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RSSSo much TV, so little time . . . season finales so far
Okay there's lots of TV that's happening this week, but before we get to it, let's take a look back at some season finales:
The Office: Overall: I actually thought this was the best episode the series had since returning from the strike. What worked: Everyone acted like they were real people again (or at least real TV people). Michael showed vulnerability and restraint. Dwight said it was his own fault that Angela agreed to marry Andy. They stopped being caricatures and returned to being characters we could care about. After being a jerk all season, Ryan finally got his comeuppance. Plus it was laugh-out-loud funny. What didn't: I think the show works fine with Jim and Pam being happy together and doesn't need the will they/won't they back-and-forth any more. So I say that proposal should have happened. How the show is looking for next season: Very well -- we've got the cliffhanger of Dwight and Angela back together. Michael has a potential new love interest and ongoing issues with Jan. And the show demonstrated it can still be as funny and satirical as it used to be.
ER: Overall: I can't stop watching even though the cast replacements have been replaced. What worked: Abby has always been one of my favorite TV characters, so I was delighted to see the Abby and Luka reconciliation and the idea that they will leave Chicago happy together. Plus the show can still bring in the guest star power -- Hal Holbrook was simply and gracefully wonderful. And sure I'm tired of the season ending on a cliff hanger who-died disaster (because I'm betting neither Sam nor Pratt got in the ambulance), it sure beats last season's "Neela is in a stampede" finale. What didn't: Um is there some sort of petition I can sign to get rid of the new doctor? He is such a bad character and I've decided to ignore that he and Neela kissed? And do you think even Sam and Tony believe they are attracted to each other, because I sure don't. How the show is looking for next season: See my first sentence. Does it really matter? All efforts to break up with show have been proven futile. Next season Angela Bassett joins the cast as a new doctor -- you'll know I'll have to tune in for that.
Medium: Overall: This remains one of my favorite comfort food shows. What worked: Pretty much everything. It was great to see Joe get a meaty story line this season and Kelly Preston's Meghan Doyle played out very cleverly. And I love that the series could have ended on that note with Allison having her job back, Devalos back in the District Attorney's office and their money problems solved. It seems clear that the show wasn't sure it was coming back and planned accordingly. What didn't: It is getting a little old that Lee is always so skeptical/annoyed with Allison. At some point, wouldn't he just know that eventually she'll figure out the crime. How the show is looking for next season: Well since they solved all of this season's problems, they are going to have to come up with new ones but I have no doubt that they will.
Desperate Housewives: Overall: An entertaining but not breathtaking two hours. What worked: Okay so maybe Katherine's big confession lacked enough punch given the season long storyline build up, but I thought it still worked well enough. And while I still have concerns about this whole flash forward idea, I think it did serve to push Gabby into a new direction. What didn't: Thank goodness they changed Gabby's character because nothing she did really made sense -- she's friend with Ellie, she isn't and she's willing to steal all her money. There were quite a few leaps in logic. Wouldn't Adam have some clue about what Wayne looked like? Wouldn't Katherine have shown him a picture and said, "This is the man who wants to kill me. If you see him, run." Could Susan just have made Maynard her son's middle name? Would the police so quickly have released Katherine? Also, I found it quite distressing that we didn't see Edie at all? How the show is looking for next season: Well I think we are worried. The two minute tag at the end didn't give us a lot of information but did give us quite a bit to worry about. Like where is Mike and why is Susan seemingly married to the man from Queer as Folk? The flash forward is still an idea that I'm not totally onboard with. Right now it seems like an easy escape hatch out of storylines that might not have been working or where there was nowhere else to go. Like Orson can do jail time but we don't have to see it. Unless, of course, as rumored, there are flashbacks to what we missed. I feel just as unsettled about this idea as I did on Friday but I am going to keep an open mind and try to give it a chance next season.
CSI: Overall: NOOOOO! Nobody told me Warrick was going to die. What worked: It was a solid storyline to deal with the departure of Gary Dourdan. And even though it quickly became clear that Warrick was doomed -- you can't have a happy scene in the coffee shop like that without someone dying -- it left the show on pretty nifty cliffhanger. Undersheriff McKeen is a bad bad man (Poor Conor O'Farrell between this role and his guest starring stint on Without a Trace, I'm never going to think any character he plays is a nice guy). What didn't: Um, couldn't we have had just a little more between Catherine and Warrick? How the show is looking for next season: The series has a formula that works and works well but I do worry that the show has lost too many characters this season. And unlike Sara, there's no chance Warrick will be coming back. On Friday CBS announced that Laura Lee Smith will be joining the cast as CSI Bryce Adams. In the past, the show has added characters not to fill a void but to expand the CSI universe. I'm not sure how this is going to work out.
What have you thought about the season finales so far? Talk about it below.
90210
I can't help it. I'm soooo excited for the new version of 90210, premiering on the CW this fall. Sure it could be a total disaster, but, until I actually have proof of that, I'm going with it's going to be as wonderful as the original (it's like existing in the bizarre version of my land of denial).
Check out this sneak peak of the show here.
Highlights of the Week Ahead
All times listed are Eastern Time for May 19 - May 25
We are going to have a lot to talk about after you watch the season finale of Bones (Monday, FOX, 8 p.m.). Now that I've had more than a week to think about it, I'm still not sure exactly what to think. Yes the reveal makes sense (somewhat) but I still kind of wish the show had gone in a different direction.
Stella returns on the third season finale of How I Met Your Mother (Monday, CBS, 8:30 p.m.).
So I listen to the radio when I write, hence the reason you'll currently find me humming NKOTB's "Summertime." Anyway has anyone else heard this ridiculous and incessant month long radio campaign FOX has had with the woman who can't stand the excitement of Fox's line up. It is so annoying and I need to find someone who shares my pain. But I digress, we'll find out why Amber and House were together before the bus crash on the season finale of House (Monday, FOX, 9 p.m.). I'm thinking there's no way that even if House has feelings for Amber he actually acted on those feelings. He wouldn't do that to Wilson.
Okay shall we discuss Grey's Anatomy? I'm really enjoying the Christina story line because I find it so believable that hearing about Burke's award would send her into a downward spiral. That being said -- she needs to snap out of it. I also think the story line of having Meredith in therapy is really clever. For one thing, we all know Meredith needs someone to help her work out her issues and I really love that the therapist calls Meredith on her behavior. She is careless with her life and it's time someone told her this. As much as I think we've all been biding our time with Rose, I do think it is so believable that Derek would really want to have a drama free, casual relationship (alas, poor Rose is probably hoping for something different). See I can still say nice things about the show. As for Callie and Erica, if this is the direction the show is going to go in, I wish they could do it without talks of threesomes which I think degrade the storyline and what actually could happen between these two characters. In this week's two hour season finale (Thursday, ABC, 9 p.m.), Derek and Meredith continue with their clinical trial and Alex deals with Rebecca's deteriorating mental health.
That's all for today. I'll be back on Wednesday to process some more season finales and with this week's familiar faces. Have a question. Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week or a topic for discussion? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.
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Was NOT happy about Warrick's demise. Wish there could have been a different ending.
I, too, was devastated with Warrick's end on CSI. He'll NEVER be able to come back! He and Catherine are (were) my favorites on the show. With that said though, I thought Dourdan did some great acting in this ep!
I keep hearing its a 90210 spnoff, but doesnt it seem more like 90210 - the next generation??
Where's the SPOILER ALERT Amy????? I taped CSI and hadn't watched it yet. You used to be really good with letting us know when not to look. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Totally did not see that spoiler coming. I have not see the finale of CSI yet. Now, I do not want too. :(
ER: That new Dr. sucks, and not in an interesting way. He needs to get his pervy lips off of Nela!
Grey's Anatomy: I'm totally on board with the Callie-Erica thing (sans threesome), but can't they just get to it already? It's surprising to me that the show doesn't have any regular gay characters who are already out.
Also, after watching NKOTB on "Today" (an excellent 90s flashback moment and a good time had by all), I've had "Summertime" stuck in my head, as well!
Okay, if a show has already aired then it's not a spoiler and does not need a spoiler alert. I'm sorry if that ruined the finale for you but you should have known to avoid it. There have been times when I got behind on Lost (once I was three episodes behind) and I knew to avoid any article or column that referenced Lost. The show aired three days ago. It's no longer a spoiler. It's free game.
I agree with Amy - the finale of the Office was probably the best episode all season. I do wish Jim had gone through with the proposal - now I fear for him and Pam's future. She didn't seem very happy. Serves him right for teasing her with it all those times before. I love Jim, but he's been so much less likeable this season. Don't know what it is.
I was also pulling for the Jim and Pam proposal. But once Andy proposed (Angela: "I said OK"), there was no way Jim could go through with it; his moment was lost. However, as disappointing as that is, I'm not at all stressed that it's not going to happen. I mean, Pam was engaged to Roy (the caveman) for over three years. She's not going to ditch Jim, the love of her life, because he didn't propose when she thought he would.
I think Desperate Housewives returned to some glory last night. Katherine's secret may not have been as thoroughly satisfying as Mary Alice's, it was still excellent and much better than the last 2 seasons. I'm guessing Dana Delaney will be a regular next year. I'm really glad that Lynette beat Kayla, figuratively. As for Susan and Gabby, all I wanna say is, WTF!
I knew it was too comfortable when they were eating and laughing on CSI. I'm with you Amy, I'm really hoping the show will survive just fine without Warrick. He's a bigger loss than Sarah who only became interesting when she started dating Gil.
As for ER, I will be with them through the end. I'm a little sad Maura Tierney won't be there next season. She has been my favorite since she helped Carol deliver the twins. Also, hopefully Pratt's not in the ambulance since he's my 2nd favorite character there. We should start a rumor that Dr. Ross and Nurse Hathaway are making a cameo, maybe it'll happen by the time they get back to work. We so should wish it!
Lastly, for Grey's Anatomy, I hope the shrink lady fixes Meredith so she can be with McDreamy already. I'm really having a hard time deciding who's the better actor between Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, they are both so stellar. I don't like the whole lesbionic storyline only because I still don't like Dr. Hahn. Callie is coolness now but Hahn may never grow on me. Also, Izzie needs a much better storyline next season.