Chicks On TV

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If Your Nana Also Owns a Gun, You Too Might Like "The New Normal"

There are lots of reasons to like NBC's The New Normal, but Ellen Barkin is definitely numero uno. She plays a sharp-tongued, gun-toting bigot who would be horrifically offensive if only we could stop laughing long enough to hold it against her. One thing the show does really well is reaffirm that one of the biggest weapons we have in the war against intolerance is humor. With a little (or rather a lot of) laughter, we can stare all of the  'isms and phobias that plague our society in the face and continue to push for a world where loving thy neighbor is truly a way of life rather than a hollow commandment.

I'm very excited to see how the show unfolds, and have a feeling that The New Normal could potentially be the new breakout hit.

And if we could just get Nene Leakes a couple of acting lessons, we'd really be cooking with gas. I'm just saying...

Signing off from in front of the television, as usual...

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Eliana danced a quickstep, not a foxtrot :)

You're absolutely right, thanks!

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Holy Smokies, Lord Have Murphy!

Who knew the quickstep could be so  entertaining? No. Seriously?

As a SYTYCD super fan who's been watching since the first season, I've never seen a memorable quickstep on the show, much less one that I would save on DVR to actually watch again.

Enter Eliana, everybody's favorite ballerina by day and artistic pole dancer by night. 

This week, Eliana made the quickstep accessible and proved why Nigel has crowned her his favorite girl of the season. Known for her superb technique and maturity, she's masterfully executed every style that she's been assigned. And while Whitney's sex appeal draws the eye, and Tiffany (who I don't even remember joining the show) is starting to emerge from the shadows (literally) as a contender, it will be baffling if either of them are able to overtake Eliana on the leader board.

Other highlights from this week's episode included the return of Ade, Alex and Twitch, a few of my favorite guys, a formidable hip hop routine by Whitney, but an even better one by Will and an exquisite solo by Chehon. Oh, and the return of Jesse Tyler Ferguson as a guest judge, whom I pay tribute to with the title of this blog post. ("I love to ratchet!" - and again with this quote.)

While Cyrus wasn't a standout for me (his performance with all-star Melanie was just okay, and there wasn't much new under the sun in his solo), I'm still voting for him though based on his Mia Michaels routine from a couple of weeks ago - specifically the kiss and the hip thrusting. I feel quite confident that will likely carry him through to the end of the show.

Who do you think will go all the way this season on So You Think You Can Dance? Let me know who's at the top of your list.

Signing off from in front of the TV (now watching Toddlers and Tiaras, a cautionary tale), as usual...

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Falling in Love Annie Walker Style

And here I was pining for Auggie on Annie's behalf... Well hats off to the writers for introducing Simon Fischer, the Cambridge-educated venture capitalist and master spy whose rugged good looks are proving to be Annie's greatest distraction and viewers' wildest ride.  

I must admit, he is a far more exciting love interest, even if it's not destined to last. (I mean, Annie is going to end up with Auggie, right??? But back to Simon...)

The passion building between Annie and Simon has been absolutely palpable, revving up a season that had (in my opinion) gotten off to a bit of a slow start. So in last night's episode when Simon slit his handler's throat to save Annie's life, I couldn't help but swoon. In fact, I think I'm still swooning. (You know what they say, every woman's secret fantasy is to be rescued...)

And if that wasn't enough, "Next week will blow your mind," according to a tweet by the episode's writer, Alex Berger. (BTW, you can follow him @AlexBergerLA.)

I don't know about you, but when Simon gave Annie the postcard, I was hanging onto her every word, wishing "I love it" would have been "I love you." I'm sure Simon was hoping for the same. Maybe next week will blow his mind too:)

Signing off from in front of the TV (Watching Covert Affairs AGAIN, it was sooo good), as usual...

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Should Teen Mom's Maci Bookout Get a Spinoff?

This season we say goodbye to the original cast of MTV's Teen Mom - and not a

moment too soon. While it's still 'appointment TV' for fans of the show, the storylines aren't nearly as compelling now that the girls have grown out of their teens and settled into their young adult lives.

Watching Tyler and Catelynn is frankly like watching paint dry. Their ongoing issues with their drug addicted parents are more tiresome than titillating. Farrah's inability to master interpersonal relationships is depressing rather than entertaining. And honestly, it's unlikely Amber would be able to avoid jail and/or rehab long enough to even film another season.

That leaves Maci Bookout, who has in fact hinted that she would be interested in a spinoff. Will MTV take the bait?

5 Reasons Why We (Meaning Me) Wouldn't Change the Channel:

1) Of the four girls, Maci gets the award for "Most Likely to Succeed." This in light of the fact that: a) the bar is not exactly high, b) Catelynn doesn't even know if she picked the right major for her intended career and c) I just recently heard the soundtrack to "My Teenage Dream Ended." #EpicFail

2) Fans are dying to see whether Maci and Kyle work out in the end.

3) Tensions (perhaps sexual and otherwise) between Maci and Ryan continue to make for great television.

4) Fans are secretly (and publicly) hoping that Ryan and Dalis break up, and wouldn't mind getting a first row seat.

5) Who doesn't love hearing Bentley say "LUH YEW" every week?

Many in the blogosphere are speculating on whether Maci is in fact already taping a spinoff. And rumor has it that her co-star is Farrah. Regardless, we'll keep our ear to the ground for confirmation...

Signing off from in front of the TV (Walker, Texas Ranger - don't judge me), as usual...

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Ben and Kate: Three Thumbs Down

Of the thousands and thousands of pilots that were made but never saw the light of

day, I am baffled as to why this was not one of them. If I had three thumbs, I'd turn them all down.

In all fairness, it wasn't a complete cluster. The chicks on the show aren't terrible. But I think the producers could have learned a lesson from NBC's Best Friends Forever: Not even the cutest kid can save a sinking show.(Black man with an afro not gonna do it either.)

Lots of quips and cute but by the end of the episode, no one (not the writers, not the actors, not the grip...) managed to make me care about any of it. That being said, I think it might be curtains for Ben, Kate and the rest of the bunch. I do so hate pilot season sob stories:(

Signing off from in front of the TV... as usual...

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The Mindy Project: Could Mindy Be My New Best Friend?

A few minutes into The Mindy Project, I'm thinking, "this is ridiculous" - followed by (as she gets verbally pimp slapped by a Barbie doll while underwater) "And I love it!"

The Mindy Project is a quirky and quick-witted show with a loveable lead (Mindy Kaling). The character has been likened to Bridget Jones, a comparison I rather disagree with. While I hoped that Bridget would eventually peel herself off the floor and get it together there was a dash of uncertainty. I mean can I be sure that Bridget Jones is currently in a great relationship and gainfully employed? Hell no. (Yes, I realize I am writing about a fictional character.) While, quirkiness aside, I get the feeling that while she's in for a bumpy ride, Mindy's going to be kicking ass and taking names in every episode and long after the series has been put to bed. (And yes, I realize I'm still writing about a fictional character.)

So, will it be a surefire hit? Can't say. But I can promise that snarky, female couch potatoes who tend to not so much laugh, but rather snicker and sneer at the TV and yet cry at Publix holiday commercials (i.e. my demographic) will love this show. 

In fact, I think Mindy could potentially be this season's most relatable lead character. She's everything viewers like me have begged to see on television (can you believe this show is on FOX) and I can't wait to see how the character develops. 

Five Things I Love About Mindy:

1) She's brown

2) She's chubby

3) She's in her 30s

4) She's smart (which offsets her crazy, if only by a little bit)

5) She's obsessed with romantic comedies

Incidentally, the five things I love about Mindy are also the five things that I have in common with her:)

The only thing I don't like about her is Gwen (Anna Camp), her lame blond friend, who you may know as the ever-annoying Caitlin from The Good Wife. And while I realize that this is a totally different character, as her name is not Caitlin (but she IS a lawyer turned stay-at-home mom, hmmmm....),  I can't help it if my (irrelevant and irrational) emotions spill over into new seasons and new shows. But I digress...

The point is I'll be watching The Mindy Project this season (and hopefully all the seasons that follow), and hope you will too.

Signing off from in front of the TV... as usual...