KellyTroy's Blog

Yippee! My favorite show is back. Every season, just as the first music is about to begin I get so giddy and excited. This show is about pure joy and fun to me. I have an inner dancer living deep within me and watching this show makes me so darn happy!! Yay!

Now to the serious discussion. I took notes last night and had planned to go one by one through each of them but I think I'd rather group these folks into 3 categories -- 1) those who did about what I expected (good and bad), 2) those who were disappointing and 3) the surprises (good and bad).

Let me start with a few general comments. First, I loved Samantha's dress and after watching the Emmy's I can see that there is a trend toward dresses with prints. It was lovely. Secondly, this night confirmed why I thought Tom Bergeron should have won the Emmy -- that is one funny man -- quick on his feet. At one point he alluded to the censors taking shots in the control room preparing for Cloris Leachman. I didn't know what he meant until after Cloris danced, but in retrospect it was a funny, funny reflection. So, my heart still belongs to Tom!!

Those Who Danced as I Had Expected
Now to dancing and we'll start with the dancers who gave me just about what I expected. I think is this category would fall Rocco DeSpirito, Cody Linley, Brooke Burke, Jeff Ross, and Kim Kardashian. I think Rocco was charming and held his own but didn't do anything that wowed me. He's got potential and I hope he's around for a little while to see what he's got.

The funny thing about Cody Linley is that he's paired with Julianne Hough who has been the "young'un" for so many years and now she's the older one in the pairing. I think this pairing has really great potential, but the showing last night was just about what I expected.

While Brooke Burke was the top dancer, I don't think this surprised me much. They emphasized that she was a model and models haven't usually faired very well, but I think of her from "Wild On" days and figured she was a little more free flowing than, let's say, Josie Marin. I did think it was odd she wore pants. I think she was nervous and that she has great potential. As she danced and right after, I thought how it seemed that Derek Hough was always partnered with these beautiful but insecure women (Jenni Garth, Shannon Elizabeth, and Brooke) but after they spoke to Brooke for a bit, I don't think she's insecure. She was nervous, yes, but she's not going to be insecure like Jennie and Shannon and that makes her powerful. I think she's a contender.

Kim Kardashian was just fine. Nothing really shined in the way of personality or dance but nothing was problematic. Again, I think nerves keep everyone dampered down a bit, so I think she has some potential, but unless some story line emerges to make everyone really love her, I think she's going to be a middle of the pack person.

And then there is Jeff Ross. I expected him to be bad and he was bad. Bad like Penn Jillette or Kenny Maine. I think his days are numbered. I don't see that he has much of a fan base (other than Edyta fans) so I wouldn't be surprised to see him go this week (and probably tonight).

Those Who Were Disappointing
There are four dancers who fall into this category and one is my favorite Misty May Treanor. The other three are Cloris Leachman, Susan Lucci, and Maurice Greene. I'll start with the latter three.

WOW -- what can I say about Cloris Leachman. I wrote in my notebook -- She is TOO old. I'm sorry. I think that it is phenomenally great that she joined this season and has done the work, but this is beyond George Hamilton or Wayne Newton. The potential for growth and development seems very limited. On top of that, the woman is a loose cannon. While I think she is a funny "dame", I also think she might be just a bit "addled". If I was uncomfortable with Adam Corolla's ramblings last season, Cloris has him beat by 10 miles. I think she must have flashed her ta-ta's to the audience because Carrie Ann was laughing so hard she couldn't stop. And poor Corky Ballas, everything seemed so out of his control. Bravo to Cloris for taking this challenge, but I'm just hoping beyond all hope that she doesn't make it beyond this week. I'm sure there will be others who loved her and want her to stay, but I don't think I can stand it.

The other truly big surprise for me was Susan Lucci. I thought she was a shoe-in. I expected her to be graceful and lithe like Jane Seymour. Carrie Ann's comment hit it on the nose for me. She said that Susan looked "fragile" and that was a great word. She was so stiff and not a stiff that comes from nerves. More like a stiff that comes from age?? She seemed to have no flexibility, especially down her back. It was really surprising. But I expect Susan to take on this challenge and I'd be really happy to see her move on through this competition. She doesn't, however, look like the front runner I thought she was.

Maurice Greene was disappointing in that I think I had the high expectations associated with atheletes. I think he was fine, but I expected something more (like what I got from Warren). We'll see tonight. I do think he's a showman, as was evidenced by his running days when he would finish the race, pull off his shoes, and have a colleague run out and spray them with a fire extinguisher -- he was that hot!! Funny! So, we'll see.

Then, there's my girl -- Misty May. OK. It really wasn't that bad at all. I think I would have been thrilled if I hadn't read an article online that alluded to her being so graceful. She did well, but she wasn't Kristi Yamaguchi. I was also really surprised by how muscular (and somewhat masculine) she looked on the floor. Maks was a bit reserved, which was also disappointing, but I think that's been the case in the past. I think I felt the same way the first week with Mel B. and look how that turned out. So, even though I had hoped for a bit more, I'm still encouraged and excited for my favorite -- Miss Misty May.

Those that Surprised (or Excited) Me
The final four dancers that get my accolades are Toni Braxton, Lance Bass, Warren Sapp and Ted McGinley. Let me start with Ted. You know, some men get better looking with age and I think Ted McGinley is one of those men. I loved his whole riff about being an outdoorsman and just like all you guys sitting in your barcoloungers drinking beer. But when he got on the floor he was dapper and fluid and had good lines. I'm in no way thinking this fella is going to make it to the finals. He's got fan base problems because I don't think he's extraordinarily well known and because he's got a new partner. But I was surprised by how well he showed.

Then there's Toni Braxton. Toni hasn't been one of my favorites but I did kind of expect her to do ok. I think what surprised me was how endeared I became to her. As soon as she expressed that she was doing this because her heart disease diagnosis had made her fearful of so much, she had me hooked. I think her taking on this challenge is phenomenal. I'm still a bit scared for her health, but I think it's great that she's found a way to face and, hopefully, banish those fears before they ruin her life. You go, Ms. Braxton!

Then there is Warren Sapp. My goodness, the audience was freaking out in the first 10 seconds. It was a show-stopper. A fun, fun routine that showcased how a big man, a big football player can be light on his feet. This is a big guy. And he had a lot of fun. I don't think he's a contender, like Emmitt Smith. But his performance was definitely a great way to end the night.

And finally, there is Mr. Lance Bass. I think that Lance may have scored the best pairing of the year with Lacey Schwimmer. There's an energy and dynamism with that pairing that makes me excited to see what they'll do each week. Lance started out by saying that he was the worst dancer in N'Sync, but I'm not sure that is true. He seemed to have some skills last night. What I liked the most of the performance was he and Lacey's pushing the edge -- making the Cha Cha hip, young and fresh, which both Bruno and Carrie Ann agreed with. It's probably not surprising that Lance did well, but I was just really excited about how excited his routine left me.

We've got quite a competition ahead of us. My predictions for this week are Jeff Ross and, hopefully, Cloris Leachman. Everyone else deserves another week to loosen the nerves and show us what they got. We'll see what tonight has to offer. I'll be back!!

I said to my mom yesterday, "Oh, this is my most favorite week of the year" and she said "Why, because it's my birthday?" and I had to sadly inform her that it wasn't because of her birthday but because it is PREMIERE WEEK!! Yay!!

But before premiere week starts, tonight is Emmy night. Award nights are ritualistic in my family. My sister and her family in CT and mom and me in Indiana make our picks, have appetizers, watch the E pre-show and score dresses, and then call back and forth after key categories we are rooting for. Today's been even more particularly packed as our favorite football team, the Indianapolis Colts, played a late game. That means my butt will be in my lounge chair (outside of this quick posting) for close to 8 hours! That's when you have to worry about that thrombosis the airplanes tell you about!!

So, I thought before the evening's Emmy's festivities I'd share some of my hopes for the night. First, I have to say that I'm very happy that Kathy Griffin's show one a second Emmy this year and that she didn't say "suck it Jesus" so that she will be presenting an award (along with Don Rickles)tonight. I also heard that Craig Ferguson is presenting (with Brooke Shields) and I'm looking forward to that. Other show things I'm looking forward to is Josh Groban's salute to TV theme songs (with the Muppets???) and the five hosts -- especially Tom Bergeron -- as you will learn later on!

I'll go through the major categories. We always are challenged by do we vote for who we Think will win or who we Want to win. This sometimes is important because I will say there is a prize for the winner -- but tonight there is no prize so I'm just going for who I want.

I'll work backwards in somewhat order of priority. We'll start with best Reality Show Host. Hands down Tom Bergeron is my favorite. I think he is so witty and quick on his feet and, as you may know, DWTS is one of my favorite shows of all time. I think Heidi may have done some lobbying, so that's a possibility. Jeff Probst may have earned this award after so many years on Survivor so I wouldn't be disappointed if he won, but I doubt that will happen. I will tell you this that I will be sorely disappointed if Ryan Seacrest wins. I'm just not thrilled with his character as a human being. I may be wrong on that, but that's the vibe I get. (By the way, I won't talk about all the nominees in each category from now on - reality tv is just a favorite of mine)

Reality Competition -- I have to say that I'd be happy with any of these shows. I watch all of them. I'm going to vote for Amazing Race. I know, DWTS is my favorite show, but I think Amazing Race is an ideal reality competition show, so they get my vote. The only show I don't want is American Idol. Do you see a pattern of American Idol bias??

Supporting Actress - Comedy
I'm rooting for Amy Poehler 100%.

Supporting Actor - Comedy
I was going to vote for Neil Patrick Harris because I've heard such good things about his work and I like him But as I wrote this I was saying how Rainn Wilson would be my runner up because he is so hysterical as Dwight Shrute. So, I'm throwing my support behind Rainn, but I'd be happy for Neil also.

Actress - Comedy
I'm a Tina Fey fan. She had me at Sarah Palin. OK, maybe before that, but the more I watch her the more I realize how talented she is. Mom's throwing her hat behind Christina Applegate and I have to say she's my second pick. I think she deftly handles switching between good Samantha and bad Samantha and I'm looking forward to the premiere of this show.

Actor - Comedy
Before I share my pick, I want to express an opinion for next year. I believe Stephen Colbert should not only be nominated but should win this category. He is amazing. If Amy Poelher can be a supporting actress, Colbert is assuredly a strong candidate for best actor. The lobbying begins soon -- won't you join me??

OK, so now about my pick. I've been on a Monk tangent recently and that makes me want to vote for Tony Shaloub, but I'm not. I'm going for Mr. Alec Baldwin. Steve Carrel would be fine too. Not Charlie Sheen, please God, not Charlie Sheen.

Supporting Actress - Drama
If this was last year, I'd be voting for Sandra Oh, but she was almost just a bump on the log this past year, so I'm throwing my vote to Chandra Wilson. Period.

Supporting Actor - Drama
I love Michael Emerson on Lost and this is probably someone I want to win more that any other category. I want the world to be drawn to his work. Go Michael!!

Actress - Drama
Since I'm not a big drama watcher, I'm just going for Sally Field, matriarch of my dear Brothers and Sisters. Kyra Sedgewick would be fun, too.

Actor - Drama
Again -- not a big drama watcher. And actually, not even going to vote here. Don't really care.

Best Drama
I want Lost to be rewarded for such a great season (or second half of a season). I'll be disappointed otherwise, and expect that disappointment.

Best Comedy
I'm torn between the Office and 30 Rock. But given this past year, I'll go with 30 Rock. More importantly, I hope that it's one of those two because I don't think any of the other three had decent enough seasons to merit this nomination.

That's it. It's 3 minutes till the show starts so I guess I'd better get this posted and get my butt back in my chair.

Have fun. Get rested and ready for premiere week!!

I love reading these lists. I love to see how many people watch as much if not more tv than me and I love to see which things we ALL seem to want to watch. I'm especially excited to see Big Bang Theory on popping up a lot.

Here's my list. I'm not doing it by times because I DVR everything and watch it without commercials, so who knows when. What fills in the gaps are Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Colbert Report, Antique Roadshow, History Detectives, House Hunters and House Hunters International, Iron Chef America, Good Eats, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Diners, Drive ins and Dives.

Monday
**Dancing with the Stars
**Big Bang Theory
**Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles
**Samantha Who
**Worst Week Ever
**Raising the Bar

Tuesday
**Dancing with the Stars results
**Biggest Loser
**Gavin and Stacey on BBC
********* Maybes-- since this is a quiet night********
-- The Mentalist
-- Opportunity Knocks

Wednesday
**Pushing Daisies and Private Practice (giving them a second chance)
**America's Next Top Model
**Project Runway or whatever Bravo show is on in that slot probably

Thursday
** Ugly Betty
** Grey's Anatomy
** Kath and Kim
** The Office
** 30 Rock

Friday
** The Ex List
** Starter Wife

Saturday
** Netflix movie!!

Sunday
** America's Funniest Home Videos
** Brothers and Sisters
** Amazing Race

And eagerly anticipating midseason -- Lost, 24, and Friday Night Lights.

My sister's kids headed back to school today which signifies the end of summer in our family. The discussion of new fall shows has begun and I have a highlighted day by day schedule sitting next to my keyboard as I type. But before I move on to the new fall season -- which I'm actually really excited about -- I want to spend a few moments reflecting on some of the shows that captured me this summer. In particular -- Law and Order: Criminal Intent, In Plain Sight, and So You Think You Can Dance. Now, I watched quite a bit other television this summer (because I'm a tv fanatic - right?) Other enjoyable watching moments this summer included Project Runway, The Next Food Network Star, WipeOut, the Olympics, and, yes, the Dish Network live feed from the Democratic National Convention. But the three shows I mentioned stood out for me for different reasons.

So You Think You Can Dance
If anyone has read my previous posts, including my most recent return post about Dancing with the Stars, you'll know I have a little bit of a dance fever. But for some reason, I have NEVER watched So You Think You Can Dance. I think that by the time it comes on each year I'm on American Idol burnout and it has felt like more of the same. My goodness, could I have been more wrong. Wow! What a fantastic show for dance.

I think the thing I absolutely loved the most was seeing the styles of the different choreographers. I am a huge Mia Michaels fan now. By the end of the show I could tell you who choreographed the piece just be watching it. I was also just blown away by the talent. For me, it seems a bit harder to learn one or two new dance pieces in genres you've never danced before than it is for the American Idols to sing country or Neil Diamond (don't you think??)

I thought this show did well with the order that folks got kicked off. I know that it seems that Will went early but in the long run, I never thought he could win since it really still is a personality contest in the long run. I loved the final four -- Courtney, Katie, Twitch and Joshua. I rooted for Twitch to begin with and thought he was the one for a long time. Then I was completely blown away by Katie's talent. Every time she had a new partner, it got better and better which I attributed to her. But in the long run, I think Joshua was a good choice. No formal training, sweet faced, and so talented (anyone remember those jumps during the final show? - Wow).

So, SYTYCD is now a staple of my viewing catalog. I look forward to it's return. And in closing just want to say that I think Cat Deeley is a fabulous host and I want to see more of her!

In Plain Sight (and other USA dramas)
At the end of this summer, I have to make an admission -- I am a USA drama fan and I think In Plain Sight (along with Law and Order: Criminal Intent's move there) has helped solidify this fandom. I'm not a big drama fan. Lost and Grey's Anatomy are really the only dramas I watch regularly. And I've watched Monk and Psych in the past -- when both were very new -- and found them to be a bit fluffy and silly. I guess I had the same feeling when I started watching In Plain Sight.

So why did I even start watching this show? You know, I think it was because of Christian de la Fuente. Dancing with the Stars had just ended and I was a big fan of his. I'd never seen him before and so when I saw he was on In Plain Sight, I wanted to check him out. Funny enough, I had also just seen a quick glance of Mary McCormack in the audience of the Tony's -- maybe nominated for her role in a play -- and that intrigued me also.

So I watched. I've missed the first one or two episodes, but when I began watching, they were still shaking things out. The characters were still a bit cartoonish -- a bit one dimensional. But at the end of episode after episode I was taken by how the characters were flushed out in such interesting and complex ways. Strangely, the character I thought they were most on the road to doing this with -- Marshall -- ended up getting a little short shrift as the whole Brandy/drugs story unfolded. I'm hoping they give us more of his back story and what makes him tick next season. I will say though, regarding Marshall, that they did give us enough to know he's one smart cookie and not just some puppy dog mooning over Mary.

Mary is an interesting character. I'm not sure I like here that well. I'm actually more sympathetic to those impacted in her universe -- Rafe, Brandy, and her mom. I think the relationship between Rafe and Brandy could have been so quickly cliche' and disappointing, but the writers were restrained enough not to just throw them in bed together and then have to live with the consequences. And I just want to add that Lesley Ann Warren should be given the opportunity to sing more. I always new she was a great comedic, musical actress but her short song was wonderful. More please!

Some of the conversations among Mary, Brandy, and her mother in the last two episodes bordered on being almost uncomfortably real and painful. There were no easy answers, quick fixes, kisses and we are all happy. That surprised me and it's what made me look at the other USA dramas again a little more closely.

I look forward to the return of In Plain Sight but can't believe I have to wait until next summer. Bummer! For now I'm watching Psych, Monk, and trying to get turned onto Burn Notice. Having watched Psych and been uncomfortable with it's goofiness I'm glad I returned. They've used that goofiness to build some great chemistry among the characters. They are now a lot less like cartoons and more like real, somewhat interesting people. I find this to be the case in particular for Lassiter and his partner (who Shawn has a crush on and I can't remember her name!!???). The same goes for Monk too. After Bitsy left as Sharonna I was uncomfortable with Taylor Howard in the role as Monk's assistant. I also thought the other supporting characters "overacted". But I just watched several episodes again and it has all gelled together nicely and I'm actually looking forward to the Monk marathon this week.

So Bravo USA Network!

Law and Order: Criminal Intent
I should probably post a whole other entry on this show and especially the season finale. But I'll go ahead and keep it here. I love CI. I bought the first and second season's on DVD because I wanted to see all the episodes and see them in order. But it turns out, upon further research, that there is probably only one or two episodes I've never seen. So, buying the dvds is somewhat moot at this point.

OK back on point. I posted on Coach Queen's post about Chris Noth's final episode. And with the final Goren and Eames episode, it's clear that the writers had a theme of catharsis and/or redemption for this season. If you are a fan and haven't seen the episode, I'd really encourage you to watch it before I spoil it below. Big stuff happened, in my opinion.

Let me just summarize the bigness of this episode -- brother Frank -- dead. Nicole Wallace -- dead. Mentor Declan -- senile, batty, and in jail. Bobby Goren -- free??? Declan did it all to free Bobby. His mother and father(s) are dead. Now all the other "burdens" are out of his life. What he's left with is what? Eames -- dedicated, steadfast Eames. And his own thoughts and beliefs.

I found this episode shocking, exhilarating and thought provoking. I want Bobby Goren to be free from those demons. I've been so uncomfortable with him fighting them, trying to keep his head above water, wondering--- wondering if he was like all those other crazy, sick, twisted people in his life. And throughout it all he's stayed true, honorable, and morally centered. How that happened, I don't know -- but as a television character -- he should be honored for that depth of character.

But the thing that really struck me was the question "is he really free?" It made me reflect on my own life. Is it truly the conditions in our lives -- the people who are in it, the actions, the circumstances -- that really make things so hard or is it our own interpretations of them? At minimum, I believe it is both but it sure as the heck isn't just the conditions. Which means, Bobby Goren still has a long road to walk before his catharsis is complete. But as gruesome and insane as an idea as Declan had, I still think he did do Bobby a favor and I'm really excited to see where they go with this next season.

We've seen the descent for at least two seasons -- what will the ascent look like? It's not going to look like sunshine and lollipops. But will we possibly see the little twinkle of joy in Bobby's eyes again as he's interrogating a suspect or asking questions so "clumsily" in the office of a witness?? I hope so.

Well, that's my summer reflections. Now onto the fall!!

Hello All,
I last blogged on November 13, 2007. It's been a long time. I turned a bit fickle on tv after the strike and what I thought was a bit dismal fall season. But by the end of spring (thanks Lost) and over the summer, my television passion has been ramping up and now a series of events have lit a fire of excitement under me that can only be contained if I exert some of my energy here at TV Guide!!

So, I have a list of about five topics I want to write on: 1) favs from last season, 2) summer excitement, 3) the new fall shows, 4) returning favs, and 5) the topic of today's (or this morning's ) post -- Dancing with the Stars

OK. Now, I have to say that Dancing with the Stars is one of my all time favorite shows. I have a passionate dancer hidden within me who has never seen the light of day -- but the moment DWTS comes on -- I am flying high. So, my heart began racing this morning when I received an IM from my best friend telling me that not only was Maksim returning (AWESOME beyond AWESOME), but he is paired with my absolute fave from the Olympics -- Misty May-Treanor!!! I thought I'd faint. I couldn't find the actual list of partners and one spoiler site had Max paired with Kim Kardashian so I got a bit worried. But no, it's true -- two of my favs are paired together. I think they'll go far. Misty is tough, cute, and funny. And, I think Max fans will not let him go very early. I'll be voting for the first time for sure!!

So now for a quick run down of the rest of the cast. In addition to Misty May Treanor and Maxsim here's who is one:

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovalani
Toni Braxton and Alec Mazo
Lance Bass and Lacey Schimmer (new)
Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas (new)
Kim Kardashian and Mark Ballas
Ted McGinley and Inna Brayer (new)
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough
Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson
Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke
Rocco DiSpirito and Karina Smirnoff
Cody Linley and Julianne Hough
Jeff Ross and Edyta Sliwinska

First, one of the weird things is that there are 13 teams - 7 men and 6 women. They are kicking two off in the first week but I'm not sure it's one man and one woman. Haven't processed how this is going to work yet.

The second thing that strikes me is that this is going to be a TOUGH season. There are some people on here who have a big fan base. Come on -- Susan Lucci -- my god -- you could probably just give her the trophy right now. She's the goddess of ABC daytime TV. I bet she'll have so much commercial coverage during the day it won't be funny. And she's paired with Tony Dovalani -- that lovable guy. Man, oh man, that's going to be tough.

Then there's Lance Bass, who I find very appealing. His downfall is that he's with a new professional so he doesn't get any bounce from the professional fan base. Though, the name Lacey Schimmer sounds familiar and she's a swing dance champ, so we may have seen here before???

Then you add in Cody Linley. Now, I'm not sure who this is except that I saw the words "Hannah Montana" after his name and I figured he'll be around for a while. Plus he's paired with Julianne Hough which never, ever hurts. We want to see Julianne for a while, don't we.

I was excited to see Rocco DiSpirito on the show. I think he's really cute but also think he might be a bit arrogant. I'm hoping to find out he's a nice guy. Problem is he's paired with my least favorite professional -- Karina. That pairing might turn folks off quickly -- if it is big ego Rocco and imperious Karina.

I'm really interested to see Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas. Corky's Mark Ballas' dad so we'll see where Mark gets his talent. Plus Cloris is quite a dame! Yes, I just said "quite a dame". I just think she's a pistol and will be fun to watch.

You've got two other athletes in addition to Misty May -- Warren Sapp and Maurice Green. They are matched with two veteran (and talented) partners in Kym Johnson and Cheryl Burke, respectively, but given this year's talent pool, it will be interesting to see if they can stand out early. If not, I don't give them much of a chance (I'm sure I'll be eating my words soon).

Again because of the pool of talent, I think Toni Braxton, Ted McGinley, Jeff Ross, and Brooke Burke may be a little sunk. Brooke's saving grace (beyond being beautiful and nice) is that she's paired with Derek Hough. Edyta Sliwinska (who went far with Cristian De Le Fuente a last season) is with Jeff Ross and I feel her days are numbered this season.

I'm avoiding talking about Kim Kardashian. I'm not thrilled that someone who is basically a "gossip rag" girl has been added to the cast. But I don't want to judge too harshly, too quickly. I've heard she's a nice girl. And she's partnered with Mark Ballas and I love Mark. So we'll see.

It should be a really interesting year.

I'll close with my Top 4 predictions (in no certain order) after having analyzed this on a paper.

Top 4
Susan Lucci
Lance Bass
Misty May Treanor
Maurice Greene

I'm sure I'll revise this list heavily after the first week.

Now I just wait until September 22!!

See you all later.

Last night, mom and I got caught up on some of the Sunday shows we'd missed along with watching Dancing with the Stars. The schedule for the night was The Amazing Race, Next Iron Chef (finale), and then Dancing with the Stars (taped with no commercials!!). We voted for Helio and Julianne before we started watching TAR.

The Amazing Race
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but I am so glad this show is back and I'm glad that it's back to the fine form that makes it one of my absolute favorite shows ever. I live vicariously through this show and love to convince myself that I have what it takes to go on the adventure (but since I freak out when my feet get wet and can't sleep without a fan blowing on my face, I think I'm actually doomed to be forever an armchair traveler).

This week's episode was classic TAR. Unique challenges, breakdowns, exhibitions of strength (both physical and of character), and all around fun. I have a habit of tracking the start times of each couple and this week it ended up that the first couple left a full three hours before the last couple, but by the time the airport lines opened up, they were almost all together. That's a bummer!

The flight issues were pretty standard, though I really laughed at Ron when he started berating Nicholas for being rude to the airline clerk. It seemed to me that Ron was being as rude as what Nicholas had been. Of course, Ron's rant was just the tip of the iceberg of what he had to offer this week!

I loved how Azaria and Hendekea just got on the train and bought tickets on board. That's what happened isn't it? They ended up getting the first train to themselves and there was never anything said about that not working out for them. I thought that was savvy.

The first challenge was a hoot to me. I found it interesting that every man who did that challenge, except for Jason, could NOT figure out the knots. So then, all these teeny tiny girls (like Rachel and Shana [or Jennifer -- not sure which did this]) ended up having to pull up all that heavy furniture and did it! Awesome. I also found that Vixen was very directive throughout this episode, which I think was good, but could possibly erode into bossiness.

I thought the people who chose to do the bikes were crazy! I hate those kinds of challenges. I just remember that poor mom on the family edition sifting through that humongous pile looking for the one colored ... something (marble??) and being kicked off. How many times have we seen people implode as they try to get a key to work in one of 1000 locks, or find the right sheet of music, or whatever. I'd either avoid those challenges like the plague or take a few minutes to get into some sort of peaceful zen state because what it takes is calm and focus. Just another aside about this choice, you had to ride 5 miles after getting your bike. I'm sorry Phil, I think that is physically challenging!

Then of course we come to the great mud pole vaulting competition. Ha Ha Ha. I loved how Jason just flew over that thing. He's really starting to be seen as quite the competitor, if he can just keep Lorena from freaking out, they might be strong contenders for the title (although next week's previews show Lorena having what seems like a meltdown more appropriate for week 10 instead of week 3).

When Jen (Nathan's partner) flew over that pit and smacked down on her back, I cringed. This girl has a short fuse, and I think that ignited it. But "grandpa" (Donald) was the best show by far! OMG. He stripped down to his underwear which were black bikinis. Auuuhhh!!! And then they looked like they were full of mud and black bikinis full of mud is just never a good look. I thought Nicholas was more patient than would have been expected. The whole challenge looked disgusting and I laughed when someone said "you smell like poop" (sounds like something Nathan would have said, but I can't remember).

I'm still waiting to go off on old papa Ron, so let's finish out the race. I just about peed my pants when that team road right by Phil and the pit stop. I've never ever seen anything like it. I've seen people ride by flags and clue boxes, but Phil standing there to check you in! That was hysterical. That's a sign that you need to slow down and relax (which I think is one of the most important key to being successful in the race).

I'm sorry to see Kate and Pat go. I think that their views on the experience would have really added something nice to the whole race but many a deserving team have fallen early in the race. If they ever do another theme race again (which I'm not sure I'd advocate), I'd love to see one that brought together some of the strongest or most interesting teams that got kicked off early -- like the lumberjacks, and the muslim men, etc.

So now, let's close this TAR review with a little discussion about papa Ron and his daughter Christina. Wow, Wow, Wow. I hope they stay on long enough to maybe really figure some stuff out, but papa Ron, get a grip. You are bossy and controlling. But what I really liked about this was that Christina, although greatly impacted by what her father says, also seems to know what she wants and is really trying to communicate clearly and honestly with him. I just wanted to throttle him a couple of times. After the whole bike thing he treated her like she had done something wrong, even though he had been the one to choose the challenge and who had walked around yammering the whole time confused and unfocused. Wowzer! Come on Ron, take some responsibility and stop blaming your daughter!

OK. That's all I have to say on that for now. Loving the TAR!!

The Next Iron Chef
Shock -- Michael Symon won! I thought John Besh was a shoe-in. I do have to say that I had seen more of Besh before the competition began and by the end I thought he and Symon were neck and neck. In the long run, surprisingly it was Symon who showed more personality (which Besh is in no short supply of) and more culinary creativity. I'm actually looking forward to watching Iron Chef America more now. I've never been a big fan, but the more I've heard chefs (such as Bobby Flay) talk about how challenging it is and hear the respect they have for the endeavor, I've become more intrigued. I'm also an Alton Brown fan, so that's an added cherry.

The only thing I want to add, was that I was impressed by Morimoto. Those drawings of his were impressive and he actually has a great sense of humor. I just wish that his english was stronger because I don't think folks understand him very much as he is speaking (Besh and Symon seemed a bit clueless, though Alton seemed to get him more easily -- probably a sign of having worked together more).

All in all, this show ended up being a really interesting experience and I'm glad I watched.


Dancing with the Stars
I really felt like this week I could see a clear delineation between the Helio and Mel B. and the rest of the crew. While I'm a big fan of Jennie's I won't be surprised or bothered if she or Cameron goes home this week. Although I'd prefer it to be Cameron. I thought Jennie's technique was not great but her performance was stronger and the exact opposite was true for Cameron. Regarding Marie, I think it's crazy to think she'll get kicked off this week. While I was really impressed by how well she "performed" this week given everything that went on, I'm getting tired of the lack of content in her dances. I was thrilled to see Helio back to fine form and improving and continue to grow in my like of Mel B.

The last thing I want to say is that I think the unsung hero of DWTS is Tom Bergeron. That guy is so darn funny. He is so quick. The show would be completely different if he wasn't the host. Tom's becoming to me very "Regis" like -- an American icon. He's just a wonderful way about him. Kudos Tom.

It's Monday morning and time for some musings on last week's shows. Let's see how far I can get. I've got all of Sunday's shows taped (Amazing Race, Next Iron Chef, and Brothers and Sisters) because the Colts (sadly) played last night (and they played sadly, too!)

Dancing with the StarsOK. I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum, but good grief, have Marie and Jane been in some competition to out "crisis" each other! One week Jane's mother dies, the next week Marie faints, the next week Jane gets food poisoning, the next Marie's father dies. Add in Sabrina's stunning exit and this is the most "soap-erific" DWTS ever. I've almost forgotten about the dancing.

Here's what my concern is. Let me start by saying I love the Osmonds (see Oprah below)and I feel for their pain right now. But man, we are getting down to "brass tacks" here on DWTS and it's just not time for a sympathy vote. Now, I'm sure there are people who could argue there are worse dancers than Marie, but I personally believe she is the least qualified of the dancers remaining. Of course, we have to wait and see what happens tonight, but I just hate the idea that someone who really has a chance of winning this on talent (i.e. Cameron or Jennie) could be kicked off this week because of a sympathy vote for Marie. But then again, I also feel horrible about the idea of Marie getting kicked off within days of her father's funeral. What a conundrum! I'm just going to turn it over and let what happens happen (this is quite the cliche' driven entry, don't you think?)

As one other aside, I thought that the solidarity around Sabrina -- with everyone wearing their cheetah tattoos, was nice, but come on... don't you think every single one of those people (stars and professionals alike) was silently ecstatic about her departure? Come on, the whole competition has changed now and I think just about anyone could win with the right fan base. Still, the solidarity was nice.

Samantha Who?
I don't have a lot of details to discuss here. Just wanted to say that I really enjoy this show. I missed the previous week's episode and need to watch it, but I'm liking how it is unfolding. In particular, I love Jean Smart. I also like the angel/devil dynamic between Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Esposito. I'm a big Melissa fan because of the Gilmore Girls and I'm happy to see her in a successful new show.

Big Bang Theory
This is one of my favorite shows this season. I think it is HILARIOUS. Every episode there is one line that makes me belly laugh and just sit there and repeat it for emphasis. On the Halloween show it was "Gentleman, to the sewing machines!" This past episode was just funny for so many reasons. Sheldon gets funnier and funnier each episode. I love the tension between he and Penny. And Wolowitz with is curly hair! Loved it. My gosh, they must spend an hour blow drying his hair into that Beatles-esque page-boy for each show. I just checked the Big Bang Theory website to verify the Wolowitz name and Sheldon (aka Jim Parsons) is smiling on the front page. It looks so weird! I was like, "why does that picture look so funny -- his cheeks are so puffy?" and then I realized because he's smiling. I don't think I've ever seen Sheldon smile? Anyway, great show. Smart, witty, clever. Favorite new show this year.


Tuesday and Wednesday Dearth (replaced with new documentary -- No End in Sight)
Other than the DWTS result show, we were painfully without anything exciting (to us) to watch on Tuesday an Wednesday, especially because of the CMA awards, even though both my mom and I have pretty well given up on Pushing Daisies and Private Practice. I am looking forward to the return of Project Runway this week. But last week, we ended up watching No End in Sight, a recently released documentary about the Iraqi War with insights from many military and diplomatic folks who were on the ground in Baghdad the first few years of the war. I won't get into political commentary here, but will say that this is very interesting and not a "Michael Moore" type documentary.

Ugly Betty
This show continually surprises me how it shifts from camp to compelling so comfortably. (Not only am I loving my cliche's this a.m., I'm also into alliteration!) Anyway, those who tugged at my heartstrings were Henry and Betty, Christina and her husband (although, I wonder...?), and Marc and Cliff. (As an aside, I just did another name verification on IMBD and found out that David Blue who plays Cliff is a champion swing dancer -- let's see him dance!!)

I really love that Betty has decided to go for it with Henry even though she knows he's leaving. As they say" Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." Plus you never know what is going to happen in life. Embrace it now.

The disappointing thing was that they showed Bradford alive in the hospital, although there is a good chance he's not going to survive given his "take care of Daniel" speech to Betty. I'm sure some of you already have the scoop on this as I've heard the rumor that a major character was dying. I'm eager to see what's going to happen this week. Looks like Claire is returning and may be turning herself in. I'm hooked! (Hope this isn't taboo to talk about the previews!)

Grey's Anatomy
I really think that Grey's is getting back in the swing of things. Especially since some wrongs have been righted -- namely the Chief canning Calleigh (as Head Resident) and giving Bailey the position she so rightly deserves. Her breaking down and crying in a clutch of the Chief was classic! I also loved how Calleigh rocked out while she did her surgery and how Sloane and Yang called ortho "carpentry".

I love the banter between Derek and Mark and the ongoing gag about Derek "dating" the Chief. Funny and lighthearted. Good stuff.

The whole bad chemistry thing between George and Izzie is an interesting story line. I'm not sure where it is headed. I would like for it to be headed to them not being together. While I think the are really good friends, I just don't seem them as lovers or husband and wife.

Then there is the whole Thatcher storyline that's warming up again. Previews say that Thatcher's back at the hospital again. That whole storyline is so tragic to me and seeing Lexie at home with Thatcher has shed some new light on why she's reaching out to Meredith so much. Her stable family is a shambles and she needs someone. What will happen when Meredith and Thatcher come face to face again? Stay tuned.

30 Rock
This show continues to grow on me. I am surprised by how great a comedic actress Tina Fey is. When she was on SNL, she rarely if ever did any "acting" and was seen on screen only on the News. But she's really wonderful on this show. As much as they rave about Alec Baldwin, Liz Lemon's neuroses are great fodder for the show. The whole "pop tart" gag was hysterical and I loved the flashbacks to Kenneth's house party. The whole thing is just so tongue-in-cheek.

The Office
You know you've got a good show when you read the synopis on the Dish Network guide and laugh hysterically, which is what my mom and I did when we read that Michael was going on an outdoor excursion. Good grief -- the possibilities of hilarity abounded. Now, I have to say that I don't think that they cashed in on the premise as much as they could have, but it was funny.

I thought the birthday party storyline was a good one. It sounds just like something I'd suggest without thinking through the ramifications. I thought it was poignant that as much as Michael exasperates his employees, they do appreciate him in their own way.


Oprah and the Osmonds
So, the Osmonds decided to go ahead with their big reunion on Oprah at the end of the week. Although I was taping it, I told myself I just didn't want to watch -- too much syrup and sweet. Oh, but I got caught up in it and caught up in it bad! I was a HUGE Osmond fan as a kid. My best friend, Julie, loved Donny and I had a crush on Jay. I watched the Donny and Marie show every week and went to see the Osmond Brothers at the State Fair. The Oprah show brought back so many good memories. What a blast. By the end of the show I was planning on going to one of the reunion concerts. My buzz may have worn off since then, but still, watching that reunion made me appreciate the Osmonds as entertainment royalty.

Friday Night Lights
Poor, poor Tammy Taylor. Just when she thinks she's got relief with her sister coming to help, she realizes that she really has just added another child to the crew! I felt so bad for her. She needs relief, not more worries.

What is going on with Jason? What the heck is he going to do with himself? I'm glad Eric said what he did and is holding on to his tapes for him to go pick up, which I hope is does by the end of the season. Sure, I know the kid is 19 and it's probably unlikely that he can just stay a coach without getting a college degree or anything, but it really seems like coaching is his calling. I have no clue where this storyline is headed. I hope it's some place compelling.

My last comment on FNL for this week is regarding Landry and his father. Wow! I hope that car is far, far way so that the fire department doesn't get called. I'm sure dad thinks that Tyra is still the bad guy in all of this and I'm also sure that the watch still has a role to play. Didn't Ausiello report that an upcoming episode is entitled "Confession"? Was that last week's episode? Or is there more confessing to come? Don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.


Well that's my Monday Morning Musings!

Cringe-Worthy Moments (or things that kind of creeped me out)
OK. Over the weekend I saw a few things that were kind of "cringe-worthy" to me. First and foremost was Lyla's makeout scene with both Jason and Tim. YUCK to the 100th degree. What the heck was that about? I mean, I literally cringed at that scened. And then she wiped her lip and said she needed to go pray. That was totally nuts to me.

Another cringe-worthy moment along the same vein was Lena flirting then making out with Justin on Brothers and Sisters. Here we've got this woman who first seems to really have it on the ball, but then she's going after both Tommy and Justin. Double Yuck! That scene with Tommy at her apartment was heartbreaking, but what bothered me about it especially was that Lena didn't seem to feel any sort of remorse for having just slept with a married man. Yuck again!

Finally, in the cringe-worthy section, I have to say that there was something off for me about the brother and sister team on Amazing Race -- Azaria and Hendekea. I just felt creeped out by the brother's physical intimateness with his sister. My mom didn't notice it and it's probably nothing but there was just a weird vibe I got. This morning what I thought was that there's a chance that these are really intellectual people who aren't overly comfortable with showing affection and maybe being on tv is forcing them to act some way they aren't used to and that's why it comes off strange. I'll keep watching to see if I'm off my rocker or not. This was definitely no where as cringe-worthy as old Lyla kissing both Jason and Tim in front of each other.

Law and Order Criminal Intent
I LOVE this show. I especially love that I have a dvr and that so many shows are repeated each week because it just makes me love it more. While I really like Chris Noth and how they've split the season up between he and Vincent, it's still Vincent's Bobby Goren that has me hooked. I like his complications -- his family's sordid and harsh past -- and how his own emotional stability always looms in the background as a question. I'm also really growing to love Kathryn Erbe's Eames. There's this wonderful dance between the two of them -- Bobby and Alex -- and it takes a special person to be able to keep up with Bobby Goren. This weekend I watched the first episode that Nicole Walker was on and really wish that they would package all of her episodes together so we could watch them one after another.

Friday Night Lights
I love Friday Night Lights and am harboring this great desire that they will someday put it on Thursday nights as a replacement for ER. This episode, though, had some ups and downs for me. I've already started on the downs (see above under "cringe-worthy"), so let's just start there and end on a high note.

FNL Downs
Even before Lyla started her menage-a-trois with Jason and Tim, the whole scene where Jason fell off the boat was wacky in my mind. The biggest problem I had was that Jason fell off the boat and swam ashore and a few minutes later Tim and Lyla were driving up to get him. Huh??? I have so many questions I don't know where to start. How did they know where he was? How did they get off the boat, into their car and down to where he was so fast? And what the heck happened to Jason to make him change his mind about the surgery. Come on Jason -- open up a little? Of course, that was then followed by the freaky Lila kissing scene and I was thoroughly confused.

The other down for me was the hokey Landry speech at halftime. Come on writers, get some creativity going there. Oh, I loved that he had the cahones to get up and say something, but please, let's have something more original than stand together or die alone. OK. Maybe it's possible that for those high school students that concept is new and exciting and motivating, but for me, as an audience member, I thought it was a cliche' and an example of lazy, lazy writing.

FNL Ups
Having complained now for a bit, let's get to the good stuff -- the FNL Ups.

First and foremost, Eric and Tammy were great in this episode. When she came home from that book club all liquored up and relaxed, you just knew Eric was getting excited, but oh so beautifully Tammy got him hook, line and sinker -- telling him of all the girl's six week stories. Now that was good writing! I love Connie and Kyle together. But then when she finally said she was ready -- how great was that when they ran to the bedroom? Fun Fun.

I also think a highlight of this episode was Matt not taking Julie back. That was awesome! Stand in your power Matt! And eat that Julie! You can't treat people that way and get away with it!

I hated that Tyra had to be so mean to Landry and say all those things that I know he fears, but her sobbing in the car just makes me sure that they'll be back together soon. I'm worried, though, that Landry's dad and the rest of the police force will try to pin this on Tyra.

I'm looking forward to Jason getting back to being a coach with Eric and I hope he does that. Looking forward to this upcoming Friday ... I think the watch is found!!!!

That's it for now. Have a great day.

Thank God for DVR. Here's how the entire week goes for me. It starts slowly. On Sunday, it's been just Brothers and Sisters but now The Next Iron Chef is on and I love it (more on that in a later post).

Then Monday is a bit crowded and requires multi-tv DVRs to get it all taped but it only ends up being 3 hours -- Dancing with the Stars, Chuck and Big Bang Theory - which coincidentaly and annoyingly are all on at the same time. On top of that I have class from 9 - 10 p.m. every Monday so often something is left for another day (say...Tuesday).

Then we get to Tuesday --- (the sounds of crickets chirping) --- because I can't find one thing I WANT to watch. Sure there's some good things on -- but just not my cup of tea (Bones, House, etc.) So, we watch what's leftover from recording over the past week -- maybe some Diners, Dives and Drive Ins on Food Network or maybe History Detectives. Anyway, slowly but surely we make our way to Wednesday.

Wednesday is a little crowded. Pushing Daisies and then double taping of Bionic Woman and Private Practice. This brings up one of my idiosyncracies that has developed since we got DVR (and I'm sure many of you are like me)... I hate commercials. I'll do anything to avoid watching a commercial. Watching my dear Indianapolis Colts play on Sundays is like water torture. So, we either tape everything and watch it after it's been on or we pause for 10 to 20 minutes depending on the length of the show. This whole system drives my sister crazy because she can't call us and talk about any big bombs that happen during a show because we are never on the same time. Anyway...

Then we get to Thursday. Ah, glorious Thursday. The Olympics of DVR. Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, Ugly Betty, and Gray's. Add in having strategies to not watch commercials (such as watching Private Practice a day late while Ugly and 30 Rock tape) and we cram five hours of tv into 3 hours! What a great feeling!!!! JK. That's TV addiction at it's finest, don't you think?

Then the week closes with the grinding of the wheels. We record FNL and watch it an hour later and then watch a movie on Saturday. I guess we need the recoup time!

So, yes, Thank God for DVR. Look at all the great TV we aren't missing! It's wonderful to be a couch potato!

Tonight is Dancing with the Stars night! Yea! DWTS is my favorite show. It is my happy happy joy joy show. I just about jump out of my skin when this show comes on, I enjoy it so much! I also really like the results show. I love seeing the professional dancers do routines and am often very pleased with their musical guests. Macy Gray and Dionne Warwick were great last year. On the other hand there are clunkers -- like a lip synching Dolly Parton, and I'm a little wary of Miley Cyrus tomorrow night, if only because it signals the return of Billy Ray.

Tonight's show didn't thrill me as much as last week's, but here's the criteria I'm using. You start out the first week and we get a kind of baseline of what you have as a dancer. This year, what I was impressed by was how enthusiastic the stars are about the show -- especially Jane, Marie, and Jennie. Long time fans who are now putting themselves out there -- I liked that.

The second show is really a big tell tale for me. By the end of the second show, you've seen them do both ballroom and latin so you have an idea of what they can do. The second show changed my opinions, for the better, on Albert, Cameron, and Mel B. I thought Jane was a bit flat in the second show so I was glad to see her in full form again tonight.

Now, the third show for me is about finding out if they have what it takes for the long haul. While I love Mark Cuban's competitive nature and gung ho attitude, this week sealed the deal for me -- he's not a very good dancer. That may be because of his hip or it may be because he lacks rhythm. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes this week, although I'd much rather see Wayne go and keep Mark for his enthusiasm.

On the other side, I thought several people boosted themselves -- Cameron, Jennie, and Floyd all impressed me the most this week. Of course, the jive, in general, and the choreography and music, specifically, suited Floyd very well. Even so, I still felt that there was an improvement. I loved Len's advice to practice in dance shoes. Actually, what I liked was Floyd seeming to agree with the suggestion as opposed to the defiant nature of Master P a few seasons back.

Jennie is much too hard on herself. She and Cameron are in the running for the Ian Z. of this season. They seem to lack confidence in themselves that is self-defeating. But this week I think they both really shined. I love many of the partner pairings this year. I think Derek and Jennie are a beautiful couple and I think Edyta has a great, supportive personality for Cameron.

Sabrina rocked as usual. I'm afraid she's shone too brightly too quickly -- something I like to call the "Joey Fatone" effect. I think Joey peaked too early last season and I just wonder how Sabrina can outdo herself week after week?

Helio and Julianne were great. My mom and I just sit and grin all throughout their routines. Julianne is a fun and masterful choreographer. I just rewind and watch her routines over and over. I still have her and Apolo's "Cool" routine on Tivo and watch it every once and a while.

So, I guess I'll close with Marie, Jane and Mel B. Again, this week they solidified their place in this competition. I think all of their dances played to their strengths. Marie looks more and more joyful and beautiful each week and I think she'll be around for a while. Jane made me cry before, during, and after she danced and I thought her dance was masterful. She's a dancer at heart and she and Tony make a great couple. Mel B and Maks didn't initially seem to gel very well but this week they seemed to really get along good. She seems to be softer or something. I'm looking forward to seeing her continue to grow. I hope she does because I LOVE Maks and want him around for a lot longer (although I found the shirt thing a little over the top!)

In summary -- first week I was bowled over by the enthusiasm and commitment. The second week started to separate the wheat from the chaf and this week most everyone proved that what you've seen is what you are going to get.

Let's see what happens tomorrow!

Hi all! This is my first post and I have to say that I feel like I've finally found the perfect place for me. I'm a tv-aholic and love to think about tv and talk about tv, so this seems like a match made in heaven.

So, today I'm starting with Friday Night Lights. I feel like the fall season is now in full swing with the second season premiere of FNL. I'm a late comer to this show -- having just gotten hooked since the first season dvd came out but I'm hooked big time.

I was thinking about summarizing my favorite things about this show, but I'd be here all day. Instead, I'll just jump into this premiere and I think my feelings will become evident.

As the subtitle for this entry states -- I found this to be a little bit of a shocking show. First, the Landry/Tyra murder/manslaughter storyline freaks me out. What good can come out of that? If it brings them together more, it will be built on that horrible thing. But for now, I'm going to wait and see how they handle this.

But I'll tell you what was more shocking to me. Tammy Taylor had no voice! Did Connie Britton speak more than 10 words this whole show? My god, I love her and it was just shocking for her to be virtually speechless. Now, over the past few days, I've come to be a bit more comfortable with it and think that it actually is a sign of how complicated her life is right now.

OK. While I'm on shocking or disturbing things, let me talk about a few other things and then I'll close with some of the more light-hearted moments that made me happy. I guess the thing that was confusing to me about this show was how Tim Riggins spoke to Lyla. One of the things that I loved about Tim Riggins was that he was so taken by Lyla that he would do anything for her. I know they always show that "let's touch god" moment as a highlight of his, but the two scenes that stood out for me was when he went to Lyla's bedroom and told her he couldn't stop thinking about her and then when she told him they couldn't see each other anymore, he was like "whatever you want", because I felt he just loved her so much. He was so vulnerable. But now, Wow!, he's a mad SOB. It just seemed so out of the blue for him to talk to her in such a demeaning way --i.e. him telling her she's still his best. It just seemed so out of character for what they had built last year. What I've come to realize is that nine months have gone by since we last saw these folks. A lot has changed and maybe this is just one example of how they are trying to show us this.

By the way -- what happened to Waverly? I don't remember there being closure in that relationship, but she seemed to fall off the earth before the end of the first season and she's definitely not in Smash's mind right now. Hmmm.

So I'll close with some cheerful thoughts. Here are my top happy moments from Friday's show:

1. Baby Grace -- Oh my gosh, could that baby be any cuter. How could Eric get on that plane?

2. Grandma Saracen seeing Coach Taylor in the grocery story. I love Grandma Saracen and her enthusiasm at seeing the coach is indicative of what I love.

3. Buddy getting kicked out of practice. Double OMG! That is so totally classic! That's one of the funniest things ever on that show! And then the whole beat down of his wife's new "tree hugger" boyfriend. I love Buddy!

4. Eric and Julie's conversation in the car. OK. It might not have been a happy happy joy joy moment, but it was a scene that exemplifies what I love about this show. Nobody's perfect, but that Taylor family really provides a good example of how to communicate in a fairly healthy way. I just loved it that Julie opened up and I loved that she said how she's so afraid of becoming like her parents. Makes sense to me -- Sayonara Matt.

Well, that concludes my first post. I'll be back soon to catch up on my musings for the first couple of weeks of the new season. Looking forward to writing raves about my faves -- Dancing with the Stars, Big Bang Theory, Brothers and Sisters while dissing those that are not meeting my "exacting" standars (i.e. Private Practice).

Until Then.

KellyTroy