I’ll Be A Scab – Pick Me!

So, the Writers’ Guild is on strike. And while I’mall for a unionized workforce – better wages, benefits, working hours, etc. – I’m also all for getting my foot in the door.

I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a serial TV writer, but now is as good a time as any to find out, right? I could probably do a soap opera, day or prime time. I’m pretty sure I could do better than most of the shows on The CW (Gossip Girl and Everybody Hates Chris being the exceptions; Gossip Girl only because it’s just an affluence I could never imagine for myself). I could probably be okay on most ABC sitcoms, too.

In the mean time, I will hope for the best regarding the shows I heart deeply, but really, TV producers – I’m willing to take a swing. Put me in coach.

Meh.

That’s how I felt about last night’s Heroes episode. Really, they phoned it in, completely. It was left up to HRG to make things a bit awesome.

And he delivered. I was surprised when he shot Ivan. That was pretty much done in cold blood. He must have some kind of grudge against Ivan the Ukranian to do that. And what with the Haitian Sensation standing by? Dude checked it out, like HRG had given him a piece of chocolate or something, not a bullet in the face. It was the old HRG from the first part of season one that we all remember fondly. It was also pretty awesome that he told Claire he was in Tulsa. If by Tulsa you mean the Ukraine. Whatever.

Wonder Twins and Sylar, whatever. Yawn. Cry black, people die. Anyways. Peter and the Irish girl went to Canadialand, like the painting told them to do. Some dude named Adam knew he’d be coming soon. I guess Adam can either predict the future or he has some power to be the precoginition that Peter painted. Something. I wonder who will play this “dangerous” (according to Company Bob) Adam Monroe character. And what became of Invisible Claude? Did he actually get hit by the shots HRG fired at him last season?

Suresh was also kind of a bore this week, too, as usual. It’s time for Niki/Jessica to put him out of his misery, but we know that won’t happen. Oh well. I do wonder if Company Bob sent her to put a hit on him. I am glad he didn’t take away Mimic Monica’s powers. She’s good, she will use her powers to support her brother and grandmom. But, how did Niki/Jessica not see her at the lab and wonder why she wasn’t back in K-Ville taking care of Micah? I’d have asked that question.

Overall, not the best. But, I remember last season that this happened, and then things became exhaustingly awesome, so I’m okay with things being kind of meh for a few weeks. They’re just gearing up for the payoff.

Muerto Laughlin

Seriously, I have a fw questions for CBS regarding their now-canceled prime time show, Viva Laughlin.

1. Whose idea was this? How did that pitch meeting go? I have an idea–

Show Creator 1: So, we have this idea for a new show.

Show Creator 2: Take Las Vegas and keep some of the good parts – the casinos and flashy background and Vegas setting–

Show Creator 1: –But replace the eye candy cast with – wait for it – Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith and-

Show Creator 2: –AND, THEY SING! SONGS! OVER A RECORDING OF THE ORIGINAL!

Show Creator 1: So it’s not like a musical show, but more like a karaoke version of life.
Show Creator 2: Like how when you’re in the car, or a store, and you hear a song you like and you just start singing along–

Show Creator 1: Or like in life, when you’re in a situation and a song pops into your head that would TOTALLY describe EXACTLY what you’re feeling and thinking, but really, people would think you were crazy if you just started singing a song outloud for no reason, but these characters can hear the song, too.

CBS Network Execs: Well, we can only squeeze so many franchises out of CSI, plus we don’t really have anything else to show. Our Monday nights are semi-strong…man, I wish Ray Romano hadn’t decided to end his show…well, okay. Let’s give it a try.

2. Does the person who said yes still have a job?
Because really, I’d like to get on the payroll at CBS. It must be like working for the government.

3. Hugh Jackman- Tony Award winner, I sort of get it. Box office draw (and weird cult following as a result of being in a comic book franchise) = possible ratings. Melanie Griffith, though? Why?

4. Why are they singing over the original recording? Musical episodes of hit shows have been fun for fans, so why not, I don’t know, have the actors sing the songs without the song playing underneath? It just seems…cheap.

5. How many other networks passed on this show before CBS bought it? And who was it getting shopped to next?

6. Who thought this would work? ABC tried this in the 90’s. It was called Cop Rock.

Split Mondays

I watched HIMYM and then tuned into Chuck for the last half hour. I know, I know…but really, the boyfriend has a 30-minute attention span when it comes to TV (except for football) and I wanted to spend time with him. Plus, he knows I have a crush on Zachary Levi, so he doesn’t want to watch a show with my TV boyfriend on it. I’ve already kind of ruined The Office for him because I have a crush on John Krasinski, too. He’s okay with HIMYM because he knows Neil Patrick Harris plays my favorite character on the show; since he’s gay, there’s no threat.

Guy logic, I know. Anyway, I digress.

HIMYM was funny, as usual. That show’s got the same gift that 30 Rock has, which is the simple, but intricate plot that requires attention for the whole 30 minutes for the jokes to make sense. Smart move, and it also means good writing.

Anyway, Ted swore he made out with Lily before she met Marshall and Barney reminisced about when everyone met him. And made fun of Ted’s new crazy girlfriend, who was very paranoid of Robin, who couldn’t have cared less about her. You had to see it.

Chuck was more emotional this week (there are increasingly more emotional moments on this show, between Chuck and Sarah or Chuck and Ellie), but this episode was in emotional overdrive. Chuck and Ellie have a Mother’s Day tradition and he missed it, trying to help a Chinese agent defect and get her brother back. Aw. But he can’t tell Ellie where he goes, so he has to let her assume he’s ditched her to be with Sarah, which he has, but not in the way and for the reasons she thinks. A double life has its dark side, Bond.

The Heroes Garden of Good and Evil

So, to be honest, I was a little…disappointed in last night’s episode of Heroes. I still love, love, love the show, but I think last night was kind of phoned in as far as the writing was concerned.

That’s not to say that I was completely bored for an hour, though. The episode did raise some questions in my mind.

1. So Pa Parkman is the Nightmare Man, right? And Charles Deveaux had some power involving getting into people’s dreams, as evidenced by Peter’s flying dreams early in season one, always during visits with Mr. Deveaux. So, that said, are Parkman and Deveaux hero doppelgangers? If so, are there more?

2. Obviously Pa Parkman’s ability involves putting people into their worst nightmares. Matt in jail with his wife, realizing he abandoned her and their baby, thus becoming his dad; Nathan, seeing the city decimated after the explosion last November, after following his mother’s plan for him. Yipes. My big question, though, is what is Molly Walker’s worst nightmare? Other than seeing Sylar kill her parents, I mean. She’s like 10 years old, what could she possibly imagine worse than what she’s already seen?

3. Who is Elle’s dad? Company Bob, perhaps? Or, is there another Senior Hero in the picture and we just haven’t seen him yet? And, if it’s Company Bob, does he have a power?

4. When is Hiro coming backto the 21st century? I’m so over the tales of yore love story of Kensei and the Swordsmith’s Daughter. Find Doc Brown and get back to the future!

5. The absence of the Wonder Twins was greatly appreciated. However, we did see Niki/Jessica last night, which again, makes me wonder – is she a counterpart for the Wonder Twins? Maya can kill when faced with adversity and Alejandro can bring back life. Niki gave life to Micah and committed herself to preserve others from her twin, Jessica, who has extraordinary strength and can kill. It’s a stretch, but I’m just saying…

6. Still on the counterpart train of thought – Sylar and Peter. Sylar can see when others have powers, as his power was being able to see the “broken” in their brains, thus he stole their powers to use them for his own gain and evil plans. Peter, the empath, didn’t know who had powers, but automatically absorbs them anyway, to use them for good, selfless acts.

I could be way off base here, which wouldn’t be a big surprise. But, it’s some food for thought.

Matt’s Dad Can Beat Up Hiro’s Dad

Actually, he killed him, it’s likely.

Tonight, we learned the identity of the Boogey Man who’s been haunting the dreams of Molly Walker…and IT’S MATT’S DAD! Awesome. Completely awesome.

Can you believe it? It totally makes sense that Matt can read minds and works in law enfocement, since his dad is a dream-haunting crook. Opposites. Love it.

In other news, Claire sneaked out to have her date with West. But she’s told her dad that she’s on the cheerleading squad. He’s mad, but relieved it isn’t a boy. Oh, if he only knew…

Sylar met up with the Wonder Twins and he learned of their powers. Oops.

Micah rigged the TV so his cousin could watch a wrestling match on pay per view and his girl cousin used what she saw on TV in real life. She’s like a live-action version of Charlie; whatever she sees, she can do. Tomato rose, pole swirly kick thing. It’s pretty sweet.

Angela Petrelli confessed to killing Pa Nakamura just to protect the other heroes. And The Haitian paid a visit to the Bennets, with a lead on the other paintings. They’re in Odessa. Texas, that is.

Two Hot, Geeky Hours

I’d like to say that Zachary Levi, aka Chuck Bartkowski, is my new boyfriend. Even though it kills me a little bit that I’m older than he is (as seems to be the case with all of my fake boyfriends, *sigh*). He’s absolutely dreamy and perfect in the role.

Tonight’s Chuck featured Agents Vaughan and Bristow (not their characters’ names, but really, how Alias-like are they with all of their fun spy toys, I know!) putting Chuck together for his first real mission. Also included in said mission: a painting, some British spies and a heated tango. Seriously, if there’s one TV/movie fantasy sequence I would love to live out in real life, it’s the juxtaposed, allegorical tango. It’s used in some pretty random places, but it ALWAYS works. And, it’s ALWAYS hot.

Alas, if I could ever find a dance partner…

I digress. Anyway, there’s also a sub-story involving Chuck’s overly-involved sister (really, should I be this concerned with my brother and his goings on – perhaps, considering, but still) and his doofy buddy, Morgan being trapped in the repair cage all night. Oh, where’s R. Kelly to sing a song when you need him? Anyways, there’s a couple of fight scenes and a near-kiss (sadly, not between Chuck and I, but he and Sarah). It was a good hour of TV.

And then came Heroes…

Hiro is messing with the time/space continuum by sticking around in 17th century Japan for longer than necessary, just because he has the hots for the swordsmith’s daughter. Hiro, did you learn nothing from Marty McFly? Yeah.

Peter was shirtless again (be still, my heart) and with his new haircut, it’s almost impossible to pay attention to what happens when he’s on screen. He’s like a siren, but without the voice and crashing into rocks thing. Whatever, the end result (my demise, in this case, because I have no idea what’s going on), is the same. He saved the brother and sister from their traitor friend and so they gave him a tattoo and returned his box of Peter. The tattoo healed and he kissed the sister. That was a sad moment for me, to be honest.

In other news, Claire has incredible chemistry with her sort of stalkerish boyfriend, Wes. He can fly, btw. And now Claire knows, so it’s cute. Unfortunately, he was caught and tagged by Noah, her dad. Sad.

Speaking of Noah, he received Mohinder’s picture text of painting eight in the series of eight: his demise. And broken glasses. Aw. But maybe it’s like the Peter death painting, and he’s not really dead, just bleeding. Who knows.

Sylar ate Missy’s brain in a fit of psychotic frustration, only to find he can’t shape shift or create illusions, which only made him more angry and crazy. “Sylar” should become the new word for that whole other level of frustrated crazy.

There was some crap with the Wonder Twins being in a Mexican jail, but who cares? Also, Niki and Micah went to New Orleans so she could dump him with some grandmother. I guess DL’s great-grandmother, who knows. She reminds me of the blind garden lady in Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil. Except skinny and not blind. Whatever.

Next week, the boogeyman is back in Molly’s dreams. Eek.

Is That Smoke I Smell?

Like I said previously, Greg Grunberg’s either a liar, or he’s completely in the dark.

Photo originally from Just Jared.

Do It Now Or Wish You Had Later

Those words of wisdom brought to you by the trainer on the CMT reality show, I Want To Look Like A High School Cheerleader…Again.

A group of women (so far I’ve seen as young as 25 and as old as 42) who are overweight and out of shape are gathered at cheerleading/fat camp to learn how to eat properly and work out a lot. It’s Celebrity Fit Club without the celebrity and with the promise of a polyester dress at the end.

I stumbled across this while looking for something to watch on a Sunday afternoon. I don’t know when it normally airs, but it’s no worse than anything else on these days. It’s a 30-minute commercial for Under Armour.

The Prettiest Show On TV

I’ll admit, I feel like a lot of what Pushing Daisies (Wednesdays on ABC, 8pm) has to offer lies in the visual appeal. If you saw the movies, Big Fish or Amelie, then you know what this show looks like. It’s beautiful, whimsical and a little bit macabre.

But will it be interesting? Will it be worth an hour of my life?

Time will tell. But, if the premiere is any indication, this show will only fail in ratings because people are afraid of disappointment due to the hype surrounding it. It has solid writing, as well as some great actors playing quirky parts. It’s a clever show, narrated by a storyteller, unfolding like a fractured, modern-day fairytale.

Catch a re-cast of the series premiere tonight, 8pm eastern, on ABC.