the two hour finale I only hope that the quality remains this high because if it does there are going to be A LOT of really happy fans out there. This one included.

Smallville: Season 10, Episode 18: “Booster” (originally aired April 22, 2011)

Smallville airs Fridays at 8/9c.

Images courtesy of Jack Rowand and The CW.

Doctor Who Review: The Mystery Deepens

Wholigans, rejoice! The Doctor is back, and not a moment is wasted before we’re thrust back into another head-spinning adventure.

Warning – this review will talk about episode one (not in great detail), but there will also be some light spoilers about episode two.

A few years have passed since Amy and Rory wed at the end of last season and they last saw the Doctor. They receive an invitation in a TARDIS-blue envelope with a date and coordinates for a location. Three other people receive the same invitation: mysterious time traveler River Song, an FBI agent named Canton Everett Delaware, and…the Doctor himself.

Now that everyone has been reunited in the American desert, shit gets real (there’s really no other way to say it). Within the first 10 minutes of the episode, a major character dies and the story arc for the rest of the season gets underway. The events are set in motion and there’s no way all our questions will be answered in just one or two episodes. We’re in for the season-long ride!

Already season six is different from five. Everyone is by now well-situated in their roles; Matt Smith continues to perform effortlessly as the Doctor. Arthur Darvill’s Rory has been bumped up to a series regular after fans responded so positively to his character. River Song is also much more prevalent in the first two episodes and we’ve been promised her story will be revealed soon enough. And then there are those aliens, The Silence, who are truly something to be feared. Who knew aliens in suits would be so freaky and not hilarious!

Both episodes one and two take place in the U.S. and involve some uncommon British/American interactions on the show. There’s some good-natured American mocking, mostly having to do with our gun laws (guns are much more strictly regulated in Britain – even cops don’t carry them, opting for batons). It’s always fascinating to see how the Brits view Americans especially in a pop culture aspect.

If you’re not a fan of cliffhangers, then you might have some trouble adjusting to season six. Episode one’s cliffhanger is a doozy and episode two is even worse, if you can imagine! Head writer Steven Moffat has said that there will be multiple cliffhangers throughout the season, but that the mid-season finale will have perhaps the biggest one of all. Kudos to Moffat for keeping things interesting – the writing in these episodes is strong and his storylines are taking things to another level.

Cliffhangers are great for one thing, though, and that’s theorizing! I haven’t theorized this much since the last Harry Potter book was released and the big good-or-evil debate over Snape. So what are your theories for season six of Doctor Who? Particularly about that little girl! I have my own thoughts, but I want to hear yours!

Season 6, Episodes 1 and 2: The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon (April 23 and 30, 2011)

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 9/8c on BBC America.

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Images courtesy of BBC America.

Friday Night Lights Review: Rally Girls and Rankings

Sometimes when you think things are just about to get better, and all signs point in that direction, they just don’t…at least not for everyone. This couldn’t be more true for the residents of East Dillon, Texas on this week’s episode “On the Outside Looking In.”

After pulling out a shocking win against one of the top teams in the state, everyone’s eager to see what place the Lions will hold in the state rankings. Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) sees the hype over the situation distracting both his players and his coaches. At East Dillon High, Tami (Connie Britton) tries reaching out to troubled student Epyck (Emily Rios) as the football team assigns this year’s Rally Girls. Maura (Denise Williamson), who looks like she’s a huge fan of football players, but not necessarily the game, draws Vince’s (Michael B. Jordan) jersey. Being a stand-up boyfriend, he takes the jersey and offers it to Jess (Jurnee Smollett), who later tells him she’s not cut out to be a Rally Girl. Luke (Matt Lauria) ends up looking a little defeated when Becky (Madison Burge) draws someone else’s jersey. When the Lions fail to gain in the rankings, both due to their poor record last season and their presence as a political underdog, things start to go south. It doesn’t help that a hearing is scheduled to rule on a hit Luke made in last week’s game.

At college, Julie (Aimee Teegarden) is having a hard time adjusting. After failing to make friends in what seems like a mind-numbing class on legends of the deep south, she’s sexiled by her roommate. She finally connects with her history TA over a football game at a department mixer, in what looks like an evolving relationship that might not be the healthiest.

At home, Vince shares news with his mother from Coach Taylor that multiple colleges are looking to recruit him. Back at East Dillon, Jess gets jealous when Maura leaves her underwear in Vince’s locker. I don’t think she overreacted. After a bathroom brawl, the grudge continues into the night at the team party leading to a beer bong showdown between the two. While Vince goes to take Jess home, they see a barely conscious Maura being passed around by some of the guys.

Things get heated when Luke’s suspended for a game and confronts Hastings (Grey Damon) after he notices the latter’s eyes wandering towards Becky. Becky takes Luke home and declines his invitation to come inside. The next night, seeing the toll the drama of the week has taken, Coach Taylor rallies the players by writing one word on the board—States.

Becky, when will you wake up and realize Luke is perfect for you? I’m guessing three episodes after a brief but disastrous affair with Hastings, a character I still don’t have a full read on. I was moved when Mindy (Stacey Oristano), who’s clearly unnerved by having a relative stranger teenage girl staying in the house with her and her husband, confronted her about staying out too late. Becky, a girl who’s never been watched over in that way, was touched. I think both women were in ways they didn’t expect, with Mindy seeing a bit of herself and her sister in Becky. Still, Becky and Luke need to happen soon.

It looks like Tami’s finally had a breakthrough in her new role, both in getting through ever so slightly to Epyck and making an ally at the teacher’s weekly happy hour. Commenting briefly on Julie’s storyline, for once I’d like to see one of the Dillon teens adjusting well to college life. Somewhere out there Lyla’s (Minka Kelly) probably well adjusted and I really hope to catch up with Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) before the end of the final season. My heart tells me Landry (Jesse Plemons) is forming a Crucifictorious off-shoot band that’s going to hit it big one day, and maybe finally meeting a nice girl who treats him right and doesn’t turn out to be a lesbian or in love with someone else.

Kudos to the creative team for avoiding the college-changes-everything cliché, but still I’d like to see some happy endings take place for those who’ve left Dillon.

Season 5, Episode 2: “On the Outside Looking In” (Original air date April 22, 2011)

Friday Night Lights airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Bill Records and NBC

 

NBC Universal Summer Press Day: Not Your Average Cooking Show

Need more reasons to tune your television to NBC this summer? Check this out…

Chef Rocco DiSpirito has a new show on Bravo, Rocco’s Dinner Party. You can probably guess what it’s about but I’ll tell you anyway; Rocco throws a dinner party for all of his famous friends, but there’s a twist! He has three different chefs cooking for the party. Rocco and his guests will pick their favorite dishes and crown one of the chefs the best dinner party host for the evening.  But according to Rocco this isn’t going to be your normal high pressure cooking show.

“We’re just trying to have fun. And it’s a mixture of celebrities and taste makers, and I fiercely protect their right to have fun at this dinner party. And what’s really great is that they forget they’re on television. By the second dinner party, we’ve opened a few bottles of wine, and we’re just watching fascinating people giving themselves the permission to connect and let their guard down.”

Having a dinner party with Liza Minnelli was not something Rocco thought he would ever be doing.

“I had several out-of-body experiences at that dinner table. Marvin Hamlisch was also there, and Alan Cumming was also there and Kenneth Cole and Sam Harris. When Sam Harris composed a song with lyrics on the spot about our dinner party and literally used moments that we had just had, so I know he didn’t do it in advance, and sang it beautifully to us, I was like, “This is an amazing job. I am so happy to be here.” And Liza Minnelli starts every story with “Ira Gershwin was my godfather” and that was another out-of-body experience there. But it’s hard to imagine being in this place. I’m so thrilled to be able to host this show.”

Rocco’s Dinner Party will air this summer on Bravo.

Images Courtesy of Bravo and Poptimal, LLC

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American Idol Review: A Stolen Kiss Steals The Show

This week’s American Idol attempted to bring a modern spin to the Top 7 performances Wednesday night by giving the contestants a chance to pick songs from any genre, as long as they debuted in the 21^st century. Although a few of the Idols took advantage of the opportunity to choose contemporary hits currently heard on the radio, a couple of our warblers strangely stumbled in this seemingly gimme category, and even the night’s best efforts failed to create any true “moments” the judges and viewers have been waiting for all season. In fact, some of the most entertaining sequences occurred in between performances, courtesy of a refreshingly self-deprecating Seacrest and loopier-than-ever Steven Tyler, the latter of whom arrived branded in a, ahem, cheeky lipstick mark and a gleefully foul mouth.

“Remember when they were just faces in the crowd?” we’re asked as the finalists’ earliest audition footage is unearthed, apparently to illustrate how far they’ve come on their Idol journeys. We’re then expected to go along with the assertion that these seven singers are now “stars in the making” when its widely understood that most, if not all, of them will go right back to face-in-the-crowd status in mere weeks. Enjoy it while it lasts, kids.

Speaking of, a Tyler-worthy expletive or two escapes my lips when the six castoffs from this season’s finals make an inexplicable return to the Idol stage to sing Pink’s “So What,” which sounds more like a G-rated “F— off” to their legions of non-fans. The entire production is nothing short of excruciating, from Ashthon Jones’ precocious squeal to a completely out of his element Paul McDonald slowly committing career suicide in front of millions. Given this dog-and-pony show he was surely forced to participate in, can’t say I blame him. As the horrorshow continues, I feel nary a pang of nostalgia for any of these contestants, Pia included, which I suspect is the opposite reaction the producers were hoping for. “You just made America think twice about their decision,” Tyler declares to the beaming rejects, although they’re all probably now thinking twice about their decision to attempt a career in showbiz. Yes, it was really that bad.

I never thought I’d be so happy to see side-parted Scotty in all his low-twanging glory, but he arrives just as the Idol ship begins to sink into the irretrievable bowels of karaoke hell, and not a moment too soon. This kid is at least listenable, people. A montage of the other Idols making fun of Scotty’s curious microphone-handling technique is cute, and it’s always refreshing to know when someone is willing to make fun of themselves – especially when the quirk in question is completely undeniable. Unfortunately, Scotty’s refreshing diversion from the preceding atrocity is short-lived, as he offers perhaps his weakest performance to date. Iovine warns Scotty about his fans getting complacent, since “Scotty’s gonna do what he does, because that’s what he does.” Thanks for the insight, mister music industry tycoon. However, Iovine has a point as Scotty’s rendition of LeAnn Rimes’ “Swingin’” sounds strangely outdated and what I’m sure Simon Cowell would have called “self-indulgent.” Scotty, yet again, found a way to circumvent the requirements of the genre, this time managing to sing a recent cover of a relatively forgotten-about, thirty-year-old country track when the category is meant to showcase songs at least composed in the last decade. Tyler tells Scotty he wants to see him “boot scoot” a little more, and run around the stage “like you did from your last girlfriend.” Heh. J. Lo compliments Scotty’s “storytelling qualities” but warns him to “bring the big guns” at this stage of the competition. Randy is amazingly unimpressed as well, telling Scotty he found the performance “boring” and “so safe.” So much for Scotty’s complacent fans. In light of this unprecedented – can it be? – criticism (!), they’ll surely be voting in droves.

I’m thrilled to hear James will be singing the first Muse song ever heard on Idol, and also that his intent is to use this week’s category as a chance to prove his mettle as a contemporary artist. No more Bon Jovi allowed, Durbin! His fellow Idols, especially Stefano, are shown making fun of James’ scarf collection and I’m again tickled to know these kids are probably smarter than I give them credit for. James even tells Iovine he likes the “post-apocalyptic protest” aspect of “Uprising,” and Iovine agrees it has a bit more “substance” than the hair metal tunes James often gravitates toward. As for the performance, it begins on an impressively high note with a marching drumline accompanying James onstage. He has a definite swagger that illustrates his growing confidence onstage, but the vocals are initially a pure replica of the original melody. I’m marginally disappointed with James’ identical rendition, until he hits the chorus and takes it up an octave, reaching notes that make the drummers a distant memory. Naysayers will (and subsequently have) call it screeching, but it’s impossible for me not to applaud the bold direction James took, in spite of a pitch issue or two. As a whole, it’s an exciting performance that illustrates James’ desire to win this competition – Scotty’s ho-hum, although perfectly pitched, crooning sounds worthy of winning a community talent show in comparison. The judges are ecstatic, as J. Lo says it will probably be the “best performance of the night,” at least “theatrically.” That’s quite a statement, considering there are five more contestants to go. Randy agrees and hopes James follows in this direction, while Tyler commends James’ “Mad Max meets Stormtroopers on Melrose” wardrobe. “Stay outta my closet,” he teases, before offering the hackneyed, yet accurate observation, “You wouldn’t believe how expensive it costs to look this cheap.”

Haley seems to have finally found her niche, wisely gravitating toward the glorious Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” for her modern song choice. Comfortably nestled between the raspy classic rock of Janis Joplin and the glam New Wave gloss of Blondie, I expect Haley and her throaty growl to align with this genre well, and she does – for the most part. Like James, a few bum notes keeps this performance from becoming a true “moment,” but it’s my favorite effort from her so far and she even keeps the physical buffoonery to a refreshing minimum. Haley still lacks some precision in her phrasing, but her gritty tone works wonders and hits a moment of greatness or two overall. I completely agree with Randy when he tells Haley this is the exact direction she needs to follow in her post-Idol endeavors. J. Lo can’t help but remark how difficult it is to sing a song so well known at this exact moment, especially one by a vocalist as brilliant as Adele, but tells Haley there were snippets of the song she made her own. “You know what I’m going to say,” Tyler begins. Gee, something needlessly nice, perhaps? Will the word “beautiful” be involved? Yes on both counts, of course.

Jacob Lusk reminds everyone listening that Luther Vandross actually released a song in the 21^st century, the Grammy-winning (yes, I looked that up) “Dance With My Father.” Prior to his performance, Jacob reveals his connection to the song is due to his own father’s death when he was 12. Rehearsal footage with Iovine is sincerely heartbreaking, as Jacob has initial difficulty getting through the song and Iovine expresses support as someone who also lost his dad at a young age. Sniff. The performance as a whole is lovely and emotional, and given the surrounding circumstances, I find it genuinely impossible to make fun of it. Jacob’s voice is clear and polished throughout, despite a technical snag at the beginning that rendered his ear monitor unusable. I spy a brief look of panic for a second or two, but Jacob recovers smoothly and I suspect most people wouldn’t have been the wiser had the incident not been brought up with the judges. Tyler says Jacob reminds him “all the time” why he loves music, while J. Lo explains the difficulty of channeling one’s own emotions while keeping tabs of various performance logistics. Jacob, I must say, handled the job with aplomb. Randy appreciates the sentiment of the song choice, but found the vocals simply “good,” and not outstanding. This late in the game, he explains, Jacob needs to go back to his earlier technique of blowing the doors off the place like he did with “God Bless the Child.” If James can hit frequencies previously unheard on Idol, after all, it’s time for Jacob to show off, too – especially since the other Idols have officially named him the season 10 diva, much to Jacob’s chagrin.

Casey’s next, and his fellow Idols have a jolly good time poking fun at the resident bearded weirdo of the group, even donning a fake piece of face fur to up the humor quotient. Like all good sports, Casey himself is in on the joke. This week, he’s playing electric guitar during his rendition of Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe,” and luckily this branch of radio-friendly pop-rock surprisingly suits him better than the alternative grunge of Nirvana. The song’s melody and structure fits Casey’s choppy vocal phrasing, and his comfort with an instrument is an added bonus. As usual, Casey is a better performer than he is a singer in the technical sense, but his efforts to present himself as the entire package continuously work, whether it be as a jazz artist or a contemporary Top 40 frontman. At the end of the song, he slows down the lyrics and eliminates the accompaniments while inching closer and closer to the judges’ table, eventually planting a quick kiss on J. Lo’s cheek before completing the last line. The moment is a huge hit, and miraculously works in Casey’s favor when it may have signaled a ticket home for other male contestants. J. Lo is a bit flustered and tongue-tied, but giddy nonetheless, applauding Casey for his “Caseyisms.” She must have been distracted, because Randy is forced to articulate her thoughts and explains that Casey’s success is based upon his ability to take chances and utilize the art of surprise. Tyler, jokingly indignant for not getting to kiss J. Lo first, says Casey “pisses people off” because he’s “so f—in’ good.” The hilarity only ensues when Seacrest emerges wearing a prop Casey beard and exclaims, “Is this what it feels to be a man?!” Seacrest may just have to retire now, because I’m not sure how he’ll ever be able to top that.

The Idols unveil the most anti-climactic revelation this week in admitting that Stefano is an uncontrollable flirt. Jacob says Stefano would flirt with a piece of paper if he detected a trace of estrogen in it, but judging from Stefano’s come-hither glances and curiously mutated dance moves during his performance of Ne-Yo’s “Closer,” I’m thinking Stefano has bigger fish to fry. From the cheesy spin kicking things off to the undone suspenders and clenched fists bringing it home, little Stefano just keeps trying harder and harder to extend his already overstayed welcome. The pelvic thrusts and corny posing are a bit much to say the least, and I find it hard to make eye contact with Stefano even though he lives inside my TV and can’t actually see my perpetual grimace. As for the singing, it’s as strained and earnest as usual, with one marginally redeeming glory note. Tyler exclaims, “Nobody can say you weren’t all up in it!” and he’s right – Stefano was, without a doubt, all up in that. Randy is “proud” of Stefano for “taking his time” with the lyrics, saying he’d initially thought he’d churn out “bad karaoke.” Apparently, decent karaoke is far more acceptable. J. Lo tells Stefano he’s lucky he’s cute, but without actually saying those words. She’s stealth.

Lauren is closing the show with Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly,” and there’s immediate discussion of her tendency to “hold back” in her performances. Iovine presses her to let loose and stop restricting herself, but Lauren admits she’s afraid of not being able to belt out “huge notes like everyone else” and “falling behind.” Instead of reminding her she’s one of three people in the competition who’s never been in the bottom, however, Lauren is instead seemingly encouraged to live up to the insane expectations placed on her when the producers deemed her the golden child back in the Nashville auditions. As a result, Lauren sounds more held back and timid than ever, and I admittedly pay far more attention to the violin player accompanying her performance. Whether or not a Pia-like demonstration of lung capacity would heighten Lauren’s performance success is kind of moot, since she clearly isn’t hurting for votes, but psyching her out isn’t the way to go, either. Tyler gives perhaps his best, if not only, helpful suggestion of the season and tells Lauren a song by Alison Krauss, Faith Hill, or Shania Twain (which she’s already done, but two out of three ain’t bad) would serve her well, but blows his progress by saying “anybody who doesn’t know that they can fail is bound to win.” I’m still scratching my head over that one. J. Lo doesn’t understand why Lauren thinks she lacks the vocal talent to belt the big notes her peers do, and recommends she try it when she’s home alone. Randy also encourages her to challenge herself and insists her hesitation is due to the fact she “still doesn’t know how good [she] is.” Well, her zillions of voters seem to be plenty informed of her talent, now don’t they?

Thursday’s results show delivers the usual exercise in tedium, as Seacrest is  saddled with the increasingly challenging task of filling time for the entire sixty minutes that precede before the actual announcing of said results. Once again, the Ford music video proves feebly engaging, save for Casey and Lauren’s magic cloud lassos, and the judges’ vaguely lucid insight into the current state of the show tells us nothing we didn’t know. Example? Randy doesn’t know who’s going home. In other news, J. Lo felt the need to assure us Mr. J. Lo isn’t jealous over the Casey kiss (boy, was I worried), while a potty-mouthed Tyler warns the editor he’ll give him “something to worry about.”

The group performances are underwhelming, with Lauren, Jacob, Stefano and Haley doing Train’s “Hey Soul Sister,” a song I was perfectly happy to have completely forgotten about, thanks. Casey, Scotty and James, however, sing Coldplay’s beautiful, if overplayed, “Viva La Vida,” and I find its desecration far more offensive. Afterwards, Seacrest thanks Robin Antin for choreographing both performances. Somebody had to choreograph that? was certainly my immediate thought, and I suspect many others’.

Casey and Jacob are the first two up for elimination, and Casey kills time by telling us he’d originally planned on just breathing in J. Lo’s face before deciding to kiss her. Smooth. Jacob then explains, again, the drum track glitch during the beginning of his performance, all but refusing to believe about 90 percent of viewers have no idea what he’s talking about. Casey’s free to try and pinch J. Lo’s butt next week, as he’s deemed safe and Jacob heads to the stools.

David Cook offers a surprisingly mediocre performance of his new single, “Last Goodbye,” which I believe is more the fault of the song’s than the singer’s, since any Idol devotee knows Cookie can maneuver his way around that stage in his sleep. We all have our off days, I suppose.

Lauren and James are safe, and Stefano joins Jacob in the bottom three, leaving Haley and Scotty to duke it out. Even a song as lame as “Swingin’” couldn’t keep Scotty’s fans off the phones, while even a song as awesome as “Rollin’ in the Deep” could get Haley’s fans to pick one up.

As much as I try to hate Katy Perry, I just can’t fully invest myself. Is it the fact she’s actually pretty cute and talented, or the fact since someone as brilliant as Russell Brand loves her she must not be a total douchebag? In any case, I also don’t hate her performance of her trippy new single, “E.T.,” even when self-proclaimed douchebag Kanye West joins her onstage.

The results are laid upon us, and I’m happy to announce it’s finally time for Stefano to take a hike. James is visibly bummed about the forced end of their Idol bromance, and Stefano looks somewhat relieved to finally have been given the axe. He sings the Iovined-disco-remix of “Lately” as J. Lo wipes away tears, and we’re officially left with a solid six Idols to go. Don’t miss next week, when the remaining contestants tackle the songs of the great Carole King! Hang in there folks, the end is nigh.

Are you happy Stefano was finally put out of his misery? Is Marc Anthony secretly making a Casey voodoo doll? Were the singing castoffs being punished for something? Are Paul and Pia going to become more famous for dating famous people than being actually famous themselves? Do you also not hate Katy Perry despite your best intentions? Discuss all things Idol in the comments section below!

For another take on this episode, read “A Kiss for Jennifer and an ‘Uprising’ moment” by Kelley Lynn.

Season 10, Episodes 28 – 29: 7 Finalist Compete and 1 of 7 Voted Off (originally aired April 20 – 21, 2011)

For more American Idol coverage, click here.

Don’t miss American Idol Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8/7c on FOX.

Photographs courtesy of IMDbPro.

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Supernatural Review: Frontierland – Less Disney, More Germy

This long awaited episode of Supernatural wasn’t a disappointment as we meet the legendary Samuel Colt. Colt of course is the inventor of “The Colt”, a gun that can kill almost any supernatural being (except for Lucifer and four others). The significance of this gun has been around since the beginning of the series and it is with great pleasure that audiences finally see the man behind it.

Bobby (Jim Beaver), Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) return to the Campbell Compound where Sam remembers that Samuel (Mitch Pileggi) had a hidden basement den of sorts where he collected books on the supernatural and the occult. The three men are there looking for clues on how to kill Eve. Finally Bobby comes across some text indicating that the ashes of a phoenix can kill the mother. Dean then ends up finding Samuel Colt’s diary where there is an entry where Colt shoots a phoenix. This of course is the perfect excuse to go back in time and just grab the ashes.

Dean calls on Cas (Misha Collins) but instead gets Cas’s not so friendly lieutenant Rachel. She’s pretty pissed at the brothers, feeling that they only call on her superior when they need something and in fact aren’t the angel’s friends at all. But Cas appears and orders her to go back to heaven. Reluctantly she does and our favorite trench coat wearing celestial being agrees to take Sam and Dean back to the Wild Wild West.

This is where the funny parts come in because who knew Dean was such a fan of western movies? According to Sam, his brother can recite every line from every Clint Eastwood movie. Dean returns to Bobby’s with bags of old west style gear for the boys to go “native” on their trip back to the past. Of course Dean looks ridiculous in his poncho but can’t fault the guy on his enthusiasm.

Cas explains that he can only send them back for twenty-four hours because any longer than that he might not be able to get them back. But once they get there, it was refreshing to see how awkward and out of place they were coming from the 21^st century. I mean you really felt the awkwardness there – from their clothes, mannerisms, slang, and how they carried themselves. It was great though to see Dean’s realization that his fantasies of the old west were greatly mistaken after meeting a saloon girl with sores on her mouth trying to kiss him.

When they first arrive in Sunrise, Wyoming on March 4, 1861, they witness a man about to be hung for murdering his wife. Except we learn that the man isn’t a man at all but a creature. Instead of a legendary bird with red feathers, Elias Finch very much looks like a man but just can’t be killed. As a phoenix he kills the judge and the local sheriff for hanging him by burning them to death with his touch. He kills the local deputy with a gun after he tells Dean that the guy had taken his wife and tried to rape her. When he came to save her the deputy shot him and then his wife then blamed it on him when the judge and sheriff came.

Meanwhile, Sam goes off in search of Colt but when he meets the man it doesn’t turn out the way he expected it. Colt has put himself out of the game and is refusing to help the Winchesters. Sam even explains that he’s a hunter from the year 2011 and gives his Blackberry to Colt.

It appears that Sam was unable to convince the older man to help them kill Finch but the younger Winchester at least is able to get the gun just in time for Dean’s showdown with the phoenix. Dean manages to shoot Finch first using the Colt but fails to collect the ashes in time because Cas has brought them back to the present.

Cas during all this time kills Rachel after she summons him at some seedy looking abandoned warehouse. She first confronts him if his deep dark secret is true. Audiences don’t get to know what this secret is though unfortunately, only Cas saying that he has no other choice in order to defeat Raphael. She tells him that it’s wrong and then they fight. She manages to wound him before he ends her life.

The angel manages to get himself back to Bobby’s where he draws a warding symbol with his own blood so that no angel can come into the house. When he regains consciousness, he tells Bobby that he doesn’t have enough energy to get the boys back after his fight with Rachel. The only way to recharge his batteries is to touch Bobby’s soul. The only thing is of course that one wrong move and the older hunter could explode. Balls! Still, Bobby says let’s do this since they can’t leave the two idiots in Deadwood.

With the Winchesters back in the present, all seems to have been for nothing since Bobby and Cas look like they went through something traumatizing and they lost the Colt (Dean drops it) and failed to get the phoenix ash. Suddenly, a deliveryman knocks at the door with a package to Sam from Samuel Colt. Colt had gotten his address from the “thingamabob” aka Sam’s Blackberry and has returned it, along with a note and the phoenix ashes in a bottle. Colt came through for them after all.

While a time travel episode into the old west could have turned out very bad, the show pulls it off once again by making fun of the situation and having Dean geek out at the opportunity to act out his fantasy. The over the top lines, western gear, using Clint Eastwood and Walker, Texas Ranger as pseudo names, and even the exaggerated hat tipping was so spot on to make the episode work. Plus Dean saying “We’ll Star Trek 4 this bitch!”, priceless.

Next up, the boys finally confront Eve. Will they vanquish her back into the pit she crawled out from? I’m guessing not till the end of the season.
Season 6, Episode 18: Frontierland (originally aired April 22, 2011)

For more Supernatural, click here.

Fridays at 9/8C on The CW

Images courtesy of The CW and Jack Rowand

NBC Universal Summer Press Day: America’s Got Talent is Back

The host and judges of America’s Got Talent aim to keep entertaining us through a 6th season. See what they had to say about taking on a  new cast and a new year.

America’s Got Talent is the summer’s reigning #1 show. Going into its 6th season, the stars of the variety contest show are pumped about the level of talent coming out of auditions. But when you get host Nick Cannon and judges Howie Mandel, Piers Morgan, and Sharon Osborne all in the same room it seems more like a sitcom than a reality show.

NICK CANNON:  “To be able to be a part of something that’s all about fun, high energy, and just that idea of reaching and accomplishing your dream, there’s nothing else like that on television. Everything else takes themselves way too seriously. This is a show where you can just forget about the rest of the world.”

PIERS MORGAN: “More importantly, why are you dressed like a Christmas tree? Is it just me?”

SHARON OSBOURNE: “No, because we’re at summer camp. He can do whatever he wants.”

NICK CANNON: “Exactly. It’s making a statement.”

HOWIE MANDEL: “There’s one room in the hotel that doesn’t have curtains.”

Just because it’s the show’s 6th season doesn’t mean it’s the same old tired routine. Howie calls it “the most dangerous show on TV,” because of the thrilling new acts.

“In this season more than any other season — and this is going to sound like bull because we’re here to promote the show, but it isn’t. I promise you. There are more moments, there are more moments and more possibilities of people winning this than ever before at this stage in the game. Now, I have only been here for two seasons, but I think that they will back me up on this. We just came from Atlanta last night. We have never seen more moments — and I am not talking about — and this is what the beauty of this show is. It’s not just a singer. It’s not just a dancer. I can’t even tell you what category these pieces of entertainment, these performances go into but  they are things that we have never seen before, and I promise you that if they are not winners on our show, they are going to be the big next acts in Las Vegas. They will be bought. They will be signed. They will be huge, and the only place that you can see it is on America’s Got Talent.”

At one point they treated the press to some behind the scenes drama like what happens when contestants get the dreaded “X” from the judges.

PIERS MORGAN: “Let me ask you, what’s more honest, these two [Howie and Sharon] don’t X them, so I’m the one X’ing them, and then they sit there, “You were so wonderful and inspiring and lovely,” and blah, blah, blah, and then after ten minutes of this drivel they say “No.”

NICK CANNON: “What about yesterday when you X’d the homeless girl?”

SHARON OSBOURNE: “Yes, and then when he heard the story, this big one here changes his decision.”

PIERS MORGAN: “Typical spin. I ended up withdrawing my X and giving her a yes because I’m all heart.”

America’s Got Talent will return this summer on NBC.

Pictures by Gabe Callahan; Copyright Poptimal.com

Event Pictures

King Of Comedy Cedric The Entertainer talks to Poptimal.com about his new show "It's Worth What?" at NBC Press Day King Of Comedy Cedric The Entertainer talks to Poptimal.com about his new show "It's Worth What?" at NBC Press Day	Executive Producer Lara Spencer (The Insider, Entertainment Tonight) of "It's Worth What?" Executive Producer Lara Spencer (The Insider, Entertainment Tonight) of "It's Worth What?"	Lara Spencer, Cedric The Entertainer, Roy Bank talk about their new show "It's Worth What?" Lara Spencer, Cedric The Entertainer, Roy Bank talk about their new show "It's Worth What?"
Executive Producer Lara Spencer And Producer Roy Bank Executive Producer Lara Spencer And Producer Roy Bank	Paris Hilton dishes about her new show, The World According To Paris Paris Hilton dishes about her new show, The World According To Paris	NBC's The World According to Paris: Kathy Hilton, Paris Hilton, and Executive Producer Arthur Smith NBC's The World According to Paris: Kathy Hilton, Paris Hilton, and Executive Producer Arthur Smith
Mother Kathy Hilton and Daughter Paris Hilton discuss their new show, "The World According To Paris" Mother Kathy Hilton and Daughter Paris Hilton discuss their new show, "The World According To Paris"	Mark Burnett fielding questions from the press corps Mark Burnett fielding questions from the press corps	NBC's The Voice: Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach Carson Daly, Host NBC's The Voice: Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach Carson Daly, Host
NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett, Executive Producer Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett, Executive Producer Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach	NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett talks with Poptimal.com at NBC's Press Day NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett talks with Poptimal.com at NBC's Press Day	The sometimes weird but undoubtedly talented Cee Lo Green (F-You) The sometimes weird but undoubtedly talented Cee Lo Green (F-You)
America's Got Talent: Piers Morgan (judge), Nick Cannon (host), Sharon Osbourne (judge) and Howie Mandel (judge) America's Got Talent: Piers Morgan (judge), Nick Cannon (host), Sharon Osbourne (judge) and Howie Mandel (judge)	Nick Cannon's outfit rocked! Nick Cannon's outfit rocked!	America's Got Talent Judges Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel America's Got Talent Judges Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel
Nick Cannon dishing to Poptimal.com about this season of America's Got Talent Nick Cannon dishing to Poptimal.com about this season of America's Got Talent	"Love in the Wild," Chairman of Endemol North America David Goldberg (Producer), host Darren McMullen and Executive Producer Tom Shelly. "Love in the Wild," Chairman of Endemol North America David Goldberg (Producer), host Darren McMullen and Executive Producer Tom Shelly.	America's Got Talent's Piers Morgan America's Got Talent's Piers Morgan
America's Got Talent Host Nick Cannon in the loudest suit we have ever seen! America's Got Talent Host Nick Cannon in the loudest suit we have ever seen!	Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos	Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers chatting with Poptimal.com's writers. Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers chatting with Poptimal.com's writers.
Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos	Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne	Fashion Police's Joan Rivers still getting it done and chatting it up with Poptimal.com Fashion Police's Joan Rivers still getting it done and chatting it up with Poptimal.com
	Actors Azita Ghanizada (Psych, Veronica Mars) and Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discuss SyFy's new series Alphas Actors Azita Ghanizada (Psych, Veronica Mars) and Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discuss SyFy's new series Alphas	David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Azita Ghanizada, and Malik Yoba discuss SyFy's new show, Alphas David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Azita Ghanizada, and Malik Yoba discuss SyFy's new show, Alphas
Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discusses SyFy's new series Alphas Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discusses SyFy's new series Alphas	Paul Reiser hyping his new show! Paul Reiser hyping his new show!

NBC Universal Summer Press Day: A Sneak Peek at the Paul Reiser Show

NBC Universal unveiled their new programming for the summer across its family of networks. We were lucky enough to be invited to their Press Day, where they revealed hotly anticipated new shows and featured some returning favorites. NBCU is definitely trying to make summer a season to watch, so if you’re tired of reruns you might want to check them out.

The Paul Reiser Show (NBC, Thursdays 8:30pm) marks the return of Paul Reiser to television. He’s taken a ten year absence since Mad About You went off the air, and when NBC asked him to come back for another series Paul decided the new show would feature explorations of his everyday life.

“The show sort of became about this group of friends, very much about this group of friends. And it came out of this realization that he and I discovered — Jonathan (executive producer) and I discovered, as friends, that guys are not, by nature, good or prone to being friends. Women take to it naturally. Men have to be shoved toward it. And the thing that we started bonding about was our families. Our wives were friend, and our kids knew each other. And the problems and pitfalls of that. We realized that’s universal. That is — everybody relates to that part of it. And hopefully that’s what people will be coming to week after week, is there’s a really eclectic group of characters, all based on guys that we know, people in our lives.”

When Paul had to cast someone to play his wife on the show his actual real family had a say in the matter.

” Actually, Amy Landecker, who is terrific as my wife, she came in to read. And in a minute, before we even read the scene, we just — chatting with her, we went, “Okay, she’s great and funny.” But she came to my house for dinner, not just so that my family could see her, but I wanted her to go, “Do you see what I’m living with? Do you see what happens here?” And everybody all got along. So they’re thrilled.”

The Paul Reiser show will air Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Images courtesy of NBC Universal and Poptimal.com

Pictures by Gabe Callahan and Erin Biglow; Copyright Poptimal.com

Event Pictures

King Of Comedy Cedric The Entertainer talks to Poptimal.com about his new show "It's Worth What?" at NBC Press Day King Of Comedy Cedric The Entertainer talks to Poptimal.com about his new show "It's Worth What?" at NBC Press Day	Executive Producer Lara Spencer (The Insider, Entertainment Tonight) of "It's Worth What?" Executive Producer Lara Spencer (The Insider, Entertainment Tonight) of "It's Worth What?"	Lara Spencer, Cedric The Entertainer, Roy Bank talk about their new show "It's Worth What?" Lara Spencer, Cedric The Entertainer, Roy Bank talk about their new show "It's Worth What?"
Executive Producer Lara Spencer And Producer Roy Bank Executive Producer Lara Spencer And Producer Roy Bank	Paris Hilton dishes about her new show, The World According To Paris Paris Hilton dishes about her new show, The World According To Paris	NBC's The World According to Paris: Kathy Hilton, Paris Hilton, and Executive Producer Arthur Smith NBC's The World According to Paris: Kathy Hilton, Paris Hilton, and Executive Producer Arthur Smith
Mother Kathy Hilton and Daughter Paris Hilton discuss their new show, "The World According To Paris" Mother Kathy Hilton and Daughter Paris Hilton discuss their new show, "The World According To Paris"	Mark Burnett fielding questions from the press corps Mark Burnett fielding questions from the press corps	NBC's The Voice: Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach Carson Daly, Host NBC's The Voice: Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach Carson Daly, Host
NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett, Executive Producer Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett, Executive Producer Cee Lo Green, Universal Badass/Coach Blake Shelton, Country Star/Coach	NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett talks with Poptimal.com at NBC's Press Day NBC's The Voice's Mark Burnett talks with Poptimal.com at NBC's Press Day	The sometimes weird but undoubtedly talented Cee Lo Green (F-You) The sometimes weird but undoubtedly talented Cee Lo Green (F-You)
America's Got Talent: Piers Morgan (judge), Nick Cannon (host), Sharon Osbourne (judge) and Howie Mandel (judge) America's Got Talent: Piers Morgan (judge), Nick Cannon (host), Sharon Osbourne (judge) and Howie Mandel (judge)	Nick Cannon's outfit rocked! Nick Cannon's outfit rocked!	America's Got Talent Judges Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel America's Got Talent Judges Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel
Nick Cannon dishing to Poptimal.com about this season of America's Got Talent Nick Cannon dishing to Poptimal.com about this season of America's Got Talent	"Love in the Wild," Chairman of Endemol North America David Goldberg (Producer), host Darren McMullen and Executive Producer Tom Shelly. "Love in the Wild," Chairman of Endemol North America David Goldberg (Producer), host Darren McMullen and Executive Producer Tom Shelly.	America's Got Talent's Piers Morgan America's Got Talent's Piers Morgan
America's Got Talent Host Nick Cannon in the loudest suit we have ever seen! America's Got Talent Host Nick Cannon in the loudest suit we have ever seen!	Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos	Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers chatting with Poptimal.com's writers. Fashion Police's Melissa Rivers chatting with Poptimal.com's writers.
Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers and George Kotsiopoulos	Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne Fashion Police's Kelly Osbourne	Fashion Police's Joan Rivers still getting it done and chatting it up with Poptimal.com Fashion Police's Joan Rivers still getting it done and chatting it up with Poptimal.com
	Actors Azita Ghanizada (Psych, Veronica Mars) and Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discuss SyFy's new series Alphas Actors Azita Ghanizada (Psych, Veronica Mars) and Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discuss SyFy's new series Alphas	David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Azita Ghanizada, and Malik Yoba discuss SyFy's new show, Alphas David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Azita Ghanizada, and Malik Yoba discuss SyFy's new show, Alphas
Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discusses SyFy's new series Alphas Malik Yoba (New York Undercover, Why Did I get Married) discusses SyFy's new series Alphas	Paul Reiser hyping his new show! Paul Reiser hyping his new show!

The Vampire Diaries Review: HALF BREEEED!

Its the moment we’ve been waiting for all season – the big revelation of Klaus! I might be alone in this but all season long I’ve imagined a dashing older actor like William Devane playing this legendary vampire. And while I knew they probably couldn’t afford or get someone like William Devane I thought they’d at least shoot for the stars and get someone with some gravitas to tackle the role, but instead The CW has plucked another pretty face out of obscurity hoping it will suffice. Joseph Morgan is certainly easy on the eyes and didn’t have enough screen time this week to warrant a full evaluation, but on first glance this is rather disappointing casting.

But more on him later. Last week’s episode ended with Elena pulling the stake out of dead Elijah’s body in an act of desperation to see if he might be willing to help her even though she killed him. As can be expected, he is pretty pissed off upon waking up but she does her best to calm him and they agree to go someplace quiet to talk. Stefan and Damon aren’t too keen on this plan but Elena convinces Stefan that she can handle it and wants them to stay out for now. Stefan reluctantly agrees. Damon, not so much.

A majority of this episode is actually just Elijah and Elena talking and giving us a lot of interesting background information that has major implications for the characters. For starters, we are treated to flashbacks of 1492 where we learn that Klaus and Elijah are in fact half-brothers! We also see them meet Katherine (or Katerina as she was called then) for the first time. Elijah seems to have fallen pretty hard for her while Klaus was only interested in using her as the doppelganger to break his curse. Elijah does his homework and finds a way for the doppelganger to survive the curse-breaking ritual but Klaus has no interest in saving her life and the two come to fisticuffs over it. In this time though, Katerina makes her escape and as we all know becomes a vampire in order to avoid being sacrificed.

This entire season has been built around the idea of breaking the curse that keeps vampires allergic to daylight and werewolves only able to transform on a full moon so imagine our surprise when Elijah reveals that this isn’t what the curse is at all. I mentioned earlier that he and Klaus were only half-brothers – well, it turns out that Klaus’s daddy was a werewolf who mated with their mutual vampire mom making him the ultimate half breed and bringing all new meaning to one of Cher’s classic songs.

A vampire/werewolf combination would obviously be a lethal mix and apparently a group of witches back in the day thought so too. These witches created the curse, which only effects Klaus, to block his werewolf powers from ever being used. Therefore, Klaus has been on a generations long quest to break the curse, unleash his werewolf powers, and start an all new master race of werewolf/vampire people. Got all that? I’m fairly certain that if this show had any viewers who weren’t completely sold on the series yet, this probably lost them, but for solid converts like me: This. Is. AWESOOOOOME.

Speaking of Klaus, we last saw him causing mischief in Alaric’s body but the time has come to change back into his own. First he decides to torment some of Elena’s family so he leaves Katherine locked up in Alaric’s apartment. His target is poor aunt Jenna who recently had her heart broken by Alaric. When Klaus took over Alaric’s body Elena warned Jenna not to meet up with Alaric no matter what he says. Jenna reveals to Stefan over the phone that she is about to go meet with Alaric at the grill anyway so Stefan zips over to her house only to find that Klaus is already there. Klaus doesn’t attempt to hurt either of them but he does intentionally spill the beans about vampires and werewolves being real to Jenna who has been clueless until now. Things turn violent briefly but since there is no point in killing Klaus while in Alaric’s body, Stefan lets him off the hook with a few punches. Jenna, on the other hand, has been punched with terror and is unlikely to recover soon.

Meanwhile, Damon is not content to sit around doing nothing so he goes to Alaric’s apartment with his local news reporter girlfriend, Andi (Dawn Olivieri), to try to help Katherine out of her jamb. She gives them a little info and in return Damon gives her some vervain that will stop Klaus from being able to compel her. Klaus eventually comes back, she plays along with his mind control, and watches the ceremony as his witches transfer Klaus’s spirit back into his real body. He’s a looker for sure but we’ll judge his acting skills next week.

Back at the Salvatore house, the tension between Damon and Stefan continues to mount over their differences in the handling of this situation. Damon basically even admits that he is also in love with Elena and will do anything for her. This begins what I thought would be a battle royale but then Elena walks in with Elijah and demands a time out. She announces that she and Elijah have a new agreement to help each other kill Klaus and the only thing Elijah demands in return is an apology from the boys for killing him. Stefan agrees and apologizes but Damon tells them all to go to hell and storms off to almost kill Andi.

Oofta. Only three more episodes remain of this stellar second season of The Vampire Diaries and I can only imagine how crazy things are going to get before all is said and done. Start making your predictions below! And keep in mind that ANYTHING could happen.

The Vampire Diaries Season 2, Episode 19: “Klaus” (originally aired April 21, 2011)

Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Images courtesy of Bab Mahoney and The CW.

Survivor Review: Reality Television and Jumping the Shark

Let me drop some knowledge bombs on you reality television watchers out there; this season of Survivor has become outstandingly awful with each new episode. I want to take an objective stance here and ask myself a question: why do people watch reality television? The answer, of course, is to be entertained. Okay, but a number of things can be entertaining. Movies, watching sports, and reading are all types of passive entertainment that people turn away from in favor of “reality” television. So why else do so many people watch these shows? Aside from the fact that most of what is on nowadays is of the reality variety, people generally are lazy, don’t want to think a whole lot, and are (for whatever reason) OBSESSED with watching other humans in the midst of genuine conflict. Ay, there’s the rub…the strife needs to feel authentic, and when it doesn’t, we are left with an unfulfilling show; cue Survivor Redemption Island.

Now, some viewers are either okay with the show not feeling real, or simply don’t care to notice. This brings me to my second point, the predictability factor. Along with enjoying real human conflict, viewers also want to see something surprising or unexpected. When this aspect of a show has also become void, the problem, along with the fictitious feel, compounds itself. I guess this is why I generally hate all reality television: it feels forged and you know what is going to happen (also, the people on these shows are for the most part, fucking idiots). Survivor has been the one show I still gained partial enjoyment from. A lot of that enjoyment has simply been from the idea of being cast away on a deserted island, something I would love to experience for a few weeks. Also, Survivor is a show in which you can pick a contestant, root for them, and hope they make it through the curveballs that are thrown their way. Unfortunately, for about the last four or five episodes, the outcome of each episode has become abundantly clear and there is really no one to root for due to the fact that one person (Rob) is clearly head and shoulders better than everyone else at the game.

So this week continued along the same mundane path. The star of the show is clearly Phillip, but even at this point his antics are becoming tired. Phil’s tirade against Steve this week can essentially be summed up like this: if you call Phillip crazy, you are doing so because he is black. Phillips outburst was so far-fetched that it felt artificial, almost like a speech designed for the sole purpose of getting attention, or creating drama. After his verbal assault, Julie took Phillips shorts off the clothesline, and proceeded to bury them in a hole without telling anyone. Many threats and accusations later, Julie finally admitted she was the one to steal the shorts; this after a very “therapeutic” tribal council. For whatever reason, this entire incident felt like a total put on to me. All I could picture was Jeff Probst pulling Phillip aside, saying, “We need to create a storyline. Phillip you need to go off on Steve and Julie you need to steal his shorts only to admit it at the end of tribal council.” I’m not saying that happened, but with the lack of real conflict going on in the show, it wouldn’t surprise me if some of the storylines were fabricated.

In the end, Julie was voted off to Redemption Island. Being a former Zapatera tribe member was her greatest downfall, as will be the same attribute shared by the next two contestants to be leaving. With the outcome of the next two episodes already determined, it will be interesting to see what type of turmoil the show tries to conjure up. Predictable? Yes. Fraudulent? Yes. Entertaining? Not so much anymore.

Season 22, Episode 10: The Buddy System (originally aired April 20, 2011)

For more on Survivor, click here.

Don’t miss Survivor: Redemption Island Wednesdays, 8/7c on CBS.

Photos: CBS ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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