The Small Screen Podcast: Episode 10 (Is PSYCH better than COMMUNITY?)

We tackle that question and more in this week's episode of The Small Screen Podcast! Check below for the full breakdown, then be sure to follow me (@kristal_bailey) and my co-host (@poppas2cents) on Twitter and his blog www.poppas2cents.com.

Listen to the episode and get the full breakdown of what was discussed after the break.

The Small Screen Podcast: Episode 5 (The MEAT of the Fall Season)

We're two weeks of premieres in and there is a LOT to talk about! After editing out 3 shows, our show still came in a little long. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to follow us on twitter (@kristal_bailey and @poppas2cents) for more TV talk!



Download it and subscribe on iTunes. 


Here's this week's breakdown:
Intros - Start - 1:13

TV News: 1:13 - 13:15

• New Girl’s monster ratings (Is premiering shows on iTunes the new go-to move?): 1:13 - 6:03
• The Rise of the Sitcom (How I Met Your Mother, 2 and Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, Modern Family, etc.) 6:03 - 8:49
• NBC’s Continued Struggle: 8:49 - 13:15

What We’re Watching: 13:15 - 49:46

• Glee: 13:50 - 23:37
• Nikita: 23:37 - 26:14
• How I Met Your Mother: 26:15 - 32:43
• 2 Broke Girls: 32:43 - 36:24
• Modern Family: 36:24 - 42:25
• Saturday Night Live (Alec Baldwin, Radiohead): 42:25 - 44:56
• Revenge: 44:56 - 49:46

What We’re Looking Forward To: 44:46 - 57:23

• Happy Endings: 44:46 - 54:01
• Suburgatory and ABC Wednesday Nights: 54:01 - 57:23

Closing: 57:23 - End

Let us know what you think in the comments or on Twitter! Also, feel free to email any questions, shows, or news you'd like addressed on the show!

The Small Screen Podcast: Episode 3 (The Emmys)

This week we explore the Emmy nominees, spouting out our picks for who will win and who should win! Please excuse the clicks and sound glitches, we're still working out the kinks as we go. Let us know your picks on twitter: @kristal_bailey and @poppas2cents! We'll also be live-tweeting the Emmy's, using our hashtag #SSPEmmys for Small Screen Podcast talk. Join us by @ replying us or using the hashtag #SSPEmmys!



Download episode at iTunes.

Here's the full breakdown of the episode:


Intros: Start - 1:22

TV News:
Spartacus, R.I.P. Andrew Whitfield: 1:22 - 4:02

Emmys: 4:02 - 48:50
#SSPEmmys
Best Supporting Actress - Drama: 4:02 - 9:00
Best Supporting Actor - Drama: 9:00 - 13:03
Best Supporting Actor - Comedy: 13:04 - 17:38
Best Supporting Actress - Comedy: 17:39 - 22:54
Best Lead Actor - Drama: 22:55 - 27:29
Best Lead Actress - Drama: 27:30 - 31:03
Best Lead Actress - Comedy: 31:04 - 34:44
Best Lead Actor - Comedy: 34:45 - 40:50
Outstanding Comedy Series: 40:51 - 43:31
Outstanding Drama Series: 43:32 - 48:50

Closing: Next week we talk about first impressions on season premieres!

Let me know your Emmy picks in the comments!

Modern Family: Caught in the Act

I don't normally post whole episodes of shows here, but last night's episode of Modern Family was just so hilarious across the board that I have to post it. Watch and enjoy!



Here are a few of my favorite moments:

• Phil always has a hard time articulating himself when Gloria is around, but it went to a whole new level when Gloria was talking about "giving away her cupcakes" and Phil and Clare thought that was a sexual euphimism.
• The cold open for the show was the best one yet. In under a minute, I was howling over Gloria's shocked face that the email sent. "It sended! It sended!....please come back" 
• While the Cam/Mitchell storyline was the weakest, it still had a couple hilarious moments. I especially loved when they were trying to make reservations at Amelia's. 
• Mitchell: They can take us at 5:45pm...
• Cam: What are we, 80? 
• Mitchell: ...or 10:45pm
• Cam: What are we, 20? 
• Update: Here's the direct quote from when Gloria is talking about the bake sale, but the Dunphy's think she's talking about sex. 
• "It happened to me before with another woman. At that time, I was the one getting it. It hurt. You have to admit that you’re only happy when you’re the one cracking the whip. Come on. We all know how you ride Phil. Let go a little. Maybe even taste my cupcakes. I will join you." --Gloria

What were your favorite moments from the episode? 

Funny Moment of Modern Family or FUNNIEST Moment of Modern Family?

Catch the whole episode tonight on ABC at 9pm.

My Golden Globes Predictions (Part 2)

The television categories for the Golden Globes are a little hard to pin down. The eligibility period is just weird, with an overlap of two seasons having episodes in contention. Below are my predictions in Underlined Italics. 


BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
a. BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
b. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
c. THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
d. MAD MEN (AMC)
e. THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
a. JULIANNA MARGULIES, THE GOOD WIFE
b. ELISABETH MOSS, MAD MEN
c. PIPER PERABO, COVERT AFFAIRS
d. KATEY SAGAL, SONS OF ANARCHY
e. KYRA SEDGWICK, THE CLOSER


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
a. STEVE BUSCEMI, BOARDWALK EMPIRE
b. BRYAN CRANSTON, BREAKING BAD
c. MICHAEL C. HALL, DEXTER
d. JON HAMM, MAD MEN
e. HUGH LAURIE, HOUSE

HFPA love movie stars in television roles, I think Steve Buscemi's first foray into premium cable television will snag him the gold. 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
b. THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
c. THE BIG C (SHOWTIME)
d. GLEE (FOX)
e. MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
f. NURSE JACKIE (SHOWTIME)


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. TONI COLLETTE, UNITED STATES OF TARA
b. EDIE FALCO, NURSE JACKIE
c. TINA FEY, 30 ROCK
d. LAURA LINNEY, THE BIG C
e. LEA MICHELE, GLEE


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ALEC BALDWIN, 30 ROCK
b. STEVE CARELL, THE OFFICE
c. THOMAS JANE, HUNG
d. MATTHEW MORRISON, GLEE
e. JIM PARSONS, THE BIG BANG THEORY


BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. CARLOS (SUNDANCE CHANNEL)
b. THE PACIFIC (HBO)
c. PILLARS OF THE EARTH (STARZ)
d. TEMPLE GRANDIN (HBO)
e. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK (HBO)

Temple Grandin was recognized during last year's Emmy's and I don't think any of the newer candidates are as strong as that story. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. HAYLEY ATWELL, PILLARS OF THE EARTH
b. CLAIRE DANES, TEMPLE GRANDIN
c. JUDI DENCH, RETURN TO CRANFORD
d. ROMOLA GARAI, EMMA
e. JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, THE CLIENT LIST


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. IDRIS ELBA, LUTHER
b. IAN MCSHANE, PILLARS OF THE EARTH
c. AL PACINO, YOU DON’T KNOW JACK
d. DENNIS QUAID, THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
e. EDGAR RAMIREZ, CARLOS


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIESOR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. HOPE DAVIS, THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
b. JANE LYNCH, GLEE
c. KELLY MACDONALD, BOARDWALK EMPIRE
d. JULIA STILES, DEXTER
e. SOFIA VERGARA, MODERN FAMILY


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. SCOTT CAAN, HAWAII FIVE-O
b. CHRIS COLFER, GLEE
c. CHRIS NOTH, THE GOOD WIFE
d. ERIC STONESTREET, MODERN FAMILY
e. DAVID STRATHAIRN, TEMPLE GRANDIN

My Spring 2011 TV Schedule

There are a whole slew of new midseason shows, some of which I've profiled. With all the changes to the TV landscape, I figured I'll lay out just what shows I'll be watching (and therefore probably posting about.)

Mondays

8pm: Chuck (NBC)
While this season hasn't been my favorite, it's still a whole lot of fun to watch. While its ratings have never been stellar, it's become the anchor show on NBC's weak Monday night lineup. Will that be enough for it to get another season renewal? It's still too early to tell...
8pm: How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
This season has been a steady rise over a weak season 5. The hook of Ted telling the story of how he met his wife has me hook, line, and sinker. I'll be watching this show to the bitter end if it comes to that.
9pm: Being Human (SyFy)
I just posted about this in one of my midseason previews. My most anticipated new show! A werewolf, ghost, and werewolf are 20-something roommates. Hijink and drama ensue.


Tuesdays
8pm: Glee (FOX)
This is the most erratic show on television. For every 3 episodes of mediocrity bordering on crap, there's 1 that I love and keeps my watching. If that ratio gets worse, I may just give up on it but for now I'm in for at leas the rest of the season. And with the ratings stronger than ever and a plum post-SuperBowl timeslot, it's going to be on for a while.

Wednesdays

8pm: Live to Dance with Paula Abdul (CBS)
I'm a sucker for dance shows. I'm covering this for RealityWanted.com, so check it out :)
9pm: Modern Family (ABC) 
Still the most hilarious show on television. I'm not a part of the Community fervor, maybe one day when I catch it on DVD, but for now all my comedy love belongs to Modern Family and Cougar Town.
9:30pm: Mr. Sunshine (ABC)
Taking over Cougar Town's spot for a while, I'll be tuning in to see if Matthew Perry is still my favorite Friend.
9:30pm: Cougar Town (ABC)
If you wrote this show off because of the title, or after the first few episodes, please give it another shot! It's hilarious, smart, and has tons of heart while we follow this family of misfit friends.
10pm: Off the Map (ABC)
I'm not much for medical shows anymore (I used to be a huge fan of Grey's and House) but I do love exotic locations. Plus, a friend of mine worked on the show so if it gets picked up for a full season or more, my friend gets to keep his job! So everybody watch :)

Thursdays

8pm: The Vampire Diaries (CW)
I don't think I need to espouse my love for the show anymore.
8pm: The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
This season has been off with the whole Penny/Leonard and Sheldon/Amy, but I'm in til the end of the season, at least.
8pm: Bones (FOX)
Damn you David Boreanez! You're just so charismatic! The chemistry between Booth and Bones reached a major head in the fall finale of The Doctor in the Photo. It was the best episode of the season and I can't wait to see where things go from here between them.
8:30pm: Perfect Couples (NBC)
While the sneak preview episode wasn't great, I'm going to give it another shot just because of the cast. I love Olivia Munn and the It's Always Sunny Waitress finally gets a real role!
9pm: Nikita (CW)
My favorite new show of the season, the action has been nonstop and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

Sundays

9pm: The Cape (NBC)
While this has been panned by many of the critics who got early screeners, I'm still hopeful. It's supposed to be like a comic book come to life and maybe those critics just didn't get/appreciate that aspect? It's superheroes and Summer Glau, of course I'll be tuning in.

What will you lot be watching this season? Anything you think I should give a chance?

Also, in case you missed it, here's a handy list of all the midseason premiere dates and times.

James Marsden on Modern Family

Modern Family returns on Jan. 5! The first episode features a great guest spot from James Marsden ("X-Men") as Cam and Mitchell's new neighbor Barry. While he's a sketchy neighbor, his ability to look good in a swimsuit more than makes up for him stealing time in their hot tub.



[Zap2it]

2010 Fall TV Wrap Up

This season of TV flew by! When I started the season, I had too many shows to keep up with. Luckily (but really unforetunately) my viewing habits thinned out due to waning quality and cancellations. Let's see how my 2010 Fall TV schedule shaked out in the end.

Mondays
Dancing With the Stars - While I wasn't a fan of the show going in, there were definitely some entertaining moments and I was rooting for Jennifer Grey early on. While I'm glad Bristol didn't win, it certainly kept things interesting to have her around. I enjoyed the season, but I don't think I'll be tuning in again unless I'm assigned it for Reality Wanted next season. I'll stick to So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew for talented and fantastic dance.
Chuck - While this definitely hasn't been the strongest season (veering too close to territory that Alias did much better), it's still one of my favorite shows on air. Each episode does a great job of balancing the comedy, the spy work, and the new relationship between Chuck and Sarah. While every season has felt like it could be their last, this season it's actually the anchor on their Monday night schedule. With NBC, you never know if it'll order more episodes or just cancel it at the end. Here's to hoping this show comes back for a 5th season!
How I Met Your Mother - I feel like this show needs to do what LOST did: pick an end date and plot out everything according to that timeline. I WANT TO MEET THE MOTHER ALREADY! There have been a few solid episodes (Blitzgiving, Subway Wars), which is more than I can say about last season.

Tuesday
Glee - What can I say? This is the most erratic, inconsistent show and yet I can't give it up. Once every episode or two there will be a scene, a moment, or a musical number that pulls me back in.


Wednesday
Modern Family - Last season, this show broke out to become my favorite show on TV. Consistently hilarious, rooted in character moments that have a heart at its core, this is a great family comedy. While this season has been solid, so far no single episodes have stuck out to me as much as last season (Fizbo, Run for your Wife).
Cougar Town - While Modern Family is in the shadow of it's excellent freshman season, Cougar Town has been improving week in and week out to the point where some weeks I find this show to be funnier and sharper than its lead in. Maybe my favorite half hour of television this season was the Cougar Town episode, Fooled Again: I Don't Like It, where Andy turns out to be Kaiser Sozy.
South Park - This show mainly stays on my list because my boyfriend is such a big fan, but I do find it funny and enjoy watching. This season's best contribution was the Snooki monster in It's a Jersey Thing. Truly a horrifying image.
Psych - While some grow tired of this show, I just loved this season the most. If you love this show, it rests solely on how much you enjoy Dule Hill and James Roday, and I can't get enough of their schtick. This season also finally brought Jules and Sean together and had the great Dual Spires episode. As a Twin Peaks fan, it was a fantastic hour of television. And even if you never saw Twin Peaks (like my boyfriend KT), you still enjoyed it.


Thursday
The Vampire Diaries - If you follow my blog, which I'm assuming you do since you're reading this, you already know how much I love this show. Never a dull moment, let alone a dull episode, this show keeps you guessing! The breakneck pace, the love triangles, and the growing mythology are all brought together to create this fantastic show that not enough people even give a chance. Just because it's vampires doesn't mean it's Twilight.
Nikita - A pleasant surprise this season, this is quickly becoming a new favorite. Definitely my favorite of the new series this fall, Nikita takes a story that has been told time and time again and still makes it interesting. I love Maggie Q and can't wait to see where it goes during the second half of its season.
The Big Bang Theory - While this season hasn't been great, it's still an entertaining half hour. With Amy becoming a regular character though, her quirky personality, and therefore the show,  could begin to grate really soon.
Bones - This season got off to a shaky start with the introduction of Hannah. I thought for sure that Booth and Brennan would finally, FINALLY, get together. But with a new roadblock, I was a little annoyed. However, I've grown to like Hannah as a character who's worthy of Booth. Plus, the fall finale The Doctor in the Photo was one of the best episodes of the series. Here's hoping this is the beginning of an upswing for the season!

Sunday
Mad Men - This season was an exquisite look at the beautiful disaster that became of Don Draper after his split with Betty. He was trying to figure out who he was and who he wanted to be. For a show that some people say "nothing happens" so much happened this season between Don, Peggy, Sally, and Joan. Not to mention the business as they grew as a startup and then faced the challenge of losing their biggest client. I can't wait to see where things are when we go back to the 60s next summer.
The Walking Dead - The biggest hit for AMC didn't involve drugs or drinking, just people trying to survive. While this has been compared to LOST, I don't see that as a bad thing at all. I want to care about characters! I want their struggle to become personal. If it didn't, this show would be just like FlashForward or The Event, aka boring and a flop. It'll be interesting to see what the show looks like when it returns Halloween 2011. We'll have to see how the whole writers' room situation shakes out.


Goners: 
These are all the shows that I either stopped watching or that were cancelled this season. Either way, they didn't make the cut and I won't be tuning in again. Well, most likely. Never say never in the world of TV!
Running Wilde - Cancelled, but all around just not funny. Definitely didn't live up to the expecations that were set for a show by Mitch Hurwitz and starring Will Arnett.
America's Next Top Model - This season was just so boring compared to previous ones. I guess the girls were too nice? It also felt pretty obvious who was going to win from like the 3rd week, so where's the fun in watching a competition show when there's no real competition? 
No Ordinary Family - I was so excited for this show, but it just couldn't hold my interest. The first 3 episodes all felt the same and they didn't find the right balance between the super powers and the responsibility that goes with that, and the family dynamic. I hear it hit a better stride in the latest 3 episodes, so maybe I'll give it another shot. 
Sh%t My Dad Says - Just not funny, despite my love for The Shat and my appreciation for the twitter feed it was based on. 
Family Guy - Last season was so bad, I have just given up on this show. 
Caprica - I loved it before it went on hiatus, but after it's return they decided to focus more on the religious aspect. I preferred the AI and New Caprica angles, so my interest waned. Shortly after, it was cancelled. I'll definitely be giving the other BSG off shoot a shot once that airs, though. I'm not done with this universe. 
Undercovers - Who would have thought that a spy show by JJ Abrahms would be so boring? I loved the idea and really wanted it to succeed, but the characters were lacking and the missions just didn't convey the urgency or excitement as they should. Something wasn't clicking so I dropped it and it was cancelled. 


Whew! That's all my thoughts on the 2010 Fall season! I'm excited to see what goes down in the 2011 Spring season! What shows have you been watching? Let me know your Fall TV thoughts in the comments!

Modern Family on Oprah

Modern Family is my favorite show on the air right now. Always hilarious, smart, and quick with a joke. The entire cast dropped in on Oprah! Watch the segment below.

My Fall 2010 Television Schedule

I posted all the premiere dates for this fall tv season earlier. Now, I finally have to pick and chose what I'll actually be able to watch. Luckily, I have a DVR so I can watch one thing while recording another, but this season there are a couple timeslots where even that isn't enough!

Monday
8:00pm: Dancing With the Stars vs. Chuck. vs. How I Met Your Mother

Unfortunately, I don't have much say in this one since I'll be covering DWTS for my internship with RealityWanted.com. I'll be watching DWTS live so I can get my recap up ASAP. I'll then be DVR-ing Chuck to watch once that write up is done, leaving HIMYM to be viewed online the next day. It was a tough choice on which show to watch recorded, since I adore Chuck and HIMYM. But after last season's lackluster HIMYM, I'm only hanging around at all because of my hope it'll get better. There's been a lot of hype about the new season - that they're finally moving forward with the mother, getting back to their roots of what made it funny - so I'm hoping this year it's back to the level of the earlier seasons.

9:00pm: Dancing With the Stars vs. Lone Star

Again, I'll be watching DWTS live. I wasn't going to give Lone Star a chance based off it's premise and marketing, but the critics have claimed it the best new show of the season so now I have to give it a shot to win me over.

Tuesday 
8:00pm: No Ordinary Family vs. Glee

The new show I'm most excited for is going up against one of my favorite new shows from last season. However, Glee's back nine episodes never lived up to its first 13. They became overcrowded with songs and secondary characters, while the storylines became less authentic (Sue's crush on Will?!). I'll give Glee another chance by watching it live and recording NOF, but that may change as the season progresses.

Wednesday:
8:00pm: America's Next Top Model vs. Undercovers vs. Better With You

A J.J. Abrahms spy show seems like a no brainer, but the critical buzz has been fizzling as more screeners went out. It seems it's more style than substance. Plus, I'm not sure if I need another spy show with Chuck and now Nikita on my plate. I'll be watching ANTM live with my roomie and giving Undercovers a probationary recording setting. I enjoyed the promos for Better With You, so I'll give that a shot on hulu later in the week.

9:00pm: Modern Family/Cougar Town

No doubt about it, this is one of the funniest hours on television! Cougar Town grew one heck of a show and Modern Family is fresh off it's Best Comedy Emmy win.

Thursday
8:00pm: Big Bang Theory/S*%t My Dad Says vs. Bones vs. The Vampire Diaries

I just got into Bones this summer, and of course that's when they decide to pit it against two of my favorite shows. I love The Vampire Diaries way too much to push it aside, even though it probably is the most embarrassing of my viewing habits (along with ANTM). I'll be watching TVD live (and recapping it for this blog!), recording BBT/SMDS, and catching Bones online later in the week. I would rather watch Bones on TV, but because The Big Bang Theory is rarely available in full online, I'm forced to watch it over Bones.

9:00pm: Nikita vs. The Office

I wasn't planning on watching Nikita, but because it started a couple weeks earlier than the rest of the season I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! With fantastic performances from Shane West and Maggie Q, it has romance, espionage, fighting, and gunplay - all things I love. The Office has been dwindling these past couple seasons, so I will be watching Nikita live and recording The Office to watch later. It's now long Must See TV. I'm hoping that after Michael Scott leaves, it ends but I'm sure they'll continue for as long as the ratings/advertising money is there.

Friday

As usual, Friday is a wasteland. I'll be watching my recordings or shows online before enjoying my Friday nights.

Sunday 
9:00pm: Family Guy

I'll be watching Family Guy yet again. Not because I still love the show, but because it's the only thing on Sunday nights once Mad Men ends.

It looks like I've got a busy TV schedule ahead of me this season! I'll be recapping DWTS (on RealityWanted.com) and TVD (on this blog). What will you be watching this season?

2010 Spring Television Wrap Up

The spring television season is over (only Glee is left to finish out its season in the coming weeks) so it’s time to take stock of how it all played out.

Mondays
How I Met Your Mother – After the 100th episode (Girls vs. Suits) the show really took a nosedive in terms of quality. The jokes weren’t as fresh or funny and they made absolutely no progress with the mother. The cliffhanger rests solely on Marshall and Lily’s shoulders with the decision to start trying to have a baby. The season’s cliffhanger is not even an event! It’s a decision to try to something. I’m still going to tune in next season, but I really hope it gets better and starts moving forward towards the mother or I may not want to stick through another rough patch.

Chuck – Another great season of Chuck in the bag! While it had it’s low points, a lot of that can be chalked up to the fact that the show had created a full 13 episode story and then had to scramble to tack on 6 more after The Jay Leno Show failed and they needed to fill their schedule. The show tried to go down a darker road and didn’t always succeed, but I admire it for trying. And while the Shaw storyline was annoying and unsatisfying, it actually made his eventual turn to the villain all the more engrossing. Without that initial shaky period, the season finale would not have packed as much of a punch.

Tuesdays
Lost – The entire season threw the audience for a loop with the “Flash-Sideways” storyline. We followed along not knowing how the two storylines could co-exist within one show and were rewarded (or not depending on how you felt about the finale) with a resolution. Many mysteries will never be solved, but I feel satisfied with the emotional and character story arcs.

Glee – For the second half of the season, Glee kicked up the music quotient and I think it suffered for it. There were many episodes that felt like a slip of a plot held together only by distracting you with a song and dance, none more exemplified this than this week’s “Funk” episode. There were some strong episodes like “Dream On” and “The Power of Madonna” so they have the potential to be great with just a many songs. I hope the season finale is as strong as their fall finale was. Either way, we’re in for at least two more seasons of the show since it’s already been picked up for a 3rd season despite not even finishing its first.

V – While the first half of the season was pretty lackluster, the show picked up when it returned from hiatus. I’m not sure if I’ll stick through until next season though because it doesn’t come back until midseason.

Wednesdays
America’s Next Top Model – The show has been going on for so long that, really, what more can I said? It’s formulaic and predictable, but I still tune in and enjoy it. I’ll be tuning in until there’s nothing to tune in to anymore.

Modern Family – My favorite show on air right now. Hilarious and heart-warming without being schmaltzy, most of the time. I hope they can keep it up during the 2nd season. While it doesn’t win the awards that Glee has, but I feel it’s more consistent and just over all a better written show.

Cougar Town – While I initially was skeptical of the show for its title and Courtney Cox’s Jules was kind of annoying. But as the show progressed it found its voice and balance. I don’t know if they’ll change the title to reflect this new balance, but I know I’ll be watching regardless of its title.

Happy Town – What a disappointment that was. I hope Amy Acker finds a project worthy of her talent. If you’re one of the few who liked it, they’ll be airing the remaining episodes this summer.

Thursdays
FlashForward – What started with such promise quickly started to disappoint with superficial characters and storylines that didn’t always make sense. It had one some considered the worst series finale ever, since it ended exactly how it began.

The Vampire Diaries – I love this show far more than I should feel comfortable saying. It keeps me guessing on what’s going to happen next. The story moves at rocket speed and the chemistry between the three leads makes for a very convincing love triangle. I love the flashbacks and period costumes; I love the friendships and relationships; I love the soundtrack. It had one of the best season finales with a twist and cliffhanger that I couldn’t predict.

The Office – Maybe it’s the addition of new, really funny sitcoms like Modern Family and Cougar Town, but I’m finding I like this show less and less. It’s been diving more into the uncomfortably awkward territory, rather than the hilariously awkward it excelled at previous seasons. It’s rumored to be Steve Carrel’s last season next season and I would be perfectly fine with that being the end of the series. While the show has a strong supporting cast, I just don’t see it going on without Michael Scott.

Fridays
Caprica – While it took a while for me to warm up to the BSG prequel, it definitely had me hooked by the time it went on hiatus. It explores technology and theology in interesting storylines that build realistic characters. While doing a fair bit of techno-babble, it also makes it all seem meaningful and still understandable. The show is just smart! We’re only halfway through the first season and I hope it gains more viewers so it can stick around a while longer.

Sundays
Family Guy – I no longer have any motivation to consistently tune in to this show. The episode where the entire half hour was spent abusing an unconscious Stewie just for the “pay-off” of Lois and Peter having the same idea on how to hide his injury was just not funny, no where near as funny as a joke needed to be to redeem that episode. It had a great season premiere but every other episode has been either forgettable or so bad that I feel like I wasted my time. With South Park and the return of Futurama, I don’t know if I’ll be putting in the time to keep up with this show. If my roommates keep up with it, I probably will too.

And with that, so ends the 2010 midseason television season. What did you all think? Are you as glad as I am to see FlashForward and Happy Town go? As disappointed with how the 2nd half of Glee as I am? Or as happily surprised by Capira? Let me know in the comments!

Modern Family: Sneak Peak

Tonight is a new episode of Modern Family! Check out the preview clip to see how Mitchell is dealing with being unemployed.



Don't forget to tune in tonight at 9pm EST/PST on ABC!

Linkulous: Chick Flicks, Leno, Chuck, and more

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a good week and are looking forward to an even better weekend. I know I'm excited since it's a 3 day weekend for me! Maybe now I'll be able to do my taxes?

Well, in less boring news, here are some interesting articles I read this week:

The Mystery of the Chick Flick - maybe this wouldn't be such a mystery if they had more women behind the scenes.

Three Things I Learned From Leno

Money Can't Buy Happiness: Man Gives Away His Fortune

The Top Lost Fan Videos

How a Big Win For "The Hurt Locker" could change the Academy Awards

Shows That Could Have Canned Laughter

All in the Modern Family - a look at the evolution of the sitcom and how Modern Family fits in it.

Best Picture, Uncut - TIME analyzes the best picture oscar nominations

The Construction of Canadian Identity in How I Met Your Mother

Have you guys heard about the Chuck controversy? Apparently fans are threatening to boycott the show now that Chuck and Sarah are interested in other people. I don't get the logic behind that. Here are some great articles about the whole debacle:

The Double Edged Sword of Devotion: Chuck vs. The Entitled Fanbase

Chuck vs. The Fanbase - completely agree with this take on the events.

Chuck: Shwartz vs. The Controversy

The Chuck Crisis of '10: A National Dialogue

The Watcher's Take on the Chuck Controversy

2009 Fall TV Wrap Up

Before the season began, I wrote about which Fall shows I'd be checking out. Well, the Fall TV Season is wrapping up so it's time to check the pulse.

Monday


Monday's have proven to be pretty successful for CBS. How I Met Your Mother is doing well in the ratings and having a pretty good season so far. There have been a few lackluster episodes (like when Barney/Robin break up), but overall it's had some really hilarious moments. I'm interested to see where they go with Robin and the new guy Dan - if he'll be just a one-off character or will become Robin's "frozen waffles" like Marshall predicted. I also started watching The Big Bang Theory this season, since I finally caught up with the last 2 seasons. That show is consistently funny and I'm a sucker for the nerd humor. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that it's by the same guy who created Two and a Half Men. They're just such different shows and appeal to such different demographics.

Tuesday


So You Think You Can Dance has been having a great season! It suffered a bit in the beginning because of the restrictions that baseball put on it, but once that was over it was a return to form and has had some of the best dancing in the show's history. I don't think I want it to have another fall season though. It gets interrupted too much and there really is just too much competition to get it the audience numbers it does in summer.

V only aired four episodes, but from what was there I was really intrigued. It isn't set to return until March though, which could hurt its ratings. It didn't air long enough to gain a dedicated fanbase, so it'll be interesting to see how the ratings are upon its return.

Wednesday


So You Think You Can Dance results shows always pale in comparision to the competition show, which is to be expected in reality TV. But, I still wish the dancers would do original solos on Wednesday nights instead of just redo-ing their solos from the night before. Some of the solos on Wednesdays were the highlights of Season 4.

America's Next Top Model wrapped up its "Shorty" season a couple weeks ago and overall it was pretty lackluster. Nicole won, who was a frontrunner and photo favorite since the beginning. The show has been on long enough that contestants know what to say and what not to say, so it's getting a bit boring. There definitely hasn't been as much drama and catfighting as there used to be.

Glee is wrapping up its fall season this week and I have absolutely loved this show. It has lived up to the potential of the pilot, for me. Great songs, some great lines, and Sue Sylvester. I'm going to countdown my favorite moments sometime soon, so keep an eye out for that.

Modern Family consistently makes me question my declaration that Glee is my favorite show this season. It's always so funny and smart! It has the humor and jokes, but a storyline and heart at its core that push it above other sitcoms like 30 Rock and It's Always Sunny.

Cougar Town was a nice surprise this season as well. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I do. Courtney Cox is doing a great job of being funny in her 'cougardom' and not pathetic or annoying. Busy Phillips is my favorite though, she's been so spot on as that busty bimbo with good intentions.

Eastwick has been cancelled, but I actually liked this show. It didn't take itself too seriously, like other witchy shows have before (aka Charmed's later seasons). It moved at a slow slow pace for somethings, but still kept the show interesting. For example, the girls JUST admitted to being witches last week, even though they've been doing their magic thing on their own for the duration of the show.

Thursday


FlashForward has probably been the biggest disappointment for me. It's pilot was really engrossing, but since then things have moved so slowly. I liked the episode about Bryce and his mystery lady in Japan the best, but it seemed wasted because she won't be on the show much in the future. They should have used that storytelling structure more often with the characters we are supposed to care about. With all the behind-the-scenes problems on this show, hopefully it will improve after its hiatus in March. They can use this production halt to reasses the show's direction and how it'll work under the new showrunner.

The Office hasn't lived up to its past seasons this year. The Wedding was the highlight by far. I think it suffers from being too topical. All the storylines about money, the economy, and Dunder-Miflin's bankruptcy are too serious to produce laughs. Yes, there are some funny moments but overall it's just too uncomfortable. Just look at last week's episode about "Scott's Tots" for proof. In down times like these, sometimes we want TV to serve as escapism and The Office is just hitting too close to home.

Friday


Dollhouse has been cancelled, but its just getting to the level that we expect of Joss shows now. Last night's episodes were the best so far that have aired, and the buzz about the upcoming episodes is growing. This is the Dollhouse that Joss wanted from the beginning but couldn't get Fox on board with.

Overall, this has been the best fall season in years. The mid-season shows also look to be really strong (Chuck! Lost! Human Target, etc), so there's a lot still to look forward to.

Modern Family: Sneak Peak

I missed Modern Family last night. Darn you CMAs! But, here's a sneak peak for next week, which has a guest appearance by the hilarious Elizabeth Banks. It doesn't make up for the missing episode, but does make the wait til next Wednesday a little easier.

Modern Family just wants to "Do You, Do You"

Fans who caught the show last night heard just a snippet of Dylan's soulful song about Haley. Well, that teaser just isn't enough! Here's the whole song, complete with music video.



This show is hilarious! I loved last night's episode; it may have been the best so far this season! Last night, just when you think the show is about to get all serious and drop a message about families, they throw you a curveball by having Dylan sing this song for the family. Then, when you think the episode is over, you get a final 30 seconds of all the members of the family singing this and having it stuck in their heads. I particularly loved Cameron and Mitchell's harmonizing too. If you like the song, you can download the whole mp3 HERE.