NOW why isn't "Cougar Town" on?

The unfortunate thing about less successful sitcoms is that they get shoved around the schedule constantly. "Cougar Town" is being held back until mid-season. It'll come back on an as-of-yet unannounced date in January. Although, if you watched "Community," you already knew that.

In the meantime, the cast members are going to be very busy guest starring on other shows. Bill Lawrence even tweeted that he'll give away prizes to people who correctly identify all shows the actors guest on (apparently a lot of the guest stints will be uncredited, making it much more difficult). For a list of some of the known shows featuring the "Cougar Town" actors, click here.

"Cougar Town" musical moments video

I'm so glad I learned how to make youtube videos. This one's nothing fancy, just a compilation of musical moments from "Cougar Town." I was watching clips from the show last night and thinking it was weird no one had put all the songs together yet, so I decided to do it myself. Now you can go to one place to get all the greats like "Confident in My Sexuality," "Someday Girl," "Sex With the Ex," "Everything Man," and many more.

Why isn't "Cougar Town" on?

Just in case I have any "Cougar Town" followers after all my gushing over the show, I know some people out there are probably wondering where it went. It's going on hiatus until April 13 to make room for Matthew Perry's new show "Mr. Sunshine." Unfortunately, his new show is doing better in the timeslot than "Cougar Town" does. Why they couldn't bump the dreadful "Better With You" is beyond me, but before you panic, "Cougar Town" isn't being kicked off the Wednesday lineup anytime soon. It was already renewed for a third season, so rest easy. There's room for all the "Friends" alums on ABC.

"Cougar Town" - a salute to the Cul-de-Sac Crew

"Cougar Town" has basically no plot these days. The name is misleading and pointless. The characters never go to work. We never see Ellie and Andy's infant son. Travis is home every weekend despite going away to college. There aren't really many romantic entanglements or new love interests. There's hardly ever more than one occasional guest star. The show is completely aware of its faults and unreal aspects. It's all about a bunch of adults who act like kids, except for the copious amounts of wine they drink every episode. And it's one of my favorite shows on television right now.It's just the definition of 'silly fun.' You want to hang out with these people. For them, adulthood means drinking wine and playing Penny Can or one of the other hundred games they make up. This most recent episode, "Lost Children," exemplified this basic core of the show - friends having a blast. They played one big grown-up version of hide-and-seek. In the process, they snooped around their friends' houses, encountered "Waiting for Superman" (which is not about Superman), and dealt with some conflicts along the way. "Cougar Town" isn't genius. It isn't meticulously crafted like "Arrested Development" or random and non sequitur heavy like "Family Guy" or "Scrubs," but instead it could follow "Seinfeld"'s motto - it's a show about nothing. But, like "Seinfeld" taught us, a show about nothing can be incredibly hilarious and entertaining. "Seinfeld" derived humor from everyday life and relatable humorous situations, while "Cougar Town" derives humor from a make-believe version of what we wish our lives were like.

"Cougar Town" is getting the solo love-fest this week because "Modern Family" was a repeat. I will point out that "Modern Family" has definitely had a creative upswing in the latter half of its second season. My fears were unfounded and the writing is top-notch and whip-smart again. That being said, "Cougar Town" isn't just the highlight of my Wednesday, it's the highlight of my week.

Best quotes:

This week's title: Do we have to do this joke forever? "Cougar Town"

Travis: "Mom, I'm trying to fix the TV, but I need to know what you did to break it."
Jules: "I just pushed one of the buttons on the remote and it went to black."
Travis: "Mmhmm. And then?"
Jules: "After it went black, I pushed about a hundred other buttons and then I plugged and replugged a bunch of wires."

Travis (about "Waiting for Superman"): "It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a depressing expose about the failing public school system."

Barb: "You used to be one of us - stalking prey without mercy or shame."
Jules: "When are people going to understand? That's not who I am anymore. I mean, what do I have to do? Change my name?"
Barb: "You'll be back! The filth is strong within you!"

Everybody's 'trucker whoo'

Moving target Penny Can!

"Tossing copper" as new slang for Penny Can

Jules (on not being able to watch the documentary): "Damn it. I wanted to feel smart tonight. Smart and depressed about the world. Not dumb and happy like always."

Travis (talking about an article from his Psych class): "Adults can reduce their stress levels by embracing the activities they loved when they were little kids."
Grayson: "So we should all go hide in the shower and watch my babysitter pee?"
Jules: "No no no, this is good. I mean, not your thing. We're going to have to talk to a professional about that."

Laurie: "I love me some beef and bubbles. Oh! That should be our detective names! He's Beef, a grizzled ex-marine with a secret - he's a vegetarian. She's Bubbles, his plucky hot partner with a secret of her own - she's Beef's daughter. Together, they fight crime and each week, maybe they grow a little bit closer together."

Bobby: "We might as well watch this fake boring Superman documentary."
(later)
Bobby: "You know what's scarier than Lex Luthor? The decaying public education system that's cheating our young people out of a future."

Jules: "Now, you have an outside perspective of the Cul-de-Sac Crew. How do you see us?"
Travis: "Well, I see you guys as a bunch of old people with surprisingly good skin given the amount of wine and sun you take in."
Jules: "Yeah, I think the alcohol preserves us."

Grayson: "Hey, look, Travis' ironic t-shirt collection! 'Hey, I'm moody and sarcastic and I'm home for the tenth straight weekend because I don't understand how college works!'"

Ellie: "Look, when Andy's parents first moved here from Cuba they scraped up enough money to send him to prep school. So in walks this husky, balding 11 year old with a whole fried fish for lunch. He got terrorized by pretty boy D-bags like you named Wyatt or Deckland. And every time you tease him you remind him of those guys. Don't feed into it and you'll be fine."
Grayson: "No problem. Except for I just tied him to a tree, I gotta go get him."

Tom: "Why aren't you at college?"
Travis: "You know, Tom, I...don't...know."

Grayson: "Put my ice cream away and go get some wine and pillows and hide from Jules in the truck. I gotta go get Andy because I tied him to a tree."

Grayson: "Okay, so I probably shouldn't have tied you to a tree."
Andy: "Since I'm Cuban it's almost a hate crime."

Grayson: "Most of those cool guys, they're like me - divorced, struggling through life, peaked at 18..."
Andy: "Wow, you're a total loser."
Grayson: "What? No, I got Jules now."

Jules: "I swear to God, I will burn this whole Cul-de-Sac down!"

Bobby: "So ya'll bag on Sam once we left?"
Grayson: "What could we possibly say about her? We met her for like two seconds."
Bobby: "Well, that's all you're gonna get because she dumped me. Go ahead."
Ellie: "Bad hair, weird nose, thick neck."
Grayson: "She shook my hand with her fingertips. What are you, the Queen of France?"
Laurie: "Her face made me want to learn how to box."

ABC Wednesday - nutty neighbors, dopey doves, and product placement

"Modern Family" - Slow Down Your Neighbors"Modern Family" returned with a strong episode this week that revolved mainly around crazy (and crazy hot) neighbors. James Marsden guest starred as the hot tub intruder Barry while Claire fought to slow down a reckless speeder. Meanwhile, Jay tried to teach Gloria to overcome her fear and ride a bike. Each storyline was solid and had plenty of hilarious gems. Honestly, I can take or leave the stunt casting. But that being said, Marsden was still fun. And still smoking hot. I loved Mitchell and Cam's pre-credits sequence.

Best Quotes:

Cam: "Mitchell, there's a stranger in our hot tub!
Mitchell: "Who is it?"
Cam: "You do know what 'stranger' means, don't you?"
Mitchell: "Oh my god, how long has he been there?"
Cam: "I saw him exactly one second before you, you know everything I know."
Mitchell: "Okay, I'm calling 911."
Cam: "I'm getting my bat."
(They get a good look at 'the stranger')
Mitchell: "Maybe we're overreacting."
Cam: "Yeah, he could have a very good reason."
Mitchell: "We should at least say 'hello.'"
Cam: "It's only polite."

I have to say that they use Luke perfectly on this show. He's turning into my favorite Dunphy.
Luke (scoffing): "Police. Order a pizza and call the cops, we'll see who gets here first."

Phil: "'Luke, I am your father!' That's what I said to you when you were coming out of your mom's lady parts."

Claire trying to remember the car's license number while Phil wrote down an address was great. "Okay, 10-4. This could be my best year since 2006!"

Jay: "Two-thirds of my house can't do what a billion Chinese do."

Phil: "Bring it, Laura. You want to test me? I've been tested my whole life. They could never find anything."

Cam: "You do this every time we meet a new friend. They say one thing you don't like and you just write them off."
Mitchell: "I do not!"
Cam: "Oh really? What about 'But-Yet Rachel'?"
Mitchell: "'I'd love to go, but yet I don't feel like parking.' It's either 'but' or 'yet', not both!"
Cam: "You're lucky no one's kicked your butt, yet. What about Thomas? You wrote him off because he serves the salad after the meal. Which, by the way, is very common in Europe."
Mitchell: "What part of Europe is he from? Pretentious-stan?"
Cam: "Okay, fine, keep judging. Don't let anyone in. I could care less."
Mitchell: "I think you mean you couldn't care less because if you could care less it means that you care a little bit."
Cam: "All right. I'm going into the hot tub. If I stay in here one more minute my head is literally gonna explode."
Mitchell: "Well I hope not because if you mean literally-"
Cam: "-I don't feel safe in my own home!

Mitchell (about his tendency to roll his eyes): "I once saw a picture of myself at a friend's poetry slam, and all you could see were the whites of my eyes."

Jay: "We're riding bikes, we're not training police dogs."

Luke as a teacher was my favorite thing in this episode.
Luke (offering to teach Gloria to ride a bike): I never taught anyone anything. But my playdate canceled, so I was wide open.

Phil: "I wish I were one of those people who thrives on the danger of leading a double life - you know, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, Hannah Montana."

Phil: "Claire was furious. She said I betrayed her on every level. So, I called the florist, and I have ordered one dozen Mylar balloons. Good luck staying mad, honey!"


"Cougar Town" - No Reason to Cry
"Cougar Town" is still at the top of its game, silly and quirky as ever. I'm so happy to have the Cul-de-Sac Crew back! I loved the running gag of Andy and Ellie providing fake names to screw the other person over. At first I thought that they were a one-note couple, but they're really cute together. Especially when they're trying to escape "Jules' friend prison." The changing of the coffee sizes was fantastic as well and I knew instantly I had to include Laurie's entire speech for the quotes section. I wish the Emmys or someone official would recognize how awesome Busy Phillips is on this show.

I know the whole Diet Dr. Pepper product placement is going to ruffle feathers among people who go crazy over that sort of thing. To them I say 'get over it!' I rather a show do product placement like this than awkwardly make the characters suddenly all drink the same drink all the time. I thought it made perfect sense in context, for the character of Bobby as well as in the context of him wanting a sponsorship for his golfing. I loved Travis' little "is someone filming this?" comment as Bobby went on about Diet Dr. Pepper. I think people overreact anytime any real product is mentioned or shown in a positive light. I know I've gladly extolled the virtues of Coca Cola before and I don't find it unrealistic for a person to talk about a drink they love. If you can't just do the lingering shots of certain brand names on a show, then I prefer the writers try to be a little creative about it. I was never bothered by the "Chuck" Subway product placement because I know people who willingly rave about the place. Just be happy that primetime shows aren't nearly as awkward as soap operas are with their product placement.

Best Quotes:

Title this week was a long one! "New Year's Resolution: Embrace Our Stupid Title & Lose Six Pounds "Cougar Town" (We love it!)"

Jules: "It's so cool that you and Kirsten are staying for a movie."
Travis: "You said if I didn't, you wouldn't give me money for food."
Jules: "Just say 'you're welcome,' dude."

Jules: "Oh, sweetie, Grayson and I are a better couple than you."
Travis: "Well this sounds like a healthy road to go down with your mom."

Jules: "Grayson, pop quiz! What is my favorite food? What makes me really sad? Who's my celebrity crush?"
Grayson: "Veal, veal again, and Vince Vaughn."
Jules: "Nailed it!"
(Later)
Grayson: "How many did I really get right?"
Jules: "None, but you knew to lie and that's why we work!"

Bobby: "You see those guys over there? One of them just might be a Diet Dr. Pepper executive."
Travis: "Or just a doctor with the last name Pepper. I mean, the odds are about the same."

Tom (after the dove/frying pan collision): "Did someone have a pillow fight out here?...Whoa, there's a dead bird. And a real sad one right next to it."

Andy: "I know it sucks. But this is what happens when doves cry."

Travis: "My dad isn't just my dad. He's part of the Cul-de-Sac Crew. You meddle with one of them, the entire group responds. They're a collective consciousness, like the Children of the Corn."

Jules (after Grayson isn't appropriately sad about the dove dying): "If it was a person, would you still make jokes?"
Grayson: "Probably, because it meant they died sprinting into a frying pan."
Jules: "I bet that's how Bobby goes."

Bobby, while freaking out about the world, screws up his putt. "Will the Internet ever be safe again? Some experts say NO!" And I loved that all the next putt needed was a "DARFUR!" to get shaken. And later, "yeah baby! The world sucks but who cares!"

A perfect example of the difference between men in women in relationships:
Jules: "You get why murdering two animals would make me spiral right?"
Grayson: "I don't."
Jules: "Deep down, you're probably feeling just as sad as I am."
Grayson: "I'm not."
Jules: "You're gonna change someday."
Grayson: "I won't."

Grayson: "You know, I think you're a little emotional right now so I think the smart thing for us to do would be to just chill, not get into any deep conversations."
Jules: "Do you even think we're right for each other?"
Grayson: "Thanks for listening."

Grayson: "Put Big Carl down."
Jules: "No, he understands me!"

Kirsten: "Are we really at a dead lizard's funeral in your mom's yard?"
Travis: "You did this to us."

Grayson (to Jules): "You're an idiot. You're worried that we're not alike enough to be together. One of my favorite things about us is how different we are. It's the couples that are different that really work. I mean, look at these freaks (to Ellie and Andy). His favorite movie is "Die Hard." And she's a horrible person. I've been scared to say this, but all those ways that you're different from me...that's why I love you. I love you Jules."

And now, Laurie's crazy brilliant order at the coffee shop! You can tell they had so much fun with this one and Busy Phillips handles it wonderfully. (It's on Youtube, too, if you feel like watching it)
Laurie: "Oh hey Rache, now bear with me, I have to order for everyone. Okay, I'll have one Soy Largey, one teeny tiny, one teeny teeny tiny unleaded, one Plain Jane, extra yum, (what the hell make it a double yum), a Baby Joey, a Midnight with a Full Moon - hold the pumpkin, a medium coffee, I need a Heavy D in a travel mug please, two Crazy Ivans, a Sauron's Eye. Also I need a 'Damn!' and an iced 'Damn!', a Sneaky Pete, a double drip with a snip of whip, and a frap cap heavy on the (makes crushing sound). Oh, and let's see what's fresh...okay, well I'll take three raisin happy muffins, a French mustache, and, ick, a fart muffin - that is not for me. Oh, and I forgot to order my own coffee! Can I get a Taye Diggs, which is black and extra strong and smooth but also very sweet?" (Barista stands frozen in place) "Would it be easier if I just came back there and made it myself?"

"V" returns, revitalized and ready to get back into action

I don't know if it's too late for "V" to recover from its rocky first season, but its return last night certainly bodes well. Maybe it's too late for it to catch on or be renewed, but I have high hopes for the direction of the rest of the season. Not that the show is anything amazing, but I don't think it's as campy or terrible as people say it is. It's enjoyable for what it is, and last night we got a lot of exposition and the pace picked up. Really, I'm just happy to have another SciFi show out there that is entertaining even if it's not outright enthralling.

It seems like forever, but things picked up right where they left off - Chad Decker discovering the truth about the Vs, Anna turning the sky red, etc. I think they really utilized each character to the right amount in this episode. Elizabeth Mitchell's Erica Evans is still a bit of a bore and the only moments where she gets to shine are when she talks with Anna. Outside of those scenes where she gets to be a headstrong mother and a steadfast resistance fighter on board the ship, she's rather dull and I'm glad they're expanding the cast. Like Erica, a lot of the other characters have this problem of being personality-less. They have designated roles but they aren't very realistic. And you know what? I'm okay with that. This isn't a deep show and some of the characters are entertaining even if they aren't very lifelike. Luckily, Father Jack got very little screentime and most of it actually centered around the Fifth Column storyline and therefore wasn't as useless as his time normally is. It makes me sad that he's such a bore as well since I loved Joel Gretsch on "The 4400." But I like that Chad Decker is in the know and has to grapple with his guilt as well as the pressure of acting like he knows nothing.

The one human character I liked the most is Hobbes, the British mercenary. Well, now I have another human to root for on this show - Bret Harrison's Sidney. I've missed him since "Reaper" ended. Hobbes' declaration to Sidney that he was now working for the Fifth Column was great - "and if you say no, we'll kill you. Relax, I'm kidding. Maybe."

But my favorite characters are still the Vs fighting on our side. Ryan returned, but luckily the rest of the group wasn't moronic and actually questioned why he escaped so easily and what his true motivations are. Joshua was revived, but due to amnesia problems it looks like that was just a quick stunt and he isn't really back. Or maybe they'll go daring and have him report to Anna that Lisa was acting strangely and the friend will turn into a foe. And then we'll get to see his true nature to sympathize with humans resurface and we'll actually get to see him struggle with his loyalties. But that's only in my dreams, if they decided to capitalize on their one awesome character. Aside from him, though, Lisa is turning into my favorite character. She's in the most precarious position and is dealing with the highest stakes. She is embracing her feelings for Tyler and trying to protect him but she has to follow her mother's orders as well. I wish Tyler wasn't such an oblivious horny moron though. But Lisa's big turn to actually helping the Fifth Column is a big deal and I find her to be the most intriguing character, morally. Unfortunately, the more Lisa grows the more obvious it is that Tyler is painfully underdeveloped. I have a feeling the actor doesn't have the chops to pull off much more, though. Like her daughter, Anna is also getting more interesting with her struggle with human emotions. I'm not sure why the human skin also endows them with emotions, but I like the drama it brings. Watching Anna deal with her emotions by becoming more of a cruel bitch was a neat inversion of what her daughter is doing. You can't just give peace a chance, Anna? Come on, all you need is love! Do you really have to populate Earth? There isn't another planet out there you can use?

Another thing I noticed about this episode was that is was really gruesome. Red rain, tearing apart V leaders, Tyler getting his face ripped off (alas, only in a dream sequence)? I think this show borders on cheese without going overboard and I'm really enjoying the balance. It's just cheesy enough without being campy, although it could use some lightening up as it gets a little too morose sometimes. Alien invasions aren't a day at the park, I know, but they can be serious and still riveting.

After watching "V" and seeing a promo for TNT's "Falling Skies," I really want a show where aliens actually do come in peace. They would be screwed because we would never believe them and it would probably end up as a "District 9" type situation, but I would like to see something different.

So I guess the new big development is the phosphorous in the red rain and its ties to V breeding. It's a very elaborate plan full of a lot of work just to breed more Vs, so I have a hard time believing that's all they want - to populate the Earth with Vs, or make humans give birth to Vs, or whatever. And apparently Erica had some phosphorous issues when she was pregnant, leading her to get a blood test with Sidney to learn more. I have a question that's been bugging me - how bad is it to just slice your hand open with a knife? Couldn't Erica have just taken blood the old fashioned way? Lots of movies and TV shows (like the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie for example) show characters slitting their palm to get blood. Does a wound there clot that easily? Wouldn't that hurt like crazy for a while? It just doesn't seem practical or healthy. And now that I've rambled on needlessly about something no one else thinks about, I'll sum things up again - I'm enjoying this show for what it is and hope the rest of the season is as enjoyable as this episode was.

ABC Wednesday - Chirp Chirp, Bang Bang

I'll only be covering "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" since I only watched the season premieres of the other two and never want to have to watch "Better With You" ever again. But the second hour of ABC Wednesday's comedy line-up is like a gift from above, filled with great pop culture shout-outs and fun characters doing what they do best.

"Modern Family" - "Chirp"
This week's episode found Claire and Hayley sick, Phil hunting for a chirping smoke detector, Jay and Gloria celebrating a mysterious anniversary, and Cam and Mitchell fighting about Lily's acting debut. I normally love Cam and Mitchell, but their storyline was the weakest in this episode. It's unfortunate because normally the show fires on all cylinders, but even when one storyline is weaker, the episode is still pretty good. The smoke detector was used to great comedic effect, with it chirping and secretly saying that Phil isn't a man, because men are in charge of the smoke detectors. When Claire's gym buddy comes to return her lost cell phone and he says that Claire never mentioned she had a husband, the smoke detector chirps and it's a perfectly timed moment. Meanwhile, an old but reliable gag was going on between Claire and Hayley, when Claire tried to convince her daughter not to settle down with Dylan or else she will regret it. (Sidenote: I was thrilled to see the return of Dylan. He's great in small doses though). Of course Hayley didn't get that Claire was talking about her and Dylan, she thought Claire was talking about Phil. Jay had a heartwarming little moment with Manny but I also loved his confusion over which anniversary he was celebrating with Gloria, since she celebrates every little moment in a relationship.

Best of:

• Jay saying he "took care of Jack" and Gloria asking if he killed him.
• Gloria insisting that Jay's "resort wear" was more like "last resort" wear
• Hayley reassuring Dylan that he "doesn't have to conceive of a world without [her]"
• Luke wanting to sell the "organ" and asking Phil to drive him to the black market.
• Jay trying to get Gloria to finish his sentences and expose their plans for the night (unsuccessfully)
  
• Dylan's sex dream about Claire. Made even funnier later by Hayley telling him "I'm just in bed with my mom. Stop freaking out! It is not coming true!"
  
• Every time the smoke detector chirped, especially the last time that sent Phil into a destructive rage
• Luke in the background trying to eat a cookie with the space helmet on.
  
  

"Cougar Town" - "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)"
If I could recommend only one show for a person to watch this week, it would be "Cougar Town." It had its usual mix of crazy gags but added in a "Spaced" reference and a brilliant homage to "The Usual Suspects." It was Jules' birthday and, naturally, this was turned into a big contest between everyone trying to get her the best gift. Travis and Bobby had their own odd adventure conquering a neti pot, which is apparently some fancy thing for clearing up congestion.

Best of:

• "(Modern) Cougar Town" this week. I absolutely adore the opening credits gag. It's a small, self-aware way to address the title debate.
  
• Calling sensitive men "sensies." A nice "Scrubs" callback.
• If a couple actors hadn't already crossed over from "Scrubs," I would wish that they took place in the same universe. I'm not sure what that would mean though...maybe some guest spots from alumni as their old characters.
  
• Jules takes her Disney characters very seriously. It was mighty impressive, rattling off the dwarves' names that fast.
  
• Laurie finding an app for dramatic sound effects. Sabotage should always be announced in fabulously dramatic fashion.
  
• Jules forcibly changing Grayson's age, especially since it makes her absolutely NOT a cougar!
• Andy and Jules, Hot Dog and Stick!
• The visual gag of Bobby's nose leaking.
• Laurie tricking Grayson and winning the contest.
• Bobby asking about Travis' neti pot. "Is this another one of those snooty college things like that picnic basket you take to the shower?"
• Jules laying down the law about her birthday. "Okay, a few birthday ground rules: no gag gifts, no gift cards, and nothing that I'm supposed to love because it's charitable. Laurie, I'm still pissed you saved an elephant in my name!"
• Bobby: "Hey College! I'm calling you College now because you go to college." Travis: "Yeah I pieced that together."
• Barb's appearance, wanting to tell Jules "about my trip to London and all the time I spent under Big Ben." Andy led her away with "look! A high school track team hosing each other down!"
• Ellie: "Jules, he's an evil genius. He's Keyser Soze!" Jules: "No he's not!" Ellie: "Yes he is!" Jules: "He's not! God! (pause) Who's Keyser Soze?"
• Ellie sitting Jules down to watch "The Usual Suspects." Jules: "You told me before it started that Kevin Spacey was Keyser Soze and I was still surprised! Wait, was he Keyser Soze?" Ellie: "Yes!" Jules: "Alright, so the crippled guy was his evil twin?" Ellie: "No, same guy!" Jules: "Well let's just agree to disagree."
• Jules: "I know you want me to believe Andy is Kiefer Doozy" - even after Ellie makes Jules watch the movie.
• The flashback to Andy making up a story about his grandmother based on random things behind Jules. Also, the parody of the ending where they show that Andy really was faking his sprained ankle. Andy as an evil genius was unexpected but fantastic.
• After Bobby comes back from the hospital. Travis: "So you poured this whole pitcher directly into your lungs? I mean, at some point you must have know you were drowning. Why didn't you stop?" Bobby: "Bobby Cobb never quits!" Travis: "Not even at killing himself?" Bobby: "Not even. That stupid college death pot!" Travis: "Still not a college thing." Bobby: "Whatever, man, it's still the most dangerous thing on my boat." Travis: "Really? I'm going to spin around and say the first thing I see. Loaded flare gun on a jar full of gasoline!" Bobby: "Well that's for when the rats come!"
• Later, Bobby: "You ever looked death in the eye, Trav?" Travis: "Well now that that jar of gasoline has a flaming can of Sterno next to it, I'd have to say yes."
  
• Travis: "Dad, let me list some actual college things, like indie bands, freshman 15, dabbling in lesbianism (that's for girls), encouraging girls to dabble in lesbianism (that's for guys), ramen noodles, keggers, having a black roommate that makes you feel self-conscious about singing all your favorite rap songs..."
  
• Travis walking in on the Finger Guns Mexican Standoff, asking "what are we doing? Somebody tell me what we're doing!"
  
• The final Finger Gunfight. Utterly silly, but all the better because it was a reference to "Spaced." Bill Lawrence confirmed it, even though Travis said "I love 'Spaced'" as he was falling.
  
• Because it's awesome, Entertainment Weekly posted a whole article about the reference and posted all the videos of it and in reference to it: "Cougar Town" does "Spaced"-inspired finger gun shootout: Watch!"

"Brothers & Sisters" returns to a Walker family in mourning

I'm one of the few people left who still watches and enjoys "Brothers & Sisters," but I don't care. At this point, it really is comfort food. I can just relax with the Walker family, people I've known for years now. I actually have some hopes for this season since they finally got rid of the Ojai storyline. That really bogged down the show the past few years and I'm hoping they will use the new Ojai-less, one-year-hence show to make some interesting stories for the family.

A one year jump into the future is an easy way to just skip over all the initial grieving. Sure, the family still needed to confront their grief this episode but the shock of it all had worn off. I liked that they jumped forward rather than let themselves get trapped in what plenty of other shows (especially on ABC) do - you get a dramatic, traumatic season finale in May but then you have to deal with the results of the trauma in the fall. Just this season alone, look no further than "Dexter," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Private Practice" for starters. I liked that we just skipped on ahead and brought Justin in, of all Walkers, to shake everyone out of their limbo state. Justin has always been my least favorite Walker because he's whiny and immature. It looks like he finally got the army bug out of his system so he can stop whining about how his life had purpose back in the Middle East but at home he's useless. I'm hoping this new, mature Justin sticks around and fights for his wife. Speaking of Rebecca, she had a perfectly legitimate reason to leave him. There's a giant accident, her mom nearly dies but survives with what appears to be brain damage or convenient TV amnesia, and then her husband just takes off. The poor girl is completely justified and Justin has a lot to make up for if they're ever going to get back together. And you know what? I hope they do, because I actually like them as a couple. Their biggest obstacle was always Justin's immaturity and I'd like to see more stable, adult relationships on this show. I'm not sure if Emily VanCamp is coming back to the show or not yet, so checking up on that would answer how their relationship is going to turn out.

I enjoyed the inversion of the usual Walker chaos. Until Justin came in, they were just staying away from so many taboo subjects that they weren't talking to each other. He made a good point that they need to be yelling at each other to show that they're invested in each others' lives. Nora's silence was the most obvious, since she's normally the first one to rile up her kids. Sarah was justified in saying Justin couldn't come back and just judge everyone for dealing with issues he ran away from, but in the end Justin was necessary to remind everyone who they really are. We've had a whole summer to say goodbye to Robert, but I'm still going to miss him on this show. He was redeemed a lot with Kitty's cancer storyline and I still liked having him around as another non-Walker family member.

On random other notes, I liked the quips about Luc's underwear ad. I missed Kevin and Sarah's banter, so it was nice to hear a few jokes amidst such a dark episode. I'm not sure what Sarah is going to do with the Narrow Lake money or what she's going to do for a living now, but I'm hoping we don't end up with another Ojai situation where they think a Family Business will be the only way to keep the family together. My last question, aside from where Sarah's kids are, is why does Nora have a job? Perhaps I'm just forgetting, but did she encounter money problems last year? Or did she just want something to do, to distract her from all the misery post-accident? Either way, I'm glad to have "Brothers & Sisters" back. Many people have jumped ship, and it's not the hot new thing anymore, but I don't think it's absolute crap yet. It's enjoyable in its own way, especially if you've been tuning in all along.

ABC Wednesday - the many flavors of sitcoms (from awful to awesome)

"The Middle"
Cut above the average sitcom, but still no 'Modern Family'
I caught a few episodes of this at the end of the last season and was mildly amused by it. It's the attempt to make a sitcom about a lower middle class family struggling to make it in the Midwest. I do like the addition that it's set in Indiana (not just because that's where I'm currently located), because it's nice to have a show that isn't set in California, New York, or Texas. Other states do exist, and not just as comedic fodder when someone wants to set a show or movie in "the sticks." Setting it in the Midwest makes is more relatable. However, I wasn't very impressed by their premiere. I thought they had better episodes in their first season. There were a few things I enjoyed, like the metaphor about class level as having an "above-ground pool" life vs. an "in-ground pool" life. The biggest laugh moment for me was when the mother runs after her son's discarded backpack that was put in the dump truck, yelling "Stop, my son's best friend is in there!" I also liked the mother urging the kids to go outside and enjoy the summer, only to find them shooting arrows into their pool where she immediately yells at them to go back inside and watch TV.

I don't think this show is as non-stop hilarious as "Modern Family," but it's good for a chuckle or two. One of the downsides of it, though, is this show makes me never ever want to have children. The parents are stressed and exhausted trying to support three weirdo kids and it's like they were forced to take on this horrible burden and they're just barely getting by. Their daughter is incredibly annoying. I'm sure this is all more relatable if you are a parent with irritating yet endearing children and understand the "reward of parenthood." Also, I hate the overused "precocious child says humorous, worldly things" character, so I'm glad 2/3 of their children aren't like that. My last complaint is even more valid since I live in the Midwest and know how inaccurate this is - TV shows NEVER pay attention to when the sun is out and when it isn't. If your entire family gets up to have breakfast at 6:54 in the morning, the sun is not out and shining like it's noon! Yes, it's a tiny thing, but it annoys me to no end. It would even work in the storyline, if your kids are complaining about getting up early, and they could comment that the sun isn't even up yet so that day hasn't started, so why should they, etc. I guess I would feel differently if I worked on the lighting crew.

"Better With You"
More like 'Better Without You'
I keep having to correct myself - this is not the Kelsey Grammar sitcom "Back to You" and it's not the "Will & Grace" fictional soap "Along Came You." Unfortunately, after viewing the painfully mundane pilot, I'm still unlikely to remember which is which. I had faith that ABC might be able to fill that one last slot with one more quality comedy, but that was clearly asking too much. "Better With You" is exactly like every other standard sitcom in that you have a grating laugh track and obvious set-up/immediate punchline structure that aims for big laughs. I guess it's good someone is laughing, even if it's a fake laugh track. Some of the punchlines were slightly humorous and chuckle-inducing, but the intrusive anonymous boisterous laughter quickly killed any chortles.

This show had that frantic, nervous, mile-a-minute pace that lots of sitcoms have, like there are people offstage with guns ready to shoot any actor who doesn't COMMIT and deliver laughs. Or maybe they're going so fast so they can deliver rapidfire punchlines - when you can't deliver any solid jokes, just deliver multiple quick awful ones and maybe they'll add up to a real laugh! Great lines like "How do I look?" "Not fat!" go by quickly so you don't tend to linger on how painful they really are. You can move on to the next joke about Ben becoming "Uncle Ben." You know, like the rice? Har har har. It seemed like there were a lot of pop-culture jokes too, perhaps in an effort to be topical or relatable. On top of it all, the actors were incredibly bland sitcom people, hardly distinguishable from one another. Except for the fact that the blonde girl's voice sounded remarkably similar to Sarah Chalke's (aka Elliot Reed from "Scrubs.") Anyway, if you love sitcoms with tired jokes and you have a really short attention span, you'll love this show.

"Modern Family"
Back and Better Than Ever The highlight of the night. This show is so smart and perfectly crafted that it just makes you happy. More than just providing a chuckle here and there, it really does resonate (in addition to delivering laugh after laugh). It has heart without becoming saccharine and gets big laughs without hitting you over the head with cheesy punchlines. After watching something like "Better With You" where I felt like I lost brain cells just listening to it, "Modern Family" truly is a breath of fresh air. A recap of the plot would be mundane, so I'm going to just list the best moments.

• Claire telling Phil to get rid of their old car. Claire: "We're not giving it to Hayley. It's way too easy to fit a mattress in the back." Phil: "Remember?" (Perfect comic timing here)


• Phil: "You can insult a lot of things about me...but don't insult my selling. That crosses a line. What line? Oh, you don't see it? That's because I just sold it!"
  
  
• Cam: "Every home-improvement project we've undertaken has been a near-death experience." "If an accident does happen, I hope he kills me, because I don't think I would be a very inspiring disabled person."


• Phil's mnemonic devices to remember names. "He looked like that drummer from Foreigner, a foreigner is from France, which rhymes with ants, ants ruin a picnic, which rhymes with - 'hi, Nick!'"


• Claire feeling nostalgic. "Look at them - a minute ago they were babies, and now they're driving, and soon we'll all be dead.


• Jay remembering building bookshelves with Mitchell. "That was my Vietnam. And I was in Vietnam."


• Luke finding a picture of his Mom at the Rose Bowl parade. "Mom you looked really pretty. So what happened?"..."I mean, what happened in the game?"


• Mitchell saying "in cahoots."


• Sofia Vergara's accent. Other shows would rely solely on that to make her funny, but she's talented as a comedian anyway. But her accent still makes her lines that much funnier.


• The Dunphy family catastrophe in the car. That was so well executed. The chaos of that scene was fantastic, my favorite being Hayley continuously stepping on Phil's seatbelt, choking him. "What's the plan Phil?!" "At least I'm trying to do something!"
  
  
• Manny and his dating. "We like to play Six Degrees of Sir Francis Bacon."


• Phil selling the car in the end, explaining how you sell by leaving out key points. "They don't make them like this anymore...for legal reasons!"


• The bird flying into the princess castle with Mitchell trapped inside. Hilarious reference to last season.
  

"Cougar Town"
The overlooked gem of a relationship sitcom (that refuses to ditch the misleading name)
Seeing the title card come up with "(Still) Cougar Town" was a perfect way to start the episode. Yeah, it's keeping the crummy title, but it's still the same show underneath. If you're lucky enough to get past that, you're rewarded with a great end to the night. I didn't really like the stunt casting of Jennifer Aniston, because it was just to get "Friends" fans in there, but she was alright. I just hate stunt casting that leaves fans of the actor loving it but regular fans of the show wondering why the show is acting out of character. But the rest of the episode was great, and I'll go ahead and list the great moments here too.

• (Still) Cougar Town. That was a great, small way to address the title issue.


• Travis asking the adults about their new game. "How is that a drinking game?" "Because we drink while we do it!"


• "Adios alkies."


• "Graysonship."


• Dan Byrd in general as Travis. They keep talking about him leaving for college but I hope so badly he isn't actually leaving the show. He's amazing here and a great contrast for all the wine-drinking, sexed up adults.


• "Esteves Festeves." "I'm thinking about re-inventing myself in college." There were a few too many 80s references from Travis. Not that many people that age are as obsessed with the 80s as, say, I am, so it's obviously the writers wanting to reference their childhood. It just gets inserted into the show a little awkwardly by having characters make references that are way too old for them. Not that I mind it too much.


• Aniston asking about Jules' boyfriend. "Didn't he try to choke you? I must be confusing him with another patient." Am I crazy, or was that totally a "Grey's Anatomy" reference?


• The movie game. Fantastic.


• Laurie talking to Travis about college. Laurie: "Please tell me by 'all-nighters' you mean partying and not studying." "Can't it be both?"


• He didn't get much time this episode, but I still love Bobby. He could get one line and it would still be hilarious.


• Grayson in the tree. "You're really bald from up here!" to Andy.


• Laurie and Ellie. "Imaginary hat." [mimes tipping a hat] "Imaginary opera gloves. [mimes putting on gloves] What is this, what are we doing?"


• The incense smoke in the later scene with Aniston.


• Big Joe. Why do they even bother pouring the wine into glasses anymore?


• The giant Dog Travis is still a great sight gag.


• Bobby's David Caruso.


• "Al Gore does a powerpoint presentation on Madonna's naked body." "An Inconvenient Truth or Dare!"


• Aniston's anger exercises. "My anger is a puddle and I step out of it."

"Rookie Blue" - the cop version of "Grey's Anatomy"

And yes, it's just what you'd expect. I ended up kind of hating this show by the end. The tone of it was off, the characters were off, and it felt like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Southland" crashed into each other and this freak came crawling out of the rubble.

First, this may just be me, but I don't find Missy Peregrym, who plays Andy McNally, all that appealing. She reminds me of a slighty more tolerable Genevieve Cortese. I didn't like her in her short stint on "Heroes" and I was only lukewarm regarding her character on the short-lived "Reaper." The show also stars Gregory Smith, who I know only as "that guy from 'Everwood,'" a show I never watched. The only other person I recognize is Eric Johnson, who "Smallville" fans know as Whitney. He's been around since then, most notably as a demon on "Supernatural," but I'm glad he's trying to get a steady role in something. I think he's very likeable and he's grown up well since his days of courting Lana Lang.

The tone of this show is really odd. I'm a big fan of "Southland," which I think is the best recent portrayal of police life. This show is like an ABC soap version of a cop drama, but it ends up with emotional moments that don't resonate and funny moments that are more cutesy and cringe-inducing. The life of a cop is very different from the life of a doctor, and "Southland" best captures the grittiness of reality. I know reality isn't high on the list of things you look for in a TV show, but I feel like this show didn't intend to be as soapy as it came off.

There were so many cliches in the pilot of "Rookie Blue" that I wish I had been playing a drinking game. You've got the rookie cop with a parent who was a respected veteran and now the rookie has a lot to prove ("Grey's Anatomy" - Meredith and her genius surgeon mom Ellis Grey; "Southland" - Ben coming from a wealthy upbringing, has a lot to prove; "Dexter" - Debra Morgan trying to live up to her father's distinguished legacy). You've got the respected veteran cop who is now a mere shadow of what he once was ("Grey's Anatomy" - Ellis Grey's alzheimers). You've got the senior cop romantically involved with a rookie cop ("Grey's Anatomy" - Meredith and Derek, Christina and Burke). You've got the requisite shot of some guy taking off his shirt to reveal rippling muscles underneath (way too many shows to count, but ABC is a prime offender). You've got the storyline of the rookie screwing something up early in the game only to redeem herself later in the episode (once again, way too many examples to pick from). You've got the bitter, jaded old veterans who need the newbies with their pluck and enthusiasm to remind them why they became a cop in the first place many years ago.

Other random thoughts:

• The music on this show really bothered me. It was bubbly and upbeat when it was trying to tell us a scene was supposed to be funny. It was the kind of music the Walker family drinks wine and gossips to on "Brothers & Sisters." And there were too many moments where they play some hip song while the characters bond meaningfully or encounter new situations. It came off as a desperate attempt to fill time after the episode came up short in running time or as a desperate attempt to create a poignant moment.


• Does every profession and every workplace have a bar they all retreat to at the end of the day or is that a complete creation of the TV world out of necessity for a gathering place for the characters? Is it always just one bar that was established as "the watering hole"?


• If two characters make out in a closet at the station, I'm out of here.


• If Missy Peregrym's character and Eric Johnson's character get it on, I'm out of here (not that I'd blame her).


• Can ABC do any other sort of character drama without making it sexual relationship drama?


• From the moment one of the rookies said "I love all these guys so much" in the bar in the opening, I knew it would be an uphill battle to win my affection. I was hoping they'd pull it off as a moment where the guy was really drunk, but instead they made it into a touching moment that wasn't so touching.


• I liked seeing "police service" on the sign outside the station instead of "police force." It reminded me of the scene in "Hot Fuzz" where Nicholas Angel says official police guidelines state that "force" shouldn't be used anymore as it sounds too aggressive.


• The voiceover better go away fast. The show doesn't need it. It was used so poorly for expository purposes when the exposition wasn't even needed. It was another early strike against watching this show.


• The talk about the rookies not knowing anything and that there is "no training that prepares you for life on the street" also feels completely lifted from "Grey's Anatomy." See: Chief Webber's speech to the interns about the program in the pilot. Also see: Bailey's speech to the interns in the pilot.


• You get the veteran cops coaching the younger cops, but it feels more like babysitting than tough love like John teaching Ben survival skills in "Southland."


• The best part of the show was the trailer for the new Christopher Nolan movie "Inception." Leo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Cillian Murphy all in one movie directed by the man behind the new Batman movies? I'm so there. The trailer for "Salt" is still baffling to me though. I know people love Angelina Jolie, and maybe it's because I'm a girl that I don't get her mass appeal, but isn't the Russian spy storyline a little outdated?

I might watch the next episode in a week if I have absolutely nothing else to do, just to see if this show is headed where I think it's headed. I'm not holding out hope though.

Talk about drama - ABC needs to reimburse me for tissues!

I've been remiss of late in posting new blog entries, but I'm going to chalk that up to finale fever. Although, there's a new health issue that I imagine is sweeping the nation called Post-ABC Finale Stress Disorder. If you fear that any moment your favorite character could be killed off in epic fashion, if you suddenly feel like you're watching something ripped off from "E.R.," if you suddenly need to buy a lifetime supply of tissues "just in case," if you're worrying that all the hot characters are being killed off, if you're feeling a mixture of happiness and sadness that the Mercy Westers are mostly gone, you are suffering from Post-ABC Finale Stress Disorder, not to be confused with Post-Lost Finale Psychosis. Any avid ABC viewer, such as myself, is susceptible to either or both of these ailments. The recent heartbreakers include "Private Practice," "Brothers & Sisters," and "Grey's Anatomy." "Desperate Housewives" could be included in this group if you're extremely sensitive (which I am not) or extremely obsessed with John Barrowman (which I definitely am). However, for the sake of my blog, I am only going to give my thoughts on the first three shows. Especially since my only thoughts on the "Housewives" finale are basically "sad to see John Barrowman go; he needs a better gig on American TV" and "actually liked the serial strangler storyline in the end." That's one show cleared up! Now onto the ones that actually left a mark on the finale landscape this season.

"Private Practice"
Once again, I hate this term, but this show is my guilty pleasure. To tell the truth, I don't feel bad about watching this show; it's everyone else who wants me to feel bad about it. But much like "Desperate Housewives," it's entertaining because it's such a primetime soap opera. "Practice" more so due to the fact that I think everyone has hooked up with each other at least once on this show. But the finale was almost completely serious, following the aftermath of a car crash that landed Dell and Naomi and Sam's pregnant teen daughter Maya in the hospital. Unlike the previous season that left us with a cliffhanger regarding Violet's fate, this finale didn't leave anyone's fate hanging. Maya appeared to be the one in jeopardy, what with being pregnant as a teenager and being at risk for losing her ability to walk, but of course Dell couldn't get away unscathed. For those of us who frequent entertainment sites, we already knew that Chris Lowell was leaving the show. I had hoped that he would leave on a good note by going to UCLA medical school, but no. He has to die suddenly and tragically, after losing his wife in a traumatic meth explosion, only to leave his daughter Betsy an orphan. Meanwhile, Sam has to operate on and save the drunk driver who crashed into Dell and Maya. One the small happy side, Charlotte and Cooper finally get back together and get engaged, Addison gives up Pete so he can be with Violet, Violet and Pete plan out their custody agreement with Lucas, and Maya and her baby survive.

Biggest tearjerker moment: Dell, who basically knows he's going to die, tells Betsy that all the bad stuff in her life is happening early, meaning the rest of her life will be easy here on out in an effort to comfort her before he's gone.

"Brothers & Sisters"
Once again, TV addicts such as myself knew that Rob Lowe was leaving before he died at the end of the episode. But once again, that didn't make it any less heartbreaking. The promos were all focused on the big car crash, but like I suspected, it wasn't until the last five minute that it came into focus. The rest of the episode was normal Walker mayhem. Okay, a little less than usual, but there were still the usual clashes between family members. Saul dealt with Kevin and Scotty, gays of a new generation, and found out he was HIV positive. Like other people have said, it was a little sudden and after-school specialy, but at least Saul is getting something to do. I'd like for him to have something good happen to him after all his misery with Ojai and coming out at his age, but I guess he's just the show's punching bag. Nora and Sarah, who was mourning the loss of her Ojai job, joined Kitty on her campaign bus, which went as well as can be expected. We finally, finally, finally, find out what the deal is with Narrow Lake - it's the location of an apparently huge aquifer. The Walkers are in the water business now. I'm just glad they aren't going to drag out this Ojai thing anymore. Justin acted immature (what's new?). First he wants to be a doctor, then he wants to go back in the military, then he wants to go to Haiti and he wants Rebecca to drop everything and go with him. Rebecca understandably told him she had her own plans in life - get a job, get a house, etc. They decide to split and do their own things and meet back up later. All right then. The show has finally stopped showing Kevin as an immature, petty irritant, mainly because he hasn't had that much to do lately, but I'm hoping Justin will grow up soon and stop having these teenage temper tantrums. I hope Kevin gets a worthy storyline after he became unemployed. Scotty certainly seems to be doing well, opening his own restaurant with Saul. Because if it's one thing these people can do, it's run a family business (not entirely meant to be sarcastic. If two people in this family can be professional and put petty arguments aside, it's Scotty and Saul.)

I was glad they didn't have some giant cliffhanger where they left multiple people's fates up in the air over the summer break. Basically everyone was alright except for Holly, who was in bad condition but still alive, and Robert, who was in bad condition and died. Much like "Grey's Anatomy," the next season would be all about the grieving process. Well, unless they actually do this flashforward they've been talking about a la "Desperate Housewives." I'm not completely averse to the idea, as it would skip Kitty's grieving period, it would give them time to set up the new restaurant and new water business, Luc and Sarah will be in wedded bliss, and allow Justin some much-needed time to grow up in Haiti.

Biggest tearjerker moment: Robert tells Kitty than he was scared that after the heart attack he wouldn't be able to keep up with Evan. But after seeing Kitty with Evan, he knew they would all be okay. Kitty gets her one last moment to be strong for Robert.

"Grey's Anatomy"

How do I even begin to comment on that episode? How could I narrow down one heartbreaking moment? The entire episode, every single moment was heartbreaking. I think it's the first time in my life where I cried for two straight hours. My tiny recap/review here won't do the episode justice, but I know I'll ramble if I try to write an outline of the entire episode. One thing I can say I am thrilled about is that they didn't leave things on a cliffhanger. Last year, Izzie and George's lives were in the balance, but over the summer we heard which actor was or wasn't coming back so it wasn't that riveting to have that left open on the show. This year, we got an absolutely enthralling, engrossing story with deaths, but also many people who survived. Oh, let's face it, they mainly needed Gary Clark to kill off the Mercy Westers we didn't like. But man, did they get a send-off. Reed went first, with a simple shot to the head after snipping at Clark. It's sudden brutality was shocking. More shocking? The subsequent arrival of Alex, who was second to get shot that day. (Okay, third if you count the guy who we can assume hit Gary Clark's car earlier.) I was so terrified he would die. He's gotten screwed over so bad with Izzie, who left him for sort of, maybe, kind of, perhaps being a small factor in her losing her job. Yes, I understand Katherine Heigl wanted out, but I'm just going by the narrative on-screen here.

As for the other Mercy Westers, I was disappointed the irritating psycho-in-training April wasn't killed off. Percy got the most emotional send-off, though, when he bled out in the hallway when the elevators were turned off. It was odd having Mandy Moore there, but Chandra Wilson is one hell of an actress and she made that storyline truly horrifying. Avery, luckily, did not die, as he is the only Mercy Wester who really deserved to be added to the cast. He's charismatic, smart, handsome, and a quick thinker. He was brilliant, removing the monitors from Derek to simulate death to get Gary Clark to leave. I'm still scratching my head, trying to figure out how he got into the OR though.

Arizona and Callie, after much bickering, realized the severity of the situation and found their way around their baby issues. I hated having to make Arizona "realize she really wanted children" since women who don't want children are often seen as defective, but I want Callie and Arizona together and am glad that she changed for a damn good reason. Facing death certainly puts things in perspective. Many people were ticked that Meredith had a miscarriage, but as sad as it was, it was at least completely believable. When you're dealing with the kind of physical stress she had that day, it would be almost amazing if she didn't miscarry. I wasn't even in the scene and that Gary-Derek stand-off had me tense as could be. I was terrified they would kill off Derek and make Meredith all dark and twisty again, but I am so glad they didn't. Meredith has grown a lot as a character these past few seasons and I really applaud "Grey's Anatomy" for allowing a character to change and evolve. On a random note, I'm surprised more people didn't complain about the very political moment between Richard and Gary about how easy it was to buy a gun and ammo. I expected the gun rights people to be up in arms over that (bad pun, I know. Trying to lighten the mood!) And while I do understand people's complaints about the SWAT team being ineffectual, Seattle Grace is a big freaking hospital! And with all those people, and all their protocol, I can actually believe that it would take that long for them to clear the hospital. Also, I imagine all of this was taking place in a small amount of time but seemed a lot longer because of the danger and drama of it all.

Biggest tearjerker moment: Yeah, right, like I could choose. Okay, I'll choose. The worst moment for me was Percy's death in the hallway. Bailey and Mandy Moore worked so hard to keep him alive until they could get help, only to find that the elevators were turned off and they would have to watch/let him die. Then he asks Bailey to find Reed and tell her that he was crazy about her, when little do they know that she died already much earlier. I never liked you, Percy, but I mourned your tragic death.

Looks like we're going to spend a lot of time grieving this fall...

"Happy Town" - the name doesn't fool me, it annoys me

I've been seeing promos for this for a while now since "Ugly Betty" left the 10:00 spot on ABC on Wednesday open, but I still have no idea what it's about. And the more promos I see, the more hilariously bad it looks. According to Wikipedia, "a period of peace following a series of unsolved kidnappings is cut short when a new crime has everyone talking in the small Minnesota town of Haplin." It's also classified as a drama, but the promos made me think it was a SciFi show somehow. I recognize a couple names attached, like Sam Neil, M.C. Gainey, Robert Wisdom, Amy Acker, and Steven Weber. On the basis of the promos alone, though, I already hate this show. I feel like they named it "Happy Town," just so they could make that stupid joke in the ads - "don't let the name fool you!" Cause it's not a happy town, get it? Get it? This was the first irritating promo I saw:


Other promos with more dialogue just made things worse, not better. "The Magic Man?" And he has some sort of ability? (I wasn't able to find that promo to post it here). I've seen some people comparing it to "Twin Peaks," a show I've never seen but have definitely heard about, so I can't really say either way if it resembles a show I know was really weird. I don't know about "Twin Peaks," but the promos are reminiscent of a million different movies/shows that make me feel like I've already seen this show before. It reminds me most of "Harper's Island," which was based on Agatha Christie so at least you knew you had seen that done before.

Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello wrote on Twitter, "I can tell you what my LEAST favorite [show] is: HAPPY TOWN. Better title would be HEINOUS TOWN." Jessica Shaw, who writes the Tonight's Best TV feature said she "snickered through about half of the premiere" but said it got better towards the end and gave it a decent grade of B. My favorite, though, is when I went to tvguidemagazine.com and found Matt Roush's list of reasons to avoid the show. It seems to be a show that focuses on a small town with a small population where half the people get murdered and the other half are running small cutesy specialty stores that would never survive in small-town America these days. It looks like Stars Hollow on acid.

I love SciFi, I love dramas, I love quirkiness, but this show seems like an odd combination of things that just doesn't sit well with me. I'm not sure what to make of it, and it already looks like it's taking itself way too seriously. I'm still debating whether or not to watch. Maybe I'll just keep it on in the background after "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" are over.