Visually Stupid

2007-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

Grading the Movies

Astronaut Farmer

L.A. Times ***1/2
Richard Roeper ***
UsaToday *
TvGuide *1/2
Ew B+
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
60%

Amazing Grace

L.A. Times ****
Chicago Sun-Times ***
TvGuide ***
Ew C+
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
69%

The Number 23

L.A. Times *
Chicago Sun-Times **1/2
UsaToday *1/2
TvGuide **
Ew B-
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
9%

Reno 911: Miami

L.A. Times **1/2
Chicago Sun-Times **1/2
TvGuide **1/2
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
42%

Starter for 10

L.A. Times **
UsaToday ***1/2
TvGuide ***
Ew B
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
86%

2007-02-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/23/07

Monk
Psych

2007-02-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

Monday
2/19/07

How I Met Your Mother
Stuff
Despite the seriousness of the episode, I still liked it. I don't think Robin should've given her dogs away. Never do that for a guy. I think she and Ted should've made a compromise. They both keep their exes' stuff. And Ted should've proposed that to Robin before he brought his stuff back in. Obviously this moving in is just a quick-fix. The Barney/Lily story was amusing.
B+

2007-02-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/20/07

American Idol
8-10 pm
Veronica Mars
Boston Legal

2007-02-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

I bought Gilmore Girls season one on DVD. Finished it in a week. It's that good. Can't wait to get season two. I'm finished with the show after season three because I hear it's only good in high school. I'm not sure why Amy Sherman-Pallidino started the show in tenth grade. I wish Rory and Tristan would get together. I know that's not gonna happen, but I like them much more better than Rory/Dean. Those two are sweet, but a little plain. I'm excited to see Jesse because I saw season three's They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They and I loved their chemistry. But why is there no commentary on the DVD?

I bought The X-files season two on DVD about two months, but stopped watching right before a really bad episode (Fresh Bones, which somehow got the highest ratings of the first two seasons) and just put off watching it for a month. I hope to watch as much as I can before school starts (Wednesday). I just finished Endgame, but Fearful Symmetry (aka tv.com's lowest viewer rated episode of the season) is up next. I will buy it up to the fifth season.

2007-02-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

Sunday
2/18/07

Desperate Housewives
The Little Things You Do Together

This felt like a season finale, didn't it? So, is that it? Mystery solved? No more Orson/Gloria/Bree stuff? Hope not. This was one of the best episodes I've seen. I'm glad Orson didn't kill Monique. I was hoping he didn't. So, everything seems wrapped up that area. Lynette and Tom once again get in another fight. And I didn't believe that Gaby had sex with Zach. I wonder when she and Carlos will hook up. And Ian proposed to Susan. I wonder if he did it just because he found Mike's ring and wanted to secure Susan for himself. Anyway, very good.
A-

2007-02-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/18

The Simpsons
Desperate Housewives
Battlestar Galactica

Star Trek: The Original Series
12-1 am, NBC
2.01, Amok Time

2007-02-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

Thursday
2/15

My Name is Earl
The Birthday Party
No retribution here. I thought it was a bad idea to invite everyone to the party. Just have Randy, Joy and Darnell there. He should get props for doing good for a year, though he seemingly didn't get that. But it was all a trick. Nice, overall.
B+

The Office
Business School
So Ryan disses his job, but brings Michael there to bump his grade. He's not high on my nice list now. But kudos to Michael for downgrading him and placing him near Kelly. The bat plot was cute. It was way too easy for Dwight to fall for that vampire trick. Wish Pam hadn't drawn her drawing on construction paper. They weren't great, but not bad for a beginner. I was kinda annoyed at Michael for being too over the top in Ryan's class, but he more than made up for it by hugging her and buying her art. This episode was directed by Joss Whedon, who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly.
B+

Scrubs
My Perspective
Is there some sort of cure for J.D.'s condition? I don't want him passing out all the time! Turk's storyline didn't do much for me. And thetoddtime.com is a real site!
B+

30 Rock
The "not saying the c word" story was done on How I Met Your Mother and much better. Not that this episode was bad. Liz was too nice here, but she later realized it and changed her ways. No candy, no letting employees leave early. And I knew that Tracy did not have a daughter. Rip Torn, who played that executive, was in Men in Black, voiced Zeus in Hercules and was Lionel on Will & Grace.
B+

Grey's Anatomy
Drowning on Dry Land
How long was Meredith in the water? 20 minutes? That dream sequence at the end was neat. Denny and Dylan were back! If Meredith was some random patient, the doctors would've given up after 5 minutes. But they know and love her, so they'll keep on trying. Of course she won't die. Izzie got off probation. Thought it was odd of her to tell George it was a mistake for him and Callie to get married in the middle of her big speech.
B+

2007-02-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

Wednesday
2/14

Bones
The Man in the Mansion
Hodgins centric episode. He wanted to help, so he didn't tell. Stupid, very stupid. Booth thinks that rich people think they can get anyway with anything. I don't Hodgins thinks that way, but he wasn't thinking so smart here. Sully needs to leave soon. He's not really contributing anything other than a relationship with Bones and they're not a great couple. This episode was okay.
B

2007-02-17T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tuesday
2/13

Veronica Mars
Postgame Mortem
I feel so sad. Sad for Logan. That little girl he baby-sat was cute. And idealistic. Wallace appeared for two scenes. I want more! And when Veronica's client was walking behind her on the cliff, I thought he was gonna push her off. I'm not sure about him. He may be guilty. And he got Veronica arrested. Never good. Dean O'Dell apparently like Veronica enough to give her a glowing recommendation and there were advances on his murder case. Satisfying overall.
B+

House
Insensitive
This episode made me squeamish. They tried to inflict pain on the patient. Very House-like idea. Did not like seeing a drill going in her head. Or that worm being pulled out of her stomach. Everyone got moments in this episode. I didn't care for Cuddy calling House on his feelings for her. Their chemistry is an unspoken thing. And Chase and Cameron may be doing it. You know, "it". And I think House has it better than Hannah. Not feeling pain is worst than feeling it. And he did not win the argument by saying he was shot. She still has it worst. And Cuddy's specialty is endocrinology (study of hormones, how boring!).
B

Boston Legal
Fat Burner
Denny's on trial for the typical silly crime. Forget that it's a crime, he gets off. Clarence tries his first trial and he wins. It puzzled me how the girl wanted to be the woman's slave again. I got the impression that she hated it. And is Jeffrey gone for good? I'm guessing so.
B

2007-02-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

Monday
2/12

How I Met Your Mother
Lucky Penny
Much better than last week's. It was funny and cute. And is Barney still on the subway? "We are Marshall" may have been a shout out to the movie We Are Marshall.
B+

2007-02-17T17:39:00.000-08:00

Monday
2/11

The Simpsons
Little Big Girl
I loved Lisa's storyline. Thought it was very cute and sweet. Bart's was just okay. Natalie Portman, who voiced Darcy, was Padme in the Star Wars prequel movie trilogy, was in Garden State and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Closer.
B

Desperate Housewives
I Remember That
Did Orson put that bag on the ladder or was it someone else? I like him, so I'm reluctant to believe that he killed Monique. Looks like we have another person locked up in a house. Last year, it was that Applewhite boy. Now it's Alma. I think Gloria Hodge never wanted Orson to go to jail, so that's why she locked her up. Susan's storyline was lame. We have another "Lynette controls the relationship and Tom doesn't like it" storyline. I'm glad that Gaby didn't get with that guy, he was way too dumb to be with her. Overall, typically nice episode.
B+

2007-02-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

Grading the Movies

Breach

L.A. Times ****
Richard Roeper ****
TvGuide ***
UsaToday ***
Ew B
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
80%

Bridge to Teribitha

L.A. Times ****
Chicago Sun-Times ***1/2
TvGuide **1/2
UsaToday **1/2
Ew C+
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
84%

Ghost Rider

TvGuide *1/2
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
28%

Music & Lyrics

L.A. Times Yes
Chicago Sun-TImes ***
TvGuide **
UsaToday ***
Ew B-
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
65%

Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls

TvGuide **1/2
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
26%

2007-02-16T18:31:00.001-08:00

Tv Tonight
1/16/07

Psych

2007-02-06T17:33:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
1/06/07

American Idol
San Antonio, Texas
House
Veronica Mars
Boston Legal

2007-02-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

House
One Day, One Room

I applaud David Shore for trying something new. There is medicine in this episode (it is a hospital after all), but no medical mystery. No, wait, there was! The mystery of why the rape victim wants to talk to House. She hardly spent any time with him in the clinic. Very little time to make jokes, allow House to show off his charming personality. All House did was diagnose Eve with chlaymidia and try to give her pills. And she wants to talk to him. Why? "I don't know". We heard that about ten times, but no answer was received. I'm on Chase's side with what House should do. I'd ignore her and I'm not even as mean as House. But the show would be pointless if House ignored Eve, so he talks. It's not very interesting. It's just about abortion and rape and God, etc. My problem is that their talk is way too heavy-handed, like the characters are trying to give us a "message". I didn't find it interesting and this is officially the worst episode late. We also got Cameron's dying patient with echoes of her cancer patient in Acceptance. I found it annoying that the guy refused pain meds so she would remember him. That's how I like to remember patients, how much pain they were in. But I didn't find Cameron annoying here, even though I probably should have. I'm feeling a little effy with this season, so, hopefully, next week will be better.

Grade

B-

Focus On

Cameron

Fans

People were divided over this episode. Some liked it, some didn't.

Music

Grey Room
Damien Rice

Listen Here
Eddie Harris

2007-02-03T16:15:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/03/07

SNL
Drew Barrymore
Lily Allen

2007-02-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

Veronica Mars
Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves

The preview tricked me! I thought it was gonna be revealed that Logan was with a hooker while he and Veronica were broken up. Nope, turns out it's worse. Madison? Maybe she's making it up. Fingers crossed. Sometimes there are episode that are too confusing to be enjoyable. This was one of them. First, she's a regular girl. Then, hooker. Then hooker with a contract. But what was with Wendy's agent? Did the judge call up her up? And if Wendy was lying about her "agent" beating her up, why did we later see her, in the judge's car? Was it just the beating that was faked? It's was just too confusing. And Logan's answer about Mercer and Mexico wasn't quite satisfying? Was he lying? At any rate, he definitely didn't help him.

Grade

B

Notes

Percy Dags III, Tina Majorino, Ryan Hansen, Julie Gonzalo and Chris Lowell did not appear

Pop Culture

Veronica: The one that got away . . . she was dressed as a Cylon and you only knew her as six, right?

Six is the name of a cylon robot on Battlestar Galactica

Title

Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieve is a play on the Cher song, Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves

Ratings

2.74 million viewers

2007-02-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Battlestar Galactica
Taking a Break From All of Your Worries

I didn't believe for a second that Baltar was a cylon, so I knew that opening was fake. It's way too obvious to have the evil guy be a cylon. Laying in water with absolutely no light looked terrifying. No wonder the light looked so good to Gaius. And how scary was Roslin when she yelled at him? I didn't think he'd break, though. They didn't even tell him he could be saved. But what to Baltar say to Gaeta. Does Baltar know something naughty about him? And we have more Kara/Anders/Lee/Dee angst. Either they get together or don't. Stop teasing us!

Grade

B+

Returning Characters

Anders, Dee, Gaeta, Tigh, Tyrol, Cottle

Notes

Grace Park did not appear

Edward James Olmos directed, his first time since season one's Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

Survivors

41,403

2007-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Grading the Movies

Because I Said So

L.A. Times *
Chicago Sun-Times **
UsaToday *
TvGuide *1/2
Ew D+
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
5%

Factory Girl
L.A. Times **1/2
UsaToday **1/2
TvGuide **1/2
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
17%

The Messengers

TvGuide **1/2
Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Rating
27%

2007-02-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/02/07

Monk
Psych

2007-02-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

I recommend . . .

The X-Files: Fight the Future
9-11 pm
Cinemax
***

To me, The X-files movie didn't quite work. Try to look at it as an outsider. You got alien conspiracies, shadow government types, killer bees, etc. Kinda weird. It works as a tv show, but has a harder time as a movie. Despite this, I'm still recommending. It's a treat for any sci-fi fan.

2007-02-01T15:11:00.000-08:00

The Simpsons
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Three Times

The Count of Monte Fatso

This was my favorite one. Moe always seems to betray Homer, doesn't he? Didn't he marry Marge in that Hamlet story? And let Homer go to jail so he could be with Helen Hunt? Anyway, I liked the scenes in jail, Burns and the escape hole. But, as the story tells, revenge ruins all.

Grade

B

Revenge of the Geeks

Nice idea, but didn't quite work. Milhouse has had enough and gets revenge on everyone who wronged him. Kinda one-note.

Grade

B-

Bartman Begins

Kinda cute, but it didn't quite work. Maybe because it copied the movie too much. Is it too much to ask for some originality?

Grade

B-

Overall

B-

Highlight

Dedicated to All Who Died in the Star Wars Films

Darth Vader
Darth Maul
Greedo
Uncle Owen
Storm Trooper #5
Jango Fett
General Grevious (Droid)
Storm Trooper #22
Dak
Obi Wan (Ben) Kenobi
Whoever Jimmy Smits Played (Bail Organa)
Hutt Jabba the
Sy Snoodles
Unforunately, not Jar-Jar Binks
and everyone on both Death Stars when they blew up

Returning Characters

The Count of Monte Fatso

Lenny, Helen Lovejoy, Moe, Wiggum, Lou, Eddie, Carl, Reverend Lovejoy, Burns, Mayor Quimby, Sideshow Mel, Judge Synder

Revenge of the Geeks

Milhouse, Martin, Skinner, Allison, Janey, Database, Nelson, Wendell, Louis, Willie, Dolph, Kearney, Jimbo

Bartman Begins

Lou, Eddie, Wiggum, Smithers, Sideshow Mel, Lenny, Flanders, Skinners, Kirk Van Houten, SNake, Apu, Grampa

Other

Rich Texan

Title

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Three Times is a play on the Klingon proverb, Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold. Klingons are aliens from Star Trek.

Ratings

TvPG
DV

8.04 million viewers

Pop Culture

The Count of Monte Fatso

This is a play on the book The Counte of Monte Cristo

Revenge of the Geeks

This is a play on the movie Revenge of the Nerds

Bartman Begins

This is a play on the movie Batman Begins

King Kong

We see an image in Bartman Begins of an ape atop a tall building, similar to what we see in King Kong

2007-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

Psych
From Earth to Starbucks

I like astronomy, so this episode was nice. It was really sweet how Shawn wanted to solve a case to boost Lassiter self-esteem's and not to get money. Of course, everything he and Gus found out had not been figured out by him, so they had to tell him he did. And when Gus solved the case for the very first time, the credit had to go to Lassiter. And I knew the astronomer was the guilty party. It was so obvious he'd want the credit all to him. But what about that discovery he made? It was never followed up on.

Grade

B+

Quotes

Gus: You heard about Pluto? That's messed up, right?

Notes

Nicole Lyn, who played Jessica, is Dulé Hill's real-life wife

Where Are They From?

Richard Kind, who played Hugo Rainer, has guest starred on Scrubs

References

Shawn: I predict we'll solve it Friday at 10:01pm, then maybe watch some cable

This is a nod to the fact that the show airs Fridays at 10 pm on cable

Pop Culture

Shawn: I only need you for a minute, like when Kenickie needed Danny Zuko. And you get to be Travolta in the analogy

Kenickie and Danny Zuko are characters from the broadway musical/movie Grease. John Travolta played Danny in the movie.

Shawn: See, you're already in character, like Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle is an actor who was in Ocean's Eleven (2001), Crash and nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for Hotel Rwanda

2007-02-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

Tv Tonight
2/01/07

My Name is Earl
The Office
Scrubs
30 Rock
Grey's Anatomy