TV Series Lounge

I missed this duo. That’s why I was happy when I saw that there are lots of Penny – Sheldon moment in the episode 2 of The Big Bang Theory titled “The Infestation Hypothesis.”

For awhile last season, these two overtook the sitcom a bit too much for my liking, but I’m glad to see them highlighted again. Not only does Penny understand Sheldon, unlike others in his life, she doesn’t put up with this idiosyncrasies. She tells it to him like it is and won’t give in to his odd demands.

Before Sheldon freaked out about the chair, how fun was it to see and imagine an old married couple of Sheldon and Penny? They clearly don’t belong together in a romantic sense, but it did highlight their strong and genuine friendship. That’s what old married couples really are, right? During that scene, I wouldn’t have thought that it would end with Sheldon running out of her apartment in his whitey-tighties. But that was hilarious! And, the look on Penny’s face… priceless.

In the past, Sheldon would have gone to Leonard to help him with Penny, but with this situation he went to Amy. I was glad to see that he took that route, it showed how Amy is now an integral part of their group. This is a comedy, but I loved seeing Amy’s character growth. She would never have asked for a kiss before meeting Penny. It will be interesting to see if Amy outgrows Sheldon socially because he is clearly still stunted in that area.

Leonard is clearly more socialized than Sheldon, but he definitely had issues with Priya this week. I didn’t care for the Skype sex scenes at all. They really weren’t that funny and I actually was a little disturbed by them. Priya’s parents showing up at the end was very predictable and disappointing.

While I didn’t like the Leonard and Priya story here, it was all worthwhile. While it was also very creepy to watch, the Raj and Howard kiss was hysterical. The sexual innuendos between these two best friends occur on a regular basis, but this was the first time that I can remember that they engaged in a sexual activity. Of course, they didn’t even realize they were doing it, but that’s not the point. We, the viewers, got to see it. Perhaps the funniest part was watching Leonard’s reaction.

Talk about more problems for Sam Winchester.  “Hello, Cruel World” gave him more. So what happened in the season 7 episode 2 of Supernatural?

TV Fanatic: First, he had psychic powers. Then, he was obsessed with drinking demon blood, followed by becoming Lucifer, going to Hell, missing his soul, and now, losing his sense of reality and hallucinating about Lucifer. It’s truly a wonder he’s managed to keep it together. To think, I only really have to deal with an occasional bad case of the Mondays.

Sam’s issues are clearly only just beginning, but it was nice learning that Lucifer was a hallucination and Sam wasn’t really in the cage. Still, dealing with a break from reality is just as scary as any demon or monster. Maybe he needs a spinning top or Leonardo DiCaprio to help him out.

Mark Pellegrino made the mind games enjoyable to watch, as he gleefully pestered Sam. I want Sam to get better, but there’s something about Pellegrino’s portrayal that makes me wish Lucifer would stick around. Of course, after the episode’s ending, it looks like he just might be.

Then again, I thought the same for Misha Collins and his chance to play a new character was extremely short-lived. Extremely. I was disappointed that he didn’t even get at least one more episode before biting the big one. Is that really it for him? I sure hope not.

Overall, the episode was relatively quiet and reminiscent of season one. Sure, there was a lot of blood and and bearing of nasty teeth, but the Leviathan felt more like a creature of the week than this all powerful being (beings?).

What is the Leviathan besides a black oozy thing that likes to eat people? How many are there? Who is this “boss” that’s been talked about? What’s the big plan?

I’m still interested to see where this part of the story is headed and am curious to see in what ways Leviathan is different from other season’s Big Bads. Hopefully, they have a different goal than simply world domination.

Plus, now that Sam and Dean are headed towards the hospital where the Leviathan are camping out, things are about to get pretty hairy. After all, supernatural creatures and the Winchester brothers don’t really get along.

Is anyone surprised that Dean called an ambulance? I mean, I know that’s what we “normal” people would do if injured, but it felt so off to see the brothers being aided by someone other than another hunter. I guess desperate times really do call for desperate measures.

How desperate are things going to get for Sam and Dean? With Castiel dead (say it isn’t so) and Bobby missing, it looks like the brothers are going to have to rely on themselves. Guess it looks like the two will have to get back to basics.

All in all, “Hello Cruel World” brought out the good old fashioned Supernatural style and tone fans have come to know, but compared to the premiere, it wasn’t as exciting or dramatically intense.

So what did you think of this episode of Supernatural?

You can check Supernatural Season 7 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

We saw an event which happened “One Night in October. What can you say about the season 4 episode 2 of Fringe? Let’s discuss below.

TV Fanatic: As we get to work (weekly it would seem) with both universes, the possibilities of nature versus nurture and choice versus circumstance provide us with endless story possibilities. Following where these differences can take us is going to be a real mind frak.

The subtleties driving the case of the professor over here and the serial killer over there (alternates) were downright shocking, really. I hate to think that anyone who has a morbid interest (raising hand) in serial killers is just a few dead pigeons and a mutilated dog away from making a move to the dark side.
There is so much material to run with this season, and I look forward to seeing some of the more inconspicuous examples of the thematic issue of our experiences is who we are.
Did I mention the possibilities? The Olivias!

It didn’t come as a crushing surprise that Olivia would find the idea of working with Fauxlivia distasteful. But even when she feels strongly about something, Olivia will allow nothing to compromise her work. What a treat that is for us!

The Agents Dunham, standing side by side in identical clothing, still look different. Fauxlivia is sexier and more alive. It’s even more apparent now that Peter has never been. Olivia hasn’t been in love since John Scott, and we know how that turned out. Olivia’s disdain for Fauxlivia appears in enjoyable ways. She can snark out a comment like “I button my jacket” that messes with Faux’s confidence (even though she’d never admit it). I love it!

It’s also fantastic that they are learning about each other as individuals. For all she thought she gleaned from living in Olivia’s shoes, Faux had no idea she was abused by her stepfather as a child. The reality shook Fauxlivia’s foundation a little bit. What shook mine was when Olivia said she killed her stepfather. She wants to keep her alter-ego on her toes, that’s for sure.
How long can Walter last like this?

Walter’s practically falling apart at the seams. Covering every shiny item is a must so he doesn’t catch a glimpse of “the man” or what is left of Peter. His little tirades to Lincoln about how he was conned by Fauxlivia due to his love of bread and how “they” want to destroy “our” world are both amusing and sad.
Right now, he’s the only person who is receiving any intel that there was a Peter. We haven’t seen Walternate, but I doubt Peter is spending any time trying to get his attention. Would Walternate and Peter have enough of a connection, even a negative one, to share communication through the ether? I doubt it. I can’t help wondering what Walter’s reaction might be if Peter called out to him as “Dad” rather than Walter. It might at least flip a switch that he’s dealing with the spirit of his son, even if he is now a man and not a ghost child.

So what did you think about this episode?

You can check Fringe Season 4 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

The season 2 premiere of Nikita laid down the foundation of this season, the episode 2 titled “Falling Ash” made some aspects clearer particularly loyalty. Let’s discuss the episode below.

TV Fanatic: Birkhoff was always a favorite character. Without the constraints of Division and with Nikita and Michael needing him, it creates a fun dynamic. I find myself smiling at their banter.

I wasn’t sure whether the Nikita and Michael romance would ruin their chemistry or whether they would be able to effectively work together. Fortunately, their first fight over priorities was surprisingly civil and realistic. Nikita wants to bring down Division and Oversight no matter what, but she was able to see the importance of looking into P9. In the end, it turned out to be a relevant detour in their overall goal regarding Division.

Elsewhere… Owen’s back! He was the perfect partner for this mission. The connection between Dr. Mars, P9 and Regimen didn’t come across as a convenient coincidence, rather it was fitting to the way Division works. When Owen gets off Regimen, he will be free from one of his Division curses. Will he still feel the need to bring them down? I think he will, because he wants them to pay for ruining his life. That mission is one that will lead him back to Nikita and Michael again.

Last season, there was some sexual tension between Owen and Nikita. I was glad to see that was downplayed and almost non-existent in his return. One thing I don’t want to see on Nikita at this point is a love triangle. There is enough good action and drama without throwing that into the mix.

This episode showed where people’s loyalties are and are not. I have no doubt that Birkhoff, despite his complaining, is committed to bringing down Division and working with Michael and Nikita. Owen, while he seemed to be dedicated to the same mission, is not loyal to them. I don’t think he will do anything to harm them, but by working with Gogol, his loyalty is questionable.

The big surprise of the night was the reveal at the end when Sean and Alex talked. While Sean originally appeared to question Alex’s loyalty, he was on her side in that moment, looking out for her. He can see that while she is working with Amanda, she hasn’t turned her back on Nikita and didn’t want her to make the same mistake he made with his partner. However, he could also have been manipulating the situation to have Alex think more favorably of killing Nikita. I’m not sure which it is, but I’m looking forward to seeing how this relationship progresses between Sean and Alex.

Overall, this episode is great. I enjoyed it. And you?

You can check Nikita Season 2 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

More Klaus, Elena and Caroline in this week’s The Vampire Diaries titled “The End of the Affair.”

TV Fanatic: We learned a lot about Klaus this week and the intel painted a picture of a tortured, lonely, scared Original who hasn’t been killing merely for the sake of killing.

Klaus is petrified. He’s been on the run for centuries. He’s been under orders to create Hybrids and I’m guessing it’s not for his own personal army. Does that excuse all of his murderous behavior? Of course not. But let’s remember the state Damon was in when we first met him. And the past of Stefan that gets unraveled every week.

There’s always context to even the most evil of actions and Klaus’ appears to be centered around the mysterious man who showed up for a few seconds near the end of this episode, asking after Stefan’s forgotten friends. Is he a vampire? Maybe. A werewolf… such as Klaus’ biological father? I say yes.

One thing is for certain: Sebastian Roche (Supernatural, Fringe) is an actor familiar with the non-human.
I also take issue with how the show keeps upping the bad guy ante. There was Katherine… and then Klaus… and then now random new guy. Granted, each villain has brought with him or her a different angle; and we need new blood to keep spinning the story in various directions. But it’s a bit irritating to continually learn that there’s always someone else out there. Nothing ever gets resolved as much as the plot in general gets altered.
Have we finally met the true string puller? I doubt it.

Let’s return to Katherine for a moment: perpetual props to Nina Dobrev for expertly pulling off such contrasting characters, but I’m sick of this one. She’s become more of a plot device than an actual person, showing up from time to to time because she serves the purpose of writers in some way. That was never more evident than it was here, as she randomly called Damon with full knowledge of Stefan’s whereabouts just because… she’s made a lot of contacts over the years? That’s pretty thin, Vampire Diaries.

Figure out a direction for Katherine or kill her for good.

Those small frustrations aside, the flashbacks were as fun and engrossing as ever and they culminated in a fascinating new trio. Stefan remembers! Throughout the first few episodes of the season, it was difficult to believe he had returned to his full-on Ripper ways or truly wanted to be a sidekick to Klaus. But with these memories flowing through him now, with the knowledge that he really was close to Klaus and in love with Rebecca, we may truly see a different side to Stefan. His loyalties aren’t so clear anymore.

Hence my original sympathy for Elena and hence my one-word reaction to this development: GULP.

Elsewhere, there’s not really much to say about the Caroline storyline. It sucks that her father is anti-vampire and it’s great that her mother has done a 180 on the subject. It’s also nice to see her and Tyler grow so close. I’m assuming Liz’s actions will cause a serious divide within the council, but that’s for another day. For now, the focus was so squarely on Chicago that this B story felt almost like a Z story. It was rushed through, which is a shame considering it was actually the cliffhanger from a week ago.

Any comments?

You can check other The Vampire Diaries Season 3 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

What an episode! Grey’s Anatomy is definitely back with “Take the Lead.”

TV Fanatic: The recipe is the same from the beginning: complicated relationships, great friendships, and heart-wrenching cases. This is exactly how I like my Thursdays, tied up in a perfectly wrapped Grey bow. Corny, I know, but I had to go there.

So let’s get to it. “Take the Lead” was exactly that. The fifth-year residents got their first solo surgeries and took steps to mend their relationships. Others let go of their lead and some were just MIA.
Have Fun Teaching Skills Labs, Goober. The cases were the best part about this episode, hands down. Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, especially when it leads to Sloan calling Jackson a goober and Cristina and Teddy forgetting the basics. Avery was the loser by forfeit. Guess the Gunther thing only lasted a week.

Dr. Webber. Well, that’s that. Webber stepped down in light of the Meredith situation and named Owen his replacement. Bailey = pissed. Not only is she angry about him taking the fall for Mer, but now he has someone else fill his shoes? I would have totally chosen Bailey. Just saying. The upside? Bossy Bailey Is Back. Webber does seem much happier though, doesn’t he?

How Do We Fix This? Relationships were on the mend tonight and it’s about time. After some awkward moments, Cristina and Owen shared food poisoning on the bathroom floor. Nothing like a bad spring roll to ease the pain. This scene was flawless.

Meredith and Derek…wow. Derek was no McDreamy during surgery, leading to a big fight at home. To play devil’s advocate, you can see where he is coming from. Maybe they can’t work together because the trust is gone, but I was glad to see Derek admit he won’t walk away from Mer. Now we wait on the news for Zola. Honestly, I won’t be devastated if she doesn’t return. Will you?

Any comments about this episode of Grey’s Anatomy?

You can check Grey’s Anatomy Season 8 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

One message from this week’s The Secret Circle titled “Loner:” Live together. Or die alone.

TV Fanatic: That’s what made “Loner” so interesting. Most of these kids don’t want to live together. Some just wanna have sex, others want to explore their powers on their own and others just want to make sure no one gets hurt.

Yet fate has brought the coven together and, whether they desire this unity or not, the kids better learn how to make it work. And quickly.

The appearance of Zachary Larson only raised more questions about the events of 16 years ago. Was he there? How does he know about the witches? And what fate, regarding Heather, is worse than death? (Okay, if you’ve watched this trailer for next week, you already know that answer.)

We’re unlikely to find out more from Zach himself, though. You’ve been marked, dude. Sorry about that.
While the Circle came together at the end, we definitely learned more about each member this week on his/her own. A quick rundown:

There’s a lot to Nick. I’d love to see the show focus as heavily on the individuals as it does on their abilities, seeing as there is so much material to mine from deceased parents. Especially when one person has lost two of them.

What makes Melissa so down on herself? Someone has to give this girl the whole lesson about the cow and the milk and what happens when you give it away for free, but perhaps she finally learned that near the end. And she got a movie date out of it. Still, a lack of self-confidence could be a problem down the road if Melissa is called on for anything related to the coven.

Faye remains my favorite. She is power hungry and, let’s face it, sort of bitchy. But she gave a great speech to Nick and that smile when she watched him and Melissa walk away was sincere. Faye is tough and mean and straightforward, but a great friend.

I’m digging how Cassie and Adam aren’t really beating around the fate-based bush. They have come right out and acknowledged that something is between them (“Sometimes when we’re together, street lights explode…”), but they just have no idea what to do about it. Or what it might mean in the big picture. It’s hard to fight destiny, after all. Pretty sure she’s undefeated.

Then there’s Diana. I theorized last week that she’s working with her dad, but I’m now hoping that is not the case because it would be an example of manipulative storytelling if so. We saw her and Charles alone tonight, with the latter lying about dating Dawn, something that wouldn’t make any sense if they were teaming up. That’s too bad. It would have been a nice swerve if Diana weren’t as pure as she lets on. There’s still hope in some way, though!

What were your reactions after watching this episode?

You can check The Secret Circle Season 1 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

Annie faced her worst enemy in Community season 3 episode 2 titled Geography of Global Conflict.””

TV Fanatic: Martin Starr guest starred as Professor Cligoris, a name I’m going to assume the writing department created to make us feel like perverts. A model UN obsessed teacher, who likes to give rides in a wheelchair that isn’t his, Starr served as the mediator during the model United Nations face-off.

The model UN tourney brought back classic group dynamics without any crazy gimmicks. Shirley was sweet offering China’s money, Troy was repping the country of Georgia with a southern accent, Abed was concerned with parallel universes, Pierce and Jeff argued over the correct pronunciation of “Uruguay” and Annie threw an epic temper tantrum. Isn’t this what this comedy is about, everyone using their quirks for the power of the greater good aka the group?

One of the commentators wrote last week that in season two it seemed like the key players were becoming more like caricatures of themselves and I’d have to say that I agree. The Britta schtick bored me. Britta does bitchy and in denial better than she does crazy protester. However, her routine did serve to make Chang feel more important in his job as school security guard. The taser takedown and subsequent rescue to Lionel Richie’s “Hello” was classic.

Now, just because the group came together and defeated evil Annie’s model UN team, doesn’t mean that evil Annie didn’t serve her purpose. New girl won my heart with this gem of a quote:

Annie Kim: I’m sorry I don’t understand your relationship here. Is he your father or your lover?
Calling it right from the get-go! Yes Jeff and and Annie would you please define your relationship for us? Thanks to Jeff’s scolding her for acting like a school girl, and not in a hot way, we were led to a Jeff/Annie (Jannie?) deep conversation.

He thinks the best way to deflect from your true feelings about someone is to treat them like a child. However, now that Jeff sees Annie as a grown up, smart, maturing woman, it’s hard for him to pretend like the “kiddo” act is still working. And alas we now know that the producers were serious in making the Jannie shippers very happy this season.

What can you say about Community season 3 episode 2? Did you like it?

You can check Community Season 3 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

After the interesting pilot episode of Person of Interest, the show came back with “Ghosts.” What happened in episode 2? Let’s discuss below.

TV Fanatic: “Ghosts” jumped right into the story, although I’m not sure about the time frame between this episode and the pilot, and showed that John Reese is taking his new job seriously. He’s highly dangerous and highly effective. He also likes nice suits.

While I found Reese rather off putting and emotionless a week ago, his demeanor (and my opinion of him) changed for the better in this episode.

James Caviezel clearly made a choice to portray the character as cold and robotic at the start because Reese’s experiences had shaped him into a broken and untrusting man. Reese was highly guarded and as much as I felt disconnected from him, the second episode allowed me to recognize his own disconnect from himself and the world.

This episode showed a warmer (if you can call it that), version of Reese. Okay. So he has a lot of heating up to do, but it’s a start.
Change takes time, and as much as the episode quickly moved around from clue to discovery to pay-off, I like that the character growth is taking a gradual yet slow pace. It gives the audience a chance to witness little changes and details without the overcoming of personal problems shoved instantly down our throats.

Additionally, it’s those tiny moments where Reese flashes a quick smile or a clever comment that make him more than just a tough killing machine. Granted, wearing a nice suit and beating up bad guys in the elevator, making dump truck entrances, and repeatedly showing enemies why not to mess with him also make Reese one cool dude.

Interestingly enough, he didn’t seem to have a problem killing a person. Sure, he usually goes for the knees to take away their golf game, but Reese didn’t hesitate when he shot the hitman in the laundry mat… or in the hallway for round two. It separates him from the standard good guy who prefers to knock out his opponents and refuses to kill. It’s what makes Reese such a gritty and interesting character, as he borders the line of good guy/bad guy.

As for Finch, he remained his mysterious self. Why can’t he turn his neck? How did he get that limp? Who was his colleague when The Machine was in its origin stages? (I mean, besides being another member of the Others on Lost.) The questions simply swirl around his character, even as bits of flashback give the audience a glimpse into his past.
Could Finch be a bad guy? I mean, is it safe to assume he is a good guy?

I’m glad that Reese is curious as to what those secrets are instead of completely giving into the notion of The Machine and its magical lottery numbers. Plus, the cat and mouse game between the two “partners” should prove highly entertaining for its own form of banter and attempts to be one step ahead of the other.

The case of the week wasn’t all that interesting. The discovery of the expensive real estate and “dead” girl moved by with blazing speed. Sometimes, magically finding a lead or a clue when it’s convenient makes a show more like an episode of Scooby Doo, but I’m enjoying the characters roam around to save the day, so I’ll let it slide.

As much as the show falls into the procedural category, I find my interest lies more in learning about the characters. If I’m not interested in the leads, it doesn’t matter how provocative or mind bending the plot is.
Reese and Finch are obviously just getting started. That said, I’m hoping Detective Carter gets a chance to do something and even interact with Reese or Finch. She would add another great dynamic and perspective for the show. Hopefully, she’s not just “that cop that follows the main characters around.”

What are your thoughts about the second episode of Person of Interest?

You can check Person of Interest Season 1 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.

I had fun with this week’s The Big Bang Theory titled “The Pulled Groin Extrapolation” but other critics found some flaws in it. Let’s discuss.

TV Fanatic: Sheldon was basically alone with his toy train for most of the episode. His scenes are often the highlight of the show, but this was just dull. He’s funniest when we are laughing at his interactions with others.

Another miss of the episode was Amy. Why did she stay with Leonard all night while Sheldon was out? I know she is quirky, but that was just weird and not funny. Well… the overstaying her welcome gynecologist joke was pretty good, but the rest was a snooze. That is the theme for the episode, unfortunately. I almost slept through it.

Even worse, Amy invited Leonard to accompany her to a wedding and he went. Really?!? That makes no sense at all. The only somewhat funny part of this excursion was the chicken dance… a chicken dance! The writers couldn’t come up with something more original? The worst part of this experience was that Amy thought Leonard was falling for her in the end. Please, let that never come up again. The show will often drop stories after an episode and I hope this is one of those times. I don’t want to see anymore Amy and Leonard stuff.

Did you notice though that Sheldon hit Leonard over Amy? Perhaps this wedding “date” will help Sheldon solidify his feelings for Amy and move their relationship forward.

The episode wasn’t an entire loss, though, because Howard and Bernadette provided quite a few chuckles.

After Howard and Bernadette broke up and got engaged, I would have thought they discussed Howard and his unique relationship with his mother. It doesn’t appear that ever happened. After all they went through that Howard thought Bernadette would move into his mother’s house was very “Howard.”

Everything seemed like it was going wrong for Bernadette during her trial stay at the Wolowitz home, but then… Bernadette turned into Howard’s mother! What in the world was going on? I almost hope they do move into there because that would be an absolutely hilarious situation.

What are your thoughts about this episode of TBBT?

You can check The Big Bang Theory Season 5 Reviews and Spoilers HERE.