What if Derek and Addison stayed together?  This scenario is presented, along with some much more implausible ones.  Let’s be honest, even if you made a different choice in life, that wouldn’t change the essence of who you are, would it?  Maybe it would.  Before she started dreaming, Meredith thought: what if my mother had never been sick?  Ellis Grey was a world-class surgeon, before she was stricken with Alzheimer’s.  Last Thursday’s episode showed what it would be like if Ellis Grey remained in her prime.  In Dreamland, Ellis and Richard are married and Meredith is Richard’s stepdaughter.  As a matter of fact, her name is Meredith Webber, not Grey.  How bizarre!  Owen and Callie are married, and Alex and Meredith are a couple.  Kepner is one of the cool kids, and Charles Percy is alive! I loved it.  The episode also showed hints of how some things were always meant to be.  Even though Owen and Callie are married, she and Arizona make a connection over shared surgical success.  There is a faint glimmer in their eyes as they look at each other, but of course their lives don’t allow that connection to develop.  Owen is still shell-shocked from the horrors of war, but we see what it would be like for him with a different support system in place.

It was most interesting to see well-established characters acting completely differently.   Miranda Bailey and Derek Sheperd are two of the most ambitious, brilliant doctors at Seattle Grace.  Could you imagine them being meek, passive, and underachieving?  This parallel universe shows a timid Bailey who is too afraid to confront Ellis with an oversight she made in a patient’s evaluation.  Ellis is arrogant and pushy, and her influence remains unchallenged.  She and Richard display favoritism towards Meredith, even offering to bump her rival Cristina from a surgery in order to give Meredith the opportunity.  That’s right, Cristina and Meredith are rivals and enemies, not “besties.” 

Unbeknownst to Meredith, her fiancé  Alex is cheating on her with Kepner.  When Cristina spitefully spills the beans about the affair, Alex’s golden ticket of marrying Ellis’ daughter is ruined.   The episode ends with Meredith and Cristina sharing a drink and becoming unlikely friends.  Despite the fact they are operating in an alternate reality, we see that maybe Cristina and Meredith’s friendship would have happened anyway, even if other circumstances were different.

In “real” life at Seattle Grace, Derek is an ambitious doctor and a loving, supportive husband who maintains clear professional boundaries between himself and his wife.  In Dreamland, he is the opposite.  He’s a skilled surgeon, but a petty individual who is mean to his wife Addison, even though she is pregnant with their baby.  Instead of nurturing and supporting her, they bicker constantly.  His face is covered in stubble and he looks like a burnout.  As a matter of fact, the residents don’t call him McDreamy.  With his sour disposition he is known as McDreary, a gloomy Gus who sucks the joy out of any room.

I think it’s a difficult task to keep a venerable series like Grey’s Anatomy fresh and new.  I’m satisfied with the strong writing and character development I continue to see each week, and I don’t think the show needs to resort to gimmicks to keep loyal viewers like me interested.  Having said that, I appreciate the writers’ willingness to play around with different ideas and have fun.  We all have wondered “what if, “ at some point in our lives.   What if we had taken the other job, or gone to the other school, or chosen the other guy.   Can we change destiny, or are some things going to happen no matter what?  It was nice to see the writers shake things up a bit.  Keep up the good work ABC!

Season 8, Episode 13: “If/Then” (original air date February 2, 2012).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Vivian Zink.

Mike enjoys playing the victim, but genuinely inspires hatred from his roommates by meddling in their personal affairs and stretching the truth when it suits him.  He decides that there is a disconnect between him and the fellas, even though they’ve been receptive to his kind gestures.  Ronnie jokingly says that Mike’s behavior is suspicious, and Mike takes that and runs with it.  He tells the girls that he suspects that people are talking trash about him behind his back.  Snooki tells him that if he has an issue with someone he should just confront the person and clear the air.  She gave him general advice; she did not confirm that anyone was actually talking about him.  Mike is manipulative and petty, and he spins the whole situation around to be the victim once again.  He looks for any excuse to get on the warpath, and he vows for the millionth time to expose Snooki to Jionni, with The Unit’s help.  In case I haven’t said it before…I HATE MIKE!

The bad behavior continued as we encountered more Meatball Problems.  In what can only be described as “Too Much Information,” Snooki reveals that she is having some bladder problems resulting from a urinary tract infection.  And we all know how you get those, don’t we?  Let’s just say that Snooki and Jionni have been very busy.  She has an accident at Karma and ends up wetting herself on the dance floor.  Usually such a catastrophe would spell the end of the night, but not for this broad.  Nope.  She goes to the bathroom, takes a “bath” popularized by ladies of the night, and keeps the party going.  Snooki. Is. Disgusting. 

Maybe I’m from a different era.  Maybe my 32 years on this Earth make me an old lady.  Maybe I’m not “with it” anymore, but I found her behavior appalling.  An accident is one thing, but to continue on after urinating in an open, public space is another thing entirely.  When she gets home she doesn’t even shower!!! *gag*  Later, when all of the bathrooms in the house are occupied, she decides that it’s acceptable to urinate outside on the deck.  Wait a minute.  You’re sober.  You’re at home.  And you pee outside anyway?  I’m almost done with this show, I don’t even care anymore. I’m a grown adult and this show is garbage.  Time to take out the trash MTV, Jersey Shore has jumped the shark.

Best of the Episode:  Vinny’s return

Worst of the Episode: Meatball Hygiene

What to Watch for Next: Will Mike make good on his threats?

Season 5, Episode 5: “Nothing But Nice” (original air date February 2, 2012).

For another take on this week’s episode check out “Pee Like A River” by Lauren Tyree.

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

Mike returns after his brief disappearance, and he explains to the The Meatballs that he is sensitive and his feelings were hurt about his birthday.  Unbeknownst to him, the girls have been planning a surprise birthday party for him and Pauly.  Mike and Pauly’s birthdays are a welcomed distraction for the house, as everyone has been moping around since Vinny’s departure.  They are truly miserable without him, especially Pauly.  Deena calls Vin and asks if he’ll make it to the party, but he tells her that he can’t be there.  His absence is also felt at the t-shirt shop, where the manager has begun looking to hire a replacement.  He posts a Help Wanted sign and applicants start to trickle in, much to the chagrin of Jenni and the rest of the gang.  They don’t want a new roommate and vow to be hostile to any new people.  Jenni even goes so far as to take down the sign the manager posted.  I think everyone needs to chill out and grow up.  I know they miss their friend, but life goes on.

Mike and Pauly’s surprise party is a success and they are genuinely thrilled with their custom made naughty cakes and strippers.  They both try to hook up at the end of the night, but only Pauly is successful.  When he takes a woman home, Mike usually gives the lucky lady a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt to put on, but this particular girl (the stripper who performed for him) was fixated on finding the perfect pair of socks.  When he gave her a pair that didn’t match, she made a fuss.  Who cares about socks when you’re about to get in your birthday suit anyway??  For once Mike makes a good point.  But no, she wants matching socks, so he gives her another pair – only for her to point out that one of the socks has a hole.  At this point Mike isn’t even interested in smushing anymore.  He falls asleep and promptly calls a cab for the girl the next morning.  Looks like Pauly wins again for his birthday, while Sitch comes up short.

As I said before, the house is miserable without Vinny.  Pauly really misses his bestie and decides that enough is enough.  He suggests that they go to Staten Island and kidnap Vinny.  I wasn’t sure if Vin would be willing to return or not.  It’s only been a week since he left, and he seemed to need real psychological help when he left.  I’m not sure what could have changed in a week, but surprisingly he is ready to return and doesn’t need much persuasion.  He got a new tattoo and seems rejuvenated and more positive, though he admits that he hasn’t completely healed and that recovery must continue in Seaside.  It wouldn’t be Jersey Shore without Vinny, so I’m glad he’s back.  It will also put an end to the incessant whining from everyone, so that’s a good thing.  Party On.

For another take on this week’s episode check out “Whips and Tails” by Lauren Tyree.

Season 5, Episode 4: “Free Vinny” (original air date January 26, 2012).

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

Teddy (Kim Raver) has stopped torturing Cristina (Sandra Oh) and now the two are on a surgical tear.  They have been relentless, and it’s obvious that Teddy is escaping her pain by throwing herself into her job.  Cristina still feels guilty and indebted to Teddy, plus she really does enjoy all the surgeries.  It’s a match made in heaven for them, but hell for Owen.  When they try to horn in on someone else’s cardio patient, he has to intervene.  He orders the pair of them to take a break and get some rest because they are a liability issue if they are running on fumes.  Teddy and Cristina defy his wishes, and this leads to a huge fight between Cristina and Owen.  More on that later.

Meredith is the only fifth year resident who hasn’t decided on an area of practice.  Everyone is encouraging her to follow in the footsteps of her legendary mother, renowned surgeon Ellis Grey.  Bailey makes her pitch for general surgery, because that way Meredith wouldn’t be limited to just one organ or area of the body.   Webber (James Pickens Jr.) is performing a liver transplant, and Meredith will assist him in the procedure involving two bickering sisters.  He’s celebrating a great milestone: his 10,000^th surgery.  The transplant surgery is very special, but things take an unexpected turn when his wife Adele (Loretta Devine) shows up unannounced at the hospital.  Her Alzheimer’s has worsened, and she was found wandering by a neighbor.  April tries to soothe Adele, but she is agitated and demanding to see her husband.

April ends up taking her to the surgical gallery so she can see Webber, but she turns on the speaker and interrupts the procedure.  I though Kepner should have handled the situation more effectively instead of potentially distracting Richard with a personal and very distressful domestic situation.  Kepner is still very underwhelming as Chief Resident, because she’s not tough enough.  Fortunately, Meredith (having lots of experience dealing with her mother) was able to advise Webber of how to calm Adele, who is hysterical at this point.  He recalls a positive memory they share and begins singing “My Funny Valentine,” as he did on their wedding day.  In a touching scene, she sings along with him and is comforted.

The aforementioned scene normally would have made me cry, but mercifully my tear ducts remained dry.  I mentioned earlier that Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Cristina had a major difference of professional opinion regarding Cristina and Teddy’s surgical binge.  They defied his orders and laughed behind his back, and Owen tries to put his foot down by banning Cristina from Teddy’s surgical rotation.  She is vehemently against the idea, and an argument ensus.  The problem is that they decide to have this discussion at Zola’s first birthday party.

Cristina blasts Owen, telling him that his mishandling of Henry’s death is the reason they are in this position in the first place, and that Teddy gets whatever she wants.  Owen charges that Cristina is selfish and always gets her way, and their tempers really start to flare.  As Owen details her past selfish behavior he does the unthinkable: he brings up the abortion.  He yells at Cristina that she killed their baby, and her jaw nearly hits the floor.  This makes perfect sense though.  Owen was extremely hurt by their decision, mainly because his input seemed insignificant.  He tried to stand behind his wife through a decision that he opposed with every fiber of his being.  It looks like he has repressed his feelings all this time and that he and Cristina may be in real trouble.  I can’t WAIT to see what happens next week!

Season 8, Episode 12: “Hope for the Hopeless” (original air date January 19, 2012).

Grey’s Anatomy airs on Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Randy Holmes.

No one is more affected by Vinny’s absence than Pauly.  When they go out clubbing and he sees a girl that is totally Vinny’s type, he decides that he must smash, because it’s what Vinny would want.  Excuse me, WHAT?  Pauly’s behavior was very homoerotic and I wondered for a second if he was thinking about Vinny a little too much.  Like, are you with this girl or are you pretending Vinny is here watching, or what?  Creepy.  Pauly has been down in the dumps, but it’s his birthday and his family decided to surprise him with a visit.  About 12 relatives and friends show up with gifts.  His favorite gift is his barber, who arrives to give him a fresh cut for his b-day.  Now Pauly is all smiles and I’m reminded of just how adorable he is.  I had no idea he was 31 though, that’s a lot older than some of the other cast members.  He’s only one year younger than I am, so I’m surprised that he hangs out with such younger people.  I’m 32 and there’s no way I could hang out with twenty-somethings all the time; they’d drive me crazy.  I digress.  It’s also Mike’s birthday, except no one gives a damn.  He has no visitors and barely gets acknowledged.  Meanwhile, Pauly’s family pulls out all the stops and the girls even bake him a birthday cake.  Mike’s feelings are extremely hurt, and I almost feel sorry for him.  Almost.

Mike has no one to blame for his thoughtless treatment but himself.  If he weren’t such a petty, immature and vindictive person maybe people would care about celebrating his birthday.  Just in this past episode alone he once again toyed with the idea of exposing Snooki to Jionni.  The Unit made another appearance, and whenever the two of them get together Mike wants to tell Jionni about how he and Snooki hooked up and The Unit saw it all.  The Situation is disgusting, and I’ve seen very few redeeming qualities over the past few seasons.  Yet somehow he has managed to nearly snag himself a girlfriend, a brunette who is always ready and willing.  He doesn’t want to commit just yet, but admits that he could possibly let her “wife him up.”  What a douche.  By episode’s end, he too had left the Jersey Shore house.

Vinny had personal issues to work through and had the support of his friends when he left.  Mike feels unwanted, like the house villain.  He leaves the house, but unlike when Vinny left: no one cares.  I think it’s a shameless ploy for attention and I have no doubt that he will return shortly.  Stay tuned.

Best of the episode: Pauly’s surprise party.

Worst of the episode: Mike, as always.

What to watch for next: Mike’s return?

For another take on this week’s episode check out “In Memoriam” by Lauren Tyree.

Season 5, Episode 3: “Dropping Like Flies” (original airdate January 19, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

In Contraband he portrays a tough guy but a family man, a reluctant hero thrust into a situation beyond his control.  He stars as Chris Farraday, a reformed smuggler of illegal contraband.  Chris has gone straight, and is now the owner of a small home security company.  With his wife Kate (Kate Beckinsale, Underworld: Awakening) and two sons, he has carved out a nice normal existence.  That safe haven is threatened when his wife’s little brother Andy (Caleb Jones, X-Men: First Class) gets himself in trouble with local drug dealer and scumbag Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi, The Rum Diary).  He was transporting cocaine on a cargo ship when it was busted by border patrol and he had to dump the product in the water.  Instead of chalking up the loss to the cost of doing business, Briggs will extract his debt in blood.  In an effort to save Andy’s life, Chris assumes the debt.  The only way he can repay what Andy owes is by agreeing to do a smuggling job for Briggs.  His best friend Sebastien (Ben Foster, The Mechanic) helps arrange the job and also keeps an eye on Kate and the boys while Chris is gone.

Contraband was successful because of its straightforward plot and relatable performances.  Even though the average person will never find themselves thrust into such a dangerous situation, there are few forces more powerful than self-preservation and the need to protect one’s family.  Initially Chris is focused on saving the life of his brother-in-law, but eventually his wife and children become the object of Briggs’ vengeful rage.  As a viewer, I never doubted Wahlberg’s resolve.  Maybe it was his blue-collar Boston roots shining through that made the performance so believable.  Additionally, he and Kate Beckinsale had great chemistry and their performances were delivered with remarkable realism, particularly Kate’s frustration with her brother.  Sometimes your family puts you in the worst position, but you never turn your back on them.  Beckinsale, Jones, and Wahlberg captured the unconditional love that characterizes the bond between family.

It looks like the movie will end up being #1 at the box office, and I think it’s a worthy entrant at that position, though it will probably be a short-lived stay at the top.  It wasn’t a terribly original movie, but that’s ok.  I mean, we’ve seen the overall plot of man saving his family about a million times, but Contraband was exciting and intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. You really can’t ask for much more from a thriller.  I particularly enjoyed the clever way Chris managed to evade authorities while loading the contraband on the boat.  Many movies falter at the halfway point, but writer Aaron Guzikowski crafted a storyline that started strong and maintained its intensity throughout.  Contraband had a throwback B-movie vibe that ultimately proved successful, and it’s a nice addition to an already noteworthy resume for Mr. Wahlberg.

See it.

Images courtesy of Patti Perret and Universal Pictures.

It was all hands on deck as the doctors worked to separate the twins in a career-defining procedure.  It’s a “peeds” case, so Arizona (Jessica Capshaw)is front and center, but all of the alpha personalities are present, including Webber and Sheperd.  They practice the surgery numerous times on dolls before the actual procedure.  Arizona finds it difficult to defer to her colleagues, and eventually Callie has to firmly put her in her place.  The surgery is ultimately a success, but there were some interpersonal bumps along the way.

Karev (Justin Chambers) has loads of pediatric experience and has worked with Arizona extensively.  He should’ve had the inside track on the surgery, but he allowed Webber to psych him out.  His mistake during the practice sessions cost him a role in the surgery.  After the twin girls were successfully separated, one of the babies went into kidney failure.  Karev came up with the idea of taking a kidney from the baby’s sibling, and Arizona was going to let him scrub in.  While scrubbing in, Webber (James Pickens Jr.) manages to get in Alex’s head AGAIN, and guilts him into giving up the surgery.  Webber feigned disappointment and regret at feeling like his career was on the downswing, so Karev gave up his spot out of sympathy.

Meanwhile, Webber knew exactly what he was doing by playing upon his sympathy.  He basically yelled “gotcha!”  I felt bad that Alex was duped.  He rarely shows kindness to his counterparts, and I think the fact that Webber is former Chief Resident played a large role in his decision.  Later, Webber acts as if his betrayal was intended to be a teachable moment – but I thought it was a dirty trick and that Webber was above that sort of behavior.

Derek and Meredith are settling into their roles as parents, and couldn’t be happier.  Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Cristina, Teddy, or Lexie.  Teddy is understandably grappling with Henry’s death.  She hasn’t taken any time off and is still performing surgeries.  She is subjecting Cristina (Sandra Oh) to the torture of reliving Henry’s death over and over by repeatedly asking her to describe what happened in the O.R. in painstaking detail.  Whenever she is summoned, Cristina finds Teddy and dutifully recites what happened, always ending with the time of death.  It’s almost as if Teddy is looking for someone to blame, but eventually she obtains a modicum of closure and accepts Cristina’s medical explanation.  It will be difficult, but now maybe she can begin to heal.  The same can’t be said for Lexie, who can’t seem to get over Mark even though he has a new girlfriend.  I think she was crazy for dumping Avery, but I guess it was for the best if her feelings weren’t true.

Best of the episode: A successful surgery for the conjoined twins.

Worst of the episode: Webber’s double-crossing.

What to look for next: Trouble on the home front as Owen and Cristina bump heads.

Season 8, Episode 11: “This Magic Moment” (original air date January 12, 2012.)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Kelsey McNeal.

Vinny and Pauly’s relationship is the ultimate bromance.  It was sad to watch Vinny go, and no one was more upset than Pauly.  To Vinny’s credit, he recognized that he was having a problem and took the appropriate steps to remedy the situation.  I credit him with not simply trying to drink his way out of it, which is what a lot of young people would do in that situation.   He may even need to be put on medication, but at least he’s doing something about it.

Although Vinny has not been his usual self, we can count on Mike to be a model of douchebag consistency.  In a bizarre turn of events, he has forged a faux friendship with Jionni. Last week Jionni bought drinks, and this week he’s cooking Mike breakfast and Mike is loaning him t-shirts when Snooki and Jionni get caught in the rain, and he needs dry clothing after getting soaked.  Although Snooki could have asked Ron or Pauly for a t-shirt, she asks Mike for one.  Does anyone else think it’s shady that she would have her boyfriend wear the shirt of a guy she allegedly cheated with?  I do, and it’s only a matter of time before Mike causes problems.  He’s biding his time, I just know it.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised thus far that we’ve had no fireworks between Sam and Ron.  They are both being pretty low-key, and I’m glad that there are other sources of drama in the house.  The Sam and Ron battles were getting old.

The house won’t be the same without Vinny, and I hope he returns later in the season.  I’m glad that his situation can bring awareness to other people suffering from anxiety.  His proactive approach serves as an example to others that there is no shame in getting help when you need it.  The other roommates are big on maintaining a family atmosphere within the house, from referring to each other as family, to having a weekly Sunday dinner ritual.  Vinny’s departure may bring them closer together, but in the short term it’s having a negative effect as they try to fill the void.  It won’t make for very enjoyable TV if everyone is in a funk, so I’m sure they’ll snap out of it eventually.  The Meatballs will, if no one else does. Somebody’s got to keep the party going.  We don’t watch Jersey Shore for the scintillating conversation, we watch for the drunken antics – sad but true. Stay tuned for the aftermath of Vinny’s departure.

Best of the episode: Vinny’s recognition and mature handling of a serious situation.

Worst of the episode: Pauly’s reaction to Vinny’s departure.

What to look for next: Mike in the role of Troublemaker.

Season 5, Episode 2: “One Man Down” (original air date January 12,2012)

For another take on this week’s episode check out “Poor Thing” by Lauren Tyree.

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

You’ll recall from last season that Sammi said she didn’t want to keep the same living arrangements once they got back to Jersey.  Mike is such a toxic presence in the house that she wanted to be proactive about distancing herself from him.  But, no dice.  No one wants to room with Mike.  The meatballs are going to stick together and no one can break up Pauly and Vinny’s bromance.  So, it looks like Ron and Sam are stuck with The Situation once again.  When they arrive at the house they agree that Mike will mind his own business and they forge a tentative truce.  Speaking of arrivals, the gang was super excited to be back in Jersey.  I understand missing the comforts of home, but the Jersey Shore house is rather spartan by comparison to the Real World house.  Or my house, or your house LOL.  Are they actually sleeping on cots?  Step it up MTV!  All jokes aside, their boss at the t-shirt shop throws a surprise welcome home party for everyone, and the stage is set for sparks to fly.

Everyone’s significant other and family are at the party.  Jionni and Snooki are still together, despite her wild ways on another continent.  He’s there, along with Mike’s friend The Unit.  The Unit is a witness to Mike’s hook-up with Snooki out on the West Coast while she was still with Jionni, an allegation that Snooki vehemently denies.  Mike claims that Ryder hooked up with The Unit while he and Snooki did their thing, and that The Unit saw at all.  Unit and Snooki end up clashing at the party, putting Mike in the faux role of peacemaker.  Unit threatens to spill the beans to Jionni if Snooki doesn’t start being nicer.  And would you believe that this heated exchange took place all while Jionni was conveniently in the restroom?  You can’t tell me this stuff isn’t scripted!

Making matters worse for Snooki (and better for us) is the fact that The Unit is actually crashing at the house.  If he’s anywhere near as much of a d-bag as Mike, Snooki will have a problem on her hands.  Meanwhile, Vinny is having some mental problems.  He’s the ultimate Mama’s Boy and seeing his family at the party only to have them leave again so abruptly has thrown him into a funk.  As a woman, I fully understand having a random case of the blues.  And I don’t ascribe to gender stereotypes.  That being said…MAN UP VINNY!  This guy is a candidate for those Miller Light commercials with the unmanly guys who are one strike from getting their ‘man card’ revoked.

All in all this was a good opening to what promises to be another trashy season.  Will Mike succeed in breaking up Jionni and Snooki?  Will Vinny snap out of it?  Is this the season that things are finally all clear on the home front for Sam and Ron?  Stay tuned.

For another take on this week’s episode check out “Jersey Shore Review: A Blackmail Situation” by Lauren Tyree.

Season 5, Episode 1: “Hurricane Situation” (originally aired July 5, 2012).

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

When we last saw the crew at Seattle Grace, things were looking dicey.   Meredith and Alex had been dispatched to transport an infant from a smaller hospital with less equipment to Seattle Grace.  Their ambulance stalled on a remote road in the rain, and when the driver went for help, the stationary ambulance was stuck by another vehicle.  Alex, Meredith and the baby girl emerge relatively unscathed, but when they exit the ambulance they see that five people have been thrown from the other vehicle.  Things have now gone from bad to impossibly worse. 

Each victim from the other car has varying injuries, except for a teenaged girl who seems largely unhurt.  While Alex and Meredith administer to her family, she is tasked with caring for the ailing infant.  It’s an intense scene as we survey the carnage.  We learn that one victim is unaccounted for, and I fear that he may have been ejected from the vehicle.  He’s actually pinned under the car, and Meredith tries desperately to free him as yet another vehicle approaches the blind turn.  Just when we think that they’ll be struck again, we see that it’s another ambulance arriving to the rescue.

Back at Seattle Grace, Teddy (Kim Raver) is still performing heart surgery on the patient that Torres and Avery nearly killed in their negligent orthopedic surgery.  No one has told her that Henry is dead, because she’s still in the middle of a delicate procedure and a patient is depending on her.  It seems cruel that she is carrying on cheerfully with her duties on what will end up being one of the worst days of her life.  She wants Cristina to assist in the procedure and won’t take no for an answer.  Owen asks Cristina to do the impossible.  He needs her to operate alongside Teddy knowing that her husband is dead.  In an amazing display of fortitude, Cristina does what is required. 

It’s almost sadistic to watch Teddy bop around happily in an effort to perk Cristina up for this “dream” surgery that’s on her bucket list.  She even asks Cristina about Henry periodically, which was painfully awkward.  When the surgery concludes, Cristina immediately pulls Teddy aside and breaks the news to her.  She did it compassionately but deliberately, and Teddy seemed to appreciate it.  If she had waited for Owen to tell Teddy (which is what he wanted), it would have been unnecessarily prolonging something that had gone on long enough.

This was an intense episode all around.  The people injured on the side of the road with Meredith and Alex were a family returning from a camping trip.  A grandmother and mother end up dying, leaving a 17 year old to tend to an injured younger brother and sister.  Her father is on life support, and she ultimately must grow up overnight and make some very adult decisions.  It was heart wrenching to watch someone so young endure so much tragedy in rapid succession, but I suppose it happens every day. 

One of the accident survivors ended up being treated by Mark’s new girlfriend, a gifted surgeon at a neighboring hospital.  She works with Derek to salvage the girl’s eye in a complicated procedure.  Begrudgingly, Lexie (Chyler Leigh) realizes that Mark’s new girlfriend is a good catch and actually very likable.  I wonder if Mark’s unavailability will make her regret her choices with Avery.

They saved the best for last, and at the end of the episode, after a long day – Derek and Meredith get the most wonderful surprise: Zola is back!  We’ll have to wait for an explanation, but it looks like the Sheperd family just got bigger.  What a great episode! I was beginning to have withdrawal.

Season 8, Episode 10: “Suddenly” (originally aired January 5, 2012).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Richard Foreman and ABC.

How to Make It was a show that struck a chord with me.  As fledgling entrepreneurs, main characters Ben (Bryan Greenberg, The Good Guy) and Cam (Victor Rasuk, Raising Victor Vargas) embodied the American spirit of perseverance and good old-fashioned hustle.  To go from rags to riches through sheer determination is the American dream.  We all strive for something more; we all want to make it.  More than anything else, Cam and Ben’s hunger and drive permeated every aspect of the show.  What could be more cool and interesting than two aspiring fashion designers trying to come up in NYC, the ‘make or break’ mecca?

Cam, Ben, their buddies Kappo (Eddie Kaye Thomas, American Reunion) and Domingo (Kid Cudi), and Cam’s cousin Rene’ (Luis Guzman) are guys that you couldn’t help rooting for, even when their actions weren’t always above board.  Cam and Ben demonstrated that true friendship trumps everything else, even business.  I would have liked to see the characters continue to evolve.  The show wasn’t perfect.  It never had the heft or legitimacy of Entourage, and I guess if you stack it up against the shows I mentioned previously, maybe How to Make it in America just couldn’t cut the mustard.  I talked to someone on Twitter who never got into the show because it couldn’t draw him in the way other HBO shows typically do.  You’d think HBO would be a great home for any show, but maybe it was doomed from the start.  It’s possible that viewers found the show too derivative of Entourage, and weren’t invested enough after the first episode to discover that nothing could be further from the truth.   I thought it provided an authentic contrast to Entourage in that its principal characters were not rich and spoiled.  They simply had a dollar and a dream, a sentiment perfectly captured by the show’s theme song, “I Need a Dollar,” by Aloe Blacc.

Music was another great aspect of the show, which was a total bonus.  There was more than one occasion when I broke out my iPhone and used Shazam to discover gems like this and this and this.  And the songs fit perfectly with their respective scenes.  For lack of a better description, How to Make it in America was just a cool ass show, and it’s a shame that the good ones never seem to last.  I look forward to seeing Greenberg and Rasuk in upcoming projects, and at least we can enjoy the 2 seasons HBO gave us.

Images courtesy of HBO.

I’m an 80’s baby so when I saw commercials for The Sitter I immediately thought of Adventures in Babysitting, the 80′s movie about a babysitter’s wild night out with the kiddies.  In The Sitter our reluctant hero and sitter is Noah Griffith, played by Jonah Hill (Get Him to the Greek).  Hill looks rather slim nowadays, but very recently looked like this.  Not that it matters one way or another, it’s just weird to see such a drastic difference in his appearance.  Noah is a lovable loser type of guy who is living with his mother after flunking out of school.  He has a “girlfriend,” Marisa, exceptt instead of a life partner she’s more like a selfish boss who allows Noah the privilege of answering her every beck and call.  Their relationship is one-sided in every respect, and Noah is essentially a doormat.  His parents are divorced, and his dad hasn’t paid alimony or child support in years, despite owning a thriving jewelry store.  Noah loves his mother and wants to see her happy, so he volunteers to babysit for his neighbors so they can take her out for a blind date with a friend.  Little does he know this routine act of kindness will end up being a life-changing experience.

When Noah meets the kids for the first time we can tell that this will be an interesting experience.  The eldest boy Slater (Max Records) is about 13, followed by the adopted Rodrigo (Kevin Hernandez) who is roughly 11, followed by Blithe (Landry Bender), an adorable girl of about 8.  Slater is melancholy and anxious, dependent upon pills to get through the day.  Rodrigo has pyromaniac tendencies and is equipped with a GPS device to prevent him from running away too far.  Blithe is obsessed with the ‘celebutante’ world of reality TV and acts like she’s 8 going on 21.

Noah has a DUI on his record, so he is prohibited from using the family car while babysitting.  That goes out the window almost immediately when he gets a call from Marisa asking him to bring her some coke to a party in the City.  It’s an absurd request, and she asks as if coke the cocaine was as easy to get as coke the cola.  She promises that she’ll give him some nookie if he brings it to the party, so he foolishly agrees.  He has to get the yayo from a dealer named Karl (Sam Rockwell, Iron Man 2), so he takes the three kids and rolls out in the minivan.  Predictably, Slater is anxious about their outing, Blithe is excited, and Rodrigo is just menacing.  It should be no surprise that a night of babysitting would go downhill shortly after taking the kids to a drug den – and that’s exactly what happens.

This precocious bunch doesn’t exactly follow directions, so when Noah instructs them to wait in the car, their obedience is short-lived.  Rodrigo ends up swiping some drugs from Karl, and before Noah can return the package it gets destroyed.  When Karl notices that the drugs are gone, he tells Noah that he has a couple of hours to return it or give him $10,000.  Meanwhile, Marisa still expects him at the party, and the kids need to be tucked in their beds by the time their parents get home.  Making matters worse is the fact that Rodrigo likes to run off from time to time.

The movie largely follows Noah and the kids as they try to get the money to pay Karl while seeming to get in one scrape after another.  Noah runs into a former classmate who finally opens his eyes to the fact that he’s a good guy who deserves better than Marisa, who only seems to care about getting the coke that Noah promised he’d bring.  Through all of the mishaps, Noah manages to bond with the kids and realizes that they are more than just little pains in the rear.  Slater suffers from anxiety because he’s pretending to be someone that he’s not.  Rodrigo misbehaves because he’s never had structure and stability and is afraid to trust his new family.  Blithe idolizes celebrities because she hasn’t learned to be herself and love who she is on the inside.  So, at the end of the day what began as the night from hell ended up being a learning experience that changed several lives for the better.

The Sitter worked because it had the right mix of humor and heart.  It wasn’t corny or overly sentimental, and the laughs were timed perfectly.  Jonah Hill has shown time and again they he’s a great comedic actor.  The R rating lets you know that just because there are kids in this movie doesn’t make it a ‘kid’ movie; it’s not.  The kids use and hear foul language, and obviously cocaine is an essential plot element.  That being said, leave the kids at home with the sitter and go check out The Sitter, a comedy that did what just what it was supposed to do: make you laugh.

Images courtesy of  Jessica Miglio and Twentieth Century Fox.

For the past few weeks Meredith and Derek have tried to regain custody of Zola in the aftermath of Meredith’s monumental lapse in judgment when she interfered with Derek’s Alzheimer’s trial.  I wonder if she would make the same decision if she had it to do all over again.  I thought things were looking up for them after Alex managed to wrangle a hearing for them in front of a judge; but the social worker notified Meredith that their journey is over.  It’s a crushing blow to the couple, and it looks like Meredith is giving up on the idea of motherhood, at least for now.  Derek feels like he pushed her into the decision and is now afraid of losing Meredith.

Meanwhile, Henry (Scott Foley) has been admitted with very serious complications.  He’s always been ill, but his recent respite probably made Teddy forget just how grave his condition can be.  They have been blissful, but his health troubles threaten to ruin their happiness. He needs to have the tumors surrounding his lungs removed, and Webber doesn’t know how to perform the surgery with a laser, which would be most efficient.  Understandably, he doesn’t want his first time to be on his colleague’s husband.  Teddy has performed the procedure before, but of course she can’t operate on her spouse. That leaves Cristina, who Teddy is confident can perform the procedure just as she would.  They recently performed an identical surgery, and Cristina is the only one who can do it.  Webber is on board, but Owen is hesitant.  As Chief Resident and Cristina’s husband, he thinks the stakes are too high. They all agree that if they can conceal Henry’s identity from Cristina, she should be able to perform the surgery dispassionately and successfully.

While this very intense storyline is at the forefront, there are two other nail-biters playing out.  Callie and Jackson (Jesse Williams) must come to terms with a costly patient error.  A patient who had spinal surgery is near death because one of the screws they inserted in her spine is poking through her heart.  Jackson is still a resident, and he’s going to make mistakes.  Callie makes him feel like he screwed up royally, and he did – but it’s her job to oversee him.  Maybe if she wasn’t reading a magazine while he was operating, she would have noticed something.

Meredith also deals with a patient in dire straits.  She hasn’t had long to think about Zola when Arizona calls her into action. She and Alex must travel to a nearby urgent care center to transport a newborn baby needing surgery.  The weather is terrible, and the ambulance breaks down before they return with the baby.  She needs her tubes and incubator, but it is dangerous for them to remain in the broken down vehicle on a poorly lit road in a thunderstorm.  The paramedic leaves on foot while Meredith and Alex quibble about what to do.  Their ambulance is struck by an oncoming vehicle, and we see the accident from their perspective, in the inside of the ambulance.  They are thrown against the ambulance wall as the vehicle appears to flip over.  Great. Just we need.  The umpteenth tragedy.  My anxiety was eventually alleviated, as Meredith and Alex emerge from the accident largely unscathed.  It looked bad initially, but when they step outside they see just how lucky they actually were.  Three lifeless bodies lay in the road – the occupants of the ill-fated vehicle that struck their ambulance.

Back at Seattle Grace, things take a turn for the worse.  Cristina (Sandra Oh) has no idea that Henry is the patient, so at first she’s all “been there done that” about it, but she ultimately does the best that she can during the surgery.  Things continue to go south and Webber has to intervene the old fashioned way and crack open Henry’s chest.  Their efforts prove futile, and Henry eventually dies on the table.  Webber gave it all he had, and Cristina did a fine job with the laser.  It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but they will have to tell Teddy that her husband is dead. In an awkward moment, Owen must pretend that Henry is still alive, because Teddy hasn’t finished her own surgery yet on the patient that Callie and Jackson botched.  The episode ends with Teddy still thinking that Henry pulled through.  How sad!!

This was another great episode.  Things haven’t been that intense in a while, and it was a reminder that Grey’s can be equally suspenseful as emotional.  I look forward to seeing if Derek and Meredith re-commit to starting a family or if they accept what has happened to them.  See you next week!

Season 8, Episode 9: Dark Was the Night (original air date November 10, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Jordan Althaus.

This was one of those movies that didn’t really need to be in 3D – but hey, whatever.  When we pick up with the cannabis-loving compadres, it’s obvious that Harold (John Cho, Flash Forward) and Kumar’s (Kal Penn) bromance has tapered off.  Harold is married and Kumar is…well, getting high every waking moment.  His girlfriend has recently dumped him, and he’s been wallowing for months.  When she tells him that she’s pregnant, he’s too high to respond like an adult.  Harold is the exact opposite.  He’s very stable and settled, and his life is quiet and simple, at least until his father-in-law shows up for Christmas.  Humorously portrayed by that menacing dude from the Tarantino movies, this guy is incredibly hard to please.  Upon his arrival he trashes Harold’s Christmas tree because it’s fake.  He brought his own fir tree that he’d grown for 8 years to decorate instead.  While Harold’s wife and father-in-law attend Midnight Mass he promises to decorate the tree.  The fact that his father-in-law grew the tree for 8 years should let you know how crazy he is about Christmas; so decorating the tree is a really big deal.  Harold hopes that if he does this successfully he can finally win the guy over.

Harold and Kumar have been estranged, because Harold thinks that whenever Kumar and weed are around things go tragically wrong.  This is borne out when Kumar shows up on Harold’s doorstep with a Christmas package for Harold that was delivered to his apartment.  They open it and see it contains a jumbo-sized joint.  Harold wants no parts of it, but Kumar sparks the spliff before he can stop him.  In the first of a series of truly ridiculous mishaps, the joint ends up setting the Christmas tree on fire.  Now Harold is tasked with replacing the tree before his wife and father-in-law return at 2:00 AM.  As soon as Kumar reappears, things start to go wrong – which confirms Harold’s recent exclusion of his old friend.

While they’ve lost touch they have each made new friends, though these new buddies aren’t the same.  Harold’s pal is Todd, played by the always hilarious Tom Lemmon (I Love You Man, Reno 911).  Kumar’s buddy is Adrian, who has convinced Kumar to tag along at a party in the city where he hopes to smang a girl he met online who claims to be a virgin.  Exactly. How much more juvenile can we get?  Harold realizes he could get another Christmas tree from the house party, while Adrian tries to score.  What transpires for the movie’s duration is a hodgepodge of misadventure as Harold and Kumar end up fighting off mobsters and dancing onstage with the strangely omnipresent Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), among other things.  All in a mad quest to get a perfect tree on Christmas Eve.

I can’t be mad, and I can’t say that I wasted an hour and forty minutes of my life.  The movie was exactly what I thought it would be.  It never took itself seriously, and shame on me for expecting it to.  Gratuitous, pointless 3D effects were peppered throughout, as well as obvious 3D references in the dialogue.  There were lots of boobs and drugs.  Neil Patrick Harris was funny as always, poking fun at his sexual orientation and generally looking like he was having a good time.  I didn’t have high expectations (no pun intended) to begin with, but I still found the movie a little disappointing.  Just because it’s a stoner movie doesn’t mean that you can just throw anything against the wall and hope it sticks.  Smarter, funnier stoner movies have been done, such as Pineapple Express and the Friday movies.  Just wait for this one to come out on DVD.  That way it’s cheaper, and when you get the munchies – it’s a short walk to the kitchen.

Images courtesy of IMDbPro.

Johnny Depp (Alice in Wonderland) is always a potential draw for me, though I don’t usually find his quirkiness appealing. In The Rum Diary he portrays journalist Paul Kemp with a relatable quality not found in most of his roles.  Kemp is in 1960’s Puerto Rico to write for a fledgling newspaper.  He wants to comment on the political turmoil in San Juan, but his editor wants fluff pieces to appease their readership. Kemp decides to take what he can get, and is initially hired for the mundane task of writing horoscopes.

The Rum Diary was patterned after Hunter S. Thompson’s brief time in Puerto Rico when he applied (and was rejected) for a job at a newspaper, but still made friends and acclimated himself to the local area. Everyone needs a trusty sidekick, and Kemp’s is a fellow journalist named Sala (Michael Rispoli).  Together they drink and stumble their way through the streets of San Juan, and it doesn’t seem like these reporters ever do much writing.  San Juan plays like a town where following the rules is optional and the rum runs freely.

When Kemp meets a former newspaper employee turned hotshot named Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight), he gets a chance to line his pockets and keep his editor at bay.  Sanderson and some other influential but corrupt locals want to develop untouched Puerto Rican soil and need Kemp to insert certain viewpoints in his articles to soften up the public when they hear about the increased taxes they will have to pay to fund the project.  In addition to trying to bridge the gap between his personal and professional spheres, Kemp’s life is complicated by his attraction to Sanderson’s girlfriend Chenault (Amber Heard, Drive Angry), a fetching blonde he meets by chance only to find out later that she belongs to another.

Again, Paul Kemp is loosely patterned after Hunter S. Thompson.  To that end, he’s a raging alcoholic, but quite an endearing chap. Depp is very good as the hapless but earnest journalist trying to do relevant work without selling out.  His time in Puerto Rico is one misadventure after another, as his friendship and arrangement with Sanderson begins to unravel when his affinity for Chenault leads to trouble.

I don’t really know what to make of The Rum Diary. I enjoyed it because it was entertaining, and Puerto Rico was an inviting setting tailor made for debauchery. It was a fun and interesting movie, as I wondered what would become of Chenault and Kemp and whether the newspaper would eventually fold. However, there was an unmistakable lull in the film, where the viewer wondered just what the hell was going on. One scene in particular was very trippy, as Kemp and Sala endure a drug-induced stupor.  It’s hard to encapsulate just what this film was all about. It played like a very interesting “day in the life” type of movie, but I’m not sure if there was a larger point to be made.  I haven’t read the book, but I’ll bet it was a page-turner, if the movie was any indication. I’m just not sure everyone will like it or “get” it.  From a visual standpoint I thought it was cool and funny at times, but it wasn’t too deep or meaningful.  Fans of the late Thompson may appreciate the manic, boozy feel of Kemp’s tale – but everyone else may be a little ho hum about it. If you’re a fan of Depp or Thompson or you just want to leer at Amber Heard, check it out. Otherwise, this will make a nice little flick to catch on HBO in a few months.

The good vibes continued to flow freely as Mark (Eric Dane) further displayed his apparent man crush on Avery.  Gone are the days when Avery was a lowly resident scrounging for surgeries.  Mark has taken quite a liking to his brilliant student and makes an effort to mold his protégé.  You’ll recall that Avery’s mother warned him about Lexie and Mark, and Avery’s seen enough to know that she harbors residual feelings for her ex.  He’s so uncomfortable about the situation that he withdraws from a complicated nerve procedure for which he’d been preparing for weeks.  It would be the perfect feather in his cap on his record of wins and losses if he could successfully perform the surgery.  Instead, he pawns it off on Karev to avoid Mark.  More on that in a bit.

The episode opened with a failed heart transplant.  The heart’s recipient died before the organ could be transported, so Seattle Grace was basically left with a perfectly good heart that was “all dressed up with no place to go.”  They put the heart in a box connected to valves that kept it pumping.  It was a creepy but fascinating sight, especially as the heart became a sort of oracle throughout the episode.

Last week Teddy (Kim Raver) told Cristina to submit a list of dream surgeries, and promised her that she’d do her best to make sure she got to perform them.  Webber takes a look at Cristina’s list and scoffs at her choices, telling her that she needs to talk to the heart in a box.  She’s confused at first, but eventually she makes a breakthrough by looking at every procedure on her list and comparing it to dealing with the heart in a box.  If it’s less cool than the heart in a box, it’s eliminated.

Webber (James Pickens Jr.) is a big believer in the heart’s power and tells Avery to consult it too.  He sits before the heart and eventually gains clarity about Lexie.  The episode ends with him choosing the “Plastics Posse” (Mark) over Lexie.  He explains that he’s aware of the feelings she has for Mark and that he can’t continue to avoid Mark because of the awkwardness those feelings cause.  He can’t afford to hurt his career, and he chooses Mark.  In a great moment, he asks Lexie if she can tell him to choose differently…and she can’t. Great scene!

Lexie got dumped, but at least she fared better with her patient.  She’s still adjusting to working with her brother-in-law, but things are getting better as they continue to perform impressively difficult surgeries.  This week their patient is a stubborn author with more than one active aneurysm.  Alfre Woodard made a guest appearance in the role, and she did a great job, as always.  She refuses to get the surgery until she finishes her novel, and so Lexie ends up taking dictation to speed up the process.  The woman’s story parallels Lexie’s own love life with Mark and Avery, and it’s obvious that Avery’s suspicions are right.

The episode ended on a high note for everyone, except Teddy.  Looks like Henry is sick again.  Bailey and Meredith finally made up, but more importantly – we’re left to wonder if Lexie and Mark will reconnect now that she’s free and clear.  I liked Lexie with Avery, but that may be just because he’s so darned cute.  I can’t deny that she and Mark once had something good.  Next week’s episode promises to be another great one – stay tuned.

Season 8, Episode 8: Heart-Shaped Box (original air date November 3, 2011).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Randy Holmes and ABC.

It’s a bit disheartening to think of doctors trying to preserve their win-loss record like a college football coach.  Their patients are real people with families, not just numbers on a stat sheet.  Even the best surgeons lose patients; they’re not God.  That being said, the residents still want to keep the losses to a minimum.  To that end, they are trying to end up on rotations that will challenge and impress without being too risky.  Adversity doesn’t just build character, it reveals it.  Some of the residents did themselves no favors by playing it safe.

Cristina (Sandra Oh)  ends up with Callie in an orthopedic surgery involving a patient with permanently poor posture.  Say that three times fast.  The young man’s neck is permanently in a downward position, as if he’s looking at his feet.  Cristina thought she’d have a routine fracture procedure or hip replacement, but Callie assumed that Renegade Cristina would welcome a challenge and thus presented her with a very complicated case.  The neck surgery will actually entail three separate procedures and is far from routine.  Cristina clams up when she sees that it won’t be the cakewalk she imagined, and when things get dicey during the procedure – she chickens out by asking that her name be taken off the procedure.  When the patient is out of the woods it’s too late for her to attach herself again.  No guts, no glory.  If you’re too afraid to get the losses then you don’t deserve the victories either.  Callie cautions her that she may be losing that part of her that made her a good surgeon in the first place by playing it safe.

Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) has recently been working in Obstetrics, which is considered a monumental downgrade.  Her peers chide her for sporting scrubs from the “vagina squad,” but she ignores their good-natured ribbing.  Meanwhile, Little Grey has taken her place with Derek in Neuro.  She’s not finding him too friendly of a boss, but that changes when she brings him a patient with a challenging brain tumor – a woman for whom Meredith just delivered a baby girl.  The woman and her husband must decide if they should proceed with the risky procedure or be content with what little time they have left.

While some are taking risks, some are playing it safe.  Alex (Justin Chambers) has always been pretty ballsy, but the fifth year jitters are getting to him too.  A patient presents for open heart surgery, and is concerned about the scar that will be left after the procedure.  He asks about another procedure that will be just as effective, but will not leave a scar.  It’s called a “tavi,” and it’s a lot riskier than the standard procedure.  Alex wants to minimize his losses and doesn’t want to perform the tavi.  Teddy is supervising him, and ultimately it is she that performs the procedure because Alex seems unwilling.  Just like Cristina, Alex punks out.  It was good to see more depth of character in this episode.  Alex and Cristina are known as two of the more gutsy residents, but they chickened out when the chips were down.  Will they over-compensate next week by taking unnecessary risks?

This was another great episode.  One thing to watch out for in the coming weeks is Kepner settling into her role as Chief Resident, and whether or not Meredith is able to mend fences with Bailey, who has not forgiven her for costing Richard his job.  Stay tuned!

Season 8, Episode 6: “Poker Face” (original air date October 20, 2011).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Ron Tom.

As the season drew to a close, Mike was exposed as immature and attention-seeking.  Not above stirring the pot, he had physical altercations with Ron, Snooki, and Deena.  He picked fights at local nightspots and generally made an ass of himself whenever possible.  His friendship with Snooki suffered the most, as he was a divisive force in her relationship with Jionni.  We never found out for sure if he and Snooki hooked up as he alleged, but I think the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.  If she thought she could hook up with someone like Mike and that he’d keep it a secret – Snooki is even less intelligent than I thought.

Not every moment in the house was a contentious one.  Pauly and Vinny’s bromance continued to blossom, and the guys are closer than ever.  They are just drama-free.  They don’t compete with each other for girls and they don’t try to “one up” each other.  They also don’t steal each other’s slang.  It’s the perfect friendship!  The Meatballs bond remains strong, and I don’t doubt the strength of Snooki and Deena’s relationship, but most of their bonding activities consist of getting wasted and making out.  I don’t think you can make a Hallmark card out of that.  Jenni, on the other hand – at least challenged Snooki this season and called her out when she was wrong.  That’s what real friends do.

In the season finale, the housemates finally decided to edify themselves by doing more than just partying.  They took a historical tour of Florence and also bid farewell to their bosses at the pizza parlor, where they did more goofing off than working.  They enjoyed Italy, but they missed the familiarity and routine of life at the shore.  The clubs are familiar back home, and they can GTL with regularity.  So, it was a nice change of pace to travel abroad – but they’re ready to go home.  Only question is, will Sitch be with them?  Or will he be like Angelina and think better of it?

After some advice from Ronnie, Mike apologized to the girls for having upset them but they were skeptical of his mea culpa, and rightfully so.  It takes a big man to admit when he’s wrong, but it takes an even bigger scumbag to use an apology as a tool of manipulation.  Fortunately, no one’s fooled.  Different script, same ending.  Farewell Guidos and Guidettes, until next time.

For another take on this episode check out “I Just Want My Hour Back” by Stephanie Jaar.

Season 4, Episode 12: “Ciao Italia” (original air date October 20, 2011).

Jersey Shore airs Thursday nights at 8/7c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

The elder Dr. Avery presents a unique opportunity for Seattle Grace with a cutting edge surgery.  She reveals her patient, a young man named Ryan.  Ryan was fortunate to beat penile Cancer, but it left him without a penis.  Seattle Grace has the chance to make history as the first hospital to successfully perform a penis transplant.  The residents are chomping at the bit to be selected to assist with the procedure, and the winner will be chosen by skills lab performance.  Mark takes the lead because he views the procedure as one best suited for Plastics, though he thinks the patient should get a prosthetic penis instead.

The elder Avery is like most mothers: prying and doting.  Jackson (Jessie Williams)  sent Lexie out of town for a couple of days, in preparation for his mother’s visit. He didn’t want her to have to answer a thousand nosy questions. Catherine is a brilliant doctor but meddlesome mother.  Jackson tells the others that she has a problem respecting boundaries.  She also berates her son for his choice to work in Plastics with Mark instead of with Derek in Neurosurgery.

If Jackson wants his mother to respect his professional choices, he’s going to have to prove that he’s becoming a better surgeon.  He gets his chance during the transplant surgery.  He and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) win the skills lab battle and are chosen fair and square, so there are no concerns of nepotism when Jackson assists his mother.  When  Meredith is called away from the surgery,  April fills in.  She later makes a critical error that threatens the transplant, and Jackson saves the day with a complicated procedure that he learned from Mark.  This pretty much shuts Catherine up and validates his choice to work in plastic surgery.

The most intense storyline involved Derek and Meredith.  They haven’t heard anything about Zola from the social worker, and Derek is getting anxious.  Meredith tells him to be patient, but things take a turn for the worse when Alex (Justin Chambers)  receives a page during the skills lab.  The page is for Zola, who has been admitted with seizures.  She has a high fever and a distended abdomen.  Alex wants to page Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith, but Arizona and the social worker tell him there’s no way he can do that.  It would be a breach of confidentiality and it could jeopardize the adoption, which is already on shaky ground.  Alex wrestles with the decision because he feels like he’s already ruined Meredith’s life once when he tattled on her, and he doesn’t want to mess up with her again.

Alex tells Cristina that Zola has been admitted and the two of them agree to tell Derek and Meredith.  Derek goes crazy and wants to intervene, but Meredith is the cooler head.  It takes Owen, Arizona and Meredith all to convince Derek to let Arizona handle it.  He fears that the shunt he implanted is causing a problem and so he’s the one that should fix it.  He will have to trust Arizona to heal Zola while he and Meredith wait.  This ordeal brings them closer together, although I’m sure they would have preferred different circumstances.  At the close of the episode they find out that Zola will be fine.  They run into their social worker while she waits for the elevator, and she can see from their faces that they’ve shed some tears.  She realizes that they knew about Zola but didn’t intervene.  Maybe that will be considered in their favor when a final custody determination is made.

This was another entertaining episode, and although last week was a nice change of pace, I’m glad to return to the regular format.  Although Mama Avery was nosy, she picked up on Mark’s residual feelings for Lexie when he attempted to tell her how lucky Jackson was to have her.  Is Mark still holding a torch for Lexie?  I’m sure that’s something that will resurface this season.  Stay tuned!

Season 8, Episode 4: Loss, Love, and Legacy (original air date October 13, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC and Richard Cartwright.

Their time is winding down in Italy, and the gang looks forward to going home.  They’ve had a great time but they miss home.  If you watched the show last season, it’s no secret that Deena has always had a crush on Pauly.  Unfortunately it’s not mutual.  Pauly allegedly doesn’t want to hook up with Deena because it would ruin their friendship.  That sounds admirable, and I agree that it’s probably a bad idea because she would catch feelings, but that’s not the real reason.  Pauly just isn’t attracted to meatballs.  I think it’s nice that he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I almost feel sorry for Deena.  I’m not saying that he should screw her out of pity, but it’s sad that she keeps getting shot down.

After causing trouble last week, Mike is on a roll.  He really thrives on being the center of conflict.  When they go out to a club as one of their last group outings, everyone is having a good time.  Everyone except Mike, who feels compelled to start imaginary beef with some people in the crowd.  The locals see the cameras for the show and antagonize the guys, but Mike really causes a scene.  When they go out for a second time, he does it again.  Ronnie makes it clear that if Mike gets into an altercation with someone, he’s not going to help him.  I think Mike really has issues.  Most people try to avoid conflict when then go out and would rather just have a good time.  I don’t know why he tries to be a tough guy.  His biggest opponent has been a wall, and the wall won the fight – so Mike needs to chill.

We saw how the house turned against Angelina and she realized it would be better if she quit the show.  It looks like the same thing could happen with Mike.  Last week he got a wine bottle thrown at his head.  This week it’s a spatula.  When Deena doesn’t contribute to Sunday dinner, Mike tells her to “be a woman,” cook, clean – do something.  He says that she never does anything.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cook or clean, so Mike might be right about this one.  Of course Deena is offended and starts yelling, and that’s when she hurls the spatula.

As the housemates contemplate their future time at the Jersey Shore house, Sammi realizes that she can’t be roommates with Mike anymore.  He’s a disruptive force in the house and has been identified as the root cause of a lot of the drama that takes place.  This season alone he’s had issues with Ronnie, Snooki, and Deena.  Sam and Ron started off tumultuously, but they have really mellowed out recently and seem to be content.  She and J Woww are even getting along very well, united in their exasperation with drunken Meatballs.  Sammi wants to keep the good vibes going when they move into the Jersey Shore house next season.  She wants to move downstairs but Vinny would prefer to keep the living arrangements the same.  He can’t break up the bromance he has going with Pauly.  I think Pauly and Vin really are like a couple!  It’s cute.

This was a decent episode, but I’m glad the season is drawing to a close.  I need to regenerate brain cells!

Season 4, Episode 11: “Situation Problems” (original air date October 13, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

The episode opens with each character doing an omnipotent voice-over where we hear their musings about the differences between the sexes.  Women are more emotional and have better memories, so they never forget a hurtful misstep.  Men are good at fending off an attack and confront challenges differently than women do.  These obvious Venus/Mars comparisons set the tone for the episode, which gives a previously unseen look at a day in the life of the male doctors at Seattle Grace.

Karev and Avery are each trying to prove that they can handle solo surgeries.  Derek remains a long way from forgiving Meredith.  She’s no longer on his surgical service, and he’s taking his frustration out on her replacement, Karev.  Owen is still adjusting to his role as Chief.  He misses being down in the trenches and has to get used to pushing paper around.  His predecessor also needs to adjust to life as one of the guys.  The residents still think of him as Chief, and he’s wiser than his newfound peers.  Mark has the baby by himself while Arizona and Callie attend a conference out of town.  Ben discovers that Bailey has moved on to Eli the nurse and he can’t believe it.

Each one of the fellas has a stressful personal issue to deal with, and they all cope in different ways.  As was mentioned at the opening, men don’t discuss feelings much.  It’s because they don’t want to, not because they don’t have those feelings.  Instead of discussing their feelings, the men took their frustration out in other ways.

Derek is still building their new home and has took it upon himself to complete the deck.  I don’t think he really knows what he’s doing, but pounding on things probably makes him feel manly and in control.  Every day the guys come over to “help” Derek with this deck, and soon they are hammering and sawing the pain away.  They seem to take solace in uniting in something simple yet cathartic.  Eventually they open up and share their feelings, but it took a while.

This is an emo show anyway, so I already knew that the guys’ had a sensitive side.  It was good to switch things up a bit, but there is more emotion and drama from the womens’ perspective.  Still waters run deep, but they don’t make for exciting television.  Good episode, but I missed the drama.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 8, Episode 4: “What Is It About Men” (original air date October 6, 2011).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of ABC.

Surprisingly, Ronnie and Sam have not been the main source of drama this season.  That dubious distinction goes to Snooki, whose roller coaster romance with Jionni is enough to make your head spin.  Snooki is spoiled and immature beyond belief.  She expects Jionni to have no problem with her actions, and when he takes her to task she wants to take a break from the relationship.  She sleeps with Vinny and catches amnesia the next day.  She was the initiator, but she can’t remember what she did.  She thinks her and Vinny kept it PG-13, but it was rated R.

Meanwhile, Mike is stirring up trouble, once again.  I don’t know what’s wrong with this guy.  It’s like he thrives on negative attention.  In the last episode he told people that he and Snooki hooked up, in explicit detail.  I’m beginning to think that something really did go down between Mike and Snooki, – Jenni hinted as much during this episode.  Jenni tells Snooki that Mike is going around saying that she basically gave him the Lewinsky treatment.  Snooki goes off on Mike, who tries to deny it by acting like she’s listening to gossip instead of consulting the source.

In some hair-brained attempt to flush out a “rat,” Mike lets people think that he called his friend Unit and persuaded him to phone Jionni and blow Snooki up to him.  It’s not true, but Mike wants to cause trouble.  Sure enough, Sam tells Snooki and she flips out.  Again, I’m not sure what point Mike thought he was making with this stunt, but he’s got issues.  Snooki ends up in tears and Mike is standing around looking stupid, as usual.  And how douchey is it that The Situation’s buddy is nicknamed The Unit??

There were some normal moments in the last episode.  Vinny got in touch with his roots by traveling to Sicily to meet his relatives for the first time.  He brought the guys with him and they all had a grand time.  His family welcomed him with open arms for dinner.  Much like at home, they ate and ate and then had a little more.  I wondered how Vinny’s uncles stayed so thin if they ate that much regularly.

While the guys explore Sicily, the girls travel to Tuscany for a wine-tasting.  The train goes off track when Snooki brings up Jionni and seems oblivious to the depths of her hook up with Vinny, which took place very shortly after she decided to take a break from her relationship.  She says she loves him, but Jenni points out that if that were true she wouldn’t have done what she did.  Snooki can’t handle the truth, saying Jenni isn’t her best friend anymore. *sigh*

Eventually the girls mend fences, but Mike’s name is still mud with Snooki.  They should just stay as far away from each other as possible.  Mike needs to get a life and Snooki needs to get a grip.  She has drama coming from every direction.  Jionni is not going to react kindly to hearing that Snooki and Vinny had sex.  He was ready to kill when he thought they’d done less, so imagine his reaction now.  Snooki needs to hang it up; the damage is done.  Despite the cries of my few remaining brain cells, I will tune in next week to watch the fallout.

Best of the episode: Vinny’s trip to Sicily.

Worst of the episode: All things Mike.

What to watch for next: Is Mike on his way out?

For another take on this week’s episode check out “The Snooki Sob Show” by Stephanie Jaar.

Jersey Shore Season 4, Episode 10: “Damage Is Done” (original air date October 6, 2011.)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

The fifth year residents are strutting around the hospital like proud peacocks.  There’s a new crop of interns to punish, plus they will get a chance to perform their own solo surgeries.  That’s too much ego to contain, so when April tries to assert herself as Chief Resident, she meets with a lot of resistance.  This whole set up is like when a parent leaves one child in charge of their sibling, who is only a year or two younger.  It doesn’t really work because there’s no respect.  The person giving you orders seems more like a peer than a boss.  April tries to direct them, but they pretty much do whatever they want to do.  Callie confides to April that she was once Chief Resident and couldn’t hack it.  She encourages April but admits that she might not be cut out for the job, and there’s no shame in that. 

Avery pleads with Teddy to perform a solo cleft lip surgery without assistance.  She assigns the cosmetic procedure to Sloan instead, even though it’s Avery who had been working with the patient first.  Eventually she agrees to let Avery perform the surgery after he makes a compelling argument.  Cristina is eyeing a valve resection, under Teddy’s supervision.  Alex has some sort of gastro intestinal procedure, and Meredith will be performing brain surgery on a man with an aneurysm.  Teddy has been trying to impress upon Cristina the importance of the simple, easy steps.  Because she’s trying to teach her a lesson, she doesn’t allow Cristina to perform the valve surgery and decides to give her an easy appendectomy instead. 

All of the residents end up with less than successful surgical outcomes except for Meredith.  Arizona psyched Avery out of his cleft lip surgery, and Mark had to intervene.  Cristina inexplicably forgot one of the steps during the appendectomy, and Teddy didn’t remember either! One of the nurses had to pitch in.  Alex didn’t make any mistakes, but his patient did not survive.  It is Meredith who exceeded expectations, despite bumping heads with Derek in the O.R.  She made a judgment call and the procedure resulted in success.

Derek was not too impressed with Meredith’s successful solo, because he thinks that she acts recklessly and without proper regard for consequences.  Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it’s not.  This compassionate, but reckless abandon is what lead Meredith to stand in front of a deranged gunman for Derek, almost taking a bullet for him.  It’s also what leads to her interference with his trial.  I think Derek finds her behavior frustrating and dangerous.  Through it all, he takes his marital vows seriously and is trying to hang in there with Meredith.

Owen and Cristina are doing slightly better than they were last week.  Cristina had the abortion, and their interactions have been awkward and stilted ever since.  She confides in Meredith that she thinks Owen is still upset about the whole thing and may have some residual resentment towards her.  Nevertheless, she agrees to have a celebratory dinner for him, since he was given Chief Webber’s vacant position.  When they settle in for dinner at home, she realizes that Owen has no anger about what has happened.  They actually appear to be doing just fine, which is great for Cristina.

I thought it was a good episode that continued to flesh out the interpersonal dynamics around the halls of Seattle Grace.  I think a big theme this season will be people’s adjustment and acceptance of change and their ability to rise to the occasion.  April will have to find her way as Chief Resident, and the other residents will have added responsibilities as well.  Webber will not be the fixture he once was, and Meredith and Derek will continue to fight for their marriage and their child.  High drama! I think the season is off to a pretty good start.

Season 8, Episode 3 Grey’s Anatomy: Take the Lead (original air date September 29, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Jordin Althaus and ABC.

They return home and seem to make up, but barely.  I’m surprised their relationship is intact after the way he carried on, but it looks like Snooki has a second chance.  He can’t stay long because he really does have a ticket to Rome.  He was so enraged that he called his family and told them what happened.  His mother bought him a ticket so he could get out of there and he intends to use it.  After he leaves Snooki is frustrated, and her relief and happiness at being forgiven is short-lived.  Later when they talk on the phone they get into an argument and Snooki tells him that she needs a break.

When you take a “break” within your relationship, it’s supposed to be relatively brief.  You’re not breaking up, after all.  Nor should you be hooking up with other people.  This is just common sense.  Taking a break shouldn’t be some sort of loophole for you to do things you wouldn’t be able to get away with in the confines of your relationship.  So, when Snooki sleeps with Vinny, I think her relationship with Jionni will be over for good.  She crawled into his bed one night, and of course he couldn’t refuse her.  This is at least the second or third time they’ve hooked up on the show.  Last season Vinny made sure to spurn her advances so as not to end up hurting her feelings when she realizes he cannot be her boyfriend.  Now, perhaps her recent troubles with Jionni have made him feel like she needs extra affection and attention. 

The Situation is also ratcheting up his efforts with Snooki, to no avail.  He continues to insist that they slept together, but asserts that he loves her like a friend.  When he makes a crass remark about her in front of everyone, Sam puts him in check.  Mike really is disgusting, and whether or not he and Snooki hooked up in the recent past, she has zero interest in him currently.  I don’t think she should hook up with Vinny either, but what do I know.  I’ve believed that most of the Sam/Ron break-ups were legit, so I could always be wrong. 

This was a decent episode, almost as trashy as the last one.  For once, it is not Sam and Ron that are causing most of the relationship drama in the house.  I hope that Snooki and Jionni can resolve their issues, but not if Snooki continues to deny responsibility for her wrongdoings.

Best of the episode: The impromptu house party

Worst of the episode: The Situation

What to watch for next: Snooki confesses to Jionni

Jersey Shore, Season 4, Episode 9: “Three Men and a Snooki” (original air date September 29, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

When we pick up the action it’s clear that Derek and Meredith are in trouble.  She’s still in the doghouse with Derek, and Alex is still in the doghouse with Meredith.  He’s been ostracized because his peers think that he betrayed one of their own.  Things go from bad to worse when Meredith is fired and Alex realizes once and for all that he can’t undo what’s been done.  He’s depressed and has turned into a mope.  He will have to find a way to regain everyone’s trust, and it won’t be easy.

A familiar plot device with Grey’s is the disaster or big emergency that will unite everyone in a singular task.  For the season premiere, a huge sinkhole has swallowed up some citizens, injuring them severely.  A couple in crisis is among the injured, and the wife will have her leg amputated at the scene.  At first Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Callie (Sara Ramirez) attempt to walk her husband through the procedure, as it is too dangerous for any of them to travel down in the sinkhole.  It was gut-wrenching to watch the husband attempt the impossible task of amputating his wife’s leg.  He tried but could not complete the procedure.  Owen risked his life, repelling down into the sinkhole to save the couple.  After seeing the man suffering greatly, he knew that he could not perform the amputation, and it was unfair of them to ask him.  I think subconsciously Owen didn’t mind risking his life, because he feels that his own family structure is in jeopardy and he doesn’t have the same incentive not to risk his life that others may have.  He tells Callie that she can’t go in the sinkhole with him, because she has a wife and baby to live for. 

Owen may not have the same family structure as Callie, but he has a wife that needs him.  Cristina is unwavering in her choice to terminate her pregnancy, and if she keeps the baby to appease Owen she will end up miserable for the rest of her life.  Meredith explains to Owen that she knows what it’s like to have a surgeon-mother who seems to value her career over her child.  It’s not a fun feeling and Cristina doesn’t want to subject a child to that.  It’s a difficult decision, and she could use the support of the man that pledged to love her for life.  Owen softens and it looks like he finally accepts Cristina’s decision. 

Alex gets his chance to atone for his mistake with Meredith when she makes a rash decision.  Fearing that Zola would be removed from her custody by the social worker, Meredith takes the child and flees.  She ignores all phone calls and pages. Finally she comes to her senses after the temporary split with reality.  Alex makes up a story about needing to run some tests on Zola and how that’s the reason Meredith was distracted.  She says that she didn’t get the pages because she’d been fired so she turned the pager in.  It’s a flimsy story and unfortunately the social worker recognizes Meredith’s dishonesty and removes Zola from their home because their circumstances have changed. 

Last but not least, April is the new Chief Resident! She has the logistical part figured out but doesn’t have command or authority over the other doctors.  She isn’t assertive, and the sinkhole disaster is exposing flaws in her leadership.  Bailey decides to conduct a “Gunther,” a team-building exercise used to eliminate interpersonal differences among doctors.  They all work together on a real patient, and one of them will emerge as a natural leader while others are more suited to taking direction.  Of course it initially appears that Cristina is the natural leader, but when her competitive nature nearly kills Alex in the OR, a new leader emerges and  Avery is the Gunther.  Just when Sloan had underestimated him.  This doesn’t bode well for April as Chief Resident, but she managed to survive her first day.

This was a good two hour episode; jam packed with more than enough drama to start the new season.  There were some really sappy, cheesy moments but I’m willing to overlook them, for now. Good start.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 8 Episode 1 and 2: “Free Falling/She’s Gone” (original air date September 22, 2011).

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Ron Tom and ABC.

The other major “storyline” centers on Snooki’s impending visit from Jionni. Jenni was similarly expecting a visit from Roger, but she is disappointed to learn that he can’t take time off from work and won’t be able to make it. She starts crying dramatically when she finds out, as if it’s the end of the world. *cue the violin*

After her recent dramatic events with the police, Snooki decides to stay in for the night, for a change. While everyone else is out at the club, Snooki seizes the opportunity to play a good prank on Mike. She wants to get him back for talking about her and Jionni and for spreading lies. While he’s out at the club, Brittany swings by the house looking for him. Snooki lets her in and puts her in Mike’s bed so that when he comes home with another girl at the end of the night, his DTF plans will be ruined. I think this is the ultimate prank, but it quickly backfires.

Mike does in fact bring home a girl, and he is shocked to see Brittany in his bed. It’s truly an awkward moment, but Mike is such a jerk that he simply boots the new girl and crawls in bed with Brittany – a sure thing.

 Before Jionni arrives, Snooki nervously tries on different outfits, wanting to look perfect for him. When they reunite they can barely keep their hands off one another. They seem very happy and Snooki’s entire demeanor has changed.

You’ll recall that the biggest issue in their relationship involves their polar opposite personality traits. Snooki is blunt and wild and Jionni is more reserved and conservative. This is very apparent when they go out to the club and start dancing. Snooki makes the inexplicable mistake of pulling her dress up and exposing herself. I don’t know what she was thinking, but you just don’t do that.

When Jionni confronts her she basically tells him to get lost. He told Snooki that she was acting like a whore and embarrassing him. She wails after him, but he is finished. Furious and inconsolable, Jionni goes directly home while Jenni and Ron trail after him, yelling for him to stop walking. Snooki is several paces behind, and doesn’t seem to understand why he’s leaving. I’m sure they will patch things up, but maybe Snooki will learn to take more responsibility for her actions when she’s drinking.  She completely forgot that her boyfriend was standing right there.

 Best of the episode: Mike acting like Jionni was threatened by him. He wasn’t.

Worst of the episode: Snooki flashing her hoo-ha.

What to watch for next: Snooki hooking up with housemates in the aftermath of her and Jionni’s relationship.

Season 4, Episode 8: “Girl Gone Wild” (original airdate September 22, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

The gang is going to the beach for a weekend of fun and relaxation. When they arrive, the girls shop while the boys hang out on the beach. Snooki and Deena agree that it’s never too early to start drinking, and they begin tossing ‘em back. We know the correlation between alcohol and annoyance is pretty high, and Jenni and Sam quickly grow weary of the Meatballs’ boisterous antics. They are all supposed to have dinner and then go out later, so Jenni and Sam thinks it’s a good time to return to their rooms. Deena and Snooki want to keep the party going and continue drinking. They run into the fellas at an eatery, where they put on quite the show. There’s music playing, so they begin dancing furiously. Deena dances so hard that she manages to wiggle right out of her bikini bottoms. They are absolutely wasted, and there is a long night ahead of them.

They finally stumble back to the room to change for dinner, but by this time everyone else has almost finished eating. They arrive at the restaurant totally wasted. Eventually they head out to the club in a cab and Jenni remarks that this is usually what she expect on the ride home. Sam suggested that maybe Deena should skip the club and just go home, since she was in such poor shape. That idea was quickly rejected. When they get to the club it becomes obvious that Deena isn’t wearing any underwear. In her drunken preparation she forgot to put them on. She’s giving everyone a free show and doesn’t seem to care one way or another.

Next, Deena and Snooki begin making out. They smooch. And smooch. And smooch some more. You can hear and see them swap spit all night and it’s pretty disgusting. And inappropriate. They are friends and shouldn’t be crossing that line. If one of them was a guy it wouldn’t be okay, so I don’t think it’s ok just because they are two girls. Friends don’t do that. Equally as important: Snooki is in a relationship. Her behavior is so inappropriate that the roommates begin to see what Jionni was talking about. It’s not hot and it’s not cool.

The next day the Meatballs remember nothing. They look like death warmed over. The guys make subtle jokes, and Jenni and Sam tell them they made out the ENTIRE night. Jenni hints that Jionni might not be cool with it. When Snooki confesses her wild night, Jionni is ok with it. She breathes a sigh of relief and probably learns nothing from the entire incident. I’m all for having a good time, but the Meatballs need to tighten up a bit. Making out with your best friend all night and flashing your who-ha to the whole club is not a good look.

When they get back to town they have to go to work at the pizzeria. The Meatballs are the worst employees ever. If cameras weren’t rolling and if this was a real job they would have been fired a long time ago. A rough day at work quickly becomes the least of their worries when Snooki later has an accident while driving through the city. To make matters worse, she crashes into a police car, of all possible vehicles. At least she wasn’t drunk when it happened – a legit concern with this group. The guys try to come to her rescue, but it looks like she ends up in jail. Will the Meatballs end up in the pokey? Stay tuned.

Best of the episode: Ron jacking Pauly’s swag, leading Pauly to coin the phrase “swacking.”

Worst of the episode: The Marathon Meatball Make-out Session

What to watch for next: Snooks in jail

Jersey Shore Season 4, Episode 7: Meatball Mashup (original air date September 15, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 9/8c on MTV

Images courtesy of MTV.

Vince concludes his whirlwind romance of Sophia in stunning fashion by announcing that he plans to marry her that day in Paris.  Longtime fans of the show know that despite Vince’s playboy ways, when he falls for a girl he falls hard.  He’s had a parade of women over the years, but I can’t say that I’ve even known Vince to be unfaithful once committed.  It’s not totally beyond my imagination that he would be smitten so quickly, but this rushed storyline feels a bit forced.  Sophia came out of nowhere, and up until 5 minutes ago she wouldn’t give Vince the time of day and now not only will she commit to a relationship, but she wants to marry him? After one day of hardcore hanging out?  I guess it’s possible in Hollyweird.  She’s a far cry from his last girlfriend, so I’m happy with that.

Eric and Ari are dealing with more pressing, serious issues on their respective homefronts.  Ari and Melissa (we finally learned her name in the last episode!) seem like they’ll never reconcile, but while role-playing the divorce announcement to their kids, they seem to make a breakthrough.  They both reveal that their recent relationships with Bobby Flay and Dana Gordon have not panned out and that they still love each other.  Their therapist asks if there is any way they can work it out.  In a daring, bold, and heartfelt move, Ari gives it all up for the woman he loves.  He turns Miller Gold over to Babs and makes good on a 20 year old promise to his wife: live in Italy.  His gesture seems sincere, and for once it seems like he will silence the deafening background noise and tend to his family.  But where will this leave Vince?  This question is posed again when Eric makes it clear that he is moving to NY to be closer to Sloan and their baby; whether she takes him back or not.  That’s a man’s move right there. 

Throughout the ups and downs of life, one thread has remained constant, and that is friendship.  I’m blessed to have friends that I would probably do anything for if I could, much like Vince has always done for his entourage.  The series has witnessed a remarkable growth in all of its characters.  Over the years Vince (Adrian Grenier) has remained true to himself and his core values, but not without hitting rock bottom first.  Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) transformed from a chubby errand boy to an entrepreneur in his own right.  Drama (Kevin Dillon) never quite ascended above his B level status, but his television career is thriving.  Eric (Kevin Connolly) spread his wings and became a more powerful manager.  Finally, Ari (Jeremy Piven) rose to the professional heights we always knew he could reach, but remembered that it means nothing without someone you love to share it with.  They’ve grown in a natural progression, evolving in the same way we all do when learning from our mistakes.  They did it all while living a charmed life that I’ll miss tuning into every Sunday. *Cheers Boys* It’s been real.

For another take on this episode check out “That’s All?” by Josh Hatala.

Entourage Season 8, Episode 8: “The End” (original airdate September 11, 2011)

Images courtesy of IMDb.

The movie begins by telling us that the last official U.S. mission to the moon was Apollo 17 in 1972, but that two years later a covert lunar mission took place, the details of which have been secret until now.  Footage was recovered from the landing, and that footage is the basis for the movie.  The movie is shot “home video” style, adding a supposed air of realism.  This usually works, except that the actor portraying Pilot Ben Anderson (Warren Christie) is so incredibly handsome that he looks more like a leading man than a real American astronaut.  Anderson and two other astronauts (played by Lloyd Owen and Ryan Robbins) make a trip to the moon, purpose somewhat unknown.  The men can’t tell their families about the mission, and there will be no heroic widespread welcome for them upon their return.  They seem content with anonymity, secure in the belief that they are serving their country.  Two pilots will actually traverse the moon, while the third pilot remains aboard another vessel.  It takes a long time for anything remotely interesting to happen in this movie.  Sorry, just the sight of them walking on the moon was not cool enough for me. 

There was a constant sense of foreboding, but that wasn’t enough to stave off my boredom.  Things finally got interesting when the two astronauts’ exploration of the moon revealed a set of foreign human footprints that do not much their space boots.  Next they discover a crashed Russian space vehicle.  They had no knowledge of Russian lunar activity, so they instantly are on high alert.  Fearing the Russians may be prowling the moon at that very moment, they continue investigating.  Deep inside a crater they find the corpse of a Russian cosmonaut.  The whole time that they’ve been on the moon they have been hearing an odd screeching noise, some sort of feedback over the radio waves.  They wonder if the strange noise could be related to the cosmonaut’s demise. 

 They discover that a moon rock collected the day before seems to have a life of its own, and later one of them is seemingly attacked by one of the rocks, as it turns into an extra-terrestrial spider and imbeds itself in the astronaut’s body.  When they re-board their vessel, Anderson attempts to extract the foreign object from his compatriot’s body.  It appears to have turned back into a rock, similar to the one that they collected before.  While all this is going on, Houston has reassured them that the feedback noise is not much cause for concern, and they aren’t sure what to make of Russian presence on the moon.

SPOILER ALERT! I’m going to end the re-cap there, because those are the highlights.  To sum it all up, the Department of Defense sent the three astronauts to the moon as sacrificial lambs on an ill-fated recon mission.  When they become infected by the extra-terrestrial spidery moon rock thingies, they are prohibited from returning to Earth and are left to die in space.  Ok, what did we learn here? Not much. The astronauts were able to confirm that the Russians were there and that there is something on the moon that doesn’t take kindly to visitors.  Was that worth sacrificing three American lives?  It doesn’t seem like it.  The payoff was weak, and it took an eternity to get there.  I was dumb enough to think that The Blair Witch Project was real at first, and fortunately I didn’t make that mistake here.  Apollo 18 had a great concept that could have made for a thought-provoking, eerie and unsettling movie.  Instead, it was a boring, tedious affair resulting in a disappointing conclusion.  I knew that I was supposed to feel sorry for the characters…but I just didn’t care.  And the arachnid moon rocks?  Lame! Save your money!

Images courtesy of IMDbPro.

Jersey Shore

The ironic thing about the show is that I think some elements are scripted (as is the case with most reality TV); yet the cast is very real, showing at various times the duality of human nature.  I think that overall they are a crass and rude bunch, but they are also capable of remarkable compassion for each other.  The guys are simultaneous douchebags and sweethearts. Ronnie is a prime example of this.

Throughout their relationship Ronnie has been very mean to Sammi.  Yet despite the cruelty he’s shown her, he displays an almost brotherly attitude towards Snooki and her relationship with Jionni.

Snooki has been frustrated in Jionni’s apparent disapproval of her personality and behavior.  She’s brash and boisterous, not demure and shy.  It seems as if he can’t deal with a woman as outgoing as Snooki, and she feels pressure to curtail her behavior and stifle her personality.  When they argue via telephone after Snooki tries to recap her night, Ronnie intervenes.  He explains to Jionni that Snooki loves him and he has a good girl, but Jionni doesn’t seem to want to hear it.  He cusses at Ron and tells him to give the phone back to Snooki. 

At this point, the roomies make a big deal of Snooki needing to dump him.  I agree that she shouldn’t change who she is to keep a guy, but they act like he went Ike Turner on her or something. It’s just not that big of a deal.  They even try to stage some half-assed intervention telling her that they don’t like how he makes her feel. This is one of the many problems that Sam and Ron have had over the years: meddlesome roommates. Snooki is annoyed by their efforts and has no intention of breaking up with Jionni.

Ronnie also showed a lot of compassion for Mike, encouraging him to stop moping around with his neckbrace, angling for sympathy. He tells Mike that he speaks from experience when he advises him to get out of the house and try to have fun. It seems that everyone has petulantly proclaimed that they were going home at some point, and this week was Mike’s turn –until Ronnie convinces him otherwise.  Mike tries to make amends with Snooki over the hook-up rumors, but he never actually admits that he lied – which makes one wonder what’s really true.  At least it seems that the housemates are trying to maintain the peace.  Did I say peace?  Well, peace with each other.  There isn’t peace at a local nightspot when a girl throws a drink on Deena and The Meatballs go into attack mode. 

Meanwhile, Ron and Sammi are back together again.  At this point I sincerely believe that I may vomit.  I’m really getting sick of this show and I don’t think I can continue to watch the roller coaster ride that is Sam and Ron.  They were fine this episode, but even they acknowledge that their relationship is day-to-day.  Who does that??  I understand that trashy TV makes for good TV, but at some point it gets old.

Best of the episode: Vinny and Pauly’s guido toolbag routine

 Worst of the episode: Snooki’s “intervention”

 What to watch for next: Jionni’s impending visit

Jersey Shore Season 4, Episode 6: “Fist Pump, Pushups, Chapstick” (original air date September 8, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at  10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

Some things are as regular as the rising of the sun on Jersey Shore. There will be meddling (usually from Sitch or J Woww), fights (verbal and/or physical), and there will be hook ups.  We’ve already had the trifecta in the past two episodes.  Deena pulled the robbery on Vin and they passed a girl back and forth like a willing joint.  Mike predictably reveals in passing to Sam that Ron disclosed that he could bring up to 5 chicks back to the house if he wanted to.  This bit of information proves to be the powder keg for last week’s episode.  After a night out clubbing ends in a silly spat, Sam tells Ron what Mike said about the 5 girls.  Ron and Sam confront Mike and he denies it.  Then Ron loses it.

Admittedly, this fight was long overdue, as Sitch has been known to Snitch in the past.  Remember Miami?  Well, I guess Ron bottled up all of his anger and it is now about to explode.  He drags Mike’s bed out of their room, yelling that he’s tired of him interfering in his relationship.  Mike yells back that he doesn’t care about his relationship, and the two come to blows.  Well, this was the equivalent of two schoolgirls on the playground.  Much ado about nothing.  I didn’t see a single real punch thrown.  Ron picks Mike up and throws him to the floor, and I see a lot of swinging and flailing – but no real damage.  But before all this Mike does something truly stupid, even for him.  He slaps his hands on the wall in anger, then he head-buts the concrete wall, knocking himself to the floor.  Everyone becomes concerned when he is woozy and a little incoherent after that, so an ambulance is called.  Pauly accompanies Mike to the hospital, where he is diagnosed with a slight concussion and a sprained neck.  Not bad for a night’s work.  Too bad they were self-inflicted.  What an idiot.

After the drama subsides a bit, Ron decides for the 999,999^th time that he and Sam are through.  But unless they both perish in some molten bath similar to this one, I’ll never believe it.

Best of the episode: Nothing this week. A total train wreck.

Worst of the episode: Mike being in the hospital

What to watch for next: Gianni visiting Snooki in the coming weeks and Hannah potentially visiting Ron.

Jersey Shore Season 4 Episode 5: And the Wall Won (originally aired September 1, 2011)

On this week’s episode, Vince and Turtle must deal with the aftermath of Ertz’ gruesome suicide.  Vince doesn’t seem as shaken as Turtle, but the consequences for him are much greater.  He didn’t do anything wrong, but it’s just a bad look for him to have been there, because a death occurred and there were drugs on the premises.  After his stint in re-hab, Vince doesn’t need the bad press.  Eric, Ari, and Shauna go into survival mode.  Vince, for the most part, is unflappable as usual while those around him panic.  His calm is short-lived when his attorney tells him that he’ll probably have to take a drug test.  It seems like he’s been on the straight and narrow, and we know he didn’t do anything at Ertz’ place, so he’s in the clear, right?  Not exactly.

He proclaims that he didn’t touch anything at Ertz’, but he doesn’t say that he didn’t use drugs.  That’s because he took a few pulls from a joint the previous week, unbeknownst to anyone.  He tells Eric what happened and E does his best to reassure him.

Vince and Eric’s relationship has been strained lately, as the line between manager and friend is blurred.  Vince needs a friend right now, not a manager.  He tells Eric one of the realest things I’ve ever heard him say, and as a person who has abstained from alcohol for the past 2 years, I could relate.  Vince told Eric that while rehab was helpful, there was a lot of labeling taking place as well.  He was told that he couldn’t do certain things anymore and that he was an addict.  He rejected those labels and wanted to prove to himself that those labels were not true.  He didn’t feel like an “addict,” and wanted to prove that he wasn’t by indulging in something without succumbing to it.  He said that he took a few pulls of the J and hasn’t thought about it since; it was no big deal.  That scene resonated with me, and I’m sure that anyone who’s ever battled personal demons can relate. Good writing and good acting.

While Vince deals with his impending drug test, Ari tries to deal with being separated.  He’s clearly longing for his wife but lacks focus.  On the one hand it seems like he wants to reconcile, but on the other hand it seems like he’s trying to get back out in the dating world.  He has a history with Dana Gordon (Constance Zimmer) but ends up ruining their rekindled union when he uses her as a pawn to make Mrs. Ari jealous.

Now back to Vince, the golden boy. With a little help from Billy Walsh (Rhys Coiro,) Vince manages to pass his drug test. Now packed with a renewed focus, Vince makes plans of coming back bigger and better than ever.  Looks like he’s got his swagger back.

Season 8, Episode 4: “Whiz Kid” (originally aired August 14, 2011)

Entourage airs Sundays at 10.30pm.

Images courtesy of HBO and IMDbPro.

The episode opens at the club with Deena exhibiting “thirsty” behavior towards Pauly.  She’s always had a crush on him and wants to smush, but Pauly is reluctant because he knows that it’s nearly impossible for a girl to sleep with a guy and not develop feelings.  Who needs the drama?  Snooki and Vinny went down that road before, and don’t even get me started on Sam and Ron.  Deena tries to cuddle with Pauly later when they get home, but he pretends to be sleeping.  Ouch.  He acts like he wants to spare her feelings, but I just don’t think Pauly is feeling Deena like that.

Later we are reminded that they are friends first, when Deena gets angry at Pauly for spilling the beans about Mike trying to cuddle with her.  Mike is like a dog in heat.  Last week he was all over Snooki, and this week he tries to cuddle with Deena in truly bizarre fashion.  He eavesdrops on a minor argument over the phone between Snooki and her boyfriend and blows it out of proportion, saying that if Jionni can’t make Snooki happy, then he will have to step in. He makes a big show of consoling her, but she doesn’t look like she’s biting.

Later Mike brings home a random girl who is DTF, and Snooki sends mixed messages by making fun of the girl’s looks and telling Mike that he can do better than her.  If she doesn’t like Mike herself, then why does she care who he brings home?  Mike hints that Snooki is they type of girl he can do better with and reminds her that they hooked up before.  Snooki doesn’t say much about that, but she makes it clear that they aren’t anything other than friends.  Anything more than that is all in Mike’s head.

Speaking of bringing someone home, when they all go out partying Ron gets wasted and claims that he will be bringing plenty of girls back to the house and that he slept with several girls before coming on the trip.  Sam is right there and he says all this for her benefit.  They had been doing so well, but I should have known that it couldn’t last.  I hate to say this, but Sam is pathetic.  Ladies, let Sammi serve as a cautionary tale.  How much abuse and heartache does she plan to endure?

At this point I can’t even blame Ron, because he is single and free and owes Sam nothing.  He also has the good sense to avoid the emotional entanglement that Sammi is trying to create.  Even after he hurts her feelings at the club, she still asks to cuddle with him later at home.  She’s a glutton for punishment and it’s sad to watch.  Sometimes the only way to get over the last person is to move on to the next person.  Ron is certainly moving on, and plans to have a lady friend named Hanna visit him at some point.  Have some pride Sam.

Best of the episode: Mike coming up short with Snooki

Worst of the episode: Sam and Ron. Again.

What to look for next: House drama with Sam/Ron and Mike/Snooki

For another take on this week’s episode check out “She’s Too Young For You Bro” by Stephanie Jaar.

Jersey Shore Season 4, Episode 2: Like More Than a Friend (originally aired August 11, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV

Images courtesy of MTV.

Last season on Entourage The Golden Boy fell from grace and his grip on fame loosened a bit. Vince had some demons to battle, but it appears that he has emerged victorious.  Through the ups and downs, for the most part Vince’s character has remained constant.  He wasn’t himself while battling drugs and alcohol, so I consider his behavior last season to be an aberration.  Vince has always been down to earth, humble, and willing to go the extra mile for a friend; and on this week’s episode some of Vince’s better qualities almost proved to be fatal flaws.

As you know, Vince is very passionate about getting his miner movie off the ground.  Eric and Ari aren’t taking him too seriously but appear to be humoring him for the time being.  In this week’s episode he finds potential help in a very unlikely place.  While in rehab, Vincent runs across Carl Ertz and the two bury the hatchet.  Here I’ll refresh your memory. 

After Medellin flopped, remember when Vince “chucked it all” and ran off to some island paradise with Turtle? He was persuaded to come home with the offer a movie called Danger Beach, produced by one Carl Ertz.  Vince returned home only to discover that Ertz never intended to make a movie with him at all.  He was just using Vince to lowball Emile Hirsch and get him to do the movie instead.  Vince took it in stride at the time and remained focused on resurrecting his career.  However, it was a pretty big act of betrayal, a very underhanded move. 

While Vince may have been forgiving, Eric, Ari and Turtle have not forgotten Ertz’s shady behavior.  They want Vince to stay as far away from him as possible, but Vince is committed to trying to get the movie made.  Ertz tells Vince to send over a copy of the script and that he’s serious about getting it made.  When Vince pays Ertz a visit (with Turtle in tow) to discuss the movie, he realizes that Ertz hasn’t read a word of the script and that he wants to barter so that Vince will take a role in some updated version of Falling Down that he wants to rehash.  The old bait and switch. 

To top it off, Ertz is coked out of his gourd.  Instead of high-tailing it out of there, Vince feels obligated to help him.  Ertz locks himself in the bathroom, snorting coke and acting crazy.  He is a scary looking guy and he isn’t thinking clearly.  He refuses to unlock the door, despite Vince’s pleas and earnest efforts to help him.  While in the bathroom he grabs a gun from a drawer, puts it firmly under his chin, and squeezes.  Oh yeah. Shit just got real.

This was vintage Entourage.  Not because of the explosive development I just relayed, but because of what was going on with other characters as well.  Entourage has always been interesting by not trying too hard.  The characters are in Hollywood.  They don’t have to try to be interesting; I was always struck by how their “natural” lives are just so much more fascinating and cooler than the average person’s.  Turtle’s dealings with Avion have come to a screeching halt, along with his relationship with Alex.  Drama tries unsuccessfully to make a power move with the network over his contract for Johnny’s Bananas, even though not a single episode has aired. 

Last but not least, Ari is trying to jump back in the proverbial saddle.  He’s been moping for weeks, but if Mrs. Ari is seeing other people – perhaps he should too.  To that end, Lloyd hooks him up with a manicurist to the stars.  They have a pleasant but awkward date that ends when Ari realizes that the dating scene moves a bit fast for his liking.  He ends up calling his old pal Dana Gordon for a friendly pep talk but ends up having more than his spirits lifted *wink wink*

Patience pays off, as an episode finally delivered.  I can’t wait to see what happens next week.  It looks like Vinnie will have to take a drug test – and unless he can find some clean urine – he may be looking up at the bottom again.  Finally, a closing season with some meat!

Entourage Season 8; Episode 3: “One Last Shot” (originally aired August 7, 2011)

Entourage airs Sundays at 10.30pm on HBO.

Images courtesy of IMDb.

Best buddies Mitch (Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern) and Dave (Jason Bateman, Horrible Bosses) couldn’t be more different.  Mitch is a single Ladies’ Man with very few responsibilities.  He’s an on again/off again actor whose days consist largely of jerking off and smoking weed.  That might be fun for a 20 year old, but a grown adult male should have higher aspirations.  In contrast, Dave is a settled family man.  He’s married with three children and is completely devoted and responsible.  While hanging out one drunken night, they each lament their lifestyles.  Dave didn’t goof off in his 20s like Mitch.  He was working his way through school and stepping up to the plate after having his first child.  He envies Mitch’s swinging single lifestyle and the endless parade of women.  Mitch is content with his life, but he admits that it would be nice to come home and be surrounded by people who genuinely care about you.  While relieving themselves in a fountain, they verbalize their wishes and in a moment of movie magic, their lives are swapped. 

When Dave awakes the next morning, it is Mitch that dwells within him.  Similarly, Dave’s spirit inhabits Mitch’s body.  With an important acting audition approaching for Mitch, and a big deal looming at the firm for Dave, the switch couldn’t have happened at a worse time.  Luckily Mitch makes it through the meeting and Dave survives the audition. 

Swapping lives is full of potential pitfalls for each guy, from a tempting young associate at the firm for Dave to indiscriminate sexual encounters for Mitch.  Of course things aren’t all bad.  Mitch infuses Dave’s life with a carefree attitude, and Dave brings a degree of levity to Mitch’s haphazard lifestyle.  The problem is that Dave has to make sure his marriage is in a better place than he left it.  The trappings of success have taken the love and passion out of their relationship, and he’ll have to figure out how to get it back before it’s too late. 

The Change-Up is what it is.  Was is original? Hell no. Was it funny? Yes, for the most part it was.  It had the appropriate balance of humor and heart to make for a passable day at the movies.  The lead actors are likeable and charismatic and there were enough laughs to keep you satisfied.  I’m sure married men can relate to the partial surrender that comes along with marriage and kids, and what good is suffering if you can’t play it for laughs?  I heard plenty of chuckles in the theater.  You may have to temper your expectations a bit, but I thought The Change-Up was pretty funny and worth checking out.

Images courtesy of Richard Cartwright and Universal Studios.

The gang’s all here, back in full effect.  A lot has happened since we last saw everyone. Ronnie and Sam seem to have regained some of their mental health and are both vowing to remain drama free this time around. Snooki is in a committed relationship and also pledges her fidelity while on vacation. The fellas are just The Fellas. They’re all pretty excited about going abroad, and they can’t wait to take Florence by storm. After they get their passports they race off to the airport in an effort to be the first group to arrive at their house and choose rooms. Vinnie is particularly excited about getting in touch with his roots. His Italian isn’t that great, but he speaks more fluently than anyone else.

When they arrive in Italy they’re filled with nervous energy and excitement. They fall into a quick G.T.L. routine by finding a gym and working out. Exercise is all well and good, but we know that what they are most excited about is “beating that beat up” at the nearest club.

They find the perfect place with the perfect music, and prepare to dance the night away. They even know how to say “no grenades” in Italian. While at the club, Mike reveals that he and Snooki hooked up back home while she had a boyfriend. He’s acting like he legitimately has interest in her beyond just hooking up. Ronnie doesn’t want to hear any of it and thinks Mike should just leave Snooki alone. He’s pawing at her uncontrollably, which is disgusting. Similarly gross is what’s going on between Deena and Pauly. She’s always had a crush on him and finally she gets to make out with him. Pauly looks like there is nothing he’d rather do less than kiss Deena. Awkward!

Even with non-scripted TV, I guess it takes a while to get rolling. This was a ho-hum episode, but I expect the fireworks to go off shortly.

Best of the episode: The guys trying to pick up chicks and failing miserably due to the language barrier.

Worst of the episode: Deena and Pauly’s sloppy kiss.

What to watch for next: Sam & Ronnie maintaining civility

For another opinion on this week’s episode, check out Ciao, Italia! The Guidos and Guidettes Invade the Boot by Stephanie Jaar.

Jersey Shore: Season 4, Episode 1: “Going to Italia” (original air date August 4, 2011)

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10/9c on MTV.

Images courtesy of MTV.

In the past Vince’s shortcomings have been professional, but this time it’s his personal life that must be repaired.  The first step in that process was successfully completing rehab.  I would imagine that being shut out from the rest of the world in isolation would allow one a lot of time to think.  While serving his stint, Vince came up with an idea for a movie about miners who were trapped underground.  Not the Chilean miners we all know about, some other ones in Romania.  Maybe if this idea was fleshed out more, it would be successful, but as it stands now – it sucks.  The guys are afraid to tell him how they really feel, because he is recovering from addiction and they don’t want to say anything that will send him back over the edge.  Eventually they decide that the idea sounds like a made-for-TV-movie (not a compliment) and that Johnny would be good in the lead role.  Vince tweaks the idea and comes up with a mini-script for Billy Walsh to check out.

Meanwhile Eric and Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui) continue in the aftermath of their sudden break-up.  They were perfect together, but then I guess Sloan offended Eric irreparably by asking him to sign a pre-nup.  It’s unfortunate that they can’t split amicably, and even sadder that Sloan returned the engagement ring in an envelope via snail mail.  And the envelope wasn’t even padded!  When Eric finally goes to retrieve his belongings from her house, they end up sleeping together.  I think in the back of his mind Eric may have gotten his hopes up after that happened because he seemed genuinely thrown for a loop when Sloan dropped the following bombshell: She’s moving to New York.

In an ironic twist, guess who’s thriving most right now? Drama!  His new cartoon tested well, and he and co-star Andrew Dice Clay are on their way to being relevant again.  It looks like Clay might be getting a little beside himself with the first hint of renewed fame, so we’ll have to keep an eye on whether or not he rocks the boat.  Johnny is just happy to be along for the ride, and I don’t blame him.  I shouldn’t slight Turtle, because the tequila business seems to be flourishing as well.  The same can’t be said for his relationship with Alex, who isn’t returning any of his phone calls.  She’s been doing some ads for the company and is feeling herself a little bit.  Poor Turtle, all of his relationships are short lived.  Can we bring back Meadow Soprano? Never thought I’d say that.

So far this final season is off to a decent start.  I know it takes some time to get going, and I’m willing to be patient.  I wasn’t blown away by the premiere episode, but at least the storyline is being advanced this week.  Ari will be showing a more vulnerable, wounded side this season as his relationship with Mrs. Ari (Perrey Reeves) continues to dissolve.  I love Ari’s character but it would be nice to see his a-hole qualities tempered with a little humanity.  I wouldn’t mind seeing him brought down to size.  I think the show has fallen off in the past couple of seasons and I really hope they go out with a bang. *fingers crossed*

Season 8, Episode 2: “Out With a Bang” (original airdate July 31, 2011.)

Entourage airs Sundays at 10.30pm on HBO.

Images courtesy of HBO and IMDb.

What could be so bad to give rise to the ultimate act of employee vengeance?  Friends Nick (Jason Bateman, Couples Retreat) Kurt, (Jason Sudeikis, Hall Pass), and Dale (Charlie Day, Going the Distance) don’t just dislike their bosses, they endure daily torture.  Kurt actually liked his original boss, but when he dies and the man’s cokehead son (Colin Farrell, Pride and Glory) takes over the company, things take a turn for the worst.  Nick’s boss is Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack), a heartless a-hole and merciless dictator.  Part of the reason Nick has remained at the company for so long is because he assumes that he’s in line for a big promotion.  Like many worker bees, Nick eats crap at the job because he thinks it’ll pay off in the long run.  But when Harken absorbs the new position into his already existing responsibilities, giving it to no one, Nick reaches his limit.  Harken is so mean that he wouldn’t even give Nick a few hours off to visit his grandmother on her deathbed.  Lucifer himself would have to give the nod to Harken. 

What’s nearly as terrible as a Cokehead Cretan for a boss or the meanest S.O.B. in the world? How about a Maneater?  At first blush it seems that Dale’s horrible boss isn’t so bad.  What straight man wouldn’t mind being complimented by an attractive woman at work, even if she’s your boss, right? Wrong.  It’s not just inappropriate, it’s illegal.  Jennifer Aniston (Just Go With It) as Dr. Julia Harris takes things to a new level.  Despite the fact that Dale is engaged, Julia repeatedly makes sexual advances towards him at work, threatening to tell his fiancé that they “sealed the deal,” unless he actually goes through with it.  While performing a dental procedure on him the first week he was hired, she sedated him and posed him in lascivious positions.  As a matter of fact, I think she actually slept with him while in that state.  That’s rape, not exactly a laughing matter although it is played that way in the movie. 

You might ask, why don’t they just quit?  The movie addresses that.  While discussing that very possibility at the local bar, they run into an unemployed old friend who has resorted to giving hand jobs in the men’s room to make ends meet.  That scares them enough to not go quitting all willy-nilly.  Plus Harken tells Nick that if he quits he’ll essentially make sure that he’ll never work in this town again.  Who can afford to start from scratch at their age?  Not many people.  So, while the initial idea to eradicate the higher ups started in jest, things quickly take a serious turn and the guys hire Jamie Foxx (Due Date) to help them pull it off.  What follows is a pretty funny attempt to commit the perfect crime in order to live a life of happiness.  It’s not very realistic, but the actors have great comedic timing and it works for the most part.  An SNL alum, Sudeikis could probably do this in his sleep.  Jason Bateman continues his career resurgence and also has a great rapport with the other actors in the movie.  Finally, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston were hilariously mean and raunchy.  I’ll bet they had a lot of fun making this movie.

Horrible Bosses had a lot of funny moments.  I’d say that it was on par with the Hangover 2, but not as funny as Bridesmaids, in my opinion.  There weren’t a lot of gross-out moments, and I appreciated that.  Things got a little silly at one point, but it didn’t detract from the overall comedic value of the movie.  Is it the can’t miss comedy hit of the summer? I wouldn’t say all that, but it’s pretty damn funny and has a good cast.  Well worth the cost of admission.

Images courtesy of IMDbPro.

Frenchie Davis (Christina’s Team)

Christina thinks it would be good to take Frenchie out of her comfort zone a little bit by having her sing one of her favorite songs, Madonna’s “Like A Prayer.”  She gives it a gospel feel, and it sounds great. I had to laugh at the background dancers wearing choir robes though. Really? Anyway, she gets the night off to a good start with the first of a series of nearly flawless performances. During this phase of the competition, the judges will divide 100 points between their two remaining team members.  America’s vote will be added to that score, and a winner from each team will advance, taking the competition from 8 to 4.

Nakia (Cee Lo’s Team)

Cee Lo wants to bring out Nakia’s confidence.  He selects a song that makes Nakia uncomfortable initially, “What Do You Want From Me,” by Adam Lambert.  Cee Lo doesn’t want him to get complacent, so he pushes him musically.  When Nakia actually reads through the lyrics, he embraces the choice.  His performance is intense and he works the stage like a true professional.  He has awesome stage presence and has grown a lot in the competition.  He began his performance playing the piano and singing softly and soulfully, but kicked the chair away and eventually rocked out.  The coaches loved it.

Dia Frampton (Blake’s Team)

While there are quite a few great voices in the competition, Dia Frampton is probably the most creative and self-assured contestant.  She frequently has her own ideas about what song to sing and the interpretation.  No one else can say that.  She continues that trend this week by selecting R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” and again she puts her own unique twist on it.  She’s already played the piano and this week she chooses the guitar.  She’s a very talented musician and one of my favorites.  Blake rarely has to coach Dia, because she already has a vision in mind, and she’s been successful thus far.  She even directs the background musicians.  When it came time to perform, she made the song her own and worked the crowd very well.  The coaches loved it.  You’ll hear me say that about virtually every performance, get used to it. Blake’s got a winner on his hands in Ms. Frampton.

Casey Weston (Adam’s Team)

While Blake doesn’t coach Dia very much, the same cannot be said about Adam and Casey.  She’s strong-willed and frequently resists Adam’s direction, but his advice always proves to be right in the end.  He selects Whitney Houston’s classic version of “I Will Always Love You,” a decision that I questioned initially.  He wisely advises Casey not to try and sing it like Whitney, because that would be impossible.  She needs to make the song her own, and to her credit she does just that.  Her voice does not stand out as much as the other contestants, but she does a good job with a very tough song.  She kept her register low in the beginning, and she didn’t attempt Whitney’s signature high notes.  That might have been disastrous.  Only the cream will rise to the top, and I’m not sure if that will be Casey.  Nevertheless, the judges were complimentary.  She needed a second chance during the blind auditions, but she’s made the most of her opportunity.

Beverly McClellan (Christina’s Team)

Beverly was America’s choice last week and looks to continue her winning ways during the Semi-Finals.  Christina wants to take her out of her rocker comfort zone a little bit by giving her a Blues number to sing.  She’ll have “The Thrill Is Gone,” by BB King – which is a great song.  Beverly and Frenchie have grown close during this competition but only one woman can advance.  As expected, Beverly knocks her performance out of the park.  She starts on the piano.  Cee Lo remarked during Dia’s performance that many of the contestants are accomplished musicians and that’s great.  I agree.  Beverly is so emotional and passionate, perfect for the Blues. 

Javier Colon (Adam’s Team)

Javier is the guy who got every coach to turn their chair during the blind auditions.  He’s had record deals before that have fallen apart.  He’s the real deal.  Maybe that’s why Adam chooses “Fix You,” by Coldplay.  It’s a beautiful song and his voice was tailor made for it.  Javier can do no wrong, and in all honesty – either he or Vicci Martinez will probably be the ultimate winner.  His performance is tender, sweet, and perfect.  He is simply wonderful, and very charismatic.  And he finally ditched the hat!

Xenia (Blake’s Team)

Xenia is such a sweet girl, but I think she is not experienced enough to make it to the Final Four.  Her voice is awesome though, very rich and unique.  Blake selects “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.”  Blake wants her to think about this as her chance to be the next voice of her generation.  He’s watched her blossom and has been like a big Papa Bear the whole time.  She needs the reinforcement because she’s still so shy.  She does a good job in her performance, but I think she needs to continue to break out of her shell.  Her voice is really something special though.

Vicci Martinez (Cee Lo’s Team)

Cee Lo chooses “Dog Days Are Over,” by Florence And The Machine.  Cee Lo detects sadness in Vicci and can tell that the song resonates with her.  She lost her father, who was also an aspiring singer.  She does her best to make him proud, and her performance is full of life and energy.  I’m not sure about the drums she was pounding, but she had the crowd enraptured from the first note.  I loved her energy and Adam thought it was the coolest performance of the night. If her father was looking down, he had to be proud. 

Results Show

I will take a moment now to pat myself on the back.  After Tuesday’s show I voted for the member from each team that I thought should win.  That would be Beverly, Dia, Javier, and Vicci.  All of them were spared by America last week, so it should be no surprise that America would again select them.  America is getting it right, because they are truly the best.  The final four is looking pretty impressive, though the eliminated contestants have no reason to hang their heads.  The coaches kept the margin close between their remaining two team members.  Blake and Christina kept it 50-50, while Cee Lo went 51-49, in favor of Nakia.  When I saw that I knew that Vicci would prevail, because she’s a fan favorite.  Adam was the outlier, and he scored it 65-35 in favor of Javier.  He said that Casey was only 18 and had time, but he needed to do his part to push Javier through because he had come so close many times before.  He needn’t have done that, because America loves Javier.  He trounced Casey.  I was sad to see Frenchie go, but I do think Beverly gave a better performance.  Xenia was a sweetie, but Dia is immensely talented.  Similarly, Nakia had a powerhouse voice, but there is something special about Vicci.  Who do you think will be the Ultimate Winner? My money’s on Javier, but you never know.  Stay tuned!

Season 1, Episodes 9 and 10 “Semi-Finals” and ”Semi-Finals: Results” (original airdate June 21 and 22, 2011.)

The Voice airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Lewis Jacobs and NBC.

Host Carson Daly is a good one because he isn’t a tool like Ryan Seacrest. Just wanted to put that out there. Back to the show.

Tori and Taylor Thompson (Cee Lo’s Team)

You know I’m not crazy about this pair, but I wish them well. Cee Lo chooses a great song for them, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrews sisters.  It’s a good choice because it features singing in unison.  They feel challenged because it’s in double time and it’s so old.  Their performance was cute and appropriate in terms of style and costume for Flag Day.  The judges loved it and Cee Lo was proud of their performance.

Casey Weston (Adam’s Team)

This week she’ll be singing “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall.  The recent high school graduate is used to singing slow tempo tunes, and Adam wants her to pick up the pace and energy a lot.  Her performance has a soulful, earthy feel with the back up drummers and singers, and she showcases her instrumentality with the guitar.  I like her voice a great deal.  I’m not sure if she has what it takes to be the ultimate winner of The Voice, but she gives a good showing.  Blake said he was gonna download her rendition because it was awesome.  Christina said it was fun and she loved the drummers; she said Casey has a beautiful voice but she should make sure that she doesn’t let the background overpower her performance.  Cee Lo said she did a wonderful job.  Her coach Adam said that he knew she was out of her comfort zone and he is happy with her performance and it was amazing. 

Vicci Martinez (Cee Lo’s Team)

Vicci is one of my favorites in the entire competition, and she will be performing my absolute favorite Country song, “Jolene,” by Dolly Parton.  This should be good!  Vicci begins strong yet subdued.  Her voice is powerful but she allows the mood to build.  As the tempo picks up, her performance strengthens.  I consider myself a Jolene connoisseur, and she nailed it.  She infused the song with a Rock flair at times, and it worked.  I fully expect Vicci to be one of the last contestants standing.  Adam thought it was soulful, raw, honest, and amazing.  Blake said she was explosive and he’s a huge fan.  Christina said it was heartfelt and she loved it and liked the ambiance.  Cee Lo said she did a wonderful job and worked the stage like a professional.  He said that it takes a big woman to admit that type of vulnerability in a song.  I agree whole-heartedly.

Devon Barley (Adam’s Team)

I had issues with Devon’s selection over Rebecca Loebe in the battle rounds.  I think the novelty of his appearance pushed him over the edge, and I wasn’t sure that was the criteria the judges should be using on a show called “The Voice.”  Nevertheless, he’s talented and he has made it this far.  Adam selects “Stop and Stare” by One Republic.  He coaches him on stage presence and how to rid himself of nerves.  Devon’s performance starts off pretty well, but he has some pitch problems as it continues.  He does have a lovely voice, but it was not a flawless performance.  Blake said he could sing his ass off.  Christina said that he really brings it on stage and she appreciates it.  Cee Lo thinks it’s cool that he doesn’t look the way that he sounds (this is the nonsense I was talking about).  Adam noted that it was pitchy in the beginning but he overcame that and was very confident.

Cee Lo’s Team Performance

They do a spunky rendition of “Everyday People,” totally befitting of Cee Lo’s groovy personality.  He has a strong team; even the Taylor sisters fit in perfectly with the number.  Vicci is something else.  There is NO WAY that either America or Cee Lo will not save her.  Take it to the bank.

Nakia (Cee Lo’s Team)

Soulful Blues singer Nakia is up next.  Cee Lo says that he’s looking for him to lead the pack.  He selects “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon, taking Nakia out of his comfort zone to see if he can pull it off.  I enjoyed Nakia’s rendition because I think he captured the right mood.  He was seductive and mellow when it called for that and ratcheted up the volume when he needed to.  Great performance.  Cee Lo and America will have a tough choice to make, but despite anyone else’s performance (Curtis Grimes hasn’t performed yet), I just don’t see how you let Vicci or Nakia get away.  Blake thought it was powerful.  Cee Lo thought it was great and he did everything perfectly.

Jeff Jenkins (Adam’s Team)

This week he’ll be singing “Jesus Take the Wheel,” by Carrie Underwood.  This song is perfect for him because the loss of his mother allows him to relate perfectly to the sentiment.  Adam wants him to raise the key of the song, and Jeff is nervous about that.  He wants the song to be the emotional tear-jerker it was supposed to be, so that he can make his mother proud.  His voice is soulful and wonderful and I can tell that the song means a lot to him.  Adam has a strong team.  Christina thought it was beautiful.  Adam said his presence and the power of his voice demand attention and he loved it.

Adam’s Team Performance

They perform “A Little Help From My Friends,” showcasing his team’s strength.  Their voices blend very well and they are accompanied by a choir, adding to the soulfulness of the performance.  I can’t decide who has the better team, Cee Lo or Adam.  Javier Colon stole the performance, which is not surprising.  Along with Vicci Martinez, I could see him being the absolute last contestant standing.

Curtis Grimes (Cee Lo’s Team)

Cee Lo chose “Addicted to Love,” by Robert Palmer.  I don’t like this idea, because Curtis is going to make it Country and that’s messing the song up, to me.  It’s supposed to be sexy.  Let’s see if Curtis can do it.  Sure enough, it sounds Country.  I guess you’re supposed to make it your own, so maybe that’s a good thing.  He walked around the stage briefly grinding up against his back up dancers, which was corny to me.  I wasn’t crazy about it.  And when you measure it against Nakia and Vicci’s performance – no contest.  Adam said it was awesome and cool and it was a Country version of the song.  Yeah, that’s why I didn’t like it.  Blake has a lot of respect for Country guys coming out here looking good and representing.  Christina says that he has a great voice and it was a great performance.  Cee Lo thought he did a wonderful job and he loved the alternative of the song. 

Javier Colon (Adam’s Team)

Yep, we’ve saved the best for last.  Arguably the best singer in the competition, Javier will be singing “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan.  He said it reminds him of a lullaby he would sing to his kids.  Adam said that his biggest strength is his range, but that can also be a weakness because he should scale back sometimes.  Javier’s strategy is to take each song one at a time and try to nail it as best as he can.  His performance is nothing short of beautiful.  His voice is melodic and clear, and the performance was tender and emotional.  He has a wonderful range and a great falsetto.  Without a doubt he is a frontrunner, and  Adam scored a victory by landing him.  It’s a no-brainer that he will advance to the semifinals. If America doesn’t have the good sense to save him, Adam will.  Blake says that you don’t talk about Javier, you go out and buy his t-shirts and his concert tickets.  Christina says that he’s the one that got away.  Cee Lo said that he epitomizes the point of the show and he really has the voice of an angel.  His coach Adam simply says that it was absolutely perfect.

What a great episode, featuring the two strongest teams.  The level of competition is very high and the judges will have some tough choices ahead. Speaking of tough choices, Blake must now finalize his team that he will send forth to the semifinals.  Dia, Patrick, Jared and Xenia await their fate nervously.  We find out that America has chosen to make Dia safe, and I’m happy because she was simply amazing last week.  Her rendition of Kanye West’s “Heartless” was a work of genius and I’m glad that America agreed.  From the remaining three Blake selects Xenia to move forward.  I told you he’d do that! He has a soft spot for the kid.  She deserves it.  So that’s Beverly, Frenchie, Dia and Xenia moving forward.  I predict that next week Adam and America will select Javier and Jeff and that Cee Lo and America will choose Nakia and Vicci.  Let’s see if I’m right!  I was worried about America getting it right, but they haven’t let me down.  See you next week!

Season 1, Episode 8: “Live Show, Quarter-Finals #2″ (original airdate June 14, 2011.)

The Voice airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Lewis Jacobs and NBC.

Beverly McClellan (Christina’s Team)

Season  1, Episode 7: “Quarter Finals: Round 1″ original airdate June 7, 2011.

The Voice airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Lewis Jacob and NBC

First Class details the inception of the X-Men, a ragtag band of mutants helmed by the brilliant, young Charles Xavier (wonderfully played by James McAvoy, Wanted).  The movie presumes that viewers will be familiar with characters already, but it is not necessary to have seen any of the previous X-Men movies.  However, your viewing experience will be enhanced if you bone up on its predecessors before seeing First Class.

The movie begins in a concentration camp where we see a young Magneto (real name Erik Lehnsherr) being separated from his parents.  His angst reveals a curious reaction:  the ability to bend metal.  As he cries in anguish, the gate separating him from his family buckles under the force of his will.  This feat is observed by the watchful eye of Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a high level Nazi.  Seeking to harness young Erik’s power for his own purposes, he spares the boy’s life and summons him to his office, where he commands him to move a coin on his desk.  Only a boy, he does not fully understand the source of his power.  In a move that will forever shape Erik’s existence, Shaw produces Erik’s mother to spur him to action.  I won’t tell you exactly how a Nazi uses a Jewish boy’s mother as leverage against him, but use your imagination.  It isn’t pretty.  This early tragedy shapes Eric’s psyche and becomes the defining moment in his life.  He was not “normal” to begin with; how can he ever be normal now?  The movie moves forward to 1963, where Erik is in his 20s and has not forgotten the tragic events of his youth for one minute.  He is on a mission to find Sebastian Shaw and exact a measure of revenge.  It is the driving force within him.  Having mastered his powers, he will not be denied.

Shaw, a mutant himself – is now a nefarious nuclear arms dealer who has positioned himself in the middle of what is historically known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.  He wants to play America and Russia off one another in hopes of starting a nuclear war whose aftermath will only be survived by mutants, allowing them to control the globe.  Meanwhile, the U.S. government has enlisted the help of Charles Xavier to understand the mutants who threaten international security.  James McAvoy infused Charles Xavier with a heretofore unseen charisma and panache.  We’re accustomed to Patrick Stewart in the role – older, serious, benevolent and wise.  I got a kick out of watching Xavier “spit game” to young women while his buddy Raven (Mystique) looked on.  First of all, Mystique goes on to become a villain, and I had no idea that she and Charles were once allies and friends.  Drawn together by their common abnormality, they displayed a familial kinship that reveals much about the circumstances that would shape these complex characters.  In their quest for Shaw, Charles and Erik cross paths and agree to work together – though they have very different agendas.  Charles wants to protect humanity, while Erik is wise enough to know that humans will turn on you in a minute.  He is concerned with avenging what happened to his mother, and nothing more.

I’ve said enough about the plot and won’t discuss it further.  There are too many details, and you have the gist of it.  I’d rather spend the remaining space discussing how the film revealed the circumstances that gave rise to characters with which we are already familiar.  Magneto (Michael Fassbender, Inglourious Basterds) Charles, and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone) were very layered characters.  The movie dismantled the dichotomy between “hero” and “villain,” in my opinion.  Yes, Magneto will go on to become a diabolical, evil character.  But he was not always that way.  He was shaped and molded into a monster and had very little chance of becoming anything else.  Why protect a world and a species that detests you?  Charles was always “good,” but is there always honor in turning the other cheek?  Is that wise or foolhardy?

Ironically, it is Charles that teaches Magneto how to harness his power, and there are at least two scenes in the movie where they literally risk their lives for one another.  It’s amazing that they will go on to be mortal enemies.  Particularly powerful is the scene that finally reveals Charles’ hallmark paralysis.  I won’t spoil it for you.  Mystique and Magneto develop a bond because it is he who accepts her in her natural form, even more so than Charles.  She does not have the luxury of concealing her mutant abilities unless she exerts energy in changing into human form.  Magneto does not reject her blue skin; he embraces it.  With him she truly finds a home, and viewers can see the manner in which her allegiance was formed.  I was fascinated by all of these storylines, and that is why you would be disadvantaged if you were totally unfamiliar with the franchise or comic book before seeing First Class.  But unless you’ve been living under a rock, I assume you’ve seen at least one X-Men movie.

I enjoyed the way actual historical news footage of President Kennedy was interspersed in the move, and I appreciated the wardrobe of the 1960s as well.  I know that’s a weird thing to say, but mod fashion was a signature of the 1960s, and the filmmakers got it just right.  I’d be remiss if I left you thinking that the movie was perfect, because it was not.  The beginning tragic scene with Young Magneto and his mother failed to resonate with me as it should have.  Maybe that was my fault, I don’t know – but it didn’t do what it should have done: really move me.  I got that I was supposed to be moved, but I wasn’t.  Additionally, when the other viewers in my theater first saw Kevin Bacon, they LOL’ed. I don’t know why, I guess we weren’t expecting it.  It was kind of like oh he’s in this? *snicker*  He did a great job, but that was just everyone’s initial reaction.  Sorry Mr. Bacon.  Also, this film should in no way be compared to The Dark Knight, as some are suggesting.  Totally different movies…let The Dark Knight be. No one in this movie can sniff Heath Ledger’s performance and let’s just leave it at that.  All that being said, I give a ringing endorsement to X-Men: First Class.

Grade: A-

Images courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.

Adam’s Team

Adam’s last team members are Jeff Jenkins and Casey Desmond.  Jeff blew the judges away during the blind auditions, with each one of them turning their chair.  In contrast, only Adam turned his chair for Casey.  Adam chooses the Elton John classic, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and his musical director Adam Blackstone returns to lend a hand during the initial practice session.  Casey and Jeff sing very well together, and I anticipate a good battle.  I think Jeff is the clear favorite, but Casey is no slouch.  She’s very confident, and it’s Jeff’s battle to lose.  He carries the memory of his recently deceased mother for extra motivation, though he doesn’t seem to need it.  Their battle was a good one, but the judges think Jeff outshined Casey with his big, soulful voice.  Adam agrees, and Jeff moves forward.  Adam has a pretty good team in place for the live rounds: Jeff Jenkins, Casey Weston, Javier Colon, and Devon Barley.

Blake’s Team

Blake has youngsters Sara Oromchi and Xenia remaining.  They are 18 and 16, respectively.  Both girls are painfully shy and Blake and guest advisor Reba McEntire do their best to encourage the girls and give them confidence.  They’ll be singing “I’ll Stand by You,” by The Pretenders.  Blake wants their personalities to jump out.  Xenia has a sweet voice that reminds me of Norah Jones, but she is just so shy that I’m not sure she’ll be able to shine in the battle.  Sara is a little more outgoing, but not by much.  When they finally get to the battle, they are both a bundle of nerves.  Sara in particular is very pitchy.  Xenia doesn’t have a great presence, and Blake sort of has to pick between the lesser of two “evils.”  They didn’t do well, but they are talented girls and deserve to be in the competition.  He chooses Xenia in the Battle of the Shy Girls.  Blake’s team is pretty weak going into the live rounds.  He has Xenia, Patrick Thomas, Jared Blake, and Dia Frampton.  Patrick and Jared are very underwhelming, if you ask me. Good luck Blake, you’ll need it.

Christina’s Team

Christina is left with second chance artist Lily Elise and back-up singer/songwriter Cherie Oakley.  They will be singing Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone.”  She thinks the song has some tough notes to hit and it will be a good one to showcase each girl’s voice.  Lily is a huge fan of Christina’s and it would mean a lot to her if her idol selected  her to advance.  Once again Sia assists Christina in the initial rehearsal. Lily is bold and confident, but I like the clarity and tone of Cherie’s voice a bit more.  Once the battle begins, I think it is a push with maybe the slightest edge to Cherie.  It could go either way because Lily had some good moments too.  When the battle concludes, Reba reveals that Cherie wrote a song for her that ended up being a #1 record.  Wow. This girl is going to be ok whether she wins The Voice or not.  Ultimately Christina chooses Lily.  Is it because Lily idolizes her?  Christina seems like you could appeal to her ego and maybe score a point or two.  She has a pretty strong team of four: Frenchie Davis, Beverly McClellan, Raquel Castro, and of course Lily Elise.

Cee Lo’s Team

Cee Lo is left with Emily Valentine and Curtis Grimes.  These two have bonded over the weeks and seem to have a little crush on one another.  They will be singing “Need You Now,” by Lady Antebellum.  Curtis’ sob story is that he gave up a career in baseball for a failed engagement.  He says he won’t be giving up his dreams for love again.  Right on, Brother.  Emily and Curtis won’t have to try very hard to tap into the emotion required for this love song.  Both claim that they want to win, despite their burgeoning feelings for one another.  I think Emily’s voice is sweet and lovely.  Curtis has a very nice voice as well.  When the battle begins, I can feel their emotion.  I’m partial to Emily.  When the song wraps they surprisingly smooch in the middle of the ring/stage while the judges watch with their mouths agape.  They know that the journey will end for one of them, and it is Emily who must go home.  Cee Lo has a strong team going into the live rounds:  Curtis Grimes, Vicci Martinez, The Thompson Sisters, and Nakia.  How could I forget about those awful sisters? Scratch what I just said about Cee Lo’s team.  Adam’s squad looks the strongest.

I’m afraid that America won’t “get it right,” but I look forward to the live rounds.  There are some great voices in this competition, and even if some people hang around longer than they should – I’m confident that the ultimate winner will be a deserving one.  I hope!

Season 1, Episode 6: “Battles: Round 4″ (original airdate May 31, 2011.)

The Voice airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Lewis Jacobs and NBCUniversal.

The show has been on for a few weeks now, and the contestants have been whittled down – but the show began with blind auditions. Four celebrity judges sat with their backs turned to each contestant, unable to allow their visual biases to influence their decisions. All too often in the music industry, style trumps substance. The airwaves are littered with pretty people who can barely carry a tune. The Voice allows people to have a fair chance, and who better to judge you than a superstar musician? Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine will choose teams comprised of contestants, and will eliminate a contestant each week.

The series started with each star choosing 8 members for their team. They will pit their own team members against each other in “battle rounds” until the numbers are whittled to 4 on each team. To help them prepare for each battle, they will receive coaching from their celebrity judge as well as a guest advisor. Eventually, the live competitions will begin, and America will decide who has “The Voice.” What I initially liked about the show was that I connected with each contestant. Some had been singing all of their lives, some were young and new; all were immensely talented. The funny thing is that during the blind auditions, if a star judge hit their buzzer, you were selected to their team. If more than one star hit their buzzer and turned around, the contestant gets to choose which star they would like to work with. So at first it’s the contestant who is desperate for at least one judge to turn his or her chair, but if more than one star was interested then the tables were turned. Now it is the celebrity judge who is desperate to be selected. Imagine Christina Aguilera pleading her case! Quite entertaining.

Now that you know the background of the show, let’s get to the results. I know that I just sang the show’s praises, but I’m losing favor with it now as I strongly disagreed with last week’s results.

Christina’s Team

So Far Christina has R&B diva Frenchie Davis and soulful rocker Beverly McClellan on her team. For this week’s battle she chooses youngster Raquel Castro to face off against the more soulful Julia Eason. They will be singing Rihanna’s “Only Girl In The World.” Aguilera picks the song because Rihanna has a youthful energy and she thinks the girls will do well with it.  Christina’s guest advisor is recording artist Sia. She and Christina prepare the girls for battle, and I personally think Julia Eason is the superior vocalist. Raquel is young and full of potential at only 16 years old. When the battle begins they both stay true to themselves, and it seems to me that Raquel over-sings it. Host Carson Daly asks the other judges who they would choose, and Cee Lo favors Raquel, who in fact it is the one to move forward. WTF! Julia’s voice was sexy and more controlled. I thought it suited the song better, and I thought Raquel overdid it. She also had some pitch problems. This is the first disappointing selection of the night for me.

Blake’s Team

Blake has already made some choices that have left me stupefied, quite frankly. He chose Country singing Patrick Thomas over Tyler Robinson, who was a waaay more gifted singer. If you’re just going to pick those contestants who do the best job of imitating you, then why even bother? This week he makes a horrible pairing: Dia Frampton vs. Serabee, singing “You Can’t Hurry Love,” by The Supremes. You want to narrow your team down, but you also want to have a good battle. Your singers are competing against one another, but their voices also need to compliment each other enough to make for a watchable performance. That’s why the contestants rehearse together. Blake is probably the worst judge. Pitting these two singers against each other will be too sharp of a contrast. Serabee is raspy, emotional, and soulful. Dia is mellow and quiet. Would you ever have Norah Jones and Aretha Franklin on the same song? Hell no! I know from the outset that the aggressive Serabee will sing all over Dia, if necessary. That doesn’t mean she’s a better vocalist, it means they have different styles. The performance is ok, and it’s actually not as bad as it could have been. I still think it’s a lousy pairing, and Cee Lo comments on how bizarre it is. It should be noted that Blake’s guest advisor is Reba Mcentire. Even she can’t save this pairing. Ultimately Blake chooses Dia, and I’m glad that little flower will get a chance to bloom. The deck was certainly stacked against her.

Adam’s Team

Adam has a pretty good team so far. He’s got Javier Colon and Casey Weston. For this week’s battle Adam chooses Rebecca Loebe vs. Pre-Med student Devon Barley, who looks like this guy. They will be singing “Creep,” by Radiohead. He thinks the song is dark and ominous, a total contrast with both contestants. Devon is a good singer, but folk singer Rebecca absolutely freaked the blind auditions with a haunting and original rendition of “Come As You Are.” Adam’s guest advisor is Maroon 5’s musical director, Adam Blackstone. Rebecca is more familiar with the song than Devon, and I prefer her voice to his. They compliment each other well when the battle begins, but I think Rebecca is clearly better. Once again, I’m wrong. Everyone prefers Devon, and I think it’s because he’s “cute” and you wouldn’t expect someone who looks like him to have that voice. That doesn’t mean that he won the battle! Boo Adam! I’m disappointed with the judges’ choice, once again. I hope Rebecca goes on to do great things. She’s been living in her car and should be making a living off of that great voice. Adam at least had a hard time with the choice, but I still think he made the wrong one.

Cee Lo’s Team

And now for our most disappointing performance of the evening. Cee Lo’s team is pretty strong so far. He has Vicci Martinez and Nakia. This week he chooses bubblegummy sister duo Tori and Taylor Thompson vs. Kelsey Rey. They will be singing “Unwritten,” by Natasha Bedingfield. He thinks the song’s sentiment fits the Thompson sisters well. Cee Lo’s advisor is R&B singer Monica. During rehearsals the Thompson sisters giggle nervously like the teens that they are. They lack Kelsey’s polish and seriousness. I’m sorry, I’m just not overwhelmed by their powers of cuteness. This is called THE VOICE, right? Yeah, well these little girls don’t have it. I’m very disappointed that Cee Lo ends up choosing them over Kelsey Rey. He seemed to agonize over the decision and it looked like he’d end up picking Kelsey. Alas, he did not. Let me tell you: The Thompson sisters will not win this competition. They will ultimately be eaten alive and I do NOT think they should have advanced.

So far each judge has fumbled at least one battle so far. The teams look liked mixed bags. I hope that this great show doesn’t falter any more than it already has. The thing that makes it better than American Idol is its ostensible focus on substance over style. Choices like the “young and cutesy” contestants that won some of the battles this week are baffling. Here’s hoping to some better choices next week!

Season 1, Episode 5: “Battles: Rounds 3″ (original airdate May 24, 2011.)

The Voice airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.

Images courtesy of Lewis Jacobs and NBC.

Last week, Alex uncharacteristically spilled the beans about Meredith’s interference with the Alzheimer’s trial.  Alex and Meredith are good friends, and he didn’t do it thoughtfully.  He did it at a bar, and seemingly for no reason.  That’s why I don’t respect it.  It’s not that no one should tell on Meredith.  What she did was horrible from a professional standpoint, and for many other reasons.  But Alex isn’t a goody two shoes, and that’s not his style.  The only reason he blew the whistle was because he was having a bad day and a competitive moment.  Now he has to live with the consequences of his actions; but more importantly – Meredith does. The fallout is instantaneous.  Derek is livid and wants answers.  So does Chief Webber, but Meredith reveals nothing in an effort to minimize the damage.  Webber asks a reluctant Alex for information and he begrudgingly gives a report about when he saw Meredith do what she did.  From that information the Chief is able to deduce that Adele was the patient with whom Meredith tampered.  This softens him a bit, but Derek is unwavering in his furor.  The Chief goes through the motions of suspending her, and ripples spread through the hospital as word travels.  Cristina takes Alex to task for snitching, and you can tell that he regrets it.  It’s too late now.

Meanwhile, the Chief Resident will finally be named.  It was Alex’s to lose, and lose it he did.  Hunt names April Kepner, of all people.  Talk about a shock! April has come a long way, but I don’t think she’s got the proverbial stones for the job.  Since Meredith, Alex, and Cristina were not options, Hunt should have gone with Avery.  He’s proven himself honorable and selfless, and he’s a doctor that people would respect.  I’m not sure April is there yet.  If there was any doubt as to why she was chosen, Hunt makes it clear to Alex who can’t believe Kepner was selected. Hunt angrily tells Alex that after betraying one of the most well-liked people in the entire hospital who happened to also be one of his best friends, no one would trust him or come to him with anything.  Earlier he tried to do damage control by telling Hunt that he only revealed what Meredith did in an effort to prevent her from becoming Chief Resident, not to get her fired.  Hunt said that if he blew the whistle without thinking it through, then he’s just as dumb as Meredith.  Great point!

For a minute it looked like there would be another classic disaster situation at the hospital, when word arrives that there has been a plane crash and that the survivors will be coming to Seattle Grace.  Surgeries are rescheduled and patients are bumped to make room for the crisis.  This includes Teddy’s husband Henry (the patient she married).  They wait and wait, but no one arrives.  Sadly they realize that no one is arriving because there are no survivors.  All of the families have gathered in the cafeteria awaiting news, and now instead of being apprised of their loved one’s injuries, they will shortly be making funeral plans.  Tragic, but I’m glad the writers didn’t rely on this tried and true hospital drama mainstay: the emergency/crisis/disaster. Been there done that. 

There were some big relationship developments in this episode.  When Meredith and Derek discuss her actions, he is unmoved to hear that Adele was the patient she helped.  What makes matters worse is that Meredith grasps the severity of what she did, but doesn’t recognize that it was a mistake, because it’s a “complicated” situation.  I agree that it is, but look at the consequences.  She made a grave mistake and for Derek to hear that if she had it to do all over again she’d do the same thing, it’s just too much for him to take.  He says that Meredith has been saying for weeks that she wouldn’t make a good mother, and maybe she’s right.  He doesn’t want to raise a child with someone who doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong.  Who knows what will happen with Baby Zola now?

While Meredith longs to be a parent, nothing could be more distant of a desire for Cristina Yang.  She’s said before that she doesn’t want children.  Owen sort of assumed that this would change one day.  While asking a potential blood donor about her last period, Cristina realizes it’s been a while since she had her own monthly visitor.  She gets Lucy to perform an ultrasound and finds out that she’s 6 weeks along. Damn!  This is disastrous for Cristina.  When she tells Owen he tries to balance between joy and soothing Cristina, who is not happy at all.  He repeatedly tells her that he loves her and that he wants her to be happy.  He knows that she’s not happy about this; but they can talk about it.  I wonder if she’ll come around, but she does not.  At the end of the episode she decides that she will get an abortion.  I think to myself: he’s gonna divorce you, and I don’t blame him.  He kicks her out and she goes to Meredith’s place – which by the way is empty because Derek is M.I.A.  And Meredith has Baby Zola, temporarily. 

Alex is having a rough day.  He snitched on his bestie and ruined his chances for Chief Resident.  Remember last week that Lucy stole his job in Africa.  While he’s drowning his sorrows at the bar, Lucy comes in and says “Tell me not to go to Africa.”  He responds, “Go to hell.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.  Honey, get over yourself.

There were MAJOR cliffhangers in this episode.  Will Derek and Meredith reconcile and be one big happy family?  Is April really cut out to be Chief?  Will Owen take Cristina back?  My guesses are yes, no, and no.  I can’t wait until next season!  Shonda Rhimes, YOU DA MAN, and I mean that as a total compliment. You rock!

Season 7, Episode 22: “Unaccompanied Minor” (original airdate May19, 2011.)

Images courtesy of Randy Holmes and ABC.

You may recall that when April first joined the show, she was fired for negligently causing the death of a patient.  We discussed how that early lethal mistake helped prepare the character for Chief Resident by cultivating a new attention to detail.  Ms. Drew was pleasantly surprised at being made a permanent, regular cast member two years ago, and although her character is still on the periphery sometimes – she is increasingly coming to the forefront and finding a voice.  Initially her character was part of the new crop of doctors from Mercy West, a competing hospital.  As an outsider, she was often marginalized, and being a 28 year old virgin certainly didn’t help – but Drew thinks her character is a special one that many viewers can relate to.  We discussed if she’d like to see April lose her virginity, and she would be fine with it as long as it unfolded naturally and in an appropriate way.  We’ve seen the exploration of younger characters losing their virginity on television shows before, and I think such a development would fit in nicely with her character’s evolution.

In last week’s episode we saw April stand up to Dr. Stark, and Ms. Drew mentioned that in the past April has tried to impress her superiors at the expense of her relationship with her peers; but all that is changing.  April has become a fan favorite over time, and that’s a testament to the humanity Sarah Drew brings to the role. We discussed the events that most shaped her character, and she felt that her character’s initial mistake is the driving force behind her recent success.  Rigidly following protocol may not endear her to her peers, but it makes her an efficient doctor, and that can only help in the race for Chief Resident.

With Broadway experience under her belt, Ms. Drew relates well to fellow cast mate Kevin McKidd, who also has “big stage” experience.  She feels that her work environment is a family atmosphere, and she has learned a lot from all of her co-stars.  She counts Sandra Oh and Sarah Ramirez as two strong influences and greatly admires their respective work ethics.  Playing the same role day in and day out has its mundane moments, but she enjoys the familiarity of the character and feels like she really knows April Kepner after two years in the role.  She was surprised and overjoyed that creator Shonda Rhimes decided to make her character one of the regulars, but had worked with Rhimes in the past and revealed that the character was created especially for her.

Hopefully one day we can check her out on the silver screen, but for now we get to tune in once a week and see her on Grey’s.  Look for Sarah Drew in a few plays this summer, one of which will be on PBS.  It’s been our pleasure to watch her growth over the past two years, and I think the sky’s the limit for this talented young actress.  Who knows, maybe April could be Chief Resident after all…we’ll find out Thursday – stay tuned!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of John Russo.

Back then, Cristina would have been at the forefront; she has since shown that she’s mortal and, more importantly, may lack the maturity required to lead.  The stakes are very high, and Meredith has painted herself into a corner with her rogue actions a few weeks ago.  Avery hasn’t really had the opportunity to showcase his surgical skills, but he has proven instrumental in Webber’s trial involving the mice.  When he drops out of the trial, it looks like he’s shooting himself in the foot.  He tells Webber that he would rather focus on gaining surgical experience.  During the individual interviews for Chief, Owen tells Avery that at times he seems like a quitter and that he’s making a mistake.  Avery respectfully disagrees.  It’s not until much later in the episode that we learn that Avery withdrew because he doesn’t want to ride his grandfather’s famous coattails to an Avery award.  Owen figured it out even though Avery never said anything.  He’s a really stand up guy and I respect that.

Here’s who I don’t respect: Lucy.  She has an opportunity to take a position at Baylor (in Texas) and is casually trying to gauge whether or not Alex wants her to go or stick around.  Meanwhile, Arizona broaches the possibility of Alex taking her place at the clinic in Africa and continuing what he’s started.  When Alex doesn’t reject the position outright, Lucy feels a little insecure and unsure of the nature of their relationship.  I don’t think Alex realizes what’s going on until Cristina points it out to him and Arizona tells him to consider his feelings for Lucy before taking the position in Africa.  Once he “gets it,” he turns the job in Africa down and tells Lucy that she is a factor to consider and that he wants her to stick around.  By this time she’s taken an earlier page from his book and announces that she is actually going to take his position in Africa. What?!  You know what, that really pissed me off.

This is why Alex Karev is a misunderstood guy and why he comes off like an a-hole sometimes, when he’s really not.  Every time he sticks his neck out there, someone tries to chop it off.  What a bitchy move by Lucy.  How was Alex supposed to know the nature of their relationship?  She made a point of dissing the hell out of him initially, and it certainly seemed to me that their relationship was more physical than anything else.  She had to be convinced that he was actually a good guy, if you recall.  So it’s understandable to me that he wouldn’t exactly know where they stood.  Alex said that he better win Chief Resident now, and I think that he will.

Let’s eliminate people who won’t win Chief Resident: April, Cristina and Meredith.  April killed someone, remember? I didn’t forget about her negligence that resulted in a woman’s death in her first season on the show.  Colossal error that was ultimately forgiven – but she was fired. No endorsement from Starks or newfound attention to protocol is going to change that. Cristina is married to Owen and has burned her bridge with Teddy, so she’s out.  He told her in as many words in the past episode that she is better suited for surgery as opposed to the duties of a Chief Resident.  I agree.  Now as for Meredith, she’s an excellent doctor – but at the very end of the episode Alex blurts out to Owen that Meredith screwed with the Alzheimer’s trial!  Alex, I’m very disappointed in you, you snitched!

Quick recap of everyone else:  Lexie still pines away for Mark, who has that baby glow that women adore.  He brought Baby Sophia to work and Lexie’s heart melted.  I think she should stick with Avery, but I understand Mark’s appeal.  Derek and Meredith are one step closer to adopting Zola, but it looks like her actions may put that in jeopardy.  Only one episode left! I’m excited and sad at the same time!  Still one of the best shows on TV.

Season 7, Episode 21: “I Will Survive” (original airdate May 12, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Adam Taylor and The CW.

Jumping the Broom is as much about the importance of family as it is about finding true love.  Jason and Sabrina don’t know each other very well, as they’ve only dated for six months before tying the knot.  Jason has met Sabrina’s parents, but his family remains a mystery until they show up for the nuptials.  When we first meet Jason’s mother (Loretta Devine, For Colored Girls) it’s no surprise that he was hesitant about introducing her.  She’s testy and rude and was determined to dislike Sabrina from the start.  Sabrina texted his mother that she was looking forward to meeting her (instead of calling personally), and Mama Taylor proclaims “Strike One!”  I’ll admit that a personal phone call may have been more appropriate, but did she really commit a cardinal sin here?  Mrs. Taylor undoubtedly loves her son, but that warm embrace turns smothering, and as time goes on she exposes Jason as a coddled Mama’s Boy who can’t find his own voice.  Sabrina’s mother (Angela Bassett, most recently of Notorious) is more refined and polite, but she’s a different brand of shrew.  She’s good at keeping up appearances, but she has a few secrets of her own, including a marriage on the rocks. 

The Taylors arrive on the Vineyard, including Jason’s uncle, cousin and his mother’s best friend.  The Watsons arrive as well, including Sabrina’s father, cousin and aunt.  At first I thought screenwriters Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs portrayed some of the characters as caricatures, because NOBODY is that blatantly jealous, petty, and negative. But when I thought about it again, there are usually at least one or two relatives that can never seem to be happy for you, even when they should be.  When Jason’s mother pokes her nose in the Watson’s family business and exposes a long-held secret, the wedding is in jeopardy.  Does Sabrina really want to marry a man whose mother is determined to hate her?  Will Jason stand up to her and find a backbone?  If a man can’t tell his mother “no,” before the wedding, what’s going to change afterwards?  Mama Taylor must decide if she wants to gain a daughter-in-law or lose a son, the choice is simple and difficult at the same time.

Laz Alonso and Paula Patton did a fine job with their performances, and they shared a natural chemistry.  While Paula Patton should continue to refine her abilities,  she held her own in scenes with Angela Bassett, whose performances are usually above reproach.  Romeo Miller, DeRay Davis, Tasha Smith, and Meagan Good were effective in their supporting roles, but I have to give the nod to Mike Epps (Lottery Ticket) as the comedic voice of reason for his bitter sister who could not seem to loosen the maternal grip on her son.  I enjoyed the movie and found it heartwarming, but there were a few cringe-worthy bits of dialogue.  As the fish-out-of-water Taylors arrived on the Vineyard, they passed a few boats.  Those boats have nothing to do with the slave trade, but upon seeing them a character remarked that he feared being shipped back to Africa.  After finding out that Jason and Sabrina would be moving to China another asked, “Do they even allow Black people in China?”  I find jokes like these trite, exasperating, and humorless.  I know the writers wanted to contrast the Taylors and Watsons, but that contrast didn’t have to be so sharp.  I guess if you highlight the divisions between the families so pointedly, it makes it all the more sweet when everyone kisses and makes up in the end.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed Jumping the Broom and would encourage viewers to not draw any Tyler Perry comparisons to this film produced by T.D. Jakes and Tracy Edmonds. Jumping the Broom was a pleasant outing at the movies that reinforced the importance of love and family, and what could be more appropriate on Mother’s Day weekend?  Check it out.

Images courtesy of IMDbPro.

Callie and Arizona’s parents are visiting for the wedding, and tensions rise as they try to rehearse every detail.  Callie is stressed because her mother is acting weird, Arizona is stressed because her father is micro-managing, and she misses her deceased brother. He was an important part of her life and would have wanted to be there for her special day.  On top of that, neither father seems to like Mark very much.  Callie’s mother keeps coming up with a convenient excuse to avoid holding her grandchild, while the other three other grandparents can’t seem to get enough of her.  Finally her mother admits that she disapproves of Callie’s lifestyle in its entirety.  Her relationship with Arizona, her “illegitimate” child, and most importantly – the wedding, which is supposed to be the reason she’s there in the first place.  Callie is very hurt and I feel her pain.  Even as an adult, most of us still want to please our parents, or at least make them proud.  What should be a special day for Callie may be ruined. 

Back at Seattle Grace, Alex is getting his project off the ground and the children have arrived for medical care.  Derek takes a special liking to an infant with spina bifida, while April and Dr. Stark treat a ten year old with HIV and serious internal damage from an old shrapnel injury.  Meanwhile, Avery is charged with caring for mice for Chief Webber in the hopes of FDA approval for a trial with human patients.  Derek and Meredith are preparing to move into the second phase of the Alzheimer’s trial, and as for Cristina, well…

Cristina remains in limbo while Teddy refuses to allow her back on her surgical rotation.  Teddy is still sore about Cristina’s insubordination during Callie’s surgery, even though she ended up being right when she performed the procedure successfully despite Teddy’s protestations.  During her surgical hiatus, Cristina is at a real disadvantage because she’s being outshined by her counterparts.  Forget scoring a basket, Cristina can’t even get in the game.  She asks Owen for help and he tells her to apologize to Teddy.  When Teddy later asks Owen for 20 reasons why she shouldn’t let Cristina back on her rotation, I start to think that Teddy is being petty. Hey, that rhymed! Anyway, I’m thinking that Cristina is a good surgeon and Teddy is letting her ego get in the way, but I was wrong. It turns out that Cristina got lucky with saving Callie.  She never thinks she is wrong, and that is a dangerous trait in a surgeon.  Owen says that Teddy should just explain that to Cristina, but Teddy says there is no explaining anything to her; she has to learn it for herself.  And until she can do that, Teddy is ok with being the “bad guy,” but could Cristina have dealt with killing Callie Torres if it had all gone wrong? Fair point. 

Things continue to go awry with the wedding when the priest bails on Callie too.  Enter Bailey to save the day.  She gives Callie a pep talk and officiates the ceremony too (who knew?).  While Callie and Arizona marry, Derek and Meredith do the same.  I guess their whole marriage by post-it thing wasn’t official? I’m not exactly clear on that…but remember the baby with spina bifida? Derek decides that he and Meredith should adopt her, since they want a family of their own and have been having difficulty.  Meredith is surprisingly ok with this idea. I didn’t expect her to balk at the idea of adopting an African orphan or anything like that, but Derek did just sort of spring it on her out of the blue.  They hadn’t discussed adoption at all, but it looks like they will have a new addition, and they seem happy.

The episode closes with Cristina putting her foot in her mouth with Teddy at the wedding reception.  Bad timing, bad idea.  Cristina still doesn’t “get it” and may have permanently ended her chances for Chief Resident.  Her brilliance has never been an issue; it’s everything else.  She assumes that Teddy can’t handle having been wrong about Callie, but it’s Cristina who is in the wrong.  If you think that’s exciting, check this out: Alex knows that Meredith switched the trial files.  She does the smart thing by denying it and playing dumb, but the stakes are high.  If she’s found out then Seattle Grace will lose its accreditation and everyone will suffer.  All of Alex’s pediatric work will go down the drain.  Will he blow the whistle? I doubt it, but the plot thickens! I can’t wait for next week’s episode.

Season 7, Episode 19: “White Wedding” (original air date May 5, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Richard Cartwright and ABC.

 The movie opens with a quick glimpse into the lives of several students at an Illinois high school.  The senior class is all abuzz with excitement.  High school seniors tend to mentally “check out” around spring break, as prom and graduation approach, and after those college acceptance letters start rolling in.  The movie is told primarily through the eyes of Nova (Aimee Teegarden, Friday Night Lights), a high-achieving “most likely to succeed” type of kid who gets good grades and is very involved in school activities.  Nova is consumed with the prom. As chair of the prom committee she has been carefully crafting decorations for a magical “Starry Night” to send the senior class off with a bang.  Nova doesn’t have a date, but she hopes that Brandon, also on the prom committee, will eventually ask her.  When he offhandedly suggests that they carpool together, she half-heartedly accepts.  All around the school, boys are coming up with creative and romantic ways to ask that special someone to the prom. 

Here is where fantasy comes into play, because high school boys are simply not that sensitive, creative or romantic.  You would think they were extending marriage proposals with all the effort they were expending.  When resident jock Tyler (DeVaughn Nixon) asks his cheerleader girlfriend to the big dance, he does it in the shed where the newly completed prom decorations are housed.  He set up a picnic with candles, but when he forgets to blow one of them out before they leave, all of the decorations go up in flames.  Nova is devastated, and the prom is in jeopardy.  The principal decides to force the school’s rebel without a cause to give Nova a hand, or else he won’t graduate.  Said rebel is named Jesse (Thomas McDonell), and he was reprimanded earlier for cutting class.  Jesse hates the idea of prom, and only views it as a stupid reason for vapid kids to stand around in the gym listening to a lame DJ while drinking punch. 

It turns out that Jesse has a sensitive side, and the reason he cuts class is so that he can pick his little brother up from school while their mother works overtime at her job.  Despite his rough exterior, he is actually kind – and he begins to see the prom through Nova’s eyes.  Although he thinks it’s silly, he appreciates the dedication she puts into making it special and even begins to buy into the idea himself.  Movies about high school tend to depict its characters in clearly-defined, rigid stereotypes.  This is somewhat realistic, if you think about it.  High schoolers tend to adhere to the social pecking order.  To that end, Prom is no exception.  There is The Overachiever, The Jock, Ms. Popularity, The Bad Boy, and finally: The Shy Kid.  The shy kid here is Lucas (Nolan Sotillo), an underclassman who can’t work up the nerve to approach Simone (Danielle Campbell), his crush.  Unbeknownst to Lucas, Simone has a past with Tyler, whose own prom date situation is in jeopardy.  Will he ever work up the nerve to ask her out?  I’m sure you’re waiting for that answer with baited breath (insert winky face here).

All jokes aside, Prom was a sweet little movie.  I definitely was not part of Disney’s target audience, but I’ll admit that it was not the unwatchable teeny bopper vehicle that I anticipated.  It is definitely not in the same league of classic 1980s high school movies like Pretty in Pink or The Breakfast Club, but it adequately captured the jittery unfamiliarity all teens experience as they navigate their way to young adulthood.  Take the ‘tween in your life to check it out – you won’t be disappointed.

Images courtesy of IMBdPro.