In Case You Missed It...

5/17/13

Weird or What? - It reminded me of Rippley’s Believe it or Not with a dose of paranormal.  William Shatner has continued to reinvent himself long after his stint on Star Trek.  You’ll love his witty charm as host on Syfy’s Weird or What.  I must say this show will make you ponder the unknown, question the what ifs and holy crap the I’ll be darns.  Let’s face it real is just a matter of perception.  Just when the show was getting to the good part the so-called scientists start rattling off their theories…come on man!    

Defiance ~ Listen up!  I do not recommend multitasking while watching this Syfy show.  The quicker you familiarize yourself with the terminology and characters the less confused you will be, simply put there’s a lot going on.  I suspect the trekkies and fringies will be in heaven!  The series is set in the near future when the aliens known as Votans come to earth in search of a new home after their star system was destroyed.  Many Votans remain in hypersleep aboard their ships as negotiations drag on with earth governments.  After a Votan ambassador is assassinated on live TV a disastrous global conflict ensues between humans and aliens known as the Pale Wars.  Now it’s up to you to watch and learn how the apocalyptic Arkfall event changed the geology of earth, making it a dangerous place by mutating hybrids of new species. 

Big Brain Theory ~ On the Discovery channel, Host Kal Penn wants to know, what’s your IQ?  During this engineering competition, the cast of super geniuses must play the game while living and working together.  Tensions grow as they begin to discover the habits and quirks of their fellow competitors.  Each week the contestants will be given 30 minutes to come up with a solution to a weekly engineering challenge using their own intellect.  Based on logic and design the panel of Judges will decide on the best concept.  The worst design loses and faces the judges for elimination.  The winner of the Big Brain Theory will receive $50,000 and a one-year contract to work with Wet.  Wet designs water-based experiences like the one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

5/3/13:

Who Lived In My House? - From famous rock stars to past Presidents wouldn’t it be shocking to find out the house you live in is a treasure trove from beyond?  This show will take you around the Country exploring old houses rich in history.  One couple thought their bar was in a really odd location; turns out they live in an old speakeasy.  Perhaps a notorious criminal once occupied your house?  If you peel back the many layers of wallpaper, you may find a hidden gem.  Always check the attic before and after a move, it’s often the most forgotten space.  I hope HG continues to air this one, I found it really interesting!   

The Moment – What would it feel like to have a second chance?  You know what I’m talking about, when life gets in the way.  You had dreams of becoming what?  Then a wife (or husband), kids, and work happened. Before you know it your one time dream is a distant memory….but what if you had a second chance at that dream?  In this show men and woman are nominated by a friend or family member and surprised by Kurt Warner who gives them a chance at their dream.  A mentor who prepares them for an audition of a lifetime gives the nominees extensive training.  Not all move on to bigger and better things, for some the dream ends there.  For others it’s a whole new beginning.  Neither walks away saying what if?  

Bet On Your Baby ~ This is a really fun game show; the kids are adorable and oh so unpredictable.  The playroom, known as the baby dome is full of toys to distract and tempt your little ones.  Based on different scenarios the challenge begins when one parent wagers on whether or not their toddler will do what the other parent tells them to do.  A winning bet is worth $5,000.  And the grand prize is $25,000 towards your mini-me’s college education.  I got a kick out of it but I do think to improve the show they should focus more on the children.  So far the kids are toddlers, not babies….And FYI toddlers don’t like to be called babies! 

Ready For Love ~ That lovable Desperate Housewife, Eva Longoria, hand picked the bachelors for this   matchmaking competition.  It’s similar to The Bachelor and Millionaire Matchmaker with yep you guessed it; cat fights!  Three relationship experts screened thousands of women to separate the real contenders from the drama mama’s.  The three eligible bachelors looking for Ms. Right go through the dating process of twelve bachelorettes while the woman get expert dating tips from the matchmakers.  Each week the matchmakers place their choices in the bottom 3.  The bachelor gets to save one and send one home.  America doesn’t get to vote and the live audience is only there for their oohs and aahs….would I watch it every week, probably not.  Did I think it was better than the bachelor, yes!  

4/12/13:

Hannibal ~ A must see, the cast is phenomenal!  Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) is a forensic psychiatrist who enjoys his meat, human meat that is.  I like liver and onions too but not the human variety kind.  It definitely made me consider becoming a vegan.  It doesn’t take long for the gifted criminal profiler, Will (Hugh Dancy) and cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Lecter, to team up for the greater good, or so we think.  Who is responsible for all those missing Minnesota gals?  In the series opener they center around eight dead girls from Minnesota colleges, with reference to St. Cloud State and MOA.  Watch as Will has the ability to mentally re-create the crimes with vivid detail….might be time to check your pulse!         

How to Live With Your Parents (For The Rest of Your Life) ~ I couldn’t stop laughing.  I was reminded of those lovable hippy parents in “Meet the Fockers”.  It’s funny how every generation thinks they know more about parenting then their parents did.  We fall pray to whatever the latest trend is; yep we did it too.  Not surprising then that Polly (Sarah Chalke) a financially strapped, uptight, divorced mother tell her mother, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) and step-dad, Max (Brad Garrett) how to parent.  As she goes through the laundry list of her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston) many phobias her parents do the exact opposite by ignoring everything she says.  They believe in confronting your issues head on to avoid those crazy phobias.  Her parents are very surprised that her childhood memories vary greatly from theirs.  After moving back home with her parents it doesn’t take long for Polly to realize she has instilled her own childhood obsessions onto her daughter.  It’s cute, witty and full of hilarious charm!   

Unsealed: Conspiracy Files ~ Dave Burchell and I do enjoy a good conspiracy theory.  His stoic commentary cracked me up; lighten up Dave!  This show was created as a result of the 2011 Freedom of Information Act.  The FBI was forced to declassify decades of top-secret government documents, the very same documents that have intrigued conspiracy theorists for decades.  Each week Dave and his team of experts will investigate a different conspiracy file, then based on new information and modern technology they will solve and close these files for good.     

3/21/13:

Dancing With The Stars ~ Who did you pick to win the Season 16 mirror ball trophy?  Premier night was freakin fabulous!  There were no spills or wardrobe malfunctions, only skimpy costumes, rockin bods and awesome dancing.  The 3 newbie’s added to the pro lineup were good but Anna, Chelsie and Max were noticeably missed.  Contemporary dance was also added this season; Len is not a fan.  From a housewife (and Giggy) to a Grammy winner to the youngest dancer ever to hit the dance floor, 16 yr. old Zendaya took top score in week one.  Who will be the first to be eliminated?  

Bates Hotel ~ Did you tune in for the prequel to Psycho?  I hope the rest of the series is as eerily exciting as the pilot.  To keep you off balance they lead you to believe the series is depicted in the 60’s yet you begin to notice modern conveniences, young Norman has a cell phone.  Seeking a fresh start after his fathers tragic death, Norman Bates and his borderline incestuous mother, Norma buy a motel in Seaside, CA.  They soon discover the town’s locals aren’t as friendly as they seem.   Norma is taken advantage of after a brush with one of the local bullies.  This time however the Bates are done being pushed around, they’ll do whatever it takes to protect their dirty little secrets.       

Splash ~ This reality series is a highflying diving competition featuring 10 celebrities in all shapes and sizes.  5 divers hit the boards in the series premier.  After the Judges scores and America’s votes, a final dive off determined which celebrity was sent home.  Next week the remaining 5 will make a big splash during their debut.  Over night sensation, Miss Alabama (Katherine Webb) turned Swimsuit model was saved by the Judges.  At 417 lbs. Louie Anderson was embarrassed when he couldn’t get out of the pool but, after weeks of boot camp Louie performed a 23’ dive…kudos!  At 65 yrs. young and 7’ tall Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attempted a back flip.  Chuy (Chelsea Lately) wore floaties during boot camp; did he conquer his fear of the water?  Tune in next week to see Chuy and ex-playboy playmate Kendra Wilkinson take the plunge. The beginning of the show is pretty spectacular, a must see! If you like girls in Bikini’s, this show is for you.  Let’s not forget those 6 packs, come on boys show us those abs!    

3/15/2013:

Client List ~  Ooh La La….this is hot and steamy chalked full of love, lust, and betrayal.  Riley Parks (Jennifer Love Hewitt) begins working as a massage therapist in a day spa called The Rub after her husband abandons her and their kids leaving them in financial ruin.  She soon learns she can make some extra cash by paying a little attention to detail to those customers in need.   Those customers in need soon make The Client List.  I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

All-Star Celebrity Apprentice ~ It doesn’t look like Trump and Co. got the memo; all-star shows have not been a fan favorite.  And I guess everyone’s version of an all-star is different.  As is the case on this season’s apprentice, the all-star cast was selected based on popularity.  That explains his decision to bring back Gary Busey and Omarosa, for the ratings.  As for the cast, the only winner from past seasons is Bret Michaels, next is runner up Trace Adkins.  Other winners mentioned were Joan Rivers, Piers Morgan, John Rich and Arsenio Hall who will be Judges.   In the very first episode of the new season Trump criticized Bret (on more than one occasion) for wanting to be on the all-star show.  In the end, even though the project manager, Brande Roderick and Omarosa were to blame for their team’s loss, Trump fired Bret.  It was really lame. 

Weed Country ~  I personally do not partake medically or recreationally yet found this mini series interesting.  I learned about the growers, those in need (medically speaking), and the authorities views on the very controversial subject of medical marijuana.  The show is focused on the Emerald Triangle in California.  Marijuana was grown legally in the US until 1937 when it was federally outlawed.  19 states allow for its medical use, 2 states Washington and Colorado legalized it for recreational use, yet it remains a federal crime.  Law enforcement believes medial marijuana is a scam, it allows growers to take a law and use it as a front for illegal use.  One grower with epilepsy, and a background in biology explains how he perfected his strain using science.  He believes in the healing benefits of the different strains used for controlling seizures to sending cancerous tumors into remission.  An ex-police officer with a rare disease eats cannabis and no longer needs a wheel chair.  The growing season begins in June, it is estimated that 4.5 billion dollars of marijuana will be harvested.  Most growers earn a years salary in 1 summer.  Weed is part THC and CBD Cannabidiol, one gets you high, the other does not.

3/8/13:

Burning Love ~ Now this show is guaranteed to make your muffin top jiggle!  It’s the celebrities turn to spin a reality series by poking fun of the bachelor / bachelorette and the cast.   Host, Bill Tundle (Michael Ian Black) grills The Bachelor, volunteer firefighter, Mark Orlando (Ken Marino) about finding true love.  His 16 suitors are actors posing as anything from a drag queen to an 84 yr. old cougar, you go girl!  Mark is hoping he will find his future wife amongst those 16 strangers.  Instead of offering a rose to his suitors he offers his hose.  Now sit back and watch the backbiting begin.  Laugh quietly or you’ll miss some great one-liners.  

Welcome to Myrtle Manor ~ From relationship drama and evictions to backyard brawls, it’s never a dull moment at Myrtle manor.  This reality series follows the story of the Patrick family, a multi-generational family-owned trailer park business in Myrtle Beach, S.C.  The 120 residents of the manor are from all walks of life; some have lived there for 30 years, others 30 days.  While town hall meeting are mandatory for the residents, haircuts at Tangulls, the parks salon is not.  Manager Becky’s mission was to make the manor a 5 star gated park with a security guard and a swimming pool.  In the series opener, the residents enjoyed their first pool party while Miss Peggy, a 30 year resident made a splash in her birthday suit, oh my!  Park goers beware, they do discriminate, if they don’t like you, they will find a way to keep you out of the manor.  Their motto:  “You mess with one, you mess with the whole damn trailer park”.  Can’t wait to see what happens next week!

30 Seconds to Fame ~ Literally, you have 30 seconds to audition your best act before a live studio audience.  The audience controls your outcome; with their eliminator remotes in hand, they rate your performance.  If they like it, you make it through.  If they don’t they boo you off the stage.  You’d be surprised what can be done in 30 seconds.  The audience picks three of the best acts for the final round.  30 seconds later one lucky winner walks away with $25,000.  Not bad for a 60 second performance.

Freakshow ~ Disclaimer:  Please do not attempt this at home.  Whenever a show starts out with a disclaimer I can’t wait to see what happens.  The profession of sword swallowing dates back thousands of years – it’s not a magic trick, you do actually have to swallow a solid steel blade – there is a technique and to learn this dangerous hobby they recommend practicing with a coat hanger (yeah cuz a hanger is easier to swallow, yikes).  For those of you who are able to control your gag reflex, this may be something you may want to try.   This unscripted reality series follows the Ray’s quirky family business, The Venice Beach Freakshow.  Mr. Ray gave up a successful music career to hang with the Freaks.  

3/1/13:

Dancing With The Stars ~  Hot off the press….Not long after the new DWTS cast was revealed gossip began twirling around the dance floor.  For starters it’s official Anna Trebunskaya and Jonathan Roberts broke hold by ending their 9-year marriage but will remain dance partners.  Max Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd are also splitsville.  Max Chmerkovskiy, Chelsie Hightower, Anna Trebunskaya and Louis Van Amstel will be taking a break this season, and not by choice.  Their replacements:  Lindsay Arnold – SYTYCD Alum / Sharna Burgess – DWTS Troupe / Gleb Savchenko – DWTS Australia.    Only 11 dancers were announced and no mention of Peta Murgatroyd, rumor has it the 12th dancer will be male and paired with Peta.  The chatter is it will be either Sean Lowe (The Bachelor) or Michael Phelps.   They claim Sean can’t be announced until his bachelor contract has ended.  As for Michael Phelps, he has currently been seen with a golf club in hand, as Hank Haney’s new project)….it’s hard to say who it will be but you know TMZ is hot on the trail.  Will they get us a spoiler alert before the big announcement?  It’s pretty easy to make this show a success, give the ladies and gents some eye candy.  Needless to say Max will be missed, he’s hot with a snarky attitude.  When the network alluded to upcoming changes I was hoping it would mean a new panel of Judges, guess not.  Not surprising the Season 16 lineup has already been criticized for its lack luster star power.  Being on DWTS can jump-start a stalled career but first you must endure public embarrassment and rejection despite a lot of hard work.  I doubt most of those commenting on the quality of the star power could handle it.  Tune in on March 18^th for the season premier! 

Ultimate Soldier Challenge ~ Mack, a 10-year Navy Seal Veteran hosts this new competition.  3 teams of the most elite military units square off in this ultimate challenge.  They are judged on their strength and durability.  Money is no good in this competition, only honor, skill and team work matter.  There are three rounds of competition, speed round, immunity round and the elimination round.  In the episode I watched the 3 teams were:  Army 82^nd Airborne / IDF – Israeli defense force and the Rogue Squad (private contractors hired to protect VIP’s in the most dangerous areas).  IDF lost and were the first to be eliminated.  The Rogue Squad won the first round challenge.  The winner was the Army 82^nd airborne, although the Rogue Squad lost by only 2 points.     

Immortalized ~ Say what?  It’s a taxidermy competition, who knew?  A great taxidermist creates a fine piece of art.  In this reality series the judges vote on 3 criteria, originality, interpretation of the shows theme, and craftsmanship.  In the episode I watched the theme was “end of the world”.  I must admit I didn’t watch the icky parts.  The end results were incredible; I have no idea how the Judges could pick a winner.  If you’re a sportsman, this show is for you!

2/22/13

Dancing With The Stars ~ Good news DWTS fans…the Season 16 lineup will be announced on February 26th.  Rumor has it Michael Phelps traded in his bathing suit for dance shoes? 

The Job ~ 12 million Americans are looking for work.  With fewer jobs being offered many are applying for the same positions.  In this reality series 5 candidates were selected out of thousands for a chance to work at Cosmo magazine as an editorial assistant.  As an added twist, during the Cosmo interview another fashion company could present the candidates with a job offer.  Then it’s up to the candidate to decide, take a for sure thing or hope you are the one chosen for your dream job.  They showed some of the candidates that didn’t make the cut; this is why you shouldn’t fib on your resume…one gal said she was conversational in Spanish.  When asked to speak she couldn’t form a sentence, oops busted!  Another showed up without the proper attire and another listed their Mom as a reference.   One employer gave out some pretty common sense tidbits for your next interview:  Don’t be late.  Don’t bring your latte, water bottle, Yorkie, or baby to your interview.  Turn off your cell phone and don’t wear strong perfume.  Don’t wear your sunglasses on top of your head and by no means wear loud dangly jewelry, like bracelets.  Don’t chew gum or wear soiled clothing.  Shower and comb your hair.  Do wear proper attire, and as for your feet, Uggs and flip flops simply will not do).   So what would you do?  You need a job; your dream job is in front of you along with 4 other candidates and suddenly your offered a job by another company. 

Cult ~ This series is about a hit TV show that has developed its own cult following.  Cult leader, Billy Grimm (Robert Knepper), is fantastic!  The series follows journalist, Jeff (Matthew Davis), production assistance for the popular show, Skye, (Jessica Lucas), and Jeff’s little brother, Nate (James Pizzinato).  Nate’s paranoia about the show sucks Jeff into this strange and bizarre cult world, then suddenly Nate disappears.  Meanwhile Jeff and Skye form an unlikely team as they begin to investigate the fans of the series that appear to be behind some of the mysterious deaths and disappearances.  It’s quirky and dark, I liked it!    

Zero Hour ~ From KGB’s to Nazi’s, I feel like we’ve been there done that.  Let’s hope the networks know what their doing.  In this series opener, a wife goes missing after purchasing an old clock from a flea market.  Little did she know inside the clock was a diamond with a treasure map inside of it.  Her husband and children begin their search in trying to find her.  I enjoyed it but I have my doubts this ones going to survive.   

2/15/13:

The Americans ~ Former CIA officer, Joe Weisberg, created this Cold War drama about a group of soviet KGB officers.  The officers have been trained to impersonate American citizens.  One couple living undercover is Elizabeth and Phillip, they spend their days running a Washington D.C. travel agency, and their nights kidnapping and blackmailing the Defense Secretary’s maid.  Elizabeth feels America's consumer culture is a sign of self-indulgence while the consistent availability of electricity excites Phillip.  They both agree their daughter Paige is being influenced by capitalism and they don’t like it.   We’ll see as time goes on where the writers are going with this….for now, it was ok.     

Extreme Smuggling ~ Did you know 22.6 million Americans are drug users?  I’m talking illegal drugs; wonder how many people use prescription drugs?  As the supply and demand grows, drug trafficking intensifies.  Mexican and South American cartels use extreme methods for insane profits.  A guy rented a car and when he was pulled over for speeding they found drugs imbedded inside the car, guess who was arrested?  Makes me rethink renting a car out of the Country.  They also showed the more creative ways drugs are being smuggled into the Country.   A submergible sub known as Bigfoot travels on or just below the ocean surface, undetectable.  Once the Coast Guard figured it out Bigfoot got busted with 10 metric tons of coke.   I wonder how much of it arrives at its destination.

Continuum ~ When a 2077 protector, Kiera Cameron, is transported with a terrorist group known as Liba8 to the present day all hell breaks lose.  This rebel group managed to escape execution by time traveling into the past.  There was a lot going on all at once, it was intense.  It also had subtle political undertones, big turn off; I say we go back to 2077.  I’m sure it will find itself a following maybe if they add a zombie the following will come sooner than later.   

The Face ~ In this modeling competition the winner will receive a contract as the face of Ulta.  Thousands of women auditioned but only 24 were chosen.  The coaches then narrowed it down to the final 12 and the teams were selected.  Each coach will mentor their model and prepare her for her photo shoots.  At the end of a long journey one of the girls will be sent home.      

2/8/13:

Downton Abbey ~ I’ve never been a big fan of period movies but, I gave this one a shot because I liked the landscape, the castles, and the cast.  Boy did it deliver!  Now in season 3 with many accolades under their belt, I don’t see this series slowing down any time soon.   The show is set in the fictional Yorkshire Country Estate of Downton Abbey.  It depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants post Edwardian era.  It takes you through real events in our history while drawing you into each of the characters.  Check it out, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!    

Do No Harm ~ Dr. Cole is a successful neurosurgeon with a dirty little secret.  Every night at 8:25pm, and lasting for 12 hours, Cole switches into an evil alter ego named Ian Price.  With the help of some pretty potent drugs Cole has been able to suppress Price rendering it impossible for him to function.  But, on one unfortunate night Cole discovers that their body has grown immune to this special concoction and Price finally emerges in an angry rage.  Now the fun really begins as Price focuses on wreaking havoc on Cole’s personal and professional life.  The writers take their creative inspiration from the old classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.    

Bobby’s Diner Battle ~ In this competition, 3 teams will serve up the ultimate dinner party.  They are judged on three criteria, presentation, interpretation of the theme, and taste.  The guest list consists of Bobby, a special guest, and the other contestants.  They are given $300 and 30 minutes to shop for their meal.  If they forget an ingredient, they must improvise.  In the episode I watched the competition started with each team receiving a box with their instruction, 3 hours, 3-course meal (with drinks) in a speakeasy theme.  As an added twist Bobby showed up while they were cooking with another surprise, an item they had to incorporate into their already planned meals.  One couple decided to wait (so their meal was fresh) before they began cooking.  Needless to say the 35 minuets they allotted themselves was not enough time and under pressure the meal did not go as planned, they had no cocktails to serve their guests.  OMG, nothing worse than a dry party!   

Starter Wives Confidential ~ Shut the front door….did you know Khloe Kardashian’s husband Lamar has 3 kids…who da thunk it?!  Ok, so maybe that’s old news…but these celebrity exes supported their man before they made it big.  After getting booted to the curb they are learning to reinvent themselves.  If you like the housewives, then you’ll enjoy the dirt on this show!

1/31/13:

American Idol ~ It’s an all new season!  Say goodbye to Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler and hello to Keith Urban, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.  The only two familiar faces are Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest.  I’m not sure why they added a 4^th Judge but I bet they wished they hadn’t.  Mariah and Nicki have been all over the media circuit as cat fighting divas.  Most of the opening scenes have been about their drama, usually it’s about the contestants….hey wait a minute, is this about ratings?  It must be because on camera the Judges barely look at each other.  Some of the contestants feel as though all this diva drama is causing them to miss out on their “golden ticket” to hollywood.  I think it’s safe to say those who haven’t gotten a golden ticket are those kareoke singing fools that we all laugh at our local watering holes.       

The Following ~ Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) a former FBI agent, now on disability and an alcoholic is called back to service as a consultant.  In 2003 he captured serial killer, Joe Carroll (James Purefoy).  Years later with the use of the prison computer Joe has formed a cult following of copycat killers who hang on his every command.  In the series opener, Joe just escaped from death row.  Ryan suddenly finds himself in the middle of a network of serial killers.  This show has endless possibilities; let’s hope it goes in the right direction.   

Edge of America ~ Host Geoff Edgers discovers all types of traditions as he tours small towns around the edges of America.  My favorite was the lobster boat races in Maine.  Whether it’s festivals, competitions, events, sports or hobbies, he’s in search of anything that keeps us entertained.  I can’t say they are places that will make my bucket list but you never know.  Never say never!

Buck Wild ~ You must put yourself in the right frame of mind before watching this show – take yourself back to when you were young, carefree and stupid.  Warning:  this show has more disclaimers than most medications do – this tween/20 something group in West VA are crazy thrill seekers who claim they have nobody telling them what to do or should I say what not to do.  At least the one guy was smart enough to put on a helmet before riding down hill inside a tractor tire.   It gave me a good laugh, sometimes that’s all we need!

1/25/2013:

Carrie Diaries ~ Hey all you Sex In The City fans, Carrie Bradshaw is back!  In this prequel the character of Carrie begins during her senior year of high school in the early 80’s.  It certainly explains a lot, like the weird fashion faux pas Carrie made over the years.  And how her writing career took off….I’ve enjoyed it so far but I do have to wonder how many episodes can they do about her high school days before Carrie moves on and meets her posse?         

Dual Survival ~ Cody, an outdoor survival instructor and Joe, Special Forces vet, show their approach to survival in two very different ways.  They show how to navigate one the most barren landscapes on the planet, Northern Chili.  Their approach was very different, trained vs. tree hugger; whose hands would you put your life in?  For over a decade Joe was part of a top-secret government terrorist group involved in a special ops unit in Afghanistan.  In Chili he climbed 17,000 feet to get ice for water and when the water ran out he ingested his own urine.  Cody was a character; he wore shorts, braids and bare feet.  He did prepare fire kindling for their 12 hours of darkness.  They both added value to the survival but personally if given a choice Joe would be my survival guide.        

1600 Penn Avenue ~ As far as a comedy goes, it had its moments but not many.  The premise is you can pick your president but not your family.  Imagine it, trailer trash moves into the White House.   Then envision a sitcom that never ends.  If they get some better one-liners it may have a chance.  For now I’ll keep watching Scandal.       

The Layover / Anthony Bourdain ~ What can a traveler do besides eat, drink, visit and enjoy 24 to 48 hours in a city.  As a seasoned traveler, Anthony Bourdain, meets the locals and explores a city within a matter of hours, the local way and the tourists way.  I felt like I was on vacation, it was great! 

18/2013:

Deception ~ Given the name I had high hopes this would be the show most talked about around the company water cooler…I was disappointed.  So far the story line goes like this….a wealthy heiress and childhood friend of Joanna’s turns up dead from a suspected drug overdose.  With a little convincing from FBI agent, Will, Joanna agrees to go undercover.  Will believes someone in her friend’s family murdered her.  For the past 9 years the victim’s family has been under investigation by the FBI on suspicion of making billions in stock manipulation, making everyone a murder suspect.  At the funeral the family embraces Joanna, landing her in the lions den.  Here’s the problem, the family is icky and the victim is already dead, leaving no one for us to root for.  Let’s hope there are some juicy twist and turns yet to come.  Otherwise, baw-ring! 

Machines of Glory ~ Rev up your engines for this testosterone-fueled hardhat series.…three crews of machine operators go up against each other for prizes and bragging rights.  The various challenges include the use of excavators, backhoes and bobcats.  The teams are tested in three areas of ability: speed, skill and power.  After three rounds, one team is eliminated and the two finalists go head-to-head in a challenge that involves all the machines.  It’s every man’s dream!  I’ve seen a couple Groupons for playing in the dirt on heavy machinery; even the big boys need a playground!

Killer Karaoke ~ Now here’s a game show!  It’s humorous with an added bonus, Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) is the announcer and Steve-O (Jackass) is the host.  Six contestants team up for the prelim rounds; they are introduced to the audience and then told their challenge.   They have 90 seconds to sing their song while put under extreme physical challenges.  Before every challenge Steve-O’s tag line, "No matter what happens, don’t stop singing." The live audience picks the winner by popular vote and they advance to the Killer Karaoke Showdown.  If you like Karaoke, check it out.  If Karaoke give you a headache, you may want to skip this one.        

1/14/2013:

Dangerous Grounds ~ Are you addicted to java? Did you know your daily dose of Joe is a 60 billion dollar industry?  Coffee roaster, Todd Carmichael, ventures to some pretty dangerous places in search of those precious blue mountain coffee beans that you so desperately crave.   Not surprising then that a rare mix of those highly sought after beans can cost in excess of  $40/lb.  In this episode he journeyed to Papua New Guinea in hopes of locating a community of local farmers capable of doing international trade.  He found what he was looking for in Lac-Port, also known as one of the most violent cities in the world.  He purchased 40,000 lbs. of their beans for some of his exclusive customers.  The best part of the beans is their exotic flavor, cocoa and coffee, yummy!  I really enjoyed watching his journey while learning about the coffee industry, who knew?  I must confess it was refreshing to take a break from those trendy cat-fighting housewives of nowhere, puhleeze!

Best Funeral Ever ~ I couldn’t resist, I just had to check this out.  No wonder cable TV is kicking network TV’s butt!  The Golden Gate Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas wants the grieving families of deceased loved ones to enjoy the experience by celebrating their life, not mourning their death.  They claim they will do just that about anything, and most of what I saw was over the top.  Their goal and mission statement is to make the family happy at the worst possible time.  They even hire professional mourners to enhance the experience.  Ok, so that part was a bit much but still what a concept!  Every family is different when it comes to the death of a loved one, what’s yours?   

Money Barn ~ Auctioneers are given 10 minutes to view a barn full of stuff before offering the families an estimate.  The family then picks the auctioneer of choice and a sale date is set.  If the auctioneer doesn’t meet his/her estimate the family doesn’t pay a commission.  A former PA socialite left her property to her family.  Included with the many acres of land was a barn full of junk, or was it?  Come to find out it was actually full of art, antique implements, and shabby chic junk.  In other words a dealers dream!  In this episode The barn seemed a little staged to me, for starters there was a barrel of racoons sitting next to a piece of art worth 30,000, Hmm.  Moving past that there was a fur coat and wedding gown both in mint condition, just hanging there.  So it had a few bloopers, I’m pretty sure if racoons made the barn their new home the mint conditions items would be made into a nice bed for those baby coons.  It was pretty funny to watch the auctioneers unveil the barns hidden gems!  Did the auctioneer meet his quota for this barn?  It started off rocky but in the end he tipped the scale in his favor and got his commission.  He knows his art! 

12/6/12:

Hot In Cleveland ~ Don’t let that feisty minks fool you; Betty White is a naughty diva!  While watching I had a good dose of girl’s therapy.  The kind that will make you laugh til your muffin top jiggles!  The show is a blast from the past 80’s group of gals who are now forty-something except for Betty who is 80 something.  The show became a modern spin on that 80’s classic “Golden Girls” after Betty’s guest appearance became a permanent gig…you go girl!  

Walking Dead ~ Because my new roomies love it and another fellow TV buff recommended it, I checked out the walking dead – I’m not a big fan of the vampire, werewolf or zombie craze but, kept an open mind and gave it a shot – when the zombies killed a horse it was all over for me.  I do like scary movies but it was a little too gory for my taste.  For those of you into the zombie phenomenon tune in to see the small group of survivors living in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.  Now in season 3, the show isn’t slowing down any time soon, it has many fans and has been nominated for numerous awards.   

Leverage ~ Like Burn Notice and Arrow, this show is a modern-day Robin-Hood type series.  A former insurance investigator with knowledge of scams forms a team of experts known as Leverage Consulting.  They stage elaborate cons for clients victimized by someone who is above the Law.  This elite team of experts gets a thrill out of doing what they do best, cons!  When the legal system fails they take on crimes that benefit those with a genuine need or grievance and steer clear of pure profit heists.  I guess you could say they are a non-profit organization.  Check it out; you won’t be disappointed.

Dog With A Blog ~ While your checking your fur for fleas let me tell you about an adorable doggie tale.  Two feuding step-siblings, Avery and Tyler, get a new dog at their local animal shelter.  Their parents are in hopes the new dog will stop their sibling rivalry and bond their children.  What the family doesn’t know is their new dog, Stan, can talk.  When the kids find out a bond is formed and they agree to keep it a secret from the their parents.  The entire family soon learns that Stan is a Dog with a blog.  He uses his blog to discuss the secrets of his newly blended family.  Stan believes that on the internet nobody will know he’s a dog….boy you got that right!

1/30/12:

Partners ~ I was excited when I saw that the Will and Grace creators had a new comedy.  It’s basically their life with a twist.  The characters are life long friends and partners in an architecture firm; both are males, one is straight, one is gay.  I guess I was hoping for more of an updated version with some great sidekicks like Jack and Karen.  It was ok, had some funny moments.

Guys With Kids ~ Past familiar faces in new places seems to be the theme of the fall 2012 TV lineup.  Guys With Kids reminded me of the movie, Daddy Daycare.  It had funny moments about how guys handle kid’s issues vs. how a woman would.  For example a guy would use the kitchen faucet sprayer to clean off the baby when changing a diaper instead of baby wipes.  It was however a little sad to see the men not wearing the pants in the family, and very annoying to watch the woman treating them like children.  They need to put their big boy pants on!  Where have all the real men gone?     

Dancing With the Stars (All Stars) ~ Of course I would have a comment or two about the DWTS finale.  I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed if Shawn or Melissa won.  As for Kelly, I didn’t think she should have been in the final three.  And as much as I wanted my boy Derek to win, I also wanted to see Tony win his first mirror ball, and that he did.  The look on his face was priceless.  And don’t get me wrong, Melissa is a great dancer and deserved the trophy however, this was the All Star season….(meaning about being the best of the past champions, not a 2^nd chance at a mirror ball).  That’s probably the most criticism the show received this season cuz it sure wasn’t those creative dances, I loved the twist they put on them.  Even the pros found it challenging with the combination of two dances and the choreography.  The best the dancers could do was to focus on pleasing the crowd, not the Judges.  Speaking of, boy were those Judges cranky or what?  Except our fav Judge Bruno!     

666 Park Avenue /  Last Resort  ~ Sad news, 666 Park Avenue and Last Resort have been canceled.  Thanks to a mothers group who found they were not appropriate for children.  No kidding, they were adult shows not meant for children…geez!  I don’t want to watch shows that treat me like a child.  The fall lineup wasn’t great, let’s hope the winter lineup is much better!  

11/14/2012:

Wedding Band ~ If you enjoy movies like Wedding Crashers and The Hangover, you’ll get a kick out of this sitcom.  And wait until you see some of the unexpected guest appearances.  The show centers on a bromance of four band members who are talented but can’t figure out their own lives.  In the episode I saw, Tommy, the lead singer/guitar player’s ex-girlfriend was getting married and needed a big favor.  Her wedding band cancelled at the last minute and if he didn’t help her out the Mother-of-the-Bride would take their place.  It may have been a conflict for Tommy but the rest of the band saw it as a golden opportunity to secure some future gigs.  Why not ride on the tuxedo tails of the biggest event planner of every five-star event in town!    

Bada Bling Brides ~ What’s your crave….fashion and drama?  Then get an eye full on Bada Bling Brides, one of the many Say Yes To The Dress spin offs – The D-Agostino’s are known as the first family of Italian bridal couture.  They run the Sposa Italia bridal salon that is full of beads, sequins, tiaras, tulle and tears!  Every bride has her posse, and they all arrive with an opinion.  Why do brides drag their family and friends to the bridal shop?  The choice is yours to make and when you find THE dress, you’ll know it!          

The Mindy Project ~ Oh goodie another Dr / Hospital show, ugh!  I had high hopes this one would be different when I heard that the writer/producer of “The Office” was creating and staring in her own show.  Inspired by her Mom who was an OB/GYN, Mindy is a successful Dr. who is unlucky in love.  She has a small practice full of quirky co-workers who are always ready to intervene in her love live.  For me it was a far cry from the office and not in a good way.

Dancing With The Stars ~ We’re in the semi-finals and so is my pick, Go Derek!  The boyfriend / girlfriend pro duo got the boot last night. No, not Maks and Kirstie, Gilles and Pita.   What were the fans thinking by voting off the eye candy?  Maks and Gilles all in one night, what’s a girl to do?   

The Voice ~ Our local Minnesota crooner is singing his heart out on team Cee-Lo…..be sure to show your support by voting for Nicholas David. 

11/8/2012:

Extreme Cheapskate ~ Caution, this reality series is disturbing.  While you may be looking for new ways to cut back, these cheapskates take it to a whole new extreme.  I thought it sad when one couple’s kids asked why they couldn’t buy things at the store and their Mom said,  “Because we’re cheap”.  I found it disgusting that parents would take their kids shopping for road kill, no joke.  If you dine at this gals house, you’ll be treated to a gourmet meal fresh out of the grocery store dumpster.  At least she’s a conscientious diver; she does look at the freshness date!  If it’s worth saving in upwards of $15/month you could do as they do and wash your clothes while taking a shower.  Or remove the light bulb from your fridge and save $40/year.  One gal had her gas turned off, she couldn’t see paying the gas company $17/mo for the privilege of having gas.  Others don’t flush their toilets for a week or flush with water they’ve saved from bathing.  I did have to laugh at the guy who claims he has an 85% success rate for haggling over everything from gas to fast food.  And when the extended family joins his wife and kids for their yearly night out of fine dining, he takes the six of them to a buffet but only pays for three….hey dude, that’s stealing!  None of these people are down on their luck or homeless, they just hate spending their hard earned money.  Perhaps they don’t know they can’t take it with them!

Moonshiners ~ Gotta love em, nobody likes a dry county!  They say when alcoholic beverages are made and sold without a permit or taxes paid it’s illegal.  Shoot, I was gonna get me a start up kit, 180 proof is pure moonshine!  In this show they feature the history, law evading techniques, and the life of a moonshiner.  No wait, it’s illegal to do and they are on TV talking about it, huh?  Well rest assured the Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement is in charge of busting the moonshiners.  The ABC claims if illegal activity were taking place they would take action.   As “Popcorn” Sutton once said, this is the last likker I’m ever gonna make”.    

The Neighbors ~ It’s definitely not 3rd Rock from the Sun or Mork and Mindy.  And frankly I didn’t find it all that funny, just goofy.  Made me wonder how some great shows got canceled and this is what we ended up with.  Here’s a tidbit…a couple moves into a gated community in the burbs that are currently occupied by residents from another planet.  They took on human form and the names of sports celebrities.  The funniest thing I saw was one of the female extraterrestrials watched Housewives of New Jersey and took on one of the housewives persona during a girls night out, now that was funny!  

The Voice ~ This season has been awesome, 12 remain.  Not only is the talent exceptional, the Judges make the show so much fun!  They just finished the live playoffs; get it on your DVR, VCR, or Hopper before it’s too late.

11/2/2012:

Once Upon A Time ~ This show has allusions of Lost, with black (ok purple) smoke and everything.  I love it!  If you haven’t watched it, get this on your must see list.  Let me set the stage, your in a sleepy town called Storybrooke, Main, you stop for breakfast at the local diner where you’ll find a sexy vamp tress named Red (as in Little Red Riding Hood).  Don’t be fooled, she’s all grown up now.  And while in Storybrooke be sure to avoid the Mayor, Ragina (the Evil Queen), and Mr. Gold (Rumplestiltskin)….you soon realize you ain’t in Kansas anymore Dorothy.  Suddenly you’re in the enchanted forest watching all your favorite fairy tales come to life.  The residents of Storybrooke are under a curse and soon realize as their back-story unfolds that they are the fairy tale characters.  The way the writers have intertwined these characters is pure genius!    

Revenge ~ Check out this top rated show; you won’t be disappointed!  When a little girl, Emily, loses her Dad in a scandalous cover up, she grows up bitter and consumed with revenge.  Her father wrote a diary of what really happened and how he was wrongfully convicted, incarcerated and killed for committing a terrorist act he did not commit.  His only wish for his daughter was forgiveness.  Emily however returns to the Hamptons to befriend those who she vows to get even with.  Madeline Stowe, Victoria, the matriarch of the Grayson family, is also the woman whom Emily’s father loved and who in the end betrayed him.   The further Emily goes, the more her emotions get involved and the more she questions her motives and the moves she makes.

Dancing With The Stars ~ Look out; I’m ticked!  In a shocking upset, poor Sabrina got the boot.  It felt like I was watching a repeat of Season 5, she just can’t get past week 6 on DWTS.  She is by far a much better dancer than Kirstie Ally.  The Judges acted surprised to see Sabrina get voted off but I have to say they’ve done their part to keep Kirstie on the show.  Let’s see if Carrie Anne makes one of her comments about keeping the better dancers going forward and not making this a popularity contest. Here’s a thought, let’s vote off Judges!  Except for Bruno, he’s a hoot!   

Suburgatory ~ When a single Dad, George, decides his daughter would be better off not growing up New York City they relocate to the suburbs.  In their new world of suburbia, they find the neighbors overly friendly and nosy in the new little cul-de-sac they call home.  Tessa, his teenage daughter longs for her life and friends back in the city.  She just can’t get over the feeling that she’s living in Suburgatory amongst the Stepford Wives.  It reminds me a lot of the old Saturday Night Live.  

10/25/2012:

Don’t Trust The B---- In Apartment 23 ~ I couldn’t stop laughing the first time I watched this show, it made my must see list!   One of my fav episodes was about, June, the innocent Midwestern gal who meets the perfect guy, he turns out to be Chloe’s Dad, her new roomie…..awkward!  Meet Party girl and con artist, Chloe, the B---- in Apt. 23 and naïve Indiana girl, June, who loses her dream job at a mortgage company when the owner is arrested in a ponzi scheme.  Chloe’s job is providing “entertainment” to diplomats at the United Nations.  June is embarrassed and refuses to go home to her overbearing parents; she is currently working as a barista in a local NY coffee shop.  Let the games begin!    

World’s Hottest Hotels ~ This is my kinda show; makes me dream about all the places I want to go.  Who doesn’t want to go down under?  Australia has been on my bucket list for quite some time.  With a 22-hour flight from NY I better save for a first class seat!  Now I just have to decide on a hotel.  Let’s see, there’s the Blue Hotel, the largest wooden structure in the world, a loft suite runs $1,100/night.  The Byron Hotel boasts beautiful beaches, is funky chic with villages in the cliffs.  The Hotel Longitude 131, each dune house is a unique tent with a price tag to match $1,800/night.  Or the Prairie Hotel, with 12 rooms and a population of 7, the town is best known for having the last gas pump within 60 miles.         

Home Strange Home ~ An architect built what’s known as the Fish House.  Let me tell you it’s not what us Minnesotans call a fish house.  And if I were his neighbor I’d be ticked, it’s one ugly house!  Wayne, the psychedelic lead singer for the Flaming Lips built his home in Oklahoma City.  The strangest part of his house is the community shower….Party like a rock star!  Oh ladies, the owner of the Tiny House is still single.  He built his 88 sf. home because he didn’t want to pay for extra sf. he’s not going to use.  Hey dude, that’s why you’re single.  The best one is the Texas lawyer’s graffiti house.  He encourages local street artists and troubled kids in his community to express themselves by painting the perimeter of his concrete wall.  When the wall is full, he paints it white again so the artists always have a canvas to vandalize.     

Dead Files ~ Here’s a good reason not to buy a used house, especially an old one….it might be haunted.  I’ve never experienced a sighting or the presence of a ghost so I am by no means an expert on this topic.  But what I can say is that I had a hard time watching the show.   The hosts and homeowners facial expressions made the show seem kinda corny. 

10/18/2012

Fringe ~ This show has a huge following; if your not watching it, get with the program man!  To understand the institutionalized scientist, Walter, check out Fringepedia.  The Fringe Division is based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security.  The team uses science and FBI investigative techniques to investigate unexplained occurrences related to mysterious surroundings through a portal to a parallel universe.   Sorry, no aliens.  This series has been described as a hybrid of the X-Files, Altered States and the Twilight Zone.  Whoopee, all my favorites! 

Arrow ~ This is an action adventure based on comic book superhero, green arrow.   During a rendezvous with his girlfriend’s sister, bad boy billionaire playboy, Oliver Queen’s yacht is shipwrecked during a category 3-hurricane.  For the next 5 years he is stranded on a deserted Mandarin Island.  After his rescue the long road back into civilization is difficult and cruel.   His biggest challenge is dealing with the flashbacks of his own survival on the island.  Those lessons in survival have made him a changed man; he’s now fighting crime as a vigilante.  Could Mommy dearest be the enemy?  

Nashville ~ Rayna James, a legendary country music superstar, whose star is fading with age, is faced with Juliette Barnes, the young and sexy future of country music.  Due to lack of ticket sales Rayna’s producers offer her a joint tour with Juliette.  Rayna thinks that a few songs written by a mysterious author will help to revive her falling stardom.  Meanwhile Juliette continues to sleep her way to the top.  I’m anxious to see where the writers take this show, in cougar vs. 20 something. 

Chicago Fire ~ Growing up our landline had a special ring tone.  That tone signified some sort of tragedy.  Of the many stories of poor visibility to entire floors collapsing, my favorite was the woman who wouldn’t leave her burning house without her pet (that sounds like something I would do).  Firefighters put their lives on the line every day.  They respond to everything from tornadoes to terrorists.  This show is no different; it’s constant intense life threatening drama.   They watch as their fellow firefighters are over taken by smoke, some surviving, others dying.  The special affects are fantastic, much like the movie Backdraft.  Oh and ladies, those hardworking firemen have a few sexy scenes, wonder when their calendar will go on sale? 

10/11/12

666 Park Avenue ~ If you could make a deal with the devil to get anything you want, what would you wish for?  More importantly would you sell your soul to get it?  Well sit back and allow yourself to be seduced by The Drake, a mysterious apartment building located at 666 Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.  Owners, Gavin (Terry O’Quinn, Lost) and his wife Olivia (Vanessa Williams, Desperate Housewives) appear to be something they are not, watch as the mysteries unravel in this devilish new drama.    For all you Lost fans, Locke remains a mystery……   

Scandal ~ And the plot thickens.  Olivia Pope left her position as a White House Communications Director to the President to open her own business.  As a crisis manager, she dedicates her life to protecting the public images of the nation’s most elite by making sure their secrets are safe.  Her team of experts will do anything to protect their clients, from bribery to deception, anything goes.  When she started her business she was hoping to begin a new chapter in her life but soon realized she cannot leave parts of her past behind, the President being one of them.       

The White Room Challenge ~ If you watched HGTV Design Star then you know how much the contestants dreaded the white room challenge.  HG got it right when they created a spin off show of that challenge.  Four people complete for a cash prize of $10,000.  But in a twist, HG has them use odd items to create and furnish their rooms based on a fictitious client.  With $1,500 to spend they were asked to design and create a room fit for a chef by using chef equipment.  There’s a cheese head on the show, show your Midwest spirit and vote for him!   

The Voice ~ Hope you’ve been watching the voice, the blind auditions are finished and the coaches have picked their teams.  While preparing for the battle rounds they revealed a twist in this season’s competition, a steal.  When one Judge lets go of a vocalist another can steal the one that got away.  It has made the show even that much more exciting.  You can tell the Judges really respect each other unlike some of its rival shows.

X-Factor ~ The Voice’s competitor, X-Factor, is back!  The auditions are finished; there were a few casualties and many humorous moments.  Boot camp has begun and nerves are getting the best of the contestants.   We have two new Judges this season, Demi Lovato and Britney Spears.  What?  No Paula? Maybe Simon will be the one to cry!   

10/5/12:

Last Resort ~ This is one of those shows; holds your attention and you can’t wait to find out what happens next.  It’s about a renegade crew on a US Navy ballistic missile submarine, known as the USS Colorado.  They receive an order to launch nuclear missiles at Pakistan.  The orders were given through a backup communications channel.  When the Captain asks for confirmation via official channels, he is relieved of command. When the second in command questions the order, the USS Illinois fires upon the vessel killing the USS Colorado crewmembers.  Realizing that they have been declared enemies of their own country, they set up camp on an island.  The crew must now find a way to prove their innocence and figure out who set them up.   

Flea Market Flip ~ Love this show!  Two teams of two set out to their local flea market with a flip challenge list.  They must complete the list in order to win the competition and take home $10,000.  The challenge list includes:  Re-upholstering a piece of furniture, creating a lighting fixture, and re-invent an item for a new purpose.  I know just the girlfriend that I would want to be on this show with.  Deb and I share a passion for flea market finds and antiques.  We could spend hours wondering around a good flea market or antique shop.

Restaurant Stakeout ~ Pretty similar to Bar Rescue, both hosts are hyper and yell a lot.  Had to laugh it reminded me of when you talk with someone who doesn’t speak your language and you think by talking louder it will help them to understand you, Not!  In this episode the staff was lazy, unprofessional, and lacked basic communication skills.  In other words they didn’t give a rip about their jobs or the owners bottom line.   Had they thought about it they were pretty much putting themselves out of a job. 

Vegas ~ This is a 1960’s fact based crime drama.  Dennis Quaid plays a rancher in Las Vegas who teams up with the sheriff and they locks horns with a Chicago mobster running a swanky new casino.  If you love the old Vegas, you’ll enjoy the show.  It’s packed full of crime scene twist and turns.  Dennis better watch his back!

Elementary ~

This series features a twist on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories.  Holmes, played by Johnny Lee Miller, is a former consultant to Scotland Yard and an addict who lands himself in a rehab center in New York City.  Dr. Watson (Lucy Liu) is his sober companion.  While in New York he becomes a consultant to the NYPD.  I love a good murder mystery but it was a little slow for me.  I’m assuming it’s because the first few episodes will show how their relationship evolves.   

9/27/12:

Dancing With The Stars (All-Stars)  ~ Live from Hollywood, Dancing With The Stars is back!  When they announced the all-star cast I had high expectations.  Boy did they deliver, what a premiere!  The costumes were fabulous, Ooh La La skimpy and sexy.  As for the dances, they were hot and steamy.  All in the first week of competition, Oh My!  What will the next 9 weeks bring?  Of the 13 stars dancing, only three were nervous and stiff.  What’s changed for the All-Star show?  Scoring and Judging.  The judges will be tougher on their critiquing and scoring.  The point system also changed, they’ve added a half-point system.  Maybe now Len will receive fewer boos for a score of 7.5 instead of a 7, LOL!  The Judges felt the new scoring system was necessary to allow more precise scoring.  Sorry boys, it was not shocking to see playboy bombshell Pam Anderson be the first to get voted off.       

Revolution ~ I’m hooked!  For all you depressed LOST fans, Bad Robot is back and so is Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet).  In this American post-apocalyptic series, 15 years earlier, people are forced to live in a world without technology.  And without public order here come the warlords and militias.  So what caused the black out?  Stay tuned to find out.  Warning:  do not watch before bedtime, its action packed and will get your heart pumping. 

Great Food Truck Race ~ What’s with the food truck craze?  Does it remind you of the Great Minnesota get-together or maybe fast food on wheels?  I’ll admit I’ve eaten from a food truck; the lobster roll was delish!   I think it would be fun to try this fast paced competition.  Seven specialty food trucks move across the Country competing against each other.  The goal each week is to have the highest food sales, the lowest is eliminated.  The winner of the race receives $50,000 and the keys to their dream food truck.   Notice any pimped out wheels in your town or city?  They may have won the Great Food Truck Race. 

Sons of Anarchy ~ Katy Sagal (Married with Children’s, Peg Bundy) is one badass biker chick!  This show is about a gun running motorcycle gang.  The goal is protect their livelihood and their town, Charming, California.  They confront drug dealers, corporate developers, and law officers.  The gangs auto shop is legal – there behind the scenes arms dealing business is not.  It’s another heart pumper, be warned!     

9/21/12

Hot Set ~ OMG…loved it!  My fav tourist spot in Hollywood is Universal Studios.  Who needs to walk the red carpet (unless it’s with Johnny D.)?  I’d rather be behind the scenes as a production designer.  Where life is all about imagination, creativity, props, props and more props!  In Hot Set two teams have 3 days to design and build a Hollywood set that is camera ready to film a scene based on a script.  They will be judged on three criteria:  creativity, technique and presentation.   The winner takes home $10,000.  I was in awe; from where they shopped for props to how they incorporated their ideas, I’m hooked!

The New Normal ~ The tag line is abnormal is the new normal; they got that right!  The politically incorrect Grandma had few good one-liners, other than that it was similar to other sitcoms and it lost my interest.   It won’t make my DVR lineup but, if your channel surfing for something to watch check it out.  

Perception ~ When I saw Eric McCormack, it brought back memories of Will and Grace.  Remember those lovable sidekicks Karen and Jack?  They were so funny; I miss them!  In case you don’t know, Grace (Debra Messing) is now playing a writer on “Smash” and Will (Eric McCormack) is playing a professor on Perception.   I liked what I saw thus far lots of drama and suspense.  It’s about a schizophrenic professor who appears to be involved in government conspiracy theories and cover-ups.  I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds.

Extreme Tours ~ Where People pay big bucks to take some crazy tours.  From eating exotic foods in China Town to extreme excursions, this shows got it all.  My fav was storm chasing.  When I was 7, my hometown was destroyed by a tornado.  Needless to say Tornadoes intrigue me.  For $2,400 you can take a tour from S. Texas to N. Oklahoma, commonly known as Tornado Ally.  And for $49 you can take the TMZ celebrity tracking tour.  The guide stalks and interviews celebrities while you watch.  The live feed is sent back to TMZ studio and will appear on the website or the show.  Might be fun to locate a few celebs, look out Johnny!  Oh that’s right, been there, done that!

9/14/12:

Food Tech ~ This show is similar to “How It’s Made” except this one describes how a meal is made.  I was not impressed with the host but I did learn a lot.  The meal they chose was Mexican (margarita, chips & salsa, guacamole, Fish tacos, and Mexican hot chocolate)…all my favorite things, call me Oprah!  Did you know in order for tequila to be legal for sale it must be made with 51% blue agave, it takes 7 years to harvest.  When cooked its 110 proof after the final process it’s 80 proof.  I was surprised to learn that Pinto Foods produces 4,000 cases of salsa daily.  And refried beans are not actually refried.  Or that Mexican chocolate predates the Aztecs by 3,000 years.   My fav part was Tortillas; they date back to 10,000 BC.  They produce 75 tons of tortillas and the demand is so great they frequently sell out.  When I was a little girl my grandma taught me how to make tortillas.  I have to laugh at how I wrote down her recipe; it calls for 8 red scoop of flour, if only I had that red scoop!  The key to a great tortilla is the ingredients and the cooking surface.  Don’t you wish you knew my secret?  

Housewives of New Jersey ~ My intention was not to blog about any of the housewives shows, they are nut cases.  They don’t have a clue about the real world much like the politicians.  I was however forced to watch this show because while I was chillaxing over Labor Day weekend my nieces and nephews gal pals were watching the show.  I sat down to see what they were laughing about, lucky me!  I would say I don’t relate because it’s an age thing but I have friends that are into it too.  I don’t see me standing around the water cooler discussing the housewives of la-la land.  The gals tried to explain to me why they think it’s so funny.  Maybe it is a break from reality but all I heard was yelling, fighting, yelling, fighting and more yelling and fighting.   Its too stressful for my taste, I’d rather watch a good comedian or sitcom.  Sorry housewives lovers!       

Beverly Hills Nannies ~ Oh boy!  I thought I was watching another housewives show.  I was hoping for a little dirt dishing it would have made the show much more interesting.  The Beverly Hills mom’s have converted their Nannies into mini-me’s!  According to this show it appears they care more about the Nannies looks than their personality, character, or integrity.  They will spend ridiculous amounts of money for fake hair, fake boobs, fake lips and any other anti-aging technique yet only pay $15 for someone else to watch their children or should I say raise their children.  I couldn’t watch it for long, not only did the host annoy me the women did too, ugh! 

9/6/12:

Tanked ~ I know what your thinking and no, it’s not about being intoxicated.  I’ll admit I thought it was - Lol.  It’s about top of the line unique fish aquariums.  The price range for the fish is staggering, to the tune of a house payment, wowza!  One of the tanks requires testing 24/7 by remote control and a diver.  I had no idea there was such a market for this, here I thought custom fish houses were all the rage.  The concept for the tanks is easy; getting it completed is another matter.  I can’t say it will make my weekly DVR list but I enjoyed it.

Saw Dogs ~ Now these people are artists!  I loved the man in charge; he’s a feisty old timer.  They make wood sculptors with a chain saw, A-mazing!  It starts as a hand sketched drawing and becomes a masterpiece.  The jobs pay commission and costs in upwards of $40K, worth every penny.  I couldn’t believe the detail and craftsmanship, not an easy feat using a chain saw.  My grandfather used to whittle, he was pretty good…wish I had one of his pieces.  Some things are priceless!

Cool Pools ~ If you’re looking to install a pool, this is the show to watch.  If nothing else pin it for future reference.  The priciest pool was over a million; the roof and sides are retractable making it ideal for winter environments.  The neatest one was the infinity pool.  I was fortunate enough to relax in one of those in Argentina.  It was breathtaking to sit in the pool and look at the snow capped mountains.  The idea of the infinity is that the pool water becomes one with the ocean and the sky.  You gotta see it to believe it!

Bar Rescue ~ The “Island Bar” owner was more interested in hiring hot chicks than he was in running a bar.  His bar was in a world of hurt by being in denial, reality hit home when he lost $200K.  The bar itself has an awesome view but is run down and in need of repairs.  His hot wait staff walked all over him by showing up for shifts whenever they felt like it.  Realizing he had no other option he brought in the host to help turn things around.  They sent in a fake customer to see what was going on.  The bartenders don’t know how to make drinks and the food runner is constantly playing with her long hair resulting in hair in the food.  His first step was to train and fire those not working out.  If you’ve worked in the hospitality industry you will relate to this show. 

8/31/12

Face Off ~ Back in the day when Horst had the school in what we like to call the castle; I found the makeup portion of the class much more exciting than picking people zits.  Needless to say I didn’t stay in the world of esthiology for very long.  At that time the career options were salons or mortuaries.  Low and beyond I wasn’t thinking far enough outside the box, Hollywood.  Although a long ways away for this small town girl, a whole new world of makeup craftsmanship awaits.  In “face off” 12 aspiring makeup artists had to design an original pirate character.  Of course that made me think about my newly single fav pirate, Johnny D aka Jack Sparrow.  Ever wonder how the artists create some of the characters you see on TV or in the movies…well these very gifted people will show you how.  The winner will receive a new car, $100,000, and be a guest lecturer at Makeup forever’s academy in New York and Paris.    

Urban Legends ~ Loved it!  This reminded me of Ripley’s Believe it or Not.  All of my detective skills kicked into high gear and I was solving fact or fiction crimes.  I’m must say I’m a little rusty, 6 out of 10 is not like me.  My fav was the man that landed in the dog house, literally, when his wife got tired of him hanging out with his friends and spending their hard earned money on booze.  Lucky for him his friends found him 3 days later….wonder if they’re still married?

Collection Intervention ~ I found this reality show interesting; the only fighting was with the shrink.  These Hoarders collect items of value or sentiment.  Like the comic book collector whose been collecting for over 25 years and has an estimated value of $30,000 sitting on the floor in his apartment.  My suggestion would be to use that money towards a down payment on a house and collect higher value comic books, which would result in less of them.  Rare comic books are all the rage!  What caught my attention was the gal with the Barbie Doll collection, Wowza!  She has some original pieces in mint condition; the collection is priceless.  The best guess from the experts was over $500,000.   So her husband doesn’t have use of the garage, so what, and what’s with men and their garages?  I related to this show, I collect Hamm’s Beer memorabilia.   

8/22/12:

Moving Up ~ This is my area of expertise.  Four couples purchase existing homes and remodel them.  The previous owner is then asked to critique the changes that were made to the home.  Of course one lady forgot the rules of etiquette, if you don’t have something nice to say, zip the lip!  She had nothing but negative comments to make about the changes.  Yet when she owned the home it was outdated and filthy!  When you have years of dust on your ceiling fan, it might be time to dust!  I thought the visions the new homeowners had were executed nicely.          

Oh Sit! ~ You are reading that correctly.  It’s a game show, who knew?  My take on it is it’s a cross between wipeout and duck, duck, gray duck.  The contestants go through an obstacle course while music is playing.  When the music stops you must find a chair as quickly as possible.  The scoring is based on timing and the chair selected.   The person with no chair is the first to be eliminated.  Those remaining must pick their chair wisely; all chairs but one have bonus points.  Not knowing your fate, the scores are tallied and the man or woman with the lowest score is also eliminated.  They do have rules and you can get a DQ.  It gets pretty aggressive.  If you like wipeout, you’ll want to catch this one.

The Next ~ The next crew is visiting 6 Cities in search of some homegrown talent.  The acts I saw performed at the House of Blues in Florida.  The local acts and the online following artists perform after being mentored by popular artists such as, Joe Jonas, John Rich, Gloria Estefan, and Nelly.  America votes and the winning artist will receive a recording contract with Atlantic Records.  Yes, it’s another singing show and the concept is similar to the Voice but I really enjoyed it. 

Oddities ~ People set out to find odd stuff - I was ok with Elvira looking for something odd but it got a little creepy for me.   The people buying the items weren’t sideshow performers, weren’t doctors, weren’t med school students, and it wasn’t for Halloween.  So why on earth would someone want a human hand, scull or brain?  Even oddities make the world go round! 

Hoarding:  Buried Alive ~ My heart goes out to those living in hoarding hell.  According to psychologists they believe hoarding starts with some form of trauma.  Hoarders do not typically collect items of value or sentiment.  It’s really random and the more they can’t let go of something the more concerned you should be.  A woman actually lost her home.  If you notice a change in a friend or family member consider finding them some help.  Although not always easy to do until they are ready to be helped.

8/16/12:

Stars earn Stripes ~ A fellow Minnesotan, Samantha Harris, is the host of this new show.  You might remember her as a former host on DWTS.  Celebrities are teamed up with former military (navy seal, Delta Force, Green Beret, Seal Team 5, Marine Corps, Combat Corp, S.W.A.T. Commando, etc.).  They first go through mission training with the use of real ammo, tanks, and full gear.  They are basically put in a military combat zone with fake targets.  How many of you could do that?  Each team competes in a mission commanded by General Wesley Clark; the lowest score loses in combat and is sent home.  The winner will receive $10k for their charity.  There are even chicks that compete on the show, that WWE has produced some badass chicks.   It’s a must see for both men and woman! 

Extreme Restaurants ~ Are you a creature of habit when it comes to dining out?  Check out this show for a new dining experience.  Like “Dark Dining”, their theory is by removing one of your senses your other senses will be heightened.  For most patrons it was their hearing that was stimulated, their lack of sight made them talk louder.  How about the “Modern Toilet”?  No kidding, the restaurant looks like a bathroom.   You sit and dine from a toilet.  We won’t talk about what the food looks like in case your eating.  I liked the “Catfish Plantation”.  An old Victorian home converted into a restaurant and you guessed it, it’s haunted.  Will, Elizabeth, and Caroline, the 3 ghosts dining with you are former residents.  A former lover strangled Elizabeth on her wedding day; she’s angry and throws things.  Will likes to flirt with the female patrons, watch out he like to touch legs.  And Caroline throws liquor and glassware around in the kitchen.  One of them makes coffee every morning for the owners.  I do want to check out the “Safe house” in Milwaukee, WI, built in 1966.  Diners are agents and spies for the CIA; it has all kinds of hiding places and secret passageways.  Only one patron spent the night after getting lost.  Wanna go with me?   

Off Limits ~  This episode I watched was about Arizona’s hidden gems that are off limits.  They showed the interior of the Hoover Dam and several gold mining sites.  But I was most intrigued by the missile site.  In the 1960’s 18 massive nuclear weapons called Titan Twos were buried in the Arizona dessert (wonder what the environmentalists think of that?)  The military sold the site to a salvage company in the 80’s; it exchanged hands again before Drew bought it in 2008.  He plans to build a home on top of it.  He wants to keep his name and the location hidden from vandals.  The government filled in the 132’ below ground site with dirt and concrete.  Some how I don’t find comfort in that, how would that prevent it from going off?  When we got to the 103’ missile it was still in tact, and can be launched in one minute.  Wait, what?  And some unknown man owns it, huh?  Hope your on his good side!  

8/10/12

HGTV Design All-Star ~ I was thrilled to see HGTV bringing back former contestants of Design Star to compete for the title of Design All-Star.   I like to see the before and after pix of the design stars ideas.  If you have a project list, this show is for you.  It’s so inspiring!  Last weeks challenge was to do a make over on one of our fav Dancing with the Stars ballroom dancers, Anna Trebunskaya and Jonathan Roberts.  Now that we all know where they live, we can stop by for a dance lesson!      

You Live In What? ~ While watching this show I was reminded of the many possibilities I considered for a home, none of which compared to these.  Let’s see there’s the 1960 Atlas “F” Missile, the Bank of New York, a 100 yr. old church or the Featherbone Corset Factory.  My favorite was the cosmic muffin (I know what your thinking and no, it’s not a huge muffin top).  It was a plane owned by Howard Hughes that was converted into a houseboat, how cool is that?  I’d set out on that bad boy for a trip to the Caribbean in search of my fav pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Mystery Diners ~ If you ever worked in the hospitality industry then you know what a spotter is.  This is similar to that, mystery diner’s pose as customers to see if employees are stealing from their employers.  The episode I watched the cook was not only stealing food and supplies, he was ignoring customers in the restaurant to work on his own catering business out of his employer’s restaurant.   He was caught on tape and when confronted he was actually mad at his employer for doing that to him, wow what a schmuck!        

Red Green ~ If you like to laugh and by that I mean a good old-fashioned belly-shaking laugh, then catch this show.  Red reminds me of one of my friends, oh you know who you are.  My favorite episode is the “many uses of duct tape”.  

Big Ang ~ Oh boy…no kidding everything is big, particularly the ta-ta’s.  I got that she’s addicted to botox and likes to spend money but besides that I’m not sure why it’s a TV show?  Like the Kardashians, why waste your time?  Here are wealthy middle-aged woman acting like teenagers.  I guess men of all ages can be bought, shame on you!   

8/3/12

Best Of The Road ~ I want to be on this show!  My BFF Burt from Flip Trip is hosting this show.  650 small towns were nominated.  3 out of 40 teams that tried out were selected to tour 5 small towns across the US.  Each team was given a specific category (Beauty / Fun / Food) and asked to rate the town on their task.  The beauty team rated Jim Thorpe, PA; Bardstown, KY; Tybee Island, GA; Baker City, OR; and Sedona, AZ.  The fun team rated Corning, NY; Geneva on the Lake, Oh; Santa Claus, IN; Delray Beach, FL; and Denton, TX.  The food team rated Bloomington, IN; Charlottesville, VA; Lewiston, NY; Santa Fe, NM; and Walla Walla, WA.  The beauty team voted the best small town winner:  Bardstown, KY.  The fun team voted the best small town winner:  Del Ray, FL.  The food team voted the best small town winner is:  Santa Fe, NM.  If you decide to be on this show think carefully about who your travel partner will be, not everyone is compatible.  This is not a show for Joy suckers!

London Revealed ~ If you’re heading to the summer Olympics, check out these hidden gems.  There are the typical tourist areas, like spying on those popular young royals, or enjoying a walk across the London Bridge in search of Big Ben.   It’s not every day you can take a private tour of Wimbledon without a membership.  And don’t forget to visit the streets, nooks and crannies that inspired the author of the Harry Potter books.  Or check out the street art at the hip East End, which is famous for a mysterious graffiti artist.  My favorite is the fashion trend starter store called “no one”.  There are also endless pubs and meeting places worth checking out.  I loved London! 

How I Made My Millions ~ I enjoy shows like this….the stories behind them are usually surprising or a fluke.  I saw the story behind Aunt Annie’s pretzels, yummy!  They say to look to the food industry for inspiration; I disagree.  I’ve said it before look for ideas that have to do with children and dogs.      

Property Wars ~ I don’t know what to think about this one.  Rivals bid on foreclosed properties sight unseen and then flip them.  These homes belonged to someone, there not just houses for someone to make a quick buck.   

Hotel Impossible ~ Hotels / Motels / Inn owners not making a profit call in an expert to help them turn things around.  Most are clean but are run down and outdated.  The La Jolla Cove is a family owned business that is competing against large hotel chains.  Her advantage was that she had one of the best locations and views.  The expert helped her see her strengths and weaknesses.  She was able to revamp the hotel and is now turning a profit.  The hotel will be family owned for generations to come!

7/27/2012

Opening Act ~ Boy did this bring back memories!  The show is about struggling musicians looking for their big break.  The judges search the Internet looking for amateurs ready to take the stage.  For 16 yr. old Kylie Morgan that big break came after she was selected to open for Jason Aldean.  The road leading to her big night was not easy but when the time came she rocked it!  There are a lot of musicians looking for their opening act, get off the couch and post your talent online.  But please, some of you need to accept you’re just not that talented, sorry!  

History Detectives ~ You have to watch a few bad shows to get to a good one!  Flashback to 1965 we’re at the Folk Festival when Bob Dylan pulls out an electric guitar and is booed off the stage.  Fast-forward 30 years and the daughter of the pilot who found that guitar is wondering if it really is that famous guitar.   Two young men hear that the Beatles are performing at a hotel, they send a letter to the concierge requesting autographs.  Much to their surprise they receive an autographed photo.  A man purchases a piece of art from a local thrift store for $5 with the initials FZ.  Question is:  Is that the famous Dylan guitar?  The guitar is authentic and is valued at 300,000-500,000.    Are those autographs real?  The autographs are fake.  Is that a Frank Zappa piece of art?   The artwork is authentic valued at $25K    

Political Animals  / (Limited Series Event) ~ This is totally a reality show about politicians or so one would think.  It’s packed full of deceit, controversy, backstabbing, dark souls, kickbacks, secrets, and infidelity.  Even took some tidbits from one of administrations who denied his affair, no wait several of them did that.  I found it hilarious but don’t think that was the intent of the producers.         

Virgin Diaries ~ Yes, there really is a reality show about being a virgin.  Awkward.  Isn’t there a support group for this?  I watched nerd Skippy and his wingman (his mommy) go out and meet chicks, OMG no wonder he’s a virgin.

All Worked Up ~ From repo man to process server, they take their jobs so seriously, oh my!  I couldn’t help but laugh.  Ever see an angry woman flip out after her cars been towed, well stay tuned. 

7/19/12

Final Witness ~ True crimes as told by the ultimate eyewitness, the victim.  This show uses real stories, photos and interviews from witnesses, friends, families & detectives, what a concept!  In some cases the actual courtroom footage is used to tell the story.  At the end of the show the actors portraying the victims reveal the victims identity.  It’s heartfelt with a CSI twist, loved it!  

Monumental Mysteries ~ If a show is lucky enough to become a regular on my DVR, then it’s a hit!  This is one of those shows.  I found it interesting and intriguing.  It’s a look at our national monuments.  I was surprised by some of the stories and conspiracy theories behind the monuments.  Like the Hollywood sign in LA.  People walking the path to the sign have witnessed a ghost like figure of a woman dressed from the 30’s.  As it turns out that woman was an inspiring actress who killed herself.  I can’t wait for next weeks!  

Four Houses ~ It reminded me of four weddings.  Where one bride wins a dream honeymoon after the four brides attend each other’s wedding, then rate the weddings.  Here 4 woman rate each others homes based on style / livability / originality.  The winner receives 10K and is featured in Better Homes & Garden magazine.  It was pretty predictable, they were snotty, offered phony smiles and fake hugs as they ripped apart each other’s homes.  If you have a style you like it’s hard to get someone else to appreciate your style or see your vision….ladies, be nice.

Top Spot ~ You are given an option of three hotels.  With a budget in mind the couples/families set out to tour what each hotel has to offer.  The episode I watched was in South Beach, they had two hotels within budget and one was an upgrade.   Some offer more than just a room, like an ocean view, discounts for spa, food, and adventures.  Hey, it never hurts to ask!  It may be wise to just stay off the beaten path…where’s our buddy from flip trip?

Worlds Worst Tenants ~ Have the networks gone too far with reality shows?  I’ll let you be the judge of that.  Meet a wannabe Bounty hunter and his sidekick, known as the Eviction Specialists.  Landlords hire them to get their tenants to pay up or get out!  They really get into their job.  Thank goodness they can make a citizens arrest.  Joking aside, they were doing a good thing when they busted the perv that wired the apartment complex to watch the other tenants in their bathrooms / bedrooms…oh yeah he’s going to jail…he recorded everything, moron.

7/13/12

Baggage Battles ~ Remember a while back when “On The Fly” was about the airlines losing our luggage?  Now we know where it goes, Baggage Battles.  Every year 15 trillion dollars in property travels around the world, of that 1% gets lost.  If the unclaimed property is unclaimed for 90 days it’s seized by police and sold at auction.  I wonder if that’s what happened to my favorite pair of pants, they left Mexico in my bag and disappeared mid flight, huh?  It’s Kind of hard to claim your property when you have no idea where in the world it was lost.  I caught the Scotland auction; those in attendance were able to preview the items, then the battle began!       

Trip-Flip ~  Travel expert, Burt Kreischer, is the guy you want to see on your next vacation.  If he asks you to let him plan your vacation and you say one little word “YES”, then your trip is FREE.  But that’s not even the best part; he will take you on a 3-day adventure you’ll never forget.  He starts by upgrading your hotel accommodations.  The food, beverage, and non-stop adventure are a once in a lifetime experience.  He really teaches you how to conquer a City/town/Beach.   

Mysteries At the Museum ~ Travel across the US deep into the vaults of our nations institutions of artifacts and bizarre relics.  Possibly answer some of those age-old questions, fact or fiction?  It was interesting to see other Cities museums; and it’s great for tourism.  I know it made me want to add a few more to my bucket list.  The episode I saw gave the history behind the real “James Bond”.   Shaken or stirred?  

Wipe Out ~ When you watch this show the word “OH” will be followed by hysterical laughter.  I’m sure ever parent is thinking I hope my kids don’t try this at home.  The question is why do we find it so funny when people do stupid things willingly?  Watch as the contestants play on the world’s largest obstacle courses.  I think the commentators make this show.  In the episode I saw Hotties vs. Nerds, it was a nerds victory, they won 50K.  Behind the scenes of the show there are five fearless daredevils called the black and blue crew who test and teach each wipeout course.  That should be a clue that your body will take a beating…..still wanna play?

Anger Management ~ He’s Back….Charlie Sheen is an anger management therapist (go figure).  There are hints of his past and his version of how he’s changed.  His advice, don’t use a “slump buster”.  I think he might just have another hit on his hands.  I found it funny and I think people have already forgotten about the past.        

6/29/12

American Pickers ~ I don’t know about you but I enjoy a good find at a flea market, auction or garage sale.  It’s that moment when you spot something followed by the feeling of excitement when you outbid a fellow patron.  Imagine doing this for a living…these guys drive around the Country picking through others peoples junk (or treasures, depending on your point of view).  They don’t mind getting dirty and enjoy a good barter battle.  You never know when they might be in your neighborhood! 

Glass House ~ This interactive reality show looked intriguing so I checked it out.  The viewers decide and influence the game, oh boy.  14 contestants range in age from young to cougar-ish (you know how 30 is the new 20), all cohabitating in a glass house.  A question is posed to the viewers they vote and the challenge begins.  You decide what happens, from what food they eat to what party games they play.  A captain is chosen and assigned a team for each challenge.  If the captain loses he/she goes in limbo (note to self:  avoid limbo).  Meanwhile the house votes on who they want to see join the captain in limbo.  The viewers’ get the final say on which of the two in limbo go home.  I predict major catfights, tons of backbiting, and loads of drama.  I can’t wait to see how this plays out!  

The Great Escape ~ 3 teams of 2 were transported to “The Rock” on Alcatraz Island.  One team made history by breaking out of prison and took home $100K!  The challenge was to find keys, maps, and escape routes while avoiding the guards policing the grounds.  If they got caught they had to start the game over.   Needless to say the teams positions changed often.  Next weeks challenge is on the USS Hornet.  This ship has been a symbol of freedom since WWII and is the size of 3 football fields.  There will be a lot of places to hide things! 

Duck Dynasty ~ This episode was the “Redneck Road Trip”.  The Robertson Clan known as the Louisiana Rednecks turned their duck calls into a multi-million dollar business.  Put it this way, their family tree is rather twisted.  If you met them in a diner you’d never know they had two nickels to rub together, they look like ZZ Top, and love to play in the mud.  I laughed the entire show!

Craft Wars ~ Fire up those glue guns girls, craft wars has begun!  The glitters gonna fly, rhinestones are gonna roll and when the glue dries one lucky crafter will take home 10K.  If you’re the creative type, you’ll love this show.  They have different types of crafting challenges throughout the competition.  This week they had to create a craft using the items they were given.  I love crafts but have been known to lack a little patience when the duck tape doesn’t stick.  

6/22/12

Hell’s Kitchen / Master Chef ~ Thought we should check out how the auditions are going on Master chef and Hell’s Kitchen.  Whoa, I think the Judges ate a crab sandwich and the contestants need anger management!  I found it to be non-stop madness in Hell’s Kitchen; it scared me.  I was so stressed out when it was over I couldn’t sleep.  Sad part was I didn’t even learn a new cooking technique.

Monster-In-Laws ~ Wowza!  The mouths on these people, they spew anger and hatred.  I couldn’t help but wonder if this was real or if it’s a made for TV show.  I guess it’s true that some people feel better about themselves by putting others down.  I’d cross them off your guest list!  I know some people get a kick out of these types of reality shows.  I personally don’t get it and thought I was back in Hell’s Kitchen.  

Bristol Palen:  Life’s a Tripp ~ Politics aside, keep in mind she’s a 21 year old single mom from a small town.  Bristol moved to LA to work for a charity and to do her new show.  Her son is adorable!  Like them or not, Sara and Todd made an appearance as caring parents.  Even her old Dancing with the Stars partner, Mark Ballas, showed up for support.  Bristol took 3^rd place on DWTS and is also a best selling author.  If you liked Kate plus 8, you’ll like this show.               

HGTV Design Star ~ I love this show; it gets my creative juices flowing and makes me want to redecorate!  Of course there’s stress and drama but nothing like Monster-In-Law.    Our local gal Rachel and her partner Stanley won their challenge that was decorating the new Kardashian offices.  Luca and Bex got the axe!  Good thing, Luca was becoming the new Omarosa!

Dallas ~ What? Really?  Doesn’t everyone already know who shot JR?  I’m not sure why this show is making a come back but I now have high hopes for the return of “Lost”.  I’m still depressed about that one.  It appears the off springs from the old Dallas rivals and divas are now fighting for South Fork, so not much has changed.  I know someone in my family thinks JR is the greatest villain ever but I beg to differ, Benjamin Linus was better.  Soaps are addicting, watch it if you dare. 

6/15/12 - It’s summer; love is in the air and on the air, check out the reality dating shows……

Love in the Wild ~ Jenny McCarthy hosts this reality dating show about finding true love while in the wild.  It puts the single male and female contestants in good and bad situations.  There’s no time for first date impressions when faced with a snake pit or sleeping in the rain after your team loses.  You know this show will be loaded with catfights, backbiting, and sleeping with the enemy.                     

The Choice ~ This is a Celebrity reality dating show.  The Choice has lined up famous bachelors and bachelorettes to audition prospective dates.  Based on there voice and what they have to say in 30 seconds or less if the celebs are interested they pull their “love” handle.  Each celeb gets to pick 3 potential dates.  Then comes the speed dating round, they have 15 seconds to ask each contestant as many questions as they can.  In the end, only one lucky lady wins the prize!       

Take Me Out ~ George Lopez hosts this reality dating show.  Single men step out to meet the “flirty 30” panel of contestants.  Based on their looks, the girls decide, “If he’s not right, turn out that light.” The guys get one last chance to impress the ladies; if any lights are left on he gets to pick his date.  But, if it’s a total black out the guy is sent home dateless.  The very first contestant was from Red Wing, MN. he deserved the black out.  It’s pretty cheesy but worth checking out at least once.             

Burn Notice ~ This is one of my fav shows!  What a cast of characters, Michael Westen is a burned ex-spy and Fiona (Fi) is his trigger-happy ex-girlfriend.  His chain smoking’ Mom, Madeline, may look familiar; remember Cagney and Lacey?  His right-hand-man, Sam, is a former navy seal that has moved on to Mojitos, sugar momma’s and bikini watching in the bars on the sands of South Beach.  Watch as they play cat and mouse around the streets of Miami trying to find the people that burned Michael.            

Secret Millionaire ~ This show is inspiring.  Haven’t we all wanted to do more, be a better person, and offer our time for the greater good?  That’s exactly what this show is about, finding a cause, donating their time and money to that cause.  Famous painter, Scott Jacobs and daughter, Alexa, lived in horrible conditions with only 71.03 to live on for the week.   This was eye opening for Alexa who spends 50.00 on a manicure.  The two became emotional when they gave $147,500 to three different causes.  Every week a new secret millionaire will set out in search of a great cause that touches them in one way or another.  Warning:  this shows a tearjerker! 

6/8/12

Dogs In The City ~ Love the show (my dogs do not).  For all you passionate dog owners, Justin is a guru.  He believes that we treat our dogs the way we want to be treated, hmm.  He featured three pet owners who are having issues with their dogs or should I say three dogs having issues with their owners.  If any of you saw You-Tube sensation, Beefy, then you know of his celebrity status for riding a skateboard.  What you don’t know is that he has separation anxiety.  And Charlotte has issues with aggression (so does her owner, she’s nuts), while Rosie is an over eater.  Want to learn something about yourself as a pet owner, check out this show!          

On The Fly ~ This is a reality show about Southwest Airlines.  The gist of the show is to give us an inside look at the daily grind of being a customer service rep.  Are people really that nasty?  Oh yes they are!  We all know “those people” who push the rules about carry on bags.  We see them push and shove their bag in the overhead compartment.  So why become irate if your bag doesn’t fit, you packed it.  Maybe if the airlines didn’t charge all those fees, people wouldn’t be so cranky!  And maybe if the airline didn’t lose our luggage, people would stow it…dah!         

Shark Tank ~ Enter the Sharks:  Barbara Corcoran (Manhattan real estate titan), Kevin Harrington (king of infomercials), Robert Herjavec (technology tycoon), Daymond John (fashion mogul), and Kevin O’Leary (venture capitalist). Five multi-millionaires who made their own dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.  Watch as the ambitious entrepreneurs pitch their concepts, products, and properties to the panel of ruthless investors.  The goal is to convince the sharks to invest their own money in your concept.   The sharks goal is to own a piece of your pie and be a part of the next “best” thing.  When the ideas are poorly executed the presenters will hear the dreaded words “I’m Out!”  When the ideas are must haves the sharks will sink in their teeth, then sit back and watch the war erupt. 

Gene Simmons Family Jewels ~ For all you rockers, he’s back!  At the end of last season, Kiss icon, Gene Simmons married Shannon Tweed after 28 years….as the new drama unfolded Shannon found a set of keys that lead her to a safety deposit box where Gene’s well known prized photos were kept.  Gene stood silent as Shannon burned all his photos; hey wait a minute!  It took him years to acquire those Polaroid’s of his conquests, was it a waste of his time?  I’ll let you be the judge of that!

6/1/2012

HGTV Design Star ~ 12 designers compete for their own show on HGTV.  Last years winner, David Bromstad, is the host.  The designers’ were teamed up and their first challenge is to make over the home they will be living in together.   Rachel’s style is rustic modern; she was the winner of the challenge.  The best part, she’s a Minnesotan!  Yuki’s style is bold eclectic, she lost the challenge….I guess her shows been canceled!         

Duets ~ Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, John Legend, and Robin Thicke searched America looking for undiscovered talent worthy of being their Protégés.  To make the contest more interesting they selected two amateurs to be on their team.  The amateurs will be scored based on their performance and presentation.  Only one duet will top the charts and the winning amateur will receive a recording contract with Hollywood Records.    

America’s Got Talent ~ In the made for TV moments of the auditions, they mix the good with the bad.  The Judges are kind compared to the audience; they are brutal!  For all the male fans, the bikini bombshells didn’t make the cut.  The hula-hoop gal was incredible!   And 6-year-old Isaac brown is heading to Vegas.  The Cut Throat Freak Show performers grossed me out when one of them put hooks through his eyelids and lifted a chair off the floor….now that’s talent!   

So You Think You Can Dance ~ It didn’t make me want to dance.  I realize modern dance is a form of expression, must be an acquired taste.  I found myself fast-forwarding through the dancers.  I’m not sure if it was because it was painful to watch or painful to hear the non-stop cackling from Judge and ballroom expert, Mary Murphey.  I must say it took guts for some to perform in front of a live audience.  Makes me wonder if someone told them they could dance?   There were a few auditions that made me laugh only because it reminded me of Will Ferrell’s gymnastics routine in Old School….my boy blue! 

What Not To Wear ~ Love this show!  They incorporated a live studio audience and cyberspace as a new format for the season premier.  More people should take Stacy and Clinton’s advice.  What gal doesn’t want $5,000 for a new wardrobe?  Oh but wait, there’s a catch; you have to toss all of your clothes.  Old habits are hard to break! 

Week of 5/20/12 – 5/23/12   In case you missed it……

Apprentice ~  The final task for Arsenio and Clay was to produce a 30 second charity awareness ad, sell tickets to raise money for their charity, and produce a variety show to entertain their guests.  The winner would receive 250,000, plus the money they raise for their charity.  Of course Lisa’s performance was crude yet free of tears and drama.  I think Aubrey was secretly hoping the Donald would reconsider and pick her.  Aresnio ended up raising $167,100 and Clay raised $301,500.  This seasons Celebrity Apprentice has raised over 2 million dollars for charity.  Mr. Trump crowned Arsenio Hall this seasons Winner.  Sorry to say Clay will keep his title as “runner-up” for the second time.

DWTS ~ The ballroom floor was smoken….Hot! Hot! Hot!  Who knew it would take Donald a country-dance in packers colors to finally get that 10 from Len.  It was an emotional finale for the stars…saying goodbye to their dance partners, the endless hours of rehearsal, and the entire cast and crew.  Based on the Judges scores alone Katherine and William were the obvious choices.  But the fans decided otherwise, Donald Driver took home the Mirror Ball Trophy!  

Idol ~ In the final 3 rounds of Idol we watched the East coast vs. the West coast.  After a record staggering 132 million votes…..Yo Dude, Phillip Phillips is the Season 11 American Idol Winner!!  Idol always puts on a spectacular finale; it was action packed all night long with a star-studded line up.  It was more like a night at the Grammys.  Talk about singing from the phone book Randy, Wow!  There was a little oops, couple guest stars decided to wear a “cat woman” suit, yikes!  After waiting for two long years, Aerosmith finally hit the stage; it was an exciting surprise.  Steven’s still got it!  It was definitely a must see night!

America’s Got Talent ~ Howard found out it’s a lot easier talking smack behind a radio mic than it is telling people to their face what he thinks of their talent.  He made a 7 yr. old boy cry when he told him he wasn’t going to Vegas.  For all you basketball fans, check out Flyte Cru.  My favorite so far is the dog act, wonder if my dog can do a back flip?  Except for the nut shot guy the acts are getting better!        

American Ninja Warrior ~ Here’s a new one.  What I know thus far, 2,700 people have tried and only 3 have succeeded.  It’s the most difficult test of agility on the planet.  There are 23 obstacle courses created to stop humanity.  Those that dare have incredible stamina.  I tried to like it, must be a guy thing! 

Clash of the Commercials ~ A show about commercials, huh?  Nobody likes commercials unless it’s the Super Bowl.  They are way too loud and appear far too often during a great show.  This show was about the best commercials from around the globe.  The funny part was they broke for commercials.   My feeling on commercials is unless it’s about babies, animals, stupid people or Betty White it probably won’t be a big hit.  The winner of the clash was the USA, E*Trade’s baby at the wedding.  See, it had a baby in it.

All good things come to an end….

After 8 years on Wisteria Lane, Desperate Housewives ended its series.  It was sad to see the housewives leave the lane and quite emotional when one life ended another began.  Season Finales are about shock and awe but a Series Finale is about closure, kudos to the writers! 

Week of 5/13/12 – 5/17/12  In case you missed it……

Apprentice ~  And then there were two!  During last week’s cliffhanger, one more celebrity was about to be fired.  According to the spoiler alert, based on the position of where the finalists were seated the next person to be fired was the feisty redhead, Aubrey O’ Day.   All you Aubrey fans need not be bummed, she went down the elevator and came right back up the escalator with seven of her other former teammates.  Tension rose as Debbie Gibson drove Clay crazy.  Meanwhile Adam’s own TV crew let down Clay when they didn’t know the difference between cameras left and right.    Right when things were just getting good we were reminded this is a two-part finale, next week will reveal the winner.     

America’s Got Talent ~  Our fav Judges are back, the lovable Sharon Osbourne and germ phobe Howie Mandel.  This season seated in the third Judges chair is none other than Shock Jock Howard Stern.  I look forward to what season 7 has to bring!  The two-night season premier was hilarious; there was a lot of bad acts.  Keep watching, it gets better, I promise!

Dancing With The Stars ~  It was nice to see the other Hough hit the dance floor again.  Julianne gave us a smashing performance of the upcoming “Rock of Ages”.  I didn’t have to watch the elimination; I received a spoiler alert via text.  I think someone forgot his DWTS etiquette.  It was a tough elimination night, as Tom put it when Maria and Derek / Donald and Peta ended up in the bottom of the pack “no matter which way this goes its gonna suck”.  The top and bottom of the leader board were only 3 points apart.  I was sad to see it was Derek….I mean Maria, oops!  I did not agree with the fans, what were you thinking? 

Fashion Star ~  The final challenge was to create nine looks, 3 for each buyer.  My collection picks for: H&M was Ronnie, Saks was Kara (except for those hideous pants), and Macy’s was Ronnie.  The winner, Kara Laricks, will make history by being the first designer ever to have her collection in all three stores.  I didn’t agree with the buyers.  Overall I thought her designs were just too weird for the average consumer.

American Idol ~  The hometown celebrations were emotional for the contestants.  When they went off to audition for Idol they were nobody, when they returned they were somebody. The contestants performed three songs, one selected by the Judges, one by Jimmy, and one they picked themselves.  After round one there was no clear winner, J-wo picked Phillip, Randy thought vocally Joshua had a slight edge, and Steven was still on the fence.  In the second round the Judges and Jimmy felt they all had great performances but none had that wow factor.  In the third and final round the Judges and Jimmy favored Phillip.  Before a surprised audience, Joshua Ledet was eliminated.  Next week is the finale.         

Tune In......On May 14th, America's Got Talent is back!  And on May 24th, a new singing competition, "Duets", hits prime time!

Week of 5/16/12 - 5/10/12:  In case you missed it.....

Apprentice ~ I was anticipating big boardroom drama, yet even loudmouthed Lisa was quiet!  The task was to create a four-page print ad for Chi's touch screen hair dryer.  Project manager, "Real Housewives" star Teresa Giudice, was duped by Lisa Lampanelli during model negotiations.  To make matters worse Aubrey lost sight of the fact that the hair dryer was the feature, not Aubrey.  In the end Teresa was fired for her failure to provide information about the Chi product in their ad.  The final four were called back into the boardroom where Mr. Trump announced last season's winner, John Rich, and runner-up, Marlee Matlin, would interview them.  Based on their recommendations Mr. Trump would determine the Final Two.  And even though Lisa had just won $100K for her charity from the Chi ad, the Donald fired her too!  I agreed with the Donald.  He will fire one more next week before the final task is assigned.

The Voice ~  What a Finale!!  And the Winner is:  Jermaine Paul and coach Blake Shelton.  The finalists performed with their favorite teammates, one of Minnesota's own, Lourdes, performed with Tony Lucca.  After weeks of mentoring the coaches watched as their finalists performed for the last time.  Then it was up to America to vote for "The Voice".  The stakes were high; the winner would receive a recording contract with Universal Republic Records.  I don't know what I enjoyed more this season, the performances or the bantering back and forth between the coaches.  I agreed with the fans!

Dancing With The Stars ~ This week they performed 2 dances, an individual dance and the first ever "Trio" dance, followed by a double elimination.  In the Trio dance, the stars danced with 2 dancers; their own partner and either another pro or a troupe dancer.  Katherine experienced a costume malfunction but kept right on dancing.  And according to the female fans, Melissa is the luckiest woman in the world, a Chmerkovskiy sandwich with a little dirty dancing.  The male fans (those willing to admit it) thought Donald Driver scored a touchdown during his trio dance when he took the stage with Peta and Karina.  Dance Center is back!  I think Dance Center with Jerry Rice, Kenny Mayne, and Len Goodman top the "Best Commercials" charts!  The double elimination was a nail biter; Roshon Fegan and Chelsie, were the 7th couple voted off.  The 8th couple to hang up their dance shoes was Melissa Gilbert and Maks.  I agreed with the fans!

Fashion Star ~ With one week to go before the Finale, 3 of 6 remaining designers were eliminated!  This week's challenge was to design two items that any of the stores could buy.  The buyers, Caprice Willard from Macy's, Terran Shaffer from Saks Fifth Ave., and Nicole Christie from H&M, sent Ronnie Escalante, Nzimiro Oputa, and Kara Laricks to the Finale.  While Nicole, Luciana, and Orly were sent home.  This Fashionista didn't agree with the buyers, my fave designers are Luciana and Orly.  Think you've got what it takes?  For all you wannabe fashion designers, Fashion Star is casting for Season 2.

American Idol ~ In 2 weeks a new Idol will be crowned!  This week the contestants faced 2 rounds of competition.  First round "California Dreaming" and Second round "A Song They Wished They'd Written".  They also performed a duet with one of their fellow contestants.  Joshua and Jessica received a standing "O" from the judges while Phillip Phillips got a "So Yo Dude, You Knocked It Out Of The Park" from Randy.  After 70 Million votes, the singer in 4th place is Hollie Cavanagh.  Next week is Hometown Week; contestants will head home for the first time since their journey began. 


Week of:  4/29 – 5/3 - In case you missed it…

Apprentice ~ This weeks project managers, Arsenio, Team Unanimous, and Dianna, Team Forte were judged on a 90 second jingle they created for “Good Sam”.  Team Forte played it safe with a 50’s inspired theme while team Unanimous went for a modern twist.  During the task a catfight broke out between Dianna and Lisa (again).  Unprofessional – absolutely!  Humorous – definitely!  A second blow out ensued in front of Donald Jr., then another in the boardroom.  Team Forte lost the task and the battle continued.  It was like the energizer bunny; it kept going and going and going.  In the end Dianna was fired…both teams were happy, she’s been in the boardroom 7 times!  I agreed with the Donald. 

Dancing With the Stars ~ As a special treat this week on DWTS, the amateur dancers performed in the first ever “Ballroom Battle”.  3 teams competed – Team Tony, Team Cheryl, and Team Louis.  Team Cheryl won!  The professional dancers and their celebrity partners performed 2 dances to classical music, an individual dance and a team dance.  My favorite dancer, Derek, and his celebrity partner, Maria Menounos, received the first perfect score of Season 14!  Based on fan votes Roshon and Jaleel ended up in the bottom and competed in a dance dual.  The judges voted unanimously and Jaleel had his final dance.  I did not agree with the fans; Melissa is long over due her final spin on the dance floor!

Fashion Star ~ With only 2 weeks until the finale, the designers needed to step up their game.  It was campaign week; designers had to produce a photo shoot of their signature pieces.  This week Nzimiro created the hot sought after ticket item.  Macy’s picked up his spring sweater for $100,000.  There were no offers from the buyers for Nicki, Orly or Ross’s designs.  And in a slight twist, the mentors were in a stalemate and didn’t save a fav designer.  The three designer’s fates were placed in the hands of the buyers.  Even with $220,000 in sales to Macy’s and H&M Ross was eliminated.  I agreed with the buyers.  

The Voice ~ It was a tough semi final.   All 8 singers performed for 4 spots in the finals.  At the end of Monday night’s performances the coaches scored each of their remaining contestants.  The fan votes along with the coaches’ scores would determine which 4 contestants would advance to the finals and which 4 would be going home.  Christina and Blake gave their 2 remaining contestants 50 points each while Ceelo and Adam gave 60/40 points to their remaining contestants.  The coach’s scores combined with the fan votes put Chris from team Christina, Jermaine from team Blake, Juliet from team Ceelo, and Tony from team Adam headed to the finals. 

American Idol ~ At this point in the competition the top 5 are so good it’s shocking to see any of them leave the show.  It really comes down to song choices, if the song they sing doesn’t resonate with the fans they’ll be going home.  Phillip Phillips is a unique entertainer, his songs choices are different, and that may hurt him.  Hollie is very talented but lacks an emotional connection to most of the songs she sings.  As for Jessica, it’s hard to believe she’s 16.  She’s an excellent singer but may lack the maturity for the American Idol title.  This week “best performance” picks were Skylar and Joshua.  According to Jimmy and the Judges Joshua is on fire and Skylar rocked both her performances, ya’ll!  Hollie and Skylar ended up in the bottom 2, and after 60 million votes, Skylar was voted off.             

Week of:  4/27/2012 - In case you missed it.....

Apprentice - Last week Lisa won 20,000 for her charity and Paul Sr. was fired....I didn't agree with the Donald.  This week I was surprised, there were no brawls in the boardroom.  This left The Donald with a tough decision.  In the end the slogan "You Earned It" which Team Forte created for Mr. Trump's "Success By Trump" Cologne ad campaign was what Donald based his decision on....so Penn your fired!  Didn't see that coming....I didn't agree with the Donald.  The good news he gave each person in the boardroom 10,000 for their charities and the winning project manager, Aubrey received 40,000 for her charity. 

Dancing With The Stars -  What a week!  DWTS took us back to Motown and 1959.  The stars danced to the original performers; The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, and Human Nature....all fabulous!  The stars also danced a bonus round for extra points from the Judges.  Based on the fan votes 4 Stars ended up in the bottom - Derek / Maria; Melissa / Max; Roshon / Chelsie; Gladys / Tristan.  Before the dance duel Maria and Melissa were saved...Go Team Menough!  Roshon and Gladys performed in a dance duel and the Judges voted off Gladys.  I love her spirit and sass but, I agreed with the Judges.

The Voice -  It's the live quarter finals and this week was the instant elimination for Team CeeLo and Team Adam.  Each of the coaches performed with their teams, and then the 8 artists faced an instant elimination.  In song #1 -  CeeLo eliminated James and Adam eliminated Pip...I agreed with the Judges.  With the remaining contestants the fans voted to save their favorites singers...... Jamar was saved on team CeeLo and Tony was saved on team Adam....I agreed with the fans.  The remaining 2 contestants on each team sang for their lives and a spot in the semi finals.  The Judges were given their final vote for who they wanted to save....based only on their performance, Adam voted off Mathai and CeeLo voted off Cheesa...I agreed with the Judges.

Fashion Star -  This week the mentors worked directly with the designers, they were calling the shots.  They encouraged their designers to think outside the box and create something totally out of their comfort zones.  My personal fav was Nzimiro's high end gown, wow! (his design was purchased by Macy's).  And even though she sold over 300,000 worth of her designs to H&M, Sarah was told by the buyers that she was not their Fashion Star....I agreed with the Buyers.

American Idol - It was Rock week, loved it!  The 6 remaining contestants performed 2 songs this week; one with the band Queen and the second was their song of choice.  With less than a month until the finale...Vote! Vote! Vote!  Skylar was the Judges fav this week; she gave J-Lo goosies!  Hard to believe she ended up in the bottom three.  For all you Skylar fans, your in luck she was saved!  Elise was eliminated; love her raspy voice but the girls got a tude and needed to go.  It wasn't a shocker this week she's been in the bottom 3 week after week.....I agreed with the fans.

Week of 4/16/12

Season 14 DWTS - Hard to believe we are nearing the halfway mark....last nights elimination of Gavin DeGraw was an upset for the professional Dancers and their Celebrity partners....but not the fans.  I agreed with the fans, he showed very little improvement from week to week, it was time to go.  Next week is Motown...go Gladys!

American Idol - Had a huge upset which left the Judges with no alternative but to use there one and only save...Jessica Sanchez who could very well be the next Idol and the fans put her at the bottom leaving the show.....what?!  I agreed with the Judges.....go J-Lo for taking the mic from Jessica during her save song...I feel it necessary to remind the fans how to vote.....it's about the best performance, not who you think is cute...geez!

Fashion Star...the fitted summer jacket by Luciana was purchased by Macy's for $100,000 and was sold out in record time!  The buyers of Macy's, Sak's Fifth Ave. and H&M eliminated Barbara. I agreed with their decision; she had yet to sell her clothing to the buyers.  With a 6 million dollar contract on the line; the Fashion Star must appeal to all three stores in quality and pricing.  

The Voice....Wow what a twist!  The Judges were taken by surprise....they had to eliminate one contestant right after their team performances.  Then on Tuesday the fans got to vote off another contestant before the quarter finals.  Game on!  In a shocking upset, Chistina Aguilera booted off a fan favorite, Jesse.  Blake surprised the fans when he booted RayLynn (his Country singer) off his team.  Our local Minnesotan, Jordis, was also eliminated right after her spectacular performance.  Next week Ceelo and Adam Lavine will get the opportunity to feel the pain of team elimination......     

Celebrity Apprentice......The Donald fired another celebrity.  The boardroom was heated, can you say cat fight....meow!