SUNDAY

 8 PM Sun. MTV – Rehab with Dr. Drew – For ANYONE that has had a family member or a friend or a child or themselves that has flirted with the idea that “drugs or alcohol aren’t that bad and I’ll be able to control it” – YOU need to watch this show. It is with real people from varying backgrounds (upper-middle class, wealthy, poor, black, white, Hispanic). It is gritty and raw and not glamorous at all. Drugs and drinking are not cool and do not make you look or act cool. If you think they do, check out this show. It is a wake call I WISH I could have shown someone near to me, but now it is too late. Heart and gut wrenching and shows what words are too hollow to demonstrate.

MONDAY

Monday marked the return of perennial favorite, ABC's Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars Edition (8 PM on Mondays with the results show on Tuesdays, also at 8 PM) and the first show did not disappoint. I really don’t know why Bristol wasn’t one of the three dancers the viewers got to vote in, because based on her dance skill, I’m not sure if she would’ve gotten the necessary votes and I would’ve loved to have seen Carson or Kyle come back instead of her. I was mainly happy to see the returning couples, but was surprised by a few of the "stars" brought back. Pamela Anderson and partner Tristan McMannus were the first to go home.

10 PM ABC – Castle – SOOO good — picked up with them in bed… “It wasn’t a dream…” *sigh* Great chemistry and a great pick up where they left off, dealing with power struggles, how to “out” their relationship, and what to do with the knowledge of who killed Becket’s (Stana Katic) mother. Castle and his portrayer Nathan Fillion at their best.

10 PM NBC – Revolution – An apocalyptic drama about how we would behave if we lost all electricity. It has a bit of “The Hunger Games” feel with the “Rebels” being those who want to fight to restore the USA and the Militia. It uses flashbacks, one of the main characters owned Google, a woman still carries her iPhone around so she can hopefully find power so she can see photos of her kids again, since everything she had of them was digital and is stored inside that phone. It has both a Western and Sci-Fi feel, which is a hard to pull off. I’ve watched the first two episodes, so we will see what happens to this interesting show…

TUESDAY

8 PM and 9 PM FOX - New Girl - Zooey Deschanel is the quirky girl next door that you either love or hate. Her three guy room mates are just as dorky and the combination is fun, fluffy cotton candy goodness. (Check local listings for the show's permanent time.)

9:30 PM – FOX – The Mindy Project - If you like Quirky and off-beat, you will LOVE Mindy. She is not the cotton candy good girl of Zooey though. She is a bit more of a broad trying to find her place in the world. She is most well known for her one-liners and scene-stealing antics on NBC's The Office, so if you liked her humor there, expect it to be bigger and better on her own show at her new home on FOX.

WEDNESDAY

9 PM CBS – Law & Order: SVU – GREAT 2 hour season premiere! Seeing our beloved Captain in a sex scandal, the entire SVU coming a part at the seems PLUS guest appearances by alums from Criminal Minds (Paget Brewster), Chuck (Adam Baldwin), and Heroes (HRG, aka Jack Coleman) was a hit, too.

9 PM ABC – Modern Family – Fresh off its Emmy winning streak, this episode did not disappoint with plenty of one-liners surrounding the news of Gloria's (played by Sophia Vergara) pregnancy. If you have not checked out this gem of a show, it really has something for every one.

10 PM CBS – Criminal Minds – No one does murder mysteries and psychodramas like Criminal Minds and the season premiere did not disappoint. The addition of Jeanne Tripplehorn was a good one, even if right now her character is a bit aloof and stand off-ish, it does seem to make sense, since it seems she may have been burned by the bureau chief Erin Strauss (played by Jayne Atkinson). Seems like there will be plenty of character mining to be explored this season and all the actors are up for the challenge.

THURSDAY

8 PM CBS – Big Bang Theory – Date night, and is sad that I hope that Raj starts dating Stuart? I think they will make each other happy. We won't even get into poor Howie's return eventual to earth! LOL

8 PM ABC – Last Resort – GREAT intrigue and military drama. Andre Braugher is a standout in this thriller.

9 PM ABC – Grey's Anatomy – Um, what happened to this show tonight?!? They better fix this thing STAT or "Medusa" and "Booty Call Bailey" will be the only ones residing at Seattle Grace.

9 PM FOX – Glee – So fun! Still waiting for Finn to return, but seeing some SJP is always nice!

9 PM CBS – Person of Interest – My mind is still trying to focus! Bring back Finch! Love the fact that Reese finally realizes he has a friend (or two..) But tonight's episode was a bit manic.

10 PM ABC – Scandal – LOVE this show! Kerry Washington's chemistry with everyone is pure magic. And power is worth more than money. Smoldering tonight. FOTUS is one of those characters that you just love to hate.

10 PM CBS – Elementary – Lucy Liu and Johnny Lee Miller are a HIT! Hope they keep this off-beat reboot of Sherlock Holmes on for awhile. I think this will be sure to stick. Interesting way to do another procedural drama.

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS

I know we’ve been talking Prime Time shows here, but I can’t let a HUGE milestone go unrecognized here. Thursday, September 27. 2012 marked the 10,000 episode for the CBS Daytime Drama The Young and The Restless. Recently ousted Executive Producer/Head Writer (and daughter –in-law to the original creators of the show, the late Bill Bell and Lee Phillip Bell), Maria Arena Bell wrote the show and did a wonderful job of blending the four core families of the fictional town of Genoa City, WI into the story. The story had romance, intrigue, plot points that can lead down many paths, and gave long-time viewers glimpses into the past (by bringing back former key players, which is a great nod to history) and lead us into interesting thoughts for future storylines. Her replacements will have big shoes to fill. I just hope that ALL of the big three networks were watching – the shows that have “replaced” the soaps they so unceremoniously killed off (Guiding Light, As The World Turns, One Life to Live, and All My Children) are no where to be seen (except The Talk, which often times invites many of CBS’s own soap actors over as guests or as guest hosts – I wonder why that is?) But I wonder how The Revolution or The Chew is doing right now?... Well, The Revolution didn’t last a season and The Chew doesn’t seem to be holding its time slot, so only time will tell how long IT will last, but I think the viewers have spoken and they are saying, “We would much rather watch our soaps than another “lifestyle” show that is cheaper to make and has no more appeal to it than another difficult recipe that we don’t have the time nor inclination to make after a long day at work and checking homework and taking our kids to little league and ballet. I’d much rather watch a dreamy romance and escape than be told I could be doing “more.” Learn this now and bring back our “stories” or lose viewers in the afternoon all together. After all, USA has all those yummy “SVU” and “NCIS” marathons that I would MUCH rather watch than how to make yet another pasta dish in under 20 minutes.

Now, back to what has been on this week… In the variety show realm, you can catch Saturday Night Live back for its 38th(!) season on NBC at 11:35 PM, and the opening two shows have been truly inspired. They are fresh, on topic, and where in past years they have struggled with how to end gags, they have been perfectly timed. I hated to see Kristen Wiig & Fred Armisen leave, but I'm glad that other stars are getting the chance to spread their wings and really show their talents now. With the political season really starting to pick up, I think it should make for some really interesting viewing and clever satire, which is what they do best. Along that same line, both The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report (11 and 11:30 PM, Comedy Central, Monday-Thursday) are back and taking aim at the hot-button political issues of the day as well. Jon Stewart just nabbed another Emmy for his show, due in large part to his “Indecision” coverage of the political debates and voting process and Colbert has received many accolades for his work in showing how easy and ridiculous it is to get and use a Superpac as a comedian by trying to get on at least one state’s presidential ballot. Not everyone will agree with their view points, but what they are doing in this genre has never been seen before and is truly ground breaking work. “Smart” comedy at its finest.

Finally, I recommend you give a look to one of the hottest female comediennes on the airwaves today, Chelsea Handler and her show Chelsea Lately. (11 PM - E!) After watching the wit and political humor of Jon & Colbert, we can just get our inner mean girl on with Chelsea and dive head first into a hot mess of celebrity gossip. She is an irreverent talk show host that has no qualms about shushing her round table, dissing the appearance of her guests, calling them out when they say something utterly stupid, or screaming at the mere sight of a snake during a nature segment. Her guy employees are willing to model women’s clothes and all are comfortable making fun each other and themselves because they are in on the joke that this is JUST about the ridiculousness of celebrity culture. She brings people down to earth and that is why she has such a cult following. She is not everyone’s cup of tea (or shot of vodka), but as she is finally getting a “real” studio, she certainly is doing something right.

LATER THIS WEEK:

Friday

8 PM CBS – CSI: NY – Will this be the last year for this franchise? I rally love the chemistry that has developed between Sela Ward & Gary Senise. We’ll have to wait & see…

9 PM FOX – Fringe – We KNOW this is the last year for this super-natural thriller. Will our gang be able to save the earth one last time? Will they ever be able to see their alters again? Will Oliva and Peter ever just get to be happy for once?

Sunday

9 PM ABC – Revenge – THIS is the show that I have been waiting for! Is faux Amanda really pregnant with Jack’s baby? How did she escape? Will Emily be able to get revenge on Daniel now that he is covering for his dad’s part of her dad’s death and false arrest? So much soapy goodness coming our way!!

10 PM ABC – 666 Park Ave. – This super-natural sudsy drama with Vanessa Williams and Terry Quinn looks promising. Supposedly, once you check in to the Drake, you never check out… Seems enticing.

On the Horizon… *

CBS – The Mentalist

CBS – Hawaii 5-0 (Christine Lahti is coming on board!)

CBS – The Good Wife

CBS – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

USA – Burn Notice

USA – Royal Pains (2 Hour wedding Special this winter)

USA – Psych

USA – Covert Affairs

USA – White Collar

USA – Suits

TNT – Rizzoli & Isles

TNT – Leverage

ABC – Body of Proof

NBC – Smash

        *Check Local Listings

So, as you can see, I have been a VERY happy watcher, even if I have been doing so because I have been assigned bed rest (LONG story). But my bed rest has hopefully afforded you some insights as to what you may want to give a watch to and what you may want to skip. If you feel I am missing out on a great show, please let me know! My DVR is pretty full, but I can always check something out & make room if need be. The only really “reality” show I follow is So You Think You Can Dance
and that just went on hiatus (Congrats Team Ballet season 9!) and, I admit, the *ocassional* Kardashian episode here and there, but overall, I am a scripted drama/comedy gal. I’d love to know your thoughts, so please share away! What do you think is going to be the break out hit of the Fall 2012 TV season? Post your comments below & happy watching!

Conni Ironmonger-Mann enjoys writing for pleasure now, loves her family and her career at a local university, & is an avid watcher of all things TV! When not immersed in musical theatre scores, she is hooked on “Law & Order: SVU “ marathons… 

10. The opening segment with all the Comedy Actress & Host nominees was quite funny. Since Botox is all the rage, it was a funny poke at the industry. Standouts were Julia Louis-Dryfuss & Ellen DeGeneres.  The fact Ellen kept the gag going until she presented? Priceless.

9. The poke at John Hamm (Mad Men) on his nomination during the opening monologue was a hoot. Jimmy turned to him & said, “It’s a shame you lost tonight” before any award had been given out, then quickly said, “Too soon?” Even though John Hamm carries his show & has been a standout & nominated numerous times, he has yet to win the category. And, as Jimmy correctly predicted, he didn’t take it home last night, either.

8. The acceptance speech of Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) for his Supporting Actor win. He was up against all the other men in his show (Ed O’Neil, Ty Burrell, & Jessie Tyler Ferguson, who plays his on-screen domestic partner Mitchell). His love for his television “family” is so evident & he is fiercely protective of the relationship he has created with Ferguson. The fact that so many “regular Americans” have accepted this Modern Family into their homes is a testament to the incredible writing, acting, & directing of this show.

7. In every category this year, an either openly out (LGBT) character or actor/director/person was nominated. There was a time not to long ago when many people felt that in order for their careers to prosper they had to stay in the closet. And as for characters being LGBT on a show, that was just not seen, except for maybe a mention as a supporting character’s best friend off camera. Will & Grace helped to lead the way to this trend for LGBT characters just to be people with families, jobs, trials, struggles, & lead everyday lives, just like other non-LGBT persons. I think this is mirroring what we are seeing from the majority in our country.

6. “In Memoriam”… for Jimmy Kimmel? What? On what planet was this appropriate? The time that piece of crap took up could have allowed some of the writers & directors that were cut off from awards speeches to finish! And when the REAL “In Memoriam” came around, where was Josh Groban then? Instead, we treated to a lack luster performance of a background singer performing Barbra Streisand's “The Way We Were” with ZERO nuance or feeling. Classless, tasteless, & should have never happened.

5.  The Modern Family “Behind the Scenes” bit with the little girl playing Lily being a tyrant. OMG – that was so darn funny!! Being a fan of the show, I had read about how they had to change actresses this season because the original Lily just did not enjoy the job & the new Lily is just loving every minute. The bit with her eating a Chick-Fil-A in front of Jessie Tyler Ferguson & Eric Stonestreet while saying, “This is what I’m going to eat at MY wedding. What are you going to eat at YOURS?” with Eric having to hold Jessie back – side-splittingly funny. That bit should be submitted for NEXT year’s Emmy package.

4. Julianne Moore winning for her portrayal of Sarah Palin in Game Change. Her acceptance speech started with her stating that she felt “validated, since Sarah Plain had given her two big thumbs down” after seeing the movie. Julie is one of the finest actresses of our generation & she is so versatile. Seeing her back on the small screen (I was a fan way back when she was Frannie on As the World Turns) is always a delight!

3. Julia Louis-Dryfuss & Amy Pohler’s “mix-up” with the acceptance speech when Julia received her Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Emmy. Cute bit & showed a genuine closeness between the actors in the category. Along that line, when the comedic actresses introduced the Outstanding Actors in a Comedy Series – Melissa McCarthy stole the show – great one-liners. And she is so understated & sometimes overlooked. She is a true gem.

2. Tracy Morgan “fainting” on air & Jimmy asking all of us watchers to tweet or Facebook about the incident to help get the ratings up so people would turn onto ABC. GENIUS! I admit, I played along & it was fun. And it was great that Tracy could also do a nod to his recent fainting spell & reassure fans that he was OK with making a bit of fun with it & allow others to have fun with it, too.

1. Jon Stewart being pulled away from the stage by Stephen Colbert & Jimmy Fallon. They always joke around but Jon was actually fighting to get free & winded when he finally made it to the stage! His program though really is going a more progressive route & many main stream politicians, world leaders, authors, scientists, in addition to the news worthy celebrities (however the celebrities are getting fewer & farther between) are clammering to be a guest on his show. I for one like this combination…

So, there you have a list of the top 10 most memorable moments for me at the Emmys last night. I hope to be posting a list of shows that will be back this coming week, but I did get a chance to watch Survivor: Philippines Sunday, CBS 9:00 PM (I’m not usually a fan, but I had to see how Lisa Wenchel, aka Blaire from The Facts of Life, do! And it was pretty good. Not sure I’ll keep watching, but it made for a nice evening.) Dancing with the Stars: All Stars 8:00 PM, ABC  (pretty decent, but I really don’t know why Bristol Palin wasn’t one of the 3 the viewers got to vote in, because based on her dance skill, I’m not sure if she would’ve gotten the necessary votes & I would’ve loved to have seen Carson or Kyle come back instead of her.) I also watched Castle, 10:00 PM, ABC (SOOO good —picked up with them in bed… “It wasn’t a dream…” *sigh* Great chemistry & a great pick up where they left off, dealing with power struggles, how to “out” their relationship, & what to do with the knowledge of who killed Becket’s (Stana Katic) mother. Castle & his portrayer Nathan Fillion at their best, & right before I finished writing this, I watched the second episode of the new NBC show “Revolution,” 10:00 PM, an apocalyptic drama about how we would behave if we lost all electricity. It has a bit of “The Hunger Games” feel with the “Rebels” being those who want to fight to restore the USA & the Militia who is currently in control (a new "Civil War" of sorts). It uses flashbacks -- one of the main characters owned Google, a woman still carries her iPhone around so she can hopefully find power so she can see photos of her kids again, since everything she had of them was digital. It has both a Western & Sci-Fi feel, which is a hard to pull off. I’ve watched the first two episodes, so we will see what happens with this interesting show…

Now, I want to here from YOU! What are you most interested in seeing come back this fall? The network shows or cable shows? Reality or scripted? Drama, comedy, variety, talk, soap, procedural, medical? There are SOOO many good ones out there that I am just WAITING for, but I want to know if I am missing any, so hook a sister up! Thanks & happy watching!!

Conni Ironmonger-Mann has happily completed her doctorate (FINALLY), loves her family, & is an avid watcher of all things TV! When not immersed in musical theatre scores, she is hooked on “Law & Order: SVU “ marathons… 

What is up with the daytime execs at ABC, NBC, and CBS? Why do they think that viewers of soaps want more “lifestyle” shows rather than working to keep soaps on the air? The issue here is that the execs don't see soaps as a legitimate genre of art (I think many actors that got their start in daytime would have to disagree. Julianne Moore, Nathian Fillion, Meg Ryan, and Alec Baldwin, are just a few of the fine actors who got their start in the acting world in the land of Daytime TV) – the execs see soaps as a dying breed, since most women are now in the work force. They don't realize that many men and women actually DVR their "stories" to watch later in the day. It is the only genre of acting and storytelling that appears 5 days a week, where the characters get to evolve at a somewhat logical and realistic rate, and where we, the viewer, develop a realistic bond with them.

I love many of the nighttime soaps - Revenge, Desperate Housewives (goodbye, soon), and old school ones like Dynasty, Knots Landing, and Dallas. But even though I LOVED those old-school shows, I did not shed the tears like the way I did when Dr. Bob uttered the words, "Goodnight" on the last episode of As the World Turns. Being only 40, I was not around for the first words of ATWT that Bob's mother spoke (“Good Morning”), but I had read enough of the history to know THOSE last words were coming. I had bonded with those characters from the time I was in high school. I had grown up with Lily, Holden, Lucinda, Bob, Chris, Kim, Brad, Carly, and Jack. I had watched them go through their ups and downs. The births (and deaths) of their children, their marriages, divorces, and yes, remarriages. I had suffered with them as they had lost a parent or a sister/brother, or a colleague. And celebrated their successes.

As a theatre major in college, I once dreamed about being ON a soap – having the grind of learning not just 100 pages of dialog for a musical or a play TOTAL,  but 100 pages of dialog in a script for a DAY! What a challenge and what a way to hone my acting chops! What an experience! Many actors were offered guest spots in night time shows shooting on location in NYC. And, many actors on soaps also appeared in Cabaret or Broadway shows at night, too – what a life and career… at one time. It ONCE was one of the most respected jobs in NYC. Even before the soaps were reduced to only four being on the air, the actors were asked to take ridiculous pay cuts, reduced time on the air for the leading actors, and little to no time off to pursue other projects. The execs wanted to have sole control over them, but didn’t want to give them anything in return. The few that fought and won were often labeled, “difficult to work with” during contract negotiations and had their characters sent away to far away lands or rehab, so they were off-camera, leaving viewers to wonder if they would come back. The ones who fought and DIDN’T win their negotiations were unceremoniously replaced (remember the original “Lily” on ATWT, Martha Byrne? She originated that role, and while I enjoyed Noelle Beck in that role, she was NEVER Lily. The execs didn’t even ask Byrne back for the final episodes of ATWT.) Talk about holding a grudge – and all Martha wanted was a guarantee that she would appear in the same number of episodes the following season as she did the previous – she had AGREED to the PAYCUT! Me-OW!

But, getting back to the heart and soul of soaps and why, we the true fans of them, are so passionate about them and hate that they are dying like mosquitos during spraying season. They are relatable to everyone. Sure, some are out there. (Anyone remember Passions?) Soaps, more than any other genre on TV can speak to you on a personal level. They got me through all kinds of heart break, from breaking up with boyfriends, to my grandfather dying, to graduating college, to my eating disorder, to my daughter being born. Why do I mention those things in particular? Because I watched beloved characters on ATWT and Guiding Light (my 2 favs, but I'm sure characters on One Life To Live and All My Children and others that are now gone) had gone through the same things - love, loss, and struggles. We don't need more talking heads telling us how to live our lives - and by the way, what degrees do they have to tell us why and how we should eat, what to watch, how to craft, etc.? I know Dr. Oz, is well, a Doctor, but Ty Pennington of the VERY low-rated The Revolution? Not to throw stones, but before you start telling me how to better my life, how about getting your own in order first…

Considering that the soaps mentioned here lasted a minimum of 40+ years on their respective networks, do we really think that such "gems" as The Chew or The Talk are going to last THAT long? I mean, c’mon. No. Way. What do they have to offer that hasn’t already been given to us by mainstays like The View (which by Barbara Walters’ own admission, at 15 years in, she had no idea it would still be around! Do we really think that Joy, Liz, Whoopi, Sherri, and she will be around for another 25? Heck no! And this is THE show these other copycats are trying to be!) Just look at The Talk – in its first season, it replaced THREE of its original cast members. Not a good sign. And The Revolution? Katie Couric is already putting off the launch of her show (which is good for General Hospital fans) because of its poor ratings, which would be her lead in. Fans do not want these “lifestyle shows” – they want what they already have and had - SOAPS!

In this day and age, with the price of gas reaching $4-5 a gallon in areas, wars being waged, homelessness, and joblessness, sometimes, it's nice not being told WHAT to do, but rather to have an escape from what we already know.

Conni Ironmonger-Mann has happily completed her doctorate (FINALLY), loves her family, and is an avid watcher of soaps. She has vowed not to watch anything on CBS between 2-4pm or on ABC from 1-3pm to honor the fallen soaps – ATWT, GL, AMC, and OLTL. LONG LIVE THE SOAP OPERA!

Two possibilities here: Either I misread the jury from the start, or Coach blew it at the final tribal council. Either way, I was just as happy with the outcome.

The winner was Sophie Clarke, the young med student from upstate New York. I’ve liked her all season, even as I was annoyed by her refusal to consider any attempt to step outside of Coach’s strategy. Albert gave her a couple of opportunities to do so. She declined both times and ultimately branded him as a traitor for his overtures. I disagreed at the time, and I still do, but in the end she won $1 million and he got zero votes.

So how did Coach lose it?

If I was right last week, that it was his game to lose, then his performance before the jury cost him the game. And that is certainly a possibility. After 23 seasons, it amazes me that so many contestants haven’t figured this out yet: You can’t go in front of the jury and begin apologizing. “Survivor” jurors do not like it when a finalist gets all mealy-mouthed. The jurors, who are often bitter, are going to challenge the finalists. If you begin backpedaling and apologizing, you won’t win the big prize. You need to defend yourself, and explain the Machiavellian nature of your strategy. Coach did too much equivocating at the final tribal council.

That said, it might well be that I was wrong to begin with. In fact, I sort of hope so. Because if I was wrong in my analysis, then it means that the jury members were as weary of Coach’s self-righteousness as I was. It is one thing to deceive people, even people in your own alliance. That’s a fundamental part of the game, and the jurors largely understand that. But it plays out differently when you spend the entire season talking about “honor and integrity,” when you attempt to portray yourself as more ethical than everyone else, and when you consistently play the God card. Coach repeatedly looked people in the eye and solemnly gave them his word (“as a Christian man”), only to go double-cross them. When you tell people how honorable you are, when you lay your religious faith on the table like a poker chip, it comes off badly when you renege. The jury members seemed equally angry toward all three finalists, but it’s possible that they were more offended by Coach because he had expended so much energy explaining the nobility of his motives.

I was taken aback by the vitriol that was heaped upon Sophie last night by the same people who voted her the $1 million. Ozzy reduced her to tears by attacking her as a spoiled brat. The first time he did this, he was trying to get inside of her head – he was scrambling to stay in the game and trying to play off the insecurities of not only Sophie, but also Coach and Albert. But even after he had been sent to the jury box, Ozzy came back at the final tribal and went after her again – he was unnecessarily (and uncharacteristically) mean-spirited in his criticism. Several other jurors went after  her, too. And, yet, they voted for her. Go figure.

Looking over the final votes on Monday morning, what surprises me is how many original Savaii members voted for Sophie. Some members of Coach’s Upolu tribe (notably, Rick and Edna) felt betrayed by him. But it was my guess that the Savaii members would not take it so personally. I figured they would look at Coach, Albert and Sophie and view them as three people who functioned as one unit – and that they would reward Coach rather than the two sycophants who did his bidding. Whitney, Dawn and Keith all voted to give the $1 million to Sophie. That surprised me. Even a bigger surprise: Ozzy went for Sophie as well. Oz, who understands how the game is played and who got Coach to admit to the jury that he went back on his word when it suited his need, nonetheless gave his vote to the “brat” for whom he has so little respect. I never saw that one coming.

Quick takes on the reunion show …

I think my favorite moment was when Sophie acknowledged that if she could take one thing from the experience, it’s that she wants to live more like Dawn Meehan, the 41-year-old Mormon college professor who was the friendliest and most sincere player in the game this season. So often, the younger contestants look upon the older constestant with a certain contempt. (The most obvious example is Courtney Yates, but there are others.) Sophie looked at Dawn and saw the person she hopes to be 20 years down the line. That reflects maturity. And Dawn’s reaction reinforced that Sophie had read her correctly.

Jeff Probst repeatedly suggested that it would be great to see a future season in which the ruthless Russell Hantz is placed on one tribe and his nephew Brandon on the other tribe. While I understand what Jeff was suggesting, I hope it never happens. In fact, I hope we’ve seen the last of the Hantz family in the game. I like Russell. I like him a lot. He’s one of the best, smartest and most interesting players that “Survivor” has ever seen. But we’ve seen enough of him, and his act has worn thin. And Brandon? While he came off as more sympathetic on the reunion show, I still found him to be not very likeable and not very interesting. His incessant need to be the center of attention got really old. He made himself the focal point of the season, and unfortunately, that probably means we’ll see him again.

Was this the last we’ll see of Ozzy Lusth? Maybe so. He had a great season, coming up one puzzle short of the $1 million. While I don’t think Coach is wrong to sense a certain arrogance in Ozzy, I think there is also great humility. After a season in which Brandon and Coach spoke endlessly about their religious faith – often came off as insincere and pompous – it was very refreshing to hear Ozzy speak of how he loves to spend time out in the wilderness because that’s “where God lives.” It might have been the first time all season that God was reference in a manner that didn’t seem manipulative or self-serving. Ozzy might be the show’s greatest challenge player, and his energy and exuberance never get old. It was great fun watching him this season.

Next season … both tribes living on the same beach. Interesting. No hint at the location of the 24^th season, or whether any previous players will be brought back.

But Sophie, Brandon and the Cowboy have been content to work as Coach’s operatives, and when Albert has attempted to strategize – never actually targeting Coach, but trying to step outside of Coach’s gameplan – the other players have attacked him as a traitor. So the truth is, coming into Sunday’s finale, it would be an upset if anyone other than Coach wins. In fact, it would be a major upset. The wild card is if Ozzy can win his Redemption challenge against Brandon (oh, please, let it happen) and then win two more immunity challenges. If Ozzy gets before the jury, he wins. If he doesn’t make it that far, then it is Coach’s game to lose. That’s saying a lot about how this season has developed, because in his two previous appearances on the show, Coach Benjamin Wade has shown himself to be an amiable goofball (if you like him) or an unhinged megalomaniac (if  you don’t). He has never come off as a master strategist or a formidable competitor. And yet, from about a third of the way into this season, he has been the clear frontrunner, and not once has anyone attempted to challenge him. Go figure.

That’s one of the reasons that this has been, I think, one of the least interesting seasons of “Survivor.”

 From Coach’s original tribe, there has been no serious attempt at strategy. From the opposing tribe, Cochran made a bold move but then followed it down a dead-end path. Ozzy has made some strong strategic gambles that have paid off, and if he re-enters the game on Sunday, he could yet salvage this season. But other than that, it has been strictly paint-by-numbers.

One of the predominant themes of the season – never more so than in last night’s episode – is the idea that God cares about “Survivor.” Brandon seems to believe this fervently, and Coach seems to go along with it. And it’s nonsense. It’s silliness. It’s sort of an insult to organized religion, in a way. More importantly, it is boring television.

I am not questioning either man’s faith, and I’m not mocking them for what they believe. I don’t know what they are like in real life, but I know how they come off on TV. Brandon has spent the entire season babbling about how he is playing this game according to God’s plan, and he can’t seem to talk about his faith without breaking down into sobbing fits. He comes off as an insecure young man who doesn’t really believe in himself, and who finds reassurance by telling himself (and all around him) that God is directing him. Coach, on the other hand, espouses a mixture of evangelical Christianity and some sort of high-minded Eastern philosophy. He seems to do this because he likes to close his eyes, lower his head and fold his hands before him to project an image of a wise man at peace.

Quite frankly, over the course of a long TV season, it grows tiresome to watch these two men explain over and over that they will base their tribal council votes not on strategy or self-interest, but based on who God tells them needs to be ousted. Give me a break. “Survivor” is not a test of your religious faith, and God does not care who gets sent to Redemption Island. When Coach double-crossed Brandon last night and consoled him by whispering “It was God’s will,” it came off as manipulative at best and cruel at worst.

All of which brings me to the larger problem I see here. Every season of “Survivor” has one person who emerges as the dominant player. Not meaning someone who dominates the game strategically, but rather, someone who dominates the show through the force of personality. This is the person who comes to define the season. The person whose actions, after the season has ended, completes the sentence that beings, “Oh, yeah, that was the season when … “

This season has been Brandon’s season all the way, and it will remain Brandon’s season unless Ozzy continues his run and wins the $1 million.

Brandon has dominated the storylines of this season, and for all the wrong reasons. He has been the dominant figure in the game, and that’s a problem because he is not likeable, not a smart strategic player, not a compelling person to watch. He has dominated the season because he is apparently an immature young man who craves attention almost pathologically.

He started the season trying to hide the fact that he is the nephew of Russell Hantz, the show’s most ruthless strategist and competitor. (It  must be noted that Russell is a far more interesting person than Brandon, and that no matter what you think of how he played the game, if you had to choose to spend a week in the company of either Brandon or Russell, you would choose Russell every damn time.) In the early episodes, Brandon spoke of his desperate need to keep the other contestants from finding out about his notorious uncle. He spoke of it so much, in fact, that it was obvious he couldn’t wait to tell them. Which he did. His first strategic move in the game was to engineer a plot to vote out a female tribe member because he was uncomfortable with the sexual attraction he felt for her.

Brandon has hijacked every single tribal council he has attended, transforming an interesting segment of the episode into endless re-runs of “The Brandon Show.” He has revealed the hidden motives behind his allies’ strategies, not to gain an advantage but because he seems to think this is the honorable thing to do. He explains what his own voting strategies will be, and then he refuses to adjust them for any reason because in his twisted worldview, to do so would make him a liar. He cries incessantly – about his uncle’s legacy, his faith, his self-image, the image that others hold of him. The man never stops crying. (Sincere emotion is great, and some of the show’s most memorable moments have involved tears – but at some point it crosses the line into maudlin self-parody.) And Brandon doesn’t just pray. He ostentatiously demands that his tribemates circle around him, holding hands, and listen to his prayer. If anyone declines, he prays loudly that they will see the error in their moral judgment and join him. As if Brandon wasn’t insufferable enough on his own, during the always popular “loved ones” visit, his dad showed up and unapologetically tried to browbeat Coach into putting Brandon’s self-interests ahead of his own. How desperate is Brandon for attention? During last night’s episode he even crept up from behind and invaded Coach’s chat with the 1-on-1 “confessional” camera, the first time in the show’s history that we have seen someone disrupt this private ritual.

Brandon is not going to win the $1 million. The jury members don’t like him, and if he made it to the final tribal council he would be a train wreck. If he goes before the jury, his performance will be a big, sloppy mess of self-congratulatory lectures on integrity and endless faith-based justifications for every decision he made. And tears. Lots of tears.

He won’t win the $1 million, but he will almost certainly go down as the central figure in this season’s dramatics. One more reason to hope – and pray – for a miracle from the Wizard of Oz.

Mike Holtzclaw, a senior reporter at the Daily Press, isn't ashamed to admit that he takes "Survivor" far too seriously. He can be reached at mholtzclaw@dailypress.com.

 Keane, who had just turned 89, was the creator/author/artist of "The Family Circus," a single-panel comic strip that I dutifully have read on a daily basis for probably 40 years in spite of the fact that I have never liked it. Hard to say for sure, but I think it is possible that I have never once so much as chuckled at the strip, let alone laughed at it, which is actually not all that surprising, since Keane's goal was always more "cuteness" rather than humor.

 I have spent a lifetime addicted to the comics page, and I began reading "The Family Circus" back when I looked at every comic in the paper other than the serials. Being a creature of habit, I simply never stopped following the family-friendly exploits of Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and PJ, who (as I once wrote) were so warm and fuzzy that they made the Huxtable family look like the Osbornes by comparison.

 All of which leads me, in a roundabout way, to the day about a decade ago when I spent almost an hour on the phone talking with Bil Keane.

 The events leading  up to the call are very strange, too ridiculous to really explain here. Let's just say that some friends and I had noticed some odd visual subtext in several recent "Family Circus" panels that had led us to speculate that Daddy had fallen on hard times. Like, fallen hard. And that Mommy, patient soul that she is, had cast him out.

 Of course, it was all a joke. We knew that. But it came to take on a life of its own, and at some point the thought struck me that I could get a funny column out of it - but only if Bil Keane would play along. So I rolled the dice, called his syndicate and inquired about a phone interview. To my surprise, I was quickly given his home phone number and told that he was eager to chat with me.

 Nervously, I placed the call to Paradise Valley, Arizona, which just seems like the place where Bil Keane would live, don't you think? He greeted me warmly, and I explained to him that I wanted to ask him a very, very offbeat question, that I understood completely if he wanted nothing to do with it, and that he had my assurance that I had no intention of writing anything that cast his beloved strip in any sort of ugly light. Amused and intrigued, he told me to go for it. So I asked him if it was possible that Daddy had developed a drug addiction.

 We laughed. We talked. I described to him certain visual details that had puzzled me and led to such speculation, and he talked passionately about how callous newspaper editors had squeezed the comics pages so badly that artists were forced to omit a lot of detail that simply wouldn't show up in such tiny panels. And, no, he said, Mommy and Daddy were still doing fine.

 With that detail cleared up - imagine my relief - we commenced to just talking. He told me wonderful stories about his longtime friend Charles Schulz, who had died recently, and we both spoke in worshipful tones about the legacy of "Peanuts." We talked about baseball, a topic dear to both of us, and he told me how he had just recently thrown out a ceremonial first pitch at a Diamondbacks game. He chatted so easily with me, as though I was a comfortable friend rather than a complete stranger speculating about the influx of narcotics into "The Family Circus." Before we hung up, he gave me his home address and asked that I send him whatever I wrote.

 Several weeks after we spoke, a Sunday "Family Circus" strip featured, in great detail, Mommy and Daddy sleeping blissfully side-by-side. Mommy's left hand was outstretched to show her wedding ring. Could it be, I wondered with astonishment, that I had affected the content of the nation's comics pages? I sent a note to his home, asking if this strip was his response to my phone call. He wrote back, in that handwriting that was so familiar to me, and said of course it was. I kept his address, and a few years later he was generous enough to comply with my request for an original, hand-drawn "Family Circus" panel for a friend's charity auction.

 I never did warm up to "The Family Circus," but after my interaction with Bil Keane, I felt a little less enthusiasm when I would find occasion to make fun of the strip. And I never missed an opportunity to tell people what a kind, gracious and genuine man he was.

 Mike Holtzclaw is a senior reporter at the Daily Press, and he still begins every morning by reading the comics in the same order every day. Yes, including "The Family Circus." He can be reached at mholtzclaw@dailypress.com.

Songs of the Night:

"Tonight" (from West Side Story) - Rachel & Blaine

"Uptown Girl" (Billy Joel) - The Warblers

"A Boy Like That" (from West Side Story) - Rachel & Santana

"America" (from West Side Story) - New Directions

"One Hand One Heart" (from West Side Story) - Rachel & Blaine

 Lines of the Night:

Sebastian: "I don't know who this Blaine guy is, but apparently he's sex on a stick and sings like a dream."

Kurt: "Sure beats the last time you got drunk and made out with Rachel."

Blaine: "Roxy Music makes me want to build a time machine just so I can give Brian Ferry a high five."

Santana: "Speaking from experience, Finn is terrible in bed.... If Rachel wants to have my sloppy seconds, she should know what she's getting into. It was like being smothered by a sweaty out-of-breath sack of potatoes that someone soaked in body spray."

The topic tonight was “the First time”.  Rachel and Blaine were Tony and Maria from the musical West Side Story who are having a sexual awakening, but the two of them had never “been with anyone” before.  In an instance like most teen movies of the 90’s, they became intrigued with the idea and felt as though it would help their performance if they did it before opening night.

I was looking forward to this Glee episode since I heard what the topic was going to be.  I tend to love things that break the mold of society and crack the glass ceiling.  As you can see in the preview above, the trailer was all sexed out and titillating to see what happens to these two young couples on glee (ok and that scene where Finn goes to Mr. Schuester – never happened).  Honestly I was a little disappointed in the overall excitement of the episode, however it did seem to go by fast so that usually means I’m sucked into an episode – which is a good thing.

Let’s begin with Finn and Rachel – Since Burt is now campaigning against Sue, apparently he isn’t home much.  Since Kurt is always hanging out with Blaine; Finn has a lot of time at home alone.  Rachel decided that she wanted to come over and take advantage of the “home alone” situation with dinner and romance.  They had a lovely dinner and then went to hang out by the fire for a while.  They started making out and then Finn started in with the questions.  He was saving up for a hotel for them – somewhere nice – like a Marriott.  Was Rachel comfortable?  Why now?  Well after the barrage of questions – Rachel did what she always does… she opened her mouth and told Finn that she “wanted to get it over with before opening night”.  Seriously Rachel?!  Well that was definitely a mood killer and that was that… for the night.

Rachel ended up performing on opening night without having lost it and then went to Finn’s house after the show while everyone else was at the post party at Arties house.  Finn was beside himself because he had a horrible time with the scouts from Ohio State.  He thought they were coming to see him, when in actuality they were there to see Mercedes new boyfriend.  The recruiter basically told Finn that his football career was going to end in High school, so Finn was freaking out.  It was the first time you really saw him lose his cool this season.  It brought me back to that feeling in high school where it seems like all your friends have it figured out by you.  Totally relatable.  Rachel then talked to Finn saying that he has just grown out of his dreams and needs to look for new ones.  Then she “gave him something no one else could”.  It was very adorable.  Didn’t show much – just a little canoodling and then cuddling by the fire with fewer clothes on…. You get the picture; very sweet and adorable – very family friendly.

Blaine and Kurt were a little bit more complicated.  Blaine went back to Dalton to check and see how the Warblers were doing without him and walked into rehearsal.  There was a new brown haired Blaine double leading the way, and Sebastian.  Sebastian is actually played by actor Grant Gustin, who is a Hampton Roads Native.  He studied musical theater at The Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk.  OK, back to the show… Sebastian was another openly gay warbler who had eyes for Blaine.  He tried to seduce him and suggested that he cheat on Kurt.  Of course Blaine, being the stand up guy that he is – declined just as Kurt walked up.  Sebastian suggested that they all get fake ID’s and go to the gay bar in Lima.

Oh yay!  I got to see what a Glee gay bar was going to be like – pretty entertaining and I must say after going to my fair share of gay bars in college (huge LGBTA supporter); it was a nice combination of different ones I’ve been to.  Although it was a bit empty – it did make for a good scene.  Sebastian was flirting with Blaine openly and Kurt felt abandoned. Although, Karofsky was there!  He has transferred schools and is a regular at the bar now, because he feels accepted.  (He is another glee character that is starting to look his REAL age.  Sitting next to Kurt at the bar he looked 4-5 years older than him easily).  Kurt was the DD as per usual and Blaine decided he wanted to get it on in the back of the car in the parking lot – not romantic in the least.  Kurt and Blaine had their first fight and Blaine ended up walking home.  Eventually he came to his senses and said how much he loved Kurt and hoped that he would be proud of him.  They made out a bit in the auditorium and then Kurt wanted to go back to his house.  Again, they did a pan up of the bed, the two of them cuddling and gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes.  Totally adorable, and totally Glee. 

Other highlights:
Santana is amazing in pretty much any scene – her role in West Side Story KILLED!

Coach Beiste has a love interest.

Tina and Mike lost their virginity to each other over the summer and it was amazing.

Artie finally feels like he’s found his calling although he had no clue what he was doing.

Puck keeps sweeping his mohawk to the side (I guess you have to work with that hair somehow after 3 seasons of the same hair style)

And that’s what you missed on GLEE!

(Cameo from Blaine and Artie in this music video)

Songs of the Night:

1.) Bein' Green - Kermit the Frog

2.) Friday Night - Katy Perry

3.)Waiting for a Girl like You - Foreigner

4.) Candyman - Christina Aguilara

5.) Take Care of Yourself - Teddy Thompson

Lines of the Night:

"Yeah, she's kinda like Rain man with boobs" - Finn 

"I really want Mr. Tubbington to poop candy bars" - Britney

"I love everything about America; nascar, your 1/2 black president, and Victoria's Secret Catalog's" - Rori Flanagan

"In America, dudes don't ask dudes to be their friends; except on facebook, but even then it can take years" - Finn

Ok, Ok... I know I haven't been fully fulfilling my blogging duties this season.  I missed the last two episodes, and quite frankly I'm annoyed with myself.  I honestly wish I could say that I had a legit reason, but no.  I was distracted with life and other goings on.  HOWEVER.  I have vowed to take a leave of absence from Facebook for the month of November.  Crazy right?!  How could a girl who is obsessed with pop culture and GLEE miss out on juicy tidbits and never before seen videos?  I'm not sure, but I'll figure it out.  In the meantime I'm not giving myself any more excuses for not blogging.  For the rest of the season I'm yours (and I still plan on doing a recap of the 2nd and 3rd episodes when there is a break in the season).    Moving on to the good stuff...

Damian McGinty - What a little cutie!  So I feel like a bad  Gleek.  I completely missed the entire Glee Project.  Between moving, work, and the fact that we don't get the Oxygen channel I missed out.  He is a cute little addition to the cast!  I'm going to be intrigued as to what he will bring to the cast and how this will change the dynamics of the New Directions.

Watching Brittany and Santana being to "date" is pretty cute; however Santana is still manipulating Brittany and using her stupidity against her sometimes.  Everyone else may call Brittany stupid, but the person who loves her the most seems to be cashing in on it... not cool Santana.  Its pretty obvious that Brittany is still Bi-curious because she seems pretty into the leprechaun kid.... and what about her and Artie?  I wonder if they will ever spark things back up again.

Finn obviously has jealousy towards Blaine - if I wasn't mistaking a bit of Rachel may be rubbing off on him... not in the good way.  He seemed insecure and almost a little bullying towards Rori in the beginning saying how he didn't want to be his friend, and then losing his patience with Brittany and telling her there was no such thing as leprechauns and that she was an idiot.  As with most bully kids something was bothering him and it seemed to be that he has no direction post McKinley High... Burt suggested that he take over the family tire shop and he just stared ahead with a scared look on his face.  Poor kiddo.  In true Finn fashion however by the end of the episode he manned up, took the new kid under his wing, and showed the Glee Club that they should be unified.

Mercedes, Santana, and Brittany have all joined the new glee club in the school, The Troubletones - so far its all female, but from the looks of it this is fierce competition.  Everyone is tired of the Glee club being all about Rachel so the girls (minus Tina) decided that they wanted to be in the new one so that they can shine more.   Maybe with Tina being the only real girl in the GLee club other than Rachel - she can get some more songs... I really do love her voice, but I feel like they're dumbing her down by crying all the time and mooning over Mike Chang.  GIVE ME MORE TINA!

The real drama is going down between Puck, Shelby, and Quinn.  Quinn feels like she has nothing going for her in Lima, Ohio and feels like Beth was "her perfect little thing" that even she couldn't screw up.  They tried going to Shelby's house to babysit for Beth and Quinn starts staging the house and making it look like Shelby is an unfit mother.  Puck goes back to the house to take the stuff back.  He's really manning up - we then remember that Puck has a thing for Cougars and in the final scene makes a move on Shelby.  What a hottie!  The only thing that I can say about the scenes where they are together is that Puck is really starting to look his age (29).  When he is around the other "high school kids" but then they stick him with Shelby and wow - you can tell he's older than 18.   And thats what you missed on Glee!

*Please watch the video below - I found this again after I had forgotten about it, but this just sums up how awesome Glee is - from a cast members perspective.  One of the cutest songs I've heard in a while*

 Saturday

*This is the day you can sit down and watch the shows you’ve DVRed, because, really, what IS on Saturday nights? The only thing I can think of is…

 11:30 PM — Saturday Night Live — NBC. Now in its 37^th season, it is back on top with some great guest hosts this season, including Alec Baldwin and Anna Farris. Their political sketches and “Weekend Update” are perennial favorites. Just because it is 37 years old, doesn’t mean it’s lost it’s mojo. As always, a fun sketch-comedy show (and virtually the ONLY decent thing on Saturday nights…)

Sunday

8:00 PM — Once Upon a Time — ABC. This just made its debut this past Sunday, and it was better than I thought it would be. Combining fairy-tale elements as a backdrop to this drama makes for entertaining TV. Elements from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, but set in present-day NYC is an interesting combination. Reviews have been pretty solid, so I think this show will be around for a while. You can catch the pilot on abc.com or hulu.com so you will be all caught up for its second episode tomorrow night.

 9:00 PM — Desperate Housewives — ABC (Last Season). This has been a staple of Sunday nights since its inception, and all seasons and devices used have been quite clever. In a way, I hate to “Kiss Them Goodbye,” but I think it may be time. Currently, the core characters are in turmoil over last season’s cliffhanger (Carlos killed Gaby’s stepfather, as he was trying to rape her, during a neighborhood progressive dinner.) Lynette, Bree, and Susan helped them bury the body, and the consequences have been mixed. Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) have been struggling to keep the secret and have enormous guilt. They finally told Susan’s husband Mike (James Denton) what was going on, but the other characters have been a bit blasé about the whole ordeal. Gaby (Eva Longoria) has gone backwards in her character development. We had started to see her develop empathy for others (when Carlos was in jail a few years back and they were poor). But now, she is as self-centered as ever, and doesn’t understand why Carlos has any guilt over taking that monster’s life. Bree is also a bit self-serving, even though she received the same note that Mary Alice received in the pilot, which caused her to commit suicide (“I know what you did. It makes me sick. I’m going to tell.” Lynette (Felicity Huffman) is more concerned about her separation from Tom (Doug Savant) and his dating life, than on how her friends are coping with the secret OR how her children are dealing with the separation of their parents. Vanessa Williams (Reneé) is the real standout this season, maintaining her character’s selfishness and as a sounding board for Lynette’s woes. My hope is that these Housewives clean up their act so when they leave us in May, they go out with a bang instead of a wimper.

10:00 PM — CSI: Miami — CBS. David Caruso learned his lesson the last time he left a cop show (NYPD Blue) and has remained on this incarnation of the CSI franchise since the beginning. His detective Horatio Caine can be a bit comic-strippy, but he is faithful to the role, nonetheless. If you’re looking for some gritty, gruesome action with gleaming Miami colors on Sunday nights, this show is still the one to watch.

10:00 PM — Pan Am — ABC. This freshman drama, set in the 1960s, has everything a good new show needs to have — great looking characters, killer wardrobe, intrigue, romance, and a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure. Pan Am centers on the life of four Pan Am stewardesses, hand selected for the brand-new European-based flight circuit. However, it is not just a “pretty to look at” show. The producers did their homework on everything related to the show, down to the undergarments that the stewardesses had to wear. Additionally, Kate Cameron (played by Kelli Garner) has been selected to be a currier for the CIA, shuttling various documents and items between the US and the European cities she travels to working for Pan Am. Christina Ricci is wonderful as the purser Maggie Ryan, a fierce supporter of JFK and women’s rights. Newcomer Margot Robbie is beautiful as the “face” of Pan AM, and as Kate’s younger sister, Laura (who is also a runaway bride). The combination of history and fiction makes for a great Sunday night show to watch. Complete your experience with a dirty martini – you’ll think you’ve traveled back in time, as tunes by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald are played in the background.

10:00 PM — Our America with Lisa Ling — OWN. This docu-series, in its second season on OWN, takes a look at what goes on behind closed doors in America. Lisa Ling is a perfect host who shows us her strong reporting skills, in addition to her empathy for those she is profiling. Nothing is off-limits, from sex-offender tent cities in the woods to people making amateur porn in suburban neighborhoods. Sister wives, meth addicts, faith healers, and prostitutes tell their stories unapologetically, and Ling shows no bias. Or, if she goes in with a preconceived idea, she is always surprised by the candor of her subjects’ stories. A great look into the lives of the people who may live next door…

Shows that air nightly:

7:00 PM — TMZ — FOX. A commentary entertainment show of the celeb gossip of the day. Once thought of as the ugly underbelly of the lives of paparazzi, it is now known for scooping celebrity stories, such as the trials of Lindsay Lohan, celeb pregnancies, and break-ups. They are self-deprecating, and TMZ’s “correspondents” have no problem making fun of their boss, “I’m a lawyer” Harvey Levin, in addition to the celebrities (or celeb wannabe’s) they cover. Truly, a dose of brain candy after a hard day’s work. 

7:00 PM or 11:30 PM — E! News —E! Similar to TMZ, E! News takes a look at the celebrity news of the day. Whether it be covering a party, an arrest, clearing up rumors, or giving fashion tips, it is a nice vacation from “real” news. The show also has weekend editions, so if you just want to hear the top celeb news of the week, compiled from each day’s stories, check out the weekend editions on Saturday and Sunday.

11:00 PM — Chelsea Lately — E! The most irreverent talk show on the air! Chelsea Handler is the next big star – she just had her 800^th episode of Chelsea Lately, and is producing a sitcom based on one of her New York Times best-selling books, Hello Vodka, It’s Me, Chelsea, which is set to air on NBC as a mid-season replacement. Her openness about her own life is comedy gold, and her panel of comedians is unbeatable. However, be fore-warned: If you are not into some racy language and subject matter, this is NOT the show for you. She is a broad, pure and simple, and her candor on any and every subject is what gives her such an appeal, but it is not for the faint of heart.

11:00 PM — The Daily Show with Jon Stewart — Comedy Central. It’s been said that The Daily Show is where the 20-something to 40-something crowd gets the majority of their news. No wonder, as Jon Stewarts likability combined with his knowledge of current events makes for one well-produced show. His coverage of the presidential debates, his “Indecision 2000” series won him the Peabody award, and he has continued this series in 2004 (which earned him his second Peabody), 2008, and now 2012. His “correspondents” have become stand-out stars in their own right (both Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert have gained success on both the small and big screen.) Additionally, he doesn’t just interview celebrities, like David Letterman and Jay Leno. He has politicians, authors, news anchors, in addition to celebrities sit at his table. His in-depth investigations have covered racial profiling, religious fanaticism, and equal rights, all with a satiric twist. It’s no wonder he has such a following. The only negative I can say about this show is that it only airs Monday through Thursday.

11:30 PM — The Colbert Report — Comedy Central. Stephen Colbert, the host of The Colbert Report (pronounced with a silent ‘t’) is a send off of The O’Reilly Factor. It is much more of a parody of a news/commentary than The Daily Show. He plays his conservative character to the hilt, but not with mockery. His over-the-top performances don’t appeal to all, but since its debut, it has maintained a solid following. The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, which paired him with his former boss Jon Stewart, was a huge hit on the mall in Washington, D.C., drawing a bigger crowd than some of the true political rallies held in the same locale. It is a great follow-up show to The Daily Show and will be around for a long time.

On the Horizon: Be on the look out for Alphas (Scyfy), White Collar (USA), Royal Pains (USA), So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), and Rizzoli and Isles (TNT), as they return later this season. All are intriguing and fun to watch!

Well, that’s the end of my suggestions for what to watch in Prime-Time. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my personal favorites, and I would love to hear from you as to what I need to watch next (because obviously, I need more to watch! LOL) Signing off for now, goodnight and good luck, yada, yada, yada, and all that jazz…

Conni Ironmonger-Mann is a professor, wife, and mother, who enjoys nothing more than snuggling with her two favorite people in front of the TV at the end of a busy day’s work…

Thursday

8:00 PM — The Big Bang Theory — CBS. This is a gem of a show that I just recently started to watch. The ensemble cast is perfectly in sync with each other. The show centers on the lives of four nerdy scientists who love all things comic book and sci-fi. Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) are roommates and remind me of the original Odd Couple of Felix and Oscar (you youngin’s feel free to look that up…). Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is the pretty girl-next-door waitress/actress who had a brief fling with Leonard. She has been joined by two other women, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and the hilariously dead-pan Amy Farrah-Fowler, played to the hilt by Mayim Bialik. The only thing that sometimes gets in the way of the show is the laugh track. (Trust us, CBS, this show is funny enough without having to use that dated device. We will know when to laugh!) One point of caution: Even though this airs at 8:00 PM on a major network, it is not always “Family Friendly.” We learned this the hard way when we were watching with our 9-year-old daughter. You don’t want to have to answer s-e-x questions if you really don’t have to … .

8:00 PM — Community — NBC. I’m so glad we have two DVRs in the house! Again, this is a great ensemble comedy, sans laugh track, that is just so clever. The diversity of characters and how well they adopt their roles is what makes this so fun to watch. Sometimes the scenarios are a bit far fetched, but the absurdity is what makes this so enjoyable! Jeff Winger, a disbarred lawyer working to get his diploma at the community college (Joel McHale, also the host of The Soup on E!) is the leader of this crazy cast of characters, which include Chevy Chases’ Pierce (an old rich racist) and Yvette Nicole Brown (the very Christian Shirley). Another standout is the outlandish dean of the community college, played by Jim Rash. The devices they use, from claymation, to alternate realities, makes for one great show!

9:00 PM — Person of Interest — CBS. This fall's new shows really have been top notch (except for a few duds like Charlie’s Angels and The Playboy Club). The core characters are a computer genius who worked for the CIA, Mr. Finch (played wonderfully by Michael Emerson, of Lost fame) and former military operative Mr. Reese (Jim Cavizel, Jesus from The Passion). Finch developed a machine that identifies terror threats and other minor violent crimes. Since the CIA was only interested in the big threats, it was throwing away the information on the smaller crimes. Finch created a “backdoor” to the machine, and with each episode, the two men try to stop violent events before they happen. It is a solid suspense/action show, with a nice twist for the genre.

9:00 PM — Grey’s Anatomy — ABC. What can I say? This is THE medical drama to watch. Great actors/characters (please don’t leave at the end of this season, Patrick Dempsy!) and rich storylines by the fabulous Shonda Rhimes; this show is never dull. Will Mer & Derrick get back baby Zoula? Will Bailey ever trust Mer again? Will Christina and Owen be able to repair their relationship since her abortion by talking and not just by having “mind-blowing” sex? Will little Grey get back with her true love Dr. Sloan? These through storylines are what keep us coming back for more.

10:00 PM — Burn Notice — USA. LOVE!! I don’t know what’s better — that this is no longer a “just in the summertime” show, or that Michael (Jeffery Donovan) and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) are back together? Intrigue, suspense, action, romance, great supporting characters (Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe, or Chuck Finley, depending on the scene, is too wonderful!), make this show a must-watch whatever season it is on. (For the record, it returns for its fall season this coming Thursday, November 3!) HOT!!

Friday

8:00 PM — Chuck — NBC (Last Season). In a way, I hate to see this show come to an end, mainly because Zachary Levi is so good in the title role. I mainly watch it out of loyalty, since I have watched it since its debut. However, this season has made a change, and I hope they get back to its origins QUICK. Chuck used to be the “Intersect” for the CIA. Basically, he had the entire CIA database downloaded into his brain and could “flash” when he saw a clue to a case. He became a spy by night, and a “Nerd Herd” computer fixer at the Buy More by day. (Think “Geek Squad” from the Best Buy, and you’ll get the idea.) Now, his bumbling best friend, Morgan (Joshua Gomez) is the Intersect, and I’m not really buying it. I do like that Chuck and Agent Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) are together. But, in order to make it to the END of their final season, Chuck needs to get the intersect back and fast…

9:00 PM — CSI: NY — CBS. Even though this is the least-popular of the CSI franchise, it keeps going like the Energizer bunny. Det. Mac Taylor (the incomparable Gary Sinise) and Det. Jo Danville (Sela Ward) make a great pair, leading the CSI lab in NYC. The stories have been quick-paced and very intriguing. It’s a great Friday night show.

9:00 — Fringe — FOX. By far the BEST sci-fi program on TV at the moment (aside from the British import, Doctor Who), Fringe never disappoints. Fringe is a head-trippy, psychedelic ride into alternate universes, mutant diseases, and shape-shifting agents trying to take over “our” universe. The possibilities are endless. It was touch-and-go during season 3 if they would be back for the current season 4, but due to a solid fan base and the re-energizing of their storytelling techniques, Fringe makes for must-see TV on Friday nights. Joshua Jackson, John Noble, and Anna Torv (Peter, Walter, and Olivia) are quite the crime-solving trio. However, with Peter now erased from their memories and wiped clean off the timeline, it will be interesting to see how he convinces his father, Walter, and his girlfriend/co-worker Olivia, to believe he is who he says he is. It returns this coming Friday night, November 4, now that baseball season is over. (YAY!)

10:00 PM — The Soup — E! Joel McHale (also on Community) is the host of this witty clip show of the most ridiculous shows on all of TV-land. No show is safe from his wrath, but the ones who are on the receiving endn really do deserve it. His mid-year and year-end shows of the worst of the worst are equally hysterical. If you miss it on Friday night, no worries, it shows about a bajillion times more throughout the week.

10:30 PM — Fashion Police — E! Joan Rivers hosts this shows about the do’s and don’ts of fashion. (I wrote about this show here on the Daily Pop when it debuted last year, and it hasn’t lost its luster yet.) The “must-see” looks of the week, Starlet or Streetwalker, Guess Me From Behind, and the Rack Report are just a few of the devices they use to make this show more than just about fashion. With Joan at the helm, you know this has got to be funny. Also, don’t miss their one-hour specials after big award shows like the Oscars or Emmys. You get to see all the fashion from the A-list events without having to sit through the three-hour pre-show events. And again, since it’s on E!, you can catch it on almost any day of the week.

Stay tuned for part three of this series, coming up after the break...

Conni Ironmonger-Mann is a professor, wife, and mother, who enjoys nothing more than snuggling with her two favorite people in front of the TV at the end of a busy day’s work…

 Tuesday

8:00 PM — Glee — FOX. This will be returning from a short hiatus, brought about by the Baseball World Series, this coming Tuesday. Set in McKinnley High School, where jocks rule and the Glee Club (aka, Show Choir) is for the losers, this is a perennial hit. There was a lot of drama surrounding its return, since many of the favorite characters will be seniors this year. However, according to the shows creator, all will be back for another season. New comer Idina Menzel (of Wicked fame) plays not only Rachel’s (Lea Michelle) bio-mom and the adopted mom of Puck (Mark Salling) and Quinn’s (Diana Agron) baby, she has started a SECOND Glee Club at McKinnley High! We shall see how things turn out… 

 9:00 PM — New Girl — FOX. Such a fun show! Zooey Deschanel is pitch perfect in this new comedy. She stars as a recently dumped girl that responds to a “roommate needed” ad, that happens to be a house of three bachelors. She sings everything, watches “Dirty Dancing” when she is sad, and is a hysterical hot mess. The best thing – no laugh track!

Wednesday

10:00 PM — Psych — USA. Follow the shenanigans of Shawn (James Roday) and Gus Dulè Hill) as they solve crimes with Shawn’s “psychic” powers. It is a fun, cop show (which is rare) with a great ensemble cast. Don’t worry of you didn’t start watching from the beginning  — it is an easy show to jump into. Luckily, it shows on hulu.com, so if you didn’t catch it last night, you can find it there.

Well, I think I’ve now covered the great shows that air Monday through Wednesday. Be looking for my Thursday though Sunday edition in a bit… Happy watching!

Conni Ironmonger-Mann is a professor, wife, and mother, who enjoys nothing more than snuggling with her two favorite people in front of the TV at the end of a busy day’s work…

It’s not that Coach has been brilliant (as Boston Rob Mariano was in winning last season), but he has worked to develop strategies and he has kept his self-indulgent eccentricities in check. Meanwhile Ozzy has played the game on cruise control. He has seemed disengaged and content to let the game come to him (unless the producers are specifically editing the daily footage to create that image as a counterpoint to Coach).

But if Ozzy was taking it easy, he got a metaphorical bucket of cold water thrown on him when his Savaii tribemates schemed behind his back to oust his closest ally, Elyse. Shaken from his malaise and reinvigorated in the game, Ozzy on Wednesday night undertook what might be the boldest gamble in the show’s 22-season history.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

After Savaii lost the immunity challenge, Ozzy instructed his tribemates to vote him out so that he could go to Redemption Island and try to end Christine’s season-long winning streak in redemption duals. The high-risk strategy is predicated on two assumptions: (1.) That a merge is imminent and that Christine’s return would benefit her former Upolu tribe, and (2.) that Ozzy has the best odds of beating her in a head-to-head challenge.

Taking (1.) first … it’s hard to say if either tribe would specifically benefit from Christine’s return. She was the first person voted out of the game (because she had mocked and threatened Coach from the time he hopped out of the helicopter), and she remains tremendously bitter at the Upolu tribe. When one of her former teammates tried to encourage her during a recent redemption challenge, she flipped him the bird. If she re-enters the game, it would seem that she is a free agent and an unpredictable wild card, but not an immediate addition to the Upolu voting bloc.

As for (2.), yes, it seems logical that Ozzy is the most likely person to beat Christine. His calling card in the game has always been his performance in challenges, not his use of strategy. But still, it remains a huge risk. He doesn’t know what type of challenge he’ll be facing; in a do-or-die situation, the slightest error or bad break would be fatal to his chances; and there is no guarantee that the merge comes in next week’s episode, which means that Ozzy might have to win two or more redemption challenges with his butt on the line. (The sneak preview of next week’s episode suggests that Ozzy and Christine will participate in a challenge that involves attaching smaller twigs to make a longer stick and then using it to retrieve a set of keys. It’s not a hugely physical challenge, but Ozzy’s experience in the game might give him an advantage here. We’ll see.)

Either way, it’s good to see the fire in Ozzy’s eyes again. His gamble here has energeized this season. If it works and he re-enters the game, he will have pulled off an incredible coup – but he will still have to parlay it into something larger. He will have to deal with the possibility that in his absence, Jim and Cochran have developed a plan to take control of the tribe. The next two episodes will be critical to shaping the rest of this season.

Quick hits …

 Last night’s immunity challenge reminds me of how much I always enjoy contests that involve blindfolded contestants being directed by shouting teammates. It is inevitable that at least one blindfolded participant will walk into something – last night, it was Edna conking her head on a hunk of wood and Sophie toppling into a ditch. (For what it’s worth, I once attempted a variation of this challenge as part of a Cub Scout team-building exercise, and sure enough, one of the blindfolded kids walked into a fence and ended up with a bloody lip. I still feel bad about that one.) When Upolu won the challenge last night, there was a brief shot of Sophie – still blindfolded, flailing her arms wildly in an attempt to hug an unseen teammate.

It gets stranger every week to watch the interaction between Coach and Brandon. Coach is wary of the nephew of his old nemesis Russell and tries to hold Brandon at arm’s length. Brandon, every bit as megalomaniacal as his uncle but not nearly as smart, seems to put on a bizarre display every week. He has campaigned from the start for Mikayla’s ouster, admitting that she intimidated him because he was sexually attracted to her. He is prone to break out weeping whenever he talks about his Christian faith or about his uncle’s duplicitous legacy. And he hijacks every tribal council, all the while trying (unsuccessfully) to convince everyone that he is an honorable man in a dishonest game. The last time Upolu went to tribal council, Brandon announced to everyone that he truly wanted to keep Mikayla around but he was voting her out because he didn’t want to be seen as flip-flopping. The tribal ended with Coach and Brandon whispering “I love you” to each other, even though it seems that they can’t stand each other. In this week’s episode, in the middle of the immunity challenge, Coach suddenly begions serenely (but loudly) praying aloud for victory, prompting the blindfolded Brandon to lower his head raise a hand to the sky like a testifying congregant.

So who are the favorites at this point? I’m proud of my early prediction that Cochran would overcome his rough start and become a big factor. If he and Jim make a successful power grab, and if they can stick together, it wouldn’t be hard to see a jury choosing the bookish Harvard law student over the conniving medicinal pot dealer. On the Upolu side, Albert and Sophie are both smart, capable players; I suspect they will be more than ready to eliminate Coach whenever it becomes expedient, and I suspect he will never see it coming. As interesting dark horse is Cowboy Rick, who is finally getting a little bit of face time and could emerge as a serious player during this middle third of the season.

  Mike Holtzclaw, a reporter for the Daily Press, is trying to figure out which former stars they will bring back for next season. He can be reached at mholtzclaw@dailypress.com.

MONDAY:

9:00 PM — House — Fox. This season has been pretty interesting as we see how House is getting his life back after his “run in” with Cuddy’s dining room window at the end of last season. I hate that Lisa Edelstein and Olivia Wilde have left the show, but it really feels like a new start for House, now that he has hit rock bottom. We’ll have to see if the new characters work out.

10:00 PM — Hawaii 5-0 — CBS. In its sophomore season, it is starting to pick up the pace a bit. I enjoy the character interaction and development, but the scenery is what really pulls in viewers. Plus, who doesn’t love that theme? (Now you’re going to be humming it all day!)

10:00 PM — Castle — ABC. This show is an absolute hit! Love that it can be incredibly funny, heartwarming, and mysterious at the same time. It is also great that the powers that be have marketed the whole package of the show by tying in books that “Castle” has written. (I’ve read two of them myself, and they really keep with the theme of the show.) Love the sexual tension between novelist Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Detective Becket (Stana Katic) (Thanks to his friendship with the Mayor, Castle gets to be a part of Becket’s detail on the police force – he is using her as his muse for his detective novels.) I hope this one will be around for a LONG time…

TUESDAY:

8:00 PM — The X Factor — Fox. OK, so I haven’t been watching this every week, but what I have seen, I’ve enjoyed. Having Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul back together is enough to make anyone watch, and the talent pool has been pretty good. I think this one will be around for a while 

10:00 PM — Unforgettable — CBS. Poppy Montgomery steals the show as Carrie Wells, a detective that doesn’t forget anything that happens in her life. She remembers every detail of everything she sees, and can draw on those memries to help her solve crimes. The sexual tension between her and her partner Al is smokin’ hot, and the through story of her trying to remember the face of the man who killed her sister years ago (the only day in her life she cannot recall the details of) makes for compelling TV.

10:00 PM — Body of Proof — ABC. This is not just another CSI rip-off. The characters are very complex, and the through story of Megan Hunt (Played by Dana Delaney) who has a difficult relationship with both her daughter and her boss (Played by Jeri Ryan of Star Trek fame) is interesting. If you like Patricia Cornwell’s books of Kay Scarpetta, then you will love this tale of a neurosurgeon turned medical examiner.

RETURNING NOVEMBER 1, 2011: 10:00 PM — Covert Affairs — USA. One of the best spy shows since Alias went off the air. Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) is a young CIA agent who travels the world getting the bad guys. She is helped by a blind handler, Auggie (played by the very-nice-to-look-at Christopher Gorham). Other players in this suspenseful drama are Peter Gallagher, Anne Dudek (House), and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes).

WEDENESDAY:

8:30 PM — Suburgatory  — ABC. This hilarious new comedy is a “fish out of water” story. Tessa (played by newcomer Jane Levy) was a teen growing up in NYC, living with her dad (Jeremy Sisto) since her mom left, when her dad found a condom in her night stand. (It was wrapped, not used, but he was worried none the less). She told him she was holding for a friend, which made hime more concerned, so he moved them out to a suburban neighborhood, filled with white picket fences, pot luck dinners, barbeques, and pesky neighbors. Stand out performances go to Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Anna Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live). Hope this one stays around. Also, I love that it does not use a laugh track. (Hear that, Whitney? When it is really funny, a show doesn’t need a crutch like a laugh track…)

9:00 PM — Modern Family — ABC. This is truly a comedy for our time. It features hilarious characters and funny, sometimes painfully funny, circumstances that we all can relate to. The story centers around a father, his Columbian wife, and her son, the father’s two children, a daughter who is married to a bumbling husband and has three outrageous kids, and a gay son and his partner with their adopted Chinese daughter. Every week, this show delivers some of the most ingenious writing on TV. This is show is so relatable to all demographics. A must watch!

9:00 PM — Criminal Minds — CBS. Last year was a rough one for this gritty crime drama — it dropped two of its female leads and their viewers left in droves. Luckily, CBS realized the enormity of this mistake and brought back both J.J. (A.J. Cook) and Emily Prentis (Paget Brewster). With the gang all back together, it is starting to remind me of shows from previous years. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy a good suspense with a solid group of core characters, this is the show for you. 

10:00 PM — CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — CBS. Even though this show has been around a LONG time, it still keeps things fresh. I hate that Laurence Fishburn left after only two seasons, but I am finally warming up to Ted Danson’s new character, D.B. It still delivers solid storylines and keeps me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Again, this is not for the weak stomached, as some of the scenes can be really gruesome, but great acting and great story telling has kept this show on the air. 

10:00 PM — Brad Meltzer’s Decoded — Hist. Back for its second season, Decoded takes you behind the scenes of some of the most talked about mysteries in the United States. The crew, Buddy, McKinley, and Scott, follow clues that Brad gives them as they are researching these mysteries surrounding some of the most important monuments or moments in our culture. Previous topics have included Fort Knox (Is there really gold in there?), Mt. Rushmore (Is it a secret sign for White Supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan) and the corner stone of the White House (Where is it? Did the Masons steal it after it was commissioned? Why can’t we find it?) This is a great family show that is both entertaining and educational. And, if your DVR is already booked with other 10:00 PM shows, don’t worry — since it is on the History Channel, there are plenty of other times to view this insightful show!

10:00 PM — Revenge — ABC. Oh. My. Lord. What a terrific show! This is by far my favorite show of the new season. It focus around the lives of Hampton socialites that have done a horrible crime — framing a girls father for a crime he did not commit. That little girl was Amanda, and she ended up being institutionalized for years, never again getting to see her father after he was taken into custody by the authorities. He died while she was locked up, but sent his protégé Nolan (Gabriel Mann) to pick her up upon her release. Her dad left her a box, which held a road map of sorts, of all the people who had wronged him. She changed her name to Emily (Emily VanCamp, formerly from Brothers and Sisters), and with the fortune he left her, has come to wreck havoc to all who wronged her father. For all of us who have wanted to get back at those who have hurt the one’s we’ve loved, this is the show to live vicariously through! Victoria (played by Madeline Stowe) is also giving a knock-out performance. A guilty pleasure… 

So that’s all for this installment. Check back for what I have to recommend for the rest of your week’s viewing pleasure.

Have I missed any of your shows that are on Monday-Wednesday? If I have, please leave a comment below so I can see what I’m missing! Until next time…

Conni Ironmonger-Mann is a professor, wife, and mother, who enjoys nothing more than snuggling with her two favorite people in front of the TV at the end of a busy day’s work…