Haven season one, so far by Heather M

When I decide to watch a new show, it’s usually a decision reached according to a few unwritten criteria:

• Is it shot in Canada – pretty much an automatic yes (closet Canadafanatic).
• Do I have a positive history with a writer/actor/producer – see above.
• Is it a medical drama – yeah, sorry, next.
• Is it supernatural-oriented – Sure, show me whatcha got.

Which brings us to Haven, the newest Syfy summer drama running on Fridays through September. It is:

• Shot in Nova Scotia, doubling as Maine.
• Features beaucoup talent with whom I’m friendly.
• Has a supernatural bent that’s weirdly warm and very welcome.

To catch you up, the story begins with FBI agent Audrey Parker venturing to Haven to fetch a suspect and falling into a series of flash storms that kill said suspect and open the door for her investigative talents to help find out who is behind them. While investigating, she is paired with the town’s (only?) detective, Nathan Wournos, a chap with his own special gift of not feeling pain, literally. Audrey slams his hand in the door of his truck and nets nary a wince.

As the case is wrapped, Audrey is shown a picture of a woman who visited Haven during “the Troubles” and is clearly her doppelganger. Her interest is piqued since she’s never met her birth parents and was raised in the group home system. Audrey trades her Feeb status for newest town detective and begins investigating her birthright while lending a hand to Nathan’s everyday caseload of the wacky.

Subsequent cases had a boy projecting butterflies and energy out of grief and guilt and musically-driven psychosis and anger-fueled food as weapons (really). The most recent outing involved the show’s third lead, a swarthy boat-captain/”importer” by the name of Duke Crocker, and inhabited by the dashing and ever-so-cheeky Eric Balfour. Duke found himself on the receiving end of a really bad one-night stand that sentenced him to rapid aging and certain death at the hands of a succubus who turned out to be the alternate identity of a straight-laced law pro. Duke was saved, and the succubus had to ride out her succubal mood swings chained to a lighthouse. Oh, and Duke’s progeny was handed off to a social worker because any physical contact with the child would kill him.

For starters, I love the show’s mood – visual and written. Shooting in Halifax, Nova Scotia (in lieu of Maine), it has the rainy secretive aura of X-Files as well as two other Canadian-filmed sci-fi series, Poltergeist the Legacy and Friday the 13th the Series, of which I was extraordinarily fond in the 90s. Neither was based on their namesake films and instead were about investigators/regular folks drawn to cases of the supernatural tied to phenomena and objects. Both shows could be out-there gross and weird but then dial back into a really sweet sensibility, and Haven does that too.

The initial 42 minutes of each episode can be sort of hard and violent and icky and then when they get around to the denouement, the person who caused the episode’s crisis du jour is always treated very respectfully and sweetly and usually sent on his/her way as long as they’ll steer clear of causing harm again. I love that. Everybody gets a second chance.

The majority of the screen time is garnered by Lucas Bryant (formerly a regular on SoapNet’s dishy M.V.P) as Nathan and Emily Rose as Audrey, with an assist from Balfour. Nathan is scarred by his own physical deformity as well as a previous encounter with “The Troubles,” a period of time tied to unusual events that hasn't been completely explained but seem to be returning. His history and animosity with Duke, who’s been a “friend” since childhood, isn’t entirely explained either, but Duke seems less inclined to maintain the war than Nathan, who feeds on it. Audrey is settling in with a little bit of Dr. Fleischman-meets-Cicely going on but on the whole she seems to embrace that staying in Haven is a means to accessing her identity and that goal supersedes all of the strangeness. She also has a knack for resolving the weird and unexplainable, so she’s pretty happy to stick around. There’s a nice camaraderie between Nathan and Audrey, and Duke definitely has more romantic intentions but she’s holding that at bay for now.

The guest cast have been some familiar Canadian faces. Nathan’s dad is the police chief and he’s played by Nicholas Campbell (see Davinci’s Inquest/City Hall and get back to me) and his genius is always welcome. No word yet on a second season, but I hope so. The show has a nice rhythm and energy that’s a relaxing tonic at the end of the week. 13 episodes have been ordered. Here’s hoping Syfy gives it a chance. You can catch up with the aired eps on Hulu and Syfy.com and catch the next new episode Friday at 9 pm Eastern.

Haven: Sketchy by Heather M

A lot is being written lately about watching TV online instead of on an actual television. I watch shows online fairly regularly, and for me, it’s always a much more intimate experience as a viewer because I’m sitting close to the screen, laptop on my lap. The only downside is that I like closed captioning. I’m a dialogue gal that way. And while some shows (thanks, Human Target!) are cc’d online, the vast majority are not, which sucks for folks who genuinely need the captions. I watched Haven on Hulu (without captions) this week and may take to rewatching episodes this way. It’s such a visually pretty show. This week’s Trouble du jour, not so much with the pretty.

The episode, funnily enough titled “Sketchy,” centers on folks of rather sketchy repute falling to harm in extremely violent ways. The first, a Wall Street investor, crumples up into a ball on a docked boat after all of his extremity bones break at 90-degree angles. The second victim, a shady real estate broker, is literally shredded. The third victim, Jimmy, isn’t sketchy, just wrong place, wrong time, and his facial features start to disappear while Audrey and Nathan interview him. Thankfully Eleanor knocks him out with a handy morphine drip while the investigation continues. It’s not long before Audrey and Nathan figure out that the injuries are the result of actions being performed on sketches of the men.

It turns out that Vicky, who works on the boat with Jimmy (her fiance) and her dad, Alec, is an artist. She realized her ability when Richards, the captain of the boat, crumpled a sketch and caused the death of the seal in the drawing. Alec is into Richards for gambling debts, so Richards has blackmailed Vicky into providing sketches of his business clients for leverage to collect other outstanding debts with the promise that he'll forgive Alec's debts, and then things get ugly. Richards kidnaps Alec, steals all of Vicky's sketches, and is essentially holding the whole town hostage via a sketch she did from an overlook.

Audrey wrangles Duke to help and he gets onto the boat under the guise of a wine deal, rescues Alec, and takes down Richards by punching his sketch (after handily picking the safe where the the drawings were stashed). Richards dies when a scuffle on the dock sends his sketch into the water and Nathan can’t retrieve it. Audrey gives the sketches to Eleanor for safe keeping and fiance Jimmy gets his features back.

On the domestic front, Jess comes to the station under the guise of reporting a prowler with ridiculous features and when Nathan completely misses that she’s hitting on him, Audrey very loudly clues him in. [Sidebar: Jess invites him to a venison dinner because she shot a deer and when Audrey calls her on that being opposite her philosophy toward the animals last week, she gets a quippy answer, so that's a character reversal.] Later, Jess helps on their case when they ask her to stand by with a tranquilizer gun during Jimmy's interview (before they have ID'd Vicky). When the interview goes south, Nathan balks at getting involved with her because it's too dangerous. After the case is wrapped up, he turns up at her door for a “security review” with a bottle of wine behind his back, although I couldn’t tell if it was one of the 68 Chateau Latours from Duke.

Duke and Audrey continue their banter, and at one point he slips a comment about Audrey being Haven’s finest ass (and Nathan, too but a different kind of ass) and I’m not totally clear on why she laughed vs. letting him have it. It came off sort of skeevy instead of teasing. At the end of the episode, Audrey hangs out at his restaurant draining martinis to thank him for his help, and the way Duke asks if they are happy martinis or sad martinis redeems the ass comment.

Audrey continues her bonding with Eleanor and expresses her exasperation with the Troubles and wanting to kick them in ass while also wanting to get the hell out of Haven but seemingly being unable to do either. She has a cute scene with Nathan when their investigation leads them to an art store where we found out Nathan’s into decoupage and Audrey profiles him that because he can’t feel, his sense of sight is stronger (after he explains what the decoupage does to enrich the colors of the images). We also get Audrey doing her best over-the-top bad cop when she tries to rile each suspect into a rage to trigger their suspected ability, which while funny, could have gone either way if she'd been successful.

In all, this was a solid outing but I sort of guessed at things as we went along even though I was unspoiled. I liked that the episode’s title was a double entendre but I think it also tipped the plot early. It did feel more on track with the actual timeline of the show, in terms of Audrey trying to navigate her partnership with Nathan and friendship with Eleanor, and whatever she has with Duke. I think if this show was on pay cable, she and Duke would be FWBs. I’m glad they’re not. I like that they haven’t really defined what the energy is there. I think Duke is a good guy trying to pass himself off as more bad ass than he actually is, which works.

There's another new episode this Friday (thank you, Syfy). You can watch this week’s episode again on Syfy during the week and now on Hulu or Syfy.com. Another bonus of watching online – you actually get to hear all of Shawn Pierce’s moody score over the end credits.

Haven: Ain't No Sunshine by Heather M

This week’s Haven, “Ain't No Sunshine” treads into territory previously charted by genre shows like The X-Files ("Soft Light") and Friday the 13th the Series ("Shadow Boxer"). A phantom shadow "dark man” is wreaking all manner of havoc on personnel associated with a clinic where an overwhelming number of cancer patients have died. The case itself is fairly straightforward – a doctor and nurse were conspiring to keep back cancer meds to resell them and pocket the profits. The survivors of the patients put that together, and the grieving husband of one of the victims finds that his shadow can skip out for killing sprees to avenge their deaths. The episode wraps up with the man confined alone to a darkened house. Not as tragic as it sounds because he’s blind.

The bigger story involves Jess and Nathan. Jess works at the clinic and puts herself in harm’s way when she noses around the home of the blind man, realizes his wife had too many leftover pills and pockets them to show Nathan, bringing the shadow after her. This is pretty inconvenient because she and Nathan have started dating in earnest. He’s hesitant to move the relationship forward, despite his outward interest, and Audrey finally goads a TMI confession out of him that he’s been abstinent since his condition developed so he doesn’t know whether he can actually have sex with Jess. Audrey tells him to share that with Jess, and through the power of red wine and Jess's insistence that he never look away from her, things look pretty promising until Audrey interrupts because the dark man has descended on the police station, trapping her with Vince and Dave.

After Jess is attacked (stabbed but surviving), she decides she can’t stay in Haven and goes home to Montreal. Nathan is upset but understanding. He and Audrey have a heart to heart about finally having a friend they can count on in each other. She’s been walled off because of her upbringing and the job; he’s been walled off because of his physical inability to feel. When Audrey sweetly kisses him on the cheek, he touches his face, stunned at the realization that he felt it against his skin. He’s sort of dumbstruck about it as he climbs in the truck beside Audrey, and she's oblivious because she’d already turned around to get in after she kissed him.

So, we have an interesting turn with Audrey and Nathan, but I don’t get a romance vibe there at all. I think we’re going to find out they’re related, perhaps even siblings, and that her return is driving the Troubles in the same way that her mother perhaps did (total conjecture/I’m spoiler-free). We haven’t really been told anything about Nathan’s mom, so there may be a tangent there, too. No Duke this week, which left more room for the Jess/Nathan arc. I was pleased and surprised they didn’t kill her, and that the door’s open for her to come back into Nathan’s life later. Solid effort all around

No episode this week. New episodes return on the 10th. You can catch up on Syfy.com and Hulu.com.

Snap Judgment_Haven by Claudia Charles

Although I'm not the biggest Eric Balfour fan, I decided to give Haven a shot. I do like that Nicole de Boer stars in the series. I haven’t seen her in too much since Star Trek Deep Space Nine and then in Stephen King's Dead Zone, USA Network's sci fi series also starring Anthony Michael Hall. The opening of the pilot episode seems a little dry to me. They're trying too hard to establish Emily Rose's heroine, Audrey Parker, as a sarcastic know-it-all. She's an FBI agent extraordinaire investigating the murder of a serial killer she's been tracking when she's paired with one of Haven's local police officers, Nathan Wuornos. Look for lots of clichéd references regarding the FBI versus the local LEOs. As for Balfour's introduction, they want his character (Duke Crocker) to be enigmatic, but unfortunately he lacks the presence to carry what could be an interesting role. The acting's so-so, although to be fair, the cast seems to be rather hemmed in by some stock dialogue. So the secret of Haven is that people have powers over the weather? Okay…

I will say that the last fifteen minutes of the episode improved. The mystery was introduced regarding an old picture of a woman who looks eerily like Audrey. Her doppelganger may be her mother, but Audrey has mentioned she's an orphan. I'm intrigued enough with this aspect that I'm willing to watch another episode. The jury's out on this series for me.

Haven: Fur by Heather M

So, full disclosure: I'm a vegan, and if I come across an episode of a show that I watch that’s going to veer into hurting or killing animals, I'm usually going to skip it and watch something else. Haven went there this week, but given what I wrote previously about its secret heart of gold, I didn't turn the episode off after it opened with a wolf attack and diverted to focus on a hunting party because I knew this show would not be all about that. And I was right (in a way/we'll get there).

The episode opens at the Haven Hunt Club, beneath a full moon as a man departs the club, gets in into his Cadillac and then notices the back window is smashed out. As he turns toward the backseat to protest, a wolf lunges at him and he screams. The next morning out on Main Street, a woman is straddling Audrey’s hood and scrawling “NO PARKING” on her windshield in what looks like lipstick. Audrey approaches, hollering, and the woman climbs off and explains that cars in that spot block the view and caused a pedestrian to be hit years earlier. Audrey asks why there's no sign, and the woman, Eleanor, just points at her handiwork on the windshield and says that the summer people need to learn. She then chastises Audrey for her choice of patisserie, Larissa's, telling her she should have gone to Rosemary’s. Audrey cuts her off when her phone rings and then asks where to find the Haven Hunt Club.

Audrey arrives at the club to survey what's left of the car's owner, TR Holt, and she and Nathan banter about werewolves and full moons. Nathan says he's not a club member because he doesn't kill animals for fun (you go!). The Chief arrives, blustering about forming a hunting party to track the wolf. Nathan asks the Chief to give them a day to find other leads and he grudgingly agrees. One of the men at the club clues the team in that Holt was arguing with another club member, Donnelly, and that a third man, Landon, got caught in the crossfire of a near miss out in the woods the week prior. Audrey goes to talk to Landon but has to best him at skeet shooting first (which she does easily) and he tells her he thinks the shooting in the woods was an accident but it did scare him.

At the precinct, the paper boys, Dave and Vince, ware waiting, and Audrey says she wants to ask them some questions off the record. They say there was probably a woman involved. They bring up Jess Minion, who owns the 90-acre spread adjacent to the Club and has been pronounced a witch because she won't allow them to hunt on her land. They also suggest that Donnelly’s wife may have been dallying with Holt.

Later that night, Donnelly is attacked in his home, also by a wolf. The next morning, his widow says they've been hexed by Jess and points out a symbol on her property. Nathan and Audrey go speak to Jess and there's a flirty interplay between Nathan and her which Audrey catches immediately. The French-Canadian Jess, who spent childhood summers in Haven and inherited the land from her grandmother, insists she’s not a witch. She says the symbol is Micmac for forgiveness and shows them the graves of the animals she's buried on her land who were left for dead by hunters. She sees the animals’ retaliation as justice. Before they leave, Jess tells Nathan his inability to physically feel pain isn't a shortcoming but is instead a kind of magic. He ponders that as they go.

The hunting party convenes at the club and Landon is called away by his mother, Piper, ostensibly because his son was concerned. Audrey, Nathan, the Sheriff and Dave don’t find much of anything and makes their way onto Jess’s land, to which Nathan objects, and he intervenes when his dad nearly shoots Jess’s dog, who he’s mistaken for a wolf. The misfired shot brings out another problem, though, as the foursome are attacked by a moose. Nathan and Audrey unload shotgun shells at him and when he collapses to the ground, they find he's full of rags and sand.

They go back to speak with Jess and she again insists that she's not behind it, and she comes clean that the tribal magical symbols she scrawled were gleaned from Wikipedia. She says she has no powers (except maybe over Nathan...). Back at the club, Audrey and Nathan find blood on the teeth of one of the stuffed wolves and piece together with Eleanor's "autopsy" that reveals a severed finger in the belly of the wolf, that that the attacking animals are from the club's trophy room and are returning to life to avenge their deaths by killing their killers (Sweet!). Before they can get too happy about that, Nathan says they need to find the bear who's no longer in the trophy room.

Over at Dave and Vince's, Dave is napping on the porch from his near-moosing when he hears growling that he assumes is Vince in need of a Benadryl. The bear takes off after both of them and Audrey and Nathan arrive in time to rescue them. When they sort through what's left of the bear, they find a tag that had been on all the other animals, indicating Landon was the taxidermist, so they head off to see him. He's in the back of his shop cleaning up the mess from an animal attack and as they start to interview him, Piper comes in wielding scissors and telling Landon to get to the car. Audrey and Nathan are confused about why she's on the offensive and when she lunges at Nathan with the scissors, he deflects the blow back to Landon, whose arm is gashed, revealing that he's not a real boy. He too is stuffed. He didn't know, and he bolts.

While Piper, Audrey, and Nate head to the club in pursuit of Landon, Piper sort of nebulously explains that she brought Landon back to life when she found him after the fire that killed his wife (we're to assume he was not burned, I guess) and that she'd always been told to be careful about her "gift." She says she can feel the animals coming back to life. At the club, Landon is storming the trophy room with an axe as the trio arrive, and as Nathan pulls Landon out, Piper slips into the room, locking the door and saying it’s the only way to stop the animals, who immediately begin waking up. A wolf lunges at her and she falls as Landon swings his axe at the door trying to get to her.

Later, we just see a partial view of her behind the couch. Later, Audrey and Nathan talk to Landon and Nathan repeats what Jess said to him that his condition is magical and doesn't make him any less of a man or a father. Landon leaves, bolstered, with his son. Audrey asks Nathan if he believes that and he says not really and Audrey gently tells him it made a difference to Landon.

Nathan goes to see Jess to apologize to her and invites her to breakfast. At the precinct, Audrey is going over her report when Eleanor comes back in and they discuss that Piper, too, was stuffed. Audrey can't bring herself to write that down because it perpetuates the "Troubles," and she’s afraid if Landon knew, he might one day stuff his son should something befall him. Eleanor says they can only do what they can do. Before she leaves, she tells Audrey she’ll help her find her mom and pronounces her one of them, before leaving her with a pastry from Rosemary's.

Overall thoughts:

• A couple of firsts in this episode – no Duke (booo) and the owner of the condition that led to the episode's "Troubles" didn’t survive the episode.
• I was grateful we had implied gore but no actual gore with the critters. Not a fan of stuffed things on walls - I liked Audrey's nervousness as she went through the lodge, a little wary of being devoured by the room.
• Without getting onto a soapbox about it, I was completely down with the animals having their individual vengeance on the hunters who had killed them.
• I like that Audrey is being accepted as a local and that somebody wants to help her learn more about her mom.
• I wasn’t really feeling the vibe that was supposed to be happening between Nathan and Jess but I’m OK with them giving him a love interest.
• I enjoy that Dave and Vince are the insiders and will gleefully go off the record when Audrey has questions.
• Some of the frustrations expressed by Nathan and Audrey made this feel like it should have been a later episode. If he's been itching about his condition with the resurgence of the "Troubles" and she's been itching about her inability to fit in (i.e. choosing the wrong pastries), I’d missed that or it had been very subtle.

The episode repeats throughout the week and is available now on Hulu and Syfy.com.

The Summer 7: My Favorite Shows of Summer 2010 by Heather M

Fall arrives this week, so it’s a good time to recap the summer TV season. This summer, I resumed some longstanding favorites and picked up a few newbies. I also divorced a couple of shows – I didn’t go back to Army Wives when they dispatched all the spouses back into action and I decided to skip True Blood because I was burned out after the Maryann takeover last year. I did follow it via recaps and nothing I read made me wish I’d was watching it. So long, TB. In no particular order, these were my DVR/appointment shows for summer 2010:

1. Eureka, Syfy
I’ve covered the fourth season for the blog, and it bears repeating that this was the show’s strongest season since its first. With a time travel bent influencing the action, everybody came back better and happier. The show is coming back to resume season four early next year and then we get season five. You can watch the last few episodes at syfy.com.

2. Haven, Syfy
This quirky noirish drama could have been over-the-top like Happy Town but it instead fell somewhere squarely in the middle of Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure (two shows I loved back in the day), setting a fish-out-of-water tale of FBI agent Audrey Parker in a picturesque town with more than one secret. We don’t know yet whether they’re coming back. I hope so—I like this cast a lot. Syfy Rewind has the episodes posted the day after they air.

3. My Boys, TBS
Just unceremoniously dumped after the conclusion of its fourth season (after being off the air a ridiculous 13 months between seasons), this gem rebounded from the departure of Jim Gaffigan with a new dynamic that brought PJ’s sole gal pal, Stephanie, fully into the fold. The seasons were always too short, and now, the series officially was, too. I have no doubt all of these folks will land other gigs, but I’m highly annoyed at the way they, and the fans, were treated (and that NBC torpedoed Jordana Spiro and Kyle Howard’s second-position jobs on its network because a decision hadn’t been made on My Boys yet). You can catch the last few episodes online.

4. The Gates, ABC
The absolute definition of a guilty pleasure, this delightfully trashy supernatural melodrama mixes sex, intrigue, vampires, werewolves, witches, and succubi, oh my! And it’s been fabulous. I knew a lot of this cast from other work, but several are new to me. Some of the arcs were a little heavy handed and eyerolly, but I actually came to give a damn about the adoptive vampire parents who worried they’d be outed and the whole alpha female dynamic. A big thumbs up to ABC that they have actually aired all of the episodes. It wraps on Sunday with a two-hour finale. You can catch the last five episodes on Hulu. No news on a renewal yet. The other awesome thing? They shot it in a well-to-do enclave in Shreveport, Louisiana of all places. Woo hoo Louisiana revenue!

5. Movies of the week, Lifetime/LMN/Hallmark Channel
Guilty pleasure #2. Once the domain of the "big" networks to keep their lead actors employed during the hiatuses, movies of the week have become the bread and butter of basic cable. Cast with a variety of familiar faces (many of them doubly so to genre and sci-fi fans) like Julie Benz, Emma Caulfield, Leslie Hope, Natasha Henstridge, Gabrielle Anwar, Charisma Carpenter, and Dina Myer, etc., they're usually paint-by-numbers feel-good or gal/guy-in-peril stories. Mostly female-driven, the movies' recognizable leads are backed a host of (often Canadian) HITGs. I dig the MOWs because I usually can six-degrees-of half the folks in them and because the (also mostly) Canadian locations (usually Vancouver/Montreal/Calgary) are a vicarious travelogue. I’m apparently not alone—Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network debut at least two original movies a month, sometimes one a week, (usually on Saturday or Sunday evenings) and Hallmark Movie Channel usually has at least one new film a month. Once aired, they then get added to the networks’ already robust MOW libraries, where they run year-round, and their DVD library (yes, people pay for them). You can also see the Lifetime flicks online.

6. Covert Affairs, USA
Y’all know how I feel about Chris Gorham. The real surprise in this spy yarn from USA is that Piper Perabo can do light and funny and kickass and serious all at the same time. I haven't seen more than ten minutes of Coyote Ugly, so I only knew her from farce work (Slap Her…She’s French), romcoms (Imagine Me and You/Because I Said So) and a heartbreaking coming of age film (Lost & Delirious). She’s also done her share of accents, so I was pleased to see her rock her mother tongue. The only downside—a ridiculously overlong hiatus until season two, slated for next summer. USA seemed to have gotten with it, shortening the hiatuses of their other shows, so I don’t get the slow drag to a second season for their newest hit, especially when the first season ended the only way it could have (I think). Catch up with the season via the full episodes at USA's website.

7. Warehouse 13, Syfy
An amalgam of funny, sweet, sci-fi, and rat-a-tat-tat line delivery between its Tracey and Hepburn leads made Warehouse 13 a surprising hit for Syfy, and in a lovely bit of karma, a long overdue one for series stars Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly, and especially Saul Rubinek. McClintock was sort of in Clooney territory with a large collection of unsuccessful pilots and one-season wonders. Until now. What could have been an X-Files rip with male and female federal agents has evolved into a much more familial ensemble venture. The show gives as much weight to its two leads as it does Artie, Claudia (a very smart addition in season two), and a parade of rotating guest stars. They’re finishing season two Tuesday night (after an all-day season two marathon) and will be back for a third season in the spring.

And that’s a wrap on summer. Come see us at TV Goodness, where we’re reviewing the new and returning fall shows, and where I’ll be reviewing Haven until its season concludes in early October. Thanks so much for reading!

So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 8 Perform by Kara Howland

Alex has to sit out the competition this week, Season 5’s Katie makes a surprise appearance, and NappyTabs continue their winning streak.

But first, Cat. She looks kind of rock n roll tonight and I approve. I like what she’s doing with metallics this season.

Alex got hurt in rehearsals yesterday so he can’t perform tonight. What happens next? Nigel says it depends on what the doctors say. They think it’s a ruptured Achilles tendon, which is very serious. With the new rules this year Alex will automatically be placed in the bottom three and if he can’t perform next week he’s out. Wow. I hope his Achilles is ok. I’m not ready to see Alex go home and I’m sure there are people out there who think he can win it all if he’s healthy.

All-star partnerships
Lauren
All-star partner: Pasha
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Cha Cha
Rehearsal: Lauren doesn’t know much about Cha Cha except that it’s supposed to be hot. There’s some move they do called the hairdresser.
Telephone / Lady Gaga & Beyonce
Performance: Lauren is actually looking sexy. Great partner work. She’s got nice connection with Pasha, who is amazing as usual in this style. Great levels. I liked that there was some stuff on the floor and some stuff in the air. Nice start to the program.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says Lauren has matured in her performance. She’s got another weapon in her arsenal. Mia calls it pure muderation. So hot, perfect. Adam wants to swear but doesn’t. Lauren’s sharp, specific, strong, smoldering.
Further comment: I loved everything the judge’s said but I’d like Nigel to come off as less of a dirty old man in the future. There is no question that Lauren is an amazing technical dancer. While I don’t know enough about the Cha Cha to speak to that, I did think her performance level was much improved from last week and it’s hard not to be sexy and connected with Pasha.

Jose
All-star partner: Lauren
Mandy Moore / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s a dance about soul mates, about people who have to be together. Lauren’s not sure Jose’s been this intimate in his dancing.
Never Tear Us Apart / Inxs
Performance: I like how physically connected they are at the beginning. Jose shows some decent technique. He’s being a very strong partner for Lauren in all the lifts. Great connection.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says Jose looked amazing after Jose says it was amazing dancing with Lauren. He’s there for Lauren throughout the routine. He’s pushing himself. He brings the joy of dancing to the stage. Mia wants to be more like Jose. He lacks ego. He has an open heart and purity. His spirit dances and his body follows. She believed every step Jose took. Smartly choreographed. Adam says Mandy played to Jose’s strengths: passion, commitment, uninhibited spirit. He is a special performer and he’s growing technically.
Further comment: I think I’ll agree with Nigel here and say I was amazed. I watched a lot of the performance without typing, which is always good. I would have liked to see a little more technical ability but I do think Jose is exactly what this show is about. I can see him getting better and it’s a joy to watch.

Kent
All-star partner: Comfort
Dave Scott / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: Dave wants Kent to be super cool. Kent gets the beat but he’s scared. Dave wants to get Kent’s face to do what he’s body is doing.
You’re Not My Girl / Ryan Leslie
Performance: I’d say what Kent is doing right now is a Jazz-flavored Hip Hop. I don’t hate it. He’s got some soul. I’m smiling. I can’t help myself. Comfort is the perfect partner for this piece. I’m seeing nice moves from them both.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks the routine is terrific. It was a “soft” hop not a hip-hop. Dave found a great style for Kent. He didn’t overact it, sat in the groove. Comfort’s grown as well. Mia isn’t mad at him at all. There’s a cool factor, it worked but it’s lacking a little in groove factor. Adam says he was really good. He sees growth this week. Kent embraced small.
Further comment: I’d like Kent to talk less during his critiques but I do agree with the judges. I liked him a lot this week. I guess I can understand Kent’s mass appeal to tweens and teens but I’m more interested in his technique, which was great. Dave Scott really knows how to choreograph for the dancers he gets.

Adechike
All-star partner: Courtney
Mandy Moore / Jazz
Rehearsal: It’s set around closing time at a bar. Courtney is a woman on the prowl. Adechike is available. Courtney thinks Adechike is enjoying this just a little too much.
Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby? (Rae & Christian Remix) / Dinah Washington
Performance: Really fun. Courtney is amazing and Adechike is playing so nicely off her energy. This is very different Jazz then we’re used to seeing and I’m enjoying it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks it’s a good routine, well choreographed. Last week Adechike gave us a good character. This week, he came up to the task. It’s the best he’s seen Adechike out of his own style. Mia totally disagrees with Nigel. Feels like Adechike relied on his personality too much. The dancing, the ability, the style was so not there. Very mediocre for her. Adam didn’t think he found enough performance. Adechike needs to get lost in the music. He needs to find a deeper connection with his partner and find a new character every week.
Further comment: Wow, Nigel is very vocal this week. Adam and Mia weren’t so keen on the performance but Nigel was. I, too, would have liked to see more dancing like Adechike and Courtney did away from the bar. Sometimes a prop or set piece can really throw a routine off and perhaps the bar did that tonight for Adechike. I didn’t love it but it wasn’t a donut hole for me.

Billy
All-star partner: Allison, then Katie
Spencer Liff / Broadway
Rehearsal: Billy and Allison are burglars who are making their escape. It’s very athletic. Allison has an older injury that flares up so Katie steps in as his all-star. Nice. I was wondering what she’s been up to.
Macavity: The Mystery Cat / CATS (original Broadway cast)
Performance: I already love it. It’s quirky and fun. I’m not seeing the athleticism – I thought there would be more jumping and diving and flips – was promised but I’m really enjoying it. Billy’s getting into the character and being amazing as usual. Highly enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says this is the best he’s ever seen Billy dance outside of his solos. Spencer’s choreography has given him a style that sits on him beautifully. Mia calls him fabulicious. It’s the best she’s seen him. Billy was sharp and smart. Jerome Robbins would have loved him. Adam says he’s never connected with a partner so well. Everybody drank performance juice and sexy juice this week. Billy drew him in.
Further comment: Another great choreographer joins the ranks. I was surprised by how much I liked this and like Adam I really enjoyed the small moments. Billy has a great connection with Katie and it should keep him out of the bottom this week. For whatever reason, Spencer did tap into something in Billy that made him even better than usual this week. And what’s not to love about Katie? She’s an amazing partner and really helped Billy come out of himself this week.

Ashley
All-star partner: Dominic
Tabitha & Napoleon / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: They are ninja assassins. They’re trying to take each other out.
How Low / Ludacris
Performance: Ashley is totally surprising me. I’m loving her. Wow, she can hit it hard. It’s fun too. Great interactions with Dominic. That was kinda awesome. Ashley is buck this week.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel does love her. This was Ashley’s opportunity to show us she can do something other than contemporary and she can. He wanted to see her take a firmer base. Loved it. Mia thinks Ashley danced it so hardcore. There’s no kill in her eyes though. Adam thinks she’s a quiet contender. She just took another step forward. This was a big deal. Didn’t expect her to hit it hard or embrace this character.
Further comment: I watched it twice and I might watch it again. That’s how much I liked it. NappyTabs has really impressed me the past two weeks. They are really stepping up their game. I didn’t expect this from Ashley and she amazed and impressed me this week. I’m not sure I had an opinion of her at the beginning of this competition, but she’s just put the rest of the dancers on notice.

Robert
All-star partner: Kathryn
Sean Cheesman / Jazz
Rehearsal: They’re living dolls that come to life and go on an adventure. They have to break out of their shells.
Sinking Feeling / Roisin Murphy
Performance: It’s totally weird but I’m liking it. I like when we don’t see the same thing every week. Oh, no. They got a bit off in their timing and couldn’t make one of the tricks work. I think there are too many tricks in their piece. I think they gave it a good try but I didn’t love it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel loves the concept. It’s fun, terrific for the show but it didn’t get time to develop once they were out of the box. Terrific. Will keep his fingers crossed. Mia says Robert is one of the hardest workers. Movement inside the box was everything. Feels like it was tailored to Robert. Could have been tightened up a little. Adam thinks Robert is so great. He’s so dedicated and committed.
Further comment: I, too, love Robert but I just didn’t love this piece. I don’t think I got it. I hope Robert doesn’t end up in the bottom again but I think he will. I don’t know who is saying he’s arrogant, but Robert has never come across that way to me. He’s such a skilled technical dancer. He could tone down on the faces a bit, but I’m a huge fan.

Competitor partnerships
Alex and Adechike
Nakul Dev Mahajan / Bollywood
Rehearsal: Two guys who are doing a devotional dance to a God. It’s very fast. It’s like Bollywood bootcamp. Nakul’s assistant Maha will step in for Alex tonight.
Mourya Re / Don The Chase Begins Again (soundtrack)
Performance: Wow. It is fast. Adechike looks like he’s having a lot of fun though. Great technique, it looks like. And it gets faster. Wow.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel wants Adechike to be careful about putting his character into it. Stick to the specific style. Lacking in sharpness. Loved the jumps at the end. This let Adechike down a little this week. Mia tells Adechike his focus needs to be in one place. It seemed a little African. She misses Alex right now. Adam tells Adechike he has an enormous amount of power. He lacked finish to his lines.
Adam wants him to keep going. Nigel points out that the judges are attempting to improve the dancers. It’s about a journey.
Further comment: I love that Cat played devil’s advocate and pointed out that when Jose put this own little twist on Bollywood, the judges loved it. The audience and even Nakul seems to like what Adechike did with the piece. I liked his exuberance. I liked that this is a fast piece and he seemed to be keeping up.

Lauren and Kent
Travis Wall / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about two people after prom who are saying good-bye even though they know they’ll be drawn together again. Kent thinks Lauren is cute so it won’t be hard to crush on her.
Collide (Acoustic Version) / Howie Day
Performance: I love Travis, as you may be aware. Great tricks. I want Kent to be more present in his dancing though. He looks like he’s just setting up for the next thing. Lauren’s great in this. Nice partner connection. Very nice technique. There’s some stuff here we haven’t seen before.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks that proved 3 things: what a good contemporary dancer Lauren is, what a good contemporary dancer Kent is, what a good contemporary choreographer Travis is. Lauren is a very strong dancer. He’s always looking for the heart in her. He felt it tonight. Kent is such a hard worker. All his hard work will pay off. They are the ultimate in male and female dancers. Mia calls the piece stunning, gorgeous. The connection is there. Lauren is the perfect female dancer. There’s the athlete, the technique, and the soul. Beautiful work by Kent. Adam sums it up in saying he feels embarrassed because it felt so honest. It felt too intimate, which is a really good thing. Embodies everything it’s supposed to be about.
Further comment: Since Travis’s Jazz misstep (debacle seems too harsh), I was really worried he was being punished. It was a ridiculous fear as it turns out, but there it is. Travis is a brilliant contemporary choreographer. I still think Kent was all about the set ups and not so much about the connection but he was there for Lauren and their moment at the end was very nice.

Robert and Ashley
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Quickstep
Rehearsal: It’s about a powerful man and a woman who wants to take that power. It’s a dance with a lot of rules. You can’t fake it.
Man With the Hex / The Atomic Fireballs
Performance: I like the beginning but that’s only because it’s not the Quickstep. I fear for them. From what I can tell, they are doing a decent job with this style. Not great. There are form breaks and I think Robert’s frame is weak. They’re going for it though. I didn’t hate it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says this is tough. It’s the dance of death. Robert had more close hold than anyone else on the show previously. The hydraulic system of the dance is too jumpy. Robert’s shape isn’t quite right. The character is and the dance is. Ashley looks like she was enjoying it. Mia says they got through it and it wasn’t a train wreck. The music was fighting it for her. Robert’s legs were too far apart. It was a bad kiss instead of the kiss of death. Adam thinks they were totally committed. Served each other beautifully.
Further comment: It was a bit awkward for me but not a disaster. I also found the music distracting but I can't blame the dancers for that. I’m glad they got decent critiques. I’m trying to remember even one dancer from any season that has performed this well who wasn’t a ballroom dancer…and I’m coming up blank.

Jose and Billy
Sean Cheesman / African Jazz
Rehearsal: The story is about the hunter (Jose) and it’s prey (Billy). It’s fast and aggressive.
The Hunt / Mickey Hart
Performance: I like these characters. Billy is amazing as the jaguar. Nice partner tricks. I’m seeing too much b-boying from Jose. I want more Jazz from him. Billy is killing this for me. The jaguar won this battle.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel loves the concept. Billy has played a cat twice tonight. It felt like a Broadway cat instead of a feral, powerful animal. He’s disappointed in that. Jose isn’t powerful enough. The choreography is there. Mia loved Billy. She’s not sure he’s a jaguar but she loved it. He’s a true animal. Billy is amazing. There are moments where Billy lost optimal physicality though. Jose goes for it but it isn’t enough. This is his weakest performance. He attacked it. Adam tells Billy there’s a moment he has to let go of his lines. He wants to see Jose jump higher and get down lower. Hit it harder.
Further comment: I agree with the judges for the most part. I don’t think Billy was a Broadway cat. I thought he really got down into it and showed us something new. Jose was just ok for me. I wanted to see his technique here and he didn’t show it to us.

The top 8 are making it harder and harder for me to decide whom to vote for. I know Alex is safe no matter what – unless he can’t dance next week – which makes me breathe a sigh of relief. I think Robert should be worried. Based on the judge’s critiques, I would say Adechike should be worried but I don’t think he’ll end up in the bottom. I’d be surprised to see Jose in the bottom but I do think he belongs there. I hope neither of the girls makes an appearance in the bottom three but even if they do I know the judges will get rid of a guy this week. It’s time.

What did you think? What was your favorite performance of the night?

True Blood: I Got a Right to Sing the Blues by Tina Charles

I'm kind of exhausted after watching "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" but in a good way. The episode is fast-paced, has a lot of action and while I'm not into everything that happened it entertains from beginning to end. Tara gets to be so badass I practically screamed "it's about time!" Her character has drifted into the unlikable territory so when she manages to escape Franklin's clutches (more on that awesomeness later) and grab Sookie, I'm quickly loving the character again. We finally get to see more of Lafayette & Jesus although things predictably don't go smoothly. "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" isn't only a great episode title, I think it's something every character in Bon Temps has the urge to shout from time to time. And is anyone enjoying the abundance of red-headed females on this show? Jessica, Arlene and a very strawberry-blonde Queen Sophie-Anne give red-heads a good name.

During the full hour of TV goodness, I asked a lot of questions:

What is Sookie?

Sookie's origin is one of this season's biggest questions. She had to get her abilities from somewhere. We learn that her grandfather also had mysterious powers. Once Sookie's dragged back to Russell's manse, Mississippi's Vampire King tries to find out the waitress' story. There's a real nice scene where they're asking each other questions. They're both being kind of bratty about it. Russell dishes some dirt on Sookie's former BF. He tells her Bill has been keeping a secret file on her and her family and he hands it over. Wonder if she'll confront her ex about the file? Sookie's interrogation yields more and more info about vampires. The girl is gaining a lot of knowledge about both the vampire and werewolf cultures. I'm curious to know what Sookie's deal is. Again, I have not read the books so I seriously have no idea what she really is.

How badass is Tara in this episode?

I've already admired the winning ways of badass Tara, but let's break this down. I think Rutina Wesley did an awesome job trying to clumsily seduce Franklin. She works on getting him to if not trust her, at least untie her. Tara's had it bad this season. She hasn't really even had the chance to mourn Eggs properly before she becomes the obsession of an evil vamp who likes to tie her up and wants to marry her. But her attempts at seduction are at first humorous and quickly turn nasty. When Franklin encourages her to drink his blood, she starts gnawing on him big and bad and he's just getting off on it. Such a gross scene! And then when he's asleep she grabs a weapon and bashes his head in over and over. At which point I wanted to scream at Tara that she was going to have to do better than that. But it worked for the time being. Then she scams her way past a werewolf thug played by Don Swayze (Gus) and convinces Sookie to get the hell out of dodge. After she and Sookie take care of Gus in bold fashion, Tara runs out of the house and into Alcide who's there to help. Sookie goes after Bill.

What's up with Sam's family?

Okay, I have a confession. Sam's probably one of my favorite characters on this show but I'm not totally feeling his Season 3 storyline with his horribly dysfunctional clan. We know they have a big secret, something Joe Lee has been exploiting, which could be anything considering mom and son are shapeshifters. Turns out it could be some sort of dog fighting ring. Very Michael Vick, if you will. I'm kind of anxious to find out what this dog fighting business entails. It can't be good. Melinda seems to be showing her true colors. Was it Sam's adopted family that said his biological clan weren't good people? I can't remember. But his parents are not. They're devious and don't seem to care about anything but themselves and their secret. Melinda as much says Sam's only blood, not family. So I'm rooting for Sam to save Tommy for sure. I'm also worried about him tackling the world of dog fighting since the dog he shifts into seems pretty tame.

How is Eric going to make things up to Sookie?

He's a vampire, he doesn't have to make anything up to Sookie, but for a Sookie/Eric shipper like me (to be fair I'm also a Sookie/Alcide shipper and occasionally a Sookie/Bill shipper) I want him to help Sookie, not hurt her. But I get it. Russell killed his family, he needs to work the revenge angle right now. That Eric is good however. He really makes it seem like he's a true blue Russell follower. I love the way Eric flirts with everyone. He knows what he's got and he flaunts it. He's the most flirtatious character on the show, even more than Lafayette. And I for one love it. I also like the fact he turned on Queen Sophie-Anne. In the back of his mind he's also thinking about Pam, who we don't see for the second episode in a row. Poor Pam, she's off being tortured while Russell makes Eric take care of the Queen with him. Russell blackmails the Queen into marrying him. He's gaining more power with Eric on as muscle.

How much do I love Lafayette & Jesus?

These two are a pretty sexy pair but the road isn't going to be easy. They flirt at Merlotte's; they kiss in the car and then again at Lafayette's place. But once those bullies (from a previous episode) arrive and start bashing his car things go wrong. Jesus finds out Lafayette's a drug dealer and specifically that he deals V. Jesus wants to go home. It's cold shower time for all involved. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next for the budding couple.

What's my problem with Jason?

Much like Sam's family, I haven't been feeling Jason this season especially his attempts at blackmailing his way onto the Bon Temps PD and his inability to let go of his golden years (although this is pretty realistic). I will say that his "what am I doing with my life and what purpose do I serve" mentality is definitely something everyone can relate to but the way he's gone about things has almost ruined his character for me a little bit. In "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" he's making out with the mysterious but aggressive Crystal. She definitely has a big secret (I read the spoiler) and it turns out she also has a fiance. But just when I'm about to write off Jason, he says this line that makes him seem extremely vulnerable and then I fall in love with him all over again. He asks her not to break his heart. She ends up getting scared and leaves and then later when he shows up at her place she pretends not to know who he is. I don't blame her since she's standing next to her fiance (is he the guy that was wailing on Lafayette's car?). Jason takes out his frustrations on that stupid high school athelete that's the next big thing. Something's gotta be up with this kid. Wonder when we're going to find out.


Why are we plagued with the being known as Lorena?

I'm trying to love to hate Lorena but I just can't. I'm not buying the character at all. I get it, she made Bill, she's into him. She's insulted he feels nothing for her now. But even though Lorena and Bill are at odds, I'd like to feel that there was once a connection between these two. I'd like to feel like I get why those two were once wreaking havoc on the world together. But I feel nothing when Lorena's on except some contempt. So Bill's maker's told to kill Bill and she starts doing so in such a slow drawn-out manner. She hates that Bill feels nothing towards her. She cries rivers of blood while she's slicing and dicing him. Unfortunately once Sookie finds Bill, Lorena sees the opportunity to get rid of her competition and slams Sookie against the wall and proceeds to bite her and drink her blood. Sookie's in a world of hurt as we see in the previews for next week. If it's even possible, the previews for next week look even more awesome than when I watched the ones for this week.

Random Thoughts

• Russell is seeking world vampire domination. So over-the-top but I'm totally on board with his lofty goals.
• Talbot definitely let us see him sweat when he went off on his VBF (vampire boyfriend) for never taking him anywhere. Together for eons, Talbot is feeling neglected. Go Talbot.
• Where in the world was Alcide? I don't like that we didn't see him the entire episode until the end. But once we do see Alcide, we see a lot of him. I'm not going to complain about that.
• Jessica's continuing to entertain me. Using her bliss to get all the customers to stiff Arlene on tips is genius. And then she got brutal when she drank the blood of the annoying customer. It was creepy and awesome at the same time. Love that Arlene's kind of scared of her too.
  
• We find out more about Jesus. He tells Lafayette he doesn't know his father. In fact his mom was raped and then he was born. So much like Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, Jesus is the product of rape.
• Love this Russell line: "There's a fine line between feisty and delusional and you're in no place to bargain."
• Does Russell realize he killed Eric's family? Or is that just a fact you forget after killing a lot of people?
  
• The Queen likes to scratch and win. Love that she plays the lottery.

Drop Dead Diva: Back From the Dead by Kara Howland

Ok, I have to admit something. Last week’s preview of tonight’s show scared me. I didn’t want to believe Tony was a cheater. I know, I know he and Jane are taking things slow and of course they haven’t had the “exclusive” talk yet. But, still. Tony just didn’t seem like the type of person to do that to Jane. So imagine my surprise – and relief – when the situation turned out to be a lot more innocent than it seemed. And a lot more serious. I can’t believe this is the end of Tony and Jane!

So, just who is Tony’s sexy mystery date at the restaurant and why isn’t he returning Jane’s calls? I love how Jane compares her dating life now with her dating life as Deb but I’m not sure it’s an accurate comparison. Every woman I know – fat, skinny, ugly, pretty – has waited by the phone for a guy to call or been stood up. I think it’s interesting that Deb never seemed to go through any of the trouble us regular girls do. So, maybe it really is a good thing she’s come back in Jane’s body to see what it is to struggle and second guess yourself. We all go through moments of self-doubt and confusion and Jane certainly does after she sees Deb randomly pop up a few times.

It turns out that Deb’s birthday is right around the corner and Jane forgot about it. She wants to celebrate it with her bestie, but Stacy already has plans. Grayson has invited a small group of her closest friends to celebrate Jane’s life. They’re moving on even though their lives are a little less sparkly. It’s a very touching gesture and just proves again how thoughtful Grayson is. Speaking of which, I don’t feel like we’ve been seeing enough of Grayson lately. I want more! Don’t you?

I do appreciate that we see a little more of Parker this week. When he sees Kim is taking on a new client, who also happens to be his “invisible wingman,” Parker is more than happy to sit in on that meeting. When it turns out that Jonathan Noble is just the penname for Susan Sembly they are both surprised. It turns out Susan could make more money, get more assignments, and have more respect as a guy. She paid an actor for his headshot and now he’s taken over the character. He’s even gone so far as to legally change his name. With this guy threatening her livelihood, Susan outs herself on Jonathan’s blog. And it turns out her higher ups are delighted because the reader response has been great. But I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Susan. She would be such a great challenge – and foil – for Parker.

Before I get to Jane’s case-of-the-week let’s briefly catch up with Kim. I really enjoy her adversarial relationship with Fred this week. We all know Fred needs a job and when Kim mistakenly assumes he’s her new temp, she really puts him through the ringer. She throws new assignments at him left and right and tries to trick him. But as Fred’s already been a desk jockey for the man upstairs, there isn’t much he can’t handle. After Fred calls Kim out, she seems to realize she’s found the perfect assistant and offers him a permanent position. Jane’s not happy Fred is working for her sworn enemy but Fred admits he took the job because he can look after Jane better from the office. And that, after all, is his real job.

And speaking of Jane, her simple declaration of death case turns into something much bigger after Daniel Porter turns up alive. Not only did he survive the plane crash nine years ago but he’s been living as Tim Smith ever since. His mother, believing he’s still alive, has been taking out ads in local papers and that seemed to snap Daniel out of his fugue state. He had no idea who he was until it all came rushing back. To make it worse, his wife Lindsay has moved on with his best friend and is trying to adopt his son Noah. Even though Daniel has never met Noah he’s fighting for joint custody so he can get to know his son. During the course of the trial Lindsay’s lawyer tries to make Daniel out as an unfit parent. Just before the judge is set to rule Daniel and his mother disappear. Jane tracks them down at the bus station, where Daniel admits he’s experienced a fugue state before. When he was ten, he didn’t know who he was for 3 days. He just doesn’t know if he can do that to his son. If he’s going to be in his life Daniel really wants to be there. If there’s a chance he’ll disappear again Daniel figures its better not to get to know his son.

I found this week’s case to be very moving. And I’m not saying fighting for a child’s life (last week’s case) is less dramatic but because this case is so closely connected to what Jane’s going through I really felt invested. At first, I was getting very upset that Lindsay would try to keep Daniel away from his child. And I couldn’t help thinking that they’d be at a loss to explain their actions and decisions to Noah once he’s old enough to start asking questions. I do like the way the case ended. Life isn’t always black and white and I appreciate an ambiguous ending. I can’t know what’s right for that family and I have to respect the choices they make for themselves. I can be sad for Daniel though. I can’t imagine living with the possibility of losing all my memories and sense of self.

Enough with the heavy, here are a few quotes from this week that made me laugh:

“The second message robs you of your power.”

“Pleated pants kill romance.”

What did you think about this week’s episode? Do you think Jane and Tony are really over? Will Parker try to make something work with Susan? When will we get some more back story on Teri? I’ll see you next week.

So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 7 Perform by Kara Howland

I’m gonna pull a Mia and say I miss Alex so hard right now. But I’m saying it before the show even starts. Now that it’s out of my system I will watch the remaining contestants perform without even a thought for Alex. It will be hard. But I can do it.

But first, what is our lovely Cat wearing? I like the multi-colored one-shoulder drapey dress. Very becoming. Her hair is kind of back and off her face and her makeup is perfection.

Right away I notice Ashley isn’t in the opening montage. Uh oh. Cat announces that Ashley was taken to the hospital on Monday with severe rib pains and she has been advised not to dance tonight. As we know, this means Ashley is automatically put into the bottom 3. If she can’t dance two weeks in a row she will have to leave the competition. Cat does have an Alex update. He had surgery to reattach his Achilles tendon. Alex thanks everyone for their kind thoughts and wishes. He hopes to see us soon.

Lauren
All-star partner: Mark
Tiana Liufau / Tahitian Dance
Rehearsal: Before they had a written alphabet the Tahitians would keep their stories and perpetuate myths and legends through dance. The theme is night and day. They flirt and eventually come together to make the first day.
Jungle / Last Voices
Performance: I’m somewhat distracted by the costumes but I’m pretty into it. I love Mark. He is working it hard. Lauren’s totally doing her part too. There’s a lot of hip shaking. I liked it quite a lot. Very entertaining.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel admits that he doesn’t know what to say. He likes that Tiana brings something new to the program. Adam says those hips don’t life. Nigel thinks it was a lot of fun but technically he has no critique. Mia is fascinated. The poise, the posture. Absolutely wonderful. Adam can’t believe Lauren just did that. She had him going. The energy was amazing. He thinks their technique is spectacular.
Further comment: I don’t know how to critique this either. I found the performance highly enjoyable. I will admit to looking at Mark more than Lauren because I think his crazy quirky personality really brought something to this.

Adechike
All-star partner: Anya
Liz Lira & Danny Davalos / Salsa
Rehearsal: They’re doing a traditional competitive Salsa. It’s fast and intricate with death-defying moves. Anya thinks it’s the hardest Salsa to hit the SYTYCD stage.
Oyelo Que Te Conviene / Eddie Palmieri
Performance: A bit of a bobble on the first flipping trick but decent recovery. Adechike is trying his hardest. It’s a bit awkward and it’s not flowing the way it should. Wow, the tricks are nonstop. I’m so nervous for Anya. Nice finish but I can’t say I enjoyed it.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel thinks their choreographer is a crazy woman. He thinks the routine worked. There’s so much in the routine that was challenging. It’s a totally alien subject and Adechike pulled it off. Mia says the choreography was excellent and the tricks were awesome. There were little bumps. Some of the fluidity isn’t there. Good attempt. He got through it. Adam says the choreography was hard. He blew though it, never showed weakness and was there for Anya.
Further comment: I fully acknowledge that we haven’t seen choreography this hard in a long time, if ever. I do enjoy that the show is giving so many new choreographers a shot but I would have liked to see Liz take this down a couple of notches. I don’t need to see Adechike dance perfectly but I don’t want Anya’s life put in danger. I’m just sayin’.

Jose
All-star partner: Courtney
Joey Dowling / Broadway
Rehearsal: Courtney is a showgirl and Jose is a stagehand who is mesmerized by her. But she never sees him. Courtney thinks it will be hard to ignore Jose.
Mister Cellophane / Chicago (Motion Picture soundtrack)
Performance: Jose is dancing (mostly) in the style which is what I want to see. I’m seeing the emotion but his technique is lacking. Courtney is amazing as usual. I didn’t love it.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel loves the concept of it but he doesn’t think Jose danced it well. This let Jose down tonight. Mia can’t even look at him right now. Mia says Nigel hit it right on the nose. The patheticness is too much; she wants to see a glimmer of hope. The lack of training is evident, no technique to back it up. Adam says Nigel and Mia aren’t wrong. Jose needs finish and lines.
Further comment: I feel bad for Jose but we need to see his weaknesses. He needs to know what he needs to work on. The judges aren’t being mean or vicious; they’re being honest because that’s what Jose needs to hear.

Robert
All-star partner: Allison
Travis Wall / Contemporary
Rehearsal: The piece is about Travis’s mother who just had massive surgery. Robert can really relate to this character. Every step is a storytelling moment. Travis’s mom is everything to him.
Fix You / Coldplay
Performance: Great emotion. Nice connection. I liked the slow start and the much more energetic parts following. Wow. Robert is amazing and so is Allison. This is really Robert’s style. That was great. Really beautiful. Nice ending.
Judge’s critiques:
Robert gets a standing ovation from the judges. Cat is all choked up. I’m misty too. Nigel says that just transcended the competition. Nigel sends love and support to Travis. The audience should come together for Robert this week. Mia is touched. This is her cry of the season. It brings Mia back to the week before her mom passed. What was danced on that stage is so much bigger. Our moms are everything. It’s the best Mia’s seen him dance this season. The negative space and partner work were genius. Adam says if Travis doesn’t get an Emmy nomination for that there is no God. This is going to be the performances of the season. Congratulations. Robert is brilliant.
Further comment: I watched it again. It was just beautifully danced. The technique and emotion were there. It was beautiful.

Billy
All-star partner: Anya
Louis Van Amstel / Jive
Rehearsal: This is a traditional, competitive Jive. It requires a lot of speed and personality.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light / Meat Loaf
Performance: Billy’s technique looks spot on. This is such a fun and FAST piece. I think his connection with Anya is great. Totally believable. And it looks like they’re having fun. Great ending.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says that’s the hardest he’s seen Billy work on chemistry and it was really good to see. It’s a bit up in the air and he’d like to see him get down more. Nigel is happy with what he’s seen. Mia thinks it was absolutely stellar. She likes that Bill is regal and pulled up. There’s no awkwardness. The connection is so there. Adam says it’s one of his favorite performances from Billy. He’s connected and committed. Billy is in it to win it.
Further comment: I agree with the judges completely. I’m so happy to see Billy have some fun and have great chemistry with a partner.

Kent
All-star partner: Neil
Tyce Diorio / Broadway
Rehearsal: It’s about baseball players. It’s about the team, the movement that implies they’re on the field. You have to be a character in this and really portray it. Really with all the baseball references?
Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo / Damn Yankees (1994 original Broadway cast)
Performance: It’s a fun piece. Very, very Broadway. The technique and character look spot on. Nice use of the stage. Impressive acrobatics. They seem to be almost perfectly in synch.
Judges critiques:
Nigel says Tyce is throwing every trick in the book. Kent is the MVP tonight. Kent outdances Neil tonight. Mia loves boys so much. To have that kind of choreography for two male characters. It was great entertainment. Their characters are there. Partnering was awesome. Adam tells Tyce that was so awesome. That was the other side of Fosse. Kent nailed it. He has a huge future in Broadway if he wants it. What was so special is that they made it look effortless.
Further comment: I fully acknowledge that the piece was great. It looked like it had all the necessary bells and whistles. I just didn’t love it which happens more often that not when Tyce choreographs a Broadway piece. Maybe I didn’t connect with the subject matter. Who know?

Lauren and Billy
Mandy Moore / Jazz
Rehearsal: Two shoes meet up and want to boogie. The shoes take over the dancer’s bodies. Lauren is struggling. Mandy hopes the shoes are full of magic instead of possessed.
Boogie Shoes / KC & The Sunshine Band
Performance: I think it’s a cute concept. Billy looks like he’s having fun again. I like the footwork (and everything else). I watched a lot more than I typed. Extremely enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel calls is absolutely adorable. The style makes you smile. Billy is really connecting with his partners this week and this style suits him. Lauren connected with her partner. She shouldn’t go clicking her heels together because she’s not going home yet. Mia says the choreography and performance is completely in the pocket, quirky and groovy. Adam calls it happy-making. Billy finally gets lost in the dance. That will make people pick up the phone for him. He tells Lauren the boys have something to be afraid of. She could get way up there; she’s killing him lately.
Further comment: I did smile a lot throughout the piece. They were so cute and comfortable together and made it funky and fun. I feel like Lauren is finally connecting fully with her partners as well.

Jose and Dominic
Tabitha & Napoleon / B-Boy Routine (1st time ever on SYTYCD)
Rehearsal: Having Legacy and Mike Murda assisting NappyTabs was fresh. It’s East meets West; bringing the styles together.
Battle for the Beat / District 78
Performance: It’s so cool. The way they get their bodies to move is totally amazing. Nice levels. Great tricks. I really enjoyed it. Jose and Dom were truly great. Jose needed that.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel tells Jose he redeemed himself. None of the other dancers could do what he just did there. Nigel is really enjoying see the guys dance together this season. Mia loves boys. The beginning part, the traveling section was amazing. All she wants now from Jose is training and strength, strength, strength. Loved it. Adam tells Jose that’s the way to compete. For Jose to come out and school us like that is hot.
Further comment: Can we talk for a moment how much I love Dom? He was a bit inappropriate with the sword at the end but the things he said about Jose were so touching.

Adechike and Kent
Dee Caspary / Contemporary
Rehearsal: Kent is in a poisonous relationship and Adechike is trying to get him out of it. They’re using the chairs in a way Adechike has never seen before.
You Only Disappear / Tom McRae
Performance: Great quality of movement. Nice emotion. Amazing airtime. I liked their connection. Two technicians really going after it. It was a pleasure to watch.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel thanks Dee for contributing another brilliant piece to a diverse show. Calls it tremendous. Great height on Adechike’s jump. He thanks Kent for underplaying that. He has such a beautiful style. Kent stands a remarkable chance of being this year’s champion. Mia calls Kent an unbelievable dancer. The organic quality and strength in this is breathtaking. Mia says there’s a God for sure. She was praying this would be a great week for Adechike and it is. Adam tells them that they just taught America that a super athlete can also be a super artist. They just taught him so much about dance and performance. They were both brilliant.
Further comment: They were both subtle and powerful throughout the piece. I completely and totally agree with the judges. That piece was a pleasure to watch.

Robert and Kathryn
Doriana Sanchez / Disco
Rehearsal: They’re going for fun and big party time. Robert says it feels like a pretzel.
Instant Replay / Dan Hartman
Performance: I’m not always in love with Doriana’s pieces but this looks pretty fun. The lifts are interesting. I feel like we’re not seeing the same old thing. And Robert looks like he’s really attacking it and having fun. The energy ‘s great. A few transitions are a bit rough but they kind of make up for it in performance for me.
Judge’s critiques:
Nigel says that people don’t always appreciate how tough Disco is. You have to be strong and energetic. You can’t stop and take a breath. Robert gave us lines, strength. Doriana gave them a beautiful routine. Mia feels like it was too thin; she wants the texture of the movement needed to be more masculine. Nigel disagrees. Robert is selling fun and Adam bought it.
Further comment: I see what Mia is saying but I really enjoyed it. Anytime any dancer can perform a Doriana Sanchez piece and NOT bore me is a victory. I liked it. Kathryn was a great partner for Robert to have on this.

So who will join Ashley in the bottom three tomorrow? I really don’t know. At this point, I think all the dancers are incredibly strong. Even if someone didn’t have two amazing performances – like Jose – at least one of the performances was remarkable. Kent is untouchable right now. I agree with Nigel; there’s a real chance he’ll win this whole thing especially if the teen and pre-teen girls keep voting for him. Robert’s contemporary might keep him out of the bottom and Jose’s B-Boy routine should also keep him safe. I really don’t want Billy to be in the bottom again because I thought both of his pieces were strong. But if he does end up there again we’ll know that America still can’t connect with him. Lauren was great so she’d better not be there. So I guess that leaves Adechike? His salsa might put him in the bottom. Tomorrow’s results show will be a doozy.

Even though I love that we’re seeing new choreographers and old favorites return, where the heck is my Mary Murphy? Wasn’t it made clear during Vegas week that Mary Murphy would be back during the season? Hello, it’s half over. When will the hot tamale train arrive with my hot tamale Mary? And we also met Hi Hat during rehearsals but haven’t seen her return to the show. If neither one is going to come back just tell us. We can take it.

Who do you want to see in the bottom and why?

The Rachel Zoe Project: Changes in the Zoe Camp by Kara Howland

So…I wanted to try to do a marathon and catch up on all three episodes so far but I totally ran out of time this weekend. I’m hoping to catch up by the end of the week (wish me luck). In the meantime, I got one episode watched.

With Taylor’s shady departure and awards season imminent, Brad (now the Style Director) has to bring another person into the business. And what happened to Taylor you ask? Fired. The “financials” weren’t lining up. It seems like she was “borrowing” samples and never returning them and from what Rodger says it looks like her expense reports weren’t on the level either. Wow. I have no problem accusing Taylor of being a bratty drama queen (and perhaps also brilliant in terms of her styling) but I would have never pegged her for a thief and a liar. Seriously.

Rachel and Rodger starting looking to hire another person. Brad says this person will replace Taylor, but I don’t think that’s really true. They don’t seem to want another associate. They want an assistant and even though Taylor complained loudly about still performing assistant duties, technically she wasn’t an assistant.

Rachel thinks all six applicants are so green. And they are. Someone who is an “assistant” at Rachel Zoe is probably an associate somewhere else. And, of course, Rachel’s stressing about making the decision – she wants to make sure she picks a person who is no drama.

On top of everything they’ve just been hit with a Harper’s Bazaar shoot with Demi Moore. It’s shooting in four days with 10 looks, but Rachel wants 30 looks to choose from. It will be a playful and prop-y shoot, based on what they know now. The way it works is Rachel picks her looks from the runway, emails the editorial department and they try to pull as many pieces as possible. Rachel also brings her own pieces in. It’s a good thing the look books have just come in. Demi was Taylor’s client so Brad is feeling a bit stressed. It would be a disaster if any of Taylor’s clients left Rachel to go work with Taylor.

Since the concept isn’t 100% set, Brad wants to take a lot of looks to the shoot. He wants to prove that he can do more than Taylor was doing.

Bazaar sends Rachel a list of images they’ll be using in the shoots – oversized and undersized props. Brad is surprised to see a giraffe on the list with all the other props.

Rachel gets a call that her old agency is now repping Taylor and that they’ve sent out a press release about it. And Rachel didn’t know anything about this. You have to admit that it’s a shrewd move by both Taylor and Rachel’s old agency. Whatever the real story is, Taylor is a stylist and she’s going to do whatever she needs to do to get a job.

Rachel’s feeling the pressure. She wants Demi and Bazaar to be happy and she wants the photographs to be iconic and beautiful.

The shoot is in Malibu and all the looks are from the Spring runways. Rachel’s going for Alice in Wonderland, a little surreal and little dream-like. The shoot seems to be going well but there is one Marc Jacobs piece that Rachel keeps asking Brad about that isn’t there yet. Brad’s definitely feeling like they’re short-staffed; there’s only so much he can do (a refrain I feel like we heard a lot from Taylor). When the bloomer outfit arrives but there seem to be undergarments missing so they decide not to use it.

Location change. They move from the house to the beach. Rachel has to be carried down to the beach because of her shoes. She claims not to own flats, which I believe. Here comes the giraffe and Demi is in the Alexander McQueen. Beautiful.

With the Bazaar shoot done, Rachel makes the call to Ashley. She’s hired. She needs to start immediately because they’re so insane right now.

Brad wants Rachel to see the latest issue of Paper before she’s ambushed with her. A while back Brad and Taylor were approached by the magazine and asked to style each other for a photo shoot. At the time it was a great idea, now it’s awkward now. Rachel tears Taylor’s pictures up, throws them in the fireplace, and wants to light a fire. She doesn’t wish Taylor the best. Rachel just wants Taylor out of her mind.

What a great episode. More than anything I watch the show for the fashion. Sometimes I want to fast-forward through all the drama. Whether or not Taylor is on the show, there will always be drama. Rachel is always freaking out about something and so is Brad. Rachel’s’ studio seems like the perfect environment for that. I just roll my eyes and go with it. I do think both Rachel and Brad have every right to feel betrayed and angry. But they both need to get over it and do their jobs. I know Taylor was with Rachel for four years and she considered her family, but cut those heartstrings Rachel. Stuff like this happens all the time in the business world. You hope it won’t happen to you but you’ve got to move on when it does.

I, for one, am very excited about awards season. I always like seeing all the dresses and the finished looks. I can’t wait to see what Rachel puts on her clients for the Globes. And who is the mystery client who defects to Taylor for the big show? I don’t know since I haven’t watched that episode yet. But when I do, I’ll meet you back here.

Top Chef D.C.: What's Your Constituency? by Tina Charles

Bravo's Real Housewives isn't the only franchise hitting President Obama's backyard. Yes, Top Chef has hit Washington D.C. The current crop of 17 cheftestants is an eclectic group and that's a very good thing. I haven't blogged Top Chef since Season 2 when Ilan won. That was also the season of Marcel. I'm hoping this year we'll get plenty of highly skilled chefs who simply make great food. I don't mind drama, just please don't be anywhere near as much drama as there was during the Ilan, Marcel, Cliff, Sam and Betty era. Each year, I find that right off the bat there's one chef that may cook fabulously, but his or her personality instantly gets on my last nerve. This year's choice: Angelo Sosa from New York. Obviously this guy can definitely cook. But what set me off was this line:

"I want to be the first contestant to win every single challenge."

Seriously? I think everyone who goes on Top Chef would love to do that, but it's not going to happen. And if it does happen, then kill me now because I don't want to see a show where one person dominates entirely. There are others who did contend for this honor (or dishonor since I'm talking about making a bad impression) like Tracey Bloom. I'm keeping my eye on Kenny Gilbert too. He's clearly a great chef but I'm wondering how cocky he's going to get as the season rolls on. But no worries I'm someone who has an open mind so while this week Angelo may have annoyed a lot, in three weeks he may be my favorite. It's happened many times.

Quickfire: Mis En Place Tournament
-Peel 10 Potatoes: 12 fastest will move on
-Brunoise 10 cups of Onions: 4 chefs will be eliminated
-Break down 4 chickens into 8 parts: 4 fastest chefs will move on to the finals
-Finals: Use the potatoes, chicken and onions to make a dish

High Stakes Challenge: $20,000 prize

This is such a good Quickfire to start things off because the competition's fierce from the very beginning. It seems like many chefs have great resumes so to fail is not going to be good for their egos. And we know chefs have some massive egos.

During the Quickfire, Kenny from Colorado is the man. He finishes first in all three rounds before the finals. He's set the tone and everybody realizes the guy has some mad skills. However, it's Angelo who wins the high stakes Quickfire and pockets 20 thou. Not bad for the first day of the competition.

Elimination Challenge: Create a dish that reflects where you're from
-The chefs will be cooking at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival for 300 young, successful Washingtonians
-There will be four groups and the individuals within each group will be going head to head. One person from each group will be up for the win, one chef will be up for elimination.

Angelo, Kevin, Kenny and Timothy get to choose who they go up against. Angelo picks Tiffany and Kenny picks Tracey. They obviously don't think Tiffany and Tracey have what it takes to win. All four guys select chefs they think will be easy to beat. The ones that get chosen last can sort of feel good about their skills being more of a threat than the ones that get chosen first. Angelo also gets to choose the team that takes the last guy standing, so he sends Ed to Kenny's team. Kenny's team is the only one to have five chefs. Here's how the teams break down:

-Tim's Group: Tim, Alex, Tamesha, Andrea
-Kevin's Group: Kevin, Amanda, Jacqueline, Arnold
-Angelo's Group: Angelo, John, Tiffany, Kelly
-Kenny's Group: Kenny, Tracey, Lynne, Ed, Stephen

Kevin is going with a lamb sous vide. Good luck with that buddy. It never seems like those that go the sous vide route have a lot of success with the dish. John's going to make a dessert. He scares me the most during this prep time for the elimination challenge.

The Event
I love when Padma introduces the judges because not only are Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons once again in attendance, but renowned chef and former Top Chef guest judge Eric Ripert has joined the show as a full-fledged judge! Yes, that deserves an exclamation point. I'm beyond excited he's part of the show. Does that mean we will no longer be seeing that English Simon Cowell-type judge anymore? Awesome.

Weird crossover thing going on: Dr. Andy Baldwin, U.S. Navy, formerly of The Bachelor (he was the officer AND a gentleman) was part of the young and successful Washingtonians tasting the Top Chef cuisine. He's very much into all things healthy so Steven's potato-crusted rib-eye (basically fried rib-eye) didn't sit too well with him. He said he wouldn't serve that dish to his kids.

It seems like Kenny chose his group the best. He's the only one in his group that received great reviews.

The Judges' Table
Padma calls one guy from each group to come stand before the judges: Kevin, Alex, Kenny and Angelo. They represent the top dish from each group. So Kevin's lamb sous vide and Alex's deconstructed borscht are both super successful as are Angelo's arctic char and Kenny's cinnamon-coffee rubbed trout. There you have Kenny vs. Angelo once again and it's only the first episode. The rivalry is on. Eric announces the winner: Angelo. Boo. I'm glad his food was good, but Angelo taking both challenges is frustrating.

The ones up for elimination are: Steven, John, Jacqueline and Timothy. Timothy's shocked. Is he going to be one of those that can't see the flaws of his dish? Eric says Steven's fried rib-eye looked like chicken nuggets (ouch!); Gail is wondering what Jacqueline was thinking when she admitted to trying to make low-fat chicken liver mousse. Jacqueline also admitted not having memorized her recipe. Meanwhile, John says he bought the puff pastry already prepared which doesn't bode well since that means he really wasn't responsible for a third of his dish. Eric had issues with Timothy's rockfish and more specifically the skin on the fish. It was chewy. I'm glad Timothy owned up to his disappointing dish. The judges expected more from Timothy since he was one of the final four in the Quickfire.

The 1st cheftestant going home: John the dessert guy. I'm kind of upset. He's a personality that I would have loved to have seen a couple more episodes.

I had high hopes from the quickfire; things didn't turn out so well in the first elimination challenge but I'm excited to see where the season goes from here. For me the first episode is usually extremely difficult to keep things straight because there are so many names and faces to remember. It'll be great when we get down to the top ten so we really get to know these wannabe Top Chefs.

Random Thoughts
-One of my favorite parts of the entire hour is when the top finalists enter the judges' room. I love the dramatic music cue and I love the way the editors cut the scene. We already know these guys are going to be praised for their delicious food, but I like that I can expect this same entrance every episode. It's much better than when those up for elimination enter the room.

-I love John. He's odd. But I love him. I love his oddness. Too bad he's already gone.

White Collar: In the Red by Claudia Charles

The opening sequence with Peter, Diane and Jones was kind of funny. Peter is definitely always about trusting his gut when he's investigating and Jones bet against him that the jewel thief would be an insider. This opening was quite interesting because from what was occurring you would think that this was going to be all about thievery but instead we have an adoption scam gone bad for Katherine McMillan. She is a mother who is trying to keep her child from being taken away and turns to nefarious means in order to achieve this. I thought it was rather touching that Neal tried to get her to not follow through because he saw that she had her child in the car.

Mozzie breaking into Sara’s apartment seemed like a good idea but did they really think that Sara didn’t know that envelope wasn’t there? This seemed very implausible that they would not have taken that into consideration before breaking into her apartment. The scene with Sara having Neal submit to a polygraph was rather annoying. Can one thwart a polygraph so easily by using a thumbtack? I don’t know how accurate that was. Sara was rather annoying if not dogged in her pursuit of Neal this week. However, the resolution of this situation hit the spot as Sara was able to connect with Neal in his desire to know what happened to Kate.

Luke Donovan was played to perfect sleaziness by John Larroquette who seems to be sporting the “I haven’t worked in a while” beard. Donovan is the international adoption lawyer who shakes down his clients because of his gambling debts. His prowess with gambling seems to be limited because his huge losses are drawing the attention of the Czechian mob.

We learned in the episode that Mozzie was in foster care and was never adopted. He really gets rather heated about the fact that Donovan is scamming adoptive parents. This does give a little insight to some of Mozzie’s issues and quirks.

Loved Diane and Jones going undercover. You know that I love any time that they use these two in more of the story. They did make a very rich looking Hamptons couple. Diane insisting they adopt a little girl was in character for her. Loved it.

The gambling scenes were pretty standard fare. I did feel that Neal played up to Donovan a little too quickly. It seemed rather obvious what he was trying to do. Donovan’s tell that Peter was able to identify through his gut work played out very subtly.

I enjoyed how Peter enlisted the help of the Czechian mob by letting them know that Donovan was exploiting Czechian children. It seemed rather simplistic but it was an effective argument and since the FBI was not technically after the other shady dealings it worked. I wonder if the real FBI would cut such a deal.

I feel that season 2 is progressing quite well and that the writers have been doing an excellent job of finding situations that are new and different to use Neal as a con-man. I enjoyed the first season but I felt that it was somewhat repetitive at times. Glad to see that they have learned from this and have upped their game. I have been reading that Tiffani Thiessen is back to work so here’s hoping that we are almost done with the fake San Francisco back drops.

Random Thoughts

John Larroquette has played some wonderful roles in the past. He is another actor who needs to find a home in a series. For me his most notable role is when he played "Dan Fielding" on Night Court. I loved that show growing up and loved to hate the sleazy lawyer that Larroquette played. His acting chops have always been impeccable.