Greek: A Night To Remember

Greek:

"Formally Yours"

I was a little nervous about this episode... The promos made it seem like the Casey/Max relationship could potentially be derailed by both Cappie and Evan. And, as we learned in last series' flashback episode, Casey does have a history of swapping dates on the night of the big dance.

Thankfully, the Casey/Max relationship survived the night and will live to see another day! Not only that, but they're looking stronger than ever! Woohoo!

As for Rusty and Ashleigh, is it really true that it "can't happen"? I'm not so sure; it seemed like there might be something there...if not now, maybe sometime in the future.

Highlights:

• Cappie: "Due to limited storage space, we will now be deleting our season pass of Days of Our Lives. I'm very sorry, Beaver."
  Beaver: "I'll miss you, Marlena."
• Ashleigh: "Music! I knew I forgot something!"
  Casey: "What?! Really?"
  Ashleigh: "NO! Not really!"
• Casey: "It's like he just picked up a ping pong paddle and I'm throwing him into Wimbledon."
• Ashleigh: "He's socially awkward, not special."
• Dale knows exactly who do go to to rent a disco ball ;-)
• Dale: "She's a cow."
  Rusty: "She's the one milking the cow."
• Uh oh, there seems to be some spark left between Cappie and Rebecca. Whatever--as long as it keeps him away from Casey.
• Wow, the sorority election is next week already! I wish presidential elections moved with the same alacrity as sorority ones.
• Why doesn't Evan wear his ties anymore? He's gone so much more casual these days, and I don't like it.
• Oh no! Rusty's formal theme is "A Night To Remember"! Ha!
• Dale: "That's more tired than my grandma after bingo."
• Rusty's hilarious expression when Dale said: "I wanted to give it to her."
• The Kappa Tau "informal" has a bouncy castle ;-)
• Cappie: "Your head is way too fancy for your body. It's weird."
• The Casey/Cappie interaction was very buddy-buddy. I could feel him pining for her, but she didn't seem to be pining for him. (Which would make for a nice turn of events: Casey finally getting over somebody, or somebody finally getting over Casey.)
• Casey: "If Max gets uncomfortable, he can talk to Rusty! And they can sit at the table and talk about lasers and jet packs!"
• Ashleigh's hair is fancier than Casey's and she didn't go to the salon.
• Evan: "I'm running unopposed, and everyone already thinks I'm president." (I appreciate it when Greek throws in some quasi-inside jokes.)
• Ha ha, it was cute how Rusty and Ashleigh bonding over party planning details (the 4-tiered chocolate fountain).
• Rusty dances like a character in the Peanuts cartoon.
• Ugh, could Evan be nastier? Rusty did kind of encourage his meanness by being a little snippy with him when they met at the bar. But, yikes. What the hell does Evan care if Rusty's on a pity date. Rusty's like a little puppy; just leave him alone.
• I can't believe Rusty put his hand on Ashleigh's butt!
• Casey (to Evan): "You're better than this. What happened to you?" Amen to that. He was much better than this just--what--a month ago in Greek time?
• Ashleigh and Rusty's kissing-to-prove-Evan-wrong scheme would be a lot more convincing if they didn't shoot superior looks in his direction every time they kissed. That's kind of a tip off.

(Photo: abcfamily.com)

Chuck: Seducing Julie Cooper

Chuck:

"Chuck Versus the Seduction"

Let's start by stating the obvious: Melinda Clarke is hands down awesome. How I miss Julie Cooper and her conniving ways...and, well, The O.C. in general. My thanks goes out to Josh Schwartz for continuing to employ the former residents of Newport Beach. And it looks like the Coopers really are making a comeback, since Melinda's Chuck cameo will be followed by Willa Holland (Kaitlin) showing up on Gossip Girl (which was the no-brainer casting decision of the century).

The play-by-play:

• Why does Sarah always pose alluringly at the Buy More door before she walks in? And why does there always appear to be a wind machine pointing at her? ;-)
• Sasha's a girl? Aren't Russian Sashas generally boys?
• The CIA has a "seduction school"? I guess that explains why Sydney Bristow always seemed so good at it.
• It was funny when the hardass NSA lady got all flustered when Roan walked in.
• Chuck: "His liver must look like camouflage!"
• Ha ha, Morgan proving that he knows Ellie better than Awesome was funny.
• I like it when Chuck gets egged into being kind of badass...or if not "badass" at least not as pitiful.
• Casey's expression was great when he overheard Roan say, "Don't worry, Charles. I'll teach you how to get her (Sarah) too."
• Roan: "Why do you think she's known as the Black Widow?"
  Chuck: "Because she's African American and her husband died?"
• Roan: "If he survives the night, it will be a miracle."
  Sarah: "He can hear you!"
• Melinda's Russian accent was hilarious.
• If she doesn't drink, why's she hanging out in a bar?
• Roan: "Aww, poor Anton! That's tragic."
• Ellie: "Why of all the movies in the world would Sister Act be my favorite?"
• Nice Chuck! Stealing her necklace (the Cipher, whatever) was smart.
• Chuck: "Leap from the balcony, landing with a flourish, and the Russian judge gives him a 9.4!"
• Morgan is the wounded gazelle! Oh no, the wheel said he was fired! Wow, it's nice that all the Buy More employees have such an allegiance to Morgan.
• Roan: "Lesson number one about being a spy: Don't fall in love."
• As terms of their return, the Buy More employees demand two hour lunch breaks and unlimited bathroom breaks! Can Lester even given them these privileges? Isn't it company policy?
• Chuck gave the Black Widow directions to the Buy More. Ha ha ha.
• Ha, why does the banner say "New Ass Man" now? Just take the whole thing down.
• Who in the CIA had to spread rose petals all over Ellie's house? That's not a very glamorous job.
• I'm not sure Roan meant for Chuck to wear the white dinner jacket over a graphic tee...
• And: damn that Bryce Larkin! That guy just continuously shows up at the worst moments!

(photo: NBC/Chuck)

Premiere Watch '08: Valentine

Valentine: Pilot

So The CW out-sourced it's Sunday night programming. Let's see how that went...

• I'm not sure what to make of this show, really.
• It might be easier to care about these two soul mates if they weren't wearing Charlie Chaplin and Madonna costumes. It's kind of hard to take them seriously.
• Danny wears a lot of jewelry. I liked this actor (Kristoffer Polaha)better last year on Miss Guided.
• Huh? So what does the gun that shoots purple light actually do? Make you fall in love? I don't get it.
• I guess these people really are soul mates if they both like watching the same infomercials. And talking to each other about them.
• Ahh, Taylor Townsend, why can't I escape you this week? Phoebe seems like a little much... (which is okay, because we all know that Autumn Reeser knows how to play characters who are a little much.)
• And Professor Landry! He gets around too.
• It doesn't seem like the best idea ever to go out to a bar with your plumbers.
• Phoebe: "The oracle of Delphi is not a peep show."
• The gods and goddesses of love didn't realize that the have-him-hook-up-with-her-when-she's-drunk-and-at-her-bachelorette-party plan would go awry? Duh.
• Yeah, I don't think the author of that story is going to be much help.
• Is that Christine Lakin? She looks different. Nice, but different. Not at all like someone who would be the "nottie" in The Hottie and the Nottie.
• So that's what happens when you receive a shot of unconditional love?!
• Phoebe: "Joanna dies alone and is eaten by her cats. Which is actually good-ish news if you're a cat person."
• Joanna: "Who would do this?"
  Roland: "The worst plumbers ever!"
• Shouldn't the gods and goddesses be a little more subtle in their matchmaking? I mean, these people know they've been messed with. Seems like that might be a liability if you're trying to keep your business a secret.

Um, yeah. So I watched the whole show and still don't really know what to make of it. I didn't find the characters of Grace or Danny to be particularly likable. And shouldn't freaking Hercules have something better to do than be an assistant matchmaker? I did think that Autumn was cute at Phoebe. And it's nice to see Christine Lakin working, although I can't say that I expect this job to last for very long.

Premiere Rating: 3.0/10

Premiere Watch '08: The Ex List

The Ex List: Pilot


Just bullets for this one. I'm not convinced it's worth further comment:

• How did this show get on CBS? It's not about forensics!
• If Bella doesn't get married within the year, she'll never get married? Doesn't that put a time limit on the series? Like one season? That seems like they're just expecting to fail.
• It looks like Elizabeth Reaser spent a lot of time in the tanning bed.
• It's Mr. Matthews, Cory's dad.
• Bella was riding her bike without shoes on. Is that the best idea?
• Is this mystery guy who is her soul mate really Alex Karev? What about Tom Everett Scott, since he played her ex-boyfriend on that show about paramedics?
• Oh noooooooo. It's Eddie from The O.C. With some majorly hideous long curly hair. He's being quite dramatic.
• Who are these people Bella hangs out with? Where'd they come from? What's their story?
• I've never seen so many rubber platform flip flops on television. It's bringing back bad memories of college...
• Ha, it is funny that Eddie's song is about how she dumbed him on his birthday.
• Umm, totally could do without an entire subplot about the intimate shaving habits of her blond friend. Like, seriously, must we? I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt uncomfortable with this whole thing.
• Sister: "Maybe you're just supposed to get back together with him long enough to dump him on Christmas so that he can put out a holiday album."
• Ugh, it was creepy when Eddie just walked up to her and kissed her.
• Wow, she's really pushing this thing with Eddie hard. She's beginning to look desperate. Oh wait, I guess she is--she's only got a year, after all.
• Oh no, she's turned him sappy again. Oops.
• Mr. Matthews: "What are they, shipping out tomorrow?"
• Bella: "So how am I the most stupid person in the world? When did that happen?"
  Friend: "I think you've actually been working on that for a while."
• Thank you to Eddie for suggesting that maybe she should have the mole looked at by a doctor if it's that gross.
• This is a really long show........
• Wow, this guy went to some major extremes to get revenge on her. He had to put up with all the fake craziness and he faked crying... Umm, I find his plan to be a little sketchy. If the fake crying had driven her away before his next gig, how could he embarrass her by singing a mean song about her?
• Wow, I realize that she wants to get married, but talking about it every time she sees Elliot is just annoying. ("I thought you could go to brunch with me?" "Forever?")
• Umm, they canceled Moonlight and put this in its time slot?
• Well, at least Eric Winter is showing up next week. He's generally a little more likable than Eddie from The O.C. at least.

This wasn't the worst show I've ever seen, but it wasn't the best one either. I'm not seeing the long-term potential here. First, there's the one year time limit. Also, if Bella insists on sleeping with every guy on her admittedly lengthy list of past boyfriends, she's going to look pretty skanky pretty fast. And, can a whole show balance on one girl's year-long husband search? There's going to have to be something else going on. Plus, if they used a sub-plot about waxing in the pilot episode, I think that's a sign that the writers are already running out of material. I'm not very optimistic about this one, folks.

Premiere Rating: 4.0/10

Greek: There's No Party Like an Honors Physics Party

Greek:
"See You Next Time, Sisters"

You can tell it's been kind of a rough week when I'm not getting around to watching Greek until Friday. Or maybe it's been a rough week because I didn't get around to watching Greek until Friday. Hmm, something to think about.

The big news from this episode was that Cappie found out about Casey and Max and did not take it well. Shocker. Cappie thinks it's ok for him to date Casey's nemesis, but gets all out of sorts when she dates anybody. Cappie really became insecure when he saw that Max can fill both the role of Casey's boyfriend and the role of Rusty's mentor. And it didn't help matters that Max and his scientists could out party the Kappa Taus, which is a tremendous accomplishment. Maybe Max will teach Cappie that it's ok to be smart and not hide your smartness behind a veneer of goofiness and drunken antics. We shall see.

The highlight of the episode was the drunken bonding between Cappie and Dale, which was hilarious. Who knew that Dale would enjoy so much spending time with the boy who embodies everything he detests about frat boys? I guess it didn't hurt that Dale was drunk off his butt. And that they both love Casey and are jealous of Max.

Other highlights:

• Max yelling in German was awesome.
• Evan's finally realizing that he's dating Frannie. Yeah, dude, she's annoying. Where have you been?
• Dale: "G darn it. This campus has endless available locations for undeserving, perverted students that want to act inappropriately, but when a group of elite academics what to blow off some steam while debunking Aristotelian physics, suddenly everything's booked up? I call bull hinky!"
• Dale: "You know what? I'm not going to shower until after the party to keep it real because that's science!"
  Rusty: "What do you think?"
  Max: "Oh, I think you should shower."
• Sometimes I think Casey should wash her hands of this whole sorority thing and find a hobby/outlet/calling that's less stressful. This is a lot of work.
• Cappie's already jealous of Max because he doesn't want Rusty to have another mentor. Throw Casey into the mix and this is going to get ugly.
• Rusty cracking up at Max's "you can defend up to the Holy Roman Tribunal" joke.
• Beaver: "Say my name in Elfish again."
• Beaver and his Lord of the Rings girlfriend were hilarious. I wonder if there's any future there.
• Who knew the scientists were such a bunch of party animals?
• Ha ha ha, eat that Cappie. Casey's dating Max. Suck it.
• Tegan: "Seriously, hun, you're not going to find a quid for my quo."
• Cappie: "You're insane, Chip."
  Dale: "It's Dale."
  Cappie: "I knew it was one of them."
• Cappie: "How come we've never hung out? You're awesome! We should be best friends."
• Oh no, Dale lost his pants. And his shirt, apparently.
• Cappie: "Is the rumor true? In a blind taste test, do the Cartwright kids prefer Maxwell House over Folgers?"
• Oh, Calvin, don't take life advise from Evan. Gasp! Evan didn't even follow his own advice. Oh, Calvin, you're in a mess now.
• Rusty feeding Cappie a fake girl problem story based on Hannah Montana. ("There's this girl in my literature class. Her name is Miley. Miley Montana. She acts one way during the day, but she's totally different at night.")
• Hmm, so Casey's future might lie in politics? At least then the lessons she learns from her continuous sorority struggles might be beneficial.

Oy. Next week episode will be about the year's "most romantic event," and Cappie takes the opportunity to have a Rebecca relapse, and Evan declares his undying love for Casey (again). Awesome. Those two shmucks (Cappie and Evan) are not going to make it easy for Casey and Max. Grrrr. In other news, Ashleigh kisses Rusty, which I so called weeks ago after the Casino Night episode.

(photo: abcfamily.com)

Premiere Watch '08: Dirty Sexy Money

Dirty Sexy Money: "The Birthday Present"

I'm not nearly as excited about Dirty Sexy Money now as I was last year. I began watching the show in the first place because of Samaire Armstrong (who is awesome), and now her character is only a recurring character. "Personal issues" or not, kicking Samaire off your show isn't a great idea. One of The O.C.'s worst creative decisions was writing off Anna, after all.

Aside from that, I haven't enjoyed DSM as much since it became the Tripp/Simon Elder/Karen saga. I honestly couldn't care less who is manipulating whom in that fustercluck. The Senate race isn't interesting me much either. The Jeremy/Lisa stuff in moderately interesting, but always leads to Lisa and Nick having the "you're going to have to chose between the Darlings and us" conversation, and there's only so many times I really need to hear that.

Other thoughts:

• Wow, a boat is quite the birthday present!
• The scene when the police helicopter flew over and the yacht was given the "Prepare to be boarded!" warning was straight from Arrested Development. Actually, I wish I were watching Arrested Development...
• Jeremy Darling's still thinking about his kiss with Lisa from six months ago? Not sure I believe that.
• Karen is still screwing Simon Elder after six months? Really not sure I believe that.
• Oh no...it's the age-old "I love you"/"Thank you" plot line. If I wanted to see that, I'd watch the New Year's Eve episode of The O.C. Actually, I wish I were watching The O.C...
• Gustav!!!!
• Carmelita's been missing for 6 months?
• Dude (Patrick), your wife (Ellen) wasn't a drunk until you hooked up with the transgendered prostitute; get off your high horse. What an asshat. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him?
• And, since this show is on ABC, here's Lucy Liu!
• Well, I guess that's why you should never try to bludgeon someone while you're wearing stilettos.
• I am not convinced that Simon Elder could have "any woman in New York."
• Why would Tripp have chemists? Isn't he a real estate mogul?
• Oh, holy crap! Lisa finally makes out with Jeremy and Nick pops up to see it? Unlucky.
• Nick doesn't think that going to hang out with Karen is a bad idea? Two wrongs don't make a right, buddy. He is so the Dan Humphrey of this show. Judgemental and annoying.
• Tripp is so sleazy. Brian won't help him out, so Tripp ships off Brian's kid.
• They don't pay this butler guy enough.
• Good for Lisa throwing it all back on Nick.
• Did they even mention Samaire (Juliet) and why she's not around? I missed it if they did.
• Oh, shock, Simon's playing Karen. Who'd have thought. He's apparently not as good as he thinks he is if it took him 6 months to get Karen to fall for him. Hope whoever's in on this plan with him didn't have a strict time table.
• Ahh, so the yacht is a payoff.
• Letitia's getting arrested for the murder of Dutch? The law enforcement officials wait a year since the murder and then have to arrest her on a yacht in front of tons of people?

Premiere Rating: 5.0/10

Premiere Watch '08: Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies: "Bzzzzzzzzz!"

After a very long hiatus, the delightful Pushing Daisies returned with a premiere episode featuring lots of bees, a colorful convent, and Dean Hess' sloppy seconds.

I'm a Pushing Daisies lover, and this episode demonstrated many of the show's best qualities: Lee Pace's sheer adorableness, Emerson saying funny things, Lonely Tourist Charlotte Charles and the Piemaker being almost too cute to tolerate, Olive being sassy, and an extremely bizarre murder. It wasn't one of my favorite episodes ever though, because I thought that they amped the cute factor up a notch or two too high. I mean, you can only hear so many words that rhyme with "bee" in a one-hour time span before you just want to gag. And Chuck used her "might" (as in power) versus "mite" (as in insect) joke about three too many times.

What bugs me the most, however, is all this nonsense about Chuck's lineage. I assume we're not supposed to fully understand it yet, but it seems like a problem that we don't understand it to such an extent that--as of now, based on what we know--it sounds like Chuck's mother (Lily) and father (Charles) were brother and sister, and her father (Charles) was engaged to his other sister (Vivian). Now, I know that can't be right, but that's what the facts we know are telling us: Charles, Lily and Vivian are all siblings; Chuck's dad was Charles; Lily is Chuck's real mom; Lily had an affair with her sister's fiance; Vivian's fiance is Chuck's father.

Thankfully for my sanity, my sister did some investigating on PD message boards and found out that the consensus is, more or less: Vivian had a fiance, and Lily had an affair with this guy and got pregnant with Chuck. Lily went off the the nunnery, and Vivian didn't know what was going on. When Lily had Chuck, she somehow convinced her brother, Charles Charles, to pretend that Chuck was his baby. (He must not have been living near the aunts at this time, so Vivian wouldn't have known that this wasn't true.) So Charles, who is really just Chuck's biological uncle, raised Chuck until he was unwittingly "killed" by Ned, at which time Chuck's secret mom Lily and aunt Vivian moved in. Chuck's biological father/Vivian's former fiance is someone entirely different (and will probably be factoring into the plot soon...).

While I'm very glad to know that Chuck is not the result of some weird incestuous situation, I think that whole explanation is loony and feels like it was made up after the parameters of the show were established, and that's why it doesn't quite make sense. I mean, what a raw deal Charles got--having to raise his sister's love child all by himself. Seems kind of weird that he got roped into doing that. But I guess that is just a small discrepancy, as opposed to the averted BIG discrepancy of Chuck being the child of her mother and her mother's brother who was his other sister's fiance, or whatever.

I'm sure this issue will be better dealt with in future episodes. And, frankly, it needs to be.

Highlights and observations (btw, it's hard to get the quotes completely correct for this show because everyone talks so fast!):

• Wow, they rehashed the entire plot of the whole darn series in that opening sequence.
• Not that I mind seeing Lee Pace without most of his clothing, but pouring the dead bees on him is weird. What happens if the bees fly into Ned more than once? They're just going to die all over again. Right?
• Emerson's pop-up book: "Lil' Gum Shoe"
• Oh no, it's Taylor Townsend. Can't say I've missed her much. (Is being swarmed by lots of angry bees her penance for annoying the heck out of me in season 4 of The O.C.?)
• Ned: "That's terrifying. That's terrifying!"
• Ned: "I could have been swarmed in my underwear!"
• What exactly is a Bee Girl? I thought it was a female break dancer ;-)
• I like Chuck's yellow eye shadow.
• Ned: "If I could breath, I would vomit."
• How did Chuck get out of there so fast when her aunts showed up? She's speedy!
• Chuck: "I'll stop walking in on you when you're doing things you don't want me to know you do."
  Ned: "That wouldn't have happened if you were wearing your bells!"
• Emerson: "It is not okay for a grown-ass man to cry in front of happy families eating pies!"
• Ned: "I don't expect her to sit inside all day and--HIDE!"
• Quite the vibrant color scheme they've got in this convent. I've never seen nuns wearing anything so green.
• Emerson: "He is stalking you!"
• Chuck's eye makeup/fake eyelashes today are not great. Oh, are those gross eye lashes part of the Bee Girl uniform? I think I'll pass on that job then.
• Olive: "Forgive me, Father, for I am going to file a police report for all my missing possessions."
• Is Missi Pyle ever not the bad guy? Or at least kind of the bad guy?
• Eek, why's Ned's dad stalking him now? Did he hear about the pies and want back in Ned's life so he can mooch some of them?

So, here's a question to think about: what did Chuck walk in on Ned doing that he didn't want her to know he does? Hmmm..... (it sounds kind of dirty).

And: rent Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day. The only thing cuter that Lee Pace is Lee Pace rocking a Scottish accent. It is flat out irresistible.

Premiere Rating: 7.5/10

(photo: ABC/Pushing Daisies)