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RSSWho says you can't go home . . . a look at the two new additions to ABC's line up
Well I totally think I jinxed Jennie Garth.
As soon as I declared I was rooting for her, she was voted off the show (all together now booooo!). Really I think the only way Dancing with the Stars can make it up to me is to continue its 90210 run and have Luke Perry on next season. But with Dancing with the Stars wrapping up this week (the final three dance Monday at 8 p.m. with a winner declared Tuesday at 9 p.m.), ABC has some room on its schedule. Let's take a look at the two returning shows joining the line-up this week.
Notes from the Underbelly (above, Monday at 9:30 p.m. on ABC): I think you know that sometimes I get irrationally annoyed by a show (see Trees, Men in). And certainly my dislike of this returning sitcom about parenthood is disproportionate to the crime the show commits. It's not funny, but plenty of shows aren't funny. Here's the thing -- I find Notes tedious. It's only a half-hour show but I swear it took me over three hours to watch the first two episodes available for review. It's strange because I like Jennifer Westfeldt. She co-wrote and played the title character of the 2002 movie Kissing Jessica Stein and is the real-life girlfriend of Mad Men's Jon Hamm, so what's not to like? On this show quite a bit -- none of the characters are people you want to spend 22 minutes with. Even the always hilarious Rachael Harris can't save this show. I think what bothers me the most is that clearly the show thinks it is hilarious. There's a bit of a smug satisfaction that is present throughout the episodes. One and a half stars.
October Road (Monday at 10 p.m. on ABC): From the series premiere last fall, I always struggled with the idea that Nick (Bryan Greenberg) would leave home and not return for 10 years. Really who wouldn't come home at least once to see a parent or a sibling? It was the kind of starting plot point that exists only in the world of TV. But hey I spend a lot of time in the world of TV, so I could overlook the initial premise. But now the rest of characters have to start acting like they are living in some semblance of the real world. Nick goes to New York and Hannah immediately tries to rekindle her romance with Ray even though Nick just declared his love for Hannah? Really? Nick needs to stop being a detached observer and get into the thick of the plot. October Road does have the potential to be a great guilty pleasure (perhaps it should be paired with Private Practice?). That little reveal from Eddie at the end of last week's episode is the kind of situation fun, cheesy soap operas are built on. This week, Hannah apparently tells Nick how she feels about him and Kevin Weisman (who has been everywhere lately) guest stars. I'm keeping an open mind. Three stars.
What do you think of Note from the Underbelly and October Road? Post your comments below.
Highlights for November 26 and 27
Wayne Brady returns as Barney's brother in How I Met Your Mother at 8 p.m. on CBS. This episode sends Barney to the Victoria Secret's Fashion show where he's surrounded by supermodels including Heidi Klum, Marisa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Selita Ebanks, and Adriana Lima. Why is Barney attending a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, you ask? Excellent question. Next Tuesday, CBS airs the fashion show so this is a lovely little piece of cross-promotion.
The thought to be very dead Bryce is back on Chuck (Monday, NBC, 9 p.m.) Or at least he appears to be.
You know I'm all about fearless predictions. So I just have to ask -- is anyone else suspicious of Dr. Lance Sweets on Bones (Tuesday, FOX, 8 p.m.)? Shortly after it's announced that John Francis Daley is joining the cast of Bones, his character becomes extremely interested Widow's Son serial killer. Am I crazy to think he's somehow involved? Please advise. This week on Bones, Brennan and Booth find a baby and find themselves under the mistletoe. FOX is promoting this as the moment we've all been waiting for. But I don't think you guys want Bones and Booth together, right? The general consensus seems to be that it didn't work for The X-Files and it won't work here.
And there are big things happening on House this week (Tuesday, FOX, 9 p.m.). The cranky doc must pick the final members of his team. I know that rumors abound that the final cast members are Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde, and Peter Jacobson. But I'm so rooting for Anne Dudek to make the cut. Pretty please, can't House have four new doctors on his team? As much as I'm loving this season, I'm also looking forward to Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer being woven back into the main plot. The producers promised they weren't going anywhere but Morrison and Spencer have been in the background long enough. We need them back in the thick of things. Oh and if Dr. Foreman could be less of a crankypants that would be great too.
Reaper (Tuesday, CW, 9 p.m.) has been a little bit of a disappointment to all of us. The pilot had so much potential but the subsequent episodes have been a little too repetitive -- same Sam, different week. Hopefully an appearance by Melinda Clarke, the ever-fabulous Julie Cooper on The O.C., as the Devil's girlfriend will spice things up.
That's all for today. I'll be back on Wednesday with this week's familiar faces (is there a love affair between Private Practice and Gilmore Girls?) and to discuss my favorite life-changing sweeps events. Have a question, seen a familiar face or want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com. Talk to you on Wednesday.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
I was thinking of Underbelly as a guilty pleasure. I am not sure why I like it, but I sort of do...
And television world or not, the premise of October Road is too much for me! I mean, to not even know Hannah had a kid. His dad must have been totally deluded to not even mention it to him... especially since there was a semi possibility of the kid being Nick's. Yeah, right.
Oh and House-didn't Cuddy say give me 2 names? So how could Penn, Wilde and Jacobson all make the cut? I am predicting Penn and Wilde, but that is because I find Jacobson's character rather tedious and uninteresting.
Amy, my husband and I had the exact same thought - Dr. Sweets is way too into the serial cannibal killer thing. We were actually even ***essing whether the second killer in the motorcycle helmet could be him (we think the body type was off, but leave it to the show to use a different actor for that even if it turns out to be him!). Anyway, I have two theories - either he's involved (because we know "Gormagan" (sp?) would enjoy "helping" them catch him (you know, to prove he could outsmart them) OR they are preparing to make him a regular cast member that joins the squints squad at the Jeffersonian or the FBI to do psychological profiling. And to be honest, either way works for me as long as if adding him as a regular cast member doesn't somehow hurt the chemistry of the characters, but it didn't seem to in the last episode when he interacted with them all.
I personally have been enjoying Reaper, although because it is formulaic, it's not my favorite new show (I'd place it third among Chuck, Journeyman, and Pushing Daisies in that order).
Monday television sure is good though. I've been watching HIMYM and then accomplishing things, while I tape the entirety of NBC's scehdule. I wish NBC got better ratings (so much better than Dancing with People You're Vaguely Familiar With).
In a nutshell, I dislike both Notes from the Underbelly (incredibly unfunny) and October Road (unoriginal). Why are these two awful shows even back on the tv screens?
As for House, I'm loving this season. If the rumors hold true, I'm happy with the choices (although I will admit that I was also liking the one House loving referred to as 'Big Love').
I do want to see more of Chase and Cameron. I'm attached to the original team and I do hope that the writers have something creative in mind to bring all these characters together.
As for Foreman, leave him the way he is. After all, he's just a reminder that he is very much House's protege. Hell, Foreman *is* House (#2). ;)
As a huge X-Files and Bones fan, I have to say that I don't think the romance of Mulder and Scully is the same as Booth and Bones just because he's in the FBI and they fight crime together. The shows are written very differently and I think Bones is a more realistic show, so how long in the real world would two people attracted to each other wait to act on it? I think what matters is how it is written and I have faith in Hart Hanson (creator & writer) that it will be handled as beautifully as the rest of the show. Look at Angela & Hodge. How great are they!
Billiam, I'm with you. I also wish that NBC got better ratings. While I've never been a fan of Heroes, I do enjoy Chuck, Journeyman and Life. The jury is still out when it comes to Bionic Woman. Why do people always gravitate to shows like Dancing (with whomever) and The Bachelor? Well, I guess that's a whole different topic isn't it.
Billiam, I'm with you. I also wish that NBC got better ratings. While I've never been a fan of Heroes, I do enjoy Chuck, Journeyman and Life. The jury is still out when it comes to Bionic Woman. Why do people always gravitate to shows like Dancing (with whomever) and The Bachelor? Well, I guess that's a whole different topic isn't it.
i hate that Samantha Who is being pushed to 9pm to conflict with Heroes and 2&1/2 Men. Heroes is my least favorite returning show and Chuck is my new show favorite.
Dont forget to watch Journeyman tonight.
I am a fan of October Road but not Notes I find it inane.
Samantha Who is not far off that either.
Remember Journeyman, watch or lose it.
I agree with catbean. I was obsessed with The X-Files and I can tell you, that as much as I think Bones is my new X-Filesesque show, I don't think the relationship progression between Bones and Booth can be compared to Mulder and Scully. M & S took SIX!! seasons to have one actual kiss (not a dream or body morpher). And it was only a New Year's Eve kiss. After that, the relationship was buried again until they randomly decided to have M & S make out over thier(??) newborn baby. As any X-Files Relationshipper knows, the wait for M & S was too long. No one in the real world waits that long. I think if the creators of the show had just accepted the M & S relationship and let it progress naturally over 9 years, the fans would have been happier. As for Bones and Booth, I think they do have a nicely progressing relationship and drawing out the UST a little bit, is fine with me. But I think now is a good time to move the relationship just a small step forward. I mean they already talk to each other with thier faces 2 inches apart, are we expected to believe that despite that, they won't kiss for another few years. I don't think so. I'm excited about the kiss and the effect it will hopefully have on B & B. I'm not saying I want to see them hop into bed the week after, but I do like to see forward momentum. I'm hoping the creators of Bones can correctly handle what the X-Files couldn't: A great partnership/relationship and everything that is involved in them.