TV Talk: Week in Review ’14-’15 #4

Reviews for Fall TV Shows & Specials Which Aired
September 21, 2014 – September 27, 2014

* New series in CAPS
* Reviews May Contain Spoilers


Note: I am not caught up on, therefore I will not be reviewing The Big Bang Theory, Person of Interest, and Nashville. I will also not be reviewing The Amazing Race (officially on board to watch after finding out that Bethany Hamilton is on this season) or Law & Order: SVU but I may feature certain episodes of Law & Order: SVU in the future.

VERONICA MARS: PLAY IT AGAIN, DICK (CW Seed) – Episode 1.02

In this episode, Ryan is in negotiations with Jason as he officially signs onto Ryan’s spinoff and later, Ryan reaches out to Chris to come and play Piz again. So it seems we won’t get to see the actual spinoff show for awhile, if we ever see it. This whole web series might just be a comedy about what could happen behind the scenes if a spinoff were ever actually to happen. That’s what I’m getting from it and I don’t mind at all. Also, love the oh so subtle iZombie marketing from Rob Thomas. I actually can’t wait for iZombie, what about you?

GOTHAM (Fox) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

I reviewed the series premiere of Gotham in advance. You can read it here.

Photo Credit: Tyler Golden/NBC (The Voice)

The Voice (NBC) – Episode 7.01 & 7.02 Blind Auditions

So…my favorites. Danica who made it on Team Pharrell (wise choice) reminds me of Jessie J whom I absolutely love so I was waiting for all four judges to turn her around and all but Blake turned which was wise. Some people you know are best suited for you and I think Blake knew she was in better hands with another judge. Team Pharrell is perfect for her! He better keep her up to the live shows and America better vote for her! She is my favorite female performer easily! Maiyah comes in second. She sang one of my recent favorites. I don’t think a day goes by when I don’t sing, “Stay With Me” in my head. I’m interested in seeing how far she makes it in this competition with the younger ones.

Reagan is fantastic! She’s fifteen but can clearly hold her own. I would love, love, love to see her not only make it past the battle round but make it to the finals and perhaps even win! I also must say that I can’t wait to see what Blake does for Allison! I’m interested in seeing how Sugar will progress on the show. She’s got talent but what her own unique style is remains a mystery to me and that’s what I really want to see.

My favorite male performer was easily Taylor. Wow. He was fan-freaking-tastic. So smooth. Absolutely fantastic! Joe Kirk is also talented. Nothing we haven’t heard before but that doesn’t take away from what talent he has. The only missed opportunity of the first two shows I think was…Caitlin. Loved her voice! Hopefully this isn’t the last we see of her. So who were your favorites or the ones that got away?

As for the new coaches…Pharrell is awesome. I love Gwen but I want to see her push her chair without someone pushing theirs first. I also love that she’s helping out many of the singers already with their stage presence. Once the blind auditions are over and she has her team, it’s obvious she’s going to rock as a coach. One thing I noticed from all of the coaches is that they’re pressing their button a lot quicker than usual and that worries me but there’s nothing us viewers can do until the live shows and regardless of who they choose next, they have managed to pick a few definite contenders for the winning title this season. What do you think?

SCORPION (CBS) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

I knew that I would enjoy Scorpion but I think I enjoyed it more than I imagined I would. There are a few people in my family with special needs and I loved the little things that I could connect with on that level on this show. Whoever consults or does research on that end for this show is doing a fabulous job. I really love the dynamics between all of the members of this new team and can’t wait to see what’s next for them. I do wonder though and hope that this becomes more serial…otherwise, I don’t see myself making this show a priority.

FOREVER (ABC) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

Okay, so, right away, I’m not feeling the Sherlock vibe Morgan gives off. There’s enough of that out there already. Talk about overkill. Also, while predictability doesn’t turn me away, making a story compelling in the midst of it matters and this show just doesn’t have enough of that something special to make me continue watching.

It’s clever and cheeky enough to keep me entertained but the potential that this show has in addition to that…it seems like it will take awhile to get to that point where this show is a must see, if it ever gets there. I can’t say that I care enough about Morgan finding out who the secret person is who knows about his secret or his secret eventually being found out by the cops.

So, while the show did air the first two episodes of the series this week, I only made it through one. That said, I can completely understand why ABC gave this show a chance. This show is good for the right viewer and has the potential to be great and garner more viewers. That viewer simply is not me. Not now.

The Blacklist (NBC) – Episode 2.01 “Lord Baltimore”

Red gathering his troops for his own agenda while Elizabeth was on a case involving guest star, Krysten Ritter was a great way to kick off the season. Everything always really comes together so well when Red and Elizabeth reunite so it was exciting to see the before.

With Berlin on both Red and Elizabeth’s minds, it was exciting to see what moves each of them were making and seeing where their strengths led them. I also love that right away, we’re learning more about Red. OoOo! And it was great to see Elizabeth break free and get an annulment from Tom. Go, Elizabeth! Also, Ritter wasn’t the only fresh face in the premiere.

What a surprise it was seeing Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) make a brief appearance. I’m excited about of course the journeys of Red and Elizabeth and what danger they will face as they continue to go after Berlin and other bad guys, but it’s also a breath of fresh air when actors that I love pop in to guest star. Anyway, solid premiere. What did you think?

Photo Credit: ABC (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) – Episode 2.01 “Shadows”

Coulson and his team may very well be fugitives but that hasn’t slowed them down at all from saving lives the best way they know how. And boy was the premiere a ride! The stakes were significantly raised in the second half of season one and has poured over just fine into season two. If the premiere is any indication as to what we can expect this season, it’s clear this season will be even better than the first. Which is what so many are hoping for so, good work!

Also, it was such a treat to see Lucy Lawless as Agent Isabelle Hartley! Too bad the cards weren’t exactly dealt in Hartley’s favor. Yikes. Do you think we’ve seen the last of her? Also, poor Fitz! He’s clearly very frazzled. And go Skye for giving Ward the cold shoulder! Don’t let up! What did you think of the premiere?

19 Kids & Counting (TLC) – Episode 14.06 “Jill Says Yes to the Dress”

This week’s hour long episode covers the guys (Jim Bob, John, Derick, and Ben) on a camping trip as well as Michelle and the older girls in D.C. wedding dress shopping with Jill. It was fun watching the guys bond, out in the wild of all places. They were more daring than I thought some of them would be. But if there’s one thing I know after watching this show for so many years, it’s that the Duggars know how to have fun and this sure was fun. Though it did feel like switching back and forth between an adventure and romance.

It almost brought tears to my eyes seeing the ladies spend the day with Jill wedding dress shopping and pouring their hearts out to Jill about what she means to them and giving her blessings on this transition and newly opened path in her life. Also, what a beautiful dress she picked out. Gorgeous.

New Girl (Fox) – Episode 4.02 “Dice”

“This isn’t even champagne. It’s a super fancy salad dressing.” – Schmidt

Okay. So. This episode wasn’t nearly as funny as the premiere or what I expect from New Girl but I also think that it was a little too reliant on the parody of Tindr which is funny for a moment but only really a moment. After Jess notices Schmidt’s success on a dating app, Dice, she tries to put herself out there with no success. That was funny. Then having failed, Jess begs Schmidt to help her with Dice and watching him save her from bad dates was hysterical and saved this whole thing for me. I didn’t find any of the excuses Jess had written down funny but everything Schmidt did was hysterical! Also, I didn’t really buy how cynical Jess became around that last date. Cynical is so not Jess. So, yeah, overall Jess and her storyline didn’t click for me this week.

Meanwhile, Winston isn’t bonding as well as he wants to with everyone at the police academy. Womp womp! More flashes to the police academy please. Loved it! All of this police talk leads to talk of smoking and when Nick and Cece find out that Coach has never been stoned, well, you can guess what happens next. The best scene ever? Nick, CeCe, and Coach getting caught high in the closet by Winston and his friends. What did you think?

The Mindy Project (Fox) – Episode 3.02 “Annette Castellano Is My Nemesis”

In this episode, Danny’s mom (guest star Rhea Perlman) makes a surprise visit and invites Mindy to Staten Island, thinking she’s Danny’s cleaning lady instead of girlfriend! The “What’s your rate?” exchange! Ha! That had me laughing so hard. Then, after Danny finally comes clean, his mom invites Mindy to her birthday party which Danny goes out of his way to keep Mindy away from. This leads to a hilarious scene in which Mindy does everything she can to please his mom. She goes all out! Until she disagrees with mom one time. Then it goes downhill. But Mindy’s quest for approval isn’t over and what happens next is lovely! Hilarious and lovely.

Back at work, Morgan and Tamra are going through a bump in their relationship as they learn how to compromise. I actually didn’t take notice of these two together until this episode. It’s so bizarre. I don’t think it works but while it does, it’s awkwardly funny. Also, pretty absent from this episode…Jeremy. Anyone miss Jeremy? I feel like his screen time has been cut drastically to make room for Mindy and Danny’s romance over the seasons and I actually miss this little bugger. Is it just me? Anyway, great episode. Looking forward to next week!

Photo Credit: ABC (The Middle)

The Middle (ABC) – Episode 6.01 “Unbraceable You”

The Middle returned with an event so many of us have been looking forward to for years…Sue’s braces being taken off! Of course it isn’t that easy and we see what can happen when people act prematurely but that brought for some great comedy and best of all, there was a great resolution to the conflict. And I really appreciated and loved the last scene of this episode, as yes, I’ve been there, searching for a retainer in the trash. I remember it like it was yesterday, helping my sister find her retainer outside of Burger King. Oh. Memories.

That’s the main reason why I love this show so much. Moments like that. Anyway, while this certainly was very entertaining, it’s by no means my favorite season premiere of the show. That said, I don’t even mind because I know the writers have got plenty of laughs for the season so a soft start is fine by me. Looking forward to next week!

Modern Family (ABC) – Episode 6.01 “The Long Honeymoon”

“You can’t leave us! We’re a danger to ourselves. We’re a family of fire starters, poison eaters, and online prostitutes!” – Phil

I don’t care what anybody says, Modern Family is just as strong as it was when it first premiered so I’m not tired of this show at all. The premiere was a fantastic!

Cameron was ecstatic about being a newlywed while Mitchell wouldn’t mind if he took his excitement down a notch and let the honeymoon end. It took being completely embarrassed at work for Mitchell to lay it out to Cameron in a way that he’s understand and for the two to see eye to eye. Hysterical! Touching. I loved it!

Meanwhile, Claire, Phil, Haley, and Luke are having the best summer ever… that is until Alex arrives early from her travels while having the worsts summer ever. Ha! Nothing ruins a good mood like a teenager with an attitude. It was beyond hysterical watching Phil and Claire edge Alex out so that they could enjoy the rest of their summer! Ha! They get a reality check though and realize they shouldn’t have taken Alex for granted. As the middle child, I must say it didn’t escape me that she was the one who went away and then came back ruining everything. Hahahaha.

And there’s Gloria who wants Jay to make more of an effort with his appearance. Well, after he says that he loves her just the way she is, Gloria gives him exactly what he said at which point Jay gets her point. Yeah. That was highly entertaining. Everything about this episode made me laugh! What was your favorite part?

BLACK-ISH (ABC) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

Black-ish is great. It’s smart, it’s honest, it’s real. They are going in and they are going in hard. It’s long overdue for a comedy like this, especially in a time when racism has essentially reemerged full force (it’s never gone away but it has certainly shown its face more and more directly lately).

This show hits so many points like how culture has taken black culture as their own (of course, only when it benefits them), the “big scary black guy,” black names and how people often change them to be more mainstream and accepted, how being black makes you feel like you’re part of a family (YES), diversity in the workplace – particularly higher up, educating the youth on their black history, religion, sports, stereotypes (music, fried chicken, and grape soda to name a few), and more.

The Pilot did not hold back and it’s set the tone for the rest of the series, which is a bold, real look at what it’s like to raise a black family, grow up in a black family, and be seen by a white world. I love the show and can’t wait to watch week to week to see what’s tackled next. For those wondering about the longevity of a “show like this,” just ask yourself about the longevity of black people in real life and there’s your answer. So, long story short, this is definitely a must see.

RED BAND SOCIETY (Fox) – Episode 1.02 “Sole Searching”

“You know, as Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.'” – Emma

“She is one smart cookie. Too bad she won’t eat a cookie.” – Charlie

Another solid episode! At this point, it’s looking like Red Band Society is a show I’ll be watching all season long. The waves of jealousy were high this week when it came to the physical and the emotional. Denial, sacrifice, and loneliness are some paths we follow here and it’s sad and beautiful and such a touching piece of work. This show is knocking it out of the park, that’s for sure. I love it.

So, first we’ve got Leo and Jordi. Jordi is about to go into surgery to have his leg removed at which point the doctors find out his cancer is spreading. His leg isn’t removed and Leo, who has a prosthetic leg, is hurting even more than before because Jordi gets to keep his leg while he didn’t. Ugh. That scene was tough to watch. But as much as Leo avoided physical therapy for his prosthetic, he ends up putting it on and walking across the street with Dash to a house party. Well, if there’s one way to get a teenager to put on their prosthetic and get to walking, this is one of them.

Leo gets cocky and pushes Dash away. Cause that’s smart on your first outing that you’re not supposed to be on. Anyway, the party is too much for Leo and he takes it out on an innocent female, calling her a slut. Typical. I shouldn’t be surprised but it still irks me that that’s the first thing he decided to call the girl he had no problem making out with. Anyway… the girl leaves Leo alone who is struggling to get up and struggles until Dash and Nurse Dobler find him.

Then there’s Emma, who has an eating disorder. She cheats to pass her weigh in. She thinks she got off but Nurse Jackson knows better. Emma does use her cleverness for some good, reaching out to Emma’s loved ones, redirecting them to the heart of the matter. Kara’s loved ones are her moms (her mom and her former nanny) who come to visit and it’s quite obvious where Kara’s pride and selfishness comes from. They have zero regard for the work the hospital does and how they get it done, believing that their status will put them first in everything. But no one, especially a hospital is going to give a heart to someone who disrespects their own, which is why Kara is at the bottom of the list to begin with. Thankfully, Kara’s moms take to heart what Emma laid down and I can only hope for Kara’s benefit that as genuine as it was, it lasts.

What a great episode! It’s also so much fun seeing guest star, Wilson Cruz among others. Does anyone else see him becoming a series regular next season? Just me?

Photo Credit: Mike Tompkins/Syfy (Haven)

Haven (Syfy) – Episode 5.03 “Spotlight”

Nathan and Audrey Maura must lay low since more than the police are looking for them and that wouldn’t be good since Audrey isn’t Audrey at the moment and there’s a bit of chaos on Haven right now. Well, isolate from everyone else, Audrey and Nathan end up locking lips late into the night and after that, Nathan soon discovers what he can do to keep Audrey from disappearing. How many more episodes do you think it will take until Audrey is all the way back? I don’t mind either way, Maura is so much fun to watch.

Meanwhile, Duke and Dwight have to save the town from a trouble that burns and destroys… though this seems to be resolved rather quickly which gives the two time to catch up Nathan. Which they do. Though it’s at the end of the episode, so next week should be interesting! Duke finds himself in a bit of a bind though thanks to Maura so I’m anticipating seeing how he’ll get himself out of that life or death situation. So even though this episode did more prep for the next episode, I still really enjoyed it as somehow it didn’t feel like filler. There was room for emotional stakes to shine and I loved it! The writing on this show is so sharp and again, Emily Rose is killing it as Maura. Amazing job! So excited for the rest of this season.

The Biggest Loser (NBC) – Episode 16.03 “Double Header”

Well, as usual, some losers are more motivated than others and this week was no different on that front. However, the judges had to eat some of the fast food and crap that got many of the contestants in the position to be at the ranch in the first place… thanks to a trivia game that made the judges eat the stuff if the contestants got the questions wrong. Yikes! Seems the contestants still have plenty to learn about nutrition. Aside from that, nothing worth mentioning here. Most of the contestants hit a plateau this week but that’s to be expected. They are all making progress though so that’s more than most people sitting at home watching can say. Good for them, whether they lost 1 lb or 11 lbs, it’s something. Slow and steady wins the race.

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – Episode 11.01 “I Must Have Lost It on the Wind”

What a very enthralling return for Grey’s Anatomy! I was not too pleased with Meredith for directed all of her anger about her other sister to her sister. It’s not the sister’s fault whose parents she came from. Not cool, Mer! Anyway, it was so much fun watching the crew take care of a mess they made. The other storyline almost brought tears to my eyes as the father thought that he was out in the wilderness with his family for three days but it had been months. Yikes.

Man, oh man, what a premiere! I loved it. I loved that Shepherd came back for Meredith. I loved that there’s tension over who will take over Yang’s position on the board. I loved it all. This premiere was great and I can’t believe that this show is still so awesome in season eleven. That’s not easy to do. Bravo! Can’t wait to see how this season unfolds. Great beginning. Also, I can’t wait to see what new cast addition, Geena Davis continues to bring to the table. She is divine.

Scandal (ABC) – Episode 4.01 “Randy, Red, Superfreak and Julia”

“Hoping is bad for Randy so do not come back here unless you are back for good.” – Huck

I knew Scandal would deliver but wow. Shonda Rhimes and the writers outdo the impossible in each and every episode and the season four premiere is no different. This was fantastic. Brilliant. This premiere was bananas! After Quinn tracks Olivia down on a faraway island to inform her of Harrison’s death, Liv makes her way back to the nation’s capital as we find everyone reeling after not only the death but the aftermath of Olivia leaving. Whoa at Abby and Huck’s new positions! Sad face at Mellie’s depressed state. But back to the gladiators.

Goodbyes are never easy and watching them say goodbye to Harrison was tough. But before that… Abby was fierce! Her anger is either wholly justified or completely off base so I loved the back and forth of her on both of those lines in every other sentence as she told off Olivia when Liv came back to plan Harrison’s funeral. She wasn’t the only one who couldn’t handle Liv’s return. Cyrus was incredibly worried about what her return means for Fitz and the White House. Jake Ballard is also quite angry that he’s back in competition with Fitz. Well, not now but he knows it’s coming. Liv was his on the island but that won’t be the case her in Washington.

The grief. The anger. The tension. The pain. Scandal had it all tonight! As it does in every episode at full force which is why I am so glad this show is back. These characters are hurting, are loving, are helping, all the while play hard ball and I love, love, love it. Must mention that the case bringing Olivia back into the fold involved sexual assault. Which brings me to this current news item which awareness must be spread. Here.

Also? Loved the Gone Girl shot in the opening! Books for the win! And and and I absolutely love Portia de Rossi and am so excited to see her on one of my favorite dramas. It’s refreshing to see her in a drama and I am loving every single moment. So. What was your favorite part of the season four Scandal premiere?

Photo Credit: Colleen Hayes/NBC (Parenthood)

Parenthood (NBC) – Episode 6.01 “Vegas”

“I did not have a heart attack, I had an event…and the event is over.” – Zeek

My favorite NBC drama in a long time returned this week for its last season!

First, there’s Crosby and Jasmine who are enjoying many firsts with their second child. Cute. Not much here for now. Then there’s Julia and Joel. Well, it seems Julia and Joel have not yet made up. Sad face. I’m not going to rally for them to get together by the end of the season (this is the final season) because people do break up and don’t always get back together and sometimes that is the happy ending. I don’t necessarily want it to be the happy ending here but I think I’d actually appreciate this story line more perhaps if they don’t get back together because it would be a reflection of so many parents and people love to see themselves represented. Representation matters. Still, if Julia comes around and lets Joel back in, that would be swell. It won’t be easy but it would be so worth it.

Back to babies…. Amber will have plenty of her own baby firsts soon as she’s pregnant with her first child. Oh how I wish this show could fast forward so we could get a look at Amber a few years into her mothering. Anyway, it was lovely watching her tell Haddie and later Haddie encouraging her to talk to her mother and of course the moment when Amber tells Sarah. They got us making that the final scene! I can’t wait to see how that conversation goes next week.

Speaking of Sarah… her and Hank (Ray Romano) seem to be awfully friendly. Though we know how I feel about Hank. At least if you’ve been following me on Twitter long enough. Plainly put, not a fan of Hank. Never was. I just don’t get the Romano casting and yeah, I liked Mark. So. Anyway, this episode follows Hank on a weekend that he has his daughter and Sarah as she takes her father, Zeek on a surprise birthday trip to Vegas! Love the contrast in story lines. All goes well until Zeek collapses and his health scare causes everyone to worry. Ah, poor Camille worrying back at home! And Julia, man, she was torn up. Do you think they’ll kill off Zeek in the final season?

Finally, Adam and Kristina prepare their building to open their charter school which Max is clearly very much against attending. He doesn’t get his way, naturally. It’s not always about getting your way, no matter how much you think you’re justified in that way. 😉 It was exciting to see Drew, Amber, and Haddie helping out, painting the rooms. Team work! Family team work to be more precise. Got to love family! So all in all, this was a wonderful premiere and solid start to the final season of a show I am going to miss immensely.

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (ABC) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

Viola Davis plays Keating, a defense attorney and college professor. She is a shark! I love it! So we follow Keating and four of her law students – her law students who later commit a crime of their own as we see in the present day. The Pilot goes back and forth between the present day and the beginning of the kids’ journeys in Keating’s class. As the kids are learning their strengths… and one of them stumbles upon one of Keating’s weaknesses. Scandalous!

There’s love and lust and everything in between and its diverse at that. I love that Shonda Rhimes makes it a point to represent society as it actually is with not only a racially diverse cast but representing the LGBT community, people of different races, disabilities, and then some on all of her shows. That’s what TV should be. TV is TV so it’s not meant to be 100% accurate but writers do have a responsibility for a certain scope of truth and representing the many different viewers who watch TV is one place to start. So bravo Rhimes for continuing to care about this truth. For putting our truth above Hollywood’s denial.

As for the journeys we will be following… I cannot wait to see how the law students will try to get their way out of the consequences of their murder and I can’t wait to dive deeper into Keating’s story, learning why she is the way she is. Finally, it’s great seeing Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter), Liza Weil (Gilmore Girls), Billy Brown (Hostages), and Matt McGorry (Orange is the New Black). What a wonderful cast! They’ve all got great chemistry and are all so talented. Everything about this show is right so really looking forward to seeing what’s next.

Z NATION (Syfy) – Episode 1.03 “Philly Feast”

From NY to NJ and now Philly, the crew is still on their way to California to hand over the one man who could save all of humanity. The liberty bell knocking out all of those zombies? That was pretty darn cool! The backstory for Cassandra? Not as compelling as it could have been. It seemed more like an unnecessary plot device. Addy’s present day kidnapping was tense enough. Nice how they blended the two story lines but kidnappings are enough drama as is, don’t you think? That could have been a successful storyline own its own.

Also, while I think the group could have killed the enemy here and gotten both girls out the first time around, it was good to see them go back and save the day in an even more grand way. Also, why was the group splitting up though in the first place? Splitting up in groups and pairs and staying in those groups/pairs is one thing but splitting up in groups/pairs and then AGAIN individually? Not smart at all! C’mon! Anyway, even though this episode could have been better, it was still entertaining and really, that’s the whole fun of this show, right? What do you think?

“Sweeney Todd” in Concert with The New York Philharmonic (PBS)
PBS aired this concert live from Lincoln Center starring Emma Thompson who is phenomenal in her role and it is available to watch in its entirety online right now though I’m not sure for how long so get to watching! 🙂

Premieres Next Week (September 28, 2014 – October 4, 2014)
Once Upon a Time (ABC) Sunday, September 28, 2014
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox) Sunday, September 28, 2014
Resurrection (ABC) Sunday, September 28, 2014
Mom (CBS) Monday, September 29, 2014
Castle (ABC) Monday, September 29, 2014
SELFIE (ABC) Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Criminal Minds (CBS) Wednesday, October 1, 2014
The Vampire Diaries (The CW) Thursday, October 2, 2014
GRACEPOINT (Fox) Thursday, October 2, 2014
A TO Z (NBC) Thursday, October 2, 2014