TV Talk: Week in Review ’14-’15 #5

Reviews for Fall TV Shows & Specials Which Aired
September 28, 2014 – October 4, 2014

* New series in CAPS
* Reviews May Contain Spoilers


Note: I will not be reviewing Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Mom, or Criminal Minds as I do not watch these shows regularly in a timely manner.

Photo Credit: ABC

Once Upon a Time (ABC) – Episode 4.01 “A Tale of Two Sisters”

Frozen got the Once Upon a Time treatment in the season four premiere as Elsa made her way into Storybrooke. Elsa’s not the only character from Frozen that makes it to Storybrooke and no, I’m not talking about Anna. What a pleasant surprise! Well, not for the town of Storybrooke but you get my point. Not only that, we got awesome flashbacks from Elsa and Anna leading up to Anna’s wedding and again, we see more than just them from this world. Pretty cool! These were, dare I say again, awesome.

Another favorite moment of mine? We got a Beauty and the Beast dance! Beautiful! Oh, also worth mentioning, Regina maybe embracing her evil side again. It’s coming! I’m sure of it! Finding the writer of the stories to get her happy ending?! Whoa!!! This goose chase is going to be so much fun to watch! What do you think? Finally, Netflix shout out! Loved it! What was your favorite part about the season four premiere?

Resurrection (ABC) – Episode 2.01 “Revelation”

Whoa. What a return! I did NOT expect that ending! The episode as a whole was fantastic but I was really excited about that Bellamy revelation. I really wanted it to happen eventually but clearly did not anticipate it happening as soon as it did and now the stakes are even higher and I am just a ball of excitement, waiting to see what will happen next.

Season one was incredible but something tells me season two is going to take to an even more outstanding place. Also, 1) Will the Sheriff remain a Sheriff with his current behavior? He better not! And 2) It was so exciting seeing Broadway’s own, Donna Murphy. Go, Donna!

VERONICA MARS: PLAY IT AGAIN, DICK (CW Seed) – Episode 1.03

In this episode, Ryan Hansen recruits Enrico Colantoni and Percy Daggs III and so far, these two are playing the most exaggerated roles of themselves or giving themselves a whole new persona, it’s quite hilarious. You watch! It makes me wonder what Tina Majorino’s persona will be once Ryan recruits her!

Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio/FOX

GOTHAM (FOX) – Episode 1.02 “Selina Kyle”

Great episode! This week, the detectives focused on a case involving a child trafficking ring with homeless kids being the main victims. One of those kids who got away was played by Kyle Massey (That’s So Raven). It was great to see him on such a dark drama! Anyway, this storyline brought for an awesome shoot out scene and some phenomenal scenes with Selina! Loved those scenes! Favorite so far.

And of course, this case gave Detective Gordon an opportunity to show his moral compass. I wonder if he’ll always be good and if not, how long it will take for more grey to bleed into the black and white of his world. Speaking of Gordon, Alfred reaches out to him to make a visit and talk with Bruce, be a sound voice. Ah, man. It’s so cool seeing Bruce Wayne as a child. So cool.

Meanwhile, the Penguin hitchhikes and is picked up by two college aged boys who are pricks – in good fun but this fun doesn’t sit well with Oswald, so, well, he kills them. These are just the first murders on his trail back to Gotham. What a bloody trail it is! Ooooo! Danger, danger!

Anyway, when Fish Mooney is threatened in her own club, we see a more vulnerable side of her, if only for a moment. I really appreciated that moment. It seems though she’d like the Penguin as a punching bag right about now and hey, she might get the chance seeing as how he’s still secretly alive and making his way back. How much longer do you think it will take for him to return?

Finally, can we just take a moment to appreciate the amazing Carol Kane? A moment. Moment. Still. Appreciating. Bravo, Carol Kane. Bravo.

Now Gotham is still not where it needs to be to really knock it out of the park but this episode still held my attention so that’s saying something! I’ll still be watching next week! Not giving up on this show yet, it’s way too early for that. If there’s any show worth giving a solid shot, it’s this one.

The Voice (NBC) – Episode 7.03 & 7.04 Blind Auditions

Stand out voices for me? Jessie Pitts who made it on Team Gwen. Troy Ritchie was so much fun to listen to. And I think he could be very versatile and I think Gwen was the perfect person to turn around for him. This is going to be awesome. Mia Pfirrman was great. I was really happy for Anita Antoinette who auditioned in season 3 and didn’t make it but did now! Timing is everything. I think it speaks volumes that not only did all of the chairs turn around but Gwen turned around. Gwen and Anita are a match made in heaven and the chairs needed to turn around in this season when the stars were ready to align.

Katriz was phenomenal! I can’t wait to see where Pharrell takes her both during and after this show. Ethan who made it on Team Adam was great. Looking forward to a future performance that will really blow me away more than the audition number. Same for Jonathan Wyndham. Jean Kelley on Team Gwen was phenomenal. I am so excited to see hr ace the battle round and get to the live shows. Cannot wait. Chris Jamison had without a doubt, the most moving voice of the blind auditions in episode 7.04. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoah. Whoa. Four chairs turned around, rightfully so. My goodness. He chose Adam but no matter the team, no matter how far he goes on the show, this kid has already made it. That audition seen by millions sealed the deal. Amanda Lee and Rebekah were fabulous! We only got a snippet of Rebekah but from what I heard, her voice is as smooth as butter!

And finally, the notable mentions. Kelli on Team Adam was nervous, nervous, nervous! Wow. But she does have a good voice so I hope there’s time for Adam to help her hone what needs honing. No chairs turned for Sydney Cubit but her voice was beautiful! Who were your favorites and/or notable mentions?

SCORPION (CBS) – Episode 1.02 “A Cyclone”

Walter backstory! Yes! I love really well developed backstory and can’t wait for more form all of the characters. I love these layers! Love seeing what makes characters vulnerable. Human. It’s fascinating to me. We also found out one of Sylvester’s greatest fears or serious concern for safety I should say. That was something else! It’s amazing what fears you’ll conquer though when your back is up against the wall. Why was his back against the wall?

The team was on a case involving a virus contained and targeted towards certain children of parents who were involved in handling a medical trial. With less than a day to save the children, the team took the rebellious route and broke into a building for information that would help them get the job done. This felt like a nerdy episode of Leverage if you ask me. It was so much fun! Great job with this episode. Very captivating! All that said, still need more of a serial case to form soon. Yeah?

Photo Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC

The Blacklist (NBC) – Episode 2.02 “Monarch Douglas Bank”

I can’t say that this was the most interesting episode of The Blacklist… nothing really stood out to me as worth mentioning other than my concern for Ressler’s health. Aside from that, the twists & revelations were nothing I haven’t seen before on TV and I usually love that on this show the twists & revelations are not what I’d expect so this was slightly disappointing. What did you think of this week’s episode?

Castle (ABC) – Episode 7.01 “Driven”

What. Just. Happened? I am so confused, no, confused is not the word. Frustrated. Castle has amnesia? A) What happened? and B) Will it take all season to find out? Gosh, I hope not. I am so not on board with this mystery, especially if it’s long term. What do you think? Also, I must mention, my favorite part of this episode was when Kate tackled that guy! The rage! The passion. Loved it.

SELFIE (ABC) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

Selfie follows a girl with a severe case of low self esteem. The girl I talk about in my open letter to selfie takers everywhere. The girl who hasn’t grown out of this state of self absorbtion and self-hatred and denial and depression and loneliness and so much more. This girl has issues. She focuses on the external to avoid the internal. And it’s painful to watch.

It’s difficult to watch this show knowing that this girl has some SERIOUS issues and the goal is to have the audience laugh at/with that. But this hot mess is beyond laughing at or with. It’s just sad nowadays.

Yes, the social media integration on the show is awesome. They take full advantage of tumblr, twitter, instagram, gifs, hashtags, iPhone messages, online and offline trends, Buzzfeed, and more. But other than that, even one of my favorite Doctor Who companions can’t keep me coming back each week. I get that the writers obviously want this main character to grow and I get the charm and I’m sure that character development will be worth it… but I’m not all that interested in seeing the bumpy beginning because I see that everyday on all of these social media sites and that is too much as it is. I like the idea of this show but I feel like this could have been explored much better as a dark comedy or straight drama on something like Showtime. You know? I’m curious to know what you think about this show.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) – Episode 2.02 “Heavy Is the Head”

Episode two picks up where episode one left off and for that well paced arc, I appreciate this story more than, say, the entire first half of season one. Though the real action didn’t begin until 45 minutes into the episode, it’s worth it. But there wasn’t enough Skye in this episode! I can’t wait for a Skye centric episode this season. I wonder how long we’ll have to wait for that. I also can’t wait for Skye’s reaction when what’s happening to Coulson is finally everyone’s business and not just his and May’s.

19 Kids & Counting (TLC)
Episodes 14.07 & 14.08 “Duggar Girls Go Glam” & “Duggar To Dos”

In the first half hour of 19 Kids, we follow the girls as they prepare their hairstyles and dresses for Jill’s wedding while in D.C., Anna gets a lesson from a friend on healthy meals for the family. In the second half hour, the girls go shoe shopping while we also see a bit of Jim Bob and the guys preparing the house that Jill and Derick will live in. There’s nothing particularly notable here other than the wedding excitement which was fun to see. But really, I’m just waiting to see the big wedding episode! When is that?! Ahhh!

Photo Credit: Patrick McElhenney/FOX

New Girl (FOX) – Episode 4.03 “Julie Berkman’s Older Sister”

This week, Jess’s dad comes to town with his new girlfriend, Ashley, played by guest star, Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Turns out his girlfriend went to school with Jess and all of these years, she’s had a sex addiction. Not only that, Jess’s dad plans to marry this girlfriend, Ashley. And that, my friends, is when we see Jess go on a mission to stop her father from having this type of happy ending… also known as, when comedy ensues.

There is a b-story here but it’s really not that interesting – at least until seasons from now the show is on the fence of cancellation and fans send sponges to Fox. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Anyway, it was so much fun seeing Kaitlin on this show as I love her on Sunny and love her comedic talent in general so it was a big win for me!

Favorite Moments:
– Learning that the roommates have an item map in their apartment! Ha!
– Jess all but outright saying that she wanted a sexy rumor spread about her in school.

The Mindy Project (FOX)
Episode 3.03 “Crimes & Misdemeanors & Ex-BFs”

Wow. Just when you think Danny can’t do something even more ridiculous, he goes and gives Mindy a suitcase instead of a drawer or part of his closet or something symbolic to show that the relationship is progressing. Again, wow.

So this week, Mindy gets served and discovers that she has to indeed, pay her taxes like everybody else. She’s six years behind and needs a lawyer to settle this. Cue the reemergence of Cliff (Glenn Howerton, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Mindy’s crazy plan to appear single while he works on her taxes. And that leads to a big Danny revelation! Whoa! Didn’t see that coming. What happens next is pretty funny. Not laugh out loud funny but entertaining enough for me! I wonder what other secrets Danny has!

The Middle (ABC) – Episode 6.02 “The Loneliest Locker”

Sue’s college prospects look brighter than before thanks to better test scores and a play she’s co-writing and performing in which may also help her out. So Frankie and Mike pick up more jobs/hours in an effort to afford college for Sue, no matter where she chooses to go. Man, the things parents do for their kids (when their kids have no idea, for 18+ years).

Meanwhile, Axl is seen taking essentially every other thing around the house for his own place. Oh, Axl, ever the irresponsible mooching child. I can’t forget about Brick who finds all of his toys that Frankie said disappeared, in the basement. Ha! Everyone has been one, two, or all of these things, if only for a moment so this entire episode was especially funny, watching it all play out.

Great episode! Not necessarily one of the standouts for the season but still very entertaining. So many people say they need their own reality show but really, most of our stories are the same and those are all right here on this show. Every single time. Love it!

Modern Family (ABC) – Episode 6.02 “Don’t Push”

“Is that Gloria’s gift to me? What is it?” – Jay

“I don’t know.” – Manny

“Sure you do, I can tell by the wrap job. She can’t make corners like this, Manny!” – Jay

It’s Jay and Gloria’s anniversary and Jay freaks out with Manny over what to get Gloria. He settles for a sentimental gift and Gloria unknowingly rips his heart out by smashing the handmade bunny for a more expensive gift inside. Manny attempts to save the day as the middle man and boy, I tell you, both sides of this anniversary gifting were hysterical.

Alex and the family go on a college tour and I don’t know what’s funnier, Alex telling Claire that she needs to get away from the family and then coming back for her sandwich – not to apologize like Claire thought OR Phil, Haley, and Luke thinking that they’re stuck in a room for a psych test. Nope, nope, it was Alex. Definitely, Alex. Not only that moment but everything that came after. Alex bonding with a fellow geek on the tour and coming around to this college with Claire thinking that she came around for her. Ha! Oh my goodness, this whole story line was hi-la-ri-ous!

Then there’s Mitchell and Cameron who are taking a new family photo with Lily and they’re trying to get Lily not to force smile. Their sensitivity around the whole awkward situation really brought the laughs. Oh! Which was your favorite storyline this week?

Photo Credit: ABC

BLACK-ISH (ABC) – Episode 1.02 “The Talk”

“Nope! Nope. I’m done. Son, look. The last few days have been the most open and honest we’ve ever had… and I hated it.” – Dre

This week, Dre catches Andre in the act and attempts to have “the talk” while Rainbow tries to give Zoey space, knowing that Zoey will come back to her once there’s school drama she needs to talk her way through. Both story lines were hilarious but Dre takes the cake this time. Talk about laugh out loud comedy! Nailed it is right!

What’s awesome is that everyone can relate to these story lines, not just the black audience. So there’s definitely something here for everyone to enjoy, it’s not just a show black people can appreciate. That is definitely worth mentioning because I don’t want anyone who is not black saying, “That show is not for me.” Maybe the black hair maintenance bit you can’t relate to but this show also shows that black people are just like everybody else.

What cracked me up most about this episode was Andre going back to Dre for follow up questions! Ha ha ha! Too funny. The last day, yes there were multiple follow ups, when the two are boxing together? Comedy gold. Gold, I say! So if you’re still debating on whether or not to give this show a shot, give it a shot!

RED BAND SOCIETY (FOX) – Episode 1.03 “Liar Liar Pants on Fire”

“You weren’t afraid you were going to die, you were afraid you were going to live.” – Emma

Lies about death. Lies about life. Lies about addiction. Loneliness. Love. End everything in between. This was a great episode about tearing down walls and accepting what you see in the reflection of the mirror behind them. Not just accepting it but doing something about it. I loved every minutes.

This week, Kara is having withdrawals from her drug addiction and Nurse Jackson plays babysitter even moreso than before. Kara, Kara, Kara. Meanwhile, Emma and Leo hash out why they broke up. More like Emma tells Leo to face the facts. Now that it’s all out there, Leo has a choice to make. Win Emma back or let the awkwardness between the two go by letting her go. Hmm.

Finally, Dr. McAndrews unknowingly sleeping with Jordi’s mother made for quite the laugh out loud moment. As everything built up and this revelation came to light, the laughs just kept on coming. Awkward! Still, Jordi doesn’t know though so there’s still that to look forward to, as it seems his mom is sticking around. I loved that this episode was every bit uplifting as it was funny as it was charming as it was also tugging at your heart. Another solid episode. Great job, cast and crew.

Haven (Syfy) – Episode 5.04 “Much Ado About Mara”

Duke trusts in Mara to take a trouble out of him that will destroy him otherwise. Dwight trusts Mara to cure at least one person, a start in his mission to get Mara to end the troubles. But Audrey appears to Duke early on in this episode – yay!! So it’s not just Nathan that knows she’s still inside. And by the episode’s end, Audrey appears to Duke as well! I love that Audrey’s livelihood becomes more dire as each new person finds out. Because Audrey is loved and even seeing two seconds of her in someone else gives these three the hope and determination needed to get her back. That is so beautiful.

In the midst of all of this, birds fall out of the sky, dead, and Duke is suspect number one…until he of course isn’t. Vince and Dave also experience something mysterious, losing time. All that is well and good but really, it’s all about Audrey. When Duke, Nathan, and Dwight have somewhat of an intervention and get Audrey to appear again, they find out that Mara’s been lying about being able to cure the troubles. Talk about stalling for time! I can’t wait to see what happens next!

So yeah, I loved every single minute of this! Duke and Dwight discovering what Nathan already knew. The three of them coming together to get to Audrey. And the cliffhanger, Mara finally realizing that Audrey is still inside and telling the guys she’s going to kill her. Oh my! Ah! What a fantastic episode! The stakes, the dwindling of time, ahh everything was fantastic. I loved this episode and I love, love, love what Mara brings to the table. She’s probably one of my favorite villains of the year. Great job writers and great job, Emily Rose!

The Biggest Loser (NBC) – Episode 16.04 “The Lottery”

This week, the athletes played The Biggest Loser version of the lottery where one player got the opportunity to go home for a week with their trainer. The catch, because there always is one… the player who went home was the only person to represent their team and be weighed in for the week.

Damien on Jessie’s team was chosen for the lottery. Weeks like this, I love seeing contestants that are confident in themselves and Damien is one of those contestants. Not only that, he’s an athlete so he has that dedication and determination going for him. As expected, he pulled through for his team and that was really the highlight of the week for me. What was your highlight?

Photo Credit: Annette Brown/The CW

The Vampire Diaries (The CW) – Episode 6.01 “I’ll Remember”

What a way to start the season! It’s all about grief and displacement and being apart. Elena has gone off the rails, taking herbs to see Damon and by the episode’s ends wants to be compelled to forget she ever loved him. Caroline is on a mission to get back into Mystic Falls. She just needs Stefan’s help. Too bad she won’t be able to reach him soon seeing as how he broke his phone on purpose for some peace and quiet. Stefan’s working as a mechanic in Georgia and doesn’t feel the pull to return at all. I don’t blame him.

And then there’s Tyler who is controlling his anger issues or at least attempting to and doing miserably. Can Tyler ever get over his rage problems? I don’t think so. I think Jeremy will come out of his funk sooner than we see that. So. Overall? Great episode! I love where we meet all of the characters after how season five ended and can’t wait to see what eventually brings them back together. Also, loved seeing Colin Ferguson (Eureka) guest star! Woot!

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – Episode 11.02 “Puzzle with a Piece Missing”

This week, we follow Dr. Maggie Pierce as she continues to get to know everyone in the hospital and oh gosh, I don’t want to say this but I’m pretty bored with Pierce already. I love that it is awkward, her coming into the fold. But maybe it’s too authentic as far as the awkwardness goes. Is she trying too hard or just enough to be taken seriously in her position when so much has already been established? Is she focusing so much on that that genuinely bonding with the right people and moving on from the wrong has been overshadowed? Most importantly, why do I not care enough about any of these things?

I’m just so over this storyline before this one in particular has even begun. I thought I was fine with it but as this episode went on, I found myself thinking, “Gosh, how many more family members (from this particular family) are going to end up working at this hospital?” It just feels like overkill at this point. On the ten million long lost family members popping up front and on the Meredith is mad at the world front. What do you think?

Then there’s the patient story. There are a handful actually but there’s only one that stood out about a mother who would most likely die if she gave birth. At first, this wasn’t garnering my attention but as the story played out, I became more invested and I’m happy to say that it paid off. Other than that, there’s not much to say about this episode.

Scandal (ABC) – Episode 4.02 “Inside the Bubble”

Mellie is grieving the death of her son and not making it easy for Fitz to keep up appearances and give the nation hope while Olivia has to make sure the not so happy couple who has become the face of gun control appears happy at the state of the union. Of course the not so happy part is expanded upon and Liv does her thing, fixing, fixing, fixing. Abby is the one, surprisingly who whips Mellie into shape enough to attend the address and that by far was my favorite scene so far this season.

Also want to mention that 1) I love the relationship strains between Quinn & Huck and Liv & Abby and 2) Cyrus might soon be getting his karma! Ahh! I’ve been waiting for this! Awesome set up for that! As you can see by my other reviews, there’s been quite a bit of grief this week but on the other hand, there’s still so much to get excited about. I’m excited. What are you most looking forward to seeing this season on Scandal?

Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/FOX

GRACEPOINT (FOX) – Episode 1

I wrote an advance review of Gracepoint “Episode 1” which you can read here.

A TO Z (NBC) – Episode 1.01 “Pilot”

With the extreme lack of romantic comedies on the big screen in recent years, A to Z is the perfect placeholder for anyone who loves rom-coms as much as I do! The Pilot was a great introduction to Andrew and Zelda’s life before and during the beginning of their eight month relationship. Each of their friends are also great supporting characters which is definitely worth mentioning. Every character is so unique and well crafted. The emotions are there, the tone is lovely, and I am so excited to see what each episode brings story wise.

Though I would like to sit down and kind of binge this show so I’m pretty sure that I’m going to let the episodes pile up and watch them during the winter hiatus before its Spring return. After all, Thursday night is packed as it is and my DVR can only hold so many shows, so this will be like a beautiful gift come winter hiatus! I highly recommend this show for rom-com fans! This show is absolutely adorable. Of course we know their relationship lasts for eight months but I’m willing to watch those eight months play out. It’s going to be a roller coaster of emotions but it’s going to be a memorable one with more highs than lows and that is worth tuning in for.

Parenthood (NBC) – Episode 6.02 “Happy Birthday, Zeek”

Another wonderful episode of Parenthood. Sarah’s reaction to Amber’s pregnancy…ah, man. I don’t even have the words. Sarah loves Amber enough to be candid about parenting (as a young and single woman) but Amber’s willing enough to take that chance and love her child in the flesh no matter how hard it’s going to be. Watching Sarah come back later, remembering to tell Amber about the good things… yes. Love the execution of all of this and with only a few episodes left in the final season of the show, it makes me wonder where Amber will be (physically, mentally, and emotionally) by the season’s end. And the scene when Amber tells Zeek! Ah! Beautiful. So beautiful. Wow.

Before the happenings at Zeek’s birthday party, Crosby gets the kids to record a song for Zeek which was fun to see. Kristina is challenged with her goal to meet the needs of every student at her charter school while Adam refuses to get involved, for the most part, but ends up being right by her side. He just needed a little space but the two made this commitment so it’s no surprise to have seen him come around.

And Julia is still angry at Joel and unwilling to work it out, even after seeing how Sydney has been acting out at school. I’m not even mad about Julia. She has a right to feel what she’s feeling and regardless of how she’s reacting, she still obviously needs time to let her anger pass and forgive and live in peace. I do however have some thoughts about Sydney. An attitude problem is one thing but Sydney has always been a disrespectful brat who gets away with talking back at her parents because they’re not stern enough. I really hope we get to see Julia and/or Joel put their foot down with her before this show says its final goodbye. So which scene from tonight’s episode stirred up the strongest emotions for you?

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (ABC)
Episode 1.02 “It’s All Her Fault”

Check out my recap and thoughts on this week’s episode of How to Get Away With Murder over at OMFGTV.com.

Z NATION (Syfy) – Episode 1.04 “Full Metal Zombie”

Making their way through the amish country in PA, the crew drives their way into a trap of vehicle thieves and lose their lifesaving ride. Only later down the road does a cookie cutter family go ape #*%! and kill the thieves! That scene was super cool! Too bad the family doesn’t make it far down that highway as we later see the zombies have gotten to them. So sad!

They make contact with Citizen Z for a way around the dangerous highway which leads them to people they’re in a perfect world, supposed to trust but after Doc is brought up alone and left for dead…well, let’s just say that plan wasn’t as smooth as everyone hoped it would be. Miraculously, Doc made it out alive. How do you feel about that? I’m glad he was alive but I kind of accepted the thought of him being gone.

Also, Citizen Z is getting crazier by the episode. I wonder how cuckoo he’ll be when the crew finally arrives where he’s at! Anyway, great episode! Very engaging and the emotions really drove home now that I’m knee deep in the journey with these characters.

Premieres Next Week (October 5, 2014 – October 11, 2014)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox) Sunday, October 5, 2014
THE FLASH (The CW) Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Supernatural (The CW) Tuesday, October 7, 2014
TOWN OF THE LIVING DEAD (Syfy) Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Arrow (The CW) Wednesday, October 8, 2014
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) Wednesday, October 8, 2014