The "Shameless" Gallagher Family: Waiting for Resolution

By Jeffrey Preis

A pill popping Mother and Father drive around town with their infant on the ground of the backseat; an enraged Father beats a teenage boy up for believing he impregnated his daughter when, in fact, said Father drunkenly impregnated his daughter; another pregnant teenage girl finds out her Mother is having sexual relations with her former Fiancé; and a Brazilian is trapped in a crate on a barge to bypass customs into the country.

For the Gallagher Family, this is any ordinary day. These are just some of the storylines from Sunday’s episode of Showtime’s Shameless.

Most, if not all, of the Gallagher ways are unorthodox, they always remain a tight-knit family unit through each episode, as evidenced in this weeks show with the reappearance of Monica, their Mother. They are a real family and similar to any working class family trying to keep their heads above water, but do so in their own bizarre way. They rely on the chaos and spontaneity of their deadbeat Dad, but they aren’t prepared once Monica reenters the picture.

As Shameless approaches the end of its second season, the character building has subsided and the outrageous storyline has played out in full force. With a cast of eleven actors—and more than eleven different conflicts—the show never ceases to flirt with the line between reality and unbelievable lives.

Monica—Frank’s ex-wife and Mother of the six children—returns in this episode after years of abandonment from her children. Off of her medicine for her Bi-polar disorder and ready to re-enter the lives of her children as abruptly as she left them, Monica moves back in with Frank jumping immediately into their former lifestyle of drugs and alcohol. The younger children can’t understand while the older three siblings have such distaste for their Mother—Monica acts like a good Mother at first, interacting with her Children, making their lunches, and trying very hard to reconnect. She assures everyone that she’s fine and capable of maintaining order—as far as order can be maintained in the Gallagher house.

Fiona, the eldest and responsible for the other five children (and her Dad, Frank), believes with her Mom back in the picture, the possibility of college and work is actually attainable. As Frank tells Fiona, “you only get one mother,” so she lets her guard down at the sight of her younger siblings enjoying their parents together (never soberly) which causes the house to crumble in a matter of days. Monica stole the money from their secret stash of cash—the “squirrel fund”—and spent it on a busted car, gifts for the younger kids, and a plethora of drugs and alcohol.

With only one episode left and so much occurring, I find myself questioning not what will happen, but who’s storyline will play out. The season could have easily ended with Frank appearing on Monica’s door, letting her know his Mother died (how the episode before this week ended). Instead, it kept going and everyone’s conflict seems unresolved.

Throughout the second season of Shameless, it’s become more apparent than ever how this dysfunctional working class family actually wants to have something concrete in their lives—they want a foundation of stability and cling to any hope of it, even if it is their outrageous Mother who left them years before.

In all twenty episodes to date, there has never been a dull moment in this series. This episode didn’t fail to deliver either. Like the Gallagher family, I too depend on the craziness and unpredictability of all eleven characters. Showtime allows a glimpse into a working class family that survives in the most criminal of ways—something a comedy/drama hasn’t done before.

I’m left to believe that Monica will be around for the next couple of episodes (and potentially into the beginning of season 3), since the Gallagher’s now have her to turn to for lunacy. It was definitely a nice change of pace—something different from the usual who’s trying to kill Frank, or which member of the family is dodging the police this week. With Monica off her medication and on a bender with no end in site, the season finale should be filled with drama that can more-than-likely be pointed to their deadbeat Mother—which might be a nice change for you and me, but much to the Gallagher’s dismay.  

Once Upon a Time: A Step Ahead of Disney

By Brittney Hubbard

Nobody likes when the bad guy wins.  Yet the sweet and misplaced fairytale characters of Storybrooke, Main in ABC’s new fairytale drama Once Upon a Time continue to suffer the omniscient reign of the Evil Queen (alternately known as Regina and played by Lana Parilla).  This has been my main problem with the past few episodes of this show.  But at last, the writers have made a slight shift from the back stories of the characters.  The plot thickens and some characters beliefs are tested: watch to see who finds their faith and whose is set adrift. 

This week’s theme: the power of a broken heart.

Something at one point or another we can all relate to.

The drama begins in the first scene where Prince Charming (alternatively known as David and played by Josh Dallas) and Red Riding Hood (alternatively known as Ruby and played by Meghan Ory) were searching for Snow White (alternatively known as Mary Margaret and played by Ginnifer Goodwin) being chased by the King’s men.  Red assuredly tells Charming to go on after Snow and she’d handle the group hunting them.  Little did he know what she planned to do when she looked up at the moon and took off her cloak? 

We finally see Snow, and I almost wrote the scene off as a typical Disney script.  To my surprise, we see that Rumplestilskin made quite the powerful potion.  It was a potion that Snow drank to make her forget her true love.  But Rumple teaches us that all magic comes with a price, and all medicine comes with a side effect.  Snows potion left her bitter and hateful towards everyone.  Snow was in her cottage humming “With a Smile and a Song” when she reached out to a blue bird and abruptly whacked the bird with a broom! The snarling Snow even managed to tick off the most agreeable of dwarves-- Happy.  The dwarves stage an intervention, which quickly backfired.  That’s when Snow decided to kill the source of her problems- the evil queen.  We see Snow go from trying to kill the vermin in the cottage to taking out the Evil Queen.  Seeing Snow White as such a blood thirsty ravenous killer was hard for my predispositions to swallow and got me questioning who the evil one is now? 

Once Upon a Time is fascinating in that it takes a fairy tale world we thought we knew and makes it more than we ever dreamed. 

Back in Storybrooke, Maine we have a crime on our hands- the murder of David’s wife, Kathryn (alternatively known as Abigail played by Anastasia Griffith).  David and Mary Margaret are both suspects.  Once the evidence points to Mary Margaret, David questions the truth of her alimony.  Combine that with the scene in the fairy tale world where Snow tells Charming she will always find him as they drag him away.  My heart can’t take any more pain for this couple.  Just how many times will life’s forces cause them to forget each other, be separated, and once again have to find one another? 

At the close of this episode there are many answers still to be revealed.  Is Kathryn really dead?  Will all the lost couples ever reunite again? Will good ever trump evil?  But as I reflect on this episode I repeat the words of the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla) in this week’s episode “Having your heart broken can make you do unspeakable things.” 

And I challenge us to think, do you still have faith in the power of love or Once Upon a Time? 

“Smash” Needs a Workshop for “The Workshop”

By Maggie Siu

NBC’s “Smash” started as a perfect balance of theatrical fulfillment and just enough edge-of-your-seat soap opera drama. However, “Smash” fell short in last Monday’s episode. “The Workshop” suffered from romantic entanglements and its failed attempt to make “Marilyn: the Musical” appear disastrous.

The production team of Derek, Julia, Tom and Eileen host a workshop to showcase “Marilyn” for potential investors. Like most important events on TV, everything can go wrong. The overworked air conditioning breaks down. Julia runs out during rehearsal overwhelmed with her emotions. Ivy stumbles over lines in front of the audience and her own famous Broadway star mother. Following Ivy’s errors, Karen ends the show’s performance with a tumble off her stool. In the end, the investors find “Marilyn” unfit for Broadway and the production team is forced back to the drawing board to improve the show.

Six episodes into the series and we have three females leads to root for. But “The Workshop” truly confused me on how to perceive the first female character we were introduced to, Karen Cartwright. In past episodes, Karen has emerged as the hopeful, young underdog we want to like. She uses the flair of sexuality and independence, all the while maintaining her own personal essence.

However, this episode painted Karen as completely naïve or at least in my opinion, really dumb. She finally reaches a break when she impresses hotshot music producer Bobby Raskin. Raskin calls her for a recording session, but she turns down the offer and commits to staying at the workshop that she “wouldn’t miss for the world” to prove her loyalty to the play. Honestly, why would Karen pass up an opportunity to record with a legendary producer only to sit around in the chorus at a workshop?

As for our other well-known protagonist, Ivy Lynn juggles a toxic relationship with Derek the director and a rocky relationship with her estranged mother. Ivy’s mother Leigh Conroy, a cameo played by Bernadette Peters, waltzes into Ivy’ workshop and instantly steals the spotlight with her rendition of Liza Minelli’s “Roses Turn.” While the show does not fully introduce Leigh, Peters actually nails the role of Ivy’s famous mother who tries to dissuade her daughter from Broadway. Ivy digs deep into her role cast as Marilyn Monroe in “Smash,” and we finally see a new side to her when she stands up to Leigh with an admirable speech.

However, this past episode didn’t focus much on Karen or Ivy. Instead, the screenwriters chose to open and close the episode with Julia’s gut-wrenching affair with Michael. Julia’s affair pulls some emotional investment from me because most audiences can probably relate to having to face a former lover. As for the affair, I would have liked to see more background on the two characters. From the first moment Michael Swift walked onto the set, Julia was already doe-eyed for him. There was never any indication of unhappiness in her current marriage or much history behind her past with Michael. It just seemed to happen quickly and this episode also ends it too soon.

Julia has already cheated on her husband twice. Her son Leo witnesses a goodnight kiss between the two, thus more tension is strained on the Julia and Michael affair. Finally, Julia gains some sense to end the affair after observing Michael with his wife and young son. Julia decides to fire Michael from the show altogether as a definite way to avoid seeing him and to prove to Leo she is serious about ending it. All would seem well, but Julia just fired her Joe DiMaggio, the man who had been the male-lead of her play.

The feel of “The Workshop” seemed to get lost in the relationship drama. The episode framed and centered each character’s subplots rather than the play itself. Apparently, the investors and production team thought “Marilyn” was a disaster, but the episode does a poor job on properly portraying it as so. Sure there were a few line stumbles and hiccups in the choreography but the play didn’t suggest anything was completely off. I thought a talented cast, catchy songs and a well-written script could outdo the minimal negatives. Especially since Ivy’s performance stood out, enough to even impress her disapproving mother. I just wish the episode focused more on the actual workshop instead of the relationship antics. After all, every show is capable of dysfunctional relationships and emotional obstacles, but I am more interested in the original story that began “Smash” as a show representing the New York City Broadway scene.

"Parks and Recreation" Finally Finding It's Place Among Workplace Comedies

By Meg Goggans

In the small town of Pawnee, Indiana, a team of terribly clumsy government employees attempt to make their town a better place. Led by deputy director of the Parks and Recreation department, Leslie Knope (Amy Pohler), the show documents her and her co-workers throughout their day to day government duties, often with hilarity and entertainment. Once suspected to live in the shadow of “The Office”, the NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation” may have actually swayed a few “Office” viewers’ loyalties. With a strong cast (other characters include Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, and Rashida Jones), this parks department is not only making strides in Pawnee, Indiana, but also as a strong contender in the competitive primetime comedy lineups. 

In Episode 17 of the show, Leslie Knope continues hot on the trail for office in Pawnee’s local elections. Her biggest competitor, the incompetent but wealthy Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd), has hired a Washington pro, Jennifer Barkley (Kathryn Hahn), as his new campaign manager. Leslie’s own campaign manager/boyfriend, Ben (Adam Scott), has a new strategy, “The Grey Vote”, or Pawnee’s elderly vote. Leslie and Ben plan to “Ramp Up Pawnee” by installing electric lifts outside of buildings, but soon find their idea has been stolen by Barkley and dubbed “Rise Up Pawnee”.

Back at the office, it appears the locals have a disgusting habit of placing their entire mouths over the water fountain nozzle. Seeing this as a clear health hazard, Leslie’s best friend and public relations director of the Pawnee health department, Anne Perkins (Rashida Jones), describes this odd problem as “kissing one water fountain drinker, you’re kissing everyone in Pawnee.”

After trying to solve the water fountain problem ends in a water balloon fight and the city’s most underachieving official, Tom (Aziz Ansari), hiding under a desk clutching to his precious suede suit, Parks director Ron (Nick Offerman) agrees that the Parks department could use another hand around the office while Leslie campaigns. April the intern (Aubrey Plaza) unexpectedly comes through with a simple, yet effective, idea to reduce the spit swapping leaving Ron impressed, and making her Leslie’s temporary fill in. 

After another setback with Barkley on local talk show, “Heard with Perd”, Team Knope leaves defeated again. As Leslie notes Barkley’s most impressive attribute being that she has eaten egg salad with Colin Powell, Barkley is clearly more qualified, just as peppy, and well-aware that her candidate and his hokey campaign are beneath her. With her subtle sarcasm, Hahn is extremely well cast as Leslie’s perfect campaign foil.

Though this episode ends in defeat for Leslie, April’s uncanny triumph seems to balance the storyline’s mood and Ron and April’s mentor/protege relationship has served as one of the best chemistries the show has. As a fan of April’s laziness and humorous cynicism, I look forward to her having more responsibility to mismanage while watching her character develop.

Still on the campaign trail, Episode 18 of Parks and Recreation, “Lucky”, opens with the millionth reason why Leslie Knope is awesome: a montage of highly inappropriate campaign outfits, including pleather Sandra Dee style pants with “NYMPHO” branded across the back. Written and directed by Parks’ own Nick Offerman, this episode has the entire cast at the top of their game, reminding viewers why we each character is vital to the show’s brilliant dynamic.

When an interview with an arrogant Indianapolis talk show host (Sean Hayes) is canceled last minute, Leslie, Tom, and Anne decide to ditch the tightly wound Ben and head out for a few flaming tequila shots. Shortly after, Ben calls with seemingly good news: the interview is back on. A very drunk Leslie hurries to the airport for the interview, slurring her speech in an attempt to salvage the publicity opportunity. When the interview goes downhill, the campaign crew hops in Tom’s stretch limo (with its convenient built in hot tub), drive to Indianapolis, and steal back the tape of Leslie’s inebriated rambling. 

Meanwhile in Pawnee, the unsuccessful City Hall shoeshiner, Andy (Chris Pratt) has passed his Women’s History class. In celebration of his P (for pass), Andy, April, Ron, Andy’s teacher Linda (Danielle Biscotti), and city manager Chris (Rob Lowe) go out for a steak dinner. Though April attempts to set up Chris and Linda, Chris leaves early and Linda unexpectedly decides to go home with Ron. At the office the next day, Chris admits he is lonely and plans to ask Linda out and Ron is forced to let him down easy as the two share an awkward man hug, revealing both Chris’ vulnerability and Ron’s often guarded emotion. Here we see Ron Swanson as more than a man about meat, but a man with a heart (perhaps Offerman slid that one in their for his own benefit). 

The episode ends on an uplifting and optimistic note, much different than last weeks end of defeat. Chris’ character becomes more developed, admitting his loneliness, and Ron (pause for reaction) shows compassion. Offerman’s writing and directing has made this episode among the season’s best. Amy Pohler is at her prime and we’re reminded  why many of us watch Parks and Rec: Leslie Knope drunk, hilarious, and ever endearing.

"'Vampire Diaries' Special Liaisons"

By Chelsey Willis

In an episode titled “Dangerous Liaisons,” one would expect deceit, betrayal, revenge, lust and romance among beautifully dressed characters set against a lavish backdrop. Director Chris Grismer and writer Caroline Dries deliver on all accounts in the latest episode of The CW’s supernatural drama, The Vampire Diaries, which has the main characters attending a ball hosted by the Originals, the oldest and most dangerous vampires. There’s a lot to digest in this episode so it’s one not to be missed. While the number of characters might confuse new viewers, it’s a great introductory episode to a show that’s experiencing a creative high.

Based on the book series by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries originated as a simple story about a human girl tangled in the “lives” of two feuding vampire brothers. Over three seasons, it transitioned into a more complex show with more inventive storytelling and characters that continually grow and change. Never a family-friendly show, it’s taken on an even darker, edgier tone that began last season with the arrival of the first Original. Combined, these factors demand a lot from the show’s viewers, but the high level of creativity involved makes watching it a pleasure rather than a headache.

Humans knowingly rub elbows with vampires, werewolves, witches and a few other supernatural beings. Every character and every plotline help to explain the show’s intricately detailed folklore. Nothing is ever random. This show not only tells you the what, but also explains the how and why. It also doesn’t take itself too serious. With Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek, Scream) at the helm, the show nicely mixes fast-paced, witty dialogue and pop culture with big drama, romance and bloody violence. In other words, this isn’t Twilight: The TV Show. Here, vampires actually feed on humans and rip out their hearts, but we still like them.

“Dangerous Liaisons” is the follow-up to last week’s high-drama episode that ended with the bombshell that Esther (Alice Davis), the Originals’ mother and creator had returned. Thought to be murdered by her son, Esther—the original witch—returned not to seek revenge, but to reunite her family. The ball marks their homecoming celebration and everyone in Mystic Falls is invited. Even Matt (Zach Roerig), the show’s token “normal” guy receives an invitation, but it’s clear that after three seasons, the writers still don’t know what to do with the character.

Of special interest to Esther is Elena (Nina Dobrev) whose bloodline is an essential element of the Originals’ backstory. Esther used the blood of Elena’s ancestor when she created vampires. However, Esther’s motives may not be as they appear which arouses suspicion from vampire brothers—and Elena’s suitors—Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) Salvatore. What follows is a series of events that lays the foundation for the remainder of the season. The episode also explores the shifting dynamics between Damon, Stefan and Elena which began earlier this season when Stefan turned off his humanity—a vampire’s greatest weakness.

Having Stefan’s humanity removed was a smart move by the writers. It brought out Stefan’s dark side (something Wesley clearly enjoys portraying) and forced Elena to grow a backbone. It also allowed Damon to worry about someone other than himself. More importantly, it re-energized the show’s central love story as it pushed Damon and Elena closer together. “Dangerous Liaisons” not only beautifully captures this newfound dynamic, but also turns it on its head when two characters make big emotional breakthroughs.

One of the most surprising developments of the season is the budding friendship between Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Caroline (Candice Accola) which is front and center in the episode. It’s a relationship that shouldn’t work—Klaus is an Original who destroyed the people closest to Caroline. Yet it does. For weeks, Morgan has chipped away at his character’s tough exterior revealing an insecure, lonely guy underneath which we see again in this episode. Caroline has also grown emotionally after embracing her new life as a vampire. Stronger and self-assured, Caroline has a way of bringing out Klaus’s humanity. It’s a testimony to the writers and actors that we believe (and maybe even root for) this coupling.

The Vampire Diaries specializes in spectacle and the cast and crew deliver in “Dangerous Liaisons,” one of the biggest episodes to date. With the exception of a few characters, the entire cast is featured, but the Originals steal the show. Their presence means trouble for everyone, especially the Salvatore brothers who remain the heart of the show. Questions are answered, secrets are revealed and lies are exposed. Now with the last of the Originals introduced, the season’s next chapter can truly begin and “Dangerous Liaisons” is the kick off to what is sure to be one big thrill ride.

Bittersweet "Revenge"

By Lindsay Paris

“There comes a moment in each of our lives when the control that keeps us sane slips through our fingers…The best way to fight chaos is with chaos”. Gun shots are fired and a body falls face first in the sand.

With catchy intros, as seen above, Revenge grabs the viewers’ attention from the first scene to the very last of each and every episode, that’s smart TV. Many characters have been hated on in previous reviews but, being a huge TV critic, I say regardless to whatever role they might have performed in earlier dramas, each actor in Revenge plays up their characters flawlessly and naturally given each hectic situation thrown their way.

Revenge is set in the Hamptons with the first episode being on Memorial Day and the current episode taking place on Labor Day weekend. The show revolves around Emily Thorne originally named Amanda Clarke, daughter of framed terrorist David Clarke, before she changed names with a desperate friend and began a new life seeking revenge on anyone and everyone that played a part in her father’s sentencing and eventual murder. Each episode successfully grabs the viewers’ attention by choosing a compliment to the word “Revenge” and carrying that motive throughout the episode with the overlying umbrella being ultimate revenge.

This particular episode takes place Labor Day weekend the same as the first scene of the very first episode. Labor Day is what we now know also the engagement party of Emily and Daniel Grayson, heir to the Grayson Global family that framed David Clarke for an act of terrorism that they caused. After the gun shots are fired and the body hits the sand, we are taken back to 24 hours earlier right after Emily’s box of secrets and revengeful schemes were stolen.

This episode shows Emily, strong driven woman, at her most vulnerable state yet. The

importance of this “infinity” box of secrets has built up throughout the season. The desperately trusting girl who changed names with Emily has now also betrayed her and joined forces with a previous enemy that had been cast away. This episode allows for Emily to get a taste of some of her own medicine. She for once is scared and unsure of what’s going to happen next.

Emily portrays a nice, innocent girl but her life basis revolves around this image that is a complete lie. She does not stop at any cost knowing that she is going to hurt everyone in the end. Emily seeks the most crushing form of revenge on everyone in her path, some are even innocent but if they are linked to her revengeful plan, they will also be taken down in the end. Each episode intertwines and weaves the plot between the characters leaving the door wide open for anything to step into the scene.

The way things unfold is constantly intriguing and captivating. The intensity of the show is dramatized at the end leaving everyone questioning the next direction of the show.

Chaos is the theme for this particular episode and will continue to play a role in episodes to come. The writer uses the titles of each episode to teach the viewers about the details behind this vengeful show. Perception was a previous episode and, by the definition given, I continue to relate that concept to the overall show. Perception, Duress, Infamy, Commitment and similar other titles are described, defined and put into action throughout each episode. This is not a show that is going to leave you feeling stupid after the credits roll. It keeps you intrigued and wondering what’s going to happen next. Revenge is definitely a show to discuss with other viewers; it keeps one’s mind scrambling trying to figure out all the different pieces.

“The outcome of chaos can never be predicted, the only certainty it brings is the devastation it leaves in its wake.”- Emily Thorne

"Criminal Minds" Bounces Back On Track

By Matt Thompson

As CBS’ “Criminal Minds” entered its seventh season, I questioned whether the show’s fans would continue to embrace some of its darker themes. I also questioned whether I would continue to follow the police procedural drama on a weekly basis when crimes became increasingly heinous, and resolution and happy endings became more and more rare. But Wednesday’s episode, titled “Foundation”, helped settle some of these questions for me as I thought this particular episode was beautifully written. One aspect where I think CriminalMinds continually triumphs over other shows is their continuity of plot storylines. The show will often reference a team member, villain or issue from years past in a subtle way that re-energizes me as a viewer. It is an important point for me to know that the characters I watch and love from week to week are still learning from their past and evolving as a character. This week, that aspect became integral to the plot.

The BAU began their latest journey already boarding the plane on the way to Flagstaff, AZ, receiving background from computer-analyst Penelope Garcia on the fly. A child had been kidnapped in the area immediately upon the escape of another child, who had been held prisoner underground for years. The problem the BAU immediately encountered was that the original captive was so traumatized by his experience, he could not speak or identify his captor. That’s where Agent Derek Morgan and his backstory come into play. Morgan is able to earn the child’s trust slowly but surely throughout the episode, eventually coaxing him to talk by revealing his own past story of abuse. (This was featured several seasons ago in an episode and showed not only Agent Morgan’s roots, but also what makes him who he is and tells us why he eventually went on to join the bureau. In addition, it illustrates that the past continues to fuel and motivate Agent Morgan). As it usually does so brilliantly, the team is eventually able to track down the unknown subject – UNSUB to seasoned viewers – and give us what I thought was a surprising and upbeat conclusion.

(Spoiler Alert) As the writing is crucial to my opinion this week, the following is an analysis of that aforementioned surprising and upbeat ending.

Most noteworthy about this week’s conclusion is that they closed with a back-and-forth scene of the two boys reuniting with their parents. Many episodes, especially in recent seasons, have ended in a grim manner or at least one that didn’t end happily. I thought the reuniting scene was a nice change of pace for the series. At some point, viewers will tire of negative endings, and I thought this served to remind us that sometimes they catch the bad guy AND save lives. We know that the villain will be caught between 50 and 55 minutes past the hour, but we don’t know if the other characters end up okay. Usually, the conflict ends abruptly and leads into the team plane flying back to Quantico with little explanation or final resolution of events. It was good to see last night that everyone ended up okay.

In fact, Mandy Patinkin, who played Agent Jason Gideon in the first few seasons, actually left the show because of its increasing level of violence, CSI-esque approach of revealing gruesome forensic pathology scenes and lack of happy themes. Obviously, many fans of the show come for these types of storylines, wherein forensics helps tie theories to villains. But for a while, I really believe the show was trying too hard to be emulate CSI. What I love about the show is the mental aspect, not the physical one. Getting inside the head and studying the behavior of criminals and our weekly protagonists is much more appealing to me.

And that’s why I must praise the writing of this particular episode so much. From Agent Jareau’s comforting motherly instincts to Dr. Reid’s cerebral analysis to Agent Morgan’s heartfelt recollection of his past, each character’s strengths were highlighted in a way to contribute to the team and still allow viewers to embrace their flaws as human and endearing. Each time I become disillusioned with the direction of “Criminal Minds”, I’ll think back to last night’s show. Just as the result inspired hope for the characters, my restored confidence in the writing will inspire hope for me each Wednesday at 9:00 p.m.

Vocal Mash-ups Make and Break the Competition

By Stuart Bryan

On Monday’s episode of The Voice, contestants continued their vocal smack downs in the “battle round” of the NBC reality show. Two hopefuls from each team must join forces to duet on a song, each trying to outshine the other. The winner is chosen by the team leader, one of the shows celebrity coaches Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, or Adam Levine.

The vocal mash-ups that make up the battle round, the second phase of the competition, can lead to some brilliant performances, like the Anthony Evans/ Jesse Campbell rendition of Alicia Keys’ “If I Aint Got You” from two weeks ago. However, the same cannot be said for all of the performances.

This week, the show started out with the train wreck that was the Shields Brothers “What’s Love Got To Do With It” duet with former model Erin Martin. Martin, whose voice sounds like a strained, wannabe Norah Jones, wants to be taken seriously for something other than her looks, which would be completely understandable if her voice didn’t suck.

Post-performance, the judges were speechless. “It was just so, so weird,” was the only critique Adam Levine could seem to muster. In what I consider to be the biggest mistake of the night, Cee-Lo Green chose to keep Martin and send the rock n’ roll duo the Shields Brothers packing. I chalk this up to Martin’s ensemble, complete with comically oversized shoulder pads and no pants. Garter belt included.

Luckily for the viewers, the show got better from there. Adam’s team is up next, with Georgia-boy Pip battling Nathan Parrett on the Amy Winehouse classic, “You Know I’m No Good.” Pip, who provides no last name, and thus leads to the conclusion that his name is indeed short for Pipsqueak, looks like a tiny Justin Bieber- if he wore bow ties and sounded like a Broadway belter. Parrett, who couldn’t seem to shake his nerves, ended up with the short end of the stick when Adam chose Pip.

Christina’s team members Jonathas (yet again, last name not included) and Ashley De La Rosa are next to the stage. In the name of “staying in character,” they gaze into each other’s eyes as they croon “No Air,” by Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks. For both artists, the performance was mediocre at best. Unfortunately, Jonathas’s profession of love to Christina while rehearsing couldn’t save him on this one, and neither could his business-on-the-sides, party-on-the-top modern day mullet. Christina chose Ashley.

One of the best singers in the entire competition, Jermaine Paul, is next in the ring with pop singer ALyX (are last names just not cool anymore?), singing Billy Ocean’s “Get Out of My Dreams.” Paul, whose day job as a back-up singer for Alicia Keys already has him at a huge advantage, coasts through the song with his silky-smooth voice, and wins with ease. He will turn out to be a huge asset for Blake’s team.

Closing out the show are Gwen Beck and Erin Willett, two powerhouse female singers also from Blake’s team. The two seem to have bonded during rehearsals of Pat Benatar’s “We Belong Together,” and show a great deal of respect for one another. Before the performance we learn that Willett’s terminally ill father is hospitalized and given only 24 hours to live. In a touching display of compassion, Blake, who also recently lost his father, sympathizes with her feelings and encourages her to continue to perform for her father. Willett does just that, and after a stellar performance from both artists, Blake chooses Willett. “Seriously, I wish it wasn’t that good,” he said.

The coaches, for the most part, added some serious talent to their teams this week. Adam will have a lot to do with versatile vocalist Pip, and Blake could see Jermaine Paul all the way through to the end. Cee-Lo, however, made a huge mistake in dismissing rock n’ roll duo the Shields Brothers, and he will have to make up for that next week if he hopes to contend in the finals.

Dancing with the "Stars"

By Jonathan Shealy

I have had some experience as a ballroom dancer, but for whatever reason had never watched ABC's "Dancing with the Stars". So I decided to give it a shot and watched  this season's premier, though I had no idea what to expect. As a ballroom competition, the show does little to show proper technique, and the judges scores are completely subjective. That was disappointing, because I was expecting it to give some actual tips and criticism on ballroom dancing. What it did do well was putting on a crowd pleasing spectacle, and the dancing was top notch. It does seem a great idea for a show, but this season offers almost no interest, as most of the 'stars' are C list celebrities at best.

I suppose it has a strong viewing from its fan base, but there is nothing there to draw new viewers in. People wishing to see celebrities would shy away because there are no big names in the cast, and people wishing to see a ballroom competition would leave once they realized the judging was very subjective and it was really a popularity contest relying on viewers votes over the phone.

The judges offered almost no criticism, and even if they did they were always nice about it. The scores they gave were almost exactly the same for each couple, which made that aspect of the show almost boring. They of course followed the typical original "American Idol" formula for the panel, including a woman who was very nice and emotional, Carrie Ann Inaba, and a more critical man with a British accent, Len Goodman. He was the only one who actually tried to tell the dancers what they did wrong, but whenever he offered legitimate criticism the crowd would boo whatever he tried to say. The third, only original judge, was Bruno Tonioli, a very energetic Italian, but even he didn't really offer any helpful advice.

As for what the scoring actually means, they never explained it. I guess they just assumed everyone watching the show already knew what was going on, but some explanation would have been helpful for new viewers. I still don't understand how the show works, I just know somehow the viewers votes over the phone count, and at some point couples will be eliminated.

The actual dancing was very good, most of the celebrities did a very good job, and the professional dancers were top notch. They had obviously done a lot of training, though it would have been interesting if the show had dwelt more on the training than just showing a few short clips of it. To the audience everything looked amazing, but since everything was choreographed using very few actual basic steps, it would be impossible for anyone to learn how to dance simply by watching this show.

As a crowd-pleasing spectacle, this is an excellent show, and they seem to have found a formula that works. If they had a celebrity I was interested in, or had more actual ballroom tips and criticism, I might continue to watch the show, but as of now it has nothing to draw me in. In terms of dance competition shows, I much prefer "So You Think You Can Dance", as the judges in it offer much better criticism, and the contestants are in it for their talent, not necessarily their celebrity status.

Apart from this season's lackluster casting, this show accomplishes what it set out to achieve, and follows a formula that has given it a large number of fans. I was not familiar with many of the celebrities, and some of them were there because of fame they had in their childhood. Jaleel White and Melissa Gilbert have done pretty much nothing culturally relevant since their famous TV shows "Family Matters" and "Little House on the Prairie" many years ago. Most of the other 'celebrities' were completely unknown to me. This show has been around for a while, and has been very successful, but if they are unable to bring in any big names to compete it may spell trouble for its future.

So if you would like to see some good dancing, or one of your favorite obscure celebrities is a contestant, I would highly recommend it. If you wish to see an actual legit dance competition instead of a popularity contest, it would be best to look elsewhere.

Cheating husbands and Medical Mishaps-- Predictable Much?

By Deanna Heibeck

After a long hiatus, Grey’s Anatomy returned this week with another drama-filled episode. And it brought its usual dose of flirty doctors and complicated drama with “One Step Too Far.”

Grey’s Anatomy excels as a television series because of its ability to hold so many plot lines, without losing its quality as a whole. This week’s episode proved no different even as a couple of new characters are folded into the mix of doctors, nurses, and drama at Seattle Grace Hospital. James Avery (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) guest stars as a grieving husband, Rebecca Hazelwood (Outsourced) plays a sexy doctor that wins over the affection of a series regular, and Summer Glau returns this week as the seductive nurse presumably a mistress in someone’s marriage.

Debbie Allen also returns this episode with a flawless performance as Dr. Catherine Avery, better known as Dr. Jackson Avery’s meddlesome mother. Although she is visiting Seattle Grace Hospital for an experimental bladder treatment, her character helps develop a ridiculous romantic relationship for her son and Hazelwood’s character, Dr. Mara Keaton. It was such an unbelievable plot line for these two characters to get together with such little chemistry. Only good thing that resulted from their being together was seeing Dr. Jackson Avery (played by the sexy Jesse Williams) in a tuxedo!

The most exciting plot line this week occurred between series regular, Christina Yang (played by Sandra Oh) and a new nurse, Emily (Glau). Previous episodes allude that Emily might be having an affair with Yang’s husband, Dr. Owen Hunt. After everything Yang and Hunt have been through in their marriage, you can’t help but side with Yang and hate Emily for coming between them. This was the perfect element of drama to shake things up from the growing monotonous story line between Yang and Hunt.

Probably the best scene of the entire season occurred this episode when Yang confronts Emily with an accusing, “Can you stop screwing my husband?” It was like a slap in the face with words. Yang never fails to bring the sass and sarcasm, which makes me love her character even more! As for her marital status, Yang learned some shocking surprises this week. It’s too bad we’ll have to wait a couple more weeks to find out their fate.

Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Dr. Derek Shephard (Patrick Dempsey) threaten to have some relationship trouble this week, but writer Shonda Rhimes thankfully knew better than to push limits with this couple. After seasons of a dysfunctional relationship, this married couple finally seems to be happy, until Grey makes a huge medical mistake on Shephard’s patient. Once again, Shephard gets overly emotional and severely angry with her for her poor decision. Sometimes his character loses attractiveness when he has such temper tantrums. Luckily, they recover with only a minor bump in their happiness. It definitely gave their story an interesting twist, but I guess relationships on Grey’s Anatomy are never too perfect for too long.            

Series fans find a familiar relationship spawning for Dr. Alex Karev as he comes to the aid and protection of one of his interns. With all these new and constantly changing characters over the years, it’s always great when the doctors make references to past episodes or characters. Dr. Karev’s new attentions towards his intern are reminiscent of an earlier season relationship he had with a patient. Yet their status as a couple still remains unclear. Once again, Shonda Rhimes masterfully leaves us just enough to speculate while forcing us to keep tuning in every week.

This episode proved to be just enough drama to satisfy my addiction. Unfortunately, I guess I’ll just have to wait a few more weeks to get my next Grey’s Anatomy fix. 

The "Shameless" Gallagher Family: Waiting for Resolution

By Natalie Wirtz

“I loved you once, I loved you twice, I love you more than beans and rice.” Who knew that these three simple clauses hold the power to bring tears to my eyes? However, in Sunday’s episode of Desperate Housewives, Susan’s (Teri Hatcher) tearful goodbye to husband Mike (James Denton), following his murder, left even me speechless. For a show whose drama is often outlandish and its characters even more unique, this episode brought a perspective that grounded the show back down to Earth.

I have been a moderate fan of the show over the past years. I was intrigued by the premise for a while, but found myself getting frustrated with the cast and difficult storylines in the. However, for the show’s final season I have found myself drawn back in, only to see how the show will come to an end.  

Many were shocked two weeks ago when, in the show’s final season, Mike was killed for protecting Renee (Vanessa William) from thugs. Such a random way to go, especially since most of the characters, including Mike, lived through much more difficult and life-threatening situations.

Funerals make people question their own lives and relationships. The Desperate Housewives are no exception as revealed in Sunday’s episode.

The housewives gather for Mike’s funeral and ponder, through flashbacks, their own relationships and how they evolved to their current state. Past details of the couples are revealed that help the audience understand their current situations and how Mike played a role in each relationship, often as the voice of reason.  

Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) and Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) have been through the gambit. She started off in their relationship as a selfish model and he was the provider. However, through the years this dynamic has changed and Gabrielle has had to become the emotional support. Will she continue to be there for Carlos as he wants to make a major career change? Can she put her selfishness aside for him, like he always has put her first?

The separation between Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and Tom Scavo (Doug Savant) always seemed ungrounded to me. I thought the show never gave enough introspective into the relationship to warrant their looming divorce. By Tom’s side at the funeral is his new girlfriend—who easily makes it known that Tom is hers. However, as Lynette gazes across the room, their relationship origins are revealed, will they be able to put the pieces back together? Is Lynette willing to makes the first move?

Defining decisions are made and background is revealed about each housewife. Including Bree Van Der Kamp (Marcia Cross) when she is brought in for questioning for murder, yet again.  Two weeks ago, her overbearing ex-husband Orson made a shocking return. Did he plant the evidence and give Bree’s information to the police?

The episode leaves viewers pondering what is to come for not only Susan, but Gabrielle and Carlos, Lynette and Tom, and Bree.

In the final four episodes of the series only time will tell, but this way-ward fan will tune in just to see how the stories will end for the Housewives on Wisteria Lane.