DON’T FORGET!

Today is the last day get your entry in to win one of three Season 5 Nip/Tuck posters! I’ll be drawing names and posting the winners tomorrow morning.

Speaking of winning, don’t forget to enter to win a signed copy of a Lincoln Heights script! Deadline to enter is next Friday, October 26.

I’d like to take a quick moment to thank everyone who offered LA hotel suggestions. I did manage to find a couple of B&Bs that looked interesting but then I remembered I’m not made of money and I went the cheap route. Looks like Hotwire.com is the official unofficial sponsor for this trip. So, for you LA folks, I’ll be in your neck of the woods from Nov 13-19. Nudge me if you want to meet up/do something. Except you people who know you’ll be hanging out with me. You guys don’t have a choice!

Ok, now that I’m done with my PSAs, let’s get to the real dirt. I only watch two shows on FOX but it’s amazing easier it is to keep up when you don’t have that one extra show a night! It’s been kind of weird to come home in the afternoon and only have my usual TDS and Colbert Report to watch.

Can I just get something out of the way first? I love Brothers & Sisters but I hardly ever have much to say about it. Is that wrong? The show is good enough that it feels like I should have lots to say but, really, it’s all about family dynamics and the characters so I don’t feel like there’s much to dissect and discuss. It’s like Everwood in that way which I suppose is appropro since they’re both from Berlanti.

I also have a confession. I watched the CW’s Life is Wild and it’s everything I thought it would be. Not surprising since it’s been done a thousand times before. So, why did I like it so much that I’ll be watching next week? I can’t even answer that. I’m a sucker for a guy saving animals. And the teen drama in it? It’s everything that Gossip Girl isn’t and it absolutely works for me. I’m not quite eating crow here because I never claimed this show was going to suck but I have to admit that I also never thought it’d draw me in… damn you, CW.

Then there’s Desperate Housewives which was periously close to falling completely off my schedule last year and has made an amazing comeback. I know I said I didn’t like Dana Delaney at all but I’m now completely in love with Katherine. I’m sure whatever happened in that bedroom will turn out to be as lame as all the rest of the mysteries on this show but I am intrigueda by it nevertheless. She appears to be a such a strong woman but it’s so clear that she’s just barely holding it all together. Which begs the question, why come back to Wisteria Lane and this history that clearly tears her up?

I’m also enjoying my glimpse of my TV husband Nathan each week. I’ve seen people complaining about how DH isn’t fully using him or that he’s kind of an ass on the show. I don’t agree. I don’t think we’ve really seen enough of him to label him as an ass but there’s obviously something more going on in that marriage. Why would he stay? He’s a doctor so I don’t think he’s there for the money. He cheated previously so it doesn’t seem to be some deep abiding love that keeps him there. And, yet, he puts up with Katherine so something must be going on. Right? Either way, I’m willing to wait and see. As for the not using him, well I have to point out that I don’t like it when new characters come in and are immediately given more screen time than our usual regulars. Plus, uh, though the men of Wisteria Lane have their parts to play in the stories, this show has never been about the guys so it wouldn’t make much sense for a brand new male character to suddenly have a huge role when the male characters who have been there all along don’t.

Of course, I say that in a season where the male characters really do seem to have just as much going on as the females. I loved the reveal that Carlos had been scheming about Edie with an accountant while Victor’s the one who doesn’t even blink discussing hiring a hitman. That said, why do I feel like Carlos and Gabby are the new Susan and Mike? What else can the show find to keep them apart? Don’t answer that.

There’s more to say but I need to move on to Monday night shows. How I Met Your Mother was pretty dull this week. The opening scene didn’t work for me on any level, even the interaction between the cast felt off. I couldn’t tell if my reaction to the episode was because I am not a big Robin fan and prefer her as a background player to a bigger story or if it really was a dud. Anyone want to chime in with what you thought? The one thing I appreciated was the additional confirmation that Robin is indeed AUNT Robin in the future. No more debates over whether the writers might try and pretend that original “Aunt Robin” never happened.

Chuck is love. I like the characters and I like that they’ve given thought to the back story and, honestly, I’m fine with overlooking how Chuck got the information into his head. Every spy movie/show/story I’ve ever watched has asked me to buy into stuff just as ludicrous. They probably could have spent a little more time making it seem plausible but, really, if it all comes down to Chuck having a bunch of information in his head, I can deal.

This episode wasn’t as great as last week’s but it did have it’s share of awesome moments. Although, Peyman and all his hair was gross. I’m not sure having that image stuck in my head was worth the Wookie joke we got. Also, the little anvils in shape of olives? Couldn’t they have been bit more subtle about that? Was there anyone out there who hadn’t figured out that Chuck was going to bring her a pizza without olives at the end? Still, I liked Karina and I suspect she’ll turn out to be Sarah’s sister. Don’t worry, that’s only speculation. The first time Sarah sensed her was when she mentioned her sister and then the way she knew who she was just by the way she fought, the fact that they both saved each other, and clearly had a shared past based on that confrontation scene with Peyman. Well that and Karina liking to take the things Sarah wants. That’s sister behavior right there. Makes me what else she has taken… And, see, that right there is why I love this show because I get all wrapped up in characters I’ve just met.

I loved this week’s episode of Heroes. Everything I’ve read online tells me that’s an unpopular opinion but P-C says that lots of people liked it. I haven’t disliked the other episodes but this is the first one that kept me glued to the TV all the way through it. I love Monica and her power. I think she should watch Matrix so our minds can be blown by what she can learn. Ok, just kidding about that part, but her power is awesome. I always say I’d prefer to have the power of invisibility but I take it back. I want her power instead. I wonder if it works if she reads something? I do find it intersting that she’s related to Micah and has that power. I do, however, not like the implication that was made by the closeup of Micah’s hand on her back. Look, writers, all last season I wanted Micah to be able to “fix” humans. I was speculating all over the place about it; about him knowing about his mom’s power because he could sense what was going on inside her. And what did I get for all of that?! Nothing. Linderman was the one who could “fix” people, not Micah. No, no, he’s just limited to technology even though that’s just stupid. So now you’re going to hint that, while he can’t fix someone, he can sense that somethings wrong?! Whatever. And that’s just lame anyway because it’s just her dreams that are “broken” not her. So I’m just going to pretend that the camera lingering in that moment means nothing.

What else? Oh, Sylar. I’m a Sylar fan and, yes, I admit it’s because I’m a Zachary Quinto fan. So I was unnecessarily giddy when he was the body on the road. I guess they’re implying that he walked/ran all that way? Which? What? How the hell does the timing work out on that?! This show is determined to annoy me on this timeline issue despite how hard I try to ignore that it never makes sense. I don’t care how dramatic you want the final scene to be or if you have a gajillion people writing each different character, take a few minutes and make sure the f-ing timeline makes sense when you put the entire episode together.

Wow. Sorry. Apparently I had a rant just waiting to get out!

Back to Sylar. I like him and I’m glad he’s hooked up with Maya and Alejandro because suddenly I’m ok with them not being at the border yet despite having been trying to get there for way too long. Does it even take that long to drive to the border from anywhere in Mexico? I do think it’ll be interseting to see how they get across the border since Sylar’s not exactly toting a valid driver’s license in his back pocket much less a passport. They would have had better luck with the car thief. (Don’t get me started on why the car thief would race off to call the police when he just broke out of jail himself.) Also, I want to read the KB and Tim Kring teleconference reports from the other day but I’m afraid to get spoiled and know that it’s unlikely anyone asked the one question I desperately need answered. What the hell is up with the cockroach? Is it really being used to imply something about Sylar or just to drive me crazy?

And now you’re all thinking, “But you said you liked this episode, Rae!” Right? I did like it. It’s when I don’t care enough to start noticing these little nitpicky things that I don’t like the episodes. I swear.

There’s so much more to say but I’ve kind of forgotten it in the midst of my bitching. Mostly I can’t wait for next week and my girl to join the show. Not even the KB haters can keep me down.

I also watched Aliens in America and it was much better than last week. Clearly this show should stick to pushing the boundaries with the humor that is a result of Raja’s nationality. I have to wonder if the second episode was in response to critic reactions to the show at summer TCAs? Because it dialed way back on that kind of humor and, as a result, lost everything that made it unique. But that’s back so I hope that they saw that they need to continue to capitalize on it. (Yes, I’m aware that it’s offensive to some but it is still the one thing that doesn’t make this show another – lesser – Malcolm in the Middle or Freaks & Geeks.) Also, the guy playing Raja is fucking hilarious. When he lost control and went way too far with his lies about Rocket Club?! I think my face resembled Justin’s and then he explained how the lies just kept getting grander and he kept going in hopes that the next lie would be the one that made it all make sense? Hilarious! There’s some part of me that didn’t want to like this show but I can’t deny that it makes me laugh.

Samantha Who? premiered Monday as well and it’s pretty damn cute. That’s another unpopular opinion isn’t it? I saw that critics didn’t like it but I like Christina Applegate and I like what I see so far. My Mondays are a bit crowded so it has until Prison Break returns to win me over but I think it might be able to accomplish that feat. (I say that like it’s so hard for a TV show to win me over…)

This post is getting ridiculously long so I guess it’s a good thing that Tuesday nights have become the least interesting night of the week TV-wise. I’ve got nothing much to say about any of the shows from last night. Carpoolers lost it’s funny somewhere between last week’s ending scene and this week’s opening scene. The charm of Reaper continues to be lost on me. I could get into that a little more but you’ve had enough of me being negative about it. Check out picklepocket‘s recent Reaper post if you want to know why it’s not working for me. She pretty much captures my exact thoughts on it. And, over on Boston Legal, I really dislike the Lorraine character and the effect she has on Alan and it’s starting to drag down my enjoyment of new episodes. Hopefully he gets over it soon because I really love the rest of the new characters this season.

And now we’re all caught up… just in time to fall behind again with my crowded Wednesday night schedule.

On my schedule for tonight: Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Bionic Woman, Life, and Dirty Sexy Money