57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLVI

Quote of the Week: I'm glad you are as confused as I am 'cause when I first heard it I thought it was a big number. You know after a jillian come pavilion. (Sean, Rescue Me)

Song of the Week: Whatever Hot Chip song they played on Rubicon, but I am just not gay enough to know the name of the song. You know is gay enough? Apparently Cale’s rent boy. Didn’t see that coming.

Big News of the Week: TV Fall Season Kicks Off: FX will be getting a jump of its network counterparts with the premieres of three show next week. Here is the schedule of what I will be watching this fall and the date of when they return:

Mondays
8:00 - Chuck (September 20)
8:00 – How I Met Your Mother (September 20)
9:00 – The Event (September 20)
10:00 – Castle (September 20)

Tuesdays
8:00 – No Ordinary Family (September 28)
10:00 – Sons of Anarchy (September 7)
10:00 – Parenthood (September 14)

Wednesdays
8:00 – Survivor: Nicaragua (September 15)
9:00 - Friday Night Lights (October 27)
9:00 – Modern Family (September 22)
10:00 – Terriers (September 8)
10:00 – The Challenge: Cut Throat (October 6)

Thursdays
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (September 23)
8:00 – Community (September 23)
9:30 – Outsourced (September 23)
11:00 – I Love Money 4 (September 16)

Sundays
10:00 – The Walking Dead (October 31)


Leverage: Finally back to the overarching plotline of getting that dude who the Italian chick sprung him from jail for. I almost forgot about that whole storyline. And even more back story in the process when we learn that Sophie may actually be royalty. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: Assuming that Damien really isn’t faking, is Tommy now hallucinating the living know? Did Damien die right there? But last week would have been the better end to the season. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes. You can also check out my season review: He Wasn't Bulletproof and Neither Are Any of You.

Covert Affairs: My biggest complaint about the show is: are we really supposed to believe that Annie really fell that deeply in love after one meeting? And how exactly does the agency know about the tryst and even think anything of it? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Persons Unknown: Weren’t we promised an actual ending? That seemed like a pretty big cliffhanger to me. Like what is with the cages the editor and the ambassador were put in? Just too many things that were not explained are not well enough explained for my liking. And the last episode seemed so rushed and seemed to be missing major scenes and just jumped to the end because they were out of time. At least the elevator took them up to a church where patchy explained that the town was a place they created so they could meet up in some other dimension. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: NFL Follow Your Team (iTunes): The new NFL season kicks off this week and iTunes has released 2009 highlights fall all thirty two teams to remind you how your team did last season.

Deal of the Week: 100 Albums for $5 (Amazon MP3): This deal includes albums by John Mayer, Pink Floyd, Sara Barielles, and The Avett Brothers.



Video of the Week: In a story I broke last month, Friday Night Lights hits syndication on ABC Family this Tuesday and will air weeknights. So if you missed it the first time around, or just want to watch it again from the beginning, here is your chance. Below is a promo:

Next Week Pick of the Week: Terriers, Wednesday at 10:00 on FX: Forget AMC and all their pretentious shows, FX has the best dramas on basic cable. They landed three shows on my list of the Best Shows of 2009-10 and they may increase that total on next year’s list with their latest program Terriers. Look out for a full review later this week.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLIV

Quote of the Week: Hey Seth, South Park called, they want their everything back. (Jeff Ross – The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff)

Song of the Week: Hooked On a Feeling - Blue Swede (as sung by David Hasselhoff, The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff)

Big News of the Week: It’s Allergy Season: There are very things I hate more than allergy season. I just want to stay in bed until the first frost.

Leverage: Two themes are emerging from this season; the plot either revolves around daddy issues or a ripped from the headlines stories. This week was the latter but I assume due to budgeting, I assume they moved an off shore drilling explosion into a mine because the explosion was already pretty lame. Too bad there isn’t a real Leverage team to get payback on BP for raping the environment. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: I never thought Needles had that in him. But I wonder if there will be repercussions from above like the other captain makes it sound like (my guess is yes). And Tommy just cannot be content, I never thought the Sheila moratorium would last, but I thought it would go past one hour. And Janet should deserve some blame as she should have realized that the “goodbye” wouldn’t go well. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Covert Affairs: Another Joe McCoy red herring. When he popped up earlier this season on The Closer I would have bet he was the killer of the week, but alas he wasn’t. Then this week I would have bet he was going to turn out to be the leak, but of course he just turned out to be another horny Congressman (and I assume a Democratic one because most Republican sex scandals involve dudes). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: White Lies - Stacy Clark (iTunes): For fans of peppy pop and if you enjoy this song, there is another song from Stacy Clark on the Vanguard Records Sounds of Summer Sampler) which I mentioned a couple weeks ago.

Deal of the Week: Save on DVDs from the Stars of The Expendables (Point Break, multiple Rambos, Terminator 2)

Video of the Week: Not once, but twice, I saw a trailer this week and though “this reminds me of Showgirls.” Maybe not the best sign of things to come at the local multiplex. First, and most obvious Showgirls rip of is Burlesque which features Christina Aguilera’s acting debut and Kristen Bell. Looking at the tailer, it looks like we will finally get the answer to what Showgirls would look like would if it were written by a gay dude.

Burlesque Trailer


And the next one is a little bit of a stretch, but I guess it is the whole dancer gets replaced plot, but I get strong Showgirls vibe from Black Swan, the thriller from the dude who have us The Wrestler and stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Of course this movie would be from the Gina Gershon perspective. And what the frack is with that last scene in the trailer?

Black Swan Trailer


Next Week Pick of the Week: Memphis Beat, Tuesday at 10:00 on TNT: Memphis Beat never quite win me over, and it didn’t help being on at the same time as Rescue Me and Covert Affairs, but maybe I will catch up now that the season is ending this week.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLIII

Quote of the Week: My recall wasn’t total. (The Hateable Dan LeBatard, Pardon the Interruption)

Song of the Week: It Had to Be You – Tony Bennett (Rescue Me)

Big News of the Week: It’s Hot

Leverage: It must been family season for Leverage, first we meet Parker’s “dad” and now Nate has a run in with his old man. I was surprised that Nate was so confident that daddy dearest could leave the town before being knocked off by one of the goons he should him out to for. He came close to running into a machine gun while walking down the street. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: I really hate it when they end an episode with an excruciateingly long scene that is just painful to watch like the restaurant scene. And are we really supposed to believe Conner would be seventeen. Unless there was a time jump I was unaware of, I just have a hard time believing that. But still not as egregious and his red hair turning blonde in the afterlife. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.


Free Download of the Week: Memories – Weezer (Spinner.com): Weezer recently went independent and will be releasing the album as such next month entitled Hurley, with an album cover with an extreme close-up of the Lost character. Spinner has the first single from the album for free.

Deal of the Week: Save up to 60% on Popular TV Shows and Movies (Friday Night Lights, Shaun of the Dead [Blu-Ray], Atonement [Blu-Ray])

Video of the Week: We are still a couple of months before Conan shows up on TBS and here is the latest promo which someone faster than me noted its familiarness to the title sequence to You Can’t Do That on Television.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Weeds, Monday at 10:00 on Showtime: The last couple seasons have been mediocre and I do not see some renaissance on the horizon, but I will still catch up when the latest season hits DVD, but those with Showtime get new episodes this week.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLII

Quote of the Week: If you see your balls, pick ‘em up. When I get back I’ll staple them back on you. (Needles, Rescue Me)

Song of the Week: Goodbye – Steve Earl (Friday Night Lights)

Big News of the Week: MTV Video Music Awards Announced: Remember when the VMA’s were a cultural landmark, now, like most people that watch during the MTV heyday, I do not care. I haven’t even seen half nominated videos or even heard the songs. The only nominations of note are Broken Bells up for Best New Artist, though both James Mercer and Danger Mouse put out music for most of last decade, and Tighten Up - The Black Keys for Breakthrough Video, granted I do not remember anything groundbreaking about Tighten Up and both videos are better than anything in the Best Video category, but it is hard to complained because the VMA’s lost credibility about five years ago.

Leverage: Nice light fair after last week’s heavy political episode and Turner was nice enough to give Bill Engvall some work after canceling his show. I wonder if the network is regretting that decision after the daughter on the show has become a much buzzed about actress for her performance in Winter Bone and being cast in the X-Man reboot. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rubicon: I am always up for a good conspiracy theory and it is too soon to tell if this is one yet. It is moving a little too slow for my taste so far. You can stream recent episodes on AMC.com. You can also download Rubicon on iTunes.

Rescue Me: There have been some very bizarre moments throughout the history of the show, but handcuffing your daughter in church to baptize her ranks very high near the top. And it is strange that Lou broke out of the hospital and no one there seems to care. I really do not think that storyline is going to end well for him. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Covert Affairs: Let me put out my prediction of who I think the leak is: the chick from Invasion. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Also check out my season wrap up of Friday Night Lights.



Free Download of the Week: For The Summer - Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs (Amazon MP3)

Deal of the Week: Over 1000 Albums for $5 Each (Huey Lewis and the News, A Tribe Called Quest, KT Tunstall, The Like)



Video of the Week: Two years ago there was a Stand Up 2 Cancer special that aired on all the major networks (except Fox who for some reason had something else to air) and there will be another one coming up September 10 at 8:00 on many networks (this time Fox is included). Here is a PSA featuring Kristen Bell (in a bathtub), Zach Levi, Olivia Munn, Clark Duke, Aubrey Plaza, Vanessa Hudgens and more to bring awareeness to the cause..

SU2C: Change The Odds PSA


Next Week Pick of the Week: Pretty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family: Pretty Little Liars really didn’t catch my interest enough to actually write about it that often, but it has intrigued me enough during the summer doldrums to tune to find out who A is. My prediction: Aria (her name does start with A).

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLI

Quote of the Week: I care about my teammates, and you're my teammate. (Landry, Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: When the Night Comes – Dan Auerbach (Friday Night Lights)

Leverage: How MacGyver of Hardison in making the bomb, but still, going back into the lair of dude with semi-automatic weapons was not the brightest idea he has ever had. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: What a mind trip of an episode. I am not sure that is a good thing or a bad thing like a warped version of The Hangover. I am not sure how Uncle Teddy would think lacing Tommy’s drink was a good thing. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: When I rewatch this season, I may have to make a drinking game out of every time Tim tells Becky, “This can’t happen.” Certainly it won’t get me as drunk as the time I drank every time on Deadwood when someone said (expletive deleted)-sucker. but I bet I could get a good buzz. Also I have to give hats off to Landry for his toothpick prank. But do Texans really call that drill jingle-jangles because here above the Mason-Dixon line we have a much less lame name for that: Suicides. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Nat Geo Amazon Sampler (Amazon MP3)

Deal of the Week: Save up to 47% on Action & Adventure (Black Hawk Down (Blu-Ray), Air Force One, Hellboy)

Video of the Week: Hot chicks with guns in a stylized version of the fifties as conceived by the director of 300 and Watchmen? Yes please.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Friday Night Lights, Friday at 8:00 on NBC: I cannot believe it is the season finale already as we get the big showdown between the two Dillon with a playoff birth in the balance for the Panthers and pride for the Lions. Luckily we will be getting another season and here’s hoping DirecTV, with or without NBC, ponies up for a sixth.

The Best Television Shows of 2009-10 Season

A little late this year for my best shows of the season list because I wanted to get a good chunk of Friday Night Lights under my belt before declaring it the best show of the year. Short of Landry killing another dude, I am confident in calling it just that. My list covers shows that air a bulk of their season between June 2009 and July 2009 (so any current summer show will be eligible next year. Here is the makeup of this year’s list.

1. Friday Night Lights, Season 4 (NBC)

2. Justified, Season 1 (FX)

3. Modern Family, Season 1 (ABC)

4. Parenthood, Season 1 (NBC)

5. The Big Bang Theory, Season 3 (CBS)

6. Rescue Me, Season 5 (FX)

7. Sons of Anarchy, Season 2 (FX)

8. Castle, Season 2 (ABC)

9. Leverage, Season 2 (TNT)

10. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS)



It should be noted that this is the first time a cable network landed the most shows and had more than one show in the top ten. Also notably missing from the list is the final season of Lost in all its excruciating flashsidewardsness. And to show just how far it fell, here is how the other season landed in their respected years:

Season 1: 2nd
Season 2: 4th
Season 3: 8th
Season 4: 7th
Season 5: 6th
Season 6: Not Ranked

Keep in mind, the only other show with five appearances is Survivor (Friday Night Lights presumably will join that club next season assuming Landry doesn’t go on a killing spree). Below is a running tally of what shows racked up the most Quotes and Songs of the week.


Quotes of the Week
Chuck 5
Friday Night Lights 5
The Big Bang Theory 4
Greek 4
Mercy 4
Modern Family 4
Justified 3
Leverage 3
Rescue Me 3
Survivor 3
Castle 2
Community 2
Eli Stone 2
Kings 2
Lost 2
How I Met Your Mother 1
Ochocinco: The ultimate Catch 1
Pardon the Interruption 1
Parenthood 1
Pushing Daisies 1
Raising the Bar 1
Real World/Road Rules: the Ruins 1
Sons of Anarchy 1
Tool Academy 1

Songs of the Week
Rescue Me 7
The Big Bang Theory 4
Chuck 4
Friday Night Lights 4
Greek 4
Pardon the Interruption 4
Mercy 3
Modern Family 3
Parenthood 3
Castle 2
How I Met Your Mother 2
Late Night 2
Lost 2
Sons of Anarchy 2
Trauma 2
Leverage 1
2010 ESPY Awards 1
Community 1
Eli Stone 1
The Philanthropist 1
Pushing Daisies 1

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXL

Quote of the Week: So, now what do you think about Obama so far Jess? (Mrs. Clarke, Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: Thinking of You – Christian Kane (Leverage)

Big News of the Week: Comic-Con: The yearly nerd pilgrimage to San Diego is upon us. Certainly you can find news that is trickling out on site that are actually there (like who mama Bartowski will be played by).

Leverage: This episode featured Bo Duke, Meg Manning, and made an A-Team reference (I love it when a plan comes together; which took them long enough considering I mentioned Leverage was a modern day version of The A-Team back in my original review). If there were a Friday Night Lights references from touching my four favorite television of all time. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: I seem to have gotten ahead of myself a week and mentioned what happened this week, during last week’s installment. Oops. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Covert Affairs: If Annie’s identity is so important that she needs a cover job, then why is she taking walk in’s where anyone who walks in can identify her? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: It is a little disturbing that no one on the coaching staff had notice taking forever getting up until this episode. They should have been on that a lot sooner. And does the Sproles household not have a television in the living room to watch movies on. Yeah Tim can plead all he wants that nothing happened, but you shouldn’t share the bed with a girl on her mom’s bed. And from the promos, it looks like things are getting worse for Tim. I was a little surprised that Vince and his boys didn’t skaje down the Riggins boys for no longer stripping cars. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Trailer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8 Motion Comic - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic: For the fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer who are too lazy to read (i.e. me), the comic version of the 8th season has been made into a motion comic and you can head over to iTunes to check out the trailer and buy the first episode. If you like your shows in physical form, a blu-ray/DVD combo pack is available for pre-order on Amazon but no release date yet (I saw a non reliable source say early January).

Deal of the Week: Save up to 60% on Popular TV Shows and Movies (Friday Night Lights, Battlestar Galactica, Shaun of the Dead)

Video of the Week: Due to my dislike of airplanes, the idea of going to San Diego in the middle of summer to sit in a convention hall are two of the reason why I have not made my way to Comic Con yet (oh yeah, and I have no desire to be stabbed either). Another reason is why wait in line to see a panel when most of it leaks online anyway. Like this surprise performance during The Big Bang Theory panel.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Mad Men, Tonight at 10:00 on AMC: I have only watch the first season (I have the third on DVD but need to hunt down the second so I can catch up). Also returning tonight is My Boys on TBS. Check out mt preview of the return.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXIX

Quote of the Week: Man, I haven’t seen this many girls on a football field since the last time we played the Steelers. (Chad Ochocinco, Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch)

Song of the Week: Tightrope – Janelle Monáe (2010 Espy Awards)

Big News of the Week: George Steinbrenner Died: It is natural whenever people die to remember the good times and gloss over their bad attributes (see Michael Jackson) but the George Steinbrenner coverage is downright bizarre where his worst attribute has be hailed as a positive. His collection of players that resemble a fantasy roster more than an actually baseball teams what has ruined baseball in my lifetime (along with steroids) to the point is almost unwatchable. Yet in the wake of his death, people are applauding his ruthlessness. This would have been like when Richard Nixon died had be lauded for having the wherewithal to spy on his opposition for political gain.

Leverage: How can they include a town called Arcadia and not have anyone named Joan from there? How disappointing. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: It is always good whenever Shawn and Mike put their brains together and them coming up with a worthy charity may be the best conversation since discussing God with Katie after Conner died. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

2010 ESPY Awards: It was cathartic to hear LeBron get booed during the show. Even though the monologue was entertaining, some of the bit were pretty lame with Paul the octopus and the creator of the vuvuzalas. But my second favorite part of the night (after LeBron getting booed) was Lindsey Vonn calling out Marky Mark.

Persons Unknown: Me wonders if the new black chick is also a plant as a replacement for Joe. It is a little convenient for someone to have antifreeze in a town with no cars. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Also check out my preview of Covert Affairs.

Free Download of the Week: 2010 SideOneDummy Records Summer Sampler (Amazon MP3): This set includes songs by The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly and Anti Flag.

Deal of the Week: Save up to 44% on TV Shows (Rescue Me, Diff’rent Strokes, Damages)

Video of the Week: New show on the National Geographic Channel tonight at 10:00, Monstar Fish follows fish biologist Zeb Hogan as he tries to find the world’s largest fresh water fish. Tonight is just a sneak peak before settling in to its permanent timeslot tomorrow also at 10:00. Here is a preview:

Redneck Fishing Tournament


Next Week Pick of the Week: My Boys, Sunday (7/25) at 10:00 on TBS: It has been over a year since the last new episode of My Boys aired so I have completely forgotten what is actually going on with the gang (was it common knowledge that Andy took a job in China?) Look for more on the new season of My Boys this week.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXVII

Quote of the Week: No I didn’t hit him. Did you just forget because you’ve kissed so many people at school? Do you realize by proxy I’ve now kissed Glenn? (Coach Taylor – Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: Crime Wave – 50 Cent (Friday Night Lights)

Big News of the Week: Still Finding it Hard to Back Up World Cup Officiating: Yeah, another week of bad calls at the World Cup, most notably the England goal that was not. But instead of instant replay, which I am vehemently opposed to, how about shelling out an extra hundred bucks a game and put an official on each goal line whose sole reason is to make sure the goal crosses the line. Soccer fields are so wide, it is hard for the referee or linesman to see the goal line clearly, so why not put someone behind the net that is only looking for that?

Leverage: So we finally get some real back-story about Parker this week by meeting her “father” who happened to also a have few run in with Nate. It may be getting to the time we get more flashbacks from these characters. I would like to see more of them back before they turned good. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Persons Unknown: If I were a betting man, I would have put a large chunk of change for Joe being the mole (dude had no back-story), but I was hoping for Cameron Frye to turn out to be in on it. And did the token hot chick actually get release just for apologizing to her father? Could it really be that simple? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Memphis Beat: Just how many plot twist can one case have? I got tired of them all after about the second. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Memphis Beat on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: Oh you silly little promo monkeys trying to make me think that Riggins knocked up Becky. Of course I wouldn’t have had to spend the last week thinking that if someone would have keyed me into the knowledge that “going to the car wash” was a Texan euphemism for having sex. But the out of the blueness of Becky’s pregnancy doesn’t even make the top of the list of the most absurb moment of the week which goes to Julies, “let’s just skip the whole dinner thing and go straight to the making out part.” If only girls would actually use this approach, us dudes would be a lot richer. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Pilot - Friday Night Lights, Season 1 (iTunes): Ever wonder why I go on and on about this show, check out the first episode ever for free on iTunes (keep in mind I really didn’t become obsessed until around the forth or fifth episode).

Deal of the Week: Save up to 54% on Television Shows (Freaks and Geeks, Party Down, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Video of the Week: It seems like once a month a Congressman does or says something so stupid I think who are the morons that elected this fool? The latest to embarrass the nation comes courtesy of Minnesota (the land of Jesse Ventura and Al Franklin) whose Senator that wasn’t a writer for Saturday Night Live took precious time out of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee, a life time position of which there are only nine of, to ask Elena Kagen a question about the movie Twilight. It is times like these where I believe that states have the right to veto the baboons that other states elect to federal office. That would go a long way to solve the current political logjam at the capital (that and open primaries, can we make open primaries a national law please). So Minnesota please do the right thing and get Amy Klobunchar out of office.



Next Week Pick of the Week: It is America’s birthday tomorrow, go outside and enjoy some hamburgers and fireworks and be glad that Amy Klobunchar doesn’t represent your state (unless of course you live in Minnesota, then you should feel really ashamed).

Previewing Leverage 3.x

After two seasons of dancing on the outskirts of the law on Leverage, Nate Ford finally got caught after trying to take down a crooked mayor who just happened to also be an FBI informant, taking the fall himself so his team could get away. On the bright side, while on the inside he won’t have to worry about being tempted to drink which he has been struggling with since his son died.

Of course don’t expect the rest of the team to sit idle while waiting for justice to prevail and are more than eager to break out their feeless leader, who would actually stay on the inside. Of course he is quick to find him a case of the week to bid his time because he just happened to find himself incarcerated in a prison run by a crooked warden (are there any other kind in Hollywood?).

Also lurking around the first episode back tomorrow is new player in the form of Elisabetta Canalis (American audiences may only know her as one of George Clooney’s more recent fling). The Italian spends the first half of the episode while having own run in with the previously mentioned crooked warden speaking through a translator before breaking out some English which will make you wish she continued with the translator.

Canalis’ full intentions are known by the end of the first episode which looks to set up a season long storyline. Also this season, be on the lookout for guest spots from Richard Chamberlain (The Thorn Birds), Nnamdi Asomugha (Oakland Raiders cornerback), John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard), Clancy Brown (Lost’s Kelvin Inman), Bill Engvall (The Bill Engvall Show), and Aldus Hodge’s brother Edwin even shows up in tonight’s episode (but not related to Hardison).

Leverage airs Sundays at 9:00 on TNT. The first three weeks (not including July 4th weekend when there is no new episode) will also feature new episodes at 10:00. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXVII

Chuck: A lot of pretty big plot holes in this episode. Like who lets the bad guy get out of the museum to get back to The Ring intersanctum (which looked a lot like that of Fulcram) to mention that Shaw was still alive. And after all the fuss Hannah made about Chuck leaving her at the museum to hang out with his ex-girlfriend, how did she not see Sarah about a hundred feet away the second time around? And I was half expecting when Sarah told Chuck she had a type: hero, that Chuck didn’t respond, “if you didn’t notice I have a type too: brunettes.” Come to think of it, I really need to get Zach Levi to hook me up with the devil because I would mind trading in my soul to hook up with Rachel Bilson, Jordana Bewster, Kristin Kruek, and Yvonne Strahovski in succession. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: Throughout the four and a half seasons of the show, Barney has come up with some ingenious plans to hook up with chick, but all of them pale in comparison of giving out his phone number at the Super Bowl. Too bad it turned out to be more than he could handle. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: Hopefully this episode extends into the next one because I wouldn’t mind a full thirty minutes of Sheldon and Penny being sick together, singing soft kitty to each other. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Greek: What was with all the protective gear by the umpires and catchers? It was only slow pitch. As a former umpire, I was embarrassed. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Castle: Of course the Devil did it. It was just a matter of how or why once I saw him. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Lost: So Sayid is infected like Jack’s sister and presumably Rousseau’s team. But even though the time for questions is over, I have wonder how does one get infected? Rousseau’s team had contact with Smokey and Claire did with her father (who I think may have been Smokey in disguise) but how does that explain Sayid unless Smokey is the one that tainted the spring. I was completely wrong with Claire not being pregnant and naturally it was delivered by Ethan Rom Goodspeed. Alrighty. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Modern Family: Did no one think to cut the belt strap on the coat? And too bad we didn’t get a full Valentine’s date from Dylan and Haley. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Leverage: It is always good to see Sterling because if there is one thing the show needs is a constant antagonist and he is really good at it. And with all the twist and turns of this episode, there are many more in the season finale next week and one doozy of a cliffhanger. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Community: The show really needs to watch it when it goes too far overboard with the pop culture references. It may benefit the show if Abed transfers next year so they do not have to lean on the crutch. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Also check out my First Impression of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXV

Chuck: You know you have a great episode of Chuck when even Morgan isn’t even that annoying. Of course pairing him with Casey can have that effect. Then you have the appearance of Lana Lang which put a grin on my face as big as Chuck’s. There are very few people that can out-hot Sarah and Lana is one of them. Hopefully, unlike most of her run on Smallville, the writers give her something interesting to do (except for being a double agent). Speaking of the Man of Steele, of course Superman needs thick reading glasses. And if Lana Lang wasn’t enough, we also get Stone Cold Steve Austin as the bad guy of the week and may very well be the best token bad guy the show has had. My only complaint with this episode was we didn’t get to see the volleyball incident with Casey at the company picnic that Morgan mentioned. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

Greek: How were the girls really okay with Casey telling Cappie about burning down the house? She was the one that made the oath not to tell anyone. And with everyone’s obsession with cop show, how could no one realize that throwing the shovel right near where they buried the clipboard not the best idea? And why not just burn the clip board? Tell people you have started composting to help save the environment. On the bright side, Dale having interns was highly entertaining. Hopefully they stick around even though he didn’t get the grant. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Castle: Maybe the most fun episode of the series, really embracing the will they or won’t they vibe of the two leads with them linked together in the paper then being preoccupied with each other and the case during dinner, but a little disappointing that there was no mention of Beckett’s mother breakthrough from last week. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Leverage: No comment on this week’s episode because I was too tired to stay up Wednesday night so instead of taping it I would just stream it. The problem with that is the latest episode is still not available for streaming on TNT.tv. To make things worse, I check the On Demand feature on my cable box and the only episode there was the winter premiere from two and a half weeks ago. Is it really that hard to get episodes up the next day? I at least want to see it sometime before the next episode airs.

Previewing Leverage 2.5

For some reason, TNT likes to split up it season in weird ways so tonight the second season of Leverage returns for its last six episodes. If you remember back five months to where Sophie decided to take some time off and recommended a replacement grifter to take her place why she figures things out in the form of Jeri Ryan. The last episode before the break saw Ryan conning the group to see if they were worthy of her help and tonight sees her first assignment in the group.

Not familiar with the altruistic nature of Nate and the crew, Jeri’s addition to the team is naturally rocky. She throws a few wrenches in the first couple episodes back that Sophie never would have. Including tonight when they infiltrate a sweat shop that employs illegal immigrants by exploiting the owner’s hope to be a contestant on Project Runway (which explains Nate’s garb in the picture above).

Next week things gets personal for Nate when the local bar’s owner dies and a loan shark tries to retrieve his mark from the decease’s daughter, who Nate thinks of as a niece, at the wake. The job has some dangerous consequences for Nate but for the viewer it has one of the most satisfying “gotcha” moments in the series history. Also in the second half of the season expect the return of Nate’s ex-wife (guest star Kari Matchett) and Luke Perry shows up during the February 3 episode as a psychic medium.

Leverage airs Wedensdays at 10:00 on TNT. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes or Amazon Video on Demand:

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XCVII

Quote of the Week: You can feed him in his wife beater onesy. (Tara – Sons of Anarchy)

Song of the Week: Welcome Daddy (Ashlee’s amended lyrics version) – The Sisters of ZBZ (Greek)

Big News of the Week: Politicians Behaving Badly: The week started off with the lames patrician bickering ever over Barack Obama’s speech to the nation’s children. Shouldn’t be something that all presidents to? But of course the religious nut jobs were all up in arms just like the liberal communists were back when the original Bush did. Sometime a speech to kids is just a speech to kids. But watching the speech, someone should have told Obama he was talking to a bunch of ten year olds because he sounded like he was giving one of his stump speeches. Granted he only has two gears of speaking, the stump speech and his bored out of his mind delivery.

That wasn’t the only speech Obama gave this week as he took yet another bite of primetime to pitch his health care plan. And like most addresses to Congress, the only reason to watch is to watch the unintentional comedy of the Congressmen like who gets caught sleeping because let’s face it, these addresses never actually say anything new. And the one on Wednesday didn’t disappoint. Usually the highlight is the parties trying to out cheer/boo each other at certain lines, but one Republican congressman went so far as to shout “You lie!” after Obama said his health care plan wouldn’t cover illegal immigrants. Classic. This overshadowed another Congressman who had in his lap a “What Bill?” sign. We are inching closer to the good old political days of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton which I am all for.

Coalition Links of the Week:
It premieres and it sucked. We mean that in the best way possible when it comes to The Vampire Diaries. (TV Fanatic)

George's funeral, a married Alex and Izzie; BuzzSugar gets a peek at the upcoming sixth season of Grey's Anantomy. (BuzzSugar)

This week, Sandie interviewed Stana Katic who plays Detective Kate Beckett on Castle. (Daemon's TV)

Vance breaks down the new Fall 2009 TV shows and why he is or isn't going to watch. (Tapeworthy)

With your favorite season premieres just around the corner, we shared our Top 5 most anticipated new comedies and dramas. (The TV Addict)


Tool Academy: I am not sure who wins the Moron of the Week Award, the “Special” Tool for blurting out, “Okay, I (explicative deleted) her” in front of his girlfriend, all the other Tools and the entire VH1 viewing public, the Dancing Tool who tried to explain just how much he loves his girlfriend by saying that he is dating her and doesn’t even have a Asian fetish (and then continue to keep digging after that comment), or the Redneck Tool for bursting a condom on his head. And that still didn’t hurt as much as the beating he got from his girlfriend. Naturally the Rednecks would react as if they are on Springer. But after the “Special” Tool confesses comes the most bizarre segment ever where almost all the guys there started confession their infidelities one after other. You can stream current episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.

Greek: Here is where I usually start off the review with “Holy (insert a favorite character’s name here) sighting!” But who do I go with Dr. Harold Abbot or Dwayne Wayne? Although I am not ready for Dwayne Wayne to have a twenty year old daughter. I wonder if Whitley is the mother. You can stream current episodes on Hulu.



Leverage: Having Eliot just happening to be at the drop spot to keep Parker from being assassinated was a lame plot point, but I will forgive the show simply because the slo-mo lunge with the flowing hair was absurdly cheesy in a funny kind of way. You can stream current episodes over at tnt.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

You can also check out my First Impression of Sons of Anarchy 2.x and The Locator and Adoption Diaries.

Free Download of the Week: Community (Amazon Video on Demand): Community may not be the best new show or even the funniest new comedy of the fall season (that goes to Modern Family), but you can check out the first episode of the show before it airs.

Deal of the Week: Fall TV Event: $20-$30 (Rescue Me, Chuck (Blu-Ray), Mad Men, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip)

Video of the Week: One of the great things about Hulu is they occasionally add criminally underwatched show (Arrested Development remains one of the most watched show on the site). Thanks to the recent partnership with ABC, here is another show many of you didn’t watch the first time around but should check it out now: The Knights of Prosperity which recently ranked in at #21 on The 100 Greatest Television Shows of the 00’s. All thirteen episodes are available to stream, here is the first one. If enough people check it on Hulu, maybe we will be lucky enough to get the show in DVD for. Now if only NBC would do the same for Ed (#4) and I will be a happy camper which actually came from the same producers of Knights of Prosperity.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Survivor: Samoa: The granddaddy of reality show is back for its nineteenth and it looks like this will be a bells and whistles free season, they are even dumping Exile Island this go around. As for a preseason pick, I would go with John. He is a rocket scientist for goodness sake (granted the last one didn’t last long).

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XCVI

Quote of the Week: Leah was pissed to the highest pissisity. (Dre P – Tool Academy)

Song of the Week: Tracks of My Tears – Smokey Robinson and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)

Big News of the Week: Teen Wolf Remake in the Pipeline: I really cannot take credit for there being a Teen Wolf remake because let’s face it, everything will be remade in the new future. But I would like to think that me mentioning it a couple times last month put it on the fast track. But oddly it is not being remade into a movie (yet), but as an MTV show. Sadly that probably that means the budget won’t be enough for my casting suggestions of McLovin as the Wolf and Juno as Boof.

Coalition Links of the Week:
This week, we checked back in with your favorite doctors at Seattle Grace and have a early review of the Grey's Anatomy season premiere to share with you. (The TV Addict)

Which reality will Fringe take place in when season two premieres? The TV Fanatic can't wait to find out. (TV Fanatic)

We got yet another amazing Weeds finale this week. Buzz wonders: of all the seasons, which finale has been your favorite? (BuzzSugar)

This week, Eric shared some pictures from the season 6 premiere of The Office. (Daemon's TV)

Nigel picked his Top 15. Vance picked his Top 25 dance routines EVER from So You Think You Can Dance. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace offered an advance review of the first three episodes of Season Seven of HBO's painfully hilarious Curb Your Enthusiasm. (Televisionary)


Greek: It was nice to see Cappie turn down Casey’s advances because the Casey-centric love polygons are extremely annoying at this point. Pick a dude and stick with it. Or just fly solo and stick with it. And there were few thing more telegraphed than Rebecca (who suddenly looks absurdly hot this season) mystery guy turning out to be Fisher. And her “that’s just who I am” excuse is so lame it single handedly ruined the character. You can stream current episodes on Hulu.



Leverage: One has to wonder if Iceman’s accent was supposed to be bad or if the actor’s British accent was so bad that they just wrote in into the script. Either way it was hilarious. But the Sophie sub plot was a little odd and out of place. You can stream current episodes over at TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Also check out my First Impressions of Tool Academy 2, my final impressions of Rescue Me 5.x and How I Spent My Summer Vacation.

Free Download of the Week: Fall TV Preview (iTunes): iTunes has preview clips of many of the returning shows from network and cable including previews of ten new shows.

Deal of the Week: TV for Under $20 (The Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Pushing Daisies, Chappelle Show)

Video of the Week: It is a shame that no one goes to see live action movies by Mike Judge. In fact Beavis and Butt-Head Do America made over five times more money at the box office than Office Space and Idiocracy combines. Maybe that is why be brought back the animated duo to hock his latest movie Extract.

Beavis and Butt-Head introduce Extract


“I would pay a chick to pay me to have sex.” Huh, huh, that’s cool.

Next Week Pick of the Week: Leverage, Wednesday at 9:00 on TNT: The summer finale features a guest appearance from Jeri Ryan. And if you are a fan of the show, which you should be, you will be happy to know that TNT has renewed the show for the third season. Expect the show return to finish off its second season sometime this winter and the third to air Summer 2010.